Dr. Chet’s Health Memos
If it’s in the health news today, I’ll be writing about it as soon as I read the research, both old and new. With my email Health Memos, you’ll know more about making lifestyle choices that will help you get and keep good health. These free, concise updates on health are emailed to subscribers twice a week. Subscribe today and get a free MP3, in English or Spanish, of Dr. Chet’s Top Ten Tips—Small Changes for a Healthier Life.
Taurine and Caffeine
Today we’re wrapping up our look at the potential benefits of adding more taurine to your diet. One of the topics I get asked about most often is the effect of caffeine and taurine in combination on the heart. The concern is that energy drinks contain both nutrients; would that have negative effects on people with heart issues such as hypertension? Let’s take a look at a recent research review.
The authors of the review paper examined the available research on the potential interactions between caffeine and taurine because of the increase in energy-drink consumption. The effects . . .
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Taurine and Diabetes
We’re continuing our look at taurine and some interesting research on its potential benefits. Today, we’re looking at taurine and diabetes but let me be clear: this is mostly theoretical at this point; there has been substantial animal research but not as many human trials as I would like. Still I think it’s worth talking about now.
There are three areas that are affected substantially if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes: the heart and cardiovascular system, the eyes, and the hands and feet. In this review paper, researchers found an association between diabetes and . . .
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Taurine and Energy Drinks
Taurine is typically found in energy drinks, but many people don’t understand how it works. Let’s start with the obvious: how could taurine help with increasing energy levels in the body?
In a review article, the authors explained the role of the beta-amino acid taurine in energy production (1): not supplying calories, but having a role in the production of energy inside the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell. It’s an extremely complicated biochemical process, but let’s see if we can break it down into simpler terms.
Taurine contributes to the production of proteins inside . . .
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Extracts vs. Foods: Tomatoes, Lycopene, and CVD
In today’s look at foods versus extracts, researchers examined a series of studies on the effects of whole-tomato products versus the phytonutrient lycopene on markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Tomatoes vs. Lycopene
Researchers reviewed well over 100 published studies that used either tomatoes (both raw and cooked) or the phytonutrient lycopene (1). Their objective was to see whether the whole food or the extract was more effective in reducing markers for CVD such as blood pressure, inflammation, and serum lipids. Based on a medical model of treatment and results, they felt the research was underwhelming on the effects . . .
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Extracts vs. Foods: Grapefruit Juice and Weight
Today we continue to look at the health benefits of food extracts versus eating the actual foods. Today’s extract could be considered both: grapefruit juice. I’m putting this one in the extracts category because of the way the researchers prepared the grapefruit juice. Here’s the story.
To say that this was a complicated study is an understatement. I’ll give you the essence of it and the results. Researchers centrifuged fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice to remove all particulates; then they concocted several different mixtures, adding varying amounts of saccharin, sugar, metformin, and a phytonutrient from grapefruit called . . .
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Extracts vs. Foods: Broccoli and Autism
There have been a few studies published lately that examine foods and extracts from foods used for specific health conditions. I’m going to review three such studies this week and wrap things up by considering the question of what works best, extracts or foods, or whether there’s another possibility. Let’s start with an extract from broccoli called sulforaphanes and it’s affect on autism spectral disorder (ASD).
Sulforaphane, a phytonutrient found in broccoli sprouts, seems to stress the body in positive ways that help us deal with insults caused by toxins and other substances. These effects also . . .
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Dietary Supplements: More Scary Headlines
In Thursday’s message, I talked about a recent study on the stimulant DMBA found in pre-workout dietary supplements. While I think there’s reason for concern with this untested product, I also think the headlines are deceiving: “Untested Stimulant Found in Dietary Supplements” and “Potentially Dangerous Stimulant Common in Diet Supplements.” The headlines suggest that DMBA or AMP citrate can be found in a lot of different dietary supplements. That’s a blatant misrepresentation of the truth, and it begins with the use of the phrase dietary supplement.
If you’re about to run to see if your . . .
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Dietary Supplements: Untested Energy Boosters
I often begin a review of a recent study by examining the health headlines; the same is true today. “Untested Stimulant Found in Dietary Supplements” and “Potentially Dangerous Stimulant Common in Diet Supplements”—both headlines refer to a recently published study (1). The stimulant in question is a synthetic chemical called DMBA which stands for 1,3 dimethylbutylamine. It’s also referred to as AMP citrate. Were the headlines justified? Yes and no—today I’ll cover yes.
The researchers purchased 14 products with either the chemical name or the common name on the label and had the products analyzed . . .
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Winning Art and Your Health
When something unexpected happens, I just have to go with it. It wasn’t my intention to follow-up Saturday’s message, but this is just too powerful to ignore.
The ArtPrize entry that Paula chose to put in the Saturday message, a 6.5 foot cube with a light inside, won and won big—it won the public vote, the juror’s vote of art professionals, and the Grand Prize in the Installation category as well. For her efforts, artist Anila Quayyum Agha will take home $300,000.
ArtPrize and Your Health
Each fall for the past six years, artists from all over the world bring or send their work to Grand Rapids to compete for over $500,000 in cash prizes. ArtPrize was the first of its kind when it began in 2009 and this year displayed over 1,500 entries by over 1,800 artists; it’s physically impossible to see them all. It has benefitted both the artists and the economy of West Michigan, because people come from all over the world to see the art.
Paula and I visited just a few of the venues to see some . . .
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