Posts Tagged ‘health’
Federal Judge Rules the FDA Cannot Silence Accurate Scientific Information About The Health Benefits of Vitamin Supplements
Good news today from Washington DC, Federal Judge Rules the FDA Cannot Silence Accurate Scientific Information About The Health Benefits of Vitamin Supplements. This is a victory for dietary supplements and for free speech. In another huge defeat for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled unconstitutional the FDA’s censorship of selenium dietary supplement health claims. The Alliance for Natural Health USA (ANH-USA), along with dietary supplement formulators Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, and the Coalition to End FDA and FTC Censorship, represented by Jonathan Emord of Emord & Associates, were successful in protecting the First Amendment right of dietary supplement manufacturers to provide “qualified health claims” which accurately communicate the state of science in relation to the dietary supplement.
This is a remarkable seventh victory over the FDA by the Emord firm (six of which invalidated FDA health claim censorship). The federal judge denied the government’s motion to dismiss the case and granted the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment. All principal parts of the decision were clear victories for the ANH-USA and its fellow plaintiffs. This suit was the latest in a series of actions filed against the FDA for its illegal bans on qualified health claims. Qualified health claims are used when there is significant but not absolutely conclusive evidence for a relationship between a food, food component, or dietary supplement and reduced risk of a disease or health-related condition.
The lawsuit was in response to the FDA’s June 19, 2009 decision to suppress selenium/cancer-risk reduction claims. Ten of those claims (all appealed by the plaintiffs) were held unconstitutionally censored. The plaintiffs expressed their belief that this violated their right to communicate truthful health information to the public. The judge found that the FDA had denied claims despite credible evidence supporting them and had thereby infringed on free speech. “The ability to share information with the public about the benefits of health foods and food supplements is essential in order to advance the cause of healthy living and disease prevention. Consumers want to make healthy dietary and lifestyle changes, but have been denied accurate health information.
This ruling will allow producers of natural products to provide accurate health information, based on valid science, to consumers without burdensome overregulation by the FDA,” said Gretchen DuBeau, executive and legal director of ANH-USA. Prior to this ruling the FDA required near conclusive scientific evidence for any nutrient claim. The judge ruled that so long as the claim is an accurate reflection of the state of science, the First Amendment protects it. During these proceedings, the FDA never explained why it believes the censorship of valid science to be in the best interest of the American people or why such censorship would help Americans make better health choices.
Dietary and Nutrition Supplments are a Neccessity.
The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion released a draft report for its 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans last week. This report that ultimately form the basis for 2010’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Within the report’s language, dietary supplements receive mixed approval. While highlighting the benefits of some dietary supplements “…if needs cannot be met through whole foods.” This statement has prompted a public response from the Natural Products Association (Washington, DC). “When less than 25% of the U.S. population eats the recommended serving of five fruits and vegetables daily, how are Americans to get the vitamins and minerals they need?” said NPA executive director and CEO John Gay. “Advice to cut off a reliable and safe nutrition source, such as a daily multivitamin, doesn’t seem logical or responsible.” Aside from dietary supplement coverage, much of the report focused on addressing obesity issues and expanding access to nutritional products for Americans. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (Washington, DC) applauded such discussions, stating, “The report wisely recommends that USDA and Health and Human Services develop a national strategy to help people eat better, including ramping up nutrition education, expanding access to fruits and vegetables, and getting industry to provide more healthful products.”
Diet Pills: Shake the Jitter
When looking for a solution for weight loss, a common answer is a diet pill, but the question comes down to what kind. There are many effective ones out there, but many times they are filled with stimulants.
Stimulants increase your heart rate and often are accompanied with side-effects that include feeling jittery, lack of focus, and sweating. They are defined as: An agent, especially a chemical agent such as caffeine, which temporarily arouses or accelerates physiological or organic activity.
Stimulants have been proven to be effective in losing stubborn fat, but many people don’t want to voluntarily take something that makes them look and act like they are on something!!
There is a solution! There are many great, effective alternatives to diet pills with stimulants. The problem is that many people over look their effectiveness because they “don’t feel anything.” But, that is the whole point.
