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Learn about flu shots, key facts, prevention and risks involved for the 2004 flu season.

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Thank you for your support - Gwendolyne & Mark

Influenza - What Makes Everyone So Worried About The Flu?

By Camilla Parham, M.D.

The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1917, when over 20 million people died in a 12 month period. This is more people than died over a 4 year period of the Black Death, in the Middle ages.

Influenza is usually a "nuisance illness," causing mild to moderate symptoms in young, healthy people, and more dangerous to the very young (under age 2) and the very old (over 65), where it can made deadly by the complication of pneumonia. With the Spanish Flu pandemic, the victims were often healthy, young people, who died not of secondary pneumonia, but of the disease's ability to rapidly overwhelm the entire immune system of it's host.

This Spanish Flu was highly unusual. It's virulence has been attributed to special proteins on the surface of the virus, that confused the immune response of humans. These proteins were different from the ones usually seen with influenza. The Spanish Flu strain jumped to humans from aviary (bird) influenza, whereas most of the flu viruses we see each year come from pig sources, mutated to attack humans. These pig to human mutations are not as deadly; the proteins on the viral surfaces being ones that our amazing immune system is able to decipher, and attack.

In 1997, there was a scare when a strain of flu originating in Hong Kong appeared to be a relative of the Spanish Flu, having jumped from a bird source to humans. Public health measures that involved slaughtering all of the poultry in the city prevented the spread of this particular viral strain.

Public health concerns about another pandemic lurk behind the push for flu vaccinations every fall. That, and the concern for secondary infection in the high risk groups of the young, the immunocompromised, and the very old.

What Is The Flu Vaccine?

Every year, conventional medicine must make a reasonable prediction about what particular strain of influenza to expect in the fall. Our public health policy then involves contracting out to various pharmaceutical companies the actual manufacture of that vaccine. If the prediction is correct, when influenza virus abounds, those vaccinated will have antibodies in their blood to quickly recognize the virus, and prevent it taking hold in the host.

Since the strains of virus placed into the flu vaccine each year are selected based on what is happening half way around the world, in Asia, a few months before, sometimes the combination selected doesn't match the actual flu virus of the season.

There is a killed viral version of the flu shot, and a live viral version (flumist), that is sprayed into the nose of the person being vaccinated. A live virus, even weakened, can actually cause flu, so the flumist is only recommended for healthy adults, ages 18 to 65.

This year, one of the corporations contracted to make millions of doses of the killed flu vaccine for the United States had to destroy these doses, due to contamination in their preparation. That is the reason for our current vaccine shortage.

A Political Commentary

With this background, let's discuss our current options for dealing with flu from a holistic perspective...

Historically, it was OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS who had better survival rates among their patients, during that deadly year of the Spanish Flu. At the time, osteopathy had a system for stimulating the human immune system (although not actually identified as such); allopathic ("M.D") medicine did not. While this should be quite a sobering fact for us allopaths to ponder, we are all too often antagonistic to our alternative-minded colleagues, and to our patients who use them.

Let us look at this year's flu vaccine shortage as a CRISIS-"dangerous opportunity" in Chinese calligraphy-and use it to explore an more INTEGRATIVE APPROACH to flu prevention and treatment.

Influenza Prevention

So, we don't have enough flu vaccine to go around this year. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Maybe it's not such a great idea to immunize children for an illness that usually makes them sick for 4 to 7 days. Maybe it's not such a great idea to give healthy adults a live virus, that they may take home and sneeze unto a frail elder, or an immunocompromised cancer patient. Maybe the flumist vaccine that costs $80 a pop, marketed to the "needle phobic" is more hype than substance. Maybe it's a good thing to have to wait, and let a 74 year old with emphysema get that shot that your boss wanted you to get, so you wouldn't lose a week of productivity, lying around at home with the flu.

Other preventive aids for flu include:

• washing your hands frequently, with soap and water, or with an alcohol-based cleanser, when not near a sink or water
• staying away from sick people
• avoid touching your nose, then your eyes, or your mouth (viruses spread quickly from mucous through mucous membranes
• homeopathic Oscillococcinum, once weekly through the flu season
• if a household member is actually diagnosed with flu (through a nasal swab specimen, or several blood tests) other housemates can be treated with antiviral drugs (amantidine, rimantadine, or oseltamivir) to prevent spread to them.

What Are Symptoms Of The Flu?

When most of us speak of "having the flu" we are really talking about having a bad cold. Actual influenza has these distinguishing characteristics:

• symptoms hit suddenly, and hard... many people will describe feeling fine, then getting a headache, and then being prostrate an hour later.
• high fever (101 or higher)
• extreme fatigue. In my office we joke that the "true flu" patient, in trying to triage over the phone is the one who-- when you ask them to come into the office DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE...
• body aches
• diarrhea and vomiting (most often seen in children)
• along with the typical cough, sore throat, and runny nose that we often experience with a cold.

If I Become Ill, What Can I Do?

1. Stay home, rest, drink LOTS of Water. This keeps you from spreading the virus to others, allows you to convalesce, and lets your body regain it's balance. We don't have great drugs to fight viral illnesses, although there are now several approved for actual influenza. Most people do well with rest, watching to make sure they are not developing complications (like pneumonia).

2. At the first sign of symptoms, begin high dose vitamin C, zinc (must be a lozenge that get into the mucous membranes of the mouth or a nasal spray that enters through the mucous membranes of the nose), elderberry, goldenseal, and/or echinacea. All of these dietary supplements and herbs have been shown to be helpful in treating viral illness.

3. If fairly sure that it is flu (sudden onset of symptoms being a big clue) begin homeopathic oscillococcinum as directed on the package, and continue through three days.

4. Chelation therapy with I.V. vitamin C can shorten the course of all viral illness.

5. Obtain amantadine, rimantadine, zanomavir, or oseltamivir as a prescription from an allopathic M.D. for 5 days of therapy. This must be started within two days of symptoms, in order to have an effect.

Any of the above can shorten the actual time a person is ill with the flu.

Flu season goes from November through March, here in the United States. Take good care of yourself, and have a great winter!  

The Health Effects of Chocolate?

If you ever wanted an excuse to eat chocolate, here's the research proving how moderate amounts of dark chocolate provide a healthy effect on your body as well as our mood.

• Chocolate: Food as medicine
• Heart Health effects of chocolate
• Antioxidant effects of chocolate
• Anti-Inflammatory effects of chocolate
• Mood effects of chocolate

J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Oct;20(5 Suppl):436S-439S; discussion 440S-442S

Chocolate: Food as medicine/medicine as food.

Keen CL. Department of Nutrition, University of California at Davis, 95616, USA. clkeen@ucdavis.edu

Cocoa and chocolate products have been delicacies for hundreds of years. Only recently have they been recognized as significant sources of phytochemicals with healthful effects. These foods are among the most concentrated sources of the procyanidin flavonoids, catechin and epicatechin. Recent studies have shown that these polyphenols are absorbed from the intestine of animals and humans with epicatechin absorbed much more than catechin. These flavonoids have potent antioxidant and antiplatelet activities following consumption of cocoa or chocolate. Publication Types: · Review · Review, TutorialPMID: 11603654 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Heart Health Effects of Chocolate

Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Nov;74(5):596-602.

Effects of cocoa powder and dark chocolate on LDL oxidative susceptibility and prostaglandin concentrations in humans.

Wan Y, Vinson JA, Etherton TD, Proch J, Lazarus SA, Kris-Etherton PM. Graduate Program in Nutrition, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA.

