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New cranberry-probiotic mix ‘guarantees’ quality UTI products

Friday, April 30th, 2010

A combination of cranberry powder and probiotic bacteria for the management of urinary tract infections (UTI) has been released by Lallemand Health Ingredients and Institut Rosell-Lallemand with guaranteed extended shelf life. Combining probiotics with cranberry poses formulation challenges, most notably ensuring the bacteria survival throughout the product shelf-life in presence of cranberry.

The survival of lactic bacteria is normally limited to a couple of months in the presence of cranberry powder, said Julie Rosenborg, business development manager at LHI.

The Cysbiotic-branded formulation is not the only product associating cranberry and probiotics, said Rosenborg, but it is the “first one to offer a guaranteed delivery of live bacteria (0.5 billion live bacteria) after 24 months storage at room temperature,” she said.

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Antioxidants show benefits for over-50 sporty-types

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

Supplements containing antioxidants and arginine may boost athletic performance for the over-50s, says a new study from the US.

The combination supplement was associated with a 17 per cent increase in the anaerobic threshold – the amount of work done before lactic acid begins to accumulate in the blood, according to findings published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

“The loss of exercise capacity with age often results in a reduction in physical fitness and more rapid senescence,” explained lead researcher Zhaoping Li from the University of California, Los Angeles. “A dietary supplement that increases exercise capacity might help to preserve physical fitness by optimizing performance and improving general health and well being in older people.”

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Why is fish oil the wrong way to get your Omega 3 requirement?

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

The benefits of Omega 3 have long been promoted as playing a vital role in health and well being. The most commonly promoted source of Omega 3 fatty acids has been from the consumption of oily fish, but recent studies and a growing battery of evidence suggests that this may not be the right way to get your daily dose of these essential fatty acids.

Western diet

The western diet, as eaten by average consumers, has become highly deficient in Omega 3. With convenience and processed foods becoming the norm to fit in with most busy working lifestyles, our consumption of fish, the usual source of Omega 3, has declined dramatically. Now, our diets are mainly composed of meat such as chicken, beef and pork. But although beef, for example, is a source of Omega 3, changes in how cattle and other farmed animals are fed has broken that chain and resulted in commonly consumed meat no longer providing any Omega 3 at all.

Over the last few years, more farmers are supplementing their feeding regimes with corn and grain. Although this fattens up the animals quickly and is highly profitable for the meat producers, it lessens the effect of their natural diet – grass – and reduces the amount of Omega 3 produced. So, to counteract the effect of this, fish has been widely promoted as the best source of Omega 3. But once again, changes in how fish are produced may now be starting to affect this source, contaminating it with other, more harmful substances.

Aquaculture – the perils of fish farming

The diminishing stock of fish in the ocean has led to an explosion in the popularity of aquaculture or fish farming over the last 30 years. Farm raised salmon may mean that cheap salmon is available to the consumer in the shops, but serious questions are beginning to be raised concerning not just the welfare of the fish, but of the possible knock-on effect of intensive aquaculture methods. Farm raised salmon and other fish species are fed on food pellets, and not their natural diet of sea algae. They are also injected with a range of chemicals including growth hormones and even colouring, to ensure the flesh of farmed fish is the same ‘pink’ as wild salmon (as a selling point with consumers). But even if you decide to avoid the chemical cocktail that may be present in farmed fish and stick to wild fish to get your Omega 3, you could still be consuming some rather nasty chemicals as well.

The seas suffer from man’s contamination. We use the world’s oceans as a dumping ground for our unwanted industrial waste, and prolonged studies by biologists specialising in wild fish stocks have shown that fish absorb many of these chemicals readily. Included in this toxic mix are some of the most poisonous substances known to man such as mercury, PCBs and lead. Mercury, if consumed by pregnant women, can cause mercury poisoning and damage the foetus’s development and the well-known effects of PCBs and lead on human physiology have been well documented.

