Skip to main content

Latest news

The role of vitamins and minerals in the treatment of diabetes

The role of vitamins and minerals in the treatment of diabetesType 2 diabetes is spreading like a bushfire and is the major cause of vision loss, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and leg amputations. Many people have insulin resistance, the early stage of type diabetes that is associated with fatigue, untimely hunger, and increasing weight. The diet plays a major role and according to a new review article that is published in Human Nutrition and Metabolism, various B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin E, and zinc influence insulin resistance and diabetes treatment. Previous research has also shown that chromium and magnesium play a role in insulin resistance and blood sugar regulation.

Read more ...

Remember to download Heart Healthy Seniors

Remember to download Heart Healthy Seniors
- your free e-book

Read how you can reduce your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease

The book describes how a new treatment that was tested by 443 seniors improved their heart health and reduced the incidence of cardiac death by 54%.

It's easy - click here and fill out the coupon

you will receive your free ebook by email

Get additionel and more detailed knowledge

knowledge
Click here & read more:

◊ Ubiquinone or ubiqinol  - does it really matter?

◊ Glucosamine

◊ Women benefit from Omega-3

◊ Organic or inorganic chromium

◊ Essential Nutrients

◊ What is selenium?

◊ About vitamin E: Natural alfa-tocopherol

Vitamin B6 and its role in fighting inflammation

- and preventing cancer from spreading

 Vitamin B6 and its role in fighting inflammationVitamin B6 is needed for over 150 enzyme processes and has an overlooked role in the prevention of inflammation, which is a common thread in most chronic diseases, including cancer. Severe vitamin B6 deficiencies are rare, but scientists believe that even moderate deficiencies of the nutrient can increase the risk of many diseases. Deficiencies and poor utilization are a result of unhealthy diets, ageing, stimulant abuse, hormone pills and certain medical drugs, which means that many people are at risk of lacking this important vitamin.

Ageing processes inhibit the utilization of several essential nutrients and that can have serious complications for your health

Ageing processes inhibit the utilization of several essential nutrients and that can have serious complications for your healthAccording to Bruce Ames, an American biochemist, ageing processes are largely due to lack of nutrients. One important contributing factor is the fact that our uptake and utilization of vitamins and minerals decrease with age. In addition, a lot of different types of medicine block our ability to utilize different nutrients. As a result of this, many of our enzyme processes slow down, making our cells increasingly vulnerable and that increases our risk of disease. Nonetheless, there is a lot we can do to optimize our intake and utilization of nutrients, particularly with respect to vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, selenium, and zinc. It is also worth taking a look at Q10 for energy turnover and melatonin for healthy sleep. Our endogenous synthesis of both compounds decreases with age.

Antioxidant supplements may reduce respiratory diseases in patients with cystic fibrosis

Antioxidant supplements may reduce respiratory diseases in patients with cystic fibrosisSupplementing with strong antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin E, selenium, and coenzyme Q10 may help patients with cystic fibrosis by reducing a number of the respiratory infections that come with the disease. This was seen in a study by researchers at the Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado, United States.

Antioxidants can protect cells against dangerous environmental pollutants

Antioxidants can protect cells against dangerous environmental pollutantsAntioxidants such as vitamin C are able to counteract chromium-6 poisoning, according to a new study that is published in Experimental Biology. Chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium) is used for many industrial purposes, and the different signs of poisoning such as cancer were described in the movie “Erin Brockovich” that is based on a true story. Now, Danish scientists even claim that the threshold level for chromium-6 is far too high and gives a false sense of security. It is vital to avoid exposure to chromium-6 and to get plenty of protective antioxidants. However, we depend on chromium-3 (trivalent chromium) for controlling our blood sugar levels.

Can early intervention with vitamin D, selenium, and zinc bolster the body’s defense against COVID-19?

