Vitamin B12 promising for Hepatitis C, study finds

Vitamin B12 has been always been a component to achieving overall optimal health, and it’s also useful in supporting cell maintenance.  Adding vitamin B12 to your daily diet has significant benefits; however, it has also now been found that vitamin B12 may be a major component in the treatment of Hepatitis C Virus, according to new, promising research.

Professor Gerardo Nardone from the Department of Clinical and Experiment Medicine at the University of Naples, along with his team of seven researchers, recently conducted a study to provide proof that the B12 vitamin can greatly help treat those infected with Hepatitis C. The study followed 94 Hepatitis C sufferers at random, with some receiving standardized treatment and others receiving the same treatment with the addition of vitamin B12 supplementation.

Nardone and his team discovered that, after 12 weeks of the treatment, those with the added vitamin B12 supplementation had “significant” improvements. These same groups, 24 weeks after stopping treatment, were still seeing the advantageous effects of the B12 vitamin:

Overall, adding vitamin B12 to standard therapy strengthened the rate of sustained viral response by 34%, the findings showed.

Vitamin B12 has many benefits, such as reducing stress and depression, increasing energy and protecting against certain types of cancer. It also helps to maintain a healthy digestive system. The study conducted by Professor Nardone and his team just point out one more benefit of this nutrient.

Announcing the newest Health & Nutrition products from Market America!

Just announced onstage at Market America 2012 International Convention in Greensboro, the newest health & nutrition products from Market America are some of the most amazing we’ve introduced over the last 20 years.
Prime Vision
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Opuvita
An all-natural, preservative-free exotic fruit fusion, Opuvita reinvigorates your body. Each sip benefits your heart, joints, immunity, positive body image and more, promoting overall wellness from head to toe.
Isotonix Champion Blend Plus
Delivering key essential nutrients for muscle performance, antioxidant defense and increased energy, Isotonix Champion Blend Plus is perfect for everyone. From the professional athlete to the weekend warrior to anyone looking to support general wellness, everyone can feel like a champion.

Heart Health Essential Omega III Fish Oil with Vitamin E — 30-day supply!
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Isotonix Daily Essentials Kit
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Prime Advantage Anti-Aging Kit
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Energy Drinks Supercharge Tooth Decay

With a reported 30 to 50 percent of U.S. teens consuming energy drinks, and as many as 62 percent consuming at least one sports drink per day, it is important to educate parents and young adults about any potential side effects associated with these drinks. One such side effect is tooth decay, brought on not only by the sweetness present in some of these drinks, but by the chemical constituents present in the sugar-free formulations.

A recent study found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth—more specifically, that the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.

The researchers found that damage to enamel was evident after only five days of exposure to sports or energy drinks, although energy drinks showed a significantly greater potential to damage teeth than sports drinks. In fact, the authors found that energy drinks caused approximately twice as much damage to teeth as sports drinks.

Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ for them than soda,” says Poonam Jain, BDS, MS, MPH, lead author of the study. “Most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”

Damage caused to tooth enamel is irreversible, and without the protection of enamel, teeth become overly sensitive, prone to cavities, and more likely to decay. Those looking for an energy boost may be advised to consider alternate sources.

Berries Benefit “Graying America”

As the largest generation in the history of the U.S. begins their collective retirement, the so-called Graying of America continues.  According to the 2010 U.S. Census, elderly Americans—those 65 years of age and older—increased by 15% between 2000 and 2010; this is essentially one and a half times as fast as the total U.S. population, which saw a 9.7% increase during this same decade.

The resulting anti-aging revolution has prompted the research, discovery and development of various nutrient compounds to preserve body and mind. Among these, flavonoids, found in plants, possess powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Experts have come to believe that stress and inflammation contribute to cognitive impairment and that increasing consumption of flavonoids could mitigate the harmful effects.

Previous studies of the positive effects of flavonoids—particularly a subset known as anthocyanidins—are limited to animal models or very small trials in older persons. Thanks to a comprehensive research project known as the Nurses’ Health Study—a  collaboration of 121,700 female, registered nurses between the ages of 30 and 55 who completed health and lifestyle questionnaires beginning in 1976–there exists a study with a few more numbers on its side.

Since 1980, participants were surveyed every four years regarding their frequency of food consumption. Between 1995 and 2001, cognitive function was measured in 16,010 subjects over the age of 70 at two year intervals—in the present study, the women’s average age was 74.

Findings show that increased consumption of blueberries and strawberries appeared to slow cognitive decline in this population. A greater intake of anthocyanidins and total flavonoids was also associated with reduce cognitive degeneration. The authors caution that while they did control for other health factors in the modeling, they cannot rule out the possibility that the preserved cognition in those who ate more berries may be also influenced by other lifestyle choices, such as exercising more.

“We provide the first epidemiologic evidence that berries may slow progression of cognitive decline in elderly women,” notes Dr. Elizabeth Devore with Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard, who headed the study. “Our findings have significant public health implications as increasing berry intake is a fairly simple dietary modification to test cognition protection in older adults.”

Antioxidants Could Lower the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

A diet high in antioxidants could lower the risk of pancreatic cancer by two thirds, according to a new study. After monitoring the diet and health of participants, a clear relationship emerged. Although preliminary research, this is an important stepping stone in cancer prevention research.

In the study conducted by Dr. Andrew Hart in the UK, the long-term health of more than 23,000 people ages 40 to 74 were tracked. After 20 years, results showed that participants who consumed greater amounts of three antioxidants, (selenium and vitamins C and E) were 67 percent less likely to develop pancreatic cancer compared to those with the lowest intake.

This research is the first to show significant results linking the two even though much research is being conducted looking at the relationship between diet and cancer. “Over the years there have been many attempts to find dietary causes for cancer,” said Dr. Vincent Vinciguerra, of the Monter Cancer Center in Lake Success, N.Y. “It is estimated that 35 percent of cancers are related to carcinogens in the diet. Antioxidants have been the subject of numerous trials because in theory they could be instrumental in the prevention of carcinogenesis.”

With about 250,000 deaths worldwide a year, pancreatic cancer research is more important than ever. Besides diet, other risk factors associated with pancreatic cancer are genes, smoking, and type 2 diabetes. Antioxidant-rich foods include many fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and seafood. Supplementation of vitamin C and E is also recommended to go hand-in-hand with a healthy diet.

Omega-3s Bring Balance To Mood

The American Heart Association currently recommends that all Americans consume fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids, twice per week. This recommendation is based upon evidence that a diet high in fish is associated with improved heart health and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. While this basic incentive for increasing omega-3 intake is well-recognized, relatively less well-known are the potential mental health benefits omega-3s offer us.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may positively influence mood, personality and behavior, according to results of several studies taking place in recent years. In 2006, a study of 106 healthy volunteers revealed that those participants who had lower blood levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were also more likely to report mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression, and be more impulsive in their behavior. By contrast, those with higher blood levels of omega-3s were found to be more agreeable in attitude and behavior.

In addition, omega-3s have also been used in studies involving more serious degrees of depression. One such study, a double-blind, randomized controlled trial involving patients diagnosed with bipolar depression was conducted. As compared to the placebo group, significant improvement was noted in the experimental groups receiving either one or two grams of the omega-3 fatty acid known as ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid—or EPA—through testing via the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD).

While this disorder involves no major physiological component, it can carry consequences every bit as debilitating; there is little doubt that suffering occurs as a result of its prevalence. According to CDC statistics, an estimated one in 10 adults in the U.S. currently suffers from some degree of depression—amounting to approximately 23 million Americans. Along with the estimated 76 million U.S. citizens who have hypertension, the benefits of such a widely-applicable nutrient—that offers help for both heart and mind—are appealing indeed.

Whey Protein

Whey-protein-rich ingredients may improve blood vessel function in people at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers from the University of Connecticut in the British Journal of Nutrition report that the consumption of proprietary whey-derived bio-active peptides resulted in an increase in flow-mediated dilation (FDM) of between 1 and 1.5%.

