Over the last few years I have been focused on research showing just how important the mitochondria are in health and longevity. I began to formulate products that included nutrients that had a positive effect on cellular health such as Alpha Lipoic Acid and L- Carnitine. As my knowledge increased, so did my understanding as to just how powerful a combination could be if we added other nutrients that could be synergistic in nature. An increasing body of research suggests that mitochondria may be an “Achilles heel” for absorbing age-related damage, as part of the natural process of oxidation in the body and the related “free radicals” that are produced and can cause cellular damage. As the power plant of cells, mitochondria perform many of the roles critical to cell function, use up to 90 percent of the oxygen humans breathe, but are also among the first cellular components to be damaged by reactive radical oxygen species. What if we had a combination that could protect and reverse mitochondria damage. Thus I created O M EXTEND. See just how important this combination can be as a stand alone or as added to a multi-vitamin program. The following articles are just a small example of what these nutrients can do, when combined in sufficient amount's to make a biochemical difference.
L-carnitine linked to better mental function in the very old...
Supplements of L-carnitine improved total muscle mass and boosted cognitive performance among a group of centenarians in Italy, reports a new study.
"Our study indicates that oral administration of levo-carnitine evokes a reduction of total fat mass, increases total muscular mass, and facilitates an increased capacity for physical and cognitive activity, by reducing fatigue and improving cognitive functions."L-Carnitine plays an important role in the production of cellular energy, and is also necessary for the transport of long-chain fatty acids like the omega-3 fatty acids across the membrane of mitochondria, the cell's power stations.
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Lipoic Acid Explored As Anti-aging Compound...
Researchers announced they have identified the mechanism of action of lipoic acid, a remarkable compound that in animal experiments appears to slow down the process of aging, improve blood flow, enhance immune function and perform many other functions.
"The evidence suggests that lipoic acid is actually a low-level stressor that turns on the basic cellular defenses of the body, including some of those that naturally decline with age," said Tory Hagen, an LPI researcher and associate professor of biochemistry and biophysics at OSU. "In particular, it tends to restore levels of glutathione, a protective antioxidant and detoxification compound, to those of a young animal. It also acts as a strong anti-inflammatory agent, which is relevant to many degenerative diseases."
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Grape OPCs linked to preventing LDL cholesterol...
New research has linked oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) from grape seeds to preventing the LDL cholesterol oxidation that can lead to atherosclerosis.
"The results of the first phase of the project are extremely promising, because they indicate that OPCs, at levels found in circulation after oral intake, are capable of protecting LDL from oxidation, and appear to be more effective protectors than vitamin E," said author Dr. Geetha Achanta,
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Green Tea’s Cancer-fighting Allure Becomes More Potent...
Green tea's ability to fight cancer is even more potent and varied than scientists suspected, say researchers who have discovered that chemicals in green tea shut down one of the key molecules that tobacco relies upon to cause cancer. It's a find that could help explain why people who drink green tea are less likely to develop cancer. The finding by scientists at the University of Rochester's Environmental Health Science Center appears in the July 21 issue of Chemical Research in Toxicology, published by the American Chemical Society.
While green tea has been much-ballyhooed for its anti-cancer effects as well as other purported abilities such as preventing rheumatoid arthritis and lowering cholesterol, just how the substance works has been a mystery. Scientists do know that green tea contains chemicals that are anti-oxidants and quench harmful molecules. But its effects on the AH receptor have not been thoroughly evaluated until now.
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Plant compounds for cancer shine at conference...
Active compounds from plants - such as polyphenols and antioxidants - played an important role at a cancer research conference held in the US last week, with research on the clinical potential behind the ingredients being pushed forward.
For the conference, the role of these plant compounds was heavier on the therapeutic potential, but it nonetheless reflects the growing scientific clout that rests behind these nutraceuticals.The compounds on which research was presented included those from black raspberries, as well as antioxidants from other berries and from green extract.
"We have undertaken efficacy studies on individual components of Blueberry Punch, such as curcumin, resveratrol and EGCG, in the same laboratory setting and found these effective in suppressing cell growth in culture," said Jas Singh, a research fellow at the university. "While individual phytochemicals are successful in killing cancer cells, we reasoned that synergistic or additive effects are likely to be achieved when they are combined."
Meanwhile, at the same event, researchers from Rutgers University presented a study they performed using a standardized green tea polyphenol they said was able to prevent the growth of colorectal tumors in a rat model of human colorectal cancer."Our findings show that rats fed a diet containing polyphenon E, a standardized green tea polyphenol preparation, are less than half as likely to develop colon cancer," said Hang Xiao, research associate at the Department of Chemical Biology in Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers.
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Sunshine deficiency leads to vitamin D crisis...
MILLIONS of Australians are exposing themselves to bone disease, fractures, diabetes and cancers by failing to get enough vitamin D, a crucial nutrient produced when skin is exposed to sunlight. Experts have warned the highly acclaimed "Slip Slop Slap" campaign may have been taken too far by a nation terrified of skin cancer. Melbourne Pathology director Ken Sikaris, who oversees 1500 vitamin D tests a week, said the rate of deficiencies was "mind-boggling".
"I think we need to do everything we can to prevent the number of broken bones that are occurring," he said. "If people think about getting out into the sun for a little time when it's safe during the summer months … that would be good. If they're not able to do that I think vitamin D supplements are very important." Professor Ebeling said emerging research had linked vitamin D deficiencies to colon, breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.
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Study: Joint pain ebbs with vitamin D...
Dr. Qamar Khan, in a presentation at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium today, will show evidence that maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D will go a long way toward reducing or eliminating joint pain. “We’ve known for years that vitamin D is important for bones and protecting from rickets,” Khan said. “More and more over the past few years, people have been realizing that vitamin D may be more important than just preventing rickets.”
Khan put together a study that examined the vitamin D levels of breast cancer patients. He found, according to preliminary research, that about 75 percent of women who were about to undergo treatment had insufficient levels of vitamin D. He then administered vitamin D.
“Main result of the clinical study was that some women had less than optimal levels of vitamin D in their blood. And that their joint pain was reduced with more vitamin D,” Khan said.
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Green Tea Shown To Possess Antitumor Effect In Breast Cancer...
A team of scientists led by Dr. Radha Maheshwari, professor of Pathology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and Rajesh Loganathan Thangapazham, a graduate student, have shown that green tea has antitumor effect in breast cancer cells.
Phytochemicals are plant based non nutritive components with substantial medicinal properties. Dr. Maheshwari’s study observed that green tea can inhibit the invading capacity of these breast cancer cells and have also identified the mechanisms involved in death inducing and invasion inhibiting effects of green tea. Epidemiological studies also suggest that the risk of breast cancer is found to be less in Asian countries consuming green tea. These studies have greater clinical significance since the ability of these phytochemicals to activate anti-cancer program of tumor cells might determine the success of chemotherapy.
The recently concluded study will be published in the Journal of Cancer Biology and Therapy, December 2007, Volume 6, Issue 12.
A study by Dr. Maheshwari that was published earlier this year in Cancer Letters showed that green tea is effective in delaying tumor incidence as well as in reducing the tumor burden. Green tea was found to inhibit growth of tumors as well as induce death of breast cancer cells.
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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 health care 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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