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.
L-histidine is a conditionally essential amino acid, so-called because adults generally produce adequate amounts of the substance but children quite often do not and must fill their needs through diet. Both plant and animal proteins are good sources of this amino acid, which is a building block of protein in your body.
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Derived from a fungus known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, brewer’s yeast is a key ingredient in the production of beer and ale. It's also taken as a nutritional supplement due to its rich supply of protein, B-complex vitamins and minerals, most notably chromium and selenium.
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Magnesium citrate is a compound of magnesium carbonate and citric acid that is marketed as a supplement to treat magnesium deficiency. Your body requires the mineral to function efficiently.
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Methionine is a sulfur-based amino acid essential to optimal human health and function. The body cannot produce methionine and must get this vital substance through dietary means.
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Herbalists prize oil of oregano, extracted from the leaves of Origanum vulgare, for its medicinal properties, including the ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi and viruses. It differs from the oregano most often used as a culinary spice, which comes from a related plant called Origanum majoricum.
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Widely marketed as a weight-loss supplement, the fiber from konjac root, also known as glucomannan, appears to have some other medicinal properties of interest. These include the ability to inhibit absorption of cholesterol and glucose by the gastrointestinal system, as well as strong laxative effects.
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Your sinuses secrete mucus designed to keep the air passageways clear and lubricated. However, blockages in the sinuses can lead to infection, causing considerable discomfort. Good overall health is key to sinus health, and there are a handful of vitamins that play a role in helping you avoid infection.
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Ginseng royal jelly combines the medicinal properties of Panax ginseng, also known as Chinese or Asian ginseng, and royal jelly, the nutrient-rich food source of the queen honeybee.
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From the French for “sour wine,” vinegar includes a diverse family of culinary products produced through the process of fermentation. In the Western world, the most widely consumed vinegars are derived from grapes and apples.
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Spanish olives--more properly called Spanish-style olives--are olives that are picked young, briefly cured in lye and then fermented in a brine solution for up to 12 months before being bottled in a diluted brine.
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GABA, or gamma aminobutyric acid, is a naturally occurring amino acid that helps to facilitate normal operation of the central nervous system, the control center for a host of normal everyday functions. Doctors commonly prescribe GABA supplementation for patients who exhibit symptoms of deficiency.
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Melanin is the natural substance that gives color or pigment to the skin, hair and iris of the eye. Cells called melanocytes, located just below the outer surface of the skin, produce melanin, which is in higher levels in people with darker skin.
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Magnesium carbonate is a white, powdery compound that occurs naturally as dolomite and magnesite and is widely marketed as a health supplement. Its active ingredient is magnesium, a mineral that your body requires to function efficiently.
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