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® January 2016 Healthy Young Adults Nutrients help ensure physical and mental health More vitamin E, especially in the young A large new study finds most Americans are low in vitamin E, particularly those aged 20 to 30. The study followed 7,922 people for four years and found those who relied solely on food as a source had inadequate levels of vitamin E. Those who took vitamin E supplements in addition to diet had adequate levels. Four in 10 of those age 51 or older had inadequate vitamin E levels, seven in 10 of those aged 31 to 50 were low, and nearly nine in 10 of those age 20 to 30 had low levels of vitamin E. Discussing the findings, doctors said vitamin E plays an important role in protecting cell membranes from free radical oxidative damage, and that adequate vitamin E levels may extend life, help maintain cognitive function, and help ensure healthy reproduction. Omega-3s and depression About one in three college students reports feelings of depression severe enough to make studying and maintaining academic performance difficult. In this study, 18 women and five men, average age 20, attending college and testing positive for depression, took a placebo or 1,400 mg of EPA/DHA per day. After three weeks, 67 percent of J A N U A RY ’ S Healthy Insight Natural Blood Thinner Doctors were searching for a natural blood thinner and in this study, gave 12 healthy men, average age 22, a single dose of nattokinase (NK), an enzyme from fermented soy. The dose was 2,000 fibrinolytic units of NK or a placebo, in two alternating phases two weeks apart. The men had no blood disorders, were not consuming food natto, had never taken NK, and were taking no other medications. At two and four hours after taking NK, clot-forming action was slightly prolonged, and at six and eight hours, signs of anti-clotting action were increased. All changes were within the normal range. those who had taken omega-3s no longer tested positive for depression compared to 20 percent in the placebo group. Nerve cell membranes in the brain contain omega-3s, which influence nerve signals and help regulate the hormones related to emotion including serotonin, epinephrine, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Doctors said this preliminary study shows promise for treating depression in college students with omega-3 supplements, and call for larger studies to confirm these results. Reference: PLoS One; 2015, Vol. 10, No. 8, e0135510 Reference: Nature Journal Scientific Reports 5; 2015, Article No. 11601 This Issue Nutrients lower cholesterol and chances for breast cancer 2 NAC and CoQ10 reduce chances for heart problems 2 Nutrients help control and improve diabetes 3 Nutrients boost sports endurance and muscle function 3 Correcting vitamin D deficiency may help ease dizziness 4 Healthy Women Nutrients lower cholesterol and chances for breast cancer Iodine reduces cholesterol Vitamin D and breast cancer The thyroid gland produces the hormone that regulates how quickly the body uses energy, and needs sufficient levels of iodine in order to do so. If thyroid hormone is low, the body will release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) to prod the thyroid to produce more. Elevated TSH levels are linked to higher cholesterol levels. In this study, doctors gave 163 iodine-deficient, overweight and obese Moroccan women 200 mcg of iodine per day, or a placebo. After six months, the iodine group had TSH levels 33 percent lower than placebo, and higher thyroid hormone levels. The iodine group also saw total cholesterol levels decline by 11 percent, and 21.5 percent had elevated cholesterol levels compared to 34.8 percent in the placebo group. In 2002, doctors advised postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) of an increase in chances for breast cancer. Earlier studies suggested vitamin D might protect against breast cancer, particularly estrogen-receptor positive tumors. In this study, 57,403 postmenopausal women completed questionnaires every few years from 1990 to 2008, reporting on diet, vitamin D from supplements and diet, HRT, and other factors. Overall, women who were currently taking vitamin D supplements were 18 percent less likely to have developed breast cancer compared to women who had used vitamin D in the past or to women who had never used vitamin D at all. Doctors found the greatest benefit among women who had been on HRT and who continued taking vitamin D: chances for developing breast cancer were 26 percent lower. Reference: The Journal of Nutrition; 2015, Vol. 145, No. 9, 2067-75 Healthy Hearts Nutrients lower chances for heart problems NAC, inflammation, and blood pressure Chronic inflammation, including elevated homocysteine levels, raises chances for heart disease. Earlier studies found B-vitamins can lower some inflammation factors, but not others. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an 2 antioxidant earlier studies found lowered homocysteine, and possibly blood pressure. In this study, researchers reviewed two NAC studies, one with 40 men with elevated lipid levels, and the other with 42 men with normal lipids. Both studies included smokers and non-smokers. The dose was 1,800 mg of NAC per day, or a placebo, for four weeks. Homocysteine levels decreased by 4.1 percent in the placebo groups and by 11.7 percent for those taking NAC, regardless of lipid levels or smoking. While blood pressure did not change in the placebo groups, systolic blood pressure decreased significantly in all NAC groups. Diastolic blood pressure decreased in men with elevated lipid levels who took NAC, but not in men with normal lipids. CoQ10 with statin therapy Doctors most often prescribe statin drugs for lowering LDL cholesterol levels. One of the side effects is muscle pain, possibly due to lower levels of CoQ10, a naturally occurring antioxidant in every cell. In this study, doctors reviewed eight placebo-controlled trials that measured the effect of statin therapy on CoQ10 levels. All of those taking statins had lower levels of CoQ10, regardless of which of the four types of statin drug they were taking. A new study is underway, using a dose of 600 mg of CoQ10 per day, or a placebo, to determine if CoQ10 can reduce muscle pain in those on statin therapy. Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; October, 2015, Published Online January 2016 natural insights for well being ® Diabetes Progress Nutrients help control and improve the condition Chromium picolinate and blood sugar In this study, 71 people with type 2 diabetes and poorly controlled longterm average blood sugar levels took 600 mcg of chromium picolinate per day, or a placebo. After four months, the chromium picolinate group saw long- term average blood sugar (A1C) lowered by 1.9 while the placebo group declined 1.0. The chromium picolinate group also saw fasting blood sugar levels decline by 31 mg/dL compared to 14 for placebo, and after-meal blood sugar levels were 37 mg/dL lower for chromium picolinate compared to 11.5 for placebo. Discussing the findings, doctors said they don’t know exactly how chromium picolinate improves blood sugar control but that research suggests chromium may play a role in insulin resistance and sensitivity by helping replace failing insulin receptor cells. Berberine, blood sugar, lipids, and pressure Doctors in this study reviewed 27 trials covering 2,569 people with type 2 diabetes, elevated lipids and blood pressure who typically took 500 mg of berberine two to three times per day or a placebo. Overall, those who took berberine along with lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise counseling had lower fasting, after-meal, and long-term average blood sugar levels. Berberine with oral lipid-lowering drugs lowered triglycerides more, and raised HDL— the “good” cholesterol—more than oral lipid drugs alone. For blood pressure, those taking berberine together with lifestyle interventions tended to have lower blood pressure than either placebo or lifestyle interventions alone. Reference: Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology; October, 2015, Vol. 32, 66-72 Sports Performance Nutrients improve sports endurance and muscle function L-citrulline and endurance Increasing blood flow is key to increasing endurance. Nitric oxide (NO) helps relax and dilate blood vessels, and arginine can produce NO, but only 1 percent of ingested arginine is available for absorption. Citrulline can increase arginine levels. In this study, 10 healthy men completed a moderate to severe cycling exercise on days six and seven of a 7-day supplementation period with placebo, 6 grams of arginine, or 6 grams of citrulline per day, in three alternating phases. L-arginine increased during the citrulline phases, as did signs of increased NO production. The men taking citrulline performed better during the exercise, had greater muscle oxygenation and faster oxygen uptake. natural insights for well being ® Blood pressure was lower during the citrulline phases compared to arginine or placebo. supplements on neuromuscular function and performance, and that omega-3s may have a positive effect in athletes. Seal-oil omega-3 and muscle function Reference: Journal of Applied Physiology; 2015, Vol. 119, No. 4, 385-95 In this study, 30 male athletes, average age 25 and typically training for 17 hours per week, took 375 mg of EPA, 230 mg of DPA, and 510 mg of DHA from seal oil per day, or a placebo. After three weeks, while there was no change for placebo, thigh muscle function increased by 20 percent for those taking seal oil. Also, 50 percent of the omega-3 men had improved time trials compared to 33 percent for placebo. Commenting on the findings, doctors said this is the first study to measure the effects of omega-3 January 20163 Store Hours: Monday-Friday: 9-6 Saturday: 9-2 Sunday: Closed What Causes Dizziness? Correcting vitamin D deficiency may help Several earlier studies had found a link between vitamin D deficiency and sudden, non-life-threatening dizziness triggered by head movement, known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), but no studies had tested treating with vitamin D supplements. In BPPV, calcium crystals embedded in the inner ear dislodge and flow into inner ear fluid, sending false movement signals to the brain. In this study, 93 people with singleear BPPV and vitamin D levels of 10 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/ mL) or less, took 50,000 IU of vitamin D once every two weeks, plus 600 mg of calcium twice per day. After three months, 14 percent of those whose vitamin D levels had increased by at least 10 ng/mL 4 experienced a recurrence of BPPV compared to 43 percent of those whose vitamin D levels had increased less than 10 ng/mL, leading doctors to conclude that raising vitamin D levels can significantly reduce chances of BPPV recurring. Reference: International Journal of ORL & HNS; September, 2015, Published Online Your Good News! ® We’re dedicated to discovering the benefits of good nutrition and healthy lifestyle, and hope this issue of Natural Insights for Well Being® informs and inspires you to take an active role in your health. Please ask us to assist you with any natural products you would like to know more about. These articles provide nutritional information only and do not replace professional medical advice. Printed on Recycled Paper January 2016 ©2016 RI natural insights for well being ®