While the clinical significance of the results is uncertain, Dr. Jeff Volek and his co-workers note that reduced FMD is reported to be a forecaster of future adverse cardiovascular events with every 1% decrease in FMD linked with a 12% increase in risk.

A randomized double blind study supported by Glanbia, looked at 21 volunteers with an average age of 55 and average BMI of 27.8. The average FMD of the volunteers at the time of enrollment was 3.7%. Applicants were randomly assigned to consume a single 5 gram dose of NOP-47 or a placebo, and cardiovascular responses were measured for 2 hours after intake.

Results showed that NOP-47 consumption was linked with an increase in FMD to 4.6% after 30 minutes and up to 5.1% after 2 hours, compared to increase to only up to 4.3% in the placebo group. This result indicated that the peptides were quickly absorbed and enhanced endothermic-dependent dilation in older adults, said researchers.

Commenting on the potential mechanism, the researchers said that the changes were independent of circulating associative compounds, like nitric oxide (NO), which did not change during the time of the experiments:

“Future investigation is warranted in individuals at an increased CVD risk to further elucidate potential health benefits and the underlying mechanisms of extracts derived from whey”

Probiotics and Weight Management

Many of us who have difficulty in managing our weight may have been under the impression that our gut, and its microflora—the bacteria within it that aid in our digestion and absorption of nutrients—are in poor health or balance due to our excessive weight…according to recent studies, there is a strong possibility that it is, in fact, the other way around!

Healthy intestinal microflora can be enough to help you “widdle that waist” .  Studies are not sure which particular species are important, but one thing is clear: slender people and obese people do have different gut flora, in different proportions, and the literature supports the use of probiotics to help you keep a healthy weight.

As the researchers reported:
“Even though diet will affect gut flora composition, most studies conclude that gut flora on its own has an effect on weight. Alteration of the gut microbiota can be an important part of a weight loss program.”

Probiotics may assist the gut in gaining energy from polysaccharides, help the body heighten its sensitivity to insulin, and benefit its ability to cope with inflammation.   Several mechanisms have been proposed as to how gut flora regulates weight. Among these is the idea that the bacterial populations in thinner individuals are actually less efficient at storing energy, in effect burning more calories during digestion and decreasing the “net” amount of energy that is stored as fat.

Probably the most important take away from this study was that while no one will argue that a healthy diet will improve over all well-being, there is much more to the story. Having an imbalance in intestinal microflora may lead to sugar cravings and disrupt satiety, and therefore playing a negative role in our food choices and consumption.

One viable option for restoring this balance may be the use of probiotic supplementation. By repopulating the digestive tract with a greater proportion and variety of microorganisms known to be health-promoting, a more effective balance of this internal ecosystem can be established and maintained.

How To Avoid Getting Burned This Summer

Everyone needs Vitamin D from the sun. However during these hot summer months, we often fall victim to a little too much.  Now, there’s an alternative to lathering yourself in sun lotion every time you step outside. Supplementation of astaxanthin, resveratrol and omega-3 fatty acids can protect your skin internally from the sun.

Sunburn occurs when UV rays from the sun burn skin tissue, causing the skin cells to die. This often causes noticeable discomfort, and skin to turn a reddish color. This is a hint that it’s actually a type of inflammation, and sunburn can be a very serious condition. The greatest danger is that sunburn is the leading cause of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. Becoming sunburned on a routine basis causes an individuals risk for melanoma to increase dramatically, potentially even doubling after four or more serious sunburns.

Effectively reducing your risk of  harmful sunburn can actually start with the nutrients that enter your body. Research suggests that taking these nutrients can help stop sunburn before it strikes.

1)      Astaxanthin
The super-antioxidant astaxanthin is naturally found in algae and animals that eat the algae. In concentrated form, it can also be found in various supplements. As an antioxidant it has been primarily been used to promote a healthy cardiovascular system. However,  recent research has suggested that astaxanthin helps protect the skin from UV rays, helping to potentially prevent sunburn.

2)      Resveratrol
Recently resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grapes, has received a lot of publicity for supporting healthy hearts as well as alleviating certain symptoms related to cancer. This study also suggests that when resveratrol is absorbed into skin cells, it helps them block UV rays.

3)      Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
A diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to combat the inflammatory response of skin after it’s been exposed to the sun for too long. This can limit the harmful effects of sunburn as well as reduce the risk of melanoma. Omega-3 acid is found naturally in fish, but supplementation may be suggested, to ensure that both proper quantity and quality is received.

These nutrients have all shown to be effective in combatting UV rays. Try out these suggestions and let us know if you’ve noticed a decrease in sunburn frequency and intensity.

Omega-3s and Your Kids

Dr. Andrew Stoll of Harvard Medical School calls omega-3 fatty acids “wellness molecules.” And no wonder. Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids are not only great for the heart, but they also may support a child’s memory, focus, and learning.

What are Omega-3s?
Before you head to your local health food store, there are some things you need to know about omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are a class of fats that come in three “flavors”: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Fish oil and cod liver oil are rich sources of the two most important fatty acids, DHA and EPA. The body converts the third kind—ALA, which is found in flaxseed and various vegetable oils and nuts—into DHA and EPA.

Omega-3s are vital fatty acids (EFAs). That means two things: one, the body can’t produce all the omega-3s from scratch, so these compounds must be part of the diet; and two (and even more importantly), these fats are crucial for staying healthy.

In the 1970s scientists started to study the health effects of omega-3s when they found the link between the low heart disease rate of the Greenland Eskimos and their diet of cold-water oily fish. But a healthy heart was only the beginning of the story. Numerous studies now indicate that the benefits of DHA and EPA are far more extensive than heart health and play an important role throughout your child’s life.

Your Children need Omega-3 Fatty Acids
As infants, DHA plays an important role in the development of the brain, eyes, and nervous system. This isn’t too surprising, since the retina of the eye consists largely of fatty tissue, and DHA makes up 20 to 30 percent of the brain. As toddlers, EPA and DHA can help improve their vision and cognitive and behavioral development. Once your children start elementary school, DHA remains a key component to their success, as it supports their memory, focus, and cognitive development.

Almost every study of behavioral and cognitive problems in children as well as in adults has shown a connection between low levels of omega-3s and severity of symptoms. Of course, as teens and young adults, DHA continues to play an important role. Recent studies have found that it may support hormonal and sexual health, help mood disorders like depression, and protect their hearts.

Getting your Children Omega 3 Fatty-Acid
It is easy for children to have a deficiency in DHA and EPA due to the fact they can frequently be relatively  fussy eaters. The typical American diet doesn’t help either. It’s loaded with omega-6 fatty acids (vegetable oils such as corn and sunflower, and animals raised on grain instead of green vegetation), trans-fatty acids from fried foods, and hydrogenated oils, all of which interfere with the ability of the body to convert ALA to the much-needed EPA and DHA.

Since omega-3s and omega-6s are building blocks for all sorts of hormones and other important compounds in the body, it’s critical that they be in balance. Nutritionists believe that the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the diet is somewhere between 1:1 and 4:1. Currently, most Americans consume a ratio of 20:1 or higher.

The easiest way to know your children are receiving enough Omega-3s is a dietary supplement. Adding omega-3 rich food will also help, there’s certainly a wide variety to choose from: eggs, dairy products, cereals, cereal bars, peanut butter, and infant formulas. But do they contain enough omega-3s? There is no U.S. recommended daily allowance, but most experts recommend getting anywhere from 500 milligrams (1/2 gram) up to a couple of grams a day of EPA and DHA. So while fortified foods may contribute, they don’t contain nearly enough omega-3s to make up for a diet that’s low in these important nutrients.

Helpful Hints for Optimizing Vitamin and Mineral Intake

Every bit as important as ingesting the right nutrients is making sure that they are properly absorbed by the body. The following is a seven-point list that can help ensure your body is making the best use of all it receives:

1.         Fruits and vegetables should be as fresh as possible and organically grown products are preferable. If vegetable and fruit juices are preferred, those freshly prepared are best, but those prepared in advance are good up to 48 hours before they begin to lose their vitamin content, if refrigerated.

