Green Tea & Depression
Green Tea May Combat Depression in Elderly
Drinking frequent cups of green tea is linked to a lower incidence of depressive symptoms in elderly people, say Japanese researchers.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition focused on 1,058 elderly Japanese individuals 70 years of age plus with the prevalence of mild and severe and severe depressive symptoms said the authors.
The authors maintain that only a few studies have investigated the relationship between green tea consumption and mental health, while there appear to be few studies assessing the relationship between green tea drinking and depressive symptoms.
According to the team led by Atsushi Hozawa, depression in the elderly is highly prevalent and can increase the risk of medical illnesses, worsen the outcome of other medical illnesses, and may increase mortality.
Growing problem
World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts that within 20 years more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem; it ranks depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, with around 120 million people affected.
Findings show that the occurrence of depressive symptoms was 44% lower for participants who drank 4+ cups of green tea/day compared to those who drank less than one, after results were adjusted for factors such as age, sex, disease history, BMI, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, diet, and other factors.
The authors state that their study is rather limited in scale and a larger population study that uses a standardized comprehensive structured diagnostic interview is required to confirm the effect of green tea consumption on depressive symptoms.
Mental stress
A previous study also led by the Hozawa found that drinking 5 cups of green tea/day may reduce the incidence of psychological distress by 20%.
Green tea consumption was said to improve psychological well-being in a study population of 42,093 Japanese individuals of which 6.6% suffered from psychological stress.
Relaxation benefits
The potential of green tea offers more than its well-known role as an antioxidant.
According to research from Unilever, green tea contains L-theanine, which is said to relax the brain.
Consumption of 50mg of L-theanine (equivalent of 2-3 cups of green tea) stimulates the alpha-brain waves associated with relaxation. By increasing the frequency of these brain waves, the beta-brain waves associated with tension are decreased.
Consumer awareness of the benefits of green tea and green tea extracts continues to rise with growing numbers of studies, from 430 papers in 2000 to almost 1500 in 2003, reporting benefits of the main compounds, catechins.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print: doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28216
Title: Green tea consumption is associated with depressive symptoms in the elderly
Authors: K Niu, A Hozawa, S Kuriyama, S Ebihara, H Guo, N Nakaya, K Matsuda, H Takahashi, Y Masamune, M Asada, S Sasaki, H Arai, S Awata, R Nagatomi, and I Tsuji
Environmental Pollution
A National Assessment of Tap Water Quality found more than 140 contaminants with no enforceable safety limits in the nation’s drinking water.
260 contaminants found in the nation’s tap water, more than half have no safety standards.
141 Contaminants are unregulated.
POLLUTION – WORSE THAN WE THINK?
The EPA has also failed to act on its own information showing that increased testing is justified.
EPA required water suppliers to test tap water for approximately 200 unregulated contaminants over the past 30 years.1
But the EPA’s own scientists have identified 600 chemicals in tap water formed as by-products of disinfection; 2
¤ Have tracked some 220 million pounds of 650 industrial chemicals discharged to rivers and streams each year3; and
¤ Have spearheaded research on emerging contaminants after the U.S. Geological Survey found 82 unregulated pharmaceuticals and personal care product chemicals in rivers and streams across the country that provide drinking water for millions of Americans.4
All told, EPA has set safety standards for fewer than 20 percent of the many hundreds of chemicals that it has identified in tap water.
- EPA 2001b, 2001c, 2005c, FR 1996
- Richardson 1998, 1999a,b, 2003
- EPA 2003
- Kolpin et al. 2004, EPA 2005d
Environmental Working Group, 12/20/05
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Individuals need environmental detoxification to cope more effectively with pollution that permeates the environment.
The Latest News on Mercury & Women
Blood Mercury Levels Rising Among U.S. Women
Study uncovers big jump between 1999-2006, especially among older females
(HealthDay News) — A study involving more than 6,000 American women suggests that blood levels of mercury are accumulating over time, with a big rise noted over the past decade.
Using data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a researcher from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that while inorganic mercury was detected in the blood of 2 percent of women aged 18 to 49 in the 1999-2000 NHANES survey, that level rose to 30 percent of women by 2005-2006.
