What is a stroke?

A stroke occurs when blood is unable to circulate through the brain. When brain cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients, they begin to die. Stroke is a serious, life-threatening situation that must be treated promptly to avoid permanent disability.

• Stroke is a major killer, the third biggest in the western world
• Stroke is a major cause of adult disability; until the age of 74, males are 1.25 -1.5 times more likely to have a stroke than females. After this age the incidence rates equalise
• Women have increased lifetime stroke risk and more disabling strokes compared to men.

Stroke is a serious condition for which medical advice should immediately be sought. Irrespective of what medical treatment is instituted, there is much that the patient can do nutritionally to assist in recovery and prevent recurrence.

Overview of the pathophysiology

During a stroke, the lack of blood flow to the brain causes primary neuronal cell death. This causes neurological impairments that are dependent on the size and location of the lesion, as well as the speed with which the lesion occurs.

• The majority (87%) of strokes are ischemic - because of a thrombosis (thrombotic stroke - clot forms inside a blocked vessel in the brain) or embolism (embolic stroke - clot forms elsewhere in the body and travels to the brain until it gets lodged in a narrow artery)
• In the region of 10% are caused by a haemorrhage of a blood vessel in the brain (haemorrhagic stroke). A haemorrhagic stroke occurs when a vessel in the brain ruptures and causes leakage of blood into the brain and cerebrospinal fluid
• Atherosclerosis is the most common underlying cause of ischemic stroke
• During an ischemic stroke, the ischemic cascade occurs as diminished blood flow to the brain starts a series of biochemical reactions that can result in additional delayed damage to brain cells
• If medical intervention is received quickly after the first warning signs of a stroke, the chances for the occurrence of the ischemic cascade process are lowered, and the risk for irreversible complications is reduced.

Risk factors

The classical risk factors are high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and other atherosclerotic risk factors, such as homocysteine - especially in the case of male stroke victims. Predisposing risk factors for ischemic stroke include hypertension, abnormal blood lipids, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes mellitus.

This highlights the prominent role lifestyle plays in the origin of stroke.

• Non-modifiable risk factors include age, race, gender, and family history
• Modifiable risk factors for a stroke that are well documented include previous transient ischemic attack, atrial fibrillation, carotid artery disease, CAD (coronary artery disease), hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, obesity and Sickle cell disease.

One of the strongest predictors of a stroke is transient ischemic attacks (TIA). This is often called “mini” strokes.

• TIA’s are brief episodes of neurological dysfunction resulting from focal cerebral ischemia and it is not associated with permanent cerebral infarction
• TIA’s offers an opportunity to initiate treatment that can delay or prevent the onset of permanently disabling injury.

Prevention and treatment

The critical factor in successful treatment of stroke is reaching medical assistance rapidly; the faster the diagnosis and treatment commences, the better the chance for a full recovery.

• In the case of ischaemic strokes, the blockage must be removed from the blood vessel involved
• A clot-dissolving drug can quickly dissolve the blockage and allow the circulation to be restored, but it must be used within three hours of the beginning of stroke symptoms, and there are risks to this therapy
• In some cases of ischaemic stroke, surgery to remove the blockages in an artery is a better treatment than clot-dissolving medication. In strokes caused by bleeding blood vessels, surgery may be used to treat bleeding or prevent future bleeding.

In addition to aspirin, the classical medical approach is based on anticoagulants, antiplatelet drugs (like aspirin,) antihypertensives, diuretics and, in emergencies, surgery. All of these drugs have side effects, some of which are serious. This is a matter of concern, since they have to be used over lengthy periods of time. While these drugs may be useful in the short term, it is not wise to rely on them for the long-term management and prevention of the disease.

Modification of multiple risk factors through a combination of comprehensive lifestyle interventions and appropriate pharmacological therapy is seen as the cornerstone of initiatives aimed at the prevention of recurrent stroke and acute cardiac events in stroke survivors.

• Strokes can be prevented by reducing a person's risk with healthy lifestyle changes and by seeking treatment after TIAs
• Lifestyle changes include cessation of cigarette smoking, lowering cholesterol and homocysteine levels and maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise
• Once a patient has suffered a stroke, anti-platelet medications that cut down on blood clotting can be used to prevent future clots
• Some stroke patients with cardiac disease will require treatment with blood thinners to reduce their risk of future strokes.

Food and nutritional supplements containing garlic, onion, calcium, evening primrose oil, lecithin, kelp, Gingko biloba, bioflavonoids, antioxidants such as vitamin E and C (to strengthen artery walls and reduce cadmium levels) and omega-3 acids can be of assistance in thinning the blood (reduce blood clotting).

Cellfood®

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and normalized all haematological (blood) values, amongst others.

• An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body. It assists with tissue oxygenation, thus aiding in the repair of damaged tissues such as after a stroke
• Cellfood® is a powerful antioxidant (contains selenium, germanium, amongst others), boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict further free radical damage in people who had a stroke
• It contains traces of 78 elements, minerals and trace minerals and provides essential nutrients like magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium and copper directly at cellular level
• Cellfood® contains amino acids including L -arginine - a precursor in the production of nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator in the vascular system. It also has a protective effect on endothelium
• Elements like hydrogen, minerals, amino acids and enzymes such as contained in Cellfood® assist the body in repairing and regenerating cells.

Cellfood® Sport/Shape

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 20 drops of Cellfood® Sport/Shape:

• Increased the oxygen uptake by up to 6.2%
• Increased energy delivery to muscles (haemoglobin oxygen saturation increased up to 9.6%)
• Delayed onset of fatigue and reduced muscular cramps and recovery time (lactic acid accumulation decreased up to 17.2%).

Cellfood® Sport/Shape contains Cellfood®, Citrin K and L-carnitine

• Citrin K - inhibits the synthesis of fatty acids in the liver, thus helping to prevent the accumulation of potentially dangerous fats
• L-carnitine - essential nutrient allowing the mitochondria of the heart cells to produce energy more effectively. Reduces fat and triglyceride levels in the blood.

Cellfood® Longevity

• Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid as contained in this supplement is inversely associated with levels of homocysteine, which is an important risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

In a clinical trial conducted at the ISR (University of Pretoria) in 2009 researchers studied the effect of Cellfood® Longevity in reducing homocysteine levels. Some of the findings were:

• A statistically significant increase in serum folate (demonstrating superior bioavailability of the supplement)
• Statistically significant reduction in homocysteine (15%) 
• No change in urate levels (not going to induce gout)
• Reducing homocysteine will not only benefit stroke victims, but also other patients suffering from other chronic conditions.

Conclusion

The world of the new millennium is the world of the individual - people expect to get more out of life and improve their quality of life.

• Most conditions being treated by medicines are preventable - chronic degenerative diseases like heart disease and stroke, are clearly linked to the diet and lifestyle
• People who survived a stroke could benefit from using Cellfood® and the Cellfood® family. These supplements could also assist in preventing stroke in the first place.

What is the link between high levels of homocysteine and diabetes mellitus with reference to the risk for coronary heart disease?

Introduction

Over 200 million people world-wide suffer from diabetes mellitus (DM). The incidence is increasing and some scientists predict that in the next 20-25 years, as life expectancy increases, this number will exceed 300 million. DM is characterised by hyperglycaemia. Two major types of DM are described: type I or more commonly known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), and type II known as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Type I affects approximately 15% of all people with diabetes whereas type II affects approximately 85%. In normal individuals, blood glucose levels in the body are tightly regulated between 3.5 and 5.5 mmol/l by a myriad of hormones acting on a number of tissues including the kidney, liver, muscle and adipose tissues (Mathai et al., 2007).

Diabetes and vascular disease

“Diabetic complications are predominantly due to microvascular and macrovascular damage. Microvascular complications include renal failure, blindness and symptomatic sensorimotor neuropathy; macrovascular complications include coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease. In the last 10 years, large scale clinical studies have shown the link between good long term glycaemic control and a reduction in these complications in type I and II diabetes.

The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the vascular pathology in DM are probably multifactorial. The primary target is the endothelial cell which lines both large and small blood vessels and maintains vascular integrity by acting as a selective barrier to transvascular flux. The endothelial cell has a myriad of functions including regulation of cell adhesion, fibrinolysis, thrombosis, extracellular matrix production and in maintaining vascular tone. These functions are stimulated by flow and mechanical stress and mediated through the production of antioxidants, antithrombotics and anti-adhesives. These mechanisms afford protection to the integrity of the microvessel. Vasoactive regulators produced by the endothelium include arachidonic acid products and nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is the major regulator of flow dependent dilatation after increased arteriolar flow. The failure of tissues to regulate blood flow is one of the major functional problems thought to contribute to vascular damage in diabetes.” - Mathai et al., 2007.

Homocysteine and vascular disease (Mathai et al., 2007)

“McCully first postulated a link between elevated homocysteine concentrations and vascular disease in homocystinuric patients. Patients with this condition have fasting homocysteine levels over 100 mmol/l compared with general population concentrations of less than 10 mmol/l. In homocystinuria, 50% of patients suffer thromboembolic or atherosclerotic events before 30 years. Homocystinuria is essentially a metabolic disorder characterised by defects in the remethylation or catabolism of homocysteine resulting in elevated homocysteine concentrations. Irrespective of the underlying metabolic defect the risk of vasculopathy is the same. This suggests that homocysteine, and not the metabolic block, is responsible for disease.

In the last 25 years a large number of prospective studies have confirmed that homocysteine is an independent risk factor for vascular disease in the general population. One in seventy people show elevated levels, the majority of which are due to genetic or nutritional factors. Evidence for causality comes from a number of studies of which a synthesis is listed below:

• Elevations in homocysteine occur before the onset of vascular disease.
• Elevated homocysteine levels show the same strong graded risk effect for both micro and macrovascular complications, performed across different continents, using different research methodologies. These studies include genetic and other causes of raised homocysteine levels.
• Homocysteine lowering treatment decreases blood pressure, reverses endothelial dysfunction and decreases the rate of coronary re-stenosis.
• In vitro and in vivo work confirm that homocysteine is both atherogenic and thrombogenic, providing biological plausibility for causality.

 

What are the mechanisms through which homocysteine may promote damage?

An association between elevated levels of homocysteine and the vascular complications of diabetes has been reported by several research groups (Hoogeveen et al., 1998). In patients with diabetes, elevated homocysteine levels have been reported to be associated with endothelial dysfunction (Hofmann et al., 1998), insulin resistance (Meigs et al., 2001), prothrombotic state (Aso et al., 2004), macroangiopathy Smulders et al., 1999; Buysshaert et al., 2000) and nephropathy (Buysschaert et al., 2000; Davies et al., 2001; Emoto et al., 2001).

A host of mechanisms through which homocysteine may promote vascular damage (Welch and Loscalzo, 1998), as well as a synergism between homocysteine and diabetic status have been reported (Hofmann et al., 1998). Of note, several studies have demonstrated that elevated homocysteine levels predict the risk of death or coronary events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (Kark et al., 1999; Stehouwer et al., 1999; Hoogeveen et al., 2000). In patients with type 2 diabetes, however, plasma homocysteine levels have been reported to be increased, unchanged or decreased. Conflicting results regarding the circulating levels of homocysteine in patients with diabetes may relate to heterogeneity of the patients included, particularly with regard to renal function status and presence of vascular arterial disease. Another important reason for conflicting results may relate to the remarkably small numbers of patients included in the studies assessing circulating homocysteine levels in patients with diabetes (Ndrepepa et al., 2008).

Only a few studies have dealt with the link between hyperhomocysteinemia and macroangiopathy in diabetic patients. However, all these studies report a strong association between total homocysteine (tHcy) and macrovascular lesions (see review by Buysshaert et al. (2007). Buysshaert and co-workers (2000) studied 122 type 2 diabetic subjects and presented evidence that the prevalence of macroangiopathy was higher in individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia than in those without hyperhomocysteinemia (70% versus 42%, p < 0.01), even when other confounding risk factors were taken into account (in particular renal function).

In a study by Rudy and co-workers (2005) diabetic patients with coronary artery disease had higher tHcy in comparison with diabetic individuals without vascular lesions; homocysteine levels correlated significantly with incidence of ischemic heart disease. These results are in keeping with data from Becker et al. (2003), who showed that among type 2 diabetic individuals, the risk of coronary events increased by 28% for each 5 mmol/l increment of tHcy, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. The study of Hoogeveen et al. (2000) indicated that hyperhomocysteinemia appeared to be a higher (1.9-fold) risk factor for mortality in type 2 diabetic patients than in non-diabetic subjects. Soinio et al. (2004) extended these results by showing that type 2 diabetic patients with tHcy above 15 mmol/l had a heightened risk of coronary heart disease mortality during a 7-year follow-up than those with levels below 15 mmol/l, even after adjustment for confounding variables.

In type 1 diabetic patients, Hofmann and co-workers (1998) observed a macroangiopathy prevalence of 57 and 33%, respectively, in the presence and absence of hyperhomocysteinemia. This increased prevalence was confirmed by Agullo´-Ortuno and co-workers (2002).

Can homocysteine levels be lowered by nutritional supplements?

Homocysteine is either re-methylated to methionine by a vitamin B12 and folate-dependent enzyme (5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase), or is irreversibly catabolised by the transsulphuration pathway, which utilises vitamin B6 (pyridoxal-5'-phosphate) in at least one enzyme-catalysed reaction (Figure 1). Defects in either of these pathways will result in hyperhomocysteinemia. Such a defect can either be caused by a) a deficiency of one of the essential co-factors for normal homocysteine metabolism; vitamin B12, vitamin B6 or folate, or b) certain enzyme variants, which may also cause hyperhomocysteinemia.

For efficient homocysteine metabolism, an adequate supply of vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folic acid, zinc and trimethylglycine (betaine) is required. However, during food refinement and processing, losses of these nutrients may occur (Van Brummelen 2005 and 2007).

Vitamin and mineral supplementation and homocysteine

A daily vitamin supplement (containing vitamin B6, folic acid and vitamin B12) normalised elevated circulating homocysteine levels in patients within six weeks of treatment (Ubbink et al., 1993). This was in agreement with Brattstrom's studies (Brattstrom et al., 1988), which investigated the effect of vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and folic acid on circulating homocysteine levels. Magnesium is also an essential co-factor for the enzyme methionine adenosyl transferase, which forms SAM from L-methionine. It is thus clear that the vitamin and mineral status is an important determinant of circulating homocysteine levels (Van Brummelen, 2005).

In a clinical trial conducted at the ISR (University of Pretoria), Kruger and co-workers (2009) studied the efficacy of NCODE (Cellfood Longevity) on physical performance and selected markers of health status in males. Twenty healthy sedentary volunteers between the ages of 30 and 60 years with a homocysteine level higher than 10 mmol/l were included in the study. Some of the findings were as follow:

• Statistically significant increase in serum folate
• Statistically significant reduction in homocysteine (15%) 
• No change in urate levels

 

Conclusion

Reducing homocysteine will not only benefit diabetics, but also non-diabetics suffering from other chronic conditions.

References

Agullo´-Ortuno M, Albaladejo M, Parra S, Rodriguez-Manotas M, Fenollar M, and Ruiz-Espejo F. 2002. Plasmatic homocysteine concentration and its relationship with complications associated to diabetes mellitus. Clin Chim Acta; 326:105-112.

Aso Y, Yoshida N, Okumura K, Wakabayashi S, Matsutomo R, and Takebayashi K. 2004. Coagulation and inflammation in overt diabetic nephropathy: association with hyperhomocysteinemia. Clin Chim Acta; 348:139-145.

Becker A, Kostense P, Bos G, Heine R, Dekker J, and Nijpels G. 2003. Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with coronary events in type 2 diabetes. J Intern Med; 253:293-300.

Brattstrom LE, Israelson B, Jeppson JO, and Hultberg BL. 1988. Folic acid an innocuous means to reduce plasma homocysteine. Scandinavian Journal Clinical and Laboratory Investigation;48: 215-221.

Buysschaert M, Dramais AS, Wallemacq P, and Hermans MP. 2000. Hyperhomocysteinemia in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care; 23:1816-1822.

Buysshaert M, Preumont V, and Hermans M P. 2007. Hyperhomocysteinemia and diabetic macroangiopathy: guilty or innocent bystander? A literature review of the current dilemma. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews; 1: 53-59.

Davies L, Wilmshurst EG, McElduff A, Gunton J, Clifton-Bligh P, and Fulcher GR. 2001. The relationship between homocysteine, creatinine clearance, and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care; 24: 1805-1809.

Emoto M, Kanda H, Shoji T, Kawagishi T, Komatsu M, and Mori Kl. 2001. Impact of insulin resistance and nephropathy on homocysteine in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care; 24:533-538.

Hofmann MA, Kohl B, Zumbach M, Borcea V, Bierhaus A, and Henkels M. 1998 Homocysteinaemia and endothelial dysfunction in IDDM. Diabetes Care; 21:841-848.

Hoogeveen EK, Kostense PJ, Beks PJ, Mackaay AJ, Jakobs C, and Bouter LM. 1998. Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, especially in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: a population-based study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol; 18:133-138.

Hoogeveen EK, Kostense PJ, Jakobs C, Dekker J, Nijpels G, and Heine RJ. 2000. Hyperhomocysteinemia increases risk of death, especially in type 2 diabetes: 5-year follow-up of the Hoorn Study. Circulation; 101:1506-1511.

Kark JD, Selhub J, Bostom A, Adler B, and Rosenberg IH. 1999. Plasma homocysteine and all-cause mortality in diabetes. Lancet; 353:1936-1937.

Kruger PE, Wood PS, Grant R, and Clark J. 2009. Efficacy of NCODE (Cellfood Longevity) on physical performance and selected markers of health status in males. Research report, Institute for Sports Research, University of Pretoria.

Mathai M, Radford SE, and Holland P. 2007. Progressive glycosylation of albumin and its effect on the binding of homocysteine may be a key step in the pathogenesis of vascular damage in diabetes mellitus. Medical Hypotheses; 69: 166–172.

Meigs JB, Jacques PF, Selhub J, Singer DE, Nathan DM, and Rifai N. 2001. Framingham Offspring Study. Fasting plasma homocysteine levels in the insulin resistance syndrome: the Framingham offspring study. Diabetes Care; 24: 1403-1410.

Ndrepepa G, Kastrati A, Braun S, Koch W, Kolling K, Mehilli J, and Schomig A. 2008. Circulating homocysteine levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases; 18: 66-73.

Rudy A, Kowalska I, Straczkowski M, and Kinalska I. 2005. Homocysteine concentrations and vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Metab; 31:112-117.

Santora R, and Kozar RA. 2009. Research review. Molecular mechanisms of pharmaconutrients. Journal of Surgical Research; 1-7.

Smulders YM, Rakic M, Slaats EH, Treskes M, Sijbrands EJ, and Odekerken DA. 1999. Fasting and post-methionine homocysteine levels in NIDDM. Determinants and correlations with retinopathy, albuminuria, and cardiovascular disease. Diabetes Care; 22:125-132.

Soinio M, Marniemi J, Laakso M, Lehto S, and Ronnemaa T. 2004. Elevated plasma homocysteine level is an independent predictor of coronary heart disease events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Intern Med; 140:94-100.

Stehouwer CD, Gall MA, Hougaard P, Jakobs C, and Parving HH. 1999. Plasma homocysteine concentration predicts mortality in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients with and without albuminuria. Kidney Int; 55:308-314.

Ubbink JB, Vermaak WJH, Bennett JM, Becker PJ, Van Staden DA and Bissbort S. 1991. The prevalence of homocysteinemia and hypercholesterolemia in angiographically defined coronary heart disease. Klinische Wochenschribe;69: 527-534.

Ubbink JB, Vermaak WJH, Van der Merwe A, and Becker PJ. 1993. The nutritional status of vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6 and folate in men with hyperhomocysteinemia. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition;57: 47-53.

Ueland PM, and Refsum H. 1989. Plasma homocysteine, a risk factor for vascular disease: plasma levels in health, disease, and drug therapy. The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine;114: 473- 501.

Van Brummelen R. 2005. L-methionine as immune-supportive supplement in HIV and other immune-deficient conditions: a clinical study. Doctoral thesis, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.

Van Brummelen R, and du Toit D. 2007. L-methionine as immune supportive supplement: a clinical evaluation. Amino Acids; 33: 157-163.

Verhoef et al. 1996. American Journal of Epidemiology; 143: 845 – 859.

Welch GN, and Loscalzo J. 1998. Homocysteine and atherothrombosis. N Engl J Med; 338:1042-1050.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a hyper-reactive, inflammatory condition of the bronchial tubes which impair airway function. It has been divided into extrinsic or atopic asthma, i.e. allergic asthma; and intrinsic asthma, where the bronchial reaction is due to factors such as cold air, toxic chemicals, exercise, emotional upset and infection.

• Asthma can, depending on the triggers, as well as a person’s threshold for such triggers, vacillate between chronic and acute episodes.
• Allergic rhinitis is a major risk factor for later development of asthma.
• Aspirin-induced asthma makes up 10 percent of all asthmatics
• More than a 20% of all hay fever patients develop asthma later on in life, and it has been found that rhinitis frequently precedes the onset of asthma.
• Common dietary factors in asthma include excessive sugar consumption, pasteurised dietary products, and fried foods.
• A deficiency of magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxant, may also play a role in asthma.

What happens during an asthma attack?

Dust, chemicals, antibodies, and exercise can initiate an attack by increasing calcium influx into the mast cell (one of the tissue cells in the bronchial tubes). The influx causes a release of chemical mediators such as histamine, and a special chemical that attracts white blood cells. The latter, in turn, triggers the following effects:

• increases smooth muscle contraction (via an elevation of calcium in the muscle cell) leading to bronchoconstriction,
• initiates a bronchoconstrictor reflex via the vagus nerve, and
• causes an inflammation response (swelling of tissue).

How is asthma treated?

The safest approach to reducing or eliminating asthma attacks is to avoid known irritants or initiators, to create a personal environment containing purified (filtered) air, and to build a strong respiratory tract and balanced immune system which will not overreact to external agents. Important lifestyle changes such as stress reduction, exercise, plenty of sleep and clean air in the bedroom all make a big difference to quality of life for an asthmatic.

• Physical stress-management activities such as meditation, biofeedback, along with suitable exercise strategies such as yoga, swimming, etc., often provide significant relief.
• Acupuncture is another modality that offers great benefits not only for stress relief but also for active anti-asthma treatment.
• Education of the individual is also very important.

The immune system of most asthmatics is under pressure, not only from possible allergens, but also due to the consequences of the stress associated with acute/chronic ill health. Couple this with a weakened digestive system, possibly not able to cope adequately with proper absorption of nutrients, as a result of things like medications, food sensitivities and general gut dysbiosis, and/or common infections like candida - and the asthmatic is further compromised.

Nutritional supplements

As important as food is, supplements are almost as important in their ability to help the asthmatic recover and control future attacks:

• Vitamin C: 2 - 6 g daily depending on severity
• Probiotics: between 6 and 15 billion colony-forming units per serving
• Fish oils: 3 - 6 g
• 1 teaspoon cod liver oil
• Methylsulphonyl methane (MSM): 6 – 9g a day
• Selenium and antioxidants
• Magnesium is critical in helping to relax airways: take 450 - 600 mg daily
• A good multivitamin or high-dose B-complex is advisable.

Cellfood®

Asthma is a chronic lung condition that is characterized by the difficulty in getting sufficient oxygen to the lungs. In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and the ferritin levels by 31%, amongst others.

• These findings can also be of benefit to the asthmatic patient. An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body, assists with oxygenation and increases the oxygen saturation in the blood.
• Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body. The increased ferritin levels can assist with the production of more red blood cells that are needed to transport oxygen to the different organs and cells.
• Cellfood® is also a powerful antioxidant, boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict free radical damage in these patients.
• It provides essential nutrients like magnesium directly at cellular level.

In conclusion, good food, a healthy lifestyle and targeted supplementation is a winning combination to help asthmatics reach a point of 'remission' where they can live normal lives with minimal drug intake, and maximum health.

 

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Southern Africa about 130 heart attacks and 240 strokes occur daily. Smoking doubles the risk of having a stroke and increases the risk of a heart attack by two to three times. Cardiovascular disease (CVD - disease of the heart and blood vessels) claims more lives than the subsequent six causes of death combined.

CVD is seen as having multiple causes, including:

• Nutritional deficiencies and/or excess of anti-nutrients (sugar, processed foods, saturated fat, etc.)
• Excess production of free radicals
• Excess stress resulting in an overproduction of the stress hormones (adrenalin, noradrenalin, cortisol)
• The release of inflammatory cells (cytokines) in response to aIl of the above

Risk factors for CVD include factors that can not be changed (i.e. age, genetics and gender) and those that can be changed/controlled by lifestyle.

• Chronic degenerative diseases like obesity, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers are also considered by experts as risk factors for CVD.

Factors that can be changed/controlled by lifestyle

The success of lifestyle management programmes is definitely more successful when initiated before the onset of the disease.

1.         Diet

One of the most successful lifestyle modifications for the prevention/management of CVD is dietary modification.

• People are advised to eat small meals more regularly and reduce animal protein intake.
• Dieticians suggest people remove, or at least reduce saturated/hydrogenated fats from the diet, and avoid excess sugar and caffeine intake.
• They further encourage people to increase the consumption of plant protein (nuts, seeds, legumes, and beans), vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, avoiding processed and fast foods as far as possible.

Taking nutritional supplements could also be of benefit. Nutrients that could be helpful for heart disease include:

• Co-enzyme Q10 - one of the most important nutrients for heart muscle functions; increases oxygenation of heart tissue. Has been shown to prevent recurrences in individuals who had a heart attack
• L-carnitine - essential nutrient allowing the mitochondria of the heart cells to produce energy more effectively. Reduces fat and triglyceride levels in the blood
• Magnesium - relaxes smooth muscle (is a vasodilator) and decreases the risk of irregular heart beat
• Potassium – needed for electrolyte balance, especially if taking cortisone or blood pressure medication
• Copper - deficiency has been linked with heart disease
• Selenium - deficiency has been linked with heart disease
• Vitamin E - a good antioxidant that also decreases platelet adhesiveness and aggregation
• Vitamin C - an antioxidant which is important for the integrity of the cardiovascular system
• Omega 3/fish oils - useful in the prevention of coronary heart disease (helps prevent the hardening of the arteries)
• Flavonoids - decrease capillary fragility, improve the tone of vascular smooth muscles, decrease the incidence of ventricular tachycardia, and have an antioxidant effect on the heart
• The amino acid L -arginine - a precursor in the production of nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator in the vascular system. It also has a protective effect on endothelium
• Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid - inversely associated with levels of homocysteine, which is an important risk factor for heart disease
• Citrin K (an extract from Garcinia cambogia) - inhibits the synthesis of fatty acids in the liver, thus helping to prevent the accumulation of potentially dangerous fats 

2.         Smoking

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemical constituents, amongst others, nicotine and carbon monoxide.

• At doses normally ingested by smokers, nicotine acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system – adrenaline production increases, raising the blood pressure and heart rate
• Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin, interfering with the transport of oxygen throughout the body
• It also promotes the development of cholesterol deposits on artery walls
• These two factors increase the risk of heart attack and stroke

3.         Exercise

Research indicates that 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise (jogging, cycling, walking or swimming) three to four times a week is sufficient to assist the cardiovascular system and to help manage weight.

• To optimise the health benefits of an exercise regime, training should however be maintained indefinitely
• Free radicals increase in the body during stress and exercise. They cause oxidative stress to the body and may contribute to more than sixty health conditions, including atherosclerosis and heart disease
• Fortunately the body has antioxidant enzymes, and the diet and supplements containing antioxidants assist the body in supporting the immune and cardiovascular systems, amongst others

4.         Weight management

Overweight and obesity are associated with a number of disabling and potentially fatal conditions and diseases (such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes).

• A healthy body weight is an important part of wellness - but short-term dieting is not part of a fit and well lifestyle
• Maintaining a healthy body weight requires a lifelong commitment to regular exercise, a healthy diet, and effective stress management

5.         Rest and relaxation

People in general need between seven and eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. A stress management programme can assist those not getting sufficient rest.

Cellfood®

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and normalized all haematological (blood) values, amongst others.

• An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body. It assists with tissue oxygenation, thus aiding in the repair of damaged tissues
• Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body (oxidizes harmful elements)
• Cellfood® is also a powerful antioxidant (contains selenium, germanium, amongst others), boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict further free radical damage in people with cardiovascular disease
• It contains traces of 78 elements, minerals and trace minerals and provides essential nutrients like magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium and copper directly at cellular level

• Cellfood® contains amino acids including L -arginine - a precursor in the production of nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator in the vascular system. It also has a protective effect on endothelium

• Elements like hydrogen, minerals, amino acids and enzymes such as contained in Cellfood® assist the body in repairing and regenerating cells

Cellfood® Sport/Shape

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 20 drops of Cellfood® Sport/Shape:

• Increased the oxygen uptake by up to 6.2%
• Increased energy delivery to muscles (haemoglobin oxygen saturation increased up to 9.6%)
• Delayed onset of fatigue and reduced muscular cramps and recovery time (Lactic acid accumulation decreased up to 17.2%)

Cellfood® Sport/Shape contains Cellfood®, Citrin K and L-carnitine

• Citrin K - inhibits the synthesis of fatty acids in the liver, thus helping to prevent the accumulation of potentially dangerous fats
• L-carnitine - essential nutrient allowing the mitochondria of the heart cells to produce energy more effectively. Reduces fat and triglyceride levels in the blood

Cellfood® Longevity

• Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid - inversely associated with levels of homocysteine, which is an important risk factor for heart disease

Conclusion

The world of the new millennium is the world of the individual - people expect to get more out of life and improve their quality of life.

• Most conditions being treated by medicines are preventable - chronic degenerative diseases like heart disease and stroke, are clearly linked to the diet and lifestyle.
• People with cardiovascular disease could benefit from using Cellfood® and the Cellfood® family

Ageing and the skin

Since time immemorial, pale, even skin has, in many cultures, implied a fragile and refined quality that is associated with beauty, femininity, innocence, and the implication of a higher social stature and wealth. For many this is made possible by the latest technological advances in science that affect the cosmetics industry. Innovations, such as in nanotechnology, could be beneficial to skin protection and anti-ageing.

• Environmental pollution, poor nutrition, and excess stress can result in the dehydration and premature ageing of the skin.
• UV radiation is for example responsible for up to 85% of the visible signs of premature ageing, with exposure causing skin damage like inflammation, pigmentation, wrinkles and loss of elasticity and moisture.

Normal, smooth, and hydrated skin contains adequate elastin fibres (non-cross linked soluble collagen) that enable the skin to be flexible and elastic. These elastin fibres are found in the connective tissue of the skin.

• When the skin becomes dehydrated, an excess of cross-linked insoluble collagen forms, which causes the skin to take on a wrinkled appearance. The surface skin also becomes thinner, and is prone to damage.
• In order to rebalance the skin and replenish it with adequate non-cross linked soluble collagen, the skin cells require an adequate supply of about twenty amino acids. These can be supplied to the cells either from within the bodily system, or externally from an appropriate preparation that contains these nutrients for the skin.

As old age approaches, the rate of epidermal cell replacement slows, the skin thins, and its susceptibility to bruises and other types of injury increases.

• All of the lubricating substances produced by the skin glands that make young skin so soft start to become deficient. As a result, the skin becomes dry and itchy. However, those with naturally oily skin seem to postpone this dryness until later in life.
• Elastic fibers begin to clump and degenerate, and collagen fibers become fewer and stiffer as they link together. These alterations of dermal fibers are hastened by prolonged exposure to the sun and wind.
• The hypo-dermal fat layer diminishes, leading to the intolerance to cold so common in elderly people.
• The decreasing elasticity of the skin, along with the loss of subcutaneous tissue, inevitably leads to wrinkling.

Free radicals 

Free radicals are increasingly recognised as being responsible for tissue and organ damage, which could lead to the functional disturbances associated with chronic degenerative disease like arthritis, heart disease and cancer, and for accelerated ageing. The total free radical load (oxidative stress) therefore contributes significantly to the development of many chronic diseases. This assumes particular importance in the aged.

• One of the signs of increased free radical activity in the aged is the accumulation of ageing pigments often seen on the hands and face of the elderly. The significance of these visible deposits of pigments (lipofuscin) is that similar deposits also occur elsewhere, for example the brain and nerves, where they may cause much more serious damage and contribute towards the ageing process.
• Once they have formed as a result of free radical activity in the tissue, these pigments are very difficult to remove, presumably due to irreversible tissue damage. But they appear to be readily preventable by ensuring adequate antioxidant activity in the tissues.

What are free radicals and why are they so harmful?

Free radicals are compounds such as oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, or hydroxyl groups that have lost an electron. These unstable molecules latch onto another molecule, "stealing" its electrons, which in turn try to steal an electron from another molecule. This process happens usually at a nearby cell membrane, setting off a chain reaction of free-radical formations called lipid peroxidation, which ultimately leads to damage.

Free radicals increase in the body during stress and exercise. They cause oxidative stress to the body and may contribute to more than sixty other health conditions, including:

• increased aging of bones, organs, brain and skin
• interference with cell replication
• malignant tissue formation
• enzyme malfunction
• atherosclerosis and heart disease

How does the body cope?

Antioxidants are considered as one of the cornerstones in halting the aging process and preventing a variety of age-related diseases.

• Different antioxidants scavenge different free radicals in either a watery or a fat environment. There are also antioxidants that work directly and those that work indirectly.
• Direct antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, neutralize free radicals.
• In this process, a direct antioxidant binds to a free radical, rendering it harmless and protecting cells from damage.
• Once the direct antioxidant reacts with a radical, the antioxidant is destroyed and cannot be effective again (some can however be regenerated).

Indirect antioxidants like selenium work like catalysts.

• They do not neutralize free radicals directly, but rather boost the body's own antioxidant defense systems. This group of antioxidants stands ready to neutralize free radicals over a period of time. They continue to be effective even after the indirect antioxidants have left the body.

Fortunately the body also has antioxidant enzymes assisting in scavenging free radicals.

Cellfood®

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and the ferritin levels by 31%, amongst others.

• An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body, assists with oxygenation and increases the oxygen saturation in the blood.
• Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body. The increased ferritin levels can assist with the production of more red blood cells that are needed to transport oxygen to the different organs and cells (including the skin).
• Cellfood® is a powerful antioxidant (both indirect and enzyme antioxidant), boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict free radical damage. Cellfood® also assists the body in producing glutathione, a powerful direct antioxidant.
• It provides essential nutrients like selenium and amino acids directly at cellular level.

Cellfood® SKINCARE

The absorption of nutrients by the skin is determined by the permeability of the skin, the formulation of the nutrients, and the transdermal carrier or transporter. Particle size, pH balance, and bio-electrical charge determine the absorption rate of the product by the cells. Cellfood® SKINCARE complies with all three criteria. The actives, and their respective functions, are:

• Aloe Vera juice - commonly known as a skin healer, moisturizer, and softener. Effective on burns of all types, good for cuts, insect stings, bruises, acne and blemishes, welts, poison ivy, skin ulcers, and eczema
• Cellfood® - over-and-above its normal functions, Cellfood® also acts as a transdermal carrier/transporter, facilitating the delivery of the spectrum of skin care nutrients to the cells of the skin
• Glycerin - moisturizer
• Chamomile - has anti-inflammatory properties
• Polysaccharide gum - assists with the process of making a solution into a gel
• Fossilized organics - additional source of minerals

In conclusion

Good nutrition, a balanced active lifestyle and nutritional antioxidant supplements could assist in delaying pre-mature aging of the skin from the inside. Limiting the impact of environmental factors by means of facial creams, moisturizers, etc could achieve the same from the outside.

 

"Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary, genetically determined hemolytic anemia, one of the hemoglobinopathies, occurring almost exclusively in Blacks..." Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary.

1.  Introduction

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder caused by a genetic mutation that leads to the generation of a mutant form of the beta-globin chain of hemoglobin (Hb). Red blood cells containing Hb with this mutant beta-globin chain change shape upon deoxygenation, get stuck in blood vessels, deprive the surrounding tissues of oxygen, and thus lead to organ damage.

SCD is inherited from both parents, usually presents in childhood and occurs more commonly in people (or their descendants) from parts of tropical and sub-tropical regions where malaia is or was common. One-third of all indigenous inhabitants of Sub-Saharan Africa carry the gene, because in areas where malaria is common, there is a survival value in carrying only a single sickle cell gene (sickle cell trait). Those with only one of the two alleles of the sickle-cell disease are more resistant to malaria, since the infestation of the malaria plasmodium is halted by the sickling of the cells which it infests (Marieb, 1998).

Someone who inherits the hemoglobin S gene from one parent and normal hemoglobin from the other parent will have sickle cell trait. People with sickle cell trait do not have the symptoms of true sickle cell anemia.

The prevalence of the disease in the United States is approximately 1 in 5 000 and about 1 in 500 black births have sickle cell anemia.

 

2. Causes

In sickle cell anemia (also known as sicklemia), the havoc caused by the abnormal hemoglobin S (HbS), results from a change in just one of the 287 amino acids in a beta chain of the globin molecule (a valine residue is substituted with a glutamine residue at position 6). This alteration causes the beta chains to link together to form stiff rods, and as a result hemoglobin S becomes spiky and sharp when not fully loaded with oxygen. This, in turn, causes the reb blood cells to become crescent-shaped when they unload oxygen molecules or when the oxygen content of the blood is lower than normal, as during rigorous exercise and other activities that increases the metabolic rate. The stiffened and deformed erythrocytes rupture easily and tend to dam up in small blood vessels. These events interfere with oxygen delivery, leaving the victims gasping for air and exterme pain. The standard traetment for an acute sickle cell crisis is a blood transfusion (Marieb, 1998).

3. Symptoms

Patient symptoms usually don't occur until after the age of four months. Almost all patients with sickle cell anemia have painful episodes (crises), which can last from hours to days. These crises can affect the bones of the back, the long bones, and the chest. Some patients have one episode every few years while others have many episodes per year. The crises can be severe enough to require a hospital stay.

Common symptoms include: abdominal, chest and bone pain, delayed growth and puberty, yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice), breathlessness, fever, fatigue, rapid heart rate, excessive thirst, frequent urination, painful and prolonged erection (priapism occurs in 10-40% of men with the disease), poor eyesight/blindness, strokes and skin ulcers (due to poor blood flow) (Hebbel, 2008).

4. Examinations and tests

Tests commonly performed to diagnose and monitor patients with sickle cell anemia include:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Hemoglobin electrophoresis<
• Sickle cell test

5. Treatment

Patients with sickle cell disease need ongoing treatment, even when they are not having a painful crisis (Geller and O'Connor, 2008). The purpose of treatment is to manage and control symptoms, and to limit the frequency of crises. Painful episodes are treated with pain medication and by drinking plenty of fluids. Non-narcotic medications may be effective, but some patients will need large doses of narcotics.

Patients with SCD are advised to take folic acid and B12 (essential for producing red blood cells) because red blood cells are turned over so quickly.

Hydroxyurea is a drug some patients use to reduce the number of pain episodes (including chest pain and difficulty breathing) (Brawley et al., 2008). It may benefit some adults with moderate and severe SCD by increasing fetal Hb (HbF) expression. However, it does not work for all individuals. Moutouh-de Parseval and colleagues have however found that immunomodulatory anticancer drugs lenalidomide and pomalidomide are more effective than hydroxyurea at inducing HbF expression by erythrocytes derived in vitro from CD34+ cells from healthy individuals.

Antibiotics and vaccines are given to prevent bacterial infections, which are common in children with sickle cell disease. Blood transfusions are used to treat a sickle cell crisis. They may also be used on a regular basis to help prevent strokes.

5.1 The value of nutritional supplements

Although supplements won’t cure the disease, they do have value in alleviating some of the symptoms. An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® could help in supplying oxygen to the oxygen-deprived cells. In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria (Nolte, 2001), 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and the ferritin levels by 31%, amongst others.

• These findings can also be of benefit to the SCD patient. Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body, assists with oxygenation and increases the oxygen saturation in the blood.
• Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body.
• The increased ferritin levels can assist with the production of more red blood cells that are needed to transport oxygen to the different organs and cells.
• Cellfood® is also a powerful antioxidant, boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict free radical damage in these patients.
• It provides essential nutrients like magnesium directly at cellular level.

5.2 Other treatments for complications may include:

• Dialysis or kidney transplant (kidney disease)
• Drug rehabilitation and counseling for psychological complications
• Gallbladder removal (gallstone disease)
• Hip replacementfor avascular necrosis of the hip
• Irrigation or surgery for persistent, painful erections (priapism)
• Surgery for eye problems
• Wound care, zinc oxide, or surgery for leg ulcers

 

Bone marrow or stem cell transplants can cure sickle cell anemia. However, transplants have many risks, including infection, and rejection, and are currently thus not an option for most patients. Also, sickle cell anemia patients are often unable to find well-matched donors.

6. Prognosis

In the past, sickle cell patients often died from organ failure/infection between the ages of 20 and 40. Thanks to a better understanding and management of the disease, patients can today live into their 50’s or beyond. Some people with the disease experience minor, brief, infrequent episodes. Others experience severe, long-term, frequent episodes with many complications.

7. Prevention

Sickle cell anemia can only occur when two people who carry the sickle cell trait have a child together. About 1 in 12 African Americans has the sickle cell trait. Genetic counseling is recommended for all carriers of the sickle cell trait. It is also possible to diagnose sickle cell anemia during pregnancy.

7.1 The sickling of red blood cells can be lessened by:

• Getting enough fluids
• Getting enough oxygen (use CellfoodÒ for example)
• Quickly treating infections

 

Patients are advised to have physical examinationss every 3 - 6 months to ensure that their diets are still sufficient, and that they are receiving the proper vaccinations. Regular eye examinationss are also recommended.

7.2 Preventing infections and a crises:

• People with sickle cell anemia need to keep their immunizations up to date, including Haemophilus influenza, pneumococcal, meningococcal, hepatitis B, and influenza;
• Some patients may receive antibiotics to prevent infections, and
• Parents should encourage children with sickle cell anemia to lead normal lives.

