Absorption of Amino Acids and Peptides -Fiday,September 05,2008

Titaration Test for Starch

IODOMETRIC TITRATION (MANUAL TITRATION) IS ALSO USED FOR VITAMIN C

NAC: The best flu and Cold Remedy Yet?

Glutathione: The mother of all antioxidants...

KB helps restore blood pressure to normal

January 2008

L-GLUTATHIONE , N-ACETYL CYSTEINE (NAC)
One of the best anti-oxidants is an amino acid called L-glutathione. I'm not alone in considering it one of the most powerful cancer-curbing, age slowing nutrients ever discovered. However, because of the way the body metabolizes and manufactures relates nutrients, glutathione cannot be discussed apart from N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), a form of the amino acid cysteine. NAC RAISES L-GLUTATHIONE LEVELS IN THE BODY, SOMETHING THAT EVEN ORAL SUPPLEMENTS OF GLUTATHIONE ITSELFS CANNOT DO.
------- Dr, Robert C. Atkins'M.D. Vita Nutrient Solution

Did you know?

HYPERTENSION KB reduces hypertension by relaxing the blood vessels and improving blood flow. It might also be useful in treating congestive heart failure. It works well in conjuction wih the heart drug nitrogylcerin.

WOMEN'S HAIR LOSS KB is one of the best of a short list of sulfur containing supplements, and dosages as high can stop hair falling out.

RESEARCH STUDIES

The effects of aging are influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered major culprits in aging and disease. ROS are byproducts of energy generation in normal metabolism and increase during infection and inflammation, exercise and stress, overexposure to sunlight and radiation, and exposure to external pollutants such as auto and diesel exhausts, emissions from power plants, cigarette smoke, pesticides, lead from old paint, and asbestos just to name a few.1 When high levels of ROS exist with inadequate antioxidants to neutralize them, oxidative stress increases and exacerbates aging and disease. The consequences of ROS damage depends on the molecules they attack and the body's levels of antioxidants. When the target molecule is DNA, the resulting ROS-induced chemical changes lead to genetic mutations. Oxidation of lipids and proteins injures cell membranes, increases blood vessel frailty, damages immune cells and modifies enzymes. As people age, internal antioxidant production declines. This paves the way for increased risk for disease and age-related conditions. No matter how healthy, fit or nutrition-conscious an individual has been, bombardment with environmental contaminants provokes the formation of ROS thus producing some degree of oxidative stress. This increases the demand for antioxidants at a time when the body is producing less. Glutathione levels have been shown to decrease with aging leaving neurons vulnerable to ROS attack and subsequent damage.2 A steady state of oxidative stress exhausts the body's glutathione resources and outpaces its ability to replace them. Depletion of glutathione is compounded by insufficient supply of precursors for glutathione synthesis.3 As glutathione levels decrease and oxidative stress increases, the cell's ability to function progressively declines until it dies. Boosting levels of this antioxidant powerhouse may mean taking an oral supplement. Glutathione levels cannot be increased by orally ingesting glutathione. This is because glutathione is manufactured inside the cell. The manufacture of glutathione in cells is limited by the concentration of its precursor, cysteine. Supplements that increase glutathione must provide cysteine. Glutathione levels cannot be increased by ingesting oral cysteine because oral cysteine is potentially toxic and is spontaneously destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract. N-acetylcysteine is the bioavailable form of cysteine and dramatically increases the body's production of glutathione, the brain's most important scavenger of free radicals. NAC HELPS PROTECT THE HEALTH OF NEURONS

(Data on file) In a comparison of single dose L-methylfolate to 5mg folic acid, L-methylfolate was 3x more effective in decreasing plasma homocysteine.

This graph represents technical information presented in: Ho P, Collins S, Dhitavat S, Ortiz D, Ashline D, Rogers E, Shea T. Homocysteine potentiates ©¬-amyloid neurotoxicity: role of oxidative stress. Journal of Neurochemistry. 2001;78:249-253. Homocysteine increases beta amyloid induced oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to neuronal death. N-acetylcysteine provides potent antioxidant protection and prevents neuronal death. Preserving cholinergic neurons sustains production of acetylcholine.

