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…)

Can a nutrient found in apples get those blood pressure numbers down?

Quercetin is already widely used a dietary supplement ingredient, although it’s rarely used just by itself. More commonly, quercetin is combined  with other complementary supplements or as part of a multi-ingredient formulas that target a specific health condition or factor. For example, one popular quercetin combination marketed by many supplement brands combines quercetin with the pineapple enzyme bromelain in a popular formula for allergy-like symptoms.  You’ll also see quercetin in  prostate formulas and products for vascular health, too. A new human quercetin study is bound to attract much more interest in quercetin since it shows beneficial effects on both blood pressure and harmful LDL cholesterol.  And these effects were demonstrated in people with metabolic syndrome, who are already at high risk for hypertension and cholesterol imbalances.  Better, yet, quercetin is inexpensive, natural, safe and very well-tolerated with none of the side-effects of either blood pressure or cholesterol drugs. (more…)

Find out why you probably don't want to mix blueberries with milk or milk proteins like whey or casein.

Here’s a study we wish they’d have done a long time ago. As you may know, blueberries are one of the most, if not THE most antioxidant-rich fruits in the human diet due to their high polyphenol content. They also taste great and are available year-round in both fresh and frozen forms. So blueberries make the perfect addition to a protein shake.  Or don’t they? (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…)

Acai berries. Most acai supplements use freeze-dried berries or juice.

You may have been hearing a lot about Acai (ah-sa-EE) berry supplements or acai juice lately. Acai is an antioxidant-rich palm fruit that grows in South America, and is widely cultivated and consumed  in various forms throughout that region. Acai berries are round, dark-purple and about 1 inch in diameter, similar to a grape and grow in bunches that contain hundreds of individual fruits. Two crops of berries are produced each year.Interest in Acai berries and Acai products has grown with the discovery that the fruits have an exceptional nutritional profile, including high levels of antioxidants, amino acids and nutritional fats.  Seeking to capitalize on this interest, a great many Acai products and brands have come onto the market in a relatively short period of time.  Some make exaggerated or unsubstantiated claims. Perhaps even more significantly, several high-profile individuals such as Dr. Nicholas Perricone and Oprah Winfrey have publicized Acai supplements and purported great benefits from using them. This has further intensified interest and demand, drawing even more Acai products to the market, with ever more-attractive health claims. Quite a few AllStarHealth customers have asked us to comment on the new popularity and legitmacy of Acai supplements.  From these questions, it’s clear that someone somewhere is making some pretty tall claims about Acai: Is it really anti-aging?  Does it get rid of joint pain? Is it better than Viagra? (more…)

Some Popular Creatine Supplements

We’ve known for some time now that creatine is much more than a bodybuilding supplement. (more…)