Approved Science Answers
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How Increased Blood Flow Reduces DHT in the Scalp
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is considered by many to be one of the main causes of hair loss in men. DHT is a naturally occurring androgen, which is a sex hormone, and it's increasingly being identified as a cause of hair loss. This hormone is important for the development of ‘male’ characteristics like body hair. However, it can unfortunately also lead to hair thinning, a receding hairline, and hair loss. DHT causes inflammation and thinning or death of the small blood vessels, which can affect hair follicles and limit hair growth. » Hair loss causes: see what deficiences may be responsible How Blood Flow Removes DHT From the Scalp Healthy circulation and blood flow provide a flood of nutrients to the scalp, ensuring healthy hair growth. As DHT binds to androgen receptors, it blocks them from receiving the necessary nutrients and producing healthy hair. However, increased blood flow to the scalp aids the transportation of nutrients to the androgen receptors, blocking DHT and allowing for free flow into the hair follicle. This way, increased blood flow in the scalp reduces the negative effects of DHT on hair growth. How to Minimize DHT Levels DHT levels can be brought down by a healthier lifestyle, including no smoking, reducing stress, and getting enough rest. The regular practice of massaging the scalp also helps reduce DHT, as it encourages blood flow in the scalp. Aside from relying on amino acids, vitamin B complex, and other supplements for maintaining healthy hair like vitamin E oil, you may want to also consider a DHT blocker medication for faster results. » See the 3 trace minerals that help reduce hair loss Reduce DHT for Improved Hair Growth Aside from choosing supplements like biotin and collagen for treating hair loss, taking DHT Blockers such as Approved Science's Hairprin™ can significantly assist in preventing hair loss and increasing hair growth. Paired with using herbs like fo-ti in the right amount or using other natural hair boosters, supplements like Hairpin can vastly accelerate your journey toward luscious hair. » Reduce DHT and promote hair growth with Hairprin™
Asked 2 months ago
How to Manage a Low White Blood Cell Count
Your bone marrow produces white blood cells (WBC), also known as leukocytes. They are part of your immune system and fight off bacterial and viral infections. As per the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the normal WBC count ranges between 4,500 to 11,000 cells per microliter of blood (1). A fall from this range is leukopenia, a low white blood cell count. There are different types of leukopenia depending on which kind of WBC is low. Causes of Low White Blood Cell Count Low WBC count can be because either fewer WBC are being produced or more WBC are being used and destroyed. It can be both as well (2). Infections, malignancy, malnutrition, stress, and cancer treatment can cause low WBC count. Any condition that affects your bone marrow can also be directly responsible. This includes aplastic anemia, leukemia, lymphoma, myelofibrosis, and myeloproliferative syndrome. Congenital disorders such as Kostmann syndrome and autoimmune disorders like lupus can lower your WBC levels. Elevating Your Low White Blood Cell Count You can definitely increase your WBC count by treating the underlying medical condition that is causing it. Below are suggestions you can action to raise your WBC count: Reduce stress Stress can lower your WBC count and weaken your immune system. Calming your mind with breathing techniques, yoga, and even essential oils are known to improve the situation. Immune-boosting food Healthy foods that are high in selenium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, C, E, D, and B9 can stimulate the production and the function of WBC. Vegetables and fruits Cruciferous vegetables, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, fatty fish, citrus fruits, and berries are some examples. Garlic possesses immunomodulatory and inflammatory properties that stimulate the production of WBC. Omega-3 supplements have immunomodulatory properties that help increase your WBC count. Yoghurt Another food that is a great immune booster and increases WBC is yogurt. It's high in vitamin D which triggers WBC production. The beneficial bacteria in yogurt also play a crucial role. Elderberry syrup Elderberry syrup has been known to naturally increase WBC count and support the immune system. Papaya leaves Papaya leaves contain acetogenin, an important compound to boost your immunity by increasing your WBC count. Conclusion Maintaining a healthy WBC count is important to keep your immune system optimal. There are various factors that can cause your WBC count to decrease, but this article contains several actionable suggestions you can implement to combat this. However, be aware that high white blood cell count (above 11,000 cells per microliter of blood) can also be a warning sign and should be investigated.
Asked 5 months ago
Using Antioxidants to Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is a normal healing process that occurs in your body. However, when it becomes chronic, your body starts to face problems. It leads to the excessive production of free radicals that causes damage to your biological machinery such as unpaired electrons and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The top causes of inflammation are allergies, lack of cortisol, acute and chronic infections, old injuries, low vitamin D, environmental toxins, high blood sugar, obesity, and too much iron. Do Antioxidants Reduce Inflammation? Antioxidants and inflammation have an inverse relationship in our bodies. Antioxidants are stable molecules that help neutralize free radicals. These are unpaired electrons that cause severe damage to healthy tissue by stealing an electron from it. However, antioxidants donate electrons to the free radicals and protect the tissue in the process (1). Therefore, you should always maintain a balance between free radicals and antioxidants. Which Antioxidants Bring Relief? Glutathione This is a powerful antioxidant that is produced by the liver. You can also get it from your diet, including beef, fish, chicken, cruciferous vegetables, garlic, onions, asparagus, avocados, and spinach. They are healthy foods for inflammation and can help fight chemicals you get exposed to in your daily life (2). Alternatively, you can also use glutathione supplements.Selenium Selenium is a trace mineral and a powerful antioxidant (3). It protects against oxidative damage caused by chronic inflammation (4). It also helps your body to produce glutathione.Vitamin C Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant (5). However, rather than going for synthetic doses of vitamin C, it's better to go for natural sources.Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) DHA is a kind of omega-3 fatty acid that has strong anti-inflammatory properties (6). It reduces cytokine levels that are released due to infection or stress and that trigger inflammation.Curcumin Curcumin is the potent component found in turmeric, making up 2-8 percent of the powder. It's a powerful antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties (7). It reduces the production of ROS and increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes (8). Conclusion Recent investigations have touted inflammation as a major factor in various chronic diseases and disorders. The free radicals that are produced during inflammatory response lead to cellular damage. Using antioxidants can reduce inflammation by neutralizing these free radicals.
Asked 5 months ago
Using Coenzyme Q10 to Lower Cholesterol
Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10, is produced by your body and is used to make energy. Normally, your body makes sufficient CoQ10 to use and your cells store them in the mitochondria. With age and in certain diseased conditions, the concentration starts to dwindle. Supplementing with CoQ10 can help fill in those gaps. Researchers suggest that CoQ10 reduces cholesterol levels by lowering LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol levels (1), improves blood vessel health by 42 percent (2), reduces blood clots, assists with heart health, and is great for migraines. How Coenzyme Q10 and Statin Drugs Interact Studies have stated that in statin users, the level of CoQ10 is lower in both the muscle tissues and blood. As a result, the muscle cells produce less energy leading to fatigue, aches, and inflammation (3). Taking CoQ10 supplements might prevent or reduce the side effects of statin drugs. A study published in the American Journal of Cardiology observed that 100 mg of CoQ10 taken daily reduced muscle pain by 40 percent amongst statin users (4). How to Lower Your Cholesterol Safely Reduce your carb intake and avoid your sugar: Refined carbs and sugars are the cause of high triglyceride levels. If you remove them from your diet, your triglycerides come back to the normal range reducing your total cholesterol levels.Practice Intermittent Fasting (IF): IF triggers fat burning and lowering of cholesterol in addition to other health benefits.Eliminate trans-fat: Trans-fat increases your bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol. Eliminating foods such as fried foods, commercial baked goods, margarine, and shortening can help revert the condition.Increase fiber intake: Fibers, especially soluble fibers, help excrete cholesterol out of the body, thereby decreasing the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. In fact, 5-10 grams of fiber daily can reduce your total and LDL cholesterol levels by 5-10 points (5).Exercise regularly: Exercise can reduce blood sugar levels and therefore total triglyceride levels. Take omega-3 fatty acids: They reduce the LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels by inhibiting their synthesis in the liver (6). Conclusion CoQ10 and cholesterol have an inverse relationship. Intake of CoQ10 via food or supplement can help reduce cholesterol levels and prevent or lower the various side effects of statins such as muscle aches.
Asked 5 months ago
White Blood Cell Count: When and Why Is It High?
White blood cells form part of your body's immune system and help to fight infections, illnesses, and diseases. A high white blood cell count, also known as leukocytosis, is important to know as it can indicate that something is amiss in your body. Typically, adults should have a white blood cell (WBC) count of between 4,500 and 11,000 WBCs per microliter of blood. Anything higher than 11,000 WBCs per microliter of blood is considered too high and is a sign that something's wrong. White blood counts of 50,000 to 100,000 can indicate that you have a solid tumor, severe infection, or even organ rejection. What Causes a High White Blood Cell Count? A high white blood cell count occurs when the immune system is triggered to defend the body against immune system disorders, inflammation, viruses, injury, and infections. There could also be other reasons, such as allergies, obesity, smoking, burns, excessive emotional or physical stress, thyroid problems, and cavities. Tuberculosis and whooping cough can also contribute to a high WBC count. Less common causes include lymphoma, bone marrow disorders, and leukemia. How to Lower Your Elevated White Blood Cell Count To lower your high white blood cell count, you can take hydroxyurea, which is a capsule taken orally. It can help decrease an elevated WBC count, but it requires a doctor's prescription. You can also eat immune-boosting foods and add vitamin C to your daily diet to lower your white blood cell count. For immune support, consider supplementing your diet with berries, pineapples, papayas, guavas, and elderberry syrup. High White Blood Cell Count: Management Is Key Maintaining your white blood cell count is easier when you live a healthy lifestyle and follow a balanced diet. You can also opt for immune-boosting supplements to prevent infections and illness. These strategies can usually reduce the likelihood that you'll need to take prescription drugs.
Asked 6 months ago
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