A recent study done by Ishwarlal Jialal and Sridevi Devaraj at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center showed these levels of inflammation, measured by the amount of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. The volunteers in the study included 47 men and women with type 2 diabetes and 25 healthy men and women. Everyone’s blood was tested for inflammation markers before and after the study. Everyone was given 1,200 international units of vitamin E every day for three months.

The CRP levels (indicating inflammation) were lowered in all of the subjects participating. The volunteers with mild diabetes or pre-diabetes showed inflammation levels that dropped to that of the healthy group. The patients with severe diabetes symptoms, such as kidney failure, had their CRP levels drop to that of the patients with mild diabetes.

Jialal reported that the vitamin E supplements greatly reduced the production of the cytokine interleukin-6, an immune-system signaling molecule. Production was cut by about two-thirds. Interleukin-6 is responsible for signaling the liver to produce CRP, which causes body wide inflammation. Because complications of diabetes, such as increased heart attack and stroke risk, are caused by this inflammation, adult onset type 2 diabetes is now considered a disease of the immune system.

Sushil Jain, a biochemist of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, says that supplementing with vitamin E dampens interleukin-6 production in the blood, so it should reduce inflammation and atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries.

British diabetes specialist John C. Pickup of Guy’s Hospital in London says that this new information is “further evidence that type 2 diabetes is a disease of the immune system”. He points out that five years ago, “people would have said that was a ridiculous idea.”

CRP levels increase as diabetes progresses, causing weight gain and often times, obesity. Obesity, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and chronic inflammation are strongly related, putting patients at risk for any one of these at risk for the others.

Elevated CRP levels have a very damaging effect on myelin sheaths in the brain, which insulate and protect nerves and signaling pathways. Studies done on the correlation between weight and cognitive performance showed a definite impairment in the performance of obese individuals. As their conditions worsened, so did cognitive ability.

Vitamin E supplementation reduces inflammation by inhibiting production of CRPs and may even help in weight loss for these individuals by controlling inflammation and disease progression. Studies show that cognitive ability rapidly improves as weight is lost and CRP levels decrease, suggesting that vitamin E supplementation may help to protect the brain from a multitude of neurological diseases as well.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements, with an emphasis on vitamin C powder. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with the best vitamin C and wholesale vitamins since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality discount vitamins today!

Sources:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/1502/title/Food_for_Thought__Vitamin_E_targets_dangerous_inflammation

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A staggering number of Americans are considered clinically vitamin D deficient while an astounding number are considered to be in the insufficient range. This includes children who are exposed to sunlight and drink milk and/or orange juice with added vitamin D almost every day. Even a lot of adults that regularly take a daily vitamin D supplement are deficient.

How can this be? Without a blood test from your doctor, you may be putting your health at a major risk, all while thinking that you are being diligent about your vitamin D intake. Supplemental vitamin D comes in two different forms; ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3).

The synthetic form of vitamin D2, comes from passing plant matter and fungus through a radiation treatment. This is the vitamin D typically added to orange juice, milk, and vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D2 can be obtained from plant sources.

Vitamin D3 can be obtained (in small amounts) from animal sources, such as egg yolks and non-pasteurized full-fat milk. While both vitamin D2 and D3 must be converted by the body into active forms, vitamin D3 is converted 500% faster than D2 according to a report by the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. They also report that vitamin D3 is 87% more potent in raising and maintaining vitamin D concentrations and produces 2-3 fold greater storage of vitamin D.

Once your sources of vitamin D are converted into their active forms, sunlight is necessary to transform them into cholesterol sulfate. This means that, contrary to prior medical beliefs, supplementing with vitamin D does not completely replace the need for sun exposure. In fact, recent studies on the importance of cholesterol sulfate show that without sufficient UVB sun exposure, about 30 minutes per week, the body compensates by producing LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.

Doctors and researchers are now linking heart disease, high cholesterol, arterial plaque, cancer, autism, hypertension, obesity, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, dementia, seizures, asthma, migraines, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and both types of diabetes to a lack of vitamin D3 in the diet and inadequate UVB exposure.

This may sound overwhelming, but when you consider that the proposed 30 minutes of UVB sunlight exposure per week requirement must happen when the UV index is above 3, then you may start to realize why diseases such as these, increase in prevalence as you move away from the equator. Most of the United States only experiences this level of sunlight intensity for about 1-2 months of the year.

These diseases and more are being linked to inadequate vitamin D levels because vitamin D is responsible for an astounding number or processes in the body. It is a neuroregulatory steroidal hormone that influences almost 3,000 different genes and has receptors in nearly every cell of your body. It produces over 200 antimicrobial peptides, including broad-spectrum antibiotics, regulates the immune system and controls chronic inflammation.

