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Berberine inhibits adipogenesis in high-fat diet-induced obesity mice. Hu Y, Davies GE. Fitoterapia. 2009 Oct 25. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19861153 doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2009.10.010 Our previous studies illustrated that berberine inhibited adipogenesis in murine-derived 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and human white preadipocytes. In this study, the effects of berberine on the adipogenesis of high-fat diet-induced obesity (FD) or normal diet (ND) mice and possible transcriptional impact are investigated. The results demonstrated that in FD mice, berberine reduced mouse weight gain and food intake and serum glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels accompanied with a down-regulation of PPARgamma expression and an up-regulation of GATA-3 expression. Berberine had no adverse effects on ND mice. These encouraging findings suggest that berberine has excellent pharmacological potential to prevent obesity.

How could changes in diet explain changes in coronary heart disease mortality in Spain? The Spanish paradox. Serra-Majem L, Ribas L, Tresserras R, Ngo J, Salleras L. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 Jun;61(6 Suppl):1351S-1359S. PMID: 7754987 We review and compare trends in coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke mortality in Spain from 1966 to 1990 and changes in food consumption at national and regional levels. Since 1976, a decrease in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in males and females has been observed, and standardized CHD mortality rates have fallen. Stroke mortality decreased during the same period. Trends in food consumption show increases in intakes of meat, dairy products, fish, and fruit, but decreases in consumption of olive oil, sugar, and all foods rich in carbohydrates. Although fat and saturated fat intakes increased, these changes were not accompanied by an increase in CHD mortality rates. This paradoxical situation can be explained by expanded access to clinical care, increased consumption of fruit and fish, improved control of hypertension, and a reduction in cigarette smoking. Diet appears to have an important role in this paradox, but it may not be as critical as other factors. Nevertheless, we suggest dietary guidelines for prevention of CHD in Spain.

ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2009) - A new study has found that the amount of vitamin D in patients being treated for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was strongly associated with cancer progression and overall survival. The results will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in New Orleans. Also, several recent reports have concluded that vitamin D deficiency is associated with poor outcomes in other cancers, including breast, colon and head and neck cancer. This is the first study to look at lymphoma outcome

Plasma selenium, manganese superoxide dismutase, and intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancer. Chan JM, Oh WK, Xie W, Regan MM, Stampfer MJ, King IB, Abe M, Kantoff PW. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Aug 1;27(22):3577-83. Epub 2009 Jun 15. PMID: 19528373 DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2008.18.8938 Conclusion: These data suggest that the relationship between circulating selenium levels at diagnosis and prognostic risk of prostate cancer is modified by SOD2 genotype and indicate caution against broad use of selenium supplementation for men with prostate cancer.

"MedWire News: High levels of selenium in the blood may worsen prostate cancer in some men who already have the disease, results of a US study suggest. In recent years, selenium supplements have been promoted as a means of preventing prostate cancer, largely based on observational studies that found higher prostate cancer incidence and mortality in geographical areas that are naturally low in selenium, compared with in those that are naturally high in the mineral. However, the current research findings suggest that "if you already have prostate cancer, it may be a bad thing to take selenium," said study researcher Dr Philip Kantoff, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, USA."

"Wednesday, December 9, 2009 By Amy Norton NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Supplements containing soy isoflavones may do little to preserve women's bone mass after menopause. In a study of more than 200 women ages 46 to 65, researchers found that the soy supplement did not appear to ward off bone-density loss over 3 years. In general, women on the supplement showed the same degree of bone loss as those given a placebo -- though there was some evidence that a higher dose helped protect bone density in the hip. The findings, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, add to a conflicting body of research on soy and postmenopausal bone health. Some studies have suggested that soy-based foods, isolated soy protein or isoflavone-containing supplements may be beneficial, while others have found no advantage. Isoflavones are natural chemicals found in soybeans and certain other plant foods that are structurally similar to estrogen, and may have certain estrogen-like effects in the human body. Since declining estrogen levels after menopause spur bone-density loss, isoflavone supplements could theoretically protect women's bone mass. The current findings, however, do not support that theory."

