Home
Matti Narkia's Library tagged → View Popular
Vitamin D can aid fertility - Telegraph
"Women with fertility problems may benefit from taking vitamin D supplements, research has found.
A study has found a link between low levels of Vitamin D and problems with ovulation.
The research may offer a simple, cheap and safe option for women to try before resorting to drugs."
Berberine is a novel cholesterol-lowering drug working through a unique mechanism distinct from statins. - Nat Med. 2004 Dec;10(12):1344-51.
Berberine is a novel cholesterol-lowering drug working through a unique mechanism distinct from statins.
Kong W, Wei J, Abidi P, Lin M, Inaba S, Li C, Wang Y, Wang Z, Si S, Pan H, Wang S, Wu J, Wang Y, Li Z, Liu J, Jiang JD.
Nat Med. 2004 Dec;10(12):1344-51. Epub 2004 Nov 7.
PMID: 15531889
doi:10.1038/nm1135
We identify berberine (BBR), a compound isolated from a Chinese herb, as a new cholesterol-lowering drug. Oral administration of BBR in 32 hypercholesterolemic patients for 3 months reduced serum cholesterol by 29%, triglycerides by 35% and LDL-cholesterol by 25%. Treatment of hyperlipidemic hamsters with BBR reduced serum cholesterol by 40% and LDL-cholesterol by 42%, with a 3.5-fold increase in hepatic LDLR mRNA and a 2.6-fold increase in hepatic LDLR protein. Using human hepatoma cells, we show that BBR upregulates LDLR expression independent of sterol regulatory element binding proteins, but dependent on ERK activation. BBR elevates LDLR expression through a post-transcriptional mechanism that stabilizes the mRNA. Using a heterologous system with luciferase as a reporter, we further identify the 5' proximal section of the LDLR mRNA 3' untranslated region responsible for the regulatory effect of BBR. These findings show BBR as a new hypolipidemic drug with a mechanism of action different from that of statin drugs.
Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia with the Natural Plant Alkaloid Berberine -- Zhang et al. 93 (7): 2559 -- Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Treatment of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia with the natural plant alkaloid berberine.
Zhang Y, Li X, Zou D, Liu W, Yang J, Zhu N, Huo L, Wang M, Hong J, Wu P, Ren G, Ning G.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Jul;93(7):2559-65. Epub 2008 Apr 8.
PMID: 18397984
doi:10.1210/jc.2007-2404
Conclusions: Berberine is effective and safe in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia.
NEJM -- Low-Carbohydrate-Diet Score and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women
Low-carbohydrate-diet score and the risk of coronary heart disease in women.
Halton TL, Willett WC, Liu S, Manson JE, Albert CM, Rexrode K, Hu FB.
N Engl J Med. 2006 Nov 9;355(19):1991-2002.
PMID: 17093250
Conclusions Our findings suggest that diets lower in carbohydrate and higher in protein and fat are not associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease in women. When vegetable sources of fat and protein are chosen, these diets may moderately reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Zinc supplements linked to HDL cholesterol decreases
"MedWire News: Zinc supplements could increase the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) in healthy people by decreasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, researchers claim.
Initial findings from a meta-analysis in 14,238 participants from 20 trials suggested no impact of zinc supplements on plasma lipoprotein levels. But a secondary analysis in healthy individuals showed that zinc was associated with a significant decrease in plasma HDL concentrations.
Furthermore, zinc was linked with a significant decrease in HDL cholesterol levels among participants with Type 2 diabetes or those undergoing hemodialysis.
The researchers suggest the result in patients with diabetes may relate to the action of zinc in determining insulin levels.
The meta-analysis included 33 interventions investigating the impact of zinc on lipid levels. The mean dose of elemental zinc used was 58 mg per day, which the researchers note is beyond the recommended upper level of intake of 40 mg."
Dietary composition modulates brain mass and amyloid beta levels in a mouse model of aggressive Alzheimer's amyloid pathology - Molecular Neurodegeneration | Full text
Dietary composition modulates brain mass and solubilizable Abeta levels in a mouse model of aggressive Alzheimer's amyloid pathology.
Pedrini S, Thomas C, Brautigam H, Schmeidler J, Ho L, Fraser P, Westaway D, Hyslop PS, Martins RN, Buxbaum JD, Pasinetti GM, Dickstein DL, Hof PR, Ehrlich ME, Gandy S.
Mol Neurodegener. 2009 Oct 21;4:40.
PMID: 19845940
doi:10.1186/1750-1326-4-40
INTERPRETATION: Dissociation of Abeta changes from brain mass changes raises the possibility that diet plays a role not only in modulating amyloidosis but also in modulating neuronal vulnerability. However, in the absence of a study of the effects of a high protein/low carbohydrate diet on nontransgenic mice, one cannot be certain how much, if any, of the loss of brain mass exhibited by high protein/low carbohydrate diet-fed TgCRND8 mice was due to an interaction between cerebral amyloidosis and diet. Given the recent evidence that certain factors favor the maintenance of cognitive function in the face of substantial structural neuropathology, we propose that there might also exist factors that sensitize brain neurons to some forms of neurotoxicity, including, perhaps, amyloid neurotoxicity. Identification of these factors could help reconcile the poor clinicopathological correlation between cognitive status and structural neuropathology, including amyloid pathology.
A ketogenic diet reduces amyloid beta 40 and 42 in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease - Nutrition & Metabolism | Full text
A ketogenic diet reduces amyloid beta 40 and 42 in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.
Van der Auwera I, Wera S, Van Leuven F, Henderson ST.
Nutr Metab (Lond). 2005 Oct 17;2:28.
PMID: 16229744
doi:10.1186/1743-7075-2-28
CONCLUSION: Previous studies have suggested that diets rich in cholesterol and saturated fats increased the deposition of Abeta and the risk of developing AD. Here we demonstrate that a diet rich in saturated fats and low in carbohydrates can actually reduce levels of Abeta. Therefore, dietary strategies aimed at reducing Abeta levels should take into account interactions of dietary components and the metabolic outcomes, in particular, levels of carbohydrates, total calories, and presence of ketone bodies should be considered.
Athletic Performance and Vitamin D : Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
Athletic performance and vitamin D.
Cannell JJ, Hollis BW, Sorenson MB, Taft TN, Anderson JJ.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 May;41(5):1102-10. Review.
PMID: 19346976
doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181930c2b
Conclusions: Vitamin D may improve athletic performance in vitamin D-deficient athletes. Peak athletic performance may occur when 25(OH)D levels approach those obtained by natural, full-body, summer sun exposure, which is at least 50 ng·mL-1. Such 25(OH)D levels may also protect the athlete from several acute and chronic medical conditions.
Powerful Advances in Natural Cancer Prevention - Life Extension
Scientists have known that cruciferous vegetables contain a host of chemopreventive agents that act in many different ways to block cancer development.2 Key among these products are indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and sulforaphane.1,3
Cancer cells need a brisk blood supply to support their rampant growth and reproduction. Preliminary studies in vitro and in vivo have found that apigenin inhibits blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) in human ovarian cancer cells, blocking production of two main signaling molecules required to stimulate vessel growth.20,21 Scientists confirmed this effect in ovarian cancer cells, also finding that apigenin strongly inhibits cell proliferation.22
Apigenin and BITC: Complementary Cancer Protection
Cancer cells also need energy to support their frenetic reproductive activity. Researchers applied apigenin to human pancreatic cancer cells in culture and studied the cells’ uptake of glucose.14 Astonishingly, they found that apigenin deprived energy-hungry cancer cells of glucose to support their voracious appetites and aggressive growth. It did this by down-regulating vital glucose-transporting proteins in cancer cells. This approach could effectively starve deadly cancer cells and stop them in their tracks.
Another cruciferous vegetable component receiving rave reviews is the sulfur-containing molecule benzyl isothiocyanate, or BITC (pronounced “bitsy”). As with apigenin, population studies have shown that higher intakes of BITC correlate with reduced risk of cancers of the lung, breast, and colon30 while blocking cancer development in a host of different ways.
BITC induces breast cancer cell death by apoptosis (programmed cell death), interfering with cancer cells’ energy utilization and causing them to die off before they can contribute to tumor growth.31,32 In human ovarian cancer cells, BITC induces apoptosis by a different mechanism. It stimulates “signaling” molecules that tell cancer cells it’s time to close up shop.
Why governments are selling Vitamin D short - FT.com / Reportage -
"So why is Dr Vieth so frustrated? You might think he’d have cause for celebration. But for him and other vitamin D researchers around the world, the good news comes with a bitter aftertaste. They believe they can prove vitamin D could help millions live longer and be healthier and yet they have not been able to convince their own governments.
In the US and Canada, official vitamin D policy is set by the Institute of Medicine. And in the opinion of Vieth, the current recommendations – 200 International Units per day for people under 50, 400 for people aged 51-70, and 600 for those 71 and older – are outrageously low. Bruce Hollis, professor of paediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina, calls 400 IU a day “a joke”. That’s because the best research suggests that to achieve the higher vitamin D blood levels associated with disease prevention, most adults in the US would need to take 1,000-2,000 IU a day: five to 10 times more than the current official recommendation for adult
In 1999, Reinhold Vieth (pictured right) published a review of vitamin D research in response to the IOM conclusions. In it, he argued that there was no evidence that amounts lower than 20,000 IU a day could be toxic. “Throughout my preparation of this review, I was amazed at the lack of evidence supporting statements about the toxicity of moderate doses of vitamin D,” Vieth wrote.
Studies have since shown 10,000 IU a day of vitamin D to be safe. While any substance will become toxic in excess, vitamin D researchers today accept that the current vitamin D recommendations could be more than quadrupled with no fear of toxicity.!
Vitamin D supplementation reduces insulin resistance in South Asian women living in New Zealand who are insulin resistant and vitamin D deficient - a randomised, placebo-controlled trial - Br J Nutr. 2009 Sep 28:1-7. - CJO - Abstract -
Vitamin D supplementation reduces insulin resistance in South Asian women living in New Zealand who are insulin resistant and vitamin D deficient - a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.
von Hurst PR, Stonehouse W, Coad J.
Br J Nutr. 2009 Sep 28:1-7. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 19781131
In conclusion, improving vitamin D status in insulin resistant women resulted in improved IR and sensitivity, but no change in insulin secretion. Optimal vitamin D concentrations for reducing IR were shown to be 80-119 nmol/l, providing further evidence for an increase in the recommended adequate levels. Registered Trial No. ACTRN12607000642482.
Effect of glucosamine sulfate with or without omega-3 fatty acids in patients with osteoarthritis. - Adv Ther. 2009 Sep 4. - SpringerLink - Journal Article
Effect of glucosamine sulfate with or without omega-3 fatty acids in patients with osteoarthritis.
Gruenwald J, Petzold E, Busch R, Petzold HP, Graubaum HJ.
Adv Ther. 2009 Sep 4. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 19756416
DOI: 10.1007/s12325-009-0060-3
Omega-3 fatty acids boost glucosamine's arthritis benefit - Life Extension Update
"In the September 2009 issue of the journal Advances in Therapy, German researchers report that the addition of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to the over-the-counter arthritis treatment glucosamine sulfate resulted in improved alleviation of symptoms compared to glucosamine alone. The trial is the first, to the authors' knowledge, to test the combination in patients with osteoarthritis.
In their introduction to the article, Joerg Gruenwald and his coauthors explain that a chronic imbalance between the synthesis and degradation of cartilage matrix leads to the loss of joint tissue that occurs in osteoarthritis. Glucosamine and omega-3 fatty acids appear to be successful in adjusting this imbalance in the direction of new cartilage synthesis"
W.O.W. 11/15/09 (and a little D3) »
"Last Wednesday night I gave a lecture to my clients on hunter-gatherer diets. The turnout was great and the information was well-received. I had it professionally video-recorded and will probably offer this as a DVD for sale (with the handout included). Watch for it in the future. Part of what I discussed was vitamin D3 supplementation. Since I have been supplementing with 4,000-10,000 Units of D3 per day I have noted enhanced recovery and size response from my training. Apparently, skeletal muscle has both surface receptors and nuclear receptors for D3 that augment calcium flux during contraction (from surface receptors) and have steroid-like effects at the nuclear level WRT protein synthesis. This D3 supplementation is not really "supplementation" but is instead "augmentation" to levels that would be normal if we got normal sun exposure as we did in our evolutionary past. Check out www.vitamindcouncil.org for more information. Also, check out this abstract below for your consideration. Also, check out this article."
Head And Neck Cancer Survivors Who Use Alcohol And Cigarettes Have Increased Death Risk
"Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption before head and neck cancer diagnosis strongly predicts the patient's future risk of death, according to published studies. Now, results of a new study show a similar effect among those who continued these habits after cancer diagnosis.
"Most cancer survivors are counseled to quit smoking; despite this, many still smoke. In our study, 21 percent continued to smoke even after their cancer diagnosis, increasing their risk of death," said researcher Susan T. Mayne, Ph.D. "Similarly, we found that continued drinking increases the risk of death.""
FAQ - Australian Homo Optimus Society Homepage - cybernaut.com.au
No one can dispute that mother's milk is the ideal nutrition, as far as the biochemical composition is concerned. It contains 3 to 11 grams of fat per 1 gram of protein (0.4% unsaturated fat). The conclusion is obvious - if Nature included such a minute quantity of that constituent in such a wonderful food, then we should respect it. Meanwhile, people are being persuaded that plant-derived fats containing polyunsaturated fatty acids which do not exist in mother's milk, are healthy. Nothing is more misleading.
The best are the fats which contain the highest percentage of energy contributing constituents, or in other words, such in which COOH group is attached to the longest fatty acid chain. Short fatty acid chains contain around 30-40% of energy-contributing constituents, the longest ones over 90%.
Long-chain fatty acids fully saturated with hydrogen, yields approx. 10 cal/g when metabolised, the same as petrol. Fat's value as a "fuel" for our body increases with the increase in the amount of hydrogen per gram of carbon in its molecule, with the increase in the energy-contributing constituents.
Chemically, the best are long-chain fully saturated fatty acids, that is to say, solid fats of animal origin. Only fats with the length of the chain above 10 carbon atoms are suitable to be utilised by our cells and tissues without conversion. These fats are directed straight to the blood stream via the lymphatic system, and they do not have to be converted and made suitable by the liver, as is the case with inferior fats (with shorter chains), or all other constituents of consumed and digested foods
Australian Homo Optimus Society Homepage - www.cybernaut.com.au
"Dr Jan Kwasniewski
This Website is dedicated to Dr Jan Kwasniewski who has spent his lifetime developing and using the Optimal Diet bringing health and happiness to many people.
Dr Jan Kwasniewski still lives in Poland, he has refused to commercialise his development and is not a very rich person. He does not sell any supplements. Compared with the standards enjoyed by Western medicos he lives a very ordinary, modest life."
Selected Tags
Related Tags
Sponsored Links
Top Contributors
Groups interested in nutrition
-
Washington H@AS Network Brainstorm
People of all sizes and sha...
Items: 17 | Visits: 65
Created by: Brad Tollefson
-
Nutrition
Items: 2178 | Visits: 410
Created by: Matti Narkia
-
Mushrooms
Evidence based information ...
Items: 50 | Visits: 137
Created by: Matti Narkia
Diigo is about better ways to research, share and collaborate on information. Learn more »
Join Diigo