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Chondroitin Proves Effective in Relieving Hand Osteoarthritis

2011-09-10T15:48:03Z

If you suffer with osteoarthritis in your hands, here’s some good news from FACTS (Finger osteoArthritis Chondroitin Treatment Study). Researchers report that daily supplementation with chondroitin sulfate is both safe and effective in reducing hand pain and improving function in hand osteoarthritis.

In the six-month placebo-controlled, double-blind study, the 80 patients who took 800 mg daily of chondroitin had significantly greater reduction in hand pain compared with 82 patients who took placebo. There’s more good news: chondroitin also was significantly better at improving morning stiffness. Patients who took chondroitin did not, however, see a significant improvement in grip strength compared with placebo.

If you have hand osteoarthritis, you are among the 20 to 30 percent of the more than 27 million people in the United States with osteoarthritis who suffer with this form of the disease. After age 60, more than 50 percent of osteoarthritis patients have osteoarthritis of the hand.

Conventional treatments for hand osteoarthritis include oral and topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen. NSAIDs in particular are problematic: short-term use can cause gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and ulcers. Other side effects may include decreased appetite, rash, dizziness, headache, fluid retention, and drowsiness. Less common but serious side effects include kidney failure, liver failure, perforation of the stomach and intestines, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and prolonged bleeding after surgery or an injury.

Chondroitin, on the other hand, is safe. According to the FACTS’ lead author, Cem Gabay, MD, professor of medicine at the University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland, their finding “confirms previous results showing a good safety profile of chondroitin sulfate.”

If chondroitin has a down side, it’s that you need patience, as it can take several months before you notice an improvement in your symptoms. In FACTS, improvement in hand pain and function began to appear after 3 months of treatment. Considering the overall benefits, however, and that you can take NSAIDs along with chondroitin until the effects of the latter kick in, chondroitin for hand osteoarthritis seems to be a win-win situation.

It is also important to mention that this study was conducted in Europe, where chondroitin is available as a prescription medication and is more tightly regulated, so there is more confidence that the supplement actually contains the stated amount of chondroitin. In the United States, chondroitin is a nonprescription supplement with less regulation. That’s why it is so important to make sure you get your chondroitin from a reliable source.

The next step for chondroitin research is to compare its use outside the regulated environment and to compare it with other therapies for hand osteoarthritis. Joanne M. Jordan, MD, MPH, chief of the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology and director of the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, noted that “comparison of chondroitin sulfate to known effective drugs for hand symptoms would be a logical next step.”

JoMo is a safe and reliable source of 1,200 mg of bovine-derived (not shark-derived) chondroitin, formulated for maximum joint support, cartilage protection, and inflammation management.

Reference

Gabay C et al. Symptomatic effect of chondroitin sulfate 4&6 in hand osteoarthritis the finger osteoarthritis chondroitin treatment study (FACTS). 2011; Arthritis & Rheumatism doi: 10.1002/art.30574

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Get the Most From Your Vitamin D Supplement

2011-09-10T15:48:55Z

How do you know if you are getting all the vitamin D your supplement claims on its label? Unless the product has been analyzed by an impartial laboratory for purity and quality and it comes with a certificate of analysis guarantee, you don’t.

Neither the Food and Drug Administration nor any other state or federal agency routinely evaluates vitamin D or any other nutritional or herbal supplements to ensure their quality. “Quality” means:

• the product contains the amount of the nutrient claimed on the label

• the product is not contaminated with substances such as lead, and

• that supplements in the form of tablets or capsules disintegrate properly in the body

No one likes to get cheated, but when it comes to buying nutritional supplements, consumers are being cheated all the time. Here we focus solely on vitamin D, partly in reaction to a preliminary report from Johns Hopkins University (June 14, 2010), in which a research team from University reported what they found when they evaluated ten over-the-counter vitamin D supplements.

Johns Hopkins Evaluation

Of the ten supplements tested, the Johns Hopkins researchers found that the mean actual dose of vitamin D was only 33.5 percent of what the label claimed. The range of actual vitamin D in the supplements was 0.24 percent to 81.7 percent.

The Hopkins report looked at supplements with labeled doses ranging from 400 IU to 10,000 IU, and they found that the lower-dose products tended to be more true to their claimed amount, although the worst sample in the batch was a 400-IU sample. The ten samples included both national in-store retail brands and online brands.

In the interest of full disclosure, Dr. Norman Haughey at Johns Hopkins, who oversaw the testing of the supplements, reported that their report is preliminary, and that the testing necessary to ensure they extracted all the vitamin D from the samples (called extraction efficiency testing) had not been performed yet.

The Johns Hopkins study was presented at the meeting of the Joint Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers and America’s Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis. Vitamin D supplements are recommended to people who have multiple sclerosis both to help prevent osteoporosis, which is a common complication of the disease, and for its immune system benefits.

ConsumerLab.com Results

ConsumerLab.com conducted its own quality evaluation of 30 vitamin D supplements (some of which also included calcium and/or vitamin K) sold in the United States. Here, in a nutshell, is what the independent lab found:

• Three of the supplements did not pass the test because they contained a lesser amount of other ingredients (calcium and/or vitamin K) than was stated on the labels; that is, the products contained only 63.4 to 87 percent of claimed ingredient(s).

• All 30 products contained the amount of vitamin D listed on the labels, except four in which the levels could not be measured accurately

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

In the United States, the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine has established the recommended daily intake of vitamin D for adults: for ages 19 to 50 it is 200 IU, for those 51 to 70 it is 400 IU, and for those 71 years and older, 600 IU. Many experts agree that these amounts are too low.

The International Osteoporosis Foundation, for example, announced on May 11, 2010, that people who are obese, have osteoporosis, have limited exposure to the sun, or who do not absorb vitamin D well need 2,000 IU daily. Harvard School of Public Health also recently stated that everyone age one year or older should take up to 2,000 IU of vitamin D every day, and that people who have darker skin, who spend winters at high latitudes, and anyone who does not get much exposure to direct sun may need 3,000 to 4,000 IU daily.

Vitamin D is critical for many reasons, including maintaining bone and joint health, supporting prostate health, preventing diabetes and heart disease, and helping prevent certain types of cancer. Pregnant women benefit from higher doses of vitamin D, as do people who have rheumatoid arthritis.

You can get vitamin D in three ways: exposure to sunlight, supplements, and food. Although food sources are not optimal, sunlight and supplements can fill the requirements. In a new report published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the researchers calculated the amount of sun exposure people need so the body can make a sufficient amount of vitamin D. They determined that 10 to 15 minutes at least twice a week to the face, arms, hands or back without sunscreen is usually enough. Where you get this sun exposure and its “quality,” however, make a difference.

For example, if you are a darker skinned Caucasian, to get the equivalent of 1,000 IU of vitamin D requires full sunlight at noon for 6 to 15 minutes if you are in Miami or 9 to 19 minutes during non-winter months if you are in Boston. Sun exposure times are about 33 percent shorter for people who have very fair skin and twice as much for those with dark skin. To get only 400 IU, your time in the sun would be 40 percent as long. However, the researchers concluded that “oral supplements of vitamin D would probably represent the safest way to increase vitamin D status.”

JoMo: The 100% Guaranteed Vitamin D Source

If you rely on JoMo for your daily source of vitamin D, you never have to worry about whether the product contains the 2,000 IU promised on the label—it’s guaranteed. More than 70 percent of supplements fail a basic test of purity, quantity, and quality of ingredients. With JoMo, you never have to worry about these three critical components, because every bottle of JoMo comes with a Certificate of Analysis Guarantee.

Part of that guarantee is the fact that JoMo does not contain any artificial ingredients—no unnatural additives, flavors, colors, sweeteners, or many other chemicals you will see in other supplements (see the JoMo disclosure on what it doesn’t include).

When you take JoMo, you also never have to worry whether a tablet or capsule is breaking down properly in your body: JoMo is a liquid supplement that your body can easily and readily assimilate. No other liquid form of vitamin D on the market provides this high dose of vitamin D along with the highest quality and purity. Guaranteed.

JoMo provides 2,000 IU of guaranteed pure and natural vitamin D in every dose. For overall health as well as bone and joint health, there is no other choice—JoMo.

References

Eckstein C et al. Vitamin D3 content in commercially available oral supplements. CMSC-ACTRIMS 2010; 33-34

Harvard School of Public Health. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vitamin-d/index.html

International Osteoporosis Foundation: http://www.iofbonehealth.org/news/news-detail.html?newsID=327

Terushkin et al. Estimated equivalency of vitamin D production from natural sun exposure versus oral vitamin D supplementation across seasons at two US latitudes. J Am Acad Dermatol 2010; 61(10): 929

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Eating Broccoli Could Prevent Arthritis

2011-09-10T15:49:24Z

Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) are launching a groundbreaking new project to investigate the benefits of broccoli in the fight against osteoarthritis.

Initial laboratory research at UEA has found that a compound in broccoli called sulforaphane blocks the enzymes that cause joint destruction in osteoarthritis – the most common form of arthritis.

Broccoli has previously been associated with reduced cancer risk but this is the first major study into its effects on joint health.

With funding from both Arthritis Research UK and the Diet and Health Research Industry Club (DRINC), the £650,000 project will explore how sulforaphane may act to slow or prevent the development of osteoarthritis. It will prepare the way for the first patient trials and could lead to safe new ways of preventing and treating this painful disease.

Sulforaphane is a bioactive compound found in cruciferous vegetables, particularly broccoli. Eating broccoli leads to a high level of sulforaphane in the blood, but scientists don’t yet know if the sulforaphane gets into joints in sufficient amounts to be effective. This is one of the things that the UEA team hopes to discover.

Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of disability in the UK where it affects around six million people. It is a degenerative joint disease which gradually destroys the cartilage in the joints, particularly in the hands, feet, spine, hips and knees of older people. There is currently no effective treatment other than pain relief or joint replacement.

Prof Ian Clark, of UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, who is leading the research said: “The UK has an aging population and developing new strategies for combating age-related diseases such as osteoarthritis is vital – to improve the quality of life for sufferers but also to reduce the economic burden on society.”

As part of the three-year project, the UEA team will also investigate the effects of other dietary compounds on osteoarthritis, including diallyl disulphide which is found in high amounts in garlic and also appears to slow the destruction of cartilage in laboratory models.

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Vitamin B12 and Bone Health

2011-05-31T15:41:31Z

When people think about how to protect their bone health, calcium is typically the first thing that pops into their minds. But vitamin B12? Well, not so much. However, it may be time to think about this important B vitamin when it comes to preserving your bones.

Vitamin B12 and Bone Studies

Two studies in particular point to a substantial relationship between vitamin B12 and bone health. Epidemiologist Katherine Tucker at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston conducted one of the studies using data from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. She and her colleagues evaluated vitamin B12 blood levels and bone health indicators gathered from 2,576 men and women who ranged in age from 30 to 87 years.

Tucker discovered a link between a deficiency of vitamin B12 and the development of osteoporosis in both men and women and published the findings in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The research team discovered that in both men and women who had levels of vitamin B12 lower than 148 picomoles per liter (pM/L), their risk of osteoporosis was greater than those who had higher levels of the vitamin. Individuals who had B12 levels lower than 148 pM/L also had significantly lower average bone mineral density than those with higher vitamin B12 levels.

In another study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), studied 83 women older than 64 who had participated in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Dr. Katie Stone, who led the UCSF study, and her colleagues evaluated serum samples and hip bone mineral density in the subjects during two- and six-year follow-up examinations.

