Dear Reader,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 104?
You may recognize that question as a slight rewording (or rather,
renumbering) from the Beatles song "When I'm 64."
The original lyric, written by Paul McCartney, was recorded when he was
24 – four decades shy of 64. When Paul turned 64 two years ago, I
wonder if he looked ahead another four decades and pondered what life
might be like at 104.
Safe to say, most of us don't expect to celebrate many birthdays beyond
ten decades. But when researchers recently conducted a trial restricted
to subjects over the age of 100, they found surprising results that are
enlightening for Paul and anyone else who's interested in maintaining
good health into advanced age.
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Doing the garden, digging the weeds
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In addition to the question "Will you still feed me?" we might also ask,
"What will you feed me?"
If the answer includes plenty of meat, chicken, fish, and dairy
products, then the body will be getting the raw materials it needs to
increase levels of L-carnitine, a key amino acid.
In previous e-Alerts I've told you about the importance of L-carnitine,
which is responsible for a number of important functions:
Delivers omega-3 fatty acids to cell mitochondria
Helps protect cells from damage – especially heart cells
Raises the levels of enzymes needed to metabolize carbohydrates
Helps boost cellular energy
Helps maintain muscle strength
But there are two problems associated
with L-carnitine: 1) The body only absorbs about a quarter of the
L-carnitine supplied by food, and 2) The body produces less L-carnitine
as we age.
Over the long term, that aging attrition creates predictable results.
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You'll be older too
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In a recent issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
researchers at the University of Catania in Italy reported on a study in
which they examined the effects of L-carnitine supplementation on 66
subjects. And as I mentioned above, each subject was at least 100 years
old. In addition, all the subjects experienced fatigue after slight
physical activity.
Subjects were divided into two groups to receive either two grams of
L-carnitine daily or a placebo for six months.
At the end of the intervention, tests revealed five remarkable results:
Physical fatigue after exercise was significantly less in the
L-carnitine group
Mental fatigue was significantly less in the L-carnitine group
In a 30-point test to assess cognitive sharpness, subjects in the
L-carnitine group scored more than four points higher on average than
subjects in the placebo group
Total muscle mass was significantly higher in the L-carnitine group
Total fat mass was significantly lower in the L-carnitine group
Elderly people are not the only ones who might benefit from L-carnitine
supplementation.
In the e-Alert "Need a Lift?" (1/29/07), I told you about a study that
examined the effects of several different dosage levels of L-carnitine
on cancer patients who experienced moderate to severe fatigue. Overall,
fatigue and depression decreased considerably in subjects who took
L-carnitine, while sleep problems were also alleviated. The most
pronounced results were found among subjects who received the highest
doses – three grams per day. Even at these higher doses, the
supplements were well tolerated.
Talk to your doctor before supplementing with L-carnitine.
Sources:
"L-Carnitine Treatment Reduces Severity of Physical and Mental Fatigue
and Increases Cognitive Functions in Centenarians: A Randomized and
Controlled Clinical Trial" American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol.
86, No. 6, December 2007, ajcn.org
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