How To Achieve Mastery Of Biochemistry Concepts?

Published on: 24 December 2022 Last Updated on: 12 August 2024

Biochemistry reflects on the chemical compositions of living organisms. If in a science class one has encountered statements like the chemical composition of blood glucose is C6H12O6, then this lesson is part of biochemistry research that has found its way to textbooks.

Biochemistry also deals with chemical interactions between living cells. For instance, once we eat, the process of digestion that releases energy in the form of ATP and the chemical reaction involved in these metabolic activities are part of biochemistry.

The signals released by the brain in response to pain, how oxygen is used by blood cells, and the entire chemical process involved at the molecular level is studied as part of the biochemistry discipline.

A biochemistry course can be taken both as a specialization or an interdisciplinary course along with a related major or minor for challenging career prospects in life sciences. Interested students can check out this biochemistry course.

Scope And Uses Of Biochemistry

Biochemists hold numerous positions not just in the direct or ancillary healthcare sector but also in any field that involves food and nutrition.

Here are a few areas where biochemistry is used:

A. Nutritional science

The molecules like amino acids, lipids, fats, carbohydrates, and fiber constitute the macros of a balanced healthy diet. Biochemistry in food and nutrition deals with the process of generation and maintenance of the essential macros and glucose levels in a body. Any tipping in the readings will be the result of the body’s chemical response to any underlying disease condition.

B. Genetic engineering

Genetic engineering is technically a branch of biotechnology. However, to understand DNA sequencing, chemical composition is necessary information. And hence biochemistry becomes an interrelated discipline for genetic engineering.

Biotech is widely used in understanding pathological specimens of microbes, and human, veterinary, and plant genes to help in combating diseases, creating resistant varieties of bloodlines in animal husbandry, and disease-resistant variants of plants.

C. Medicine

Pharmacological advances in new drug formulations, the development of vaccines, immunology, and pathology are some areas where biochemistry is widely used. Only through biochemistry, the rollout of Covid vaccine was possible.

Tips For Preparing For Biochemistry

Biochemistry is a vast subject that deals with humans, animals, and plants. It has other sub-categories like structural biochemistry, enzymology, xenobiotics, and organic and molecular biochemistry.

Considering the numerous topics, although the subject is interesting, studying for coursework can be daunting. But with a little bit of planning and learning hacks, preparing for biochemistry lessons can seem like a breeze for students.

Here are tips to prepare for biochemistry coursework:

1. Memorize The chemical sequence

Biochemistry is one of the least-liked subjects by many because of the many chain reactions and pathways that one needs to remember. The only way one can remember these chemical reactions is by logically grasping them, and then writing them down 2-3 times to memorize them. Once you have understood and memorized it correctly, write it backward. This step seals the content in your memory for a long time.

2. Revise important topics

Biochemistry is easy to forget a subject if you have not grasped the concept and memorized it. Topics related to organic biochemistry, lipid metabolism, amino acids secretion, enzymes secretion by glands like the pituitary and liver, the pentose phosphate pathway, and nucleotides need to be revised through notes revision, flashcards, and practice quizzes.

3. Study groups

Divide the biochemistry topics among members of study groups to make notes. In this manner, all the important topics can be revised easily by dividing the work related to notes and crucial points that form the framework of the lesson

4. Illustrate

Biochemistry is easy to remember when you use imagination and draw the reactions in a fun and easy-to-understand manner. You can always give character names to any of the molecules that are both easy to remember and relatable.

5. Focus on an essential topic

Divide the topics into the most repetitive and course-wise imperative ones. Divide your attention in an 80:20 ratio and give more importance to the core topics. In this manner, the regularly difficult topics are covered and repeated.

Twenty percent dedicated to other least important topics can be revised once. This way is ideal when trying to fit in a lot of work within a short timeframe. For instance, you can give more time to topics on metabolic and organic chemistry, enzymes, and pathways.

6. Comprehend

Biochemistry is a science subject and rote memorization alone can never work. The only way to retain it for a longer time comes from grasping the concepts and even memorizing them. If you can practice explaining the concepts to a five-year-old by following the Feynman technique, then the chances of you understanding the concepts are more.

7. Biochemistry terminology

All the terms used in this subject are different and some concepts will be completely new to you. Enzymes have suffixes like lyases, hydrogenases, oxidases, etc. A grasp on these terms by memorizing through mapping can help a student fare better

8. Structural biochemistry

Learning the chemical structure of molecules of chlorophyll, glucose, enzymes, amino acids, triglycerides and all other compounds within a living being will help biochemistry enthusiasts in their research as well

9. Organize study time

As the syllabus of biochemistry is an expanse, allotting a specific time and sticking to the schedule will help individuals gain confidence and have enough time to revise important topics before tests.