BACKGROUND: Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds of plant origin with antioxidant effects. Flavonoids inhibit LDL oxidation and reduce thrombotic tendency in vitro. Little is known about how cocoa powder and dark chocolate, rich sources of polyphenols, affect these cardiovascular disease risk factors. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effects of a diet high in cocoa powder and dark chocolate (CP-DC diet) on LDL oxidative susceptibility, serum total antioxidant capacity, and urinary prostaglandin concentrations. DESIGN: We conducted a randomized, 2-period, crossover study in 23 healthy subjects fed 2 diets: an average American diet (AAD) controlled for fiber, caffeine, and theobromine and an AAD supplemented with 22 g cocoa powder and 16 g dark chocolate (CP-DC diet), providing approximately 466 mg procyanidins/d. RESULTS: LDL oxidation lag time was approximately 8% greater (P = 0.01) after the CP-DC diet than after the AAD. Serum total antioxidant capacity measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity was approximately 4% greater (P = 0.04) after the CP-DC diet than after the AAD and was positively correlated with LDL oxidation lag time (r = 0.32, P = 0.03). HDL cholesterol was 4% greater after the CP-DC diet (P = 0.02) than after the AAD; however, LDL-HDL ratios were not significantly different. Twenty-four-hour urinary excretion of thromboxane B(2) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F(1)(alpha) and the ratio of the 2 compounds were not significantly different between the 2 diets. CONCLUSION: Cocoa powder and dark chocolate may favorably affect cardiovascular disease risk status by modestly reducing LDL oxidation susceptibility, increasing serum total antioxidant capacity and HDL-cholesterol concentrations, and not adversely affecting prostaglandins.

J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Jun;23(3):197-204.

Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and increases plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults.

Engler MB, Engler MM, Chen CY, Malloy MJ, Browne A, Chiu EY, Kwak HK, Milbury P, Paul SM, Blumberg J, Mietus-Snyder ML. Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Claifornia, San Francisco, 94143-0610, USA. mary.engler@nursing.ucsf.edu

BACKGROUND: Dark chocolate derived from the plant (Theobroma cacao) is a rich source of flavonoids. Cardioprotective effects including antioxidant properties, inhibition of platelet activity, and activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase have been ascribed to the cocoa flavonoids. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate on endothelial function, measures of oxidative stress, blood lipids, and blood pressure in healthy adult subjects. DESIGN: The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design conducted over a 2 week period in 21 healthy adult subjects. Subjects were randomly assigned to daily intake of high-flavonoid (213 mg procyanidins, 46 mg epicatechin) or low-flavonoid dark chocolate bars (46 g, 1.6 oz). RESULTS: High-flavonoid chocolate consumption improved endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery (mean change = 1.3 ± 0.7%) as compared to low-flavonoid chocolate consumption (mean change = -0.96 ± 0.5%) (p = 0.024). No significant differences were noted in the resistance to LDL oxidation, total antioxidant capacity, 8-isoprostanes, blood pressure, lipid parameters, body weight or body mass index (BMI) between the two groups. Plasma epicatechin concentrations were markedly increased at 2 weeks in the high-flavonoid group (204.4 ± 18.5 nmol/L, p < or = 0.001) but not in the low-flavonoid group (17.5 ± 9 nmol/L, p = 0.99). CONCLUSION: Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and is associated with an increase in plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. No changes in oxidative stress measures, lipid profiles, blood pressure, body weight or BMI were seen. PMID: 15190043 [PubMed - in process]

J Am Diet Assoc. 2003 Feb;103(2):215-23.

Related Articles, LinksCocoa and chocolate flavonoids: implications for cardiovascular health.

Steinberg FM, Bearden MM, Keen CL. Didactic Program in Dietetics, Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. fmsteinberg@ucdavis.edu

This paper offers a review of current scientific research regarding the potential cardiovascular health benefits of flavonoids found in cocoa and chocolate. Recent reports indicate that the main flavonoids found in cocoa, flavan-3-ols and their oligomeric derivatives, procyanidins, have a variety of beneficial actions, including antioxidant protection and modulation of vascular homeostasis. These findings are supported by similar research on other flavonoid-rich foods. Other constituents in cocoa and chocolate that may also influence cardiovascular health are briefly reviewed. The lipid content of chocolate is relatively high; however, one third of the lipid in cocoa butter is composed of the fat stearic acid, which exerts a neutral cholesterolemic response in humans. Cocoa and chocolate contribute to trace mineral intake, which is necessary for optimum functioning of all biologic systems and for vascular tone. Thus, multiple components in chocolate, particularly flavonoids, can contribute to the complex interplay of nutrition and health. Applications of this knowledge include recommendations by health professionals to encourage individuals to consume a wide range of phytochemical-rich foods, which can include dark chocolate in moderate amounts. Publication Types: · Review · Review, TutorialPMID: 12589329 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Antioxidant Effects of Chocolate

J Nutr. 2000 Aug;130(8S Suppl):2115S-9S.

