Posts Tagged ‘nutritional supplements’

What is Co Q 10?

Monday, April 18th, 2011

Coenzyme Q 10, otherwise known as CoQ10 or ubiquinone is an important nutrient for energy production and is a potent antioxidant that guards against oxidation of lipids. It resides in the membrane of the mitochondria of every cell in your body. Your mitochondria are like furnaces that burn fuel and produce energy. Co Q 10 is that essential ingredient like the spark that ignites the wood in a fireplace; you can’t burn fuel without it. It keeps the fires going. If you have issues with energy, consider supplementing with CoQ10.

Co Q 10

Co Q 10

Co Q 10 deficiency can occur if you have inadequate intake or internal production or increased use. Your levels decrease with age, drugs like beta- blockers, and statins for lowering cholesterol, as well as sun exposure. Many other nutrients are needed to produce CoQ 10, therefore, nutrient deficiency can affect your internal production, Only small amounts are available from food such as chicken and beef so consider taking a supplement.

Co Q 10 supplementation has been used to improve the following conditions:
• Congestive heart failure
• Muscle pain from taking statin drugs
• Migraine headaches
• High blood pressure
• Periodontal disease
• Parkinsons and more

It is best absorbed in an oil base and products vary considerably in their absorption. Highly absorbable products generally cost more, however you need a lower dose to get the same effects. Get advice from a healthcare professional when purchasing and consider having a micronutrient analysis to determine if you lack CoQ 10 and the other nutrients necessary to produce it.

Lorraine Maita, MD is an award winning physician, speaker and author of “Vibrance for Life: How to Live Younger and Healthier”. She is a consultant to corporations wanting to improve the health and productivity of employees and has a private practice in Anti Aging Medicine in Short Hills, NJ.

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Protein Powder Recall

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

Protein Whey Recall

Protein Whey Recall

The protein powders you are taking to stay healthy may be making you sick. Whey protein powders manufactured by Vitalabs under various names were voluntarily recalled due to potential contamination with Salmonella. This was announced by the FDA on March 10, 2011. I continually express concerns over the quality, safety and form of supplements my readers take and advise all of you to become educated consumers. Know your companies, be sure they are pharmaceutical grade, join watchdog organizations such as Consumer Labs and get advice from a professional. Here’s why:

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems the infection can be serious and sometimes fatal. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (e.g., infected aneurysms), infections in the heart and arthritis.

The manufacturer supplied whey protein to various brands such as Dr. Bill’s Choice Whey Protein, HCG Buy Direct Whey-26 Protein, The Healthy Way Protein, Innovative Nutra Labs Nutrapure Whey Protein Isolate, Iron Mag Labs Whey Isolate Protein, Len Rossi’s Whey Protein, Nature’s Pantry Whey Protein, Northeast Ohio Endocrinology Whey Protein, Nutrition World Ultra Whey Protein, Peachtree Natural Foods Whey Protein, Sharp Labs G Booster Plus, SouthFit Supplements Whey To Go, Susan’s Essential Formulas Daily Whey Isolate Protein, Team Kattouf Whey Boost, Team Kattouf Whey Boost, Trainer’s Choice Ultra Whey, Unlimited Nutrition Athletic Protein, Vitalabs, Inc. Ultra Whey, X3 Nutrition X3 Whey, YourHCG.Com Whey Protein.

Consumers who purchased any of the affected lot numbers are urged to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund or credit. Consumers with questions may contact Vitalabs, Inc. at 1-800-241-3017, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

For a complete list of products and lot numbers, go to the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm246790.htm

Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner familiar with supplement quality and manufacturers who subscribe to watchdog organizations and are knowledgeable about quality assurance before purchasing supplements.

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Fish Oil Nutrition Facts

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

What’s fishy about your fish oil? The standard bottles boast over 2,000 mg in a capsule. However when your read the fine print, the part of the oil that has the benefits of decreasing inflammation, lowering cholesterol and preventing clotting and other health benefits are the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) components. When you read the label, the EPA and DHA are usually 720mg or less. Also, some of the latest studies indicate that the way a fish oil is processed and purified affects its bioavailability – meaning how much is really absorbed and gets into your system. The latest study, published in the European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, suggests that omega-3 fish oil concentrates that are on a triglyceride backbone have much better bioavailability than purified fish oil. There are other benefits to taking this type of fish oil. Be a savvy consumer because saving some money to get less absorption and less of the benefits may actual cost you dollars and not make much sense.

Good nutrition

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It’s important to buy purified fish oil to avoid unwanted mercury, PCB’s and other contaminants. If the fish oil is then concentrated, it can be esterified to an ethyl group (Omega 3 –EE) or re- esterified to a triglyceride backbone (Omega 3 – TAG or TG) which is the natural way oils are found in nature. It is more expensive to process the oils this way. The process of converting EE to TG is uncommon due to cost. It can add 30-40 % to the end bulk oil cost. Therefore, to keep costs low, the vast majority of fish oil concentrates sold globally are EPA and DHA EE concentrates. Because the term fat or oil refers only to TG the EPA and DHA ethyl ester concentrate is, by definition, no longer a fat or oil and is incorrectly marketed as fish oil.

A small percentage of fish oil concentrates on the market are natural TGs. To offset the increased cost, there are advantages. Here’s what studies show how they stack up.

• Because EEs rarely occur in nature this affects the way they are digested and absorbed in the body.

• The EE oils are 50 times more resistant to lipase, an enzyme that digests fat and a study showed they stopped being broken down after 10 minutes and could not continue to be absorbed. The study showed TG oil was continuously broken down and absorbed.

• Natural TG fish oil results in 50 % more absorption comparison to EE oils.

• Omega-3 fatty acids in the form of EEs are much less stable than those in the natural TG form and readily oxidize.

• After a ten-week oxidation period, the EE DHA oil decayed 33 % more rapidly

• The TG form offers greater stability to the fatty acids and prevents breakdown and oxidation. Oxidized fats lead to inflammation and plaque formation the very thing you want to avoid by taking the fish oil.

To determine if your fish oil is a good quality

• Do not buy if it is labeled “Fish Oil concentrate”

• Look for the amount of EPA and DHA

• Look for rTG or TAG to be sure it is the triglyceride form

• Buy from a reputable company that has a third party test their products for potency and purity

Buying the less expensive product may save you 30%, however is it worth it to get 30% less shelf life, 50% less absorption, and a less stable product with less active ingredient and reduced capability of obtaining the nutrition benefits for which you are taking it?

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