Vitamin D and calcium insufficiency-related chronic diseases: molecular and cellular pathophysiology. Peterlik M, Cross HS. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Dec;63(12):1377-86. Epub 2009 Sep 2. PMID: 19724293 doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.105 A compromised vitamin D status, characterized by low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH)D) serum levels, and a nutritional calcium deficit are widely encountered in European and North American countries, independent of age or gender. Both conditions are linked to the pathogenesis of many degenerative, malignant, inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Studies on tissue-specific expression and activity of vitamin D metabolizing enzymes, 25-(OH)D-1alpha-hydroxylase and 25-(OH)D-24-hydroxylase, and of the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) have led to the understanding of how, in non-renal tissues and cellular systems, locally produced 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) and extracellular Ca2+ act jointly as key regulators of cellular proliferation, differentiation and function. Impairment of cooperative signalling from the 1,25-(OH)2D3-activated vitamin D receptor (VDR) and from the CaR in vitamin D and calcium insufficiency causes cellular dysfunction in many organs and biological systems, and, therefore, increases the risk of diseases, particularly of osteoporosis, colorectal and breast cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus type I, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Understanding the underlying molecular and cellular processes provides a rationale for advocating adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium in all populations, thereby preventing many chronic diseases worldwide.

"Vytorin has struck out again, this time in a clinical trial that compared the drug's safety and efficacy to a prescription form of the B vitamin niacin. The results of the trial, which the New England Journal of Medicine featured in an article and two editorials, were presented Sunday at an American Heart Association meeting and showed that in a direct comparison, niacin worked significantly better than Vytorin and Zetia in reducing arterial blockages. According to a report in NPR, "This study is the third to question whether ezetimibe drugs do what they're supposed to." If lowering LDL or "bad" cholesterol is the doctor's sole intention when prescribing Vytorin to patients, then the drug does a great job. However, as previous studies have shown, lower levels of LDL cholesterol don't automatically translate to cleaner arteries and lower incidences of cardiac arrest. While Vytorin worked better than statins combined with time-release Niacin to lower LDL cholesterol in 200 patients, its performance was inferior in reducing artery clogging deposits."

"(NaturalNews) A research team from the University of Washington (UW) recently published a study in Physiology & Behavior revealing that moderate consumption of fructose- and high fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverages leads to significant alterations of lipid metabolization in the liver. Conducted on rats, the study also noted marked increases in both cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats that fed on fructose-sweetened beverages. Fructose is a monosaccharide sugar that is found in various fruits. It is a simple sugar that is often promoted as being a healthy "fruit" sugar, however the reality is that fructose is just one component of the complex sugar composition that occurs naturally in fruit. Most granulated fructose available today, called crystalline fructose, is derived from fructose-enriched corn syrup. Similarly, high fructose corn syrup is a fructose-enriched form of highly-processed corn syrup that is commonly found in soda, ketchup, candy, dressings, and many other processed foods. The biggest concern about fructose is the fact that, unlike sucrose, it passes undigested through the small intestine where it enters the portal vein and heads directly to the liver. "

Vitamin D and mood disorders among women: an integrative review. Murphy PK, Wagner CL. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2008 Sep-Oct;53(5):440-6. Review. PMID: 18761297 Four of six studies reviewed imparted significant results, with all four showing an association between low 25(OH)D levels and higher incidences of four mood disorders: premenstrual syndrome, seasonal affective disorder, non-specified mood disorder, and major depressive disorder. This review indicates a possible biochemical mechanism occurring between vitamin D and mood disorders affecting women, warranting further studies of these variables using rigorous methodologies.

Effects of vitamin D supplementation on symptoms of depression in overweight and obese subjects: randomized double blind trial. Jorde R, Sneve M, Figenschau Y, Svartberg J, Waterloo K. J Intern Med. 2008 Dec;264(6):599-609. Epub 2008 Sep 10. PMID: 18793245 Conclusions. It appears to be a relation between serum levels of 25(OH)D and symptoms of depression. Supplementation with high doses of vitamin D seems to ameliorate these symptoms indicating a possible causal relationship.

