Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 8/29/12.  You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Reducing the side effects of treatment for prostate cancer - Science Daily, 8/24/12 - "tamoxifen reduced the risk of both gynecomastia and breast pain at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of treatment compared to men who received no treatment. Overall, treatment with tamoxifen was more successful in reducing breast symptoms than treatment with an aromatase inhibitor (anastrazole) or radiotherapy" - Note:  They left out Femara (letrozole).

Adolescent pot use leaves lasting mental deficits; Developing brain susceptible to lasting damage from exposure to marijuana - Science Daily, 8/27/12 - "The persistent, dependent use of marijuana before age 18 has been shown to cause lasting harm to a person's intelligence, attention and memory ... individuals who started using cannabis in adolescence and used it for years afterward showed an average decline in IQ of 8 points when their age 13 and age 38 IQ tests were compared. Quitting pot did not appear to reverse the loss"

Normal weight individuals with belly fat at highest CVD risk - Science Daily, 8/27/12 - "The subjects with normal BMI but central obesity as defined by a high waist-to-hip ratio had the highest cardiovascular death risk and the highest death risk from all causes among the six subgroups. The risk of cardiovascular death was 2.75 times higher and the risk of death from all causes was 2.08 times higher in normal weight obese people as compared with subjects with normal BMI and normal waist-to-hip ratio ... The high risk of death may be related to a higher visceral fat accumulation in this group, which is associated with insulin resistance and other risk factors, the limited amount of fat located on the hips and legs, which is fat with presumed protective effects and to the relatively limited amount of muscle mass"

Light from self-luminous tablet computers can affect evening melatonin, delaying sleep - Science Daily, 8/27/12 - "To produce white light, these electronic devices must emit light at short wavelengths, which makes them potential sources for suppressing or delaying the onset of melatonin in the evening, reducing sleep duration and disrupting sleep. This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night owls ... Melatonin suppression after a one-hour exposure to the tablet was not significantly affected. However, after a two-hour exposure there was significant suppression" - See Source Naturals, Melatonin, 2.5 mg, Peppermint Flavored Sublingual, 60 Tablets.

Prostate cancer survival rates improved since introduction of PSA testing - Science Daily, 8/23/12 - "Median survival in trial S8494, which enrolled patients from 1985 to 1986, was 30 months, and median survival in trial S8894, which enrolled patients from 1989 to 1994, was 33 months. In contrast, median survival in trial S9346, which enrolled patients from 1995 to 2009, was 49 months. A 30% decreased risk of death was found in the most recent trial (S9346) from the previous trial (S8894)"

Men should shed excess weight before fathering children, study suggests - Science Daily, 8/22/12 - "a father's obesity negatively impacts sperm, resulting in smaller fetuses, poor pregnancy success and reduced placental development"

Antibiotic use in infants before six months associated with being overweight in childhood - Science Daily, 8/21/12 - "on average, children exposed to antibiotics from birth to 5 months of age weighed more for their height than children who weren't exposed. Between the ages of 10 to 20 months, this translated into small increases in body mass percentile, based on models that incorporated the potential impacts of diet, physical activity, and parental obesity. By 38 months of age, exposed children had a 22% greater likelihood of being overweight. However, the timing of exposure mattered: children exposed from 6 months to 14 months did not have significantly higher body mass than children who did not receive antibiotics in that same time period"

Brush your teeth! Dental health linked to dementia risk - MSNBC, 8/21/12 - "Inflammation stoked by gum disease-related bacteria is implicated in a host of conditions including heart disease, stroke and diabetes ... It's thought that gum disease bacteria might get into the brain, causing inflammation and brain damage ... followed 5,468 residents of a Californian retirement community from 1992 to 2010. Most people in the study were white, well-educated and relatively affluent. When the study began, participants ranged in age from 52 to 105, with an average age of 81 ... All were free of dementia at the outset, when they answered questions about their dental health habits, the condition of their teeth and whether they wore dentures ... followed up 18 years later ... Of 78 women who said they brushed their teeth less than once a day in 1992, 21 had dementia by 2010, or about one case per 3.7 women ... In comparison, among those who brushed at least once a day, closer to one in every 4.5 women developed dementia which translates to a 65-percent greater chance of dementia among those who brushed less than daily"

Acai counteracts oxidative stress, lengthens lifespan in fruit flies - Science Daily, 8/21/12 - "a commercially available acai berry product can lengthen the lives of fruit flies, when the flies' lives are made short through additional oxidative stress. Under certain conditions (a simple sugar diet) acai supplementation could triple flies' lifespans, from eight to 24 days. Acai could also counteract the neurotoxic effects of the herbicide paraquat on the flies ... Acai berries contain a variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, such as anthocyanins" - See acai berry products 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):

Resveratrol effects on astrocyte function: Relevance to neurodegenerative diseases - Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 Aug 14 - "Inflammatory molecules have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Resveratrol is an anti-fungal compound found in the skins of red grapes and other fruits and nuts. We examined the ability of resveratrol to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of inflammatory molecules from primary mouse astrocytes. Resveratrol inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO); the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), and IL-6; and the chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), which play critical roles in innate immunity, by astrocytes. Resveratrol also suppressed astrocyte production of IL-12p40 and IL-23, which are known to alter the phenotype of T cells involved in adaptive immunity. Finally resveratrol inhibited astrocyte production of C-reactive protein (CRP), which plays a role in a variety of chronic inflammatory disorders. Collectively, these studies suggest that resveratrol may be an effective therapeutic agent in neurodegenerative diseases initiated or maintained by inflammatory processes" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.