Stimulant-Free Diet pills do not contain any caffeine, ephedra, synephrine or other stimulating ingredients. People who are sensitive to the effects of stimulants, such as caffeine, prefer these types of diet pills. Stimulant-free diet pills also do not interfere with sleep and will not cause the jitters.
One of the most talked about supplements for weigh loss that is stimulant-free and all natural on the market today is Acai berry supplements and products. People who are working hard to lose weight claim that they get great results when they take Acai berry supplements and products.
Many people will drink Acai berry supplements in the liquid form as a juice before they head off to the gym for their workout. But if you are one who doesn’t like the taste, there are many people who don’t, you can take an Acai berry supplements in capsule or powdered form.
Acai also helps decrease hunger, and the craving for junk foods is diminished. The need for artificial stimulants is gone if you are supplementing with Acai berry capsules, liquids or powder.
The Acai berry is relatively new in the U.S. but has been used in the rain forests of Brazil as a dietary staple for centuries. Researchers “discovered” it when looking for new medicines to help “turn on” the cells in the body that are used for weight loss. Since then, companies have begun to formulate the precious berry into practical methods to supplement for a natural, stimulant-free approach to weight loss and total health.
Is Your Summer Shape Up Program On Track?
Summer fitness is alive and well. Looking at any number of fitness magazines you can see that is clear. The pages are filled with beach themed workouts demonstrating various exercises that promise to tone and tighten everything from arms and back to legs and tummies.
The articles want you to think with a few easy, light weight moves with give you bodies like the models featured. The reality of the situation is that unless you were blessed with amazing genetics, you have to work hard to achieve the body you want. You will have to sweat to burn fat and you will have to move weight to build muscle.
This is not the same as if your goals were to be a bodybuilder. So many women are afraid of lifting weights because they do not want to “get bit.” It won’t happen unless you dedicate your life to it! Lifting moderate-heavy weights will not produce bodybuilder-ish muscles over night.
If you happen to be one of the few who develop muscle tissue easily, you will have warning. Even the best muscular genetics do not produce results over night.
Something else that will help moderate your goals is your nutrition. Just because you are working out for an hour a day doesn’t mean you can or should start eating more (unless you weren’t eating enough). Many people think because they are working out they can afford to eat more. That just isn’t the case. When you are working out, the average number of calories that are burned are not as high as you would think. A 140 pound woman running a constant 7 min mile for an hour only burns 740 calories. Unless you are running hard for an hour, skip the extra treat! There are many supplements designed for the exact fitness goal you have and will help you reach yours quicker.
If your goal is to have a nice lean, toned physique, you will have to pick up the weights or do some type of resistance/strength training. Just being a cardio queen and spending your workout on the treadmill will produce a skinnier version of where you already are; the term is skinny fat.
By simply adding three days of strength training (it can even be one of those power-flex classes), you will receive much better results. Another thing to keep in mind is that it is better to do your cardio after your strength training if you are training both in the same day.
Make sure you are working hard at what ever you do or you might as well be window shopping. If it were easy, there wouldn’t be such a need for article after article to get fit.
Nutritional Supplements: Find Out How to Get Started & Save Money
There is no short supply to the number of nutritional supplements that are available. In fact, if you are new to the game, it can be very overwhelming improving your health. There are some key basics that will help you sort through which vitamins and minerals you need and which you can skip.
- Determine what you need and your budget
- Research or ask an expert
- Find out if there are combination’s
Determine what you need:
Chances are you don’t need to take all the nutritional supplements available, and if you do, there may be a bigger problem brewing.
Much of the time, just trying to figure out where to start and what you need is overwhelming enough to stop thinking about the whole ordeal. But, it doesn’t have to be super complicated.
If you are on any medications, you will want to check with your doctor to make sure that there are not limitations or restrictions based on your individual health (this is a good idea even if you are not taking prescription medication). Sometimes a simple multi-vitamin is all you need.
Age and gender have an impact on the nutritional supplements you should take.
