ABC's of Nutrition: Molybdenum

Legumes and whole grains are rich food sources of molybdenum. The typical American diet contains 50 to 500 micrograms of molybdenum per day. The food concentration of molybdenum is dependent on the soil content of molybdenum.

Molybdenum is available as sodium molybdate and molybdenum amino acid chelate.

Molybdenum deficiency may lead to the inability to process sulfites because the enzyme that detoxifies sulfites (sulfite oxidase) is molybdenum dependent. Symptoms of sulfite toxicity are an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, headache, disorientation, nausea, and vomiting. Molybdenum deficiency may be the cause of sulfite sensitivity.

Molybdenum works as a necessary coenzyme in the enzymes xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, and sulfite oxidase. These enzymes are involved in uric acid formation, alcohol detoxification, and sulfite detoxification.

Molybdenum is an important mineral for those that consume high quantities of alcohol.

by John Connor, CNC

ABC's of Nutrition: Manganese

Good dietary sources of manganese include green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, whole grains, and nuts. Pecans and Brazil nuts rank at the top.

Some of the best absorbed forms are manganese bound to picolinate, gluconate, or other chelates.

Human manganese deficiency is not as well defined as in animals. Animal results have shown manganese deficiency may lead to impaired growth, skeletal abnormalities, and defects in carbohydrate and fat metabolism.

In several human studies where subjects were fed a manganese-reduced diet, several metabolic abnormalities developed, including appearance of a skin rash, loss of hair color, reduced growth of hair and nails, and reduced HDL cholesterol.

Manganese functions in many enzyme systems, including enzymes involved in blood sugar control, energy metabolism, and thyroid function.

High doses of manganese may inhibit the absorption of iron, copper, and zinc. On the other hand, high intake of magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, and zinc may inhibit the absorption of manganese.

by John Connor, CNC

ABC's of Nutrition: Iron

There are two forms of dietary iron, heme and nonheme. Heme iron is bound to hemoglobin and myoglobin. This type of iron is found in animal products and is the most efficiently absorbed form. Nonheme iron is found in plant foods and is poorly absorbed compared to heme iron. Liver is the best food source of heme iron. Kelp and brewer's yeast are good plant sources of nonheme iron.

Ferrous bisglycinate chelate is the most efficient form of supplemental heme iron. The absorption rate of nonheme iron supplements such as ferrous sulfate and ferrous fumarate are around 1-3%. Despite the superior form of heme iron in bisglycinate chelate, nonheme iron is the most popular. Even taking the best quality nonheme iron the net absorption is 50 milligrams compared to only 3 milligrams of heme iron. It takes that much more nonheme iron to equal a smaller dosage of heme iron, and the heme iron absorbs better.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the United States. The target groups at risk are infants two and under, teenage girls, pregnant women, and the elderly. Iron deficiency may be caused by an increased iron requirement, decreased iron intake, diminished iron absorption, blood loss, or a combination of such factors. Vegetarians and vegans also run a higher risk of iron deficiency. Adolescents and college age students run a high risk of iron deficiency due to poor diets. Other causes of decreased iron absorption include chronic diarrhea, malabsorption, and the use of antacids.

The effects of iron deficiency are caused by the impaired delivery of oxygen to the tissues and the impaired activity of iron-containing enzymes in various tissues. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, excessive menstrual loss, learning disabilities, impaired immune function, and decreased energy levels.

Serum ferritin is the best laboratory test for determining iron deficiency. Routine blood analysis is not accurate enough. Men may suspect iron deficiency if they have a history of peptic ulcers, hemorrhoids, blood loss, or long-term use of antacids.

Iron plays an essential role in the hemoglobin molecule of our red blood cells. It functions in transporting oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and then transports carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. Iron also functions in several key enzymes in energy production and metabolism, including DNA synthesis.

by John Connor, CNC

The Key to Weight Loss

Weight management is a confusing topic. Hands down! There are terms such as calories, metabolism, and fat-burning. In order to maintain healthy weight we have to look beyond these terms and arrive at the underlying cause.

Do I eat this way or that? Do I consume fewer calories? Do I ramp up my metabolism? If so, how? Or do I dare say the “E” word (exercise). Actually, once we acquire a basic understanding how fat storage increases and decreases, it will all make sense. Putting it into practice may be another story.

Calories and metabolism do play a role in how the body uses stored fat as energy. There is somewhat of a misconception that people have trouble losing weight simply because of their metabolism, or that they consume too many calories. To illustrate I'll use the "Steakhouse Analogy."

You visit your favorite steakhouse. You order a nice, juicy steak, seasoned and cooked to perfection. Along side of the steak is a plain baked potato (minus the butter, cheese, and sour cream). The moderately portioned steak, let’s say eight ounces, has far more calories than the plain baked potato. The next morning you step on the scale and you’ve gained weight! If you were to blame the steak or the potato for the weight gain, it would likely be the steak because it has more calories than the potato.

Calories in, calories out is pretty much myth. Calories were not created equal. Instead of looking at calories and metabolism directly, there is something powerful happening in the body that affects calories, metabolism, and weight gain–hormones.

Hormones are messengers in the body that play a pivotal role in every single physiological process. Hormones are like a finely-tuned orchestra happening at all times in the body. Hormones directly or indirectly control everything that happens in the body, including fat storage.

Insulin is a fat-storing hormone. It’s job is to look for glucose and store it away for a rainy day. All too often that that rainy day never occurs.

Going back to the Steakhouse Analogy. The reason the plain baked potato is the culprit for the weight gain and not the steak is because the potato requires insulin where the steak does not.

Hormones (such as insulin) control body fat the same way they control our heart rate, energy level, and body temperature. Obesity is a hormone imbalance. When hormones are in balance so is the proper percentage of body fat. Rather than look at calories and metabolism as a direct cause to weight gain, it’s actually hormones that affect your metabolism and caloric expenditure.

Insulin levels are roughly 20 percent higher in obese people. As insulin goes up, the body weight goes up. We know that if insulin levels are low, the body has an easier time using stored fat as energy. As long as the pancreas secretes insulin, due to our diet, then the body will constantly store fat instead of using it as energy.

The key to weight loss is hormone balance, more specifically, insulin balance. A low-carb lifestyle works very well, because it greatly reduces insulin output. Diet Doctor is a great resource to get started.

by John Connor, CNC