FUNDAY

Vitamin C Functions
The most popular supplement ever is obviously vitamin C. This antioxidant serves the body in so many ways.
As a water-soluble antioxidant, vitamin C helps protect the inside of cells from free radical damage. A synthetic, oil soluble form, a vitamin C is also available. The oil soluble form can help protect the cell membrane.

Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen and elastin. These proteins give strength and elasticity to the skin, hair, nails, bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, arterial walls, and other tissues. Deficiencies of these proteins lead to wrinkles, emphysema, diverticulitis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and other disorders.

The immune system is dependent on vitamin C for the production of antibodies, interferons, immune enzymes, and immune cells. The thymus gland, considered the master gland of immunity, and the adrenal glands, which also play a major role in the immune system, are both highly dependent on vitamin C for proper function. In fact, the adrenal glands receive priority of vitamin C over the rest of the body.

The primary cause for vitamin C deficiencies is stress, including pain. Stress causes the adrenal glands to work overtime, increasing the requirement for vitamin C by the adrenal glands. Because the adrenal glands receive priority of vitamin C over the rest the body, this reduces available levels to other parts of the body. Stimulants, such as caffeine and nicotine, also overwork the adrenal glands reducing vitamin C levels in the body.
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Natural Vitamin C
I really prefer natural products whenever possible. Nature knows how to maintain a balance that we don’t see with synthetics. For example, the blood thinning coumarins and alfalfa are balanced by the blood clotting vitamin K. The coffee bean, which contains the stimulant caffeine, is coated with a fleshy coating before processing that contains a sedative. The upper portion of the ephedra plant is a stimulant, while the roots are a sedative. Green tea contains a small amount of the stimulant caffeine, and the sedative amino acid theanine.

Vitamin C is another example. Natural vitamin C sources have several advantages over synthetic sources. For example, natural sources of vitamin C also contain synergistic bioflavonoids that must be added to synthetic C. Natural sources of vitamin C also contain compounds that help prevent deterioration of the vitamin C, which again is not true of synthetic vitamin C.

My favorite source of vitamin C is actually amla berry, also known as Indian gooseberry. The vitamin C in amla berry is actually 12 times stronger than synthetic vitamin C. Polyphenols in amla protect the vitamin C from oxidation, making it extremely stable. Additional advantages of amla include antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory effects. Amla protect the DNA from heavy metal damage, and significantly raises intracellular levels super oxide dismutase (SOD). SOD is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune stimulatory enzyme.

My second choice for a natural vitamin C source is camu camu. Camu camu is native to South America. It is considered the highest plant source of vitamin C in the world. Camu camu does have one disadvantage though. Camu camu does not have the stability of amla, or acerola cherry.

My third choice is acerola cherry. This plant is thought to have originated from the Yucatan. Studies have shown widely varying rates of vitamin C, from lower than amla to higher than camu camu. As with amla berry, the vitamin C in acerola cherry is stabilized by polyphenols.

Other advantages of natural vitamin C sources are the fact that they are also sources of other vitamins. They also provide amino acids, minerals, and other nutrients that synthetic vitamin C does not offer.

Soy Fact and Fiction
The internet has been such as savior and such a curse for people seeking factual information on health.  On one hand the internet has made access to information so much easier than in the past.  On the other hand though it has also made it considerably easier for people to post bogus information to fit whatever their whim is at the moment, or to aid in the sales of products.

Unfortunately, more and more the internet has been cluttered up with bogus claims about diet and medicine.  For example, the various claims about canola oil such as the myth that it was used to make mustard gas during World War II.  Problem with this bogus claim is that mustard gas is not derived from any plant.  It is a completely synthesized chemical compound.

I have never seen anything dealing with diet or medicine that has had more false information posted about it than soy.  Often there are claims made that some study said……   But of course these studies are never presented making one wonder if they even exist.   And when studies are presented they often do not show what is claimed or the test subject was given megadoses of an isolate, which is not even close to normal use.  Therefore, I have put together this article to address some of the most common myths that have been circulating on the internet about soy.

Fiction:  Soy has only recently been used as a human food source.

Fact:  Soy has been cultivated and used for human food for over 5,000 years.  The earliest preserved cultivated soybeans were found in Korea and were carbon dated to 1000–900 BC.

Fiction:  Soy is not a complete protein.

Fact:  The definition of “complete protein” is containing sufficient levels of all nine essential amino acids to meet dietary needs.  Soybeans contain sufficient levels of all these essential amino acids and therefore is classified as a complete protein.  If someone wants to change the definition of “complete protein” to mean containing all known amino acids then most foods would not be classified as complete proteins including milk (raw or pasteurized), beef, poultry and fish.  The only food source I have seen containing all the amino acids is pollen.

Even if soy was not a complete protein it would not matter unless your diet was strictly soy.  But foods, including soy, are often eaten with other protein sources providing other amino acids that may not be found in an individual source.

It has also been claimed that soy is deficient in the sulfur bearing amino acids methionine and cystine.  Again this is not true.  Soybeans contain 18 amino acids including methionine and cystine.

Fiction:  Soy is high in aluminum because they wash the soybeans in aluminum vats with sulfuric acid.

Fact: I really got a kick out of reading this one.  If anyone has ever really worked with sulfuric acid, then they know how nasty this acid can be!!!  The acid is very hygroscopic and likes to turn organic materials, such as skin, in to carbon by stripping hydrogen and oxygen from the material to form water, leaving behind the carbon.  If the soybeans were washed in sulfuric acid you would not have soybeans, you would have carbon balls.

