NP Supplement Science
Opuntia ficus-indica Fiber for Weight Loss & Metabolic Syndrome
Opuntia ficus-indica, aka, “prickly pear,” is the most widespread and most commercially important species of cactus and is grown in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid parts of the world. Common names for the plant and its fruit are nopal, Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, prickly pear and spineless cactus, among others.1,2 In ...
Bioavailable Curcumin for Pain
Turmeric, and more specifically its primary active constituent known as curcumin, has been used extensively in ancient and modern times for its medicinal qualities.1,2 Not surprisingly, curcumin is one of the most popular nutraceuticals in use today. In fact, a study3 by Grand View Research, Inc. indicates that the global curcumin market will reach $94.3 ...
Chromium/Herbal Complex for Glucose & Cardiovascular Health
Cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) is the quintessential disorder of the late 20th century and the 21st century. It is comprised of metabolic dysfunctions primarily characterized by insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia (e.g. high cholesterol and triglycerides), hypertension, inflammation and central adiposity (a major contributor to increased cardiometabolic risk.)1,2 In fact, the World Health Organization and ...
Xylooligosaccharides: The Low-dose Prebiotic
Dietary prebiotics are typically fiber compounds that human beings cannot digest. However, prebiotics can be digested by the friendly probiotic bacteria that reside in our gut, nourishing them, stimulating their growth or activity and helping them to colonize the large intestine.1 In the world of dietary supplements, there are several prebiotics from which to choose—perhaps ...
French Grape & Wild Blueberry Extracts to Enhance Memory and Learning Capacity
Dietary supplements marketed as cognitive enhancers generally fall into two primary categories: those that enhance memory in aging adults with cognitive decline, and those positioned as nootropics—supplements that improve one or more aspects of cognitive function in healthy people of different age groups, including students. Often, research on nutraceuticals used in either type of supplement ...
Phosphatidylserine: A Nutraceutical for Mental Performance, Mood and Stress
Given the title of this article, it may be your impression that I am positioning phosphatidylserine (PS) as a “brain nutrient.” If so, you are correct. The fact is that this phospholipid is an integral component in the structure of the brain and spinal cord, and is active at cell membranes (including synaptic membranes which ...
Quercetin Phytosome for Inflammation, Athletic Performance and More
Athough a mainstay in the dietary supplement industry, quercetin is one of those nutraceuticals that many people seem to struggle with when asked the question, “What does it do?” This article attempts to provide elucidation, with a specific focus on quercetin phytosome. Categorically, quercetin is a flavonol—one of six subclasses of flavonoid compounds1—that naturally occurs ...
Apple Polyphenols: Clinical Support for Weight & Glucose Management, Cardiovascular Protection & More
The humble apple has an impressive history in Western art, literature and medicine. In mythology, the Norse gods owed their immortality to apples. The Arabian Nights even features a magic apple capable of curing all human diseases. Then, first appearing in print in 1866, was the proverb that “an apple a day keeps the doctor ...
Iron Protein Succinylate: Gentle Iron for Anemia, Athletic Women and Clinical Intervention
Found in hundreds of proteins and enzymes, iron is an essential mineral for human beings and other species.1,2 The major contribution of this mineral to human health is its use in the formation of heme, an iron-containing compound found in two proteins: hemoglobin and myoglobin. Both are involved in the transport and storage of oxygen. ...
Cardiovascular Health Benefits of Pomegranate Whole Fruit Extracts
A few years ago, I was asked to write the chapter, “Pomegranate Juice and Extract,” for the new textbook Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs (2016, Academic Press, Oxford)—which I did. Since that time, additional, significant research on pomegranate extract has come to my attention, leading me to write this article to serve as an update on ...
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