Monthly Archives: October 2011

More on B Vitamins and Homocysteine Levels

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Robert Barrington

As discussed previously, elevated homocysteine levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and possibly cancer, dementia and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Homocysteine is synthesised from methionine and under normal cellular conditions is quickly metabolised back to methionine via the enzyme … Continue reading →

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B Vitamins and Homocysteine Levels

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Elevated plasma homocysteine is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, dementia, cancer and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Increases in homocysteine levels are associated with low intakes of vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and folic acid as well as a lack of exercise, … Continue reading →

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Refined Carbohydrates and Diabetes

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Obesity rates are increasing in Western countries with a resulting burden on health care systems and budgets. One of the consequences of the rise in obesity is a rise in associated diseases, most particularly type 2 diabetes. Research has shown … Continue reading →

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Riboflavin

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Riboflavin (vitamin B-2) plays an important role in energy metabolism as part of the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD) molecules. Both FAD and FNM are important oxidising agents that participate in aerobic respiration. The main sources of … Continue reading →

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Vitamin D and Diabetes

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] are used as a clinical marker for vitamin D status. Current recommendations are that 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels should be above 40 nmols/L (16 ng/mL) for optimal health. Levels below 25 nmols/L (10 ng/mL) are … Continue reading →

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Amino Acids and Insulin

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The relationship between dietary carbohydrates and insulin is well researched. The quantity and type of carbohydrate food ingested affect the rate at which the food is digested and enters the blood circulation. Insulin is required for the uptake of glucose … Continue reading →

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Whole Grains, Fibre and Weight Gain

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Robert Barrington

Whole grains may be protective of cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal ill health, cancer and diabetes. Evidence also suggests that diets high in whole grains reduce the weight gain seen with ageing. A number of epidemiological studies have suggested that whole grain … Continue reading →

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Fatty Acids and Cognitive Decline

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The essential fatty acid alpha linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 (n-3)) is metabolised to the highly unsaturated fatty acids eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)). The brain preferentially accumulates DHA from plasma where it is incorporated … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachidonic Acid, Brain, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Eicosanoids, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids | Comments Off on Fatty Acids and Cognitive Decline

Vitamin D Misconceptions

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Robert Barrington

The current government recommended vitamin D daily amounts are based largely on the ability to prevent osteomalacia in adults and rickets in children, without the need for sun exposure. However, the recommended amounts do not take into account the growing … Continue reading →

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Dietary Cholesterol is Not Bad

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Robert Barrington

There are a number of known risk factors associated with developing cardiovascular disease. These include a number of changes in blood lipids including increases in plasma LDL cholesterol, increases in triglycerides, decreases in HDL cholesterol, as well as the phenotypic … Continue reading →

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