Secondly the acid would eat away the aluminum of the vats creating very dangerous amounts of free hydrogen gas.  Not to mention the fact that they would have to be constantly replacing the vats that are being eaten away, which would be prohibitively costly in both replacement costs and downtime.

Occasionally highly alkaline substances are used in the processing of soy that can interact with the aluminum drawing it in to the product.  But again the cost of machining and changing out the aluminum parts is not cost effective so it is not a widespread practice.

Fiction:  Soy causes cancer.

Fact: Phytoestrogens are plant based estrogenic substances.  On average phytoestrogens are about 200 to 400 times weaker than the body’s own estrogen.  So they have a duel effect by both acting as very weak estrogens and by locking up estrogen receptors to block the action of stronger and more dangerous estrogens.  For instance Premarin (PREgnant MARes urINe), which is 3,000 times stronger than human estrogen, and xenoestrogens, such as dioxin and PCBs, which can be as high as 30,000 times stronger than human estrogens.  By locking up estrogen receptors phytoestrogens prevent these stronger estrogens from causing cancer and other hormonally induced problems.
 
I find it very interesting that there are people bashing soy for its phytoestrogen content, while promoting flax seed as a health food.  Flax seed actually contains 2.5 times higher of a level of phytoestrogens than soy.  And unlike soy, which is generally cooked and/or fermented reducing the phytoestrogen content, flax seed is eaten raw retaining the full content of phytoestrogens.

Phytoestrogens are also widely present in our diets.  A partial list of dietary phytoestrogens include sage, parsley, yams, peas, kudzu, beans, peanuts, seaweeds, carrots, bananas, oranges, millet, corn, barley, grapes, berries, baker's yeast, beets, pomegranates, cherries, garlic, oats, olives, peppers, wheat, sunflower seeds, flax seed, rye, spinach, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, rhubarb, tomatoes, rice, plums, potatoes, papaya, dates, eggplant, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, anise, fennel, cucumber, peanuts, and onions. 
Alcohols can also contain high levels of phytoestrogens.  Especially beer, wine, gin, ouzo and whiskey.

Other sources include red clover, licorice root, and numerous other herbs.  In fact phytoestrogens have been isolated from over 350 different plants.
Phytoestrogen sources have a long history of being to treat cancer.  For example, red clover blossom that contains the same phytoestrogens found in soy plus two others.  Cruciferous vegetables and seaweeds that contain phytoestrogens and resveratrol, another phytoestrogen, have also been used in cancer treatment.

There are also numerous studies backing the anti-cancer effects of soy.  Here are links to just some of these studies:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19996398?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=4

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19800779?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=16

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19789363?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=19

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19789300?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=20

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17200150?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=3&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cbr.1997.12.405

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14628433

"There are growing body of experimental evidence that show the inhibition of human cancer cells by genistein through the modulation of genes that are related to the control of cell cycle and apoptosis. Moreover, it has been shown that genistein inhibits the activation of NF-kappa B and Akt signaling pathways, both of which are known to maintain a homeostatic balance between cell survival and apoptosis. Genistein is commonly known as phytoestrogen, which targets estrogen- and androgen-mediated signaling pathways in the processes of carcinogenesis. Furthermore, genistein has been found to have antioxidant property, and shown to be a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and metastasis. Taken together, both in vivo and in vitro studies have clearly shown that genistein, one of the major soy isoflavones, is a promising reagent for cancer chemoprevention and/or treatment. "
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12813174

"CONCLUSION: In a population-based, prospective cohort study in Japan, frequent miso soup and isoflavone consumption was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer."
http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/16/3/538.full

"In conclusion, we found that isoflavone intake was associated with a decreased risk of localized prostate cancer."

It is not just the phytoestrogens that give soy anti-cancer properties.  There are other compounds including antiviral protease inhibitors.  Numerous forms of human cancer have been linked to various viruses.  Inactivating these viruses with protease inhibitors therefore could help find cancer.  Same reason protease inhibitors are being used to treat suspected human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, which is also a cancer virus.  HIV was formerly known as human T-cell lymphoma/leukemia virus type 3 (HTLV-3).

Fiction:  The phytoestrogens in soy products have lead to the premature development of girls and impeded or delayed sexual development in boys.

Fact:  There is no evidence whatsoever to back this claim.  The only studies that can be found that show any of these effects from foods are of meats and dairy that are often loaded with hormones that are hundreds or even thousands of times stronger than phytoestrogens.  One news story had reported on this problem in Puerto Rico.  Here girls as young as 8 were developing breasts, as well as many of the boys in the area.  The source?  The massive levels of estrogens in the chickens they were eating.

Estrogens are given to farm animals to fatten them up and increase milk production.  When we consume these meats and dairy we ingest these hormones. These estrogens in turn cause problems such as cancers, weight gain, thyroid dysfunction, blood clots, etc.  These are all well known side effects of estrogens.

Current research is also pointing to environmental xenoestrogens, which can be 30,000 to 100,000 times stronger than human estrogens, which themselves can be hundreds of times stronger than phytoestrogens. These xenoestrogens enter the environment from chemical sprays and industrial wastes and are found in plastics and shampoos to name a few.

Fiction:  Infants receiving soy milk receive the equivalent of five birth control pills a day.

Fact:  This is one of the most ludicrous claims I have heard yet, and of course the claim is never backed by any evidence.  This is because you cannot present what does not exist.

The estrogens found in birth control pills are 100 times stronger than human estrogen.  And as pointed out previously, phytoestrogens such as those found in soy are 200-400 times weaker than human estrogens.  Therefore, unless they feeding babies soy formula by the tanker load there is no possible to get the equivalent of five birth control pills per day.

