Manganese is an essential element that is necessary for the normal activity of the brain and acts as a catalyst for certain enzymes to work in the body. Though only found in trace amounts in the body, good health is impossible without it. A deficiency of this mineral could lead to several malfunctioning problems within your system which could include poor libido and fertility.

Also called the "brain mineral", manganese is important in the utilization of all mental functions. It aids memory and other brain and nerve faculties keeping it healthy and fit all the time. Manganese supplements can help strengthen the immune system of people diagnosed with depression. It also strengthens tissues, ligaments, and linings in the outside of organs. If the human body is well supplied with manganese, various tissues, cells and nerves become more ductile, tensile, and elastic. This mineral also has the ability to increase our resistance and recuperative ability; and, like iron, aids in oxygen transfer from lungs to cells. It is also thought to be involved in balancing blood sugar levels.

Manganese makes up part of a molecule known as mucopolysaccharides, which are used to form collagen, the strong fibrous connective material that builds tissue, bone, and cartilage. This mesh of collagen is the framework on which calcium, magnesium, and other bone hardening minerals are deposited. This mineral is required to have healthy bones. Women with low bone density, or osteoporosis, have mostly been associated with low level of manganese. Changing their diet to one rich in the cereal may strengthen bones and lower the risk of the bone disorder. Manganese deficiency could also lead a serious case of multiple sclerosis.

Apart from maintaining the health of our nerves and lubrication to the joints, manganese is also needed to make use of protein in the diet and aids the formation of sex hormones. It has a positive effect on the libido by increasing energy levels and the brain's ability to receive and send messages. It also helps the reproductive organs to work properly because of its effect on tissues and nerves. To produce the hormone estrogen, the body depends on manganese. It follows that a deficiency of manganese will significantly reduce fertility in women and hormonal balance in men which greatly affects libido. It can also help reduce menstrual cramps and PMS.

Human diets with too little manganese can lead to slowed blood clotting, skin problems, changes in hair color, lowered cholesterol levels, and other alterations in metabolism. Other symptoms of manganese deficiency may include: Carpal-tunnel Syndrome, deafness, depression, gout, hearing problems, infertility, loss of libido in both sexes, lack of concentration, memory loss or mental confusion, miscarriage or still births, Multiple Sclerosis, nerve problems, poor muscle coordination, PMS, retarded growth rate, ringing in the ears (Tinnitus), stiff tendons, stuttering, and tremors.

Generally, manganese supplements are considered unnecessary as simply maintaining a well-balanced diet rich in magnesium is enough to keep an individual healthy. Spinach, chestnuts, tea, oats, wholegrain cereals, wheatgerm, raisins, pineapple, beans, peas and nuts are all good sources of manganese. You could also get your supply of this mineral from desiccated coconut and brown rice. Certain vitamins like C, B1, E, K and the mineral zinc helps improve the absorption of manganese while too much calcium and phosphorus would interrupt the body's absorption of this mineral. The use of antibiotics, alcohol and taking too much refined foods in your diet could also reduce the amount of manganese stored in the body. Manganese supplements and medication are usually done to people suffering from extreme cases of manganese deficiency as prescribed by their physicians.

Manganese is one of the least toxic minerals and no RDA suggestion has been set. 2-5 mg is considered to be adequate for normal healthy adults. However, doses up to 10mg daily are still considered to be safe because the body simply doesn't absorb the mineral. This is the case of manganese entering our system through digestion, of course.

Digested manganese interacts with the body very differently than inhaled manganese. When manganese is ingested (eaten) the body is much better at regulating the manganese levels and ridding itself of excess manganese. However, when inhaled, the manganese remains in the blood stream long enough that it penetrates the blood-brain barrier and causes brain damage.

Some individuals exposed to very high levels of manganese for long periods of time in their work developed mental and emotional disturbances and slow and clumsy body movements. This combination of symptoms is a disease called "manganism." Workers usually do not develop symptoms of manganism unless they have been exposed to manganese for many months or years. Manganism occurs because too much manganese injures a part of the brain that controls deliberate body movements (i.e., walking, swallowing, and speaking).



Tagged as: love, sex, vitamins, manganese

Did you know that vitamin A is actually responsible for our sexuality? Without proper amounts of vitamin A, the gonads can't manufacture our sex hormones. These hormones regulate our sexual desires and abilities. For males proper amounts of vitamin A can mean healthy sperm and virility. For females it means responsiveness, and the ability to conceive, and to carry the fetus to full term in the womb.