10. Take short breaks

When reading long topics and sequentially memorizing them, it is essential to take short breaks that can help a person rejuvenate and remember the lesson.

Conclusion:

Biochemistry is an important subject in medical school and some of the stem sciences. It is an essential subject in life science. There are a wide array of jobs that can be obtained with an education in biochemistry.

It is an important part of the med school program as well. Anyone interested in studying biochemistry can explore online Medtech platforms that will aid in improving the grasp through multiple immersive topics with animated illustrations.

Read Also:

Arnab

Arnab is a professional blogger, having an enormous interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, He carries out sharing sentient blogs.

View all posts

CBD: The understanding of its benefits

Miracle Medicine or Shark Scam? The substance cannabidiol, CBD, is gaining more attention and allegedly curing and alleviating a number of diseases and symptoms - but what exactly is it? According to a page named as the upcoming, CBD is one of the hundreds of so-called cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, and unlike the intoxicating and known substance THC, the CBD is not psychoactive and in itself does not cause intoxication. However, both THC and CBD are pharmacologically interesting and there is a great potential for medical use - both individually and in different combinations between them. In some states, like Arkansas, it is now legal for people to use both THC and CBD medicinally. Getting a medical marijuana card in Arkansas to help alleviate certain ailments is now made easier with telehealth options emerging. Historically, the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant have been used for a number of ailments in much of the world. For example, to reduce pain or to relieve symptoms from rheumatism and epilepsy. Today, this palette of disease states that cannabis is said to alleviate and the cure has increased even more, although the scientific support for its medicinal effect is often weak or non-existent. CBD is removed from the list of prohibited substances A major problem, however, has been that the research on cannabis medical potential has been made more difficult by the drug classified as a heavy drug without medical potential, which among other things has meant that few large and well-made studies have been done in humans. The fact that it is difficult to patent natural substances is also a reason why pharmaceutical companies have not invested in cannabis medical studies. But much has happened in recent years and today we can see a more relaxed view of the CBD. For example, the anti-doping organization Wada will remove cannabidiol from its list of banned substances in 2018 - while cannabis and THC are still on the list. We can also see that the sales of high quality CBD products, often in the form of oil drops, have grown sharply in recent years. The CBD industry in the US: The CBD industry in the US is both large and profitable. But from the point of view of authority, the criticism has long been hard against the industry. The US FDA recently released a number of letters to a number of major CBD dealers in the United States. Message: Stop marketing your products with medical claims that are not backed by science. The authority is also critical of the fact that CBD oil is marketed as a dietary supplement, although according to the FDA it is obvious that the products are pharmaceuticals. A new study on CBD content in products in the US market also showed that 70 percent of the tested products contained more or less CBD than the table of contents declared. It should be pointed out that there are tons of CBD brands, which claim to be the best at what they do. Huge claims are made about the purity of the extraction process and how well they work when it comes to relieving muscle and joint pains, promoting sleep, and so on. However, closer examinations reveal that the majority of brands operating in the CBD industry are just trying to hitch on the popularity bandwagon. Experts state that apart from brands like penguincbd.com, there are hardly others who can really claim to be creating great CBD products. Meanwhile in some countries: In some countries, it is difficult to obtain figures on how large the industry around CBD products is today, but that the growth is strong in recent years is clear. Many salesmen have long worked in a legal gray area and marketed their products as food and dietary supplements. This has meant that you have been in a more or less lawless country since you do not have to follow the Medicines Act and it is up to the manufacturers themselves to be responsible for ensuring that the products are safe. Specifically, this means that buyers can’t possibly know whether the amount of CBD in the product is actually what is claimed or if it contains heavy metals, other drugs, or toxic substances. You also have no responsibility to collect any side effects. Can CBD cure unusual diseases? In the United States, CBD passed on a broad front after a notable CNN report in 2013, where one had to meet the five-year-old girl Charlotte Figi who suffers from a very difficult and unusual form of childhood epilepsy, Dravet's syndrome. Charlotte was plagued by up to 300 heavy epileptic seizures a week and after existing drugs did not work, the parents tested her medication with CBD-rich cannabis oil, which drastically reduced the epileptic seizures. The girl suffers from the difficult and unusual epilepsy disease Dravet's syndrome and became an early symbol of the medical cannabis movement. Photo: TT And it is precisely to relieve and reduce seizures in difficult-to-treat and unusual epilepsy that CBD has shown the most promising results. In a review article from 2016, a number of researchers went through a number of studies on cannabidiol's medical effects and pointed out a number of areas where CBD drugs can be extra interesting, especially if combined with other substances, such as turmeric for example. To note, CBD and turmeric benefits are considered important by a lot of researchers. Epilepsy: Here, both early clinical data and anecdotal evidence indicate that CBD can be effective against epilepsy and then specifically difficult-to-treat forms that affect children, such as Dravet's syndrome and Lennox-Gastauut's syndrome. A British pharmaceutical company, GW Pharmaceuticals, is also in the final phase with a CBD-based drug that many people hope to be able to print soon to children suffering from severe epilepsy. A study from 2017 on 120 children and young adults with Dravet's syndrome also adds additional weight to CBD treatment in epilepsy. One could then show a statistically significant reduction in severe epilepsy cases in the group receiving cannabidiol. However, the CBD group also had more side effects than the placebo group. Schizophrenia and Psychosis Diseases: Today we know that cannabis use is one of several risk factors for suffering from schizophrenia and other psychosis diseases. And that one should be able to relieve and treat this with substances from the cannabis plant may sound strange, but cannabidiol antipsychotic properties are now being studied carefully. In the review article, the researchers stated that various studies have shown that it is possible to alleviate symptoms from schizophrenia with CBD. And among the more than 100 studies on cannabidiol that are currently registered, there are several whose future results can clarify the CBD's potential in psychosis disease. The same British drug companies that develop the CBD-based epilepsy drug have also, in a recently published and well-done study, shown that CBD can provide symptomatic relief in schizophrenia. Depending Disease: Another interesting area where CBD is predicted to have a medical field of application is dependency disease. Studies are currently underway in the treatment of problematic use of alcohol, cocaine, and opioids. There are also studies suggesting that CBD and turmeric capsules can reduce withdrawal symptoms in people trying to stop cannabis. And much more… From the information above, it can be concluded that CBD really has health benefits. But of course, it would be wiser if the use is consulted in advance with the doctor or related medical officer. Read Also: 4 Advantages Of Using CBD Oils Is CBD Oil & Edible Treats Safe For Pets – Dogs & Cats Cannabis Can Help In The Fight Against Drug Addiction

