If you buy cheap green tea extract pills, you might get saw-dust or a toxic contaminant. If you don’t read the label carefully, you might not get many antioxidants, at all. You could get other ingredients that are bad for your health. Here’s how to find a good supplement.

On the label, you should see the percentage of catechins an polyphenols that are in the extract. For example, the label might say 100mg or extract, 98% polyphenols, 80% catechins. The source of the supplement should be the camellia sinensis plant. Other than herbal teas, all teas come from this plant. To make the black varieties the leaves are oxidized. Oxidation changes the flavor and also greatly reduces the catechin content.

The supplement should not contain additional amounts of caffeine. Many of the green tea extract pills that are sold as weight loss, diet aids or fat burners contain lots of additional caffeine. If you don’t drink any caffeinated beverages, that might be okay. But, if you do, you need to count up the total caffeine that you are consuming every day. If the supplement will put you over 500mg, don’t take it.

Moderate caffeine intake is good for you, according to recent studies. But at amounts approaching or exceeding 500mg per day, it causes caffeinism. Symptoms are anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, and frequent urination.

If there are other ingredients in the product, you should do a little research and find out what those ingredients are good for. Are there any side effects? Do they interact with any medication that I am taking? Catechins are not known to cause any unwanted side effects, but one of them binds with an important cancer drug, rendering it therapeutically useless. If you are taking Velcade, don’t take green tea extract pills.

Figuring out whether or not a supplement contains what it says it does and nothing else is a little more difficult. Most of the raw ingredients for these products come from China. Not all Chinese manufacturers are bad, but only about 2% are good. Finding out how a supplement company selects its raw ingredients can be difficult. If they have a website, start there.

An extremely low price is a dead give-away. Either the capsule is nothing but sawdust or the retailer decided to buy from one of the “bad” sources. But, even high quality green tea extract pills are not the best thing that you can do for your health.

If you are like most people, you have a busy life. By the time that you finish working and taking care of all of your other responsibilities, you barely have time to eat. What you choose to eat is probably a convenience food. Even the healthy looking ones are not good sources of nutrients. Taking a good multi-nutritional supplement will make a huge difference in how you feel and maybe how you look. The best ones include essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids, as well as a variety of plant extracts. These supplements are a far better value for your money than green tea extract pills. Think about it, before you buy.

Valerie Rosenbaum has spent years researching the claims of anti aging supplement products and skin care products to find out which ingredients and products are most effective at slowing or even reversing the aging process. If you are interested in restoring your youthful vigor and appearance then visit her website http://www.NaturalBalanceSupplements.com to learn more.

Thinking about buying green tea tablets? There are better things to spend your money on. Supplementing your nutritional intake is definitely a wise choice and multi-nutritional supplements are an excellent investment, but the value of single-ingredient supplements is questionable at best.

There are at least 70 different ingredients that are invaluable when it comes to preventing chronic and life-threatening illnesses. It would be impossible for me to choose a single one. If I could only take one supplement every day, it would probably be omega-3 fish oils, because I don’t care for fish and I have seen in my own life the value of supplementation. But, luckily, I don’t have to choose just one.

If the studies are correct, green tea tablets (due to the catechins and gallic acid it contains) may reduce your risk of heart disease, arthritis, type II diabetes and cancer. It may help prevent obesity and balance cholesterol levels. For all of these, there are many other beneficial nutrients, including fish oil. Let’s look at turmeric for example.

The active compound in turmeric is called curcumin. Research indicates that it helps prevent heart failure, too, but it can also repair damage that has already been done. It can “turn off” bio-chemicals that cause the heart to become scarred and enlarged.

Curcumin has anti-inflammatory activity similar to that of green tea tablets. So, it is beneficial for preventing and relieving arthritis. Research indicates that curcumin pay prevent type II diabetes, by protecting pancreatic cells from bio-chemicals that would destroy their function. It has also been shown to prevent abnormalities in the kidneys that are associated with diabetes.

Nearly 1000 studies have been published concerning the value of curcumin and piperine (a compound found in black pepper) for preventing and treating cancer. It has been shown to prevent obesity in mice. It has been shown to lower cholesterol levels in human beings.

So, all of the benefits of green tea tablets are also provided by curcumin. But, curcumin does two things that catechins and gallic acid cannot do.

There are many serious diseases in the world that defy treatment. One of the saddest and most life-threatening is Alzheimer’s. Today, the average patient lives only ten years after diagnosis. It is a degenerative brain disease. The cells of the brain are killed by amyloid-beta plaques. Curcumin has been shown in laboratory and animal studies to inhibit amyloid-beta production. It is currently being studies as a treatment for Alzheimer’s. There is limited evidence that green tea tablets may be beneficial in Alzheimer’s, but they are not anti-amyloids.

The other beneficial role played by turmeric has to do with heavy metal accumulation. Throughout our lives, we are exposed to tiny amounts of heavy metals. They build up in the liver, brain and other bodily organs causing chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure and liver failure. The most common of the heavy metals are lead and mercury. Lead is present in soil, water and air. Mercury is present in most of the fish that we eat.

The compounds found in turmeric have chelating activity. They break down heavy metals, which are then removed from the body, without having any further effect on it.

I believe that choosing to take an excellent multi-nutritional supplement was the best choice I ever made. I feel better and look younger, too. Why waste your money on green tea tablets, when you could do so much more?

Valerie Rosenbaum has made it her mission to provide the public with information supporting the use of natural and clinically tested ingredients in their anti aging supplements. The best nutritional supplements will include a full complement of over 70 bio-active ingredients to create a healthy balance of nutrients and antioxidants within the body. If you want to look and feel younger then visit http://www.NaturalBalanceSupplements.com to learn more.

The benefits of green tea seem somewhat unbelievable. It seems that antioxidants in these “magic leaves” reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, obesity and type II diabetes. If you do a little research, you will see that these things are not that unusual.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you have probably heard healthcare professionals telling us to eat more fruits, vegetables and other plant foods. They may not be specific about it, but the reason for this is the nutrient content, in particular the antioxidant content of these kinds of foods.

The compounds responsible for the vivid colors seen in fresh fruits and vegetables are antioxidants. They are the plant’s natural protection against disease, oxidation and UV radiation from the sun. The longevity of some plants is amazing. Their ability to survive natural and man-made disasters is incredible. There are olive and ginkgo biloba trees that are thousands of years old. There are four gingko trees in Hiroshima that survived the 1945 atomic bombing. They are alive and well, today.

The benefits of green tea are due to the antioxidants found in its leaves. They include gallic acid and catechins. There are a number of different antioxidants in olive and gingko leaves. In grape seed we find proanthocyanidins. In bilberry, there are anthocyanins. In turmeric, there is curcumin. The list goes on and on. All of these antioxidants are beneficial to human health, just as they are to the plants.

Cooking fruits and vegetables reduces their antioxidant content, except in the case of tomatoes. One of the antioxidants in the tomato is lycopene. The lycopene content becomes higher and more concentrated when tomatoes are cooked. But, as far as we know, that does not occur with other fruits or vegetables.

Because of the processing used to prepare the leaves, the benefits of green tea drinking are difficult to define. Seeping the leaves in water extracts some of the antioxidants, but it is difficult to say how much. It is known that the caffeine content varies from 10-80mg. We can only assume that the variance of the catechin content is similar. You might get a little. You might get a lot.

In order to be sure that you are getting the benefits of green tea, a standardized extract is your best choice. If you enjoy drinking the beverage, go ahead. It’s good for you in other ways. The warm water supports digestive function and contributes to good hydration. The caffeine may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s. The standardized extracts contain very little caffeine.

The best multi-nutritional supplements contain an extract that provide 80mg of catechins, per 100mg of the extract. Other products only provide 25mg/100. It’s important to compare supplements carefully before you buy them. Learn about the manufacturers and the steps they take to protect you from contaminants. This is important, because the raw ingredients typically come from China. Only about 2% of Chinese manufacturers have high standards.

Research concerning the benefits of green tea is currently on-going. We may know even more, tomorrow.

Valerie Rosenbaum has spent years researching the claims of anti aging supplements and skin care products to find out which ingredients and products are most effective at slowing or even reversing the aging process. If you are interested in restoring your youthful vigor and appearance then visit her website http://www.NaturalBalanceSupplements.com to learn more.

There have been many interesting studies concerning ginko biloba and green tea. These and other herbal supplements are widely used, because they are available for purchase over the counter, regulated as dietary supplements, rather than drugs. What concerns many researchers is this:

There are compounds within the herbs that have medicinal activity. They could interact with prescription medications, causing toxicity or unwanted side effects. They could also decrease or increase bioavailability.

The bioavailability of a drug, herb, nutrient or other compound has to do with the body’s ability to absorb it through the intestinal tract. Many factors combine to determine bioavailability, including the effect that stomach acid has on the compound, the size of its molecular structure and the inclusion of other compounds that help the body to absorb them.

A recent study concerning ginko biloba and green tea showed that they increase the bioavailability of certain drugs, which would mean that a person taking that drug would need a lower dose. For anyone that is wary of talking to your doctor about the herbal or other dietary supplements that you take, this is another good reason to discuss it.

Herbs react with drugs in different ways. There is at least one drug, a cancer drug, which is rendered inactive and therapeutically useless by the catechins found in green tea.

The interactions between drugs and herbs have not been completely studied. There are hundreds of possible interactions. The interaction could be beneficial or negative. If you are currently under a doctor’s treatment, be sure to list the herbal remedies and dietary supplements that you take along side any medications that you are currently taking.

If you are a relatively healthy individual, the benefits of ginko biloba and green tea are to your brain, your heart and your long-term health. The supplements combine to improve alertness and the ability to concentrate. Gingko increases the amount of oxygen that is present in brain cells. Both of the herbs improve circulation and have antioxidant activity.

Antioxidants are nutrients that protect our body from reactive molecules commonly referred to as free radicals. There are lots of different radicals in our bodies. They are byproducts of many cellular processes. Some antioxidants act as reducing agents to convert them to innate substances, like water. Others stimulate the production of antioxidants within cellular DNA.

Those antioxidants protect the DNA strands from mutation and damage that can lead to cancer. The antioxidants in ginko biloba and green tea are relatively weak. They are simply reducing agents like vitamin C. Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant. It is one of the few that are known to stimulate the production of antioxidants within the cell.

Health experts disagree on many issues. But, there are two subjects that they agree upon. Discuss your health supplements with your doctor and increase your daily antioxidant intake, either by eating more antioxidant-rich foods or by taking a well-designed health supplement. Some of the best supplements contain ginko biloba and green tea, along with dozens of other nutrients that protect our current and long-term health.

Valerie Rosenbaum has made it her mission to provide the public with information supporting the use of natural and clinically tested ingredients in their anti aging supplement and nutritional health products. It is also critical that these natural supplements include ginko biloba and green tea to create a healthy balance of nutrients and antioxidants within the body

She has spent years researching the role of the environment in the deterioration and aging of the body. She has written extensively on the way many chemicals used in supplements may do more harm than good

Through this research, she has found one company that she feels produces the best skin care product line and natural anti-aging supplements anywhere on the market today. The company works closely with scientists to produce the most effective products available anywhere. For more information visit NaturalBalanceSupplements.com

Herbal nutrition supplement anti-aging health benefits - is it possible that an anti-aging herbal nutrition supplement can slow the aging process? Absolutely! Numerous clinical studies have shown and are still discovering the wide-ranging health benefits of many herbs and nutrients.

A healthy lifestyle includes having a sensible diet with nutritional supplements, adequate quality sleep, reasonable exercise and weight management. And slowing down the aging process includes providing your body all the nutrients it requires. Taking a high-quality, broad-spectrum vitamin/mineral/nutrition supplement helps fill in the dietary gaps that everyone will have.

Vitamins and minerals are only the beginning. Your body needs and will use a wide array of herbal nutrition supplement nutrients that have been proven to have specific health benefits. Here are examples:

1. Bilberry Extract - improves eye health and night vision. Clinical tests confirm that the herbal nutrition supplement bilberry is effective in treating eye diseases such as cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma and myopia.

2. Cranberry Extract - used for prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections and type 2 diabetes.

3. Ginger Extract - may be beneficial for irritable bowel syndrome, morning sickness, nausea, osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis, gastro intestinal disorders, hay fever, HIV support, low back pain, migraines and rheumatoid arthritis.

4. Gingko Biloba Extract - this herbal nutrition supplement promotes mental clarity and concentration, increases alertness and short-term memory and is used in cardiac protection formulas. It offers significant protection against the development of Alzheimer’s disease, hearing loss and strokes.

5. Green Tea Extract - may be helpful in improving cognitive performance, treating stomach disorders, vomiting, diarrhea and headaches. Green tea may be beneficial in reducing the risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and gastric cancer. May be beneficial to maintain remission in persons with Crohn’s disease, to prevent Parkinson’s disease and help protect against heart disease, dental caries and kidney stones.

6. Guggulipid Extract - is used for arthritis, lowering high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, nodulocystic acne, skin diseases and weight loss.

7. Hawthorne Berry Extract - used for cardiovascular conditions such as congestive heart failure and coronary circulation problems and to treat both low and high blood pressure.

8. Mahonia Grape Extract - this herbal nutrition supplement is used to treat acne, chronic constipation, colds, flu, eczema, gallbladder conditions, dysentery, malaria, parasites, psoriasis and urinary tract infections.

9. Olive Leaf Extract - used for fungus and yeast infections, frequent colds, asthma, vaginal yeast infections, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, bacterial infections, herpes, AIDS, chronic fatigue, flu and colds.

10. Tumeric Extract - may be beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, atherosclerosis, bursitis, genital herpes, hepatitis, HIV support, low back pain and osteoarthritis.

Should you take each herbal nutrition supplement individually? When trying to design your own supplement plan, it’s easy to end up with a dozen or more individual supplements to take daily, which is both a hassle and expensive. Besides, if certain substances are out of balance, they can combine to produce other unwanted compounds that can be harmful.

Also, women need a different formula than men. A woman’s herbal nutrition supplement product should contain nutrients proven by clinical studies to support the balancing of female hormones. For example, red clover is used for menopausal symptoms, hot flashes and cyclic breast tenderness. A men’s product should contain ingredients that support healthy male prostate like saw palmetto that is used for symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), improving sexual vigor and stimulating hair growth.

Learn as much as you can about what finding the best herbal nutrition supplement really means. Your health, energy and wellness is the issue. Before spending your money, be informed about the products you’ll be taking every day.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

About the Author: Read more about the best vitamins and supplements at http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/resources.html - David Buster is VP of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com - a website of natural health articles, reliable sources of nutritional supplements and related health resources.

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