Research indicates that positive experiencing during childhood (when the nervous system is developing rapidly) encourages the widespread formation of dopamine receptors across the nervous system. Conversely, children whose emotional needs were neglected, develop fewer dopamine receptors and have reduced dopamine levels and functioning.

This “adaptive” profile is created as a self-protection mechanism during childhood but presents later in conditions such as; anxiety, attention deficit disorders, cravings, depression, chronic fatigue, low libido, obesity and panic attacks.

Failing to understand the real cause of depression, pharmaceutical companies capitalise on the ”low serotonin” doctrine as the cause of depressions and make billions from a class of drugs known as “selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors” or SSRIs e.g. Citalopram, Fluoxetine (Prozac), Paroxetine (Seroxat).

SSRIs are thought to lift dpression by raising the level of serotonin in the synaptic cleft beween brain cells.

The companies profiting from these drugs insist that it is a shortage of serotonin that is responsible for depressive illness, however, if this were so, these drugs would work within a few hours or days, when in fact they take weeks before there is any noticeable effect in mood.

What is actually taking place during these few weeks is a gradual desensitisation of serotonin receptors caused by the flooding of the receptors with the artificially high levels of serotonin that are now present in the synaptic cleft linking the brain cells.

This certainly explains why people taking SSRIs report that they feel “numb” or “flat”. In other words, they have stopeed being able to feel not only their uncomfortable feelings, the ones that drove them to seek help, but also any good feelings! Their emotional pain is relieved but the price paid is that they feel NOTHING!

Still, the drugs are heavily promoted and more than 80% of doctors here in the UK admit to overprescibing them. Like that other class of drugs, diuretics, anti-depressants are only recommended for short term use by NICE, yet millions of people receive these drugs for years or even decades!  

Addressing the cause

If we firstly acknowledge that human beings are complex, sensitive creatures and that childhood experiencing has the greatest impact on our future mental health, then we can start to wisely treat depression.

The next step is to allow the natural generation of new connections between the limbic system (where feelings are generated)and the frontal cortex (where feelings are felt), as this was the process that was pruned during childhood.

In practical terms, this requires the person to examine their thoughts and feelingsideally with a therapist or failing this, a good friend who can listen in a non-judgemental way. This “safe” relationship allows the person the opportunity to explore his/her own mind without fear of criticism.  

This process of increasing one’s self-awareness is very difficult to do alone since a vital part of the process is to have one’s thoughts and fears reflected back to allow the person to understand the source of discomfort and ultimately the effect these deep feelings and thoughts are affecting the person’s life. For when we are alone with our thoughts and feelings, we are unable to examine them objectively. Often, when people emerge from such a process, they often exclaim, “I didn’t know that I didn’t know”.

Pleasure and Reward

Such denial of feelings leads to a much lower density of dopamine receptors across the nervous system leading to a decreased capacity for pleasure and reward also. After all, it is particularly painful to reach out for affirmation and acceptance from other people and fail to receive it, so people, who as children learnt that their emotional needs were not important to others, tend to deny their own needs, making it difficult for them to dare to try and have what they truly want in life.

Accept yourself 

This period of emotional growth is essentially an opportunity for self-accetance, something that was impossible in the original situation of his childhood – for a child whose emotional needs were dismissed by his parents, will have learnt to dismiss his own emotions as unimportant. And in rejecting one’s own feelings, the connection with one’s very core, one’s soul/spirit  is severed. Left with a feeling of being “unacceptable/inadequate”, the person then spends enormous energy trying to prove to the world that he is in fact ”good enough” via an external show of achievement etc. 

The role of PEA in depression

Phenylethylamine (PEA) is a neuroamine that is released in the brain when we feel calm and joyful and people who suffer with depression have been shown to have low levels in the nervous system as measured by the main metabilite of PEA in the urine.

PEA has been coined as the “love molecule” by scientists since it is the molecule that flows in abundance when we fall in love.

Interestingly it has been shown that PEA can alleviate depression in 60% of depressed persons, the same percentage as all the major anti-depressants with the major advantage of no negative side effects.

PEA therapy may therefore have a very useful role in the treatment of depressions deserving, as many top scientists believe, to be the first line treatment since it is fast acting and can be used long term without fear of harmful consequences such as weight gain, loss of libido, and other common side effects typical of the anti-depressant drugs

In addition, increasing levels of PEA is the perfect suport for the therapeutic process described above, since it is also a neuro-regenerative molcule helping to create new connections across the brain.

