Anti-Aging Tips From Fountain Of Youth AntiAging Medicine Pros » Better Vision

Researchers Show Vision Loss Reversal With Nutraceutical Supplement

admin — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:01:51 +0000

Seattle (June 27, 2008) /PRNewswire/ – Using a high-output camera to film the back of the human eye, for the first time researchers have shown that a nutraceutical matrix can effectively remove cellular debris from the human eye that accumulates with advancing age and correlated this with significant improvement in visual acuity and night vision in an 80-year-old man.

The accumulation of cellular debris in the retina is believed to be the first sign of age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease that robs senior adults of their central vision used for reading or driving, for which there is no cure.

Dr. Stuart Richer OD, PhD, Chief, Optometry Section at the Veterans Medical Center in North Chicago, speaking at the 111th annual American Academy of Optometry meeting in Seattle, says this may be the first time an intervention has been shown to reverse aging changes in the retina.

The patient, an 80-year-old male, came to the eye clinic complaining of loss of night vision. Commonly prescribed nutriceuticals, such as lutein, vitamin E and fish oil were employed with no positive result.

After 5 months on the dietary supplement regimen, five measurable parameters of vision improved to varying but significant degrees including night (contrast) vision, visual acuity, color and side vision. Upon testing, it was also found the patient's mental capacity had improved. The patient said, "My night vision and thinking have gotten much better."

The underlying cause

A broad body of evidence exists to assert the claim that the human eye and all other organs "rust and calcify" with advancing age. Dr. Richer prescribed a nutraceutical matrix (Longevinex® -pronounced long-jev-in-ex) designed to remove excess minerals by a process called chelation (key-lay-shun), particularly calcium, iron and copper, that build up in retinal tissues over time.

About lipofuscin

Dr. Richer explains that the retina of the eye begins to show signs of retinal aging, usually beginning in the third decade of life, with the progressive accumulation of lipofuscin, the medical term for cellular "garbage" that pollutes cells as they age. Researchers believe lipofuscin is not an innocent bystander – that it generates free radicals, gene mutations and even cell death.

Molecular medicine

The use of natural iron-chelating polyphenolic molecules, such as resveratrol, quercetin and rice bran employed in this case, has been proposed as an intervention that addresses a wide range of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cardiovascular and immune compromised disease. These molecules work by their mineral chelating (key-lay-ting) properties.

Older patients can't wait for a cure

Dr. Richer says this case may serve as an early example of the potential for molecular medicine to make an impact in eye care. "While only one case, these patients do not have time to wait for controlled long-term studies and 'best available evidence' needs to be employed, given there are no foreseeable side effects or undue cost."

While Dr. Richer says this is not a proven cure yet, he thinks modern medicine may soon be able to prevent the onset of age-related retinal disease decades before vision is lost.

Macular degeneration: the numbers

Macular degeneration of the human eye is prevalent among senior Americans. About two-thirds of the 37 million senior adults in the U.S. exhibit signs of the retinal disease and about 9% of these subjects (~2.5 million) will eventually lose some central vision. Patients with macular degeneration do not go completely blind as they generally retain their side vision. Only their central vision for reading and driving is impaired.

The future

If this paper foretells what is to come, at-risk adults may soon be able to obtain a non-invasive retinal/lipofuscin assessment many decades prior to the development of macular degeneration and even determine which therapies may exert a preventive or reversing effect.

Furthermore, it becomes evident that by measuring lipofuscin deposits, that not only the biological age of the human eye can be assessed apart from its chronological (calendar) age, but that such measurement may serve to help determine the biological age and the "speed of aging" of an individual. Lipofuscin accumulates in all tissues of the body with advancing age. System-wide age-reversing effects could also be estimated in this non-invasive manner. With this discovery optometry offices may soon become anti-aging centers.

This case presentation is scheduled to be published later in the year (2008) in Optometry-Journal of the American Optometric Association. Dr. Richer has no financial interest in the product. Resveratrol Partners LLC, makers of patent-pending Longevinex®, provided the nutriceuticals for this patient. You are invited to visit www.longevinex.com to learn more about Longevinex®.

