For some people there is nothing more relaxing than a hot sauna after lifting weights, but some new research coming out of the University of Montana is suggesting that this may not be the best time for it.

Post-exercise is one of the best times to eat as you have set up pretty much the perfect portioning – almost all the calories you consume will go towards the muscle. For years magazine articles and advertisements have pushed this as the ‘window of opportunity’ and to some degree they are right. That said, ultimately total calorie intake will determine what happens to your body in the long-run, even if you don’t take advantage of this ‘window’.

The study itself wanted to assess the effects of heat on glycogen resynthesis. To study this, the researchers recruited nine participants for two trials – one with post-exercise recovery at room temperature (i.e. the control test) and the other in a “hot room” which is about 90F. The participants depleted glycogen reserves by cycling for an hour in each experiment. After this they were given carbohydrates immediately and then spent four hours in the recovery room, receiving some more carbohydrates at the two hour mark.

What the researchers found was that muscle glycogen repletion was pretty much identical immediately after exercise and at the two hour mark, but by four hours the glycogen in the room temperature trial was significantly higher. I have discussed in a previous article that a splash of cold water to the face can help hasten recovery from exercise, that ice baths help promote recovery, and that “The Glove” can help improve performance. This study suggests that a luke-warm or even cold shower after training may be a better choice over the sauna.

The study in question did not use a sauna, nor did it use temperatures quite as high as you’d expect in a sauna (170F and above according to wiki), but that goes to show even more so that it may be a bad idea to sweat it out after lifting weights. If 90F negatively impacts glycogen synthesis rates then 170F most certainly will.

On a similar note, a study from 1996 showed that the temperature that you train in can affect muscle glycogen, with depletion occurring at a faster rate. So while it may have looked hardcore seeing Ronnie Coleman sweating like a mad man in his 100F gym in Texas, climate-controlled air conditioning may be best for optimal performance.

Source: Naperalsky M, Ruby B, Slivka D. Environmental Temperature and Glycogen Resynthesis. Int J Sports Med. 2010 May 12.

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‘Stress’ Protein Could Halt Aging Process, Say Scientists

ScienceDaily (May 24, 2010) — Scientists in the UK and the U.S. have discovered that a protein which responds to stress can halt the degeneration of muscle mass caused during the body’s aging process.

HSP10 (Heat Shock Protein), helps monitor and organise protein interactions in the body, and responds to environmental stresses, such as exercise and infection, by increasing its production inside cells. Researchers at Liverpool, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of California, found that excessive amounts of HSP10 inside mitochondria — ‘organs’ that act as energy generators in cells — can halt the body’s aging process by preserving muscle strength.

HSP10 occurs naturally in all living organisms and scientists believe that study into its functions could prove significant for the design of future health care for the elderly, who are particularly susceptible to muscle damage. Researchers examined the role HSP10 plays inside cells, to further understand how aging muscle tissue can recover from stress.

Professor Anne McArdle, from the University’s School of Clinical Sciences, said: “We studied the role of HSP10 inside mitochondria, as it is here that unstable chemicals are produced which can harm parts of the cell. The damage caused by this is thought to play an important part in the aging process, in which skeletal muscle becomes smaller and weaker and more susceptible to stress damage.

“In response to these stresses HSP10 increases its levels and helps cells resist damage and recover more effectively. Our research is the first to demonstrate that age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass is not inevitable and this could have considerable implications for the future health care of the elderly. Between the ages of 50 and 70 we lose approximately 25-30% of our muscle. Falls — a major cause of injury and death in people over the age of 65 — are often the direct result of loss of mobility and weakened skeletal muscle.

“We now need to look at how we might artificially increase production of HSP10 in the body, specifically in relation to aging muscle, to see if the protein could be used as a therapeutic measure. In time, clinical trials must take place to establish what benefits HSP10 can have on human quality of life, such as preservation of muscle strength.”

The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), is published in the American Journal of Physiology.

Source: Ironmagazine.com/blog

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I’m pretty sure you’re well aware of the importance of a good nights sleep with regards to in-gym performance and post-gym recovery, but it also plays a huge role in body composition. In fact, some brand new research from the Leiden University Medical Center in Holland has suggested that just one night of bad sleep can upset insulin sensitivity even in otherwise healthy subjects.

