Diabetes Can Lead to Obesity and Impact on Knee and Joint Pain

Diabetes is rapidly becoming of epidemic proportions in the United States . We believe there are several causes among the obvious: increasing sedentary population dependent upon technology; increasing lack of nutrient content of foods; increasing reliance on processed foods; and, lack of nutritional education especially for children.

In fact some experts are now calling this trend the diabesity epidemic, combining the fattening of the population with the diabetes increase. Not only does this trend foretell major health issues occurring at earlier ages, but predicts chronic joint, especially knee and back problems, to be also of epidemic proportions. To complicate the issue, we’ll see an increase of treatment (Rx Pain Meds and surgeries) to address the symptoms rather than the cause which is nutritional deficiencies.

Dr Ray Strand is on the leading forefront of Nutritional Medicine and he addresses the concept of cellular nutrition where high doses of quality anti-oxidants and vitamins/minerals give the body the nutrients it needs to combat oxidative stress which is the root cause of degenerative disease such as arthritis, non-specific knee and joint pain, and diabetes to name a few.

The latest Health Nugget from Doctor Strand.

Antioxidant Supplementation May Reduce Risk of Diabetes:

In a new clinical trial, 48 overweight young adults that had signs of pre-diabetes were given a cocktail of antioxidants for 8 weeks. This cocktail included Vitamin E (800 IU), vitamin C (500 mg), and beta-carotene (10 mg). After eight weeks the patients had a significant increase in insulin sensitivity along with decreased oxidative stress. Their arteries also functioned much better with less inflammation.

Whenever I see studies that combine several different antioxidants rather than just looking at one particular one, I see much better results. This is why I always recommend the concept of cellular nutrition. Cellular nutrition is defined by taking a wide variety of antioxidants along with their supporting nutrients at these optimal levels that have been shown to provide a health benefit in our medical literature.

Vincent HK, et al. Effects of antioxidant supplementation on insulin sensitivity, endothelial function, and oxidative stress in overweight young adults. Metabolism, 2009 Feb;58(2):254-62

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More Research on Vitamins B1, Vitamin C and Vitamin D

More Health Nuggets from one of America ’s leading experts on Nutrition Medicine. Doctor Ray Strand, author of several books, including

What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You” and Death By Prescription publishes weekly Health Nuggets passing the latest in research on how nutrients (vitamins, mineral and anti-oxidants) not only is essential for optimal health, but helps protects against degenerative disease. Dr Strand web site is wealth of information concerning Nutritional Medicine, click here to go to his site.

MyAchingKnees.com stands by the view that Chronic Joint Pain is a degenerative disease and caused or facilitated, in many cases, by a lack of nutrients provided to the body to combat oxidative stress which is the root cause of degenerative disease. We have made the decision to publish Dr Strands Health Nuggets even though there is a risk that people will try to “piece meal” their nutritional needs rather than take a supplement that is complete and has the nutrients in sufficient doses and in a pure and potent formulation so that the supplement can work synergistically to provide the body with the essential nutrients for optimal health.

Vitamin B1 Helps Reverse Early Kidney Disease in Diabetics

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) has been shown to reverse early signs of kidney disease in diabetics in a recent study reported in the journal of Diabetologia. Diabetes significantly increases the risk of kidney disease. Forty diabetic patients that had signs of protein in their urine, which is an indication of early kidney disease received vitamin B1 in supplementation. The researchers observed a 41% decrease in protein being excreted by the kidney and 35% of the participants saw their kidney function return to normal. Dr. Rabbani stated, “This study once again highlights the importance of vitamin B1 supplementation in our diabetic patients.

Vitamin C Supplementation Lowers C-Reactive Protein

Gladys Block, PhD, and her associates looked at nearly 400 participants who received vitamin C, vitamin E, or placebo for 2 months. They measured the amount of inflammation in the arteries by looking a blood test called C-Reactive Protein (CRP). Inflammation or elevated CRP is known to be a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. There was no effect for vitamin C in patients who had normal CRP levels; however, in those who had an elevated CRP, vitamin C users lowered CRP by .25 mg/L. This is the same level of reduction seen with statin drug treatment. Much of the clinical effectiveness of statin drugs is the fact that it lowers inflammation (CRP). Now simply supplementing with vitamin C accomplishes the same thing.

