Vitamin D, calcium, dairy linked to lower colon cancer risk...
27/03/2007 - High intake of vitamin D and calcium from the diet and supplements may cut the risk of colorectal cancer by over 30 per cent, suggests a new study.
READ ARTICLE
Vitamin D again linked to lower breast cancer risk...
20/03/2007 - Increased vitamin D levels during youth, from the sun and the diet, may reduce the risk of breast cancer later in life by over 30 per cent, suggests a new epidemiological study.
READ ARTICLE
Vitamin D level reassessment high priority, say experts...
09/03/2007 - International agencies should reassess as a matter of high priority dietary recommendations for vitamin D, experts have said, because current advice is outdated and puts the public at risk of deficiency.
READ ARTICLE
The Antibiotic Vitamin...
Deficiency in vitamin D may predispose people to infection...
In April 2005, a virulent strain of influenza hit a maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital for men that's midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. John J. Cannell, a psychiatrist there, observed with increasing curiosity as one infected ward after another was quarantined to limit the outbreak. Although 10 percent of the facility's 1,200 patients ultimately developed the flu's fever and debilitating muscle aches, none did in the ward that he supervised. Cannell's ward was the only heavily exposed ward left unaffected. Was it by mere chance, Cannell wondered, that his patients dodged the sickness? Immediately, Cannell says, the proverbial lightbulb went on in his head: Maybe the high doses of vitamin D that he had been prescribing to virtually all the men on his ward had boosted their natural arsenal of the antimicrobial, called cathelicidin, and protected them from flu. Cannell had been administering the vitamin D because his patients, like many other people in the industrial world, had shown a deficiency.
READ ARTICLE
Formulators ignore calcium+D+K bone health recipe...
09/03/2007 - Supplements aimed at promoting bone health are not offering the best combination of ingredients, indicates data from Mintel, with the majority containing just calcium, without vitamins D and K.
READ ARTICLE
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 websites:
cwiechert.com
HealthBlogger
Orthomolecular Formulations
Axiom Int'l, Sports Fitness Zone
Axiom Int'l, Skin Care & Cosmetics
Axiom Int’l, Health & Beauty Zone
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com
or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Resveratrol in the news...
Resveratrol May Promote Numerous Anti-Inflammatory Benefits...
By Dr. Allen S. Josephs
For those of you who follow the nutrition news on a regular basis, there have been several studies discussed in the last few months touting the incredible benefits of resveratrol. There was a study published late last year from Harvard Medical School indicating that resveratrol, when given to mice in very large dosages equivalent to several hundred glasses of red wine per day, produced a significant extension of life span along with protecting the cells and organs from the damage elevated blood sugar causes. Further, resveratrol showed significant improvement in endurance and physical performance in the same study. There were a couple of interesting animal studies published earlier this month on resveratrol unrelated to life span or physical endurance. In one study published in the journal Life Science, a group of rats were treated with a chemical to induce elevated blood sugar along with damage to the nerve endings. Six weeks after this damage was induced, these mice were then supplemented with two weeks of resveratrol. The resveratrol produced a marked increase in catalase (a powerful antioxidant enzyme). There was also improvement in nerve function which was actually demonstrated on pathologic review of the nerves performed after supplementation with resveratrol. The researchers concluded that the study suggested the potential of resveratrol for the benefit of impaired nerve function produced by elevated blood sugar and that its protective effect may be mediated through a reduction in oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation (damage). In another study published March 2007 in Circulation Journal, researchers tested the effects of resveratrol on inflammation of the heart muscle cells of rats. It was found that resveratrol diminished the inflammation within three weeks. It measured a particular enzyme in the heart muscle called SIRT which was increased after resveratrol was given. Finally, in another study out of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Institute published in the March 2007 journal Blood, it was found that resveratrol seemed to inhibit the proliferation of abnormal cellular growth within the bone marrow. Resveratrol is truly one of the most amazing nutrients I have ever studied. It activates genes at the DNA level to produce repair and protective enzymes naturally by the cells. The fountain of youth may actually be a fountain of red wine high in resveratrol. Red wine does provide other benefits beyond resveratrol in the form called polyphenols. These are also powerful antioxidants. A 12 year study published in the British Medical Journal in May 1995 following over 13,000 men and women aged 30 - 70 indicated those who drank hard liquor had a 34% increase in mortality versus those who drank 3 - 5 glasses of wine having a 49% reduction in all cause mortality compared to those who never drank wine.
There are no drugs or surgeries capable of this dramatic reduction.
GET THE MOST POTENT AND BEST PRICE ON RESVERATROL HERE
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
By Dr. Allen S. Josephs
For those of you who follow the nutrition news on a regular basis, there have been several studies discussed in the last few months touting the incredible benefits of resveratrol. There was a study published late last year from Harvard Medical School indicating that resveratrol, when given to mice in very large dosages equivalent to several hundred glasses of red wine per day, produced a significant extension of life span along with protecting the cells and organs from the damage elevated blood sugar causes. Further, resveratrol showed significant improvement in endurance and physical performance in the same study. There were a couple of interesting animal studies published earlier this month on resveratrol unrelated to life span or physical endurance. In one study published in the journal Life Science, a group of rats were treated with a chemical to induce elevated blood sugar along with damage to the nerve endings. Six weeks after this damage was induced, these mice were then supplemented with two weeks of resveratrol. The resveratrol produced a marked increase in catalase (a powerful antioxidant enzyme). There was also improvement in nerve function which was actually demonstrated on pathologic review of the nerves performed after supplementation with resveratrol. The researchers concluded that the study suggested the potential of resveratrol for the benefit of impaired nerve function produced by elevated blood sugar and that its protective effect may be mediated through a reduction in oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation (damage). In another study published March 2007 in Circulation Journal, researchers tested the effects of resveratrol on inflammation of the heart muscle cells of rats. It was found that resveratrol diminished the inflammation within three weeks. It measured a particular enzyme in the heart muscle called SIRT which was increased after resveratrol was given. Finally, in another study out of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Institute published in the March 2007 journal Blood, it was found that resveratrol seemed to inhibit the proliferation of abnormal cellular growth within the bone marrow. Resveratrol is truly one of the most amazing nutrients I have ever studied. It activates genes at the DNA level to produce repair and protective enzymes naturally by the cells. The fountain of youth may actually be a fountain of red wine high in resveratrol. Red wine does provide other benefits beyond resveratrol in the form called polyphenols. These are also powerful antioxidants. A 12 year study published in the British Medical Journal in May 1995 following over 13,000 men and women aged 30 - 70 indicated those who drank hard liquor had a 34% increase in mortality versus those who drank 3 - 5 glasses of wine having a 49% reduction in all cause mortality compared to those who never drank wine.
