Steve Bui, M.S.I think it is safe to say we have all heard it at some point in our lives. I remember as a child, my mother telling me on several occasions. In fact, whenever I had the slightest cough, she would squeeze lime juice into everything I ate. Whether it is your loving family, friend, television advertisement, or newspaper, the general consensus has always been that if you are feeling sick, or have flu-like symptoms, increasing your vitamin C intake will help you recover faster and prev...

Majid Koozehchian, M.S.The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a modified form of essential amino acid cysteine, which is both consumed in high-protein food and synthesized in the body, does not receive much attention but has important, positive impacts in the body (1). This antioxidant is a precursor to glutathione (the master antioxidant) in the body, and is readily metabolized into intracellular glutathione.   Following are some benefits reported for NAC:  NAC protects th...

Majid Koozehchian, M.S.Alpha lipoic acid (ALA), also called thioctic acid, is an antioxidant that is commonly used as a dietary supplement, particularly in the Unites States. A unique characteristic of ALA is that, unlike other antioxidants such as vitamins C (water soluble) and E (fat soluble), ALA functions in both watery and fatty tissue environments. Besides serving as an antioxidant itself, ALA also restores other oxidized forms of antioxidants including vitamins C and E to their active sta...

Brittany Rosen, Ph.D, CHESWhat guidelines help create an effective health education lesson plan impacting students’ behaviors? My study examined the content of six sexual health lesson plans, found online at the Advocates for Youth website. The lesson plans’ content was assessed using the Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The HECAT is a tool, with 14 guidelines, helping teachers develop clear and reliable heal...

Julian Ong, MND, APDThe latest trend to hit the sports supplement industry stems from none other than the humble beetroot. This versatile root vegetable can be used in a variety of dishes and is well known for its rich content of healthful chemicals including betalains (antioxidants that are responsible for the deep red color), vitamins A and C, iron and other minerals, carotenoids, and dietary fiber. Recent research that is turning heads, however, examines its positive benefits on blood pressur...

Brandon Macias, Ph.DCompartment syndrome is a serious condition that involves increased pressure in a muscle compartment. It can lead to muscle and nerve damage and problems with blood flow, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Medline. Compartment syndrome results from an abnormal elevation of intramuscular pressure (IMP) and can be mild, chronic, or acute.  Most compartment syndrome cases occur in leg muscles.  Mild chronic compartment syndrome can be treated w...

Ramon Boudreaux, M.S.It is often joked that if exercise could be given as a pill it would be the most prescribed drug in the world.  While some benefits of exercise are well known (e.g., the prevention of heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity), some remain esoteric. Osteoporosis, a condition in which bones lose density by an increase in porosity, is one such example.  Low density bones are at a much higher risk of fracture.  If one were to compare the architecture of a b...

Yang Lee, M.S.Heart cells (myocytes) have distinctive shapes, structural integrity, and functions that are maintained by proteins that are part of the “cytoskeleton”. The cytoskeleton is scaffolding or framework around the cells serves to stabilize cells and tissues and regulate internal function of the cells. The dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) is a structure comprised of proteins on the outer side of the cell membrane that links the cell and its cytoskeleton to the connective...

Kevin Shimkus, B.S. As important as regular physical exercise is for general health and well-being, a chronic lack of activity contributes to increased chances of adverse health risks and a decreased quality of life.  Paradoxically, both of these opposing situations (as well as several others) are associated with an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), commonly known as oxidants or free radicals.  ROS are produced in the body and are highly reactive molecules tha...

Andrew Jagim Ph.D, CSCSRunners, cyclists, and other endurance athletes are constantly looking for ways to improve their performance.  A commonly used strategy is the use of nutritional supplements to “boost” energy and enable them to perform longer and or harder before fatigue sets in.  The majority of energy used during endurance events is derived from carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates can be stored in the liver and skeletal muscle as glycogen.  When exercise lasts l...