XTEND-15sec-NEWSt
12th July 2006
Please click on the link of interest...
Stress may cause aging…n1
Many people believe that too much stress can hinder a youthful appearance. A new study from a team of medical researchers now suggests that chronic distress may also lead to premature aging at the cellular level (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 2004, vol. 101, no. 49).To reach their findings researchers from the University of California at San Francisco used blood samples to examine the span of telomeres. These caps at the end of chromosomes shorten when a cell divides. As part of the natural aging process telomeres become so short that cells can no longer divide. More…
Warren Matthews’ comments: Interesting to see it is supported by science. Sadly the evidence is so clearly visible for all of us to see on a day-to-day basis. Just visit a shopping mall and observe people. If you are under stress it may be due to external factors, in which case consider regular mediation…or it may be due to nutritional deficiencies, in which case you need to have a close look at your diet and consider strengthening your supplement regime.
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Can rice bran oil melt away cholesterol?...n2
A natural component of rice bran oil lowers cholesterol in rats, and, according to a University of Rochester scientist who has studied the antioxidant since 1996, ongoing research also suggests it may have potential as an anti-cancer and anti-infection agent in humans. The latest findings from Mohammad Minhajuddin, Ph.D., and colleagues, are reported in the May 2005 Food and Chemical Toxicology journal. They show that total cholesterol levels in animals dropped by 42 percent, and LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels dropped up to 62 percent after their diets were supplemented with a concentrated form of Vitamin E called tocotrienol rich fraction or TRF, isolated from rice bran oil. More…
Warren Matthews' comments: There is a lot of evidence supporting the use of rice bran oil for helping lower cholesterol. It is however just one component. We use it in our Cholest-Natural product. If you would like to know more about it click here for more info.
Tocotrienols are also a great nutrient. For more info on these please click here.
Note: In both cases you will have to click on Ingredients and then select the appropriate substance.
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Undernourishment in the elderly and dieters…n3
Two recent studies (one from Dundee University in the United Kingdom, the other by the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland) have looked at different forms of malnutrition and the role of nutritional supplements.
The British study examined under nutrition among older (age > 75 years) patients following their hospital discharge after acute illness. The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial on 198 patients (mean age 85 years). The study has found that the group that received oral nutritional supplements had a significant increase in standard strength tests over the control group.
Not only is under-nutrition common among the elderly, but also a side-effect of many hypocaloric diets. Reduced food intake often leads to a decrease in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients if the diet is not planned right and steps are not taken to ensure proper nutrition.
The NIH study has found that taking supplements, for example multivitamin-mineral combinations, helps provide nutrients that may be inadequate in calorie-restricted diets.
Warren Matthews' comments: Under nutrition is a pretty serious problem for both elderly people and dieters. Supplementation certainly helps as this study shows. Everyone should try to take a supplement such as our Total Balance plus Omega 3. If you can’t afford our Total Balance try to at least take the Omega 3. If you can’t even afford this then take a simple multi vitamin/mineral tablet. They are not very good but they are at least better than nothing!
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Important notice: All material provided within XTEND-15sec-NEWS is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this publication. Consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and wellbeing or on any opinions expressed within this newsletter. The information provided in this newsletter is believed to be accurate based on the best judgment of the editor but the reader is responsible for consulting with their own health professional on any matters raised within.
Stress may cause aging…m1
Many people believe that too much stress can hinder a youthful appearance. A new study from a team of medical researchers now suggests that chronic distress may also lead to premature aging at the cellular level (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 2004, vol. 101, no. 49).To reach their findings researchers from the University of California at San Francisco used blood samples to examine the span of telomeres. These caps at the end of chromosomes shorten when a cell divides. As part of the natural aging process telomeres become so short that cells can no longer divide.
Scientists studied the telomere length in blood samples from 58 premenopausal women, all of whom were mothers. Thirty-nine of the participants were raising a child with a chronic disorder, such as autism or cerebral palsy. Analysis of the women's DNA found that those who had been exposed to the psychological stress of additional caretaking, or perceived themselves to be under more stress, had shorter telomeres and subsequently "older" cells. In some cases, women with the highest perceived stress had cells that were genetically ten years older than other participants. The study is the first of its kind to link stress and biological age.
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Can rice bran oil melt away cholesterol?...m2
A natural component of rice bran oil lowers cholesterol in rats, and, according to a University of Rochester scientist who has studied the antioxidant since 1996, ongoing research also shows it may have potential as an anti-cancer and anti-infection agent in humans. The latest findings from Mohammad Minhajuddin, Ph.D., and colleagues, are reported in the May 2005 Food and Chemical Toxicology journal. They show that total cholesterol levels in animals dropped by 42 percent, and LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels dropped up to 62 percent, after their diets were supplemented with a concentrated form of Vitamin E called tocotrienol rich fraction or TRF isolated from rice bran oil.
Vitamin E, which has been widely studied for its health benefits, consists of both tocopherols and tocotrienols. Much research has focused on the tocopherols derived from corn, wheat and soybean. But the tocotrienols (TRF) seem to have greater antioxidant properties and are becoming more noteworthy in scientific research, Minhajuddin says. TRF is derived from barley, oats, palm and rice bran.
The best form of TRF comes from rice bran oil, which is contained in the outer grain hull of rice. Its properties inhibit the activity of HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme involved in cholesterol biosynthesis. However, since taking any form of Vitamin E for a long time can be harmful, the purpose of Minhajuddin's latest reported research was to find the minimum dose of TRF that provided the maximum antioxidants and effectively lowered cholesterol.
The results: The most effective dose in rats was 8 IU kg/day. Extrapolated to humans, a person with an average body weight of 154 pounds would get around 560 IU, which is close to the 400 IU of Vitamin E normally taken. (The upper tolerable intake of Vitamin E is 1500 IU).
Researchers have been investigating natural ways (besides diet and exercise) to achieve lower cholesterol levels, despite the popularity and effectiveness of statin drugs. Although millions of Americans take statins and do well, they are expensive and they come with side effects. So far, scientists have not found any adverse effects of tocotrienols, says Minhajuddin, a research associate in the Department of Pediatrics.
Minhajuddin, who is from India, also has preliminary, unpublished data from a study he conducted in that country, showing that TRF reduces cholesterol in humans as well as in animals. Five healthy volunteers with total cholesterol levels in the "normal" range of 170-230 mg/dL, who ingested TRF in capsule form at a dose of 8 IU kg/day for four weeks, saw their cholesterol levels drop by 10 percent with a 26-percent decline in LDL-cholesterol levels. A case study of a 5-year-old boy in India, who had a genetic defect (familial hypercholesterolemia) that caused his total cholesterol to climb to 440 mg/dL, resulted in a 20-percent decline after about two months of tocotrienol supplements. The boy's cholesterol did rise again, however, after 100 weeks of TRF supplements.
In addition, Minhajuddin and colleagues previously showed in animals that TRF reacts with liver enzymes in such a way that it clears toxic substances from the organ, and reduces or stabilizes liver tumors. The group concluded that long-term use of tocotrienol might reduce overall cancer risk, according to published research last year in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention. Currently, Minhajuddin's research group is using a scientific model to study infection and the immune system, and how to regulate the expression of a gene called ICAM-1 on the surface of endothelial cells.
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