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Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 2/9/11.  You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Why Women Feel Colder Than Men - CBS Chicago, 2/8/11 - "Women conserve more heat around their core organs, which means less heat circulates throughout the rest of their body ... It can often lead to a tug-of-war over the thermostat. That fight can get worse at night, when our bodies produce less cortisol ... cortisol is a very powerful hormone. It’s your fight hormone. So it keeps you warm, gets your adrenaline roaring and helps with body warming"

Lack of sleep found to be a new risk factor for colon cancer - Science Daily, 2/8/11 - "individuals who averaged less than six hours of sleep at night had an almost 50 percent increase in the risk of colorectal adenomas compared with individuals sleeping at least seven hours per night. Adenomas are a precursor to cancer tumors, and left untreated, they can turn malignant"

Myo-inositol in Postmenopausal Women With Metabolic Syndromed - Medscape, 2/7/11 - "In conclusion, this first report concerning myo-inositol supplementation for 6 months in postmenopausal women affected by metabolic syndrome demonstrated that it may improve some of the metabolic features of the syndrome such as carbohydrate metabolism, lipid profile, and blood pressure. Further studies and a longer time of treatment are needed to determine if the improvement in risk markers might provide a decrease in cardiovascular morbidity among these women" - See Inositol products at iHerb.

  • Inositol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - "Inositol or cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol is a chemical compound with formula C6H12O6 or (-CHOH-)6, a sixfold alcohol (polyol) of cyclohexane. It exists in nine possible stereoisomers, of which the most prominent form, widely occurring in nature, is cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-cyclohexanehexol, or myo-inositol (former name meso-inositol).[2][3] Inositol is a carbohydrate, though not a classical sugar. It is almost tasteless, with a small amount of sweetness"

Processed food diet in early childhood may lower subsequent IQ - Science Daily, 2/7/11 - "A diet, high in fats, sugars, and processed foods in early childhood may lower IQ, while a diet packed full of vitamins and nutrients may do the opposite ... Three dietary patterns were identified: "processed" high in fats and sugar intake; "traditional" high in meat and vegetable intake; and "health conscious" high in salad, fruit and vegetables, rice and pasta ... after taking account of potentially influential factors, a predominantly processed food diet at the age of 3 was associated with a lower IQ at the age of 8.5, irrespective of whether the diet improved after that age. Every 1 point increase in dietary pattern score was associated with a 1.67 fall in IQ ... On the other hand, a healthy diet was associated with a higher IQ at the age of 8.5, with every 1 point increase in dietary pattern linked to a 1.2 increase in IQ. Dietary patterns between the ages of 4 and 7 had no impact on IQ"

Smoking pot may hasten onset of mental illness - MSNBC, 2/7/11 - "in the subjects who had been pot smokers, the psychotic symptoms began nearly 3 years earlier than in those who had not been marijuana users ... no one's been able to prove that smoking marijuana actually causes psychotic disorders like schizophrenia, but the new research adds to "growing evidence" that it does, at least in some people ... Why was there disagreement in the past over whether this effect really exists? The reasons lie in the way the individual studies might have been done ... One study found that compared to people who didn't use marijuana, people over 18 who did use it had twice the risk of mental illness, but kids under 15 had five times the risk" - Note:  Regarding the second to the last statement, people will find the study they wish to believe.

Vitamin D linked to colon cancer protection: Meta-analysis - Nutra USA, 2/7/11 - "for every 10 nanograms per milliliter increase in 25(OH)D levels the associated risk of colorectal cancer decreased by 15 percent, while the risk of breast cancer was associated with an 11 percent decrease. However, when the researchers restricted their analysis to prospective studies only, the breast cancer risk was decreased by only 3 percent, whereas data from case-control studies indicated a risk reduction of 17 percent" -[Abstract] - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

New explanation for heart-healthy benefits of chocolate - Science Daily, 2/7/11 - "studies have shown that cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, appears to reduce the risk of heart disease by boosting levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, and decreasing levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol. Credit for those heart-healthy effects goes to a cadre of antioxidant compounds in cocoa called polyphenols, which are particularly abundant in dark chocolate"

Chocolate is a 'super fruit': Rich source of antioxidants - Science Daily, 2/6/11 - "chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants and contains more polyphenols and flavanols than fruit juice ... both dark chocolate and cocoa had a greater antioxidant capacity and a greater total flavanol, and polyphenol, content than the fruit juices. However hot chocolate, due to processing (alkalization) of the chocolate, contained little of any"

HPV vaccine works for boys: Study shows first clear benefits - Science Daily, 2/4/11 - "The vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) can prevent 90 percent of genital warts in men when offered before exposure to the four HPV strains covered by the vaccine ... In addition to preventing warts, the vaccine also effectively prevented HPV-persistent infection in 86 percent of the participants without previous exposure ... while they find it likely that the prevention of HPV infection and disease in men will have additional benefits, such as preventing anal, genital and throat cancers, these benefits need to be directly demonstrated through further clinical trials"

