Yet another reason to consume olive oil was presented in a paper just published in the journal Osteoporosis International. The authors observe…

“Age-related bone loss is associated with osteoblast [cells that build up bone] insufficiency during continuous bone remodeling. It has been suggested that the formation of osteoblasts in bone marrow is closely associated with adipogenesis [production of fat], and age-related changes in this relationship could be responsible for the progressive adiposity of bone marrow which occurs with osteoporosis. In addition, the consumption of oleuropein, a major polyphenol in olive leaves and olive oil, has been associated with a reduction in bone loss.“

They examined the effects of oleuropein on the processes of osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human bone marrow. What did they find?

“The results show an increase in osteoblast differentiation and a decrease in adipocyte differentiation when there is oleuropein in the culture media. The gene expression of osteoblastogenesis markers…was higher in osteoblast-induced oleuropein-treated cells….Oleuropein in MSCs induced adipocytes to produce a decrease in the expression of the genes involved in adipogenesis…”

In other words, oleuropein in olive oil appears to be a ‘genetic response modifier’ that promotes healthy bone build-up while inhibiting fat formation. The authors conclude:

“Our data suggest that oleuropein, highly abundant in olive tree products included in the traditional Mediterranean diet, could prevent age-related bone loss and osteoporosis.“

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A paper published a while back in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet is a useful reminder of a common neurological disorder resulting from gluten sensitivity that manifests as problems with coordination and balance. The authors state:

“Ataxia is the commonest neurological manifestation of coeliac disease. Some individuals with genetic susceptibility to the disease have serological evidence of gluten sensitivity without overt gastrointestinal symptoms or evidence of small-bowel inflammation. The sole manifestation of disease in such patients may be ataxia.”

The authors carried out clinical, neurophysiological, neuroradiological, and neuropathological examinations patients with antibodies to gliadin (the immunoreactive component of gluten):

“28 patients with gluten ataxia were identified. All had gait ataxia and most had limb ataxia….16 patients had no gastrointestinal symptoms…Six patients had evidence of cerebellar atrophy on magnetic-resonance imaging. Necropsy was done on two patients who died; there was lymphocytic infiltration of the cerebellum, damage to the posterior columns of the spinal cord, and sparse infiltration of the peripheral nerves.”

A key point is that most of the patients whose gluten sensitivity caused severe neurological damage had no gastrointestinal symptoms.

The authors conclude:

“Gluten sensitivity is an important cause of apparently idiopathic ataxia and may be progressive. The ataxia is a result of immunological damage to the cerebellum, to the posterior columns of the spinal cord, and to peripheral nerves.“

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A study published not long ago in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society is a reminder that even natural estrogen at higher levels than the proper physiological range is detrimental. The authors aimed…

“To investigate the relationship between total estradiol (E2) levels and 9-year mortality in older postmenopausal women not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).”

The study participants were a representative sample of 509 women aged 65 and older living the Chianti region of Italy. What did their data show?

“Higher E2 levels were associated with a greater likelihood of death…independent of age, waist:hip ratio, C-reactive protein, education, cognitive function, physical activity, caloric intake, smoking, and chronic disease…The excessive risk of death associated with higher total E2 was not attenuated after adjustment for total testosterone and after further adjustment for insulin resistance…Total E2 was highly predictive of death after more than 5 years and not predictive of death for less than 5 years.”

This study highlights the importance of the functional management of estrogen levels even when HRT is not being used. All the more reason for cautious objective validation with the appropriate lab test (free-fraction bioactive estrogen) if we bear in mind the investigators’ conclusion:

“Higher total E2 concentration predicts mortality in older women not taking HRT.”

