Category: Public Health News

Although we look to the strands of our hair to try to determine our hair health, the true action is going on at the hair’s originating point – the follicle. The old myth that giving your hair a trim will make it grow faster is a huge misconception. It may look healthier because you’ve removed the frayed split ends, but if you really want faster hair growth, put your attention to your scalp.

Like your skin elsewhere on your body, your scalp needs nutrients to perform at its best. Here are the six best vitamins for faster hair growth:

Original Post from: http://www.hair.becomegorgeous.com/professional_tips/best_vitamins_for_faster_hair_growth-8318.html

When you have Type 2 diabetes and you have been told that you have it because your pancreas either fails to make enough insulin or that the insulin that it makes is not able to be used properly (that’s a mouthful), have you ever thought to yourself, “Huh?”

Has this information been filed away in the part of your brain labeled, “Information I don’t understand and sounds too confusing to learn,” just waiting to be purged when possible? Whenever I hear a patient being told this I often wonder if they’re going to ask, “Well, which is it, do I make too much insulin or not enough, and why does this happen?” I think if I had diabetes I would want to know. Let me see if I can explain it here.

I will start off by reminding you that it takes approximately 10 years to go from completely normal to actually having diabetes. I am sure this varies somewhat from person to person, however on average it takes 10 years.

After you eat a meal that has sugar in it, the sugar will enter the blood stream. In response to sugar entering the blood the beta cells, located throughout the pancreas, start making insulin. Typically, the greater the amount of sugar that enters the blood, the greater the amount of insulin produced by the beta cells in the pancreas. At least, this is the way it is supposed to work.

The insulin produced in the beta cells then enters the blood stream and looks for some sugar. Once it finds a sugar molecule it swims over and grabs a hold of it. (A little-known fact is that insulin only has one arm, so it can only grab ahold of one sugar.) The insulin then takes the sugar out of the blood vessel and over to a muscle, fat or liver cell. Once close to the cell the insulin starts heading over to one of the cell’s many doors. The insulin then opens the door to the cell and escorts the sugar inside. Once this is accomplished the insulin is not reused and is basically put out to pasture. Meanwhile, other insulins are finding sugar in the blood and taking them to other muscle, fat and liver cells, thereby returning the level of sugar in the blood to pre-meal levels. Once blood sugar levels are back to normal the beta cells stop making insulin (except for little drips of insulin that constantly leak from the liver into the blood throughout the day) until sugar enters the blood stream again, perhaps after the next meal.

In the case of Type 2 diabetes, about 10 years before actually developing the disease, when insulin tries to open the doors so that the sugar can enter, the insulin finds that the doors have become much more difficult to open, and one insulin is no longer enough to get the doors open (I call this rusty hinges. Officially it is called the onset of insulin resistance.) This means the beta cells must make additional insulin to help get the doors open due to their rusty hinges. Over the course of the next 10 years, or thereabouts, increasing amounts of insulin are required to get the doors to the cells open so that the sugar can enter. (This is why you hear that you may be making plenty of insulin, however, it is not being used properly.)

Eventually, these beta cells that have been working so hard begin to fail (as would anything that is working in a manner in which it is not designed) and insulin production drops as a result. (This is when you hear that you are not making enough insulin.) As a result of this reduction in insulin production, sugar can no longer enter the cells as it is supposed to and remains trapped in the blood stream.

So you see, in the development of Type 2 diabetes, there is an overproduction of insulin followed by a reduction in insulin production.

Original Post from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/milt-bedingfield/type-2-diabetes_b_1684246.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Wednesday’s issue of the journal Neurology includes a study on a biomarker in the blood that seems to predict the development of Alzheimer’s over the next decade.

In the study, 99 women in the U.S. who were aged 70 to 79 and free of dementia when the study began had their blood tested.

Investigators were checking levels of serum ceramides, a fatty compound found throughout the body that is associated with inflammation and cell death.

Over the nine year study, 27 women developed dementia and 18 of those were diagnosed with probable Alzheimer’s disease.

Women who had the highest levels of the biomarker were 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than women with the lowest levels, study author Michelle Mielke, an epidemiologist with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and her co-authors found.