Resistance Bands: the Best Tool for your Home Gym

Resistance bands : These brightly-colored rubber bands are the perfect choice for any home gym. Whether you’ve got a full weight-training setup or you prefer bodyweight exercise, the resistance band is a versatile tool to improve everything from mobility to maximum strength. Stick with us because in this short article you’re going to learn everything you need to know about the why and how of resistance bands! Resistance Bands: What Are They? Resistance bands are basically tough, elastic bands that are designed to be used in exercise and sports training. They can be any length, but the main two are “loops” that are put around body parts – such as the hip circle – or full-length bands that can also be used with weight training equipment. They’re used for a variety of reasons: Stretching Bodyweight strengthening Resistance training We’re going to break these down one by one, so you know what you can expect from a high-quality resistance band. Why We Love Resistance Bands So Much Home gyms require you to be space-efficient. When you’re in charge of buying and storing everything, you need to get the most out of equipment. Resistance bands are the perfect bang-for-your-buck purchase. They have many uses, they’re cheap, you can store them easily, and they make everything you do in training better. You can also take resistance bands anywhere – making it possible to get a great workout on the road, on camping trips, or when enduring the in-laws. This makes them unique among workout tools: good luck doing this with a barbell! Stretching Bands make the perfect stretching tool for many reasons. To start with, they apply gradual resistance. You’re subjecting your muscles to an increasingly more challenging stretch using bands. This is going to make it easier t get into the right positions and combat stubborn, tight muscles. A great example of this is the shoulder dislocates. The point of this exercise is to warm up the shoulders and loosen off tight muscles in the chest. Bands are much better than a wooden rod for this, as they’ll actively open your chest up and force you to improve on the stretch. Flexibility is good, but it isn’t much use if you can’t control your shoulders: “flexibility without strength may predispose the individual to joint injury” – David Joyce Elastic resistance forces you to control the movement while you develop greater flexibility. This is crucial for reducing injury and strengthening connective tissues! Elastic resistance is popular with the world’s best weightlifters and, if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for us! Advanced Mobility Resistance bands play a big part in advanced mobility techniques and rehabilitation after injury. Kelly Starrett’s approach to mobility involves bands to improve stretching exponentially. There are dozens of examples of this from improving hip stretches to building ankle mobility. If you’re serious about your mobility, bands can take it to the next level and save you hundreds of hours in the long-run! They’re also a key part in physiotherapy and rehab. Bands are great for stability and strengthening work – allowing you to improve movement quality and strengthen neglected muscles. These all add up to mean healthier, safer joints. Bodyweight Strengthening Are pull-ups too difficult? Add a band. Are push-ups too easy? Add a band! Bodyweight strengthening is amazing: gymnastic strength training should be a part of everyone’s exercise routine. However, because you’re using your own body weight it can be hard to scale this to get easier or more difficult since you can’t add/lose weight that fasts. Resistance bands can be used to assist exercises by attaching them to something that reduces the effect of gravity on you. Dips are a great example – you can put your knees in a band to make the exercise much easier and build towards full dips. On the other hand, you can make exercises more difficult by adding a band. When performing a push-up, you can put the band in either hand and around your back so that it adds resistance towards the top of a push-up. This is a great example of how versatile the resistance band is: it can make exercises easier or harder. It’s an easy way of scaling any exercise you can think of! Resistance Training If you’re training for strength, power, or sports performance, resistance bands are perfect. Adding bands to exercises like squats, deadlifts, and even sprints can provide amazing benefits for explosive power. By overloading the top of the movement (when the bands are elongated and provide most resistance) you can develop power in the knee- and hip extension. Put simply, it makes these exercises easier at the bits that are usually easy. This ensures you’re putting maximum effort into the movements that build strength and power for other sports like Olympic lifting, sprinting, jumping and field sports (like rugby). Closing Remarks Resistance bands are great because they’re versatile, compliment every other type of training, and they’re amazingly practical. With a key role in building strength, improving mobility, and preventing injury, resistance bands are amazing for your health and fitness goals. If you’re short on money or you’re not sure what to buy for your home gym to get maximum value, they’re the right choice for you. Read Also : What Are Popular Mind And Body Exercises Available At A Gym? 8 Home Gym Systems You’ll Want To Try Out 6 Ways To Promote Healthy Brain 7 Healthy Habits That Make Us Look Younger

