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The Fat That Makes You Lose Weight

A fat that makes you lose weight? Believe it! If you are interested in exercise performance or weight control, you should look into supplementing with MCT oil.

What is MCT oil, you’re asking? Short for Medium Chain Triglyceride, MCT is a special type of dietary fat that was first formulated in the 1950’s by the pharmaceutical industry for patients who had trouble digesting regular fats. MCT fats are more water soluble, allowing them to be absorbed easier.

MCT is made mostly from coconut oil. The good news? You don’t have to worry about negative side effects of this tropical oil, such as high LDL cholesterol.

This fat that makes you lose weight will do many things for you as you supplement your diet. MCT has the ability to increase endurance by its rapid ability to be used as fuel for energy in lieu of being stored by the body. This fat provides 2 times the energy of proteins and carbohydrates.

By taking MCT oil with a carbohydrate source, such as a sports drink, you can boost your endurance during exercise. A diet rich in carbohydrates will trigger weight gain. On the flip side, your body needs carbs for energy. We can safely replace carbohydrates with MCT without the big dip in energy, thus preventing fatigue and supplying more energy for your work out.

How’s that for a fat that makes you lose weight! Along with providing energy and acting as a replacement for a portion of your carbohydrate intake, MCT exhibits other properties as well.

More advantages of Medium Chain Triglycerides would be that it stimulates thermogenesis, peps up metabolism, and burns both calories and fat. Further more, MCT enhances muscle.

As mentioned earlier, MCT oil is burned very rapidly. In fact, it is burned so quickly that it’s calories are tuned into body heat, or more commonly known as thermogenesis. Metabolism, the process that your body converts food to fuel, is boosted with the presence of thermogenisis. Medium Chain Triglycerides stimulates this phenomenon, thus burning more calories.

This fat that makes you lose weight also helps your metabolism along. MCT, when added to a calorie restricted diet has the ability to keep your metabolic rate elevated preventing a sluggish metabolism associated with dieting plateaus. Higher metabolism, more weight loss… sounds good to me!

Did you know that your body burns more fat when there is more muscle present? Muscle tissue even burns fat and calories at rest. During a very low calorie diet, the body actually will be forced to start feeding off its own muscle tissue. MCT, when added to a diet along with strength training, is capable of aiding in the preservation of and preventing the break down of muscle tissue.

Just as a hint…MCT does not supply essential fatty acid. Hence, it cannot be entirely substituted for essential fat. The body will experience an EFA deficiency if EFA is not present.

In conclusion, do your research, consult your doctor, find out more about this fat that makes you lose weight, and perhaps this supplement could be a good tool to help you reach your weight loss goals.

Kellie Hammond-The fat that makes you lose weight Kellie Hammond provides valuable information about weight loss, good nutrition and good health, and quality products pertaining to these topics. Find out how you can optimize your health and loose fat! http://www.tyme2stripthatfat.com

Important Facts About Vitamin D You Should Know

Vitamin D is constantly in the news today. While we know it’s good for our bone health, now we are hearing that vitamin D is related to a wide variety of health issues and that people are often deficient in vitamin D. To understand the benefits, it is important to understand the basics about vitamin D and why it’s so important to good health.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a vitamin that is actually produced in our body. In order for the body to produce vitamin D, it must be exposed to adequate sunlight (about an hour per week). The vitamin D that we get from the sun and from fortified foods must then be converted to an active form in our body. This involves both the liver and the kidneys. The active form of vitamin D is vitamin D3 or calcitriol. As we get older, we may produce less vitamin D. In addition, most of us in the Northwest do not get adequate sunlight to produce vitamin D.

What does it do?

Vitamin D is most well known for its involvement with bone health. It is necessary to absorb calcium. Therefore, people with low vitamin D levels may be more likely to suffer from osteoporosis or joint pain. However, new research is showing that vitamin D has many more functions in the body than just helping our bones.

Vitamin D also effects the neuromuscular and immune systems and can reduce inflammation. Because of these functions, vitamin D deficiency has been related to a variety of disease states including: autoimmune disorders, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

Where do I get vitamin D?

The best sources of vitamin D are the flesh of fish including tuna, mackerel and salmon along with fish liver oils. Fortified foods such as milk, orange juice, yogurt and some cereals also contain vitamin D.

How much vitamin D do I need?