“My study found compelling evidence that inorganic mercury deposition within the human body is a cumulative process, increasing with age and overall in the population over time,” study author and neuroscience researcher Dan R. Laks said in an UCLA news release. “My findings also suggest a rise in risks for disease associated with mercury over time.”
The findings come on the heels of a widely publicized report, released last week by the U.S. Geological Survey, which found that 25 percent of fish sampled from U.S. rivers and streams have unsafe levels of mercury.
Environmental sources of mercury include coal-fired electricity plants and contaminated fish, which tend to accumulate the toxin in their tissues. According to the news release, chronic mercury exposure has been linked in studies to a higher risk for autism, mental impairment and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The UCLA study found evidence linking inorganic mercury in the blood to tissues known to be targets for the toxin, such as the liver, the immune system and the pituitary gland.
Laks also found a connection between levels of the pituitary hormone lutropin and chronic mercury exposure, which he said might help explain mercury’s link to neurodegenerative disease. Inorganic mercury can also accumulate in the brain and stay there for years, according to the news release.
Overall, “these results suggest that chronic mercury exposure has reached a critical level where inorganic mercury deposition within the human body is accumulating over time,” Laks said. “It is logical to assume that the risks of associated neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases will rise as well.”
The findings are published online in the journal Biometals.
More information
Find out more about mercury at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
– E.J. Mundell
SOURCE: Aug. 24, 2009, news release, University of California, Los Angeles
All About Kids Potential
Why Kids Potential Was Developed
Seven years ago Dr. Jerry Schlesser was approached by experts in criminology and education, seeking his expertise in formulating evidence-based nutritional supplements to address specific health concerns. When Dr. Schlesser graduated from medical school with his degree in Naturopathic Medicine and Chiropractic, he quickly realized that there were no natural or nutritional clinical products available to treat his patients. His quest to formulate and produce natural, nutritional supplements to fill a clinical need led to his creation of NF Formulas, the oldest supplement company to serve medical practitioners. Advantig supplements are based on over 30 years of nutritional expertise.
These criminology/education experts wanted to pursue an untested and novel approach to education reform that focused on the child’s needs, but more specifically on the child’s nutritional needs. They asked Dr. Schlesser to design a clinical, dietary supplement for academic performance and social behavior to address rampant problems at Anthony Elementary that many other schools face today.
The Challenge
Anthony Elementary School was selected as the “study school” because this Pre-K to 5th grade school of approximately 335 students scored at the bottom of the district on standardized Math & English tests, perennially. Anthony was on the verge of closure for poor academic performance and exceptionally high rates of violence and antisocial behavior. Adults in this elementary school called police to manage out of control students an average of once a week. Anthony’s violence statistics were a frightening 6+ times the state average at 9.3% vs. 1.45% for the state. When educators tried to teach, young children would throw chairs or take a swing at a teacher. These were kids who never experienced academic success.
The Program
Educators designed the Eat Exercise Excel Program which included:
- Structured Activity During Recess
- Increased PE Time
- Lunch in Classroom with Teacher
- Nutrition Education
- Kids Potential Multi-Vitamin Supplement – dispensed to kids at Breakfast & Lunch
The Results
Reduction in Anti-Social Behavior
- 95% Reduction in Referrals for anti-social behavior
- 80% Reduction in Out of School suspensions
- 97% Reduction in Suspension for Violence
- Teachers report less difficulty managing classroom
Improvement in Academic Performance
- Rose to #1 in school district in Math, meeting benchmark for 10 years in advance
- Rose to #2 in school district for English, meeting benchmark for 10 years in advance
Additional Benefits
- 80% Reduction in teacher attrition
- Reduced absenteeism for teachers & students
- Volunteers & community partnerships increased
- Parent-Teacher Organization reactivated for the 1st time in 10 years
- 13 fold improvement in physical fitness (40 kids met Presidential Physical Fitness standards vs. 3 in previous year)
- School changed from chaotic & out of control to a quiet learning environment
- Attendance at Parent-Teacher conferences increased from 69% to 85%
- Awarded Recognition for Becoming a Top School by the Confidence in Education Task Force
- Moved from the Bottom to the Top 6% of Schools in the District
- Featured in a PBS Documentary as a Model For School Turnaround
Results were so amazing that PBS filmed a documentary on the program called “How to Turn Around a Failing School.” This 28 minute documentary can be viewed here: http://www.advantig.net/products/potential.