The researchers found that the women who had the lowest levels of vitamin B12 experienced significantly more rapid bone loss in their hip than women who had higher levels of vitamin B12.

Getting Enough Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is found primarily in animal products, including shellfish, meat, eggs, and dairy foods. It has long been known that this vitamin plays an essential role in the production of red blood cells and in maintaining a healthy nervous system. The vitamin also is involved in the processing of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, and has a repair role with DNA.

An adult needs only 2.4 micrograms per day of vitamin B12. One cup of low-fat yogurt provides more than half of that requirement, while 4 ounces of baked salmon gives you more than 2.4 micrograms. Among people older than 50, however, about 30 percent no longer have the ability to efficiently absorb vitamin B12 from their food because they lack sufficient hydrochloric acid. This stomach acid helps release vitamin B12 from the protein in food and makes it available to the body.

Another complication to consider is that popular medications such as proton pump inhibitors (e.g., Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid) and peptic ulcer drugs (e.g., Tagamet, Zantac), all interfere with B12 absorption. The diabetes drug metformin also affects bone health, because it hinders calcium metabolism and vitamin B12 absoprtion requires calcium.

If the results of these studies are correct, anyone who is concerned about the health of their bones—and that should be everyone!—needs to think about their intake of vitamin B12 to prevent bone loss and the development of osteoporosis. If you do not think you are getting a sufficient amount of vitamin B12 from your diet, especially if you are a vegetarian/vegan, are older than 50, or have some type of malabsorption condition, then you may want to take a sublingual (under the tongue) vitamin B12 supplement, which is the form best absorbed by the body.

Mr. JoMo

References

Stone KL et al. Low serum vitamin B-12 levels are associated with increased hip bone loss in older women: a prospective study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004 Mar; 89(3): 1217-21

Tucker KL et al. Low plasma vitamin B12 is associated with lower BMD: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. J Bone Miner Res 2005 Jan; 20(1): 152-58

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Ten Super Foods For Bone Health

2011-05-31T15:41:31Z

If you want strong, healthy bones, then what you put on your plate really matters. The good news is that you can help improve your bone health with every meal and snack if you include a bone-friendly food. Generally, the best foods for healthy bones are fresh fruits and vegetables and other whole foods, organically grown. Foods that promote your body’s acid/alkaline balance are critical, and this is easy to achieve if you include fruits and veggies. That’s because these foods contain good amounts of nutrients that support that balance, including beta-carotene, fiber, magnesium (RDA, 420 mg), potassium (RDA, 3,500 mg), and vitamin D (RDA, 200 IU).

There’s a lot of emphasis on calcium (RDA, 1,000 mg) for strong bones, but other nutrients are important as well. After all, calcium does not work alone! We’ve already mentioned potassium and magnesium, and we also want to add vitamin K (Adequate Intake, 80 mcg), omega-3 fatty acids (no RDA), and even vitamin B12 (RDA, 2.4 mcg). You will find all of these bone-building nutrients among our ten foods for super bones!

Three other quick recommendations to promote bone health:

Engage in regular weight-bearing exercise
Watch your salt (sodium) intake. Sodium increases calcium losses, with 5 to 10 mg of calcium lost with every gram of salt that you consume.
Skip the soft drinks. Remember, soft drinks = soft bones. Carbonated drinks are high in phosphate, which binds calcium in the intestinal tract and reduces its absorption. Phosphate also forms acid in the blood, and the body then releases calcium from bone into the bloodstream to maintain the calcium-phosphate balance and counteract the acid in the blood.

So, let’s start building healthy bones with ten super foods. Many of these foods can be combined to create extra super bone health treats!

Salmon: One of the most healthful fish, salmon is a favorite among people who like fish and even those who don’t rank this food high on their list of preferred menu items. In addition to its meaty texture and light taste, salmon is an exceptional source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with improved bone density and bone accumulation. The flesh of salmon ranges in color from pink to red to orange, and some varieties are richer in omega-3 fatty acids than others. Chinook and sockeye salmon, for example, contain more of the essential fatty acids than chum. All the way around, salmon packs several bone-building nutrients.

A four-ounce portion of Chinook, baked, with bones, provides about 2 grams omega-3s, 270 mg calcium, 411 IU vitamin D, and 138 mg magnesium. Should you choose wild or farmed? Wild seems the way to go. In a study commissioned by the Pew Foundation, investigators found that farmed salmon had significantly more concentrated toxins, including dioxins and PCBs, than wild salmon. Farmed salmon are also fed antibiotics to help prevent disease and a dye to make their flesh pink. So go wild with salmon and help out your bones!

Collard Greens: This cousin of kale and mustard greens may be one of the best kept secrets of the southern United States. Just one cup of cooked collard greens provides 358 mg calcium, and they are also a good source of magnesium and omega-3s. And when it comes to vitamin K (which has also been named as a contributor to bone health), collard greens virtually explode, providing more than 800% of a person’s daily needs.

As if promoting healthy bones was not enough, collard greens also provide another health benefit. As members of the Brassica family, which includes the cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, they have cancer-fighting compounds called sulforaphane. Lightly steamed with fresh garlic and onions, collard greens are a must for bone and overall health.

Orange Juice (fortified): Orange juice is nearly synonymous with vitamin C, but how about calcium? Many brands of orange juice are now fortified with calcium, providing approximately 30 to 35 percent (300 to 350 mg) of an adult’s recommended daily allowance of the mineral. Oranges naturally contain about 50 mg of calcium, and fortifying OJ with calcium increases this mineral six- to seven-fold.

Here’s another bone-associated benefit from orange juice. In the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer Incidence (EPIC)-Norfolk study, the researchers found that among the more than 25,000 subjects, those who had the highest intake of carotenoids, zeaxanthin, and A-cryptoxanthin (all phytonutrients found in oranges), had a much lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than those who had consumed the least amount. Looks like anyway you squeeze it, orange juice is a great choice for bone and joint health.

