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Healthy Prostate
Nutrients extend life in prostate cancer, exercise adds insurance
In men with prostate cancer, vitamins E and B6 extended life, green tea lowered signs of prostate cancer activity, and exercise cut chances and severity of the disease, four new studies reveal.
Doctors wanted to know if vitamin E could extend life in those with prostate cancer. Researchers analyzed an earlier cancer prevention study of 29,000 male smokers who had taken 50 mg of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) per day, with or without 20 mg of beta-carotene, or a placebo, for six years. Twelve years after the study ended, about 1,900 of the men had prostate cancer. Compared to those with the lowest vitamin E levels at the start of the study, men with the highest vitamin E levels who also took vitamin E in the study were about half as likely to have died from the disease nine years after the study ended, and were 74 percent less likely to have passed away 12 years after.
In a nutrition study, researchers measured the diets of 525 men with prostate cancer and found that—among men whose cancer was confined to the prostate—those who consumed the most vitamin B6 were 29 percent less likely to die from the disease during 20 years of follow-up compared to men who consumed the least vitamin B6.
In a green tea study, 26 men scheduled for surgery to remove a cancerous prostate took 1,300 mg of green tea polyphenols, including 800 mg of epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) per day, for 35 days before the operation. Signs of cancer activity in the blood were significantly lower after taking the green tea supplement.
In an exercise study, doctors found that men who exercised moderately—walking, for example—for nine hours per week were much less likely to have prostate cancer, or had less-severe cancer, than men who exercised less, and that as exercise increased, cancer chances decreased.
Reference: Cancer Research; 2009, Vol. 69, No. 9, 3833-41
December's Healthy Tip:
Good Diet, Better Brain
Doctors in a Mediterranean diet study followed about 1,400 men and women, aged at least 65, for five years and found that those who ate the most fish, monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin B12, folic acid, and antioxidants vitamin E, carotenoids and flavonoids had better mental test scores, and slower mental decline. In a related diet and exercise study, researchers followed about 1,900 elders for five years and found that as diet improved and exercise increased, individually, chances of Alzheimer’s disease decreased, and when participants combined good diet and exercise, chances for AD were 60 percent lower.
Recipe: Savory Baked Garbanzo Beans
Reference: Journal of the American Medical Association; 2009, Vol. 302, No. 6, 638-48
Better Blood Flow for Diabetics
Nutrients lowered chances of heart disease in diabetes
Omega-3 fatty acids lowered inflammation linked to heart disease, and higher levels of vitamin C and coenzyme Q10 meant better blood vessel function in diabetics, three new studies reveal.
In a diabetes study, doctors wanted to see if omega-3 fatty acids could lower the chances of cardiovascular disease common in diabetics. A group of about 80 similar type 2 diabetics took an omega-3 supplement or a placebo. After two months, homocysteine levels-—an inflammatory sign of cardiovascular disease—were 1 percent lower in the placebo group compared to 22 percent lower for the omega-3 group. The omega-3 group also showed signs of better long-term blood sugar control, while the placebo group did not. The omega-3 formula included 1,548 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 828 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and 338 mg of other omega-3s per day.
In a study of young type 1 diabetics, aged 10 to 22, doctors thought that vitamin C might help prevent the blood vessel damage that can lead to cardiovascular disease. Researchers measured signs of early blood vessel disease in about 60 male and female type 1 diabetics and found that those with the lowest vitamin C levels had signs of circulation problems beginning in the smallest blood vessels.
In another diabetes study, doctors explained that statin drugs can deplete coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), raising inflammation and impairing blood vessels. About two dozen type 2 diabetics with impaired blood flow who were taking statin drugs also took 200 mg of CoQ10 per day, or a placebo. After 12 weeks, those in the CoQ10 group had 1 percent better blood vessel relaxation, with no change for placebo. Levels of CoQ10 nearly tripled in the CoQ10 group, which researchers said may also help relieve the muscle pain that is a common side effect of statin drugs.
Reference: Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease; 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Nutritional Approach to Cancer
Phytosterols reduce chances of several cancers, lycopene may reduce colorectal cancer, and women with cancer who took cod liver oil or multivitamin-minerals lived longer, in three new studies.
In a review of cancer studies that analyzed diet, researchers found that phytosterols—plant compounds found in grains, legumes, vegetable oils, and nuts—may inhibit lung, stomach, ovarian, and breast cancers. Doctors believe phytosterols keep the body from absorbing cholesterol, lowering the chances of cardiovascular disease. Phytosterols also activate enzymes that keep cancer cells from growing and speed their death, doctors said.
In a cancer risk study, doctors thought that lycopene—the antioxidant red pigment in tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables—could lower chances of the disease. About 70 men and women with benign colorectal tumors or a family history of colorectal cancer took 30 mg of lycopene per day, or a placebo. After eight weeks, researchers found that the lycopene group had much higher blood levels of a protein that helps control a cancer-stimulating compound, and concluded that lycopene may reduce chances of colorectal and other major cancers such as prostate and pre-menopausal breast cancers.
Doctors in a Norwegian cancer study measured the diets of nearly 70,000 women with cancer and found that those with a solid tumor who took cod liver oil daily—the most common supplement in Norway—for a year before diagnosis were 23 percent less likely to die, and women with lung cancer were 44 percent less likely, compared to women who did not take cod liver oil. Women with solid tumors who took other dietary supplements daily—including multivitamin-minerals—were 30 percent less likely to die, and women with lung cancer who took other supplements occasionally were 45 percent less likely, compared to women who did not take other supplements.
Reference: International Journal of Cancer; 2009, Vol. 125, No. 5, 1155-60
See Better Longer
Nutrients and good diet slowed eye disease
Healthy diets with -omega-3s, and carotenoids plus antioxidants, helped preserve eyesight in age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, two new studies reveal.
Doctors from Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, said that, because the omega-3s docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) protect against AMD, they wanted to re-analyze an earlier AMD study which had tested a range of vitamin-mineral supplements but had not measured diet. Researchers examined the diets of nearly 3,000 participants with AMD and found that, regardless of the supplements they had taken, those who consumed more than 64 mg of DHA per day or more than 42 mg of EPA per day were about 26 percent less likely to have advanced AMD compared to those who consumed the least DHA or EPA.
In another finding from the same re-analysis, researchers discovered that AMD progressed 24 percent more slowly in those who consumed a lower-glycemic diet including high-quality complex carbohydrates compared to those who consumed a higher-glycemic diet with more-refined carbohydrates.
In another AMD study, doctors said that while they do not know what causes AMD, they do know that progressive oxidative damage plays a role. Over 400 participants with at least early-stage AMD took a placebo or a daily antioxidant formula containing the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. After 12 months, the rate of decline to late-stage AMD from early-stage AMD had slowed in the antioxidant group but not in the placebo group. The antioxidant group could see more clearly at a distance compared to placebo and, while the placebo group had lost macular pigment—the yellow color in the lens and retina of the eye that enables sight and protects eyes from light—the antioxidant group maintained stable macular pigment levels. The name of the study was Carotenoids and Co-antioxidants in Age-Related Maculopathy, or CARMA.
Reference: British Journal of Ophthalmology; 2009, Vol. 93, No. 9, 1241-6
Beta-carotene 6,600 IU
Copper 4 mg
Lutein/Zeaxanthin 4 mg
Manganese 10 mg
Riboflavin 10 mg
Selenium 40 mcg
Vitamin C 400 mg
Vitamin E 150 IU
Zinc 60 mg
New Approaches to Alzheimer’s
Curcumin and vitamin D may help slow Alzheimer’s disease, and having close friends and family lowers chances of dementia, in two new studies.
Doctors in an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) study explained that, while they do not know what causes AD, they do know that, in healthy people, the immune system keeps abnormal proteins from building up in the brain. In AD, the immune system malfunctions and allows the proteins to form deposits in brain tissue. In the study, researchers tried to improve the immune-system white blood cells that keep brain tissue free from abnormal proteins. Scientists took blood samples from nine participants with AD and, in a lab, incubated the white blood cells with the abnormal proteins, and then added vitamin D3 and curcumin-like compounds called curcuminoids.
Doctors found that the curcu-minoids helped the white blood cells bind with the proteins and that vitamin D accelerated how quickly the white blood cells absorbed the proteins in most of the tests.
The researchers believe that there are two types of AD, one which responds well to curcuminoids, and one that does not. Scientists think the difference may be the presence or absence of a gene that allows the immune system to clear the abnormal proteins, and concluded, “Since vitamin D and curcumin work differently with the immune system, we may find that a combination of the two, or each used alone, may be more effective, depending on the individual patient.” The research is in its very early stages and the doctors have yet to recommend a dosage for curcuminoids or vitamin D to combat AD.
In a dementia study, researchers followed over 2,000 women, at least 78 years old, without dementia, for four years and found that women with larger active social networks of family and friends were 26 percent less likely to develop dementia.
Reference: Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease; 2009, Vol. 17, No. 3, 703-17
Heart
Omega-3s and vitamin K protect the heart
Omega-3s lower blood fats and inflammation, and omega-3s and vitamin K2 protect from heart disease, in several new studies.
In a new state-of-the-art paper on omega-3, Dr Carl J Lavie reviewed the major heart disease studies from the last 30 years. Based on the findings, Dr Lavie recommends that the target amount of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) be 500 mg per day for everyone without heart disease and at least 800 mg to 1,000 mg per day for those with heart disease. “We have tremendous and compelling evidence from very large studies…that demonstrate the protective benefits of omega-3 fish oil in multiple aspects of preventive cardiology,” Dr Lavie said, adding that omega-3s cut the chances of dying from cardiovascular causes by up to 30 percent in those who have cardiovascular disease or who have had a heart attack.
Doctors in a DHA study said that high blood fat (triglyceride) levels increase inflammation, raising the chances of heart disease, and wanted to see if DHA could lower signs of inflammation. Researchers gave 3,000 mg of DHA per day, or a placebo, to 34 men aged 39 to 66 who had high triglycerides. While there was no change for placebo, after 45 days, signs of acute inflammation-—circulating white blood cells called neutrophils—had decreased 12 percent in the omega-3 group. At 90 days, two other signs of inflammation—C-reactive protein and interleukin-6—had decreased respectively 15 percent and 23 percent.
Researchers in a vitamin K2 study explained that recent research shows vitamin K protects the heart and vascular system, and wanted to see if vitamin K would lower chances of heart disease. Doctors measured the diets of over 16,000 postmenopausal women, aged 49 to 70, who did not have cardiovascular disease. After eight years, scientists found that the chances of coronary heart disease decreased 9 percent for every 10 mcg of vitamin K2 in the diet.
Reference: Journal of the American College of Cardiology; 2009, Vol. 54, No. 7, 585-94
November's Healthy Tip:
Fats and Cancer
In a pancreatic cancer study of 500,000 adults, aged 50 to 71, men and women who consumed the most total fat were respectively 53 percent and 23 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who consumed the least. Considering different types of fat, researchers found that saturated fats—common in red meat and dairy foods—were least healthy, while polyunsaturated fats and plant-based fats did not raise chances of pancreatic cancer at all. In another study, scientists measured antioxidant flavonols—common in apples, onions, tea, citrus fruits, and grapes—in the diets of over 180,000 participants over eight years and found pancreatic cancer decreased as flavonol levels increased.
