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Latest Alternative Medicine World News & Research
Every month these pages are updated with the latest finding in complementary health research plus any interesting news stories.In the most recent update (June, 2008) Discover:- the herb that lowers the risk of developing mild memory problems
- the complementary therapy that helps relieve menstrual pain
- the traditional remedy that may help those with type 2 diabetes
- why women who survive breast cancer should be doing this
- how to reduce your blood pressure medications with this complementary therapy
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Do not read Latest Alternative Medicine News until you have first read the Disclaimer
June, 2008 IssueResearch ArchiveDiet
To lower cholesterol, reduce mortality, extend life. Benefits of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, organic farming, benefits of organic diet, soy, behaviour & learning problems.
Foods & Drinks
Benefits of tomatoes, cranberries, strawberries, berries, chicken and broccoli, cranberry juice, honey and red wine.
Multivitamins/Minerals & Antioxidants
Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration, cholesterol lowering, cancer, mental function, asthma, in pregnancy.
Vitamin C
Smoking, heart disease, arthritis, premature delivery, cancer.
Vitamin D
Multiple Sclerosis, pregnancy, babies, fractures, heart failure.
Vitamin E
High blood pressure, bladder cancer.
Folic Acid
Stroke, depression, cancer, Down's syndrome, cleft palate.
Iron
Link between excess and diabetes, Parkinson's disease.
Selenium
Cancer.
Fish Oils
Arthritis, cancer, lupus, asthma
Fatty Acids
Knee arthritis
Glucosamine
Knee pain.
Fibre
Heart disease.
Probiotics
Allergies.
Toxic Metals
Mercury, Aluminium, Lead.
Tea
Jaundice, hiv, cholesterol, cancer, infections, heart disease, cause teeth problems, benefits of chamomile.
Acupuncture
Headache, migraine, pain, pain in pregnancy and childbirth, anxiety, sinusitis, fertility, osteoarthritis, to stop smoking, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, addictions, frequent urination, dry mouth, fibromyalgia, heartburn.
Aromatherapy
Alzheimer's disease, depression, MRSA.
Feng Shui
Fertility.
Herbal Medicine
Ginger, turmeric, sage, sweet wormwood, mistletoe, butterbur, andrographis paniculata, ivy leaf, valerian, St John's wort.
Homoeopathy
AIDS
Hypnotherapy
Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Meditation
Happiness, boosts immunity, lowers blood pressure, reduces risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Music Therapy
Brainpower.
Reiki
Chemotherapy, asthma.
Reflexology
Recovery from coma, fertility.
Tai Chi
Chronic health, prevents falls and shingles.
Yoga
Cancer, anger management, multiple sclerosis, asthma, for dogs, laughter yoga, breast cancer, weight gain, back pain.
Ginkgo biloba helps maintain memories
Ginkgo biloba may help delay the onset of cognitive impairment in normal elderly adults. However, the study also showed a higher incidence of strokes and "mini-strokes" in ginkgo users. The reasons for this are unclear and require confirmation in other studies, the investigators say.
The three-year study involved 118 people age 85 and older with no memory problems. Half of them took ginkgo biloba extract three times a day and half took a placebo.
During the study, 21 people developed mild memory problems, or questionable dementia: 14 of those took the placebo and 7 of those who took the ginkgo extract. Although there was a trend favouring ginkgo, the difference between those who took ginkgo and those who took placebo was not statistically significant.
However, when the researchers took into account whether people followed directions in taking the study pills, they found that people who reliably took ginkgo had a 68% lower risk of developing mild memory problems than those who took the placebo.
"These results need to be clarified with larger studies, but the findings are interesting because ginkgo biloba is already widely used, readily available, and relatively inexpensive," lead researcher Dodge said.
As noted, more strokes and mini-strokes were seen in the ginkgo group. Seven people taking ginkgo had strokes, while none of those taking placebo did. "Ginkgo has been reported to cause bleeding-related complications, but the strokes in this case were due to blood clots, not excessive bleeding, and were generally not severe," Dodge noted in a statement.
Neurology, February 27, 2008
Acupuncture relieves menstrual pain in patients with dysmenorrhea
Acupuncture can help relieve menstrual pain and improve the quality of life for some women. Because the acupuncture patients were compared with a control group who received no therapy, rather than a "sham," or fake, version of the treatment, the placebo effect could have played a role.
Acupuncture and acupressure have been found helpful in treating other types of pain, so the researchers tested whether acupuncture delivered by doctors -- as it typically is in Germany -- would help with dysmenorrhea.
The researchers enrolled 201 women who agreed to be randomly assigned to acupuncture or no treatment. After 3 months of treatment, which included an average of about 10 sessions, the average pain score was 3.1 in the acupuncture group, compared with 5.4 in the control group, using a pain scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain.
Among women given acupuncture, 63.4% reported at least a 33% improvement in their symptoms, while 24% of women in the control group did.
Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that "acupuncture should be considered as a viable option in the management of these patients."
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2008 Feb;198(2):166.e1-8
Coccinia cordifolia extract helps newly detected diabetic patients
An extract of Coccinia indica may help people with mild type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels.
Researchers note that while Coccinia indica, also known as Coccinia cordifolia, has been widely used in traditional treatments of diabetes, carefully controlled studies have not been done.
To examine the effects of this herb on blood sugar levels, 60 adults with newly detected type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to receive Coccinia extract or placebo. The subjects were between 35 and 60 years old and were being treated with diet and lifestyle modification only.
According to Dr. Rebecca Kuriyan, there were significant differences in blood sugar favoring Coccinia extract over placebo after 90 days of treatment.
Fasting blood sugar levels at 90 days in people taking the Coccinia extract fell by an impressive 16%, while fasting blood sugar levels rose slightly in the placebo takers. Likewise, patients in the Coccinia extract group had an 18% decrease in post-meal blood sugar levels at the study's end, whereas the placebo group experienced a small increase in post-meal blood sugar levels.
This study suggests that Coccinia extract has a potential blood sugar lowering action in patients with mild diabetes.
Diabetes Care, 2008 Feb;31(2):216-20
Yoga benefits breast cancer survivors
Breast cancer survivors who participated in an 8-week "Yoga of Awareness" program had greater declines in the frequency and severity of hot flashes than did a comparison "control" group. They also experienced less fatigue, joint pain, sleep disturbance, and symptom-related distress. They also reported increased vigour. Yoga of Awareness places the emphasis exclusively on physical postures and breathing including meditation techniques.
These improvements were still evident 3 months after the yoga sessions ended.
International Association of Yoga Therapists Symposium for Yoga Therapy and Research
Relaxation helps reduce hypertension medications
Individuals with isolated systolic hypertension, who participated in relaxation training had a better chance of being able to drop at least one of their blood pressure drugs than individuals in a control group who did not participate in relaxation training,
If the findings are confirmed in patients with other types of hypertension, Dusek and colleagues conclude, the benefits in preventing stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and other ill effects of high blood pressure -- as well as reducing spending on drugs -- would be "incalculable."
As people age, their systolic blood pressure -- the top number in the blood pressure reading -- tends to rise, while their diastolic blood pressure, or the bottom number, often drops.
To determine whether learning stress management techniques could help people manage systolic hypertension without drugs, the researchers randomized 122 hypertensive men and women aged 55 and older to 8 weeks of relaxation response training or a control group. All were taking at least two antihypertensive drugs at the study's outset.
Individuals in the relaxation response group participated in weekly sessions that included mindfulness meditation and deep breathing along with a guided relaxation response session. They were instructed to listen to a 20-minute relaxation response tape every day.
Patients in the control group listened to a series of 20-minute tapes of instructions on lifestyle modification techniques.
At the end of 8 weeks, 44 people in the relaxation response group and 36 control group participants had reduced their blood pressure to target levels and were eligible for an additional 8 weeks of training that included supervised antihypertensive medication elimination.
32% of the study participants in the relaxation group were able to keep their blood pressure at the recommended level while eliminating one or more of their anti-hypertensive drugs, compared to 14% of those in the control group.
After the researchers controlled for various characteristics of people in each group, they found that being in the relaxation response group increased a person's chances of being able to drop at least one medication more than four-fold.
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, March 2008
ArchivesOlive oil, the Mediterranean diet and arterial blood pressure: the Greek European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study
20,343 people with no history of hypertension were investigated. A scale of 1 to 10 reflected adherence to the diet. The object of this study was to examine whether the Mediterranean diet (MD) as an entity and olive oil in particular reduces arterial blood pressure.
Results: MD score was significantly inversely associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Intakes of olive oil, fruit and vegetables were significantly inversely associated whereas cereals, meat, meat products and ethanol were positively associated. Olive oil appeared to have the dominant beneficial effect.
Conclusion: adherence to MD is inversely associated with arterial blood pressure even though it includes cereals which are positively associated. Olive oil intake per se is inversely associated with blood pressure.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 80 No. 4 October, 2004 p. 1012 - 1018
Soy May Block Prostate Cancer and Baldness
A molecule produced during the digestion of the soy isoflavone daidzein, blocks a male hormone involved in prostate cancer and male pattern baldness.
The molecule, equol, prevents the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from stimulating prostate growth and causing baldness.
DHT is created through the actions of an enzyme on testosterone. The hormone is active in the prostate gland and has also been implicated in baldness, as men with male pattern baldness have increased levels of the hormone in bald patches.
Equol doesn't stop dihydrotestosterone's formation but instead stops it from functioning. The molecule is a natural metabolite of soy. It works by preventing DHT from binding to a receptor.
Several human studies confirm the advantages of eating soy for reducing the risk of prostate cancer.
Biology of Reproduction, April 2004
Comment: The drug industry has been working hard to find a way to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Some drugs have been developed but they have unpleasant side effects. Equol doesn’t block its formation but stops it from working.
Dietary Modifications Lower LDL Cholesterol as Much as Statin Drugs
Statins reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations far more than dietary manipulations. But recently, recommendations have added plant sterols and viscous fibres to the diet, and the American Heart Association has emphasised the possible benefits of soy proteins and nuts. These dietary modifications have never been compared directly with a statin.
Therefore, a randomised controlled trial of 46 overweight high cholesterol adults, average age of 59 years was conducted
Participants were randomised to receive 1 of 3 interventions for 1 month: a control diet very low in saturated fat, based on milled whole-wheat cereals and low-fat dairy foods (control group); the same diet plus lovastatin; or a diet high in plant sterols, soy protein, viscous fibres, and almonds.
The researchers then measured fasting lipid (fat) and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) levels, blood pressure; and body weight, at 0, 2, and 4 weeks in each of the groups.
The control group had an average decrease in LDL cholesterol of 8.0%, compared to 30.9%, and 28.6% for the statin and dietary modification groups, respectively. Reductions in C-reactive protein were 10.0%, 33.3%, and 28.2%, respectively.
Journal of the American Medical Association 2003;290:502-510
Comment: You need the right tools for any job. This also applies to our diets. Wheat fibre is just one of many kinds. The full complex is needed to carry out its 40 actions on digestive physiology. And that’s just fibre. There are thousands of chemicals found in plants that may impact on human health.
Not only can LDL cholesterol be lowered by diet, but the natural therapist has many tools to help such as garlic, vitamin C, pantethine and gamma linolenic acid, to name just a few.
Whole-grain breakfast may cut men's mortality risk
86,000 male physicians over the age of 40 were evaluated, along with self-reported information on breakfast cereal intake and lifestyle habits.
After 5½ years, there were 3,114 deaths from all causes, including 1,381 deaths from heart disease.
The more whole-grain cereal a man reported consuming, the less likely he was to die from any cause, or from heart or blood vessel disease such as heart attack or stroke, even after the investigators accounted for risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, smoking alcohol consumption and physical activity.
