Waistline – the best guide to good health and the best indicator of premature death risks!
It has been a while since research has proven that person’s waistline is the most important measure of person’s health. So, the bathroom scales no longer can give us the whole picture. At the same time, Body Max Index can be quite a meaningless measure too and, as tens of thousands of people a year die from obesity related diseases, it seems important to look into the health risk factors…
Doctors have long known that the more weight a person gains, the higher their risk of a heart attack. The first large-scale international study of abdominal obesity has found that a tape measure indeed is a better guide to the risk of heart disease. The risks associated with increasing waists held across all populations, despite the widely varying waist sizes among the 168,000 people who took part. The study was conducted by 6000 family doctors across the globe. Although people in Far Eastern populations have smaller waists on average than those in the West, their risk of heart disease increased at the same rate as they put extra inches.
Body Mass Index, which is a ratio of person’s height and weight, does not take into account the wide variations in person’s shape. American footballers weighing upwards of 300lbs may cross the boundary for obesity as measured by their BMI, but be healthy because they carry most of their weight as muscle rather than fat.
The type of fat and where it accumulates is more important than the amount. Excess weight around the stomach is more harmful then when deposited in other parts of the body, such as legs and hips. Fat deposits deep inside the abdomen, which is seen in an expanding waist, secrets toxins into the blood stream, raises cholesterol and increases the body’s resistance to insulin, essential for controlling blood sugar. A rise in insulin resistance means the pancreas has to produce extra insulin, which can damage other organs, such as the kidneys. Also, fat around waist secretes messenger molecules, compounds and hormones that contribute to heart disease and cancer.
Latest research has found that for every two inches you add to your waistline, you increase your chances of dying early. For every 2 inches (5 centimetres) increase in waist size, the risk of premature death rises by 17% in men and 13% in women, even if you are not classed as overweight.
Two people can both weigh 70 kilos and have the same height, but larger waist circumference in one of them will point to a larger ratio of body fat to body’s muscle mass and, therefore, a larger health risk, despite Body Mass Index being the same for both of them and perhaps even showing a normal weight according to BMI scores. Actually, the study of 350,000 people with normal BMIs of 18 to 25 shows waist size is just as important. People who have slim waists in relation to their hips also lived longer.
Men whose bellies measure more than 47.2 inches double their chances of early death compared to those with less than 31.5 inches round the middle.
Women with waist larger than 39.4 inches are the highest risk compared to those of less than 25.6 inches.
To measure your Waist, you need to follow these instructions:
Press your fingers into your torso near the right side of your waist. Push your fingers into your skin to find the bony pelvis. Keep pushing and moving your fingers along the edge of the hip bone until you find the top curve of the bone. The highest point will be located on the side of your torso, just underneath the lower portion of your ribcage. Generally, this spot will be at around the same level as your bellybutton, and near, or at, the narrowest part of your torso. Position the tape measure horizontally at this spot at the top of your hip bone. Then circle it around your abdomen and entire torso. Make sure that the tape lies horizontal on all sides of your torso. Breathe out when you take measurement, i.e., do not tuck in your tummy…
Now that you have measured it, here is where you can use this measurement to get your Free Instant Body Fat Analysis and see how you can lose those inches.
Vitamin B12 Keeps Your Brain Young! Are you getting enough of the nutrient that is absolutely vital for your brain health?
Older individuals with low levels of vitamin B12 are at increased risk of having brain atrophy or shrinkage. Brain atrophy is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and impaired cognitive function. Vitamin B12 deficiency is a public health problem, especially among older people.
In a study involving more than 100 volunteers aged 61 to 87, all participants underwent annual clinical exams, MRI scans and cognitive tests, and had blood samples taken. Individuals with lower vitamin B12 levels at the start of the study had a greater decrease in brain volume. Those with the lowest B12 levels had a sixfold greater rate of brain volume loss compared with those who had the highest levels. However, none of the participants were actually deficient in vitamin B12 — they just had low levels within a normal range.
Other risk factors for brain atrophy include high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.
“Our results suggest that rather than maintaining one’s B12 at a level that is just above the cut off for deficiency, it might be prudent to aim to keep it higher up than normal range”, the study’s lead researcher said.
This is really important to hear, as most people would assume that if their levels are within the normal range, they’re fine. In reality, you cannot always count on the “normal” reference ranges that come with your blood tests. Vitamin D is another example of a test that lists “normal” ranges that are not nearly adequate to keep you healthy. For many decades the “experts” believed that all you needed was 400 units per day. Now we know that you need about ten times that much or the equivalent amount of sun to produce that in your skin.
