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Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 9/8/10. You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Coffee may protect against DNA damage: Study - Nutra USA, 9/7/10 - "coffee is one of the richest sources of polyphenols in the Western diet, with one cup of the stuff providing 350 milligrams of phenolics. Of these, the most abundant compounds coffee are chlorogenic acids, making up to 12 per cent of the green coffee bean. The most abundant of these compounds is caffeic acid ... The subjects were assigned to drink either 800 ml coffee or water daily for five days. Various measures of DNA damage were used ... At the end of the study, a reduction in DNA damage, as measured by a reduction in the formation of oxidised purines of 12.3 percent was observed in the coffee drinkers" -  [Abstract]

New robotic head and neck cancer surgery preserves speech, without scarring, study shows - Science Daily, 9/7/10 - "TORS allows surgeons to completely remove tumors of the head and neck while preserving speech, swallowing, and other key quality of life issues such as eating. There also is no visible scaring or disfigurement"

There have been several recent studies showing that chocolate can reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure risks by as much as 48%, 37% and 33%, respectively. I’ve been ignoring the studies because of the high fat and sugar content in most chocolate products. However Lindt makes chocolate bars that are 90% and 99% chocolate. A reader sent me an email illustrating how much of the 90% bar is optimum. He gave me permission to publish it (click here, it's in the .pdf format). Things get worse again if you go higher than that but I suspect the reason for that is that the studies were done with the high sugar and fat chocolate usually sold in most stores. That shouldn’t be a problem with the 90% and 99% chocolate product.  Plus the low saturated fat in the 90% and 99% products shouldn't be a problem.  See:

Dental sealants temporarily raise BPA levels - USA Today, 9/6/10 - "BPA levels in saliva can spike to 88 times higher than normal immediately after a dental sealing"

Inflammation is associated with lower intelligence and premature death - Science Daily, 9/6/10 - "with low-grade inflammation performed more poorly on standardised intelligence tests, even after excluding those with signs of current illness. Inflammation also predicted an increased risk of premature death ... This suggests that even low levels of inflammation can have detrimental consequences for health and brain function ... it is the largest study to date to show that low-grade inflammation in young adulthood is associated with intelligence and mortality" - Note: It's just a coincidence that my health focus this week was "inflammation" as that was selected before this article was published as people who read the "under construction" version know.

In Feast of Data on BPA Plastic, No Final Answer - New York Times, 9/6/10 - "The mountains of data produced so far show conflicting results as to whether BPA is dangerous, in part because different laboratories have studied the chemical in different ways. Animal strains, doses, methods of exposure and the results being measured — as crude as body weight or as delicate as gene expression in the brain — have all varied, making it difficult or impossible to reconcile the findings. In science, no experiment is taken seriously unless other researchers can reproduce it, and difficulties in matching BPA studies have led to fireworks ... In people, the most notorious example of an endocrine disruptor is the drug diethylstilbestrol, or DES, which was given to pregnant women in the 1950s in the mistaken belief that it could prevent miscarriage. The drug turned out to be a disaster, causing vaginal cancers and reproductive problems in some of the women’s daughters, and abnormalities in the reproductive organs in some sons. But DES is a far stronger estrogen mimic than is BPA, and women were exposed to much higher levels of it ... “I could see there was some consistent data,” Dr. Prins said. “I started thinking, ‘Hmm, maybe there could be something there.’ It was still curious to me. This is not a regular toxicant. It’s acting like a hormone, and hormones can act at extremely low doses. If you think the dose makes the poison, it doesn’t make sense. But if you think about it as a hormone — and I’m an endocrinologist — it does make sense.”"

'Jailbreak' bacteria can trigger heart disease - Science Daily, 9/5/10 - "Poor dental hygiene can lead to bleeding gums, providing bacteria with an escape route into the bloodstream, where they can initiate blood clots leading to heart disease"

Hair provides proof of the link between chronic stress and heart attack - Science Daily, 9/3/10 - "Cortisol is considered to be a stress hormone. Its secretion is increased during times of stress. Traditionally it's been measured in serum, urine and saliva, but that only shows stress at the time of measurement, not over longer periods of time. Cortisol is also captured in the hair shaft"

Green tea may protect DNA from damage: Human study - Nutra USA, 9/3/10 - "Analysis of these bodily fluids showed a 20 percent reduction in DNA damage, measured using the formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg) enzyme-assisted comet assay" - [Abstract] - See green tea extract at Amazon.com.

Metformin Might Prevent Colorectal, Lung Cancers - Medscape, 9/3/10 - "The chance observation that diabetes patients taking metformin have a 40% reduced risk for cancer triggered intense research interest in this old off-patent drug ... After about 10% of the mouse lifespan — about 12 weeks — with the highest dose in the drinking water, we found a 33% reduction in tumor multiplicity and a 34% reduction in tumor size in the mice. In mice that did not get metformin, 100% got tobacco carcinogen-induced lung tumors ... metformin might prevent tumors by reducing levels of insulin and IGF-1" - See my Insulin and Aging page.  There are a lot of studies pointing toward insulin being a major cause of aging and caner.  See metformin at The Antiaging Store.

