The prevalence of adverse food reactions is increasing, and many people are attracted to food intolerance testing. These tests, whose prices are generally very high (several hundred euros), promise to diagnose your food intolerances and help you regain your health. If the use of such tools seems particularly interesting, the reality of things is much less clear. Here’s what researchers say about it.

How Food Intolerance Tests Work

After fluid extraction, food constituents are fixed to the outer layer of wells and loaded with a small amount of serum from the individual to be tried. We then, at that point, see whether antibodies and immunoglobulins G (IgG) are coordinated against these constituents. We likewise investigate the amount of these antibodies, if pertinent. 

Likewise, a test utilizing a biochip permits numerous food varieties to be estimated simultaneously. These tests then measure the presence of IgG overall. This in vitro approach, outside the body, mirrors the responses to the substances dissected. This exploratory interaction is very similar to that used to foster the blood bunch diet, which we currently know to be one-sided.

Does Measuring IgG Detect Food Intolerance?

The estimation of IgG is a little small. Four subclasses of these immunoglobulins, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4, all have particular natural capabilities. In this manner, assuming IgG1 might be liable for a resistant response of prejudice, IgG4 assumes the contrary part: various examinations have shown that they are created to permit the obtaining of food resilience, not bigotry. As outlandish as it might appear, IgG4 acts like an enemy of inflammatories and ought not to be related to a flighty body response.

Are In Vitro Intolerance Tests Relevant?

Furthermore, we cannot consider that the reaction in a test tube outside the human body is the same as in a complex biological fluid. In some cases, what these tests present as intolerance may be tolerance or, quite simply, mean nothing at all. 

The Food Reagents Used Do Not Represent The Reality Of The Food

The other significant problem with these tests is that extracts of food proteins are used without any exhaustive or scientific process. For example, if we test tolerance to apples, many inaccuracies remain: Which apple is it? What exact variety of fruit was used? Has the apple been cooked? What is the nature of the proteins extracted and fixed to detect IgG? All of these elements can influence the results to a large extent. 

This phenomenon causes false positives and negatives and can also explain the differences in results observed when using different biochips. Therefore, We can discover radically different intolerances depending on the laboratory where the analyses are conducted! For researchers from Cambridge in England,  food intolerance tests are not reliable. These researchers regret that companies derive financial benefits by highlighting fragmented and sometimes biased clinical studies to the public.

How Do You Know If You Have A Food Intolerance?

If intolerance tests are ineffective, how do you know if you have a food intolerance? The only truly reliable way is to implement an avoidance strategy. You must proceed as follows:

1. First, remove all suspect foods from your diet.
2. When the symptoms causing the problem improved (pain, acne, autoimmune disease, etc.), we reintroduced the foods individually.

The problem foods are usually gluten grains, animal dairy products, soy products, nightshades, or legumes.

Should We Rotate Food To Reduce The Risk Of Intolerance?

Our invulnerable framework has a memory. When presented to an antigen, it has previously been presented to it and responds quicker and all the more heartily. This rule is generally utilized for antibodies: supporters can stir and intensify the gained insusceptible guard. Turning with the expectation that the invulnerable framework “neglects” is fanciful. This cell memory can continue for some time or even throughout life, for instance, due to celiac sickness.

This peculiarity relies upon the sort of memory invulnerable cells included and different variables. This is the situation, for instance, with immune system illnesses, where we realize that various components tweak immune system assaults. Along these lines, individuals who need vitamin D or gorge salt will encounter more insusceptible assaults, paying little mind to safe memory. To avoid narrow-mindedness, it is fundamental to consider these different perspectives associated with controlling resistance.

Read Also:Not All Forms Of Vitamin K Are Good For The Heart

We sometimes read that we should drink eight glasses daily, or approximately 2 liters of water, to maintain good hydration. But what is it?

Water Is An Essential Liquid For Our Life

Our body comprises a significant portion of water, representing 75% of birth weight and decreasing to around 55% in older people. A water deficit of 20% is enough to put our lives in danger.

A Water Balance Conditioned By Water Intake And Elimination Processes

The amount of water present at any given time in our body depends on fluid intake and loss. On the intake side is the water we drink directly, in pure form or drinks. Added to this is the water content of our foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which are particularly rich. It is estimated that 20 to 25% of our daily water intake comes from food.

The chemical reactions within our body can also generate the precious H 2 O molecule, which will be added to the available stock. Several processes contribute to water loss: breathing, perspiration, and the release of water with urine and stools. Their level varies according to our characteristics (sex, body size, etc.), climatic conditions, or level of physical activity.

The Consequences Of Dehydration

The body’s degree of hydration is a crucial parameter for our well-being, on which our intellectual and physical performance depends.

Dehydration Disrupts Performance And Perceptions

A study conducted at the University of Connecticut by Professor Armstrong among 25 young women, for example, showed that dehydration of only 1.36% during a sports session leads to an alteration in mood, an increase in the perception of difficulty associated with completing a task, problems concentrating, and headaches. A fluid status that is not optimal impacts endurance capacities and reduces strength and power during sports activities.

Hydration Is An Essential Parameter In Weight Control

Furthermore, drinking enough is crucial for controlling your weight. Obese or overweight adolescents have lower water intake than adolescents of average weight. Consuming a good amount of water facilitates weight loss as part of a slimming diet.

Dehydration Impacts The Health Of Many Organs

A lack of hydration could also have consequences on our cardiovascular health. Data suggests that it causes inflammation, interferes with the functioning of blood vessels, and disrupts blood pressure regulation, potentially promoting high blood pressure. A team from the American National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland (United States) studied the consequences of chronic water deficiency throughout life in mice. Researchers have found that deprivation of the precious fluid promotes inflammatory phenomena and blood clotting and accelerates the appearance of damage in different organs: heart, kidneys, and brain. Ultimately, this results in a reduced life expectancy for these animals.