In fact, the authors found that men who reported eating the most whole-grain cereal - more than one serving per day - had a 17% lower risk of death from any cause than men who rarely or never ate whole-grain cereal. The men who ate the most whole-grain cereal also had a 20 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease than those who consumed the least.
There was no benefit from eating refined breakfast cereals.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003;77:594-599
Comment: A recent study suggested eating breakfast has positive effects on health. We can do even better by eating whole grain cereals. It’s important to make sure it really is whole grain. Don’t just rely on the words on the packet. Look at the ingredients list. Whole grain or bran should be the first ingredient listed. It should supply at least 2 grams of fibre per serving.
Less meat - longer life, but not so good for vegans
A team from the Centre of Cancer Research in Germany monitored almost 2,000 people aged between 10 and 70, who ate either no meat, or less than average between 1978 and 1999.
Those studied were either vegans, who eat no meat, fish, eggs or dairy products; vegetarians, who eat eggs and dairy products, but no meat or fish; and occasional meat eaters.
Across the group, there was an average of 59 deaths for every 100 deaths in that age range in the general population during that period.
For every 100 deaths among vegans, there were 66 among vegetarians and 60 among occasional meat eaters.
Amongst smokers, the mortality rate was 70% higher than non-smokers, while those who took the most exercise reduced their mortality rates by more than 30%.
Moderate alcohol made no discernible difference to lifespan, the researchers concluded.
Dr Jenny Chang-Claude, of the Centre of Cancer Research, said: “Essentially, the key issue here is having a properly balanced diet.”
BBC News 10th March, 2003
Comment: Vegans haven’t come out too well. I’m sure they will be the first to point out flaws in the research. Nonetheless vegan diets have to be carefully planned otherwise they may be short on a number of nutrients, especially protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron and zinc.
Organic foods fight cancer and heart disease
Researchers reported on 35 brands of vegetable soup, both organic and non-organic. On average, the organic brands contained nearly 6 times as much salicylic acid, a natural anti-inflammatory agent.
The 11 organic brands tested boasted an average of 117 nanograms per gram of salicylic acid, while the 24 non-organic brands only contained an average of 20 ng/g.
One soup in particular contained nearly 50 times the concentration of salicylic acid as in the average non-organic soup; the carrot and coriander from Scotland's Simply Organic contained 1040 ng/g.
Salicylic acid can help fight atherosclerosis and certain types of cancer. More and more studies are suggesting that the body's inflammatory response plays a critical role in many types of chronic disease.
The researchers theorise organic fruits and vegetables contain more salicylic acid because plants produce the substance as a natural defence mechanism. Without pesticides and other chemicals to keep insects and disease at bay, organically grown plants must protect themselves in order to thrive. This may explain why these plants contain so much more of this beneficial acid.
European Journal of Nutrition 2002; 40:289
Comment: People buy organic foods for what they don’t contain. It’s as well to remember they are worth buying for what they do contain.
Last week (March 7th) I reported that organic fruits and vegetables contain higher amounts of cancer protecting flavonoids. And some research suggests they contain higher amounts of some vitamins and minerals. This research suggests they also contain an additional heart and cancer protective agent.
Organic fruits and vegetables may be healthier
Organic fruits and vegetables may contain higher concentrations of cancer-fighting compounds.
In a sample of marionberries, strawberries and corn, investigators discovered those grown without chemicals had between 19% and 59% more of the cancer-fighting compounds known as flavonoids than conventionally grown produce.
Flavonoids, which are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as in tea and red wine, are thought to boost health in part by combating oxidation, a process in which cell-damaging substances called free radicals accumulate.
Plants use flavonoids to protect themselves against outside stresses, such as insects, other creatures and ultraviolet radiation. For instance, when an insect starts eating a plant, the plant's flavonoid levels increase; when pesticides protect plants from these and others stresses, plants have less need to boost flavonoid levels.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2003;51:1237-1241
Comment: It’s never been convincingly shown that organic food is nutritionally superior. Some research was publish a few years ago which showed that organic crops contained significantly more vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorous. However the findings were disputed. The organic industry is very limited in the claims it can make for its products.
Whether freshly picked crops can be compared to what we end up eating by the time they find their way onto the shelves, is the unknown factor in this study. We also need to know exactly what the flavonoids are. Not all of them may be beneficial for human health.
Organic Diet Makes Rats Healthier
A team of scientists has found in an experiment that rats that ate organic food were much healthier than those that ate conventional diets.
Dr Kirsten Brandt of Newcastle University’s School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, helped colleagues at the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences design the experiment.
The scientists found that the organically-fed rats enjoyed several health benefits, in that they slept better, had stronger immune systems and were slimmer than rats fed conventional diets.
Similar tests would need to be carried out on humans to determine if organic food would have the same effect on them.
However, speaking to The Journal newspaper, Dr Brandt said: “What this research shows is that clearly there are links between food and health which is more to do than with just nutrients.
“We used to think that as long as food had adequate nutrients then it was all equally good.
“What this work has shown is that this is not the whole story and we can measure differences and that they are significant. Now we need to understand what is going on.
“If people think that eating organic food makes them feel better then they are probably right," said Dr Brandt, who earlier this month pinpointed the compound in carrots that prevents cancer from developing.
Science Daily 29th March, 2005
Fruit and Vegetables Reduce Stomach Cancer
A 10 year study involving 40,000 Japanese men and women found those ranking in the top 20% in terms of their weekly vegetable and fruit consumption had an overall 25% lower risk of developing stomach cancer, compared with those in the bottom 20%.
Some vegetables were more protective than others e.g individuals who ate “white” vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage or cucumber at least one day a week, had a 52% lower risk of stomach tumours compared with individuals who rarely ate these foods.
Slightly less effective were “yellow” vegetables such as carrots or pumpkin - individuals who ate these foods at least one day per week reduced their risk by 36%. Fruit consumption once a week or more caused stomach cancer risk to drop by about 30%.
International Journal of Cancer;102:39-44
Comment: Recently the noted scientist Bruce Ames wrote: “More that 200 studies ... show, with great consistency, an association between low consumption of fruits and vegetables and the incidence of cancer. The quarter of the population with the lowest dietary intake of fruits and vegetables has roughly twice the cancer rate for most types of cancer (lung, larynx, oral cavity, oesophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, bladder, pancreas, cervix, and ovary) when compared to the quarter with the highest intake.”
He went on to say that micronutrient deficiency can mimic radiation (or chemicals) in damaging DNA. These nutrients are folic acid, vitamins B12, B6, niacin, C, E, and the minerals iron, and zinc.
To visit a nutritional therapist in Stoke Newington, north London see Nutritional Therapist
Nutrient-depleted diet leads to childhood behavioural problems
New research carried out at Oxford University reveals that high levels of school age children are suffering behavioural and learning disorders because their diets are deficient in vital nutrients.
The research, carried out under rigorously controlled conditions by Oxford University’s Department of Physiology, shows that the performance of underachieving children, some of whom were disruptive, improved dramatically when their diets were supplemented with fish oils.
The researchers found that some 40% of the children in the study made dramatic improvements in reading and spelling when given the fish oil supplements, which are high in omega-3 essential fats.
The data also shows a significant improvement in concentration and behaviour. Symptoms of the sort associated with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were reduced by an order of magnitude usually achieved with stimulants such as Ritalin. Parents reported that other health problems, such as eczema and asthma, also improved, although no specific data on these other conditions has been published in the study.
The research, which began in 2002, looked at 117 children aged five to 12 in 12 schools in Co Durham who were of normal ability but were underachieving and were suspected of having problems with coordination or motor skills.
The early results of the research, which began in 2002, were so dramatic that they attracted extensive media coverage before the codes to establish which group had been on the fish oils and which had been on placebos had been broken. Now that the full data has been analyzed it is clear that the diet of many school age children is badly deficient in essential nutrients.
Natural productsonline may 3rd, 2005
The Magic Of Honey
Nutritionists at the University of California, Davis, found antioxidant levels go up after people eat several tablespoons of honey a day.
"With honey consumption, we seem to be able to increase our body's defence system against oxidative stress," says Heidrun B. Gross, a university nutrition researcher.
"This definitely makes [the case] for including honey in a healthy diet."
In the new study, Gross and colleagues told 25 people to eat between 4 and 10 tablespoons of buckwheat honey, depending on their weight, each day for a month. They could eat the honey in almost any form, although it couldn't be baked or dissolved in tea. Some put honey on toast or combined it with bananas and peanut butter, but many chose to simply spoon it out of the jar and straight into their mouths, Gross says.
The scientists found levels of antioxidants rose in the people who ate honey. Experts believe antioxidants block certain types of cell damage caused by molecules called free radicals, which are caused by exposure to tobacco smoke and some chemicals.
Foods rich in antioxidants help destroy free radicals, and scientists think they reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke.
"Honey has its place in a balanced, healthy diet, and should be included in a healthy diet," Gross says.
Another honey expert, Nicki J. Engeseth, a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign associate professor, who has studied antioxidants and honey, agrees. The new study findings provide more evidence that honey is healthy even though 80% of it is sugar.
"It's loaded with different compounds that appear to have strong biologic activity," she says, and honey may even have germ-killing properties.
It's still not clear if all honey is equal. The flavour and colour of honey depends on which flowers are pollinated by the bees that produce it, and researchers don't know if some varieties are healthier to eat than others. In the case of this study, buckwheat honey comes from the buckwheat plant, is dark brown, and has a strong, distinct flavor.
Gross says her subjects didn't gain weight during the month they were on honey therapy. "I asked people if the honey consumption affected their eating habits, and most people answered that they felt more full after eating the honey for breakfast. It seems to keep the stomach full for a little longer, and definitely quenched their urge for sweet stuff."
As for the risk of extra cavities, Engeseth says studies suggest that honey isn't a major factor in teeth decay, even though it's sticky and sweet.
American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, March 29th, 2004
Comment: Ever since I read The Magic of Honey by Barbara Cartland and Folk Medicine by DC Jarvis many years ago, I’ve been a great fan and have it on my toast each morning. I’m sure some varieties are better than others and would recommend you visit your health food store where you’ll find honeys that have only be heated at low temperatures to maintain their enzymes.
Whole Tomato, not Lycopene, Fights Prostate Cancer
New animal research indicates that taking lycopene pills on their own does not protect against prostate cancer.
"In terms of preventing prostate cancer, the conclusion from our study is that taking a lycopene pill is not going to make up for a bad diet," said lead author Dr. Steven K. Clinton, from The Ohio State University in Columbus.
Regarding the findings from previous studies, Clinton noted that rather than actually protecting against prostate cancer, high lycopene levels may simply be a marker for high intake of tomato products.
"Tomatoes contain dozens of biologically active substances that may work together better than any one would work alone," Clinton noted.
The common belief "that we can take a complex food and say that the benefits come from just one of the components present is probably not the way we want to go in terms of nutrition and cancer prevention."
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, November 5, 2003
Comment: Engrave that last sentence into your minds. If you do, you won’t go far wrong when it comes to nutritional supplementation.
Take lycopene by all means if you are at risk of prostate cancer, but find a supplement that also includes tomato powder. You want the benefit of the whole plant, not an isolated fraction.
Cranberries Prevent Strokes
Cranberry extract is able to prevent the death of brain cells under conditions that would produce a stroke.
This is the first study to demonstrate a link between antioxidant-rich cranberries and possible stroke protection. Studies are under way to isolate the beneficial compound in cranberry juice.
Related studies found that blueberries, which are closely related to cranberries and are similarly rich in antioxidants, also reduce brain cell damage due to stroke.
Reuters 9th September, 2003
Comment: Although this was research on animal cells, it’s very likely to be appropriate to humans. Berries are very nutritious and high in antioxidants. This includes strawberries.
