Vitamin B complex actually refers to a selection of nutrients with some very similar properties, but they are separate nutrients, although most of them work in synergy. B-Complex vitamins are a mixture of eight essential B-vitamins that our bodies require on a daily basis. It was previously thought that Vitamin B was a single nutrient, but later studies proved that it was actually eight different nutrients that made up this “single” vitamin. Vitamin b complex is available in pills, powders, liquids and injectables. The vitamin B-complex refers to all of the known essential water-soluble vitamins except for vitamin C. These include thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin, folic acid and the cobalamins (vitamin B12). “Vitamin B” was once thought to be a single nutrient that existed in extracts of rice, liver, or yeast. The B-complex vitamins work independently of each other, although several do play roles in the same functions. However, no one health function requires the properties of every B vitamin.

Vitamin B comes from a number of natural sources, including potatoes, bananas, lentils, chilli peppers, tempeh, liver oil, liver, turkey, and tuna. Nutritional yeast (or brewer’s yeast) and molasses are especially good sources of Vitamin B. Vitamin B5 helps reduce stress and manage stress hormones. Various B-complex vita
mins assist in cellular energy production, by forming adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cells’ energy source. B vitamins are easily flushed out of the body, and people on weight-loss diets, alcoholics or those who take antibiotics or seizure drugs are even more inclined to have vitamin B deficiency. B3 - Niacin is an effective aid for lowering cholesterol, as well as to promote healthy skin. B6 - Pyridoxine is needed for almost every function in the body, working as a coenzyme for numerous enzymes. Folic acid - Essential during pregnancy to protect against birth defects; stabilizes homocysteine levels.

Vitamin B complex supplement are highly popular and for good reason - many people who are feeling tired, lacking in energy feel the benefit of this type of supplement. Most multivitamin-mineral products contain the B-complex along with the rest of the essential vitamins and minerals. B1, known as thiamine. Vitamin B-complex includes several different components, each of which has the potential to interact with drugs. The B vitamins work together to boost metabolism, enhance the immune system and nervous system, keep the skin and muscles healthy, encourage cell growth and division, and other benefits to your body. The B vitamins work together to boost metabolism, enhance the immune system and nervous system, keep the skin and muscles healthy, encourage cell growth and division, and other benefits to your body.

Anti-oxidant enzymes are the body’s first line of defence in the battle against the premature ageing effects of free radicals.

Free radicals are a normal and natural by-product of the energy producing biochemical reactions in the mitochondria of each and every cell in the body.  Like other waste products, however, free radicals can cause problems if they’re produced in excessive quantities which cannot be safely disposed of.  In the case of excessive free radicals, the problems caused are damage to the very cells and molecules of the body; damage which spreads rapidly through chain reactions as the damaged cells and molecules themselves become free radicals.  Left unchecked, these chain reactions can accelerate the process of ageing within the body and even contribute to the development of the characteristic diseases of degeneration - heart and circulatory problems, age-related cognitive and visual impairment, and even cancer. 

The so-called superoxide free radicals are a particularly pernicious example and are released upon the metabolism of oxygen within cells, literally with breath we take  Superoxide free radicals react with other by-products of energy production to form hydroxyl, the most damaging free radical of all, and to attack the mitochondria of the cells themselves.

Since it is the mitochondria which ultimately produce the energy for all the body’s vital reactions, mitochondrial damage due to free radicals can only mean the production of less and less energy and the gradual deterioration and degeneration of the entire organism.  It has even been argued that the rate of mitochondrial damage is the key to the rate of ageing itself.   

The antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione, are the body’s first line of defence against superoxide free radicals and work in a closely complementary fashion.  It is dismutase that first breaks down the superoxide free radicals into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, but catalase is then required to break down that hydrogen peroxide into plain oxygen and water.  Further free radical attack would otherwise turn the hydrogen peroxide into the dreaded hydroxyl which once formed cannot be neutralised by any enzyme.   

