Archives for May 2018

3beta-Hydroxyandrost-5-Ene-17-One is a androgenic hormone that is sold in the United States and in some other countries for anti-aging and overall fitness. This androgenic hormone is being used by people from 21 to their 90’s as a way to increase the natural androgen levels in the body. Increasing natural androgens like testosterone leads to a better quality of life and athletic performance.

Humans have been supplementing their hormone levels since the early part of the 20th century. It was common for males to eat the testicles of slaughtered animals as a rite of passage and as a way to proclaim their masculine standing. Since the late 1960’s health enthusiasts have been taking an extract of raw testicles, processed as a dietary supplement called Orchic.

Orchic extract was used to supplement males with the cascade of hormones that were naturally available in the male animals as a way to balance their hormone levels as they age. Naturally, as we age, our hormone levels decline. This leads to many issues like muscle loss, a reduction in our immune system and an increased amount of body fat. In addition to Orchic extract, in the 90’s we saw new hormone extracts come on the market like androstenedione and 3beta-Hydroxyandrost-5-Ene-17-One, which were prohormones to the natural androgens in the male body like testosterone.

3beta-Hydroxyandrost-5-Ene-17-One is still available today and is useful for older people who wish to trim body fat and increase their immune system and also for men over 21 who wish to improve their muscle density and fullness.

To get more of 3beta-Hydroxyandrost-5-Ene-17-One to convert to testosterone and other androgenic hormones, supplement companies will use a variety of co-factors to help push the conversion in this direction. An ingredient called 3-Beta-Hydroxy-Urs-12-En-28-Oic Acid for example will reduce the conversion to estrogen, making more of the hormone available to boost testosterone. Another extract of stinging nettle root will reduce the conversion to DHT and finally enzyme blockers like piperine and luteolin will help keep more of the hormone active for a longer period of time.

These additions will help the hormone be more active and convert at a higher rate to testosterone, giving the males a better chance at achieving their results.

Source by Erin Raad

The Helsinki Formula was much in the news in the 1980s and 90s: first as a miracle cure for hair loss; and then as the center of a long drawn-out legal battle and media circus. It is a compound whose active ingredient was originally Polysorbate 60 and later Polysorbate 80, ingredients still found in many hair treatment products today.

The Finnish developer, Dr. Ilona Schreck-Purola, basically gave her formulas to any company which wanted them. She accepted stipends if offered; but many manufacturers offered none. You may see the Helsinki Formula laughingly referred to in hair loss forums, but in my opinion, much of the bad press is undeserved. So what was all the fuss about?

Two manufacturers of Helsinki Formula-based hair loss products were hauled into court by the U.S. Postal Service for making unsubstantiated drug claims through the U.S. mail. After years of legal wrangling involving: the two companies; the combined forces of the FTC, the FDA and the U.S. Postal Service (jointly referred to as “the weenies” by one of the defendants); and the U.S. Federal Court system, some of the trial judges had very interesting comments to make.

In reversing a decision against one of the Helsinki Formula manufacturers, Judge Bruce Thompson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada commented, “It’s troublesome that the U.S. Post Office has wasted so much time and taxpayer money on a product that seems to help some people with male pattern baldness alleviate, what they perceive to be a problem”.

Just a year later, Judge Thompson’s ruling was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In part, the Court’s opinion read, “The common opinion within the medical establishment is that nothing will grow hair”.

Six years later in 1992, District Judge Richard Gadbois, writing for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California said, “There is a fair amount of evidence to the effect that perhaps the Helsinki Formula should not be effective, but in large measure the same could be said for Minoxidil (Rogaine) … Who’s to say that a balding gentleman in his middle years who comes forward and testifies fervently that his pate is becoming younger because of the Helsinki Formula is simply deluding himself.”

There were 107 people who wanted to testify that the Helsinki formula worked for them. The prosecution had no witnesses ready to testify that it didn’t.

As for hard evidence, I’ve read in hair loss forums that there have only been two scientific studies of Polysorbate 60 as a treatment for hair loss: the 1974 pro-Polysorbate Schreck-Purola study; and the 1985 con-Polysorbate Groveman et al. study. This is simply not true.

In Judge Gadbois’ Findings of Fact, he cited studies by French physicians which “seemed to support the views of Dr. Purola, and a British photographic study of Helsinki Formula users [that] also suggested its efficacy. The European studies were done by careful and experienced scientists working in good faith.

Dr. Purola herself was a credible witness as to her observations and the work of others in Europe. … Although neither the Finnish, French nor British studies pass muster under state-of-the-art scientific methods now in use, they do establish that The Helsinki Formula most probably works some of the time for a lot of people.”

Of the Groveman study, Judge Gadbois commented, “There are a number of serious defects in that study, not the least of which is that it did not test the precise formula marketed as “The Helsinki Formula” and probably did not involve a sufficient number of subjects.

The study has apparently never been cited in responsible professional literature and was not much enhanced by the testimony of [the prosecution’s expert witness] Dr. Ganiats, who is not a dermatologist and lacked knowledge about many details of the study.” Interestingly Groveman et al. equals “Groveman HD, Ganiats T, and Klauber MR.

