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.
Proper levels of potassium are critical to how your heart and brain function. Low levels of potassium can interrupt electrical signals that drive the brain, causing confusion, sluggish thoughts and brain fog. The body tightly regulates potassium, so low potassium -- or hypokalemia -- is rare.
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All children need the essential amino acid lysine, which aids the body in proper growth. The body does not make essential amino acids. Adults and children generally get amino acids from foods.
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Fish oil, a dietary supplement, is high in omega-3 fatty acids. These unsaturated fats play a vital role in brain development and can help reduce the risk for heart disease and other chronic diseases. This is due in part to the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fats.
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Minerals play vital roles in the regulation of enzymes, hormones and the function of vitamins. Calcium and magnesium are both major minerals, or those that your body requires in excess of 100 mg each day.
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Flaxseed, which comes from the flax plant, has a history of medicinal use dating to ancient Egypt. Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids, which might reduce cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, decrease inflammation and improve irregular heartbeats.
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Vitamin A is a group of compounds that includes retinoids and carotenoids. Vitamin A from plant sources is a carotenoid that your body can transform into a retinol, while vitamin A from animal sources is already in a form of retinol that's easily absorbed by your body.
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Antibiotics are a life-saving tool in the treatment of bacterial infections, from infected wounds to diseases like tuberculosis. Although commonly prescribed antibiotics are well tolerated, they are not always immediately effective, and some side effects can occur.
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Potassium is a mineral your body uses for purposes that include maintenance of your normal heart function and the contraction of both your voluntary and involuntary muscles. If you don’t get enough of this mineral, you can develop a low-potassium disorder called hypokalemia.
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Your body's pH level -- an indicator of acidity and alkalinity -- depends on the amount of certain substances in your body, such as carbon dioxide, an acid, and bicarbonate, a base.
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With the exception of respiratory infections, urinary tract infections – also called UTIs – develop more frequently than any other type of infection, especially in women. Many people try to treat this common condition with home remedies, such as apple cider vinegar.
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Bariatric sleeve surgery is a weight-loss surgery technique that involves removing a portion of the stomach. As a result, you have a smaller stomach that cannot tolerate eating a large amount of food. While eating less food will help you to lose weight, you will be getting fewer nutrients in your daily diet.
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Doctors and scientists sometimes measure the levels of ferritin and vitamin D in your body. Levels of both can serve as indicators for numerous health conditions. The levels of ferritin and vitamin D are measured via blood tests.
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Sodium bicarbonate, better known as baking soda, is a common ingredient in quick breads and other baked goods. While it doesn't have benefits for people with healthy kidneys, it is beneficial if you have kidney disease.
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If you are suffering from noise or ringing in the ears, you may be experiencing tinnitus. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is not actually a disease or a condition but rather a symptom of an underlying issue such as an ear injury, circulatory disorder or hearing loss due to age.
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Saw palmetto is a natural herbal remedy that is extracted from the fruits or berries of the palm tree serenoa repen. Saw palmetto has been used in traditional and alternative medicine for to treat a number of ailments from asthma and migraines to cancer and chronic bronchitis.
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Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, and this means that your body gets rid of what it does not use. For this reason, it is rare to develop serious side effects from too much vitamin C. Taking an excessive amount can lead to stomach upset, but vitamin C is not known to harm your liver.
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Fish oil has many health benefits, including positively impacting brain function, nerves and anti-inflammatory responses, according to Shari Lieberman, PhD, in her book, "The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book."
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Although vitamin C may be used in some circles as a folk remedy for menstrual problems, its ties to heavy bleeding during menstruation are unclear. Most people get enough vitamin C from the foods they eat and don't need supplementation; however, your doctor may encourage you to take supplements in certain cases.
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Around 20 percent of women have at least one urinary tract infection in their lives and 3 percent suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections, Darren Lynch, M.D., of Beth Israel Medical Center reports in the December 2004 issue of the “American Family Physician.
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Vitamin B-17, more commonly known as laetrile, is not a vitamin, but rather a substance found naturally in the pits of apricots and other fruits. In the 1970s, vitamin B-17 was proposed as a treatment for cancer. This chemical compound is not readily available in the United States for several reasons, however.
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