ALA May Contribute A Long And Healtfy Life

admin — Fri, 23 May 2008 23:39:31 +0000

There have been other studies in the medical literature noting rats that were fed a combination of alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L carnitine actually had regeneration of brain tissue along with more youthful behavior and activity. Alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L carnitine have long been regarded as potential anti-aging nutrients. In addition vitamin B6. Researchers from Tufts University reviewed the data collected in a 2003-2004 Health and Nutrition Examination Survey known as NHANES. It was previously thought that B6 deficiency is rare in the United States. B6 has been linked to healthy heart function and immune function. It was found that in a group of over 7,800 men and women, nearly a quarter of them who did not take any supplementation had blood levels of B6 that were deemed to be deficient. In those individuals who took some supplementation, 11% were noted to have a deficiency of B6. Interestingly, in women who reported using oral contraceptives, they were much more likely to have extremely low levels of B6 in their blood stream.

We have been asked by many people what a good vitamin regimen is. Aside from one of Nutraceutical Sciences Institute® (NSI®) Synergy Multi-Vitamins we consume NSI Mega EFA®, an excellent omega-3 essential fatty acid product as well as with NSI's combination of alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L carnitine and NSI Longevatrol® . This resveratrol and red wine polyphenol complex in a very stable Licap®. We also add extra nutrients, especially if there have been some recent favorable studies on them. NSI Synergy nutraceutical multis are one of the only multis on the market with alpha lipoic acid, not to mention effective levels of natural trans form CoQ10, as well as many other powerful antioxidants not found in other multis. In fact, the new version of Synergy NeuroPower® has 600 mg of alpha lipoic acid combined with 1,000 mg of acetyl-L carnitine, 200 mg of CoQ10 and over 34 other beneficial nutrients.

Why do other multi vitamins fail to include such important nutrients at effective levels? Some of the nutrients utilized in Synergy are thousands of times more expensive but also far more powerful when compared to the primary ingredients in other multis. Why can Vitacost.com provide these NSI products at such a great value? By being 100% direct to consumer with zero retail stores, VitaCost is able to remove the mark ups distributors and retail stores add on to the price of products. In fact, did you know the average price paid at a retail store is 500% more than it costs to make the product? Multilevel or network marketing products are even worse, the typical markup is 1,000% or more.

This is from an article by Dr. Allen S. Josephs "For Your Health" Newsletter.

http://www.vitacost.com/newsletter/newsletter.cfm?nl=379&csrc=EM-FYH20080523:main

Alzheimer's And Anesthetics

admin — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:02:51 +0000

A group scientists are now looking into the possibility that one of the causes of Alzheimerâ€™s disease may be the exposure to anesthetics commonly used in surgery. A report in the July edition of JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) reported the anesthetics under suspicion are isoflurane and halothane, both of which are inhaled. Patients given the chemicals commonly experience cognitive problems, but these were believed to be short-lived interruptions rather than permanent damage. When researchers tested the chemicals on animals, however, significant mental decline was noted. And itâ€™s possible that other chemically related anesthetics, such as desflurane and sevoflurane, might also cause similar problems. The research is still underway, and hopefully will continue. Although the researcher who reported the possible problem said he found the early results â€œalarming,â€ he told doctors and patients there was no need for panic at this point.

Raspberry to the Rescue For Skin Cancer

admin — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:01:00 +0000

Studies have found that treating mice with a black raspberry gel following sun exposure reduced swelling, inflammation, and skin damage. It also greatly reduced the size and number of skin tumors that developed. The researchers from Ohio State University are now in the process of developing a black raspberry topical gel and are continuing their tests with humans. It appears it can be used much like a sunscreen or after sun exposure to reduce pre-cancerous lesions.

They are also developing an adhesive gel that can be applied in the mouth to treat oral cancers. Based on these findings, researchers at the University of Louisville are combining the black raspberries with blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries to see if they can be used successfully to treat cancers of the lung, breast, and other sites. Consuming large amounts of this mixture has provided protection in rat studies.