Savory Spinach Spuntino is scrumptious
Reference: Journal of the National Cancer Institute; 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Live Healthy, Live Longer
Nutrients, along with smart lifestyle choices, extend life
Vitamins C and E, and multivitamins extended life, and men and women who practiced healthy lifestyle behaviors had healthier hearts and blood pressure, in three new studies.
In a lifespan study, researchers asked about 78,000 adults, aged 50 to 76, to list the vitamins they had taken during the last 10 years, and followed up for the next five years. Compared to those who didn’t take supplements, those who took vitamins C and E were less likely to die from any cause, and those who took multivitamins daily for 10 years were 16 percent less likely to die from heart disease.
In a men’s lifestyle study, doctors followed about 21,000 men, average age 54, for 22 years, tracking six adjustable lifestyle factors: body weight, smoking, and exercise; and consuming alcohol, breakfast cereals, and fruits and vegetables. Compared to participants with no healthy lifestyle factors, men who maintained four or more healthy factors tended to live longer, have less diabetes and high blood pressure, and were twice as likely to avoid heart failure.
In a women’s blood pressure study, scientists followed about 84,000 women, aged 27 to 44, and tracked six adjustable lifestyle factors for 14 years: body weight and exercise; and consuming salt, alcohol, painkillers (such as acetaminophen), and folic acid supplements. Compared to women with six unhealthy lifestyle factors, women with a healthy approach were 78 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure. Weight was the single most important factor, with overweight and obese women twice as likely to have high blood pressure as women of healthy weight. For the other five factors, women with unhealthy lifestyles were more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure as were women who exercised regularly, consumed low levels of salt, alcohol, and painkillers, and took at least 400 mcg of folic acid per day.
Reference: American Journal of Epidemiology; 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Lowering Cholesterol
Red yeast rice may be an alternative for treating high cholesterol in those who cannot tolerate statin drugs; artichoke leaf extract and vitamin C lowered cholesterol levels, three new studies reveal.
Researchers in a red yeast rice study wanted to find an alternative treatment for people with high cholesterol who repeatedly had to stop taking statin drugs due to muscle pain. Over 60 participants with high cholesterol took 1,800 mg of red yeast rice twice per day, or a placebo, for six months. After 24 weeks, the red yeast rice group had reduced LDL—the “bad” cholesterol—by more than twice as much as the placebo group, and 30 percent of the red yeast rice group achieved the ideal LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg/dL or lower, compared to 7 percent for placebo.
In a cholesterol study, 75 participants who were healthy, except for mildly to moderately high cholesterol levels (262 to 309 mg/dL), took 1,280 mg of artichoke leaf extract (ALE) per day, or a placebo. After 12 weeks, total cholesterol had decreased an average of 4 percent in the ALE group, while increasing 2 percent for placebo. Doctors concluded that those who don’t yet need cholesterol drugs could use ALE to help lower cholesterol.
In a review of 13 vitamin C clinical trials published over 28 years, researchers found that those with high cholesterol who took at least 500 mg of vitamin C per day, for four to 24 weeks, saw an average 5 percent drop in LDL cholesterol, and 2 percent increase in HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Triglycerides also dropped in the vitamin C groups. Doctors noted that even modest changes can lower chances of heart disease, and that vitamin C in doses of 500 mg to 1,000 mg is safe and affordable.
Reference: Annals of Internal Medicine; 2009, Vol. 150, No. 12, 830-9
Lifelong Healthy Bones
Simple, affordable nutrients help protect bone throughout life
Vitamins C, E, and magnesium helped postmenopausal women maintain healthy bones, and magnesium built bone in girls, in three new studies.
In a bone study, doctors combined antioxidant vitamins and resistance training to measure the effect on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. About 20 women, average age 66, took 600 mg of vitamin E plus 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day, with or without exercising three times per week. Another 20 similar women took a placebo with or without the same amount of exercise. After six months, both placebo groups had lost significant lumbar spine BMD while the vitamins C and E groups remained stable.
Magnesium helps increase BMD, but doctors don’t know how. In an effort to find out, researchers in an osteoporosis study thought bone turnover, the natural cycle of bone loss and gain, might provide clues. In osteoporosis, bone turnover gets out of balance, as the body loses bone faster than it can replace it. Over 30 days, 10 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis took 1,830 mg of magnesium citrate per day, while a second group of 10 women of the same age, stage of menopause, and body mass index, took a placebo. Researchers measured signs of bone turnover, including the hormones that regulate calcium. While there was no change in the placebo group, the rate of bone loss slowed significantly in the magnesium group.
In a related study, doctors explained there are two ways to prevent osteoporosis: build maximum bone during adolescence, and minimize bone loss after menopause. In this study, 120 healthy girls, aged 8 to 14, who got less than 220 mg of magnesium per day from all sources, took 300 mg of elemental magnesium per day (in two 150 mg doses), or a placebo. After 12 months, while there was no change for placebo, girls in the magnesium group saw bone mineral content (BMC) increase slightly in the lumbar spine and increase significantly in the hip.
Reference: Osteoporosis International; 2009, Vol. 20, No. 7, 1253-8
Smart Moms Take Supplements
Basic nutrients help assure healthy babies
Mothers who took folic acid delivered more full-term babies with healthier hearts, and women who took multivitamins had more normal-weight babies, in four new studies.
A study of over 34,000 pregnancies found that, compared to women who did not take folic acid, women who took folic acid supplements for more than a year before becoming pregnant were 70 percent less likely to deliver a preterm baby.
In another folic acid study, Canadian doctors found a decrease of 6 percent in the rate of heart defects in babies born in the seven-year period after the government began requiring manufacturers to fortify certain foods with folic acid (1998) compared to the nine-year period before fortification. Researchers suggest that the government should encourage women who plan on becoming pregnant to begin taking folic acid three months before conception.
In a related study, doctors analyzed over 6,300 pregnancies and found that, compared to women who did not take folic acid, women who took folic acid after becoming pregnant were 39 percent less likely to deliver a low-birth-weight baby, and women who started folic acid before pregnancy were 57 percent less likely to deliver a low-birth-weight baby.
Doctors in a pregnancy analysis reviewed 13 studies of moms who took multivitamins while pregnant. The multivitamins in the studies contained between 8 and 28 nutrients. Overall, women who took multivitamins were 17 percent less likely to deliver a low-birth-weight baby compared to women who did not take multivitamins, and babies whose moms took multivitamins were 19 percent less likely to be low-birth-weight compared to babies whose moms took only iron and folic acid. Researchers explained that low birth weight is the most common cause of infant mortality worldwide and, based on the findings from this study, are urging the World Health Organization—which recommends only iron and folic acid for pregnant moms—to expand its recommendations to include multivitamins.
Reference: Canadian Medical Association Journal; 2009, Vol. 180, No. 12, Electronic Pre-publication
Good Mood!
Smiling helps people see the big picture
Smiling, omega fatty acids, folic acid, and vitamin B12 all helped people feel better, in several new studies.
In a mood study, doctors asked people to read a statement preceded by a smiley face or a frowning face and found that the smile tended to make people see the statement as an abstract concept rather than concrete and real. Participants then described the happiest or unhappiest day in their lives to create a good or bad mood and filled out a questionnaire. Those in a good mood showed more abstract, future-oriented thinking.
Researchers in a pregnancy study thought that the chances of depression increase as the developing baby draws down mom’s omega-3 levels. Doctors followed about 40 depressed and non-depressed women in their third trimester and found that those with high levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), those with high total omega-3 levels, and those whose omega-6 levels were lower than their omega-3 levels all were much less likely to be depressed.
In a depression study, researchers examined the diets of about 4,900 men and women, aged 25 to 74, and followed up for 11 years. Among men, as the level of omega-6 linoleic fatty acids increased, so did the chances of depression. Among women, as the level of omega-9 oleic fatty acids increased, the chances of depression decreased. Omega-6 levels are high in processed foods made with palm and soy oils, omega-9 levels are high in olive oil, and doctors believe omegas-3, -6, and -9, which are essential, need to be in balance.
In another depression study, doctors measured folic acid and vitamin B12 in the diets of about 9,700 adults. Among male smokers, those who got more folic acid were less likely to be depressed than those who got the least. Women who got the most vitamin B12 were much less likely to be depressed than were women who got the least.
Reference: Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry; 2009, Vol. 33, No. 6, 972-7
October's Healthy Tip:
Coconut Oil Cut Belly Fat, Bad Cholesterol
Certain saturated fats, like the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil, may help keep fat off. Forty women, aged 20 to 40, with at least 35-inch waists, ate a lower-calorie diet, walked at least 50 minutes per day, and took 1 oz of coconut or soybean oil per day. After 12 weeks, the coconut oil group had more good cholesterol (HDL) and less bad cholesterol (LDL) while the soy oil group had the reverse. Both groups lost weight, but only the coconut oil group had smaller waist size, which lowers chances of chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.
Reference: Lipids; 2009, Vol. 44, No.7, 593-601
Hot Coconut Potatoes are an exciting new dish
Better Mood
Probiotics cut anxiety in chronic fatigue, depressed people may need more B vitamins, and vitamin D eased seasonal depression and improved mood in depressed overweight adults, in four new studies.
Researchers in a chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) study explained that most of those with CFS have anxiety, and that many also complain of gut (gastrointestinal) upset. The doctors noted new research showing gut germs can communicate with the central nervous system and influence emotional behaviors, particularly anxiety. Scientists gave about 40 men and women with CFS, aged 18 to 65, 24 billion colony-forming units of the probiotic Lactobacillus casei Shirota per day, or a placebo. After two months, those in the probiotics group had much less anxiety compared to the beginning of the study and to placebo.
Doctors in a mood study reviewed how vitamin deficiency and inflammation influence mood disorders. The researchers noted that, in depression, deficiencies in folate, vitamins B12 and B6, and omega-3 fatty acids alter the central nervous system, reducing serotonin—the chemical that controls mood—and phospholipids, the fats that cover and protect nerves. Doctors also found about half of those with depression had high blood levels of homocysteine, a sign of inflammation when B vitamins are deficient.
In a small study, nine women with seasonal depression and low blood levels of vitamin D who took 5,000 IU of vitamin D were able to significantly increase vitamin D levels. Three of the women whose vitamin D increased to optimal levels had test scores that showed normal mood with little depression.
In a depression study, about 440 depressed, overweight men and women, aged 21 to 70, took 20,000 IU of vitamin D, 40,000 IU of vitamin D, or a placebo, per day for one year. Those with low vitamin D levels had more severe depression than those with higher vitamin D levels, and both vitamin D groups had much less depression after one year. Doctors concluded high doses of vitamin D appear to ease depression.
Reference: Gut Pathology; 2009, Vol. 1, No. 1, 6
More Vitamin D, Please
Critically ill patients, premeno-pausal women, and most Amer-icans are deficient in or need more vitamin D, and doctors want the U.S. to raise its recom-mendation, in four new studies.
A small study of critically ill patients led doctors to ask if low vitamin D levels cause, contribute to, or are an effect of major illness. Researchers found that nearly half of 42 people hospitalized in intensive care (ICU) were deficient in vitamin D, and the sicker they were, the lower their vitamin D levels. Three who died had the lowest vitamin D levels of all.
Study author, Dr Paul Lee, believes body tissues demand more vitamin D during illness. “Vitamin D appears to have roles in controlling sugar, calcium, heart function, gut integrity, immunity, and defense against infection, [and] patients in ICU suffer from different degrees of inflammation, infection, heart dysfunction, diarrhea, and metabolic dysregulation, so vitamin D deficiency may play a role in each of these common ICU conditions.”