So far, so good, but the problem is that catalase is water and not fat soluble and is therefore ineffective at protecting those vital parts of the cell, such as the membranes, which are actually formed of fat.  For this the body also needs glutathione to soak up and neutralise any rogue hydrogen peroxide molecules in these areas.  Glutathione also acts directly against any free radicals attacking the fatty membranes themselves.

Each of these enzymes is formed by the body from the amino acids in the proteins in your diet and each is needed for the others to function correctly.  This holistic functioning of the body is also reflected in the dietary requirements for the successful production of the enzymes.  As well as a good supply of first-class protein, ie that containing each of the eight essential amino acids, a wide variety of vitamins and minerals are required to allow optimal levels of enzyme manufacture. 

In particular, vitamin C and those of the B complex, together with trace minerals such as manganese, zinc, copper, sulphur and selenium appear particularly important.  But it can never be stressed too strongly that the body functions holistically and a deficiency or malfunction of any one of its myriad of incredibly complex and interdependent systems is almost invariably part of a more general malaise.

Damage to cells once done appears to be irreversible.  That’s why although there may be ways to slow down the ageing process, nobody’s yet figured out how to reverse it.  By the time you see the visible evidence of nutritional deficiencies it’s probably already too late. 

So in seeking to ensure an adequate supply of anti-oxidant enzymes, the only sensible policy to pursue is to ensure that the diet is rich in all essential nutrients. 

Unfortunately that’s easier said than done in our “advanced” Western civilisation of these days.  Intensive over exploitation of farm soils, the modern prevalence of highly refined grains, and the treatment of fruits and vegetables with preservatives, dyes, pesticides and even radiation is a proven disaster for vitamin and mineral retention in food.

This does not for a moment mean that it’s not worth trying to eat a diet rich in anti-oxidants – that’s to say a diet which includes lavish servings of fresh fruit and vegetables.  But it does mean that a regime of sensible anti-oxidant supplements may be a wise precaution, and its one increasingly adopted by many well informed individuals, including physicians, as a sensible and cost effective form of health insurance.

Fail to ensure that your diet is adequate in anti-oxidants and you’re asking for your body to be attacked by free radicals.  And the potential severity of this attack should not be underestimated, because free radicals are strongly implicated in the ageing and degeneration of our cells and therefore of our bodies as a whole.

If you’re at all interested in diet and nutrition you’ve probably heard of free radicals and gathered that they’re regarded as highly damaging.  You may also be aware of research suggesting that so-called “anti-oxidant” foods (sometimes referred to as “superfoods”) and supplements may play a useful role in counteracting the effects of these free radicals.

But what exactly are free radicals and anti-oxidants, and how do they do what they do within the body?

To provide a detailed explanation would probably require a PhD in molecular biochemistry, but the basics appear to be as follows.  

Every cell in the body is comprised of molecules, which are in turn comprised of atoms.  Each atom is made up of a nucleus surrounded by layers of electrons and it is the electrons in the outermost layer which form stable molecules by bonding with the electrons of other atoms.  Free radicals are formed, however, when normal metabolic reactions within cells sometimes leave some of these electrons unbonded and their molecules thereby destabilised. 

This is a perfectly normal and natural process, and free radicals may even serve a useful purpose in helping the body’s immune system to counteract threats such as viruses and bacteria.  Normally the body can in any case handle free radicals, but problems can arise if they’re produced in excessive quantities or if insufficient anti-oxidants are present.  If left unchecked, free radicals multiply themselves through chain reactions which can rapidly lead to cellular damage and ultimately even disease.

The importance of anti-oxidants is that they seem to counteract the effects of free radicals by using their own electrons to bond with and stabilise them.

The problem for us in the twenty-first century is that our environment seems as  though it might have been expressly designed to encourage our bodies to produce free radicals.
  Modern pollutants such as industrial emissions, car exhausts, pesticides, herbicides, dyes and all kinds of everyday household chemicals expose us to ever greater quantities of toxins.  An unwelcome by product of its increasingly desperate struggle to detoxify the body is that the liver produces enormous numbers of free radicals.