PEA raises dopamine levels 

PEA acts very rapidly, in a matter of hours or days, instead of weeks. This provides a very useful tool for reducing disability, shortening medical treatment, and preventing suicide. Particularly important is the fact that PEA is very effective in bipolar patients, as this illness represents a high risk for suicide.

PEA therapy alone may be enough to lift a depressed person out from his low mood and by virtue of its neuro-regenerative powers and ability to raise the level of freely circulating dopamine in the central nervous system it can enhance progress during any type of therapy. PEA improves mood, and the knock on effect on dopamine levels allows the generation of positive feelings: something which may have been absent for a very long time.

For research studies and references supporting the role and use of PEA please contact us.

For further information on PEA or to buy a supplement with a high concentration of PEA please see vitalLIFT.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition associated with altered dopamine functioning within the central nervous system rather than a problem with the legs themselves:

“The problem lies with the brain messages being sent to the legs and not with the legs themselves. The brain produces dopamine, which acts as a messenger for cell receptors… ” says Katie Sidle, Consultant Neurologist, London in an article in The Sunday Mail, January 2010. 

Restless legs can occur in younger people and during pregnancy, but occurs more from mid-life as the level of dopamine in the central nervous system starts to decline. 

Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter molecule in the central nervous system vital for the control and coordination of movement. Dopamine also keeps us alert, active and motivated, is necessary for “executive” functions (constructive thinking, concentration and memory formation) and is required to generate pleasurable feelings and sexual desire. From mid-life dopamine levels decline by approximately 13% per decade, accounting for many of the general symptoms of ageing; fatigue, low mood, depression, poor sleep quality, loss of muscle tone and cognitive function. 

Support Dopamine Function with vitalCALM

A synergistic formula of pure plant extracts, vitalCALM is rich in phenylethylamine (PEA), the amino acid produced in the brain when we feel happy, joyous and calm. PEA is a neuromodulator and neuroregenerative molecule and is proven to improve mood, concentration and mental acuity and to raise the level of freely circulating dopamine in the brain.

PEA normally has a short half-life in the body when taken orally, but protected by specific anti-oxidant molecules present in vitalCALM it is able to enter the blood stream, cross the blood brain barrier and help maintain dopamine levels.

vitalCALM  capsules are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.  

Dosage: 1 or 2 capsules either twice daily before lunch and evening meal or half an hour before bedtime.

Customer feedback

“They really do work! When I stop taking vitalCALM for a few days, my legs kick off again. I take a capsule and after half an hour they stop. It’s quite amazing!” Mr Lewis, Northants

“My husband is doing really well on these. He was diagnosed by the hospital and has tried all the drugs and everything else that’s out there. This is the only product that works for him and he’s got so much energy! We are very pleased with vitalCALM.”  Mrs Gregory, Lancs

“These capsules are absolutely amazing, I would recommend them to anyone! I have suffered with restles legs since I was 16, I’ve tried everthing, my doctor couldn’t help, but these vitalCALM capsules are brilliant. I am actually sleeping now!”  Mrs Hill, Surrey (new customer July 2011)

I have had restless feet since I was seven years old and vitalCALM has enabled me to sleep well without the horrible feelings I used to suffer with. I could not do without them now! I take 2 capsules with a glass of water half an hour before bed. They work wonders!  W Lees, Hanpshire

If you would like to speak to our pharmacist for more information you can call free between 10-4pm Monday to Friday on 08706091180

 (Full news article that appeared in The Mail on Sunday in January 2010 - pdf)

Read more about dopamine in the article: What is Dopamine?

More information on Restless Legs Syndrome

The term ‘Restless Legs Syndrome’ was first introduced in 1945 by Karl-Axel Ekbom, and it is known as Ekbom’s syndrome.  Defined as a creepy, crawling sensation in the legs with an irresistible urge to get up and move around, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is thought to affect some 5-10% of Western populations and can cause chronic sleep deprivation. In 1994 it was described as the ‘the most common disorder you’ve never heard of’, a rather apt phrase as many doctors are still unaware of it. Yet research is proving RLS is a neurological condition involving faulty dopamine functioning within the central nervous system (1,2).

