tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-300105932024-03-07T15:39:07.825-06:00Honest NutritionThis non-commercial website features my writings on nutritional topics: natural health, health freedom, dietary supplements/vitamins/herbs, organic & biotech food, poor studies, misleading press, etc.
Not intended as nutritional counseling, prescription or treatment of disease. Older articles may contain outdated info. Links to Google ads are independent of my content.
Copyright 2006-2023 by Neil E. Levin, except as noted.Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-81410633881827954582023-06-05T14:46:00.002-05:002023-06-05T14:46:22.801-05:00<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'll be doing a live webinar on Men's Health this Thursday at 5 PM Pacific time (7 PM Central)... </span></p><p><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtceyrpjgoGtOf_1bY_JfM0BuSbJJazl_C#/registration </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-58142899690491372932023-03-14T10:27:00.002-05:002023-03-14T10:27:55.395-05:00<p> Neil will be on the radio Sunday morning 3/19/2023. It's Al Forman's Sav-A-Lot Nutrition Hour at 11am ET, 10 Central on WWNN radio 1470 AM; 95.3 FM in South Florida. Go to <a class="x1fey0fg xmper1u x1edh9d7" href="https://trueoldiesfla.com/podcasts/sav-a-lot-nutrition">https://trueoldiesfla.com/podcasts/sav-a-lot-nutrition</a> Listen live there, too; click on the Listen Live button under the station 95.3 FM at the top right of that page.</p><br />Also Neil's previous interviews with Al are available to listen or download as a podcast: <a class="x1fey0fg xmper1u x1edh9d7" href="https://sav-a-lotnutritioncenters.com/?s=Levin&lang=en">https://sav-a-lotnutritioncenters.com/?s=Levin&lang=en</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-78391649206809558972022-06-06T16:30:00.001-05:002022-06-06T16:30:51.725-05:00Federal Dietary Supplement Registry bills<p> Dietary Supplement Legislation Misguided & Inflationary</p><p>A bill sponsored by Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Braun (R-IN) - S.4090, the Dietary Supplement Listing Act - mandates a registry of all dietary supplements, citing safety concerns. Meanwhile, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee also added mandatory product registration for this non-drug category to must-pass prescription drug user fee legislation S.4348, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act of 2022 (FDASLA). </p><p>These concerns are overblown; the proposed solution draconian. Why treat an overwhelmingly safe food category as inherently dangerous? Multivitamins, vitamin C, calcium, fish oil, and common nutrients are non-toxic, with few safety concerns.</p><p>Senator Durbin uses Adverse Event Reports (AERs) as justification. But Mr. Durbin knows AERs are defined as associative, not proof of a causal relationship. I manage a team handling dietary supplement AERs for a responsible manufacturer, which are promptly investigated and reported to the FDA. The few AERs we receive are typically caused by pre-existing conditions/known drug effects, not supplements. And many dietary supplement AERs received by FDA involve multivitamin choking issues, not toxicity. </p><p>There are potential interactions between certain ingredients and certain drugs. A published report of Mayo Clinic patient records identified only five such ingredients, noting only minor negative drug interactions. Statistics from the authoritative American Association of Poison Control Centers confirm zero deaths are associated with dietary supplements most years. Official AERs, not necessarily caused by supplements, showed only 166 hospitalizations and 22 deaths over an 11-year, 4-month period. By contrast, CDC estimates 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths from foodborne diseases each year; food allergies cause 15 million illnesses, 30,000 ER visits and 150–200 deaths. Taking a dietary supplement is statistically far safer than eating a meal. </p><p>If there is a safety issue, FDA already has the power to ban products, as it did with the herb ephedra. Facility registration is already mandated in existing Bioterrorism and Food Safety laws, but S.4090 inexplicably removes carefully designed antiterrorist protections. The National Institutes of Health already have a huge dietary supplement label database, which the FDA seeks to duplicate in a wasteful agency rivalry. </p><p>S.4090 imposes large fines - and jail terms - for not getting advance bureaucratic permission to market any supplement, even vitamin C. Companies must seek registration numbers and identify individuals to be severely penalized for infractions, with sales restricted by agency refusal or delay. Why does the FDA need absolute veto power over every vitamin; adding red tape and inflationary costs? The FDA already has statutory authority to inspect manufacturers, review labels and batch records, and confirm AERs are being properly handled/reported. Since the rationale is lack of enforcement of existing laws, how does piling on new regulations, fees, and harsh penalties solve that persistent agency problem? An analogy: would new laws lowering the speed limit and requiring drivers to keep mileage logs stop speeders, or is enforcement the real solution? </p><p>The dietary supplement industry welcomes reasonable consumer protections. We supported laws giving FDA authority over ingredients, label claims, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), facility inspections, food safety practices, facility registration, adverse event reporting, steroid bans, and allergen labeling. We’ve repeatedly lobbied Congress for higher FDA enforcement budgets to weed out bad actors, but oppose universal pre-market approval.</p><p>Why is a safe food category – dietary supplements – targeted for harsh regulation and higher costs, strangling innovation and consumer needs? If safety is the issue, why shouldn’t riskier food manufacturers (allergens and food poisoning) also need pre-market approval, their employees targeted for prosecution and fines? This is a punitive bill targeting an overwhelmingly safe product category for no justifiable reason. </p><p>Neil Edward Levin, CCN, DANLA</p><p>NOW Health Group</p><p>Bloomingdale, Illinois</p><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-54895736903210654262022-05-19T16:46:00.002-05:002022-05-19T16:46:24.430-05:00North Macedonian medical conference presentation<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm giving a remote presentation tomorrow morning 5-20-2022 at the Macedonian Association of Internal Medicine conference </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 py34i1dx" href="https://internist2022.com/program/?fbclid=IwAR3REAgoZ2wBirCN2cZgG98Cb0JikOo1D5ctSfR8_lPRVgqWm2GilMnfzDU" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://internist2022.com/program/</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I'm listed on page 7 of the program.</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-49779966317660803572022-01-12T14:54:00.000-06:002022-01-12T14:54:02.590-06:00Methylfolate versus folic acid for MTHFR polymorphisms<p>Methylfolate is a very expensive pharma-patented ingredient in a supplemental form that is not generally required by people. Even those with genetic polymorphisms can convert folic acid to methylfolate, though less efficiently due to their genetic differences, and still benefit from folic acid supplementation. </p><p>Since a main concern with MTHFR polymorphisms is the production of less active forms of the MTHFR enzyme due to genetically driven variations in its composition (such as the substitution of alanine with valine), the polymorphisms are most noted for increasing the need for folates (of any form, rather than a particular form). This is because higher quantities of these weaker MTHFR enzymes are needed to compensate for their lower activity levels and methylfolate is a cofactor in the enzyme production, so more dietary folic acid or folates are also needed. </p><p>The medical literature on folic acid has been misrepresented on the Internet to falsely imply that folic acid will not work in individuals with MTHFR polymorphisms. But even people with the most severe polymorphisms can still convert folic acid to methylfolate and eliminate signs of folate insufficiency, particularly high homocysteine levels, according to clinical trials. Here is one example where increasing folic acid intake for individuals with these polymorphisms resolved the problem of high homocysteine levels caused by their weaker MTHFR enzymes:</p><p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5601299" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5601299</a></p><p>The folic acid was converted to methylfolate and utilized by these study subjects to make more of these enzymes, which is needed to resolve the health concerns over high homocysteine levels, despite the subjects having polymorphisms that cause weaker versions of the enzymes to be produced. </p><p>The CDC is even more direct, reporting, “You might have read or heard that folic acid is not safe if you have one or two copies of the MTHFR C677T variant. This is not true. Even if you have one or two copies of the MTHFR C677T variant, your body can safely and effectively process the different types of folate, including folic acid.” </p><p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/mthfr-gene-and-folic-acid.htm">https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/mthfr-gene-and-folic-acid.htm</a></p><p>So the widespread myth that people with MTHFR polymorphisms cannot process folic acid has been disproven in authoritative research showing that they actually need to increase folic acid intake (or methylfolate intake) to produce enough of the weaker enzymes to resolve the health concerns, including elevated homocysteine levels and potential neural tube defects in their offspring. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-70811108310692266922021-11-22T11:52:00.002-06:002021-11-22T11:52:44.222-06:00Plant-based diets, pescatarian diets and COVID-19 severity<p> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8219480/pdf/bmjnph-2021-000272.pdf </p><p>After adjusting for important confounders, participants who reported following ‘plant-based diets’ and ‘plant-based diets or pescatarian diets’ had 73% (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.81) and 59% (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.99) lower odds of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 severity, respectively, compared with participants who did not follow these diets. </p><p>Compared with participants who reported following ‘plant-based diets’, those who reported following ‘low carbohydrate, high protein diets’ had greater odds of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.13 to 13.24).</p><p><br /></p><p>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLA</p><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-82359729403005573012021-09-16T16:39:00.003-05:002021-09-16T16:39:55.978-05:00Macrobiotic Diet lecture presented in 1996<p>Originally presented on 1/24/1996 In Chicago for Nutrition for Optimal Health Association, a non-profit educational charity. I recovered this from a floppy drive today. This was one of my early lectures. As the buyer for the leading Midwestern retailer of macrobiotic foods in the late 1980s, I was the person to whom the Kushi Institute referred people with questions or seeking dietary staples (like sea vegetables, soba pasta, condiments, etc.) in that era. </p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">NOHA CLASS on The </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">MACROBIOTIC DIET</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">JAN. 24, 1996<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Presented by </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">NEIL EDWARD
LEVIN, CCN</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Macrobiotics
is the group of diets which reflect balance between natural forces to promote
health and normal body-mind function. Using the unifying principle of yin and
yang to describe the expansive or contractive properties of foods, one can
correct the diet for any number of imbalances. Such a balanced diet is shown to
reduce and reverse chronic diseases such as cancer and food allergies, while
reducing social problems such as crime and violence.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adhering to a macrobiotic diet is an
environmental act. One chooses to eat foods appropriate for one's climate and
past imbalances. Organically-grown wholesome foods are preferred. Locally grown
foods eaten in season are preferred. Animal products are a rarity, including
mostly seafood.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All traditional diets are macrobiotic with
a small "m". The so-called Standard Macrobiotic Diet is a remnant of
traditional Japanese diet. It is high in grains, vegetables from sea and land,
some non-stimulant spices, and beans.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The new Food Pyramid of the Mediterranean
Diet is fairly similar to the Standard Macrobiotic Diet. Both rely on grains as
the main staple, vegetables as the main side dish, and beans, animal products
and fruits used sparingly. Olive oil vs. sesame oil. Brown rice vs. wholegrains
and pasta.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yin foods are expansive, leafy, and
watery. They tend to be high in sugars and potassium, low in calcium. They are
fairly perishable. They tend to be eaten fresh (in season), dried, or pickled
in sea salt. Salads and fruits are yin. Yin foods tend to be acidic.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yang foods are contractive, compact,
drier. They tend to be high in contractive minerals like calcium, low in
expansive ones like magnesium. They have a longer shelf life than yin foods.
They can travel farther and still be fresh and wholesome. Salt is very yang,
but sea salt is more balanced, due to some yin minerals comprising up to 5% of
the total weight. Gray sea salt has a lot of magnesium, and can possibly be too
strong for some, leading to constricting effects like kidney stones. Many root
vegetables and small grains and beans are yang. Yang foods tend to be alkaline.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Of course, foods are rarely all yin or
yang. These are relative terms.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We can select foods for their properties
to compensate for seasonal and daily changes. Breakfast should be somewhat yin,
with more water used to cook breakfast grains. This will help us to expand our
energy. Lunch should be similar. Supper should be larger, more yang, and cooked
more, as befits the contractive energy of the day as it is condensing inward.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Grains, esp. brown rice, should be eaten daily,
preferably at nearly every meal. White rice is never used, as it is far
inferior to the wholegrain brown rice. Smaller grains are more yang than
larger. Short or medium grain rices are preferred for daily use. Long grain and
basmati for occasional warm weather use only. Rice is high in every B vitamin
plus a host of other nutritional factors.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This emphasis on grains is based on
history, biology and anatomy. The 20 molars in an adult mouth are named for the
Latin word for "millstone". They are used to grind plant foods to a
pulp. The eight incisors are for cutting, and the four canine teeth are for ripping.
They are nothing like a cat or similar carnivore's teeth, which consist largely
of large canine-type teeth. Our digestive tract is similar to plant-eaters
rather than like predators, who eat a low fiber diet. These factors indicate
the ideal ratio of 7 to 1 for plant to animal foods, or carbohydrates to
protein. This is shown as 5 parts grains and other fibrous foods, 2 parts
vegetables and 1 part beans or animal food. Meat is suited to cold climates,
and is associated with many diseases such as cancer. Traditional cultures in
temperate zones use meat sparingly. As a culture shuns their traditional diet
for the modern, processed foods, the rate of degenerative diseases increases
greatly.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Grains have always been the historical
dietary staple. The word "meal" means ground grains as well as
general eating. In China, people used rice, millet, and buckwheat. In India:
rice and wheat. In the Mideast: wheat and barley. In lower Africa: sorghum. In
the Americas: corn. And in Northern Europe: wheat, barley, rye, and oats.
Grains provide steady fuel. Brown rice releases 2 kilocalories of glucose per
minute into our bloodstream versus over 30 for a candy bar. This is due to the
starches, or complex carbohydrates, in the grains. For athletes, the amount of
glycogen reserves doubles using a starchy diet versus a high-protein one.
Americans use an average of about 2,000 pounds of grain per year apiece for our
animal-based diet. Plant food-based cultures get by very well on 400 pounds per
person.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Food is nutrition: energy and components
of our bodies. Food choices are the largest controllable variable to create
healthy body cells. Eating one extreme will create a desire for the opposite,
to create a rough balance. This balance of extremes is not very healthy. The
classic example is of meat eaters craving alcohol, sweets, potatoes, and other
very yin foods. This leads to an excess of fats, protein, carbohydrates, and
water. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Poor diet often
includes refined table salt, white sugar, animal protein, saturated fats, and poor-quality
water. Mixing meat + dairy + sugar + cold drinks will lead to sticky deposits
and kidney stones.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These principles often lead to natural
remedies. Kidney stones represent excess yang energy. Warm ginger compresses
over the painful area will expand the ducts and allow the stone to pass more
easily. Hot green tea will help internally. For a fever, one can use a fresh
green leaf to the forehead or a tofu plaster. These will more reliably ease a
fever within minutes than ice, which is too cold and may trap the excess in the
body as the fever tries to force it out.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dietary diversity is also important. We
must try to eat a variety of foods to enlarge our supply of nutrients. Other
general factors apply:</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Men can tolerate
more meat than women. Women can tolerate more salads and sweets. Babies, small
and compact are more yang than adults, which creates a need for soft, sweet,
low salt yin foods to allow proper growth. However, if children eat lots of
sugar, they will tend to be hyperactive, emotional, and cry easily. Mother's
milk is very yin, the perfect small baby's food. Milk is made even more yin
when it contains antibiotics and bovine growth hormone.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meat is yang and leads to aggressive
tendencies. It is appropriate for nomadic, isolated people. Grains lead to
mental conditions of cooperation, community, support, and family life. Look at
our Big Mac diet versus the Japanese rice-based diet, and consider the degree
of community cooperation in each culture. Tomatoes and other nightshade plants
are very yin, and contain nicotine-like substances which are addictive and
depress the mind.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Standard Macrobiotic Diet consists
mostly of cooked foods. The food enzymes are largely provided by fermented
foods such as miso, naturally brewed tamaris, tempeh, umeboshi plums, etc. The
balance of foods and the amount of cooking depends on the coolness of the
climate.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Like all substances, food has a
vibrational energy. As in homeopathy, you can activate the energy in a food by
cooking, dilute the foods by chewing with saliva to increase the power of the
food, and thus liberate the nourishing, healing powers of our diet.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yang energies activate the nerves, while
yin dulls the sensations. Grains are high in serotonin enhancers, leading to
calmness and thoughtful behavior. Animal foods activate acetylcholine, which
leads to impulsive behavior linked to low blood sugar and low serotonin levels.