And all of this is happening just when our diets have never been more deficient in the anti-oxidant nutrients which are most vital for the manufacture of the free radical destroying anti-oxidant enzymes.  Most important of all these nutrients are vitamin C, mostly found in fresh fruits and vegetables; and Vitamin E, principally found in whole grains, nuts and certain natural oils.  But the modern prevalence of highly refined grains, and the treatment of fruits and vegetables with preservatives, dyes, pesticides and even radiation is a proven disaster for the retention of these vitamins in their natural food sources. 

Despite this, many physicians nevertheless continue to insist that a balanced and varied diet including all the main food groups should generally provide adequate nourishment, including anti-oxidants.  And in a sense of course they’re right.  In an ideal world if everybody ate three well balanced meals a day, including an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, there might indeed be no need for supplementation.   But of course, very few of us do eat like that these days.

It’s been reported for example that some 25% of all Americans obtain only around 40mg of Vitamin C from their daily food intake – and that’s only 2/3rds of a recommended amount which many authorities regard as in any case far too low.  Likewise, the principal food sources of vitamin E make it very difficult indeed to obtain an adequate supply from food alone. 

Although the body functions holistically, and needs an adequate supply of a full range of vitamins and minerals if it’s to produce a good supply of anti-oxidants, any deficiency in vitamins C or E is particularly serious.  Numerous studies have credited both these vitamins with excellent protective effects against the characteristic degenerative diseases associated with excessive free radical activity – including diseases of the heart and circulatory system, age-related cognitive and visual impairment, and even cancer. 

Not surprisingly, then, many well informed individuals, including many physicians, take the view that supplementation of their diets with these vital nutrients is a highly sensible precaution.

Cytomel detailed information
Cytomel is not an anabolic/androgenic steroid but a thyroid hor-mone. Cytomel is the popularly recognized brand name for the drug liothyronine sodium. It is used medically to treat cases of thyroid insufficiency, obesity, certain metabolic disorders and fatigue. The thyroid of a healthy person usually produces two hormones, the better known Lthyroxine (L-T4) and the aforementioned L-triiodine-thyronine (L-T3). Since Cytomel is the synthetic equivalent of the latter hormone, it causes the same processes in the body as if the thyroid were to produce more of the hormone. It is interesting to note that L-T3 is clearly the stronger and more effective of these two hormones. This makes Cytomel more effective than the commercially available LT4 compounds such as L-thyroxine or Synthroid. L-T3 has proven to be 4-5 times more biologically active and to take effect more quickly than L-thyroxine (L-T4).” In school medicine Cytomel is used to treat thyroid insufficiency (hypothyroidism).

Bodybuilders are particularly attracted to this drug for its ability to burn off body excess fat. Most often utilized during contest preparation, one can greatly decrease the amount of stored fat without being forced to severely restrict calories. To this end Cytomel is commonly used in conjunction with Clenbuterol and can produce extremely dramatic results. This combination has become very popular in recent years, no doubt responsible for many “ripped” on-stage physiques. It is also noted by many that when thyroid hormones are taken in conjunction with steroids, an increased anabolic effect can be seen (noticeably greater than if the steroids are used alone). This is likely due to faster utilization of proteins by the body, increasing the rate for new muscle accumulation.

How to use Cytomel
Bodybuilders take advantage of these characteristics and stimulate their metabolism by taking Cytomel, which causes a faster conversion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Bodybuilders, of course, are especially interested in an increased lipolysis, which means increased fat burning. Competing bodybuilders, in particular, use Cytomel during the weeks before a championship since Cytomel helps to maintain an extremely low fat content, without necessitating a hunger diet. Athletes who use low dosages of Cytomel report that by the simultaneous intake of steroids, the steroids become mote effective, most likely as the result of the faster conversion of protein.

