March 2010 Natural Health Newsletter « FeelGood Natural Health Food Stores

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Are All Vitamin E Supplements Created Equal?
Are Unbalanced Hormones Making You Fat?
Trans-Resveratrol – an HRT alternative?
A recently published study investigated the possibility that trans-resveratrol may be a safer alternative than hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women. Estrogens used as hormone replacement therapy to alleviate menopausal symptoms have been found to increase the risk of breast cancer, thus alternate therapies are needed. It is estimated that 6,000 U.S. women reach [...]
Pistachio Pop-Quiz
What do you know about this peculiar little green nut?
Niacin Does Better Than Drug in Arterial Health
Posted Dec 19, 2009 More than 70 years ago, researchers at the University of Wisconsin were the first to use niacin, or vitamin B3, as a drug when they found it could quickly cure a horrible disease known as pellagra that began as a skin rash and led to dementia, killing thousands of people every [...]
Flax for Bone Health
A recent study has found that consuming flax seed oil could help reduce bone loss.

Are All Vitamin E Supplements Created Equal?

If you're taking vitamin E for your heart health, you might think you've made a smart choice. And the truth is you have-that is, assuming you've found the right supplement. Believe it or not, there are eight different forms of this crucial vitamin... but only two are clinically proven to boost your heart's health dramatically. And they aren't always so easy to find.

Most supplements and multivitamins contain a form of vitamin E called alpha-tocopherol. Alpha-tocopherol may be a powerful antioxidant-but if it's maintaining healthy cholesterol you're after, a class of molecules called tocotrienols are your only effective vitamin E choice.1

Research reveals that when it comes to maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol gamma- and delta-tocotrienols are your best bet.2-5 Supplementation with these two tocotrienols leads to a significant decrease in both total and LDL cholesterol levels, while improving critical HDL/LDL ratios-by as much as 22 percent, in as little as four weeks.6-8

Why the difference? Subtle variations in tocotrienol's molecular bonds mean that, unlike alpha-tocopherol, it targets cholesterol-synthesizing enzymes in your body.9-10 What's more, gamma- and delta-tocotrienol (the two most active forms) also block a special protein that controls LDL receptors and cholesterol creation, and can reduce your triglyceride levels as a result-whereas alpha-tocopherol and other forms of tocotrienol can't.11

Your cholesterol isn't the only aspect of your health that can benefit from tocotrienol supplementation: Studies show that it can reduce serum levels of advanced glycosylation end-products (AGEs), which are responsible for the premature aging linked to metabolic syndrome.12 And tocotrienols can inhibit thickening of arteries and reduce the formation of unstable plaque by as much as 71 percent-reducing atherosclerotic lesion sizes up to 10-fold in animal studies.13-17

One recent study even showed that rats treated with tocotrienols exhibited significantly less cognitive impairment than controls in an experimental setting-while also showing decreased cholinesterase activity, which is known to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease.18 And if that wasn't enough, a study, yet to be published, suggests that tocotrienols may increase hair growth in people with male pattern baldness... by as much as 42 percent.

It's clear that a supplement enriched in tocotrienols is essential if you want the optimal benefits from this unique form of vitamin E. And while popular mixed tocopherol products aren't likely to meet these standards, a rainforest plant called Annatto does-in fact, this unique source contains 100 percent gamma- and delta-tocotrienols, and is virtually tocopherol-free. You'll find Annatto Tocotrienols as part of a solvent-free extract, available through Vitamin Research Products.

References:

1. Sen CK, Khanna S, Roy S. Tocotrienols: Vitamin E beyond tocopherols. Life Sci. 2006;78:2088-98.

2. Tan B. Appropriate spectrum vitamin E and new perspectives on desmethyl tocopherols and tocotrienols. JANA. 2005;8:35-42.

3. Qureshi AA, Pearce BC, Nor RM, Gapor A, Peterson DM, Elson CE. Dietary alpha-tocopherol attenuates the impact of gamma-tocotrienol on hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity in chickens. J Nutr. 1996. 126:389-94.

4. Mensink RP,. van Houwelingen AC, Kromhout D, Hornstra G. A vitamin E concentrate rich in tocotrienols had no effect on serum lipids, lipoproteins, or platelet function in men with mildly elevated serum lipid concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69:213-9.

