Milk protein may protect premature babies from infection

Milk protein may protect premature babies from infection

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Meta-analysis supports safety of soy, red clover

Meta-analysis supports safety of soy, red clover

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Fish oil plus red yeast rice compared to statins in cholesterol lowering

Natural supplements health news: A combination of fish oils, red yeast rice coupled with lifestyle changes reduced cholesterol levels by the same amount as a daily statin pill, according to a randomized-trial research findings from the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

David Becker, MD, and coworkers at UPenn recruited 74 people with hypercholesterolaemia and randomly assigned them to receive a daily statin dose of simvastatin (40 mg/d) or the fish oil (EPA 2106 mg/d, DHA 1680 mg/d, N3 Oceanic) and red yeast rice (N3 Oceanic). The red yeast rice contained a total monacolin content of 5.3 mg, with 2.53 mg in the form of monacolin K (lovastatin). After 12 weeks of intervention, the researchers found statistically significant LDL reductions in both groups, but no difference between the groups. LDL-cholesterol levels were reduced by 42.4 per cent following consumption of the fish oil and red yeast rice combination, compared to reductions of 39.6 per cent in the statin group.

In addition to the LDL reduction, the fish oil/ red yeast rice combination also produced significant reductions in triglyceride levels of 29 per cent, compared to a non-significant nine per cent reduction in the statin group. The researchers attributed the triglyceride-lowering effects to the fish oil based on other reports pointing to similar effect.

Highlights about Red Yeast Rice (RYR):

• RYR is the product of yeast grown on rice; a dietary staple in some Asian countries.
• RYR reportedly contains several compounds that inhibit cholesterol production.
• Speculating on a mode of action of their findings, Becker and co-workers indicated that RYR contains naturally occurring lovastatin and nine different substances called monacolins that could inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase.
• The dose of RYR in the study (2.4-3.6 g/d) was equivalent to a daily lovastatin dose of 10 to 15 mg, less than the established therapeutic dose (20-40 mg).

“Lifestyle changes combined with ingestion of red yeast rice and fish oil reduced LDL-C in proportions similar to standard therapy with simvastatin,” the researchers conclude.

The full text is published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Reference: D.J. Becker, R.Y. Gordon, P.B. Morris, J. Yorko, Y.J. Gordon, M. Li, N. Iqbal, “Simvastatin vs Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes and Supplements: Randomized Primary Prevention Trial”; Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2008, Vol. 83 (7) Pages 758-764.
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Milk and dairy products may protect against metabolic syndrome

Lifelong Supplements™ health news! Recent research findings from Wales indicate that increased intake of milk and other dairy products may reduce metabolic syndrome and should be recommended as part of a healthy eating pattern. Peter Elwood and colleagues from Cardiff University studied the diet and incidence of metabolic syndrome among 2375 men, and found that men who drank milk and ate dairy products regularly were 62 per cent less likely to have the syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a condition characterized by central obesity, hypertension, and disturbed glucose and insulin metabolism. The syndrome has been linked to increased risks of both type-2 diabetes and CVD. Fifteen per cent of adult Europeans are estimated to be affected by MetS, while about 32 per cent in USA are affected.

The Caerphilly Prospective Study assessed dietary intakes of the men (age range 45-59) using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire at baseline, while a sub-sample of 603 men kept a seven-day weighed dietary intake record. The subjects had two or more markers for MetS, from high blood glucose, insulin, blood fats, body fat, and blood pressure.

After 20 years of follow-up the researchers calculated that the 15 per cent of men with MetS at the start of the study were at almost double the risk of coronary artery heart disease and four times the risk of diabetes of those without the syndrome. But those who regularly drank milk and ate dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese, were significantly less likely to have the syndrome. Indeed, Elwood and co-workers report that a daily pint of milk was associated with a 62 per cent risk reduction, while regularly intake of other dairy produce reduced the risk by 56 per cent.

Dairy products are part of a healthy diet and their consumption should be promoted, they conclude

Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Vol. 61, Pages 695-698 “Milk and dairy consumption, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome: the Caerphilly prospective study” Auhors: P.C. Elwood, J.E. Pickering, A.M. Fehily
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