Dr. John's Health Matters
Welcome to Dr. John's Health Matters blog.
The articles posted here are from various sources who are duly acknowledged. I would appreciate being immediately notified, if any copywritten material needs to be removed. This blog is not intended to replace the qualified advice of a licensed health practitioner. Readers should exercise their own judgment. Enjoy, subscribe, participate and tell others :)
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Posts tagged "supplement"
Tuesday, Sep 1st, 2009 ↓How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid Do We Need To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease? →
Sept 1, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—A team of French scientists have found the dose of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that is “just right” for preventing cardiovascular disease in healthy men. In a research report appearing in the September 2009 print issue of The FASEB Journal, the scientists show that a 200 mg dose of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems, such as those related to aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health.
“This study shows that regularly consuming small amounts of DHA is likely to improve the health status of people, especially in regards to cardiovascular function,” said Michel Lagarde, co-author of the study.
To determine the optimal dose of DHA, Lagarde and colleagues examined the effects of increasing doses of DHA on 12 healthy male volunteers between ages of 53 and 65. These men consumed doses of DHA at 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg per day for two weeks for each dose amount, with DHA being the only omega-3 fatty acid in their diet. Blood and urine samples were collected before and after each dose and at eight weeks after DHA supplementation stopped. The researchers then examined these samples for biochemical markers indicating the effects of each dose on the volunteers.
“Now that we have a very good idea about how much DHA is just right, the next step is to try it out in an expanded clinical trial that involves many more people,” said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. “Until then, I’ll stick with tasty foods that contain DHA, like fish, rather than getting a quick fatty-acid fix at the local vitamin store.”
Journal reference:
- Nicolas Guillot, Emilie Caillet, Martine Laville, Catherine Calzada, Michel Lagarde, and Evelyne Véricel. Increasing intakes of the long-chain -3 docosahexaenoic acid: effects on platelet functions and redox status in healthy men. The FASEB Journal, 2009; 23 (9): 2909 DOI: 10.1096/fj.09-133421
Tags: omega fatty acid DHA heart cardiovascular supplement disease prevention atherosclerosis diabetes
Antioxidants Not Associated With Increased Melanoma Risk →
Sept 1. 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Antioxidant supplements do not appear to be associated with an increased risk of melanoma, according to a new report.
A recent randomized trial of antioxidants for cancer prevention found that daily supplementation with nutritionally appropriate doses of vitamins C and E, beta carotene, selenium and zinc appeared to increase the risk of melanoma in women four-fold, according to background information in the article. Because an estimated 48 percent to 55 percent of U.S. adults use vitamin or mineral supplements regularly, the potential harmful effects of these nutrients is alarming, the authors note.
Maryam M. Asgari, M.D., M.P.H., of Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, and colleagues examined the association between antioxidants and melanoma among 69,671 women and men who were participating in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) study, designed to examine supplement use and cancer risk. At the beginning of the study, between 2000 and 2002, participants completed a 24-page questionnaire about lifestyle factors, health history, diet, supplement use and other cancer risk factors.
Intake of multivitamins and supplements during the previous 10 years, including selenium and beta carotene, was not associated with melanoma risk in either women or men. The researchers also examined the risk of melanoma associated with long-term use of supplemental beta carotene and selenium at doses comparable to the previous study and found no association.
“Consistent with the present results, case-control studies examining serologic [blood] levels of beta carotene, vitamin E and selenium did not find any association with subsequent risk of melanoma,” the authors write. “Moreover, the Nurses’ Health Study reported no association between intake of vitamins A, C and E and melanoma risk in 162,000 women during more than 1.6 million person-years of follow-up.”
For full article, see link above.
Tags: antioxidant supplement vitamin mineral C e beta carotene selenium zinc cancer risk nutrient melanoma lifestyle multivitamin
Whey Protein Improves Heart Health →
Aug 31, 2009 (Mercola.com)—A whey-protein-rich ingredient may improve blood vessel function in healthy individuals, reports a new randomized, double-blind study.
Two weeks of supplementation resulted in a 1.5 percent improvement in blood flow. According to the researchers, the whey protein-derived ingredient may work via an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity.
ACE inhibitors work by inhibiting the conversion of angiotensin I to the potent vasoconstrictor, angiotensin II, thereby improving blood flow and blood pressure.
