One of the biggest challenges in weight loss efforts is that of losing fat mass instead of lean body mass. Inappropriate dieting can compromise skeletal muscle and have little impact on actual body fat. Essential to any maintenance or...
Multiple factors – many of them extremely variable in character – affect how quickly your body metabolizes protein. Because protein foods themselves differ significantly in composition, it is impossible to predict accurately how long...
Many Americans are using protein shakes to aid in weight loss, bodybuilding, or even as convenient meal replacements. A common concern is when protein shakes and meals should be consumed for maximum benefit when working out. Before scheduling your...
Overweight individuals are not the only ones with concerns regarding caloric intake. Many people, mainly young males, struggle with the ability to gain weight. The unfortunate reality is that they resort to unhealthy methods to do so. A...
Glucose is your body's primary source of energy. It plays a major role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Metabolism is the chemical process that converts your food into energy on the cellular level. The conversion from food...
A healthy plan for weight gain is based on increasing your body's fat-free mass (FFM) and decreasing its fat mass (FM). Increasing FFM includes muscle development through resistance training and proper nutrition, and bone density through...
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...
Acute, severe trauma and chronic tension induce body hormonal imbalances. Low serum-cortisol levels and elevated blood catecholamine concentrations typify anxiety disorders caused by physical and emotional stress. About 7 million Americans suffer...
The significance of acid-base balance in patients with advanced kidney disease was first appreciated in 1931 when D.M. Lyon et al. published a seminal paper in the "Lancet" titled "The Alkaline Treatment of Chronic Nephritis." Since that time,...
Cirrhosis of the liver is a chronic condition in which healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue, blocking the flow of blood and resulting in the loss of liver function. Even when irreversible liver complications are present, it is possible...
Ornithine oxoglutarate is a compound used to treat several different conditions. Athletes who use resistance training or who lift weights also use ornithine to increase muscle mass. This compound is only found in supplement form. The amino acids...
Zinc is an essential dietary nutrient. It is best to consume zinc from food as deficiencies are rare and supplements can often lead to an overdose. Zinc deficiencies and toxicities have few exclusive symptoms, but can sometimes lead to serious...
Acute pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. The main causes are gallstones or chronic alcohol use and it is more common in men than in women. Symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and abdominal distention. Severe...
When you hear the word "anabolic," you may immediately think of steroids -- the two terms are so intertwined in popular culture that they can be difficult to separate. The association is useful, however, in understanding the true nature of...
The only difference between micronized glutamine powder and regular glutamine is that the process used to make the powder produces smaller sized glutamine particles. This allows your body to more easily break down and absorb the glutamine, an...
Fasting has been shown to be effective in the prevention and/or treatment of many chronic health conditions, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Bananas are a starchy...
When you think of the process of losing weight, chances are good that you imagine progressively lower numbers on a scale and a more svelte figure, not the biochemistry involved in reducing body mass. But when you lose weight, it's ultimately...
Protein is a macronutrient that is needed in your diet. Protein comes from both plant and animal food sources, although meat and other animal-based foods typically have more protein. Each gram of protein adds 4 calories to your diet and, according...
Your body uses protein primarily for anabolic processes; use as an energy source is very limited. The human body does not store excess protein and must convert and store it as either glycogen or triacyglycerol. Protein bars are commonly utilized...
Protein is a natural organic compound that is present in every cell in the human body. Protein is responsible for repairing the cells of the body and is also responsible for growth. To gain muscle mass, you must consume sufficient levels of...
Foods and beverages contain various combinations of carbohydrates, fat and protein, which are comprised of long-chain molecules capable of providing you with energy. But first, specific compounds -- such as B-vitamins -- are needed to break down...
The foods you eat contain different combinations of carbohydrates, fats and protein, which are composed of complex molecules capable of providing your body with energy. But first, certain essential nutrients, such as B-vitamins, are required to...
Cirrhosis is a liver disease that is chronic and characterized by the progressive loss of liver function. It is among the leading causes of death in the United States. The primary causes of cirrhosis are hepatitis C, a viral infection that...
Your serum blood urea nitrogen, or BUN, level reflects a balance between your body's protein catabolism and kidney function. A wide variety of conditions and diseases influence this balance, as does your state of hydration and many medications....
Along with improved cardiovascular health, a more muscular or toned appearance and stress relief, losing weight is a major factor that motivates people to undertake physical exercise. Exercise---when part of a regimen that involves consuming fewer...
Muscle synthesis is a complex science involving multiple signals and hormones that trigger the growth of muscle fibers. The skeletal muscles are made out of thousands of cylindrical protein-filled muscle fibers bound together by fibrous connective...
Vitamin A -- a family of compounds known as retinoids -- plays a role in the health of several tissues. Several forms of vitamin A can interact with your cells' DNA, activating genes involved in tissue growth and development. Vitamin A might play...
Posterior waist fat is excess weight that develops directly above the waistline and posterior to the hips, also commonly referred to as “love handles.” The areas of the body where individuals gain weight differs among people for...
Many people who engage in regular exercise use protein or amino acid supplements as a means to repair and build muscle tissue. A 2000 article published in the "Annual Review of Nutrition" explains that during exercise, proteins, and more...