The recommended amount of vitamin D for adults per the Institutes of Medicine Recommended dietary levels are: 200 IU for people 50 years or younger, 400 IU for 51-70 years and 600 IU for those over aged 70. This is the amount needed to prevent the bone disease rickets so is most likely not adequate to support the other functions of vitamin D in the body. These recommendations will be reviewed this year and are most likely to increase to at least 400 IU for younger adults and 800 IU to 1000 IU for older adults.

Who is at risk for vitamin D deficiency?

Those at risk of vitamin D deficiency include breastfed infants, older adults, people with limited sun exposure, people with dark skin, those who can not absorb fat and people with a body mass index greater or equal than 30.

How do I know if I am deficient?

The best way is to have your vitamin D level measured. This will give your doctor the tool to help determine the appropriate vitamin D supplement level for you.

Can I take too much vitamin D?

Excessive vitamin D may cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, weight loss, weakness and constipation along with raising calcium levels. If both calcium and vitamin D are taken as supplements in excess, there is more of a risk for kidney stones or soft tissue calcification. Again the best way is to have your levels checked to see what is the right treatment for you.

Lou Kupka-Schutt is a resident doctor at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, WA, a regional hospital specializing in Cancer Care, Orthopedics, Heart and Vascualr Care, and more.

Want to Lose Body Fat? Consider Aerobic Step Equipment

With over 1/3 of the adult population struggling with obesity, there are millions upon millions who want to lose body fat - and the quicker, the better. If you’re in a hurry, aerobic step equipment is a great option. Except for jogging, probably nothing is faster - and jogging is much harder on the joints than an aerobic step bench.

If you’re setting up a home gym, an aerobic step equipment is an excellent choice for four reasons:

1. Aerobic step equipment is cheap - especially compared to almost any exercise machine.

2. The ability to work out without getting into the car and traveling down the road is powerful for busy people, especially women juggling a job and kids.

3. You will save money on memberships to gyms and workout classes.

4. And we’ve already mentioned that anyone who is concerned about how to lose weight quick can find the results they seek with step aerobics.

Just What Is Step Aerobics?

Powerfully using your lungs is the corer of all “aerobic” exercise, a term which derives from the Greek word for ‘air’. Aerobics includes fast walking, running, skipping, swimming, cycling, dance and step aerobics. Step aerobics at a gym or exercise class usually involves danciing as well as the movements on the step.

Aerobic exercise is the best way for most people to achieve their fitness goals and weight loss.

Why Step Aerobics Is Powerful

#1. Yes, it’s possible to chuckle at the weather when you have a step aerobics system available for your personal use. Snowing? Hailing? Drenching rain? Who cares when you’re comfortably losing body fat in your bedroom with your step?

#2. Aerobic step equipment is is simple to practice with and easy of the budget. All that’s necessary is a simple step bench. Go shopping for other standard fitness machines like the home gym, treadmill or stationary bike you will understand what a bargain step aerobics equipment truly is.

#3. The aerobic step bench requires almost no space to use and can be placed in confined spaces when not in use, so this equipment is for the tiniest house or apartment. Benches are made to be adjustable so that we can raise the height as we become more fit.

What Is A Step Aerobic Workout?

A step aerobics workout simply involves stepping up and down off a bench.. If you’ve never done such a workout you might be surprised at how strenuous it is. Your legs and buttocks are especially helped by step aerobics since they must raise and lower your entire body repeatedly..

Most folks are greatly benefited by this kind of exercise, but very overweight people should be aware that your joints can be stressed and perhaps refrain from doing it. Be aware that balance is a ‘must’ for successful step aerobics so if this is an issue for you, avoid this kind of exercise.

Common Sense Tips For Aerobic Step Bench Safety

* Don’t just jump into exercise - get warmed up first.

* Too high a bench causes undue stress on your body.

* Stop when you are tired.

* Don’t, don’t, don’t wear bedroom slippers or flip flops to exercise!

* Stand close enough to the bench so that your stretch isn’t uncomfortable or damaging to your body in any way.

* Pay attention when you are about to step onto the bench so that you place your foot accurately. Your entire weight must be supported by the step bench. Never step onto the edge of the bench.

With inexpensive aerobic step equipment you can lose body fat, stay at home, get fit, keep an eye on the kids and have fun at the same time. How can we ever beat that?

Having trouble losing weight (who isn’t?) Let the Internet help you with 160 lose body fat software and program resources - many of which are free. And lose weight safely with one year of no-cost secrets.