5. Mustad VA, Smith CA, Ruey PP, Edens NK, DeMichele SJ. Supplementation with 3 compositionally different tocotrienol supplements does not improve cardiovascular disease risk factors in men and women with hypercholesterolemia. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;76:1237-43.

6. Qureshi AA, Sami SA, Salser WA, Khan FA. Dose-dependent suppression of serum cholesterol by tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF25) of rice bran in hypercholesterolemic humans. Atherosclerosis. 2002;161:199-207.

7. Tan DT, Khor HT, Low WH, Ali A, Gapor A. Effect of a palm-oil-vitamin E concentrate on the serum and lipoprotein lipids in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991; 53:1027S-1030S.

8. Qureshi AA and Qureshi N. 1993. Tocotrienols: Novel hypocholesterolemic agents with antioxidant properties. In L. Packer and J. Fuchs (ed.), Vitamin E in Health and Disease. Marcel Dekker, New York.

9. Pearce BC, Parker RA, Deason ME, Qureshi AA, Wright JJ. Hypocholesterolemic activity of synthetic and natural tocotrienols. J Med Chem. 1992;35:3595-606.

10. Parker RA, Pearce BC, Clark RW, Gordon DA, Wright JJ. Tocotrienols regulate cholesterol production in mammalian cells by post-transcriptional suppression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase. J Biol Chem. 1993;268:11230-8.

11. Song BL, DeBose-Boyd RA. Insig-dependent ubiquitination and degradation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme a reductase stimulated by delta- and gamma-tocotrienols. J Biol Chem. 2006;281:25054-61.

12. Wan Nazaimoon WM, Khalid BA. Tocotrienols-rich diet decreases advanced glycosylation end-products in non-diabetic rats and improves glycemic control in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Malays J Pathol. 2002;24:77-82.

13. Theriault A, Chao JT, Gapor A. Tocotrienol is the most effective vitamin E for reducing endothelial expression of adhesion molecules and adhesion to monocytes. Atherosclerosis. 2002;160:21-30.

14. Chao JT, Gapor A, Theriault A. Inhibitory effect of delta-tocotrienol, a HMG CoA reductase inhibitor, on monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2002; 48:332-7.

15. Naito Y, Shimozawa M, Kuroda M, Nakabe N, Manabe H, Katada K, Kokura S, Ichikawa H, Yoshida N, Noguchi N, Yoshikawa, T. Tocotrienols reduce 25-hydroxycholesterol-induced monocyte-endothelial cell interaction by inhibiting the surface expression of adhesion molecules. Atherosclerosis. 2005; 180:19-25.

16. Holub B. 1989. Inhibition of Platelet Aggregation by Tocotrienols. University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Internal Publication.

17. Qureshi AA, Salser WA, Parmar R, Emeson EE. Novel tocotrienols of rice bran inhibit atherosclerotic lesions in C57BL/6 ApoE-deficient mice. J Nutr. 2001;131:2606-18.

18. Tiwari V, Kuhad A, Bishnoi M, Chopra K. Chronic treatment with tocotrienol, an isoform of vitamin E, prevents intracerebroventricular streptozotocin-induced cognitive impairment and oxidative-nitrosative stress in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2009 Aug;93(2):183-9.

Tags: Antioxidant, Atherosclerosis, Body, Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Concentration, Hair, Heart, Multivitamin, Stress, Vitamins, Women

Are Unbalanced Hormones Making You Fat?

Imagine knowing when to start eating-and exactly when to stop-without guilt or rigid calorie counting. Even better, picture reaching the weight you're meant to be... without starvation or crazy diets.

It might sound too good to be true. But it's not... in fact, your body has evolved to function this way naturally on its own. The only thing it needs to maintain this foolproof routine is balance-and more specifically, balanced levels of the hunger hormone leptin.

Leptin, along with insulin, is responsible for controlling your body's energy storage by telling your brain how much 'ls-and whether you need more of it, less of it, or whether you're just right.1-2 The process works like this: Excess calories are stored as fat in the body as a reserve for future energy requirements or insulation from the cold; the fat storage cells produce leptin, which in turn tells your hypothalamus to stop sending hunger signals.3 Less leptin, on the other hand, prompts more hunger... more eating... and as a result of more calories being consumed, extra energy is available for daily activities and replenishment of the stored fat.

