Salvage pathway: A metabolic pathway used in heart, skeletal muscle and other tissues to preserve energy as adenine nucleotides are catabolized. D-ribose is required to allow this pathway to function.

 

SAR (Specific absorption rate) value: A measure of the rate at which the body absorbs radio frequency (RF) energy, or microwave radiation, when a person uses a cell phone. SAR is generally expressed in units of watts per kilogram (W/kg) or milliwatts per gram (mW/g) and indicates the level of risk of thermal biological effects involved with the use of a cell phone. SAR value should not be considered a reliable indicator of safety of cell phone use, as existing government standards do not account for potentially harmful non-thermal biological effects associated with cell phone use.

 

Sarcopenia: Age related muscle loss. Caused by a decline in muscle-building hormones, sarcopenia is a condition in which muscle fibers lose their strength, volume and overall integrity.

 

Saturated fat: Fat that is found in most animal products and tropical oils. With a high proportion of hydrogen atoms, saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are converted into cholesterol in the body.

 

Selenium: This mineral complements vitamin E to act as an efficient antioxidant. It is a component of an antioxidant enzyme, and also promotes normal growth and development.

 

Serum ferritin: Blood levels of this protein which stores and transports iron can reflect inflammation, but most often reflect high levels of iron in the body. When serum ferritin levels are high, an evaluation of iron overload state needs to be done.

 

Silicon: This nutrient is necessary for collagen formation in cartilage, bones, and other connective tissues.

 

Squalene: An immune protective factor, squalene is a fatty compound that is both endogenously produced and obtained through dietary sources such as olive oil; it assists in the synthesis of cholesterol. Squalene's chemoprotective effects, as demonstrated in the animal model, may explain the reduced risks of cancer associated with olive oil consumption.

 

Statins: Class of pharmaceutical drugs used to lower cholesterol, statins work by reducing the action of the principle enzyme in the liver that produces cholesterol. Anti-inflammatory statins can reduce risk of heart attack and decrease the need for revascularization procedures by reducing markers of inflammation in the body, such as C-reactive protein. Statins can also help stabilize atherosclerotic plaque. Regardless of cholesterol levels, statins can benefit people with coronary artery disease or those with a family history of cardiovascular disease. However, while statins can help save lives, they are widely overprescribed to healthy people with no history or evidence of arterial disease. Statins are detrimental to health in that they cause CoQ10 depletion, which can eventually lead to heart failure. Commonly prescribed statins include Lipitor (avorastatin), Zocor (simavastatin) and Crestor (rosuvastatin).

 

Stem cells: Unspecialized cells capable of both developing into specialized cells or dividing to replace or repair other tissues. Using stem cells to treat disease through cell-based therapies is the subject of regenerative or reparative medicine.  

 

Stents: Hollow titanium wires that keep arteries open after balloon angioplasty.

 

Stroke: A cardiac event caused by arterial blockages or plaque rupture in a vital blood vessel which causes brain tissue death due to oxygen deprivation. Strokes can also result from a ruptured blood vessel which causes local hemorrhaging; high blood pressure is the primary cause of hemorrhagic stroke.

 

Stroke volume: The amount of blood ejected with each heart beat.

 

Substrates: Material acted upon by enzymes.

 

Sulforaphane: A phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and cabbage. Sulforaphane is an antioxidant known for reducing the risk for some cancers.

 

Superoxide dismutase (SOD): The body’s natural defense mechanism against free radicals, SOD is an enzyme the body produces in limited amounts which renders free radicals harmless by providing extra electrons. When the body’s SOD stores are inadequate to handle free radical onslaught, the body must rely on antioxidants directly or indirectly obtained through our diets or supplementation to stave off free radical damage.

 

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS): A branch of the autonomic nervous system, the SNS causes involuntary arousal, or "fight or flight," responses such as increased heart rate and blood pressure in response to stress. The parasympathetic nervous system is the other autonomic branch which balances sympathetic arousal through relaxation response. Chronic overstimulation of the SNS can lead to cardiac and other stress-related illnesses.

