Why Dads Need to Be Drinking More Green Tea

Green tea may slow the growth of prostate cancer.

This past Sunday was pretty eventful day on the calendar.  Not only was it the first day of summer, but it was also Father’s Day.  And in an effort to honor the most influential man in most of our lives, Major League Baseball and the boys of summer wore baby blue wristbands and ribbons to raise awareness for prostate cancer.  Prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer in its prevalence among men – with 240,000 new diagnoses expected this year alone.

As great and admirable as this was, MLB teams could have taken the honorific a step further by filling those Gatorade coolers in dugouts with some iced green tea, as a recent study suggests it may slow the progression of prostate cancer.

There are of course lots of changes that take place in the body after prostate cancer diagnosis.  One of them is found in the blood’s serum.  There are several types of serums, all of them with alphabet-soup names like hepatocyte and endothelial.  These serum levels – or what are often referred to as “biomarkers” in assessing the degree to which prostate cancer has infected someone – are high in people who are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Researchers wanted to see how green tea might impact the aforementioned serum levels of approximately 26 men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer by having them consume green tea capsules for varying amounts of time over the study period (the median time of supplementation was 34.5 days).  The men ranged in age from 41 to 72 years old.

Results indicated that all the men showed reductions in these “biomarkers,” with some of the serum levels dropping as much as 30 percent!

The active ingredient in green tea believed to play a role in reducing these biomarkers are green tea’s polyphenols – specifically Polyphenon E.

More details of the study are published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research and it was conducted by professors and researchers from Louisiana State University’s Feist-Weiller Cancer Center.

What makes this study so significant is two-fold: 1) It gives further justification of why so many people are gaga for green tea (second only to coffee as the most popular drink in the world) and 2) Its another avenue people have in delaying a cancer that can spread very quickly when not detected early.

Anything that can help delay a virulent strain of cancer should be shouted from the rooftops, especially if it’s natural.  But green tea can do more than just delay its progression.  As the study’s lead researcher himself said, James A. Cardelli, “There is reasonably good evidence that many cancers are preventable [emphasis added], and our studies using plant-derived substances support the idea that plant compounds found in a healthy diet can play a role in preventing cancer development …”

As always, more studies need to be done, as the LSU researchers say this study wasn’t randomized, thus somewhat precluding the reliability of the findings.  But the results of this study are similar to one conducted by another research team, which was randomized, and that one was a year in length.  And this study contributes to the smorgasbord of studies and literature involving green tea, all of which show advances in health, vitality and disease avoidance when supplemented into one’s daily diet.

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
usatoday.com

Popular Cold Remedy Can Ruin Sense of Smell

Zicam nasal gel may damage sense of smell.

As many of you know by now – and as I’ve written in the past – I’m not exactly the president of the Food and Drug Administration’s fan club.  In fact, I just recently criticized them for not cracking down on the prevalence of GMOs in food, something that many within the FDA were trying to crack down on in the 1990s, but apparently gave up on.

But just as every cloud has its silver lining, the FDA occasionally casts that ray of sunlight on drug companies that are all too often shrouded in mystery as to their side effects (though they’re now required to state the side effects in commercials).

So it is with Zicam, a supposed-cold reliever that’s taken to alleviate symptoms associated with nasal congestion.

And “supposed” is the operative word here, because while it takes away the congestion, Zicam takes it a step further:  it takes away your sense of smell!!

According to a multitude of complaints filed to the FDA, Zicam Cold Remedy nasal gel has caused serious problems for a lot of people who’ve used it.  Many of them are no longer able to smell quite like they used to prior to their using it, and in some cases, can’t smell at all!  And those who’ve lost their sense of smell entirely lost it after their first dosage.

Approximately 130 people have reported this nasal puzzle since 1999.  But that’s a very unofficial number, as those are only the cases that have been reported to the FDA.  Who knows how many people suffer from anosmia overall, thanks to Zicam’s zany “remedy.” (anosmia is the medical term used for loss or impaired sense of smell).

