The following is a fascinating article that disputes a study that made the news recently.  The study basically summarized that taking vitamins and supplements causes death. This article blows holes in the entire study and invalidates it.

Vitamins and Mortality: In Defense of Supplements

Ayaz Virji, MD

Authors and Disclosures

Posted: 02/01/2012

From Medscape Internal Medicine

The article by Mursu and colleagues^[1] that was recently reported on in Medscape News indicates that ad libitum use of multivitamins does not reduce all-cause mortality in women; to the contrary, it may slightly increase it. This arm of the Iowa Women's Health Study consisted of 38,772 elderly white women with a mean age of 61.6 years who were followed over 20 years. This well-designed, observational cohort study adjusted for diverse confounders, including body mass index (BMI), physical activity, smoking status, and educational level.

When interpreting these results, as for any other nutraceutical intervention, it would be imprudent to make broad, imprecise statements about the "ineffectiveness" of dietary supplements, although it may be tempting to do so. It is important to consider the limitations of the study to help prevent unscientific conclusions. The authors themselves conceded, "It is not advisable to make a causal statement of excess risk based on these observational data."^[1]

Mursu and colleagues' study, although well executed, has several methodological limitations. It used the Harvard Service Food Frequency Questionnaire, which was originally designed to assess the diets of low-income women and gather information on dietary supplements used. However, the dietary supplement portion of the questionnaire has not been independently validated. In addition, a certain subset of patients inappropriately substitutes dietary supplements for medications to manage chronic disease. This concerning, yet uncaptured, trend could potentially confound the results.

The study did not report on the specific doses, excluding calcium and iron, or source of the supplements used. Both of these factors play an important role in the net effect of supplements on patient health. Take vitamin E, for example. Recent studies show that supplemental vitamin E doses > 400 IU may increase risk for congestive heart failure and prostate cancer, although in aggregate the data are inconclusive.^[2,3] The Nurses' Health Study found that women who consumed 100 IU of vitamin E daily had a 44% reduction in developing major coronary disease.^[4] Of note, 4 times the therapeutic dose of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor is likely to result in a similar reversal of outcome. There would be little disagreement regarding the inappropriateness of a conclusion on the safety and efficacy of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor without considering the dose or the population using it. The same consideration was not given to dietary supplements in this assessment, however. A targeted, rational strategy for supplement use, developed in partnership with a medical provider, is likely to lead to a different outcome than that reported in the current study.

As is the case for pharmaceutical agents, various isomers of the same vitamin have different clinical effects. Considering vitamin E again, alpha-tocopherol (which is more commonly found in supplements) and gamma-tocopherol (which is more commonly found in food sources) have different anti-inflammatory properties and vary in bioavailability. It is likely that a healthy ratio of these 2 substances is more important to preventing coronary artery disease than is taking one isomer in excess, which may deplete the other.^[5] In addition, unlike for pharmaceutical agents, the source of vitamin supplement plays an important role. Synthetic vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) is thought to be much less potent than its natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) counterpart and may have a varying clinical effect.

Whether it's chromium and reduced carbohydrate cravings, carnitine and improved claudication symptoms, or green tea and greater life expectancy,^[6-8] much remains unanswered regarding the net effect of a particular supplemental nutrient or group of nutrients on overall health. Perhaps advancements in the field of nutrigenomics will help light our way on their utility. Nonetheless, when comparing apples to apples, "polynutrient" is far less toxic than polypharmacy; the latter incurs 100,000 related deaths annually. A conventional multivitamin supplement should still be generally recognized as safe.

References

1. Mursu J, Robien K, Harnack LJ, Park K, Jacobs DR Jr. Dietary supplements and mortality rate in older women: the Iowa Women's Health Study. Arch Intern Med. 2011;171:1625-1633. Abstract
2. Klein EA, Thompson IM Jr, Tangen CM, et al. Vitamin E and the risk of prostate cancer: the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). JAMA. 2011;306:1549-1556. Abstract
3. Lonn E, Bosch J, Yusuf S, et al; HOPE and HOPE-TOO Trial Investigators. Effects of long-term vitamin E supplementation on cardiovascular events and cancer. JAMA. 2005;293:1338-1347. Abstract
4. Stampfer MJ, Hennekens CH, Manson JE, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Willett WC. Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary disease in women. N Engl J Med. 1993;328:1444-1449. Abstract
5. Jiang Q, Christen S, Shigenaga MK, Ames BN. gamma-tocopherol, the major form of vitamin E in the US diet, deserves more attention. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;74:714-722. Abstract
6. Martin J, Wang ZQ, Zhang XH, et al. Chromium picolinate supplementation attenuates body weight gain and increases insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2006;29:1826-1832. Abstract
7. Brevetti G, di Lisa F, Perna S, et al. Carnitine-related alterations in patients with intermittent claudication: indication for a focused carnitine therapy. Circulation. 1996;93:1685-1689. Abstract
8. Kuriyama S, Shimazu T, Ohmori K, et al. Green tea consumption and mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes in Japan: the Ohsaki study. JAMA. 2006;296:1255-1265. Abstract

Alzheimer's patients found to have low Glutathione levels


Glutathione (GSH) serves as an important anti-oxidant in the brain by scavenging harmful reactive oxygen species that are generated during different molecular processes. The GSH level in the brain provides indirect information on oxidative stress of the brain. The higher the GLutathione in the brain, the healthier. Guess who has low levels of brain glutathione? Alzheimer's patients, and those with mild cognitive impairment. The science is indicating that Glutathione is essential for brain health. Every year that we age, we lose our glutathione levels. 

Protect your brain! Everyone on the planet should be taking glutathione-elevating supplements, and CELLGEVITY is the only one with RIBOCEINE, proven and patented ingredient that raises glutathione levels in our bodies naturally. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22120629

Low Glutathione Levels Linked to ADHD.


Raising Glutathione levels with Cellgevity may help those with ADHD:




Psychological, social, genetic, and biochemical factors are all thought to be involved in the
etiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, few studies have
evaluated the biochemical basis of ADHD. Researchers conducted a study evaluating various biochemical factors evaluating among other things, Glutathione (GSH-Px) levels. The sample population consisted of thirty-five child or adolescent patients diagnosed with ADHD. Thirty-five healthy subjects also were included in the study as controls. Venous blood samples were collected GSH-Px levels of the patients were significantly lower than the controls. This study suggests that low GSH-Px levels indicate an oxidative imbalance in pediatric patients with ADHD.
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc.  To see entire abstract, go to:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20359266rights reserved.

To find out more about Glutathione and Cellegevity and how it can help with ADHD, go to 

pennymueller.net

Having more energy will make you healthier

Do you need more energy?  What if I told you that you can have more energy, and feel better than you ever dreamed possible? And, because of increased energy levels, you'll start a domino effect in your life that will lead you down the road to good health and wellness?     This is my Cellgevity story.

Two weeks ago I started taking Cellgevity, which is a Glutathione enhancement supplement from Max Interntaional.  I am pleased to report that the changes I've experienced so far are amazing.     The first thing I noticed after starting Cellgevity, is that I'm sleeping through the night.   I don't toss and turn all night  trying to get comfortable because of aches and pains.   Sometimes, I even wake up in the same position in which I fell asleep--with my bed still made, and all I have to do is straighten the sheets and bedspread.   I'm not a morning person, but when the alarm goes off at 4:50, I'm actually ready to get up. I feel well-rested,  I don't  reach for the snooze button, and  I don't dread getting out of bed.   I feel  ready to take on  the day, with the energy to do all the things that I want to do, and need to do.  There is no mid-afternoon slump for me anymore, either.  It helps that I'm working at a job that I absolutely love, and the work day flies by, but it is also very stressful, very fast-paced, and very draining.   Once my work day is complete, though, I still have plenty of energy to do the things I want to do.  Having more energy  has made me ready, willing, and able to exercise more, I feel better, I am motivated to cook good, healthy food for my family, we're eating better, which is making us healthier, and it is all because I stumbled upon Cellgevity.  I truly am convinced that every person on the planet needs to take this ultimate glutathione enhancing supplement.

Mediterranean Diet: 12 Rules to Live By

By Daniel Heller, ND

Quick – what comes to mind when you hear “Mediterranean diet”? For most people, this conjures up an image of olive oil and hummus, or a feta cheese and cucumber salad. These foods are part of the Mediterranean Diet – but if you ask a nutrition expert familiar with the research into this healthful diet and way of life, you’ll hear about more than just dishes you might order at a Mediterranean restaurant.

This diet, which in scientific terms is modeled after the traditional diet and lifestyle of mostly poor rural villagers from the island of Crete during the 1950s and ‘60s, is proven like no other to prevent the kinds of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s that are so troubling to the modern world.

After decades of research, the essential components of the Mediterranean Diet are understood, so you don’t have to eat exclusively Greek food, or even love falafel, to reap the benefits. There are 12 essential qualities of a Mediterranean diet:

• Vegetables are eaten several times per day, raw and cooked, and potatoes don’t count.
• Fruit is also eaten multiple times per day.
• Legumes, including soy, beans, and peas are a daily staple.
• Whole grains are another daily staple (including whole wheat bread).
• Nuts are a regular item, several times per week.
• Olive oil is the main cooking and culinary oil.*
• Fish is eaten more than once per week.
• Saturated fat from butter, meat and eggs is rarely eaten.
• Red meat is rarely eaten.
• Deli, luncheon and cured meats are almost never eaten.
• Refined sugars and sweets are rarely eaten and reserved for special occasions.
• Alcohol is enjoyed in moderation (1-2 drinks per day).

You don’t have to follow every one of these principles, and you don’t have to follow them perfectly. What is important is to do them more often than not: most of the time. The more you follow them, the better it is for your health.

You may notice some items that are conspicuously absent from the list above: fried foods, fast food, junk food, and packaged and manufactured foods. Dairy is not considered an essential part of the diet, but when included it is generally in the low-fat or non-fat form. The overall picture is one of high quality, wholesome foods.

A couple of points deserve special mention: First, this is not a low-fat diet. The Cretans ate plenty of fat, nearly all of it from extra-virgin olive oil, but very little saturated fat. Second, the villagers didn’t have TVs or computers, and most of them got around by walking, often for miles in hilly country, with donkeys in tow. So, the Mediterranean lifestyle is the exact opposite of sedentary. Since the calories in their diet were in balance with their exercise, they weren’t overweight or obese. Finally, a big part of their lifestyle was enjoyment of life, of family, and of community. So they felt socially connected to their community, and, though they worked hard, play was an integral part of their lives.

We could learn a lot from what, at the time, appeared to be a “backwards” way of life, and what now is probably a nearly extinct way of life. But by preserving the best of that diet and lifestyle in our own lives, we will have received a wonderful gift of health from the Mediterranean.

---

*Studies in Northern Europe, where people use vegetable oils other than olive oil, found that other vegetable oils had similar benefits to olive oil. The main thing appeared to be the avoidance of saturated fat, as found in butter and shortening.

http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/daniel-heller/mediterranean-diet-12-rules-live 

Announcing Cellgevity and MAX International

I am pleased to announce the opening of  my new business.  I have been looking for something for a long time.  I'm a registered nurse and I love what I do.  I'm also a mom of 4 kids.  I decided at the age of 40 that I wanted to go to nursing school.   Didn't think I could do it, but I did it.  It took a lot of determination, drive and dreams.  I've been a nurse in nursing homes, Alzheimer's care facilities, Jails, and Schools. I don't want to work 40 hours a week, I want time with my kids.  Consequently, I have been looking for something to do that would enhance my nursing practice in a entrepreneurial way. After doing my homework and research, I found what I was looking for.

During my work with Alzheimer's patients, my outlook changed.  The disease of Alzheimer's deeply disturbs me.  The wonderful folks that I took care of were walking shells.  For the most part, their "self" left their body long ago.  It broke my heart to see these people who had been successful in their earlier lives become what they were.  The disease terrifies me more than cancer.  I see it as a disease that takes the soul and leaves the body behind.  Throughout this time, I have become very interested in preventative medicine, health and wellness.  I do believe that we can prevent many of the chronic diseases that are common in our society. This has become my goal as a nurse, to educate people in the way of prevention, health and wellness.  The things we know and the way we live all influence what we will become, and I for one, know that I if I am to grow old, I want to be able-bodied and of sound mind in my 70's, 80's, 90's and beyond.  Coincidentally, while listening to talk radio, the host had a guest on who wrote the book 100 Plus: How the coming age of longevity will change everything.  Well, we're never going to make it to 100 if we don't start taking care of ourselves now.

