In Monday’s post, we talked about the widely-publicized recent research that identified how some cancers use an enzyme to prepare a remote site for new tumor growth.   Enzymes are also a rapidly-growing category of nutritional supplement. Digestive enzymes are the most popular types, but systemic enzymes are gaining acceptance too.  Systemic enzymes are used for all kinds of health issues from chronic sinusitis to back pain and sports injuries. Find out more about systemic enzymes in today’s AllStarHealth blog. (more…)

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…)

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…)

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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Still searching for a protein powder? Begin here.

No matter where you buy supplements, chances are they have more protein powders than just about any other kind of product.  That may be why one of the most common questions we receive is simply, how do I chose one from among all these options? Well it’s really a very simple process once you understand some of the basics. Here’s a quick and easy guide to choosing a protein powder. (more…)

Vitamin E has taken some heat in the mainstream press.

Dear AllStarHealth,

I’ve always taken vitamin E because there’s a family history of heart disease and a few of my nutrition books say it’s beneficial.  But in the last few years I’ve come across conflicting information about vitamin E including some recent news stories that say it doesn’t help and can actually be harmful to use vitamin E supplements.  So what’s the story?

Thanks,

Mike W.

Novato, CA

Dear Mike,

Once upon a time, the type of vitamin E supplement in question wouldn’t have mattered because they were all the same. At this point in time, however, it really depends on what kind of vitamin E supplement we’re talking about. (more…)

Truvia: The New Stevia Sweetener.......

Recent press releases and news reports (including an AllStarHealth blog post) revealed that the controversial sweetener stevia herb was finally about to go mainstream as major soda manufacturers announced their intention to begin using a newly-approved sweetener called Trvuvia in low calorie drinks.   Truvia’s manufacturer makes a big deal over the fact that it’s an herbal product,  and that it’s stevia, in particular  but when you look at the ingredient label (more…)