470 Nutritional Support for the Elderly [7 May 2018]

In a recent webinar Dr. Philip Rouchotas ND of the Bolton Naturopathic Clinic in Ontario, shared his nutritional protocol for his elderly patients, especially those with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, MS, and Parkinson’s, and those with mild cognitive impairment or traumatic brain injury. He believes most people over 60, and everyone over 70, will experience rapid and significant benefits from this program.

The base of the program is the Mediterranean Diet (more on this another week) along with physical exercise (aerobic and resistance) and mental exercise (chess, bridge, video games).

Step 1 deals with nutritional deficiencies which are “epidemic” among North American seniors for three main reasons: loss of appetite (they eat less); change in appetite (they prefer saltier, fattier, less nutrient-dense foods); and digestive impairment (they absorb fewer nutrients). Step 1 supplements:
• A good multivitamin with trace minerals and activated B’s
• Whey protein (30g) – prevents muscle loss; halves number of viral infections (colds)
• Creatine (2.5g) – prevents muscle loss (even while in a cast); with Parkinson’s slows requirement for increasing dopamine dose
• Fish Oil (1000-2000mg total EPA + DHA) – a 2:1 ratio works best

After a few months on Step 1 the elderly should have regained some strength and be ready to add a few more products from Step 2 to further improve their health:
• CoQ10 (100mg x2) – improves mitochondrial function, increases energy for muscle and brain function
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine (2g) – cofactor in mitochondria, necessary for burning fat for energy; doubles survival time in ALS patients
• Melatonin (as needed up to 20mg) – nerve cell antioxidant, benefits elderly even if sleep is not an issue
• Ginkgo biloba (120-240mg) – use if meds allow (blood thinners are a contraindication); improves cerebrovascular function (blood flow to the brain)
• Lion’s Mane (1g x2) – prevents cognitive impairment due to amyloid beta plaque; improves brain function in Mild Cognitive Impairment

I appreciate that Dr. Rouchotas’ protocols are backed with multiple human (not just animal) placebo-controlled studies so we can be confident in their safety and effectiveness. I plan to write more about some of these products in future articles.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner. Find this article on my website for links to sources and further reading.

465 Black Seed Oil [2 April 2018]

Black Seed is a desert plant Nigella sativa, related to cumin (essential for tasty chili!). It has a long tradition of medicinal use in Egypt and India. Muhammad said of black seed that “it cures all diseases except death itself”. While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, black seed has been shown to benefit our health in many ways.

Of the many beneficial compounds found in black seed, thymoquinone (TQ) is probably the most important. TQ:
• Acts as a bronchodilator which provides relief for many lung conditions including asthma, COPD and emphysema;
• Relaxes smooth muscle lowering high blood pressure and relieving arterial spasms;
• Relieves spasms of the digestive tract from the esophagus to the colon;
• Protects the brain and heart from oxidative damage (our two most valuable organs!);
• Improves mitochondrial function in the muscle cells of the heart and in the brain;
• Supports liver, gallbladder and kidney function by preserving intracellular glutathione;
• Improves the outcome and reduces toxicity of chemotherapy in cancer treatment.

A related compound found in black seed is thymohydroquinone (THQ). THQ increases the time that the neurotransmitter acetylcholine remains active in the brain (drugs designed for this function are used in the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions including autism, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s).

A third compound, Thymol (also found in thyme and oregano), has strong anti-viral properties. It is commonly used in treating tuberculosis.

TQ, THQ, and thymol, along with other beneficial compounds in black seed:
• show promise in fighting antibiotic-resistant pathogens including MRSA;
• improve glucose levels in Type 2 Diabetes as well as Metformin but with low toxicity;
• reverse hair loss by strengthening hair roots;
• improve skin conditions such as eczema with black seed cream.

Natural health advocate Cass Ingram, author of The Black Seed Miracle, recommends starting black seed while you are still healthy to prevent illness. With daily use (it’s a food after all!), black seed will support the health of your brain, heart, blood vessels, lungs, liver, kidneys, digestive system, immune system, and more. It is available in liquid oil and capsules.

