Introduction:
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder that is the result of damage to the nerves in the area of the brain that is responsible for controlling muscle tension and movement. The damaged cells are the ones needed to produce the neurotransmitter called dopamine. Main symptoms can include shaking or tremor at rest, slow movement, stiffness or rigidity of limbs and problems with balance.

The first biochemical abnormality in PD is a decrease in the level of glutathione (GSH), the brain cell’s primary antioxidant. The low GSH makes the cells more susceptible to oxidative damages—such as induced by environmental toxins—thus setting the stage for the destruction of the brain cell.  There are a number of dietary and environmental factors that are thought to be responsible for the initial decrease in GSH. Likewise there are a number of dietary and lifestyle factors that offer protection. A new study highlights the benefits of members of the nightshade (Solanacea) family of vegetables that includes tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

Background Data:
Population based studies show that people who smoke cigarettes are 60 percent less likely to get PD than those who have never smoked. Studies in animals and cell cultures indicate that nicotine is able to slow the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells and in some models actually rescue the brain cells back to health.

If you’re a smoker, don’t get too excited. Though nicotine may offer some protection against PD it greatly increases the risk for major killers like heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Though clinical studies are underway looking at nicotine patches to delay the progression of PD, dietary sources of nicotine may prove to be the best approach.

New Data:
Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle decided to test whether risk of Parkinson disease (PD) is associated with consumption of nicotine-containing edibles from the same botanical family as tobacco, Solanaceae, including peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes.

The researchers evaluated 490 patients who were diagnosed with PD and compared them to 644 with no neurological disorders who served as a control group. All were asked about their lifetime diets and tobacco use. Tobacco use was defined as ever smoking more than 100 cigarettes or regularly using cigars, pipes or smokeless tobacco.

Eating more vegetables in general did not lower Parkinson’s risk, but eating vegetables in the Solanaceae family did. People who ate these types of vegetables lowered their risk 19 percent on average, compared with those who did not eat these vegetables. People who ate the most peppers, about two to four peppers weekly, had the strongest risk-lowering association. They lowered the risk of PD by 30 percent.

Reference:
Nielsen SS, Franklin GM, Longstreth WT, Swanson PD, Checkoway H. Nicotine from edible Solanaceae and risk of Parkinson disease. Ann Neurol. 2013 May 9. doi: 10.1002/ana.23884. [Epub ahead of print]

Introduction:
One of the major advances in nutritional medicine is the ability to produce a fish oil supplement that is highly concentrated form of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and also free from lipid peroxides, heavy metals, environmental contaminants, and other harmful compounds. These “pharmaceutical grade” fish oil concentrates are so superior to earlier fish oil products that they are literally revolutionizing nutritional medicine because of the health benefits they produce by supplying clinical levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

Background data:
The levels of EPA and DHA within red blood cells indicate habitual intake and have been shown to be highly significant predictors of heart disease. This laboratory value has been termed the omega-3 index. In one analysis, the omega-3 index was shown to be the most significant predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, or HDL cholesterol as well as markers of inflammation like highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

The findings with the omega-3 index are not surprising, as a wealth of information has documented a clear relationship between dietary intake omega-3 fatty acids and the likelihood of developing CVD:  the higher the omega-3 fatty acid intake, the lower the likelihood of CVD. It has been estimated that raising the levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids through diet or supplementation may reduce overall cardiovascular mortality by as much as 45%.

Researchers subsequently determined that a total of a combined 1000 mg of EPA and DHA daily is required to achieve or surpass the 8% target of the omega-3 index shown to be so protective against heart disease.

New data:
In addition to reducing the risk for heart disease, a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce other causes of death. A recent study sought to investigate the association of blood levels of EPA, DHA, and total omega-3 fatty acid levels with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among healthy older adults not receiving fish oil supplements.

The study involved 2,692 U.S. adults aged 74 years (±5 years) without prevalent coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, or heart failure at the beginning of the study. These patients were followed for 30,829 person-years, during which time 1,625 deaths (of which 570 were cardiovascular) occurred, 359 fatal CHD and 371 nonfatal CHD events, and 130 fatal and 276 nonfatal strokes occurred. Analysis of the results indicated that higher plasma levels of all omega-3 fatty acid biomarkers were found to be associated with lower total mortality. Subjects with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids were found to live an average of 2.22 more years after age 65 than those in the lowest quintile.

These results are quite significant and once again highlight the importance of ingesting 1,000 mg of EPA+DHA for general health and 3,000 EPA+DHA when even higher levels are required as in existing CVD, high triglycerides, or any of the other 60+ health conditions benefited by higher EPA+DHA supplementation.

Reference: 
Mozaffarian D, Lemaitre RN, King IB, et al. Plasma phospholipid long-chain ω-3 fatty acids and total and cause-specific mortality in older adults: A cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2013 Apr 2;158(7):515-25.

Introduction
Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric (Curcuma longa) – the chief ingredient in curry. Curcumin has demonstrated significant activity in many experimental and clinical studies, but its effects have been limited until now because of poor absorption.

Background Information:
The anticancer effects of curcumin has been demonstrated in preclinical studies at all steps of cancer formation: initiation, promotion, and progression. Although preliminary clinical evidence is quite encouraging, studies have shown that curcumin is poorly absorbed and rapidly metabolized and eliminated from the body. Dosages as high as 12 grams of curcumin have failed to significantly raise blood levels. Hence, the results have not been impressive or consistent.