In a vitamin D study, about 90 premenopausal women living in Maine, average age 22, took a placebo in the spring and summer, then half the group continued on placebo while the other half took 800 IU of vitamin D per day during fall and winter. Vitamin D in the placebo group remained low, but 80 percent of women in the vitamin D group had adequate vitamin D levels.
A study of more than 32,000 U.S. adults found that those with adequate levels of vitamin D fell by nearly half, to 23 percent from 45 percent, over the 16-year period from 1988 to 2004. During this time, researchers say people started spending less time outdoors and eating less healthy foods. In a related U.S. study, scientists estimate that of the 83 million of those under age 21, 7.6 million are deficient in vitamin D (9 percent) and 51 million have low levels (61 percent). Doctors advising the U.S. Institutes of Medicine say that low vitamin D increases chances for heart disease and diabetes and want the agency to raise vitamin D requirements.
Reference: New England Journal of Medicine; 2009, Vol. 360, 1912-24
Keeping the Liver Healthy
Nutrients safely improved liver health
Milk thistle improved hepatitis symptoms, folate lowered chances of liver cancer in those with hepatitis B infection, and probiotics improved liver function in liver disease, three new studies reveal.
In a hepatitis study, about 100 participants with acute clinical hepatitis and inflamed liver took 140 mg of milk thistle (silymarin) three times per day, or a placebo, for four weeks. Doctors measured hepatitis symptoms and liver function during and four weeks after the end of the study. Compared to placebo, symptoms such as dark urine, and yellowing skin and whites of the eyes, subsided faster in the milk thistle group. Doctors concluded that, even though this was a small study, a standard dose of silymarin is safe and may improve symptoms of acute clinical hepatitis.
In another hepatitis study, researchers measured blood levels of folate in over 400 participants who had tested positive for hepatitis B infection, increasing their chances of liver cancer. Over the next five years, 20 participants got liver cancer. Compared to those whose blood levels of folate were the lowest, those with higher folate levels were 67 percent less likely to have liver cancer.
In a liver damage study, doctors gave about 70 severely alcoholic men the probiotics Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus plantarum or standard vitamin supplements as a placebo, while the men abstained from alcohol. Researchers also compared participants to a group of 24 healthy, non-drinking men of similar age and found the alcoholic men had higher levels of the liver enzymes that signal alcohol-induced liver damage. After five days, compared to placebo, the probiotics group had lower levels of liver-damage enzymes, and had restored healthy levels of probiotics in the gut.
Reference: Phytomedicine; 2009, Vol. 16, No. 5, 391-400
Keeping Cells Healthy
Turmeric helps cells resist infection, omega-3s protect against air pollution, and selenium may prevent anemia three new studies reveal.
Researchers in a lab study discovered how curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, supports cells. Viewing individual cells in solution, scientists saw curcumin molecules insert themselves into cell membranes, even with very small amounts of curcumin. Once inside the cell membrane, curcumin molecules appeared to help create a stronger membrane structure. Scientists believe that this molecular restructuring may be how curcumin protects cells from infection.
In an omega-3 study, researchers explained that air pollution, or small particulate matter (PM), in big cities is usually from vehicle exhaust. PM gets into lungs and, over time, may cause lung, heart, and other health problems, particularly in older adults. Doctors thought these health effects might be due to oxidative stress—cell damage—and wanted to see if omega-3s, which are antioxidant, could protect the lungs. In Mexico City, where PM is high, about 50 residents, average age 77, took fish oil or soy oil. After eight months, antioxidant activity in the omega-3 group increased 49 percent compared to 23 percent for soy oil. Soy oil did not prevent fat oxidation, while omega-3 decreased fat oxidation by 73 percent.
Doctors in a selenium study explained that anemia, the most common blood disorder, often affects older adults. In anemia, there are too few healthy red blood cells to carry sufficient oxygen from the lungs to the body and carbon dioxide back to the lungs. Researchers measured blood levels of selenium in about 2,100 adults, aged at least 65, and found that 13 percent were anemic. Those with the lowest selenium levels were nearly three times as likely to have anemia as were those with the highest selenium levels. The findings raise the question of whether public health officials have overlooked low levels of selenium—which is an affordable supplement—as a cause of anemia in older adults.
Reference: Journal of the American Chemical Society; 2009, Vol. 131, No. 12, 4490-8
Keeping Bones Healthy
Nutrients help build bone and prevent fracture
Carotenoids, calcium, and vitamin D helped boost bone density and reduce fracture in men and women, and DHEA increased bone density in women, in several new studies.
Doctors in a carotenoid study believe that the colorful red, orange, and yellow pigments in fruits and vegetables help the body maintain bone. Researchers followed over 900 men and women, average age 75, for 17 years, and found that those who consumed the most carotenoids overall had far fewer hip fractures than those who consumed the least. The scientists noted that for lycopene, the carotenoid in tomatoes, those who ate more than 4.4 servings per week had fewer hip fractures than those who ate less lycopene.
In a four-year segment of the study, researchers also found that bone mineral density at the hip in men, and at the lumbar spine in women, was greatest in those who consumed the most carotenoids.
A review of 20 vitamin D studies covering more than 83,000 adults, average age 78, found that overall, those who took vitamin D had fewer bone fractures than those who did not, and that as the dose and amount of time taking vitamin D increased, fractures decreased. In May, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed a new health claim that vitamin D with calcium may reduce osteoporosis.
Doctors in a bone density study explained that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a natural hormone in the body which decreases with age, might increase bone density more effectively when calcium and vitamin D levels are good, noting half of all older adults are deficient in calcium and vitamin D. Over 100 men and women, average age 70, took 700 mg of calcium and 600 IU of vitamin D per day, plus 50 mg of DHEA or a placebo. After two years, while there was no difference in men, in women, bone mineral density at the spine increased much more than placebo.
Reference: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research; 2009, Vol. 24, No. 6, 1086-94
September's Healthy Tip:
Fruits & Vegetables Cut Colorectal Cancer
Doctors in this cancer study examined the diets of and followed over 450,000 men and women for an average of nine years. Those who consumed the most fruits and vegetables were much less likely to have cancer of the colon, rectum, or appendix compared to those who ate few of these foods. Researchers also found that current and former smokers were more likely to have colorectal cancer, even if the person ate lots of fruits and vegetables, compared to those who had never smoked. Fish, exercise, and healthy weight also reduced colorectal cancer.
CornAdo Salsa - Enjoy this delicious way to eat your veggies
Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2009, Vol. 89, No. 5, 1441-52
Vitamin D and the Brain
New studies suggest old and young need vitamin D for healthy brains
Adults with higher vitamin D levels had better mental ability and doctors ponder link between low vitamin D levels and autism, in three new studies.
Doctors in a brain study explained that with age, the body absorbs less vitamin D from the sun, and that elders living in areas with dark winters typically don’t get enough of the sunshine vitamin. Researchers measured vitamin D blood levels and mental (cognitive) ability in about 1,800 men and women, aged at least 65, and found that as the level of vitamin D declined, the chances of being cognitively impaired rose. About half of those who were cognitively impaired had the lowest levels of vitamin D, and were more than twice as likely to be impaired as were those with the highest vitamin D levels.
In another brain study, doctors said that animal studies have found vitamin D increased brain nerve signals and protected nerves, and wanted to test vitamin D and mental performance in older men. Researchers tested over 3,000 men, average age 60, and found that those with high vitamin D levels could copy objects and recall better, and process information faster than men with low levels. While the difference was modest, doctors noted, “If cognitive function could be improved by a simple intervention such as vitamin D supplementation, our results would have potentially important implications for population health.”
Scientists in an autism study suspect that part of the reason autism rates have increased 16 times over the last 30 years is because of lack of sunlight. Over a 14-year period, researchers compared rainfall in California, Oregon, and Washington counties to the number of autism cases in school children there and found that autism rates were much higher for counties with more rain and snow. Researchers are hoping, in future studies, to understand how precipitation may trigger autism in genetically prone children.
Reference: Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry & Neurology; February 4, 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Lively Legs
Selenium reduced peripheral artery disease and valerian improved restless leg syndrome, in two new studies.
In peripheral artery disease (PAD), leg arteries clog or narrow with fatty deposits, slowing blood flow and creating cramps and difficulty walking. PAD can signal atherosclerosis, and may mean fat is building up in arteries of the heart and brain. In this study, researchers measured selenium blood levels, and blood flow and pressure at the ankle in over 2,000 men and women, aged at least 40. In general, those with higher selenium levels were less likely to have PAD than were those with lower levels, but doctors suggested more study to identify the ideal selenium level to lower chances of PAD.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a nerve condition that causes an irresistible urge to move the legs. RLS symptoms include feelings of itching, creeping, pulling, tugging, or gnawing which begin or intensify while resting, and subside as the legs start to move. People with RLS often have trouble falling or staying asleep, as the legs spasm two or three times per minute. Doctors suspect that the brain chemical dopamine, which controls muscle movement, may be out of balance.
This RLS study was triple-blind, meaning participants, researchers, and statisticians analyzing the results did not know who had taken 800 mg of the herb valerian per day, or a placebo. After eight weeks, all 37 participants reported fewer symptoms and better sleep. Among the 17 who took valerian, those who had been sleepy during the day at the start of the study were much less sleepy at the end, and reported far fewer RLS symptoms. Doctors concluded valerian may be an alternative treatment for RLS symptoms, “...with positive health outcomes and improved quality of life.”
Reference: American Journal of Epidemiology; 2009, Vol. 169, No. 8, 996-1003
Progress against Cancer and HIV
Selenium reduced the chances of skin and bladder cancers, and slowed HIV, three new studies reveal.
Doctors in a skin cancer study thought antioxidants could protect the skin. Researchers measured blood levels of antioxidants, including selenium, in about 500 adults from Australia, where skin cancer rates are the highest in the world, and followed up for eight years. Compared to those with the lowest selenium levels, those with the highest selenium levels were 57 percent less likely to have basal cell carcinoma and 64 percent less likely to have squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common types of skin cancer.
In a bladder cancer study, researchers compared toenail selenium levels of about 770 people recently diagnosed with bladder cancer to 1,100 people from the general population. There was no overall difference between the two groups. But within three sub-groups; women, moderate smokers, and those with a faulty cancer-suppressing gene (p53), those with higher selenium levels were much less likely to have bladder cancer than were those with lower selenium levels. Doctors believe that the faulty p53 gene is a major pathway for bladder cancer and said, “If it is true that selenium can prevent a certain subset of individuals from developing bladder cancer or prevent certain types of tumors from developing, it gives us clues about how the tumors could be prevented…and could potentially lead to chemo- preventive efforts.”
In a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) lab study, researchers explained that selenium forms an amino acid protein (selenoprotein) that reduces cellular stress from infection, and thought it might slow the spread of HIV. Doctors believe that HIV depletes selenoproteins, allowing the virus to divide and spread rapidly in its early stages. Scientists infected normal human blood cell cultures with a strain of HIV-1, and then introduced a small amount of sodium selenite—the form selenium takes in the body—into the infected cells. HIV in cells treated with selenium grew 10 times more slowly than HIV in untreated cells.
Reference: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; 2009, Vol. 18, No. 4, 1167-73
Probiotics for Healthy Moms, Babies
Pregnant moms who take probiotics may have healthier kids
Probiotics improved blood sugar levels in pregnant women and helped moms lose weight and belly fat after delivery, in two new studies.
