 | | December 2006
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Anti-aging Essentials: the top picks  
Oxidation, or free-radical damage, is the main force behind what we call aging. It wrinkles our skin, clouds our vision and may even clog our arteries. It can also lead to diseases such as arthritis, cataracts, Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer.
Foods with vitamin E and omega-3s appearto help protect the skin from UV damage. |
Free radicals get to us through air pollution, food chemicals, toxins in water, sunlight - even the act of breathing creates free radicals! Although it's impossible to escape the effects of free radicals on our bodies, it is possible to lessen the damage by countering them with antioxidants and other anti-aging nutrients.
Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10): This vitamin-like substance is considered an anti-aging nutrient because it can slow down the "wear and tear" of tissue and organs and the weakening of immune function. One study showed that mice given CoQ10 entered their senior years with a better general appearance, including more energy and healthier fur than their counterparts. Hundreds of studies show that CoQ10 can help prevent and improve heart disease. Still other research has focused on CoQ10's positive effects on age-related disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, which have been linked to free-radical damage.
CoQ10 also boosts immune function. Older people often have only a third of the antibodies found in young, healthy people, putting them at greater risk for infections and more serious health disorders. Giving the elderly CoQ10 can more than double the production of antibodies and restore immune function to about 80% of its original strength.
Vitamin C: Another prime anti-aging supplement, vitamin C helps form collagen, the main protein in connective tissue (skin, cartilage, tendons). It is also the body's first line of antioxidant protection and is critical to immune function. Thousands of scientific studies show that vitamin C reduces cancer rates, improves immunity, protects against pollution, reduces cataract risk and increases life expectancy. Vitamin C also "regenerates" other important antioxidants in the body, including beta-carotene and vitamin E.
Omega-3s: While omega-3 fatty acids aren't antioxidants as such, they do have important anti-aging properties. They improve the integrity of our cell membranes to allow proper functioning of countless bodily processes. Omega-3s, found in fish and flax oils, also mediate immune response; help prevent high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other heart diseases; benefit arthritis; help prevent age-related neurological diseases like Alzheimer's; and more. If we think of antioxidants as the "rust protection" for the aging body, then omega-3s are the "premium grade oils" that keep everything running smooth!
Many options to ease leg cramps Â
At least 30% of all pregnant women get painful muscle cramps in their legs, particularly during the third trimester and most often at night.
All the women taking magnesium reported improvements. |
Researchers at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences conducted a study to compare the effects of different vitamin supplementation on pregnancy leg cramps. In total, 84 pregnant women were randomly assigned to one of four groups: one received daily calcium carbonate; one received daily magnesium; one received daily vitamin B1 and B6; while the last group was untreated and used as a control. The three treatment groups were then assessed after a period of four weeks.
The researchers reported that in each of the three treatment groups, supplementation had positive effects. In the calcium group, 52% reported "absolute improvement," meaning the muscle cramps were completely gone by the end of the trial. An additional 43% reported "relative improvement," where the cramps decreased in frequency and intensity. Only 5% of the women taking calcium carbonate experienced no change in symptoms. All the women in the magnesium group reported improvements: 71% had "relative improvement" and 29% had "absolute improvement." The group taking B-vitamins also experienced positive results: 72% reported "absolute improvement" and another 19% reported "relative improvement," while 9% experienced no change.
Other recommendations for easing leg cramps include drinking plenty of water, daily stretching exercises and using a hot water bottle or heating pad.
Probiotics help tackle gingivitis Â
Swiss researchers from Malmo University report that probiotics could be effective in the treatment of gingivitis (a mild form of gum disease that causes inflammation and bleeding). They performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study on patients with moderate to severe gingivitis over a two-week period. Twenty patients were given one of two different Lactobacillus reuteri formulations per day, while another 18 were given a placebo. The patients were also instructed on how to brush and floss.
Overall oral health improved with probiotic use. |
The results showed that in all groups, symptoms of gingivitis were reduced. In one of the probiotic groups, gingivitis improved more significantly than in the placebo group. Plaque decreased as well in the same probiotic group. And in both probiotic groups, the amount of "friendly flora" in the mouth increased. The researchers concluded that Lactobacillus reuteri was effective in reducing both gingivitis and plaque for patients with moderate to severe gingivitis.
Many women lack vitamin K for bones Â
The levels of vitamin K in healthy menopausal women are inadequate to maintain bone health, says the lead researcher of a recent study from the University of Michigan School of Nursing. The researchers found that one early effect of declining estrogen is the impairment of vitamin K function, and that the deficiency could seriously compromise bone health and contribute to the development of osteoporosis.
Low estrogen, as seen in menopausal women, impairs vitamin K's bone-building function; supplementing can help. |
While vitamin K comes from green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils, most individuals don't consume sufficient dietary amounts to promote proper bone health. Vitamin K is essential for making a fully functional bone protein called osteocalcin. With adequate vitamin K, this protein can bind like glue to calcium in the bone environment.
In related news from the University of York in England, researchers conducted a review of clinical trials to assess whether vitamin K supplementation can actually reduce bone loss and prevent fractures. An extensive search of medical databases back to 1945 provided 20 randomized, controlled clinical trials that involved vitamin K supplementation (13 trials were on bone loss, and 7 were on bone fractures). The researchers found that all studies but one reported reduced bone loss due to vitamin K supplementation.
Vitamin K is available as a stand-alone supplement, and is also included in some calcium and multivitamin formulations.
Holiday spices offer healing gifts Â
Those festive spices found in holiday treats may have a role to play beyond making things taste good! Recent studies on cinnamon, clove and ginger point to benefits in blood sugar management, diabetic complications and nausea.