The researchers wanted to see if there may be a connection between the current general health statuses of the western countries (including the rise of type 2 diabetes) and the fact that most of these people are not sleeping for sufficient durations of time. Whether it be nightclubs, late-night TV, children, insomnia and restlessness or whatever, these effects seem to be adding up. To investigate this, the researchers used a very small sample of nine healthy men and women and let them sleep for what is considered a “standard” eight hours sleep. They were examined using a glucose clamp in order to assess their insulin sensitivity. Using this as a baseline, the researchers then re-examined the subjects after they had a shortened four hour sleep the following night, with the results indicating reduced peripheral insulin sensitivity.

I am interested in seeing what sort of effect cat-napping has on glucose tolerance. I am also interested in learning whether this effect manifests in people who are conditioned to staggered sleeping patterns, such as shift workers and the military. Thankfully, the researchers agree that more exploration is required so hopefully I’ll be able to update you all with information as it comes out.

Source: Donga E, van Dijk M, van Dijk JG, Biermasz NR, Lammers GJ, van Kralingen KW, Corssmit EP, Romijn JA. A Single Night of Partial Sleep Deprivation Induces Insulin Resistance in Multiple Metabolic Pathways in Healthy Subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Apr 6.

Source: Steroidtimes.com

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“Our findings suggest that low vitamin D levels are associated with worse asthma,” lead researcher E. Rand Sutherland said.

The researchers measured the vitamin D blood levels of 54 asthma patients, along with their lung function, airway hyper-responsiveness and response to steroid drug treatment.

Airway hyper-responsiveness measures the air passages’ tendency to constrict, leading to breathing difficulty.

The researchers found that hyper-responsiveness was twice as high in patients with vitamin D levels below 30 nanograms per milliliter, lung function was worse, and the body responded more poorly to steroid therapy.

In addition, the bodies of people with low vitamin D levels produced more or the immune system signaling chemical TNF-alpha, which increases inflammation.

“It may be that vitamin D is acting as a modifier of the immune system or a modifier of steroid response in ways that are relevant to people with asthma,” Sutherland said.

“There is a potential that restoring normal vitamin D levels in people with asthma may help improve their asthma.”

The study also showed, consistent with prior studies, that overweight or obese participants were significantly more likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Scientists believe that because fat sequesters vitamin D in the body, people with more body fat need higher levels of the vitamin.

Previous studies have shown that being overweight increases the risk of asthma. The new study suggests that vitamin D might at least in part explain that connection.

Asthma treatment also, in turn, increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency.

“It is … known that glucocorticoids [steroids used in asthma treatment] increase the destruction of vitamin D, thus making patients with asthma at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency, which in turn decreases lung function and makes their disease worse,” said Michael F. Holick, of Boston University.

Source: naturalnews.com

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ScienceDaily (May 24, 2010) — Anti-aging supplements made up of mixtures might be better than single compounds at preventing decline in physical function, according to researchers at the University of Florida’s Institute on Aging. In addition, it appears that such so-called neutraceuticals should be taken before very old age for benefits such as improvement in physical function.

The findings from rat studies, published in the journal PLoS ONE, have implications for how dietary supplementation can be used effectively in humans.

“I think it is important for people to focus on good nutrition, but for those of advanced age who are running out of energy and not moving much, we’re trying to find a supplement mixture that can help improve their quality of life,” said Christiaan Leeuwenburgh, Ph.D., senior author of the paper and chief of the biology of aging division in the UF College of Medicine.

Scientists do not fully understand all the processes that lead to loss of function as people age. But more and more research points to the mitochondrial free radical theory of aging, that as people age, oxidative damage piles up in individual cells such that the energy-generation system inside some cells stops working properly.

To address that problem, many anti-aging studies and supplements are geared toward reducing the effects of free radicals.

The UF researchers investigated the potential anti-aging benefits of a commercially available mixture marketed for relieving chronic fatigue and protecting against muscle aging. The supplement contains the antioxidant coenzyme Q10, creatine — a compound that aids muscle performance — and ginseng, which also has been shown to have antioxidant properties.

