Basic Nutrients - Vitamin & Herbal Supplements

Thiamin, Vitamin B1 Benefits and Side Effects!

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamin, was first isolated as a coenzyme that plays an important role in energy metabolism. Like the other B vitamins, vitamin B1 helps to support the nervous system in addition to its role in releasing energy from nutrients in food. Vitamin B1 is also thought to help regulate appetite. Vitamin B1 deficiency is seen among people who are malnourished as well as people who abuse alcohol. In addition, people on...

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Review: Iron Benefits and Risks

Iron is an essential trace mineral that’s involved in oxygen transport, energy production, DNA maintenance/repair and the immune system. It’s absolutely vital to our health and well-being. Iron is an integral part of “heme“—a complex molecule associated with a variety of proteins. Hemoglobin is one of the most important—it’s the primary protein found in red blood cells and is used to transport oxygen from...

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An Introduction to Zinc and its Benefits

Zinc is an essential trace mineral found throughout the body, often in conjunction with protein. Zinc is transported in the blood via the protein albumin, so low albumin levels often mean poor absorption of zinc as well. Zinc is a cofactor used to activate dozens of enzymes in every organ in the body. Bones, the prostate gland in men, and the eyes have the highest concentrations of zinc, but about 60% of total zinc in the body is...

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Vitamin K: Review and Information

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin named for its role in the coagulation (in German, “koagulation”) of blood. Vitamin K participates in this critical process by altering the amino acid glutamic acid in such a way that it can attach calcium ions and proteins together so blood can clot. Vitamin K is made in the gut and is also obtained from foods, particularly leafy green vegetables. Without Vitamin K, blood could not clot, and...

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Vitamin C Benefits and Information

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is probably among the best-known nutrients due to the popularity of Vitamin C supplements to prevent and treat symptoms of colds and infections. Vitamin C was first named in the mid-1700s when the first known nutritional experiment was conducted to find a cure for scurvy, a deadly disease contracted by sailors on long voyages. Since the sailors were consuming all of the fresh fruits and...

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Vanadium Insulin Moderator: Beneficial For Diabetics?

Vanadium is a mineral needed in small amounts in the diet. Vanadium is present in soil and in foods. It is also released when petroleum and petroleum products are burned. It is unclear exactly how much vanadium is needed in the diet, and its specific role in the body is uncertain, but vanadium does appear to be useful in treating several diseases. In fact, vanadium was once prescribed as a cure for certain diseases. When it was...

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