7.3 To reduce a sickle cell crises, the following precautions need to be taken:

• To prevent oxygen loss, avoid:

• Demanding physical activity (especially if the spleen is enlarged)
• Emotional stress
• Environments with low oxygen (high altitudes, nonpressurized airplane flights)
• Smoking
• Known sources of infection

• Ensure sufficient fluid intake:

• Avoid too much exposure to the sun;
• Have fluids on hand, both at home and away, and
• Recognize signs of dehydration.

• To avoid infection:

• Consider having the child wear a Medic Alert bracelet;
• Have the child vaccinated as recommended by the health care provider, and
• Share the above information with teachers and other caretakers, when necessary.

Be aware of the effects that chronic, life-threatening illnesses can have on siblings, marriages, parents, and the child.

8. References

Brawley OW, Cornelius LJ, Edwards LR, Gamble VN, Green BL, and Inturrisi C. 2008. National Institutes of Health consensus development conference statement: hydroxyurea treatment for sickle cell disease. Ann Intern Med. 148: 932-938.

Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 1988. 28th ed. WB Saunders Company, p74.

Geller AK, and O'Connor MK. 2008. The sickle cell crisis: a dilemma in pain relief. Mayo Clin Proc. 8; 83: 320-323.

Hebbel RP. 2008. Pathobiology of sickle cell disease. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, and Shattil SS, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; chapter 42.

Lee MT, Piomelli S, and Granger Sl. 2006. Stroke prevention trial in sickle cell anemia (STOP): extended follow-up and final results. Blood. 108: 847-852.

Marieb EN. 1998. Human anatomy and physiololgy. Fourth ed. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc. 635-636.

Nolte H. 2001. The effect of CellfoodÒ on exercise performance. MA dissertation, University of Pretoria.

Saunthararajah Y, Vichinsky EP, and Embury SH. 2008. Sickle cell disease. Clinical features and management. In: Hoffman R, Benz Jr. EJ, Shattil SS, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingston; chapter 43.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. 2007. Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in Newborns: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. Sep 2007: AHRQ Publication No. 07-05104-EF-2.

Introduction

Addiction is when the body becomes so accustomed to the presence of a foreign substance that it can no longer function properly if the substance is withdrawn. Individuals who are addicted to substances (drugs) can end up centering their lives on avoiding the pain of withdrawal – that is, on assuring a continuing supply of the substance of abuse.

• Research reveals detectible levels of human-manufactured toxins in all individuals.
• Accumulations of chemicals in body tissues are increasingly associated with patterns of adverse health including suppressed or inappropriate/hyperreactive immune function (autoimmunity, asthma, and allergies), cognitive deficits, cancers, mood changes, neurological illnesses, changes in libido, reproductive dysfunction, and glucose dysregulation.

Why are these substances so harmful?

Complicating the phenomenon of addiction is the problem of drug tolerance.

• With prolonged substance use, the human body often ends up needing more and more of the substance to produce the desired effects and to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
• Addiction usually has a powerful psychological as well as a physical component.
• While psychological dependence does not lead to physical withdrawal symptoms after the drug is discontinued, it does result in deep cravings that may persist long after any physical addiction has been overcome.

Research is mounting that the long-term effects of drug consumption are greater than has been assumed.

• It is not simply the case that these effects occur during active drug use, but rather that these effects continue after discontinuation of drug use.
• It may require a much longer period for drugs or their metabolites to be fully cleared from the body than previously supposed, with consequent residual physical and psychological effects.

Both the biological activity of a compound and its physiologic disposition (ultimate fate) are largely determined by its chemical properties in relation to extant biological structures and processes.

• Barring specific transport mechanisms, the distribution patterns and speed with which chemicals diffuse into various tissues are largely driven by lipophilicity - the thermodynamic tendency of a compound to dissolve into lipid-rich spaces.
• With certain exceptions (e.g., insulin), drugs tend to be very lipophilic and to have a large distribution volume.
• They tend to deposit in various tissues in the following order: lung, fat, heart, kidney, brain, gut, muscle and bone, preferentially accumulating in lysosomes.

Adipose tissue is a very intricate organ and not merely involved in storing excess calories and "unwanted" compounds.

• Recent research reveals that hormones released by adipose tissue regulate many bodily functions including emotional state, energy level and body metabolism, hunger and cravings, inflammatory response, and also modulate immune function.
• Symptoms associated with disruption of these systems are common in those exposed to environmental chemicals and also in substance abusers.

There are many mechanisms by which retention of chemicals/drugs in the body can negatively impact health.

Chemical-communication mimetics

Many drugs and toxins mimic substances naturally found in the body and may directly affect normal trans-cellular chemical communication by hormones and cytokines.

• Structural mimetics often cause effects quite dissimilar or even opposite to those of the endogenous substance (for example blockage of a receptor normally accessible to a hormone).
• This may occur locally within a tissue (paracrinely), or endocrinely as drugs/toxins are released from body tissues back into circulation.
• Further, circulating drugs and toxins may occupy sites on plasma transport proteins thereby subtly interfering with the equilibria kinetics that govern plasma transport of nutrients and hormones, for example.

Genetic/metabolic disruption

Retention of toxins in key organs may directly impair organ health and function by a number of intracellular mechanisms, including:

• disruption of the sophisticated networks that regulate situational gene expression, or
• the delicate feedbacks by which the intermediates and products of constitutive metabolic chains regulate the activity of key metabolic enzymes.

Nutrient deficiency

Eliminating toxins requires certain endogenous substances to assist in the detox process.

• Nutrients used during metabolic processes of detoxification are concomitantly or subsequently not available for other metabolic processes, thus creating local deficiencies.
• Chronic exposure may result in systemic deficiencies of many essential nutrients.

Nutrients that can help during recovery from drug addiction

A person can be addicted to substances other than illegal drugs.

• Many are addicted to caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, sugar, and even certain foods. Although these addictions may not pose as great a health risk, withdrawal may still be painful and difficult. People using these substances may also be more susceptible to illness and disease because these addictive substances deplete the body of needed nutrients.

• Many drug users suffer from malnutrition. Because drugs rob the body of essential nutrients, those addicted need to take high doses of nutritional supplements. In many cases there might be a deficiency of oxygen, hydrogen, minerals, enzymes or even amino acids (building blocks of protein and neurotransmitters).

Nutrients of importance for a person recovery from drug abuse are:

• All the vitamin B’s including vitamin B12 and vitamin B5. These are needed when under stress to assist in the rebuilding of the liver and adrenal glands and are important for brain function.
• Vitamin C – detoxifies and lessens the cravings for drugs.
• Multivitamin/mineral complex – all nutrients are needed in high amounts.
• Calcium and magnesium – nourishes the central nervous system and helps control tremors.
• Amino acids including L-glutamine, L-phenylalanine, and L-tyrosine. Supply needed protein and passes the blood-brain barrier to promote healthy mental functioning.
• Glutathione – aids in detoxifying drugs to reduce their harmful effects. Also reduces the desire for drugs and alcohol.

Cellfood®

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and normalized all haematological (blood) values, amongst others.

• An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body, assists with oxygenation and increases the oxygen saturation in the blood.
• Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body (oxidizes harmful elements).
• Cellfood® is also a powerful antioxidant, boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict free radical damage in people recovering from substance abuse.
• It contains traces of 78 elements, minerals and trace minerals and provides essential nutrients like magnesium, calcium and iron directly at cellular level.
• The amino acids in Cellfood® promote, amongst others, healthy mental functioning, and thereby assisting people recovering from substance abuse.
• Elements like hydrogen, minerals, amino acids and enzymes such as contained in Cellfood® assists the body in repairing and regenerating cells.

 

Dr Jacques Rossouw (DSc Biochemistry; Hons Pharmacology; MBA).

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease caused by a bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although primarily a disease of the lungs, it can affect any organ including the bones, spine, intestines, kidneys, lymph nodes, bladder, joints, liver, heart, and spleen. There are two strains, one human and one bovine (cow), which are spread by inhalation of infected sputum in the case of the former and by drinking infected milk in the case of the latter.

TB is generally overcome by an intact immune system but anyone with a lowered resistance from conditions such as malnutrition, stress, steroid therapy, diabetes and drug use (including alcohol, smoking or those taking drugs for immuno-suppression, as in HIV and AIDS) are more likely to succumb if this disease is contracted. Anybody with lung infection or disease is also more prone.

The incidents of tuberculosis remain high in overcrowded and Third World countries, but until recently TB was on the wane in the Western world. Unfortunately, injudicious use of antibacterial agents has led to resistant strains developing, which are now defeating even the strongest of antibiotics.

Left alone, the great majority of those who contract TB will simply defeat the bacteria and leave a characteristic calcified area noted on X-rays. This is formed by the body's attempt to wall in the infection. The bacteria may continue to live within this cavity and escape at times when the individual is run down, causing a reactivation of the symptoms.

Investigations include chest X-rays with lesions that usually appear in the upper part of the lungs. Some blood changes may be found but a definitive diagnosis is generally made by culturing sputum or urine samples, depending upon where the infection is, and growing them in special culture mediums. In a severely ill person, treatment with antibiotics may need to be started before a firm diagnosis is made and before it is known whether the antibiotics being used are in fact going to affect this type of bacteria. Complementary medical treatment may be of benefit in less seriously ill people whilst they await the sensitivity reports so that accurate antibiotic treatment may be given.

Some treatment recommendations that may be of value:

• If tuberculosis is diagnosed, do not rush into drug treatment unless symptoms are causing marked problems. Instead consult a complementary medical practitioner with experience in this field. Self-treatment may not necessarily be the best.
• To be successful against tuberculosis, antibiotic treatment must usually be taken every day for between nine months and one year after initial diagnosis. Researchers have, however, documented numerous cases in which people discontinue treatment after the symptoms are gone but before the infection itself is under control. To prevent drug resistance stick to and complete the treatment regime.
• Ensure that a change in lifestyle is made to eliminate all factors that may be reducing immunity, especially bad habits such as smoking and excess alcohol. Any drug abuse will reduce the body's immune response.
• Prevention is generally the best form of treatment so ensure that your health is at an optimum level before visiting areas where tuberculosis is endemic.
• Use an oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® on a daily basis. Cellfood® contains 78 minerals/trace minerals, 34 digestive and metabolic enzymes and 17 amino acids and is claimed to aid in the generation of oxygen which is crucial for normal cell function and survival, and could be useful for a TB patient because it increases oxygen saturation in the bloodstream (Nolte, 2002). The selenium in Cellfood® protects against free radicals, and with zinc and the amino acid L-Serine, amongst others, promote a healthy immune system. The digestive and metabolic enzymes help control inflammation, digest essential nutrients, and improve absorption. The multiminerals with boron, calcium, magnesium and silica in Cellfood® are needed for strength and healing whereas the amino acids L-Cystine and L-Methionine protect the lungs and liver by detoxifying harmful toxins.

Miliary tuberculosis spreads through the blood and can thus infect any tissue or organ. Widespread symptoms may occur and the above treatment recommendations should be considered bearing in mind that this condition is far more aggressive and likely to have a poorer prognosis.

 

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and multiple tender points. ‘Tender points’ refer to tenderness that occurs in precise, localized areas, particularly in the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips.

• FM primarily occurs in women of childbearing age, but the elderly, men and children can also be affected.
• Many children diagnosed with fibromyalgia, often start with flu-like symptoms and then become chronic, with sleep disturbance a major feature. Some children also display Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) symptoms, fatigue, school and behavior problems and commonly a tendency to allergies. Some experts also find that such children frequently have very loose (hypermobile) joints.

What causes fibromyalgia?

Although the cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, researchers have several theories about causes or triggers of the disorder.

• Some believe that the syndrome may be caused by an injury or trauma/shock (physical or emotional). This injury may affect the central nervous system.
• Fibromyalgia may also be associated with changes in muscle metabolism, such as decreased blood flow, causing fatigue and decreased strength.
• Others believe the syndrome may be triggered by an infectious agent such as a virus in susceptible people, but no such agent has been identified.
• The myriad of symptoms certainly favors a central origin. No peripheral inflammatory or metabolic disorder has ever been defined as causal, but many patients do have arthritic or neuritic illnesses, which augment their centrally impaired pain-processing abilities.
• Twenty to 40% of patients with connective tissue disorders, especially Lupus and Sjögren's syndrome, have concomitant fibromyalgia.

How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?

Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms mimic those of other disorders.

• The physician reviews the patient's medical history and makes a diagnosis of fibromyalgia based on a history of chronic widespread pain that persists for more than 3 months.
• The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has developed criteria for fibromyalgia that physicians can use in diagnosing the disorder. According to ACR criteria, a person is considered to have fibromyalgia if he or she has widespread pain in combination with tenderness in at least 11 of 18 specific tender point sites.
• Pain is considered widespread when all of the following are present: pain in the left side of the body, pain in the right side of the body, pain above the waist and pain below the waist. In addition there should be pain in the spine or the neck or front of the chest, or thoracic spine or lower back.

How is fibromyalgia treated?

Treatment of fibromyalgia requires a comprehensive approach. The physician, physical therapist, and patient may all play an active role in the management of fibromyalgia.

• Studies have shown that aerobic exercise, such as swimming and walking, improve muscle fitness and reduce muscle pain and tenderness. Heat and massage may also give short-term relief.
•  Antidepressant medications may help elevate mood, improve quality of sleep, and relax muscles. Sleep is a key feature of this condition and restoration of normal sleep is vital in recovery.
• Patients with fibromyalgia may benefit from a combination of exercise, medication, physical therapy, and relaxation.
• Many patients also have success using nutritional supplements.

Cellfood®

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, the ferritin levels by 31% and decreased lactic acid accumulation by 15%.

• These findings can also be of benefit to the FM patient struggling with high lactic acid values being the result of a mainly anaerobic metabolism. Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body.
• Cellfood® is also a powerful antioxidant, boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict free radical damage in these patients.
• It provides essential nutrients directly at cellular level.
• An unpublished study on fibromyalgia patients using Cellfood® confirmed that the patients experienced a relief in pain and some had improved sleeping patterns.

Source: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

 

By Todd Ovokaitys MD

Introduction

In this era of an increasingly enlightened public about the health benefits of nutritional supplements, there is a new area perhaps more overlooked than any other. This central area of health and nutrition is the ingestion of dietary nucleic acid bases - the essential building blocks of DNA and RNA.