Many doctors now recommend “safe” tanning bed use for obtaining adequate vitamin D3 levels. UVA rays are harmful, but beds that only produce UVB rays can be very effective forms of treatment.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements, with an emphasis on vitamin C powder. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with the best vitamin C and wholesale vitamins since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality discount vitamins today!

Sources:

http://www.jlr.org/content/44/7/1268.abstract

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/3/E447.abstract

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/02/23/oral-vitamin-d-mistake.aspx

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php

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Most doctors will briefly explain that degenerative disc disease is basically due to aging. As we age, our spines break down, discs lose cushioning, and eventually surgery is needed. Even then, there is a chance that the surgery will not help, decrease mobility, or even increase the pain. While surgery is necessary for many people, it doesn’t change the fact that you can fight degenerative disc disease and in some cases, completely reverse the damage.

Think of the discs in your back as jelly-filled donuts. They’re like a cushion, almost liquid in the center, with a more firm layer that is still flexible on the outside. These discs are shock absorbers for the spine. Every time we twist, sit, lift, walk, lie down, or do pretty much anything, these discs are put to work. Disc degeneration is most often seen in the neck or lumbar spine, or lower back, because these areas take on the most stress for most common movements.

Our spinal discs are composed of connective tissues, just like our organs, skin, and bones. These tissues are constantly breaking down, experiencing normal cell death, stress and injury. If your discs are breaking down faster than your body can regenerate healthy cells, then the outer layer of the disc begins to thin out. This is when the gooey center of the disc can experience too much pressure and start to balloon out further than normal. This is what causes bulging discs, herniated discs, and pinched nerves.

When we experience a break down in our discs, our bodies react with inflammation to direct collagen and elastin to the correct areas for repair. Collagen and elastin create new, soft, flexible, strong tissues that give damaged discs a new lease on life. If collagen and elastin are not available, then hard, weak, brittle patches are formed from cholesterol to correct damage. This is also the process that contributes to hardened arteries.

To produce collagen and elastin, our bodies need a sufficient amount of vitamin C. We stress “sufficient” because what is generally accepted as a recommended daily allowance is actually only the amount needed for a healthy person to avoid becoming deficient. Since vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, must be consumed through diet or vitamins and supplements, it is easy to become deficient. The more stress, inflammation, chemicals, infections, diseases, or allergens we’re exposed to, the more vitamin C we need.

Vitamin C deficiency is recognized by many doctors and researchers as the underlying cause of a majority of degenerative, infectious, and inflammatory diseases. Ask your doctor about supplementing with the best vitamin C, like sodium ascorbate vitamin C powder or calcium ascorbate. Higher dosages than you think may be needed to correct your degenerative disc problem, so work with your doctor on monitoring your health and progress.

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About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements, with an emphasis on vitamin C powder. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with the best vitamin C and wholesale vitamins since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality discount vitamins today!

Vitamin C is responsible for the function and repair of your bones, lungs, circulatory system, joints, immune system, and more. The recommended daily allowance by the government is just enough to keep a perfectly healthy person from developing a deficiency disease, such as scurvy. If you are exposed to any type of pollutant, allergen, chemical, or food additive then your daily requirement to stay healthy increases. Even stress and exercise produce free radicals that lead to oxidative stress, greatly increasing the need for vitamin C.

Free radicals are responsible for creating infection. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, protects cells, proteins and lipids from free radical damage. It also improves the function and life span of immune cells. This helps the body to defend itself from almost every infectious disease. It also has a dramatic effect on existing infections. An article in Life Extension Magazine reported that “studies of vitamin C supplementation in military personnel and other subjects living in close quarters have shown that pneumonia occurred a remarkable 80-100% less often in subjects taking vitamin C than in those who did not supplement with the vitamin”.

Vitamin C is also responsible for the production of collagen and elastin, which are the major components of connective tissues all over your body. All of your bones, joints, blood vessels and organs are constantly experiencing cell death and renewal. They are in constant need of collagen and elastin to repair themselves. Without enough, we experience unhealthy aging, cancers, high cholesterol, degraded neurotransmitters, improper hormone production, and a long list of inflammatory, degenerative, and infectious diseases.

Vitamin C is needed to properly produce cells, absorb calcium and iron, and prevent diseases such as cataracts, cancer, and heart disease. It also is necessary to regulate blood clotting, which prevents clotting and bleeding disorders.

