High Performance Living

Another way resveratrol promotes longevity

SIRT1 is a protein that is upregulated during famine or caloric restriction.  It is also upregulated by resveratrol, a compound found in red wine.

A lot of research is being done on resveratrol and synthetic derivatives, with many hopes that a longevity drug will be the results.  And of course, many people are already taking resveratrol as a supplement - I'm currently taking 100 mg/day.

Researchers have discovered more about how this substance works.  One thing it does is regulate and keep active something called "heat shock factor 1" (HSF1). HSF1 can sense when a cell has damaged proteins, and increase the expression of molecules called molecular chaperones, which keep proteins correctly folded. 

So basically, high levels of SIRT1 keep your cellular repair machinery on high alert.  Maybe, just maybe, extending longevity.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/323/5917/1063

Arginine, amazing amino acid

Arginine is an amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein. A new study funded by the American Heart Association showed how arginine caused the body to send proteins towards muscle growth, and away from fat storage. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090204161848.htm

Your body also uses arginine to make nitric oxide, the chemical responsible for blood dilation. Benefit for the arteries, and you can kind of think of it as natural viagra.

Arginine supplementation also causes growth hormone release. Growth hormone steadily declines as people age. Higher levels of growth hormone correlate with less body fat, more muscle, and even better skin elasticity.

I often supplement with an arginine formulation before going to bed, because the body pulses a larger amount of growth hormone when you sleep.  And, well, you know...

Resveratrol prevents alcohol induced fat accumulation in the liver

One of the risks of alcohol consumption is that it promotes accumulation of fat in the liver.  Chronic and long-term alcohol consumption can lead to cirrhosis and fibrosis of the liver, and even to liver failure.  Alcohol inhibits two molecules that play a role in the breakdown of fats in the liver: AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). When alcohol inactivates AMPK and SIRT1, it allows fat to accumulate.

Resveratrol is a compound found in grapes and red wine, which has been found to dramatically extend the lives of laboratory animals by upregulating the SIRT1 gene.  Researchers have recently found that resveratrol treatment increased the expression of SIRT1 and stimulated the activity of AMPK in the livers of mice fed alcohol.  In fact, alcohol actually seems to enhance the activity of resveratrol. 

So it appears that resveratrol can help prevent the accumulation of fat in the liver caused by alcohol consumption.  There are small amounts of resveratrol in red wine.  I currently supplement with an additional 40mg per day of 50% extract.

http://ajpgi.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/295/4/G833

DHA Improves Newborn Visual Acuity

A study just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition once again throws a spotlight on the importance of long chain omega-3 fats like those found in cold water fish.  In this study, mothers with preterm infants who consumed higher amounts of DHA had babies with higher visual acuity.  Fish consumption or fish oil supplementation is absolutely essential for optimum health, particularly among pregnant and nursing women.  The abstract is available at http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/88/4/1049?etoc.  

Rice and Arsenic

Rice bran, a so-called "superfood", may be high in arsenic.  This carcinogen occurs naturally in groundwater as a result of minerals leaching into rocks.  Though rice bran is often discarded since most people prefer white rice, many consumers are now taking nutritional supplements with rice bran in them.  Andrew Meharg, of the University of Aberdeen, UK, purchased nine of these products online and found high levels of arsenic in all of them. 

Arsenic is highly toxic, and increases risk of skin, lung, bladder, and kidney cancer.  Rice isn't really a food meant for humans anyway.  More about that later...

Oh, and if you want to support this blog, check out our sponsor, HSA for America. 

B12 prevents brain shrinkage

As you age, your brain shrinks.  And brain shrinkage is linked to loss of cognitive function.  That's a bummer.

A study that just came out in Neurology showed that in elderly subjects, those with the highest B12 status had the least brain shrinkage.  In fact, they were six times less likely to experience loss of brain mass.

The only natural sources of b12 are meat, fish, eggs, and milk.  Vegans must supplement, or eat foods that are supplemented with b12 (such as breakfast cereals).  Eat your meat!

Take your fish oil

Once again another study has come out showing the incredible health benefits of fish, and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found in them.  In this study, published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, breast-feeding mothers who ate the most fish has babies with better cognitive and motor skills.  At 18 months, the toddlers of mothers who ate the most fish were better at skills such as climbing stairs, removing their socks, drawing, putting words together, and walking unassisted. 

The fatty acids found in fish cannot be made by the body.  If you don't eat them, your body will try to substitute other fats, but the results won't be so good.  A lot of these long-chain omega-3 fatty acids end up in the brain, which of course helps explain the connection between fish consumption and cognitive functioning. 

Unless you regularly eat cold-water fish, a quality fish oil supplement is the most important nutritional supplement you can take.