Long term use of oral bisphosphonates may double risk of esophageal cancer, study finds - Science Daily, 9/2/10 - "Typically, oesophageal cancer develops in one per 1000 people at age 60-79 over five years. Based on their findings, the authors estimate that with five years' use of oral bisphosphonates this would increase to two cases per 1000 people taking bisphosphonates over five years"

Why fish oils work swimmingly against inflammation and diabetes - Science Daily, 9/2/10 - "Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified the molecular mechanism that makes omega-3 fatty acids so effective in reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance ... omega-3 fatty acids activate this macrophage receptor, resulting in broad anti-inflammatory effects and improved systemic insulin sensitivity ... It's just an incredibly potent effect ... omega-3 fatty acids switch on the receptor, killing the inflammatory response" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

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):

Impact of paper filtered coffee on oxidative DNA-damage: Results of a clinical trial - Mutat Res. 2010 Aug 13 - "consumed 800ml coffee or water daily over 5 days ... The extent of DNA-migration attributable to formation of oxidised purines (formamidopyrimidine glycosylase sensitive sites) was decreased after coffee intake by 12.3%"

Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin d concentration and risk of incident type 2 diabetes in women - Diabetes Care. 2010 Sep;33(9):2021-3 - "After adjusting for matching factors and diabetes risk factors, including BMI, higher levels of plasma 25-OHD were associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes. The odds ratio for incident type 2 diabetes in the top (median 25-OHD, 33.4 ng/ml) versus the bottom (median 25-OHD, 14.4 ng/ml) quartile was 0.52 (95% CI 0.33-0.83). The associations were consistent across subgroups of baseline BMI, age, and calcium intake" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Magnesium Intake in Relation to Systemic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, and the Incidence of Diabetes - Diabetes Care. 2010 Aug 31 - "During 20-year follow-up, 330 incident diabetic cases were identified. Magnesium intake was inversely associated with incidence of diabetes after adjustment for potential confounders. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio of diabetes for participants in the highest quintile of magnesium intake was 0.53 (95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.86; P(trend)<0.01) compared with those in the lowest quintile. Consistently, magnesium intake was significantly inversely associated with hs-CRP, IL-6, fibrinogen, and HOMA-IR; and serum magnesium levels were inversely correlated with hs-CRP and HOMA-IR" - See magnesium supplements at Amazon.com.

Long-Term Effects of Prenatal Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake on Visual Function in School-Age Children - J Pediatr. 2010 Aug 25 - "This study demonstrates beneficial effects of DHA intake during gestation on visual system function at school age. DHA is particularly important for the early development and long-term function of the visual parvocellular pathway" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Oral vitamin D replacement is effective in chronic liver disease Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2010 Aug 27 - "25[OH]D was suboptimal in 101/158 (64%), including severe deficiency in 24 patients (15%). Vitamin D deficiency occurred in liver disease of all aetiologies, including patients with only mild liver disease. 25[OH]D increased by 60.0% (19.11+/-13.20nmol/l) in patients with deficiency after vitamin D replacement and decreased by 25.2% (-18.33+/-12.02nmol/l) in non-treated initially replete patients over a median of 4 months ... CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency improves with oral vitamin D supplementation and levels fall without supplementation. Chronic liver disease patients are at very high risk of vitamin D deficiency regardless of etiology or severity" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Selenium and the Thyroid: A Close-Knit Connection - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Sep 1 - "Maintenance of "selenostasis" via optimal intake not only aids preservation of general health but also contributes substantially to the prevention of thyroid disease" - See selenium at Amazon.com.

Metabolic Syndrome, Its Components, and Mortality in the Elderly - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Sep 1 - "After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, health behaviors, and health status, a 50% increased risk for all-cause mortality was observed in participants with MetS at baseline compared with those without, with a hazard ratio of 1.54 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.24-1.92]. Elevated fasting blood glucose, high triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were the major contributors to this association, acting synergistically on mortality risk. For coronary heart disease mortality and cancer mortality, the hazard ratios associated with MetS were 2.21 (95% CI = 1.07-4.55) and 1.49 (95% CI = 1.04-2.14), respectively. Conclusions: By showing that an elevated fasting blood glucose potentiates the excess mortality risk associated with lipid abnormality, our study supports the status of MetS as a risk factor for mortality in the elderly. Our findings emphasize the importance of MetS screening and managing dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia in older persons in general practice"

Selenium and Bladder Cancer Risk: a Meta-analysis - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Aug 31 - "Overall, the risk of bladder cancer was inversely associated with elevated levels of selenium according to a random-effects model (mOR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42-0.87). The mORs were 0.95 (95% CI, 0.69-1.27) and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.32-0.95) among men and women, respectively"

Plasma vitamins B2, B6, B12, and related genetic variants as predictors of colorectal cancer risk - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Sep 2 - "Relative risks (RRs) ... Adjusted RRs comparing the highest to lowest quintile (95% confidence interval, Ptrend) were: 0.71 (0.56-0.91, 0.02) for vitamin B2, 0.68 (0.53-0.87, <0.001) for vitamin B6, and 1.02 (0.80-1.29, 0.19) for vitamin B12. The associations for vitamin B6 were stronger in males who consumed >/=30g alcohol/day. The polymorphisms were not associated with CRC ... CONCLUSIONS: Results from this large European cohort study show that higher plasma concentrations of vitamins B2 and B6 are associated with a lower CRC risk"

Genoprotective effects of green tea ( Camellia sinensis) in human subjects - Br J Nutr. 2010 Sep 1:1-8 - "In vitro testing results of tea-treated cells showed increased (P < 0.05) resistance of DNA to the challenge. In the supplementation trial, a significant (P < 0.05) increase in resistance was also observed. Furthermore, the FPg comet data showed >20 % decrease in DNA damage with tea supplementation: mean and standard deviation changes in %DNA in comet tail in the Fpg-assisted comet assay were: - 5.96 (sd 3.83) % after Longjing tea; - 6.22 (sd 3.34) % after screw-shaped tea; +0.91 (sd 5.79) % after water (P < 0.05). No significant changes in urine 8-oxodG were seen. The results indicate that green tea has significant genoprotective effects and provide evidence for green tea as a 'functional food'" - See green tea extract at Amazon.com.