2.         Utilize a blender or food processor to help chop up fruits and vegetables to help make digestion easier. Seeds and nuts can also be chopped or ground up and taken with milk or in powder form.

3.         A vegetable or fruit juicer provides you with an excellent means of optimizing vitamin and mineral intake as juices are much more easily digested and absorbed. When using one, do not forget to include the seeds and leafy parts, as they are high in minerals.

4.         Fruits and vegetables, in addition to being high in vitamins and minerals, also provide roughage to maximize bowel function. This decreases the need for laxatives, whose excessive use can lead to an atonic bowel condition.

5.         If taking commercial supplements that are in a tablet form, they will be better absorbed if they are crushed before ingestion. Liquid or capsulized forms are better absorbed by the elderly population, as less digestion is required. They are always more effective if taken with a meal.

6.         Refined carbohydrates such as white and brown sugar will decrease immune function and predispose one to diabetes if used frequently and in large amounts. Calcium and magnesium loss also increases, which leads to wasting of bone and a higher incidence of fractures.

7.         Protein from fish, chicken, rabbit, nuts, tofu and tempe are better than red meats sources due to their having less fats and a wider variety of amino acids which are better utilized by persons over age 25. In addition, ground beef consumed in fast-food establishments are often very high in salt as well as fat.

Hopefully, these points will help provide some simple means for increasing the absorption of these important micronutrients on a daily basis. Remember, you are what you eat, and measures like this can help you be your best!

Study Says Caffeine May Lower Parkinson’s Risk

In a new study presented at the American Academy of Neurology 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Dr. G. Webster Ross and colleagues report a relationship between coffee and caffeine consumption and a reduced potential for Parkinson’s disease. Specifically, drinking three large cups of coffee a day—a total of approximately 28 ounces over the course of 24 hours—could protect against the development of Lewy bodies in the brain.

These abnormal accumulations of protein within nerve cells are an established precursor—in other words, the earliest, preclinical stage of Parkinson’s. Earlier work published by Dr. Ross and colleagues that looked at the incidence of Parkinson’s over 30 years of follow-up among also showed that it’s occurrence was highest among those who never drank coffee and lowest among those who consumed the most, with a similar trend for total caffeine intake.

In order to identify Lewy bodies in subjects, researchers used sensitive alpha-synuclein staining in multiple brain stem regions of the 519 participants and performed Braak PD staging. Of the 519 participants, it was established that 443 had no Lewy bodies present, whereas 76 did.

The exact protective mechanism of caffeine in regard to the brain is unknown, but animal studies do indicate that caffeine blocks the adenosine A2A receptors that control movement, which are very sensitive to caffeine. Animal research has also shown a protective effect of genetic depletion of the A2A receptor in knockout models of the gene, said Dr. Ross.

For humans, this explanation is still unconfirmed. “Whether coffee or caffeine are neuroprotective in humans remains uncertain,” said Dr. Ross. “There’s still this sort of nagging idea that people with PD may for some reason avoid coffee and caffeine containing products.”

Nonetheless, this study does establish an encouraging, positive correlation for those looking to maintain neurological health and function. Along with recently reported antioxidant properties, evidence is growing in favor of coffee and the caffeine it contains, in terms of potential health benefits.

In Response To Calcium Critiques

The recent study out of Zurich has gotten people up in arms about their calcium supplementation.  Should we, or shouldn’t we use it?  No one, including those that conducted the study, is refuting the benefits of calcium consumption–both dietary and supplemental–for the health of our bones; but is it hurting our hearts?

The study reported findings of cardiovascular events after following nearly 25,000 participants over an 11-year period of time. The age range of those participating spanned the ages 35-64 years of age, and those participants who did have a heart attack also happened to self-report taking a calcium supplement, either in combination with other nutrients or alone.  The study also listed greater risk–roughly a factor of two–for a cardiac event for those using a calcium supplement alone.
What do we know?

• The study reported a significant number of heart attack sufferers were supplement takers, with an increase in incidence of heart attack for those that were taking a calcium supplement alone.
• That while some participants who did not have a cardiovascular event were also supplement takers, there was a common denominator of supplement use in participants who had experienced a heart attack.
• Those that were supplement takers did not have, based on the report findings, higher incidence of stroke or other cardiovascular events.

“No statistically significant association was found between calcium supplementation and either stroke risk or overall CVD mortality.”

The incidence of MI (myocardial infarction, or heart attack) increased with greater consumption of supplemental calcium, but those that consumed less than the 3^rd quartile of elemental calcium did not have a statically significant risk.

“Further exclusion of supplement users from analyses did not substantially change the risk estimates for total and source-specific dietary calcium intakes”

The study reported it was not designed to evaluate cardiovascular incidence, and therefore only eliminated those participants ages 35-64 that had a cardiovascular event within the first two years of the 11 year study, but didn’t eliminate those that had an elevated cholesterol at baseline, with no cardiovascular event within the first two years of the study.
What else do we know?

• The media didn’t give all the detail for our review.  The media reports (again, the media reports-not the actual study), failed to mention that of the 25,000 participants, MI occurred in less than 400 individuals.
• While this Incidence is higher than the usual 12-16% incidence of MI in the non-hospitalized population, the media failed to tell us that those who reported supplement use, and calcium supplement use on its own, were also more likely to be overweight, of higher average age and have a longer duration or smoking history than those that did not have an MI.  Perhaps needless to say, there is an intimate link between smoking duration, excess weight and heart disease.
• The comparison in the study was to dietary sources of calcium, where as those in the study that self-reported higher levels of dietary calcium, also were reported to be of younger age, physically active and limited smoking/non-smokers on history.

What should supplement takers consider based on this study?

Supplement takers should also be made aware, that taking any nutrient in exclusion of other co-factors or complimentary nutrients does not mimic the element or vitamins natural cellular activity and therefore is not the most healthful way to supplement a healthy diet.

Optimal metabolism can be threatened by taking Calcium in isolation, without the other supporting Nutrients needed for bone formation such as: Magnesium, Zinc, Boron, Phosphorus, Manganese, Copper, Vitamin K, D and Vitamin C. In addition to this number of additional nutrients, it is also critical that they be taken in the correct proportions

Calcium consumption, from both dietary and supplemental sources, is still regarded in the vast majority of the literature and from experts in their field as safe and effective for the enhancing the well being of the patient.  These benefits are not limited to bone health alone.  The consumption of calcium does confer cardiovascular benefits when taken in combination with other synergistic nutrients, in ratios similar to those found in nature or dietary choices.

Supplement takers should consider when choosing their supplements their relative need as it relates to their own diet and lifestyle, activity level and metabolic demand.  The health of their physical and mental environment and the interdependence of nutrients are part of a collective, the sum-total of which can add up to optimal health if the components are properly combined.

Resveratrol Shows Exercise Benefits

Dietary intake of the red wine polyphenol resveratrol is known to promote cardiovascular health in the general population—this is the source of the so-called French Paradox.  When it comes to the other half of the health equation—regular exercise—it appears that this extract might also provide some assistance. According to a recent animal trial, resveratrol may help boost exercise performance by improving strength, endurance and fatty acid metabolism.

For the study, two groups of male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to either a standard diet or one supplemented with resveratrol, while simultaneously undergoing a treadmill-based exercise program, conducted five days a week, for a period of 12 weeks. The exercise regimen was progressive, beginning with 10 minuts and incrementally increasing to 20 over the course of the study.

The research team found that the compound improved exercise performance, heart function and muscular strength, all in addition to promoting positive changes in dietary metabolism. Specifically, overall improvement in the resveratrol-supplemented group on exercise performance averaged 21 percent higher over the course of the study, as compared to the control group.

Researchers reported that this supplementation also improved several parameters related to cardiovascular performance. Left ventricular ejection force—meaning more powerful heart muscle contractions and increased blood flow—was observed to increase by 10 percent in the experimental group as compared to the control group. In addition, an increase in fatty acid oxidation—the optimization of fatty acid metabolism as a fuel source for exercise—displayed a noticeable, statistically significant increase.

