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We just released a brand new product, CocoPlex Formula.
Enjoy the proven health benefits of Dark Chocolate like never before with our delicious new CocoPlex Formula. Reinforced with phytonutrient and berries, each scoop bursts with delectable, rich dark chocolate flavor.
You can read our press release here:
Purity Products® Releases CocoPlex™ a Functional, Dark Chocolate Drink
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Keeping Skin Healthy Longer with Hyaluronic Acid
Aging skin is characterized by a significant loss of elasticity coinciding with a reduced content of hyaluronic acid.8 Because hyaluronic acid is the most abundant water-binding glycosaminoglycan in healthy skin, loss of hyaluronic acid results in decreased water content and loss of elasticity. In addition, loss of hyaluronic acid is accompanied by increased compaction of collagen fibers. Skin depleted of hyaluronic acid takes on a dry and wrinkled appearance, much like joints depleted in hyaluronic acid lose their ability to retain moisture, and thus have decreased cushioning and shock-absorbing ability.
In contrast, enrichment of the dermal layer of the skin with hyaluronic acid optimizes collagen organization (“packing”). Hyaluronic acid also has been shown to promote intercellular communication, allowing cells to cooperate more efficiently in organizing the collagen they produce. Hyaluronic acid contributes to the organization and structure of the skin by increasing the amount of water that is bound into the structure of the skin – the better hydrated the skin, the more flexible it is.9 In addition, hyaluronic acid enrichment supports the ability of new skin cells to replace old, further facilitating the restoration and maintenance of healthy skin.
When the skin is exposed to oxidizing chemicals or conditions (such as sunlight), the lipid structures of cell membranes are susceptible to increased rates of oxidative peroxidation.10 Skin cells with membranes that have been oxidized shrink and deform, losing cell-to-cell contact and “leaking” increased amounts of evaporative water from the abnormal spaces between cells, causing dehydration of the skin and reducing its flexibility.10
As reported in a paper published recently in the Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Science hyaluronic acid is a powerful antioxidant within the skin that acts to maintain skin health by preventing lipid peroxidation and by maintaining the normal level of hydration within the skin.10 These properties of hyaluronic acid promote flexible and supple skin, making hyaluronic acid a vital component of your healthy skin preservation program.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
How Does Oral Hyaluronic Acid Work?
References:
8. Guinot C, Malvy DJ, Ambroisine L, Latreille J, Mauger E, Tenenhaus M, Morizot F, Lopez S, Le Fur I, Tschachler E. Relative contribution of intrinsic vs extrinsic factors to skin aging as determined by a validated skin age score. Arch Dermatol 2002;138:1454-1460.
9. Toole BP. Hyaluronan is not just a goo! J Clin Invest 2000;106:335-336.
10. Trommer H, Neubert RH. Screening for new antioxidative compounds for topical administration using skin lipid model systems. J Pharm Pharm Sci 2005;8:494-506.
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Vision and Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is synthesized within the human eye and is secreted into both tears and the aqueous humor of the eye in its non-acidic form, hyaluronidate. On the ocular surface, tears with normal hyaluronidate content exhibit greater lubrication during blinks. Yet while the eyelid is still, hyaluronidate maximizes the thickness of the protective fluid covering the surface of the eye – another reflection of the special properties of hyaluronidate. Within the eye itself, hyaluronidate forms part of a web of large molecules that confer structural stability to the retina and help keep it attached to the underlying cell layers.
Both advancing age and dry eyes reduce tear production and the amount of hyaluronidate that is secreted in tears; complaints about burning, itching, a sensation of the presence of a foreign body, redness and heaviness of the eyelids are common. Hyaluronic acid replacement, via drop form, can promote normal eye functions, as shown by the results of a study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, which assessed the effects of eye drops containing hyaluronic acid.5
Research consistently demonstrates that the insertion into the eyes of drops containing sodium hyaluronidate several times daily decreases burning, dryness, “foreign body” sensation, itching and mucous discharge. At the same time, tear formation is increased. These tears help protect the cornea from environmental insults, indicating that hyaluronic acid acts both on the surface of the eye and within the eye. The chemical process of vision produces a number of oxidizing by-products.6 The gradual steady accumulation of oxidative damage interferes with the functions of all parts of the eye. The hyaluronic acid in tears acts as a powerful antioxidant that preserves the structure and function of the visual apparatus.7
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Keeping Skin Healthy Longer with Hyaluronic Acid
References:
5. Aragona P, Papa V, Micali A, Santocono M, Milazzo G. Long term treatment with sodium hyaluronate-containing artificial tears reduces ocular surface damage in patients with dry eye. Br J Ophthalmol 2002;86:181-184.