As for the black raspberry gel, the researchers are seeking FDA approval so it can be sold as a prescription item sometime in 2009. The berry gel could be a godsend, particularly to organ transplant patients. The anti-rejection medication they require has a dramatic effect on their immune systems. As a result, for the rest of their lives they are highly susceptible to developing cancer, particularly lymphomaâ€”where their risk increases 20-foldâ€”and for non-melanoma skin cancer (squamous cell)â€”where the risk is increased 65- to 250-fold. It has been found that 5â€“10 percent of all transplant patients will develop squamous cell carcinoma within five years of their transplant, and half will do so within 10 years. While squamous cell carcinoma isnâ€™t as deadly as the melanoma form of skin cancer, it can be deadly for someone with a weakened immune system. The Ohio State researchers appear to be making their black raspberry gel by mixing freeze-dried berries with K-Y Jelly. That being the case, thereâ€™s no need to wait for a prescription product.

Keep Smoking And Watch Your Vision Go – Up In The Smoke!!

admin — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 21:47:58 +0000

Smoking quadruples risk of age-related macular degeneration. Of all the things to lose as we age, vision has to be one of the toughest. Reading, driving to visit friends and family, just watching the world go by so much depends on our sense of sight. Here are a few simple things you can do to preserve your vision and keep macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma at bay. Most people know that eating leafy greens protects your eyes. They are nature's best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids that filter and absorb damaging radiation as it enters the eye. Several studies have demonstrated that people who eat the most spinach, kale, and other carotenoidrich foods have a significantly reduced risk of both macular degeneration and cataracts.

You may also be aware that dietary fats play a role in vision health. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil have been shown to help protect against the development of cataracts and macular degeneration, while corn, safflower, and other polyunsaturated vegetable oils, as well as mayonnaise and creamy sauces made with these oils, increase risk. However, few people realize that carbohydrate intake may also affect the eyes. Researchers from Tufts University in Boston recently found that older people who ate a lot of refined grains, sugars, and other carbohydrates with a high glycemic index (GI) that drive up blood sugar had a 49 percent higher risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration. They concluded that 20 percent of all cases of this disease could be eliminated if everyone adopted a healthy, low-GI diet.

If you really want to go the extra mile toward preserving your vision, you should also supplement with targeted nutrients. The renowned Age-Related Eye Disease Study revealed that supplementing with high doses of zinc, copper, vitamins C and E, and betacarotene slowed the progression of moderate macular degeneration by 20 percent compared to placebo. Supplementation with vitamin C has also been shown to reduce eye pressure in patients with glaucoma, and in one study, it cut the risk of cataracts by 77 percent. Other proven protective nutrients include vitamin D, bilberry, ginkgo, taurine, lycopene, and, as previously mentioned, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Our recommendations are to avoid refined vegetable oils, bread, desserts, and other high-glycemic foods, and eat more vegetables (especially leafy greens), salmon, and other coldwater fish. Be sure to take a comprehensive supplement aimed at supporting overall eye health. Look for the following doses: zinc (50â€“80 mg), vitamin C (1,000 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), beta-carotene (20,000 IU), copper (3 mg), lutein (15 mg), zeaxanthin (2 mg), lycopene (3 mg), Ginkgo biloba (60 mg), and bilberry (320 mg). References come from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group. A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc for agerelated macular degeneration and vision loss. Arch Ophthalmol. 2001;119(10):1417â€“1436.

http://archopht.ama-assn.org/

The Fish And D Prove Dominant Again

admin — Fri, 25 May 2007 23:36:50 +0000

There are some nutrients that just keep surfacing in the medical literature with more and more good news. Those two nutrients are fish oil and vitamin D. There were two studies recently published in the Archives of Ophthalmology regarding poor visual health that can lead to blindness in the elderly. In the first, researchers evaluated over 4,500 people between ages 60 and 80 who participated in a study by the National Institute of Health's National Eye Institute. Individuals completed a food questionnaire measuring various nutrients. One in particular was DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, found in fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. It was found that those who ate more than two servings a week of fish were least likely to develop poor visual health that can lead to blindness. Authors felt that the fatty acids might help promote cell health and survival as well as improve blood vessel function.

A second study published in the same journal issue reported on over 7,700 people who participated in a national study. Researchers noted that vitamin D intake was associated with a reduced risk of developing poor visual health that can lead to blindness. People were split into five groups based on the level of vitamin D in their blood. Those with the highest had a 40% reduced risk of developing poor visual health compared with those with the lowest amount of vitamin D in their blood. The authors felt that vitamin D was effective by promoting cell health and preventing abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina.

There was a meta-analysis published in the 2007 edition of the journal Pain. Authors reviewed seventeen randomized controlled trials looking at the effects of omega-3 fatty acids in regard to relieving joint pain. It was ascertained that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids for three or four months reduced reported joint pain intensity, minutes of morning stiffness, number of painful and/or tender joints along with reducing consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

There was yet another study of the benefits of fish oil published in the May 2007 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In it, overweight volunteers with poor blood pressure and cholesterol health were randomly assigned to receive fish oil, fish oil and exercise, sunflower oil or sunflower oil and exercise. Subjects consumed 6 grams of tuna per day, equivalent to about 1.9 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Other subjects consumed 6 grams of sunflower oil a day. The exercise groups walked three days a week for 45 minutes. It was found that those in the fish oil supplemented group had healthier triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels, as well as healthier function of the inner lining of the arterial walls. Both fish oil and exercise independently reduced body fat.

Another interesting study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine involved over 25,000 adults between ages 35 and 65 who were followed for over ten years up to 2005. During that time, 844 developed poor blood sugar health. Those with the highest cereal fiber intake had a reduced incidence of developing increased blood sugar by 28%. Magnesium intake showed no effect in the study. However, a meta-analysis involving nine clinical trials on fiber intake and eight on magnesium intake showed a 33% reduction in the risk of developing poor blood sugar health with highest cereal fiber intake. The meta-analysis also linked high magnesium intake to a 23% reduction in developing poor blood sugar health. Interestingly enough, fruit and vegetable fiber content did not appear to have any effect.

Eggs and Veggies Stop Macular Degeneration

admin — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:07:32 +0000

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in older people. Marked by deterioration of the macula, a small area in the center of the retina, it results in loss of central vision and inability to see fine details. Two of the most protective nutrients against macular degeneration are lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids concentrated in the macula. Studies have shown that people who eat a lot of lutein and zeaxanthin, rich leafy greens have a decreased risk of this disorder. Another good source of these carotenoids is egg yolks. To study the effects of eggs on the macula, researchers from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell divided female volunteers into three groups and gave them six eggs per week or placebo pills. After 12 weeks, they found that eating eggs increased density of the macular pigment and raised blood levels of zeaxanthin, but had no effect on cholesterol. The only change in the placebo group was an unexpected increase in cholesterol. The researchers commented that although eggs contain fewer protective carotenoids than spinach and other leafy greens, their bioavailability to the retina is high. To protect against macular degeneration, include one whole egg in your daily diet and don't worry about your cholesterol.

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Free Radicals The Underling Cause Of Cataracts

admin — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 18:25:05 +0000

Free radicals are a major factor that can damage proteins in such a way as to cause protein misfolding and health problems. These destructive entities are implicated, in fact, in countless human diseases and disorders. One of them is cataracts, an age-related disease that sends about 1.5 million Americans to the operating theater every year. Cataract surgery is the most common operation there is. The reason is that it's quick, easy, painless, and almost always successful. But, like most surgeries, it should always be the last resort. The first resort, of course, is prevention. Another nutrient, N-acetylcarnosine, plays a special role in eye health because it's a good delivery vehicle (in the form of eye drops) for its parent compound, carnosine, which does not enter the eye as readily as does the N-acetyl derivative. Carnosine is a dipeptide (two joined amino acids) that is found naturally in the body (as is N-acetylcarnosine). Much research in Russia, where carnosine was discovered in 1900, indicates that it's helpful in both the prevention and treatment of cataracts, providing tangible improvements in visual acuity and glare sensitivity. Other research, primarily in England, has shown that carnosine helps protect an important class of lens proteins called a-crystallins. These are structural proteins that are responsible for the transparency of our lenses. Carnosine protects them by inhibiting a pernicious cellular process called glycation, in which sugars (primarily glucose) react with various proteins, causing the latter to become chemically cross-linked. This produces large molecular aggregates called AGEs, advanced glycation end products, which foul the cellular machinery of life in myriad ways and contribute to a variety of chronic degenerative diseases of aging including cataracts.

