Here’s How DHA Resolves Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a major factor in a wide range of problems from arthritis to cardiovascular disease, and DHA (found in fish oil) is known to temper this problem.

A new study shows that DHA seems to be a vital player in the production of molecules called maresins, which are able to turn "off" inflammation.

Inflammation is not all bad -- it's our bodies' natural response to infection and injury. But when inflammation becomes chronic -- meaning our body is always mounting a defense and won't turn off -- that's when health risks arise. Chronic inflammation has been linked with ills ranging from cancer to diabetes to Alzheimer's disease.

In this study, researchers from Harvard Medical School, the University of Southern California and the Karolinska Institutet found that a kind of white blood cell called the macrophage converts DHA to make maresins. Maresins then are able to prompt macrophages to turn from an inflammation-causing type to a non-inflammation-causing type.

"We hope that the results from this study will enable investigators to test the relevance of the maresin pathway in human disease," said Charles N. Serhan, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass.

"Moreover, we hope to better understand resolution biology and its potential pharmacology so that we can enhance our ability to control unwanted inflammation and improve the quality of life."

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The above story is based on the July 1,2013 news release by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology(FASEB)

The study has been published in The FASEB Journal:

Dalli J, Zhu M, Vlasenko NA, Deng B, Haeggström JZ, Petasis NA, Serhan CN. The novel 13S,14S-epoxy-maresin is converted by human macrophages to maresin 1 (MaR1), inhibits leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H), and shifts macrophage phenotype. FASEB J. 2013 Jul;27(7):2573-83. doi: 10.1096/fj.13-227728

Calcium and Vitamin D Help Hormones Help Bones

Credit: www.functiontofitness.com

Should women take calcium and vitamin D supplements after menopause for bone health?

Recommendations conflict, and opinions are strong.

But now, an analysis from the major Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial throws weight on the supplement side -- at least for women taking hormones after menopause.

Among the nearly 30,000 postmenopausal women in the hormone trial, some 8,000 took supplemental calcium (1,000 mg/day) and vitamin D (400 mg/day), and some 8,000 took look-alike placebos. These women came from all the hormone groups in the study -- those who took estrogen plus a progestogen (required for women with a uterus), those who took estrogen alone, and those who took the hormone look-alike placebos.

The researchers looked at how the rates of hip fracture differed among women who took hormones and supplements, those who took hormones alone, and those who took neither.

The supplements and hormones had a synergistic effect.

Women using both therapies had much greater protection against hip fractures than with either therapy alone. Taking supplements alone wasn't significantly better than taking no supplements and no hormones. The benefit of hormone therapy was strong in women who had a total calcium intake (supplements plus diet) greater than 1,200 mg/day.

Similarly, the benefit was strong in women who had higher intakes of vitamin D, but the individual effect of each one could not be determined because the two supplements were given together.

The effects translated into 11 hip fractures per 10,000 women per year among the women who took both hormones and supplements compared with 18 per 10,000 women per year among those who took hormones only, 25 per 10,000 women per year among those who took supplements alone, and 22 among those who got neither therapy.

These results suggest, said the authors, that women taking postmenopausal hormone therapy should also take supplemental calcium and vitamin D.

Although they couldn't specify how much, they noted that the benefits seem to increase with increasing total intake of calcium and vitamin D. The dose will depend on keeping side effects, such as constipation from too much calcium, to a minimum, they said.

That differs from the recommendation of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), made earlier this year. USPSTF stated there was no basis for recommending calcium and vitamin D supplements to prevent fractures. But now, with a study this large, there may well be.

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The above story is based on the June 26, 2013 news release by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

The analysis was published ahead of print edition of Menopause:

Robbins JA, Aragaki A, Crandall CJ, Manson JE, Carbone L, Jackson R, Lewis CE, Johnson KC, Sarto G, Stefanick ML, Wactawski-Wende J. Women's Health Initiative clinical trials: interaction of calcium and vitamin D with hormone therapy. Menopause, 2013; DOI: 10.1097/GME.0b013e3182963901

More information

Learn more about calcium and where to find it in your diet from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Office 

of Dietary Supplements.

Fish Oil May Stall Effects of Junk Food On Brain

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Research over the past 10 years has indicated that high-fat diets could disrupt neurogenesis, a process that generates new nerve cells.

But a review of more than 180 research papers by scientists at the University of Liverpool has shown diets rich in omega-3s could prevent these negative effects by stimulating the area of the brain that control feeding, learning and memory.

