Monthly Archives: July 2011

Sterols and Stanols

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Cholesterol is an important lipid in humans because it is used to synthesis a number of hormones. Sterols and stanols are plant compounds that share a structural relationship with cholesterol because they possess the same ring structure as cholesterol but … Continue reading →

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Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is the name given to a group of isomers of linoleic acid [18:2(n-6)] that are popular in dietary supplements because of their role in the regulation of adiposity and insulin sensitivity. Conjugated linoleic acid is found … Continue reading →

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Leptin

Posted on July 9, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Obesity is caused by a combination of metabolic defect and long term imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Leptin plays an important role in the regulation of food intake, and therefore it is of great interest to nutritional scientists … Continue reading →

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Garlic, Tribulus and Ginseng: Saponins

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The understanding by man that plants provide medical effects can be traced back to the earliest recorded history. Ever since civilisation began to catalogue the beneficial properties of certain plants, high regard has been paid to those plants that provide … Continue reading →

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Vitamin D Insufficiency

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Vitamin D is not really a vitamin in the classic sense because it can be produced in the body from the action of sunlight on the skin. If you have read some of my previous articles, you will already be … Continue reading →

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Biological Effects of Tocotrienols

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Vitamin E comprises of eight compounds that share the biological effects of α‑tocopherol. These include three other tocopherol analogues (β-, γ-, δ) as well as four tocotrienol analogues (α-, β-, γ-, δ). Both tocopherols and tocotrienols have a chromanol ring … Continue reading →

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High Fructose Corn Syrup

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Increases in the use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as a sweetener mirror the rise in obesity seen in Western nations over the last four decades. High fructose corn syrup is produced by isomerising a large proportion of the … Continue reading →

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Some Statistics

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The literature is full of studies that show a beneficial effect of dietary supplements on a variety of degenerative diseases. For example, supplemental vitamin E has been shown to be protective of cardiovascular disease and supplemental vitamin D is known … Continue reading →

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Ancient Medicine: Garlic

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The health benefits of garlic have been well researched in the scientific literature. The historical use of garlic has also been reviewed1. Although it is unclear as to the origins of the use of garlic as a medicinal herb, garlic … Continue reading →

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Antioxidants and Cardiovascular Disease

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Robert Barrington

There is mounting evidence in the scientific literature that certain vitamins possess health benefits beyond their ability to inhibit deficiency diseases. One of the main roles proposed for some of the vitamins is that of antioxidants. Vitamin E, vitamin C, … Continue reading →

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