Sources:
NutraIngredients August 5, 2009Nutrition Journal July 22, 2009; 8:34 [Free Full-Text Article]
Tags: whey protein heart cardiovascular blood vessel supplement angiotensin vascoconstrictor flow
Natural Therapies: Simple Solutions for Complex Problems →
Aug 31, 2009 (NaturalNews.com)— One question I’m routinely asked is “If you had to recommend just one supplement for __________ (fill in the blank), what would it be?” I could easily spout off a laundry list of safe, natural therapies for virtually all common health concerns. Narrowing it down to only one therapy per condition is much more of a challenge, but based on recent patient and subscriber feedback, here goes.
Manage Pain With MSM
For joint and muscle pain, I’ve been hearing great things about MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), a naturally occurring sulfur compound and close chemical cousin of DMSO-that doesn’t have DMSO’s obnoxious smell. MSM relieves pain by several mechanisms. It’s a powerful anti-inflammatory, it blocks the pain response in nerve fibers, and its sulfur may help with cartilage regeneration.
One of our patients, the mother of a Whitaker Wellness doctor, was bothered by nagging pain in her neck and shoulders- until she started taking MSM. Another patient, who is an actor, used to have such excruciating pain in his knees that he’d have to take Vicodin before going on stage and was considering arthroscopic surgery. He reported miraculous results with MSM and no longer requires painkillers. The suggested daily dose of MSM ranges between 1,200 and 6,000 mg. Start low and increase as needed.
How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Occasional sleeplessness is a very common concern. I used to recommend melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your “body clock”; valerian, an herb with mild sedative effects; or L-theanine, an amino acid with profound relaxing properties. Each of these worked for some people, but not everyone. Then I tried them in combination, and bingo! For the majority of patients and subscribers, this combo engenders a good night’s sleep.
Tom, a VP at the company that publishes Health & Healing, shared his story. He was eating right, exercising, and taking vitamins, but when it came time for bed, despite the fact he was physically and mentally drained, he still sometimes had trouble falling or staying asleep. Since he started taking this supplement, however, he sleeps like a baby.
Look for combination sleep products in your health food store. Suggested doses are 1,000 mcg melatonin, 500 mg valerian extract, and 200 mg L-theanine 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime.
V8 Gives Hypertension the Boot
Experts predict that an astounding 90 percent of middle-aged Americans will develop hypertension at some point in their lives. This sounds extreme, but I have to admit that many of the patients who come to my clinic have high blood pressure. Fortunately, we are very successful at getting them off drugs with diet changes, exercise, and a handful of supplements. But if I had to select just one thing for high blood pressure it would be Low Sodium V8 Juice.
Low Sodium V8 has a slight blood-thinning effect, which reduces pressure on the arteries, and it’s loaded with potassium, which balances sodium and helps lower blood pressure. One of the many patients who has benefited from this therapy is Ted, an old friend of mine. After struggling with hypertension for years, Ted took me up on my suggestion to drink 12 ounces of this juice every day. Much to his surprise, this simple step worked to normalize his blood pressure.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: natural remedy supplement prevention treatment pain MSM joint muscle sulfur anti-inflammatory cartilage regeneration sleep melatonin valerian amino acid V8 hypertension blood pressure blood cardiovascular flaxseed cholesterol zinc lutein energy ribose fatique
Tags: supplement metabolic syndrome cardiovascular heart blood pressure extract root obesity cholesterol insulin isoflavone kudzu stroke disease
Green Tea Nutrients Prevent Leukemia →
Aug 25, 2009 (NaturalNews.com) —One of the potent antioxidants found in green tea may slow and possibly even reverse the progress of leukemia.
Scientists have been aware since 1970s that green tea can help fight cancer, as demonstrated by lower cancer rates in countries with high consumption of the beverage. In 2004, a study showed that the naturally occurring tea chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) could actually kill leukemia cells.
In a new study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers from the Mayo Clinic found a significant improvement in the symptoms of cancer patients treated with EGCG extract.
Researcher Tait D. Shanafelt and colleagues became interested in carrying out a clinical trial when they noticed that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients self-medicating with tea polyphenols actually began showing signs of improvement. They designed a study in which 33 CLL patients were treated with between 400 and 2,000 milligrams of EGCG extract twice per day.
“We found not only that patients tolerated the green tea extract at very high doses, but that many of them saw regression to some degree of their CLL,” Shanafelt said.
Treatment with EGCG led to noticeable decreases in two symptoms of CLL — increased white blood cell (lymphocyte) count and enlarged lymph nodes. Lymphocyte levels decreased by 20 percent or more in 15 of 33 patients, an improvement that lasted for two months in 11 of them. Of 12 patients who began the study with swollen lymph nodes, 11 experienced a 50 percent or greater decrease in swelling.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: green tea consumption prevention antioxidant cancer EGCG kill leukemia cell treatment extract supplement chronic lymphcytic polyphenol improvement white blood cell lymph node swollen swelling decrease survival
Melon extract linked to cardiovascular benefits: Study →
Aug 25, 2009 (Nutraingredients.com)—Daily consumption of an antioxidant-rich melon extract may lower cholesterol levels and prevent hardening of the arteries, according to a study with hamsters fed a high fat diet.