Sources and links to more information:
Cass Ingram, interview with Dr. Ward Bond
Dr Josh Axe Black Seed Oil Benefits
GreenMedInfo.com The Remedy for Everything but Death
Dr Joseph Mercola Black Cumin Seed Benefits
Self-Hacked Top 28 Scientific Benefits of Nigella sativa

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

439 Iron Toxicity [25 Sept 2017]

Do you know what your iron levels are? If not, you should. And not just because of anemia. While iron deficiency can be a problem – mostly for children and pregnant or menstruating women – excess iron is actually more common and much more dangerous.

High GGT, a test for free iron, is the “single measure most predictive of early mortality” by the life insurance industry. GGT (gamma-glutamyltransferase) is a liver enzyme that indicates free iron levels and predicts risk of sudden cardiac death. A more common test is serum ferratin which measures iron stores.

High iron levels increase your risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis (including gout). Some iron is necessary for energy production in the mitochondria [see #302 January 2015] but too much means trouble. Excess iron combines with hydrogen peroxide in the mitochondria to form hydroxyl free radicals which cause severe damage to the mitochondria. Mitochondrial dysfunction is the root of most chronic degenerative diseases.

According to Gerry Koenig, Director of the Iron Disorders Institute, the ideal range of serum ferratin for adult men and post-menopausal women is 30 – 60 ng/ml. The ideal GGT is less than 16U/L for men and less than 9U/L for women; levels above 25 (men) and 18 (women) significantly increase your risk for chronic disease. The medically accepted “normal” ranges for both tests are much too high for chronic disease prevention.

If you find your iron is too high, take steps to reduce it. Eat less red meat and take vitamin C and alcohol away from iron-rich foods (both of which increase iron absorption). Avoid iron supplements and choose iron-free multivitamins. Foods and supplements which increase glutathione [#318 May 2015] will lower GGT. Curcumin chelates iron and will prevent its absorption in the gut. A detox program could help pull iron out of stores and assist your liver to excrete it.

Regularly donating blood is an excellent way to manage iron stores. If for some reason you are unable to donate to Canadian Blood Services, talk to your doctor about other options. Perhaps the medieval doctors were on to something with their blood-letting and leeches (but most of the time did far more harm than good).

Source: Serum Ferratin and GGT - Two Potent Indicators You Need to Know, mercola.com

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

403 Humic & Fulvic Acids [16 Jan 2017]

I have a rather unique supplement on my shelves that I wanted to learn more about so chose it for my topic this week. Humic and fulvic acids are organic compounds found in soil, peat, and water sediments. A particularly rich deposit in New Mexico dating from the Cretaceous Period (100mya) is mined to create a supplement for human use.

The main ingredients are humic and fulvic acids. The supplement also contains traces of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, plant enzymes and other organic compounds (organic in the chemical sense meaning that it contains carbon).

Humic and fulvic acids are known to benefit human health in many ways:
• Source of trace minerals in a readily available organic form
• Stimulates mitochondrial production of ATP
• Protects mitochondrial membranes from oxidative damage
• Reduces loss of ATP and CoQ10 levels during heavy exercise
• Acts as prebiotic feeding good bacteria in the gut
• Reduces pain and inflammation
• Improves immunity by increasing T-lymphocytes and neutrophils
• Inhibits viral infections including rhinoviruses, influenza and Herpes simplex
• Increases elimination of toxic heavy metals while improving absorption of nutritional metals like iron and zinc
• Blocks stress hormones
• Increases oxygenation of the blood

Here are how these benefits are experienced by users:
• Relief from joint pain and stiffness
• Reduced soreness and faster recovery from work or sports activity
• Increased energy & stamina
• Improved immunity from colds and flu
• Improved mood, reduced anxiety, increased alertness
• Most people noticed the benefits in 1 or 2 weeks

In over 10 years of research, humic and fulvic acid supplements have been found to be completely safe and do not interfere with any medications.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner. Find this article on my website for links to sources and further reading.

361 Exercise and Cancer [14 March 2016]

Among its many other benefits, exercise is an important part of cancer treatment and prevention. Research has consistently shown that regular exercise reduces your risk of getting cancer, improves your chance of recovering from cancer, and helps prevent cancer from recurring. Here are a few examples:

A 2003 review of epidemiologic studies, published in Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 35(11), found that physical activity reduced the risk of colon cancer by 30-40% and of breast cancer by 20-30%.

