Re:Pomegranate juice and superoxide dismutase for CHD?

[Guest guest]

I've read a few of the studies on pomegranate juice and

atherosclerosis/heart disease. The human studies are generally quite

small, but there are a lot of animals studies with similar findings.

In this study (https://bioimmersion.com/docs/pomegranate_hypertension.pdf

), 19 patients took 50 Ml of pomegranate juice every day for three

years. After one year their IMT scores decreased by 30%. The

patients’ serum paraoxonase 1 (PON 1) activity was increased by 83%,

whereas serum LDL basal oxidative state and LDL susceptibility to

copper ion-induced oxidation were both significantly reduced, by 90%

and 59%, respectively, after 12 months of PJ consumption, compared to

values obtained before PJ consumption. Furthermore, serum levels of

antibodies against oxidized LDL were decreased by 19%, and in parallel

serum total antioxidant status (TAS) was increased by 130% after 1

year of PJ consumption. Systolic blood pressure was reduced after 1

year of PJ consumption by 21% and was not further reduced along 3

years of PJ consumption.

I didn't see any mortality data in any of the studies I looked at, so

that question still remains. Obviously larger studies are needed to

confirm the effects listed above in heart disease, but the antioxidant

properties of pomegranate juice are already well-established. OTOH,

the question of which antioxidants, and how much, are beneficial for

heart disease and mortality endpoints has not been answered.

Chris

[Guest guest]

This was an interesting study. It used a small number of subjects, most of whom

were on

other prescription drugs for heart disease and were seriously ill. There was no

placebo.

Endpoints like heart attacks and mortality were not considered.

Some popular authors link drinking juice to insulin resistance because juice

concentrates

sugar.

Still, the study points to positive benefits of pomegranate juice. I am not

going to start

drinking it today, but maybe someone with diagnosed heart disease should.

[Guest guest]

,

Yes, it was a very small study with no endpoints like mortality or

heart attacks. I'm not sure if you noticed this, but there was a

small increase in triglyceride levels during the study (which the

authors said was still in the " normal " range). This is likely due to

the concentrated sugar from the juice, IMO.

Still, a 30% reduction in IMT is nothing to sneeze at. Similar

results have been obtained in animals studies as well.

Although there were not any mortality or heart attack endpoints in

this study, other studies have shown that IMT is correlated with

stroke and heart attack. One could make an argument, therefore, that

reducing IMT could reduce the risk of heart attack and death.

Since my father recently had a CIMT that revealed significant

atherosclerosis, I'm considering recommending pomegranate juice along

with CLO, magnesium, CoQ10 and D3. His sugar intake is next to

nothing, so I'm hoping the benefits of the PJ would outweigh the

potential downside of the sugar increase.

Chris

[Guest guest]

> Since my father recently had a CIMT that revealed significant

> atherosclerosis, I'm considering recommending pomegranate juice along

> with CLO, magnesium, CoQ10 and D3. His sugar intake is next to

> nothing, so I'm hoping the benefits of the PJ would outweigh the

> potential downside of the sugar increase.

Sounds good. I heard that CoQ10 does not surive freezing, so that eating beef

heart that is

frozen would be useless. As far as pomegranate without sugar, the maker of the

most

popular juice now sells the antioxidant components in pill and liquid

concentrate form. POM

juice is itself a concentrate that has been flash pasteurized, so I am not sure

the juice form is

a whole food either.

Are you going to start taking these supplements?

[Guest guest]

,

I'm not planning on taking them myself. But I am considering

recommending PJ for my father, who recently had a CIMT scan which

revealed significant atherosclerosis. The doctor is telling him he

has a 66% greater risk of heart attack than a " normal " 65-year old man

based on the results of this test. Not surprisingly, the doc wants to

prescribe a statin. AFAIK, statins have never been shown to reverse

atherosclerosis but only to slow its progression - and even that takes

a high dose. In that small study, and in many animal studies, PJ has

been shown to reverse (not just slow) the progression of

atherosclerosis by 30%. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to

reduce IMT scores.

Based on my research and recommendations here, I have suggested he

take 1) high-vitamin CLO + butter oil (for n-3, D, A & K2), 2) vitamin

D3 (for additional D), 3) magnesium glycinate (600-800 mg/day), 4)

CoQ10 with tocotrienols, and 5) mixed tocopherols.

I read a good study which suggested that CoQ10 and E are synergistic,

and M. has pointed out that mixed tocopherols are more effective

than alpha-tocopherol alone.

The last component I'm thinking of adding is PJ. the PJ pills or

concentrate sound good - is " POM " the company you're talking about?

I'd like to check those out.

Thanks,

Chris

[Guest guest]

> The last component I'm thinking of adding is PJ. the PJ pills or

> concentrate sound good - is " POM " the company you're talking about?

> I'd like to check those out.

Look at www.pompills.com.

[Guest guest]

What about red palm oil? It has all of the E's

On Aug 4, 2008, at 7:09 AM, Kresser wrote:

> I read a good study which suggested that CoQ10 and E are synergistic,

> and M. has pointed out that mixed tocopherols are more effective

> than alpha-tocopherol alone.

Parashis

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