Showing: 1 - 10 of 316 Articles

Can plant foods and their phytochemicals be used to reduce arterial plaque? | Masterjohn Q&A Files #315

Question: Can plant foods and their phytochemicals be used to reduce arterial plaque? Short Answer: Yes, but if you don’t have specific intolerances to plant compounds the best thing to do is simply aim to meet your vitamin and mineral targets from a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, rather than trying to use specific …

What to Do About Twitching | Masterjohn Q&A Files #314

Question: What can be done about twitching? Short Answer: Most twitching will be driven by glutamate/GABA balance or acetylcholine regulation, and the most likely nutritional issues are any of the electrolytes or any factor that influences energy metabolism. The best way to address it is to consider the conditions that influence it and then trial and error …

Vitamin K2 and Undercarboxylated Osteocalcin | Masterjohn Q&A Files #313

Question: If undercarboxylated osteocalcin has health benefits, and vitamin K2 decreases it, what does that mean for K2 supplementation? Short Answer: Vitamin K2 helps secure osteocalcin in bone matrix, where it is decarboxylated and released as an endocrine hormone in response to certain stimuli. When released, it acts to optimize insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, fuel use during …

Phosphatidylcholine and TMAO | Masterjohn Q&A Files #312

Question: If I’m at risk of heart disease and phosphatidylcholine increases my TMAO, should I stop the supplement? Short Answer: On a scale of one to ten, my concern about TMAO and cardiovascular disease is a three. There are thousands of things that should be given equal weight as potential contributors to heart disease, but TMAO gets …

Brain Fog on Calcium, Vitamin D, or K2 | Masterjohn Q&A Files #310

Question: Why would vitamin D, vitamin K2, and calcium give me brain fog? Short Answer: Most likely by decreasing serum phosphorus. The solution is to balance these nutrients with vitamin A and phosphorus. This episode was cut from the original Q&A session that you can find here. DISCLAIMER: I have a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and my expertise …

Why Plasma Zinc is the Best Marker of Zinc Status | Masterjohn Q&A Files #309

Short Answer: Plasma zinc is the single most important marker of zinc status. Urine zinc may decline faster in deficiency. Hair zinc increases with supplementation but does not decrease in deficiency. Plasma zinc is decreased by inflammation, oxidative stress, the ovulatory and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, probably pregnancy and oral contraceptive use, and …

Glutathione Intolerance: Getting to the Bottom of It | Masterjohn Q&A Files #308

Question: Why do many chronically ill people have an intolerance to glutathione, and what can be done at home to determine the cause? Short Answer: It could be byproducts of any of the three amino acids that make up the glutathione molecule, which include the individual amino acids, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, sulfite, and propionyl CoA, …

Statins Vs. Sulfur for Heart Disease | Masterjohn Q&A Files #307

Short Answer: From the trials, statins seem to reduce heart disease risk and total mortality, but it is impossible to separate this from conflicts of interest and industry funding. There are plausible mechanisms by which they may hurt mitochondrial function and promote soft tissue calcification. Dietary sulfur appears to lower cholesterol. While Lester Morrison showed 1500 …

Why would someone not tolerate methyl donors even if they need them? | Masterjohn Q&A Files #306

Short Answer: I believe most methyl donor intolerances are a result of deficiencies in the glycine buffer system, which requires glycine, vitamin A, fasting (glucagon), androgens, riboflavin, unmethylated folate (THF), and iron. No one should expect to tolerate 30 milligrams of folate, however, and there is almost never a reason to use doses that high.