A dose-response effect from chocolate consumption on plasma epicatechin and oxidative damage.

Wang JF, Schramm DD, Holt RR, Ensunsa JL, Fraga CG, Schmitz HH, Keen CL. Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8669, USA.

Evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that a diet high in plant foods and rich in polyphenols is inversely associated with a risk for cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Chocolate, like red wine and green tea, is a polyphenol-rich food, primarily containing procyanidin polyphenols. These polyphenols are hypothesized to provide cardioprotective effects due to their ability to scavenge free radicals and inhibit lipid oxidation. Herein, we demonstrate that 2 h after the ingestion of a procyanidin-rich chocolate containing 5.3 mg total procyanidin/g, of which 1.3 mg/g was (-)-epicatechin (epicatechin), plasma levels of epicatechin increased 133 ± 27, 258 ± 29 and 355 ± 49 nmol/L in individuals who consumed 27, 53 and 80 g of chocolate, respectively. That the rise in plasma epicatechin levels was functionally significant is suggested by observations of trends for dose-response increases in the plasma antioxidant capacity and decreases in plasma lipid oxidation products. The above data support the theories that in healthy adults, 1) a positive relationship exists between procyanidin consumption and plasma procyanidin concentration and 2) the rise in plasma epicatechin contributes to the ability of plasma to scavenge free radicals and to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Publication Types: · Clinical Trial · Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 10917932 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2000 Aug;46(4):199-204.

Antioxidant effects of polyphenols in chocolate on low-density lipoprotein both in vitro and ex vivo.

Hirano R, Osakabe N, Iwamoto A, Matsumoto A, Natsume M, Takizawa T, Igarashi O, Itakura H, Kondo K. Internal Medicine I, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.

Cacao is rich in polyphenols such as (-)-epicatechin, and a colored component of cacao (cacao-red) is polyphenol, which is an antioxidant. These properties stimulated an investigation of the effects of cacao liquor polyphenols (CLP) on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. The 2.2 '-azobis (4-methoxy-2,4- dimethyl valeronitrile) (AMVN-CH2O) - induced oxidizability of LDL was assessed by monitoring the absorbance at 234 nm. In vitro. 0.1-0.5 mg/dL CLP prolonged the oxidation lag time of LDL in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the controls, it was prolonged 1.7-fold in the presence of 0.1 mg/dL CLP, 2.9-fold at 0.2 mg/dL, 3.8-fold at 0.3 mg/dL, 5.4-fold at 0.4 mg/dL, and 6.4-fold at 0.5 mg/dL. Furthermore, we enlisted 13 male volunteers to consume 35 g delipidated cocoa. Venous blood samples were taken before and at 2 h and 4 h after consuming the cocoa. The oxidation lag time of LDL before cocoa ingestion was 59.0 ± 6.3 min, but it was prolonged at 2 h after cocoa (68.3 ± 6.0 min); before returning to the initial lag time (61.7 ± 5.7 min) before consumption. Thus we have shown that cocoa inhibited LDL oxidation both in vitro and ex vivo. PMID: 11185658 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Nutr Cancer. 2003;47(2):131-5.

Chocolate consumption, fecal water antioxidant activity, and hydroxyl radical production.

Record IR, McInerney JK, Noakes M, Bird AR. CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, BC Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. ian.record@csiro.au

As part of a larger study into the effects of polyphenols derived from chocolate on bowel health we have compared the effects of consumption of chocolate containing either 200 mg of flavanols and related procyanidins or a similar chocolate containing less than 10 mg of polyphenols on fecal free radical production and antioxidant activity in 18 volunteers. In a double-blind crossover trail volunteers consumed chocolate for two 4-wk periods separated by a 4-wk washout period. During the time the volunteers consumed the chocolate they also consumed a low-polyphenol diet. Free radical production in the fecal water was lowered from 122 ± 10 micromol/l/h to 94 ± 9 micromol/l/h (P = 0.009) when the high procyanidin chocolate diet was consumed and from 117 ± 14 micromol/l/h to 86 ± 12 micromol/l/h when the low procyanidin chocolate was consumed (P = 0.014). Fecal water antioxidant capacity measured by either the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity or ferric reducing ability of plasma procedure was not significantly affected. Consumption of either chocolate reduced the production of free radicals in fecal water. This suggests that some component of the chocolate other than the flavanols and related procyanidins may have been effective. PMID: 15087264 [PubMed - in process]

J Nutr. 2000 Aug;130(8S Suppl):2109S-14S.Comment in: · J Nutr. 2001 Mar;131(3):834-5.