A 2005 Harvard study found that 3 to 5 hours a week of moderate exercise reduced the risk of death by about half for breast cancer patients. For cancer patients, exercise also reduces the side effects of conventional cancer treatment, shortens hospital stays, reduces fatigue and generally improves quality of life.

A news release from August 2012 published in Medical News Today reported that exercise has been found to reduce recurrence of cancer by up to 50%.

When and how much exercise is required? Exercise seems to have a dose-response relation to cancer meaning the more you exercise, the lower your risk of cancer. In one study 30 to 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous exercise was required to reduce breast cancer risk. But any amount is better than none, and of course you have to work within your body’s ability.

Exercising when younger reduces your risk of cancer when you are older. Regular activity in teen years significantly lowered risk of women at age 40-70 from dying of cancer (and of all-cause mortality). Men over 65 who had kept fit in middle age reduced their risk of lung cancer by 55% and colon cancer by 44%, and reduced their risk of dying from lung, bowel and prostate cancer by 32%.

So how does exercise help prevent and fight cancer? A mouse study published in Cell Metabolism in March 2016 found that exercise activated NK killer cells resulting in a 50% reduction in tumor growth. Exercise reduces insulin resistance which in turn reduces glucose available for cancer cells. But possibly the most important way that exercise prevents and fights cancer is by increasing both the function and number of mitochondria. As I discussed in the last three columns, mitochondrial dysfunction appears to be the driving force behind all cancers.

Source: mercola.com Exercise Helps Shrink Tumors... March 4, 2016.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

360 Two Promising Cancer Cures [7 March 2016]

In the last two weeks I outlined the history of cancer theory and the evidence against the Somatic Mutation Theory (SMT). This week I want to share two promising cancer treatments that developed from the Metabolic Theory of Cancer.

According to the metabolic theory, all cancer cells have the same underlying metabolic dysfunction – the cell’s inability to use the oxidative pathway of energy production, forcing it to use fermentation. Treatments based on this theory should be effective on all cancers.

Fermentation is 32 times less efficient than oxidation in energy production so cancer cells require large amounts of glucose. Simply restricting calories was known to shrink tumors (in fact animals studies showed that many chemotherapy drugs reduced tumors only by suppressing appetite!). Expanding on this, Thomas Seyfried developed the Restricted Ketogenic Diet (R-KD) which produces extremely low glucose and very high ketone blood levels. Cancer cells, with their dysfunctional metabolism, are unable to use ketones for fuel and starve while normal cells thrive. R-KD makes cancer cells very vulnerable to other treatments like radiation and chemo while protecting healthy cells from damage, making it an excellent adjunctive therapy. Also the vulnerability of cancer cells make treatments effective at lower doses, reducing the cost and the degree of side effects.

All cancer cells produce large amounts of lactic acid in the fermentation process. To get rid of it the cells grow more ports in the cell walls. Young Ko, a researcher at Johns Hopkins, discovered a cancer treatment, 3-bromopyruvate (3BP), that uses these ports to preferentially enter the cancer cells where it inhibits the enzyme hexokinase II and kills the cell. 3BP showed unprecedented success in animal trials, melting tumors while leaving healthy tissue undamaged. In 2009, 3BP restored a 17 year old boy in the Netherlands with advanced liver cancer from the brink of death. Unfortunately disputes over patents and lab space prevented Ko from doing further research for many years, delaying the trials required for drug approval.

Let’s pray these two treatments are approved soon. Imagine cancer treatments where you come out healthier than you started! That’s the way it should be.

Source: Tripping over the Truth: The Metabolic Theory of Cancer by Travis Christofferson, 2014.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

359 Failure of SMT [February 29, 2016]

Last week I outlined the history of cancer theory over the last century. The Somatic Mutation Theory (SMT) of Cancer – that genetic mutations in the DNA of the nucleus (nDNA) of the cells initiates and drives cancer – has been the dominant theory for at least the past 60 years. Treatments developed based on this theory – surgery, radiation and chemotherapy – have been largely disappointing with limited success in life extension and significant side effects. Could this theory be wrong?