The study gauged the effects of the mixture on physical performance as well as on two mechanisms that underlie the aging process and many age-related disorders: dysfunction of the cells’ energy producing powerhouses, known as mitochondria, and oxidative stress.

The researchers fed the supplement to middle-aged 21-month-old and late-middle-aged 29-month-old rats — corresponding to 50- to 65-year-old and 65- to 80-year-old humans, respectively — for six weeks, and measured how strongly their paws could grip. Grip strength in rats is analogous to physical performance in humans, and deterioration in grip strength can provide useful information about muscle weakness or loss seen in older adults.

Grip strength improved 12 percent in the middle-aged rats compared with controls, but no improvement was found in the older group.

Measurements of the function of mitochondria corresponded with the grip strength findings. Stress tests showed that mitochondrial function improved 66 percent compared with controls in middle-aged rats but not in the older ones. That suggests that supplementation might be of greater effect before major age-related functional and other declines have set in, the researchers said.

“It is possible that there is a window during which these compounds will work, and if the intervention is given after that time it won’t work,” said Jinze Xu, Ph.D., first author of the paper and a postdoctoral researcher at UF.

The researchers are working to identify the optimal age at which various interventions can enhance behavioral or physical performance. Very few studies have been done to show the effect of interventions on the very old.

Interestingly, although the older rats had no improvement in physical performance or mitochondrial function, they had lowered levels of oxidative damage.

That shows that reduction of oxidative stress damage is not always matched by functional changes such as improvement in muscle strength.

As a result, research must focus on compounds that promote proper functioning of the mitochondria, since mitochondrial health is essential in older animals for reducing oxidative stress, the researchers said. And clinical trials need to be performed to test the effectiveness of the supplements in humans.

“It’s going to be very important to focus less on oxidative stress and biomarkers, and focus on having sufficient energy,” Leeuwenburgh said. “If energy declines, then you have an increased chance for oxidative stress or failure of repair mechanisms that recognize oxidative damage — we’re seeing that the health of mitochondria is central to aging.”

It is possible that although the supplement could help reduce the oxidative stress damage, because damage in much older animals was too great, energy could not be restored.

The different compounds in the mixture acted to produce effects that single compounds did not, because each component affected a different biochemical pathway in the body, addressing both oxidative stress and mitochondrial function, researchers said.

“People are catching on that using a single compound is not a good strategy — you have to use multiple compounds and target one or multiple pathways,” Leeuwenburgh said.

The manufacturers of the supplement donated the quantity used in the study and provided support for the postdoctoral researcher and analyses. The animals used in the study were paid for through grants from the National Institute on Aging.

Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by University of Florida, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:
Jinze Xu, Arnold Y. Seo, Darya A. Vorobyeva, Christy S. Carter, Stephen D. Anton, Angela M. S. Lezza, Christiaan Leeuwenburgh, Alejandro Lucia. Beneficial Effects of a Q-ter® Based Nutritional Mixture on Functional Performance, Mitochondrial Function, and Oxidative Stress in Rats. PLoS ONE, 2010; 5 (5): e10572 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010572

Article Source: IrongMagazine Blog

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Study Reveals Long-term Advantages of Fast Initial Weight Loss

Lose weight fast for lasting results suggests new study

If you thought the best way to lose and maintain weight was the slow and steady approach, think again. A new study by Lisa Nackers and colleagues, from the University of Florida in the US, suggests that the key to long-term weight loss and maintenance is to lose weight quickly, not gradually, in the initial stages of obesity treatment. Their findings1 are published online in Springer’s International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

Successful weight loss in obese individuals is defined as a reduction of 10 percent or more of initial body weight maintained for at least a year. The jury is still out, however, as to whether fast or slow initial weight loss is the best approach for long-term weight control in obese patients. On the one hand, there is evidence that losing weight slowly initially results in continued weight loss, reduced risk of weight regain, and successful long-term weight loss maintenance. On the other hand, it has also been shown that the greater the initial weight loss in obese patients, the larger the total weight loss observed longer term.

Nackers and team’s study examines the association between rate of initial weight loss and long-term maintenance of lost weight, by looking specifically at whether losing weight at a slow initial rate results in larger long-term weight reduction and less weight regain than losing weight at a fast initial rate.