Epicatechin in human plasma: in vivo determination and effect of chocolate consumption on plasma oxidation status.

Rein D, Lotito S, Holt RR, Keen CL, Schmitz HH, Fraga CG. Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.

Diets that are rich in plant foods have been associated with a decreased risk for specific disease processes and certain chronic diseases. In addition to essential macronutrients and micronutrients, the flavonoids in a variety of plant foods may have health-enhancing properties. Chocolate is a food that is known to be rich in the flavan-3-ol epicatechin and procyanidin oligomers. However, the bioavailability and the biological effects of the chocolate flavonoids are poorly understood. To begin to address these issues, we developed a method based on HPLC coupled with electrochemical (coulometric) detection to determine the physiological levels of epicatechin, catechin and epicatechin dimers. This method allows for the determination of 20 pg (69 fmol) of epicatechin, which translates to plasma concentrations as low as 1 nmol/L. We next evaluated the absorption of epicatechin, from an 80-g semisweet chocolate (procyanidin-rich chocolate) bolus. By 2 h after ingestion, there was a 12-fold increase in plasma epicatechin, from 22 to 257 nmol/L (P < 0.01). Consistent with the antioxidant properties of epicatechin, within the same 2-h period, there was a significant increase of 31% in plasma total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.04) and a decrease of 40% in plasma 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (P < 0.01). Plasma epicatechin and plasma antioxidant capacity approached baseline values by 6 h after ingestion. These results show that it is possible to determine basal levels of epicatechin in plasma. The data support the concept that the consumption of chocolate can result in significant increases in plasma epicatechin concentrations and decreases in plasma baseline oxidation products. Publication Types: · Clinical TrialPMID: 10917931 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Chocolate

J Nutr. 2002 Jul;132(7):1825-9.

Flavonoids of cocoa inhibit recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase.

Schewe T, Kuhn H, Sies H. Institut fur Physiologische Chemie I, Heinrich-Heine-Universitat Dusseldorf, Germany.

(-)-Epicatechin and its related oligomers, the procyanidins, are present in sizable amounts in some cocoas and chocolates. Intake of flavonoid-rich chocolate in humans has been reported to increase the plasma level of (-)-epicatechin and concomitantly to significantly decrease the plasma level of proinflammatory cysteinyl leukotrienes. Because leukotrienes are formed via the 5-lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism, we examined whether 5-lipoxygenase is a possible target for the flavonoids of cocoa. Recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase was reacted with arachidonic acid and yielded a mixture of mainly 5-hydroperoxy-6E,8Z, 11Z,14Z-eicosatetraenoic acid (5-HpETE) and hydrolysis products of 5,6-leukotriene A(4) (LTA(4)). The formation of these products was significantly inhibited by (-)-epicatechin in a dose-dependent manner with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) of 22 and 50 micromol/L, respectively. Among the procyanidin fractions isolated from the seeds of Theobroma cacao, only the dimer fraction and, to a lesser extent, the trimer through pentamer fractions exhibited comparable effects, whereas the larger procyanidins (hexamer through nonamer) were almost inactive. We conclude that (-)-epicatechin and its low-molecular procyanidins inhibit both dioxygenase and LTA(4) synthase activities of human 5-lipoxygenase and that this action may contribute to a putative anti-inflammatory effect of cocoa products. PMID: 12097654 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Mood effects of Chocolate

Methylxanthines are the psycho-pharmacologically active constituents of chocolate.

Smit HJ, Gaffan EA, Rogers PJ. Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 8 Woodland Road, BS8 1TN, Bristol, UK, henk.smit@bristol.ac.uk.

