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Resveratrol Helps The Heart Says New University Study
Resveratrol Keeps Hearts Young
June 4, 2008
Resveratrol, A natural compound found in red wine, may protect the heart against the effects of the aging process, researchers said on Tuesday.
In their study, mice were given a diet supplemented with the compound known as resveratrol starting at their equivalent of middle age until old age. These mice experienced changes in their gene activity related to aging in a way very similar to mice that were placed on a so-called calorie restriction diet that slows the aging process by greatly cutting dietary energy intake. Most striking was how the resveratrol, like calorie restriction, blocked the decline in heart function typically associated with aging, according to Tomas Prolla, a University of Wisconsin professor of genetics who helped lead the study. Much as Spaniard Juan Ponce de Leon once searched for the mythical fountain of youth, researchers now are seeking ways to extend the quality and length of human life. In some studies, animals given a diet with greatly reduced caloric intake have lived longer than animals with normal diets. But perpetual hunger is a steep price to pay for greater longevity, some researchers say. Resveratrol, found in abundance in grapes and in red wine, has drawn a lot of interest from scientists and some companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, which in April said it would pay $720 million to buy Sirtris Pharmaceuticals Inc, a company that is developing drugs that mimic the effects of resveratrol. Some studies have shown that in high doses, resveratrol extended the life span of fruit flies and worms and prevented early death in mice fed a high-fat diet. In this study, mice were given relatively low doses compared to the earlier research, and still experienced important aging-related benefits, the researchers said. The researchers began giving the resveratrol diet to the mice when they were 14 months old — their middle age — and followed the animals until they were about 30 months old. The researchers then conducted tests on cardiac function and on gene activity related to aging. “”Resveratrol at low doses can retard some aspects of the aging process, including heart aging, and it may do so by mimicking some of the effects of caloric restriction, which is known to retard aging in several tissues and extend life span,”" added Prolla, whose study was published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE. Using a method that permits simultaneous analysis of thousands of genes at the same time, the researchers found a huge overlap in the genes whose activity were changed by resveratrol and caloric restriction. They looked at the heart, brain and muscles, and said that the effect of resveratrol was strongest in the heart but did prevent some aging-related changes in the other tissues. Just because mice had these benefits does not mean people also would, although Prolla said, “”I think there’s a high likelihood that our findings are applicable to humans.”" He said he expected to see a lot of studies in the coming years on the effects of resveratrol supplementation in people.
Zinc
Zinc helps children thinkApril 10, 2005 Eleven-year-olds that took zinc supplements for five days each week had better mental performance after three months than their classmates, said researchers yesterday.
The children taking an extra 20mg of zinc responded more quickly and accurately on memory tasks and with more sustained attention than classmates who did not take the mineral.
Beneficial effects were seen regardless of the youngsters’ previous zinc status, said the researchers led by Dr James Penland from the US Agricultural Research Service’s Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
The findings, presented at the Experimental Biology meeting this week, suggest that there could be new demand for fortified foods and supplements for this age group.
Although zinc nutrition has been related to motor, cognitive and psychosocial function in very young children and adults, this is the first study of its effect in adolescents.
Zinc deficiency is not uncommon, even in nations such as the United States, and the risk is particularly high in adolescents, said Dr Penland, because they are undergoing rapid growth and often have poor eating habits. They may not consume enough zinc-rich foods like red meat, fish and grains.
Moreover the current recommended daily allowance is only 15mg for adults in the US, and up to 9.5 mg a day for men and 4-7 mg a day for women in the UK.
In the study, 111 girls and 98 boys consumed four ounces of fruit juice containing either 0, 10 or 20 mg of zinc gluconate each school day for 10 to 12 weeks. Students, their parents and teachers did not know who was receiving which, if any, zinc supplementation.
At the beginning and end of the study, students performed a battery of tasks designed to measure mental and motor skills, like attention, memory, problem-solving and hand-eye coordination.
Students, their parents, and teachers filled out questionnaires about the students’ mental, physical and social abilities and skills, school performance, and problems in any of these areas to provide a measure of psychosocial function.
Blood samples measured zinc status before and after the treatment.
Compared to the students who received no additional zinc, students who consumed an additional 20 mg zinc each day decreased reaction time on a visual memory task by 12 per cent versus 6 per cent; increased correct answers on a word recognition task by 9 per cent versus 3 per cent; and increased scores on a task requiring sustained attention and vigilance by 6 per cent versus 1 per cent.
Those who received only 10 mg a day, the US Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for this age group, did not significantly improve performance, however.
Supplementation at either the 10 mg or 20 mg did not appear to improve motor and social skills, although girls receiving the placebo experienced a 10 per cent increase in conduct problems during the study while the behaviour of girls receiving any level of zinc supplementation remained unchanged, reported the researchers.
Previous studies have shown that zinc is needed for growth and immune function and may be important for eye-hand coordination and reasoning in very young children. It also appears to influence memory, muscle strength and endurance in adults.
Olive Oil Boosts Heart Health
FDA Announces: Olive Oil May Boost Heart Health November 8, 2004 Food containing olive oil can carry labels saying they may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, the government says, citing limited evidence from a dozen scientific studies about the benefits of monounsaturated fats.
As long as people don’t increase the number of calories they consume daily, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease when people replace foods high in saturated fat with the monounsaturated fat in olive oil.
That means a change as simple as sauteing food in two tablespoons of olive oil instead of butter may be healthier for your heart.
“”Since CHD is the No. 1 killer of both men and women in the United States, it is a public health priority to make sure that consumers have accurate and useful information on reducing their risk,”" Lester M. Crawford, acting FDA commissioner, said in a prepared statement.
“”It’s good news for consumers,”" said Bob Bauer, president of the North American Olive Oil Association, which sought the qualified health claim on Aug. 28, 2003. “”Olive oil is a healthy product to help them fight heart disease.”"
Recent research has underscored the heart benefits from so-called Mediterranean diets high in unsaturated fats from vegetable oil, nuts and such fish as salmon and tuna. Mortality rates dropped by more than 50 percent among elderly Europeans who stuck to such diets and led healthy lifestyles, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in September.
The North American Olive Oil Association included 88 publications to back its claim for the heart-healthy benefits of olive oil. The group wanted to make the claim for monounsaturated fats contained in just one tablespoon of olive oil per day.
Olive oil and certain food containing olive oil can now indicate that “”limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about two tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil,”" the FDA concluded.
“”I think FDA just took a more conservative view,”" Bauer said. Manufacturers waited for the FDA’s precise wording before revising labels. “”I expect, over time, most every container of olive oil will have this,”" he said.
Already, American restaurants and consumers drive $450 million in olive oil sales per year. Supermarket sales in 2003 accounted for 132 million pounds of olive oil, up by nearly one-third over the past six years. Bauer said he expects the label change to spur a larger uptick in sales.
According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease caused 502,189 deaths — or one in five deaths — in 2001, the most current statistic available. Another 13.2 million Americans that year survived the heart attacks, chest pains and other ailments caused by coronary heart disease.
Along with lowering cholesterol, cutting out cigarettes and exercising, the group says Americans can boost heart health by eating foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. An American Heart Association spokeswoman declined comment on the FDA’s action until it reviews the health claim.
The FDA discounted most of the submitted studies because the methodology made it difficult to tease out the effect of the monounsaturated fats in olive oil. Of a dozen studies that survived the cut, four were the most persuasive.
Thirty-three healthy young American men ate diets high in saturated fats from butter or cocoa butter, olive oil’s monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats from soybean oil. The soybean and olive oil groups significantly lowered total and bad LDL cholesterol.
In another trial involving 21 middle-aged Spanish women, those with diets in which olive oil replaced 8 percent of total daily calories from saturated fats lowered their total and bad cholesterol while significantly boosting good HDL cholesterol.
Forty-one young Spanish men lowered total and bad LDL cholesterol with an olive oil diet. Levels of good cholesterol did not drop in the olive oil group, as they did for youthful peers who replaced calories from saturated fats with carbohydrates.
And 22 healthy, middle-aged Spanish men with slightly elevated cholesterol counts were put on a four-week diet high in saturated fat. Those who switched to diets high in olive oil and those who replaced calories from saturated fats with carbohydrates lowered total and bad LDL cholesterol levels.
It’s the third time the FDA granted a qualified health claim for conventional food. In March, the agency said “”supportive but not conclusive research”" shows eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day may reduce coronary heart disease risk. In September, it issued a similar qualified claim for the heart-healthy benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.
The FDA press release: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2004/NEW01129.html
Pine Bark Extract Boosts Heart Health
Pine Bark Extract Boost Diabetics’ Heart Health May 13, 2008
Supplements of extracts from French maritime pine bark reduce blood pressure and the use of blood pressure medication among diabetics, concludes results from a new study.