This critical chain of command regulates the most basic and effective form of appetite control you can find-so it shouldn't surprise you that there are serious consequences when your body's natural balance is compromised. And if you've been struggling to maintain your weight without success, chances are good that your eating habits and metabolic energy balance have been compromised due to a problem known as leptin resistance-a condition in which your body becomes desensitized to leptin's signaling. Just as repeated insulin surges caused by high blood sugar lead to insulin resistance, one too many leptin surges mean its messages to your hypothalamus no longer get through.4-5

The result: An out-of-control appetite and too much caloric intake, which leads to weight gain and obesity, and possibly a whole host of other serious conditions-including the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases and increased inflammation, to name a few.6-17

Obviously, getting more leptin isn't the answer-a fact demonstrated by some of the earliest research on this hunger hormone. In leptin-resistant human subjects, extra doses offer little help in the fight against fat.18 What you need is a way to prevent surges and boost your body's leptin receptivity... and luckily, there are targeted supplements designed to do just that.19-20

LeptinX is a new proprietary formula from Vitamin Research Products that's specifically designed to curb your appetite and boost fat loss by modulating your body's levels of both leptin and adiponectin-another crucial fat-regulating hormone. In fact, the breakthrough blend of ingredients in LeptinX is clinically shown to deliver better results than diet or exercise alone-in the form of fat loss, weight reduction and smaller waist size -safely, naturally and after just eight weeks of use.

References:

1. Harris RB. Leptin-much more than a satiety signal. Annu Rev Nutr. 2000;20:45-75.

2. Rosenbaum.M and Leibel, R.L. Leptin: A Molecule Integrating Somatic Energy Stores, Energy Expenditure and Fertility TEM. 1998;9(3).

3. Houseknecht KL, Baile CA, Matteri RL, Spurlock ME The biology of leptin: a review J Anim Sci. 1998 May;76(5):1405-2.

4. Mueller WM. Evidence that glucose metabolism regulates leptin secretion from cultured rat adipocytes. Endocrinology. 1998;139(2):551-58.

5. Agus MS. Dietary composition and physiologic adaptations to energy restriction. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000;71(4):901-07.

6. Barouch, L. A. Disruption of leptin signaling contributes to cardiac hypertrophy independently of body weight in mice. 2003;108(6):754-59.

7. Galletti F, D'Elia L, Barba G, Siani A, Cappuccio FP, Farinaro E, Iacone R, Russo O, De Palma D, Ippolito R, Strazzullo P. High circulating leptin levels are associated with greater risk of hypertension in men independently of body mass index and insulin resistance: results of an 8-year follow-up study. J Clin Endocrin Metabol. 2008;93:3922-3926.

8. Parhami F. Leptin enhances the calcification of vascular cells: artery wall as a target of leptin. Circulation Research. 2001;88(9):954-60.

9. Wallace AM. Plasma leptin and the risk of cardiovascular disease in the west of Scotland coronary prevention study (WOSCOPS). Circulation. 2001;104:3052-56.

10. Harris, Ruth B. S. Leptin-much more than a satiety signal. Annual Review of Nutrition. 2000, Vol. 20, 45-75

11. Lin C-Y, Higginbotham DA, Judd RL & White BD. Central leptin increases insulin sensitivity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2002;282: E1084-E1091.

12. Hedbacker K, et al. Antidiabetic effects of IGFBP2, a leptin-regulated gene. Cell Metab. 2010; DOI:10.1016/j.cmet.2009.11.007.

13. Ducy P. The osteoblast: A sophisticated fibroblast under central surveillance. Science. 2000;289:1502-04.

14. Karsenty, G. The Central Regulation of Bone Remodeling. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2000;11(10):437-439.

15. Sanna V. Leptin surge precedes onset of autoimmune encephalomyelitis and correlates with development of pathogenic T cell responses. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2003;111:241-50.

16. Matarese G. Leptin accelerates autoimmune diabetes in female NOD mice. Diabetes. 2002;51(5):1356-61.

17. La Cava A, Alviggi C, Matarese G. Unraveling the multiple roles of leptin in inflammation and autoimmunity. J. Mol. Med. 2004;82:4-11.

18. Considine RV, Sinha MK, Heiman ML, et al. Serum immunoreactive-leptin concentrations in normal-weight and obese humans. N Engl J Med. 1996 Feb 1;334(5):292-5.