Fiction:  Soy causes hypothyroidism.

Fact: Soy does contain goitrogens, as do broccoli, peanuts, and various other foods.  Goitrogens though are greatly reduced or destroyed by fermentation or as little as 10 minutes of cooking.  Soy products, including soy milk, are generally either cooked and/or fermented.

The goitrogenic activity from raw, unfermented soy is actually from the phytoestrogens found in the soy.  Flax seed is considerably more goitrogenic than soy due to flax seed’s high phytoestrogen content.  Especially considering that flax seed is not fermented and/or cooked like soybeans to reduce the phytoestrogen content.

The effects of these goitrogens can be easily countered though by the addition of iodine containing foods to the diet such as seaweeds.

Fiction:  One study found that children with autoimmune thyroid disease are more likely to have been fed soy-based infant formula.

Fact:  I ran several searches looking for any human studies showing a link between soy intake and Hashimoto's and there were NONE!!!  Probably because soy has nothing to do with autoimmune thyroid conditions.

Fiction:  Soy stunts growth and the high consumption is why Orientals are so short.  I actually heard this from a naturopathic doctor.

Fact: Height is dependent on genetics, and soy does not stunt growth.  In fact I was allergic to both mother's milk and cow's milk as an infant, and was raised on soy milk.  I am 6' 2", the same height as my father.

Fiction:  Because of the estrogens in soy, consuming soy makes people gay. Another ridiculous claim I actually read from posts on the internet.

Fact: Again this has genetic factors, and has nothing to do with soy consumption. By the way, I am not gay either.

Fiction:  Soy causes kidney stones since it is high in oxalic acid.

Fact: Soybeans are actually low in oxalic acid.  Some of the common foods that contain more oxalic acid that soybeans include spinach, beans, asparagus, parsley, onions, broccoli, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, radishes, garlic, lettuce, eggplant, greens, carrots, celery and eggplant.

Dietary oxalic acid though actually plays very little of a role in the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones.  The reason for this is simple.  Oxalic acid in plants is generally already bound blocking its absorption.  And any oxalic acid binding with calcium in the diet will not absorb in to the bloodstream, so it cannot even reach the kidneys.  Instead the bound oxalic acid will simply be eliminated through the feces.

Fiction: The enzyme inhibitors are not destroyed by cooking.

Fact:  Enzyme inhibitors, which are found in various seeds, such as grains, legumes and nuts, have been shown to be readily destroyed by moisture, especially when heat is applied as in cooking.  Enzyme inhibitors are also found in many “healthy foods” such as flax seed and sweet potatoes that contain trypsin inhibitors.

Fiction: Phytic acid found in soy is an anti-nutrient.

Fact:  Phytic acid, also known as inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) is another compound found commonly in seeds.

Phytic acid has a higher affinity for heavy metals and dangerous free iron than it does for beneficial minerals.  Therefore, even pure phytic acid would be highly unlikely to “rob” the body of any beneficial minerals.  I state “pure phytic acid” because in order for phytates to take minerals from the body they must first give up the minerals they are already bound to within the plant.  In other words the phytates can only bind to a specific amount of minerals.  Since the phytates have a high affinity for metals and minerals they will already be completely bound to minerals picked up from the soil.  Since the phytates are already completely bound there is no way from them to bind any metals or minerals in the body unless they give up what they are already bound to.  Therefore, there would be an exchange in the body rather than the phytates simply taking minerals from the body.

The fact that phytic acid has such a high affinity for iron is why plant iron is harder to absorb than heme iron and why phytic acid functions so well as an antioxidant.  Phytic acid is Nature’s way of preventing iron overload.

These properties and the high affinity of phytic acid for heavy metals make phytic acid an excellent choice for the treatment of heavy metal poisoning, some infections and cancers.

Fiction: Hemagglutinin in soy causes the blood to clot.

Fact:  Soy does contain hemagglutinin, but it is readily destroyed by cooking and/or fermentation.

Furthermore, the fermentation of soy yields the blood thinner nattokinase.

Fiction:  The B12 analogues in soy increase the requirement for true B12 by the body.

Fact:  True B12 is not found in most if any plants.  Therefore, if the claim that B12 analogues increased the need for true B12 then virtually any plant we consumed would increase our requirement for true B12.  There is no evidence though that the consumption of B12 analogues increase the need for true B12.

Furthermore, soybeans provide fiber that help feed the intestinal flora.  The intestinal flora in turn produce some vitamins for the body including true B12.

Fiction:  Soy increases the body’s requirement for vitamin D.

Fact:  There is absolutely no evidence to this claim.  Although, plants do not contain active vitamin D3, so as with cow’s milk some soy products are fortified with vitamin D.

Fiction:  Soy leads to weak bones by decreasing vitamin D and calcium.

Fact:  The decreasing vitamin D myth is covered above.  As with the false vitamin D claim though, there is also no evidence that soy depletes calcium either.  In fact, soy contains calcium and magnesium.

More importantly soy provides silica, which is the most important nutrient required for proper bone health.  Silica not only aids in calcium absorption, but it is also what allows calcium to go where it is needed and is responsible for the mineralization of bone.  Silica is also a component of the collagen matrix, which gives bones the majority of their strength.

In addition, soy contains isoflavones that have been proven to INCREASE bone density and strength and/or decrease bone loss:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19877511?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=12

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17392695?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18063230?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19759166?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=19

As for diet, some of the primary foods that lead to loss of bone density are red meats and dairy.  This is in large part due to the high phosphorus content, which displaces calcium from bones.  In addition, high protein such as in dairy products interferes with calcium absorption.  This is why the highest milk consuming nations in the world also have the highest osteoporosis rates.
Furthermore, animal proteins have been shown to induce bone loss though metabolic acids:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/35211uv240638198/

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/111/3/553

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/120/1/134.pdf

https://www.msu.edu/~corcora5/food/vegan/calcium+protein.html

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/75/4/609

Fiction:  Soy is damaging to the brain and the rest of the nervous system because it does not contain cholesterol.