The authors analyzed data for 262 middle-aged obese women who took part in the Treatment of Obesity in Underserved Rural Settings (TOURS) trial. These women followed a six-month lifestyle program encouraging them to reduce their calorie intake and increase their moderate intensity physical activity to achieve an average weight loss of 0.45kg per week. They were then supported for a further year with an extended care program involving contact twice a month in the form of group sessions, telephone contact or newsletters.

Nackers and team split the women into three groups according to how much weight they lost in the first month of the intervention. Women in the FAST group lost over 0.68kg per week; those in the MODERATE group lost between 0.23 and 0.68kg per week; women in the SLOW group lost less than 0.23kg per week in that first month. The authors then looked at the womens’ weight loss at 6 and 18 months, as well as any weight regain.

They found that there were long-term advantages to fast initial weight loss. Fast weight losers lost more weight overall, maintained their weight loss for longer and were not more likely to put weight back on than the more gradual weight losers. In particular, women in the FAST group were five times more likely to achieve the clinically significant 10 percent weight loss at 18 months than those in the SLOW group and those in the MODERATE group were nearly three times more likely to achieve this milestone than women in the SLOW group.

The authors conclude: “Our study provides further evidence that, within the context of lifestyle treatment, losing weight at a fast initial rate leads to greater short-term weight reductions, does not result in increased susceptibility to weight regain, and is associated with larger weight losses and overall long-term success in weight management. We suggest that, within lifestyle weight control programs, substantial efforts should be focused on promoting large rather than small behavioral changes during the initial weeks of treatment.”

SOURCE: University of Florida

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Brief Exercise Reduces Impact of Stress on Cell Aging, Study Shows

ScienceDaily (May 26, 2010) — Exercise can buffer the effects of stress-induced cell aging, according to new research from UCSF that revealed actual benefits of physical activity at the cellular level.

The scientists learned that vigorous physical activity as brief as 42 minutes over a 3-day period, similar to federally recommended levels, can protect individuals from the effects of stress by reducing its impact on telomere length. Telomeres (pronounced TEEL-oh-meres) are tiny pieces of DNA that promote genetic stability and act as protective sheaths by keeping chromosomes from unraveling, much like plastic tips at the ends of shoelaces.

A growing body of research suggests that short telomeres are linked to a range of health problems, including coronary heart disease and diabetes, as well as early death.

“Telomere length is increasingly considered a biological marker of the accumulated wear and tear of living, integrating genetic influences, lifestyle behaviors, and stress,” said Elissa Epel, PhD, who is one of the lead investigators and an associate professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry. “Even a moderate amount of vigorous exercise appears to provide a critical amount of protection for the telomeres.”

The findings build on previous UCSF research documenting that chronic psychological stress takes a significant toll on the human body by impacting the length of telomeres in immune cells. While the exact mechanisms have remained elusive, a UCSF-led research study in 2004 (PNAS, Dec. 7, 2004; 101 (49) found that the ramifications of stress stretch deep into our cells, affecting telomeres, which are believed to play a key role in cellular aging, and possibly disease development.

The findings also build on previous studies showing that exercise is linked to longer telomeres, but this is the first study to show that exercise — acting as a “stress-buffer” — can prevent the shortening of telomeres due to stress.

Research on telomeres, and the enzyme that makes them, was pioneered by three Americans, including UCSF molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD, who co-discovered the telomerase enzyme in 1985. The scientists received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009.

“We are at the tip of the iceberg in our understanding of which lifestyle factors affect telomere maintenance, and how,” noted Blackburn.

The new study, in which Blackburn is a co-author, is scheduled for publication May 26, 2010 in the peer-reviewed online publication PLoS ONE.

In the study, 62 post-menopausal women — many of whom were caring for spouses or parents with dementia — reported at the end of each day over three days the number of minutes of vigorous physical activity in which they had engaged. Vigorous activity in the study was defined as “increased heart rate and/or sweating.” They also reported separately their perceptions of life stress that they had experienced during the prior month. Their blood’s immune cells were examined for telomere length.