To really know if your nutrient levels are where they should be to keep you optimally healthy, you need to do some major research of your own, by seeking out scientific studies like this one, or you need to seek the guidance of a health care practitioner who thinks outside of the box and understands that there is a major difference between “average” and “optimal.”
Getting back to vitamin B12, though, there are many important reasons to make sure you’re getting enough in your diet. Why is Vitamin B12 so Important?
It’s been estimated that 40 percent of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin B12, a serious public health problem when you consider how important this vitamin is for your health. Vitamin B12:
• Is needed for proper digestion, food absorption, carbohydrate and fat metabolism.
• Helps folic acid regulate the formation of red blood cells, and helps your body use iron.
• Keep your nervous system healthy by assisting the nerves of your body to function and communicate in an optimal manner.
• Helps in cell formation and cellular longevity.
• Helps support female reproductive health.
• Promote normal nerve growth and development by maintaining the fatty sheaths, which play a vital role as they cover and protect your nerve endings.
• Is critical to your circulation and adrenal hormone production
• Helps boost your immunity.
• Supports a healthy mood and feelings of well-being, and provides excellent support for your memory, mental clarity, and concentration.
• Helps to boost your energy levels.
Who is at Risk of Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
The group most at risk is those who do not eat meat or animal products. Vitamin B12 deficiency is VERY common, almost universal, in strict vegetarians and vegans, as vitamin B12 is NOT readily available, if at all, in plants.
Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal tissues, including foods like beef and beef liver, lamb, snapper, venison, salmon, shrimp, scallops, poultry and eggs. And, the few plant foods that are sources of B12 are actually B12 analogs. Simply put, an analog is a substance that blocks the uptake of true B12. The result being, your body’s need for the nutrient actually increases.
You may also be at risk of B12 deficiency if you have stomach problems. This is because B12 needs the help of a protein in order to be absorbed. That protein is called intrinsic factor, and if your stomach is irritated or inflamed, it may stop producing intrinsic factor, making it nearly impossible for your body to absorb B12.
Other factors also influence your body’s B12 levels:
• Age: People over 50 tend to have a limited ability to absorb B12.
• Drinking coffee: A study in Clinical Chemistry found that people who drank four or more cups of coffee a day had a 15 percent reduction in multiple B vitamins compared to those who drank no coffee.
• Taking medications: Many prescription drugs diminish your body’s levels of B12, including antibiotics, anticancer medications, anticonvulsants, anti-gout medications, antihypertensives, antiParkinson’s medications, antipsychotics, antituberculosis medications, birth control pills, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and potassium replacements.
• Those who have undergone weight-loss surgery, which can impair your body’s ability to absorb B12 and other vitamins.
• Those exposed to laughing gas anesthesia or nitrous oxide.
If you are concerned about getting enough vitamin B12, it is important to know that Vitamin B12 is the largest vitamin known and it is not easily absorbed. Saying that, Herbalife nutrition is Cellular Nutrition and it makes sure that you get the most of the intake of our supplements. You can find adequate and optimal levels of B12 in the following products:
Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix (150% RDA of B12 per shake)
Formula 2 Multivitamin Tablet (600% RDA per daily intake: 3 tablets)
These two definitely nicely do the trick!
Sources: U.S. News & World Report September 8, 2008 & Neurology 2008; 71: 826-832
and Dr Mercola’s E-zine
Omega-3: Lifelong intakes necessary for benefits in old age!
Latest research on Omega 3 suggests the importance of getting the right amount of nutrient from an early age as it’s effectiveness lowers with age. According to three new studies, higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), may decrease the risk of dementia, and improve survival in older people, if taken throughout one’s life.
Two prospective studies from Norway and France measured omega-3 levels using biomarkers and showed positive benefits for the fatty acids in relation to mortality and cognitive function, respectively. However, supplementation of older people with high dose omega-3 does not affect mood or well-being, according to the findings of a third study from the Netherlands.
Putting the studies into context, William Harris from Sanford Research at the University of South Dakota commented in an accompanying editorial:
“In short, the story they tell is this: low in vivo concentrations of EPA and/or DHA predict an increased risk of death in frail, hospitalised octogenarians from Norway and an accelerated cognitive decline in free-living septuagenarians from France. On the other hand, intervention with EPA plus DHA in the healthy elderly had no effect on mental well-being. Together, these findings suggest that dietary habits that include higher versus lower intakes of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may bring certain health benefits that short-term supplementation cannot provide.”