The main reason these highly important nutrients have been neglected is that the body is able to manufacture nucleic acid bases from amino acids and other basic nutrients. In general, if the body can make a substance from other nutrients that substance is not considered to be essential. However, under certain conditions, the body is not able to make enough DNA and RNA bases to support the needs of the body’s tissues and organs, equating to a drastic reduction in the potential for good health.

Numerous studies in animals and humans show dramatic benefits in health, function, and survival with the supplementation of nucleic acid elements. These effects are so powerful that survival in life threatening assaults, ranging from radiation to infection to shock, has been markedly increased. From the standpoint of longevity studies, no single method has increased longevity more than supplementing DNA and RNA elements.

Metabolism of DNA and RNA (Cosgrove, 1998)

Five nucleic acid bases make up the information code of life. Both DNA and RNA share three of the bases - adenine, guanine, and cytosine. In DNA, the fourth base is thymine, whereas in RNA it is uracil. In DNA, each base combines with a five-carbon sugar called deoxyribose, hence the term DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. In RNA, each base combines with the five-carbon sugar ribose, thus RNA stands for ribonucleic acid. 

The information code in DNA in the cell nucleus is transcribed to RNA, which is then translated to all the enzymes and proteins made in the body. The DNA to RNA to protein translation mechanism makes possible the vast diversity of life on earth.

When DNA and RNA are ingested intact, they are intensely metabolized by intestinal bacteria and the intestinal lining. Over 95% of the pyrimidines bases cytosine, thymine, and uracil are degraded by the intestinal lining before reaching the blood stream. Only about 3% of the pyrimidines make it to the liver for further use in the body. The fate of the purine bases adenine and guanine is even more extreme. Over 99% of the purines are broken down to uric acid before being absorbed into the bloodstream.  Therefore only a tiny fraction of ingested DNA or RNA becomes available for the numerous functions required of them throughout all the cells of the body.

In addition to ingested DNA and RNA elements, the body can make DNA and RNA bases from simpler nutrients in the diet. In particular, the amino acids glycine, glutamine, serine, and aspartic acid, along with vitamin cofactors are used to make DNA and RNA bases from scratch.

In order to make nucleic acids from simpler substances requires having all of the precursors and cofactors in adequate amounts at the time of production. In addition, it requires having sufficient amounts of numerous enzymes in the correct proportions and locations in the cell.

Recent evidence indicates that the body is often not able to make enough DNA and RNA to protect, repair, and regenerate cells to their optimum function. This is especially true for cells that have high turnover rates such as the intestinal lining that may fully replace itself every week. The demand for production may particularly exceed synthetic capacity under conditions of stress in which the demand for greater cell activity and function becomes acute, particularly for the dynamic populations of cells in the immune system.

When demand exceeds production capacity, DNA and RNA base components become essential nutrients for protecting and preserving health. Numerous lines of evidence will be presented to show the far reaching health benefits of supplementing DNA and RNA during health stresses and even for general well being and longevity (Mathers, 2006).

Advantages of an Oral Spray Delivery System

Providing the nucleic acid base components in this form can increase their absorption into the bloodstream highly significantly. Instead of only 1-3% delivery to the blood stream for systemic use, the oral spray may effectively deliver 90% or more of the nucleic acids ingested to cells and tissues throughout the body.

It is very important to make the distinction between chains of DNA and the individual bases of DNA.  Intact DNA strands are long chains of individual bases strung together into a double helix that may have over 10 million bases linked together into a single enormous molecule. Intact DNA strands provide a linear code for the production of proteins and enzymes. Therefore intact strands of DNA bases are information containing and have a small but real potential for influencing DNA information in the cell nucleus. Long chains of DNA require extensive digestion to extract individual bases, resulting in poor absorption and only a small fraction of the bases being available for the body to use.

In contrast, the individual bases of DNA do not give sequence information. They are simply building blocks, much as the letters of the alphabet are the building blocks for words. Their small molecular size makes them highly and rapidly absorbable, greatly increasing their ability to be assimilated and used in cells and tissues throughout the entire body. They are nutritional and not informational. They are very safe and help the body repair and rebuild the DNA and RNA needed for health and cell regeneration.

Research studies with supplemental DNA and RNA (Carver and Walker, 1995)

Numerous published scientific studies indicate very significant health benefits from DNA and RNA component supplementation (Slobodianik, 2003). Almost every system of the body has documentation of improved health, vitality, or function from providing supplements of these fundamentally important cellular elements, from infancy to advanced age. The following is a brief summary from the vast literature supporting the many published benefits of the supplemental nucleic acids and related metabolic systems.

3A. Infections

Staph aureus is one of the most aggressive bacterial infections faced in medical treatment. It tends to cause deep-seated abscess forming infections, often associated with extensive tissue destruction, high fever, and resistance to treatment. Surgical drainage is often required to clear pockets of infection. Without surgery, antibiotics alone are often ineffective at eradicating this invasive pathogen. Epidemics of Staph aureus resistant to all antibiotics have become a devastating problem in hospitals and treatment centers around the world.

A study in mice was performed to assess the ability of supplemental nucleic acid components to modify the course of virulent Staph aureus infection. The control animals that received no additional RNA or DNA elements showed a raging 71% mortality. In contrast, the animals that were supplemented with nucleic acid bases by injection showed vastly reduced mortality to 21% (Odens, 1970).

Candida is a form of yeast that frequently causes infections in humans. If Candida gets into the human bloodstream and persists, medical complications and mortality tend to be very significant. In experimental blood borne Candida infections in mice, the nucleic acid supplemented animals had a much higher survival rate than the untreated control animals.   

These experiments suggest that supplemental DNA and RNA bases given in a form with absorption comparable to injection may strengthen the body to combat serious infections. This is likely to occur through improved immune function, although factors related to generally strengthening the vitality of tissues may also be a factor.

The very high absorbability individual nucleic acid bases by oral spray may support the immune system and general tissue vitality with a high degree of potency. Such supplemental support can help provide an added measure of resilience to sustain health or recover from infection.

3B. Cancer

A study in mice assessed whether RNA supplementation improved survival from an aggressive cancer (Rigby, 1971). The animals received a tumor vaccine and then transplants of a tumor cell line. The animals that only received the tumor vaccine all died within three weeks. In sharp contrast, the animals that received injections of RNA after the tumor vaccine had a 40% long-term survival. Thus the support of an anti-tumor program with only supplemental RNA provided a dramatic improvement in survival and outcome.

3C. Radiation injury

Ionizing radiation causes intense free radical generation and molecular fragmentation; the greater the intensity and dose, the greater the harm that occurs to all exposed tissues. The greatest harm tends to occur to cells that are dividing the most rapidly. Radiation is often used for cancer treatment because the tumor cells are more sensitive to radiation than the more slowly dividing normal cells; however, all the cells in the beam path sustain dose related injury.

In a study in mice to determine the protective effects of nucleic acid supplementation, all the animals were exposed to a very high dose of radiation. The survival rate in the control animals was extremely low at 5%. In contrast, the animals that received nucleic acid injections had vastly improved survival – ten times higher at 50%.

This suggests a generally strongly protective effect of nucleic acid supplements for all forms of ionizing radiation exposure, whether therapeutic or accidental. Even persons who use airline travel regularly may benefit from protecting their cells from the relatively higher exposure that tends to occur at altitude.

3D. Tissue regeneration (Cosgrove, 1998)

In order to sustain health, virtually every tissue in the body must regenerate itself regularly. It is now known for example that even neurons in the brain have the capacity to regenerate. Having adequate supplies of all the nucleic acid bases may be one of the most significant limiting factors on whether a tissue will be able to express its greatest capacity for regeneration and self repair.

A study in rats looked at the ability of the liver to regenerate depending on whether or not injections of nucleic acid bases were given. In this study, the rats had 70% of their livers surgically removed. The animals that received IV nucleic acids showed liver regeneration rates that were significantly greater than the untreated control animals.

Any tissue, in order to regenerate, requires the ability to make DNA and RNA to support the process of making new cells. Providing readily absorbed and assimilated DNA and RNA bases can be one of the most powerful ways to assist any tissue to repair and renew itself.

3E. Wound healing

A wound, surgical or otherwise, results in severing the usual integrity of tissue organization. It is a special case of tissue regeneration in which cells migrate into the area of the wound to either regenerate new tissue or to fill the defect with scar tissue. The type of healing depends on the tissue – the liver will tend to restore normal liver cells in the wound, whereas the skin will tend to fill the breach with scar to heal the opening and restore strength.

Several studies in wound healing have assessed the effects of supplemental nucleic acids on wound healing, especially of surgical wounds. Compared to the control group, those receiving the supplements showed more rapid healing, greater tensile strength of the skin, and significantly reduced scarring.

3F. Endocrine gland repair

Some of the tiniest organs in the body have the most profound effects on our health and well-being. These are the endocrine glands that secrete minute amounts of hormones into the blood without which every function of the body can suffer.

The tissues that are most susceptible to reduced function from nucleotide deficiency have been found to extract high proportions of nucleic acids from blood. These studies have examined the relative amounts of nucleic acid bases a tissue will incorporate if the nucleic acids are given through the GI tract versus being given intravenously.

The incorporation level of the administered nucleic acid bases is measured by giving nucleic acids that have been labeled with a radioactive marker. The amount of radioactivity measured in a tissue when it is given through GI absorption versus IV delivery then gives the assimilation ratio of the two routes of administration. Highly metabolically active tissues that are the most sensitive to stress-induced nucleic acid deficiency are those that have the highest IV: GI assimilation ratios.

In animal studies, the highest IV: GI assimilation ratios were found in the vitally important pituitary, thymus, thymus, salivary, and adrenal glands. The measured ratios ranged from 29-59:1 for IV delivery versus GI absorption. Other dynamic tissues that showed similarly high ratios were the intestinal lining and the lymphoid tissue of the immune system.

The pituitary gland located at the base of the skull has been called the “master gland” because it makes hormones that control the functions of other endocrine glands. It secretes hormones that regulate the thyroid and adrenal glands, the ovaries and testes, and the production of breast milk. The posterior region of the gland exerts control over the kidneys to adjust fluid balances throughout the body. Perhaps most important for longevity, the pituitary also makes growth hormone, that has been shown to have some of the most powerful age-reversing effects of any hormone ever studied. Inadequate nutritional support to this gland can have devastating and far-reaching effects throughout the body.
 
The adrenal glands, situated atop the kidneys, secrete adrenaline and noradrenaline, the fight or flight hormones. These powerful hormones increase heart rate and blood flow to muscle so that the body is immediately prepared for vigorous physical activity. In our ancestral past, this rapid preparation was a key to surviving in a hostile environment. However, modern living often puts a chronic stress on the adrenal glands, the myriad stimuli that surround us tending to keep the fight or flight mechanism constantly activated. The result is often varying degrees of adrenal burnout, exhausting the reserves of the gland to make the fight or flight hormones when really needed. Burned out adrenals give rise to a chronic low energy state, fatigue, and poor stress tolerance, like depleted batteries that fail to get recharged. These glands are especially prone to nucleotide deficiency under chronic stress, a condition that supplemental nucleic acids can help to restore, much as giving a long needed recharge to a nearly totally drained battery.

The thymus gland, residing behind the breastbone, is often considered the organ of rejuvenation and longevity. It is the gland in which the T cells of the immune system are formed and given identity.  Upon release it is the T cells in particular that help find and destroy cancer cells and cells that have become afflicted with viruses. The thymus gland tends to shrink with time, yet specific supplementation has been found to bring this vital organ back to more youthful function. In particular, providing nucleic acid bases for this gland with very dynamic cell turnover can significantly rejuvenate this gland and its life preserving activities.

The thyroid gland, at the base of the neck in front of the windpipe, produces thyroid hormones, the main control mechanism for setting basal metabolic rate. In some circles it is believed that we are in the midst of an epidemic of undetected deficiency of thyroid function. Tests of thyroid function may not show overt clinical disease, but low-level deficiency can significantly reduce quality of life. Effects are subtle and can include generally low energy, sluggish bowel function, lack of initiative, tendency to depressed mood, and weight gain with great difficulty losing the added pounds. Dietary iodine and the amino acid tyrosine are important building blocks to make thyroid hormone naturally from the gland. In addition, correcting insufficient nucleic acid production under stress will also support recovery of a sluggish gland.

The salivary glands reside in several pockets in the mouth. Although not as essential as the other glands to sustain life, they provide a vital role in the first stages of preparing food for complete digestion. These metabolically active glands also require a rich supply of nucleic acids to maintain adequate salivary flow.

Supplemental nucleic acids can thus be a very powerful tonic to sustain and boost the functions of the most vital glands in the body. These glands set our level of energy, our ability to respond to stress, our capacity to maintain strong immune defenses, the hydration of our bodies, and a wide range of hormone balances essential to a high quality of life. 

3G. Intestinal integrity, maturation, and bowel flora (Cosgrove, 1998)

The intestinal lining replaces all of its cells every seven days. Only a single layer thick, this lining is highly dependent on a sufficient supply of nucleic acids to completely regenerate itself every week. If nutritional support is inadequate, defective regeneration of the intestinal mucosal lining impairs the enzymatic stages of digestion, which can lead to a vicious cycle of deteriorating digestion and nutritional status.

In a study in young rats with chronic diarrhea, the effects of nucleic acid supplementation was tested. In the untreated animals the intestinal villi, finger-like absorptive projections, showed a dramatic reduction in height, like a forest that had been chopped down to stumps. The intestinal lining cells showed a drastic reduction of digestive enzymes, the essential final step of digestion that breaks nutrients down to the building block levels that the body can use. These animals were clearly failing to thrive. Upon administration of supplemental nucleic acids, the appearance of the intestinal lining greatly improved, with regeneration of the height of the absorptive intestinal villi. In addition, the enzyme content and function of the intestinal lining also greatly improved, permitting the animals to recover and thrive robustly (Uauy et al., 1990).

Human infants also require dietary nucleotides for optimum health, development, and well-being. Human breast milk has a significantly higher content of certain nucleic acid bases than does cows milk. Infants fed formula milk instead of breast milk have been found to have pathological intestinal bacteria that greatly increase their risk of outbreaks of diarrhea; especially in developing countries, such outbreaks can be life threatening (Schaller et al., 2007).

