Vitamin E - Potential Weapon Against Obesity

A potential new way to fight obesity-related illness has been uncovered, thanks to serendipitous research led by investigators at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

An essential antioxidant, vitamin E had been shown by recent studies to alleviate some symptoms of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in human patients, suggesting that there is a link between adequate vitamin E levels and liver disease.

While studying the effect of vitamin E deficiency on the central nervous system of mice, the research came across those with advanced stages of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

To test this hypothesis, the team studied a mouse that was engineered to lack a protein that regulates the levels of vitamin E in the body. As expected, they observed increased oxidative stress, fat deposition and other signs of liver injury in the mice. Supplementation with vitamin E averted the majority of NASH-related symptoms in these animals, confirming the relationship between vitamin E deficiency and liver disease.

The precise effects of vitamin E on health have previously been difficult to ascertain, though its antioxidative properties were suggested to offer some protection from a variety of well-known maladies, including heart disease, cancer and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS).

“These findings may have a significant impact on public health as the vast majority of adults in the United States do not consume the amount of vitamin E recommended by the National Institute of Medicine.” says Danny Manor, an associate professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

For adults, the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin E is 15 milligrams a day. Vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, leafy greens and fortified cereals commonly contain vitamin E. “Simple and affordable dietary intervention may benefit people at risk for this debilitating disease,” Manor says.

There is currently no treatment for NASH, making it one of the most common reasons for liver transplantation.

Manor and colleague Varsha Thakur presented the group’s findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, held in conjunction with the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting in Boston.

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The above story is based on the April 23, 2013 news release by American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

NASH is a common complication of obesity characterized by fat accumulation, oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver. It is the most severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and is a major cause of tissue scarring known as cirrhosis that leads to liver failure and may progress to liver cancer. There is currently no treatment for NASH, making it one of the most common reasons for liver transplantation.

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Being Overweight Linked to Higher Risk of Gum Disease

Credit: healthday.com

Obesity is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer, and now, it also may be a risk factor for gum disease.

The Possible Relationship Lies In The Diseases' Underlying Inflammatory Processes

"We know that being overweight can affect many aspects of a person's health," says Charlene Krejci, lead author of the article. "Now researchers suspect a link exists between obesity and gum disease. Obese individuals' bodies relentlessly produce cytokines, proteins with inflammatory properties. These cytokines may directly injure the gum tissues or reduce blood flow to the gum tissues, thus promoting the development of gum disease."

Gum disease is a chronic inflammatory infection that impacts the surrounding and supporting structures of the teeth. Gum disease itself produces its own set of cytokines, which further increases the level of these inflammatory proteins in the body's bloodstream, helping to set off a chain reaction of other inflammatory diseases throughout the body.

Research on the relationship between obesity and gum disease is still ongoing.

"Whether one condition is a risk factor for another or whether one disease directly causes another has yet to be discovered," says Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) spokesperson Samer G. Shamoon. 

"What we do know is that it's important to visit a dentist at least twice a year so he or she can evaluate your risks for developing gum disease and offer preventive strategies."

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The above story is based on the February 6, 2013 news release by Academy of General Dentistry.

The work has been published in the January/February 2013 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy:

Krejci CB, Bissada NF. Obesity and periodontitis: a link. Gen Dent. 2013 Jan;61(1):60-3.

More Information

With proper care, your teeth and gums can stay healthy throughout your life.

The best way to minimize the risk of developing gum disease is to remove plaque through daily brushing, flossing, rinsing, and professional cleanings.

WebMD has more details on how to care for your teeth and gum. Click HERE for details. 

PS

Parveen Dahiya, Reet Kamal, and Rajan Gupta had earlier reviewed the interrelationship of obesity, periodontitis and chronic inflammation:

Dahiya P, Kamal R, Gupta R. Obesity, periodontal and general health: Relationship and management. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Jan;16(1):88-93.

Click HERE to read the Full Text

Pear-Shaped Bodies More Healthy Than Apples?

Credit: www.nytimes.com

For the first time abnormal proteins from buttock fat linked to metabolic syndrome

People who are "apple-shaped" -- with fat more concentrated around the abdomen -- have long been considered more at risk for conditions such as heart disease and diabetes than those who are "pear-shaped" and carry weight more in the buttocks, hips and thighs.

But new research conducted at UC Davis Health System provides further evidence that the protective benefits of having a pear-body shape may be more myth than reality.