"November 25, 2009 | Susan Jeffrey Naples, Italy - A new meta-analysis confirms that high salt intake is associated with increased risks of stroke and total cardiovascular disease (CVD) [1]. The pooled relative risk showed that an average difference of about 5 g of salt per day was associated with a 23% increased risk of stroke, the researchers report, and a 17% increase in CVD risk. The average habitual salt intake in most Western countries is 10 g per day, double the level currently recommended by the World Health Organization. "Given that the case-fatality rate for stroke is estimated at one in three, and that for total cardiovascular disease at one in five, a 23% reduction in the rate of stroke and a 17% overall reduction in the rate of cardiovascular disease attributable to a reduction in population salt intake could avert some one and a quarter million deaths from stroke, and almost three million deaths from cardiovascular disease each year," the researchers, with lead author Dr Pasquale Strazzullo (University of Naples Medical School, Italy), conclude. Moreover, because of some imprecision in salt-intake measurements in these cohort studies, the actual effects are likely to be underestimated, they add. The study was published online November 24, 2009 in the British Medical Journal."

A preliminary study of the safety, feasibility and cognitive efficacy of soy isoflavone supplements in older men and women. Gleason CE, Carlsson CM, Barnet JH, Meade SA, Setchell KD, Atwood CS, Johnson SC, Ries ML, Asthana S. Age Ageing. 2009 Jan;38(1):86-93. Epub 2008 Dec 2. PMID: 19054783 doi:10.1093/ageing/afn227 Conclusions: these data suggest that administration of 100 mg/day of isoflavones was well tolerated. Plasma genistein and daidzein levels, but not equol, increased with isoflavone administration. Finally, data support the potential cognitive effects of soy isoflavones in older adults.

"Eating high levels of some soy products - including tofu - may raise the risk of memory loss, research suggests. The study focused on 719 elderly Indonesians living in urban and rural regions of Java. ' The latest study suggests phytoestrogens - in high quantity - may actually heighten the risk of dementia. Lead researcher Professor Eef Hogervorst said previous research had linked oestrogen therapy to a doubling of dementia risk in the over-65s. She said oestrogens - and probably phytoestrogens - tended to promote growth among cells, not necessarily a good thing in the ageing brain. Alternatively, high doses of oestrogens might promote the damage caused to cells by particles known as free radicals. A third theory is that damage is caused not by the tofu, but by formaldehyde, which is sometimes used in Indonesia as a preservative. The researchers admit that more research is required to ascertain whether the same effects are found in other ethnic groups. However, previous research has also linked high tofu consumption to an increased risk of dementia in older Japanese American men. The researchers found high tofu consumption - at least once a day - was associated with worse memory, particularly among the over-68s. "

"Tempeh, or tempe in Indonesian, is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. Tempeh is unique among major traditional soyfoods in that it is the only one that did not originate in China or Japan. It originated in today's Indonesia, and especially popular on the island of Java, where it is a staple source of protein. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins compared to tofu, as well as firmer texture and stronger flavor. Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine; some consider it to be a meat analogue. The soy protein in tempeh becomes more digestible as a result of the fermentation process. In particular, the oligosaccharides that are associated with gas and indigestion are greatly reduced by the Rhizopus culture. In traditional tempeh making shops, the starter culture often contains beneficial bacteria that produce vitamins such as B12[1][2] (though it is uncertain whether this B12 is always present and bioavailable[3]). In western countries, it is more common to use a pure culture containing only Rhizopus oligosporus which makes very little B12 and could be missing Klebsiella pneumoniae which has been shown to produce significant levels of B12 analogs in tempeh when present. Whether these analogs are true, bioavailable B12, hasn't been thoroughly studied yet.

