March 4, 2003 Research Update

James Bogash, D.C. Mesa, AZ
info@lifecarechiropractic.com
www.lifecarechiropractic.com

Six-Year Effect of Vit C, E on Atherosclerotic Progression

Whenever a study comes out showing no benefit of antioxidants on progression/prevention of CVD, one has to look at the totality of the evidence. The evidence (not to mention that it makes sense from a physiology/pathology standpoint) is quite plentiful that antioxidants protect against CVD.

Circulation -- Abstracts: Salonen et al. 107 (7): 947

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What to Do About the Metabolic Syndrome?

This one still eludes me. We are talking about a condition (hyperinsulinemia) that is estimated to be as high as 25% of the population and has a major impact on blood pressure, risk of CVD, diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, etc.. and yet it still is practically ignored!!!!! I cannot understand the lack of understanding. As clinicians, we have to learn to identify hyperinsulinemia (and not just through fasting glucose levels) and address it. This condition shows a strong ability to respond favorably to lifestyles changes such as exercise, avoidance of refined carbs and nutrient supplementation such as chromium and CLA.

What to Do About the Metabolic Syndrome?

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Dietary factors protecting women from urinary tract infection

This article finds that dietary habits can have an impact on UTIs in women. Cranberry juice has been used for UTIs and it is believed that D-mannose, the sugar present in the juice, prevents bacteria such as E. coli from adhering to the wall of the urinary tract and bladder. Probiotic supplementation has also helped with many patients in my office. I usually recommend douches; however, patients have reported benefits even with oral use (it is believed to positively affect the flora of the GI tract and thus lower cross contamination). It is refreshing to see a study supporting something other than recurrent antibiotic scripts (leading to yeast infections and more scripts...). Which, if you think about it (and hopefully you will...) antibiotics kill off one of the substances that were shown to protect against UTIs. Hmmm...

AJCN -- Abstracts: Kontiokari et al. 77 (3): 600

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L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate vs folic acid on plasma homocysteine

Oral folic acid needs to be converted by the enzyme MHTFR to 5-MTHF before it can be used by the body in the methylation pathways. As has been previously discussed in Updates, the enzyme MHTFR is a common site of genetic differences, with certain genotypes producing a very sluggish enzyme that does not readily activate the oral folic acid. The idea has been that, by giving 5-MHTF directly, you can bypass genetic defects. This study does not support this theory, but it was also done on normal patients without consideration of their genetic makeup.

AJCN -- Abstracts: Venn et al. 77 (3): 658

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Aldehydes, Glutathione in Exhalation of Kids w/ Asthma Exacerbation

I can follow along with the idea that oxidative stress and lowered glutathione levels are noted in children with asthma flare ups. However, the authors noted that a 5-day course of oral prednisone lowers the levels in exhaled breath. Huh? We have an appearent defect--lowered gluatathione and oxidative stress--and we fix it with steroids?? Excuse me for stating the obvious, but how about nebulized gluatathione inhaler and antioxidant therapy to address this? If your gas gauge reads low on gas, do you just tow around the car and call it fixed?

AJRCCM -- Abstracts: Corradi et al. 167 (3): 395

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Short-Term Fasting and Refeeding on Transcriptional Regulation of Metabolic Genes in Skeletal Muscle

I know this title is a bit too long, but let me see if I can distill the results down. Basically, after a 20 hour fast, participants in this study were fed either a high carb or a high fat meal. The fast caused several genes involved in breakdown of fat for energy to upregulate. Breaking the fast with carbs sent those levels back down to normal and breaking the fast with fat maintained the upregulation. My personal interpretation? Breaking a fast, from a weight loss perspective (this would include breakfast meals) should NOT be done with a high carb meal. I know one of my favorite breakfasts is natural peanut butter on whole grain toast.

Diabetes -- Abstracts: Pilegaard et al. 52 (3): 657

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Monounsaturated Fatty Acids Prevent the Deleterious Effects of Palmitate and High Glucose on Human Pancreatic Beta-Cell Turnover and Function

This article finds that monounsaturated fatty acids (i.e. olive oil, nuts, avacodos...) not only protected the beta cells of the pancreas (the cells that produce insulin) from damage, but also increased their proliferation. This would make monounsaturated fatty acids absolutely essential for treatment of both diabetes and Syndrome X.

Diabetes -- Abstracts: Maedler et al. 52 (3): 726

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'5-a-day' fruit and veggies or folic acid-fortified foods on plasma folate and homocysteine

This study is an important idea for the clinicians who have said that multivitamins were unnecessary because we get all the vitamins we need from our diets. First of all, these clinicians need to ask their patients if they are getting the minimum 8-10 servings of fruits and veggies. I highly doubt it. And, these study does highlight the fact that certain genetic polymorphism will require higher dosages of nutrients than a normal diet can provide.

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Four monthly oral vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplementation on fractures and mortality

This is an interesting concept--giving a weekly dosage of Vitamin D (a fat soluble vitamin that gets stored rather than washed out like water soluble vitamins).

bmj.com Abstracts: Trivedi et al. 326 (7387): 469

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Biotin and Allergies

Biotin is one of those nutrients that nutrition textbooks say there is no known deficiency, and yet it is popping up in numerous places with positive effects on health. Here we see that high dose biotin is able to favorably modify gene expression as it relates to allergies.

nutrition.org -- Abstracts: Wiedmann et al. 133 (3): 716

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