In the absence of any demonstrable neurology, clinicians often dismiss the seriousness of restless legs, but the effect of sleep disturbance on quality of life should not be underestimated. Often regarded as a psychosomatic disorder, patients are told ‘to put up with it’ and it is not unusual for diagnosis to be delayed by years, with patients becoming severely sleep deprived and depressed.

RLS is either primary or secondary

Primary RLS is considered idiopathic (no known cause) and usually begins slowly, before 40–45 years of age and may disappear for months or even years. It is often progressive and gets worse with age. RLS in children is often misdiagnosed as “growing pains” and the tiredness it creates may result in misdiagnoses of attention deficit disorders.

Secondary RLS often has a sudden onset after age 40, and may be daily from the beginning. It is most associated with specific medical conditions i.e. hypothyroidism, anaemia, renal failure, polyneuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome and amyloidosis.

The use or withdrawal of certain drugs may also precipitate RLS (3,4) and pregnancy and hypoglycemia both worsen symptoms (5,6). Both primary and secondary RLS can be worsened by surgery of any kind and back surgery or injury can be associated with actually causing RLS (7). More than 60% of cases of RLS are familial (8).

Restless Leg Syndrome Treatment

Generally, RLS is poorly managed and often inappropriate drugs are prescribed such as benzodiazepines, codeine and quinine, to name a few.

First line treatment is considered to be dopamine agonists (drugs that stimulate dopamine receptors) originally developed for Parkinson’s disease* such as pramipexole, ropinirole and rotigotine. However, these drugs can cause augmentation: the drug itself causes symptoms to increase in severity and/or occur earlier in the day. Dopamine agonists may also cause rebound, when symptoms increase as the drug wears off. In many cases, the longer dopamine agonists are used the higher the risk of augmentation and rebound as well as the severity of the symptoms. These problems stem from the over-stimulation of dopamine receptors resulting in desensitization. Side effects include; nausea, light headedness, tiredness, insomnia and increased risk of heart disease.

Recently gabapentin (an epilepsy drug) has received approval for RLS but common side effects in adult patients include dizziness, drowsiness, and swelling of extremities at higher doses in the elderly. Children 3–12 years of age were susceptible to mild-to-moderate mood swings, hostility, concentration problems, and hyperactivity.

Pharmacological treatment clearly leaves much to be desired and people are, quite rightly, wary of taking these potent drugs, none of which were developed specifically for RLS nor do they do anything to correct the underlying problem.

*Parkinson’s disease itself does not seem to increase the risk for RLS nor does RLS early in life predispose a person to Parkinson’s later on.

References

1. Allen, R (2004). “Dopamine and iron in the pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome (RLS)”. Sleep Medicine 5 (4): 385–91. 
2. Clemens, S.; Rye, D; Hochman, S (2006). “Restless legs syndrome: Revisiting the dopamine hypothesis from the spinal cord perspective”. Neurology 67 (1): 125–130.
3. Rottach, K; Schaner, B; Kirch, M; Zivotofsky, A; Teufel, L; Gallwitz, T; Messer, T (2008). “Restless legs syndrome as side effect of second generation antidepressants”. Journal of Psychiatric Research 43 (1): 70–5. 
4. Ashton, H (1991). “Protracted withdrawal syndromes from benzodiazepines”. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 8 (1–2): 19–28. 
5. Pantaleo, Nicholas P.; Hening, Wayne A.; Allen, Richard P.; Earley, Christopher J. (2010). “Pregnancy accounts for most of the gender difference in prevalence of familial RLS”. Sleep Medicine 11 (3): 310–313. 
6. Kurlan, Roger (2004). “Postprandial (Reactive) hypoglycemia and restless leg syndrome: Related neurologic disorders?”. Movement Disorders 13 (3): 619–20.
7. Crotti, Francesco Maria; Carai, A.; Carai, M.; Sgaramella, E.; Sias, W. (2005). Entrapment of crural branches of the common peroneal nerve. 97. pp. 69–70.
8. Lavigne, GJ; Montplaisir, JY (1994). “Restless legs syndrome and sleep bruxism: prevalence and association among Canadians”. Sleep 17 (8): 739–43

• anxiety and depression
• cravings and addictions
• fibromyalgia
• obesity
• Parkinson’s disease
• Restless Legs Syndrome

Dopamine receptors

At least five different dopamine receptors (D1-D5) have been identified across the nervous system and it seems that the density and variety of receptors we each have vary considerably depending on our genetic tendency and our development in the womb and during childhood.