Strawberries Cut Cancer Risk
Researchers tested over 200 varieties of strawberries to examine their medicinal properties. While all varieties have heath benefits it seems native species are the most beneficial.
When put on cancer cells they slow their growth and even kill them.
The most powerful chemical in strawberries is Ellagaic acid, which is thought to activate the body's natural defences.
Scientists hope the fruit may be particularly effective against stomach, colon and bowel cancer.
Wild strawberries, which still grow in fields and hedgerows, seem to be the healthiest.
Craig Howat, of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, said: “They are native to Britain. They look like a typical strawberry plant but the fruit is very, very small and very, very sweet. It would take quite a few wild strawberries to fill a punnet.”
BBC News 23rd June, 2003
Comment: Not only are strawberries high in protective plant chemicals like ellagaic acid, but they are high in antioxidants. Strawberries are traditional during Wimbledon fortnight, so do stock up. What you put in your mouth is likely to be far healthier than the stress of watching Tim Henman. But you never know do you?
Berries are best
Researchers randomly assigned 40 men to two diets. 20 ate 100 grams a day of blackcurrants, lingonberries and bilberries for 8 weeks, while the others ate as normal. While the men were eating the berries, their blood quercetin level increased 32% to 51% compared to men eating their normal diet. After 8 weeks, men eating berries were taking in about 12 milligrams per day of quercetin, compared to about 5.8 mg per day in the control group.
Quercetin is one of the most potent dietary antioxidants which combat cell-damaging free radicals.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003;57:37-42
Comment: Berries are probably the king of fruits with high levels of antioxidants, flavonoids and other protective chemicals. It’s well worth making the effort to have some berries each day. They lose some of their potency when heated, frozen or juiced but still remain valuable.
Chicken & Broccoli Fight Cancer
Eating certain foods together, such as chicken and broccoli or salmon and watercress could help fight cancer.
Combining 2 food components called sulforaphane and the mineral selenium make them up to 13 times more powerful in attacking cancer together than they are alone.
Sulforaphane is found at high concentrations in broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, watercress and salad rocket. Foods rich in selenium include nuts, poultry, fish, eggs, sunflower seeds and mushrooms.
Scientists from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich looked at genes that play an important role in the formation and development of tumours and the spread of tumour cells.
When combined, sulforaphane and selenium had a bigger impact on the genes than they did alone.
The research concentrated on cell cultures. Human trials begin next year.
BBC 31st March, 2003, Research published in Carcinogenesis
Comment: Selenium deficiency has been linked to the incidence of many types of cancer. But UK diets contain ½ the level of 20 years ago. The synergistic effect of this combination may mean much lower doses are needed to offer significant protection. There’s no need to wait for human trials. Plenty of evidence already exists for the protective effect of these nutrients.
Cranberry Juice reduces heart disease risk
19 volunteers with high cholesterol were given 1 - 3 glasses of cranberry juice a day for 3 months. 3 glasses raised high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol by an average of 10%. HDL is known as “good” cholesterol because unlike “bad” low density lipoprotein it protects against heart disease.
The increase corresponded to a reduction in heart disease risk of 40%.
At the same time the researchers found that the amount of antioxidants available to the body increased by up to 121% after 2 or 3 glasses of cranberry juice a day.
Antioxidants mop up dangerous free radicals and are also known to reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as cancer.
Professor Joe Vinson, from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, who led the research, said: “This study gives consumers another reason to consider drinking cranberry juice, which has more health benefits than previously believed.”
Ananova 25th March, 2003
Comment: It’s well known cranberries are good for urinary tract infections. We now have some good reasons to drink the juice every day.
Red Wine Extends Life
Molecules found in red wine, peanuts and other products of the plant world have for the first time been shown to mimic the life-extending effects of calorie restriction.
One of the molecules known as resveratrol, was shown in a study to extend the life span of yeast cells by up to 80%. Resveratrol exists naturally in grapes and red wine.
The molecules that were shown to extend life in yeast belong to a family of compounds known as polyphenols. These include resveratrol, which is already thought to make red wine healthy in moderate amounts.
The latest study may help explain why moderate consumption of red wine has been linked to lower incidence of heart disease and why resveratrol prevents cancer in mice.
Nature 2003, early online edition August 24, 2003
Comment: ‘Undernutrition without malnutrition’ is the best known method of extending the lifespan of insects and animals. It is believed it would work on humans too. But few people would want to be hungry all the time to achieve this.
If a few glasses of red wine every day could achieve something similar it would be a far more enjoyable option. For those who don’t drink red wine, resveratrol is also found in grapes, peanuts and berries.
Doctors Hand Out Prescriptions for Red Wine
Cardiac patients are being prescribed two glasses of red wine a day in the hope of preventing further heart complications.
William McCrea, a heart surgeon at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, said the idea came from looking at the health statistics of France.
"As a nation they consume twice the amount of fat we do, they smoke more and don't do any more exercise than us, but their rate of deaths from heart attacks is half ours. What's the difference? They drink red wine like we drink tea."
Reuters 7th July, 2003
Comment: Was that a skipped beat? I’m moving to Swindon! McCrea believes cheaper red wines are best as they contain more antioxidants than top-quality wines that have been kept for years in the barrel. Pity. His favourites include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Association between coffee consumption and inflammatory markers in healthy persons: The ATTICA Study
1,514 men and 1,528 women with no history of cardiovascular disease were enrolled. Fasting blood samples were collected and dietary habits evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire.
Results: compared to non coffee drinkers, men (women) who consumed >200ml of coffee a day had a 50% (54%) higher interleukin 6 (IL-6), 30% (38%) higher C-Reactive Protein (CRP), 12% (28%) higher serum amyloid - A (SAA), 28% (28%) higher tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) concentration and 3% (4%) higher white blood cell (WBC) counts. These findings were significant even after controlling for age, sex, education, foods consumed, medications, smoking, body mass index, and activity levels.
Conclusion: a relationship exists between moderate to high coffee consumption and increased inflammatory processes. This could in part explain the effects seen on the cardiovascular system.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 80 No. 4 October, 2004 p. 862 - 867
Comment: All the inflammatory markers showed a linear dose response with coffee consumption. However this only reached statistical significance when >200ml was consumed. This isn’t very much coffee. It means just 2 cups is enough to push up the inflammatory markers to a significant degree. (I see another public health message coming our way!). The study was unable to tell if there is any difference between filtered and unfiltered coffee.
Type of wine and risk of lung cancer: a case-controlled study in Spain
This hospital based case control study was conducted on 319 subjects - mainly older men - 132 with lung cancer and 187 control patients hospitalised for minor surgery. All were interviewed about their lifestyle with particular reference to alcohol and tobacco use. Main outcome measure was risk of lung cancer with consumption of alcohol.
Findings: a slight but significant association was observed between risk of lung cancer and white wine. But there was a strong inverse association with red wine even when smoking and other lifestyle factors were taken into account. No apparent association with beer or spirits.
Conclusion: consumption of red wine is negatively associated with the development of lung cancer.
Thorax Vol. 59 No. 11 November, 2004 p. 981 - 985
Comment: Red wine drinkers had a 57% lower risk of the disease than those who never drank wine. Overall, lung cancer risk declined 13% with each daily glass of red wine drunk. The reasons could only be speculated on but the researchers put it down to either tannins, antioxidants or resveratrol found only in red wine. Previous research suggests resveratrol might offer protection from emphysema and chronic bronchitis, so it may have a particular affinity for the lungs.
Considering that 90% of lung cancers are due to smoking, I’m not sure how practical the results of this study are. It would be more interesting to see if there’s a connection with other types of cancer.
To visit a nutritional therapist in Stoke Newington, north London see Nutritional Therapist Vitamins Cut Alzheimer’s Effect
Brain cells are thought to be particularly sensitive to damage caused by free radicals which are destructive molecules created by normal metabolism. Antioxidant nutrients such as vitamins C and E can protect against them.
4,740 people aged 65 years or older were enrolled. Of these 304 showed signs of Alzheimer's disease. Approximately 17% of the study participants reported taking vitamin E or C supplements. Another 20% used multivitamins, but without a high dosage of vitamin E or C.
People taking both vitamins were 78% less likely to show signs of Alzheimer's than those not taking the combination. They found no benefit from taking either of the vitamins in isolation, or from taking multivitamins alone.
It was possible that it was simply a dosage effect - taking two vitamins instead of just one meant more was circulating around the body. Lead researcher Dr Peter Zandi said: "These results are extremely exciting. Our study suggests that the regular use of vitamin E in nutritional supplement doses, especially in combination with vitamin C, may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease."
"There is evidence of a synergistic effect between the activities of vitamin E and C. Vitamin C may act to recharge the antioxidant capacities of vitamin E so that the vitamin E can continue doing its job of soaking up free radicals and reducing oxidative stress."
BBC News 20th January, 2004
Comment: Multivitamins usually don’t have particularly high amounts of these 2 vitamins, maybe 22IU of E and 100mg of C, whereas you can get ten times as much buying them separately. In the study those taking supplements were more likely to be female, younger, better educated and be in better general health when compared to non-supplement users. However these factors were taken into account in assessing whether the vitamins were protective.
Vitamins Combat Age-Related Blindness
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins conclude there are 8 million Americans at least 55 years old thought to be at high risk for macular degeneration.
If all the people at risk took the supplements used in a study published in 2001, more than 300,000 of them would avoid advanced macular degeneration and any associated vision loss during the next 5 years.
"If even half of the individuals at high risk were identified and compliant with the recommended supplement, it is likely that more than 150,000 individuals would avoid vision loss for some time.
"These data suggest that the recommendation of such a supplement for these individuals should have a major impact on them as well as on the public health," the authors conclude.
Archives of Ophthalmology, November 2003
Comment: The nutrients in question are beta carotene, vitamins C and E and the mineral zinc. However, a more comprehensive approach would be a better option. See my article on Macular Degeneration.
Vitamins Reduce Inherited High Cholesterol Effects in Children
Children and young adults who have inherited high cholesterol may reduce their risk of clogged arteries by taking vitamins C and E.
The vitamins improve blood flow through the arteries and may prevent the damage that leads to atherosclerosis. The study is also the first to show that vitamins can reverse the damage.
Drugs including statins work very well to lower cholesterol levels in adults but they can have severe side effects and are not usually recommended for children.
Diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fat, especially animal fat, have also been shown to lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, but most people do not eat this kind of diet.
15 children and young adults age 9 to 20 with high cholesterol levels were studied.
Half the children got daily does of 500mg of vitamin C and 400IU of vitamin E for 6 weeks. The other half got placebos. Then the groups were switched.
Better diet alone reduced LDL “bad” cholesterol by about 8%, but the vitamins, as expected, did not affect cholesterol levels.
The researchers measured how well the arteries were working by examining flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. They were looking for signs of endothelial dysfunction, which can cause blood vessels to stiffen, meaning they do not stretch to accommodate increased blood flow. It is one of the earliest signs of atherosclerosis.
The endothelium is the inner lining of the blood vessels. It releases nitric oxide, which causes the blood vessels to open. The vitamins may restore this process in damaged arteries by reacting with charged particles known as free radicals that damage cells.
FMD of the brachial artery was around 6 at the start and for those patients given placebo or diet alone, but it was 9.5 after the children got the vitamins. Normal FMD of the brachial artery in children is 8 - 12%
Circulation, August, 2003
Comment: Actually it isn’t the first study to show nutrients can reverse heart disease. A study was published in 1997 by Rath and Niedzwiecki. A high strength multivitamin and mineral supplement demonstrated that “coronary heart disease is a preventable and essentially reversible condition.”
Vitamins and Minerals May Slash Cancer Risk
French scientists gave 13,000 men and women either a daily supplement containing 6mg of beta-carotene, 120mg of vitamin C, 90mg of vitamin E, 100mcg of selenium, and 20mg of zinc or a dummy capsule.
