Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a complex disease with multiple causes. During the past decade, the health benefits of vitamin E in prevention of atherosclerosis have been studied extensively.
In a study published in Atherosclerosis (2005, 180(1): 19-25), researchers at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan, discovered that tocotrienols were a more effective form of vitamin E in reducing endothelial expression of adhesion molecules in the blood vasculature, relative to the effects of ?-tocopherol. More...
Unfortunately this is not the case with most manufacturers, probably because tocotrienols are significantly more expensive than Vitamin E.
The state of California is suing nine top food manufacturers over their reluctance to issue warnings that some popular snacks could contain a potential cancer-causing chemical.
Attorney general Bill Lockyer argues that the state's anti-toxics law, Proposition 65, requires companies to warn consumers about products containing chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects.
Acrylamide, a carcinogen that is created when starchy foods are baked, roasted, fried or toasted, was placed on the list in 1990. But some food companies remain reluctant to highlight the potential danger in snack products such as fries and potato chips.
The defendants in the lawsuit include heavy weights such as Burger King, Frito-Lay, Heinz, KFC and McDonald's. More...
Caffeine drinks may contribute to obesity, suggests small study (Full Article)f1
By Dominique Patton8/23/2005 - Rising consumption of energy drinks that contain high levels of sugar and caffeine may be contributing to our expanding waistlines, according to new research that could prove damaging for the booming energy drinks market.
Professor Elaine Rush from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand claims to have found that an energy drink containing sugar, added caffeine and guarana causes the body to convert sugar into fat more rapidly than lemonade.
"These results could have huge implications when you think about how much sugar and caffeine people consume these days, and the high rates of inactivity," Professor Rush said.
Lemonade and other sodas are already being blamed by consumer groups for their role in increasing childhood obesity as many have a high sugar content.
But energy drinks have previously been exempted from such attention as their caffeine content was thought to increase metabolism.
The new study is small and will need to be confirmed by further research. However it will need a close look by energy drinks makers, set to make sales of more than £1 billion (€1.46bn) in the UK this year, according to Mintel data.
For the study, the New Zealand team recruited 10 healthy women aged 18 to 22 from a range of ethnicities. The subjects fasted overnight and were randomly given either 250ml of an energy drink or lemonade on the first day and the alternative on the second day of testing.
Lemonade contains around the same amount of sugar as energy drinks and is also carbonated but it contains no caffeine unlike cola drinks.
The sugar in both drinks was absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream - within a minute, according to Professor Rush - but she warned that when caffeine is also present the sugar is more quickly converted to fat.
"Sugar is a simple carbohydrate and evidence from this study shows that, coupled with a large amount of caffeine, the body rapidly turns it into stored fat," said the researcher.
Coffee's impact on sugar metabolism is currently unclear. The beverage has been linked to a reduced risk of diabetes but it is not yet known whether this is down to the caffeine content or other compounds in coffee. Earlier research has shown that caffeine could upset the body's ability to metabolise sugar.
The energy drink tested by Rush's team contained 28g sucrose and 81mg caffeine per 250ml can, which is similar to the amount of sugar in soft drinks and caffeine in a brewed cup of coffee.
"Simple carbohydrates and caffeine were not such a large parts of our diet in the past. Inactive people have trouble burning off excess energy and this leads to weight gain."
The findings are supported by a recent UK study, which found that caffeine increased cyclists' absorption of carbohydrates from a sports drink. But for those consumers not doing much exercise, these carbohydrates will be turned into fat.
"These drinks are often marketed as energy-boosters and may be perceived as helpful for weight loss. This is misleading - they are a calorie-booster and may actually cause weight gain," added Professor Rush.
She noted that the study is limited by its small sample size and the fact that the subjects were all young women. But the results are important as this area has not been explored before, she said.
"There has been a great deal of research about sugar and obesity, but not the synergy between drinks and fat stores."
The study also raises questions about the effects of consuming high-sugar foods and highly caffeinated drinks together in a short period of time. Caffeine lasts in the body for four to six hours, so people who have caffeinated drinks, including sugar-free energy drinks or coffee, and then eat sugary food within this time frame, may experience similar effects.
"This area needs further research, as well as the long term effects of combined caffeine and sugar on sedentary people's health," added Professor Rush. For the full article click here.