Testosterone, being yang, is increased by animal foods. An explosive discharge
of yang energy is likely to lead to violence. Refined sugar, in a Yale U.
study, dramatically increases adrenaline levels. When children were given the
amount of sugar in two cupcakes, their adrenaline levels increased tenfold;
leading to rapid heartbeat, shallow/quick breathing, nervousness, and
aggressive/hyperactive/erratic behavior. Excess sugar can deplete minerals,
leaving white spots on nails, low zinc, manganese, magnesium, sodium, chromium,
vanadium, and the like.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These same forces influence depression.
Late in the day and in the year the air is contractive, yang. Depression is
linked to hypoglycemia, produced by an imbalanced diet, esp. meat and animal
foods. Yang accumulation in the pancreas inhibits secretion of glucagon, the
yin hormone which increases blood glucose. The pancreas gets hard and tight.
The more yang hormone insulin still secretes and reduces blood sugar, but the
new imbalance lowers blood sugar to the point of craving. The yang, stimulating
neurotransmitters are reduced, which can lead to depression. Short of its blood
sugar for fuel, the higher brain functions decrease and alcohol and sugar
cravings increase.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Schizophrenics usually have chronic low
blood sugar, leading to cravings for refined sugar, alcohol, chocolate, and
drugs. These yin substances expand the brain and nerve cells. These expanded
cells are overly sensitive to yang stimuli, including dopamine. Chronic
overstimulation makes one ignore external, more distant factors. In
schizophrenics this leads to overload, loss of abstract thought, and the
breakdown of the yang powers of concentration and thought coordination. A
niacin deficiency is linked to some 10% of schizophrenic cases, and may be
linked also to glucose tolerance factors.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>High blood sugar is likewise linked to
excess yin foods in the diet, so the pancreas releases more of the yang hormone
insulin to rebalance. This also increases the stimulating, yang
neurotransmitters to arouse motor activity.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Too many animal foods can lead to graying
hair, baldness on the top of the head, being oversexed and short tempered, a
tendency to brain hemorrhage, heart attacks, rheumatism, and arthritis. Cutting
out the sugar in the diets of teen offenders reduced their violent episodes
between 45 and 80%. Animal foods and excess dietary fats and calories are all
linked to cancer. About 10-15% of our caloric intake should be healthy types of
fats and oils, compared to 30-50% in our modern diet. Excess fat blocks the
energy flow in the body. Plant foods tend to inhibit cancers. Soybean foods are
specifically linked to low cancer rates. Miso eaters have much lower cancer
rates than the control groups.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Some of the staple foods of the Standard
Macrobiotic Diet include:</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Brown Rice for
the main grain, also appearing in rice milk, rice cakes, mochi cakes, amazake
drink, and pastas. Brown rice should be organic, be rinsed until the water is
clear, and can be pre-soaked for higher digestibility. It is normally cooked
with at least 2 parts water for about an hour. As the rice cooks, the water
drops below the surface. Do not stir the rice after this point or it will get
very sticky. Poke down into it with a wooden spoon occasionally to check the
water level.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Soy products,
often fermented, including tofu, tempeh, miso, shoyu & tamari, and soy milks.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Sea vegetables,
mostly cooked in soups, stews and bean dishes. These foods are extremely rich
in minerals. For example, kelp has 150x the iodine of any land plant; while
dulse has 200x the iron of beet greens, the richest land source. Other types are
wakame for soups, stews and beans; hijiki and arame for beans and soups; nori
for sushi rolls.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Soups and stews</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Beans, esp.
small ones which are more yang and meat-like. Look for aduki, chickpeas,
lentils, soy, peas, and kidney beans. Sea vegetables help us to digest the
beans.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Pickled foods to
stimulate digestion, provide beneficial bacteria for the gut, and provide a
source of lactic acid.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Nuts and seeds
can be used in moderation, best if from your climate/continent. This is the
main oil source in the macrobiotic diet. Avoid tropical items.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*In season:
fruits and land vegetables.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Whole grain
pastas. This is one of the few products using flour. Whole, unground grains are
healthier than flours. Flours are stickier, more mucus-forming, more acidic,
and harder to digest.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Rolled and
cracked cereals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Fish should be
used at most 1-2 times a week.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Sea salt and
foods pickled with sea salt. For flavor and digestion. Do not overuse! Signs of
overdose include:<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>fluid retention,
thirst after meals, overeating, craving for fruits, sweets, and alcohol, and
emotional tension. Signs of too little salt include:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">weak muscle tone,
poor circulation, and mental spaciness.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Condiments:<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>sesame salt, horseradishes, mustards, rice
and cider vinegars, Ume plums.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Fresh water and
green teas. Grain beverages.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">*Fermented dairy
products like yogurt, kefir, etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It is good to eat a variety within each of
these food categories. Cooking methods include boiling, steaming, sautéing,
frying, and pressure cooking. The heat intensity and cooking techniques affect
the yin/yang energy in the food.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Organic foods are so important because the
microorganisms in both the human gut and the soil aid digestion and
assimilation of nutrients to either us or plants. Vitamin B-12 </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">is made only by
these types of bacteria. The traditional Japanese diet provides different,
simpler intestinal microbes than average Americans (Western J of Med, 1974),
and such simpler populations were associated with lower rates of bowel cancer
(Cancer Research, 1975).</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Illness is a symptom of imbalance. Look
for the lesson of how your energies are affecting that manifestation. Sickness
becomes inevitable if our foods and actions are out of harmony with nature.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If the skin is pale, you may be eating too
much fruit. Bad skin indicates excess sugar. Gluten and grain allergies
indicate an excess of dairy and sugar in the past. Diets high in meats, fats
and sugar show increased rates of tooth decay and weakened bones.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Lotus root tea
reduces mucus in the lungs.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yang foods are salts, hard cheeses, eggs,
and meat. Illnesses from excess yang foods include:<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>duodenal ulcer, hepatitis, appendicitis, jaundice, gout, liver
cancer, and headache in the back of the head.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yin foods include most dairy, sweets,
juices, alcohol, spices, coffee and tea.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Illnesses linked
to excess yin include:<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>colitis, hernia,
diabetes, asthma, pleurisy, leukemia, meningitis, detached retina, varicose
veins, gum disease, stomach ulcers, cystitis, frequent bloody noses, and
headaches in the front of the head.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>More balanced foods include grains, beans,
vegetables, seeds, nuts, and seasonal fruits. When one eats at the extremes
there are other associated illnesses including:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">arteriosclerosis,
gallstones, arthritis, breast cysts and cancer, lung cancer, cataracts, and
pneumonia.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It is recommended to not eat for 3 hours
before bedtime.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Cancer is yin, expansive. Avoid overeating
and indigestion by chewing foods to liquid. Avoid all fruit, animal fats, and
greasy foods.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">In studies,
macrobiotic-type diets are very healthful:</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Lowering and
stabilizing blood pressure (AmJ of Epidemology, 1974)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Lowering blood
cholesterol and triglycerides (NEJ of Med, 1975)(Atherosclerosis, 1982)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Lowering cancer
rate by 60% and death rate by 40% in Denmark during a blockade and shortage of
animal and dairy foods (JAMA, 1920)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Sea vegetables
removed most of the strontium 90 from contaminated subjects (McGill University,
1964)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Daily eaters of
miso had 33% lower rates of stomach cancer (1981, Nat. Cancer Center of Japan)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Mice fed
naturally fermented soy sauce had a 26% lower rate of stomach cancer and a 75%
drop in tumors (1991, U. of Wisconsin)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Patients with
pancreatic cancer. 24 on macrobiotic diet survived an average of 17.3 months
vs. 6.0 months for matched controls. The one year survival rate was 54.2% vs.