Most often, women supplement with calcium to help their bone integrity, or folic acid if they are planning a pregnancy. Men stay away from supplements that contain much iron.
Diet plays a role too. If your diet is void of certain vitamins and nutrients, you should consider taking a supplement that includes them. Before you do much research or questioning, it is a good idea to determine what your budget is so you can plan accordingly.
Research or ask an expert:
If you still don’t know which products you need, there are many resources to help you and make the whole process much easier. Finding a credible resource is not hard, you just have to ask some questions and look for some red flags.
If the person you are talking to seems to be selling you everything on the shelf, or only pushing ‘their brand,’ you should get a second opinion.
Having a rough idea of which nutritional supplements you may need and detailed information about your health history and diet, combined with the knowledge of an expert and you will be on the right track!
Find out if there are combinations:
Instead of taking a cabinet of individual supplements look for combination’s. A good multi-vitamin will take care of a lot of your needs and there are specific formulas, like joint formulas, that combine key supplements at specific ratios that will cut your bottle collection way down.
Once you have decided on the nutritional supplements that you’re going to take, keep them in a location that you will remember to take them. They will do you no good in the bottle!
One last tip. When you are taking your supplements, take them with food. Nutritional supplements are best absorbed by the body when there is food in your stomach.
With these basic steps you will be on your way to better health and have a better understanding of your health and how to stay in control.
Dietary Supplements Are Safe!
On March 25th, 1999, I was part of a live television debate on FOX-TV’s “Good Day New York” with a drug industry attorney on the topic: “Are dietary supplements regulated?”
Needless to say, with all of the facts showing how well regulated dietary supplements were then, winning the debate was not a difficult accomplishment; I even had the host, Jim Ryan, on the side of supplement consumers about midway through the segment.
In fact, the regulations and laws governing nutritional supplements today are even more stringent than they were in 1999, when I did that TV segment.
According to attorney Peter Barton Hutt, the “bedrock food safety requirement that has been the foundation of the American food supply since 1906—the prohibition of poisonous or deleterious substances in food—applies equally to dietary supplements and conventional food.”
Supplements: A Super-Regulated Category
Today, dietary supplements have the following requirements and controls over them:
- Pre-market notification to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—not required for drugs or medical devices
- Labeling
- Mandatory adverse event (side effect or reaction) reporting to the FDA (not required for foods)
- FDA Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)
- Facility registration (for the FDA)
- Advertising (by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission)
In fact, broadly speaking, the laws governing supplements under the umbrella of the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C) are: the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (NLEA); the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA); the Bioterrorism Act of 2002; the Food Allergen Labeling an Consumer Protection Act of 2004; the Dietary Supplement and Non-Prescription Drug Consumer Protection Act of 2006 (AER Law); and Federal GMPs.
Regarding dietary supplements, the FDA has significant powers, including (but not limited to) the authority to:
- Stop a company from selling any dietary supplement that is unsanitary or unsafe
- Stop the sale of any dietary supplement that makes false or non-substantiated claims on its labeling.
- Stop the sale of any nutritional supplement that poses “a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury.”
- Block a new dietary ingredient (NDI) from being marketed if the agency does not receive enough safety information in advance.
Likewise, the FTC has a great deal of surveillance and enforcement powers that it uses for dietary supplements, including the ability to:
- Challenge and stop advertising that is not sufficiently substantiated,
- Negotiate a consent order for a company to change or fix its promotional, marketing or advertising practices, and
- Seek substantial civil penalties for violations of trade regulation rules or violations of cease and desist orders.
So Why Do We Keep Hearing About Supplements Being Unregulated?
Part of the problem is the media.
As I noted way back in 1999,1 despite powerful and authoritative research underpinning many of the most popular supplements today, the mainstream media appear to be on a planet where this research is unavailable or incomprehensible.
