Monthly Archives: July 2015

Calorie Counting: More Holes

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Calorie counting relies on the energy balance equation to explain body weight changes. Proponents of calorie counting claim that the change in body weight experienced by an individual is related solely to the amount of physical activity they perform, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Expenditure, Exercise, Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA), Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), Weight Loss | Comments Off on Calorie Counting: More Holes

Fibre: Effects on Nitrogen

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Fibre is a heterogeneous group of non-digestible plant polysaccharides. Evidence is mounting that fibre is an essential nutrient in man. In this regard, diets absent of a minimum level of fibre lead to specific metabolic changes including blood sugar and … Continue reading →

Posted in Fibre, Nitrogen Retention, Protein | Comments Off on Fibre: Effects on Nitrogen

Guar Gum: Statin Beaters

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Elevated levels of blood lipoproteins are caused by poor quality diets. Low quality foods containing refined cereal grains and refined crystalline fructose induced insulin resistance and this raises plasma levels of fasting insulin. Insulin is the primary anabolic hormone, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cholesterol, Fibre, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, LDL, Pulses / Legumes, VLDL | Comments Off on Guar Gum: Statin Beaters

Alcohol Lowers Vitamin C Levels: An Interesting Little Study

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Ethanol (alcohol) has been shown to have beneficial health effects in humans. These health effects centre on a protective effect of ethanol on the cardiovascular system. The reason for the protective effects of ethanol are not fully understood, but it … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Vitamin C | Comments Off on Alcohol Lowers Vitamin C Levels: An Interesting Little Study

Vitamin E: Possible Cardioprotective Mechanism

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Vitamin E has shown promise as a possible cardioprotective agent. In particular, D-alpha tocopherol, the most biologically active isomer in the vitamin E family, has been shown to decrease the risk of myocardial infarction, particularly in those with existing cardiovascular … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiovascular Disease, Eicosanoids, Tocopherols, Tocotrienols, Vitamin E | Comments Off on Vitamin E: Possible Cardioprotective Mechanism

GABA: Inhibitory Neurotransmitter

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Robert Barrington

A number of amino acids have direct effects in the central nervous system and can be considered as possible treatments for mental disorders. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one such amino acid. However although GABA is an amino acid, it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Brain, Depression, Gamma Aminobutryric Acid (GABA), Sleep | Comments Off on GABA: Inhibitory Neurotransmitter

High Carbohydrate Diets Can Be Healthy

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Robert Barrington
Posted in Carbohydrate, Fibre, Whole Grains | Comments Off on High Carbohydrate Diets Can Be Healthy

Carbohydrate Sports Drinks and Gastric Emptying Rate

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Robert Barrington

The stomach is one of the control points for digestion and absorption. The pyloric sphincter is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the stomach, which acts as a gate to the duodenum and the rest of the small … Continue reading →

Posted in Carbohydrate, Digestion and Absorption, Exercise, Gastric Emptying, Water | Comments Off on Carbohydrate Sports Drinks and Gastric Emptying Rate

Are the Obese At Increased Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Robert Barrington

The traditional role of vitamin D is considered to that of maintaining bone homeostasis. However, more recently, vitamin D has been shown to be involved in a far wider range of physiological roles including maintaining insulin homeostasis, cancer prevention and … Continue reading →

Posted in 25-hydroxyvitamin D, Bone Health, Cholecalciferol, Ergocalciferol, Vitamin D | Comments Off on Are the Obese At Increased Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency

Sucrose: Detrimental Health Effects Even at Modest Doses

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Sucrose is the chemical name for table sugar. Structurally, sucrose is a disaccharide composed of a molecule of fructose and a molecule of glucose. Sucrose ingestion results in hydrolysis of the glycosidic bond between the two sugars to produce glucose … Continue reading →

Posted in Fructose, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Sucrose, Sugar, Western Diet | Comments Off on Sucrose: Detrimental Health Effects Even at Modest Doses