Health

Jun 16, 2020

7 scientifically proven ways to sleep better than ever before

If you want to know a handful of simple lifestyle changes that can dramatically improve your sleep, then this is the article for you.

Imagine if you could fall asleep easily and quickly. Imagine that you could sleep more deeply and not wake up several times a night. Imagine waking up in the morning refreshed, regenerated and full of energy.

None of this has to be a fantasy. In fact, this is the way your body is programmed to function. Unfortunately, we can completely mess up this programming by making simple and seemingly innocent mistakes. Many people make these mistakes and then turn to tranquilizers and sleeping pills to combat their sleep problems.

This opens the door to a number of quite serious side effects, which include the following:

Depression (1)
Delirium (2)
Nightmares (3)
Hallucinations (4
An increased risk of infections, cancer and an increased overall risk of death (5, 6, 7)

Not to mention problems associated with a habituation effect to these drugs, resulting in ever-increasing dosages.

The good news is that many people who suffer from sleep problems do not need medication to achieve healthy sleep. Instead, they simply need to change some of their daily habits and routines. And that's exactly what this article will show you: 7 science-based strategies for better sleep.

How much sleep do you need?

In 2014, the US Center for Disease Control declared insufficient sleep a health epidemic (8). According to a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in the US, 43% of all Americans between 13 and 64 said they rarely or never get a good and adequate night's sleep during the week (9). 60% said they suffer from sleep problems every night or almost every night. Similar studies from other Western countries show similar results.

The most common sleep problems are trouble falling asleep, snoring, waking up at night, waking up too early and not feeling refreshed after getting up in the morning.

And the impact of these sleep problems on health is greater and worse than many will think. Lack of sleep has been linked to traffic accidents, industrial disasters, medical malpractice and workplace accidents. A lack of sleep increases mortality and the risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, obesity and cancer, while reducing quality of life and productivity.

Scientific research shows that inadequate sleep can slow weight loss, lead to weight gain and muscle loss, and lower testosterone levels (11, 12, 13).

The bottom line is that your sleep hygiene is similar to your diet - it either works for you or against you, whether you realize it or not. Sleep poorly for too long and the consequences - which are inevitable - can be severe. Sleep well and the benefits can be surprising and far-reaching.

If you give your body enough sleep, you can reap the following benefits:

Your memory performance will improve (14)
You will have lower levels of systemic inflammation (15)
You will learn better and solve problems better (16, 17)
You will find it easier to follow a healthy diet (18)
Your immune system will function better (19)
Your general mood will improve (20)
Your athletic performance will improve (21)
You will probably live longer (22)

Good sleep hygiene is like a good exercise program: it will improve your life in virtually every way.

Before we talk about more habits for good sleep, let's first talk about how much sleep you should get. It's important to note that sleep needs vary from person to person. According to the American National Sleep Foundation, adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night to avoid the negative effects of sleep deprivation (23).

Since many things such as diet, physical activity, genetics and age ultimately determine how much sleep your body needs, an easy way to find out what is optimal for you is to choose a two-week phase like a vacation and go to bed at the same time every night without setting an alarm clock.

There is a good chance that you will sleep longer than usual at the beginning if you are sleep deprived and need to compensate for this at first, but by the end of the second week your body will have developed a sleep pattern that involves roughly the same amount of sleep per night. When this happens, your body is trying to tell you something: this is the amount of sleep it needs each night.

How to get better sleep

When we talk about sleep, quantity is not all that matters. We shouldn't forget about quality either. In fact, sleep quality may be more important than quantity, as a smaller amount of quality sleep beats a larger amount of poor sleep.

For example, if you fall asleep at midnight and get up at 8am, but wake up several times during the night and can't get back to sleep straight away, then you will be significantly less rested than someone who falls asleep at midnight and sleeps through to 7am or maybe even 6am.

Let's look at a selection of scientifically proven ways to improve both the quality and quantity of your sleep.

1. avoid chemicals that affect your sleep

We all know that caffeine and nicotine are stimulants, but alcohol can also disrupt sleep (24). While alcohol can help you fall asleep, it acts as a stimulant and wakes you up more often each night.

As a general rule, you should not consume any sleep-disrupting chemicals during the last four to six hours before going to sleep.

2. switch off your electrical appliances

Your body has an internal clock that tells it when to go to bed and when to wake up. The hormone that most directly affects this clock is melatonin, which is produced by a small gland in your brain.

At the end of the day, melatonin levels rise, giving your body the signal to go to sleep. At night, when it's time to go to sleep, melatonin levels are at their highest and they drop in the early morning when it's time to wake up.

Your body uses light as the primary regulator of melatonin production. When you are exposed to bright light, melatonin production is suppressed (25). In contrast, a dark environment that signals to the body that it is nighttime is conducive to melatonin production.

This simple system worked fantastically for thousands of years...until we developed screens to stare at. Devices such as TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones emit a type of light called blue light, which studies show effectively suppresses melatonin production (26).

This effect is so strong that studies show that reading on an iPad several hours before going to bed is enough to make it harder to fall asleep and reduce REM sleep and alertness the next morning (27).

There is convincing evidence that avoiding blue light (and possibly all electronic light) from sunset onwards may be optimal, but this would be a major challenge for most of us.

So what's the next best solution? Avoid the TV, computer, tablet or smartphone for at least an hour before going to bed. The longer you can manage without a screen before bed, the better, but most people find that an hour is enough to help them fall asleep noticeably better.

You can also download apps like Flux (https://justgetflux.com/) that adjust the color of the light released on computers, tablets and smartphones to the time of day. At night, the light is switched to a warm light instead of the harsh blue light and research shows that this is significantly better for a good night's sleep.

