Monthly Archives: December 2011

Vitamin C Bioavailability and Transport

Vitamin C is am important in vivo antioxidant that is involved in protecting cellular components from damage by free radicals, in particular hydrogen peroxide and the superoxide radical. Vitamin C is a relatively large polar compound and so its absorption … Continue reading

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More on Exercise and Weight Change

The mainstream medical viewpoint on weight gain is that it is caused by a positive energy balance, as a direct result of a low energy expenditure coupled to a high energy intake. However, despite the persistence of this view, research … Continue reading

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Lycopene and Prostate Cancer

Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes, and its high concentrations in cells gives them their red colour. Lycopene is well absorbed in humans, and high blood concentrations have been associated with a reduced risk of developing cancer in … Continue reading

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C-Reactive Protein

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein that is synthesised in the liver in response to cytokines released during infection, inflammation and from adipose tissue1. The plasma levels of CRP can rise 1000-fold during times of acute injury or … Continue reading

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Long Chain Fatty Acids in Skin

The skin epidermis has some unique metabolic properties regarding the way it handles long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Deficiency in certain PUFA can lead to inflammation of the epidermal cells and result in a number of skin disorders. Arachidonic … Continue reading

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Fatty Acid Profiles During Pregnancy

Evidence is growing that the long-chain fatty acids from fish are beneficial to the health. Docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) have been shown to play an important role in preventing inflammation caused by the … Continue reading

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Berry Christmas

Anthocyanins are polyphenolic compounds found in high concentrations in berries. Anthocyanins have antioxidant properties and have been shown to be potent reducing compounds in vitro.  One of their effects in vivo that might relate to their antioxidant function is the … Continue reading

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More on Adiponectin

The cause of obesity is not fully understood, but it is becoming clear that metabolic dysfunction leading to insulin resistance is a contributory factor. Obesity is characterised by chronic systemic inflammation, because as white adipose tissue accumulates, pro-inflammatory cytokines are … Continue reading

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Adiponectin, Lifestyle and Diet

Weight gain and obesity are increasingly being associated with inflammation, hormonal changes and metabolic dysfunction. Excess energy causes the accumulation of white adipose tissue, and this leads to an influx of macrophages to adipoctyes. This is followed by a release … Continue reading

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Vitamin C and Cancer

Evidence published in the Lancet in 20011 suggested an inverse relationship between plasma vitamin C and cancer mortality. Vitamin C is thought to be able to prevent disease, possibly including some cancers, because it is an important water-soluble antioxidant in … Continue reading

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