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Vitamin
Glossary "L"
- lactose intolerant-
an intolerance to milk and some dairy products,
characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms.
- laxative- a
substance which promotes bowel movements. Laxatives
are divided into those that work by providing bulk,
those that stimulate the production of bile
in the liver and its release from the gallbladder,
and those which directly trigger peristalsis.
- LDL cholesterol-
a cholesterol-rich, protein-poor blood plasma
correlated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis.
- LDL-low
density lipoproteins- a fraction of blood
associated with an increased risk of heart disease
and, possibly, cancer.
- L-Dopa- a natural
amino acid precursor to the neurotransmitter
dopamine.
- lesion- an injury,
wound, or single infected patch in a skin disease.
- leukocytes- white
blood cells.
- leukocytosis- an
increased white blood cell count, usually caused by
the presence of an infection.
- leukosis- abnormal
growth of white blood cells.
- ligament- a band of
fibrous connective tissue connecting bone, cartilage,
and other structures and serving as support for
muscles to facilitate or limit motion.
- limbic system-
a group of brain structures that influences the
endocrine and autonomic motor systems.
- lipid soluble-
dissolves in fats or oils.
- lipofuscin- a
yellow-brown pigmented waste material deposited in
many nerve and skin cells, where it is believed to
interfere with cellular metabolism. Lipofuscin is
made up of cross-linked, peroxidized lipids and
cross-linked proteins. Lipofuscin deposits in skin
are colloquially called "age spots" or
"liver spots".
- lipopigments-
aging pigments: lipofuscin, ceroid, and amyloid.
- lipoproteins-
proteins composed of a simple protein and a fat
component that carry fats in the blood.
- lymphatic system-
a system of vessels and nodes throughout the body
which carry the lymph fluid and help to remove
toxins from the body.
- lymphocyte- type
of white blood cell which arises in lymph glands,
spleen, thymus, or marrow.
- lysosomes- special
digestive structures in cells, containing powerful
tissue-dissolving enzymes and subsequent tissue
damage.
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