Consumption of the commercially-available extract Extramel, produced by France’s Bionov, in combination with a high-fat diet was associated with a reduction in cholesterol levels and non-HDL cholesterol, compared to animals fed only the high-fat diet, according to findings published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.
“This study provides evidence for the first time that dietary supplementation of a melon juice concentrate rich in SOD protects against diet-induced oxidative stress and atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic hamsters, and no toxicity or evidence of other unwanted pharmacological effects of Extramel was noted at either levels of supplementation,” wrote the researchers, led by Jean-Max Rouanet from the University of Montpellier.
“This indicates that at the low doses used here Extramel is a safe nutraceutical supplement,” they added.
The melon-extract is a rich source of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD). Dubbed ‘the enzyme of life’ when first discovered in 1968, it is the first antioxidant mobilised by the cell for defence. It is thought to be more powerful than antioxidant vitamins as it activates the body’s production of its own antioxidants, including catalase and glutathione peroxidase.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: melon extract supplement antioxidant cholesterol level cardiovascular hardening arteries high fat diet extramel nutrition diet prevention extramel superoxide dismutase vitamin
Omega-3, vitamin E mix shows potential for autistic speech →
Aug 19, 2009 (Nutraingredients.com)—A combination of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E may lead to speech improvements in autistic children with verbal disorders, suggests a new study.
Verbal apraxia is a speech disorder common in autism, and an estimated 50 per cent of children with autism have apraxia. Furthermore, many thousands more are reported to have apraxia but are not autistic.
According to new research published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, daily supplements of omega-3 and vitamin E were associated with improvements in speech, imitation, eye contact, and behaviour.
Claudia Morris from the Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland (CHRCO) and Marilyn Agin from the Saint Vincent Medical Center in New York recruited families with experiences of omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin E supplementation. The majority of families used doses of 800 IU of vitamin E, while the average omega-3 consumption was 280 to 840 mg DHA and 695 to 2,085mg EPA.
The ratios and dosages determined through the work with the study led to a patent for Dr Morris through the CHRCO (US patent # 2008/002216). The patented formulation is licensed exclusively to Illinois-based NourishLife from CHRCO.
Kate Bolton, VP of speech nutrients at NourishLife, told NutraIngredients: “The results of the study are significant in that 97 per cent of the participants with apraxia and/or on the autism spectrum reported dramatic improvements while taking a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.
“The study represents the largest summary of children with apraxia to date,” she added.
“Antidotal evidence had previously shown that omega-3 can help children with apraxia and those known as ‘late talkers’. The researchers discovered that they symptoms presented by children with apraxia mirror those of vitamin E deficiency,” said Bolton. “The addition of high dose vitamin E with omega-3 fatty acids is the breakthrough.”
For full article see link above.
Tags: vitamin e omega 3 fatty acid speech improvement autistic children child kid verbal disorder apraxia imitation eye contact behaviour supplement
Antioxidants pose no cancer danger for skin →
Aug 18, 2009 (Nutraingredients.com)—
Results of the 10-year study with almost 70,000 people found that intakes of multivitamins and supplements, including selenium and beta-carotene, were not associated with melanoma risk.
Concerns over antioxidants and their potential to increase the risk of skin cancer were recently raised following publication of a randomized, primary prevention trial, called the Supplementation in Vitamins and Mineral Antioxidants (Suvimax) study.
Suvimax found that oral daily supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium, and zinc, may increase a woman’s skin cancer risk.
New findings, just published in the August issue of Archives of Dermatology, challenge the Suvimax findings, however.
“These data suggest no association between self-reported multivitamin use and supplemental selenium and beta carotene use similar to doses used in the Suvimax study and melanoma risk,” wrote the researchers, led by Maryam Asgari from Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
“Strengths of this investigation include its prospective design, its large cohort size (about 450 cases), and the availability of baseline information on major potential confounding factors.
“The results of the Suvimax study should be interpreted with caution,” they add.
For full article, see link above.
Supplements of antioxidant vitamins and minerals are not associated with an increased risk of skin cancer, despite reports to the contrary, says a new study.
