Guest guest Posted September 29, 2003 Report Share Posted September 29, 2003 Mon, 29 Sep 2003 07:23:24 -0500 HSI - Jenny Thompson Thanks for the Memories Thanks for the Memories Health Sciences Institute e-Alert September 29, 2003 ************************************************************** Dear Reader, President Ronald Regan is perhaps the world's most well known Alzheimer's disease patient. Here's a man, famous for his vigor and vitality during those years well beyond what we think of as " retirement " age. And yet, sadly, over the past decade, he's virtually disappeared from public life. During that decade, the number of Alzheimer's patients has jumped at such an alarming rate that the Alzheimer's Association (AA) now predicts that in less than 25 years, as many as 22 million people will be diagnosed with the disease worldwide. HSI has taken a special interest in Alzheimer's disease because we believe there are natural ways to help prevent this epidemic from ever reaching those numbers predicted by the AA. In the past I've promised to keep you abreast of new developments in the research of Alzheimer's prevention, and I've just found a study that confirms the importance of a specific set of nutrients that every person who's reached middle age needs to be aware of. ----------------------------- California recall ----------------------------- As we've seen in previous studies, elevated levels of the amino acid homocysteine have been linked with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Considerable research has also demonstrated that foods and supplements rich in vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid help reduce homocysteine levels. Knowing this, a team of researchers from the University of California (UC) evaluated the relationship of plasma homocysteine concentration and cognitive function of more than 1,700 subjects over the age of 60, all of whom were enrolled in the Sacremento Area Latino Study on Aging. The researchers used a variety of neuropsychological tests specifically designed to study cognitive functions of older people. They also had access to data from blood samples, nutrient intake information, and demographic variables. After analyzing the cognitive function results against the other data, the UC team found a " modest " association between elevated homocysteine levels and indicators for cognitive decline. They also concluded that the use of B vitamin supplements may provide some protection against cognitive decline among the elderly. Although these results aren't what you'd call dramatically significant, when compared with other, more conclusive research, the UC study provides confirmation of the existing evidence that B vitamins do in fact provide a measure of prevention against Alzheimer's. ----------------------------- Years of study ----------------------------- Longtime HSI members will recall that we revealed the association between Alzheimer's and elevated homocysteine levels more than a year before it became a hot topic in the mainstream medical journals. In both e-Alerts and Members Alerts we've reported the following test results: * 1996 - A study of elderly Americans, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), found that those with high homocysteine levels performed poorly on cognitive tests compared with those who had low homocysteine levels. Low levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid were also associated with low cognitive test scores. * 1997 - A 6-year study, (also reported in AJCN) found that subjects who supplemented with vitamins B6 and B12 performed better on cognitive tests, including recall ability. * 2002 - A study of more than 1,000 participants in the Framingham Heart Study showed that subjects who had elevated homocysteine levels but no cognitive problems in 1992 were more likely to have an onset of dementia eight years later. There are many more examples, but you get the picture. We continue to see more and more evidence in different types of trials that certain B vitamins are effective in lowering homocysteine levels, and helping to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's and other forms of age-related dementia. And of course, any discussion of homocysteine would be incomplete without mentioning that elevated homocysteine levels have also been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, and Parkinson's disease. ----------------------------- Strong to the " finich " ----------------------------- When homocysteine is not properly metabolized, levels of the amino acid rise. But nutrients such as vitamins B6, B12, and folate help metabolize homocysteine. These nutrients are found in dietary sources such as asparagus, lentils, chickpeas, most varieties of beans, and especially spinach and other leafy green vegetables. But many people don't absorb B vitamins well, so in addition to these food sources, a B vitamin supplement is often required to lower homocysteine levels. And according to several studies, supplements of the antioxidant amino acid N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may also lower homocysteine levels. In 2001 we reported on one study that showed how NAC improved cognitive function in patients with probable Alzheimer's Disease. The 24-week study of 47 subjects revealed that those participants who took NAC showed improvement in nearly every outcome measure, without experiencing any negative side effects. ----------------------------- Tell a friend ----------------------------- The next time your doctor takes a blood sample, ask about your homocysteine level and discuss this important issue. (Most doctors consider any level over12 micromoles per liter to be an elevated homocysteine level.) And if you know someone who has concerns about preventing Alzheimer's and other age-related dementia, please help me on this mission to get the word out. Share this e-Alert with friends and let them know that lowering homocysteine today could make an important difference in the quality of their lives during the coming years. http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ea2003/ea_030929_p.shtml ************************************************************** ... and another thing The sales drive is on! The drive to get people to line up for flu shots, that is. But this year there's a little twist. In " Nose Candy " (7/8/03), I told you about a brand new way to get the flu vaccine: A squirt up the nose. FluMist is the name of this new delivery system. The idea, of course, is to provide a pain-free alternative to a needle in the arm. But before you call your doctor to schedule a snort of FluMist, there are a few things you need to know. 1) It's expensive. At $46 per dose, it's more than twice as expensive as a normal flu shot. 2) Your insurance might not cover it because a typical flu shot usually costs only $15 - $20. 3) Kids aged 5-8 years (the very age group that hates needles the most) are advised to get two doses of FluMist to be effective. Total cost: Over $90 (not counting the cost of the doctor visits). 4) The FDA hasn't approved FluMist for kids under 5 years of age because trials have shown it increases the risk of asthma attacks for that age group. 5) The FDA hasn't approved FluMist for adults over 50 because trials have shown it's neither safe nor effective for that age group. 6) For people between 5 and 50, typical side effects of FluMist include sore throat, coughing, nasal congestion, and runny nose. (So FluMist may prevent the flu, but you might feel like you have it anyway.) 7) Clinical trials show that it's only effective in half the people who take it. 8) Unlike traditional flu vaccines (which use dead flu viruses), FluMist will contain three live flu viruses. That's right: 3 strains of living flu virus squirted directly into your head. But don't worry. The viruses have been " modified " so they won't grow at body temperature. That's how manufacturers (MedImmune/Wyeth) described the process last summer. Now they're describing the viruses as being " killed. " Whatever! 9) (I saved the best for last) FluMist should only be taken by healthy people because people with compromised immune systems may have negative reactions. In other words, those people who need a vaccine the LEAST (healthy people with uncompromised immune systems) are the only ones the vaccine has been approved for. Nine strikes and... yer OUT! Can you imagine if an herbal product was introduced to the market with all those drawbacks? The mainstream medical press would be in an uproar! Meanwhile, as I said, the sales drive for FluMist (and the flu vaccine in general) is in full gear. According to a report from KABC in Los Angeles, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging people to get vaccinations because they fear a possible winter return of the SARS virus. WHO officials admit that the flu shot won't prevent SARS. But they reason that that keeping the cases of flu low will decrease the chance that doctors might mistake a case of flu for SARS. That seems like paper-thin logic to me, but if it's the best you've got, I guess you have to go with it. A little more fear is added to the flu vaccine sales pitch by Dr. William Schaffner, an official with the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Noting that the last two flu seasons have been mild, Dr. Schaffner warns that it would be " very unusual to have three mild seasons in a row. " Dr. S. is a big fan of the flu shot. He told KABC that he hopes in 10 years " we are recommending annual influenza immunization for everybody. " Contrast that statement with this e-mail I received from an HSI member named Leo last week: " Just want you to know that my wife and I took the flu shot in Nov. 02. She had a very bad reaction to the shot. Called the doctor and they told me, 'There's nothing we can do for that.' Great, they can make it but if you get sick you must stay alive for 5 to 6 months so the body can get rid of it. She was a very sick person. We will never take another flu shot. " Ten strikes and... yer OUT! To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute ************************************************************** Sources: " Homocysteine and cognitive function in the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging " American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 78, No. 3, 441-447, September 2003, ajcn.org " Vitamin to Reduce Homocysteine may Help Cognition " NutraIngredients.com, 9/24/03, nutraingredients.com " Doctors Say Pain-Free FluMist Vaccine Not Best For Everyone " Associated Press, 12/17/02, ap.org " Spray Vaccine for Flu Wins FDA Clearance " Washington Post, 6/17/03, " Nasal Mist Flu Vaccine Approved " Michael Smith, M.D., WebMD, webmd.lycos.com " Beat the Flu This Year With Nasal Spray " KABC Los Angeles, 9/24/03, abclocal.go.com Copyright ©1997-2003 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C. 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