Over the next 7½ years, 103 men and 71 women died. In total, 56 men and 47 women died from various kinds of cancer while heart disease claimed the lives of 28 men and 5 women.
Taking the supplement had no effect on heart disease, and did not influence cancer rates in women.
But the scientists said a 31% reduction in the risk of all cancers was seen in men taking the antioxidants. And, overall, the death rate was 37% lower among men who took the supplement.
The researchers said women may not have received the same benefits because their diets were better than those of men.
bbc news 4th august, 2003
Comment: Bearing in mind the French eat better than the British, I can only assume taking antioxidant supplements would have an even bigger impact in the UK. Although it might be possible to get these levels of nutrients from “a well balanced diet”, getting 90mg of vitamin E would present quite a challenge. But if you’re willing to eat a kilogram of almonds everyday, good luck to you.
Antioxidant Supplements: Can They Slow Mental Decline?
Researchers studied almost 15,000 female nurses. Beginning in 1980, they collected data on several of the nurses' lifestyle factors, including the use of vitamin E and vitamin C supplements.
From 1995-2000 they then administered, by phone, cognitive function examinations - tests of mental performance - to the women who were 70-79 years of age at that time.
The researchers performed statistical analyses to determine if prior and/or current use of vitamin supplements had any association with mental function.
In doing so, they allowed for other factors that could potentially influence the outcome, such as education level, smoking, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.
Long-term use of vitamins E plus C showed the most benefit
Women who were currently taking supplements of both vitamin E and vitamin C and had done so for several years performed better on the cognitive function test compared with women who had never taken vitamin E or C supplements.
Longer duration of supplement use was associated greater benefit. The benefit of supplement use was strongest among women who had low amounts of vitamin E in their diets, and was less pronounced among women taking just vitamin E with no vitamin C. There was no benefit observed among women taking just vitamin C.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003;77:975-984
Comment: Although the benefits were modest, when you take into account other studies which had similar findings, the health implications are substantial. There was a wide variation in the amounts taken by the nurses. If I wanted to reduce my risk of mental decline I’d take at least 500mg a day of vitamin C as mixed ascorbates and at least 200IU a day of vitamin E as mixed tocopherols.
Antioxidant supplements could ease asthma symptoms
Researchers measured the levels of antioxidants and oxidants in the blood of 38 men and women with asthma and compared them to levels in blood samples from 23 healthy people.
Asthmatic patients showed “alterations in a wide array of oxidants and antioxidants, with balance shifting toward increased oxidative stress in asthma.” The findings suggest boosting antioxidant defences of asthma patients could be beneficial.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2003;111:72-78
Comment: Antioxidants are a class of chemicals that neutralise oxidants, and include vitamins C and E and certain substances found in fruits and vegetables. Although not involved in this study, professor Anthony Seaton of the University Medical School, Aberdeen has been pressing the case for the lack of antioxidants as an important cause of asthma in genetically prone people for many years now.
Four in 10 mothers 'need vitamin pills'
Four out of 10 women need to supplement their diets with vitamins if they plan to have a baby, the Royal College of Midwives was told yesterday.
Dr Andrew Shennan, professor of obstetrics at St Thomas's Hospital in London, said that the importance of good nutrition for mothers and its effect on their babies had been known for more than 60 years.
``In an ideal world, a healthy balanced diet should provide pregnant women and their developing babies with all the nutrients required for optimum health,'' he said.
``But many mums-to-be who take care to eat healthily frequently fight sickness, nausea, heartburn and exhaustion, which reduces their appetite.
``Furthermore, we know that 40% of women have an unhealthy diet prior to pregnancy. It is clear that many women need to top up their essential nutrients.''
Speaking to the midwives' annual conference in Harrogate, Dr Shennan also mentioned previous findings that supplements of vitamins C and E might help women at risk of pre-eclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition that affects up to 10% of pregnancies.
Dr Shennan is working with the World Health Organisation on a follow-up study he believes will further endorse the importance of vitamin supplements.
He said: ``Conditions such as pre-eclampsia are extremely hard to identify . . . micronutrient supplementation may be a way of reducing its impact, possibly in all women.''
According to Dr Shennan, pregnant women or those planning to have a baby should take multivitamins and folic acid as well as eating a healthy diet.
Netdoctor.co.uk 12th May, 2005
To visit a nutritional therapist in Stoke Newington, north London see Nutritional Therapist
Vitamin C Reduces Risks Associated With Exposure to Second-hand Smoke
67 volunteers, all non-smokers, were divided into 3 groups. One group took 500mg of vitamin C a day for 2 months. A second group took vitamin C, vitamin E and the anti-oxidant alpha-lipoic acid, while the those in the third group took a dummy pill.
The researchers carried out blood tests on all the volunteers. They tested for levels of F2-isoprostanes, a sign of oxidative stress or cell damage.
They found levels dropped by 11% in the vitamin C group compared with those taking the dummy pill. People who took vitamin C in combination with other vitamins saw their levels fall by 12%.
bbc news 8th august, 2003
Comment: Results are hardly surprising. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. It therefore protects against the kind of oxidative stress caused by second hand smoke. Those who harangue against supplements should explain how we can get 500mg a day from food alone. 500mg is an awful lot of fruit!
Vitamin C Pills May Protect The Heart
85,118 women were surveyed about vitamin use and the foods they ate. They were then followed for 16 years to see if they developed heart problems. During the study period 1,356 women developed heart disease.
After taking into account the women's age, whether they smoked, and other factors, the researchers found the risk of heart disease dropped as vitamin C intake increased. Women who used vitamin C pills were 28% less likely to develop heart disease than women who didn't.
However, there appeared to be little benefit from consuming foods rich in vitamin C without also using supplements. When vitamin C supplements were not used, the amount of vitamin C consumed in foods had little effect on whether heart disease occurred.
The results suggest that use of vitamin C supplements may protect against heart disease. However, it may be that vitamin C pills are not actually beneficial, but rather people who choose to use such pills may simply represent a healthier segment of the population.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology July 16, 2003
Comment: Dr. Balz Frei notes in a related editorial that Vitamin C pills need to be compared with inactive "placebo" pills to prove that vitamin C protects the heart. However, comparative studies like that are "prohibitively expensive and impractical" and "we may never know with certainty whether" vitamin C is useful in preventing heart disease.
What a negative statement! I‘ve never heard a scientist say “we may never know”. If drugs can be compared to placebo, why can’t nutrients? There are plenty of blood parameters that can be looked at. And many studies looking at these parameters have shown vitamin C reduces the incidence of atherosclerosis.
Vitamin C from food alone will not give protection. 500 - 2000mg a day of vitamin C complex is required.
Vitamin C Can Help Beat Arthritis
Researchers studied about 25,000 people over 8 years to see the effect of diet on their arthritis risk.
They found 73 cases of the condition and when they looked at their food diaries they found that these people had a particularly low intake of fruit and vegetables.
Professor David Scott said “It seems there is a particularly strong link between the risk of developing some forms of arthritis and a low intake of vitamin C.”
BBC 26th May
Comment: Although the researchers noted the link with vitamin C, it’s important to realise there are thousands of chemicals within fruits and vegetables which may have resulted in these findings. The best way to avoid arthritis and other diseases is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and not just take vitamin C supplements.
Vitamin C may guard against premature delivery
52 women in their fifth month of pregnancy were given either an inactive placebo or 100 milligrams of vitamin C each day for three months.
Vitamin C levels in blood plasma decreased for all the women, which is normal, yet the white blood cell concentration of the vitamin decreased only among women given placebo. In fact, women who took vitamin C supplements experienced an increase in their white blood cell concentration of the vitamin.
At delivery, less than 5% of the women who received vitamin C supplements experienced premature membrane rupture, in comparison to nearly 25% of women taking placebo.
Reuters Health 17/2/03
Comment: Not only is vitamin C needed to prevent this complication but it also has a role in preventing miscarriages. Oxygen plays a key role in miscarriages. vitamin C (and vitamin E) are powerful antioxidants.
On a simple risk/reward evaluation, it’s clear pregnant women should be advised to take vitamin C. So why aren’t they?
Vitamin C may fight cancer in high IV doses
Vitamin C may have the potential to fight cancer but only in such high doses that it has to be injected intravenously, suggests new laboratory research.
The findings, reported yesterday by Dr Mark Levine and colleagues at the US National Institutes of Health, may have little impact on the supplement and functional food industry in the future but they do offer a potential explanation for the first theories surrounding vitamin C’s anti-cancer effects, which emerged several decades ago.
The idea that vitamin C could protect against cancer was investigated first by Linus Pauling in the late 1970s along with a Scottish surgeon Ewan Cameron. They reported that patients treated with high doses of vitamin C had survived three to four times longer than similar patients who did not receive vitamin C supplements.
However the trial methods were deemed flawed by other scientists and the theory discarded by most when another study on patients with advanced cancer failed to confirm the results.
In recent years other researchers have also investigated a potential protective effect from vitamin C supplements against the development of cancer but the evidence remains insufficient to support this theory.
In the new research, Levine’s team simulated clinical infusions of vitamin C on cancer cells. Injected vitamin C allows for much higher doses than the body would normally absorb when taken orally.
The researchers report in an early online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (10.1073/pnas.0506390102) that when cancer cells were exposed to the ascorbate form of vitamin C, there was a 50 per cent decrease in survival in five out of nine cancer cell lines.
Normal cells also tested were unaffected.
The treatment probably works by boosting production of hydrogen peroxide, believe the US scientists.
When vitamin C is injected, it appears to diffuse outside of the bloodstream, allowing reactions to generate hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide in the blood could do serious damage, says Levine, but outside the blood, there is the potential that it could work as a drug.
The study could influence future drug development, clearly a long way from the vitamin's nutritional use.
"These findings give plausibility to IV ascorbic acid in cancer treatment, and have unexpected implications for treatment of infections where hydrogen peroxide may be beneficial," write the researchers.
A phase 1 safety trial in patients with advanced cancer is “justified and underway," they say, as ascorbate is already widely available.
The study will be published in the 20 September issue of the journal (vol 102, pp 13604-13609).
Nutraingredients 13th September, 2005
Vitamin D Supplements Lowers Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
Women who take vitamin D supplements through multivitamins are 40 percent less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) than women who do not take supplements,
"Because the number of cases of MS increases the farther you get from the equator, one hypothesis has been that sunlight exposure and high levels of vitamin D may reduce the risk of MS," said study author Kassandra Munger, MSc, of Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA. "This is the first prospective study to look at this question.
"These results need to be confirmed with additional research, but it's exciting to think that something as simple as taking a multivitamin could reduce your risk of developing MS."
The study found those with the highest intake of vitamin D from supplements (400 IU or more per day) were 40 percent less likely to develop MS than those who used no supplements.
The risk of developing MS was lower both for those high in intake of vitamin D from supplements only and for those high in intake from both supplements and food. However, those whose intake of vitamin D was from food only did not have any lesser risk of developing MS.
Other studies have shown that people with MS tend to have insufficient levels of vitamin D, and that periods of low vitamin D occur before times of high disease activity, and periods of high vitamin D precede times of low disease activity.
docguide.com 13th January, 2004
Comment: Many factors have been proposed to explain what causes or triggers MS. These included sunlight, altitude, climate and radiation exposure. A strong case can and has been made for vitamin D from sunlight as the key environmental factor. This study supports that view although I suspect dietary factors play a prominent part.
Pregnant Women and Children Should Take Vitamin D Supplements
Several current lifestyle factors may be responsible for the emergence of rickets.
These include exclusive breastfeeding for long periods without vitamin D supplementation; female modesty and fear of skin cancer.
Diet becomes an important source of vitamin D only when there is inadequate exposure to sunshine, the case in much of the northern hemisphere. A new report shows very low vitamin D intakes of UK children. Even though most of the intake is from fortified foods, such as cereals or yellow spreads, most children would need supplements to reach the recommended daily allowance, yet only half take dietary supplements, write the researchers.
All pregnant women are urged to receive a supplement of 10-25 ug of vitamin D daily during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Children should also take supplements up to the age of puberty, especially those from communities with low consumption of milk.
Lancet 2003; 362: 1389-1400 
Comment: It’s incredible to think a vitamin deficiency disease could be making a comeback. Orthodox religious groups who cover up their skin are at risk as are the elderly especially those living in nursing homes where 1 in 3 are deficient. I’m sure Department of Health guidelines already exist for those under 3 and those over 65 to be supplemented. It seems few are aware of them.
Babies should get vitamin D supplement
While breast milk is the best nutrition for babies, it may not contain enough vitamin D to meet babies' needs, particularly when youngsters are protected from sunlight, a natural source of the vitamin.
All infant formula sold in the U.S. contains added vitamin D, but if a baby drinks less than 17 ounces of formula each day they should also receive supplements.
Vitamin D supplements are also recommended in children and teens who do not drink at least 17 ounces each day of milk fortified with vitamin D.
Supplements of vitamin D come in liquid form, and just a few drops in the baby's mouth before nursing will give a child all the vitamin D he or she needs.
Supplementation should begin within the first 2 months of life, and achieve an intake of 200 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day.
Sunlight is a major source of vitamin D, and early humans likely had skin that was better suited to their environment, which enabled them to spend enough time in the sunlight to make lots of vitamin D without worrying about skin cancer.
Nowadays, humans have moved all over the world, often to places where their skin no longer matches their environment.
Furthermore, the depletion of the ozone has forced humans to use sunscreen to protect themselves from sunlight's ultraviolet rays, and sunscreen also prevents the skin from using sunlight to make vitamin D.
Infants who are both dark-skinned and breastfed are at greater risk of developing vitamin D deficiency than other babies.
Pediatrics 2003;111:908-910
Comment: In the UK rickets is making a comeback because young Asians are embracing stricter religious values, covering up their skin. The problem is also seen among orthodox Jews particularly in the north of England. Yet existing Government guidelines recommend Asian babies and children up to the age of 3 be given vitamin D supplements of 10 micrograms a day.
Vitamin D deficiency is believed to be a serious problem, especially among the elderly who live in nursing homes, where 1 in 3 is deficient.
Vitamin D cuts fractures
2,686 men and women aged 65-85 were given large doses (100,000 IU) of vitamin D, once every four months for 5 years, or placebo.
Total fracture incidence was reduced by 22% and fractures in major osteroporotic sites by 33%.
Women taking the supplement were 32% less likely to have a fracture, while 17% fewer men broke bones if they took the supplement.
British Medical Journal 1/3/03
Comment: In the first 5 years after menopause women can lose up to 15% of their total bone mass. Since this intervention would cost less than £1 a year for each person, it’s difficult to see why this shouldn’t become public policy.
Heart failure linked to a lack of vitamin D 54 patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) were compared with 34 healthy people, and found that vitamin D levels were up to 50% lower in the blood of CHF patients. And the more severe the vitamin D deficiency, the worse the symptoms of heart failure appeared to be.
It’s believed that vitamin D plays a central role in regulating calcium concentration in cells of the heart muscle. If calcium levels are not precisely controlled, the muscle cells are unable to expand and contract properly, and thus blood cannot be pumped effectively around the body.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 3/03
Comment: It’s not certain whether this is cause or effect. Since vitamin D comes from sunlight you’d expect people in climates with greater sunlight to have less CHF. I’m not aware they do. The explanation is plausible nonetheless. The obvious next step is to give such patients vitamin D supplements and see what happens.
Association between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and periodontal disease in the US population
Data was examined from the 3rd National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It involved 11,202 subjects aged 20 or more. Adjustments were made for age, race, ethnicity, smoking, diabetes, income, bmi, oestrogen use and gingival bleeding.
Results: vitamin D was significantly and inversely associated with periodontal attachment loss (AL) in men and women aged 50 or more. Compared with men in the highest quintile, those in the lowest had a mean AL that was 0.39mm higher. In women the difference was 0.26mm. In those younger than 50 there was no association. The bone mineral density of the total femoral region was not associated with AL.
Conclusion: Low serum 25 (OH) D3 concentrations may be associated with periodontal disease independently of bone mineral density. Given the high prevalence of periodontal disease and vitamin D deficiency these findings may have important public health implications.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 80 No. 1 July, 2004 p. 108 - 113
Comment: The authors believe the results of this study cannot be explained by the affect of vitamin D on bone mineral density. They think it is concerned with the anti-inflammatory effects of the vitamin which has been found to inhibit cytokine production and cell proliferation in various tissues. This could affect the inflammatory resorption of alveolar bone.
We are told to keep out of the sun in spite of the fact that vitamin D deficiency is now so common, doctors are seeing cases of rickets. The fact that the vitamin has been shown to protect against colon, breast, prostate and other cancers is ignored by policy makers.
As professor Garland from the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine said last year, people in the UK should get 10 - 15 minutes exposure to sunlight every day. They cannot synthesise vitamin D from November to the end of March. He suggested those aged from 1 - 70 should supplement with 400IU a day and those aged 71+ should take 600IU a day. Professor of Dermatology Michael Holick reiterated the importance of healthy sun exposure in June. The result? He lost his job.
Dietary Vitamin E Cuts Risk Of Bladder Cancer
A diet rich in vitamin E appears to protect against both prostate cancer and bladder cancer, according to new research.
A case-control study found that diets high in alpha-tocopherol, the most potent part of the vitamin E family, could more than halve the risk of bladder cancer compared to people with a low intake. Other findings reported suggest vitamin E from both diet and supplements offers strong protection against prostate cancer.
"High intake of vitamin E from dietary sources alone was associated with a 42 per cent reduced risk of bladder cancer, whereas high intake of vitamin E from dietary sources and supplements combined reduced the risk by 44 per cent," said researcher Ladia M. Hernandez.
In a second study, researchers found that both alpha and gamma tocopherol lowered the risk of prostate cancer by as much as 53% and 39% respectively.
Dietary vitamin E comes from nuts and seeds, wholegrain products, vegetable oils, salad dressings, margarine, beans and other vegetables. Spinach, green and red peppers and sunflower seeds were found to be excellent sources of alpha-tocopherol.
American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting 29th March, 2004
Comment: This is the first reported evidence for vitamin E’s role against bladder cancer. It’s not easy to get highly protective amounts of the vitamin from the diet alone, supplementation is needed. Vitamin E covers a number of compounds. We have a lot more to learn about this vitamin.
Vitamin E Supplements Effective for Mild Hypertension
70 patients, aged 20 to 60 years with high blood pressure were randomly divided into 2 groups; one received 200IU of vitamin E, and the other a placebo for a period of 27 weeks.
Subjects who received vitamin E supplements had a 24% decrease in systolic blood pressure compared to a 1.6% decrease among placebo controls. A less significant decrease was seen in diastolic blood pressure, with a 12.5% decrease in the supplement group and a 6.2% decrease in the placebo group. Patients who received vitamin E had a greater decrease in heart rate than placebo controls.
Doctor’s Guide 6th October, 2003
Comment: There has always been a great deal of controversy surrounding vitamin E and its role in cardiovascular health. I can’t think why since it is clearly important. And vitamin E in sufficient amounts is not easily obtainable from food. Supplementation as mixed tocopherols/tocotrienols together with a multivitamin/mineral is highly recommended.
Vitamin E and respiratory tract infections in elderly nursing home residents. A randomised controlled trial
Researchers followed 617 elderly nursing home residents for approximately one year, and asked half to take a 200IU capsule of vitamin E daily - a dose shown in previous research to boost immune functioning in the elderly. They also took a supplement containing half the RDA of essential vitamins and minerals.
The researchers found that people who received vitamin E were just as likely to develop a respiratory tract infection as non-supplement users, and the infections lasted equally long in both groups.
Supplement users were also just as likely to have to take antibiotics, visit the emergency department and be hospitalized for respiratory tract infections as non-users.
However, slightly fewer supplement users developed one or more respiratory tract infections during the study period, and vitamin-takers were 20% less likely to develop a common cold.
Journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 292 No. 7 18th August, 2004 p. 828 - 836
Comment: Previous studies have shown that vitamin E can boost the immune system of the elderly. In this study, which used the synthetic dl alpha tocopherol, those who completed the study had significantly fewer colds and a 20% lower risk of acquiring a cold versus placebo.
“Common colds are frequent and associated with increased morbidity in this age group, and if confirmed, these findings suggest important implications for the well-being of the elderly.”
The lead author, in an interview noted that previous research had demonstrated vitamin E to be particularly good at fighting viruses. She recommended, because of its effect on the upper respiratory tract, that nursing home residents receive vitamin E supplements.
Folic Acid Reduces Stroke Risk in Men
43,732 men between the ages of 40 and 75 were followed for 14 years. What they ate was noted and whether they developed ischemic (poor blood supply) or hemorrhagic (bleeding) strokes.
During the follow-up period, 725 strokes occurred, 455 of which were ischemic. Men who consumed the most folic acid (half of them had intakes over 821 micrograms per day) had a significantly lower risk (nearly 30%) of ischemic stroke than men who consumed the least amount folic acid (around 262 micrograms each day or less).
Folic acid intake had no effect on men's risk of hemorragic stroke.
The study author explained that folic acid may have had no effect on the risk of hemorrhagic stroke because the two types of stroke occur for very different reasons, and homocysteine (toxic by-product of protein metabolism) plays a role primarily in ischemic stroke. Folic acid lowers homocysteine.
A high intake of vitamin B12 also appeared to reduce the risk of ischemic stroke.
The study author said the results appear conclusive and consistent enough to suggest that men change their behaviour to protect their health. “I believe we should recommend men to increase their intake of folate to reduce stroke risk,” He said.
Stroke, January 2004
Comment: I’m impressed that so many men had diets consisting of such high amounts of folic acid. Another recent study published in the British Medical Journal (24th Jan) asks whether it is the ultimate functional food component for disease prevention. It says “few nutrients can claim to modulate, if not overtly benefit, such a wide array of clinical conditions.”
It goes on: “it is not hard to envisage a new era in preventive medicine that has even greater emphasis on diet as a means to a long and healthy life—indeed, a return to Hippocrates' famous “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” philosophy.
There’s hope for us all yet!
Lack of Folic Acid Linked to Depression
Dr. Ingvar Bjelland of the University of Bergen. and colleagues scanned blood samples from 5,948 people between the ages of 46 and 49, and screened them for depression and anxiety.
The researchers found that people who had relatively high levels of homocysteine in their blood were almost twice as likely to be depressed, relative to people with the lowest blood levels of homocysteine.
According to the report, depression was also linked to a form of the gene for a folate-processing enzyme associated with poorer efficiency in the breakdown of folate.
Explaining why folate might play a role in depression, the researcher said the body may need the B vitamin to build important substances in the brain - a lack of which may cause depression and other mental disorders.
To Bjelland, the current study supports a simple message: get your vitamins.
"Vitamins are important, not only for the physical health, but for the mental health as well," the researcher said.
Archives of General Psychiatry 2003;60:618-626
Comment: Is there no end to the important roles of folic acid? High levels of the chemical homocysteine are toxic. Folic acid lowers it. I must applaud Dr Bjelland for not doing what every other researcher does i.e warn people that they must get their vitamins from food and not supplements.
Folic acid cuts child cancer risk
Researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research, looked at whether the folic acid levels children were exposed to in the womb influenced their chance of developing leukaemia.
