Nutridom Health Information Blog

What is it? Chitosan is a carbohydrate found in the exoskeletons (external skeletons) of arthropods, usually crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster) and the walls of some fungi. It is biocompatible and non-toxic which is why it has received attention as something that can be used for human consumption. What does the research say? Human studies involving the use of chitosan have demonstrated its ability to bind with fats in the intestine and prevent their absorption as well as inhibit the release of pancreatic lipase which is an enzyme that helps breakdown fat. These combined actions have resulted in several studies reporting decreases in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and increases in HDL resulting in improved overall cholesterol profiles of patients with hypercholesterolemia. A 12-week double blind placebo controlled trial involving subjects with prediabetes showed that those given chitosan supplementation had significant improvements in several markers of ...

KRILL IS a small red crustacean that live in the cold waters of the northern and southern poles. They produce rapidly and are abundantly available, primarily as a food source for whales and other marine animals but also for human consumption due to their high level of omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA. While krill is not as well studied as fish oil, the research which has been done, demonstrates similar or potentially superior health benefits to non-concentrated fish oil. In addition to its high levels of omega 3 fatty acids , krill oil also contains several antioxidants such as vitamin A and E and astaxanthin. Antioxidants can provide further protection against inflammation and the damaging effects of free radicals. Another benefit to krill is that it comes from some of the cleanest waters on the earth and is at the bottom of the food chain and thus is less prone to accumulating pollutants to the degree that marine animals further up the food chain do, including some f...

UBIQUINOL IS a powerful antioxidant that is present in all cells in the body, where it plays an essential role in processes associated with energy production. It is a form of CoQ10, which many people may have hear of, and it is one of very few lipophilic or fat loving antioxidants, meaning that it is able to act and protect the fatty outer membranes of the body’s cells and mitochondria (energy factory in the cell) from oxidative damage. It is also able to regenerate other antioxidant molecules such as vitamin E and vitamin C which can also be used to fight oxidation. Ubiquinol vs Ubiquinone? Ubiquinol is the reduced form of CoQ10 (ubiquinone), which means that it has two extra electrons attached in this form. It is better absorbed by the body and the preferred from for transportation in the blood stream compared to Co-Q-10. Any Co-Q-10 that is absorbed by the body will need to be converted to ubiquinol for it to be transported in the blood stream, and the body’s ability to...

VITAMIN C or ascorbic acid is an essential, water soluble micronutrient that has numerous roles in the body. Unlike other mammals, humans cannot producer their own vitamin C, which means it must be obtained from the diet. The importance of vitamin C is often sighted from the research of James Lind, who back in the 1700’s proved that scurvy could be treated with citrus fruit (later discovered to be the vitamin C found in citrus fruit). While no longer common in the developed world, symptoms of scurvy (fatigue, bone and muscle pain, gum pain and loosening of the teeth, skin changes and poor wound healing) can begin within a few weeks without any vitamin C intake. These symptoms give light to the many ways that the body uses and requires vitamin C for heath. Antioxidant : Vitamin C can act as an antioxidant and protect the body from free radicals, which contribute to a variety of diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, inflammatory joint disease and dementia. Recen...

Korean Red Ginseng Korean ginseng is also known as Panax, Chinese or Asian ginseng. It is the root of the plant that has been used for years in Asian cultures to help correct or prevent any disruption to the balance of the body and its functions. Korean red ginseng is panax ginseng that has been steamed and then dried out, where the steaming process appears to change some of the bioactive compounds and mimic some of the processes of activation that happen in the human gut. This can make their actions more reliable across individuals than fresh or white panax which is only air dried. Siberian Ginseng Siberian ginseng, also known by its scientific name of Eleutherococcus senticosus, is shrub, 2-7m high that is native to Russias far east. Siberian ginseng was spread to the west by the way of soviet athletes, who were using it to help improve their athletic performance. Its common name is misleading as it is not actually a part of the ginseng or panax family. The roots were di...