Fact:  It is true that soy does not contain cholesterol, and it even lowers cholesterol due to the presence of cholesterol lowering sterols and lecithin.

The lack of cholesterol in soy though does not lead to neurological damage.  In fact, dietary cholesterol plays an insignificant role in blood cholesterol levels as much of it is bound by dietary sterols and lecithin.  The majority of cholesterol utilized by the body is synthesized by the liver.

Furthermore, soy is also a good source of lecithin.  Lecithin contains compounds that help with building both brain tissue and acetylcholine associated with improved memory.

Fiction:  Soy does not protect from heart disease.

Fact:  Soy does more for heart disease than simply lower cholesterol.  Soy can lower inflammation and blood pressure due to its sterols.  Strengthen arterial walls and reduce arterial inflammation due to its silica content.  Prevent oxidative damage to arterial walls by binding free iron by its phytic acid.  And remove arterial plaque due to its lecithin content.

Fiction:  Soy consumption causes infertility and reduces virility.

Fact:  As with most of the anti-soy claims circulating on the internet there is absolutely no evidence to these claims.  Actual studies in fact actually show just the opposite:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19919579?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=1

Soy, phyto-oestrogens and male reproductive function: a review.
Cederroth CR, Auger J, Zimmermann C, Eustache F, Nef S.
Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.
There is growing interest in the possible health threat posed by the effects of endocrine disruptors on reproduction. Soy and soy-derived products contain isoflavones that mimic the actions of oestrogens and may exert adverse effects on male fertility. The purpose of this review was to examine the evidence regarding the potential detrimental effects of soy and phyto-oestrogens on male reproductive function and fertility in humans and animals. Overall, there are some indications that phyto-oestrogens, alone or in combination with other endocrine disruptors, may alter reproductive hormones, spermatogenesis, sperm capacitation and fertility. However, these results must be interpreted with care, as a result of the paucity of human studies and as numerous reports did not reveal any adverse effects on male reproductive physiology. Further investigation is needed before a firm conclusion can be drawn. In the meantime, caution would suggest that perinatal phyto-oestrogen exposure, such as that found in infants feeding on soy-based formula, should be avoided.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19819436?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=2

Soy protein isolates of varying isoflavone content do not adversely affect semen quality in healthy young men.
Beaton LK, McVeigh BL, Dillingham BL, Lampe JW, Duncan AM.
Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of consumption of soy protein of varying isoflavone content on parameters of semen quality in healthy young men. DESIGN: Randomized crossover intervention. SETTING: University campus. PATIENT(S): Healthy adult men (age 27.5+/-5.67 years, body mass index 25.4+/-3.14 kg/m(2)). INTERVENTION(S): Milk protein isolate (MPI), low-isoflavone soy protein isolate (low-iso SPI; 1.64+/-0.19 mg isoflavones/day, expressed as aglycone equivalents), and high-isoflavone soy protein isolate (high-iso SPI; 61.7+/-7.35 mg isoflavones/day, expressed as aglycone equivalents) for 57 days each separated by 28-day washout periods. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Urinary isoflavones were measured from 24-hour urine samples collected on days 54-56 of each treatment period. Semen quality parameters (semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm count, sperm percent motility, total motile sperm count, sperm morphology) were measured from semen samples collected on days 1 and 57 of each treatment period. RESULT(S): Urinary isoflavones were significantly higher after consumption of high-iso SPI compared with the low-iso SPI and MPI. Semen parameters, including semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm count, sperm percent motility, total motile sperm count, and sperm morphology, were not significantly affected by consumption of either low- or high-iso SPI compared with MPI. CONCLUSION(S): Consumption of soy protein of low or high isoflavone content does not adversely affect semen quality in a sample of healthy adult men.

Even common sense should cause anyone to question the ultra-high population of people in China where soy products are a major component of the diet if soy reduces virility and fertility?

The only studies that can be found that suggest there may be a link were conducted on obese men that had higher than normal estrogen levels.  Many people do not realize that fat cells actually produce estrogen.  So the higher the level of fat cells the more estrogen that can be produced by the body.  High levels of estrogen in men reduce fertility.

Similar circulating claims state that soy is highly estrogenic and therefore soy was used to dampen the sexual desire of monks due to the estrogen.  There are several flaws with this claim.

First of all soy is not “highly estrogenic”.  As mentioned earlier phytoestrogens are 200-400 times weaker than the body’s own estrogen.   The most estrogenic foods on the market are beef, poultry and dairy.

Furthermore, these phytoestrogens lock up estrogen receptors blocking the effects of excess stronger estrogens such as those generated by the body and xenoestrogens.

In addition, estrogen does not necessarily decrease sex drive.  In women estrogen actually promotes sex drive by strengthening oxytocin activity, acting as an antidepressant and by promoting attraction (pheromone perception), receptivity, sensation and vaginal lubrication.  Other than the increased vaginal lubrication men can experience the same benefits of estrogen, though to a lesser extent since they produce less estrogen and higher testosterone, which is an estrogen antagonist.  And yes, estrogen antagonizes testosterone, which also increases sex drive.  The difference between the increased sex drive by estrogen and testosterone is that estrogen is more calming and promotes more bonding between the partners as where testosterone creates more aggression and a wanting to be alone after the orgasm.  This is why people with very high testosterone levels frequently masturbate.  It allows them the gratification of orgasm while allowing them to be alone since testosterone antagonizes the bonding effects of estrogen.

The hormone that decreases the sex drive in both men and women is not estrogen, it is progesterone.  This is why the herb vitex (chaste tree berry, monk’s pepper) was used by the monk’s to suppress their sex drive.  Vitex increases progesterone levels reducing the sex drive.  Progesterone is also used to “chemically castrate” men for the same reason.

The sexual suppressing effects of progesterone come from its ability to cause depression, increase irritability, reduce brain opioids, reduce pheromone perception, decrease testosterone and reduce oxytocin sensitivity and thus reduce genital sensitivity.

Fiction:  Soy consumption increases hair growth in middle-aged men indicating decreased testosterone levels.

Fact:  Low testosterone does not increase hair growth.  Facial and chest hair are increased by higher levels of testosterone, not lower testosterone levels.  Same reason the growth of these hairs as well as arm, leg and pubic hair growth increases during puberty as testosterone levels rise.

Scalp hair is not increased either by testosterone levels.  Hair follicles in the scalp though can be damaged by an elevated level of a more radical form of testosterone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT).  This can lead to hair loss as the hair falls out from the follicular damage.  This is referred to as male pattern baldness as the hair falls out along the temples and top rear of the head.  Hair loss may progress later to the remainder of the top of the head.  The reason hair is lost in these areas and not the sides or back is these areas have higher levels of DHT receptors and therefore are more prone to the effects of DHT.

The Importance of Silica In the Human Body; Diatomaceous Earth
Silicon dioxide (SiO2), commonly known as silica, is one of the most common compounds on earth. The best known forms of silica are sand, quartz, and glass.

Silica is essential to both plants and animals for integrity of their tissues. Although, silica must first be converted in to another compound, known as orthosilicic acid (Si(OH)4), before it can be utilized in humans.

Orthosilicic acid is formed in nature as silica is dissolved by water. Though, silica is poorly dissolved by water generally. The presence of acid increases the conversion of silica in to orthosilicic acid. In the human body, this acid is provided by the stomach. When silica is ingested from water or plant sources, stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) aids in the conversion of the silica in to orthosilicic acid. As we age though, stomach acid levels decline, leading to declining silica levels in the tissues. Antacids and acid blockers also decrease tissue silica levels for the same reason.

Silica is essential for the formation of the proteins collagen and elastin. Collagen gives tissues strength, while elastin gives tissues elasticity. As levels of collagen and elastin decline, various disorders may occur. These include:

Osteoporosis- Silica is a piezoelectric material that generates electricity under pressure. When the collagen matrix is stressed, which applies pressure on the silica molecules, an electrical current is generated that electrodeposits minerals in to the collagen matrix. This allows bone to gain density. As a component of collagen and elastin, silica also aids in giving bone its flexibility, and therefore much of bone's strength and shock absorption. Without silica, the bones would be unable to mineralize, and even if the bone could mineralize it would easily fracture like a piece of chalk. Silica aids in the absorption of calcium, and displaces the heavy metal lead, which is detrimental to bone. Although calcium is better known as an important nutrient for bones, silica is actually the most important nutrient for proper bone health and strength. Decreased silica levels leads to poor bone mineral deposition in bones, and loss of flexibility and shock absorption, increasing the risk of fracture.

Osteoarthritis (joint inflammation)- Silica is essential for the formation of cartilage, and its strength. Declining levels of silica lead to softening of cartilage, and increased risk of damage or deterioration to spinal discs and joint cartilage. In addition, silica has mild natural anti-inflammatory properties, which further helps prevent cartilage degradation.

Emphysema- Loss of elastin in the lung alveoli prevents normal expansion and contraction of the alveoli.

Diverticulitis (inflammation of the diverticuli)- Loss of elastin in the intestinal diverticuli prevents these pouches from contracting back to their normal state. The anti-inflammatory effects of silica help reduce pain of diverticulitis.

Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons)- Loss of collagen and elastin in tendons increases the risk of damage to tendons from overstretching and tearing. Silica can help reduce inflammation of the tendons.
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Silica: Diatomaceous Earth vs Horsetail Grass
Silica is essential to the body, especially for the production of structural proteins including collagen and elastin. Structural proteins help give strength and elasticity to the hair, nails, bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, blood vessel walls, etc.

The body does not absorb and utilize silica in the form of silicon dioxide. Instead, silica reacts with water to form small amounts of orthosilicic acid (OA), which is absorbed by both plants and animals for the formation of tissues. Although OA is not “silica” (silicon dioxide) in the scientific sense it is still referred to as silica. Especially when referring to OA in plants.

The presence of acid increases the conversion of silica in to OA. In the body the primary acid source is stomach acid. Stomach acid declines with age though. This decreases the body’s ability to produce and absorb OA leading to loss of tissue integrity and elasticity frequently associated with “aging disorders”. The use of acid blockers or antacids such as acid heartburn medications, coral, dolomite, oyster shell or alkaline waters can further inhibit the production and absorption of OA.

Primary dietary sources in animals for OA include mineralized water and fibers. OA is formed in natural water sources as water dissolves small amounts of silica in soils and rocks forming OA. OA in water is also taken up by plants where OA helps to give plants strength by incorporating as part of their fibers. When these fibers are ingested the OA in the fibers can be extracted for use by the body.

Horsetail grass (shavegrass) is often incorrectly referred to as the highest herbal source of “silica”, as OA. The fact is that bamboo stalk is 7 times higher in silica than horsetail grass.

