Not All Antioxidants Are Created Equal

They've been said to stall aging, ward off disease and wage internal war against the harmful free radicals that pummel our bodies every day. But just how well do antioxidants—those all-powerful compounds often found in richly colored fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, blackberries and red cabbage—actually perform inside the human body?

Nutritionists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency, recently tackled this question. Their findings appear in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Led by Ronald Prior, an ARS chemist who works at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock, the researchers investigated how the consumption of different fruits affected volunteers' antioxidant status.

They did this by measuring the plasma (blood) antioxidant capacity (AOC) of volunteers who'd just ingested blueberries, cherries, dried plums, dried-plum juice, grapes, kiwis or strawberries.

The series of ARS studies confirmed what many antioxidant experts have long suspected: that the free-radical-busting compounds found in foods are quite complex, with some apparently being easier to absorb and utilize than others.

For instance, the researchers found that despite their high antioxidant content, plums did not raise plasma AOC levels in volunteers. According to Prior, one of the major phytochemicals in plums is chlorogenic acid, a compound not readily absorbed by humans.

As for the wild blueberry, a larger-than-average serving of this much-heralded antioxidant source was needed to boost plasma AOC levels. A noticeable climb in AOC wasn't detected until volunteers consumed at least a half-cup serving of the berries.

The volunteers' consumption of grapes and kiwifruit both led to noticeable spikes in plasma AOC. But it's not clear yet which compounds were responsible for the increased levels.

Alternatively, when volunteers were asked to consume a shake containing protein, carbohydrates and fat, with no antioxidants, their blood antioxidant levels dropped.

While additional research is needed to determine if elevated plasma AOC levels translate to a lower risk for chronic degenerative disease, the current ARS study is an important first step in efforts to establish recommendations for antioxidants in the diet.


[Source]


This can be interestnig for you:

What Is Baby Shower

Read More...

Was Interested In Ocular Nutrition?

Several vitamins, minerals (green leafy vegetable ingredients) and herbs have used in an attempt to treat or prevent the development of cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Although anecdotal evidence abounds, the lack of large scale controlled trials make definite recommendations difficult. This is not surprising since most of the aging eye diseases progress slowly and a multitude of factors (genetic and environmental) affect their development and progression, so that it becomes very difficult to isolate the influence of a specific vitamin or mineral on this process. On this page we discuss the nutrients that over time have been suggested to play a possible role.

In the absence of specific contraindications and side effects, most physicians seem it reasonable to use these nutrients as an adjunct to specific medical therapy - i.e. "can't hurt and might help" approach. Perhaps the most reasonable recommendation would be to increase the dietary intake of green leafy vegetables (for Carotenoids) and fruits & vegetables like carrots and cantaloupe which have reddish pigment (for beta-Carotene). There is a risk however. Patients affected by these diseases are willing to grasp at any straw in desperation, because in advanced disease medical therapy seems to offer so little hope. This is especially true for macular degeneration and glaucoma. Therefore, despite claims of cure with expensive alternative treatments, refrain from unreasonable expectations is prudent.

There is concern about eating green leafy vegetables if you are on Warfarin (Coumadin), a blood thinner. Warfarin reduces the ability of blood to clot by blocking Vitamin K; however, large amounts of Vitamin K can overcome the effects of warfarin. Green leafy vegetables are high in vitamin K. According to the National Stroke Association, patients taking Warfarin do not need to avoid foods that are high in vitamin K-- rather, they should avoid against abruptly changing the amount of vitamin K-rich foods consumed since the changes in vitamin K intake can alter the effect of warfarin, making warfarin ineffective (too much vitamin K in the diet) or causing bleeding (too little vitamin K in the diet). If you eat a relatively constant amount of green vegetables then Warfarin levels would be unlikely to fluctuate.

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, beta-Carotene (pro-Vitamin A) and Carotenoids (Lutein & Zeaxanthin) are strong antioxidants i.e. they protect the eye against free radical damage. It seems reasonable to assume that strengthening of the eye defences by increasing the intake of these vitamins would be helpful in preventing the chronic AgingEye diseases. Recent well designed and controlled studies seem to support this assumption. Lycopene (a different type of carotenoid found in tomatoes) protects against prostate cancer and heart disease — therefore the protective effect of these vitamins is not just restricted to the eye.

Nutritional supplements and Macular Degeneration

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was a major study sponsored by the National Eye Institute (NEI). In the study, scientists looked at the effects of zinc and antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E & beta carotene i.e. provitamin-A), on patients with cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Lutein was not part of this study because during the planning stages in the early 1990s, lutein and zeaxanthin were not commercially available.

The study reported a beneficial effect of antioxidants + zinc in patients who have moderate to advanced macular degeneration (i.e. those who have extensive intermediate size drusen or at least 1 large drusen or geographic atrophy in 1 or both eyes, or visual acuity worse than 20/32 attributable to macular degeneration). The study showed that treatment with antioxidants + zinc reduced the risk of progression of moderate macular degeneration to advanced macular degeneration by 25%. (see graph). Vitamin supplements do not provide as much benefit to patients with minimal macular degeneration. These nutritional supplements do not prevent the development of macular degeneration, nor can one recover vision already lost to macular degeneration. In this study, nutritional supplements do not seem to prevent cataracts, or to keep them from getting worse over time, although other studies have shown such a beneficial affects. The dose of vitamin C used was about 5 times what the general population receives from diet alone. The dose of vitamin E was about 13 times the recommended daily allowance and the dose of zinc was about 5 times the recommended daily allowance. These levels of zinc and vitamins C and E generally can be obtained only by supplementation.

While most patients in the study experienced no serious side effects from the doses of zinc and antioxidants used, a few taking zinc alone had urinary tract problems that required hospitalization. Some patients taking large doses of antioxidants experienced some yellowing of the skin. The long-term effects of taking large doses of these supplements are still unknown.