Whey protein holds fat fighting potential, suggests study - Nutra USA, 2/3/11 - "The amount of fat inside liver cells (known as intra-hepatocellular lipid concentrations – IHCL) in subjects fed a short term high fat diet has been previously shown to be reduced again through increasing dietary protein intake ... four weeks of supplementation with whey protein led to a significant decrease in IHCL of 21 percent, whilst fasting plasma triglyceride was observed to decrease by 15 percent, and total plasma cholesterol concentration decreased by over 7 percent" - [Abstract] - See whey protein at Amazon.com.

Fish Oil May Reduce the Risk of Kidney Stones - Medscape, 2/3/11 - "Five days of supplementation with EPA and DHA didn't alter urinary oxalate excretion. But after 30 days of supplements, urinary oxalate excretion dropped from 0.277 to 0.238 mmol/24 hours ... Similarly, after 5 days there was no change in relative supersaturation of calcium oxalate (RS CaOx), a proxy for the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation. But after 30 days, RS CaOx decreased by 23%" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Ritalin may ease early iron deficiency damage - Science Daily, 2/2/11 - "When children are deprived of iron at any point during the last trimester of pregnancy or the first six months of life -- a critical period of brain development -- they suffer brain damage at least through early adulthood, and possibly beyond. In particular, their motor function can be impaired as well as their ability to focus ... Iron-deficient adults often have restless leg syndrome. People who become iron deficient after three years of age can recover by taking iron supplements ... iron deficiency has a major hit on dopamine systems" - See Slow Fe Slow Release Iron Tablets 90-Count Box at Amazon.com.

Tonsil Removal May Lead to Weight Gain - WebMD, 2/1/11 - "Within a year of surgery, the average increase in BMI was around 7% among children who had their tonsils removed" - Note:  When I was a kid they told the people that the advantage of having them removed was that after the operation you got eat all the ice cream you wanted.  I'm sure that's not the reason a year later though but can't stop thinking about it.

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

Influence of glycosylated hemoglobin on sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy: A population-based study - Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2011 Feb 3 - "sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) ... A statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was noted in the duration of diabetes, gender, body mass index, HbA1c, micro- and macro-albuminuria between both non-STDR and STDR groups as compared to the no-diabetic retinopathy (DR) group. On multivariate analysis, HbA1c (non-STDR: odd's ratio OR=1.23; 95% confidence interval CI=1.15-1.32; p<0.0001; STDR: OR=1.31 95% CI=1.14-1.52; p<0.0001) was found to be significantly associated with non-STDR and STDR when compared with the no-DR group. The Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis showed that the cut-off value of 8.0 had 75.6% sensitivity and 58.2% specificity with 64.9% maximum area under the curve ... HbA1c value >8.0% was significantly related with STDR. In a screening programme, the cut-off value of HbA1c >8.0% provided a maximum yield of STDR"

The ethanolamide metabolite of DHA, docosahexaenoylethanolamine, shows immunomodulating effects in mouse peritoneal and RAW264.7 macrophages: evidence for a new link between fish oil and inflammation - Br J Nutr. 2011 Feb 4:1-10 - "Among the compounds tested, docosahexaenoylethanolamine (DHEA), the ethanolamide of DHA, was found to be the most potent inhibitor, inducing a dose-dependent inhibition of NO release. Immune-modulating properties of DHEA were further studied in the same cell line, demonstrating that DHEA significantly suppressed the production of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), a cytokine playing a pivotal role in chronic inflammation. In LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages, DHEA also reduced MCP-1 and NO production. Furthermore, inhibition was also found to take place at a transcriptional level, as gene expression of MCP-1 and inducible NO synthase was inhibited by DHEA. To summarise, in the present study, we showed that DHEA, a DHA-derived NAE metabolite, modulates inflammation by reducing MCP-1 and NO production and expression. These results provide new leads in molecular mechanisms by which DHA can modulate inflammatory processes" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Effects of green tea catechins on the pro-inflammatory response after haemorrhage/resuscitation in rats - Br J Nutr. 2011 Feb 4:1-7 - "Plant polyphenols, i.e. green tea extract (GTE), possess high antioxidative and anti-inflammatory capacity, thus being protective in various models of acute inflammation ... Compared with both sham groups, inflammatory markers (serum IL-6 and hepatic PMNL infiltration) were elevated after H/R (P < 0.05). Also, H/R increased IκBα phosphorylation. GTE administration markedly (P < 0.05) decreased serum ALT and IL-6 levels, hepatic necrosis as well as PMNL infiltration and the expression of ICAM-1 and phosphorylated IκBα compared with H/R. In conclusion, we observed that NF-κB activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver injury after H/R through the up-regulation of hepatic ICAM-1 expression and subsequent PMNL infiltration. GTE pre-treatment prevents liver damage in this model of acute inflammation through a NF-κB-dependent mechanism" - See green tea extract at Amazon.com.

Relation Between High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Survival to Age 85 Years in Men (from the VA Normative Aging Study) - Am J Cardiol. 2011 Feb 4 - "We categorized initial HDL cholesterol into <40 mg/dl (reference group), 40 to 49 mg/dl, or ≥50 mg/dl ... Treating HDL cholesterol as a continuous predictor, we also determined the HR for each 10-mg/dl increment in HDL cholesterol. Fully adjusted HR (95% confidence interval) for survival to 85 years of age for participants with an initial HDL cholesterol level ≥50 mg/dl compared to the reference was 0.72 (0.53 to 0.98). Each 10-mg/dl increment in HDL cholesterol was associated with a 14% (HR 0.86, 0.78 to 0.96) decrease in risk of mortality before 85 years of age. In conclusion, after adjusting for other factors associated with longevity, higher HDL cholesterol levels were significantly associated with survival to 85 years of age" - See niacin at Amazon.com (niacin increases HDL).

Meta-analysis of observational studies of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and colorectal, breast and prostate cancer and colorectal adenoma - Int J Cancer. 2011 Mar 15;128(6):1414-24 - "The summary relative risk (SRR) and (95% confidence interval) for a 10 ng/ml increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was 0.85 (0.79; 0.91) for colorectal cancer (2,630 cases in 9 studies); 0.89 (0.81;0.98) for breast cancer (6,175 cases in 10 studies); and 0.99 (0.95;1.03) for prostate cancer (3,956 cases in 11 studies). For breast cancer, case-control studies (3,030 cases) had major limitations and obtained SRR of 0.83 (0.79; 0.87) whereas SRR of prospective studies (3,145 cases) was 0.97 (0.92; 1.03). For colorectal and breast cancer, differences between cases and controls in the season of blood draw or in overweight/obesity or physical inactivity could not explain the results. In conclusion, a consistent inverse relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and colorectal cancer was found. No association was found for breast and prostate cancer" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

The Flavonoid Quercetin Modulates the Hallmark Capabilities of Hamster Buccal Pouch Tumors - Nutr Cancer. 2011 Feb 2:1 - "Epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated the protective effects of dietary phytochemicals against cancer risk. Quercetin, a ubiquitous dietary flavonoid, has attracted considerable attention owing to its potent antioxidant and antiproliferative activities ... Simultaneous administration of quercetin to DMBA-painted hamsters reduced tumor incidence and tumor burden, while posttreatment of quercetin resulted in a significant tumor growth delay. In addition, quercetin administration induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and blocked invasion and angiogenesis. We found a positive correlation between the inhibition of HDAC-1 and DNMT1 by quercetin and its anticancer properties. A dietary phytochemical such as quercetin that modulates a plethora of molecules offers promise as an ideal candidate for multitargeted cancer prevention and therapy" - See quercetin at Amazon.com.

Taurine Prevents Hypertension and Increases Exercise Capacity in Rats With Fructose-Induced Hypertension - Am J Hypertens. 2011 Feb 3 - "Five groups of 15 Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated and designated as control, high fructose-fed (fructose), high fructose-fed plus exercise (FE), high fructose-fed plus 2% taurine supplement (FT) and high fructose-fed plus 2% taurine supplement and exercise (FET) groups ... Noninvasive SBP differed significantly (P < 0.001) from week 3, both noninvasive and invasive ABP increased significantly (P < 0.001), and exercise capacity significantly decreased (P < 0.001) in the fructose group compared with the control group. The individual effects of swimming and taurine supplementation were incapable of preventing the development of hypertension and SBP significantly (P < 0.001) increased in the FE and FT groups; exercise capacity in those groups remained similar to control. The combined effects of exercise and taurine alleviated hypertension and significantly increased exercise capacity in the FET group. Insulin resistance increased significantly and plasma nitric oxide (NO) decreased significantly in the F, FE, and FT groups. Both parameters remained similar to control values in the FET group with an increasing antioxidant activity. Conclusion Taurine supplementation in combination with exercise prevents hypertension and increases exercise capacity by possibly antioxidation and maintaining NO concentrations" - See taurine at Amazon.com.

