Low Folate Levels Linked to Bladder & Other Cancers
Folate Necessary to Fight Cancer risk
9/4/2003
Individuals who are especially susceptible to genetic damage and who do not eat enough dietary folate are almost three times as likely to develop bladder cancer as those who eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and who have efficient capacity to repair DNA damage, say researchers in the US. The study, published in the Proceedings for the 2003 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, confirms a connection between lower intake of dietary folate and bladder cancer.
“”The findings may have important implications for cancer prevention in susceptible populations,”" said Matthew Schabath, a predoctoral researcher working in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
He added that the ability to fix errant changes in DNA is of critical importance to maintain normal genetic structure, and this capability varies within the population.
“”A good prevention practice would be to limit exposure to DNA damaging agents (of which cigarette smoking is the most relevant for bladder cancer) and to eat foods containing folates and folic acid, such as fruits, vegetables, and fortified cereal grains, or take a daily supplement of folic acid, to reduce their risk of developing bladder cancer,”" said Schabath.
Folic acid deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in developed countries. Many cereals are now fortified with folate, although fortification of flour with folic acid has not been implemented in Europe, unlike the US.
Folate itself is crucial to DNA synthesis and repair, Schabath said, so people who do not eat enough folate and who have inherited genetic instability are at much greater risk, he explained.
Low intake of folate has already been associated with a number of cancers, including lung, cervical, colorectal, oesophageal, brain, pancreatic and breast cancers, said Schabath.
In the study, led by Dr Xifeng Wu from the Department of Epidemiology, Schabath and his research colleagues studied 272 patients newly diagnosed with bladder cancer and a control group of 257 healthy volunteers to compare folate intake from the diet and evidence of genetic instability. All of the participants were interviewed using a detailed food questionnaire.
The survey showed that the control group had a much higher intake of folate than did patients. Researchers then drew blood samples to check which variants of four different DNA repair genes study participants had inherited. Three of the genes help eliminate chemicals that become incorporated into DNA because of external damage to a cell, such as by cigarette smoking, and the other gene repairs single errant base pair damage.
They also measured the level of genetic instability in a laboratory culture test by ‘challenging’ the blood samples with gamma radiation and with a carcinogenic metabolite associated with cigarette smoke to see if the cells could efficiently repair cell DNA damage.
The conclusions support previous research showing the role of folate-rich foods in overall health.
“Probiotics Reduce Cold, Fever Duration
Probiotic Multivitamin Reduces Cold Symptoms, Duration September 14, 2005 Taking probiotic supplements or foods could shorten the duration of colds and reduce the severity of symptoms, shows new research from Germany.
In a randomized, double-blind study on almost 500 adults, people that took daily vitamins and minerals with probiotic bacteria for at least three months reported that colds lasted almost two days less than the average nine days suffered by a group taking only vitamins and minerals.
The volunteers, who recorded their symptoms when they had a cold on a daily basis, also reported that headaches, coughing and sneezing, and fever were less severe if they were taking the probiotic supplement
The research, presented this week at the European Influenza Conference in Malta, shows that symptoms were down by nearly a quarter and the time spent with a fever was cut from 24 hours to six.
The findings are likely to boost the probiotics market, already worth around 2 billion a year in the US. Most products are however promoted for improving gut health. The new study will play a significant role in building the body of evidence demonstrating the bacteria’s benefits to the immune system.
Probiotic bacteria are thought to activate certain defence cells in the immune system, particularly the T cells. This mechanism is supported by the new trial in which the researchers, led by Dr Michael de Vrese at the Federal Research Centre of Nutrition and Food in Kiel, observed higher levels of cytotoxic plus T suppressor cells (CD8+) and T helper cells (CD4+) in a subsample of the probiotic group after just two weeks of supplementation.
The bacteria found in the tested probiotics include Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3 and B. bifidum MF 20/5.
The study’s findings are reported in the August issue of Clinical Nutrition (vol 24, issue 4, pp481-91).