DUAL ACTION OF N-ACETYLCYSTEINE

Homocysteine Reduction N-acetylcysteine is effective in homocysteine reduction. Evidence indicates that N-acetylcysteine alone can reduce elevated homocysteine levels by 20-50%. 4 5 Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine's effectiveness is primarily attributed to its ability to stimulate the synthesis of glutathione. In an in vivo study6, researchers investigated the effects of N-acetylcysteine on glutathione levels in the brains of mice. They compared a control group that was not given N-acetylcysteine to a group that was injected with N-acetylcysteine. Nerve cell samples were examined from both groups. Neurons from the N-acetylcysteine treated group had significantly higher levels of total glutathione compared to controls. (P<0.01) Glutathione Level After Treatment with NAC

This graph represents technical information presented in: Pocernich C et al. In-vivo glutathione elevation against hydroxyl free radical-induced protein oxidation in rat brain. Neurochemistry International 2000;36:185-191. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) increases neuronal glutathione levels. Glutathione has a high electron-donating capacity which makes it a potent neuroprotective antioxidant. It protects nerve cells by neutralizing free radical attacks on protein, fat and DNA. NAC REDUCES FREE RADICAL ATTACKS ON PROTEIN Free radical attacks on protein produce protein peroxidation. Protein peroxidation is increased in AD brains and linked to oxidative stress. Glutathione has been shown to reduce formation of free radicals that attack proteins causing peroxidation. In the previous in vivo study 7 both the control and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) groups were exposed to iron (Fe) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which are known to cause protein peroxidation. To examine the effect of NAC, nerve cells were obtained from both groups. The NAC group that previously demonstrated elevations in glutathione was found to be better protected against protein peroxidation. The NAC group had less evidence of protein damage than the control group. From this study, it is most likely that the protective effects of NAC resulted from an NAC-induced increase in glutathione levels. (p<0.01) NAC Reduces Protein Oxidation in Neurons Exposed to Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)

This graph represents technical information presented in: Pocernich C et al. In-vivo glutathione elevation against hydroxyl free radical-induced protein oxidation in rat brain. Neurochemistry International 2000;36:185-191. N-acetylcysteine protects nerve cells against protein peroxidation.

GLUTATHIONE REDUCES FREE RADICAL ATTACKS ON DNA

Beta amyloid plaque (A©¬) has been shown to induce oxidative stress. Many studies have shown that A©¬ causes excessive calcium influx into neurons which results in excitotoxicity. Overexcited neurons generate ROS (free radicals) and contribute to neurotoxic death. In a recent (2005) in vivo study, the protective role of glutathione against the oxidative and neurotoxic effects of A©¬ was evaluated. Not surprisingly, the authors found protein peroxidation and neurotoxicity increased in neurons treated with A©¬. When the glutathione level in A©¬ treated neurons increased, protein peroxidation and excitotoxicity decreased.8 These results show that the up-regulation of glutathione protects nerve cells from oxidative stress and neurotoxicity caused by A©¬. Nerve cell death is associated with progressive memory loss. Another significant finding of this study was the neurons exposed to A©¬ showed extensive DNA damage and nerve cell death. When neurons were pre-treated to increase glutathione levels, there was a significant reduction in DNA damage and neuronal death when exposed to A©¬ (p<0.05)

NAC REDUCES DNA DAMAGE IN NEURONS

This graph represents technical information presented in: Boyd-Kimball D et al. Gamma-Glutamylcysteine ethyl ester-induced up-regulation of glutathione protects neurons against A©¬ (1-42)-mediated oxidative stress and neurotoxicity: implications for Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Neuroscience Research 2005;79:700-706. Glutathione (GSH) levels are decreased with age and beta amyloid plaque levels. Neurons were treated to increase cellular levels of GSH. Treated and non-treated neurons were exposed to A©¬ which induced oxidative stress. Neurons pre-treated to increase GSH were protected against DNA damage following exposure to A©¬. Cerefolin¢çNAC contains N-acetylcysteine which increases levels of GSH. GSH played a protective role in the oxidative and neurotoxic damage induced by A©¬.

