Scientific Update March 2004

Thank you for using Body Language Vitamin Company's Scientific Formulas

This is a scientific update as I had promised. It is also to thank you for visiting our website and or benefiting from our state of the art supplements. This update will keep you informed with important new research. I welcome you to visit our site Body Language Vitamin Co and use our Body Mass Index Calculator and to take our copyrighted health scan. These health tools are free to you and provide important information regarding your wellness. I would also encourage you to pass this update on to all of your friends, family and anyone that you love, like or care about. Our Educational Resources provides many Word and PowerPoint presentations, that provide important scientific information directly related to improving your health. Check them out!

Anti-aging seminar: Thomas Jefferson University is having an Anti-aging symposium on March 27, 2004.

They have invited a group of world-respected authorities to speak:

George Roth, Ph.D (from the NIH) will speak on caloric restriction and anti-aging.

Alan Mintz, MD (CEO of Cenegenics, Inc) will speak about the effects of specific hormones on aging (ie growth hormone, DHEA etc)

Michael Seidman, MD (from Henry Ford Health Systems and Body language Vitamin Company) will speak on A Scientific Approach to Dietary Supplements and Anti-oxidants.

Christine Arenson, MD (from Thomas Jefferson Univ (TJU)) will speak on Age management medicine

Marc Harwood, MF (from TJU) will speak on Physical fitness and exercise strategies for wellness

Edmund Pribitkin, MD (from TJU) will speak on Facial Rejuvenation strategies

Richard Wender, MD (from TJU) will speak on Putting it all together…what to do at 40, 50, 60 etc.

For more information contact 1-888-JEFF-CME or jeffline.tju.edu/jeffcme

Reversing heart disease? It may be possible! Read below (don’t let the title of the article deter you)

Effect of recombinant ApoA-1 Milano on Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes

From JAMA Nov 5, 2003 Vol 290 no 17

This is a fascinating article from the same scientist who sold Esperion to Pfizer for over One billion dollars (he discovered lipitor –an anticholesterol medication)

Essentially, there is a small village in Italy called Limone sul Garda where there are 40 carriers of a naturally occurring variant of apolipoprotein A-1 known as ApoA-1 Milano. Individuals with this modification have very low levels of HDL-C (normally we want very high levels for heart health). This altered gene leads too much less atherosclerosis and increase in longevity. The authors of this study formulated a recombinant ApoA-1 Milano substance which was injected into patients with heart disease. After 5 weeks of once per week injections they observed a significant retreat of plaque in the vessels of the heart!

It is felt to work by reducing cholesterol transport into the plaque and then dumping it into the blood stream and finally facilitating excretion from the body. Additional studies are needed, but this might be a potential treatment that could avoid angioplasty and stents and potentially even bypass surgery.

This will not be available to your doctors anytime soon, but we thought that this was fascinating. What is available is BLV Co. all natural Anti-cholesterol formula which reduces the body’s production of cholesterol and improves the ability to excrete cholesterol from the body. It is available now without a prescription and it is significantly safer than the prescription anti cholesterol medications.

Cancer vaccine research improving?

From JAMA Feb 4, 2004 Vol 291 No 5 pages 550-551

Vaccines to fight cancer are being developed. They are designed to stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells without harming normal cells. These vaccines are being made in a similar manner as other vaccines. Only one cancer vaccine has been approved by the US FDA-it is actually a vaccine against hepatitis B which is an infectious agent that has been shown to be associated with certain types of liver cancer. There are 14 cancer vaccines that are in phase 3 testing. The solution is unfortunately not so easy and many more years of research will be necessary, but it is being studied.

Farmed raised salmon, evidence shows that it is not safe!

From Science January 9, 2004 Vol 303 pg. 226-229

Salmon production has increased 40 fold during the past 20 years. Organochlorine contaminants (known to cause cancer) are significantly higher in farmed raised salmon compared to salmon in the wild (European salmon has higher contaminant loads than salmon raised in N. and S. America). These authors studied PCB’s, dioxins, toxaphene, dieldrin and others and found a statistically higher amount of these dangerous contaminants in farmed raised fish compared to those in the wild.