Studies have shown that if formula milk is supplemented with a nucleic acid profile similar to that in breast milk, infants thus fed have a much healthier profile of intestinal bacteria, typical of infants that have actually been breast fed. In the nucleic acid supplemented infants, the incidence and severity of diarrhea is reduced significantly to the level seen in breast fed infants. One of the most vital components of breast milk that confers its health and developmental advantages over formula milk thus appears to be its higher content of nucleic acids, making a strong case for such supplementing of all formula milk (Aggett et al., 2003; Santora and Kozar, 2009).

3H. HDL cholesterol levels (Cosgrove, 1998)

An additional finding in infants who received nucleic acid supplementation was an improvement in their blood lipid profiles. In particular, the infants receiving added nucleic acids were found to have higher HDL cholesterol levels, the cholesterol fraction that protects against cardiovascular disease the higher the level. It is possible that establishing higher HDL levels early in life may confer an ongoing tendency to cardiac protection.

3I. Growth and development

Studies in young laboratory animals have assessed the effects of supplementing DNA and RNA elements. Compared to control animals, the supplemented animals grew, developed, and increased muscle mass at a greater rate. Other vital proteins were also built more readily in the treated animals. The intestinal lining in particular matured more robustly in the supplemented animals. Research thus far indicates that the tremendous need for nucleic acids in growth and development is strongly beneficially supported through supplementing these vital nutritional elements (Mathers, 2006).

3J. Cellular immunity

Cellular immunity refers in particular to immune cells that have the role of identifying cells in the body that have become abnormal, so that the abnormal cells can be removed. The main cellular changes sought through the cellular immune system are the development of cancer cells or various types of intracellular infection. The goal of the cellular immune system is to eliminate cancer cells or infected cells before they can become established in the body to cause serious illness.

The main effectors of cellular immunity are cells that arise in the thymus gland. These cells are often called T cells for their thymic derivation, of which there are several types with varying functions. A special type of T cell called a cytotoxic T cell has the role of finding and sticking to abnormal cells, then releasing substances that selectively digest and clear the renegade cells.

Whereas cytotoxic T cells are generally active in seeking and clearing a wide range of abnormal cells, natural killer cells have a more targeted mission: seeking and destroying any cell that has become a cancer cell. The integrity of cellular immune function, most especially natural killer cell function, is the first line of defense of preventing tumor cells from establishing a stronghold in the body. Many studies have correlated reductions of cellular immune and natural killer cell function with increasing risks of developing cancer; some scientists feel that cancer is primarily a problem of inadequate cellular immunity.

Cytotoxic T cells, natural killer cells, and other types of T cells are also known as lymphocytes. These cells are a major component of the body’s lymphoid tissues that protect us from infections and cancers of many types. In addition to the T cells of several types there are also B cell lymphocytes whose role is the production of antibodies. Unlike T cells that act directly cell-to-cell, antibodies are released into the bloodstream to hunt down specific infectious, toxic, or tumor cell molecules. Lymphoid tissues that coordinate the functions of the immune system include the spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes, Peyer’s patches widespread throughout the intestines, regions of the bone marrow, and most importantly the thymus gland.

The lymphoid tissue and especially cellular immunity has been found to be highly vulnerable to nucleic acid depletion under conditions of stress. In other words, at the time of greatest need for protection, inadequate supplies of DNA and RNA bases can weaken the ability of the body to respond to the threat. An insult or tumor or infection the body might otherwise easily handle can escape control if the lymphoid does not have adequate nutrition to respond.

Numerous studies in animals and humans have shown that supplementing nucleic acid elements has profoundly beneficial effects on boosting the function of lymphoid tissue. In part, the reason for this is that lymphoid tissue is highly dynamic such that cells that have become sensitized to microbial invaders or cancer cells need to divide rapidly to make an army of specifically targeted cells to eliminate the invader.  A rich supply of nucleic acids, often beyond that the body can readily make, may be required for all the activities required for expanding the cells that prevent a minor invasion from becoming an overwhelming infection or uncontrolled malignancy.

Published studies have particularly demonstrated that cellular immunity is significantly strengthened with nucleic acid supplementation. Research that has examined natural killer cell function has shown especially dramatic effects on increasing the activity and function of these tumor surveillance and elimination cells. Improved health of body tissues in general and enhanced cellular immunity in particular, likely accounts for the vastly improved outcomes observed in the face of a wide range of minor to life threatening insults. The most well-defined models that demonstrate the influence of nucleotides on immune function are those evaluating the host response against allografts. Preformed nucleotides are postulated to be required for optimal T cell proliferation and responsiveness to antigens. Functional in vivo studies evaluating lymphocytes have shown decreased lymphocyte proliferation in response to mitogens and decreased IL-2 production, which is restored with RNA and uracil supplementation. These findings translated into improved cardiac allograft survival in animals fed a nucleotide-free diet.

Overall, these studies suggest that dietary nucleotides are substrates needed for optimal T cell maturation, which influences T cell effector functions. Nucleotide supplementation is also thought to augment the nonspecific host response to infection by altering the intestinal microflora environment, which is best demonstrated by reduced infections in infants receiving nucleotide supplemented formulas. In these instances, nucleotides are thought to act as prebiotics, facilitating the proliferation of beneficial flora. Finally, nucleotides are also thought to maintain the integrity of gut mucosal barrier function. Nucleotide supplementation mitigates the effects of endotoxin-induced mucosal damage. This mechanism leads to reduced bacterial translocation in LPS-induced sepsis models.

3K. Memory enhancement (Liu et al., 2009)

It is not generally well recognized that forming long-term memories requires significant quantities of nucleic acids. Especially the availability of an adequate pool of RNA is needed to manufacture new proteins that are essential to memory function. Although other support nutrients are an important factor, optimum memory function is not possible without a rich supply of nucleic acids.

Many studies in animals and humans have found a dramatic improvement in memory function with nucleic acid supplementation. Whether it is the ability to remember the right pathway to get through a maze for a prize of cheese, or to remember facts and figures, giving supplements of DNA and RNA elements has highly significantly increased performance.

Perhaps most dramatically, one researcher has focused on giving nucleic acids to persons with dementia. Even with advanced cases, if he went to high enough delivery levels to his patients, in almost every case memory improvement was very significant. The doctor reported that even in advanced cases of dementia dramatic memory recovery occurred if high enough levels of nucleic acids were given.

3L. Longevity (Bowles, 1998)

It is perhaps functional nucleic acid deficiency that limits our potential for healthy longevity more than any other single factor. Of all the interventions that have ever been attempted to increase the life span of mammals, no method ever studied has been more powerful for mammalian life extension than nucleic acid supplementation. Compared to other techniques that have increased longevity of experimental animals up to 50%, administering nucleic acids has doubled and even tripled the usual maximum life span.

In a landmark study, a strain of rats was used that had a usual life span of 800-900 days. The study began with all of the animals at day 750, rather advanced in age at the entry of the test protocol. Half of the animals were used as controls and received their standard diet, housing, and care. The treatment group animals were given identical conditions with the exception of receiving weekly injections of DNA and RNA (Savaiano et al., 1981; Selhub et al., 1995).

After eight weeks the control rats looked much worse than at the start of the study, losing fur and muscle mass, and showing reduced physical activity. In sharp contrast, at this time in the study, the treated animals actually looked and behaved like younger animals. They regrew fur and increased their muscle mass, had renewed libido, and were significantly more active.

By day 150 of the study, all of the untreated control animals had died.  In dramatic contrast, the minimum additional life span in the treated animals was 850 days, minimally doubling the usual life span of the animals. Perhaps most noteworthy, the longest lived animal in the treatment group survived 1500 days from the start of the study. 

This is the greatest life extension ever reported for a mammal; nearly triple the usual maximum life span. It is especially remarkable because the animals were of advanced age at the start of the study. Weekly injections of DNA effectively increased the remaining life spans of the animals by 500-900%.

It is as yet unknown whether even greater degrees of life extension could be achieved by beginning nucleic acid supplementation at an even earlier age, before any organ deterioration had occurred. It is likely that the longevity achieved would be at least as great or greater.

It is important to note that the doubling and tripling of the animal’s life span resulted from an ongoing program of nucleic acid delivery. This suggests that optimum longevity effects from DNA and RNA component supplementation requires continuous delivery of nucleic acid bases; this assures that the major glands and tissues of the body always have the elements needed for peak rejuvenation and repair (Mathers, 2006).

4. Laser enhancement technology

As a byproduct of research into the development of novel laser technologies for treating major diseases, a new form of laser energy was created. This new form of laser energy is so powerful it can be used to reshape molecules into a form that the body can use more efficiently, thus delivering greater bioavailability.

In essence, a typically manufactured nutritional supplement is subjected to chemical extraction, purification, and drying steps. All of these processes can cause numerous random distortions of nutrient shape. Enzymes of the body are highly shape sensitive for the molecules they will accept or reject. When the body receives a nutrient in a wide range of random shapes, some will fit and many others will not. The nutrients that don’t fit will either be excreted or broken down to relatively useless compounds. 

The breakthrough embodied in the laser reshaping technology is the ability to produce ultra short pulses in resonance with the natural frequency of the nutrients. The natural frequency of any structure is the frequency it will naturally tend to vibrate at when stimulated. If impulses are provided at the natural frequency even tiny amounts of energy given in each cycle build up to very large amounts of energy in the structure, in a patented process known as photoacoustic resonance, or PAR.

The basic analogy is kicking your legs to propel a swing. If you kick your legs at just the right time in the swing, the swing will go higher and higher. If you kick your legs randomly the swing will jiggle around at its lowest point, gathering no momentum. Normal laser action is like kicking your legs continuously. The impulses are out of phase with the natural frequency and the swing is not moved other than random small movements. In contrast, the laser impulses generated through PAR technology provides impulses at the right phase of the molecular vibration to build the energy in the molecule, to up to several times the baseline energy in the molecule.

The net effect of resonant laser stimulation is to create small flat stretched molecules that most importantly are consistent in shape from molecule to molecule. Homogenizing the shape of the molecules greatly reduces the enzyme energy needed to bind the next molecule, which can greatly increase the efficiency of nutrient utilization. This allows the cells to make much more of the desired products from the same quantity of ingested nutrients.

Using this laser molecular resonance technology, crystals of important nutrients have been made that show the predicted effects. Crystals prepared without the laser show numerous defects in crystal formation, indicating the diversity of shapes. In contrast, laser treated crystals are perfectly formed and free of defects, attesting to consistency of form.

Using X-ray crystallography, the predicted effects of flattening and stretching molecular bonds has been observed. X-ray crystallography is the scientific gold standard for determining the explicit three-dimensional shape of molecules and can place the location of each atom in the molecule to tiny fractions of Angstroms (1 Angstrom = one ten billionth of a meter). X-ray crystallography has also shown tremendous homogenization of molecular shape in an important nutrient known to have a wide variety of shapes after the usual manufacturing processes.

At the level of the test tube, cells fed equal amounts of ordinary versus laser treated nutrients have been tested. Milligram for milligram, cells fed the laser treated nutrients have produced statistically significantly more of the biologically desirable internal products.

Several amino acid effects in particular have been shown to be enhanced in vitro or clinically through laser treatment. Laser treatment of nutrients can thus work to create the most potently absorbed and utilized nutrition ever offered. 

5. Benefits of ATP (Agteresch et al., 1999)

ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate, perhaps the most important of all the nucleic acid derivatives in the body. Its effects are so powerful and essential to cellular function, a description of its unique properties warrants special attention. 

ATP is the fundamental currency of every cell in the body. Virtually every activity in the body that requires energy uses ATP as the source of power. Whether the function is building complex molecules from building blocks, maintaining the electric potential of cell membranes, or allowing muscle fibers to contract for mobility, speed, and strength, it is ATP that provides the electrochemical fuel.

5A. Cellular energy

There are two fundamental ways ATP is generated in the body, one very efficient and one very wasteful. Efficient ATP production occurs through aerobic metabolism in the mitochondria, tiny organs or organelles within the cell that burn fuels like fat and glucose to generate ATP. Aerobic means that oxygen is used to completely “burn” a fuel for maximum ATP production. For example, the complete combustion of a single glucose molecule to carbon dioxide and water yields a rich harvest of 36 molecules of ATP. 

Inefficient ATP production occurs through anaerobic metabolism. Anaerobic means without oxygen, so very little energy and ATP are extracted from fuels. When glucose is broken down through anaerobic metabolism, each molecule of glucose only gives rise to 2 molecules of ATP, wasting 95% of the potential glucose energy. Further, the byproduct of this reaction is two molecules of lactic acid, which makes the cells more acidic and less functional. In athletes, lactic acid accumulation causes muscle fatigue and the “burn”, whereas in cancer cells lactic acidosis is a recognized metabolic disturbance that contributes to diminished cellular function

5B. Neurological effects

ATP is the primary fuel that drives learning, memory, and concentration functions. ATP is essential to maintain the membrane potentials that permit nerves to integrate and transmit signals throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems.

In addition, giving ATP or its breakdown product adenosine intravenously has shown pain relief comparable to injected morphine for pain due to ischemia (impaired blood flow). Two surgical studies have shown a 25% reduction in the need for postoperative narcotic pain relievers when adenosine was given IV. 

Perhaps most remarkable, peripheral neuropathic pain is one of the most difficult pain syndromes to manage. Excruciating constant pain may resist all but the most drastic measures. IV adenosine for 45-60 minutes reduced neuropathic pain for 6 hours to 4 days in 86% of persons tested.

5C. Cardiac strengthening

The cyclic contraction of cardiac muscle is highly ATP intensive and thrives on aerobic metabolism. The ATP delivery effects of ATP in an oral spray provide the heart with an enhanced energy supply for efficient function.

Providing intravenous ATP has been shown to slow conduction through the AV node, which has been used to slow down certain excessively fast heart rate called tachycardias. Occasionally chest symptoms can occur with rapid intravenous infusions of ATP that resolve within seconds after stopping the infusion. ATP is not known to cause excessively slow heart rates in persons whose heart rates are normal. 

5D. Muscle performance

Skeletal muscle also requires abundant quantities of ATP for muscular contraction. Supplemental ATP has been described as an “explosive performance enhancer.” Especially if given with two other nutrient supporters of muscle function, creatine monohydrate and creatine pyruvate, muscle endurance, performance, and recovery can be significantly boosted.

