Who needs an energy booster? If product sales are any indication, millions of people each day.

Energy boosting products have exploded in popularity and are now one of the most popular types of dietary supplements.  After all, who couldn’t use a little more energy now and then? One thing that’s unfortunately true about any type of energy booster is that the more you use it, the less effective it becomes.  But by paying attention to how you use you energy booster and by taking certain accessory nutrients, you can get more, sometimes much more, out of your energy booster so you won’t have to use as much, as often.

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Statin drugs lower cholesterol, but also lower your body's production of valuable Co Q-10. And that's not the only reason you should be taking Co Q-10 for elevated LDL cholsterol.

Dear AllStarHealth,

Why is it recommended that people who have high-cholesterol take Co Q-10? Co Q-10 doesn’t lower cholesterol.  Or does it?

Thank you,

Heather B.

Boulder, CO

Dear Heather,

It’s true that Co Q-10 isn’t a dependable way to lower cholesterol, but if you have high LDL cholesterol levels, it’s probably still a good idea for you to take it anyway. Here’s why. (more…)

Long before it’s talked about on the evening news or Oprah, the most interesting nutritional news and research first appears in peer-reviewed  scientific journals; the ones nobody reads but doctors, scientists or grad students. So once a month, AllStarHealth summarizes some of the most promising new findings in our Nutrition News Roundup.

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Problem: the higher the crop yield, the lower the nutritional content.

Everyone knows that eating a fruit and vegetable-rich diet is important if you want to stay healthy. It might not be too long before even that’s not enough.  A recent study showed significant and worrisome declines in the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables, particularly in terms of protein and mineral content.  (more…)

Thousands of supplement users were asked about products and brands they use.

Last November, a nationwide survey of over six thousand supplement users identified changes in the popularity of different brands and supplement types.  (more…)

Lighten up your love life!

People have used the power of foods and herbs to enhance their love lives since time immemorial.  Some of these foods have more of a scientific basis for being effective (note the zinc content of oysters) than others (powdered rhino horn).  But besides oysters and heart-shaped pizza, there are other foods and herbs that can enhance your love life, too. (more…)

Like father, like son? Family history of prostate cancer makes that a question worth asking.

Dear AllStarHealth,

I’m a 48 yo male in good overall health. My late father had prostate cancer and his last few years were miserable. I’m quite concerned that I might develop it too.  We currently take a multi and fish oil and I also take a prostate product that has about 20 things in it. Is this enough or should I be taking something else that can help protect me?

Thank you,

Paul Martoccia

Nutley, NJ

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Vitamin D aka Sunshine Vitamin: More Important Than Ever

Dr. Robert Heaney is one of the leading researchers in the quickly-advancing field of vitamin D research.  He recently gave a fascinating lecture at UC Berkley in which he summed up the most current information about vitamin D with respect to what have been difficult-to-answer questions about vitamin D deficiency and dose. Dr. Heaney’s information is compelling and commands a complete rethink of this crucial prohormone nutrient. The video has since been removed from YouTube, but we were able to see it and took some notes.  Here’s what this leading researcher had to say about vitamin D. (more…)

The EndoBarrier lines the intestine preventing absorption of food calories.

Reducing calorie consumption is a proven way to lose weight, but people aren’t always disciplined enough to maintain a reduced calorie diet on their own. That accounts for some of the success and popularity of gastric bypass and gastric band surgeries, both of which reduce the quantity of calories absorbed.  But since both procedures carry considerable risks, there’s been strong interest in developing effective alternatives that are less dangerous to the patient.

Makers of a new device called the EndoBarrier say that’s just what they’ve accomplished.  (more…)

Sometimes imperfect protection is better than no protection at all; Proprietary Blends protect against copycat formulas

Dear AllStarHealth.com,

I’ve been using supplements for a long time and have noticed that some formulas list all their ingredients and tell you exactly how much of each one there is. Other products lump everything into one list under a heading like ‘Proprietary Blend’ or “Exclusive HyperDiet Complex” without specifying ingredient amounts. Why do only some products specify amounts? I would think every customer wants or even  needs to know that.

Best regards,

Tom Wilton

Framingham, MA

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