Norvwegian Study: Omega-3 versus mortality
In the Norwegian study, Morten Lindberg from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim and co-workers recruited 254 frail, elderly patients and measured dietary intakes of omega-3 fatty acids using plasma phospholipid concentrations of EPA. Over the course of three years of follow-up, the researchers found that people with the lowest average plasma phospholipid EPA concentrations were about 40 per cent more likely to die, compared to people with higher levels. “Overall mortality in frail, elderly, acutely sick patients was inversely and nonlinearly associated with EPA concentrations,” concluded the researchers.
Commenting on this study, Harris said:
“The authors concluded that only those in the at-risk quartile might have benefited from omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. Clearly, this is a speculative extrapolation; nevertheless, it is fair to say that higher tissue omega-3 fatty acid (at least EPA) concentrations appeared to be protective. Although no specific mechanism of action was identified, a generalized health benefit arising from a prolonged dietary intake of oily fish (the presumed source of the plasma EPA) would surprise no one familiar with the omega-3 fatty acid literature.”
French Study: Omega-3 versus dementia
In the French study, Cecilia Samieri from Inserm (U897) in Bordeaux and co-workers followed the 1214 non-demented participants in the Three-City Study from Bordeaux. Over the course of four years, 65 of the participants developed dementia, state the researchers. Comparing blood levels of EPA, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and total omega-3 levels, the researchers found that only higher blood levels of EPA were associated with a 31 per cent lower incidence of dementia. Moreover, higher ratios of omega-6 fatty acid blood levels, particularly arachidonic acid (AA), to DHA and total omega-3 levels were linked to a greater dementia risk.
“A high plasma EPA concentration may decrease the risk of dementia, whereas high ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids and of AA to DHA may increase the risk of dementia, especially in depressed older persons,” stated the researchers.
Dutch Study: Omega-3 and mood
For the Dutch study, Ondine van de Rest from Wageningen University and co-workers performed a 26-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 302 volunteers. The 65-year old subjects were randomly assigned to consume high dose omega-3 (1800 mg/d EPA plus DHA), lower dose omega-3 (400 mg/d EPA plus DHA), or placebo. While plasma concentrations of the fatty acids did increase according to the omega-3 dose, this was not associated with any significant change in the mental well-being of the volunteers in any of the groups.
“In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial we observed no effect of EPA plus DHA supplementation for 26 wk on mental well-being in the general older population studied,” concluded van de Rest.
Commenting on this study, Harris said:
“Although one can always suggest that higher doses may have been more effective, it is more likely that what is done is done; at 70 years of age, supplementation is simply unable to materially alter emotion or mentation. All three studies underscored the importance of maintaining high dietary omega-3 fatty acids intakes throughout life”
All the studies are published in the new issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (Source: Nutraingredients.com)
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Vitamin C-rich diet may slash diabetes risk
Increased blood levels of vitamin C may reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 62 per cent, says a new study from Cambridge, which followed 21,831 men and women for 12 years. The study also found a weaker association between fruit and vegetable intake and a reduced diabetes risk, supporting the importance of the five-a-day regime. The findings are published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
“The strong independent association observed in this prospective study, together with biological plausibility, provides persuasive evidence of a beneficial effect of vitamin C and fruit and vegetable intake on diabetes risk,” wrote lead author Anne-Helen Harding from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, England.
EU and US Figures
An estimated 19 million people are affected by diabetes in the EU 25, equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected to increase to 26 million by 2030. In the US, there are over 20 million people with diabetes, equal to seven per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $132 billion, with $92 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2002 American Diabetes Association figures.
Study details
Harding and co-workers analysed dietary patterns using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) amongst the participants of the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer – Norfolk. The men and women had an average age of 58.4 at the start of the study, and women made up two-thirds of the study population. Over 12 years of follow-up 735 incident cases of diabetes were diagnosed.
Correlating blood levels of vitamin C and diabetes, the researchers found that men and women with the highest blood levels (at least 1.10 and 1.29 mg/dL, respectively) had a 62 per cent reduction in their risk of developing type-2 diabetes, compared to men and women with the lowest blood levels (less than 0.56 and 0.77 mg/dL, respectively).
Moreover, men and women with the highest fruit and vegetable intake (459 and 550 grams per day, respectively) had a 22 per cent reduction in their risk of developing type-2 diabetes, compared to men and women with the lowest fruit and vegetable intake (289 and 382 grams per day, respectively).
“Higher plasma vitamin C level and, to a lesser degree, fruit and vegetable intake were associated with a substantially decreased risk of diabetes,” wrote the researchers. “Our findings highlight a potentially important public health message and the benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables for the prevention of diabetes.”