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is another excellent source of silica, and also contains much higher levels of silica than horsetail. DE is the skeletal remains of phytoplankton and consists of 80% silica compared to the average 4% silica content for horsetail grass.

As an herbalist I really do not recommend the use of horsetail grass as a silica source for several reasons:

Some species of horsetail are very toxic
Even the less toxic forms of horsetail grass can cause problems with long term use including nervous system disorders, headaches, loss of appetite and premature labor. In moderately high doses, or as a concentrate, horsetail grass can cause strong contractions of the blood vessels inhibiting blood flow to tissues.
Horsetail grass contains the enzyme thiaminase and the toxic alkaloid equisitine, both of which deplete thiamin from the body. Symptoms of thiamine deficiency include depression, lack of appetite, diarrhea, loss of muscle control, arrhythmias and tachycardia. Tinctures of horsetail pose even a greater risk as fresh plants are frequently used to make tinctures. Fresh horsetail contains higher level of toxic thiaminase and alkaloids. Thiaminase in particular is suspected in the poisoning of livestock ingesting horsetail grass. Although these poisonings are more likely due to toxic alkaloids, such as palustrine in horsetail grass, since ruminants can produce thiamine in the rumen.
Thiaminase has also been shown to be toxic to the liver.
Even though the amount of nicotine in horsetail is small, it does not take much nicotine to cause harm. Nicotine is one of the strongest central nervous system poisons known to man. It only takes 5mg to kill an adult human. To understand how small the amount really is needed to kill an adult consider the average single ‘O’ capsule normally used for capsuling herbs holds an average of 500mg. Because nicotine is also a powerful constrictor of blood vessels much lower levels can still be especially dangerous for some individuals. People with poor circulation to begin with such as diabetics, people with heart disease/failure, people with hypothyroidism and people with Raynaud’s disease or Raynaud’s phenomena are all more prone to the dangerous blood vessel constricting effects of horsetail grass.
Horsetail grass is contradicted with the use of diuretics to prevent abnormally low potassium levels and stimulants like caffeine to prevent over stimulation of the nervous system.
It is not clear if nicotine is the only component in horsetail grass that constricts the blood vessels. Other alkaloids present in horsetail may also contribute to this effect.

As an example of this effect a friend of mine was a fitness trainer in excellent shape. After drinking 2 cups of horsetail tea she went to bed. She woke up shortly afterward ice cold because the horsetail grass tea had constricted her blood vessels decreasing her blood flow.
If a herbal source of silica is desired the best choice is bamboo stalk, which unlike horsetail grass dilates blood vessels. This makes bamboo a much safer choice for people with high blood pressure, conditions that reduce circulation or that are on contradicted medications.

Other safe sources of silica include nettle leaf, oat straw and seaweeds.

A better choice though is food grade DE. DE is higher in silica than herbs and does not contain any toxic enzymes or alkaloids as in the case of horsetail grass.

Silica is poorly absorbed, but there are ways to increase levels in the body, even when stomach acid is low. A simple method is to add a spoon full of food grade DE to a gallon of water and allow the DE to settle to the bottom. This may take a few days initially. Pour the water you intend to drink from the top of the container, but be careful not to disturb the DE on the bottom of the container. Refill the container with water and allow it to settle out again. Keep repeating this process. A spoon full of DE should last several years if it is not poured off in the water.

There are several advantages to this method. First of all, small amounts of the silica in the DE are dissolved in to the water every time new water is added forming OA. Secondly, because silica is poorly absorbed only a fraction of the silica from silica supplements will be absorbed. In addition, people will not take silica supplements as often as they will drink water each day. Adding the silica to water results in the formation of OA of which small amounts are absorbed each time a drink of the water is taken. This leads to significantly higher levels of OA absorption from drinking the water throughout the day compared to taking an occasional silica supplement.

Is DE Toxic?

Anything can be toxic is sufficient quantities or if used improperly. DE is only toxic though if inhaled repeatedly over long periods of time, which can lead to silicosis. This is actually a potential problem with other silica sources as well such as clays, which are formed from the weathering of silica containing rocks. Ingested DE has not been shown to be harmful though. In fact, DE has a long history of use in silica supplements and being ingested to eliminate intestinal worms in animals and people with no adverse effects.

The reason DE kills intestinal worms without harming the intestinal wall is simple. Intestinal worms have much thinner and delicate tissues than the human digestive system. Worms therefore are prone to the abrasive effects of DE, unlike the human gastrointestinal tract. In fact, DE is considerably less abrasive than the fibers we ingest in our diets, which are less abrasive than horsetail grass. Horsetail grass is so abrasive that it is also known as scouring rush for its use in the pioneer days to clean pots and pans.

DE is only slightly abrasive being more like ultrafine sandpaper used for polishing. For this reason it is commonly used in toothpaste to safely clean teeth.

Other common uses of DE are:

• Insect control in foods we consume.
• As an anti-caking agent in foods.
• An addition to animal feeds to keep livestock worm free without toxicity.
• In cosmetics as a filler, opacifier and scrub agent since DE is not toxic and it will not harm the skin.
• As an additive to some soaps.
• As a flow agent and filler for the manufacturing of capsules and pills since it does not harm the digestive tract.

Myths About DE

Myth: DE is “agatized” silica and has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs hardness scale making it hard on the tissues.

Fact: This false claim is based on the hardness of pure silica, which has a hardness of 7. DE is not pure silica though. It is comprised of 80% silica, 10% metal oxides and 10% moisture. The actual hardness of DE is actually quite low, 1 to 1.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which runs from 1 (the softest) for talc to 10 (the hardest) for diamond. This can be verified on this link showing the hardness for various materials on the scale:

http://www.tedpella.com/company_html/hardness.htm.