The FDA itself has been stoking the misinformation fires about the supplement regulations that it is mandated to implement and enforce. As I noted in July 2009, “The FDA should cooperate with the responsible core of the natural products industry rather than criticizing the very laws that the American people saw fit to pass and which the FDA is sworn to uphold and enforce.”3
Dietary supplements have “always been regulated as a category of food in this country, and DSHEA did not change that,” according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).4
“Dietary supplements are not regulated as drugs because they are not drugs,” added Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, FACN, director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, at Tufts University.3
According to Hutt, it is “apparent that FDA has adequate statutory authority to assure the safety of both dietary ingredients and conventional food ingredients.”2
In fact, Hutt adds that the “safety provisions under the FD&C Act applicable to dietary supplements would appear to be stronger than those applicable to conventional food.”2
‘Supplements Are Safe, Healthful and Well-Regulated’ may not be a very “sexy” story as news stories go, but it is one that really should be front-page.
Gormley Take-Away: Given all of the recent drug recalls and food contamination outbreaks, I would be much more concerned about the safety of pharmaceuticals and conventional foods than about dietary supplements if I were the average consumer advocate, legislator or reporter. Looking at the powerful safety record of dietary supplements, now officially demonstrated via the AER Law, I would consider beating a different drum than the one associated with unwarranted and uninformed attacks on supplements.
About the Author: James Gormley is an award-winning journalist, published author and member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA). He is a senior policy advisor for Citizens for Health, an advisory board member of the National Health Research Institute (NHRI), editor of a medical journal and an industry consultant
Magnesium Supplements to help prevent coronary artery disease.
In the United States, the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of death is coronary heart disease also known as coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary artery disease occurs when a substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries). Plaque is made up of cholesterol deposits, which can accumulate in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time. This process is called atherosclerosis. Plaque buildup can cause angina, the most common symptom of CAD. This condition causes chest pain or discomfort because the heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle. This may lead to heart failure, a serious condition where the heart can’t pump blood the way that it should. An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can also develop. For some people, the first sign of CAD is a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when plaque totally blocks an artery carrying blood to the heart. It also can happen if a plaque deposit breaks off and clots a coronary artery. Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. It is necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses, muscular activity, temperature regulation, detoxification reactions, and for the formation of healthy bones and teeth. It is involved in energy production and the synthesis of DNA and RNA. A
U.S. Department of Agriculture survey revealed that approximately 75 percent of Americans do not ingest the RDA of magnesium. Sub-optimal magnesium intake compromises cellular activity, especially in tissues of the heart, nerves, and kidneys. Magnesium influences many of the activities associated with a wide variety of cardiac medications. For example, magnesium inhibits platelet aggregation, thins the blood, blocks calcium uptake (like calcium channel blocking drugs), and relaxes blood vessels (like ACE inhibitors). Magnesium also increases oxygenation of the heart muscle by improving cardiac contractility. A study conducted at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. The scientists found six randomized control clinical trials and prospective studies that met their criteria for the study which was to investigate the safety and efficacy of magnesium supplements in patients with coronary heart disease or patients at risk for the disease. Magnesium dosages ranged from 130 to 800 milligrams per day. The results were a higher magnesium intake was associated with reduced risk of CHD in male subjects but there was no decrease in the development of CHD in women who also had a high magnesium intake. There were no adverse effects reported. The researchers suggested that “There is a possible association between a modestly lower risk of CHD in men and increased magnesium intake; therefore, it is reasonable to encourage diets high in magnesium as a potential means to lower the risk of CHD
OxyElite, Lose Weight Now!!!
Why is it that ever since Ephedra was taken off of the market you can’t find a product hat helps you burn fat and suppress appetite the same way? Sure there are a lot of products that say that they do what the old ECA stacks did but how often are you left disappointed?
Many people believe that ever since ephedra was taken off of the market you cant get the results once so easily obtained…Until NOW!!!! USP Labs OxyElite is the ultimate no BS, fat shredding fat burner.
What is unique about OxyElite above the rest is that it focuses on BAT:
A recent study suggested that up to 96% of subjects evaluated have detectable levels of BAT! (24,25). It has been suggested that those that are overweight have lower BAT activity than those that are lean, something that isn’t entirely a coincidence as having more BAT can potentially mean expending more calories and thus maintaining a lower weight. It has been estimated that more than half of all men and women likely have at least 10 grams of BAT in their body. BAT is so metabolically active that as little as 50 grams of BAT could potentially account for up to 20% of total daily energy expenditure of an adult human when maximally stimulated. Imagine how much of a difference that can make on how you look.
