Monthly Archives: December 2013

Vitamin C: The Lipoprotein(a) Connection

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is best known for its role as an antioxidant in humans. However, from a clinical perspective vitamin C has an equally important function in the stabilisation of connective tissue. Most mammals can synthesise adequate vitamin C … Continue reading →

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Vitamin B6: Ethanol Inhibits Absorption

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Pyridoxine (vitamin B6: here) is a group of related chemicals that play an important role as coenzymes in energy metabolism in humans. Dietary pyridoxine is absorbed to enterocytes of the gut and then phosphorylated to pyridoxal 5’-phosphate, the active coenzyme … Continue reading →

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L-Tyrosine: Fights Stress and Fatigue

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Brain cells use neurotransmitters to communicate with themselves and the rest of the body. Neurotransmitters are synthesised in nerve cells, released into the synapse and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic cell. One group of neurotransmitters, collectively called the catecholamines, … Continue reading →

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Cholesterol Testing: Mostly Pointless

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Cholesterol testing is currently popular in the allopathic medicine, despite its questionable validity as a diagnostic tool. The current paradigm states that dietary cholesterol raises level of plasma cholesterol, and this in turn leads to the formation of atherosclerosis which … Continue reading →

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Flavonoids and Disease: Zutphen Elderly Study

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Flavonoids are bioactive polyphenolic plant compounds that may have health benefits in humans. In particular, flavonoids may be protective of cardiovascular disease if consumed regularly. The mechanism by which flavonoids may confer protection from cardiovascular disease is not known. However, … Continue reading →

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Glycaemic Index: The Response to Western Foods

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Evidence in the nutritional literature shows an association between low quality foods and the risk of Western lifestyle disease. In particular, refined and processed cereal grains and crystalline sugar are thought to significantly increase the risk of obesity, type 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in Fibre, Glycaemic Index, Glycaemic load, Micronutrients, Western Diet, Whole Grains | Comments Off on Glycaemic Index: The Response to Western Foods

Magnesium Losses: Post-Exercise

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Plasma magnesium losses following exercise have been reported in the nutritional literature. The exact reason for this loss is not known, but may result from mineral losses in sweat and urine or redistribution of magnesium between the tissues of the … Continue reading →

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Zinc Absorption: Antagonised by Folate

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Zinc is an essential trace mineral in human nutrition that is required as a cofactor in a number of metalloenzymes. Its divergent functions include roles in oxidoreductase, hydrolase, lyase, isomerase, transferase and ligase metalloenzymes. Zinc is also used in gene … Continue reading →

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Carnitine Supplements: Beneficial or Not?

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Carnitine is a trimethylated amino acid derivative that is required in humans for the transport of fatty acids into mitochondria for β-oxidation. Based on this role, carnitine is sold as a dietary supplement for increasing fat oxidation (fat burning). However, … Continue reading →

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Legumes: Blood Sugar Effects of Beans

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Robert Barrington

Legumes are of interest to nutritional scientists because they have beneficial effects on blood sugar. This is evident from their low rating on the glycaemic index (GI). The glycaemic rating of carbohydrate foods is widely believed to be due to … Continue reading →

Posted in Beans, Fibre, Glycaemic Index, Glycaemic load, Insulin, Potato, Protein, Pulses / Legumes | Comments Off on Legumes: Blood Sugar Effects of Beans