the micro-substances for heart, brain and protect against cancer are
important, not only against Aging. On television detective Magnum
just started with his work, but the real drama was played out in the
bedroom. Yvonne Rentz clutched in terror to the heart. An almost
unbearable pain shot through her chest. Covered in sweat, the 22 year
old remained lying on the bed. Doctors of the Hospital Krefeld
presented shortly after the diagnosis of: myocardial infarction.
Without immediate help, the young mother of a two-year-old girl had
died.
The collapse came as a surprise. The slim brunette Westphalian does
not smoke and is happy with her little family. "She has none of the
conventional risk factors," says her doctor, the cardiologist Krefeld
Friedhelm spyware. "Not even high blood pressure." Via the cause of
the collapse, he only speculate: "Perhaps there was an infection that
she had two months ago, a role."
Spyware treated the patient with a rare even in Germany therapy to
medication he prescribed for improved coagulation 200 milligrams
vitamin E per day. End of March, three weeks after the infarction
could leave the hospital Rentz. The organic matter in the
amber-colored capsules applies as a rest cure for the heart. "Vitamin
E improves the chances of a healthy life without further infarction
significantly," says spyware. "Maybe the patient but to old age will
have to swallow 100 milligrams daily."
Vitamins as therapy: Gone are the days when the drugs were considered
only as a helper at Allerweltsbeschwerden such as colds. New studies
show that vitamins is in more healing power than previously thought.
Spectacular scientific force nutritionists to rethink. The vitamin E
used in Krefeld, for example, has an anti-inflammatory effect. The
show more than half a dozen studies.
Together with related substances are physicians worldwide are
successfully against heart attack, mental breakdown and even cancer
one.
As a breakthrough in vitamin research is an investigation of the
University of Cambridge. The British administered part of their 2002
subjects who suffered from calcification of their arteries, and a half
years of daily vitamin E pills, another part of placebos. Result: In
the group of vitamin eaters decreased rate of heart attack by 47
percent.
The cancer-preventive effects of vitamins emphasizes a statistical
comparison of the Harvard researcher Shumin Zhang. He also analyzed
data from the "Nurses Health Study" from where more than 80 000
American nurses were surveyed regularly for 14 years on nutrition and
health. It was found among younger women before menopause is a clear
link between vitamin-rich diet and breast cancer protection. Women who
ate more than five daily servings of fruits and vegetables had a
reduced risk of disease by 23 percent compared to the subjects that
are less than twice a day took up fitness food.
May even slow the mental decline in elderly patients seem vitamins. A
trial with 341 Alzheimer's patients by a team led by the New York
scientist Mary Sano provided evidence that vitamin E is present, the
destruction of brain cells. More detailed data will provide a major
study that begins in these days of 80 clinics in the U.S. and Canada.
The micronutrients act not only in body but also from outside.
Cosmetic scientists now proven that creams that contain the cellular
protection including vitamins A, C and E to improve strength and
elasticity of the skin and can even reduce wrinkles (see box, p. 174).
In sun protection products decreased vitamin A acid, the skin cancer
risk, because it fills up the skin before the tanning cells with
protective agents (FOCUS 14/99). An unpublished study by the Institute
of Physiological Chemistry, University of Düsseldorf is new evidence
that beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, also
fortifies against sunburn from the inside.
Based on these data arise in many hospitals in Germany new treatments
for known diseases. "High doses of vitamins are the second best option
after a change of lifestyle, more exercise, less stress and a
healthier diet," cardiologist assured spyware. Vitamin E prevents
heart attacks and strokes by reducing the dietary fat particles
prevents attach themselves to the arterial wall and clogging the
artery from the inside (see chart, p. 168). "At the same vitamin E
makes the blood more fluid", Klaus Pietrzik, nutrition researchers at
Bonn University explains.
Besides vitamin E holds for its spyware risk patients folic acid and
vitamins B6 and B12 ready. They promote the removal of a dangerous
metabolite, its importance, the researchers only recently become
familiar with - the amino acid homocysteine. This permanently damages
the artery walls. According Pietrzik homocysteine is responsible for
ten percent of all heart disease. The American Society of Cardiology
(AHA) also recommends folic acid since January and the two B vitamins
to lower homocysteine level.
The protective effect are increasingly using other disciplines as
cardiology. "The vitamins E, C and beta-carotene in the brain use the
so-called oxygen radicals out of action," says Konrad Beyreuther,
professor of molecular biology at the University of Heidelberg. These
aggressive oxygen compounds also play a role in triggering cancer.
Radicals are formed on the one hand with every metabolic process in
the body, the other by environmental pollutants such as exhaust fumes
and cigarette smoke. Vitamins (and enzymes) to help reduce them.
Failing that, perhaps because of vitamin deficiency, the terrorists of
the bloodstream unhindered access to cells.