Insist Upon Natural Organic Skin Care Products As Though Your Very Health Depends on Them

Human beings have existed for an unimaginably long time and many people have craved the good feelings and power that come from looking great - really great. However, in our search for beauty, we haven’t had the many chemical options that appear daily on our TV screens. Therefore, many - actually most, of us don’t know that natural organic skin care products are the only smart way to achieve the radiant, taut face and skin that we all crave.

Many in the scientific community know that chronic illness, disease, and infection are often related to long-term use of detrimental chemicals and contaminants. Scientists - and now, you - are aware that using such contaminants and poisons for a considerable time definitely increase your chances of disease, aging and sickness.The entire body is affected by what happens elsewhere and long-term use of such chemicals can only encourages illness and dreaded dependency. Many of the elements used in popular anti aging products have proven to have negative effects on your health, so consider the result of using them day in, day out, for a number of years! Think about the implications of using toxic chemicals, year after year after year! Can anybody truly believe it’s a smart idea to slather poison on your face for years, even to look exquisite?

Take Charge And Have Younger Looking Skin

The motto of ‘The X Files’ was “Trust no one”. Recall that advice when deciding upon your facial care products because no one - not the government and not the manufacturer - is looking out for your health and well being.

The government does not regulate what goes into beauty and skin care products. But even if such regulation existed, that would be cause for suspicion since the FDA (in the US) habitually approves the sale of medicines that turn out to have destructive side effects that damage life and health. And producers use preservatives and chemical additives to make products that are pretty and smell luscious - but at the cost of safety.

The only true safety comes from manufacturing your own individualized natural organic skin care products. By doing this you:

1. Can be sure about what’s in that jar …

2. You forget about dangerous preservatives because you use them up before they have the opportunity to become stale …

3. They are made just for YOUR skin and not the mass market …

4. You have complete control over the amount of active ingredients (the most expensive ingredients of any cream or lotion) …

5. And you save tons of money …

Preparing your private brand of anti aging skin care products is fantastically easy. If you can use a spoon, you are in business!

And we’re not talking about scrumptious - but impractical - recipes like a yogurt and strawberry facial. Terrific? Absolutely! But useless when you’re late for work and running out the door balancing a cup of coffee. Besides, these types of products only have one function - cleansing, for example - instead of performing multiple functions as creams and lotions will do.

While small amounts of these chemicals may not cause health problems, continuous use for a long period of time is damaging and unhealthful. Some so-called ‘experts’ argue that since we only use a small amount, the danger is exaggerated. Coupled with all the other poisons in normal life, it’s definitely a big deal! Yes, it’s true that the amount of chemicals might be small - but we are constantly exposed to gigantic amounts of chemicals in everyday life, so eliminating exposure wherever possible is the only wise course.

Always remember that skin is biologically constructed to absorb the materials it comes into contact with, not protect you from them. Skin is porous and a large percentage of whatever it comes in contact with will emphatically be absorbed into your body. It’s obvious that our skin absorbs our skin care products. If that were not so, they would have no effect on our complexions.

Select your natural organic skin care products wisely, and always use organic ingredients whenever they’re available. Do your homework, inform yourself and reject everything but natural skin products. Your body will thank you - and so will Mother Nature.

Select your skin care products wisely, and always use organic skin care products whenwhenever possiblethey’re available.

Check outDo your homework onInform yourself aboutRead up on the ingredients in your current cosmetics and opt forreject everything but certified organic skin care. Your body will thank you!It’s obviouscrystal clearquite obvious that natural organic skin care products are the environmentally sound and healthywholesomeintelligentsensiblesafe choice that we all need toshould make - for Mother Nature’s sake, as well as our own.

Learn “Why Your Beauty & Skin Care Products Just Might Send You To The Hospital (Or Worse)” and receive free tips on natural organic skin care products that keep your skin young, glowing and vibrant.

Anti-Aging and Acai Side Effects

When you are searching for that ever-elusive fountain of youth, you are confronted by hordes of advertisements for plastic surgery, wrinkle creams, and an array of other topical cure-alls. But the truth is that age and beauty are dependent on your inner health. When our bodies beg for nutrients and a healthier lifestyle, it shows!

You’re reading this because you’ve probably heard all of the excitement surrounding acai berry and the testimonies for acai improving skin elasticity. You’re interested in the convenience of acai supplements, but you want to know if they are safe. Are there any acai side effects?

There’s a lot that goes into choosing the very best supplements, and it’s all stuff you should pay attention to, since after all we’re talking about something that you’re going to be putting into your body, right?