Soft drink, 100% fruit juice, and vegetable juice intakes and risk of diabetes mellitus - Clin Nutr. 2012 Aug 13 - "A total of 484 men and 340 women reported newly diagnosed diabetes during10 years. High soft drink intake was associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes in women but not men; odds ratio (95% CI) for women with almost daily consumption versus non-consumers was 2.10 (1.23-3.59; P-trend = 0.004) and 1.79 (1.11-2.89; P-trend = 0.01) at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The association was evident in overweight, highly educated and premenopausal women, and women with blue collar job. Intakes of 100% fruit juice and vegetable juice were not associated with risk of type 2 diabetes for either gender (P-trend >0.05)"

The importance of vitamins D and K for the bone health and immune function in inflammatory bowel disease - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2012 Aug 20 - "The levels of vitamins D and K are lower than normal in patients with IBD, especially in Crohn's disease. Although vitamins D and K are important for the maintenance of bone mineral density in non-IBD patients, an association between vitamins D or K and bone metabolism is not apparent in IBD patients. Recent studies showed that vitamins D and K are suggested to have immune-suppressive effects, both in animal models of colitis and human trials. In particular, vitamin D suppresses dendritic and T-cell functions by inhibiting the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Insufficiency of vitamin D is associated with the activated phenotype of IBD ... Vitamins D and K potentially contribute to the maintenance of bone health in IBD, but this effect may be diminished by other factors such as steroid use, reduced exposure to sunlight, and inflammatory cytokines. Vitamin D and possibly vitamin K are suggested to be involved in the suppression of immune-mediated inflammation and modulation of disease activity"

Olive Oil Polyphenols Decrease Blood Pressure and Improve Endothelial Function in Young Women with Mild Hypertension - Am J Hypertens. 2012 Aug 23 - "We conducted a double-blind, randomized, crossover dietary-intervention study. After a run-in period of 4 months (baseline values), two diets were used, one with polyphenol-rich olive oil (~30 mg/day), the other with polyphenol-free olive oil. Each dietary period lasted 2 months with a 4-week washout between diets ... When compared to baseline values, only the polyphenol-rich olive oil diet led to a significant (P < 0.01) decrease of 7.91 mm Hg in systolic and 6.65 mm Hg of diastolic BP. A similar finding was found for serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) (-0.09 +- 0.01 µmol/l, P < 0.01), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) (-28.2 +-28.5 µg/l, P < 0.01), and plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) (-1.9 +- 1.3 mg/l, P < 0.001). The polyphenol-rich olive oil diet also elicited an increase in plasma nitrites/nitrates (+4.7 +- 6.6 µmol/l, P < 0.001) and hyperemic area after ischemia (+345 +- 386 perfusion units (PU)/sec, P < 0.001)" - Note: It goes back to whether it's the polyphenols or the omega-9 or both.  This implies the polyphenols.  See olive leaf extract at Amazon.com.  To me it's a lot better than putting up with the taste of the dark olive oil.

Beneficial effects of polyphenol-rich olive oil in patients with early atherosclerosis - Eur J Nutr. 2012 Aug 8 - "Eighty-two patients with early atherosclerosis (presence of endothelial dysfunction) were enrolled in this double-blind, randomized trial with 52 completing the study. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of a daily intake of 30 ml simple OO, with 30 ml of EGCG-supplemented OO, on endothelial function as well as on inflammation and oxidative stress after a period of 4 months ... After 4 months, when OO and EGCG-supplemented OO groups were combined, OO significantly improved endothelial function (RHI, 1.59 +/- 0.25-1.75 +/- 0.45; p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in results between the two olive oil groups. Interestingly, with OO supplementation there was a significant reduction in inflammatory parameters: sICAM (196 to 183 ng/mL, p = < 0.001); white blood cells (WBCs) (6.0 × 10(9)/L-5.8 × 10(9)/L, p < 0.05); monocytes (0.48 × 10(9)/L to 0.44 × 10(9)/L, p = 0.05); lymphocytes (1.85 × 10(9)/L to 1.6 × 10(9)/L, p = 0.01); and platelets (242-229 × 10(9)/L, p = 0.047)" - [Nutra USA] - Click here for my method of making olive oil mayonnaise.  Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature.  Note:  The so called olive oil mayonnaise you see in the store is mostly omega-6. If you read the ingredients, it might have olive oil near the beginning but then you see about three omega-6 oils after it. For example, if it contained 1/3 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup soy oil and 1/4 cup of palm oil and 1/4 cup of corn oil you’d have over a cup of oil consisting of 1/3 cup omega-9 oils and 3/4 cup of omega-6 oils. The omega-9 is still the top one.

Eicosapentaenoic acid versus docosahexaenoic acid in mild-to-moderate depression: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial - Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2012 Aug 18 - "Eighty-one mild-to-moderately depressed outpatients were randomly assigned to receive either 1g/d of EPA or DHA or placebo (coconut oil) for 12 weeks ... Although there was no significant difference between groups at baseline, patients in the EPA group showed a significantly lower mean HDRS score at study endpoint compared with those in the DHA (p<0.001) or placebo (p=0.002) groups. Furthermore, response to treatment (defined as a ≥50% decrease from the baseline HDRS score) was only observed in 6 patients receiving EPA, while no one in any of DHA or placebo groups responded to treatment" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.

Highly Purified Eicosapentaenoic Acid Increases Interleukin-10 Levels of Peripheral Blood Monocytes in Obese Patients With Dyslipidemia - Diabetes Care. 2012 Aug 21 - "Peripheral blood monocytes were prepared from 26 obese patients without and 90 obese patients with dyslipidemia. Of the latter 90 obese patients with dyslipidemia, 82 patients were treated with or without EPA treatment (1.8 g daily) for 3 months ... This study is the first to show that EPA increases the monocyte IL-10 expression in parallel with decrease of arterial stiffness, which may contribute to the antiatherogenic effect of EPA in obese dyslipidemic patients" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.

Health Focus (Cruciferous Vegetables):

Specific Recommendations:

• indole-3-carbinol at Amazon.com
• diindolylmethane at Amazon.com
• sulforaphane at Amazon.com
• cruciferous vegetables supplements at Amazon.com

Popular Supplements:

• indole-3-carbinol (IC-3) / di-indolylmethane

News & Research:

• Eating cruciferous vegetables may improve breast cancer survival - Science Daily, 4/3/12 - "a prospective study of 4,886 Chinese breast cancer survivors who were diagnosed with stage 1 to stage 4 breast cancer from 2002 to 2006 ... Women who were in the highest quartiles of intake of vegetables per day had a 62 percent reduced risk of total mortality, 62 percent reduced risk of breast cancer mortality, and 35 percent reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence ... cruciferous vegetable consumption habits differ between China and the United States and suggested this fact be considered when generalizing these results to U.S. breast cancer survivors ... Commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables in China include turnips, Chinese cabbage/bok choy and greens, while broccoli and Brussels sprouts are the more commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables in the United States and other Western countries ... Cruciferous vegetables contain phytochemicals known as isothiocyanates and indoles which appear to have a protective effect against some types of cancer"
• Eat your broccoli: Another mechanism discovered by which sulforaphane prevents cancer - Science Daily, 2/28/12 - "it provides not just one, but two ways to prevent cancer through the complex mechanism of epigenetics ... Epigenetics, an increasing focus of research around the world, refers not just to our genetic code, but also to the way that diet, toxins and other forces can change which genes get activated, or "expressed." This can play a powerful role in everything from cancer to heart disease and other health issues ... HDAC inhibitors, such as sulforaphane, can help restore proper balance and prevent the development of cancer. This is one of the most promising areas of much cancer research. But the new OSU studies have found a second epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation, which plays a similar role" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• More evidence that spicing up broccoli boosts its cancer-fighting power - Science Daily, 9/13/11
• Broccoli extract can ‘target’ cancer cells: Study - Nutra USA, 6/15/11 - "The research, published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, reports for the first time that sulforaphane – one of the primary phytochemicals in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables – is able to selectively target and kill cancer cells, while leaving normal cells healthy and unaffected ... Here we show for the first time that sulforaphane selectively targets benign hyperplasia cells and cancerous prostate cells while leaving the normal prostate cells unaffected" - [Abstract]
• Study confirms safety, cancer-targeting ability of nutrient in broccoli, other vegetables, researchers say - Science Daily, 6/9/11 - "Sulforaphane, one of the primary phytochemicals in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables that helps them prevent cancer, has been shown for the first time to selectively target and kill cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected ... Here we show for the first time that sulforaphane selectively targets benign hyperplasia cells and cancerous prostate cells while leaving the normal prostate cells unaffected" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• Sprouts? Supplements? Team them up to boost broccoli's cancer-fighting power - Science Daily, 1/27/11 - "To get broccoli's benefits, though, the enzyme myrosinase has to be present; if it's not there, sulforaphane, broccoli's cancer-preventive and anti-inflammatory component, doesn't form ... There was almost a twofold increase in sulforaphane absorption when sprouts and powder were eaten together. It changed the way the subjects metabolized the powder. We saw plasma and urine metabolites much earlier and at much higher levels than when either was eaten alone ... Steaming broccoli for two to four minutes is the perfect way to protect both the enzyme and the vegetable's nutrients"
• Discovery of a biochemical basis for broccoli's cancer-fighting ability - Science Daily, 1/26/11
• Eating broccoli could guard against arthritis - Science Daily, 9/15/10 - "a compound in broccoli called sulforaphane blocks the enzymes that cause joint destruction in osteoarthritis -- the most common form of arthritis" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• Anti-cancer effects of broccoli ingredient explained - Science Daily, 7/12/10 - "sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli, interacts with cells lacking a gene called PTEN to reduce the chances of prostate cancer developing" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• Plant extract may be effective against inflammatory bowel disease - Science Daily, 7/7/10 - "PEITC is found in the Brassica genus of plants, which includes cabbage, cauliflower, watercress and broccoli ... it not only alleviates several clinical signs of ulcerative colitis -- for example, it attenuates the damage that occurs in the colon tissues and colon epithelium, as well as the clinical signs like diarrhea and blood in stool. The weight loss is a major sign in colitis and that was alleviated, too"
• New combination effective against pancreatic cancer: Substance in broccoli supports cancer therapy, study finds - Science Daily, 6/15/10 - "Sorafenib is used for advanced liver and kidney cancer and also appears to be effective against cancer stem cells in pancreatic cancer ... It inhibits resistant tumor stem cells and is also especially effective in combination with sulforaphane, an organic compound found in broccoli ... vegetables from the cruciferous family such as broccoli and cauliflower possess a high content of sulforaphane, an anti-cancer compound. The experiments show that sulforaphane prevents the activation of the NF-kB pathway by sorafenib. The combination treatment reinforces the effect of sorafenib without causing additional side effects"
• Broccoli component limits breast cancer stem cells, study finds - Science Daily, 5/4/10 - "In the current study, researchers took mice with breast cancer and injected varying concentrations of sulforaphane from the broccoli extract. Researchers then used several established methods to assess the number of cancer stem cells in the tumors. These measures showed a marked decrease in the cancer stem cell population after treatment with sulforaphane, with little effect on the normal cells. Further, cancer cells from mice treated with sulforaphane were unable to generate new tumors. The researchers then tested sulforaphane on human breast cancer cell cultures in the lab, finding similar decreases in the cancer stem cells"
• Broccoli-extract may protect skin from harmful UV - Nutra USA, 4/9/10 - "Hairless mice developed 25 per cent fewer skin tumours following exposure to UV radiation and fed a the broccoli extract for 13 weeks, compared with mice receiving a standard protective agent ... In addition, the tumours the broccoli-fed mice did develop were 70 per cent smaller" - [Abstract]
• Antioxidant found in vegetables has implications for treating cystic fibrosis - 11/20/09 - "a dietary antioxidant found in such vegetables as broccoli and cauliflower protects cells from damage caused by chemicals generated during the body's inflammatory response to infection and injury. The finding has implications for such inflammation-based disorders as cystic fibrosis (CF), diabetes, heart disease, and neurodegeneration ... the antioxidant thiocyanate normally existing in the body protects lung cells from injuries caused by accumulations of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorite, the active ingredient in household bleach. These potentially harmful chemicals are made by the body as a reaction to infection and injury. In addition, thiocyanate also protects cells from hypochlorite produced in reactions involving MPO, an enzyme released from germ-fighting white blood cells during inflammation"
• Broccoli extract’s heart health benefits pinpointed? - Nutra USA, 9/7/09 - "Researchers from Imperial College London (ICL) report that sulforaphane, a compound most widely associated with broccoli, may activate a protein called Nrf2 in arteries ... the natural compound sulforaphane reduced inflammation at the high-risk areas by 'switching on' Nrf2 ... Atherosclerosis, known as hardening or furring of the arteries is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the cause of over 50 per cent of deaths in Europe and the US ... When these cells were exposed to sulforaphane, a re-activation of Nrf2 in the disease-prone regions of the artery was observed. This indicated that the cells’ ability to protect themselves from becoming inflamed was restored" - [Abstract] - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• Naturally Occurring Compounds Selectively Deplete Mutant P53 In Tumor Cells - Science Daily, 4/20/09 - "This study demonstrates for the first time that phenethyl isothiocyante (PEITC), a naturally-occurring compound, can selectively deplete mutant p53. The authors also made an intriguing observation that the depletion of mutant p53 in human cancer cells is accompanied by restoration of the wild type p53. PEITC is a member of the isothiocyanate family compounds found in cruciferous vegetables, such as watercress, broccoli and cabbage. PEITC has been shown to have cancer preventive activity"
• Broccoli May Help Protect Against Respiratory Conditions Like Asthma - Science Daily, 3/2/09 - "a naturally occurring compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect against respiratory inflammation that causes conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ... sulforaphane, a chemical in broccoli, triggers an increase of antioxidant enzymes in the human airway that offers protection against the onslaught of free radicals that we breathe in every day in polluted air, pollen, diesel exhaust and tobacco smoke" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• Broccoli And Cabbage-based Drug Could Inhibit Melanoma - Science Daily, 3/1/09 - "We have developed drugs from naturally occurring compounds that can inhibit the growth of tumors in mice by 50 to 60 percent with a very low dose ... Robertson and his colleagues previously showed the therapeutic potential of targeting the Akt3 protein in inhibiting the development of melanoma. The search for a drug to block the protein led them to a class of compounds called isothiocyanates ... These naturally occurring chemicals found in cruciferous vegetables are known to have certain cancer-fighting properties ... Selenium deficiency is common in cancer patients ... the selenium-enhanced compounds significantly reduced the production of Akt3 protein and shut down its signaling network"
• How Certain Vegetables Combat Cancer - Science Daily, 12/23/08 - "Breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, can be protected against by eating cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and near relatives of cabbage such as broccoli and cauliflower ... Our paper focuses on the anti-cancer activity of one of these compounds, called sulforaphane, or SFN ... SFN inhibits the proliferation of human tumor cells by a mechanism similar to the way that the anticancer drugs taxol and vincristine inhibit cell division during mitosis ... SFN, like the more powerful anticancer agents, interferes with microtubule functioning during mitosis in a similar manner to the more powerful anticancer drugs ... SFN may be an effective cancer preventive agent because it inhibits the proliferation and kills precancerous cells"
• Broccoli May Help Smokers' Lungs - WebMD, 11/18/08 - "asked 948 lung cancer patients and 1,743 people without lung cancer about their smoking history and consumption of fruits, cruciferous vegetables, and other vegetables ... Among smokers -- and especially among former smokers -- higher intake of cruciferous vegetables was linked to lower risk of lung cancer"
• Unpopular veggies vital for cancer protection: Study - Nutra USA, 10/7/08 - "Significant inhibition of all the cancer cell lines tested – stomach, lung, breast, kidney, skin, pancreas, prostate, and brain – was observed for all the extracts from cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and curly cabbage, and vegetables of the genus Allium, such as garlic ... These chemopreventive effects are likely related to the formation of organosulfur compounds following mechanical disruption of these vegetables, namely isothiocyanates from cruciferous and a series of allyl sulfur molecules from Allium vegetables"
