Dairy Fat Intake Linked to Better Cardiovascular Health and Less Risk for Diabetes

The idea that all saturated fat is a health evil permeates the defunct dogma of Western medicine and its Big Pharma toxic pill pushers. It has probably never occurred to them that saturated fat is perhaps the best calorie for energy production, and quite good for long lasting energy if you don’t consume too much. Two studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition continue a long list of studies questioning the assertion that saturated fat causes disease, in and of itself.

The first study comes from researchers at the University of Texas School of Public Health. Researchers followed a multiethnic group of 5,209 adults, aged 45 – 84, for 10 years while tracking their diets, and looking into the diets of those who developed cardiovascular disease (316 cases) during the course of the study.  They found that those with the highest intake of saturated fat from dairy had up to a 38 percent risk reduction for developing cardiovascular disease. This is a rather shocking finding for the promoters of skim milk and other no-fat dairy.  On the other hand, the study found that those with the highest intake of saturated fat from meat had up to a 48 percent increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, replacing two percent of meat calories with dairy fat lowered overall risk by 25 percent.

It is likely that many of the cofactor nutrients in dairy help to metabolize the saturated fat, helping to make it a cardio friendly food. In defense of meat fat, my opinion is that it is really an issue of how the beef was raised, and what it was fed. Many sickly and pathetically unhealthy animals have lived on toxic junk food their entire lives and had no exercise – of course their fat is not worth eating. There is no substitute for quality raised and fed meat, such as range raised and grass fed.

Furthermore, those who eat the most toxic meat are also likely to be eating other junk food and also lacking fiber, fruit, and vegetables. This is not rocket science.

In the second study Danish researchers evaluated 340,234 adults from eight European countries for their intake of dairy and risk of type 2 diabetes. This is a very large study representing four million human years of follow up. Researchers found that dairy intake, regardless of the amount of fat taken in, was not linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. To the contrary, certain types of dairy such as cheese and yogurt were linked to a 12 percent risk reduction. 

Americans should keep in mind that the quality of dairy products is much higher in Europe. It is highly advised that Americans consume organic dairy and cheeses of higher quality.

The simple fact of the matter is that there is no need to fear saturated fat. If you consume high quality forms of saturated fat as a reasonable portion of your daily calories, along with omega-3 oils like DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement., fruit, vegetables, and adequate dietary fiber, then saturated fat is likely to be an energy sustaining friend, which actually helps your metabolism run better, and is not at all associated with risk for disease.

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Significant cardiovascular risk with Atkins-style diets, experts warn

ScienceDaily (June 27, 2012) — Women who regularly eat a low carbohydrate, high protein diet are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease (such as heart disease and stroke) than those who do not, a study just published on the British Medical Journal website suggests.

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Although the actual numbers are small (an extra 4-5 cases of cardiovascular disease per 10,000 women per year) the authors say that this is a 28% increase in the number of cases and that these results are worrying in a population of young women who may be exposed to these dietary patterns and face the excess risk for many years.

Low carbohydrate-high protein diets are frequently used for body weight control. Although they may be nutritionally acceptable if the protein is mainly of plant origin (e.g. nuts) and the reduction of carbohydrates applies mainly to simple and refined ones (i.e. unhealthy sweeteners, drinks and snacks), the general public do not always recognise and act on this guidance.

Studies on the long term consequences of these diets on cardiovascular health have generated inconsistent results. So a team of international authors carried out a study on just under 44,000 Swedish women aged between 30 and 49 years from 1991-92 (with an average follow-up of 15 years).

Women completed an extensive dietary and lifestyle questionnaire and diet was measured on the low carbohydrate-high protein (LCHP) score where a score of two would equal very high carbohydrate and low protein consumption through to 20 which would equal very low carbohydrate and high protein consumption.

Factors likely to influence the results were taken into account including smoking, alcohol use, diagnosis of hypertension, overall level of activity and saturated / unsaturated fat intake.

After these variables were included, results showed that 1270 cardiovascular events took place in the 43,396 women (55% ischaemic heart disease, 23% ischaemic stroke, 6% haemorrhagic stroke, 10% subarachnoid haemorrhage and 6% peripheral arterial disease) over 15 years.

The incidence of cardiovascular outcomes increased with an increasing LCHP score.

Unadjusted figures show that, compared with an LCHP score of six or less, cardiovascular diseases increased by 13% for women with a score from 7 to 9, to 23% for those with a score from 10 to 12, to 54% for those with a score from 13 to 15, and to 60% for those with a score of 16 or higher.

After adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors, there was still a significant 5% increase in the likelihood of a cardiovascular event or death with every two point increase in the LCHP score. The 5% increase resulted from a daily decrease of 20g of carbohydrates (equivalent to a small bread roll) and a daily increase of 5g of protein (equivalent to one boiled egg).

In absolute terms, the adjusted figures represent an additional four to five cases of cardiovascular diseases per 10,000 women per year compared with those who did not regularly eat a low carbohydrate, high protein diet.

Increasing level of education and physical activity reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease whilst increasing levels of smoking increased the risk.

The authors conclude that LCHP diets "used on a regular basis and without consideration of the nature of carbohydrates or the source of proteins" are associated with cardiovascular risk. This study doesn't, however, address the questions concerning the possible benefit of short-term effects of LCHP diets that can be used to control weight or insulin resistance, which the authors say needs further investigation.

An accompanying editorial argues that the short term benefits of weight loss seem outweighed by longer term cardiovascular harms. Anna Floegel from the German Institute of Human Nutrition and Tobias Pischon from the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Germany, say that the discrepancy between conclusions from different types of studies in this field "need to be resolved before low carbohydrate-high protein diets can be safely recommended to patients."

In the meantime, they suggest that any benefits gained from these diets in the short-term "seem irrelevant in the face of increasing evidence of higher morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases in the long term."

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New nutrition bar improves metabolic biomarkers linked to cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and anti-oxidant defenses in only two weeks

ScienceDaily (May 10, 2012) — Scientists at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute's (CHORI) Nutrition & Metabolism Center, led by National Medal of Science winner Bruce N. Ames, PhD, have developed a low-calorie fruit-based high fiber vitamin and mineral nutrition bar called the "CHORI-bar" that improves biological indicators (increased HDL-c and glutathione, lowered homocysteine) linked to risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and associated decline in anti-oxidant defenses.

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The CHORI-bar is intended to help restore optimal nutritional balance in people eating poor diets, and to help transition them to healthier eating habits. The bar is satiating and at only approximately 110 calories per bar, may be helpful in weight reduction programs.

The first research report on the CHORI-bar will appear in the August 2012 FASEB Journal (the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) published online on May 1, 2012.

Low intake of many vitamins and minerals is widespread in the U.S. After years of studying the interactions of vitamins and minerals with metabolic processes, Dr.Ames became convinced that modest deficiencies could be contributing to metabolic imbalances that increase risk of diseases associated with obesity and aging, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. In 2006, he proposed the Triage Theory that provided a mechanistic rationale connecting modest vitamin/mineral deficiencies with disease (2), which was strongly supported by subsequent analyses (3,4).

In 2003, Dr. Ames and his colleague Mark Shigenaga, PhD, whose research focuses on the impact of food on gut function, embarked on the development of the CHORI-bar, an economical, low calorie, food supplement that could restore metabolic balance. Intestinal health is now widely recognized to be an important determinant of overall health. Food components that benefit gut health, such as certain soluble fibers and polyphenols, also deficient in typical Western diets, were included in the bar along with a number of other ingredients, all aimed at helping to restore optimal nutrition. Dr. Ames assembled a team of scientists and a collaboration was initiated with the Processed Foods Unit at the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service in Albany, Calif. to assist in the production of a tasty and nutritious bar.

Since the project began, a series of bar formulations were developed, and to date 11 small pilot trials were conducted to refine components and improve palatability from an almost inedible start to a tasty bar. Improvements are continuing to expand the number of disease risk biomarkers favorably impacted by the bar.

The FASEB Journal report describes the prototype bar developed in this program and presents results of a 2-week trial in 25 generally healthy adults led by CHORI-bar team member and pediatric cardiologist Michele Mietus-Snyder, MD. The participants varied in ages and BMI and ate two bars each day for 2-weeks. Included in the panel of assays at the beginning and end of the trial, in addition to standard measures of lipids, glucose metabolism, and inflammation, was ion mobility analysis (developed by CHORI Senior Scientist Ronald Krauss, MD, (5)) used to quantify lipoprotein sub-fractions, and a liquid chromatography linked tandem mass-spectrometry (LD/MS/MS) assay (developed by CHORI Associate Staff Scientist Jung Suh, MPH, PhD (6)) to measure thiol compounds and amino acid metabolites. This expanded panel of assays permitted a more in depth look at biomarkers and at clues to mechanisms underlying effects of the CHORI-bar.

Impressively, favorable metabolic changes occurred after only 2-weeks of bar intake, without guidelines as to whether to use the bar as a meal replacement or a supplement. For example, increased HDL cholesterol has been reported after intake of several individual bar ingredients, but at much higher doses than what is present in the bar. The possibility that bar ingredients are acting additively or synergistically is supported by some preliminary evidence.

Two examples from the results of this trial emphasize the fact that, with the right mixture of food components, pharmacological or supraphysiological doses are not needed to positively move metabolism in a healthy direction.

1) It is difficult to both raise HDL and lower homocysteine either pharmacologically or with dietary interventions. "Heart-healthy" diets most consistently linked to an increase in HDL-c are those that emphasize fat quality more than quantity, such as the Mediterranean diet. The CHORI-bar combines aspects of the Mediterranean diet with the most biologically active form of folate (5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate). The latter is expected to bypass the need for high levels of folate required to keep homocysteine at a healthy level in individuals with the TT MTHFR polymorphism, which is present in half the U.S. population.

2) Glutathione is the principal regulator of the cellular redox environment, and is important for preventing oxidative stress. Glutathione declines with age and is low in many diseases. Few drugs and only high doses of certain food constituents have been reported to raise glutathione, but only 2-weeks consumption of the bar was required.

Current research is continuing on several fronts. In addition to its potential to have an impact on public health, the CHORI-bar is a research tool that can elucidate mechanisms by which food components in the bar interact with metabolic pathways to favorably impact disease-relevant biomarkers. Two additional bars have been developed that expand the number of biomarkers improved by the bar to include measures of insulin resistance, inflammation, and additional elements of lipid metabolism, notably LDL cholesterol. Efforts are underway to combine attributes of all 3 bars in a single bar. A series of clinical trials have also been initiated that test the efficacy of the CHORI-bar in improving metabolism in individuals with diseases accompanied by metabolic dysregulation favorably impacted by the bar, including obesity, asthma, and hypertension. And finally, development of additional biomarker assays is underway to expand the classes of metabolic changes that can be detected, such as several different types of DNA damage.

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Resveratrol Assists in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

A just published one year study of resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. supplementation in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease found that resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. lowered multiple markers of inflammation (including CRP C-reactive protein. It is an acute phase protein that increases during systemic inflammation. It is a general way to assess cardiovascular disease risk. A more sensitive test for heart disease risk is hs-CRP, highly sensitive CRP. by 26 percent), as well as reduced clotting factors associated with stroke.  It boosted adiponectin Protein hormone that modulates metabolism including glucose and fatty acid catabolism. High levels are associated with low body fat. , which improves insulin function and reduces insulin resistance.  The researchers stated that their results showed for the first time that resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. could complement the gold standard therapy in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

The results of this triple-blind, randomized, parallel, dose-response, placebo-controlled, one year follow up trial were published in the American Journal of Cardiology.  This new human study supports and confirms the extensive review of resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. as a cardiovascular mainline treatment that I reported on yesterday.

The dose of resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. in this study was not even very high.  It was 8 mg for the first six months and 16 mg for the next six months.  Daily doses of 100 mg to 600 mg of resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. are in widespread consumer use and have been for years. 

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Positive feelings may help protect cardiovascular health

ScienceDaily (Apr. 17, 2012) — Over the last few decades numerous studies have shown negative states, such as depression, anger, anxiety, and hostility, to be detrimental to cardiovascular health. Less is known about how positive psychological characteristics are related to heart health. In the first and largest systematic review on this topic to date, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that positive psychological well-being appears to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events.

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The study was published online April 17, 2012 in Psychological Bulletin.

The American Heart Association reports more than 2,200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease (CVD) each day, an average of one death every 39 seconds. Stroke accounts for about one of every 18 U.S. deaths.

"The absence of the negative is not the same thing as the presence of the positive. We found that factors such as optimism, life satisfaction, and happiness are associated with reduced risk of CVD regardless of such factors as a person's age, socioeconomic status, smoking status, or body weight," said lead author Julia Boehm, research fellow in the Department of Society, Human Development, and Health at HSPH. "For example, the most optimistic individuals had an approximately 50% reduced risk of experiencing an initial cardiovascular event compared to their less optimistic peers," she said.

In a review of more than 200 studies published in two major scientific databases, Boehm and senior author Laura Kubzansky, associate professor of society, human development, and health at HSPH, found there are psychological assets, like optimism and positive emotion, that afford protection against cardiovascular disease. It also appears that these factors slow the progression of disease.

To further understand how psychological well-being and CVD might be related, Boehm and Kubzansky also investigated well-being's association with cardiovascular-related health behaviors and biological markers. They found that individuals with a sense of well-being engaged in healthier behaviors such as exercising, eating a balanced diet, and getting sufficient sleep. In addition, greater well-being was related to better biological function, such as lower blood pressure, healthier lipid (blood fat) profiles, and normal body weight.

If future research continues to indicate that higher levels of satisfaction, optimism, and happiness come before cardiovascular health, this has strong implications for the design of prevention and intervention strategies. "These findings suggest that an emphasis on bolstering psychological strengths rather than simply mitigating psychological deficits may improve cardiovascular health," Kuzbansky said.

The study was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Pioneer Portfolio through the grant "Exploring Concepts of Positive Health."

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