Co Q10's Answer To Our Energy Crisis

The production of energy in the trillions of cells of the body is the greatest mystery of life. As living organisms, we combine oxygen from our lungs and glucose from our food in the power generator called the "mitochondria" in our cells to produce adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP is the gasoline that is used to drive the numerous chemical reactions inside each cell, it provides the energy needed to drive cellular machinery.

Our body requires many nutrients or co-factors to produce energy in the mitochondria. Magnesium, cysteine, iron, niacin, manganese, thiamin, riboflavin and carnitine are all involved in energy production. Another one of these co-factors is co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is involved in the transport of electrons in the mitochondria. We produce it naturally and it is so common one of its names is ubiquinone, the "ubiquitous quinone". This means that without CoQ10, we would be unable to manufacture energy. Since CoQ10 is involved in energy production, you find the highest levels of it in tissues like the heart muscle, which have massive energy production needs. Even though CoQ10 is a compound naturally found in our body, there are many situations where extra supplemental dosing is indicated. Not only can it make you feel better, CoQ10 has been show to reverse very serious disease and pathology. CoQ10 remains one of the unique and special supplements that many patients rely on for which there is no pharmaceutical drug replacement.

Deficiency

A deficiency of CoQ10 is not uncommon. It may result from nutritional deficiencies, genetic or drug induced defects in synthesis or utilization. Clinically, CoQ10 can be needed in certain conditions resulting from illnesses such as congestive heart failure (CHF). CoQ10 levels naturally decline with advancing age so every one over the age of seventy could benefit from supplementation. After all, who couldn’t use a little more energy as they get older? CoQ10 deficiency is typically found in tissue that are the most metabolically active, like heart muscle and gum tissue. Since CoQ10 is involved in energy production, these tissues will show the earliest signs of deficiency.

The greatest risk group for CoQ10 deficiency are patients taking statin drugs. Since these drugs are the largest selling drug on the planet by volume and dollar, there is a significant numbers of our global population that could benefit from 50 mg/day of CoQ10. Statin drugs (lovastatin and pravastatin) deplete CoQ10 inside the heart muscle, making it less efficient. These drugs inhibit an enzyme which is required for the synthesis of both cholesterol and CoQ10. Statin drugs slowly poison an active site of energy production. Beta blockers propranolol and metaprolol inhibit CoQ10-dependent enzymes. Phenothiazines and tricyclic antidepressants have also been shown to inhibit CoQ10-dependent enzymes.

Clinical Application

The most reliable clinical application in terms of results for CoQ10 is in cardiovascular conditions. I have seen many positive results from just taking this simple nutrient. Even though our body can make it, we can easily end up with a “functional” deficiency as a result of aging and poor health.

Cardiovascular Disease: CoQ10 is especially indicated for the enhancement of heart muscle function in any form of cardiovascular disease. It is safe to dose CoQ10 in almost any condition, even if the patient is on heart medications and usually it provides some clinical benefit. The average health consumer can feel confident that their purchase of CoQ10 will give them a good value, especially since it is such an expensive supplement . Since CoQ10 enhances energy production in the heart muscle cells, this will improve contractility of the cardiac muscle, lower blood pressure, and improve heart muscle performance, Specific cardiac problems which may benefit from CoQ10 include:

• Angina (Kamikawa, T, et al.)
• Arrhythmias (Fujioka, T, et al.)
• Cardiomyopathy (Langsjoen, PH, et al.)
• Congestive heart failure (Mortensen, SA, et al.; Morisco, C, et al.)
• Protection during cardiac surgery (Tanaka, J, et al.)
• Mitral valve prolapse (Oda, T, Hamamoto, K.)

Remarkably, CoQ10 lowers blood pressure in ways that are not clearly understood. In one study, CoQ10 was able to lower blood pressure in patients who did not have CoQ10 deficiency. (Digiesi, V, et al.; Langsjoen, P, et al). If you are trying to lower your blood pressure, take it for 4-12 weeks to evaluate the benefits. Remember, you can take CoQ10, while you stay on your blood pressure medications without any worry of side effects.

Another area of cardiovascular benefit for CoQ10 is in protecting against the heart muscle toxicity of the chemotherapy drug adriamycin. (Domae, N, et al.; Karlsson, J, et al; Cortes, EP, et al) In a previous Alive article I wrote about treating a patient with Hodgkins Lymphoma using CoQ10 to protect his heart and immune system from the chemotherapy. If you or a family member have to take adriamycin chemotherapy, you should take CoQ10, regardless of your oncologist or medical doctor’s opinion.

Diabetes mellitus: The electron-transport chain is integrally involved in carbohydrate metabolism. It is well known that high blood sugar damages energy production in the mitochondria and is a central them of biological aging. This is one of the reasons fasting can be so beneficial in slowing down the aging process. CoQ10 helps to lower blood sugar. CoQ7 (almost identical to CoQ10 and considered to be nutritionally equivalent) at a daily dose of 120 mg for 2-18 weeks reduced fasting blood sugar by at least 30% in 31% of patients. (Shigeta, Y, et al. )

Periodontal disease: I have seen good results with treating periuodontal disease using CoQ10. Even the dental hygenists notice a difference when they are scaling teeth on patients who start taking it. Many clinical trials have demonstrated a beneficial effect of CoQ10. Gingival biopsies yield subnormal tissue levels of CoQ10 in patients with periodontal disease. (Nakamura, R, et al.; Hansen, IL, et al.; Littarru, GP, et al.; ) One study also showed that CoQ10 supplementation increases gum healing after periodontal surgery. (Wilkinson, EG, et al.)