Ascorbic acid is needed for dental health as well. Your gums are generally the first place that you will notice a difference if you’re not getting enough vitamin C. They are made up almost entirely of connective tissue that is stressed every time you bite down or clench your teeth. You may notice your gums most dramatically turning red, swelling, receding, or bleeding around the teeth that touch first when you gently close your jaw. This is because the gums experience the most stress in these areas. Gums that are inflamed or weak due to a lack of vitamin C are susceptible to gum disease. Gum disease starts as plaque, which recent studies have shown cannot form if proper levels of vitamin C are maintained. Even sailors in the 18th century knew that if their gums started bleeding that they were in danger of scurvy. This is still why many doctors use the health of your gums to determine if you’re on your way to cardiovascular disease, arthritis, lung dysfunction, high blood pressure, stroke, and many other health problems.

Ask your doctor about supplementing with vitamin C. If you have stomach or digestive issues, you can take a buffered form of vitamin C that is non-acidic, like sodium ascorbate vitamin C powder.

Sources:

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2006/oct2006_report_vitaminc_01.htm

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsdisease/a/gum_disease.htm

Reprinting:
This entire article may be reprinted free of charge provided that the “About the Author” section of the article, sources, and all links in the article are included. For shorter quotations, a clear link to the blog post or Wholesale Nutrition is sufficient.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements, with an emphasis on vitamin C powder. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with the best vitamin C and wholesale vitamins since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality discount vitamins today!

Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, April 24, 2012

Toxic Sugar

Editorial by Robert G. Smith, PhD

(OMNS April 24, 2012) A recent article in the prestigious journal Nature
explains that sugar, especially fructose, widely available in soft
drinks
and other processed foods, is responsible for many serious
non-communicable
diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and liver
failure [1,2]. One of the contributing reasons is that fructose and
other
high-calorie substances such as alcohol cannot be directly utilized by
the
body’s tissues so they must be metabolized by the liver, where they
generate
toxicity and set the body on a path to diabetes [3]. Further, fructose
interferes with the body’s sense of satiety, so that an excess of
calories
tend to be ingested. This overwhelms the liver, which then must convert
the
overdose of sugar into fat, which harms the liver and can lead to
diabetes.
Thus sugar such as fructose, when added to processed foods, has been
compared to alcohol in its toxic effect. Even non-obese people are
susceptible to “metabolic syndrome,” in which fructose induces
hypertension,
cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and damage to biological
molecules such as proteins and lipids [1-3].

Soft drinks that contain mainly sugar, such as sodas and filtered fruit
juices, don’t have enough nutrients to keep the body healthy and free
from
disease. They provide calories without essential nutrients that you
would
find in the whole fruit. These “empty” calories then replace other foods
such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables that are the main source of
essential nutrients. But added sugar is not limited to soft drinks.
Added
fructose, as in high-fructose corn syrup or just plain sugar (sucrose,
which
is 50% glucose and 50% fructose), is found in a wide variety of
processed
foods such as breakfast cereal, juices, jellies and jams, candy, baked
goods, sauces, desserts, and even ready-made dinners and processed meat.
Fructose tastes sweet but does not satisfy hunger as well as more
nutritious
foods.

The high added fructose content of processed foods is addictive in a
similar
way to alcohol, especially for young children. This has caused an
epidemic
of obesity in both children and adults. Further, the metabolism of
fructose
in the liver is similar to alcohol because it tends to perturb glucose
metabolism, generating fat and causing insulin resistance, which leads
to
inflammation and degeneration of the liver and many other problems [4].
Overall, this dietary pattern caused by overloading our bodies with
fructose
is a vicious cycle that leads to widespread deficiencies of nutrients
such
as vitamins and essential minerals, along with damage and inflammation
throughout the body. This vicious cycle of sugar addiction, consistent
with
the “metabolic syndrome,” is in large part responsible for the high
death
rate from the modern diet.

If the modern diet could be adjusted to satisfy hunger without excess
calories and to contain a larger proportion of essential nutrients, the
epidemic of disease from added sugar might be averted. When ingested in
the
form of fruit, fructose is less harmful because it is absorbed slowly by
the
gut and importantly is accompanied by essential nutrients. Supplements
of
essential nutrients can help, but only if knowledge about the adequate
doses
and their benefits is made widely available. Examples are supplements of
vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, omega -3 and -6
essential fats, which in the proper forms and doses can help prevent
dietary
deficiencies that cause heart disease, cancer, and diabetes [5]. Other
lifestyle choices can help, for example, reducing total calories,
increasing
ingested fiber, and more exercise [3]. But the benefits of these healthy
choices have not been convincing to the modern consumer. Ubiquitous high
pressure marketing of soft drinks contributes to the problem.