They focussed on an enzyme called MTHFR which breaks down folic acid and reduces its levels. But some people inherit a variant of MTHFR gene which makes the enzyme inactive, so they have higher levels of folic acid because their bodies cannot break it down.
Scientists studied 253 British children who were diagnosed with leukaemia from 1992 until 1998 and compared them with healthy children.
It was found that those who inherited the inactive enzyme had a significantly lower risk of leukaemia compared with those with a normal MTHFR gene.
Dr David Grant, science director of the Leukaemia Research Fund which funded the research, said it showed some children who developed leukaemia were “almost certainly born with defective blood cells which go on to become leukaemic cells.”
He added: “The realisation that damage to the DNA in these cells can be reduced with folate supplements in pregnancy is extremely exciting and could help to reduce the number of cases of this terrible disease in children.”
A second study from Australia found if mothers took folic acid during pregnancy, it almost halved the risk of their children of developing leukaemia.
Women are currently advised to take folic acid supplements while trying to conceive, and in the first three months of pregnancy.
BBC 24th April, 2003
Comment: I’ve lost count of the number of times folic acid has appeared in these news stories. This is the same folic acid the Food Standards Agency recently refused to allow flour to be fortified with, because it might possibly hide a B12 deficiency anaemia in some elderly people.
Folic acid cuts risk of Down's syndrome
Children born to families with a high risk of neural-tube defects could also be at an increased risk of Down's syndrome and vice versa, suggesting there is a link between the two conditions.
Problems in metabolising folic acid have been seen in mothers of babies with neural tube defects. It could also be a risk factor for a chromosomal abnormality which causes Down's syndrome.
493 Israeli families who had had a previous pregnancy which was affected by neural tube defects and 516 families from the Ukraine who had had a pregnancy affected by Down's were studied.
There were more than 5 times the number of pregnancies affected by Down's syndrome, a total of 11 in 1,492 pregnancies in the Israeli group compared with 1.87 expected for women of the same age.
There was also an increase in neural tube defect cases in the families at a higher risk of Down's syndrome. 7 cases were seen in 1,847 pregnancies, compared with an expected incidence of 1.37.
The Lancet 19th April, 2003
Comment: This is an important finding which stresses the importance of taking folic acid as a supplement at least a month before conception and a few months afterwards.
Folate-rich diet may cut cleft palate risk
179 families with a child having cleft palate, lip or both were compared with 204 families whose children did not have this birth defect.
women with a certain enzyme variation called MTHFR that affects folate metabolism had about a 6-fold increased risk of having a child with cleft palate, lip or both if they did not take folic acid supplements around the time of conception. About 25% of mothers of children with oral cleft had this gene variation compared with 16% of the mothers of healthy children.
The risk was about 3 times higher than normal in women with this particular variation if they did not get enough folate in the diet, and about 10 times higher than normal if they neither took supplements nor consumed enough dietary folate.
How a decrease in folate might increase the risk of cleft lip or palate is uncertain, but the results of the study suggest, that consuming more folate -- either in supplements, in food or both -- could counteract any increased risk caused by gene variations that impair folate metabolism.
Foods rich in folates include green, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and juices, whole wheat bread and dried beans.
American Journal of Epidemiology 2003;157:583-591
Comment: Official advice for those intending to become pregnant is to take folic acid supplements. So even if women don’t have this particular enzyme variation, the advice should be heeded. It’s a pity the Food Standards Agency couldn’t bring themselves to allow flour to be fortified with folic acid. This simple measure would have saved many women from giving birth to children with neural tube and other defects.
Link found between folic acid and depression vulnerability
Folate deficiency and low folate status are linked in clinical studies to depression, persistent depressive symptoms, and poor antidepressant response.
Healthy subjects aged 15 to 39 whose red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations had been measured were divided into 3 groups: 2,526 had no depression, 301 had major depression and 121 were diagnosed with dysthymia (less severe than ‘major depression’ but can also trigger major depressive episodes).
Results showed those with a lifetime diagnosis of major depression had lower blood folate levels than people who had never been depressed. Subjects diagnosed with dysthymia alone had lower RBC folate concentrations than never-depressed subjects.
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2003;72:80-87 ?
Comment: Patients with low blood folate levels don’t respond well to antidepressants until these levels are raised. Some people may need much greater amount of folic acid than others. 10 years ago a study demonstrated folic acid can be as effective as drugs, but the amount used was over 100 times the usual daily requirement. To a doctor unfamiliar with nutritional therapy, this is not an option. Far safer - and less litigious - to use a recognised drug even if it has unpleasant side effects.
Folic Acid Reduces Risk Of Colon Cancer
In a study of 1,953 patients with colorectal cancer and more than 4,000 disease-free patients, researchers found an association between the amount of folate in the diet and the risk of cancer. Incidence of the disease was 40% higher for patients who were heavy drinkers and had diets deficient in folate and the essential amino acid methionine.
International Journal of Cancer 2002;102:545-547
Comment: This study confirms other research showing a strong association between this disease and folic acid. Best food sources are green leafy vegetables and whole grains. Good sources are orange juice, beans and peas.
Excess Iron Linked To Diabetes in Women
1,414 women provided blood samples for iron analysis. The study group included 698 women who developed diabetes during 10 years of follow-up and 716 similar subjects who remained diabetes-free.
As body levels of iron rose, so did the risk of diabetes, the authors found. Subjects with the highest levels of iron were nearly three times more likely to have diabetes than those with the lowest levels.
Moreover, iron levels remained a predictor of diabetes even after adjusting for a variety of diabetes risk factors, such as family history and total calorie intake.
Journal of the American Medical Association, February 11, 2004
Comment: Excess iron may well be cardiotoxic and carcinogenic. It also favours bacterial and fungal infection. Too great and too little is harmful. Absorption and utilisation of iron is highly complex. Without blood tests/hair analysis it’s unlikely that any of us knows what our iron status is.
Iron-rich diet may raise risk of Parkinson's
Researchers compared 250 people newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease to 388 similar people who did not have the disease. All 638 people were asked about the foods they ate and the supplements they consumed.
Those who had the highest levels of dietary iron were 1.7 times more likely to have developed Parkinson's than people who consumed the least iron.
People who consumed higher than normal levels of iron and manganese were 1.9 times as likely to have developed Parkinson's as people with lower levels of the minerals in their diets.
People who consumed above-average levels of iron and took at least one multivitamin or iron supplement each day were about twice as likely to develop Parkinson's than people with below-average iron consumption who did not usually take supplements.
Iron and manganese can contribute to oxidative stress which results when toxic substances called free radicals are released as part of energy consumption and metabolism.
Some researchers suspect that oxidative stress may be involved in the degeneration of the dopamine cells, which occurs in this disease. The fact that iron and manganese raise the risk of Parkinson's suggests that oxidative stress may be part of the process.
Neurology 2003;60:1761-1766
Comment: Iron is mineral that is absolutely essential, yet too much can cause health problems. Iron supplements should only be taken for diagnosed iron deficiency anaemia. This is one mineral that should come from food. If uncertain about your iron intake, either too high or low, visit a nutrition consultant who can analyse your diet and requirement for this mineral.
Selenium May Offer Cancer Protection
The mineral selenium may protect some women from developing breast cancer. Studies suggest it can reduce the likelihood of other types of cancer, and some have linked it to a lowered chance of heart disease.
The latest study looked at tissue samples from more than 500 women who did not have breast cancer, and compared their genetic makeup with those in 79 breast cancer tissue samples.
Conclusion was that certain women - with a certain genetic makeup - might benefit from extra selenium in their diet to make sure their "cancer-fighting" enzyme worked properly.
However, the researchers stopped short of recommending selenium supplementation, saying that their research was at far too early a stage.
BBC News 16th June, 2003
Comment: There is overwhelming evidence from animal research that selenium offers cancer protection. Research on humans is highly suggestive. You always get the stock answer that supplements aren’t recommended because of toxicity problems and lack of hard evidence. Yet selenium is safe up to 400 micrograms a day with 200 micrograms a day being as much as most people would need to help protect themselves. Why not supplement? But if you don’t want to, best dietary source is brazil nuts.
The use of high selenium yeast to raise selenium status: how does it measure up?
Selenium-enriched yeast is a common form of selenium used to support the diet . But availability in the EU is under threat because of toxicity concerns. The review included an examination of these concerns.
Of around a dozen supplement studies examined, none showed evidence of toxicity even up to 800mcg a day over many years.
Conclusion: selenium-enriched yeast from reputable manufacturers shows no evidence of toxicity up to the EC tolerable upper limit intake of 300mcg/d.
British Journal of Nutrition Vol. 92 No. 4 October, 2004 p. 557 - 573
Comment: Selenium intake per day in the UK is a mere 29 - 39mcg. In the USA it’s 106mcg and in Japan 104 - 199mcg. The RDA’s vary from 30 - 70 in parts of Europe, to 60/75 in the UK and 70/85 in Australia.
The review looked at a number of factors and issues. They found no evidence that selenium built up in body tissues to toxic levels. They believed the problem in Europe was deficiency not toxicity, particularly in Eastern Europe.
Toxicity concerns should be reserved for parts of the world where intake is naturally high e.g parts of China (up to 4,990mcg/d), Venezuela (200 - 350mcg/d), and the Great Plains of the USA.
The review goes on to state that selenium-yeast is the only form of selenium to date to have shown efficacy in human anti-cancer intervention studies. That also state that if people want to supplement selenium in the form in which it occurs in major staple foods, then selenium-yeast is the nearest to food-form selenium.
Cod Liver Oil Eases Osteoarthritis
In a study of 31 osteoarthritis patients, researchers at Cardiff University showed cod liver oil reduced enzymes linked to pain and cartilage damage.
“The data suggests that cod liver oil has a dual mode of action, potentially slowing down the cartilage degeneration inherent in osteoarthritis and also reducing factors that cause pain and inflammation,” said Professor Bruce Caterson.
Caterson and his colleagues found that 86% of patients given 1000mg of extra high strength cod liver oil before undergoing joint replacement surgery had significantly reduced levels of enzymes linked to cartilage damage, compared to 26% of patients on placebo.
“What these findings suggest is that by taking cod liver oil, people are more likely to delay the onset of osteoarthritis and less likely to require multiple joint replacements later in life,” Caterson added in a statement.
Reuters 12th February, 2004
Comment: When this research was first reported almost 2 years ago, even though it hadn’t been published, doctors started prescribing cod liver oil for arthritis. I said in my newsletter at the time that “whoever has the power to decide what GP’s get in their mailbox could probably change the face of medicine in this country.”
“I’m sure doctors are very willing to prescribe alternatives, but they have to get the go-ahead from above. The Japanese have a saying, the nail that sticks out gets hammered. Doctors don’t want to get hammered. They don’t want to be brave. They just want to be told ‘it’s OK, you can do that.’”
Fish Oil Supplements Dramatically Improve Lives of Cancer Patients
Fish oils may prevent cachexia - the severe wasting and weight loss associated with some types of advanced cancer. It can cause illness and contribute to the death of these patients because of its effects on metabolism and appetite.
Researchers said fish oil supplements may be able to reverse the weight loss and could be used to treat cancer patients with cachexia.
BBC News September 13th, 2003
Comment: I recently reviewed a book on cancer and nutrition. There are literally thousands of studies which demonstrate an important role in both its prevention and treatment. They are almost entirely ignored. There seems to be an inbuilt prejudice when it comes to treating cancer nutritionally. Perhaps this is because the aim of nutritional therapy is to boost the body’s immune system. Conventional treatments do the opposite.
Oily fish helps lupus
Scientists at the University of Ulster examined a group of patients who took fish oil supplements three times a day for six months.
Dr Emeir Duffy, one of the scientists involved in the study, said: “Participants in the study who were taking fish oil supplements, 3 times per day for 24 weeks, saw a reduction in disease activity, an improvement in quality of life and reported an overall feeling of improved health by the end of the study compared to those taking a placebo supplement.”
“Participants taking the fish oil also showed a reduction in fatigue severity, the most debilitating symptom for lupus sufferers.”
She said the findings suggested that patients with lupus should consider taking fish oil supplements or eating more oily fish. Good examples of fatty fish include mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, tuna and salmon.
Fish oils contain long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids which are essential for normal growth and development but also have anti-inflammatory and anti-autoimmune properties.
BBC News 11th March, 2003
Comment: Research showed fish oil beneficial for lupus patients over 20 years ago. It takes a long time for anything connected with nutrition to be accepted as good for health problems. Today, the benefits of fish oil have become almost mainstream.
Oily Fish May Reduce Asthma
Oily fish like salmon, mackerel and herring, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, may reduce the risk of asthma according to a new study from Cambridge University.
750 volunteers provided details of diet and lifestyle. Researchers found regular fish consumption roughly halved the risk of asthma attacks, wheezing or waking up with tightness in the chest.
British Thoracic Society, Winter Meeting, London.
Comment: Other dietary factors such as fresh fruit and the mineral magnesium, found in fruit and vegetables, also lower asthma risk. I would also recommend staying well hydrated. Drink at least 6 glasses of water a day. Eat at least 2 apples a week, and increase selenium intake by eating a few brazil nuts each day.
A recent Japanese study (American Journal of Epidemiology 2002;156:824-831) found omega-3 fatty acids were associated with a lower risk of dying from all causes among women but not among men.
And yet another study in the Journal of the American Medical Association 2002;288:3130-3136 showed men who eat fish just 1-3 times a month lowered their risk of ischaemic stroke by 43%.
It’s fortunate fish doesn’t have to be eaten too often to get the benefits, because toxins accumulate in the fat/oils of the fish. For this reason the Department of Health recommends limiting oily fish to just one serving a week.
Scientists discover how fish oil helps cut inflammation
Scientists have identified a key anti-inflammatory fat in humans derived from a fatty acid in fish oil. The discovery may prove why a diet high in oily fish such as salmon and mackerel seems to help improve inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School say that a new class of fats, known as resolvins, appear to control inflammation in the body. They do this by stopping the migration of inflammatory cell to sites of inflammation and then turning on other inflammatory cells.
Resolvins are made from the omega-3 fatty acids found in high concentration in oily fish. One form of resolvin - E1 - is thought to play a particularly significant role in controlling inflammation. The scientists also discovered that their production in the human body seemed to be stimulated by taking a low dose of asprin alongside the fish oils.
Naturalproductsonline 16th March, 2005
Three-year outcomes of dietary fatty acid modification and house dust mite reduction in the Childhood Asthma Prevention Study
Wanted to measure the effects of a dietary supplement of omega 3 fatty acids and house dust mite allergen avoidance in children with a family history of allergy.
526 were enrolled antenatally in a randomised controlled trial up to age 3. Outcome measures were symptoms of allergic disease and allergen sensitisation.
Results: Significant 10% reduction in the prevalence of cough in atopic children in the active diet group but only a 1.1% reduction in cough among nonatopic children. There was a 7.2% reduction in sensitisation to house dust mite in the active allergen avoidance group. There were no significant differences in wheeze with either intervention.
Conclusion: interventions may have a role in preventing allergic sensitisation and airways disease in early childhood.
The Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology Vol. 114 No. 4 October, 2004 p. 807 - 813
Comment: The supplement taken was one 500mg tuna fish oil capsule. This is the equivalent of 184mg of omega 3 fatty acids. It was added to food from age 6 months. The children were also given low omega 6 and high omega 3 spreads to use in food preparation. The control group were given placebo supplements and spreads.
Previous prevention strategies - house dust mite allergen avoidance, prolonged breastfeeding and avoiding exposure to cigarette smoke - have only had small effects. Observational studies have shown that oily fish protects against asthma symptoms in children. The use of supplements had not been investigated until now. Although allergen avoidance shows benefits, the results of this study suggest fatty acids are more effective than any other method tested so far.
The clinical effect of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fish oils and/or copper in systemic lupus erythematosus
52 patients with SLE took part in a double-blind, placebo controlled factorial study. They were assigned randomly to receive either 3g MaxEPA plus 3mg Copper, 3g MaxEPA and placebo copper, 3mg copper and placebo fish oil, or all placebo. The Systemic Lupis Activity Measure (SLAM-R), a rating of disease activity, was used as an outcome measure. Blood samples were taken at 6, 12 and 24 weeks.
Findings: a significant drop in SLAM-R from 6.12 to 4.69 occurred in those taking fish oil versus placebo. No significant change in those taking copper. Lab variables were unaffected by either intervention.
Conclusion: fish oil may be beneficial in modifying symptomatic disease activity.
The Journal of Rheumatology Vol. 31 No. 8 August, 2004 p. 1551 - 1556
Comment: This study follows research on mice which showed that omega-3 fatty acid rich diets increased lifespan, reduced auto-antibody levels and lowered levels of inflammatory cytokines. There has been limited research on humans with SLE but what there is has revealed a favourable improvement in disease activity.
Those with SLE have been shown to have low levels of these fatty acids in the blood. The amount given in this study is the equivalent of having two portions of oily fish per week.
Fatty Acid Cream Benefits Knee Arthritis
40 patients with osteoarthritis of one or both knees were randomly assigned to treatment with either Celadrin cream containing cetylated fatty acids, or an inactive placebo cream.
Each patient was assessed for knee range of motion, timed "up-and-go" from a chair, stair climbing, and other tests before the study began, at 30 minutes after the first application of the cream, and after 30 days of twice-daily application.
Significant improvements among treated patients in the stair-climbing and up-and-go tests at 30 minutes, as well as after 30 days were observed. Supine range of motion had also improved significantly at both these time points in the treated patients.
"Topical treatment with cetylated fatty acids significantly increased ... balance, stair climbing ability, ability to rise from a chair, and walking," the authors point out. They add, "A unique finding was an immediate effect of this treatment 30 minutes after initial cream application."
These findings support the use of cetylated fatty acids as part of pain relief treatment in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, the investigators conclude.
Journal of Rheumatology, April 2004
Comment: Celadrin as an external treatment combined with glucosamine and chondroitin internally could prove to be the most effective treatment yet for osteoarthritis.
Glucosamine benefits knee pain
24 men and women aged 20-70 suffering from regular knee pain of unspecified origin took daily glucosamine supplements. 22 other knee-pain sufferers took a placebo.
After 12 weeks, 88% of the glucosamine group reported improvements in knee pain, compared with only 17% of the placebo group.
British Journal of Sports Medicine 2003;37:45-49
Comment: A study published in The Lancet 2 years ago was very positive about glucosamine as a treatment for osteoarthritis. The usual response is for the journal’s editorial to knock the findings when it is a natural product. However, the Lancet’s editorial on this occasion was glowing. They accepted glucosamine is absorbed orally, is distributed to the joint tissues, and has anti-inflammatory and anabolic properties. That must surely be a better option than non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs which kill 2000 people a year.
Fibre is good for the heart
CRP is the only inflammatory marker that has been found to be an indicator of heart health. Therefore, a CRP test is often done along with a blood fat profile to help predict a patient's risk of a heart attack. C-reactive protein is proving to be a useful marker for predicting coronary artery disease and stroke which are closely associated with inflammation of the blood vessels.
Dr. Diana King and colleagues from the Medical University of South Carolina examined data from 4,900 adults. They evaluated such factors as body mass index and dietary factors.
Results showed that participants consuming comparatively higher amounts of dietary fibre had a lower risk of elevated CRP, while saturated fat consumption "was modestly associated with elevated CRP."
The American Journal of Cardiology December, 2003
Comment: CRP has become a very important marker. It can be very damaging for the heart. However it must be treated with caution because it could indicate an infection anywhere in the body. The next time your well meaning doctor suggests you have your cholesterol tested, ask him or her whether your CRP and homocysteine levels will also be checked. If you are given a strange look, change your doctor!
Fibre Supplements as Good as the Real Thing
If you have trouble getting enough fibre from the food you eat, supplements can be a safe alternative.
The Mayo Clinic Health Letter notes that such foods as oatmeal, cauliflower, broccoli, beans and peas are all good sources of fibre. In addition to helping your body's digestion and regularity, a high-fibre diet may reduce your risk of certain health problems such as diabetes, colorectal cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, high cholesterol and obesity.
But some people find it difficult to get the recommended 20 to 30 grams of fibre a day from their diet. That may be because they don't like high-fibre foods or because those foods cause cramping or flatulence.
Those people might consider fibre supplements, which are bulk-forming substances available as powders, tablets, wafers, biscuits or toasted granules.
The Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers the following advice for people using fibre supplements:
· Go slow. Start with a small dose and progress gradually.
· Be consistent. Fibre supplements are most effective when taken daily for at least a month.
· Drink plenty of fluids. If you don't do that, fibre supplements can make you even more constipated.
· Take fibre supplements before or after meals. They create a feeling of fullness. Take them before meals if you're overweight and take them after meals if you're underweight or normal weight.
· Remember that supplements can't do it all. They contain only part of the required amount of daily fibre. You still need to include high-fibre foods in your diet.
Healthday 20th October, 2003
Comment: It may surprise you to know that many studies don’t support the idea that a high fibre diet is a good thing. One study found the risk of colorectal cancer increased with a soluble fibre supplement. Fibre is a complex substance. Taking a supplement is not the same as getting it from a wide variety of foods. Eat plenty of fibre by all means, but the best source is fruits and vegetables, not cereal grains. No supplement can make up for that.
Probiotics Prevent Child Allergies
Women taking probiotic supplements during pregnancy can protect their children from eczema for up to four years, researchers have found.
Their study found that women and babies taking the supplements reduced the risk of eczema by 40 per cent in at-risk 4-year-olds. There was also the suggestion of a reduction in asthma rates.
The study, published in The Lancet, studied 132 children whose mothers were given capsules of a probiotic or a placebo for four weeks before giving birth.
After birth, capsules were given to the breast-feeding mother or the child for 6 months.
Of 53 children exposed to lactobacillus, only 14 developed eczema after 4 years, compared with nearly half, 25 of 54, who did not get the supplement. Concentrations of exhaled nitric oxide, a marker for the lung inflammation associated with asthma, were significantly higher in children not exposed to the lactobacillus.
Asthma and rhinitis typically do not develop until children are older, so no firm conclusion could be drawn about the effects of the probiotic on these diseases.
The findings adds weight to the “hygiene hypothesis”, which suggests that soaring rates of asthma and eczema in children might be due to modern living conditions being “too clean”. According to the theory, bacterial infection at an early age primes the immune system and helps to prevent allergies.
The Times 30th May, 2003 p.4
Comment: This was a follow up to an earlier study published in The Lancet 2 years ago. Then the editorial described the findings as “remarkable”. Their comments at that time are worth quoting:
“Probably the most striking alteration in the early immune exposure of infants since Neolithic times was the wholesale change in initial gut colonisation during the past century.....the dominance of bifido-bacteria and lactobacillus in the initial flora.....has been increasingly replaced by that of a variety of hospital-acquired organisms, which has led to evolutionary novel discordance between maternal and infant flora exacerbated by procedures such as caesarean section or admission to special care units.”
Mercury 'linked to autism'
Hair cuttings were taken from 18 month old babies. Mercury levels in the cuttings from 94 autistic children and 45 other children were compared. The average level of mercury in baby hair of children later diagnosed as autistic was 0.47 parts per million, compared to 3.63 per million in the other children.