Dopamine levels and functioning reflect our individual receptor repertoire and are reduced by stress, lack of the right nutrients, ageing and certain medications. Additionally, from mid-life, dopamine levels start declining at a rate of approximately 13% each decade, which accounts for many of the general symptoms of ageing such as fatigue, poor sleep quality, reduced emotional activity, depression, reduced motor activity, loss of muscle tone and cognitive function etc.

In women, low dopamine levels in mid-life exacerbate the physiological and psychological effects of declining oestrogen, producing more severe hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disturbances and mood swings.

For men, the effects of falling testosterone such as; decreasing muscle mass, increasing body fat, reduced physical energy/endurance, gradually decreasing libido, loss of bone density, increasing cholesterol etc are all exacerbated by declining dopamine.

Emotionally, dopamine is required to generate:

• feelings of pleasure
• feelings of attachment and love
• a sense of altruism (unselfish concern for the welfare of others)
• integration of thoughts and feelings

and low dopamine may be associated with:

• anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure)
• difficulty in feeling love and sensing attachment to another
• difficulty in accessing and expressing real feelings
• a lack of remorse about actions
• distractibility

Dopamine and depression

The adult brain is formed from our experiences in childhood and it has been shown that early social deprivation or stress can lead to permanent reduction in dopaminergic neurones especially in the prefrontal cortex of the brain where they are usually very dense, affecting the capacity for positive emotionality. An unsatisfactory early relationship between mother and child for example, results in fewer dopamine receptors and a constricted capacity for pleasure and reward in later life, increasing the propensity of depressive episodes.

The newer pharmacological teatments for depression are known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). The basis for their use is that depression is caused by low serotonin levels n the brain. SSRIs work by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin back into the nerve cell, thereby increasing the level existing at the synaptic cleft. However, this entire approach to treating depression is now in question and the drug companies promoting these SSRIs for years are now focussing their research efforts towards the wider role of dopamine.   

Improving dopamine levels/functioning

Conventional medicine treats tonditions associated with low dopamine levels/function with dopamine agonists – drugs that stimulate dopamine receptors. Unfortunately, in time, this constant and unnatural high level of stimulation desensitises the dopamine receptors so that drug effectiveness declines with time and drug dosages then need to be increased. This further desensitises the receptors (which are already in short supply) and increases negative side effects.

Improve dopamine levels naturally

Dopamine is made in the body from the amino acid tyrosine which is derived from the proteins we eat or from the amino acid phenylalanine. Unfortunately, eating more tyrosine-rich foods does not automatically confer higher dopamine levels.

However a proven way to improve dopamine levels is with phenylethylamine (PEA) (1).

PEA is a molecule we produce endogenously (made in the body) and which is known to have specific neuro-regenerating properties. We produce PEA when we feel happy, joyous and calm. People in love have particularly high levels (hence it has been coined the “love molecule”) as do long-distance runners – partly explaining the anti-depressant effect of exercise. 

Importantly, PEA also has the ability to raise the level of freely circulating dopamine in the brain once it crosses the blood brain barrier.

Products containing significant quantities of PEA able to access the central nervous system to positively influence low or declining dopamine levels/function include: Klamath flakes, vitalCALM, vitalLIFT, vitalMAX, vitalWOMAN.

If you would like any further information on any of these products or to seek advice from our pharmacist, please call free on 08706091180 between 10-4pm, Monday-Friday.

References

1) Murata M., Katagiri N., Ishida K., et al., Effect of beta-phenylethylamine on extracellular concentrations of  dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. Brain Research 2009 May t;1269:40-6

• Allergies/food intolerances
• Arthritis/rheumatism
• Asthma/atopic eczema
• Chronic fatigue
• Coeliac disease/Crohn’s disease
• Colitis/enteritis

Often called “the second brain”, because of the high concentration of neuro-peptides and neuro-transmitter receptors present along both the large and small intestine, the gastro-intestinal (GI) system is highly responsive to any emotional or mental distress we might be experiencing and it is the first organ system to lose its blood supply during a stress response.

A constant blood supply to the GI tract is very important since the lining cells forming the barrier between the contents of the intestines and the blood are replaced approximately every 14 hours and need a constant supply of nutrients to allow this cell turnover. Hence, the blood supply (at rest), to the GI tract is greater than any other resting organ system in the body.