The problem however is recruiting BAT and activating what little we have in the first place…
While exposure to cold is one method, it isn’t exactly feasible to expose yourself to cold every day of the week…And aside from that, it has been pointed out that various environmental changes for modern humans such as insulated buildings, clothing advances and heated transport systems have all reduced the need for thermogenesis via BAT and thus the amount of activated BAT has decreased as well.
But all hope is not lost…
The other method is via sympathetic stimulation or in other words, by using direct and indirect-acting sympathomimetics.
Where OxyELITE Pro™ Goes From All-Time Great to First Ballot Hall of Fame
First, it’s important to understand how BAT provides such benefits. Now, normal white adipose tissue or WAT (i.e., the stuff around your organs and smothering your muscles) is generally there to accept extra energy from calories ingested and accepts them for storage as triglycerides (fat).
We need this to insulate us from the cold and protect our internal organs. BAT, on the other hand doesn’t store extra energy as it instead dissipates this extra energy in the form of heat.
How OxyELITE Pro™ Attacks BAT
First, Geranium extract has sympathomimetic properties & this makes it a great candidate for increasing UCP-1 expression and recruiting or regaining BAT so that we may use it once again.*
Secondly, Cirsium oligophyllum has beta adrenoceptor agonist activity and, as would be expected, has actually been suggested to increase UCP-1 activity in BAT of an animal model.
Third, caffeine has been suggested to increase norepinephrine. This increased norepinephrine again contributes to increasing UCP-1 activity in BAT, unfortunately, it also ends up activating alpha 2-adrenoceptors… And by doing this, it actually inhibits some of the potential lipolytic and thermogenic activity of norepinephrine by inhibiting adenylyl cyclase (i.e., the enzyme which allows for cyclic adenosine monophosphate or cAMP formation and what ultimately leads to lipolysis) activity.
The information about this new and innovative way to burn fat is increasing and keeps proving to be an effective way to burn fat. Soon other comapies will begin making product like this to keep up with USP Labs genius product, OxyElite. Don’t be the last one to find out about this innovative product. Get your body back to how it used to be and feel good about hwo you look with OxyElite.
Discount Supplements, 20% off!!!
Do you like Discounts! Do you like Supplements! Then you will like DISCOUNT SUPPLEMENTS! Here are some amazing deals on some awesome products. Type in 20off to receive 20% off your order when you order one of these products. Only last until March 31st, 2010- GET IT WHILE YOU CAN!
Universal Nutrition EAA Nitro 2.27 Lbs
EAA Nitro supplies the body with a key dose of 6 grams of EAAs and you also get the addition of 35g of dextrose. It all comes in a great tasting grape-flavored drink mix. The added dextrose is a supercharger. This important carb takes those key essential aminos that your muscles need and ignites them. In one recent study, researchers looked at the anabolic impact of 6g of essential aminos mixed with 35g of simple carbs on weightlifters. They found that the EAA/carb drink promoted muscle anabolism and increased protein synthesis by ~400% above pre-drink values when that drink was taken within a short period of time after lifting. So the next time you reach for your favorite post-workout shake, take a serving of EAA Nitro instead. You’ll get all the key aminos your body needs (and none you don’t), plus just the right amount of carbs.
Creatine 6000-ES by MuscleTech 102 servings
Supplementation with creatine monohydrate has been shown in scientific studies to significantly improve strength, power, and recovery time.1,2,3 CREATINE 6000-ES contains pure creatine monohydrate that has been micronized by a cutting-edge process. Unlike other creatines, which can be gritty and hard to mix, the creatine monohydrate found in MuscleTech CREATINE 6000-ES can mix easily with water and can be efficiently absorbed by the body.