10% for controls. (1984-85, Tulane U.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Macrobiotic Diet
is a healthful way of eating (AmerMedAssn Family Medical Guide, </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">1987)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">A high fat diet
is linked to higher breast, lung, and skin tumors in mice. (CancerResearch2)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">A 41 country
study linked high intake of refined sugar with high breast cancer rates (BritJ
of Cancer, 1976)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Soy protein
reduces serum cholesterol and triglycerides (JAMA, 1982)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">People who
regularly eat cheese have a 50% greater risk of breast cancer than those who
don't. With milk it's an 80% increase (Journal of the National Cancer
Institute, 1986)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">A diet high in
meat and animal products is linked to colon cancer </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">(NCI, 1974 in CANCER) (JAMA, 1920)</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">(Gut, 1969) (Journal of the NCI, 1975)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Macrobiotic
eaters versus the Framington Heart Study participants: the macro eaters had
average cholesterol readings of 126 mg./dl. compared to 184 for the normal diet. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Harvard study in the New England
Journal of Medicine, 1975)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Fermented soy
sauce shows anti-tumor activity (Science News, 1991, U. of Wisc.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">21 Macrobiotic eaters added 250 grams of beef
a day to their diets for 4 weeks. Within 2 weeks their serum cholesterol levels
were up an average of 19%. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Harvard
study in JAMA, 1981)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Wakame and hijiki
seaweeds, also shitake mushrooms lower serum cholesterol </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Atherosclerosis,
1972)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">A high sucrose
diet (20% of daily caloric intake) linked to liver cancer </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Huntington Research Centre,
Huntington, England, 1978)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Diet should
consist of </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Carbs (50-60% of caloric
intake), with glucose, sucrose, and lactose restricted. People should eat
natural foods with unrefined carbs. High levels of fats should be restricted.
(Journal of the ADA, 1979)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Shitake mushrooms
showed almost complete regression of tumors (Cancer Research, 1970)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Kombu given to
mice with implanted sarcomas: 89-95% inhibited. Also good results with leukemia
(Japan Journal of Experimental Med, 1974)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Leukemia in
chickens was reversed by feeding them whole grains and salt (Tokyo Red Cross
Blood Center, 1972)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">USDA recommends
partial replacement of animal foods with cereals and legumes, esp. soy. (Am J of
Clin Nutr, 1983)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Tofu as a
substitute for meats and dairy products is closer to the national dietary
guidelines than beef, chicken, eggs, or cheese. It is also preferred by
preschoolers in taste tests (Journal of the ADA, 1990)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Men with AIDS put
on macrobiotic diet stabilized, did better than other patients. (Boston U.
School of Med in Lancet, 1985)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">Chewing
thoroughly (saliva) inhibits HIV-1 infectivity (Journal of the American Dental
Assn, 1988)</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><o:p></o:p><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-41866686402516404962021-09-15T10:36:00.001-05:002021-09-15T10:36:18.624-05:00JAMA posted my comment yesterday on a study reviewing vitamin C and Zinc for Covid-19 patients<p>JAMA edited my comment and changed the final sentence (adding
‘or some other dose’, which doesn’t make sense), but the gist is there. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2776305?utm_source=silverchair&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=article_alert-jamanetworkopen&utm_term=mostread&utm_content=olf-widget_09102021">Effect
of High-Dose Zinc and Ascorbic Acid Supplementation vs Usual Care on Symptom
Length and Reduction Among Ambulatory Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection: The
COVID A to Z Randomized Clinical Trial | Complementary and Alternative Medicine
| JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network</a></span><div><br /></div><div>My original submission:</div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">It is unclear what dose of elemental zinc was used in this
study from the text provided. Fifty mg of 'zinc gluconate' is described, but
that is 50 mg of a compound that is only about 1/7 elemental zinc. PubChem
lists the molecular weight of zinc gluconate at 455.7 and of elemental zinc at
65.4; so zinc gluconate contains about 14.35% elemental zinc (a maximum value
since 'as is' measurements include impurities, including moisture). If 50 mg.
of ‘zinc gluconate’ was used, as described in the text, it would represent only
about 7 mg of actual zinc; not a "high dose" since it would be below
the FDA's current (and recently lowered) Daily Value of 11 mg. </p><p class="MsoNormal">If 50 mg of
elemental zinc from a much larger amount of zinc gluconate (typically 350- 400
mg) was used, it should have been described more precisely as that to avoid any
confusion. The amount of zinc used was either a low dose erroneously described
as a high dose or the authors mistakenly used the compound name (zinc
gluconate) in place of the element's (zinc) when describing the 50 mg amount. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Either way, how the supplement was described in this paper leads inevitably to
confusion. The amount of actual zinc should be clearly specified, but the
authors did not do so; nor did they relate the amount of this mineral to its
RDA, Daily Value, or Upper Limit as a relevant reference point. The implication
from the description of a ‘high dose’ is that the amount of zinc was 50 mg, not
the amount of zinc gluconate, and that the authors misstated the description of
the supplement. But they just as plausibly mistook 50 mg of zinc gluconate for
50 mg of elemental zinc, and then inaccurately described both the supplement
and the dosing. </p><p class="MsoNormal">How did this pass peer review without catching this internal
conflict of description that would be obvious to chemists who work with mineral
compounds and understand how to appropriately label them by either compound or
element? And exactly which dose of elemental zinc was used; 50 mg or 7 mg? <o:p></o:p></p><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-57510792178069851092021-07-08T14:26:00.000-05:002021-07-08T14:26:00.347-05:00<p> <span data-offset-key="2518r-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">My half-hour </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="2518r-1-0" style="font-family: inherit;">presentation</span></span><span data-offset-key="2518r-2-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;"> on Essential Oils will be aired on Wednesday, July 14th at 7pm Central time (6pm Mountain time) </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/choosing-essential-oils-understanding-labels-standards-tickets-161158512449</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-60292116307815870242021-06-10T17:12:00.000-05:002021-06-10T17:12:04.857-05:00Is There L-Glutamine in Pea Protein?<p><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Reputable sources only list glutamic acid, a nonessential amino
acid, in pea protein, which the body readily synthesizes and that readily converts into
l-glutamine inside our bodies. Glutamine and glutamic acid typically comprise
between 5% and 15% of dietary proteins, but we require so much of these two
amino acids that most of our fairly large body stores are actually synthesized
endogenously (internally). </span></p><p><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Glutamine is used to make glucosamine and is required by the
immune system, for wound healing, for acid-base balance, for brain function,
and for gluconeogenesis. Both amino acids are conditionally essential during
pregnancy, lactation, and growth phases. </span></p><p><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Commercially produced MSG is related to, but not identical to, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">glutamine because it is a salt of glutamine; a glutamate, rather than an amino acid found in common proteins. Glutamate has been classified as an excitotoxin that can overexcite our </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">nervous</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> systems; but that is dependent on the brain lacking proper controls, such as can be provided by the essential nutrients </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">magnesium</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and antioxidants. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This study indicates that pea protein
