Nutrition

Fish consumption and risk of major chronic disease in men. Virtanen JK, Mozaffarian D, Chiuve SE, Rimm EB. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Dec;88(6):1618-25. PMID: 19064523 doi:10.3945/ajcn.2007.25816 Conclusions: Modest fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of total cardiovascular disease, consistent with cardiac mortality benefits but not with total cancer or overall major chronic disease; n-6 fatty acid consumption did not influence these relations.

Serum Long-Chain n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Risk of Hospital Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation in Men. Virtanen JK, Mursu J, Voutilainen S, Tuomainen TP. Circulation. 2009 Dec 8;120(23):2315-21. Epub 2009 Nov 23. PMID: 19933935 doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.852657 Conclusions- An increased concentration of long-chain n-3 PUFAs in serum, a marker of fish or fish oil consumption, may protect against AF. Serum docosahexaenoic acid concentration had the greatest impact

"A friend has emailed me the full text of Pawel Grieb's paper documenting a number of physiological parameters of medium to long term Optimal Diet (OD) eaters in Poland, as pointed out by Flo and Stan. There are a few points worth making. The biggest mistake, BTW, is that the authors claim (correctly) that the OD diet aims for >70% fat with (incorrectly) "no restriction on the type of fat (saturated or unsaturated) or cholesterol level". I think they meant that the OD does not ban saturated fats. This is of course true but the impression given is that the OD allows "healthy" fats, which are, of course, inedible. So the heavy emphasis on saturated fats is missed by the paper. A pity, anyone might be left thinking corn oil is a human food... The first positive aspect is that this is a multi author study, eleven authors from several medical centres/unversities. So it's not a one man band case report. I like that. The second is that it is remarkably positive about the findings throughout. Even the elevated LDL cholesterol levels are not taken as extreme and are not trumpeted from the rooftops as the portent of imminent cardiovascular doom. So refreshing!"

Are statins analogues of vitamin D? Grimes DS. Lancet. 2006 Jul 1;368(9529):83-6. Review. PMID: 16815382 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68971-X There are many reasons why the dietary-heart-cholesterol hypothesis should be questioned, and why statins might be acting in some other way to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Here, I propose that rather than being cholesterol-lowering drugs per se, statins act as vitamin D analogues, and explain why. This proposition is based on published observations that the unexpected and unexplained clinical benefits produced by statins have also been shown to be properties of vitamin D. It seems likely that statins activate vitamin D receptors.

Traditional chinese medicine in treatment of metabolic syndrome. Yin J, Zhang H, Ye J. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2008 Jun;8(2):99-111. Review. PMID: 18537696 Berberine from rhizoma coptidis is an oral hypoglycemic agent. It also has anti-obesity and anti-dyslipidemia activities. The action mechanism is related to inhibition of mitochondrial function, stimulation of glycolysis, activation of AMPK pathway, suppression of adipogenesis and induction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression.

Berberine. [No authors listed] Altern Med Rev. 2000 Apr;5(2):175-7. PMID: 10767672 Berberine is a plant alkaloid with a long history of medicinal use in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. It is present in Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), Coptis chinensis (Coptis or goldenthread), Berberis aquifolium (Oregon grape), Berberis vulgaris (barberry), and Berberis aristata (tree turmeric). The berberine alkaloid can be found in the roots, rhizomes, and stem bark of the plants. Berberine extracts and decoctions have demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against a variety of organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminths, and chlamydia. Currently, the predominant clinical uses of berberine include bacterial diarrhea, intestinal parasite infections, and ocular trachoma infection

Berberine--a novel approach to cholesterol lowering. Doggrell SA. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2005 May;14(5):683-5. PMID: 15926873

"Defensins are small cysteine-rich cationic proteins found in both vertebrates and invertebrates. They are active against bacteria, fungi and many enveloped and nonenveloped viruses. They consist of 18-45 amino acids including six (in vertebrates) to 8 conserved cysteine residues. Cells of the immune system contain these peptides to assist in killing phagocytized bacteria, for example in neutrophil granulocytes and almost all epithelial cells. Most defensins function by binding to microbial cell membrane, and once embedded, forming pore-like membrane defects that allow efflux of essential ions and nutrients

