Omega-3s may not protect your brain after all
Taking daily omega-3 fatty acid supplements doesn’t seem to provide any protection against declines in thinking and memory skills in older adults, a new review of medical evidence suggests.
Because the brain is rich in the type of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oil, researchers had figured that adding more of them to a person’s diet could boost memory and prevent the changes that lead to cognitive decline and dementia.
But so-called “gold standard” trials of the supplements have been disappointing.
Looking at three such studies lasting between six months and over three years, researchers found there was no difference in changes on learning and memory tests among 4,000 people who took either omega-3 fish oil supplements or sunflower or olive oil as a comparison.
“The evidence suggests, from what is available at the moment, that taking supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids is not going to benefit cognitive health later in life,” said Alan Dangour, a nutrition researcher from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who worked on the new analysis.
The Effect of Ginkgo Biloba Extract Among Adults with Peripheral Artery Disease
Extracts of the leaves of Ginkgo biloba trees have been used therapeutically for centuries in Chinese traditional medicine. EGb761 is a highly standardized purified extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves used commonly by physicians in Europe for treatment of PAD. It has been estimated that 2,000 tons of EGb761 are consumed yearly in Germany and France, and this amount is increasing. Consumption of a variety of commercially available Ginkgo products (often of uncertain standardization) is increasing in the United States.Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is due largely to atherosclerosis, causing narrowing of the arteries in the legs. This results in impaired blood flow through the arteries causing pain or discomfort with walking. It afflicts at least 3 million Americans and is often undiagnosed and untreated. The available medications are few and not without side effects thus limiting their use. An extract from the Ginkgo biloba tree may provide a “cheaper and safer” alternative.This study is a three-year research project funded by the National Institutes of Health. The primary purpose is to examine the effect of Ginkgo biloba supplementation on peripheral artery diesease (PAD). It will provide data on:
- Improvement in pain-free walking distance among adults with PAD
- Potential mechanism(s) of action.
Most Weight Loss Supplements Are Not Effective
Melinda Manore reviewed the evidence surrounding hundreds of weight loss supplements, a $2.4 billion industry in the United States, and said no research evidence exists that any single product results in significant weight loss — and many have detrimental health benefits.
The study is online in theInternational Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
A few products, including green tea, fiber and low-fat dairy supplements, can have a modest weight loss benefit of 3-4 pounds (2 kilos), but it is important to know that most of these supplements were tested as part of a reduced calorie diet.
“For most people, unless you alter your diet and get daily exercise, no supplement is going to have a big impact,” Manore said.
Manore looked at supplements that fell into four categories: products such as chitosan that block absorption of fat or carbohydrates, stimulants such as caffeine or ephedra that increase metabolism, products such as conjugated linoleic acid that claim to change the body composition by decreasing fat, and appetite suppressants such as soluble fibers.
She found that many products had no randomized clinical trials examining their effectiveness, and most of the research studies did not include exercise. Most of the products showed less than a two-pound weight loss benefit compared to the placebo groups.
“I don’t know how you eliminate exercise from the equation,” Manore said. “The data is very strong that exercise is crucial to not only losing weight and preserving muscle mass, but keeping the weight off.”
Study touts kiwifruit’s benefits
Kiwifruit is rich in antioxidants and has other health benefits, according to a recent study.
In addition to being a good source of antioxidants, kiwifruit provides benefits to the digestive tract and to skin, concludes a study commissioned by California kiwifruit growers and other kiwifruit growers and organizations, according to a news release from the Sacramento-based California Kiwifruit Commission.
The study, “Kiwifruit: Overview of Potential Health Benefits,” was written by Keith Singletary, professor emeritus of nutrition at the University of Illinois, and published in the journal “Nutrition Today.”
The study also found that kiwifruit is a rich source of vitamin C, folate, potassium and dietary fiber.
New Research Links Concord Grape Juice to Healthy Circulation & Possible Memory Benefits
Two new scientific papers recently published in Nutrition Today and the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggest that Concord grapes may support healthy circulation to promote cardiovascular and cognitive health in certain populations. These reports add to the growing body of evidence for the role of Concord grapes and grape juice in healthy lifestyles. Welch’s is committed to supporting independent research on Concord grape juice and provided support for these studies. As such Welch’s is pleased to announce the synopsis of two significant research reports.
A new literature review e-published on May 31, 2012 by Nutrition Today emphasizes the role grapes and grape products can play in supporting health. In particular, the review authors suggest that red/purple grapes and grape juice can help support a healthy heart.(1)] The review concludes that enjoying red/purple grapes and grape juice, including Concord grape juice, each day can support cardiovascular health by providing vascular benefits (endothelial function) to promote healthy circulation.
