VitaBlog The Vitacost Blog: Views and News on Vitamins, Supplements and Herbs

Experience the Incredible Benefits of CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10 (commonly called CoQ10; less-commonly called by its chemical name, ubiquinone) is quite essential for energy production. CoQ10 is also considered a potent antioxidant, mainly against cardiovascular issues. In fact, CoQ10 was first identified around sixty years ago.

The heart and liver contain the greatest amounts of CoQ10, and an April 2000 study published in the prestigious Annals of Internal Medicine found that it is helpful in the fight against congestive heart failure. And a study presented at a March 2005 meeting of the American College of Cardiology illustrated the results from a double-blind trial of 41 people who experienced muscle pain while taking statin drugs. Twenty-one were given 100 mg of CoQ10, and after one month, 18 reported improvement in symptoms. Another CoQ10 study, published in January 2005 in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that it may benefit neurodegenerative disorders. It was determined that CoQ10 had a protective effect when administered before the nervous system’s cells (neurons) were subjected to oxidative stress. Turns out the amount of damage to the neurons was decreased.

CoQ10 is available in many, many forms…one of the newest is a highly-absorbable chewable; and now, CoQ10 is being paired with other antioxidants for a powerful, complete CoQ10 formula.

Your Children’s Nutrition can Start Them on The Right Road to a Life of Healthiness!

According to the U.S. government, nearly 80 percent of Americans do not eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, the recommended minimum amount believed to provide sufficient essential vitamins and nutrients. This number may include children, who need all the nutrition they can get for their growing bodies. Children can benefit from a daily multi-vitamin or nutritional supplement…especially picky eaters who may not be getting all the nutrients they require.

Because of the types of food that our children eat, they are clearly less likely to get adequate nutrients in their diets. As such, the need for children’s nutrition in the form of supplementation is more important than ever. Children that get adequate amounts of proper vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients will certainly stand a better chance of growing up healthier.

Unfortunately with today’s busier-than-ever-schedules, diets alone are just not cutting it in the world of children’s nutrition. Fast foods make it more convenient for everyone to grab a meal, but the obvious high fat and calories can cause a host of issues, including obesity and nutrient deficiencies.

Prenatal Vitamins Are Unbelievably Best for Baby

The March of Dimes stated that to help prevent neural tube defects, all women capable of having a baby should consume a prenatal multi-vitamin containing at least 400 mcg of folic acid every day, beginning before conception and continuing into the early months of pregnancy. And, according to a preliminary study published in the May 2000 American Journal of Epidemiology, women who use a prenatal multi-vitamin formula containing folic acid three months before becoming pregnant—and continuing through the first three months of pregnancy—have a significantly lower risk of having babies with neural tube defects (like spina bifida) and other congenital defects. Most Obstetricians today will reccomend taking prenatal vitamins with 1000 mcg's of folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects.

Supplementation with prenatal vitamins are meant to complement a healthy diet, including foods containing folic acid, such as leafy green vegetables, orange juice, peanuts, beans and fortified grains.

A good prenatal vitamin should also contain adequate levels of DHA, or omega-3 fish oils, as they are extremely beneficial to fetal brain development.

Interested in Homeopathy? It’s Easier to Practice it Than you Think!

Homeopathy is a non-toxic system of medicine used to treat illness and relieve discomfort of a wide variety of health conditions. It is practiced by licensed physicians and other qualified practitioners in many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, the U.K., and the U.S.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, homeopathy is based on a premise is that every person has energy called a vital force or self-healing response. When this energy is disrupted or imbalanced, health problems can arise. Homeopathy helps to stimulate your body's healing responses by giving extremely small doses of substances that produce symptoms of illness in healthy people when given in larger doses. This approach is referred to as "like cures like." Homeopathic therapies are customized to each individual…it’s like having a personalized program of care.

Many people are combining traditional medicine with homeopathic remedies more and more. Because of this, you should keep your doctors informed about any homeopathic treatments you are currently using or considering to help ensure a safe course of care.

A Fungus Among us…Try Cordyceps For Great Health

Ever thought those tasty mushrooms on your steak would be some of the most powerful immune-enhancers out there?

Well, eat up. There are numerous compounds found in cordyceps mushroom extract that have potent medicinal properties. Within mushrooms are compounds known as alpha- and beta-glucans. This compound appears to have tremendous positive effects in enhancing immune function in humans, including promoting healthier T-cells and natural killer (NK) cells, which can fight against bacterial and viral infections.

Cordyceps may also help increase energy and relieve exercise-induced fatigue. If you participate in higher-endurance sports like distance running, swimming or cycling, a healthy dose of cordyceps mushroom extract could give you a leg up.

How to Whey Your Options

For increased athletic performance, many rely on whey protein—a mixture of certain proteins naturally found in milk. In fact, whey protein is more rapidly digested than other proteins, and may provide for faster absorption.

