glucose – F.I.G.H.T for your health!

Lipoic Acid: New Research & the New Paradigm

Linda — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:15:33 +0000

Linda’s comments: ZeoGold is a very important part of the FIGHT program. I take it daily. In fact during the testing period I took as much as one teaspoon of ZeoGold daily. I take this with one teaspoon=4000mg of the BioEnergyC. I also take three additional teaspoons of BioEnergy C throughout the day. I again urge each and everyone of you to study the FIGHT program. I have been on the FIGHT program 1 1/2 years now, with GREAT results. Even though I’m taking the ZeoGold, I continue to take 5 sprays, 3x’s daily and sometimes more of the ACZnano Zeolite.

Lipoic acid is the most exciting supplement available today and it is available from Longevity Plus in ZeoGold. Please note the following comments from the attached. It is helping lower blood pressure and lowering glucose while helping chelate out toxins and repairing the liver!

“In fact, to our knowledge there are few compounds as multifaceted as Lipoic acid as a bioactive agent. It is an inducer of cellular signaling pathways, insulin mimetic, a hypotriglyceridemic agent, a vasorelaxant/anti-hypertensive compound, a metal chelator and an adjuvant for neurocognitive function. Thus, it will be important to define the precise cause-and-effect relationship between Lipoic acid and its cellular targets of immediate action. 4””

No other Zeolite has this function.

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com

http://www.geronova.com/content/lipoic-acid-new-research-new-paradigm

Lipoic Acid: New Research & the New Paradigm
Submitted by David Carlson on Mon, 08/17/2009 – 23:11

One of the things I love about my job is that I get to read and study and think a lot about lipoic acid. In fact, I try to relate almost every new chemistry, biochemistry or molecular biology paper back to how it relates to lipoic acid which leads to frequent accusations that Im a one dimensional lipoic acid geek. I prefer to think of it as being focused as I have also realized I am an inefficient multi-tasker. Undeterred by these (sometimes) playful jabs, I get to spend time digging through the dusty old archives searching for gems of information as well as reviewing and digesting the hot off the press and even ahead of press articles.

Over the years Ive learned that time spent in the library can be as or more productive than time spent in the lab. Im currently attempting to post new info as soon as I find it and it is particularly rewarding when I find new papers supporting my theories. Until recently I never imagined joining the blogosphere until I realized it is much faster to blog the findings and theories than to design and run the experiments to prove them and to get the findings published. Sometimes it takes several years to get from a concept or hypothesis to a completed experiment and publication. Im in touch with many lipoic acid researchers around the world but they frequently have their own agenda which is driven partially by interest but mostly by funding opportunities. Academics spend a significant of time vying for limited government funding.

Ive been working for the last couple of years compiling all the lipoic acid stereochemistry research I could find.1 I have been writing a comprehensive review article to advance my insights & ideas concerning the mechanisms of action of lipoic acid and specifically the role of stereochemistry which needs to be completed and submitted this year.2

Some of what I had to say has been recently said. Last year, Hagens group at LPI published a paper supporting their (and my) theories that lipoic acid is not really an in vivo antioxidant in the classical sense but is a stressor that induces cellular protective mechanisms.3

Yesterday, I got a Pub Med alert to the ahead of press review by the same group.4 The article is excellent and fairly comprehensive and at least raises the question of the role of stereochemistry in the mechanisms of action which was neglected in previous reviews 9,10 but doesnt go far enough to show the evidence to date indicates R-lipoic acid is superior in most cases to racemic alpha lipoic acid or S-lipoic acid. Please see my 1st blog, R-lipoic acid is the Eutomer of LA.11

So I have new motivation to finish and to publish my paper despite the up to date and comprehensive nature of the review article by Torys group. Shay et al advance many of the ideas and theories that Ive been developing over the years and introduced in an on-line publication5 and discussed in more detail in my OCC presentation.2

Anthony Smith, Tory Hagen and David Carslon – OCC Conference, 2008.

To be fair and honest, although I realized long ago that lipoic acid was much more than an antioxidant and despite its categorization as such most likely does not exert its in vivo benefits as a scavenger of ROS, RNS, RSS7 and may in fact act via pro-oxidant mechanisms, it is difficult to know to what extent my ideas were influenced through countless hours of discussion with Dr Anthony Smith; one of our scientific advisors while he was working with us on our early lipoic acid pharmacokinetic studies.8 Anthony got his doctorate and did post doc work in Hagens lab & is one of the co-authors of the new article and was deeply indoctrinated into this mindset. Hopefully my work had some influence on him and the LPI group as well.

Regardless of where the ideas originated, I am excited that these theories, supported by in vivo dose, concentration and time considerations rather than the heroic and unrealistic concentrations and incubation times used in vitro are finally getting out to a wider audience as it will change the way people think about lipoic acid. It also means that my ideas are being confirmed and validated by one of the worlds most respected lipoic acid research groups. That is always rewarding.

Despite what everyone thinks they know about lipoic acid, it is clear that lipoic acid is not (primarily) an in vivo antioxidant, at least in the sense of a radical scavenger. I am convinced that as this finding becomes more widely known it will direct lipoic acid research into the future and will become much more widely appreciated by the public for its unique characteristics and roles in improving the health span.

