Obesity and Gut Flora: Research Says Prebiotics Might Make you Thin

US researchers have successfully transferred gut bacteria from obese humans to germ-free mice, a breakthrough that will allow a more detailed study of the link between gut microflora and obesity.

A new study, published in Science Translational Medicine, succeeded in showing that the human gut microbiota can successfully be transferred to germ-free mice, and that this can then be passed on from mother to offspring.

What's that mean in normal language? It means all those overweight people (and I'm one of them) who say "I really don't eat more than thin people" may be telling the simple truth.

From lean to obese

When researchers transferred these "fat bacteria" into mice bred without any microorganisms in their guts (germ-free mice), and fed them a high-fat, high-sugar, Western-style diet, they recorded a rapid change in the population of gut bacteria present, compared to mice fed a low-fat diet: The mice showed an increase in body fat.

n fact, simply transplanting the microbiota from the high-fat fed mice into a set of germ-free mice caused the new mice to accumulate more body fat, even though they were fed a low-fat diet.

Implications for Prebiotics

At a scientific conference in April 2008, Dr. Kieran Touhy from the University of Reading stated obese animals have significantly lower bifidobacteria levels than their lean counterparts, which suggests potential for prebiotic fibrer, since the growth of these bacteria is selectively promoted by inulin and fructooligosaccharides.

Dr. Nathalie Delzenne from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium and Dr. Robert Welch from the University of Ulster presented results from animal and human studies, respectively, which indicated the potential of prebiotic supplementation to regulated food intake.

University Research Says Prebiotics Better than Probiotics

“We are building a picture of the bacteria that communicate with the immune system and the chemical messengers they use,” said Dr Andy Laws, a reader in chemistry at the university’s department of chemistry and biology.

“Research is now putting more emphasis on ‘prebiotics’, (non-digestible food fibres and complex sugars) on which bacteria feed.”

There are between 4,000 and 500 different kinds of bacteria in the gut, some good and some bad.

You can distinguish and to an extent ‘sculpt’ the prebiotics to help the good bacteria thrive and deprive the bad bacteria of nourishment.

This, rather than the indiscriminate bombardment of the gut with probiotics, might be the way forward, says Dr Laws.

“The manufacturers of probiotics have met problems in which their products have had an adverse effect on the stomach, creating excess wind,” he said.

“So should we rush to consume probiotic yoghurts? The answer is not clear.

“If you have a good diet then your gut bacteria should be strong enough to supply the immune response needed to keep you healthy.

“There is evidence in the scientific literature to suggest that the consumption of probiotic drinks can be advantageous when the normal gut flora has been damaged, such as after antibiotic treatment.”

“At the same time, there are a limited number of reports that the consumption of too many probiotic strains – particularly by people who have serious medical conditions such as pancreatitis – can have negative effects.

“This is an area of research which we urgently need to develop. We need to know how the communication between the normal gut flora and the immune system works.”

One of the most common causes of a breakdown in this communication is after treatment with antibiotics.

Often elderly patients who have bacterial infections are given broad spectrum antibiotics that help them tackle infections.

However, these antibiotics also kill a significant proportion of the normal healthy gut flora.

This gives resistant strains of bad bacteria, notably C. difficile, the opportunity to colonise the gut with the consequence that patients experience so called ‘antibiotic’ induced diarrhoea.

There are also a number of severe diseases where there is believed to be the result of poor communication between the bacteria and the immune system.

Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease are the most notable here.

We often think of bacteria as harmful organisms, but while many do cause disease, some are beneficial to the body.

Since the majority of these bacteria are in the gut, the gut can be viewed as the body’s largest immune organ with the biggest responsibility for fending off harmful organisms known as pathogens.

Good bacteria also plays another important role, breaking down food we eat to provide a source of energy essential for the cells that line the intestines.

Yet another benefit is that good bacteria helps to make vitamins needed by the body and keep the digestive system working as it should.

