Health Newsletter: Vitamin C May Help Prevent Gout, New Glycemic Health Category

Vitamin C May Help Prevent Gout

Gout -- the most common type of inflammatory arthritis in men -- is an excruciatingly painful and an ever-growing problem across the U.S.

If you haven't heard much about gout, it is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the bloodstream. Uric acid crystals are deposited on the cartilage of joints, tendons and surrounding tissues, which makes for painful, burning outbreaks.

But wait, there’s some good news afoot. A recent study published in the March 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, showed men with higher vitamin C intake appear less likely to develop gout.

Researchers examined the relationship between vitamin C intake and gout in 46,994 men between 1986 and 2006. Every four years, the men completed a dietary questionnaire, and their vitamin C intake through food and supplements was computed. Every two years, participants reported whether they had been diagnosed with or developed symptoms of gout.

During 20 years of follow-up, 1,317 men developed gout.

Men who took 500-999mg of Vitamin C lowered their gout risk by 17% compared to those taking less than 250mg.
Men who took 1,000-1,499mg daily of C lowered their gout risk by 34%
Men who took more than 1,500mg daily of C lowered their gout risk by 45%

For every 500-milligram increase in their vitamin C intake, men’s risk for gout appeared to decrease by 17 percent. Gotta love that vitamin C!

Researchers theorize that vitamin C reduces levels of uric acid, which can form crystal deposits in and around joints, leading to the pain, inflammation, and swelling associated with gout.

Vitamin C may support reabsorption of uric acid by the kidneys, increase the speed at which the kidneys work, and / or protect against inflammation, all of which may reduce gout risk.

So fair members, consider increasing your Vitamin C to protect your bones and joints as well as your arteries, heart, and immune system. Such a deal!

New Glycemic Health Category

Looking for help supporting healthy blood sugar levels? Many members are, and so we’ve designated a Glycemic Health category, which includes four products that support healthy blood sugar levels:

Alpha Lipoic Acid – an antioxidant found in every cell, alpha lipoic acid helps turn glucose into energy and also may:

Help lower blood sugar levels. Animal research has shown great promise with alpha lipoic acid and more human trials are on the way.
Reduce oxidative stress inflammation, which are critical for folks struggling to regain healthy blood sugar levels.
Address glycemic-related neuropathies. In European studies, taking 600 mg twice a day improved the symptoms of blood sugar imbalance-related neuropathy, an often ignored complication of high blood sugar levels.

Dietary lipoic acid, by the way, does not seem to boost circulating lipoic acid levels in the bloodstream.

According to the Linus Pauling Institute,

“Consumption of LA from foods has not yet been found to result in detectable increases of free LA in human plasma or cells. In contrast, high oral doses of free LA (50 mg or more) result in significant but transient increases in free LA in plasma and cells.”

The “transient increases” of lipoic acid in blood and cells translates into the need to take regular supplemental lipoic acid to garner glycemic health benefits highlighted in nutritional studies.

Cinnamon - cinnamon gets kudos for supporting healthy blood sugar levels. The active ingredient in cinnamon, hydroxychalcone, is thought to enhance the effect of insulin. More specifically, hydroxychalcone spurs insulin receptors to increase insulin sensitivity and helps promote glucose uptake into cells and tissues.

Another active ingredient in cinnamon, proanthocyanidin, is thought to infiltrate cells and activate insulin receptors. This activation helps instigate chemical reactions necessary for cells to more effectively use energy from sugar.

Cinnamon also appears to slow post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the rate by which food from the stomach empties into the small intestine. This slowing is thought to support both healthy blood sugar levels (by preventing insulin surges) and gastrointestinal comfort by not straining the digestive system.

Boosting your cinnamon intake is perhaps easiest with supplements, but can be accomplished by learning to cook with cinnamon as well.

Magnesium - Magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism, and may influence the release and activity of insulin.

Low serum levels of magnesium may worsen insulin resistance or may be a consequence of insulin resistance – researchers have yet to determine which comes first.

Regardless, studies have found that people with lower levels of magnesium are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people with higher levels. And lower-than-normal levels of magnesium are commonly found in people with diabetes.

Good dietary sources of magnesium include green vegetables like spinach, halibut, cashews, and almonds.

Fiber Fit – Fiber helps slow digestion, thus slowing sugar and insulin surges following eating. For reference, six capsules of fiber fit offer 3 grams of fiber (equivalent to two raw carrots, ¾ cup oatmeal, or just under a cup of strawberries or blueberries or brown rice).

Just remember, if you haven’t been eating a lot of fiber, you will want to increase your intake slowly to prevent uncomfortable burbling in your belly.

Guido Housemouser
Chief Kat and Community Manager
Our Health Co-op, Incorporated

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