19. Ainslie DA. Short-term, high-fat diets lower circulating leptin concentrations in rats. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000;71:438-42.

20. Rosedale R, Westman EC. Clinical Experience of a Diet Designed to Reduce Aging, Journal of Applied Research. Accepted for publication.

Tags: Body, Cardiovascular, Circulation, Cold, Concentration, Diabetes, Energy, Fat loss, Gain, Heart, high blood pressure, hypertension, Immune, Liver, Osteoporosis, Tension, Weight, Weight gain

Trans-Resveratrol – an HRT alternative?

A recently published study investigated the possibility that trans-resveratrol may be a safer alternative than hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women.

Estrogens used as hormone replacement therapy to alleviate menopausal symptoms have been found to increase the risk of breast cancer, thus alternate therapies are needed. It is estimated that 6,000 U.S. women reach menopause each day, totaling more than 2 million women per year. Most women spend 1/3 to 1/2 of their life in the post-menopausal phase; currently there are approximately 45.6 million post-menopausal American women.

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant compounds that are structurally similar to the estrogens made in the body. Phytoestrogens can elicit either mild estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects. In this new study, researchers analyzed the effects of several well-known phytoestrogens including daidzein, genistein, coumestrol, trans-resveratrol and glycitein on breast cancer cells to evaluate the safety of these compounds. The researchers also compared these effects to 17-beta-estradiol (E2), the primary type of estrogen produced in the body.

The researchers found that daidzein, genistein, coumestrol, and trans-resveratrol significantly increased transcriptional activity, the copying of the DNA, up to a level similar to that of 17-beta-estradiol (E2). Also, the study showed that while 17-beta-estradiol increased cell growth, trans-resveratrol and glycitein reduced cell growth in the breast cancer cells. Trans-resveratrol also significantly enhanced p53-dependent transcriptional activity while decreasing NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional activity. p53 is a transcription factor that plays a role in regulation of the cell cycle and functions as a tumor suppressor that is involved in preventing cancer, while NF-kappa-B is a transcription factor that signals the beginning of inflammatory responses, which is activated by cellular stress. Furthermore, genistein, trans-resveratrol and glycitein all increased apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the breast cancer cells, and trans-resveratrol decreased the ratio of anti-apoptotic to pro-apoptotic proteins better than genistein or glycitein.

The researchers concluded, "Thus, trans-resveratrol might be the most promising candidate for HRT and chemoprevention of breast cancer due to its estrogenic activity and high anti-tumor activity."

Reference:

Sakamoto T, Horiguchi H, Oguma E, Kayama F. Effects of diverse dietary phytoestrogens on cell growth, cell cycle and apoptosis in estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer cells. J Nutr Biochem. 2009 Oct 2. Published Online Ahead of Print.

A recently published study investigated the possibility that trans-resveratrol may be a safer alternative than hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women.

Estrogens used as hormone replacement therapy to alleviate menopausal symptoms have been found to increase the risk of breast cancer, thus alternate therapies are needed. It is estimated that 6,000 U.S. women reach menopause each day, totaling more than 2 million women per year. Most women spend 1/3 to 1/2 of their life in the post-menopausal phase; currently there are approximately 45.6 million post-menopausal American women.

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant compounds that are structurally similar to the estrogens made in the body. Phytoestrogens can elicit either mild estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects. In this new study, researchers analyzed the effects of several well-known phytoestrogens including daidzein, genistein, coumestrol, trans-resveratrol and glycitein on breast cancer cells to evaluate the safety of these compounds. The researchers also compared these effects to 17-beta-estradiol (E2), the primary type of estrogen produced in the body.

The researchers found that daidzein, genistein, coumestrol, and trans-resveratrol significantly increased transcriptional activity, the copying of the DNA, up to a level similar to that of 17-beta-estradiol (E2). Also, the study showed that while 17-beta-estradiol increased cell growth, trans-resveratrol and glycitein reduced cell growth in the breast cancer cells. Trans-resveratrol also significantly enhanced p53-dependent transcriptional activity while decreasing NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional activity. p53 is a transcription factor that plays a role in regulation of the cell cycle and functions as a tumor suppressor that is involved in preventing cancer, while NF-kappa-B is a transcription factor that signals the beginning of inflammatory responses, which is activated by cellular stress. Furthermore, genistein, trans-resveratrol and glycitein all increased apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the breast cancer cells, and trans-resveratrol decreased the ratio of anti-apoptotic to pro-apoptotic proteins better than genistein or glycitein.

