tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post1925648430449133808..comments2023-11-30T00:29:08.106-08:00Comments on Animal Pharm: Benefits of High-Saturated Fat Diets (Part III): My Paleo Peeps With High HDLsDr. B Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-74591435836143291692010-07-06T04:58:35.067-07:002010-07-06T04:58:35.067-07:00So sue me, I'm reading slowly because your blo...So sue me, I'm reading slowly because your blog is so information-dense.<br /><br />Genetic variation interests me more than, say, Stephan, who is predominantly looking at environmental effects over a whole population.<br /><br />This is because one side of my family has weird genes - metabolic syndrome/IR and Type 2 even in slim fit healthy people which appears to be driven specifically by dietary carbs and notably wheat.<br /><br />The dietician tried to kill me - a low fat diet drove my TChol from 265 to 292 and LDL from 165 to 201 leaving my HDL around 25.<br /><br />Adding a statin brought LDL down to 74 and trigs to 185 leaving HDL around 33. I was left like that for years (my then GP refused to give me the numbers)<br /><br />Low carbing brought my LDL up to 105 and my HDL to 47 while trigs plummeted to 39<br /><br />More sat fats drove my HDL up to 55 and my LDL down to 94<br /><br />Dropping the 10mg simvastatin and subsituting niacin, my HDL went to 47 but my LDL shot up to 156 and my trigs to 112<br /><br />Adding back the statin and dropping exercise HDL went back to 55 and LDL back to 101 but my trigs stayed up around 125 obviously because I was not longer burning off the few carbs I still ate.<br /><br />So I have some idea of the impact of various strategies. My Best Numbers have been HDL 58.5 LDL 74 and trigs 39 BUT not (yet) all at once.<br /><br />I'm somewhat envious of the HDL others can obtain without a statin, but I was recently pointed to this<br /><br />http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193105.php<br /><br />Haven't (yet) dug out the original paper, but what think you? Another J curve - or another attempt to scare people off their fats and onto statins?<br /><br />(Don't even ask about NMR etc. the "Rule" here is that "When you are on a statin we don't need to measure your cholesterol again" and "You can't have an A1c until you are diabetic", which my GP overturns but only once a year for fear of upsetting the accountants.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-56114375054846792392010-03-29T20:31:07.968-07:002010-03-29T20:31:07.968-07:00Dear Grace,
Too bad you arent my neighboor cauz I...Dear Grace,<br /><br />Too bad you arent my neighboor cauz I would invite you for dinner at some point and I bet we would find a lot to talk about!<br /><br />Now that you mention Kurt and LDL-C, my friend has a slightly different point of view which, evolutionary speaking, also makes sense to me. I would be curious to know what you think of it http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=39704<br /><br />"What is your 'species' phenotype? Our genome might include mountaineous living, close attention to details and perserverance genes. Sensitivity to low iodine and low minerals (e.g. Grave's disease, thyroid autoimmunity)" Not sure exactly what you mean, but it sounds like you are totally describing me.. hahah And actually I tested my minerals recently cause I knew they were giving me some troubles.. zinc, magnesium and calcium are very low. copper way to high. i think iodine is also low but the loading test came back with a strange result so ignore it. I suppose all are at least partially a result of my previous grains- and sugars-filled diet. But if you can tell me more of your observations or suggest links to read about these phenotypes that would be greatAlphaMalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16073461333150026270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-59181599719082819152010-03-28T09:03:57.264-07:002010-03-28T09:03:57.264-07:00Alpha Male,
You are welcome here anytime! Some FH...Alpha Male,<br /><br />You are welcome here anytime! Some FH may have more PON1 or other genetic adaptations for protection.<br /><br />You will enjoy Peter's insights. Kurt Harris at PaNu is good too -- he has background in Zoology I believe which I don't find in his writing but do think it influences his evolutionary thoughts and greatly appreciate. Before PaNU his LDL obviously were lower. After, Kurt has FH. *haa*<br /><br />Definitely one point for the Pauling camp!! Vitamin C is underrated in species where it is not synthesized de novo (e.g. humans, my g. pig MoMo). All of these adaptations from whereever our ancestors tried to survive and live (even the vegetarians where meat/fowl/grubs were perhaps scarce).<br /><br />What is your 'species' phenotype? Our genome might include mountaineous living, close attention to details and perserverance genes. Sensitivity to low iodine and low minerals (e.g. Grave's disease, thyroid autoimmunity)<br /><br />-graceDr. B Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-81660189448592401662010-03-25T23:22:40.351-07:002010-03-25T23:22:40.351-07:00"Are we not all animals?" Definitly! Act..."Are we not all animals?" Definitly! Actually sometimes I feel I learn more by looking at what vets do, for example because they are not afraid to discriminate and to say things as they are and to talk freely about certain breeds or certain individuals in a population having stronger survival traits. For humans it's hard to discuss the implications of such an obvious fact because of fear of hurting some other people's feelings. So what do we do? We put Inuits on pasta and sugars and watch their kids suffer all the disease possible. <br /><br />Anyway thanks for pointing out Peter. I had heard of his blog but had never checked it out and didnt know he's a vet. I'm gonna have to read more about what he says about FH. I glanced through the stuff and saw he discussed a study where in the 19th century FH actually had a slightly longer life expectancy? That would not surprise me. I wonder if many other species have similar genetic mutations, and if so hopefully get Peter's comments on the subject. And if not, could that be considered another point for Linus Pauling's team?AlphaMalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16073461333150026270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-73183886100345692902010-03-24T19:08:51.941-07:002010-03-24T19:08:51.941-07:00Hi AlphaMale,
Thank you for your comments -- defi...Hi AlphaMale,<br /><br />Thank you for your comments -- definitely I am enamored with Stephan Guyenet PhD just as you! He has amazing insights and cuts through scientific studies like a knife.<br /><br />I think in light of evolution -- Lp(a) and FH make sense as you have alluded. The equine study is quite interesting! Will ck it out soon!<br /><br />Have you read Peter at hyperlipid blog? He is a vet and sharp. His observations are what have made me draw similar conclusions as you have. Are we not all animals?<br /><br />Take care,<br />GDr. B Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-53694510487087591882010-03-24T01:31:15.298-07:002010-03-24T01:31:15.298-07:00I stumbled on an interesting quote in http://en.wi...I stumbled on an interesting quote in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equine_metabolic_syndrome<br /><br />"Ponies and horse breeds that evolved in relatively harsh environments with only sparse grass (such as domesticated Spanish Mustangs and Peruvian Pasos, among others),[1] tend to be more prone to EMS and insulin resistance, possibly as a survival mechanism (i.e. lay down fat when conditions are good). Such animals are sometimes called "easy keepers." "<br /><br />Not really FH but we all know how they're all somehow related. I then googled a bit more and found accounts from veterinerians who boiled it down to - you guessed it - molasses-ridden barn food and gazing in fields (artificially) high in sweet grass. Not only do dairy cows, horses, etc have all their minerals individually optimized for optimal health, vets even know how to cure their type II diabetes! <br /><br />They also said that on a proper diet these animals tend to be in superior health. I'll try to find studies on the precise mechanisms at some point; vets have more common sense anyway. If physicians were that advanced they would actually start healing peopleAlphaMalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16073461333150026270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-23331100320973329312010-03-23T22:40:28.736-07:002010-03-23T22:40:28.736-07:00" Dr. B G said...
Stephan,
..
The FH gentle..." Dr. B G said...<br />Stephan,<br /><br />..<br /><br />The FH gentleman is interesting. I agree -- like Lp(a) -- I think these phenotypes in fact are characteristic of the best warriors among the human race. African Americans also exhibit high Lp(a) (not Trigs I believe) but their Lp(a) is 'symmetrical' which appears to render them benign."<br /><br />Also some interesting ideas here.. had only heard of that once, I believe they were doing a study related to hypercholesterolemia in collaboration with some Montreal researchers at McGill U. The study group was taken from French Canadians whose ancestors had crossed the atlantic 10+ generations ago. Life was apparently extremely tough along the St-Lawrence river for the first European settlers, and death rates were very high. Coincidentally nowdays FH is supposedly very prevalent among them (that is, the survivors), hence the reason to choose that study group<br /><br /><br />"My few pts with FH (and Lp(a)) tend to be good athletes when committed, mentally exceptionally sharp and definitely survivors. The trait may be a Paleo advantage but I think you are right on. In neolithic times the diet may hinder their lifespan due an inherent hypersensitivity to industrial diets."<br /><br />So what happens if they switch to a paleo type diet? Do they lose these qualities to some degree for the sake of improving their lipid profile and longevity, or do they actually stay as mentally and physically sharp? I mean cholesterol is so important for bain and hormonal function, I wonder how it is affected. Maybe as long as they eat enough saturated fat they even improve?AlphaMalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16073461333150026270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-34214003385259421612010-03-23T22:06:09.047-07:002010-03-23T22:06:09.047-07:00"Stephan Guyenet said...
G,
Ha, thanks for ..."Stephan Guyenet said... <br />G,<br /><br />Ha, thanks for the recognition. It looks like your HDL is about to zoom past mine! <br /><br />I'm really interested by the FH fellow you described. FH is too common to have been so deadly back in paleo times. That leads me to believe that FH patients are simply hypersensitive to the effects of the industrial diet. What do you think?"<br /><br /><br />I'd love yo read more about that. This, Sir, is very in line with your usual no nonsense. God, please give us more Stephan-like people.AlphaMalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16073461333150026270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-70552682283320257372009-09-07T20:01:45.223-07:002009-09-07T20:01:45.223-07:00Hi Neo,
That is an interesting bread and vitamin ...Hi Neo,<br /><br />That is an interesting bread and vitamin D experiment. I wonder how low the blood level went down? <br /><br />I don't remember how long antibodies related to gluten, gliaden and the others take to go away. I believe it might be related to the immune system, thyroid and other factors (infectious agents, nutritional deficiencies, toxicity, etc). <br /><br />Oops -- I meant 'asymptomatic' sorry!<br /><br /><br />Wow I can't believe the vitamin D sold so fast! If you ever need an extra job -- you should consider consulting and SELLING vitamin D. I'm the local purveyor *haa* but I don't turn a profit. <br /><br /><br />Yes the fried foods *blatch!* Oxidized and hydrogenated veggie oils used for frying have toxic dihydro-vitamin K1. No wonder autoimmune diseases are rampant! Vitamin D deficiency is just one of a multitude of assaults.<br /><br />-GDr. B Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-21868595656191222842009-09-04T18:46:51.321-07:002009-09-04T18:46:51.321-07:00Dr B G said...