Results support the UCSF-led discovery six years earlier in premenopausal women that psychological stress has a detrimental effect on immune cell longevity, as it relates to shorter telomeres. The new study showed, however, that when participants were divided into groups — an inactive group, and an active group (i.e., they met federal recommendations for 75 minutes of weekly physical activity) — only the inactive high stress group had shorter telomeres. The active high stress group did not have shorter telomeres. In other words, stress predicted shorter telomeres in the sedentary group, but not in the active group.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week for adults, or 150 minutes of moderate activity in addition to weight-bearing exercises. For children and adolescents, recommended levels are 90 minutes per day. For this sample of older women, it appears that the CDC-recommended level of vigorous exercise for adults may be enough to buffer the effects of stress on telomeres. However, the researchers say, this finding needs to be replicated with larger samples.

“At this point, we have replicated previous findings showing a link between life stress and the dynamics of how cells age,” said lead author Eli Puterman, PhD, a psychologist in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry. “Yet we have extended those findings to show that, in fact, there are things we can do about it. If we maintain the levels of physical activity recommended, at least those put forth by the CDC, we can prevent the unyielding damage that psychological stress may have on our body.”

“Our findings also reveal that those who reported more stress were less likely to exercise over the course of the study,” he said. “While this finding may be discouraging, it offers a great opportunity to direct research to specifically examine these vulnerable stressed individuals to find ways to engage them in greater physical activity.”

UCSF co-authors of the study reported in PLoS ONE include Jue Lin, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Aoife O’Donovan, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Psychiatry; and Nancy Adler, PhD, a professor and vice chair in the Department of Psychiatry.

The research was supported by the National Institute of Aging, the Bernard and Barbro Fund, the UCSF-GIVI Center for AIDS Research, and a NIH/NCRR UCSF-CTSI grant. The contents of the published paper are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of any of the granting agencies. Drs. Blackburn, Epel, and Lin are co-founders of a company to measure telomere maintenance.

The UCSF researchers are now embarking on another research project in which participants will learn their own telomere length. The scientists will test whether discovering one’s personal telomere length will motivate people to make lifestyle changes such as exercising more, reducing stress and eating less processed red meat, all factors that have been linked to telomere length.

Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by University of California – San Francisco.

Journal Reference:
Eli Puterman, Jue Lin, Elizabeth Blackburn, Aoife O’Donovan, Nancy Adler, Elissa Epel, Jose Vina. The Power of Exercise: Buffering the Effect of Chronic Stress on Telomere Length. PLoS ONE, 2010; 5 (5): e10837 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010837

Article taken from: ironmagazine.com/blog

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By Coach Prod (aka MusclesProd)

Learn how to keep your joints healthy and strong for many years.

We always lift weights thus placing a stress on our tendons and connective tissues. In case when we get enough time to rest tissues heals and become stronger to be able to support stress next time. In event of not getting enough rest the risk of trauma is unavoidable and if you don’t pay attention to this problem things may worsen. One of the problems some bodybuilders, weightlifters and other sportsmen may get is Tendonitis. Tendonitis is the painful inflammation of a tendon and its ligaments. If it is not treated it may become chronic or long-lasting. Usually it occurs in shoulders (rotator cuff tendinitis), elbow, (tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow), wrist and thumb, knee (jumper’s knee), ankle (Achilles tendinitis), and hip.

Some of tendonitis symptoms are: Pain when the tendon is under pressure and swelling, however to have pain is enough to start worrying.

That is why it is so important for bodybuilders to take care of your tendons and connective tissues. Do not wait until you will feel pain better to do some prophylaxis and routine maintenance to keep your tendons and connective tissues healthy and strong.

I will give you some advices on how to keep your tendons, ligaments and connective tissues healthy and strong.

1. Warm up – before you start lifting do some movements with your hands and legs.

2. Do light sets – do 2 sets with light weight for 20 reps, that will pump more blood there and

Use Supplements.
It is important to do some prophylaxis at least 1-2 per year to prevent any problems with your joints.  Consider taking these supplements for your next prophylaxis stage.

- Fish Oil (Omega 3)- It is rich in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which provide anti-inflammatory effects as well as reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis.

- Glucosamine and Chondroitin – both will help in maintaining joint integrity and repairing damaged cartilage.

- Curcumin – relieves pain and inflammation.

