Monthly Archives: November 2011

More on the Metabolic Syndrome

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The metabolic syndrome is characterised by insulin resistance and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High fructose diets are implicated in the development of metabolic syndrome, because they result in de novo lipogenesis which results in an increase in … Continue reading →

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Salt and Vascular Function

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The association between sodium salt and blood pressure is well known. Low salt diets are often recommended for individuals who have high blood pressure, because it is believed that sodium in excess is able to raise blood pressure. While this … Continue reading →

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Essential Fatty Acids in Skin

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Skin conditions are associated with n-6 fatty acids but generally not with n-3 fatty acid. The result of n-6 deficiency is increased inflammation, which includes heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function. This can cause weeping, increased proliferation of … Continue reading →

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Dietary Choices and Heart Function

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Heart failure is a form of cardiovascular disease that is characterised by an inability to efficiently pump blood around the body. Heart failure risk can be predicted by measuring the left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD), which is asymptomless in most … Continue reading →

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More on the Mediterranean Diet

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The Mediterranean diet originated in countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain and consists of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, bread and olive oil, as well as red wine and herbs. The diet is also characterised by low levels of red … Continue reading →

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Lack of Sleep and Snacking

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Lack of sleep is associated with obesity because it disrupts the endocrine system relating to appetite and hunger. Those sleeping less than 6 hours per night have increased adiposity. However, it is unclear whether the sleep causes the weight gain, … Continue reading →

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Protein After Exercise

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Evidence suggests that the anabolic effect of resistance training is enhanced by ingestion of the branched chain amino acids, particularly leucine. Ingestion of essential amino acids at rest can stimulate protein synthesis, which occurs at the level of messenger RNA … Continue reading →

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Diet Versus Exercise for Weight Loss

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Evidence is accumulating that the traditional advice to prevent obesity is ineffective. Weight gain is seen my the mainstream establishment as simply the result of a positive energy balance caused by either too little energy expenditure (exercise) or too large … Continue reading →

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Capsinoids for Weight loss?

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The Capsicum genus of plants contains a number of chemicals that are known as capsinoids and capsicum constituents. Capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and nordigydrocapsaicin are pungent capsicum chemicals. These are closely related to three non-pungent capsinoid chemicals capsiate, dihydrocapsiate and nordihydrocapsiate, except … Continue reading →

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Glycerol Esterification Position, EPA and DHA

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Marine long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are known to be beneficial to the health, particularly with regard to their preventative role in cardiovascular disease. Many studies have measured the incorporation of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5, n-3) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, … Continue reading →

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