Estimation and fortification of vitamin D3 in pasteurized process cheese. Upreti P, Mistry VV, Warthesen JJ. J Dairy Sci. 2002 Dec;85(12):3173-81. PMID: 12512590 The objective of this study was to develop methods for the estimation and fortification of vitamin D3 in pasteurized Process cheese. Vitamin D3 was estimated using alkaline saponification at 70°C for 30 min, followed by extraction with petroleum ether:diethyl ether (90:10 vol/vol) and HPLC. The retention time for vitamin D3 was approximately 9 min. A standard curve with a correlation coefficient of 0.972 was prepared for quantification of vitamin D3 in unknown samples. In the second phase of the study, pasteurized Process cheeses fortified with commercial water- or fat-dispersible forms of vitamin D3 at a level of 100 IU per serving (28 g) were manufactured. There was no loss of vitamin D3 during Process cheese manufacture, and the vitamin was uniformly distributed. No losses of the vitamin occurred during storage of the fortified cheeses over a 9-mo period at 21 to 29°C and 4 to 6°C. There was an approximately 25 to 30% loss of the vitamin when cheeses were heated for 5 min in an oven maintained at 232°C. Added vitamin D3 did not impart any off flavors to the Process cheeses as determined by sensory analysis. There were no differences between the water- and fat-dispersible forms of the vitamin in the parameters measured in fortified cheeses

"Thursday, 17 December 2009 This blog is in response to Dr Briffa's post here. as I keep having problems commenting on his blogs. While 44ng/ml is sufficient to not only maximize uptake of calcium (>32ng/ml) and ensure maximum bone mineral density (>42ng/ml), pregnant and nursing mothers should be aware that in order to maximize the amount of vitamin D3 in human breast milk 6400iu/daily was found to be necessary to raise (>58ng/ml) at latitude 32. This is detailed in the Taylor, Wagner and Hollis paper. Vitamin D supplementation during lactation to support infant and mother. Although 4000iu/daily met the mothers daily needs in full it left babies being born with lower 25(OH)D status than required for optimum calcium absorption They also found DAILY use of supplements was required by pregnant and nursing mothers to ensure an even daily Vitamin D3 supply to the foetus & baby. It makes virtually no measurable difference for everyone else if you supplement daily or weekly. While Dr Briffa will not be lactating he may be interested seeing in the Grassrootshealth chart showing disease incidence by 25(OH)D status. this may encourage him to go just another 10ng/ml higher and a bit nearer to the natural level at which human breast milk flows replete with D3."

In an article published online on January 4, 2010 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Robert Krikorian of the University of Cincinnati, along with his colleagues from the US and Canadian Departments of Agriculture, report that consuming blueberry juice was associated with improvements in learning and memory in individuals with age-related memory decline. The trial enrolled five men and four women over the age of 70 who reported forgetfulness and memory lapses characteristic of early memory decline. Participants were given the equivalent of 2 to 2 ½ cups of a commercially available blueberry juice daily for 12 weeks. Cognitive assessments were conducted at the beginning of the study and during the final week of the trial. At the study's conclusion, learning and recall were improved, and depressive symptoms and glucose levels tended to be reduced. When subjects who received blueberry juice were compared with a demographically matched sample who received a placebo beverage in a companion trial, test scores for learning ability were significantly better.

"Lancet 2010; Advance online publication MedWire News: There is a U-shaped relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and mortality in people with diabetes, say researchers, meaning that intensive glucose-lowering therapy could be as harmful as uncontrolled hyperglycemia. Writing in The Lancet, Craig Currie (Cardiff University, UK) and team say that if their findings are confirmed then diabetes guidelines may need to be revised to include a lower as well as an upper HbA1c threshold. Currie's team used the UK General Practice Research Database from November 1986 to November 2008 to obtain data on two cohorts of patients aged 50 years and older with Type 2 diabetes. The patients comprised 27,965 individuals whose treatment had been intensified from oral monotherapy to combination therapy with oral blood-glucose lowering agents, and 20,005 who had changed to insulin-containing regimens."

Hair normally has a moisture content of approximately 10%. If your hair's moisture content drops below this level the key is to increase the hair's ability of attract and retain moisture. This is accomplished by using moisturizers