There are no drugs or surgeries capable of this dramatic reduction.
GET THE MOST POTENT AND BEST PRICE ON RESVERATROL HERE
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Nutrition in the news...
Low-carb diet speeds initial weight loss: study ...
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a study of overweight and obese people, those who went on a low carbohydrate diet lost more weight -- and more fat -- than their peers who went on a low-fat, portion-controlled diet.
READ ARTICLE
Acids in Popular Sodas Erode Tooth Enamel ...
Prolonged exposure to soft drinks can lead to significant enamel loss, even though many people consider soft drinks to be harmless or just worry about their sugar content and the potential for putting on pounds, the study says.
READ ARTICLE
Obese Men With Prostate Cancer Face Higher Death Risk ...
MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Men who are obese when they're diagnosed with prostate cancer are 2.6 times more likely to die of the disease than normal-weight men, new findings suggest.
READ ARTICLE
Omega-3 fatty acids slash colorectal cancer risk in men by 66 percent...
NewsTarget) Omega-3 fatty acids, found in flaxseed, fish and other foods, may reduce the risk of getting colorectal cancer by two-thirds in men, a new study suggests. There is one caveat, though: the effect is seen in men who do not take aspirin.
READ ARTICLE
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a study of overweight and obese people, those who went on a low carbohydrate diet lost more weight -- and more fat -- than their peers who went on a low-fat, portion-controlled diet.
READ ARTICLE
Acids in Popular Sodas Erode Tooth Enamel ...
Prolonged exposure to soft drinks can lead to significant enamel loss, even though many people consider soft drinks to be harmless or just worry about their sugar content and the potential for putting on pounds, the study says.
READ ARTICLE
Obese Men With Prostate Cancer Face Higher Death Risk ...
MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Men who are obese when they're diagnosed with prostate cancer are 2.6 times more likely to die of the disease than normal-weight men, new findings suggest.
READ ARTICLE
Omega-3 fatty acids slash colorectal cancer risk in men by 66 percent...
NewsTarget) Omega-3 fatty acids, found in flaxseed, fish and other foods, may reduce the risk of getting colorectal cancer by two-thirds in men, a new study suggests. There is one caveat, though: the effect is seen in men who do not take aspirin.
READ ARTICLE
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Are you eating enough fruits & vegies and keeping your insulin levels low?
CDC: Too few eating fruits, vegetables...
By DANIEL YEE, Associated Press Writer Thu Mar 15, 6:22 PM ET
Fewer than a third of American adults eat the amount of fruits and vegetables the government recommends, a trend that's remained steady for more than a decade, health officials said Thursday. That's "well below" the government's goal of getting 75 percent of Americans to eat two servings of fruits and having half of the population consume three servings of vegetables each day by 2010, said Dr. Larry Cohen of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The diet survey, part of a huge federal health survey of every state, is based on responses from 305,000 adults in 2005. It indicates the country is only about halfway toward meeting its healthy eating goal three years from now.
"We're really concerned with the lack of success in meeting these national goals," said Cohen, who works in CDC's nutrition and physical activity division.
Although the rate of fruit and vegetable consumption has remained unchanged since 1994, health officials said the goal is still within reach.
"We have more work to do over the next few years," said spokeswoman Rachel Ciccarone.
Specifically the survey showed that 27 percent of adults ate vegetables three times a day, and about 33 percent ate fruit twice a day. A serving size is a half-cup for most fruits and vegetables, one cup for leafy greens.
Senior citizens were more likely than others to follow Mom's advice to eat more veggies, with slightly more than a third of that group eating three or more servings each day. Younger adults, age 18 to 24, ate the fewest vegetables. Nearly four-fifths of that age category scraped the veggies to the side of their plates — if they had vegetables on the plate at all.
Likewise, seniors also ate the most fruit, with nearly 46 percent eating two or more servings of fruit daily. People age 35 to 44 ate fruit the least, with fewer than 28 percent eating the recommended amount of fruit each day.
The federal agency said it doesn't know why people aren't eating more veggies or fruits. Cohen said future surveys will ask people what other foods they are eating.
Susan Krause, a clinical dietitian at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, said people are eating more refined sugars or choosing protein instead of fruits and vegetables.
"There's so much information out there and people get very confused. When they're looking at protein, they feel that's the solution when they're not looking at long-term health benefits," she said. "There's so many fabricated foods now and people are looking at convenience."
Not only are fruits and vegetables lower-calorie, they also have minerals and fiber that help guard against chronic diseases and cancer, the CDC says.