Mechanism
“Plausible mechanisms for a beneficial effect of increased fruit and vegetable intake or plasma vitamin C levels on diabetes risk exist,” wrote Harding and co-workers. “Fruit and vegetable consumption may be protective for diabetes risk, at least partially, through its effect on obesity.”
The Cambridge-based researchers note that dietary fibre from the fruit and vegetables was not associated with a decrease risk of diabetes, despite previous studies reporting a protective effect from cereal fibre.
“The lack of association of fruit and vegetable fibre with diabetes risk but the protective effect of cereal fibre for diabetes risk reported in a recent meta-analysis is noteworthy and may suggest that it is not the fibre content of fruit and vegetables per se that contributed to the reduced risk for diabetes in our study,” wrote the researchers.
Turning their attention to other compounds in fruit and vegetables, the researchers noted the presence of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that possess antioxidant activity.
“Oxidative stress, the situation in which an imbalance between the levels of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants exists, can lead to disturbed glucose metabolism and hyperglycaemia,” they said.
Source: Archives of Internal Medicine, Volume 168, Number 14, Pages 1493-1499, “Plasma Vitamin C Level, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, and the Risk of New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus – The European Prospective Investigation of Cancer – Norfolk Prospective Study”, Authors: A.-H. Harding, N.J. Wareham, S.A. Bingham, K. Khaw, R. Luben, A. Welch, N.G. Forouhi
Related Article: Vitamin C: Overview of facts and figures
Study: Mum’s vitamin D during pregnancy strengthens kid’s teeth
Higher intakes of vitamin D during pregnancy may lead to stronger teeth in children, according to researchers from University of Manitoba, Canada.
High blood levels of vitamin D, related milk consumption and prenatal vitamin use, were associated with lower incidence of caries in the children, according to research presented at the International Association for Dental Research meeting in Toronto, Canada. This study shows for the first time that maternal vitamin-D levels may have an influence on the primary dentition and the development of early-childhood-caries.
Vitamin D is produced in the body on exposure to sunlight. Dietary sources of vitamin D provide relatively low doses. In the US, where over 1.5 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, experts are pushing supplements, claiming recommendations for sun exposure are “highly irresponsible”.
New findings: the study
Schroth and co-workers recruited 206 pregnant women during their second trimester, and assessed dietary habits using questionnaires. Blood samples were taken in order to measure vitamin D levels.
The average 25(OH)D blood level was 48.1 nanomoles per litre, while 34.5 per cent of the women were vitamin D deficient, defined as levels 35 nmol/L or less. Only 10.5 per cent of the women had adequate levels of vitamin D, defined as levels of 25(OH)D of at least 80 nmol/L.
Just over 33 per cent of the infants, examined at an average age of 16.1 months, were found to early childhood caries. The mothers of these children were found to have significantly lower 25(OH)D levels than mothers of caries-free children (43.9 versus 52.8 nmol/L, respectively).
According to the American Dental Association, early childhood caries are defined as “the presence of one or more decayed (non-cavitated or cavitated lesions), missing (due to caries) or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a preschool-age child between birth and 71 months of age.”
The study was funded by Manitoba Medical Service Foundation, Manitoba-Institute-of-Child-Health, Dentistry-Canada-Fund, University of Manitoba, and Dairy Farmers of Canada.
Vitamin D and babies
A study from the University of Southampton (The Lancet, 2006, Vol 367, pp 36-43) reported that higher intake of vitamin D during late-stage pregnancy was linked to stronger bones in children.
Another study that was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 2006 (Vol. 174, pp. 1273-1277), reported that women with low milk consumption during pregnancy had lighter babies, an association linked to the vitamin D content of the milk.
Source: International Association for Dental Research, 4 July 2008, Abstract # 1646, “Influence of maternal vitamin D status on infant oral health”, Authors: R. Schroth, C. Lavelle, M.E. Moffatt
Herbalife Solution
Herbalife offers the following products that contain the sufficient amounts of vitamin D, when taken in combination, to combat the risks associated with deficiency of Vitamin D:
Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix – 1 shake contains 50% of the EU RDA of Vitamin D.
Formula 2 Multivitamin Complex – 3 tablets recommended to be taken daily contain 0,01mg of Vitamin D or 200% of the EU RDA.
XtraCal – Calcium supplement, our special formula that is loaded with the most concentrated form of Calcium available and it also contains Vitamin D (15% EC RDA), essential for calcium absorption.
Also, view Vitamin D related article: Study: Vitamin D Deficiency and Risk of Breast Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease: sunlight or supplements?
View article on Healthy Pregnancy
Study: Vitamin D Deficiency and Risk of Breast Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease: sunlight or supplements?
