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=1419 http://naturalhealthontheweb.com/mangano-minute/blogs/?p=1419#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:35:08 +0000 admin http://naturalhealthontheweb.com/mangano-minute/blogs/?p=1419

Polyphenols, potent antioxidants found in shitake mushrooms, great tea and grape seed, may be the most effective natural immune booster the modern world has been looking for.

In a new study spearheaded by German scientists, it was found that a special juice mix composed of shitake mushrooms, green tea, grape seed and the extract from grape seeds may help reduce the occurrence of one of science’s most baffling problems: the common cold.

Because the common cold can be caused by literally hundreds of different pathogens, no single vaccination can be effective against it.  This is where the human immune system steps in: the stronger the immune system, the less likely for a person to suffer from the common cold.

Polyphenols vs. the common cold

The special juice mix had a high dose of natural polyphenols, one of nature’s most potent antioxidants.  According to researchers from Rudolf Wild GmbH, the proponent of the study, the respondents of their study are termed as being “immune impaired” because the test subjects have imbalanced diets, are overweight, etc.

Some respondents have also been exposed to physical stress. The researchers’ choice of respondents is important: because the subjects of the study are immune impaired, it is easier to measure their response to nutritional benefits.

Because nearly everyone, at least at one point in their lives, have been immune-impaired, the researchers stated that the results of their study can be accurately extrapolated for the rest of the population. This means that whatever benefits emerge from the study is potentially accessible to anyone who wishes to partake of the benefits of polyphenols.

The study reported a clear improvement in the test subjects who had been suffering from a general feeling of malaise, headaches, pain in the joints, nausea, hoarseness, coughing fits, etc.  The results were compared to a placebo group that showed little or no improvement throughout the testing period.

The testing ran for ten full days, with each respondent (in the test group) being given two doses of the polyphenol-rich juice mix.  All the respondents had a cold that started 24 hours or less before the 10-day study began.

Polyphenols as immune boosting compounds

The big question after the study was of course, “how did that happen?”  According to the researchers, the immune-boosting power of the polyphenol-rich juice mix may be due to the presence of the following compound, two of which have been associated with strengthening the body’s immune cells (T-cells):

• Catechines
• L-theanine
• 3-O glucoside
• Vitamin C (61.4 mg for every 500 milliliters of the juice mix)

The 3-O glucoside compound, found in grape seed, may also inhibit the formation of COX-1 enzyme and COX-2 enzyme. These two enzymes, known collectively as cyclooxygenase, have been linked with the increased incidence of tissue inflammation, ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer.

The critical role of antioxidants

Polyphenols have been long in the list of nature’s most efficient antioxidants.  Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemical compounds that protect the body’s cells from premature aging and destruction by removing free radicals.  Free radicals are by-products produced by the body’s cells – unfortunately, these by-products also have the ability to harm healthy cells.   Antioxidants reduce the damage by neutralizing these free radicals.

In addition to protecting the body’s cells from free radicals, antioxidants are also being studied for their potential role in reducing the incidence of breast cancer and also heart diseases.  In more recent years, it has also been linked to a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most common medical conditions of the senior population in the United States.

Other benefits of antioxidants

For many decades, science has been testing and continually exploring the other possible benefits of antioxidants to the human body.  Here are just some of the established benefits of antioxidants:

1. May reduce the incidence of heart disease.

2. Helps boost the immune system.

3. May help slow down internal and external signs of aging.

4. Antioxidants such as vitamin C may also help improve respiratory function, skin health and bone health.

5. Selenium, a natural antioxidant found in fruits, vegetables, grains and meat, has been linked to increased killer cell activities and increased production of antibodies. Selenium has also been associated with the decreased incidence of prostate cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

6. Carrots, which contain a lot of beta carotene, may help reduce night vision problems and bodily infections. Eating carrots and other similar vegetables also enhance the body’s natural development.

7. Vitamin E protects the fats necessary for normal cell growth, reproduction and functions. Is also being hailed as the vitamin for slowing down age-related medical conditions.

8. Lutein, a natural antioxidant, may help promote healthier eyes and clearer vision.

9. Lycopene, a popular antioxidant found in tomato-based products, is very efficient in cleaning up the free radicals in the body and is also readily absorbed by the human body.

10. Antioxidants may help slow down the progress of chronic, degenerative diseases such as adult-onset diabetes.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
news-medical.net
arthritis.co.za
faqs.org
carrotmuseum.co.uk
csiro.au
globalhealingcenter.com

Vitamin E has been shown to improve liver function for those with fatty liver disease. This is a serious issue that impacts approximately 5% of Americans and can actually be fatal in some cases.

One of the most common liver diseases related to obesity is called fatty liver disease.  Unfortunately, doctors currently believe that this issue has no form of treatment.  However, researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth University have discovered that Vitamin E can help patients with fatty liver disease.  Researchers were surprised at these findings, as typically vitamin supplements are only thought by medical professionals to treat problems caused by nutritional deficiencies.

When people have fatty liver disease, fat can build up in the liver and cause inflammation as well as scarring.  Eventually this can cause a liver to fail in some extreme cases.  Fatty liver disease is common in middle-aged people who are overweight.  Up to 5% of Americans are reported to have this issue.

In this new study, 247 people with advanced fatty liver disease were assigned to one of three groups.  One group took vitamin E in a high dosage, one group took a placebo and one took a diabetes drug called Actos. Biopsies showed that those who took Vitamin E saw a 43% increase in liver function.  While participants who took Actos also saw improvement in their livers, the percentage of increased liver function was not as high as in the group taking Vitamin E.  Also these people who took Actos gained weight during the experiment.

Other treatments for fatty liver disease include losing weight by eating right and exercising.

Aside from treating fatty liver disease, Vitamin E also has a number of other health applications.  As an antioxidant, it can fight cell damage that is caused by free radicals.  It can also protect against prostate cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.  As Vitamin E taken in large doses can be toxic, be sure to follow the recommendation on the label.  Also, consult with your physician prior to supplementing with Vitamin E if you’re taking a blood thinner.

Last but not least, synthetic vitamin E doesn’t work the same as natural Vitamin E.  Therefore, be sure to take the natural form, which is D-alpha tocopherol.

Sources:
news.yahoo.com
whfoods.com

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

There’s no news like bad news, and once again, the media have illustrated this axiomatic truth.

For years, I and others in the natural health world have written about the array of benefits antioxidants provide the body.  How antioxidants neutralize free radicals, how they diminish the risk of an assortment of diseases and how they slow the aging process.

These positive benefits haven’t been hid by the media, but they’re rarely afforded the headline status they deserve.  This is mostly because it’s not perceived as news – people just seem to take the benefits of antioxidants for granted whenever a new study comes out on just how effective they are in contributing to overall well-being.

But if a study comes out slamming antioxidants as phony and destructive to health?  Now that’s a story.  It’s the classic journalism credo of “’Dog bites man’ isn’t news, but ‘Man Bites Dog’ is.”

Well ladies and gentlemen, that’s just what we have today, as a study’s been released that actually pooh-poohs the benefits of antioxidants. The researchers say that antioxidants actually “block the positive benefits of exercise on metabolism.”

Now that’s chutzpah!

German researchers came to this conclusion after recruiting approximately 40 men to participate in a four-week study that tested their athletic ability (85 minutes of cardio).  The recruits were both trained and untrained as far as overall fitness goes, and approximately half were assigned to take vitamin C and E supplements following exercise.  The other half took a placebo.

At the end of the study, the researchers came to some surprising – and in my and others’ opinions, flawed – conclusions.  The group that took the placebo showed some improvements in their metabolism, in that their bodies were better able to control and regulate blood sugar (one of the many benefits reaped from regular exercise).  But this wasn’t the case for those who took the vitamin E and C supplements.  They showed no improvements in insulin resistance.

The researchers chalk it up to antioxidants’ blocking reactive oxygen, and because of this, antioxidants might, get this, increase the risk of type II diabetes!

Again, that’s chutzpah!

The sensationally specious study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

I could go into great depth as to why this study should be taken with a grain of salt, and it starts with the fact that it was so small and only involved men.  But thankfully, there’s been a lot of reaction within the scientific community that epitomize my line of thinking in a more reasonably argued way, so I’ll let one of them speak on my behalf.

One of whom is Dr. Alexander Schauss. Speaking to NutraIngredients.com, Dr. Schauss of the AIBMR Life Sciences Center, an organization dedicated to natural products research, said that the study is flawed on its face because the German researchers asked trained and untrained athletes to perform the same amount of aerobic activity.  Naturally, the lab tests of an untrained person’s body will react differently than those of a trained athlete.

Secondly, much of the German researchers’ data was incomplete.  For instance, they collected muscle biopsies from some of the recruits, yet not for others.

Another one of his criticisms hearkens back to my media criticism, in that while the researchers pooh-pooh antioxidants benefit to exercise, they don’t say there’s any negative effects associated with vitamin E and vitamin C.  Yet the headlines around the world imply this untruth all day long (e.g. “Do Antioxidants Curb an Exercise Benefit,” “Antioxidants Blunt Exercise Benefit,” “Vitamins Undo Exercise Efforts”).

I’m hoping we’ve all reached the point where we can’t judge a book by its cover. You have to really read a study or article before coming to any conclusions.

This is a classic case of why you shouldn’t always take studies as gospel.  Because sometimes, they’re written just to get attention.

And all too often, the media are happy to oblige.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
nutraingredients.com
webmd.com