“In this population-based sample of older women, high serum ceramide levels were associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia independent of age, blood glucose and body mass index,” the study authors concluded.

The relationship between the biomarker and Alzheimer’s was stronger than for all-cause dementia.

“These findings suggest that high levels of serum ceramides increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.”

Accuracy, cost and convenience key

It’s also possible that low levels of the biomarker reduce the risk rather than high levels being harmful or that changes in the biomarkers may be a better indicator of progression, the researchers said.

“These findings are important because identifying an accurate biomarker for early Alzheimer’s that requires little cost and inconvenience to a patient could help change our focus from treating the disease to preventing or delaying it,” said Valory Pavlik of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, who wrote a journal editorial accompanying the study.

Pavlik called the study “compelling” because of its design, rigorous methods and consistency with preliminary research into the role of ceramides in cognitive decline.

“We must temper our enthusiasm by recognizing the limitations of this study, which include a small sample size of women only and a single baseline measurement of the biomarker,” Pavlik wrote.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging, the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Johns Hopkins Older Americans Independence Center.

Original Post from: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/07/18/alzheimer-biomarker.html

For people with diabetes, fructose is perhaps the most controversial of the three main forms of dietary sugar (the others are glucose and galactose, which joins with glucose to form lactose in milk products). While the risks of glucose are clear — it raises blood glucose levels — and lactose seems to be fine unless a person is lactose-intolerant, there has often been conflicting evidence regarding the health effects of fructose. On the one hand, it tends to have only a modest effect on blood glucose levels because it must be broken down gradually by an enzyme in the liver, which converts it to glucose that the body can use for energy. On the other hand, fructose has been implicated in raising triglyceride levels in the blood as well as blood pressure. Is there any way to weigh its risks and benefits?

That is what scientists recently tried to do in an analysis of 18 clinical trials that studied fructose consumption, published in the journal Diabetes Care. These trials were selected on the basis that their participants had Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, they lasted at least seven days, and they measured the effects of dietary fructose on fasting blood glucose and insulin levels as well as HbA1c. These were all randomized controlled trials in which a standard meal plan was compared with one containing more fructose but the same number of calories.

According to an ANI (India) article on the analysis, the researchers found that fructose had an overall beneficial effect on blood glucose control, as measured by HbA1c. This effect was accomplished without any detected adverse effects on body weight, blood pressure, or blood cholesterol, and no change in insulin levels. Meanwhile, the average reduction in HbA1c from fructose substitution was 0.53%, representing a major impact on blood glucose control.

Of course, the studies included in the analysis could have been too short to detect negative health effects associated with fructose — and for this reason, the researchers recommended long-term clinical studies to find out more. At the same time, the lack of any measurable negative effects suggests that in the real world, the root of many problems associated with fructose may be overconsumption. Since it tends not to spike blood glucose levels, some people with diabetes may consume it at unhealthy levels rather than using it as a substitute for moderate levels of other forms of sugar. Fructose is available in pure granulated form — often called crystalline fructose — and it is also the main sugar found in agave syrup, which many people use as a beverage sweetener and honey substitute.

Do you use fructose regularly as a sweetener? Why or why not — are you concerned that it might raise your blood pressure or triglyceride level? Do you find zero-calorie sweeteners more or less appealing? If you have concerns about fructose, do they apply only to refined forms of it, or also to naturally occurring fructose in fruit? Does this analysis make you want to add agave nectar to your coffee? Leave a comment below!

Original Post from: http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/Blog/Flashpoints/fructose-for-all/

Still looking for that magic weight loss formula? A new study, published online in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, adds some evidence around behaviours that may help keep you on track. And, while it’s not magic, the behaviours they identified are all strategies that I would advocate in my practice and that are great helps when it comes to fighting this ongoing problem.

The study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle looked at self-monitoring and diet related behaviours in a group of overweight and obese post-menopausal women who were part of a 12 month weight loss trial.

After looking at the data they collected, the study authors suggest that women who want to lose weight should keep a food journal, avoid skipping meals and eating out (especially at lunch).

