IN THIS ISSUE, August 10 2001:
LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE EXCLUSIVE: Major study proves diet, exercise,
Metformin delay adult onset diabetes
PROTOCOL: Diabetes
FEATURED PRODUCTS OF THE WEEK: Vanadyl sulfate 7.5 mg capsules, Super
alpha-lipoic acid capsules
DURK PEARSON AND SANDY SHAW'S LIFE EXTENSION NEWS: FDA says no to drug
imports
TUNE IN TO LIFE EXTENSION RADIO EVERY SATURDAY
LIFE EXTENSION UPDATE EXCLUSIVE
Major study proves diet, exercise, Metformin delay adult onset diabetes
A three-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Center
for Disease Control and other sources has proven the value of lifestyle
intervention in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. The drug Metformin also
reduced the risk of developing diabetes to a lesser extent than that of diet
and exercise. The study is the first major study to confirm these benefits.
The trial, known as the Diabetes Prevention Program, recruited 3,234
individuals with impaired glucose tolerance, a condition that frequently
predicts the development of diabetes, as well as other at risk individuals
sixty years of age and older, those with a first-degree relative with type 2
diabetes, and women who had been previously diagnosed with gestational
diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy. Forty-five percent of study
subjects were from minority groups who have higher rates of diabetes.
The participants were randomly assigned to receive the drug Metformin, a
lowfat diet and 150 minutes per week of exercise with a goal of weight loss,
or a placebo pill. Those in the group with improved diet and exercise
reduced the risk of subsequent diabetes development by fifty-eight percent
and lost five to seven percent of their body weight. Metformin reduced the
risk by thirty-one percent.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G Thompson stated, "In view of the
rapidly rising rates of obesity and diabetes in America, this good news
couldn't come at a better time. So many of our health problems can be
avoided through diet, exercise and making sure we take care of ourselves. By
promoting healthy lifestyles, we can improve the quality of life for all
Americans, and reduce health care costs dramatically."
It is not yet known how long these benefits will be effective at delaying
diabetes, but the researchers plan to follow the participants in order to
find out. Data will also be analyzed to determine the effect of the
interventions on the prevention of cardiovascular disease, a frequent
complication of diabetes.
Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases, Dr Allen Spiegel, commented, "Every year a person can live free of
diabetes means an added year of life free of the pain, disability, and
medical costs incurred by this disease. The DPP findings represent a major
step toward the goal of containing and ultimately reversing the epidemic of
type 2 diabetes in this country."
PROTOCOL
Diabetes
The cumulative effects of diabetes are systemwide. Because diabetes causes
both vascular and neurological damage, the end results are enormously
significant. This is true for diabetics of both major types. Be aware that
diabetics may feel healthy and unaffected while these effects are
developing. Type I diabetics, because of the greater number of years with
the disease and because of the higher blood sugar levels often seen, may
experience more damage at an earlier age. Poorly controlled Type II patients
may see similar damage, however. Even well-controlled diabetics can suffer
from some degree of these long-term complications:
Kidney Failure
Though most common in Type I cases, circulatory dysfunction may lead to
difficulty or failure of this organ. Diabetes is the leading cause of
end-stage renal disease.
Stroke
Diabetes is the major cause of strokes in the United States.
Amputation
Over 50% of amputations are diabetes related.
Blindness
Diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in the United States.
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetics are 2 to 4 times as likely to have heart disease as people without
diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Impotence
Among diabetics, both vascular and neurological damage causes high rates of
impotence.
Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy (pain and numbness in the extremities, usually in the
feet and legs) is common in diabetes.
There are several major avenues of treatment for diabetes. All presume that
the patient is taking a high-potency, easily assimilated,
multivitamin-mineral complex as a basis for other specific, symptom-targeted
supplements. The global objective of this approach is to limit, prevent, or
in some cases reverse the vascular and neural damage seen in diabetes.
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FEATURED PRODUCTS OF THE WEEK
Vanadyl sulfate 7.5 mg capsules
European doctors often use vanadium salts to treat diabetes. Vanadium mimics
the effects of insulin in the body, thereby lowering serum glucose levels.
This enables some diabetics to use less insulin, or stop taking insulin
altogether. The form of vanadium used by most doctors to lower serum glucose
levels is vanadyl sulfate which is well assimilated by the digestive system.
Body builders have also found that vanadium has an anabolic effect by
improving the muscle to fat ratio.
Do not experiment with vanadium products unless you have a glucose meter to
monitor your blood glucose, since it is possible for vanadium in conjunction
with insulin and other diabetic products to produce a dangerous hypoglycemic
state.
http://www.lef.org/cgi-local/welcome.cgi/id=151065958/sgroup_id=699/welcome.
html
Super alpha-lipoic acid capsules
When alpha lipoic acid was first isolated in the early 1950's, it was
tentatively classified as a vitamin because of its vitamin-like properties.
The method by which alpha lipoic acid is synthesized within the body has not
yet been fully characterized, but its precursors appear to be octanoate and
the sulfur amino acid, cysteine. Recent findings show that both alpha lipoic
acid and its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) function as potent
antioxidants within the body, and that both these compounds may be effective
in preventing and treating the complications of diabetes and, perhaps, aging
itself.
In clinical studies to date with alpha lipoic acid, there have been no
reported serious adverse side effects, even at the high doses used to treat
diabetics and patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. Among the
mild, reversible side effects found in some patients have been allergic skin
reactions and possible hypoglycemia in diabetics.
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Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw's Life Extension News, July 2001
This newsletter is written by scientists Durk Pearson & Sandy Shaw for other
scientists studying aging and for interested physicians and laypersons, as
well as for lawyers interested in promoting medical freedom of choice and
Constitutional government. The information provided herein is not intended
as a replacement for professional medical or legal advice.
FDA Says No to Drug Imports
Although Congress authorized a rule allowing reimportation of prescription
drugs by individuals in last year's final budget reconciliation package (as
a way to help individuals buy drugs at the reduced prices often available in
other, poorer countries), it is "looking doubtful" that such a regulation
will be issued, according to Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. The FDA claims that such freedom cannot be
allowed while the agency is unable to certify that the drugs coming back
into the country are safe and are the same drugs that were exported. This is
a fine excuse to protect their pharmaceutical company clients from price
competition and to ensure the continued availability of six figure salary
jobs at pharmaceutical companies for former FDA officials.
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TUNE IN TO THE LIFE EXTENSION RADIO SHOW EVERY SATURDAY from 11:30 am to
12:30 pm eastern time. South Florida listeners tune into WJNA 1040 am. The
program will be webcasted live. This week's topic: Cardiovascular health
and disease. Listeners in the U.S. can call in on 1-877-644-1400 to talk to
the Life Extension Foundation's Scientific Director, Ron Keys PhD. To learn
more or to send in your questions or topics, go to:
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CHAT WITH DR BAER
Wednesday, August 15, chat live with Andrew Baer MD at 7:00 pm eastern time
and 7:00 pm pacific time. Participants will have the unique opportunity to
learn about integrative medicine and ask health related questions.
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Visit our website at www.lef.org and take part in our weekly poll. This
week's question: How did you first hear about the Life Extension
Foundation?
If you have questions about this issue or past issues of Life Extension
Update or on other life extension topics, email them to
ddye@lifeextension.com or call 1 800 841 5433 x 7716.
For longer life,
Dayna Dye
Editor, Life Extension Update
ddye@lifeextension.com
Life Extension Foundation
www.lef.org
1 800 841 5433
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