In regard to the study, researchers had this to say: “Based on these findings, we conclude that resveratrol is an ergogenic aid that improves exercise training via changes in skeletal muscle function and cardiac performance, but also improves energy metabolism.”

As an additional clarification, they summarized the results by comparing the effects of resveratrol to actually embarking on an exercise program; in terms of observed biomarkers, the results were very similar.
“We were excitied when we saw that resveratrol showed results similar to what you would see from extensive endurance exercise training.”

The next project for this research group will involve resveratrol in a human-based, therapeutic application, examining its effects on diabetics who have experienced heart failure, and for whom such endurance training, though potentially beneficial, is not feasible from a safety standpoint. The 10-week study will attempt to reinvigorate heart function in this group through resveratrol supplementation, thereby restoring an enhanced degree of health and quality of life.

Diet vs. Exercise: A Verdict is Reached

A recurring question in the realm of health, nutrition and weight loss is whether it is diet or exercise that is primarily responsible for progress. It now appears that the question has been resolved—and the answer is “yes”. A team of researchers has reported that a combination of diet and exercise yielded marked improvement in physical function and weight loss as compared with either approach performed on its own.

In a one-year randomized controlled trial, researchers examined 107 adults over the age of 65—all were classified as obese according to BMI measurement. Patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups: control (no behavioral changes), diet-only, exercise-only and combined diet-exercise.

Results were judged by a number of factors, including any improvements made in a modified version of the Physical Performance Test, measurements of body composition, assessments of frailty and reports on quality of life. Collectively, accumulated data demonstrated that blood pressure, waist circumference, abdominal fat, serum triglycerides and C-reactive protein were seen to improve in both the diet and the diet-exercise groups.

Researchers also found that body weight was reduced by 10% in the diet group and by 9% in the diet-exercise group; this is a possible indication that some degree of muscular growth had occurred in the group that was both dieting and exercising. There was no change in bodyweight reported in the control group, who made no changes in lifestyle—needless to say, an expected result.

Researchers summarized the more relevant findings as follows: “Diet-induced weight loss with or without exercise, but not exercise training alone, improves insulin sensitivity and multiple other cardiometabolic risk factors simultaneously in obese older adults. However, the combination of these interventions is associated with an even greater improvement in insulin sensitivity.”

Interestingly, there was no measureable decrease in the exercise-only group regarding body weight either. While this lends some support to the widely-held belief that a poor diet cannot be “out-exercised”, it is important to remember that the diet-exercise group still experienced the greatest overall benefits, indicating that physical exercise makes an excellent addition to a proper diet.

Sleeping Yourself Healthy

Disruption of our natural circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock that numerous epidemiological studies suggest we all have programmed into us to a considerable degree, may lead to increased risk of diabetes and obesity. In an attempt to reach beyond these epidemiological accounts, a newer study actually examined humans in a controlled lab environment over a prolonged period, and systematically altered the timing of sleep, mimicking modern day disruptions like shift work or recurrent jet lag.

The study was conducted using 21 healthy participants, who were housed  in a completely controlled environment for nearly six weeks. The researchers controlled how many hours of sleep participants got, when they slept, their daily activities and diet. Participants started with getting optimal sleep—approximately 10 hours per night—in order to establish an effective baseline.

This was followed by three weeks of 5.6 hours of sleep per 24-hour period, and with sleep occurring at all times of day and night. Consequently, there were many days when participants were trying to “force” sleep at unusual times within their internal circadian cycle. The study closed with the participants having nine nights of recovery sleep at their usual time.

Results indicated that prolonged sleep restriction combined with simultaneous circadian disruption decreased the participants’ resting metabolic rate. Moreover, during this period, glucose concentrations in the blood increased after meals as a result of decreased insulin secretion by the pancreas. According to the researchers, an altered resting metabolic rate such as this could translate into a yearly weight gain of over 10 pounds if diet and activity remain unchanged, while consistently increased glucose concentration and poor insulin secretion could lead to an increased risk for diabetes.

“We think these results support the findings from studies showing that, in people with a pre-diabetic condition, shift workers who stay awake at night are much more likely to progress to full-on diabetes than day workers,” said Orfeu M. Buxton, PhD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and lead study author. “The evidence is clear that getting enough sleep is important for health, and that sleep should be at night for best effect.”

Those of us who have trouble getting to sleep or getting enough sleep are advised to begin unwinding well in advance of our planned bedtime–turning off televisions, computers and other electronic stimuli in exchange for a little light reading, preferably in a reclined position. If sleep is especially problematic, a naturally-based supplement might help to reassert the circadian rhythm we’re all born with.

Magnesium Helps Reduce Heart Failure in Women

Recent studies have examined the relationship between magnesium and the risk of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Researchers observed more than 88,000 women who were monitored for 26 years. Results showed that the relative risk for sudden cardiac death was significantly lower in women when magnesium intake was increased.

The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that women with the highest blood levels of magnesium had a 41% lower risk of sudden cardiac death. As the researchers state: “In this prospective cohort of women, higher plasma concentrations and dietary magnesium intakes were associated with lower risks of SCD. If the observed association is causal, interventions directed at increasing dietary or plasma magnesium might lower the risk of SCD.”

The human body uses magnesium to perform more than 300 biochemical responses, including those that maintain regular muscle and nerve function and keep heart rhythm stable.

Sudden cardiac death often happens because the electrical impulses in the heart become fast and chaotic, leading to an arrhythmia that causes the muscles to abruptly cease their contractions. Magnesium is an anti-arrhythmic, meaning it helps to suppress any unusual heart rhythms, in turn lowering the risk of SCD.

Surveys suggest that many Americans do not get enough magnesium from their diets alone. The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements states: ” … dietary surveys suggest that many Americans do not get recommended amounts of magnesium … there is concern that many people may not have enough body stores of magnesium because dietary intake may not be high enough. Having enough body stores of magnesium may be protective against disorders such as cardiovascular disease and immune dysfunction.”

To obtain enough magnesium, first be sure to have a balanced diet including green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Those who find that these items are not a part of their regular eating or who are especially concerned with maintaining consistent intake of this important  nutrient may wish to consider a magnesium supplement.

Nutritional Measures For Migraines

A migraine can ruin a day in the blink of an eye. Many times, even taking a pain reliever once such a headache hits can be too late. This is definitely a case where the best defense is a good offense, but few people know exactly what measures can be taken to help prevent migraines.

Quality nutrition is among the most effective strategies, as key nutrients can lower the risk of regular migraines greatly. Here are some of the best nutrient options to finally help conquer those splitting headaches.

Coenzyme Q10:
Coenzyme Q10 is a nutrient that is effective in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. Coenzyme Q10 deficiencies have been connected to heart failures. Three trials have been conducted to test its effects on migraine reduction. All showed a strong correlation and in one, 61 percent of patients had a greater than 50 percent reduction in the frequency of migraines. It can be also be used by any age group with little risk of side effects.


Magnesium:
Magnesium is a naturally occurring substance in our bodies that promotes a healthy metabolism. Importantly, magnesium also maintains and builds healthy bones and teeth. People who suffer from frequent headaches often have a magnesium deficiency. In one study, people who supplemented with magnesium reduced the frequency of attacks by over 41 percent, compared to less than 16 percent in those who took the placebo.


Vitamin B6:
Vitamin B6 is one of the eight B-complex vitamins used throughout the body for healthy growth, especially within the brain and nerves. Low serotonin levels have been discovered in the brains of people suffering from migraines. Low serotonin levels are believed to be caused by the lack of Vitamin B6. Therefore, taking supplements with Vitamin B6 is believed to reduce potential vulnerability to headaches.

It’s suggested that supplements containing 100-300% of the RDA of these vitamins can help reduce migraine frequency. Although not a guarantee, measures like this–along with conscious efforts to minimize stress, exercise regularly and sleep soundly–can contribute to a respectable reduction of tension in the nerves, cardiovascular system, and from there in overall lifestyle.

