Not having enough natural vitamin E and naturally-produced vitamin D in the body can predispose a person to dementia and cognitive decline.

In a recent Dutch study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, it was found that not having enough vitamin E and vitamin D over the long term predisposed a person to cognitive decline and even the psychiatric disorder dementia.

Vitamin E and dementia

The study, which was undertaken by researchers from the Erasmus Medical Center, used questionnaires to track the diet of more than five thousand individual respondents.  The respondents were further tracked for an additional ten years.  Within this period of time, more than four hundred respondents were diagnosed with dementia while more than three hundred respondents developed Alzheimer’s disease.

After analyzing the combined data produced by the five thousand plus test subjects, it was found that an average intake of 18.5 mg of vitamin E reduced the chances of developing the psychiatric disease dementia than those who did not.  Individuals who had developed dementia had an average intake of only 9 mg of vitamin E per day.

According to the researchers, the connection between vitamin E intake and brain health is quite straightforward: the brain is an organ that is in constant metabolic activity.  Organic metabolism produces waste products, including free radicals.  If there are too many free radicals in the brain and too little anti-oxidants in the body, the brain tissue suffers directly from oxidative stress.  Vitamin E and other anti-oxidants can help reduce oxidative stress, which in turn promotes overall wellness and not just brain health.

Vitamin D and cognitive decline

In an unrelated study, researchers from UK’s University of Exeter discovered that individuals who had too little vitamin D were at risk for cognitive decline over the long term.  The study made use of data collected from more than 800 adults in the UK, who were above 50 in age.  Instead of questionnaires, the UK study used actual cognitive tests to measure cognitive stability and decline over a six year period.  They also tested the level of vitamin D present in the blood of the test subjects.

It was found that test subjects who had less than twenty-five nanomoles for every liter of blood had a 60% higher chance of cognitive decline.  According to David Llewellyn, lead researcher, a causal pathway between vitamin D deficiency and cognitive decline has finally been established with the help of their study, which means that cognitive decline can indeed be prevented by increasing the amount of vitamin D in the body.  And the easiest and most natural way to do this is to get direct sun exposure for at least ten minutes everyday.

In a  commentary produced by academics from the University of Auckland, it was said that it was high time that further examinations be performed to find out whether or not the public should be formally made aware of the benefits of vitamin D.

Natural or synthetic vitamin E

There are two main forms of vitamin E available in the market – synthetic vitamin E and natural vitamin E.  While some experts say that it’s basically the same, a study that had been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition begs to differ.

According to the study, natural vitamin E was more bio-available than synthetic vitamin E.  Bio-availability is an important issue when it comes to supplements because it is the direct measurement of how much of a supplement is actually absorbed and used by the body. When there is low bio-availability, the benefits of a supplement are not maximized because only part of the dose is actually absorbed.

Other benefits of vitamin D and vitamin E

Vitamin D

1. Getting enough vitamin D can prevent advanced arthritic conditions from manifesting – you just have to be outdoors a few minutes everyday to keep your vitamin D levels up.  As one ages, the natural vitamin D production decreases, so you have to adjust your lifestyle to increase production during the golden years.

2. Healthy levels of vitamin D can help benefit the cardiac function by regulating blood pressure levels.

3. A link between vitamin D intake and reduction of the risk for multiple sclerosis has been established by numerous independent studies.

4. Vitamin D can help people with chronic pain.  People with fibromyalgia, arthritis and joint pain can also benefit from vitamin D intake.

Vitamin E

1. Vitamin E can keep older women healthy and free from common chronic, degenerative disease, says a study that has been published in the Journal of the AMA.

2. Vitamin E has been shown to slow down the growth of prostate cancer, according to a US study called the SELECT trial.

3. Vitamin E has natural anti-oxidant properties, which reduces oxidative stress and may also help reduce the occurrence of many types of cancer, including breast cancer and prostate cancer.

4. Vitamin E when applied topically can help lighten scars by improving the production of new skin and the formation of collagen, an important component in the skin that makes it resistant to physical stresses and also makes it supple.