Tags: antioxidant cancer risk supplement multi-vitamin vitamin melanoma selenium beta-carotene
Blueberry Leaves May Heal Hepatitis C →
Aug 15, 2009(NaturalNews.com) —Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease resulting from infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Although the infection can be mild and not even produce noticeable symptoms, once established in the body chronic hepatitis C infection can progress to fibrosis (when the liver is scarred), cirrhosis, liver failure and even liver cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the virus becomes persistent and chronically infects the liver in about 85 percent of those who contract HCV. Persistent infection is treated by western medicine with medications like peginterferon and ribavirin. And while it’s true these drugs can wipe out the infection, they are only effective about half the time and they can produce very severe, debilitating side effects. So people who aren’t cured by the drugs and who go on to develop cirrhosis or liver cancer may face death from the infection or require a liver transplant.
But now there’s another avenue of hope for the 270 to 300 million people who are infected with hepatitis C worldwide. Research just published in the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s Journal of Biochemistry (JVC) concludes a chemical found in blueberry leaves actually blocks the replication of the hepatitis C virus, shutting it down. This finding could open up a new and natural avenue for treating chronic HCV infections, according to scientist Hiroaki Kataoka and colleagues at the University of Miyazaki in Japan.
Because HCV is localized in the liver and can take two decades or more to develop into significant disease, Kataoka and colleagues reasoned a dietary supplement might help slow or stop disease progression over the years. They decided to screen around 300 different agricultural products for potential compounds that might be effective at suppressing HCV replication. The results? They uncovered a strong candidate for a natural HCV fighter — the leaves of the rabbit-eye blueberry, a plant native to the southeastern US.
For full aticle see link above.
Tags: blueberries cirrhosis liver virus cancer treatment hepatitis c infection supplement proanthocyandin
Probiotics May Be Useful Against Colds, Flu-Like Symptoms in Children →
August 12, 2009 (Medscape.com)— Probiotics may be useful as prophylaxis against cold and influenza-like symptoms in children, according to the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study reported in the August issue of Pediatrics.
“Selected strains of probiotics have been tested for human health benefits in a variety of disease conditions, but much less is known regarding prophylactic benefits in healthy populations,” write Gregory J. Leyer, PhD, from Danisco in Madison, Wisconsin, and colleagues. “This study adds information supporting the use of the probiotics tested for prophylaxis against cold and influenza-like symptoms and compares the efficacy of 1-strain and 2-strain preparations.”
The effects of probiotic intake on incidence and duration of cold and influenza-like symptoms during the winter season were evaluated in healthy children aged 3 to 5 years. Of 326 eligible children, 104 were randomly assigned to receive placebo, 110 to Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, and 112 to L acidophilus NCFM in combination with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis Bi-07. Children were treated twice daily for 6 months.
Compared with the placebo group, the groups receiving single and combination probiotics fared significantly better in several outcomes. Fever incidence was 53.0% lower with single probiotics (P = .0085) and 72.7% lower with combination probiotics (P = .0009); coughing incidence 41.4% (P = .027) and 62.1% (P = .005) lower; and rhinorrhea incidence 28.2% (P = .68) and 58.8% (P =.03) lower, respectively.
Fever, coughing, and rhinorrhea duration were 32% lower with single strain vs placebo (P = .0023) and 48% lower with the strain combination (P < .001). Antibiotic use incidence was 68.4% lower for single strain vs placebo (P = .0002) and 84.2% lower for the strain combination (P < .0001). Days absent from group child care were also 31.8% lower for single strain vs placebo (P =.002) and 27.7% lower for the strain combination (P < .001).
“Daily dietary probiotic supplementation for 6 months was a safe effective way to reduce fever, rhinorrhea, and cough incidence and duration and antibiotic prescription incidence, as well as the number of missed school days attributable to illness, for children 3 to 5 years of age,” the study authors write. “No notable adverse events were attributed to study probiotic strains.”
For full medicle article, see link above.
Tags: probiotic children child kid prevention prophylaxis prevention cold influenza symptom duration supplement fever rhinorrhea cough illness
Eggshell membrane may outperform glucosamine for joint health →
Aug 12, 2009 (Nutraingredients.com)—Extracts from the membrane of an eggshell may improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, and offer an alternative to glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate, suggest new findings.
A daily supplement of 500 milligrams of the eggshell membrane was found to not only reduce joint pain, but also stiffness, with effects noted after only ten days, according to results of a randomised, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
The study, which was funded by Missouri-based ESM Technologies and uses the company’s ingredient, is published in the current issue of Clinical Rheumatology.