Finally, the judge opined, “There can be little doubt that the Upjohn Co. [the manufacturer of Rogaine], a competitor … whose attorneys attended these proceedings assiduously, was a prime mover in the F.T.C. action here.”

I would say the jury is still out on the Helsinki Formula.

Hair Loss Products Which Contain Polysorbate 60 or Polysorbate 80

Polysorbate is a surfactant, Natural Moisturizing Factor, a dispersing agent and an emulsifier. As a surfactant, it is very effective at removing surface oil and debris.

Dr. Schreck-Purola used Polysorbate 60 in her skin cancer study on mice. It is not as widely known that she used Polyusorbate 80 in successful human hair loss studies. She theorized that the surfactant action of Polysorbate cleaned DHT from the hair follicles and prevented more DHT from locking on.

DHT starvation of hair follicles is the leading theory for the cause of pattern baldness.

Source by Jean Bowler

Polynesian people are descendants of those early mariners that crossed the great waters and became the original inhabitants of the South Pacific Islands. In order to survive those long cold oceanic journeys, their Polynesian bodies evolved to develop maximum muscle building capabilities as a means of generating and preserving body temperature.

This was a direct adaptation to an environmental factor. Those that could not adapt died, whereas the survivors carried with them genetic advantages, creating a hybrid body of sorts, capable of performing enormous feats of physical labor, on very little calories, and very little water.

Colonization of the Pacific Islands only encouraged the Polynesian body to propagate these gene characteristics, as the early Islanders literally hacked their homes out of the forests with their bare hands. Domesticating wildlife and horticulture, was a herculean feat, and the scarcity of fresh water developed a need for the Polynesian body to store fluids efficiently.

These early evolutionary patterns form the basis of the contemporary Polynesian body. It enables Polynesian bodies to:

1. Build muscle easily

2. Possess unique strength to mass capabilities

3. Withstand harsh environmental conditions more easily

4. Endure long periods with little food and little water

Unfortunately these adaptations also mean Polynesian bodies will

1. Store excess energy more easily in the form of body fat

2. Store excess water subcutaneously

3. Burn calories at a slower more gradual pace

In the absence of the extreme physical labors performed by our Polynesian ancestors, and the readily abundant food in western cultures, it is no surprise that Polynesian bodies have a tendency to gain unsightly body fat. This storage of excess energy was a survival adaptation for the days of leanness prevalent in the island cultures, but completely absent in western cultures.

Here are 3 of the best tips to improve a Polynesian Body

1. Exercise, choosing intense weight training over cardio.

Polynesian bodies are designed to work out with maximum intensity. Once or twice a week is sufficient. If you are weight training 5 – 6 days a week, I guarantee that you can train twice as hard once or twice a week. Another way of looking at it is this: If you can weight train for 90 min’s, I assure you, you can train harder for 40 min’s. Remember that you can train hard or you can train long, but you can’t do both. Always choose to train hard. Intense training triggers the release of muscle building hormones into the blood stream. Jane Fonda workouts do not. Polynesian bodies respond well to incredibly intense training regimes performed less often.

2. Don’t eat everyday.

This one may come as a shock to you, especially if you are Polynesian, but it is true. You may have heard that if you don’t eat every few hours then your body goes into starvation mode, yada, yada, yada. Who came up with this idea, did they get the rest of the day off for such brilliance? It is simply not true. Polynesian bodies have descended from a genetic strain of humans that could survive for weeks without food and rest and very little water.

Early man tracked herds over vast expanses, on foot, and when they finally engaged their prey they could somehow muster the strength and energy, in this depleted state, to run down and kill a beast more than ten times their size. I know one thing’s for sure. Put a bunch of these early hominids in the NFL and they would stomp the snot out of those juice heads. We need to tap into that power, and utilize the body’s stored energy.

The idea that you feel tired all the time, and that you need to eat constantly to maintain your energy levels are fabrications of the weak modern mind that prevent us from exploiting the vastness of our true human potential.

3. Eat real, natural, unprocessed foods indigenous to the islands, and eat just enough to be satisfied.

A Polynesian body can store more water, so drink plenty to discourage water retention.

Organic fruits, vegetables, seafood, coconut oil, taro, along with chicken, pork and beef are the mainstay of the Polynesian diet. These are the foods which Polynesian bodies have adapted to assimilate efficiently through hundreds of years of evolution. Polynesians should not consume processed foods. Canned foods and commercially packaged foods combined with the naturally high fat Polynesian diets create metabolic mayhem in the Polynesian body. Eliminate all processed and man made foods gradually.

Through the evolutionary process of natural selection, Polynesian bodies can become the ultimate muscle building powerhouse, or an unsightly storage system for excess energy and water weight. Polynesian bodies can build muscle more efficiently because they possess slightly lower metabolisms, and have a genetic propensity to store more water. Over 70% of muscle is water. This is a wonderful adaptation for gaining muscle mass, but slightly detrimental when the desire is to burn body fat, and flush subcutaneous water. Polynesian bodies also possess a unique hormonal environment that allows muscle gain to take place more effectively. A gift to the contemporary Polynesian body from their ancestors who survived some of the most brutal oceanic endeavors.

