QualityCounts.com    Comprehensive Anti-aging Research
Home	iHerb	Vitacost	Int Antiaging Sys	Prescriptions	Life Extension Products	drugstore.com	OffshoreRX	Contact
QualityCounts.com sent this email to you because you subscribed at http://qualitycounts.com/maillist.htm. If you do not want to receive further mailings, click here to unsubscribe.  Click here for past newsletters.

Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 11/21/07.  You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Stiff Arteries May Stifle Aging Mind - WebMD, 11/20/07 - "A new study links stiffer arteries to lower memory and concentration test scores as adults age"

Pine bark extract shows arthritis benefits - Nutra USA, 11/20/07 - "after 90 days of Pycnogenol supplementation the WOMAC scores for self-reported pain, stiffness, and physical function were reduced by 43, 35, and 52, respectively" - See Pine Bark/Pycnogenol products at iHerb.

Abilify(R) (Aripiprazole) Approved by U.S. FDA for Add-On Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder - Doctor's Guide, 11/20/07 - "taking Abilify plus an ADT provided superior improvement in depressive symptoms to ADT alone at study endpoint (week six), as measured by the reduction of the MADRS Total Scores.3 For the secondary endpoint, Abilify plus an ADT was also superior to placebo plus ADT in reducing the mean SDS Total Score in one study"

Obesity Affects Prostate Cancer Test - WebMD, 11/20/07 - "Being a big guy, you have enormous blood volume, so PSA is diluted ... For example, a PSA score of 4.1 in an obese man would be diluted down to a 3.3"

Flavonoid-rich Diet Helps Women Decrease Risk Of Ovarian Cancer - Science Daily, 11/19/07 - "the researchers found a 40 percent reduction in ovarian cancer risk among the women with the highest kaempferol intake, compared with women with the lowest intake. They also found a 34 percent reduction in the risk of ovarian cancer among women with the highest intake of luteolin, compared with women with the lowest intake"

Turkey - Which Is Healthier, White or Dark Meat - Really - New York Times, 11/19/07 - "an ounce of boneless, skinless turkey breast contains about 46 calories and 1 gram of fat, compared with roughly 50 calories and 2 grams of fat for an ounce of boneless, skinless thigh"

Higher Vitamin D Levels May Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk - Medscape, 11/19/07 - "During a 17-year follow-up of a Finnish cohort of approximately 4,000 men and women, researchers demonstrated that individuals with a higher serum vitamin D level had a 40% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with lower values" - See vitamin D products at iHerb.

Can Calcium & Vitamin D Reduce Diabetes Risk? - Physician's Weekly, 11/19/07 - "found a relatively consistent association between low vitamin D status, calcium or dairy intake, and prevalent type 2 diabetes based on the utilization of vitamin D and/or calcium supplementation ... a combination of vitamin D and calcium supplements may play a role in type 2 diabetes prevention particularly in high-risk populations"

Increased B12 levels could ward off dementia - Nutra USA, 11/16/07 - "The longitudinal cohort study followed 1648 participants for 10 years, and found a doubling in holotranscobalamin (holoTC) concentrations was associated with a 30 per cent slower rate of cognitive decline ... increased levels of the amino acid homocysteine doubled the risk of dementia or cognitive impairment" - [Abstract] - See iHerb vitamin B12 products.

Vitamin C and dairy linked to less abdominal weight - Nutra USA, 11/16/07 - "low vitamin C intake was associated with a 131 per cent increase in probability of central fat accumulation, while low calcium increased the probability by 30 per cent" - [Abstract] - See Vitamin C products at iHerb.

Low Vitamin D Levels May Worsen Osteoarthritis Of The Knee - Science Daily, 11/15/07 - "Researchers studied 65 women and 35 men in their sixties who showed signs of having knee OA by measuring blood levels of vitamin D, their baseline knee pain, the time needed for arising several times from a chair, and the time needed to walk 20 meters ... Of the 100 participants, 47 percent were vitamin D deficient, with vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml. This deficiency contributed to increased pain and difficulty walking among the participants" - See vitamin D products at iHerb.

New Crestor(R) (rosuvastatin calcium) Indication Approved in U.S. to Slow Progression of Atherosclerosis in Patients With High Cholesterol - Doctor's Guide, 11/15/07 - "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Crestor(R) (rosuvastatin calcium) as an adjunct to diet to slow the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with elevated cholesterol"

Study Shows Weight-Loss Drug Rimonabant Associated With Severe Adverse Psychiatric Events - Doctor's Guide, 11/15/07 - "patients given rimonabant had a 4.7kg greater weight reduction after one year than did those given placebo. However, patients given rimonabant were at 40% higher risk of having adverse events or serious adverse events. Patients given rimonabant were 2.5 times more likely to discontinue treatment because of depressive disorders than were those given placebo, and three times more likely to discontinue treatment due to anxiety" - Note:  4.7 kg is 10.3 pounds.

Deficiency In Exposure To Sunlight Linked To Endometrial Cancer - Science Daily, 11/14/07 - "In general, endometrial cancer incidence was highest at the highest latitudes in both hemispheres ... This is the third environmental paper from this research team to show a strong association between vitamin D and cancer using global incidence data (GLOBOCAN). The first paper, which illuminated a similar pattern for kidney cancer, was published Sept. 15, 2006, in the International Journal of Cancer. The second, on ovarian cancer, was published Oct. 31, 2006, in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine" - See vitamin D products at iHerb.

What To Eat For Glowing Healthy Skin - Science Daily, 11/14/07 - "the antioxidants in vitamins C and E can protect the skin from sun damage and help reduce damage in skin cells caused by harmful free radicals, which contribute to aging skin. Similarly, we have long known that the B vitamin biotin is responsible for forming the basis of skin, hair and nail cells, and vitamin A – found in many fruits and vegetables – maintains and repairs skin tissue" - Also see my Skin Care page and Wrinkles page.

Scientific Evidence Of The Significant Anti-cancer Effect Of Milk Thistle - Science Daily, 11/14/07 - "Their research results indicate that silibinin can be used to prevent the development of liver cancer, one of the most common cancers worldwide" - See Silymarin products at iHerb.

Fish for brain health supported by trio of studies - Nutra USA, 11/14/07 - "These recent reports are novel in that they address the association of n-3 fatty acid intake and cognitive function in non-demented individuals and, thus, present a shift in the attention to earlier stages of cognitive decline with the hope of preventing progression to states of dementia and disability before they become irreversible" - See Mega Twin EPA at iHerb.

Grape Powder Blocks Genes Linked To Colon Cancer - Science Daily, 11/14/07 - "The Wnt pathway has been linked to more than 85 percent of sporadic colon cancers, which is the most common form of colon cancer ... Wnt signaling in the patients taking 80 grams of grape powder was significantly reduced ... Eighty grams of grape powder equal a half glass of wine or 1 pound of grapes, which is equivalent to three dietary servings of grapes, according to the USDA"

Report: Two resveratrol supplements mislabeled - USATODAY.com, 11/14/07 - "Life Extension Resveratrol Caps are supposed to contain 20 milligrams of resveratrol per capsule but have about 5 milligrams, the report says. Resvert, distributed by SupplementSpot (formerly known as Young Again Nutrients), had only 58% of its promised 25 milligrams of resveratrol per capsule"

Resveratrol review - ConsumerLab.com, 11/13/07 - "But ConsumerLab.com found two supplements to provide only 27% and 58% of their listed amounts of resveratrol. A third product boasted several hundred milligrams of a red wine grape complex but actually contained only two milligrams of resveratrol. Across thirteen products, daily doses ranged from just 1 milligram to as much as 1,000 milligrams of resveratrol. Prices ranged several fold" - Note:  I get the paid version and Life Extension® Resveratrol Caps and Resvert™ 100 mg proanthrocyanadins with 25 mg resveratrol were not approved. Jarrow Resveratrol 100™ is what I take and it was approved. - See Jarrow resveratrol 100 at iHerb.

Even Low Doses of Arsenic -- At Levels Found In Drinking Water -- Can Be Harmful - Science Daily, 11/13/07 - "low doses of arsenic disrupt the activity of a hormone critical in development. The finding is further evidence that arsenic at low doses (at levels found in U.S. drinking water in some areas) can be harmful" - See reverse osmosis systems at Amazon.com.

Citrus Juice, Vitamin C Give Staying Power To Green Tea Antioxidants - Science Daily, 11/13/07 - "catechins are relatively unstable in non-acidic environments, such as the intestines, and less than 20 percent of the total remains after digestion ... Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, used to increase shelf life in ready-to-drink products, increased recovered levels of the two most abundant catechins by sixfold and 13-fold, respectively"

Fish May Be Adjunct for Postpartum Depression - Clinical Psychiatry News, 11/07 - "The only study of omega-3 fatty acid supplements given specifically for postpartum depression was a dose-ranging study in 16 women. It found significant and similar reductions in depression in each of three dosage groups; patients received between 500 mg and 2.8 g per day of supplement capsules for 8 weeks" - See Mega Twin EPA at iHerb.

Abstracts from this week's Doctor's Guide Nutrition/Dietetics plus abstracts from my RSS feeds (Click here for the journals, the Medline ones at the top):

Thiazolidinediones: A novel class of drugs for the prevention of diabetic nephropathy? - Kidney Int. 2007 Dec;72(11):1301-1303 - "Miyazaki et al. report that rosiglitazone, a thiazolidinedione insulin sensitizer and a potent peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist, not only effectively improves glycemic control but also halts progression of albuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients with early-stage diabetic nephropathy. These findings could offer a new prevention of diabetic nephropathy in insulin-resistant diabetic patients"

Dietary and non-dietary determinants of central adiposity among Tehrani women - Public Health Nutr. 2007 Sep 3;:1-7 - "Marriage (1.31; 1.10-1.82), menopause (1.22; 1.02-1.61), low vitamin C intake (2.31; 1.25-4.25) and low calcium intake (1.30; 1.07-3.78) were associated with central fat accumulation" - See vitamin C products at iHerb.

Effect of Curcumin on Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Cisplatin-Induced Experimental Nephrotoxicity - J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Nov 15 - "curcumin has a protective effect on cisplatin-induced experimental nephrotoxicity, and this effect is attributed to its direct anti-inflammatory and strong antioxidant profile. Hence, curcumin has a strong potential to be used as a therapeutic adjuvant in cisplatin nephrotoxicity" - See Curcumin/turmeric products at iHerb.

Low vitamin B-12 status and risk of cognitive decline in older adults - Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Nov;86(5):1384-91 - "concentrations of holoTC (a marker of reduced vitamin B-12 status), tHcy, and MMA predicted cognitive decline, but folate did not. A doubling in holoTC concentrations (from 50 to 100 pmol/L) was associated with a 30% slower rate of cognitive decline (-0.137 to -0.083), whereas a doubling in tHcy (from 10 to 20 mumol/L) or MMA (from 0.25 to 0.50 mumol/L) was associated with >50% more rapid cognitive decline (-0.090 to -0.169) and (-0.104 to -0.169), respectively" - See iHerb vitamin B12 products.

Dark Chocolate Improves Coronary Vasomotion and Reduces Platelet Reactivity - Circulation. 2007 Nov 5 - "Dark chocolate induces coronary vasodilation, improves coronary vascular function, and decreases platelet adhesion 2 hours after consumption. These immediate beneficial effects were paralleled by a significant reduction of serum oxidative stress and were positively correlated with changes in serum epicatechin concentration"

Systematic Review: Comparative Effectiveness of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers for Treating Essential Hypertension - Ann Intern Med. 2007 Nov 5 - "Available evidence shows that ACE inhibitors and ARBs have similar effects on blood pressure control, and that ACE inhibitors have higher rates of cough than ARBs. Data regarding other outcomes are limited" - Click here for why I feel telmisartan (an ARB) is the best choice.

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid decreases adipocyte size and favorably modifies adipokine status and insulin sensitivity in obese, insulin-resistant rats - Metabolism. 2007 Dec;56(12):1601-11 - "Dietary CLA, compared with the control diet, reduced circulating leptin and elevated fasting serum adiponectin concentrations in fa/fa rats ... CLA reduced adipocyte size and favorably modified adipokine status and insulin sensitivity in fa/fa Zucker rats" - See CLA products at iHerb.

Phenotype of subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus may determine clinical response to chromium supplementation - Metabolism. 2007 Dec;56(12):1652-5 - "Sixty-three percent of the subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus responded to the Cr treatment as compared with 30% with placebo ... Subject phenotype appears to be very important when assessing the clinical response to Cr because baseline insulin sensitivity was found to account for nearly 40% of the variance in the clinical response to Cr"

Low Serum Testosterone Concentration in Middle-aged Men with Type 2 Diabetes - Endocr J. 2007 Nov 12 - "serum free testosterone concentration is certainly lower in a relatively large number of Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes compared with healthy men with each decade of life between 40 and 69 years old"

Health Focus (Hardening of the Arteries/Atherosclerosis):

Popular Supplements for Atherosclerosis:

• grape seed extract / aspirin

Popular Atherosclerosis Medications:

• angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)

Alternative Atherosclerosis News:

• Atherosclerosis - Life Extension Magazine
• Atherosclerosis - Vitacost
• Omega-3 may boost blood vessel elasticity - study - Nutra USA, 9/21/07 - "fish oil supplementation improved large artery elasticity, compared to placebo (15.51.5 versus 12.83.7 ml.mm.Hg-1 x 10, respectively)" - See Mega Twin EPA at iHerb.
• Comparative effects of quercetin and its predominant human metabolites on adhesion molecule expression in activated human vascular endothelial cells - Atherosclerosis. 2007 Sep 17 - "both quercetin and its metabolites, at physiological concentrations, can inhibit the expression of key molecules involved in monocyte recruitment during the early stages of atherosclerosis" - See quercetin products at iHerb.
• Fish oil supplementation improves large arterial elasticity in overweight hypertensive patients - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Sep 5 - "After 8 weeks follow-up, the large artery elasticity in the fish oil group, compared with its baseline, was significantly improved (C(1): 15.5+/-1.5 vs 12.8+/-3.7 ml mm Hg(-1) x 10), whereas no effects were found in the placebo group (C(1): 13.0+/-3.4 vs 13.4+/-3.8 ml mm Hg(-1) x 10), P=0.027, RM-ANOVA across the two groups" - See Mega Twin EPA at iHerb.
• Vitamin K may reverse artery hardening, suggests study - Nutra USA, 12/11/06 - "A high-dose vitamin K supplement reduced calcium precipitates associated with hardening of the arteries by 37 per cent in rats"
• l-Arginine, the substrate for NO synthesis: An alternative treatment for premature atherosclerosis? - Int J Cardiol. 2006 Jul 20 - "l-arginine administration may be useful in patients with premature atherosclerosis" - See iHerb or Vitacost l-arginine products.
• Eat Your Veggies, Help Your Arteries - WebMD, 6/19/06 - "They found 38% less plaque in the arteries of mice that had eaten the vegetable-rich diet, compared with mice that had eaten no vegetables"
• Veg 'prevents artery hardening' - BBC News, 6/18/06 - "US researchers found 38% less build up of fatty deposits in the arteries of mice who were fed a mixture of vegetables, including carrots and peas"
• Combination Treatment Shown for First Time to Cause Regression of Atherosclerosis - Doctor's Guide, 11/16/05 - "reversal of atherosclerosis - a primary cause of stroke and heart attacks - can be achieved with a combination of Niaspan (prolonged-release nicotinic acid) and a statin ... ARBITER 2 clearly showed that statins alone are not enough to halt the progression of atherosclerosis even when the LDL-C target is met. However, the addition of Niaspan 1000 mg stopped the progression of atherosclerosis in 12 months ... a further 12 months of treatment with Niaspan and a statin actually achieves regression of atherosclerosis"
• Why Our Arteries Become Clogged As We Age - Life Extension Magazine, 10/05 - "Two natural compounds—propionyl-l-carnitine (PLC) and PEAK ATP™—offer promise in restoring and maintaining healthy endothelial function while supporting cellular energy metabolism. PLC provides energy to the heart and vascular cells by promoting optimal energy metabolism in the mitochondria. PEAK ATP™ boosts energy levels and vascular health by restoring youthful levels of ATP in red blood cells, tissues, and organs" - See Ester Carnitine Propionyl at iHerb.
• Grapeseed extract may stop arteries from hardening - Nutra USA, 6/23/05 - "grapeseed extract stopped cholesterol from building up in the arteries of guinea pigs, which in turn leads to the thickening and hardening of the vessels and the resulting condition, atherosclerosis" - See iHerb or Vitacost grapeseed extracts.
• Too Little Magnesium Tied to Artery Troubles - HealthDay, 4/30/05 - "dietary magnesium intake was inversely related to coronary artery calcium levels ... Previous research found that changes in fat metabolism caused by magnesium deficiency are linked to the development of atherosclerosis and that magnesium intake is an important factor in controlling fat metabolism in the walls of arteries"
• DHEA May Fight Heart Disease, But How? - WebMD, 7/23/03 - "Endothelial dysfunction is known to contribute to atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries ... men who received 25 mg per day of DHEA supplements for 12 weeks experienced significant improvement in endothelial function as well as insulin sensitivity compared with those who took a placebo" - See iHerb or Vitacost DHEA products.
• High Dietary Calcium Intake Associated with Lower Age-Related Hypertension - Doctor's Guide, 7/16/03 - "In industrialized nations, SBP increases with age, whereas diastolic blood pressure (DBP) tends to decrease with age, thereby increasing pulse pressure (defined as the difference between SBP and DBP) ... higher calcium intake was associated with lower rates of age-related increases of systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure ... If the calcium intake of the general population were to increase to above 1,200 mg, the incidence of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly might be decreased" - See drugstore.com/GNC calcium supplements.
• A Drink a Day Keeps Arteries Healthy - WebMD, 5/15/03 - "moderate drinkers had increased elasticity in both small and large arteries as well as lower heart rates compared with nondrinkers ... Beer drinkers had the highest blood pressure levels, followed by liquor and wine drinkers"
• One Glass of Wine Per Day Improves Arterial Elasticity - Doctor's Guide, 5/15/02 - "Modest alcohol intake was defined as no more than one glass of wine or beer, or less than 30 mL of hard alcohol daily ... All drinkers, particularly wine drinkers, demonstrated increased elasticity in both small and large arteries, as well as lower heart rates, compared with nondrinkers ... The only negative effect associated with moderate drinking was a slight increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Beer drinkers showed the highest blood-pressure elevations ... moderate wine drinking is associated with higher arterial elasticity, lower pulse rate, and higher stroke volume"
• Protecting Blood Vessels From Stress - WebMD, 1/15/02 - "vitamins can improve blood flow and prevent the long-term development of atherosclerosis -- or hardening of the arteries -- when given in combination with an amino acid known as L-arginine ... antioxidants might work together with L-arginine to prevent inflammation in the branch areas of blood vessels ... although antioxidants may not reverse or repair pre-existing damage within blood vessels, they may slow the long-term progression of atherosclerosis" - See iHerb and Vitacost l-arginine products.
• Vitamin C, Fish, And A Gout Drug Target Artery Damage From Smoking - Intelihealth, 1/7/03 - "vitamin C and taurine, an amino acid in fish, reversed abnormal blood vessel response associated with cigarette smoking - a discovery that may provide insight into how smoking contributes to "hardening of the arteries,""
• Evidence-based Products - Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals, 12/02 - "3g EPA/d and 3g DHA/d (ROPUFA) increased systemic arterial compliance in 38 dyslipidemic men and women, resulting in reduced pulse pressure and total vascular resistance ... Results showed that ROPUFA increased SAC—36 per cent with EPA and 27 per cent with DHA—compared with placebo" - See Mega Twin EPA at iHerb or Vitacost and Jarrow Max DHA at iHerb.
• Pycnogenol Helps Hypertension - Nutrition Science News, Spring '02 - "A new study conducted at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson shows that pycnogenol, an extract of French maritime pine bark (Pinus maritima) may lower blood pressure in mildly hypertensive patients"

General Atherosclerosis Information:

• Atherosclerosis - American Academy of Family Physicians
• Atherosclerosis - emedicine.com
• Atherosclerosis - FamilyDoctor.org
• Erectile Dysfunction / Impotence - Prostate Health Guide - U. of Maryland Medicine - "There are 5 million adult men in the US with diabetes, and it is estimated that half are impotent and the other half will become impotent in time. The process involves premature and unusually severe hardening of the arteries. Peripheral neuropathy, with involvement of the nerves controlling erections, is commonly seen in persons with diabetes"

Other Atherosclerosis News:

• New Crestor(R) (rosuvastatin calcium) Indication Approved in U.S. to Slow Progression of Atherosclerosis in Patients With High Cholesterol - Doctor's Guide, 11/15/07 - "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Crestor(R) (rosuvastatin calcium) as an adjunct to diet to slow the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with elevated cholesterol"
• Slowing Down The Development Of Heart Disease - Science Daily, 10/12/07
• Effect of long-term treatment with rosiglitazone on arterial elasticity and metabolic parameters in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a 2-year follow-up study - Diabet Med. 2007 Aug 24 - "In patients treated with rosiglitazone for 2 years: the large artery elasticity index (LAEI) increased from 10.0 +/- 4.6 to 13.9 +/- 4.7 ml/mmHg x 100 after 2 years (P = 0.003). The small artery elasticity (SAEI) index increased significantly from 3.2 +/- 1.2 to 5.1 +/- 1.9 (P < 0.0001). In patients who discontinued rosiglitazone: LAEI did not change after 6 months, but decreased from 12.1 +/- 5.4 to 8.9 +/- 3.9 ml/mmHg x 10 (P < 0.0001) at the end of 2 years. SAEI increased during the first 6 months of treatment, from 3.9 +/- 1.8 to 5.1 +/- 1.5 ml/mmHg x 100 (P < 0.0001) and decreased after discontinuation of rosiglitazone (P = 0.042)"
• Sex differences in the relation of HDL cholesterol to progression of carotid intima-media thickness: The Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study - Atherosclerosis. 2007 May 3 - "carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis) in middle age ... IMT at baseline was inversely associated with serum levels of HDL-C and the associations were comparable in women and men ... Our results suggest that although HDL-C was protective against progression of carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged men, anti-atherogenic effects of HDL may diminish in women around the age of menopause"
• Beyond Lipids: Understanding The Mechanics Of Atherosclerosis - Science Daily, 7/24/06 - "Atherosclerosis, the collection of deposits such as cholesterol along artery walls, accounts for nearly 75 percent of deaths from cardiovascular disease"
• Serotonin May Play Role In Hardening Of The Arteries - Science Daily, 3/4/06
• Erectile Dysfunction, Artery Problems Linked? - WebMD, 10/11/05 - "Erectile dysfunction often stems from blood vessel problems tied to atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries"
• Research Links Coffee to Heart Risks for Some - WebMD, 6/17/05 - "coffee drinkers had more stiffness of the major blood vessel of the body than non-coffee drinkers. Decreased elasticity of major blood vessels is a risk factor for developing heart disease like heart attack and stroke"
• Blood Test May Show Heart Attack Risk - WebMD, 5/16/05 - "White blood cells are infection-fighting cells that may increase in response to infection or inflammation. Studies suggest that hardening of the arteries caused by cholesterol plaque -- atherosclerosis -- is linked to inflammation. Therefore, researchers suggest that measuring white blood cells may help reveal heart disease risk"
• Measuring Stiffness of Arteries May be Key to Screening for Early Atherosclerosis - Doctor's Guide, 7/22/04
• Atorvastatin Appears to Reduce Arterial Stiffness in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients - Doctor's Guide, 10/31/03 - "They concluded that treatment with atorvastatin significantly reduced arterial stiffness in patients with RA but did not reduce serum CRP"
• Statins Decrease Aortic Stiffness in Hypertensives With High Cholesterol - Doctor's Guide, 9/30/03 - "Most significantly, while the PWV remained unchanged in the pravastatin and non-statin group, it was moderately decreased in the simvastatin group and remarkably reduced in the fluvastatin group ... Dr. Ichihara theorized that lipophilic statins, such as fluvastatin, reduce aortic stiffness via three mechanisms -- decreasing serum total cholesterol levels without reducing serum high-density lipoprotein levels, providing powerful scavenging reactive oxygen species, as well as reducing serum levels of low-density lipoprotein and C-reactive protein" - See Zocor (simvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin) and Lescol (fluvastatin) at drugstore.com.
• Rosiglitazone May Improve Small Artery Elasticity in Patients With Diabetes - Doctor's Guide, 8/19/03 - "Rosiglitazone increased small artery elasticity significantly, with a mean increase of up to 50% ... Systolic blood pressure decreased from 144 to 124 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 80 to 68 mmHg"
• ACE Inhibitors Prevent Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease by Multiple Mechanisms - Doctor's Guide, 7/25/03 - "ACE inhibitors inhibit the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II ... Angiotensin II increases the production of reactive oxygen species and has several vasoconstrictive effects, including opposition of the vasorelaxant actions of nitric oxide and stimulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 ... Angiotensin II, furthermore, increases arterial stiffness by a variety of mechanisms ... fewer studies have evaluated the effects of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), although these agents may also exert beneficial effects and may act synergistically with ACE inhibitors ... The authors note that, regarding the role of ACE inhibitors in diabetic renal disease, with the exception of ARBs, ACE inhibitors "have been shown to be more effective in reducing proteinuria than any other antihypertensive agents." - See my page on anti-ACE peptides.  Even Dr. Whitaker has added anti-ACE peptides to his BP formula.
• Simvastatin May Retard Progression of Severe White Matter Changes - Doctor's Guide, 5/26/03 - "Simvastatin may slow down the progression of severe white matter changes in the brain, and may therefore retard cognitive decline ... The most common type of vascular dementia is due to the hardening of the arteries deep inside the brain which causes white matter changes... and its been shown that this can lead to executive dysfunction" - Note:  Red yeast rice is a non-prescription statin.  See iHerb and Vitacost red yeast products.
• Brachial Artery Stiffens With Age Only In Hypertensives - Doctor's Guide, 5/21/03
• Levothyroxine Decreases Risk of Atherosclerosis in Women with Subclinical Hypothyroidism - Doctor's Guide, 5/18/03 - "Compared to controls, the hypothyroid women had significantly elevated levels of fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), and factor VII (P<0.0001). They also had lower levels of antithrombin III activity (P<0.05). When the hypothyroid women were treated with levothyroxine, they had significant decreases in both PAI-1 and factor VII ... These findings show that subclinical hypothyroidism may play an important role in promoting both hypofibrinolytic and hypercoagulable states, and therefore leading to the development of atherosclerosis in female patients"
• Link On Hard Arteries, Vein Clots Found - Intelihealth, 4/10/03
• Arterial Stiffness Index Works In Elderly Hypertensive Patients - Doctor's Guide, 2/14/03
• Should Men Get HRT for Heart Health? - WebMD, 1/15/03 - "twice as many men with heart disease have low atherosclerosis levels compared with men without heart disease. In fact, low atherosclerosis is linked to a number of risk factors for heart disease ... if male rabbits have too little atherosclerosis, they develop more atherosclerosis [hardening of the arteries] than animals with normal atherosclerosis"
• Finger Arthritis Predicts Heart Disease - WebMD, 1/15/03 - "Men with osteoarthritis (OA) in any finger joint were 40% more likely to die of heart disease than their counterparts without finger OA. ... While "hardening of the arteries" was once thought to result from a buildup of cholesterol, increasing evidence indicates that it's the result of some type of inflammation of blood vessels"
• Just One Cigarette Increases Arterial Stiffness - Doctor's Guide, 1/13/03
• Mystery of Viagra Deaths Unravels - WebMD, 1/9/03 - "the drug may actually encourage potentially dangerous blood clots to form in men with certain risk factors, such as hardening of the arteries"
• Treating To Lower Blood Pressure Goal Reduces Aortic Stiffness - Doctor's Guide, 9/30/02
• New Clue Identified in Heart Disease - WebMD, 7/22/02
• Angiotensin II Antagonist Telmisartan Fights Stiffening Arteries In Hypertensive Diabetics - Doctor's Guide, 4/6/01 - "not only effectively lowered blood pressure compared with placebo, but also significantly decreased arterial stiffness"
• Enalapril And Losartan Reverse Arterial Vessel Stiffening - Doctor's Guide, 8/24/00

Affiliates (I could sure use some sales.  You can drag the links onto your desktop and use them so that I get credit for the sale.  Click here for more stores):

Past newsletters

Disclaimer: These products and all information contained on this website is for educational purposes only. These products must be used in conjunction with any and all local, state and federal laws. It is up to the end user to comply with all legal guidelines, thus we are not and will not be held responsible for any misuse of this product or any damages that it may cause.

Medical Disclaimer:  Information provided is for educational purposes only.  The views represented are those of the participants.  This website makes no claims or representation regarding treatment, cure, or mitigation of disease.  Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications.  If you are ill, we recommend you see a qualified health professional.  Statements about products and health conditions have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

WWW QualityCounts.com