Matrixx, the maker of Zicam, denies these claims, saying the links made to anosmia and Zicam’s use are “misleading” and “scientifically unfounded.”

Their denials weren’t enough to salvage their stock price, though, as shares of Matrixx took a nosedive, falling 55 percent in a single day (closing at $8.56).  Trading is now halted on Matrixx shares per the FDA’s warning.

See, occasionally, the FDA bites the bullet and clamps down on dangerous over-the-counter drugs.  They could be doing more, but I suppose it’s only fair that I give them credit when it’s due.

If you really want to combat a cold, arm yourself with what I like to call “The Mangano Common Cold Defense Arsenal.” You can find more in-depth information on this cold-weaponry here, but the arsenal includes zinc, vitamin C, Echinacea, goldenseal, and garlic.

Successful battles are won with a great defense, and when it comes to “cold war” battles, these defense mechanisms will have cold symptoms raising the white flag of surrender.

This report shows why it’s important to steer clear of Zicam and other over-the-counter drugs that so often do more harm than help; sapping your sense of smell is just the latest example.  You’ll never find that with natural supplements like these.

The only thing they’ll sap is a cold’s ability to wreak havoc on your immune system.

Sources:
money.cnn.com

Study:  On Little Sleep, Older Folk Outperform Young in Brain Function

Lack of sleep affects brain function in young people, researchers conclude.

As the school year comes to a close and finals make their ignominious return to young people’s lives, millions of high schoolers will be burning the midnight oil this week, hoping to cram in as much information as possible to nail that chemistry quiz, that English exam, and that economics essay.  In the process, many of them will sacrifice sleep.

But no big hairy deal, right?  Who amongst us hasn’t spent a night cramming for a test?  And after all, they can always make up for their “sleep debt” over the weekend, because young people – who haven’t logged as many hours on their bodies or their minds as those more advanced in years – are resilient

Right?

Not so much, according to a study that was presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies last week in Seattle, Wash.

While it’s true, young bodies are certainly more able than older bodies to handle endurance activities without resting, that’s not the case for the mind.  In fact, it’s older minds that have a greater ability to perform when operating on little sleep.

The researchers from the University of California-San Diego found that among 33 older adults (ages ranged from 59-82) and 27 younger adults (ages 19 to 39), the older adults were far better at performing memory-related tasks, verbal recognition tests and reacting to certain stimuli.

On it’s face, this may seem counterintuitive.  But when you stop and think about the amount of sleep a newborn baby has – which progressively grows shorter as he or she gets older – it makes more sense.  And as I wrote in a previous article on sleep, the brain doesn’t really stop growing until around the age of 25.  Nothing revitalizes the brain for repair and development than sleep.  Brain exercises are important, sure – which you can find online simply by searching “brain exercises” – but no exercise comes close to what sleep provides for improving the brain’s overall functioning prowess.

The most sage sleep advice with regards to studying came from my mother.  In my high school days of cramming for courses, my mom always advised that instead of cramming my head with information when I was dead-tired, it was far better that I go to bed early, and wake up early so that my mind would be refreshed.

Her advice epitomized the “Mother Knows Best mantra,” as I always wound up doing better on tests when my brain was rested, rather than riddled with worry and weariness from those dreaded all-nighters.

So if your son or daughter is tempted to burn the midnight oil for finals, that oil will burn far more efficiently in the wee-hours of the morning after a good night’s rest.

Source:
sciencedaily.com

Weight Loss Procedures May Thin Bones, Increase Fracture Risk

Bariatric surgery may put patients at risk of bone fractures, researchers conclude.

When it comes to losing weight, there are no quick fixes.  It all boils down to diet and exercise:  increasing the activity levels, and decreasing the caloric levels.  Everything else either doesn’t work or is riddled with side effects.  Not even surgery is void of side effects.

