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14 Results for search "Nutritional Supplements".

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Triax Metabolic Accelerator is a hazardous supplement that attempts to stimulate weight loss by capturing hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) in a bottle. It contains a natural compound used in some prescription medicines, triiodothyroacetic acid (triac), which supposedly increases the activity of the thyroid gland. The gland controls your metabolism like a thermostat, and cranking it up can help...

What is creatine? Creatine is a natural compound that works like a gas pump for your muscles. The fuel from which muscle cells draw energy is a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and creatine helps cells make new ATP to keep your tank from running low. Your kidneys, liver, and pancreas make about 1 to 2 grams of creatine every day, and most people get about that much daily from meat or...

What's the difference between herbs and supplements and the drugs that you buy over the counter? Shopping for dietary supplements can be like stepping into a wild frontier with few rules and fewer enforcers. Since the federal government doesn't regulate herbs and supplements -- as it does prescription and over-the-counter drugs -- herbal remedies don't have to go through rigorous testing or displ...

What are nutraceuticals? Remember the kids' book Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ? One of Willie Wonka's most amazing inventions was a machine that packed an entire feast into a single piece of gum. When young Violet Beauregard stole one of the pieces and shoved it into her mouth, she could taste succulent roast beef followed by a steaming bowl of tomato soup, a baked potato, and a blueber...

What are protein supplements supposed to do? Step into any health-food store and you're likely to see stacks of protein-packed powders and bars, often accompanied by pictures of people with action-figure bodies. The message is clear: If you want to trade in your relatively normal body for the Mr. (or Ms.) Olympiad model, you can't live without products like Ultra Body-Building Protein Powder and ...

Why do I need calcium? For all of the attention and acclaim calcium gets as a bone builder, that's just one of its jobs throughout the body. Among other things, the mineral plays a crucial role for the nerves and the heart. Recent studies have shown that calcium can help lower blood pressure, and there's some evidence that calcium can help prevent cancer of the colon and rectum. Calcium is so impo...

Why do I need iron? Iron is one of the most abundant metals on the planet, which is a good thing because our bodies can't function without it. Iron makes it possible for your red blood cells to carry oxygen to the rest of your body. If you don't have enough iron, your body won't get the oxygen that it needs to stay fully stoked. You'll feel tired and weak -- the classic signs of iron-deficiency an...

What is chromium? It's a metal that's much more valuable in your body than on your car. Chromium, found in tiny amounts in most foods, works like a key to unlock insulin. Without this nutrient, insulin is much less effective at controlling blood sugar, building proteins, or performing any of its other jobs. If you don't get enough chromium in your diet, you may be more likely to develop high bloo...

Why do I need selenium? You probably don't spend much time thinking about selenium, a rare metal that shows up in tiny amounts in all sorts of foods. There isn't very much selenium in your body, either, but its doing an important job. The mineral is a key ingredient to powerful antioxidant enzymes that protect your cells from damaging free radicals. It can definitely help keep your heart, liver, a...

Why do I need vitamin A? You've probably heard that the vitamins in carrots can help you see in the dark. That old tale is actually true -- the beta carotene in carrots and many other vegetables is converted in the intestines to vitamin A (also known as retinol), and vitamin A is undoubtedly good for the eyes. But night vision is only the beginning; vitamin A is also vital for healthy skin, strong...

What is shark cartilage? Just what its name implies: Shark cartilage is simply the skeletal material of a shark. But many people believe this substance does far more than keep ocean creatures together. Ever since the book Sharks Don't Get Cancer hit the market, shark cartilage has been touted as a powerful cancer fighter in human beings. People also take cartilage in hopes it will relieve the pain...

What is 5-HTP? Short for 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, 5-HTP is a natural stepping-stone between a nutrient in our food and a crucial compound in our brains. Specifically, it's a substance that links the amino acid tryptophan to the chemical messenger serotonin. Tryptophan, which our bodies can't make but we do get from many foods, quickly turns to 5-HTP in the brain. 5-HTP, in turn, rapidly becomes ser...

For many years, veterinarians routinely gave glucosamine to racehorses to help preserve their joints over years of pounding the track. Now scientists are studying whether glucosamine, a compound that your body uses to make cartilage, can help people as well. For 40 years, European researchers have been studying whether taking glucosamine in supplement form can help relieve arthritis pain and rebui...

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, also called ubiquinone) is a vitamin-like substance that's present in foods and is also produced by your cells to help convert food into energy. The Japanese were the first to start taking it in supplement form, and it's still commonly used in Japan to treat heart-failure patients. During the 1980s, CoQ10 gained popularity in this country as an energy-booster; it's now touted ...