Guest guest Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Brain Saving > Wed, 11 Aug 2004 08:33:47 -0400 > > Brain Saving > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > August 11, 2004 > > ************************************************************ > > Dear Reader, > > Imagine being able to put good health in a savings > account that you > can draw on when you need it years from now. In a > sense, that's what > we do every time we eat fresh, whole foods daily and > take certain key > supplements. > > In the e-Alert " Silent Partners " (8/5/04), I told > you about a Johns > Hopkins study that showed how combining supplements > of vitamins C and > E today may significantly lower the risk of > developing dementia or > Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the future. > > Now a new study underlines the importance of adding > one more item to > that list of helpful nutrients. > > --------------------------- > > Eating it up > --------------------------- > > > The current issue of the Journal of Neurology, > Neurosurgery, and > Psychiatry carries a new Alzheimer's study conducted > by Chicago's Rush > Institute for Healthy Aging. > > Discussing the study with Reuters Health, the lead > author, Martha C. > Morris, M.D., noted that very high therapeutic doses > of niacin (also > known as vitamin B3) have been associated with a > reduced risk of > cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer's, but no > studies have examined > the association between AD risk and the dietary > intake of niacin. > > Dr. Morris and colleagues drew their subjects from a > Chicago community > in which all the residents were over the age of 65. > More than 3,700 > subjects supplied detailed food frequency > questionnaires, and during a > study period that lasted more than five years, a > series of cognitive > tests were conducted periodically. The researchers > randomly selected > 815 subjects for close analysis. All in this group > were free of AD at > the outset. By the end of the study period, 131 of > these subjects were > diagnosed with the disease. > > After evaluating the data, the Rush Institute team > found a clear > association between niacin intake and reduced > cognitive decline and AD > risk. Dr. Morris told Reuters that when subjects > with the highest > niacin intake were compared to those with the lowest > intake, the high > niacin group had an 80 percent reduction in risk. > > This risk reduction was seen primarily in dietary > intake. The > protective effects of niacin supplements were not as > strong. > > --------------------------- > > Meat on the plate > --------------------------- > > > The importance of niacin is well known to HSI > members. In previous > e-Alerts and Members Alerts, we've told you how > niacin may help lower > triglycerides while raising HDL cholesterol. And > niacin helps regulate > a gene called Sir2 that forms a protective barrier > around your cells, > defending them from rogue DNA molecules that cause > the genetic > instability that promotes aging. > > Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., has also noted that niacin > is effective > against degenerative arthritis, anxiety, and type 1 > diabetes. > > Clearly, a good intake of niacin is essential to > good health. So... > with dietary sources getting high marks from the > Rush Institute, what > are the best food sources of niacin? > > According to the Feinberg School of Medicine at > Northwestern > University, you'll generally find niacin in > high-protein foods. Here > are some of the best sources: > > > Beef liver, 3.5 oz cooked: 14.4 mg > Peanuts, ½ cup: 10.5 mg > Chicken (white meat, cooked): 13.4 mg > Tuna (canned in water 3 oz): 11.8 mg > Salmon (3.5 oz, cooked): 8.0 mg > Ground beef (3.5 oz, cooked): 5.3 mg > > The Feinberg report notes that adults need a minimum > of about 15 mg of > niacin each day. > > --------------------------- > > A word of caution > --------------------------- > > > Some people may have a reaction to niacin. Here's > how HSI Panelist > Allan Spreen, M.D., describes it: " Higher doses can > cause the infamous > niacin flush, where you get a 20-minute sunburn-like > redness and > itching sensation. " > > Therapeutic doses of niacin – as much as 2 grams, > three times daily – > are sometimes used to address high cholesterol. This > is the type of > dose that causes the niacin flush, which may cause > problems for asthma > patients and people with peptic ulcer disease. > Prolonged doses at this > level may also prompt toxicity to the liver. So > anyone who puts niacin > supplements to use at higher than normal dosages > should consult with a > doctor, naturopath or nutritionist. > > For the rest of us, including a consistent intake of > niacin in our > diets may be like putting a little something away > for future days. > > ************************************************************ > > ...and another thing > > " No good deed goes unpunished, " a friend of mine > used to say. And > while it's true that good deeds sometimes have a way > of coming back to > haunt or bite unexpectedly, I just found out about a > good deed that > I'm pretty sure will be punishment-free. > > A few nights ago I saw a feature on the evening news > about two young > kids – a brother and sister, aged 12 and 13 – who > have started a drive > to supply U.S. soldiers in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan > and other > locations, with pre-paid cell phones or calling > cards so they can > phone home. > > We hear a lot about supporting our troops these > days, and what could > be easier way to do that than by donating a phone > card to give a > soldier and his or her family a much-needed morale > boost? > > So instead of using this space to share a health tip > as I usually do, > today I'll give you the contact information for > Brittany and Robbie > Bergquist's phone drive. You can send a check, money > order, or a > pre-paid phone card to this address: > > > Cellphones for Soldiers > C/O South Shore Savings Bank > 5 Assinippi Avenue > Hanover, MA 02339 > > Or you can visit their web site at > cellphonesforsoldiers.com. > > Now that I think of it, maybe this IS a health tip. > I just sent a > phone card to Brittany and Robbie, and I never felt > better. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************ > > Sources: > > " Dietary Niacin and the Risk of Incident Alzheimer's > Disease and of > Cognitive Decline " Journal of Neurology, > Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, > Vol. 75, No. 8, August 2004, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Niacin May Protect Against Alzheimer's " Anthony J. > Brown, M.D., > Reuters Health, 7/15/04, reutershealth.com > " Nutrition Fact Sheet: Niacin (vitamin B3) " Feinberg > School of > Medicine, Northwestern University, > feinberg.northwestern.edu > > 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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