Health

May

2013

Avoiding Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

One of the more common misunderstandings in nutrition is the notion of food intolerances in people who are sure they are “eating well”. That’s because, unfortunately, when it comes to digestive intolerance, often foods that under ordinary circumstances would be considered healthful and wholesome can surreptitiously trigger an immune activation and subsequent symptoms. If you have an unexplained inflammatory, immune or autoimmune condition, and especially if you have digestive symptoms, even though you “eat well”, you are at risk for a food intolerance.

One of the more common food intolerances involves glutamates. The so-called Chinese Restaurant Syndrome (CRS), which involves symptoms like chest pain, flushing and headache, is an example of a food intolerance claimed to be caused by Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). While numerous research studies have failed to prove a connection between ingestion of MSG and the symptoms that some people described as CRS, the fact remains that many allergy sufferers are intolerant to high concentrations of dietary glutamate. Grapes, wine, plums, tomatoes, mushrooms, corn, and peas are examples of high glutamate-containing foods.

A second class of food components that some people may be intolerant to are the “biogenic amines”. These substances, which include histamine, tyramine and tryptamine are found in cheese, wine, sauerkraut, overripe avocadoes, raspberries and spinach among other foods. The most troubling aspect of intolerances to biogenic amines is the small amount that is required to initiate symptoms in susceptible individuals. Because they are potent and involved so many vital biological functions, a mere 100mg (roughly the amount that would fit on the head of a pin) can be enough to cause symptoms like migraine headaches, depression, low blood pressure or digestive impairment.

A third class of food substances that can cause food intolerances are the salicylates. Chemically similar to aspirin, like their pharmaceutical relative, these food-based compounds can have numerous physiologic effects. And, because there has been so much research done by aspirin manufacturers and regulatory agencies, salicylate poisoning is well-described in medical literature. Some of the more common symptoms associated with salicylate sensitivities include unexplained rashes, headaches, digestive symptoms of all kinds, depression, hyperactivity, persistent cough, and chronic fatigue.

Because plants produce these chemicals for defensive purposes, the highest concentrations of salicylates tend to be found in the surface layers of fruits and vegetables. For the same reason, as ripening occurs salicylate levels tend to drop. Coffee and tea are two beverages that may contain high levels of these problematic substances.

We all need to eat, yet introduction of foods into the body may not be as simple as it sounds. Even foods that are ordinarily considered to be healthy may induce untoward effects. The best bet if you suspect that you have symptoms that may be related to a food intolerance is to lay off specific foods and see if your symptoms subside.

Alternatively (although not as healthfully), you can eat an excessive amount of a suspected food and see if your symptoms increase. Either way, symptomology that does not seem to be related to a specific cause may be the sign of a dietary intolerance.

Just because a food is ordinarily considered healthy, that may not absolve it of potential responsibility for troublesome health issues.

May

2013

Staving Off The Gagas – Booze & Dementia

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

One of my earliest memories is of my 80-year-old grandpa belting down two shots of rock gut whiskey every morning before breakfast to stave off the “gagas”, which was his pre-Lady, non-scientific descriptor for dementia. And now science seems to be proving his point. The latest research buzz is a little bit of booze may help fight Alzheimer’s disease. That’s the news from a published report in the Journal Age and Aging, which recorded the results from a three-year study of non-Alzheimer suffering, 75-year-old subjects. Of the 3,202 people studied, it was found those who drank alcohol were 40% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than their tea-totaling colleagues. And it doesn’t seem like the type of alcohol drank was relevant, although all the subjects were imbibing moderately.

More than likely, the benefits attributed to indulging in the sauce have less to do with alcohol and more to do with the effects. Namely stress reduction and relaxation. This conclusion is supported by additional research released this month at the Max Plank Institute of Psychiatry in Munich where scientists found that increased production of stress hormones in rats led to the generation of Alzheimer associated proteins and ultimately memory loss.

The bottom line? Lighten up and relax. It’s good for your health. And if you like a little bit of the drink on a daily basis, don’t worry about it. If someone gives you a hard time, just tell them you’re practicing your own version of Alzheimer Reduction Therapy!

May

2013

Vitamin E Is Misunderstood

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

Of the six essential vitamins (D, E, A, K, C and the B complex) perhaps none is more misunderstood and unappreciated than Vitamin E. Originally discovered as an anti-sterility factor (tocopherol is Greek for “to bear children”), today Vitamin E is known to provide support for a wide variety of biological systems.

Unfortunately, beneficial levels of this critical fat-soluble nutrient are almost impossible to get from food. The best bets for Vitamin E-containing foods are sunflower seeds, wheat germ oil and rice bran oil. The RDA for Vitamin E is around 22 IU, and according to an article published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, over 93% of Americans don’t even get this minimum amount. This may be one of the main reasons that health issues associated with Vitamin E deficiency are rampant.

