What’s new from the world of nutritional research and how will the latest findings influence the supplements you use? Find out in today’s AllStarHealth.com blog.

(more…)

Antioxidants are among the most popular of all dietary supplements and include many familiar nutrients like vitamins C and E.  Antioxidants have a wide-range of health benefits that all stem from their ability to  neutralize unstable chemicals  (known as ‘free radicals’)  that damage delicate cellular structures by oxidizing them, just like bleach ruins fabric.  Exercise also has a wide-range of health benefits that stem from the fact that it improves body strength and functions. But paradoxically, exercise and antioxidants may not go well together. (more…)

Long-term abuse of alcohol wreaks havoc on brain and liver health.

An interesting study suggests that extracts of 2 common kitchen herbs are potent alcohol-detoxifying agents that could protect the liver and brain from the kind of damage that accrues with continuous alcohol abuse.  (more…)

How does your favorite juice stack up?

There was a time not too long ago when most people would look at you like you were crazy if you started talking about the dangers of free radicals and  how antioxidants protect your body from their effects.  But the value of antioxidants is common knowledge now, we know they slow the aging process, protect health in hundreds of ways  and reduce the risk of all kinds of disease. Consumers feel good about purchasing and using anything they know to be high in antioxidants; brands have capitalized on this by giving high profiles to the antioxidant content of the foods, drinks and supplements they make. (more…)

The best news for heart health is nattokinase, discovered in Japan.

A new human study should erase any lingering doubt as to whether or not nattokinase enzyme can really make a difference in terms of heart health. Find out what nattokinase is and how it helps heart health in today’s AllStarHealth blog.

(more…)

OK, but does anyone actually rely on a breakfast cereal for health information? Could this be more about protecting Big Pharma?

The FDA is going after General Mills for the health claims associated with Cheerios cereal (read the warning letter here).  (more…)

Isoflavones from soy may be able to improve circulation by boosting nitric oxide production.

Are you familiar with nitric oxide? You see a great many supplement products now with names coined around the terms “nitric oxide” and its common abbreviation;  “NO”.  Nitric oxide is a highly desirable natural compound that promotes better circulation by inducing a natural process known as vasodilation. There are many reasons people may want to increase nitric oxide production and vasodilation; better blood pressure, improved erectile function and muscle fullness are the most common.  In response, the supplement industry has created a whole category of supplements to promote vasodilation (” nitric oxide boosters”) most of which rely on, essentially, a single amino acid to get job done. A new study suggests that soy isoflavones are effective NO boosters, too, which could pave the way towards much more effective NO  products. (more…)

Green tea leaves, shown here, form the basis of a popular herb extract. By interfering with enzymes, green tea extract may inhibit testosterone production.

Men taking a logical approach to natural testosterone management know that there’s no magic-bullet pill that magically raises and improves testosterone status just by taking it. And there never will be.  Testosterone support products can work well, but if all you’re willing to do is buy and take a pill, don’t expect to be bowled over with your results. Instead,  getting good results with natural approaches depends doing everything you can - great or small - that favors testosterone production. At the same time,  you’d want to avoid all the things that undermine testosterone production.  So at a bare minimum, a man would want to be in a program of regular strenuous exercise like weight training, eating a healthy diet, taking supplements (especially zinc) , and working with a doctor to determine what his hormone levels actually are.  By the same token, he’d want to avoid alcohol (and other drugs), overeating, gaining weight and failing to get enough sleep.  Should we add also green tea extract to this list of things to avoid? Find out in today’s AllStarHealth blog. (more…)

Kids need DHA for optimal learning and brain development. Fish oils are by far the best source.

A frequently-asked question pertaining to omega 3 fatty acids is whether fish oil or flax oil is better, or whether there’s any difference or benefit to taking one or the other.   Vegetarian considerations aside,  we do recommend fish oil (here’s our favorite fish oil)  and there are in fact significant differences that shed light on why we think  so. A new study adds weight to claims that fish oil  is better than flax oil, especially so for nursing Moms and infants. Find out why in today’s AllStarHealth bog. (more…)

These best-selling SAMe supplements do a lot more than boost your mood.

Some supplements seem to be a victim of their own success; they become so well-known for one thing, that any other good things about them  are overlooked. We’ve recently been talking about some of these multi-purpose supplements like glutamine, alpha lipoic acid and coconut oil. Another supplement we could add to this group is SAMe.  Most people think “depression” when they hear the word SAMe (which is pronounced “sammy”), and that makes sense since it’s one the very best and fastest-acting mood boosters.  But there’s a few other really great benefits to taking SAMe that make it something almost anyone can benefit from. By adding SAMe to your regimen, you’ll be enhancing and protecting your health in ways that basic supplements like multis and fish oil cannot.  You’ll feel SAMe working within the first few doses, especially where mood and joint comfort are concerned.  But you certainly don’t have to be depressed to use SAMe. It’s gone way down in price and way up in popularity since it was introduced in the 90’s, so let’s take another look at SAMe and see if it’s something you might want to use, too. (more…)