“Grapes and grape juice are smart additions to a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Maria Luz Fernandez, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut and one of the study authors. “The benefits of red/purple grapes can be enjoyed by drinking 100% grape juice made with Concord grapes, or by conveniently squeezing grapes or grape juice into easy and delicious recipes.” While more studies must be done before drawing any conclusions, the reviewers note that emerging research suggests grapes and grape products may offer additional benefits in areas such as immune system health and cognitive function.(1)
The second recently published scientific paper, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, further suggests Concord grape juice may offer certain cognitive health benefits.(2) This study, conducted by Robert Krikorian, Ph.D. and colleagues at the University of Cincinnati, builds on earlier research showing that Concord grape juice has a positive impact on memory in older adults with early cognitive decline.(3) In particular, these new findings indicate that daily consumption of Concord grape juice can benefit cognitive function in older adults with mild memory loss.(2)
In this study, 21 older adults (average age = 77) were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which they drank either 100% Concord grape juice or a grape-flavored drink (the placebo) daily for 16 weeks. For the first time, researchers demonstrated that Concord grape juice can both improve certain aspects of memory function and increase blood flow to specific regions of the brain, particularly the regions involved in working memory, compared to those consuming a placebo. Although learning and retention scores did not improve and it is too early to draw any conclusions about the effect of Concord grape juice on overall memory, this study is an exciting addition to the growing body of research that suggests that Concord grape juice may promote health by supporting healthy circulation.(4-8)
These two recent scientific papers reinforce the important role purple produce can play in a healthy diet. However, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation, only 3% of Americans’ fruit and vegetable intake is coming from this beneficial color category.(9)] 100% grape juice is a family favorite and an easy way to enjoy the heart-healthy goodness of dark-purple Concord grapes. To enjoy Concord grapes as part of a heart-healthy diet, consider replacing nutrient-poor, calorie-dense drinks and snacks with 100% grape juice, adding grape juice to smoothies or using it in place of red wine when cooking. For more information on the science behind the Concord grape’s health benefits, including cognitive function and heart health, visit the Grape Science Center at grapescience.com.
Common Cold Virus Attacks Cancer, Study Finds
A virus that causes the common cold can also track and attack tumors, according to a new study that opens the door to novel cancer treatments.
British researchers injected reovirus into the bloodstreams of 10 patients with bowel cancer that had spread to the liver and found the virus set up deadly “reproduction factories” in the tumors but not in healthy tissue.
“It seems that reovirus is even cleverer than we had thought,” study author Dr. Alan Melcher, professor of clinical oncology and biotherapy at Leeds University in the U.K. said in a statement. “By piggybacking on blood cells, the virus is managing to hide from the body’s natural immune response and reach its target intact. This could be hugely significant for the uptake of viral therapies like this in clinical practice.”
The findings, published today in the journal Science Translational Medicine, suggest cancer-killing viruses can target hard-to-treat tumors after being injected into the bloodstream like standard chemotherapies.
Potential Health Benefits of two dietary antioxidants
Potential Health Benefits of two dietary antioxidants, Glutathione and N-Acetylcysteine, Among Adults with CVD Risk
We are now enrolling participants for this 8-week study. The most likely candidates for this study are people who are either overweight, have elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, or pre-hypertension but are not currently taking cholesterol-lowering or anti-hypertensive medications.
Enrolled participants will receive valuable health information and the results of important laboratory tests (usually not administered by health care physicians) at no cost. Anyone who will consent to be screened for the study will receive free cholesterol and blood pressure results.
A long history of epidemiological studies has suggested that dietary antioxidants are associated with prevention from heart disease. Glutathione (GSH) is one of the body’s most powerful antioxidant agents but there is a surprising lack of data on its potential health benefits.
Glutathione, when taken orally, is immediately broken down into its constituent amino acids, of which cysteine is the only one to be essential. Available cysteine is the critical determinant of intracellular GSH concentrations. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant supplement that has been used to provide a source of cysteine to replete GSH levels. By replenishing endogenous glutathione, it is possible that NAC would exert the same effect(s) as exogenous GSH.
In this study, we propose to compare the effects of GSH and NAC on markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin sensitivity. We hope to learn whether glutathione is better able to lower blood levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers than N-Acetylcysteine. Refining our knowledge about the benefits of specific dietary supplements allows us to make recommendations that individuals can choose to follow on their own, with the intent of promoting their own personal health and preventing/treating diseases.
