Magnesium is a key mineral in our body and needed for more than 300 different chemical reactions. It is also essential for muscle contractions and nerve transmission while also keeping your heart beating steadily and your immune system strong. In this article, I’ll outline the key functions of magnesium as well as cover the different health conditions where magnesium is thought … [Read more...] about Magnesium: foods, functions and supplemental forms
Nutrition Supplements
Got iron? Foods, functions and insufficiencies
Iron. It’s one of our most important essential minerals and sits at the heart of oxygen transport and energy metabolism. In this post, I put the spotlight on iron, outline its key functions and explore the food factors that control how much of it we absorb. Because iron deficiency ranks as one of the world’s most common nutritional disorders, I go into detail of the … [Read more...] about Got iron? Foods, functions and insufficiencies
Why antioxidant supplements are best avoided during cancer treatment
Women with breast cancer who take antioxidant supplements during their chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment have been found to have higher rates of mortality and cancer recurrence.At least when it comes to reducing the risk of cancer, diets high in fruits and vegetables (which are also high in antioxidants) can be protective. The question of if high-dose antioxidant … [Read more...] about Why antioxidant supplements are best avoided during cancer treatment
Probiotics show promise in protecting bones
A clinical trial in older women finds that taking a daily probiotic supplement slows bone loss.Probiotics are live microorganisms that may offer a health benefit when taken in adequate amounts. Be it from fermented foods such as yoghurt or from a commercial supplement, there is a lot of consumer interest in them.The clinical evidence for probiotics places treatment of … [Read more...] about Probiotics show promise in protecting bones
Who needs to use protein supplements?
The protein and amino acid supplement market is big business. Bars, shakes, giant tubs of powder and specialist amino acid supplements dominate supplement shelves. But the decision to use protein supplements is based more on slick marketing claims than anything else; protein supplements offer few real performance benefits that an athlete’s normal diet isn’t already … [Read more...] about Who needs to use protein supplements?