August 10, 2008
Omega 3 Fatty Acid Deficiency Takes 96,000 Lives Annually in the U.S.
2009-06-26 06:11:00
A new study from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found omega 3 deficient diets cause up to 96,000 preventable deaths annually in the U.S.
"The Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors" study published in the April 2009 issue of PLoS Medicine estimated the number of deaths resulting from 12 different modifiable and preventable causes to determine how many deaths were attributable to these factors.
Of the 12 dietary, lifestyle and metabolic risk factors examined in the study, omega 3 fatty acid deficiency ranked as the sixth highest killer of Americans, responsible for a whopping 72,000 to 96,000 preventable deaths yearly. Omega 3 fatty acid deficiency even beat out high trans fat intake, which is responsible for an estimated 63,000 to 97,000 deaths annually.
"The numbers are shocking, especially given that these deaths are preventable with omega 3 EPA/DHA supplementation," said Ocean Nutrition Canada's vice president, Marketing and Communications, Lori Covert. "We know that daily doses of omega 3 EPA/DHA can help with many conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, and we're committed to increasing consumer awareness about the drastic omega 3 EPA/DHA deficiency in the Western diet."
Researchers retrieved data on exposures to the 12 selected risk factors from U.S. national health surveys, and obtained information on deaths from different diseases for 2005 from the U.S. National Health Center for Health Statistics. They also used previously published studies to estimate how much each risk factor increased the risk of death from each disease, and applied a mathematical model to estimate the number of deaths related to each risk factor.
Tobacco smoking ranked as the highest risk factor with 436,000 to 500,000 attributed preventable deaths, followed by high blood pressure (372,000 to 414,000), obesity (188,000 to 237,000), physical inactivity (164,000 to 222,000) and high salt intake (97,000-107,000).
Studies such as this are becoming increasingly important in the U.S. and around the world as healthcare costs skyrocket. Policymakers use these studies to determine leading causes of mortality among populations, and then to develop and implement public health policies and legislation to help reduce exposure and to prevent death from certain risk factors.
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Prompt New Dosage for Heart Health
By Jennifer Warner, WebMD Health News, Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
Aug. 3, 2009 -- A healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA and EPA not only prevents heart disease in healthy people, it also reduces the risk of heart attack in people with existing heart disease, according to a new study. That finding has researchers recommending people add a daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids to their diet.
Based on a review of several large studies involving more than 40,000 people, researchers say the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids to heart health are clear and merit taking action to prevent unnecessary deaths from heart disease.
The body doesn’t produce fatty acids, so researchers recommend healthy people consume 500 milligrams daily of EPA plus DHA, and people with known heart disease or heart failure should aim for nearly twice that amount (at least 800 to 1,000 milligrams daily).
“There are clear health and heart benefits associated with increasing one’s intake of foods that are rich in Omega-3s, including oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout, herring, and oysters” researcher Carl Lavie, MD, medical director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, says in a news release. “Patients should talk with their doctors about whether a fish oil supplement is needed to get the right amount and, in turn, benefit from the associated cardiovascular protection.”
DHA and EPA Help Heart
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, reviewed the findings of four studies comparing the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in heart disease prevention over the past 30 years.
The results showed that omega-3 fatty acids' strongest protective effect appears to be in people with established heart disease after a heart attack. In these people, a daily dose of DHA and EPA is associated with a 30% reduction in the risk of heart-related death.
But researchers say healthy people can also benefit from including omega-3s in their diet. Research shows a diet rich in omega-3s can also reduce the risk of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), heart attack, sudden cardiac death, and heart failure.
Most of the evidence for the benefits of fish oil comes from the use of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eiosapentaenoic acid), which are the long-chain fatty acids in the omega-3 family.
Lavie says EPA and DHA work by getting into the membranes of cells and by doing so may help improve the heart’s electrical activity, muscle tone, plaque stabilization, blood pressure, and other aspects of heart health.
The study also showed that there was a smaller benefit of omega-3 fatty acids in preventing 9% of heart failure deaths in people with heart failure who took omega-3 supplements. Given heart failure patients’ grave prognosis, Lavie says this is impressive.