Ginger is effective fornausea, researchers say. |
Previous reports that cinnamon may have a positive effect on the glycemic control and cholesterol levels in diabetes type 2 were recently confirmed by a double-blind study from the University of Hannover in Germany. In this trial, 79 patients with diabetes type 2, but not on insulin therapy, were assigned either a cinnamon extract or a placebo capsule three times a day for four months. The cinnamon group showed a 10.3% reduction in glucose levels compared to the placebo group (3.4%).
The dominant ingredient in clove oil, called eugenol, was found to mitigate secondary side effects caused by diabetes. At the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, researchers examined whether treatment with eugenol, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, could improve diabetic vascular and nerve function. Intervention treatment was given for two weeks. Afterward, they found that vascular and neural complications were improved, which could have potential therapeutic implications for diabetic neuropathy and vasculopathy.
Researchers from Naresuan University in Thailand found that ginger could help reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting. This research review looked at a total of five randomized, controlled trials involving 363 patients to see what impact a fixed dose of ginger compared to a placebo would have on 24-hour postoperative nausea and vomiting. In all five trials, they found ginger was indeed effective.
Adequate iron during infancy critical Â
American researchers report that children with low levels of iron as infants may grow up with brain deficiencies, even if they get early treatment.
Bottled milk may put kids at risk for low iron levels. |
Their study of 185 teens from Costa Rica indicates that babies with severe iron deficiency never fully recovered on tests of learning, memory and thinking. The report highlights the importance of early nutrition for babies, the researchers said.
Up to 25% of children around the world have iron deficiency anemia, in which a lack of iron causes problems with red blood cells.
In a related study, researchers found that kids who kept drinking cow's milk from bottles past the age of one year were more likely to be iron-deficient than babies the same age who drank from a cup. Among 150 healthy children, aged 12 to 38 months who drank unfortified cow's milk, 37% of bottle-fed babies and 18% of the cup-fed children had lower than desired iron levels.
"The bottle may act as a vehicle for excessive milk consumption, which may compromise iron absorption or the intake of iron-rich foods or juices," the researchers wrote.
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 | The secret to a long life? | Study results described as "the breakthrough of the year" suggest that a component of red wine can extend survival rates in mice and negate the effects of a high-calorie diet. The study on resveratrol, a polyphenol, adds to a growing body of research linking it to a range of health benefits, including brain and heart health. "The 'healthspan' benefits we saw in the obese mice [fed] resveratrol, such as increased insulin sensitivity, decreased glucose levels, healthier heart and liver tissues, are positive clinical indicators and may mean we can stave off in humans age-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, but only time and more research will tell," said co-author David Sinclair.
Boron
What is it?
A trace mineral involved in calcium and magnesium metabolism.
Why take it?
To maintain bone health, benefit arthritis and reduce prostate cancer risk.
What's the research?
An animal study in 2004 suggested boron could reduce tumour size and aggressiveness in prostate cancer. A review in 2003 concluded that boron "has been shown to increase bone strength" and "may also play a role in improving arthritis, plasma lipid profiles, and brain function."
 | Some kids at risk for low B12 | Heavier children and teens are at a greater risk for low vitamin B12 levels, report Israeli researchers who studied 392 young people. While 10.4% of obese subjects were found to have low B12, only 2.2% of normal weight subjects were low. The results suggest that obesity in children and adolescents may be a risk factor for vitamin B12 deficiency.
 | More energy, less aches | Researchers at Selcuk University, Turkey, have found that taking magnesium may help provide more energy and less muscle aches during hard exercise. In 30 healthy subjects aged 18-22 years, magnesium supplementation was found to decrease lactate levels. Lactate is an indicator of lactic acid buildup, which increases during strenuous physical activity and causes fatigue and, for some, sore muscles. Those who received magnesium (10 mg/kg/day) for one week displayed a significant decrease in at-rest and exhaustion lactate levels. The authors conclude that "magnesium supplementation may positively affect performance of [athletes] by decreasing their lactate levels."
 | Echinacea cuts cold rate & time | Those who take echinacea before getting a cold are half as likely to get colds in the first place, and, when they do, typically recover almost two days faster than those who don't take the herb, say researchers from the University of Connecticut. They looked at the pooled results from 14 studies that included almost 3,000 patients.
| Folic acid and colon cancer | McGill University scientists report that a diet low in folate (folic acid) may increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer. In their animal model, 1 in 4 mice on a folate-deficient diet developed at least one tumour, while none of the mice fed a control diet developed tumours. The scientists suspect that low folate levels damage DNA, which in turn promotes tumour growth. "The result of this study highlights how simply adding a supplement to your daily diet could have tremendous long-term benefits to the individual and the health care system," said Dr. Philip Branton, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research. Adequate dietary folate has also been shown to prevent a number of other diseases.
 | C is for baby? | Couples having trouble conceiving may be interested in the results of a recent study which suggest sperm quality may be boosted through vitamin C supplementation. In the study, 13 infertile but otherwise healthy patients aged 25 to 35 years received 1,000 mg of vitamin C twice a day, for 2 months. At the study's end, significant increases were found in mean sperm count (from 14.3 to 32.8 million sperms/ml), mean sperm motility (from 31.2% to 60.1%), and mean sperm with normal morphology (from 43% to 66.7%), compared to the study's start. The authors conclude that vitamin C supplementation appears to improve sperm count and motility, and "might have a place as an additional supplement to improve the semen quality towards conception."
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