"It appears Finland mothers a...Dr B G said...<br /><br />"It appears Finland mothers are likely to be severely deficient in vitamin D as well. Without a lot of dietary sources (fermented CLO, fatty bone marrow, menudo/intestines, etc) and supplementation, this is probably a big deal now."<br /><br /><br />Yes. In Finland, I couldn't find any data about 25(OH)D in pregnant women for now, but it's generally assumed that their levels are less than women have in general. Which means LESS than 37 nmol/l on average - which is horrible indeed.<br /><br />Pregnant women are also advised not to eat several lake fish species more than 1-2 times a week, which still leaves in some of the best species. Here is the Top Ten (in finnish though):<br /><br />http://www.fineli.fi/topfoods.php?compid=2271&lang=fi<br /><br />Species 3 is not recommended for daily use, but nothing is said about species 4-6. Yet I KNOW that women here rarely eat any of those, only lax really and it's not even in Top 20! Milk (D3, 5 µg per liter), margarine (D2, 10 µg per 100 g) ja many dairy products (varies) are fortified with vit D. <br /><br />Also many fish oil supplements have some vit D here. So I think people CAN get their vit D - an american company even started to sell 5000 IU product a week ago here and it was already sold out in two days!<br /><br />Oh and frying fishes is very popular here, so bye-bye 50% of vit D anyway...<br /><br /><br />Dr B G...<br /><br />"It's hard to tell if gluten still causes issues though someone may be symptomatic. Rye in the FUNGEHUT study did not appear to cause the induction of the stress-related genes like potatoes or gluten-containing foods."<br /><br />Potatoes as well? People are so addicted to them here... I make sure that it's rise all the way and have said that a long time - but for different reasons. Until now.<br /><br />Ah, the apoptosis genes - wasn't that a finnish study? :-) <br />While I was in Turkey a week ago - I hadn't taken any vit D supplements for 1½ months to test myself and yes, I got some symptoms from white bread there. Usually I do not touch that stuff... ever, but since it was the only way to get calories there the experience was interesting enough.<br /><br />By the way, you wrote elsewhere that it may take 6 months to get totally rid of gluten antibodies - can you possibly provide a reference for that? Sounds incredible - do you think it correlates with many symptoms as well at least with some people?<br /><br />I'm currently reading Gluten Effect by Vikki ja Richard Petersen and writing some blog stuff about it - I'm sure to also use your previous post about the link about wheat being more problematic with concurrent vitamin D deficiency. It semms that Vit D ties up about EVERYTHING together, it's so amazing.<br /><br />Keep up the great work!Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-2432181906648659722009-09-04T17:58:50.742-07:002009-09-04T17:58:50.742-07:00Neonomide,
My sister and I are certain that our m...Neonomide,<br /><br />My sister and I are certain that our mother was probably vitamin D deficient (severely as she seemed to have IBS too) and perhaps this affected our health. It appears Finland mothers are likely to be severely deficient in vitamin D as well. Without a lot of dietary sources (fermented CLO, fatty bone marrow, menudo/intestines, etc) and supplementation, this is probably a big deal now.<br /><br />I don't mind if your rant! It's hard to tell if gluten still causes issues though someone may be symptomatic. Rye in the FUNGEHUT study did not appear to cause the induction of the stress-related genes like potatoes or gluten-containing foods. However I don't know how reliable that study is since whole wheat pasta generated little response as well yet we do know the gluten still causes sensitivity in those gluten-intolerant. I don't know if the oven drying does anything either, to rye?<br /><br />-GDr. B Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-14180093911544942009-09-04T17:51:48.248-07:002009-09-04T17:51:48.248-07:00Hey Neo,
Coke Light! Yikes!
I am in agreement ...Hey Neo,<br /><br />Coke Light! Yikes! <br /><br />I am in agreement about possible triggers involved with pregnancy, birth and lactation. Dr. Ayers has talked a bit about in utero immune system 'training'. Quite interesting. <br /><br />-GDr. B Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-67644869513346001912009-09-01T21:25:24.338-07:002009-09-01T21:25:24.338-07:00Excuse me of using a lot of space - I love to rant...Excuse me of using a lot of space - I love to rant. Especially to my idols! ;-)<br /><br /><br />Dr B G said...<br /><br />"Do you think the military training (food) contributed to any of the secondary triggers for Crohn's? Or were the normal teen lifestyle factors initiating triggers? My teen years weren't great but I did get vast amounts of sunlight playing tennis during the summers in northern Cal which helped a little bit (against the omega-6 corn oil, margarine, wheat, sugar toxicities and indoor living that most teens subject themselves to)."<br /><br /><br />Actually, I think that a lot of dietary factors have had a role in triggering my symptoms. Sugar sugar sugar and it's replacements (aspartame triggered them like hell), (esp white) wheat/rye/grains, alcohol and defninitely milk consumption (which I still cannot drink). Yet these ones are mentioned in the official Crohn's info sheets as well.<br /><br />I still tend to think that the most important trigger may have been Coke Light madness during my teens - one obese girl very near where I grew up did a same and got Crohn's almost at the same age as I did! Scary huh?<br /><br />On the other hand, I've been wondering if my birth via cesarean section did something, my LONG lactating period, my mother's intestinal bleeding. Who knows for sure? Any ideas for these?<br /><br />For all I know, Vit D works by changing gene expression in cells and tha't how it seems to downgrade inflammatory cytokines if I'm correct? When and if I get some symptoms they come pretty fast and go quockly away as well. It's very different to past, when one slice of bread or a small bag of candies had me burping for days.<br /><br />Something crazy seems to have happened in my body and I still don't quite get it.Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-89819279476678388482009-09-01T20:46:41.699-07:002009-09-01T20:46:41.699-07:00Hi again Dr. B G !
I just came back from southern...Hi again Dr. B G !<br /><br />I just came back from southern Turkey where I was in a workcamp, boosting of course my 25(OH)D. UV index 8-9 - hotness! 8-)<br /><br /><br /><br />Dr B G said:<br />"WOW. Your experience in discovering all these improvements to reverse Crohn's is still one of the most wonderful stories I've heard of. You are lucky to not have to undergo surgical resection and of course the other common permanent consequences to ileus (bowel obstruction). My brilliant sister has read that the solvents like hexane used in extracting omega-6 refined vegetable oils are HIGHLY associated with Crohn's, ulcerative colitis and other GI conditions. Do you feel that n-3 PUFAs were a trigger for you?"<br /><br /><br />I must say that my Crohn's was a bit atypical from the start. I always had little stomach pain to worry about but a lot of food sensitivities, discomfort and gas. Vomiting has been very rare as well. My disease also started as a fistulating one (as I had an ano-rectal abscess, which I got those 12 antibiotics for) and then after ileus came those serious bowel obstruction problems. They were random and VERY painful. <br /><br />Now BOTH of them seem to be past memories, which does give me some extra grudge against gastroenterologists here. At least my colonoscopy time is after two weeks. I'm sure to talk about vit D there! What a chance! ;-)<br /><br />By the way, since Vit D seems to be so _essential_ to muscles by itself, can it in any case also improve the peristaltis in gastrointestinal tract? I think my constant NEED for fiber (and the fear of a new ileus freaking me out at the same time) in the past has definitely lessened since my D3-journey. No constipation here, almost ever.<br /><br />Some kind of semi-permanent cell death in my intestinal muscles/tissue along with scar tissue formation MUST have occured since my ileus, so I was really wondering why my system works NOW so well. :-)<br /><br />As for vegetable oils, that hexane point you make is very interesting!<br />I think I've succesfully avoided most other n-6 pufa (which I think you meant above) sources other than cold-pressed olive oil, so it's hard to say really. Maybe I should take a chance, like I take with rye bread right now! ;-)<br /><br />By the way, I just read that sour rye bread (and some other sour grains too) might be OK for some celiacs? I'm sorry for not finding a source for now. May something happen in the souring process that makes gluten to break down? (if so - wow!)<br /><br />I actually only have eaten oven-dried rye-only bread (with 15% fiber) every now and then. Just for sports and because I haven't been able to do it for years. No (visible) problems here. ;-)<br /><br />I just got a new book "Gluten Effect" which explains a LOT about how gluten wreaks havoc in human body, so I wonder is there ANY easier way to break down gluten without soaking/fermenting grains for ages? <br /><br />It seems that everyone, EVERYONE here in Finland thinks bread and porridge are an unofficial religion - even my depressed, chronically insomniac & gastro-problemic girlfriend talks about bread like it's cocaine or something. Or similar to chocolate (yikes!).<br /><br />Even I need some fixes every now and then - is there any hope for us? ;-)<br /><br />Here's link for A LOT of gluten info from the authors' of the book I mentioned above:<br /><br />http://glutendoctors.blogspot.com/Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-25493548073555317882009-08-15T22:26:27.828-07:002009-08-15T22:26:27.828-07:00Additionally! It is interesting that you noticed ...Additionally! It is interesting that you noticed that Vitamin D 'cured' all the food allergies. One of my best friend had a shrimp anaphylactic reaction requiring a 24/7 epi-pen for emergencies for a brief time when she was vitamin D deficient. Once she started vitamin D supplementation, she never noticed shrimp food sensitivities any longer (yes, she DARED to re-challenge).<br /><br />No wonder you blog about the wonders of vitamin D!Dr. B Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-68786341668683971522009-08-15T21:05:26.910-07:002009-08-15T21:05:26.910-07:00Neo,
Sorry for the delay! Thank you for your pat...Neo,<br /><br />Sorry for the delay! Thank you for your patience! We were visiting Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone park. <br /><br />I have been reading nearly 90% of the links and PDFs (and a couple of vacay sexxxy ROMANCES... yes VERY very techno reading *HAA*).<br /><br />OK now you have provided all the information and studies for me to get a PhD in Carnosine, anserine and beta-alanine science!! Great many thanxxx for sharing your extensive knowledge and deep DEEP experiences Neonomide!<br /><br />My fave was the older study. I loved LOVED the 1938 Zapp JA Wilson DW J of Bio Chem article 'Quantitative studies of Carn and anserine in mammalian studies.' Definitely prior to the whole-grain nonsense with current industrial feedlot beef and livestock, eh? What I noted that was so signficant as you have brilliantly pointed out was that FAST TWITCH muscles are permeated and saturated with Carnosine and Anserine. I found this exceptionally the case in the tissues sampled in this study:<br />--Ox Loin (the filet mignon, the PSOAS muscle)<br />--Ox Glossus (200s, these guys are great masticators... ummm chewers; low anserine/herbivores)<br />--Horse gastronemius (largest amount reported 400s, POWERFUL sprinters; low anserine/herbivores)<br />--Cat gastronemius (200s b/c these guys are great HUNTERS; high anserine too/carnivores)<br />--Lion gastronemius (low Carn but REALLY high anserine 200s/carnivores)<br />--Rabbits gastronemius (low Carn but exceptionally high 500s anserine though they are herbivores who eat their own POOP incl sources of fermented B12 and perhaps ??!? fermented amino acids?)<br /><br />You know I take a bunch of antioxidants (nearly ALL the ones you mentioned Na-R-ALA NAC high dose EPA DHA tocopherol + trienols BCAAs taurine vitamin D) and grassfed beef, but I am now considering the value of b-ala now esp when I need more ventilatory endurance/thresholds and muscle H+/histidine buffering! <br /><br />WOW. Your experience in discovering all these improvements to reverse Crohn's is still one of the most wonderful stories I've heard of. You are lucky to not have to undergo surgical resection and of course the other common permanent consequences to ileus (bowel obstruction). My brilliant sister has read that the solvents like hexane used in extracting omega-6 refined vegetable oils are HIGHLY associated with Crohn's, ulcerative colitis and other GI conditions. Do you feel that n-3 PUFAs were a trigger for you?