Ground Floor Health

The FDA has proposed that caffeine content in soft drinks be limited to 65 milligrams per 12 ounces. For the most part this unwritten rule has been followed by the leaders in the soft drink industry.

In the last decade, there has been an insurgence of energy drinks flooding the market. These drinks contain numerous ingredients such as amino acids, vitamins, sugar, and caffeine. They boast the ability to increase energy, improve performance, and provide improved mental clarity.

Because there is not a written law on labeling or the amount of caffeine that can be legally put in a beverage, most energy drinks do not disclose the caffeine content, nor follow the unwritten FDA proposal of 65 mg per 12 ounces.

The Journal of Analytical Toxicology published information in March of this year that may be shocking to some, but definitely carries with it a warning about the safety of energy drinks on the market today.

They tested the caffeine content of more than 15 popular energy drinks on the market today. They found that one drink contained as much as 141 mg per 8 ounces, while the majority of drinks contained 65-75 mg per 8 ounces, well above the FDA proposed amount.

Caffeine can cause serious health consequences in certain sub-populations. In children, caffeine can result in headaches and sleep disturbance, while women who are carrying children can be at risk for spontaneous miscarriage and low birth weight babies. As well those with heart conditions and anxiety can suffer ill effects of too much caffeine.

Based on the information in this preliminary study, most energy drinks are unsafe for children, pregnant women, and those suffering from chronic conditions such as heart disease and anxiety. Because of the lack of labeling laws and regulation of caffeine content, these at risk populations may unknowingly cause serious health consequences.

Women diagnosed with environmental sensitivity (ES) often are limited in terms of dietary choices. Researchers in Halifax Nova Scotia surveyed the dietary habits of 12 women with environmental sensitivity to determine if the diet was adequate in terms of nutrient intake.

Environmental sensitivity is a chronic debilitating disease that impacts quality of life. Most individuals diagnosed will have multiple chemical sensitivities that limit their ability to eat various foods, enter different environments, and have anything but a routine life.

Food sensitivities in this population result in prolonged avoidance of certain food groups, and in particular foods that may be an only source for required nutrients.

Study results were published in the winter issue of the Canadian Journal of Dietary Practices and Research. Each of the 12 women in the study recorded dietary intake over a 4-day period. Each diet was analyzed for overall intake including daily-recommended servings; Researchers also completed an independent nutrient analysis for each of the recommended vitamins and minerals. Diets were also assessed using the Healthy Eating Index.

Researchers found the diets of these 12 women diagnosed with ES were deficient. Total servings for each food category were lacking overall. Individual nutrients were decreased, with the most limited intake being folic acid, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and magnesium.

When each of the 12 women’s diets was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index, 75% of women scored in the needs improvement category. Milk intake scored the lowest along with dietary variety. The majority of women did not consume any food in the other foods category, which includes mostly sugar and fatty foods.

The results of this study stress the need for women diagnosed with ES to increase dietary variety. This may be best accomplished through specific nutritional counseling focusing on providing meal plans and recipes. Individual nutrient intakes can be positively influenced by increased dietary variety.

Cardiovascular disease is very prevalent in both men and women and ranks in the top five causes of death. Nutritional supplements combined with diet and lifestyle modification can significantly decrease ones risk for developing cardiovascular disease as well as decrease fatal cardiac events such as heart attack and stroke.

Scientists have identified several independent markers for risk of developing cardiovascular disease; one of the most recognized is homocysteine. Homocysteine can accumulate in the blood or serum of individuals who have low intake of Vitamin B 12, B6, and folate.

In previous studies total homocysteine can be lowered by taking B vitamins, however many studies were carried out in young or middle aged individuals. Elderly may be at increased risk for a deficiency in one of the B vitamins due to poor absorption in the GI tract. It is not well documented if supplementation can lower homocysteine in the elderly.

Researchers in Australia published the results of a trial measuring the effect that additional B vitamin supplementation has on the total homocysteine in the blood of men greater than 75 years of age. The participants were given daily dose of 2 mg folate, 25 mg of B6, and 400 mg B12, or placebo for 2 years.

Baseline B vitamin status and total homocysteine were measured and compared to values after the 2-year treatment period. At baseline a total of 13% of the participants had a B12 deficiency. The level of B12 increased more than 3 times in these individuals compared to those who were not deficient. The 20% of participants with the greatest level of total homocysteine also had the greatest change in B vitamin levels and homocysteine after the end of the study.

They concluded that older men might be more at risk for a B vitamin deficiency. B12 was the most deficient of the B vitamins. The greatest benefit for decreasing cardiovascular risk via lowering total homocysteine was observed in those men with the lowest B vitamin status.

Green tea contains powerful antioxidants that have shown in animal and experimental models to be protective to the cells in the brain against damage from aging, as well as neurodegeneration due to specific disease processes.

The latest issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the first study on humans that documents the neuroprotective effects of Green Tea. The study conducted in Japan on more than 1000 elderly individuals measured green tea intake over a long period of time.

Overall intake of Green Tea was matched with rates of cognitive decline based on the Mini-Mental State Examination. Individuals who had 3 cups or less per week were given an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.00. Those who consumed 4-6 cups of green tea per week had an OR of 0.62, and 2 cups or more per day had an OR of 0.46.

The data showed a definite positive effect of Green Tea on cognitive decline. However, there was no difference between the degrees of cognitive decline in each of the intake groups.

The results were also compared to black or oolong tea and coffee. Individuals who consumed mainly black tea or coffee did not exhibit a decrease in cognitive decline as was observed in Green Tea drinkers.

This study was the first to prove that Green Tea protects against cognitive decline in humans. A dose response curve was proven, however there was no difference noted in the degree of decline regardless of intake.

Routine ultrasound during the middle of the second trimester is used to assess normal anatomical development of the fetus. A significant factor in normal development is the presence of two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein. Doppler ultrasound is used to determine flow of blood through these vessels and to make an assumption about placental blood flow and oxygen delivery to the unborn baby.

Abnormalities of the umbilical vessels can be associated with chromosomal or genetic abnormalities as well as place mother and baby at increased risk for premature delivery, pregnancy induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia and intra-uterine growth retardation.

A recent study published in the Journal of the Indian Medical Association investigated the effects of yoga on birth outcome in women who had abnormal findings on Doppler ultrasound of the umbilical vessels.

The study enrolled 121 women with abnormal ultrasound studies at 18-20 weeks gestation. The women were divided into two groups; the yoga group did one hour per day of yoga while the control group walked 30 minutes twice a day. The women followed the exercise routine until delivery.

Yoga proved a beneficial therapy to improve outcome in women with abnormal Doppler studies of the umbilical vessels. Women in the yoga group had a significant increase in the size of the baby at delivery. They also had a lower rate of complications including pregnancy induced hypertension, intra-uterine growth retardation, and preterm delivery.

A simple routine such as yoga for 1 hour per day can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality in this sample of women with an abnormal ultrasound compared to walking. The authors believe that yoga should be included in any treatment plan for women at risk of complications due to abnormal Doppler studies on ultrasound as well as part of an exercise positive recommendation for all pregnant women.