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Vitamin F and E Helps With Vision Loss

admin — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 19:24:28 +0000

Vitamin F and Vitamin E may offer protection against the vision loss associated with retinitis pigmentosa The antioxidants vitamin F and E help slow the loss of vision associated with this sight-robbing disease according to a recent study. The degenerative eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa involves a genetic mutation that affects the low light-sensing â€œrodâ€ cells in the eyeâ€™s retina, leading to gradual loss of night and peripheral vision. Later, the surrounding â€œconeâ€ cells of the retina, which detect bright light and color, may also die, which may result in complete blindness. Currently, there is no effective medical treatment for retinitis pigmentosa.

Scientists suspect that high levels of oxidative stress in the retina may cause the destruction of the cone cells following damage to the rod cells. To determine whether antioxidants can prevent this vision-robbing effect, they administered vitamin E, vitamin C, or lipoic acid to mice with a form of retinitis pigmentosa. In test subjects that received vitamin F or lipoic acid, nearly 40% of cone cells survived, which was nearly twice the cell survival rate seen in the vitamin C and control groups. . This finding lends further support to a growing body of evidence linking antioxidants with improved eye health.
[tags]retinitis pigmentosa, vitamin e, vitamin f, slow vision loss [/tags]

The Best Supplements For Good Vision

admin — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 21:34:05 +0000

In an interesting study regarding visual function with the use of ALC, omega-3 essential fatty acids and CoQ10. One hundred six patients with degeneration of the retina (which could lead to blindness) were randomized to receive these three nutrients or placebo. The trial went on for approximately 12 months. It was found that those individuals supplemented with the nutrients showed significant improvement in four parameters of visual function by the end of the study. Only 2% of the treated group noted a worsening in vision versus 17% in the placebo group. Authors indicated that the findings strongly suggest that an appropriate combination of nutrients, which affect mitochondrial lipid metabolism, may improve and subsequently stabilize visual function. As a side note, many of you are probably aware thatCombining these 3 is Nutraceutical Sciences InstituteÂ® (NSIÂ®) has a patented product called OcuPowerÂ® which also showed evidence of not only stabilization but improvement in vision with people (with an average age of mid-70s) suffering from poor vision.

There is an incredible value of CoQ10 to help maximize healthy heart, cardiovascular, immune and brain function. ALC has also been shown in clinical trials to have benefits for promoting healthy energy levels. There was an interesting study published in June 2004 in the journal Fertility and Sterility regarding use of L-carnitine and ALC5. Sixty infertile men, ages twenty to forty years old, underwent evaluation for sperm motility and morphology. The individuals were then supplemented with various doses of both L-carnitine and ALC up to three grams daily. It was found that administration of L-carnitine and ALC was effective in increasing sperm motility. There have been other studies in the medical literature also supporting use of this nutrient for promoting healthy sperm and reproduction.

There are many other benefits of these three incredible nutrients. The best value combined with the ease of one supplement is the NSIÂ® ALC, ALA & CoQ10 combo. Each capsule contains 200 mg of CoQ10, 250 mg of ALA and 250 mg of ALC. For most people, two capsules per day is excellent. If you have any serious health concerns you may want to consider four to six capsules per day. These three nutrients are too important to ignore. Add them to your daily vitamin regimen. It's also important to note many of the NSIÂ® synergy multivitamins contain one, two or even all three (Synergy Energy contains all three) of these nutrients. Look at the label of your current multivitamin, the odds are it contains ZERO of these.

Combining these 3 is CoQ10 + AlphaLipoicAcid (ALA) + AcetylLCarnitine(ALC). powerful in correcting visions related problems as we age.