<br /><br />Do you think the military training (food) contributed to any of the secondary triggers for Crohn's? Or were the normal teen lifestyle factors initiating triggers? My teen years weren't great but I did get vast amounts of sunlight playing tennis during the summers in northern Cal which helped a little bit (against the omega-6 corn oil, margarine, wheat, sugar toxicities and indoor living that most teens subject themselves to).<br /><br />Are you consuming grains and wheat again now currently? If so, how are you tolerating? <br /><br />OMG I wish I could read your Finnish vit D blog -- obviously you are very articulate, super intelligent, incredibly optimistic. Hopefully your Finnish audience will appreciate ALL the spectacular and truly AWESOME health advice and deeply researched nutritional science information that you are offering to them.<br /><br />If I try the b-ala I will let you know how my Crossfit and enduro exercise goes!!<br /><br />GDr. B Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-19821112972965199382009-08-02T00:32:03.348-07:002009-08-02T00:32:03.348-07:00"However, the MOST compelling story I found i..."However, the MOST compelling story I found is your recovery from Crohn's dz with Carnosine, vitamin D and fish oil. That is INCREDIBLE! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and insights!!"<br /><br /><br />Oh yes, the Crohn. The fun part. :)<br />Let me tell a bit from where I come. I lost around 55 pounds during my teen years in couple of months due to stomach pain and diarrhea but no diagnosis, until chronic diarrhea kicked in again about 8 years later and my several food allergies/insensitivies got an explanation. Crohn was diagnosed AFTER getting twelwe (12) antibiotic treatments in a row for abscess. Thanks again doctors.<br /><br />After that, I was on 5-ASA (just a weak plasebo/colon cancer risk-lessener, nothing else and they didn't tell me) and I tried several EPA/DHA products which did some for my symptoms. Over 90% pure EPA ethyl ester was (and is) the best fish oil thing I tried - a dose of 1 300 mg a day always made somewhat a difference. A week off during holiday in Norway and 10 pounds flied away while symptoms came back. Not fun.<br /><br />Then pretty soon came the ileus (bowel obstruction) and my whole small intestine looked in X-rays like a long string of huge pearls... and I could eat barely NOTHING for months so it was time for cortisone and immunosuppressant azathioprine (welcome the 7-fold lymphoma risk!). Actually, aza worked quite well on inflammation/fistulas, although slowly. Food sensitivities ie sugar, milk, wheat/grains, alcohol, potato and about a million others stayed and my stomach basically was a burping gas station for at last 9 months from there and Crohn symptoms stayed very random from there on. My new obstructions made me fear even more foods than those that I knew would cause symptoms.<br /><br />Then laste autumn I started reading about D3 and its immunosuppressant effects. For starters I thought "what's going on here" when some were seriously saying you need "insane amounts" of it and others said it still was toxic. So I did "some" homework, like reading ½ an year almost only of D3 (ACJN etc.) and started using it and titrating up the dose slowly along with my E-EPA. And of course talking others about it!<br /><br />After going above 100 µg threshold in D3 oil form it was clear that I had been fooled like a woodpecker! My thirteen (13) diagnosed food allergies quickly just melted away and I could EAT_FOOD. Actually I could go for almost anything but milk (yea the pasteurized/homogenized version I know) and my symptom list went away by 90-95%. When taking around 200 µg/day I felt I could eat usually more foods than "healthy" persons. <br />And lots of it! ;)<br /><br />Perhaps the D3 was not the only player in the picture. I also took melatonin (1 - 3 mg) for sleep (it's only on prescription here) and it also has shown some similar effects like D3. Both seem to inhibit TNF-alpha which is ALSO the main inflammatory cytokine which e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e biological monoclonal antibodies for IBD like adalimumab and infliximab affect. How swell? ;)<br /><br />http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=17799595<br /><br /><br />I also got my high systolic BP down from 145 to 115 in like a... week. My systolic had been up since I was five! And my sleep disorder just faded away (yet I continued melatonin for all I've read about it). Also please check my story's edited (no parlors for me in irl version) version from Cannell's newsletter: :)<br /><br />http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/2009-march.shtml<br /><br /><br />I live about 63 degrees north here in Finland, so sun is D3 is not really the preferable D3 source outside june/july/august. Average 25(OH)D here in Finland is about 17 ng/ml. ;)<br /><br />Oh and we have a type II diabetes epidemic here, CHD is among highest in the world, BP is sky-high and people are often on flu, depressed, annoying and strongly advised to eat whole grains all day... <br /><br />Do you see now why I like Track Your Plaque -paradigm pretty much? ;DNeonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-28926990430016684412009-08-02T00:23:15.846-07:002009-08-02T00:23:15.846-07:00Dr B G said:
"Perhaps we get better and bett...Dr B G said:<br /><br />"Perhaps we get better and better, and more efficient at synthesizing Carnosine from dietary BCAA? Or from b-ala then to Carnosine at demand?"<br /><br /><br />I think it just may be that way. Running *fast bursts* while hunting fast wild game alone raises carn and "the catch" does it as well! Why not so?<br /><br />There has been some controversy on carns benefits in "chronic cardio" (if you are familiar with the term). Carn tends to be more saturated in fast-twitch muscle fibers and less so in slow ones. But the notion that paleo-people did more of those fast bursts seems more logical, doesn't it?<br /><br /><br />"I'm actually reading up on chelation protocols (like sauna, alpha-lipoic acid, sweating, Dr. Mark Hyman MD's Ultrawellness protocol, etc)." <br /><br />You know, BA was has been boosted with alpha-lipoic acid, NAC (glutathione!) and d-alpha-tocopherol for synergism and that combo has been studied as well! Quite a chelating effect, don't you think? :)<br /><br />I must guess that gamma-tocopherol + trienols, some extra glutathione boosting and Na-R-ALA would be even better combo for some sports, but how much oxidative stress can be "buffered" before some health parameters may actually suffer? Like effect on insulin sensitivity:<br /><br />http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDN/is_2_14/ai_n32175649/<br /><br /><br />During one study, BA supplementation raised isoprostane levels on bikers as well (though also helping DOMS with BCAA's).