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Vitamin D is associated with improved survival in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients. Zhou W, Suk R, Liu G, Park S, Neuberg DS, Wain JC, Lynch TJ, Giovannucci E, Christiani DC. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Oct;14(10):2303-9. PMID: 16214909 In conclusion, the joint effects of surgery season and recent vitamin D intake seem to be associated with the survival of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients. In summary, for early-stage NSCLC patients, patients who had surgery in summer with "high" recent vitamin D intake have a statistically significantly improved RFS and OS than patients who had surgery in winter with "low" vitamin D intake. These results should be confirmed in a prospective study to assess the serum vitamin D levels at time of surgery. If the results are confirmed, our results, combined with findings in other studies, suggest that dietary vitamin D supplementation may be advisable for early stages of lung cancer patients, particularly during the winter season and in groups that tend to be deficient in vitamin D.

n-3 fatty acid dietary recommendations and food sources to achieve essentiality and cardiovascular benefits. Gebauer SK, Psota TL, Harris WS, Kris-Etherton PM. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;83(6 Suppl):1526S-1535S. Review. PMID: 16841863 Dietary recommendations have been made for n-3 fatty acids, including {alpha}-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to achieve nutrient adequacy and to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. These recommendations are based on a large body of evidence from epidemiologic and controlled clinical studies. The n-3 fatty acid recommendation to achieve nutritional adequacy, defined as the amount necessary to prevent deficiency symptoms, is 0.6-1.2% of energy for ALA; up to 10% of this can be provided by EPA or DHA. To achieve recommended ALA intakes, food sources including flaxseed and flaxseed oil, walnuts and walnut oil, and canola oil are recommended. The evidence base supports a dietary recommendation of {approx}500 mg/d of EPA and DHA for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. For treatment of existing cardiovascular disease, 1 g/d is recommended. These recommendations have been embraced by many health agencies worldwide. A dietary strategy for achieving the 500-mg/d recommendation is to consume 2 fish meals per week (preferably fatty fish). Foods enriched with EPA and DHA or fish oil supplements are a suitable alternate to achieve recommended intakes and may be necessary to achieve intakes of 1 g/d.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium An IOM committee has been named to undertake a study to assess current relevant data and update as appropriate the DRIs for vitamin D and calcium. The review will include consideration of chronic and non-chronic disease indicators. The study will also incorporate, as appropriate, systematic evidence-based reviews of the literature and an assessment of potential indicators of adequacy and of excess intake. Indicators for adequacy and excess will be selected based on the strength and quality of the evidence and the demonstrated public health significance, taking into consideration sources of uncertainty in the evidence.

Association of low intake of milk and vitamin D during pregnancy with decreased birth weight. Mannion CA, Gray-Donald K, Koski KG. CMAJ. 2006 Apr 25;174(9):1273-7. PMID: 16636326 doi:10.1503/cmaj.1041388. Interpretation: Milk and vitamin D intakes during pregnancy are each associated with infant birth weight, independently of other risk factors.

Vitamin D intake is inversely associated with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Iowa Women's Health Study. Merlino LA, Curtis J, Mikuls TR, Cerhan JR, Criswell LA, Saag KG; Iowa Women's Health Study. Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Jan;50(1):72-7. PMID: 14730601 DOI: 10.1002/art.11434 CONCLUSION: Greater intake of vitamin D may be associated with a lower risk of RA in older women, although this finding is hypothesis generating.

[Egg intake and cardiovascular risk] Schärer M, Schulthess G. Ther Umsch. 2005 Sep;62(9):611-3. Review. German. PMID: 16218496 The egg - rich in proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals - should be part of our nutrition, and it is not justified to recommend a general limitation of egg intake. However, we do not advice unbalanced high egg consumption. A cardioprotective diet is characterized by high variability and contains plenty of fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates.

A 22-y prospective study of fish intake in relation to prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Chavarro JE, Stampfer MJ, Hall MN, Sesso HD, Ma J. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Nov;88(5):1297-303. PMID: 18996866 Conclusion: These results suggest that fish intake is unrelated to prostate cancer incidence but may improve prostate cancer survival.

Urine pH is an indicator of dietary acid-base load, fruit and vegetables and meat intakes: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk population study. Welch AA, Mulligan A, Bingham SA, Khaw KT. Br J Nutr. 2008 Jun;99(6):1335-43. Epub 2007 Nov 28. PMID: 18042305 In conclusion, a more alkaline diet, higher fruit and vegetable and lower meat intake were related to more alkaline urine with a magnitude similar to intervention studies. As urine pH relates to dietary acid-base load its use to monitor change in consumption of fruit and vegetables, in individuals, warrants further investigation.

High dietary methionine intake increases the risk of acute coronary events in middle-aged men. Virtanen JK, Voutilainen S, Rissanen TH, Happonen P, Mursu J, Laukkanen JA, Poulsen H, Lakka TA, Salonen JT. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2006 Mar;16(2):113-20. Epub 2005 Nov 2. PMID: 16487911 doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2005.05.005 Conclusions The main finding of this study is that long-term, moderately high dietary methionine intake may increase the risk of acute coronary events in middle-aged Finnish men free of prior CHD. More prospective research is needed to confirm the role of dietary methionine in the development of CVD, and whether its effects are independent of homocysteine.

"Measuring the number of small LDL particles is the best index of carbohydrate intake I know of, better than even blood sugar and triglycerides. In other words, increase carbohydrate intake and small LDL particles increase. Decrease carbohydrates and small LDL particles decrease. Why? Carbohydrates increase small LDL via a multistep process: First step: Increased fatty acid and apoprotein B production in the liver, which leads to increased VLDL production. (Apoprotein B is the principal protein of VLDL and LDL) Second step: Greater VLDL availability causes triglyceride-rich VLDL to interact with other particles, namely LDL and HDL, enriching them in triglycerides (via the action of cholesteryl-ester transfer protein, or CETP). Much VLDL is converted to LDL. Third step: Triglyceride-rich LDL is "remodeled" by enzymes like hepatic lipase, which create small LDL"

"Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have discovered that restricting consumption of glucose, the most common dietary sugar, can extend the life of healthy human-lung cells and speed the death of precancerous human-lung cells, reducing cancer's spread and growth rate. The research has wide-ranging potential in age-related science, including ways in which calorie-intake restriction can benefit longevity and help prevent diseases like cancer that have been linked to aging, said principal investigator Trygve Tollefsbol, Ph.D., D.O., a professor in the Department of Biology. "These results further verify the potential health benefits of controlling calorie intake." Tollefsbol said. "Our research indicates that calorie reduction extends the lifespan of healthy human cells and aids the body's natural ability to kill off cancer-forming cells.

"NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who eat greater amounts of plant-based foods and drinks with the naturally occurring flavonoid, apigenin, may have a decreased risk for ovarian cancer, study findings suggest. Apigenin, found in celery, parsley, red wine, tomato sauce, and other plant-based foods may be "particularly beneficial," said Dr. Margaret A. Gates, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, in Boston, Massachusetts. Flavanoids are compounds with antioxidant properties that protect cells against damage by oxygen molecules. In a study that compared flavonoid intake among women with and without ovarian cancer, women reporting the highest apigenin intake had a "borderline significant decrease" in ovarian cancer risk over women reporting the lowest apigenin intake, Gates and her associates report in the International Journal of Cancer."

Cigarette smoking, fish consumption, omega-3 fatty acid intake, and associations with age-related macular degeneration: the US Twin Study of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Seddon JM, George S, Rosner B. Arch Ophthalmol. 2006 Jul;124(7):995-1001. PMID: 16832023 Conclusions This study of twins provides further evidence that cigarette smoking increases risk while fish consumption and omega-3 fatty acid intake reduce risk of AMD

"ScienceDaily (Dec. 17, 2009) - Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have discovered that restricting consumption of glucose, the most common dietary sugar, can extend the life of healthy human-lung cells and speed the death of precancerous human-lung cells, reducing cancer's spread and growth rate. The research has wide-ranging potential in age-related science, including ways in which calorie-intake restriction can benefit longevity and help prevent diseases like cancer that have been linked to aging, said principal investigator Trygve Tollefsbol, Ph.D., D.O., a professor in the Department of Biology. "These results further verify the potential health benefits of controlling calorie intake." Tollefsbol said. "Our research indicates that calorie reduction extends the lifespan of healthy human cells and aids the body's natural ability to kill off cancer-forming cells.""

"Retinol-induced Intestinal Tumorigenesis in Min/+ Mice and Importance of Vitamin D Status. Hetland RB, Alexander J, Berg JP, Svendsen C, Paulsen JE. Anticancer Res. 2009 Nov;29(11):4353-60. PMID: 20032378 The effects of life-long dietary exposure, starting in utero, to high retinol, low vitamin D, or high retinol in combination with low vitamin D on intestinal tumorigenesis in Min/+ mice were investigated. In males, high retinol alone significantly increased the number (2.6-fold) and size (1.3-fold) of small intestinal tumours; in females no significant increase in tumour number or size was seen. In both genders, low vitamin D intake alone did not affect intestinal tumorigenesis. In males, intake of the combined high retinol/low vitamin D diet did not further increase the effects caused by high retinol alone. In females, however, the high retinol/low vitamin D-induced increase in tumour number (3.1-fold) and tumour size (1.5-fold) exceeded that of high retinol alone. In conclusion, a high dietary intake of retinol stimulated intestinal tumorigenesis in Min/+ mice. Furthermore, the results indicate a combined effect of high retinol and low vitamin D on tumorigenesis in females"

Calcium and vitamin D intakes may be positively associated with brain lesions in depressed and nondepressed elders. Payne ME, Anderson JJ, Steffens DC. Nutr Res. 2008 May;28(5):285-92. PMID: 19083421 doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2008.02.013 In conclusion, calcium and vitamin D consumption were associated with brain lesions in elderly subjects even after controlling for potentially explanatory variables. These associations may be due to vascular calcification or other mechanism. The possibility of adverse effects of high intakes of calcium and vitamin D needs to be further explored in longitudinal studies of elderly subjects.

Vitamin D for cancer prevention: global perspective. Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB, Garland FC. Ann Epidemiol. 2009 Jul;19(7):468-83. Review. PMID: 19523595 RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: It is projected that raising the minimum year-around serum 25(OH)D level to 40 to 60 ng/mL (100-150 nmol/L) would prevent approximately 58,000 new cases of breast cancer and 49,000 new cases of colorectal cancer each year, and three fourths of deaths from these diseases in the United States and Canada, based on observational studies combined with a randomized trial. Such intakes also are expected to reduce case-fatality rates of patients who have breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer by half. There are no unreasonable risks from intake of 2000 IU per day of vitamin D(3), or from a population serum 25(OH)D level of 40 to 60 ng/mL. The time has arrived for nationally coordinated action to substantially increase intake of vitamin D and calcium.

Cholesterol, coconuts, and diet on Polynesian atolls: a natural experiment: the Pukapuka and Tokelau island studies. Prior IA, Davidson F, Salmond CE, Czochanska Z. Am J Clin Nutr. 1981 Aug;34(8):1552-61. PMID: 7270479 Two populations of Polynesians living on atolls near the equator provide an opportunity to investigate the relative effects of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol in determining serum cholesterol levels. The habitual diets of the toll dwellers from both Pukapuka and Tokelau are high in saturated fat but low in dietary cholesterol and sucrose. Coconut is the chief source of energy for both groups. Tokelauans obtain a much higher percentage of energy from coconut than the Pukapukans, 63% compared with 34%, so their intake of saturated fat is higher. The serum cholesterol levels are 35 to 40 mg higher in Tokelauans than in Pukapukans. These major differences in serum cholesterol levels are considered to be due to the higher saturated fat intake of the Tokelauans. Analysis of a variety of food samples, and human fat biopsies show a high lauric (12:0) and myristic (14:0) content. Vascular disease is uncommon in both populations and there is no evidence of the high saturated fat intake having a harmful effect in these populations.

n-3 Fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: evidence explained and mechanisms explored. Calder PC. Clin Sci (Lond). 2004 Jul;107(1):1-11. Review. PMID: 15132735 DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTAKE OF LONG-CHAIN n-3 PUFAS It is clear from the forgoing discussion that long-chain n-3 fatty acids have been proven to be effective in secondary prevention of MI, with a particularly marked effect on sudden death. Thus it would be prudent to advise post-MI patients to increase long-chain n-3 PUFA consumption. Epidemiological studies, studies investigating effects on classic and emerging risk factors and mechanistic studies indicate that long-chain n-3 fatty acids also play a key role in primary prevention. This is supported by studies in animal models, including monkeys. Thus long-chain n-3 fatty acid consumption should be promoted for all individuals especially those at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This is the reason why a number of organizations have now made recommendations relating to the intake of fatty fish (for example [3]) and of long-chain n-3 PUFAs (Table 6). It is clear that there is a wide gap between current intakes of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and many of these recommendations (Table 6). To meet these recommendations strategies other than increased consumption of fatty fish may be required.

"Tuesday, July 8, 2008 Wheat is Invading China Dr. Michael Eades linked to an interesting study yesterday on his Health and Nutrition blog. It's entitled "Vegetable-Rich Food Pattern is Related to Obesity in China." It's one of these epidemiological studies where they try to divide subjects into different categories of eating patterns and see how health problems associate with each one. They identified four patterns: the 'macho' diet high in meat and alcohol; the 'traditional' diet high in rice and vegetables; the 'sweet tooth' pattern high in cake, dairy and various drinks; and the 'vegetable rich' diet high in wheat, vegetables, fruit and tofu. The only pattern that associated with obesity was the vegetable-rich diet. The 25% of people eating closest to the vegetable-rich pattern were more than twice as likely to be obese as the 25% adhering the least. The authors of the paper try to blame the increased obesity on a higher intake of vegetable oil from stir-frying the vegetables, but that explanation is juvenile and misleading. A cursory glance at table 3 reveals that the vegetable-eaters weren't eating any more fat than their thinner neighbors. Dr. Eades suggests that their higher carbohydrate intake (+10%) and higher calorie intake (+120 kcal/day) are responsible for the weight gain, but I wasn't satisfied with that explanation so I took a closer look.