Supplement safety is mostly a matter of quality, so you have to know where to shop for superior products. I have found a most helpful resource that helps consumers find top-quality acai products, and I want to share that with you. But to start with, I’d like to share with you all of the incredible benefits of the acai berry, so stay tuned.

What makes the acai berry so special? Antioxidants. We currently hear a lot about antioxidants. But why? What do they do? Antioxidants neutralize the toxic free radicals that damage our bodies. Environmental toxins, such as pollution and cigarette smoke, and normal bodily functions, such as metabolism, create free radicals. To stop free radicals from damaging cellular structure and tissue, we must consume antioxidants.

Acai berry also contains anti-inflammatory properties, which, when joined with antioxidant power, can reduce the likelihood of illness and disease. As acai also contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, your heart can benefit from the berry’s ability to manage cholesterol within your body.

What’s truly important when choosing acai products is finding the products that use the purest ingredients. Our bodies must go through an adjustment phase when introducing any new product, and consumer reports show that acai side effects may include diarrhea. It’s important to find quality products to reduce the chance of unsatisfactory results. So stay tuned for more information on using reviews to choose your acai products.

With the addition of acai to your regular diet and fitness program, you can experience more energy when managing a heart healthy lifestyle. This improved energy will also increase your mental focus! But enough about the healthy benefits of acai, let’s talk about the advantages that acai offers your skin.

Let’s get back to the discussion on free radicals. I don’t want to get too in-depth with chemistry right now, but what a free radical essentially does is steal molecules from your healthy, functioning cells. The deterioration of cells, in turn, causes deterioration of tissues within your body. The addition of numerous antioxidants, as found in acai berries, stops the free radicals from eating away at your supple skin tissue!

Now it?s time to move on to the goods ? where to find quality acai! Go to this Acai Side Effects page for video reviews and links to end your search for the best acai products. For more info see this Acai Side Effects video & this Acai Side Effects article.

How Do I Cure Hemorrhoids and Get Treatment

It may surprise you to learn that hemorrhoids are actually a very common medical condition. It is estimated that around half of all adults will at some point in their lives suffer from the problem. With that statistic in mind it is a good idea to learn a little bit more about what hemorrhoids are and how is it best to cure them.

Basically hemorrhoids are swollen glands in the anal region of the body. The severity can vary, but usually it is caused by straining and pressure. Read on to discover some of the common ways to cure the problem effectively.

It is generally accepted that mild forms of the condition will settle down fairly quickly. However for other more painful forms of hemorrhoids it is better to take the following advice.

The first thing that you should do is to take good care of yourself. Take a warm bath and relax. The warm water will help to relieve the constant itchiness around the anus area. Also, remember to use soft baby tissues after going to the toilet. Using this kind of paper instead of the common dry type will help to reduce this discomfort.

Hemorrhoids can be the result of a number of factors and it is possible that diet might be one of them. If you suspect that this is the case, then try to introduce different kinds of food into your diet. Some foods will make you strain more on the toilet and so you should eat fiber to reduce this and drink lots of water to help to change this situation.

For more severe cases of hemorrhoids you are advised to visit your local pharmacy. There are plenty of medicines and creams available without prescription that can help to relieve the pain and irritation caused by the hemorrhoids. If you would prefer to visit your local doctor then this is a good idea. They may prescribe something like bismuth oxide or witch hazel.

These creams can be very effective, but remember to use then for no longer than about a week, as too much can cause soreness around the anus. For further questions remember to ask your doctor.

If the problem continues to cause you pain and irritation than you may have to undergo something called “banding”. This is a very simple procedure that involves the use of a band that is very tightly attached to the base of the hemorrhoid within the anus. The aim is to restrict blood flow so that it falls out. Typically this will take around a week to occur.

The procedure may cause some discomfort but this normally treated with mild over-the-counter painkillers. It is very rare for complications to occur from this treatment, but it is possible for infection or ulcers to develop. If you experience a lot of red blood flow then it is advisable to call for medical attention immediately.

In some circumstances the doctor may offer an injection as an alternative hemorrhoid treatment to banding. This procedure is known as “sclerotherapy”. This is used to treat larger hemorrhoids, typically referred to as grade two or three. An injection is inserted directly in to the area around the anus and this helps to numb the pain and irritation caused by the hemorrhoid.

Over a period of one month to six weeks the affected area should begin to decrease in size and eventually disappear.

