The hottest Biochemistry Substack posts right now

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Edwin Cohn and the Harvard Blood Factory

Asimov Press • 174 implied HN points • 05 Jan 25
🔬 Science Research Medicine History Technology Biochemistry
  1. Edwin Cohn greatly advanced medical treatments during World War II by developing blood products that helped save soldiers' lives. His team created more stable albumin solutions that could be used in emergencies, proving crucial for treating wounded soldiers.
  2. Cohn transformed his lab from a focus on theoretical experiments to practical applications during the war. He implemented pilot plants that increased efficiency, allowing for the quick transition from lab findings to actual medical products.
  3. Cohn's approach shows the importance of combining solid funding, teamwork, and a clear vision to tackle big scientific problems. His success reflects how having the right infrastructure and support can allow researchers to make impactful discoveries.

How Vinegar Can Kick You Into And Out of Ketosis

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1637 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Ketosis Biochemistry Diet Metabolism
  1. The dose of vinegar is crucial for its impact on ketosis - too little may not kick you into ketosis, and too much can kick you out
  2. Vinegar works by influencing the balance of acetyl CoA to oxaloacetate, which is important for ketogenesis
  3. Careful moderation is key - excessive consumption of vinegar can lead to metabolic abnormalities and kick you out of ketosis

Missing From the Databases: Glutamine

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1757 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Databases Biochemistry Diet Supplementation
  1. Glutamine is crucial for specific health conditions like illness, injury, surgery, and certain dietary needs.
  2. Nutritional databases lack accurate information on glutamine content because of flawed measurement methods, impacting the understanding of amino acid composition in foods.
  3. Animal proteins like leg meat of chicken and pork are high in glutamine, while dairy proteins are intermediate, and plant proteins have varying levels, highlighting the importance of diversifying protein sources for glutamine intake.

Stop Measuring Glucose Without Measuring Lactate

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1338 implied HN points • 12 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Metabolism Medical Technology Biochemistry Testing
  1. Measuring glucose alone is not rational; it should also be measured along with lactate and ketones for better understanding of metabolic changes.
  2. BCAAs can impact glucose levels through multiple pathways, highlighting the importance of context in interpreting metabolic markers.
  3. Having a home test for pyruvate could provide more valuable insights into metabolic health, along with glucose and lactate measurements.

The Ultimate Vitamin K2 Resource

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 359 implied HN points • 28 Apr 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Diet Biochemistry Testing
  1. Vitamin K2 has several health benefits, such as improving bone strength, stabilizing blood sugar, enhancing exercise performance, and protecting against cancer.
  2. The different forms of vitamin K2 have unique functions in the body, with MK-7 being effective for bone health and MK-4 playing a role in cancer protection and sexual health.
  3. Getting enough vitamin K2 from food sources like natto, goose liver, cheese, egg yolks, and chicken, or through supplements, is essential for overall health, and it's important to pay attention to form, dosage, and food pairing.
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Why Would Riboflavin WORSEN a Riboflavin-Dependent Metabolic Defect?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 619 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry
  1. Riboflavin can worsen certain metabolic defects if not properly managed, even if it's usually beneficial.
  2. High doses of riboflavin might impact thiamine status and lead to unexpected symptoms.
  3. It's crucial to be cautious with riboflavin supplementation, especially in cases of existing deficiencies or metabolic issues.

Erythritol and Blood Clotting

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1258 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Research Metabolism Biochemistry
  1. Erythritol may contribute to cardiovascular disease by increasing blood clotting propensity, especially in individuals with high erythritol levels.
  2. Understanding the polyol pathway and pentose phosphate pathway is crucial for comprehending how erythritol metabolism affects thiamin deficiency and oxidative stress.
  3. Plasma erythritol likely serves as a marker of pentose phosphate pathway activation, indicating NADPH depletion and suboptimal thiamin status.

(Ad-free Video) Jennifer Doudna: Scientist and World Changer

Critical Mass • 5 implied HN points • 15 Jan 25
🔬 Science Genetics Biochemistry Research Technology Ethics
  1. Jennifer Doudna played a key role in developing CRISPR, a powerful genetic tool that could greatly impact human health and genetics.
  2. Her work highlights the importance of fundamental research in science, which can lead to unexpected and significant advancements.
  3. Discussions around scientific discoveries like CRISPR are crucial as society must consider the ethical responsibilities that come with such powerful tools.

Unbiased mapping of cereblon neosubstrate landscape by high-throughput proteomics

Axial • 14 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🔬 Science Biochemistry Proteomics Drug Discovery Molecular Biology Cancer Research
  1. A new method helps find powerful compounds that can target hard-to-reach proteins for drug development. These compounds are called molecular glue degraders, and they can help break down unwanted proteins in the body.
  2. The study found many new targets for these compounds, including some that haven't been studied much before. This expands the potential for developing new treatments for diseases like cancer.
  3. The researchers created a process that combines different scientific techniques, making it easier to design and improve these drugs. This means we might see more precise and effective medicines in the future.

Virtual Screening for New Antibiotics: A Machine Learning Approach to LpxC Inhibition

LatchBio • 20 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🔬 Science Biochemistry Microbiology Pharmacology Machine Learning Drug Development
  1. Antibiotic resistance is a big problem, and many drug companies are not making new antibiotics anymore. Machine learning can help find new antibiotics by quickly searching through lots of compounds.
  2. In a study, researchers looked at 250,000 chemical compounds to find potential antibiotics that target a specific enzyme in harmful bacteria. This shows how technology can speed up the drug discovery process.
  3. Finding new antibiotics is really important for health, especially as bacteria become more resistant. Using advanced tools to identify promising compounds could save time and money in developing new treatments.

Adding An Epicycle

The Heart Attack Diet • 99 implied HN points • 17 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry Metabolism Weight management
  1. Ancient theories added epicycles to make them work better, until Newton revealed the System of the World that was good enough.
  2. Epicycles in theories should not be added carelessly but should aim to explain data in a simpler way than the theory itself.
  3. Excess protein consumption beyond what the body needs for repair may interfere with the ability to process polyunsaturated fats for fuel.

Action Potentials for August

Neurobiology Notes • 58 implied HN points • 21 Aug 23
🔬 Science Neurobiology Psychiatry Biochemistry Genetics
  1. New microscopy method combines electron microscopy with fluorescence imaging for detailed mapping of cell types, proteins, and synaptic connections in neuroscience.
  2. Memory ensembles in the brain are formed by neurons with high excitability, helping link memories and facilitating memory recall.
  3. Memory engrams exist across multiple brain areas, and bioelectric fields may coordinate memory ensembles distributed in the brain.

Unlocking Precision Fermentation Via Protein Engineering

Splitting Infinity • 39 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
🔬 Science Biochemistry Biotechnology Genetics Protein engineering Synthetic Biology
  1. Yeast, especially in precision fermentation, can be genetically modified to produce a wide range of chemicals, biologics, and medicines by augmenting their genes.
  2. The main challenge in precision fermentation is reducing costs, particularly in the purification process where proteins are separated from complex solutions.
  3. Novel techniques like self-cleaving tags and self-aggregating proteins offer promising solutions for purifying proteins in a cost-effective and efficient manner, potentially eliminating the need for expensive purification methods like column chromatography.

Sulphites, Sulphates, Sulphur, Eggs

The Heart Attack Diet • 39 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Enzymes Minerals Biochemistry
  1. Sulphur is a crucial element in compounds like sulphates and sulphites, often used as preservatives in food.
  2. While sulphites are meant to be harmless to humans due to an enzyme that breaks them down, some people still react poorly to them.
  3. Eggs contain sulphur, but possibly not sulphites. If eggs cause illness, it might be best to avoid them and investigate the cause.

It's Not You. It's Your Biochemistry

Neuro Athletics • 17 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Biochemistry Physiology Performance Nutrition Recovery
  1. Your physiology and biochemistry, not your circumstances, play a key role in determining your potential and performance.
  2. Optimizing recovery is crucial for reaching peak performance, reducing risks of burnout and enhancing physiological resilience.
  3. Personalized approaches that consider unique biochemical and physiological profiles are vital in unlocking individual potential for peak performance.

The Cause of my Mental Illness

Christian Bonanno • 1 HN point • 12 Jun 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Genetics Nutrition Chronic Illness Biochemistry
  1. The author discovered through genetic testing that they had a homozygous carrier of minor alleles in the Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase gene, affecting their immune system and mental health.
  2. Partial Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase Deficiency can manifest with mild-moderate immune abnormalities in the third decade of life, impacting immune function and typical development.
  3. Having excess GTP due to the gene deficiency could lead to over activation of serotonin and dopamine receptors, potentially causing symptoms of Bipolar Mania and Schizophrenia, and zinc supplementation might help counteract these effects.

034: Methylate Your Way to Mental Health With Dopamine

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 159 implied HN points • 17 Jul 17
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Mental health Supplements Biochemistry
  1. Nutrition plays a significant role in mental stability and fluidity, impacting our ability to manage anxiety, depression, and distraction.
  2. Consuming specific foods like liver, egg yolks, meat, leafy greens, and more can help achieve a stable mental disposition.
  3. Understanding the methylation system and the roles of various nutrients like sulfur amino acids, magnesium, B vitamins, and others can optimize energy and mental focus.

📈 My outlook for algae bioremediation in 2024?

paxtier • 5 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
🔬 Science Algae Biochemistry Market Investing Research
  1. Algae bioremediation faces challenges like wastewater treatment methods and integration with existing infrastructure
  2. Positive market signals in 2023 for algae bioremediation including government support and innovative projects
  3. Recent developments include Zanzibar seaweed production increase and Inalve raising €2 million for microalgae production

047: Niacin, Part 2: Blood Tests, Foods, and Supplements

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 59 implied HN points • 16 Mar 19
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Health Issues Biochemistry Research
  1. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for niacin has flaws, often underestimating the niacin needs of women.
  2. Proper food processing methods like nixtamalization, fermentation, and sprouting can increase the availability of niacin in foods like coffee, seeds, and grains.
  3. High-dose niacin as a supplement may have benefits for managing cholesterol levels, but caution is advised to avoid potential side effects like liver failure and insulin resistance.

Textbooks

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 79 implied HN points • 05 Aug 17
🚌 Education Nutrition Biochemistry Chemistry Biology
  1. To truly master nutrition, understand it from the ground up by gaining competence in the sciences it's based on and selecting the right textbooks.
  2. Top recommendations for nutrition textbooks include 'Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism' by Gropper and 'Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease' by Ross.
  3. Essential background education for nutrition includes chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology, and molecular and cellular biology.

006: Why “Glycation” Is a Bad Reason to Restrict Carbs

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 79 implied HN points • 02 May 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry Insulin
  1. Glycation can be driven by the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate, and fat, and insulin protects against glycation from all three sources.
  2. Glycation may serve important physiological roles under conditions of low insulin signaling, indicating it's not inherently a bad process.
  3. Restricting carbohydrates may actually increase glycation instead of decreasing it, suggesting glycation is not a good argument against consuming carbohydrates.

The Biochemistry of Vitamin K2

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 79 implied HN points • 28 Apr 13
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry Metabolism
  1. Vitamin K2 plays a crucial role in carboxylating proteins to enable calcium binding, essential for various bodily functions.
  2. Vitamin K is vital for blood clotting as it helps in activating different clotting factors and is required for both procoagulants and anticoagulants.
  3. Osteocalcin, dependent on vitamin K, influences metabolic and hormonal health, and MGP regulated by vitamin K helps distribute calcium appropriately in the body.

017: Ketogenesis Isn’t All About Carbs and Insulin

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 39 implied HN points • 28 Jul 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry Diet Exercise
  1. Ketogenesis can be initiated by oversupply of acetyl groups to the TCA cycle during conditions of oxaloacetate depletion, not just by restricting carbs.
  2. Adding MCT oil or coconut products can help achieve ketosis without strict carb restrictions, offering flexibility in diet choices.
  3. Different conditions may require varying degrees of ketogenesis, and understanding these differences can help make informed dietary decisions.

010: How to Know if Your Genetics Contribute to Your Sensitivity to Blue Light and Poor Sleep, and What to Do About it

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 39 implied HN points • 20 May 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Genetics Sleep Nutrition Biochemistry
  1. You can determine if your genetics contribute to sensitivity to blue light and poor sleep by looking at variations in the melanopsin gene.
  2. Understanding your genetics can help you optimize your light exposure and improve your sleep and alertness.
  3. Tools like f.lux, blue-blocking glasses, and specific light bulbs can assist in creating a sleep-friendly environment based on your genetic sensitivity to light.

What Makes a Good Marker of Nutritional Status?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 39 implied HN points • 26 Jan 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Biochemistry Physiology Podcasts Vitamins
  1. Good markers of nutritional status should be understood in terms of biochemistry and physiology.
  2. Validating markers against changes in nutritional status is crucial for their reliability.
  3. Markers need to be sensitive, specific, and interpreted within the broader context of health history, symptoms, and lifestyle.