Higher vitamin D levels from exposure to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B (UVB), may reduce the incidence of breast cancer, according to a new study.
Correlating data on cancer from 107 countries, scientists from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) found that higher blood levels of vitamin D and living closer to the equator were associated with lower breast cancer incidence. “This is the first study, to our knowledge, to show that higher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced incidence rates of breast cancer worldwide,” said Cedric Garland from UCSD School of Medicine. The study is published in the May-June 2008 issue of The Breast Journal.
However, commenting independently on the research, scientists from Yale University stated the results were confusing and shouldn’t promote women to seek for more sun exposure. This suggests that increasing vitamin D levels should be achieved from fortified foods and dietary supplements.
“While ultraviolet B radiation from the sun is the primary source of vitamin D in our body, unprotected sun exposure is not a recommended way to reduce a person’s risk of developing breast cancer,” said David Leffell, M.D from Yale School of Medicine.
A growing body of evidence has linked vitamin D to reduced incidences of cancer, but increasing vitamin D levels via sunlight or supplements has been a source of ongoing debate. In the US, where over 1.5 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, experts are pushing supplements, claiming recommendations for sun exposure are “highly irresponsible”. The link between vitamin D intake and protection from cancer dates from the 1940s when Frank Apperly demonstrated a link between latitude and deaths from cancer, and suggested that sunlight gave “a relative cancer immunity.”
New data
Garland and co-workers used data from GLOBOCAN, a new tool developed by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, to assess the incidence of breast cancer and vitamin D3 levels, triggered by exposure to UVB, in 107 countries. A dose-response was observed between blood vitamin D levels and the incidence of breast cancer, and vitamin D levels were correlated with sun exposure.
“The findings of the present study are consistent with the four observational studies that reported an inverse association between oral intake of vitamin D and risk of breast cancer,” wrote the researchers.
“Leadership from the public health community is needed to insure adequate oral intake of vitamin D3 and to encourage cautious exposure to sunlight in women whose skin type allows them to tan readily and not burn easily,” they concluded.
Word of caution
Scientists from Yale were quick to state that the results may be confusing, and potentially dangerous, since cancer researchers have warned for decades the risk of skin cancer from unprotected sun exposure. “We are alarmed by the potential consequences of this study and urge women to continue to follow a careful sun protection program including the use of UV-blocking sunscreens. Women should absolutely avoid tanning salons,” said Leffell. Leffell suggested that the best way to reduce the risk of breast cancer was eat a healthy and balanced diet, exercise regularly, moderate alcohol consumption, and avoid weight gain.
Source: The Breast Journal, May/June 2008, Volume 14, Issue 3, Pages 255-260, “Relationship between Low Ultraviolet B Irradiance and Higher Breast Cancer Risk in 107 Countries”, Authors: S.B. Mohr, C.F. Garland, E.D. Gorham, W.B. Grant, F.C. Garland
Experts call for higher levels
Calls to increase the current recommendations of 200 IU per day for children and adults up to 50 years of age for vitamin D up to 800 – 1000 IU vitamin D3, have become more frequent in both scientific and public circles.
Vitamin D refers to two biologically inactive precursors – D3, also known as cholecalciferol, and D2, also known as ergocalciferol. The vitamin can be manufactured in the body on exposure to sunlight and also consumed in relatively low quantities from the diet. However because of the low dietary amounts, and lack of sunshine in northern climates, with some estimates claiming that as much as 60 per cent of northern populations may be vitamin D deficient. In adults, vitamin D deficiency may precipitate or exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
Source: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
2008, Volume 17, Number 5, Pages 1228-1233, doi:1055-9965.EPI-08-0002
“Low Serum Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Predict Fatal Cancer in Patients Referred to Coronary Angiography”, Authors: S. Pilz, H. Dobnig, B. Winklhofer-Roob, G. Riedmuller, J.E. Fischer, U. Seelhorst, B. Wellnitz, B.O. Boehm, W. Marz
Low vitamin D levels linked to increased heart disease risk
Low levels of vitamin D could increase the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack, heart failure or stroke by 62 per cent, suggests a new study from the US. And the outlook could be even worse for those with high blood pressure and low blood levels of vitamin with a doubling of the risk, report researchers in the journal Circulation – the Journal of the American Heart Association.
“The possibility of a causal link between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease is supported by biological plausibility, the demonstration of a temporal association, and the finding of a dose response between 25-OH D deficiency and risk,” wrote lead author Thomas Wang from Harvard Medical School.