The study found that fat stored in the buttock area -- also known as gluteal adipose tissue -- secretes abnormal levels of chemerin and omentin-1, proteins that can lead to inflammation and a prediabetic condition know as insulin resistance in individuals with early metabolic syndrome.

"Fat in the abdomen has long been considered the most detrimental to health, and gluteal fat was thought to protect against diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome," said Ishwarlal Jialal, lead author of the study and a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and of internal medicine at UC Davis. "But our research helps to dispel the myth that gluteal fat is 'innocent.' It also suggests that abnormal protein levels may be an early indicator to identify those at risk for developing metabolic syndrome."

The UC Davis team found that in individuals with early metabolic syndrome, gluteal fat secreted elevated levels of chemerin and low levels of omentin-1 -- proteins that correlate with other factors known to increase the risk for heart disease and diabetes. High chemerin levels, for example, correlated with high blood pressure, elevated levels of C-reactive protein (a sign of inflammation) and triglycerides, insulin resistance, and low levels of HDL cholesterol. Low omentin-1 levels correlated with high levels of triglycerides and blood glucose levels and low levels of HDL cholesterol.

The abnormal levels of these two proteins were also independent of age, body mass index and waist circumference.

"High chemerin levels correlated with four of the five characteristics of metabolic syndrome and may be a promising biomarker for metabolic syndrome," said Jialal. "As it's also an indicator of inflammation and insulin resistance, it could also emerge as part of a biomarker panel to define high-risk obesity states. The good news is that with weight loss, you can reduce chemerin levels along with the risk for metabolic syndrome."

"Future large epidemiological studies should focus on evaluating the role of chemerin as a biomarker for the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in metabolic syndrome," Jialal said.

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The above story is January 10, 2013 reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Davis Health System.

 

The research has been published online before print January 9, 2013 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism:  

Jialal I, Devaraj S, Kaur H, Adams-Huet B, Bremer AA. Increased Chemerin and Decreased Omentin-1 in Both Adipose Tissue and Plasma in Nascent Metabolic Syndrome. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 2013; DOI: 10.1210/jc.2012-3673

Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of risk factors that occur together, doubling the risk for heart disease and increasing the risk for diabetes at least five-fold. Risk factors include having a large waistline, low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, high blood pressure as well as high fasting blood sugar ( insulin resistance) and high triglyceride levels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, metabolic syndrome affects 35 percent of American adults over age 20.

Gen X Overtaking Baby Boomers on Obesity

Generation X is already on the path to becoming more obese than their baby boomer predecessors.

Studies show that boomers currently have the highest level of obesity of any age group in Australia. However, new research by University of Adelaide PhD student Rhiannon Pilkington has revealed some alarming statistics. As part of her research, she has compared obesity levels between the two generations at equivalent ages.

Using data from the National Health Survey, Ms Pilkington compared Generation X in 2008 to boomers at the same age, in 1989.

"This comparison paints a very poor picture of Generation X. It gives rise to major concerns for the future health of Gen X and Australia's ability to cope with that burden," says Ms Pilkington, who is conducting her research in the University's Population Research & Outcome Studies group, School of Medicine.

"At the same age, Gen X males have nearly double the prevalence of obesity: 18.3% compared with 9.4% for boomers. There is a smaller but still significant difference in females, with 12.7% of Gen X women being obese in 2008 and 10.4% of boomer females obese in 1989.

"This does not bode well for the future health of Generation X," she says.

Ms Pilkington's research covers the health status and health behaviours of Gen X and baby boomers, and the major role the workplace has to play in their health.

"Boomers and Gen X together make up more than 75% of Australia's workforce. Their health and the role of the workplace in promoting a healthy, or unhealthy, environment is of critical importance to the Australian economy, to society and to people's quality of life," Ms Pilkington says.

"Obesity has become the new smoking - it's a major driver of ill health, with coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes highest on the list of preventable illnesses. Obesity also costs billions of dollars to our economy each year. Anything we can do to mitigate the damage being done to both generations of Australians by obesity will be hugely important for the future of our nation."

Ms Pilkington says turning to the workplace is a logical step when considering how to have a positive impact on adult health.

"The Australian government has acknowledged this with substantial investment in the Healthy Workers Initiative - more than $21 million has been granted to South Australia to deliver programs that will reduce the prevalence of being overweight and obese, and the associated behaviours in the workforce.

"We have a window of opportunity to change the health path that many boomers and Gen Xers are currently on," Ms Pilkington says.

Ms Pilkington's study considers various factors that influence the risk of being overweight or obese, such as: work stress, type of occupation and generation.

