Monthly Archives: July 2015

Calorie Counting: More Holes

Calorie counting relies on the energy balance equation to explain body weight changes. Proponents of calorie counting claim that the change in body weight experienced by an individual is related solely to the amount of physical activity they perform, in … Continue reading

Posted in Energy Expenditure, Exercise, Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA), Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), Weight Loss | Comments Off on Calorie Counting: More Holes

Fibre: Effects on Nitrogen

Fibre is a heterogeneous group of non-digestible plant polysaccharides. Evidence is mounting that fibre is an essential nutrient in man. In this regard, diets absent of a minimum level of fibre lead to specific metabolic changes including blood sugar and … Continue reading

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Guar Gum: Statin Beaters

Elevated levels of blood lipoproteins are caused by poor quality diets. Low quality foods containing refined cereal grains and refined crystalline fructose induced insulin resistance and this raises plasma levels of fasting insulin. Insulin is the primary anabolic hormone, and … Continue reading

Posted in Cholesterol, Fibre, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, LDL, Pulses / Legumes, VLDL | Comments Off on Guar Gum: Statin Beaters

Alcohol Lowers Vitamin C Levels: An Interesting Little Study

Ethanol (alcohol) has been shown to have beneficial health effects in humans. These health effects centre on a protective effect of ethanol on the cardiovascular system. The reason for the protective effects of ethanol are not fully understood, but it … Continue reading

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Vitamin E: Possible Cardioprotective Mechanism

Vitamin E has shown promise as a possible cardioprotective agent. In particular, D-alpha tocopherol, the most biologically active isomer in the vitamin E family, has been shown to decrease the risk of myocardial infarction, particularly in those with existing cardiovascular … Continue reading

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GABA: Inhibitory Neurotransmitter

A number of amino acids have direct effects in the central nervous system and can be considered as possible treatments for mental disorders. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one such amino acid. However although GABA is an amino acid, it is … Continue reading

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High Carbohydrate Diets Can Be Healthy

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Carbohydrate Sports Drinks and Gastric Emptying Rate

The stomach is one of the control points for digestion and absorption. The pyloric sphincter is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the stomach, which acts as a gate to the duodenum and the rest of the small … Continue reading

Posted in Carbohydrate, Digestion and Absorption, Exercise, Gastric Emptying, Water | Comments Off on Carbohydrate Sports Drinks and Gastric Emptying Rate

Are the Obese At Increased Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency

The traditional role of vitamin D is considered to that of maintaining bone homeostasis. However, more recently, vitamin D has been shown to be involved in a far wider range of physiological roles including maintaining insulin homeostasis, cancer prevention and … Continue reading

Posted in 25-hydroxyvitamin D, Bone Health, Cholecalciferol, Ergocalciferol, Vitamin D | Comments Off on Are the Obese At Increased Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency

Sucrose: Detrimental Health Effects Even at Modest Doses

Sucrose is the chemical name for table sugar. Structurally, sucrose is a disaccharide composed of a molecule of fructose and a molecule of glucose. Sucrose ingestion results in hydrolysis of the glycosidic bond between the two sugars to produce glucose … Continue reading

Posted in Fructose, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Sucrose, Sugar, Western Diet | Comments Off on Sucrose: Detrimental Health Effects Even at Modest Doses