In a pregnancy-blood sugar study, doctors wanted to help manage and prevent blood sugar disorders during and after pregnancy. Over 250 healthy women, with normal blood sugar levels, got nutrition counseling with or without daily doses of the probiotics L. rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb 12 beginning in the first trimester of pregnancy. During pregnancy and 12 months after delivery, blood sugar levels improved in both groups, but were lowest in the probiotics/counseling group, which also had lower insulin levels and better insulin sensitivity.
In a related pregnancy-body fat study, over 250 pregnant women got nutritional counseling with or without daily doses of the probiotics L. rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb 12 starting in the first trimester. Six months after delivery, 25 percent of the women in the probiotics/counseling group had central (abdominal) obesity compared to 43 percent of women who did not take probiotics. The probiotics group also had 28 percent body fat versus 29 percent for the non-probiotics group. Based on these two studies, researchers believe that mother’s diet may influence blood sugar control and weight in children. “Bacteria are passed from mother to child through the birth canal, as well as through breast milk, and research indicates that early nutrition may influence the risk of obesity later in life,” researchers said, continuing, “There is growing evidence that this approach might open a new angle on the fight against obesity, either through prevention or treatment.”
Reference: British Journal of Nutrition; 2009, Vol. 101, No. 11, 1679-87
Losing Weight Safely
Nutrients support healthy dieting
Vitamin D improved heart health in dieters, green tea reduced abdominal fat, and calcium helped those with low calcium lose more weight, new findings show.
In a study of heart health in dieters, researchers noted that losing excess weight cuts the chances of heart disease, and explained that low vitamin D and high parathyroid hormone levels are two new heart health risk factors. About 200 healthy but overweight men and women with low vitamin D levels took 3,320 IU of vitamin D per day, or a placebo. After 12 months, vitamin D levels were normal in the vitamin D group but remained low for placebo. Measuring other risk factors, compared to placebo, the vitamin D group had lost 4.5 times the amount of blood fats (triglycerides), had three times lower levels of an inflammatory sign (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), and lower levels of parathyroid hormone.
Doctors in a diet study thought that catechins—the powerful antioxidants in green tea—could help the body burn fat. A group of 132 overweight or obese men and women, average age 48, drank a beverage that contained 39 mg of caffeine, with or without 625 mg of green tea catechins, per day. Participants ate the same amount of calories and exercised for at least three hours per week, including three supervised sessions. After 12 weeks, the catechin group had lost more total weight, more belly fat, and more triglycerides than the caffeine-only group.
Researchers in this study on diet and calcium believe the brain detects low calcium levels, and compensates by increasing appetite. About 60 overweight and obese women, whose diets had little calcium, took 1,200 mg of calcium plus 400 IU of vitamin D per day, or a placebo, during a 15-week diet program. Among women whose diets had the least calcium, those in the calcium/vitamin D group lost 13 pounds compared to two pounds for placebo. Doctors concluded calcium appears to reduce appetite.
Reference: The Journal of Nutrition; 2009, Vol. 139, No. 2, 264-70
August's Healthy Tip:
Tomatoes Cut Inflammation
Doctors in this inflammation study explained that the antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes becomes more concentrated and absorbable when cooked. About 60 obese men and women ate a low-tomato diet for three weeks and then ate a high-tomato or low-tomato diet for the next six weeks. After the six-week diet, participants ate a high-fat meal. Shortly after the meal, researchers found that the high-tomato group had lower levels of C-reactive protein, a sign of inflammation, and freer-flowing blood vessels, compared to the low-tomato group, and concluded that processed tomatoes protect against inflammation.
Ready Relish is full of tangy tomatoes
Reference: Experimental Biology and Medicine Meeting; April 19, 2009, Presentation by Dr R M Giordano
Smart Dieting
New thinking on hunger, satiety, and calories
Chromium picolinate reduced hunger and cravings, protein for breakfast cut hunger all day, and limiting total calories lowered weight, in three new studies.
In a hunger study, 42 overweight non-smoking women, average age 33, who said they intensely craved carbohydrates, took 1,000 mcg of chromium picolinate (Chromax®) per day, or a placebo. After eight weeks, those in the chromium picolinate group had about 24 percent lower hunger levels and food intake, while the placebo group reported increased hunger levels.
Dr Louis J Aronne from the Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York City says that while all calories have the same energy value, some foods increase hunger and may affect what people eat later on. For example, carbohydrates raise blood sugar, causing an insulin surge that lowers blood sugar, increasing hunger again. The doctor believes that insulin spikes interfere with a satiety hormone, leptin, which may malfunction in obese people. Dr Aronne cites a study where people who ate a protein-rich breakfast of eggs consumed 140 fewer calories at lunch and ate less during the next 36 hours compared to those who ate a bagel for breakfast.
Doctors from Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, wanted to vary the amount of fat, protein, and carbohydrate in this weight-loss study to see if one diet is better than another. About 800 overweight adults ate one of four diets that were low or high in fats or carbohydrates (please see table). All the diets followed heart-healthy guidelines, replaced saturated with unsaturated fat, and were high in whole grain cereals, fruits, and vegetables.
Researchers asked participants to attend behavior counseling, exercise moderately for 90 minutes per week, keep a daily diet diary, and to eat 750 calories less than normal per day. No one ate fewer than 1,200 calories per day. After six months, participants on all four diets had lost an average of 13 pounds, and on average, all groups after two years weighed nine pounds less, with waists two inches smaller.
Reference: New England Journal of Medicine; 2009, Vol. 360, 859-73
Healthier Pregnancy
Vitamins help women carry to term
Prenatal vitamins reduced miscarriage, vitamin D lowered bacterial infections during pregnancy, and ginger relieved nausea, in three new studies.
In a miscarriage study, about 4,800 U.S. women enrolled in the West Virginia Right From the Start Project over an eight-year period during which they intended to get pregnant. Nearly all (95 percent) of the women reported taking prenatal vitamins. Researchers found that those who took any vitamins during pregnancy were less than half as likely to have a miscarriage compared to women who did not take vitamins.
Doctors in a study of infection in pregnancy explained that bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the leading causes of preventable preterm births, and wanted to see if vitamin D improved the chances of avoiding BV. Researchers measured blood levels of vitamin D in over 460 women who were less than 16 weeks pregnant. Three-quarters had low vitamin D levels, and over half were deficient. Overall, 41 percent of the women had BV, and those who were deficient in vitamin D were about 2.5 times more likely to have BV than were women with good vitamin D levels.
In a nausea study, about 70 pregnant women who complained of nausea and vomiting took 1,000 mg of ginger in four 250 mg capsules per day, or a placebo. Researchers matched characteristics of the women in both groups; average age 23, average 13 weeks pregnant, and similar numbers of previous births, types of occupations, and education. After four days, half the ginger group had less vomiting compared to 9 percent for placebo. For all symptoms overall, 85 percent in the ginger group improved compared to 56 percent for placebo. Doctors concluded, “Ginger is an effective herbal remedy for decreasing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.”
Reference: American Journal of Epidemiology; April, 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Promising Prostate News
Nutrients reduce chances of prostate cancer
Omega-3 fatty acids guard against advanced prostate cancer, flaxseed slowed tumor cell growth, and vitamin K improved chances of staying cancer-free.
Researchers in this prostate cancer study compared about 470 men with aggressive prostate cancer to 470 healthy men. Some of the men had an inflammatory gene (Cox-2 variant) that raised their chances of getting the disease. Overall, men who consumed the most omega-3s were about one-third as likely to have aggressive prostate cancer as were men who consumed the least. Among those with the Cox-2 gene variant, men who consumed the most omega-3s had less than one-fifth the chance of aggressive prostate cancer compared to men who got the least omega-3s. Study authors noted that, “this is one of the first studies to show protection against advanced prostate cancer and interaction with Cox-2,” continuing, “The Cox-2 increased risk of disease was essentially reversed by increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake by a half a gram per day.”
In a flaxseed study, about 160 men with prostate cancer ate their regular diet or a low-fat diet, with or without 30 grams of flaxseed per day, for an average of 30 days before surgery to remove the prostate gland. Whether on the low fat or regular fat diet, prostate cancer cells multiplied much more slowly in men who ate flaxseed compared to men who did not.
In a vitamin K study, researchers compared vitamin K in the diets of 250 men with prostate cancer to the diets of about 500 healthy men. Men who got the most vitamin K were about one-third as likely to have prostate cancer as were men who got the least vitamin K. Doctors noted that the chances of the disease decreased as the amount of vitamin K increased.
Reference: Clinical Cancer Research; 2009, Vol. 15, No. 7, 2559-66
Asthma and Allergy
Nutrients strengthen lungs in children
Vitamin D reduced childhood asthma; omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and zinc together improved asthma symptoms in kids; and folic acid relieved allergy, three new studies reveal.
Doctors in a vitamin D study explained that asthma is increasing in industrialized nations, and went to Costa Rica, where asthma rates are high, to examine children six to 14 years old. Researchers measured vitamin D levels in about 600 children and found that over one-quarter had low levels of vitamin D and that signs of allergy increased as vitamin D levels decreased. Kids with low vitamin D were more likely to be hospitalized for asthma, to use a corticosteroid inhaler, and to have hypersensitive air passageways compared to kids with good vitamin D levels.
In another asthma study, 60 children with moderately persistent asthma, average age 8, took 300 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid/docosahexaenoic acid (EPA/DHA) per day, 15 mg of zinc per day, or 200 mg of vitamin C per day, separately or altogether, for six weeks. Lung function and signs of inflammation improved with each supplement individually, and improved the most when kids took omega-3, zinc, and vitamin C together.
In a folic acid study, researchers from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore, Maryland, reviewed the medical records of over 8,000 people, aged 2 to 85, and found that those with the highest folate levels were 28 percent less likely to have wheezing compared to those with the lowest levels. Those with the highest folate levels were 23 percent less likely to have allergy or allergic symptoms, and 14 percent less likely to have asthma. Doctors concluded, “Our findings are a clear indication that folic acid may indeed help regulate immune response to allergens, and may reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.”
Reference: American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine; January 29, 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Nutrients Slow, Ease Prostate Cancer
Long-term zinc cut chances for advanced-stage disease
New studies show that zinc, selenium with vitamin E, and red clover subdue cancer-cell growth or reduce risk overall.
Doctors in a zinc study explained that healthy prostate tissue has 10 times more zinc than other body soft tissues, and that prostate cancer-cells have low zinc levels, and can’t store the mineral. Researchers followed over 35,000 men, aged 50 to 76, for four years and found that those who consumed at least 15 mg of zinc per day from supplements and/or diet were much less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer compared to men who got less zinc.
In a selenium and vitamin E study, scientists cited earlier research showing that selenium curbs abnormal, potentially cancerous, cells and wanted to find out how. The doctors gave 39 men with prostate cancer 200 mcg of selenium per day, 400 IU of vitamin E per day, these two nutrients together, or a placebo, for about one month before surgery to remove the prostate gland. Examining prostate tissue samples after surgery from men who took selenium and vitamin E together, doctors found healthier, more normal activity in the gene that contains the code for a tumor-suppressing protein, compared to that gene in the tissue of other men.
In a lab study of red clover, researchers explained that in prostate cancer, male sex hormones such as testosterone can aggravate the disease. In a prostate cancer-cell culture, doctors artificially raised levels of testosterone and prostate-specific antigen—a marker for prostate cancer—to recreate the negative cell environment that encourages the cancer to grow. Scientists then exposed the cells to red clover extract and saw these negative effects reverse. Researchers concluded, “Something is happening in the prostate tissue microenvironment that is illustrating a potential cancer prevention effect from this supplement [red clover].”