The solution to the low success rate was believed to lie in more genetic research to identify the specific mutations of particular cancers and develop targeted treatments for them. To this end the largest genetic project ever undertaken, called The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), was begun in 2006 – to map all mutations associated with 20 human cancers. As the data came in, researchers were puzzled and discouraged – the mutations seemed to be completely random. Not only did the mutations in tumors vary widely between cancer victims for the same type of cancer, they varied between tumors in the same person and even between cells of the same tumor. Some samples had no mutations at all. This unpredictable variation makes targeted drug design next to impossible.

The most compelling evidence comes from some clever experiments in the 1980s. Labs in both Vermont and Texas independently replaced the nucleus from healthy cells (leaving the healthy mitochondria) with nuclei from cancer cells, then injected them into mice. To their great surprise only one of the 68 mice developed a tumor over the next year. Next they replaced the nucleus from cancerous cells (leaving the unhealthy mitochondria) with nuclei from healthy cells and injected them into mice. This time nearly all (97%) of the mice developed cancer. Sadly these experiments didn’t fit the reigning theory so were ignored.

Furthermore all nDNA mutations known to increase cancer risk (like TP53 and BRAC-1) are known to impair mitochondrial function or repair. And of 700 targeted drugs tested, the one success (Gleevec) works in part by shutting down Warburg’s metabolic pathway, restoring oxidative energy production.

All this supports the Metabolic Theory which believes that cancer is initiated by mitochondrial damage, and the damaged nDNA is secondary. Next week I will offer hope for a cure from treatments based on the metabolic theory.

Source: Tripping over the Truth: The Metabolic Theory of Cancer by Travis Christofferson, 2014.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

358 Three Theories of Cancer [22 Feb. 2016]

Otto Warburg, considered the greatest biochemist of the 20th century, was awarded the 1931 Nobel Prize for his discovery that cancer cells use an anaerobic fermentation process for energy metabolism. Even in the presence of oxygen, cancer cells use this inefficient process almost exclusively rather than the more efficient aerobic respiration used by normal cells. Warburg believed this reversion of energy production, from aerobic to anaerobic, was the prime cause of cancer, a theory that became known as the Metabolic Theory of Cancer.

Decades earlier, in the late 1870s, a German medical researcher, David Paul von Hansemann applied a newly discovered cellular dye to cancer cells and observed that their chromosomes were abnormal and chaotic rather than orderly as in normal cells. By 1890 Hansemann had developed the beginning of what came to be called the Somatic Theory of Cancer (“somatic” refers to the cell nucleus), that mutations to the nuclear DNA were the cause of cancer.

In 1911 an American pathologist, Peyton Rous, discovered that a virus could induce cancer in chickens, creating a third competing theory. This caused a wave of speculation that cancer could be an infectious disease like smallpox and polio, but was ignored and soon forgotten when no human cancer viruses turned up.

The three theories each had their following during the first half of the 20th century. Then came Watson and Crick’s discovery of DNA and all attention focused on genetics. The goal became to discover the genetic mutations causing a particular cancer and create a drug to counteract them. These drugs – various forms of chemotherapy – have been largely disappointing with limited life extension and significant side effects.

Then in 1976 two American researchers, Harold Varmus and Michael Bishop, discovered that cancer-causing viruses worked by inserting a mutated human gene into the cell nucleus, effectively amalgamating the viral and somatic theories and relegating the metabolic theory to the dustbin.

Fortunately the metabolic theory hasn’t stayed in oblivion but has been kept alive and further developed by a few researchers, notably Peter Pederson and Thomas Seyfried. Next week I will outline the case for, and the promise and hope of, the resurrected metabolic theory.

Source: Tripping over the Truth: The Metabolic Theory of Cancer by Travis Christofferson, 2014.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner. See this article on my website for links to sources and further reading.

355 Mitochondria & Degenerative Disease [1 Feb 2016]

I enjoyed reading the book “Oxygen: the molecule that made the world” by Nick Lane so I bought his book about mitochondria with the eye-catching title “Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the meaning of life” (I’m sure the publishers, rather than the authors, come up with these titles!). The mercola.com topic for January 24 was “How your mitochondria influence your health” which featured Dr. Rhonda Patrick, a biomedical scientist.