The survey relied on people to report what they were eating. Telephone questioners asked how often they consumed fruit juice, fruit and vegetables. Although Hispanics ate the most fruits (37 percent) compared with blacks and whites, they ate the fewest vegetables, (about 20 percent). Whites, in contrast, ate the fewest fruits (31 percent) but the most veggies (28 percent).
Cohen said the CDC has been working on family and community programs to get more people to eat their veggies. The agency is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to get more fresh produce into schools.
Krause said health officials should offer people simple options for getting fruits and vegetables in their diets, such as easy recipes in cooking classes and fruit smoothies or shakes in schools.
"If that's a way of getting it in, at least it's in the right direction," she said. "Certainly (whole) fruit is a better choice, but that could be the next alternative."
Comment: The countries that consume the largest amount of fruits and vegetables, have the lowest cancer rates.
Make sure you get 10 servings of fruits and vegies every day...
High Insulin & Glucose Levels - The Cause of Many Diseases...
High levels of insulin and glucose, the result of eating a high refined carbohydrate diet, can result in heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cancer. Insulin is produced by the body in response to rising levels of glucose in the blood after a carbohydrate rich meal. The insulin takes the glucose out of the blood and deposits it into glycogen or adipose tissue - usually the latter.Sounds harmless, right? Wrong. The problem is that there are no concentrated sources of glucose in nature. Fruits and vegetables, especially wild ones tend to be low in carbohydrates. All of the concentrated sources of glucose, the so called "complex carbohydrates," are found in foods that have to be cooked and/or processed to become edible. Thus, they are not really natural foods, and our bodies weren't designed to cope with large amounts of glucose contained in them. We only have one hormone, insulin, to lower blood sugar levels but four different hormones that raise it.Hence, today we are paying with the above mentioned diseases. How? Well, since insulin is an anabolic hormone, in large amounts it may encourage tumor cell growth. High levels of insulin directly result in increased blood pressure through various mechanisms such as proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cells, which makes the arteries more rigid. It also activates cholesterol synthesis through its stimulating effect on HMG-CoA reductase, the key enzyme in the cholesterol synthesis pathway. The body produces about 5 times or so more cholesterol than ingested by diet. Thus, if you want your cholesterol levels lowered, avoiding that egg won’t do anything, instead avoid refined carbohydrates. (It’s interesting to note that the most effective cholesterol medications in use today, the statins, work by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase.) Furthermore, insulin directly shuts off the fat burning pathways in the body, and turns on those pathways responsible for the production of fat and triglycerides. High levels of insulin and glucose also damage arteries, which can initiate plaque formation, and glucose directly binds to LDL molecules, rendering them unrecognizable to the liver and causing them to be attacked by macrophage cells of the immune system, which also initiates a process leading to plaque formation. Finally, chronic high levels of insulin can lead to the desensitization of the insulin receptor - leading to type II diabetes. (As an aside, the reason that diabetics have such a high incidence of secondary coronary and vascular disease is because of the chronic high levels of glucose in their blood and the relatively high levels of insulin some of them receive through injections to control their blood sugar level.)
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
By DANIEL YEE, Associated Press Writer Thu Mar 15, 6:22 PM ET
Fewer than a third of American adults eat the amount of fruits and vegetables the government recommends, a trend that's remained steady for more than a decade, health officials said Thursday. That's "well below" the government's goal of getting 75 percent of Americans to eat two servings of fruits and having half of the population consume three servings of vegetables each day by 2010, said Dr. Larry Cohen of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The diet survey, part of a huge federal health survey of every state, is based on responses from 305,000 adults in 2005. It indicates the country is only about halfway toward meeting its healthy eating goal three years from now.
"We're really concerned with the lack of success in meeting these national goals," said Cohen, who works in CDC's nutrition and physical activity division.
Although the rate of fruit and vegetable consumption has remained unchanged since 1994, health officials said the goal is still within reach.
"We have more work to do over the next few years," said spokeswoman Rachel Ciccarone.
Specifically the survey showed that 27 percent of adults ate vegetables three times a day, and about 33 percent ate fruit twice a day. A serving size is a half-cup for most fruits and vegetables, one cup for leafy greens.
Senior citizens were more likely than others to follow Mom's advice to eat more veggies, with slightly more than a third of that group eating three or more servings each day. Younger adults, age 18 to 24, ate the fewest vegetables. Nearly four-fifths of that age category scraped the veggies to the side of their plates — if they had vegetables on the plate at all.
Likewise, seniors also ate the most fruit, with nearly 46 percent eating two or more servings of fruit daily. People age 35 to 44 ate fruit the least, with fewer than 28 percent eating the recommended amount of fruit each day.
The federal agency said it doesn't know why people aren't eating more veggies or fruits. Cohen said future surveys will ask people what other foods they are eating.
Susan Krause, a clinical dietitian at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, said people are eating more refined sugars or choosing protein instead of fruits and vegetables.
"There's so much information out there and people get very confused. When they're looking at protein, they feel that's the solution when they're not looking at long-term health benefits," she said. "There's so many fabricated foods now and people are looking at convenience."
Not only are fruits and vegetables lower-calorie, they also have minerals and fiber that help guard against chronic diseases and cancer, the CDC says.
The survey relied on people to report what they were eating. Telephone questioners asked how often they consumed fruit juice, fruit and vegetables. Although Hispanics ate the most fruits (37 percent) compared with blacks and whites, they ate the fewest vegetables, (about 20 percent). Whites, in contrast, ate the fewest fruits (31 percent) but the most veggies (28 percent).
Cohen said the CDC has been working on family and community programs to get more people to eat their veggies. The agency is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to get more fresh produce into schools.
Krause said health officials should offer people simple options for getting fruits and vegetables in their diets, such as easy recipes in cooking classes and fruit smoothies or shakes in schools.
"If that's a way of getting it in, at least it's in the right direction," she said. "Certainly (whole) fruit is a better choice, but that could be the next alternative."
Comment: The countries that consume the largest amount of fruits and vegetables, have the lowest cancer rates.
Make sure you get 10 servings of fruits and vegies every day...
High Insulin & Glucose Levels - The Cause of Many Diseases...
High levels of insulin and glucose, the result of eating a high refined carbohydrate diet, can result in heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cancer. Insulin is produced by the body in response to rising levels of glucose in the blood after a carbohydrate rich meal. The insulin takes the glucose out of the blood and deposits it into glycogen or adipose tissue - usually the latter.Sounds harmless, right? Wrong. The problem is that there are no concentrated sources of glucose in nature. Fruits and vegetables, especially wild ones tend to be low in carbohydrates. All of the concentrated sources of glucose, the so called "complex carbohydrates," are found in foods that have to be cooked and/or processed to become edible. Thus, they are not really natural foods, and our bodies weren't designed to cope with large amounts of glucose contained in them. We only have one hormone, insulin, to lower blood sugar levels but four different hormones that raise it.Hence, today we are paying with the above mentioned diseases. How? Well, since insulin is an anabolic hormone, in large amounts it may encourage tumor cell growth. High levels of insulin directly result in increased blood pressure through various mechanisms such as proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cells, which makes the arteries more rigid. It also activates cholesterol synthesis through its stimulating effect on HMG-CoA reductase, the key enzyme in the cholesterol synthesis pathway. The body produces about 5 times or so more cholesterol than ingested by diet. Thus, if you want your cholesterol levels lowered, avoiding that egg won’t do anything, instead avoid refined carbohydrates. (It’s interesting to note that the most effective cholesterol medications in use today, the statins, work by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase.) Furthermore, insulin directly shuts off the fat burning pathways in the body, and turns on those pathways responsible for the production of fat and triglycerides. High levels of insulin and glucose also damage arteries, which can initiate plaque formation, and glucose directly binds to LDL molecules, rendering them unrecognizable to the liver and causing them to be attacked by macrophage cells of the immune system, which also initiates a process leading to plaque formation. Finally, chronic high levels of insulin can lead to the desensitization of the insulin receptor - leading to type II diabetes. (As an aside, the reason that diabetics have such a high incidence of secondary coronary and vascular disease is because of the chronic high levels of glucose in their blood and the relatively high levels of insulin some of them receive through injections to control their blood sugar level.)
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Friday, March 09, 2007
Nutrition in the news...
Epidemic Deficiency of Vitamin E...
If people had to rely on the news media for accurate health information, they might be influenced into making some very poor decisions. For instance, new studies about vitamin E are published every week. The findings from virtually all of these studies, however, remain buried in scientific journals—that is, unless there is an unfavorable outcome. Since vitamin E is a popular supplement, the media turns negative results into headline news stories, thus leading Americans to believe that they do not need supplemental vitamin E.
READ ARTICLE
The quackery of modern medicine (opinion)...
NewsTarget) The closer you look at conventional medicine, the more you realize just how much it's based on quackery. From the exaggerated claims of drug advertisements (which imply that swallowing patented chemicals will solve your life problems) to the absurd pro-drug, anti-nutrition regulatory proclamations by the FDA, the modern U.S. "sick care system" has become the laughing stock of the world.
READ ARTICLE
Cocoa may reverse blood vessel damage, study...
3/7/2007 - Smokers should be encouraged to indulge their sweet tooth, judging from the results of a new study into how daily consumption of a specially-prepared cocoa beverage benefits blood vessel function.
READ ARTICLE
Omega-3 may build grey matter, study...
09/03/2007 - A study presented this week proposes a mechanism by which omega-3 intake could have a bearing on a person's mood and outlook.
READ ARTICLE
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
If people had to rely on the news media for accurate health information, they might be influenced into making some very poor decisions. For instance, new studies about vitamin E are published every week. The findings from virtually all of these studies, however, remain buried in scientific journals—that is, unless there is an unfavorable outcome. Since vitamin E is a popular supplement, the media turns negative results into headline news stories, thus leading Americans to believe that they do not need supplemental vitamin E.
READ ARTICLE
The quackery of modern medicine (opinion)...
NewsTarget) The closer you look at conventional medicine, the more you realize just how much it's based on quackery. From the exaggerated claims of drug advertisements (which imply that swallowing patented chemicals will solve your life problems) to the absurd pro-drug, anti-nutrition regulatory proclamations by the FDA, the modern U.S. "sick care system" has become the laughing stock of the world.
READ ARTICLE
Cocoa may reverse blood vessel damage, study...
3/7/2007 - Smokers should be encouraged to indulge their sweet tooth, judging from the results of a new study into how daily consumption of a specially-prepared cocoa beverage benefits blood vessel function.
READ ARTICLE
Omega-3 may build grey matter, study...
09/03/2007 - A study presented this week proposes a mechanism by which omega-3 intake could have a bearing on a person's mood and outlook.
READ ARTICLE
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Thursday, March 08, 2007
GOOD ADVISE FOR HELPING THE HEART
Proven steps to protect your heart ...
Forget latest quick fixes and go for tried and true measures, experts say Forbes...
Updated: 4:16 p.m. PT March 7, 2007
Sure, many of us can't resist glazed doughnuts and french fries and don't remember what the inside of a gym looks like. And yes, we're constantly stressed out about work and could stand to lose 10 pounds.
But a heart attack? They happen to other people — not you.
Even if the worst should occur, doctors can use drugs to decrease the damage to your heart, or perform angioplasty or bypass surgery to fix the problem. Right?
Not always. Up to 25 percent of people who die of sudden cardiac death had no prior symptoms or warnings such as chest pain.
"You can't just rely on the thought that, 'Oh, well, if I have a heart attack the doctors will be there to save me and put me on medications,'" says Dr. Erin Michos, a cardiology fellow at Johns Hopkins Medicine. "Some people don't make it to the hospital. They die at home. Prevention needs to begin early in life."
Heart attacks strike when one or more of the heart's arteries are blocked, severely reducing or stopping blood from reaching part of the heart muscle. They're usually preceded by the buildup inside the artery walls of fatty deposits or plaque, which can rupture, causing a blood clot to form and block the artery. When the blood supply is cut off for more than a few minutes it can be deadly.
Coronary heart disease remains the nation's single leading cause of death, and it's estimated that 1.2 million Americans will have a first or recurrent coronary attack this year, killing 452,000 of them, according to the American Heart Association.
Preventative measuresIf those statistics sound frightening, take heart.
Cardiologists, doctors, nutritionists and other experts say you have the power to cut your risk of having a heart attack.
Instead of looking for the latest quick fix, however, focus your preventive efforts on what's already been proven.
For starters, that means changing your diet. But, as registered dietitian and American Heart Association spokeswoman Ronni Litz Julien points out, today there are lots more do's than don'ts.
She tells clients to get a tablespoon of olive oil a day, either with sautéed vegetables or a salad, and to frequently eat low-mercury fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A few eggs a week are no longer forbidden. Neither is meat, if you're eating lean, 4-ounce to 6-ounce cuts. The same goes for nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews and peanuts, as long as you're not demolishing a Costco-size container in two days.
A little portion control will go a long way toward helping you keep your weight in check too. Litz Julien recommends that couples eating out order separate salads or shrimp cocktails and split an entrée. When cooking, don't just dump half a bag of rice into the pot — measure it. Aim to always leave something on the plate.
"If you can leave a few bites, you've created a barrier between you and the food," she says. "You're still satiated but you're not so completely full that you have to unbutton your pants."
Consistently getting a good night's rest is another simple thing you can do for your heart.
Recent studies have shown a connection between not getting enough sleep or irregular sleep patterns and heart disease, says cardiologist Dr. Thomas Lee, editor of the Harvard Health Letter, a journal which covers and analyzes health care issues. By cheating yourself of sleep, you're throwing off your biological clock, causing adrenaline to surge and raising blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks.
"We need to recognize that sleep is important, not a sign of weakness," Lee says. He suggests structuring your day so that you get enough sleep, which also can minimize stress in your life, another risk factor.
Down with your digitsAn additional key to heart attack prevention is knowing your numbers, including blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index.
Risk factors such as age (coronary heart disease increases as we grow older), gender (before 50 heart disease is more common in men than women, but women's risk increases after menopause) and heredity (you're at an increased risk if your father or a brother had a heart attack before 55 or your mom or a sister had a heart attack before 65) can't be changed, according to research from Johns Hopkins Medicine.
But once you know your numbers, you can do something about them.
High-tech helpThe Texas-based U.S. Preventive Medicine is one new company trying to encourage preventive screenings across America.
It's working with hospitals and physician groups to create centers where people can go for tests, health risk assessments, counseling and intervention, says medical director Dr. Boyd Lyles. On a daily basis Web sites, such as Everydayhealth.com, also can help you track your results and goals, and show you how to reach them.
Following through will take time and commitment, but it can be done.
Over the years, Litz Julien, for instance, has made exercise as an important part of the day as her shower.
"It's truly a matter of if you want it," she says. "You've got to want it."
© 2007 Forbes.com
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17506564/page/2/
IDEAL DIET
HOW TO MEND A BROKEN HEART
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Forget latest quick fixes and go for tried and true measures, experts say Forbes...
Updated: 4:16 p.m. PT March 7, 2007
Sure, many of us can't resist glazed doughnuts and french fries and don't remember what the inside of a gym looks like. And yes, we're constantly stressed out about work and could stand to lose 10 pounds.
But a heart attack? They happen to other people — not you.
Even if the worst should occur, doctors can use drugs to decrease the damage to your heart, or perform angioplasty or bypass surgery to fix the problem. Right?
Not always. Up to 25 percent of people who die of sudden cardiac death had no prior symptoms or warnings such as chest pain.
"You can't just rely on the thought that, 'Oh, well, if I have a heart attack the doctors will be there to save me and put me on medications,'" says Dr. Erin Michos, a cardiology fellow at Johns Hopkins Medicine. "Some people don't make it to the hospital. They die at home. Prevention needs to begin early in life."
Heart attacks strike when one or more of the heart's arteries are blocked, severely reducing or stopping blood from reaching part of the heart muscle. They're usually preceded by the buildup inside the artery walls of fatty deposits or plaque, which can rupture, causing a blood clot to form and block the artery. When the blood supply is cut off for more than a few minutes it can be deadly.
Coronary heart disease remains the nation's single leading cause of death, and it's estimated that 1.2 million Americans will have a first or recurrent coronary attack this year, killing 452,000 of them, according to the American Heart Association.
Preventative measuresIf those statistics sound frightening, take heart.
Cardiologists, doctors, nutritionists and other experts say you have the power to cut your risk of having a heart attack.
Instead of looking for the latest quick fix, however, focus your preventive efforts on what's already been proven.
For starters, that means changing your diet. But, as registered dietitian and American Heart Association spokeswoman Ronni Litz Julien points out, today there are lots more do's than don'ts.
She tells clients to get a tablespoon of olive oil a day, either with sautéed vegetables or a salad, and to frequently eat low-mercury fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A few eggs a week are no longer forbidden. Neither is meat, if you're eating lean, 4-ounce to 6-ounce cuts. The same goes for nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews and peanuts, as long as you're not demolishing a Costco-size container in two days.
A little portion control will go a long way toward helping you keep your weight in check too. Litz Julien recommends that couples eating out order separate salads or shrimp cocktails and split an entrée. When cooking, don't just dump half a bag of rice into the pot — measure it. Aim to always leave something on the plate.
"If you can leave a few bites, you've created a barrier between you and the food," she says. "You're still satiated but you're not so completely full that you have to unbutton your pants."
Consistently getting a good night's rest is another simple thing you can do for your heart.
Recent studies have shown a connection between not getting enough sleep or irregular sleep patterns and heart disease, says cardiologist Dr. Thomas Lee, editor of the Harvard Health Letter, a journal which covers and analyzes health care issues. By cheating yourself of sleep, you're throwing off your biological clock, causing adrenaline to surge and raising blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks.
"We need to recognize that sleep is important, not a sign of weakness," Lee says. He suggests structuring your day so that you get enough sleep, which also can minimize stress in your life, another risk factor.
Down with your digitsAn additional key to heart attack prevention is knowing your numbers, including blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index.
Risk factors such as age (coronary heart disease increases as we grow older), gender (before 50 heart disease is more common in men than women, but women's risk increases after menopause) and heredity (you're at an increased risk if your father or a brother had a heart attack before 55 or your mom or a sister had a heart attack before 65) can't be changed, according to research from Johns Hopkins Medicine.
But once you know your numbers, you can do something about them.
High-tech helpThe Texas-based U.S. Preventive Medicine is one new company trying to encourage preventive screenings across America.
It's working with hospitals and physician groups to create centers where people can go for tests, health risk assessments, counseling and intervention, says medical director Dr. Boyd Lyles. On a daily basis Web sites, such as Everydayhealth.com, also can help you track your results and goals, and show you how to reach them.
Following through will take time and commitment, but it can be done.
Over the years, Litz Julien, for instance, has made exercise as an important part of the day as her shower.
"It's truly a matter of if you want it," she says. "You've got to want it."
© 2007 Forbes.com
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17506564/page/2/
IDEAL DIET
HOW TO MEND A BROKEN HEART
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Nutrition in the news...
Atkins beats other diet plans in study ...
CHICAGO - The low-carb, high-fat Atkins diet gets high marks in one of the biggest, longest head-to-head studies of popular weight-loss plans, beating the Zone, the Ornish diet and even U.S. guidelines. Even so, critics say the results show how hard it is to lose weight and keep it off.
READ ARTICLE
Current vitamin D levels not enough in pregnancy, study...
2/28/2007 - Pregnant American women do not get enough vitamin D and prenatal multivitamins are not filling the gap, according to a University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences study.
READ ARTICLE
Selenium intake prevents loss of brain function as we age...
(NewsTarget) A person's selenium intake throughout life may influence how well they retain cognitive function as they age, according to a new study published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology."
READ ARTICLE
Study: Garlic won't lower cholesterol ...
CHICAGO - Garlic doesn't do much for the breath and it stinks for lowering cholesterol. That's the conclusion of the most rigorous, head-to-head study of raw garlic and popular garlic supplements, despite promoters' claims to the contrary.
READ ARTICLE
Childhood obesity triggers early puberty: study ...
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Childhood obesity in the United States appears to be causing girls to reach puberty at an earlier age, for reasons that are not clear, a study said on Monday.
READ ARTICLE
Prenatal vitamins shown to reduce children's risk of cancer...
(NewsTarget) Taking folic acid and multivitamins while pregnant can nearly halve the chance of a child getting a common cancer before the age of 18, new evidence from a Toronto children's hospital shows. The study, from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, was pursued when officials at the hospital noticed a drop in neuroblastomas five years ago, after the Canadian government started requiring flour manufacturers to add folic acid to their product in 1998.
READ ARTICLE
Panel: Aspirin adds to colon cancer risk...
PHILADELPHIA - People at average risk for colon cancer shouldn't take aspirin or painkillers like ibuprofen to try to prevent the disease, a federal task force advises, because of the risk of bleeding and other potential health problems. The recommendation for the first time by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force includes those with a family history of colorectal cancer.
READ ARTICLE
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
CHICAGO - The low-carb, high-fat Atkins diet gets high marks in one of the biggest, longest head-to-head studies of popular weight-loss plans, beating the Zone, the Ornish diet and even U.S. guidelines. Even so, critics say the results show how hard it is to lose weight and keep it off.
READ ARTICLE
Current vitamin D levels not enough in pregnancy, study...
2/28/2007 - Pregnant American women do not get enough vitamin D and prenatal multivitamins are not filling the gap, according to a University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences study.
READ ARTICLE
Selenium intake prevents loss of brain function as we age...
(NewsTarget) A person's selenium intake throughout life may influence how well they retain cognitive function as they age, according to a new study published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology."
READ ARTICLE
Study: Garlic won't lower cholesterol ...
CHICAGO - Garlic doesn't do much for the breath and it stinks for lowering cholesterol. That's the conclusion of the most rigorous, head-to-head study of raw garlic and popular garlic supplements, despite promoters' claims to the contrary.
READ ARTICLE
Childhood obesity triggers early puberty: study ...
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Childhood obesity in the United States appears to be causing girls to reach puberty at an earlier age, for reasons that are not clear, a study said on Monday.
READ ARTICLE
Prenatal vitamins shown to reduce children's risk of cancer...
(NewsTarget) Taking folic acid and multivitamins while pregnant can nearly halve the chance of a child getting a common cancer before the age of 18, new evidence from a Toronto children's hospital shows. The study, from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, was pursued when officials at the hospital noticed a drop in neuroblastomas five years ago, after the Canadian government started requiring flour manufacturers to add folic acid to their product in 1998.
READ ARTICLE
Panel: Aspirin adds to colon cancer risk...
PHILADELPHIA - People at average risk for colon cancer shouldn't take aspirin or painkillers like ibuprofen to try to prevent the disease, a federal task force advises, because of the risk of bleeding and other potential health problems. The recommendation for the first time by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force includes those with a family history of colorectal cancer.
READ ARTICLE
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Friday, March 02, 2007
You make up your own mind as to whether vitamins and antioxidants are safe and effective.
Antioxidants don't help you live longer...
CHICAGO - Antioxidant vitamins taken by tens of millions of people around the world won't lead to a longer life, according to an analysis of dozens of studies that adds to evidence questioning the value of the popular supplements. The large review of separate studies on thousands of people found no long-life benefit from vitamins A, E and C and beta carotene and selenium.
READ ARTICLE
The big vitamin scare: American Medical Association claims vitamins may kill you (opinion)...
The latest round in conventional medicine's ongoing attempts to discredit (and ultimately outlaw) nutritional supplements is found in a highly questionable study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which claims that vitamins actually increase the risk of death.
READ ARTICLE
Antioxidant Vitamins and Selenium in the news. Let the truth be told...
By Allen S. Josephs, M.D., Vitacost, President
03/02/2007 You are probably aware of a study that came out earlier this week in JAMA from Denmark indicating that in a meta-analysis of 68 randomized trials involving over 200,000 people, vitamins A, E and beta-carotene may increase mortality risk by up to 16%. The study indicated vitamin C did not have any clear effect on mortality and that the anti-oxidant mineral selenium was actually associated with a 9% decrease in all cause mortality. I read the full text of this study just published and must say that it is quite a mish-mosh. The authors of the study combined a large series of different studies using all different levels of nutrients, quality of nutrients (synthetic versus natural), and so on. The methodology in this meta-analysis I feel was terribly flawed. Dr. Stampfer, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health told the Associated Press that the studies reviewed were too different to be able to pool them together. I couldn't more strongly agree with Dr. Stampfer's impression 1.The authors of this paper further seemed to stack the deck against vitamins. They had reviewed a total of 815 different trials but included only 68 of them in their final analysis. There were over 400 trials that they reviewed in which the mortality rate was zero in both the vitamin group and the control group. They decided to exclude these over 400 trials because there was zero mortality. If indeed they were trying to determine is there was truly some increased risk of mortality associated with vitamins, why not include the over 400 trials that showed no mortality whatsoever. Furthermore within the 68 trials they decided whether they were low bias or high bias trials based on the way each study was conducted. When they looked at all 68 trials together they reported no significant effect on mortality. However when they selected out the 47 trials that they considered low bias (involving over 180,000 participants) that is when they saw some increased risk of mortality with some of the vitamins. As I read through this meta-analysis I could not help but feel that there was tremendous bias in putting together this paper. It is important to point out Denmark is in the European Union and their doctors and government tend to be very anti-vitamins and biased against supplements based on their absurd regulations. And of course the main stream press picked up on this study making the sweeping comment that vitamins will kill you. The press is not interested in reporting the fair and balanced facts but rather sensational headlines. I do not believe that anyone in the vitamin/nutrition business is advocating that you take only vitamin A, vitamin E and beta carotene as your nutritional supplements. Some of the best nutrients available were not analyzed in this paper such as alpha lipoic acid, coq10, omega-3 essential fatty acids, ginkgo, green tea, grape seed just to name a few. At the present time there are many cancer centers throughout the United States including the National Cancer Institute that are studying nutrients like soy, green tea and curcumin for their health benefits. A great example of media bias is a recent 2007 study they ignored entirely that was conducted in San Francisco, CA regarding vitamin D. This study is available on the National Library of Medicine which is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. I have provided the full abstract below...
2: "Solar ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiance and/or vitamin D have been found inversely correlated with incidence, mortality, and/or survival rates for breast, colorectal, ovarian, and prostate cancer and Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Evidence is emerging that more than 17 different types of cancer are likely to be vitamin D-sensitive. A recent meta-analysis concluded that 1,000 IU of oral vitamin D per day is associated with a 50% reduction in colorectal cancer incidence. Using this value, as well as the findings in a multifactorial ecologic study of cancer mortality rates in the US, estimates for reductions in risk of vitamin D-sensitive cancer mortality rates were made for 1,000 IU/day. These estimates, along with annual average serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, were used to estimate the reduction in cancer mortality rates in several Western European and North American countries that would result from intake of 1,000 IU/day of vitamin D. It was estimated that reductions could be 7% for males and 9% for females in the US and 14% for males and 20% for females in Western European countries below 59 degrees. It is proposed that increased fortification of food and increased availability of supplements could help increase vitamin D intake and could augment small increases in production of vitamin D from solar UVB irradiance. Providing 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day for all adult Americans would cost about $1 billion; the expected benefits for cancer would be in the range of $16-25 billion in addition to other health benefits of vitamin D. "There are those of you who may say that I too cannot be objective since I am deeply involved with this vitamin company. My interest with vitacost/NSI developed over time as I came to understand and appreciate the incredible benefits of proper nutritional supplementation. Obviously this negative vitamin study is likely being hailed in the halls of the pharmaceutical companies who spent over $800 million the last seven years lobbying congress and the FDA not to mention tens of billions on marketing. They see the vitamin industry as a clear and present danger to their over $200 billion per year monopoly that is bankrupting Americans and our government. The fact that it is well known that over 100,000 people die every year in this country from the proper use and administration of drugs does seem to get much press. Oh well, I've known about that double standard for a long time.