Bariatric surgery procedures – where morbidly obese men and women go under the knife and have their stomachs minimized in one of several ways, like with a lapband – have boomed in popularity over the years.  Approximately 20,000 weight loss procedures were performed in 1995, 104,000 were performed in 2004, and over 200,000 have performed in the last year alone!

While bariatric surgeries have been successful for the majority of those who’ve undergone the belt-squeezing procedure, many haven’t been so lucky.  Some have undergone the procedure, only to re-gain the weight lost just months after the procedure (see Charlie Weis, head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team).

And even though the majority of people have seen positive results, becoming veritable shells of their once hefty selves, their bone strength really takes a hit.

According to Joy Silverburg of Columbia University, there’s been precious little attention paid to the toll bariatric surgery puts on patients’ bone health.  As she said, the surgery is being billed as a “panacea,” a cure-all for losing weight, but people need to be aware of the fact that their bones can turn brittle if not properly provided with bone-saving supplements like calcium.

The Mayo Clinic is currently looking at approximately 300 people who’ve either lost weight the natural way or through bariatric surgery.  After reviewing about 150 cases, a quarter of those who underwent bariatric surgery had some sort of fracture within a few years!

This jibes with Silverburg’s assertion that bone density diminishes by about 10 percent in just 12 months after the procedure.

Because the research is still underway, researchers can’t be sure if it’s the surgery that’s causing the fractures, or if people are being too ambitious with their new found bodies and are putting their bones under stress too quickly for the body to compensate.

I’m inclined to believe it has something to do with the surgery, but I’ll let the study finish before making any definitive conclusions.

In the meantime, surgery should be an option of last resort.  If possible, try and lose weight through the traditional method:  moving a little more, eating a little less.

There’s no short-cut to a healthy weight, not even through surgery.

Sources:
msnbc.msn.com
bariatric-surgery.info

University of Chicago Study Links Hypertension to Lack of Sleep

Proper amount of sleep may bring blood pressure levels down

With the recent release of my book The Blood Pressure Miracle in stores across the country and the amount of work I’ve done recently to promote it, my attention is immediately grabbed whenever I see a headline that links anything to high blood pressure.  And so it was when I read this recent report that links sleep to high blood pressure.

Lacking a good night’s sleep can sometimes be attributed to the person; in other words, the person is not getting enough sleep simply because he or she isn’t biding their time well and chooses to stay out late or stay up late.  But for others, like the 70 million Americans who are affected by a chronic sleep disorder, it’s an unfortunate part of their reality that they must cope with night in, night out.

While tossing and turning is certainly inconvenient and frustrating, leaving people cranky and testy the next morning, it frustrates blood pressure levels as well, according to a new study that investigated the links between high blood pressure and sleep.

The study involved approximately 600 middle-aged adults of varying ethnicity and gender and was spread out over a five-year period.  The University of Chicago researchers tracked these men and women over the years, noting the average amount of sleep they got each night and keeping track of their blood pressure levels throughout the process.

The results?  Pretty galling.

I say “galling” because we all know that we ought to be getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night, the eighth hour being the most important hour for proper thinking and memory function.  We know this, yet only one percent – one percent! – got the recommended eight hours of sleep.  The majority of those involved in the study got around six hours of sleep a night (which is estimated to be the average amount the average American gets).

And as the researchers showed in their study, there was something of an inverse relationship between the hours slept and whether that person developed high blood pressure.  For instance, when researchers compared people who got six hours of sleep with those who got an average of five hours of sleep, the five-hour folk increased their risk of hypertension development by 37 percent!  One hour difference had that big of an impact!

The researchers say that more studies need to be done before it can be said with any definitiveness that more sleep can bring blood pressure levels down, as there are lots of variables that go into high blood pressure development (e.g. diet, exercise, ethnicity, family history, etc.).

In times like these, it can be just plain hard to sleep, even if you don’t have a sleep disorder.  In a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, one-third of Americans lose sleep every night because of the country’s current economic situation.