Outperforming the established ingredients
The researchers also report that the effects were superior to those recorded in previous clinical investigations for glucosamine and chondroitin, the big hitters in the joint health supplements world.
Glucosamine is extracted from the shell of crabs, lobster and shrimps. Cargill also markets a non-animal, non-shellfish derived product. The ingredient is often used in combination with chondroitin sulphate, extracted from animal cartilage, such as sharks.
According to the Nutrition Business Journal, US sales for these combined supplements were $810 million (€563 million) in 2005.
“The safety profile for [the natural eggshell membrane (NEM) supplement] is also of significance as there are no known side effects, excluding the obvious egg allergy concern,” wrote the researchers. “This is of obvious importance in a condition that requires long-term [supplementation].”
For full article see link above.
Tags: eggshell treatment pain inflammation osteoarthritis glucosamine chondroitin sulphate supplement joint stiffness
Resveratrol - The Miracle Nutrient for Cancer, Cholesterol and Longevity by Mike Adams the Health Ranger →
Aug 12, 2009 (NaturalNews.com) —You’ve all heard the good news about resveratrol, commonly known as the “red wine nutrient.” There’s more to resveratrol than red wine, though, and it’s helpful for far more than just preventing heart disease. It’s also phenomenal for maintaining a healthy cholesterol balance and even supporting increased longevity.
As you’ll see below in quotes from health experts about resveratrol, this “miracle” nutrient is also useful for preventing many types of cancer. As you read these quotes, pay special attention to any mention of phytoalexins, as this is a class of plant-based nutrients that you’ll be hearing about much more in the future (as nutritional healing becomes more widely known).
If you want to acquire some resveratrol, there are lots of natural sources such as red wine or grape leaves (the leaves actually contain far more than the grapes themselves). The Chinese medicine herb hu zhang is also loaded with resveratrol.
For full article see link above.
Tags: resveratrol nutrient supplement nutrition prevention cancer phytoalexin healing red wine grape leaf heart disease longevity cholesterol
Licorice oil may offer weight management potential →
Aug 11, 2009 (Nutraingredients.com)—Antioxidant-rich oil from licorice may increase fat loss and aid in weight management, suggests a new study from Japan’s Kaneka.
Overweight volunteers supplemented with licorice flavonoid oil lost more weight and body fat, compared to people receiving the placebo, according to results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in Obesity Research & Clinical Practice.
Additionally, the fat losses were not associated with a reduction in food intake, report the researchers from Kaneka, Tokyo’s Kaiyuu Clinic, Haradoi Hospital, and Kiryu University.
If the results can be repeated in further studies, it could see the licorice oil establish itself in the burgeoning weight management category, estimated to be worth about US$0.93bn (€0.73bn) in Europe in 2005 and $3.93bn in the US, indicating that call to slim down or face the health consequences is being heeded by a slice of the overweight population at least, according to Euromonitor International.
For full article see link above.
Tags: weightloss weight flavoniod fat loss management licorice supplement prevention diet
Natural Compound on Easter Island Extends Lifespan →
Aug 11, 2009 (NaturalNews.com)— No one can argue that Easter Island, located off the coast of Chile in the South Pacific, is one of the most mysterious places on earth. The extremely remote island is home to huge, enigmatic monoliths carved by the one-time inhabitants of the island who settled there over 1,500 years ago. The large-eyed stone figures stare out at the sea as if guarding a secret. Now scientists have uncovered another mystery of Easter Island — one that could be important for the future of humankind. New research suggests that a natural compound found in the soil of the island could be a health-promoting elixir of long life.
If this sounds like a fantasy or hocus pocus, it isn’t. In fact, a study of the compound was just published in the prestigious science journal Nature. Researchers say the biochemical, produced by soil bacteria, has such extraordinary life-extending properties it could lead to a genuine “anti-aging” pill that keeps people young.
Scientists at the University of Texas (UT) Health Science Center at San Antonio and collaborating centers at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, gave the Easter Island compound, which is called rapamycin after the island’s Polynesian name Rapa Nui, to middle-aged mice who were the equivalent, in mice years, of 60 year old people. The compound increased the animals’ expected by 28 percent to 38 percent. Place in human perspective, the scientists noted this increase in lifespan would be greater than the predicted increase in extra years of life if all cancers and heart disease could be prevented and cured.
“We believe this is the first convincing evidence that the aging process can be slowed…,” said Randy Strong, Ph.D., who directs the National Institute on Aging (NIA) funded Aging Interventions Testing Center in San Antonio. He is a professor of pharmacology at the UT Health Science Center and a senior research career scientist with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.
For full article see link above.