Dr. Patrick has studied the roles of micronutrients and degenerative diseases, particularly as they relate to mitochondria. She is a frequent speaker, prolific writer and runs her own website (foundmyfitness.com) where she shares her insights with the public.

I wrote several columns about mitochondria last January (#301, #302, #303). To review: mitochondria are tiny organelles inside almost every cell of our body which generate the energy for all cell functions by converting our food to CO2 and water in a complex biochemical pathway called respiration. In the process of respiration electrons sometimes leak out of the system where they combine with oxygen or nitrogen to form free radicals called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) or Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) which can damage the mitochondrial DNA. Damage to the DNA eventually results in the death of the mitochondrion. When enough mitochondria die, the cell dies; when enough cells in a tissue or organ dies, the organ fails causing degenerative disease and ultimately our own death.

So what can we do to slow the free radical damage to our cells:
• ensure we have sufficient micronutrients to prevent free radical formation: Co-enzyme Q10, L-carnitine, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, all B vitamins, ALA.
• especially magnesium which is essential for the enzymes which repair damaged DNA and for mitochondrial biogenesis (creating of new mitochondria)
• exercise induces mitochondrial biogenesis which reduces free radical creation by spreading out the workload so the mitochondria can work more efficiently
• avoid over eating and eating before bedtime which causes the respiration pathway to back up spilling more electrons and creating more free radicals

In summary, looking after our mitochondria will go far in avoiding degenerative disease and premature death, and help us enjoy a longer and higher-quality life.

For those so inclined, here is a more scholarly article on mitochondrial DNA damage and longevity: Reinald Pamplona, “Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Animal Longevity: Insights from Comparative Studies,” Journal of Aging Research, vol. 2011.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

351 Oxygen and Disease [4 Jan 2016]

Over the holidays I read a book (on my new Kindle e-reader!) by Nick Lane (2002) called “Oxygen: the molecule that made the world”. The first half of the book describes how oxygen affected the evolution of life on earth, and vice-versa. The second half explores the dual role that oxygen plays in health and disease.

Oxygen is essential for life; without a fresh supply we die in a matter of minutes. Fuel from the food we eat is combined with oxygen in the mitochondria of our cells to produce the energy that runs our bodies (see #302 January 2015). But in the process, oxidative free radicals like hydroxyl, super oxide and hydrogen peroxide are formed. Until neutralized by antioxidants, these free radicals damage whatever they come in contact with including cell membranes and DNA. Most free radicals attack the mitochondria in which they are created but some spill out where they can damage the rest of the cell including the nuclear DNA. As we age this damage accumulates at a faster and faster rate until we die. That’s the free radical theory of aging. For more on this see my column #303 from January 2015.

Lane defines oxidative stress as “an imbalance between free-radical production and antioxidant protection”. But oxidative stress isn’t all bad, in fact it is a necessary component of our immune reaction to infection. Infections create oxidative stress which triggers the immune system to produce both inflammation to attack the infection and stress resistance to protect our cells. The problem is that the rise in oxidative stress from aging also triggers inflammation. But unlike the infection, this doesn’t go away and so becomes chronic. And chronic inflammation is behind most if not all the diseases of aging. The same process that protects us from infection when we are young causes suffering and eventually death in old age.

So what can be done to prevent or reduce this suffering? Lane mentions the spice curcumin for its ability to suppress inflammation by stimulating activity of the anti-stress enzyme haem oxygenase. To me an even better approach would be to increase mitochondrial glutathione to prevent oxidative damage at its source (see #304, 318 & 319 Feb & May 2015).

Oxygen – the molecule that gives us life also causes disease and death. We can only try to postpone the inevitable.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

339 Vitamin B12 – the Cobalamins [5 Oct 2015]

B12 is the most structurally complex of the vitamins and the only one which contains a trace mineral – cobalt – which gives it its scientific name cobalamin. That’s the reason cattle are given cobalt, usually in the form of blue salt blocks, so their gut bacteria can synthesize B12 for them. Human gut bacteria may produce some B12 but rarely enough. Thus we need to obtain B12 from our diet.