The alternatives

So if our wild fish stock is contaminated with heavy metals and chemicals known to be detrimental to our health and our farmed fish are being injected with hormones and colorants that have no place in our diet, how are you supposed to get your Omega 3 daily dose?

Purified fish oil capsules are an easy alternative and one of the best ways to get all the benefits of Omega 3 without running the risks of ingesting mercury or growth hormones. Look for fish oil supplements that have been molecularly distilled. This process removes contaminants such as mercury, making them safe for consumption. Alternatively, Omega 3 from plant sources such as flax are becoming more popular, and not subject to the same type of contamination as fish oil-based products. Products such as Resveratrol, primarily designed to act as an anti-ageing product, work in synergy alongside other antioxidants, supplements and vitamins to ensure that your diet is supplemented with the right amount of nutrients for overall health, fitness and weight control. Combine this with a balanced diet and plenty of exercise and a good skin care routine and the benefits quickly become apparent.

It may be time to start thinking about an alternative source of Omega 3. As much as you may enjoy that piece of salmon or fresh mackerel, looking at the bigger picture could mean that you uncover some truths about your food source that may be hard to swallow.

What is the limit on life extension possible today with existing technology and life style changes?

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

The search for the Elixir of life, everlasting youth and even slowing down the ageing process is one that has dogged mankind since the Egyptians thought that mummification would preserve their bodies for eternity. Today, despite huge leaps forward in technology, we’re still succumbing to the last ‘great adventure’ at the end of our relatively short lives. So how close are we to extending our four score years and ten?

Life extension – a scientific approach

Life extension, also known as anti-ageing medicine, experimental gerontology and biomedical gerontology, refers to attempts to slow down or reverse the processes of ageing to extend both the maximum and average lifespan. Some researchers in this area, and “life extensionists” or “longevists” believe that future breakthroughs in tissue rejuvenation with stem cells, molecular repair, and organ replacement will eventually enable humans to have indefinite lifespans through complete rejuvenation to a youthful condition. But as yet, the maximum life span a human can reach is around 120 years, with most of us shuffling off the mortal coil in our 70s and 80s.

The best we can hope for at the moment is to ensure that the lifespan we do have is as healthy as possible, and this is why in the Western world we have looked back to what nature can provide us in the way of supplements, vitamins and plant extracts. The television is filled with cosmetics companies, all lauding the latest anti-ageing product complete with plant complexes, antioxidants and even things not normally associated with beauty products such as caffeine, but is there any proof that these products actually help prolong if not our lives, then at least our looks?

Ageing is an accumulation of damage to macromolecules, cells, tissues and organs. As yet, science is unable to stop the ageing process at the genetic level, but superficially, it can help to at least make us look younger. A good level of fitness, weight control and a healthy diet free of damaging ‘free radicals’ can help to reduce cell damage, but halting the inevitable march of time is as yet a distant dream.

Turning back to nature for the answers

But the relentless search for miracle elixirs goes on. And there are some products that have the scientists excited. One of the most interesting is Resveratrol.

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis and is sold as a nutritional supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed. In experiments, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-lowering and other beneficial cardiovascular effects of resveratrol have been reported, and it is undergoing further trials across the world to see if these effects can be replicated in humans. If the trials are successful, reservatrol could play an important part in the future of genome research and the continuing efforts to find a trigger that can turn off the ageing gene.

The use of vitamins, supplements, antioxidants and minerals such as Resveratrol for the purpose of prolonging life is backed up with a good helping of scientific fact, such as ensuring you maintain a healthy diet and keep your weight under control. While some products rely on anecdotal evidence, that doesn’t stop the public spending millions of pounds every year in the search for eternal youth and prolonging their life. A healthy diet, regular exercise and supplementing your diet with natural products such as Resveratrol may certainly make you healthier and more likely to live longer. But that magic bullet to eradicate ageing, whether it comes from nature, from man’s efforts in the laboratory or by nanotechnology, is still a long way off. The best we can do now is to make sure that every day we live is as healthy as possible, no matter how long we’re here for.

Biotivia Bioforte Increased Cerebral Blood flow in New Human Clinical Trial

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

This is your brain on Bioforte

A brand new peer reviewed double blind human clinical trial was published this month which concluded that Biotivia’s Bioforte in doses of both a single capsule and two capsules increased brain blood flow in 24 university students at Northumbria University in the UK.

This investigation is a hugely important addition to the body of human clinical data on the polyphenol and phytoalexin Resveratrol.

The fact that Northumbria University chose Biotivia as the brand of supplement used in their trial is a strong endorsement of the quality and integrity of the company’s products, particularly Biotivia’s resveratrol-based supplements.

Biotivia is currently engaged in several other collaborations with major research institutions and expects more published human clinical studies to be published in scientific journals in the coming few months.

 

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What is a functional cosmetic and how do these products work?

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

Cosmetic consumers are a smart bunch. For years, the cosmetics industry plied its buying public with a huge range of skin creams, anti-wrinkle treatments and a host of other products, all promising to miraculously regenerate ageing skin into dewy, soft skin in the first flush of youth. The bitter truth was that many of these products promised a breakthrough in skin care but didn’t deliver, and consumers got tired with parting with their hard-earned cash on pots of cream that just didn’t work.

That was until a new type of cosmetic came along that seemed to have much more to offer than just good moisturising properties – functional cosmetics.

Prevention and symbiosis

The buying public is much smarter than advertisers would have you believe. They understand that prevention is far better than a reactive approach to enhancing and maintaining their good looks through a programme of effective skin care. This is why more consumers are adopting functional beauty regimes to reverse the signs of ageing. Nearly half of skincare sales are in facial, hand and body care, and it is a market worth billions of pounds every year. In recent years, reports have shown that there has been a shift towards cosmetic products with health benefits, rather than just aesthetic value. The rise of functional ingredients backed by scientific research has been a contributing factor in creating this groundshift.  Ingredients including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential oils have all been increasingly incorporated into cosmetic products with the aim of imparting sought-after functionality. The theory is that functional cosmetics aren’t just good for fighting off the signs of ageing – they’re good for your whole body.

This symbiotic approach to functional cosmetics isn’t just a fad that means manufacturers add the latest ‘natural’ ingredient to their product and market it as a miracle cure for wrinkles. The hype is actually backed up with hard, scientific facts and a plethora of research into the properties of a wide range of plant extracts, often taken from plants referred to as ‘super-herbs’. The inclusion of effective anti-ageing products such as Resveratrol as an effective way of not only improving skin care but a person’s overall fitness and well-being as well has proved popular with consumers looking for a more ‘natural’ way of improving their lives.

Collagen – the perfect example of functional cosmetics at work

Take, for example, the subject of collagen. The principal protein in connective tissue, collagen is a fibrous, structural molecule that provides strength and elasticity to tissue, skin, cartilage, ligaments, tendons and bones. Synthetic collagen is a miracle for clinical cosmetics, but the discovery of Functional Keratin by scientists working on the research and development team of an anti ageing skin care company in New Zealand is just as miraculous for the functional cosmetics industry. Functional Keratin has been found to elevate the production rate of not only the body’s collagen, but elastin as well. It works in harmony with the body’s natural biological systems to stimulate the natural growth of both collagen and elastin, encouraging it to work naturally, rather than relying on an injection of synthetic collagen or using a product that has synthetic collagen as an active ingredient. And it seems to work far more effectively than any synthetic substance the scientists can come up with.

Having the ability to simply grow your own collagen at a much higher rate eliminates the need for taking collagen injections, thereby removing the introduction of a synthetic drug into your system. The increase in structural tissue that is naturally produced will be enough to make a real difference in skin tone and condition. Some products also contain an ingredient that will raise the amount of hyaluronic acid present in the skin, improving the texture of the skin.

This is why the interest in functional cosmetics is growing, and expect to see this currently unknown phrase cropping up in articles, advertising and packaging across the board. Functional cosmetics, up until now primarily associated with cosmetic dentistry, has made the leap into the wider market and is promoting a more natural way of fighting the signs of ageing skin and combating wrinkles – not through synthetic means but by working in synergy with the body’s natural ability to heal itself. This holistic approach is bound to be popular with a public who are becoming increasingly wary of synthetic products that promise the earth, but rarely deliver results.

Why is the ancient Indian spice Turmeric suddenly so newsworthy?

Monday, April 19th, 2010

The exotic Indian spice Turmeric has always been a commodity desired by the western world. The spice has been traded for thousands of years and in Medieval Europe was highly sought after for being a cheaper alternative to expensive saffron. But lately, turmeric is back in the news and causing a great deal of excitement, but why?

New research discovers potential cancer treatment

Turmeric is taken in some Asian countries as a dietary supplement to help with stomach problems and other ailments. It is popular as a tea in Japan and in Pakistan it is used as an anti-inflammatory agent and remedy for gastrointestinal discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive disorders. In Afghanistan and northwest Pakistan, turmeric is applied to a piece of burnt cloth and placed over a wound to cleanse and stimulate recovery. Indians use turmeric in a wide variety of skin creams. It is currently being investigated for possible benefits in Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, arthritis, and other biological disorders.

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, was identified as responsible for most of the biological effects of turmeric. According to a 2005 article in the Wall Street Journal, research activity into curcumin is exploding. In that year supplement sales increased 35% from the previous year, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health had four clinical trials underway to study curcumin treatment for pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, Alzheimer’s, and colorectal cancer. The British Journal of Cancer reported a study that showed that curcumin could kill esophageal cancer cells in vitro. Curcumin also enhances the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, which supports nerve growth.

But the latest news about this remarkable plant is that turmeric may have other applications in disease resistance. The Journal of the American Chemical Society has published a study showing that curcumin molecules resist infection by inserting themselves into cell membranes, making the membranes more stable. This stability appears to boost a cell’s resistance to infection.

Another study carried out by St John’s Medical College showed that, when ingested alone, the curcumin was quickly metabolised by the liver and intestinal wall, limiting its health benefits. However, when the curcumin was combined with piperine, a component of black pepper, the absorption was increased by 2,000% – a staggering statistic. This shows how, by taking an holistic approach to the healing powers of natural ingredients, science can concentrate the healing powers latent in simple spices that we use most commonly to flavour our meals.

A close relative of ginger

Ginger has been used for thousands of years as a medicinal herb, but this latest research has shown that its cousin turmeric has a range of health benefits previously unknown. And this is causing a great deal of excitement amongst researchers. The price of turmeric has responded accordingly, thanks to the renewed interest in its healing properties, and turmeric is currently trading at its highest price for years. If turmeric’s ability to resist infection is proven with clinical trials, it could potentially be a natural alternative to antibiotics and other drugs used to fight infection.

Turmeric is taking its place once again alongside a host of other ancient but ‘newly discovered’ herbs with healing properties, showing how a symbiotic relationship between pharmacology and natural health products can yield astonishing results. Products such as Resveratrol, a substance found in Japanese Knotweed and known for its anti-ageing, antioxidant and skin care properties, is the latest to be scientifically investigated as a potential source of healing properties in a wide range of illnesses. Scientists are now taking a fresh look at a number of natural products taken for weight control, fitness and skin care to see if they have active ingredients that could help us battle some of the most devastating modern diseases such as cancer.

Those involved in natural remedies, cosmetics and supplements are watching Turmeric developments with interest and have already seen an increase in the sales of products containing curcumin. Turmeric looks set to be the next ‘big thing’ over the coming months.

Resveratrol: The New Weight-Loss Supplement?

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

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