How do you know if you are getting all the vitamin D your supplement claims on its label? Unless the product has been analyzed by an impartial laboratory for purity and quality and it comes with a certificate of analysis guarantee, you don’t.

Neither the Food and Drug Administration nor any other state or federal agency routinely evaluates vitamin D or any other nutritional or herbal supplements to ensure their quality. “Quality” means:

• the product contains the amount of the nutrient claimed on the label

• the product is not contaminated with substances such as lead, and

• that supplements in the form of tablets or capsules disintegrate properly in the body

No one likes to get cheated, but when it comes to buying nutritional supplements, consumers are being cheated all the time. Here we focus solely on vitamin D, partly in reaction to a preliminary report from Johns Hopkins University (June 14, 2010), in which a research team from University reported what they found when they evaluated ten over-the-counter vitamin D supplements. Read more »»

When people think about how to protect their bone health, calcium is typically the first thing that pops into their minds. But vitamin B12? Well, not so much. However, it may be time to think about this important B vitamin when it comes to preserving your bones.

Vitamin B12 and Bone Studies

Two studies in particular point to a substantial relationship between vitamin B12 and bone health. Epidemiologist Katherine Tucker at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston conducted one of the studies using data from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. She and her colleagues evaluated vitamin B12 blood levels and bone health indicators gathered from 2,576 men and women who ranged in age from 30 to 87 years.

Tucker discovered a link between a deficiency of vitamin B12 and the development of osteoporosis in both men and women and published the findings in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The research team discovered that in both men and women who had levels of vitamin B12 lower than 148 picomoles per liter (pM/L), their risk of osteoporosis was greater than those who had higher levels of the vitamin. Individuals who had B12 levels lower than 148 pM/L also had significantly lower average bone mineral density than those with higher vitamin B12 levels.

Read more »»

We are big believers in vitamin D for joint health at JoMo.  In fact the new JoMo formulation now has 2000IU of vitamin D in every dose (see below for some of the dosage recommendations from Harvard and other organizations).  Here is some of the latest research on vitamin D as it applies to joint health as well as heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes and colon cancer.

Vitamin D Joint and Bone Health

Vitamin D and calcium work in tandem to improve bone density and reduce the risk of hip and other fractures, and numerous studies have shown this relationship. Vitamin D alone is also essential for promoting calcium absorption and maintaining adequate concentrations of calcium and phosphate to allow normal mineralization of bone. It is also necessary for bone growth and bone repair. Without sufficient intake of vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Sufficient levels of vitamin D prevent rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults, and along with calcium, protects individuals from development of osteoporosis. (National Institutes of Health) Read more »»

We are big believers in Vitamin D at JoMo.  That’s why the next batch of JoMo will now include 2000IU’s in every dose, the highest dose of vitamin in any liquid joint supplement.  While we love vitamin D for its bone health, arthritis support and anti-cancer properties as well as its benefits for rheumatoid arthritis, a new study also shows that during pregnancy, women should take ten times the amount of the current RDA of 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D. Read more »»

A new study from Northumbria University indicates that runners who drank cherry juice experienced a faster recovery than athletes who downed a placebo.

The study centered around runners in the London Marathon, 20 of whom drank either a tart cherry blend juice made from Montmorency cherries or a placebo twice daily for five days before they ran the race. After the race they continued the twice-a-day juice or placebo habit for two additional days. Read more »»

Black, oolong, green, and white tea all come from the Camellia sinensis tea plant, yet they are not the same, and the difference begins the moment the teas are picked.

White tea begins its journey to your tea cup when the plant sports a greater proportion of buds to leaves. These buds are covered with whitish hairs, which is where the tea gets its name. Once the white tea buds and young leaves are picked, they are steamed and dried rapidly, just enough to stop oxidation (oxidation occurs in different levels in green and black teas, giving them their respective color and flavor).

The result is a tea that is barely processed, which allows it to hold onto high concentrations of the potent polyphenols called catechins. All other teas undergo more processing than white tea, which reduces their level of catechins (e.g., epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate [EGCG]), those potent antioxidants for which white and green tea are well known. Read more »»

Listen up, ladies (and guys too, even though the study doesn’t mention you): Boston researchers say that women who live in the northern latitudes are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than their friends living down south.

Dr. Veronica Vieira, MS, DSc, associate professor of environmental health at Boston University School of Public Health says “This might be related to the fact that there’s less sunlight in these areas, which results in a vitamin D deficiency.” Read more »»

Omega 3 fats are known for their ability to decrease inflammation in the body. It is this action that makes omega 3 fats and fish oils helpful for suppressing the joint inflammation and destruction that is common in arthritis. When joints are creaky and painful, omega 3 fats can be likened to a lubricant that helps them move more freely. In addition, omega 3 fats may aid in weight loss which helps to relieve added pressure from joints.

Fish Oil for Joint Health

Diets rich in EPA and DHA, the types of omega 3 fats found in fatty fish and fish oil supplements, have been associated with a reduction in the production of cytokines and eicosanoids. Since these compounds contribute to the joint inflammation present in rheumatoid arthritis, researchers believe that incorporating EPA & DHA into the diet could promote arthritis improvement. Read more »»

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

The Basics

What are they?

Omega 3 fats are a type of essential fatty acid (efa) that the body needs for optimal health. Since our bodies can not make omega 3’s they must be obtained from the diet through foods or supplements (i.e. fish oil supplements). There are three different types of omega 3 fats – EPA, DHA, and ALA.

Why do I need them?

As an essential fatty acid omega 3s are crucial for a variety of body processes. In particular, they play an important role in thinning the blood which aids in preventing heart disease. Omega 3 fats are also powerful anti-inflammatory agents that may help relieve joint pain, aid in prostate cancer prevention, improve brain function and mood, and much more. Read more »»

I spent the best part of last week at the ExpoWest Natural Products Expo at Anaheim here in California and learned a few things:

• The natural foods business is booming despite the recession
• Most people in the natural products business do not look like they lead a natural lifestyle (read: gone are the days when products are mostly developed by small cottage industries and people who are passionate about the industry.  They have been replaced by big industry, corporate executives and big budgets (it costs minimum 10-15k to exhibit all in just for a small company))
• Soy can come in many forms and it isn’t always what you think!
• Acai, Acai, Acai!!  Can’t get enough! (I am being cynical)
  
• Labeling continues to be fuzzy at best.  Hey, Its Acai!  But read the fine print and who knows what else
• 5 Hour Energy is going the way of 6 Minute Abs.  100 different knock offs.  Note: have you ever read the label on that product?
  

But my main concern is over protein powders and supplements.  Recently I was also at the LA Fitness and Health Convention when all sorts of people claiming to be “fit” were pedaling all sorts of protein powders with the active ingredients being long chain molecules that Harvard professors wouldn’t understand.  I had been concerned for a while but it has really been driven home to be lately as I turn 46 and become more focused on men’s health issues and as I walk around “Health” Expo’s where people are selling products with no knowledge of the potential health effects. Read more »»