Probiotics like lactobacilli plantarum and bifidobacteria, which are favoured by the therapeutic yoghurt makers, are present naturally in fruit and vegetables, but you have to eat massive amounts each day for the bacteria to have an effect.

And, indeed, if you choose to take Actimel, Muller or other products, the benefits will only be felt if you take them regularly.

One live yoghurt just isn’t enough to repopulate your intestines with healthy bacteria.

Dr Trisha Mcnair, the BBC’s health adviser, said: “It may be more effective to take prebiotics that boost growth of the good bacteria you already have in your gut, rather than take supplements of live bacteria that may be destroyed by the acidity of the stomach as soon as you swallow them.”

Top Prebiotic-Containing Foods

I read a lot of blogs, get a lot of email, and see a lot of articles about how folks should just get prebiotics from "healthy foods." I agree that's an ideal situation - but think most folks don't realize how difficult that is to achieve! So here's a good list of the top 10 most prebiotic-rich foods there are. If you can't get prebiotics from these, it just gets harder and harder, right?

Even in the top 10, there are some amazing variations: Did you know that bananas contain 1% prebiotic (1g / 100g) while chicory root contains about 65% prebiotic! Wow!

Here's the list of the top 10 prebiotic-bearing foods:

• Chicory root: 64.6% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Jerusalem artichoke: 31.5% prebiotic fiber by weight (NOTE: Jerusalem artichoke is NOT the green globe artichoke you see at the store. It's a totally different plant.)
• Dandelion greens: 24.3% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Garlic: 17.5% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Leek: 11.7% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Raw Onion: 8.6% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Cooked Onion: 5% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Asparagus: 5% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Wheat bran: 5% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Wheat flour, baked: 4.8% prebiotic fiber by weight
• Banana: 1% prebiotic fiber by weight.

Now, don't forget that these are percentages. Or think of it as grams/100grams. So if bananas have 1% prebiotics by weight and you eat 100g of banana, you get 1g of prebiotics.

The cool part is we can use these to get real-world examples of how much food you must eat to get your daily prebiotics. Most Americans get about 2g a day from diet - mostly from wheat. Most food authorities suggest a MINIMUM of 4g a day, with many suggesting 8g a day or even more.

So let's settle on 6g a day as a "good" level to reach and recast the list to show how many grams you'd need to eat of each food to get that 6g daily dose of prebiotics:

• Chicory root: 9.3g (about 1/3 oz)
• Jerusalem artichoke: 19g (3/4 oz)
• Dandelion greens: 24.7g (Just under 1 oz.)
• Garlic: 34.3g (1.2 oz - make sure you have some mouthwash handy!)
• Leek: 51.3 g (1.8 oz)
• Raw Onion: 69.8g (2.5oz)
• Cooked Onion: 120g (1/4 pound)
• Asparagus: 120g (1/4 pound)
• Wheat bran: 120g (1/4 pound)
• Wheat flour, baked: 125g (1/4 pound)
• Banana: 600g (1.3 pounds)

Remember, except where specified, these are RAW foods. You can't steam up your asparagus or count leeks in your stir-fry at these same levels.

So even with the world's richest sources of prebiotics, you must watch carefully that you get enough prebiotics without "overdoing" it on other dietary factors like carbs, calories, etc... I can't imagine eating 1/4 pound of wheat flour or over a pound of bananas is a good daily dietary element for anyone! So when folks count out prebiotics fiber supplements as an option, I rather think it's not fully thought through.

There's also simple dietary reality. I can't imagine somone regularly eating 1/4 pound of cooked onions or asparagus on a daily basis.

Now, I myself am almost vegetarian - meat's pretty rare for me. I eat a low fat, high fiber diet. But I don't chew on Chicory Root, plate up a Dandelion Green salad or chow down on Jerusalem Artichoke... ever. I can tell you that even with a pretty health-conscious diet that's very plant driven, I'd not get enough prebiotics without taking my prebiotics fiber supplement every day.

Source for prebiotic content of foods: Journal of Nutrition. 1999;129:1407S-1411S

Science Daily: Prebiotics Linked to Healthier Immune SYstems

The indigestible part of all plant-based foods pushes its way through most of the digestive tract unchanged, acting as a kind of internal broom. When it arrives in the colon, bacteria convert it to energy and compounds known as 'short chain fatty acids'. These are already known to alleviate the symptoms of colitis, an inflammatory gut condition. ¹

Similarly, probiotics and prebiotics, food supplements that affect the balance of gut bacteria, reduce the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, also inflammatory diseases. Until now no-one has understood why.

Published October 28 in Nature, breakthrough research by a Sydney-based team makes new sense of such known facts by describing a mechanism that links diet, gut bacteria and the immune system.

PhD student Kendle Maslowski and Professor Charles Mackay from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, in collaboration with the Co-operative Research Centre for Asthma and Airways, have demonstrated that GPR43, a molecule expressed by immune cells and previously shown to bind short chain fatty acids, functions as an anti-inflammatory receptor.

"The notion that diet might have profound effects on immune responses or inflammatory diseases has never been taken that seriously" said Professor Mackay. "We believe that changes in diet, associated with western lifestyles, contribute to the increasing incidences of asthma, Type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases. Now we have a new molecular mechanism that might explain how diet is affecting our immune systems."

"We're also now beginning to understand that from the moment you're born, it's incredibly important to be colonised by the right kinds of gut bacteria," added Kendle. "The kinds of foods you eat directly determine the levels of certain bacteria in your gut."

"Changing diets are changing the kinds of gut bacteria we have, as well as their by-products, particularly short chain fatty acids. If we have low amounts of dietary fibre, then we're going to have low levels of short chain fatty acids, which we have demonstrated are very important in the immune systems of mice."

Mice that lack the GPR43 gene have increased inflammation, and poor ability to resolve inflammation, because their immune cells can't bind to short chain fatty acids.

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that bacteria and their by-products play an important role in people. An American study published in Nature in 2006 ² compared the bacteria in the guts of obese and lean people. The obese people were put on a diet, and as they lost weight their bacteria profile gradually came to match that of the lean people.

Another study ³ looked at what diets might do to short chain fatty acid levels. Obese people were put on three different diets over time -- high, medium and low fibre -- and there was a direct correlation between the level of carbohydrate, or fibre, in the diet and the level of short chain fatty acids.

The conclusions drawn from the current research provide some of the most compelling reasons yet for eating considerably more unprocessed whole foods -- fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds. ⁴

Dietary fibre, of course, has many known health benefits in addition to those discussed above, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers ⁵, and various health organizations around the world recommend daily minimum levels. ⁶ It is certain that the majority of people in countries like Australia, the United States and Britain eat much less fibre than they need to stay healthy.

"The role of nutrition and gut intestinal bacteria in immune responses is an exciting new topic in immunology, and recent findings including our own open up new possibilities to explore causes as well as new treatments for inflammatory diseases such as asthma," said Professor Mackay.

1. In several trials, people with colitis have been given dietary fibre, resulting in beneficial anti-inflammatory effects:

Harig, J. M., Soergel, K. H., Komorowski, R. A. & Wood, C. M. Treatment of diversion colitis with short-chain-fatty acid irrigation. N. Engl. J. Med. 320, 23-28 (1989).http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2909876?dopt=Abstract

Kanauchi, O. et al. Treatment of ulcerative colitis by feeding with germinated barley foodstuff: first report of a multicenter open control trial. J. Gastroenterol. 37 (suppl. 14), 67-72 (2002). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12572869?dopt=Abstract

Breuer, R. I. et al. Rectal irrigation with short-chain fatty acids for distal ulcerative colitis. Preliminary report. Dig. Dis. Sci. 36, 185-187 (1991). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1988261?dopt=Abstract