They found that :

Women who kept food journals consistently lost about six pounds more than those who did not

Women who reported skipping meals lost about eight fewer pounds than women who did not

Women who ate out for lunch at least weekly lost on average five fewer pounds than those who ate out less frequently. Eating out frequently for all meals resulted in less weight loss but the strongest association was with lunch.

So let’s look at these three strategies in a bit more detail:

Keeping a food journal is a strategy that has consistently been shown to be effective for weight loss and weight maintenance. And, while it is something that many people resist doing, if you persist, it can give great results.

Why a journal? It helps you become aware of your eating behaviours and helps you track your progress. You can see more clearly exactly what you eat as well as some of your behaviour patterns, and also helps you identify mindless eating”¦that nibble here, nibble there, that can contribute so many “unaware” calories. With this information, you can develop strategies to help you change.

How to do it? There are lots of tools you can use. Some people carry a little notebook with them, some set it up on their computer or smart phone and there are even some apps that have journals already set up. Many of my clients use My Fitness Pal or Lose It! The most important part of the exercise is to do it consistently, honestly and non-judgmentally so you will gain the real benefit.

Eating out is challenging because the portions tend to be larger, there is so much hidden fat, sodium and calories and there are always extras like the side of fries, the bread on the table or the calorie-laden salad dressings. If taking lunch is not an easy option, look around at where you eat and pick the healthiest choices on the menu. Visit the restaurant’s website and pick the healthiest options or skip the fried foods, have dressings on the side, ask them to hold the sauces. If you are eating with friends and the portions are large, share an order or order an appetizer size.

Try to get in the habit of bringing some lunches to the office. If you have leftovers from the night before, pack them up to go. Or, if you are making sandwiches for the kids, make an extra for yourself. It doesn’t have to be everyday but you’ll find as you get into it that you can make healthier meals and also save money.

Eat at least three times a day and don’t skip meals. Skipping meals is never a good idea. Most people later in the day more than make up for the skipped meal in terms of calories and it has never been shown to assist with weight loss. If you tend to skip lunch because it’s busy at work, put a reminder on your computer or phone that will tell you to stop and take some time to eat.

Original Post from: http://www.torontosun.com/2012/07/18/good-behaviours-for-weight-loss

Salmon oil supplements provide many benefits. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in salmon oil, protects against heart disease, relieves arthritis pain and improves cognitive function. However, salmon oil is not right for everyone. Some people experience side effects from salmon oil supplements.

Bleeding

Salmon oil reduces the “stickiness” of blood. This is one way it protects against heart disease and promotes healthy blood vessels. While most people have no problem with this, someone taking a prescription anticoagulant such as warfarin or an over-the-counter remedy, such as aspirin, may develop unpleasant side effects. If you develop abnormal bruising, slow clotting in minor cuts or bleeding gums or nosebleeds, it may be a sign that your clotting function is impaired from the combination of medications. Even if you do not take other medications to thin the blood, high doses of salmon oil can be enough to impair clotting. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, taking more than three grams of omega-3 fatty acids a day can increase the risk of suffering a hemorrhagic stroke.

Upset Digestive Tract

Salmon oil, as well as other fish oil supplements, can cause problems with the digestive system. Diarrhea, excessive gas and uncomfortable bloating may all develop when taking salmon oil supplements. These side effects are typically a nuisance but not dangerous. Reduce or eliminate these unpleasant side effects by switching to a time-released version of the oil.

Particular Risk for Diabetics

People with Type 2 diabetes may notice an increase in their fasting blood sugar levels after taking a supplement containing salmon oil. If you have diabetes, it is important to discuss any changes to your diet with your physician.

Possible Drug Interactions

Salmon oil supplements can interact with a variety of prescription drugs. If you regularly take any medications, consult your physician before adding salmon oil to your diet. Drugs known to interact with salmon oil supplements include anticoagulants and medications that lower blood sugar levels. Conversely, if you receive a prescription for cyclosporine, cholesterol lowering medications or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, ask your physician about possible benefits of adding salmon oil supplements to your diet.

Original Post from: http://www.livestrong.com/article/21633-side-effects-salmon-oil/

Exercising on an empty stomach never quite feels right. When it comes to helping our bodies feel good before and after workouts, most of us would agree we should start with a healthy plate of food.

