Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Understanding Probiotics Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND If there’s one topic that is sure to confuse people it’s the topic of probiotics. Invite health has a powerful line up of probiotics. But how are they different? How do you know which one is right for …
L Lysine
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
L Lysine is an amino acid you may have heard of. When most people think of Lysine they usually think of cold sores. However Lysine is much more than “the cold sore supplement”. Before we talk about what Lysine is good for let’s do a quick review on exactly what it is. L Lysine or Lysine for short is considered to be an essential nutrient since it is vital to our health and yet our body can’t make it. More specifically it is an essential amino acid. Amino acids are the “building blocks” our body use to build different compounds. (15) That being said what exactly does Lysine do? Studies have found that having appropriate levels of Lysine in our diet can improve immune health. On the other hand studies have found that being deficient in Lysine can increase pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreases the anti-inflammatory cytokines. In other words if you are low in Lysine it can lead to a pro-inflammatory state. (1)
Studies have found that Lysine is important when controlling different viral infections. (2) Other studies have found that Lysine can help to decrease the healing time of lesions associated with viral infections such as herpes. (3) When Lysine is used in a combination with other amino acids it has been found to be antiviral and help with influenza A virus. (4) Additionally Lysine has been found to help with viral infections such as adenovirus, cytomegalovirus and even measles. (5)
While the immune boosting benefits of Lysine are impressive I want to review a few of the lesser known benefits of Lysine. Studies have found that Lysine can help to decrease stress and anxiety especially for those who are experiencing very high stress levels. In fact after 3 months Lysine was found to help decrease cortisol levels in women. (6) In one study supplementation with Lysine and arginine decreased anxiety and cortisol levels after only 1 week. (7) While more research is defiantly called for studies show that Lysine may work with medication to help improve symptoms of schizophrenia. (8)
Lysine has also been found to help with our bone health. In a 2018 study Lysine was found to increase the bioavailability of calcium in those with osteopenia. (9) Another study from 2022 found that certain amino acids, including Lysine have a positive effect on bone health. (10) Now as we all know calcium is just one part of our bones. The other part of the equation is collagen. Lysine has been found to help build up our collagen levels. (11) Collagen is a vital part of our bones, joints and also our hair, skin and nails. In fact a 2023 study found using a Lysine cream was helpful in healing diabetic foot ulcers. (12) Other studies have found that having inadequate amounts of Lysine can impair would healing. (13)
While these are certainly the most well studies benefits there are other potential benefits such as for eye health. In fact in a 2022 study Lysine was found to help alleviate the symptoms of dry eye. Studies have also found that Lysine can help to regulate blood sugar and even help with normalizing blood pressure. (14)
As you can see Lysine has many benefits! To determine if Lysine is good for your goals Invite nutritionists are always here to help! Our next top is going to be The Flu!
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Renalaid for Going Beyond Bladder Health Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Today’s product highlight probably seems out of place in a conversation mostly about respiratory health. However the health of our respiratory tract is inherently linked to another system. That is our immune system. Keeping …
The Common Cold! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Today we will be talking about something everyone knows about and that topic is the common cold! Having a cold is probably one thing that both children and adults understand. But what cause’s a cold? Well when …
The Wonders of Black Seed
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I am very excited to start this conversation on black seed. Black Seed is an amazing nutrient for our respiratory system. Invite health has a unique formula which includes Black Seed, Cordyceps and Rosemary Extract. Each of these nutrients are helpful in promoting respiratory health. Let’s go through each component of Black Seed, shall we?
Let’s start with Black Seed. What exactly is black seed? Well black seed is also known as black cumin, Nigella or Nigella Sativa. It is a flowering plant that can be used for its medicinal properties. (1) Black Seed has been found to contain antioxidant qualities. (2) In 2011 a study found that using Black Seed for approximately 2 weeks reduced nasal symptoms such as nasal congestion, itchy nose, runny nose and even sneezing. (3) A more recent study in 2018 found that Black Seed can even help to reduce the symptoms of sinusitis. This study found that Black Seed can help to reduce histamine (the bad guy when it comes to a lot of allergy symptoms). Black Seed has also been found to be antimicrobial which means it can also help protect our respiratory tract form pathogens or bad guys). (4) Studies have also found that Black Seed may be helpful in lowering inflammation and can help increase asthma control. (5) Studies have found that the anti-inflammatory and anti- allergic effects of Black Seed can help reduce the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. (6) Other studies have found Black Seed to be an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis. (7) Black Seed has also been found to help with lung function in those with COPD. (8) Studies have found that Black Seed can help with allergies, obstructive lung disease and other types of respiratory disease. (9)
Moving on from black seed the next item is Rosemary. Rosemary is much more than just a yummy spice to put on chicken. Studies have found that Rosemary can help to protect against lung fibrosis. (10) Studies have also found that Rosemary can help with treatment resistant asthma. (11) Studies have found that Rosemary has potential to be protective against viral infections such as COVID-19. (12) Rosemary has also been found to help reduce the symptoms of COPD. (13) According to WEBMD Rosemary has been found to be very powerfully antibacterial, antiviral and even antifungal. Thus Rosemary is able to help our body to fight off infections. (14) Overall Rosemary is an amazing part of Invite’s Black Seed formula.
The last nutrient that is in the Black Seed formula is Cordyceps. If you are wondering what exactly is Cordyceps don’t worry! I’ll be getting into that right now. Cordyceps are a type of medicinal fungus or in other words it is a type of mushroom. It grows on worms rather than on trees which is what you might have been expecting! (15) Studies have found that Cordyceps can help with our overall lung health and can even help with conditions such as lung fibrosis. (16) Other studies have found that using Cordyceps can also help with reducing the symptoms of COPD. (17) Studies have found that Cordyceps can help with fighting pathogens since it has been found to be antiviral and can even help boost our immune system. (18)
Overall Invite health really has a winner with its Black Seed formula. The nutrients found in Black Seed have all been found to help with so many different aspects of the respiratory tract. In addition to helping with our respiratory tract the ingredients in Black Seed have been studies to help with other aspects of our health. Now I know a lot of people are probably thinking but why can’t I just eat mushrooms or sprinkle some Rosemary on my food? It’s all about the therapeutic dose. While it’s fine to have a few mushrooms sautéed and added to our food unfortunately it’s not enough to get the full benefits of them. The same is true for the Black Seed and Rosemary. Adding in Invite’s Black Seed with Rosemary and Cordyceps formula is an amazing way to ensure you get a therapeutic dose and truly benefit from these nutrients.
Our next blog will be something that will be approaching us soon! And that is Seasonal allergies!
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