Can Calcium Protect Against Lead?
A sufficient supply of dietary calcium may help lower levels of lead in the blood.
A study published online in Environmental Health Perspectives on September 18, 2008, found that pregnant women who take 1,200 mg of calcium supplement a day have up to a 31% chance of reduced lead levels in their blood.
If confirmed by further research, this suggests that calcium supplements also would lower fetal exposure to lead
How to Jump Start Your Diet
HIGHER CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D LEVELS INCREASE WEIGHT LOST THROUGH DIETING
A study has determined that the weight lost on identical weight-loss diets is greater among those with higher intakes of dairy calcium; and separately, among those with higher blood levels of vitamin D. Regardless of the specific diet, those with the highest calcium intake dropped an average of 12 pounds in two years. However, those with the lowest intake of dairy calcium lost only seven pounds on average in the same period. Aside from calcium, individuals who had the highest levels of vitamin D lost the most weight when dieting; and vitamin D levels increased as weight dropped. It did not matter whether the diet was low-fat, low-carb or Mediterranean.
This confirms previous research finding that obese people have lower levels of vitamin D.
Although the study assessed dairy calcium only, calcium is also available from supplements and other foods. Vitamin D increases calcium absorption and is found in supplements, fatty fish and eggs. It is also manufactured by the body from direct sun exposure. This study was published in the September 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and is now available online at http://bit.ly/aC1RNA.
New Research Suggests Regular Calcium Supplement Could Increase Risk of Heart Attack
New research suggests that regularly taking calcium supplements might increase the risk of heart attack.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, indicates that calcium supplements cause more cardiovascular events (such as heart attacks and stroke) than the number of fractures they prevent.
Calcium supplements are commonly taken by older people as a measure to reduce the effects of osteoporosis. The widely used supplements have been shown to marginally reduce the risk of fracture for osteoporosis sufferers and improve bone density, but very little research has been compiled on the risks of calcium supplementation.
The new study, led by Professor Ian Reid at the University of Auckland, is a meta-analysis of fifteen randomized trials on calcium supplements conducted in the last twenty years, with the aim to investigate the links between calcium supplementation and cardiovascular events.
From analyzing the data on the 12,000 people involved in the 15 trials, the researchers found that calcium supplements increase the risk of heart attack by about 30 percent. Although this increase in heart attack risk is modest, the researchers suggest that the widespread use of calcium supplements means “even a small increase in incidence of cardiovascular disease could translate into a large burden of disease in the population.” The researchers wrote: “The likely adverse effect of calcium supplements on cardiovascular events, taken together with the possible adverse effect on incidence of hip fracture and its modest overall efficacy in reducing fracture (about 10% reduction in total fractures) suggest that a reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is warranted.”
The results observed in this study only saw an increased risk in people using supplementation, and do not affect people with high dietary intakes of calcium. Professor Reid explained that this could be related to higher blood calcium levels from supplementation compared to dietary calcium – higher blood calcium levels are believed to lead to hardening of the arteries, which can cause heart attacks.
Read more here at the national library of medicine: Pub Med: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013
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The latest research shows that Vitamin K2, specifically menaquinone 7 derived from soy can support healthy bone density and cardiovascular health. Learn more here: http://www.advantig.net/products/osteo-k-2.
Pecans = Antioxidant Powerhouse
Pecans are an antioxidant powerhouse. 
Of all tree nuts, pecans have the highest antioxidant content.
They also fall within the top 15 foods overall that hold the greatest antioxidant content.
According to a study in a recent issue of Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research, eating just a handful of pecans a day may delay the progression of age-related motor neuron degeneration and such diseases as amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Pecans provide over 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and several B vitamins. They are naturally cholesterol-free and, unless salted, sodium-free.
Vitamin D Protects Against Viruses
A new study has found that vitamin D – long associated with good bone health – provides protection against viral respiratory tract infections, reducing their incidence and severity. One example of this type of infection would be influenza.
Researchers followed 198 healthy adults during the fall and winter of 2009 – 2010 and measured each individual’s ongoing blood levels of vitamin D in a seasonal period when these levels tend to fall due to the lack of sunlight. Levels were weighed against the incidence and symptoms of respiratory infections; those with the highest vitamin D levels experienced less illness and significantly reduced days of symptoms. Vitamin D is also known to support the body’s absorption of calcium to prevent osteoporosis, and has been linked to cardiovascular health.
This study was published June 15, 2010 by the open-access journal PLoS ONE and the full-text version is now available at: http://bit.ly/aXsUmY.
How to Choose Bottled Water
With all the bottled waters on the market today, it’s difficult to tell one type from another. Here are a few important definitions to help you make your choice:
- Usually, mineral water contains at least 500 parts per million dissolved mineral solids such as sodium, magnesium or calcium.
- Sparkling water is carbonated water in which the gases dissolved are “captured” in the water by capping the bottle before they can escape.
- Club soda is artificially carbonated tap water to which minerals have been added.
- Seltzer is artificially carbonated tap water that frequently is flavored or sweetened, making it high in calories.
Learn more about NutraMin Pure here: http://www.advantig.net/products/nutramin
Bone Health: Are Calcium & Vitamin D Enough?
“The WHI CaD” study is the largest randomized clinical trial conducted on calcium supplementation in post-menopausal women. It followed over 36,000 women for ~7 years. Half of the women took 1,000 mg of Calcium and 400 IU of Vitamin D; the other half took a placebo.
RESULTS: Women taking placebos had a hip fracture rate of 14/10,000. Women taking calcium and vitamin D had a hip fracture rate of 10/10,000. While the trend is favorable, the message of the study is that calcium and vitamin D are not enough, according to Dr. Joel Finkelstein, an osteoporosis researcher at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “It is a good start, but women at higher risk need to know it is not enough.”
Dr. Joel Finkelstein:
“With widespread marketing calcium & vitamin D, many women believe that they are completely protected against the development of osteoporosis if they are taking these supplements. This study should help correct this important misconception and allow more women to receive optimal therapy for bone health.”
Finkelstein, JS. Calcium plus Vitamin D for post menopausal women – Bone Appetit? N Engl J Med 2006: 354; 750-752.
Suggestions for Optimal Bone Health
The Importance of Natural Vitamin K2 (MK-7)
Researchers investigated why women in the Eastern part of Japan had much lower incidence of hip fracture vs. women who lived in other parts of Japan. It came down to a Japanese traditional food consumed only in the region where women had very low incidence of hip fracture – a marker in medicine for bone density.
Natto.
Natto is a traditional Japanese fermented soybean dish commonly consumed in Eastern Japan. Natto is a fermented, soybean cheese-like dish that has a very strong amoniacal smell with a gluey texture and spiderweb-like strings when you stir it. So what does Natto have to do with bone density?
Vitamin K2, specifically, Menaquinone 7 (MK-7)
Researchers report Natto contains natural Vitamin K2, specifically Menaquinone 7 (MK-7) that is linked to stabilization of bone proteins, positively impacting bone density. Not only is Natural Vitamin K2 (specifically MK-7) important for healthy bones, scientists discovered that MK-7 supports cardiovascular health as well. The growing body of Vitamin K2 research indicates that it is a very promising nutrient for supporting healthy bone density.
For more information on nutrients that support bone density, click here to read about Osteo K-2.