Newest fertility treatment may be a diet (Reuters)

Reuters - The newest low-tech fertility treatment may be a diet, researchers said on Wednesday after learning that obese men have more abnormal sperm and make less semen.

Vitamin E deficiency is associated with impaired immune responsiveness and increased severity of infection. Vitamin E deficiency has resulted in impaired bactericidal activity of phagocytes, reduced lymphocyte response to mitogens, decreased production of the cytokine IL-2, altered T cell differentiation in the thymus, and increased myocardial injury during viral infection. Supplementation with vitamin E during viral or bacterial infection (influenza, murine AIDS, herpes simplex virus, Staphylococcus aureus, parainfluenza, Clostridium pelfringens) has been shown to decrease mortality rate or severity of infection in several different animal models. However, not all studies have found an improved resistance to infection from vitamin E supplementation 85 and we are not aware of any human studies that have tested this theory by infecting human subjects and then assessing disease incidence and/or severity.

It is less clear whether intake of vitamin E above the RDA enhances resistance to infection in healthy individuals. The most promising results have come from studies involving elderly human subjects. In several randomized controlled trials, various doses of vitamin E were administered to elderly individuals for different periods of time and immune responses were measured.

Two studies that administered supplements (100-800 mg/day) for at least 6 months found an enhancement of several immune parameters including dihydrotestosterone (DTH) response, mitogen-induced IL-2 production, and increased antibody titer to hepatitis B and tetanus vaccine One of these studies found optimal results in those subjects receiving 200 mg/day of vitamin E, but higher levels of vitamin E (800 mg/day) were not associated with an additional improvement of immune response.

The results from one study failed to find an enhancement of immune response in elderly subjects consuming 100 mg/day. However, in this study, subjects received the supplement for only 3 months and perhaps a longer period of supplementation is necessary to observe an effect. The results from two additional studies found enhancement of several immune parameters (LPS-induced production of IL-1, TNFa, mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation, neutrophil phagocytosis) when vitamin C (1 g/day) and vitamin E (200-400 mg/day) were administered to healthy young and elderly adults. The mechanisms by which vitamin E supplementation may alter immune response remain to be established.

Currently, it is thought that one potential mechanism may involve the production of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ). PGE 2 , produced by macrophages, is known to suppress some lymphocyte responses. Some recent evidence suggests that aged animals fed additional vitamin E have a reduction of macrophage PGE 2 production. The immune response may be enhanced through the reduction of PGE 2. Further research on potential mechanisms will provide important information with purchase pure mannitol wholesale powder to an understanding of vitamin E-associated immunomodulation. T

he findings from these studies show promise with respect to vitamin E supplementation and enhanced immune function, particularly in the elderly. However, we are not aware of any randomized clinical trials that have shown a decreased incidence of infection in association with vitamin E supplementation alone (without other vitamins or trace nutrients). The findings from one of the studies suggested a trend (p = 0.098, not statistically significant) towards reduced incidence of infectious disease in the elderly.

The results from animal studies suggest that in some instances, the incidence of disease is reduced with vitamin E supplementation. A reduced incidence of infection, however, was observed in chickens consuming diets supplemented with vitamin E. One study involving calves did not find a reduction in disease incidence in those animals fed additional vitamin E. Thus, the results from animal studies are similar to the human studies in that a beneficial effect of vitamin E supplementation has been found, although the finding is not consistent. At this time, the results regarding vitamin E supplementation and immunity in the elderly human population are promising. However, additional large-scale randomized controlled trials are necessary before it is possible to determine whether vitamin E supplementation results in reduced susceptibility to infection.

Immune Effects and Exercise

Although vitamin E has been studied in relation to exercise, most studies have focused on the potential antioxidant effects of vitamin E supplementation. Others have examined various physiological changes regarding vitamin E supplementation and exercise and found no change in neuroendocrine profile but a slight reduction in the incidence of gastrointestinal complications in those marathon runners consuming vitamin E for 2 weeks before the race. The only study we are aware of that examined immunity and vitamin E supplementation with exercise found that vitamin E and C supplementation before competing in an ultramarathon reduced the incidence of URI symptoms in the postrace period.