- Vitamin E – Vitamin E actually improves joint mobility and prevents buildup of toxins in the joints. Also this vitamin will support your joints as you age.  Also it works as anti-oxidants eliminating toxins from body.

Train hard and take care of your health.

© MusclesProd.Com 2010. You may copy and use this article only with source indication (www.musclesprod.com)

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a. Cholesterol Truths – Good and Bad
There are actually two types of cholesterol, which is not a known fact for people who misconstrue it as something bad. HDL is the name of the good cholesterol, while the bad one is called LDL. A bloodstream with too much LDL will result in plaques in the arteries. Over time, blood will have a difficult time travelling your arteries because the opening becomes narrow thanks to the amount of bad cholesterol in it. Dietary cholesterol is not the culprit for your having high cholesterol in the blood. Rather, it is copious amounts of saturated fat along with Tran’s fat that is to blame for the tightening of the artery. To keep your cholesterol on the low level, you should eat plenty of unsaturated fats and fibrous foods, as well as exercise often.

b. Cholesterol Numbers and What They Mean
Every adult should have their cholesterol checked at least every 5 years. When you get a cholesterol test, you’ll usually get back four different results. Here are the 4 categories and the healthy range you want to be in.
Total Cholesterol – less than 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L)
LDL Cholesterol – less than 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L)
HDL Cholesterol – greater than 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L)
Triglycerides – less than 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)
If you are over or under the desired level on any category, it is usually indicative that a diet or exercise change is needed.

c. Protecting Your Heart with Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an important vitamin found in leafy vegetables, nuts, and vegetable oils. It was previously believed that a Vitamin E supplement could reduce the risk of heart disease, but several studies in the last few years have shown that this supplement does little to prevent heart attacks or strokes.

d. Lowering Cholesterol with these Five Foods
1. Oatmeal and Oat Bran: These contain a high amount of soluble fiber, which can lower LDL.
2. Fish: Fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, which lowers LDL and raises HDL.
3. Nuts: Not only are nuts high in fiber, but they contain the healthy fats you need to keep LDL in check.
4. Plant Sterols: This is found in foods like margarine, salad dressing, orange juice, and functional cookies. 2 grams per day will lower your LDL by 10-15%.
5. Soy: This popular meat replacement can lower LDL by up to 3%.

e. Benefits Aplenty with Plant Sterols
Granola bars, Benecol Spread, fat free milk and VitaTops Muffin tops are great food sources that also have great amount of plant sterols in them. If you want to assist your heart, you can do so by eating foods rich in plant sterols and staying away from saturated fat-rich foods. It can’t, however, cancel out a diet loaded with saturated fats. To keep your cholesterol in check mad make sure it stays down, you must exercise often and eat healthy.

About the Author – Deboah Land writes for cholesterol diet menu , her personal hobby blog focused on tips to eat healthy to prevent high cholesterol.

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March 25, 2010

Supplements can help reduce high cholesterol. A new report from ConsumerLab.com reviewed the evidence behind each of the popular cholesterol-lowering ingredients out there. They provided test results for 12 supplement brands. The lab testing focused on supplements containing plant sterols or policosanol and showed most to contain what they listed on their label. They also measured other measures of quality control standards – for example, one product failed to break apart in the disintegration test, suggesting that its sterols would not be properly released and be used by the body.

Plant Sterols

Among the supplement ingredients proven to work are plant sterols (a.k.a phytosterols). These substances which bind cholesterol in the gut. The FDA permits plant sterol-containing products to claim that they help

“reduce the risk of heart disease when used with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.”

This claim can only be made if the product provides a minimum of 800 mg of free sterols or 1300 mg of sterol esters divided over 2 servings each day. ConsumerLab.com identified 7 brands of plant sterol-containing supplements that met this requirement. However, an eighth product would not break apart to release its ingredients within the allowed 30 minutes. Even when tested for six hours, the product still did not fully disintegrate. Buyer beware.

Policosanol

Policosanol is another supplement ingredient touted to lower cholesterol, although the clinical evidence is mixed. Tests by ConsumerLab.com identified 4 policosanol-containing supplements that contained the claimed amount of the policosanol and met other quality standards.

Source: http://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com

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