<br /><br />http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/22/1_MeetingAbstracts/685.1?ck=nckNeonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-28371911237117423562009-08-01T22:27:47.887-07:002009-08-01T22:27:47.887-07:00So yes INDEED it was love at first sight for me! =...So yes INDEED it was love at first sight for me! =)<br />After running the usual five miles in the forest and expecting feet muscles to be sore and ready for magn/massage treatment as usual the surprise was just incredible. Muscles almost seemed like there happened no training at all - what I felt was only warmth in tendons and joints! Streching and cool-down became a... _pleasure_ *MMMmmmmm* :) :) :)<br /><br />I just HAVE to tell about one more nice BA study done by Jeffrey Stout et al.: women (aged 19 - 36) got BA slowly titrated up to 6,4 grams per day for 28 days ONLY and the results showed a 14%, 12.5% and 3% increase in ventilatory threshold, PWCFT, and time to exhaustion, respectively. There was no change in the placebo group.<br /><br />http://www.runfastpromotions.com/pdf/Beta_Alanine_Effect_Ventilatory_Threshold.pdf<br /><br /><br />Stout commented the study elsewhere: "To any scientist or endurance enthusiast, this change in anaerobic threshold (without training) is shocking. It's the kind of effect that can immediately "create" a better endurance athlete!"<br /><br />Just the same feeling I had when I got into BA, BCAA, EPA/DHA -mode with my training. :)<br /><br /><br />Dr B G said:<br /><br />"And...Immediately after starting fish oil I noticed rare soreness after workouts. Now... after a long 1-2 hr event like a sprint tri or half-marathon, I literally experience no soreness at all. The lactic acid I believe is ENTIRELY recyled or quenched... by carnosine ?!?!? What is your experience with lactic acid?"<br /><br />Sorry to keep you waiting (again). :)<br />Basically, my doses of EPA/DHA or E-EPA have always been less than 1500 mg pure content - how much you have used and when you started to notice clear effects?<br />Carn alone definitely started to work for me, in 400-600 mg range. I also started to eat bird meat at the same time so who knows which it was back then... <br />BA on the other hand started to work immediately and the dosage was around 1500-3000 mg (in studies dose has been 3,2 - 6,4 g).<br /><br />So I think there may be some anserine drama behind this BA->carn craze, but it may be too early to tell. I don't think anserine levels have been adequately monitored, which would give proper meat/food a chance. If weight training alone raises carn like better than carn alone - what do they eat...? ;)Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-68866554141786322332009-08-01T22:06:04.734-07:002009-08-01T22:06:04.734-07:00Dr. B G said...
"You work out, right? I ...Dr. B G said...<br /><br /> "You work out, right? I have found that will intense interval training (specifically sprinting, row-sprints, swim-sprints, and pretty much anything Crossfit/ Tabata and high hypoxia thresholds are met, i.e. I AM TOTALLY B-R-E-A-T-H-L-E-S-S...) that I have over the last 1-2yrs gotten less and less sore."<br /><br /><br />I know the feeling. :)<br />I've jogged for years and done some military training level martial arts (not anymore though) so I sure know what it feels like to get/be breathless. ;)<br /><br />Beta-alanine seems to work mostly by soaking up hydrogen ions (H+) to prevent low pH levels in muscles (Dunnet 1999 & 2002, Hill 2007), as well as regulation of intra-cellular pH of both oxidative and glycolytic muscle fibers (Damon 2003). Yet carnosine alone seem to only count for up to 30% of the pH buffering capacity of the body. The other substance that effectively buffers pH is _anserine_, which is ANOTHER dipeptide of beta-alanine and 1- methylhistidine (aka beta-alanyl-N-methylhistidine). As you might guess, it happily exists in fast muscle fibers as well. :)<br /><br />Some nice tidbits about these lovely histidine-based dipeptides here:<br /><br />http://www.jbc.org/cgi/reprint/126/1/19<br /><br />http://www.meatscience.org/Pubs/rmcarchv/print/showpdf.asp?vol=m011&page=0161<br /><br />So it seems that anserine and carnosine are the main compounds responsible for differences in buffering capacity both within and between species AND their relative concentrations differ greatly between the species. I think it's also worth noting that most (esp ergogenic) studies using anserine have been done by comboing it with carn, not beta-alanine. Like these ones:<br /><br /><br />*Davey C. The significance of carnosine and anserine in striated skeletal muscles." Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 1960; 89:303-308.<br /><br />*Suzuki Y, Nakao T, Maemura H., et al. Carnosine and anserine ingestion enhances contribution of nonbiocarbonate buffering. Med Sci Sport Exerc. 2006;38:334–8.<br /><br />*Mannion AF, Jakeman PM, Dunnett M et al. Carnosine and anserine concentrations in the quadriceps femoris muscle of healthy humans. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1992;64(1):47-50.<br /><br />*Maemura H, Goto K, Yoshioka T, et al. Effects of carnosine and anserine supplementation on relatively high intensity endurance performance. International journal of sport and health science 2006;4:86–94<br /><br /><br /><br />Speaking about breathing, I must say two things. First, intra-muscular carn content can be raised by training up to 87% (Harris 2005). Endurance training itself has shown to reduce exercise ventilation by 20-30% compared to the group that did not undergo endurance training.<br /><br />Both training and raising carn in turn raise lactate threshold. Pure carn as a supplement is not very effective in raising lactate threshold, yet BA is - ingestion of beta-alanine for four to eight weeks has been shown to elevate muscle carnosine content by 42%, 47%, 64% and 65% respectively (Pottier 2007, Harris 2006, Hill 2007).<br /><br />Second thing about breathing is the question about what stimulates the nerves that causes increased ventilation and what stimulates the neurons called chemoreceptors, most importantly the peripheral chemoreceptors? It's the increased blood H+ concentration that directly stimulate these nerves as well as a decrease in pH (which increased H+ contribute to) stimulates them as well!<br /><br />Oh and what combats/buffers H+ concentrations and slows the decrease in pH......Beta-Alanine via Carnosine. ;)<br /><br />Beta-Alanine/CARN through buffering H+/pH would cause a decrease in ventilation/breathing which would be most prevalent during endurance exercise. So carn/BA makes breathing e-a-s-i-e-r and usually it makes it easier _quick_. I'm sure that right meat/food does much the same, even thogh it does it a bit slower.Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-38879286721930714002009-08-01T20:51:05.686-07:002009-08-01T20:51:05.686-07:00Dr. B G said...