Jason Creation - We have the Hemorrhoid Cure that you’ve been looking for and we have the #1 Stop Shop for your Hemorrhoid Treatment and relief care.

How to Get Your Pre Pregnant Body Back

For women that have been pregnant and worked hard to get their pre pregnant stomach back, they know that it is possible. For those women that are in their first pregnancy, most of them are unsure if they will ever get back to their pre pregnancy stomach.

I have great news for you. It is possible and it is really not that hard. You just need to be dedicated and work hard and within just a few months you can be back to where you want to be. My wife had our first baby 2 years ago. She was very set on getting her pre pregnancy body back and she did some specific exercises to help achieve this goal in under 3 months. This is keeping in mind that her doctor did not clear her to exercise for the first 4 weeks. So it was really within 2 months that she was back to the body she wanted. The exercises she used to shed the pounds were a pretty wide variety. She did some running, cycling, and abdominal exercises.

When her doctor gave her the okay to begin working out she started with light jogging. She was not sure what her body could take and she did not want to over exert herself and cause an injury. After just a few days she felt like some strength was returning and she began running with more of a purpose. She would run a few miles a couple times a week.

Before she was pregnant she enjoyed taking cycling classes at the gym. She felt like the cycling was an incredible overall workout for her body, including her abs. She was a little cautious to take cycling classes right away because of soreness from the pregnancy, but as soon as she was comfortable with it and there was no pain she got right back involved with the cycling classes. Cycling is one of the best all around exercises and has one of the least amounts of stress on your joints of any exercise. If you feel you are able to take some cycling classes then I would suggest doing that. The reason I say cycling classes or suggest you cycle at the gym is because if you ride on the road it will be very bumpy and could be much more uncomfortable then riding on a steady exercise bike.

My wife’s biggest goal was to get her pre pregnancy stomach back. Her focused exercises for this were abdominal exercises. All though the running and cycling worked incredibly to help get her body back in shape it is the fine tuning of the abdominal exercises that will get you your stomach back. Instead of doing crunches and sit ups, which require lying on your back and caused my wife discomfort, she focused on ab work outs that were standing or a four on the floor type of a workout. Some people say that nice abs start in the legs, so she focused on leg lifts and bends to work out her stomach and achieve her goals.

Find out what exercises you enjoy, then get out there and workout. There are tons of different abdominal work outs you can do. Take some time and try different techniques until you find the ones that are right for you. It is possible to lose that pregnancy weight and return to your pre pregnant body, you just have to work hard.

Jake is a young man that loves fitness and writes to inform you to live a long and happy life through exercise. If you are looking for a good workout program he suggests trying the p90x, get it at a p90x sale or the10 Minute Workout.

Insanity With Shaun T - New Intense Beachbody Workout From Shaun T

Shaun T is one of the leading fitness experts and personal trainers in the nation. He is known for fusing dance and exercise into one energetic power packed system that allows you to get ripped, learn some dance moves and have fun all at once. Well now Shaun T is at it again with a brand new exercise program called Insanity with Shaun T. Shaun T insanity is set to be released this summer, 2009.

But what is Insanity all about?

Insanity is a workout program developed and created by Shaun T that claims it will get you from flab to fit in 60 days. Never has there been a workout that says it can get these types of results in so short of time. There has also never been a workout set to DVD that has been this difficult. Shaun T has been developing Insanity to be the best and most effective home workout DVD ever released. This workout is extremely intense and is not going to be for everyone. Shaun T even says himself that this workout is not for the lazy or the people that find excuses, but it is for the person that is mentally ready to except the challenge.

What makes it so effect?

Shaun T uses a technique he created and calls ‘Max Interval Training’. Instead of working out at a steady pace for longer periods of time and then maxing out for short periods of time, Shaun keeps you working out at your max for long periods and only gives short periods of rest. It is like this, when you run you typically jog for a few miles and then maybe the last quarter mile you decide to sprint and max out the end of your workout. What Shaun T’s system does is teaches you how it is possible to sprint the first few miles exerting the maximum output and then has you warm down the last quarter mile to seal in the results. The Max Interval Training is opposite of the typical workout routine, but that is why it can be so successful in such a short amount of time.

What Time Commitment Will This Be?

Amazingly Shaun T’s Insanity Workout is only a 60 day workout from start to finish. In just 2 short months he takes you through his DVD workouts for 1 hour a day. The time commitment is going to be pretty minimal compared to other workout DVDs. Many work outs have a time frame even longer then this and do not boast of the results Shaun T says Insanity will bring.

