Vegetables and Fruits Stave Off Alzheimer's?

Chemicals in fruit and vegetables, as well as tea and red wine, could help to protect the brain against Alzheimer's disease, according to information to be presented at the British Pharmacological Society's summer meeting in Edinburgh.

The chemicals in question are plant compounds known as flavonoids, which have long been studied for their beneficial effects on people's health. There is mounting evidence that certain flavonoids might help Alzheimer's patients.

Dr Robert Williams, a biochemist at King's College London, said: "There have been some intriguing epidemiological studies that the consumption of flavonoid-rich vegetables, fruit juices and red wine delays the onset of [Alzheimer's]."

"These reports, while not as powerful as controlled, randomized, clinical trials, have encouraged a number of research groups, including our own, to investigate the biology of flavonoids in more detail."

Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants - compounds capable of protecting body cells from damage - known to benefit the heart and possibly reduce the risk of cancer. But there is a question mark over their influence on the brain. Dr Williams said the lack of research and clinical trial results meant research into flavonoids had suffered from a lack of scientific credibility.

He said there was also skepticism because flavonoids were known antioxidants, yet clinical trials with other antioxidants, such as vitamin E, showed no benefit on symptoms or disease progression in dementia.

However, Dr Williams said an idea was emerging that flavonoids did not act simply as antioxidants, they exerted their biological effects through other mechanisms.

Recent studies have found green tea flavonoids or grape flavonoids could help the brain and improve mental skills. Dr Williams and colleagues have focused on the flavonoid epicatechin, which is abundant in foods, including cocoa.

He said: "We have found that epicatechin protects brain cells from damage, but through a mechanism unrelated to its antioxidant activity, and have shown in laboratory tests that it can also reduce some aspects of Alzheimer's disease pathology.

"This is interesting because epicatechin and its breakdown products are measurable in the bloodstream of humans for a number of hours after ingestion, and it is one of the few flavonoids known to access the brain, suggesting it has the potential to be bioactive in humans."

Alzheimer's development is linked to beta-amyloid peptide - a substance that is normally produced in the brain, but in Alzheimer's is deposited abnormally as amyloid plaques, leading to dementia.

Dr Williams has shown that flavonoids can protect brain cells against the toxic actions of beta-amyloid.

Though this has not been investigated yet, one mechanism by which flavonoids and other plant chemicals might have a role in the prevention or delay of Alzheimer's is through their anti-inflammatory activities. Inflammation is a major component of every degenerative disease, from dementia and Alzheimer's to diabetes and obesity. In my judgment, inflammation is way more important than cholesterol, and eating a diet high in anti-inflammatory compounds could be one of the best overall disease-prevention strategies on the planet.

Fish oil is one of the most anti-inflammatory substances on the planet, one of the countless reasons it's so important for human health. Quercetin, a flavonoid found in apples and onions, is also highly anti-inflammatory and seems to have some anti-cancer activity as well.

Green Tea and Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer found in American men and it is estimated that 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime.

A new study investigated the effects of a botanical antioxidant in subjects with prostate cancer. The botanical antioxidant? Green tea extract.

In this new study, 26 men with confirmed prostate cancer were given a supplement of green tea constituents. The supplement contained a total of 1.3 grams of green tea polyphenols, which included 800 mg of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and lesser amounts of epicatechin, epigallocatechin, and epicatechin-3-gallate.

The men received the green tea supplement until the time of their radical prostatectomy surgery, averaging a supplementation period of 34.5 days.

Blood tests were performed at the beginning of the study and again on the day of surgery. The blood tests included:

• prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a test commonly performed to monitor prostate health
  
• hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) which is a factor that regulates cell and tumor growth
  
• vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which is a signaling protein believed to influence cancer progression
  
• insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I which is a protein that has been shown to play a role in the development of cancers
  
• IGF binding protein-3 which regulates the activity of IGF
  
• liver function tests to monitor possible toxicity.
  
• In addition, cancer-associated cells known as fibroblasts were treated in vitro with EGCG and were tested for HGF and VEGF.
  

The study showed a significant reduction in the levels of the serum cancer biomarkers HGF, VEGF, PSA, and liver enzymes in the test subjects after treatment with the green tea supplement. Additionally, some patients demonstrated reductions in levels of these biomarkers greater than 30 percent. The in vitro study of the fibroblasts showed a decrease in the production of HGF and VEGF as well.

The researchers concluded that the findings support a potential role for green tea "in the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer."