Vitamin A is an essential human nutrient which is commonly attributed to better vision, healthy skin and bone growth (besides calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium). But besides these, it is also involved in many of our body’s processes such as cell growth and development, immune function, reproduction, embryonic development, reduction of heart diseases and cancer, and its antioxidant activity. In fact, it doesn’t only reduce the possibility of cancer but some sources are also citing its ability to cure both cancer and leukemia even better than chemotherapy.

Vitamin A is required for our gonads to convert cholesterol into sex hormone to release it to the blood stream and increase our sexual desire. It is involved in the production of sex hormones like progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. This vitamin is also responsible for the health of the mucous membranes and responsible in fact, for the entire epithelial package inside and out.

Without vitamin A, the outer covering of ovaries in women, and the prostate gland in men stops producing mucus and sex hormones. The covering hardens (no mucus) and cannot function properly (no sex hormones). A domino effect comes into action and your whole reproductive system is in danger. Because of this, men's sperm count can decrease, and women's fertility can go down if they are not getting sufficient vitamin A. Women can experience a reduction in sexual desire, lower fertility, and more problems with the delivery of their children. Vitamin A not only causes reproductive cells to secrete mucus, but also causes most other cells in your body to secrete mucus. This mucus protects the cell from invading bacteria and viruses. This is an important part of the immune system and can even protect against cancer. Some doctors and scientists think that some forms of cancer are caused by viruses. When the cell membranes are coated in mucus, they stay intact longer, extending the cell life and keeps you looking young.

For many women menorrhagia, or excessively prolonged menstrual periods, can cause anemia, and the cramps can be at the least, debilitating. But there is almost no other problem associated with a woman's cycles that can't be corrected by simply getting proper amounts and dosages of the vitamins A and E. Studies have shown that women suffering from this condition were invariably always deficient in vitamin A. In a study, these women were given 60,000 IU of vitamin A per day for a month, 90 per cent of them were cured. The other 10% saw remarkable improvement. Pain, spotting and irregularity also were corrected or dramatically improved creating over all better health.

People who are heavy drinkers often have problems with their vision. That’s because ninety percent of all the vitamin A in your body is stored in the liver. Alcohol kills your liver, and not as much of the vitamin can be stored there. Alcohol also makes you urinate a whole lot of vitamins, including A. If you are a heavy drinker and cannot cut back, you might consider eating more foods rich in vitamin A.

Vitamin A is found in quite high amounts in oil-rich fish such as herring and mackerel and in shellfish such as oysters. Liver, egg, yolk, cheese, butter, squash and carrots are also good sources of vitamin A. Vitamin A can occur in two different forms - as retinol, which is easily absorbed by the body, or as carotenoids, which are less easily absorbed and have only 50% of the absorption rate of retinol.

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. That means it is eaten, absorbed, transported and stored with fat. You must be careful when cutting out a lot of fat in your diet, not to cut out the A and all the other fat soluble vitamins. Even if you eat a healthy diet, you may be getting less vitamin A than you think. Processing takes vitamin A out of foods, and additives kill it. Most refined foods are much lower in vitamins than "the real thing". Cooking can also render much of the vitamin A in foods useless. You can get more carotene from steamed carrots than raw, though. Boiling, however, makes A inactive. You should be careful how you prepare your foods, so you can get the full amount of vitamins possible.

As vitamin A is fat-soluble, disposing of any excesses taken in through diet is much harder than with water-soluble vitamins B and C. As such, vitamin A toxicity can result. This can lead to nausea, jaundice, irritability, anorexia (not to be confused with anorexia nervosa, the eating disorder), vomiting, blurry vision, headaches, muscle and abdominal pain and weakness, drowsiness and altered mental status. These toxicities only occur with preformed (retinoid) vitamin A (such as from liver and supplements). The carotenoid forms (such as beta-carotene as found in carrots), give no such symptoms, but excessive dietary intake of beta-carotene can lead to carotenodermia, which causes orange-yellow discoloration of the skin.

