Guest guest Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Silent Partners > Thu, 05 Aug 2004 09:38:12 -0400 > > Silent Partners > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > August 05, 2004 > > ************************************************************** > Dear Reader, > > > A friend of mine recently wondered aloud if the > money he's > spending on vitamins is really worth it. Along with > a daily > multivitamin, he's been taking additional > supplements of several > key vitamins. So is the extra vitamin boost really > necessary? > > I'm going to be sending today's e-Alert to my friend > to provide > this simple answer to his question: Keep taking > those extra > supplements. Because although he's only 53 and in > good health, a > new study indicates that two of the additional > vitamins he's taking > may be laying the groundwork to help prevent the > development of > Alzheimer's disease (AD) in years to come. > > - > > Sum of the parts > - > > > In the e-Alert " Stockholm in July " (7/24/02), I told > you about a > study from Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease > Research Center in > which the diets of nearly 580 subjects, aged 60 or > older, were > followed for more than seven years. After adjusting > for gender, > education, and age (all factors that come into play > with AD risk), a > diet high in vitamin E > was strongly associated with a significant reduction > of Alzheimer's > risk. Intake of dietary vitamin C was somewhat > useful in reducing > AD risk, but not nearly as effective as vitamin E. > > Nearly two years later, another Johns Hopkins team > has reported > on a similar study that specifically examines > dietary supplement > intake of the antioxidant vitamins C and E. > > As reported in the Archives of Neurology, > researchers interviewed > more than 4,700 subjects (aged 65 or older) in Cache > County, > Utah. Supplement intake was assessed, as well as the > prevalence of > dementia and Alzheimer's disease, from 1995 to 1997, > and again > from 1998 to 2000. The collected data showed that in > the first > phase, those who took supplements of vitamins C and > E combined > had a 78 percent lower risk of AD. In the second > phase, the > percentage dropped to 64, but still indicated a > significant level of > protection. > > In addition, subjects who took a vitamin E > supplement along with a > multivitamin that contained vitamin C, had a lower > AD risk. But > researchers found no evidence of protection among > subjects who > took vitamin C or E supplements alone (with no > multivitamins), or > among subjects who took multivitamins alone, or > multivitamins > with B-complex supplements (with no additional C or > E). > > What's significant here is the recognition that > multivitamins are > useful, but that key vitamins such as C and E may > deserve > additional supplementation. > > > > Increasing importance > > > > In the e-alert " Taking History " (9/18/03), I told > you about research > from the University of Florida College of Nursing > (UFCN) that > revealed some of the important health benefits of > key antioxidant > supplements. > > The lead researcher of the UFCN study, James Jessup, > PhD, RN, > told the University of Florida News that when we > reach our 40s, > most people begin to naturally produce fewer > amounts of antioxidants, but larger amounts of free > radicals. > Therefore, it becomes progressively more difficult > to get the > amounts of vitamin E necessary to fight free > radicals through diet alone. > > Good dietary sources of vitamin E include spinach, > eggs, nuts and > seeds, avocados, tomatoes, peaches, and > blackberries. But based on > his study results, Dr. Jessup > suggests that older adults will benefit from a > vitamin E > supplement, " because of its clear benefits to aging > and systolic > blood pressure. " > > Dr. Jessup's opinion is in line with previous > information I've shared > with you about vitamin E. In the e-Alert " C-ing > Double " (6/12/03), > HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., > recommended 400 IU of vitamin E (ideally, as mixed > tocopherols) > daily, as well as 200 mcg of selenium for general > antioxidant > protection. And while it is possible to get too much > selenium, a > range of 200-400 mcg daily is considered quite safe. > > In the e-alert " Multi-Talented " (4/23/03), Dr. > Spreen explained > how the low amounts of vitamin C found in most > multi-vitamins > should be considered only the start of the > supplementation of this > important nutrient. As Dr. Spreen pointed out in > that e-Alert: " The > amount of vitamin C in a supplement is far less than > I'd want a > person to take. I nearly always start with a minimum > of 1000 > milligrams 2x/day. " > > -- > > Clear thinking > -- > > > My friend is currently taking 1,500 mg of vitamin C > and 500 IU of > vitamin E as mixed tocopherols each day. He doesn't > believe that > these additional vitamins necessarily make him feel > any healthier > on a day-to-day basis, but – one day at a time – he > may be giving > his body and brain the nourishment that could help > keep his > thought processes clear and lucid as he moves into > his later years. > > ************************************************************** > ...and another thing > > > I hate to gloat, but... > > No, that's not true. I LOVE to gloat when a > respected medical > journal like the American Journal of Clinical > Nutrition publishes a > study that runs against the grain of one of the > mainstream's most > cherished platitudes. > > In this case the platitude is the low-fat diet > mindset that > mainstream organizations seized on years ago. And > although a lot > of people are catching on that " low-fat " does not > translate directly > to weight loss and radiant good health, the > platitude continues to be > a mainstay of the American Heart Association and > other " higher > ups. " > > Meanwhile, a team of researchers at Iowa State > University > conducted a modest study; small enough, I'm afraid, > to keep me > from gloating too much. At three different sittings, > seven subjects > were asked to eat three salads. Each salad consisted > of spinach, > romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and carrots. One > of the salads > was served with a dressing that contained 28 grams > of canola oil, > one dressing had six grams of the same oil, and the > third salad had > a completely fat-free dressing. Several blood > samples were > collected from each subject in the 12 hours > following each salad. > > After eating the salad with fat-free dressing, blood > tests showed > negligible levels of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, > and lycopene in > all subjects. These levels were higher after > subjects ate the salad > with the low-fat dressing. And I'll let the authors > of the study > describe the results of the third category: " A > substantially greater > absorption of carotenoids was observed when salads > were > consumed with full-fat than with reduced-fat salad > dressing. " > > Of course, canola oil wouldn't be my first choice > for a healthy oil – > far from it (which is a can of worms that I'll open > in an upcoming > e-Alert). But you have to love the irony: Pour on > the full-fat salad > oil, and increase the natural nutrients in the fresh > vegetables. > > A small study like this isn't going to bring the > low-fat juggernaut > to a screeching halt, but sooner or later... sooner > or later... > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************** ********************************************************** > > Sources: > " Reduced Risk of Alzheimer Disease in Users of > Antioxidant > Vitamin Supplements: The Cache County Study " > Archives of > Neurology, Vol. 61, No. 1, January 2004, > ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Study: High Doses of Vitamins Ward Off Alzheimer's " > Reuters > Health, 1/19/04, naturaplus.com > " Carotenoid Bioavailability is Higher from Salads > Ingested with > Full-Fat than with Fat-Reduced Salad Dressings as > Measured with > Electrochemical Detection " American Journal of > Clinical > Nutrition, Vol. 80, No. 2, August 2004, > ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Order the Salad, but Don't Hold the Fat: Report " > Alison McCook, > Reuters Health, 7/27/04, reutershealth.com > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. > The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites > without > written permission. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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