Reference: Nutrition & Cancer; 2009, Vol. 61, No. 2, 206-15
July's Healthy Tip:
Green Tea Improves Blood Sugar
Sixty men and women aged 32 to 73, who had slightly elevated blood sugar throughout the day (pre-diabetic), took green tea extract powder containing 456 mg of antioxidants called catechins, per day. Half took green tea for two months, and then stopped for two months, while the other half did the opposite. In the first group, blood sugar levels returned to normal after two months, and stayed normal for the next two months. Blood sugar levels also returned to normal after two months in the second green tea group. Researchers think that green tea reduces the amount of sugar (glucose) the small intestine absorbs from food.
Try our refreshing recipe for Green Tea Punch
Reference: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2008, Vol. 62, No. 8, 953-60
See Better Longer
Folic acid and B vitamins lowered the chances of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), meso-zeaxanthin supplements protected eyesight, and lutein protected the eyes of computer users.
AMD—blindness in the center of the field of vision—occurs as retina cells shrink and lose their protective yellow pigment. Doctors in this study explained that damaged small blood vessels increase the chances of AMD and wanted to examine a group with this characteristic. Over 5,200 women without AMD, but who had pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD), or three or more CVD risk factors, took 2.5 mg of folic acid, 50 mg of vitamin B6, and 1 mg of vitamin B12 per day, or a placebo. After two years, those in the B vitamin group had significantly less AMD compared to placebo, and less chance of getting AMD during the seven-year study period. Overall compared to placebo, the B vitamin group was 41 percent less likely to have serious AMD and 34 percent less likely to have any AMD.
Researchers in an eye study noted that one of the three protective yellow pigments that filter light, meso-zeaxanthin, is not found in foods. The body normally produces meso-zeaxanthin from lutein, but doctors wanted to see if meso-zeaxanthin supplements could raise pigment levels in the eye. Twenty healthy men and women took a 20 mg combination of meso-zeaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein per day, or a placebo. After four months, those in the supplement group had added more than three times the amount of pigment in the eye compared to placebo.
In a study of eye strain and computer-screen light, about 40 male and female regular computer users, aged 22 to 30, took 6 mg of lutein per day, 12 mg of lutein per day, or a placebo. After 12 weeks, blood levels of lutein rose 69 percent in the low-dose lutein group, and 121 percent in the high-dose lutein group. Both groups were better able to see objects with vague outlines or subtle differences in shading, a measure called contrast sensitivity, with the 12 mg lutein group having the best results.
Reference: British Journal of Nutrition; 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Better Performance
Protein and Probiotics Help Athletes Recover, Stay Healthy
Researchers in this cycling study explained that most endurance athletes focus on increasing carbohydrates, but fail to realize that protein speeds recovery. To demonstrate the recovery benefit of protein, researchers created a clever study design: Two hours after eating a standardized breakfast, 15 trained male cyclists took a 60-minute time trial, cycling as fast as they could on a stationary cycle. The cyclists then drank a carbohydrate-protein supplement, or a carbohydrate-only supplement at 10 minutes after the exercise, and at one and two hours after. Four hours after exercise, the cyclists ate another standardized meal, and six hours after exercise, repeated the 60-minute time trial. Both groups performed much less well in the second trial, but measuring the decline, the protein group performed twice as well as the carbohydrate group.
In a review of studies on probiotics and athletic performance, researchers noted that, while probiotics don’t directly affect athletic performance, probiotics help athletes avoid becoming ill from over-exertion and increase the chances that athletes will stay well. Doctors found consistent evidence that athletes who take probiotics recover faster from fatigue, stay healthier overall, including catching fewer colds, and avoid stomach and intestinal upset, compared to athletes who do not take probiotics.
In an athletic fatigue study, researchers noted that when athletes over-train, their immune systems respond poorly, making them susceptible to viruses, especially Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). EBV causes mononucleosis, and may cause chronic fatigue syndrome. In this study, doctors took saliva samples from eight fatigued athletes before and one month after taking L. acidophilus probiotics capsules. Before treatment, five athletes tested positive for EBV, after treatment one tested positive. Researchers also found that the type of white blood cell (CD4) that responds to infection was malfunctioning before treatment, and functioned normally afterward.
Reference: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition; December, 2008, Electronic Pre-publication
Reducing Diabetes
Zinc, calcium, and magnesium cut chances of type 2 diabetes, and calcium in women and vitamin D in men improved insulin levels, in three new studies.
Doctors in this study knew that zinc helps cells use energy, and wanted to see if zinc lowered the chances of type 2 diabetes. Researchers measured the diets of over 82,000 women, aged 33 to 60, and followed up for 24 years. Taking into account differences in family history and lifestyle, scientists found those who consumed the most zinc were 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to those who consumed the least.
In a calcium and magnesium study, researchers evaluated the diets of over 64,000 men and women who began the study without type 2 diabetes and followed up for seven years. Women who consumed the most calcium were 27 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women who consumed the least, and men and women who consumed the most magnesium were 20 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than men and women who consumed the least.
In an insulin study, doctors thought that calcium and vitamin D might lower risk for type 2 diabetes and explained that type 2 diabetics often produce high levels of insulin to process excess blood sugar, or have high insulin levels because the body can’t properly use it. The pancreas produces insulin along with a molecule called C-peptide, in equal amounts, making C-peptide a good measure of insulin levels. In the study, researchers found that healthy women and men who consumed the most calcium had C-peptide levels 20 percent lower and 17 percent lower, respectively, than women and men who got the least calcium. Men with the highest blood levels of vitamin D had about 20 percent lower C-peptide levels than men with the lowest levels. Combining calcium and vitamin D measurements, men had 35 percent lower C-peptide levels, and women had 12 percent lower levels. Researchers concluded the body appears to produce more normal levels of insulin when levels of calcium and vitamin D are good.
Reference: Diabetes Care; 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Eat Well, Feel Great, Live Long!
Active young women need nutritional supplements, women who took multivitamins had healthier DNA, and women with healthy lifestyles avoided heart attacks, in three new studies.
In a review of fatigue studies, doctors found that young adults—often women with demanding lifestyles who are physically active, regularly diet, and who typically make poor eating choices—are likely to complain of low energy. The researchers believe that, when there is no underlying disease, there could be a lack of vitamins and minerals, and recommend taking supplements consistently over time to eliminate any nutritional deficiency.
Doctors in a multivitamin study explained that telomeres are the structures at the ends of chromosomes that protect DNA, acting like the tip on a shoelace that keeps it from unraveling. Telomeres shorten with age and disease, and are especially susceptible to damage from oxidation and inflammation. Researchers evaluated the diets of over 500 women, aged 35 to 74, and measured the length of a particular white-blood-cell telomere that is a good indicator of age. Scientists found that telomeres in women who took a daily multivitamin were over five percent longer than telomeres of women who did not take multivitamins. Doctors also noted that those who got more vitamin C or vitamin E had longer telomeres than those who got less of these nutrients.
In a heart attack prevention study, doctors followed over 24,000 women who began the study without cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. Over six years, researchers identified five major lifestyle and diet patterns that, when combined, reduced the chances of having a heart attack by 92 percent. The three lifestyle patterns were 1) non-smoking, 2) physically active and, 3) smaller waist size—indicating healthy weight—and the two diet patterns were, 1) a very small amount of alcohol—less than 2/10ths of an ounce per day and, 2) high amounts of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and fish.
Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2009, Electronic Pre-publication
Protecting the Heart
Should the U.S. raise vitamin D requirement?
Men with good levels of vitamin D avoided heart attacks, and men and women with ample antioxidants had healthy arteries, in two new studies.
Dr Edward Giovannucci of Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, saw that fatal heart attacks increase in low-lying northern climates during winter and decrease at high altitudes in southern climates during summer, leading him to ask if vitamin D levels play a role. The doctor ranked vitamin D levels in about 1,350 men, average age 64. Over a 10-year period, a third of the men had a heart attack or heart disease while two thirds had no heart trouble. After adjusting for differences in diet, lifestyle, and family health history, men deficient in vitamin D were more than twice as likely to have had a heart attack as were men with adequate vitamin D. Dr Giovannucci noted that fewer than one-quarter overall had enough vitamin D, and concluded that the findings, “add further support that the current dietary requirements of vitamin D need to be increased to have an effect…large enough for potential health benefit.”
In an antioxidant study, doctors noted the link between low antioxidant levels and hardened, thickened arteries, or atherosclerosis. Because early atherosclerosis has no symptoms, doctors used ultrasound to measure the thickness of the carotid artery, which supplies blood to the neck and head, and which doctors said could predict heart attack and stroke. Researchers tested 220 men and women, aged 45 to 65, with no history of stroke or carotid artery disease, and found that 125 had early carotid atherosclerosis. This group had half the levels of vitamins A, E, and lycopene, and one-third the level of beta-carotene in the blood compared to those who were healthy. The doctors concluded that regularly eating foods rich in lycopene and other antioxidant vitamins may slow the progress of atherosclerosis and reduce heart attack and stroke.
Reference: Archives of Internal Medicine; 2008, Vol. 168, No. 11, 1174-80
June's Healthy Tip:
Eat More—Weigh Less
Fresh foods with lots of water and fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, helped overweight and obese dieters lose more weight even though they ate larger, heavier portions than those who ate standard or low fat diets. Successful dieters also saw waist size shrink and body mass index improve. Fresh foods have fewer calories for their size and weight compared to “more-energy-dense” processed foods, such as sweet and salty snacks, so portions can be bigger. Dieters filled up, and felt fuller, on “less-energy-dense” fresh foods and still lost weight because they got fewer calories overall.
Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2007, Vol. 85, No. 5
Protecting the Heart, Too
Zinc protected the heart, people who exercised lived longer than those who were sedentary, and a new test measures more types of cholesterol.
In a zinc study, researchers followed more than 3,300 older adults for about eight years. Compared to those who had the highest zinc levels, those with the lowest levels of zinc were 44 percent more likely to die from all causes and 24 percent more likely to die from heart disease. Doctors said the findings support older adults taking supplements.
In a coronary heart disease (CHD) study, doctors followed 3,500 people with CHD for 18 years and found that women and men who exercised once per week were respectively 30 percent and 20 percent less likely to die from any cause compared to those who did not exercise at all.
Doctors in a study that used the new Vertical Auto Profile® (VAP) cholesterol test explained that standard assessments don’t include, and can’t detect, important new heart disease risk factors. These newly emerging risk factors include low levels of high-density lipoprotein-2 (HDL-2), and high levels of intermediate-density and very-low-density lipoproteins (IDL and VLDL-3). Doctors believed the standard assessment underestimates risk of heart disease in younger, healthy adults who have a family history of early heart disease, and wanted to take a closer look.
In the study, researchers evaluated 89 men and women, average age 47, with a family history of premature CHD, who had received a “low risk” score based on the standard assessment. In addition to the VAP test, scientists also took a heart scan to detect calcium in the arteries and a blood test for C-reactive protein (CRP), a sign of chronic inflammation.
The most common heart disease risk factor the standard assessment missed was HDL-2, which was low—meaning more risk—in 72 percent of the study group. The VAP test uncovered two other previously undetected cholesterol risk factors, IDL and VLDL-3, which were high—meaning more risk—in 49 percent of the study group. Nearly four in 10 participants had calcium buildup, or coronary atherosclerosis, and one-quarter had elevated levels of CRP.