Recommended daily allowance of vitamin A are as follows:
(Infant 0-1 years) - 375 RE
(1-3) - 400 RE
(4-6) - 500 RE
(7-10) - 700 RE
(11+ (men)) - 1000 RE
(11+ (women)) - 800 RE
Pregnant - 800 RE
Lactating 1st 6 months - 1300 RE
Lactating 2nd 6 months - 1200 RE

*RE = retinol equivalent
*1 microgram of retinol (animal vitamin A) = 1RE
*6 micrograms of beta-carotene (most common plant vitamin A) = 1RE
*12 micrograms of other provitamin A carotenoids (plant vitamin A) = 1RE



Tagged as: love, sex, vitamin A

The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamins (besides Vitamin C) that play important roles in cell metabolism. These vitamins are known to play an important part in energy production, improve immune and nervous functions, promote cell growth and division, and maintain healthy skin and muscle tone. Additionally, they can also help boost your libido by regulating your sex hormone levels and function, and combating stress and depression. Several studies have also suggested that B vitamins can help reduce the risk of cervical cancer, help lower cholesterol, and fight heart diseases.

All eight of these B vitamins, collectively known as vitamin B complex, are as follows:

• thiamine (B1)
• riboflavin (B2)
• niacin (B3)
• pantothenic acid (B5)
• pyridoxine (B6)
• cyanocobalamin (B12)
• folic acid (B9, B-c, or vitamin M)
• biotin (B7 or vitamin H)

Your ability to react and respond to your lover depends on your brain’s signals to your glands to initiate the hormone production and flow of blood to your sex organs. B vitamins help in these areas by improving your mood, nervous and hormonal functions, and blood flow.

Thiamine is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates into the simple sugar glucose which the body uses for energy. Thiamine is also important for the production of enzymes and the proper functioning of the nervous system. Optimal nerve transmission and energy production are important factors that contribute to better sex.

Riboflavin is important in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and, like thiamine, it acts as a coenzyme in the process. It is also significant in the maintenance of the skin and mucous membranes, the cornea of the eye and for nerve sheaths. Riboflavin helps in preventing cataracts, increasing iron levels, and regeneration of glutathione, an enzyme that rids the body of free radicals. Results of better riboflavin intake can be seen in healthy smooth skin and increased fertility.

Niacin is needed for the metabolism of food, the maintenance of healthy skin, nerves and the gastrointestinal tract. A deficiency of niacin causes the disease, pellagra. The symptoms of pellagra are sometimes referred to as the "three D's" -- diarrhea, dermatitis and dementia -- ultimately resulting in a fourth "D", death. Niacin has been proven to aid in lowering bad cholesterol in the body. It contributes to better sex through increasing blood circulation and synthesizing of sex hormones. It enlarges the blood vessels resulting to enhanced erection. For women, it increased blood flow to the skin and mucous membranes which intensifies their orgasm. Vitamin B3 is also known as a quick-acting aphrodisiac in pure form because it produces flush (niacin fluch) identical to the sexual flush. Using it 30 minutes before sexual activity can enhance the sexual flush.

Pyridoxine, also known as pyridoxal phosphate and pyridoxamine, is needed (like some of the other B vitamins) for the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is also used in the production of red blood cells, as well as in the biochemical reactions involved in the metabolism of amino acids (the building blocks of protein). Because Pyridoxine plays a central role the formation of key several neurotransmitters, and the production of serotonin, melatonin and dopamine, it is frequently recommended as a nutrient to support mental function (mood) and nerve conduction. It is also believed to benefit impotence enhancing the levels of testosterone in the body and also improving the stimulus required to get the erection process started. Additionally, it decreases production of prolactin, a hormone that reduces sex drive.

Cyanocobalamin and folic acid interacts together to synthesize DNA, which is important for all cells in the body. They are also necessary for the breakdown of proteins and the formation of hemoglobin, a compound in red blood cells that transports oxygen and carbon dioxide. A deficiency in one or both causes anemia, poor growth, brain damage, and irritation of the mouth. These two also plays an important role in a woman’s fertility, especially during pregnancy, where the need for them increases due to high requirements of the vitamins from the fetus. All of the B vitamins, especially folic acid, should be slightly increased during pregnancy and lactation (breast milk production).

Pantothenic acid and biotin are used in the breakdown of carbohydrates, lipids and some amino acids. They also function as coenzymes in carboxylation reactions (-COOH) along with folic acid, which are also useful in many of the body's functions. Pantothenic acid might be useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis. It could also be used to lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It is commonly found in "anti-stress" formulas because it works with the adrenal glad to produce stress hormones. Biotin of course strengthens the fingernails, relieves a scalp condition in newborns, and is very effective at controlling blood sugar levels in diabetics.

