Vitamin Waters are a bit Shallow

Vitamin waters don't meet daily intake recommendations, experts say

While manufacturers tout the benefits of new flavoured waters packed with vitamins, some experts are cautioning the popular beverages might not offer any added health advantages.

Joe Schwarcz, of McGill's Office for Science and Society, says he's unconvinced by the beverage companies' claims.

"It's all about trying to convince people that there's some advantage there over consuming ordinary bottled water," Schwarcz said.

For example, Vitaminwater — a popular brand sold in the U.S. — says its energy drinks boost the immune system, improve physical endurance and help metabolic functioning.

But Schwarcz noted that most people's workouts don't reach a level of intensity that demands vitamin replacement.

Other experts say the enriched beverages do little to help people meet the recommended daily intake of vitamins or other essential elements.

"One product that we've come across, 300 millilitres of the fluid contains only 16 to 20 milligrams of calcium," said Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, a medical professor at Hamilton's McMaster University. "To put that into perspective anywhere from 800 to 1200 milligrams of calcium is the recommended [daily] intake."

Consumers demanding alternatives to soda pop

Still, the drinks are proving appealing to thirsty consumers seeking less-sugary and non-carbonated drinks.

In May, Coca-Cola Co. acquired Vitaminwater's parent company, Glacéau, in a deal estimated to be worth $4.1 billion US. Industry watchers said the purchase would help the company secure a portion of the energy drink market, as more and more consumers opt for healthier alternatives to soda pop.

Shoppers Drug Mart spokeswoman Pat Chapman said demand in Canada is also strong.

"We looked at trends in other countries around the world and saw that there was not only a demand here in Canada but certainly a trend worldwide to have enhanced water products," she said.

Source:CBC.ca

7 Hunger Cues to be Aware of

Source: Time Magazine June 11, 2007

Training Rest Durations

Source: Women's Health June 2007

Ontario Water Amongst Safest in World

Ontario drinking water is among safest in world, but could be better: report

Ontario's drinking water is among the safest in the world despite a small number of municipalities and facilities such as schools, daycares and hospitals returning positive results for the deadly E. coli bacteria, chief drinking-water inspector Jim Smith said Thursday.

Smith's second annual report on Ontario's drinking water found that more than 99 per cent of water-quality tests passed safety standards between April 1, 2005 and March 31, 2006.

Still, there were still 64 tests that came back positive for E. coli and a total of about 2,300 exceedances of standards.

"The drinking water supplied by municipalities in this province is among the safest in the world, but fostering continuous improvement can make it even safer," Smith said.

Although the number of problems remain too high for his liking, Smith said Ontario has a safety net in place to respond to any water-quality issues before they result in safety concerns.

"You do get issues that occur, but we have very comprehensive testing. We have notification requirements that are immediate and corrective actions that are immediate," he said.

Twenty-three, or three per cent, of municipal drinking water systems reported E. coli levels that exceeded provincial standards in 30 samples, states the report which adds, "the effective response to E. coli exceedances demonstrates that the safety net is working."

Overall, about 99.84 per cent of tests of residential water came back clean.

Fourteen out of the 1,279 water systems at so-called designated facilities like schools, daycares and hospitals also reported E. coli test results that exceeded standards.

Still, 99.42 per cent of the water quality tests conducted at designated facilities met provincial standards.

In May 2000, seven people died and thousands fell ill when the southern Ontario town of Walkerton's water supply became contaminated with E. coli. Water-quality issues have been at the forefront on Ontario's environmental agenda since.

Thursday's report also found that nine out of 10 municipalities rated 90 per cent or higher in meeting 130 regulatory standards, while about a third were 100 per cent compliant.

Convictions for water offences doubled from the previous year up to 35, and fines of $296,400 were meted out.

The report also identifies 10 areas where residential water systems could be improved, including problems with improperly installed equipment, non-compliance with orders, and refusals to meet monitoring requirements set out by legislation.

The non-compliance rates ranged from four per cent to 13 per cent across the province.

Smith said it's not likely the next report will come back with perfect scores although he's hoping for steady improvement in the next few years.

"Obliviously, I'd like to say we'll get 100 per cent but I think it will be a climb," he said. "I'm confident, I believe there can be continuous improvement, there's more that can be done."

Two weeks ago, Ontario announced it was making schools, daycares and municipalities regularly test their drinking water after almost half of the 36 communities tested for lead revealed elevated levels.

Smith said he wasn't alarmed by those results.

Health Canada Backs off TransFat Regulation

Canada steps back from regulating trans fats

Health Canada will delay regulation of trans fats in Canadian food products for at least two years, calling instead for industry to voluntarily limit use of the heart-clogging compounds.

Critics blame the delay on opposition from the U.S. government, whose food industry would face complications exporting to Canada if Ottawa introduced binding limits.

Trans fats are artificial compounds used to harden and stabilize vegetable oils, primarily baked and fried foods. There is strong scientific evidence linking trans fats to coronary heart disease.

Health Minister Tony Clement said Wednesday regulations will be introduced in two years if the industry doesn't reduce the compounds to the lowest possible levels.

Mr. Clement conceded that the trade issue had been raised by the U.S. food industry and their lobbying played a role in his decision to call for voluntary compliance.

“It was a factor that was brought to my attention; quite frankly it was not the determining factor. Health and safety of Canadians always has to come first, ahead of trade relations.”

He said industry has cut the intake of trans fats by 40 per cent in the last few years due to consumer demand.

“My point is this: let's keep on that track, let's make sure that the marketplace responds to consumer demand, but if in two years we do not meet our targets, the government will regulate. Even if we wanted to we could not regulate tomorrow anyway, because it takes time to do that in an appropriate way, especially because of trade issues and so on.”

The decision is at odds with the recommendations of a task force set up by Health Canada in early 2005. The task force said Ottawa should introduced regulatory limits by June 2008, applicable to all processed foods, domestic or imported.

The task force rejected the voluntary approach, citing the example of Denmark where concerns about trans fats were voiced for years without much effect.

“It was only after regulations came into effect that processed trans fats were virtually eliminated from the Danish food supply,” the task force said in its report last year.

Bill Jeffery, national co-ordinator of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, which monitors food health issues, said he was disappointed in the government's decision.

Mr. Jeffery cited estimates that trans fats cause 2,000 heart attacks in Canada annually, suggesting that the delay in regulations could cause many deaths. “There are health consequences,” he said.

NDP critic Pat Martin was furious with the delay, calling it gutless and cowardly. He alleged Mr. Clement backed off due to concerns about falling out of step with the United States.

The two countries have been trying to harmonize their regulations in health, environment and other areas. Ottawa has repeatedly been accused of weakening regulations in areas such as pesticide residue and auto emissions for the sake of a harmonized Canada-U.S. approach.

Mr. Clement has called on the food industry to limit the trans fat content of vegetable oils and soft margarines to 2 per cent of total fat content, and the trans fat content for all other foods to 5 per cent.

Source: theGlobeandMail.com

FIsh Depletion

Source: Wired June 2007

Advise on pros and cons of PSA testing

More than half of Canadian men over the age of 50 have undergone a PSA test for early detection of prostate cancer.

Yet the prostate specific antigen test remains controversial, with scientists divided on its benefits and many patients unsure about what test results really mean.

To clear up the confusion, a leading cancer expert is recommending that the descriptors "normal" and "elevated" for PSA tests be abandoned.

Instead, Ian Thompson, chairman of the department of urology at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, said physicians should take the time to advise patients on the merits and drawbacks of the blood test.

Then, if the patient decides to have a PSA test, the results should be judged only in conjunction with other risk factors, he said.

"If screening is requested by an asymptomatic man, the clinician should inform him of his risk of prostate cancer, incorporating findings for all known risk factors for the disease - family history, age, ethnicity, digital rectal examination findings, PSA level and the results of any previous prostate biopsies," Dr. Thompson said.

