Giving up sweets and avoiding vitamins could help you live longer, German researchers said on Tuesday.
They found that restricting glucose -- a simple sugar found in foods such as sweets that is a primary source of energy for the body -- set off a process that extended the life span of some worms by up to 25 percent.
The key was boosting the level of "free radicals" -- unstable molecules that can damage the body and which people often try to get rid of by consuming food or drinks rich in anti-oxidants such as vitamin E, they said in a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Restricting glucose first spurred the worms to generate more free radicals, but then they quickly built up long-lasting defenses against them, said Michael Ristow, an endocrinologist at the University of Jena and the German Institute of Human Nutrition, who led the study.
"During the process, the worm generates more free radicals, which activates defenses against free radicals within the worm," he said in a telephone interview. "The bad thing in the end promotes something good."
The body needs glucose, but taking in too much was unhealthy, Ristow said.
Scientists have long known that restricting calorie intake in worms and monkeys increases longevity, and the study narrowed that idea further, to glucose.
The study also for the first time points to a possible reason why antioxidants -- long thought to promote health -- might do more harm than good, Ristow said.
The German team used a chemical that blocked the worms' ability to process glucose in a treatment that extended their life span by up to 25 percent, the equivalent of 15 years in humans.
The worms unable to depend on glucose increased energy power sources in certain cells for fuel. That activity produced more free radicals, which in turn generated enzymes that strengthened long-time protection against the harmful molecules, Ristow said.
However, antioxidants and vitamins given to some worms erased these benefits by neutralizing free radicals and preventing the body from generating the defenses, Ristow said.
"These latter findings tentatively suggest that the widespread use of antioxidants as human food supplements may exert undesirable effects," the researchers wrote.
� 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.
Posts: 294 | From nevada | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 773
posted
Yes, we need some free radicals to stay healthy, but not too many FOR TOO LONG.
Every day, for a very split second inside our cells we are making H2O2. This is hydrogen peroxide, a weak acid. It DOES kill pathogens...MANY of them (not Bb), but our cells cannot remain acidic or they will die...so in step the antioxidant enzymes to breakdown H2O2.
Catalase is the biggie. Then there is glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase.
Yes, most, if not all, pathogens need sugar.
So do we!!!
This is why we digest carbohydrates first...to obtain the glucose we need, but slower, so not to trigger insulin SPIKES.
Too many free radicals for too long and a lack of anti-oxidants and anti-oxidant enzymes -> oxidative stress which triggers NFkB.
Which triggers Il1 beta. NOT GOOD.
Re: Bb:
"Outer Membrane Proteins: Polyclonal
activation of B-Cells, responsible for sequelae."
Activation of beta cells -> sequela.
Definition: A sequela,is a pathological condition resulting from a disease, injury, or other trauma. Chronic kidney disease, for instance, is sometimes a sequela of a food-borne illness; post-traumatic stress disorder may be a psychological sequela of rape.
INactivate NFkB.
Because this is what happens when NFkB is turned on too long:
All of these events, cumulatively known as ``oxidative stress,'' lead to increased production of free radicals inside the cell, with the activation of tiny messengers called transcription factors such as AP-1 and nuclear factor kappa B, or NfkB for short.
When NfkB detects oxidative stress, it translocates to the nucleus of the cell, which contains the DNA (which in turn contains the master instructions of the cell).
NfkB attaches to a portion of the DNA and instructs the cell to make inflammatory chemicals such as interleukins 1 and 6 and tumor necrosis factor, types of cytokines (intercellular chemical messenger proteins released by white blood cells as well as other cells) that create further inflammation and damage.
* When NfkB is activated in skin cells along with another transcription factor called AP-1, it can lead to wrinkles in the skin.
* When NfkB is activated in the brain, it can lead to Alzheimer's disease, and activated in other organs it can lead to cancer.
* When NfkB is activated in the pancreas, it can lead to the destruction of the B-cells of the pancreas, which are the sole source of insulin, resulting in diabetes.
* NfkB blocks the ability to utilize insulin effectively, which leads to the storage of body fat, causing us to gain weight and have great difficulty shedding the pounds.
With NF-kB activated, even thin animals develop insulin resistance and diabetes as though they were obese. Perhaps more importantly, with NF-kB inhibited, obese animals do not develop insulin resistance or diabetes."
It is a fine line...we need some free radicals to indeed help us fight pathogens, not just a lot...ongoing.
It is going to take something TRIVALENT to destroy Bb.
ATP, O3, D3, Cr3 come to mind...
BTW...here is a link to the top 10 antioxidant FOODS.
posted
Who says our bodies are like the bodies of worms??
I would agree with the glucose thing, but as long as our antioxidants are from NATURAL sources, there should be more payback on taking them than on NOT taking them.
This sounds pretty weird to me.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
Not to mention the obvious question.
