Soy provides many valuable components, including protein, isoflavones, saponins, and phytosterols. The isoflavones in soy (primarily genistein and daidzein) have been well-researched for their antioxidant and estrogenic properties. More recent research has focused on the role of soy in supporting healthy bone structure, cardiovascular health, and menopausal support.
The isoflavones genistein and daidzein are protective phytoestrogens. Soy protein with intact genistein and daidzein has been shown to significantly decrease LDL cholesterol 30-40% and significantly increase HDL cholesterol to LDL cholesterol ratios by up to 15%. Possible mechanisms for soy’s cholesterol-lowering effect include an increase in bile acid excretion, a preferable ratio of the amino acids arginine and lysine, and changes in the liver’s metabolism of cholesterol.
Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a small palm plant native to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the United States.
The fruit of the saw palmetto plant has a long history of use in folk medicine as a treatment for testicular atrophy, sexual vigor, increasing sperm count, and conditions of the prostate. During the first half of the 20th century, saw palmetto was primarily used as a mild diuretic and as therapy for chronic cystitis. Today it is widely used as a component of treatment for enlargement of the prostate and urinary dysfunction.
Saw palmetto extract contains fatty acids, fatty alcohols, phytosterols, and other compounds. The active ingredients have not been clearly identified; however, they likely include multiple oil-soluble factors.
Clinical studies confirm that the fat-soluble extract of saw palmetto improves certain signs and symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).
When it comes to nutrition, it’s easy to get lost in the scientific jargon—especially when you’re researching specific nutritional elements. Like learning about a particular micronutrient, taking an in-depth look at metabolism, or in this case diving deep into quercetin.
Whether you’ve heard of quercetin before or your research has led you down this molecular rabbit hole, don’t worry. We’ll break it down in a straightforward, easily digestible way. You’ll discover what quercetin is, the role it plays in your body, and how to get plenty in your diet.
What is Quercetin?
Quercetin is a flavonol, a sub-category of flavonoids, and a polyphenolic molecule found in plants. In other words, it’s a molecule found in many fruits and vegetables you regularly eat.
Many flavonoids are antioxidants, and quercetin is no different. In your body, antioxidants help to break down free radicals—a harmful molecule that can negatively impact your health. Though the exact benefits of quercetin are still being researched, scientists have linked it to a number of incredible health outcomes.
Health Benefits of Quercetin
As mentioned, quercetin is an antioxidant that helps break down substances that may be harmful to your body. That’s sounds nice, but what are it’s real benefits for the body?
Quercetin’s antioxidant power supports cardiovascular health and aids a normal inflammatory response throughout your body. It’s also thought to support your body’s response to allergy symptoms.
Additionally, quercetin is thought to offer your cells some protection from the dangers of cigarette smoke and air pollution.
Quercetin also plays a role in cell signaling, an efficient form of communication between and within your cells. It helps create signaling pathways that respond and adapt to your internal and external environment. These pathways are essential to assist many cellular functions to help maintain and promote your health. When cell-signaling pathways are working well, your body runs smoothly.
Other effects of quercetin are somewhat difficult to pin down. This is mainly because it’s quickly metabolized. Meaning, when quercetin enters your body, it’s broken up quite fast. So the cellular benefits seen in test-tube studies (in vitro) are not as easily observed in human studies (in vivo). This doesn’t necessarily mean the effects do not carry over, simply that more research is needed to confirm the in vitro benefits observed.
From Fresh Fruit to Supplements: Fitting Quercetin into Your Diet
Quercetin is the most common flavonoid found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Most people consume an estimated 100 mg of quercetin daily by eating a well-balanced diet. But by focusing on quercetin-rich foods, you can easily bring this up.
You’ve got lots of options to increase your daily quercetin intake. Red onions, broccoli, peppers, and capers are all quercetin-filled foods easily found at any grocery store and delicious ingredients in many recipes. If you’re looking to get your quercetin from fruit, apples, grapes and berries are all tasty choices. And you don’t have to limit it to foods—wine and tea both contain quercetin as well.
Your body doesn’t synthesize quercetin, so all your intake needs to come from your diet or a supplement. Quercetin supplements, available as capsules or powder, usually contain about 500 mg per dose—five times the average daily intake. While quercetin supplements are generally thought to be safe, it’s best to consult with your doctor to discuss any medication interactions before adding a supplement to your diet.
The more you know, the better your body feels. And quercetin is a great and easy way to enhance your diet for better health.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AdobeStock_82302645.jpeg553835staffstaff2015-12-09 17:42:362023-09-12 10:58:52How Quercetin Benefits Your Health
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an essential building block of all cell membranes, with above-average concentrations in the nerve cells of the human brain. PS increases the fluidity of cell membranes and improves both the entry of nutrients and the elimination of wastes. It also enhances membrane integrity (essential for maintenance of the cell’s internal environment, signal transduction, and secretory vesicle release) and stimulates membrane repair.
Preliminary scientific research suggests that phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly.
Most phospholipids are present across virtually all vegetable and animal foods. Phosphatidylserine, however, is present in foods in only small amounts.
Fatty acids are long-chain carbon compounds with a non-polar carbon tail and a polar head. Omega-3 fatty acids, are unsaturated fatty acids with a double bond at the third carbon atom from the end of the carbon chain. Of the several different types of omega-3 fatty acids, there are three that play an important role in human health. They are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentoaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Essential Fatty Acids
The human body can produce most important fatty acids from components found in the average diet. However, there are two fatty acids humans cannot produce, meaning they must be obtained from dietary sources. These two acids – called “essential fatty acids” – are Linoleic Acid (LA) an omega-6 fatty acid, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, not to be confused with alpha-lipoic acid) an omega-3 fatty acid.
Alpha-linolenic acid is the starting material for the biosynthesis of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two important polyunsaturated fatty acids. Alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, and DHA are the main members of the omega-3 family of fatty acids.
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fish oil is a rich source of EPA and DHA, two omega-3 fatty acids that have been studied extensively, and offer a number of health benefits to humans. Omega-3 fatty acids support cardiovascular health, proper brain and neural development, support the maintenance of good joint health, and can be found in the structure of cell membranes. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been studied extensively for prevention and treatment of various health conditions, including heart disease, arthritis and inflammatory conditions, macular degeneration, and depression.
EPA is the precursor for the series-3 prostaglandins, which support healthy blood pressure, healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels (provided they are already normal), healthy kidney function, inflammatory response, and healthy immune function. Other studies have shown omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of fish oil supplements) to be effective in supporting healthy joints.
DHA and the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid are the dominant fats in the nerve cells of fetal and infant brains. Some health authorities have recommended fortifying infant formulas with DHA to better support proper nervous system development. DHA is also an important structural component of the retina.
Lycopene belongs to a class of antioxidant compounds called carotenoids, and it is actually one of the major carotenoids consumed in western diets.
Highest concentrations of lycopene are found in tomatoes and tomato products. Lycopene is responsible for the deep red color of tomatoes, strawberries, and watermelon; however, the bioavailability of lycopene from different food items varies considerably.
The antioxidative properties of lycopene are well-documented. Many of the protective benefits of lycopene are due to its ability to protect against oxidative damage. Recent studies focusing on these protective characteristics have found a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer with an increased lycopene intake. Studies suggest that higher blood lycopene levels may be associated with reduced incidence of prostate, digestive tract, breast, lung, and cervical cancer.
Lutein belongs to a class of antioxidant compounds called carotenoids. Lutein is the primary carotenoid found in the central area of the human retina (known as the macula). Consequently, lutein appears to be associated with protection from age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older adults.
At present, lutein is believed to function in two ways.
as a filter of high-energy blue and ultraviolet light
as an antioxidant that quenches light-induced free radicals and reactive oxygen species
While the role lutein plays in the physiology of the eye are not completely understood, the links between lutein and eye health are so strong that several national and regional health organizations have recommended increasing dietary lutein intake.
Lutein is found in many food sources. Dark green leafy vegetables are the primary source, but it is also present in lesser amounts in other colorful fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, orange peppers, corn, peas, persimmons, and tangerines.
Unfortunately, most dietary surveys indicate that few people consume optimal amounts of lutein-rich foods.
Licorice root (Glycyrriza glabra) has a long history of use in Chinese medicine where it is known as the “great harmonizer.” It is frequently added to mixed botanical preparations to balance herbs and promote digestion and vitality.
Licorice root extract may be helpful for treating symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Studies have shown the extract to have mild estrogenic activity, which may help regulate the estrogen-progesterone ratio.
Daily intakes of high doses (over 50 grams) can potentially upset potassium balance and increase the risk of hypertension in some individuals.
Inositol is a cyclic 6-carbon compound (with six hydroxy groups) closely related to glucose. Myo-inositol, the nutritionally active form, is a constituent of phosphatidyl-inositol, an important component of phospholipids (which make up cell membranes). It is available in a wide variety of foods and is also synthesized within cells.
Large quantities of inositol are found in the spinal cord, spinal fluid, and brain tissue. Within cell membranes, it works as a secondary messenger precursor.
Inositol promotes the production of lecithin, which aids in the metabolism of fats and helps reduce blood cholesterol. With the help of choline, it protects the heart by helping to prevent the hardening of arteries. Research has also shown that inositol may help to reduce folate-resistant neural tube defects. Therefore, combining inositol with folate should further help to prevent the majority of neural tube defects.
Inositol is water soluble, non-toxic, and found in beans, brown rice, corn, sesame seeds, wheat bran, and other high fiber foods.
You don’t eat grapes for the seeds. Think about how often you enjoy chomping down on the large seeds in grapes (the small, soft seeds in “seedless” grapes don’t count)? If you do that, how well do you think whole seeds are absorbed by your body anyway? But some of the beneficial phytonutrients from grapes, are primarily concentrated in their seeds. Grape-seed extract was created to solve this problem.
It contains a concentrated dose of valuable phytonutrients, in a form that is much easier for your body to digest. It’s true that grape-seed extract only contains a small portion of the overall nutrients found in whole grapes. Healthy compounds like vitamins C and K, copper, and various phytonutrients come from adding grapes into your diet. So, don’t ditch the grapes, instead, consider the reasons to add grape-seed extract, too. *
The History and Benefits of Grape Phytonutrients
How did humans first learn about the benefits of the phytonutrients in grape seeds if they aren’t typically eaten? Wine is the way. Humans have been drinking wine for as long as they have been cultivating grapes (several thousand years). Little did these first wine drinkers know, but wine contains the phytonutrients also found in the whole grapes. These compounds are incorporated into wine during the fermentation process, when the crushed grapes, seeds, stems, skin, and juice (called the must) is held in vats for several weeks.
The phytonutrients in wine, particularly red wine, and grape-seed extract have since been found to support cardiovascular health. Studies on the grape bioflavonoids have shown them to be free radical scavengers that may be even more potent than the antioxidant vitamins C and E. So these compounds effectively help maintain healthy low-density lipoproteins (LDL) levels already in the normal range. *
Grape-seed extract also been shown to help support a normal, healthy inflammatory response, and a growing body of research suggests an additional role in optimizing capillary strength.*
The Compounds in Grape-Seed Extract
Grapes contain a large variety of phytonutrients. Resveratrol is one that you might be familiar with. It’s found primarily in the skin of grapes. Grape-seed extract contain a complex mixture of two compounds named catechin and epicatechin.
Catechin and epicatechin belong to the chemical family of flavonoids. They are targeted because they are the most tightly linked to the overall benefits of grape-seed extract. Such as cardiovascular health, supporting healthy inflammation, and neutralizing free radicals.*
Different grape-seed extracts will have varying amounts of catechin and epicatechin. This is further complicated by the fact that different types of grapes and growing seasons result in inconsistent amounts of these beneficial compounds. This variation can be minimized through a process called “standardization.”
Standardization requires an extract to be measured (e.g. GPC/HPLC, Bates-Smith assay) and then concentrated to set amount of target compounds. A high-quality grape-seed extract will have set minimum levels of the polyphenols catechin and epicatechin. This ensures that the product is consistent and offers the same health benefits from batch to batch.
Incorporating Grape-Seed Extract into a Healthy Diet
There is no substitute for a healthy diet. Grape-seed extract isn’t going to replace whole grapes, or the fruits and vegetables you should already be eating daily. Whole fruits and vegetables contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients that aren’t found in grape-seed extract. But grape-seed extract does contain concentrated doses of other phytonutrients that are harder to attain from the diet.*
Grape-seed extract should be looked at for what it is—a supplement to a healthy diet and not a replacement for a healthy diet. To learn more about the benefits of grape-seed extract and its role in a supplement, you can read about USANA® Proflavanol® C here.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/AdobeStock_176085095.jpeg557835staffstaff2015-12-09 17:03:572022-07-05 11:07:42How Grape-Seed Extract Supports Your Health
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