FOX News followed up on the program’s success two years later and reported that the results were profound and lasting. The 6 minute segment can be viewed here: http://www.advantig.net/products/potential.
Year 2 – School Lost All Funding for Eat, Exercise, Excel
So What Happened?
Because we believe that kids should be rewarded for their success, Advantig Health & Sport continued to provide Kids Potential to schools at no charge while the district sought financial support for the program.
Kids Potential became the only remaining component of the Eat, Exercise, Excel program.
How Did Kids Do with Potential by Itself?
Kids continued to excel, behavior stayed in control and the school district decided to offer Potential to every school child in the city. School principals are convinced that a well-designed phytonutrient multi-vitamin that delivers 100% of the US RDA for Vitamins and Minerals is the key component to kids’ academic and social success.
It’s Just the Vitamins, Right?
If simply providing 100% of the US RDA were the key, then a bowl of Total breakfast cereal or any number of fortified breakfast cereals would be enough to ensure academic success. But kids were already eating these breakfast cereals and it wasn’t enough.
No, it’s Just the Right Vitamins
Kids Potential is based on over 30 years of nutritional research, clinical experience and understanding of human biochemistry. Potential relies heavily on specially-processed, high antioxidant fruit concentrates that the brain needs for antioxidant support for optimal function. Potential contains NO artificial colors or artificial flavors which have finally been confirmed to negatively impact brain function in a landmark study published the British Medical Journal, The Lancet in November 2007 (“Food Additives & Hyperactive Behavior in 3 Year Old and 8/9 Year Old Children in the Community: a Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo Controlled Trial.”) Potential is a synergistic combination of full spectrum vitamins, minerals and special antioxidants found in balanced, nutritious whole foods. Moms everywhere say “you are what you eat” – now 7 years of objective test scores and behavioral statistics finally confirm what Mom told us long ago.
Mind & Body
It’s not all about test scores. Education is much more than learning how to pass a test. For us, it is about providing the right nutritional environment in which a child’s mind and body can function at optimal efficiency to flourish. When this happens you get kids who perform better under academic stress and whose rational thought process helps them to consider the consequences of impulsive behavior. Seven years of research has confirmed this theory.
Why Kids Potential is Better for Kids
Kids Potential
Potential is based on National Academy of Sciences & Institutes of Medicine Guidelines and US Department of Agriculture studies that show the benefits of High ORAC* Antioxidants. (ORAC = Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity means how well a food functions as an antioxidant)
Beneficial Antioxidants from High ORAC Fruit Concentrates
Not only do fruit & berry concentrates provide delicious natural flavor and color, they provide essential antioxidant supplementation from natural, whole food sources. High ORAC antioxidants from fruits and berries have been shown to be beneficial for healthy brain and nerve function and behavior. Potential contains a proprietary blend of fruit & berry extracts from wild bilberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, elderberry, raspberry, rose hips, orange, strawberry and red concord grapeskin which are NOT found in commercially available, mass market multi-vitamins for kids.
Neuro Biol Aging, August 28, 2007: 8:1187-94, Beneficial Effects of Fruit Extracts on Neuronal Function & Behavior in Rodent Model of Accelerated Aging. Shukitt-Hale, B., Carey, AN., Jenkins, D., Rabin, BM., Joseph, JA. USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Tufts University, Boston, MA.
Full Spectrum Vitamins/Minerals, Active & Natural Forms = Complete Supplementation
Potential contains multi-source forms of ingredients to ensure full spectrum nutrition. For example, mass market kids vitamins may contain beta carotene, but not all the other carotenoids. In a perfect world with balanced diets, kids would consume full spectrum vitamin supplementation. Since we know that kids do not always eat a balanced diet, Potential provides full spectrum, supplemental nutrition from whole foods.
Minerals are generally not palatable and are difficult to absorb. Potential provides a broad range of multi-source minerals which are designed for palatability and provide a diversity of nutritional sources, similar to an omnivorous diet. Each chewable wafer provides a broad spectrum of minerals, including Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Manganese, Chromium and Molybdenum. Potential also provides Selenium, an important antioxidant for the brain not often found in mass market kids vitamins.
Potential contains the “Active Form” of key vitamins so that a child’s body doesn’t need to make a conversion. Genetic differences in the population make it difficult for some individuals to make these conversions. “Active Forms” do it for you. Even though the “Active Forms” are more expensive, we use them in Potential for the kids’ benefit.
Potential contains all natural Vitamin E with full spectrum mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols because they all play slightly different but important roles as antioxidants in the body. Because Potential relies on food source nutrients, the Vitamin E in Potential is the very same full spectrum Vitamin E that you would find in fresh, wholesome foods which is important because the bio potency of natural Vitamin E is twice that of synthetic Vitamin E.
Did you know that the body only uses the natural form of Vitamin E? There is really no definitive research to clarify what happens to the synthetic form of Vitamin E in the body. Synthetic Vitamin E (the L-form) is used in most commercial kids multi-vitamins, but NOT in Kids Potential.
What you Won’t Find in Kids Potential
Informed parents need to know what to look for, as well as what to avoid. Kids Potential does not contain any of these nutritionally unnecessary additives found in mass market children’s vitamins:
- Aspartame
- Sucrose (white sugar)
- Sorbitol
- Fructose (implicated in childhood obesity & dyslipidemia)
- Hydrogentated oil (trans fat)
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (preservative)
- Wheat (FDA allergen)
- Soybeans (FDA allergen)
- Starch
- FD&C Blue #2 Lake
- FD&C Red #40 Aluminum Lake
- FD&C Yellow #6 Aluminum Lake
- FD&C Yellow #5
- Artificial Flavors
- Sodium Benzoate
- Synthetic Vitamin E
Nutritionally Unnecessary Additives in Common Mass Market Vitamins for Kids
Flinstones Complete
- Aspartame
- Sucrose (white sugar)
- Hydrogenated Oil (trans fat)
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene
- FD&C Blue #2 Lake
- FD&C Red #40 Aluminum Lake
- FD&C Yellow #6 Aluminum Lake
- Artificial Flavors
Centrum Kids (Dora)
- Aspartame
- Sucrose (white sugar)
- Wheat (FDA allergen)
- Soybeans (FDA allergen)
- FD&C Blue 2 Aluminum Lake
- FD&C Red 40 Aluminum Lake
- FD&C Yellow 6 Aluminum Lake
- Artificial Flavors
- Sodium Benzoate (preservative)
One a Day Scooby Doo Multi-Vitamins
- Aspartame
- Sorbitol
- Starch
- FD&C Red 40 Lake
- FD&C Yellow 6 Lake
- FD&C Blue 2 Lake
- Artificial Flavors
Only 13% of Daily Value of Biotin (Kids Potential = 100%)
Only 15% of the Vitamin C in Kids Potential
Kids Potential=2 1/2 times the Magnesium in multiple forms
Disney Winnie the Pooh Complete
- Fructose (Implicated in childhood obesity & dyslipidemia)
- Blue 2 Lake
- Yellow 6 Lake
- Red 40 Lake
- Synthetic Vitamin E
- Artificial Flavors
Only 13% of Daily Value of Biotin (Kids Potential = 100%)
Only 15% of the Vitamin C in Kids Potential
Kids Potential=2 1/2 times the Magnesium in multiple forms
Rite Aid Multi-Vitamin + Iron
- Fructose (Implicated in childhood obesity & dyslipidemia)
- Hydrogenated Oil (trans fat)
- FD&C Yellow 5
- FD&C Blue 2
- FD&C Red 40
- Artificial Flavors
20% Less Iron than Kids Potential