contains glutamic acid, not l-glutamine: </span></p><p><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6245118/</span></span></p><p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6245118/">Protein content and amino acid composition of commercially available plant-based protein isolates (nih.gov)</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-58933542861305357032021-05-14T11:28:00.000-05:002021-05-14T11:28:16.132-05:00Lecithin extraction<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">All lecithin is chemically extracted from bulk oils. For organic lecithin (not available in all forms and grades and very expensive due to limited supply and manufacturing capacity) organic ethanol (alcohol) is the solvent. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">All lecithin extraction processes currently employ solvents, such as hexane, to extract the oils. Hexane extraction is the most common method used in the industry to produce lecithin due to its high oil recovery and lower production cost; also, lecithin is actually defined as hexane-soluble components. These solvents are commonly recovered during the extraction step of edible oil processing through distillation and evaporation. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">To remove the hexane from lecithin, the material is treated in a vacuum distillation process because hexane is volatile and vaporizes at a relatively low temperature. The hexane evaporated during the distillation is condensed and separated from water in a decanter. The recovered hexane is then reused in the extractor. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The European Union standard for hexane in bulk oils is a maximum residue limit (MRL) of <span style="background-color: white;">1 mg/kg by weight. One study published in the </span>Journal of Experimental and Clinical Toxicology <span style="background-color: white;">reported that the detected mean amount of hexane residue in product samples tested was 0.56 mg/kg; only 56% of the allowable amount. The EFSA Journal published a 2017 safety review concluding that there was no safety concern; even for infants and children using lecithin for special medical purposes. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4742</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">https://openaccesspub.org/ject/article/622#ridm1841927052 </span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-10502560848418869172021-05-14T11:09:00.000-05:002021-05-14T11:09:53.882-05:00Liquid Chlorophyll as Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin<p>Chlorophyllin is a water-soluble analog of the green plant pigment chlorophyll. Liquid chlorophyll products containing chlorophyllin are a mixture of chlorophyll and copper. Chlorophyllin is produced by extracting natural chlorophyll from mulberry leaves (post silkworm feeding) or the traditional alfalfa source (which today is mostly genetically modified/GMO) and reacting the chlorophyll to copper. Today chlorophyllin is compliant with the USP monograph as Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin and is water-soluble; chlorophyll in plants is a fat-soluble substance. Solubilized chlorophyllin is dispersible and stable in water, unlike the original plant chlorophyll, making liquid chlorophyll products possible. </p><p>It is best to test each lot of chlorophyll for identity, microbial burden (including pathogens), and heavy metals to assure product safety. The sodium content of chlorophyllin is negligible; about 9.5 milligrams per 100 gram serving. </p><p>Chlorophyll as Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin can function as a free radical neutralizer and may help to support the body's detoxification processes. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7788866/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12628519/ </p><p>Specifically, chlorophyllin ‘has potent antioxidant ability involving scavenging of various physiologically important ROS’ [reactive oxygen species]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11767414/ </p><p>Chlorophyllin has been traditionally used as an internal deodorizer, both medically under FDA authorization (21CFR357.850) and as a dietary supplement, and it promotes cleansing and freshens breath. It has also been found to be a safe and effective detoxification agent suitable for use in individuals unavoidably exposed to dietary aflatoxins. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12628519/ </p><p><br /></p><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-82876299861355995432021-05-07T15:10:00.001-05:002021-05-07T15:13:19.171-05:00 Vaccine Mandate Musings<p>Should vaccine passports, or vaccination itself, be mandatory? I can only share my opinions, which are conflicted. Here are my thoughts:</p><p>Because of federal medical privacy laws, vaccine passports would have to be issued only on request of the patient/person waiving such privacy, so disclosure is in one sense inherently controlled by the individual and would be voluntary. Additionally, the state and the CDC are routinely notified of your COVID-19 vaccination, so it is not hidden from them; governments already know if you’ve been vaccinated. Another argument is that apps can track your location, but of course location tracking can be disabled for any app or phone, and mandates can also limit tracking to when the app is opened. Many people post their vaccine status on social media and then inconsistently worry about privacy after sharing it with massive companies that have access to their personal data.</p><p>Private companies can already mandate vaccines, including medical and nursing home staff, or college campuses (which now offer remote classes), and require masks and distancing unless such private company requirements are banned by law. Some people may want to show these verifiable proofs and find them useful; for example to travel overseas without needing quarantines or invasive testing. </p><p>There are also issues of whether to restrict private companies from offering incentives for people to show vaccination proof to open cruises, concerts, airline or restaurant seating, etc. A government mandate prohibiting private businesses from doing things that are perceived as helping their sales recover faster and protect public health can also be perceived as anti-capitalist and anti-libertarian. The protection of public health often conflicts with normal civil rights in troubled times; both are mandates of governments. In this case, the government in prohibiting private businesses from using customer safety as a competitive selling point is different from a government mandating essential safety practices. This is actually the opposite of asserting a state mandate to protect public health; by legislating a government monopoly on whether/how to do that, rather than trusting the private sector, as most conservatives would normally prefer. </p><p>As businesspeople, if you felt safer during an epidemic or pandemic by requiring masking and distancing, would you want the state prohibiting you from doing what makes you feel safer or from doing what makes your customers feel safer? In Illinois, the state has said it won’t require a vaccine passport, but did not prohibit local governments or private businesses from doing so, and Chicago may require them short-term for concerts and full restaurant capacity so businesses can reopen faster while protecting public health and safety. Is a business offering incentives discriminating against ineligible customers, or is it a justifiable practice; similar to offering private events or other perks for preferred customers?</p><p>I know this is more nuanced than social media and news outlets present the issues to us, but there are both plusses and minuses to government mandates and vaccine passports/proof, and winners and losers. </p><p>It also doesn’t address the issue of some people who can’t get vaccinated: the young, people with autoimmune diseases or other medical conditions, those who have had serious reactions to previous vaccines; even pregnancy is an unknown safety factor. Vaccine mandates without reasonable exemptions are going to harm some people; maybe far fewer than might get seriously ill or die from the disease if everyone was unvaccinated, but they would needlessly sacrifice some people for the perceived greater good instead of fine-tuning to make vaccinations even safer. Vaccines aren’t perfect; why pretend that they are?</p><p>My problem with routine vaccinations is that there is no willingness or incentive to track a minority that may be harmed by vaccines in order to make them safer by identifying people or traits that are unsuitable for a particular vaccine. The ingredients are also a problem for some; including mercury and aluminum, preservatives, allergens, and other chemicals. Why is there no good study on the safety of the complete vaccination program of some 16 vaccines; some with additional boosters? Why are vaccine critics quickly attacked as anti-science, rather than honestly assessing their claims? Why are calls to fine-tune the vaccination program to make it even safer quickly shut down as anti-vaxxers? I appreciate the elimination of TB, smallpox, measles, etc. But why ignore a minority for whom some vaccines - or some ingredients - may be contraindicated to reduce the criticism? </p><p>Sorry, but I seem to have more questions than answers. </p><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-8533847036569166772021-04-28T11:21:00.001-05:002021-04-28T11:21:45.137-05:00 Aspergillus Niger Safety<p><br /></p><p>Fermentation is a process where a microorganism is utilized as a factory to produce certain nutrients or other biologically useful substances for humans. The culture, environment, and feed can encourage production of various products including enzymes and organic acids that are commonly used in foods and supplements. Some molds are benign; think of <i>Saccharomyces boulardii</i> (related to the yeasts in bread or beer) or blue cheese. </p><p>While <i>Aspergillus niger</i> is a black mold, it is not the black mold that contaminates homes. As with the enzymes produced by <i>A. niger</i>, inhalation of mold or enzymes is not healthy for the lungs, and precautions are taken during production. In addition, <i>A. niger</i> is considered GRAS (generally regarded as safe) by the FDA and has been used for a century to produce citric acid and enzymes. Enzymes produced by <i>A. niger</i> do not contain significant amounts of the culture after isolation and purification to USP monograph standards of purity. Just as milk does not contain a cow, enzymes produced by <i>A. niger</i> do not inherently contain black mold. </p><p>The U.S EPA has reported: </p><p>“Exposure to <i>Aspergillus </i>must be nearly universal but disease is rare. The physiological condition of the exposed individual thus appears to be of paramount importance. Patients exhibiting aspergillosis are generally immunocompromised, and thus susceptible to otherwise common and usually harmless microorganisms. Factors that may lead to immunosuppression include an underlying debilitating disease (e.g., chronic granulomatous diseases of childhood), chemotherapy, and the use of supraphysiological doses of adrenal corticosteroids (Bennett, 1980)…<i>A. niger</i> is not a significant human pathogen. Throughout years of use and widespread exposure to <i>A. niger</i> in the environment, there are only several reports of aspergillosis with <i>A. niger</i>, and in Nigeria, one report of a number of cases of otomycosis. There have been only several reports of allergic reactions, which are not uncommon for aspergilli in general, and not unique to <i>A. niger</i>. <i>A. niger</i> is capable of producing several mycotoxins. However, mycotoxin production appears to be controlled by the conditions of fermentation.” </p><p>EPA’s Final risk assessment for <i>Aspergillus niger </i>https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/fra006.pdf</p><p>https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12172605/</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-61462087374957700642021-04-26T13:09:00.004-05:002021-04-26T13:09:59.972-05:00Blood pH and diet<p>Blood pH is relatively constant at around 7.4 because the body will strip calcium from bones, if necessary, to buffer it in the absence of alkaline-forming food components. That is not homeostasis. But blood pH does vary (typically within a range of 6.8 to 7.8, with potentially lethal effects beyond that range) and affects urine pH, which we can easily measure. </p><p>Dietary compounds formed in the body affect blood pH; not the contrasting pH levels in the digestive tract (acid in the stomach and neutral in the small intestine) or the apparent acidity of foods, but what happens <i>after </i>digestion. The minerals or weak acids (citrates, et al) in <i>alkaline-forming</i> foods are used to make alkaline compounds in the body, which won't happen efficiently with a processed food or a non-plant-derived diet. Scientists have measured this effect and doctors have utilized it in practice, so it's not theoretical or based on pH limited to areas of the digestive tract. https://www.drrusselljaffe.com/7-principles-eating-alkaline-way/ </p><p>"An advanced understanding of acid–base physiology is as central to the practice of critical care medicine, as are an understanding of cardiac and pulmonary physiology. Intensivists spend much of their time managing problems related to fluids, electrolytes, and blood pH. Recent advances in the understanding of acid–base physiology have occurred as the result of the application of basic physical-chemical principles of aqueous solutions to blood plasma. This analysis has revealed three independent variables that regulate pH in blood plasma. These variables are carbon dioxide, relative electrolyte concentrations, and total weak acid concentrations. All changes in blood pH, in health and in disease, occur through changes in these three variables. Clinical implications for these findings are also discussed." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC137247/ </p><p><br /></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-11954860875975300592021-02-04T09:13:00.004-06:002021-02-04T09:13:31.506-06:00<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mayo Clinic researchers: vitamin B12 deficiency can cause premature graying of hair (PGH), which could be reversed thru supplementation. Low vitamin & mineral levels have also been associated with PGH, reversed by supplements: B5, PABA, D, copper, (iron). PMID: 30607038</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-40072129657551810012020-07-30T13:42:00.000-05:002020-07-30T13:42:15.484-05:00Fish Oils: Ethyl Ester versus Triglyceride forms<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Low strength natural fish oils are in triglyceride (TG) form, as
are most natural oils. To purify the oils by removing impurities and less
desirable fatty acids and to concentrate the EPA and DHA fatty acid components,
molecular distillation is used. </span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">This
process allows the oil to vaporize at low temperatures under pressure and is
also known as vacuum distillation. The resulting vapor is collected and cooled,
stratifying into distinct layers of fatty acids. This allows a purer esterified
oil (called an ethyl ester form, or EE) with higher levels of EPA-DHA than crude fish
oils and removal of triglycerides and cholesterol as well as other undesirable components. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some companies like to add triglycerides
back in; this dilutes the fish oil concentrate by about 20% and the process
also introduces mono- and di-glycerides, which don’t exist in natural fish oils to a significant degree but are thought responsible for higher absorption levels of this reconverted
triglyceride form (rTG) oil over natural triglyceride and ethyl ester forms. If no
triglycerides are added back, the body’s own store of triglycerides will be used
to bond to the fatty acids after absorption, potentially lowering serum
triglycerides more than an rTG oil. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Absorption from our guts is always in the
form of free fatty acids, so the oil’s original triglycerides are typically
discarded during digestion and reattached later from body stores. This lowers
the potential of the TG or rTG oils to lower triglycerides already in our
bodies since they introduce additional triglycerides, which may be absorbed either into the body (adding more triglycerides into the liver) or into fiber or other materials that carry cholesterol out through the stool (potentially reducing the removal of cholesterol by competitive absorption). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The prescription fish oils are in the ethyl ester form, not
triglyceride form, because of the higher purity and higher strength of EE fish
oils over TG or rTG forms resulting in better study outcomes on cardiovascular health
measures. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Krill oil is distinct because of its phospholipid matrix that greatly
enhances omega-3 absorption more than the EE, TG, or rTG forms of fish oil. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-48550436731907495452020-06-09T12:34:00.000-05:002020-06-09T12:34:08.458-05:00Do bioflavonoids enhance Vitamin C absorption?Vitamin C absorption from the gut is governed by sodium content for active transport. For passive absorption throughout the length of the intestine the vitamin does not use a similar co-factor.<br />
<br />
The bioflavonoids come into play after vitamin C has been absorbed and is in circulation. This vitamin has a relatively short half-life and depends on other antioxidants to act as electron donors to 'reduce' oxidized vitamin C (dehydroascorbate) back into the antioxidant form (ascorbate; ascorbic acid). Various antioxidants, including bioflavonoids and polyphenols in fruits, are typically used to provide that extra benefit. So the recycling and longevity of vitamin C after absorption depends greatly on the presence of other antioxidants; including not only rutin and bioflavonoids but also alpha lipoic acid, glutathione, and numerous other antioxidants.<br />
<br />
So there is a benefit to using a base, often called vitamin C complex, in a vitamin C formula, but not so much in the initial absorption as in the vitamin's retention and recycling for re-use over time. The variety of antioxidant-related nutrients in the human diet is thought responsible for why humans can retain vitamin C between meals when we cannot manufacture our own from blood sugar at will, as most mammals can.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-92195462866392114572019-11-05T09:21:00.001-06:002021-04-28T11:32:35.722-05:00Aluminum in chlorella and other foods
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Aluminum is one
of the most abundant elements on earth and is correspondingly present in both food and water supplies. It is not a <u>toxic</u> heavy metal and so it
is not routinely tested in foods or other raw materials, but the reported levels in chlorella
are still low compared to common produce and other food staples; and chlorella’s
serving size is also much smaller, which minimizes any potential risk even
more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Aluminum in foods is not a
cause for concern for toxicology experts because orally consumed aluminum is
not considered to be very bioavailable from the gut, nor persistent in the body. Less than 1% is typically absorbed from our G.I. tracts, and virtually all of that has been shown to be excreted in the urine or feces. (Injectable sources, such as vaccine adjuvants, present a separate issue as absorption is not constrained by an effective gut barrier.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some
companies tout lower levels of aluminum in their chlorella products as a
marketing distinction, but admit that the levels being compared are far lower than in
most common foods that are considered very healthy, i.e. cruciferous vegetables;
despite the overwhelming safety data showing no real risk from consuming
these foods that are normally considered to be good for us. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here is a toxicology evaluation of dietary aluminum safety: <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11259180"><span style="color: #0563c1;">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11259180</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-19000735334257560002019-07-15T09:12:00.000-05:002019-07-15T09:12:24.272-05:00Does zinc supplementation reduce absorption of calcium or magnesium?
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In general, no. While
it’s true that zinc can reduce absorption of calcium it would have to be a
high level to do so; studies showing such a relationship have primarily been on zinc sulfate
supplements containing about 140 mg of elemental zinc. This is far above the RDA/DV level of 15 mg. typically found in dietary supplements, or even the 30-50 mg. found in some immune or prostate formulas. One typical study used 142
mg/day of zinc to achieve this; far higher than the amount in supplement formulas. The<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> study
noted that the decrease in calcium absorption occurred when low calcium and high zinc intake was noted,
but not with adequate calcium intake, and specifically tested lower doses of zinc
along with low calcium intake and did not find a reduced absorption of calcium at commonly supplemented levels:
<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1452955" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1452955</span></a>
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">So the issue is limited to a very high zinc intake combined with a very low calcium
intake, not the levels found in common supplements. One will find zinc and calcium together in multiple vitamins or some mineral formulas, but at typically available levels they are not shown to cause the reduced absorption of calcium found in those studies cited above. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The issue has also been studied for magnesium versus zinc intake. Likewise, very high zinc intake interfered with low calcium intake (500 mg.) but less likely at higher levels of calcium intake. Again, the levels of zinc in question (around 140 mg.) are not typically found in over-the-counter zinc supplements or multivitamins. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7836627/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7836627/</span></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> It is more convenient for
people to supplement with combination formulations instead of taking several
single ingredient supplements, typically increasing compliance with label instructions and dosing. Knowing that it's okay to take minerals in combinations that are commonly found in the marketplace is reassuring when some pundits claim that it is inappropriate based on the unusual circumstances of low mineral intake combined with abnormally high zinc intake. For physicians prescribing the high strength zinc products, this is something to consider, but not something for consumers of dietary supplement formulas to be concerned about. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-8012245055352399122018-06-27T09:02:00.000-05:002018-06-27T09:02:16.524-05:00Foods and Supplements for a Ketogenic Diet
<br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ketosis occurs
when the body is largely starved of carbohydrates but has an alternate energy
source. Ketogenic products encourage the burning of fat in place of
sugar/carbohydrates as a caloric source. The key is to avoid rises in blood
sugar and insulin, while providing alternate fuels. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There are
numerous keto-friendly products; these are considered to be those that contain
fewer than 10 calories per serving of net carbohydrates (minus fiber). Fiber doesn’t
raise blood sugar and insulin response, so is neutral and not counted when
looking at labels. Most dietary supplements fall into the category of being
ketogenic neutral; that is, they neither contain significant carbohydrate
sources nor directly contribute ketogenic stimulating substances like fat. The
main ketogenic products are fats: MCT and coconut oils (both contain MCTs) are the
most important ones. Some take beta-hydroxybutyric acid, a ketone, directly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ketogenic diets
tend to decrease electrolytes and increase the need for water. This increases
the need for magnesium, potassium, and even sodium. If blood sugar drops too
low, the kidneys can create blood sugar by converting the proteins (i.e. the
amino acid glutamine) into glucose (gluconeogenesis), so high protein diets are
also discouraged. This leaves non-starchy vegetables and fats as the most
desirable parts of the diet, along with some protein and fiber. Nuts and seeds
are often okay, but some are more starchy; check the labels. Dairy is largely out due to its lactose content, but
non-dairy foods and beverages may be okay if also low carb. Fish oil
supplements are desirable. Green foods are important; supplements like
chlorella or spirulina can be very useful, as can wheatgrass or barley grass. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Other
supplements used on a ketogenic regime include green tea and EGCg capsules,
L-glutamine if exercising (it can convert to sugar, so use sparingly), 7-keto
DHEA, collagen or gelatin or bone broth. Anti-inflammatory substances may also
be helpful: turmeric and curcumin, ginger, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Unless eating
natural or fortified sources of vitamin D, or getting adequate sun exposure,
supplementation of this vitamin is recommended. A multiple vitamin is the best source, assuming it has enough for your needs, as it also supplies
other nutrients needed for metabolism of fats and energy production. Calcium
supplementation may be needed unless consuming lots of green vegetables. Look
for digestive enzymes that supply lipase if consuming lots of fat (not needed
for MCT oil). Supplements containing ox bile (also in some digestive enzyme formulas) may be needed
if inadequate gall bladder function is suspected or known. Don’t forget the
electrolytes! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-73988842782712039762017-12-28T13:36:00.000-06:002017-12-28T13:36:14.465-06:00Stearic acid and Magnesium Stearate update<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><b>How much stearic acid is in chocolate? </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;">We were looking at a chocolate bar yesterday. Dark chocolate is supposed to be a health food. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">As we happened to be nutritionists, the topic of the chocolate bar's stearic acid content came up, which is a controversial fatty acid. So I did a little calculating...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">The bar in question is a 72% Dark Chocolate from Belgium, with the fat coming almost exclusively from cocoa butter (except a tiny bit of lecithin; but typically under half a percent is used in chocolate manufacturing, according to Chocolate University Online). The bar weighs 1.65 oz (47 grams), contains 280 calories, and is labeled as being one serving. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;">The product label says that the bar supplies 19 grams of fat, including 12 grams of saturated fat. Since about one-third of
cocoa butter’s fat - and over half of its saturated fat - is known to be stearic acid, a one-bar serving of this chocolate conservatively can be assumed to contain at least 6 grams </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">of stearic acid</span><span style="color: #1f497d;">, which is equivalent to 6,000 milligrams (mg.). </span></div>
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<b style="color: #1f497d;">How does that compare to the amount of stearates commonly found in tablets and capsules?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;">That amount in the single small chocolate bar is equivalent to more than 1,000 tablets or capsules worth
of stearate content, assuming the highest likely amount of stearic acid or magnesium stearate was used in those pills. Five milligrams is the highest I've seen on supplement Master Formulas, but many products use less or none. (Assuming 5 mg. per pill x 1,000 pills = 5,000 mg. of stearates per bottle).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;">So if someone had a jumbo, family-sized
bottle of a thousand pills, each containing a few milligrams of stearic acid or magnesium stearate that's primarily stearic acid, that whole bottle would contain less stearic acid than a single serving 47 gram dark chocolate bar. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;">Doesn't that put stearic acid consumption into perspective? Each pill contains less than 1% of what you'd get in a serving of chocolate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><b>How much stearic acid is found in other common foods?</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;">Butter contains about 12% stearic acid, by weight, as do the average beef, pork, or lamb product. Healthy olive and coconut oils contain between 2-3% stearic acid. Salmon oil naturally contains about 4% stearic acid. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: dark2;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><b>More fun facts:</b></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>Milligrams (mg.) are thousands of a gram; micrograms (mcg.) are millionths of a gram.</li>
<li>Stearic acid tends to be converted into oleic acid in the liver.</li>
<li>Stearic acid is abundant in the food supply as a natural component of the fat in those foods; milk and meat fats are the primary sources. </li>
</ul>
<br />