This rapid cell turnover means that the GI tract particularly sensitive to any nutrient deficiencies in the diet as well as any stresses which have the same nutrient depleting effect by starving the lining of its blood supply.

When the lining cells are no longer replaced effectively, digestive health begins to be compromised. Our entire health is then put at risk as nutrients are less effectively absorbed and the lining cells suffer even more. The downward spiral has begun! It is at this stage that we can become more sensitive to environmental toxins and undigested proteins and increasingly susceptible to invading organisms and even our own emotional responses.

If the repair mechanisms worsen, a loss of integrity of the barrier function can occur creating the condition known as “leaky gut syndrome“. Partially digested food, toxic chemicals, whole bacteria, viruses and parasites are then able to enter the bloodstream.

Once in the circulation these substances are recognised as being “foreign” by the body, provoking an increase in the number of white blood cells (leucocytes) in the circulation. Circulating Immune Complexes are then formed as these blood cells attempt to neutralise the foreign substance. If the lining of the GI tract is not quickly repaired, the production of leucocytes becomes excessive and chronic, invariably causing inflammation locally in the GI tract or elsewhere in the body.

Many chronic auto-immune conditions are caused by these immunological reactions, as the raised level of circulating antibodies mistakenly attacks our own tissues.

Friendly helpers

A healthy GI tract is home to approximately 10¹⁴ ‘friendly’ bacterial cells of more than 500 species weighing approximately 1.35 kg. Beavering away inside, they contribute to our health by secreting important compounds such as butyric acid, vitamins and natural antibiotics, which prevent the growth of potentially pathogenic bacteria. They also digest certain foods and support the body’s immune function. Generally, friendly bacteria maintain an intestinal environment that promotes healthy intestinal mucosa (2). However, they too are also easily disturbed by a poor diet, illness, or any emotional or physical stress or trauma (including surgery), and can be wiped out completely by antibiotics.

True protectors

The distal part of the GI tract, which is home to the majority of these bacteria, used to be considered almost as an appendage of the digestive tract, whose principal purpose was the conservation of salt and water, and the disposal of waste materials. However it is now recognised that the metabolic potential of the human colonic microflora is impressive in terms of the number of biochemical reactions and transformations in which it participates. Bacteria play a key role in numerous processes in the large bowel, including carbohydrate and protein fermentation, bile acid and steroid transformations, metabolism of xenobiotic substances, development of the immune system, as well as the activation and destruction of potential mutagenic metabolites (3).

Healthy microbiota also play an important role in stimulating colonic motility and decreasing transit time-therefore reducing the opportunity for fermentation and the production of pathogenic catabolites by potentially pathogenic micro-organisms.

Indeed, the GI bacterial flora exert their many effects mainly through catabolic pathways. For example, in exchange for the supply of complex carbohydrates (starches and non-starch polysaccharides) from the host, intestinal bacteria produce butyrate, a bacterial fermentation product and principal source of energy for epithelial cells in the distal bowel.

The role of probiotics

Today’s Western diet (high in fat, sugar, salt and low in vegetable fibres, minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chromium, Omega-3 fatty acids, membrane lipids, vitamins and antioxidants) has been shown to predispose humans to inflammatory, infectious, ulcerative, degenerative and neoplastic diseases. Such diets show a virtual absence of beneficial bacteria. Called probiotic, because they are literally ‘for life’, these beneficial bacteria are part of naturally preserved foods such as sauerkraut, yoghurt, and kefir. A probiotic can be best defined as a live microbial food supplement that beneficially affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance.

Most organisms studied in this respect are lactic acid producers, namely the lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which stand out as being essential not only for the functionality of the intestines but also for the reinforcement of the natural defence of the whole body. Human and animal studies in vivo, as well as numerous clinical studies, indicate that intestinal flora positively affect many organ systems distant from the gut. Similarly an overgrowth of the wrong bacteria, which may establish themselves after a course of antibiotics can provoke disease states far away from the gut, for example:

• Arthritis: For reasons not fully understood, the wrong bacteria in the digestive system can cause or worsen arthritis. This ailment is strongly associated with GI problems such as colitis, coeliac and Crohn’s disease.
• Hyperactivity and Autism: These conditions have been linked with toxins in the gut produced by harmful bacteria.
• Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases: research suggests that an overload of these gut toxins may be responsible for the destruction of brain and nerve cells.

To encourage the growth of friendly bacteria:

• avoid sugar to prevent yeast overgrowth in the colon
• regularly consume insoluble fibre from corn and wheat bran to feed the good bacteria
• avoid alcohol and antibiotics
• minimise stress as much as possible.

However there is no substitute for the use of high-quality probiotic supplements. Just about everyone, even those who do not have GI problems will benefit from their anti-ageing, disease fighting effects. Potency and purity are especially important when choosing a brand since the bacteria are, after all, alive.

For a probiotic to be effective it must:

• retain potency during storage
• survive passage through acid and bile mediums
• attach to the intestinal walls and proliferate well
• compete with any pathogenic bacteria present
• produce B group vitamins and enzymes
• stimulate a beneficial immune response

Many products currently marketed claim some or all of these properties but on testing, some 70-90% regularly fail to comply with even their own claims. Either the strain declared on the label is not the one actually present, or it is mixed with other strains; a problem which is often coupled with the further negative fact that the actual bacterial count on average is significantly lower than that declared.

Therefore, it is necessary to select probiotic strains based on the ability of the manufacturer both to guarantee their actual nomenclature and adopt biotechnological and/or other methods to enhance stability and activity over time.

The most reliable, commercially available strain to guarantee a strong stability over time at room temperature, together with correct nomenclature and high count, is the Lactobacillus acidophilus strain DDS-1, manufactured according to the proprietary methodology developed by Prof. Shahani at the University of Nebraska (4).

Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1

The ability to stimulate a primary immune response in the gut is one of the main benefits of a good probiotic, and is strictly associated with the contribution that such a probiotic can make against pathologies such as allergies, inflammatory conditions, diarrhoea and even cancer. Diarrhoea is a pathology that involves both a bacterial and a virus infection, and probiotics that can both produce natural antibiotics and can stimulate an immune-based anti-viral response are indeed very effective in different types of diarrhoea, from children to adults and travellers.

Different types of human strain probiotics have been shown to be active against diarrhoea (5). L.acidophilus DDS-1 is known to produce the powerful natural antibiotic “acidophilin” , which has been shown to strongly inhibit at least 23 pathogenic bacteria, including streptococci, salmonella, staphylococci, pseudomonas, proteus, shigella and E.coli, one of the major culprits of diarrhoea (6). Given also its ability to stimulate a local immune response, L.acidophilus DDS-1 has indeed all the requirements and has been repeatedly proven to be a powerful tool against diarrhoea as well as other bacterial and viral infections (7). DDS-1′s immunological proerties extend also into the very important area of tumor prevention and treatment. It does this by preventing the transformation of nitrates and nitrites into nitrosamines and has been repeatedly proven to inhibit tumor cell proliferation up to 41% in vivo! (8)

DDS-1 also has the ability to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood (9). It has been proven to produce higher levels of lactase and beta-galactosidase enzymes than most other lactobacilli, thus proposing itself an important addition in the treatment of lactose intolerance .

Find L.acidophilus DDS-1 in vitalSHAPE

REFERENCES

1. SALMINEN, S. et al. Functional food science and gastrointestinal physiology and function. British Journal of Nutrition 1998; 80 (suppl 1):147-171.

2. GOLDIN B. Health Benefits of Probiotics. British J Nutr. 1998;80 (suppl 2): 203-7.

3. MACFARLANE G. Human colonic microbiota: ecology, physiology and metabolic potential of intestinal bacteria Scand J Gastroenterol. 1997;32 (suppl 222) :3-9.

4. SHAHANI, K.M. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1980,33,2448-2457.

5. GUANDALINI, S. et al. J of Paediatric Gastroenterolgy and Nutrition 2000, 30, 54-60

6. SHAHANI, K. et al. Cultured Dairy Products Journal 1977, 12 (2), 8-11

7. FERNANDESC.F.;SHAHANI, K.M. J of Applied Nutrition 1988, 40, 32-43

8. LEE, H. et al Applied Nutrition 1996, 48, 59-66

9. SINAH, D.K. Thesis, 1978, Univ of Nebraska, Lincoln

Cosmetics play a key role in the development of aggressive forms of breast cancer accordng to a new study from America. The culprit is the heavy metal cadmium found in most non-organic make-up and cosmetic products. Long-term exposure to the heavy metal seems to helps the cancer spread.