Comment: For more information and studies on this issue, read my webpage titled Antioxidants: The Case for Supplements.
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
CHICAGO - Antioxidant vitamins taken by tens of millions of people around the world won't lead to a longer life, according to an analysis of dozens of studies that adds to evidence questioning the value of the popular supplements. The large review of separate studies on thousands of people found no long-life benefit from vitamins A, E and C and beta carotene and selenium.
READ ARTICLE
The big vitamin scare: American Medical Association claims vitamins may kill you (opinion)...
The latest round in conventional medicine's ongoing attempts to discredit (and ultimately outlaw) nutritional supplements is found in a highly questionable study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which claims that vitamins actually increase the risk of death.
READ ARTICLE
Antioxidant Vitamins and Selenium in the news. Let the truth be told...
By Allen S. Josephs, M.D., Vitacost, President
03/02/2007 You are probably aware of a study that came out earlier this week in JAMA from Denmark indicating that in a meta-analysis of 68 randomized trials involving over 200,000 people, vitamins A, E and beta-carotene may increase mortality risk by up to 16%. The study indicated vitamin C did not have any clear effect on mortality and that the anti-oxidant mineral selenium was actually associated with a 9% decrease in all cause mortality. I read the full text of this study just published and must say that it is quite a mish-mosh. The authors of the study combined a large series of different studies using all different levels of nutrients, quality of nutrients (synthetic versus natural), and so on. The methodology in this meta-analysis I feel was terribly flawed. Dr. Stampfer, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health told the Associated Press that the studies reviewed were too different to be able to pool them together. I couldn't more strongly agree with Dr. Stampfer's impression 1.The authors of this paper further seemed to stack the deck against vitamins. They had reviewed a total of 815 different trials but included only 68 of them in their final analysis. There were over 400 trials that they reviewed in which the mortality rate was zero in both the vitamin group and the control group. They decided to exclude these over 400 trials because there was zero mortality. If indeed they were trying to determine is there was truly some increased risk of mortality associated with vitamins, why not include the over 400 trials that showed no mortality whatsoever. Furthermore within the 68 trials they decided whether they were low bias or high bias trials based on the way each study was conducted. When they looked at all 68 trials together they reported no significant effect on mortality. However when they selected out the 47 trials that they considered low bias (involving over 180,000 participants) that is when they saw some increased risk of mortality with some of the vitamins. As I read through this meta-analysis I could not help but feel that there was tremendous bias in putting together this paper. It is important to point out Denmark is in the European Union and their doctors and government tend to be very anti-vitamins and biased against supplements based on their absurd regulations. And of course the main stream press picked up on this study making the sweeping comment that vitamins will kill you. The press is not interested in reporting the fair and balanced facts but rather sensational headlines. I do not believe that anyone in the vitamin/nutrition business is advocating that you take only vitamin A, vitamin E and beta carotene as your nutritional supplements. Some of the best nutrients available were not analyzed in this paper such as alpha lipoic acid, coq10, omega-3 essential fatty acids, ginkgo, green tea, grape seed just to name a few. At the present time there are many cancer centers throughout the United States including the National Cancer Institute that are studying nutrients like soy, green tea and curcumin for their health benefits. A great example of media bias is a recent 2007 study they ignored entirely that was conducted in San Francisco, CA regarding vitamin D. This study is available on the National Library of Medicine which is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. I have provided the full abstract below...
2: "Solar ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiance and/or vitamin D have been found inversely correlated with incidence, mortality, and/or survival rates for breast, colorectal, ovarian, and prostate cancer and Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Evidence is emerging that more than 17 different types of cancer are likely to be vitamin D-sensitive. A recent meta-analysis concluded that 1,000 IU of oral vitamin D per day is associated with a 50% reduction in colorectal cancer incidence. Using this value, as well as the findings in a multifactorial ecologic study of cancer mortality rates in the US, estimates for reductions in risk of vitamin D-sensitive cancer mortality rates were made for 1,000 IU/day. These estimates, along with annual average serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, were used to estimate the reduction in cancer mortality rates in several Western European and North American countries that would result from intake of 1,000 IU/day of vitamin D. It was estimated that reductions could be 7% for males and 9% for females in the US and 14% for males and 20% for females in Western European countries below 59 degrees. It is proposed that increased fortification of food and increased availability of supplements could help increase vitamin D intake and could augment small increases in production of vitamin D from solar UVB irradiance. Providing 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day for all adult Americans would cost about $1 billion; the expected benefits for cancer would be in the range of $16-25 billion in addition to other health benefits of vitamin D. "There are those of you who may say that I too cannot be objective since I am deeply involved with this vitamin company. My interest with vitacost/NSI developed over time as I came to understand and appreciate the incredible benefits of proper nutritional supplementation. Obviously this negative vitamin study is likely being hailed in the halls of the pharmaceutical companies who spent over $800 million the last seven years lobbying congress and the FDA not to mention tens of billions on marketing. They see the vitamin industry as a clear and present danger to their over $200 billion per year monopoly that is bankrupting Americans and our government. The fact that it is well known that over 100,000 people die every year in this country from the proper use and administration of drugs does seem to get much press. Oh well, I've known about that double standard for a long time.
Comment: For more information and studies on this issue, read my webpage titled Antioxidants: The Case for Supplements.
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/
Do a key word search on cwiechert.com or Christopher Wiechert's HealthBlogger...http://www.cwiechert.com/contactus.html
Click here if you would like to subscribe to our free HealthBlogger News Letter.
Write... add me to your list on the subject line.
Please pass these on.
E-mail us at cww@cwiechert.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)