Dietary Salt Intake and Mortality in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes - Diabetes Care. 2011 Feb 2 - "Over a median of 9.9 years, there were 175 deaths, 75 (43%) of which were secondary to cardiovascular events. All-cause mortality was inversely associated with 24hU(Na), after adjusting for other baseline risk factors (P < 0.001). For every 100 mmol rise in 24hU(Na), all-cause mortality was 28% lower (95% CI 6-45%, P = 0.02). After adjusting for the competing risk of noncardiovascular death and other predictors, 24hU(Na) was also significantly associated with cardiovascular mortality (sub-hazard ratio 0.65 [95% CI 0.44-0.95]; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes, lower 24-h urinary sodium excretion was paradoxically associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Interventional studies are necessary to determine if dietary salt has a causative role in determining adverse outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and the appropriateness of guidelines advocating salt restriction in this setting" - Note:  That's not the first study showing that.  See:

Hemoglobin A1c as a Predictor of Incident Diabetes - Diabetes Care. 2011 Feb 2 - "During an average follow-up of 4.4 years, 3,329 (26.9%) developed diabetes. HbA(1c) ≥5.0% carried a significant risk for developing diabetes during follow-up. When compared with the reference group (HbA(1c) <4.5%), HbA(1c) increments of 0.5% between 5.0 and 6.4% had adjusted odds ratios of 1.70 (5.0-5.4%), 4.87 (5.5-5.9%), and 16.06 (6.0-6.4%) (P < 0.0001). Estimates of hazard ratios similarly showed significant increases for HbA(1c) ≥5.0%. A risk model for incident diabetes within 5 years was developed and validated using HbA(1c), age, BMI, and systolic blood pressure"

A Resveratrol and Polyphenol Preparation Suppresses Oxidative and Inflammatory Stress Response to a High-Fat, High-Carbohydrate Meal - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Feb 2 - "High-fat, high-carbohydrate (HFHC) meals are known to induce oxidative and inflammatory stress, an increase in plasma endotoxin concentrations, and an increase in the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS-3) ... A supplement containing resveratrol and muscadine polyphenols suppresses the increase in oxidative stress, lipopolysaccharide and LBP concentrations, and expression of TLR-4, CD14, IL-1β and SOCS-3 in mononuclear cells after an HFHC meal. It also stimulates specific Nrf-2 activity and induces the expression of the related antioxidant genes, NQO-1 and GST-P1. These results demonstrate the acute antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects of resveratrol and polyphenolic compounds in humans in the postprandial state" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.

Progesterone Prevents Sleep Disturbances and Modulates GH, TSH, and Melatonin Secretion in Postmenopausal Women - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Feb 2 - "Progesterone had no effect on undisturbed sleep but restored normal sleep when sleep was disturbed (while currently available hypnotics tend to inhibit deep sleep), acting as a "physiologic" regulator rather than as a hypnotic drug. Use of progesterone might provide novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of sleep disturbances, in particular in aging where sleep is fragmented and of lower quality" - See progesterone products at iHerb.

Influence of magnesium status and magnesium intake on the blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes - Clin Nutr. 2011 Jan 31 - "Magnesium status was influenced by kidney depuration and was altered in patients with type 2 diabetes, and magnesium showed to play an important role in blood glucose control" - See magnesium supplements at Amazon.com.

Effects of a whey protein supplementation on intrahepatocellular lipids in obese female patients - Clin Nutr. 2011 Jan 31 - "intrahepatocellular lipids (IHCL) ... 60 g/day whey protein supplement (WPS) for 4-weeks ... total liver volume (MR) ... IHCL were positively correlated with visceral fat and total liver volume at inclusion. WPS decreased significantly IHCL by 20.8 +/- 7.7%, fasting total TG by 15 +/- 6.9%, and total cholesterol by 7.3 +/- 2.7%. WPS slightly increased fat free mass from 54.8 +/- 2.2 kg to 56.7 +/- 2.5 kg, p = 0.005). Visceral fat, total liver volume, glucose tolerance, creatinine clearance and insulin sensitivity were not changed" - See whey protein at Amazon.com.

Daily consumption of vitamin D- or vitamin D + calcium-fortified yogurt drink improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Feb 2 - "randomly allocated to 3 groups to consume plain yogurt drink (PY; containing no vitamin D and 150 mg Ca/250 mL), vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink (DY; containing 500 IU vitamin D(3) and 150 mg Ca/250 mL), or vitamin D + calcium-fortified yogurt drink (DCY; containing 500 IU vitamin D(3) and 250 mg Ca/250 mL) twice per day for 12 wk ... Fasting serum glucose (FSG) ... percentage fat mass (FM) ... In both the DY and DCY groups, mean serum 25(OH)D(3) improved (+32.8 +/- 28.4 and +28.8 +/- 16.1 nmol/L, respectively; P < 0.001 for both), but FSG [-12.9 +/- 33.7 mg/dL (P = 0.015) and -9.6 +/- 46.9 mg/dL (P = 0.035), respectively], Hb A(1c) [-0.4 +/- 1.2% (P < 0.001) and -0.4 +/- 1.9% (P < 0.001), respectively], HOMA-IR [-0.6 +/- 1.4 (P = 0.001) and -0.6 +/- 3.2 (P < 0.001), respectively], waist circumference (-3.6 +/- 2.7 and -2.9 +/- 3.3, respectively; P < 0.001 for both), and body mass index [in kg/m(2); -0.9 +/- 0.6 (P < 0.001) and -0.4 +/- 0.7 (P = 0.005), respectively] decreased significantly more than in the PY group. An inverse correlation was observed between changes in serum 25(OH)D(3) and FSG (r = -0.208, P = 0.049), FM (r = -0.219, P = 0.038), and HOMA-IR (r = -0.219, P = 0.005)" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory - Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Jan 31 - "Here we show, in a randomized controlled trial with 120 older adults, that aerobic exercise training increases the size of the anterior hippocampus, leading to improvements in spatial memory. Exercise training increased hippocampal volume by 2%, effectively reversing age-related loss in volume by 1 to 2 y. We also demonstrate that increased hippocampal volume is associated with greater serum levels of BDNF, a mediator of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Hippocampal volume declined in the control group, but higher preintervention fitness partially attenuated the decline, suggesting that fitness protects against volume loss. Caudate nucleus and thalamus volumes were unaffected by the intervention. These theoretically important findings indicate that aerobic exercise training is effective at reversing hippocampal volume loss in late adulthood, which is accompanied by improved memory function"

Prediabetes and Prehypertension in Healthy Adults Are Associated With Low Vitamin D Levels - Diabetes Care. 2011 Jan 31 - "The odds ratio for comorbid PreDM and PreHTN in Caucasian men (n = 898) and women (n = 813) was 2.41 (P < 0.0001) with vitamin D levels ≤76.3 versus >76.3 nmol/L after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI. CONCLUSIONS This study strengthens the plausibility that low serum vitamin D levels elevate the risk for early-stage diabetes (PreDM) and hypertension (PreHTN)" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Iron stores are associated with asymptomatic atherosclerosis in healthy men of primary prevention - Eur J Clin Invest. 2011 Jan 31 - "carotid intima-media thickness (IACC) ... The plasma-circulating transferrin receptor concentration to plasma ferritin concentration ratio (TfR/F) showed significant association with IACC (r = -0.310, P = 0.008 vs. r = 0.295, P = 0.012). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the correlation of TfR/F with IACC is independent of traditional risk factors of atherosclerosis ... Our study showed a clear association of body iron stores expressed by the TfR/F ratio with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis"

Dietary modulation of body composition and insulin sensitivity during catch-up growth in rats: effects of oils rich in n-6 or n-3 PUFA - Br J Nutr. 2011 Jan 31:1-14 - "linoleic acid (LA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), arachidonic acid (AA) or DHA. It has been shown that, compared with food-restricted rats refed a high-fat (lard) diet low in PUFA, those refed isoenergetically on diets enriched in LA or ALA, independently of the n-6:n-3 ratio, show improved insulin sensitivity, lower fat mass and higher lean mass, the magnitude of which is related to the proportion of total PUFA precursors (LA+ALA) consumed ... Isoenergetic refeeding on high-fat diets enriched in AA or DHA also led to improved body composition, with increases in lean mass as predicted by the quadratic model for PUFA precursors, but decreases in fat mass, which are disproportionately greater than predicted values; insulin sensitivity, however, was not improved. These findings pertaining to the impact of dietary intake of PUFA precursors (LA and ALA) and their elongated-desaturated products (AA and DHA), on body composition and insulin sensitivity, provide important insights into the search for diets aimed at counteracting the pathophysiological consequences of catch-up growth. In particular, diets enriched in essential fatty acids (LA and/or ALA) markedly improve insulin sensitivity and composition of weight regained, independently of the n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio" - Here's the fat table again:

Omega-6
polyunsaturated
Omega-3
polyunsaturated
Omega-9
monounsaturated
LA - Linoleic Acid ALA or LNA - Alpha linolenic acid Oleic acid
GLA - Gamma linolenic acid EPA - Eicosapentaenoic acid
DGLA - Dihomo gamma-linolenic Acid DHA - Docosahexaenoic acid  
AA - Arachidonic Acid DPA (omega 3) - Docosapentaenoic acid
DTA - Docosatetraenoic acid    
DPA -  (omega 6) Docosapentaenoic

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

Health Focus (Magnesium):

News & Research:

  • Jarrow Formulas, Magnesium Optimizer Citrate at Amazon.com
  • Why you need to go with a supplement with the right calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper ratio such as Body Wise Essential Calcium
    • Magnesium--A Forgotten Mineral - Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, 9/97 - "Excess calcium and phosphate also interfere with magnesium absorption. (Thus, taking calcium supplements without adding magnesium could result in magnesium deficiency.)"
    • Inhibitory effects of zinc on magnesium balance and magnesium absorption in magnesium absorption in man - J Am Coll Nutr. 1994 Oct;13(5):479-84 - "the overall effect of the high Zn intake of the three groups combined, regardless of the Ca intake, was a highly significant decrease of Mg absorption and of the Mg balance"
    • Zinc -- The Immune System's Missing Link? - Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, 12/97 - "Supplementing with zinc is quite safe--its only significant side effect is lowered copper levels in the body tissues, since the two minerals compete for absorption. Considering zinc's safety, people should consider taking zinc supplements, especially as they age--being sure to include copper in the proper balance. Most practitioners who supplement their patients' diets with zinc also recommend taking copper at a ratio of 10 mg to 15 mg zinc for each milligram of copper."
    • Calcium, Keep What You Take - Life Extension Magazine, 3/99 - "The final study was a two-year, placebo controlled trial on 225 postmenopausal women. One group received calcium supplements only, the second group zinc, manganese and copper, the third group received calcium plus zinc, manganese and copper, while the fourth group received a placebo. After two years, the only group who experienced an improvement in bone mineral density was the group taking calcium plus zinc, manganese and copper" - [Abstract]
    • Magnesium: The Multi-Purpose Mineral - Think Muscle Newsletter - "If you take high amounts of calcium daily, you may have a magnesium deficiency. Most experts suggest that your calcium: magnesium ration should be 2:1. In other words, if you take 1500 mg of calcium daily through diet and supplementation, you should try to consume at least 750 mg of magnesium daily as well"
  • Insulin Resistance - Dr. Weil - "Supplements: ... Coenzyme Q10 ... Alpha-lipoic acid ... Magnesium ... Chromium"
  • Serum Magnesium and Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study - Medscape, 10/19/10 - "sudden cardiac death (SCD) ... SCD was inversely associated with serum Mg (P for linear trend < .0001). Compared with the lowest quartile of Mg, the risk of SCD was 55% lower (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31–0.67) in the highest Mg quartile and 47% lower in the second highest quartile (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.38–0.74)"
  • Magnesium may decrease colon cancer risk: Study - Nutra USA, 3/15/10 - "Intakes of the mineral of at least 327 milligrams per day were found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 52 per cent, compared to intakes less than 238 milligrams per day, while no benefits were observed in women" - [Abstract]
  • Remember magnesium if you want to remember: Synthetic supplement improves memory and staves off age-related memory loss - Science Daily, 2/22/10 - "magnesium, a key nutrient for the functioning of memory, may be even more critical than previously thought for the neurons of children and healthy brain cells in adults ... In the study, two groups of rats ate normal diets containing a healthy amount of magnesium from natural sources. The first group was given a supplement of MgT, while the control group had only its regular diet. Behavioral tests showed that cognitive functioning improved in the rats in the first group and also demonstrated an increase of synapses in the brain -- connective nerve endings that carry memories in the form of electrical impulses from one part of the brain to the other" - Note: The problem is that the magnesium-L-theronate form isn't available.
  • Magnesium supplements may boost lung health for asthmatics - Nutra USA, 2/15/10
  • Magnesium May Improve Memory - WebMD, 1/27/10 - "increasing brain magnesium using a newly developed compound, magnesium-L-threonate (MgT), improves learning abilities, working memory, and short- and-long-term memory in rats. The magnesium also helped older rats perform better on a battery of learning tests ... The researchers cite that only 32% of Americans get the recommended daily allowance of magnesium"
  • Most men deficient in key nutrients - MSNBC, 6/19/09 - "studies show that 77 percent of men don't take in enough magnesium, that many of us are deficient in vitamin D, and that the vitamin B12 in our diets may be undermined by a common heartburn medication. And we haven't even mentioned our problems with potassium and iodine"
  • Magnesium may benefit blood pressure in hypertensives - Nutra USA, 5/19/09 - "receive either daily supplements of 300 mg of elemental magnesium in the magnesium oxide form or placebo for 12 weeks ... At the end of the study, no significant differences were observed between the magnesium or placebo groups. However, when the researchers looked specifically at hypertensives, significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed in the magnesium group (17.1 and 3.4 mmHg, respectively), compared to placebo (6.7 and 0.8 mmHg, respectively)" - [Abstract]
  • Magnesium Supplement Reviews - ConsumerLab.com, 5/19/09 - "25% did not meet quality standards according to our magnesium tests"
  • Low magnesium levels may increase stroke risk - Nutra USA, 4/22/09 - "Blood levels of magnesium were negatively associated with the risk of stroke, they said, with levels of 1.6, 1.7, and 1.8 mEq/L linked to a 22, 30, and 25 per cent reduction in stroke, respectively, compared to 1.5 mEq/L "
  • Calcium May Only Protect Against Colorectal Cancer In Presence Of Magnesium - Science Daily, 11/16/08 - "supplementation of calcium only reduced the risk of adenoma recurrence if the ratio of calcium to magnesium was low and remained low during treatment. "The risk of colorectal cancer adenoma recurrence was reduced by 32 percent among those with baseline calcium to magnesium ratio below the median in comparison to no reduction for those above the median"
  • Magnesium linked to fewer gallstones - Nutra USA, 2/26/08 - "After adjusting the results to account for age differences, which may affect the results, Tsai and co-workers calculated that men with the highest levels of magnesium intake (454 mg/d) were 28 per cent less likely to develop gallstones, compared to men with the lowest average intake (262 mg/d)" - [Abstract]
  • Magnesium Supplements review - ConsumerLab.com, 10/31/07
  • Magnesium Intake May Cut Risk of Gallstones - Medscape, 2/22/08 - "Magnesium deficiency is known to cause elevated triglyceride levels and decreased HDL cholesterol levels, both of which may raise the risk of gallstones ... Compared with the lowest quintile of total magnesium intake (median 262 mg/day), the highest quintile of intake (454 mg/day) reduced the risk of gallstone disease by 33%"
  • Migraine Patients May Benefit From Magnesium or CoQ10 - Clinical Psychiatry News, 8/07 - "The most important supplement, according to Dr. Mauskop, is magnesium. “It's known that up to 50% of people with acute migraine have a magnesium deficiency. … It is much more effective to treat them with a product they're deficient in rather than using drugs,” ... Research has found that, for migraine, CoQ10 at 300 mg/day is effective, and that for Parkinson's disease 1,200 mg/day is effective"
  • Grain Fiber And Magnesium Intake Associated With Lower Risk For Diabetes - Science Daily, 5/14/07 - "those who consumed the most cereal fiber had a 33 percent lower risk of developing diabetes than those who took in the least, while those who consumed the most magnesium had a 23 percent lower risk than those who consumed the least. There was no association between fruit or vegetable fiber and diabetes risk"
  • Dietary Magnesium May Reduce Risk for Diabetes in Black Women - Medscape, 10/9/06 - "41,186 women enrolled in the Black Women's Health Study ... Higher magnesium intakes in the highest vs the lowest quintile were associated with lower incidence of diabetes mellitus with an adjusted HR of 0.69"
  • Magnesium supplements could help asthmatics, says study - Nutra USA, 7/5/06
  • Need More Magnesium? - Dr. Weil, 6/29/06 - "a diet rich in magnesium appears to protect against metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors that can lead to diabetes and heart disease"
  • Magnesium Lowers Heart, Diabetes Risks - WebMD, 3/27/06 - "people in the study who consumed the most magnesium had a 31% lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome, compared with people who ate the least"
  • Magnesium Prevents Osteoporosis - Healthwell, 2/9/06 - "a higher magnesium intake was associated with greater whole-body bone mineral density, after adjusting for calcium and vitamin D intake, level of exercise, use of estrogen medication, and other factors known to be related to bone health"
  • More support for magnesium against colon cancer - Nutra USA, 1/31/06 - "The hazard ratio, a measure of the risk, was statistically 25 per cent lower for the volunteers with the highest intake of magnesium (more than 356 mg per day)"
  • Magnesium In Your Diet Could Lead To Stronger Bones - Science Daily, 12/22/05
  • Dietary Magnesium Could Lead to Stronger Bones - Doctor's Guide, 12/21/05 - "For every 100 milligram per day increase in magnesium intake, data showed a 1% increase in bone density ... this link was only true for the older white men and women"
  • Magnesium could reduce osteoporosis risk - Nutra USA, 12/8/05 - "Higher Mg intake through diet and supplements was positively associated with total-body [bone mineral density] BMD in older white men and women. For every 100 mg per day increase in Mg, there was an approximate 2 per cent increase in whole-body BMD"
  • Magnesium Intake and Bone Mineral Density - Medscape, 11/8/05 - "The mean intakes of Mg by race-sex subgroup are listed in Table 2 . Less than 26% of the cohort met the RDA for Mg ... twenty-five percent of the cohort took a Mg-containing supplement; the mean dose was 83 mg ... RDA of 420 mg/d" - See iHerb or Vitacosticon magnesium products.
  • Magnesium Deficiency in Obese Children May Be Linked to Insulin Resistance - Medscape, 5/9/05 - "Magnesium deficiency in obese children is associated with the development of insulin resistance"
  • Focus on Magnesium - Dr. Murray's Natural Facts, 3/3/05 - "Double-blind studies in people with CFS have shown magnesium supplementation significantly improved energy levels, better emotional state, and less pain"
  • MIT: Magnesium May Reverse Middle-age Memory Loss - Science Daily, 12/27/04 - "In the cover story of the Dec. 2 issue of Neuron, MIT researchers report a possible new role for magnesium: helping maintain memory function in middle age and beyond ... magnesium helps regulate a key brain receptor important for learning and memory"
  • What to take to keep diabetes at bay - Delicious Living, 12/04 - "Recent research suggests that magnesium keeps blood sugars from rising too high, thus staving off diabetes"
  • Magnesium in Hypertension Prevention and Control - Life Extension Magazine, 9/04 - "Magnesium is one of the body’s most important minerals. ... Magnesium is a major factor in relaxing the smooth muscles within the blood vessels, thereby reducing peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure.11-13 In addition, magnesium reduces nerve and muscle excitability, stabilizes cardiac conductivity, and influences neurochemical transmission.11,13,14 Magnesium also affects circulating levels of norepinephrine and the synthesis of serotonin and nitric oxide"
  • Americans Need More Magnesium in Diet - WebMD, 7/23/04 - "nearly two-thirds of us may not be getting enough magnesium ... Adult men need 400-420 mg/day while adult women need 310-320 mg /day"
  • Lack Energy? Maybe It's Your Magnesium Level - Science Daily, 5/10/04 - "inadequate magnesium is associated with a need for increased oxygen during exercise. They found that during moderate activity, those with low magnesium levels in muscle are likely to use more energy—and therefore to tire more quickly—than those with adequate levels"  - See iHerb or Vitacosticon magnesium products.
  • Magnesium may reduce risk of diabetes - MSNBC, 5/7/04 - "The conclusions of these three studies are generally supported by earlier large population studies. Laboratory studies suggest that magnesium influences the action of insulin in the body. A lack of magnesium may worsen insulin resistance, triggering the onset of diabetes" - See iHerb or Vitacosticon magnesium products.
  • Magnesium Helps Prevent Arrhythmia After Cardiac Surgery - Doctor's Guide, 3/10/04
  • Low Magnesium Intake May be Associated with Increased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes - Doctor's Guide, 1/6/04 - "Statistical analyses revealed a significant inverse association between magnesium intake and risk of type 2 diabetes"
  • Magnesium Lowers Type 2 Diabetes Risk - WebMD, 12/23/03
  • Dietary Magnesium May Help Prevent Development of Type 2 Diabetes - Medscape, 12/23/03 - "Magnesium-containing foods can prevent development of type 2 diabetes in both men and women ... Comparing the highest with the lowest quintile of total magnesium intake ... was 0.66 ... in women and 0.67 in men"
  • Does taking extra magnesium help prevent heart disease? - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 11/03
  • Magnesium Deficiency Associated with Insulin-Resistance Syndrome - New Hope Natural Media, 6/12/03
  • Magnesium Beneficial for Urinary Urge Incontinence - New Hope Natural Media, 3/20/03
  • Magnesium Plus Albuterol More Effective Than Albuterol Alone in Asthma - Medscape, 10/21/02
  • Low Dietary Magnesium Changes Cardiac Rhythm - Doctor's Guide, 3/4/02 - "Low intakes of dietary magnesium may increase supraventricular ectopy ... people who live in areas with soft water, who use diuretics, or who are predisposed to magnesium loss may need to take in more dietary magnesium than others ... Magnesium is central to a variety of cellular mechanisms that control activity of muscle and nerve cells. Cardiac muscle seems to have been more sensitive to this intake than was skeletal muscle ... They point out some women may habitually eat a diet similar to the one in this study and for long periods of time"
  • Magnesium Abnormalities Key In Dermatomyositis? - Doctor's Guide, 2/27/02
  • Adequate Magnesium Intake Reduces Risk For Cardiovascular Disease Type 1 Diabetics - Doctor's Guide, 1/18/02
  • Magnesium Shows Promise for Thrombolysis-ineligible Cardiac Patients - Doctor's Guide, 11/14/01
  • Got Magnesium? Those With Heart Disease Should - WebMD, 11/9/00 - "Similar magnesium supplements are available over-the-counter in the U.S., but they might not provide similar benefits. "The product we used is from Germany, where supplements of this kind are regulated and quality is monitored," Merz says. "Because that is not the case in the U.S., it is impossible to know what you are getting in a supplement, or even whether it contains any magnesium at all.""
  • More Than Half of All Women Report: 'We're Stressed!', Experts Say Diet, Supplements May Be the Answer - WebMD, 6/2/00 - ""Stress affects nutrient needs by reducing absorption, increasing excretion, [and] altering how the body uses -- or increasing the daily requirements for -- certain nutrients," she says. For example, the body releases stress hormones, such as cortisol, during stressful times, and these stress hormones deplete your body's supply of magnesium -- an element that plays a role the body's use of energy."
  • Low Magnesium Levels May Strongly Foreshadow Diabetes Development in Whites - WebMD, 10/18/99
  • Potassium-Magnesium Citrate Effective In Correcting Thiazide-Induced Side Effects - Doctor's Guide, 11/13/98

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