A Sophisticated Mechanism Regulates Thirst

Faced with the risks that dehydration represents for our body, the latter has a complex network of messengers, hormonal for some, to prevent it. The objective is twofold: trigger the feeling of thirst to encourage us to replenish the stock and limit losses as much as possible. Thirst corresponds to the signal emitted by our body to tell us it needs liquid. It occurs when blood osmolality, which reflects its particle concentration, increases. This means that the blood is too concentrated; in other words, there is not enough fluid to dilute it.

Vasopressin Helps Save Water In The Body

Specialized cells in the hypothalamus (a gland in the brain) will then stimulate the release of vasopressin, the antidiuretic hormone. The quantity of vasopressin released is more significant as the blood is concentrated in particles. It acts directly on the kidney, telling it to reduce water loss by concentrating urine. Furthermore, the lack of water in the body reduces blood volume; this drop is detected by sensors in the wall of blood vessels, which relay the message to the brain to trigger vasopressin secretion.

The Body Reacts And Adapts To The Variation In Blood Volume

The kidneys also have sensors capable of detecting this drop in blood volume, which govern the release of an enzyme, renin, into the blood. It allows the formation of angiotensin I, itself transformed into angiotensin II, which will adapt the diameter of the blood vessels to the flow of blood by reducing their caliber. 

This also causes an increase in the level of aldosterone in the blood, limiting sodium losses from the kidneys and controlling the release of vasopressin. These mechanisms, therefore, make it possible to reduce water loss and signal to us that it is high time to drink. A loss of 1% of water increases the concentration of solutes in the blood, triggering the feeling of thirst. Drinking dilutes the blood and increases the blood volume in the vessels, which slows the release of the various actors mentioned. The feeling of thirst temporarily disappears.

Should You Drink Before You Are Thirsty?

However, some assure us that we should drink before feeling thirsty because it would already be too late when we think of this signal. The scientific data does not support this belief but confirms the well-established mechanism. Researchers have, for example, shown that when we have access to water, we drink spontaneously before our body suffers from the consequences of fluid loss. In healthy people, it is therefore advisable to drink when you feel the need rather than complying with a more or less well-founded recommendation. The situation becomes complicated in certain situations where the mechanisms regulating hydration fail.

Older Adults At Risk Of Dehydration

Dehydration is a widespread problem among seniors. Indeed, during aging, several phenomena add up and threaten water balance. A research team from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore (United States) has shown that after 24 hours of water deprivation, older men feel the sensation of thirst less intensely than young men. The signal emitted by the body to encourage drinking is, therefore, more tenuous in older people and more accessible to ignore.

On the other hand, the kidneys lose their ability to prevent fluid elimination through urine, even if it runs out. Vasopressin becomes less effective with aging. Lack of hydration among the elderly could have very harmful consequences; some specialists hypothesize its responsibility in the occurrence of dementia associated with  Alzheimer’s disease, for example.

Certain Illnesses Or Trauma Cause Loss Of Sensation Of Thirst Or Adipsia

Outside of aging, the loss of the sensation of thirst (a symptom called adipsia) can manifest itself in certain pathological situations. It occurs when the hypothalamus, the conductor that controls appetite, is damaged due to head trauma, brain disease (a tumor developing in this region of the brain, for example), or as a result of a surgical intervention. In these circumstances, it becomes essential to force yourself to drink at regular intervals to avoid becoming dehydrated.

A Thirst Impossible To Quench: Polydipsia

On the contrary, in certain circumstances, an intense thirst is felt (called polydipsia). Diabetes insipidus, a disease associated with a failure in vasopressin secretion, typically causes excessive thirst. However, in rare cases, it is accompanied by losing this sensation. Diabetes often causes intense thirst if left untreated, a sign that often leads to the discovery of the disease. A kidney or hormonal condition, brain damage, and taking certain medications (antidepressants, anticholinergic medications, etc.) are all factors that can contribute to increasing thirst.

Does Drinking Too Much Water Pose Health Risks?

If a lack of water threatens our health, consuming too much of it can be just as harmful:

Hyponatremia: Excessive Dilution Of Sodium In The Blood

Excessive hydration can lead to hyponatremia, a situation where the sodium level in the blood drops below a certain threshold. This then causes headaches, nausea and vomiting, cramps, convulsions, loss of consciousness, etc. In the most severe cases, hyponatremia can lead to death. This situation is rare because the kidneys can evacuate water only up to a certain point. It is estimated that the maximum filtration capacity of the kidneys in a healthy adult is 800 ml to 1 L per hour.

Certain Situations Can Lead To Water Intoxication

Hyponatremia causing mild symptoms can appear after consuming 3 to 4 liters of water per day. More severe signs occur with greater intakes, mainly if concentrated over a short time. In children, the filtration capacity of the kidneys is not optimal, and hyponatremia can occur more quickly. We encounter this situation of water intoxication in people suffering from psychiatric disorders, sometimes in the context of abuse or during specific medical treatments. But also athletes engaged in prolonged efforts. Drinking more than you are thirsty to compensate for all water losses does not improve sports performance and can even cause gastric problems.

Read Also: Vitamin K Would Reduce Calcifications

Is your child a little picky at the table? This British teenager’s regrettable experience may give him pause. In an article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Bristol report the case of a young person who became blind because of his poor diet. The teen first saw his doctor when he was 14 because he was tired. Although picky about his food choices, he did not show signs of malnutrition. 

His tests revealed that he had anemia, and his vitamin B12 levels were low, requiring vitamin B12 injections. He also received dietary advice. A year later, when he returned to his doctor, he had hearing loss, but his MRI showed no abnormalities. Then, her vision became worse, but the eye exam seemed normal. There was no clear cause to explain these symptoms.

Junk Food Makes Him Blind

In the two years that followed, the young person lost a lot of visual acuity, reaching a score of 20/200; at the age of 17, he was considered blind. He had problems in both eyes, with loss of nerve fibers in the retina. Examination suggested optic neuropathy. MRI did not reveal any inflammatory or compression lesions.  Genetic testing did not detect hereditary vision disease. According to his new biological analyses, the teenager still had a vitamin B12 deficiency, which put doctors on the trail of a dietary cause. 

