Cholesterol is a friend and foe that your body cannot do without. This fatty substance is a key component of cell membranes as well as a precursor of steroid hormones, vitamin D and bile acids. Well known for its link with heart disease risk,...
In February of each year, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review surveillance data on circulating influenza viruses and select three strains to...
Celebrex is a prescription-strength non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is FDA-approved to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and acute pain. Celebrex capsules contain the active ingredient celcoxib, which helps to relieve...
In February of each year, experts at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review surveillance data on circulating influenza viruses and select three strains to include in influenza vaccines for the flu season, which begins in November. Next,...
Cholesterol is an essential nutrient for the body because it is a crucial component of cell membranes and a precursor for steroid hormones, vitamin D assimilation and bile acids. Bile acids are excreted from the gallbladder in order to digest...
Cholesterol, necessary for the body's normal function, can become a formidable foe when present in excess. Public health warnings about high blood cholesterol's link to heart disease risk are ongoing reminders of that fact. As end products of...
Cholesterol is a versatile lipid. Indeed, in addition to its essential role as a cell membrane constituent, it acts as a building block for steroid hormones and vitamin D, and drives bile acid production. Bile metabolism plays an important role in...
Beef bile supplements, also known as ox bile supplements or ox bile extracts, consist of several bile acids – cholic acid, desoxycholic acid, glycocholic acid and taurocholic acid – or the bile salts of these acids. They serve as...
Curry, a spice blend that may contain a wide array of individual spices, lends signature flavor to dishes from India and other parts of Asia. The word "curry" is believed to derive from the Tamil word for "gravy." Curry is traditionally meant to...
Jojoba oil comes from the jojoba plant of American Southwest. It is classified as a vegetable oil but differs from other oils because of its waxy consistency. It is nontoxic, noncomogenic (does not clog pores) and has a long shelf life. These...
Statins are a class of chemically related inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis known in the U.S. by the brand names Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor, Lipitor, Lescol, Crestor and Livalo. Their generic names, which are also the statin ingredient names, are...
Beneath your scalp are tiny glands called sebacious glands. These glands produce a natural oil called sebum, which provides lubrication and protection to the hair and scalp. Although sebum is meant to protect the hair, it also attracts layers of...
Nexium, a brand name for the proton-pump inhibitor esomeprazole, reduces the secretion of gastric acid in the stomach. Nexium is used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, or other conditions involving excess gastric acid. Gastric...
Loratadine is the active drug in Claritin, a nonprescription antihistamine medication used for the treatment of common seasonal allergies. The FDA first approved Claritin for prescription use in 1993 and subsequently approved it for...
Gelatin capsules, also known as soft gels, have an outer coating or shell containing the active ingredient and any filler. The interior ingredients must be in the form of a liquid, paste or suspension, which has small particles of the active...
Dermal therapy is a type of clinical, nonsurgical skin treatment that can be studied as a degree program at a single Australian university. Dermal Therapy, on the other hand, is a company based in the Canadian province of Ontario that specializes...
Phytosterols are natural compounds that resemble cholesterol in their chemical properties. Phytostanols are a sub-type of phytosterol with chemical characteristics slightly different from other phytosterols. Both compounds are contained in...
You may have noticed that a high-fat meal lingers longer in your stomach than a low-fat meal. The length of time until fat is absorbed from food depends on the nutrient makeup of the meal and may vary significantly from one person to another. The...
More than 20 million Americans take prescription drugs to lower their cholesterol. The most common cholesterol-lowering drugs are statins. Though statins are clinically effective in lowering cholesterol, they are expensive and may produce...
In the early 20th century, scientists began discovering the roles of the isolated amino acid, L-arginine. This semi-essential nutrient is produced at sufficient rates in most of the population, though those with certain conditions, such as protein...
Grapefruit juice is extracted from the grapefruit, a large orange-like citrus fruit, which can range from 4 to 6 inches in diameter. It grows in clusters and has a bitter taste. The color of the flesh of this fruit may be white, pink or ruby. The...
Cholesterol plays essential roles in your body, as a structural component of cell membranes, as well as a precursor of steroid hormones, vitamin D and bile acids. Nearly all tissues in humans can produce cholesterol and, according to the Merck...
Carob is not chocolate. You can, however, substitute carob in recipes calling for chocolate, although the texture and flavor is not the same. Carob contains about the same amount of fat and calories as chocolate, but there are some healthy...
Advil is the brand name of a line of over-the-counter medications. Specific medications sold under the Advil label include Advil PM, Advil Liqui-Gels, Advil Cold and Sinus, and Advil Allergy. Although the ingredients in Advil products are...
MaMa lotion is named after its two main alpha hydroxy acid or AHA ingredients; mandelic acid and malic acid. It is marketed as an anti-aging, moisturizing cream that lightens and evens out skin color, reducing the appearance of age spots and...