Maggie Louie, a professor of biochemistry at Dominican University of California says, “ Cadmium doesn’t necessarily cause cancer – but it makes it more aggressive. And 90 per cent of breast cancer deaths are those that have spread to other areas of the body.”

Cadmium is a by-product of mining and refining zinc, copper and lead and is present in our food, water, and air, but women are almost constantly exposed to low levels of the metal via their make-up.

Reference

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, April 23, 2012

Women may unknowingly be harming themselves by using widely available and heavily promoted standard ranges of cosmetics and make-up.

Protect yourself by swapping dangerous brands for safe ones starting with your lipsticks since these products mostly end up being swallowed and are therefore the most dangerous make-up category!

Check out our exciting new range of 100% pure lipsticks made with organic ingredients and coloured with plant (fruit and vegetable) pigments that highlights your beauty while protecting your health!

Article as printed in Chat magazine:

Sheila Buckley, 58, suffered from severe night sweats and daytime hot flushes – then she discovered vitalWOMAN.

Married with grown up children, Sheila works as a telephonist and lives in Bradford, West Yorkshire. She has suffered from hot flushes and night sweats for nearly 10 years. Initially the daytime hot flushes were most troublesome. Then, about four years ago, Sheila started to suffer from night sweats that were so bad she barely slept and her bed was soaked through night after night.

“Everyone tells you that hot flushes and night sweats are part and parcel of the menopause so I thought I’d just have to put up with it,” says Sheila. “I did try HRT for a short while but felt awful on it. I didn’t know what else to do: in the end I took antihistamines to help me sleep as the lack of sleep was as bad as being so wet and uncomfortable.”

Then a friend recommended Sheila try a new supplement called vitalWOMAN which is a completely natural nutritional/herbal preparation that aims to minimise the many menopause miseries, including hot flushes and night sweats.

“I’ll try anything once and especially if it’s natural,” says Sheila. She started to take vitalWOMAN at the beginning of September. “I can honestly say within days my night sweats abated and my daytime hot flushes became just occasional.

“Before vitalWOMAN I used to line my bed with bath towels to soak up the sweats and my hair would be dripping wet. I awoke several times each night and found it difficult to get comfortable. Each morning there’d be watermarks on the bedding – I was forever changing the sheets!

“My husband and I have always slept like spoons but these last few years have made that impossible. Now, after years of sleeping differently, we can snuggle up again and sleep the night through.”

Buy vitalWOMAN£15 for 5 vegicaps

About vitalWOMAN

This natural remedy is based on isoflavones that are known to help regulate oestrogen imbalance. Women who suffer badly during the menopause produce significantly reduced levels of oestrogen that is a key contributor to the various unpleasant symptoms. The isoflavones in vitalWOMAN act as a very weak oestrogen but their influence is strong enough to produce oestrogenic effects and so reduce the symptoms of the menopause.

The other important ingredient in vitalWOMAN is Klamath blue green algae which provides a rich supply of nutrients to deeply nourish body and mind and support hormone production. The plant Cimicifuga acts positively against hot flushes, cold sweats, mood swings and sleep disturbances and Angelica helps to regulate blood circulation generally. This powerful combination of natural ingredients renders vitalWOMAN a potent, safe and effective treatment to reduce the severity of menopausal symptoms.

Two studies by the research group of Prof. Louise Dye, Human Appetite Research Unit, the Institute of Psychological Sciences at the University of Leeds, demonstrate a statistically significant effect of the consumption of soy isoflavones on specific aspects of memory in postmenopausal women.

In 21 postmenopausal women, 100mg/d soy isoflavones taken for 8 weeks improved specific indices of verbal learning and memory after 4 weeks, and frontal lobe functioning after 8 weeks. Soy isoflavones were found to exert stronger cognitive effects in postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women.  The physiological response to soy isoflavones may differ between postmenopausal and premenopausal women.  Circulating oestrogen was not significantly affected by soy isoflavones in the premenopausal women, but there was a significant increase in peripheral oestrogen in the postmenopausal women.

It is well established that endogenous oestrogen levels play an important role in cognition. Oestrogen levels are also linked with neurodegeneration with age and cognitive decline in postmenopausal women.

Find soy isoflavones in vitalWOMAN

That view is now changing …..