Vitamin D: The Basics

Vitamin D, also known as “The Sunshine Vitamin”, has been seen to play an increasingly large role in human nutrition. Its applications range from helping to reduce our risk for osteoporosis, high blood sugar levels, and heart disease, all the way to helping keep our muscles and bones strong and intact. As might be expected, deficiencies of vitamin D have been linked to a number of health concerns.

In addition to all of the above, vitamin D also helps keep the body’s immune functions normal. Supplementation of the vitamin has been thought to help promote immune health by helping regulate T-cell function.

There are a total of five different forms of vitamin D, but two main forms apply to people. These are ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecaciferol (vitamin D3).

Vitamin D2 is synthesized by plants and other invertebrates in response to sunlight. Humans cannot produce vitamin D2 themselves,  but can absorb it from foods or supplements. Studies show that ergosterol—the biological precursor to vitamin D2, as it exists in these organisms—is highly effective at absorbing ultraviolet radiation and therefore may serve as a natural sunscreen, protecting these organisms from the suns damage.

In a somewhat related manner, vitamin D3 is synthesized in humans when their skin is exposed to ultraviolet B rays (UVB) that come from the sun, typically when the UV index is greater than 3, or entering into the “moderate” range. Adults require somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes at least twice weekly at this index in order to produce enough vitamin D3 to meet the RDA. 

In addition to this option, dietary sources such as fortified milk, fish, and eggs are available, as well as supplements. Recent recommendations indicate that young adults (ranging from 18-25) should aim for getting 600 IU (15mcg) daily.  These recommendations are based on healthy people focusing on healthy bones and normal calcium metabolism.

For older populations, the recommendation increases to 800 IU daily. This is partly on account of a greater emphasis on bone health, but also because of an apparent decline among the elderly in the ability to produce this nutrient naturally. Certain experts, however, are of the opinion that this amount is actually far below the optimum amount, and are recommending 4,000-5,000 IU daily to minimize fracture risk.

Among other things, this would require prolonged sun exposure, which would be not only inconvenient but potentially unhealthy. To satisfy these requirements, the use of supplements is highly recommended.

Study Finds Antioxidant Effective For Autism

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a nutrient well-known specifically for displaying strong antioxidant activity, has been advocated as a valuable asset for purposes related to detoxification. A new study now suggests it may be effective in easing irritability and repetitive behaviors in children with autism–a disorder displaying alarming increases.

The 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study involved 33 children, aged 3 to 12, and, reflective of the general characteristic of the disorder, predominantly male (31 of 33). All were diagnosed with an autistic disorder and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S) score of 4 or higher.

The children were randomly divided into experimental and placebo groups. The N-acetyl cysteine protocol involved a steady increase in dosage, consisting first of 900 mg of NAC administered daily for four  weeks, followed by 900 mg twice daily for four weeks, followed by 900 mg taken three times daily for a final four weeks.

Follow-up data were available on 14 of the children in the NAC-receiving group and on 15 children in the placebo group. Compared with placebo, NAC treatment was associated with a significant decrease in irritability scores from 13.1 to 7.2 on the Aberrant Behavior Check List (or ABC) irritability subscale. Improvement was observed in week four and continued through weeks eight and 12, according to authors.

The change is not as large as that seen in children taking antipsychotics, according to lead investigator Antonio Hardan, MD, from Stanford University School of Medicine, in Palo Alto, California, “but this is still a potentially valuable tool to have before jumping on these big guns.”

These results lend some support to related observations involving dietary changes in autistic children, particularly so-called “elimination diets”, and collectively these studies serve to strengthen the association believed to exist between certain nutritional “pollutants” and the impaired cognitive function characteristic of autism. Additional research is required to help narrow the focus, but the study above not only reveals more about the causes of autism, but potentially one part of the solution.

Men’s Health Week: Time For A Check-Up

This week is International Men’s Health Week. Fundamentally, it’s a week that celebrates empowerment; every man can take measures in reducing his risk for disease and illness. It’s also a week that many of us realize the very first step is simply to become better informed about where we stand. The following is a five-point list of health issues for men to think about and look into:

• Obesity: As most of us know by now, this is a problem that’s on the rise, and will definitely not go away by itself. This week may be the time to assess the situation, and this free BMI calculator eliminates any excuses.

• Cholesterol: Cholesterol should be checked regularly after age 45, and those with a family history of heart disease may want to begin earlier.

• Blood Sugar: This can be tested at the same time as cholesterol, and the two tests together form a strong first line of defense against both heart disease and diabetes: two of the top five in male mortality statistics.

• Prostate cancer: By the age of 80, prostate cancer is diagnosed in an estimated 80 percent of men. Check-ups are recommended starting at age 40, and all of us would do well with more information. Remember, knowledge is power.

• Depression: It’s also important to remember that not all diseases are physical, and this common ailment, while just as unpopular as the ones listed above, is also just as important to address. Feeling sad, hopeless and disinterested in normal activities on a routine basis means it may be time to talk to a doctor.

In addition to the above, simple lifestyle changes can also make a tremendous impact on men’s health, and with no need to wait for doctor’s orders. For men, regular exercise is arguably the most important factor in promoting healthy body function—solid nutrition runs a close second. Both a healthy diet and proper supplementation are great ways to get the vitamins and minerals needed for good health.

This week, men everywhere are encouraged to adopt a new attitude and to look at their own health as their next big project. It’s safe to say it’s one they won’t regret.

Minerals 101

Most of us have been learning about vitamins from an early age. By now, we can name them all, tell their functions, and even rattle off which foods are the best sources. With so much attention towards vitamins, the benefits of minerals often become overlooked. In reality, minerals are just as important for a healthy diet as vitamins. For all those who need a quick brush-up on their mineral knowledge, here’s a cheat sheet listing the ones most often required for a healthy lifestyle.

1)      Calcium

When it comes to bone health, calcium is the single most important mineral. It is essential in bone strength and growth, and also responsible for healthy teeth. Calcium rich foods include: dairy products, canned fish with bones, nuts, and leafy green vegetables.

2)      Potassium

Potassium regulates fluids and keeps muscles and nervous system working properly. It also promotes the proper functioning of the heart, kidneys, muscles, nerves, and digestive system. Potassium can be naturally found in bananas, legumes, tomatoes, dry beans, and whole grains among others.

3)      Iron

Iron is responsible for storing and transporting oxygen that enters the bloodstream. Iron also helps form hemoglobin which is an integral part in red blood cells. Iron-rich foods include: red meats, leafy greens, fish, eggs and beans.

4)      Zinc

Your immune system relies on zinc to stay healthy. It protects and repairs damaged cells while fighting off illnesses and infections. Zinc can be found in meats, oysters, legumes, milk, eggs, and whole grains.

5)      Magnesium

Magnesium is needed to convert blood sugar to energy. It also helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium can be found in whole grains, green leafy vegetables, shellfish, nuts and bananas.

This list hopefully will help guide everyone towards the proper minerals essential for healthy living. Those readers who find this list seems more complete than their daily menu allows for will find that supplements are often a welcome addition to any balanced diet. From this point forward, make sure to keep mineral consumption a priority.

Vitamin D Can Keep Us Moving, According To Study

Older adults who don’t get enough Vitamin D, in addition to putting the health of their bones and heart at risk, may also be in danger of developing mobility limitations and disability, according to new research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The study analyzed an association discovered between Vitamin D and the onset of mobility limitation and disability over six years of follow-up, using data from the National Institute on Agings study on Health, Aging, and Body Composition.

Data from a total of 2,099 participants was used for this study, with eligible participants reporting at the outset no difficulty walking one-fourth mile, climbing 10 steps, or performing daily activities. All participants were free of life-threatening illness, and serum levels of Vitamin D were measured at the beginning of the study.

Mobility limitation and disability are defined as any difficulty or lack of ability in walking several blocks or climbing a flight of stairs. Occurrence of mobility limitation and disability during follow-up was then assessed during annual clinic visits, alternated with telephone interviews every six months over six years.