400 IU of natural vitamin E per day is recommended for women over the age forty for general wellness and possible cancer prevention.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
vitamins-nutrition.org
longevity.about.com
heartdisease.about.com
ms.about.com
arthritis.about.com
nutrition.about.com
prostatecancer.about.com
breastcancer.about.com
adam.about.com
altmedicine.about.com
longevity.about.com

]]> http://naturalhealthontheweb.com/mangano-minute/blogs/?feed=rss2&p=1495 0 http://naturalhealthontheweb.com/mangano-minute/blogs/?p=1031 http://naturalhealthontheweb.com/mangano-minute/blogs/?p=1031#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:44:51 +0000 admin http://naturalhealthontheweb.com/mangano-minute/blogs/?p=1031

Israel study shows that "indiscriminate" supplementation can lead to a shorter life.

It’s time to go back in time.  Think back to when you were in your high school health class.  At some point during the semester, I’m sure you learned about vitamins and how all of them fall into one of two classes:  Fat soluble or water soluble.  Water soluble vitamins—like vitamin B complex, and vitamin C—dissolve easily but empty out of the body easily as well.  In other words, you need to be eating them every day to have a sufficient amount for your cells to work with.

In contrast, fat soluble vitamins—vitamins A, D, E and K—require fat for the body to absorb them.  And because the body stores fat, the body absorbs fat soluble vitamins readily.  In other words, you don’t need copious amounts of these vitamins to be healthy.  In fact, if you have too much of them, they can cause serious problems.  A recent study demonstrates what I mean.

According to researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel, people who supplemented “indiscriminately” with vitamin E supplements had a worse quality of life than those who didn’t take vitamin E supplements.

They assessed “quality of life” through a unique measurement called quality adjusted life years, or QALY.  As the lead doctor explains it, imagine someone who has minimal health problems over a 10-year period, but then suffers a stroke.  If that person lives, those next 10 years are typically lived under conditions where he or she must rely on others to care for them.  This person has a low QALY.

So when researchers applied this measuring stick to over 300,000 subjects, they found an interesting correlation among people who supplemented with vitamin E for an extended period of time.  For those that supplemented with vitamin E, they actually lived about four months fewer than those that didn’t supplement with vitamin E.

The findings were convincing enough for the researchers that they went so far as to conclude that “going to the grocery store to buy vitamin E supplements won’t do you good.”

I’m not willing to go that far.

What I am willing to say is that fat soluble vitamins should not be taken indiscriminately.  In other words, don’t supplement with fat soluble vitamins if you’re already getting plenty of vitamin D from the sun, vitamin E from leafy greens and nuts, vitamin A from carrots and yams, and vitamin K from cabbage and broccoli.

Here’s the recommended range for each vitamin.

For men and women:

Vitamin A   Between 900-3,000 mcg

Vitamin D   Between 10-50 mcg

Vitamin E  Between 33-1,500 mcg

Vitamin K  At least 75 mcg (No known toxicity symptoms for vitamin K)

For information on what foods are richest in A, D, E and K, click the highlighted letters.

Sources:
supplementquality.com
sciencedaily.com

Vitamin E supplementation shows improvement in children with autism.

The famous former prime minister Winston Churchill will be forever remembered as a stalwart conservative, but no one could call him conservative in his commentary.

Never one to pull punches, Churchill called it like he saw it, with utterances like “I may be drunk, miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly,” “There is no such thing as a good tax,” and “A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.”

He applied this quote to anything that was mysterious or difficult to explain.  And while Churchill wasn’t known for applying this quote to diseases or health matters, I have no doubt he would have applied it to man’s understanding of autism.

Though science has come a long way in determining just what autism is, it still remains that riddle wrapped inside a mystery inside an enigma.

What is known about autism is that it’s a developmental disorder that overwhelmingly affects young children, boys primarily.  It’s typically diagnosed between a child’s first and third birthday, and is characterized by an inability to communicate, aggressive behavior and/or repetitive motions.

There’s no known cure for autism, so treatment options really run the gamut, much of it depending on the severity of the child’s condition.  Prescription drugs and therapy are often required, but there’s been an ever increasing investigation into analyzing the diet of a person’s autism.

In a past column written on autism, I talked about the common food allergies the scientific community often sees in people with autism.  Today, the scientific community is looking into what autistic boys and girls may be lacking in.

For instance, writing in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, Russell L. Blaylock discusses his findings about how children with autism might react to dietary interventions.  Past research has indicated that children with autism are often neglecting in vitamin E.  Using this knowledge as a backdrop, Blaylock recruited 187 children to see how their supplementing with vitamin E and omega-3s might affect their symptoms.

According to Blaylock and the parents’ assessment of their autistic children at the conclusion of the study, all of the children showed improvements in virtually every aspect that autism tends to affect after supplementation:  speech, eye contact, motor skills and sensory perception.  At the start of the study, all of the children were deficient in these areas of communication.

As with all studies, more needs to be researched before making any broad-based conclusions as to how vitamin E and omega-3s can counter the effects of autism.  But this is certainly a welcome finding in a world that’s dominated by advancements in drug therapy treatments.  There’s no question that some prescription drugs have done wonders for millions of people, but advancements in natural medicine is a breath of fresh air.

Sources:
rightwingnews.com
nhiondemand.com
alternative-therapies.com

The findings from this study stated that the risk of physical decline was 1.62 higher in those participants who had lower levels of Vitamin E. Therefore, the results of this study show that an adequate amount of Vitamin E consumed through your daily diet can help prevent the physical decline that can come with the aging process. When the term physical decline is used this is referring to the ability to take a simple brisk walk or stand and sit down without pain or feeling out of breath. These are the simple activities and actions that may not be simple for men and women as they get older.

This study found no additional connection between the tests and the participants energy or blood levels, which implies that the benefit is derived from Vitamin E. Although the study could not directly discover what exactly the presence of Vitamin E does to promote physical abilities and decrease the risk of immobility, there will be more studies to come. Now you may be wondering how you can first learn what your Vitamin E levels are and how you can consume the right amount of Vitamin E in order to reap these natural health benefits. First, visit your own personal physician to have your levels tested. This will give you a good idea as to where your health currently stands.

The next step is to learn how to consume Vitamin E through foods before turning towards natural supplements. Some of the foods that contain high levels of Vitamin E include:

-Dark, green leafy vegetables

-Nuts

-Seeds

-Whole grains

-Brown rice

-Eggs

-Kelp

-Oatmeal

-Sweet potatoes

As you can see there are dozens of different ways to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin E in your diet without having to use supplements. Simply pay attention to what you eat throughout the day. You will find that this will take an unhealthy diet and spin it around for healthier eating as well!

There’s a very nice gentleman that works out at my gym named Frank. Frank’s not unlike the other regulars; he comes in, exchanges pleasantries with the staff and his fellow exercise addicts, goes through his weightlifting routine and leaves after about an hour and a half. One thing makes him stand out, though: he’s 85 years old!

Though there are lots of older folk that attend my gym, few lift weights with the same amount of weight and intensity as Frank.  As such, I’ve often wondered what’s coursing through Frank’s veins that other people his age don’t have.  Willpower is certainly one; good genetics is probably another.  The other thing he probably has a lot of that I didn’t give much consideration to is vitamin E. 

You probably didn’t think vitamin E played much of a role in one’s level of physical activity.  And why would you?  After all, vitamin E is usually referenced in health reports when it comes to improving one’s skin, or assisting in the digestion and the absorption of nutrients from food.  You may have even heard it referenced as a protection against diseases like Parkinson’s and bladder cancer.  But according to research from the Yale School of Medicine, vitamin E also plays a role in the decline of physical activity among the elderly.

To determine this, researchers collected blood samples from approximately 700 people in the 65 and older age bracket.  They then analyzed the levels of vital nutrients and vitamins in their bloodstream to see if any of them were lacking.  Participants were also asked to perform various physical tasks so researchers could detect the level of physical decline over a three-year period.

What the researchers found was that among the people whose physical activity declined the most, they all had low levels of vitamin E. 

“The odds of declining in physical function was 1.62 times greater in persons with low levels of vitamin E compared with persons with higher levels,” said Benedetta Bartali, nutritionist, author and lead researcher of the study.  “Our results suggest that an appropriate dietary intake of vitamin E may help to reduce the decline in physical function among older persons.”

The researchers believe vitamin E plays this role in physical activity because of its antioxidant properties.  Antioxidants work to rid the body of free radicals, the very free radicals that adversely affect one’s level of physical activity.  However, because vitamin E was the only antioxidant tested in the study, the researchers can’t be absolutely certain low levels of vitamin E is the common thread.  Further tests will examine other antioxidants and their impact on physical activity, antioxidants like vitamins A and C.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in maintaining or increasing your level of physical activity, finding good sources of vitamin E through food isn’t hard.  Great sources include sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, papaya, olives and blueberries.  Just a handful of blueberries will give you about 10 percent of your daily recommended allotment, which is said to be about 15 mg per day for men and women 14 years of age and older (more for pregnant and lactating females).

Although there were many factors to consider throughout this type of study, the researchers found that only low levels of Vitamin E were associated with the consistent decline of physical abilities. Although there have yet to be any studies which determine what the optimal level of Vitamin E should be for older people in order to avoid this decline of physical ability, it is certain that you can obtain the necessary levels through diet alone.

The participants of this study did not take Vitamin E supplements and the researchers recommended obtaing it through food sources. It is far more effective to obtain your Vitamin E intake through the different foods you include in your diet. The foods to target include, almonds, dark green and leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, whole grains, and the list goes on and on. It is important to take the time to include these sources of nutrients in your diet to not only obtain a strong nutritional food intake but to help keep your health strong as you grow older.

All it takes is the time to readjust your diet and meal plan and do what you can to include the Vitamin E positive foods which can be integrated into your favorite meals quite easily. You will find that broccoli, spinach, peanuts and kiwi, just to name a few are great sources of Vitamin E that everyone can enjoy!

Although this study shows that Vitamin E can only affect your physical decline for people 65 years or older, this does not mean for those of you who are younger can neglect your Vitamin E levels and continue choosing a less than healthy diet. The more you begin to research your own Vitamin E levels, you will learn more and more about the Vitamin E supplements which are at your disposal. By visiting your local Natural Health store and speaking with a naturopathic professional, you can find the perfect Vitamin E supplement to help improve your health in a different way.

Although getting your vitamins from food sources is always preferred, the fact of the matter is that the typical Amercian diet is nutritionally flawed and this is where supplementation becomes beneficial. I advocate taking a Vitamin E supplement in conjunction with your natural diet approaches to further make sure you are getting the Vitamin E your body needs. It is important to point out that if you’re taking a Vitamin E supplement be sure it’s a natural source of Vitamin E as synthetic Vitamin E is only 67 percent as active as the natural form. Look for the “d-alpha-tocopherol” form, which is the most potent.

Take this study into consideration as you get older and do what you can to make sure you are getting the most of your Vitamin E nutrients, as it can make a difference in how you live your life in your older years.

This study found that after the 10 year study period was up 2,031 of their participants developed cataracts. Those who took the most Vitamin E supplements and natural food intake were found to be 14% less likely to develop cataracts than those participants who had lower or non-existent levels of Vitamin E. Additionally, women who took in more lutein and zeaxanthin, which are compounds found in darker and yellow leafy vegetables were 18% less likely to develop cataracts in their future.

Vitamin E levels can do a great deal for the body and by including this vitamin in your diet through foods you are taking the responsibility and control over your own health.  You can find Vitamin E through foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole grains, brown rice, nuts, seeds and legumes.

This is just a short list of the different areas you can utilize to make sure that your Vitamin E levels are where they should be. The daily recommended dosage or intake of Vitamin E can vary when it comes to your age and current health condition, which makes it a smart choice to visit a naturopathic professional to learn what your specific and unique Vitamin E intake should be and if you are a candidate for supplements if your levels are increasingly low.

With this new study stating that Vitamin E can also have an effect on your vision that is just one more reason to make sure that you are doing everything you can to include Vitamin E rich foods in your diet or making the necessary arrangements for the proper supplements for you. Always do what you can to extract Vitamin E naturally through foods.

Frank Mangano’s commentary:
 
Folks, the benefits of vitamin E have long been known. 

Vitamin E deficiency has been linked to both bowel cancer and breast cancer. A deficiency may also result in damage to red blood cells and destruction of nerves.

Antioxidants in Vitamin E help fight free radicals and oxidants, molecules which damage fats and cells. It’s very important in cancer prevention. Vitamin E is helpful in preventing oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol. It also promotes normal blood clotting and healing, lowers blood pressure and maintains healthy nerves.

Some excellent food sources include dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

*Important note* If you’re taking a Vitamin E supplement be sure it’s a natural source of Vitamin E as synthetic Vitamin E is only 67 percent as active as the natural form. Look for the “d-alpha-tocopherol” form, which is the most potent.