Lower Body Fat Does Not Lower Cardiac Risks!

Low Body Fat May Not Lower Risk

For Heart Disease and Diabetes, Genetic Study Shows...

It Is Not Only Overweight Individuals Who Are Predisposed For These Metabolic Diseases

Having a lower percentage of body fat may not always lower your risk for heart disease and diabetes, according to a new
study by an international investigative team, including research scientists from the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School (HMS).

The Institute researchers who are working with the Framingham Heart Study, identified a specific gene that is linked with having less body fat, but also with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, both examples of "metabolic diseases."

"We've uncovered a truly fascinating genetic story and, when we found the effect of this gene, we were very intrigued by the unexpected finding," report the scientists at the Institute for Aging Research and Harvard Medical School (HMS).

"People, particularly men, with a specific form of the gene are both more likely to have lower percent body fat, but also to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In simple terms, it is not only overweight individuals who can be predisposed for these metabolic diseases." they say.

Reported online in the journal "Nature Genetics" June 26, 2011, the investigators examined the genomes of more than 75,000 people to look for the specific genes that determine body fat percentage. They found strong evidence for a gene (called IRS1) to be linked with having less body fat. With further study, they found that this gene also leads to having unhealthy levels
of cholesterol and blood glucose.

To understand why a gene that lowers body fat can be harmful, the research team found that the gene lowers only the "subcutaneous" fat under the skin, but not the more harmful "visceral" fat that surrounds organs.

They now speculate that people with this gene variant are less able to store fat safely under the skin and may, therefore, store fat elsewhere in the body, where it may interfere with normal organ function. Interestingly, all observations were more pronounced in men than in women and, indeed, many apparently lean men still have much abdominal fat.

"Genetic variants may not only determine the amount of total fat in your body," they say, "but also what kind of fat you have. Some collections of fat, such as the kind located just under the skin, may actually be less harmful than the type located in the abdominal cavity, which may increase the risk of developing metabolic disease."

The effect may be more pronounced in men than women due to the different body fat distributions between the sexes. Because men typically store less fat than women, they are more sensitive to changes in its distribution.

Journal Reference:
Nature Genetics, June 2011;
"Genetic variation near IRS1 associates with reduced adiposity and an impaired metabolic profile"

Story Source:
Hebrew Senior Life Institute for Aging Research;
"Low body fat may not lower risk for heart disease and diabetes, genetic study shows"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

My brother said "I do"

Contribution by Kennith Griffin

My brother just got married, and I can honestly say I have never seen him happier. He is young by today’s standards for marriage. He is only 22, but he is a college graduate and in love. Before he got married, he and his fiancé bought a house together. They did not move in together, but they purchased the house the week before they wed. While they were on their honeymoon, my husband, my parents, and I stocked their refrigerator and cabinets with food and living essentials. When he came back in town, I told him he probably needed to get a home security system as well. He went to http://www.Home-Alarm-Systems.com and found what he was looking for. He is in the computer software business, so he works from home several days out of the week. His new wife is in sales. Although they both have just taken new jobs with long hours, they seem truly happy. It is so encouraging to see two young people starting their lives together. Life can be difficult, and the support of a loving spouse is so important. I already think of his wife like a sister even though I have only known her for two years. I feel so blessed to have such a close-knit family, and I feel equally blessed to welcome another member into our clan.

Lemon and Garlic Shrimp and Vegetables

Lemon and Garlic Shrimp and Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large red bell peppers, diced
• 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound raw shrimp (26–30 shrimp per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preparation:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, asparagus, lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl; cover to keep warm.
2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Whisk broth and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth, and add to the skillet along with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
4. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the vegetables.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 226
Total Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 174 mg
Sodium: 514 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 14 g
Dietary Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 28 g

Mega-3s and Your Health

How Omega-3s Benefit Your Health

All fats are not created equal: Some are good (unsaturated), some are bad (saturated), and some are really terrible (trans fats). Among the good fats are omega-3 fatty acids, which offer a number of health benefits, including helping to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Omega-3s are called essential fatty acids because they are required by the body and must be obtained through food and supplements (the body can’t make them on its own). There are three types of omega-3s, each essential for optimal health. Two of them, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are found mainly in cold-water fish, such as herring, sardines and salmon. EPA and DHA are extremely effective at reducing inflammation and preventing the formation of blood clots, thus reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack. The third kind, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), is found in plant sources such as flaxseed, walnuts, and dark leafy greens. Once ingested ALA is converted to EPA and DHA, the types most readily used by the body.

Foods and Omega-3s
The best and most natural way to increase your intake of omega-3s is to eat more oily fish (at least two servings per week) and dark leafy greens, and to add ground flaxseed and walnuts to your diet in moderation. The American Heart Association recommends getting 1 gram daily of EPA and DHA, preferably from oily fish, although it says that an omega-3 fatty acid supplement could be considered in consultation with your physician. Dr. Agatston agrees with these recommendations. For people with markedly elevated triglycerides (bad blood fats), higher doses of fish oil can be quite effective when used under a doctor’s care.

A Word of Caution
Be advised that people with certain medical conditions, such as those taking anticoagulants, those with bleeding disorders, or those with uncontrolled hypertension, should always consult with their physician before taking fish-oil supplements. Also note that certain fish, including swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish, contain high levels of mercury. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and children should avoid fish high in mercury.


**The above article was taken from the South Beach Diet.

Waistlines Indicate Harmful Effects of Artifical Sweeteners

Waistlines in People and Glucose Levels in Laboratory Studies

Indicate Artificial Sweeteners'

Self-Defeating and Harmful Effects

Diet soft drink users experienced 70 percent
greater increases in waist circumference compared
with non-users. Frequent users (who consumed
two or more diet sodas a day) experienced waist circumference increases that were 500 percent
greater than those of non-users!

In the daily battle to lose inches or at least maintain the same waistline, many people reach for diet sodas or other diet beverages. Two new studies, presented during June 2011 at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions in San Diego, CA suggest this might be self-defeating.

Epidemiologists from the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio reported data showing that diet soft drink consumption is associated with increased waist circumference in humans, and a second study that found aspartame raised fasting glucose (blood sugar) in diabetes-prone laboratory subjects.

"Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the huge marketing budgets and aggressive promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised," said researchers from the Division of Clinical Epidemiology in the School of Medicine. "They may be free of calories but not of consequences."

Long Range Human Study:

The San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging

To examine the relationship between diet soft drink consumption and long-term change in waist circumference,
the Health Science Center team assessed data from 474 participants in the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA.) This is a large, population-based study of the disability process in elderly Mexican Americans and
European Americans for two decades.

Measures of height, weight, waist circumference and diet soda intake were recorded at SALSA enrollment and at three follow-up exams that took place over the next decade. The average follow-up time was 9.5 years. The researchers compared long-term change in waist circumference for diet soda users versus non-users in all follow-up periods. The results were adjusted for waist circumference, diabetes status, leisure-
time physical activity level, neighborhood of residence, age and smoking status at the beginning of each interval, as well as sex, ethnicity and years of education.

Diet soft drink users, as a group, experienced 70 percent greater increases in waist circumference compared with non-users. Frequent users, who said they consumed two
or more diet sodas a day, experienced waist circumference increases that were 500 percent greater than those of non-users.

Abdominal fat is known to be a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic conditions. "These results suggest that, amidst the national drive to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, policies that would promote the consumption of diet soft drinks may have unintended deleterious effects," the authors wrote.

Controlled Laboratory Study:

Aspartame Consumption In Diabetes-Prone Subjects

In the related project, scientific researchers of rheumatology and clinical immunology studied the relationship between oral exposure to aspartame and fasting glucose and insulin levels in 40 diabetes-prone subjects in a controlled laboratory environment. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener and one of the most widely used in diet sodas and other diet products advertised and labeled as "sugar free."

One group of the lab subjects were fed food to which both aspartame and corn oil were added; the other group ate
food with the corn oil added but not the aspartame.

After three months on this high-fat diet, the subjects in the aspartame group showed elevated fasting glucose levels but equal or diminished insulin levels, consistent with early declines in pancreatic beta-cell function.

The difference in insulin levels between the groups was not statistically significant. Beta cells make insulin, the hormone that lowers blood sugar after a meal. Imbalance ultimately leads to diabetes.

"These results suggest that heavy aspartame exposure might potentially directly contribute to increased blood glucose levels, and thus contribute to the associations observed between diet soda consumption and the risk of diabetes in humans," they warned.

These two translational research studies resulted from collaboration between research teams. The Institute
for the Integration of Medicine and Science (IIMS) funded
the work. IIMS is the Health Science Center entity that
oversees the university's Clinical and Translational
Science Award (CTSA), a National Institutes of Health-funded program to encourage the rapid translation of scientific discoveries from the laboratory through the testing process and to practical application for the health of communities.

Story Source:
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (2011, June 28)

Increased Fiber Intake Keeps You Younger Longer

Increased Intake Of Fiber Keeps

You Healthier For Longer

Increased dietary intakes of fiber are associated with lower risks of dying from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases, suggests data from the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

The highest intakes of fiber (equivalent to about 30 grams per day for men and 25 grams for women) were associated with a reduction in the risk of dying from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases of up to 60 percent, according to the findings published in the Archives of Internal Medicine .

"Interestingly, our study found that dietary fiber intake, especially from grains, was inversely associated with the risk of death from infectious and respiratory diseases," wrote the researchers.

"Inflammation, a predominant path-physiologic response in many infectious and respiratory diseases, has been suggested to contribute the progression of these diseases and studies have shown that dietary fiber has anti-inflammatory properties:

"The anti-inflammatory properties of dietary fiber could explain, in part, significant inverse associations of dietary fiber intake with infectious and respiratory diseases as well as with cardiovascular disease death," they added.

Dietary Fiber Intakes

A survey conducted by the International Food Information Council in 2008 found 77 percent of people are pro-actively trying to consume additional fiber. Unfortunately, many Americans only achieve about 50 percent of their recommended amount of 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily.

It is estimated that over 90 percent of all fiber food ingredient sales were conventional, insoluble-type fibers, which contains cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, characterized as fiber that cannot be dissolved in water.

The remaining 9 percent share was split evenly between conventional, soluble-type fibers and new emerging, novel fibers. The market researcher projects that insoluble fibers will decrease to 53.3 percent by 2014, while the share for the mostly new or newly refined conventional, soluble-type fibers will decrease slightly to 7.4 percent.

New Market Data

The new study's findings support the recommendations for intakes, with consumption of between 25 and 30 grams linked
to lower risks of dying from a range of diseases.

The National Cancer Institute analyzed data from 219,123 men and 168,999 women participating in the NIH (National Institutes
of Health) AARP Diet and Health Study. Dietary intakes were assessed using food frequency questionnaires.

Over the course of about 9 years of study, 11,330 deaths in women and 20,126 deaths in men were documented.

After carefully examining the numbers, the researchers found that people with the highest average intakes (between 25 and 30 grams of fiber per day) had a 22 percent lower risk of death from all the causes.

For men, the highest intakes were associated with a reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases... ranging from 34 to 59 percent in women and 24 to 56 percent in men.

The strongest associations were observed for fiber from grains and no from other sources, added the NCI researchers.

"Our study shows that dietary fiber may reduce the risk of premature death from all causes, especially from
cardiovascular disease and infectious and respiratory diseases,"they wrote.

"The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend choosing fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains frequently and consuming 14 grams / 1000 calories of dietary fiber. A diet rich in dietary fiber from whole plant foods may provide significant health benefits," they concluded.

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine (Published online)
"Dietary Fiber Intake and Mortality in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study"
International Food Information Council

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice,diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

Key Enzyme Protects Young Athletes From Sudden Fatal Heart Attacks!

Key Enzyme Prevents
Sudden Fatal Cardiac
Death or Disability

In Young Athletes

Scientists have discovered an important enzyme molecule that may prevent fatal cardiac disorders associated with cardiac hypertrophy, the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

Cardiac hypertrophy is a disease of the heart muscle where a portion of the tissue is thickened without anyobvious cause. It is commonly linked to high blood pressure (hypertension) and excessive exercises and results in a shrinking of the heart chamber and a reduction of its blood-pumping volume.

The condition is also associated with fatal cardiac disorders related to irregular heart beats (arrhythmias), leading to millions of deaths worldwide each year, and is perhaps the most well-known cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young sports people.

The researchers used laboratory experiments and computer simulations to show that the enzyme MKK4 is involved in preventing arrhythmias. They believe it does this by modifying another protein connection, which forms an electrical bridge between adjacent heart cells to ensure the conduction of electrical activity across the heart as an excitation wave,

triggering synchronised mechanical contraction of the heart with a regular heartbeat rhythm.

The researchers reporting in The Journal of Biological Chemistry, found that loss of the MKK4 protein disrupts the spatial distribution of connexin, resulting in reduced and non-uniform electrical coupling between heart cells.

This causes a fragmented excitation wave in the heart, leading to uncoordinated heart muscle contraction and irregular heart rhythm. As a result, the heart loses its power to pump blood efficiently, causing disability or sudden cardiac death.

"Using experimental measurements together with detailed computer models, we were able to simulate the electrical activity in cardiac tissue with disrupted electrical coupling between adjacent cardiac cells," explained the researchers from Manchester's Faculty of Life Science.

"The information generated from this study will help us to identify whether the MKK4 enzyme could become a therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in association with cardiac hypertrophy."

They added: "This research means it would be possible to identify the most important factor behind the sudden cardiac death associated with cardiac hypertrophy, which can affect people of any age with hypertension and also healthy well-trained athletes."

Story Source: University of Manchester

Journal Reference:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 deficiency in cardiomyocytes causes connexin 43 reduction and

couples hypertrophic signals to ventricular arrhythmogenesis.

Journal of Biological Chemistry
This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice,diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

Beet Root Juice - A Powerful Antioxidant!

Beet Root Juice Is A Significant

Source of Polyphenolic Compounds, Including Powerful Antioxidants...

Beet root juice supplies a high level of dietary polyphenols, according to researchers from Oxford Brookes University
in the UK.

Writing in the Journal of Functional Foods, the researchers said that Beet root juice may provide "a significant source of dietary polyphenols," which contributes to the juice's high antioxidant content. They added that a liquid shot type drink "can provide a significant quantity of these bioactive components together with a convenient method for consumption."

"Given the potential for the multiple health benefits of polyphenol consumption, beverages containing high levels can be considered a positive addition to the diet,"

"Additionally, both sensory characteristics and convenience would appear to be important factors in obtaining an increased level of consumption amongst the general public," said the researchers from the Functional Food Centre at Oxford Brookes.

They added that specific interest in beet root has arisen because it is a rich source of a number of polyphenolic compounds consumption of natural produce that are rich in antioxidant compounds.

Beet root predominately contains betalains, a class of betalamic acid derivatives that are composed of betacyanins and betaxanthins, and other phenolic compounds that may offer excellent health benefits.

"Beet root juice contains a high level of biologically active antioxidants as well as many other beneficial, health-promoting nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, folic acid, iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, niacin, biotin, B6 and soluble fibre," said the authors.

Consumption of beet root in the form of a supplement capsule or liquid "shot" may provide a more convenient alternative to consuming the whole vegetable.