To approach genetic potential a Polynesian bodybuilder should train with extreme intensity, less often, control caloric intake and manage their water correctly.

Source by Andrew Pogai

Do You Suffer From Any Form Of Hair Loss

– Receding Hairline?

– Thinning Hairline?

– Patterned Baldness?

– Widows Peak?

A common question for people who experience balding is “What causes hair loss and are there any quick and easy remedies for thinning hair?”

Here Are Some Possible Causes For Going Bald

– Illness

– Genetics

– Emotional Stress

– Physical Stress

– Poor Diet

(lack of protein, low iron and general unhealthy eating habits will certainly have an adverse effect).

– Chemical Treatments (perms, shampoos, conditioners coloring agents etc)

– Hairstyles Or Hats Worn Too Tight (can cause damage to follicles)

There is a long list of reasons for going bald. The good thing is, usually the balding process can be stopped and reversed successfully without too much effort or major expense.

Here Are Some Possible Solutions

There are steps you can take that will provide quick and simple remedies for thinning hair. Many times balding can be stopped and re-growth spurred, simply by making small changes to your lifestyle. You could try

– Changing Your Diet and

– Taking Regular Exercises can sometimes produce surprising results.

(a healthy lifestyle will produce a healthier body and your hair is a part of your body.)

– Use Natural Products In Your Hair

You must be careful and pay close attention to what substances you wash your hair with. Most products have some potentially damaging chemicals. Try using the ones containing natural substances and minerals, like Jojoba Oil, B6, Saw Palmetto, Biotin, Zinc, Nettle Root, Pumpkin and Eleuthero. These are natures’ products and need to be included in the treatment of your hair.

Research Shows That

Vitamin B6 is required for protein and red blood cell metabolism, as well as the proper function of the nervous and immune system.

Biotin is a B complex vitamin, also know as vitamin H and is a major component in the natural hair manufacturing process – it is essential for new hair growth as well as healthy skin and nails.

Zinc an important mineral necessary for a healthy immune system, skin and proper functioning of enzymes.

Saw Palmetto is a small, slow-growing palm plant native to South Eastern United States. Saw palmetto has become popular as an herbal remedy for a type of hair loss and baldness called androgenic alopecia, or male- and female-pattern baldness. This type of hair loss is typically the greatest at the top of the head or around the temples.

Netttle Root is used to support prostate health and is often combined with other herbs, such as saw palmetto. Theoretically, the herb may have benefits in the treatment of hair loss due to its effect on the amount of free (active) testosterone circulating in the blood.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita Maxima): The oil extract from pumpkin seeds has long been used as hair supplement. The extract has shown activity against testosterone in prostate studies, theoretically this may mean that it would be helpful in reducing hair loss.

Eleuthero, formerly Siberian Ginseng, has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine since about 190 AD. Russian scientific studies suggest that Eleuthero may help the body cope with various types of stress.

Another Possible Solution To Avoiding Hair Loss Or Hair Thinning

Be sure not to wear hats, scarves, wigs or braids too tight, as this can cause damage to the follicles. How your hair looks and feels, will have a huge effect over your confidence. It can also influence how you are viewed and treated by others. These are some quick simple remedies for thinning hair that really do work. Apply them and you will be rewarded with a beautiful head of hair which can only bring you positive attention and total confidence.

Source by Lorna Hyman

There is so much being said about omega 3 fish oil and the benefits that it can bring, it makes one wonder how much of it is really true and how much is just "hype?" For many if something seems too good to be true, then it usually is.

This generally is the case. Most things that are talked about in terms of "miracle" and "cure" generally turn out to be nothing. But in the case of omega 3 fatty acids, that does not seem to be true.

There are many respected researchers who have studied the effects of omega 3 fish oil on the body and they generally come to the same conclusions. Omega 3 fish oil looks to bring balance back to bodies that are out of balance due to diet, illness or other causes.

There are numerous studies where one can read the findings and supporting evidence and it generally backs up the claims that have been made. Omega 3 fish oil does not claim to cure anything, but it certainly helps in dealing with just about every type of ailment one might have.

The reason for a lot of this has to do with the changes that most people have made in their diet in modern times. With the invention of manufactured and processed foods, our diets have changed substantively. While this has had many benefits, it also has had some distinct disadvantages as well.

Most of the foods that we eat are processed in one way or another. Processed foods are high in omega 6 fatty acids. These fatty acids are not necessarily bad, but if it is all that is going into one's body, then it can become bad as there is nothing to offset the effects.

The body is designed for omega 6 fatty acids to work in conjunction with omega 3 fatty acids. These essential elements are not created inside the body, but rather must come into the body through diet.

If the body is not getting the proper amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, such as in omega 3 fish oil, to work with the omega 6 fatty acids, then this generally results in many of the illnesses that people have today.

This is why omega 3 fish oil looks to be such a miracle cure. It restores balance to the body and this causes all systems to operate at optimum performance. It is not that it is adding an element to the body that creates a miracle, but it is simply replacing one that should have been there all along.

Source by Ricky Wang Chan