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><b>How much magnesium is in magnesium stearate?</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;">The molecular weight of stearic acid (Octadecanoic acid</span><span style="color: #1f497d;">) is 284.484 grams/mol. </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">There are 2 stearic acid molecules in one molecule of magnesium stearate, which has a molecular weight of </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">591.257 grams/mol</span><span style="color: #1f497d;">. </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">The molecular weight of magnesium is about 24.305 grams/mol. </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">So the amount of magnesium in a 5 mg portion of magnesium stearate is about 200 micrograms (not milligrams); about half of one one-thousandth (half of 1/1,000 or 0.0005 or 0.050%) of the 400 milligram RDA. That's also 1/20th of a percent of the RDA. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;">So the amount of magesium in a pill containing magnesium stearate is negligible; it would be insignificant unless another magnesium source is added. Magnesium stearate i</span><span style="color: #1f497d;">s a form of chelated magnesium that </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">contains only about 4% elemental magnesium by weight and about 96% stearic acid.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: #1f497d;">REFERENCES:</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #1f497d;">Kelly FD, Sinclair AJ, Mann NJ, Turner AH, Abedin L, Li D. A stearic acid-rich </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">diet improves thrombogenic and atherogenic risk factor profiles in healthy males. </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">Eur J Clin Nutr. 2001 Feb;55(2):88-96. PubMed PMID: 11305631.</span></li>
<li>https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5281</li>
<li>https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/magnesium_stearate</li>
<li>https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5462224</li>
<li>http://www.chocolateuniversityonline.com/lecithin-in-chocolate/ </li>
<li>https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-dark-chocolate-good-for-you-thank-your-microbes/</li>
<li>http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/06/health/dark-chocolate-healthy-food-drayer/index.html</li>
<li>https://www.nowfoods.com/now/nowledge/stearic-acid-and-magnesium-stearate</li>
<li>https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/diet/foodsources/sat_fat/sa.html</li>
<li>http://honestnutrition.blogspot.com/2008/04/myths-about-stearate-risks.html </li>
<li>http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/Circulars/CIRC276.pdf</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-77048387961009260912017-09-06T09:44:00.000-05:002017-09-06T09:45:00.675-05:00Fish Oils: ethyl ester or triglyceride or...?<br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Most fish oils today are molecularly distilled, changing
them from their natural triglyceride forms to ethyl ester (esterified) forms. </span></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Anything stronger than a natural strength
fish oil (up to about 30% EPA+DHA combined) is typically concentrated by molecular (vacuum) distillation to allow vaporizing at low temperatures, in the process converting to the ethyl ester form. This allows separation of the
fatty acid constituents in order to add back some of the desired omega-3 fatty
acids in order to concentrate them up to 60% or higher levels of the oil. This is
accomplished by removing undesired fractions that were separated by the
distillation, such as cholesterol, triglycerides, and various other fatty
acids. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">Because of the warming oceans, the naturally occurring amount of omega-3 fatty acids in most fish have declined from historically about 30% to somewhat less. Due to this change, most fish oil supplements containing 180 mg. of EPA and 120 mg. of DHA (300 mg. combined in a 1,000 mg. fish oil capsule) now need to spike the potencies by adding additional EPA and DHA </span></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">fractionated</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"> from the original oils by molecular distillation. It is now unusual to find even a low strength fish oil capsule that is not at least partially molecularly distilled into ethyl ester forms. </span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Some of these distilled oils are then partially reconverted to a triglyceride form in a process called reconversion that involves adding back 20% or more
triglycerides to the esterified fatty acids to try to reattach the
triglycerides to the fatty acids with enzymes. This imperfectly produces a highly processed combination of both
triglyceride and mono-and-diglyceride forms of omega-3 with many of the
original oil’s natural constituents deliberately removed (cholesterol, omega-6,
omega-9, stearates, <i>et al</i>). This newly engineered combination is called a
reconverted triglyceride form (rTG) containing typically at least 60% triglyceride form fatty acids that’s distinct from the original
triglyceride (TG) form, but is as far from the original triglyceride form as can be
produced by intentional chemical manipulation. Numerous brands offer this rTG form and
inaccurately call it a natural triglyceride form, when it is in fact far removed from that oil. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is done because of a prevailing and largely disproven belief that the natural triglyceride form is best. That's certainly untrue for cardiology and the form has recently been shown to be largely irrelevant to absorption and efficacy in general. </span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-1201752425461946732017-08-08T13:14:00.001-05:002017-08-08T13:14:41.607-05:00Is Carrageenan Safe or Dangerous?<div class="MsoPlainText">
Undenatured carrageenan is a natural stabilizer, binding
agent, and emulsifier used in products such as toothpaste in place of SLS and other truly
undesirable ingredients commonly used in mass market products. It is also used
in some vegan-friendly softgel capsule material as an alternative to
animal-derived gelatin. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
There is an Internet myth that carrageenan is unsafe; due
primarily to confusion with a so-called “denatured carrageenan” polymer that is
actually poligeenan, a heavily processed low molecular weight seaweed
derivative currently used only as an x-ray imaging component. Poligeenan, previously used
in pharmaceuticals, is quite different from the undenatured high molecular
weight material that we use. Due to the safety concerns over poligeenan,
regulations routinely require the carrageenan added to foods to have high
molecular weight to ensure its integrity. But there are no unresolved safety
concerns with undenatured carrageenan. </div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
Carrageenan has been thoroughly vetted
by national and international public health authorities over a number of
decades, even recently in response to the ongoing blogger-driven controversies,
so there is no remaining basis of concern. Even its use in infant formulas was
recently reconfirmed to be safe, and it’s helpful in distributing the nutrients
more evenly to avoid the settling out that could otherwise cause uneven
nutrient intake when a bottle is only partially consumed. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
After repeated
investigations, the evidence for carrageenan safety is stronger than ever.
Carrageenan is extremely safe and present in a number of healthy seaweeds; only
the denatured form of carrageenan - a drug - is toxic. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>References</b>:
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span>Public
health and carrageenan regulation: a review and analysis. Borowitzka et al.
(eds.), Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium. DOI:
10.1007/978-1-4020-9619-8_8. Developments in Applied Phycology. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24467586">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24467586</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><a href="http://www.foodproductdesign.com/blogs/formulating-foods/2014/07/fao-who-carrageenan-safe-in-infant-formula.aspx">http://www.foodproductdesign.com/blogs/formulating-foods/2014/07/fao-who-carrageenan-safe-in-infant-formula.aspx</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12389870">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12389870</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><a href="http://www.foodinsight.org/blogs/why-you-should-care-about-carrageenan">http://www.foodinsight.org/blogs/why-you-should-care-about-carrageenan</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30010593.post-90622596572217223692017-01-20T15:10:00.002-06:002017-01-20T15:10:53.519-06:00Is Sorbitol Natural?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;">Sorbitol is a "sugar alcohol" that occurs naturally in various fruits (apples, peaches,
nectarines, plums, grapes, cherries, apricots, pears, rose hips, berries,
dates, coconut) at levels of 1% or more. Wasabi can contain up to 11%, and
common dried fruits (prunes, pears) almost the same level. Of course, beer would
be expected to have small amounts, as well. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;">Sorbitol can be commericially produced from glucose. Non-GMO sources are available. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: #1f497d;">I</span><span style="color: #1f497d;">n higher doses (30-50 grams) sorbitol can be laxative, but it is a useful non-cariogenic sweetener that doesn't promote dental caries (cavities).</span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="neilelevin">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17054248061721189834noreply@blogger.com0