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Systemic enzymes, nutrition among alternatives to statins for cardiovascular health |
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National Enzyme News
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Written by Bryan Scribner
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Monday, 01 December 2008 |
Is inflammation – particularly that tied to the biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP) – a more blameworthy culprit than cholesterol for heart disease?
Burgeoning research and analysis points to a plausible connection between CRP and cardiovascular risk, as the indicator of inflammation could signal clogged arteries.
Results of a nearly two-year study, JUPITER (Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention: An Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin), show that the statin drug Crestor significantly cut death risk and the likelihood of heart attack among people with elevated CRP levels. The participants had low cholesterol and no other big cardiovascular risks.
The costly prescription’s ability to reduce high levels of CRP (inflammation) among about 18,000 study participants likely could have contributed to a combined 44 percent decrease in heart-related problems, according to an early November story from The Associated Press.
Inflammation as important as cholesterol
Of note in this study is that people with low or normal cholesterol experience half of all heart attacks, the AP reports, meaning inflammation could play just as significant a role as cholesterol in cardiovascular disease. Factors such as diet, the environment and personality might spur inflammatory chemicals that lead to heart troubles, asserts Rodger Murphree, D.C., in an April article from The American Chiropractor.
However, drugs such as Crestor are far from the only answer in addressing cardiovascular inflammation. In fact, there are several nutritional options that offer an alternative to the statin, which in some people has been found to cause diabetes, liver dysfunction and a rare muscle condition.
One such alternative is systemic enzyme therapy, which has shown to modulate and normalize inflammation.
Nutritional options abound for heart health
In a 1995 study, “Systemic enzyme therapy in diseases of the vascular system,” the author argues that enzyme therapy plays a role in ameliorating inflammation of the blood vessels. Further, the author claims systemic enzyme therapy modulates immune function, as well as provides a preventive and therapeutic effect for thromboses and venous insufficiency.
Other nutritional approaches to cardiac care include magnesium, co-enzyme Q10, L-carnitine and D-Ribose. In a story that questions the role of cholesterol in heart disease, the summer edition of Holistic Primary Care profiles these four important components of the body’s energy processes.
Along with several other benefits, Primary Care reports the nutrients provide the following:
- Magnesium lowers blood pressure and relaxes smooth muscles
- Co-Q10 can stabilize arrhythmias and improve heart function
- L-carnitine can improve angina
- D-Ribose supports proper heart-muscle function
Vitamin C might also support a reduction in cardiovascular inflammation.
Released on the heels of JUPITER, a University of California, Berkeley, study shows that vitamin C supplements lower CRP levels, according to a mid-November story in ScienceDaily. Like in the JUPITER study, healthy participants with elevated CRP levels saw reductions in the inflammatory biomarker.
Similar to results of studies involving cholesterol-lowering statins, the vitamin C trial dropped CRP levels by 0.25 milligrams per liter, compared with about 0.2 for drugs. The UC Berkeley study provided a daily vitamin C dose of 1,000 milligrams.
For participants with CRP levels greater than 2 milligrams per liter, Crestor brought the inflammatory indicator down 37 percent in the JUPITER study. In comparison, the vitamin C study dropped the same CRP levels 34 percent, ScienceDaily reports.
More at EnzymesWork.com …
- Is it a good idea to place children, some with 45-year-old arteries, on “generally safe” cholesterol drugs?
- Lifestyle, diet change might provide actual “prevention” of heart disease among already overmedicated children.
Read on here. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 December 2008 )
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Gluten hiding in your food? Eliminate the guesswork with digestive enzymes |
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National Enzyme News
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Written by Bryan Scribner
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Friday, 21 November 2008 |
Even if they stick to a strictly gluten-free diet, many people sensitive to the protein, or more specifically those with celiac disease, still risk exposure to gluten every time they have a meal or snack.
Although the availability of gluten-free options is skyrocketing, dieters could still consume the protein unexpectedly in foods they might deem safe. After all, the U.S. does not require food manufacturers to test products for gluten content, according to a mid-November story from WebMD.
Fortunately, researchers have developed a new test that quickly identifies gliadin, a gluten protein. The scientists brought the time it takes to test for gluten down from eight hours to 90 minutes, and they are working to make it even faster, WebMD reports.
Until manufacturers are required to screen for gluten; however, simply having a more efficient testing method doesn’t guarantee the protein won’t end up in finished food products.
For that scenario, gluten-free dieters or those sensitive to the protein can turn to digestive enzyme supplements, some of which have special enzymes that help the body break down gluten. In the ProSol™ line, Enzymes, Inc. features a high-potency enzyme supplement, ProSol™ Gluten Digestion,™ formulated specifically for this purpose. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 December 2008 )
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Blood flow abnormalities signal fibromyalgia symptoms |
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National Enzyme News
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Written by Bryan Scribner
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Monday, 10 November 2008 |
A study of 30 women has confirmed that abnormal blood flow in the brains of fibromyalgia patients is directly related to symptoms of the disease, according to an early November WebMD story.
The disorder, characterized by muscle pain and fatigue, affects 2 percent to 4 percent of people, mostly women. In this study, researchers used a brain imaging technique to examine 20 women with, and 10 women without, fibromyalgia.
Subjects with fibromyalgia exhibited blood flow abnormalities in areas of the brain associated with sensing pain and emotion, WebMD reports. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 December 2008 )
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Consumer desire for dietary supplements should remain strong, despite economy |
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National Enzyme News
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Written by Bryan Scribner
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Friday, 07 November 2008 |
It seems most consumers will continue to use dietary supplements during these tough economic times, and confidence in the products remains high, according to a recent survey.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition found the following:
- Half of U.S. adults don’t plan to cut back on supplement use.
- Thirteen percent of consumers “cannot do without” supplements.
- Confidence in the safety, quality and effectiveness of dietary supplements continues to increase among American adults, with 81% expressing trust in the industry’s products.
- Forty-eight percent of consumers now take a variety of supplements regularly, compared with 42 percent last year and 34 percent in 2006.
The dietary supplement industry at large is expected to continue on its growth trend, according to an early October report from marketwatch.com. Sales are forecast to increase nearly 40% within the 2007 to 2012 period, and the industry is expected to be worth $8.5 billion.
As the baby boomer population ages, consumers continue to look for more preventive care options, according to the report. At a time when adverse reports from prescription drug use are at an all-time high, many consumers also are encouraged by the dietary supplement industry’s latest commitments to product safety. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 December 2008 )
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