Brian Lu, Author at Micronutrients.com

Author Archives: Brian Lu

Studies: Vitamin D And Your Digestive Health

Vitamin D is known by many as the “sunshine vitamin” and as a sidekick to calcium in promoting healthy bones. However, did you know that vitamin D has also been shown to have a role in digestive health? In your intestines, there are millions of cells that are receptors for the vitamin D molecule to[…]

Studies: 3 Ways Vitamin D Helps Your Brain Function

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for your body yet despite it being obtainable from the sun, studies suggest over 1/3 of people are still deficient (1).  According to the National Institutes for Health (2), the average adult male and female should aim for about 600 IU (15 micrograms) of vitamin D daily.[…]

Ginkgo Biloba: Can Mental Clarity Grow On Trees?

Existing for over 270 million years, Ginkgo Biloba is an ancient species of trees that has been widely cultivated for use as a source of food and traditional medicine in Asian cultures. Its broad fan shaped leaves have captivated humans for thousands of years and have been used widely in oriental medicine ranging from treating[…]

Studies: 3 Ways Zinc Boosts Digestion

Along with other metals such as Iron, Magnesium, and Copper, Zinc is part of a group called “trace minerals”, which act as helpers in tasks such as cognition, maintaining mood, growth, and digestion*. Zinc, specifically, aids in digestion by attaching to over 300 enzymes (structures made of proteins that break down other molecules); including ones[…]

Studies: How Magnesium Supports Brain Health & Focus

The magnesium ion is extremely important to your body because it acts as a moderator for many processes including DNA synthesis, energy production, and ion transport across cell membranes. It’s one of many essential nutrients that your body needs to survive, but that it can’t produce on its own; because of this, we should all[…]

Magnesium And The Gut-Brain Connection

We are made of bacteria. You may be astonished to hear that there are more bacterial cells in the human body than human ones.  There are over 100 trillion bacterial cells in your body, vastly over numbering the 10 trillion human cells in your body. Even more compelling is that most of these bacteria are[…]

Could The Gut-Brain Connection Hold The Key To Weight Control?

Of course the gut plays a role in eating! It’s the place where all the food goes! However, could there be another factor beyond simple digestion? There are trillions of bacteria in your stomach and intestines that make up the gut microbiome, which according to new research, could be the source of hunger and crucial[…]

Studies: How The Gut Affects Your State Of Mind

Your emotional health is a major part of your well-being, but it’s often not as simple as avoiding stressors or just “being happy.” Many people try top-down approaches to regulate mood and focus by focusing on the brain, however they’re missing out on what scientists are now calling “the second brain” – your gut. As[…]

Studies: Can Zinc Improve Focus and Brain Health?

Zinc is the second most abundant metal in your body and it is crucial for healthy brain development and function*. Cells in your brain, called neurons, interact with each other by releasing chemicals called neurotransmitters that carry signals from one neuron to another. For your brain to form ideas quickly and efficiently, zinc must be[…]