Immune Function: CoQ10 enhances the strength of the immune system to battle viruses and bacteria. (Mayer, P, et al; Saiki I. et al; Bliznakov E, et al.) Patients who notice that their immune system getting weaker as they age, more colds and flus, will benefit from a daily supplement of CoQ10. One study showed that immune suppression was reversed with a daily dose of 60 mg/day. (Folkers, K, Shizukkuishi, S, et al.) The patients showed an increase in production of antibodies conferring better immune response. AIDS patients have lower CoQ10 levels in their blood and when supplemented with 200 mg/day, they had beneficial changes in their in their T cell ratios and none of the patients went on to develop infections associated with their condition. (Folkers, K, Langsjoen, P, Nara, Y,. et al.).

Muscular Dystrophy: CoQ10 deficiency is found in muscle, both cardiac and skeletal, of animals and humans with muscular dystrophy (MD). Patients with MD who were supplemented with 100 mg of CoQ10/day had significant benefit in cardiac output as well as increased physical well being.( Folkers, K, et al.)

Dosage Of CoQ10

Most people start with a dosage of 30 mg though some conditions, if life threatening like breast cancer or congestive heart failure, will require doses of up to 400 mg/day. It is very pricy stuff so finding the right dose is critical. CoQ10 is well absorbed by oral supplementation as evidenced by significant increases in serum CoQ10 levels after supplementation. (Gaby, AR.). There also is some evidence that CoQ10 in oil suspension has the highest bioavailability, it is also difficult to get and more expensive. (Kaikkonen J, et al. ) Side effects are minimal, but there are occasional reports of nausea, poor appetite, or skin eruptions.

Medical References-

Bliznakov E, Casey A, Premuzic E. Coenzymes Q: stimulants of the phagocytic activity in rats and immune response in mice. Experientia 1 970;26:953-954.

Cortes, EP, Gupta, M, Chou, C, Amin, VC, Folkers, K. Adriamycin cardiotoxicity: early detection by systolic time interval and possible prevention by coenzyme Q10. Cancer Treat Rep 1978:62:887-891.

Domae, N, Sawada, H, Matsuyama, E, Konishi T, Uchino, H. Cardiomyopathy and other chronic toxic effects induced in rabbits by doxombicin and possible prevention by coenzyme Q10. Cancer Treat Rep 1981:65:79-91

Folkers, K, Langsjoen, P, Nara, Y, et al. Biochemical deficiencies of coenzyme QIO in HIV infection and exploratory treatment. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1988;153:888-896.

Folkers, K, Shizukkuishi, S, et al. Increase in levels of IgG in the serum of patients treated with CoQ10. Res Commmun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 1982;38:3335-338

Folkers, K, Wolaniuk, J, Simonsen, R, et al. Biochemical rationale and the cardiac response of patients with muscle disease to therapy with coenzyme Q10. Proc Natl Acad Sci 1985;82:4513-4516

Fujioka, T, Sakamoto, Y, Mimura, G. Clinical study of cardiac arrhythmias using a 24-hour continuous electrocardiographic recorder (5th report) - antiarrhythmic action of coenzyme Q10 in diabetics. Tohoku Jap Med 1983:141(Suppl):453-463.

Gaby, AR. The role of coenzyme Q10 in clinical medicine: Part I. Alt Med Rev 1996;1 (1): 11-17.

Gaby, AR. The role of coenzyme Q10 in clinical medicine: part II. Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and infertility. Alt Med Rev 1996;l (3): 168-175.

Hansen IL, Iwamoto, Y. Kishi, I, Folkers, K. Bioenergetics in clinical medicine. IX. Gingival and leucocytic deficiencies of coenzyme Q10 in patients with periodontal disease. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 1976;14:729-738.

Kaikkonen J, Nyyssonen K, Porkkala-Sarataho E, Poulsen HE, Metsa-Ketela T, Hayn M, Salonen R, Salonen JT. Effect of oral coenzyme Q10 supplementation on the oxidation resistance of human VLDL+LDL fraction: absorption and antioxidative properties of oil and granule-based preparations. Free Radic Biol Med 1997;22(7):1195-1202.

Kamikawa, T, Kobayashi, A, Yamashita, T, Hayashi, H, Yamazaki, N. Effects of coenzyme Q10 on exercise tolerance in chronic stable angina pectoris. Am J Cardiol 1985;56:247-251.

Karlsson, J, Folkers, K, Astrum, H, Jansson, E, Pernow, B, et al. Effect of adriamycin on heart and skeletal muscle coenzyme Q (CoQ10) in man. In Folkers K and Yamamura, Y (eds.). Biomedical and Clinical Aspects of Coenzyme Q. volume 5. Elsevier. 1986.

Langsjoen, PH, Langsjoen, PH, Folkers, K. Long-term efficacy and safety of coenzyme Q10 therapy for idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Cardiol 1990:65:521-523.

Langsjoen, PH, Vadhanavikit, S, Folkers, K. Effective treatment with coenzyme Q1O of patients with chronic myocardial disease. Drugs Exptl Clin Res 1985;l1:577-579.

Langsjoen, P, Langsjoen, P, Willis, R, Folkers, K. Treatment of essential hypertension with coenzyme Q10. Molec Aspects Med 1994;15(Suppl):S265-S272.

Langsjoen, PH, Folkers, K, Lyson, K,. Muratsu, K, Lyson, I, et al. Effective and safe therapy with coenzyme Q10 for cardiomyopathy. Klin Wochenschr 1988:66:583-590.