To correct the problem of sugar overconsumption, it has been suggested
that
sugar be regulated like alcohol and tobacco [1]. The goal would be to
change
habits to reduce consumption. Many schools have already banned the sale
of
sodas, but have replaced them with juices or artificial drinks that
contain
added sugar. According to this suggestion, the sale of sweetened drinks
and
processed foods containing added sugar could be limited in school
vending
machines or elsewhere during school hours. Age limits on the sale of
sugary
foods in stores might also help. A limit or ban on television
commercials
advertising products containing added sugar might also be helpful. A tax
on
sugar, especially high-fructose corn syrup, could be used to fund
research
into essential nutrients and advertise their benefits. The idea behind
such
regulation would be to persuade the public, especially children, to
consume
less sugar and more nutritious foods [1,2]. This could greatly benefit
public health.

It has been argued that similar regulation of alcohol is widely accepted
because it has kept alcohol consumption under control [1]. For example,
in
other areas of our lives, changes in what is perceived as acceptable
behavior have been successful, like bans on smoking in public places,
designated drivers who don’t drink alcohol, and the inclusion of air bags
in
cars. To some, a similar type of governmental regulation of sugar would
seem
justified because at the cost of some loss of personal freedom it could
improve health and cut short the epidemic of non-infectious disease.

On the other hand, many people see regulation of sugar by taxing foods
containing added sugar as abhorrent and draconian. After all, although it
is
addictive [4], sugar doesn’t cause the danger of being drunk on the
highway, and it doesn’t present an imminent danger to health comparable to
smoking.
It’s more insidious than that. And sugar has long been part of dietary
habits of many cultures. Thus, any governmental regulation of food will
have
many critics who explain that regulation would be ineffective, and
further,
we should be able to purchase and eat any food according to our
preference.

The underlying issue in this debate is public access to knowledge about
nutrition. If the harm that added fructose causes to our health could be
widely publicized, along with information about inexpensive and readily
available healthy alternatives, this could lead to better health for
millions of people. It would cause shoppers to consider other choices,
such
as vegetable juice or a glass of water, along with unprocessed
nutritious
foods and vitamin supplements in adequate doses. What is needed is a
campaign that provides practical information about diet: what nutrients
we
need, how to determine the proper doses, and the dangers of a
processed-food
diet. This could include televised advertisements and health programming,
as
well as curricula taught at levels from grade school to medical school.
It might also include more informative labeling about the nutrient content of
food, as well as more healthy and tasty food served at restaurants and
dining rooms. Marketplace pressure might then convince food companies to
sell more healthy food with a minimum of added sugar and an adequate
content of essential nutrients. Orthomolecular medicine, the practice of
treating illness by providing sufficient doses of essential nutrients to prevent
deficiencies, can help to provide this information [5-8]. We can all
become more healthy by forgoing added sugar and other processed foods that lack
essential nutrients. And when this is impossible, we can supplement with
these essential nutrients to prevent the epidemic of obesity, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, and cancer.

(Dr. Robert G. Smith is Research Associate Professor in the Department
of
Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of many
scientific papers, and an upcoming book, The Vitamin Cure for Eye
Diseases.)

References:

1. Lustig RH, Schmidt LA, Brindis CD (2012) The toxic truth about sugar.
Nature 482:27-29.

2. Jacobson MF (2005) Liquid candy: how soft drinks are harming
Americans’
health. Center for Science in the Public Interest.

http://www.cihfimediaservices.org/12all/lt.php?c=180&m=257&nl=3&s=deaf2ee23f

7a662831cf83d81b3e9d8c&lid=1822&l=-http–www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/liquid_cand
y_final_w_new_supplement.pdf.

3. Bremer AA, Mietus-Snyder M, Lustig RH. (2012) Toward a Unifying
Hypothesis of Metabolic Syndrome. Pediatrics. 129:557-570

4. Lustig RH. (2010) Fructose: metabolic, hedonic, and societal
parallels
with ethanol. J Am Diet Assoc. 110:1307-1321.

5. Brighthope IE (2012) The Vitamin Cure for Diabetes: Prevent and Treat
Diabetes Using Nutrition and Vitamin Supplementation. Basic Health
Publications. ISBN-13: 978-1591202905.

6. Roberts H, Hickey S (2011) The Vitamin Cure for Heart Disease: How to
Prevent and Treat Heart Disease Using Nutrition and Vitamin
Supplementation.

Basic Health Publications. ISBN-13: 978-1591202646.

7. Hoffer A, Saul AW (2008) Orthomolecular Medicine For Everyone:
Megavitamin Therapeutics for Families and Physicians. Basic Health
Publications. ISBN13: 9781591202264.

8. Hoffer A, Saul AW, Foster HD (2012) Niacin: The Real Story: Learn
about
the Wonderful Healing Properties of Niacin. Basic Health Publications
ISBN-13: 978-1591202752

Nutritional Medicine is Orthomolecular Medicine
Orthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy to
fight illness. For more information:

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Editorial Review Board:
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Helicobacter pylori are spiral shaped bacteria that can be transmitted from person to person through food and water. If stomach acid levels are increased, it produces an ideal environment for the H. pylori bacteria to thrive. Duodenal ulcers, or ulcers in the lower part of the stomach and upper part of the intestine, are four times more common in the United States than gastric ulcers or esophageal ulcers, both located higher up in the stomach or esophagus. Duodenal ulcers can cause a constant “hunger” pain which is often relieved with a meal. Other types of ulcers are generally aggravated by a meal and pain occurs often at night when the patient is lying down.

Up to 90% of duodenal ulcers are found to be caused by the H. pylori bacterium. There are several tests that can be performed to check for the bacteria, but many doctors choose to treat stomach ulcers with acid-suppressing medication for one or two months before they consider treating the bacteria. This is especially true if patients are on long-term anti-inflammatory medications because the medications are considered to most likely be the cause. Unfortunately for these patients, ulcers can worsen during the time that the bacteria is allowed to thrive.

H. pylori bacteria can live in the stomach lining, harmlessly, for your entire life. Once infected, a person will not get rid of the bacteria until properly treated. It is only when stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, or some other trigger causes an increase in stomach acid production that the bacteria causes problems. Once inflammation has set in, it disrupts the mucus barrier and H. pylori is allowed to invade. The more acid your stomach produces, the more active the bacteria becomes.

Treatment for H. pylori is often called “triple therapy”. Two types of antibiotics are given to heal the infection caused by the bacteria, along with an acid-suppressing medication, which helps the antibiotics to work and creates a less acceptable environment for the bacteria. This treatment is generally effective for symptoms after a week, but the bacteria may not be gone. Very few doctors will order a test to see if the bacteria is gone, which means that it could still be there, ready to invade again.

You can help to increase the chances of the triple therapy working by taking supportive vitamins and supplements. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient in creating the collagen and elastin needed to repair and maintain the stomach lining. Almost all patients with ulcers are deficient in vitamin C. This is because acidic vitamin C containing foods are generally avoided by people with ulcers and also because the little vitamin C that they do normally consume is quickly used up by the inflammation in the ulcer. Unless adequate amounts of vitamin C are somehow consumed, repairs to the stomach lining cannot take place and damage will continue to occur.

Mineral salts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are called “mineral ascorbates”. These forms of vitamin C are considerably less acidic and are recommended for patients with gastrointestinal problems. Mineral ascorbates, like sodium ascorbate, are generally found in the form of a vitamin C powder or vitamin C crystals. Talk with your doctor about supplementing along with your stomach ulcer treatment.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements, with an emphasis on vitamin C powder. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with the best vitamin C and wholesale vitamins since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality discount vitamins today!

Sources:

http://www.mindbodyhealth.com/roexepithelial.htm

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA352656

http://www.livestrong.com/article/82221-foods-can-eaten-stomach-ulcer/

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=45382

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VITAMIN C AND ACIDITY
What Form is Best?

(OMNS, December 8, 2009) Vitamin C is commonly taken in large quantities to improve health and prevent asthma, allergies, viral infection, and heart disease [1,2]. It is non-toxic and non-immunogenic, and does not irritate the stomach as drugs like aspirin can. Yet vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is acidic. So, a common question is, what are the effects from taking large quantities?

Ascorbic acid is a weak acid (pKa= 4.2) [3], only slightly stronger than vinegar. When dissolved in water, vitamin C is sour but less so than citric acid found in lemons and limes. Can large quantities of a weak acid such as ascorbate cause problems in the body? The answer is, sometimes, in some situations. However, with some simple precautions they can be avoided.

Acid in the Mouth
First of all, any acid can etch the surfaces of your teeth. This is the reason the dentist cleans your teeth and warns about plaque, for acid generated by bacteria in the mouth can etch your teeth to cause cavities. Cola soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, actually used by dentists to etch teeth before tooth sealants are applied. Like soft drinks, ascorbic acid will not cause etching of teeth if only briefly present. Often, vitamin C tablets are coated with a tableting ingredient such as magnesium stearate which prevents the ascorbate from dissolving immediately. Swallowing a vitamin C tablet without chewing it prevents its acid from harming tooth enamel.

Chewable Vitamin C Tablets
Chewables are popular because they taste sweet and so are good for encouraging children to take their vitamin C [4]. However, some chewable vitamin C tablets can contain sugar and ascorbic acid which, when chewed, is likely to stick in the crevices of your teeth. So, after chewing a vitamin C tablet, a good bit of advice is to rinse with water or brush your teeth. But the best way is to specifically select non-acidic vitamin C chewables, readily available in stores. Read the label to verify that the chewable is made entirely with non-acidic vitamin C.

Stomach Acidity
People with sensitive stomachs may report discomfort when large doses of vitamin C are taken at levels to prevent an acute viral infection (1,000-3,000 milligrams or more every 20 minutes) [1, 5]. In this case the ascorbic acid in the stomach can build up enough acidity to cause heartburn or a similar reaction. On the other hand, many people report no problems with acidity even when taking 20,000 mg in an hour. The acid normally present in the stomach, hydrochloric acid (HCl), is very strong: dozens of times more acidic than vitamin C. When one has swallowed a huge amount of ascorbate, the digestive tract is sucking it up into the bloodstream as fast as it can, but it may still take a while to do so. Some people report that they seem to sense ascorbic acid tablets “sitting” at the bottom of the stomach as they take time to dissolve. It is fairly easy to fix the problem by using buffered ascorbate, or taking ascorbic acid with food or liquids in a meal or snack. When the amount of vitamin C ingested is more than the gut can absorb, the ascorbate attracts water into the intestines creating a laxative effect. This saturation intake is called bowel tolerance. One should reduce the amount (by 20-50%) when this occurs [1].

Acid Balance in the Body
Does taking large quantities of an acid, even a weak acid like ascorbate, tip the body’s acid balance (pH) causing health problems? No, because the body actively and constantly controls the pH of the bloodstream. The kidneys regulate the acid in the body over a long time period, hours to days, by selectively excreting either acid or basic components in urine. Over a shorter time period, minutes to hours, if the blood is too acid, the autonomic nervous system increases the rate of breathing, thereby removing more carbon dioxide from the blood, reducing its acidity. Some foods can indirectly cause acidity. For example, when more protein is eaten than necessary for maintenance and growth, it is metabolized into acid, which must be removed by the kidneys, generally as uric acid. In this case, calcium and/or magnesium are excreted along with the acid in the urine which can deplete our supplies of calcium and magnesium [6]. However, because ascorbic acid is a weak acid, we can tolerate a lot before it will much affect the body’s acidity. Although there have been allegations about vitamin C supposedly causing kidney stones, there is no evidence for this, and its acidity and diuretic tendency actually tends to reduce kidney stones in most people who are prone to them [1,7]. Ascorbic acid dissolves calcium phosphate stones and dissolves struvite stones. Additionally, while vitamin C does increase oxalate excretion, vitamin C simultaneously inhibits the union of calcium and oxalate. [1,2].

Forms of Vitamin C
Ascorbate comes in many forms, each with a particular advantage. Ascorbic acid is the least expensive and can be purchased as tablets, timed release tablets, or powder. The larger tablets (1000-1500 mg) are convenient and relatively inexpensive. Timed-release tablets contain a long-chain carbohydrate which delays the stomach in dissolving the ascorbate, which is then released over a period of hours. This may have an advantage for maintaining a high level in the bloodstream. Ascorbic acid powder or crystals can be purchased in bulk relatively inexpensively. Pure powder is more quickly dissolved than tablets and therefore can be absorbed somewhat faster by the body. Linus Pauling favored taking pure ascorbic acid, as it is entirely free of tableting excipients.

Buffered Ascorbate
A fraction of a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) has long been used as a safe and effective antacid which immediately lowers stomach acidity. When sodium bicarbonate is added to ascorbic acid, the bicarbonate fizzes (emitting carbon dioxide) which then releases the sodium to neutralize the acidity of the ascorbate.

Calcium ascorbate can be purchased as a powder and readily dissolves in water or juice. In this buffered form ascorbate is completely safe for the mouth and sensitive stomach and can be applied directly to the gums to help heal infections [8]. It is a little more expensive than the equivalent ascorbic acid and bicarbonate but more convenient. Calcium ascorbate has the advantage of being non-acidic. It has a slightly metallic taste and is astringent but not sour like ascorbic acid. 1000 mg of calcium ascorbate contains about 110 mg of calcium.

Other forms of buffered ascorbate include sodium ascorbate and magnesium ascorbate [9]. Most adults need 800 – 1200 mg of calcium and 400-600 mg of magnesium daily [6]. The label on the bottle of all these buffered ascorbates details how much “elemental” mineral is contained in a teaspoonful. They cost a little more than ascorbic acid.

Buffered forms of ascorbate are often better tolerated at higher doses than ascorbic acid, but they appear not to be as effective for preventing the acute symptoms of a cold. This may be because after they are absorbed they require absorbing an electron from the body to become effective as native ascorbate [1]. Some of types of vitamin C are proprietary formulas that claim benefits over standard vitamin C [9].

Liposomal Vitamin C
Recently a revolutionary form of ascorbate has become available. This form of vitamin C is packaged inside nano-scale phospholipid spheres (“liposomes”), much like a cell membrane protects its contents. The lipid spheres protect the vitamin C from degradation by the environment and are absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream. Liposomes are also known to facilitate intracellular uptake of their contents, which can cause an added clinical impact when delivering something such as vitamin C. This form is supposed to be 5-10 fold more absorbable than straight ascorbic acid. It is more expensive than ascorbic acid tablets or powder.

Ascorbyl Palmitate
Ascorbyl palmitate is composed of an ascorbate molecule bound to a palmitic acid molecule. It is amphipathic, meaning that it can dissolve in either water or fat, like the fatty acids in cell membranes. It is widely used as an antioxidant in processed foods, and used in topical creams where it is thought to be more stable than vitamin C. However, when ingested, the ascorbate component of ascorbyl palmitate is thought to be decomposed into the ascorbate and palmitic acid molecules so its special amphipathic quality is lost. It is also more expensive than ascorbic acid.

Natural Ascorbate
Natural forms of ascorbate derived from plants are available. Acerola, the “Barbados cherry,” contains a large amount of vitamin C, depending on its ripeness, and was traditionally used to fight off colds. Tablets of vitamin C purified from acerola or rose hips are available but are generally low-dose and considerably more expensive than ascorbic acid. Although some people strongly advocate this type, Pauling and many others have stated that such naturally-derived vitamin C is no better than pure commercial ascorbate [2,9]. Bioflavonoids are antioxidants found in citrus fruits or rose hips and are thought to improve uptake and utilization of vitamin C. Generally, supplement tablets that contain bioflavonoids do not have enough to make much difference. For consumers on a budget, the best policy may be to buy vitamin C inexpensively whether or not it also contains bioflavonoids. Citrus fruits, peppers, and a number of other fruits and vegetables contain large quantities of bioflavinoids. This is one more reason to eat right as well as supplement.

References:

[1] Hickey S, Saul AW (2008) Vitamin C: The Real Story, the Remarkable and Controversial Healing Factor. ISBN-13: 9781591202233

[2] Pauling L (1986) How to Live Longer and Feel Better, by Linus Pauling (Revised version, 2006) ISBN-13: 9780870710964

[3] Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (2004), CRC Press, ISBN-13: 978-0849304859

[4] http://www.doctoryourself.com/megakid.html (Ideas on how to get children to take vitamin C.)

[5] Cathcart RF (1981) Vitamin C, titrating to bowel tolerance, anascorbemia, and acute induced scurvy. Med Hypotheses. 7:1359-1376.

[6] Dean C (2006) The Magnesium Miracle. (2006) ISBN-13: 9780345494580

[7] http://www.doctoryourself.com/kidney.html

[8] http://www.doctoryourself.com/gums.html (Healing gums with buffered ascorbate.)
See also: Riordan HD, Jackson, JA (1991) Topical ascorbate stops prolonged bleeding from tooth extraction. J Orthomolecular Med, 6:3-4, p 202. http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1991/pdf/1991-v06n03&04-p202.pdf or http://www.doctoryourself.com/news/v3n18.txt

[9] http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminC/vitCform.html (Information about different forms of vitamin C)

[10] http://www.doctoryourself.com/bioflavinoids.html

Nutritional Medicine is Orthomolecular Medicine

Orthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy to fight illness. For more information: http://www.orthomolecular.org

The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-commercial informational resource.

Editorial Review Board:

Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.
Damien Downing, M.D.
Michael Gonzalez, D.Sc., Ph.D.
Steve Hickey, Ph.D.
James A. Jackson, PhD
Bo H. Jonsson, MD, Ph.D
Thomas Levy, M.D., J.D.
Jorge R. Miranda-Massari, Pharm.D.
Erik Paterson, M.D.
Gert E. Shuitemaker, Ph.D.

Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D., Editor and contact person. Email: omns@orthomolecular.org

Original post at http://www.orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v05n10.shtml

Adipose tissue is actually considered an organ of the endocrine system because it produces hormones that regulate immune cells, energy consumption and expenditure, and insulin resistance. It also provides the brain with feedback for hunger and dietary needs. Adipose tissue has different roles in the body, depending on where it is located.

Fat lipids are constantly being taken in and released for energy needs by the adipose tissue. Fat only accumulates when insulin is released in the presence of high blood sugar. Fat storage stimulates the production of the hormone resistin, which provides the body with some insulin resistance. Insulin resistance in adipose tissue is used to reduce the uptake of new lipids once the cells are full. Fat in the abdominal area is mostly responsible for producing resistin, which is why belly fat alone can be used as a marker of impaired glucose tolerance, even in the absence of diabetes.

If everything is kept in perfect homeostasis, adipose tissue will do its job and regulate how fat is used by the body and the immune system’s response to it. However, it is a complex structure that is still not completely understood. Stress hormones cause vast changes in the tissues, disrupting their function. Adipose tissue tries to protect itself by creating inflammation to activate immune cells. This process interrupts insulin signaling and interferes with the adipose tissue being able to effectively communicate dietary needs to the body.

Once inflammation has begun, free fatty acids in the blood are no longer controlled. The adipose tissue desperately tries to control them by pumping out more inflammatory cytokines to get the immune system to take care of them. This causes the immune system to flood the adipose tissue with macrophages in an attempt to rid it of its attackers. Macrophages are meant to “eat” foreign substances in the body. However, their presence only causes more inflammation in the adipose tissue. This continuous cycle of inflammation causing inflammation is what makes fat build on fat while insulin resistance increases and fatty acid regulation decreases.

Obesity and inflammatory diseases are the result. Getting rid of excess adipose tissue is difficult because of the complexity of its function. However, controlling inflammation can help. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that cleans free fatty acids out of the blood and impairs the adipose tissue’s ability to create more inflammatory cytokines. Omega-3’s also help to decrease fats in the blood and are powerful anti-inflammatories. Omega-3’s stabilize the signaling pathways within adipose tissues so that the body reacts more appropriately to the adipose tissue. They also stabilize the immune response, controlling inflammation. Both vitamin E and Omega-3’s give the cells an extra layer of protection against the damaging effects of inflammation, protecting the body from further damage and disease.

Supplementing with vitamin E and Omega-3’s could put you on the path to reversing the effects of excess fat and adipose tissue. As always, speak with your doctor before starting any vitamins and supplements routine.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements, with an emphasis on vitamin C powder. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with the best vitamin C and wholesale vitamins since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality discount vitamins today!

Sources:

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/12/04/vitamin.e.shows.possible.promise.easing.chronic.inflammation

http://www.discoverymedicine.com/Satoshi-Nishimura/2009/09/22/adipose-tissue-inflammation-in-obesity-and-metabolic-syndrome/

Reprinting:
This entire article may be reprinted free of charge provided that the “About the Author” section of the article, sources, and all links in the article are included. For shorter quotations, a clear link to the blog post or Wholesale Nutrition is sufficient.

Patients suffering from bronchitis can treat symptoms and help reduce their chances of contracting bronchitis again. There are two ways to treat acute bronchitis. The first way is to treat the underlying inflammation that is causing the increase in mucus production and swelling of the airways. The second way is to inhibit the virus’s ability to replicate and invade cells. You can try to prevent bronchitis by practicing good hand-washing habits and staying away from people that have colds or the flu.

To treat the inflammation that is causing unwanted symptoms, you must strengthen the immune system. If the body’s inflammatory response is stronger than the immune system, then inflammation will persist and worsen as the virus replicates and invades. Antioxidant therapy is recommended for people who have been exposed to a virus or irritant that is causing lung dysfunction.

Antioxidants remove the damaging free radicals that are produced by the inflammatory response. If left alone, these free radicals cause oxidative stress, which by itself causes an inflammatory response. This self-feeding cycle of inflammation causing inflammation is what makes acute bronchitis so dangerous.

Omega-3 fatty acids are known for their outstanding ability to reduce inflammation. American diets are usually high in omega-6 fatty acids, which cause inflammation, and low in omega-3 fatty acids. Correcting this imbalance can give your body the ability to stop the production of inflammation causing cytokines. It also greatly reduces insulin resistance and helps the body’s cells perform more efficiently long-term. This enhances the immune response and helps to reduce symptoms.

Vitamin E is another powerful tool against lung inflammation and cell damage. It reduced the inflammatory response by about two-thirds in clinical studies. It also protects cells from damage caused by free radicals, irritants and bodily functions. It is powerful enough to bring down inflammation even in advanced diabetes patients.

Vitamin C is the ultimate anti-bronchitis weapon. It works on several levels to treat symptoms. It greatly reduces inflammation, like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. It also strengthens cells, enhances the immune response, blocks histamine receptors, inhibits histamine production, blocks virus receptors on cells, and prevents viruses from creating the enzyme that they need to replicate.

Taking vitamin C in high enough dosages to produce symptom relief can be difficult if you have stomach issues or cannot handle the amount of calcium that is in your typical vitamin C supplement, calcium ascorbate. Sodium ascorbate vitamin C powder in a buffered, non-acidic form is generally used for higher dosages of vitamin C.

Speak with your doctor before starting any vitamins and supplements routine.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements, with an emphasis on vitamin C powder. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with the best vitamin C and wholesale vitamins since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality discount vitamins today!

Sources: