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.
Many people enjoy the flavor of catfish, but it offers a variety of health benefits as well. Including the nutritious fish in your diet helps you meet your protein needs and boosts your intake of vitamins and healthy fats and fatty acids. Consider catfish regularly in your meal planning.
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A number of vitamins make up the vitamin B complex of nutrients, and these vitamins play a crucial role in how your body develops and functions. These nutrients play an important part in the regulation of chemical processes, such as converting food into energy.
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Pectin is a type of fiber that is commonly added to foods in order to enhance absorption and add fiber to your diet. Pectin may also be taken as a nutritional supplement that is made primarily from apple fiber.
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Albumin is a protein made in the liver that has many functions in the body. In the book "Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy," author Mary D. Litchford reports that albumin accounts for around 60 percent of protein found in blood plasma, or the liquid part of blood.
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Commonly known as reishi mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum is a purple-brown fungus with a long, thin stalk, spores that are brown in color and a shiny cap shaped like a fan. The mushroom grows on decaying logs and tree stumps.
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Iron is a mineral that your body needs to function. You can get iron through the foods you eat or from a dietary supplement. If you do not have enough iron in your blood, you can develop iron-deficiency anemia.
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Coenzymes are a non-protein compound that is bound to a protein molecule in the form of enzymes. They assist enzymes in their biological functions, such as speeding up a chemical process in metabolism.
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Glucosamine and chondroitin are often combined together in a dietary supplement. You can also buy them in individual supplements in the form of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Both supplements are used to promote joint health and as a remedy for the pain and cartilage loss associated with osteoarthritis.
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Everything you eat contributes one way or another to the proper functioning of your body. Your food choices can even affect how your blood is able to carry oxygen and supply it to your body. The hemoglobin molecule works by ridding your body of carbon dioxide and absorbing oxygen.
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Sodium benzoate is a chemical used as a preservative in for several types of food, including margarine, soft drinks, pickles, jelly and jam. Although sodium benzoate is usually safe, it may cause mild side effects in certain individuals.
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L-arginine is an essential amino acid the body uses to make protein. Although L-arginine supplements are generally not necessary, they may provide some health benefits to people with certain medical conditions.
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SAMe and 5-HTP are chemicals produced naturally within the human body. Both have been studied for use in depression for many decades; however, currently available trials are inconclusive.
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If you have been prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), discuss any other medications or supplements you are considering taking with your physician.
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The B vitamins, including biotin, are a group of nutrients that work together to metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Biotin goes above its metabolic role and keeps your skin, nails and hair healthy. High-dose biotin supplements are often targeted toward men to improve hair structure and minimize hair loss.
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Weight-loss supplements contain various ingredients designed to help dieters lose weight. Some over-the-counter dietary supplements contain St. John’s wort.
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Menstruation is an important monthly occurrence for women who are of childbearing age, but who do not get pregnant during that month. The body naturally releases the egg if it has not been fertilized, which may cause mild fatigue or lethargy. But it should not cause excess pain, cramping or overly intense mood swings.
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A test to see how much citric acid is in your urine is used to help evaluate your risk for kidney stones or to help diagnose other health conditions. Low levels of citric acid are risk factors for kidney stones, but higher levels may have a protective effect.
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Most allergic reactions to vitamins are to ingredients in vitamin supplements and will not occur if the vitamin is consumed naturally in foods. Most vitamin C supplements are synthetic and contain other inactive ingredients that may be the cause of an allergic reaction.
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Zinc is an essential mineral that plays a role in many of your body's functions, including metabolism and how your body catalyzes enzymes. The nutrient is also vital to the healthy upkeep of your neurological and immune systems and the structure of your cells' membranes.
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The seed of the grape contains particularly rich stores of oligomeric proanthocyanidins complexes, a group of compounds that have been identified as having strong antioxidant properties.
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