THE MOSS REPORTS Newsletter (04/24/05)

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THE MOSS REPORTS Newsletter (04/24/05)

 

 

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Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D. Weekly CancerDecisions.com

Newsletter #181 04/24/05

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THE MOSS REPORTS

 

 

This week conclude my two-part discussion of the role of dietary

carotenoids in the prevention of prostate cancer and atherosclerosis.

 

For thirty years I have been studying the world of cancer and writing

about both the conventional and the alternative approach to cancer

treatment. The fruit of my long involvement in this field is The Moss

Reports, a comprehensive library of more than two hundred individual

reports

on specific cancer diagnoses. For people with cancer and their

families, a Moss Report represents an invaluable guide and handbook

for the

journey ahead.

 

If you would like to order a Moss Report for yourself or someone you

love, you can do so from our website, www.cancerdecisions.com, or by

calling Diane at 1-800-980-1234 (814-238-3367 from outside the US).

 

We look forward to helping you.

 

 

 

CAROTENOIDS AND DISEASE PREVENTION, PART II

 

 

In addition to investigating the role of carotenoids in the prevention

of prostate cancer, scientists have studied the effect of carotenoids

on the walls of the major arteries supplying the brain. When the walls

of these arteries become thickened due to atherosclerosis, the internal

diameter of the arteries narrows until eventually a blockage can occur,

causing a stroke. Lutein supplementation has been shown to slow the

progression of carotid artery thickening in humans. Some scientists

therefore believe that lutein is protective against the early

development of

atherosclerosis.

 

These studies all point to the vital importance of a diet that includes

lots of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables. Here is yet more

evidence that people seeking to prevent cancer and certain other chronic

degenerative diseases should consider going on a diet that emphasizes

raw or

lightly cooked organic produce, rich in carotenoids.

 

 

How much to take?

 

 

There is presently no government recommendation for the daily intake of

either lutein or zeaxanthin. However, one can extrapolate from studies

that a total combination of about 6 milligrams (mg) per day of these

two compounds is associated with a reduced risk of both age-related

macular degeneration and cataract formation.

 

The average US adult consumes a total of only 2 to 4 mg per day of

lutein and zeaxanthin from foods. One therefore may logically need to

change one's diet to get the higher amount, or else take a

lutein/zeaxanthin

supplement. Most lutein products on the market contain either 6 or 20

mg. It is not clear that products that contain either much less or more

much than 6 mg are helpful.

 

Lutein supplements come in either the " ester " or the free form. There

is a commercial battle underway between these two, especially between

such XANGOLD and FloraGLO lutein. The lutein and zeaxanthin that are

found in green vegetables, fruits and certain egg yolks all exist in the

free (i.e., non-esterfied) form. According to www.consumerlab.com, both

forms are equally well absorbed by the body, but are best absorbed when

taken with fats or oils. It is therefore generally recommended that one

take lutein or zeaxanthin supplements with meals, preferably high-fat

rather than low-fat meals.

 

Here are some reasons to get one's lutein/zeaxanthin in foods rather

than in supplements:

 

1) It is less expensive.

2) If you are NOT getting enough lutein/zeaxanthin it definitely means

that you are not eating enough fruit and green leafy vegetables.

3) Lutein and zeaxanthin work better in the presence of other

nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and zinc. These

can also

be gotten from nutrient-dense foods.

4) Avocados, an abundant source of lutein, already contain the fat

that you need to properly absorb this carotenoid.

5) There is a lingering concern over the results of a clinical trial

in which smokers who received high doses of synthetic beta-carotene had

an increased risk of lung cancer (Goodman 2004)

 

In general, try to eat your produce fresh, organic and minimally cooked

or processed. For spinach, the US Department of Agriculture has shown

that the raw form contains roughly twice as much zeaxanthin as the

cooked. Some foods that are traditionally eaten cooked (e.g., corn or

collard greens) can also be eaten raw, especially if marinated first

in an

oil and vinegar based dressing. Although they are calorie-dense, avocados

are a surprisingly good source of carotenoids as well.

 

Freshness is a very important determinant since fresh produce generally

contains more of these carotenoids than factory-prepared items. As an

example, there are over 2,445 micrograms of lutein + zeaxanthin in raw

broccoli, 2,226 in cooked fresh broccoli, but only 830 in broccoli that

has been frozen, chopped, cooked, boiled, and then drained.

 

Here are the lutein/zeaxanthin microgram values for various foods:

 

Corn, sweet, yellow, canned, whole kernel, drained solids 528

Persimmons, Japanese, raw 488

Cornmeal, de-germed, enriched yellow 457

Spinach, raw 331

Turnip greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 267

Collards, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 266

Lettuce, cos or romaine, raw 187

Kale, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 173

Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 179

Tangerines 112

 

(All values are per 100 grams of the edible portion)

 

Source: USDA, retrieved from

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/car98/zea_tble.pdf

 

 

--Ralph W. Moss, PhD

 

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References and Resources:

 

 

Beatty S et al. Macular pigment and risk for age-related macular

degeneration in subjects from a Northern European population. Invest

Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2001 Feb;42(2):439-46.

 

Berendschot TT et al. Influence of lutein supplementation on macular

pigment, assessed with two objective techniques. Invest Ophthalmol Vis

Sci 2000 Oct;41(11):3322-6.

 

California Avocado Commission. Lutein In avocados and green vegetables

can help prevent prostate cancer. Press release. 2004. Retrieved

February 25, 2005 from:

http://www.avocado.org/health-nutrition/health_463.php

 

Curran-Celentano J et al. Relation between dietary intake, serum

concentrations, and retinal concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthine in

adults in a midwest population. Am J Clin Nutr 2001 Dec:74(6):796-802.

 

Dwyer JH et al. Oxygenated carotenoid lutein and progression of early

atherosclerosis: the Los Angeles atherosclerosis study. Circulation 2001

Jun 19;103(24):2922-7.

 

Goodman GE, Thornquist MD, Balmes J, et al. The Beta-Carotene and

Retinol Efficacy Trial: incidence of lung cancer and cardiovascular

disease

mortality during 6-year follow-up after stopping beta-carotene and

retinol supplements. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004;96:1743-50.

 

Jian L, Du CJ, Lee AH, et al. Do dietary lycopene and other carotenoids

protect against prostate cancer? Int J Cancer. 2005;113:1010-4

 

Lu QY, Arteaga JR, Zhang Q, et al. Inhibition of prostate cancer cell

growth by an avocado extract: role of lipid-soluble bioactive

substances. J Nutr Biochem. 2005;16:23-30

 

Marees-Perlman JA et al. Lutein and zeaxanthine in the diet and serum

and their relation to age-related maculopathy in the third national

health and nutrition examination survey. Am J Epidemiology 2001 Mar

1;153(5):424-32.

 

Moeller SM et al. The potential role of dietary xanthophylls in

cataract and age-related macular degeneration. J Am Coll Nutr 2000

Oct;19(5Suppl):522d-527S.

 

Ramalanjaona G. Lutein and Ocular Disease. Alternative Medicine Alert

2002 May; 5(5):54-56.

 

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