If you are into home workout DVD’s then this may be one you will want to keep an eye on. It sounds pretty intense. I will write some more articles once there is more information on this program. Again it is set to release sometime in the summer of 2009. Shaun T is also known for his Hip Hop Abs workout which was released a few years ago and had tremendous success.

Jake is a young man that loves fitness and writes to inform you to live a long and happy life through exercise. Get more info on Insanity with Shaun T or check out another intense exercise called the10 Minute Workout.

Fight Osteoporosis Naturally With Vitamins and Herbs

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease characterized by the bones gradually becoming weaker and weaker. This causes changes in posture and makes the individual extremely susceptible to bone fractures. Because of the physiological, nutritional, and hormonal differences between males and females, osteoporosis affects many more women than men. Men also suffer from bone loss, often as a side effect of certain medications like chemotherapy, drugs, thyroid hormone, corticosteroids, and anticonvulsants, or as a result of other illnesses. About half of all women, and 25 percent of American men, between the ages of fifty and seventy-five show signs of some degree of osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Bone is at its strongest when a person is around the age of thirty. After this age, bone begins to decline. In women, this decline begins to accelerate at menopause. If one has not accumulated sufficient bone mass during those former times in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, if one loses it too quickly in later years, he or she is at an increased risk of osteoporosis.

Many people have the impression that osteoporosis is caused solely by a dietary calcium deficiency. Therefore, may people think it can be remedied by taking calcium supplements? However, that is not quite correct. It is actually the way calcium is absorbed and used by the body that seems to be the important factor, not actually the amount of calcium consumed. Additionally, the type of calcium consumed is important. Although calcium supplementation is important in dealing with osteoporosis, other considerations need to be taken into account. The correct balance of magnesium, boron, potassium, folic acid, and vitamins C, D, E, and K, all play extremely important roles in battling osteoporosis, along with protein.

Twenty Five million people, 80 percent of which are women, in the United States alone are affected by osteoporosis. This condition can appear at any age and is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually. These fractures include 300,000 hip fractures, approximately 700,000 vertebral fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and more than 300,000 fractures at other sites. An estimated $14 billion is spent each year by hospitals and nursing homes in the United States each year in direct costs for osteoporosis and related fractures.

There are three basic types of osteoporosis. Type I is believed to be caused by hormonal changes, especially a loss of estrogen, which causes the loss of minerals from the bones to accelerate. Type II is linked to dietary deficiency, especially a lack of sufficient calcium and of vitamin D, which is crucial for the absorption of calcium. Type III occurs in men and women of any age and is caused by drug treatment for other illnesses or other diseases that are unconnected with osteoporosis.

The following nutrients are recommended for preventing and treating osteoporosis: boron, calcium, copper, glucosamine plus chondroitin, magnesium, phosphorus, silica, soy isoflavones, vitamin B complex, vitamin D3, vitamin K, l-lysine, MSM, a multi-enzyme complex, vitamin A with mixed carotenoids, zinc, chromium picolinate, DLPA, kelp, manganese, a multivitamin and mineral complex, and vitamin C with bioflavonoids. Additionally, the following herbs may be beneficial: feverfew, alfalfa, barley grass, black cohosh, boneset, dandelion root, nettle, parsley, poke root, rose hips, yucca, horsetail, oat straw, red clover, sage, rosemary, and thyme.

All of these great vitamins and herbs are available at your local or internet health food store at discount prices. Look for name brands to ensure quality and purity of the product you purchase this way you get what you pay for.

*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Vitamins and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.

More information on vitamins and herbs is available at VitaNet ®, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

L-Glutathione: How GSH and GSSG Detoxify the Liver and Improve Health

The tripeptide L-glutathione is synthesized in the body from L. glutamic acid, L-cysteine and glycine, a reaction that can occur in any cell of the body although it is essential that it also occurs in the liver. Should glutathione concentrations drop, they can be increased by supplementing with cysteine or any other of the three amino acids that are used in the biosynthesis of this important if substance

The tripeptide exists in two forms: the reduced form (GSH) which contains a sulfhydryl (SH) functional group attached to the cysteinyl part of the molecule, and the oxidized form glutathione disulfide (GSSG). As electrons are lost from the reduced form, two molecules combine to create a dimer formed by a disulfide bridge, the process which can be reversed through reduction of the GSSG. Such electrons are lost during its reaction with free radicals, in which the free radicals are neutralized by the donation of an electron from the oxidized version of glutathione.