“We observed about a 30 percent increased risk of mobility limitations for those older adults who had low levels of Vitamin D, and almost a two-fold higher risk of mobility disability,” according to lead author Denise Houston, PhD, a nutrition epidemiologist in the Wake Forest Baptist Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology.

Vitamin D plays an important role in muscle function, so it is quite possible that low levels of the vitamin could result in the onset of decreased muscular strength, naturally resulting in compromised physical performance. Vitamin D may also indirectly affect overall physiological function and metabolism, as low Vitamin D levels have also been associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. These conditions are frequently related to a corresponding decline in physical function.

People get Vitamin D when it is naturally produced in the skin by sun exposure, by eating foods with Vitamin D, such as fortified milk, juice and cereals, and by taking vitamin D supplements. Current recommendations call for adults over the age of 70 to aim for 800 IUs of Vitamin D daily in their diet or supplements. These dietary recommendations, however, are based solely on Vitamin Ds benefits for bone health. When taking into account all the other health factors this vitamin has been associated with in recent years, it seems reasonable to predict an increase in these recommendations.

Blueberries Promote Exercise Recovery

Recent findings from research conducted in New Zealand indicates that blueberries—and more specifically, the potent antioxidants they contain—could help people to return to peak performance faster after strenuous exercise.

The function that antioxidants play in recovery from exercise involves the inhibition of free radicals produced as a result of the exercise itself. Although clearly beneficial for long-term health, it is also true that all exercise produces some degree of inflammation, and intense or prolonged exercise can produce enough to actually inhibit progress.

Ten female participants were involved in the study. In the first part, participants were given blueberry smoothies before, during, and for two days after the performance of exercise strength tests, while blood samples were taken to monitor recovery. Several weeks later, the exercise were repeated, while a “placebo” smoothie (made without blueberries) was consumed instead.

Results indicated that—despite the total antioxidant content of the control and experimental smoothies to be similar—ingesting the blueberries ultimately produced a higher level of antioxidant defense in the blood. This was associated with an improved rate of recovery in the first 36 hours in one particular measure of muscle performance, expressed in terms of muscular strength.

Although not directly influencing adaptation and development in the muscle, it appears that by helping to reduce the oxidative stress within, the polyphenols present in blueberries enable those adaptations to occur more quickly. Those who find themselves occasionally kept from the gym or other activities by excess inflammation might be advised to stock up on this fruit in natural or supplemental form.

Vitamin K: A Nutrient Worth Knowing

A nutrient typically thought of in relation to bone health—if it’s thought of at all—is vitamin K, which is sometimes referred to as “the forgotten vitamin”.  A bit like the vitamin B complex, it is in fact not a single nutrient, but the name given to a group of vitamins of similar composition.

The two main groups of vitamin K that occur naturally are phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and menaquinone (vitamin K2). Vitamin K1 is found in many vegetables, while vitamin K2 is primarily produced by bacteria. There is a third variety as well—menadione—which is entirely synthetic.

Physiologically, vitamin K plays a role along with magnesium in what is referred to as The Calcium Paradox: this refers to the potential for dietary or supplemental calcium to accumulate in arterial walls, rather than in bones where it belongs. Proper intake of vitamin K helps to biologically direct calcium to the skeletal system, which in turn greatly reduces the likelihood of calcium arriving at the arteries.

Another very interesting study suggests that vitamin K may have potential to assist in cancer treatment. This is due to its promotion of apoptosis (or cell death) in malignant tissue, thereby interfering with progression of the disease. Finally, there appears to be a correlation between vitamin K deficiency and the presence of Alzheimer’s disease. While the exact nature of the relationship is not known, it is thought to involve the antioxidant properties vitamin K displays, which possess neuroprotective qualities.

Currently the average vitamin K intake in the U.S. is approximately 75 to 125 mcg daily. The current recommended intake is anywhere between 100 to 200 mcg daily, and as it has been with vitamin D in the past, there are certain researchers advocating much higher amounts (up to 1,000 mcg) for maximum benefits. Apart from supplemental sources, leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens provide the most abundant amounts of this lesser known but highly beneficial nutrient.

Omega 3s Show Positive Results For ADHD

Previous studies have pointed to the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids—docosahexaneoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic  (EPA)—on various aspects of cognitive health, particularly related to Alzheimer’s disease. Most recently, increased levels of the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA have also been associated with improved literacy in children with learning disabilities, according to a new study from Australia.

The researchers recruited 90 children aged 9-12, diagnosed with ADHD, to participate in this randomized controlled trial. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups: one received 2 grams daily of an EPA-rich fish oil, another a 2 gram dose of a DHA-rich fish oil, while a third group was given a similar quantity of what was essentially placebo—linoleic acid in the form of safflower oil.

In terms of quantifiable results, after four months of supplementation, researchers did not observe significant differences between groups in regard to primary outcomes. Despite an association between DHA levels in red blood cells and literacy, the Australia-based researchers did not observe a direct effect of supplementation with EPA or DHA on literacy, cognition and behavior as compared to children receiving the safflower oil control.

However, measured increases of DHA in red blood cells were positively correlated with improved word reading and lower incidence of oppositional behavior, as judged by the children’s parents. In children specifically diagnosed with learning difficulties, the potential benefits of increased DHA levels were even greater, with significant improvements recorded for word reading, spelling and improved ability to divide attention between tasks.

In addition, parents reported a lessening of oppositional behavior, hyperactivity and overall ADHD symptoms. The researchers were also able to report that increased red blood cell levels of EPA were associated with decreased anxiety and shyness—this suggests separate and unique benefits of EPA and DHA, which nonetheless have far-reaching applications in combination.

As phrased by the researchers, “Given the low omega 3 PUFA intakes in Western populations generally, the variation in the diagnostic criteria between the studies to date and the recent evidence that DHA supplementation can improve sustained attention and frontal lobe function in healthy boys, future research should explore the benefits of omega-3 PUFA supplementation for children who have developmentally delayed school performance but not necessarily a clinically diagnosed developmental disorder.”

The study is among the first to specifically investigate the effects of EPA and DHA rich oils compared with a control on ADHD symptoms in children. Although measurable results were somewhat elusive, the study did provide sufficient positive correlation to warrant further investigation. The discovery of sound nutraceutical support to augment and balance pharmaceutical and psychological measures would only increase the chances of more effective navigation through this prevalent affliction.

Probiotics may help prevent diarrhea, study finds

According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, probiotics have “shown promise” in prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).
The study, reported in national news outlets over the last few hours, states that:

Probiotics reduced the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea by 42% … Diarrhea is more common with certain antibiotics, particularly at high doses needed to treat serious infections.

The meta-analysis of 82 such studies shows great potential for the use of probiotics in restoring digestive balance following antibiotic treatment. Some lactic acid bacteria can help alleviate inflammation, therefore preventing intestinal disorders, and other evidence from recent scientific studies has demonstrated that some bacterial strains actually have a probiotic effect and thus may even aid in the prevention of disease.

Antimicrobial drugs—antibiotics—are a great asset in treating bacterial diseases, but overuse of antibiotics can result in the development of various gastrointenstinal disorders as a result of their powerful and indiscriminate nature—simply put, antibiotics wipe out all bacteria, good and bad, with some unfortunate side effects. In the studies analyzed, researchers were looking specifically for the effectiveness of probiotic bacteria in treating antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD).

The majority of the clinical trials used Lactobacillus-based interventions alone or in combination with other strains, although overall the specific combinations used were not documented in sufficient clinical detail. Of all included trials, 63 reported the number of participants with specific gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea and the number of participants randomized to both treatment groups.

Across 63 studies and a total of some 11,811 participants, the use of probiotic bacteria was associated with a 42 percent lower risk of developing diarrhea compared with control groups. This result was consistent across a number of subgroups within these studies:

In summary, our review found sufficient evidence to conclude that adjunct probiotic administration is associated with a reduced risk of AAD. This generalized conclusion likely obscures heterogeneity in effectiveness among the patients, the antibiotics, and the probiotic strains or blends. Future studies should assess these factors and explicitly assess the possibility of adverse events to better refine our understanding of the use of probiotics to prevent AAD.