The basic researchers Beyreuther extend previous findings in any case,
to prescribe yourself a Hirnverjüngungskur: For twelve years the 57
year-old swallows daily 400 milligrams of vitamin E, 200 milligrams of
vitamin C, 16 milligrams of beta-carotene, 0.05 mg of the trace
element selenium as well, " for the heart ", a 100-milligram aspirin
tablet. "To get an apple and a glass of tomato juice recently."
Overdue Correction: Applying findings, the physicians already in
practice, will soon advance to the official doctrine. After a long
discussion itself is the international comparison rather hesitant
German Nutrition Society (DGE) to no longer change it over, their
recommendations for daily vitamin intake. The publication of the
revised data, the Company plans for the summer at the earliest.
According to FOCUS searches the list for some vitamins will contain
significant dose increases (see table, p. 178).
To argue the exact values behind the scenes experts. The highest
vitamin-keepers are facing a dilemma: on the one hand, the scientific
evidence for the preventive effects of micro-materials now so
well-founded, that the evident demand for new limits. On the other
hand, create self-disciplined eater hardly absorb the targeted cans
exclusively through the diet.
"We really want to make the pill not feed delusions," admits the
Stuttgart-based nutrition researcher Hans Konrad Biesalski, the
mitfeilt to the new guidelines. But rations from two to four
milligrams of beta-carotene a day, up to 150 milligrams of vitamin C
and up to 30 milligrams of vitamin E, which he recommends himself to
maintaining a healthy, would confuse the diet of most Germans
entirely. Three courses green vegetables and carrots (as beta-carotene
source), twice daily fruit (vitamin C), cooking with wheat germ or
sunflower oil (vitamin E) and several glasses of freshly squeezed
fruit juices should take health conscious day by day, they wanted
Biesalski meet demand. Especially stressed out professionals whose
lunch often consists of just calculated canteen food, because hardly
had a chance.
In the research laboratories of the food industry are working on
industry cooks delicious solutions to the problem. Igloo is a pioneer
in Germany, the frozen-daughter of the Unilever Group. The ingredients
of frozen Vivaktiv menu has the computer calculates - and strictly
according to vitamin content. Among thousands of recipes taste experts
searched for the most aromatic. Comes for the latest product selection
balance, the beginning of May in the freezers of the business, they
rely on the unusual mix spinach, potatoes, peppers, corn, peas and
wheat germ oil. Food testers were impressed - and had met with a
150-gram serving nearly half the daily requirement of vitamins A, C
and E and a fifth of folate levels.
"We do not use artificial vitamins," said manager Tom Vivaktiv
Leistenschneider. This is the vegetable mix differs from a whole range
of new products of competitors.
The combination of pleasure and health in fortified foods (functional
foods), the industry promises in the coming decades, huge increases in
sales (FOCUS 26 / 1998). The consumer is missing, however now the
vista in the nutrient jungle. Even with the calculator, he can barely
figure out how far it has met its vitamin requirements with a simple
breakfast: cereal, orange juice, yogurt, jam and bread have become
even more recently spiced up with micro nutrients.
Especially with the baby food industry touts the "additional benefit
for the healthy development". Every third mother feels insecure,
according to a study by the Bielefeld Institute for Social Research
and Communications, as far as the right food for the offspring.
The Anreicherungswut prepares experts worry (see box at left). "Most
of the vitamins seem to act only in combination with other well," says
nutrition researcher Klaus Pietrzik. Also recovered the body of
vitamins from food sources, such as fruits and vegetables, despite a
similar chemical structure may be different than the artificial
copies.
Evidence for vitamin E are. End of March was published by the American
Heart Association, AHA A study by the University of Michigan: Through
tests with 54 women after the menopause confirmed the preventive
medical student Lori Mosca, that vitamin E is the dangerous LDL
cholesterol in check - but only if it was ingested . After swallowing
the pill did not show this effect.
Blood and urine tests for vitamin E users at the German Institute of
Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbruecke rendered the same result: The
body exploits the natural version, which is contained primarily in
vegetable oils (d-alpha tocopherol), better than the produced from
crude oil equivalent (dl-alpha-tocopherol). Even Theodor Graser,
marketing director at the world's largest pharmaceutical manufacturer
Roche's vitamins and supplements even a fanatical multi-eater, he
admits that the natural version has twice as strong as the industry.
Roche will soon offer the vitamin in its original form - obtained from
soybean oil. "That will be three times more expensive," estimates
Graser.
Graser marketing man, on all corporate line, swears by the products of
his employer: When traveling, he wears his daily ration of pills,
carefully wrapped in a paper handkerchief in your pocket. His favorite
pills, orange mega-diamonds, which he bought in Canada in a large pack
to contain stock, twelve vitamins and 17 minerals. "In my irregular
diet and my excess weight makes sense," says the 42 year old.
Too much of a good thing? Vitamins can be overdosed as drugs. Thus,
the sunscreen compound Beta-carotene is suspected, from about 30
milligrams per day, its cytoprotective effect to be reversed.
