Grape and apple juice prevents clogged arteries

Xania · � #1 � 05-16-2008, 12:34 PM

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7405566.stm

Juice 'prevents clogged arteries'

Juice made from purple grapes had the most beneficial effect

Juices made from apples or purple grapes - and the fruit themselves - protect against developing clogged arteries, a study suggests.
Researchers fed hamsters the fruit and juice or water, plus a fatty diet.
The animals who were fed grape juice had the lowest risk of developing artery problems, Molecular Nutrition and Food Research reports.
The University of Montpellier team said the juice's benefits came from its high levels of phenols - an antioxidant.
Antioxidants in various foods have been regularly cited as being beneficial to heart health.
The French team looked at how juicing affected the phenol content of fruit - because most studies look at raw fruit.
Four glasses a day
They then looked at how being fed various kinds of fruit affected the hamsters' risk of atherosclerosis - the build-up of fatty plaque deposits in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks or strokes.
The amount of fruit the hamsters consumed was equivalent to three apples or three bunches of grapes daily for a human.
Hamsters given juice drank the equivalent of four glasses daily for a person weighing 70 kilograms (154 pounds).
The apples and grapes had about the same phenol content, while the purple grape juice had 2.5 times more phenols than apple juice.
Compared with animals given water, those given fruit or fruit juice had lower cholesterol levels, less oxidative stress, and less fat accumulation in their aorta, the main vessel supplying oxygenated blood to the body.
Purple grape juice had the strongest effect, followed by purple grapes, apple juice and apples.
The researchers say their findings suggest the amount of phenols contained in a food have a direct effect on its antioxidant properties.
Other antioxidant compounds in the fruits, such as vitamin C and carotenoids, could also contribute to their effects, they added.
The team, led by Kelly Decorde, said their findings "provide encouragement that fruit and fruit juices may have a significant clinical and public health relevance." A British nutritionist said: "High levels of antioxidants are recognised as being good for you."

Harry Hirsute · � #2 � 01-24-2009, 05:13 PM

Quote:

LOWELL, Mass., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Drinking apple juice helped mice perform better in maze trials and prevented the decline in performance otherwise seen in aging, U.S. researchers said.

The research team of Thomas B. Shea of the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, carried out a number of laboratory studies demonstrating that drinking apple juice helped mice perform better than normal in maze trials and prevented the decline in performance that was otherwise observed as the mice aged.

The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, demonstrated that mice receiving the human equivalent of two glasses of apple juice per day for one month produced less of a small protein fragment called beta-amyloid that is responsible for forming the "senile plaques" commonly found in brains of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Apple juice may delay Alzheimer's disease

liverock · � #3 � 01-26-2009, 09:08 AM

Apple and grape juice have large amounts of Malic acid which is a very strong aluminium chelator. Aluminium and Magnesium compete for absorption in the brain so it is important to make sure that an adequate amount of Mg is being taken to replace the aluminium being removed.
https://naturefinder.net/MagnesiumRussellBlaylock.pdf
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Quote:

Magnesium brain levels can also be extremely low even when plasma magnesium levels are normal. This occurs when the brain is exposed to toxic metals.

It appears that the metals compete for magnesium entry into the brain cells. This is why measuring the blood magnesium level is not always an accurate way to determine brain magnesium levels

Experimental studies indicate that magnesium deficiency can significantly
interfere with complicated maze learning in the aged rat. Treatment of these deficient rats with magnesium restores normal maze learning. We also know that magnesium is depleted within the hippocampus of patients with Alzheimer's disease. It is the hippocampus that controls memory.

But why would brain levels of magnesium be low when the rest of the body and plasma have normal amounts of magnesium? Dr. J. Leslie Click has recently proposed a very clever answer to this intriguing question. He has proposed the idea that there are two types of albumin. One that has great difficulty getting through the blood-brain barrier, and another that can pass relatively easily.

Normally, the altered form of albumin is in short supply, but in Alzheimer's disease it increases to much higher levels. This altered form easily and preferentially combines with aluminum.

Normally magnesium is bound to this altered form of albumin, but in

Alzheimer's disease aluminum displaces the magnesium and changes the

conformation of the albumin molecule so as to make entry into the brain easier. As a result aluminum prevents magnesium from entering the neuron. This produces a condition in which the brain suffers from magnesium depletion while the rest of the body has normal magnesium levels. (Selective brain deficiency of magnesium.)

While thus far this is purely theory there is growing evidence that it may indeed be true. If it is, then a case can be made for recommending dietary supplementation with magnesium and rigorous control of aluminum intake.

Supplements of combined Mg/malic acid are available and are used quite extensively by sufferers from CFS and fibromyalgia.

Malic acid is also involved in the Krebs cycle and deficient levels of MA can cause fatigue for CFS and FM patients. It also is probably the reason why these sufferers also have high levels of heavy metals which they need to detoxify.

Malic Acid

Quote:

Malic acid is a natural substance found in fruit and vegetables - one of the richest sources being apples. It is also naturally present in your body's cells and large amounts of it are formed and then eventually broken down again on a daily basis.

It possesses many health-related benefits such as boosting immunity, maintaining oral health, reducing the risk of poisoning from a build-up of toxic metals and promoting smoother and firmer skin.

However, one of its most significant benefits lies in its ability to stimulate metabolism and increase energy production. This action is linked to the important role it plays in a process known as the Krebs cycle - named after Sir Hans Krebs, a German-born British biochemist.
Krebs won the Nobel price for physiology in 1953 for describing how a complex series of biochemical reactions takes place within the body's cells to transform proteins, fat and carbohydrates into water and energy. This process requires a constant supply of vitamins, enzymes and chemical agents such as malic acid, in order to keep it functioning properly 24 hours a day.

The Krebs cycle is vital to our very existence and without it energy production would literally grind to a halt. Therefore it is essential that you have adequate supplies of malic acid in order to promote the efficient functioning of this cycle.

In particular, malic acid's involvement in the Krebs cycle means it plays an important role in improving overall muscle performance, reversing muscle fatigue following exercise, reducing tiredness and poor energy levels, as well as improving mental clarity. These actions can make it a beneficial treatment for sufferers of fibromyalgia (which involves muscle pain, joint tenderness and poor energy levels) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), which produces similar symptoms.

According to Dr Jay Goldstein, Director of the CFS Institute in the US: 'Malic acid is safe, inexpensive and it should be considered a valid therapeutic approach for patients with CFS'.

In relation to fibromyalgia, a six-month study was conducted by scientists working at the Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Centre in the US, to examine the efficacy of 1,200mg of malic acid plus 300mg of magnesium a day on 24 fibromyalgia sufferers. Half of the patients were given the active treatment, while the other half only received placebo.
At the end of the study, all of the patients treated with malic acid and magnesium experienced significant improvements in their symptoms - including less pain, reduced muscle stiffness and a more positive mental outlook - without any side effects.
Dr Russell, who led the team of scientists, concluded: 'The data suggest that malic acid and magnesium are safe and may be beneficial in the treatment of patients with fibromyalgia. Future studies should use malic acid at this dose and continue the therapy for at least two months'.1

Malic acid has a diverse range of beneficial actions

In addition to increasing energy levels through its involvement in the Krebs cycle, malic acid is also an effective metal chelator. This means it is able to bind to potentially toxic metals that may have accumulated in the body, such as aluminium or lead, and inactivate them. As a result, the risk of toxicity is considerably reduced, which is important as a heavy metal overload has been linked to serious problems like liver disease and brain disorders like Alzheimer's disease.

Malic acid also helps maintain oral hygiene. It stimulates the production of saliva, which reduces the number of harmful bacteria circulating in your mouth, teeth and gums. It acts as an antiseptic too, which also helps to ensure that germs in the mouth are kept to a minimum and considerably reduces the risk of infection.2
For these reasons, malic acid is commonly used as an ingredient in mouthwashes and toothpastes.
Not only that, but malic acid is also important for maintaining good skin health.
It is classified as an 'alpha hydroxy acid' - a chemical term used to describe fruit acids that are used in many cosmetics because of their ability to help exfoliate the skin and act as mild chemical face peels. These actions help your skin look healthier, younger and firmer. For a natural face peel you can apply thin slices of apple (as mentioned earlier, apples are one of the richest sources of malic acid) directly onto your skin for 20 minutes and then wash off with rose water.

What to take for best results

The recommended dosage for malic acid is 600mg capsules taken one to three times a day before food. There are no known contraindications or toxicity linked to malic acid.3

Taking magnesium alongside malic acid seems to have a much more pronounced effect on muscle fatigue. The recommended dosage for magnesium citrate is 140mg capsules taken twice a day.
1. Russell IJ, Michalek JE, Flechas JD. J Rheumatol 1995, 22(5):953-958
2. Fernandes-Naglik L, Downes J, Shirlaw R. Oral Dis 2001, 7(5):276-280

3. Abraham G, Flechas J. J Nutr Med 1992, 3:49-59

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