Vincent C.W. Chen, B.S.When eating less to reduce weight, it is hard not to lose some muscle mass. During dieting, the body struggles to keep sufficient energy stores, and therefore, it will break down muscle proteins to satisfy energy needs. While the basic equation for muscle mass is rate of protein synthesis subtracted rate of protein breakdown, decrease in muscle size will be observed if muscle protein breakdown is not prevented while on a calorie-deficit diet.It has been well established th...

Majid Koozehchian, M.S.Homocysteine (Hcy) is a non-proteinogenic amino acid (i.e., an amino acid not used in proteins) normally present in the blood. Hcy is a by-product of normal diet but high levels in the blood can endanger cardiovascular health. It is formed from methionine, a proteinogenic amino acid, and can biosynthesize back to methionine or into cysteine, another proteinogenic amino acid, as well as several other substances. Benefits of Hcy are unknown; however, its harmful effects...