Higher Blood Pressure Is Associated With Higher Handgrip Strength in the Oldest Old - Am J Hypertens. 2010 Sep 2 - "In middle-aged subjects, BP and handgrip strength were not statistically significantly associated. In oldest old subjects, higher systolic BP (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure (PP) were associated with higher handgrip strength after adjusting for comorbidity and medication use (all P < 0.02). Furthermore, in oldest old subjects, changes in SBP, MAP, and PP after 4 years was associated with declining handgrip strength"

Effects of myo-inositol supplementation in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome: a perspective, randomized, placebo-controlled study - Menopause. 2010 Aug 31 - "Myo-inositol plus diet improved systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HOMA index, cholesterol, and triglyceride serum levels with highly significant differences, compared with the groups treated only with diet and placebo. In the group treated with myo-inositol, a decrease in diastolic blood pressure (-11%), HOMA index (-75%), and serum triglycerides (-20%) and an improvement in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (22%) were shown ... CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with myo-inositol may be considered a reliable option in the treatment of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women" - Note:  See raysahelian.com/inositol.html  and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inositol which claim myo-inositol and inositol are the same.  See inositol products at iHerb.

Intake of wholegrain products and risk of colorectal cancers in the Diet, Cancer and Health cohort study - Br J Cancer. 2010 Aug 24;103(5):730-4 - "wholegrain (WG) products ... Higher WG product intake was associated with lower risk of colon cancer and rectal cancer in men. The adjusted IRR (95% CI) was 0.85 (0.77-0.94) for colon cancer and 0.90 (0.80-1.01) for rectal cancer per daily 50 g increment in intake. For colon cancer the association was confined to intake of WG bread in particular. No consistent associations between total or individual WG product consumption and colon or rectal cancer risk were observed in women"

Coffee and the liver: a potential treatment for liver disease? - Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Aug 26 - "Several studies consistently show that coffee drinkers have a reduced risk of abnormal liver function tests, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. There is a clear dose response to this benefit"

Intake of marine n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and risk for epilepsy in the offspring: A population-based cohort study - Epilepsy Res. 2010 Aug 24 - "Children born to mothers in the lowest (IRR=1.28, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.67) and highest (IRR=1.33, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.74) quintile of n-3 LCPUFA intake had an increased risk of epilepsy after adjustment for potential confounders compared to children born to mothers with an average intake ... Maternal deficiency of n-3 LCPUFA and a high intake of n-3 LCPUFA perhaps related to a high consumption of contaminated fish may be associated with an increased risk of epilepsy in early childhood" - Note: See my Toxins in fish oil/fish page. Contamination with the higher end omega-3 supplements has not been a problem.  Stick with brand names.  - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Effects of transdermal testosterone on bone and muscle in older men with low bioavailable testosterone levels, low bone mass, and physical frailty - J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010 Jun 1;58(6):1134-43 - "BMD on testosterone increased 1.4% at the femoral neck and 3.2% at the lumbar spine (P=.005) and decreased 1.3% at the mid-radius (P<.001). There was an increase in lean mass and a decrease in fat mass in the testosterone group but no differences in strength or physical performance. There were no differences in safety parameters ... CONCLUSION: Older, frail men receiving testosterone replacement increased testosterone levels and had favorable changes in body composition, modest changes in axial BMD, and no substantial changes in physical function"

Neat Tech Stuff / "How To's":

This is the new model announced 8/30/10:

  

Health Focus (Inflammation):

Related Topics:

Popular Medications:

Popular Supplements:

Alternative News:

  • Resveratrol differentially modulates inflammatory responses of microglia and astrocytes - J Neuroinflammation. 2010 Aug 17;7(1):46 - "These results suggest that murine microglia and astrocytes produce proinflammatory cytokines and NO in response to LPS in a similar pattern with some differences in signaling molecules involved, and further suggest that resveratrol exerts anti-inflammatory effects in microglia and astrocytes by inhibiting different proinflammatory cytokines and key signaling molecules" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.
  • Resveratrol’s anti-inflammatory power gets human data boost - Nutra USA, 8/3/10 - "The results demonstrated in the research are the first time that such findings have been seen in humans, but are consistent with potential antiatherogenic and antiaging effects of resvertatrol. Concluding that PCE “has a comprehensive suppressive effect on oxidative and inflammatory stress.”" -[Abstract] - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.
  • An Antiinflammatory and Reactive Oxygen Species Suppressive Effects of an Extract of Polygonum Cuspidatum Containing Resveratrol - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jun 9 - "The extract induced a significant reduction in reactive oxygen species generation, the expression of p47(phox), intranuclear nuclear factor-kappaB binding, and the expression of jun-N-terminal kinase-1, inhibitor of kappaB-kinase-beta, phosphotyrosine phosphatase-1B, and suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 in mononuclear cells when compared with the baseline and the placebo. PCE intake also suppressed plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and C-reactive protein. There was no change in these indices in the control group given placebo. Conclusions: The PCE-containing resveratrol has a comprehensive suppressive effect on oxidative and inflammatory stress" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.
  • Plant compound resveratrol shown to suppresses inflammation, free radicals in humans - Science Daily, 7/29/10 - "Resveratrol, a popular plant extract shown to prolong life in yeast and lower animals due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, appears also to suppress inflammation in humans ... resveratrol has been shown to prolong life and to reduce the rate of aging in yeast, roundworms and fruit flies, actions thought to be affected by increased expression of a particular gene associated with longevity ... The compound also is thought to play a role in insulin resistance as well, a condition related to oxidative stress, which has a significant detrimental effect on overall health ... resveratrol suppressed the generation of free radicals, or reactive oxygen species, unstable molecules known to cause oxidative stress and release proinflammatory factors into the blood stream, resulting in damage to the blood vessel lining ... Blood samples from persons taking resveratrol also showed suppression of the inflammatory protein tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and other similar compounds that increase inflammation in blood vessels and interfere with insulin action, causing insulin resistance and the risk of developing diabetes" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.
  • Cutting fat and calories can lower cancer risk in dogs and people - Science Daily, 7/22/10 - "As many as 1 out of 3 cancer deaths in both humans and dogs could be prevented by reducing Omega-6 fatty acids and cutting calories ... Omega-6, such as corn oil, vegetable oil and grain-fed red meat. Too much Omega-6 fatty acid can lead to inflammation, which creates an environment conducive to cancer in dogs and people ... obesity in both dogs and humans limits the production of adiponectin, a hormone that has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth. He recommended reducing calories, particularly those from sugar, which has the additional danger of not only causing obesity, but also feeding cancer cells and encouraging their growth ... the ideal blend of fiber for dog food is about 75 to 80 percent insoluble and 20 to 25 percent soluble. In addition, adding quality prebiotics to pet foods can enhance their gut health"
  • Natural substance NT-020 aids aging brains in rats, study finds - Science Daily, 7/20/10 - "Aging has been linked to oxidative stress, and we have previously shown that natural compounds made from blueberries, green tea, and amino acids, such as carnosine, are high in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activity .... The combination of these nutrients, called NT-020, creates a synergistic effect that promotes the proliferation of stem cells in the aged animals ... NT-020 may have not only a positive effect on the stem cell niche ... NT-020 may have far-reaching effects on organ function beyond the replacement of injured cells, as demonstrated by cognitive improvement in the NT-020 group"
  • Progesterone Leads To Inflammation, Scientists Find - Science Daily, 8/19/09 - "Exposure to progesterone in normal amounts and in normal circumstances causes inflammation, which promotes breast development ... exposure to progesterone in menopausal hormone therapy is known to increase breast cancer risk"
  • Effects of grape seed extract in Type 2 diabetic subjects at high cardiovascular risk: a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial examining metabolic markers, vascular tone, inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin sensitivity - Diabet Med. 2009 May;26(5):526-31 - "GSE significantly improved markers of inflammation and glycaemia and a sole marker of oxidative stress in obese Type 2 diabetic subjects at high risk of cardiovascular events over a 4-week period, which suggests it may have a therapeutic role in decreasing cardiovascular risk" - See grape seed extract at Amazon.com.
  • Scientists Uncork Potential Secret Of Red Wine's Health Benefits - Science Daily, 7/30/09 - "researchers administered an inflammatory agent to two groups of mice. One group was pretreated with resveratrol and the other group was not. The mice that were not pretreated with resveratrol experienced a strong inflammatory response, simulating disease in humans, while the group pretreated with resveratrol was protected from the inflammation. The scientists then examined the tissues of the mice to determine exactly how resveratrol was able to protect the mice from inflammation. They found that resveratrol used a one-two punch to stop inflammation in the mice by preventing the body from creating two different molecules known to trigger inflammation, sphingosine kinase and phospholipase D. This finding suggests that resveratrol may be harnessable as a treatment for inflammatory diseases and may also lead to entirely new resveratrol-based drugs that are even more effective" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.
  • Omega-3 fatty acid supplements improve the cardiovascular risk profile of subjects with metabolic syndrome, including markers of inflammation and auto-immunity - Acta Cardiol. 2009 Jun;64(3):321-7 - "were given 1 gram of fish oil as a single capsule, containing 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid daily for 6 months. Control subjects did not receive any supplementation over the same period. RESULTS: The study was completed by 47 subjects in the intervention group and 42 subjects in the control group. Treatment with omega 3 supplements was associated with a significant fall in body weight (P < 0.05), systolic blood pressures (P < 0.05), serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05), and total cholesterol (P < 0.05), triglycerides (P < 0.05), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P < 0.01), and Hsp27 antibody titres (P < 0.05). No significant changes were observed in the control group. CONCLUSION: It appears that omega 3 improves the cardiovascular risk profile of subjects with metabolic syndrome, having effects on weight, systolic blood pressure, lipid profile and markers of inflammation and autoimmunity" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Fish-oil supplementation induces antiinflammatory gene expression profiles in human blood mononuclear cells - Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jun 10 - "A high EPA+DHA intake changed the expression of 1040 genes, whereas HOSF intake changed the expression of only 298 genes. EPA+DHA intake resulted in a decreased expression of genes involved in inflammatory- and atherogenic-related pathways, such as nuclear transcription factor kappaB signaling, eicosanoid synthesis, scavenger receptor activity, adipogenesis, and hypoxia signaling. CONCLUSION: These results are the first to show that intake of EPA+DHA for 26 wk can alter the gene expression profiles of PBMCs to a more antiinflammatory and antiatherogenic status" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Omega Fatty Acid Balance Can Alter Immunity And Gene Expression - Science Daily, 5/29/09 - "Anthropological evidence suggests that human ancestors maintained a 2:1 w6/w3 ratio for much of history, but in Western countries today the ratio has spiked to as high as 10:1. Since these omega fatty acids can be converted into inflammatory molecules, this dietary change is believed to also disrupt the proper balance of pro- and anti- inflammatory agents, resulting in increased systemic inflammation and a higher incidence of problems including asthma, allergies, diabetes, and arthritis ... many key signaling genes that promote inflammation were markedly reduced compared to a normal diet, including a signaling gene for a protein called PI3K, a critical early step in autoimmune and allergic inflammation responses" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Associations of dietary long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish with biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial activation (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis [MESA]) - Am J Cardiol. 2009 May 1;103(9):1238-43 - "Long-chain n-3 PUFA intake was inversely associated with plasma concentrations of interleukin-6 (p = 0.01) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (p = 0.03) independent of age, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary variables. Nonfried fish consumption was inversely related to C-reactive protein (p = 0.045) and interleukin-6 (p <0.01) ... the results of this study suggest that the dietary intake of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and fish is inversely associated with concentrations of some biomarkers, reflecting lower levels of inflammation and endothelial activation. These results may partially explain the cardioprotective effects of fish consumption" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Vitamin D Deficiency Related To Increased Inflammation In Healthy Women - Science Daily, 4/8/09 - "75 percent of Americans do not get enough Vitamin D. Researchers have found that the deficiency may negatively impact immune function and cardiovascular health and increase cancer risk. Now, a University of Missouri nutritional sciences researcher has found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammation, a negative response of the immune system, in healthy women ... This may explain the vitamin's role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases, including heart disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis ... To improve vitamin D status and achieve its related health benefits, most people should get at least 1000 IU of vitamin D per day" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.
  • New Therapy Protects Lungs From Runaway Inflammation - Science Daily, 3/11/09
  • DHA Supplementation Decreases Serum C-Reactive Protein and Other Markers of Inflammation in Hypertriglyceridemic Men - J Nutr. 2009 Jan 21 - "DHA supplementation for 45 and 91 d decreased the number of circulating neutrophils by 11.7 and 10.5%, respectively (P < 0.05). It did not alter the circulating concentrations of other inflammatory markers tested within 45 d, but at 91 d it reduced (P < 0.05) concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) by 15%, interleukin-6 by 23%, and granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor by 21% and DHA increased the concentration of antiinflammatory matrix metalloproteinase-2 by 7%. The number of circulating neutrophils was positively associated with the weight percent (wt %) of 20:4(n-6) in RBC lipids, and negatively to the wt % of 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3). Concentrations of CRP and serum amyloid A were positively associated with the sum of SFA and negatively with the wt % of 18:1(n-9) and 17:0 in RBC lipids; CRP was also positively associated with the wt % of 20:2(n-6). The mean size of VLDL particles was positively associated with plasma concentrations of neutrophils and CRP. In conclusion, DHA may lessen the inflammatory response by altering blood lipids and their fatty acid composition" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Pine bark extract may help joints and hearts: Study - Nutra USA, 12/11/08 - "The decrease of systemic inflammatory markers, particularly CRP, suggests Pycnogenol properties may be potent enough to arrest the spread of inflammation from osteoarthritic joints to the whole organisms ... subjects received either two daily doses of 50 mg Pycnogenol or placebo for three months ... people receiving the pine bark extract experienced significant reductions in CRP levels from an average of 3.9 mg/L at the start of the study to 1.1 mg/L after three months. This is equivalent to a 71 per cent reduction ... Moreover, a reduction in the blood levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of 30 per cent was recorded" - See Pycnogenol at Amazon.com.
  • Vitamin E Shows Possible Promise In Easing Chronic Inflammation - Science Daily, 12/4/08 - "the larger take-home message of the study, published in the December issue of the journal Experimental Physiology, is that Vitamin E “may be beneficial in individuals with chronic inflammation, such as the elderly or patients with type II diabetes or chronic heart failure" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at Amazon.com.
  • Anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and plant sterols in hyperlipidemic individuals - Atherosclerosis. 2008 Sep 27 - "The combination of n-3 PUFA and plant sterols reduced several inflammatory markers. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was reduced by 39% (P=0.009), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by 10% (P=0.02), interleukin-6 (IL-6) by 10.7% (P=0.009), leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) by 29.5% (P=0.01) and adiponectin was increased by 29.5% (P=0.05). Overall cardiovascular risk was reduced by 22.6% (P=0.006) in the combination group. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated, for the first time that dietary intervention with n-3 PUFA and plant sterols reduces systemic inflammation in hyperlipidemic individuals. Furthermore, our results suggest that reducing inflammation provides a potential mechanism by which the combination of n-3 PUFA and plant sterols are cardioprotective" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
  • Loss Of Sleep, Even For A Single Night, Increases Inflammation In The Body - Science Daily, 9/2/08 - "losing sleep for even part of one night can trigger the key cellular pathway that produces tissue-damaging inflammation. The findings suggest a good night’s sleep can ease the risk of both heart disease and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis"
  • Common Cooking Spice Found In Curry Shows Promise In Combating Diabetes And Obesity - Science Daily, 6/20/08 - "turmeric-treated mice were less susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes, based on their blood glucose levels, and glucose and insulin tolerance tests. They also discovered that turmeric-fed obese mice showed significantly reduced inflammation in fat tissue and liver compared to controls. They speculate that curcumin, the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant ingredient in turmeric, lessens insulin resistance and prevents Type 2 diabetes in these mouse models by dampening the inflammatory response provoked by obesity" - See curcumin products at Amazon.com.
  • Failure To Bridle Inflammation Spurs Atherosclerosis - Science Daily, 6/18/08 - "When a person develops a sore or a boil, it erupts, drawing to it immune system cells that fight the infection. Then it resolves and flattens into the skin, often leaving behind a mark or a scar ... A similar scenario plays out in the blood vessels. However, when there is a defect in the resolution response -- the ability of blood vessels to recover from inflammation -- atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries can result ... Some natural mediators that 'cool' this inflammation are derived from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
  • Pomegranate extract may stop inflammation, says Bugs - Nutra USA, 6/13/08 - "COX-1 and COX-2 activity was significantly reduced in the pomegranate-fed animals, compared to control, particularly for COX-2. Indeed, COX-1 activity was reduced by about seven per cent following ingestion of the extract, while COX-2 activity decreased by about 26 per cent" - [Science Daily] - See pomegranate at Amazon.com.
  • Luteolin reduces IL-6 production in microglia by inhibiting JNK phosphorylation and activation of AP-1 - Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 May 19 - "Luteolin consumption reduced LPS-induced IL-6 in plasma 4 h after injection. Furthermore, luteolin decreased the induction of IL-6 mRNA by LPS in hippocampus but not in the cortex or cerebellum. Taken together, these data suggest luteolin inhibits LPS-induced IL-6 production in the brain by inhibiting the JNK signaling pathway and activation of AP-1 in microglia. Thus, luteolin may be useful for mitigating neuroinflammation" - See luteolin products at iHerb.
  • What Else May Probiotics Do In Adults? - Science Daily, 5/20/08 - "It was found that probiotics have an anti-inflammatory potential seen as a decrease in serum CRP levels and as a reduction in bacteria-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells"
  • Plant Flavonoid In Celery And Green Peppers Found To Reduce Inflammatory Response In The Brain - Science Daily, 5/20/08 - "The new study looked at luteolin (LOO-tee-OH-lin), a plant flavonoid known to impede the inflammatory response in several types of cells outside the central nervous system ... Those cells that were also exposed to luteolin showed a significantly diminished inflammatory response. Jang showed that luteolin was shutting down production of a key cytokine in the inflammatory pathway, interleukin-6 (IL-6). The effects of luteolin exposure were dramatic, resulting in as much as a 90 percent drop in IL-6 production in the LPS-treated cells ... Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 are very well known to inhibit certain types of learning and memory that are under the control of the hippocampus, and the hippocampus is also very vulnerable to the insults of aging ... If you had the potential to decrease the production of inflammatory cytokines in the brain you could potentially limit the cognitive deficits that result" - See luteolin at Amazon.com.
  • Diets With High Omega-6:Omega-3 Ratios Enhance Risk for Depression, Inflammatory Disease - Medscape, 4/25/08 - "Whereas the early hunter-gatherers had a dietary omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 2:1 to 3:1, this ratio is now 15:1 to 17:1 in North America today ... It is believed that these dietary changes might be related to increases in inflammatory-related diseases, including depression and cardiovascular disease ... at higher levels of depressive symptoms, as the omega-6:omega-3 ratio increased, there was a marked increase in proinflammatory cytokine levels ... compared with the study participants who did not have syndromal depression, the 6 participants who had depression had significantly higher omega-6:omega-3 ratios and higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
  • "Anti-Inflammatory" Diet Improves Postprandial Glucose, CV Health - Medscape, 1/23/08 - "Specific recommendations to improve postprandial glucose and triglycerides are as follows: ... Select high-fiber carbohydrates with low glycemic index, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and nuts ... At all 3 meals, consume lean protein"
  • Coffee consumption is associated with higher plasma adiponectin concentrations in women with and without type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study - Diabetes Care. 2007 Dec 10 - "High consumption of caffeine-containing coffee is associated with higher adiponectin and lower inflammatory marker concentrations"
  • Study gives vitamin K anti-inflammation boost - Nutra USA, 12/3/07 - "Limited in vitro data support the inverse association between vitamin K and interleukin-6, and this may influence the association between vitamin K and other cytokines, such as osteoprotegerin" - [Abstract] - See vitamin K at Amazon.com.
  • Vitamin K and Vitamin D Status: Associations with Inflammatory Markers in the Framingham Offspring Study - Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Nov 15 - "Vitamin K status, measured by plasma phylloquinone concentration and phylloquinone intake, was inversely associated with circulating inflammatory markers as a group and with several individual inflammatory biomarkers" - See vitamin K at Amazon.com.
  • Exercise May Play Role In Reducing Inflammation In Damaged Skin Tissue - Science Daily, 11/28/07 - "moderate exercise sped up how fast wounds heal in old mice ... the improved healing response “may be the result of an exercise-induced anti-inflammatory response in the wound.” ... Cytokines are molecules that signal and direct immune cells, such as macrophages, to the site of an infection ..."
  • Fitness Reduces Inflammation, Study Suggests - Science Daily, 7/6/07 - "the research “certainly suggests that fitness may be associated with a decrease in inflammation even independent of body fat and several things, and the mechanism may involve a parasympathetic anti-inflammatory reflex"
  • Diets With High Omega-6:Omega-3 Ratios Enhance Risk for Depression, Inflammatory Disease - Medscape, 4/26/07 - "Whereas the early hunter-gatherers had a dietary omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 2:1 to 3:1, this ratio is now 15:1 to 17:1 in North America today ... compared with the study participants who did not have syndromal depression, the 6 participants who had depression had significantly higher omega-6:omega-3 ratios and higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines"
  • Depressive Symptoms, omega-6:omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Inflammation in Older Adults - Psychosom Med. 2007 Mar 30 - "Diets with high n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios may enhance the risk for both depression and inflammatory diseases"
  • Soy Consumption, Markers of Inflammation, and Endothelial Function: A cross-over study in postmenopausal women with the metabolic syndrome - Diabetes Care. 2007 Apr;30(4):967-73 - "Short-term soy nut consumption reduced some markers of inflammation and increased plasma nitric oxide levels in postmenopausal women with the metabolic syndrome"
  • Natural Solutions for Inflammation - Dr. Murray's Natural Living, 5/23/06
  • Does Inflammation Cause Heart Disease? - Dr. Weil, 5/18/06
  • How to fight inflammation - MSNBC, 5/12/06 - "The intensity of this general inflammation can be measured by blood tests for markers like C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced by the liver during periods of inflammation ... People with increased levels of CRP seem to have a greater risk of heart disease from damage to their blood vessels ... Chronic inflammation may also be connected to cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon and liver"
  • MIT Research Links Cancer, Inflammatory Disease - Science Daily, 4/5/06 - "The studies uncovered a surprising link between inflammatory diseases and cancer that may change how these diseases are treated in the future"
  • Reducing inflammation is the key to a stronger ticker. Six practical steps - deliciouslivingmag.com, 2/06
  • Supplements to decrease inflammation - deliciouslivingmag.com, 2/06
  • Influencing Inflammation? - Dr. Weil, 11/3/05
  • Fish Help the Heart by Fighting Inflammation - WebMD, 7/5/05 - "compared with those who said they didn't eat fish, those who ate at least 10.5 ounces of fish per week had 33% lower C-reactive protein and 33% lower tumor necrosis factor-alpha (another indicator of inflammation) levels as well as much lower levels of other signs of inflammation"
  • Healthy Gums May Help Fight Alzheimer's - WebMD, 6/20/05 - "Brushing your teeth may be one of many ways to help keep your mind healthy and lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease"
  • Eating Oily Fish May Reduce Inflammation - Science Daily, 3/24/05 - "This research group recently identified a new class of aspirin-triggered bioactive lipids, called resolvins, the activity of which may in part explain the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids"
  • The dangers of inflammation - Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals, 2/05
  • Effect of CLA supplementation on immune function in young healthy volunteers - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jan 12 - "CLA supplementation also decreased the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta (P<0.05), but increased the levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 ... This is the first study to show that CLA, a fatty acid naturally found in dairy and meat products, can beneficially affect immune function in healthy human volunteers" - See iHerb or Vitacosticon CLA products.
  • Ease inflammation - Delicious Living, 11/04
  • Inflammation Syndrome a Red-Hot Topic - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 9/03 - "What are some of the key anti-inflammatory supplements? ... At the top of the list are omega-3 fish oils, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, an omega-6 fat that behaves more like an omega-3) and vitamin E. Several studies have shown that natural vitamin E supplements lower CRP levels by 30 percent to 50 percent"
  • Fish Oil Supplementation Reduces Severity of Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Elite Athletes - Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003 Aug 6 - "These data suggest that dietary fish oil supplementation has a markedly protective effect in suppressing EIB in elite athletes and this may be attributed to their anti-inflammatory properties"
  • Habitual Dietary Intake of n-3 and n-6 Fatty Acids in Relation to Inflammatory Markers Among US Men and Women - Circulation. 2003 Jun 23 - "These results suggest that n-6 fatty acids do not inhibit the antiinflammatory effects of n-3 fatty acids and that the combination of both types of fatty acids is associated with the lowest levels of inflammation. The inhibition of inflammatory cytokines may be one possible mechanism for the observed beneficial effects of these fatty acids on chronic inflammatory-related diseases" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com or Vitacosticon.
  • Eating to Ease Inflammation? - Dr. Weil, 5/7/03
  • Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plus Fish Oil Effective for Rheumatoid Arthritis - New Hope Natural Media, 5/1/03 - "An anti-inflammatory diet and fish oil supplements are both helpful for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but combining them has an even greater effect ... The anti-inflammatory diet improved joint pain, swelling, and overall ability to function by 14%, while the Western diet did not improve symptoms or functioning. Benefits were observed with the addition of fish oil, bringing total improvement to 17% in those eating a Western diet and 37% in those eating the anti-inflammatory diet. Furthermore, the need for anti-inflammatory medications was significantly reduced for those receiving fish oil on both diets, although the group eating the anti-inflammatory diet had greater medication reduction. Medication usage increased for those on the Western diet plus placebo"
  • 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 Vitacosticon l-arginine products.
  • Can Herbs Combat Inflammation? - Dr. Weil, 12/3/02 - "Take 400 to 600 milligrams of turmeric extracts (available in tablets or capsules) three times per day or as directed on the product label. Whole turmeric is more effective than isolated curcumin, its major constituent. Look for products standardized for 95% curcuminoids. Be patient: the full benefit takes two months to develop. Don’t use turmeric if you have gallstones or bile duct dysfunction"
  • Scientists Say Inflammation Even Worse For Heart Than Cholesterol - Intelihealth, 8/6/02
  • A Message from Dr. Cooper - Wellness Insider, 5/22/02 - "the higher the pulse pressure, the greater the risk of having an elevated CRP ... "the findings suggest that a wide pulse pressure is associated with higher levels of inflammation," and that inflammation is increasingly "being seen as a risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events." ... Several things are known to lower CRP, including aspirin, vitamin E, and statins (cholesterol lowering drugs). Unpublished data from The Cooper Institute has also shown that exercise lowers CRP ... Early data from the double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of Cooper Complete multivitamins is also showing a reduction of CRP"
  • Active Life Keeps Brain Healthy - WebMD, 5/21/02 - "An active lifestyle -- even if begun only in middle age -- spurs brain-cell growth and lowers risk of Alzheimer's disease ... In another study published in the same issue of the Annals of Neurology, researchers find that a particular chemical in the blood may be linked to Alzheimer's and other dementing diseases ... The chemical is called hs-CRP. It is a sign of inflammation -- the body's protective response to injury or infection"
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acid Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines In Heart Transplant Patients - Doctor's Guide, 4/11/02 - "gave 25 stable heart transplant patients two capsules of omega-3 fatty acid daily - each capsule contained 500 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ... The results suggest that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increased concentrations of the anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-10, from 119 to 268 pg/mL (p=0.00008). There were reductions in systemic levels of pro-inflammatory IL-12, from 473 to 376 pg/mL (p=0.001), and IL-6, from 695 to 569 pg/mL (p<0.0001)"
  • Soy Fights Pain - WebMD, 3/15/02
  • Weight Loss Eases Harmful Inflammation - WebMD, 2/4/02 - "They measured levels of a blood chemical called "C-reactive protein," or CRP. This chemical goes up when inflammation in the body rises. Then, 25 of the women were put on a weight-loss program ... On average, CRP levels fell by 32% after a weight loss of about 33 pounds over 14 months"
  • Chronic Inflammation, The Epidemic Disease of Aging - Life Extension Magazine, 1/02 - "Chronic inflammation inflicts devastating effects, especially as humans grow older. The pathological consequences of inflammation are fully documented in the medical literature. Regrettably, the dangers of systemic inflammation continue to be ignored, even though proven ways exist to reverse this process"
  • Inflammation and Heart Disease - Life Extension Magazine, 1/01
  • Diet and Exercise Alone Shown to Lower C-Reactive Protein - Doctor's Guide, 11/14/01 - "Hs-CRP, a marker of low level inflammation, has been found to be a strong predictor of myocardial infarction and stroke in men and women, as well as subsequent clinical events in patients following major cardiac events ... a structured program involving a low-fat, Mediterranean diet and a supervised, three-times weekly exercise program for three months ... Values of hs-CRP dropped 31 percent after the three months ... body fat was reduced by 5 percent ... exercise capacity improved 36 percent"
  • Robert Culp spies arthritis relief - USA Today, 7/20/01 - "MSM — sometimes called DMSO2 — is similar, but has an additional oxygen molecule and a few advantages over DMSO ... Unlike its parent, MSM does not produce a sweet, garlic-like odor in the user. While DMSO was used primarily as a topical lotion, its ability to permeate tissue also brought contaminants with it. Impure industrial-grade DMSO, not of a pharmceutical quality, became common. Although MSM is available in lotion form, it is more commonly taken orally ... The most common theory is that MSM relieves arthritic pain through anti-inflammatory processes, perhaps through stimulating the circulation of oxygen-rich blood ... Other experts theorize that DMSO and MSM may both owe their efficacy to rich organic sulfur compounds"
  • Vitamin E Works As Anti-Inflammatory Agent In Type II Diabetes - Doctor's Guide, 7/10/00
  • Scientists Discover How Aspirin Reduces Inflammation - Doctor's Guide, 11/4/98
  • Drug therapy of activated arthrosis. On the effectiveness of an enzyme mixture versus diclofenac - Medline, 1996 (I thought this study was interesting because it showed that Wobenzym® was as effective as diclofenac.  In another study, diclofenac was show to be as effective as Vioxx.  That said, it would make sense that Wobenzym should be as effective as Vioxx.)

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