According to Shay et al;
In fact, to our knowledge there are few compounds as multifaceted as lipoic acid as a bioactive agent. It is an inducer of cellular signaling pathways, an insulin
mimetic, a hypotriglyceridemic agent, a vasorelaxant/anti-hypertensive compound, a metal chelator and an adjuvant for neurocognitive function. Thus, it will be important to define the precise cause-and-effect relationship between lipoic acid and its cellular targets of immediate action. 4

I should also add that it will be important to find its cellular targets of delayed action since it may induce downstream effects even after it has been metabolically transformed and cleared from the body.

1. http://www.geronova.com/content/research-overview
2. Further characterization of lipoic acid enantiomers provide new research opportunities. Stereochemistry, Pharmacokinetics & Metabolism: Toward a Comprehensive Mechanism of Action. Oxygen Club of California PowerPoint presentation by David A.Carlson, March,15, 2008.
The power point can be downloaded from http://www.geronova.com/content/research-overview
3. Petersen Shay K, Moreau RF, Smith EJ, Hagen TM. Is alpha-lipoic acid a scavenger of reactive oxygen species in vivo? Evidence for its initiation of stress signaling pathways that promote endogenous antioxidant capacity. IUBMB Life. 2008 Jun;60(6):362-7. Review.
4. Alpha-lipoic acid as a dietary supplement: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential. Shay KP, Moreau RF, Smith EJ, Smith AR, Hagen TM. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2009 Aug 4.
5. http://www.geronova.com/docs/controlled_release_lipoicacid.pdf
6. http://www.geronova.com/content/anthony-smith-phd
7. Reactive Oxygen Species, Reactive Nitrogen Species & Reactive Sulfur Species
8. http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/12/4/343.pdf.
9. Biewenga GP, Haenen GR, Bast A. The pharmacology of the antioxidant lipoic acid. Gen Pharmacol. 1997 Sep;29(3):315-31. Review.
10. Smith AR, Shenvi SV, Widlansky M, Suh JH, Hagen TM. Lipoic acid as a potential therapy for chronic diseases associated with oxidative stress.
Curr Med Chem. 2004 May;11(9):1135-46. Review.
11. http://www.geronova.com/content/r-lipoic-acid-eutomer-lipoic-acid

Genetically Modified Ingredients Overview

Linda — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:15:32 +0000

Here is a summary of what crops, foods and food ingredients have been genetically modified as of July, 2007:

Currently Commercialized GM Crops in the U.S.:
(Number in parentheses represents the estimated percent that is genetically modified.)

Soy (91%)
Cotton (88%)
Canola (80-85%)
Corn (85%)
Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%)
Alfalfa, zucchini and yellow squash (small amount)
Tobacco (Quest® brand)

Other Sources of GMOs:

Dairy products from cows injected with rbGH.
Food additives, enzymes, flavorings, and processing agents, including the sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet®) and rennet used to make hard cheeses
Meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals that have eaten GM feed
Honey and bee pollen that may have GM sources of pollen
Contamination or pollination caused by GM seeds or pollen

Some of the Ingredients That May Be Genetically Modified:

Vegetable oil, vegetable fat and margarines (made with soy, corn, cottonseed, and/or canola)

Ingredients derived from soybeans: Soy flour, soy protein, soy isolates, soy isoflavones, soy lecithin, vegetable proteins, textured vegetable protein (TVP), tofu, tamari, tempeh, and soy protein supplements.

Ingredients derived from corn: Corn flour, corn gluten, corn masa, corn starch, corn syrup, cornmeal, and High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

Some Food Additives May Also Be Derived From GM Sources:

The list may change as we encounter new information: ascorbic acid/ascorbate (Vitamin C), cellulose, citric acid, cobalamin (vitamin B12), cyclodextrin, cystein, dextrin, dextrose, diacetyl, fructose (especially crystalline fructose), glucose, glutamate, glutamic acid, gluten, glycerides (mono- and diglycerides), glycerol, glycerol, glycerine, glycine, hemicellulose, , hydrogenated starch hydrolates, hydrolyzed vegetable protein or starch, inositol, invert sugar or inverse syrup, (also may be listed as inversol or colorose), lactic acid, lactoflavin, lecithin, leucine, lysine, maltose, maltitol, maltodextrin, mannitol, methylcellulose, milo starch, modified food starch, monooleate, mono- and diglycerides, monosodium glutamate (MSG), oleic acid, phenylalanine, phytic acid, riboflavin (Vitamin B2) sorbitol, stearic acid, threonine, tocopherol (Vitamin E), trehalose, xanthan gum, and zein.