In order to be absorbed in the small intestine, B12 from our food requires a special enzyme, called “intrinsic factor”, which is produced in the stomach. Some people do not produce enough intrinsic factor, resulting in a B12 deficiency called pernicious anemia. This is overcome with a special sublingual form that is absorbed directly in your mouth, bypassing the digestive tract.

There are three forms of B12 found in supplements.

• Cyanocobalamin is the cheapest form so the most common in multi vitamins. It contains a toxic cyanide group which the body must dispose of after converting it to methylcobalamin. It is safe at normal doses but is not recommended for high dose supplementation.

• Methylcobalamin is the biologically active form which protects nerve cells from degenerative damage in neurological disorders such as MS, Alzheimer’s and glaucoma. It is better absorbed and retained than cyanocobalamin and is non-toxic so is safe even at high doses. A quick test for the quality of a multivitamin or B complex is to check the form of B12 in it!

• Hydroxocobalamin is a special form that is well absorbed and is easily converted to the active forms. It is sometimes used in cases of cyanide poisoning to help detoxify and excrete cyanide – by IV for acute toxicity and by supplementation for chronic low-level toxicity. Cyanocobalamin is first converted into hydroxocobalamin and then into either of the active forms – methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin. Adenosylcobalamin is readily stored (in the liver) and is the form used in mitochondria for energy production.

B12 plays many roles in our metabolism some of which involve the TCA cycle of energy production in our mitochondria which I wrote about in January 2015 (#302). In March of 2014 (#257) I wrote about B12 deficiency symptoms and the importance of supplementation for brain health.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

319 Increasing Glutathione – Who Can Benefit? [18 May 2015]

Last week (#318) I showed you how to raise your glutathione levels. Which brings up the question of who would benefit from increasing glutathione.

In medicine we think of one drug for one disease, and are taught to be skeptical of “panaceas” that promise everything. But in natural healing many different nutrients must work together to improve one condition; and a single nutrient can improve many different conditions. Glutathione is a perfect example of the latter because its powerful antioxidant properties make it essential for health in every cell of the body.

You could benefit from increasing glutathione levels if you:
• want to look and feel younger – as we age our bodies produce less glutathione
• are an athlete – improves strength, endurance and reduces recovery time
• are a smoker, welder, mechanic, chemical farmer, consume alcohol, or are otherwise exposed to chemical toxins – protects your organs from damage
• use a cell phone or WIFI, are exposed to microwaves or ultraviolet radiation – protects cells from radiation damage
• have a chronic disease like asthma, Alzheimer’s, Lupus, Parkinson’s, arthritis, macular degeneration – all associated with low glutathione
• are fighting a viral infection such as a cold, hepatitis, herpes, bronchitis, pneumonia, even AIDS – strengthens the immune system to fight infections
• have impaired or diseased organs including heart, liver, kidneys, prostate, stomach, intestines, colon – all benefit from increased glutathione
• have atherosclerosis (risk for heart attack & stroke) – prevents lipid peroxidation and plaque formation
• are healing from trauma – promotes growth of healthy new tissue
• want to sleep better – promotes better more restful sleep
• are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired – supports mitochondria to produce more energy
• are healthy and want to stay that way – helps prevent all above conditions

Sources:
Immunotec website
Nutraxis website

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

305 PQQ – the Newest Vitamin? [9 February 2015]

Lee Know’s book “Life – the Epic Story of our Mitochondria” introduced me to Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ) and discussed its role as a possible new vitamin.

Like vitamins, we are unable to produce our own PQQ so must get it from our diet. It is an essential enzyme for the production of collagen, the structural protein found in skin, bone and connective tissue. Animals given a PQQ deficient diet develop brittle skin. PPQ’s role as a vitamin however is contested and has not yet been confirmed.

PQQ is a very stable antioxidant that protects our mitochondria from oxidative damage (see #303 Free Radicals & Aging). Beyond that, PQQ is one of a very few things that actually increase mitochondrial biogenesis (production of new mitochondria) – the others being strenuous aerobic exercise, a severely restricted caloric diet, and a few prescription drugs. This property shows great promise for PQQ as an anti-aging supplement.

PQQ protects heart tissue from damage following heart attacks and ischemia-reperfusion injury (oxidative damage that occurs when oxygen deprived tissue is suddenly resupplied with oxygen following bypass or stent surgery).