Can early intervention with vitamin D, selenium, and zinc bolster the body’s defense against COVID-19?COVID-19 represents a serious global threat against public health and the economy because we still lack a vaccine and effective therapies. When COVID-19 becomes life-threatening it is primarily because the immune defense overreacts with a cytokine storm and hyperinflammation that destroys healthy tissue in the lungs, the circulatory system, and other places. Older people and heart failure patients already suffer from chronic low-grade, uncontrolled inflammation, to which nutrient deficiencies contribute and make the patients increasingly vulnerable. This also applies to people with metabolic syndrome and diabetes, many of which are overweight. For that reason, scientists affiliated with universities and research centers in Norway, Sweden, and Russia have searched the scientific literature to find studies that focus on whether supplementation with vitamin D, selenium, and zinc can help prevent a COVID-19 infection from escalating and becoming life-threatening.

Can zinc plus chocolate, coffee, or tea make you healthier and slow down ageing?

Can zinc plus chocolate, coffee, or tea make you healthier and slow down ageing?This almost sounds too good to be true, but scientists from Germany and the United States have discovered that zinc combined with a compound found in cocoa beans, coffee beans, tea leaves, and grapes is able to activate a particular molecule that protects against oxidative stress. In ageing, oxidative stress holds a key role. It is caused by an imbalance between harmful free radicals and protective antioxidants. Although anti-ageing is normally conceived as something that can delay the exterior signs of ageing, it is really more important to slow down internal ageing such as atherosclerosis, fatigue, dementia, and early death in worst case. Many people lack zinc, and deficiencies of this nutrient are widespread and typically observed among vegetarians, vegans, older people, and pregnant and breastfeeding women. What the scientists are telling us now is that it is good for us to enjoy a little dark chocolate, coffee or tea in order to benefit even more from the zinc we get.

Clinical evidence shows that Q10 supplementation helps heart failure patients

Clinical evidence shows that Q10 supplementation helps heart failure patientsLife cannot exist without coenzyme Q10. The compound is necessary for the energy turnover in all our cells. It also functions as a powerful antioxidant that protects the heart and cardiovascular system against oxidative stress. Humans are able to synthesize Q10 but our endogenous production decreases with age. Heart failure patients also have reduced levels of Q10 which can be fatal, but decades of research have shown that Q10 supplements can improve quality of life and reduce mortality by close to 50 percent, according to a review article in Journal of Clinical Medicine. Here, the authors refer to 90 published articles. It is also important to get enough selenium, which helps Q10 function optimally.

Hair, hair loss, specific nutrients and their impact on your hair

Hair, hair loss, specific nutrients and their impact on your hairHaving healthy-looking hair means a lot to most people. Hair that splits at the ends, hair loss, and other hair problems may be caused by stress, hormone changes, and numerous other factors. In this article, we will take a closer look at the diet and its impact on hair health, and we will look at available studies of protein, iron, zinc, selenium, silica, B vitamins, vitamin D and vitamin A. The fact is, we need plenty of these nutrients in a form that the body can absorb and utilize. On the other hand, getting too much can do more harm than good, according to an article in Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, in which the author has analyzed the available research.

Higher intake of vitamin A lowers your risk of skin cancer

Higher intake of vitamin A lowers your risk of skin cancerThose with a higher dietary intake of vitamin A than what is officially recommended are 17 percent less likely to develop the second-most common skin cancer compared with those who get limited quantities of the nutrient, according to a study from Brown University in the USA. Beware that vitamin A is found in different forms in various foods and that one of these forms (retinol) can be overdosed.

How Q10 prevents and relieves migraines

How Q10 prevents and relieves migrainesHigh-dosed supplementation with coenzyme Q10 is able to reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks, which is because the compound reduces levels of a brain peptide that causes pain and inflammation. This was shown in a groundbreaking study that is published in Nutritional Neuroscience. Pharmaceutical companies are now working around the clock to develop a patentable drug that is able to block this peptide, but migraine sufferers may just as well use Q10. It is already available without a prescription. Always choose a high-quality product with documented bioavailability to ensure that the Q10 molecules reach the energy-producing mitochondria of the cells. The reason why migraine sufferers may have an increased need for coenzyme Q10 is that they have mitochondrial defects.

Increased focus on mitochondrial disorders

- with links to cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological disorders

Increased focus on mitochondrial disordersThe mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells that churn out energy in a process that involves oxygen, Q10, selenium, and other nutrients. Around 100 years ago, the German Nobel Prize winner, Professor Otto Warburg, demonstrated that even if cancer can be caused by a number of secondary factors, there is only one primary cause: alterations in the mitochondrial oxygen turnover. In his recent book, Tripping over the Truth, molecular biologist Travis Christoffersen describes how contemporary scientists confirm Warburg’s theories and says that we need to look at prevention and cancer treatment from an entirely different angle. Other studies show that Parkinson’s disease, migraine, senility, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders may be rooted in defects of the mitochondria that have many other functions besides delivering energy. It is therefore vital to take care of the mitochondria throughout life. You can read more about the ketogenic diet that optimizes mitochondrial energy turnover in different mitochondrial diseases.

Lack of selenium increases the toxicity of pain-relieving medication

Lack of selenium increases the toxicity of pain-relieving medicationMillions of people take painkillers such as Panadol or Calpol that contain paracetamol, and an estimated one billion people or so lack selenium due to nutrient-depleted farmland. This is an unfortunate cocktail because being deficient of selenium increases the risk of using paracetamol, so even the recommended dosage burdens the liver to such an extent that it causes toxicity and increase the risk of side effects. This was demonstrated in a collaborative study carried out by Bath University in England and Southwest University in China.

Many dietary antioxidants lower your risk of elevated blood pressure

Many dietary antioxidants lower your risk of elevated blood pressureElevated blood pressure is the main cause of stroke, cardiovascular disease and early death. For quite some time, there has been evidence that intake of fruit and vegetables affects the risk of developing elevated blood pressure. Science has not yet studied if this is due to the antioxidants in our diets, but a team of French scientists has looked closer at this. The researchers found that the total amount of antioxidants in our diet may lower by 15 percent the risk of elevated blood pressure. The potassium in fruit and vegetables also play a determining role in blood pressure management, and the same goes for Q10 – provided you take quality supplements with proper absorption.

Mercury damages the nervous system by blocking selenium’s numerous biochemical functions

- and that increases the need for selenium

Mercury damages the nervous system by blocking selenium’s numerous biochemical functionsSelenium is necessary for ensuring proper functioning of around 25 different enzymes – also known as selenoproteins – that are essential for energy turnover, metabolism, immune defense, fertility, and for antioxidant protection to help prevent cells and DNA from being damaged by oxidative stress. Selenium is also a so-called mercury antagonist that works by attaching itself to mercury, thereby preventing mercury’s harmful impact on the brain and nervous system. Once selenium has attached to mercury, however, it is no longer available to carry out all of its essential functions in the body. Because we are all exposed to mercury in some degree, this may cause a relative selenium deficiency that leaves our brain and nervous system particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage. In a new review article based on published research, Professor Nicholas V.C. Ralston and Dr. Laura J. Raymond explain why the toxic damage to the brain and nervous system is primarily a result of mercury’s inhibiting impact on the selenium metabolism. Selenium deficiencies are rather common, and mercury poisoning is an insidious problem, so the combination of these two problems deserves a lot more attention.

New analysis of historic study indicates that we need more vitamin C

New analysis of historic study indicates that we need more vitamin CDuring World War II, food supplies were scarce. At one point, English researchers wanted to find out how little vitamin C it would take to prevent the potentially lethal disease, scurvy. In order to do that, they carried out a drastic experiment that later served as basis for our current vitamin C recommendations. However, a recent analysis of this old study has revealed that the actual need for vitamin C is a lot greater than previously thought, suggesting that WHO raise the recommended daily intake level. The question is how much vitamin C do we really need and what good does the vitamin do?

