Group items tagged

Blood pressure and atherogenic lipoprotein profiles of fish-diet and vegetarian villagers in Tanzania: the Lugalawa study. Pauletto P, Puato M, Caroli MG, Casiglia E, Munhambo AE, Cazzolato G, Bittolo Bon G, Angeli MT, Galli C, Pessina AC. Lancet. 1996 Sep 21;348(9030):784-8. PMID: 8813985 Interpretation In these villagers, consumption of freshwater fish (300-600 g daily) was associated with raised plasma concentrations of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, lower blood pressure, and lower plasma lipid concentrations. In conclusion, our findings confirm that the favourable risk factor profile originally described for Eskimos living on a diet rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is real, and not overestimated.

Holick, M. F., MacLaughlin, J. A. & Doppelt, S. H. (1981) Factors that influence the cutaneous photosynthesis of previtamin D3. Science 211:590-593 When human skin was exposed to simulated solar ultraviolet radiation, epidermal 7-dehydrocholesterol was converted to previtamin D3. During prolonged exposure to simulated solar ultraviolet radiation, the synthesis of previtamin D3 reached a plateau at about 10 to 15 percent of the original 7-dehydrocholesterol content, and previtamin D3 was photoisomerized to two biologically inert isomers, lumisterol3 and tachysterol3. Increases either in skin melanin concentration or in latitude necessitated increases in the exposure time to simulated solar ultraviolet radiation required to maximize the formation, but not the total content, of previtamin D3. In order of importance, the significant determinants limiting the cutaneous production of previtamin D3 are (i) photochemical regulation, (ii) pigmentation, and (iii) latitude.

Robert P. Heaney is John A. Creighton University Professor, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Hominid evolution took place in an environment (equatorial East Africa) that provided a superabundance of both calcium and vitamin D, the first in available foods and the second through conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to pre-vitamin D in the skin, a reaction catalysed by the intense solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Seemingly as a consequence, the evolving human physiology incorporated provisions to prevent the potential of toxic excesses of both nutrients. For vitamin D the protection was of two sorts: skin pigmentation absorbed the critical UV wavelengths and thereby limited dermal synthesis of cholecalciferol; and slow delivery of vitamin D from the skin into the bloodstream left surplus vitamin in the skin, where continuing sun exposure led to its photolytic degradation to inert compounds. For calcium, the adaptation consisted of very inefficient calcium absorption, together with poor to absent systemic conservation. The latter is reflected in unregulated dermal calcium losses, a high sensitivity of renal obligatory calcium loss to other nutrients in the diet and relatively high quantities of calcium in the digestive secretions. Today, chimpanzees in the original hominid habitat have diets with calcium nutrient densities in the range of 2 to 2.5 mmol per 100 kcal, and hunter-gatherer humans in Africa, South America and New Guinea still have diets very nearly as high in calcium (1.75 to 2 mmol per 100 kcal) (Eaton and Nelson, 1991). With energy expenditure of 3 000 kcal per day (a fairly conservative estimate for a contemporary human doing physical work), such diets would provide substantially in excess of 50 mmol of calcium per day. By contrast, median intake in women in North America and in many European countries today is under 15 mmol per day. Two factors altered the primitive situation: the migration of humans from Africa to higher latitude

Conclusion We demonstrated that the VDRE in the CAMP gene originated from the exaptation of an AluSx SINE in the lineage leading to humans, apes, OWMs and NWMs and remained under purifying selection for the last 55-60 million years. We present convincing evidence of an evolutionarily fixed, Alu-mediated divergence in steroid hormone nuclear receptor gene regulation between humans/primates and other mammals. Evolutionary selection to place the primate CAMP gene under regulation of the vitamin D pathway potentiates the innate immune response and may counter the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin D. Exaptation of an ancient Alu short interspersed element provides a highly conserved vitamin D-mediated innate immune response in humans and primates. Gombart AF, Saito T, Koeffler HP. BMC Genomics. 2009 Jul 16;10:321. PMID: 19607716 doi:10.1186/1471-2164-10-321

Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements Editors: Paul Coates; Marc R. Blackman; Gordon Cragg; Mark Levine; Joel Moss; Jeffery White; ISBN: 978-0-8247-5504-1 (hardback) 978-0-8247-5503-4 (electronic) Original Publication Date: 28 January 2005 Last Updated: 23 April 2007 Subjects: Dietetics; Natural Products; Publisher: Informa Healthcare Subscribe Sign In Viewing the Encyclopedia: Select the initial letter of your research topic from the list below, or enter your search term on the left.

Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) is an alpha-glucan rich nutritional supplement produced from the mycelia of shiitake (Lentinula edodes) of the basidiomycete family of mushrooms, and should not be confused or used as a drug or medicine.[1][2] AHCC was originally designed to lower high-blood pressure. However, researchers at Tokyo University found AHCC's influence upon the innate immune system highly beneficial and published the results in 1992, though not in the commonly indexed scientific literature. In this study, researchers found that AHCC significantly increased natural killer (NK) cell activity in cancer patients, and also enhanced the effects of killer T-cells, and cytokines (interferon, IL-12, TNF-alpha

"HOUSTON - A diet that incorporates a daily dose of pistachios may help reduce the risk of lung and other cancers, according to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Dec. 6-9. "It is known that vitamin E provides a degree of protection against certain forms of cancer. Higher intakes of gamma-tocopherol, which is a form of vitamin E, may reduce the risk of lung cancer," said Ladia M. Hernandez, M.S., R.D., L.D., senior research dietitian in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and doctoral candidate at Texas Woman's University - Houston Center. "Pistachios are a good source of gamma-tocopherol. Eating them increases intake of gamma-tocopherol so pistachios may help to decrease lung cancer risk," she said. Pistachios are known to provide a heart-healthy benefit by producing a cholesterol-lowering effect and providing the antioxidants that are typically found in food products of plant origin. Hernandez and colleagues conducted a six-week, controlled clinical trial to evaluate if the consumption of pistachios would increase dietary intake and serum levels of gamma-tocopherol. A pistachio-rich diet could potentially help reduce the risk of other cancers from developing as well, according to Hernandez. "Because epidemiologic studies suggest gamma-tocopherol is protective against prostate cancer, pistachio intake may help," she said. "Other food sources that are a rich source of gamma-tocopherol include nuts such as peanuts, pecans, walnuts, soybean and corn oils.""

Conversion of phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) into menaquinone-4 (Vitamin K2) in mice: two possible routes for menaquinone-4 accumulation in cerebra of mice.\nOkano T, Shimomura Y, Yamane M, Suhara Y, Kamao M, Sugiura M, Nakagawa K.\nJ Biol Chem. 2008 Apr 25;283(17):11270-9. Epub 2007 Dec 14. \nPMID: 18083713 \ndoi: 10.1074/jbc.M702971200 \n\nOur results suggest that cerebral menaquinone-4 originates from phylloquinone intake and that there are two routes of accumulation, one is the release of menadione from phylloquinone in the intestine followed by the prenylation of menadione into menaquinone-4 in tissues, and another is cleavage and prenylation within the cerebrum.

"NOTTINGHAM, England, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A drug derived from a mushroom -- cordycepin -- may be used to treat some cancers, British researchers say. Dr. Cornelia de Moor of The University of Nottingham in England and colleagues are investigating the drug originally extracted from a rare parasitic mushroom called cordyceps that grows on caterpillars. The researchers say low-dose cordycepin seems to inhibit the uncontrolled growth and division of cells and at high doses it also inhibits growth by stopping cells from sticking together. Both of these effects, they say, probably have the same underlying mechanism -- interfering with the production of cell proteins.

"Coronary Heart Disease Mortality and Blood Cholesterol In the Seven Countries study, there were great differences in coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality at similar blood cholesterol levels. In this study Dr. Keys pointed to a correlation between deaths from coronary heart disease and serum cholesterol in 15 populations in seven countries. Dr Ravnskov plotted his original data which was not available in the research summaries. Particularly interesting were differences between two localities within the same country or nearby islands in each of 4 of the seven countries. West Finland had about 45 CHD (coronary heart disease) deaths at a median cholesterol level of 250 mg/dl. However North Karelia, also in Finland, had over 200 CHD deaths at about 260 mg/dl. The island of Crete had only 20 CHD deaths at cholesterol levels of about 200. The nearby island of Corfu had about 85 CHD deaths at a cholesterol level of about 190 mg/dl."

"These are the slides from the within-countries discussion on cholesterol and heart disease. I've allowed the sarcasm back in, which was strictly limited when the slides were originally presented. OK, there is a correlation. In fact, if you are a bloke, having a cholesterol above that certain magic number on the graph is clearly catastrophic and boy, are you in trouble. No statins to save your life in those days!"

"The Atkins diet, officially called the Atkins Nutritional Approach, is a low-carbohydrate diet created by Dr Robert Atkins from a diet he read in the Journal of the American Medical Association and used to resolve his own overweight condition. He later popularized the Atkins diet in a series of books, starting with Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution in 1972. In his revised book, Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, he modified or changed some of but remained faithful to the original concepts."