Clearly more research will be required to refine any future treatment approaches. For the moment, however, it appears that the protective and restorative effects of these beneficial bacteria are apparent. The use of probiotic bacteria has become increasingly popular for improved nutrient absorption, facilitating healthy digestion and even weight loss. There is now potential for their use in the clinical environment, as well.

Probiotics: Antibiotic Effects, Yogurt Benefits and more

Earlier, we discussed the latest study on probiotics, in which researchers said that the live microorganisms “showed promise” in preventing and treating digestive problems – namely, antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).

In that research, which analyzed 82 separate studies on probiotics and their effects, scientists found a 42% reduction in the risk of AAD in nearly 12,000 case subjects. The study has been picked up by hundreds of media outlets since it was first reported on Tuesday night. And there are a couple of takeaways from the numerous stories that have been published on the subject:

One of the little-discussed parts of this study is that many people don’t know how antibiotics they put in their bodies – whether it be for the relief of allergies, to combat illness or stave off infection – are affecting their health. Roshini Rajapaksa, a gastroenterologist at the NYU Langone Medical Center, said it best when she was quoted in the USA Today on the study:

When people take antibiotics, the drugs kill not only the bad bacteria that cause illness but also the good microbes that help regulate the intestines.

As it relates to probiotics and digestive health, taking a probiotic supplement – one that includes billions of CFUs, preferably across a variety of strains that positively affect various areas of your digestive health – can be beneficial.

While it is true that the manufacturing process for yogurt means it will inevitably contain some probiotic bacteria, this simple fact cannot justify strong probiotics claims. There is a very important difference between probiotic presence and probiotic benefits, which manufacturers tend to ignore. According to Dr. Shira Doron, an assistant professor of medicine at Tufts University:

It’s a huge problem for the consumer to try to make heads or tails of whether the products that are out there really work.

Though this may be true, more and more consumers are taking notice of probiotics – and taking action. In 2009, Dannon, one of the biggest sellers of probiotic yogurts, paid $35 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over probiotics claims made on its products.

It’s also important to note that probiotics aren’t the only ingredient in yogurt – a fact that, if watching a commercial on television or seeing a full-page ad in a magazine, might not be foremost in your mind (which, it seems, is the way yogurt companies want it).
Below you’ll find two labels. Take a close look at the information contained on these labels. Really study them:

Label #1

Label #2

The first image is the nutritional information for a leading national brand of yogurt that touts its probiotic benefits. You’ll notice the 120 calories, one gram of saturated fat, five milligrams of cholesterol and the 55 milligrams of sodium in each serving.

The second label? Well, that is the nutritional information for a leading national brand of mayonnaise. Yes, mayonnaise. You’ll notice the 90 calories, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, five milligrams of cholesterol and 90 milligrams of sodium in each serving.

Would you have ever guessed your yogurt had a very similar nutritional profile as your mayonnaise?

Curcumin and Colon Cancer: Study in-progress

Curcumin has been recently studied for its cognitive benefits, as well as its potential benefits for bypass patients. But a new study being conducted in the United Kingdom could have far-reaching implications that could make this relatively low-profile ingredient a big deal.

The Cancer Research UK and National Institute for Health Research Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) in Leicester, England, are teaming up to study whether curcumin could be effective in improving the results of standard chemotherapy for metastatic colon cancer.

Curcumin acts as an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties.  Traditionally it has been used for detoxification, liver health and digestive disorders. This latest study is meant to expand on previous research, which has shown curcumin may slow the spread of cancer, boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy and protect healthy cells from the effects of radiotherapy. According to Chief Investigator Professor Will Steward:

Certainly it is very, very promising and we are cautiously optimistic that we might see an improvement in outcome not just in terms of treating the cancer, making people live longer, giving people a better quality of life but also possibly reducing some of the nasty side-effects of chemotherapy.

The three-year study will follow 40 colorectal cancer patients taking varying doses of curcumin. Researchers hope that, by the end of the study, they will have established “once-and-for-all that [curcumin] is helping to prevent bowel cancer.” According to Steward:

This research is at a very early stage but investigating the potential of plant chemicals to treat cancer is an intriguing area that we hope could provide clues to developing new drugs in the future.

Black Tea Shows Heart Health Benefits

nterest in the numerous varieties of tea has been on the rise in recent years, with the greatest focus on the leaf’s relatively high concentration of polyphenols. These are naturally occurring compounds which display strong antioxidant activity, also known as ORAC value.

Green tea contains, on average, 30 to 40 percent water-extractable polyphenols, while black tea contains between 3 and 10 percent. Nonetheless, consumption of brewed black tea has been shown in a recent study to improve multiple heart health measures, including cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

The study recruited 87 people between 25 and 60 years of age to participate in this randomized controlled clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned to consume either 200 ml (approximately seven fluid ounces) of brewed black tea per day—using approximately nine grams of ground leaves for the brewing—or the same volume of hot water over a 12-week period.

Results indicated that the consumption of black tea was linked to an over 18 percent decrease in fasting blood glucose and a 36 percent decrease in serum triglyceride levels. Additionally, the group consuming black tea displayed a 17 percent decrease in LDL/HDL ratio, with an accompanying tend towards increased HDL cholesterol levels, as compared to the control group.

“Although the underlying biological mechanisms for these effects and the exact role of phenolics warrant an extensive study, tea may provide an important source of dietary antioxidants in many individuals.”, said the researchers.

This new evidence, along with other recent studies involving the apparent benefits of caffeinated beverages, is increasingly making the local Starbucks appear more and more like a health food store. Until research suggests otherwise, the local baristas had better be prepared for a booming business this summer.

Good Nutrition Wanted, Solid Guidance Needed

Over half of Americans—52 percent, to be exact—have concluded that figuring out their income taxes is easier than knowing what they should and shouldn’t eat to be healthier, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 2012 Food & Health Survey.

The survey was conducted from April 3^rd to April 13^th of this year and involved 1,057 Americans aged 18 to 80. Survey results found that people do spend a great deal of time thinking about the healthfulness of their diets and do want to make improvements, but that 76 percent of those surveyed agree that ever-changing nutritional guidance and trends make it extremely challenging to know what to believe.

When it comes to making decisions about food, people are increasingly reliant on their own research rather than third-party experts or institutions. Over half of those surveyed reported having given a lot of thought to the foods and beverages they consume and the amount of physical activity they get (actual percentage measurements were 58 and 61 percent, respectively). However, only 20 percent say their diet is very healthful and 23 percent describe their diet as extremely or very unhealthful, while less than 20 percent meet the national Physical Activity Guidelines.

The survey also found that 90 percent of Americans have given at least a little thought to the ingredients in their food and beverages. Those surveyed said they are trying to eat more whole grains, fiber and protein, while cutting overall calories, sugar, solid fats and salt.

Overall, this study seems to hint at a touch of frustration when it comes to being healthy in America, brought on by too much bad information, or perhaps just a collective feeling of being overwhelmed. However, all of the above also shows great potential—and desire—in our population to be healthier; all that’s needed is a little more of the right guidance, persistence and patience.

Vitamin D Deficiency in Mothers May Affect Offspring

One in six American children are obese, and one in three is considered overweight.
These statistics have progressively gotten worse over the last decade, with no real end in sight. However, new research could be part of the breakthrough needed to combat these rising numbers. According to British researchers, there is a direct correlation between Vitamin D deficiencies in mothers during pregnancy and tendencies towards overweight and obesity in their children.

After seeing childhood obesity rising and more and more young women with Vitamin D deficiencies, scientists at Southampton University in England sought to prove or disprove a possible link between the two. In a six-year study, 977 women were monitored during their pregnancy and through their first few years of being a mother.