Reference:

McLarty J, Bigelow RL, Smith M, Elmajian D, Ankem M, Cardelli JA. Tea Polyphenols Decrease Serum Levels of Prostate-Specific Antigen, Hepatocyte Growth Factor, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Prostate Cancer Patients and Inhibit Production of Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor In vitro. Cancer Prev Res (Phila Pa). 2009 Jun 19. Published Online Ahead of Print.

Vitamins Harmful?

Many of you have written to me asking me to comment on a recent study that seemed to show that taking antioxidants prevents some of the health-promoting effects of physical exercise.

If you didn't read about the study, here's the New York Times article on it, which was one of the most e-mailed articles of the week.

Here's what happened: Michael Ristow, MD and his colleagues took 40 healthy young men, half of whom were known to be exercisers ("Previously trained") and half of whom were not ("Previously untrained"). Half of each group were randomly assigned to receive antioxidants-- 1000mg of vitamin C and 400 IUs of vitamin E--while the other half of each group received no supplementation.

All subjects then underwent a 4 week exercise training program.

What the researchers found was that taking the antioxidants seemed to prevent some of the benefits of exercise, regardless of whether the subjects were experienced exercisers or novices.

As you can imagine, this was disturbing.

But before you buy into the media headlines ("Vitamins Harmful!") let's look a little more closely at what happened.

We've known for a long time that exercise increases insulin sensitivity-- the ability of the cells to respond to insulin. When the cells are sensitive to insulin, they "open up their doors" and allow insulin to deposit sugar from the bloodstream into the cells where it can be used for energy. This is a good thing, and one of the many ways exercise benefits people. Insulin resistance- the opposite of insulin sensitivity- is when the cells kind of "lock their doors" and don't pay attention to insulin. When that happens, both sugar and insulin remain high in the bloodstream- a very bad situation and one which can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes. You don't want insulin resistance- you want insulin sensitivity.

The researchers in the study determined insulin sensitivity by using a measure called GIR (glucose infusion rate). They also measured a hormone called adiponectin, which helps make the body more sensitive to insulin.

Normally, when you exercise, both GIR and adiponectin would increase.

But for the folks taking the antioxidants, they did not.

In this study, GIR and adiponectin only increased in the group that did not take the antioxidants.

How and why might this be?

Dr. Ristow has a theory, and it goes something like this: When you exercise, you produce increased numbers of free radicals. (This is undisputed and well-known; exercisers consume a lot of oxygen, and free radicals come from oxygen.) But according to Dr. Ristow, these free radicals act something like a chicken pox vaccine- by introducing a small amount of a "poison" to the body, the body counters with defenses that have significant benefits to you. In other words, small amounts of a "bad" thing- like stress or free radicals- can actually stimulate defenses that wind up being protective and healthful. Ristow reasons that perhaps "disabling" these free radicals with antioxidants prevents the body from mounting its own defense operation.

Specifically, he suggests that perhaps the free radicals generated by exercise are required for the insulin-sensitizing capabilities of physical exercise in healthy humans. And that by "neutralizing" those radicals with antioxidants, we prevent that insulin-sensitizing response.

One reader of this newsletter- David Langford-- summed it up quite well: "Dr. Ristow believes that if you spare your body of the normal consequences for, say, a hard workout, then it won't respond as favorably, at least as far as glucose metabolism is concerned" he wrote me. "Ristow seems to be saying that if you stress your body to instruct it to respond, but then save it from the stressors, you've defeated something. You may improve your strength, your endurance, your health in many ways, but not your insulin resistance."

OK, maybe. But before you go throwing out your antioxidants, consider a few things:

1. This is a four week study of healthy young men who, presumably, were not insulin resistant in the first place.
   
2. The study didn't address the dozens of other benefits of exercise which presumably were unaffected by taking antioxidants (i.e. mood elevation, improved circulation, strengthening of the heart and bones and muscles)
   
3. While this study appears to be very well done, let's not forget the hundreds- if not thousands- of other studies on the beneficial effects of antioxidants on protecting cells and DNA.
   
4. The researchers admit that high intakes of fruits and vegetables- which have a ton of antioxidants in them- don't have any of the negative effects seen in this 4 week study.
   
5. The study does not discount the value of vitamins, nutrients and phytochemicals that can be helpful for a variety of health conditions, prevention of disease and maintenance of health.
   

While I'd hardly say this study is definitive, I admit it raises some very interesting questions about antioxidants and exercise that will almost definitely stimulate further research. It'll be interesting to see the comments of some of my respected colleagues as they analyze the data. You can be sure I'll report those comments to you as soon as they come in.

Blueberries May Help Banish Belly Fat

You've probably heard me rant and rave about blueberries. I eat them about six out of seven days a week, I gave them a "star" in my book "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth", and I've spoken at length about their high antioxidant content, their low sugar content, and their ability to boost memory.