"This chart comes from Russell Jaffe, MD, and he retains all rights. Prepared by Dr. Russell Jaffe, Fellow, Health Studies Collegium. Reprints available from ELISAIACT Biotechnologies. 14 Pidgeon Hill, #300, Sterling,VA 20 165. Sources include USDA food data base (Rev 9 & 10), Food & Nutrition Encyclopedia; Nutrition Applied Personally by M.Walczak; Acid & Alkaline by H.Aihara. Food growth, transport, storage, processing, preparation, combination, & assimilation influence effect Intensity. Thanks to Hank Liers for his original work. (Rev 6/0 1]"

"The affirmation that the omega-3 DHA can benefit cognitive and eye health offers hope to previously rejected claims. And it's business as usual regarding the overall health claims process, despite ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, said a European Commission representative. At the NutraIngredients Health Claims 2010 conference in Brussels, the EC's Lars Korsholm explained the regulatory state-of-play for DHA claims. "I think it will offer some hope to previously rejected claims in the sense that these claims that are now subject for discussion are generic in the sense that if other food business operators than those who actually submitted the application can claim to fulfill the conditions of use then they are equally entitled to use the claim," explains Korsholm. The statements come in relation to an October decision whereby the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) affirmed that the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and ALA, can benefit eye and cognitive development in babies. Responding to the public comment period for Merck Selbstmedikation GmbH's article 14 cognitive development claim that was rejected in March, EFSA affirmed its original stance that there was no need for additional supplementation of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) because it already existed at adequate levels in the diet. It supported their role in foetal and newborn eye and brain development but said there was an adequate supply in breast milk. "

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

" Wolfberry is also another name for the western snowberry, Symphoricarpos occidentalis. Wolfberry Lycium barbarum fruits Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Genus: Lycium Species * Lycium barbarum L. * Lycium chinense Mill. * Lycium halimifolium Mill. (synonym for L. barbarum) * Lycium ovatum Loisel. (synonym for L. chinense Mill. var. chinense * Lycium turbinatum Veill. or Loisel. (synonym for L. barbarum) * Lycium vulgare Dunal (synonym for L. barbarum) Wolfberry, commercially called goji berry, is the common name for the fruit of two very closely related species: Lycium barbarum (Chinese: 寧夏枸杞; pinyin: Níngxià gǒuqǐ) and L. chinense (Chinese: 枸杞; pinyin: gǒuqǐ), two species of boxthorn in the family Solanaceae (which also includes the potato, tomato, eggplant, deadly nightshade, chili pepper, and tobacco). It is native to southeastern Europe and Asia.[1] It is also known as Chinese wolfberry, mede berry, barbary matrimony vine, bocksdorn, Duke of Argyll's tea tree, Murali (in India),[2] red medlar, or matrimony vine.[3] Unrelated to the plant's geographic origin, the names Tibetan goji and Himalayan goji are in common use in the health food market for products from this plan"

The vitamin K2 story, though still preliminary, is becoming increasingly interesting from the perspective of CT heart score reduction. The origin of this concept came from some unexpected observations. One, the observation that osteoporosis (lack of bone calcium that leads to fractures) arises from deficiency of vitamin K2. Two, deficiency of K2 leads to unrestrained calcium deposition in animal models, leading to heart attack in just weeks.

"Tofu (豆腐, tōfu?), or bean curd[5] is a soft white food made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. It is of Chinese origin,[6] and part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese[7] and others.[8] There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu that has been processed in some way. Tofu has very little flavor or smell on its own, so it can be used either in savory or sweet dishes, and is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish A study done by the Pacific Health Research Institute followed over 3000 Japanese men between 1965 and 1999, which showed a positive correlation between cerebral atrophy and consumption of tofu.[42] However, this study by L.R. White, et al., from the National Institute of Aging, NIH, was rejected as not credible by the Food and Drug Administration."

Canning, freezing and dehydrating processed foods destroy their natural taste. This means these types of foods need to be "repaired" in order to provide the flavor, consistency, and aroma of the original food. And here is where "the flavor industry" comes into place. In fact, without the flavor industry, fast food will not exist.

Vitamin B complex is not a single type of vitamin, but a combination of eight types of vitamin B, which is naturally soluble in water. Though originally considered only one type of vitamin supplements, medical scientists then found that the vitamin B complex, in fact, eight vitamins together. Vitamin B complex consists of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12 and vitamin combination Choline, Inositol and Biotin.