On high-fat diets, hormones that are secreted from body tissues into the circulation after eating, and which normally protect neurons and stimulate their growth, are prevented from passing into the brain by increased circulation of inflammatory molecules and a type of fat called triglycerides.

But it appears, in studies with animal models, that omega-3s restore normal function by interfering with the production of these inflammatory molecules, suppressing triglycerides, and returning these nerve growth factors to normal.

Dr Lucy Pickavance, from the University's Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, said: "Fish oils don't appear to have a direct impact on weight loss, but they may take the brakes off the detrimental effects of some of the processes triggered in the brain by high-fat diets. They seem to mimic the effects of calorie restrictive diets."

Dr Pickavance added, "Including more oily fish or fish oil supplements in our diets could certainly be a positive step forward for those wanting to improve their general health."

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The above story is based on the May 14, 2013 news release  by University of Liverpool.

The research is published in the British Journal of Nutrition:

Yon MA, Mauger SL, Pickavance LC. Relationships between dietary macronutrients and adult neurogenesis in the regulation of energy metabolism. Brit J Nutr, 2013; 109 (09): 1573

Click HERE for the Full Text of this research paper.

Calcium Supplements Linked to Longer Lifespans in Women

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In addition to strengthening our bones, moderate calcium supplementation may help women live longer.

Calcium, an essential nutrient for bone health, is commonly found in dairy products as well as vitamins. Although calcium is an essential nutrient for bone health, past studies have linked calcium supplements to heart disease risk.

Researchers analyzing data from the large-scale Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos) sought to clarify this issue and found moderate doses of calcium supplements had a beneficial effect in women.

"Our study found daily use of calcium supplements was associated with a lower risk of death among women," said the study's lead author, David Goltzman, MD, of McGill University in Montreal, Canada. "The benefit was seen for women who took doses of up to 1,000 mg per day, regardless of whether the supplement contained vitamin D."

The study monitored the health of  9,000 Canadians, about 6,000 women and 3,000 men, for 10 years. A variety of factors, including supplements, were studied to see if calcium had an impact on death. The researchers looked at total mortality (not just cardiac events), and discovered a total overall lower rate of death from all causes in women who took calcium supplements. There was no statistical benefit for men.

"Higher amounts of calcium were potentially linked to longer lifespans in women, regardless of the source of the calcium," Goltzman said. "That is, the same benefits were seen when the calcium came from dairy foods, non-dairy foods or supplements."

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The above story is based on the May 22, 2013 news release by Endocrine Society.

The research has been published online before print in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM):

Langsetmo L et al. Calcium and Vitamin D Intake and Mortality: Results from the Canadian Multi-centre Osteoporosis Study. JCEM May 23, 2013, doi: 10.1210/jc.2013-1516 

Fish Oil Supplements May Help Fight Against Type 2 Diabetes

Study Suggests Omega-3 Fatty Acids Increase Levels of Hormone Tied to Insulin Sensitivity

Widely-used fish oil supplements modestly increase amounts of a hormone that is associated with lower risk of diabetes and heart disease, according to a recent study.

Fish oil supplements, also called omega 3 fatty acid capsules, raise levels of adiponectin in the bloodstream.

Adiponectin is an important hormone that has beneficial effects on metabolic processes like glucose regulation and the modulation of inflammation. In long-term human studies, higher levels of adiponectin are associated with lower risks of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.

“While prior animal studies found fish oil increased circulating adiponectin, whether similar effects apply in humans is not established,” said the study’s lead author, Jason Wu, PhD, of the Harvard School of Public Health.

By reviewing evidence from 14 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials, the researchers found that fish oil supplementation may moderately increase blood level of adiponectin in humans, and these results support potential benefits of fish oil consumption on glucose control and fat cell metabolism.”

The findings quantify the potential impact of fish oil on adiponectin level, and highlight the need to further investigate populations that may particularly benefit from fish oil supplementation.

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The above story is based on the May 22, 2013 news release by Endocrine Society.

The research has been published online before print in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM):

Wu  JHY, Cahill LE, Mozaffarian D. Effect of Fish Oil on Circulating Adiponectin: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. JCEM. May 23, 2013, doi: 10.1210/jc.2012-3899

Coenzyme Q10 May Help Patients Fight Heart Failure

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This energy-boosting supplement could HALVE the number of deaths from heart failure

Regular doses of the dietary supplement Coenzyme Q10 cut in half the death rate of patients suffering from advanced heart failure, in a randomized double-blind trial presented recently at the annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology, in Lisbon, Portugal.

Researchers also reported a significant decrease in the number of hospitalizations for heart failure patients being treated with Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).

About 14% of patients taking 100 milligrams of CoQ10 three times a day suffered from a major cardiovascular event that required hospital treatment, compared with 25% of patients receiving placebos.

In heart failure, the heart becomes weak and can no longer pump enough oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body. Patients often experience fatigue and breathing problems as the heart enlarges and pumps faster in an effort to meet the body's needs.

Coenzyme Q10 occurs naturally in the body. It functions as an electron carrier in cellular mitochondria (the cell's "powerhouse") to help convert food to energy. It also is a powerful antioxidant, and has become a popular over-the-counter dietary supplement.

“CoQ10 levels are decreased in the heart muscle of patients with heart failure, with the deficiency becoming more pronounced as the severity of their condition worsens,” said lead researcher Svend Aage Mortensen, a professor with the Heart Center at Copenhagen University Hospital, in Denmark.

"CoQ10 is the first medication to improve survival in chronic heart failure since ACE inhibitors and beta blockers more than a decade ago and should be added to standard heart failure therapy," Professor Mortensen added.

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The above story is based on the May 25, 2013 news release by European Society ofCardiology. 

While randomized clinical trails are considered the "gold standard" of studies, because this new study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

Visit the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to learn more about heart failure.

Fish Oil May Help the Heart Beat Mental Stress

The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil have long been thought to protect against cardiovascular disease -- so much so that the American Heart Association currently recommends eating at least two servings of fish a week, particularly fatty varieties rich in omega 3s.

However, the mechanism behind this protective effect still remains a mystery.

In a new study on 67 adult volunteers, scientists led by Jason R. Carter of Michigan Technological University shed light on this phenomenon by providing evidence that fish oil might specifically counteract the detrimental effects of mental stress on the heart.

Their findings show that volunteers who took fish oil supplements for several weeks had a blunted response to mental stress in several measurements of cardiovascular health, including heart rate and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), part of the "fight or flight" response, compared to volunteers who took olive oil instead.

The results may explain why taking fish oil could be beneficial to the heart and might eventually help doctors prevent heart disease in select populations.

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The above story is based on the May 22, 2013  news release by American Physiological Society (APS).

The paper has been published in AJP-- Regulatory, Integrative, and Comparative Physiology, published by the American Physiological Society:

Carter JR, Schwartz CE, Yang H, Joyner MJ. Fish oil and neurovascular reactivity to mental stress in humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2013; 304 (7): R523 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00031.2013

FULL TEXT 

Now, a Chewable Brain Chemical

Citicoline is a brain chemical that occurs naturally in the body.

Citicoline was originally developed in Japan for stroke.

A metanalysis performed by Mario Fioravanti and Ann E Buckley on the entire database available in 2006 from the clinical studies performed with citicoline points to its effectiviness as a treatment for patients with memory problems

Another clinical review by Secades JJ and Lorenzo JL found no serious side effects occurred in any series of patients treated with citicoline, which attests to the safety of treatment with citicoline.

Citicoline is now available as a dietary supplement to help improving memory, mental alertness and learning performance.

How does Citicoline work?

Citicoline stabilises cell membranes, restoring its lipid structure. It also stimulates the release of dopamine neurotransmitters in the brain. Citicoline might also decrease brain tissue damage when the brain is injured.

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Fioravanti M, Buckley AE. Citicoline (Cognizin) in the treatment of cognitive impairment. Clin Interv Aging. 2006 September; 1(3): 247–251.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Secades JJ, Lorenzo JL. Citicoline: pharmacological and clinical review, 2006 update. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Sep;28 Suppl B:1-56.

Alvarez-Sabín J, Román GC. Citicoline in vascular cognitive impairment and vascular dementia after stroke. Stroke. 2011 Jan;42(1 Suppl):S40-3. Click HERE to read the full article.

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Commercial Citicholine is the product of an enzymatic process derived from a combination of two microorganisms but protein is not detectable in the final product.

Click HERE for the 2012 Safety Assessment on Citicoline by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland

Now, citicoline is available in Malaysia as MemoMax Chewable Tablet suitable for both Adults and Children.

Each MemoMax Chewable Tablet contains 60mg of cticoline with 48mg of a blend of several vitamins and minerals.

Adults should chew one tablet after meal, twice a day, while children only need a single daily dose.