The researchers concluded, "Thus, trans-resveratrol might be the most promising candidate for HRT and chemoprevention of breast cancer due to its estrogenic activity and high anti-tumor activity."

Reference:

Sakamoto T, Horiguchi H, Oguma E, Kayama F. Effects of diverse dietary phytoestrogens on cell growth, cell cycle and apoptosis in estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer cells. J Nutr Biochem. 2009 Oct 2. Published Online Ahead of Print.

Tags: Body, Cancer, Candida, Menopause, Stress, Women

Pistachio Pop-Quiz

Posted Mar 2, 2010

As antioxidant-saturated nuts go, pistachios don’t usually enjoy the acclaim of walnuts or almonds. But they get their day in this week’s quiz.

1. An ounce of pistachios contains 13 grams of fat. How much of that is the so-called good fat that lowers LDL cholesterol?

a) 6 grams

b) 11 grams

c) 13 grams

2. A small study by researchers at the University of Texas’ M.D. Anderson Cancer Center showed which vitamin present in pistachios can help to reduce lung cancer?

a) Vitamin B12

b) Vitamin B6

c) Vitamin E

3. An ounce of pistachios provides 20 percent of the daily value of vitamin B6. What major benefit does B6 have for the body?

a) Helps make amino acids that build body cells

b) Protects the body from harmful effects of toxins

c) Helps maintain the health of skin and mucus linings

4. A small study by Penn State researchers shows that pistachio consumption can reduce body inflammation, a major factor for which condition?

a) Kidney failure

b) Cardiovascular disease

c) Shingles

5. In spring 2009, how many pounds of pistachios were recalled for suspected salmonella poisoning?

a) 100,000

b) 1 million

c) 5 million

ANSWERS: 1: b (7 grams monunsaturated, 4 grams polyunsaturated); 2: c; 3: a; 4: b; 5: b

Sources: usda.gov; www.thegreennut.org; calorielab.com.

Date: Mar 1, 2010

As antioxidant-saturated nuts go, pistachios don't usually enjoy the acclaim of walnuts or almonds. But they get their day in this week's quiz.

1. An ounce of pistachios contains 13 grams of fat. How much of that is the so-called good fat that lowers LDL cholesterol?

a) 6 grams

b) 11 grams

c) 13 grams

2. A small study by researchers at the University of Texas' M.D. Anderson Cancer Center showed which vitamin present in pistachios can help to reduce lung cancer?

a) Vitamin B12

b) Vitamin B6

c) Vitamin E

3. An ounce of pistachios provides 20 percent of the daily value of vitamin B6. What major benefit does B6 have for the body?

a) Helps make amino acids that build body cells

b) Protects the body from harmful effects of toxins

c) Helps maintain the health of skin and mucus linings

4. A small study by Penn State researchers shows that pistachio consumption can reduce body inflammation, a major factor for which condition?

a) Kidney failure

b) Cardiovascular disease

c) Shingles

5. In spring 2009, how many pounds of pistachios were recalled for suspected salmonella poisoning?

a) 100,000

b) 1 million

c) 5 million

ANSWERS: 1: b (7 grams monunsaturated, 4 grams polyunsaturated); 2: c; 3: a; 4: b; 5: b

Sources: usda.gov; www.thegreennut.org; calorielab.com.

Date: Mar 1, 2010

Tags: Antioxidant, Body, Cancer, Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, kidney, kidney failure, Mucus, Skin

Niacin Does Better Than Drug in Arterial Health

Posted Dec 19, 2009

More than 70 years ago, researchers at the University of Wisconsin were the first to use niacin, or vitamin B3, as a drug when they found it could quickly cure a horrible disease known as pellagra that began as a skin rash and led to dementia, killing thousands of people every year in rural America.

Another chapter in the saga of niacin was written Monday when new research showed that it outperformed a popular cholesterol-lowering drug in improving artery health.