5E. Lung function

ATP administration has been shown to have numerous beneficial effects on lung function, particularly the delicate lining membranes of the airways and alveoli. In the lung, branching tubes called bronchi and then bronchioles deliver air to and from the tiny air sacs called alveoli. The alveoli form a large membrane only a single cell in thickness through which capillary blood can pick up a new supply of oxygen and unload carbon dioxide with every breath.

In vitro, or test tube level research, has shown that ATP increases secretion of surfactant in the alveoli. Surfactant is an essential substance that keeps the alveoli from collapsing when the breath is exhaled, preserving integrity of functional gas exchange.

The bronchial tubes are lined with tiny brush like structures called cilia that are constantly sweeping particulates that get into the lung upward and outward. ATP not only increases the ciliary beat frequency, it also increases the secretion of mucus and water from the bronchial lining, to help keep the lungs clear at all times.

In some conditions, the blood pressure in the vessels in the lungs can raise too high, a condition known as pulmonary hypertension. When given intravenously, ATP binds to the lining of the pulmonary vessels and stimulates a cascade of events that cause the blood vessels to relax and lower the pressure.

Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common inherited genetic diseases. Impaired water and electrolyte secretion from the bronchial lining results in thick secretions that block the bronchial tubes and result in recurring infections. ATP has been found to increase electrolyte and water secretion with improved clearance of secretions, offering hope of a new and useful intervention in this often aggressively progressive condition.

5F. Cellular immune enhancement

Natural killer cells and cytotoxic T cells as reviewed are subtypes of effector lymphocytes that have a vital role in immune defense against tumors and virus-infected cells. Recent research suggests that ATP may play an important role in the mechanism through which these effector cells eliminate the target abnormal cells. In test tube studies, ATP has been shown to enhance the ability of cytotoxic lymphocytes to rupture the membranes of tumor cells.

5G. Anti-tumor effects

In test tube studies, adding ATP has shown the ability to inhibit the growth of several types of human cancer cell lines. The types of cancer cells inhibited include pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, melanoma, androgen-independent prostate cancer (i.e., not responsive to male hormone manipulation, the most aggressive variant), breast cancer, myeloid and monocytic leukemia (bone marrow derived tumors of blood forming cells), and multi-drug resistant colon cancer. In contrast, normal cells from these tissues showed less inhibition of growth or no inhibition at all, suggesting that increasing ATP outside cells may have a selective inhibitory effect on several cancer cell lines.

Mice injected with the untreated leukemia cell line L1210 died of leukemia within 18 days. In contrast, if the leukemic cells were treated with ATP before injection, 85% of the recipient mice survived for more than 70 days, a highly significant increase in survival.

In mice and rats, injections of ATP into the abdominal cavity have significantly slowed the growth of several different types of tumor cell lines, including colon cancer, lymphomas, and breast cancer. ATP administration resulted in significantly prolonged survival in the treated animals.

Administering ATP may also enhance the effectiveness of cancer chemotherapeutic agents, increasing the anti-tumor effect of a given dose, or greatly reducing the dose required for a therapeutic effect. In particular, decreasing the dose of the treatment agents can dramatically reduce the toxicity of these anti-tumor drugs.

For example adding ATP to the drug doxorubicin to cultures of human ovarian cancer cells doubled the tumor cells eliminated compared to using doxorubicin alone. When ATP was given, 30-50% more doxorubicin accumulated in the cancer cells, whereas giving ATP to healthy human cells did not increase the accumulation of the drug. 

In mouse melanoma cell lines, ATP increased the entry of several chemotherapeutic agents. The anti-tumor effects of these agents were additively increased with ATP treatment. Even more remarkable was the synergistic anti-tumor effect seen with the drug vincristine; the effective therapeutic dose of this agent was reduced to one-tenth to one-fiftieth of the dose usually required.

In mice with melanoma addition of the ATP derivative adenosine to the treatment program significantly increased the tumor elimination. In addition, a protective effect was seen on the healthy bone marrow, preventing the usual decrease in white blood cells due to treatment.

Beyond growth inhibition, ATP may cause some types of tumor cells to burst. In human acute myeloid leukemia, a dose-dependent rupture of the cancer cells was seen using ATP.

In a randomized human clinical study, intravenous ATP was given to patients with advanced lung cancer at 2-4 week intervals. Whereas the control patients lost 2 pounds per month, the treated patients had stable to slightly increased weight. Over the six months of the study, the control patients lost one third of their muscular strength, while the ATP treated patients lost no strength. Although some medications may maintain weight in cancer patients, this is usually due to fat gain while muscle is lost. Intravenous ATP is the first intervention ever studied that appears to be able to maintain muscle mass, body weight, and muscle function in advanced cancer patients.

Thus ATP may be broadly beneficial in supporting anti-tumor cell biology. ATP enhances cellular immune function, inhibits the growth of several types of tumors, and in some cases may be able to cause direct elimination of tumor cells. In addition, ATP protects from radiation injury and may preserve weight and muscle strength. Further study will be needed to assess the full range of benefits it may provide. Given its high safety profile, ATP use may be one of the most beneficial adjuncts developed for supportive care, enhancing the results of conventional treatments.

5H. Improved human survival of shock

Under conditions of metabolic stress, such as depriving a tissue of oxygen through reduced blood supply, a rapid and massive depletion of ATP within cells occurs. Giving ATP or its metabolite adenosine has been described as a “natural defense system” to protect the tissues from the effects of severe oxygen deprivation. These protective effects include improved function of energy generating mitochondria, better electrolyte transport, increased ATP within cells, reduced oxygen consumption, and improved function of messenger molecules within the cells.

Shock is a condition in which there is a generalized reduction of blood flow and oxygenation to tissues below that required for their function. If shock is sustained, organ failure or death may occur. Once shock is reversed, supportive measures to assist tissue recovery can significantly affect quality of outcome.

In a study of 32 patients with acute kidney failure or multiple organ failure due to shock, highly beneficial effects of intravenous ATP were observed. The patients were randomly divided into the treatment group that received intravenous ATP or the control group that did not. The survival rate of 73% in the control group was increased to 100% survival in the ATP treatment group, showing the powerful tissue restorative effect of this intervention.

5I. Sexual function

In human tissue studies, the administration of ATP and adenosine has been found to induce the smooth muscle relaxation that is essential for erectile function. In diabetic men, erectile dysfunction is common through several mechanisms. The erectile tissue of diabetic men has been found to be especially sensitive to the smooth muscle relaxation effects of ATP, offering them a hopeful avenue of recovery of erectile function (Gur and Ozturk, 2000).

6. Safety

Supplemental nucleic acids have an outstanding safety profile. The levels of nucleic acid elements provided in one ml of an oral spray formula, a typical serving, ideally falls within the internationally approved safety guidelines for supplementing nucleic acids in infant formulas (Aggett et al., 2003).

The one precaution is that the purine nucleic acids adenine and guanine are metabolized to uric acid in the body. Persons with elevated uric acid or a history of gout may have a very slightly increased risk of an episode of gout while taking nucleic acid supplements. Because of the very high potency and bioavailability of the nucleic acid elements in oral spray form, the specific quantities of purine bases are well below that usually associated with an increased risk of elevating uric acid.

Some persons find that they are highly energized with mucosally administered ATP and may have difficulty falling asleep if they take it too late in the day. For such persons it is best to use the formula earlier in the day to enjoy the energy effects without interference with sleep.

For any person with medical issues, it is always advised that their physician be consulted before beginning any new nutritional program.

7. Summary and conclusion

The health benefits of nucleic acids delivered as an oral spray may be further increased by applying the proprietary PAR process. Providing highly bioactive nucleic acid elements, this delivery system can help rebuild and boost the function of every cell in the body.

Precautions:

It is advised that people consult their physicians before embarking on any health program. Persons who have gout in particular should consult their physicians before use. A byproduct of some of the DNA and RNA bases is uric acid, which can aggravate gout. The content of these bases in the formula is quite low compared to the level usually observed to be a possible problem for gout.

How long should Cellfood Longevity be used?

Use even for a short while will provide the body with building blocks to repair DNA and tissue.  For the most profound effects on longevity, the best were seen if DNA and RNA building blocks were given continuously, week after week. Although occasional holidays may even be helpful, long-term use is most likely to give the greatest benefits. 

References

Aggett P, Leach JL, Rueda R, and MacLean WC. 2003. Innovation in infant formula development: A reassessment of ribonucleotides in 2002. Nutrition 19: 375-384.

Agteresch HJ, et al. 1999. Adenosine triphosphate: established and potential clinical applications. Drugs; 58 (2): 211-232.

Bohoun C, and Caillard L. 1971. S-adenosyl-methionine in human blood. Clinica Chimica Acta; 33: 256.

Bowles JT. 1998. The evolution of aging: a new approach to an old problem of biology. Medical Hypotheses; 51: 179-221.

Carver JD, and Walker WA. 1995. The role of nucleotides in human nutrition. Nutritional Biochemistry 6: 58-72.

Cosgrove M. 1998. Nucleotides. Nutrition; 14 (10): 748-751.

Grimble GK. 1994. Dietary nucleotides and gut mucosal defense. Gut; 1: S46-S51.

Gur S, and Ozturk B. 2000. Altered relaxant response to adenosine and adenosine 5’-triphosphate in the corpus cavernosum from men and rats with diabetes. Pharmacology; 60: 105-112.

Kishi T, et al. 1994. Effect of betaine on SAMe levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency and peripheral neuropathy. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease; 17(5): 560-566.

Liu L, van Groen T, Kadish I, and Tollefsbol TO. 2009. DNA methylation impacts on learning and memory in aging. Neurobiology of Aging 30: 549-560.

Mathers JC. 2006. Nutritional modulation of aging: genomic and epigenetic approaches. Mechanisms of ageing and development 127: 584-589.

Odens M. 1970. Prolongation of the life span in rats. J Am Geriatr Soc; 21(10): 450-451.

Rigby PG. 1971. The effect of “exogenous” RNA on the improvement of syngeneic tumor immunity. Cancer Research; 31: 4-6.

Santora R, and Kozar RA. 2009. Research review. Molecular mechanisms of pharmaconutrients. In press: Journal of Surgical Research; 1-7.

Sanchez-Pozo A, Rueda R, Fontanna L, and Gil A. 1998. Dietary nucleotides and cell growth. Trends Comparative Biochem Physiol; 5: 99-111.

Savaiano DA, Ho CY, Chu V, and Clifford AJ. 1981. Metabolism of orally and intravenously administered purines in rats. J Nutr; 110: 1793-1804.

Schaller JP, Buck RH and Rueda R. 2007. Ribonucleotides: Conditionally essential nutrients shown to enhance immune function and reduce diarrheal disease in infants. Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine 12: 35-44.

Selhub J. et al. 1995. Association between plasma homocysteine concentrations and extra cranial carotid artery stenosis. New England Journal of Medicine, 332, (5): 286-291.

Slobodianik NH. 2003. Dietary ribonucleotides and health. Nutrition; 19 (1): 68-69.

Uauy R, Quan R, and Gil A. 1994. Role of nucleotides in intestinal development and repair: implications for infant nutrition. J Nutr; 124: 1436S-1441S.

Eugenio Luigi Iorio*, Luana Bianchi** and Alessia Storti***
*International Observatory of Oxidative Stress, Free Radicals and Antioxidant Systems (Parma, Italy). **Diacron International srl, Research and Development Department (Grosseto, Italy). ***Eurodream srl, Research Department (La Spezia, Italy)

Background

CELLFOOD (Deutrosulfazyme, NuScience Corporation, USA) is a non-addictive, non-invasive, and completely non-toxic proprietary colloidal-ionic formula containing finest all-natural, plant-based organic substances including ionic minerals, enzymes, amino acids and deuterium sulphate as traces (1). CELLFOOD was shown to be useful in the modulation of oxygen bioavailability in athletes (2, 3) and in the lowering of d-ROMs test values (Diacron International, Grosseto, Italy) (4) – in subjects at risk of oxidative stress, the main factor of premature biological ageing (5).

Aim

Because it has been previously established that high d-ROMs values (reactive oxygen metabolites) can be reduced either in both healthy (7) and health challenged individuals (8) by the administration of some liquid formulas containing low concentrations of antioxidants as well as CELLFOOD, we tested the hypothesis that the CELLFOOD formula was able to reduce the oxidative stress in vivo due to its intrinsic antioxidant properties in vitro.

Materials and Methods

The antioxidant activity of CELLFOOD was measured by the BAP (Biological Antioxidant Potential) test (Diacron International, Grosseto, Italy) performed with the dedicated instrumentation FRAS4 (Free Radical Analytical System 4, Health & Diagnostics Limited Co., Parma, Italy) (6). Data were expressed as means ± SD μM of reduced iron from at least three independent experiments. The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) was also calculated in repeated determinations (n=8)

Results

The biological antioxidant potential of CELLFOOD measured 64,747 ± 3,660.5 (CV, 5.7%).

Discussion

With its very high biological antioxidant potential (almost 30 times higher than the normal value of healthy human plasma) CELLFOOD is a powerful antioxidant (6). This may be ascribable to some of the specific active principles of CELLFOOD, including natural extracts and antioxidant enzymes. This property can reasonably explain the ability of the formula to reduce in vivo the d-ROMs test values (5).

Conclusions

CELLFOOD is a natural formula able to reduce oxidative stress and is potentially useful in the prevention of premature biological ageing. Subsequent studies are in progress to evaluate the changes in plasma biological antioxidant power after ingestion of CELLFOOD.

References

Iorio EL. Deutrosulfazyme (CELLFOOD®). Overview clinico-farmacologica. Proceedings International Conference Safety Evaluation of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2003. Empoli (Italy). 2003, October 24 – 25.

Iorio EL. Oxidative stress, sport trauma and rehabilitation. New proposals for an integated approach. Proceedings XIV International Congress on Sports Rehabilitation and Traumatology “The accelerated rehabilitation of the injured atlete”. 2005, April 9 – 10. PP 127. Bologna (Italy).

Van Heerden J, De ‘Ath K, Nolte H. Product Efficacy Repor. The study on the effects of CELLFOOD® on elite athletes. Sport Institute, University of Pretoria (South Africa), 2001.