Another way to look at this is bentonite clay is a weathering byproduct of rocks, and like DE contains silica and smaller quantities of other minerals. Despite the content of silica, bentonite has nowhere near a hardness of 7.

As for the claim that DE is agatized silica, again this is not true. Agate is formed from extremely hot water supersaturated with silica, and possibly some magmatically dissolved silica. This dissolved silica deposits in to crevices or vugs within rocks or replaces organic matter in items such as shells or wood creating layers of hard silica.

Again, DE is the skeletal remains of phytoplankton that have died and settled to the bottom of ancient oceans and lakes. These phytoplankton, nor their remains, were ever subjected to extremely hot water or magma to dissolve the silica and redeposit it as a quartz such as agate.

Food grade DE is extremely soft having a hardness of 1-1.5, as pointed out earlier, far below the hardness of pure silica that has a hardness of 7. In addition, food grade DE consists of amorphous, not crystalline, silica. Amorphous silica is not as hard and sharp like crystalline silica and does not pose the same health risks as crystalline silica.

Clumps of DE are also sold as kitty litter. If DE was so sharp and hard as claimed, cat’s paws would be shredded from scratching in the litter box. Of course this is not the case since the claims about DE being hard and sharp to the point of damaging tissues are simply untrue.

Myth: Consuming silica causes kidney damage.

Fact: I have heard people claim that they got kidney pain within minutes of ingesting DE. It is hard to say why they experienced this problem, but it was not from the silica in the DE as I have seen claimed. A simple fact of anatomy and physiology can prove this. Once ingested, the silicon dioxide in the DE has to convert in the stomach in to OA in order to be absorbed. When the stomach finally empties its contents in to the in intestines the OA can be absorbed. Next the OA circulates through the blood where most of the OA is utilized in the formation of tissues. Finally traces of OA can reach the kidneys for safe excretion. No damage occurs to the kidneys since the OA is not in a solid crystalline form that can cut thinner tissues of the kidneys. The whole process for the traces of OA to be absorbed and even smaller traces to reach the kidneys takes considerably longer than the few minutes people are claiming to get pain within.

PolyHeme
Is it ethical to test people with experimental treatments without their knowledge or permission? This is what is in question after the FDA approved the testing of an artificial blood substitute, known as PolyHeme.

PolyHeme is a synthetic blood substitute derived from outdated, donated, human blood. Unlike human blood though, PolyHeme does not require blood typing or refrigeration. Another advantage of PolyHeme is that it can carry oxygen to the tissues, unlike blood volume expanders like normal saline. Shelf life is another advantage of the blood substitute. PolyHeme has a shelf life of 12 months, compared to real blood, which has a shelf life of about 42 days.

There are some serious safety issues with PolyHeme though. The first study of PolyHeme was started in 1998 and continued to the year 2000. In this study consent was obtained from patients as is required by law. The patients all had aneurysm surgery of the heart arteries. Ten of the 81 patients receiving the blood substitute died within a week, while none of the 71 patients receiving real blood suffered any heart attacks. This study was not only halted early because of the deaths, but the company who manufactures PolyHeme withheld the fact that people died during the study from the public.

In their most current study, Northfield Laboratories, the maker of PolyHeme, conducted a second study on over 700 patients, without their consent. Some patients receive PolyHeme alone, others received PolyHeme then saline, and the remainder received saline and blood. The study was conducted in various cities throughout the U.S. The FDA approved the testing without consent based on the 1996 Federal regulation CFR 50.24 waiver of informed consent.

The study started with a total of 722 patients. A total of 126 patients were dropped from the study due to what they called “protocol violations”. This includes patients that were too young, or they were excluded for other reasons. Other parameters that excluded patients included patients who have sustained unsurvivable injuries, have severe head injury, are pregnant, have cardiac arrest, or have objected to the study. Out of the remaining 586 patients, 279 were in the group receiving PolyHeme and 307 patients were controls. Incidences of death were higher in each of the groups receiving PolyHeme, compared to each of the control groups. Although, Northfield Laboratories claims that the difference in the number of deaths was not significant.

Northfield Laboratories tried to get FDA approval based on previous studies of trauma patients. The other patients they were comparing had not had blood though. They were trauma patients that had not received blood because of religious beliefs.

In August of 2006, Northfield Laboratories tried to get accelerated approval for PolyHeme. The request was declined by the FDA until further study results come in. I guess they were in a rush since they signed a $6.7 million agreement on June 16th, 2006 to purchase a 106,000 square foot property that they intend to use to manufacture their product. This is really putting the cart before the horse since they don’t have approval for their blood substitute, nor is there any guarantee of approval.

This brings up the question of how far will Northfield Laboratories go to get their blood substitute approved to avoid losing their investment, and the money of their investors? After all, this has been a costly venture. Not only have they spent $6.7 million for the building they intend to manufacture their product in, but they are also paying the hospitals $10,000 for each patient they test the blood substitute on. Tack on to that other research and development costs, manufacturing equipment costs, and other expenses.

Pursuant to CFR 50.24 certain criteria must be met in order for testing to be performed on patients without their consent. For example, section (2) (ii) states “Appropriate animal and other preclinical studies have been conducted, and the information derived from those studies and related evidence support the potential for the intervention to provide a direct benefit to the individual subjects”. So where are these previous animal or preclinical studies? The only study was halted early after a significant increase in deaths in patients receiving PolyHeme. Section (2) (iii) states “Risks associated with the investigation are reasonable in relation to what is known about the medical condition of the potential class of subjects, the risks and benefits of standard therapy, if any, and what is known about the risks and benefits of the proposed intervention or activity.” Again, the only clinical study was halted early because of a disproportionate death rate between those receiving PolyHeme, and those that did not. This is hardly reasonable, when standard therapy has been shown to be considerably safer and effective.