Cytomel is also popular among female bodybuilders. Since women generally have slower metabolisms than men, it is extremely difficult for them to obtain the right form for a competition given today’s standards. A drastic reduc-tion of food and calories below the 1000 caloric/day mark can often be avoided by taking Cytomel. Women, no doubt, are more prone to side effects
than men but usually get along well with 50 mcg/day. A short-term intake of Cytomel in a reasonable dosage is certainly “healthier” than an extreme hunger diet. It is also important that Cytomel not be taken for more than six weeks. At least two months of abstinence from the drug needs to follow. Those who take high dosages of Cytomel over a long period of time are at risk of developing a chronic thyroid insufficiency.

Cytomel Dosage
This product usually comes in bottles of 100 tablets at 25 mcgs each. It is available in a variety of doses though ranging from 5 - 100 mcgs. per tablet. As for the dosage, one should be very careful since Cytomel is a very strong and highly effective thyroid hormone. It is extremely important that one begins with a low dosage, increasing it slowly and evenly over the course of several days. Most athletes begin by tak-ing one 25-mcg tablet per day and increasing this dosage every three to four days by one additional tablet. A dose higher than 100-mcg/ day is not necessary and not advisable. It is not recommended that the daily dose be taken all at once but broken down into three smaller individual doses so that they become more effective. It is also impor-tant that Cytomel not be taken for more than six weeks. At least two months of abstinence from the drug needs to follow.

Those who take high dosages of Cytomel over a long period of time are at risk of developing a chronic thyroid insufficiency. As a consequence, the athlete might be forced to take thyroid medication for the rest of his life. Those who plan to take Cytomel should first consult a physician in order to be sure that no thyroid hyperfunction exists.

Side Effects of Cytomel
Possible side effects are heart palpitation, trembling, irregular heartbeat, heart oppression, agitation, shortness of breath, excretion of sugar through the urine, excessive perspiration, diarrhea, weight loss, psychic disorders, etc., as well as symptoms of hypersensitivity. Our experience is that most symptoms consist of trembling of hands, nausea, headaches, high perspiration, and increased heartbeat. These negative side effects can often be eliminated by temporarily reducing the daily dosage. Those who use Cytomel over several weeks will experience a decrease in muscle mass.

 it should never be halted abruptly. As slowly as the dosage was built up it should also be lowered, one tablet every 3-4 days. Taking Cytomel for too long and/or at too high a dosage can result in a permanent thyroid deficiency. After doing such, one might need to be treated with a drug like Cytomel for life. It is also a good idea to first consult your physician and have your thyroid function tested. An undiagnosed hyperfunction would not mix well with the added hormone. An athlete should also be sure never to purchase an injectable form of the drug.

Proscar or more known brand Propecia is a hair growth medication for the management of significant hair loss. Propecia is a medical breakthrough-the first pill that effectively treats male pattern hair loss on the vertex (at top of head) and anterior mid-scalp area. Looking and feeling good is important to living a healthy and happy life. Many men are suffering from male pattern baldness and have had no recourse until now. Propecia can restore confidence and help men maintain the appearance they want by helping men to regrow hair. Propecia is not a miracle cure, but it can help men regrow some of the hair they have lost. Propecia will also help men maintain the hair they have left. Propecia is currently the only FDA approved treatment for male pattern baldness. Propecia is designed regow hair on both the top of the head and the mid scalp area. After a 2 year study of men showing mild t
o moderate hair loss Propecia was able to help 5 out of 6 men maintain their hair count and 2 out of 3 men actually regrow lost hair. Propecia is a prescription medication and any man wishing to begin treatment with Propecia should be prepared to share their medical history with a doctor, so that the doctor can determine wither Propecia is an appropriate treatment.

Propecia Effective dosage
1mg tablet daily, with or without meals. If you miss your dose then continue as usual with one tablet to be taken the following day.

 Propecia Side effects
Side effects associated with Propecia include impotence and decreased sex drive. In clinical studies these side effects were rare and occurred in less than 2 percent of patients.

Importantly Propecia helps grow natural hair-not just peach fuzz-and is as convenient to take as a vitamin: one pill a day.