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Health Benefits of Arginine - a Conditionally Essential Amino Acid

Health Benefits of Arginine L-arginine is an amino acid that helps the body build protein. Your body usually makes all the L-arginine it needs. L-arginine is also found in most protein-rich foods, including fish, red meat, poultry, soy, whole grains, beans and dairy products. As a supplement, L-arginine can be used orally and topically. Arginine is classified as a semi-essential or conditionally essential amino acid, depending on the developmental stage and health status of the individual. Arginine plays an important role in cell division, wound healing, removing ammonia from the body, immune function, and the release of hormones. It is a precursor for the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), making it important in the regulation of blood pressure. Arginine is necessary for T-cells to function in the body, and can lead to their deregulation if depleted. Arginine is the immediate precursor of nitric oxide, an important signaling molecule which can act as a second messenger, as well as an int

Health Benefits of Alanine for Aging Male

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid. Most amino acids are building blocks of proteins, but beta-alanine is used to make other chemicals in the body such as carnosine. Beta-alanine binds histidine in the muscles and the brain. The binding creates carnosine. Carnosine is a potent intracellular buffer that stops hydrogen from accumulating. During exercise, hydrogen levels increase, which leads to a burning sensation in your muscles. When that burning becomes too uncomfortable, you stop working out, whether you were truly finished or not. Using supplements of beta-alanine aids in enhancing carnosine levels by 80%. The increase in carnosine levels can prevent lactic acid from building up and causing muscle fatigue during physical exertion. People use beta-alanine for athleticperformance and improving physical performance in elderly adults. It is also used for symptoms of menopause, age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), and many other conditions.   Improves Exercise Endurance: Be

Health Benefits of L-Carnitine for Aging Male

Carnitine, a non-essential or conditionally-essential amino acid, is the generic term for several compounds, including L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, and propionyl-L-carnitine. Carnitine is naturally present in many foods—especially foods of animal origin—and is available as a dietary supplement. Carnitine is also synthesized endogenously in the liver, kidneys, and brain from the amino acids, lysine and methionine. Carnitine helps the body break down fatty acids and turn them into energy to power the cells Food Sources of Carnitine Carnitine is present in animal products, especially red meat. Poultry, fish, and dairy foods also provide some carnitine, but vegetables, fruits, and grains provide negligible amounts. Health Benefits of L-Carnitine: Alzheimer’s disease and dementia Carnitine might be conditionally essential in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease because it may support acetylcholine synthesis and help remove toxic compounds to alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction associate

Top Ayurvedic Herbs for Cholesterol Control

In Ayurveda, herbs have been used for centuries to treat some of the medical conditions and in general, maintain good health. The top Ayurvedic herbs which are known to lower cholesterol are discussed here. Guggul (Commiphora mukul): One of the most popular Ayurvedic medicines to control cholesterol is probably guggul. Guggulsterones which exist within it have been proven to increase levels of HDL the good cholesterol, while decreasing LDL, the bad cholesterol. Lasuna (Garlic): Research has shown that half to 1 clove of garlic per day can lower a person's cholesterol levels by approximately 10%. This is equivalent to 3–6 g of garlic per day. Adhraka (Ginger): Ginger contains active components called gingerols, and shogaols which have shown to reduce the levels of LDL or the 'bad' cholesterol that contributes to artery blockage and heart disease. Haridra (Curcuma longa): Haridra or turmeric has been known to help reduce many health problems, such as lowering of cholestero

Benefits of Giloy (Ayurvedic herb) in Managing Diabetes

Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia), an Ayurvedic herb, is also known as ‘Guduchi’ and ‘Amrita’ in India. The meaning of ‘Guduchi’ is “something that protects the whole body,” and ‘Amrita’ means “root of immortality”. All of its parts have been used as medicines in Ayurveda for thousands of years. However, the stem is considered to have the maximum number of health benefits because it has high nutritional content and important plant compounds like alkaloids. Other key components in Giloy are terpenoids, lignans, and steroids. Alkaloids give the plant its bitter taste. They have therapeutic benefits for pain relief, blood pressure, malaria, cancer and intestinal properties. Terpenoids contribute to plants’ taste, fragrance, and colour. This active compound has antiviral, antimicrobial, anticancer, and antidiabetic properties. Lignans have antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory that protect cells from oxidative damage. They also possess antimicrobial properties that help prevent the growth of viru

The Right Nutrition for Your Kidneys

Kidneys perform many vital functions in your body, including filtering waste and impurities from your blood, maintaining the balance of minerals and electrolytes, and supporting red blood cell production. Keeping your kidneys healthy and functioning is an essential part of maintaining your overall health. And it probably won’t come as a surprise to know that your diet plays an important role in the maintenance of these important organs.  What should I eat to take care of my kidneys? The best way to take good care of your kidneys and ward off chronic kidney disease (CKD) is to prevent diabetes, hypertension, and obesity — the major contributors to CKD. When it comes to your diet, that means eating mostly whole and plant-based foods while limiting foods that are processed and high in added sugars and trans and saturated fats (basically, diet guidance we should follow anyway!). In fact, research shows a link between eating primarily plant-based foods and a decreased risk of CKD. Once a pe

Men with low testosterone levels are at higher risk of mortality: Study

The health risks of low testosterone levels in men include low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, reduced concentration, insomnia and depression Low levels of testosterone make one susceptible to metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity, which increase the risk of cardiac conditions. A systematic review found that men with low serum testosterone levels were at increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The research published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine reviewed 11 studies comprising over 24,000 participants, aiming to clarify previous inconsistent findings regarding the influence of sex hormones on health outcomes in aging men. What were the study parameters? The researchers used individual participant data (IPD) to summarize the association between baseline concentrations of different hormones — which included testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), dihydrotestosterone and estradiol — and the relative risk of cardio