Block G, et al. Vitamin C treatment reduces elevated C-reactive protein. Free Radical Biol Med. 2008 Oct 10.

Vitamin D Deficiency is a Risk Factor for Heart Disease

A recent study review published in the American College of Cardiology details the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes) in patients who have vitamin D deficiencies. They point out that vitamin D deficiency can lead to high blood pressure and thickening of the heart and blood vessels.

Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognized, emerging cardiovascular risk factor, which should be screened for and treated,” stated study co-author Dr. James O’Keefe. You want to have your physician run a 25-hydroxy vitamin D level on your blood and you want that level to be at least greater than 50 and ideally greater than 60.

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Anti-Oxidants and Degenerative Disease

MyAchingKnees.com continues to receive Health and Wellness information from Dr. Ray Strand in the form of his weekly Health Nuggets. The common train of the last two Health Nuggets was the relationship between low levels of anti-oxidants and degenerative disease. This week Dr Strand talks about Macular Degeneration and Atherosclerosis. Chronic Knee and other joint pain and problems are heavily influenced by the same thing as Macular Degeneration and Atherosclerosis that is oxidative stress, releasing free radicals that cause inflammation affecting a wide range of problems. The only,…again, the only protection we have a high level of control over is the nutritional supplements we take in order to provide our body the nutrients to combat oxidative stress – hence the term anti-oxidants.

I have some clients who are taking pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids that I recommend and take myself, but I also tell them they will not get the most optimal benefits until they begin a pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplementation program as all the minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants work best and create synergy when they are consumed in the proper ratios.

Sunlight Exposure along with low Antioxidant levels Increases the risk of Macular Degeneration.

A recent study suggests that protecting the eyes from sunlight exposure (using hats or protective sunglasses) and consuming high levels of dietary antioxidants may significantly reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. The researchers looked at lifetime sunlight exposure and measured blood antioxidant levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, zeaxanthin, and zinc. They evaluated 4,400 older people and found that individuals with the lowest antioxidant levels and greatest sunlight exposure significantly increased the risk of macular degeneration.

Low Antioxidant Levels Associated with Hardening of the Arteries

A study looked at 220 men and women without a history of hardening of the arteries. Vitamin A, vitamin E, and Lycopene were decreased by over 50% in the participants who were found out to have hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) when compared to those who did not have any hardening of the arteries. The researchers concluded that regular intake of foods rich in antioxidant vitamins (nutritional supplementation) may slow the progression of hardening of the arteries and its consequences (heart attack or stroke).

Note: Riccioni G, et al. Plasma antioxidants and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease. Ann Nutr Metab. 2008;53 (2):86-90

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Vitamin D and the Link to Strokes

MyAchingKnees.com received the following information on Vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of strokes from Dr. Ray Strand's Health Nuggets publications,...www.drraystrand.com

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death (140,000 per year in the US) in the US and Canada. Adverse drug reactions are the third leading cause of death (180,000 deaths per year in the US) in the US and Canada. Everyone is very concerned about having a stroke because of the major disability it can cause.

A study published in September 2008, revealed that for every small decrease in blood levels of vitamin D there was a startling 86% increase in fatal strokes. The researchers concluded that low levels of 25 hydorxyvitamin D levels are independently predictive of fatal strokes and they suggest that vitamin D supplementation is a promising approach in the prevention of strokes.

So what are desirable vitamin D blood levels that we want to achieve and how do we find out what our vitamin D level actually is? The most accepted blood test is called a 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D blood level. This test can be done non-fasting; however, it needs to be ordered by a physician.

The proposed level for optimal health is 50 to 60 ng/ml. Now some practitioners would even like to see this as high as 80. However, everyone agrees that if this level is less than 20 you have a serious problem and need to address it immediately. A level between 20 and 40 is generally considered to be inadequate and increased supplementation with vitamin D3 is strongly recommended. Those whose level is between 40 and 50 should be sure they are at least supplementing their diet with vitamin D3 at greater than 1,000 IU daily thereafter.

The primary source of vitamin D is normally in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. However, it has been pointed out in previous Health Nuggets that vitamin D deficiency is still very prevalent throughout the world and especially in those individuals who live in higher latitudes. My advice is to actually check your blood levels of vitamin D and see where you stand. If you are not able to get this blood test through your own personal physician, you also have the option of ordering the blood work through the Dr Strand website at www.drraystrand.com.

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