Vitamins

What Is Vitamin C? Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid or ascorbate, is an essential water soluble vitamin. Fresh supplies of vitamin C are required every day to perform vital roles throughout the body among which are the production of ...

What Is Chronic Constipation? Chronic constipation is an intestinal motility disorder characterized by abnormal stool formation, consistency, and evacuation. Motility disorder means the normal rhythmic movement of intestinal muscles, called peristalsis, that moves food matter through the gut is hampered ...

What Is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus? Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that is characterized by involvement of multiple organs due to the production of antibodies to components of the cell nucleus.1 SLE has an unpredictable course of acute ...

What Is Intrauterine Growth Retardation? Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is a fetal development abnormality characterized by failure to grow normally for gestational period. Specifically, it means the developing baby weighs less than 90% of other babies at the same age. Intrauterine growth ...

What Are Obstetrical Complications? Obstetrical complications are reproductive disorders during pregnancy, labor and delivery that endanger the mother and unborn infant. Complications may result from prolonged constipation, malnutriton, hormonal imbalance, infection, systemic disease such as diabetes, obesity, tumors of the uterus, ...

What Is Candida Albicans Infection? Candida albicans infection, called candidosis or candidiasis, is an opportunistic invasion of mucous membrane or skin by candida albicans, an endogenous yeast found in 40 to 80% of normal human beings. A former name for ...

What Is Dementia? Dementia is the term used to describe a group of symptoms that show significant deterioration of an individual’s intellectual and social abilities. The deterioration in intellectual function is progressive and is characterized by memory and cognitive impairment involving deficits ...

What Are Muscle Spasm, Muscle Cramps? Muscle spasm and muscle cramps are  disorders of muscle function caused by painful involuntary contractions of affected skeletal muscles characterized by limited movement. Q: What is the difference between muscle spasm and cramps? A: ...

What Is Depression? Depression is a mood disorder characterized by absence of cheerfulness, dejection, and loss of interest or pleasure in living, making the person dysfunctional and unable to cope with or perform tasks of daily living. More than a ...

What Is Chronic Syndrome Fatigue? Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating illness characterized by persistent or relapsing overwhelming and incapacitating fatigue not relieved by rest, having a definite onset and often accompanied by numerous symptoms involving various body systems. This ...

What Is Unexplained Weight Gain? Unexplained weight gain is characterized by increased body mass due to excess fat accumulation that is not desired by the individual. A body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30 signifies being overweight. What Is ...

What Is Chronic Fatigue? Chronic fatigue or lassitude is a state of weariness not relieved by rest and the inability to do normal physical or mental work. Q: What are causes of chronic fatigue? A: Chronic fatigue can be a ...

What Is Intestinal Dysbiosis? Intestinal dysbiosis is an imbalance of the composition and quantity of microbe populations (called the microbiota), that naturally inhabit our human gut. Dysbiosis causes altered gut immunity, abnormal fermentation of undigested foodstuffs, and impaired production within the ...

What Are Brittle Nails? Brittle nails are abnormalities of the nail plate that are characterized by poor nail structure affecting all fingernails and toenails seen as thin, dry nails that easily chip, split, and are difficult to maintain a clean ...

What Is Ulcerative Colitis? Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disorder of the colon characterized by continuous inflammation of the mucosa and submucosa usually with small ulcers, extending from the rectum and typically involving the distal colon, rectum, and anus and ...