Thinking about anything distressing is a nightmare for sleep.  Do your best to put all distressing thoughts out of your mind when your head hits the pillow by thinking “happy thoughts,” like lying out on the beach, or a particularly pleasant past experience.  Here are three other tips to follow, as suggested by National Sleep Foundation:

• Exercise, but don’t exercise too close to bedtime.  Exercise tires the body physically (conducive to sleep) but it revs up the brain (not conducive to sleep).

• Caffeine’s fine to drink in moderation, but not around bedtime.  Not even a little.  Put the lid on caffeine at dinnertime; keep it limited to a morning cup or in your afternoon brew.

• Just as a handyman can’t function without his tool belt, Mr.  Sandman can’t be summoned without a quality bed.  Your sleeplessness may be a function of improper “tools.”  Try out a new mattress.

Sources:
msnbc.msn.com
sleepfoundation.org

Atkins to Promote Plant-based Proteins as the New Key to Weight Loss, Heart Health

Atkins is now advocating plant-based proteins for weight loss.

Remember the Atkins Diet?  The diet that said you could splurge on pretty much any and all protein sources – no matter how fatty it was or how congested with cholesterol it happened to be?

For many people, this form of dieting worked. People reigned in their troublesome tummies, and did it without having to sacrifice strips of bacon, slabs of steak or plates full of pork rinds.

One problem, though:  Their cholesterol levels spiked.

As many of you know, you don’t have to be morbidly obese to have high cholesterol levels – as unhealthy levels can ravage the “lose a few” crowd or the rail thin folk.  Because when you consume red meat and fatty protein sources on a regular basis, all that saturated fat gets stored, slowly but surely blocking your body’s blood flow from normal circulation.

And a smorgasbord of health hazards result after that, chief among them the nation’s leading killer:  heart disease.

That said, Atkins has seen the err of its ways and is on the verge of unveiling a new diet plan that keeps a premium on protein, but shifts the emphasis to plant-based proteins.

As the country is becoming more eco-friendly, so too is Atkins.  In fact, the research on plant-based proteins that’s published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine has dubbed this new take on weight loss as the ‘Eco-Atkins’ diet.

Researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto had 50 participants partake in a study that randomly assigned some of them a high protein diet derived mainly from plant-based foods, like soy, gluten, nuts, fruits and vegetable oils.  The other half consumed a high carbohydrate, low fat dairy diet, but the carbohydrates were all from healthy sources (whole grain).

With the participants following these rather regimented diet plans for four weeks, the researchers found that those on the Eco-Atkins Diet lost slightly more weight than the high carbohydrate dieters, but their blood cholesterol levels were significantly lower. What’s more, their blood pressure levels dropped (a topic that’s near and dear to my heart, for those of you who’ve read “The Blood Pressure Miracle” already know).

More research needs to be done before researchers sign off on this latest Atkins incarnation, as the study was small in scope and short in length.  I have no doubt that the benefits will translate outward, though, as consuming more plant-based protein foods are always a better option, in that they’re void of harmful chemicals that meat products are often pumped with for preservation purposes (which is why I’m such a fan of grass-fed bison, but that’s a topic for another day).

As I’ve written in the past, I’m not a vegan and I don’t play one on television.  However, I’m definitely someone who advises that your meals be taken up primarily by high quality fruits and vegetables primarily, ones that have the appropriate balance of fats and proteins.

Some of the best sources for protein among vegetables include alfalfa sprouts (one cup= about 1.5 g of protein), artichokes (one medium=about 4 g of protein), and asparagus (eight spears=about 3.1 g of protein).

The aforementioned are virtually void of any plant-based fats, but avocados make up the difference (4.5 g of fat in a one-ounce serving).  And while we should generally keep our fat intake relatively low, we all need fat to ensure that the vitamins we eat get properly absorbed.