Mayer, P, Hamberger, H, Drews J. Differential effects of ubiquinone Q7 and ubiquinone analogs on macrophage activation and experimental infections in granulocytopenic mice. Infection 1980:8:256-261.

Mortensen, SA, Vadhanavikit, S, Baandrup, U, Folkers, K. Long-term coenzyme Q10 therapy: a major advance in the management of resistant myocardial failure. Drugs Exptl Clin Res 1985:11:581-593.

Nakamura, R, Littarru, GP, Folkers, K, Wilkinson EG. Study of CoQ 10-enzymes in gingiva from patients with periodontal disease and evidence for a deficiency of coenzyme Q10. Proc Natl Acad Sci 1974;71:1456-1460.

Nakamura, R,. Littarru, GP, Folkers, K. Wilkinson EC. Deficiency of coenzyme Q in gingiva of patients with periodontal disease. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1973:43:84-92.

Saiki, I, Tokushima, Y, Nishimura, K, Azuma, I. Macrophage activation with ubiquinones and their related compounds in mice. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1983:53:312-320.

Shigeta, Y, Izumi, K, Abe, H. Effect of coenzyme Q7 treatment on blood sugar and ketone bodies of diabetics. J Vitaminol 1966;12:293-298.

Tanaka, J, Tominaga, R,Yoshitoshi, M, Matsui, K, Komori, M, Sese, A, et al. Coenzyme Q10: the prophylactic effect on low cardiac output following cardiac valve replacement. Ann Thorac Surg 1982:33:145-151.

Wilkinson, EG, Arnold RM, Folkers, K. Treatment of periodontal and other soft tissue diseases of the oral cavity with coenzyme Q. In Folkers, K.Yamamura, Y (eds.). Biomedical and Clinical Aspects of Coenzyme Q, Vol. 1. Elsevier/NorthHolland Biomedical Press. Amsterdam. 1977. pp. 251-265.

Wilkinson, EG, Arnold, RM, Folkers, K. Bioenergetics in clinical medicine. VI. Adjunctive treatment of periodontal disease with coenzyme Q10. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 1976:14:715-719.

Wilkinson, EG, Arnold, RM, Folkers, K, et al. Bioenergetics in clinical medicine. II. Adjunctive treatment with coenzyme Q in periodontal therapy. Res Commun Cliem Pathol Pharmacol 1975;12:111-124.

Fasting For Health

Fasting on water for a period of one to ten days is a safe and powerful way to rejuvenate the mind and body. Long used as the primary detoxification method by naturopathic physicians, there are many benefits to fasting, both emotional and physical. Twenty years ago, I first learned about fasting from Arnold Eheret’s “Rational Fasting” (1914), and Frank McCoy’s “The Fast Way To Health” (1923), books which emphasized the healing abilities of the body if it can rest in a fasting state. As a personal experience, I first tried my own extended water fast of 9 days while I was on a personal retreat. It was a transforming experience. Now, I often use water fasting with my patients, especially for chronic health problems and as a yearly spring “tune-up”

Benefits Of Fasting

Fasting is the oldest healing method known to man. It cures disease, prolongs life and energizes the soul. It was used by Ayurvedic physicians, ancient Greek physicians, it was discussed in the Bible, Koran and popularized by the “physical culturists” of the nineteenth century. In 2003, fasting is again becoming a trendy thing. In the August 14th, 2003 New York Times, (section 9, page 1), fasting is touted to “rest the tummy, restore the soul”. There is a great deal of medical research on the benefits of fasting. My own clinical experience has shown fasting to slow aging, improve liver function, improve mental functioning and to cure arthritis. Research has also shown fasting to alleviate autoimmune disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, epilepsy, leaky gut, obesity, pancreatitis and chemical poisoning (PCB and DDT).

Slows Aging

For hundreds of years, Europeans have been using the spas on a yearly basis to refresh and renew their health through fasting and hydrotherapy. Although clinical experience has demonstrated the benefit of this protocol, very little is available to demonstrate that this practice works. Recent research has shown that rational diet restriction in the form of short fasts may be the most powerful way known to man to extend lifespan. In fact, fasting is the only documented “alternative health” method to extend lifespan. Studies have shown that high glucose and insulin damages mitochondria and diet restriction (fasting) reduces this total amount of oxidative stress within a cell mitochondria.

(Lee, C., et al. “Age Associated Alterations of the Mitochondrial Genome,” Free Rad Biol Med 22, 7 (1997): 1259–69. Kimura, K.D., et al.. daf-2, an insulin receptor-like gene that regulates longevity and diapause in Caenorhabditis elegans. Science 277(Aug. 15) 1997:942-946))

Improves Liver Function

Fasting enhances the liver’s ability to clear out metabolic flotsam from the blood stream.

As blood is filtered through the liver, toxins are scavenged, neutralized, and reassembled for elimination. Because of the way in which many of us eat and live, the liver can become, sluggish, and congested. Constant exposure to a lifetime of toxins; nutrient-poor diets high in hydrogenated fats; and a leaky gut are among the primary causes of liver burnout. Fasting regenerates the liver’s ability to function in a healthy way. But, be careful, because long term fasting or fasting in a polluted environment can go the wrong way and actually cause accelerated liver disease. Always fast for short periods of time in a pure environment and take a little vitamin C during your fasts, one to four grams will suffice.

(Godin, D.V., Wohaier, S.A. “Nutritional Deficiency, Starvation and Tissue Antioxidant Status,” Free Radical Biol Med 5 (1988): 165–76.)

