VOLUME 2008 issue 17

Apples Ward Off Colon Cancer

Dieter Schrenk, from the University of Kaiserslautern (Germany), and colleagues, have found that apple pectin and apple juice are high in a compound known as butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid. Butyrate not only contributes to the maintenance of healthy colon tissue, but the team found the compound exerts an anti-cancer effect on the colon, by inhibiting the enzymes necessary for tumors to develop.
[Waldecker M, Kautenburger T, Daumann H, Veeriah S, Will F, Dietrich H, Pool-Zobel BL, Schrenk D. “Histone-deacetylase inhibition and butyrate formation: Fecal slurry incubations with apple pectin and apple juice extracts.” Nutrition. 2008 Apr;24(4):366-74. Epub 2008 Feb 11.]

Dr. Klatz remarks: “Colorectal cancer is the fourth commonest form of cancer occurring worldwide. Most prevalent in industrialized countries, colorectal cancer represents 12.6% of all incident cancer in westernized nations in men and 14.1% in women. Many researchers believe that a majority of colorectal cancer cases are a result of dietary factors, such as a lack of adequate daily fruit and vegetable consumption. This study is promising in its identification of a simple, adoptable dietary habit that may offer protection against colon cancer”.

Tooth Loss May Predict Accelerated Aging

Poul Holm-Pedersen, from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), and colleagues, tracked 573 70-year old Danish men and women for 21 years, following their oral health, disability onset, and death rate. At the start of the study, fewer than 20% of the group had 20 or more teeth, and 40% had no teeth. Compared with those maintaining 20 or more natural teeth, those with no or few teeth at age 70 were significantly more likely to report mobility problems, such as difficulty walking or climbing stairs, within the next 5 or 10 years. Toothlessness at age 70 was also correlated to greater mortality during the study period. The researchers state that: “It is important to take dental health seriously, in that [it associates with] general physical and/or cognitive decline.”
[Holm-Pedersen P, Schultz-Larsen K, Christiansen N, Avlund K. “Tooth loss and subsequent disability and mortality in old age.” J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008 Mar;56(3):429-35. Epub 2008 Jan 5.]

Dr. Goldman observes: “An estimated 500 species of microorganisms live in the mouth, and thus oral health is potentially a significant source of disease. Studies by other researchers have established a causal association between poor periodontal health and cardiovascular disease, and recently a team from University of Kentucky (USA) have identified tooth loss as a predictor for the onset of dementia later in life. This study establishes yet another medical reason to maintain good oral health as we age.”

Macadamia Nuts Reduce Cholesterol

A number of studies have established a body of evidence linking nut consumption, specifically almonds and walnuts, to improvements in the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (high-density, or “good”) cholesterol., a marker of cardiovascular health. Amy Griel, from Pennsylvania State University (USA), and colleagues, followed a group of 25 men and women with mildly elevated cholesterol levels, for a five-week period. One subgroup consumed an “average” American diet [33% total fat, including 11% monunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and 5% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)] and the other subgroup ate a Macadamia nut-rich diet [33% total fat, including 18% MUFA and 5% PUFA]. In the group consuming the macadamia nut-rich diet, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol decreased (4.60, versus 4.90 in the group following the American diet). In addition, the macadamia nut-diet group experienced a decrease in LDL (low-density, or “bad”) cholesterol (3.14 mmol/L, versus 3.44 mmol/L in the group following the American diet).
[Griel AE, Cao Y, Bagshaw DD, Cifelli AM, Holub B, Kris-Etherton PM. “A macadamia nut-rich diet reduces total and LDL-cholesterol in mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women.”
J Nutr. 2008 Apr;138(4):761-7.]

Dr. Klatz comments: “Cardiovascular disease causes nearly 50% of all deaths in Europe, and more than one-third of the American population has some form of cardivascular disease. This study furthers the notion that nuts can be part of a heart-healthy diet pattern that can beneficially impact cardiovascular disease risk factors.”

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