Eating Citrus Fruit May Lower Women’s Stroke Risk
A compound in citrus fruits may reduce your stroke risk, according to research reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. Eating higher amounts of a compound in citrus fruits, especially oranges and grapefruit, may lower ischemic stroke risk. Women who ate high amounts of the compound had a 19 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke than women who consumed the least amount.
This prospective study is one of the first in which researchers examine how consuming flavonoid subclasses affects the risk of stroke. Flavonoids are a class of compounds present in fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate and red wine.
“Studies have shown higher fruit, vegetable and specifically vitamin C intake is associated with reduced stroke risk,” said Aedín Cassidy, Ph.D., the study’s lead author and professor of nutrition at Norwich Medical School in the University of East Anglia in Norwich, United Kingdom.
“Flavonoids are thought to provide some of that protection through several mechanisms, including improved blood vessel function and an anti-inflammatory effect.”
Study Finds Eating Nuts Helps Cholesterol
Eating about two and a half airplane snacks’ worth of nuts every day helps lower total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol, and improves the ratio of total cholesterol to “good” HDL cholesterol, a study reports.
Researchers pooled the results of 25 clinical trials that involved 583 participants over all. The study reported that eating just 2.4 ounces of nuts of any kind was associated with declines of 10.2 milligrams per deciliter in bad cholesterol, a drop of about 7.4 percent, and 10.9 milligrams in total cholesterol, or 5.1 percent.
The study, which appeared in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, was partly financed by a nut-industry foundation, and two of the authors receive research money from other organizations representing the nut and peanut industries.
But the authors noted that some of the trials they analyzed had no corporate financing, yet came to similar conclusions.
“Nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, and that is a main driver in lowering cholesterol,” said the lead author, Dr. Joan Sabaté, a professor of nutrition at the School of Public Health at Loma Linda University in California. “They are the richest source of protein in the plant kingdom, and they also contain fiber and phytosterols, which compete with cholesterol to be absorbed. All these nutrients have been demonstrated to lower cholesterol.”
The effect was most pronounced among people with higher LDL cholesterol to begin with and among those who were not obese. The more nuts they ate, the greater the effect.
Effects of Raw Milk vs. Pasteurized Milk
Effects of Raw Milk vs. Pasteurized Milk on Lactose Maldigestion and Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance Among Lactose Intolerant Adults.
Background: An increasing number of Americans are choosing to consume raw, unpasteurized milk rather than conventional pasteurized milk. Several health claims are made by raw milk enthusiasts. Many or most of those claims are anecdotal and remain untested, including the claim that lactose intolerant adults can enjoy raw milk with minimal to no symptoms.
Objective: Determine if lactose maldigestion and symptoms of lactose intolerance are lower when consuming Raw milk vs. conventional pasteurized milk.
Study Population: Adults who report experiencing the standard symptoms (e.g., flatulence, abdominal sounds, abdominal cramping) of lactose intolerance after exposure to a 25 g dose of lactose, and who have a positive test of lactose maldigestion as determined by a standard hydrogen breath test (HBT).
Study Design: Three way crossover. The three treatment arms were:
- Organic, full-fat, pasteurized milk
- Organic, full fat, raw milk
- Organic, soy milk
All three milks were “flavored” with small amounts of vanilla in an effort to “blind” the study participants. Study staff were also blinded (i.e., double blind). Each milk phase was 8 days in duration, with 1-week wash-outs in between, and the entire protocol was preceded by a 1-week dairy-free run-in period. A hydrogen breath test was conducted on days 1 and 8 of each milk phase using 16 oz of the milk specific to that study phase. In the intervening days, participants were instructed to consume increasing amounts of milk, from 4 oz on day 2 to 24 oz on Day 7 (i.e., increasing by 4 oz each day) until such time that symptoms were so severe that they were unwilling to continue. On each of days 2-7 participants recorded the severity of symptoms.
Primary Study Outcomes: HBT values on Day 1 and Day 8 of each of the three study milks. Symptom severity on Day 7 of each of the three study milk phases (i.e., the day of consuming 24 oz of milk)
Preliminary Results: 383 potential participants completed an on-line survey to determine initial eligibility. 63 continued to participate in a screening HBT test. 27 of the 63 tested positive for lactose maldigestion (HBT) and reported standard symptoms in response to 25 grams of lactose. 16 of the 27 agreed to and were available to enroll. All 16 participants completed all three milk phases. 13 of the 16 participants completed the full protocol, including consuming 24 oz of milk, on all three milk phases (3 participants were not willing to tolerate consuming 24 oz for at least one of the milk types). 15 of 16 participants completed the HBT’s on both days 1 and 8 for all three study milks.