Sardines: These nutritious little fish are named after Sardinia, an island off the coast of Italy where they once flourished. Because they are so perishable, the most common way people enjoy sardines is from a can. Sardines are considered a very safe fish to eat, because they consume only plankton, and so they do not accumulate toxins such as mercury and PCBs as many other, larger fish do.

A 3.25 ounce serving of sardines provides 63% of vitamin D, 35% of calcium, and an excellent amount of omega-3s, along with a whopping 137% of vitamin B12, a nutrient that has also been named as possibly contributing to bone health. Sardines are one of the best food sources of vitamin D, which is essential for bone health because it increases the body’s absorption of calcium. Phosphorus is also found in significant levels in sardines, and this mineral is important in strengthening the bone matrix. Let’s not forget the role of vitamin B12. This nutrient helps bring down high levels of homocysteine, a substance that is involved in the development of osteoporosis. That’s a lot of bone-boosting help from such a little fish!

Rice beverage (fortified): You may know it as rice milk, but it isn’t really milk at all. Rice “milk” is a type of beverage that is processed from rice, most often brown rice, and then frequently fortified with extra vitamins and minerals, much like cow’s milk is. Rice beverage tends to be slightly sweet, and this sweetness is the result of enzymatic action that occurs during processing. Commercial rice beverage is made pressing the grains through a mill stream using diffusion, although home recipes may involve the use of rice flour and brown rice protein.

For a bone-healthy beverage that does not contain cholesterol or lactose, fortified rice beverage is a good choice. One 8-ounce serving provides a significant amount of your RDA for calcium (30%), vitamin D (25%), vitamin B12 (25%), and phosphorus (15%). Rice beverage is a popular choice of people who are lactose intolerant, allergic to soy, do not consume dairy products, or who want something delicious, nutritious, and different. Whether you get it plain or flavored with vanilla or chocolate, rice beverage is a healthy choice for your bones.

Figs: If the only time you have eaten figs is when they were served as part of a popular cookie bar, then you are missing out on a real treat. Naturally sweet and delicious both fresh and dried, figs are a member of the mulberry family and come in various colors and textures spanning more than 150 varieties. But figs are more than just a good-tasting fruit: they can also help your bones. Ten fresh figs provide 220 mg calcium, 110 mg magnesium, and 1,480 mg potassium, a mineral that may counteract the increased urinary calcium loss that is caused by the high-salt diet so many Americans follow. Figs also provide 30 mcg vitamin K and 90 mg phosphorus. So much packed into a little fruit!

If you shop for dried figs, look for organic varieties or for those that say “no sulfites.” Sulfur-containing compounds are often added to dried fruit to prevent oxidation and loss of color. Sulfites can cause allergic reactions in a small percentage of the population.

White beans: White beans is a whole class of legumes that includes Cannellini, Great Northern, Michelite, navy, Robust, Sanilac, and others. There is a story behind each of the varieties, such as navy beans, which were a staple food of the United States navy during the early 20^th century. They, along with their cousins, often do not get the recognition they deserve, because they are a powerhouse of nutrition. Not only are white beans an excellent source of virtually fat-free protein, one cup of cooked beans provides nearly 50 percent of your daily requirement for fiber. And then there are the bone-boosting properties of these little white marvels.

Depending on the type of white bean you choose, 1 cup of cooked beans can provide about 161 mg calcium, 113 mg magnesium, 202 mg phosphorus, and 1,004 mg potassium. That’s pretty impressive. And white beans are so versatile, you can include them in soups, salads, stews, bean spreads, casseroles, and let’s not forget baked beans!

Oatmeal, instant: What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “oatmeal”? Childhood? Cold winter mornings? That it can lower cholesterol? We bet you didn’t think of calcium. Yet instant oatmeal is a very good source of calcium, as well as cholesterol-lowering fiber, B-complex vitamins, and iron. It’s so easy to make, even the busiest executive and mom has time to make instant oatmeal in the morning, or even for a snack!

One cup of cooked fortified instant oatmeal provides 187 mg calcium, 61 mg magnesium, 180 mg phosphorus, and 143 mg potassium. You can increase the bone-enhancing quality of oatmeal by adding other ingredients from this list, namely figs and sesame seeds, or even rice beverage. Add a glass of fortified orange juice, and you have done your bones a tremendous favor, all in one meal!

Winged beans: Well-known in the far east, winged beans (also known as princess beans and Goa beans) have winged their way to the United States, and it’s about time. These highly nutritious beans are flat and sport scalloped “wings” along four edges. All parts of the beans are edible, including the pods, the beans inside, the flowers, tubers, and the shoots. Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) lovers say the taste is somewhere between asparagus and snow peas, and they reportedly are great on the grill.

Winged bean pods grow up to 9 inches in length, and encase calcium-rich beans (seeds) that provide a whopping 801 mg of the bone-friendly mineral per 1 cup serving. In fact, winged beans have the highest calcium content of all legumes. The beans are also an excellent source of magnesium (326 mg), phosphorus (821 mg), and potassium (1,778 mg).

Winged beans have not yet made their way into most mainstream grocery stores, but they can be found in Asian markets and natural food stores. Gardeners like winged beans because they are highly resistant to pests and disease. Although winged beans grow mostyly in hot, humid climates such as India, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia, certain varieties are found in abundance in the United States. Let’s hope they wing their way onto your plate soon!

Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds are much, much more than the little seeds that top a loaf of bread or a bun. Since ancient times, dating back to 1600 BC or earlier, sesame seeds have been an honored condiment. Did you know that the phrase “open sesame!” refers to the sesame seed pod, which opens when it matures? What pops out is a real bone-healthy treat!

Sesame seeds have a nutty taste that complements its excellent nutritional value. A mere ¼ cup of these crunchy seeds, roasted or dried, provides 351 mg calcium, 126 mg magnesium, and 226 mg phosphorus. Sesame seeds can be sprinkled on cooked vegetables, tossed into a salad (and the salad dressing!), added to stir-fry, used as a topping for oatmeal and other cereals, and baked into breads. Another way to enjoy the taste and nutrition of sesame seeds is as sesame butter (tahini), which provides about 426 mg calcium per 3.5 ounce serving.

Sesame seeds are always available and an easy way to add more calcium and other bone-boosting nutrients to your diet. Sprinkle some today!

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Vitamin D and Joint Health

2011-05-31T15:41:31Z

We are big believers in vitamin D for joint health at JoMo. In fact the new JoMo formulation now has 2000IU of vitamin D in every dose (see below for some of the dosage recommendations from Harvard and other organizations). Here is some of the latest research on vitamin D as it applies to joint health as well as heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes and colon cancer.

Vitamin D Joint and Bone Health

Vitamin D and calcium work in tandem to improve bone density and reduce the risk of hip and other fractures, and numerous studies have shown this relationship. Vitamin D alone is also essential for promoting calcium absorption and maintaining adequate concentrations of calcium and phosphate to allow normal mineralization of bone. It is also necessary for bone growth and bone repair. Without sufficient intake of vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Sufficient levels of vitamin D prevent rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults, and along with calcium, protects individuals from development of osteoporosis. (National Institutes of Health)

Recent studies in Scotland find that 98 percent of people who had suffered fractures were deficient in vitamin D. Stephen Gallacher, a physician who heads the South Glasgow fracture liaison service, noted that taking a vitamin D supplement can increase bone density by 20 percent in a few months if patients take enough of the vitamin. Dr. Gallacher found that nearly all of the more than 500 older patients with broken hips that he researched had a vitamin D deficiency. (Gallacher 2010)

In a recent (May 2010) meta-analysis from the Netherlands, investigators evaluated data that included 12,658 postmenopausal women, 6,089 of whom received 800 IU vitamin D3 with or without calcium, and 6,569 who received placebo with or without calcium. They found that vitamin D showed a 70 percent probability of being better treatment than placebo for prevention of nonvertebral fractures, hip fractures, and nonvertebral, nonhip fractures. (Bergman 2010)

The Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention-Fracture Prevention Study (OSTPRE-FPS) just published its results in the March 2010 issue of Osteoporosis International. The study included 593 ambulatory postmenopausal women who received either 800 IU vitamin D plus 1,000 mg calcium daily for three years (287 women) or 306 who received no supplement. Investigators found that total body bone mineral density increased significantly more in the women who took the supplements than those in the control group. (Karkkainen 2010)

Results of a 20-study meta-analysis of the efficacy of vitamin D supplements in preventing nonvertebral and hip fractures among individuals age 65 and older was recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. More than 83,000 people participated in the studies, which compared oral vitamin D with and without calcium, and vitamin D with calcium or placebo. Although the amount of vitamin D used in the studies varied, the investigators determined that prevention of nonvertebral fractures with vitamin D depends on the dose, and that a higher dose (482 to 770 IU daily) reduced nonvertebral fracture risk by 20 percent when compared with lower doses. (Bischoff-Ferrari 2009)

In yet another study, the authors of a review of both vitamin D and calcium concluded that supplements of these nutrients (700-800 IU/day of vitamin D; 500-1,200 mg/day of calcium) decreased the risk of falls, fractures, and bone loss in people aged 62 to 85. (Cranney 2007)

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a substance that functions like a vitamin (as a fat-soluble vitamin it is stored in fat tissue in the body), but it is also a hormone. Its many activities include regulating bone health, muscle health, immune system response, insulin and blood sugar levels, and calcium and phosphorus metabolism.

Vitamin D (in the form of D3) is manufactured by the body through exposure to sunlight and it can also be obtained from a limited number of foods, and through supplements. The body also needs co-factors in order to properly utilize vitamin D. These include magnesium, zinc, vitamin K, boron, and small amounts of vitamin A.

Getting Vitamin D

Sunlight

Most people have insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D. One reason for this deficiency is that the main and most efficient way to get enough vitamin D is through exposure to sunlight. According to the Vitamin D Council, the skin produces about 10,000 International Units (IUs) of vitamin D in response to 20 to 30 minutes of summer sun exposure. That’s 50 times more than the US government’s (Institute of Medicine’s) recommendation of only 200 IU.

Unfortunately, modern lifestyles often are not conducive to regular sun exposure for a great number of people. Most people work and spend much of their time indoors, children do not play outside as much as they used to, and older adults are often homebound or have limited access to sunlight. Also, there is a widespread campaign to “cover up” when in the sun that may be another reason for the widespread deficiency.

Diet

Dietary sources of vitamin D are limited. The healthiest and richest food sources of vitamin D are salmon and sardines and, to a lesser extent, 2% cow’s milk, but eating normal amounts of these foods will generally not provide sufficient amounts of vitamin D. Also, food is not the best way to meet the body’s requirements for this vitamin, which is why sunlight exposure and supplements are so important.

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at the National Academies currently recommends 200 IU of vitamin D daily for adults younger than age 50, a dose of 400 IU for adults 50 to 70, and 600 IU for adults ages 71 and older. (These doses are currently under review by the FNB at the IOM, and a report is expected in September 2010, with an anticipated increase in vitamin D recommendations.) Among conventional American medical circles, 30 ng/mL is considered a “normal” blood level of vitamin D. However, many experts from different disciplines believe both these doses and the blood level are much too low and result in deficiency and associated health problems.

For example, a statement released by the International Osteoporosis Foundation on May 11, 2010 noted that adults age 65 and older need up to twice the amount of vitamin D that is generally recommended in the United States, and recommends 800 to 1,000 mg for this age group. The International Osteoporosis Foundation also warned that people who are obese, have osteoporosis, have limited exposure to the sun, or have difficulty absorbing vitamin D should take 50 micrograms (2,000 IU) daily. Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes of Tufts University, who was the lead author of the Foundation’s statement, noted that the “high prevalence of suboptimal levels [of vitamin D] raises the possibility that many falls and fractures can be prevented with vitamin D supplementation.”

Higher doses are also recommended by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). In a recent article, HSPH recommended that everyone older than one year of age take up to 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, and that some people may need 3,000 to 4,000 IU to reach adequate blood levels, especially individuals who have darker skin, those who spend winters at higher latitudes, and anyone who gets little exposure to direct sunlight. (HSPH 2010)

According to the Vitamin D Council and other experts, the ideal blood level of vitamin D is between 50 and 80 ng/mL. Because the majority of people are deficient (at 30 ng/mL or lower), the Council recommends that people take 5,000 IU daily for 2 to 3 months, then ask their healthcare provider for a 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) test to check their levels. Home test kits are also available and may be a more economic choice if you don’t have health insurance or if your insurance does not cover the test. In either case, the test requires just a few drops of blood from a finger or heel, which is then sent to a lab for analysis. Once you know your body’s level of vitamin D, you can adjust your supplement intake until your blood levels are between 50 and 80 ng/mL year round.

Why is this level important? Research shows that the body does not begin to adequately store vitamin D until the nutrient reaches a level of 50 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Below 50 ng/mL, the body uses up the vitamin as fast as it can produce it or take it in. Therefore, people who have “normal” vitamin D levels by American standards are deficient. It can take many months of taking high doses of vitamin D to make up the deficiency. According to the Vitamin D Council, that amount may be 5,000 IU daily, although you should consult your healthcare provider to determine the best dose for your situation.

Vitamin D: A Lesson in Dosing

Results of a study around “super-dosing” of vitamin D were just published, and they serve as an example of “too much of a good thing”. Two scientists commented on the results of the study, in which a single dose of vitamin D (500,000 IU) given to older women increased rather than decreased their risk of falls and fractures. (Dawson-Hughes 2010) The two scientists noted that while this single dose did not provide the hoped-for response (i.e., less falls and related fractures), “there is no evidence that adverse effects of more frequent, lower-dose regimens, so daily, weekly, or monthly dosing with vitamin D3 appears to be the best option for clinicians at this time.” One reason for the increase in fractures was the possibility that the older women actually were feeling “too” good and may have increased their mobility too much as a result of the effects of the vitamin. I doubt whether the researchers had this potential effect in mind when they started their research!

Vitamin D and Colon Cancer

A study conducted by cancer prevention experts at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California revealed that high intake of vitamin D could cut the rates of colorectal cancer by two-thirds. In a study performed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the authors reported that high levels of vitamin D reduce the risk of developing colon cancer by nearly 40 percent. (Jenab 2010)

In an April 2010 published study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, the investigators noted that “all lines of inquiry from observational studies indicate that an association between better vitamin D status and lower colorectal cancer risk exists.” Therefore, improving intake of vitamin D could protect against colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. (Giovannucci 2010) Another study also published in April 2010, this one from Loma Linda University, pointed out that vitamin D insufficiency and colorectal cancer are common among the elderly, and that daily intake of 1,000 IU of vitamin D can increase serum levels of the vitamin sufficiently in most older persons which may substantially lower the incidence of this type of cancer. (Rheem 2010)

Prostate Health

Although the issue remains controversial, some researchers have found evidence that a vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of developing prostate cancer. In the British Journal of Urology International, investigators reported that men with prostate cancer were more likely to have low levels of vitamin D compared with men who did not have the disease. (Trump 2009)

Also, in a smaller study published in BJU International in November 2009, 26 men who had prostate cancer were given a daily dose of vitamin D. The PSA levels in five men declined: two by more than 50 percent, two by 25 to 50 percent, and in one by less than 25 percent. In the remaining patients, their PSA levels stabilized after treatment with vitamin D for up to 36 months. (Newsom-Davis 2009)

Vitamin D may also impact the prostate in another way. At least one study has reported that a low level of vitamin D circulating in the blood is linked to a greater risk of having an enlarged prostate. (Galic 2008)

Heart Disease

At Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, cardiologist J.B. Muhlestein, MD, recently found that patients who raised their blood levels of vitamin D after they had been diagnosed as being deficient reduced their risk of having a heart attack by 33 percent, their risk of heart failure by 20 percent, and their chances of dying from any cause by 30 percent. His results prompted him to encourage physicians to recommend vitamin D supplements to patients who have low vitamin D levels, as he believes it may lower their risk of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Muhlestein presented his findings at the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta in March 2010.

In an earlier study, also by Dr. Muhlestein and presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Conference in Orlando, Florida, in November 2009, he reported that low levels of vitamin D can significantly increase a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and death, even among people who do not have a history of heart disease. Muhlestein and his colleagues followed 27,686 people age 50 and older who had no prior history of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D levels were measured in all the participants. The researchers found that participants who had very low vitamin D levels (<15 ng/mL) were 78 percent more likely to have a stroke, 77 percent more likely to die, and 45 percent more likely to develop coronary artery disease than people who had normal levels (>30 ng/mL). Individuals who had very low levels were also twice as likely to develop heart failure as participants who had normal vitamin D levels. (Muhlestein 2009)

Researchers at the University of Genova found that nearly all 90 elderly patients who had chronic heart failure had vitamin D deficiency. (Ameri 2010) In a review of 17 prospective studies and randomized trials, investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health found consistent reductions in cardiovascular disease mortality among adults who took vitamin D supplements at moderate to high doses (about 1,000 IU daily). (Wang 2010)

Diabetes

Vitamin D may also improve insulin resistance and sensitivity, which are risk factors for diabetes. In a double-blind, controlled study conducted in New Zealand, researchers studied 81 South Asian women ages 23 to 68 who had insulin resistance. (von Hurst 2010) Half of the women were given 4,000 IU vitamin D3 daily for six months and the other half were given placebo. At the end of the six months, the women who had taken vitamin D had significant improvement in both insulin resistance and sensitivity compared with women in the placebo group. The best results were seen in women who had blood levels of vitamin D in the range of 80 to 119 nmol/L. The Vitamin D Council notes that the optimal blood levels is at least 125 nmol/L (50 ng/mL), yet most Americans have levels less than 30 ng/mL.

In another study, conducted at Warwick Medical School in the United Kingdom, researchers evaluated 28 studies that included nearly 100,000 men and women from various ethnic groups. (Parker 2010) They found that adults who had the highest blood levels of vitamin D reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 55 percent and their risk of cardiovascular disease by 33 percent.

The list of health issues associated with vitamin D posted here is not even the whole story: research indicates that low levels of vitamin D may be associated with the risk of depression, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and schizophrenia, and may improve physical performance, reduce chronic pain, and improve mood in older adults.

A vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency is easily remedied: some sunlight and a good vitamin D3 supplement taken on a daily basis, followed up with a vitamin D test to ensure you are on the right track. Proper vitamin D levels help not only your joints, but your overall health as well.

Mr JoMo

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Women Need More Vitamin D During Pregnancy

2011-05-31T15:41:31Z

We are big believers in Vitamin D at JoMo. That’s why the next batch of JoMo will now include 2000IU’s in every dose, the highest dose of vitamin in any liquid joint supplement. While we love vitamin D for its bone health, arthritis support and anti-cancer properties as well as its benefits for rheumatoid arthritis, a new study also shows that during pregnancy, women should take ten times the amount of the current RDA of 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D.

The new recommended dose of 4,000 IU of vitamin D comes from Carol L. Wagner, MD, a pediatric researcher at Medical University of South Carolina, and her team, which included vitamin D expert Bruce W. Hollis, PhD. At this dose, pregnant women can protect themselves against the risk of preterm labor, preterm birth, and infections.

Dr. Wagner and her colleagues presented their findings at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The authors arrived at the new recommended dose of vitamin D by evaluating 494 pregnant women at 12 to 16 weeks’ gestation. The women were randomly assigned to receive one of the following doses of vitamin D daily until delivery: 400 IU, 2,000 IU, or 4,000 IU. None of the pregnant women reported any adverse effects at any of their monthly evaluations.

When the researchers assessed the effects of vitamin D supplementation on pregnancy complications, they found that the women who were “replete in vitamin D” were much less likely to experience preterm labor, preterm birth, or infections than women who had lesser amounts of the vitamin. Since the highest dose of vitamin D was responsible for these benefits, the authors recommended that all pregnant women take 4,000 IU during pregnancy.

Many studies have shown that most people do not get nearly enough vitamin D, which places them at risk for a number of serious health problems, including osteoporosis, depression, some forms of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and more. Although the best source of vitamin D is the sun’s ultraviolet light, the majority of people do not get enough sunlight exposure.

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is a significant health issue, one that can be overcome if pregnant women take vitamin D supplements to protect both themselves and their babies.

JoMo is an easy way for pregnant women to supplement their vitamin D intake every day and at the same time, support joints which are under a heavy load due to pregnancy weight.

Mr. JoMo

Reference

American Academy of Pediatrics (2010, May 2). Researchers recommend pregnant women take 4,000 IU vitamin D a day. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 2, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2010/05/100501013417.htm

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Cherry Juice for Athletic Recovery and Inflammation Management

2011-05-31T15:41:31Z

A new study from Northumbria University indicates that runners who drank cherry juice experienced a faster recovery than athletes who downed a placebo.

The study centered around runners in the London Marathon, 20 of whom drank either a tart cherry blend juice made from Montmorency cherries or a placebo twice daily for five days before they ran the race. After the race they continued the twice-a-day juice or placebo habit for two additional days.

According to Dr. Glyn Howaston, exercise physiologist and Laboratory Director in the School of Psychology and Sports Sciences at Northumbria University, the cherry juice consumers recovered their strength more rapidly than the placebo group over the 48 hours following the marathon.

The cherry juice drinkers also experience less inflammation and oxidative stress, a potentially damaging response to vigorous or strenuous exercise. Overall, a little cherry juice appears to go a long way toward muscle function recovery after endurance exercise.

What makes Montmorency cherries so beneficial? Dr. Howatson says it’s the phytochemicals. “In particular, anthocyanins found in Montmorency cherries have anti-inflammatory and antioxidating properties.”

Dr. Howatson believes his cherry findings, which appeared in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, may extend to help other people, such as those who have inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

“People are increasingly looking at natural remedies, or nutraceuticals, to treat their conditions,” he says, “and scientific studies, such as the research into tart cherries, examine the potentially untapped treatment held in natural resources.”

So whether you run a marathon or a 10K or you just run to catch a bus, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidating benefits of cherries seem to be getting more and more support for their health benefits. JoMo by the way has an ORAC value of 32,619 and provides concentrated servings of black cherry and pomegranate juice antioxidants for inflammation management. You can read more on Diet, Arthritis and Joint Pain here, and more on the natural ingredients (including ultra concentrated black cherry) in JoMo here.

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White Tea, Arthritis and Bone Health

2011-05-31T15:41:31Z

Black, oolong, green, and white tea all come from the Camellia sinensis tea plant, yet they are not the same, and the difference begins the moment the teas are picked.

White tea begins its journey to your tea cup when the plant sports a greater proportion of buds to leaves. These buds are covered with whitish hairs, which is where the tea gets its name. Once the white tea buds and young leaves are picked, they are steamed and dried rapidly, just enough to stop oxidation (oxidation occurs in different levels in green and black teas, giving them their respective color and flavor).

The result is a tea that is barely processed, which allows it to hold onto high concentrations of the potent polyphenols called catechins. All other teas undergo more processing than white tea, which reduces their level of catechins (e.g., epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate [EGCG]), those potent antioxidants for which white and green tea are well known.

Many claims have been made about the health virtues of white tea, but some of them lack scientific evidence to support them. One reason for the scarcity of information is that more studies have been conducted using the more readily available green and black teas. White tea is also more costly than its cousins.

Advocates of white tea say it can lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, help with weight loss, fight viruses and bacteria, support healthy gums, build strong bones, and fight cancer. There are some studies to support several of these claims, and here are a few of them.

White Tea and Cancer

At the 219th national meeting of the American Chemical Society about a decade ago, researchers from Oregon State University conducted an analysis and reported that white tea had more catechins than other teas. (Santana-Rios 2001) Armed with that information, they decided to test the cancer-fighting abilities of white tea using the Salmonella test, which identifies whether a substance can cause or prevent mutations in DNA, which is an early step in cancer. They discovered that white tea inhibited mutations more effectively than did green tea. The scientists attributed this superior result to the higher proportion of catechins in white tea than in green.

In another study, researchers at Ohio University Southern looked at the impact of white tea, green tea, and caffeine in a colon cancer model and found that white tea helped inhibit proliferation of early lesions in the colon. (Carter 2007)

Tea and Bone Health

The case for white tea in support of bone health is a bit less direct, but if you extrapolate the study results for green tea, which has a lower concentration of polyphenols than white tea, the connection seems clear.

A recent Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center study explored the impact of green tea polyphenols on bone in rats. (Shen 2010) The researchers found that supplementation improved bone integrity by suppressing bone erosion and modulating the bone matrix, which resulted in a larger net bone volume.

Dozens of studies have explored the relationship between catechins (especially EGCG) and bone health, using animal models. The studies typically use green tea rather than white, but again, the leap is not hard to make. One of the most recent comes from the University of Tsukuba, where scientists examined the effect of EGCG on bone cells and found that the catechins reduced osteoclast formation (bone cells that remove bone tissue), thus suppressing bone resorption. The researchers concluded that EGCG “can be used as an effective medicine in the treatment of the symptoms of osteoporosis.” (Kamon 2009)

When shopping for white tea, choose loose-leaf, which is superior in flavor and quality than bagged teas. Brew 2 teaspoons of loose-leaf tea per 8-ounce cup of very hot, but not boiling, water. For average strength, steep for 3 to 5 minutes; if you like a stronger tea, go a few minutes longer. White tea contains somewhat less caffeine than other teas: approximately 15 mg per serving compared with 40 mg for black tea and 20 mg for green. Unlike the slightly grassy taste of green tea, white tea is lighter and sweeter.

Posted by Mr. JoMo

References

Carter O, Dashwood RH, Wang R, Dashwood WM, Orner GA, et al. Comparison of white tea, green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, and caffeine as inhibitors of PhlP-induced colonic aberrant crypts. Nutr Cancer 2007; 58(1): 60-65

Kamon M, Zhao R, Salamoto K. Green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin gallate suppressed the differentiation of murine osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Cell Biol Int 2009 Dec 16; 34(1): 109-16

Santana-Rios G, Orner GA, Amantana A, Provost C, Wu SY, Dashwood RH. Potent antimutagenic activity of white tea in comparison with green tea in the Salmonella assay. Mutat Res 2001 Aug 22; 495(1-2): 61-74

Shen CL, Yeh JK, Samathanam C, Cao JJ, et al. Green tea polyphenols attenuate deterioration of bone microarchitecture in female rats with systemic chronic inflammation. Osteoporos Int 2010 Mar 20

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Rheumatoid Arthritis and Vitamin D

2011-05-31T15:41:31Z

Listen up, ladies (and guys too, even though the study doesn’t mention you): Boston researchers say that women who live in the northern latitudes are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than their friends living down south.

Dr. Veronica Vieira, MS, DSc, associate professor of environmental health at Boston University School of Public Health says “This might be related to the fact that there’s less sunlight in these areas, which results in a vitamin D deficiency.”

Dr. Vieira and her team arrived at their conclusion by looking at data from the Nurses’ Health Study, the single largest cohort study of women ever done. The researchers based their findings on 461 women who had rheumatoid arthritis and compared their data with a control group of 9,220 women.

When the investigators looked at where the women lived, their health outcomes, and behavioral risk factors, they found that living up north was a risk for rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that attacks the lining of the joints, mostly in the knees and hands. It is characterized by pain, joint inflammation and redness, and joint stiffness. The condition is three times more common in women than in men. Read more on rheumatoid arthritis here

Many people know that the body produces vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, but it’s also a fact that most people just don’t get enough rays. And a lack of exposure to enough sunlight and the vitamin D deficiency that results in many cases has been associated with a variety of health problems, including other autoimmune diseases.

“A geographic association with northern latitudes has also been observed for multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease, other autoimmune diseases that may be mediated by reduced vitamin D from decreased solar exposure,” noted the study’s authors.

So, although the authors “hadn’t given latitudes much thought,” they now believe that further research is needed to explore the relationship between vitamin D exposure and the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

While they’re doing their research, everyone should make sure—women and men alike—to get enough vitamin D. Fifteen to twenty minutes of midday sun 3 to 4 times a week, a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement, and healthy food sources (e.g., salmon, cod, shrimp) can do the trick. In fact, 20 minutes in the sun can deliver up to 10,000IU’s of vitamin D which is a massive amount based on recommended dosages. So enjoy the sun but don’t get too much so as to put you at risk for skin cancer. And remember, JoMo has 1000IU of vitamin D in every dose so its an easy way to get a boost every day!!

Mr. JoMo

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