Findings showed that the children of mothers lacking the necessary vitamin D during pregnancy had higher body fat by age 6. Other factors such as weight gain during pregnancy, and overall health were monitored, but Vitamin D levels in mothers proved to be the only common link to the body composition of their children.
According to principal researcher Dr. Sian Robinson, “Although there is growing evidence that vitamin D status is linked to body fatness in children and adults, this research now suggests that the mother’s status in pregnancy could be important too.”

Vitamin D can be obtained through sunlight, seafood and dairy products, and supplements. For most people, sunlight and food do not provide the proper amount of Vitamin D3, the most beneficial form of Vitamin D. If this is the case, it is recommended to find a supplement to fill your need. On top of combating obesity, Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and supports bone and cardiovascular health.

The study is an important step in learning about the potential causes of childhood obesity. With follow up studies, we may eventually be able to slow, stop and even reverse the growing number of overweight kids.

Cookies Get An Upgrade

Human ingenuity, it seems, knows no bounds, and often our outstanding capacity to develop new solutions to new challenges is directed towards a desire to—so to speak—have our cake and eat it too. A recent trend in the food industry is of just this type, but is changing up the dessert in question. Researchers, it seems, are on a quest to develop a new and better cookie.

Cookie formulators, as they are called in this article, are serving up new options made with the addition of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. These next-generation treats are made with whole-grain flour, healthy fats and new alternative sweeteners. One company makes a sandwich cookie, available in a variety of flavors; a three-cookie serving contains as much fiber as a bowl of oatmeal, as much calcium and vitamin D as an eight-ounce glass of milk and as much vitamin C as a cup of blueberries.

Cookies made with almond meal will automatically provide additional protein, vitamin E, and magnesium—as a bonus, the gluten-free ingredient also adds a moist texture and a rich buttery flavor. Also on the menu are snickerdoodles made with 51 percent whole grain, also certified gluten-free.

Probiotic cookies have been introduced that can support the digestive system, and even people with peanut allergies will soon be able to enjoy the nutty flavor of a peanut butter cookie made with an allergen-free peanut alternative. These are just some of the ways cookies are being reshaped to fit into a healthier diet–one featured brand even boasted 100mg of beta-glucans, clinically proven to promote immune function, per 30 gram packet.

Although this may seem at first to take some of the fun away from a traditional indulgence, the fact of the matter is that the one constant is change, and one benefit of changing times should always be the chance to try new things. For those who are looking to have their cookie and eat it too, the future is wide open.

Dietary Changes Provide Benefits For ADHD

As research on ADHD continues to evolve, a leading hypothesis has been that children with ADHD may have specific nutrient deficiencies that aggravate their condition. As researchers learn more about the intersection and correlation between diet and behavioral disorders, the case for nutritional intervention among children with ADHD becomes more compelling.

A number of behavioral and nutritional strategies have also been found to have some effect at improving symptoms of ADHD, and potentially reducing the amount of medications required. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have just completed an extensive report which reviews the studies which have been done so far on the significance of diet for children and young people with ADHD.

The report indicates that there are potential benefits for introducing modifications to the diets of children with ADHD that might contribute to the management of the disorder. Kim Fleischer Michaelsen, of the Department of Human Nutrition at the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, is heading the study and stresses that more research is needed: “Several of the studies show, for example, that fatty acids from fatty fish moderate the symptoms. Other studies detect no effect.”

“Elimination diets are also promising. These look at whether there is anything in the diet which the children cannot consume without adverse side effects. However, we still lack knowledge about which children with ADHD benefit from dietary changes, how positive the effect is in the long term and what the changes mean for children’s health.”

It is difficult to assign ADHD to a single cause—it is most likely a combination of genetic, environmental and nutritional factors. Consequently, most experts recommend a multidisciplinary, team-based approach to both diagnosis and treatment. Although the success so far has been limited, the fact that benefits can be imparted through dietary changes provides some indication of progress, and has given a few promising leads towards more foundational answers.

Curcumin Benefits Bypass Patients

Recent research from Thailand indicates that curcumin could help decrease the chances of a heart attack in bypass patients. Part of the interest in this benefit is that, in an unfortunate irony for a procedure intended to improve cardiovascular function, bypass surgery itself can often put patients at increased risk for a subsequent heart attack–this is because of the re-direction of blood flow that is involved during surgery.

The double-blind study consisted of  121 consecutive patients who had non-emergency bypass surgery at  Chiang Mai University hospital between 2009 and 2011. One half were supplemented with one half-gram of curcumin four times daily, beginning three days prior to surgery and continuing for five days afterward, while the other half received placebo.

The researchers found that during their post-bypass hospital stay, 13 percent of patients who’d been taking curcumin had a heart attack, compared to 30 percent of the group receiving placebo. Further factoring for all pre-surgical differences between groups led researchers to the conclusion that the patients supplemented with curcumin had a 65 percent lower chance of a heart attack post-operation.

As this is the first study of it’s kind, researchers were quick to point out that this result is by no means an indication that curcumin will replace medication for bypass patients. It may, however, provide some support for it’s future use in addition to medication.

The likely contributors to this apparent decrease in risk are curcumins antioxidant properties, which worked to help minimize damage to the heart tissue during surgery. This theory is supported by the lowered inflammatory markers displayed by the curcumin group during the study; serum tests revealed lower levels of both C-reactive protein and malondialdehyde in those subjects.

Other research has suggested inflammation plays a role in the development of a variety of diseases, including heart disease — and curcumin could have an effect on those pathways.  The results of this initial study are very encouraging, and certainly provide incentive for further investigation.

Autism numbers on the rise, study finds

One in six children has a developmental disability, according to new figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the research, published in June issue of the journal Pediatrics, cases of developmental disabilities in children – such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – has increased by 17 percent since 1997.

The figures suggest that “three or four children in a typical elementary school classroom have development disabilities,” according to study author Sheree Boulet, Dr.P.H., an epidemiologist at the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.
Boulet and her co-authors said the increase is largely due to “surges in the number of children found to have autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”

This latest study falls on the heels of recent research suggesting that a 24-item questionnaire, given to children by their pediatrician, may be able to identify autism in children as young as one.  According to researchers, the questionnaire tests children’s communication abilities through eye contact, sounds, and gestures.  Detecting as early as possible is important so that those children can start getting the treatment that they need at the earliest age possible.

Researchers have reason to believe that treating autism earlier may be able to manipulate how connections between neurons are being made in the brain, which could significantly improve an autistic child’s development.  Children diagnosed with autism by this questionnaire were able to start treatment at an average age of 19 months, whereas the average age of ASD diagnosis now is around five years old according to the CDC.

“We are more aware that early intervention is the key to the greatest success in these kids,” Alan Hilfer, Ph.D., the director of psychology at Maimonides Medical Center, in New York City, told CNN.com. “[But] we need the resources to do that.”

Finding the Right Treatment
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, the options can be overwhelming.  There are over 400 different treatments currently in use for children with autism, and it can be hard to discern which ones will benefit your child.  Adding even more confusion is the fact that most of these treatments have never been proven to be effective or safe.  Since Autism refers to a spectrum of disorders, it becomes increasingly difficult to treat since these disorders may turn out to have different causes and different cures.

A treatment gaining popularity and media attention recently is the idea that autistic children may be more sensitive than others to certain foods, specifically those that contain gluten and casein.  According to this theory, autistic children process the peptides and proteins in gluten and casein rich foods differently that other people, which is believed to aggravate their symptoms.  Researchers have found that some autistic people do in fact have abnormal levels of peptides in their bodily fluids.
A big drawback to eating gluten- and casein-free, however, is that it is incredibly difficult to maintain.  Since most grain products and all dairy products are off-limits, it is important to make sure your child is getting enough fiber, calcium, vitamin D, and minerals.  Supplements are essential when using this treatment.

When it comes to supplements for children with autistic disorders, these children have slightly different requirements. Due to the fact that most of these children also suffer from digestive issues, it is hard for them to absorb the nutrients they need properly. Autistic children are often very particular in what they eat, increasing the need to remedy their limited diet with supplements. Parents might want to consider a supplement that offers digestive support and contain active forms of vitamins in order to ease the absorption process so that their child can reap the full benefits of their supplements.