Sport that causes oxidative stress is very bad for you and increases your need for antioxidants

Sport that causes oxidative stress is very bad for you and increases your need for antioxidantsEveryone knows that exercise and sports activities are good for you, but overtraining and high-performance sport may increase your risk of oxidative stress, which is associated with acute injuries, inflammation and later risk of neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s disease and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). It is therefore a good idea to take antioxidant supplements, as this may help prevent both acute and chronic injuries. A comprehensive article published in the science journal Nutrients looks closer at the relation between free radicals and antioxidants, which have different functions in connection with various types of physical activity. This is especially the case with vitamins A, C, and E plus selenium and zinc. It is also important to make sure to get enough vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids for counteracting inflammation and oxidative stress.

Supplements with Q10 and other antioxidants for common eye diseases

Supplements with Q10 and other antioxidants for common eye diseasesThe blood supply to the retina of the eye is crucial for good vision. For that reason, experts recommend taking antioxidant supplements against eye diseases caused by an impaired blood supply to the retina. Although there is lacking evidence for the effectiveness of such supplements it appears now that Q10 and other antioxidants may improve vision when used in combination with conventional therapies, according to a Spanish study that is published in Nutrients. Because the body has difficulty with absorbing Q10 from supplements it is important to choose a supplement that has good bioavailability.

The mystery about vitamin E, atherosclerosis, and inflammation

The mystery about vitamin E, atherosclerosis, and inflammationVitamin E is said to be a powerful antioxidant that counteracts wrinkles, reduces the degeneration of joints in rheumatoid arthritis, and even protects against atherosclerosis and cancer. However, studies have shown contradictory results, and the positive effects are most probably a result of luck. Now, a team of international scientists has demonstrated that the effect of vitamin E is not related to the vitamin itself but rather to the effect of a vitamin E-dependent metabolite that is produced in the liver. The researchers see a huge potential in vitamin E therapy that is tailored to fit each person’s individual utilization and metabolism of the nutrient. Vitamin E supplements should contain natural forms of the vitamin to provide the best effect.

Vitamin C’s role in health

- and why are certain exposed groups at risk of deficiency: new report

Vitamin C’s role in healthVitamin C plays a key role in our energy turnover, immune defense, connective tissue, wound healing, antioxidant protection, cardiovascular health, brain, and a host of different enzyme processes. An English population study has shown that having low blood levels of vitamin C is associated with poor physical condition and that may spawn a number of different symptoms. The researchers behind the study also found that people from lower social classes, smokers, men, and older people in general are more likely to be deficient. Alcohol abuse, sugar abuse, stress, and poisoning may also increase the need for the nutrient, which means that many people may benefit from taking a supplement or improving their diet. The big question is how much vitamin C do we actually need for optimal health?

Widespread nutrient deficiencies among younger adults can harm their fertility and cause them to age faster

Widespread nutrient deficiencies among younger adults can harm their fertility and cause them to age fasterLarge population studies of adults and their diet habits often tend to overlook certain groups such as younger adults. A British study therefore took a closer look at eating habits of adults in their twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties. It revealed a widespread lack of B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, iodine, zinc, and selenium. Being deficient in these essential nutrients can harm your fertility and increase your risk of different diseases, while speeding up concealed ageing processes such as loss of cognition and bone mass.

Chronic fatigue tied Alan to his bed but Q10 capsules saved him:

Chronic fatigue tied Alan to his bed but Q10 capsules saved him "After about one week of taking the Q10 supplement I could feel a huge difference," says 23-year old Alan Piccini, who has been suffering from extreme fatigue and muscle aches ever since he was a child.

Read more

Cholesterol-lowering without side effects:

Cholesterol-lowering without side effects:“Taking capsules with co-enzyme Q10 has freed me of the severe side effects of my cholesterol lowering medicine,” Mrs Franken explains.
Read more