References

1. Monograph: Glutathione, Reduced (GSH). Alternative Medicine Review 2001;6(6):601-607. 2. Lui R and Choi J. Age-associated decline in Gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene expression in rats. Free Radical Biology Medicine 2000;28:566-574. 3. Pocernich C et al. In-vivo glutathione elevation against hydroxyl free radical-induced protein oxidation in rat brain. Neurochemistry International 2000;36:185-191. 4. Ibid. 5. Hultberg B et al. Plasma homocysteine and thiol compound fractions after oral administration of N-acetylcysteine. Scandinavian Journal of Clinincal Laboratory Investigation 1994;54(6):417-22. 6. Pocernich. 7. Ibid. 8. Boyd-Kimball D et al. Gamma-Glutamylcysteine ethyl ester-induced up-regulation of glutathione protects neurons against A©¬ (1-42)-mediated oxidative stress and neurotoxicity: implications for Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Neuroscience Research 2005;79:700-706. Cerefolin¢çNAC is a medical food for the dietary management of neurovascular oxidative stress and/or hyperhomocysteinemia. CerefolinNAC.com ? 2007

Chelation:

Toxic metals can accumulate in the body over time from many sources such as drinking water, foods, and possibly even from tooth fillings made of silver-mercury amalgam. NAC may function as a chelator of heavy metals. In other words, NAC binds to toxic heavy metals such as mercury and lead, and helps to remove them from the body. Most chelating agents, such as EDTA, must be given intravenously. NAC is one of the most effective oral chelating agents. Taken regularly over a period of time, NAC will help remove many toxic heavy metals from the body. This is of course a slow process. Exercise and Weight Training:

NAC is one of the most underrated supplements on the sports nutrition market. Numerous studies lend credibility to its potent bodybuilding potential. Exercise and weight training have been shown to generate large amounts of catabolic free radicals. These free radicals may damage muscle tissue. NAC supplementation increases blood serum glutathione levels and it is believed that this is responsible for many of the positive influences NAC has on preserving and increasing lean body mass. Liver:

NAC can help to prevent damage to the liver caused from overuse of acetaminophen (Tylenol). NAC is the standard medical treatment for acetaminophen overdose. It is prudent to take NAC whenever one uses acetaminophen. N-Acetyl Cysteine also helps to prevent damage by aldehydes, which are breakdown products of alcohol, including the small, but potentially harmful, amounts of methanol produced by the metabolism of aspartame (Nutrasweet). Before the next party, remember that research has shown that with consumption of alcohol, a toxic compound called acetaldehyde (AH) is formed in the liver. AH is normally broken down by specific enzymes, but heavy and repeated drinking may overwhelm natural defenses and allow production of millions of free radicals which, in turn, attack the liver. N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Silymarin, and other anti-oxidants help protect and defend the body from AH damage. For those occasions when you do decide to imbibe, start out with NAC and other free radical fighters for your best nutritional protection.

Lung:

NAC is an excellent mucolytic agent. It keeps the membranes of the respiratory system moist, thereby lessening the irritation of dry air, dust, and pollutants. It also helps the immune system to do its job properly in the respiratory tract. NAC is available as a prescription drug for this purpose, but you can buy NAC over the counter for far less money.

Skin:

The cysteine in NAC is an essential component in hair and nails. Some people find that it enhances nail growth and makes nails less brittle.