“Carbohydrates are the primary and most important source of energy for the body,” says Liz Pearson, author of Broccoli, Love and Dark Chocolate (coming in Spring 2013) said in a press release. “Many people today have developed a phobia of carbs, but the truth is that carbs are actually good for us and we need to consume them every day, particularly when we’re active.”

While many do skip out on carbs or try low-carb diets, Dietitians of Canada recommends people — working out or not — should never skip breakfast, but instead, should try controlling portions and eating high-carb veggies and fruits that also contain rich nutrients and minerals.

But there are bad carbs to watch out for. “Getting carbs from refined grains such as white breads and pasta, or cereals, cakes and cookies made with white flour, as well as highly-processed sugary drinks, candy and desserts, can increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, macular degeneration and some cancers,” Pearson says. And it’s not that hard to find alternatives. Luckily for you, most major retailers carry foods that can easily replace white pastas with whole grain noodles and vegetables.

But some studies have shown that opting for heavy carbs before workouts can actually do more harm than good. A 2010 study from the University of Leuven in Belgium claimed skipping pre-workout snacks could help you burn more fat, according to The Associated Press.

So what should we be eating? Foods like brown rice, whole grain pancakes and pastas are the best to eat three to four hours before your workout, according to Pearson, while cereals, crackers and breads work better eaten30 minutes before. Post-workout foods include chocolate milk and yogurt.

Three To Four Hours Before:

Whole Grain Spaghetti 
Even though many stay away from pastas during diets, whole grains are a great source of complex carbs, which stores energy in our muscles for a longer period of time.

Brown Rice
Another great grain, brown rice is full of fibre and can decrease the risk of colon cancers.

Whole Grain Pancakes 
Easy on the syrup! Whole grain pancakes are full of fibre and taste great with fresh fruit and honey.

30 to 60 Minutes Before:

Whole Grain Cereal
For those of you who love morning cereal, a bowl of fibre-filled whole grain cereal is an easy way to get full. Trying to keep it healthy? Opt for skim milk.

Whole Grain Crackers
Unsalted whole grain crackers also fuel your body with energy.

Lean Proteins On Whole Grain Bread
A diet including whole grains can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and even gum disease.

Post-Workout:

Fruit Smoothies
The most versatile thing about smoothies is that they allow you to add in your own ingredients. Don’t be afraid to use fresh veggies, flax seeds and even green tea along with your favourite fruit.

Chocolate Milk
If you’re trying to avoid dairy, chocolate milk can easily be made to fit your needs.

Yogurt 
Yogurt is rich in calcium and full of protein but it also lets you experiment with add-ons like granola and fresh fruit.

Energy Bars
Again, customize your own bar and fill it up with fibre and protein. Check out this recipe by Kate Slate.

Original Post from: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/06/25/foods-before-working-out_n_1624647.html

Early research suggests that patients with chronic hepatitis C infections may improve their treatment response by also receiving vitamin B12.

Investigators say adding B12 to standard therapy may boost the body’s ability to fight the virus, but an expert who spoke to WebMD remains skeptical.

B12 May Help Drugs Work Better

In the newly reported Italian study, previously untreated patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who received vitamin B12 along with the drugs pegylated interferon and ribavirin were more likely to have undetectable levels of virus at 24 weeks after stopping treatment compared to patients who did not receive vitamin B12.

The study was small, with just 94 patients. Of those, 32 were genotype 1 patients treated with the vitamin. Genotype 1 is the most common strain in the U.S., and difficult to treat.

But the findings raise hopes that this inexpensive therapy may help HCV drugs work better in hard-to-treat patients, researcher Gerardo Nardone, MD, of the University of Naples, tells WebMD.

He says his research team hopes to conduct a much larger B12 supplementation study in hepatitis C patients.

3.2 Million in U.S. Infected With HCV

About 3.2 million people in the U.S. have chronic HCV infection, according to the CDC.

Without treatment, as many as 70% will develop liver disease and 20% will developcirrhosis of the liver within two to three decades.

Until very recently, pegylated interferon along with ribavirin were the only drugs available to treat HCV.

