Health
M
MELATONIN
Sleep Inducer
It's the same hormone your body produces when it's time for shut-eye. To send jet lag packing, take melatonin the first few evenings of an international trip.
Bonus: It can lower nighttime blood pressure.
Best dosage for men: 0.3 mg for sleeplessness, 3 mg for jet lag
Interactions: May increase the effects of Luvox and reduce the effects of Procardia XL and Coumadin.
N
NIACIN
Cholesterol Controller
At high doses, niacin, or vitamin B3, can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by 5 percent, cut triglycerides by 20 percent, and boost HDL (good) cholesterol by 15 percent. However, side effects include a dangerous rise in glucose levels in diabetics.
Best dosage for men: 20 mg for general health, 100 mg for high cholesterol (but consult your doctor first)
Natural sources: Lean meat, fish, whole grains
Interactions: May increase some of the side effects of statins and reduce the effects of diabetes medications.
NITRIC OXIDE
Muscle Pumper?
Nitric oxide (NO) supplements actually contain arginine, which is converted into NO in the body. NO is supposed to speed growth and recovery time. Sounds great until you consider the credible research-there isn't any.
O
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Problem Solver
Also sold as "fish oil," omega-3s are multitools-they can help fix it so that you have a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, depression, colon cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. A true must-take.
Best dosage for men: 200 mg docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and 300 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) daily, swallowed with food to avoid fish burp
Natural sources: Cold-water fish like salmon and tuna
P
POLICOSANOL
Blood Thinner
Why Castro still hasn't croaked: Cuban research indicates that people taking this sugarcane extract experienced a 27 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol and a 17 percent increase in HDL levels.
Best dosage for men: 10 mg twice a day
Interactions: May enhance the effects of blood thinners.
POTASSIUM
Pressure Reliever
Come up 1,000 mg short on potassium intake and you'll experince elevated blood pressure and muscle cramps.
Best dosage for men: Get it from your diet-supplements can build up in the body and damage the heart.
Natural sources: Almonds, bananas, spinach
PYRUVATE
Waist Trimmer
Those last tenacious 10 can't hold out against this antioxidant. In two trials, people taking pyruvate with a low-fat diet stepped up their weight loss.
Best dosage for men: 25 g daily
» Health archive
Men's Health Philippines - May 2005 Issue
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[Lycopene] Ripe Guard
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