The term osteoporosis refers to the unfortunately very common condition by which bones become de-mineralised and reduced in strength. Also sometimes known as "brittle bones", it is particularly common in the elderly population and a well established cont...

Most people are now familiar with the idea that vitamin C may help protect against and mitigate the symptoms of the common cold, although this theory is by no means universally accepted by orthodox medical opinion. But there's now evidence that supplemen...

Vanadium is a curious trace element and somewhat difficult to write about. It is a little known trace mineral which seems to be required by the body in relatively tiny amounts, and it is not even clear that it is absolutely necessary at all. But there i...

The trace mineral iodine is well known for its crucial role in enabling the body's manufacture of vital thyroid hormones, but it is also important for the health of the immune system and for optimal brain function. It is widely believed by many authoriti...

In common with choline, inositol is often regarded as a member of the B-complex of vitamins, although this is not strictly accurate. Both choline and inositol, however, work in similar fashion to the B vitamins. Inositol is vital for the health of cell...

Potassium is one of the most important minerals for human health, playing an essential role in maintaining the correct electro-chemical balance in cells and the proper functioning of cell membranes. This role makes potassium vital for muscle contraction ...

Iron is probably the best known of all the essential minerals found in the human body; and this is not surprising since it is vital for the formation of hundreds of the proteins and enzymes on which health depends. But iron deficiency is nevertheless one...

The human body contains more copper than any other mineral, except iron and zinc, and has been known to be essential for both human and animal health since the earliest days of Western medicine. Yet even now the full range of copper's many functions is b...

Para-aminobenzoic acid, or PABA, is a relatively little known, but nevertheless important nutrient; commonly, though not strictly accurately, classified as one of the B-complex vitamins. The confusion is perhaps understandable because PABA plays an impor...

Although dietary zinc has been known since the 1960s to play an important role in human health, it was not until as recently as 1990 that its role as an important ant-oxidant was identified. Perhaps not surprisingly, early attention focussed on zinc's ro...

The role of myrrh in the traditional Christmas story is well known, but the many benefits of this powerful herbal compound perhaps less so. Yet myrrh is far from being just an expensive gift of Kings in a long ago time. It has been used for several thou...

Cat's claw, known as una de gato in Spanish, is a herb derived from a vine-type plant which grows widely in the countries of Central and South America, and is particularly common in the Amazon rainforests and Peru. So vast and botanically rich are the wi...

There's now good evidence that it's not just in fruits and vegetables that health promoting anti-oxidant flavonoids are to be found. These powerful compounds have also been identified in tea, particularly green tea, red wine, beer and even chocolate. So...

Flavonoids are highly beneficial anti-oxidant compounds found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as tea, red wine and even beer, and it's now well established that a plentiful intake of anti-oxidants through foods, drinks and supplements is vital for ...

Whilst increasing attention is now rightly being paid to the health benefits of white and green teas, the virtues of the much more familiar, and still much more common, black tea, should not be neglected. All three are products of the camellia sinensis p...