Guest guest Posted January 28, 2004 Report Share Posted January 28, 2004 Tue, 27 Jan 2004 12:01:43 -0500 HSI - Jenny Thompson Most Valuable Neurons Most Valuable Neurons Health Sciences Institute e-Alert January 27, 2004 ************************************************************** Dear Reader, The causes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) may continue to be debated for many years to come. But two recent studies remind us that whatever the specific causes of this disease turn out to be, there are supplements you can take today that may dramatically reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's. ----------------------------- Block those radicals ----------------------------- We already know that antioxidants are essential to protecting brain neurons, which are particularly sensitive to free radical damage. And because neuron deterioration is thought to be at least partly responsible for Alzheimer's disease, a research team headed up by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health set out to determine what effects the antioxidant vitamins E and C might have on Alzheimer's risk. The researchers used data collected from a large Alzheimer's study conducted in northern Utah from 1996 to 1997, with an additional three-year follow-up period. In a group of more than 4,700 subjects, age 65 or older, 304 cases of AD were identified. Because detailed information on vitamin supplement use was recorded for each subject, the researchers were able to reach several revealing conclusions: * Use of vitamin E and C supplements in combination was associated with a significantly reduced risk of AD * Use of vitamin E supplements along with multivitamins containing vitamin C also reduced AD risk * No protective effect was found with the use of either E or C alone, or with multivitamins alone As most HSI members are probably aware, typical multivitamins don't contain much more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamins E and C, and in both cases the RDA is very low: only 15 IU for vitamin E, and 60 mg for vitamin C. Individual supplements of both vitamins tend to be quite a bit higher, which would help to account for the effectiveness of the vitamins taken alone as opposed to the smaller amounts in multivitamins. The authors of the study recommend a prevention trial, using a combination of vitamins C and E, and hopefully such a trial will use significant doses of each vitamin. In 2000, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences (the primary U.S. authority for nutritional recommendations) set the safe daily upper limit for vitamin C at 2,000 mg, and 1,000 IU for vitamin E. ----------------------------- Half the risk ----------------------------- In the e-Alert " Mercury Rising " (4/25/02) I told you about a Canadian study that found Alzheimer's patients and elderly patients with various types of dementia all had lower levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; an omega-3 fatty acid) than subjects with normal cognitive functioning. A new study from Tufts University also examines the relationship of DHA to Alzheimer's. Researchers analyzed ten years of data taken from more than 1,100 elderly men and women who had participated in the Framingham Heart Study. The impressive results showed that those who had high levels of DHA and who also ate about three fish meals each week, had a 48 percent reduction of AD risk. But the researchers cautioned that a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids (primarily from processed foods) could interfere with the potential benefits. ----------------------------- How do you like your fish? ----------------------------- Getting DHA from fish provides other benefits as well. In the e-Alert " Oil Rich " (9/25/03) I told you how dietary sources like walnuts and flaxseed deliver omega-3 fatty acids, but only fish contains both DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). When combined, these two essential fatty acids have been shown to help prevent depression, as well as heart disease, arthritis, influenza, hyperactivity, and even some forms of cancer. For those who don't feel comfortable eating fish for fear of mercury or other toxins, fish oil and cod liver oil supplements are also good sources of omega-3 EPA/DHA. Natural medical physician Dr. Joseph Mercola suggests that because of cod liver oil's high vitamin D content, it should be taken during the autumn and winter months, and in northern and southern latitudes where the body's vitamin D production from sunshine is diminished. During the summer, or for those who live near the equator, Dr. Mercola recommends fish oil supplements in order to avoid an excess of vitamin D. ----------------------------- Captain's platter ----------------------------- Baked or broiled fish for dinner, followed with supplements of vitamins E and C. What could be simpler? Someday that may be the accepted preventive treatment for middle-aged people who want to avoid Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia as they grow older and wiser. ************************************************************** To start receiving your own copy of the HSI e-Alert, visit: http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealert/freecopy.html Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive their own copy of the HSI e-Alert. ************************************************************** ... and another thing It's a classic She said / He said. The " she " is Marian Burros, a reporter for the New York Times, who wrote an article about the Atkins diet last week. The article implied that the folks at Atkins are changing their message to advise dieters who use their plan to limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat intake. The " he " is Paul D. Wolff, chief executive of Atkins Nutritionals. In response to the Times article, a message titled " Atkins Has Not Changed " was posted on the Atkins web site, stating that these " basic tenets " of the Atkins approach have remained consistent for more than 30 years: avoid refined carbohydrates and consume a variety of protein sources. Ms. Burroughs has some quibbles with what she sees as a mixed message that the Atkins organization has put out, but she does acknowledge that in " Atkins for Life " (the most recent Atkins book), Dr. Atkins is quoted as saying, " You should always eat a balance of different types of natural fat. " That comment is completely out of line with the media's portrayal of the Atkins diet. Invariably, when television news delivers reports about Atkins, you'll see shots of bacon frying and steaks grilling, while a voice-over states that Atkins dieters can eat all the greasy high-fat foods they want. You can't blame viewers for interpreting this as an invitation to an all-you-can-eat meat marathon; as if Atkins encourages dieters to gorge on beef until they're stuffed to the gills. The fact is, on the Atkins diet you don't HAVE to eat any red meat at all. And no one makes you eat a daily pound of bacon. Following Atkins, you can get your protein from chicken and fish, and there are plenty of low-glycemic vegetables and fruits that are allowed as well. I'm not trying to convince anyone to use the Atkins plan. As with any diet, Atkins is right for some and not right for others. But the television image of the Atkins diet as an unbalanced, gluttony of nothing but red meat is way off the mark. And once again, the New York Times has the picture wrong. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute ************************************************************** Sources: " Reduced Risk of Alzheimer Disease in Users of Antioxidant Vitamin Supplements " Archives of Neurology, Vol. 61, No. 1, January 2004, archneur.ama-assn.org " Vitamins C, E Linked to Strong Reduction in Alzheimer's Risk " NutraIngredients.com, 1/20/04, nutraingredients.com " Plasma Phosphatidylcholine (PC) Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), Fish Intake and Risk of Dementia " American Heart Association, Scientific Sessions 2003, 11/9 - 11/12/03, abstractsonline.com " Omega-3 Linked to Reduced Alzheimer's Risk, Again " NutraIngredients.com, 11/18/03, nutraingredients.com " Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters " Marian Burros, the New York Times, 1/18/04, nytimes.com " Atkins Has Not Changed " Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., atkins.com Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C. 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