These are my notes taken from an interview of Dr. Joseph Maroon, conducted by Tom Mitchell for Radio JUS. Dr. Maroon, Tom Mitchell, and Radio JUS are not responsible for the content of these notes.
Dr. Maroon competes in Iron Man.
He is team surgeon for Pittsburg Steelers, and a neurosurgeon.
Omega-3 Fish Oils
He is a big believer in omega-3's
He developed an ulcer from taking so much ibuprofen due to sore knee joint due to his athletic competitions. So he looked for a natural anti-inflammatory,
Fish oil gives him significant relief from joint pain.
2-3 g per day of EPA/DHA – allowed 60% of test sample people to get off prescription drugs for joint pain and arthritis.
NSAIDS can result in silent bleeding within the stomach., 15,000 people die each year from bleeding due to NSAIDS.
VIOX was supposed to be the great savior for anti-inflammation, but it resulted in heart attacks.
Website where you can learn more from Dr. Maroon (and purchase his books).
www.thelongevityfactor.com
www.josephmaroon.com
The French Paradox
In early 1990’s, epidemiological studies found the French had a relatively lower incidence of coronary artery disease, even though their diet was high in fat and carbohydrates. It was subsequently ascribed to the fact that they drank more red wine having polyphenols, the strongest of which is resveratrol
Amount of resveratrol in a glass of wine is between 1-5 mg (milligrams).
We don’t know for certain how much resveratrol is needed in humans to get the desired benefit as has been observed in animals. Not many studies available yet to show the effects of resveratrol in humans. Study participants have reported improved memory recall, greater energy, help with weight control,
For now we must extrapolate from results in animal tests.
Nutragenomics
This is the study of the effect of food on our genes.
We have about 60 trillion cells in our body.
In each cell there are 25-30 thousand genes.
Genes are like molecular blueprints. They sit there waiting for something to “activate” them (ie. tell them to produce something).
Genes produce about 100,000 different proteins.
Four things that activates our genes for good or bad.
1. nutritional factors
2. exercise
3. environmental factors (air, water)
4. stress
“Transcription factors” tell the DNA what to make and what to do.
So a diet full of vegetables, fruit, lean meat, low in sugar salt white flour, it activates our genes to produce an anti-inflammatory situation in our body.
A Big Mac, soda, cookies, etc. activate our genes to make inflammatory agents in our body.
INFLAMMATION is the common denominator in cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, arthritis. This inflammation is silent, hidden in our body.
The control of inflammation through gene activation is at the heart of everything we do, minute by minute.
Book: “The Longevity Factor” by Joseph Maroon
[JUS has about 25mg of resveratrol per ounce.]
What is the only thing we can do to live longer and reduce the incidence of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases of the brain?
One thing we know for sure that will help is “calorie restriction” (by 30-40% of calorie level). This has been known for about 70 years.
About 10 years ago they learned that a specific gene (the certuin or “longevity” gene) is activated during times of stress (calorie restriction, dehydration).
David Sinclair, at Harvard, asked “Is there anything we can do to activate this gene besides calorie restriction”?” He took 20,000 polyphenols and tested them to see if they would activate this gene. The polyphenol compound “resveratrol” caused the greatest activation of this gene. Also quercitin and green tea have the same effect, but not to the same degree as resveratrol.
It is best to take resveratrol with other polyphenols, not just in isolation, due to a synergistic effect.
In the plant and animal kingdom, “That which does not kill me makes me stronger.”
Hence, plants which are able to survive in the wild are much stronger and are more beneficial to humans.
The Japanese Knotweed is a great source of resveratrol. [This is the source of resveratrol in JUS] This plant grows in the wild. The root of this plant contains a very high concentration of resveratrol. The Chinese have used this root in a tea for centuries that enhances memory and longevity.
Through a process of trial and error over many centuries, people in various cultures have discovered the health benefits of various plants.
The White Willow bark is used by the American Indians as a health aid. Coincidentally, aspirin comes from the White Willow bark.
25% of the drugs we use are plant-derived.
Many of the anti-cancer drugs come from plants. For example, Tomoxithin comes from the Taxall plant which is used to treat breast cancer.
Glaxo Smith Kline bet a billion dollars on the expectation that resveratrol will help in the areas of anti-mutagenic effect (ie. anti-cancer), anti-viral, increased insulin sensitivity in diabetics, etc.
They were making this bet based on a number of animal-based studies published in preeminent journals that show the benefits of resveratrol.
Bucol delivery (ie. via absorption through the inside of mouth) is far more efficient, in terms of getting resveratrol into the blood stream, than a pill or capsule.
Resveratrol is a very pungent, strong tasting compound.
Although the level of resveratrol in the blood peaks and decays sharply, the metabolites resulting from resveratrol last longer and are also thought to help.
There are different types of resveratrol “trans” and “cis”. “Trans” is the most active form of resveratrol.
The resveratrol molecule rapidly loses its potency when exposed to air.
There are also synthetic resveratrol, but most studies have been performed using “trans” resveratrol. [JUS uses the “trans” form of resveratrol]
The polyphenols are the compounds that give the red to cherries, purple to grapes. Polyphenols are what give plants their color. And they are very beneficial to humans.
Polyphenols are extremely powerful health-producing agents in our body and potent reducers of free radicals.
A study out of Cornell in 2008 found that dietary supplementation with resveratrol significantly reduced plaque formation in animal brains. That study has huge implications. Alzheimer’s affects 1 in 6 over the age of 65, and affects over half of individuals over the age of 80. The hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is the deposition of beta amyloid plaque which is toxic to neurons in the brain.
The study showed that in animals, resveratrol helped the re-absorption (ie. dissolving away) of the amyloid plaque. So maybe compounds such as this could lead to being a positive agent in the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer’s.
Many people take a product like JUS for a few days and say “Hey, I don’t feel anything”.
With fish oil, it takes a minimum of two to four weeks for the improvement to become apparent (ie. felt). With other compounds we just don’t know how long it will take to reverse the damage done to our bodies over many years.
At a genetic level, the compounds in JUS are having a significant effect at the gene level even if you do not feel anything.
The most important thing is to make good choices in all four areas
(diet, exercise, environment, stress).
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