Biohacking Mental Health With Plants And Mushrooms

Mental health is a growing concern in today's society, with an increasing number of people struggling with various mental health conditions. Millions of people suffer from mental disorders globally, making it one of the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide. In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards alternative methods for treating mental health conditions. One such method that has gained popularity in the biohacking community is the use of plants and mushrooms. But before you get the best magic mushroom grow kit and start growing some mushrooms, it's important to understand what biohacking mental health with plants and mushrooms truly means. In this article, we will explore the concept of biohacking, its connection to mental health, and how plants and mushrooms can be beneficial for improving our mental well-being. What Is Biohacking? Biohacking refers to the practice of using science and technology to improve human performance and optimize health. It involves making small lifestyle changes or adopting specific techniques that aim to enhance physical and mental capabilities. The goal of biohacking is to achieve optimal functioning in all aspects of life, including physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual well-being. There are various forms of biohacking, such as do-it-yourself biology, nutrigenomics, neurofeedback, and nutritional supplements. However, in recent years, biohacking has also extended to include the use of plants and mushrooms for mental health purposes. Plants And Mushrooms: Nature's Medicine Cabinet For Mental Health Plants and mushrooms have been used for centuries as natural remedies for various ailments, including mental health conditions. With the rise of biohacking, these natural substances have gained even more attention as powerful tools for improving mental well-being. Some plants and mushrooms that are commonly used in biohacking for mental health include: Lion's Mane Mushroom: This delicious mushroom that tastes almost like lobster or crab meat can improve cognitive function and memory and has neuroprotective properties. Ashwagandha: This is an adaptogenic herb that helps the body cope with stress and anxiety. Bacopa Monnieri: This is another adaptogenic herb that may enhance learning, memory, and brain function. Psilocybin Mushrooms: These psychedelic mushrooms have shown promising results in treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Importance Of Proper Usage While plants and mushrooms can offer many benefits for mental health, it is important to note that they should be used responsibly. Some key considerations include: Proper dosage: Different plants and mushrooms may have varying levels of active compounds, so it is crucial to follow recommended dosages to avoid negative effects. Source reliability: It is essential to obtain plants and mushrooms from reputable sources to ensure purity and safety. Poorly sourced products may contain harmful contaminants or incorrect species. Individual response: Each person may have a different reaction to biohacking with plants and mushrooms. It is important to monitor your own responses and make adjustments accordingly. Consulting a healthcare professional: Before incorporating any new plant or mushroom into your routine, it is wise to consult with a healthcare professional, especially if you have underlying medical conditions or are taking medications. Final Thoughts As you explore the world of biohacking with plants and mushrooms, remember that your health and safety should always be the priority. This field is complex and still emerging, so it's important to consult with a healthcare professional or a knowledgeable expert in the field before making changes to your routine. This way, you can ensure that your mental health biohacking journey is both effective and safe. Read Also: 10 healthy Habits to improve your health How To Take Care Of Your Mental Health Living Healthily | Six Crucial Lifestyle Tips for College Freshmen

How To Achieve Mastery Of Biochemistry Concepts?