“These data raise the possibility that treatment of vitamin D deficiency, via supplementation or lifestyle measures, could reduce cardiovascular risk.”Interest in vitamin D has been increasing in recent months with an increasing number of studies linking the vitamin to protection against osteoporosis and certain cancers. There is also evidence that a higher intake of vitamin D may be helpful in preventing and treating high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
“We found that people with low vitamin D levels had a higher rate of cardiovascular events over the five-year follow-up period,” said Wang. “These results are intriguing and suggestive but need to be followed up with further study.”
“Vitamin D receptors have a broad tissue distribution that includes vascular smooth muscle and endothelium, the inner lining of the body’s vessels,” he added. “Our data raise the possibility that treating vitamin D deficiency, via supplementation or lifestyle measures, could reduce cardiovascular risk.”
Calls for raising the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of the vitamin have been growing after reports that higher intakes could protect against osteoporosis and certain cancers. Consumer awareness of these health links is also increasing with some outlets reporting massive boosts in sales.
“The findings [of the new study] may have potentially broad public health implications, given the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in developed countries, the contribution of lifestyle and geography to vitamin D status, and the ease, safety, and low cost of treating vitamin D deficiency,” “concluded the researchers.
Vitamin D refers to two biologically inactive precursors – D3, also known as cholecalciferol, and D2, also known as ergocalciferol. The former is produced in the skin on exposure to UVB radiation (290 to 320 nm). The latter is derived from plants and only enters the body via the diet, from consumption of foods such as oily fish, egg yolk and liver. Recent studies have shown, however, that sunshine levels in some northern countries are so weak during the winter months that the body makes no vitamin D at all, leading some to estimate that over half of the population in such countries have insufficient or deficient levels of the vitamin. Moreover, increased skin pigmentation also reduces the effect of UVB radiation meaning darker skinned people are more at risk.
Source: Circulation, January 2008, doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.706127
“Vitamin D Deficiency and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease”
Authors: T.J. Wang, M.J. Pencina, S.L. Booth, P.F. Jacques, E. Ingelsson, K. Lanier, E.J. Benjamin, R.B. D’Agostino, M. Wolf, R.S. Vasan
Roadblocks to Vitamin D
Roadblocks to adequate sun exposure are everywhere:
Geography (Cities in latitudes above 37 degrees get less UV light.)
Fashion (Robes, hats, or clothing with lots of layers keep light from reaching the skin.)
Work (Late night shifts or very dark environments keep employees from the sun.)
Cosmetics (Excessive sunscreen or makeup with SPF 15 and higher prevents all vitamin D production.)
Ethnicity (Darker pigments inhibit the body’s ability to naturally produce vitamin D.)
All of these factors ensure that individuals are unlikely to obtain much vitamin D from sunlight and above diagram shows that it is even more difficult to obtain adequate levels entirely through food…
Herbalife Solution
Herbalife offers the following products that contain the sufficient amounts of vitamin D, when taken in combination, to combat the risks associated with deficiency of Vitamin D:
Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix – 1 shake contains 50% of the EU RDA of Vitamin D.
Formula 2 Multivitamin Complex – 3 tablets recommended to be taken daily contain 0,01mg of Vitamin D or 200% of the EU RDA.
XtraCal – Calcium supplement, our special formula that is loaded with the most concentrated form of Calcium available and it also contains Vitamin D (15% EC RDA), essential for calcium absorption.
Results of the latest study: Nutrient-dense supplement could help overweight
Conducted by researchers at the Department of Health and Exercise Science, University Of Oklahoma, USA, the study examined physiological response of participants to an exercise program combined with daily supplementation with a commercially-available high-protein/low-carbohydrate and low-fat, nutrient-dense food supplement.
According to their findings, after ten weeks of supplementation, the group of overweight volunteers had “significantly decreased total energy, carbohydrate and fat intake”, as well as increased protein and fiber intake.
Previous studies have already shown that high-protein/reduced-carbohydrate and reduced-fat diets have had a beneficial effect on body composition in sedentary, overweight people – either alone or in combination with an energy restricted diet.
The current study, said the researchers, was designed to instead examine the physiological response to supplementation and exercise.
The study recruited 60 overweight men and women, who were divided into three groups. One group was assigned to ten weeks of exercise, the other undertook exercise and supplementation for the period, while the third was a control group.
After the testing period, the supplemented group was found to have a 14 per cent decrease in total energy intake, a 27 per cent decrease in carbohydrate intake, and a 27 per cent decrease in fat intake.
Protein and fiber intake increased 52 and 21 per cent respectively.
Both the supplemented group and the exercise group were found to have decreased fat mass (9 per cent and 5 per cent respectively). Total cholesterol and LDL decreased only in the supplemented group, by 12 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. Total cholesterol-to-HDL ration, however, decreased “significantly” in both exercise groups, said the researchers.
“Absent energy restriction or other dietary controls, provision of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate and -fat, nutrient-dense food supplement significantly, 1) modified ad libitum macronutrient and energy intake (behavior effect), 2) improved physiological adaptations to exercise (metabolic advantage), and 3) reduced the variability of individual responses for fat mass, muscle mass and time-to-exhaustion – all three variables improving in 100% of [supplemented] subjects,” wrote the researchers.
The researchers said the reduction in total energy intake may be explained by the satiating effect of protein and/or fiber, although they added that the “modest increase” (+4 g/d) in dietary fiber, albeit statistically significant, was not a major contributing factor.
Herbalife’s Formula 1 shakes offer nutritionally perfectly balanced meal replacement that is based exactly on high levels of protein and fibre and low level of carbohydrates and fat, as the above study suggests what could make the real difference when losing weight. Our shakes have been around for over 27 years and have helped millions of customers to lose weight. Over 1 million shakes are consumed each day across the globe…
Minimal nutrition intervention with high-protein/low-carbohydrate and low-fat, nutrient-dense food supplement improves body composition and exercise benefits in overweight adults: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Christopher M Lockwood, Jordan R Moon, Sarah E Tobkin, Ashley A Walter, Abbie E Smith, Vincent J Dalbo, Joel T Cramer and Jeffrey R Stout,
Metabolic and Body Composition Research Laboratory, Department of Health and Exercise Science, University Of Oklahoma.
Science stacks up for B vitamins and its supplementation, especially during pregnancy….
B Vitamins are essential nutrients required for the successful generation of energy in many of the Krebs Cycle’s energy production pathways and Oxidative Phosphorylation. Several researches done on B Vitamins suggest it’s defficiency in modern diet and need for supplementation.
Vitamin B6
Researchers at Tufts University have suggested deficient vitamin B6 levels across large sections of the US population, which could be reduced via supplementation. The study identified four groups as being particularly deficient in the nutrient, among which are especially women of reproductive age, particularly current and former users of oral contraceptives, male smokers & and over-65s.
“Across the study population, we noticed participants with inadequate vitamin B6 status even though they reported consuming more than the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin B6, which is less than two milligrams per day,” said Martha Savaria Morris, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts.
Vitamin B6 has been linked to heart health and immune system function and is important for red blood cell performance. Deficiencies can cause anaemia.
The RDAs for vitamin B6 in men and women who are not pregnant or lactating are 1.3mg per day for men and women ages 19-50; 1.7mg per day for men over 50 and 1.5mg for women over age 50.
Vitamin B12 and Pregnancy
The latest Dutch research suggests that low maternal vitamin B12 levels in combination with certain genes may have detrimental knock-on effects to the offspring, suggesting in additon higher risk of heart problems.
A combination of low vitamin B12 levels and certain genotypes for the methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) and transcobalamin II (TC) genes were found to increase the risk of CHD by about 35 and 100 per cent, respectively, report the researchers in the journal Molecular Genetics and Metabolism.
“Therefore, it might be favorable to advise women to use a diet rich in vitamin B12 and eventually a vitamin B12 supplement in addition to a folic acid supplement in the periconception period to achieve an optimal vitamin B12 status,” wrote Anna Verkleij-Hagoort from Erasmus MC, University Medical Center in Rotterdam.
Vitamin B12 and Cardiovascular link
The research builds on reports from epidemiological studies that increased levels of the amino acid homocysteine may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moreover, high levels of the amino acids in mothers has been associated with congenital heart defects (CHDs) in the offspring, state the authors in background information in the article. However, low blood levels of vitamin B12 in the mothers and in combination the maternal or child’s MTRR 66 GG genotype were found to increase the risk be 40 and 30 per cent, respectively. Furthermore, a TC 776 GG genotype in mothers and children and low maternal vitamin B12 levels increased the risks of CHD by 120 and 90 per cent, respectively, wrote the authors.
“In conclusion, MTRR 66 GG and TC 776 GG genotypes in mothers and children may contribute to the risk of CHDs, particularly when the maternal vitamin B12 status is low,” wrote Verkleij-Hagoort.
Vitamin B6 and pre-conception & early pregnancy link
The importance of B vitamins, particularly folate, in foetal development is well established. The new study expands our understanding of the potential of pre-conception diets to influence the health of offspring.
Earlier this year an epidemiological study report that high levels of vitamin B6 prior to falling pregnant may boost conception rates and reduce the odds of losing the baby during early pregnancy (American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 166, pp 304-312).
Additionally, a recent study with sheep, published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicated that mothers with low B vitamin levels before conceiving tend to have fatter male offspring at greater risk of high blood pressure.
The findings were deemed to be important for species with two legs, since the pre- and post-natal development of sheep is approximately the same as humans.
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Formula 2 Multivitamin & Mineral Complex is part of a nutritional maintenance system designed to help replenish the body’s nutritional resources and create a foundation to support long-term good health. It contains, amongst other nutrients, Vitamins B6 and B12. Read more…
Cell Activator is an exceptionally powerful formula supplying the body with special nutrients, B Vitamins and a combination of botanical factors. This remarkable formula helps maintain vitality and good health and, used daily, can contribute to your well being. Physical and mental stress use up B Vitamins, ofter resulting in fatigue and poor concentration. This supplement not only helps to optimise the way your body uses its daily nutrient stores, but also maximise specific nutrients which busy lifestyle can deplete. Read more…
Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (Elsevier), Published online ahead of print 15 January 2008, doi:10.1016/j.ymgme.2007.12.002, “Genetic and lifestyle factors related to the periconception vitamin B12 status and congenital heart defects: A Dutch case-control study”, Authors: A.C. Verkleij-Hagoort, L.M.J.W. van Driel, J. Lindemans, A. Isaacs, E.A.P. Steegers, W.A. Helbing, A.G. Uitterlinden and R.P.M. Steegers-Theunissen
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Half of Brits will be obese in 25 years and it will cost economy £45 Billion. Shocking!
Today’s news were dominated with the latest study that predicts that half of British population will be clinically obese in 25 years and this health crisis will cost us, the tax-payers, £45.5 billion by the year 2050 – £6.5 billion on NHS treatment for diabetes, strokes and heart disease and the remainder lost by industry because of sick days and increased dependence on benefits because of decline in productivity. The Foresight report, written by 250 leading scientists, says Britain’s obesity crisis is so severe that it would take at least 30 years to reverse. Nine out of 10 men will be overweight in 15 years and 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women could be obese by 2050…
I reviewed some comments today that people have left on news sites that published this article and I found readers comments on this even more shocking. Most of the readers turned it into a political game by blaming Government and being sarcastic with how eating would be soon banned as smoking was, etc. I did not find one single constructive review acknowledging the fact that it is a crisis situation and that people themselves need to take responsibility (and blame). Lives of our children are in danger, not just our own. If situation is not reversed, what will be the statistics of 2100 or is everyone too selfish to think about it as we all will be dead by then, anyway?
We are indeed facing a potential crisis on the scale of climate change and it is in everyone’s interests to turn things around. Human race could be easily heading to voluntary extinction. But how do you turn around the attitudes of mothers who are boycotting healthy school dinners by bringing their kids across the school fence fried chips and fish and other nutritionally deprived alternatives? How do you change the attitudes of those at high risk of developing obesity related diseases (with obesity being a disease in itself) who just say that they do not care when you tell them they are obese. I certainly met a few of those and this dose of self disrespect or just pure ignorance still shocks me. The Foresight study warns that the majority of adults are already overweight and that being overweight is now seen as “normal” and that surely represents the problem in itself.
One is for sure, we have prioritised cheap food above healthy food. Sugary and fatty foods are much cheaper than they used to be, but the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables has actually risen over the past 15 years, the report states. So, low income families are such an easy target. Saying that, if anyone thinks that Government alone can change things, they are delusional. It has to start from individual education (be it public or private), but also from the willingness to be educated about healthy choices and the change in lifestyle it could bring. As long as there are those ignorant of what the healthy choices are, there will be a market for unhealthy foods. What is needed is a major culture change and a long-term commitment from the Government will be paramount.
Here are some shocking statistics that put things a little into perspective:
90% of Type 2 Diabetes sufferers have BMI higher that 23;
85% of high blood pressure is associated with BMI of 25 or more;
2.4 times higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke for obese women and 2 times higher for men;
10% of all cancers among non-smokers are linked to obesity;
17in or more neck circumference in men and 16in or more in women is linked with difficulty breathing while asleep, sleepiness during the day and pulmonary hypertension.
The effects of this on the nation’s health will be devastating. The report expects type 2 diabetes to rise by 70 per cent, strokes to go up by 30 per cent and a 20 per cent rise in coronary disease. The rates of certain cancers will also go up.
Being an optimist and knowing that healthy solutions are already available to those who want them, I only hope that those in denial and happy in their ignorance will soon wake up and “smell the roses”!
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