Protein is necessary for building and rebuilding healthy muscles—and this is especially important for bodybuilders. According to the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, studies suggest that whey protein can increase gains in lean body mass resulting from exercise. Plus, whey protein contains the perfect combination of overall amino acids in just the right concentrations for optimal performance.

Whey protein can also be very useful for maintaining a healthy blood sugar because a good intake of protein balances blood sugar levels; carbohydrates can cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. When the blood sugar levels stay balanced, you’re not as prone to overeating, so you’ll probably have more energy. Whey protein allows a person to control his or her diet effectively: The International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that six weeks of strength training while taking 1.2 grams of whey protein per 2.2 of pounds body weight per day resulted in greater gains in lean body mass.

Sexuality and Horny Goat Weed. Yes, You Heard Right

It's a common occurrence to wonder “Hey, is my sex life like the average person’s?” Unfortunately, the statistics on the “average” sex life can be misleading. It all boils down to your individual comfort and satisfaction levels and improving your overall health:

For men and women, perhaps the most important part of a healthy sex life is maintaining that level energy and vigor. And, horny goat weed may be an answer. Its clinical name is yin yang huo; horny goat weed was apparently crowned its straightforward nickname when it was found that the goats grazing on the weed became sexually aroused.

Although horny goat weed has a history of more traditional use for disorders of the kidneys, joints, liver, back and knees, it has mainly been used as an aphrodisiac in Asian medicine. It has may promote increased levels of testosterone and thyroid hormones.

The Fight Against Free Radicals: Antioxidants

The importance of antioxidants when it comes to fighting deadly free radicals cannot be stressed enough.

Free radicals react with chemicals in your body, causing oxidative stress and interfering with your cells’ ability to function normally. They are believed to play a role in more than 60 different health concerns. Free radicals become more of a concern as we inevitably age, so it is important to address them early before they take their toll.

Some of the more well-known antioxidants are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, lycopene, lutein, CoQ10 and extracts of green tea and grape seed. Stand-alone formulations are always available, but a combination of these nutrients helps promote total body protection. For example, Vitacost.com’s proprietary line, NSI, has Antioxidant Booster and Complex formulas to take the guesswork out of picking and choosing potent antioxidants at the desired levels.

You should also pay attention to another group of antioxidants, known as carotenoids. They’re found in leafy greens and richly-colored fruits and vegetables (Those in the red, orange and yellow categories.) An excellent resource: http://www.vitacost.com/science/hn/Supp/Carotenes.htm

Hoodia Gordonii: Funny-Sounding Weight Loss Supplement With Amazing Results

You’ve more than likely heard about the amazing appetite-suppressing benefits of Hoodia Gordonii, a plant native to South Africa. It’s been used for centuries by the San people of the Kalahari Desert for a variety of medicinal purposes. For many years, the plant has been a dietary mainstay for hunters on long trips. It helps them ward off pain, hunger and thirst.

Hoodia apparently first came to attention of "outsiders" through a Dutch anthropologist who was studying the San Bushmen, but it wasn't until the 1960s when scientific interest in Hoodia began. Since then, testing has revealed a substance called P 57 in Hoodia that seems to be the active chemical in appetite suppression. The P 57 molecule is estimated to be up to 10,000 times as potent as glucose in sending a signal to your brain that the body is in a state of satiety, or in common terms, not hungry.

In both animal and human trials, Hoodia was able to substantially decrease the amount of calories ingested, thus leading to weight loss. In fact, in 2001, Phytopharma (a pharmaceutical company) completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study in overweight, but otherwise healthy volunteers using Hoodia Gordonii. The larger doses of Hoodia caused a statistically significant reduction in the average daily calorie intake. A statistically significant reduction in body fat content was also observed compared to the placebo group after two weeks.

The great news is that Hoodia is not a stimulant, so it has not been reported to make people jittery or anxious. In fact, there have been very few side effects reported with Hoodia use.

Multi-Vitamins Offer Maximum Health

The world of multi-vitamins is loaded with information and mis-information. What should be in them? How much?

Multi-vitamin suggestions: Take your multi-vitamins with meals to avoid stomach upset and enhance absorption. Follow published medical advice. Harvard researchers Drs. Kathleen Fairfield and Robert Fletcher recommended that everybody, regardless of age or health status, take a daily multi-vitamin. Put multi-vitamins to work for your health needs. The prestigious Cleveland Clinic has this advice when considering your type of multi-vitamin:

 67% to 88% of the elderly are at moderate to high nutritional risk. (From a 1999 study commissioned for the Older-American Act.)

 Individuals who consume fewer than 1,200 calories per day need a multi.

 Strict vegetarians may not eat enough foods rich in Vitamin B-12.

 Smokers may need more Vitamin C, as smoking interferes with its absorption.

 Lactose-intolerant individuals may need a multi in order to obtain better calcium retention.

 People who skip meals and/or who do not eat a wide-variety diet may need a multi-vitamin.