Monthly Archives: May 2012

More on the Benefits of Fish

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Fatty fish and their oils have been shown to be beneficial to health, particularly with regard cardiovascular disease. Fish oils contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, C20:5 (n-3)) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6 (n-3)) that can be converted … Continue reading →

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How Does Selenium Prevent Cancer?

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Robert Barrington

A clinical trial to assess the effects of 200µg selenium per day from brewer’s yeast on in 1312 patients with skin cancer found no significant effects. However, the researchers were surprised to see that following the 4.5 year study, the … Continue reading →

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Vitamin C Mega Doses

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Vitamin C is an important aqueous phase reducing agent in vivo, which interacts with both glutathione and vitamin E to provide cellular antioxidant protection. The current recommended intake for vitamin C in the United Kingdom is 60mg, roughly the amount … Continue reading →

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Anthocyanins are Absorbed as Glycosides

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Flavonoid absorption is complex and not completely understood. However, it is known that on extensive metabolism occurs between the gastrointestinal tract and the plasma, such that the forms of flavonoid ingested are not reflective of the forms detected in plasma. … Continue reading →

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Green Tea Catechin Absorption

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Epidemiological evidence suggests that green tea may have beneficial health properties, particularly with regard to cancer and cardiovascular disease. This beneficial effect may be due to the high levels of antioxidant polyphenols present within the leaves of the Camellia sinensis … Continue reading →

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Absorption of Flavonols from Sea Buckthorn Berry

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Sea buckthorn berries are yellow fruits that contain high levels of vitamin C, tocopherols, carotenoids and flavonoids. Evidence suggests that sea buckthorn may possess antioxidant properties, and this may be responsible for its reported health effects against various parameters of … Continue reading →

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Absorption of Flavanones

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Naringenin (4’, 5, 7-trihydroxyflavanone) and hesperetin (3′, 5, 7-Trihydroxy-4′-methoxy flavanone) are flavanones that belong to the flavonoid group of phytochemicals. Flavanones possess antioxidant activity like all flavonoids, and in addition are phytoestrogens that may exert anti-oestrogenic effects. Naringenin has also … Continue reading →

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Flavonoid Structure and Antioxidant Activity

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Flavonoids are compounds that are produces by plants and are bioavailable in man. Evidence suggests that they have beneficial function on health, particularly against cancer and cardiovascular disease. One mechanism by which this may occur is through their antioxidant activity. … Continue reading →

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Brassica Glucosinolates

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The Brassica family of vegetables, including broccoli, kale, water cress, rape seed, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnip, mustard and radishes, are the only plant source of the sulphur containing glucosinolate compounds. Chemically, glucosinolates are β-thioglucoside N-hydroxysulfates with a variable side chain … Continue reading →

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Detoxification

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Detoxification of xenochemicals and toxins is vital for optimal health. There are a myriad of ways that this is achieved, but the primary mechanism involves biotransformation reactions performed by drug metabolising enzymes (DME). The detoxification process is split into an … Continue reading →

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