/oss/taxonomy/term/411/all en /oss/article/did-you-know-health/fake-tans-came-about-due-incidental-finding <p>Glycogen storage disease is a rare genetic condition characterized by deficiencies of particular enzymes. These enzymes are involved in converting glucose into glycogen, the form in which sugars are stored in the liver, or in converting glycogen back into glucose, which can then be used as a source of energy. One of the symptoms of glycogen storage disease, is, therefore, a lack of energy. In one particular type of glycogen storage disease, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), an essential enzyme required to release glucose from glycogen, is missing.</p> Thu, 20 Feb 2020 21:27:31 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8134 at /oss /oss/article/aging-controversial-science-food-health-news-supplements/souvenaid <p>I suspect we will soon be hearing a lot about "Souvenaid," a dietary supplement that is supposed to be of some help in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. It was developed by Dr. Richard Wurtman of MIT, a very reputable researcher and the formulation of Souvenaid is based on legitimate science, but unfortunately the evidence for its effectiveness is virtually negligible.</p> Sun, 06 Jul 2014 00:59:57 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2164 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-diets-food-health-supplements-you-asked/you-asked-fish-really-brain-food <p>Is fish really brain food? P.G. Wodehouse certainly thought so. In his wonderful “Jeeves” stories, Bertie Wooster encourages his brainy butler to eat more fish whenever a particularly challenging problem arises. But to what extent does fiction mirror real life? One can make a theoretical case for fish consumption based on the fact that docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, the famous omega-3 fat in fish, is the main component of brain cell membranes, and that communication between brain cells is a function of the integrity of these membranes.</p> Sun, 31 Aug 2014 05:07:15 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2188 at /oss /oss/article/science-science-everywhere/fishy-data-fish-oil-supplements <p>Repeat after me: “Repetition does not confer truth.” <span>If you go by the frequency with which media reports scream about us poor souls walking the proverbial plank, prodded by the sword of environmental toxins, or about gulping fish oil tablets to yield eternal health, you would think that these are established facts. They are not. </span></p> Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:52:49 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1612 at /oss