3. exercise regularly

Name something in your life that you want to improve and there's a good chance that exercise can help. Sleep hygiene is one of these many things. Scientific research shows that regular exercise can improve sleep quality in people with and without sleep problems (28, 29).

It is worth noting that although some people may quickly benefit from the positive effects of exercise on training, this is not the case for others. Scientific research shows that it can take several months of exercise before there are noticeable improvements in sleep (30).

Research also shows that people respond differently to exercise performed at different times of the day. In one study, subjects who exercised in the afternoon reported better sleep than those who exercised in the morning (31).

In another study conducted with subjects suffering from insomnia, no significant difference was observed between morning and late afternoon exercise - all subjects benefited in a similar way (32).

Finding out what works best for you is a matter of trial and error. Exercise at different times and see how this affects your sleep.

4. don't be overweight

If exercise can improve pretty much every aspect of life, then obesity is the antithesis of this. An overwhelming number of physiological and psychological guidance values are undermined by existing obesity (33), including sleep hygiene (34).

Obesity and sleep have a particularly strong relationship. Obesity impairs sleep and impaired sleep disrupts hormones related to appetite, which promotes overeating (35).

Avoid this vicious cycle. Maintaining a healthy body composition and better sleep will be two of the many rewards of this.

5. create a relaxing routine before bedtime

How many times have you lain in bed with your eyes open and thousands of thoughts running through your head? And how often has this followed stressful or stimulating conversations or activities?

Well, that's the reason why you should help your body relax before going to bed instead. Many successful bedtime routines include taking a relaxing bath, reading a book, listening to calming music and stretching or breathing exercises.

Personally, reading and soothing music help me.

6. pay attention to "dark, quiet and cool"

These are all effective environmental stimuli for your brain to get your body to fall asleep.

By "dark" I mean pitch black, as even small amounts of artificial light can disrupt sleep.
By "quiet" I mean as quiet as possible.

When you sleep, your brain continues to process sounds at a basic level and even if you don't wake up from them, they can cause sleep phase shifts as well as increased blood pressure and heart rate.

By cool, I mean a temperature between 15 and 19 degrees.

Research shows that this is the ideal temperature range to help your body lower its core temperature for sleep. There are also metabolic benefits to sleeping in a colder environment. Studies show that this can increase brown fat stores, which increase the metabolic rate at rest (36, 37).

7 Use the right supplements

If you want to improve your sleep, you should first address your lifestyle before turning to supplements. However, if you have done this and want to improve your sleep further, then it may make sense to consider using supplements.

If you look at the scientific literature on the subject, you'll quickly find that there aren't many natural, safe and non-addictive natural compounds that have been scientifically proven to improve sleep quality.

Valerian root, for example, is a popular sleep aid, but a large meta-analysis published recently concluded that valerian is generally ineffective (38). Kava is another commonly recommended sleep supplement and although scientific research shows that it can improve sleep quality, other studies have shown that it can be toxic to the liver (39, 40).

However, there are some supplements to improve sleep quality that are both effective and safe.

Glycine

Glycine is an amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter and is mainly found in foods such as meat and various seafood that contain gelatin.

Studies have shown that supplementing with glycine before going to sleep can have the following benefits:

A reduction in the time it takes to fall asleep (41).
Improved sleep quality (42).
Reduced feelings of fatigue caused by impaired sleep (43).
Improved cognitive performance with impaired sleep (44).

The clinically effective dosage is 3 grams of glycine.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain that regulates sleep. It is also found in some foods such as tomatoes, walnuts, strawberries and olive oil. However, while melatonin is a good supplement for improving sleep quality and can actually help in this regard, maintaining proper sleep cycles is more important. No amount of melatonin can compensate for what is lost due to poor sleep hygiene.

Scientific research shows that supplementing with melatonin can have the following benefits:

A reduction in the time it takes to fall asleep (45)
Improved sleep quality in people who suffer from insomnia (46).
Reduced symptoms of jet lag (47).
An improvement in memory processing (48).

The clinically effective dosage of melatonin ranges from 500 mcg to 5 mg. It is important to note that the benefits of melatonin are not dose-dependent, meaning that higher doses will not help you fall asleep faster (49). Furthermore, this means that if your body doesn't respond to the lower end of the clinically effective dosage range, a higher dosage probably won't help either (while increasing the risk of unwanted side effects such as morning fatigue).

Lemon balm extract

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a plant that has been used by the ancient Greeks to relieve anxiety and agitation, as well as to promote sleep.

Scientific studies show that supplementation with lemon balm can have the following benefits:

An improved quality of sleep (50).
Reduced feelings of anxiety and stress and a sense of calm (51, 52).
An improvement in memory performance (53).
Reduced symptoms of insomnia associated with anxiety (54).

The clinically effective dosage is between 300 and 1,200 mg lemon balm.

Rutaecarpine

Rutaecarpine is found in the Evodia rutaecarpa plant, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine to increase body temperature and reduce pain and indigestion.

The rutaecarpine molecule is able to significantly reduce caffeine levels in the body (55, 56, 57, 58). This active ingredient can address a common problem among athletes: the consumption of caffeine before training sessions in the evening can disrupt sleep.

Although pre-workout caffeine consumption can provide a number of benefits such as increased strength, increased muscle endurance and increased anaerobic exercise capacity (59, 60, 61), caffeine consumed late in the day often interferes with sleep more than most people realize.

Studies have shown that 400 mg of caffeine - slightly more than is found in a serving of most pre-workout boosters - taken 6 hours before bedtime can reduce sleep by more than an hour (62). This means that people who train later in the day should not consume caffeine before training, which can be detrimental to maximizing training performance.

Rutaecarpine may help to eliminate this disadvantage by eliminating caffeine from the body, allowing both pre-workout caffeine consumption and restful sleep.

Conclusion

Your quality of life depends heavily on how well you sleep. This includes the function of your immune system, your mood, your physical and mental performance and your appetite.

Not only does sleep deprivation result in cumulative biological costs, but its effects are not always immediately obvious. In one study, for example, three groups of subjects slept 8, 6 and 4 hours per night for two weeks (63). The 4 and 6 hour groups experienced a steady decline in cognitive and motor skills throughout the duration of the study, but the subjects felt that they were only affected for a few days and then adjusted to the reduced amount of sleep. In other words, we are not good at judging how much sleep deprivation affects us.

While you may be able to get away with less than optimal sleep, the question is why you shouldn't strive for something better. Use the strategies outlined in this article and you'll be surprised at how much you'll benefit.

References:

Source: https://www.muscleforlife.com/how-to-sleep-better/

By Michael Matthews

Jun 02, 2020

How cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels and fight diabetes

Diabetes is a disease characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels. If poorly controlled, it can lead to complications such as heart disease, kidney disease and nerve damage (1).

Treatment for diabetes often involves medication and insulin injections, but many people are also interested in foods that can help lower blood sugar levels. One example of such a food is cinnamon, a common spice that is often added to sweet and savory dishes.

Cinnamon provides many health benefits including its ability to lower blood sugar levels and help control diabetes.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about cinnamon and its effects on blood sugar control and diabetes.

What is cinnamon?

Cinnamon is an aromatic spice extracted from the bark of different species of the Cinnamomum tree. Although most people associate cinnamon with desserts, this spice has been used in traditional medicine and food preservation for thousands of years.

To obtain cinnamon, the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree must be removed. The bark then undergoes a drying process, which results in the bark forming into rolls, which can then be further processed into cinnamon powder.

Different varieties of cinnamon are sold in supermarkets, typically one of the following two types:

Ceylon cinnamon, also known as 'true cinnamon', is the most expensive variety.
Cassia cinnamon is cheaper and is found in most products that contain cinnamon.

Although both types are sold as cinnamon, there are important differences between these two types of cinnamon, which we will discuss in more detail later.

Cinnamon contains antioxidants that provide many health benefits

A quick look at cinnamon's nutrients might not lead you to believe that cinnamon could be a superfood (2). However, even though cinnamon doesn't contain many vitamins or minerals, it provides large amounts of antioxidants that give cinnamon its health benefits.

A group of scientists compared the antioxidant content of 26 different herbs and spices and concluded that cinnamon had the second highest antioxidant content of all the herbs and spices studied, after cloves (3).

Antioxidants are important because they help the body to reduce oxidative stress - a type of cell damage caused by free radicals.

One study showed that daily consumption of 500 mg of cinnamon extract over a 12-week period reduced a marker of oxidative stress by 14% in prediabetic adults (4). This is significant as oxidative stress is associated with the development of almost every chronic disease including type 2 diabetes (5).

Summary: Cinnamon is packed with antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress. This could potentially protect against diabetes.

Cinnamon can mimic the effects of insulin and improve insulin sensitivity

In diabetics, either the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not respond properly to insulin, both of which lead to high blood sugar levels.

Cinnamon may help lower blood sugar levels and fight diabetes by mimicking the effects of insulin and increasing glucose transport into cells (6). In addition, cinnamon may help lower blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity, which makes insulin more efficient at transporting glucose into cells.

A study conducted with seven men as subjects showed that cinnamon increased insulin sensitivity immediately after ingestion, with this effect lasting for at least 12 hours (7). In another study, eight men showed improved insulin sensitivity after a two-week supplementation with cinnamon (8).

Summary: Cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels by acting like insulin and by improving the ability of insulin to transport more blood sugar into cells.

Cinnamon lowers fasting blood glucose levels and may also reduce hemoglobin A1c levels

Several controlled studies have shown that cinnamon is excellent when it comes to lowering fasting blood glucose levels. One study review, which included studies with a total of 543 subjects with type 2 diabetes, concluded that cinnamon intake was associated with an average reduction in fasting blood glucose levels of over 24 mg/dl (1.33 mmol/l) (9).

While these study results are very clear, studies examining the effects of cinnamon on hemoglobin A1c levels - a marker for long-term blood glucose control - showed conflicting results. Some studies reported significant reductions in hemoglobin A1c levels, while others observed no effects (9, 10, 11, 12).

These contradictory results could be at least partially explained by the amounts of cinnamon used and the prior blood glucose control of the subjects (9, 13).

Summary: Cinnamon shows promising effects when it comes to lowering blood glucose levels. However, its effects on hemoglobin A1c levels are less clear.

Cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels after meals

Depending on the size of the meal and the amount of carbohydrates included, blood sugar levels can rise quite dramatically after a meal. These fluctuations in blood sugar levels can increase the amount of oxidative stress and inflammation, which tends to cause a lot of damage to the body's cells and increase the risk of chronic disease (14, 15).

Cinnamon can help control these blood sugar fluctuations after meals. Some scientists believe that cinnamon does this by slowing the rate at which food passes through the stomach. One study found that consuming 6 grams of cinnamon with a serving of rice pudding resulted in slower gastric emptying and a slower rise in blood sugar levels after the meal (16).

Other studies suggest that cinnamon may reduce post-meal blood sugar by blocking digestive enzymes that break down carbohydrates in the small intestine (17, 18).

Summary: Cinnamon may lower blood glucose levels after a meal, presumably due to slowed gastric emptying and blocking of digestive enzymes.

Cinnamon could reduce the risk of common diabetes complications

Cinnamon may do far more than simply lower fasting blood sugar and reduce the rise in blood sugar levels after a meal - it may also reduce the risk of common diabetes complications.

People who suffer from diabetes have twice the risk of heart disease compared to healthy people. Cinnamon could help lower this risk by reducing known risk factors for heart disease (19).

A study review of controlled trials in type 2 diabetics concluded that cinnamon intake was associated with an average reduction in LDL "bad" cholesterol levels of 9.4 mg/dl (0.24 mmol/l) and a reduction in triglyceride levels of 29.6 mg/dl (0.33 mmol/l) (9). This study review also reported an average increase in "good" HDL cholesterol levels of 1.7 mg/dl (0.044 mmol/l (9).

In addition, another study found that supplementation with 2 grams of cinnamon for 12 weeks significantly lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure (11). Interestingly, diabetes has also been linked to an increased incidence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, to the point where some people are already referring to Alzheimer's as "type 3 diabetes" (20).

Studies suggest that cinnamon extract may reduce the ability of two proteins - beta-amyloid and tau - to form plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which have been linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease (21, 22).

However, these studies have so far only been carried out in test tubes and with animals. Further studies in humans are needed to confirm these results.

Summary: Cinnamon could help reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, which are linked to diabetes.

Ceylon cinnamon vs. cassia cinnamon: which is better?

Cinnamon is usually available in two different varieties - Ceylon cinnamon and cassia cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon can be made from a number of different species of the Cinnamomum tree. Cassia cinnamon is cheap and can therefore be found in most ready-made food centers and on the spice shelves of supermarkets.

Ceylon cinnamon, on the other hand, is made exclusively from the Cinnamomum verum tree. It is typically more expensive and less widely available than Cassia cinnamon, but studies have shown that Ceylon cinnamon contains more antioxidants (3). Due to its higher antioxidant content, it is possible that Ceylon cinnamon could have more health benefits.

However, although several animal and test tube studies have emphasized the benefits of Ceylon cinnamon, most studies that have demonstrated the health benefits of cinnamon in humans have been conducted with cassia cinnamon (23).

Some people should be cautious when using cinnamon

Cassia cinnamon not only contains fewer antioxidants than Ceylon cinnamon, but is also rich in a potentially harmful substance known as coumarin, which is an organic compound found in many plants.

Several studies conducted with rats have shown that coumarin can be harmful to the liver, which has raised concerns that this compound could also cause liver damage in humans (24). The European Food Safety Authority has set the daily tolerable intake of coumarin at 0.1 mg per kilogram.

Based on average coumarin levels for cassia cinnamon, this would correspond to about 2.5 grams of cassia cinnamon per day for a 75 kilogram person. As you can see, cassia cinnamon is particularly rich in coumarin and it is easy to consume more than the maximum tolerated amount of coumarin by taking cinnamon supplements or even eating large amounts of cinnamon in the diet.

Ceylon cinnamon, on the other hand, contains much lower amounts of coumarin and it would be difficult to consume more than the maximum recommended amount of coumarin with this variety of cinnamon (25).

In addition, diabetics taking blood sugar-lowering medications should be careful when adding cinnamon to their supplement program or diet. The combination of medication and cinnamon could increase the risk of an excessive drop in blood glucose levels and hypoglycemia. Excessive hypoglycemia, also known as hypoglycemia, is a potentially life-threatening condition and it is therefore recommended that diabetics discuss the use of cinnamon or cinnamon extracts with their doctor in advance.

Finally, children, pregnant women and people with an extensive medical history should speak to their doctor before using cinnamon to determine if the benefits of cinnamon outweigh the potential risks.

Summary: Cassia cinnamon is rich in coumarin, which could cause liver damage. Diabetics should consider the risk of hypoglycemia when consuming large amounts of cinnamon in addition to blood sugar lowering medications.

How much cinnamon should you take?

The blood sugar-lowering effects of cinnamon have been extensively studied. However, despite all this research, there is still no consensus on the amount of cinnamon you should consume to reap the benefits of cinnamon while avoiding potential risks.

Studies have typically used 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon either as a supplement or in the form of cinnamon powder added to food. One study reported that blood sugar levels decreased to the same extent in subjects who consumed either 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon per day (26). Considering that the subjects who used the lowest amount reaped the same benefits as those who used the highest dosage, it is quite possible that high dosages are not necessary.

In addition to this, a number of studies have shown that the coumarin content of cassia cinnamon can vary. For this reason, it may be wise not to exceed 0.5 to 1 gram of this cinnamon variety per day to avoid exceeding the tolerated amount of coumarin per day. Ceylon cinnamon requires far less caution. Consuming up to 6 grams per day should be safe in terms of coumarin content.

Conclusion

Many studies have shown that cinnamon, among other health benefits, has the ability to lower blood sugar levels and can help control diabetes complications.

If you want to use cinnamon supplements or add cinnamon to your diet to lower your blood sugar levels, then it would be wise to use Ceylon cinnamon instead of cassia cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon may be more expensive, but it also contains more antioxidants and lower amounts of coumarin, which can potentially cause liver damage.

It is probably best not to exceed 0.5 to 1 gram of cassia cinnamon per day, while an intake of up to 6 grams of Ceylon cinnamon should be safe and harmless.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cinnamon-and-diabetes

May 28, 2020

Can vitamin D reduce the risk of COVID-19?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a number of crucial roles in the body.

This nutrient is particularly important for the health of the immune system, which has led many people to wonder whether vitamin D supplementation could help reduce the risk of infection with the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

It is important to note that there is currently no cure for this disease and that the only way to protect yourself is to maintain physical distancing and proper hygiene measures.

However, some research shows that healthy vitamin D levels, as well as taking a vitamin D supplement, can help keep the immune system healthy and protect against respiratory infections in general.

This article helps explain how vitamin D affects immune health and how supplementing with this nutrient can help protect against respiratory infections, including COVID-19.

How does vitamin D affect immune health?

Vitamin D is necessary for proper functioning of the immune system, which is your body's first line of defense against infection and disease.

This vitamin plays a crucial role in promoting the immune response. It has both anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties and is essential for activating the immune system's defense mechanisms (1).

Vitamin D is known to improve the function of immune cells, including T cells and macrophages, which protect the body from pathogens (2). In fact, vitamin D is so important for immune function that low vitamin D levels are associated with increased susceptibility to infection, disease and immune-related disorders (3).

For example, low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases including tuberculosis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as viral and bacterial respiratory diseases (4, 5, 6, 7).

In addition, vitamin D deficiency is associated with reduced lung function, which can impair your body's ability to fight respiratory infections (8, 9).

Summary: Vitamin D is crucial for immune function. A deficiency of this nutrient can impair the immune response and increase the risk of infection and disease.

Can taking vitamin D protect against COVID-19?

At this time, there is no treatment for COVID-19 and there are no studies that have directly examined the effects of vitamin D treatment or vitamin D deficiency on the risk of contracting COVID-19.

However, there are numerous studies that have shown that vitamin D deficiency can impair immune function and increase the risk of developing respiratory diseases (10). In addition, some studies suggest that vitamin D supplements may improve the immune response and protect against respiratory infections in general.

A recent study review involving 11,321 subjects from 14 countries showed that vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections in both people with adequate vitamin D levels and those who were vitamin D deficient.

Overall, this study showed that vitamin D supplements could reduce the risk of respiratory tract infection by 12%. The protective effect was strongest in people with low vitamin D levels (11).

In addition, the review showed that vitamin D supplements were most effective in protecting against respiratory tract infections when taken weekly at low doses and were less effective when used at higher doses more frequently (12).

Vitamin D supplements have been shown to reduce mortality in older adults who are at higher risk of respiratory disease such as COVID-19 (13).

It should be kept in mind that there is still no scientific evidence that taking vitamin D supplements can directly protect against COVID-19 disease. However, vitamin D deficiency or low vitamin D levels can increase general susceptibility to respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, by impairing immune function.

This is particularly worrying when you consider that many people are vitamin D deficient, especially the elderly, who are at the highest risk of serious complications from COVID-19 (14).

For this reason, it is a good idea to have your personal vitamin D levels checked by a doctor to find out if you have a vitamin D deficiency.

Depending on blood levels, supplementation with 1,000 to 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day is typically sufficient for most people. However, people with low blood levels often require much higher doses to bring their levels into an optimal range (15).

Although recommendations vary as to an optimal range of vitamin D levels, most experts agree that optimal vitamin D levels are between 30-60 ng/ml (75-150 nmol/l) (16, 17).

Summary: There is no direct evidence yet that vitamin D supplements can reduce COVID-19 risk, but healthy vitamin D levels can improve immune health. In addition, vitamin D supplements may protect against respiratory infections in general.

Conclusion

Vitamin D plays many important roles in the body, including promoting the health of the immune system.

Scientific research suggests that vitamin D supplementation may protect against respiratory infections, particularly for those who are vitamin D deficient.

However, it should be kept in mind that there is currently no direct evidence that taking supplements including vitamin D can reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19.

If you are interested in taking vitamin D to improve your overall immune response, you should consult your doctor for information on the optimal dosage.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-coronavirus#bottom-line

May 21, 2020

15 supplements & vitamins for unbeatable energy

After looking at the different mechanisms of action of supplements and vitamins to increase energy in the first part of this article and taking a look at some well-known representatives of this supplement category, in this second part we will look at adaptogens and some natural stimulants, as well as possible side effects of the supplements described.

Huperzine-A

Huperzine-A is a nootropic supplement designed to increase cognition and memory and keep energy levels high.

Nootropics help to improve mental performance and increase mental clarity and performance, while reducing tiredness and fatigue and increasing alertness - all signs of increased energy.

The nootropic huperzine-A has been studied extensively for the impact it may have on Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline (38). Huperzine-A may improve memory and cognition and even alleviate behavioral problems in people suffering from Alzheimer's disease (39).

However, Huperzine-A does not only have benefits for Alzheimer's patients. At least one human study has found that this compound can significantly improve memory (40). Huperzine-A can also reduce symptoms of fatigue in otherwise healthy people. The effect of huperzine-A is related to its action as an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor (41). This means that Huperzine-A inhibits the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter associated with learning. When the breakdown of acetylcholine is reduced, people are more attentive and can learn more efficiently.

Dosage

Ideal dosages are between 50 and 250 mcg of Huperzine-A per day for up to four weeks at a time.

Lion's Mane Mushroom

Another natural nootropic is the Lion's Mane Mushroom, also known as Yamabushitake. This mushroom acts as an effective brain stimulant (43).

Although the lion's mane mushroom has many other benefits such as protection against diabetes and heart disease, it is best known for its brain-boosting effects (44). This natural energy booster can also do the following (45):

It can combat fatigue.
It can slow down the ageing of DNA (46)
It can relieve anxiety and depression.
It can prevent strokes (47).

Lion's mane mushroom promotes the growth in length of dendrites and axons in the brain (48). This is beneficial as axons and dendrites degenerate with age or nerve damage. For this reason, this mushroom could be a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease, similar to Huperzine-A.

Another way in which the lion's mane mushroom may improve energy production in the brain has to do with a protein known as neurotrophic growth factor (NGF) (49, 50). Neurons need to communicate with NGF in order to function properly and lion's mane mushroom activates the expression of NGF.

Dosage

Common dosages range from 300 to 1000 milligrams of Lion's Mane Mushroom three times a day (which equates to up to 3000 milligrams per day).

There are no exact dosage recommendations as yet, as studies with extracts of this mushroom are still in their infancy.

Adaptogenic medicinal plants

Adaptogenic medicinal plants, also known as adaptogens, are a class of plants that combat fatigue and stress. These are not supplements or vitamins to increase energy in the traditional sense. Adaptogens do not provide you with direct energy, nor do they have any of the side effects associated with stimulants, such as sleep disorders. Instead, adaptogens combat stress at a cellular level.

Adaptogens are a group of herbal preparations that (51):

Can reduce mental fatigue.
Can increase alertness.
Can increase mental and physical stamina.

One reason adaptogens can be so useful in increasing energy levels is the way they can treat adrenal fatigue, or a general overload of the adrenal glands.

Adrenal fatigue, also known as hyperadrenia, is not a diagnosable condition as such. However, it shares many characteristics with what is referred to in traditional Chinese medicine as "suboptimal health status" (52).

There are a number of adaptogens such as Ashwagandha, Rhodiola Rosea and Indian Basil (Holy Basil) that act as natural energy boosters.

Ashwagandha

Perhaps the most versatile health-promoting medicinal plant on the planet,ashwagandha is a powerful antioxidant that reduces inflammation and boosts energy levels.

Scientific reviews have shown many benefits of ashwagandha, which include its ability to fight tumors, reduce oxidative stress, improve immune system response and promote heart health (53).

Ashwagandha may also improve overall quality of life as it can alleviate stress, which promotes better sleep and concentration.

A study conducted with elite cyclists found that ashwagandha could increase endurance (55).

Dosage

You should start with doses in the range of 300 to 750 milligrams of ashwagandha per day and gradually increase the dose to 1000 to 1500 milligrams per day as needed.

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola Rose a is an adaptogen that is one of the best natural energy supplements. People who take Rhodiola can benefit from improved cognitive function, better concentration and increased alertness (56). Rhodiola can also relieve chronic fatigue (57).

Rhodiola can reduce cortisol levels in the body quite quickly (58). It can even improve mood, which, in combination with other benefits, makes it an excellent natural energy booster for anyone suffering from depression (59).

Dosage

The dosage range for Rhodiola is between 10 and 700 milligrams per day. This is a very wide range, but even 10 milligrams was able to increase energy levels in test subjects, while doses of up to 700 milligrams did not cause any undesirable side effects.

Indian basil (Holy Basil)

Indian basil, also known as Holy Basil or the Asian name Tulsi, is an ancient remedy from the fields of traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. It improves metabolic function, increases energy and reduces stress (60).

Although Indian basil has not been studied as extensively as ashwagandha and rhodiola rose, there is evidence that it can help fight bacterial infections, support the heart and boost immune function.

Some naturopaths and functional medicine practitioners recommend the use of Indian basil to treat metabolic syndrome and prevent heart disease and diabetes.

Dosage

For an energy boost, the recommended dosage of Indian basil is between 300 and 3000 milligrams per day.

One study found that 300 milligrams of Indian basil had the same effect as higher doses when it came to reducing stress and anxiety (61).

BONUS: Don't forget your daily multivitamin

You can get a lot of the nutrients you need from your daily food sources. But why not play it safe and cover your basic needs with a well-rounded multivitamin? This will save you the stress of checking your food labels for the right amounts of B vitamins and other important nutrients, as it provides all the essential vitamins in concentrated form and in the right amounts.

If you are at increased risk of nutrient deficiencies or follow a diet that restricts certain food groups, then you should discuss the use of a multivitamin product with your doctor. A multivitamin supplement is also much more cost-effective than buying individual essential vitamins for the purpose of boosting energy or improving health.

When it comes to energy levels, multivitamin supplements are great for promoting overall wellness. You should look out for the following key ingredients in such a product:

Vitamin B complex, which includes the following vitamins:

Vitamin B12
Thiamine (vitamin B1)
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Niacin (vitamin B3)
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
Vitamin B6

Vitamin D
Vitamin A (beta-carotene)
biotin
folic acid
Vitamin C

4 Natural stimulants for energy production

In the following sections we will talk about natural stimulants, which are the most widely used energy boosters. These stimulants typically provide a stronger and faster energy boost, but also have more potential side effects. The following four natural stimulants will boost your energy quickly.

Caffeine

Most of us associate coffee with caffeine - the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world. However, caffeine is also found in other foods such as teas and other plants.

At least 80% of adults consume caffeine in large enough quantities to feel effects on the brain - mainly in the form of coffee, tea and chocolate (62).

Caffeine consumption can increase or improve the following:

Athletic performance (63)
Muscle strength
The adrenaline response
Training endurance (64)
Objective and perceived cognitive performance
Attention
Alertness
Memory (65)
Reaction time

Consuming caffeine to stimulate and improve alertness can have a positive effect, but there is also a downside. Tolerance to the effects of caffeine can develop. Once such a tolerance has developed, significantly higher amounts of caffeine are needed to continue to feel an effect, in which case even higher doses often no longer have a full effect.

Stopping caffeine from one day to the next can lead to headaches and in some cases real withdrawal symptoms, which can last for up to a week (66).

Consuming too much caffeine is not wise. But there is something you can add to your coffee or tea to prevent or minimize these problematic side effects. Adding L-theanine - an amino acid that is virtually absent from the daily diet - to caffeinated beverages can increase the effects of caffeine (67). L-theanine is also associated with fewer caffeine-induced headaches and fatigue after the effects of caffeine wear off (68).

Dosage

400 milligrams of caffeine per day is considered optimal for healthy adults who want to boost their energy levels (equivalent to about four cups of coffee).

200 milligrams is considered safe for pregnant women (69). However, many expectant mothers avoid caffeine completely due to the effects caffeine can have on their pregnancy.

Green tea extract

Green tea extract contains catechins, which are powerful antioxidants (70). Antioxidants protect the body from cell damage (71).

Even if the concentration is lower than in coffee or black tea, green tea also contains caffeine. (72). If you add a green tea extract to an exercise program, you may benefit from an improvement in antioxidant activity, a reduction in muscle soreness and an improvement in endurance (73).

Unlike other stimulants, the catechins in green tea lower blood pressure and heart rate.

When it comes to improving energy levels and athletic performance, green tea extract can also help increase cognition and VO2 max (also known as maximal oxygen uptake). Furthermore, green tea extract can also reduce oxidative stress caused by exercise (75).

In addition to acting as a natural energy booster, another primary benefit of green tea is its ability to support and promote weight loss (76). Catechins found in green tea increase adiponectin levels, which is associated with less body fat and promotes weight loss (77).

Dosage

The recommended dosage is 400 to 600 milligrams of EGCG per day. EGCG is one of the bioactive catechins in green tea. As a rule, green tea extracts are standardized for their EGCG content.

You can of course also drink green tea. To benefit from the full effects, three to five cups of green tea per day are required. Studies have shown that even with 10 cups a day, only a few side effects are to be expected.

Yerba mate

Another tea that is rich in antioxidants is mate tea, which is also available in supplement form. One serving of yerba mate has about the same caffeine content as a 250 ml cup of coffee.

Interestingly, yerba mate is similar to green tea in that mate stimulates the body and mind without increasing blood pressure or heart rate (78).

Another benefit of yerba mate is that it has an antidepressant effect on the brain (79). Since symptoms of depression reduce energy, this is one of the ways in which yerba mate can increase energy levels.

Athletes who take yerba mate may benefit from an increase in their performance and training capacity (80). This natural stimulant also sharpens the mind. Using yerba mate can result in improved cognition, better learning ability and better memory performance (81).

Dosage

Yerba mate works best in dosages between 1000 and 1500 milligrams per day. Yerba mate can also be brewed as a tea. In this case, the dosage is three glasses of tea per day for up to two months.

Taurine

Taurine is a natural stimulant that combats oxidative stress, improves mitochondrial function and protects neurons in the brain (82, 83). There is also evidence that taurine can increase exercise capacity (84).

However, caution should be exercised with taurine in energy drinks, as the disadvantages of highly sugary drinks may outweigh the benefits of taurine.

Dosage

Common dosages of taurine range from 500 to 2000 milligrams per day. An intake of up to three grams of taurine per day appears to be safe.

Are there side effects of energy supplements?

Many of the supplements and vitamins on this list are known to be safe and have few side effects or drug interactions.

Minor side effects of these supplements may include the following:

CoQ10: CoQ10 may cause diarrhea or redness of the skin in rare cases (85). These symptoms are usually not severe and do not last long.
Ginkgo Biloba: Side effects of ginkgo can include headaches, drowsiness, palpitations, nausea, bloating and diarrhea. An allergy to ginkgo can result in reddening of the skin. It is possible that ginkgo interacts with medications for bleeding disorders, so the use of ginkgo should be discussed with your doctor if you are taking such medications.
Citrulline: Citrulline may cause mild, temporary digestive discomfort.
Lion's Mane Mushroom: In general, this mushroom is safe and non-toxic even with prolonged use (86). However, in case of allergy to this mushroom, dermatitis may occur (87). One case study reported respiratory problems after consumption of lion's mane mushroom (88).
Taurine: One case study reported a man who suffered from itching, stomach upset and drowsiness after consuming a taurine drink (89).
Caffeine: Caffeine can cause high blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased blood sugar levels, increased cortisol levels, insulin resistance and anxiety.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566449/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16831573
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2897177/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3311304/
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5755346/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4947244/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839013/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257642
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5130103/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5188422/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441923/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15189123
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27600147
http://www.enllc.us/styled-6/index.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178961/
https://askthedentist.com/gum-disease-stages-prevention-treatment/
https://www.umdf.org/what-is-mitochondrial-disease/
https://www.mda.org/disease
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18272335
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19644406
https://www.fws.gov/international/plants/american-ginseng.html
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/1015/p1539.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14737017
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3629193/
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/ginkgo/ataglance.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14602503
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2010105817716184
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31086922
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19593941
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16841861
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21897776
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26778661
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anthony_Almada/publication/317612254_International_Society_of_Sports_Nutrition_position_stand_Safety_and_efficacy_of_creatine_supplementation_in_exercise_sport_and_medicine/links/5947dd84458515acea121bfe/International-Society-of-Sports-Nutrition-position-stand-Safety-and-efficacy-of-creatine-supplementation-in-exercise-sport-and-medicine.pdf
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Source: https://www.humann.com/nutrition/natural-energy-boosters/

May 15, 2020

Vitamin D deficiency could be linked to higher risk of serious coronavirus infections

Vitamin D deficiency could be linked to a higher risk of serious coronavirus infections

Two studies based on data from more than 20 countries have found that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with more severe cases of Covid-19 disease.
Both studies found that countries with lower average vitamin D levels had higher rates of severe Covid-19 disease and death than countries with higher levels of the nutrient.
More research is needed to better understand these relationships, but these results may help explain why some people are more susceptible to complications from Covid-19 disease than others.

If you're looking for ways to protect yourself from the coronavirus, new research suggests that a higher intake of vitamin D could help.

Two new studies have linked vitamin D deficiency to a higher risk of coronavirus and suggest that insufficient intake of this nutrient could mean a higher risk of serious complications from coronavirus infection.

Vitamin D deficiency could lead to immune system complications and worsen coronavirus disease, study suggests

In a study published on April 30 (1), a team of scientists from Northwestern University looked at data on coronavirus cases from 10 countries including China, Iran, Germany, Italy and the US. They compared this data with the vitamin D levels of the population in these countries before the outbreak of the pandemic.

They found a strong correlation between vitamin D deficiency and a complication known as a cytokine storm, which occurs when the immune system overreacts, as well as a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and mortality rates.

"A cytokine storm can seriously damage the lungs and lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome and death," said Ali Daneshkhah, who led the study, in a press release (2). "This seems to be what is responsible for the death of the majority of COVID-19 patients - and not the destruction of the lungs by the virus itself. It is the complications of the misdirected immune system response."

Countries where residents have adequate vitamin D levels cope far better with the virus

Another study also found a link between higher vitamin D levels and fewer Covid-19 cases and deaths.

In the study, which was published in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research (3), scientists from the UK found that out of 20 European countries, those with higher average vitamin D levels had fewer coronavirus cases and lower mortality rates.

Italy and Spain, for example, had higher mortality rates than other countries in the study and both countries also had below-average vitamin D levels. Northern European countries such as Finland, Denmark and Sweden had above-average vitamin D levels and lower rates of coronavirus disease and death.

The researchers noted that the results of this study were limited by the fact that the extent of testing and other interventions in each country were not taken into account.

Further research is needed to understand exactly how vitamin D can affect coronavirus disease

The second study did not investigate whether an increase in vitamin D levels can lead to a more positive course of coronavirus disease, but this is a prospect that scientists are interested in exploring further.

"Vitamin D has been shown to protect against acute respiratory infections, and older adults, who are the group most likely to be vitamin D deficient, are also the most likely to develop serious Covid-19 disease," said Lee Smith, one of the authors of the study, in a press release (4).

The results of the Northwestern study also suggest that vitamin D may help explain why some people are more susceptible to Covid-19. Older people, for example, have a higher risk of serious Covid-19 disease and are also more likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Children, on the other hand, are less susceptible to severe Covid-19 disease, partly because their immune systems are less likely to overreact and cause complications such as a cytokine storm.

However, no vitamin is a panacea and vitamin D is no exception. If you already get enough vitamin D from the sun, food or other sources, more vitamin D will not help. Extreme overdoses can even have negative side effects. "While I think it's important to realize that vitamin D deficiency could play a role in mortality, it's important to remember that while vitamin D cannot prevent infection, it can reduce complications and lower the risk of fatal disease in people who are sick with this virus," said Vadim Backman, a professor of biomedical sciences at Northwestern University.References:

By Gabby Landsverk

Source: https://www.insider.com/vitamin-d-deficiency-may-be-linked-more-severe-coronavirus-2020-5

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7 scientifically proven ways to sleep better than ever before

How much sleep do you need?

How to get better sleep

1. avoid chemicals that affect your sleep

2. switch off your electrical appliances

3. exercise regularly

4. don't be overweight

5. create a relaxing routine before bedtime

6. pay attention to "dark, quiet and cool"

7 Use the right supplements

Glycine

Melatonin

Lemon balm extract

Rutaecarpine

Conclusion

References:

How cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels and fight diabetes

What is cinnamon?

Cinnamon contains antioxidants that provide many health benefits

Cinnamon can mimic the effects of insulin and improve insulin sensitivity

Cinnamon lowers fasting blood glucose levels and may also reduce hemoglobin A1c levels

Cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels after meals

Cinnamon could reduce the risk of common diabetes complications

Ceylon cinnamon vs. cassia cinnamon: which is better?

Some people should be cautious when using cinnamon

How much cinnamon should you take?

Conclusion

References:

Can vitamin D reduce the risk of COVID-19?

How does vitamin D affect immune health?

Can taking vitamin D protect against COVID-19?

Conclusion

References:

15 supplements & vitamins for unbeatable energy

Huperzine-A

Dosage

Lion's Mane Mushroom

Dosage

Adaptogenic medicinal plants

Ashwagandha

Dosage

Rhodiola Rosea

Dosage

Indian basil (Holy Basil)

Dosage

BONUS: Don't forget your daily multivitamin

4 Natural stimulants for energy production

Caffeine

Dosage

Green tea extract

Dosage

Yerba mate

Dosage

Taurine

Dosage

Are there side effects of energy supplements?

References:

Vitamin D deficiency could be linked to higher risk of serious coronavirus infections

Vitamin D deficiency could be linked to a higher risk of serious coronavirus infections

Vitamin D deficiency could lead to immune system complications and worsen coronavirus disease, study suggests

Countries where residents have adequate vitamin D levels cope far better with the virus

Further research is needed to understand exactly how vitamin D can affect coronavirus disease

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