Your Optimum Health
There is growing medical evidence confirming that heart disease,
cancer, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, osteoporosis and other
degenerative diseases may be prevented or even reversed by healthy
lifestyles.
It is becoming clearer that diet, exercise and nutritional supplementation
offer the best protection for your health and can play a vital
role in the treatment or improvement of these underlying medical
conditions.
'You can trace every
sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a nutritional deficiency.'
Dr. Linus Pauling American
Biochemist, Winner of 2 Nobel Prizes.
‘Every year over
97% of your body is completely replaced, even the structure of
the DNA in your genes, reconstructed entirely from the nutrients
we eat. The quality of those nutrients determines the quality
of your renewed cellular structure, the level at which it can
function and its resistance to disease.’
Dr Michael Colgan - The New
Nutrition 1995 page 78 Apple Publishing Co. Ltd.
Many of us know that the foundation of a healthy lifestyle is
a balanced diet that is rich in lean protein, organic fruits and
raw vegetables with plenty of drinking water. We also know that
our diet should be low in sugar, alcohol and caffeine and avoidable
toxins and that time should be made for weight bearing and aerobic
exercise and 8 hours of restful sleep per night.
The reality is that most people don't achieve these healthy foundations.
Research has shown the importance of consuming a broad spectrum
pharmaceutical grade nutritional product in your diet.
Remedial Therapy Solutions has
consultants that can guide you through a range of exceptional
nutritional supplements to support your health and wellness.
Are you taking nutritional supplements?
Learn which products offer advanced, comprehensive formulas of
antioxidants, minerals and vitamins designed to support your health
and wellness. Choose from exceptional quality, nutritional products
that are listed in MIMS - the health reference most widely used
by Australian GP's.
Supplementation Questions and Research Findings
More and more people today are looking for information and guidance
while expressing an avid interest in diet, health, exercise and
supplementation options. Initially, mainstream medicine was openly
unreceptive to the idea of healthy people taking vitamin supplements
given that nutritional medicine did not usually form part of the
health training core curriculum. During the 1990’s the anti-vitamin
attitude began to change as irrefutable evidence continued to
emerge that supplements could reduce the risk of degenerative
diseases.
Can supplementation reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke?
An editorial entitled "Eat Right and
Take a Multi-Vitamin." in the New England Journal
of Medicine (Oakley 9 April, 1998) cited studies that indicated
that certain supplements could reduce homocysteine serum levels
and consequently lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. This
was the first time that this prestigious medical journal had recommended
vitamin supplements..
Are vitamins able to prevent common illnesses?
The Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA) (Fairfield et al. 19 June, 2002)
sanctioned the use of vitamin supplements. Harvard University
doctors, who wrote the JAMA guidelines, indicated that people
who get enough vitamins may be able to prevent such common illnesses
as cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. These researchers
concluded that suboptimal levels of folic acid and vitamins B6
and B12 are a risk factor for heart disease and colon and breast
cancers, inadequate levels of the antioxidant vitamins A, E, and
C may increase the risk of cancer and heart disease and low levels
of vitamin D contribute to osteoporosis.
Is there a growing body of evidence that supplementation with
folic acid can prevent both cardiovascular disease and cancer?
The Annals of Internal Medicine
in 1998 published a study (Giovannucci et al). presenting
data from the Harvard Nurses' Health
Study conducted at the Harvard Medical School confirming
that long-term supplementation with folic acid reduced the risk
of colon cancer by an astonishing 75% in women. There were 90,000
women participating in this considerable Harvard Nurses' Health
Study. Women who obtained more than 400 mcg of folic acid a day
for 15 years experienced the 75% reduction in colon cancer while
short-term supplementation with folic acid produced only marginal
protection. The study also revealed that folic acid obtained from
supplements had a stronger protective effect against colon cancer
than folic acid consumed in the diet.
Have there been large population studies confirming a reduction
in cardiovascular disease in people who consumed vitamin C?
A report from UCLA (Enstrom et al.
1992) declared that men who took 800 mg a day of vitamin C lived
6 years longer than those who consumed the recommended daily allowance
of 60 mg a day. The study evaluated 11,348 participants over a
10-year period of time and illustrated that high vitamin C intake
extended average lifespan and reduced mortality from cardiovascular
disease by 42%.
In the British Medical Journal a
study (Nyyssonen et al. 1997) evaluated 1605 randomly selected
men in Finland ages 42-60 years from 1984-1989 with no evidence
of pre-existing heart disease. After adjusting for other confounding
factors, men who were deficient in vitamin C had 3.5 times more
heart attacks than men who were not deficient in vitamin C. The
scientist's conclusion was "vitamin C deficiency, as assessed
by low plasma ascorbate concentration, is a risk factor for coronary
heart disease".
