Vitamins and supplements like melatonin and fish oil offer health benefits but can cause side effects if misused. Learn about the impact of saw palmetto on blood pressure and find the best multivitamins for young women and adults over 50.
Digestion is simultaneously a complicated process and a relatively simple one. Chemically, it's quite simple -- it involves breaking the large nutrient compounds in your food down into small nutrient compounds that you can absorb. Logistically, however, this is quite complex.
Read more →
Whey protein isolate is a supplement derived from the byproduct of cheese made from cow’s milk. The byproduct is filtered to remove fat and lactose and then dried to a powdered form. According to WheyOfLife.org, the purest and most concentrated form of whey protein is whey protein isolate.
Read more →
Many different calcium supplements are available over-the-counter at health food stores and drug stores. You can use these to ensure that you're getting plenty of calcium, which is an important component of the skeletal system.
Read more →
Lysine is a type of amino acid your body needs to maintain proper growth and energy production. Unfortunately, your body can't generate lysine by itself. Instead, you need to consume lysine-rich foods, such as meat, fish or nuts, or supplements to ensure your body receives enough lysine each day.
Read more →
U.S. Pharmacopeia, USP, is an organization that provides quality testing and monitoring of dietary supplements. If all tests pass, then the supplement company can display a USP seal of approval on the label, packaging, and marketing materials of that dietary supplement.
Read more →
If you are on a salt-restricted diet, you might want to reduce the amount of sodium being released by your water softener. If you are maintaining a saltwater fish tank, you will want to keep the salt at a level for optimum fish health. A tool, called a hydrometer, is used for at-home measuring of sodium levels.
Read more →
Essential omega-3 fats from fish oil may help reduce your risk for heart disease, at least in part by lowering your triglyceride levels and your blood pressure. They also decrease abnormal heartbeats, slow down the clogging of your arteries and improve the functioning of your blood vessels.
Read more →
Turmeric, which contains an active compound called curcumin, is a type of spice derived from the Curcuma longa shrub, native to India, Africa and regions of Asia. This golden spice is traditionally used as flavoring for food and dye for fabric.
Read more →
Vitamin B-12 -- also known as cobalamin -- is a member of the B vitamin family; this nutrient helps in the formation of red blood cells and is important in nervous system function.
Read more →
Vitamin B-12 is a vital factor in your body’s ability to synthesize DNA, produce red blood cells and maintain a healthy nervous system. If you eat meat, eggs, dairy products, fish or poultry on a regular basis, you’re probably consuming enough vitamin B-12.
Read more →
Sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate have similar-sounding names and many chemical similarities, but they're used very differently. Sodium carbonate has household and industrial applications but is used very rarely in food and cooking.
Read more →
Calcium is an important element in the body. According to MedlinePlus, you have more calcium in your body than any other mineral. Calcium is an integral part of bone formation, development and repair.
Read more →
Royal jelly, a secretion of worker bees, is the same substance that is fed to all larvae in a colony. When a bee colony needs a new queen bee, a small group of larvae are fed large quantities of royal jelly, and that change in feeding prompts the development of those larvae into queen bees.
Read more →
You need to take in a well-balanced mix of nutrients to maintain optimal health, and sometimes understanding the interactions between the essential vitamins can be a bit tricky.
Read more →
Vitamin B-12 is necessary for metabolism, red blood cell production and maintaining healthy nerve cells. Vitamin B-12 is naturally found in animal foods such as red meat, fish, eggs and milk. Hypoglycemia is low blood glucose levels in the blood.
Read more →
Vitamin B-12 is an essential vitamin required for healthy blood cells and nerves. Dietary animal products, such as fish and poultry, are the main source of B-12, providing significantly larger amounts than the daily requirement of two to three micrograms.
Read more →
You might think you need to consume extra protein when you are building muscle, but the typical American diet provides more than enough protein for your needs. Protein shakes that promise high intakes of protein may cause some effects you do not need.
Read more →
Vitamins are essential chemical compounds required for numerous biological processes in the body. Most vitamins can be found in different foods, and eating a healthy diet including a variety of fruits and vegetables is your best bet to consuming all of the essential vitamins.
Read more →
Food contains nutrients that are made from proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, water and other substances. A deficiency of any one of these nutrients can increase your risk of diseases, disorders and other medical conditions.
Read more →
Potassium is an essential mineral, necessary for a healthy functioning body. Current recommendations for potassium are to consume 3,500 milligrams per day. Low potassium is known as hypokalemia. For most, a healthy, well-balanced diet will provide enough potassium.
Read more →