Scheppach, W. Treatment of distal ulcerative colitis with short-chain fatty acid enemas. A placebo-controlled trial. German-Austrian SCFA Study Group. Dig. Dis. Sci. 41, 2254-2259 (1996). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8943981?dopt=Abstract

Vernia, P. et al. Short-chain fatty acid topical treatment in distal ulcerative colitis. Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. 9, 309-313 (1995). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7654893?dopt=Abstract

2. Ley, R. Turnbaugh, P.J. Klein, S Gordon, J.I Human gut microbes associated with obesity. Nature 444, 1022-1023 (2006).http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7122/abs/4441022a.html

3. Duncan, S.H Belenguer, A. Holtrop, G. Johnstone, A.M. Flint, H.J. Lobley, G.E. Reduced Dietary Intake of Carbohydrates by Obese Subjects Results in Decreased Concentrations of Butyrate and Butyrate-Producing Bacteria in Feces. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1073-1078 (2007) http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/73/4/1073

4. There are many online sources where information can be found about foods and their levels of soluble and insoluble fibre -- the effects of the latter investigated in this research. Some foods, such as wheat bran, chick peas, dried fruits (apricots, peaches, figs and dates) and berries (raspberries and blackberries) have particularly high levels of insoluble fibre. CSIRO produces a useful fact sheet.http://www.csiro.au/resources/DietaryFibre.html#1

5. O'Keefe, S Ou, J Aufreiter, S O'Connor, D Sharma, S Sepulveda, J Fukuwatari, T Shibata, K Mawhinney, T. Products of the Colonic Microbiota Mediate the Effects of Diet on Colon Cancer Risk. J. Nutr. 2009 139: 2044-2048. First published online November 1, 2009; doi:10.3945/jn.109.104380http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/139/11/2044

6. Australian Dietary Guidelines, produced by the National Health and Medical Research Council recommend a daily intake of 30-35 grams of fibre.http://www.health.gov.au/internet/healthyactive/publishing.nsf/content/eating

---

Journal reference:

1. Maslowski et al. Regulation of inflammatory responses by gut microbiota and chemoattractant receptor GPR43. Nature, 2009; 461 (7268): 1282 DOI:10.1038/nature08530

Probiotics and Prebiotics Info from Saga Health

Probiotics: what you need to know

Do probiotics – and the related prebiotics – really have any health benefits to offer? Patsy Westcott looks into the claims

Probiotics – or 'good' bacteria - are among a growing number of 'functional' foods that it is claimed may have health benefits over and above their nutritional value. Prebiotics provide the 'food' on which probiotics feed. But can either of them really make us healthier and, if so, how?

Our guts are home to around 100 trillion bacteria, amounting to 90-95 per cent of all the cells in our bodies; scientists refer to them as gut microflora. In fact, according to Professor Jeremy Nicholson of London’s Imperial College, "The average person has around one and a half kilograms of gut microflora – that’s as big as a major organ."

Throughout our lives these microflora perform vital roles, affecting how well we absorb nutrients, how much energy we get from food and how efficiently we break down food and drugs. "One reason humans are able to metabolise drugs is because we have evolved ways to deal with bacterial toxins," says Professor Nicholson.

Above all our gut microflora are critical to the strength of our immune systems, as Professor Glen Gibson, of the School of Food Biosciences at Reading University, observes, "Some 60-70% of our immune system is in our guts."

If the balance of gut microflora is disturbed, for example by a stomach upset or a course of antibiotics, digestive upsets may occur and we may even develop permanent digestive problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This is why many doctors now advise routinely taking probiotics if you are taking antibiotics.

Among the many diseases that are now thought to be caused, or exacerbated, by disrupted gut microflora, are inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, obesity, mental health problems such as schizophrenia and autism and the infection C difficile.

The pros of probiotics

Probiotics, usually described as 'friendly bacteria', are said to help restore the balance of gut microflora to keep us healthy. They are found in live or bio-yoghurts and 'functional' yoghurt, milk and fruit drinks and they are also available as tablets or capsules. Professor Gibson points out that humans have been consuming probiotics for thousands of years in soured milk products like yoghurt and buttermilk. In fact the longevity of certain communities has been attributed to their consumption of live yoghurt.

Most of the favourable research on probiotics relates to their ability to ease gastro-intestinal complaints. "Research has shown that taking probiotics can help shorten a bout of infection such as traveller’s diarrhoea, colds and flu," says Professor Gibson. But there are also intriguing hints that they may be able to protect against more serious problems. It’s fairly well-established, for example, that bowel cancer arises from the action of poisonous chemicals in the gut. And, although research is still at an early stage, there is some evidence that probiotics may reduce levels of these. However studies in humans have been contradictory.

Do you need probiotics?

So should we all be using probiotics on a daily basis? The answer is not really, according to Professor Nicholson. "The idea that we should all be taking them is ill-founded," he says, "although in certain cases they can be very useful." The reason? We all have a unique microbial fingerprint so probiotics don’t affect us all equally and strains that may benefit some of us may have no effect on others.

As Professor Nicholson points out, "Probiotics may or may not be useful and they can have different effects on different people." However he adds, "They can be helpful if you have a gut problem or problems such as pancreatitis and/or liver disease."

Age changes things

As we get older age-linked changes in, for example, immunity and how long it takes food to pass through our gut (something known as 'transit time') can affect the composition of bacteria in our gut. "The gut microflora are very different in a 60-year-old to a 30- or 40-year-old," observes Professor Nicholson.

According to some experts, these changes may make us more vulnerable to infections and age-related problems such as obesity, diabetes, and certain sorts of cancer.

Pre-biotics: the new kids on the block

Although research is contradictory on probiotics, prebiotics appear to be more promising in establishing the optimum balance of gut microflora. These are non-digestible complex carbohydrates found in foods such as whole grains, onions, bananas, garlic, honey, leeks and artichokes. They include components called fructooligosaccharides (FOS), inulin and galactooligosaccharides (GOS). As well as being present naturally in a wide range of foods they can also be found in fortified foods and in capsules, tablets or powders that you sprinkle on food.

Prebiotics provide the ‘food’ for probiotics to feed on. Studies have shown they can help enhance our absorption of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. There is also research on their potential to combat inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, and to be beneficial for people with IBS, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and even bowel cancer. There is also emerging evidence that they can strengthen immunity and increase our resistance to infection.

"Because they encourage several different types of bacteria they may be more effective than probiotics. And combinations of pre- and probiotics – what we call synbiotics – may be even more powerful," explains Professor Nicholson.

For the moment however the jury is out. If you have a gut problem such as IBS or one of the inflammatory diseases you could try taking a pre and/or probiotic and take it once to check that there are no adverse side effects, such as diarrhoea. If there isn’t, try it for a bit longer to see if you feel better. If you don’t, you may want to try a different product. When choosing which product to take it’s best to go for one of the big, well-established brands as they have more of an interest in making sure that any claims they make stand up.

Mayo Clinic DIscusses Prebiotics

From MayoClinic.com:

Question

Prebiotics: What are they?

What are prebiotics? How are they different from probiotics, and what health benefits do they offer?

Answer

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Prebiotics are nondigestible nutrients that are used as an energy source by certain beneficial bacteria that naturally live in your intestines. Prebiotics are sometimes known as fermentable fiber.

Probiotics, in contrast, are the beneficial, or friendly, bacteria themselves. By acting as a food source, prebiotics give the probiotic bacteria a chance to exert their influence. These friendly bacteria may have several health benefits, from aiding digesting to boosting immunity. But stress, a poor diet, certain medical conditions, medications and other factors may decrease the number of healthy bacteria. Eating a diet that includes prebiotics and probiotics may help restore these friendly bacteria.

The role of prebiotics in the treatment of disease is controversial, and more studies are needed to determine their usefulness. But preliminary evidence shows that prebiotics may have a role in:

• Improving antibiotic-associated diarrhea
• Improving traveler's diarrhea
• Improving gastroenteritis
• Normalizing bowel function
• Improving colitis
• Reducing irritable bowel problems
• Aiding calcium absorption
• Boosting your immune system

Prebiotics occur naturally in a variety of foods, especially high-fiber foods, including certain fruits, vegetables and grains. The main food sources of prebiotics include:

• Artichokes
• Bananas
• Barley
• Berries
• Chicory
• Dairy products
• Flax
• Garlic
• Greens, such as dandelion greens, chard and kale
• Honey
• Leeks
• Legumes
• Onions
• Wheat and whole grains, such as oatmeal

Prebiotics also are added to some dietary supplements and some processed foods, such as yogurt, drink mixes and meal-replacement bars. Read food labels and claims or seek out manufacturer Web sites to help identify which products contain prebiotics. But keep in mind that not all products with naturally occurring prebiotics are labeled that way. Prebiotic supplements can be sprinkled on your food, stirred into beverages, or taken as capsules or tablets that you swallow or chew.

There's no specific guideline on how many grams of prebiotics to consume. Some studies suggest that you should get 3 to 8 grams a day to get the full benefits. In some cases, use of prebiotics may cause intestinal gas. As always, check with your doctor before taking any dietary or herbal supplements to make sure they're safe for your situation.

Top 10 Cancer Fighting Supplements

Cutting Edge Cancer Research: Top 10 Cancer Fighting Supplements

The latest on how supplements can ward off cancer, from StopAgingNow.com

Nutrition plays an important role in every stage of the fight against cancer: resisting it, suppressing its development and reducing its spread. Many nutrients are involved, and most are available as supplements: vitamins and minerals, certainly, but also all sorts of plant compounds, friendly bacteria and specialized fats, like omega-3 fatty acids.

If you’re serious about preventing cancer, here are some of the supplements you should be taking.

1. CoQ10: This natural energy-producer and powerful antioxidant is proving to be an important cancer fighter. New research has found thatCoQ10 is helpful for colon cancer, breast cancer and melanoma. Animals exposed to cancer-causing agents who are pre-treated with CoQ10 are less likely to develop cancer because CoQ10 help to neutralize toxins.

During cancer treatment, CoQ10 not only preserves immune function, it seems to help cancer drugs work better. And after treatment, CoQ10 helps the immune system attack any remaining cancer cells, reducing the risk for new growth and spread. CoQ10 is used extensively in Japan as an adjuvant for cancer treatment. Its safety record is unparalleled at virtually any dose.

What to Take: We recommend 200 - 600 mg of CoQ10 a day.

2. Probiotics. These friendly bacteria can decrease fecal enzymes associated with formation of cancer-causing compounds in the intestines. They can bind to substances that cause genetic mutations to intestinal cells. They stimulate enzymes that inactivate cancer-causing substances. Probiotics can also help support and stimulate the immune system indirectly and directly throughout the body, which is why they’ve been linked to a reduced risk for cancers other than colon cancer, such as bladder cancer.

What to Take: We recommend a shelf stable probiotic with 10 billion CFU (colony-forming units) count per dose.

3. Prebiotics: Think of prebiotics as food and housing for probiotics. These are nutritional substances such as inulin, a soluble fiber, that help probiotics grow and colonize inside your intestines. In one study, those taking prebiotics had less DNA damage and a lower rate of cell proliferation in biopsies taken from their colons. They also had lower levels of cancer-causing mutagens in their feces.

What to Take: A full-spectrum prebiotic supplement like Prebiotin

4. Beta Glucan: These chains of sugar molecules have the ability to enhance your immune system and help it to attack cancer cells. Beta glucan is most often derived from the cell walls of baker’s yeast, or from mushrooms such a shiitake and maitake. In Japan, extracts containing various types of beta glucan have been used to successfully assist in treating cancer patients for the last 20 years.

Beta glucan seems to have the unique ability to stick to cancer cells and “tag” them to make it easier for the immune system to recognize the cancer cells as foreign invaders that need to be destroyed. Beta glucan does provide some immune system boost on its own, but it seems to work best when used along with other forms of cancer therapy, such as monoclonal antibodies or interferon.

What to Take: We recommend about 100 mg a day of Beta 1,3/1,6 D-glucan, a form proven effective at stimulating immunity.

5. Resveratrol: This powerful anti-aging nutrient helps to preserve normal cell cycle regulation, which is an important function in dealing with DNA damage. If cell cycle regulation is defective, mutations in the cells’ DNA may result in cancer. Resveratrol has been found to induce cell cycle arrest for a time following DNA damage, in order to allow for DNA repair or activation of processes leading to cell death, should the damage be irreparable.

Resveratrol also helps to regulate enzymes. It “upregulates” certain enzymes that break down toxic substances in the body, so it promotes the excretion of these harmful chemicals.

What to Take: We recommend about 400 mg a day of standardized trans-resveratrol.

6. Vitamin D. New research suggests that having an optimal blood level of vitamin D could cut your cancer risk by as much as 60%! Vitamin D can help activate certain proteins that suppress tumor growth and development, and help prevent as many as 16 different types of cancer, including lung, pancreas, breast, colon, and prostate cancer. Vitamin D increases the self-destruction of mutated cells, reduces the spread and reproduction of cancer cells, and reduces the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, an important step in the growth and spread of cancerous tumors.

Research shows 40-70% of Americans have sub-optimal blood levels of vitamin D. The best way to figure out how much you need is to get a blood test, before and after you have started taking supplements.

What to Take: Some people need 2,000 - 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day, or even more, to stay at a good blood level of to 40 to 60 ng/mL (100 - 150 nmol/L).

7. Green Tea: An extract of the main active ingredient in green tea, EGCG, slows blood vessel formation in tumors, reducing the rate at which they can grow and spread. Like resveratrol, green tea extract can also regulate cell division and growth, and cause programmed cell death in DNA-damaged cells. Some of the cancers that green tea can face down include prostate, esophageal, bladder, cervical, pancreatic, ovarian, lymphoma and leukemia. Green tea is also active against human papilloma virus (HPV) a sexually transmitted virus associated with cervical and anal cancer and warts.

What to Take: We recommend about 450 mg a day of a standardized green tea extract.

8. Fish Oil. Greater intake of omega-3s has been associated with a reduced risk for cancer. By helping to stabilize the immune system, fish oil may have multiple anti-cancer effects, including regulating cell proliferation, inducing damaged cells to die, preventing blood vessel growth in tumors and helping to prevent the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body.

What to Take: Dosages of 1,200 - 5,000 mg a day are recommended.

9. Curcumin: This component of turmeric has emerged as a leading cancer fighter. Curcumin can disrupt cancer cells in several stages of development. It, too, causes programmed cell death and inhibits new blood vessel growth into tumors. It seems to work best against colon cancer, and in some animal studies, was as good as certain chemotherapy drugs at inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

What to Take: Dosages up to 8,000 mg a day for three months have been used with no toxicity.

10. Garlic Extract. Garlic can increase activity of toxin-neutralizing enzymes and decrease activity of toxin-activating enzymes in the intestines. Garlic also helps prevent cancer-causing DNA changes and promotes the death of damaged intestinal cells.

What to Take: As much as 7,200 mg a day of garlic extract has been taken for up to six months without side effects.

The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: Our risk for almost every kind of cancer goes up as we age. Nutritional supplements that fight cancer at every stage can give you the edge you need to beat it.

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