0 B Vitamin Supplements May Advance Kidney Decline In People With Diabetes

About 40% of people with diabetes will develop kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy); 44% of cases of renal failure are linked to diabetes.

B vitamins lower blood homocysteine levels, high levels of which are thought to raise the risk for diabetic nephropathy.

Can taking B vitamins lower the risk of kidney disease among diabetics? Researchers from Canada set out to answer that question:

Effect Of B-Vitamin Therapy On Progression Of Diabetic Nephropathy, Journal of the American medical Association, April 2010

They reported that people with diabetes and nephropathy who took supplemental vitamin B had a greater decline in kidney function than those taking placebo. Supplementers also had a higher rate of heart attack and stroke.

Patients took a tablet containing placebo or:

• Folic acid (2.5 mg/d)
  
• Vitamin B6 (25 mg/d)
  
• Vitamin B12 (1 mg/d)

The RDA for those vitamins:

• Folic acid (400 mcg/d = 0.4 mg/d)
  
• Vitamin B6 (1.3 to 1.7 mg/d)
  
• Vitamin B12 (2 to 3 mcg/d = .002 to .003 mg/d)

Note the high doses in the supplement.

Not only was the folic acid/B6/B12 blend not helpful, it likely did harm.

Science Daily has a good summary:
High Doses of B Vitamins Associated With Increased Decline in Kidney Function for Patients With Kidney Disease from Diabetes
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0 Overeating Can Double the Risk of Memory Loss Leading to Cognitive Decline

Compelling research will be presentedat the American Academy of Neurologys 64th Annual Meeting to explain how overeating may double the risk of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), among people aged 70 and older. Cognitive decline threatens the very nature of who we are and how we interact with others and the number of individuals experiencing the normal loss of thought and memory has been increasing over the past half century.

Loss of cognition and early stage dementia are both precursors to the devastating condition diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease, said to affect nearly half of those aged 80 and above. Calorie restriction initiated early in life may be one of the most effective tools available to combat cognitive decline and memory loss leading to dementia.

High Caloric Intake is Shown to Double the Risk of Cognitive Decline in Seniors

The studywas conducted using 1,233 individuals aged 70 to 89 who were free of dementia and living in Minnesota. Each participant filled out a questionnaire detailing the number of calories they ate or drank, and were then broken into three groups based on total caloric consumption. A third of the participants consumed between 600 and 1,526 calories per day, the middle third ranged between 1,526 and 2,143 and the top third consumed between 2,143 and 6,000 calories per day.

The lead study author, Dr. Yonas Geda noted of the initial findings, “We observed a dose-response pattern which simply means; the higher the amount of calories consumed each day, the higher the risk of MCI.” The team discovered that those consuming the highest number of calories (2,143 calories per day and up) more than doubled their risk for developing MCI. The researchers adjusted for history of stroke, diabetes, amount of education, and other factors that can affect risk of memory loss to reach their conclusion.

Dietary Restriction Lowers Oxidative Damage to Delicate Brain Structures

It is important to note that participants in the lower two-thirds experienced no increased risk of MCI, leading to the conclusion that the body is able to metabolize calories to an individual set point before cognition is impaired. Dr. Geda commented “excessive caloric intake may lead to oxidative damage leading to structural changes in the brain… cutting calories and eating foods that make up a healthy diet may be a simpler way to prevent memory loss as we age”.

It comes as no surprise to those following healthy lifestyle principles that caloric intake is yet another lifestyle factor found to affect the brain and impact normal thinking and memory processes as we age. Researchers have known for decades that calorie restriction is the only demonstrated mechanism to extend healthy lifespan, as it is shown to stress the body’s natural survival mechanism toward longevity. Cutting 20% of your daily calories in the form of hydrogenated and trans fats, ined carbohydrates and excess animal protein will not only help you maintain a normal body weight, but may help prevent cognitive decline in your senior years.

0 No evidence drugs vitamins supplements help prevent cognitive decline in healthy older adults

A review of published research has found no evidence that drugs, herbal products or vitamin supplements help prevent cognitive decline in healthy older adults.

The review, conducted at St. Michaels Hospital, found some evidence that mental exercises, such as computerized memory training programs, might help.

"This review provides some evidence to help clinicians and their patients address what strategies might prevent cognitive decline," said Dr. Raza Naqvi, a University of Toronto resident and lead author of the review.

The issue is of particular importance given that mild cognitive impairment affects 10 to 25 per cent of people over age 70. Mild cognitive impairment is characterized by reduced memory, judgment, and decision-making skills compared to someone of a similar age, but not enough to interfere with daily activities.

The annual rate of decline into dementia, such as Alzheimers disease, is about 10 per cent. Given that rate and the aging population, its estimated the number of Canadians with dementia will double to more than 1 million in the next 25 years.

Researchers including Dr. Sharon Straus, head of the Knowledge Translation Program at St. Michaels, reviewed 32 randomized clinical trials involving about 25,000 patients.

They found no strong evidence for pharmacologic treatments such as cholinesterase inhibitors that were developed to improve the effectiveness of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger that assists memory, thought and judgment.

Nor was there strong evidence that herbal supplements such as gingko improved cognitive functions or vitamins and fatty acids such as vitamin B6 or omega-3 fatty acids.

Some studies on estrogen actually indicated an increase in cognitive decline and dementia.

Evidence on the value of physical exercise, such as strength-training, was weak.

The strongest evidence was for the value of mental exercises such as computerized training programs or intensive one-on-one personal cognitive training in memory, reasoning, or speed of processing.

Dr. Naqvi said future studies should address the impact of cognitive training on the prevention of cognitive decline.

"We encourage researchers to consider easily accessible tools such as crossword puzzles and sudoko that have not been rigorously studied," he said. "The studies in this review that assessed cognitive exercises used exercises that were both labour- and resource-intensive, and thus may not be applicable to most of our patients."