Writing in today's edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, he said that information is best summarized and evaluated using the prostate cancer risk calculator, a simple tool that is available online at:

Then, if the patient decides to have a PSA test, the results should be judged only in conjunction with other risk factors, he said.

"If screening is requested by an asymptomatic man, the clinician should inform him of his risk of prostate cancer, incorporating findings for all known risk factors for the disease - family history, age, ethnicity, digital rectal examination findings, PSA level and the results of any previous prostate biopsies," Dr. Thompson said.

Writing in today's edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, he said that information is best summarized and evaluated using the prostate cancer risk calculator, a simple tool that is available online at http://www.compass.fhcrc.org/edrnnci/bin/calculator/main.asp.

PSA is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland, a walnut-sized organ located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. PSA is normally present in the blood at low levels, defined as zero to four nanograms per millilitre. Levels of four to 10 ng/ml are considered problematic.

Increased levels of PSA may suggest the presence of prostate cancer. However, PSA levels may be also elevated because of prostate infection, irritation, benign swelling of the prostate or recent ejaculation. Prostate cancer can also be present in the complete absence of an elevated PSA level. Further, PSA levels rise with age and can fluctuate.

Because of the high level of false positives and false negatives, PSA testing is not recommended for population-wide screening.

Dr. Thompson said that the most problematic aspect of testing is "evidence of high rates of over-detection." About 18 per cent of men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, but fewer than 3 per cent of men die of prostate cancer.

Still, tracking changes in PSA levels in individuals can be useful. And there is no doubt that the PSA test is used routinely.

A recent nationwide survey found that half of Canadian men over 50 had been tested for PSA levels, 72 per cent of them in the previous year.

However, "awareness, utilization and knowledge of the pros and cons of PSA screening vary considerably by region," Dr. Thompson noted.

Even the experts disagree. The Canadian Task Force of Preventive Health Care says that there is insufficient evidence to promote PSA testing. The Canadian Urological Association and the Prostate Cancer Alliance, for their part, say the test should only be performed after a detailed discussion between physician and patient.

Most, but not all, the provinces and territories cover the cost of the PSA test. Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta do not pay for PSA as a screening test, but will pay after a diagnosis of prostate cancer in order to monitor the progress of the treatment.

This year, an estimated 22,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 4,300 will die of the disease, the Canadian Cancer Society says.

Since the use of early detection tests for prostate cancer became fairly common in the 1990s, the prostate cancer death rate has dropped, but it is unclear whether this is a direct result of screening.

Source: TheGlobeandMail.com

Out of Shape Post Secondary Students

Student health gets failing grade

College students may have more in common with their parents than they think - including high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, inactivity and excess weight.

Although some appear to be the picture of youthful good health, many undergraduates are suffering from conditions that could lead to chronic health problems later in life, according to research by scientists at the University of New Hampshire.

"They are not as healthy as they think they are," said researcher Ingrid Lofgren, who collected and analyzed the data presented at the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting.

At least one-third of the 800 students, aged 18 to 24, questioned in a study were overweight or obese, 60 per cent of the men had high blood pressure and more than two-thirds of the women were lacking in iron, calcium and folate.

Dr. Lofgren and her team asked the students to answer questionnaires about their eating habits, how much they exercise and whether they smoke and drink.

The students were also weighed and screened for high blood pressure and cholesterol, and the nutritional content of their diets was analyzed.

Sixty-six per cent of men in the study and 50 per cent of women had at least one risk factor for metabolic syndrome - a cluster of conditions such as high blood pressure, raised cholesterol and excess weight that increases the odds of suffering from cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

But the results of the study were not all bad, the researchers added.

Very few of the students who took part in the study were smokers, and the number who were overweight or obese was less than the U.S. national average, which is close to 40 per cent, the researchers said.

Source: theGlobeandMail.com

Addictive Sleep Aid Warning

Consumers who use Optimum Health Care SleePlus TCM or BYL SleePlus are being warned that the sleep supplements could be addictive when used continually over a period of a few months, Health Canada says.