GlutaBolic 500 g by Nutrabolics
GlutaBolic by Nutrabolics is a new biologically superior form of glutamine clinically tested and proven to be more effective at raising glutamine levels than any other glutamine product on the market. While virtually all other glutamine supplements are free-form Glutamine, GlutaBolic is the only product that utilizes the Advanced Glutamine Matrix, synergistically composed of Glutamine Malate, Glutamine AlphaKetoGlutarate, and Glutamine Peptides.
This Advanced Glutamine Matrix is far more stable than L-glutamine, and studies have shown that GlutaBolic is digested up to 200% more than regular free form Glutamine. Glutamine Malate is a new advanced form of glutamine bound to malic acid. This distinctive molecular bond extensively enhances the bioavailability of glutamine in the muscle cell.
Glutamine Malate also enhances nitrogen retention as well as extreme cell volumization within the muscle cell for unparalleled effectiveness. Glutamine AKG is a new state-of-the-art glutamine compound which is not only extremely well tolerated by the body, but has such a vastly superior uptake and retention profile that it makes plain L-Glutamine obsolete.
Whey Gourmet utilizes the latest protein filtration advancements, featuring a unique blend of not 1 but actually 2 Whey Isolates, with added Whey Peptides. This trademarked proprietary blend, Isoplete, delivers the protein you want, fast, easy and extra-convenient. Whey Gourmet also features a good source of essential amino acids. The result is a supplement that’s rich in protein, low in fat, has few carbs (only about 2-3g per scoop) and has been assembled with added components such as Nitriplete and Glutapure, for a 1-2 added power surge of protein intensity! Definitely better tasting!
Whey Gourmet Benefits:
- Guilt Free
- Natural & Artificial Flavor
- Double The Isolates, Double The Flavor
- High Protein Formula
- 100% Great taste
Can you say THANK YOU!! Cause you’re Welcome!
Here’s a Quick Way to Lower Your Bad Cholesterol
One great way to lower one’s cholesterol is through a reliable exercise routine. If you want to get really good results, you need to engage in daily exercise. Daily exercise, however, can be difficult for people who juggle a lot of roles in life. Then again, regular exercise is still possible if you have tried and tested tips to get you to fit it in your life.
a. Starting Out
It is best to take it slow if you have not exercised in a long time. Succumbing to a very intense schedule is not an advisable thing to do. Ideally, you should exercise five days a week. Usually, people get burned out if they plunge into a strenuous routine at once. One good thing to do is to get in touch with your doctor regarding health problems, as well as the kind of exercise necessary to improve one’s personal condition. It is best to view exercise as something that you really need to do. Always put it in your schedule in the same way you make time for your dentist or your doctor. It also helps to add a mix of varied exercises and activities spread out through your week so you do not get bored of doing the same thing over and over again.
b. More Must-Knows
If you do chores that allow you to move a lot and get your blood flowing, you can consider it as part of your exercise routine. Simple household chores like vacuuming and washing your car also counts as active additions to your exercise routine. Exercise exists in various forms which you should really look out for. You could try, for example, going up the stairs instead of riding an elevator as a form of exercise. You can strengthen your heart and build up on leg muscles by taking the stairs. As you do your daily activities, strive to take longer ways to get to your destinations. It is also best to wear those running shoes and go on foot to do errands instead of taking the car. Engaging in walking routines helps lose weight as well as lower cholesterol. When you are on your way to the store, it helps to park it a little further down to get walking mileage.
c. Looking for Time
Some people just can’t seem to find the time to fit 30-60 minutes of solid exercise into their daily schedule. You could, on the other hand, break up the workout into ten to fifteen minute chunks of time and you will still achieve results. This method of exercising is proven to be quite effective. Engaging in regular exercise is a great way to lower your cholesterol and strengthen your heart in many fun ways. Throw in the extra benefits you can get from strengthening, weight loss and a stable sense of emotional well-being to discover the great results of it.
About the Author – Alana D. Richardson is the author of the Mediterranean Book to lower cholesterol and triglycerides blog focused on the preservation of the Italian healthy eating traditions to inform people on heart diseases and unhealthy eating habits.