The recent addition of a new class of drugs for patients with genotype 1 HCV has raised the rate of undetectable viral level to closer to 75%, says David Bernstein, MD, who is chief of hepatology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.

The new study, published in the journal Gut, included 94 patients with chronic HCV infections of genotypes 1, 2, and 3. They were treated with either pegylated interferon and ribavirin alone or the two drugs plus vitamin B12, given by injection every four weeks.

Patients with genotype 2 or 3 were treated for 24 weeks and patients with genotype 1 were treated for 48 weeks.

HCV Doctor Questions Study’s Relevance

Patients given vitamin B12 along with standard treatment were more likely to achieve undetectable levels of virus at 24 weeks after stopping treatment.

Bernstein tells WebMD that the relevance of the pilot study is far from clear given its small size and the fact that the patients were not treated with other drugs now available.

“This study raises far more questions than it answers,” he says. “It may merit further study, but this should be in patients who are on triple-drug therapy.”

He adds that new drugs on the horizon are likely to boost ideal treatment response rates for previously hard-to-treat patients even further.

“This is really a very exciting time in the treatment of this disease,” he says. “The current therapies are very good and those coming down the pipeline should be even better.”

Original Post from: http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/news/20120717/vitamin-b12-may-boost-hep-c-treatment-response

Men and women who regularly consume higher amounts of anthocyanin-rich fruits, particularly blueberries, show a reduced risk for type 2 diabetes. That’s the finding of a recent study conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The researchers discovered that people who increased their intake of anthocyanins by eating more than two servings of blueberries per week had a lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate less

than one serving of blueberries per month.

Anthocyanins are highly concentrated in the deep blue pigments of Wild Blueberries, which contain higher levels of anthocyanins than many other foods. They belong to a group of natural compounds, called flavonoids, found in the skins of many plants that have high antioxidant capacity and other bioactivity.

Researchers focused on the relationship between anthocyanin consumption and type 2 diabetes by examining data from over 200,000 men and women participating in long-term health studies.

“In our large prospective study, we found that higher consumption of blueberries was associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, possibly due to their high content of anthocyanins,” said Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and the study’s lead author. “This finding should stimulate further research in this area, but in the meantime it is one more reason to include blueberries in our choices of fruits and vegetables.”

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, and affects millions of Americans. People with diabetes are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and other serious health problems. Reducing the risk of diabetes can have a major impact on a person’s health.

“This study is the latest in a growing body of health-related research showing that making flavonoid- and anthocyanin-rich whole foods like Wild Blueberries part of a daily diet is a smart move,” said Susan Davis, MS, RD, nutrition advisor to the Wild Blueberry Association of North America.

A 2010 study by researchers at Louisiana State University, found that daily consumption of whole blueberries reduced the rate at which people with a high risk for type 2 diabetes actually developed the disease.

Wild Blueberries offer a host of potential benefits for everyone, not only people at risk of diabetes. They are an antioxidant leader, have a low glycemic index, contain only 71 calories per one-cup serving, and are high in fiber. In addition to diabetes, researchers are focusing on a wide range of potential health benefits related to Wild Blueberries, in areas such as brain health, cancer prevention, gut health, heart health and metabolic syndrome.

Wild Blueberries are frozen fresh at the peak of antioxidant freshness and only available in the freezer case at grocery stores. Because they are available frozen throughout the year, it is easy to make them a regular part of a healthy diet.

Frozen fresh Wild Blueberries maintain their flavor, texture, and – most importantly – their nutritional properties. The pearl-sized berries may be eaten whole, blended into smoothies and beverages, added to recipes or sprinkled on cereal or desserts.

For a variety of easy-to-make breakfast, dinner, dessert and drink recipes that make it easy to add two weekly servings of Wild Blueberries to a healthy diet, visit the Wild Blueberry Association of North

America’s web site at http://www.wildblueberries.com/recipes.

“Adding Wild Blueberries to a healthy diet is easy,” noted Davis, “and doing so has the potential to reduce the risk of developing chronic and age-related health issues.”