Alberti A, Bolognini L, Macciantelli D, Carratelli M. The radical cation of N,N-diethyl-para-phenylendiamine: a possible indicator of oxidative stress in biological samples. Res Chem Intermed. 2000. 26 (3): 253–267.

Coyle M. Free radical clinical study by laboratory tests. NuScience Corporation. Health products update. 2004.

Dohi K, Satoh K, Ohtaki H, Shioda S, Miyake Y, Shindo M, Aruga T. Elevated plasma levels of bilirubin in patients with neurotrauma reflect its pathophysiological role in free radical scavenging. In Vivo. 2005. 19 (5): 855–860.

Cornelli U, Terranova R, Luca S, Cornelli M, Alberti A. Bioavailability of some food supplementations in men and women using the d-ROMs test as a marker of oxidatve stress. J Nutr. 2001. 131: 3208–3211.

Cesarone MR, Belcaro G, Carratelli M, Cornelli U, De Sanctis MT, Incandela I, Barsotti A, Terranova R, Nicolaides A. A simple test to monito oxidative stress. International Angiology. 1999. 18 (2): 127–130.

Introduction

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, is transmitted through sexual intercourse, exposure to infected blood products, and perinatally from mother to neonate.

• An infected person might not develop the symptoms of AIDS immediately; some people may stay healthy for a long period of time (from two to ten years), while others become ill sooner. A small percentage may never get sick.
• On average it takes about eight years for an HIV-infected person to develop AIDS.

AIDS is an immune system disorder.

• When the human immunodeficiency virus invades immune cells like T lymphocytes and multiplies, it causes a breakdown in the body’s immune system, eventually leading to overwhelming infection and/or cancer.
• Most deaths among people with AIDS are not caused by AIDS itself, but by one of the many infections or cancers to which the syndrome makes the body vulnerable.

Prevention and treatment

The amount of virus in the blood is known as the viral load.

• In the first few months after infection, a large number of viral particles circulate in the blood (the infection is now very contagious).
• Later the viral load drops to a lower level that remains constant for some time. This level is an important indicator of how contagious the person’s infection is and how fast the disease is likely to progress.
• The viral load is measured during treatment since a decreasing or very low level indicates that treatment is working.
• The goal of treatment is to lower the viral load to the point where it is undetectable (suppressed) in the blood, although some virus is probably still present.

Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS should incorporate a strategy that includes key elements like education, dietary support and nutritional supplementation, the use of complementary and alternative medicine, and the appropriate use of drugs like anti-retrovirals (ARVs).

• A malnourished body has a compromised immunity - with a poor immune function there is an increased progression rate of the disease.
• Certain nutrients in food play a particularly helpful role in enhancing the immune system including vitamin C and E, carotenoids and other immune boosting ingredients.

Nutritional supplements comprise a wide array of substances including amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, enzymes and anti-oxidants.

• Supporting science has established that many of these nutrients/substances have a positive influence on the disease markers that relate to HIV.
• Significant among these substances are vitamin A, selenium, glutamine, co-enzyme Q10, beta-sitosterols and arginine.

Complementary and alternative medicines employ a wide range of substances.

• Many of these substances include herbs that have been used for centuries for the treatment of immune-compromised conditions.

ARVs form part of the programme for the care of the HIV/AIDS patient.

• ARVs have to be prescribed and administered by registered professionals after a careful assessment of the status of the patient.
• It is necessary to introduce ARVs during the more developed phase of the disease.

Cellfood®

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and the ferritin levels by 31%, amongst others.

• An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body, assists with oxygenation and increases the oxygen saturation in the blood.
• Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body.
• The increased ferritin levels can assist with the production of more red blood cells that are needed to transport oxygen to the different organs and cells.
• Cellfood® is a powerful antioxidant that assists the immune system; it also assists the body in producing glutathione, a powerful antioxidant.
• It provides essential nutrients like selenium, germanium and amino acids (including arginine) directly at cellular level.

Conclusion

It is essential that people with HIV/AIDS maintain proper immune function and prevent malnutrition to avoid opportunistic infections.

• Emphasis must be placed on nutritious food, an aggressive supplementation programme, regular exercise, fresh air, positive thinking, and stress reduction.
• There must also be an avoidance of any substance, activity, or behaviour that suppresses the immune system and prevents it from acting ay full capacity.

What causes cancer?

No one knows exactly why some cells become cancerous. However, we do know that certain factors increase the likelihood of certain types of cancer.

• The environment and diet are widely believed to be two of the major triggers/causes of cancer
• Persons exposed to cigarette smoke have significantly higher rates of lung cancer than other people
• Regular excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of mouth and throat cancers
• A diet that is high in fat and low in fibre is associated with a greater risk of colorectal cancer, and is a factor in breast and prostate cancer as well
• The negative effects of radiation on the body are also well known

The genetic code of the cell (DNA) is constantly being damaged, often by oxidants, and thus needs to be repaired.

• Often this damage is triggered by free-radical oxidation
• Methylation controls both the synthesis and repair of DNA, putting homocysteine and the key homocysteine-lowering nutrients – vitamins B12, folate, B2, B6, and zinc, magnesium, and trimethyl-glycine – smack in the middle of the whole cancer process

There is substantial evidence that local oxygen levels play an important role in determining cell function and phenotype.

• Experimental data indicate that hypoxia may be causally-linked to malignant progression both by enhancing tumor cell release of angiogenic molecules as well as by promoting their ability to invade extracellular matrix in vitro and to metastasize in vivo

Breast cancer

Up to 20 percent of cancers are considered to be inherited and include genetic inheritance (as many as 15 mutations could contribute to breast cancer).

• About 8% of breast cancer cases are inheritable, caused by mutations of tumor suppressor genes, such as breast-cancer-associated gene-1 and -2 (BRCA 1 and BRCA 2) and other unidentified tumor suppressor genes
• To date research has focused on the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutations that account for up to five percent of breast cancers – intensive research has however shown that a large proportion of breast cancer development or recurrence is due to multiple genes that interact with the environment and each other
• Cancer of the breast is the most common form of cancer among American women – approximately one in eight women will develop the disease during their lifetime
• Although breast cancer occurs predominately in women, men can develop the disease but at a significantly lower rate (less than 1 percent of all breast cancers)
• Men from families whose women have a high risk of breast cancer are also at greater risk

Worldwide, there has been an increase in cases of breast cancer; however, the mortality rate has shown a decrease; breast cancer screening has contributed to the decrease in breast cancer mortality.

Risk factors

• Age - older women are at higher risk for breast cancer
• Alcohol – numerous studies link breast cancer to heavy alcohol consumption - more than two units of alcohol per day increases the risk by 1.4 to 1.7 times
• HRT - hormone replacement therapy has long been suspected to be cancer-causing. Recent research suggests that women who receive HRT for more than 5 years have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer
• Oral contraceptives - women on oral contraceptives have a slightly increased risk. After stopping their risks go down to normal
• Family history – some types of breast cancer are genetic
• Obesity – research show that post-menopausal women who are obese are at an increased risk of breast cancer

Treatment

“Any element that threatens the oxygen order of the human body will promote cancer growth. Any therapy that improves the oxygen function can be expected to enhance the body’s defenses against cancer”  

Nutrition and nutritional supplements are important components in the management of individuals diagnosed with cancer.

• The primary goals for nutrition intervention in cancer are to prevent/reverse nutrient deficiencies, to preserve lean body mass, to minimize nutrition-related side effects, and thus to maximize the quality of life. Taking nutritional supplements could also be of benefit. Nutrients that could be helpful for breast cancer include:

• Co-enzyme Q10 - improves cellular oxygenation
• L-carnitine - essential nutrient allowing the mitochondria of cells to produce energy more effectively. Protects the skin after mastectomy and/or radiation treatment
• Multimineral complex with magnesium, potassium and calcium – needed for electrolyte balance and essential for normal cell division and function
• Multivitamin complex – all nutrients are needed in balance
• Carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, Iycopene and lutein) - free radical scavengers
• Selenium and germanium – powerful immunostimulants (free radical scavenger) that improve cellular oxygenation, deterring cancer growth
• Vitamin E - a good antioxidant; deficiency has been linked to breast cancer. Also aids in hormone production and immune function
• Vitamin C - an antioxidant and anticancer agent
• Vitamin D - gives extra cancer protection
• Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid - inversely associated with levels of homocystein

Cellfood®

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and normalized all haematological (blood) values, amongst others.

• An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body. It assists with tissue oxygenation, thus aiding in the repair of damaged tissues
• Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body (oxidizes harmful elements)
• Cellfood® is also a powerful antioxidant (contains selenium, germanium, amongst others), boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict further free radical damage in people with breast cancer
• It contains traces of 78 elements, minerals and trace minerals and provides essential nutrients like magnesium, calcium, zinc, and potassium directly at cellular level
• Elements like hydrogen, minerals, amino acids and enzymes such as contained in Cellfood® assist the body in repairing and regenerating cells

Cellfood® Longevity

• Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid - inversely associated with levels of homocysteine
• Assists the methylation processes and thus the repair of DN

Finally, exercise increases blood oxygenation and, thus, should be of benefit.

• A recent survey confirms that there is "compelling evidence" that moderate, routine physical activity decreases the risk of developing breast and colon cancers

What is osteoarthritis?

Rheumatism is a general term indicating pain and stiffness affecting the muscular system, skeletal system, or both.

• Arthritis is a term covering a number of conditions, which are characterized by damage to the articular cartilage of the joints.
• The specific cause may vary; arthritis may result from viral or bacterial infection, injury to the joint by severe physical stress, metabolic problems, or autoimmune disorders.
• This not only includes osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but also related conditions like polymyalgia rheumatica, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatic fever, rheumatism, septic arthritis, ankilosis spondilitis, and gout.

 The most common form of arthritis is OA.

• Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease in which the articular cartilage lining the bony surfaces inside a joint becomes progressively thinner until the bone beneath the cartilage on both sides of the joint ultimately becomes exposed.
• In the advanced stages of OA, the exposed bones rub against one another, causing pain and severely limited joint movement.

The disease is three times more prevalent in older women than older men, although younger aged males are affected more often than younger females.

How is osteoarthritis treated?

OA is a nonfatal condition, but it is incurable, and there seems to be few effective treatments.

• The common occurrence and clinical effects of OA make it a significant health problem, particularly among older individuals, and warrant methods to prevent or retard the disease.

Although there is no cure for OA, symptoms can generally be well controlled. Treatment of OA focuses on decreasing joint pain and stiffness, increasing the range of motion and functional independency, and decreasing disability.

1. Anti-inflammatories/analgesics

• Once it has started to develop, OA can usually be kept under control for many years by using anti-inflammatories and analgesics - toxicity causing GI bleeding and ulcers is however a common concern when taking NSAIDs.
• Corticosteroids, which relieve pain and inflammation, may also be injected directly into the affected joints in severe cases.

2.   Thermal modalities

• Thermotherapy involves heating of tissue by heat packs, infrared lamps, diathermy, ultrasound, and water bottles.
• Moist heat application (viz hydrotherapy) can reduce joint pain, increase blood flow, and may be useful before exercise.
• Cryotherapy involves applying a cold massage to the injured joint for a period of time by means of an ice pack.

3.   Joint protection and footwear

• Strategies may involve using braces, crutches, and splints.
• These increase functional capacity, maintain joint alignment, and decrease the stress placed on the joints.
• Joint protection strategies also involve recommendations for safe and appropriate exercise practices.

The role that physical inactivity can play in the development of OA is well defined. However, rest is important, particularly during the acute stages of the condition. The proper blends of correct exercise and rest for the specific patient are of utmost importance and could be facilitated by a biokineticist.

Correct footwear is also important, and may involve wedged insoles or orthotics, or specially designed shoes. The purpose here is to correct any biomechanical deviations, improve mobility, reduce pain, or compensate for any foot deformity.

4.   Surgical procedures

• Surgery can realign or redesign the affected joint - in extreme cases, an artificial one may even replace the defective joint.
• This is mainly in cases involving the hip, knee, elbow, or shoulder joints.

5.   Patient education

• Patients need to be educated regarding their condition as well as the different treatment options.
• Coping skills and social support are also important in determining the individual’s perception of disability from the condition.

6.   Nutritional therapy

• Anti-inflammatory herbs and foods, as well as collagen building supplements are available for the treatment of OA.
• Research seems to suggest that natural supplements may be beneficial in this regard. These include glucosamine sulphate, essential fatty acids, chondroitin sulphate, MSM, silicon, l-proline, dl-phenylalanine and vitamin E and C, amongst others.
• Calcium and magnesium – needed to prevent bone loss
• Copper – a cofactor for lysyl oxidase, which strengthens connective tissue
• Zinc – needed for bone growth, often deficient in OA patients
• Boron – required for healthy bones
• Silica – supplies silicon, important for rebuilding of the connective tissues and formation of bones
• Manganese – needed for normal bone growth
• Amino acids – to supply protein needed for tissue repair
• Proteolytic enzymes - to protect the joints from free radical damage
• Selenium – powerful antioxidant
• Germanium – antioxidant that also relieves pain

Cellfood®

In a clinical trial on athletes at the University of Pretoria 35 drops of Cellfood® increased the oxygen uptake by 5%, and normalized all haematological (blood) values, amongst others.

• An oxygen mineral supplement like Cellfood® is rapidly absorbed by the body. It assists with tissue oxygenation, thus aiding in the repair of connective tissues.
• Oxygen is one of the important elements for aerobic life as we know it and is essential for energizing and cleansing the body (oxidizes harmful elements).
• Cellfood® is also a powerful antioxidant (contains selenium, germanium, amongst others), boosting the immune system, and will therefore restrict further free radical damage in people with OA.
• It contains traces of 78 elements, minerals and trace minerals and provides essential nutrients like magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, boron, silica, and copper directly at cellular level.
• Elements like hydrogen, minerals, amino acids and enzymes such as contained in Cellfood® assist the body in repairing and regenerating cells.

Cellfood® Repair

Silicon is essential for the formation of collagen for bones and connective tissue and for calcium absorption in the early stages of bone formation. Calcium, boron, manganese, magnesium, and potassium aid in the efficient utilization of silicon – all made available in a sublingual form for better bio-availability and assimilation.

In summary: regular exercise, physical therapy, nutritional supplements and drugs that reduce inflammation, can slow the progress of the disease, and thus make life more bearable for the OA sufferer.