According to a new study Cancer Causes and Control in 2003, women with low dietary intakes of vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B12 (cobalamin), and folic acid may be more at risk of developing pre-malignant changes in the cervix called cervical dysplasia which could lead to the development of cervical cancer. This is especially true for those who smoke and take alcohol which depletes B vitamins from the body. Studies have also shown that oral contraceptive pills deplete the body of B vitamins just the same and their use is known to increase the risk of cervical dysplasia as well.

Vitamin B3 Niacin is available in a form called nicotinic acid. Now, this nicotinic acid if taken in large doses -- 100 mg to 1,000 mg (1 g) daily -- are effective in lowering blood levels of triglycerides and the "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, while increasing blood levels of the "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This makes niacin an important tool in preventing or reversing heart disease. Niacin raises HDL (good) cholesterol levels significantly.

Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid are known to lower homocysteine levels in the body. High blood levels of homocysteine have been associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, kidney diseases, psoriasis, breast cancer, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Homocysteine is an amino acid formed during the metabolism of methionine, an amino acid found in proteins. Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid block this process by metabolizing homocysteine further.

Different B vitamins come from different natural sources, such as potatoes, bananas, lentils, chilli peppers, tempeh, liver oil, liver, turkey, tuna, Nutritional yeast (or brewer's yeast) and molasses. Marmite and Vegemite bill themselves as "one of the world's richest known sources of vitamin B". The B-12 vitamin is of note because it is not available from plant products, making B-12 deficiency a concern for vegans. Another popular means of increasing one's vitamin B intake is through the use of dietary supplements purchased at supermarkets, health centers, or natural food stores. B vitamins are also commonly added to energy drinks.



Tagged as: love, sex, vitamin, b vitamins, libido

Besides its popular role as a vitamin that enhances the body's resistance against a wide range of diseases, including bacterial and viral complications, did you know that vitamin C can boost your sex drive? Vitamin C or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for us humans including our cousin primates, other mammalian species (notably guinea pigs and bats), a few species of birds, and some fish. The presence of ascorbate is required for a range of essential metabolic reactions in all animals and plants. It is made internally by almost all organisms. Unfortunately, humans have no such ability and had to rely to taking it from dietary sources. It is widely known as the vitamin whose deficiency causes scurvy in humans.

Primarily, vitamin C participates in the synthesis of hormones that are involved in sex and fertility; such as androgen, estrogen and progesterone. And yet besides that, vitamin C also helps keep your various sex glands running smoothly. Recent studies revealed that ascorbic vitamin C might improve production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide facilitates blood vessels dilation to improve blood flow to sexual organs. Increasing vitamin C intake may also be helpful in increasing semen volume. Tests have shown that taking 500-1000 milligrams a day can increase the number and quality of sperm produced and reduce abnormalities. It also keeps your sperms strong by protecting them against free radicals that make them cling together in immobile clumps, a condition known as “agglutination”. Increasing your vitamin C levels, therefore, can improve your sperm's chances of fertilizing an egg.

Fruits and vegetables contain large concentrations of vitamin C. Oranges, kiwifruits, grapefruits, lemons, and mangoes are some of the fruits loaded with the ascorbic vitamin C. Broccoli, tomatoes, red bell peppers, lettuce, beans and legumes are vegetables crammed with ascorbic acid.

Make sure that your intake of vitamin C comes from a wide and varied assortment. Don't restrict your intake to any single source. Eat a multi-color serving of the dark greens, along with the light greens, yellows and reds, along with whites and blacks.

Take note that these natural sources oftentimes only provide adequate nutrition for young healthy adults. The elderly and people with physiological and environmental health problems may have increased requirements that necessitate additional vitamin C from supplements to protect the immune system against infectious diseases and for libido as well.

The main cause of ascorbic deficiency is poor diet. Poor intake of vitamin C and vitamin C rich foods can lead to the disease scurvy. Another major reason for deficiency is severe stress. This causes rapid depletion of not only adrenal vitamin C, but from other areas as well. Smoking and alcohol abuse can also lead to deficiency in ascorbic vitamin C, since increased amount of the antioxidant properties is needed to reduce the upshot of free radicals from these bad habits.



Tagged as: love, sex, vitamin