 

Syndrome X: see Metabolic syndrome.

 

T-cells:  Cells of the immune system that patrol for foreign substances which can cause disease. T-cells help the body fight infection by attacking and destroying diseased cells; they orchestrate, regulate, and coordinate the overall immune system response.

 

Tai-chi: An ancient Chinese practice, Tai-chi involves the performance of fluid postures and movements in a slow and graceful manner designed to unite the body and mind. Described as “meditation in motion,” Tai Chi is often practiced for stress management.

 

Taurine: Taurine is the primary amino acid building block for other amino acids, and is necessary for the proper processing of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. It is important in the formation of bile, and is also a component of white blood cells, skeletal and heart muscles, and central nervous system tissues.

 

Telomeres: A sequence of nucleic acids in DNA that extend from the ends of chromosomes; important to the longevity of cells.

 

Thiamin (vitamin B₁): This vitamin plays an essential role in carbohydrate metabolism, and therefore helps promote normal growth and development. It also helps the body maintain normal function of the nervous system, muscles, and heart, as well as mucous membranes.

 

Thimerosal: A mercury-based (49%) preservative found in some vaccines, e.g. tetanus, rabies, and influenza. Most vaccines given to young children are now thimerosal-free. While the influenza (flu) shot contains thimerosal, limited supplies of a preservative-free version are available for infants, children, and pregnant women.

Thrombosis: The formation of a blood clot within an artery or vein. Blood clots can obstruct blood flow and result in a stroke or heart attack.

 

Thromboxane: A type of eicosanoid that causes stickiness of platelets and clotting of blood.

 

Tocotrienols: Tocotrienols are a special form of vitamin E that act as an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, which is the enzyme that produces cholesterol in the liver.

 

Total adenine nucleotides (TAN): A sum of the cellular concentration of ATP, plus ADP plus AMP. TAN defines the size of the energy pool within a cell.

 

Toxic blood: A state of the blood characterized by increased coagulation, heavy metals, infections, and other toxins, causing inflammation and sluggish blood flow.  The presence of high levels of homocysteine, Lp(a), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and ferritin in the blood indicate toxicity. 

 

Trans fatty acids: Man-made partially-hydrogenated fats. Usually starting as polyunsaturated vegetable oils, trans fats become more stable and have a longer shelf life with the addition of hydrogen. Trans fats are associated with increased oxidative damage to cell membranes, which can lead to inflammation, disease, and age-related changes. As trans-fats raise Lp(a), promote LDL oxidation and lower HDL, they contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD). 

 

Transient ischemic attacks (TIA): Mini-strokes caused when blood flow is compromised in the brain.

 

Triglyclerides: Made up of three molecules of fatty acids and one molecule of glycerol, triglycerides are the chemical form of most fats in the body; they characterize the common fat in our abdominal area, often referred to as “love handles.” Triglycerides in the blood come from dietary fats or from other calorie sources such as carbohydrates. Dietary calories not used immediately by tissues for energy are converted to triglycerides and stored in fat cells. Stored triglycerides are released as needed to meet energy demands. Excess triglycerides are part of the insulin resistance syndrome and are an important cardiovascular risk factor.

 

Ubiquinol: The reduced, antioxidant form of coenzyme Q10 which makes up more than 90% of the circulating CoQ10 present in the body. The body converts ingested ubiquinone into ubiquinol using reductase enzymes. While CoQ10 is commercially available in both forms, almost all clinical trials have utilized ubiquinone.

 

Ubiquinone: The stable form of coenzyme-Q10 that the body converts into ubiquinol, the antioxidant form of CoQ10. While CoQ10 is commercially available in both forms, almost all clinical trials have utilized ubiquinone.

 

Ultra-fast electron beam computed cine tomography (UFCT): A method of imaging hearts for evaluating heart disease risk; can detect calcified plaque lesions. Excellent for providing additional information to women with strong family history of heart disease who refuse to consider Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT).