Monthly Archives: March 2012

Selenium Toxicity

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The toxicity of most trace minerals is well understood and mechanisms are well documented in academic papers. Because selenium can accumulate in body proteins there is the potential for toxicity and this has been extensively studied in animal models. The … Continue reading →

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A little More on Selenium

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Methionine is an essential amino acid and as a result humans are unable to synthesise selenomethionine. However, Selenomethionine is synthesised in plants via bonding of inorganic forms of selenium to the essential amino acid methionine (particularly in brassica and allium … Continue reading →

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Antioxidants and Cancer

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Research suggests that diets high in plant foods are protective of certain types of cancer. Plants are a rich source of antioxidants, and the hypothesis that antioxidants are protective of diseases such as cancer on account of their free radical … Continue reading →

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Magnesium and the Heart

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Magnesium is an important macro-mineral for humans that plays a role as an enzyme co-factor and as an important ion. Although the role of magnesium as a co-factor in the synthesis, utilisation and structure of the ATP molecular is well … Continue reading →

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More on Fibre and Disease

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Dietary fibre is defined as the non-digestible carbohydrate portion of a plant that is subsequently able to be fermented in the colon by microorganisms. There are many types of dietary fibre (cellulose, pectin, lignin, oligosaccharides, resistant starches, hydrocolloids and alcohol … Continue reading →

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The Metabolic Syndrome and Exercise

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Metabolic syndrome is a disorder characterised by central adiposity, insulin resistance and detrimental blood lipid changes, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The detrimental physiological changes that accompany metabolic syndrome may be the underlying causative … Continue reading →

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More on Salt and Blood Pressure

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The theory that high salt (sodium) intake is the cause of hypertension is controversial. One of the main problems, is that until recently researchers were not fully understanding of the mechanisms by which salt could cause blood pressure changes. Some … Continue reading →

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Fracture Risk in Vegans

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Vegetarians and vegans appear to be protected from certain diseases by the exclusion of meat from their diets. For example, certain cancers of the digestive tract may be induced by high intakes of meat and vegetarianisms protects the individual by … Continue reading →

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Phylloquinone: Supplements Versus Foods

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Phylloquinone is a form of vitamin K found in green leafy vegetables and is the main source of vitamin K in the human diet. The bioavailability of vitamin K from vegetables has not been extensively researched and so relatively little … Continue reading →

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The DASH Diet to Lower Blood Pressure

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and its cause is not fully understood, but both environmental and genetic factors are thought to contribute to its development. While it might be considered that genetic factors are beyond the control … Continue reading →

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