Blood pressure control was achieved in 58 per cent of study participants, and a halving of the use of medication, among 48 participants randomly assigned to daily supplements of pine bark extract or placebo for 12 weeks. The results of the new study, published in the May issue of the journal Nutrition Research, is of particular importance for diabetics who are reportedly two to four times more likely to suffer from heart disease than non-diabetics “”These data confirm the hypothesis that pine bark extract improves diabetes control, reduces antihypertensive medicine use, and may favour a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes,”" wrote lead author Sherma Zibadi from the University of Arizona. Indeed, previous studies have reported potential health benefits for the extract, including hypertension, asthma, chronic venous insufficiency, osteoarthritis, deep vein thrombosis, diabetes management, and diabetic leg ulcers. The new study recruited diabetic subjects with an average age of 60 and randomly assigned them to receive daily supplements of pine bark extract (125 mg) or placebo for 12 weeks in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with parallel-group design. All subjects were receiving pharmaceutical anti-hypertension treatment (angiotensin- converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitors). At the end of the study, Zibadi and co-workers report that 58.3 per cent of subjects in the pine bark extract group experienced blood pressure control, defined as attaining a stable systolic blood pressure, compared to 20.8 per cent in the placebo group. Moreover, use of ACE inhibitors was reduced by 50 per cent in the group receiving the pine bark extract Improvements in measures of diabetes control were also recorded, with a 23.7 mg/dL reduction in fasting blood glucose levels in the pine bark extract group, compared to only 5.7 mg/dL in the placebo group. Improvements in LDL-cholesterol, a marker of cardiovascular health, were recorded in the pine bark extract-supplemented group. After eight and 12 weeks of supplementation, decreases of 11.6 and 12.7 mg/dL were observed, respectively, compared with placebo. Mechanism of Action In attempting to understand the benefits of the pine bark extract on cardiovascular health of the diabetics, the researchers noted that the blood pressure lowering effects may be due to a suppression of serum endothelin-1, a protein that restricts blood vessels and reported to be found in higher levels than normal in type 2 diabetics and hypertensives. On the other hand, the authors could not rule out the potential of an inhibitory effect on ACE, which could improve blood flow and subsequently blood pressure. Finally, other studies have reported a potential benefit from pine bark extract on the production of the potent vasodilator, nitric oxide (NO). Limitations About 26.5 million people are affected by diabetes in the European Union, United States, and Canada equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected to increase to 40 million by 2030. In the US, there are over 20 million people with diabetes, equal to seven per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $132 billion, with $92 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2002 American Diabetes Association figures.
Source: Nutrition Research (Elsevier) May 2008, Volume 28, Issue 5, Pages 315-320 “”Reduction of cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with type 2 diabetes by Pycnogenol supplementation”" Authors: S. Zibadi, P.J. Rohdewald, D. Park, R.R. Watson
Resistence to Antibiotics on Rise in US
By Serena Gordon HealthScoutNews Reporter FRIDAY, April 19 (HealthScoutNews) — In the wake of a new report that the strep throat germ is now showing significant antibiotic resistance in the United States, many people are wondering if they — or their children — are at risk. They just might be, unless all of us our dependence on antibiotics, says Philip Tierno, director of clinical microbiology at New York University Medical Center and Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “”Antibiotic resistance is more prevalent than you’d think,”" Tierno adds. There are two main reasons for it: Overprescription of antibiotics by doctors and the use of antibiotics in livestock, he says.
