Glyconutrients and Their Importance for the Health

The body needs many specific types of sugar and sugar-like substances to work properly. A group of these has been given the name glyconutrients. This term is not used in scientific textbooks. The term is an invention of a supplement company, Mannatech, but the substances included in this group all have specific roles in the human body that are described in scientific literature.

Glycose is the key glyconutrient. The body has the ability to make all the other glyconutrients from glycose, but there are claims that this production tend to be too slow, so that the body may get too little of them if they are not supplied through the diet. These claims are not yet definitely proven scientifically. However, many persons report health gains after having applied a supplement of glyconutrients.

Glucose is used as an energy source, and it is used to produce other important substances, for example the other glyconutrients. Glucose should be supplied in a manner that allows it to be absorbed evenly through the whole day. Such an even absorption is secured by eating food that will release glucose gradually during the digestive process. Such a food is said to have a low glycemic index. Examples of such food types are beans, peas, full corn cereals or bread, and to a less extend potatoes and sweet fruit in natural form. Many of these foods contain starch that will gradually be broken down to free glucose when digested.

Must people get enough glucose, but some popular law carbohydrate diets may cause a deficiency.

Many other glyconutrients are used as working tools in the body. The body can produce these from glucose, but the production may be so slow that one may get deficient if these substances are not supplied in the diet. These glyconutrients are: Mannose, xylose, fucose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid.

Glyconutrients work together as a group in many important bodily functions:

- They are tools used to regulate tissue growth, organ development, and organ maturation and to regulate repair and regrowth after injury and disease.

- They are used as tools by the nervous system and the sensorial organs, for example in the retina of the eyes.

- They are used as tools by the immune system, especially to regulate the functions within the immune system and by the recognition of foreign elements that shall be destroyed.

- They are important building blocks in intracellular structures, especially in cartilage, tendons and connective tissues. N-glucosamine is the most important structural glyconutrient.

- They help to hinder microorganisms to fasten themselves to body structures and thereby help the body to wash away bacteria, fungi or viruses. Mannose and xylose are the most important of the glyconutrients for this function.

Since all the glyconutrients tend to participate in many processes, lack of any of them will give problems of many kinds.

Lack of glyconutrients will make a person generally more susceptible for any disease, make it difficult to fight diseases and make it difficult to recuperate once the disease is over. A person lacking glyconutrinent will also more easily get physically hurt, and have difficulties of repairing the damage.

Glyconutrirnt deficiency is believed to cause or aggravate diseases like: Infections, rheumatic diseases, allergies and asthma, heart problems, stroke, failure to thrive and cancer.

A diet containing sufficient glyconutrients or supplements of glyconutrients may help to prevent or overcome the listed diseases. Enough supply of glyconutrient may also increase the general resistance against disease and the general wellbeing

A way of getting needed glyconutrients is to include vegetable and fruit in the daily diet and vary between different types. Good sources are: Aloe vera gel, ground fenugreek, black currant, red currants, gooseberries, green beans, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, turnips, shiitake mushrooms, and kelp. Also shark cartilage and bovine cartilage are good sources of gyconutrients, but these sources are perhaps best consumed as ingredients in special supplements.

On the market you can also find special supplements that furnish the body with gyconutrienst you may get too little of by the daily diet.

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Nutrition Supplements" article category.

People interested in the above article "Glyconutrients and Their Importance for the Health" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

 

Healthy Weight Control With Resveratrol

The top two famous fat loss diets involve the acai berry and Resveratrol, both directly causes weight loss. People who take Resvertitrol for weight loss say they simply feel full before they've finished their plate.

Health Benefits Of Resveratrol

If you are trying to become a more heath conscious person then you will want to consider adding Resveratrol to your daily regimen, it will provide you with many benefits to your health. Now everyone can be afforded those same benefits regardless of their thoughts of consuming large amounts of alcohol.

Acai Berry, The Jewel Of The Amazon

The acai berry has gained momentum as the number one superfood. Although the term "superfood" is over used among health food circles, the acai berry is well deserving of this title. It comes from a palm tree in Brazil that can reach heights of up to 60 feet high in the amazon rain forest. The clusters of berries are hand picked by locals who depend on the berry for economic support. It also aids in preserving the rainforest by warding off loggers and big business.

Daily Vitamin Supplements

Daily vitamin supplements are necessary for optimum health. Don't be fooled by low quality vitamins that don't even get absorbed into the body. See what pharmaceutical grade vitamins are and how to find them. Nutritional supplements are not created equal!

Taking Herbal Supplements

There is a reason why comfort foods like homemade soups and aromatic herbal dishes seem to have a healing effect on the body. It is because many of the fresh herbs and spices used to create these tantalizing dishes have tons of healing supplemental vitamins and nutrients packed into them. However, you don't have to be a chef de jour to take advantage of the healing power of herbs. Just go online to a health food store and order your favorite herbal supplement.

Are You Aware of the Fish Oil Side Effects and Their Solutions?

Of late, more and more people have come to know about the benefits of fish oil on their overall health. But, there are very few people who are curious to know about the side effects of fish oil. All the hype about the benefits of the fish oil and fish oil supplements have build up a favorable notion about the dietary supplements and hence, a few people discuss about its adverse effect on our health.

The Role of Fish Oil: Depression Can Take a Back Seat Now

Would you believe it? Fish oil actually fights depression and drives it away. Studies have shown that fish oil is very helpful for the brain. It provides the brain with the necessary fatty acids, the deficiency of which causes depression. It is not enough to have lots of fat in the body. You need to have the essential fatty acids which affect most of the functioning of the body. In fact, your body can do without most of the usual fat. This is harmful for the body and the cause of many fatal diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids, obtained from fish oil are the right kind of fats which fights depression and a host of other diseases as well.