“Dietary Flavonoid Intakes and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women”
was published earlier this year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

About the Wild Blueberry Association of North America (http://www.wildblueberries.com)

The Wild Blueberry Association of North America is a trade association of growers and processors of Wild Blueberries from Maine and Canada, dedicated to bringing the Wild Blueberry health story and unique Wild Advantages to consumers and the trade worldwide.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/797501#ixzz20vMfImgK

Original Post from: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/797501

The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, of vitamin C is less than half what it should be, scientists argue in a recent report, because medical experts insist on evaluating this natural, but critical nutrient in the same way they do pharmaceutical drugs and reach faulty conclusions as a result.

The researchers, in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, say there’s compelling evidence that the RDA of vitamin C should be raised to 200 milligrams per day for adults, up from its current levels in the United States of 75 milligrams for women and 90 for men.

Rather than just prevent the vitamin C deficiency disease of scurvy, they say, it’s appropriate to seek optimum levels that will saturate cells and tissues, pose no risk, and may have significant effects on public health at almost no expense – about a penny a day if taken as a dietary supplement.

“It’s time to bring some common sense to this issue, look at the totality of the scientific evidence, and go beyond some clinical trials that are inherently flawed,” said Balz Frei, professor and director of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, and one of the world’s leading experts on the role of vitamin C in optimum health.

“Significant numbers of people in the U.S. and around the world are deficient in vitamin C, and there’s growing evidence that more of this vitamin could help prevent chronic disease,” Frei said. “The way clinical researchers study micronutrients right now, with the same type of so-called ‘phase three randomized placebo-controlled trials’ used to test pharmaceutical drugs, almost ensures they will find no beneficial effect. We need to get past that.”

Unlike testing the safety or function of a prescription drug, the researchers said, such trials are ill suited to demonstrate the disease prevention capabilities of substances that are already present in the human body and required for normal metabolism. Some benefits of micronutrients in lowering chronic disease risk also show up only after many years or even decades of optimal consumption of vitamin C – a factor often not captured in shorter-term clinical studies.

A wider body of metabolic, pharmacokinetic, laboratory and demographic studies suggests just the opposite, that higher levels of vitamin C could help reduce the chronic diseases that today kill most people in the developed world – heart disease, stroke, cancer, and the underlying issues that lead to them, such as high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, poor immune response and atherosclerosis.

“We believe solid research shows the RDA should be increased,” Frei said. “And the benefit-to-risk ratio is very high. A 200 milligram intake of vitamin C on a daily basis poses absolutely no risk, but there is strong evidence it would provide multiple, substantial health benefits.”

An excellent diet with the recommended five to nine daily servings of fruits and raw or steam-cooked vegetables, together with a six-ounce glass of orange juice, could provide 200 milligrams of vitamin C a day. But most Americans and people around the world do not have an excellent diet.

Even at the current low RDAs, various studies in the U.S. and Canada have found that about a quarter to a third of people are marginally deficient in vitamin C, and up to 20 percent in some populations are severely deficient – including college students, who often have less-than-perfect diets. Smokers and older adults are also at significant risk.

Even marginal deficiency can lead to malaise, fatigue, and lethargy, researchers note. Healthier levels of vitamin C can enhance immune function, reduce inflammatory conditions such as atherosclerosis, and significantly lower blood pressure.

•A recent analysis of 29 human studies concluded that daily supplements of 500 milligrams of vitamin C significantly reduced blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and directly attributes to an estimated 400,000 deaths annually in the U.S.

•A study in Europe of almost 20,000 men and women found that mortality from cardiovascular disease was 60 percent lower when comparing the blood plasma concentration of vitamin C in the highest 20 percent of people to the lowest 20 percent.

•Another research effort found that men with the lowest serum vitamin C levels had a 62 percent higher risk of cancer-related death after a 12-16 year period, compared to those with the highest vitamin C levels.

Laboratory studies with animals – which may be more accurate than human studies because they can be done in controlled conditions and with animals of identical genetic makeup – can document reasons that could explain all of these findings, Frei said.

Critics have suggested that some of these differences are simply due to better overall diet, not vitamin C levels, but the scientists noted in this report that some health benefits correlate even more strongly to vitamin C plasma levels than fruit and vegetable consumption.

Source: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Original Post from: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120717/Healthier-levels-of-vitamin-C-can-reduce-inflammatory-conditions.aspx