That said, an avocado has about .60 grams of protein in a one-ounce serving (which is the equivalent of two tablespoons, one-fifth of a medium-sized avocado, or two to three thinly cut slices).

None of these are eye-popping protein numbers, I grant you, but they’re the best nature has to offer.

(Interesting fact:  California avocados pack more protein per ounce than Florida avocados:  .60 grams vs. .45 grams.  Who knew?)

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
fatfreekitchen.com
avocado.org

Study Finds Peers, TV, Play Bigger Role in Kids’ Nutrition than Parents

Parents may not have as much of an influence on their children’s eating habits after all.

According to a new report that’s published in the well-respected Social Science and Medicine journal, parents may not have as much of an influence on their children’s eating habits after all.

This study runs counter to many past studies that say otherwise.  For instance, a 2004 University of Minnesota study found that children who had dinner with their parents at least five days a week exhibited more healthy eating habits than those who didn’t.  The University of Minnesota conducted a similar study in 2009 and found the same thing, only this time it applied to all adolescents, as meal plans were more healthful and the regularity with which adolescents ate was much more wholesome than those who didn’t eat with their families.

And if that wasn’t enough, UCLA published a study this past winter that is in direct contradistinction to the report I’m about to tell you about.  They found that among 50 percent of cases, parents who drank soda regularly (i.e. every day) had kids who ate fast food regularly – as in every day!

While they also found that kids whose parents didn’t drink soda also had kids that ate a lot of fast food, it was far less frequent (in about one-third of cases).

So now comes as a study that says how parents eat amounts to nothing in terms of influence on their kids’ diet?  Hmmm…

To determine this, researchers examined and compared food intake questionnaires of over 16,000 people who were related in some way (comparing moms’ eating habits to the daughters’ eating habits, dads’ to sons’, etc.).  To see how closely diets resembled one another, researchers used a number of variables that were measured on a scale of -1 to +1.  A score of zero indicated no resemblance; a score of 1 indicated a perfect resemblance.

On average, the researchers found that there was very little resemblance, as scores among the participants ranged between 0.26 and 0.29.  Other comparisons were similarly bleak in their alikeness:  such as the amount of fat consumed between parent and same-sex child and total amount of calories consumed on a given day.

The researchers say that factors that have a greater influence on kids’ eating habits are peers in school, their knowledge of food in general, television-viewing, and self-esteem.

In short, to paraphrase the study’s lead author, parents don’t carry the same cache they once did in shaping their children’s chow choices.

As with virtually all studies, this one has positive and negative aspects to it.  I don’t doubt these researchers’ findings, but I don’t think they can be applied universally.

I say that because kids vary in how close they are with their parents, emotionally, in particular.  I grew up in a family that was very close, and what was served at the dinner table had a profound influence on my attitudes about food and the course of life I took in advocating for natural health.  But others aren’t emotionally connected at all with their family, and I think that had to factor into the findings of the researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

To some, this study suggests that parents shouldn’t worry about what they serve because it won’t affect their kids’ eating habits one way or another.  That’s not the way I view it.

Based on past studies mentioned, I firmly believe that parents have a big influence on their kids eating habits, but because things outside of the home now take up more time in the average adolescent’s life, parents aren’t as influential as they once were.

This should serve as a call to arms for parents to recommit themselves to their children’s lives, their nutritional lives particularly.  Don’t take this study as one that exonerates you from influencing how your kids eat; take it as one that motivates you to re-establish how you can shape your youngling’s noggin to eat healthfully.

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com

Study Confirms What ‘Miracle’ Advocates: Lowering Blood Pressure with Omega-3s

Salmon is a heart-healthy rich source of Omega-3.

There are few things more satisfying than recommending something years ago, and having those recommendations supported by science several years later.

“The Blood Pressure Miracle ” started out as an e-book.  Years later, thanks to you, the print version of “The Blood Pressure Miracle ” has achieved best seller status on Amazon.com.