Some of the Foods That May Contain GM Ingredients:

Infant formula
Salad dressing
Bread
Cereal
Hamburgers and hotdogs
Margarine
Mayonnaise
Crackers
Cookies
Chocolate
Candy
Fried food
Chips
Veggie burgers
Meat substitutes
Ice cream
Frozen yogurt
Tofu
Tamari
Soy sauce
Soy cheese
Tomato sauce
Protein powder
Baking powder (sometimes contains corn starch)
Powdered/Confectioner’s sugar (often contains corn starch)
Confectioner’s glaze
Alcohol
Vanilla
Powdered sugar
Peanut butter
Enriched flour
Vanilla extract (sometimes contains corn syrup)
Pasta
Malt
White vinegar

Non-Food Items That May Contain GM Ingredients:

Cosmetics
Soaps
Detergents
Shampoo
Bubble bath

INVISIBLE GM INGREDIENTS

Processed foods often have hidden GM sources (unless they are organic or declared non-GMO).
The following are ingredients that may be made from GM soy, corn, cotton, or canola.

aspartame	gluten	modified starch
baking powder	glycerides	monosodium glutamate
bee pollen	glycerin	oleic acid
caramel color	glycerol	Phenylalanine
cellulose	glycerol monooleate	phytic acid
citric acid	glycine	sorbitol
cobalamin (Vitamin B12)	hemicellulose	soy flour
corn gluten	high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)	soy isolates
corn masa	hydrogenated starch	soy lecithin
corn oil	hydrolyzed vegetable protein	soy protein
corn syrup	inositol	starch
cornmeal	invert sugar (colorose or inversol)	stearic acid
cornstarch	tamari	inverse syrup
cyclodextrin	isoflavones	tempeh
cystein	lactic acid	threonine
dextrin	lecithin	tocopherols (Vitamin E)
dextrose	leucine	tofu
diacetyl	lysine	trehalose
diglyceride	malitol	triglyceride
fructose	maltodextrin	vegetable fat
fructose (crystalline)	maltose	vegetable oil
glucose	mannitol	Vitamin B12
glutamate	methylcellulose	Vitamin E
glutamic acid	milo starch	xanthan gum

Our understanding is that ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), although usually derived from corn, is probably
not GM because it is not made in North America. Honey and bee pollen may contain GMOs if the
beehives are near GM crops.

This list is continually being updated and refined. For the most recent version, see www.nongmoshoppingguide.com.

Sources for “Genetically Modified Ingredients Overview:

Natural Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, US Department of Agriculture: Acreage. Available at: http://www.thecampaign.org/Acre-06-30-2006.pdf (2006)

Cornell Cooperative Extension, GEO-PIE (Genetically Engineered Organisms Public Issues Education) Project. http://www.geo-pie.cornell.edu/crops/ingredients.html

Ruth Winter , A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives: Descriptions in plain English of more than 12,000 ingredients both harmful and desirable found in foods, 6^th ed. (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2004).

Robert S. Igoe , The Dictionary of Food Ingredients, 2^nd ed. (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1989).

Research Triangle Institute, “Economic Characterization of the Dietary Supplement Industry” March 1999. Available at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~acrobat/ds-econ.pdf

Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) Online Database of the World Health Organization(WHO) Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) of the United Nations and the reports of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Available at: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/gsfaonline/additives/index.html

The University of Maryland Medical Center database of supplements by name: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsLookups/Supplements.html

Archives of the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/

Reports of the European Commission Scientific Committee for Food: http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/reports_en.html

U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) PubMed Central (PMC): http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/

Also consulted the following industry sites:

http://www.corn.org/web/bioprod.htm
http://www.confectionerynews.com/news/ng.asp?n=70687-danisco-xylitol-sugar
http://www.grainprocessing.com/food/malinfo.html
http://www.cargillfoods.com/pdfs/sweeteners.pdf/ca198.pdf

Mercury in high fructose corn syrup

Linda — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:40:37 +0000

Linda’s Comments: The FDA knew it and sat on it!! All sugars are GMO made unless they are organic. They wonder why are children are sick….Mercury is toxic in all forms…Learn to read labels people…..most juice drinks have high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient.

Quantities of mercury have been found in high fructose corn syrup, the ingredient that has replaced sugar in many of our processed foods. Reports have also come out that the FDA knew about traces of the toxic substance in food, and sat on the information.

(HealthDay News) — Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.

HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.

“Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,” the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement.
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In the first study, published in current issue of Environmental Health, researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of commercial HFCS.

And in the second study, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), a non-profit watchdog group, found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was found most commonly in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.

More charming facts about high-fructose corn syrup

HFCS contains more fructose than sugar and this fructose is more immediately available because it is not bound up in sucrose. Since the effects of fructose are most severe in the growing organism, we need to think carefully about what kind of sweeteners we give to our children. Fruit juices should be strictly avoided–they are very high in fructose–but so should anything with HFCS…

…(Scientists conducted) studies with two groups of rats, one given high amounts of glucose and one given high amounts of fructose (the sugar found in corn syrup.)

The glucose group was unaffected but the fructose group had disastrous results.

The male rats did not reach adulthood. They had anemia, high cholesterol and heart hypertrophy–that means that their hearts enlarged until they exploded. They also had delayed testicular development.

Dr. Field explains that fructose in combination with copper deficiency in the growing animal interferes with collagen production. (Copper deficiency, by the way, is widespread in America.)

In a nutshell, the little bodies of the rats just fell apart. The females were not so affected, but they were unable to produce live young.

Source: http://www.westonaprice.org