"Taurine and carnosine shoul...Dr. B G said...<br /><br />"Taurine and carnosine should be found together in food sources, but only if consumed rare or raw (dairy, meat, seafood, etc), correct?"<br /><br /><br />Yes indeed! Thanks for D3/magn info in your blog by the way - Cannell at Vit D Council has talked about it but you really made it sound _essential_ to get magn into the play with D3. :)<br /><br /><br />"You mentioned a Mark Tallon PhD link and he stated that carnosine was found abundantly in the brain and muscle of sprinting and deep diving animals. That is SO cool. Don't you think???"<br /><br /><br />Yea, it's cool as cucumber! There exists an analogue called homocarnosine which resides in 100-fold concentrations in brain tissue compared to carn. Homocarnosine in turn increases GABA levels which in turn increases pain threshold, reduces feelings of panic, anxiety, depression and such:<br /><br />http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11386984&dopt=Abstract<br /><br /><br />When taking carn/BA, my psych profile definitely turned more calm from my neurotic what_should_I_do_or_eat kind of self (Crohn). Then again, I also took EPA/DHA and later changed it to E-EPA (u know, a pimped, ethyl-estered version of EPA which has been adopted in psychiatry instead of mere DHA or EPA/DHA-combo) which I still take. It's been quite a long journey, really.<br /><br />BA really has felt like beefed up carn in every way for me. The only side effect with BA has been the niacin like prickling - called parathesia - which is caused by beta-alanine binding to nerve receptors, activating them and causing them to discharge/fire. It still feels nowhere near as bad as taking occasional 1 gram of niacin for fix. ;)<br /><br />Carn itself seems to be an neurotransmitter (!) and/or helps other transmitters to work and protects cell membranes (Margolis 1974, Hardin ja Margolis 1976, Marchis ym. 2000, Chez ym. 2003). Carn in brain resides especially in glia cells, hippocampus, neuritis optica (eye nerves) and bulbus olfactorius (Hipkiss 2004, 2005). It seems that people may smell odors better when taking/getting carnosine (and perhaps BA). Same goes for hearing as well, though I'm not sure about the references yet. I think I started to hear grasshoppers again. Do the inuits hear (and smell) better than we do as well? :)Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-55671102240458145222009-07-29T21:16:02.773-07:002009-07-29T21:16:02.773-07:00Neonomide...
You were keeping me waiting on the t...Neonomide...<br /><br />You were keeping me waiting on the taurine climax... *haa*<br /><br />That kinda makes sense that b-ala supplemention (high extra-normal doses) would deplete out taurine. This is apparently the case for many nutrients -- like vitamin D (sunshine) and magnesium, zinc, calcium. Typically these would be in food in combo (eg, meat, seafood, diary, etc) and consumed in the daytime (high sunshine/UVB). Taurine and carnosine should be found together in food sources, but only if consumed rare or raw (dairy, meat, seafood, etc), correct?<br /><br />You mentioned a Mark Tallon PhD link and he stated that carnosine was found abundantly in the brain and muscle of sprinting and deep diving animals. That is SO cool. Don't you think??? You work out, right? I have found that will intense interval training (specifically sprinting, row-sprints, swim-sprints, and pretty much anything Crossfit/ Tabata and high hypoxia thresholds are met, i.e. I AM TOTALLY B-R-E-A-T-H-L-E-S-S...) that I have over the last 1-2yrs gotten less and less sore. And...Immediately after starting fish oil I noticed rare soreness after workouts. Now... after a long 1-2 hr event like a sprint tri or half-marathon, I literally experience no soreness at all. The lactic acid I believe is ENTIRELY recyled or quenched... by carnosine ?!?!? What is your experience with lactic acid?<br /><br />Perhaps we get better and better, and more efficient at synthesizing Carnosine from dietary BCAA? Or from b-ala then to Carnosine at demand?<br /><br />You have the most provocative RESOURCES... and most awesome info on b-ala and carnosine! However, the MOST compelling story I found is your recovery from Crohn's dz with Carnosine, vitamin D and fish oil. That is INCREDIBLE! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and insights!!<br /><br />Everything is very helpful to me that you have provided. I'm actually reading up on chelation protocols (like sauna, alpha-lipoic acid, sweating, Dr. Mark Hyman MD's Ultrawellness protocol, etc). Thank you so MUCH for bringing up the vast importance of carnosine, zn/cu relationship and heart benefits. The L-histidine effect is cool too. It appears to aid libido (men and women)... now I know WHY. *haa*<br /><br /><br />So... going primal/paleo and eating MEAT/SEAFOOD is the WAY TO GO (esp from sprinting game like rabbits, deer, elk, grassfed dairy/eggs, and diving mammals like whale blubber/meat what trad'l ancient Inuit consumed, etc).<br /><br />ja?<br /><br />-GDr. B Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451872961651116061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-10937867607938104722009-07-26T16:36:58.252-07:002009-07-26T16:36:58.252-07:00Sorry to flood a bit, but I'm a bit thrilled t...Sorry to flood a bit, but I'm a bit thrilled to see pharmacology people to really dig into food and food supplements. They usually do not. That's why I got hooked into your blog in the first place. Heart Scan Blog by Davies and Animal Pharm are my fave blogs right now! Food can be FUN! :)<br /><br />Oh yes the taurine drama. Mark Tallon, who did a thesis on carns effects in muscles, actually recommends supplementing taurine while taking (actually cycling) beta-alanine. :-)<br /><br />http://www.brinkzone.com/blog/bodybuilding/post/is-beta-alanine-safe/<br /><br /><br />Other possible problems about BA supplementation are the same as with carn. Both seem to mess up a bit of zinc/copper metabolism because of their formidable free metal ion chelating effects. This however is more of a brain issue. Adding to this, it's worth noting that carn removes mercury, cadmium and lead from tissues like brains and liver MORE effectively than alpha lipoic acid - which dentists use when removing mercury patches from teeth! I can dig some references, if these seem a bit too much to believe.<br /><br />Hope this information is useful in any way. Cheers and keep up the GREAT work!Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-27446460655485988602009-07-26T16:00:17.400-07:002009-07-26T16:00:17.400-07:00Dr. B G said...