Of course I’m happy about this, but I honestly expected nothing else.  People recognize the legitimacy of all-natural healing methods, which has been made manifest to me in the amount of positive feedback I’ve received throughout my career,  and even more so recently.  That’s because people have employed my scientifically-backed methods, and it’s paying dividends for thousands upon thousands of people.

One of the things I recommend in my book is supplementing with omega-3s , be it in pill form or in the foods we eat.  The omega-3s found primarily in fish are loaded with benefits for the brain, heart, immune and digestive systems.  Its benefits are so far-reaching, that it’s often referred to as the “miracle fat.”

And it was this “miracle fat” that researchers from four universities supplied approximately 300 overweight and hypertensive volunteers with.

To analyze the effects of omega-3s on the volunteers, the researchers had the participants consume one of several omega-3 diets over the course of eight weeks, all of which were energy-restricted:  a cod diet, a salmon diet, a fish oil diet or a control diet.  The people who ate the fish (lucky them!) ate 150 grams of their respective fish three times a week, the salmon one containing about 2.3 grams of omega-3s per day, the cod about 0.3 grams of omega-3s per day.  Those on the fish oil supplements had about 1.3 grams of omega-3s per day.

By the study’s conclusion, not only had the participants on the fish diets dropped weight – nearly 12 pounds on average – but their blood pressure levels dropped as well.

Any blood pressure level that’s over 120/80 is in the worry stage, but anything over 140/90 is the red alert stage.  So when researchers found that these hypertensive participants had dropped their systolic and diastolic pressure levels by 4.4 and 7.4 mmHg, respectively, you can imagine the relief they felt (not to mention the participants themselves).  And that was after just two months – imagine the benefits on the participants a year from now!

This was a joint study conducted by several world-renowned universities, including the University of Iceland and the University of Navarra.  It will soon be published in the journal Nutrition , but it can be found in its pre-published form on their Web site.

When it comes to omega-3s, the benefits just keep evolving.  They’re a lot like a movie or book that you’ve seen or read over and over again, where every time you go back to it, you get a new wrinkle, a new permutation that you didn’t recognized before.

The best sources for omega-3s are through fish, salmon being among the most abundant.  But as this study demonstrates, even cod – a rather bland, flaky fish that is comparatively lacking in omega-3s – can bring down those blood pressure levels.
Bottom line: Get these miracle fats into your system and let them work their wonder!

Source:
nutraingredients.com

Muscle Weakening Spurred by Cola Consumption, Researchers Say

Soda may contribute to muscle weakness.

Can’t lift as much as you used to?  It may have nothing to do with the amount of protein you’re eating, but everything to do with the amount of cola you’re drinking.

This report comes as little surprise to me, as I’m one of the biggest sticklers in why we should all be avoiding soda consumption in general.  And the best way to fight against the soda saturated society we live in is to arm people with information they need to help them realize that while soda might be flavorsome initially, the side effects of soda leave a significant aftertaste – literally and figuratively.

I won’t go into the panoply of side effects here; I’ll restrict my commentary to the latest study on how soda saps muscle strength.

In the International Journal of Clinical Science, researchers relate examples of two individuals who drank vast quantities of cola.  One man, an Australian ostrich farmer, drank several liters a day of cola for several years.  His imbibing regularly with empty calories left his lungs feeling empty as well – virtually paralyzed, in fact!

After emergency treatment and an advisement to cut back on the cola, his health is no longer in dire straits.

In another serious health concern perpetrated by cola concoctions, a woman that drank between one and three liters of the stuff a day experienced habitual episodes of vomiting, lack of appetite, and exhaustion.  But once doctors corrected her cola drinking ways, these episodes went by the wayside and been given a clean bill of health.

The study’s author says that these two cases were likely due to drains to their potassium levels.  Past studies have shown how excessive consumption of caffeine can cause potassium drainage, and when potassium is drained, the body’s musculature can go haywire as potassium helps to regulate the muscles (referred to as hypokalaemia).  He cautions that the high amounts of fructose in colas can cause potassium levels to drop as well.