Benefits Cognitive Functioning

Fasting sharpens the mind and purifies the soul. People who fast report a sense of feeling renewed. The reason for this is that fasting allows the liver to clean the blood which then delivers pure uncontaminated “fuel” to the brain. If the liver can’t clean out the “flotsam and jetsam” of the blood, this allows recycled chemical messengers like adrenalin and other stress hormones to have a second chance to re-stimulate the nervous system. (Basile, A.S., et al. “Elevated Brain Concentrations of 1.4-benzodiazepenes in Fulminate Hepatic Failure,” NEJM 325, 7 (1991): 473–78. / Mulle, K.D. “Benzodiazepene Compounds and Hepatic Encephalopathy,” NEJM 325, 7 (1991): 509–11.) Several studies have shown that as you get liver toxicity, you fail to break down valium-like compounds which creates a toxic state that is truly a state of being intoxicated.

Improves Immune Function

Fasting rests the intestines and liver, both key sites of our immune function. It is estimated that sixty percent of our immune system resides in our intestines. When you rest this major site of immune function with fasting, you potentiate a healthy immune system. Eating can depress immune function. One study showed that 100 gm of sugar significantly reduced the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria. The greatest effects occurred between 1 and 2 hours after consumption, but were still significantly below function 5 hours after the feeding. Conversely a fast of 36 or 60 hours significantly increased the power of the white blood cells to destroy dangerous bacteria. (Sanchez A, Reeser JL, et al. Role of Sugars in Human Neutrophilic Phagocytosis,. Am J Clin Nutr, November, 1973;26:1180-1184.

Cures Arthritis

Doctors have been using fasting for arthritis for over one hundred years. It is such a well known fact, the medical literature is even full of success stories. (Adam, O. Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Rheumatic Diseases. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995;49:703-717) The best results are found when a short fast is combined with a change to a vegetarian diet and removing offending food allergies. (Kjeldsen- Kragh J. Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated With Vegetarian Diets. Am J Clin Nutr, 1999;70(Suppl.):594S-600S./ Gamlin, L and Brostoff, J . Food Sensitivity and Rheumatoid Arthritis, EnviroTox Pharm, 1997;4:43-49.) Some doctors feel that fasting may be involved in changing the bacterial flora in a favorable way for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Abnormal bacteria are present in the stool in a high percentage of patients with a variety of autoimmune problems such a s Crohn’s disease, RA, ankylosing spondelytis. Anaerobic bacterial species such as klebsiella and proteus.have been implicated. (Hunter, J.O. “Food Allergy or Enterometabolic Disorder,” Lancet 338 (1991): 495–96.)

Fasting Supplements

Vitamin C: 2 grams/day prevents oxidative damage during the detoxification of a fast.

Milk Thislte: 300 mg/day increases liver glutathione during the fast.

Fasting No-Nos

Fasting for a prolonged period of time can diminish the body’s stores of glutathione making it more susceptible to aging and disease. Low tissue antioxidant status is found under dietary restriction because fasting lowers glutathione detoxification in the liver. (Vogt, B.L., and J.P. Ritchie. “Fasting-Induced Depletion of Glutathione in the Aging Mouse,” Biochem Pharmacol 46, 2 (1993): 257V63.) For this reason, those who are fasting should be very careful of chemical exposure because lack of dietary protein makes the liver unable to process any toxins. Patients who will undergo surgery would probably have less complications to the anesthetic if they were put on a protein dense regimen instead of clear fluids. (Boyd, E.M., and F.L. Taylor. “The Acute Oral Toxicity of Chlordane in Albino Rats Fed for 28 Days from Weaning on a Protein-Deficient Diet,” Input Med Surg 1 (1969): 213–51., Godin, D.V., Wohaier, S.A. “Nutritional Deficiency, Starvation and Tissue Antioxidant Status,” Free Radical Biol Med 5 (1988): 165–76.)

General Guidelines For A Two Day Fast

• Decrease the amount of food eaten the 2 days before the fast so the body will adapt more easily.

• Break the fast slowly and carefully with warm soups and juices.

• During the fast, avoid high stress situations, intense exercise, extreme temperature change and drafts and chemical exposure.

• No colonics are necessary

Day 1:

Water: 1 cup every hour with lemon squeezed into it.

Warm herbal tea every 3 hours

Bed rest twice a day for 10 minutes

Day 2:

Water: 1 cup every hour with lemon squeezed into it.

Warm herbal tea every 3 hours

Bed rest twice a day for 10 minutes

Gut Toxicity Is A Spectrum Disorder

The intestinal membrane is the thickness of an eyelid and is the only thing separating your sterile blood from the bacteria and fermentation products of intestinal contents. Naturopathic doctors and medical doctors have been treating patients for chronic disease by increasing fiber in the intestines for over one hundred years. This was one of the cornerstones of John Harvey Kellogg’s work at the Battlecreek Michigan Sanitarium. Fiber helps maintain intestinal permeability.

Three factors that alter intestinal permeability

1. disruption of the gut flora

2. impaired host immune defenses

3. physical disruption of the gut barrier

Once the intestinal permeability is damaged and toxins leak in, a protein malnourished individual cannot defend itself as well.

Maintenance of gut barrier in a critically ill patient is very difficult because these patients have blood loss, and are on vasoactive drugs, these drugs could cause splanchnic vasoconstriction and gut injury. These patients also have impaired immune function because they are on antibiotics, antiulcer medications, and on dietary regimens that disrupt the ecology of the flora.

