Archive for the ‘Nutritional Treatment of Disease’ Category
North of Mason Dixon Line, consider taking Vitamin D for brain, bone & eye health
01.27.2012
British researchers believe that vitamin D may hep prevent or reverse age-related macular degeneration. The study results offered hope to patients dealing with the eye condition. Macular degeneration is caused by clogs in the blood vessels that connect to the retina which in turn causes inflammation and decreased vision and can lead to complete vision loss.
Mice that were used in the study were fed a supplement of vitamin D and safflower oil every three days. In as little as six weeks, researchers noted signs of improvement in their vision as well as a reduction of the toxic molecule amyloid beta. Amyloid beta is a protein that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers stress that full clinical trials in humans need to be conducted before any recommendations for older adults to start taking vitamin D supplements can be made. Sources of vitamin D include exposure to the sun, and foods like oily fish and dairy products. sun
Buyer Beware! Supplements might not contain full ingredients listed on label!
11.28.2011In my nearly 53 years, I’ve grown particularly less trusting during the last few. I keep hoping that companies do the right thing, but it seems as often as not, when money is on the line, they might not.
A case in point is vitamins and nutritional supplements. They’re out of purview of the governmental agencies. So much so, in fact, that supplements are required to put a disclaimer on every bottle specifically stating that the FDA has had no role in evaluating the bottle’s contents.
And wouldn’t you know that some vitamin manufacturers claim a bounty of premium eye vitamin ingredients, including both Lutein and Zeaxanthin, while putting less of the stuff in the bottle than is listed on the label. In some cases, less than 1% of what is claimed!
The story is preposterous. But it’s true.
I first got wind of the issue from my role as an Industry Advisory Panelist for the Ocular Nutrition Society. A couple months ago, ONS members received notification that a specific manufacturer was putting nearly zero Lutein and Zeaxanthin in its formulas, while marketing it to the public and doctors as having absurdly high concentrations of these substances. Worse, ONS said that there was little that they could do to protect the “good guys” such as VisiVite from the scoundrels who stole advertising space and naively spent consumer dollars.
But today, I received a recommendation to visit the site, eyevitaminlab.org, which lists 7 out of 11 samples as falling below stated label claims.
If VisiVite was listed, I knew it was a given that we were going to be in good shape. And we were, along with 3 others.
But many others were rated “Not Recommended,” based upon inflated Lutein and Zeaxanthin claims. Two manufacturers were listed as having less than 1% of claimed Lutein!
The Ocular Nutrition Society reached a dead end pursuing this with the FDA, which is overwhelmed with prescription drug issues, and doesn’t allot enough resources to track down these reports. And in the end, ONS didn’t have the dollars to fight the battle on its own.
This issue not only casts a black eye on the entire nutritional supplement industry. It’s also terribly deceitful of consumers.
What an “eye opener” !
–
Paul Krawitz, M.D., President and Founder
VisiVite.Com
It’s True – Marigold Flowers May Prevent Senility
10.12.2011
The many hats that I wear include my position as a member of the Ocular Nutrition Society’s Industry Advisory Panel.
Yesterday, ONS held its Annual Educational Symposium in Boston. And for any disbelievers in the health value of the carotenoids, Lutein and Zeaxanthin, there was enough scientific evidence that added immensely to our understanding of these important molecules.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin, for those of you new to the discussion, are the plant pigments that concentrate in the macula like iron filings to a magnet. They are vitally important for macular pigmentation, visual function, and overall macular health. Dr. Johanna Seddon, Director of the Ophthalmic Epidemiology and Genetics Service at the University of Pittsburg presented an excellent overview of several epidemiologic studies showing relationships between nutritional health and reduction in macular disease. While we now know that genetic vulnerability plays a large role, nutritional and environmental factors are important as well.
Dr. Alex Iannaccone from the University of Tennessee’s Health Science Center demonstrated several studies which showed that Lutein and Zeaxanthin concentrations could be accurately measured in the retina using instruments that measure heterocrhomatic flicker photometry (HFP), and furthermore, that these levels improve with Lutein and Zeaxanthin supplementation.
One of the ground-breaking presentations was by Dr. Elizabeth Johnson of the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Dr. Johnson presented studies showing that early cognitive decline was lessened in the presence of increased brain Lutein. Furthermore, brain Lutein and Zeaxanthin levels correlated with retinal levels, which can be measured non-invasively with flicker photometry.
Of course, we’ve been believers in Lutein and Zeaxanthin since for many years, and were the first company worldwide to offer VisiVite macular degeneration supplements with these two molecules as early as 2003.
Fat ingestion improves the absorption of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, so if you take VisiVite supplements, take them with food.
P.S. VisiVite Formulas exclusively use FloraGLO brand Lutein, which is derived from Marigolds.*
–
Paul Krawitz, M.D., F.A.A.O.
President and Founder
Vitamin Science, Inc.
Free lutein is absorbed at a higher rate than lutein esters
07.21.2011A recent study revealed that the human body absorbs free FloraGLO lutein at a higher rate than it does lutein esters made my other manufacturers. This means that the free lutein is more available in the blood resulting in better utilization by the body.
The macular pigment area of the retina is the area of the retina which accumulates lutein. Higher levels of this macular pigment is associated with a decreased risk of age-related macular degeneration. Nutritional supplements on the market currently contain lutein in its free form or in an esterfied form.
Researchers evaluated 72 volunteers who took supplements for 7 days. After the 7 days, plasma lutein levels were documented and it was found that participants who had received the free lutein had significantly higher plasma lutein levels than those who had received the lutein esters. These high levels were maintained throughout the four weeks of supplementation. VisiVite i-Defense formulas contain FloraGLO Lutein which is the free lutein evaluated in this study.*
Elise Ervin
Staff Writer
What you eat affects how well you see.
06.23.2011
A study published in Ophthalmology found that a well-balanced diet, especially one containing low glycemic foods, can be very helpful in preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other eye diseases. Some examples of low glycemic foods are vegetables, nuts, seeds and good quality proteins. High glycemic foods consist of highly refined carbohydrates which tend to spike blood sugar. The nutrients that were the most protective when combined with a low-glycemic-index diet were zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamins C and E and omega-3 fatty acids.
Spinach, collard greens and kale are examples of vegetables that are rich in carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxanthin. Studies show that eating these types of foods is associated with a reduced risk of developing AMD and cataracts. Some other foods that have these carotenoids are spinach, kale, collard greens, corn, green peas, broccoli, and zucchini.
Salmon, tuna, and sardines are all excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which provide support to cell membranes. Several studies suggest that these cold water fish may help prevent dry eye syndrome as well as macular degeneration.
Certain fruits are especially valuable for eye health. Blueberries, black currants and dark cherries are high in flavanoids and contain anthocyanins which improve night vision. Apricots are full of nutrients such as beta carotene and lycopene that help encourage good vision. Bilberries appear to enhance eye health by increasing the blood supply to the eyes.
Eggs, which contain the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as sulphur, cysteine, and lecithin, are very beneficial when it comes to eye health. Sulphur protects the lens of the eye from cataracts and is also needed to manufacture glutathione, a critical antioxidant that benefits the lens of the eye.
With all the recent research on foods that improve eye health, it might be a good time to start adding more of these beneficial foods to your diet.
Nancy Hirsch
Certified Nutritionist
