[...]... synthesis and decrease the rate of protein breakdown, leading to an increase in growth rate Androgens develop and maintain male secondary sex characteristics, such as genitalia, enlarged larynx, hair growth, and muscular development Testosterone maintains the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and sperm production of the testes The inner region of the adrenal gland, the medulla, is a major source of. .. disease of the brain and the leading cause of SENILITY in the United States About 4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, roughly 10 percent of the U.S population over the age of 65 and nearly half of the population over 85 The disease can also strike younger adults (a small percentage of people in their 30s and 40s have Alzheimer’s) On average, a person lives between eight and 20 years after the. .. (ACTH) A polypeptide HORMONE produced by the anterior lobe of the PITUITARY GLAND and secreted to activate and sustain the ADRENAL GLANDS ACTH release from the pituitary gland is regulated by the HYPOTHALAMUS via a hormone, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRH) ACTH triggers the production of all steroid hormones of the adrenal gland, where it stimulates the conversion of CHOLESTEROL to steroid hormone precursors... promote HIV replication and decrease immunity Antioxidant nutrients may lower the risk of cancer in the general population, and the same may be true for HIV-infected patients BETACAROTENE and carotenoids may lower the risk of many cancers, including those of the lung, bladder, stomach, esophagus, and prostate Beta-carotene can increase the numbers of T-helper cells Significantly, the standard American diet... helps protect against viral and bacterial infections, and may decrease the risk of stomach, esophageal, and cervical cancer It increases blood antibody levels and supports the function of the THYMUS GLAND and lymphocytes Furthermore, vitamin C supports healthy connective tissue and assists in wound healing FLAVONOIDS are associated with vitamin C in plants and enhance vitamin C therapy Many flavonoids function... questions of your health care providers and become better informed about your specific conditions or health objectives—whether your concern is on lowering cholesterol levels, managing hypertension, preserving bone density, losing weight, boosting immunity, or combating the effects of environmental pollutants Consider The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health your nutrition translator and stepping-stone... pathway to wellness Yours in health, Robert A Ronzio, Ph.D., C.N.S., F.A.I.C Houston, Texas A absorption Generally, the passage of liquids into solid materials and of gases into liquids and solids In terms of nutrition, absorption refers to the passage of substances into body fluids and tissues Digestion is only the first step in the assimilation of nutrients This chemical breakdown of food particles releases... independently of the cortex (outer layer) The medulla synthesizes a family of hormones (CATECHOLAMINES) that are derived from TYROSINE: EPINEPHRINE (adrenaline) and norepinephrine Epinephrine is released when a threatening situation is perceived The medulla increases the heart rate and the rate of breathing, constricts blood vessels, and relaxes bronchioles (the small air passageways of the lungs) It... term for the simple alcohol ETHANOL, the product of FERMENTATION As a constituent of alcoholic beverages, ethanol is the most common, and longest used, sedative To produce alcohol, special strains of yeast are incubated with CARBOHYDRATES of FRUIT juices and GRAINS together with other nutrients Under ANAEROBIC conditions (in the absence of oxygen), these microorganisms ferment sugar to ethanol and CARBON... react to foods as though they were foreign invaders In contrast, other types of FOOD SENSITIVITY such as LACTOSE INTOLERANCE do not depend on antibody reactions, nor do they involve other aspects of the immune system Allergy patterns may change during a lifetime; old sensitivities may vanish, and new ones may appear according to the health of the immune system and to the amount of allergen exposure Introducing . laboratory practice, and as a biomedical researcher and pro- fessor. Why a second edition of The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health? The dramatic growth of nutrition. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NUTRITION AND GOOD HEALTH Second Edition Robert Ronzio, Ph.D., C.N.S., F.A.I.C. Kennedy Associates The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and