The initial step of translocation is the adherence of bacteria from the intestinal tract to the epithelial cell surface or to ulcerated areas of the intestinal mucosal surface. From here they migrate across the cell surface into the circulation. Naturopathic care begins here to heal the barrier and prevent "sewage" from leaking into sterile blood.

Spaeth, G., et al. “Food Without Fiber Promotes Bacterial Translocation from the Gut,” Surgery 108, 2 (1990): 240–46

Food Allergies Might Not Be An Allergy

Allergies from foods are multifactorial in causes. A single mechanism by which patients react to foods is at present unclear.

Historically, diets are found to be useful in migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, eczema, hyperactivity, and rheumatoid arthritis. Because there are occasionally no findings in the IgE and RAST (radioallergoabsorbent testing), such results lead some investigators to conclude that food allergy symptoms are merely neurotic symptoms.

Inhibitors of detoxification might be coming from gut flora. We know that encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients develops after a meal where they cannot metabolize the amino compounds produced by gut flora. The gut produces a wide array of substances which cause reactions with all organs in the body. Colonic microflora produce a wide variety of chemicals, in susceptible individuals with reduced hepatic enzymes, they pass into systemic circulation to produce symptoms at distant parts. It is well known that IBS can come on after surgery, radiation, gastroenteritis, and the use of antibiotics, all of which may change the bowel flora. Elevated facultative anaerobes rises after a food challenge in patients with IBS. Food allergy may not be an immunologic disease but a disorder of bacterial fermentation and enzyme deficiency. Enteroadherent E. coli are present in the stool in a high percentage of patients with a variety of food related autoimmune problems such a s Crohn’s disease. Abnormal bacteria are also found in patients with RA, ankylosing spondelytis. HLA B27 is synthesized by the fecal flora and associated with facultative anaerobes, klebsiella and proteus.

And foods have their own reactions that they generate outside of allergy models. As an example tyramine in chocolate causes bouts of headaches in susceptible people because of genetic inability to detoxify this vasoactive amine before it goes out into systemic circulation. This is probably related to genetic predisposition, in patients with migraines, they have a low level of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and phenolsulphotransferase (PST).

Reference-Hunter, J.O. “Food Allergy or Enterometabolic Disorder,” Lancet 338 (1991): 495–96.

How To Slow Biological Aging With Nutrition

Myths, Magic and Medicine In Biological Aging

For thousands of years, men and women have developed myths, magic and medicine to slow down aging. Recent medical research has jumped into the foray with mortality to uncover the biological processes that age us. Some of the patients I see are young in age but old in terms of biological functioning. The reverse is also true so in some sense, your birth date may not have much to do with your level of vitality.

In some cultures, longevity is seen to be a result of a lifetime of personal discipline. For example, men and women in the Orient carefully regulate their life with special diets, herbs and qi gong exercises using traditions that have been handed down for thousands of years. In India, Ayurvedic doctors have been advocating a practice called “Panch Karma” to detoxify and purify the body. This practice has been used for the last five thousand years and bears remarkable resemblance to modern detoxification medicine.

Naturopathic physicians believe that healthy aging is related to healthy organ reserve. The more you lose of your organ reserve, the more you age. By preserving the function of your liver, heart, kidneys and brain, you can function in a healthy way. A healthy diet, antioxidant vitamins, exercise and plenty of rest are a traditional recipe from naturopathic doctors for longevity. All of these help preserve our vital reserves. Good health is not rocket science. The healthiest cultures in the world are peasants.

The main problem with understanding how you can be healthier is that the modern medical system of pigeon holing disease with names hides the fact that there are only a few recurrent processes in all of the chronic degenerative diseases. Diet, exercise and supplements are key factors in preventing cell aging because the alter how our genes express themselves. Diet, toxins, lifestyle and trauma are all potent forces that act on our genes to change how our cells will function. As an example, calorie restriction helps improve cellular function by altering gene expression. This causes the cell to live longer. Obesity, lactose intolerance, heart disease, auto-immune disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer are disorders of altered gene expression for which nutrition and detoxification can play a role in modification.

There are several processes of aging where we can modify gene expression to slow down aging:

1. MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION

2. DYSGLYCEMIA

3. INFLAMMATION

4. IMPAIRED DETOXIFICATION

5. HORMONE DEFICIENCY

6. CHRONIC STRESS

MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION

Mitochondria are small organs inside of each cell in the body. Their purpose is to generate energy for the cell. These small organs strip the energy in our food, removing electrons to make ATP, the super fuel of the body. Even though we don’t completely know how mitochondria strip this energy from our food, we do know that free radicals are created during the process of generating ATP. Since oxidative damage is a central feature of aging, it is important to prevent free radical damage to the mitochondria.

One way of preventing free radical damage to mitochondria is to reduce calorie intake. A decrease in calorie intake of 30%, undernourishment without the expense of critical nutrients, gives a 50% increase in life-span. Diabetes actually causes the opposite situation by altering mitochondrial function and increasing oxidative stress.

I my clinic, I prevent mitochondrial damage by giving therapeutic doses magnesium and glutathione. In fact, intravenous therapy of glutathione and magnesium appears to be the best route of administration. One research study on treating Parkinson’s with glutathione used the intravenous route for therapeutic effects because of the negligible effect of oral glutathione. Taking oral glutathione does not increase blood glutathione levels because of the damage by hydrolysis to glutathione by intestinal and liver enzymes (gamma-glutamyl transferase).

Natural foods and supplements which increase glutathione:

¨ Cruciferous vegetables

¨ Pine bark extract (pycnogenol)

¨ Melatonin,

¨ Bilberry

¨ Grape extract

¨ Turmeric

¨ N-acetyl-L-cysteine

¨ Lipoic acid

¨ Selenium

¨ Vitamins E and C.

DYSGLYCEMIA/HYPERINSULINEMIA

Medical research linked insulin to heart disease almost a decade ago. Some estimates show that as many as one-fourth of the people in North America have a genetic “lax” response to insulin, the hormone that signals cells to take up sugar from the blood. People who have high insulin are deemed to have “Syndrome X”. In these people, the pancreas must pour out more insulin to hold blood sugar to normal. As a result, they may be prone to type II, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, in which the overworked pancreas can’t supply enough insulin to satisfy the body’s demand. Abnormal insulin also contributes to stroke, heart attack, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cancer, obesity, hormone imbalances, and accelerated aging.

In fact, high insulin from consuming a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates, may be nearly as potent a risk factor for obstructive artery diseases as smoking or high blood pressure. Even though fasting glucose and glucose tolerance tests may have been done, research has found that two-thirds of tests judged normal, based on glucose were found to have abnormal insulin.

Many medical doctors are unfamiliar of research that is extremely important in the area of insulin regulation. Hyperinsulinemia precedes the onset of adult-onset diabetes by as much as ten years, and one-third of patients with diabetes develop the disease without knowing it.

Syndrome X Criteria:

1] dyslipidemia (high triglycerides, low HDL)

2] resistance to insulin

3] obesity of the abdomen

4] elevated blood pressure.

Causes of Syndrome X:

- Overeating

- Alcohol

- Smoking

- Physical inactivity

- High fat diet

- Excess carbohydrates (sugar, white flour)

- Low fiber diet

Treatment of Syndrome X:

Diet: fruits, vegetables and high-fiber complex carbohydrates

Regular physical activity

Fatty acids from fish and flax

INFLAMMATION

Several years ago, a doctor at the University of British Columbia did a study where he discovered that patients ho were taking anti-inflammatory medications for their arthritis had a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Research has further shown that people who have chronic inflammation anywhere in their body, will have more tendency to chronic disease. For example, the inflammation from a sore knee or hip, over a long period of time, damages vital organs like the brain and cardiovascular system.

One reason for chronic inflammation that I have seen in my patients is the Western diet which is high in sugar and low in fiber and omega 3 oils. This diet tends to promote inflammation at the cellular level in the cell membranes. A person eating this diet, is more likely to generate an inflammatory reaction from trauma and infection. This will then send chemical messages all throughout the body by the blood stream, causing inflammation in other tissues and organs.

The key to curing this chronic inflammation is to alter the diet, get rid of all chronic chronic bacterial infections and suppress chronic inflammation in old injuries with herbs and vitamins.

IMPAIRED DETOXIFICATION

Toxins age the body and damage the brain, kidneys, liver and brain. Detoxification medicine is a traditional naturopathic physician’s strategy for healing and longevity. Resting the immune and detoxification organs of the digestive tract and promoting elimination are the core concepts used in detoxification medicine. Even with the advancements in biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology in the 20th century, the ancient wisdom of detoxification therapy in maintaining health and curing a wide range of disease processes remains unequaled.

The core concept of detoxification is assisting in proper cellular functioning. Disturbed cellular function is the basis of disease, poor health and lowered physical and mental performance. It is caused by environmental and lifestyle habits that poison the blood which should only carry nutrients and oxygen, not pollutants and toxins. Scientific research into various aspects of detoxification programs have indicated detoxification is a safe, sound and effective approach because it works by amplifying the body's existing mechanisms of self healing. Detoxification processes in the body are primarily driven in the liver because it is here that the body filters the blood into a life-giving fluid that carries oxygen and nutrients to all the cells of the body. A sick or sluggish liver, caused by faulty lifestyles and environmental stress, loses its ability to protect every cell in the body from toxin damage. By improving the health of the gut/liver environment, enhanced immunity is brought to optimum function.

Signs of a sluggish liver:

• Sallow skin color and poor skin tone

• Dark circles under the eyes

• Yellow-coated tongue

• Bitter taste in the mouth

• Headaches

• Irritability

• Premenstrual tension

• Arthritis

• Inability to digest fats

HORMONE DEFICIENCY

Hormones deliver messages to cells about metabolism. When our hormones are in balance, we feel terrific. When they’re out of balance, we can feel exhausted and/or depressed, have poor immune function and/or sexual problems, and get fat even though we don’t eat too much. Cellular aging can alter the healthy balance of hormones in our bloodstream because as we age our hormonal system goes into a “pause”. With lowered production of melatonin, testosterone, DHEA and other sex steroids, both men and women can look and feel older.

Salivary hormone tests are useful tools for evaluating sexual dysfunction, fatigue, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, menopausal problems and impotency problems. Imbalanced hormones can cause significant changes in mood and behavior. Fortunately, ssessment of free salivary hormones gives an accurate picture of what’s really going on. For example, a typical saliva hormone test screens for two adrenal hormones, cortisol and DHEA, and checks saliva levels four times daily. The results of these tests correlate with the actual levels of the hormones in your bloodstream. This can be very helpful in determining whether supplementation with DHEA is indicated. Low levels of DHEA have been found in people with chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, arthritis, insomnia, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart disease, and nearly all diseases associated with aging. DHEA also increases sensitivity to insulin, increases fat metabolism, increases antioxidant enzymes in the liver, helps to scavenge free radicals.

Many of my patients with chronic disease commonly have low DHEA.

CHRONIC STRESS

Stress ages the body. The only hormone we make more of as we age is the stress hormone cortisol. Chronically elevated cortisol which the body creates during long term stress can have very damaging effects on our health. Cortisol elevates blood sugar, induces insulin resistance and also disturbs other hormones like testoserone and DHEA. High cortisol is especially damaging when the cortisol overproduction is accompanied by low levels of DHEA. DHEA somehow protects cells from the physical and mental damage caused by stress and high cortisol.

Stress hormones are produced in the adrenal gland. The damaging effects for every cell in the body begins with the stress hormones that are produced in the adrenal gland.

To protect the body form stress hormones the best thing is to avoid a lifestyle which causes a sense of being trapped, a feeling of inescapable suffering. One should also eat a diet high in protein, vegetables, and omega 3 fats (flax, fish) and low in carbohydrates (sugar and white flour). Supplements of adrenal extracts, thymus, ginseng, vitamin C, pantothenic acid, vitamin A and magnesium are all critical for preventing the damage caused by stress hormones. Exercises which strengthen and tone the nervous system, like yoga, are also ideal.

A lifestyle which includes relaxation, regular exercise, good nutrition and careful medical evaulation to look for genetic weak links is the most powerful anti aging therapy that has been discovered. Biological aging can be changed by our own careful attention to preserving good health, the most precious gift of our life.

Dr. Bennett’s Lifetime Performance® Health Strategies:

Daily exercise to:

¨ Increase muscle mass

¨ Increase strength

¨ Maintain a proper Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

¨ Reduce body fat

¨ Improve aerobic capacity

¨ Increase bone density

Low calorie/high nutrient diet to:

¨ Maintain proper insulin and blood sugar tolerance

¨ Provide critical bioflavonoids as antioxidants

¨ Give adequate protein for essential amino acids

¨ Avoid toxins, eat organic food

Daily intellectual pursuits to:

¨ Preserve cognitive abilities

Daily supplements:

¨ Antioxidants

Daily relaxation to:

¨ Reduce stress

How To Prevent ADHD In Your Children

AVOID THESE IN YOUR KITCHEN-

a. Foods with antimetabolites (fluoride)

b. Foods with hydrazine dyes (cause cancer)

c. Food or water with heavy metals

d. Excess protein, fat or refined carbohydrate because these are-

i. hard on digestive system.

ii. binds minerals, therefore decreases the absorption.

iii. cause obesity

iv. dysinsulinism as a cause of hypertension, diabetes, mental illness and violent behavior.

e. Food allergens cause: obesity, otitis media, asthma, bronchitis, rhinitis, menieres disease, urologic dysfunction, nephrotic syndrome, migraines, neurologic symptoms, glaucoma .

f. Non-foods- if it spoils eat it.

Detoxification in Medicine

For over one hundred years, naturopathic physicians have relied on detoxification therapy to assist their patients in optimum health Even with the advancements in biochemistry, physiology and pharamcology in the 20th century, the ancient wisdom of detoxification therapy in maintaining health and curing a wide range of disease precesses remains unequaled. Resting the immune and detoxification organs of the digestive tract and promoting elimination are the core concepts used in detoxification medicine. THE 7-DAY DETOX MIRACLE (Prima 2001), is a simple, do-it-yourself detoxification program which offers to improve chronic health problems, restore health even if you are not sick, and maintain optimum health. The core concept begins with the premise that detoxification (not alcohol and drug detox) is an effective medical strategy because it assists proper cellular functioning. Disturbed cellular function is the basis of disease, poor health and lowered physical and mental performance. It is caused by environmental and lifestyle habits that poison the blood which should only carry nutrients and oxygen, not pollutants and toxins. Scientific research into various aspects of the THE 7-DAY DETOX MIRACLE program and clinical results have indicated detoxification is a safe, sound and effective approach because it works by amplifying the body's existing mechanisms of self healing. Detoxification processes in the body are primarily driven in the liver because it is here that the body filters the blood into a life-giving fluid that carries oxygen and nutrients to all the cells of the body. A sick liver, caused by faulty lifestyles and environmental stress, loses its ability to protect every cell in the body from toxin damage. By improving the health of the gut/liver environment, enhanced immunity is brought to optimum function. The abdomen is the site of our key filtering and healing mechanisms and the 7-Day Detox Miracle program offers to stimulate and optimize this inherent healing mechanism in our body. KEY HEALTH BENEFITS OF DETOXIFICATION • Feel young, look great • Increased vitality, energy, and stamina • Reduction of allergic symptoms • Improvement of digestive functions • Better concentration, clarity, and mental focus • Enhanced mental performance • A sense of calm and ease • Increased resistance to illness • Reduction in risk for many chronic diseases • Reduced symptoms of chronic toxicity • Weight loss

Thoughts on Food Allergy Testing By Dr. Trenciansky

Food allergies play a role in an enormous variety of health problems. When the body is toxic food allergies often follow. A detoxification program is helpful, but to really heal it may be necessary to figure out which foods you are allergic or sensitive to and eliminate them from your diet for 4-6months. During this time your immune system and digestive system recuperate and afterwards many of the foods may no longer bother you. True food allergies only effect a small part of the population, but many people have food sensitivities. True food allergies are mediated by an antibody type called IgE. These allergies are usually the ones you already know about—you eat shrimp or strawberries and get hives, dairy products give you immediate diarrhea, etc. Much more common are food sensitivities which are also called “delayed hypersensitivity reactions.” These trigger antibodies called IgG. Delayed reactions are exactly that—you eat something today, but tomorrow you have a migraine headache, or wake up feeling groggy and tired, or with bags under your eyes. These delayed reactions can underlay an enormous variety of symptoms and health conditions, many of which you’d never suspect were related to food allergies, like arthritis for instance.

These are several different patterns of allergic reactions:

Fixed reactions: are those that occurs every time you eat a certain food. Even if you haven’t eaten that food for years, you’ll have a reaction the next time you do eat it. (This is typically the only kind of food allergy reaction accepted by traditional allergists.)

Cumulative reactions: occur only after you’ve eaten a certain amount of food, or only after you have eaten the same food several times in a period of a few days. You are able to tolerate a certain amount of the food without suffering a reaction, but above that certain amount you develop symptoms. A classic example is the child who can eat chocolate without any problems but who develops a skin rash or diarrhea on Easter morning after eating handfuls of chocolate eggs.

Variable reactions: may be the worst of all, they occur without any logical pattern. You may be allergic to a specific food only during hay fever season, or only during the premenstrual phase of your menstrual cycle.

Addictive reactions: occur when you are addicted to a certain food and then you avoid it for a period of several hours. You’re likely to develop unpleasant symptoms – literally withdrawal symptoms – that can include craving for the food, irritability, anxiety. Depression, weakness, shakiness, fatigue, headache, and generalized aching. As soon as you eat the specific food, you feel fine again. Usually within a matter of minutes, sometimes a matter of seconds. If you avoid the food entirely, you can usually overcome the withdrawal symptoms within a few days to a week: stubborn cases may require a few weeks to a few months. A food allergy – addiction is a true no-win situation. You feel rotten if you eat the food but feel worse if you don’t. The only sensible solution is to give up the problem food entirely. You may suffer some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms for a few days or even a few weeks, but it should be well worth your effort since you should feel so much better afterwards. Any food can become addictive, the most common offenders include: sugar, chocolate and coffee.

SYMPTOMS OF FOOD SENSITIVITY HEAD: Chronic headaches, migraines, difficulty sleeping, dizziness

MOUTH & THROAT: Coughing, sore throat, hoarseness, swelling/pain, gagging, frequently clearing throat, sores on gums, lips and tongue

EYES, EARS, NOSE: Runny or stuffy nose, postnasal drip, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, sinus problems, watery and itchy eyes, ear infections, hearing loss, sneezing attacks, hay fever, excessive mucus formation, dark circles under eyes, swollen, red or sticky eyelids

HEART & LUNGS: Irregular heartbeat (palpitations, arrhythmia), asthma, rapid heartbeat, chest pain & congestion, bronchitis, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing

GASTROINTESTINAL: Nausea and vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, bloating, passing gas, stomach pain, cramping, heartburnSKIN: Hives, skin rashes, psoriasis, eczema, dry skin, excessive sweating, acne, hair loss, irritation around eyes

MUSCLES & JOINTS: General weakness, muscle/joint aches and pains, arthritis, swelling, stiffness

ENERGY & ACTIVITY: Fatigue, depression, mental dullness and memory lapses, difficulty getting your work done, apathy, hyperactivity, restlessness

EMOTIONS & MIND: Mood swings, anxiety and tension, fear, nervousness, anger, irritability, aggressive behavior, binge eating or drinking, food cravings, depression, confusion, poor comprehension, poor concentration, difficulty learning

OVERALL: Overweight, underweight, fluid retention, dizziness, insomnia, genital itch, frequent urination

ADDITIONAL SIGNS OF FOOD SENSITIVITIES IN CHILDREN In addition to the symptoms listed above, children with food sensitivities may have:Attention Deficit DisorderBehavior problemsLearning problemsReoccurring ear infectionsThese problems are often not recognized as being related to food sensitivities. Children with these problems will benefit from a food evaluation and sensitivity testing.

Elimination Provocation Testing- A food allergy blood test is best used in conjunction with a test you do yourself at home, the Elimination Provocation Test. By adding foods back slowly you can evaluate which foods trigger symptoms anew. It takes persistence and perseverance but the Elimination Provocation test is an accurate way to discover your food allergies in combination with the blood test. For example, if you are testing wheat you need to eat cracked wheat or bulghur wheat, preferably organically grown. Eat it two or three times for two days and see how you feel on the 2nd and 3rd day. If you notice symptoms, take it out of your diet for at least four days and retest. Sometimes you’ll have to test a food 3 times before you are certain of your reaction. Maybe the wheat bothered you or was it your hayfever? Or were you just run down? Or was it the restaurant food you ate the day before? Be a super sleuth. It’s worth the effort.

IgE & IgG Blood Testing for Food Allergies and Sensitivities-Many physicians test only for IgE reactions. If only IgE tests are done, some reactive foods will be missed. It is important to be tested for both IgE and IgG or IgG4 antibodies. This is done with a simple blood test which is sent to our consulting lab. It is then put into little glass wells containing antibodies along with test foods. The technician measures the level of antibody reaction to each food. This test is sometimes a reflection of what you’ve been eating most recently. For example, if you know that dairy products and eggs bother you and you never eat them, they may show up negative on the test because you haven’t eaten any for years. Since this test is measuring delayed hypersensitivity, occaisonally a food shows up on the test, but when you eat it you don’t notice any symptoms right away. A good clinician can help you decipher the test results.

Electrodermal Testing-EDS testing is an excellent way of determining food sensitivities and allergies. Why are food sensitivities and allergies so important? When you eat a food item that you are sensitive/allergic to your body’s immune system spends its valuable time trying to digest that food item instead of on other things like getting ride of toxins, etc.