January 6, 2003
THE PROTEIN PROMISE FOR 2003 By Ruth Winter, MS Chemically, proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids. Proteins not only carry the genetic code of life to all our cells but also create certain body tissues---muscles, bones, hair, and nails. Proteins also transport oxygen and, as if that weren't enough, proteins are also used by our bodies to manufacture antibodies, nerve cell messengers and hormones. There is so much exciting protein research in progress, I would need a huge book to describe even a small portion of it but the following are just a few examples: Newly Discovered Proteins. - A previously unknown class of proteins Prostate Cancer Control. A University of Iowa study shows a certain protein (E-cadherin) can keep the cancer from moving on to other tissues and organs. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). A condition that people describe as a prickly, crawly sensation in the legs that causes an irresistible urge to jerk about, particularly when trying to sleep. Recent tests of the cerebrospinal fluid, which bathes the brain, suggest iron concentrations in the brains of RLS patients are lower than normal, according to The Society for Neuroscience News Bulletin. Specifically, measures of key iron management proteins, ferritin and transferrin, appear out of whack. Ferritin---an iron storage protein---is low. Transferrin---a protein that helps transport iron to needy brain areas and reflects an increased need for iron in the brain--is high. Protecting Against Disease: Adequacy of dietary protein and amino acids is especially critical in sole-source foods such as infant formulas and special nutrients for the elderly. The role of dietary protein and its interactions with dietary fat and vitamins in reducing many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer are receiving great attention. To ensure safety and adequacy of dietary proteins and amino acids, new protein products/fractions (produced through biotechnology or by processing) from animal and/or vegetable sources and associated minor bioactive compounds are being intensively studied. In recent years, researchers have discovered that inflammation may play a role in diseases not previously considered inflammatory, such as coronary heart disease. As a result, doctors theorize that the anti-inflammatory effects of aspirin---long recommended to heart patients for its anti-clotting ability---may also be yielding other benefits. The link between heart disease and inflammation was made, in part, when doctors found higher levels of inflammation markers in the blood of people with heart disease and then found that such markers also predicted risk for heart attack. Higher levels of those same markers have now been found in people with diabetes and those at high risk for diabetes. Researchers have also found that aspirin may be of benefit to the brain. In a recent report in the journal, Neurology, researchers assessed more than 5000 patients over 65 years old for dementia while noting their current and former use of NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Those who used anti-inflammatory medications apparently had less manifestations of memory loss as they aged. Biotin is one example. A B vitamin, it was once thought biotin deficiencies occurred only in infants. However, in a 1942 study, seven adult volunteers were fed 200 grams of dehydrated egg whites per day, in addition to an otherwise balance diet. A vitamin antagonist in raw eggs contains avidin, a substance that binds up biotin and makes it non-absorbable causing a biotin deficiency. (Cooking destroys avidin) It is now known that biotin is involved in many of our body's functions, including the metabolism of sugar and the formation of certain fatty acids. Vitamin E was once called a "vitamin in search of a disease" and is now known to be therapeutic in treating heart and blood problems. Vitamin K is another that is now recognized as having effect on bleeding. One of the latest controversial nutrients, being studied is L-Carnitine. Like many B vitamins, it is a co-factor in metabolism and assists in the process of converting protein, fat and carbohydrates from food into fuel for the body. L-Carnitine was initially identified as an essential nutrient in newborns and in people with an inherited metabolic defect. These discoveries led to the nutrients critical function in fat metabolism. Subsequent research has reported L-Carnitine may be a key factor in weight management and cardiovascular health. Researchers have found that L-Carnitine may reduce chest pain (angina pectoris) by increasing blood flow to the heart, and reducing the extent or severity of a heart attack. L-Carnitine is now being studied in infant nutrition and in cognitive health. For more information, check Smart Food (St.Martin's Griffin). THE SCENT OF RELAXATION Harried Americans are always looking for a quick fix. Aromatherapy is an increasingly popular "quick fix" to reduce stress whether the scent is in a soap, candle, or bath oil. In the United States, aromatherapy was $316 million in 1996 and is expected to be nearly $500 million this year, according to an article by Erlina Handarwan writing in GCI, trade journal for the global cosmetic industry. She notes that aromatherapy is practiced five times more by women than men in the United States and more by residents of the northeast than any other area. Check A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients (Crown) for more information on scents.
Some of the biggest advances coming in the near future in medicine will involve proteins---not just those you associate with your diet--but the special ones found in the genetic material within your cells. Now that the mapping of the human genome---the genetic blueprint in your cells--- has been accomplished, scientists are racing to understand the functions of gene-produced proteins. The researchers are hoping to manipulate these complex compounds and design gene blueprints that will form new working proteins useful in treating diseases and genetic defects.
chemically related to snake venom and frog skin secretions may lead to the
development of new treatments for a range of stubborn digestive disorders,
according to a University of California at Irvine College of Medicine research team. They reported in Molecular Pharmacology the discovery of two naturally occurring human proteins, which they named prokineticins ("pro-kin-ETT-eh-sins"). The UC researchers found prokineticin proteins control movement of muscles in the intestines and regulate the movement of food through the digestive system. The Californians believe that the proteins may hold the key to understanding how digestion is regulated and eventually could result in better treatments for disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, gastric reflux disease, chronic constipation, and digestive complications of diabetes. Currently, there are no consistently effective treatments for these disorders, which affect more than 10 percent of Americans.
The Iowa researchers say the protein acts like glue; making cancer cells stick together so they can't move easily throughout the body. The protein is normally found in healthy cells. Their study also established the protein suppresses the production of an enzyme that eats away at good tissue. The Iowans' finding was published recently in the journal, Cancer Research.
INFLAMMATION INFORMATION
Inflammation hurts but it has a purpose. It is nature's way of helping you respond to injury. Specialized blood cells rush to an injured area to destroy and clean up damaged cells. You can see the process on your skin, for example, when it gets red, swells and gives off heat. But inflammation has a down side. The inflammatory process itself damages healthy tissues. When it becomes "over enthusiastic", the result may be rheumatoid arthritis and some now believe Alzheimer's disease.
NEW CATEGORY NAME FOR SOME NUTRIENTS
Ever hear of vitamins and minerals called "conditionally essential?"
That means they are believed essential under certain conditions but not by all scientists.
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