The federal agency said in an advisory issued Thursday that the sleep aids, which have not been authorized for sale in Canada, contain the drug clonazepam. Patients should only take products containing clonazepam under the supervision of a health-care professional.

Optimum Health Care SleePlus TCM products were sold through the Vancouver clinic Optimum Health Care. BYL Pharmaceuticals Ltd. distributed its BYL SleePlus products to other retailers. Both packages were labelled with Chinese script.

Consumers should talk to a health-care professional before they discontinue use of the sleep aids and return the products to the retailer.

Side-effects of the drug include dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, depression, loss of memory and hallucinations.

No adverse reactions linked to the use of the products have been reported in Canada.

Consumers with questions can call Health Canada at (613) 957-2991, or toll free at 1-866-225-0709.

Source: CBC.ca

Kellogg's Improving Nutrient Quality of Kid's Food by 2008

Kellogg Co., the world's largest cereal maker, has agreed to raise the nutritional value of cereals and snacks it markets to children.

The Battle Creek, Mich., company avoided a lawsuit threatened by parents and nutrition advocacy groups worried about increasing child obesity. Kellogg intends to formally announce its decision Thursday.

The company said it won't promote foods in TV, radio, print or web site ads that reach audiences at least half of whom are under age 12 unless a single serving of the product meets these standards:

-No more than 200 calories.

-No trans fat and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat.

-No more than 230 milligrams of sodium, except for Eggo frozen waffles.

-No more than 12 grams of sugar, not counting sugar from fruit, dairy and vegetables.

Kellogg said it would reformulate products to meet these criteria or stop marketing them to children under 12 by the end of 2008.

"By committing to these nutrition standards and marketing reforms, Kellogg has vaulted over the rest of the food industry," said Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "This commitment means that parents will find it a little easier to steer their children toward healthy food choices - especially if other food manufacturers and broadcasters follow Kellogg's lead."

Jacobson's nutrition advocacy group, along with two Massachusetts parents and the Boston-based Campaign For A Commercial-Free Childhood, had served notice in January 2006 of intent to sue Kellogg and the Nickelodeon cable TV network under a Massachusetts law to stop them from marketing junk food to kids.

Center spokesman Jeff Cronin said Kellogg contacted the plaintiffs shortly thereafter and began negotiating the new standards, so the lawsuit was not filed and will not be filed.

"We are pleased to work collaboratively with industry and advocacy groups to unveil these standards," said David Mackay, Kellogg's CEO. "We feel the Kellogg Nutrient Criteria set a new standard for responsibility in the industry."

With 2006 sales of almost US$11 billion, Kellogg is not only the No. 1 cereal-maker but also a leading producer of snack foods. Its brands include Kellogg's, Keebler, Pop-Tarts, Eggo, Cheez-It, Rice Krispies and Famous Amos.

Kellogg also announced that it will continue to refrain from advertising to children under age 6, and will not in the future:

-Advertise to children any foods in schools and preschools that include kids under age 12.

-Sponsor placement of any of its products in any medium primarily directed at kids under age 12.

-Use branded toys connected to any foods that do not meet the nutrition standards.

-Use licensed characters on mass-media ads directed primarily to kids under 12 or on the front labels of food packages unless they meet the standards.

The advertising agreement does not apply to marketing characters Kellogg owns, like Tony the Tiger, but it does apply to characters the food company licenses, like the cartoon figure Shrek, said Susan Linn, co-founder of the Campaign For A Commercial-Free Childhood.

She said Kellogg was the first food company to agree to restrict advertising using licensed media characters like Shrek.

"These characters play an incredibly important role in children's lives. Kids see them every day; they have toys of them," Linn said. "The media characters are much more powerful (than company-owned characters like Tony the Tiger). The food companies want to keep using them because they sell a lot of food; kids really respond to them."

Earlier this month, a Federal Trade Commission study found that half the ads for junk food, sugary cereals and soft drinks are on children's programs, double the percentage 30 years ago. Children between ages 2 and 11 saw approximately 5,500 food ads on television in 2004, half of them on kids' shows with audiences of 50 per cent children or greater.

American companies spend about US$15 billion a year marketing and advertising to children under age 12, the Institute of Medicine said last year when it warned that one-third of American children are obese or at risk for becoming obese.

In response, Kellogg and McDonald's Corp. joined eight other major food and drink companies last November in an industry-sponsored pledge to promote more healthy foods and exercise in their child-oriented advertising. A year earlier, Kraft Foods Inc. had promised to curb ads to young children for snack foods, including Oreos and Kool-Aid.

Source: cbc.ca

More Benefits of Sports Carb / Protein Drink Mixes

Benefits of Carbohydrate/Protein Formula Dominate Sports Drink Research at American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting

PacificHealth Laboratories (OTCBB: PHLI), a nutrition technology company, today reported that five new studies demonstrating benefits of carbohydrate-protein sports drinks and energy gels were presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) held in New Orleans, Louisiana, from May 31 through June 3, 2007. The ACSM is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world with more than 20,000 members. PHLI has been a leader in the development of sports drinks and gels containing carbohydrate and protein in a patented 4:1 ratio.

The studies presented by investigators at multiple institutions showed:

1. In high intensity cycling, a carbohydrate-protein sports drink significantly improved performance during bouts;

2. In collegiate swimmers, a carbohydrate-protein energy gel (Accel Gel) improved performance and decreased muscle damage when compared to water;

3. In an exercise bout consisting of running, cycling and running, a carbohydrate-protein sports drink significantly decreased post exercise muscle soreness and improved muscle function. This study also showed that a higher carbohydrate-protein ratio (5:1) than that found in Accelerade (4:1) did not improve these parameters;

4. During a prolonged cycling bout, a carbohydrate-protein sports drink, when compared to a carbohydrate-only sports drink consumed during a 4 hour rest period following an initial workout, improved performance by 40%;

5. In a study involving triathletes during a simulated duathlon (run, bike ride), a carbohydrate-protein sports drink decreased muscle fatigue when compared to a carbohydrate-only sports drink.

Dr. Robert Portman, CEO of PacificHealth Laboratories, said, “These new studies add to the growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating the importance of adding protein to a carbohydrate sports drink, specifically in a 4:1 ratio. Both serious athletes and weekend warriors shortchange their muscles and their performance by not taking advantage of the proven benefits of consuming a protein-containing sports drink or gel both during and after exercise. These benefits include greater endurance, superior hydration, increased exercise intensity, reduced muscle damage, and faster recovery. Moreover, benefits have been shown in a wide variety of sports, including running, cycling, swimming, soccer, hockey, and even skiing.”

Dr. Portman concluded, “While future research is needed to clarify the mechanisms of these benefits, we know enough today to conclude that athletes in all sports will perform and recover better by switching from conventional carbohydrate-only sports drinks and energy gels to carbohydrate-protein products such as Accelerade and Accel Gel.”

FDA holding out on Obesity Drug Approval

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States appears to be holding back on it's decision to grant approval for a weight loss drug. The FDA says the drug Acomplia has adverse effects in some people in that it can prompt suicidal behavior and cause other psychological side effects. The FDA's review of the drug comes before a panel of experts are about to vote on whether Sanofi-Aventis' obesity treatment should be given approval and although the federal agency is not obliged to follow the experts advice it more often than not does. A definitive decision by the FDA is scheduled to be issued regarding Acomplia on July 27. The FDA says clinical studies by the French drug maker indicated that patients taking Acomplia daily showed significant weight loss after two years. However the FDA is concerned that 26 percent of patients in the trials taking Acomplia experienced adverse psychiatric events, including depression, anxiety and insomnia, compared with 14 percent of patients on a placebo. The FDA also says there is a possible link between Acomplia and suicidal behavior; in studies of the weight loss drug, Sanofi reported one patient committing suicide and eight having suicidal thoughts while among patients taking the placebo, Sanofi reported two suicide attempts and five instances of suicidal thoughts. The FDA also says there was a slightly higher rate of dizziness and headache among Acomplia patients, at 27.4 percent, compared with 24.4 percent patients on placebo. Acomplia is a potential blockbuster drug despite the hiccups in getting it approved. It was originally presented in 2005 as an anti-obesity pill and an anti-smoking treatment but was rejected by the FDA for anti-smoking use until more information on it's psychiatric side effects were provided. Known generically as rimonabant, the drug is already sold in 18 countries under the name Acomplia. European Union regulators have approved Acomplia for overweight patients who suffer additional health problems, including abnormal cholesterol and diabetes, but not for smoking use. If approved Sanofi plans to market the drug under the name Zimulti in the U.S. Source: www.news-medical.net

Protein Drinks and Reduced Soreness

Source: Men's Health June 2007

Got Milk? Organic Certification Stripped off this Cow!

Sales of organic milk are soaring, but watchdogs say some of the dairy products shoppers are consuming may not be as earth-friendly as the labels purport.

A large U.S. dairy recently lost its organic certification suspended because it violated organic standards – a move consumer advocates called a victory.

“People should be able to buy organic milk with confidence,” said Mark Kastel, co-director of the Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based consumer watchdog group. “Our hope is that this is the first salvo in a crackdown against these industrial farms that are masquerading as being organic.”

The Case Vander Eyk Jr. Dairy, a 10,000-cow operation in the San Joaquin Valley, can no longer produce or sell milk labelled as organic in the United States unless it is recertified, said Joan Shaffer, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program.

Officials at Vander Eyk, whose dairy cows produce both organic and conventional milk, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Horizon Organic – a brand of Texas-based Dean Foods Co. that sells about 45 per cent of organic milk in the United States — stopped buying milk from Vander Eyk in December because it was not satisfied with the quality of the product, spokeswoman Molly Keveney said.

On May 16, investigators working with a company that certifies organic dairies for the USDA found that Vander Eyk did not meet federal organic requirements. For dairies, that means proving that the herd eats organic feed, has not been dosed with hormones and has access to pasture, among other requirements.

To start selling cartons labelled as organic again, the company must submit new organic farming plans, fix previous noncompliances, pass inspections with a certifying agent and get final clearance from the USDA, said David Abney, general manager of Quality Assurance International, the San Diego-based firm that inspected the facility.

Experts say the government rarely suspends dairies' organic certification.

“It's more than a big slap on the wrist. There are a lot of dairy operations that if (that) happened they would go out of business,” said Daniel Giacomini, a nutritional and management consultant in conventional and certified organic dairy operations.

Vander Eyk has been a target of consumer groups that argue some large factory farms are more likely to keep cows cooped up in pens and drive organic milk prices down, putting smaller family operations at a disadvantage.

Most dairy farmers, however, are not particularly concerned with the size of the facilities, said Ed Maltby, executive director of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producer's Alliance.

“We're just worried about maintaining the integrity of the organic program,” Mr. Maltby said. “We need to ensure that the certifiers are doing their job.”

Mr. Kastel's group filed complaints with the USDA alleging that Vander Eyk and two other large organic dairies confined their cows too much to be considered organic.

Federal regulations do not specify how much time a cow should spend grazing in a pasture or how many cows can munch on the same acre of grass. But aerial photos of the Vander Eyk dairy showed large, barren feedlots and no pasture, Mr. Kastel said.

Consumers may perceive that milk produced by grass-eating cows is of higher quality than conventional dairy products, but they are equal, said Mike Marsh, a spokesman for the Western United Dairymen.

The average litre of organic milk currently sells for almost double the price of regular milk. But the premium fetched by organic milk has been steadily falling, as conventional milk prices rise and the organic supply increases.

Fewer than 3 per cent of dairies in California are certified organic, but production of organic milk almost doubled in the one-year period beginning April 2006, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Source:Globe and Mail.com

Drug and Nutrient Depletion Effects

Source: Men's Health June 2007