6. Rotstein NP, Politi LE, German OL, Girotti R. Protective effect of docosahexaenoic acid on oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of retina photoreceptors. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2003;44:2252-2259.
7. Debbasch C, De La Salle SB, Brignole F, Rat P, Warnet JM, Baudouin C. Cytoprotective effects of hyaluronic acid and Carbomer 934P in ocular surface epithelial cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2002;43:3409- 3415.
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Hyaluronic Acid and Joint Mobility
Batches of hyaluronic acid are synthesized and assembled into long chains before being secreted by articular chondrocytes (cartilage cells) and synoviocytes (cells that live in the synovial lining of the joint capsule). Regardless of its source, hyaluronic acid can be incorporated into the load-bearing sugar/protein mats of joint cartilage.
As shown in research recently published in the Journal of Physiology the unique properties of the special sugars that make up hyaluronic acid attract water and are responsible for the cushioning properties of healthy joint cartilage.3 Because the synthesis of its component sugars slows with age, the replenishment of hyaluronic acid within a joint also slows with age, creating an inevitable imbalance in the cartilage’s replenishment/replacement cycle. As the contact surfaces of the joint cartilage become depleted of hyaluronic acid, they become chronically dehydrated and lose their vital cushioning hydrostatic properties.
A large volume of published scientific research has demonstrated that adequate availability of hyaluronic acid can promote joint health and function. These conclusions have been echoed most recently in a mathematical analysis of the body of published research, itself published in the Journal of Family Practice.4 The strength of the evidence certainly argues in favor of adding hyaluronic acid to your personal joint health program.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Vision and Hyaluronic Acid
References:
3. Scott JE, Stockwell RA. Cartilage elasticity resides in shape module decoran and aggrecan sumps of damping fluid. Implications in osteoarthrosis. J Physiol 2006; Mar. 31. doi: 10.1113/ jphysiol.2006.108100 (http://jp.physoc.org/cgi/content/abstract/jphysiol.2006.108100v1).
4. Modawal A, Ferrer M, Choi HK, Castle JA. Hyaluronic acid injections relieve knee pain. J Fam Pract 2005;54:758-767.
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Hyaluronic Acid – The Molecule of Youth
Relatively new as a dietary supplement ingredient, hyaluronic acid has now been available for more than ten years. However, it has been used much longer than that as an injectable for supporting joint structure. Of course, the nutrient is indigenous to our bodies and present in connective tissues, nerves, brain tissue, and the skin. Hyaluronic acid is a complex molecule made up of two special sugars, N-acetyl-glucosamine and glucuronic acid. Hyaluronic acid disaccharides are produced and secreted in nearby tissue by cells in joint cartilage, synovial membranes, the cornea of the eye, tear ducts and skin. Wherever hyaluronic acid occurs it plays vital roles in maintaining the hydration and lubrication of that tissue.
Joints, Cartilage, Mobility and Nutrition
The cartilage tissue that covers the contact surfaces of joints is made up of mats of interwoven strings of special sugars and proteins. The electrical charges on these mats makes them very attractive to water molecules (water is highly charged – that’s why it conducts electricity so well). Cartilage is spongy because its sugars attract water, which makes the mats swell. When the swollen tissue is squeezed, it absorbs the shock by releasing water into the joint space. Remove the pressure and the water streams back in, restoring the size and shape of the fully hydrated tissue.
Because they are subject to so much wear and tear, the mats are replaced regularly – each one lasts a little under a month in a young adult. In order to maintain balance, an old mat must be removed before a new one can replace it. Once our joints stop growing, they have to adjust their replenishment/replacement cycle in order to stabilize the amount of cartilage covering their contact surfaces. As we age, our cartilage becomes less and less able to adjust and this replenishment cycle goes out of balance. The result is that the mats begin dissolving earlier and earlier. In addition, new replacements are not made quickly enough. As the insertion of new mats falls behind the rate of removal of old mats, joint surfaces can normally become thinner as a result of the aging process and more susceptible to mechanical breakdown from normal everyday activity. Replenishing the joints with the nutrition they need to stay healthy becomes absolutely critical.
The Wear and Tear on Our Joints
You don’t need to be unhealthy or be diagnosed with a medical condition to experience joint discomfort – just continue doing what you always do and eventually one of your joints will get cranky from the effects of normal wear and tear. Or perhaps you over-exert yourself during a sports activity or day-hike and feel it in your knees later that night. That didn’t use to happen. However, now you’re getting older. Things change with age. Whatever the case, this usually signals the need for extra care and supportive measures to maintain healthy joints – joints whose nutrients are not replenished or replaced on a regular basis eventually may not be able to catch up and function as well as they used to. Welcome to the process of normal aging.
There are two ways to help your joints last as long as possible – exercise and nutrition. Becoming more active helps maintain healthier joints as activity stimulates the renewal of connective tissue, bone and cartilage. Two recently published human studies have confirmed the roles of physical activity in joint health. One of these studies showed that if you don’t use your joints, their cartilage covering tends to thin out on its own.1 A second study showed that moderate exercise increases the thickness of joint cartilage and improves joint performance.2 Active individuals have active (well-functioning) joints.
Just as important is to remember to nourish your joints. Joints are known to benefit from regular “feedings” (through eating well and through dietary supplementation) with fish oils, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid. You can think of hyaluronic acid as the cement that holds things together. Hyaluronic acid thus supports the normal structure of joint tissue. Feed your joints hyaluronic acid and they will reward you.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Hyaluronic Acid and Joint Mobility
References:
1. Eckstein F, Lemberger B, Gratzke C, Hudelmaier M, Glaser C, Englmeier KH, Reiser M. In vivo cartilage deformation after different types of activity and its dependence on physical training status. Ann Rheum Dis 2005;64:291-295.
2. Roos EM, Dahlberg L. Positive effects of moderate exercise on glycosaminoglycan content in knee cartilage: A four-month, randomized, controlled trial in patients at risk of osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum 2005;52:3507-3514.
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Polyphenols – More Reasons to Love Fruits and Vegetables
Polyphenols are large molecules with very complex structures. While it’s their chemical complexity that makes polyphenols so biologically active in the human body, this feature also makes their absorption in the intestinal tract very inefficient. Some polyphenols (such as genistein and the soy isoflavones) must be processed by intestinal bacteria before they can be absorbed at all – meaning that a healthy colon is a prerequisite to obtaining health benefits from dietary polyphenols. A healthy colon needs lots of soluble dietary fiber – and there’s no better source of the best colon-friendly dietary fiber than the polyphenol-rich fruits and vegetables – whole or powdered. Then, after being absorbed, many polyphenols must be activated in the liver – another organ that must be in top shape before the health benefits of polyphenols can be maximized. As you may have guessed already, the best promoters and supporters of liver health and function are the polyphenol-rich fruits and vegetables.
