The short of it:
Glutathione is actually a tripeptide made up three amino acids. The primary biological function of glutathione is to act as a non-enzymatic reducing agent to help keep cysteine thiol side chains in a reduced state on the surface of proteins. Glutathione is also used to prevent oxidative stress in most cells and helps to trap free radicals that can damage DNA and RNA. There is a direct correlation with the speed of aging and the reduction of glutathione concentrations in intracellular fluids. As individuals grow older, glutathione levels drop, and the ability to detoxify free radicals decreases.
So if you could increase your glutathione levels... wouldn't you think you could reverse aging? ... to be continued.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
DM
Diabetes Mellitus is a diverse group of disorders that share the primary sympton of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) resulting from defective insulin production, insulin action, or both.
Insulin is the primary hormone that regulates blood sugar. If the cells, known as beta cells (in the islets of Langerhans) of your pancrease, loose their ability to produce insulin then increased blood sugar will result. This occurs in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus as a result from cellular mediated auto-immune destruction of Beta cells.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus results from insulin resistence by the receptor cells of the target tissue. The pancreas eventually looses its ability to produce insulin.
Increased blood sugar can result in numerous health issues. High blood glucose (sugar) can cause to nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy - these are all known as microvascular complications. Cardiovascular disease, a macrovascular complication, is another long term complication from increased blood glucose.
Short term issues include polyuria, polydipsia, glycosuria.
Since the body is not able to use glucose as fuel it triggers hunger. This results in further increases in blood glucose due to increased food intake. Since the body is hungry it mobilizes fat stores and body protein as sources of fuel. The starving state also triggers glycogenolysis - which is a stored form of carbohydrates (sugar). All of these contribute to increased blood glucose levels. The ph of the blood drops due to the rise of ketones in circulation. Ketones come from protein breakdown to form glucose. With the increased blood glucose the body signals to rid itself of the glucose by excessive urination (polyuria) - glycosuria results (glucose in the urine), excessive thirst (polydipsia) results from dehydration - these are signs of blood glucose gone awry. As mentioned increased blood glucose levels damage tissue over time. That is why individuals suffering from DM regularly see complications with damaged nerves, vision problems, and kidney disease.
Keeping blood glucose in check, reducing body weight, exercise, and consuming fruits and vegetables are a few ways to reduce the risks pathologies of DM and reduce the risk of associated diseases.
Insulin is the primary hormone that regulates blood sugar. If the cells, known as beta cells (in the islets of Langerhans) of your pancrease, loose their ability to produce insulin then increased blood sugar will result. This occurs in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus as a result from cellular mediated auto-immune destruction of Beta cells.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus results from insulin resistence by the receptor cells of the target tissue. The pancreas eventually looses its ability to produce insulin.
Increased blood sugar can result in numerous health issues. High blood glucose (sugar) can cause to nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy - these are all known as microvascular complications. Cardiovascular disease, a macrovascular complication, is another long term complication from increased blood glucose.
Short term issues include polyuria, polydipsia, glycosuria.
Since the body is not able to use glucose as fuel it triggers hunger. This results in further increases in blood glucose due to increased food intake. Since the body is hungry it mobilizes fat stores and body protein as sources of fuel. The starving state also triggers glycogenolysis - which is a stored form of carbohydrates (sugar). All of these contribute to increased blood glucose levels. The ph of the blood drops due to the rise of ketones in circulation. Ketones come from protein breakdown to form glucose. With the increased blood glucose the body signals to rid itself of the glucose by excessive urination (polyuria) - glycosuria results (glucose in the urine), excessive thirst (polydipsia) results from dehydration - these are signs of blood glucose gone awry. As mentioned increased blood glucose levels damage tissue over time. That is why individuals suffering from DM regularly see complications with damaged nerves, vision problems, and kidney disease.
Keeping blood glucose in check, reducing body weight, exercise, and consuming fruits and vegetables are a few ways to reduce the risks pathologies of DM and reduce the risk of associated diseases.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Energy Balance and Body Weight
Your 24-hour energy expenditure is the total amount of energy expended in a 24 hour period and is made up of 3 main components: resting energy expenditure, thermic effect of food, and physical activity energy expenditure.
REE - the energy expended at rest to keep vital organ systems functioning - and is about 65% of our total energy expenditure in a day.
Thermic effect of food - the energy expended by the body to digest, absorb, and metabolize food; it accounts for about 10% of your energy expenditure.
Physical activity - only accounts for about 25% of your daily energy expenditure.
This info is for most North Americans.
Of course if you increase your physical activity it would take up more of your total energy expenditure for the day. Also increase in lean body mass increases REE since lean body mass burns more calories than adipose tissue.
REE - the energy expended at rest to keep vital organ systems functioning - and is about 65% of our total energy expenditure in a day.
Thermic effect of food - the energy expended by the body to digest, absorb, and metabolize food; it accounts for about 10% of your energy expenditure.
Physical activity - only accounts for about 25% of your daily energy expenditure.
This info is for most North Americans.
Of course if you increase your physical activity it would take up more of your total energy expenditure for the day. Also increase in lean body mass increases REE since lean body mass burns more calories than adipose tissue.
Cellular and Physiologic Response to Injury
Pathophysiology is the disruption of normal physiologic processes. Disruption of the cellular function can be influenced by nutritional imbalances among a host of other causative agents, free radicles, physical agents, immunologic reactions, and genetic defects. Damage to the structure of the cell can be caused by physical and microbiological agents, immunologic reactions, genetic defects and nutritional imbalances.
How a cell responds to these interferences have an effect on health.
How a cell responds to these interferences have an effect on health.
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