The definition of a free radical is a molecule that is lacking one electron from an electronic pair. Its prime purpose is then to steal an electron from the nearest molecule to it. In doing so, it can not only destroy that molecule, but also destroy body cells and lead, not only to premature aging, but also to some potentially fatal conditions.

It is an unusual peptide in that it involves a link between the cysteine amino grouping and the carboxyl functional group of the glutamic acid. It is a powerful antioxidant, acting as an effective free radical scavenger and protecting the body cells from the effects of free radical oxidation. However, it is on its detoxification effect in the liver that we shall focus here prior to discussing some other uses to which the body puts glutathione in its two manifestations.

Much of the detoxification is connected with the thiol group in the molecule. Take mercury for example. The thiol grouping forms a strong Hg-sulfydryl chemical bond within the liver, in the form of a glutathione-mercury chelate. In this form mercury is unable to exert any toxic effect on the body and can be excreted in the normal manner. The same reactive pathway is followed by other heavy metals that can bond to thiol groupings. In this way L-glutathione can protect the liver from the effects of a number of toxic heavy metals such as cadmium and chromium.

This is an important property of the amino acid, particularly in industrial and urban environments where the population is more prone to exposure to heavy metals than their rural counterparts. However, the end result on the glutathione is that it is removed from the body, and, particularly with city dwellers, a supplement may be required to maintain a healthy concentration of this amino acid in the body and in particular in the liver. Therefore, although L-glutathione is not considered an essential amino acid, in that it is biosynthesized within the body, a supplement is sometimes required, particularly by those who live in large cities.

It is important to consider the form in which the glutathione supplement is administered. This is because of the presence of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase within the digestive system. This enzyme appears to destroy L-glutathione before it can be absorbed in the intestine so normal oral forms of supplementation are likely to be ineffective. Possible forms of effective administration include buccal (between the cheek and teeth) and hypodermically.

An alternative means of supplementation is to take substances such as selenium, methionine, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin C and glutamine that stimulate the biosynthesis of glutathione. Also, since the substance utilizes the raw materials of L-cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine in its intracellular production, supplementation with these amino acids should also help to produce L-glutathione.

That said, let’s return to its antioxidant properties and its effect on the liver that contains the largest stocks of glutathione in the body. It is generally regarded as the most important antioxidant in the body. It protects cellular cytoplasm from oxidation by reducing disulfide groups and maintaining a highly reducing environment within the cytoplasm. It reacts with hydrogen peroxide and other oxidative agents, and is converted to the oxidized form GSSG. It is then reduced back to GSH through the combination of the reducing agent and an enzyme. The reducing agent is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), the enzyme being glutathione reductase.

The implications that this strong reducing effect has on the liver are significant. Reduced GSH L-glutathione levels have been found in patients suffering from HIV, hepatitis C and other liver diseases. Supplementation with GSH has been found to restore normal levels of glutathione to the liver, and it has been demonstrated that the treatment has improved such conditions significantly.

Atherosclerosis is a condition of the arteries caused by the deposition of plaques formed from oxidized low-density lipoproteins, otherwise known as bad cholesterol. The strong antioxidant effect of GSH prevents this from LDLs from being oxidized and deposited on the arterial wall. There are other results of glutathione supplementation that indicate the effectiveness of antioxidants in the treatment of serious liver conditions, and there are no doubts that combating the effects of free radicals and oxidizing agents within the liver has a positive effect on many potentially serious liver diseases.

Many of these are exacerbated by the generation of free radicals by relatively modern pollution sources such as pesticides, petrol and diesel emissions, tobacco fumes and various other chemical emissions. A strong antioxidant such as L-glutathione cannot be anything other than an effective means of reducing the biological effect of these oxidants. It protects not only the liver but also the lungs and cardiovascular system.

For all these reasons a supplement consisting of L-glutathione or its constituent parts, glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine, provide significant protection against the stresses and strains of modern living. Increased pollution levels and heightened oxidative stress levels within the body are playing havoc with our body defenses, and GSH is an important one of them that can easily be enhanced by supplementation. There are no known reactions to L-glutathione supplementation, but pregnant women and babies should receive expert medical advice prior to taking it.

More information on glutathione and its counterparts Cysteine are available at VitaNet ?, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

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