The regulation also requires that they try to gain consent prior to, or as soon as possible from a legal representative, such as a relative. From what I have seen, I don’t think this is being done. For instance, if a married couple is in an accident, and only one has sufficient trauma to require blood, are they obtaining consent from the spouse? It does not appear that they are. Instead, saline or PolyHeme were not chosen for the patient until the patient was on the way to the hospital. And according to news reports, the decision was based on sealed envelopes the paramedics opened in route to determine what treatment the patient would be given. Such a practice would prohibit the paramedics from explaining the risks and benefits to the spouse to allow them to make an informed decision, or give time to obtain consent even if the spouse was aware of the risks. If no legal representative can be found, then the company must provide proof of attempts to contact a legal representative.

Section (7) (ii) states “ Public disclosure to the communities in which the clinical investigation will be conducted and from which the subjects will be drawn, prior to initiation of the clinical investigation, of plans for the investigation and its risks and expected benefits”.

The first problem with this is that Northfield Laboratories did not disclose the adverse effects of their product found in the 1998 study. In fact they threatened to sue the group that made the fact public claiming that the adverse effects, which included death, were part of their trade secret. I also see a problem with this regulation by the fact that everyone will not be aware of the study since not everyone follows, or has access, to the media. For example, the homeless would not likely know about the study, and therefore there will be no disclosure, as is required, to certain groups. Even though people in these groups may be subjected to the study. The law does allow life saving measures in people unable to give consent, such as unconscious patients. This is called implied consent. For instance, if a person tries to overdose on drugs to commit suicide and they refuse treatment, the paramedics cannot touch the patient. Once they pass out they can claim implied consent and start treatment. The basis is that the person, if they were conscious and able to give consent, would give consent to save their life. Does this apply to unapproved and untested drugs like PolyHeme though? I doubt if such an argument would hold up. A person would probably give consent if they knew, or had reason to believe, that the drug or treatment had been thoroughly tested and was an approved treatment. A reasonable person is not likely going to consent to an unproven, and potentially dangerous unapproved drug or treatment. Especially when safer and proven therapies exist. Northfield Laboratories claims to have followed CFR 50.24 explicitly. I disagree, based on the facts that they never completed previous trials, their product has a higher death rate than controls and those receiving blood, they have not informed the public of their testing, or the possible dangers of the therapy, and I don’t see any evidence that they are really trying to obtain consent as is required by law.

Patients were allowed to opt out of the test in case they suffered a severe trauma that would leave them unable to give consent. To do so though they had to obtain a blue plastic bracelet from the company that they had to be wearing at the time paramedics arrived. In order to get the bracelet the person would first have to be aware of the test. Many people were not aware that the test was going on until testing had almost been completed. And as previously pointed out, people that did not follow the media, or who had no access to the media, would have still been uninformed about the testing. The same could apply to those who do not speak English. Even if the story came on the TV news, it does not mean they would understand what the test was about, or how to opt out.

So what are the potential side effects of PolyHeme? Previous hemoglobin products have all been shown to cause kidney damage, liver damage, high blood pressure, and inflammation of the arteries. There is also concern that allergic reactions may occur. Northfield Laboratories claims that these adverse effects are not possible, and their product is safe. Other researchers disagree. And Northfield Laboratories has not had the greatest track record of being honest to the public about the safety record of their product. For instance when they tried to suppress the fact that 10 patients died within one week of receiving their product, and no patients receiving real blood died. And this study was halted early. Would more deaths have occurred if the study had continued its full duration? Other adverse affects reported by the use of PolyHeme were significant increases in the rate of heart attacks, arrhythmias, and pneumonia.

A list of hospitals that used it is at http://web.archive.org/web/20210505125624/http://medcapsules.com/info/PolyHeme.htm

MSM
MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane) hit the market as a multi level marketing (MLM) product about 10 years ago. As with other MLM products, it was promoted with a lot of hype and misinformation. What are the facts behind MSM?

MSM contains 34% sulfur by weight. Elemental sulfur is produced as the MSM is metabolized.

Commercial MSM is not natural. I had an MLM saleslady actually tell me that MSM was natural because it was derived from trees. This is really stretching it. MSM is created by the heating of the industrial solvent DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide). When DMSO is heated an oxygen atom attaches forming DMSO2, which is also known as MSM. DMSO is actually a byproduct of the paper industry, but this does not make DMSO natural either. Many plastics are synthesized from natural compounds, but this does not make plastics natural. When a chemical is altered by man to make a new chemical then the new chemical is not natural, it is synthetic.

Sulfur is essential to the body, although deficiencies are almost unheard of. Sulfur is found in numerous foods we eat including garlic, onions, peppers, broccoli, beans, seaweeds, etc.

Sulfur is used in the production of proteins and hormones. For example, sulfur aids in the formation of the proteins collagen, elastin, and keratin. Collagen gives connective tissues strength, while elastin gives the tissues their elasticity. Keratin is the primary protein founding hair and nails. Therefore, sulfur aids in the growth of hair and nails. It is commonly thought that sulfur aids in strengthening the hair and nails, though silica, in the form of orthosilicic acid, is the primary compound that strengthens the hair and nails. The hormone Insulin requires sulfur for its production. Insulin is required for the regulation of blood sugar and the transport of vitamin C to immune cells. Sulfur compounds also aid in the detoxification of the body.