Author: Aga Adamczyk-Witcher

Vitamin A is a term used to refer to a group of compounds, including retinol, retinal and retonic acid, which possess the biological activity of all trans retinol. The major usable active form of vitamin A is retinol. In addition vitamin A can be converted from its precursors, which include carotenoids. There is over 600 carotenoids, but only around 10% exhibit vitamin A activity, meaning can be converted to retinol. Common provitamin A carotenoids are beta-carptene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. Beta-carotene is most efficiently made into retinol, while alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin are converted half as efficiently. Some carotenoids like lycopene, lutein,…

Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin. As humans we are unable to synthesize it due to lack of the last enzyme in the vitamin C synthetic pathway, gulonolactone oxidase. Our bodies are able to store only a certain amount, therefore ascorbic acid should be consumed on a daily basis to avoid deficiency. Vitamin C has many functions in our bodies, including synthesis of collagen, carnitine, tyrosine (also its catabolism) and neurotransmitter. The role of vitamin C in these reactions is to function as a cofactor to maintain the iron and copper atoms in the metalloenzymes…

Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin. It exists in eight different forms, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Both the tocopherols and tocotrienols occur in alpha, beta, gamma and delta forms, determined by the number of methyl groups on the chromanol ring. Each form has its own biological activity. The most active form of vitamin E is alpha-tocopherol. Supplemental vitamin E is in a form of alpha-tocopheryl acetate, a form of alpha-tocopherol that protects its ability to function as an antioxidant. The primary roles of vitamin E is the maintenance of membrane integrity, where vitamin E prevents the oxidation of…

Ribose is a 5-carbon sugar that occurs naturally in all living cells, it is a precursor for making ATP molecules, as well as proteins, DNA, RNA and other nucleotides like NADH. Ribose as a component of RNA is used for genetic transcription, and is critical to living creatures. Ribose was discovered in 1905 by Phoebus Levene. First animal research, by H.G. Zimmer begun in 1983 and looked at ribose effects on rats with reduced heart function. Heart function in tested animals improved after 24 hours of ribose administration. In 1984 H.G. Zimmer tested other animals and concluded that ribose had…

There are three gluteal muscles are gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Gluteus maximus is the largest of the three and one of the strongest muscles in the body. Gluteus maximus forms bulk of buttock mass. Gluteus maximus has its origin in posterior ¼ of the crest of ilium, posterior surface of sacrum and coccyx near the ilium, and fasica of lumbar area. Its insertion is at oblique ridge on lateral surface of greater trochanter and iliotibial band of fasciae. It performs the following actions extension of the hip, thus is very active during the push phase of the…

Since early childhood, Aga has been physically active. She participated in a variety of sports in high school and elementary school, where she was on a long distance running team. During second year of high school, Aga suffered from a minor head injury that kept her out of gym classes for a year. It was devastating to her and she felt like she needed to find a new passion in her life, other than sports and physical activities. However, that turned out to be a mistake. During Aga’s 4 years of soul searching after high school, she mostly tried to…