The vitamin D-antimicrobial peptide pathway and its role in protection against infection. Gombart AF. Future Microbiol. 2009 Nov;4:1151-65. PMID: 19895218 Vitamin D deficiency has been correlated with increased rates of infection. Since the early 19th century, both environmental (i.e., sunlight) and dietary sources (cod liver) of vitamin D have been identified as treatments for TB. The recent discovery that vitamin D induces antimicrobial peptide gene expression explains, in part, the 'antibiotic' effect of vitamin D and has greatly renewed interest in the ability of vitamin D to improve immune function. Subsequent work indicates that this regulation is biologically important for the response of the innate immune system to wounds and infection and that deficiency may lead to suboptimal responses toward bacterial and viral infections. The regulation of the cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide gene is a human/primate-specific adaptation and is not conserved in other mammals. The capacity of the vitamin D receptor to act as a high-affinity receptor for vitamin D and a low-affinity receptor for secondary bile acids and potentially other novel nutritional compounds suggests that the evolutionary selection to place the cathelicidin gene under control of the vitamin D receptor allows for its regulation under both endocrine and xenobiotic response systems. Future studies in both humans and humanized mouse models will elucidate the importance of this regulation and lead to the development of potential therapeutic applications

Fantastic! Quirky, yet amazing black bean brownie recipe delivers deliciously dense, bite-sized squares of melt-in-your-mouth fudge-textured brownies.

"Under year round UV exposure conditions (low latitudes, broken line, "High UV") there is no association between 25(OH)D and either prostate or pancreatic cancer. At high latitudes (Solid line, "Low UV") there is a positive association between blood levels of 25(OH)D and these cancers. The average year round levels of 25(OH)D actually tend to be higher in northern latitudes, higher than those where there is year-round solar UVB. Vieth explains that we know almost nothing about the enzymes controlling tissue 1,25(OH)2D levels and much of his discussion is extrapolated from renal enzyme activity."

"I discussed in my last post how Dr Vieth has a model of tissue 1,25(OH)2D synthesis and degradation in which the level of active substance is pretty well independent of blood vitamin D level, provided the level is either rising or stable. I think it is also worth pointing out that he is talking, hypothetically, about tissue 1,25(OH)2D, not plasma level... As we know, almost nothing is known about tissue 1,25(OH)2D control. By Vieth's hypothesis tissue 1,25(OH)2D is OK so long as there is at least SOME vitamin D present in plasma and the level dose not vary too much. Obviously there is a level below which you can have as much of the enzyme for converting vitamin D to the active form as you like, if there is no vitamin D in your blood you can't make any 1,25(OH)2D in your tissues, or in your kidneys for export to your blood to control calcium levels. At the lower extremes we have rickets and osteomalacia. These are clear cut, unarguable markers of vitamin D deficiency, in the absence of confounding factors (there are a few)."

Long-term consumption of a carbohydrate-restricted diet does not induce deleterious metabolic effects. Grieb P, K?apcin'ska B, Smol E, Pilis T, Pilis W, Sadowska-Krepa E, Sobczak A, Bartoszewicz Z, Nauman J, Stan'czak K, Langfort J. Nutr Res. 2008 Dec;28(12):825-33. PMID: 19083495 doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2008.09.011 These results indicate that long-term (>1 year) compliance with a low-CHO high-fat "optimal diet" does not induce deleterious metabolic effects and does not increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, as evidenced by maintenance of adequate glycemic control and relatively low values for conventional cardiovascular risk factors.

Serum 25(OH)-vitamin D concentration and risk of esophageal squamous dysplasia. Abnet CC, Chen W, Dawsey SM, Wei WQ, Roth MJ, Liu B, Lu N, Taylor PR, Qiao YL. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Sep;16(9):1889-93. PMID: 17855710 doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0461 Background: Squamous dysplasia is the precursor lesion for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and nutritional factors play an important role in the etiology of this cancer. Previous studies using a variety of measures for vitamin D exposure have reached different conclusions about the association between vitamin D and the risk of developing esophageal cancer. Conclusions: Higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with significantly increased risk of squamous dysplasia. No obvious source of measured or unmeasured confounding explains this finding. In conclusion, we found that a higher serum 25(OH)D concentration was associated with an increased risk of esophageal squamous dysplasia, the precursor lesion for ESCC. This finding concurs with our previous prospective study which found that higher vitamin D status was associated with increased risk of incident ESCC in this same population. These unexpected findings suggest that further studies of the association of vitamin D and digestive tract cancers are needed before the effect of vitamin D in different populations can be elucidated.