In The Lancet, (Khaw et
al. 2001) a study by researchers at Cambridge University in England
looked at serum vitamin C and length of life. People who had the
lowest levels of vitamin C were twice as likely to die when compared
to those with the highest serum vitamin C levels. This study was
based on the findings in more than 19,000 people. They suggested
the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and supplements that are
high in vitamin C.
The American Heart Association's journal Circulation
on 9 March, 1999, (Chambers et al.) showed that elevated
homocysteine levels caused rapid onset of endothelial (arterial
lining) dysfunction. This type of dysfunction reduces blood flow
and can facilitate a lethal arterial spasm. The doctors conducting
the study stated that acute impairment of vascular endothelial
function can be prevented by pre-treatment with vitamin C as the
vitamin C inhibited arterial dysfunction by interfering with oxidative
stress mechanisms.
In the journal Circulation
(Rodes et al. February 1998) scientists tested heart failure patients
by high-resolution ultrasound and Doppler to measure radial artery
diameter and blood flow. Chronic heart failure is associated with
reduced dilating capacity of the endothelial lining of the arterial
system. Vitamin C restored arterial dilation response and blood
flow velocity in patients with heart failure. The scientists determined
that the mechanism of action was that vitamin C increased the
availability of nitric oxide, an important precursor to cGMP.
In the Journal of the American College
of Cardiology (Vita et al. 1998) a study by doctors
showed that low plasma ascorbic acid levels independently predict
the presence of an unstable coronary syndrome in heart disease
patients. The study's results showed that the beneficial effects
of vitamin C in treating coronary artery disease may result, in
part, by an influence on arterial wall lesion activity rather
than a reduction in the overall extent of fixed disease.
Does supplementation simply create expensive urine?
A frequent criticism regarding supplementing with vitamins is
that it produces "expensive urine". The thinking is
that the water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C and B vitamins,
are rapidly excreted into the bladder within hours of ingestion.
The Life Extension Foundation contended for years that these
vitamins are beneficial and that it is desirable to have a bladder
full of vitamins because a number of vitamins inhibit chemicals
that cause bladder cancer.
In the American Journal of Epidemiology,
(Bruemmer et al. September 1996) a study on the risk of bladder
cancer in vitamin takers showed the following:
- High intake of vitamin A and beta-carotene was associated
with a 48% reduction in bladder cancer incidence compared to
the lowest levels of vitamin A and beta-carotene intake.
- People who took 502 mg or more of vitamin C a day had a 60%
reduction in bladder cancer compared to those who took no vitamin
C.
- For those who took multivitamin supplements for at least 10
years, the reduction in bladder cancer was 61% compared to people
who took no vitamin supplements.
- High intakes of fried foods were associated with double the
risk of bladder cancer.
Can antioxidants lower the risks of cataracts and macular degeneration?
In the American Journal of Epidemiology
(Rouhiainen et al. 1996) a study showed that antioxidant supplements
reduce the risk of cataracts. They evaluated 410 men for 3 years
to ascertain the association between serum vitamin E and the development
of cortical lens opacities (cataracts). The men with the lowest
level of serum vitamin E had a 3.7 times greater risk of this
form of cataract compared to men with the highest serum level
of vitamin E.
While cataracts are generally treatable, wet macular degeneration
is not. However, people who eat spinach and collard greens have
lower rates of macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin extracts
from these vegetables are thought to protect against this blinding
disease.
Can antioxidants reduce one's risk of suffering atherosclerosis
or a vascular-related heart attack or stroke?
In the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition (Bonithon-Kopp et al. 1997), a study reported
that when assessing antioxidant status and measuring the carotid
artery occlusion in 1187 men and women from 59-71 years of age
with no history of coronary artery disease or stroke, the results
showed that the higher the level of vitamin E in red blood cells,
the lower the risk of carotid atherosclerosis. The lowest levels
of vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids were found in men with
the highest levels of carotid atherosclerotic plaques. The scientists
concluded by stating: "Our findings give some epidemiological
support to the hypothesis that lipid peroxidation and low antioxidant
status are involved in the early stages of atherosclerosis".
A study in the journal Atherosclerosis
(Koscielny et al. 1999) demonstrated that people who took a 900-mg
of garlic supplement every day for 4 years had 5-18% less plaque
build-up in their carotid arteries compared to the placebo group.