PQQ also plays a critical role in protecting brain and nerve tissue immediately after a stroke or spinal cord injury. It also protects the brain from toxins including mercury and excitotoxins. No doubt because of the brain’s high demand for energy and PQQs ability to increase mitochondria, supplementation has been found to improve cognitive function. In a controlled clinical trial done in Japan in 2007, 20mg daily of PQQ improved short-term memory, attention, concentration and mental processing. The addition of CoQ10 significantly enhanced this effect.

PQQ is found in small quantities in a few fruits (kiwi, papaya) and vegetables (green pepper, carrots, cabbage) but the highest food source by far is dark chocolate. It’s possible that much of chocolate’s known health benefits comes from its PQQ content. PQQ is now available in Canada as a supplement, either alone or in combination with CoQ10.

Sources:
Lee Know “Life – the Epic Story of our Mitochondria”
Wikipedia Pyrroloquinoline quinone
Life Extension Magazine Generate Fresh Mitochondria with PQQ

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

304 Glutathione [2 Feb 2015]

Last week I mentioned glutathione as an important antioxidant protecting the mitochondrial DNA. It’s worth taking a closer look at its roles and what we can do to promote its production.

The main function of glutathione is to neutralize free radicals and peroxides inside the mitochondria and cell cytoplasma before they can do damage. It also recycles other antioxidants, extending their useful lives, and helps detoxify the cells of the body, especially the liver.

Glutathione is not considered an essential nutrient because it is synthesized in the body – in all cells but mostly in the liver. It is made of three amino acids: L-cysteine, L-glutamic acid and glycine. Cysteine is relatively rare in our food so is a limiting factor in glutathione production. How can we increase our glutathione production?

Glutathione levels cannot be increased by supplementing with glutathione itself as it is broken down in the digestion process. Likewise cysteine, taken as a single amino acid, is destroyed in digestion. There are two ways around this dilemma: NAC and cystine. N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) and cystine are forms of cysteine that survive the digestive process and are readily converted to glutathione. NAC is available as a supplement in capsule form but needs to be taken several times a day for best results. Possibly the best form of cysteine supplementation is with cystine, available in a specially processed undenatured whey protein isolate.

The trace mineral selenium [see #208] is a cofactor for the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, one form of glutathione, so is often classed as an antioxidant along with several vitamins. Vitamin D and SAMe both increase glutathione production. ALA [see #89 and #90] has similar antioxidant and detoxification functions to glutathione, and helps protect glutathione. Silymarin, the active ingredient in milk thistle, also protects glutathione. Certain foods containing sulfur rich amino acids (asparagus, broccoli, avocado, spinach and garlic) also improve glutathione levels.

So why would you want to increase your glutathione levels? To enhance your immune system, detoxify your cells and liver (for example if you use acetominophen on a regular basis), increase your energy and feeling of well-being, and to slow or even reverse the aging process.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

303 Free Radicals & Aging [26 January 2015]

In his book “Life – the Epic Story of our Mitochondria” Lee Know explains the mitochondrial theory of aging.

The Electron Transfer Chain (ETC) which produces ATP energy in our cells’ mitochondria also produces most of the free radicals that occur in our body. Free radicals are not long-haired hippies on the loose but are highly reactive negatively charged ions which can damage the mitochondrial DNA. If you recall from #301, mitochondrial DNA is not protected in a nucleus (as is our cellular DNA) and occurs throughout the mitochondria often near the sites of the ETC. As DNA damage by free radicals accumulates the mitochondria lose their ability to produce energy and eventually die. When enough mitochondria in a cell die, the cell dies. As the cells die, the function of the affected organs decline with resulting chronic illnesses of old age. Then we die. This in a nutshell is the mitochondrial theory of aging. There are two different strategies that we can use to slow this process and hopefully live longer healthier lives.