This difference is felt to be a relation to the diet fed to the farmed raised fish. Farmed salmon are fed a concentrated feed high in fish meal and oils from small pelagic fishes (they are scavenger/foraging like fish). The most restrictive dietary advice suggests that you consume less than one-half meal of salmon per month! I would suggest that they change the feed that they are providing the fish, but until that happens you need to find a healthier source of fish. Also you will be (we have it produced, it just requires a significant cash outlay for us at this time-that we cannot afford) able to take our Essential Oils Formula (hopefully soon!). This is an outstanding formulation that provides all the necessary oils that have been shown to have strong cardio protective (heart healthy) and brain healthy oils.

Lowering homocysteine in patients with ischemic stroke to prevent recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction and death (The vitamin intervention for stroke prevention (VISP) randomized controlled trial)

From JAMA Feb 4, 2004 vol 291 No 5

A negative study

This study started with 3680 adults. There were two arms to the study. One group received “high” dose of specific vitamins (25 mg pyridoxine, 0.4 mg of cobalamin and 2.4 mg of folic acid), another group received “low” dose vitamins (0.2 mg pyridoxine, 0.004 mg of cobalamin and 0.02 mg of folic acid). The mean reduction in homocysteine was 2umol/L greater in the high dose group than the low-dose group but there was not treatment effect. Thus, although this study demonstrated the ability to reduce homocysteine (which is reportedly very important to heart and brain health), it did not have the suspected effect of reducing the risk of stroke in the two years of this study.

Interestingly, Wald et al estimated that reducing total homocysteine by 3umol.L is associated with a 24% lower risk of stroke and a 16% reduced risk of heart attack.

There are several weaknesses found in this negative study: There was only a modest reduction in homocysteine. This may be due to the fact that the US grain supply is already fortified with folate. The correction of B-12 (cobalamin) levels in the low dose group may have blunted the vitamin effect, and lastly it is likely that longer treatment is probably necessary.

Moral of the story? There are always positive and negative studies that are published. There are always potential flaws and pitfalls with most studies. I continue to recommend extra folic acid, B6 and B12 and these can be found in appropriately potent doses in BLV co’s excellent MVI and antioxidant formula. This will likely be beneficial for our overall health.

Tai Chi and falls prevention in the elderly

From Alternative Medicine Alert Vol 7 no.1 January 2004

Tai chi is a slow, low impact exercise that involves deep breathing, graceful slow movements, meditation and self-awareness.

A Medline search from 1966-2003 revealed 23 articles on this subject. In 1996, Wolf et al looked at 180 subjects age 70 or older and intervened with 15 weeks of Tai Chi or computerized balance training for one hour two-times per week. The computerized balance training group achieved better balance than the tai chi or control groups, but the tai chi group had a reduced fear of falling and a rate of falls that was ~ 50% lower overall.

One of my colleagues, Dr. Hain, studied the effects of tai chi on balance in 1999. After eight weeks the tai chi group had significant improvement in measures of objective balance. Bottom line, it is likely that if you or someone you know is having a balance problem, tai chi is likely to help.

Phytoestrogen safety

In our last scientific update (December 2003- you can find it under our educational resources task bar) we spoke of the safety of soy and other phytoestrogens. We have increasing clinical evidence that our state of the art menopause and PMS formulae far exceed the benefits of every other natural alternative available. If you are a woman and you are experiencing any problems attributable to PMS or Menopause, please consider using our specially designed formulae, you will be very pleased.

Body Language Vitamin Company’s mission is to promote your health and wellness through responsible lifestyle choices and appropriate supplementation.

I hope you have found this information valuable and helpful. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I answer all of my emails; please allow 24-72 hours as we get many questions. You can also find many other interesting studies and articles by clicking on Educational Resources (A task bar on the left) at Body Language Vitamin Company

Michael D. Seidman, MD., FACS

B.S. Human Nutrition

CEO-Body Language Vitamin Co

Director of Otologic/Neurotologic Surgery/Henry Ford Health System

Director of Complementary/Integrative Medicine Henry Ford Health System

Office: 248-661-7211 (Henry Ford Health System)

Body Language Office (voice mail) 877-LIVE-FIT

You are receiving this email because you have ordered supplements or visited our site and have given me permission to send this scientific update. If you would rather not receive this helpful information, I will take your name off our list, but I believe this information is important enough to share with you.