Gregory Chandler, Attorney at Law, on Prenatal Supplements

By Gregory Chandler
Researchers in a study wanted to determine if prenatal supplements in mothers could improve the mental and physical health of children. Researchers followed for two years 676 Nepalese children, aged 7 to 9, whose mothers had taken vitamin A with iron and folic acid, or a placebo of vitamin A, before and during pregnancy. Compared to children whose mothers took only vitamin A, children whose mothers had taken iron and folic acid had greater intellectual ability and better control of fine muscle movements.



GREGORY CHANDLER, Attorney at Law

GREGORY CHANDLER, ATTORNEY AT LAW, ON BETA-CAROTENE

Allergic diseases may be due in part to not enough antioxidants in the diet according to a study. Researchers measured the diets and followed 861 children for eight years from birth. As levels of the antioxidant beta-carotene in the diet increased, allergy decreased. Those who consumed the most beta-carotene were 20 percent less likely to have allergies than those who got the least beta-carotene. The researchers also found fewer signs of allergic stress in children who got the most beta-carotene. GREGORY CHANDLER, Attorney at Law

Gregory Chandler, Attorney, on Omega-3s and Blood Pressure

By: Gregory Chandler Some individuals inherit the tendency to have both high cholesterol and high triglycerides. In one study, 67 people with this inherited condition took omega-3s or a placebo. After 12 weeks, LDL cholesterol had not changed in either group, but compared to the placebo group, those who had taken omega-3s had 7 percent lower blood pressure, 8 percent lower levels of a sign of inflammation--high sensitivity C-reactive protein--and 19 percent lower levels of triglycerides. Gregory Chandler, Attorney at Law

Gregory Chandler, Attorney, on L-Arginine and exercise performance

BY: GREGORY CHANDLER Nitric oxide (NO) boosters have become big sellers in the supplement market in recent years. NO is a gaseous substance that has a critical role in the body as a potent dilator of blood vessels. It is well known that increasing the bioavailability of NO improves vasodilation and blood pressure. However, new studies suggest that nutritional manipulation of NO can improve other aspects of oxygen kinetics and even exercise performance. L-arginine is the rate-limiting amino acid required for NO synthesis. Studies have shown that when large doses of L-arginine are ingested or infused directly into a blood vessel, there is a positive effect on increasing vascular function. Building on this information, researchers from the United Kingdom hypothesized that L-arginine supplementation would improve exercise efficiency and enhance performance. Healthy men performed an exercise test on a cycle on two occasions. During one trial, they consumed 6 grams of L-arginine. During the second trial, they consumed a placebo. One hour after taking the L-arginine or the placebo, subjects performed an incremental exercise test to exhaustion. The primary finding was that L-arginine supplementation reduced the amount of oxygen required to perform exercise. This means that individuals accomplished the same exercise load, but with less energy expended. In other words they were more efficient after supplementing with L-arginine. L-arginine supplementation also increased time to exhaustion by 26% during high intensity cycling. These findings provide evidence that L-arginine supplementation (6 grams in a single dose) improves exercise efficiency and tolerance. GREGORY CHANDLER, Attorney at Law

GREGORY CHANDLER, ATTORNEY AT LAW ON OMEGA-3S AND HEARING LOSS

Gregory Chandler, Attorney at Law, on Omega-3s and Hearing Loss Researchers in one study measured the diets and hearing of 2,956 participants, aged at least 50, over the course of eight years. Compared to those who ate less than one serving of fish per week, those who reported eating two or more servings of fish per week were 42 percent less likely to develop age-related hearing loss. One can supplement with fish oil capsules to obtain the benefits of Omega-3s. GREGORY CHANDLER, Attorney at Law

Gregory Chandler, Attorney, Amino Acids

GREGORY CHANDLER'S WEIGHT OF THE LAW In one study, 29 young men took a supplement containing all of the essential amino acids plus carbohydrates or a carbohydrate placebo during 12 weeks of heavy-load leg strength training. All the men had significant increases in muscle mass and strength, with the amino acid group gaining the most size and developing the best muscle shape. Gregory Chandler, Attorney at Law

GREGORY CHANDLER, ATTORNEY AT LAW, ON WHEY PROTEIN

Whey protein is a major supplement in the bodybuilding arsenal. Most bodybuilders use whey protein for its muscle building effects. I write today about whey protein's role in recovery after exercise. Researchers in one study have opined that muscles require amino acids to fully recover from new or strenuous exercise. In the study, 17 untrained men performed four sets of a single-leg resistance exercise. The men pressed, flexed, and then focused on extending the leg using 120 percent of the maximum load they could flex. Immediately after exercise and continuing for 14 days, the men took 35 grams of whey protein isolate three times per day or a carbohydrate placebo. One day after exercise, men in the placebo group had lost 21 percent of their isometric strength compared to 12 percent for whey protein. Strength returned to normal for the placebo group in 14 days and in four days for the group using whey protein. GREGORY CHANDLER, Attorney at Law