"Job strain occurs when people experience high demands and low control in their jobs. My research has shown that females are more likely to experience this type of work stress, and Gen X has a significantly higher risk. This is a concern given the known association between high job strain, coronary heart disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity and type 2 diabetes," she says.

The next step for Ms Pilkington is to conduct a survey to examine any health-promoting features at various workplaces, and the barriers to and enablers of new programs aimed at improving workers' health.

She says the kinds of intervention needed in the workplace would target the physical work environment as well as the psycho-social environment.

Potential Intervention Programs/Workplace Changes could include:

·         Physical activity programs;

·         Access to healthy, nutritious and affordable foods (changing the default choice away from fast or junk food, which is often more easily accessible in or near the workplace);

·         Alcohol and tobacco policies and programs;

·         Mental health policies and programs;

·         Flexible working options.

"The benefits to employers and employees of such changes include increases in productivity, decreases in absenteeism and presenteeism (when people are at work but are not productive), boosting staff morale, team bonding, and a reduction in staff turnover," Ms Pilkington says.

"As a nation, we need to be promoting programs and policies that will see sustained cultural and behavioural change. We need to encourage improved health at a population level and really tackle our preventable, lifestyle-driven chronic illnesses," she says.

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The above is based on the November 1, 2012 news release by University of Adelaide.

Background

Baby Boomers were born from 1946 to 1965 (inclusive). In 2012, they are aged from 47 to 66 years old. Generation X were born from 1966 to 1980 (inclusive). They are aged 32 to 46 in 2012.

Sliming with Orlistat

Orlistat is used with an individualized low-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program to help people lose weight.

Orlistat is also prescribed by doctors for overweight people who may also have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or heart disease.

Orlistat is also used after weight-loss to help people keep from gaining back that weight. 

Orlistat is in a class of medications called lipase inhibitors. It works by preventing some of the fat in foods eaten from being absorbed in the intestines. This unabsorbed fat is then removed from the body in the stool.

Click HERE for more information on Orlistat from the US National Library of Medicine 

Besides Xenical, the other brands of orlistat available in Malaysia are Aslene and Cuvarlix.

Obesity, Metabolic Factors Linked to Faster Cognitive Decline

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People who are obese and also have high blood pressure and other risk factors called metabolic abnormalities may experience a faster decline in their cognitive skills over time than others, according to a recent study supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Academy of Finland, the Bupa Foundation and the British Medical Research Council.

Metabolic abnormality was defined as having two or more of the following risk factors: high blood pressure or taking medication for it; low HDL or “good” cholesterol; high blood sugar or taking diabetes medication; and high triglycerides (a type of fat found in the blood) or taking medication to lower cholesterol.

The study involved 6,401 people with an average age 50 at the start of the study. Information on body mass index (BMI) and the risk factors was gathered at the beginning of the study. The participants took tests on memory and other cognitive skills three times over the next 10 years.

A total of 31 percent of the participants had two or more metabolic abnormalities. Nine percent were obese and 38 percent were overweight. Of the 582 obese people, 350, or 60 percent, met the criteria for metabolic abnormality. The metabolically normal obese individuals also experienced more rapid decline.

Over the 10 years of the study, people who were both obese and metabolically abnormal experienced a 22.5 percent faster decline on their cognitive test scores than those who were of normal weight without metabolic abnormalities.

“More research is needed to look at the effects of genetic factors and also to take into account how long people have been obese and how long they have had these metabolic risk factors and also to look at cognitive test scores spanning adulthood to give us a better understanding of the link between obesity and cognitive function, such as thinking, reasoning and memory,” said study author Archana Singh-Manoux, PhD, of INSERM, the French research institute in Paris and University College London in England. 

Singh-Manoux said the study also provides evidence against the concept of “metabolically healthy obesity” that has suggested that obese people without metabolic risk factors do not show negative cardiac and cognitive results compared to obese people with metabolic risk factors.

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The above story is based on the August 20, 2012 news release by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).

The study findings are presented in the August 21, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology:

Singh-Manoux A, Czernichow S, Elbaz A, Dugravot A, Sabia S, Hagger-Johnson G, Kaffashian S, Zins M, Brunner EJ, Nabi H, Kivimaki M. Obesity phenotypes in midlife and cognition in early old age: The Whitehall II cohort study. Neurology, 2012; 79 (8): 755 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182661f63

Click HERE To learn more about maintaining a healthy brain.