If you have intermediate (or advanced macular degeneration in one eye only), talk to your physician about taking nutritional supplements. Your doctor can help you determine if they may be beneficial-and safe-for you, and what types and doses of supplements to take. The doses used in the study were: Vitamin C 500 mg, Vitamin E 400 IU, Beta-carotene 15 mg, Zinc 80 mg, as zinc oxide, Copper 2 mg, as cupric oxide (copper should be taken with zinc, because high-dose zinc is associated with copper deficiency). Ophthalmologists and others prescribing the AREDS formula to their patients should recognize that this is not a multivitamin; if the patient needs additional vitamins (e.g., B vitamins or vitamin D), other products must be used. To know more about the NEI macular degeneration study read or print the NIH News Release about this study or view the video.

It is very important to talk with your physician before taking large-dose supplements, and to follow the dosage recommendations carefully. Megadoses of vitamins have well defined health risks. Some supplements may interfere with each other or other medications. Smokers and ex-smokers probably should not take beta-carotene, as studies have shown a link between beta-carotene use and lung cancer among smokers.An estimated 8 million persons at least 55 years old in the United States have intermediate or advanced macular degeneration. Of these 8 million, 1.3 million would develop advanced macular degeneration if no treatment were given to reduce their risk. If all of these people at risk received supplements such as those used in AREDS, more than 300 000 of them would avoid advanced macular degeneration and any associated vision loss during the next 5 years.

Aging Eye Times recommendation:

We urge clinicians to be cautious when advising patients with macular degeneration regarding the benefits of ocular vitamin/mineral supplements. These nutrients are not a cure for macular degeneration, nor will they restore vision already lost from the disease, but they may help some people at high risk for developing advanced macular degeneration keep their vision. Based on data from AREDS, persons older than 55 years should have dilated eye examinations to determine their risk of developing advanced macular degeneration. Patients who have moderately advanced macular degeneration and are not current or past smokers, should consider taking a supplement of antioxidants plus zinc. In patients who have early macular degeneration, it seems reasonable to defer consideration of supplementation. If patients with early macular degeneration choose to take the supplements, then they must understand that their decision to do so is not supported by a demonstrated benefit and any presumed beneficial effect on preventing the progression of macular degeneration is mere speculation. Approximately 80% of Americans older than age 70 will fall in the low-risk group of early or no macular degeneration.
All patients should be encouraged to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and in particular they should be informed by they clinician on the dietary sources rich in these carotenoids. We further recommend patients to wear UV protective lenses and a hat or cap when outdoors and suggest they see their primary care physician to treat any hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or potentially compromising vascular disease.

Lutein & Zeaxanthin role in Eye Disease Prevention

The macula is yellow in color due to the presence of pigment, which is composed of two dietary carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. By absorbing blue-light, lutein and zeaxanthin pigments protect the photoreceptor cells of the retina from light damage. In addition, lutein & zeaxanthin are antioxidants, able to prevent free-radical damage to the macula. If the macula has more lutein and zeaxanthin, the protection against light damage is also greater. The macular pigment can be increased in by either increasing the intake of foods that are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, such as dark-green leafy vegetable, or by supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin.

While the assumption that increasing the intake of lutein or zeaxanthin may protect against the development of age-related macular degeneration has a strong scientific basis, a causative relationship has yet to be unequivocally demonstrated in rigorous controlled studies. Given the evidence to date, the advice to increase the intake of lutein & zeaxanthin seems reasonable.

A number of studies intended to examine trends in a population suggest a link between lutein and decreased risk of eye disease:

• In 1994, a National Eye Institute (NEI)-supported study indicated that consumption of foods rich in carotenoids — particularly green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, kale and spinach — was associated with a reduced risk of developing macular degeneration.


• In 1999, data from the Nurses Health Study showed a reduced likelihood of cataract surgery with increasing intakes of lutein and another carotenoid --zeaxanthin.


• In 1999, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study found a trend toward a lower risk of cataract extraction with higher intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin.


• In 1999, a follow-up to an NEI-supported population-based study -- called the Beaver Dam Study -- concluded that people with diets higher in lutein and zeaxanthin had a lower risk of developing cataract.


• In 2001, data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that higher intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin among people ages 40-59 may be associated with a reduced risk of advanced macular degeneration.

Lutein & Zeaxanthin were not part of this AREDS (macular degeneration study) because during the planning stages in the early 1990s, lutein and zeaxanthin were not commercially available. Therefore, the recently released results of the macular degeneration study could not advice on lutein.

It seems reasonable to conclude that the trends and available evidence to date supports a beneficial affect for lutein in preventing eye diseases.

Nutritional supplements and Cataracts

Compared with nonusers, the risk for cataract is 60% lower among persons who use multivitamins or any supplement containing vitamin C or E for more than 10 years. Use of vitamins for shorter duration is not associated with reduced risk for cataract (Arch Ophthalmol 2000;118:1556-63). Vitamin C reduces the risk of cortical cataracts in women aged 60 years or less & carotenoids reduce the risk of posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) in women who have never smoked (Am J Clin Nutr 2002;75:540-9). A recent research report also suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin (the only carotenoids found in the lens) may retard aging of the lens (Arch Ophthalmol 2002;120:1732-7). Higher intakes of protein, vitamin A, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin (i.e. vitamin B-complex) are associated with reduced prevalence of nuclear cataract (Ophthalmology 2000;107:450-6).

The combined weight of the evidence suggests that long-term use of vitamin supplements (containing vitamin-C, E and carotenoids) may be of value in delaying cataract development.

Years ago, Nobel laureate Linus Pauling advocated megadoses (1,000 to 2,000 mg per day) of Vitamin C to fend off colds and prevent cancer. Studies have found no benefit from such massive doses of vitamin C, but a different line of research suggests that just a little extra might be a good thing for women's eyes. Any protective effect of vitamin C probably occurs well above the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 75 mg/day for women, about the amount in an orange (Women who smoke need more vitamin C 110 mg/day).

Research by the Nutrition and Vision Project (NVP), a cooperative effort of Harvard and Tufts University scientists, has found that women who consume higher-than-recommended doses of vitamin C may lower their risk for more than one type of cataract (Harv Womens Health Watch 2002;9:1). Boosting the vitamin C intake from both food and supplements to around 500 mg/day is probably a good idea, however discuss it with your doctor, especially if you have an increased risk for kidney stones.

Herbs and AgingEye Diseases

The use of herbal supplements in the US has become increasingly popular in recent years. In a survey conducted in 1999, about 49% of adult Americans were estimated to have used herbal products during the previous year (Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics 2002:27;391-401). Contributing to their increased use is the perception that herbs are safer, gentler and represent a more 'natural' way of curing disease than conventional drugs, which are viewed as chemicals.

These medications fall into the category of alternative/complementary medicines and, as such, are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the same scrutiny as conventional drugs. There is no pre-marketing review and post-marketing surveillance requirements for herbal supplements in the US. Their regulation by the FDA is restricted as a result of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passed by US Congress in 1994. These products are freely available to consumers as over-the-counter (OTC) items. The FDA has now established standards to ensure that dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are not adulterated with contaminants or impurities, and are labeled to accurately to reflect the ingredients in the product (News Release). There is still no requirement to show that dietary supplements are safe or effective.

As the use of herbal supplements in the US continues to grow under the prevailing scenario, some concerns have become apparent regarding the safety of these products. Of particular safety concern is potential interactions of these products with conventional drugs. It has been documented that as many as 31% of the patients who use herbal supplements do so in conjunction with prescribed drugs and about 70% of these patients do not regularly report the use of these products to their health care providers (Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics 2002:27;391-401). Of most concern is the bleeding tendency when herbs like Gingko are taken along with aspirin or other blood thinner.

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)

Bilberry has a long history of use for various eye conditions. The active components, flavonoid anthocyanosides, are potent antioxidants with a particular affinity for the eye and vascular tissues. Interest in bilberry was first aroused during World War II when British Royal Air Force pilots reported improved night visual acuity on bombing raids after consuming bilberries. Subsequent claims have been made that the administration of bilberry extracts results in improved night visual acuity, quicker adjustment to darkness and faster restoration of visual acuity after exposure to glare. In a report of 50 patients with age-related cataracts, a combination of bilberry and vitamin E delayed the progression of cataracts (Head K. Altern Med Rev 2001;6:141-166).

Bilberry has been used in the treatment of glaucoma as well.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba extract is freely available and popular. An extract of Ginkgo leaves is commonly used for conditions associated with cerebral and peripheral ischaemia (e.g. dementia, impotency, claudication). Gingko has several biological actions which combine to make it a potentially useful agent in the treatment of glaucoma: improvement of central and peripheral blood flow, reduction of vasospasm, reduction of serum viscosity, antioxidant activity, platelet activating factor inhibitory activity, inhibition of apoptosis, and inhibition of excitotoxicity. The effect of Ginkgo biloba extract as a potential antiglaucoma therapy is undergoing scrutiny.

Bleeding may occur inside the eye in patients taking Gingko (N Engl J Med 1997 10;336:1108). One of its components, ginkgolide B, is a potent inhibitor of platelet-activating factor, which is essential for the induction of arachidonate-independent platelet aggregation. Bledding complications in the brain have also been reported.

A recent research article suggests that Ginkgo biloba extract (40 mg, orally, administered three times daily for 4 weeks) improves preexisting visual field damage in some patients with Normal Tension Glaucoma (Ophthalmology 2003;110:359-362). Visual field improvement theoretically could result from improved retinal ganglion cell function or improved cognitive abilities. Either of these effects could occur secondary to improved blood flow to the eye, the brain, or both to a neuroprotective effect of Gingko Biloba. Further studies are needed to determine by what mechanisms Gingko may benefit patients with glaucoma.

Coleus Forskohlii

The triterpene forskolin from the plant Coleus forskohlii stimulates the enzyme adenylate cyclase. Adenylate cyclase then stimulates the ciliary epithelium to produce cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which in turn decreases eye pressure by decreasing aqueous humor inflow.

Results of studies using topical forskolin applications to decrease eye pressure have been mixed. To date, human studies on forskolin's effect on eye pressure have been limited to healthy volunteers. Several studies have found it effective at lowering eye pressure and decreasing aqueous outflow in healthy volunteers.

Salvia Miltiorrhiza

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a commonly used botanical in Chinese medicine. Injected intravenously, this botanical appears to improve microcirculation of the retinal ganglion cells.

In a human study, 121 patients with mid- or late-stage glaucoma with medication-controlled eye pressure received daily intramuscular injections of a 2 g/mL solution of Salvia miltiorrhiza alone or in combination with other Chinese herbs (four different groups). The results suggest a possible benefit from this herbal treatment. Double-blind evaluations of oral administration of Salvia seem warranted.

Wine and Macular Degeneration

Researchers reported in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that people who drink wine in moderation may be less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This finding was based on an analysis of data collected between 1971 and 1975 for the National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHANES-1) from 3,072 adults 45 to 74 years of age with eye-related changes that indicated AMD.
The National Eye Institute (NEI) believes that it would be premature to make any recommendations based on this single study. While this is an interesting finding that bears further investigation, the authors warn that the study should not be used to "draw inferences about a cause and effect relationship." It also should be noted that later studies have found no such relationship between AMD and wine drinking, and that the findings reported are of borderline significance.

The NEI agreed with the author's concerns about the reliability of the data indicating the amount of alcohol consumed, as these data are often subject to recall bias. In addition, the study did not completely take into account possible confounding factors, especially smoking. Many studies show that smoking is a risk factor for AMD. Since there is generally more smoking among alcohol users, smoking status should be taken into account in the analyses. NEI questioned, too, the reliability of the diagnosis of AMD in those surveyed. The methods used now to diagnose AMD in large studies have been improved and are quite different than those used in the early 1970's.


Related Topics:

How To Maintain And Improve Vision

Everything About Bilberry Foods

Improve Your Retina and Macula Health with Foods and Vitamins

Foods That Help to Improve Eyesight

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit Helps Prevent Eye Disease


[Source]

Read More...

Everything About Bilberry Foods

By Steven Foster © 2007

If you grew up among the heaths, moors, and woodlands of northern Europe, or for that matter are a wild foods enthusiast in the Rocky Mountains of the United States, you would probably be familiar with bilberry as the stuff of which jam or pies are made. Now, however, the average consumer is most likely to find bilberries in the form of purple-colored gelatin capsules in dietary supplement products.

Bilberry, Vaccinum myrtillus, is a relative of blueberry in the heath family. The genus Vaccinum includes upwards of 450 species which occur in cool temperate regions and mountains of both the northern and southern hemispheres. Many are deciduous or evergreen shrubs with edible fruits including blueberries, buckberries, huckleberries, farkleberry, cranberry, whortleberry, crowberry, and bilberry.

Bilberry is small shrub to about a foot in height with sweet, plump blue-black berries. It grows in heaths and woods of northern Europe, western Asia, and the Rockies of western North America. Bilberry is common in northern Europe, as well as mountains of southern Europe, absent only from southern Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. It thrives in damp acid soils, damp woods and sandy and rocky soils, covering vast areas, and is a scrub shrub of high mountains. Its range extends to Western Mongolia, then jumps the Pacific to Western North America, occurring from British Columbia, southward from Utah to Arizona and New Mexico. Commercial harvest of the fruits is from wild regions of Europe when ripe from July through September.

The genus name Vaccinum derives from the old Latin name used in the works of Virgil and Pliny. The species name "myrtillus" refers to the resemblance of the leaves to those of myrtle. In England the plant is known as bilberry, bleaberry, blueberry, as well as common whortleberry.

Bilberry Leaves

The leaves have been used as a tea substitute. In Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains (The University of New Mexico Press, 1967), H. D. Harrington notes that of the leaves of all Rocky Mountain Vaccinum species, his favorite was bilberry leaf tea, which he stated was available at one of the local grocery stores in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Traditionally the leaves have been used for astringent, tonic, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic qualities. Studies have shown that the leaves have weak anti-diabetic activity and have been used in various herbal combinations as a treatment for diabetes. The leaves contain a component (glucoquinine) which experimentally has been shown to lower blood sugar levels. The leaves are primarily used in the form of a tea. Leaf preparations have also been suggested by modern researchers in Germany as a potential treatment for rheumatism and gout, given the presence of quinic acid in the tea of the dried, heated leaves.

The leaves, however, are primarily used as a folk remedy, and are not nearly as important as the fruits. The German Commission E monographs, the basis of herb regulation in Germany, has a negative monograph on bilberry leaves. According to the monograph the leaves and their preparations are traditionally recommended for use in diabetes mellitus, and the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal tract conditions, arthritis, gout, skin ailments, hemorrhoids, poor circulation, heart problems, blood purification, and to stimulate metabolic processes. While there are a few older laboratory studies supporting a theoretical basis for potential antiinflammatory and blood-sugar lowering potential, there is not sufficient scientific data to support the traditional use of the leaves. Therefore, because the claimed applications are not well-documented, bilberry leaves are not approved for their traditional uses. Safety issues are also a question. Animal studies have shown that the leaves can cause anemia, disturb tone of the gastrointestinal system, and adversely effect absorption of nutrients. Safety problems probably relate to high tannin content of the leaves.

Bilberry Fruits-Food and Medicine

Bilberry has been valued for centuries as a nutritious food and a wild edible delicacy.

The berries, best known as an edible fruit, are an ancient food in northern Europe. In an 1862 work, The Useful Plants for Great Britain, C. P. Johnson noted that the berries have a sweetish, but slightly acid taste and are best eaten cooked rather than. They have long been sold in English markets. In Scotland the berries are eaten with milk, and used for pies, tarts, syrups, and jellies. The berries have also been used for wine-making. In the 1870s, a USDA report noted that the fruits were a favorite food of various Indian groups of the Rocky Mountain region.

The use of bilberry fruits as an herbal medicine emerges in the Middle Ages. Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), the first women to write an herbal, recommended the plant for inducing menstruation. In the 16th century German herbalists, such as Hieronymus Bock, recommended the berries for treatment of bladders stones, liver disorders, and in syrups for coughs and lung ailments.

In the eighteenth century, use of bilberry fruits became widespread among herbalists and physicians, particularly in Germany. Berry preparations were used for various intestinal conditions, as well as typhoid fever, infections of the mouth, skin, and urinary tract infections, and in gout and rheumatism. By the early part of this century, the dried berry tea was used as an astringent for diarrhea and dysentery, a diuretic, cooling nutritive tonic, to prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), and to stop bleeding. It is also used as an astringent and disinfectant mouthwash for mouth inflammations.

Modern interest in bilberry arose through serendipity after the Second World War. During night bombing missions, British Royal Air Force pilots reportedly experienced an improvement in night vision after eating bilberry jam. In the mid 1960s, reference to these observations eventually led to the first laboratory and later clinical studies on the effects of bilberry fruit extracts on the eyes and vascular system.

What's in the fruits?

The effectiveness of the fruit extracts was linked to a group of compounds called "anthocyanosides." These compounds are derivatives of anthocyans - the pigments responsible for the red, blue or violet colors in flowers and fruits. The majority of studies on bilberry have involved extracts purified to contain from 25 to 36 percent anthocyanosides. At least fifteen different anthocyanoside compounds have been identified in bilberry extracts. Most standardized bilberry extracts available as dietary supplements on the American market contain 25 percent anthocyanosides.

Like most herbal medicines, positive effects obtained from the plant are not necessarily attributed to only one chemical component. In addition to anthocyanocides, bilberry fruits contain tannins (up to 7 percent) as well as several alkaloids including myrtine and epimyrtine. At least twelve different phenolic acids have been identified from the fruits along with three glycosides of quercetin, including quercitrin, isoquercitrin, and hyperoside. All of these components, in one way or another, could help to contribute to bilberry's beneficial effects.

Modern Use

In European herbal medicine, bilberry fruit preparations are now used to enhance poor micro-circulation, including eye conditions such as night-blindness and diabetic retinopathy. The German Commission E has produced a positive monograph on bilberry fruits, which are allowed in that country for the treatment of acute diarrhea, and for treatment of mild inflammations of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.

Modern laboratory studies on bilberry fruit extracts have confirmed a number of activities including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit aggregation of blood platelets (reduce stickiness, hence a tendency to clotting of blood cells), produce a slight relaxation effect on vascular smooth muscles, and a possible role in reducing factors associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. Extracts of the fruit have also been shown in laboratory experiments to inhibit enzymes such as elastase, which can cause the degradation of collagen. This can lead to a reduction in factors associated with inflammatory conditions such as atherosclerosis, pulmonary emphysema, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Bilberry and the Vascular System

Among the most credible uses of bilberry relate to conditions of peripheral vascular disorders, especially those involving capillary fragility. Tiny blood vessels (capillaries) can become fragile, common in aging populations, producing capillary fragility. This can lead to more frequent bruising. Weak capillaries are associated with poor blood circulation to connective tissues, and have been related to inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Bilberry anthocyanosides serve to strengthen capillaries by protecting them from free radical damage. They also stimulate the formation of healthy connective tissue, and aid in the formation of new capillaries. Bilberry may reduce blood platelet stickiness (platelet aggregation), a risk factor associated with atherosclerosis. Given its proven ability to help reduce the fragility of blood capillaries, bilberry fruit products have been studied in clinical trials involving patients suffering from a wide range of diseases including diabetes, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, varicose veins, liver disorders, peptic ulcers, and other conditions in which capillary fragility may play a role in causing symptoms secondary to the disease itself. Most studies have been by French or Italian researchers and published in those languages.

Studies in the mid to late 1960s showed that bilberry extracts produced a reduction in symptoms associated with decrease resistance in the blood capillaries such as bruising, blood in the stool, and minute, pin-head sized bleeding spots on the skin. In various clinical studies with patients suffering from water retention in the lower limbs with varicose vein symptoms, the bilberry extracts helped to reduce subjective symptoms such as a feeling of heaviness, pain in the legs and ankles, and sensations of burning, pricking or numbness of the skin. One double blind placebo-controlled study on 47 patients with various peripheral vascular disorders also reported subjective improvement in the symptoms enumerated above, as well as an improvement in swelling (due to water retention) and movement of finger joints in patients suffering from Raynaud's syndrome, a condition involving spasms of the digits with blue coloration, probably relating to poor micro-circulation to the extremities. The syndrome is named after a Paris physician, Maurice Raynaud (1834-1881).

Results of clinical studies involving more than 700 patients with various conditions related to poor micro-circulation in cases of atherosclerosis, a tendency to bruising, hemorrhoids and varicose veins have shown the extracts help reduce damage from free radicals (antioxidant effects) and promote healthy circulation to the extremities. These studies involve extracts of the fruits standardized to contain 25 to 36 percent anthocyanosides. The tea has also been shown useful, mostly through clinical experiences (rather than controlled studies) for diarrhea, and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.

Bilberry and Eye Conditions

Based on anecdotal reports from British air force pilots of increased night vision after eating bilberry jam, in the 1960s French researchers set out to discover if bilberry had any potential for the treatment of eye diseases. In experiments with rabbits, a mixture of the anthocyanosides from bilberry was found to increase the animals' ability to adapt to darkness. The improvement in visual function was related to an increase in the regeneration rate of rhodopsin, a purple pigment essential for helping the rods in the eye adapt to light and dark. The retina located at the back of the eye is a specialized structure that responds to light. Special cells called rods and cones in the retina are what makes it work. The cones are adapted to sense details and distinguish colors. They are like the color and tint adjustment dials on a television. The rods detect lightness and darkness. They are like a television's contrast and brightness adjustments. Bilberry's ability to speed up the regeneration of rhodopsin in the rods helps the retina to improve adaptation to light and dark. Studies on anthocyanosides from bilberry both in laboratory and animals experiments have also been shown to modify enzyme processes that are involved in producing damage to the retina.

A number of clinical studies have been carried out with bilberry fruit extracts either alone or in combination with beta-carotene and vitamin E for disorders related to impaired photo-sensitivity or poor micro-circulation to the retina. Four studies were published in the late 1960s by Italian researchers in Italian scientific periodicals that showed that both healthy individuals and patients with visual disorders had a significant improvement in night vision, more rapidly adapted to darkness, and had faster restoration of visual acuity following exposure to bright flashes of light after taking a bilberry extract.

Additional studies on air-traffic controllers, airplane pilots and truck drivers also showed that a standardized extract of bilberry fruits helped to improve night vision and enhanced adjustment to darkness. In two clinical trials, Italian researchers found that 76 percent of patients with myopia (short or near sightedness) had a marked improvement in retinal sensibility. The patients were given 150 mg per day of a bilberry fruit extract for 15 days, along with vitamin A.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition secondary to diabetes mellitus, in which there is non-inflammatory degeneration of the retina. At least three double-blind placebo-controlled studies, in which patients were given 320 to 480 mg per day of a high-anthocyanoside-containing extract for 30 days to twelve months showed positive improvements. A significant reduction or disappearance of hemorrhages in the retina was observed. These studies were conducted by Italian researchers from 1982 to 1987.

Bilberry - The Future

Most studies on bilberry, as previously stated were conducted by French or Italian researchers, mostly in the 1960s and 70s. Much of the research is published in relatively obscure French or Italian scientific journals in the languages of the authors. The fact that the results are dated, and difficult to assess due to language barriers and lack of availability, makes some scientists slow to accept the results. A number of pharmacological and clinical studies have involved the isolated anthocyanosides used in injectable forms. Clearly more studies, involving a great number of patients using oral dosage forms are needed if we are to accept the claims made for bilberry fruit extracts.

While more studies are needed to prove effectiveness, safety is well-established. A post-marketing retrospective study followed 2,295 patients who had been prescribed a 36% anthocyanoside standardized bilberry fruit extract. Researchers showed positive results for improvement of symptoms associated with lower limb venous insufficiency, conditions of capillary fragility and altered permeability of blood capillaries, disease-related changes in microcirculation of the retina, and to reduce itching, inflammation and swelling following surgical removal of hemorrhoids. No adverse effects were reported even for prolonged use of the extract. The German Commission E monograph on bilberry fruits lists no known contraindication, interactions with other drugs, or side effects. Given its long history of food use, and clinical experience with extracts over a thirty year period, safety is not at issue.

In the United States, bilberry dietary supplement products including tablets and capsules of the dried fruits are available, as well as products standardized to 25% anthocyanosides. Standardized products will give more predictable results. The dried ripe berries are used in a dose of 20 to 60 g daily, prepared as a tea, divided into three doses. Standardized products are taken at a dose of 120 to 480 mg per day, (usually 340 mg) divided into two or three doses.

Whether you consider it a wild edible delicacy or a dietary supplement, bilberry is an herb that's here to stay.


Related Topics:

How Blueberries Affect Your Health

Foods That Help to Improve Eyesight

Strawberries, Blueberries, Spinach and the Brain

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit Helps Prevent Eye Disease

Fruit Pomelit Helps to Prevent Heart Attacks


[Source]

Read More...

How Blueberries Affect Your Health

From research labs all across the country and the world, there is growing evidence that blueberries are an important part of a healthy diet.

Blueberries and Antioxidant Activity

Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with the aging process. Fresh fruits, including blueberries, and vegetables contain many of these naturally occurring antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E. Blueberries contain 14 mg of Vitamin C and 0.8 mg Vitamin E per 1 cup of blueberries. In addition, blueberries contain anthocyanins and phenolics that can also act as antioxidants. Based on data from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (Boston, MA), blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity. Using a test called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), researchers have shown that a serving of fresh blueberries provides more antioxidant activity than many other fresh fruits and vegetables.

Blueberries and Aging

In a USDA Human Nutrition Research Center laboratory, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity, a finding that has important implications for humans.

In one study, Jim Joseph, director of the neuroscience laboratory in the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center (HNRC), fed blueberry extractions—the equivalent of a human eating one cup of blueberries a day—to mice and then ran them through a series of motor skills tests.

He found that the blueberry-fed mice performed better than their control group counterparts in motor behavioral learning and memory, and he noticed an increase in exploratory behavior. When he examined their brains, he found a marked decrease in oxidative stress in two regions of the brain and better retention of signal-transmitting neurons compared with the control mice.
The compound that appears responsible for this neuron protection, anthocyanin, also gives blueberries their color and might be the key component of the blueberry’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Blueberries, along with other colorful fruits and vegetables, test high in their ability to subdue free radicals. These free radicals, which can damage cell membranes and DNA through a process known as oxidative stress, are blamed for many of the dysfunctions and diseases associated with aging.

These findings could become increasingly important as the U.S. population ages. It is projected that by 2050, more than 30% of Americans will be over 65 and will have the decreased cognitive and motor function that accompanies advanced age. Joseph is currently testing the effects of blueberries on humans. Preliminary results show that people who ate a cup of blueberries a day have performed 5–6% better on motor skills tests than the control group.

Blueberries and Health

Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey have identified compounds in blueberries called proanthocyanidins that promote urinary tract health and reduce the risk of infection by preventing bacteria from adhering to the cells that line the walls of the urinary tract.

Blueberries and Nutrition

Though blueberries themselves are not a cure-all, they contain a number of substances which are thought to have health benefits. These substances include, but are not limited to fructose, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Antioxidants thus far, seem to have the most conclusive role in the prevention/ delaying of such diseases as cancer, heart disease and the aging process however, a limited number of studies, especially long term and on human beings, are not available at this time.

• One cup of blueberries contains 14% DV of fiber 2.41 g per 100g
• Blueberries are a source of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, phenolics, and flavonoids
• Blueberries are very low in fat and sodium

USDA National Nutrient Database For Standard Reference, Release 19 (2006)

Nutrient	unit	Blueberry (fresh) 1 c (148 g)	Blueberry (frozen, unsweetened) 1 c (155 g)
Energy	kcal	84	79
Protein	g	1.10	0.65
Fat	g	0.49	0.99
Carbohydrate	g	21.45	18.86
Fiber	g	3.6	4.2
Calcium	mg	9	12
Iron	mg	0.41	0.28
Magnesium	mg	9	8
Phosphorus	mg	18	17
Potassium	mg	114	84
Sodium	mg	1	2
Zinc	mg	0.24	0.11
Copper	mg	0.084	0.051
Manganese	mg	0.497	0.228
Selenium	mcg	0.1	0.2
Vitamin C	mg	14.4	3.9
Thiamin	mg	0.055	0.05
Riboflavin	mg	0.061	0.057
Niacin	mg	0.619	0.806
Panthothenic acid	mg	0.184	0.194
Vitamin B6	mg	0.077	0.091
Folate	mcg	9	11
Vitamin B12	mcg	0	0
Vitamin A	IU	80	71
Vitamin E	mg	0.84	0.74
Vitamin K	mcg	28.6	25.4

g=grams mg=milligrams kcal=kilocalories IU=International Units ug=micrograms ATE=alpha tocopherol equivalent

Other Substances Found in Blueberries

Blueberries contain a variety of compounds. These include: phenolics, anthocyanins, carotenoids, ellagic acid. The significance of their presence and modes of action continue to be explored.

Composition by Percent

Substance	Percent
Water	84.21%/td>
Protein	0.74%/td>
Ash	0.24%
Lipids	0.33%
Carbohydrates	14.49%

Content of Sugars

14.74 g./1 cup (148 g.) of blueberries contain:

• sucrose = 1%
• glucose = 49%
• fructose = 50%

Related Topics:

Strawberries, Blueberries, Spinach and the Brain

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit Helps Prevent Eye Disease



[Source]

Read More...

Foods That Help to Improve Eyesight

In the recent article about the 100 foods that improve your productivity foods that benefit the eyes were mentioned. Today we will discover this theme.

Ocular nutrition and eye health is an important part of helping maintain our vision and eye health as we age. One can safely say that every part of the human eye needs ocular nutrition support and nutrition to improve eye health.

Healthy vision and the human eye is related to the health of the individual parts of the eye — the cornea, iris, macula, lens, optic nerve, pupil, retina and the vitreous humor. And ocular nutrition is one of the ways good vision can be supported.

As we age, many things can go wrong with our vision. Ultraviolet light from the sun can damage the lens and the cornea. Wind, dust, chlorine fumes, automobile fumes, freezing temperatures and physical injury are examples of threats to good vision.

Vibration from driving and hitting potholes has a cumulative negative impact on eye health as well as long hours spent in front of a computer screen. And certainly we need foods that help to promote healthy eyes.

Here is ocular nutrition information for nourishing the eyes:

Based on information provided by the U.S. National Eye Institute, results of nutrition and eye health food studies have shown that consuming certain foods provides ocular nutrition. In other words, using food to improve eyesight and nutrition to improve eye health has been proven by studies. Here is a list of food to improve eyesight:

• Ocular nutrition with collard greens, kale and spinach.

Studies show that eating foods rich in carotenoids is associated with reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Foods rich in carotenoids are leafy green vegetables such as spinach, collard greens and kale. Macular eye nutrition becomes increasingly important as we age.



• Ocular nutrition with green vegetables and corn.

Another study on ocular nutrition has shown a reduced likehood of developing cataracts for persons with diets higher in lutein and zeaxanthin. Foods high in these two carotenoids are broccoli, collard greens, corn, green peas, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens and zucchini. Lutein is also found in egg yolks.

Persons with diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin were also less likely to need cataract surgery. In another study, persons ages 40-59 with macular eye nutrition diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin may experience reduced risk of developing adult macular degeneration.



• Ocular nutrition with blueberries, apricots and bilberries.

Besides the studies reported by the National Eye Institute above, other studies exist on ocular nutrition and foods that improve eye sight.

Eating blueberries has been associated with the reduction of eye fatigue. Blueberries are related to cranberries, and both also help the body resist urinary tract infections.

Apricots are rich in nutrients such as beta carotene and lycopene that help promote good vision. Beta carotene is converted as needed by the body to vitamin A, an important antioxidant that resists oxidative stress damage to cells and tissues, including the eye lenses. Continued oxidative stress may result in the development of cataracts or damage the blood supply to the eyes and lead to macular degeneration.

Bilberries grow on small bushes and were used by British pilots to improve their night vision and eye health night vision. Fresh bilberries and bilberry jams would be sources of this ocular nutrition food. Bilberry seems to improve eye health by increasing the blood supply to the eyes (smoking, for example, decreases the blood supply to the eyes). The substance in bilberry that nourishes eye tissue is called anthocyanosides.



• Ocular nutrition with cold water fish and Omega 3 fish oil.

Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, cod, haddock as well as sardines are rich in the healthy Omega 3 oils. For example, Eskimos have almost no incidence of open-angle glaucoma with their diet rich in Omega 3 cold-water fish which maybe is the best foods for optic nerve. Omega 3 is also associated with numerous other health benefits relating to improving heart health, arthritis symptoms relief and lowering chosterol. It is certainly one of the best foods for clear eyesight and eye health.

Here’s additional important ocular nutrition and vision information:

Besides the nutrients and ocular nutrition foods described above, the following nutrients are associated with vision and eye health.

• Alpha Lipoic Acid – ALA improves the performance of other antioxidants in the body
• L-Taurine – helps protect the eyes from UV light and helps strengthen the retinal cells
• Lycopene – a strong antioxidant found in tomatoes
• N-Acetyl Cysteine – helps protect the eyes from damage by UV light and strengthens the immune system
• Quercetin – a strong antioxidant that helps maintain lens transparency; exists in small amounts in red wine
• Vitamin C – helps the body resist damage by oxidation (damage from long-term exposure to oxygen and light)
• Zinc – helps support macula and retina health; levels of zinc and eye health are definitely related

How can you obtain these ocular nutrition nutrients every day?

Great question! You have several options:

1 – Try to include the ocular nutrition foods in the daily meal planning. Consuming more whole foods and healing and eye health should be a goal of everyone. While using nutrition to improve eye health is a good idea, very large quantities of the eye-healthy foods are needed to provide meaningful nutrient levels.

2 – Take the various nutrients individually in supplement form.

3 – Take a vision and eye health specific nutritional supplement. There are ocular health vitamins and ocular health nonprescription supplements that help maintain or even improve eyesight. This can be a practical and cost-effective solution.

4 – Take a daily multiple vitamin/mineral supplement that includes the vitamins for ocular health providing the eye-healthy nutrients in meaningful quantities. This option can be the best way, assuming one can locate such a product. Most daily supplements either do not include all of the eye-healthy nutrients, or the quantities are so low as to be of little benefit.


We should never take eye health and good vision for granted. The fact that you were searching for the term "ocular nutrition" means you are already aware that nutrition and supplementation can help maintain or even improve your eye health.

Failing vision does not have to be a part of getting older - give your eyes the critical ocular nutrition and nutrients in meaningful quanties every day. This likely means including ocular health vitamins in your daily supplementation. Your future eye health may depend on it!


Related Topics:

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit helps prevent eye disease

4 Vitamins to Have a Better Sex Life

Protein Hazard: How to Save Your Liver When You Are on a Diet

Fruit and Vegetable Coloring Compounds may help to fight Cancer


[Source]

Read More...

Strawberries, Blueberries, Spinach and the Brain

Illustration by Lydia Kibiuk, copyright © 2003 Lydia Kibiuk.

Your snack choice is more important than you think. New research indicates that in addition to affecting your waistline, food also can influence your brain. Some diets appear to aid mental functioning while others harm it. Altogether the studies show the importance of diet on mental health and also may have implications for those who suffer from certain brain ailments.

Loathe anything leafy and green? Obsess over cream-filled cupcakes?

Junk food junkies take notice. What you eat does more than influence your gut. It also may affect your brain. Increasing evidence shows that certain fruits and veggies produce brain benefits, while some types of fat appear to cause harm. The new studies are leading to:

• A better understanding of food's complex actions.
• The development of diets that may improve brain functions and help prevent or treat brain ailments.

Mentally healthy foods include strawberries, blueberries and spinach, according to some of the work. In one example, researchers fed aging rats the daily equivalent of a pint of strawberries, pint of blueberries or a spinach salad for two months. Compared with aging rats on a regular diet, molecular measures of brain cell communications showed that the supplemented animals had better cell function. They also performed better on a memory test. In addition, preliminary findings indicate that the food possibly may have an effect on Alzheimer's disease (AD), a memory-impairing disorder that hits in old-age. Mice bred to develop AD perform better on a memory task when they receive a blueberry supplement. Their brain cell communication also enhances. Plans to study supplements of the foods in humans are under way.

Researchers surmise that the benefits of these produce items stem, at least in part, from their high antioxidant content. In the brain, antioxidant molecules wage war against troops of molecules, known as free radicals, which can harm brain cells and brain function (see illustration). Many scientists believe that, as we age and during various disease-related circumstances, our internal antioxidant defenses can become overpowered by the free radical force. The antioxidant-rich foods are thought to offer brain protection during these times by providing an extra boost in defense, keeping the free radicals in check.

General diets rich in antioxidants also have benefits. By following a group of people aged 65 and over for about four years, researchers recently found that a diet packed with high levels of the antioxidant, vitamin E, was associated with a lower risk of developing AD in some people.

On the other end of the spectrum, a crop of studies finds evidence that gorging on foods that contain high levels of saturated fat-think french fries and donuts-can hinder brain function. Even though some fat is important for health, many Americans go overboard, especially with the saturated form. Studies indicate that rats kept on a comparable diet, where approximately 40 percent of their daily calories come from saturated fats, perform poorly on tests of memory and learning.

Human studies also report negative effects. In one study researchers examined the food intake of some 5,000 participants. People who ate diets high in saturated fat had an increased risk of dementia.

It's not clear how excessive saturated fat harms the brain, but there are many theories. Some blame its effect on glucose, a sugar that provides energy to the body and brain. While a short-term supply of glucose can help the brain, excess fat may create a situation where brain cells receive a long-term, harmful exposure to glucose. Research on people with diabetes, a disease marked by problems with glucose, fits with this idea. For example, one report found that diabetics perform poorly on memory tests. Other research indicates that excess fat affects certain brain memory molecules. One of the studies on rats found that the high fat diet cut levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and other related molecules in the brain, which are thought to aid the formation of memories.

More research is needed to sort out all the complicated effects of food, but scientists hope eventually to develop specific dietary guidelines that aid brain health. For now, researchers say it can't hurt to eat more fruits and veggies and cut down on saturated fat.

[Explanations to the fig.

One way certain foods may help the brain is by fighting off harmful free radical molecules (A), which roam around anxiously looking to combine with other molecules. Their rush for a mate is thought to cause cell damage or even cell death (B) and contribute to a variety of brain function problems. Researchers believe that foods, such as strawberries, blueberries and spinach, provide the brain with extra platoons of antioxidants. These protective molecules can take the free radicals out of commission, ending their assault.]

Related Topics:

Protein Hazard: How to Save Your Liver When You Are on a Diet

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Warning: milk eliminates health benefits of tea

Fruit helps prevent eye disease

Fruit and Vegetable Coloring Compounds may help to fight Cancer

The Cretan Diet: Uncovering Its Heart Health Secrets Through the Ages

Fruit Pomelit helps to prevent Heart Attacks

[Source]

Read More...