"Convenience is considered a considerable marketing tool in the food industry, and conscientious food manufacturers are looking for ways to make healthy food, particularly fruit and vegetables, more convenient to consume in order that public health may be improved," suggested the researchers.

The authors tested beet root juice liquid shot for their antioxidant contents, measuring the total antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol content of a 70 ml beet root juice shot after in vitro digestion.

The researchers reported that the shot delivered "a significant amount of antioxidants in a small, convenient volume," adding that total antioxidant count of the shot increased significantly following digestion.

"The results clearly demonstrate that antioxidants contained in this product become more accessible following digestion than those in other vegetable juice products," they said.

They concluded that a beet root liquid juice "shot" delivers a high amount of bio-accessible antioxidants and a cost effective and convenient method of increasing antioxidant status.

Source: Journal of Functional Foods (Published online)
"A beet root juice shot is a significant and convenient source of bio-accessible antioxidants"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

Dairy Derived Phospholipids May Help Stress & Memory!

Dairy-Derived Phospholipids May Be Beneficial For Stress-Related Problems and Memory Performance Research Focuses On Dairy-Based Ingredients For Cognitive and Mental Function Memory problems associated with chronic stress may be eased by phospholipids derived from milk, suggests a new study from Germany. Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial indicated that chronically stressed men who received a daily beverage fortified with phospholipid had significantly better memory performance compared with men receiving placebo. "Our data suggest that phospholipid improves the ability of the organism to adapt to chronic stress. A dose of 1 percent phospholipid may be protective in participants who are persistently exposed to chronic stress with respect to both physical and mental health," wrote researchers from Diagnostic Assessment and Clinical Research Organization (Daacro) in Germany. Long-Term Stress and its Damaging Effects According to the American Psychological Association , stress can affect everyone at some time, and can lead to both mental and physical health issues. While some stress can be beneficial, extreme and long-term stress can produce detrimental effects to the "immune, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and central nervous systems", adds the APA. For the new study, the researchers recruited 75 chronically stressed men aged between 30 and 51, and randomly assigned them to receive cow's milk with 0.5 or 1 percent phospholipids, or a placebo for six weeks. Phospholipids are the predominant lipids found in the cell membranes. The researchers note that phospholipids "are most concentrated in the brain and have a variety of regulatory and structural functions such as activity modulation of receptors, enzymes, and signaling molecules". After six weeks of supplementation, the researchers reported no differences between any of the groups in response to acute stress, but participants aged over 41 and receiving the high dose phospholipid milk did display a significantly better memory performance as measured using the Trier Social Stress Test, compared to similarly aged participants in the other two groups. Commenting on the potential mechanism, the researchers report that the effects are likely to be linked to the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), which reportedly allows "adaptation to stressful challenges". "Because the hippocampus affects HPAA function, one may speculate that the supplementation of PL-enriched milk may improve cortisol availability and memory function in the elderly population via restoring hippocampal functions in our population consisting of chronically stressed men," they added. Source: Nutrition Research Volume 31, Issue 6, Pages 413-420 "Milk-based phospholipids increase morning cortisol availability and improve memory in chronically stressed men" This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Vitamin C Benefits Eye and Brain Health

Vitamin C Demonstrates Important Benefits For Eyes & Brain Health

Research Continues To Show How Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants and Carotenoids Are Valuable For Supporting Cognitive & Mental Function and Eye Health

Vitamin C may help nerve cells in the eye to function properly, says a new study that suggests the vitamin may also be important for brain function, too.

The discovery by researchers Oregon Health & Science University indicates that vitamin C may be needed for correct functioning of retinal cells, which in turn may have implications for the central nervous system.

In order for retinal cells to function properly, "we found that cells need to be 'bathed' in relatively high doses of vitamin C, inside and out," explained research scientists at OHSU's Vollum Institute.

"Because the retina is part of the central nervous system, this suggests there's likely an important role for vitamin C throughout our brains, to a degree we had not realized before."

According to findings published in the Journal of Neuroscience, this new research used goldfish retinas, which the researchers claim have the same overall biological structure as human retinas.

Nutritional Intake For Supporting Eye Health

The dietary supplement and functional food market for eye health is being driven by several major forces: An aging population, unhealthy diets, an increased demand for natural ingredients and rising healthcare costs.

Most of the science in this area has focused on the macula, a yellow spot of about five millimeters diameter on the retina, and a corresponding condition called age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The yellow color is due to the content of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, two nutrients obtained from the diet.

In addition to lutein and zeaxanthin, ingredients such as astaxanthin, beta-carotene, and bilberry extracts, as well as the vitamins A, C and E, are also included in today's eye health formulations.

Putting the C in Central Nervous System

The new research indicates that vitamin C may not only benefit the eye, but have wider implications for the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS).

According to the OHSU scientists, the benefits revolve around special receptors in the retina and brain called GABA-type receptors, which reportedly modulate the rapid communication between brain cells by acting as an inhibitory 'brake' on excitatory neurons in the brain.

When vitamin C is no longer present, the OHSU researchers report that these receptors stopped functioning properly, the researchers note that the function of vitamin C in the brain is not well understood. However, vitamin C stores in the brain are known to be the last to be depleted in times of vitamin C deprivation, they added.

"Perhaps the brain is the last place you want to lose vitamin C," they said.

Vitamin C deficiency results in the condition called scurvy, and one of the common symptoms of which is depression. The researchers hypothesized that their new findings may help explain this observation.

The findings may also have implications for other diseases that are caused by malfunctioning nerve cells in the retina and brain, like glaucoma and epilepsy, said the researchers

"Maybe a vitamin C-rich diet could be neuroprotective for the retina, for people who are especially prone to glaucoma," they said. "This is speculative and there is much to learn. But this research provides some important insights and will lead to
the generation of new hypotheses and potential treatment strategies."

Source: The Journal of Neuroscience
Volume 31, Issue 26, Pages 9672-9682,
"Allosteric Modulation of Retinal GABA Receptors by Ascorbic Acid"

Can Coffee Protect Against Alzheimer's?

Natural Ingredient From Coffee

Boosts Protection Against Alzheimer's

New research suggests four to five cups of caffeinated coffee a day could help fight off Alzheimer's disease, due to a naturally-occurring coffee ingredient that interacts with its caffeine content.

The controlled laboratory study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease provides the first evidence that caffeinated coffee offers the protective benefits, say the University of South Florida (USF) researchers.

According to the USF research team, the ingredient can boost blood levels of a "critical growth factor" GCSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor), a substance greatly decreased in patients with
Alzheimer's disease and demonstrated to improve memory in Alzheimer's laboratory subjects.

Other drinks containing caffeine or decaffeinated coffee do not offer this protection, according to the researchers. They will conduct further extensive research to pinpoint the unidentified component so that other beverages can be enriched with the ingredient.

The researchers said "Hopefully, the coffee industry will soon become an active partner with Alzheimer's researchers to find
the protective ingredient in coffee and concentrate it in dietary sources,"

Methodology, Results and Analysis

In the study, the effects of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were compared to those of caffeine alone on both Alzheimer's and normal subjects.

For both groups, treatment with caffeinated coffee greatly increased blood levels of GCSF; neither caffeine alone or decaffeinated coffee provided this effect, reported the researchers.The researchers used only "drip" coffee in their studies and do not know whether "instant" caffeinated coffee would provide the same GCSF response.

The researchers said they have also now collected clinical evidence of caffeine/coffee's ability to protect humans against Alzheimer's and will soon publish those findings.

GCSF can improve memory performance in the Alzheimer's mice in a various ways, say the scientists. First, GCSF recruits stem cells from bone marrow to enter the brain and remove the harmful beta-amyloid protein that initiates the disease.The substance also creates new connections between brain cells and increases the birth of new neurons in the brain.

"Caffeinated coffee provides a natural increase in blood GCSF levels," said the USF neuroscience researchers.

"The exact way that this occurs is not understood. There is a synergistic interaction between caffeine and some unique component of coffee that provides this beneficial increase in blood GCSF levels."

The USF researchers said they previously reported that four to five cups per day of coffee/caffeine is required to counteract the brain pathology and memory impairment in Alzheimer's subjects.

No Other Therapy Is Known

According to the researchers, no other Alzheimer's therapy being developed comes close to meeting all the criteria that coffee offers.

"No synthetic drugs have yet been developed to treat the underlying Alzheimer's disease process" they said.

"We see no reason why an inherently natural product such as coffee cannot be more beneficial and safer than medications, especially to protect against a disease that takes decades to become apparent after it starts in the brain."

Source: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

Caffeine Synergizes with Another Coffee Component to Increase Plasma GCSF: Linkage to Cognitive Benefits in Alzheimer's
(Published online)

Strawberries Boost Antioxidant Capacity

Strawberries Boost Red Blood Cells

To Improve Antioxidant Capacity

Naturally Rich Source of Phenolic

Compounds Including Flavonoids

Provide Powerful Antioxidant Properties...

A team of researchers from the Marche Polytechnic University (UNIVPM, in Italy) and the University of Granada (UGR, in Spain) conducted a study with a group of volunteers who ate half a kilo of strawberries every day for two weeks to demonstrate that they improve the antioxidant capacity of blood.

The study demonstrated that strawberries boost red blood cells' response to oxidase stress, an imbalance that is associated with various diseases.

Although scientists have previously examined the antioxidant capacity of strawberries using in vitro laboratory experiments, this team of researchers from Italy and Spain have demonstrated this effect in vivo. Their study on human volunteers is published in the journal "Food Chemistry."

Each day, the scientists fed 12 healthy volunteers 500 grams of strawberries over the course of the day. They took blood samples from them after four, eight, 12 and 16 days and also a month later. The results show that regular consumption of the fruit can improve the antioxidant capacity of blood plasma and also the resistance of red blood cells to oxidative haemolysis (fragmentation).

"We have shown that some varieties of strawberries make erythrocytes more resistant to oxidative stress. This could be of great significance if you take into account that this phenomenon can lead to serious diseases," explained the researchers...
"The important thing is that strawberries should form a part of
people's healthy and balanced diet, as one of their five daily portions of fruit and vegetables."

The team is now analyzing the variations caused by eating smaller quantities of strawberries (average consumption tends to be a 150g or 200g bowl per day). They're also analyzing several different strawberry varieties in the laboratory, since they each contain antioxidants in differing amounts and proportions.

The body has an extensive arsenal of very diverse antioxidant mechanisms, which act at different levels. These can be cellular tools that repair oxidized genetic material, or molecules that are either manufactured by the body itself or consumed through the diet, which neutralize the free radicals. Strawberries are known
to contain a large amount of phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, which provide powerful antioxidant properties.

These natural flavonoid compounds reduce oxidative stress, the imbalance that occurs in pathologies such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes; certain physiological situations or conditions such as childbirth, aging, physical exercise, as well as in the battles between "reactive kinds of oxygen" particularly free radicals, and the body's antioxidant defenses.

When the level of oxidation exceeds the critical antioxidant defenses, oxidative stress occurs. In addition to causing certain illnesses, the effect is also implicated in natural processes such as the speed at which people age, as an example.

Journal Reference:
"Strawberry consumption improves plasma antioxidant status and erythrocyte resistance to oxidative haemolysis in humans."
Food Chemistry, 2011;

Major Study of Resveratrol Confirms Health Benefits

Major Study Review of Resveratrol Confirm Its Potential Health Benefits

A review of research conducted at The University of Florida (UF) finds the polyphenol compound Resveratrol found in red wine, grapes and other fruits may not necessarily prevent old age, but
it might help make it healthier and improve vitality. News stories have claimed resveratrol as a cure for various diseases and a preventative against aging.

"We're all looking for an anti-aging cure in a pill, but it doesn't exist. But what does exist shows promise of lessening many of the scourges and infirmities of old age," explained the researchers involved in the study.

A comprehensive review of human clinical research on resveratrol has found it has "anti-aging, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties," but more research of its benefits is needed, they added.

The study, which appeared in "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research" examined results taken from thousands of laboratory studies with enzymes, cultured cells and laboratory subjects.
It was conducted by researchers from Marywood University and
the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The review examined the current state of knowledge of the effects of resveratrol on humans and to use the information to guide future human clinical trials.

For years many scientists have theorized that a link between resveratrol and human health exists. The French population, for example, enjoy low levels of cardiovascular disease, even though their diets are rich in saturated fats and oils. Some researchers believe the reason for this paradox lies in France's national drink
red wine, which is the dietary source of resveratrol. The UF review shows that the resveratrol has considerable potential to improve health and prevent chronic disease in humans.

Correlating factors such as metabolism, the chemical interplay of molecules, genetics, exercise, age, dosage, and many others all play a role in how resveratrol works, but it isn't yet fully understood.

Resveratrol functions as an antioxidant. Oxidation is the natural chemical process in living tissues that results in a transfer of electrons. When this happens, groups of atoms are formed called "free radicals" that can cause cell damage which in turn provides a pathway for diseases.

Antioxidants such as Resveratrol, however, suppress free radicals. "It's not so easy to say resveratrol is the main factor," the researchers indicated "It's one piece of the overall puzzle that reduces the free radicals."

The UF study also reveals that resveratrol's contribution to good health indicates that this polyphenol an antibiotic substance produced by plants as a defense against microorganisms -- prevents the growth of some cancers in laboratory mice, inhibits enzymes that cause inflammation, shrinks tumors and increases
blood flow, thus helping to reduce cardiovascular diseases. In many cases, it also extends the life of obese subjects. Some evidence also shows that resveratrol may help regulate insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients.

Resveratrol's potential to alleviate human infirmities will become increasingly more important as the nation's 76 million baby boomers undergo the aging process. One trial currently under way at UF's College of Medicine in the Institute on Aging examines the effect resveratrol may have on the physical and cognitive skills on older people.

Story Source: University of Florida.
Journal Reference: "Resveratrol and health - A comprehensive review of human clinical trials"
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2011;

How Not To Over Eat When Bored

The following is taken from the Biggest Loser Club Newsletter:

"Bored? Here's how not to eat over it

A good place to start is to ask yourself why you should change your behavior if you eat when you're bored. What is it costing you? Is it contributing to weight gain? Does it drain your energy leaving you feeling rather blah? Get clear on the WHY changing is going to improve your life.

There are no easy answers but plenty of strategies that can help. The best ones are to keep your triggers away from you and to make sure that you have a healthy and satisfying snack prepared.

Also, get enough sleep so that aren't eating from fatigue; engage in regular exercise which will increase your energy and establish a consistent eating structure so that your blood sugar doesn't crash. Come up with strategies for keeping yourself busy, inspired, or distracted at work to help you make it from a healthy breakfast to a healthy snack and then to lunch. Same with making it through the afternoon.

Make sure that you eat half of your calories during the first half of the day and you have a good source of protein at breakfast and/or lunch. This will help you have more "will power" to stick with your guns."
 

In Honor of The King!

Vitamin D Boosts Immunity

New Evidence Vitamin D

Boosts Immune Response

Laboratory-grown gingival cells treated with vitamin D boosted their production of an endogenous antibiotic, and killed more bacteria than untreated cells, according to a report in the June 2011 issue of the journal Infection and Immunity.

The research suggests that vitamin D can help protect the gums from bacterial infections that lead to gingivitis and periodontitis. Periodontitis impacts up to 50 percent of the US population, is a major cause of tooth loss, and can also contribute to heart disease. Most Americans are deficient in vitamin D.

Another laboratory's discovery demonstrated that vitamin D could stimulate white blood cells to produce natural proteins that have antibiotic activity.

Researchers from New Jersey Dental School, Newark, showed that vitamin D could stimulate lung cells to produce LL-37, a natural antibiotic protein, and kill more bacteria. That suggested that , vitamin D might help cystic fibrosis patients. In the new research, they showed that vitamin D has the same effect
on gingival cells.

They also found that vitamin D also stimulates gingival cells to produce another protein, called TREM-1, which had not been well-studied, but which was thought to be made by white blood cells. He found that it boosts production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

The new research also showed that vitamin D coordinates expression of a number of genes not previously considered to be part of the vitamin D pathway. Those genes may be involved in additional infection-fighting pathways. A more comprehensive understanding of how vitamin D carries out this regulation at the molecular level, a theory to be investigated further, and also will enable targeted therapies using vitamin D.

They found that lung and gum cells appear to have the ability to activate inactive forms of vitamin D. In addition to infectious diseases, studies suggest that it has protective effects against autoimmune diseases, and certain cancers.

Interestingly, after they began conducting research on vitamin D, they began taking it as a supplement. Since then, "I have had only one cold in four years, and that one lasted only three days," one of the scientists said. "Other people I've met who have done the same have seen similar results. We are trying to figure out how it's working, and what other infectious diseases can be mitigated by it."

Story Source:
American Society for Microbiology
Journal Reference:Vitamin D-Mediated Induction of Innate Immunity in Gingival Epithelial Cells. Infection and Immunity, 2011;

Olive Oil May Prevent A Stroke!

Increasing Dietary Intake

Of Olive Oil Daily

May Prevent A Stroke...

A new study suggests that consuming olive oil may help
prevent a stroke in older people. The research is published
in the June 15, 2011, online issue of "Neurology" the
medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"Our research suggests that a new set of dietary recommendations should be issued to prevent stroke in
people 65 and older," said researchers from the University
of Bordeaux and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) in Bordeaux, France. "Stroke is so
common in older people and olive oil would be an
inexpensive and easy way to help prevent it."

For the study, researchers looked at the medical records
of 7,625 people ages 65 and older from three cities in France: Bordeaux, Dijon and Montpellier. The participants had no
history of stroke. Olive oil consumption was categorized as
"No Use," "Moderate Use" such as using olive oil in cooking
or as dressing or with bread, and "Intensive Use" which
included using olive oil for both cooking and as dressing
or with bread.

The researchers conducting the study said the participants
mainly used extra virgin olive oil, as that is 98 percent of what
is available in France.

After a little over five years, there were 148 strokes. For the
study, the researchers considered diet, physical activity, body mass index and other risk factors for stroke, the study found
that those who regularly used olive oil for both cooking and as dressing had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke compared to
those who never used olive oil in their diet (1.5 percent in six years compared to 2.6 percent).

Olive oil has long been associated with potentially protective effects against many cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.

The study was supported by INSERM, the Institute of Health
and Public Development, Sanofi-Aventis, the Foundation for Medical Research, the National Workers Health Fund, the General Directorate of Health, the Mutual General of National Education, the Institute of Longevity, the Regional Governments
of Aquitaine and Bourgogne, the Foundation of France, the Ministry of Research, the French National Research Agency,
and Lipids for Industry, Safety and Health.

Story Source:
American Academy of Neurology.
Journal Reference:
"Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid and stroke incidence: The Three-City Study. Neurology" 2011

For Healthier Choices When Shopping - Push A Cart!

The following is taken from: Consumer Reports Health.org:

Study: For healthy choices, shop with a cart, not basket

Jul 19, 2011 3:00 PM

Heading to the grocery store? Then using a shopping cart instead of a basket can help you make healthier choices as you cruise down the aisles. At least that is the suggestion of a recent study in the Journal of Marketing Research.

The researchers, who watched 136 people as they made food choices in the grocery store, found that people who used baskets that they carried instead of carts that they pushed were more than three times as likely to choose unhealthy over healthy food items.

Why, exactly, is a little complicated, and involves something called "embodied cognition," or the notion that bodily sensations can influence our thoughts and emotions. In this case, the researchers say that the act of flexing your arm, as you do when holding a basket, somehow encourages you to choose smaller, easier rewards (also known, in this study, as "vices"), while extending your arm, as when you push a cart, has the opposite effect.

In other words, the simple act of holding a basket can trigger a desire for instant gratification, which overrides long-term goals. And here I thought I was being smart always grabbing a basket because I would be limiting my purchases to what fit in the smaller space and therefore forcing myself to buy what I needed and not waste space on frivolous cravings.

5 Kitchen Tool Must Have's

The following list of tools comes to us from the South Beach Diet newsletter.

Here are five kitchen tools you should always have at the ready in your home!

"
Sharp knives: Good sharp knives can really speed up food prep. And you don’t have to spend a fortune buying a matching 12-piece set, since you only really need four knives: a 3" or 4" paring knife for peeling, mincing, and slicing items; an 8" or 10" chef’s knife for chopping, dicing, mincing, and julienning, as well as for slicing meat, fish, and poultry; an 8" or 10" carving knife with a slender blade; and a serrated bread knife (which you can also use for slicing tomatoes).

Kitchen scissors: If you’re always using your household shears for kitchen tasks, now is the time to buy a dedicated pair. You’ll find endless uses for them in your kitchen, from trimming the excess fat from poultry and beef to snipping out the tough stems from kale.

Y-shaped peeler: With so many fancy peelers on the market, this old-fashioned gadget (with just one moving part) often gets overlooked. Because it easily follows the shape of any fruit or vegetable, it’s the fastest way to peel apples and sweet potatoes or create zucchini ribbons; it can also be used to shave cheese.

Mini food processor/blender: This indispensable gadget is available with a bowl capacity of 1 1/2 to 3 cups. It doesn’t take up much space on your counter and comes in handy for speedily chopping herbs, garlic, and nuts. It’s also great for grinding flaxseed for flax meal, making whole-wheat bread crumbs, and grating cheese.

Slow-cooker: Sometimes quicker cooking means slower cooking. With a slow cooker you can get a dinner going early in the day and forget about it until it’s time to eat. Slow cookers are good for preparing overnight steel-cut oatmeal, large-batch soups, chilies, and stews."

L-Carnitine Benefits Blood Sugar Control!

L-Carnitine Supplements Benefit

Blood Sugar Level Control

Daily supplements of L-Carnitine may improve how the body handles glucose, and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels, reports a new study from Scotland.

Implications for diabetics...

A daily dose of L-Carnitine produced a reduction in levels of blood sugar of lean men 30 minutes after being fed 75 grams
of glucose, an oral glucose tolerance test, while the response
was different in overweight and obese men, indicating that
these individuals may not be as sensitive to insulin, according
to findings published in journal Amino Acids.

"The pattern of response in glucose with L-Carnitine supplementation in lean participants (earlier timing of peak glucose and lower 30 min glucose concentration) seems to support a mechanism of enhanced glucose disposal through
a direct insulin-like action on skeletal muscle" report
researchers lfrom the University of Stirling in Scotland.

"The pattern of change in overweight / obese with L-Carnitine (delayed timing of peak glucose and higher 90 min glucose concentration) appears to support delayed gastric emptying,
but these observations need further evaluation.

"This differential response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in lean and overweight/obese participants following
oral L-carnitine supplementation could explain some of the conflicting reports on metabolic responses to carnitine supplementation evident in the literature."

L-Carnitine, a vitamin-like nutrient, occurs naturally in the human body and is essential for turning fat into energy. It is frequently used as a dietary supplement by physically active people to
help with post-exercise recovery.

The potential health conditions of the ingredient include cardiovascular benefits, weight management potential, sports nutrition (energy and recovery), and maintaining levels during pregnancy.

The L-carnitine used in the present study was administered in the form of L-carnitine L-tartrate and supplied by Lonza.

Study details...

The researchers recruited eight lean and eight overweight and obese men to participate in their 14 day study.

The men received either three grams of L-carnitine or three grams of glucose per day with their meals for 14

days. Subjects then underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), which involved feeding them 75 grams of glucose,
and then measuring the effects.

Blood sugar levels were found to be significantly lower in the L-carnitine group of lean men than in the glucose fed lean men
30 minutes after ingestion.

Conversely, blood glucose levels were higher in overweight and obese men 90 minutes after ingesting L-carnitine, compared to placebo, indicating an effect of gastric emptying, said the researchers.

"It is concluded that L-carnitine supplementation induces changes in blood glucose handling/disposal during an OGTT, which is not influenced by the gut hormone "GLP-1".

"The glucose handling / disposal response to oral L-Carnitine is different between lean and overweight/obese suggesting that further investigation is required.

"L-carnitine effects on gastric emptying and/or direct 'insulin-like' actions on tissues should be examined in larger samples of overweight/obese and lean participants, respectively," they added.

Source: Amino Acids
Volume 41, Number 2, 507-515,
"Effects of oral l-carnitine supplementation on insulin sensitivity indices in response to glucose feeding in lean and overweight- obese males"

Broccoli Fights Cancer!

Powerful Cancer-Targeting Ability

Of A Key Nutrient in Broccoli And

Other Vegetables...

Study Confirms Safety and Important Benefits

Sulforaphane is one of the primary phytochemicals in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables that helps prevent cancer.
Clinical prevention trials are already under way for its use in prostate and breast cancer.

It has been shown for the first time to selectively target and kill cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected. The findings, made by research scientists in the
Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, are another important step forward for the potential use of sulforaphone in cancer prevention and treatment.

It appears that sulforaphane, which is present at high levels in broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, is an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, or HDAC enzymes. HDAC inhibition is one of the more promising fields of cancer treatment and is being targeted from both a pharmaceutical and dietary approach, scientists say.

"It's important to demonstrate that sulforaphane is safe if we propose to use it in cancer prevention or therapies," said the investigators from the OSU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences. "Just because a phytochemical or nutrient is found in food doesn't always mean its safe, and a lot can also depend on the form or levels consumed," they clarified. They also said. "But this does appear to be a phytochemical that can selectively kill cancer cells, typically what you look for in cancer therapies."

The findings were published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, a professional journal. Research was supported by the National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the OSU Agricultural Experiment Station.

The Linus Pauling Institute has conducted some of the leading studies on sulforaphane's role as an HDAC inhibitor one, but not all, of the mechanisms by which it may help prevent cancer. HDACs are a family of enzymes that, among other things, affect access to DNA and play a role in whether certain genes are
expressed or not, such as tumor suppressor genes.

Some of the mechanisms that help prevent inappropriate cell growth, the hallmark of cancer, are circumvented in cancer cells. HDAC inhibitors can help "turn on" these silenced genes and restore normal cellular function.

Previous OSU studies done with mouse models showed that prostate tumor growth was slowed by a diet containing sulforaphane.

"It is well documented that sulforaphane can target cancer cells through multiple chemo-preventive mechanisms," the researchers wrote in their study. "Here we show for the first time that sulforaphane selectively targets benign hyperplasia cells and cancerous prostate cells while leaving the normal prostate
cells unaffected."

"These findings regarding the relative safety of sulforaphane to normal tissues have significant clinical relevance as the use of sulforaphane moves towards use in human clinical trials," they said.

They concluded "the consumption of sulforaphane-rich foods are non-toxic, safe, simple and affordable."

Story Source: Oregon State University

Journal Reference:
"Differential effects of sulforaphane on histone deacetylases, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in normal

prostate cells versus hyperplastic and cancerous prostate cells" Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2011;

Oregon State University (2011, June 9)
"Study confirms safety, cancer-targeting ability of nutrient in broccoli, other vegetables, researchers say"

Broccoli Sprouts Benefit Diabetics

Broccoli Sprouts Demonstrate

Valuable Benefits For Diabetics

Powdered broccoli sprouts may boost antioxidant defenses in people with diabetes, suggest findings from a recently published randomized clinical trial.

According to findings published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" a daily dose of five or 10 grams or the broccoli sprout powder was associated with an increase in the total antioxidant capacity of the blood, and crucial reductions in malondialdehyde (MDA), a reactive carbonyl compound and well-established marker of oxidative stress.

The study adds to the growing body of science supporting the potential health benefits of broccoli and broccoli sprouts, often praised for their potential anti-cancer activity.

Benefits of Broccoli

The tissue of cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, contain high levels of the active plant chemicals glucosinolates. These are metabolized by the body into isothiocyanates, which are powerful antioxidants and valuable anti-carcinogens. The main isothiocyanate from broccoli is called sulphoraphane.

The new study employed a broccoli sprout powder that provided high levels of sulphoraphane isothiocyanates. It examined the potential antioxidant activity of broccoli sprout powder to counter oxidative stress in diabetics.

Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress has been linked to an increased risk of various diseases including cancer, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease.

Oxygen-breathing organisms naturally produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which play an important role in a range of functions, including cell signaling. However, over production
of these ROS from smoking, pollution, sunlight, high intensity exercise, or the human aging process, may overwhelm the
body's antioxidant defenses and lead to oxidative stress.

Researchers also note that oxidative stress is a key driver in the onset of insulin resistance, which ultimately leads to diabetes. Diabetes itself is associated with increased levels of oxidative stress, and this can promote the development of diabetes-related complications (Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology, 2003, Vol. 17, pp. 24-38).

Study details

Researchers 81 diabetics to participate in their double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.Participants were randomly assigned to receive either five or10?grams per day
of the broccoli sprout powder, or placebo, for four weeks.

Results showed that both broccoli groups experienced significant decreases in MDA, that well-established marker of oxidative stress, as well as reductions in levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol, another oxidative stress marker.

"The ideal dose of broccoli sprouts has not yet been determined," wrote the scientists.

"Effects on lipid peroxidation parameters were seen only with the higher dose, although positive effects on TAC were seen with both doses," they added.

"Further studies with longer duration and different doses are needed to confirm the effects of broccoli sprouts and related mechanisms," they concluded.

Diabetes

Diabetes affects an estimated 24 million Americans, equal
to 8 percent of the population. The total costs are staggering, estimated to be as much as $174 billion; $116 billion being
direct costs from medication, according to 2005-2007
American Diabetes Association figures.

Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Cell Death From Fat and Sugar Overload

How Cell Death Occurs From

Fat and Sugar Overload

Excess fat and sugar don't just cause people
to gain excess weight and unwanted inches,
but cause metabolic stress, causing some
cells in the body to commit suicide...

These cells don't have the ability to tolerate the toxic environment excess fat and sugar cause, and ultimately initiate their own death.

Research scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have recently discovered three unexpected culprits that help a cell overloaded with fat commit suicide. They've demonstrated that these molecules leading a cell to self-destruct are small strands of RNA, not proteins, as previously theorized..Since these small nucleolar RNAs play well-known roles in building proteins, the researchers were surprised to discover them killing cells.