035: The Biochemistry of Why Insulin Doesn’t Make You Fat

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 22 Jul 17
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry Physiology Weight Loss Metabolism
  1. Insulin doesn't directly make you fat; it's regulated by energy needs and availability at a biochemical level.
  2. All biochemical pathways, including the storage of fat by insulin, are influenced by cellular energy levels.
  3. Although insulin promotes fat storage, it also boosts glucose oxidation, leading to no net change in caloric balance.

013: Wait a Second, Is Glycation Actually GOOD For You?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 09 Jun 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Physiology Biochemistry Metabolism Research
  1. Glycation may play essential roles in the body as part of a regulatory system and energy metabolism.
  2. Methylglyoxal produced during glycolysis can prevent dangerous buildups of compounds and help preserve glucose and convert fat to glucose.
  3. The rise of methylglyoxal during carbohydrate restriction is a stress response that should not be constantly activated.

009: Balancing Calcium and Phosphorus in the Diet, and the Importance of Measuring Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 11 May 16
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry Physiology
  1. Balancing calcium and phosphorus in the diet is crucial for maintaining a healthy balance in the body.
  2. Measuring parathyroid hormone (PTH) can be used to assess if the dietary balance of calcium and phosphorus is working for an individual.
  3. Understanding the roles of calcium and phosphorus, distribution among foods, and the physiological principles behind their balance is important for overall health.

Where Do Most AGEs Come From? O Glycation, How Thy Name Hast Deceived Me!

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 39 implied HN points • 07 Oct 11
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Research Metabolism Diabetes Biochemistry
  1. AGEs are mostly formed from dicarbonyls, which are much more reactive than glucose and come from broken pieces of glucose, protein, and fat.
  2. Dietary AGEs are unlikely to significantly contribute to the pool of AGEs circulating in our bodies at any given moment as they are absorbed and excreted quickly.
  3. Most AGEs in our bodies are likely formed inside our cells, emphasizing the importance of cellular processes and defense mechanisms in handling AGEs.

We Really Can Make Glucose From Fatty Acids After All! O Textbook, How Thy Biochemistry Hast Deceived Me!

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 07 Jan 12
🔬 Science Biochemistry Metabolism Insulin
  1. Biochemistry textbooks may claim that animals cannot convert fatty acids to glucose, but evidence suggests that it is possible under certain conditions.
  2. Acetate from fatty acids can be converted to glucose in a process involving ketogenesis, particularly when high levels of fatty acids flood the liver.
  3. Insulin plays a role in regulating the conversion of fatty acids to glucose by influencing enzyme production, demonstrating a complex network of reactions in the body.

The Biochemical Magic of Raw Milk and Other Raw Foods: Glutathione

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 16 Sep 10
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry Food
  1. Raw milk proteins offer unique benefits, and similar advantages can be obtained from consuming raw whole eggs and plenty of raw fruits and vegetables.
  2. Glutathione is highlighted as a key component of raw milk's biochemical magic.
  3. The post emphasizes the potential benefits of incorporating raw foods into one's diet.

Cholesterol Is Necessary for Digestion — Cholesterol Is a Precursor to Bile Acids

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 19 implied HN points • 27 Dec 08
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Biochemistry Anatomy Metabolism
  1. Cholesterol is essential for digestion as it is used to create bile acids, which help digest fats.
  2. Bile acids act as emulsifying agents that mix fats with water in the digestive system, aiding in fat breakdown by water-soluble enzymes.
  3. Bile acids are converted to bile salts, which are more effective at mixing fats with water and are stored in the gall bladder for future use in digestion.

Cholesterol Is the Precursor to All Steroid Hormones

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 27 Dec 08
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Hormones Biochemistry
  1. Cholesterol is the precursor to all steroid hormones.
  2. Steroid hormones derived from cholesterol include glucocorticoids, mineralcorticoids, and sex hormones with various functions.
  3. Pregnenolone is the hormone converted from cholesterol that acts as the precursor to other steroid hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, testosterone, and estradiol.

Could Sugar Intake Play a Role in COVID-19?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 23 Aug 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Viral Infections Metabolism Biochemistry Diet
  1. Research suggests that SARS-CoV-2 relies on sugar intake for replication, which could influence viral load.
  2. Fructose, found in sugar, can fuel viral growth through the pentose phosphate pathway more than glucose, potentially impacting RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
  3. Cutting down sugar intake or moderating it may help avoid excessive fueling of viral growth and could be beneficial in protecting against COVID-19.