Monthly Archives: July 2012

Vitamin E and Vitamin C

Vitamin E and vitamin C are important cellular antioxidants in humans that have lipophilic and lipophobic properties, respectively. This allows the vitamins to function in different cellular environments, with vitamin E being found predominately in the phospholipid membranes of cells, … Continue reading

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Fructooligosaccharide Metabolism

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are short chain di-, tri- and polysaccharides that are composed of a glucose unit bonded to between 1 and 4 β(1-2) linked fructose units. A number of plant foods contain FOS (e.g. onion, leek, asparagus, garlic and artichoke) … Continue reading

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Fruit and Vegetables for Improved Carotenoid Status

High plasma carotenoid concentrations are associated with reductions in the risk of developing certain cancers, and high concentrations of particular carotenoids in the retina of the eye can be protective of damaging radiation. However, many clinical studies looking at the … Continue reading

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Linoleic Acid and Lipoprotein Oxidation

Linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 (n-6)) is an essential fatty acid that is required in human nutrition for the production of eicosanoid hormones that regulate inflammation, immunity and other important cellular functions. Linoleic acid deficiency is rare because the typical Western … Continue reading

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More on β-Carotene

Epidemiological studies show that β-carotene intake and plasma levels shows an inverse association with certain forms of cancer. This protective effect may be due to the accumulation of carotenoids in the outer portion of cell membranes where they have antioxidant … Continue reading

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Homocysteine and Cognition

Low intakes of vitamin B6, B12 and folate are know to cause elevations in plasma levels of homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine in turn are associated with dementia, possibly because they are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is … Continue reading

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Low Energy Intakes Reduce Stomach Volume

The volume of the stomach is increased in obese individuals when compared to their lean counterparts. This might suggest that increased food intake causes an increase in the size of the stomach over time. Further, it might be assumed that … Continue reading

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More on Antioxidant Interactions

Vitamin C, vitamin E and the carotenoids are important antioxidants in human tissues, that may have beneficial effects against a number of lifestyle diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer. A wide variety of antioxidants in the diet may provide better … Continue reading

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Fish Oils and Adipose Tissue

Consumption of the marine long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) are associated with health benefits. In particular, EPA and DHA consumption is associated with a reduction in certain lifestyle diseases … Continue reading

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Ephedrine and Weight Loss

Ephedrine is a plant alkaloid isolated from plants of the genus Ephedra which has β-adrenergic properties in mammals. Ephedrine supplementation has been shown to have weight loss effects in humans, that are particularly beneficial because ephedrine appears to not only … Continue reading

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