Pastures of Plenty

[Guest guest]

" HSI - Jenny Thompson " <HSIResearch

 

 

HSI e-Alert - Pastures of Plenty

Mon, 25 Apr 2005 06:59:00 -0400

HSI e-Alert - Pastures of Plenty

 

Health Sciences Institute e-Alert

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April 25, 2005

 

 

Dear Reader,

 

How will you control your CRP?

 

As most HSI members are now well aware, CRP is the acronym for

C-reactive protein, which is produced in the liver in response to

inflammation. And because atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)

requires inflammation to take place, elevated CRP is now considered a

red flag for cardiovascular problems.

 

Over the past few years the importance of checking CRP levels has been

steadily emerging on the medical mainstream radar. In fact, some in

the mainstream have even observed (correctly) that CRP may be a more

important marker for heart disease than LDL cholesterol.

 

Wait a minute. Why in the world would the mainstream rate the

importance of CRP over LDL? After all, treating LDL with statin drugs

has produced billions of dollars of revenue for drug company

executives and their associates in the medical establishment. Why

would they harm their cash cow?

 

The answer is simple: No harm done. The cash cow has found a new

pasture to graze in.

 

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Laying the groundwork

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Last year I told you that researchers for AstraZeneca (AZ) were

testing the effects of their controversial cholesterol-lowering statin

drug Crestor on CRP. This study (still ongoing) is titled JUPITER

(Justification for the Use of statins in Primary prevention: an

Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin). And the title is

revealing: " Justification for the use... " It would seem that the

desired conclusion of the study is already written. Now if the results

will just cooperate and " justify " the use of statins, the study will

provide AZ with a useful marketing tool.

 

Meanwhile, there are indications that the guys at AZ are barking up a

money tree. In the e-Alert " Full of CRP " (2/17/05), I told you about

two studies in the New England Journal of Medicine that both concluded

that statin drugs may lower CRP. In fact, in one study CRP levels were

cut by an impressive 36 percent with the use of statins.

 

The downside? That lowered CRP level was achieved with a high dose (80

mg) of Lipitor, the Big Kahuna of statin drugs. And as we've seen in

previous e-Alerts, higher doses increase the chances of liver and

muscle damage side effects.

 

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Add a dash of C...

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I'll give the drug companies this: At the very least, their campaigns

to show the effectiveness of statins in controlling CRP has put this

important heart health marker in the spotlight. What the drug

companies won't tell you is that statins are not required to address

CRP. (After all, it's not as if elevated CRP represents a statin

deficiency.)

 

As I've mentioned in previous e-Alerts, exercise, weight loss and an

intake of omega-3 fatty acids have all been associated with reduced

levels of CRP. And last year, researchers from the University of

California (UC), Berkeley, reported on a key study that examined the

effects of antioxidant supplements on CRP levels.

 

The 160 subjects who participated in the study all had detectable CRP

concentrations, but none had high levels and none were diagnosed with

an acute illness. All of the subjects were smokers or were regularly

exposed to second-hand smoke. Researchers divided the subjects into

three groups; one group received 515 mg of vitamin C each day, one

group received an antioxidant " cocktail " combining vitamin C,

alpha-lipoic acid, and vitamin E (a mix of alpha-tocopherol,

gamma-tocopherol and mixed tocotrienols), and a third group received a

placebo.

 

Researchers took blood samples from each subject before the two-month

supplementation period, and again when the test period was finished.

Analysis of the samples showed that CRP levels rose slightly for those

in the placebo group. Subjects who took the antioxidant mix

experienced a small decrease in CRP (just under 5 percent). But in the

vitamin C group, CRP dropped an average of nearly 25 percent.

 

Researchers couldn't explain why the antioxidant mix had relatively

little effect on CRP while the vitamin C alone had such a significant

effect. But needless to say, if future studies confirm these findings

(which the UC team describes as the first of its kind), vitamin C

supplements might eventually be considered part of a standard - and

safe - protocol in addressing elevated CRP.

 

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Blood work

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The next time you have blood drawn at your doctor's office, ask to

have your CRP level measured. And don't assume that CRP will

automatically be included in the diagnostic breakdown. Some insurance

companies still don't include CRP testing as part of the standard

array of tests, so you may have to pay a slight additional charge. I

expect this will change as the importance of CRP becomes well known as

a critical tool in assessing risk of chronic health problems.

 

In the meantime, if you want to try using a vitamin C supplement to

help keep your CRP levels in line, HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D.,

provides an excellent commentary on the pros and cons of the different

types of vitamin C in the e-Alert " Attack of the Vapors " (1/6/04). You

can easily find this in the e-Alert archives on our web site at

hsibaltimore.com.

 

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....and another thing

 

Men, it appears that your bones enjoy getting zinced.

 

In the e-Alert " Waiting to Exhale " (9/13/04), I told you about a study

that showed how the use of an inhaler - also known as inhaled

corticosteroids (ICS) - to treat asthma or chronic obstructive

pulmonary disease may contribute to fracture risk due to weakened bones.

 

That study was conducted at a Veterans Administration hospital, so

nearly all the subjects were men. Now I've come across a study that

shows how an adequate intake of dietary zinc may help men maintain a

healthy bone mass density (BMD).

 

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, recruited

nearly 400 men between the ages of 45 and 92. The BMD was measured for

each subject at the outset of the study, and again four years later.

Dietary habits were assessed with food-frequency questionnaires, and

zinc levels were measured with blood tests. Analysis of the data

showed that both dietary zinc intake and plasma zinc both had a

positive association with BMD in men. (Previous studies have already

associated low zinc intake with osteoporosis in women.)

 

In this study, the average dietary zinc intake was just over 11 mg per

day, which is the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for males over the

age of 19. The best source of zinc is animal protein. Oysters deliver

the highest amounts of zinc, followed by red meat and chicken. Other

sources include fish, whole grains, nuts and beans.

 

In addition, zinc has been shown to enhance the immune system, help

repair damaged tissues, inhibit the abnormal clotting that contributes

to cardiovascular disease, and is one of the key nutrients needed for

DNA reproduction and repair. Zinc also helps keep your vision healthy.

 

And for those of you who already include zinc in your daily supplement

intake, it's a good idea to add a little copper as well.

 

In the e-Alert " Aim High " (5/7/03), Dr. Spreen noted that zinc can

create a copper deficiency, and vice versa. And Jonathan V. Wright,

M.D., agrees, stating that, " Zinc supplements should usually be offset

by a small amount of copper, 1-2 mg daily. " Fortunately, many

multivitamins already take care of the dual zinc/copper need with a

low dose of copper.

 

To Your Good Health,

 

Jenny Thompson

Health Sciences Institute

 

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Sources:

 

" Plasma C-Reactive Protein concentrations in Active and Passive

Smokers: Influence of Antioxidant Supplementation " Journal of the

American College of Nutrition, Vol. 23, No. 2, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

" Vitamin C Supplement Could Cut Heart Disease and Diabetes "

NutraIngredients.com, 4/14/04, nutraingredients.com

" Research Tests Statins on C-Reactive Protein " Internet Broadcasting

Systems, 4/16/04, thewbalchannel.com

" Study to Determine the Effects of Statins and C-Reactive Protein on

Cardiovascular Disease " Edelman Public Relations, March 2003,

scienceblog.com

" Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? " National Resources Defense

Council, nrdc.org " Zinc Intakes and Plasma Concentrations in Men with

Osteoporosis: The Rancho Bernardo Study " American Journal of Clinical

Nutrition " Vol. 80, No. 3, September 2004, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

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