mitochondrial support Archives - Amazing Health Advances

COVID-19 Patients Recover Faster With Metabolic Activator Treatment, Study Shows

AHA Publisher — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 07:00:43 +0000

Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH) [Royal Institute of Technology] via Newswise – Metabolic activators were found to reduce recovery time by as many as 3.5 days in patients with mild-to-moderate Covid-19, according to a Swedish-British study published today in Advanced Science. The researchers also found that treatment with the metabolic activators improved liver health and decreased the levels of inflammation, as shown by inflammatory markers. Conducted by researchers at Science for Life Laboratory at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, in collaboration with the Sahlgrenska Academy in Gothenburg and King’s College, London, the human phase three clinical study showed that patients with mild-to-moderate Covid-19–who were also receiving standard care–experienced a 3.5 day reduction in recovery time when receiving the combination of metabolic activators, nicotinamide riboside (NR), L-serine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), and L-carnitine tartrate. All four activators are aimed at improving mitochondrial function. The results of the study build on findings from phase two clinical data. Through a randomized, placebo controlled, double blind phase three clinical trial, 309 outpatients at Umraniye Teaching and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey were randomly assigned on a 3:1 basis to receive the metabolic activators or placebo. Patients received the combined activators or placebo twice a day for 14 days and clinical status was evaluated through daily telephone check-ins. “Our phase three data shows that metabolic activators significantly improve the recovery, liver health, and markers of inflammation of patients with COVID-19,” says the study’s lead author, Adil Mardinoglu, professor at KTH and Kings College and research fellow at Science for Life Laboratory. “Dysfunctional mitochondria have been implicated in worsened progression for Covid-19, and we are pleased to find that the combination of these metabolic activators helps to remedy the stress put on the body of an infected patient.” To read the original article click here.

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Combating Air Pollution Effects with Food

AHA Publisher — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 07:00:52 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – There is a food that offers the best of both worlds—significantly improving our ability to detox carcinogens like diesel fumes and decreasing inflammation in our airways—all while improving our respiratory defenses against infections. Outdoor air pollution may be the ninth leading cause of death and disability in the world, responsible for millions of deaths from lung cancer, emphysema, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory infection. In the United States, living in a polluted city was associated with 16, 27, and 28 percent increases in total, cardiovascular, and lung cancer deaths, compared to living in a city with cleaner air. As well, living in a city with polluted air may lead to up to a 75 percent increase in the risk of a heart attack. “Additionally, the possibility of dying in a traffic jam is two and a half times greater in a polluted city.” No one wants to be living in a traffic jam, but it’s better than dying in one. In addition to causing deaths, air pollution is also the cause of a number of health problems. It may not only exacerbateasthma but also increase the risk of developing asthma in the first place. These pollutants may trigger liver disease and even increase the risk of diabetes. Indeed, “even when atmospheric pollutants are within legally established limits, they can be harmful to health.” So, what can we do about it? Paper after paper have described all the terrible things air pollution can do to us, but “most…failed to mention public policy. Therefore, while science is making great strides in demonstrating the harmful effects of atmospheric pollution on human health, public authorities are not using these data” to reduce emissions, as such measures might inconvenience the population “and, therefore, might not be politically acceptable.” We need better vehicle inspections, efficient public transport, bus lanes, bicycle lanes, and even urban tolls to help clean up the air, but, while we’re waiting for all of that, is there anything we can do to protect ourselves? As I discuss in my video Best Food to Counter the Effects of Air Pollution, our body naturally has detoxifying enzymes, not only in our liver, but also lining our airways. Studies show that people born with less effective detox enzymes have an exaggerated allergic response to diesel exhaust, suggesting that these enzymes actively combat the inflammation caused by pollutants in the air. A significant part of the population has these substandard forms of the enzyme, but, either way, what can we do to boost the activity of whichever detoxification enzymes we do have? One of my previous videos Prolonged Liver Function Enhancement from Broccoli investigated how broccoli can dramatically boost the activity of the detox enzymes in our liver, but what about our lungs? Researchers fed some smokers a large stalk of broccoli every day for ten days to see if it would affect the level of inflammation within their bodies. Why smokers? Smoking is so inflammatory that you can have elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels for up to 30 years after quitting, and that inflammation can start almost immediately after you start smoking, so it’s critical to never start in the first place. If you do, though, you can cut your level of that inflammation biomarker CRP nearly in half after just ten days eating a lot of broccoli. Broccoli appears to cut inflammation in nonsmokers as well, which may explain in part why eating more than two cups of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, or other cruciferous veggies a day is associated with a 20 percent reduced risk of dying, compared to eating a third of a cup a day or less, as you can see at 3:41 in my video. What about air pollution? We know that the cruciferous compound “is the most potent known inducer” of our detox enzymes, so most of the research has been on its ability to fight cancer. But, for the first time, researchers tried to see if it could combat the pro-inflammatory impact of pollutants, such as diesel exhaust. They put some human lung lining cells in a petri dish, and, as you can see at 4:11 in my video, the number of detox enzymes produced after dripping on some broccoli goodness skyrocketed. Yes, but we don’t inhale broccoli or snort it. We eat it. Can it still get into our lungs and help? Yes. After two days of broccoli sprout consumption, researchers took some cells out of the subjects’ noses and found up to 100 times more detox enzyme expression compared to eating a non-cruciferous vegetable, alfalfa sprouts. If only we could squirt some diesel exhaust up people’s noses. That’s just what some UCLA researchers did, at an amount equal to daily rush hour exposure on a Los Angeles freeway. Within six hours, the number of inflammatory cells in their nose shot up and continued to rise. But, in the group who had been getting a broccoli sprout extract, the inflammation went down and stayed down, as you can see at 4:58 in my video. Since the dose in those studies is equivalent to the consumption of one or two cups of broccoli, their study “demonstrates the potential preventive and therapeutic potential of broccoli or broccoli sprouts,” but if broccoli is so powerful at suppressing this inflammatory immune response, might it interfere with normal immune function? After all, the battle with viruses like influenza can happen in the nose. So what happens when some flu viruses are dripped into the nostrils of broccoli-sprout eaters compared with people consuming non-cruciferous alfalfa sprouts? After eating broccoli sprouts, we get the best of both worlds—less inflammation and an improved immune response. As you can see at 5:55 in my video, after eating alfalfa sprouts, there is a viral spike in their nose. After eating a package of broccoli sprouts every day, however, our body is able to keep the virus in check, potentially offering “a safe, low-cost strategy for reducing influenza risk among smokers and other at risk populations.” So, better immune function, yet less inflammation, potentially reducing the impact of pollution on allergic disease and asthma, at least for an “enthusiastic broccoli consumer.” But what about cancer and detoxifying air pollutants throughout the rest of our body? We didn’t know, until now. Off to China, where “levels of outdoor air pollution…are among the highest in the world.” By day one, those getting broccoli sprouts were able to get rid of 60 percent more benzene from their bodies. “The key finding…was the observed rapid and highly durable elevation of the detoxification of… a known human carcinogen.” Now, this was using broccoli sprouts, which are highly concentrated, equivalent to about five cups of broccoli a day, so we don’t know how well more modest doses would work. But if they do, eating broccoli could “provide a frugal means to attenuate…the long-term health risks” of air pollution. More on air pollution here. I’ve been reading about the terrible effects of air pollution for a long time and I am thrilled there’s something we can do other than uprooting our families and moving out to the countryside. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Greger click here.