Simply Vital Case Study

An elderly customer was diagnosed with the “wet” form of AMD in November 2010. She then started taking 2 vitalMAX capsules daily and when she attended her follow up appointment at Sunderland eye hospital in February 2011, all signs  of her AMD had disappeared!

Her consultant had expected to see a deterioration in her condition but instead could not find any sign of the disease!

This is only one case of couse, but it certainly challenges current assumptions about “wet” AMD and its treatment.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) tends to affect people over 50 resulting in loss of vision in the centre of the visual field (the macula) from damage to the retina. Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognise faces, although enough peripheral vision remains to allow other activities of daily life.

In the “dry” (non-exudative) form, cellular debris known as drusen accumulates behind the retina which can then become detached.

In the “wet” (exudative) form, which is the more severe form, blood vessels grow behind the retina also causing it to become detached. Treatment usually consists of laser coagulation of these vessels or drugs that stop and sometimes reverse blood vessel growth.

The “dry” form of advanced AMD, results from atrophy to the retinal pigment epithelial layer below the retina, which causes vision loss through loss of photoreceptors in the central part of the eye.

Neovascular or exudative AMD, the “wet” form of advanced AMD, causes vision loss due to abnormal blood vessel growth leading to blood and protein leakage below the macula and accounts for 10% or so of patients with macular degeneration. Bleeding, leaking, and scarring from these blood vessels eventually causes irreversible damage to the photoreceptors and rapid vision loss if left untreated.

Treatment options

No medical or surgical treatment is available for “dry” AMD, however experts agree that supplements with high doses of antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin may slow its progression and improve visual acuity. Studies with high beta-carotene on the other hand, have been associated with increased risk of AMD.

For the “wet” form, drugs that prevent the growth of new blood vessels are now being injected into the eyes on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. In the UK, ranibizumab (Lucentis) has been approved for this indication.

Why might vitalMAX be effective against AMD?

vitalMAX has an exceptional array of nutrients vital for eye health; amino acids, vitamins, minerals and the pigment molecules lutein, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll, carotenes and phycocyanin, so it is likely that this broad and potent spectrum of nutrients and pigments will support eye health and in the case of this 85 year old lady, helped the eye to heal.

The Scottish study involving more than 11,000 adults supports previous research, which linked gum disease with heart problems. However the researchers did say that more work is needed to confirm if poor oral health directly causes heart disease rather than being a marker of risk.

Poor oral hygiene leading to gum disease creates an inflammatory response from the body and it is this inflammatory response which has already been linked to arterial disease, that may be the link between the mouth and the heart.

This is the first research investigating a possible link between the frequency of teeth brushing and the risk of developing heart disease.

The results of this study were published in the British Medical Journal and included lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical activity and oral health routines.

Participants were also asked how often they visited the dentist and how often they brushed their teeth. Medical history and family history of heart disease, blood pressure and blood profile information was then compared. Overall, six out of 10 people said they visited the dentist every six months and seven out 10 reported brushing their teeth twice a day. During the eight years of the study there were 555 “cardiovascular events” such as heart attacks, 170 of which were fatal.

Taking into account factors that affect heart disease risk, such as social class, obesity, smoking and family history, the researchers found those with the worst oral hygiene had a 70% increased chance of developing the condition compared with those who brush their teeth twice a day. Those with poor oral hygiene also tested positive in blood samples for proteins which are suggestive of inflammation.

Study leader Professor Richard Watt, from University College London, said future studies will be needed to confirm whether the link between oral health behaviour and cardiovascular disease “is in fact causal or merely a risk marker”.

Judy O\’Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse at British Heart Foundation, said: “If you don\’t brush your teeth, your mouth can become infected with bacteria which can cause inflammation. However, it is complicated by the fact that poor oral hygiene is often associated with other well known risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking and poor diet.”

She added: “Good personal hygiene is a basic element of a healthy lifestyle.

“But if you want to help your heart, you should eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and take part in regular physical activity.”

Facts and figures

1. 96% of people see a smile as very important to someone’s overall appearance (Academy of General Dentistry).
2. About 5 million people each year visit their dentist with toothache.
3. 19 out of 20 people suffer gum disease at some point in their life, making it the most common disease in the world.
4. Most adults change their toothbrush once a year. It is recommended that a toothbrush should be replaced 4 times a year.