Reference: Clinical Cardiology; 2008, Vol. 31, No. 11, 542-5
Jump!
Premature infant girls developed more brain power with omega-3, and vitamin D strengthened adolescent girls’ muscles.
Doctors in this omega-3 study explained that the brain and nervous system contain very high levels of the omega-3, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), but that premature infants do not get enough time in the womb to build up DHA levels. Researchers wanted to see if the current estimated DHA requirements would be enough to help premature infants develop normally by 18 months of age.
About 650 mothers of infants born before 33 weeks—an average of seven weeks early—took 900 mg of DHA per day or a placebo if they breastfed their babies, while mothers who bottle-fed gave their babies a high-DHA formula or standard formula. While there was no effect for boys, premature girls who got DHA had less than half the mild mental delay of girls in the placebo group, and severe mental delay was 80 percent less. Doctors believe that premature boys may need more DHA for their brains to develop, and concluded that the U.S. should triple its requirement for DHA in premature babies to reach the level in the study.
Vitamin D deficiency, which can weaken muscles and bones, is increasing in the United Kingdom in infants, toddlers and adolescents, leading doctors to want to study its effects on muscle strength. Researchers measured vitamin D levels in about 100 girls, aged 12 to 14, who had had their first menstrual period, and saw that 75 percent had low vitamin D levels, though none had physical symptoms. Doctors gave the girls jumping exercises and found—after adjusting for differences in weight—that girls with good vitamin D levels jumped faster, higher, with more directional force and total power than girls with low vitamin D levels.
Reference: Journal of the American Medical Association; 2009, Vol. 301, No. 2, 175-82
Omega-3s and the Pursuit of Happiness
In women, omega-3s improved mood, reduced hot flashes, and relieved depression as effectively as Prozac®, in several new studies.
Doctors in this depression study noted that the American diet is out of balance, with too much omega-6 and too little omega-3 essential fatty acids. Omega-6s come from vegetable oils such as corn, soy, cottonseed, safflower, and sunflower, but omega-3s come mostly from fish. Dr Joseph Hibbeln, MD, a psychiatrist at the National Institutes of Health, and perhaps the world’s leading authority on the relationship between dietary fats and mental health, believes that the omega-6/omega-3 imbalance may contribute to obesity, depression, dyslexia, hyperactivity, and violent tendencies, and that bringing omega-3 and omega-6 back into balance may relieve these conditions.
In the study, researchers evaluated the diets of over 3,300 black and white American men and women, average age 35, and followed up for 20 years. While there was no effect for men, women who consumed the most omega-3s—including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and fish—were 30 percent less likely to have chronic depression symptoms compared to women who consumed the least omega-3s.
In another depression study, 120 women, aged 40 to 55, took 1,000 mg of EPA per day, or a placebo. After eight weeks, women in the EPA group had significantly fewer symptoms of psychological distress and mild depression compared to placebo.
In a related hot flash study, about 90 women from the depression study were experiencing an average of 2.8 hot flashes per day, and continued to take 1,000 mg of EPA per day or a placebo. After eight weeks, those in the EPA group had 57 percent fewer hot flashes per day compared to 18 percent fewer for placebo.
In a study of major depression, 48 outpatients with major depressive disorder took 1,000 mg of EPA, 20 mg of fluoxetine (Prozac), or the two combined, per day. After eight weeks, the EPA-only and Prozac-only groups had about 50 percent better symptom scores while the combination group improved by about 80 percent, without side effects.
Reference: Nutrition; February, 2009, electronic prepublication
Safer Pregnancy
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) reduced high blood pressure pregnancy (preeclampsia), and women with normal levels of vitamin D were half as likely to need Caesarian delivery than women deficient in vitamin D.
Preeclampsia means having high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The condition reduces blood flow to the uterus and can cause premature and low-birth-weight babies. Doctors thought that CoQ10—also called ubiquinone because it is present in most cells and helps the body produce energy—might reduce preeclampsia.
Researchers gave about 200 women likely to have preeclampsia 200 mg of CoQ10 per day or a placebo, from the 20th week of pregnancy through delivery. Overall, about one in five women developed preeclampsia, but those who took CoQ10 were 44 percent less likely than were those in the placebo group to develop the condition.
In a study of Caesarian deliveries, Michael F. Holick, MD, noted that before the discovery of vitamin D, women with rickets had weak pelvic bones and commonly died in childbirth. Dr Holick said that, even though rickets are rare, recent reports suggest vitamin D deficiency is widespread in industrialized countries and that the U.S. Caesarian birth rate is at an all time high of 30.2 percent, up from five percent in 1970.
Researchers measured vitamin D blood levels in about 250 women at the time of birth, with 17 percent overall having a Caesarian delivery. Twice as many women who were deficient in vitamin D needed a Caesarian compared to women with normal vitamin D levels; 28 percent versus 14 percent. Dr Holick pointed out that one possible explanation is that muscles perform poorly when vitamin D is deficient, and that a new study is underway to try to determine if raising vitamin D levels during pregnancy can reduce the rate of Caesarian births.
Reference: International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics; 2009, Vol. 105, No. 1, 43-5
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Good News for Moms-to-Be
Women who took supp-lements while pregnant had healthier babies, less nausea, and more successful pregnancies than women who did not take supplements, in several new studies.
Doctors know that underweight newborns suffer immediately and later in life and wanted to see if an inexpensive vitamin/mineral supplement could safely improve birth weight and health later on. Researchers followed more than 900 Nepalese children for three years after birth, half of whose mothers had taken 15 vitamins and minerals daily, while half had taken only iron and folic acid daily, from the fourth month of pregnancy. Children whose moms had taken the multivitamin/mineral weighed an average of about 3 ounces more at birth than kids whose moms had not taken the supplement, and over 7 ounces more at 30 months. Kids in the multivitamin/mineral group also had more well-balanced body growth and lower blood pressure than kids whose moms did not take the multivitamin/mineral.
When moms eat poorly, their newborns are less healthy, but in this study, doctors wanted to check in with kids later on. Researchers measured blood levels of vitamins in over 300 mothers and their babies at birth, six and 12 months, and found that, at all three times, babies whose moms had good folate levels had healthier weight and body measurements than babies whose mothers were deficient in folate. Babies whose moms had high vitamin C levels were taller and weighed more than babies from moms with lower vitamin C levels.
In a nausea study, 70 women began taking 1 gram of ginger or 40 mg of vitamin B6 per day, on or before the fourth month of pregnancy. After four days, 83 percent in the ginger group and 67 percent in the vitamin B6 group reported much less nausea and vomiting, without side effects.
In a miscarriage study, doctors thought antioxidants might reduce the oxidative stress that can trigger a miscarriage. Over 160 pregnant women who had had a miscarriage took 600 mg of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) plus 500 mcg of folic acid per day, or folic acid alone. Women who took NAC delivered significantly more babies than women who did not take NAC.
Reference: Lancet; 2008, Vol. 371, No. 9611, 492-9
April's Healthy Tip:
Better Exercise Ability
Lactic acid, which causes achy muscles during hard exercise, builds up more easily with age. Researchers thought the amino acid beta-alanine could increase maximum exercise capacity in older adults by helping to stabilize acidity levels. In the study, 26 men and women, aged 55 to 92, took 800 mg of beta-alanine three times per day, or a placebo. After three months, doctors gave a maximum-effort test and found that those in the beta-alanine group could exercise 29 percent longer at the point of fatigue than those in the placebo group. Doctors said beta-alanine could help prevent falls and keep older adults healthier and living independently longer.
Reference: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition; 2008, Vol. 5, No. 1, 21
Vitamin C Defends Every Body
New studies find consistent vitamin C benefits
Vitamin C had anti-cancer effects in cells, cut cancer-cell growth, lowered inflammation, reduced cell damage in type 1 diabetics after exercise, and eased blood pressure in young women.
The body normally forms new blood vessels to grow and repair itself in a process called angiogenesis, but in cancer, the specialized cells (endothelial) that line blood vessels can feed tumors. In this lab study, doctors found that high concentrations of vitamin C (200 to 300 mg per deciliter of blood) slowed the growth and spread of endothelial cells. In a related cancer lab study, high concentrations of vitamin C curbed the inflammatory proteins (COX-2) that promote growth in melanoma cells.
In a study of inflammation, about 400 healthy non-smokers, some with high levels of an inflammatory protein (C-reactive protein, or CRP), took 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day, or a placebo. After two months, those with high CRP in the vitamin C group had 17 percent lower CRP levels compared to placebo. Doctors noted that vitamin C improved CRP as effectively as statin drugs, and that vitamin C may be a better alternative for those with high CRP because of statin drug side effects.
In a diabetes exercise study, doctors noted that those with type 1 diabetes may have more cell damage from exercise than healthy people. Researchers gave 12 type 1 diabetics and 12 healthy participants 1,000 mg of vitamin C or a placebo and then measured cell damage (oxidative stress) before and after hard exercise. The diabetics had higher levels of oxidative stress than the healthy folks at the start of the study. After exercise, oxidative stress levels were lower in both diabetics and non-diabetics, compared to placebo.
In a blood pressure study, researchers followed 242 black and white women, aged 18 to 21, for 10 years and found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower in those with the highest blood levels of vitamin C compared to those with lower levels.
Reference: American Journal of Cell Physiology; 2008, Vol. 216, No. 1, 180-8
Shielding the Skin from Within
Nutrients in the diet help protect and defend the skin
Vitamin D improved the immune response in those with eczema. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids helped heal skin irritation, and astaxanthin protected skin from damaging ultraviolet (UVA) rays.
Eczema inflames the skin, making it more vulnerable to infection, and is a sign that the immune system is not working properly. Doctors in this study wanted to see if vitamin D would trigger the infection-fighting process in the skin, and recruited 14 participants with moderate to severe eczema and 14 participants with normal skin. Everyone took 4,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day. After three weeks, those with eczema had more than six times the amount of an infection-fighting protein (cathelicidin) compared to the start of the study, and those with normal skin had nearly double.
Damaged skin cells can become inflamed and allow cell moisture to escape. Doctors thought that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids could help heal damaged skin-cell membranes, and recruited 45 healthy, non-smoking women, aged 18 to 65, to take 2.2 grams of flax seed oil, borage oil, or a placebo, per day. At the start of the study, researchers irritated an area of the skin by applying a form of niacin (nicotinate). By the end of six weeks, both the flax seed and borage groups retained 11 percent more moisture, and by 12 weeks, the flax seed group retained 33 percent more moisture. After 12 weeks, the flax seed group had 45 percent less skin redness; the borage group had 35 percent less, with no change for placebo. The flax seed and borage groups both had less roughness and scaling while the placebo group did not improve.
In a lab study, researchers exposed skin cells to moderate UVA light after treating half the cells with the antioxidant astaxanthin 24 hours prior. The astaxanthin-treated cells had healthier membranes, more antioxidant activity, and survived in greater numbers than untreated cells.
Reference: Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology; 2008, Vol. 122, No. 4, 829-31
Protecting those Pearly Whites
Fragrances, mothers, and nutrients all improve dental outcomes
Orange and lavender oils calmed dental patients, vitamin D cut cavity risk, lycopene promoted healthier teeth and gums, licorice eased canker sores, and grape seed extract cut gum-disease risk and bad breath, in several new findings.