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How CoQ10 Can Improve Mental, Brain, and Physical Health

AHA Publisher — Sat, 08 Aug 2020 07:00:24 +0000

Dr. Will Cole via Dr. Caroline Leaf – The supplement world is vast. The amount of beneficial nutrients is ever expanding due to our growing knowledge surrounding our health. But knowing where to start is another thing. By educating ourselves on the importance of various nutrients, we can better prioritize what makes the most sense to incorporate into our wellness routines since each person’s individual requirements are going to be different. One of the supplements I often find myself recommending to my patients in my functional medicine telehealth clinic is CoQ10 for its ability to naturally help elevate certain areas of health that are important to have optimal health. What is CoQ10? CoQ10 stands for coenzyme Q10 and is a type of coenzyme that helps your enzymes work more efficiently and is found in every cell in the body – specifically in the mitochondria of the cell. In order for your body to utilize CoQ10, it needs to convert the inactive form ubiquinone, into ubiquinol which is the active form of this nutrient. It acts as an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals to help protect your cells and DNA from damage. Too many free radicals in the body can contribute to chronic inflammation and lead to a variety of inflammatory health conditions such as heart disease, autoimmune conditions, and even cancer. CoQ10 Health Benefits 1. Lowered inflammation In multiple studies, CoQ10 was shown to reduce levels of the inflammatory compounds CRP and TNF-a as well as the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. This is most likely due to its ability to inhibit production of the inflammatory protein NF-kB. 2. Migraine relief Those who struggle with frequent migraines are also more likely to have lower levels of CoQ10. But research has shown that regular supplementation can help alleviate migraine severity and frequency. 3. Fibromyalgia This autoimmune disease affects millions of Americans and is characterized by chronic inflammation and pain throughout the body. In cases of fibromyalgia, CoQ10 is unevenly distributed throughout the body which contributes to higher oxidative stress – which is important since increased oxidative stress is a contributor to inflammation and chronic pain. This makes regular supplementation important for those struggling with this condition. 4. Stabilized blood sugar By improving insulin resistance, supplementation of CoQ10 can help reduce blood sugar levels for those with higher than normal levels. 5. Enhanced cardiovascular health Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in America with 1 person dying every 37 seconds. But studies have been looking into the effects of CoQ10 supplementation and its ability to significantly improve these statistics. 6. Improved Brain Health One study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology found that in 18 people with depression found that 400 to 800 mg/day CoQ10 for a month decreased the severity of depression symptoms and significantly improved symptoms of fatigue, sadness, and difficulty concentrating or brain fog. CoQ10 Sources While your body produces half of the CoQ10 we need, we need to get the rest from outside sources. Some of the best food sources of CoQ10 include grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken, and wild-caught seafood such as sardines, shrimp, and scallops as well as dairy and eggs. Our CoQ10 levels also decrease as we age so it’s important to be even more mindful as we get older. Additionally, those taking statins (cholesterol-lowering medications) and those with disorders of the mitochondria should be mindful of their levels as these can also contribute to low CoQ10. But since CoQ10 has poor absorption rates, supplementation may be necessary in cases of deficiency when food isn’t enough. CoQ10 is considered fat-soluble meaning it is best taken alongside a high-fat meal to increase absorption. However, bioavailability of this nutrient is still low regardless of how it is taken in, so long-term supplementation may be necessary for certain individuals. Up to 1,200 mg per day has been proven safe for long-term use. CoQ10 Side Effects While CoQ10 is generally safe for most people, if you are taking blood thinners it may decrease their effectiveness. It’s important to talk with your doctor before adding in supplements to avoid any possible interactions. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Leaf click here.

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