His BMI and height were average for his age: 66 kg for 1.73 m. The teenager did not drink alcohol, did not smoke, did not take medication, but he admitted that since elementary school, he had avoided a certain number of foods. Typically, during the day, he ate fries, white bread, ham, and sausages, a diet that provides calories but has an inferior nutritional content.

The young man’s vitamin D, copper, and selenium levels were low, while zinc was high. His bone density was low, probably because of his vitamin D deficiency. His gastrointestinal biopsies were normal. According to the authors, the adolescent’s diet and inadequate nutritional intake of vitamins and minerals are responsible for his optic neuropathy. This is why food supplements were prescribed to make up for these deficits. His visual acuity stabilized but did not improve. In a press release from the University of Bristol, Denize Atan, one of the study’s authors, explained: “This case highlights the impact of diet on visual and physical health and the fact that intake of calories and BMI are unreliable indicators of nutritional status. » The team recommends that routine medical exams include questions about diet.

Causes Of Nutritional Optic Neuropathy

This rare case reveals that a poor diet, already known to promote cardiovascular diseases or obesity, influences vision. Dietary optic neuropathy is a brokenness of the optic nerve. It is reversible if treated early enough; otherwise, it causes lasting damage to the optic nerve and leads to blindness. When they are not nutritional, optic neuropathies can be due to genetics or toxic molecules. Typically, visual loss is symmetrical and painless.

In developed countries, the main causes of nutritional optic neuropathy are intestinal problems and medications that interfere with nutrient absorption, with these factors being compounded by alcohol and tobacco. But purely nutritional causes in these countries are rare, which is not the case in regions of the world affected by famine and malnutrition, where these optical diseases are more frequent. Deficiencies in vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 and B12 promote optic neuropathy.

Thus, at the beginning of the 1990s, an epidemic of nutritional optic neuropathies affected Cuba, with 50,000 inhabitants affected, or 0.5% of the population. Due to the embargo imposed on this country and the cessation of trade relations, food quality declined, and the menus needed to be more diversified. With the distribution of multivitamins, the incidence of optic neuropathy has decreased.

Furthermore, patients who have undergone bariatric surgery may have encountered this problem due to nutritional deficiencies. Finally, to avoid visual problems, vegans must ensure they have a sufficient intake of vitamin B12; this molecule is present in animal products: fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products.

Read Also: Not All Forms Of Vitamin K Are Good For The Heart

The nonexclusive term vitamin K envelops numerous atoms, including Nutrient K1, phylloquinone, or phytomenadione, which is available in green vegetables like lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and kale, and nutrient K2, which incorporates menaquinones numbered from MK-4 to MK-14. Fabricated by the digestive verdure, nutrient K2 is found in creature items like meat and cheddar, yet in addition, matured soy items (natto),

Different observational examinations have recommended a connection between vitamin K and cardiovascular well-being. Are all vitamin K the equivalent for the heart? To find out, a European review of Dutch, English and French exploration habitats checked out more than 103,000 instances of coronary illness.

Vitamin K2 May Be Linked To Cardiovascular Health, But Not K1

This study used a genetic prediction method to evaluate circulating phylloquinone (K1) levels. This gives an overview of vitamin K1 intake over the previous days. The scientists thus found that circulating phylloquinone was not linked to the risk of coronary heart disease. But who gets vitamin K2? To know an individual’s vitamin K status (K1 and K2), scientists study the level of dp-ucMGP ( dephosphorylated uncarboxylated MGP) in the blood. 

Manufactured by the muscle cells of blood vessels and cartilage cells, it limits the calcification of the arteries, but to be active, it must be carboxylated thanks to vitamin K. When MGP is dephosphorylated and decarboxylated in its dp-ucMGP form, it is inactive. The level of inactive MGP gives an idea of ​​vitamin K1 and K2 intakes in the long term, over several weeks or months: when it is low, vitamin K intakes are high.

The researchers observed that when the level of inactive MGP protein (dp-ucMGP) decreased, the risk of coronary heart disease decreased by 4% with each reduction of 10 µg/L of inactive MGP. As vitamin K1 does not appear to be linked to cardiovascular health, it can be assumed that vitamin K2 is responsible for reducing this risk of heart disease. In their discussion, the authors explain that menaquinones (vitamin K2) have better bioavailability and are better absorbed than phylloquinone. They would, therefore, be more beneficial to human health. 

Vitamin K2 Supplementation For Better Vascular Health

So, should you supplement with vitamin K2 to preserve your heart? In 2015, researchers from Maastricht University (Netherlands) tested the effectiveness of K2 supplementation on the stiffness of the arterial walls of 244 healthy postmenopausal women. For three years, 120 women took 180 mcg per day of vitamin K2 MK-7 of natural origin, and the other 124 women had a placebo (Knapen et al. Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women. A double-masked randomized clinical trial. Thromb Haemost. 2015.)).

The results show that MK-7 supplementation significantly reduced vascular stiffness and the dp-ucMGP marker, a risk factor for hardening of the arteries. A beneficial effect was observed in the carotid artery for women with higher arterial stiffness at the start of the study. Therefore, a daily dose of vitamin K2 for three years improves blood vessel health in healthy postmenopausal women, especially those who already have problems with arterial stiffness.

What Form Of Vitamin K2 MK-7 Should I Use As A Food Supplement?

Vitamin K2 MK-7 does not exist in Western diets. It is found only in natto, a fermented soybean dish in Japan and whose taste is rarely enjoyed elsewhere. Vitamin K2 MK-7 is a food supplement, but different forms are available. It is always necessary to ensure that the form present in the product is the biologically active all-trans form, which is not necessarily the case.

Read Also: Is Apple Cider Vinegar Effective For Weight Loss?

Vitamin K is still mostly secret to the overall population. Notwithstanding, research on this nutrient has detonated throughout recent years, and we understand that it assumes a fundamental part in the ordinary working of veins. Its activity would be synergistic with that of vitamin D.

Different Forms Of Vitamin K

Nutrient K1 is tracked down in food, fundamentally in green vegetables: broccoli, spinach, etc. It comprises the essential wellspring of vitamin K. In any case, one more type of vitamin K exists, nutrient K2. Microbes deliver The last option in our digestive system, giving you a sound digestive tract… We likewise track down small amounts of nutrient K2 in specific creature items or matured food sources, seldom devoured in India.

Vitamin K Protects Against Arterial Calcification.

Arterial calcification is a phenomenon that plays a vital role in the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. We find blood vessel and vascular calcifications in instances of atherosclerosis. As of late, a few investigations have shown a connection between vitamin K status and the gamble of calcification. A new report looked at nutrient K1 status (the fundamental type of vitamin K tracked down in food sources) to the gamble of calcifications and their movement. 

200 96 patients with blood vessel calcifications were contrasted with 561 sound grown-ups without. Result: individuals with calcifications have somewhat lower nutrient K1 levels than others. Furthermore, the scientists contrasted sound grown-ups with those who took a nutrient K1 food supplement. Result: the movement of calcifications is essentially eased back contrasted with the people who take no enhancement. 

Scientists additionally found that individuals who have the most calcifications are the people who take drugs for hypertension. A primary clarification could be that these prescriptions obstruct kidney capability and upset the end of calcium, like individuals impacted by kidney disappointment (in whom the gamble of calcification is additionally fundamentally expanded). The advantages of vitamin K are evident and urge us to eat more green vegetables to lessen our gamble of cardiovascular illness. There’s nothing more to it?

Vitamin K1 Could Be More Effective.

In all concentrates on the impacts of nutrient K1, including this one, the distinctions between vitamin K levels in the blood are negligible. It is hard to tell whether the constructive outcomes come from vitamin K instead of something different. This issue is connected to how nutrient K1 has an extremely short half-life: after processing, it vanishes from the blood within a couple of hours (half-existence of 2 hours at most significant).

At the point when we took a blood test, only individuals who, as of late, ate green vegetables had excellent vitamin K levels in their blood. Another issue: assuming that vitamin K lessens blood vessel calcifications, it is energizing in treating cardiovascular illnesses and, without a doubt, ligament calcifications. However, consuming vitamin K tablets is not an exceptionally compelling system for this situation: it will vanish excessively fast from the blood before showing its maximum capacity.

Vitamin K2 Is Highly Effective Against Calcifications

More mediation studies are required in which patients were given vitamin K to check whether it diminished calcifications. Notwithstanding, the clinical writing is brimming with creatures and lab concentrates, which plainly show the movement of vitamin K in calcium guidelines. Both human examinations utilized exceptionally high dosages of nutrient K1; the higher the portion, the more sure the outcomes. This is reliable with the known information on the pharmacokinetics of this substance, which rapidly vanishes from dissemination (with a higher portion, it stays longer in the blood).

In observational examinations, specialists mostly note a delicate impact of nutrient K1. Then again, nutrient K2 admission is altogether connected with the gamble of calcifications. A reference concentrated on the Netherlands showed that for each higher admission of 10 µg of nutrient K2, the gamble of cardiovascular mishaps diminishes by roughly 10%.

What Vitamin K2 Should You Take For Calcifications?

If you are in good health, my first advice is to eat green vegetables regularly. They indeed contain vitamin K1 but also a lot of magnesium, a mineral we often lack. However, supplementation will likely be beneficial if you suffer from arterial or vascular calcifications. But in this case, there is no need to take vitamin K1, which will not be very effective; you should favor vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 exists in several forms called menaquinones, abbreviated “MK”. We mainly find in this family:

1. Vitamin K2 MK-4 (a short molecule found in meat and eggs)
2. Vitamin K2 MK-7 (a long molecule found in fermented products such as natto)
3. Vitamin K2 MK-8 (a long molecule found in cheese)
4. Vitamin K2 MK-9 (a long molecule found in cheeses).

If we consider all forms of vitamin K2, it is menaquinone 7, which is by far the most effective against calcifications. But as natto is not part of our diet (this is the case in Japan), supplementation is the only way to ensure good intakes of this particular form. Vitamin K2 MK-7 has a half-life of 3 days (compared to 2 hours for vitamin K1), making it possible to achieve blood levels 7 to 8 times higher with small doses. There is a lack of data regarding the effective dose, but it is wise to consider supplementation between 100 and 200 mcg daily. In all cases, the effects of deep calcifications should take several months to appear.

Side Effects Of Vitamin K

Vitamin K is one of the most harmless vitamins in the world, so much so that it is impossible to know its side effects, even at very high doses! The United States Academy of Medicine states that a safety limit dose for vitamin K. has yet to be established. Be careful; however, if you are taking anticoagulant medical treatment, these substances block the activity of vitamin K. In this case, supplementation must be initiated with your doctor so that he can adapt the anticoagulant therapy.

Read Also: Mega Doses Of Vitamin C, Cancer & Health: The Whole Truth

Since working in nutrition, I have read incredible stories about vitamin C. One day, it would cure cancer; the next day, it would be used by the Chinese to treat coronavirus. Even if it is true that there have always been battles of ideas and conflicts of interest between laboratories that manufacture expensive drugs and more natural solutions, the case of vitamin C is particular since no regulatory body nor any independent research laboratory has ever been able to confirm the extraordinary effects that can sometimes be seen on the internet.

This situation is different from other natural substances. For example, in Artemisia against malaria, many laboratories try to make people believe it is ineffective, but the WHO has validated its effectiveness. We find a similar situation with turmeric: a miracle food supplement, according to sellers, capable of treating most illnesses. In reality, it is very ineffective, with thousands of faked studies (see my article on turmeric ).

Regarding vitamin C, its history is special because it was widely studied and put forward by the only man to have won two Nobel Prizes: Linus Pauling. This article, therefore, aims to disentangle fact from fiction based on independent scientific data: is vitamin C a miracle substance whose effects they want to hide from us, or is it still an internet scam?

Why The Question Of Vitamin C Requirements Unleashes Passions

About 40 million years ago, our ancestors lived near the equator with an abundance of vitamin C-rich fruits that they ate all day. Therefore, their vitamin C intake was high, and there was no longer any need for the body to waste energy synthesizing this abundant substance. The gene activating the enzyme (L-gulono-gamma-lactone oxidase), which transforms glucose into ascorbic acid (vitamin C’s chemical), has gone dormant.

Since then, we have been dependent on dietary intake of vitamin C. The non-functional gene for this enzyme still exists in humans and has been found: it is located on chromosome 8 at location p21. Very few mammals share this characteristic with us. This is the case for higher primates (macaque, African green monkey), the guinea pig and certain bats. For others who synthesize it in their liver or kidneys, it is not a vitamin.

Since this discovery, the question of humans’ real and optimal vitamin C needs has been debated. Indeed, the daily intakes recommended by health authorities ( between 90 and 110 mg per day ) are only established to prevent the severe and easily observable vitamin C deficiency called scurvy, characterized by gingival bleeding, fatigue, loosening teeth, and death.

These contributions have never been formulated to “place the body in optimal functioning conditions”. The observation of higher primates (which no longer synthesize vitamin C) in their natural environment has revealed daily vitamin C intakes between 2000 mg and 8000 mg, raising the question even more.

What Are Our Real Vitamin C Needs?

The rest of the story has a lot to do with Linus Pauling, a scientist who will mark history forever since he is the only man in the world to have been awarded two Nobel Prizes: a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 for his contribution to the discovery of the structure of proteins and a Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 for his fight of more than 10 years against nuclear tests in the atmosphere. 

His notoriety does not come from his incredible knowledge of quantum physics or chemistry. However, it earned him called a genius by Albert Einstein, still, rather from his remarkable work on vitamins, particularly vitamin C. In 1970, he published a book that shook the medical world for more than 20 years: Vitamin C and the common cold, in which he argued that vitamin C supplementation could reduce the risk of colds and reduce the duration of symptoms.

He would later assert that this vitamin can prevent cardiovascular diseases based on the observation that animals that produce vitamin C do not experience these diseases. Several hundred scientific studies have been carried out over 50 years on vitamin C’s effects. Certain elements are particularly clear: athletes have greater needs for vitamin C than sedentary people, particularly sports athletes. Endurance.

In them, an intake of 500 to 1000 mg per day helps maintain an efficient immune system and reduce the frequency and symptoms of colds. Similar intakes should be recommended for smokers because tobacco significantly increases the need for vitamin C. At the age of 72, Linus Pauling had a young man’s health. 

He set up the Institute for Orthomolecular Medicine in California, a research organization focused on using vitamins and micronutrients to prevent or treat disease. Today, the institute has been moved to the University of Oregon, which occupies the largest building named the Linus Pauling Institute. The institute is mainly funded by the US Department of Health, which allows it to maintain its independence and continue research on micronutrients, particularly vitamin C. 

Today, led by Professor Balz Frei, a scholar with an arm-length curriculum vitae (professor of nutrition at Harvard University, professor of molecular toxicology, professor of biochemistry and medicine and rewarded with multiple scientific prizes), the institute considers that the optimum vitamin C requirements for (sedentary) humans are “at least 400 mg per day”. At this dose, researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute believe that very significant beneficial effects are obtained on resistance to stress, the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure, the health of blood vessels and arteries, and cancer prevention.

Effects Of Supplementation With High Doses Of Vitamin C

Mega Doses Of Vitamin C And Cancer

What about the mega doses of vitamin C (between 2 and 15 grams per day) so popular in alternative circles but also promoted by Linus Pauling at one point in his life? Several studies have been carried out on the question. All the meta-analyses carried out (analysis of a set of studies on the same subject) come to the same conclusion: mega doses of vitamin C are not more effective in preventing cold and do not seem to have any particular benefit, but have side effects: acceleration of transit and increased risk of kidney stones in predisposed people. 

In terms of evolution, these results are quite astonishing because if our neighboring primates need 20 to 80 times higher intakes of vitamin C, why are we different? The answer comes from Texas pharmacology researchers. As early as the 1970s, they showed that when humans lost the ability to produce vitamin C, they simultaneously lost the activity of another enzyme, urate oxidase. 

This enzyme helps eliminate uric acid by metabolizing it into 5-hydroxyisourate. However, it turns out that uric acid, although harmful in excess, is also an extremely powerful antioxidant in the human body (50% of the antioxidant activity in our plasma is due to uric acid). The increase in circulating uric acid would thus have replaced vitamin C, significantly reducing our needs and allowing us to survive in regions with a much less temperate climate (Northern Europe) with a mainly meat diet. And poor in fruits and vegetables.

Proponents of mega doses of vitamin C also argue that it would effectively treat cancer, provided it is administered by injection. A recent summary of the last 33 years of experimentation with vitamin C against cancer concluded that the studies are still very contradictory: sometimes effective, sometimes ineffective, no one knows to whom vitamin C injection should be recommended or in what way However, vitamin C injections seem very effective in reducing the side effects of chemotherapy at doses between 50 and 150 grams per day. No effect on cancer treatment can be observed with oral vitamin C, even with more than 10 grams daily.

Are Megadoses Of Vitamin C Bad For Athletes?

Finally, two studies found that people who take more than 1000 mg per day of vitamin C have a higher risk of cataracts, through a currently undetermined mechanism. In endurance athletes, a recent study showed that high doses of vitamins C (1000 mg) and E (235 mg) could reduce the ability to adapt to exercise. 

A recent analysis of around ten studies that tested the effect of high-dose antioxidant supplementation on athletes concluded that the latter was useless or counterproductive for performance. These results are not surprising: adaptation to physical (or psychological) stress first requires that the stress is well felt by the body to adapt and strengthen itself. If large doses of antioxidants block this feeling, adaptation is impossible, and progression is slowed.

Considering all these elements, I do not recommend healthy people take more than 500 mg per day for sedentary people and 1000 mg per day for endurance or strength athletes. I do not recommend combining vitamin C with other isolated, concentrated antioxidants (high doses). In modest doses, this does not pose a problem.

Vitamin C is frequently sold in the form of “natural” dietary supplements such as “acerola vitamin C “, but numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that there is no difference between natural vitamin C and manufactured synthetic vitamin C. in the laboratory because the two molecules are strictly identical and therefore have the same effects in the body.  The only real difference is the price, which is ridiculous with synthetic vitamin C and exorbitant with “natural vitamin C”. So take the cheapest vitamin C without questionable excipients (chemical sweeteners or additives).

Read Also: Whole Eggs: They Could Improve Heart Health

A condiment with a tangy flavor and pungent smell, Apple cider vinegar is a must in the kitchen. Its richness in active ingredients gives it medicinal virtues, exploited by Man since immemorial. This low-calorie ingredient could also be a slimming ally.  

Apple Cider Vinegar, A Fermented Product Rich In Acetic Acid

Apple cider vinegar is a drink obtained by a manufacturing process in two stages. First, Saccharomyces yeasts ferment apple juice and transform the sugars naturally present in the fruit into alcohol. Bacteria of the genus Acetobacter then convert the alcohol into acetic acid. This volatile organic acid gives the product its acidic taste and characteristic odor.

Ingestion Of Vinegar Increases Blood Acetate Concentration

Apple cider vinegar contains 5 to 6% acetic acid. The blood concentration of this compound increases rapidly after ingestion of vinegar. The administration of 100 vinegar to healthy people causes a peak in blood acetic acid after 15 minutes, which reaches 350µmol/L. The presence of this compound in the body, which is part of the short-chain fatty acid family, largely contributes to the health benefits of this food.

 It is added to internal production by beneficial bacteria in the intestinal microbiota. A condiment with a tangy flavor and pungent smell, cider vinegar is a must in the kitchen. Its richness in active ingredients gives it medicinal virtues, exploited by Man since immemorial. This low-calorie ingredient could also be a slimming ally.  

Apple Cider Vinegar, A Fermented Product Rich In Acetic Acid

Apple cider vinegar is a drink obtained by a manufacturing process in two stages. First, Saccharomyces yeasts ferment apple juice and transform the sugars naturally present in the fruit into alcohol. Bacteria of the genus Acetobacter then convert the alcohol into acetic acid. This volatile organic acid gives the product its acidic taste and characteristic odour. Ingestion of vinegar increases blood acetate concentration.

Apple cider vinegar contains 5 to 6% acetic acid. The blood concentration of this compound increases rapidly after ingestion of vinegar. The administration of 100 vinegar to healthy people causes a peak in blood acetic acid after 15 minutes, which reaches 350µmol/L. The presence of this compound in the body, which is part of the short-chain fatty acid family, largely contributes to the health benefits of this food. It is added to internal production by beneficial bacteria in the intestinal microbiota.

Acetic Acid May Regulate Brain Circuits That Control Appetite

Acetate can pass through the protective membrane of the brain. In mice, administration of this compound into the intraperitoneal cavity, the space that contains the digestive organs, causes activation of certain areas of the hypothalamus. This region of the brain controls hunger and the presence of acetate results in appetite suppression.

The Stomach Empties More Slowly In The Presence Of Vinegar

The reduction in the feeling of hunger obtained thanks to apple cider vinegar could also be explained by its tendency to delay gastric emptying. As the stomach’s contents remain in place longer, satiety signals are emitted more lastingly. Vinegar should be avoided in cases of lazy stomach syndrome (gastroparesis), where gastric emptying is difficult. This situation is sometimes caused by diabetes, in which case consuming apple cider vinegar can make blood sugar control more difficult.

Tolerance And Satiating Effect Of Cider Vinegar

Some researchers hypothesize that the appetite-suppressant effect of vinegar is linked to its poor oral tolerance. Causing an unpleasant feeling of nausea would encourage people to stop eating food.

Action At The Level Of Genes Regulating Fat Metabolism

Vinegar also appears able to oppose the accumulation of fats in the body by modulating genetic expression. A study carried out in animals demonstrated its ability to reduce the activity of genes involved in fat production in the liver. Excess hepatic lipids promote the development of insulin resistance, the first step towards type 2 diabetes. At the same time, acetic acid appears able to increase the expression of genes, ensuring the production of enzymes involved in the breakdown of fats, such as acetyl-coenzyme A oxidase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1.

The Effects Of Vinegar On The Glycemic Load Of Foods

Vinegar also helps moderate the increase in blood sugar levels following a meal containing foods with a high glycemic index, as shown in a study on 11 healthy men. They ate a snack made from a bagel, a small ring-shaped bread, and fruit juice with a high glycemic index of 81, with or without vinegar. 

The addition of vinegar limited the rise in blood glucose levels one hour after the meal. In addition, apple cider vinegar reduced the number of calories ingested during the day by 200 to 275. An analysis of 11 studies devoted to this subject confirmed the ability of vinegar to reduce blood sugar levels after meals and insulin production. This hypoglycemic effect is directly linked to its acid content. When neutralized with baking soda, vinegar loses its effectiveness.

Acetic Acid Reduces The Activity Of Digestive Enzymes

To better understand the hypoglycemic properties of apple cider vinegar, a Japanese research team studied the effect of acetic acid on glucose transport and the activity of several digestive enzymes. These enzymes, responsible for cutting molecules to allow their assimilation, are very sensitive to acidity. The researchers did not see any variation in glucose transport functions. 

On the other hand, they demonstrated a significant decrease in the activity of several enzymes of the disaccharidase family: sucrase, maltase, trehalase and lactase. The latter is specifically responsible for the digestion of sugars and their slowing down by acetic acid, therefore explaining a more gradual increase in blood sugar in the presence of cider vinegar.

A Drizzle Of Vinegar To Lower The Glycemic Load Of Starchy Foods

These properties of vinegar can be used to lower the glycemic index of foods. Boiled potatoes served cold and topped with vinegar have a much more modest effect on blood sugar levels. Vinegar consumption should not be too far from the meal to obtain the best benefits. A study has shown that its effects are more evident when ingested during it than 5 hours before. Commercially available vinegar-based tablets, however, do not have such a favorable impact on blood sugar levels.

The Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar For Type 2 Diabetes

This improvement in blood sugar control is an asset for preventing or fighting type 2 diabetes. In people at high risk of developing this metabolic disorder, consuming vinegar for 12 weeks reduces fasting blood sugar levels. A study carried out over eight weeks in patients who developed the disease showed a reduction in fasting glucose level of 7% thanks to the consumption of 20 ml of cider vinegar per day, while it increased by 12% in the control group. However, taking vinegar can cause unpleasant symptoms in some people, such as belching, flatulence or acid reflux.

Consume Apple Cider Vinegar Daily

It should be selected carefully to get the most out of apple cider vinegar. It is preferable to opt for an unpasteurized artisanal product from organic farming. Certified organic cider vinegar presents greater microbial diversity than its equivalents from conventional agriculture, which could have a favorable impact on its effects.

In terms of taste, cider vinegar goes well with rapeseed oil, an exciting fat in salad dressing, because it is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 beneficial for our health and uncommon in food. Eating pickles, small vegetables marinated in cider vinegar, is a complementary way to benefit from its virtues. This is also the case for chutneys, sweet and sour sauces made from fruits, vegetables, spices and vinegar.

Read Also: Flax Seeds: Benefits And Dangers

Brown or golden, with a nutty flavor, and gluten-free, these little oilseeds are all hidden powers. Find out in this article the benefits of flax seeds so you can include them in your plate!

Nutritional Profile

Flax produces tiny seeds that can be sprinkled on dishes after being ground or crushed to access nutrients and bioactive compounds.

Plant Fibers And Proteins

Flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum) have a fascinating nutritional profile. In terms of macronutrients, they are a source of vegetable proteins with a content of around 20%. Although they contain 30% carbohydrates, these are found almost exclusively in fiber. They, therefore, have a low glycemic index of only 35. The most remarkable point, however, lies in their lipid composition.

Omega 3

Flaxseeds are oilseed in nature, made up of approximately 40% lipids. They can, therefore, be used to produce oil. They are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), constituting more than half of the fat stock. This polyunsaturated fatty acid belongs to the omega-3 family, often lacking in modern diets. Flaxseeds are the most concentrated source of ALA, containing five times more than rapeseeds, known for their content of this compound. Like crushed seeds, linseed oil is particularly fragile due to its omega-3 content and must therefore be kept cool.

Omega-3/Omega-6 Ratio

ALA is an essential fatty acid because our body cannot produce it independently. It is a precursor to forming eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two other omega-3s valuable to the body. The conversion is, however, not very efficient; the consumption of foods containing ALA does not allow us to avoid external intakes of EPA and DHA, mainly found in fatty fish. Flaxseed also contains 20% oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, 17% linoleic acid, an omega-6, and tiny saturated fatty acids. The ratio between the quantity of omega-3 and omega-6 is thus mainly in favor of the former, which gives these seeds solid benefits for health.

Minerals And Trace Elements

Flax seeds provide significant minerals such as potassium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, selenium and zinc. A tablespoon of flaxseed offers the same amount of magnesium as a banana, almost 40 mg.

Vitamins B And E

Flaxseeds are rich in thiamine, or vitamin B1, with a content of 1.64 mg per 100 g. This vitamin supports many processes in the body; it is involved in energy metabolism and contributes to the proper functioning of the heart and the maintenance of intellectual abilities. Flaxseeds also provide vitamin B6 and folate. They are also rich in γ-tocopherol, one of the forms of vitamin E, since they contain almost 20 mg per 100 g. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties.

Phytoestrogens

In addition to nutrients, flax seeds are also equipped with molecules of interest, lignans. The chemical structure of these phenolic compounds is close to the female hormone estrogens. The main lignan, representing over 95% of the total stock, is secoisolariciresinol-diglucoside (SDG). Flax seeds contain 75 to 800 times more than other edible plant species. Once in the colon, this lignan is transformed into active molecules with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties under the effect of bacteria in the intestinal microbiota.

Cardiovascular And Metabolic Benefits

Flaxseeds exert beneficial activity for cardiovascular and metabolic health thanks to their content of omega-3, lignans and fiber. Studies conducted in population samples have demonstrated the protective effects of high ALA consumption on the risk of death from cardiac causes of coronary heart disease. These moderate inflammatory phenomena in the body are conducive to the onset of chronic diseases.

Atherosclerosis Prevention

Low-grade inflammation notably promotes the development of atherosclerosis. In this situation, atherosclerotic plaques form in the walls of blood vessels, hindering blood circulation and increasing the risk of cardiovascular events. Consumption of flaxseed could play a protective role by reducing blood levels of lipoprotein Lp(a), a compound that promotes this process. It improves the blood lipid profile, allowing, in particular, to lower the concentration of triglycerides. These benefits are obtained with daily quantities of 30 to 40 g of flax seeds throughout 30 to 40 days.

Effects Against Hypertension

Flax seeds’ favorable effects on cardiovascular health include their ability to fight high blood pressure. A meta-analysis highlighted a modest drop in blood pressure of 2 mmHg linked to their consumption. However, the studies reviewed in this analysis mainly included people without hypertension. 

The effects are more pronounced in people with hypertension, as shown in a study of people with peripheral artery disease, a condition that frequently coexists with hypertension. The 110 participants consumed 30 g of ground flaxseed or a placebo daily for six months. In the flaxseed group, hypertensive participants experienced a reduction of 7 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure and 15 mmHg in systolic blood pressure.

Blood Sugar Control

Flax seeds also improve sugar metabolism within the body. Their richness in soluble fiber makes it possible to slow down their absorption in the digestive tract, limiting the increase in blood sugar and insulin secretion after a meal. In addition, the fiber contained in flax seeds is fermented by intestinal bacteria and allows the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Among their multiple benefits, SCFAs improve insulin sensitivity.

A Tablespoon In Case Of Diabetes

The effects of consuming 10 g of flaxseed daily were evaluated in people with type 2 diabetes. This approach carried out over 12 weeks, led to a reduction in fasting blood sugar of 26.7 mg/dL. , compared to 1.9 mg/dL in the placebo group. A study conducted on overweight men and postmenopausal women with prediabetes showed that a dose of 13 g was more effective than a dose of 26 g. 

An analysis that compiled the results of 25 clinical trials confirmed the effectiveness of flax seeds on blood sugar control, but only in their raw form. Linseed oil or lignans do not produce effects in this context. Consumption over a sufficient period of more than three months is necessary to benefit from an improvement in the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Effects On Well-Being

The benefit of integrating flax seeds into your diet concerns many other aspects of well-being and health.

Weight Control

Flaxseed could help maintain a healthy weight. In a Danish study of 44 volunteers, consuming flax seeds containing 2.5 g of soluble fiber increased the feeling of fullness. As a result, the quantity of calories consumed during the day decreased: it represented 2937 kJ on average compared to 3214 kJ without supplementation. The effects can quickly be felt on the silhouette. 

Researchers who analyzed the results of 45 clinical trials concluded that consuming flaxseed effectively reduced participants’ weight, body mass index and waist circumference. The slimming is all the more marked with large doses, greater than 30 g per day, taken over more than 12 weeks and in people whose BMI initially exceeds 27.

Improvement In Constipation

Insoluble fiber in flaxseed can relieve constipation because fiber increases stool bulk and stimulates intestinal contractions, reducing transit time. This benefit against constipation has been demonstrated during several clinical trials with whole seeds or flaxseed oil. The approach appears even more effective than psyllium, a natural product recommended in cases of constipation.

Benefits Against Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

The anti-inflammatory properties of flax seeds could help relieve the symptoms experienced in chronic inflammatory bowel disease cases. A study on 90 patients with ulcerative colitis evaluated the benefits of taking 30 g of flax seeds daily and 10 g of flaxseed oil against a placebo. In both groups that benefited from flax, inflammation levels and disease severity were reduced.

Effects On Skin Health

Flaxseed supplementation acts at the skin level. A study highlighted its ability to reduce skin sensitivity and improve its texture and degree of hydration. The healing properties of lignans are the subject of studies; they can facilitate wound healing by stimulating collagen production.

Relieve The Signs Of Menopause

In women during their reproductive years, lignans oppose the action of estrogens. On the other hand, when the level of these sex hormones falls in the body at the time of menopause, they partly replace their action. They then behave like low-activity estrogens . Iranian researchers have demonstrated a reduction in the severity and duration of hot flashes, the intensity of night sweating episodes and sleep disorders thanks to consuming 40 g of flax seeds per day for six weeks. Flaxseed also tends to lower the amount of steroidal sex hormones involved in the development of breast cancer in postmenopausal women suffering from obesity.

Anti-Cancer Action

Compounds from lignans bind to cellular estrogen receptors and slow cell growth. They can thus combat the unchecked development of cells, a phenomenon observed in cancer cases. Work carried out in the laboratory, on cell cultures and in animals, has shown the ability of flax lignans to fight colon, lung, skin and blood cancer.

Against Breast Cancer

The effects of flax seeds have been mainly studied in the context of breast cancer. Observational studies have established a relationship between consuming around 30g of flaxseed daily and a reduced risk of developing this disease. Canadian researchers conducted a study to determine if supplementing with flaxseed could slow tumor development in women with breast cancer. 

The participants consumed 25 g of flax seeds per day or a placebo for around thirty days. Analyzes revealed a reduction in the speed of cell proliferation and the level of expression of an oncogene involved in the disease thanks to flax seeds. They also made it possible to increase the phenomena of apoptosis which lead to the destruction of cancer cells.

The specific interest of lignans has also been highlighted. In women at high risk of developing breast cancer, administration of 50 mg per day of SDG for one year was able to reduce cell proliferation. The survival of patients is also prolonged when their blood concentration and dietary lignan intake are high.

Prostate Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hypertrophy is linked to excessive cell multiplication. If it is not cancerous, it can cause urinary problems due to compression of the urinary canal. Flax lignans can improve the situation of men affected by this situation. The administration of an extract of lignans from flax for four months alleviates urinary difficulties, more markedly with increasing dosages, and improves quality of life. These effects are comparable to those obtained by taking medications commonly used in this context.

The Dangers Of Flax Seeds

Flaxseeds contain substances that could reduce the assimilation of essential nutrients. These include inhibitors of enzymes responsible for protein digestion or phytates, which limit the absorption of calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper and iron. They also contain linatine, a compound which opposes the action of vitamin B6 and causes deficiency symptoms in certain animals. 

This effect has never been observed in humans. Flax seeds also contain cyanogenic glycosides.  But a man would have to consume around 1 kg per day to be exposed to the toxicity of the cyanide that emanates from it. In conclusion, flaxseeds are superfoods that provide reasonable omega-3, fiber, phytoestrogens and magnesium. They help prevent cardiovascular diseases, fight constipation and control weight. Proper consumption does not present any danger to health.

Read Also: Whole Eggs: They Could Improve Heart Health