Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Proteins are the most versatile macromolecules in living systems and serve crucial functions in essentially all biological processes. They function as catalysts, transport and store other molecules such as oxygen, provide mechanical support and immune protection, generate movement, transmit nerve impulses, and control growth and differentiation. Indeed, much of this text will focus on understanding

Lipids are compounds that are insoluble in water but are soluble in organic solvents such as ether and chloroform. Lipids that are important to our discussion include fats and oils (triglycerides or triacylglycerols), fatty acids, phospholipids, and cholesterol. Fats and oils are esters of glycerol and three fatty acids. They are important in the diet as

Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients in the human diet, along with protein and fat. These molecules contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Carbohydrates play an important role in the human body. They act as an energy source, help control blood glucose and insulin metabolism, participate in cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism, and help with

Digestion is the process of mechanically and enzymatically breaking down food into substances for absorption into the bloodstream. The food contains three macronutrients that require digestion before they can be absorbed: fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Through the process of digestion, these macronutrients are broken down into molecules that can traverse the intestinal epithelium and enter

Vancomycin is a medication used in the treatment of serious Gram-positive bacterial infections. It is in the cell wall synthesis inhibitor class of antimicrobial medications. This activity reviews the indications, action, and contraindications for vancomycin as a valuable antimicrobial in the treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections. This activity will highlight the mechanism of action, adverse

Dietary Iron has an essential physiologic role, as it is involved in oxygen transportation and energy formation. The body cannot synthesize iron and must acquire it. Food is the only natural source of iron, and the mineral is ingestable in supplement form. Although the human body can recycle and reutilize this mineral, it loses some

Pharmacokinetics (PK) is the study of how the body interacts with administered substances for the entire duration of exposure (medications for the sake of this article). This is closely related to but distinctly different from pharmacodynamics, which more closely examines the drug’s effect on the body. The four main parameters generally examined by this field

Absorption is the process that brings a drug from the administration, e.g., tablet, capsule, into the systemic circulation. Absorption affects the speed and concentration at which a drug may arrive at its desired location of effect, e.g., plasma. There are many possible methods of drug administration, including but not limited to oral, intravenous, intramuscular, intrathecal,