Optimal Health Insider
Research broken down for ease of use
Beta glucan—the potent immune boosting nutrient you may not be aware of
Beta glucan is a soluble fiber found naturally in the cell walls of yeast, cereal grains and some fungi. Beta glucan is a polysaccharide---a large molecule made up of multiple sugar molecules---which has been linked to a number of health benefits. For example, as a...
Five studies indicating colostrum can keep you healthy this winter
It's that time of year when people you think of as "really healthy" seem to drop like flies as the yearly cold and flu season rolls around. In fact, the media reported last week that eight members of the Superbowl-winning New England Patriots were unable to play due...
Lutein intake by mothers linked to better child behavior
Lutein is a critical nutrient that you won't see listed on a typical vitamin/mineral supplement label, though most people have heard of it in relation to eye health. Lutein is found in fruits and vegetables, especially in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and...
Studies from Arizona and China underscore choline for brain health
Choline is an essential nutrient for humans and most other animals. It must be obtained through diet since the body synthesizes only very small quantities. Choline is not usually classified as a vitamin, but as "a nutrient with an amino acid-like metabolism."...
Popular antacids significantly increase kidney disease risk in new study
Several studies have linked extended use of popular drugs to treat heartburn and acid reflux with an increased risk of premature death. One example is a 2017 study by Washington University St. Louis which showed greater increases in death risk the longer a person took...
Study highlights need for diverse gut bacteria
When it comes to choosing a dietary supplement to support gut health, perhaps the most important consideration is choosing a supplement that provides multiple strains of bacteria. And this point is being driven home by a new study from an international team of...
Muscle nutrient creatine also shown to support immune cells
Millions of health consumers use creatine for its muscle support properties; however, most are unaware that creatine's circulation-promoting properties also benefit the immune system. Now a new study conducted at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) is adding...
Iron commonly deficient in young athletes
Iron plays important roles for athletic performance, including red blood cell production and oxygen transport. Previous studies have demonstrated positive associations between athletic performance measurements and iron concentrations. It is now common knowledge that...
Omega-3 supplements fix kids’ bad behavior in university study
Adding an omega-3 fatty acid supplement to the diet could reduce disruptive and abusive behavior according to newly -released research. The research was conducted by a team at University of Massachusetts Lowell and was led by Jill Portnoy, an assistant professor at...
Macro counting causes disease, even blindness
A calorie is a calorie, right? Wrong! If all you do is count calories you're still setting yourself up for a life of disease. For optimal health you must pay attention to the nutritional density of the foods you eat. In one extreme example a UK teenager went blind due...
Getting less than six hours sleep each night a major health risk for middle-aged
According to new research middle-aged adults with certain health conditions greatly increase their risk of early death if they regularly get less than six hours of sleep each night. The health conditions include high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and...
Supplementing probiotics could save $1 billion yearly in healthcare costs
A new study has posited that the health benefits achieved with probiotic supplements also include an economic benefit---to the tune of about $1 billion per year in the US alone. The economic benefit happens because there is a reduction in the number of infections, the...