"I started reading on ca...Dr. B G said...<br /><br /> "I started reading on carnosine (and L-carnitine) recently. Do you think organ meats (grassfed) contain carnosine too? I wasn't aware of the alanine precursor."<br /><br /><br />Yes, organ meats contain carnosine too, although (I think) in smaller quantities. Except liver. Carn was originally found in skeletal muscle by russians, but was later found from internal organs like liver and (especially) the brain too. I don't know much about the concentrations though in different organs, or the relevance of animals being pastured or not. In muscle tissue, carnosine concentrations are about 125 mg per 100 grams, although it's bioavailability is only about 15%, compared to much higher rate from quality supplements. So it may be better to get carnosine through supplements as well, if seen needed.<br /><br />Here are some studies I haven't fully read (yet) on carn and that cover some the themes above:<br /><br /># [Kohen R, Yamamoto Y, Cundy KC, Ames BN. Antioxidant activity of carnosine, homocarnosine, and anserine present in muscle and brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 May; 85(9): 3175–3179 Free Full Text<br /># ↑ Abe H. Role of Histidine-Related Compounds as Intracellular Proton Buffering Constituents in Vertebrate Muscle. Biochemistry (Mosc) 2000;65:7<br /># ↑ Park YJ, Volpe SL, Decker EA. Quantitation of Carnosine in Humans Plasma after Dietary Consumption of Beef. J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Jun 15;53(12):4736–4739<br /><br /><br />I think that it's worth noting that humans seem to be the ONLY species that can break carnosine down to aminos before synthetizing them back to carnosine form. Other animals simply take carn "as it is", while humans break it down in blood and then synthetize it again in tissues (via carn synthetase enzyme). Pretty cool, eh?<br /><br />So this makes the physiology of carnosine (& beta-alanine) quite a bit more difficult compared to [other] animals. Researhers like Mark Tallon have been rather cautious about considering BA:s effects equal to carn in other tissues than muscles. These effects simply have not been reviewed, yet.<br /><br />I for one can say that besides epa/dha and loooovely Vit D ( it alone CURED my Crohn !!! =), BA seems to have boosted my memory, motivation and mental clarity. Far more than carn alone. Most I know have said similar things as well.<br /><br />As a sport supplement, BA:s superiority to carn has no contest. It seems to me (and many others) that BA is the BEST legal ergogenic aid since creatine and caffeine. It (by making more carn) has GREAT antioxidant effects, it generates "pump" by being essential compound in nitric oxide synthetase AND buffers muscle pH like no tomorrow. Unlike creatine, it works in most kinds of athletes and may be the "hidden" component why meat products rock in sports.<br /><br />Because of these muscle_and_fitness_transcending_qualities I really think BA should be looked into when talking about heart problems like Insufficientia cordis caused some form of muscle weakness. (if this is the right term?)<br /><br />Yet the money seems to be the main problem as always with supplements without a patent. Carn/BA already seems to be just as effective as verapamil in heart muscle problems:<br /><br />Bharadwaj LA, Davies GF, Xavier IJ, Ovsenek N. L-carnosine and verapamil inhibit hypoxia-induced expression of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1 alpha) in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Pharmacol Res. 2002;45(3):175–181<br /><br /><br />We're coming slowly to the taurine point, sorry for keeping you waiting. ;-)Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780103924890350442.post-76742369401980182352009-07-26T15:48:26.218-07:002009-07-26T15:48:26.218-07:00Cheers! You are definitely HOT wearing your tri Zo...Cheers! You are definitely HOT wearing your tri Zoot suit! :)<br /><br />Here in Finland, some advanced (well read) doctors have talked about the value of carnosine (and B1-benfotiamine) in diabetes for years.<br /><br />My interest in carnosine began years ago for some information it may help my Crohn's disease (EPA/DHA ja esp Vit D however did!!!). Not much to be said for that though. During the process and taking carn I noticed that my muscles got sore less often when jogging, so I started to read more about it. <br /><br />Oh, here is a quite good reference list about carn, before I forget:<br /><br />http://www.biovita.fi/suomi/terveyssivut/karnosiini_kirjallisuus.html)<br /><br /><br />Soon I realized that beta-alanine does raise muscle carnosine levels FAR more and more cheaply than carn and so I started to dig it a bit more. It seems that beta-alanine raises muscle carn most in the range of 3 to 6 grams per day (in the period of 3 months) and does it much quicker when took with some fast carbs or glucose (like creatine should be taken). <br />(sorry for not providing any BA refs now, I simply have forgotten :)<br /><br />There has been some conversation whether histidine (the other part of the combo) should or should not be supplemented with BA or not in some populations such as vegetarian or elderly people, who may not be getting enough histidine for carnosine synthesis.Neonomidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961709424324961929noreply@blogger.com