Milk Thistle - Silymarin helps with blood sugar and Diabetes...

Life Extension Update Exclusive - From Life Extention Foundation

Silymarin improves diabetic blood values...
An article published online in the journal Phytotherapy Research revealed that silymarin, an extract of the seeds of the milk thistle plant, helped lower blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin, and other abnormally elevated blood values in diabetics.
In a randomized, double-blind trial, Fallah Huseini of the Institute of Medical Plants and his colleagues at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran administered 200 milligrams of silymarin three times per day for four months to 25 type II diabetic patients, while 26 diabetics received a placebo. All participants continued their oral hypoglycemic drugs throughout the trial. Blood levels of fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (sugar bound to hemoglobin, which reflects long term glucose control), insulin, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, and liver enzymes SGOT and SGPT were measured before the trial and at its conclusion.
Dr Huseini and colleagues found that the subjects who received silymarin experienced a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, SGOT and SGPT levels compared to the placebo group’s values, as well as in comparison with pretrial levels. While average fasting blood glucose dropped from 156 milligrams per deciliter to 133 milligrams per deciliter among those who received silymarin, participants who received the placebo experienced an average increase of 11 milligrams per deciliter by the end of the treatment period. Glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, and triglycerides also decreased among those receiving silymarin while increasing among the placebo group. No side effects were reported in association with silymarin.
Although it is not clear how silymarin works to benefit diabetics, its antioxidant properties may help lower some of the oxidative stress caused by elevated glucose and free fatty acid levels. Previous studies with silymarin have found that the compound reduced insulin resistance and the need for insulin therapy in diabetics. Additionally, silymarin’s ability to protect the liver and correct liver function may benefit lipid and glucose metabolism.
"We don't know the exact mechanism of action for this effect, but this work shows that silymarin could play an important role in treating type II diabetes," Dr Huseini commented. "The results are very encouraging, and we now need to do further large multi-centre studies."

Diabetes
Glycation and oxidative stress are central to the damage caused by diabetes. Unfortunately, neither of them figures into conventional treatment for diabetes, which is generally concerned only with blood sugar control.
Glycation occurs when glucose reacts with protein, resulting in sugar-damaged proteins called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) (Kohn RR et al 1984; Monnier VM et al 1984). One well-known AGE among diabetics is glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). HbA1c is created when glucose molecules bind to hemoglobin in the blood. Measuring HbA1c in the blood can help determine the overall exposure of hemoglobin to glucose, which yields a picture of long-term blood glucose levels.
In animal studies, silymarin was shown to improve insulin levels among induced cases of diabetes (Soto C et al 2004). A small, controlled clinical study evaluated type 2 diabetics with alcohol-induced liver failure (Velussi M et al 1997). Those receiving 600 mg silymarin daily experienced a significant reduction in fasting blood and urine glucose levels. Fasting glucose levels rose slightly during the first month of supplementation but declined thereafter from an average of 190 mg/dL to 174 mg/dL. As daily glucose levels dropped (from an average of 202 mg/dL to 172 mg/dL), HbA1c also substantially decreased. Throughout the course of treatment, fasting insulin levels declined by almost one-half, and daily insulin requirements decreased by about 24 percent. Liver function improved. A lack of hypoglycemic episodes suggests silymarin not only lowered blood glucose levels but also stabilized them.
http://www.lef.org/protocols/metabolic_health/diabetes_01.htm


Nutrilite - Milk Thistle & Dandelion


Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.


Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

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Nutrients in the news this week...

Life Extension magazine
October, 2006 - High-dose vitamin C: A new therapeutic approach, by Laurie Barclay, MD

Vitamin C intake has been found to speed resolution of upper respiratory tract infections in young people. Students who supplemented with hourly doses of 1000 mg of vitamin C for six hours and then three times daily thereafter exhibited an extraordinary 85% decrease in cold and flu symptoms compared to those who took pain relievers and decongestants for their infectious symptoms.
These benefits of improved healing are not limited to children and young adults. Elderly patients that were hospitalized with pneumonia or bronchitis showed substantial improvement following supplementation with vitamin C. In a study of women with nonspecific vaginal infection, locally administered vitamin C significantly improved symptoms and led to a reduction in bacterial count.
Vitamin C’s strength in countering bacterial infection was further demonstrated in a study of the dangerous breed of bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori. Chronic infection of the stomach with H. pylori contributes to gastritis, stomach ulcers, and even deadly gastric cancer. In an epidemiological study, however, high intake of the powerful antioxidant vitamins C and E was associated with an astounding 90% reduction in the risk of developing stomach cancer. Lending additional support to these findings is another study showing that infection with H. pylori was a major risk factor for gastric cancer in patients with low vitamin C intake, but not in those with high vitamin C intake. By protecting against infection with H. pylori, vitamin C may thus help to prevent potentially fatal stomach cancer as well as other painful gastrointestinal complications.
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2006/oct2006_report_vitaminc_01.htm


Curcumin linked to better performance for elderly brains...
By Stephen Daniells
27/10/2006 - Curcumin, the natural pigment that gives the spice turmeric its yellow colour, could slow mental decline in elderly people by 49 per cent, suggests a study of non-demented Asian people.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=71651&m=1NIEO27&c=wcrclzgqdhtlgsk


Low glycemic index diet may help women stay slim ...
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Staying away from simple carbohydrates and eating plenty of fiber may help women avoid packing on pounds as they get older, a study by Danish researchers suggests.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061027/hl_nm/glycemic_dc


NSI Vitamin C -- 1,000 mg - 250 Caps

NSI Turmeric Extract (standardized for 95% curcuminoids) with BioPerine -- 900 mg - 120 Capsules


Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.


Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

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Eat almonds instead of bread and get off of drugs if you can...

Bread consumption linked to cancer, study
By Catherine Boal
24/10/2006 - Bread has become the latest food group hit by a health scare following the publication of a scientific study linking the consumption of bread to kidney cancer.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=71516&m=1NIEO24&c=wcrclzgqdhtlgsk

Almonds could suppress appetite, tackle obesity
By Stephen Daniells
24/10/2006 - A handful of almonds, a rich source of flavonoid antioxidants, vitamin E and magnesium, may enhance the feeling of fullness in people and aid weight management, suggests a new study.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=71527&m=1NIEO24&c=wcrclzgqdhtlgsk

Medication reactions send 700,000 Americans a year to emergency rooms...
(NewsTarget) According to a federal study in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, adverse reactions to prescription drugs are responsible for 700,000 Americans' visits to emergency rooms every year.
http://www.newstarget.com/020811.html



Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.


Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

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Vitamin D against breast cancer, cinnamon & metabolic syndrome and why drugs are dangerous...

Low vitamin D levels linked to breast cancer progression...
17/10/2006 - Increasing vitamin D levels may help curb the development and progression of breast cancer, suggests a small study from Imperial College London.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=71340&m=1NIEO17&c=wcrclzgqdhtlgsk

Cinnamon extract could ease metabolic syndrome...
18/10/2006 - A daily supplement of cinnamon extract may boost antioxidant defences and reduce the oxidative stress linked to the metabolic syndrome, suggest results from a small placebo-controlled, double-blind study from the US.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=71368&m=1NIEO18&c=wcrclzgqdhtlgsk

Medication reactions send 700,000 Americans a year to emergency rooms...
(NewsTarget) According to a federal study in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, adverse reactions to prescription drugs are responsible for 700,000 Americans' visits to emergency rooms every year.
http://www.newstarget.com/020811.html


Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.


Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

Please visit our website at: www.cwiechert.com/

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EPA/DHA Omega 3 Fatty Acids is good for preventing memory loss...

In the October 2006 Archives of Neurology regarding cognitive impairment ...

In this study, 204 patients with varying degrees of memory loss were randomized into two groups. One group received omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) with 1,700 mg of DHA and 600 mg of EPA daily for six months. The other group received placebo. At the end of the six-month trial, all patients were put on EFA for an additional six months. A total of 174 patients completed the entire study. It was found that for those with more advanced memory loss, omega-3 EFAs did not have any benefit. However, for a subgroup of patients with very mild memory loss, there was a significant reduction in memory decline for those supplementing with EFAs. How EFAs were able to confer benefit was not clear to the authors, but they felt it may be in some way related to the anti-inflammatory effects of the fish oil. They further postulated that those whose memory loss was too advanced could not be substantially assisted by the anti-inflammatory benefits of fish oil. The take home message is pretty clear. I've said this for many years. The best way to stay healthy is to eat healthy, exercise and take high quality supplements, including fish oil. Once you've allowed your health to decline, it becomes increasingly difficult to reverse the decline. The fact is, by the time you have advanced or severe memory loss, most of your brain cells have died and cannot be recovered. However, taking precautionary measures, such as supplementing with omega-3 EFAs, may very well mean the difference between suffering memory loss or not. Fish oil is also proven to promote a healthy mood, benefit cardiovascular health and help keep joints healthy. Before you go running off to load up on fish oil, I must point out that many fish oil products on the market do n't deliver the concentration of DHA and EPA utilized in this study. In fact, most fish oil products only contain a total of 300 mg of EPA and DHA per softgel. It's also important to read the label and look at how many softgels must be consumed to equal the supplement facts; some require you to take three or four to get the amount noted on the label. Taking standard fish oil would require consuming about eight softgels per day. I'd recommend you choose a molecularly distilled and concentrated fish oil supplement containing at least 600 mg per day of EPA & DHA per softgel; two to four per day provides the optimal amount, versus four to eight of the less potent.


Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.


Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

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Vitamin D, Black Tea and Walnuts in the news...

Vitamin D Significant for Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment:
Where does vitamin D come from? When the ultraviolet light in sunlight strikes the skin, it creates vitamin D. Throughout most of human history this light was the primary source of vitamin D. People are surprised to learn that very few foods contain any significant amount of vitamin D. The only significant natural source is fish. A number of foods are artificially fortified with vitamin D including milk and some cereals. Our ancestors didn't have fortified milk and in many areas ate little fish. Our ancestors were farmers or hunter/gatherers and spent a lot of time in the sun. Studies show that people who spend a lot of time in the sun can get ten times the amount of vitamin D we get today. The amount of active vitamin D they had in their blood was about double what the average person has today.
Vitamin D Significant for Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Article


Walnuts found to protect arteries better than olive oil after meals high in saturated fats:
NewsTarget) A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that eating walnuts after a meal high in unhealthy fats can reduce the damaging effects of such fats on blood vessels.
http://www.newstarget.com/020708.html


Black tea may speed up recovery from stress:
10/5/2006 - Drinking black tea could reduce stress hormone levels and help ease the burden of heart disease, says the first randomized clinical trial into the effects of the beverage on stress.
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=71056&m=1NIUO05&c=wcrclzgqdhtlgsk


Vitamin D 1000 IU


Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.


Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

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High-protein diets can be effective in combating obesity...

Study reignites low-carb high-protein debate
By Clarisse Douaud
9/28/2006- A recent study props up the principle of low-carb high-protein dieting – giving the low carb fad diets that pushed meat consumption, such as the once fashionable Atkins diet, one last laugh. Low carb diets lost much of their popularity as critics said their approach puts followers at higher risk of clogged arteries and heart attacks in the long-term. Atkins Nutritionals, for one, filed for bankruptcy last year only to re-emerge in January with a new mission to promote 'tasty, portable nutrition'.
The recent findings by scientists at University College London (UCL) could vindicate, at least partially, these recent dieting fads as they have illustrated more clearly how high-protein diets can be effective in combating obesity.
The study, published in the September issue of Cell Metabolism, set out to investigate how increased dietary protein increases satiety, hypothezing that gut hormones could mediate the differential satiation produced by protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
The Medical Research Council team of researchers, led by Dr. Rachel Batterham, linked high protein diets to higher levels of the gut hormone known as PYY. Their work suggests PYY is an important appetite suppressor that sends signals to the brain leading to a feeling of fullness.
"In summary, our current studies have established the physiological role of PYY as a regulator of energy homeostasis and demonstrated that it mediates the satiating and weight-reducing effects of dietary protein," wrote the study authors.
Ten healthy normal-weight and ten obese male volunteers were given an isocaloric meal, high in one macronutrient - protein, fat or carbohydrate - and researchers then analyized their blood samples.
The high-protein diet resulted in the greatest reduction in hunger in both normal and obese participants. The high-protein meal resulted in the largest increase in both total plasma PYY and integrated PYY levels in both groups, although post-meal levels were lower in obese subjects.
"These findings suggested that PYY could mediate the satiating effects of protein in humans," explained the authors. "We therefore developed a rodent experimental model in which to investigate this possibility."
As such, genetically modified mice that lacked the PYY hormone were then created. The PYY deficient mice ate more than regular mice and, as a result, became obese.
The mice were fed high-fat normal-protein, high-fat high-protein, low-fat normal-protein or low-fat high-protein diets.
The researchers found the PYY null mice were hyperphagic and developed marked obesity but were hypersensitive to exogenous PYY.
They then administered PYY to these mice. The mice's food intake subsequently decreased to normal levels as did their weight. When they no longer received PYY, the amount they ate went up again at the same time as their weight.
"Chronic treatment with PYY reverses their obesity phenotype," the authors commented on the obese mice. "These findings provide compelling evidence that PYY is a physiologically relevant regulator of food intake and body weight."
The findings could help explain the current obesity epidemic plaguing North America and Europe. Statistics show diets have shifted from being protein-rich to carbohydrate-rich, according to the study, and carbohydrates do not curb appetite in the same way protein does, resulting in people eating more to compensate.
Currently, the average Western diet derives 49 per cent of energy from carbohydrates, 35 per cent from fat, and 16 per cent from protein, cites the study.
"This research suggests that an increase in the protein content of the diet may help tackle obesity," said Dr.Batterham. "However, large scale clinical trials are needed before high- protein low-fat diets can be recommended."

Comment: In all of human history, the high consumption of carbohydrates has been in just the last 40 to 50 years at most. High refined carbohydrate consumption is what has been the real fad in our diets. This experiment has caused Diabetes to nearly double, and the highest levels of Heart Disease and Cancer in our history. The Hunter-Gatherer has done all the studying we need, their superior health is undisputed. The nutritional truth... proteins and fats are essential for health. Except for the fiber content and phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables, which are low glycemic, most carbs are NON-ESSENTIAL.

Hyperinsulinemia


Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.


Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

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Nutrients in the news this week...

VITAMIN D PREVENTS CANCER

San Diego researchers urged people to take more vitamin D to lower their risk of colon, breast and ovarian cancers, saying a host of studies showed a clear link. "Our suggestion is for people to increase their intake through food or vitamin supplements," said Dr. Cedric Garland, a professor at the University of California, San Diego and the Moores Cancer Center.

Garland’s team reviewed 63 studies, including several long-term ones involving large numbers of patients. The studies looked at the relationship between vitamin D and certain types of cancer worldwide from 1996 through 2004. The scientists published their analysis in the online version of the American Journal of Public Health.

The benefit of vitamin D was as clear as the harmful link between smoking and lung cancer, Garland said. "There’s nothing that has this proven ability to prevent cancer," he said. Dr. Garland advocated a minimum of 1,000 IU’s per day with more being better. This is well within the new guidelines of safety and considerably more than most supplement products contain.

The authors said taking more vitamin D could be especially important for people living in northern areas of the United States or anywhere where sunshine is a premium during many months of the year. Blacks, who don’t produce as much of the vitamin because of their skin pigment, also could benefit significantly from a higher intake, the researchers said.

Comment: There is enough evidence today to suggest that 2,000 to 4,000 IU's is a healthy overall dosage range with 1,000 IU's a minimum.


2 Studies that show promise for slowing down Alzheimer's Disease...

Red wine again linked to slowing Alzheimer's
9/28/2006 - A Mount Sinai School of Medicine study found giving mice with amyloid plaques red wine slows their memory loss and brain cell death - adding to a body of science linking compounds in the beverage to slowing the Alzheimer's disease-related symptom.

Curcumin could cut plaque build-up linked to Alzheimer’s
10/4/2006 - Curcumin, found extensively in curries, could boost the body’s ability to clear the build up of plaques in the brain that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease, suggest results from a small laboratory study from the US.


Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.


Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

Please visit our website at: http://www.cwiechert.com/

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