News
Vitamin E and Health - The 2004 NYAS Conference
The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) held a conference on Vitamin E and Health in Boston on May 22-24th. This conference includes leaders in vitamin E research from across the world and members of the Yasoo Health team were in attendance. The last meeting held by the NYAS on Vitamin E was in 1989 so there was a lot of new research material presented (including work done in conjunction with our very own Dr. Andreas Papas) and a lively discussion on the role of vitamin E in our body. This newsletter will focus on some of the topics of discussion at this meeting to keep you at the leading edge of knowledge on this versatile vitamin.
The research presented focused mostly on basic science research. I will review some of the general concepts that were presented in the basic science presentation that may be of interest to you. Then we'll highlight some of the new clinical studies that are yet unpublished and some that have been recently published.
Basic Science
One of the main topics of discussion was how vitamin E works in the human body. We know that vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and can scavenge harmful free radicals that damage our tissue, cells, proteins and DNA. However, in recent years, research has shown that vitamin E also works in other ways. Vitamin E also works by modifying cell signaling and gene expression - this means that vitamin E can affect the internal functions of cells and the messages that they send to one another. This knowledge may explain how vitamin E may be beneficial in reducing the incidence of certain cancers or delaying the progression of Alzheimer's.
There was a lot of focus on gamma-tocopherol at this meeting. We have mentioned before that research shows that gamma-tocopherol can scavenge nitrogen free radicals to a much greater degree than alpha-tocopherol. We have also mentioned that gamma-tocopherol is the predominant form in food but is present at concentrations 4 times smaller than alpha in blood and tissues. Gamma-tocopherol is more rapidly converted than alpha to certain metabolites that may have protective properties. More research to examine the properties of these metabolites is underway.
The tocotrienols also function by means other than their antioxidant capacity and were shown to affect cancer cell growth by altering the genes expressed. Researchers showed that the tocotrienols can prevent the death of nerve cells.
In summary, all the 8 members of the vitamin E family work as antioxidants but also work in ways that affect how our cells function. This research may explain why vitamin E exhibits anti-inflammatory properties or anti-cancer properties that are unique to it and not present in other antioxidants. Researchers are continuing to discover how vitamin E functions in the body and more research is needed to fully understand the potential of this family of compounds.
Clinical Research
Respiratory Infections
Dr. Meydani presented research, soon to be published, that adds to the body of literature that vitamin E can decrease respiratory infections in the elderly. This double-blind placebo controlled study showed that daily supplementation with vitamin E reduced the rate of respiratory infections in 640 elderly nursing home residents over the course of one year. Basic science supports this research as vitamin E has been shown to boost the immune system.
Pre-Eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that occurs in 4% of pregnancies and is associated with high blood pressure and protein in the urine. This condition can lead to more severe symptoms including seizures, organ dysfunction and death. These researchers found that a combination of vitamin C and E reduced the risk of pre-eclampsia in a placebo randomized study of 283 pregnant women at high risk of this disease. A large study of 2400 high risk women is under way in the United Kingdom to validate these results.
Cognitive Decline
A study of 2889 community residents, aged 65 to 102 years, followed for 18 months on average showed that those persons in the highest level of vitamin E intake had a 36% reduction in the rate of decline of cognitive function including memory. This association was not present for vitamin C or beta-carotene. The effect of vitamin E on cognitive function has been shown in many cross-sectional and observational studies. Of course, vitamin E was also shown to be of benefit in Alzheimer's disease in an interventional study.
Muscle Soreness
Scientists presented evidence that vitamin E can reduce muscle soreness at the annual Experimental Biology 2002 conference. Exercise, although very healthy and beneficial, results in the production of a significant amount of harmful free radicals that can damage muscle tissue. In this study, researchers had men aged 23 to 35, and older men aged 66 to 78, take 1000 mg of vitamin E or placebo for three months. Both age groups taking vitamin E reported less muscle soreness with young men benefiting the most.
Atherosclerosis
In this study, 520 people ages 45-69 with high cholesterol were given 270 IU of natural vitamin E, 500 mg of vitamin C over a six year period. Measurements of carotid artery thickness (the arteries that supply the brain) were reduced 25% in those taking supplementation versus the unsupplemented group. Thickening of these arteries can lead to stroke and is a marker for other atherosclerotic disease such as coronary artery disease or peripheral vascular disease.
Yasoo Health Inc. Completes Phase I NIH Grant
July 23, 2003- Yasoo Health has successfully completed a Phase I nutrient and phytochemical research protocol for Cystic Fibrosis funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Yasoo Health is pursuing a $750,000 NIH Phase II NIH grant to further its research in disease treatment for Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States and leads to life-threatening lung infections. A defective gene causes secretions that obstruct the pancreas, preventing digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines to help break down and absorb food.
"This award from the National Institutes of Health enables Yasoo Health to validate the concept of overcoming malabsorption and improving the quality of life of Cystic Fibrosis patients", stated Dr. Andreas Papas, President of Yasoo Health. "We are excited about this opportunity to validate a unique technology that can be applied in the management of other chronic diseases".