Did these worms have lyme disease?
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 773
posted
"The worms unable to depend on glucose increased energy power sources in certain cells for fuel.
That activity produced more free radicals,
which in turn generated enzymes (proteins) that strengthened long-time protection against the harmful molecules."
We don't make and "keep" enzymes for long-time protection. They are on a made as needed basis.
If that was the case, if enzymes stuck around and afforded "long term protection", then a person whould only need a "one time dose" of lactaid if the person was lactose intolerant and unable to breakdown lactose (a milk sugar).
We make enzymes and they get used up.
The worms increased free radicals -> more antioxidant enzymes made at that point in time.
The worms used proteins and fats for fuel(instead of glucose) -> Ketogenesis = increased free radicals.
(Gee...I wonder which pathogen likes sugars AND the amino acids in FATS it gets via triggering gluconeogenesis?)
The very destructive free radicals CAN destroy MOST pathogens WHEN and IF they combine with nitrogen -> NO, carbon -> CO, Hydrogen -> ultimately H2O2...but these toxic combinations cannot REMAIN in our cells or the cells will die.
Danger of ongoing NO for example:
If a guy takes Viagra which is a PDE5 inhibitor and increases NO (nitric oxide) in CERTAIN locations...dilating those blood vessels...IF "it" STAYS "up" for too long, there is a BIG PROBLEM...and men are told to see a doctor immediately. (I'm sure you have all seen the TV ads and the warnings.)
The blood vessels are not supposed to stay dilated forever. Who wants to carry around textbooks all day?
NO (nitric oxide) is great, but if it sticks around...it can be not so great. And if certain vessels cannot dilate when NO impacts them because they are clogged with plaque...what can happen? Sudden blindness...the one very serious "side effect" of Viagra that can cause blindness in some men (those who don't know they have a pre-existing eye blood vessel underlying problem). Remember..the warnings about men who have pre-existing heart problems too.
Nitro patches...to specifically dilate heart vessels, to treat angina...what is the follow-up impact on the brain? Major headache!
So we need free radicals to combine with other elements, but then we need to very quickly counter. By very quickly...catalase, one of our major antioxidant enzymes, works in 1/400,000th of a second!
What if a person is already infected with a pathogen, triggering oxidative stress AND that is depleting the person of the specific NUTRIENTS s/he NEEDS TO MAKE ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES?
We can lose the ability to make enzymes! For example:
How many people do you know that have, as they aged, lost the ability to MAKE THE ENZYME to break down lactose in milk?
Yes...in some instances a ketogenic diet to trigger excessive free radicals can be helpful IF it is closely monitored and kidney function is watched like a hawk. The movie, First Do No Harm" (true to life) is a good example. In that case...it would appear the child had a brain infection triggering the nonstop seizures, not a systemic infection.
Go here to see the dangers of high levels of ketones to another organ (besides the kidneys) too - watch closely what was used to trigger the initial problem:
We need SOME free radicals...ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME and then our antioxidant enzymes MUST kick in...IF we have the ability to MAKE them via NUTRIENTS.
***The author assumes the worm has all the nutrients it needs to trigger and MAKE the antioxidant enzymes in response to increased oxidative stress.***
In space our astronauts suffer with oxidative stress. They return home with LOW PFK levels and are anemic. Researchers right now are trying hard how to prevent this from happening.
Know what they are looking at? How to monitor and how to give the right amt. of...magnesium!
(I can and have linked that before.)
And they are also looking at how to halt NFkB (which is triggered as a result of oxidative stress) via whole body vibration/ increasing oscillating fluid flow.
Once NFkB is triggered...say hello to Il1B...and other inflammatory cytokines...not good.
Ongoing oxidative stress -> NFkB -> ongoing inflammation is very harmful.
If we cannot MAKE the antioxidants (glutathione is #1) or the antioxidant enzymes because a pathogen is depleting the nutrients to MAKE them , we're in a situation where oxidative stress is non-ending and triggers non ending very destructive inflammation...which breaks down proteins.
Posts: 9424 | From Sunshine State | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged |
treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
I have worm like creatures in me spirochetes
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
2) TNF alpha and IFN gamma have no effect on GAD-65 expression.
Of these three cytokines, IL-1 beta is the primary cytokine affecting GAD-65 expression.
Looks like Il 1 beta prevents glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 from working i.e., no glutamate -> GABA.
GAD-65 is primarily expressed in the pancreatic cells and antibodies to this are linked to diabetes.
IMO...do NOT avoid anti-oxidants OR complex carbohydrates.
You do NOT HAVE enough of the nutrients to MAKE the anti-oxidants (esp. #1 glutathione) and anti-oxidant enzymes to counter and the increased oxidative stress will lead to much more serious problems...very quickly.
Posts: 9424 | From Sunshine State | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic