Support a Healthy Inflammation Response

Nordic Naturals demo in August — One of our many manufacturer demos each month at Betsy’s Health Foods!

Believe it or not, inflammation can actually be a good thing. As we all learned in biology class:

Inflammation is a process by which the body’s white blood cells and chemicals protect us from infection with foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses. –WebMD.com

However, too much of any good thing can also become a bad thing. So, staying up-to-date with the nutritional support that may help your body maintain a healthy inflammation response should be at the top of any health-conscious individual’s to-do list.

Here are three articles on nutrients and inflammation that are a can’t miss:

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Easing Inflammation

Nutrients lower chronic inflammation and chances for heart problems

CoQ10 improved health factors

Coenzyme Q10 occurs naturally in the body and is a lipid-protecting antioxidant. In heart disease, many people take statin drugs to lower cholesterol levels, but statins reduce the body’s production of CoQ10. Doctors said high oxidative stress levels and chronic inflammation contribute to heart disease.

In this study, 42 people with blockage in at least half of one major artery who were taking statins for at least one month took a placebo or 300 mg of CoQ10 per day. After 12 weeks, while there were no changes for placebo, levels of three of the most important antioxidant enzymes had increased significantly in the CoQ10 group, and two signs of inflammation had decreased.

Both groups had started the study with low CoQ10 levels, and in the CoQ10 group, levels increased by a factor of five times within four weeks. There were no side effects and doctors concluded that for those with heart disease, CoQ10 is safe and may be an effective treatment for decreasing inflammation and protecting lipids.

Reference: Nutrition Journal; 2013, Vol. 12, No. 142

Curcumin lowers inflammation

In prior studies, curcumin reduced levels of the inflammatory factor C-reactive protein, a strong and independent predictor of heart disease, but findings have been inconsistent. In this review, researchers combined results from six C-reactive protein studies covering 342 participants who took some form of curcumin or a placebo. Curcumin, from the culinary spice turmeric, is not easy for the body to absorb by itself, and some preparations add enzymes and other ingredients to aid absorption.

Overall, while the placebo groups did not improve, those who took curcumin saw C-reactive protein levels decline by an average of 6.44 mg per liter of blood. Doctors found the effect only in those studies where participants took a more absorbable preparation of curcumin for at least four weeks.

Reference: Phytotherapy Research; August, 2013, Published Online

Betsy’s Note: CoQ10 and Curcumin also thin blood. This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider.

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Healthy Women

Nutrients lower inflammation, protect against heart disease

Taurine may lower inflammation

Taurine is an amino acid that helps developing nerves and regulates the mineral-water balance in the blood. In this study, 16 obese women and eight healthy-weight women took 3,000 mg of taurine per day, or a placebo, along with nutritional counseling. Compared to the healthy-weight women, taurine levels in the obese women were 41 percent lower.

After eight weeks, all participants had lost 3 percent of their body weight. Those taking taurine saw a 12 percent increase in adiponectin, a hormone secreted by fat cells, low levels of which are a sign of insulin resistance—the inability of the body to efficiently use insulin to metabolize sugars.

While the placebo group had not changed, those taking taurine saw a significant decrease in signs of oxidative stress, and a 29 percent decrease in C-reactive protein, an inflammatory factor linked to vascular problems.

Reference: European Journal of Nutrition; 2014, Vol. 53, No. 3, 823-30

Flavonols may protect against vascular disease

Flavonols, the antioxidants in many fruits and vegetables, appear to protect the heart and vascular system. In this study, researchers measured flavonols in the diets of 1,063 women over age 75 and followed up for five years.

Compared to those with the lowest levels, women with the highest levels of flavonols in the diet were 73 percent less likely to have died from vascular diseases over the five-year period.

Researchers found similar benefits for flavonols from all foods, including teas, and said that diets high in flavonols from any source may help reduce chances of stroke and vascular disease, and may work together for better heart health.

Reference: British Journal of Nutrition; 2013, Vol. 110, No. 9, 1648-55

Betsy’s Note: The supplements mentioned in this article may also thin blood, especially flavonols. This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider.

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Taming Inflammation

Nutrients reduce inflammation and protect health

Lycopene lowered inflammation, improved HDL

Chronic inflammation raises chances for heart problems, possibly by triggering harmful changes to HDL, the “good” cholesterol, but direct evidence from studies is lacking, doctors said. Researchers wanted to examine the link between inflammation, HDL quality, and the antioxidant lycopene.

In the study, 54 moderately overweight middle-aged people ate a prescribed diet with 10 mg, 70 mg, or 224 to 350 mg of lycopene per day. After 12 weeks, while the low-lycopene group saw little improvement, the medium and high lycopene groups both had similar, significant increases in two beneficial types of HDL: HDL 2 and 3.

Doctors also looked at a byproduct of inflammation, serum amyloid A, a harmful protein which can displace beneficial proteins in HDL. The low-lycopene group had an increase in amyloid A while the medium and high lycopene groups had decreases, showing the heart-protective properties of lycopene, doctors said.

More vitamin D, less inflammation

Doctors are beginning to create “inflammatory profiles,” that compare the ratio of inflammatory signs to anti-inflammatory signs, to give a clearer picture of a person’s chances for a healthy life. This is the first study to test the link between levels of vitamin D and inflammatory ratios.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from 957 older adults, most taking treatment for high blood pressure. Compared to those who were deficient, with no more than 10 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood (ng/mL), those with at least 30 ng/mL of vitamin D had lower levels of inflammation, and a much closer ratio of inflammatory signs to anti-inflammatory signs.

Reference: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry; 2013, Vol. 24, No. 1, 163-8

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A healthy inflammation response is a worthy goal for all of us. Along with healthy diet and lifestyle choices, supplements that help fill nutritional gaps may also be just the thing for those seeking such a goal.

In health,
Ramona