• COPD? Eat Your Veggies - Science Daily, 9/12/08 - "Sulforapane has been shown to be able to restore antioxidant gene expression in human epithelial tissue in which DJ-1 has been reduced. Isothicyanate compounds such as that found in broccoli inhibit KEAP1, and thus prevent it from degrading NRF2"
• Broccoli Could Reverse The Heart Damaging Effects Of Diabetes - Science Daily, 8/26/08 - "Our study suggests that compounds such as Sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes"
• Broccoli can reverse diabetic heart damage, say researchers - Nutra USA, 8/8/08 - "Our study suggests that compounds such as Sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes ... Published in the journal Diabetes Care, the epidemiological study of 71,346 female nurses found for every additional serving of green leafy vegetables, the risk of developing diabetes may be reduced by almost 10 per cent" - [Abstract]
• Activation of NF-E2-related factor-2 reverses biochemical dysfunction of endothelial cells induced by hyperglycemia linked to vascular disease - Diabetes. 2008 Aug 4 - "Sulforaphane (SFN) is an activator of transcription factor NF-E2-related factor-2 (nrf2) that regulates gene expression through the promoter antioxidant response element (ARE). Nrf2 regulates the transcription of a battery of protective and metabolic enzymes ... We conclude that activation of nrf2 may prevent biochemical dysfunction and related functional responses of endothelial cells induced by hyperglycemia in which increased expression of transketolase has a pivotal role" - [Nutra USA]
• Broccoli May Cut Prostate Cancer Risk - WebMD, 7/1/08 - [Science Daily] - "men who regularly ate broccoli showed more changes in gene expression suggestive of a reduced risk of cancer"
• Veggies, Exercise May Cut Cancer Risk - WebMD, 4/15/08 - "Foods rich in plant chemicals called isothiocyanates and quercetin appeared to offer the best protection against lung cancer ... Isothiocyanates are found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and turnips"
• Could foods prevent ovarian cancer? - MSNBC, 3/14/08 - "Kaempferol — a flavonoid found in tea, broccoli, kale and spinach — and luteolin — which is provided by peppers, carrots, cabbage and celery — were both identified as cancer protective. Women who consumed the most of these two flavonoids were 40 percent and 34 percent less likely, respectively, to develop ovarian cancer compared to women who consumed the least ... A 2007 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition linked greater consumption of carotenoid phytochemicals with a 67 percent lower risk of ovarian cancer. This included not only beta-carotene, the oft-cited carotenoid in deep-orange vegetables and fruits, but also alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin — carotenoids found in a wide range of red, orange, yellow and green vegetables" - See Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL, Mixed Carotenoid Complex at Amazon.com.
• Broccoli May Help Boost Aging Immune System - Science Daily, 3/6/08 - "As we age, the ability of the immune system to fight disease and infections and protect against cancer wears down as a result of the impact of oxygen radicals on the immune system ... our study shows that a chemical present in broccoli is capable of stimulating a wide range of antioxidant defense pathways and may be able to interfere with the age-related decline in immune function ... The UCLA team not only found that the direct administration of sulforaphane in broccoli reversed the decline in cellular immune function in old mice, but they witnessed similar results when they took individual immune cells from old mice, treated those cells with the chemical outside the body and then placed the treated cells back into a recipient animal"
• Extract Of Broccoli Sprouts May Protect Against Bladder Cancer - Science Daily, 2/28/08 - "A concentrated extract of freeze dried broccoli sprouts cut development of bladder tumors in an animal model by more than half" - [WebMD]
• Finding the Right Prostate Cancer Diet - WebMD, 2/15/08 - "poultry and eggs double the risk of prostate cancer progression ... orange and yellow vegetables, such as squash, yams, and carrots, and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cut the risk of recurrence by about half ... If you eat chicken or poultry, eat it without the skin ... the men's overall PSA doubling time was nearly four times slower after they began drinking pomegranate juice"
• Vegetables- and antioxidant-related nutrients, genetic susceptibility, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk - Cancer Causes Control. 2008 Jan 17 - "For the GSTM3 3-base insertion and higher total vegetable intake, the risk was 0.56 (0.35-0.92, p interaction = 0.03); for GSTP1 A114V and higher cruciferous vegetable intake, the risk was 0.52 (0.34-0.81, p interaction = 0.02); for OGG1 S326C and higher daily zinc intake, the risk was 0.71 (0.47-1.08, p interaction = 0.04) and for XRCC3 T241M and higher green leafy vegetable intake, the risk was 0.63"
• Broccoli Good for the Heart - WebMD, 1/18/08 - "The rats that had eaten the broccoli extract had three heart advantages over the other rats: ... Better blood-pumping ability ... Less heart damage during oxygen deprivation ... Higher levels of heart-health chemicals during oxygen deprivation ... Broccoli's key nutrients include selenium and sulforaphane, which may also curb cancer"
• Is There an Anticancer Diet? - WebMD, 12/6/07 - "Raw cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower seem to reduce bladder cancer risk by about 40%"
• Natural Chemical Found In Broccoli Helps Combat Skin Blistering Disease - Science Daily, 8/20/07
• Broccoli May Help Cut Prostate Cancer - WebMD, 7/24/07 - "Men who reported eating cauliflower more than once per week were 52% less likely to be diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer than men who reported eating cauliflower less than once a month ... Men who reported eating broccoli more than once per week were 45% less likely to be diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer than men who reported eating broccoli less than once a month"
• Eat Your Broccoli: Study Finds Strong Anti-Cancer Properties In Cruciferous Veggies - Science Daily, 5/17/07 - "if you’re at all worried about cancer or at high risk of cancer, especially of prostate or colon cancer, then increasing your dietary intake of broccoli and other vegetables could be a good idea"
• Boiling Broccoli Ruins Its Anti-cancer Properties, According To Study - Science Daily, 5/15/07 - "Boiling appeared to have a serious impact on the retention of those important glucosinolate within the vegetables. The loss of total glucosinolate content after boiling for 30 minutes was: broccoli 77%, Brussel sprouts 58%, cauliflower 75% and green cabbage 65%"
• Nutrients In Certain Vegetables May Provide Cancer-fighting Benefit - Science Daily, 4/17/07 - "Dr. Singh's study is based on phytochemicals, called isothiocyanates (ITCs), found in several cruciferous vegetables and generated when vegetables are either cut or chewed. His laboratory has found that phenethyl-ITC, or PEITC, is highly effective in suppressing the growth of human prostate cancer cells at concentrations achievable through dietary intake"
• Worried About Prostate Cancer? Tomato-broccoli Combo Shown To Be Effective - Science Daily, 1/16/07 - "fed a diet containing 10 percent tomato powder and 10 percent broccoli powder to laboratory rats that had been implanted with prostate cancer cells ... The tomato/broccoli combo outperformed all other diets in shrinking prostate tumors ... The only treatment that approached the tomato/broccoli diet's level of effectiveness was castration ... To get these effects, men should consume daily 1.4 cups of raw broccoli and 2.5 cups of fresh tomato, or 1 cup of tomato sauce, or ½ cup of tomato paste"
• Broccoli, Cauliflower May Fight Cancer - WebMD, 5/19/06
• Broccoli, Cauliflower And Genetic Cancer - Science Daily, 5/18/06 - "cruciferous vegetables ... are abundant in sulforaphane (SFN) ... those mice fed with an SFN-supplemented diet developed significantly fewer and smaller tumors"
• Crunchy Veggies Fight Cancer - WebMD, 4/5/06 - "focused on a substance found in cruciferous vegetables called phenethyl-ITC, or PEITC ... After 31 days of treatment, the size of the tumors in the treated animals was about half that of the untreated animals"
• Curry And Cauliflower Could Halt Prostate Cancer - Science Daily, 1/15/06 - "The bottom line is that PEITC and curcumin, alone or in combination, demonstrate significant cancer-preventive qualities in laboratory mice, and the combination of PEITC and curcumin could be effective in treating established prostate cancers"
• Eat Your Veggies and Fight Cancer, Too - WebMD, 10/31/05
• Broccoli May Protect Some Against Lung Cancer - WebMD, 10/27/05 - "consumption of cruciferous vegetables was associated with a 33%-37% reduction in lung cancer risk among people with an inactive form of one of the two genes. Among those with an inactive form of both genes, the reduction in risk provided by eating cruciferous vegetables was doubled to more than 70%"
• Broccoli May Fight Lung Cancer - WebMD, 9/15/05
• Compounds Found In Cruciferous Vegetables Block Lung Cancer Progression - Science Daily, 9/15/05 - "A family of compounds found in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and watercress, blocked lung cancer progression in both animal studies and in tests with human lung cancer cells"
• Broccoli Ingredient May Fight Bladder Cancer - WebMD, 8/3/05
• Broccoli Packs Powerful Punch To Bladder Cancer Cells - Science Daily, 7/29/05 - "men who ate two or more half-cup servings of broccoli per week had a 44 percent lower incidence of bladder cancer compared to men who ate less than one serving each week ... The plant's kin, which include cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale, may all contain similar disease-fighting phytochemicals"
• Cruciferous veg, chili could slow or stop cancer cell growth - Nutra USA, 4/20/05
• Maximizing The Anti-Cancer Power Of Broccoli - Science Daily, 4/5/05 - "For the consumer, who cannot readily hold the temperature as low as 140 degrees, that means the best way to prepare broccoli is to steam it lightly about 3 or 4 minutes--until the broccoli is tough-tender"
• Ward off cancer with a Japanese diet - MSNBC, 12/17/04 - "Cruciferous vegetables make a unique contribution to good health. They contain natural substances called glucosinolates that break down in the body to form indoles and other compounds that fight cancer development in several different ways"
• An Apple a Day for Cancer Prevention - WebMD, 10/18/04 - "Those who ate both green leafy and cruciferous vegetables got "particularly strong" cancer prevention protection"
• Crunchy Veggies May Crush Breast Cancer - WebMD, 9/3/04
• Anti-cancer Compound In Vegetables Found To Block Late-stage Breast-cancer Cell Growth - Science Daily, 9/1/04 - "The compound, in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables ... sulforaphane (SUL) ... We were surprised and pleased to find that SUL could block the growth of breast cells that were already cancerous ... SUL's actions appear similar to a group of anticancer drugs currently in use, such as Taxol"
• Broccoli compound may protect against AMD - Nutra USA, 7/15/04
• Broccoli May Prevent Blindness - WebMD, 7/13/04 - "sulforaphane, the naturally occurring antioxidant in broccoli and broccoli sprouts, protects the eye from damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet light"
• Cabbage to fight cancer? - Nutra USA, 5/11/04
• Broccoli Blocks Prostate Cancer Cells - WebMD, 5/20/03
• New Broccoli Compound Appears Promising Against Breast Cancer - Intelihealth, 8/19/02 - "Called oxomate, the synthetic compound works like its natural counterpart, sulforaphane, which was recently identified as a cancer-preventive agent in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage and Brussels sprouts). Both compounds boost the body's production of phase II enzymes, which can detoxify cancer-causing chemicals and reduce cancer risk ... But the natural broccoli compound, sulforaphane, can be toxic in high doses ... It is also difficult and expensive to synthesize ... oxomate was seven times less toxic than sulforaphane ... In tests on female rats, those that were fed oxomate after exposure to cancer-inducing chemicals had up to a 50 percent reduction in the number of breast tumors"
• Broccoli Pill Prevents Breast Cancer - WebMD, 8/19/02
• Broccoli Beats Ulcers, Cancer - WebMD, 5/28/02
• Broccoli Tea: Can't Find Enough Of A Good Thing - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 5/02
• Broccoli Finally Gets Respect - Intelihealth, 2/4/02
• New research shows how broccoli beats cancer - Life Extension Magazine, 11/01 - "Sulforaphane is most highly concentrated in broccoli, as well as in other cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower ... animal studies to date have shown that sulforaphane can dramatically reduce the number of malignant tumors, reproduction, growth rate and size, as well as delay cancer onset"
• Veggies Not Created Equal In Fighting Cancer - Intelihealth, 1/18/01 - "But the Agriculture Department studied 71 types of broccoli plants and found a 30-fold difference in the amounts of glucoraphanin. Some had virtually none of it."

Abstracts:

• B-DIM Impairs Radiation-Induced Survival Pathways Independently of Androgen Receptor Expression and Augments Radiation Efficacy in Prostate Cancer - Cancer Lett. 2011 Dec 9 - "Increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with decreased risk in prostate cancer (PCa). The active compound in cruciferous vegetables appears to be the self dimerized product [3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM)] of indole-3-carbinol (I3C). Nutritional grade B-DIM (absorption-enhanced) has proven safe in a Phase I trial in PCa ... B-DIM inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner in both PC-3 (AR-) and C4-2B (AR+) cell lines. B-DIM was effective at increasing radiation-induced cell killing in both cell lines, independently of AR expression. B-DIM inhibited NF-κB and HIF-1α DNA activities and blocked radiation-induced activation of these transcription factors in both PC-3 and C4-2B cells. In C4-2B (AR+) cells, AR expression and nuclear localization were significantly increased by radiation. However, B-DIM abrogated the radiation-induced AR increased expression and trafficking to the nucleus, which was consistent with decreased PSA secretion. In vivo, treatment of PC-3 prostate tumors in nude mice with B-DIM and radiation resulted in significant primary tumor growth inhibition and control of metastasis to para-aortic lymph nodes. These studies demonstrate that B-DIM augments radiation-induced cell killing and tumor growth inhibition. B-DIM impairs critical survival signaling pathways activated by radiation, leading to enhanced cell killing. These novel observations suggest that B-DIM could be used as a safe compound to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy for castrate-resistant PCa" - See diindolylmethane at Amazon.com.
• Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality - Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 May 18 - "Overall, fruit and vegetable intake was inversely associated with risk of total mortality in both women and men, and a dose-response pattern was particularly evident for cruciferous vegetable intake. The pooled multivariate hazard ratios (95% CIs) for total mortality across increasing quintiles of intake were 1 (reference), 0.91 (0.84, 0.98), 0.88 (0.77, 1.00), 0.85 (0.76, 0.96), and 0.78 (0.71, 0.85) for cruciferous vegetables (P < 0.0001 for trend) and 0.88 (0.79, 0.97), 0.88 (0.79, 0.98), 0.76 (0.62, 0.92), and 0.84 (0.69, 1.00) for total vegetables (P = 0.03 for trend). The inverse associations were primarily related to cardiovascular disease mortality but not to cancer mortality"
• Chemopreventative Potential of the Cruciferous Vegetable Constituent Phenethyl Isothiocyanate in a Mouse Model of Prostate Cancer - J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011 Feb 17 - "This study was undertaken to determine the chemopreventative efficacy of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a bioactive constituent of many edible cruciferous vegetables, in a mouse model of prostate cancer, and to identify potential biomarker(s) associated with PEITC response ... Administration of PEITC (3 μmol/g diet) decreased incidence (PEITC diet vs control diet, mean = 21.65 vs 57.58%, difference = -35.93%, 95% confidence interval = -45.48% to -13.10%, P = .04) as well as burden (affected area) (PEITC diet vs control diet, mean = 18.53% vs 45.01%, difference = -26.48%, 95% confidence interval = -49.78% to -3.19%, P = .02) of poorly differentiated tumors in the dorsolateral prostate of transgenic mice compared with control mice, with no toxic effects. PEITC-mediated inhibition of prostate carcinogenesis was associated with induction of autophagy and overexpression of E-cadherin in the dorsolateral prostate. However, PEITC treatment was not associated with a decrease in cellular proliferation, apoptosis induction, or inhibition of neoangiogenesis. Plasma proteomics revealed distinct changes in the expression of several proteins (eg, suppression of clusterin protein) in the PEITC-treated mice compared with control mice. Conclusions In this transgenic model, dietary PEITC suppressed prostate cancer progression by induction of autophagic cell death. Potential biomarkers to assess the response to PEITC treatment in plasma were identified"
• Sulphoraphane inhibited the expressions of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 through MyD88-dependent toll-like receptor-4 pathway in cultured endothelial cells - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2010 Sep 27 - "Chronic inflammation plays pivotal roles in both cancer and cardiovascular diseases. A large body of evidence suggests that high intake of cruciferous vegetables is closely related with low risk of these disorders ... Taken all together, adhesion molecules are confirmed to be the novel targets of sulphoraphane in preventing inflammatory insult to endothelial cells. Sulphoraphane suppressed TLR-4 followed by MyD88 and downstream factors such as p38 MAPK and JNK, ultimately blocking NF-кB translocation and the subsequent expression of adhesion molecules. These data suggested a novel inflammatory pathway mediated by sulphoraphane" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• Intake of Cruciferous Vegetables Modifies Bladder Cancer Survival - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Jun 15 - "After an average of 8 years of follow-up, 179 deaths occurred, with 101 deaths attributable to bladder cancer. After adjustment for other prognostic factors, a strong and significant inverse association was observed between bladder cancer