The research has been published in Cell Metabolism,
and is the first study to link these small RNA molecules to the
cellular damage characteristic of common metabolic diseases like diabetes."When these three RNAs are present, the cells die in response to metabolic stress, such as exposure to large amounts of fats," says cardiologist Jean E. Schaffer, MD, the Virginia Minnich Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Washington University. "But if these three RNAs are missing, the cells don't die."

It's important to recognize that cell suicide is a natural process that protects healthy tissues from damaged cells, but the process can sometimes fall out of balance. For example,
if the cell death pathway gets shut down, damaged cells may divide and lead to cancer.

Conversely, too much cell death due to abnormal metabolites, such as high levels of fats and sugar, can impair the function of tissues in the body. This type of excess cell death is involved with diabetes complications such as heart failure. It is important to understand how abnormal metabolites cause cells to die, it will be helpful in the search for effective new therapies.

According to Dr.Schaffer, who is also the director of the Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Diabetes Research Training Center at the School of Medicine, the fact that small RNA molecules are involved in this cell death pathway is totally unexpected.

"When we set out to find genes causing cellular damage due to excess fat, we were expecting to find genes that code for proteins," she explains. "Instead, we identified an entirely new function for three small nucleolar RNAs. Unrelated to their well-defined role in the cell's protein-making machinery, we discovered they participate in how cells go on to die from overload of nutrients."

In a classic genetics experiment, the researchers initially identified a genetic region that, when disabled, allows cells to continue living in high fat and high sugar conditions. While the region codes for a protein, they demonstrated that the protein itself is not involved in initiating cell death.

"At first this result really puzzled us," Dr. Schaffer continued. "The mutation occurs in a region that encodes a protein, as we might expect. But returning the protein to the mutated cells did not return the cell death response." The three small nucleolar RNAs function together not only to promote cell death from nutrient excess, but also to promote more general mechanisms of cell death in diseased tissues.

Dr. Schaffer is a cardiologist who treats patients at Barnes-Jewish Hospital; She ephasizes how a multifaceted approach is necessary to manage the complexities of metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity. Encouraging patients to reduce the amount of fat and sugar in the diet is a key strategy for treatment.

However, when dietary modification becomes ineffective, it would be helpful to have other ways to reduce cellular damage from excess fats in the muscles, heart, pancreas, liver and other organs and the team continues to pursue the search for possible treatments. "That's where our future work is headed."

This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Burroughs Welcome Foundation, the Washington University Diabetes Research Training Center and the Washington University Metabolomics facility.

Story Source:
Washington University School of Medicine
Journal Reference:
Small nucleolar RNAs U32a, U33 and U35a are critical mediators of metabolic stress.
Cell Metabolism (July 2011)

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Apple Ingredient Can Keep Muscles Strong!

New Apple Ingredient Discovery  Keeps Muscles Strong!

Natural Component of Apple Peels Found

To Help Prevent Muscle Weakening

In search of an effective method to prevent muscle wasting that comes with illness and aging, researchers have located a natural compound that is very promising.

The findings reported in the June issue of Cell Metabolism (a Cell Press publication), identify a natural component of apple peels known as Ursolic Acid as a promising newnutritional therapy for the widespread and debilitating condition that affects nearly everyone at one time or another.

"Muscle wasting is a frequent companion of illness and aging," explained researchers from The University of Iowa, Iowa City.
"It prolongs hospitalization, delays recoveries and in some cases prevents people going back home. It isn't well understood and there is no medicine for it."

The research team first looked at what happens to gene activity in muscles under conditions that promote weakening. Those studies turned up 63 genes that change in response to fasting in both people and mice and another 29 that shift their expression in the muscles of both people who are fasting and those with spinal cord injury. Comparison of those gene expression signatures to the
signatures of cells treated with more than 1300 bio-active small molecules led them to ursolic acid as a compound with effects that might counteract those of atrophy.

"Ursolic Acid is an interesting natural compound," they said. "It's part of a normal diet as a component of apple peels. They always say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away..."

The researchers next gave Ursolic Acid to fasted laboratory subjects. Those experiments showed that ursolic acid could
protect against muscle weakening as predicted. When ursolic acid was added to the food of normal subjects for a period of weeks, their muscles grew. Those effects were traced back to enhanced insulin signaling in muscle and to corrections in the gene signatures linked to atrophy.

The subjects given ursolic acid also became leaner and had lower blood levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. The findings therefore suggest that ursolic acid may be responsible for some of the overall benefits of healthy eating.

"We know if you eat a balanced diet like mom told us to eat you get this material," the researchers explained "People who eat junk food don't get this."

It is not yet clear whether the findings will translate to human patients, but the goal now is to "figure out if this can help people." If so, they don't yet know whether Ursolic Acid at levels that might be consumed as part of a normal diet might or might not be enough.

Journal Reference:
mRNA Expression Signatures of Human Skeletal Muscle Atrophy Identify a Natural Compound that Increases Muscle Mass. Cell Metabolism

Cell Death From Fat and Sugar Overload

How Cell Death Occurs From

Fat and Sugar Overload

Excess fat and sugar don't just cause people
to gain excess weight and unwanted inches,
but cause metabolic stress, causing some
cells in the body to commit suicide...

These cells don't have the ability to tolerate the toxic environment excess fat and sugar cause, and ultimately initiate their own death.

Research scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have recently discovered three unexpected culprits that help a cell overloaded with fat commit suicide. They've demonstrated that these molecules leading a cell to self-destruct are small strands of RNA, not proteins, as previously theorized..Since these small nucleolar RNAs play well-known roles in building proteins, the researchers were surprised to discover them killing cells.

The research has been published in Cell Metabolism,
and is the first study to link these small RNA molecules to the
cellular damage characteristic of common metabolic diseases like diabetes."When these three RNAs are present, the cells die in response to metabolic stress, such as exposure to large amounts of fats," says cardiologist Jean E. Schaffer, MD, the Virginia Minnich Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Washington University. "But if these three RNAs are missing, the cells don't die."

It's important to recognize that cell suicide is a natural process that protects healthy tissues from damaged cells, but the process can sometimes fall out of balance. For example,
if the cell death pathway gets shut down, damaged cells may divide and lead to cancer.

Conversely, too much cell death due to abnormal metabolites, such as high levels of fats and sugar, can impair the function of tissues in the body. This type of excess cell death is involved with diabetes complications such as heart failure. It is important to understand how abnormal metabolites cause cells to die, it will be helpful in the search for effective new therapies.

According to Dr.Schaffer, who is also the director of the Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Diabetes Research Training Center at the School of Medicine, the fact that small RNA molecules are involved in this cell death pathway is totally unexpected.

"When we set out to find genes causing cellular damage due to excess fat, we were expecting to find genes that code for proteins," she explains. "Instead, we identified an entirely new function for three small nucleolar RNAs. Unrelated to their well-defined role in the cell's protein-making machinery, we discovered they participate in how cells go on to die from overload of nutrients."

In a classic genetics experiment, the researchers initially identified a genetic region that, when disabled, allows cells to continue living in high fat and high sugar conditions. While the region codes for a protein, they demonstrated that the protein itself is not involved in initiating cell death.

"At first this result really puzzled us," Dr. Schaffer continued. "The mutation occurs in a region that encodes a protein, as we might expect. But returning the protein to the mutated cells did not return the cell death response." The three small nucleolar RNAs function together not only to promote cell death from nutrient excess, but also to promote more general mechanisms of cell death in diseased tissues.

Dr. Schaffer is a cardiologist who treats patients at Barnes-Jewish Hospital; She ephasizes how a multifaceted approach is necessary to manage the complexities of metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity. Encouraging patients to reduce the amount of fat and sugar in the diet is a key strategy for treatment.

However, when dietary modification becomes ineffective, it would be helpful to have other ways to reduce cellular damage from excess fats in the muscles, heart, pancreas, liver and other organs and the team continues to pursue the search for possible treatments. "That's where our future work is headed."

This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Burroughs Welcome Foundation, the Washington University Diabetes Research Training Center and the Washington University Metabolomics facility.

Story Source:
Washington University School of Medicine
Journal Reference:
Small nucleolar RNAs U32a, U33 and U35a are critical mediators of metabolic stress.
Cell Metabolism (July 2011)

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Fitness In Adults Related to Overall Health Status Later in Life

Fitness in Adults Linked to

Their Overall Health Status

Later In Life...

The prevalence of frailty, which is linked to earlier death, increases throughout adulthood as people age and not just after age 65, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Relatively good fitness levels at all ages were predictive of lower mortality and less reliance on health
care services.

Frailty in medical terms refers to a person's health status and the risk of adverse events related to various health conditions. It is usually associated with older adults.

The researchers sought to understand the impact of age on fitness and frailty, the profile of relatively fit people aged 15 to 102 compared with frail adults and the impact of fitness and frailty related to age and sex on mortality. They looked at data on 14 713 people, of whom 54% were women, over a 12 year period from 1994-1995 to 2006-2007 with 2 year monitoring intervals.

A Frailty Index, used to grade risk, rated people's health levels and the accumulation of health deficits. These included diseases, disabilities (such as needing help with meal preparation), symptoms (such as hearing impairment), allergies and other conditions.

Most participants (7,183) reported fairly high relative fitness at the start of the study compared with 1019 who were frail. These relatively fit people generally stayed healthy and those who were frail at the start were most likely to die.

As participants aged, their frailty level increased."We found that the prevalence of frailty increased exponentially with age throughout the adult life span and not just after age 65, where the sharpest inflection of the curve occurred," explained research scientists from Dalhousie University, and the Centre for Health Care of the Elderly, Halifax, Nova Scotia, "At all ages, relatively fit people had a lower mortality and used fewer health care services."

People with higher frailty levels used more health care services and the risk of institutionalization increased for the frailest.

"That deficits accumulate with age is not surprising; indeed, at the sub-cellular level, this is said to be how aging occurs," write the authors. "Our data suggest that deficit accumulation is a fact of aging, not age, and that the antecedents of frailty in late life manifest at least by middle age."

The authors suggest a more integrated approach to managing frail patients is required given the complex nature of frailty.

Journal Reference: Canadian Medical Association Journal (2011, April 27)
"Changes in relative fitness and frailty across the adult lifespan: evidence from the Canadian National Population Health Survey" CMAJ,

Calcium and Weight Loss

Calcium and Weight Loss

New Research On Calcium Shows...

Although Early Effects Are Small,

They're Significant For Long-Term

Weight Management

Calcium dietary supplements may produce small, but
statistically significant weight loss, according to a new meta-analysis published in Nutrition Reviews.

Data from seven trials showed that calcium may provide
weight loss of around 3 - 4 lbs per year, compared with
placebo, according to study results .

More importantly, a daily dose of 1,000 milligrams of calcium
was associated with a "small, significant reduction in body fat"
of about 4 - 5 lbs per year, report the scientists from the Department of Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School at the University of Exeter, UK.

"While the findings suggest that calcium supplementation for
at least 6 months results in a statistically significant weight loss
in obese and overweight individuals, the clinical relevance is uncertain," they added.

The potential role of dairy and the calcium it provides, for weight management is a topic of ongoing debate. A critical relationship between dairy intake and weight reduction has been recorded in numerous studies, and the dairy industries in Europe and the US have been promoting milk-based products for consumers who want to slim down.

Some researchers believe that calcium and vitamin D are the
key nutrients behind the effects; Others said that dairy can help reduce body fat and that calcium only accounts for about 40 per cent of the effect.

In an accompanying editorial in the same journal, researchers from Creighton University in Nebraska said the meta-analysis provided "an opportunity to clarify some of the confusion surrounding this issue".

For a 140 kg (308 lbs) woman seeking to lose half of her
body weight, the mean weight loss calculated by the researchers
of about 4 - 5 lbs per year would "have very limited interest. However, for the general population confronting weight gain
(such as healthy women at mid-life) this same weight effect
is huge," they said.

The experts believe there are four significant conclusions that could responsibly be drawn from the meta-analysis: In addition
to countering the weight gain that may occur in mid-life, calcium "should be a component of any weight loss regimen, as it augments the weight loss of a caloric deficit while protecting
lean body mass; it is not a substitute for control of an energy intake/output imbalance; and calcium is not a drug and is
certainly not a magic bullet".

The researchers noted that reports in the literature do support biological plausibility for calcium to aid body weight and fat loss; Vitamin D in the active form, stimulates the breakdown of fat and inhibits the action of fat cells.

There are also reports that indicate that a diet rich in calcium may promote the oxidation of fat, "resulting in the removal of additional amounts of calories from the body".

Source:

Nutrition Reviews

Volume 69, Issue 6, Pages: 335-343,
"Efficacy of calcium supplementation for management of overweight and obesity: systematic review of randomized
clinical trials"

Salmon Compound Shows Benefits for the Obese

Salmon Compound (Astaxanthin) Demonstrates Benefits For Obesity

Helps Boost Antioxidant Defense System
For Supporting Cardiovascular Health

Daily supplements containing astaxanthin, the natural compound present in salmon that gives its pink color, may boost the body's antioxidants defenses in obese people, reports a new study from South Korea.

Astaxanthin from Salmon May Reduce

Oxidative Stress in Overweight / Obese People

Researchers from Seoul National University report that daily doses of 5 or 20 milligrams of astaxanthin for three weeks were associated with beneficial increases in levels of the body's own antioxidant defenses, as well as decreases in levels of oxidative stress.

"Although the data show that astaxanthin is protective against obesity-induced oxidative stress, a longer term study with a larger sample size should be conducted to establish whether astaxanthin supplementation can consistently and permanently reduce oxidative stress levels," wrote the researchers in Phytotherapy Research.

"Also, this intervention should be performed to provide additional data with regard to the effect of astaxanthin in an additional group of subjects with oxidative-stress-related disease, such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and diabetes."

The known nutritional benefits of Astaxanthin are eye and skin health and it has also been linked to joint health and central nervous system health. Its powerful antioxidant properties are said to be 500 times that of vitamin E.  Most astaxanthin is derived from the sea algae known as "Haematococcus pluvialis" which is commonly consumed by fish and crustaceans and is responsible for their healthy
pink coloration.

Study Details...

The researchers recruited 23 overweight people in their twenties to participate in their prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 5 or 20 milligrams per day of astaxanthin (supplied by Marine Product Tech. Inc.of South Korea)
for three weeks.

At the end of the study, results showed a decrease in levels of malondialdehyde (MDA - a reactive carbonyl compound and an established marker of oxidative stress) of about 35 percent in both dosage groups, compared to levels at the start of the study. In addition, isoprostane levels (another oxidative stress marker) were reduced after supplementation, by about 65 percent in both groups.

The researchers also observed an increase in levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), an antioxidant enzyme, of 193 percent, as well as an increased of about 123 percent in the total antioxidant capacity of the blood.

"The plasma concentration of astaxanthin in the 20 mg group was significantly higher than that in the 5 mg group over 3 weeks," said the researchers. "However, none of the bio-markers were significantly different between the two groups during the 3 week intervention. This indicates that the plasma concentration and the clinical effect of astaxanthin are not necessarily proportional. Therefore, the recommended daily dose of astaxanthin is 5 mg, to reduce the elevated oxidative stress in overweight and obese individuals."

Source: Phytotherapy Research (Published online)
"Effects of Astaxanthin on Oxidative Stress in Overweight and Obese Adults"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.