“”One hundred and fifty million prescriptions are written annually,”" Tierno says. “”Ninety million of those are for antibiotics, and 50 million of those are unnecessary.”" Many antibiotic prescriptions are written for sore throats, but only a small percentage of them are caused by Group A streptococci bacteria, which causes strep throat. The germ can also cause sinus, ear and skin infections. Left untreated, strep can progress into scarlet fever or the more serious rheumatic fever, with potentially fatal consequences. Young children are especially vulnerable to such complications. Strep throat is commonly treated with antibiotics, such as penicillin, or erythromycin for those who are allergic to penicillin. In yesterday’s New England Journal of Medicine report, researchers from Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh studied a group of 100 area school children from kindergarten through eighth grade. They found that Group A streptococci was resistant to erythromycin in 48 percent of the throat cultures taken between October 2000 and May 2001. According to the researchers, this is the first time such a high level of resistance to erythromycin has been found in the United States. Similarly high levels of resistance have been reported in other countries, however, Tierno says. In Japan and Finland, he says, resistance to Group A strep has been reported at levels exceeding 50 percent. The good news, according to Tierno, is that in Japan the rate of resistance has fallen as health officials there decreased their use of erythromycin-based antibiotics. By not using these drugs, Tierno explains, the germs become vulnerable to them again. The Pittsburgh researchers followed the children for three years, and during the first two years, while they did find cases of strep, they found no signs of antibiotic resistance. It wasn’t until the third year that the antibiotic-resistant strain appeared. Tierno says this finding clearly points to overuse of antibiotics. “”What causes drug resistance is the inappropriate use of antibiotics by physicians,”" he says. But patients are partly to blame as well, he adds, because they push for inappropriate prescriptions when they’re ill. Dr. James Musser is chief of the Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Hamilton, Mont. He says, “”From a national perspective, we need to be very concerned about increasing antibiotic resistance in any pathogen.”" And, he adds, we need a study that looks at a greater geographical area to assess how widespread the problem [uncovered in Pittsburgh] might be. In the meantime, he says, “”It’s important for patients to realize that not every upper-respiratory infection is of bacterial origin and to listen closely to the advice of the treating physician.”" That means patients shouldn’t badger their doctor for antibiotics unless they’re deemed necessary.
Learn About Grains
Grains By Jennifer A. Wickes
The proper term, in reference to grains, is cereal grains. The word “”cereal”" comes from Ceres, a pre-Roman goddess of agriculture. Cereal includes any plant from the grass family that produces an edible seed.
Cereals are inexpensive, have an available source of protein and the highest concentration of carbohydrates compared with any other food. Varieties Barley
Barley dates back to the Stone Ages. It is used in recipes such as bread, cereal, and soups. Most barley in the western world is now used for two reasons, for making beer and whiskey, and for animal fodder. Bulgur Wheat
Originating from the Middle East, this is wheat kernels which have been steamed, dried and crushed. Couscous
A staple in North Africa. Couscous is derived from semolina. Can be cooked and added to milk to make a porridge, fruits and honey can be added to make a dessert or you can mix a dressing into it and eat it like a salad. Kasha
This is roasted buckwheat grains. Millet
Millet is a staple grain for over a 1/3 of the world’s population, particularly in Asia and Africa. The United States uses millet almost exclusively for fodder and birdseed. Millet is rich in protein with a bland flavor, so it takes well to be cooked with other foods and spices. You prepare millet like rice, in boiling water, to make into a hot cereal or some sort of pilaf. Ground millet is used in puddings, breads and cakes. You can find millet in natural food stores, as well as Asian markets. Oats
In the 1700s, England would feed oats to their horses, yet the Scottish used to eat oats every day! Polenta / Cornmeal
Dried corn kernels that have been ground to a powder. Quinoa
A staple to the Incas. Contains the most protein than any other grain. It also contains eight essential amino acids. Quinoa is also high in unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates. You need to cook Quinoa like rice, and it has been compared in flavor to couscous. Can be found in natural food stores. Rice
Rice has been cultivated throughout Asia since at least 8000 BC. There are also over 7000 varieties. Rice contains iron, calcium and B- complex vitamins. Risotto
An Italian rice which is cooked as rice and can be served with a variety of meats and vegetables. Italian Arborio rice is usually used in the preparation of risotto. Rye
Rye contains less gluten that any other flour, therefore, all rye breads tend to be dense. There are a variety of different ryes, all of which are found at Natural Food Stores: medium, light, dark and pumpernickel. Sorghum
The third largest grain in the entire world, the US only use it as fodder. The only thing the US use sorghum for when speaking of human consumption, sorghum molasses, which is used to sweeten baked goods. Spelt
A cereal grain native to southern Europe, where it has been used for thousands of years. It has a nutty flavor, and can be used in lieu of wheat flour in recipes if a person is gluten intolerant. This grain can also be found in Natural Food Stores. Teff
A cereal grain native to Ethiopia, but is currently being harvested in Idaho. This grain has a nutty flavor, is high in protein, carbohydrates, calcium and iron. It can be found in Natural Food Stores. Triticale
Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye. It has more protein and less gluten than wheat. It comes in berries, flakes and flour. You can find this in Natural Food Stores. Triticale is usually used to make casseroles, hot cereals and pilafs. Due to the low gluten content, breads made from this grain make loaves to be very heavy, therefore using
Scientists Learning More Why Aging Cells Fail to Repair Themselves
Why Aging Cells Lose Ability to Repair Themselves Study finds defect that could lead to new treatments for disease
FRIDAY, Sept. 5 (HealthWire) — A defect in the body’s self-defense mechanism against age-related genetic mutations has been identified by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
The finding may help explain why the aging human body can’t defend itself against DNA damage in the mitochondria, the power plants that fuel the growth and activity of cells.
Finding ways to help aging cells repair their own damaged DNA could possibly lead to ways to prevent or treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other health problems caused by genetic defects.
As cells age, they experience continuous genetic mutations, some of which are caused by the harmful byproducts of the oxygen we inhale. But the body’s repair mechanism is constantly at work fixing this DNA damage. However, this repair activity becomes less efficient as cells age.
In this study, the researchers analyzed why this DNA repair activity becomes less effective in the mitochondria as cells age. They found a biochemical “”roadblock”" that prevents much of the repair enzyme activity from reaching the site of the DNA damage in the mitochondria of aging cells.
In old cells, about half of the repair enzyme activity can’t reach the mitochondria DNA to repair it.
The study was published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Whole Grains Promote Healthy Weight
Bakers, Food makers and nutritionists are warning about the amazing popularity of the Atkins diet have a new tool in their fight against this food fad in a new study that reveals an inverse assocation between whole grains and weight gain.
It found that while women who ate a large amount of refined grain foods were more likely to be obese, those with the greatest whole grain consumption weighed less and are less likely to gain weight.
The study, published in November’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (vol 78, no 5, pp 920-927), investigated the relation between intake of dietary fibre and whole- or refined-grain products with weight gain over time.
They used a prospective cohort study on more than 74,000 US female nurses, aged 38-63 years in 1984 and free of known cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes at baseline. Their dietary habits were assessed in 1984, 1986, 1990, and 1994 with validated food-frequency questionnaires.
Average weight, body mass index, long-term weight changes, and the odds ratio of developing obesity (BMI of 30) according to change in dietary intake were recorded.
The researchers from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that women who consumed more whole grains consistently weighed less than women who consumed less whole grains.
Over 12 years, those with the greatest increase in intake of dietary fibre gained an average of 1.52 kg less than did those with the smallest increase in intake of dietary fibre independent of body weight at baseline and age.
Women in the highest quintile of dietary fibre intake had a 49 per cent lower risk of major weight gain than did women in the lowest quintile.
The team concludes that “”weight gain was inversely associated with the intake of high-fibre, whole-grain foods but positively related to the intake of refined-grain foods, which indicated the importance of distinguishing whole-grain products from refined-grain products to aid in weight control”".
Science Begins to Add Weight to CLA
The flurry of activity in CLA applications is being backed by a growing body of research to support the ingredient, particularly for its effects on weight loss. A review published in this month’s Journal of Nutrition supports conjugated linoleic acid’s action on weight management, concluding that it is at least in part due to regulation of glucose and fatty acid uptake and metabolism.
Conjugated linoleic acid is the common name of a group of fatty acids found in dairy products and meat. CLA isomers have been studied for their action on an impressive range of diseases, including cancer, atherosclerosis, obesity, and immune function. However as scientists begin to reveal their effects on reduction of body fat, food makers are increasingly looking at the ingredient for the valuable slimming market.
In Canada, where many of the patents for CLA are held, the dairy industry has long been studying the production of high-CLA milk. In Europe, a research centre in Ireland is studying the compound which could add significant value to its dairy industry, while in Italy, Techno Foods introduced a strawberry flavoured yoghurt naturally rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) and omega-3 fatty acids this summer.
Specific CLA isomers have been shown to prevent the development of obesity in certain rodent and pig models and this has been attributed mainly to trans-10, cis-12 CLA, both in vivo and in vitro, write the University of North Carolina researchers in the review. However, CLA’s ability to modulate human obesity remains controversial because data from clinical trials using mixed isomers are conflicting.
In vitro studies by the team demonstrated that while trans-10, cis-12 CLA prevents triglyceride accumulation in human cells, cis-9, trans-11 CLA increases triglyceride content. The team concluded that the isomers’ regulation of glucose and metabolism must partly explain its mechanism on human fat.
The news is also good for supplement marketers who recently learned of research carried out by Cognis backing the long-term safety of its Tonalin CLA.