Researchers at Tufts University in Boston, recently confirmed in
animal experiments with ferrets that increased beta-carotene intake,
the risk of lung cancer increases rather than decreases.
Narrow is the line between benefit and harm and the related vitamin A.
It plays during pregnancy is a double role: Without it, the risk of a
malformation of the child increases, as in the case of an over-supply
(such as eating when the expectant mother too much liver). Another
downside was now a statistical survey of the University of Uppsala:
Vitamin A reduces the bone density in women when they take much more
to himself than the recommended 0.8 milligrams per day. "With each
additional milligram per day, the risk of hip fracture increased by 68
percent," said the Swedish researchers.
The alleged cancer risk due to large quantities of the popular vitamin
C, which sparked many consumers unsettled, but a storm of criticism
among experts. The British pathologist Ian Podmore had based his
assertion on a study with just 30 volunteers to 500 milligrams daily
for six weeks-the-counter substance in the form of powder or pills
swallowed. Podmore then checked two components of the genetic material
of his subjects. At one showed damage. "This study does not allow the
conclusion that vitamin C causes illness," says nutrition professor
Hans Konrad Biesalski.
On the safe side, the DGE remains with their corrections:
Recommendations for the delicate vitamins A and D are expected to
remain unchanged. For beta-carotene, vitamin C and E, folic acid and B
vitamins are the values shifted upward by as much as orders of
magnitude below the critical range.
And finally, watch the authorities stating that the "pill mania" in
Germany can not keep feeding. Sun, manufacturers may not advertise
the-counter pills and herbal medicine with clear arguments. The
vitamins A and D are REVISION above the recommended daily ration. For
all others is the three-fold from the dose.
In contrast, encourages increasingly strong opposition from the
business community. She wants to fill the shelves of supermarkets
medicine further and argued with the international free trade and
mutual recognition. "The European Union puts pressure on our
authorities to tolerate the unrestricted sale of dubious and high-dose
agents in Germany," Helmut dispute complains of Chemical Research
Office in Mainz.
The nightmare scenario of uncontrolled mania Vita observe consumer
advocates in the United States. After announcement of the same studies
that lead this country now for easy adjustment of the intake
recommendations, which were potent plant compounds for drug of the
Americans. The nation of lovers body spends around 6.5 billion dollars
(11.7 billion dollars) from the vitamins, estimates the Washington
trade association Council for Responsible Nutrition.
Vitamin Overkill: Jo Ann Hattner, Californian nutritionist knows,
several clients such as the 36 year-old real estate agent who came up
with 35 different pillbox in their practice. "I wanted to eat healthy
but" lamented the desperate New Yorker who had run after her move to
the West Coast trip on the vitamin, "but I just always bad."
"Many people take these products without first informing about the
impact and limits", criticizes Hattner. "The market is cluttered and
almost uncontrollably."
The very word "vitamin" for many Americans seem to trigger an impulse
purchase. "With Vitamin O you healthier lives," bade the USFirma Rose
Creek Health Products in February to six newspaper pages. The alleged
miracle lotions at a price of 45 dollars (about 80 dollars) to protect
against infection, stimulate digestion and to cure diseases faster.
Although she had never heard of a vitamin called "O", it bought
thousands of gullible. Until the American Chamber of Commerce
intervened: Vitamin O was nothing more than ordinary salt water.
The more serious part of the U.S. vitamin pill industry has such
practices are not necessary. He profited by now even the love of
animals. Stuff between Boston and San Francisco dog and cat owners
with their four-legged companion of life throughout the assortment of
special vitamin supplements completely. "I feed my Roxanne for five
years with regular multi-vitamin drops, and her special cat milk is
enriched with A and D," raves the New York film editor John Burns.
"The result you see yourself: Despite its 22 years, the old lady still
gets shiny eyes when she sees an attractive male."
One end of the vitamin craze wants the FDA to initiate with stricter
laws. She has now decided that the type of vitamin products in the
future and standardized ingredients must be listed in detail.
Dedicated doctors have also launched campaigns to direct vitamin
junkies back on the Gemüseweg. "Diet-related diseases cost our society
$ 250 billion annually," says Elizabeth Pivonka, president of the
Produce for Better Health Foundation, the actions. "We can save a lot
if we just change our eating habits - without expensive vitamins from
industrial laboratories."
Nutrient ration to measure: With no pills, the diet is not science,
however, can realize their visions. Because there is increasing
evidence that the vitamin requirements of man is to a certain degree
of responsibility of the genes.
Evidence for this relationship promises to decode the human genome.
Sun Hannelore Daniel works from the Technical University of Munich in
the identification of specific metabolic genes in order to draw
conclusions to predetermined nutritional needs.
Future scenario of the professor: The doctor isolated genetic material
(DNA) from a drop of blood of his patients, providing them with a
pipette onto a gene chip (FOCUS 41/98). A color reaction or a
radioactive signal, displays the result. Daniel: "This allows
conclusions about the individual vitamin needs of the patient."