The first is to reduce the creation of the free radicals. Free radicals form when something interrupts the electron transfer chain. Normally the electron safely passes through each step, handed from one complex to the next, until the final step in which water and ATP are produced. If one of the units of a complex is missing or in short supply, electrons will build up at that step and spill over into molecules (usually oxygen) in the surrounding matrix, forming free radicals. Ensuring we have sufficient of all of the nutrients mentioned in last week’s article is important. For example if CoQ10 is in short supply electrons will build up in Complex 1 (which by the way has the highest production of free radicals in the ETC). Electrons will also back up if the end product ATP is not being used fast enough. Following a meal with exercise rather than a nap will slow the aging process.

The other strategy is to ensure sufficient antioxidants in the mitochondria to neutralize the free radicals before they cause damage. Glutathione, the most important antioxidant in the cell, requires selenium (see #208) and the amino acid cysteine. More on glutathione next week.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

302 Mitochondria Nutrients [19 Jan 2015]

Last week I wrote about a book by Lee Know, ND, called “Life – the Epic Story of our Mitochondria”. In it I was impressed by the interrelationship among the many nutrients required for mitochondria to function properly and produce the energy our bodies need for health.

The TCA Cycle which converts glucose and fatty acids to acetyl-coA requires vitamins B1, B2, B3 & B5, minerals iron, sulfur, magnesium & manganese, the amino acid cysteine and alpha lipoic acid (ALA). The Electron Transfer Chain (ETC) which converts the acetyl-coA to ATP energy has CoQ10 (#159 Apr 2012) as one of its essential steps. The ETC also requires vitamins B2 & B12 and minerals iron, sulfur, copper & zinc.

The amino acid L-carnitine (#168 June 2012) is essential for moving long chain fatty acids into the mitochondria where they can be burned for energy. Oxygen is essential for efficient production of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation and requires iron in the form of hemoglobin for transport to the cells. Without adequate oxygen ATP is produced anaerobically resulting in the buildup of lactic acid (causing muscle pain including angina) which requires carnitine to clear it.

In addition to its role in the TCA cycle, ALA is necessary for the production of the antioxidant glutathione. Glutathione is the most important antioxidant in the mitochondria (more on this next week). ALA is also essential for regenerating NADH back to NAD+ so the first step in the ETC can be repeated. As I explained in an earlier article on ALA (#89 Nov 2010), only the R(+) isomer of ALA is bioactive.

Creatine holds and donates the phosphorus ion to convert ADP to ATP; when used as a supplement creatine increases endurance in athletes and improves brain and heart function.

A deficiency of any of these nutrients slows the production of ATP energy in the mitochondria causing fatigue and the reduced function of the organ(s) involved. That’s why there is no simple answer to the question “Why do I feel so tired all the time?”

Next week – free radicals and the mitochondrial theory of aging.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

301 Mitochondria [12 Jan 2015]

I’m reading a fascinating little book by Lee Know, ND, called “Life – the Epic Story of our Mitochondria”. Mitochondria are organelles in animal cells that produce most of the energy used by the animal. It is in these little “powerhouses” that our food is combined with oxygen (essentially burned) and converted to energy in the form of ATP that our bodies then use for all the biochemical processes needed for health and life. This conversion of food to energy is called “cellular respiration”.

Mitochondria are unique in that they come with their own DNA, called mtDNA. Unlike the cell’s nuclear DNA (nDNA), mtDNA is not protected by a nuclear membrane so is more susceptible to mutations from free radicals (more on this in a future article). There are hundreds to thousands of mitochondria in each cell, comprising about 10% of our body weight.

In a very complex series of biochemical pathways, glucose and fatty acids are first converted to acetyl-coA which then enters the Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle (a.k.a. Krebs cycle) where it is converted to CO2 and two molecules called NADH and FADH2. Electrons from these two molecules then get passed along in a series of steps from one enzyme complex to the next in what is called the Electron Transfer Chain (ETC) until finally combining with oxygen to form a water molecule. At each step protons (H+ ions) are transported out of the inner matrix into the space between the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes. This proton gradient represents stored energy which in the final step flows back through the inner membrane and in the process converts adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Lee Know compares it to pumping water into a reservoir behind a dam which then flows through a turbine to create electricity.

One significance of all this to our health is the large number of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other compounds like CoQ10 and ALA that are required for energy production. Without sufficient quantities of each of these we would not only lack energy but, depending on which organs are affected, could develop many different degenerative diseases. More on this next week.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.