The women in the study group actually showed a 4.6% decrease in
carotid plaque volume over a 4-year period, whereas the placebo
group showed a 5.3% increase in artery-clogging plaque.
Are you concerned about cancer?
A well-justified fear of cancer is appears to be a major reason
why many people take dietary supplements. There is now a growing
and compelling body of evidence that cancer risks can be reduced
by taking appropriate supplements over an extended period of time.
An article in the Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA) (Clark et al. 1996) showed
that 200 mcg of supplemental selenium a day reduced overall cancer
mortality by 50% in humans compared to a placebo group that did
not receive supplemental selenium. This 9 year study demonstrated
that supplementation with a low-cost mineral supplement may cut
the risk of dying from cancer in half in certain individuals.
In the issue of the Journal of the
National Cancer Institute (Zhang et al. March 17,
1999), researchers investigated the associations between the intake
of specific nutrients and subsequent breast cancer risks. 83,234
women participated in the Harvard Nurses' Health Study
and breast cancer risks were significantly lower in women who
consumed alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and
vitamins A and C. Premenopausal women who consumed 5 or more servings
a day of fruits and vegetables had modestly lower risk of breast
cancer than those who had less than 2 servings a day. And, beta-carotene
was shown to lower the risk among premenopausal women who consumed
moderate amounts of alcohol which is a known risk factor in breast
cancer.
The issue of Cancer Research
(Gann et al. March 15, 1999) a study showed that the tomato extract
lycopene was the most effective nutrient shown to protect against
the development of prostate cancer. The study started in 1982
and followed 578 men over a 13 year period. Lycopene strongly
reduced prostate cancer risk and more importantly, lowered the
risk for aggressive cancer. This study confirmed many previous
studies showing that lycopene can help prevent pancreatic, prostate,
and a host of other cancers.
At a meeting of the American Association
of Cancer Research (April 12, 1999) a extraordinary
finding revealed that 30 mg of lycopene supplements a day slowed
the growth of existing prostate cancer and lowered serum PSA readings
by 20%.
Men with high intakes of vitamin E were 65% less likely to develop
colorectal adenomas as men with low vitamin E intake (Tseng et
al. 1996). Adenomas are neoplastic lesions that are considered
precursors to colon cancer.
In a related study in the issue of Diseases
of the Colon and Rectum (Whelan et al. February 1999),
the use of multivitamins, vitamin E, and calcium supplements was
found to be associated with a lower incidence of recurrent adenomas
in 448 patients with previous neoplasia who underwent follow-up
colonoscopy. This study found a protective effect against the
recurrence of precancerous adenomas when any vitamin supplement
was used.
On this same subject, a report in the American
Journal of Epidemiology (Tseng et al. 1996) showed
that women with high folate intakes were 40% less likely to develop
adenomas of the colon than women with low folate intakes.
What research shows a prolongation of lifespan with appropriate
supplementation when you already have cancer?
In Cancer Letters (Evangelou
et al. 1997), a study of animals with malignant tumours manifested
a significant prolongation of the mean survival time when given
high doses of vitamins C and E and selenium. Complete remission
of tumours developed in 16.8% of the animals studied. Low-dose
administration of these vitamins failed to exert any beneficial
effect on the mean survival time of the animals. The results indicated
that high doses (mega doses) of vitamins C and E in combination
with other carefully selected antioxidants are almost certainly
needed in order to achieve sufficient prevention and treatment
of malignant diseases. Comparatively, this study indicated that
mere low-potency supplements are of little value.
In a study in Cancer Research
(Turley et al. 1997). Vitamin E succinate was shown to inhibit
growth and induced apoptotic cell death of estrogen receptor-negative
human breast cancer cells. These findings suggest that vitamin
E succinate may be of clinical use in the treatment and possible
prevention of human breast cancers.
Research clearly shows that the risks of contracting cancer are
reduced in those who supplement with adequate amounts of nutrients,
such as selenium, folate, carotenoids, vitamins, and other plant
extracts.
Consumer Concerns
Consumers of quality broad sprectrum multivitamins should
not be alarmed by recent media reports on a study published
online on March 24, 2010 in the American
Journal or Clinical Nutrition claiming multivitamin
users have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
There are limitations to this study, which the authors
themselves responsibly acknowledged in their discussion.
Remedial Therapy Solutions has
consultants that can guide you through a range of exceptional
nutritional supplements to support your health and wellness.
To learn more, contact us and we
will invite you to a FREE information seminar.
Remedial Therapy Solutions
Suite 3, Level 2, “Gordon Centre”
802-808 Pacific Highway
Gordon NSW, Australia 2072
Phone: 0416 227 567 |