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This area of scientific investigation is less well known to both the lay and professional reader, but it has profound practical importance. It concerns how our bodies handle oxygen in health and disease and adapt to low oxygen states. One issue of the Journal of Molecular Medicine is entirely devoted to hypoxia (low oxygen) and human disease. It contains papers encompassing a range of conditions including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, kidney and lung diseases, cancer and more. The focus here is on one paper that extensively reviews the regulation of oxygen in immunity and the response to infection. This is particularly important because there seem to be many clinicians who assume that increasing oxygen saturation in the locale of an infection helps to get rid of it (through oxidative damage to the pathogen and healthier surrounding tissues). Due to the research over the past several years on the powerful and important role of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) we can understand that this is incorrect. “The hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF-1α) is a major regulator of energy homeostasis and cellular adaptation to low oxygen stress.” It exerts powerful control over the white blood cells that respond to infection: “HIF-1α has been discovered to function as a global regulator of macrophage and neutrophil inflammatory and innate immune functions.” They refer to HIF-1α as “a master regulator of innate immunity.” This is a fascinating review with references to many other studies if you care to read it, but the main point I want to bring to your attention is this: “A paradoxical result of these findings is that, due to HIF-1α activation, macrophages actually phagocytose and kill bacteria better under hypoxic conditions than they do under normoxic conditions.” This means white blood cells kill bacteria more effectively in a low oxygen environment than they do when oxygen in that location is normal. They go on to explain its role in viral and parasitic infections and the progression of viral infections to cancer. They go on to conclude: “The proof-of-principle experiments described suggest further exploration of HIF-1α augmentation to boost innate defense function. This may be of interest as a therapeutic strategy in infectious disease conditions complicated by antibiotic resistance or compromised host immunity.” Certainly this is a complex system and much more could be said, but the practical message is this: think each case through very carefully before advising or receiving oxidative therapies for infection.

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Men, difficulties with urination including pain, retention, even bleeding are sometimes not from the prostate. In a paper published in the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine the authors state: “Eosinophilic cystitis (EC) is an inflammatory condition of the bladder that has been linked to food allergens, infectious agents, drugs, and other genitourinary conditions…[it] represents a response to a variety of agents and may often be overlooked.” As described in this paper published in Urologia Internationalis, “The clinical presentation of EC is varied. When the lesion is located at or near the bladder neck, it may present as urinary retention.” (Ladies, this condition afflicts you and children as well.)

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Whenever metals are implanted in the human body there is a possibility that hypersensitivity will develop which can evolve into autoimmune disease. Two interesting papers in the Neuro Endocrinology Letter investigate the evidence. The authors of Hypersensitivity to titanium: Clinical and laboratory evidence conclude: “These data clearly demonstrate that titanium can induce clinically-relevant hypersensitivity in a subgroup of patients chronically exposed via dental or endoprosthetic implants.” The study Diagnosis and treatment of metal-induced side-effects documents diagnosis by the lymphocyte transformation test and observes that, “The removal of incompatible dental material (RID) resulted in long-term health improvement in the majority of patients.” Yet another paper in the same journal concludes, “The optimized LTT-MELISA® test is a clinically useful and reliable tool for identifying and monitoring metal sensitization in symptomatic metal-exposed individuals.” Bear in mind that this applies to all kinds of metal implants, including replacement joints.

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The National Cancer Institute is giving lip service to “personalized oncology”, while tumor cell culture chemosensitivity testing for optimizing chemotherapy has languished in a backwater. See this brief report by Dr. Ralph Moss of Cancer Decisions.

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Metabolic syndrome and it’s associated hormonal, neurological and vascular effects is a major factor affecting sexual function for women too, as described in this recent paper: “The MS is strongly correlated with erectile dysfunction, hypogonadism (predictors of future development of MS), and female sexual dysfunction.” [Note: MS = metabolic syndrome]

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This study adds more evidence that functionally low iron is one of the causes of Restless Legs Syndrome. The investigators documented significant improvement in individuals if they had a low-normal serum ferritin to begin with. Interestingly, dopamine deficiency is another cause of RLS—low iron is among the factors that can cause insufficient dopamine production. RLS is a brain problem.

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This Harvard study shows evidence that although metformin (a commonly used diabetes medication) and insulin lower blood glucose, they do not reduce key inflammatory biomarkers. With these medications the blood sugar goes down, but the inflammation continues. These inflammatory biomarkers are associated with a host of chronic diseases: cardiovascular, cancer, autoimmune, etc. Moreover, “recent-onset type 2″ diabetics were assessed. The damage starts before the diagnosis.

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