However, it was thought that this effect was related to vitamin C rather than vitamin E because the post-race reduction in symptoms of URI was not lower with vitamin E + C than vitamin C alone. To our knowledge, we are not aware of any studies that have explored potential associations between vitamin E supplementation alone and immune response in regards to exercise. Perhaps this area of research may show some promise in the elderly.

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Carotid artery distension predicts coronary events (Reuters)

Reuters - Ultrasound imaging is a simple, noninvasive way to detect distension of the carotid arteries - the arteries that pass through the neck to supply the brain with oxygen -- which is an independent predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the elderly, French researchers report in the current issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

Vitamins: you cant live without them, thats for sure. The question, then, is: where do you get them from? In the good old days (which may have been in your grandparents generation, but perhaps much further back than that) we got our vitamins and other nutrition from totally natural sources: the sun, the water we drank, and the food we ate.

Nowadays, and this is no secret, our food and whatever we drink, just doesnt pack the same punch as it did in the good old days. There are many reasons for this, and I dont want to write a dissertation on it. But, for example, many of us get our food from soil that is not as rich as it used to be. And the many chemicals that are used on most of the food we are likely to eat may deplete the nutrition even further, or at least add some unneeded poisons to our diet. And it often comes from far away from where we live, so it may have lost some more of its nutritional content on the way here.

So, what should we do? Well, one common approach is to take vitamins. This view has both backers and detractors.

Recently, according to the Seattle Times, one former detractor of this approach has changed its viewpoint.

They note that the American Medical Association (AMA) is advising all adults to take at least one multi-vitamin per day -- a reversal of their long-standing anti-vitamin policy.

Their policy has changed it seems, because of advances in research on the effects of vitamins. It now appears that people who get enough vitamins may have a lower risk of some common chronic illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Perhaps their change of view is reflecting that of the American public. For instance, 20 years ago the AMA only encouraged vitamin supplements for pregnant women and those who are chronically sick.

I remember, when I was younger, that there were some multi-vitamins on the market and some other vitamin and nutritional supplements also, but they were not your common fare. And when I started going to health food stores, I ran into a whole barrage of strange vitamins that Id certainly never heard of in biology classes.

But now, for example, the value of folic acid in preventing some birth defects and heart disease is recognized.

Who ever heard of folic acid 20 or 30 years ago?

Of course its not just that food has less nutrition nowadays, but also that we are not so aware of caring about our own nutrition and how it relates to health. The AMA says that almost 80 percent of Americans do not eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to provide essential nutrients.

If that is the case, then we need to get our vitamins and minerals from somewhere. And it seems that vitamin supplements are now accepted by the scientists and doctors who should know about these things.

Another thing that scientists are learning more about is that our recommended daily allowances for vitamins may need rethinking.

Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, of Tuft's University's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging said that nutrition experts are concerned that recommended daily allowances for many vitamins are too low. RDAs were originally established to prevent symptoms of vitamin-deficiency disorders. But evidence is growing that higher levels of many vitamins are necessary for optimum health.

And, as we know, if these vitamins dont come from our food, we need them from somewhere, such as vitamin supplements.

Dr. Robert Fletcher of Harvard University agrees. He reflects that many of us thought while we were growing up that a reasonable diet would take care of our vitamin needs. But, he says, the new evidence is that vitamins also prevent the usual diseases we deal with every day, (such as) heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and birth defects.

However, experts, and others of us with common sense, remember that vitamins are a supplement to our diets. They dont replace a balanced diet. So, by all means eat a balanced diet, but if you want to lower your risk of purchase wholesale n acetyl l cysteine powder the common chronic illnesses of today it would also be wise to add a good multi-vitamin supplement to your diet.

Bruce Brightman is the founder and CEO of Life Source Labs a leading manufacturer of vitamins, minerals, nutritional and sports supplements. If you want to learn more about multi-vitamin supplements visit his website: http://www.lifesourcelabs.com