The Bottom Line
The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the more polyphenols you enjoy. And, “enjoy” is the key concept here – polyphenols abound in fruits, vegetables, fruit juices, tea, coffee, red wine, chocolate and high-quality polyphenol-packed beverages and drinks made using cold-processed nutrient- and phytonutrientrich fruit and vegetable powders. Fruits (especially berries) and vegetables – natural healthpromoting foods packed with polyphenols, especially the bioflavonoids and anthocyanins – eat plenty every day.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Hyaluronic Acid – The Molecule of Youth
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Polyphenols as Antioxidants
Several polyphenols have direct antioxidant effects. Others are metabolized by bacteria in our intestines. These metabolites are absorbed into the bloodstream and they influence cell-signaling processes that lead to immune-supporting effects and free radical-scavenging effects. Polyphenols are the most abundant antioxidants in the diet. Typically, the total dietary intake of polyphenols is about 10 times higher than the intake of vitamin C and 100 times higher that the intakes of vitamin E and carotenoids. By themselves, the anthocyanins often contribute more than half of the total antioxidant activity of the diet.21
The polyphenols not only directly detoxify potentially oxidizing substances within the body, they increase the body’s inherent antioxidant defenses. For example, an important mechanism by which polyphenols enhance antioxidant defenses in the body is through stimulating the synthesis of glutathione, the major antioxidant enzyme within human cells.22 As antioxidants, polyphenols display a dual nature – directly blocking oxidation themselves and recruiting more natural defense systems into the fray.
A considerable body of scientific literature underlines the important role of combating oxidative stress in the maintenance of optimal cell, tissue, organ and body-wide healthy function. Although the complex relationships between antioxidant status and healthy aging are still poorly understood and are being studied intensively, it is clear that the polyphenolic phytonutrients protect cell constituents against oxidative damage by virtue of their powerful antioxidant potency. They also help prevent oxidation from occurring. New research findings published in Clinical Chemistry show that low-density lipoproteins (LDL) that have had resveratrol added to them by the liver are resistant to oxidation.23 Unoxidized LDL can be removed from the body safely without harm to the cardiovascular system.24
Our ability to increase our own antioxidant prowess was recently demonstrated by the results of a study published in the Journal of Nutrition.25 In this study, the greater the number of different fruits and vegetables in the diet, the more effective the mix was in improving the body’s antioxidant status. Women who ate on average 8 servings a day of a broad range of fruits and vegetables, providing an array of polyphenolic phytonutrients, increased their antioxidant status more than women who ate on average 9 servings a day of just a few fruits and vegetables. This finding reinforces the message that the more diverse and polyphenol-rich the diet, the healthier one is likely to be. It also speaks to the fact that one should consume a variety of brightly colored foods for health. After all, a variety of polyphenols are responsible for the range of beautiful, bright colors seen in fruits and vegetables.
Polyphenols can be the champions of your antioxidant defense system – and the more polyphenols you consume, the stronger your defenses.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Polyphenols – More Reasons to Love Fruits and Vegetables
References:
21. Prior RL. Fruits and vegetables in the prevention of cellular oxidative damage. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;78:(Suppl.):570S-578S.
22. Moskaug JO, Carlsen H, Myhrstad MC, Blomhoff R. Polyphenols and glutathione synthesis regulation. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;81Suppl.):277S-283S.
23. Urpi-Sarda M, Zamora-Ros R, Lamuela-Raventos R, Cherubini A, Jauregui O, de la Torre R, Covas MI, Estruch R, Jaeger W, Andres- Lacueva C. HPLC-Tandem mass spectrometric method to characterize resveratrol metabolism in humans. Clin Chem 2007;53:292-299.
24. Carluccio MA, Siculella L, Ancora MA, Massaro M, Scoditti E, Storelli C, Visioli F, Distante A, De Caterina R. Olive oil and red wine antioxidant polyphenols inhibit endothelial activation: Antiatherogenic properties of Mediterranean diet phytochemicals. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2003;23:622-629.
25. Thompson HJ, Heimendinger J, Diker A, O’Neill C, Haegele A, Meinecke B, Wolfe P, Sedlacek S, Zhu Z, Jiang W. Dietary botanical diversity affects the reduction of oxidative biomarkers in women due to high vegetable and fruit intake. J Nutr 2006;136:2207-2212.
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Bioflavonoids
The interactions between the members of a large sub-class of polyphenolic phytonutrients, the bioflavonoids, and human cells, tissues and organs have been studied in great depth. Many investigators have discovered and confirmed that when consumed in sufficient amounts, the bioflavonoids are positively associated with the health and function of many body systems.