The more severe the children's autism, the lower the mercury levels found.
Most of the mercury came from the children's mothers in the form of fillings, injections containing thimerosal (a mercury containing vaccine), or through eating a lot of fish.
In the group of non-autistic children, mercury levels rose in line with their mother's exposure. But levels in the baby hair of the autistic children were low even when their mother's exposure was high.
The researchers say one explanation could be that autistic children's bodies are unable to make use of metals properly, so they could also be deficient in metals which are needed for brain development such as zinc, iron and copper.
Alternatively, they suggest some children might have problems excreting mercury. Most of the metal is excreted through urine and faeces.
However the researchers suggest that the lack of mercury in the children's hair could be due to the metal being retained in cells, rather than getting into the blood.
Some experts say the link is plausible.
BBC 19th June 2003
Comment: William Walsh, senior scientist at the Pfeiffer Treatment Centre, Illinois, believes the cause of autism may be a genetic error of metal metabolism. He discovered a few years ago that 499 of 504 autistic children had this error. This causes irregular levels of minerals in the blood and brain with accumulation of toxic metals, particularly excessive copper. This looks like it could be a very productive area of research.
Aluminium in drinking water tied to Alzheimer's
New research indicates the Alzheimer’s disease is more common in the regions of northwest Italy where levels of aluminium in drinking water are highest.
And when the investigators studied the effects of one form of the metal on two types of human cells in the lab, they found it hastened cell death.
“We were absolutely surprised by these results,” said study author Dr. Paolo Prolo, a researcher at the University of California at Los Angeles. “I did not expect any effect from aluminium.”
Monomeric (single molecule) aluminium is the type most easily absorbed by human cells. The type of aluminium used in pots and pans consists of multiple molecules and does not appear to affect human cells, according to Prolo. “There is almost no evidence that the cookware is dangerous,” he said.
Reuters Health 14th April, 2003
Comment: Minerals come in different forms and both types of aluminium are found in drinking water. It’s now clear the monomeric type needs to be studied to see what damage it can do outside the test tube and inside us. The controversy over aluminium has gone on for too long. We need some answers.
Very low lead levels delay puberty in girls, decrease IQ
Children exposed to lead may suffer toxic effects even at levels once thought too low to cause harm. Even low blood levels of lead are associated with lower IQ scores in young children and delayed onset of puberty in girls.
Children are especially susceptible to the toxic effects of lead, experiencing neurological problems, including learning disabilities and a drop in IQ if lead levels climb above 10 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL) of blood.
However, differences were seen in menstrual development between girls with blood lead levels of 1 mcg/dL compared to those with lead concentrations of 3 mcg/dL.
And in young children the average blood lead level in the study group of 5-year-olds was 7.4 mcg/dL and their average IQ was 90 (the national average is 100). Overall, children with the highest blood levels of lead had the lowest IQs.The New England Journal of Medicine 2003;348: 1517 and 1526 and 1527-1536
Comment: This is very bad news. There is much less lead in the environment than there used to be thanks to lead-free petrol but emissions still come from industrial processes. If you live in a pre 1940’s house you may have lead pipes. Old paint may have lead in it, and some exposure may come from the water supply. Lead is less able to be absorbed in a diet rich in calcium (yogurt and cheese), pectin (apples, oranges, bananas, carrots), vitamin C (fruits and vegetables), and zinc (lean meat and wheat bran).
Lead lowers male fertility
In a study of 140 couples who were trying to conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF), the more lead a man had in his semen, the lower the odds were that his partner would conceive. Lead may be “a significant cause of human male infertility,” said the study's lead author, Dr. Susan Benoff,
The men in the study had normal levels of lead in the blood, but their semen contained elevated levels of the metal. If an infertile man does turn out to have too much lead in his semen, it may be possible to lower lead by taking zinc supplements, Benoff said. She and her colleagues found that “lead seems to be competing with zinc” in semen. As lead levels rose, zinc levels dropped.
Human Reproduction 2003;18:374-383
Comment: Lead may have been removed from petrol but there are still many other sources in the environment. These include lead pipes, paints, ceramic glazes, pewter and some types of metal utensils. Unfortunately, environmental toxins are often stored in the testes. Pollution may therefore account for increasing male infertility.
Lead Leads To Crime
Researchers based at the University of Pittsburgh checked the concentration of lead in the leg bones of 194 youth offenders using a scanning technique called x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. This is a good indicator of the level of exposure over a long period. The results were compared against similarly aged youths from high schools in Pittsburgh. The readings from the convicted youths showed 11 parts per million, compared to 1½ parts per million in the non-offending teenagers.
Dr Herbert Needleman, who led the study, said: “This study provides further evidence that delinquent behaviour can be caused, in part, by childhood exposure to lead.”
However, it is still unclear whether the lead build-up was the cause of the problem - or simply another result of the same poor social conditions, which made offending more likely.
BBC News Online
Comment: The difference in the readings is staggering. Nearly an 8 fold difference. There is a great reluctance to accept cause and effect. This is understandable. It implies people are not responsible for their actions. This would never do.
The only way to be sure results are valid is if the 2 groups being compared are from the same background; lived in the same estates; went to the same schools. Only then will we know we’re comparing like with like. This will probably never be done because the results might not please politicians.
Chinese Tea ‘May Cure Jaundice’
Scientists have found that Yin Zhi Huang (YZH) can stop the build-up of a type of bile that causes jaundice. This is common in newborn babies. If untreated it can lead to serious complications such as brain damage.
The tea enables the liver to clear bilirubin - a waste product that is created from the break down of haemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. Bilirubin is normally cleared by the liver. However, disease or other problems can stop this from happening.
A build-up of bilirubin causes the yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes associated with jaundice. Premature babies are often unable to clear bilirubin because their livers are too small. They are treated by exposing their skin to light, a process called phototherapy.
Some experts said the study indicated that Western medicine may have a lot to learn from Chinese medicine, which dates back thousands of years.
"This is a wonderful example of knowledge gained by applying the Western scientific method to an Eastern herbal remedy,"
BBC News 3rd January, 2004
Comment: Herbs became remedies through a process of trial and error or watching what animals did when they got sick. Ancient people didn’t concern themselves with why it worked so long as it did. I’m not sure what’s so unscientific about that. The reality is we don’t understand how most drugs work.
This was an animal study. Babies aren't given herbal tea. It's hoped the 'active' ingredient in the tea will be isolated and turned into a drug.
Green Tea Fights HIV?
Laboratory tests found Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), the most abundant catechin found in green tea, stopped HIV from binding to CD4 molecules and human T cells. These are vital parts of the body's immune system. Usually HIV is able to sneak inside these cells and wipe them out.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 11th November, 2003
Comment: Research published over the last 12 months demonstrates that green tea can prime the immune system, lower cardiovascular disease risk, inhibit the development of cancer and improve bone mineral density.
If you are not already drinking a cup or two of this beverage, I suggest you give it a try.
Please note however that EGCG is not found in sufficient amounts in green tea to protect against HIV.
Drinking Tea May Lower Cholesterol
U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists said consumers who drank black tea for 3 weeks experienced a decrease of between 7 and 11% in their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or so-called bad cholesterol.
Exactly what caused the LDL cholesterol level to drop in those who consumed tea was unknown.
There was no effect on the level of high-density lipoprotein, or the good type of cholesterol.
"This may indicate that drinking tea could have a beneficial effect if consumed regularly as part of a mixed diet for most people," said Joseph Judd, a chemist with the USDA, who led the study.
Judd and his colleagues placed 15 participants on a 6 week, double-blind study. About half received 5 cups of black tea per day for 3 weeks while the others were given coloured water that tasted like tea. The two groups then switched what they were given to drink after 3 weeks.
LDL levels dropped by an average of 7.5% during the 3 weeks when the individuals consumed tea rather than the placebo blend, the researchers said. Journal of Nutrition October, 2003
Comment: This was a good study. It ruled out the affect of caffeine, and their diets were controlled to rule out an effect from the diet. However I am a bit sceptical. Can you really fool people into believing coloured water is tea? I don't believe it. If the researchers examine the participants homes very closely I think they’ll find the cholesterol levels of rubber and spider plants have also fallen for the last 3 weeks.
Green Tea Fights Cancer
Scientists already know green tea contains antioxidants which may have a protective effect against cancer. But now they have discovered that chemicals in the tea also shut down a key molecule known as the aryl hydrocarbon (AH) receptor, which can play a significant role in the development of cancer.
Researchers found green tea contained 2 chemicals that inhibit AH activity.
Both chemicals are similar to compounds called flavonoids, which are found in broccoli, cabbage, grapes and red wine, and which are also known to help prevent cancer.
bbc news 5th august, 2003
Comment: Although there’s no certainty green tea has this effect inside the body, and there may be significant differences between different types of green tea, I think there’s enough evidence to say it has protective effects. I started drinking it earlier this year and see no reason not to continue. I suggest you give it a try.
Herbal tea harms teeth
Researchers have found herbal teas erode tooth enamel. Some are even more harmful than orange juice, which is very acidic and is known to harm teeth. The findings published in the Journal of Dentistry should act as a warning to people who regard herbal teas as a healthy alternative to other drinks.
Acidity levels varied widely between teas. Some had low pH levels which means they were acidic and could damage teeth. Others had high pH levels suggesting they were alkaline and did not affect teeth. Some were up to three times more damaging than orange juice.
A spokesman for Twinings: “We believe that consumers should not be concerned, as when consumed normally, any acid remaining on the teeth will be neutralised by the saliva in the mouth.”
BBC 5th May, 2003
Comment: “...when consumed normally”. What an interesting phrase. Those of you who drink tea whilst standing on your head clearly have something to worry about. This is not new research. The problem teas are the fruit teas which are also sources of fructose (sugar). There’s no problem with green, ginseng, camomile, and peppermint teas for instance. No need to avoid fruit teas altogether, but it’s best not to drink them exclusively.
Tea helps fight off infections
Tea contains particular chemicals called alkylamine antigens which are also present in some bacteria, tumour cells, parasites and fungi. Because these are present in tea, the body is exposed to them so it can build up a defence against them if it comes up against them as part of a disease.
US researchers looked at the effect of the antigens on gamma-delta T cells in the immune system, which act as a first line of defence against infection. The cells were exposed to the chemical, then exposed to bacteria to simulate an infection.
Those cells which had been “primed” fought back against the bacteria, by multiplying up to 10 times and secreting disease-fighting chemicals. Cells which had not previously exposed to an alkylamine antigen showed no significant response to the simulated infection.
The researchers then looked to see if the results were replicated in tea drinkers and compared them to coffee drinkers. Coffee doesn’t contain the chemical.
After two weeks, gamma-delta T cells from tea drinkers were better able to produce disease-fighting chemicals, but coffee drinkers were not.
The researchers say this suggests that drinking tea can promote a strong immune response, in addition to other known health benefits.
BBC News 21st April, 2003
Comment: Those of you in despair after the last article can enjoy a nice cup of black or green tea instead, knowing your immune system is being “primed”. If you’re not convinced, you are in good company. William Cobbett in 1822 wrote that tea is “a destroyer of health, an enfeebler of the frame, an engenderer of effeminacy and laziness, a debaucher of youth, and a maker of misery for old age.”
Drinking Tea Lowers Risk Of Heart Disease
3,430 men and women aged 30-70 in tea-loving Saudi Arabia were enrolled in a study to find out whether drinking black tea can lower the risk of heart disease. Results showed those who drank more than 6 cups per day had greater than 50% lower risk of coronary heart disease compared to tea abstainers.
Antioxidants called flavonoids, found in tea, are thought to be potent weapons in the fight against heart disease. They may lower blood pressure, reduce stroke risk, lower clotting risks and “hardening of the arteries,” and reduce leve |
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