Precautions:

While N-Acetyl Cysteine is a more stable compound than taking oral cysteine, as it is metabolized, some NAC may be oxidized and become insoluble. This may form kidney stones. It is therefore recommended that persons taking NAC take at least as much vitamin C as NAC. Diabetics should consult their physician before using N-Acetyl-Cysteine, since it may have an insulin-blocking effect. How to take it:

N-Acetyl Cysteine is currently the dietary supplement of choice for boosting or conserving the body's stores of glutathione, cysteine, and other sulfhydryl antioxidants. NAC is a much better source of glutathione than taking glutathione itself, because less than half of supplemental glutathione is absorbed from the digestive system. This greater efficiency is important since cellular glutathione levels tend to drop 30% to 35% with age.

N-Acetyl Cysteine is well tolerated, is well absorbed, resists enzymatic breakdown, and has been proven to raise glutathione levels when taken orally.








Effectiveness of Orally Ingested Glutathione in the Prevention of Diabetic Complication Click here


Glutathione helps to defend the body against damage from cigarette smoking, exposure to radiation, cancer chemotherapy, and toxins such as alcohol. As a detoxifier of heavy metals and drugs, it aids in the treatment of blood and liver disorders.

Glutathione protects cells in several ways. It neutralizes oxygen molecules before they can harm cells. Together with selenium, it forms the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which neutralizes hydrogen peroxide. It is also a component of another antioxidant enzyme, glutathione-S-transferase, which is a broad-spectrum liver-detoxifying enzyme.

Glutathione protects not only individual cells but also the tissues of the arteries, brain, heart, immune cells, kidneys, lenses of the eyes, liver, lungs, and skin against oxidant damage. It plays a role in preventing cancer, especially liver cancer, and may also have an anti-aging effect. Glutathione can be taken in supplement form.

The production of glutathione by the body can be boosted by taking supplemental N-acetylcysteine. Studies suggest that this may be a better way or raising glutathione levels than taking glutathione itself.



Glutathione is not technically an amino acid, however, due to its close relationship is normally grouped with the amino acids. Most glutathione is found in the liver where it detoxifies many harmful compounds to be excreted thru the bile. Some glutathione is released directly by the liver into the bloodstream where it helps to maintain the strength of your red blood cells and also protecting your white blood cells.

Glutathione can also be found in the lungs and in your body's intestinal tract system. It is required for carbohydrate metabolism. Glutathione also appears to have anti-aging effects by aiding in the breakdown of oxidized fats that may contribute to atherosclerosis. As we get older glutathione levels in the body get lower and this can cause an increase in the aging process. Thus glutathione supplementation is useful to prevent this from occurring.

Glutathione deficiency maybe indicated by: coordination problems, mental disorder, tremors, twitching, nervous system disorder, and difficulty in balancing. Currently, believed to be caused by lesions in the brain.

Latest Research on Glutathione:

Neurotoxicology - Volume 26, Issue 1, January 2005, Pages 1-8 *Thimerosal Neurotoxicity is Associated with Glutathione Depletion: Protection with Glutathione Precursors * *S.J. James, William Slikker III, Stepan Melnyk, Elizabeth New, Marta Pogribna and Stefanie Jernigan * 1 Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA 2 Division of Biochemical Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA Abstract

Thimerosol is an antiseptic containing 49.5% ethyl mercury that has been used for years as a preservative in many infant vaccines and in flu vaccines. Environmental methyl mercury has been shown to be highly neurotoxic, especially to the developing brain. Because mercury has a high affinity for thiol (sulfhydryl (single bondSH)) groups, the thiol-containing antioxidant, glutathione (GSH), provides the major intracellular defense against mercury-induced neurotoxicity. Cultured neuroblastoma cells were found to have lower levels of GSH and increased sensitivity to thimerosol toxicity compared to glioblastoma cells that have higher basal levels of intracellular GSH. Thimerosal-induced cytotoxicity was associated with depletion of intracellular GSH in both cell lines. Pretreatment with 100 /?/M glutathione ethyl ester or /N/-acetylcysteine (NAC), but not methionine, resulted in a significant increase in intracellular GSH in both cell types. Further, pretreatment of the cells with glutathione ethyl ester or NAC prevented cytotoxicity with exposure to 15 /?/M Thimerosal. Although Thimerosal has been recently removed from most children's vaccines, it is still present in flu vaccines given to pregnant women, the elderly, and to children in developing countries. The potential protective effect of GSH or NAC against mercury toxicity warrants further research as possible adjunct therapy to individuals still receiving Thimerosal-containing vaccinations.

Other important research papers :
[1] Wu, J et al. Mercaptoethanol and N-acetylcysteine enhance T-cell colony formation in AIDS and ARC. Clin Exp Immunol 77:7-10, 1989. [2] Lund, ME et al. Treatment of acute methylmercury ingestion by hemodialysis with N-acetylcysteine. Toxicol Clin Toxicol 22:31-49, 1984. [3] Henderson, P et al. N-Acetylcysteine therapy of acute heavy metal poisoning in mice. Vet Hum Toxicol 27:522-5, 1985. [4] Keith RL, et al. Utilization of renal slices to evaluate the efficacy of chelating agents for removing mercury from the kidney. Toxicology 1997 Jan 15;116(1-3):67-75. [5] Zalups RK, et al. Interactions between glutathione and mercury in the kidney, liver and blood. In: Chang, LW, ed. Toxicology of Metals. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1996; 145-63. [6] Shenker BJ, et al. Mercury-induced apoptosis in human lymphoid cells: evidence that the apoptotic pathway is mercurial species dependent. Environ Res 2000 Oct;84(2):89-99. [7] Thompson SA, et al. Modulation of glutathione and glutamate-L-cysteine ligase by methylmercury during mouse development. Toxicol Sci 2000 Sep;57(1):141-6. [8] Gong Z, et al. Effect of chelation with meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) before and after he appearance of lead-induced neurotoxicity in the rat. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1997;144:205-214. [9] Witschi Z, et al. The systemic availability of oral glutathione. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1992;43(6):667-669. Testing for a Glutathione Deficiency ? There is no one test that demonstrates a glutathione deficiency with 100% accuracy. But there are some good tests that your doctor can order that will provide important clues if there is a deficiency, methylation dysfunction, or inability to detoxification.

Some Personal Experiences with Glutathione for One Child : My son’s medical tests demonstrated over several years and many types of tests he had a glutathione deficiency and other issues. Over the past five years we have found glutathione based treatments have greatly assisted him. I have attempted to outline some of our findings for one case: my sons.

WHAT WE TRIED : 1. Oral Glutathione – it increased a tremendous yeast outbreak 2. Topical Glutathione – it caused a bad rash and undesired behaviors – this is an understatement (at the time there was only a soy based glutathione – this was 2 years ago) 3. The first dose IV Glutathione: 250 mg (it is really an IV Push – 5-10 minutes.) Some hints: We brought a portable DVD Player along, and prepared his arm with a big glob of EMLA crème prior to infusions. At the time Jeff was 5 years old – around 40 lbs. The first treatment was Fall 2002. 4. Nebulized Glutathione – 2 mls – 2 times a day MORE ON IV TREATMENTS : 1. We increased his dose of IV Glutathione to 300 mg and the dosing was given every 2-3 months (sometimes longer, see note 5) 2. At the third infusion we added 1 gram Vitamin C 3. Somewhere around the 6 th infusion we added 300 mg NAC and push Vitamin C to 2 grams 4. Every 4-6 months we re-tested Plasma Cysteine levels 5. There was a period of 12 months where 2 of Jeff’s Cysteine levels remained normal so we stopped the infusions during this time 6. Starting up again in Summer 2004 – the levels dipped low so we started with IV’s again (300 mg Glutathione, 300 Mg NAC, 2 grams Vitamin C.) We have done infusions in June, September and December. 7. IV levels were increased due to Jeff’s age and weight. He is now 7 years old and 65 lbs (all muscle and tough!)







CHILDREN'S HEALTH


Acetaminophen: Watch dosage for children

Children can easily overdose on acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). To protect your child, always use the right dose and form. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) has long been the standard remedy for fever and pain in children. You can give acetaminophen drops to feverish newborns. You can buy acetaminophen at the grocery store without a prescription. But even good things, in excess, can harm you. That maxim is particularly appropriate when it comes to acetaminophen and children.

Acetaminophen: A popular drug
Acetaminophen is the most widely used pain reliever and fever reducer in the United States, and it's readily available in most parts of the world. It became a staple of the home medicine cabinet in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the connection between aspirin and Reye's syndrome — a rare but potentially fatal childhood disease that affects the blood, liver and brain — gained wide publicity. Doctors now strongly advise against giving children aspirin when they have a viral illness such as chickenpox or respiratory influenza.

Overdose is common

Partly because it is so easy to obtain, acetaminophen causes more overdoses and overdose deaths than any other drug in the United States. It's frequently the drug of choice for adolescent suicide attempts. Other overdoses occur simply because people underestimate or are unaware of acetaminophen's toxicity.

Acetaminophen can damage the livers of both adults and children. People who habitually drink excessive amounts of alcohol have a higher risk of liver damage from acetaminophen.

Dangers of liver damage
You can't live without a liver. It produces the bile that helps you digest your food. It manufactures the clotting factors that stop the bleeding when you cut your finger. It stores energy and iron reserves. And it breaks down or removes many chemicals and drugs that enter your bloodstream.

Too much acetaminophen overloads the liver's ability to process the drug safely. Its toxic byproducts injure the liver, and kidney failure also can occur. A severe acetaminophen overdose can be fatal. Luckily, there is an antidote — called N-acetylcysteine (NAC) — but it must be administered within eight to 10 hours after an overdose has been ingested.

How overdoses occur
Serious cases of acetaminophen overdose occur when parents unwittingly give a child too much of the medicine. The symptoms of overdose — nausea, vomiting, stomachache — can be caused by so many common illnesses, it's often not apparent that the child needs emergency medical treatment.

Parents can make a variety of mistakes in the amount of acetaminophen they give their children. Some aren't satisfied with the performance of the recommended dosage of acetaminophen, and decide more will be better. Others may mistakenly give adult tablets instead of the children's formulation.

Even the children's versions of acetaminophen come in many different formulations, and the dosage varies for each one. For example, the infant drop formulation is three times as concentrated as the elixir or syrup typically given to toddlers.

It's easy to see how a busy parent might assume that both liquids contain the same amount of medicine. But substituting infant drops for syrup could result in a dose of acetaminophen three times what it should be.

Many cold remedies already contain acetaminophen, so parents may accidentally cause an overdose by giving acetaminophen in addition to these preparations.

Dangerous exploration Overdoses also can occur when children, particularly toddlers, come across the medicine during an unauthorized exploration of a medicine cabinet or their mother's purse. They may mistake medicine for candy or juice.

This can be especially dangerous when the medicine is adult-strength acetaminophen. Adult tablets contain 325 milligrams (mg) or 500 mg of acetaminophen, while children's tablets contain only 80 mg or 160 mg.

Fortunately, the most common type of exploratory ingestion involves acetaminophen syrup. Children very rarely drink enough of this medicine to harm their livers.

How much is too much?

Many factors, including the child's age, determine how badly a particular dose of acetaminophen can damage the liver. For example, children under the age of 5 seem to be less susceptible to liver damage than are older children and adults. The amount of food in the child's stomach also is a factor.

To estimate the risk, doctors need to know how much the child weighs and how many milligrams of acetaminophen have been ingested.

In general, doctors recommend a visit to the emergency department in cases where a child may have ingested more than 15 mg of acetaminophen per 1 kilogram of the child's weight — or 7 mg of acetaminophen per pound of the child's body weight.

Read the label! Acetaminophen is a safe and effective drug, when taken as recommended. Read the label carefully and don't give your child more than the recommended dosage. Just because a drug can be purchased without a prescription doesn't mean it can't harm your child




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