Not too terribly long ago, I stumbled upon a word, a product and a company that changed everything.  The word that I discovered was Glutathione.  The company is MAX International.  The product is Cellgevity.  I firmly believe that Cellgevity is a product that everyone on the planet needs and it is the most important supplement available today.  In addition, Cellgevity makes all other supplements obsolete. In fact, I will be so bold as to say that you can throw them all away.    I am pleased to announce that I have partnered with MAX International and am launching my enterprise into health, anti-aging and anti-disease.  You could say I've discovered the fountain of youth, but I'd prefer to say that I have found the fountain of health that leads to anti-aging.  Anti-aging:  a term that you're going to be hearing from now on.

Welcome!

How To Raise Your Glutathione Level

Glutathione:

• Is your body's Master Antioxidant
• Is the Primary Detoxifier of the Cell
• Is a Powerful Chelator of heavy metals
• Is the Protector of the Immune Cell
• Is the Protector of Mitochondrial DNA
• Is the Protector of the Nucleus of the cell
• Reduces Intercellular Inflammation

RiboCeine is a breakthrough nutrient compound that has been shown to effectively deliver the key precursor nutrient into the cell that enables it to produce optimal amounts of glutathione.  RiboCeine has significantly outperformed all other means of glutathione enhancement against which it has been tested.  Unlike any other nutritional compound in the world, RiboCeine has been the subject of twenty published, peer-reviewed scientific studies that were funded by the National Institutes of Health and other scientific institutions.  RiboCeine was developed by the world-renowned research scientist and medicinal chemist, Herbert T. Nagasawa, Ph.D.  Dr. Nagawsawa was a Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Toxicology at the University of Minnesota for forty years. For thirty-two of those years, he was Senior Editor of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.  Dr. Nagasawa now serves as the Executive Scientist for Max International.


Cellgevity
The Ultimate in Glutathione Enhancement
As Max International's premier glutathione support formulation,  Cellgevity combines RiboCeine with synergistic ingredients that are scientifically selected to support and enhance the natural functions of glutathione. This groundbreaking formulation delivers an unsurpassed ability to fight against free radicals, toxins and cellular inflammation.  That's quite a mouthful.  To break it down, higher glutathione levels give you: more more energy, quicker recovery from exercise, better sleep, greater mental clarity and focus, less inflammation, improved joint function, have a better immune system, longer life, better living.

As a registered nurse, I believe it is my duty and obligation to check out these claims.  This glutathione enhancement, this Cellgevity sound too good to be true.  But after reading article after article, I believe that glutathione, specifically Cellgevity, is the breakthrough discovery of our time.  I have heard it referred to as the most important discovery since the polio vaccine. Since I've been taking Cellgevity, I am astounded at the amount of energy I have. When I wake up at 5:30 in the morning, I'm actually ready to get up! No more rolling over to hit the snooze button.  I'm drinking far less coffee, I don't get the mid-afternoon slump, after work I actually have the energy to exercise and get some household chores done, and I'm not falling asleep on the cough at 9pm! I am truly amazed by this discovery that I stumbled upon.   There are many articles about low glutathione levels and Crohn's disease, and I am looking forward to seeing results in someone close to me, who has Crohn's. It's too early to report on the effects, but stay tuned.  I also am watching a 21-year-old college student with ADHD, anxiety, and depression, and I expect good results with Cellgevity.  I am documenting both of my subjects and will report in the future. I'm hoping to get everyone I know on Cellgevity.  I know someone who has dysrhythmia, another who has had a stroke, another with joint dysfunction, and I am expecting amazing results.

This is just the beginning, and as my blog title says:

Life is about to get a whole lot better!

Stay tuned because as this blog grows, there will be more articles, stories, videos, recordings and links for more information about glutathione and Cellgevity from Max International.  I am proud to launch my new affiliation and venture with Max International here on my blog.