Discover what vitamin is best for you:
L-Tryptophan is an amino acid, a protein building block that can be found in many plant and animal proteins. It's called an “essential” amino acid because the body can’t make it. It must be acquired from food.
L-Tryptophan is used for insomnia, sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), smoking cessation, Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Tourette's Syndrome.
How Does It Work?
L-Tryptophan is naturally found in animal and plant proteins. It is important for the development and functioning of many organs in the body. After absorbing L-Tryptophan from food, our bodies convert it to 5-HTP, and then to Serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that transmits signals between nerve cells. It also causes blood vessels to narrow. Changes in the level of serotonin in the brain can alter mood.
CRANBERRY
Cranberry is a type of evergreen shrub that grows in wet areas, such as bogs or wetlands. Cranberry is native to northeastern and north-central parts of the United States. The shrub has small, dark green leaves, pink flowers, and dark red fruit that are egg-shaped.
Cranberry is most commonly used for the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). It's also used for kidney stones, neurogenic bladder, to deodorize urine in people with difficulty controlling urination, to prevent urine catheters from becoming blocked, and to heal skin around surgical openings in the stomach that are used to eliminate urine. Some people use Cranberry to increase urine flow, kill germs, and reduce fever.
Some people use Cranberry for, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), enlarged prostate, common colds, flu, heart disease, inflammation of the lining around the lung (pleurisy), and cancer.
In foods, Cranberry fruit is used in Cranberry juice, jelly and sauce.
How Does It Work?
People used to think that Cranberry worked for urinary tract infections by making the urine acidic and, therefore, unlikely to support the growth of bacteria. But researchers don't believe this explanation any more. They now think that some of the chemicals in cranberries keep bacteria from sticking to the cells that line the urinary tract where they can multiply.
Cranberry, as well as many other fruits and vegetables, contains significant amounts of salicylic acid, which is an important ingredient in aspirin. Drinking cranberry juice regularly increases the amount of salicylic acid in the body. Salicylic acid can reduce swelling, prevent blood clots, and can have anti tumor effects.
RHODIOLA ROSEA
Rhodiola Rosea sometimes called Arctic Root or Golden Root, is considered an adaptogenic herb, meaning that it acts in non-specific ways to increase resistance to stress, without disturbing normal biological functions. The herb grows at high altitudes in the arctic areas of Europe and Asia, and its root has been used in traditional medicine in Russia and the Scandinavian countries for centuries.
Rhodiola is used for increasing energy, stamina, strength, mental capacity and as a so-called “adaptogen” to help the body adapt to and resist physical, chemical, and environmental stress. It is also used for improving athletic performance, shortening recovery time after long workouts, improving sexual function, depression and for heart disorders such as irregular heartbeat and high cholesterol.
Some people use Rhodiola for treating cancer, tuberculosis, diabetes, preventing cold and flu, aging, liver damage, strengthening the nervous system and enhancing immunity.
How Does It Work?
Rhodiola Root supports the functioning of the adrenal glands and encourages a healthy response to physical, emotional and mental stress by normalizing cortisol levels and other stress-related hormones. If used regularly, it functions to support the body’s natural resistance and adaptation to stressful influences.
Rhodiola Rosea is able to stimulate the production of ATP and CP in our cells, therefore it's able to pump up the fuel available to our body. In addition, Rhodiola can elevate DNA and RNA in cells and trigger the manufacture of proteins used to repair damaged cells, and therefore increase the healthy cells that can produce energy. Also stimulates the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, that are crucial for making us feel happy and energetic.
OMEGA-3 FISH OIL
Fish oil can be obtained from eating fish or by taking supplements. Fish that are especially rich in the beneficial oils known as Omega-3 fatty acids include anchovies, mackerel, herring, tuna, salmon, cod liver, whale blubber, and seal blubber. Two of the most important omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Fish oil is FDA approved to lower triglycerides levels, but it is also used for many other conditions. It is most often used for conditions related to the heart and blood system. Some people use fish oil to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Fish oil has also been used for preventing heart disease or stroke, as well as for clogged arteries, irregular heartbeat, bypass surgery, heart failure, rapid heartbeat, preventing blood clots, and high blood pressure after a heart transplant.
How Does It Work?
Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA and EPA, work because they block inflammation pathways in the cell. They block not one but multiple pathways. Immune cells (macrophages) seem to be particularly sensitive to omega-3’s anti-inflammatory effects.
BERBERINE
Berberine, an herbal supplement that’s typically extracted from the roots, rhizomes, stems, and bark of several different Berberis plants, is no exception. Berberine and similar plants like Golden Seal or Barberry have been used as antimicrobial remedies in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine since the BC times.
Berberine has been found to limit weight gain, for example, and enhance brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity in obese mice. It’s also been linked to an improved cold tolerance. Some also use Berberine for its anti-diabetic effects. Specifically, Berberine has been shown to reduce glucose production in the liver.
In fact, in one recent test, Berberine was shown to be equally as effective at regulating blood glucose as a popular diabetes medication. When tested on humans and animals, a 1500 mg daily dose of Berberine was found to be equally as effective as taking 1500 mg of Metformin or 4 mg of Glibenclamide – two popular modern pharmaceuticals used to treat diabetes.
There is also evidence that Berberine has anti-depressive effects and works in synergy with anti-depressant medication. There may also be a link between Berberine and anti-inflammation.
How Does It Work?
Berberine primarily works by targeting an enzyme called AMPK. AMPK, which stands for AMP - Activated Protein Kinase, is a primal metabolism regulating enzyme in the body. Our bodies naturally secrete AMPK to boost our energy, especially during times when our natural energy levels are low, like in a time of crisis or when we experience a “fight or flight” response.
After Berberine raises our AMPK levels, it lets the AMPK enzyme take over the rest of the way. AMPK signals your cells to start taking in more blood sugar, which in turn improves their insulin sensitivity.
At the same time, AMPK reduces your liver’s production of extra blood sugar. Type II diabetic livers typically overproduce blood sugar. This same mechanism also reduces the release of free fatty acids, also known as triglycerides, into the bloodstream while boosting natural fat-burning in your mitochondria, which are the energy factories of your cells.