mortality and broccoli intake, in particular raw broccoli intake (>/=1 versus <1 serving per month; HR for overall death, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.39-0.83; HR for disease-specific death, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.25-0.74). There were no significant associations for total vegetables, total fruits, or other individual cruciferous vegetables" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• Effects of phenylethyl isothiocyanate and its metabolite on cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells - Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2010 May;11(7):324-36 - "Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with decreased risk of several cancers, including prostate cancer. Gluconasturtiin, one of the predominant glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables, is hydrolyzed to yield phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC). PEITC absorption and metabolism in humans involves glutathione conjugation followed by conversion via the mercapturic acid pathway to an N-acetylcysteine (NAC) conjugate that is excreted in the urine. We observed an inhibitory effect of PEITC and its metabolite, NAC-PEITC, on cancer cell proliferation, cell-cycle progression, and apoptosis in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. PEITC and NAC-PEITC suppressed LNCaP cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, and exposure to 5 microM PEITC or NAC-PEITC reduced cell proliferation by 25% and 30%, respectively. Cell-cycle analysis revealed that cells treated with 5 microM PEITC or NAC-PEITC arrested at the G(2)/M phase. In addition, the percentage of cells in the S phase decreased from 46% to 25% following 48 h of incubation with PEITC or NAC-PEITC. The G(2)/M-phase cell-cycle arrest of LNCaP cells grown in the presence of PEITC or NAC-PEITC is correlated with the downregulation of Cdk1 and cyclin B(1) protein expression. Apoptosis was observed at the later stages of 24-h and 48-h treatments with 5 microM PEITC and NAC-PEITC. In conclusion, PEITC and NAC-PEITC are potential chemopreventive/chemotherapeutic agents against LNCaP human prostate cancer cells"
• Activation of Nrf2 in Endothelial Cells Protects Arteries From Exhibiting a Proinflammatory State - Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2009 Sep 3 - "Treatment with sulforaphane, a dietary antioxidant, activated Nrf2 and suppressed p38-VCAM-1 signaling at the susceptible site in wild-type but not Nrf2(-/-) animals, indicating that it suppresses EC activation via Nrf2 ... Nrf2 prevents ECs at the atheroprotected site from exhibiting a proinflammatory state via the suppression of p38-VCAM-1 signaling. Pharmacological activation of Nrf2 reduces EC activation at atherosusceptible sites and may provide a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent or reduce atherosclerosis" - See sulforaphane at Amazon.com.
• Indole-3-carbinol Inhibits Sp1-Induced Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Expression To Attenuate Migration and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells - J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Dec 5 - "Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a major indole metabolite in cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to inhibit invasion of breast cancer cells ... Migration, invasion, and MMP-2 activity of MCF-7 breast cancer cells were dose-dependently inhibited by I3C. In addition, the MMP-2 mRNA level was also reduced by I3C ... In addition, I3C inhibited the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in MCF-7 cells. The results suggest that I3C inhibits MMP-2 expression by blocking the ERK/Sp1-mediated gene transcription to attenuate migration and invasion of breast cancer cells" - See indole-3-carbinol at Amazon.com.
• Consumption of Raw Cruciferous Vegetables is Inversely Associated with Bladder Cancer Risk - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 Apr;17(4):938-44 - "We observed a strong and statistically significant inverse association between bladder cancer risk and raw cruciferous vegetable intake (adjusted OR for highest versus lowest category = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.42-0.97), with a significant trend (P = 0.003); there were no significant associations for fruit, total vegetables, or total cruciferous vegetables ... These data suggest that cruciferous vegetables, when consumed raw, may reduce the risk of bladder cancer, an effect consistent with the role of dietary isothiocyanates as chemopreventive agents against bladder cancer"
• Broccoli: A Unique Vegetable That Protects Mammalian Hearts through the Redox Cycling of the Thioredoxin Superfamily - J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Dec 29 - "the results of the present study indicate that the consumption of broccoli triggers cardioprotection by generating a survival signal through the activation of several survival proteins and by redox cycling of thioredoxins"
• Cruciferous vegetables, genetic polymorphisms in glutathione s-transferases m1 and t1, and prostate cancer risk - Nutr Cancer. 2004;50(2):206-13 - "two or more servings per month of cruciferous vegetables may reduce risk of prostate cancer"
• Breast Cancer Risk in Premenopausal Women Is Inversely Associated with Consumption of Broccoli, a Source of Isothiocyanates, but Is Not Modified by GST Genotype - J Nutr. 2004 May;134(5):1134-1138 - "These data indicate that cruciferous vegetables may play an important role in decreasing the risk of premenopausal breast cancer"