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Study Indicates That Tocotrienol Is More Effective Than a-Tocopherol In Reducing Expression of Adhesion Molecules (Full Article) August 2005 - Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a complex disease with multiple causes. During the past decade, the health benefits of vitamin E in prevention of atherosclerosis have been studied extensively.
In a study published in Atherosclerosis (2005, 180(1): 19-25), researchers at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan, discovered that tocotrienols were a more effective form of vitamin E in reducing endothelial expression of adhesion molecules in the blood vasculature, relative to the effects of ?-tocopherol.
The migration of circulating monocytes into the subendothelial space is one of the earliest events in atherosclerosis. This process is in part regulated by the expression of adhesion molecules on such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1).
Enhanced endothelial expression of these molecules by oxidized LDL-Cholesterol has been shown to be a critical step in plaque formation and the development of atherosclerosis. Patients with atherosclerosis have been found to have high circulating levels of these soluble adhesion molecules. Attempts to lower the production of these adhesion molecules have received wide attention as a mean of reducing the risk of developing CVD.
In this study, it was found that tocotrienols inhibited both surface protein and mRNA expression of VCAM-1 on human aortic endothelial cells induced by 25-hydroxycholesterol (a component of oxidized LDL-Cholesterol). The inhibitory effect was significantly more profound with tocotrienols compared to alpha-tocopherol (the regular vitamin E).
The study further shows that tocotrienols are accumulated at levels approximately 25-95-fold greater than that of alpha-tocopherol in the human aortic endothelial cells, indicating the superior inhibitory activity of tocotrienols is largely due to the higher intracellular concentrations.
"This study with its promising results, supports the theory that tocotrienols may potentially be an important natural phytonutrient in reducing the risk of atherosclerosis," says WH Leong, Vice President of Carotech Inc, the largest producer of palm tocotrienol complex in the world. For complete article click here.
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California sues food firms over acrylamide (Full Article)f3By Anthony Fletcher
8/31/2005 - The state of California is suing nine top food manufacturers over their reluctance to issue warnings that some popular snacks could contain a potential cancer-causing chemical.
Attorney general Bill Lockyer argues that the state's anti-toxics law, Proposition 65, requires companies to warn consumers about products containing chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects.
Acrylamide, a carcinogen that is created when starchy foods are baked, roasted, fried or toasted, was placed on the list in 1990. But some food companies remain reluctant to highlight the potential danger in snack products such as fries and potato chips.
The defendants in the lawsuit include heavy weights such as Burger King, Frito-Lay, Heinz, KFC and McDonald's.
"In taking this action, I am not telling people to stop eating potato chips or French fries," said attorney general Bill Lockyer.
"I know from personal experience that, while these snacks may not be a necessary part of a healthy diet, they sure taste good. But I, and all consumers, should have the information we need to make informed decisions about the food we eat.
"Proposition 65 requires companies to tell us when we're exposed to potentially dangerous toxins in our food. The law benefits us all, and as Attorney General, I have a duty to enforce it."
But many food makers remain resolutely opposed to such a warning, fearing that such labeling would needlessly scare consumers. They argue that obesity, over-consumption and alcohol are much more likely to increase the risk of cancer than trace levels of carcinogens in food.
However, pressure has been mounting on food companies to better label their foods ever since scientists in Sweden confirmed the link between starchy foods and acrylamide in 2002. Public health bodies have become increasingly vigilant; according to the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), dozens of potato chips contain excessive levels of acrylamide without any warning whatsoever.
For every product the pressure group tested, a one-ounce serving eaten daily exceeded levels that require a cancer warning under Proposition 65.
Lockyer has made efforts not to appear so confrontational. He claims that he intends to work with the defendants in the case to find a way to effectively give consumers information about the acrylamide in their products, while at the same time preventing undue public alarm and unnecessary warning signs concerning foods that contain insignificant amounts of the chemical.
The Attorney General's action is not the first to seek consumer warnings for these foods. A private suit filed in 2002 by the Committee for Education and Research on Toxics (CERT) named McDonald's and Burger King as defendants, and is pending in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Another set of two private suits filed on 3 August 2005 by Environmental World Watch (EWW) identified a number of the same defendants as the Attorney General's suit. Additional actions were filed on 25 August 2005 by the ELF.
The FDA is currently investigating acrylamide in various foods, including bread, cereal and coffee, but has not issued any warnings. A list from March 2004 shows the acrylamide levels - in parts per billion - of many brands of food. This list can be found here.
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