The research may lead to more use of the reliable stand-by as doctors move toward a different strategy in the fight against heart disease — raising HDL cholesterol (the good kind) instead of just focusing on lowering LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). That’s because heart attacks and strokes still occur even among people whose LDL cholesterol is being controlled with cholesterol-lowering drugs.

“Doctors are faced with an array of options,” said lead author Allen Taylor, a cardiologist at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. “It is really clear that niacin was superior.”

High-dose niacin performed so well that the trial was stopped early after 14 months based on the results with 208 patients with known heart disease or who were at high risk for heart disease.

The clinical trial involved a comparison of prescription, time-release niacin against the drug ezetimibe (Zetia), which lowers LDL cholesterol by preventing it from being absorbed in the intestines.

In those who got niacin, there was a significant reduction in plaque build up in the carotid artery as measured by ultrasound, which is a surrogate for measuring numbers of heart attacks and strokes. No such artery benefit was found with Zetia.

HDL cholesterol helps prevent heart disease because it removes cholesterol from inside arteries.

Niacin raised HDL cholesterol about eight points whereas Zetia lowered it by three points. Niacin also lowered LDL cholesterol 10 points, compared with a reduction of 18 points with Zetia.

There also were fewer heart attacks and heart-related deaths in the niacin users, although the numbers were small and that benefit was not the major issue studied in the trial.

The study left some important questions unanswered: Was the niacin benefit caused by its HDL-raising ability, its LDL lowering or some other effect? Or was it the result of some unknown bad effect caused by Zetia?

In 2008, 9 million Americans were taking Zetia, although the drug has never been shown to reduce heart attacks or strokes. About 2.5 million people were on prescription niacin.

The study is another piece of bad news for Zetia and its makers, Merck and Schering-Plough, which also market the related drug Vytorin.

Vytorin combines Zetia and simvastatin (Zocor), two drugs that work in different ways to lower cholesterol. In 2008, clinical trial results showed that while the combined drug Vytorin reduced cholesterol about 17% more than just Zocor, there was no significant difference in the plaque thickness found in the carotid arteries of the 720 patients in the trial. In other words, Vytorin did no more for artery health than Zocor alone.

At the time, U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) raised questions about whether the trial’s results were delayed for up to two years while the drug maker could institute a marketing campaign designed to switch patients from cheaper statin drugs to the more expensive Vytorin.

In a letter last week, Grassley asked Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, what action she will be taking regarding Medicare payments for Vytorin prescriptions.

Another question on the latest study is whether large numbers of patients tolerate the skin flushing side effect caused by niacin. It can be controlled somewhat by taking aspirin. In addition, new formulations of niacin that reduce flushing are available or are in development.

The study was funded by Abbott, which makes a prescription niacin product. It was published online Monday in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando.

The study suggests that raising HDL is as important as lowering LDL if the patients already are on a cholesterol-lowering drug, said Michael Cinquegrani, a professor of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

“It (the study) is very provocative,” he said.

Cinquegrani, who already uses niacin in some patients, said the study may prompt him to use it more, especially in those who have low HDL cholesterol.

Zetia is an attractive drug because it is well tolerated, he said, but he would prefer to raise HDL cholesterol.

The study emphasizes that lowering LDL cholesterol should not be the sole strategy for people at high risk for heart disease, said James Stein, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

The reduction in artery plaque was large, suggesting that niacin also reduces heart attacks and strokes, he said.

“Niacin is the next best drug to add to a statin,” Stein said. “It has a wealth of evidence for preventing cardiovascular events and delaying progression of atherosclerosis. It has earned its place as second in line therapy after high doses of statins.”

Attaining that status was a long journey.

In the first half of the 20th century the disease pellagra was killing tens of thousands of people in the U.S because their diets were deficient in niacin.

In 1937, Conrad Elevhjem, a UW scientist, found that niacin cured pellagra, which, in animals, was known as black tongue.

In the 1950s, other scientists tried to use niacin to treat schizophrenia and while it didn’t work, a surprising side effect was a substantial improvement in cholesterol levels.

By the 1970s doctors were discovering that niacin could reduce heart attacks.

Date: Nov 18, 2009

To see more of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.jsonline.com.

Another chapter in the saga of niacin was written Monday when new research showed that it outperformed a popular cholesterol-lowering drug in improving artery health.

The research may lead to more use of the reliable stand-by as doctors move toward a different strategy in the fight against heart disease -- raising HDL cholesterol (the good kind) instead of just focusing on lowering LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). That's because heart attacks and strokes still occur even among people whose LDL cholesterol is being controlled with cholesterol-lowering drugs.

"Doctors are faced with an array of options," said lead author Allen Taylor, a cardiologist at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. "It is really clear that niacin was superior."

High-dose niacin performed so well that the trial was stopped early after 14 months based on the results with 208 patients with known heart disease or who were at high risk for heart disease.

The clinical trial involved a comparison of prescription, time-release niacin against the drug ezetimibe (Zetia), which lowers LDL cholesterol by preventing it from being absorbed in the intestines.

HDL cholesterol helps prevent heart disease because it removes cholesterol from inside arteries.

Niacin raised HDL cholesterol about eight points whereas Zetia lowered it by three points. Niacin also lowered LDL cholesterol 10 points, compared with a reduction of 18 points with Zetia.

There also were fewer heart attacks and heart-related deaths in the niacin users, although the numbers were small and that benefit was not the major issue studied in the trial.

In 2008, 9 million Americans were taking Zetia, although the drug has never been shown to reduce heart attacks or strokes. About 2.5 million people were on prescription niacin.

The study is another piece of bad news for Zetia and its makers, Merck and Schering-Plough, which also market the related drug Vytorin.

At the time, U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) raised questions about whether the trial's results were delayed for up to two years while the drug maker could institute a marketing campaign designed to switch patients from cheaper statin drugs to the more expensive Vytorin.

"It (the study) is very provocative," he said.

Cinquegrani, who already uses niacin in some patients, said the study may prompt him to use it more, especially in those who have low HDL cholesterol.

Zetia is an attractive drug because it is well tolerated, he said, but he would prefer to raise HDL cholesterol.

The reduction in artery plaque was large, suggesting that niacin also reduces heart attacks and strokes, he said.

"Niacin is the next best drug to add to a statin," Stein said. "It has a wealth of evidence for preventing cardiovascular events and delaying progression of atherosclerosis. It has earned its place as second in line therapy after high doses of statins."

Attaining that status was a long journey.

In the first half of the 20th century the disease pellagra was killing tens of thousands of people in the U.S because their diets were deficient in niacin.

In 1937, Conrad Elevhjem, a UW scientist, found that niacin cured pellagra, which, in animals, was known as black tongue.

In the 1950s, other scientists tried to use niacin to treat schizophrenia and while it didn't work, a surprising side effect was a substantial improvement in cholesterol levels.

By the 1970s doctors were discovering that niacin could reduce heart attacks.

Date: Nov 18, 2009

To see more of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.jsonline.com.

Tags: Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Flu, Flus, Gain, Heart, Skin

Flax for Bone Health

Posted Dec 8, 2009

Flax seed oil may help reduce osteoporosis risk, researchers in Egypt said.

Mer Harvi and colleagues at the National Research Center in Cairo analyzed the blood and urine of 70 female rats — including some with diabetes and some with ovaries removed to simulate post-menopause as well as controls who did not have flax seed oil added to their diet.

The researchers found the concentrations of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 and the bone-creating protein osteocalcin — could be raised to normal levels by adding flax seed oil to their diet.

The animal study also reported higher levels of deoxypyridinoline in the urine of the diabetic rats. Healthy bone retains deoxypyridinoline so its presence in the urine indicates bone is being reabsorbed. However, levels of deoxypyridinoline in the urine fell when the rats were given flax seed oil.

“We recommend further investigations using animals and humans to confirm the effect of using dietary flax seed oil to improve bone health and to prevent osteoporosis,” the researchers said in a statement.

The findings are published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.

Date: Dec 1, 2009 URL: www.upi.com

Flax seed oil may help reduce osteoporosis risk, researchers in Egypt said.

Mer Harvi and colleagues at the National Research Center in Cairo analyzed the blood and urine of 70 female rats -- including some with diabetes and some with ovaries removed to simulate post-menopause as well as controls who did not have flax seed oil added to their diet.

The researchers found the concentrations of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 and the bone-creating protein osteocalcin -- could be raised to normal levels by adding flax seed oil to their diet.

"We recommend further investigations using animals and humans to confirm the effect of using dietary flax seed oil to improve bone health and to prevent osteoporosis," the researchers said in a statement.