In a review of fragrance studies, researchers measured anxiety and mood in over 500 patients who were waiting for appointments in dentist offices. Participants breathed fragrance of orange oil or lavender oil from a candle warmer, heard music with no fragrance, or had neither music nor fragrance. Anxiety decreased and mood improved significantly in the orange and lavender groups, but not in the other groups.
Vitamin D protects tooth enamel and, in this study, doctors tested the link between vitamin D levels in mothers and tooth decay in their children. Nearly 90 percent of the mothers were low in vitamin D during the fourth month of pregnancy. Researchers examined 135 of their infants at 16 months and found that one in five had damaged enamel, and one in three had tooth decay. Mothers of children with tooth decay had significantly lower vitamin D levels than mothers whose children did not have cavities.
In a lycopene study, 20 participants took 8 mg of lycopene per day or a placebo for two weeks, with half in each group having their teeth cleaned at the start of the study. Researchers measured plaque, inflammation (gingivitis), and gum bleeding at the start of the study and at one and two weeks. Those in the lycopene group who also had their teeth cleaned had much less plaque, gingivitis, and bleeding compared to every other group.
In a licorice study, participants with canker sores had significantly less pain two days after using an adhesive patch containing a licorice extract compared to those who did not use licorice.
In a lab study, researchers coated dental plaque with the bacteria that cause gum disease and bad breath and then exposed the plaque to grape seed extract, which significantly reduced bacteria levels.
Reference: International Association for Dental Research; 2008, Keynote Address and Nutrition Research, Toronto, Canada
Nutrition and Parkinson’s Disease
New studies link low vitamin levels with Parkinson’s disease
People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) had low vitamin D levels and PD patients taking levodopa had low folate and vitamin B12 levels, in two new studies.
Brain nerve cells involved in PD have large numbers of vitamin D receptors, meaning they need vitamin D. In this study, doctors wanted to test for a link between PD and low vitamin D. Researchers measured vitamin D levels in about 100 participants with PD, 100 with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and 100 healthy individuals. More than half of those with PD (55 percent) had low vitamin D levels, compared to 41 percent for those with AD, and 36 percent for healthy folks. Study authors found that “vitamin D deficiency may have a unique association with Parkinson’s,” and noted new studies now underway to see if vitamin D can reduce the severity of PD.
Levodopa, the most effective PD drug, is also a natural substance in the body that converts to the nerve-signaling chemical dopamine which permits muscles to move smoothly. Without dopamine, muscles tremble and stiffen. In this study, researchers found that in more than 100 participants with PD who were taking levodopa, blood levels of folate and vitamin B12 were lower compared to a similar group without PD.
Reference: Archives of Neurology; 2008, Vol. 65, No. 10, 1348-52
Beating Bunions
Homeopathic remedy helped people recover from bunion surgery
Arnica Montana offers an inexpensive, safe alternative to standard non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Bunions are the painful enlarged bone and tissue at the joint of the big toe and foot. About 90 people who had bunion surgery took 10 tablets of the homeopathic remedy Arnica Montana, or 50 mg of the NSAID diclofenac, three times per day. Four days after surgery, those who had taken Arnica Montana were able to move about more freely than the diclofenac group. While the diclofenac group reported less pain than the Arnica Montana group, 95 percent in the Arnica Montana group were able to stay on the treatment, compared to less than 80 percent for diclofenac. The surgery wounds healed equally well in both groups.
Reference: Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine; 2008, Vol. 14, No. 1, 17-25
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Vitamin D Cuts Risk for Diabetes
New studies show vitamin D reduces risk and symptoms of diabetes in old and young.
Vitamin D helps the body make insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. In this study, scientists tested the link between vitamin D and type 1 diabetes, a condition where the body does not produce enough insulin.
Researchers measured vitamin D levels in 128 children with type 1 diabetes, aged one to 18, and found that three in four were low or deficient in vitamin D, and that levels declined with age. Doctors noted that instead of drinking milk, teens often drink soda, reducing vitamin D and calcium intake, and weakening bones.
In a diabetes risk analysis, researchers reviewed several studies covering 6,500 infants, one in five of whom had type 1 diabetes. Compared to babies that did not take vitamin D, babies that had a vitamin D supplement were 29 percent less likely to develop type 1 diabetes. The more vitamin D infants had, the less likely they were to have type 1 diabetes.
In a blood sugar study, doctors followed 524 non-diabetic men and women, aged 40 to 69, for 10 years and found that those with higher blood levels of vitamin D at the start of the study were more likely to avoid chronic high blood sugar and maintain normal insulin activity than those with lower vitamin D. Vitamin D levels were higher in men than women, and highest in late summer in both.
In a type 2 diabetes analysis, researchers examined vitamin D levels in 1,400 men and women, aged 40 to 74. Over the next 22 years, men with the highest initial vitamin D levels were 72 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than were men with the lowest vitamin D levels.
In a diabetic pain study, doctors noted that vitamin D is often low in type 2 diabetes. For three months, 51 type 2 diabetics with nerve pain took an average 2,000 IU dose of vitamin D per day. By the end of the study, pain had declined by 40 to 50 percent, improving from “distressing” to “mild,” according to doctors.
Reference: The Journal of Pediatrics; 2009, Vol. 154, No. 1, 132-4
March's Healthy Tip:
It’s Acai Berries!
Acai berry, the purple tropical fruit from Central and South America, is high in fiber, antioxidants, omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids, has other vitamins and minerals, and does not sharply raise blood sugar levels (low glycemic index). In this study, 12 healthy men and women, average age 34, drank an acai juice blend while researchers drew blood just before and one and two hours afterward. Scientists found significant increases in blood levels of antioxidants both one and two hours after the drink, and signs of damaged fat cells (lipid peroxidation) were significantly lower two hours afterward. In a lab portion of the study, antioxidant activity in red blood cells increased as researchers exposed the cells to the juice blend.
Reference: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; 2008, Vol. 56, No. 18, 8326-33
Curbing Colds and Infections
Nutrients boost immunity, cut colds, bronchitis, infection, inflammation
A mushroom extract boosted a type of white blood cell (dendritic) that helps the immune system kill and remember foreign substances. Scientists in this study gave 21 healthy volunteers 3 grams per day of mushroom extract—active hexose correlated compound (AHCC)—or a placebo. After four weeks, dendritic cell levels were signif-icantly higher in the AHCC group compared to the start of the study, and compared to the placebo group. Study authors said, “Dendritic cells are critical for maintaining a healthy and balanced immune system.”
In a review of vitamin C and zinc in the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, researchers noted a large number of placebo-controlled studies show that vitamin C combined with zinc—up to 1 gram and 30 mg per day, respectively—“…ameliorates symptoms and shortens the duration of respiratory tract infections including the common cold.” Both vitamin C and zinc boost immune-system “killer” cells.
In a study on zinc, doctors noted adults over age 55 are often low in zinc, have poor immune response, and are prone to infection. Scientists first compared zinc levels of the 50 healthy participants, aged 55 to 87, to a group of healthy younger adults (non-participants) and found that the older group had significantly lower zinc levels. Participants then took 45 mg of zinc gluconate per day, or a placebo. After 12 months, there were 80 percent fewer total infections in the zinc group compared to placebo and no sign of infection in 68 percent of the zinc group compared to 12 percent for placebo. Infections included the common cold, tonsillitis, and bronchitis. The zinc group also had significantly less cell damage (oxidation) and significantly fewer signs of inflammation compared to placebo.
Bronchitis inflames the airways to the lungs, causing a severe cough that can last up to a month. In this study, doctors noted that bronchitis is usually viral, and that antibiotics—which fight bacteria, not viruses—often don’t relieve symptoms or shorten duration. Researchers recruited 124 men and women with acute bronchitis, average age 36, who took 4.5 mg (30 drops) of the African herb Umcka (Pelargonium sidoides) three times per day, 30 minutes before or after meals. After seven days, 85 percent of those who took Umcka had completely or mostly recovered compared to 30 percent for placebo.
Reference: Nutrition and Cancer; 2008, Vol. 60, No. 5, 643-51
Multivitamins for Every Body
Most doctors and nurses take them, and they improve kids’ focus
Nearly three in four doctors and nurses (72 percent) take supplements, according to the Healthcare Profess-ionals Impact Study, which surveyed about 1,200 primary care physicians, obstetrician/gynecologists, physician specialists, and nurses and nurse practitioners. Among healthcare professionals who use supplements, 87 percent take a multivitamin, 78 percent take vitamin C, 63 percent take B vitamins, 59 percent take vitamin D, 58 percent take vitamin E, and 58 percent take calcium. The survey also found nearly four in five doctors (79 percent) recommend supplements to their patients. The five top reasons doctors recommend supplements are: overall health and well being, bones, joints, heart, and cholesterol.
Doctors know the brain needs vitamins and minerals to work well and, in this study, wanted to see if a daily supplement improved mental ability in children. Over 12 weeks, 81 healthy kids, aged 8 to 14, without food allergies, took a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement or a placebo. On the first and last days of the study, one hour before the daily dose, and one and three hours afterward, researchers measured the speed and accuracy of attention, tested memory and mood, and found that attention improved in the multivitamin/mineral group three hours after the first dose on the first day. Study authors remarked, “The most surprising facet of the improvement in attention task performance seen here is that it became evident by three hours post-dose on the first day,” and noted this is the first study to test if supplements have an immediate effect on behavior.
Reference: British Journal of Nutrition; 2008, Vol. 100, No. 5, 1086-96
Hope for Depression
A large new study shows evidence St. John’s wort is as effective as standard prescription drugs for major depression and, in a second study, reduces relapse.
One of the most useful types of study is the systematic review, where researchers combine results from many studies on a single topic. Because reviews include large numbers of participants, many different researchers and institutions, and occur over many years, the results are more robust than any single study.
In this systematic review, researchers included only randomized, double-blind studies of people with major depression who took St. John’s wort extracts, standard antidepressant drugs, or a placebo, for four to 12 weeks. In all, doctors identified 29 studies totaling 5,500 participants. Each study used a common questionnaire called the Hamilton Rating Scale to measure how symptoms changed.
Overall, researchers concluded that for relieving symptoms of major depression, St. John’s wort is superior to placebo and as effective as standard antidepressants with fewer side effects. Among the findings, in nine of the largest trials, St. John’s wort extracts were 28 percent more effective than placebo, and in nine smaller studies, 87 percent more effective. Compared to antidepressants, St. John’s wort extracts were just as effective, but those taking St. John’s wort were four times more likely to continue treatment than those taking drugs like Elavil and Mirtazapine and twice as likely to continue treatment compared to drugs like Zoloft and Paxil.
In a study of depression relapse in European Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers followed 700 male and female outpatients, aged 18 to 65, with multiple recurring episodes of major depression. After one week of no treatment, participants took 900 mg of St. John’s wort extract in three, 300-mg doses per day for six weeks. Those who responded well to the six-week treatment continued for another 26 weeks taking the same dose of St. John’s wort, or a placebo. Participants who did not relapse during the 26-week phase then entered a 52-week phase where doctors reassigned treatment or placebo. Overall compared to placebo, those taking St. John’s wort consistently felt better longer, with more time between episodes of depression and had fewer relapses.
Reference: Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews; 2008, No. 4, CD000448
Cutting Cholesterol
Vitamin C, green tea, artichoke leaf, and tropical plant compounds significantly lowered cholesterol in several new studies.
In a review of vitamin C studies, researchers combined results from 13 clinical trials covering 405 participants, average age 59, who took at least 500 mg of vitamin C per day, or a placebo, for three to 24 weeks. Overall, vitamin C lowered LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, by 5 percent and triglyceride fats by 8.8 percent. Study authors estimated that lowering LDL and triglycerides by these amounts could reduce risk for coronary heart disease by 6.6 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively.
In a green tea study, 111 healthy adults, aged 21 to 70, took two capsules of Camellia sinensis compounds (decaffeinated green tea) per day, or a placebo. After three weeks, those in the green tea group had moderately lower blood pressure, and men in the green tea group had a small but significant improvement in total and LDL cholesterol levels.
In a study of artichoke leaf extract (ALE), 131 adults with mild to moderately high cholesterol added 1,280 mg of ALE per day, or a placebo, to their usual medications, supplements, and diet. After 12 weeks, total cholesterol declined by more than 4 percent in the ALE group, while increasing nearly 2 percent for placebo.
In an obesity study, 58 obese participants took 2.4 grams of Garcinia cambogia (52.4 percent hydroxycitric acid) plus 1.5 grams of Amorphophallus konjac (94.9 percent glucomannan) three times per day before each meal, or a placebo. Researchers allowed participants to eat their normal diets. After 12 weeks, while no one lost weight, and the placebo group did not improve, the Garcinia group had significantly lower total and LDL cholesterol levels.
Reference: Phytotherapy Research; 2008, Vol. 22, No. 9, 1135-40
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Lifelong Probiotics
Nutrition scientists are focusing on probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that can improve digestion and fight disease in young and old.
In a colic study, 90 breastfed colicky babies took probiotics or 60 mg of the drug simethicone while their moms didn’t eat dairy products. After 28 days, the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri reduced baby crying time 74 percent compared to 26 percent for simethicone. Doctors believe probiotics reduced intestinal inflammation.
In a chronic constipation study of 45 kids under age 10, those who took Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus had less abdominal pain than those who took a magnesium oxide laxative. Doses were twice per day for four weeks. Probiotics increased bowel movements, reduced hard stools, and cut the need for glycerin enemas as effectively as magnesium oxide. In a related four-week study, Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria significantly increased bowel movements in 20 constipated children aged 4 to 16, and reduced bowel incontinence and abdominal pain without side effects. There was no placebo group.
In a cold study, about 480 healthy adults took vitamins and minerals with or without Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria over two winters for a total of eight months. About the same number in each group caught cold, but colds averaged two days less for those who took probiotics compared to those who did not.
In a study of fats, researchers noted that this is the first trial in humans to measure how probiotics may lower risk for blood vessel and heart disease. Among 26 healthy adults, average age 42, those who took Lactobacillus rhamnosus for three weeks had fewer toxic and inflammatory blood fats compared to placebo.
In a mouth bacteria study, doctors wanted to see if probiotics could reduce the bacteria in saliva that can cause tooth decay. Two dozen healthy participants, average age 20, ate about two ounces of ice cream per day, made with or without Bifidobacterium lactis, for two 10-day cycles. After each cycle, those who ate the probiotics ice cream had significantly less of the acid-forming bacteria compared to the start of the study.
Reference: World Journal of Gastroenterology; 2008, Vol. 14, No. 20, 3188-94
Ginseng news for women
A new observational study from China found that women with breast cancer who took ginseng survived in greater numbers than women who did not take ginseng. The Shanghai Breast Cancer Study recruited 1,455 breast cancer patients from August, 1996 through March, 1998, and followed up through December, 2002. All of the women had chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery. Researchers found that 398 women, or 27.4%, had used ginseng regularly before being diagnosed with cancer, and that number grew to 669 women-or 62.8% of the 1,065 survivors-over the average 4.8 years of follow-up.
February's Healthy Tip:
Broccoli for Healthy Lungs
A natural compound in broccoli, sulforaphane, increased healthy antioxidant activity in lung cells. To understand how sulforaphane works, researchers exposed healthy lung cells to cigarette smoke, which reduced antioxidant activity, and then to sulforaphane, which restored antioxidant activity. Researchers then took samples of lung cells from smokers with and without chronic obstructive lung (pulmonary) disease (COPD), and found that as the disease became more severe, antioxidant activity in the cells decreased. Healthy (non-COPD) lungs had the most antioxidant activity. Doctors concluded that sulforaphane therapy may slow the progress of COPD. (Please see back page for broccoli soup recipe.)
Reference: American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine; 2008, Vol. 178, No. 6, 592-604
Living Longer and Better with Vitamin E
Those with higher levels of the antioxidant vitamin E were less likely to have chronic fatigue syndrome or to lose physical ability, and taking vitamin E helped those with Alzheimer’s disease live longer, according to findings from three new studies.
In a chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) study, researchers found that blood levels of vitamin E were significantly lower in 50 participants with CFS than in 40 participants without CFS. Doctors suggested that those with CFS have more cell damage because of low vitamin E levels.
In a study of physical ability, doctors explained that there is too little research on how poor nutrition may impair physical ability in older adults and that helping elders live independently longer should be a public-health priority. Scientists randomly selected about 700 men and women, aged 65 or older, measured blood levels of vitamins and minerals, and followed up for three years. Researchers tested how fast participants could walk, how many times they could get up out of a chair, and how well they could balance in increasingly difficult postures. After adjusting for age, lifestyle, and other factors, researchers found that those whose physical ability declined the most over the three-year period had the lowest levels of vitamin E. In explaining the physical decline, doctors said that low vitamin E levels may increase oxidative stress, damaging muscles and DNA; accelerate hardening of the arteries, and injure nerves.
In an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) study, researchers followed about 850 men and women with AD, average age 74, for five years. During that time, those who took 1,000 IU of vitamin E twice per day were 26 percent less likely to die from any cause compared to those who did not take vitamin E. Study authors said, “Vitamin E appears to increase survival time of Alzheimer’s patients,” noting that, “This is particularly important because recent studies in heart disease patients have questioned whether vitamin E is beneficial for survival.”
Reference: Journal of the American Medical Association; 2008, Vol. 299, No. 3, 308-15
Dieting Successfully
Dieters who ate omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils or fish had less hunger, lower cholesterol and fats, and managed blood sugar better, three new studies reveal.
In an appetite study, researchers theorized that omega-3 fatty acids could help dieters feel satisfied after eating. About 230 overweight or obese participants took a low dose of less than 260 mg of omega-3 or a high dose of more than 1,300 mg of omega-3 per day while on a balanced but low-calorie diet for eight weeks. In the last two weeks of the study, participants ate a test dinner of either low or high amounts of omega-3 while researchers measured sensations of hunger immediately afterward and again two hours later. Those who ate the high-omega-3 meal felt less hunger and more full immediately after and two hours after the meal than those who ate the low-omega-3 meal. Doctors concluded that omega-3s helps control feelings of hunger.
In a study of blood fats, about 320 overweight or obese participants aged 20 to 40 ate a balanced low-calorie diet. Two groups ate less than 260 mg of omega-3 per day including lean codfish or placebo oil capsules while two other groups ate more than 1,300 mg of omega-3 per day consisting of fatty salmon or fish oil capsules. After eight weeks, researchers discovered that all types of fish and fish oil reduced total cholesterol and overall blood fats, and both salmon and fish oil preserved HDL, the “good” cholesterol.
In a related study using the same group of participants as in the blood fats study, researchers found that those who ate omega-3s while dieting had healthier levels of insulin on an empty stomach and were more sensitive to insulin after eight weeks. Insulin helps the body convert blood sugar (glucose) into energy.
Reference: International Journal of Obesity; 2008, Vol. 32, No. 7, 1105-12
Taming High Blood Pressure with Diet
Potassium, magnesium, calcium, and olive leaf extract help lower high blood pressure safely and as effectively as drug treatments, reducing risk for heart disease and stroke.
In a diet study, researchers explained that because high blood pressure remains widespread, diet may be a better approach to lowering blood pressure than drugs. Scientists reviewed the entire medical literature for studies on potassium, magnesium, and calcium and found that these nutrients all help lower high blood pressure. The doctors said that for potassium in particular, there is a consistent body of clinical evidence showing that those with high potassium levels have lower blood pressure. Study authors concluded that Americans consume too little potassium—about half the amount—and about twice as much salt (sodium) as they should. The U.S. Institute of Medicine and the American Heart Association suggest increasing potassium to 4.7 grams per day, up from the current government recommendation of 3.5 grams of potassium per day.
In a blood pressure study, researchers recruited 20 pairs of identical twins, 40 people in all, who each had blood pressure elevated slightly above the upper normal limit of 120/80 mm Hg. Twins from each pair took a different treatment, either 500 mg or 1,000 mg of olive leaf extract per day, or counseling on a healthy lifestyle with no treatment. After eight weeks, those who had taken the 1,000 mg dose of olive leaf extract had an average 8 percent decrease in systolic blood pressure, meaning the amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart is pumping blood, and a 5 percent decrease in diastolic pressure—when the heart relaxes—compared to the start of the study. Those in the 500 mg olive leaf extract group had about a 4 percent decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and twins who got lifestyle counseling alone saw no significant difference.
Reference: Journal of Clinical Hypertension; 2008, Vol. 10, Supplement 7, 3-11
Improving Diabetic Health and Managing Blood Sugar
In diabetics, nutrients lowered risk for heart disease and extended life after a heart attack, and vitamin K increased insulin sensitivity in men, in three new studies.
In a diabetes study, doctors explained that type 2 diabetics have a higher risk for heart and blood vessel disease because of chemical changes that can clog and stiffen blood vessels, and thought that the antioxidant vitamin E may reduce or prevent these effects. About 40 men and women with type 2 diabetes and no other disease or diabetic complications, took 500 IU of vitamin E per day. After 10 weeks, levels of three blood-clotting molecules that had been abnormally high at the start of the study had decreased by an average of 21 percent, and a chemical that relaxes the muscles around blood vessels—boosting blood flow and lowering the risk of clotting—had increased by 50 percent. Scientists followed up for another 10 weeks while participants stopped taking vitamin E and found that one of the blood-clotting molecules had returned to the same unhealthy level as before taking vitamin E. Researchers concluded that vitamin E may be a “new tool” for protecting against blood vessel damage in type 2 diabetes.
In a vitamin C and E study, researchers noted that diabetics who have a heart attack produce abnormally high levels of unstable oxygen molecules that damage cells, and theorized that the antioxidant vitamins C and E could help diabetics live longer after a heart attack. Doctors gave 122 diabetics who had just had a heart attack 1,000 mg of vitamin C intravenously over 12 hours, followed by 400 mg of vitamin C plus 200 mg of vitamin E orally three times per day, or a placebo. After 30 days, diabetics who had taken vitamins C and E were 68 percent less likely to have died than those who did not take vitamins C and E.
Better blood sugar
In an insulin study, researchers thought that vitamin K would increase insulin sensitivity in older adults who were not diabetic. Doctors followed 355 non-diabetic men and women, aged 60 to 80, who were taking 500 mcg of vitamin K (phylloquinone) per day as part of a study on bone loss. After 36 months, men who had taken vitamin K had significantly better insulin sensitivity than men who had taken a placebo. There was no effect for women. Insulin helps the body convert blood sugar (glucose) into energy. In diabetes, the body mishandles insulin, leading to chronically high blood sugar levels.
Reference: Cardiology; 2009, Vol. 112, No. 3, 219-23
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