For example, according to Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg of Tufts University , numerous studies indicate that Vitamin E can slow down the production of atherosclerotic plaques, a major cause of heart disease which is a major cause of death in this country. And earlier this week, scientists at Ohio State University published research in the journal Stroke that showed that this important nutrient can protect against stroke, a medical emergency which results in oxygen starvation of brain tissue and affects 800,000 people a year.

And there’s more. According to Dr. Patrick Manning, writing in the journal Diabetes Care, “Vitamin E could have a role to play in delaying the onset of diabetes in at-risk individuals”. Diabetes and pre-diabetes currently affect almost 100 million Americans and the numbers are climbing.

Last year, researchers published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine that showed that Vitamin E can provide relief for many of the estimated 10 million patients who suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The author of the study, Dr. Arun J. Sanyal, Chairman of the division of gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at Virginia Commonwealth University said “This clearly shows that vitamin E is effective for treatment of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (fatty infiltration of the liver). Other studies indicate that vitamin E can help lower blood cholesterol, improve post workout muscle soreness and help provide relief from inflammatory diseases like arthritis and colitis and help reduce risks of developing cancer.

Vitamin E is available in two different classes, tocopherols and tocotrienols, which are then further divided into four subclasses: alpha, beta, delta and gamma, yielding 8 different forms of the essential nutrient. While most supplements only contain alpha tocopherol, each of the eight subclasses has slightly different biological activities. Thus for maximum benefit it may be wise to supplement with both tocopherols and tocotrienols. Look for the word “mixed” on the label as in mixed tocopherols or mixed tocotrienols. This will assure your ingestion of the full range of tocopherols and tocotrienols for the broadest spectrum of Vitamin E activity. A good daily dose is 400 i.u., although like all fatty vitamins, tocopherols and tocotrienols are stored, so missing a day or two shouldn’t be a problem.

May

2013

Serotonin: Sensations of Satisfaction

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

When I was a kid, I knew a girl who had a true obsession with sidewalk cracks. Just as the popular rhyme says, she believed that stepping on one would result in the fracture of her mother’s back. Despite merciless teasing from the neighborhood boys, she stepped carefully around every crack, slowing us all down and making somewhat of a spectacle of herself.

Today I understand this kind of ritualistic compulsion to be the sign a mental health issue known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which affects 2.3% of American adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While trauma, genetics and nutritional deficiencies often contribute to OCD, a condition shared by victims of all mental disorders is a disruption in the production of serotonin, one of the central nervous system’s most important chemical substances. Furthermore, we have learned that much of what passes for normal, day-to-day worry and anxiety may also be associated with deficiencies in this vital mediator of brain chemistry.

According to the Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia, serotonin “conveys the positive sensations of satiety, satisfaction and relaxation.” Physicians and pharmaceutical companies are also aware of the link between serotonin deficiency and mental illness. Since their debut in the late 1980‘s, pharmaceuticals that regulate the presence of serotonin have become a mainstay of modern psychiatric drug therapy. The so-called serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SRIs) enhance the activity of this critical brain chemical and account for almost $6 billon of the estimated $307 billion dollars Americans spent on prescription drugs in 2010. Of course SRIs are not without side effects. Apathy, nausea, vomiting and headaches are commonly experienced by SRI patients.

One of the key factors behind low levels of serotonin that play such an important role in the mental health of so many Americans is the relative deficiency of the amino acid, tryptophan, which is required to produce serotonin. Given the low protein intake of many Americans combined with common digestive impairment afflictions that compromise amino acid absorption, in most people, the amount of tryptophan naturally available for serotonin manufacture is often far too low. Additionally, because tryptophan is required to make niacin, when intake of niacin is not sufficient, tryptophan will be shunted towards the manufacture of niacin at the expense of serotonin production.

Lastly, Fructose Malabsorbtion Syndrome also creates shortages in the tryptophan available for serotonin production. One out of three Americans suffer from this fructose metabolism issue, which causes high blood levels of the ubiquitous sugar. Fructose binds with tryptophan, thus rendering the amino acid unavailable for other chemical reactions.

If you suspect mental health can be improved by increasing serotonin levels, the first thing you want to do is supplement with 5-HTP. 5-HTP is a direct precursor to serotonin and research shows 5HTP may improve mental health. For example, numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of 5-HTP in the treatment of depression. In one study, the effects of 5-HTP were compared with those of fluvoxamine, a Prozac-like drug used in Europe. The 5-HTP patients showed an improved response with fewer and less-severe side effects than the fluvoxamine group. Start off with 50 mg and move up to up to 300 mg daily, taken at bedtime. Supplementing with Niacin (Vitamin B-3) will also help ensure enough tryptophan is available for serotonin manufacture. Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) is also an important cofactor for the production of serotonin. Try 50 to 100 mg dose, twice daily, of each B-3 and B-6. As always, when supplementing with one B-vitamin it’s best to take it with the entire B-complex.

Finally, magnesium is not only required for converting tryptophan into serotonin, but it is also commonly deficient in the standard American diet. According to research published in the Journal of Neural Transmission, magnesium exerts an anti-depressant effect that may “involve an interaction with the serotonergic system”. Taking 1000 mg of magnesium at bedtime has a relaxing effect and also improves serotonin levels.

Whether it’s OCD, anxiety or full-blown depression, mental health issues are typically associated with low levels of the important brain chemical, serotonin. While the medical approach manipulates neurochemistry, drugs always come with the cost of unpleasant side-effects. Because nutritional substances are non-toxic and deficiencies are associated with low levels of serotonin, strategic supplementation is the best path to correct biochemical imbalances without adverse effects.

May

2013

The Power of the Prostaglandin

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

Perhaps the most important chemicals in the body are a group of compounds that almost no one has heard of. They’re called prostaglandins (they were first discovered in the prostate gland) and they’re the most prominent of the hormone family known as eicosanoids. It would be impossible to overstate the significance of these diverse fat soluble biochemicals. In fact it would be no hyperbole to call prostaglandins (and eicosanoids), perhaps the most critical biological substances in all of biochemistry, human or otherwise.

By Jfdwolff, via Wikimedia Commons

Prostaglandins (PGs) are hormone like substances that affect every single biological cell system. In much the same fashion as hormones, they are involved in initiating molecular activity. However, unlike the typical so-called endocrine hormones which are made in glands and travel to various parts of the body, prostaglandins remain localized to the cellular areas they are secreted from. For this reason, they are sometime referred to as “tissue hormones”.

There are about 12 prostaglandins contained in three main classes, which are distinguished by the type of fatty acid they are derived from. Series 1 prostaglandins are anti-inflammatory and relaxing and are involved in circulatory and immune health and are derived from Omega 6 fats. Series 2 prostaglandins oppose those found in Series 1. They initiate muscle contraction and the inflammatory response and promote wound healing, blood clotting and cortisol secretion. They are derived from arachidonic acid, which is found in many animal fats. And, then there are the Series 3 prostaglandins, which have effects similar to PGs found in Series 1, are formed from Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil. Most nutritionists emphasize the health benefits of increasing the synthesis of prostaglandins found in series 1 and 3 while decreasing those from series 2.

Because of their wide ranging functionalities in biology, prostaglandin imbalances can be a causative factor in almost all clinical issues. This is most especially evident in the case of inflammation which is almost always a component of the disease process. Some of the more common health maladies associated with prostaglandin metabolism include fever, arthritis, immune and allergy issues, diarrhea, heart disease, headaches, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and almost all skin problems. Keloid scarring is one of the more unpleasant cutaneous manifestations of prostaglandin imbalance. Even tumor production has a significant prostaglandin component. On the bright side, there isn’t a disease symptom that cannot be improved by addressing dysregulation of this fascinating class of fatty substances.

As the medical treatment of choice for addressing prostaglandin dysfunction, aspirin, acetaminophen and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and COX-2 inhibitors have become the most widely used drugs in the world, but there are effective nutritional options. In fact, there are two powerful strategies for improving prostaglandin chemistry, both involving the fatty system of the body. First, it’s very important to be supplementing with Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). That’s because Series 1 and 3 prostaglandins are derived directly from EFAs. There are two main classes of essential fatty acids, so called- omega 3 and omega-6. As described above, they are both required for healthy prostaglandin synthesis, and while no one really knows how much EFA you need, suffice it to say, everyone should be using a balanced supplement. Secondly, fat absorption needs to be addressed. Symptoms of fat malabsorbtion include digestive discomfort after fatty meals, bloating, gas, diarrhea and fatty stools. If any of these are present, make sure you’re taking probiotics and lecithin and digestive enzymes that have bile salts all of which can improve the uptake of EFAs.

Then there are co-factors required for effective prostaglandin dynamics. Patients confronting prostaglandin-driven inflammatory pain symptoms(and all inflammatory pain symptoms are prostaglandin-driven) may want to consider taking at least a couple of grams of Vitamin C every day as well as 400 i.u. of Vitamin E and generous amounts of the B-complex, ideally dissolved in water. The mineral magnesium may also be beneficial. Most people could benefit by taking at 1000mg of magnesium daily as the glycinate or malate salts.