The word myositis describes numerous diseases that trigger muscular inflammation. These include dermatomyositis and polymyositis. Myositis is also a symptom of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma. Every year,...
Enzymes are proteins that function to break down other molecules and speed up chemical reactions in the body. Each type of enzyme is highly specific, functioning in a particular way or acting on a certain molecule. Liver and muscle enzymes are...
Enzymes are structures composed of protein chains that help to catalyze chemical reactions within your body. Many different types of enzymes are responsible for specific functions, and they are found in different areas of the body. In regards to...
Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) is a medication used in conjunction with diet modification to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Lipitor is also used to help prevent cardiovascular disease in...
What you eat can tell your body what needs to be done, and as a result, nutrition is one of the most important aspects of any training program. If you eat a high fat diet loaded with carbs, your body may not have the adequate protein to increase...
Your body's muscle tissue contains several enzymes, which are catalysts that cause chemical reactions. Your muscles require chemical reactions to supply them with energy, help them repair damage and help them function. High muscle enzymes in your...
An elevation of the liver enzymes indicates damage or inflammation to the cells in the liver. These enzymes are normally found inside the liver cells, but when the liver is damaged, the enzymes leak out into the blood stream, where they can be...
Muscle inflammation can occur as a result of sudden overuse or exercise of a muscle, taking certain medications, injury and infection. Concentrated and frequent contraction of a muscle causes it to become inflamed. Inflammation is the body's way...
Pravastatin (pravastatin sodium) is a medication classed as an antilipemic, which means it is used to lower serum cholesterol levels. Pravastatin lowers low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and triglyceride levels in the blood and simultaneously helps...
Red yeast rice is made by fermentation of rice with the fungus Monascus purpureus. Red yeast rice is used as a food and for its purported medicinal value in traditional Chinese medicine. It is also the basis for some types of wine, and the...
Zocor, which is Merck's trade name for the drug simvastatin, is an antilipemic, which is a medication used to lower low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and overall total cholesterol. Zocor has the added benefit of increasing high-density...
Liver enzymes are proteins inside your liver cells. The enzymes help your liver perform its functions, which include getting rid of toxins, processing medicines, storing and releasing sugars, and storing vitamins and minerals. Liver enzymes can...
More than 106 million Americans over age 20 have total blood cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher, according to the American Heart Association. More women than men are affected by high cholesterol --- 55.9 million to 50.8 million --- which...
Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is typically contained in dairy products and beef. CLA is purportedly useful in cancer treatment and regulating weight, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center says. However, human trials with CLA for use in...
Red yeast rice, made by fermenting rice with the red-colored mold Monascus purpureus, has been used as a food and medicine in China for centuries. The fermentation process produces monacolin K, a compound on which pharmaceutical statin drugs are...
Cholesterol is a fatty substance needed by your body for many metabolic processes -- but when your blood cholesterol level is too high, you are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Red yeast rice is a supplement...
When you exercise, your body produces enzymes that participate in the process of muscle contraction, relaxation, strengthening and conditioning. Since they also serve other functions, measuring them can tell you, your doctor or your trainer other...
Many health dangers may be associated with elevated liver enzymes. According to Dr. Dicken Weatherby, a naturopathic physician and author of the textbook "Blood Chemistry and CBC Analysis," elevated liver enzymes -- aspartate aminotransferase,...
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart. Chest pain is a common symptom with pericarditis that can mimic the pain seen with heart attacks. Distinguishing pericarditis from a heart attack requires...
There are blood tests which can be done to attempt to identify damage to the heart. One of these tests measures the levels of a number of different proteins that can be present in higher quantities when the heart muscle has been damaged. Elevation...
Muscle enzymes are substances within the cells of muscles that allow them to acquire and transform the components of food into the energy. When the cells of muscles become severely injured, they will leak these internal elements ant their levels...
Statins, medications prescribed to lower cholesterol levels, are the best selling group of medications in America, according to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. Statins lower total cholesterol levels by lowering low-density...
Crestor is the brand name of rosuvastatin calcium, one of a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins. These drugs reduce the production of harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the liver by inhibiting the action of an...
Your muscles use many enzymes to control the chemical reactions that make them able to function. The same enzymes are present in your heart muscle and the skeletal muscles that make you able to move your body. When these muscles become damaged by...
Niacin is commonly used in combination with other statin drugs to reduce blood lipid levels and cholesterol throughout the body. As with many drugs, niacin comes with side effects that may affect your daily life. One of these side effects is...
Television commercials for statin drugs bombard the American public. High cholesterol levels have been linked to increased risk of stroke and heart disease. Before the development of statin drugs, cholesterol medications would bind to cholesterol...
One of the primary jobs of the liver is to break down and process carbohydrates in blood glucose. According to MayoClinic.com, elevated liver enzymes may be indicative of inflammation and damage to liver cells, which can be linked to a variety of...
What you eat can be just as important as the amount of physical activity you get. When you exercise, you can deplete your body of precious nutrients stored as energy. Equally important is the adaptations your body makes in response to regular...
The American Heart Association estimates approximately 785,000 Americans will have a heart attack in 2010. With the signs and symptoms of a heart attack varying widely, it is imperative for physicians to have a multitude of ways to diagnose...