Zinc Wards Off Infections
Zinc Supplements Cut Infections, Especially in Elderly May 1, 2007 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
A daily zinc supplement significantly reduces infections in the elderly, says a new trial from the US that may have implications for boosting “”healthy ageing”".
The elderly currently make up 10 per cent of the global population - a figure that is expected to double by 2050, placing increasing demands on public health systems and medical and social services. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, by researchers from Wayne State University School of Medicine and the University of Michigan, suggests that zinc supplements may reduce the incidence of infections, and may also improve the overall antioxidant status of this section of the population. Lead researcher Ananda Prasad and her collaborators recruited 50 healthy subjects from both sexes (age range 55 to 87) and randomly assigned them to receive either a daily supplement of zinc in the form of zinc gluconate providing 45 mg of elemental zinc per day, or placebo for 12 months. At the start of the study, the researchers report that the older subjects generally had significantly lower blood zinc levels and higher levels of oxidative stress than their younger counterparts. Zinc is one of the most plentiful trace elements in the body, second only to iron. It mediates many physiological functions and is believed to be essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. At the end of one year of supplementation the number of infections recorded in the zinc supplemented group was found to have significantly decreased, compared to placebo. Blood samples showed that levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), a marker for inflammation, and oxidative stress markers were also reduced in the zinc-supplemented subjects. “”After zinc supplementation, the incidence of infections was significantly lower, plasma zinc was significantly higher, and generation of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and oxidative stress markers was significantly lower in the zinc-supplemented than in the placebo group,”" concluded the researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. A report published this week by the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) highlighted the need for action in addressing nutrition in the elderly. Report author Professor David Richardson told NutraIngredients.com that as people age their energy intake declines, making it much more difficult to ensure the micronutrient intake of diet as a whole. Such a deficit in micronutrient intake offers an opportunity for food supplements, he said. Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 2007, Volume 85, Number 3, Pages 837-844 “”Zinc supplementation decreases incidence of infections in the elderly: effect of zinc on generation of cytokines and oxidative stress”" Authors: A.S. Prasad, F.W.J. Beck, B. Bao, J.T. Fitzgerald, D.C. Snell, J.D. Steinberg and L.J. Cardozo
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.
FDA Approves Healthy Heart Claim for Omega-3 Fortified Foods
FDA EXTENDS HEALTH CLAIM TO OMEGA- EPA/DHA FORTIFIED FOODS WASHINGTON, D.C., September 8, 2004-The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) commends FDA’s actions today extending the qualified health claim for Omega-3 EPA and DHA, previously available only for supplements, to conventional foods, but suggested FDA fell short of recommending what the science supports. According to CRN President Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., “”Petitioners, including CRN, requested a full health claim for Omega-3 EPA/DHA and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, and we continue to believe that the science is strong enough to warrant an unqualified health claim. While it is logical for FDA to have extended the qualified health claim to conventional foods, as well as supplements, given they both provide the same beneficial nutrients, we hope that as the positive science continues to build FDA will move towards a full health claim.”" Dr. Dickinson added, “”We are disappointed that in today’s action FDA established no minimum requirement for the amount of Omega-3 EPA/DHA that a conventional food must contain in order to use the qualified health claim. We further believe it will do consumers a disservice if foods with insignificant amounts of these fatty acids carry the claim.”" The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement industry ingredient suppliers and manufacturers. CRN members adhere to a strong code of ethics, comply with dosage limits and manufacture dietary supplements to high quality standards under good manufacturing practices. For more information on CRN, visit http://www.crnusa.org.
Soda Consumption: A Major Health Risk
By Janice Billingsley HealthScoutNews Reporter SATURDAY, Nov. 9 (HealthScoutNews) — Soft drinks may fill you up, but they let you down when it comes to vitamins and minerals. A University of Missouri consumer economist, analyzing the results of a national food survey, found that people significantly increased their chances of being deficient in the recommended daily allowances (RDA) for common vitamins and minerals when they consumed a lot of sugared drinks. RDA deficiencies are not common. In the some 15,000 people who self-reported their food intake for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study, from only 1 percent to 8 percent of the participants were not getting the proper amounts of certain vitamins and minerals. However, says Michael S. Finke, an assistant professor or consumer and family economics at Missouri, the consequences of getting ever more calories from soft drinks or fruit-flavored sugared drinks with no nutrients is a trend that needs attention. “”RDA deficiency is not a major problem because a lot of foods have vitamins and minerals added, but this study shows that more nutrient-rich foods are being replaced by sugar drinks,”" says Finke, author of the study, appearing in the December issue of the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal. “”People haven’t really highlighted the consequences of this major food consumption trend,”" he says. Part of the problem could be simple economics, he says. Soda is a very cheap way to get calories. “”Soda pop has always been around, but it’s so much cheaper now, relatively speaking, than it was 30 years ago that it is an enticing food option for resource-constrained families,”" Finke says. “”A three-liter bottle of soda is 69 cents and contains 1,000 calories.”" The only cheaper food source, he says, is vegetable oils. Between 1970 and 1997, Finke says in his study, there has been a 86 percent increase in annual per capita consumption of carbonated, sugared soft drinks. One 12-ounce can of cola supplies about 150 calories from about 10 teaspoons of sugar. In the study, Finke reviewed the results of a 1994-1996 survey of the USDA’s Food Intakes by Individuals, to see if there were any associations between soda consumption and vitamin and mineral deficiency among participants in the self-reported food survey. The scientists looked at 14 vitamins and minerals, including: vitamins A, E, C, B6, and B12, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate, and the minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and zinc. The study did not include information about any vitamin or mineral supplements taken. “”The results were a little bit more dramatic that I had expected,”" he says. “”I expected the results would be significant for nutrients associated with foods that might be replaced by soda, like calcium in milk, but the results were also significant for every other vitamin and mineral.”" Finke and his colleagues found that sugar drink consumption was the most consistent variable — more than gender, race, or income — to signal the probability that people would not meet their RDA requirements. The problem, he says, is not failure to meet RDA requirements, as only a small proportion of the participants actually failed to do so, ranging from 181 people (1.2 percent) for niacin to 1,168 people (7.8 percent) for vitamin A. However, the trend of increased soda pop consumption could increase the likelihood that more people would fail to meet their RDA requirements down the road. “”If someone drinks two cans of soda daily, which is about 15 percent of daily caloric intake, there is a 1 percent decrease in the probability that the person will meet their RDA requirements in calcium, for instance,”" Finke says. “”So if the trend continues in the future as it has in the past, sugar drink consumption will have an even greater impact on failure to meet RDA’s.”" Finke says he is an economist, not a nutritionist, “”but it seems obvious that we should pay attention to this trend in U.S. food consumption and look at things we can to do reduce sugared drink consumption by making other foods less expensive and more palatable.”" Connie Diekman, a nutritionist at the Washington University in St. Louis, agrees that soft drink consumption is a trend threatening to compromise good, nutritional health, especially in young people. “”What this study and others have shown is that adolescents increasingly turn to soft drinks for hydration and then don’t need to get those calories from healthier choices,”" she says. “”In addition, the long-term effects of inadequate calcium — maybe not deficient, but less than that needed for bone health — are a major health issue.”" What To Do See a report on soda consumption by teens at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Go to the American Dietetic Association for some tips on how much soda to consume. SOURCES: Michael S. Finke, Ph.D., assistant professor, consumer and family economics, University of Missouri, Columbia; Connie Diekman, M.Ed., R.D., L.D., F.A.D.A., director, university nutrition, Washington University, St. Louis and spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association; December 2002 Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal
Vitamin E Essential In FIghting Colds and Maintaining Respiratory Health
Vitamin E Is essential in Fighting Colds & Maintaining Respiratory Health August 30, 2004
Vitamin E supplementation has potential benefit in fighting upper respiratory tract infections such as colds in the elderly, says a study published in the Aug. 18 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA).
According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), one of the dietary supplement industry’s leading trade associations, this is one more positive study to add to the mounting scientific evidence that vitamin E is beneficial for improved immune function in the elderly.
Vitamin E comes from fats, oils, meats, poultry, fish, legumes, nuts, and soy and is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms. Each form has its own biological activity, the measure of potency or functional use in the body. Alpha-tocopherol is the most active form of vitamin E in humans, and is a powerful biological antioxidant.
Antioxidants such as vitamin E act to protect your cells against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of the body
Varicose Veins Treated With Horse Chestnut
How horse chestnut cures VARICOSE and SPIDER VEINS. Varicose veins (and other peripheral vascular conditions). The tortuous blue varicose veins that appear just under the skin, most often in the leg below the knee, are easy to spot. Too easy, for many who suffer from them.
Not only do varicose veins look unattractive, but they can throb, itch, cramp, ache, burn, and feel heavy and uncomfortable, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, an office of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The legs may swell, too; varicose means “”swollen.”"
varicose veins sometimes run in families. They may be aggravated by excess weight, hormonal changes such as pregnancy, or tight clothing that limits circulation, the NIH says. Women experience them more often than do men.
Normally, oxygen-carrying blood travels through our veins, back to the heart. Valves in the veins keep blood from flowing backward. When the valves don’t work or are weak, blood pools in our veins, the NIH says. These pools stretch the veins, which become swollen.
Horse chestnut appears to be the only known cure for varicose veins. Exercise helps boost circulation, while elevating the legs during rest relieves discomfort, the NIH says. Women can wear support or compression stockings to help push blood toward the heart. Other traditional options include surgery, injecting a solution to diminish the veins or zapping them with lasers for cosmetic improvement.
With spider veins, compression is standard treatment, although a solution also can be injected to eliminate them. Often, scars will appear and the spider vein will return after a few months.
A study out of West Germany, reported in the early 1980s, showed horse chestnut products affected both the collagen content and architecture of the varicose vein and helped make the veins more normal.
Horse chestnut may also relieve symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which sometimes leads to varicose veins. Symptoms of CVI include edema, enlarged veins near the skin surface, and fatigue in the legs. Standing or walking aggravates symptoms. Sitting and elevating the feet usually helps.
Denise Webb, Ph.D., an associate editor of Environmental Nutrition newsletter, reported on a review of 13 studies on horse chestnut for CVI that showed the extract worked better as well or better than standard medications at reducing symptoms of CVI. A one month treatment of horse treatment rarely costs more than $12.00. The prescribed medication costs nearly $70.00 a month and is NOT as effective according to the published clinical evidence citted by Dr. Webb. Clinical studies showing horse chestnut to be effective in treatment of varicose veins and related conditions (CVI). Horse Chestnut Horse Chestnut Bielanski TE, Piotrowski ZH: Horse-chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency. Journal of Family Practice 1999; 48:171-172. Pittler MH, Ernst E: Horse-chestnut seed extract for chronic for chronic venous insufficiency: A criteria-based systematic review. Archives of Dermatology 1998; 134:1356-1360. Escribano MM, Munoz-Bellido FJ, Velazquez E, Delgado J, Serrano P, Guardia J, Conde J: Contact urticaria due to aescin. Contact Dermatitis 1997; 37:233. Diehm C, Trampisch HJ, Lange S, Schmidt C: Comparison of leg compression stocking and oral horse-chestnut seed extract therapy in patients with chronic venous insufficiency. Lancet 1996; 347:292-294. Rehn D, Unkauf M, Klein P, Jost V, Lucker PW: Comparative clinical efficacy and tolerability of oxerutins and horse chestnut extract in patients with chronic venous insufficiency. Arzneimittel-Forschung 1996; 46:483-487. Calabrese C, Preston P: Report of the results of a double-blind, randomized, single-dose trial of a topical 2% escin gel versus placebo in the acute treatment of experimentally-induced hematoma in volunteers. Planta Medica 1993; 59:394-397. Diehm C, Vollbrecht D, Amendt K, Comberg HU: Medical edema protection—clinical benefit in patients with chronic deep vein incompetence: a placebo controlled double blind study. Vasa 1992; 21:188-192. Hitzenberger G: The therapeutic effectiveness of chestnut extract. [German] Wiener Mredizinische Wochenschrift 1989; 139:385-389. Bisler H, Pfeifer R, Kluken N, Pauschinger P: Effects of horse-chestnut seed extract on transcapillary filtration in chronic venous insufficiency. [German] Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 1986; 111:1321-1329. Takegoshi K, Tohyama T, Okuda K, Suzuki K, Ohta G: A case of Venoplant-induced hepatic injury. Gastroenterologia Japonica 1986; 21:62-65. Hirsch J: Leg disorders—disorders of blood supply: the effect of Essaven ultra in chronic venous insufficiency. [German] Fortschritte der Medizin 1982; 100:436-438. Annoni F, Mauri A, Marincola F, Resele LF: Venotonic activity of escin on the human saphenous vein. Arzneimittel-Forschung 1979; 29:672-675. Wilhelm K, Feldmeier C: Thermometric investigations about the efficacy of beta-escin to reduce postoperative edema. [German] Medizinische Klinik 1977; 72:128-134.
Grape Antioxidants Make Subjects SupplementSpot
Grape Antioxidants Make Subject SupplementSpot December 19, 2003
The findings suggest that the drink could join blueberries and other polyphenol-rich fruits as an anti-ageing food. A blueberry-enriched antioxidant diet was recently found to prevent an age-related increase in the protein NF-kappaB that responds to oxidative stress, a probable cause of brain ageing.
The researchers, from the US department of agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, subjected 45 mature rats approaching the end of their expected life spans to a range of tests and challenges commonly accepted as methods of measuring changes in short-term memory and neuro-motor skills.
“”Concord grape juice appeared to reduce or reverse the loss of sensitivity of muscarinic receptors, thus enhancing cognitive and some motor skills in the test animals. In many of the tests we saw significant improvements or trends toward improvement,”" reported James A. Joseph, lead researcher in the study, at the 1st International Conference on Polyphenols and Health held last month in Vichy, France.
The Concord grape is a dark-blue variety, native to North America, and used widely in juice and wine production. Like cranberries, the grape has been studied closely for its high antioxidant content. Its juice has been shown to lower blood pressure and daily consumption for just eight weeks significantly improved arterial function in a recent trial.
Joseph’s team used the Morris water maze to test memory. It is an age-sensitive challenge that requires animals to use spatial learning to find a platform submerged 2 cm below the surface of a pool of water. Rats fed a 10 per cent solution of Concord grape juice found the platform in roughly 20 per cent less time than the control group.
Other tests measured the animals’ ability to balance on a horizontal stationary rod; a rotating, slowly accelerating rod; and various sized planks, and their ability to hold onto a suspended wire and an inclined wire screen. Some of those tests saw improvements in either or both of the group consuming a 10 per cent solution of Concord grape juice and the group consuming a 50 per cent solution.
Joseph added that the findings were not surprising. “”We have seen similar effects in the work we’ve done in blueberries.”"
The researchers point to several factors as potential mechanisms of action, including increased dopamine production and a potent overall antioxidant effect.
“”As our population ages, we are continually looking for ways to maintain our mental and physical skills,”" said Joseph. “”While these laboratory animal studies are certainly preliminary and much more work needs to be done, we know that consuming high levels of natural dietary antioxidants is a good thing from a number of perspectives. And it appears that drinking Concord grape juice has the potential to help retard the mental and physical declines of ageing.”"
The pace of polyphenol research has increased rapidly over the past five years although clinical and epidemiological evidence of their protective effects is still limited and researchers are still working to establish optimal levels of intake. A growing number of new food products, designed as sources of polyphenols, are being introduced to target consumer interest in health.
Natural Cholesterol Reduction
How To Naturally Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels by Dr.Joseph Asbach, M.D. Good health is directly related to good eating habits. Most food choices are made for taste and convenience, NOT for good health and nutrition. These bad habits increase the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease from consuming dietary fats, which results in high cholesterol levels. High levels of circulating cholesterol is a major factor leading to clogged blood vessels and heart disease. Heart disease is the number one killer in today’s society. Specifically, low-density lipoprotein, "LDL" cholesterol are considered bad because they carry fats out of the liver to the blood vessels. There are actually two types of dietary problems which lead to high cholesterol levels. First foods which are fried or are high in animal fats will directly raise levels of bad cholesterol. Second, diets high in sugar, bread, pasta, sweets and other simple carbohydrates are converted into bad cholesterol by the liver. This explains how some vegetarians have high cholesterol. The liver also makes cholesterol for hormonal purposes as a response to stress. It is possible to decrease cholesterol by decreasing and managing stress. Therefore exercise and stress management are an important part of a cholesterol lowering plan. There are two natural plant extracts, Beta-Sitosterol from soy, sugar cane, or rice and the gugul lipids which, when taken as a supplement, can improve cholesterol metabolism. Beta-Sitosterol is a healthy plant oil, found in all vegetable matter, but in minute quantities, except in sugar cane, soybeans and rice. It can decrease the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive system and decrease the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver. Beta-Sitosterol decreases absorption by locking to the fat molecules eaten and by blocking the fat molecule absorption gates in the intestines. The fats and cholesterol are then excreted rather than absorbed. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed a 42% decease in cholesterol absorbed when taking beta-sitosterol before eating scrambled eggs. The liver actually manufactures more cholesterol than is typically absorbed from food Beta-sitosterol acts on the liver enzymes in a way which inhibits cholesterol production. An important enzyme for the manufacture of cholesterol in the liver is broken down rapidly in the presence of beta-sitosterol. Cholesterol is also better metabolized or broken down by the liver in the presence of beta-sitosterol. The specific liver enzymes which break down saturated fats are significantly more active. There are possibly even more benefits to taking beta-sitosterol including aiding in weight loss, protecting the lining of the digestive tract and decreasing the risk of gallstones. The gugul lipids are plant fibers.The gugul lipds have both cholesterol lowering properties and directly inhibit cholesterol from forming sticky plaque, clogging the walls of blood vessels. Like beta-sitosterol, it has the effects of decreasing cholesterol absorption and decreasing enzymatic cholesterol production in the liver. The fact that the gugul lipds also works at reducing plaque out in the blood vessels is an added bonus. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Cardiology showed gugul ipid supplementation significantly decreased blood cholesterol levels without altering patients diet or lifestyle. Even greater results may be expected with proper diet and lifestyle changes. Beta-sitosterol and gugl lipds should be consumed in equal divided doses, 30 minutes prior to all meals. The plant substances can then disperse throughout the digestive system during that 30 minutes to maximize its effectiveness on blocking cholesterol absorption. Taken regularly before meals containing cholesterol rich foods, can result in a significant decrease in cholesterol absorption and improved processing of cholesterol by the liver. Commonly prescribed drugs which lower Cholesterol are expensive and have many undesirable side-effects. These drugs are very burdensome to the liver and kidneys. In contrast, these safe and natural plant based cholesterol fighters are actually beneficial to the liver. In summary, supplementation with the combination beta-sitosterol and gugle lipids can be a safe and effective part of a healthy plan to naturally lower serum cholesterol levels. The proposed mechanisms of action are; 1) intestinal binding and excretion of free cholesterol 2) blocking of absorption sites in the intestinal walls 3) an enzymatic shift decreasing liver cholesterol production 4) increased liver enzyme functions on the breakdown of fats. Controlling body weight and cholesterol levels are keys to a healthy cardiovascular system. Therefore a consistent health plan to control body weight and cholesterol levels is needed. Beta-sitosterol with citrus pectin can lower cholesterol absorption in the intestine and lower cholesterol production in the liver. This should lead to lower circulating bad cholesterol levels in the blood. Taking beta-sitosterol with gugul lipids pectin before meals is an excellent strategy in any plan to help maintain healthy cholesterol naturally!