Vitamins and omega-3s linked to better brains

Nutrients combine to make unique “signature patterns” or profiles in the blood, and researchers in this study tested which profiles were linked to better cognitive health. Doctors measured nutrients in 104 adults without dementia, aged 77 to 97, and found that, compared to those with lower levels, those with the highest blood levels of folate, vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, and E, and omega-3 fatty acids, scored highest on mental tests and had healthier MRI brain scans.

The brain can shrink with age, rising chances for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Those in the study with the highest levels of trans-fats-partially hydrogenated oils common in highly processed and deep fried foods-scored lowest on mental tests and had signs of brain shrinkage. Doctors said we already knew trans-fats raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol levels and are bad for the heart, but this is the first study to link trans-fats and brain health. “It is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet,” researchers concluded.

Leucine helps maintain muscle mass

The body needs proteins to maintain muscle mass, and its ability to make and use proteins declines with age. In this study, eight people, everage age 68, took 4 grams of the branched-chain amino acid leucine with each of three meals per day. Researchers compared muscle biopsies and blood samples before the study and after 14 days and found significantly higher rates of protein formation and increased signs of cellular muscle-building activity. Doctors said the low dose of leucine may make it easier to maintain muscle mass with age.

Reference: Neurology; 2012, Vol. 78, No. 4, 241-9

From the July 2012 newsletter

Living Longer

Doctors believe certain nutrients help balance the immune inflammatory response and may have a link to longevity

Doctors in a lifespan study asked 77,673 men and women, aged 50 to 76, to record which vitamins and supplements they were taking during a 10-year tracking period.

After five more years of follow up, researchers found that those who had taken glucosamine infrequently or for a short period of time were 8 percent less likely to have died from any cause compared to those who had not taken glucosamine, and those who had taken glucosamine regularly were 17 percent less likely.

For chondroitin, compared to non-users, low users were 12 percent less likely to have died and high users 17 percent less likely.

For omega-3s, those who had taken high levels of fish oils were 17 percent less likely to have died compared to non-users.

Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2010, Vol. 91, No. 6, Electronic Pre-publication

This article was also published in our newletter “Natural Insights for Well Being”, October 2010. Stop by Van’s Health Foods at 2148 First Street Livermore, CA or call us at 925-447-2976 to be added to our mailing list.

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The Van’s Health Foods Team

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Heart Supplements - Healthier Hearts, Longer Lives

Women with better nutrient levels had less heart trouble and greater lifespan

A study from the American Heart Association compared 144 woman who had had a heart attack to 288 women of similar age and lifestyle who had not. Doctors measured levels of pyridoxal 5′ phosphate, the active form of vitamin B6, and homocysteine, an amino acid, high levels of which raise chances of cardiovascular disease. Women with higher vitamin B6 levels consumed more B6, had lower body mass index, and lower homocysteine levels compared to those with lower B6 levels. Women with the highest B6 levels were 78 percent less likely to have had a heart attack than those with the least.

Heart Supplements Can Help

In a survival study, researchers measured vitamin D levels in 714 women, aged 70 to 79, and followed up for six years. Women with the highest vitamin D levels, more than 27 nanograms per milliliter of blood, were 60 percent less likely to have died from any cause compared to women with the lowest levels. Doctors believe using vitamin D as a heart supplements may help control inflammation, immunity, blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries.

In an inflammation study, researchers measured the diets and vitamin D levels in 69 healthy women aged 25 to 82, who had either high or low sun exposure. Vitamin D levels in the high sun-exposure group were 52 ng/mL compared to 30 ng/mL for low exposure. In the low-vitamin D group, one sign of inflammation was higher than in the high-vitamin D group, leading doctors to conclude that, “Low vitamin D levels negatively impact inflammation and immune response, even in healthy women”. Adding a vitamin D heart supplements can help with these symptoms.

Reference: Circulation; 2009, Vol. 120, 649-55

This article about heart supplements was also published in our newsletter “Natural Insights for Well Being”, September 2010. Stop by Van’s Health Foods at 2148 First Street Livermore, CA or call us at 925-447-2976 to be added to our mailing list.

You may also subscribe to our blog by RSS or by providing your name and email in the box provided in the right margin.

Thank you,

The Van’s Health Foods Team

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Do not ask specific questions intended for store employees. Stop by the store or call us with your specific questions.
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