“If we translate this finding, it means that we only need to treat 56 patients for four years to prevent one death,” Lavie says. “And we are talking about a very safe and relatively inexpensive therapy.”
July 22, 2009
Thyroid: The Most Misunderstood Hormone,
By: Neal Rouzier, M.D.
After turning 40, I started noticing a progressive increase in fatigue. When others were warm, I was cold. My periods became irregular and my bowels constipated. I felt drained of energy and drive. I gained 15 pounds. I went to several doctors, who either prescribed me some form of antidepressant or brushed me off as being a hypochondriac. I felt worse on the antidepressants and I was frustrated with the lack of help or sympathy I was receiving from my health care providers. —Lisa, 45
I have encountered so many people who say they are truly unhealthy and unhappy—even after seeing every kind of doctor from the endocrinologist to acupuncturist. They have complaint after complaint, and although their hormone levels seem normal their doctors just can't pinpoint exactly what ails them. They are positive they are not in good health. When in actuality they are somewhat healthy—except for one small but significant problem. These people suffer from thyroid insufficiency; a problem that is very common yet overlooked by many physicians.
When Lisa was referred to me, she viewed me with a skepticism she had developed from her previous health-care experiences.
Her story was not unusual to me and she seemed baffled at my curiosity and probing questions. I measured her TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) level, along with her free T3 and T4 levels. She was definitely suffering from an insufficiency in thyroid, although this was the first time
anyone had mentioned her thyroid. Many doctors measured her TSH levels (I'll explain what that is later), along with other standard tests, and found that her levels were "normal."
In spite of her normal levels, I treated her anyway with a natural thyroid hormone. She had become resigned to thinking her problem was "in her mind," and was relieved to find out that it was her Free T-3 levels that were out of whack and not her head after all.
After three weeks, she felt better. "I can actually wake up in the morning and look forward to seeing my husband and going to work. I don’t crash or have to nap halfway through the day.”
After two months, her added pounds began to fall off. At her follow-up appointment, the dark circles under eyes had disappeared, and she smiled. "I'm going shopping after our visit to celebrate how good I look and feel."
Many doctors feel more inclined to treat blood levels rather than symptoms. This philosophy results in treating the lab test and not the person, a philosophy that makes healthcare very frustrating. As is in most cases, the lab tests are normal to low normal and the patient is just written off. Despite the normal test results, the symptoms people experience will only be resolved when they are treated with thyroid hormone replacement. Remember, normal does not equate to optimal.
More often than not, patient’s labs are misread or perhaps their symptoms are merely overlooked. This allows for hypothyroidism (under active thyroid) to go unchecked and untreated. Unfortunately, unchecked or untreated hypothyroidism will only worsen over time.
There are three different types of low thyroid conditions. The first type, primary hypothyroidism, is easy to diagnose. However, most patients suffer from the second or third type.
In Dr. Gerald S. Levey's article, "Hypothyroidism: A Treacherous Masquerader," he refers to the illness as a subtle illness that eludes doctors. The illness is accompanied by a melting pot of symptoms. Often, thyroid insufficiency or hypothyroidism is misconstrued in people older than 50 or 60 as normal symptoms of aging. Fatigue, slower speech, forgetfulness, weight gain, depression, hair loss and the tendency to feel cold are all symptoms normally associated with aging. However they are more the symptoms of an aging thyroid. The traditional medical community will usually try to treat these symptoms in younger patients, but feel it unnecessary to do the same for older patients.
If you feel age has crept up and you recognize the above symptoms, please do not accept this as simply the facts of life. You should not have to tolerate these symptoms as they can be successfully treated.
As women age, they are more likely than men to experience hypothyroid symptoms. The problem here is that many times, symptoms of hypothyroidism overlap with those of perimenopause and menopause. Although a woman may be receiving estrogen and progesterone to eliminate her menopausal symptoms, many symptoms persist due to thyroid insufficiency and untreated. Unfortunately, unchecked or untreated hypothyroidism will only worsen over time.