"Cyanotech Corporation (Nasdaq Capital Market: CYAN), a world leader in microalgae-based, high-value nutrition and health products, announced its Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica® has achieved another nutritional first. Already the most nutritious Spirulina in the world, it is also a good source of Vitamin K2. "The discovery of Vitamin K2 in Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica is exciting and further supports its nutritional superiority," said Andrew H. Jacobson, President and CEO of Cyanotech. "Analytical results from an independent contract laboratory indicate that Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica provides approximately 15 mcg / 3g serving size or 19% of the Daily Recommended Value." "

A prospective nested case-control study of vitamin D status and pancreatic cancer risk in male smokers. Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, Vieth R, Azad A, Pietinen P, Taylor PR, Virtamo J, Albanes D. Cancer Res. 2006 Oct 15;66(20):10213-9. PMID: 17047087 Higher vitamin D concentrations were associated with a 3-fold increased risk for pancreatic cancer (highest versus lowest quintile, >65.5 versus <32.0 nmol/L: OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 1.56-5.48, Ptrend = 0.001) that remained after excluding cases diagnosed early during follow-up. Contrary to expectations, subjects with higher prediagnostic vitamin D status had an increased pancreatic cancer risk compared with those with lower status. Our findings need to be replicated in other populations and caution is warranted in their interpretation and implication. Our results are intriguing and may provide clues that further the understanding of the etiology of this highly fatal cancer. In conclusion, contrary to expectation, subjects with higher 25(OH)D concentrations were at greater risk for pancreatic cancer compared with those with lower concentrations in our prospective study with long-term follow-up. Caution is warranted in the interpretation and implication of our findings, however, as vitamin D inadequacy is an important public health problem and adequate status is desirable to prevent bone and other diseases (5). Our results, however, are intriguing and may provide clues that further the understanding of the etiology of this highly fatal cancer.

Fish, vitamin D, and flavonoids in relation to renal cell cancer among smokers. Wilson RT, Wang J, Chinchilli V, Richie JP, Virtamo J, Moore LE, Albanes D. Am J Epidemiol. 2009 Sep 15;170(6):717-29. Epub 2009 Aug 3. PMID: 19651663 doi:10.1093/aje/kwp178 These results suggest that the flavonoid quercetin may prevent renal cell cancer among male smokers. The possible risk associated with fish intake warrants further investigation before conclusions may be drawn.

Prospective study of serum 25(OH)-vitamin D concentration and risk of oesophageal and gastric cancers. Chen W, Dawsey SM, Qiao YL, Mark SD, Dong ZW, Taylor PR, Zhao P, Abnet CC. Br J Cancer. 2007 Jul 2;97(1):123-8. Epub 2007 Jun 5. PMID: 17551495 We prospectively examined the relation between pretrial serum vitamin D status and risk of oesophageal and gastric cancers among subjects who developed cancer over 5.25 years of follow-up, including 545 oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC), 353 gastric cardia adenocarcinomas, 81 gastric noncardia adenocarcinomas, and an age- and sex-stratified random sample of 1105 subjects. We found no associations for gastric cardia or noncardia adenocarcinoma. Among subjects with low vitamin D status, higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with significantly increased risk of ESCC in men, but not in women. Further refinements of the analysis did not suggest any factors, which could explain this unexpected result. In conclusion, we found a direct association between higher serum 25(OH)D concentration and increased risk of ESCC in men but not women in a large population-based prospective cohort study from rural China. We found no association with risk of gastric cardia or noncardia adenocarcinoma in either sex. Greater than 50% of our cohort had an inadequate serum 25(OH)D concentration, yet higher concentrations were associated with increased risk of ESCC compared to lower concentrations.