Two studies have been conducted in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer given 8,000 mg curcumin daily. These studies showed some positive results. For example, in one study of 26 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, 8,000 mg of curcumin produced clinically relevant biological activity in two patients.

The failure to affect more patients in these studies is thought to be the result of poor absorption of curcumin. Fortunately, there now exists new curcumin products with much greater bioavailability.

New Data:
Theracurmin is a special advanced form of curcumin that is by far the most bioavailable form of curcumin and represents a major breakthrough in the use of curcumin to promote health. Theracurmin was given to 16 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who were unresponsive to conventional chemotherapy. This Phase 1 study sought to determine safety and dosage parameters. The patients produced no significant adverse effects even at relatively high dosage levels (200 mg/day and 400mg/day as curcumin representing 2,000 and 4,000 mg Theracurmin, respectively).

Theracurmin was shown to produce significant increases in the blood concentrations of curcumin in a dose dependent fashion – the higher the dosage, the greater the increase in curcumin in the blood. Median plasma curcumin levels 2 hour after Theracurmin administration (representing peak levels) were:

• 324 ng/mL at Level 1 (Theracurmin containing 200 mg of curcumin)
• 440 ng/mL at Level 2 (Theracurmin containing 400 mg of curcumin)

These values were significantly higher than the median values (85 ng/ mL) achieved in the authors’ previous study using 8 g of conventional curcumin.

The big finding from the study was that Theracurmin produced significant improvement of key Quality of Life (QOL) scores such as:

• Fatigue
• Functional improvement (emotional, role, cognitive, physical, and social functions)
• Diarrhea
• Appetite loss

In addition, the median survival time (MST) was 132 days and three patients (21%) survived more than 12 months. As a reminder, these patients were unresponsive to conventional cancer treatment and with such advanced cancer are generally regarded as terminal with an average survival time of less than 2 months, so these results are quite promising. Further studies are currently in progress with excellent preliminary results.

Reference:
Kanai M, Otsuka Y, Otsuka K, et al. A phase I study investigating the safety and pharmacokinetics of highly bioavailable curcumin (Theracurmin) in cancer patients. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2013 Mar 30. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI 10.1007/s00280-013-2151-8.

Phosphatidylserine, or PS for short, is the major fatty substance in the human brain where it plays a major role in determining the structure, integrity and function of the membranes in brain cells. Normally the brain cells can manufacture sufficient levels of its own phosphatidylserine, but there is evidence that insufficient production is common especially in people over the age of fifty and in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Research is quite clear that low levels of PS can lead to depression and/or impaired mental function. Good results have been obtained in numerous double-blind studies with phosphatidylserine supplementation in improving mental function, mood, and behavior in elderly subjects. These benefits may extend to children or adults with ADHD as well.
Read MoreClose

Introduction:
Vitamin K is required for the production of the bone protein osteocalcin – a key component in the matrix of bone. Osteocalcin’s role is to anchor calcium molecules and hold them in place within the bone.

A deficiency of vitamin K leads to impaired bone health due to inadequate osteocalcin levels. Despite some studies showing that the lower the level of circulating vitamin K, the lower the bone density,more recent studies indicate that while low dietary vitamin K levels are linked to fractures due to osteoporosis, they do not appear to correlate to low BMD. Vitamin K prevents fractures probably by increasing the tensile strength of bone without affecting BMD.
Read MoreClose

Introduction:
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience problems with getting to sleep as well as sleep maintenance. The consequences of this poor sleep quality may include alterations in daytime behavior, memory, and learning. One of the possible reasons for the sleep issues is disturbance in the manufacture of melatonin. Several clinical studies have also shown that melatonin supplementation at dosages ranging from 0.75 mg to 6 mg prior to bedtime produces significant benefit in improving sleep quality in ASD.

Background information:
Abnormally low levels of melatonin in ASD have been documented in several studies. Melatonin plays a critical role in influencing the onset and length of sleep. A genetic defect in proteins signaled by melatonin has also been noted in these patients.

The clinical studies that have been conducted with melatonin in ASD include three double blind studies which all showed a significantly shorter time to fall asleep and longer sleep duration with melatonin at dosages of 2-5 mg compared to placebo.

                In an open trial, after initiation of melatonin, 86% parents of autistic children reported either complete elimination or significant improvement of sleep disturbance. Of the 107 children treated with melatonin only 3 children had mild side effects (morning sleepiness).

New Data:
Twenty-four children with ASD, free of psychotropic medications, completed an open-label dose-escalation study to assess dose-response, tolerability, safety, and effect of melatonin supplementation during a 14-week study. At either 1 or 3 mg dosages melatonin improved sleep onset in most children. It was effective in week 1 of treatment, maintained effects over several months and was well tolerated and safe. In addition to showing improvement in sleep, melatonin also improved the behavior of the children leading to a significant reduction in the feelings of stress by the parents.

These findings contribute to the growing medical literature on supplemental melatonin for sleep quality and behavior in ASD.

Reference:
Malow B, Adkins KW, McGrew SG,  et al. Melatonin for sleep in children with autism: a controlled trial examining dose, tolerability, and outcomes. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Aug;42(8):1729-37