RATIONALE. Liking, cravings and addiction for chocolate ("chocoholism") are often explained through the presence of pharmacologically active compounds. However, mere "presence" does not guarantee psycho-activity. OBJECTIVES. Two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies measured the effects on cognitive performance and mood of the amounts of cocoa powder and methylxanthines found in a 50 g bar of dark chocolate. METHODS. In study 1, participants ( n=20) completed a test battery once before and twice after treatment administration. Treatments included 11.6 g cocoa powder and a caffeine and theobromine combination (19 and 250 mg, respectively). Study 2 ( n=22) comprised three post-treatment test batteries and investigated the effects of "milk" and "dark" chocolate levels of these methylxanthines. The test battery consisted of a long duration simple reaction time task, a rapid visual information processing task, and a mood questionnaire. RESULTS. Identical improvements on the mood construct "energetic arousal" and cognitive function were found for cocoa powder and the caffeine+theobromine combination versus placebo. In chocolate, both "milk chocolate" and "dark chocolate" methylxanthine doses improved cognitive function compared with "white chocolate". The effects of white chocolate did not differ significantly from those of water. CONCLUSIONS. A normal portion of chocolate exhibits psychopharmacological activity. The identical profile of effects exerted by cocoa powder and its methylxanthine constituents shows this activity to be confined to the combination of caffeine and theobromine. Methylxanthines may contribute to the popularity of chocolate; however, other attributes are probably much more important in determining chocolate's special appeal and in explaining related self-reports of chocolate cravings and "chocoholism".

Handmade Herbal Soap

We searched to the ends of the earth for "real" natural skin care products. We were fortunate to find an amazing soap maker right in our own backyard, among the rolling hills and silvery ponds of beautiful western Pennsylvania.

These cruelty free soaps, lotions and body butters are made with all natural ingredients including olive oil. Olive oil is the only oil that allows your skin to breath! Free of colorants, fragrances, synthetics and essential oils, this is the pure article. - Enjoy! Gwendolyne & Mark

Chocolate - A Cure for Coughs?

An ingredient in chocolate, could be used to stop persistent coughs and lead to more effective medicines, researchers published in The FASEB Journal Express. The study found that theobromine, found in cocoa, was nearly a third more effective in stopping persistent coughs than codeine, currently considered the best cough medicine.

Holiday Gift Certificates

Interaction Concerns between Herbs, Vitamins, Drugs and Various Health Conditions?

Information concerning interactions between, herbs, vitamins, health conditions and prescription drugs. This free information is gathered from scientific studies published in over 550 peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals.

Visit Health Notes for drug interactions

Fast Food Frying Using Reheated Oil

J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999 Mar 15;33(4):1050-5.

Impaired endothelial function following a meal rich in used cooking fat.

Williams MJ, Sutherland WH, McCormick MP, de Jong SA, Walker RJ, Wilkins GT. Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. michael.
williams@stonebow.otago.ac.nz

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that intake of used cooking fat is associated with impaired endothelial function. BACKGROUND: Diets containing high levels of lipid oxidation products may accelerate atherogenesis, but the effect on endothelial function is unknown. METHODS: Flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation and glyceryl trinitrate-induced endothelium-independent dilation of the brachial artery were investigated in 10 men. Subjects had arterial studies before and 4 h after three test meals: 1) a meal (fat 64.4 g) rich in cooking fat that had been used for deep frying in a fast food restaurant; 2) the same meal (fat 64.4 g) rich in unused cooking fat, and 3) a corresponding low fat meal (fat 18.4 g) without added fat. RESULTS: Endothelium-dependent dilation decreased between fasting and postprandial studies after the used fat meal (5.9 ± 2.3% vs. 0.8 ± 2.2%, p = 0.0003), but there was no significant change after the unused fat meal (5.3 ± 2.1% vs. 6.0 ± 2.5%) or low fat meal (5.3 ± 2.3% vs. 5.4 ± 3.3%). There was no significant difference in endothelium-independent dilation after any of the meals. Plasma free fatty acid concentration did not change significantly during any of the meals. The level of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia was not associated with change in endothelial function. CONCLUSIONS: Ingestion of a meal rich in fat previously used for deep frying in a commercial fast food restaurant resulted in impaired arterial endothelial function. These findings suggest that intake of degradation products of heated fat contribute to endothelial dysfunction. Publication Types: · Clinical Trial · Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 10091835 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]