I remember a patient, a teacher, whose estrogen and progesterone levels were restored to normal, yet she couldn't shake her depression and fatigue.
"I couldn't focus on my lessons. I had a hard time being creative with my students and because I lacked attention span, I couldn't really capture the interest of my students. All I wanted to do was stay in bed. I had no idea how significant the thyroid was until I started taking it. What a relief to find a doctor who understood the problem and could successfully treat it."
It took her several doctors and several unsuccessful antidepressants to finally get referred to me. Her symptoms were so classic—hair falling out, brittle fingernails, coarse skin, and lethargy; I was surprised no one had thought to check her thyroid, let alone treat it.
When a woman suffers from hypothyroidism, it deeply affects the menopausal process. Since the symptoms are similar (i.e. forgetfulness, depression, mood swings, muscle weakness, change in skin or hair texture, sleep disturbances, anxiety or irritability, palpitations and irregular periods), many doctors overlook the thyroid and prescribe the normal menopausal treatment. For many women, this does the trick in eliminating the bothersome menopausal symptoms.
However, for those women who cannot shake depression and fatigue even after estrogen and progesterone supplementation, they need to have their thyroid levels checked. More often than not, they will find their levels are "low-normal" or insufficient. If their levels are low-normal, the doctor may brush over them without notice as they still fall in the "normal" range. However, the levels need to be restored to optimal ranges if a person wishes to enjoy a healthy and happy life again.
This is exactly where the misunderstanding and confusion lie. Most people, over the age of 40 have low normal baseline levels. Normal is not optimal. Normal can cause a person to experience multiple symptoms of hypothyroidism. Many patients will not improve until their thyroid levels are supplemented into the upper range of normal. When thyroid levels are raised to the upper range, symptoms resolve, health improves, and patients truly feel the difference. According to the medical literature, optimal levels are needed to reap the benefits of thyroid. “Normal” means you are just as low as everyone else your age.
Thyroid is an Essential Hormone
Like all essential hormones, thyroid levels decrease as we age. Thyroid insufficiency or hypothyroidism commonly occurs. Insufficiencies often go undetected. This problem is even more widespread than typically reported. One of the interesting things about thyroid supplementation is most patients experience significant improvement and feel much better once their serum levels are optimized. Symptomatic improvement occurs when serum levels reach this optimal range. Serum levels in the low-normal to mid-normal range are not where a person feels good.
Every hormone our body produces is necessary for good health. Thyroid is one of the most vital hormones as it affects every organ, cell, and hormone in the body. The body cannot survive without its presence. When thyroid is simply deficient, the body can suffer from high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, sluggish thought process, memory impairment, weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, menstrual abnormalities and changes in hair, skin, and nails.
It can be difficult to identify thyroid as the culprit given the vastness of the symptomatic spectrum. Many times, patients are shuffled from one doctor to the next and one medication to the other. Low thyroid-induced depression may be treated with an anti-depressant. Hypothyroid-influenced weight gain may be attributed to a poor diet and exercise regimen. When a person is suffering from hypothyroidism or insufficient thyroid levels, an anti-depressant or a low-fat diet/high-caliber exercise program is a waste of time. In spite of normal thyroid levels on a standard blood test, improvement is only accomplished when thyroid is replenished to optimal levels.
Along with the thyroid enigma, controversy surrounds the type of thyroid medication which should be used for treatment. Some doctors believe the synthetic form (Synthroid®, Levoxyl®, T4) works the best. Other doctors support the natural, desiccated thyroid. I sit firmly in the Rouzier camp, natural is best. Later in this chapter, I will present the details of the debate and the differences between the two types of hormones. You will quickly understand my position on natural thyroid and why many of my forward thinking colleagues have joined me in prescribing natural thyroid.
Natural thyroid most effectively raises the active thyroid hormone called T3. Natural thyroid contains a combination of T4 and T3 and will provide more optimal results than Synthroid® and other synthetic T4 preparations. Since T3 is the more metabolic hormone, low T3 levels result in poor metabolism and thyroid insufficiencies. When pure T4 is given in the form of Synthroid® or Levoxyl®, T3 levels only minimally improve.
Many physicians, including endocrinologists, believe T4 is the thyroid preparation to prescribe. The reasoning behind their belief is that the body will automatically convert T4 to T3. This belief is based on theory and not on data. Recent studies show T4 does not adequately convert to T3. Adding T3 to the T4 preparation allows us to optimize T3 levels. This was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Potential thyroid problems include:
1) Lack of production of thyroid hormone.
2) Lack of conversion of T4 to T3 causes low T3 levels and symptoms of low thyroid.
3) Typically prescribed T4 preparations that do not adequately convert to T3, causing symptoms of low thyroid even when supplemented with adequate amounts of T4.
4) Receptor site insensitivity in spite of adequate thyroid levels results in low thyroid symptoms.
July 8th, 2009
Whey Protein and Weight Loss – The Basics
Introduction
Consuming an adequate amount of high quality protein while on a weight loss program is critical to success. Protein can help reduce cravings, enhance calorie-burning, and preserve muscle – all key elements to a rewarding weight loss program.
There is a large abundance of information on protein and weight loss. Most of this information seems far too technical and confusing. This article is intended to provide the basic, essential information that you need to know about protein if you are on a weight loss program or are thinking about going on a weight loss program. I address the critical issues in this article including the benefits of consuming protein, how protein can help you, and when, what kind, and how much protein you should consume while on a weight loss program.
Benefits of Whey Protein During a Weight Loss Program
Consuming enough protein through your diet while on a weight loss program can have a dramatic effect on the effectiveness of that program. A study of 32 women and 95 men who replaced two meals with a 15 gram whey protein supplement each day for six months showed the effectiveness of protein on improving weight loss. Although 15 grams is a small amount of protein, the results were still very positive. On average, during these six months participants lost 20 pounds while cholesterol and triglycerides – key health parameters – also improved.
Getting adequate protein can help to lose fat instead of muscle, increase calorie burning, and keep you feeling full rather than starving and struggling to maintain your diet. In addition, protein also helps to improve muscularity, build HDL (“good”) cholesterol, improve antioxidant function, support blood sugar metabolism, and improve immunity.
During weight loss, our bodies can easily lose a lot of muscle mass and even bone mass due to the restricted calorie diets. You can largely prevent this from happening by eating more protein while on your weight loss program. If you consume an adequate amount of protein while losing weight you can do your best to make sure that you are losing fat as opposed to muscle. This redistribution – less fat and the same or more muscle – will result in a shapelier and more ideal body figure.
Consuming protein can also enhance calorie burning – improving the results of your weight loss program. Protein can directly benefit muscle function and health – including improving calorie burning by muscle which enhances your weight loss regimen. A high protein, low carbohydrate diet helps to burn more calories when the body is converting protein to glucose. Therefore, to maximize the effectiveness of your weight loss program’s ability to enhance calorie burning, consume plenty of high quality weight protein.
The third and arguably most immediate benefit to consuming whey protein during weight loss is its ability to improve your feeling of fullness or satisfaction after eating. Whey protein is helpful in improving your brain’s feeling of satisfaction after eating; there are elements in protein that regulate appetite, a benefit derived only from consuming a high amount of whey protein. Research has even hinted that whey protein might be more effective at satisfying hunger than carbohydrates or fats.
In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants reported greater weight loss and less hunger when on a higher protein diet. Protein appears to act like an appetite suppressant resulting in less binge eating between meals. An especially important time to eat protein at breakfast, this will help you control cravings for starches and sweets throughout the day.
Protein has innumerable benefits for the body and it is especially important for dieters on a weight loss program. Consuming an adequate amount of whey protein will help you preserve muscle mass, enhance calorie burning, and improve your feeling of fullness – all of which will lead to a more successful weight loss program.
How Whey Protein Helps Weight Loss
This is not meant to be a technical article about the bodily processes that create the benefits listed above through consuming whey protein. But, I will mention a few basic items to provide a bit of background information about how whey protein helps weight loss.
Protein is comprised of amino acids. Scientists have found that branch chain amino acids are the most important amino acids. If you consume enough of the right kind of protein, you will get a lot of leucine – one of the most important amino acids – which can activate a slow metabolism and improve your body’s ability to lose weight. Leucine can signal your muscle and help prevent muscle loss during weight loss. Therefore, with adequate amounts of this amino acid, your weight loss will come from fat instead of muscle.
Additionally, protein helps ensure that you are making quality HDL (“good” cholesterol) at an ideal rate. A high protein diet can help to lower triglycerides and support HDL formation. Both of these results will help weight loss.
Nitrogen, contained in protein, is preferred by the body; therefore protein is more likely to be converted to carbohydrates rather than fat. This uses up energy and helps us burn more calories. Protein is the main metabolic activator of the liver. When your liver is working in an optimal state, you can dramatically increase your metabolic rate much more than through carbohydrates or fat.
In conclusion, the body has specific processes for using the protein you consume. For the most part, these processes result in favorable outcomes superior to the consumption of carbohydrates and fat – hence the popularity of high protein, low carbohydrate, and low fat diets.
When, What Kind, and How Much Whey Protein to Consume
Now that you know the benefits of consuming whey protein while on a weight loss program and a bit about how it works you need to know when, what kind, and how much whey protein to consume. With the over-proliferation of information available on these topics, I will only provide the essential information for you to evaluate your protein supplementation needs while on your weight loss program.
When is the best time to consume whey protein?
The body has varying needs for protein throughout the day. There are basically four main times that are optimal for consuming protein: in the morning, before a workout, after a workout, and before going to sleep. The last option, before going to sleep, is not ideal for those on a weight loss program because you should not really be eating anything for a few hours prior to going to sleep. Protein, although not as bad as fat, is still calories that you should avoid eating too late while on a weight loss program. Eating protein at night is likely only necessary for those involved in strength training who want to minimize protein breakdown while sleeping.
So, we are left with three choices. Consuming some protein before a workout can be beneficial for energy (good a couple of hours before working out). Right after a workout your body goes into a stage of growth and recovery, having the amino acids that make up the protein is key at this point. But, the most important time for consuming protein is at breakfast or first thing in the morning.
In the morning, your body has just gone through a full night of not having food and your protein levels are low. A high protein breakfast wakes up the liver and gets it active. A high protein breakfast can increase your metabolic rate by 30 percent for as long as 12 hours – equal to the calories burned during a 4 mile jog. In a recent study, individuals who ate a high protein and high carbohydrate breakfast lost nearly 23 pounds on average in the first 4 months of an 8-month study. Those who ate the high protein and high carbohydrate breakfast reported having fewer carbohydrate cravings and felt less hungry, especially before lunch. Even eating just two eggs for breakfast instead of consuming the same amount of calories from carbohydrates has been shown to boost weight loss by 65%.
To summarize, breakfast is the ideal time to consume protein when on a weight loss program, but before and after workouts are also good times. Having a high protein breakfast is needed to maximize the benefits of your weight loss program.
What is the best source of protein?
Protein is contained in a lot of foods, but you need to be careful while on a weight loss program because many of the sources of protein are high in fat. Some of the highest sources of good protein are animal and dairy sources including cottage cheese and red meat. Other sources include eggs, chicken, pork, nuts, vegetables, and seeds.
There are two kinds of protein: complete and incomplete. Soy and animal proteins are called complete proteins because they contain all of the essential amino acids. On the other hand, plant products, including vegetables and nuts, are called incomplete because they do not contain all of the essential amino acids. Your body needs complete proteins, but that does not mean you cannot get what you need without eating meat or soy products. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, eat a combination of plant proteins that complement each other such as rice and beans to make sure you are getting all of the amino acids your body requires.
You want to look for protein sources that are low in fat and calories, yet are nutrient-rich. Sources of animal protein are usually higher in fat than plant-based sources. But, there are lean complete proteins such as seafood, lean beef, egg whites, and skinless chicken. Other protein sources that have a lot of protein and are low in fat include beans, nuts, and seeds.
Here are some good sources of protein and their approximate protein content (in grams):
- 3.5 oz roasted chicken: 27g
- 3 oz broiled ground beef: 21g
- 3 oz roasted ham: 18g
- 1 large egg: 6g
- 4 ounces milk: 4g
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese: 14g
- ½ cup cooked kidney beans: 7g
- 1 cup vegetables: 4g
- 1 ounce nuts: 7g
One easy way to get the best benefits from protein without any fat is to use high quality whey protein. The best whey proteins used advanced filtration techniques to remove saturated fat, cholesterol, and lactose while leaving all the protein molecules intact.
Another consideration when choosing a protein source is the absorption rate of that source. The better a protein is absorbed by the body the higher it’s “Biological Value” (BV) the protein source is said to have. The following are some of the BV’s of a few of the popular sources of protein:
- Whey isolate: 110-159
- Whey concentrate: 104
- Whole egg: 100
- Fish: 83
- Beef: 80
- Chicken: 79
- Casein: 77
- Soy: 74
When compared to whey concentrate, casein, fish, eggs, beef, and chicken, whey protein isolate has a superior absorption rate – you are getting more protein for less consumption. Not all protein sources are created equal, but you can get a lot of good protein from a variety of sources. The greatest value (price and quality) in protein are products that contain a combination of whey protein isolate and concentrate, these sources both have a superior absorption rate and low fat content. But, you should still be eating a variety of sources of protein while on a weight loss program.
How much whey protein do you need?
Researching the answer to this question will provide you with a barrage of apparently contradictory recommendations and “facts” regarding how protein your body actually needs. Everyone – even the government – seems to have a very opinionated answer to the simple question of how much protein do you need in your diet? But, nobody really knows the true answer at this point, we are only able to speculate and draw logical conclusions from the mountain of data and research available.
The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for protein is 56g for men and 46g for women. RDAs are published by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Science, that establishes goals for healthy persons. The RDA is the “average daily intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (approximately 98 percent) healthy individuals”. But, ideal protein intake is probably higher than these suggestions during weight loss as long as carbohydrate intake is decreased. The RDA does not take into account the amount of protein needed to preserve muscle during weight loss and facilitate fat burning.
There are many, often contradictory, methods for calculating your daily protein needs. Therefore, I will present two methods, one simple and one calculated, for determining your approximate daily protein needs.
Simple Method
Formula: your weight (in pounds) x 0.7
This means that a 200lb person would need 140g of high quality protein per day and a 140lb person would need 98g of high quality protein per day. This method is simple, easy, and requires no additional information other than your weight.
Calculated Method
Formula: (BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) x Activity Level Indicator x 0.2)/4*
The Calculated Method takes into account your BMR which is an indicator of how many calories you burn at rest. This gives a personalized component to calculating ideal protein consumption that weight alone does not give. For example, two people may weigh exactly the same, but have two completely different metabolic rates meaning they should probably be consuming two different amounts of protein each day.
The activity level indicator is an additional component to personalize the protein calculation based on your activity level. The following are the indicators:
- Mildly active (exercise 3 or less times per week for 30-60 minutes): 1.25
- Moderately active (exercise 4 to 6 times per week for 30-60 minutes): 1.50
- Highly active (exercise daily for 60 minutes for more): 1.75
Example: a 140 lb highly active person with a BMR of 1250 would need to consume 109 g of protein each day ((1250 x 1.75 x 0.2)/4* = 109).
*The amount of calories must be divided by 4 to get the accurate amount of protein in grams because there are approximately 4 calories per gram of protein.
Conclusion
To summarize, protein is critical for those on weight loss programs. Getting adequate amounts of protein can help you feel full and satisfied throughout the day, help you burn more calories, and help preserve muscle while you are losing additional fat. Consuming high quality whey protein coming from a variety of sources is ideal for a weight loss program.
If you would like a great-tasting and convenient source of high quality whey protein, try our protein bottles to go and our protein boxes to go! These tasty drinks have 15 grams of whey protein, almost no sugar, and only 60 to 80 calories each.
Check them out at our online store:
- Protein Bottles To Go
- Protein Shakes To Go
|
