Heartburn Explained

Heartburn is an interesting issue in natural medicine. 45 million prescriptions for Prilosec (omeprazole) were written last year, making the “Purple Pill” the 11th most popular prescription drug in the United States. My thousands of hours in human physiology, pathology, and nutrition give me a unique perspective from that of western medicine when it comes to heartburn or GERD. Please let me explain.

Your body’s digestive symptom is a complex machine. Similar to the engine in your car, each of the parts of your digestive system has a specific function and a dysfunction in one part can effect other related areas. The process of digestion begins in your mouth with chewing and salivary enzymes. The next part of digestion is gastric digestion in the stomach. The stomach slowly churns your food and mixes the food with stomach acid. The pH (acid level) of the stomach normally is 1.5 to 3.5 (VERY acidic). It is this strong acid that allows the food to be broken down. When your food leaves the stomach it is “squirted” into the small intestine as chyme, a substance resembling a milkshake.

A complex system that should not be short-circuited.

Take a moment to think how much you chew your food. For most people it’s not much. So the large chunks of meat, veggies, bread, etc rely on the stomach’s gentle massage and strong acid to turn your pieces of food into a milkshake. (Note: your stomach doesn’t have any teeth for further breaking up food, so make sure to chew your food thoroughly.)

Let’s contrast someone who has a proper, very acidic stomach to someone who is on antacids. The very acid stomach digests the food from the mouth properly and releases a milkshake consistency of chyme into the small intestine for proper digestion. The 20-25 feet of small and large intestine can them digest the food they ate properly. Proper digestion means you get the nutrients from your food (more about this later), don’t have gas and bloating, no burping, and your bowel movements are regular and of good consistency.

Contrast that to the person on antacid medication who purposefully decreases the pH of their stomach contents with each meal. The food is not properly digested in the stomach, due to lack of stomach acid, and therefore the chyme includes chunks of meat and other food products. These chunks cannot be properly digested in the small and large intestines and therefore they putrefy, giving off gas and being used by “harmful” bacteria as fuel. Additionally, some of the nutrients from that food is “bound up” and unavailable to be assimilated into the blood.

In summary, if you don’t have an acidic stomach you cannot digest your food properly. And each step of digestion after the stomach is short circuited. This includes the normal digestion that should occur in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and all four parts of your large intestine (colon). So why would western medicine prescribe heartburn medication to 1 out of every 5 patients? Because the patients are complaining of heartburn. Right? Yes.

But what is the cause of the sensation of heartburn? There can be a few very common causes that are rapidly and easily solved by natural medicine. Many times a patient complaining of heartburn AFTER meals has TOO LITTLE stomach acid and the sphincter at the top of the stomach (which is triggered by an acidic pH) that is supposed to close when the stomach is digesting the meal doesn’t close fully. Therefore, when the stomach starts churning some of the stomach contents can go up into the esophagus and cause discomfort. We find that if we give these patients a supplement containing HCl, naturally derived stomach acid, their heartburn symptoms go away immediately. And as a side effect they note that their overall digestion improves. A patient with heartburn symptoms BETWEEN meals or at night when sleeping is a different problem, and this is treated using natural supplements to help heal the stomach lining and remove harmful bacteria. Other causes of heartburn AFTER meals can include too large of meals, drinking too much liquids with meals, hiatal hernia (which can many times be corrected with a simple chiropractic adjustment in our office), and occasionally food sensitivities/allergies.

I hope that you will conclude from the above discussion that digestion is a complex issue, but that covering up the symptom of heartburn with a medication is short sighted and leads to needless complications. Recently two major studies have linked antacid usage with an increased risk of osteoporosis and deadly gastrointestinal infections. While western medicine might have been surprised by these findings we have been telling our patients of these side effects for years. Here’s why: Calcium can only be absorbed in an acid intestinal environment (along with many other minerals) and thus the increase of osteoporosis in patients on antacids. And your stomach acts as a important disinfecting area for food you put into your body. The strong acid of the stomach helps to kill bacteria, parasites, and viruses that we all unknowingly ingest. Without the protective barrier of an acid stomach you have significantly weakened your immune system.

If you are having heartburn, or other digestive issue, we would love the opportunity to diagnose the cause of your symptoms and help you find a sensible natural solution. At Positive Motion in Los Gatos, Dr. Brant Pedersen (DC), routinely works with patients suffering from heartburn to help them get healthy and feel better. Good digestion is fundamental to great health and we can help you improve yours.

Kale Chips. Yum!

I don't know what inspired me. Maybe it was the first rainy day in autumn and my cooking bug was stirring. Maybe it was looking for a nutritious snack while I continue on my 28 Days To Health cleanse. What ever caused it, the result was awesome. Here are the details.

Cutting out the stems and preparing bunches of kale.

Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. It has an Aggregate Nutrient Density Index score, or ANDI, of 1000 out of 1000. The best you can get. Kale is also full of powerful antioxidant properties, is considered anti-inflammatory, and is high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, and calcium. If that wasn't enough good stuff, kale contains sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol, booth natural elements in the food which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears in studies to block the growth of cancer cells.

Ideally we eat as many nutrient dense foods as possible for great health. But how do we make them taste great. I found one great recipe for baked Kale chips. They are nutritious, fun to eat, and cheap to make (but very costly to buy already made).

On the "cookie sheet" and ready for the oven.

The Kale Chip recipe:
Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale
A few tablespoons of olive oil
Seasoning: I used sea salt and a dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Line a non-insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper (although I have done it without the parchment paper on an insulated cookie sheet and it worked just fine).
2. With kitchen shears remove the leaves from the thick stem of the kale. Then tear the kale leaves into chip-size pieces. Wash them thoroughly and dry the kale with a salad spinner or a towel.
3. Put the kale in a large bowl with some olive oil and toss it getting the olive oil on the kale leaves.
4. Lay the kale leaves on the cookie sheet in a single layer and sprinkle a small amount of salt and cayenne pepper.
5. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt. This should be 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy this guilt-free, nutrient-rich snack. They are so light and crispy. Wonderful!

Autism and Omega 3's

A new study indicates a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E may lead to speech improvements in autistic children with verbal disorders. Verbal apraxia is a speech disorder common in autism; an estimated 50 per cent of children with autism have apraxia. Furthermore, thousands of non-autistic children are reported to have apraxia.

Apraxia is a neurological disorder characterized by loss of the ability to execute or carry out learned purposeful movements, despite having the desire and the physical ability to perform the movements. It is a disorder of motor planning which may be acquired or developmental, but may not be caused by incoordination, sensory loss, or failure to comprehend simple commands (which can be tested by asking the person to recognize the correct movement from a series). Apraxia should not be confused with aphasia, an inability to produce and/or comprehend language, or abulia, the lack of desire to carry out an action.

According to new research published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, daily supplements of omega-3 and vitamin E were associated with improvements in numerous aspects of function and behaviour associated with autism. The researchers recruited families with an autistic child. Following supplementation with omega-3 and vitamin E, 181 families (97 per cent) reported “dramatic improvements in a number of areas”, said the researchers. These included speech, behaviour, eye contact, and other sensory issues.

“We characterize a novel apraxia phenotype that responds to polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E,” wrote the researchers.

The sub-type that may be responsive to this type of nutritional intervention is characterized by autism, sensory issues, low muscle tone, food allergy, coordination problems, and impaired gastrointestinal function. Antidotal evidence had previously shown that omega-3 can help children with apraxia and those known as ‘late talkers’. The researchers discovered that they symptoms presented by children with apraxia mirror those of vitamin E deficiency. According to the research team, “The addition of high dose vitamin E with omega-3 fatty acids is the breakthrough.”

Source: Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine
July/August 2009, Volume 15, Number 4, Pages 34-43
"Syndrome of allergy, apraxia, and malabsorption: Characterisation of a neurodevelopmental phenotype that responds to omega-3 and vitamin E supplementation"
Authors: C.R. Morris, M.C. Agin

Omega 3's and Mental Health

Think Omega 3's are just for your heart health? Think again. Below is some research regarding Omega 3's and mental health that you might find interesting. Down towards the bottom is why the US Military is considering supplementing with Omega 3's to help our armed services.

Taking a daily fish oil capsule can stave off mental illness in those at highest risk

A three-month course of an omega-3 supplement appeared to be as effective as drugs, cutting the rate of psychotic illness like schizophrenia by a over 25%. The researchers believe it is the omega-3 in fish oil - already hailed for promoting healthy hearts - that has beneficial effects in the brain. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to improve the action of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. "The finding that treatment with a natural substance may prevent, or at least delay, the onset of psychotic disorder gives hope that there may be alternatives to antipsychotic drugs," the study authors said.

Antipsychotic drugs are potent and can have serious side effects, which puts some people off taking them. These medications also come with a host of potential negative side-effects. Fish oil supplements (omega-3), on the other hand, are generally well tolerated and easy to take. The international team from Austria, Australia and Switzerland tested the treatment in 81 people deemed to be at particularly high risk of developing psychosis.

The subject’s high risk was related to a strong family history of schizophrenia, or similar disorders, or the individuals were already showing mild symptoms of these conditions themselves. For the test, half of the individuals took fish oil supplements (1.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids) for 12 weeks, while the other half took a placebo. Neither group knew which treatment they were receiving.

Dr Paul Amminger and his team followed the groups for a year to see how many, if any, went on to develop illness. Two in the fish oil group developed a psychotic disorder compared to 11 in the placebo group. Based on the results, the investigators estimate that one high-risk adult could be protected from developing psychosis for every four treated over a year. They believe the omega-3 fatty acids found in the supplements may alter brain signalling in the brain with beneficial effects.

Alison Cobb, of the mental health charity Mind, said: "If young people can be treated successfully with fish oils, this is hugely preferable to treating them with antipsychotics, which come with a range of problems from weight gain to sexual dysfunction, whereas omega-3s are actually beneficial to their general state of health. These are promising results and more research is needed to show if omega-3s could be an alternative to antipsychotics in the long term."

US Military May Be Considering Supplementation of Troops with Omega 3's

The US Department of Defense is considering either supplementing or fortifying the rations of all active service personnel with EPA and DHA (Omega 3's) in order to enhance stress resilience and general wellness leading to improved military performance, to cut hospital bills and to speed recovery from traumatic brain injuries. A spokesperson for the department said, "There are discussions at many levels about the addition of the omega-3, especially in combat-feeding and/or clinical setting, but they are discussions at this point in time."

Although the department has no official view about the benefits of omega-3s, its Dietary Supplements Committee is working with Samueli Institute based in Alexandria, Virginia, to explore the military benefits of their use.

Omega-3 is "nutritional armor"

Of particular concern for military planners are the high rates of depression and suicide together with physical/mental stress associated with combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The military application of omega-3s was the subject of a conference, entitled ‘Nutritional armor for the warfighter: can omega-3 fatty acids enhance stress resilience, wellness, and military performance?’ staged last December.

Adam Ismail, executive director of the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega 3s (GOED), who attended the conference stated, "I think omega-3s have a vital role to play for the US military. Fortification would be a cheap way of achieving big health care savings, improving military performance and saving lives through helping TBIs." 

Omega-3s have been shown to have an impact in four of the five top areas for which soldiers receive hospital treatment: Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, pregnancy and surgical complications, he added.

Improving Liver Health with EPA/DHA

Your liver is very important to your overal health. It is responsible for detoxifying your body, protein synthesis, storage of energy, production of digestive tools, regulating your metabolism, producing some of your hormones, and the list goes on...

The study below shows how Omega 3 fatty acids can help your liver. Just one more way that EPA and DHA can benefit your overall health.

A review of four human studies found that omega-3 can improve liver health and function, and increase insulin sensitivity in people suffering from fatty liver, a condition that is usually symptomless but said to increase the risk for liver inflammation, and that may ultimately result in liver failure.

Fatty liver is reportedly on the rise in the US, affecting between one quarter and one half of all Americans. The prevalence if non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has increased in line with the ever increasing obesity epidemic. 

Led by Dr Gail Masterton from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in Scotland, the reviewers report their findings in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

Previous studies have demonstrated that omega-3 offers protective benefits against obesity-related conditions. A considerable number of studies already support the benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids for cardiovascular health, and cognitive health. Other areas of potential for the fatty acids include mood and behaviour, eye health, cancer risk reduction, and improved infant development.

It is biologically plausible that omega-3 fatty acids may improve liver health, said the reviewers because "they have several potential mechanisms of action, the most important being the ability to alter hepatic gene expression, thereby switching intracellular metabolism from lipogenesis and storage to fatty acid oxidation and catabolism".  The later physiological state would prevent fat deposits in the liver and potentially burn up existing fat stores.

"There is also evidence that omega-3 improves insulin sensitivity, are anti-inflammatory and reduce TNF levels so offering several potential therapeutic mechanisms," they added.
"To date the trials have all been open label and none have employed a prospective, randomised, blinded, placebo controlled, adequately powered trial methodology to submit these promising preliminary findings to proper scientific rigour," wrote Masterton and her co-workers. "Such studies are now urgently required," the researchers added.

Source: Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2009.04230.x
"Review article: omega-3 fatty acids - a promising novel therapy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease"
Authors: G. S. Masterton, J.N. Plevris, P.C. Hayes

Increasing Heart Health with Omega 3's

There are literally thousands of studies on Omega 3's and improvement in cardiovascular function. One study I commonly hand out to patient in the office is from the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study of 60,000 women and 45,000 men shows that EPA/DHA taken regularly reduced the risk of stroke in men by 30% and in women by 40%. That is an awesome result! Here are some other good studies that point out the benefits of Omega 3's for your heart.

Omega-3 may reduce the risk of developing dysfunction in the heart muscle by 50 per cent

A study with almost 500 people with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were found to have reduced risks of developing left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) if they consumed moderate amounts of fish, according to findings published in the Journal of Food Science. "We revealed a dose-response association between fish consumption and the likelihood of developing left ventricular systolic dysfunction after an ACS," wrote the researchers from the University of Athens. “In particular, fish consumption of 1 to 2 times per week was independently associated with a considerable reduction of the odds of developing LVSD."

Acute coronary syndrome is an umbrella term used to cover any group of clinical symptoms compatible with acute myocardial ischemia (chest pain due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle that results from coronary artery disease).

The heart health benefits of consuming oily fish, and the omega-3 fatty acids they contain, are well-documented, being first reported in the early 1970s by Dr. Jorn Dyerberg and his co-workers in The Lancet and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To date, these essential polyunsaturated fatty acids have been linked to improvements in blood lipid levels, a reduced tendency of thrombosis, blood pressure and heart rate improvements, and improved vascular function.

Omega-3 fatty acids, most notably DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, healthy development of babies during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behavior and mood.

Study Details

The researchers recruited 934 people with ACS and followed them for three years. During the course of the study, 437 people developed LVSD, they said. Dietary habits were assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire, with the results showing that moderate fish consumption was associated with 53 per cent reduction in the risk of developing LVSD compared to no/rare consumption of fish.

In addition, moderate fish consumption was associated with a lower inhibition of the nitric oxide synthase, an enzyme which produces nitric oxide – a potent vasodilator that relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow. "Moderate fish consumption seems to offer significant protection against the development of systolic dysfunction in post ACS patients, merely attributed to its beneficial effect on oxidation process and endothelial function," concluded the researchers.

Source: Journal of Food Science
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01425.x
"Moderate Fish Consumption is Associated with Lower Likelihood of Developing Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients".

Evaluation of cadavers in Thailand show link between low heart cell omega-3 and cardiovascular disease

The benefits of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids on reducing cardiac mortality are supported by numerous studies. A recent study conducted in Thailand tested the hypothesis that high levels of omega-3 in heart tissues are associated with low cardiac mortality. One hundred fresh cadavers were examined in this study. The cause of death, history of coronary heart disease (CHD), and fish consumption habits were obtained from death certificates, medical record profiles, and a questionnaire to people who lived with the subjects before death. In each cadaver, biopsies of cardiac tissues were taken from the interventricular septum for measurement of fatty acid.

Of the 100 cadavers (average age, 69 ± 13 years), 60 were men. The frequency of fish consumption was directly associated with omega-3 in heart tissues (P < .01). In cadavers with a history of CHD, high levels of omega-3, particularly DHA , was associated with low cardiac mortality (P < .05). Fish consumption is associated with the level of omega-3 in cardiac tissues and a higher level of omega-3 is correlated with lower levels of cardiovascular disease mortality.

Corresponding author. Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Omega 3's and Your Eyes

Our vision is vitally important to all aspects of our lives. Yet it is something we often take for granted, thinking more of our weight or physical features. There is a good amount of research regarding Omega 3's and our eyes. Below are a few interesting examples.

A subsection of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) supported the beneficial effects of omega-3 consumption for preventing age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the over 50s.

“If these results are generalizable, they may guide the development of low-cost and easily implemented preventive interventions for progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration,” wrote the researchers.

It is known that omega-3 fatty acids, and particularly DHA, play an important role in the layer of nerve cells in the retina, and studies have already reported that omega-3 may protect against the onset of AMD. A meta-analysis published in the June 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology found that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish may reduce the risk of AMD by up to 38 per cent. Scientists from the University of Melbourne in Australia reported that the benefits were most pronounced against late AMD, while eating fish twice a week was associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD. The new study supports these earlier findings. Researchers looked at a sub-section of 1,837 people participating in the phase 3 Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). All the participants were considered to be at a moderate-to-high risk of advanced AMD.

Over 12 years of study, the researchers found that intakes of omega-3, estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire, were related to both wet and dry AMD risk. 

"The 12-year incidence of central geographic atrophy and neovascular AMD in participants at moderate-to-high-risk of these outcomes was lowest for those reporting the highest consumption of omega-3 fatty acids," concluded the researchers."

Being an observational study, the researchers did not consider the mechanism. However, an earlier mouse study partly funded by the National Eye Institute noted lower levels of inflammatory molecules, such as prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4, and higher levels of anti-inflammatory molecules, such as prostaglandin D2 (American Journal of Pathology, Vol. 175, pp.799-807).

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27594
“Omega-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and 12-y incidence of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and central geographic atrophy: a prospective cohort study from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study”
Authors: J.P. SanGiovanni, E. Agron, A.D. Meleth, G.F. Reed, R.D. Sperduto, T.E. Clemons, E.Y. Chew

Omega-3 may prevent blindness in the elderly

A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids may prevent the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the over-50s, suggests a new study. Researchers from the National Eye Institute in Bethesda found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids could retard the progression of lesions in a mouse model of AMD. The fatty acids were also associated with an improvement in some lesions.

"The results in these mice are in line with the epidemiological studies of AMD risk reduction by long chain omega-3 fatty acids," wrote the researchers in the American Journal of Pathology. 

It is known that omega-3 fatty acids, and particularly DHA, play an important role in the layer of nerve cells in the retina, and studies have already reported that omega-3 may protect against the onset of AMD. A meta-analysis published in the June 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology found that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish may reduce the risk of AMD by up to 38 per cent. Scientists from the University of Melbourne in Australia reported that the benefits were most pronounced against late (more advanced) AMD, while eating fish twice a week was associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD. 

AMD is a degenerative retinal disease that causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision. It is the leading cause of legal blindness for people over 55 years of age in the Western world, according to AMD Alliance International

Source: American Journal of Pathology
Volume 175, Pages 799-807, doi:10.2353/ajpath.2009.090089
A High Omega-3 Fatty Acid Diet Reduces Retinal Lesions in a Murine Model of Macular Degeneration
Authors: J. Tuo, R.J. Ross, A.A. Herzlich, D. Shen, X. Ding, M. Zhou, S.L. Coon, N. Hussein, N. Salem Jr, C.-C. Chan

New study support DHA benefit for eye health

Doses of 0.32 and 0.64 percent DHA led to improvements in eye health of infants, compared to infants fed non-supplemented formula, according to new results published in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"The DHA Intake and Measurement of Neural Development (DIAMOND) is the first double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel-group, prospective, dose-response study of DHA in term infant formula," wrote the researchers, led by Eileen Birch from the Texas-based Retina Foundation of the Southwest.

Infant formula is a highly emotive area, with watchdogs keeping a close eye on companies' marketing tactics to prevent them from drifting towards taking the position that their products as preferable to breast-feeding. Mother’s milk is high in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA. While it is agreed that breastfeeding is the best way to ensure an infant receives the nutrients it needs in its first months, formulas are indispensable in cases where mothers are unable to feed their children - be it for health or logistical reasons. Health expert agree that effective infant formulas must contain significant levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids.

European food safety authority to expand health statements for DHA

The study follows recent modifications of permissible language backed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for DHA-related brain and eye health claims for infants. Further, the study further validates this oversight body’s decision to liberalize DHA health claims. EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) said DHA levels of 100mg of per day were appropriate for 7-24 month-old infants along with 200mg per day for pregnant and lactating women. Many specialists feel that women should take significantly higher levels if they are pregnant, are breast feeding, or plan on becoming pregnant in the near future. The DHA claims relating to eye health stated: “DHA intake can contribute to normal development of the eye of the foetus, infant and young children”, and “DHA intake can contribute to the visual development of the infant”.

Birch and her co-workers enrolled 244 healthy formula-fed infants between one and nine days of age, and born in Kansas and Dallas. The infants were randomly assigned them to one of four groups. When the infants reached 12 months of age, measures of the clarity of the infants’ vision showed that those fed a DHA-supplemented formula had significantly better vision than infants fed the control formula.

"Our data speak directly to the safety and tolerance profiles of DHA levels as high as 0.96% of fatty acids in infant formula," report the researchers. "The safety and tolerance of these higher DHA concentrations was expected, because they are within the range of DHA concentrations found in human milk worldwide."

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28557
"The DIAMOND (DHA Intake And Measurement Of Neural Development) Study: a double-masked, randomized controlled clinical trial of the maturation of infant visual acuity as a function of the dietary level of docosahexaenoic acid"

Could Omega 3's Help with Infertility?

There are obviously many causes of infertility. There is some research to suggest that in men supplementation with Omega 3's can help infertile men boost sperm quality. Add that to all the other positive benefits of EPA / DHA supplementation. It's just another reason to take your omega 3's every day.

Infertile men have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their sperm than fertile men, suggests new research that opens up the possibility for omega-3 supplementation to boost sperm quality.

The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was also found to be higher in infertile men, according to findings from a study with 150 men in Iran in the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Nutrition. “These results suggest that research should be performed to assess the potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation as a therapeutic approach in infertile men,” wrote the researchers, led by Mohammad Reza Safarinejad from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, Iran.

The study adds to a small but growing body of evidence supporting the importance of balance between omega-3 omega-6 fatty acids for mammalian fertility.

“A high proportion of omega-6 fatty acids in the spermatozoa is a distinctive feature of infertile men. There is a growing body of evidence that the fatty acid composition of sperm membranes, determine their physiological characteristics,” wrote the researchers.  “The data tend to support a possible beneficial effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation among patients with [defective production of sperm],” said the researchers.

Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2009.07.008
"Relationship of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids with semen characteristics, and anti-oxidant status of seminal plasma: A comparison between fertile and infertile men"
Authors: M.R. Safarinejad, S.Y. Hosseini, F. Dadkhah, M.A. Asgar

Improving Your Memory with Omega 3's

I see cognitive decline in various stages, at a wide spectrum of ages, in my patient population. There are a lot of things that can accelerate the breakdown of our neurons (our brain/nervous system tissues). One of the nutrients that has been shown to help protect the brain and slow or stop degeneration of our neurons is DHA, one of a group of Omega 3 fatty acids. I have attached some interested studies below for your edification.

Omega-3 Improves Age-Related Cognitive Decline: DHA consumption increases cognitive test scores.  Helps brains function as if three years younger.

The Memory Improvement with DHA Study (MIDAS) involved 485 healthy older people with an average age of 70 and a mild memory complaint. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either 900 mg per day of DHA or placebo for 6 months. Results of the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre study showed that participants taking DHA supplements made significantly fewer errors on the Paired Associate Learning (PAL) test compared to when they started the study. 

Furthermore, plasma DHA levels doubled during the study in the DHA group, and correlated with the PAL response. The researchers also noted a significant decrease in heart rate in the DHA group, while blood pressure and weight did not change. Six month supplementation with DHA (900mg/d) improves memory function and decreases heart rate in healthy older adults with ARCD. This improvement on the PAL is associated with a shift in the normative distribution to a younger age, wrote the MIDAS investigators.

DHA May Prevent Age-Related Dementia

The risk for dementia, a major contributor to incapacitation and institutionalization, rises rapidly as we age, doubling every 5 years after age 65. Tens of millions of new Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementia cases are projected as elderly populations increase around the world, creating a projected dementia epidemic for which most nations are not prepared. Thus, there is an urgent need for prevention approaches that are safe, effective, and affordable. This review addresses the potential of one promising candidate, the (n-3) fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which appears to slow pathogenesis of AD and possibly vascular dementia. DHA is pleiotropic, acting at multiple steps to reduce the production of the B-amyloid peptide, widely believed to initiate AD. DHA moderates some of the kinases that hyperphosphorylate the t-protein, a component of the neurofibrillary tangle. DHA may help suppress insulin/neurotrophic factor signaling deficits, neuroinflammation, and oxidative damage that contribute to synaptic loss and neuronal dysfunction in dementia. Finally, DHA increases brain levels of neuroprotective brain-derived neurotrophic factor and reduces the (n-6) fatty acid arachidonate and its prostaglandin metabolites that have been implicated in promoting AD. Clinical trials suggest that DHA or fish oil alone can slow early stages of progression, but these effects may be apolipoprotein E genotype specific, and larger trials with very early stages are required to prove efficacy. We advocate early intervention in a prodromal period with nutrigenomically defined subjects with an appropriately designed nutritional supplement, including DHA and antioxidants.

J. Nutr. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.113910.

Departments of Medicine and Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095; and Geriatric Research, Education,and Clinical Center, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, VA Medical Center, North Hills, CA 91343

Decrease Joint Pain and Inflammation with Omega 3's

We all want our bodies to feel pain free and flexible when we get up in the morning. Even after that hard day of skiing or hours of hiking hills, we don't want to notice our muscles and joints. There are some simple things you can do with your diet and some easy supplementation that can greatly decrease inflammation and arthritis symptoms. Read more below about how Omega 3's combined with glucosamine can help your joints stay young.

Arthritis Facts

Number of Americans with Arthritis or chronic joint symptoms:

• 1985 - 35 million
• 1990 - 37.9 million
• 1998 - nearly 43 million (1 in 6 people)
• 2006 – 46 million (nearly 1 in 5 adults)
• Women - 24.3 million of the people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis
• Men - 17.1 million of the people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis

Other indicators:

• Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and the nation’s leading cause of disability among Americans over age 15.
• Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability.
• Arthritis limits everyday activities such as walking, dressing and bathing for more than 7 million Americans.
• Arthritis results in 39 million physician visits and more than a half million hospitalizations.
• Costs to the U.S. economy totals $128 billion annually.
• Arthritis affects people in all age groups including nearly 300,000 children.
• Baby boomers are now at prime risk. More than half those affected are under age 65.
• Half of those Americans with arthritis don’t think anything can be done to help them.
• Arthritis refers to more than 100 different diseases that affect areas in or around joints.
• Arthritis strikes women more often than men

Source: Arthritis Foundation

A study, published in the journal Advances in Therapy, is said to be the first clinical trial to employ the combination of glucosamine and omega-3 fatty acids in people suffering from osteoarthritis. Dr Gruenwald and his co-workers recruited 177 people with moderate-to-severe hip or knee osteoarthritis and randomly assigned them to receive either a glucosamine sulfate supplement (1500 mg per day) or glucosamine plus omega-3 fatty acids (providing 444 mg of fish oil, of which 200 mg were omega-3-fatty acids). “Because the patients studied had moderate-to-severe knee or hip osteoarthritis pain, a placebo group was not used for ethical reasons,” explained the researchers. After 26 weeks of supplementation, the researchers tested pain levels using the established Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthrosis index (WOMAC) score.

In this randomized controlled clinical trial of patients with osteoarthritis, we could prove that the combination of glucosamine sulfate and omega-3-fatty acid is superior to glucosamine alone. "Using the classical WOMAC pain score we showed 27 per cent more responders in the combination group compared to glucosamine alone, this difference was statistically significant."

While there was no significant difference between the number of responders in each group when a minimal pain reduction of at least 20 per cent was used, significant differences were observed when a higher responder criterion of at least 80 pain reduction was used (44% with combination vs 32% with glucosamine alone; p=0.044). In addition, the combination product reduced morning stiffness and pain in the hips and knees by between 48.5 and 55.6 per cent, compared to 41.7 and 55.3 per cent, respectively, in the glucosamine only group.  Commenting on the potential mechanism, Dr Gruenwald and his co-workers note that the ingredient probably acted synergistically. “Omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the inflammation process in osteoarthritis, whereas glucosamine sulfate further supports the rebuilding of lost cartilage substance,” they stated.

Approximately 46 million people in the USA (one in five adults) are reported to have long-term health problems associated with arthritis. Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and the nation’s leading cause of disability among Americans over age 15. Arthritis leads to 39 million physician visits and more than a half million hospitalizations. This debilitating chronic condition costs the U.S. economy $128 billion per year. Critical to this picture, is that half of the Americans with arthritis surveyed don’t think anything can be done to help them.

The joint health market is dominated by glucosamine, which is extracted from the shell of crabs, lobster and shrimps. The ingredient is often used in combination with chondroitin sulphate, extracted from animal cartilage, such as sharks.

Source: Advances in Therapy
Volume 26, Issue 9, Pages 858-871
"Effect of glucosamine sulfate with or without omega-3 fatty acids in patients with osteoarthritis"
Authors: J. Gruenwald, E. Petzold, R. Busch, H.-P. Petzold, H.-J. Graubaum

Omega 3's - The Most Valuable Supplement?

If you have been my patient for any length of time we have more than likely discussed Omega 3 oils, specifically DHA and EPA, and their many benefits for the human body. I have probably given you a handout that discussed benefits to your heart, brain, gut, memory, depression, allergies, joints, inflammation...

It is not just my Scandinavian heritage that makes me such an advocate for Omega 3's. It is the plethora of research over the past 25 years that shows EPA and DHA to be quite possibly the most valuable supplement to your diet. Here's some of the conditions that Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown in the medical literature to help (click on the link to see the whole story):

- Helping kidney health in diabetics

- Boosting lung function during sports and physical activity

- Combating mouth bacteria and dental disease

- Preventing mental illness
- Infertility

- Improving liver health

- Increasing heart health

- Preventing joint pain and arthritis

- Preventing age-related blindness

- Improving infants brain development

- Help with autism

- Improving memory

- Helping cancer patients

- Improving behavior issues in boys (aggressive behavior)

- Preventing age-related dementia

- the list goes on and on...

On your next visit, if we haven't already talked about Omega 3 fatty acids, please ask me about them. I am happy to discuss the specifics of dosage and correct type of good healthy fats and oils with my patients. While EPA and DHA are good, we want to make sure you are taking the right amounts, quality, and ratios for your specific health goals. Additionally, we will be able to go over any other medications you might be taking that could contraindicate your use of Omega 3 fatty acids.

In positive motion,

Dr. Pedersen (DC)

Positive Motion Chiropractic

www.PositiveMotionChiro.com

Omega 3's and Kidney Health in Diabetics

The short article below discusses current research on how Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to boost kidney health in diabetics. DHA and EPA (the main Omega 3 fats) help almost all tissues of the body to work better. It's no wonder they also help our kidneys.

Kidney function is often evaluated by measuring creatine levels, with high levels indicative of damage to the functioning of nephrons in the kidney. The new study reports that omega-3 supplementation led to significant decreases of creatine in diabetics, suggesting a potential benefit in this population group which is at significantly increased risk of kidney disease. Researchers from the University of Hong Kong report their findings in the journal Diabetic Medicine.

“Our results showed a significant decrease in serum creatinine level after fish-oil supplement in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients,” stated the researcher. “Prior studies have suggested that omega-3 supplement has renoprotective effects in diabetes mellitus,” they added. However, no benefits to vascular vessel function was observed, nor where there any changes in metabolic profiles, blood pressure, or markers of inflammation or oxidative stress following 12 weeks of supplementation with omega-3-rich fish oil.

Study Details

The Hong Kong-based scientists recruited 97 people with type-2 diabetics and randomly assigned them to received either fish oil (four grams per day providing 42 per cent EPA and 25 per cent DHA) or placebo (olive oil) for 12 weeks. “The specific dosage of 4 g per day for 12 weeks was chosen because previous studies have shown that fish oil or its component at this dosage effectively lowers triglyceride levels without significant side effects,” explained the researchers.

At the end of the study, the only measurable differences between the groups were for creatinine levels, which were significantly lower in the fish-oil group. Despite the significant differences, the researchers noted that the findings should be interpreted with caution, and called for future prospective clinical studies to confirm the findings of this study.

Source: Diabetic Medicine
Volume 27, Issue 1, Pages: 54-60
“Fish-oil supplement has neutral effects on vascular and metabolic function but improves renal function in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus”
Authors: C.-Y. Wong, K.-H. Yiu, S.-W. Li, S. Lee, S. Tam, C.-P. Lau, H.-F. Tse

Inflammation: Cause or Effect?

As I drove to work today, I was listening to the news and one of the topics was side-effects of anti-inflammatory medications. That news story made me want to express the holistic approach to healing versus the western medicine approach to treating conditions. Inflammation is a great way to explain this concept so central to dynamic health.

Inflammation in our bodies is characterized by a few cardinal signs: swelling, redness, heat, and pain. Inflammation may be easily visible to the naked eye, as in a severely sprained ankle. In contrast, inflammation can be deep in our tissues. An example of this that I commonly see in my office is patients complaining of digestive problems that upon examining and palpating their abdomen, I find have severe tenderness to even light pressure. This tenderness to light pressure is a sign that they have intestinal inflammation. It isn't visible from the surface, but nonetheless their digestive tissues are inflamed.

 One other distinction when talking about inflammation is inflammation that is overt versus inflammation that is on a microscopic level. People can have "systemic" body-wide inflammation that causes plaquing of their arteries or hastens the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Inflammation doesn't have to be visible, it can be microscopic. The more we learn about inflammation the more we realize its implication in a wide variety of conditions.

So when a patient presents to a doctor's office today complaining of inflammation, what is the doctor's response? I would hope that it would be to determine the CAUSE of the inflammation. That is what I do every day in my office.

A simpler, quicker, and one-size-fits-all approach is to give each patient an anti-inflammatory medication. This addresses the EFFECT, which is inflammation, without expending any effort to diagnose the cause of the patient's inflammation. This approach drives me crazy! Sadly, this is the standard of care for most doctors.

So you may ask, "What can be a CAUSE of inflammation in my body?" Here is a brief list of common causes of inflammation:

• Improper joint biomechanics: For example, if you ride a bike frequently to get exercise and your knee starts to hurt, the geometry of your bicycle could be causing abnormal wear and tear on your knee.
• Tight muscles causing abnormal wear on joints: If your muscles aren't balanced and working properly they cause joints to degenerate at an accelerated rate.
• An inflammatory diet: The Standard American Diet (SAD), consisting of lots of grains, refined carbohydrates, tons of dairy, processed foods, and red meat is inflammatory. On the other hand, fresh fruits and vegetables, cold water fish, and unprocessed whole foods are anti-inflammatory.
• Subclinical immune challenges: This could be anything from a semi-dormant virus, such as hepatitis, to an infection smoldering away in a tooth underneath a crown. "Subclinical" means the infection isn't keeping you in bed or giving you overt symptoms. Nonetheless, it is putting strain on your body and causing inflammation.
• A lack of anti-inflammatory pre-cursor nutrients: Your body makes its own anti-inflammatory molecules that are great at quenching the inflammatory fire. But you need the basic nutrients like EPA (an Omega 3 oil) and the vitamin and mineral cofactors to be able to produce them.
• Poor adrenal gland health: Your adrenal glands, your "stress glands," produce cortisone and cortisol which have anti-inflammatory properties. If your adrenals are "stressed out" then your body won't be able to produce adequate amounts of either of these hormones.
• Metabolic syndrome or Insulin Resistance: These conditions, which are becoming more and more prevalent in our society, are very inflammatory.

Can you see why it is important to look for the cause of inflammation? I went to college for 8+ years to learn how the human body works. I also learned how to diagnosis causes of inflammation and solve them, in most causes, by natural means. I have devoted my life to solving patient's health complaints, and I LOVE doing it.

I hope you will give me the opportunity to find the CAUSE of your health complaint. In today's health care environment, more and more patients are fed up with covering over the symptoms with medications. They want a doctor that will go to bat for them and put in the work necessary to solve the mystery of their pain. I'm excited to be that doctor for you.

Positively,

Dr. Brant Pedersen (DC)

Positive Motion Chiropractic
(408) 358-5086
15466 Los Gatos Blvd, Ste 215
Los Gatos, CA 95032
www.PositiveMotionChiro.com
Get healthy. Feel better.

Can Candy Affect Children's Behavior?

A recent British Journal of Psychiatry study of 17,500 people found that 10-year-olds who ate sweets daily were significantly more likely to have a violent conviction by age 34. The research showed that 69% of the participants who were violent at the age of 34 had eaten sweets and chocolate nearly every day during childhood, compared to 42% who were non-violent. Nutrition effects our brains and the brain's of our children.

Additionally, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) currently estimates that 1/3 of children born in 2000 will develop Type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. Type 2 diabetes is lifestyle "adult onset" diabetes and is entirely related to diet and exercise. Shockingly, the CDC believes that this 1/3 of children born in 2000 may not outlive their parents. What a tragedy. Even more so because we can prevent this tragedy.

Finding a diet that works for parents and adults, and promotes health can be difficult in today's society. Dr. Brant Pedersen (DC) at Positive Motion Chiropractic has helped many patients with weight loss, metabolic syndrome, insulin-resistance, and Type 2 diabetes. Through services such as complete laboratory testing, nutritional counseling, blood testing for food allergies, and discussing strategies that have a proven track record, we are confident that we can help you and your children achieve dynamic health.

For more information about our metabolic and nutritional services, please visit our website www.positivemotionchiro.com.

Positive Motion Chiropractic
(408) 358-5086
15466 Los Gatos Blvd, Ste 215
Los Gatos, CA 95032
www.PositiveMotionChiro.com

Get healthy. Feel better.