Well, get ready for some hot news: Blueberries may also help banish belly fat.

A new study by researcher E. Mitchell Seymour, MS, of the University of Michigan shows that rats that ate a diet high in blueberries lost abdominal fat- the kind linked to increased waist size and increased risk for diabetes and heart disease. This happened even when the rats ate a high-fat diet. As an extra added bonus, the blueberry eating rats also had improved glucose control (meaning their blood sugar was more stable).

The researchers suggest that blueberries- with their high antioxidant content- may somehow alter the way the body stores and processes sugar, great news for those at risk for both heart disease and diabetes. "Our findings in regard to blueberries show the naturally occurring chemicals they contain, such as anthocyanins, show promise in mitigating these health conditions," said researcher Steven Bolling, MD, of the University of Michigan,

In the current study- presented at Experimental Biology 2009- rats were bred to become obese were fed either a low-fat diet or a high-carb diet, both of which were enriched with whole blueberry powder (about 2% of their total caloric intake).

After three months the rats fed the blueberries had improved glucose control and improved insulin sensitivity. Better glucose control and improved insulin sensitivity are both strongly related to lowering the risk for diabetes.

I find blueberries one of the easiest foods to incorporate into your diet. In season or not, you can always get them frozen, and I like to eat them right out of the freezer (mixed with frozen cherries). I put some FACE 2% yogurt on them, sprinkle with some slivered almonds, flaked unsweetened coconut and some probiotic powder and have them as a nightly "dessert". It's the ultimate "anti-aging" treat!

Royal Vegetable Decreases Cancers

Cabbage contains compounds that have been found to decrease incident of breast and other cancers.

The Undiscovered Superfood

With all the marketing hooplah over superfoods like acai, goji and noni, we tend to foget that some of the best superfoods on the planet are right under our noses and don't cost an arm and a leg (like some of these overpriced multi-level marketed juice drinks do).

The latest hero to emerge on the superstar galaxy is... get ready for this-plums.

Yup, plums.

Food scientist Dr. Luis Cisneros and plant breeder David Byrne judged more than 100 varieties of plums, peaches and nectarines and found them to match (or even exceed) the highly valued blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients. According to Byrne, one inexpensive plum contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a handful of blueberries.

"People tend to eat just a few blueberries at a time - a few on the cereal or as an ingredient mixed with lots of sugar," Cisneros said. "But people will eat a whole plum at once and get the full benefit."

The researchers didn't stop after measuring the considerable antioxidant content of plums, which- by the way- has been noted in other tests, where plums consistently score near the top of the list of high-antioxidant foods. They also tested the effect of the compounds found in the fruit on breast cancer cells.

One benefit the team found was that the phytonutrients in plums inhibited in vitro (test tube) breast cancer growth without adversely affecting normal cell growth.

"We suggest that consumers take seriously the recommendation to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables - or even more - every day and to make sure that plums are part of that," Byrne said.

Fast Food Diet May Raise Alzheimer's Risk

Guest article by Craig Weatherby

An estimated 5.2 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and the toll it takes on their families may well exceed the patients' own suffering.

The results of a study from Sweden heighten suspicions that diets dominated by junky fast food meals damages brains, in addition to harming heart and overall health.

By "fast food meals" we mean ones high in sugars, starches, and bad fat but low in colorful, fiber- and antioxidant-rich plant foods. Sugary, starchy foods tend to promote generation of pro-oxidant, pro-inflammatory free radicals, as do fried and browned foods. The damage done to brain (and other) cells by free radicals and the inflammation they induce raise the risk of Alzheimer's.

Population studies link diets rich in antioxidants (and omega-3s) to reduced rates of Alzheimer's, and studies in dogs with Alzheimer's-like disease show clear improvements after increasing their intake of dietary antioxidants.

There's a genetic component to Alzheimer's though it's far from the whole story.

About one in five Americans possesses a gene that raises their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease ... which is by far the most common form of dementia. The risky gene, called apoE4, is a variant of the gene that governs the production of a cholesterol-transport protein called apolipoprotein E. People who carry the apoE4 gene are more likely to develop the brain abnormalities characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, and to later show symptoms of Alzheimer's.

But once again, genes "load the gun" but environment pulls the trigger.

A doctoral student at Stockholm's famed Karolinska Institute tested the effects of fast-food-like diets in mice genetically at risk for Alzheimer's- these mice had been specifically bred to carry the risky apoE4 variant of the apolipoprotein E gene. Researcher Susanne Akterin fed the Alzheimer's-prone mice a simulated fast-food diet for nine months.The mice developed brain abnormalities like those seen in Alzheimer's patients.

The moral of the story: You can't do much about your genes, but you can sure increase the odds of keeping your brain healthy by staying away from fast food and making sure you stock up on antioxidants.

Red Wine, Resveratrol and Cancer

New research suggests that drinking the occasional glass of red wine may help men to reduce their risk of developing lung cancer.

Research scientist Chun Chao investigated the relationship between lung cancer risk and beer, red wine, white wine, and liquor consumption in men. Adjustments were made for factors affecting lung cancer risk, such as age, race/ethnicity, education, income, body mass index, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema, and smoking history.

The results showed that lung cancer risk dropped by approximately 2% for every glass of red wine a man drunk each month. Results also revealed that drinking red wine dramatically reduced the risk of lung cancer in smokers - male smokers who drank one to two glasses of red wine each day were found to be 60% less likely to develop lung cancer than other smokers who did not drink red wine. However, Chao warns that male smokers who drink one to two glasses of red wine each day are still more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers.

Interestingly, when I wrote my latest book, The Healthiest Meals on Earth I based all the meals and recipes on the concept of the Polymeal- a notion first explored in the British Medical Journal by researchers who calculated that you could reduce heart disease by over 75% and give people an extra 9 good years of life if everyone ate a meal of 7 basic ingredients on a regular basis. One of those ingredients was red wine.

Consumption of white wine, beer, or liquor, was not found to have a significant effect upon lung cancer risk.

Although the reasons why red wine should reduce lung cancer risk are unconfirmed. Chao believes that "an antioxidant component" may well be responsible. "Red wine is known to contain high levels of antioxidants. There is a compound called resveratrol that is very rich in red wine because it is derived from the grape skin. This compound has shown significant health benefits in preclinical studies," Chao said in a news release issued by the American Association for Cancer Research.

I've long believed resveratrol- one of the most powerful antioxidants found in red wine and the skins of dark grapes- is one of the best anti-aging supplements you can take (I take resveratrol every day). We know resveratrol seems to have life extending properties from lab experiments- perhaps it also has cancer fighting ones as well.

The study is due to be published in the October Issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

My Favorite Superfood: The Memory Enhancer

I'm always amused by those multi-level marketing juice drinks (Xango, Mangosteen, Xocai, Mona Vie) that go for 40 bucks a bottle and promise to cure everything from hair loss to cancer. I don't believe for a moment that those juices provide any more antioxidant power or health promoting properties than a good mix of plain old berries (like blueberries) that you can get anywhere at a fraction of the price.

Consider this:

A new study published in the current issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed that wild blueberries outperformed 2 dozen other commonly consumed fruits like apples, bananas, red grapes and strawberries in an expanded test using the Cellular Antioxidant Activity (CAA) assay (lab test). The research shows that wild blueberries have the highest cellular antioxidant activity of the 25 fruits tested, as well as the highest total phenolic content and ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) value.

ORAC value is a "combo score" based on the ability of mixed antioxidants in a given food to perform as a team, often delivering more punch and power than you might expect from any of the individual ingredients- think "The Rolling Stones" as a band as opposed to Mick Jagger as a solo artist!

Lead scientist Rui Hai Liu, Ph.D. used the cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay -- a new assay developed by the Cornell University Department of Food Science to determine antioxidant activity of antioxidants, foods, and dietary supplements.

According to Dr. Liu, the CAA assay was developed to investigate how antioxidant compounds found in foods react inside real cells as opposed to test tubes, using human liver cancer cells as the testing model. The new CAA test is a more biologically relevant method as it accounts for uptake, metabolism, distribution and activity of antioxidant compounds within cells versus solely looking at antioxidant value.

The recently published study shows the cellular antioxidant activity of 25 common fruits, an expansion from earlier CAA testing done in 2007. "In expanding the test to include more fruits, we found that wild blueberries had the highest antioxidant activity, with other berries and pomegranates also showing strong performance" said Dr. Liu.

Previous research that I reported on showed that blueberry extracts fed to mice improved their memory and maze learning ability, showing the blueberries truly are a "brain' food. Blueberries are one food I eat every single day- without exception. I've written glowingly about them in The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.

The new research is more evidence for what we've known for a while- blueberries are at the top of the heap when it comes to providing antioxidant power.

And by the way- you don't have to wait for them to be in season. Buy 'em frozen. In fact, eat them right from the freezer sprinkled with some nuts and a little raw milk or Pomegranate juice. There's nothing like it for staving off the craving for an 800 calorie pint of ice cream.