The way some bioflavonoids work might be surprising. In many cases, they act to maintain the activation of normal body control mechanisms so that these systems do not go out of tune. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that many bioflavonoids, such as quercetin in apples, fisetin in strawberries, epigallocatechin-3-gallate in green tea, galangin from flower pollen, hydroxycinnamic acid in broccoli and genistein in soy, maintain the internal life cycle regulation of the body’s cells. This helps the body comply with its needs for normal cell turnover, replacement and renewal as, over the years, the body experiences the physical and biochemical “wear and tear” of daily life. It is the best means the body has to “sweep out the old” and make room for the new.
As shown by the results of recent published studies, bioflavonoids foster normal life cycles in human cells.11,12,13 While abnormally long lifetimes may seem to mean healthier aging, in fact, normal life cycles help cells, tissues and organs stay healthy and fully functional longer – and in so doing, promote healthy aging. A normal life cycle for cells includes the process of living healthy and dying when their functionality and utility have come to an end. It is the process of normal life, repair, death and renewal of cells that leads to healthy organs and systems of the body. Thus, maintaining these normal processes is what leads to optimal health and an interruption of these functions can have disastrous consequences on the body.
Further benefits from increased dietary intake of bioflavonoids include the promotion of healthy cognitive function. In a recently completed and published study of rat brain functions fisetin (found in strawberries) was seen to increase the ability to recall old memories (by facilitating the process known as “long-term potentiation” with the hippocampus, the functional center of memory recall in rats and humans).14 This outcome probably resulted from the combination of properties of fisetin: antioxidant, cell function stabilizer and neural network enhancer.
Although not completely understood yet, the actions of another bioflavonoid, resveratrol (from grapes), within the brain contribute to the promotion of healthy brain longevity. As reported very recently in Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry resveratrol in the brain prevents the formation of molecular aggregates that interfere with information transmission between brain cells.15 By maintaining open channels of communication, resveratrol sustains healthy cognitive functioning.
Resveratrol also plays active roles in heart health. As shown in a report published recently in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology resveratrol supports capillary function within the heart muscle, increasing the oxygenation of the muscle and its contractile efficiency.16
Recent studies highlight several distinct mechanisms whereby resveratrol can offer benefits to cardiovascular health. Studies show that resveratrol is an inefficient antioxidant in vitro, that is, in laboratory studies. However, when studied in vivo, i.e. in living systems, resveratrol shows an amazing ability to scavenge free radicals. Research suggests that the cardiovascular-protective effects stem from three major mechanisms of action: antioxidant, inflammatory-support and support of nitric oxide release. Nitric oxide release is necessary for enhancing circulation and supporting the health and integrity of blood vessels. These mechanisms lead to several distinct benefits that can be attributed to resveratrol supplementation. Some of these effects include protection of lipids from oxidative damage, supportive effects on normal heart rhythms, relaxation of blood vessels, which supports healthy circulation, and a reduction in free radical effects on cardiac tissue.17 Given these broad effects on cardiovascular health, resveratrol appears to hold promise as a polyphenol that provides long-term and comprehensive benefits for heart function.
Resveratrol is just one of the many heart-healthy polyphenols. The catechins in green tea are a subclass of polyphenols that includes epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and that contribute to cardiovascular health by protecting the integrity of the interior lining of blood vessels. The results of a study published recently in Cardiovascular Research have shown that catechins function as antioxidants by inhibiting the secretion of certain enzymes by over-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells which can be detrimental to the linings of blood vessels.18 EGCG and other catechins from tea also regulate the production of nitric oxide, stimulating blood vessel health and vasodilation, ultimately promoting circulatory function. By doing so, catechins enhance blood vessel function and structure.
Tea consumption has also been found to be protective of heart function over the long-term. Studies suggest that higher tea consumption leads to better protection of cardiac function with age. Tea contains numerous beneficial polyphenols, including the catechin EGCG. Furthermore, tea rich in EGCG has been shown to support circulation and promote antioxidant activity.19
Cranberries are similarly considered one of the more heart-healthy fruits because of their high polyphenol content. Surprisingly, cranberries have a higher amount of total polyphenols per serving than blueberries, apples, red grapes or strawberries.20 Cranberries are particularly high in flavonoids, and also contain a small amount of resveratrol. Research conducted on cranberries shows that they support the body’s antioxidant defenses and protect cholesterol molecules from free radical damage. Laboratory research using cranberry powder found that it stimulated the major cellular antioxidant systems including superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase. Studies in humans have found that the polyphenolics in cranberries increase antioxidant nutrient levels in the blood, increasing the protection of the cardiovascular system.
Several polyphenols show cardiovascular and supportive effects by working as antioxidants, supporting the body’s normal inflammatory response, protecting lipids and cholesterol molecules from oxidative damage, and by directly influencing the function of the heart muscle. The consumption of a wide variety of polyphenolic compounds, including the ones mentioned above, can yield far-reaching benefits for cardiovascular wellness.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Polyphenols as Antioxidants
References:
11. Yang JH, Hsia TC, Kuo HM, Chao PD, Chou CC, Wei YH, Chung JG. Inhibition of lung cancer cell growth by quercetin glucuronides via G2/M arrest and induction of apoptosis. Drug Metab Dispos 2006;34:296-304.
12. Lu X, Jung J, Cho HJ, Lim DY, Lee HS, Chun HS, Kwon DY, Park JH. Fisetin inhibits the activities of cyclin-dependent kinases leading to cell cycle arrest in HT-29 human colon cancer cells. J Nutr 2005;135:2884-2890.
13. Murray TJ, Yang X, Sherr DH. Growth of a human mammary tumor cell line is blocked by galangin, a naturally occurring bioflavonoid, and is accompanied by down-regulation of cyclins D3, E, and A. Breast Cancer Res 2006;8:R1 (doi: 10.1186/bcr1391).
14. Maher P, Akaishi T, Abe K. Flavonoid fisetin promotes ERKdependent long-term potentiation and enhances memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006;103:16568-16573.
15. Riviere C, Richard T, Quentin L, Krisa S, Merillon JM, Monti JP. Inhibitory activity of stilbenes on Alzheimer’s ß-amyloid fibrils in vitro. Bioorg Med Chem 2007;15:1160-1167.
16. Penumathsa SV, Thirunavukkarasu M, Koneru S, Juhasz B, Zhan L, Pant R, Menon VP, Otani H, Maulik N. Statin and resveratrol in combination induces cardioprotection against myocardial infarction in hypercholesterolemic rat. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2006 (doi:10.1016/j. yjmcc.2006.10.018).
17. Penumathsa SV, Maulik N. Resveratrol: a promising agent in promoting cardioprotection against coronary heart disease. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2009;87(4):275-86.
18. El Bedoui J, Oak MH, Anglard P, Schini-Kerth VB. Catechins prevent vascular smooth muscle cell invasion by inhibiting MT1-MMP activity and MMP-2 expression. Cardiovasc Res 2005;67:317-325.
19. Wolfram S. Effects of green tea and EGCG on cardiovascular and metabolic health. J Am Coll Nutr. 2007;26(4):373S-388S.
20. McKay DL, Blumberg JB. Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Nutr Rev. 2007;65(11):490-502.
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Anthocyanins
Berries, especially blueberries, are known to be a good source of the polyphenol subclass known as anthocyanins. New research shows that the health benefits of the anthocyanins extend throughout the body.
In one of the more recent studies, the blueberry anthocyanin, pterostilbene, showed an ability to support the health of colon cells by protecting against the early loss of cellular regulation.6 Because colon health and function is so absolutely dependent on tight and well-managed cellular regulation, this finding demonstrates just how powerful the anthocyanins are as promoters, supporters and managers of colon health.
The abilities of the anthocyanins to beneficially manage, direct and redirect the functions of the body’s physiologic systems are not limited to any one (or even few) of those systems. Cognitive functions, all-important to healthy aging, are sustained and boosted by anthocyanins.
In tests using laboratory animals, anthocyanin-rich blueberry extract has been effective in protecting against age-related deficits in neuron-to-neuron signaling in the brain, with accompanying improvements in learning abilities.7 In one study, in which aging rats were fed a standard diet supplemented with blueberry extract for 8 to 10 weeks, performance on an objective test of learning and memory depended on how much of the anthocyanin compounds were found in the rats’ brains.8 In other words, those rats that ate the largest amount of anthocyanin-containing blueberry extract accumulated the most anthocyanins in their brains. These animals had the best learning capacity and were found to perform the most accurately on this standardized assessment.
Exciting new research has shown that anthocyanins also promote the healthy function of non-neuron cells in the brain. These cells support neural activity by protecting neurons from the damage that can be caused by environmental toxins, oxidizing byproducts of the normal intense level of metabolic activity in neurons or aberrant electrical signals. In short, these cells help maintain the health of the neurons. However, if they become over-stimulated they can harm the very cells they are responsible for protecting by promoting free radical generation. Research published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research shows that blueberry anthocyanins help the supporting cells modulate their activity level and the intensity of their responses to various stimuli.9 What this means is that anthocyanins support brain defenses and stabilize the brain’s internal environment. Further evidence for the neuroprotective benefits of blueberry anthocyanins comes from a study in which rats were either fed a diet rich in blueberries or were placed in a control group. The rats were then injected with a chemical into their brains that led to a significant impairment of learning performance. Although all rats had significant decreases in their learning abilities, the group of animals receiving the blueberry extract performed significantly better at standardized learning tasks. Imaging results on the brains of rats fed blueberries also revealed significant protection of neurons versus rats in the control group.10 Because of their high anthocyanin content, blueberries are therefore protective against the damaging effects of free radicals on brain cells.
Together, these findings indicate that the anthocyanins in blueberries are able to enter the bloodstream, travel to the brain and act within the brain to foster an internal environment that supports learning ability and memory retention – both highly desirable results for promoting healthy aging.
Next Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging topic:
Bioflavonoids
References:
6. Suh N, Paul S, Hao X, Simi B, Xiao H, Rimando AM, Reddy BS. Pterostilbene, an active constituent of blueberries, suppresses aberrant crypt foci formation in the azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis model in rats. Clin Cancer Res 2007;13:350-355.
7. Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, Casadesus G. Reversing the deleterious effects of aging on neuronal communication and behavior: Beneficial properties of fruit polyphenolic compounds. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;81(Suppl.):313S-316S.
8. Andres-Lacueva C, Shukitt-Hale B, Galli RL, Jauregui O, Lamuela- Raventos RM, Joseph JA. Anthocyanins in aged blueberry-fed rats are found centrally and may enhance memory. Nutr Neurosci 2005;8:111- 120.
9. Lau FC, Bielinski DF, Joseph JA. Inhibitory effects of blueberry extract on the production of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharideactivated BV2 microglia. J Neurosci Res 2007 Jan 30 (doi: 10.1002/ jnr.21205).
10. Duffy KB, Spangler EL, Devan BD, Guo Z, Bowker JL, Janas AM, Hagepanos A, Minor RK, DeCabo R, Mouton PR, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA, Ingram DK. A blueberry-enriched diet provides cellular protection against oxidative stress and reduces a kainate-induced learning impairment in rats. Neurobiol Aging. 2008;29(11):1680-9.
This is part of our ongoing The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging spotlight. Each day, we will be posting some of the great information that’s packed into our book, The Best Kept Secrets to Healthy Aging.
Today’s topic:
Polyphenols and Polyphenols in Healthy Aging
Plants have been used as a health supporting tool since ancient times. The use of therapeutic botanicals transcends cultures. Traditional herbalists throughout the world spent time observing the phenomena presented by nature through the interactions plants had with predators and the varied conditions of their environments and discovered that plants were surprisingly adept at adapting to difficult situations. More often than not, plants found ways to survive and even thrive in harsh conditions. Putting two and two together, these observers found that what benefits plants, fruits and vegetables in their struggle to survive would also be beneficial for humans. These observations by great healers through the centuries have led to the explosion we’ve seen today in the use of herbal therapies to promote optimal health. Plants are full of health-promoting compounds including vitamins and minerals. But they contain compounds that are even more exciting in their potential to promote wellness – the class of compounds collectively known as polyphenols. That’s right! Polyphenols have been used to promote health since time immemorial. These compounds have been the backbone of the wisdom of traditional systems of medicine and it’s only now that modern science is beginning to untap the beneficial effects that nature has endowed these substances with.
You may have heard of some of the more highly publicized polyphenols, such as quercetin, hesperidin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (“EGCG”), caffeine, genistein and the soy isoflavones, as well as the anthocyanins in berries. Others that you will be hearing much more about in the near future include fisetin, hydroxycinnamic acid and galangin from flower pollen. These are just a handful of the thousands of polyphenols that have been isolated. While polyphenols serve important roles in plants as a means of defense from predators, research is finding that these compounds have significant pharmacological activities.
Vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients are amazingly talented craftsmen, sculptors, artists, engineers, communications experts and skilled technicians. Polyphenols, on the other hand, orchestrate, conduct, administer and direct the immense processes of life. They are increasingly recognized as the major active components in fruits and vegetables. As the individual polyphenols have been studied in detail, and compared to each other, it has become clear that each acts slightly differently in benefiting human health.1 The beneficial outcome of this integrated cooperation is a vastly greater robustness and versatility in our abilities to respond to health-challenging situations and environmental insults. Healthier responses lead to healthier aging.
Polyphenols in Healthy Aging
The scientific literature provides a feast of detailed evidence that very strongly documents the vital importance of polyphenols to vibrant health in all of its forms – tremendous and ever-increasing research highlights the effects of polyphenols in the areas of heart health, immune system health and strength, skeletal health and function, nervous system health and longevity, and blood glucose regulation. In all of these activities the polyphenols act as creative and sensitive managers, directing and redirecting cellular activities toward greater health. They are masters of cell signaling processes.
Most polyphenols interact directly with cell receptors or enzymes. These interactions trigger intracellular reaction pathways that work to multiply the potency of each polyphenol molecule. For example, as shown in research published recently in BMC Neuroscience, the polyphenolic soy isoflavones interact with estrogen receptors in brain cells to stimulate changes in DNA activation patterns.2 These interactions ultimately lead to potential cognitive benefits. Further evidence of the interaction of polyphenols with cell-signaling pathways comes from literature outlining the ability of these compounds to modulate the normal inflammatory process in the body. Research suggests that polyphenols interact with genes, proteins and enzymes in the body, in a fashion similar to a conductor of an orchestra, to support and maintain a healthy inflammatory response, preventing imbalances in this crucial component of the immune system. Unique to polyphenols is their ability to influence several cell-based pathways and molecules, making them important modulators of immune and inflammatory processes.3
Dietary polyphenols can exert their effects on intracellular reaction pathways separately, sequentially or in combination, and the effects of one polyphenol can complement and reinforce those of another. In fact, many investigators have reported that mixtures of polyphenols have profound effects on cardiovascular health, heart health, healthy blood pressure regulation, liver health and overall immune system strength.4,5 However, it is clear that the activities of these compounds are synergistic. More important than individual polyphenolic compounds is the combined effect of several. Clearly, the cooperative nature of the polyphenols overrides the properties of any individual superstar.
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Anthocyanins
References:
1. Jeong YJ, Choi YJ, Kwon HM, Kang SW, Park HS, Lee M, Kang YH. Differential inhibition of oxidized LDL-induced apoptosis in human endothelial cells treated with different flavonoids. Br J Nutr 2005;93:581-591.
2. Bu L, Lephart ED. AVPV neurons containing estrogen receptor-beta in adult male rats are influenced by soy isoflavones. BMC Neurosci 2007 Feb 1;8:13 (doi:10.1186/1471-2202-8-13).
3. Santangelo C, Varì R, Scazzocchio B, Di Benedetto R, Filesi C, Masella R. Polyphenols, intracellular signalling and inflammation. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2007;43(4):394-405. Review.
4. Arts IC, Hollman PC. Polyphenols and disease risk in epidemiologic studies. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;81(Suppl.):317S-325S.
5. Peluso MR. Flavonoids attenuate cardiovascular disease, inhibit phosphodiesterase, and modulate lipid homeostasis in adipose tissue and liver. Exp Biol Med 2006;231:1287-1299.
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