As aforementioned, this study isn’t a surprise to me, but what is a surprise is why this study’s researcher says we should drink things like soda “in moderation,” despite the fact that in the commentary portion of the study, a doctor from an Ohio-based medical center says that similar effects of cola consumption are “not rare.”

If that’s the case, shouldn’t researchers be advising that we not drink them at all?  I sure think so.

What it comes down to is this:  Soda, whether it’s cola, ginger ale or any other soft drink, diminishes the body’s ability to perform at its peak.  Not only does it diminish muscle power, but it also eats away at other things, like teeth enamel and bone composition.

To put it simply, stay off the cola if you want to stay healthy and strong for years to come.

Source:
news.bbc.co.uk

Study:  Multivitamin Users Have Younger ‘Biological Age’

A recent study suggests that multivitamins assist in the anti aging process.

Have you noticed the onslaught of negative press regarding traditional takes on health lately?  From the notion that exercise doesn’t rev metabolism, to antioxidants doing nothing for the body, to the benefits of fish oil being nothing more than a figment of the imagination (I’ll address this in a future article), it’s enough to drive a natural health nut, well, nuts!

Propaganda like this is a real shame.  It confuses and disappoints the average person who has been striving to get healthy, leaving them skeptical of their methods and wondering whether it’s all been worth it.

I know of many people, for instance, who have taken a multivitamin for years, but decided to stop after it was reported that they bring no benefits to the body.  Sure, there’s some legitimacy to the notion that some multivitamins aren’t as good as others, but I flatly reject the notion that they’re nothing more than water pills.

And the National Institute of Environmental Health agrees with me, as a study of theirs indicates that those who supplement with a multivitamin tend to live longer, or have what they call a younger “biological age.”

You’ve probably heard of the body having a biological clock, but we also have a biological age, which is basically a fancy way of describing the age of a body’s cells.  Scientists are able to determine a body’s biological age by looking at things called telomeres.

Telomeres are DNA strands found at the end of chromosomes that progressively shorten as the body’s cells age.  The shorter they are, the more advanced in age the body’s cells are.  Cells are constantly multiplying, so it’s natural for the body’s cells to eventually die (called apoptosis), but ideally, you want the body’s healthy cells to stay that way for as long as possible.

So when researchers compared the telomeres of those who supplemented with a multivitamin regularly with those who did not, they found that those who supplemented had telomeres that were more about five percent longer than the non-multi users.  In other words, those that supplement with a multivitamin have a cellular structure that’s in a younger state.

To be fair, there were some aspects to the study that require further review.  For instance, it was a study that only included women, and since males and females have different cellular structures, the findings might be different in men.  But among women, the researchers were able to make the appropriate adjustments to their findings based on what nutrients the women were high or low in (via food frequency questionnaires).

The study is published in The American Journal of Nutrition.

It’s estimated that 35 percent of the population supplement with a multivitamin.  That’s great, but it could be higher – much higher.

That doesn’t mean those that don’t supplement should go out and get any old multivitamin.  A recent ConsumerLabs.com report found that 30 percent of the multi-vitamins tested in their labs had ingredients that were above or below their dosage listed on the bottle.  For instance, one multivitamin had half the amount of folic acid it claimed to have, and 30 percent of the calcium.

Personally, I use the multivitamin made by Nature’s Way.  It’s called “Alive!  Whole Food Energizer.”  You can get a complete breakdown of its benefits and ingredient listings here.  I also use Ola Loa, which is a drinkable multi vitamin. I have no financial ties to Nature’s Way or Ola Loa, LLC.  I simply use these brands because I believe in the products and believe them to be among the best multivitamins on the market today.

To keep your body’s cells alive, go out and grab a bottle of Alive! today.

Source:
nutraingredients.com
calgaryherald.com