Vinpocetine is a derivative of the alkaloid vincarnine (extracted from vinca minor) and is used in many countries in the treatment and prevention of stroke and vascular dementia Although no single mechanism of action has been agreed on for vinpocetine, many activities are known to stem from its use, such as dilating blood vessels, enhancing circulation to the brain, improving oxygen utilization and reducing blood clotting, and inhibiting platelet aggregation

From the oldest of all medicinal systems, Ayurveda (produced eye-yuhr-VAY-dah), comes one of the newest fat-burners available, guggul, referred to as "gulgulipid" in the scientific literature It potentially offers an easy, no-willpower way to shed excess weight and even restore youthful curves by helping your body incinerate excess fat and calories throughout the day

Inflammation is the body's natural defensive response to infection and certain chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis Inflammation, however, produces pain, swelling, and often redness which is why anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen are often recommended to reduce the discomfort

Unless you've been stranded on a desert island, you've no doubt heard of St John's wort, a common herb grown throughout Europe and North America

Cordyceps is a Tibetan mushroom used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for lung protection and reproductive invigoration as well as to balance chi the fundamental "energy of life" In Western terminology, cordyceps is also used as a traditional remedy for ailments of the immune, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and hepatic systems

Carnosine is a dipeptide compound composed of alanine and histidine Carnosine is found in high concentrations in skeletal and heart muscles, and although no definite metabolic role has been ascribed to carnosine, it has been implicated in a variety of physiological processes

The branched-chain amino acids are a group of three essential amino acids: leucine, valine, and isoleucine The recommended dietary intake for BCAAs is about 3 g/day, an amount that should be easily obtained from protein foods

Androstenedione is the steroid hormone that is a direct precursor to both estrone and testosterone Androstenedione levels peak in a person's mid-20s and decline steadily after age 30

A high dietary vitamin C intake significantly reduces the risk of death from heart attacks and strokes (and other causes, including cancer) in numerous population studies One of the most detailed studies analyzed the vitamin C intake of 11,348 adults over 5 years

Although vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is the most popular vitamin supplement in the United States, in many respects it is the most controversial Over the years many respected scientists have shared polarized views on the importance of vitamin C supplementation to human health

You can find Vitamin C in a number of different forms crystals, powders, capsules, tablets, timed-released tablets, etcetera The actual vitamin C in these different forms varies

The number of asthma sufferers is rapidly rising in the United States, especially in children From 1980 to 1987, the rate of physician-diagnosed asthma in people younger than 20 years of age increased 43 percent from 35 to 50 cases per 1,000

LINOLEIC ACID (CLA) Linoleic acid is found in the diet in vegetable oils, whereas the conjugated variety, CIA, is found primarily in meat and dairy products The form of CLA found most commonly in dietary supplements is manufactured from vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil