April 11, 2012
SPRING SALE: Supplements from New York Buyers’ Club
It’s time for our SPRING SALE at the New York Buyers’ Club nonprofit nutritional supplements co-op.You’ll get 10% off the already low prices on NYBC’s extensive catalog of supplements, especially selected for quality and for evidence-based effectiveness in supporting health. Among the products on sale: SuperNutrition multivitamins; Nordic Natural fish oils; Jarrow brand CoQ10, B-right complex, Jarrodophilus, and glucosamine chondroitin; Green Vibrance (Vibrant Health); acetylcarnitine, NAC, and alpha lipoic acid (Montiff); and many others.
Just go to the NYBC online store at
and use coupon code COUP10 when you check out.
Place your order soon–this offer EXPIRES APRIL 30.
Questions? Call us toll-free at 800 650-4983, or email us at contact.nybc@newyorkbuyersclub.org
March 16, 2012
New FDA warnings on statins; NYBC reviews supplements to support cardiovascular health
In February 2012 the FDA added new safety warnings about statins, the cholesterol-lowering medications that are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. The side effects cited by the FDA include memory loss, muscle pain (myopathy), and now a significant diabetes risk as well. Reports of memory loss, confusion, and forgetfulness were found in all types of patients taking statins, according to the new warnings.
In addition, a 2011 review in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine concluded that statin-related muscle pain was much more common than previously reported. (The main reason: clinical trials of statins often eliminated patients more likely to develop muscle pain as a side effect of the medication.) The same article estimated that muscle pain as a side effect may help explain why up to 25% of adults stop taking statins within six months, and up to 60% stop taking them within two years.
There is good evidence that statins can be valuable in preventing heart disease, and there is widespread consensus that they remain a crucial option for many dealing with cardiovascular disease and risk. However, it’s also more evident than ever that statin side effects are significant. And given the side effects, there is some disagreement among doctors about what cholesterol levels should call for treatment with statins, and what levels can better be dealt with through changes in diet or exercise habits.
It’s a complex subject and of course involves many individual factors including age, family history and blood pressure, so, as you’d expect, NYBC advocates that everyone make decisions about how best to manage cardiovascular risk and disease in consultation with their healthcare provider.
Given the new FDA warnings about statins, NYBC also believes that it’s more important than ever for people to be aware of the potential of dietary supplements in supporting cardiovascular health. Here are some of the supplements we often recommend for consideration:
–Plant products called sterols have been shown to inhibit cholesterol. See, for example, Douglas Labs’ Cardio-Edge.
–Fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids). Research has found a strong effect on lowering triglycerides, one measure associated with cardiovascular risk. Recommended to support cardiovascular health by the American Heart Association.
–Flaxseed: 40-50 grams per day can have a substantial impact on cholesterol.
–Pomegranate concentrate. Needs more study, though recent research found that diabetic patients taking pomegranate concentrate were able to lower their cholesterol significantly.
Finally, if you are taking statins, consider supplementing to lessen the risk of certain side effects. A 2011 research report suggested that Vitamin D deficiency might contribute to muscle pain caused as a side effect of statins, and that supplementing with the sunshine vitamin could reverse that side effect. (Reference: Glueck, C J et al. Curr Med Res Opin. (2011 Sep). “Vitamin D deficiency, myositis-myalgia, and reversible statin intolerance”) Also, a 2007 pilot study suggested that the supplement CoQ10, used to support cardiovascular health in a variety of contexts, could diminish statin-related myopathy and improve a person’s ability to continue normal daily activities. (Reference: Caso, Giuseppe. Am J Cardiol. 2007 May 15. “Effect of coenzyme q10 on myopathic symptoms in patients treated with statins”)
For more on Vitamin D and CoQ10 see the NYBC entries:
March 14, 2012
Changing diet reduces risk of dyslipidemia (abnormal blood fats) in people with HIV starting antiretroviral treatment
Switching to a diet that concentrates on fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains was found in a recent study to very significantly reduce the risk of people with HIV developing dyslipidemia when they started antiretroviral treatment. Dyslipidemia is an abnormal amount of fats (such as cholesterol) in the blood. It is generally associated with an increase in risk of cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidemia is one of the side effects frequently found with HIV drugs (protease-inhibitors and nonnucleoside-reverse-transcriptase inhibitors).
The study followed two groups of HIV+ people who were beginning antiretroviral therapy: one group switched to the high-fiber, low-fat diet, and the other group did not. After one year, 68% of the group that did not change its diet had developed dyslipidemia, while only 21% of the group that changed its diet had.
The study was reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, and was accompanied by an editorial that commented:
“it is likely that patients living with HIV infection who do not eat too much (ie, calorie restriction) and who eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains (ie, high-fiber, low-cholesterol, and low-fat foods that keep the ‘bowels soft’) will benefit by avoiding illness and improving quality of life […]For patients living with HIV infection, avoiding dyslipidemia also avoids, or at least delays, use of lipid-lowering medications [such as statins], which are expensive and are complicated to use in patients on HAART.”
Quite a lot of advantages!
References:
1. Lazzarretti RK, Kuhmmer R, Sprinz E, et al. Dietary intervention prevents dyslipidemia associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected individuals. J Am Coll Cardiol 2012; 59:979-988.
2. Stein JH. Nutritional intervention to prevent dyslipidemia in patients starting antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus. J Am Coll Cardiol 2012; 59:989-990.
March 12, 2012
Placing a Bet on Vitamin D: Jane Brody in the New York Times
The “Well” Blog in our hometown newspaper, The New York Times, frequently deals with nutritional supplements, and sometimes expresses a bit more skepticism about their value than we believe is merited. So we were interested to see this post by author Jane Brody, which gives a rather sympathetic profile of a doctor and public health specialist who is “placing a bet on Vitamin D”:
…Dr. Kevin A. Fiscella, a public health specialist and family physician at the University of Rochester, has decided to take 1,000 international units of vitamin D each day, based on data from his studies linking racial disparities in vitamin D levels to disease risk and his belief that “it can’t hurt and it may help.”
In an interview, Dr. Fiscella emphasized that his findings strongly suggest, but do not prove, that vitamin D deficiencies cause or contribute to diseases like colorectal cancer, high blood pressure and kidney and heart disease, which affect black Americans at higher rates than whites. The findings are bolstered by known biological effects of vitamin D and by the fact that widespread vitamin D deficiencies occur among blacks living in the Northern Hemisphere.
Read the full blog entry at
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/12/reasons-to-place-a-bet-on-vitamin-d/?hp
For more on Vitamin D dosage recommendations, see NYBC’s entries for this very inexpensive supplement:
February 13, 2012
National Institutes of Health: How Resveratrol Works
Resveratrol, a compound found most famously in red wine, is the subject of a Feb. 13, 2012 news release by the National Institutes of Health. The NIH reports on a new study that identified the precise biochemical mechanism in the body that seems to be responsible for resveratrol’s ability to mitigate the harmful health effects of a high-fat diet.
One of the earliest reasons for scientific interest in resveratrol was the perception that people who drank a lot of red wine could also eat a relatively high fat diet, yet still have a rather low risk of cardiovascular disease. (This was the so-called “French paradox,” much discussed in the US media in the early 1990s.) The current NIH-supported study found evidence that resveratrol affects specific biochemical pathways that block the ill effects of a high-fat diet, such as obesity, glucose intolerance, and, potentially, the development of Type 2 diabetes. (Type 2 diabetes, in turn, is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.)
This NIH-supported study follows a pattern we’ve often seen before: the health benefits of a natural product are noted in general population studies, and eventually laboratory science allows us to home in on the exact mechanisms by which the natural substance works. Needless to say, we’re all for this kind of research to confirm and refine our knowledge of supplements!
Read more about the resveratrol study at:
http://www.nih.gov/researchmatters/february2012/02132012resveratrol.htm
You can find resveratrol in two forms at the NYBC. (Resveratrol Synergy adds some of the additional parts of the grape that are thought to have health benefits, and combines those with green tea extract, another food extract that researchers believe may have health benefits.)
February 7, 2012
The Virtues of Pomegranate
NYBC’s buyers’ co-op stocks Pomegranate Juice Concentrate (Jarrow) Each bottle, 12 oz (355 ml) of 100% pomegranate juice concentrate. This concentrate is really thick, so you are getting a lot of the pomegranate in a bottle!
Pomegranate is one of Nature’s most powerful sources of antioxidants, with an antioxidant power greater than that of blueberries and strawberries. Various studies suggest that pomegranate’s antioxidants may help to improve the level of glutathione in cells. (Glutathione is sometimes called the “master antioxidant” for its role in controlling many damaging inflammatory responses in the body.) Specifically, pomegranate may support blood vessel health and counteract the oxidative processes of atherosclerosis (“hardening of the arteries”)
A related product: Cardio-Edge (Douglas Labs). This combination supplement was devised by Douglas Labs following recent research attention to “plant sterols” and other botanical substances that can support healthy cholesterol levels. Cardio-Edge also includes pomegranate (for support of cardiovascular health, as mentioned above), and Sytrinol (a proprietary extract obtained from citrus and palm fruits).
Reference: Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, et al. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clinical Nutrition 2004; 23:423-233.
January 12, 2012
Vitamin D and racial disparity in blood pressure
An article published in 2011 suggested that low Vitamin D levels may contribute to higher rates of hypertension (high blood pressure) among African Americans. Higher rates of hypertension in turn produce higher rates of cardiovascular disease and its related mortality. The article examined existing data on blood pressure and detected a significant link between lower levels of Vitamin D and higher risk of hypertension in African Americans. The authors note that Vitamin D level did not emerge as the sole factor explaining racial disparity in blood pressure (other factors include lack of access to healthcare, diet, and stress). They also call for trials to determine if supplementation can impact high blood pressure risk.
Read the article: Racial disparity in blood pressure: is vitamin D a factor?
See further information about Vitamin D and cardiovascular health on this Blog, or in the NYBC entries under Vitamin D3 at
http://nybcsecure.org/index.php?cPath=25&sort=3a&page=2
August 29, 2011
Antioxidant Optimizer: broad spectrum antioxidant formula
NYBC now stocks Antioxidant Optimizer from Jarrow Formulas, a broad spectrum antioxidant supplement that provides a blend of water and fat soluble antioxidants ( meaning they are widely absorbed in the body), including:
Lutein and lycopene, which protect the eyes, cardiovascular system, breast, cervical, and other tissues and organs;
and
Green tea extract, olive fruit extract, grape seed extract, and milk thistle, which support liver health and cardiovascular system health.
For more details, see the NYBC entry:
Yes, you’ll also notice that NYBC’s nonprofit co-op price for this product is very reasonable!
August 18, 2011
Resveratrol and Resveratrol Synergy supplements
We were interested to see in today’s online edition of our hometown newspaper, The New York Times, a news report on the latest research about resveratrol and related compounds:
“Drug Is Found to Extend the Lives of Obese Mice”
The article points to the promise of continuing research on resveratrol derivatives, while also reviewing some of the questions that remain before large-scale human trials of the sort that can lead the breakthroughs in drug development. One of NYBC’s concerns, as always, has been that the real benefits of the non-prescription supplement itself could be ignored in the quest for some patentable super-drug (which would undoubtedly make the pharmaceutical company rich, no doubt!)
So, to review, there have been a number of research developments in just the past couple of years about the basic resveratrol molecule itself–the very same one that you can find in supplements now stocked by NYBC. Here’s an excerpt from our post earlier this year:
For a while it seemed like the excitement about resveratrol–the molecule famously found in red wine–had died down.
A few years ago widely publicized studies showed that resveratrol had potential as a life-extending supplement (it showed that capacity in lab animals). And there was buzz when companies raised hundreds of millions in venture capital to explore the possibilities further. One catch with that high-profile research was that it involved very high doses of resveratrol. (The equivalent of drinking hundreds of bottles of red wine a day!)
However, in just the past couple of years, scientific interest has come back to resveratrol, and this time it is pointing to substantial health benefits without those massive doses.
First, cardiovascular health. In 2009, a Univ. of Wisconsin research team reported that low doses of resveratrol in the diet of middle-aged mice could have many of the same effects as the high dose reseveratrol, especially in terms of protecting heart health. Second, in 2010, Johns Hopkins researchers reported on a mechanism by which resveratrol shielded mice from stroke damage to the brain. A single small dose of the compound increased levels of an enzyme that protects nerve cells in the brain from damage when blood flow is disrupted by stroke.
It’s also just been announced that the scientific research organization of Denmark will run a multi-year study of resveratrol for diabetes. This announcement follows the news from December 2010 that our hometown Albert Einstein Medical Center has been awarded an NIH grant, also for a study of resveratrol and diabetes.
All in all, resveratrol seems to remain a very promising research topic!
You can find resveratrol in two forms at the NYBC. (Resveratrol Synergy adds some of the additional parts of the grape that are thought to have health benefits, and combines those with green tea extract, another food extract that researchers believe may have health benefits.)
August 4, 2011
CoQ 10, gum disease and cardiovascular health
Yes, your dentist is right: brushing with a good toothpaste (such as one with baking soda), flossing, and regular checkups can keep your smile bright–and also, very importantly, can help prevent gum disease. But did you know that the supplement CoQ 10 has also been found effective in fighting gum disease?
First, a few words about gum disease: the most widespread form, afflicting up to 30% of adults, is gingivitis, an inflammation and bleeding around the teeth that accompanies plaque buildup. If left unchecked, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, which is characterized by more severe infection and abscesses around the teeth, and tooth loss.
As early as the 1970s it was recognized that CoQ10 could counteract gum disease, and quite quickly. Research found that CoQ10 doses of 50 mg – 75 mg a day halted deterioration of the gums and promoted healing, often within days of beginning therapy. In a carefully controlled trial, 50 mg per day of CoQ10 was notably more effective than placebo in reducing symptoms of gingivitis after three weeks of treatment (Wilkinson EG et al, 1976).
And there’s more: research from the just past few years has highlighted a surprising connection between gum disease and cardiovascular disease. One study found that 91% percent of patients with cardiovascular disease also suffered from moderate to severe gum disease (Geerts SO et al 2004). Researchers now believe that the inflammation associated with gum disease triggers the release of pro-inflammatory chemicals into the bloodstream, which provokes a systemic inflammatory response. It’s also very suggestive that many of the same factors that increase the risk for heart disease also increase the risk for periodontal disease, including C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and cholesterol (Wu T et al 2000).
So here’s your bonus: CoQ 10 has a good track record of helping fight gingivitis and preventing the progression of gum disease. But, by fighting off gum disease with this supplement and all the other means mentioned above, you may also be reducing your cardiovascular risk. Isn’t that something to smile about?
NYBC stocks CoQ10 in several formats. See the entry below, which also provides detailed recommendations for use of this supplement:
July 28, 2011
News about Niacin
You may have read worried news reports earlier this year about a study of niacin + a statin drug used to lower cholesterol (lipids). The study was stopped prematurely because researchers detected a small increase in strokes among participants taking the niacin +simvastatin (Zocor) combination. This was quite a surprise to scientists, because niacin (a B-vitamin) has a 50-year history of safe and effective use for normalizing lipid levels, and the suggestion that a statin drug/niacin combination might carry even a slight extra cardiovascular risk was disturbing.
We were therefore glad to see the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) review and clarify the results of this study, while at the same time reporting on an important new piece of research about niacin, lipid control, and HIV. (You can find the full CATIE reporting about niacin at www.catie.ca.) CATIE’s view, in line with other cautionary voices, stresses that the niacin/statin study data do not show any clear connection between niacin and increased strokes. And it’s also true that, through 50 years of research on niacin and lipids, there’s never been any evidence of such a connection. In short: expect more examination of the issue, but don’t jump to any conclusions—there’s just not the evidence to support dropping niacin for lipid control.
Coincidentally, as the niacin/statin study was being suspended, results of another trial involving niacin for lipid control were being published. This research, conducted at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, looked at a combination of niacin, fenofibrate (a prescription drug used to lower cholesterol), diet and exercise for lipid management among people with HIV. Called the Heart Positive study, this investigation found that a combination of high-dose niacin, together with fenofibrate, diet and exercise was clearly the best strategy for managing lipids in a group of more than 100 people with HIV. And, significantly–there were no signs in this research that niacin was unsafe.
We certainly urge all our members who use or are thinking of using niacin as part of a strategy to control lipids to talk to their doctors about the recent research. (You may even want to share the CATIE info with your physician.) As we’ve said above, we don’t see clear evidence that niacin poses extra, unexpected risks. Meanwhile, its benefits continue to be documented in research like the Heart Positive study. As always, we need to keep up with research news—and also maintain a bit of skepticism in judging how that news gets reported.
For more information on Niacin, see the NYBC entries:
or the lower, starter dose:
May 31, 2011
Omega-3 fatty acids improve heart function
A study published in Jan, 2011 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) supplementation improved heart function, exercise function, and peak oxygen uptake in heart failure patients on standard therapies. This study, led by Mihai Gheorghiade, MD, of Northwestern University in Chicago, added detail to a large, long-term investigation demonstrating that omega-3 fatty acids reduce mortality and cardiovascular hospitalizations in patients with chronic heart failure.
The study randomly assigned 133 heart failure patients to receive either a placebo or the omega-3 fatty acids. (Active treatment consisted of 1-gram capsules containing about 850mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Patients took five capsules daily for the first month, followed by two capsules daily for the rest of the study). After a year, the patients who took the omega-3 fatty acids had a significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (a measure of heart function), whereas those on placebo showed a decline in this measure. Furthermore, while 30% of the patients on placebo required cardiovascular hospitalization during the year, only 6% of those taking the omega-3 supplements were hospitalized due to cardiovascular condition.
In addition to the high-quality Pro Omega Nordic Naturals fish oils supplements, NYBC now stocks Jarrow’s EPA-DHA Balance, which provides another convenient way to match the omega-3 fatty acid supplementation levels used in research studies:
