2013 AHA/ACC Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Guidelines - Drug Companies Win Again

Last week the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) published new updated guidelines in the journal Circulation for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in individuals [1]. Their goals aim to "prevent cardiovascular (CV) diseases, improve the management of people who have these diseases through professional education and research, and develop guidelines, standards and policies that promote optimal patient care and cardiovascular health".

To accomplish these commendable goals, AHA/ACC targets better management of blood cholesterol levels, overweight and obesity in adults, and provides information on lifestyle modifications [2]. They also provide extensive guidelines on the use of cholesterol-lowering medications, mainly the statins [1].

After reading through the updated guidelines it is clear to me that the state of cardiovascular health, as it stands currently in the United States today, will remain dismal at best. The chance of heart disease and strokes being displaced as the number one and number four leading causes of death in the U.S. [3] are slim to none. Here's why...

Fish Oil Reviews - The Evidence Behind Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements

Like many individuals, my day starts with an eagerly awaited trip to the kitchen after a quick hop in the shower. By this time, the alarm clock haze has finally worn off long enough to realize the neurotic taste buds in my mouth are going crazy. They need their morning bowl of cinnamon oatmeal with mixed berries or else!

In the past, I'd always follow breakfast with a handful of vitamins and some fish oil supplements before heading out the door. I was off to fill prescriptions and make the world a healthier place! As a pharmacist, I dispense pills and educate others on all the benefits they have to offer, including a few over-the-counter supplements. Fish oil is one of these supplements. In school I learned that pills equal health. Pharmacists dispense pills. Therefore, pharmacists dispense health.

Since I am the expert on pills, I deem it my responsibility to keep up with the scientific literature behind all of these pills as best I can. After all, medicine is a constantly changing environment and if you snooze you lose (and so do your patients). Today I present you with the evidence behind fish oil supplements, known widely for benefiting cardiovascular health and many other chronic diseases, or so they say.

Women - Know The Symptoms

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Heart attacks are the #1 killer of both men and women.  According to the American Heart Association, one of every six deaths in the United States is a result of a heart attack.  

The symptoms of women having a heart attack can be different than the symptoms men experience.  The classic tightening in the chest, shortness of breath, and a feeling of discomfort in arms, back, jaw or stomach can be what men typically experience when having a heart attack.

Plant-Based Diets for Seniors

"Old age isn't for sissies," one adage attempts to advise humorously. Despite the saying’s levity, it hits a little too close to the truth. The term "elderly" is the last life-stage known and listed in the human life cycle before death. Many aspects of an elderly person's life are designed to prolong it.

Frequent visits to doctors are scheduled for preventative care, a higher-than-average number of prescriptions are ingested to treat the common diseases that accompany old age and even potential problems are anticipated with measures such as a personal medical alert system or the installation of bathroom grab bars.

Special diets are often included in such life-extending efforts. Elderly individuals may forego added salt to help treat high blood pressure or eliminate candy from their diets to help with high blood sugar levels. More and more, physicians and nutrition experts are also advocating plant-based diets for seniors.

Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

A recent study by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association underscores some of the benefits of a plant-based diet. Study participants who followed a vegetarian diet had better overall nutritional profiles than meat eaters, and their diets included more essential vitamins and nutrients than the non-vegetarians' diets. Vegetarians also ate healthier foods and had lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

How To Feel Vitamin "D"errific!

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, has become nothing short of a celebrity over the past few years. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find any doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare practitioner who hasn't heard of all the health benefits it has to offer. From its role in making strong, healthy bones to improving heart health to decreasing the risk of cancer it seems as though there's nothing vitamin D can't touch.

This brings to mind several questions. Is vitamin D the new miracle pill, or is it simply a passing fad benefiting the bottom line of those with clever marketing skills selling supplements? And if vitamin D is really as prolific as they say it is then does everyone need to take it or just a particular segment of the population? How much is too little? Too much? Is it better to get vitamin D in the form of a pill or from the sun?

I hope to answer these questions and more as I sort through the vitamin D maze of confusion to offer practical, reliable, and evidenced-based information on exactly what you need to know about this new superstar of the supplement world.

What Is Vitamin D And How Does It Work?

Vitamin D is not a vitamin at all but rather a prohormone produced when the skin gets adequate amounts of exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from the sun [1]. The vitamin D produced by our skin is called vitamin D₃ or cholecalciferol [2]. Cholecalciferol is transported from our skin to the liver where it's metabolized into calcidiol, also known as 25(OH)D. Think of calcidiol as the storage form of vitamin D in our body, much the same way that a large amount of propane acts as the storage form of fuel inside a large holding tank ready and waiting to run various appliances inside a person's home. The propane cannot be used when stored inside the tank but without this supply a person cannot run the appliances located in their home when they need to. Calcidiol is the same, it needs to be converted into a usable form in order to be utilized by our body.

This Is Your Body On The Standard American Diet (SAD)

Back in the late 80's and early 90's the Partnership For a Drug-Free America launched a campaign to help fight narcotic drug abuse in the United States. It became known as the This Is Your Brain On Drugs campaign. It sparked a lot of attention in bringing to light the consequences of using illegal drugs on human health and brain function.

Now it's time for a new campaign. I call it the This Is Your Body On The Standard American Diet campaign. Animal-based and processed foods have been linked in numerous studies to a number of chronic diseases seen in today's world. Obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, dementia, diverticulitis, autoimmune diseases, ADHD, irritable bowel syndrome, and many others all are highly correlated to eating a diet consisting of meat, dairy, eggs, and processed foods. These are all preventable and/or reversible in many cases just by changing what's on your plate and adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet.

Not everyone realizes the consequences of their food choices and the resulting health implications from these choices. Part of the reason is because it may take years or even decades for these diseases to show up. I see the pain and suffering first hand every single day from these diseases as patient after patient shows up in the hospital I work at. Here's exactly what happens to those who continue to eat a SAD diet of animal-based and processed foods day after day.

Ten Health Benefits Of Getting Your ZZZ's

Our modern, on-the-go world has become dependent on Starbucks, caffeine packed energy drinks, and/or a nicotine fix to make it to a state of functional each and every morning. This is most certainly due to a lack of sleep as many of us are failing to get enough zzz's. The popular vices of caffeine and nicotine only serve to undermine our health when instead a good night's sleep is usually all we need.

In the United States there are 50-70 million people who suffer from chronic sleep and wakefulness disorders [1]. The National Sleep Foundation states that adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night to stay in good health [2]. Getting the proper amount of sleep can do wonders for your health. Here's 10 health benefits of getting the proper amount of sleep.

CNN's The Last Heart Attack Special

CNN featured a special on preventing and reversing heart disease. Dr. Sanjay Gupta features former President Bill Clinton in his program seen below as they share President Clinton's new plant-based lifestyle and the heart attack proof diet he used to reverse his heart disease.  And President Clinton did this after quadruple bypass surgery!

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn is also featured.  He's one of the foremost leading experts on the topic of heart disease and nutrition and he's also featured in this special.  Dr. Esselstyn has reversed hundreds of cases of heart disease, including the most severe cases, with a plant-based diet.  His book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease has revolutionized the way we look at treating cardiovascular disease in this country.  It's by far the most effective, safest, and least costly way to approach this deadly disease and provides answers that conventional medicine can't even touch with drugs and surgery.

Sit back, relax, and watch this life changing special and make yourself heart attack proof!

If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!

by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com. 

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!

Understanding The Ups And Downs Of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence is a growing problem for many men in today's world and has inevitably found its way into the punch line of many jokes as we've found ways to make light of what those little blue pills can do for you.  But joking aside, this condition can cause of lot of anxiety and psychological stress for men as fear of failure and inadequacy with their sexual health takes hold.  Not only does this cause problems for a man's sexual health and the ensuing intimate relationships with their respective partners but it also leads to a decline in their overall health as well.

As it turns out, ED can be just as much of a predictor of developing chronic diseases as high cholesterol or smoking or family history can be.  As a matter of fact, ED has been linked to coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, hyperlipidemia, peripheral arterial disease, diabetic retinopathy, and chronic kidney disease [1-5,8].   One shocking statistic is that two thirds of all men with clinically evident coronary artery disease also have ED [1].  What's more, the signs and symptoms of ED frequently show up in these men approximately 2-3 years before the consequences of coronary atherosclerosis.  Atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, as you may know, increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Our Taxes - Are They Making Us Sick?

When it comes to spending money, you're making a conscious decision on whether or not the goods and services you're purchasing are worth your hard earned dollars.  You want to feel like you've made a smart decision that contains some sort of value.

I'm sure you would find this same concept true when it comes to your overall health.  In essence, you want to make good decisions and investments which help you feel better, live longer, and avoid the chronic diseases that plague most of our society.  And the most important investment you can make, when it comes to determining how healthy you are, is in the form of the foods that you purchase and consume on a regular basis.  So how are the prices of various foods determined?

You may or may not realize that this is largely determined by how our tax dollars are spent with respect to the different subsidies paid to the food and agriculture industries.  Common sense would tell us that we would want our government to subsidize the foods that increase and promote overall health the most.  However, in reality the exact opposite is true.  In fact, the rise in obesity and decline in public health is directly correlated to the increasing availability of low-nutrient, inexpensive food that is high in fat, sugar, and refined grains [1].  On the contrary, foods found to have the highest amount of nutrients per calorie (fruits and vegetables) cost much more per calorie than their lower nutrient counterparts [2] even though they play a vital role in promoting health and wellness.

So how exactly does this all fit together?  And what does the breakdown look like when it comes to our tax dollars being divvied up to their respective recipients in the food and ag industries?  Let's find out as we take a deeper look into these very issues.

EarthSave's "Meals For Health" Program - Changing The Lives Of Those In Need

America is living in a state of emergency when it comes to our overall health.  This heartbreaking picture can be seen in some of the startling statistics that reveal the rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer just to name a few of the chronic diseases we see here in the U.S.

As a matter of fact, cardiovascular disease takes the life of an individual every 38 seconds in our country [1].  Diabetes is no better as a little over 5,200 people are diagnosed with this disease every single day in America, and this only includes those over the age of 20 who are diagnosed with diabetes [2].  And lastly, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society roughly 65 people die every hour from a cancer related death in the U.S. [3]  These painful statistics are even worse for those individuals and families who live in poverty.  But there is hope.

Music To Soothe The Soul

You just reached the end to what has to have been one of the worst days of your life and the stress of it all has you at your wits end!  You need something to go from frantic and frazzled to calm and relaxed.  But what do you do?  Since a quick trip to your favorite tropical island isn't exactly in order why not try music.  That's right, if you're like the rest of the 6+ billion people on this earth then you know the pure happiness that can come from the perfect song.  It makes your troubles just float away like they never existed and that's exactly what you need to put all those struggles behind you.

The Secret To Becoming Heart Attack Proof

We've all heard about it and it dominates many conversations between doctors and their patients.  Heart disease is on every one's mind and is also the number one killer worldwide according to the World Health Organization (WHO).  WHO reported that just under one third of all deaths globally are due to cardiovascular disease.  That's definitely not a laughing matter and something we should all take seriously.

To put this in perspective let's take a look at some data from the CDC.  They reported in 2008 that the leading cause of death in the United States was from cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and strokes).  This probably isn't much of a surprise to you.  But what is a surprise is that cardiovascular disease kills more than 6 times the number of people than accidents do, more than 10 times the number of people than diabetes does, and more than 42 times than the number of people murdered each year in the U.S.  Heart disease is literally the most notorious serial killer mankind has ever known.

So is there any good news about all this?  The answer is YES but you'll be hard pressed to find it in our modern culture and it's not going to be advertised on a huge billboard that's flashing before your eyes.  Most doctors and heart specialists immediately reach for the prescription pad or talk about a fancy new procedure or surgery that can be done.  However, a bucketful of pills and even open heart surgery has never been proven to completely reverse this devastating disease.  That doesn't mean it can't be done AND done in a much more effective and safer way.  How do you do this you ask?

You're about to find out as I introduce you to the works of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Reversal Program at the highly respected and famed Cleveland Clinic.  Dr. Esselstyn is a medical doctor (MD) and surgeon who became frustrated by seeing his patients come back again and again with the same problems.  So he set out to find a better way and decided to take on the behemoth of cardiovascular disease.  What he found is that by putting his patients on a low fat, plant-based diet he was able to completely reverse their cases of heart disease.

If you have cardiovascular disease or know of someone who does then I would encourage you to take the time to watch the following one hour presentation by Dr. Esselstyn and also the short clip from Professor Peter Lewis who reversed his heart disease by following Dr. Esselstyn's advice.  One hour could literally change your life and give you back control of your own health and destiny so that you can enjoy life to the fullest.  With that being said sit back, relax, and enjoy the presentation.








For more information you can visit Dr. Esselstyn's website here - www.HeartAttackProof.com

Now I'd love to hear from you...

Do you have any personal experience with tackling heart disease with a plant-based diet?
Have you ever seen any other methods that have the same success rate?
What kind of things do you think could help bring heart disease down on the list of leading causes of death?

If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!

by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com. 

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!

Weight Loss - The Recipe For Success

It's that time of year again.  You know the time that everyone and their neighbor vows to once again put weight loss as their #1 New Year's resolution.  Isn't it amazing how those pounds seem to magically creep up on you without any sort of warning sign?  One day you're not to far removed from your high school weight and then a few holiday seasons go by and the next thing you know you find yourself shopping in the extra large section of the department store.  Uuugghhh!!

Nobody wants to find themselves in the official "overweight" or "obese" category after they weigh in at their next doctor's office visit.  At least I've never heard of anyone bragging about this.  Have you?  And shedding those extra pounds is becoming more than just about looking better on the outside.  It's quickly becoming about what's happening on the inside as more and more scientific literature comes out linking those extra pounds to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and more.

So if losing weight is so important to so many then why is it that so many people find themselves making the same resolution year after year?  I believe it's because most of us are bombarded with advertisements, gimmicks, and misleading information when it comes to the food that we eat.  By getting back to the basics and gaining an understanding of the fundamentals on how foods affect the body you can empower yourself to achieve the long term, successful weight loss that you've always wanted.  But it's going to take an open mind, willingness to learn, and most importantly a commitment to changing your every day habits.  You already have the desire, now all you need is the right information to get you up and running.  So what is the recipe for success when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off?

Keys to Successful Weight Loss

1)  Eat a low fat, plant-based diet

• The typical western diet consists heavily on meat and dairy products which are both relatively high in their respect to fat content compared with the predominant foods of a plant-based diet which include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and starches.
• The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that 20-35% of your total calories can be obtained from fat which is similar to the National Cholesterol Education Panel (NCEP) guidelines which recommend a range of 25-35% of your total calories from fat.  The problem with these recommendations is they don't work.  In fact, a study compared long term weight loss results over a period of two years with individuals who followed either a plant-based diet or a low-fat NCEP diet.  The individuals on the plant-based diet lost nearly 3 times as much weight after 1 year than those on the NCEP diet and nearly 4 times as much weight after 2 years [1].
• Another study found that adopting a low fat, plant-based diet was associated with significant weight loss in overweight women even without putting any restrictions on total calories or portion sizes [2].
• Plant-based diets that focus on eating health promoting foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes) typically contain less than 20% of their total calories from fat.  Plant based foods that are an exception to this are nuts, seeds, and avocados (keep your intake of these to a minimum).  Dr. John McDougall and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn [3] have both had enormous success with their patients on this type of diet by keeping the overall fat consumption to around 10% of total calories consumed.
• You also want to keep your consumption or use of oils to a minimum and this includes olive oil and canola oil.  Oils are 100% fat no matter how you look at it and they do not promote weight loss or overall health.

2)  Include plenty of fiber in your diet

• Fiber plays a crucial role in your diet by adding bulk to your stool and absorbing large amounts of water which help you feel fuller which decreases the likelihood of you overeating.
• Fiber acts like "nature's broom" gathering up all the toxins and undesirable substances in your gut such as cholesterol as it moves through your digestive tract.  Since fiber is not absorbed by your body these substances are excreted in your waste products.
• Fiber is only found in plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc.) and is completely absent in animal-based foods (meat, dairy, eggs).
• In a study of middle aged women there was a 49% reduction in risk of major weight gain in those who had a high-fiber diet compared to those who consumed a low fiber diet [4].
• Individuals consuming a low fat, high fiber diet lost over 4 times as much weight as those eating a high fat, low fiber diet after a 3 year follow up period in another study [5].

3)  Include a majority of your calories as complex carbohydrates

• You've probably seen or heard that high carbohydrate diets are bad for you and will increase your overall weight but this is only true when a majority of your carbohydrates have been refined.  Refined carbohydrates are made when the food manufacturers take a complex carbohydrate such as whole wheat bread or brown rice and strip all the beneficial nutrients and fiber out of it leaving you with nutrient deficient calories.
• Complex carbohydrates include beans, split peas, vegetables, lentils, and whole grains.
• Your body prefers carbohydrates as it's primary source of energy.  When carbohydrates are consumed as whole foods then they do not readily get stored as body fat[6] which reduces your incidence of weight gain.
• In fact, high carbohydrate diets reduced the likelihood of developing obesity compared to high fat diets [7].

To Sum It All Up

In order to get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to weight loss you need to understand how different foods affect your body.  Fad diets will come and go but a basic understanding of food will put you at the head of the class when it comes to losing weight, keeping it off, and improving your overall health.

My advice to others is that when they focus on their overall health through proper nutrition choices then the weight will take care of itself.  What's the point of losing 20 lbs in two months if it isn't sustainable and worse yet puts your overall health at risk?  This is often the case when trying diets such as the Atkin's diet[8] or South Beach diet[9].

The scientific world has already proven through multiple studies over several years that the safest and most effective way to lose weight and keep it off is to adopt a nutrient dense, plant-based diet that is low in fat and sugar consumption and limits or avoids animal-based foods.  You just can't go wrong with this approach.  If you don't believe it then I challenge you to give it a try for 3 months and see for yourself the benefits of this approach.  You'll lose weight, gain health, and feel much better.

Below are some resources to help you expand your knowledge and ultimately your success rate in achieving the weight loss you've always wanted to see but never could quite attain.

Pursue A Healthy You

Dr. Fuhrman's Weight Loss Diet Reviews

Janice Church Goes From Fat to Fit

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's Health Page

I wish you the very best in your quest to lose weight and take back control of your own health.  May 2011 be a year of health, happiness, and smaller pant sizes!

If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!

by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com. 

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!

References:

1 Turner-McGrievy GM, Barnard ND, Scialli AR. A two-year randomized weight loss trial comparing a vegan diet to a more moderate low-fat diet. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Sep;15(9):2276-81.

2 Barnard ND, Scialli AR, Turner-McGrievy G, Lanou AJ, Glass J. The effects of a low-fat, plant-based dietary intervention on body weight, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. Am J Med. 2005 Sep;118(9):991-7.

3 Esselstyn CB Jr, Ellis SG, Medendorp SV, Crowe TD. A strategy to arrest and reverse coronary artery disease: a 5-year longitudinal study of a single physician's practice. J Fam Pract. 1995 Dec;41(6):560-8.

4 Liu S, Willett WC, Manson JE, Hu FB, Rosner B, Colditz G. Relation between changes in intakes of dietary fiber and grain products and changes in weight and development of obesity among middle-aged women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Nov;78(5):920-7.

5 Lindström J, Peltonen M, Eriksson JG, Louheranta A, Fogelholm M, Uusitupa M, Tuomilehto J. High-fibre, low-fat diet predicts long-term weight loss and decreased type 2 diabetes risk: the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study. Diabetologia. 2006 May;49(5):912-20.

6 Hellerstein, M.K., Christiansen, M., Kaempfer, S. et al (1991). Measurement of de novo hepatic lipogenesis in humans using stable isotopes. J. Clin. Invest. 87: 1841-1852.

7 World Health Organisation (1998) Obesity - preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of the WHO consultation on obesity. Geneva, June 97.

8 Fung TT, van Dam RM, Hankinson SE, et al. Low-Carbohydrate Diets and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality. Ann Int Med 2010;153(5):289-298.

9 St. Jeor S, Howard BV, Prewitt TE, et al. Dietary protein and weight reduction: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition Committee of the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism of the American Heart Association. Circulation 2001 Oct 9;104(15):1869-74.

PQQ - A Biological MultiTasker That Helps You Thrive

You've probably never heard of it and I would venture to guess that many of those serving in the medical field haven't either but pyrroloquinolone quinone (PQQ) is the life force behind what makes so many different living species thrive including human beings.  It was discovered way back in the 1960's as a bacterial cofacter [1].  But as the years have gone by scientists have uncovered just how important this micronutrient is to both the plant and animal kingdom.  Much has been discovered about it's role to the overall health of human beings in the past couple of decades so let's take a look at what this is all about.

How does PQQ benefit humans?

There's several important functions that PQQ carries out that are vital to our health and longevity.  The most important of these has to do with the growth of new mitochondria otherwise known as mitochondrial biogenesis [2].  If you can remember way back from biology class in high school mitochondria serve as little powerhouses in all of our living cells whether they be muscle cells, fats cells, skin cells, or any other living cell in our body.  Mitochondria turn the food that we eat into usable energy.  They're also responsible for many other functions such as cell signaling, cellular differentiation, cell growth, and cell death.  We literally could not function as living beings without our mitochondria.  Because PQQ is so vital to the growth and development process it is thought to increase our durability and longevity.  The more healthy and functioning mitochondria we have in our cells the healthier and longer we live [3,4].

Powerful antioxidant effects have also been shown as yet another benefit of PQQ.  Antioxidants are extremely important to a person's overall health because they act to neutralize the effects of free radicals in the body.  Free radicals can cause oxidative damage to our cells, tissues, organs, and overall system leading to a number of chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and more.  PQQ helps keep this process in check by limiting free radical damage to our body by carrying out processes known as redox cycling reactions [5].  In fact, PQQ may even be considered a super antioxidant because it is far more stable than most other antioxidants and can carry out more redox cycling reactions as a result of this.  It's been found to be 175 times more efficient than epicatechin (antioxidant found in chocolate), 200 times more efficient than quercetin (antioxidant found in green tea & various fruits & vegetables), and 5,000 times more efficient than vitamin C [14].

PQQ has some profound benefits in relation to cardiovascular health as well [6].  In a study in 2006 using animal models, PQQ was actually shown to be superior to a well known beta-blocker (metoprolol) in reducing oxidative damage after a heart attack and resulted in reduced area of cardiac tissue death and improved overall cardiac function [7].  Another study using animal models found that PQQ "appears to act as a free radical scavenger in ischemic myocardium & is a highly effective cardioprotective agent" [15].  While large scale studies are needed to assess the direct impact on cardiovascular health in humans it goes without saying that the data so far clearly points to beneficial affects that PQQ has on the heart.

The benefits go beyond heart health though.  PQQ has been studied for it's neurological protection especially in cases following a stroke or spinal cord injury.  One study showed that when PQQ was given within 3 hours of a stroke in animal models there was reduction in tissue damage due to a return of blood flow to the damaged area in the brain [8].  Another mechanism by which PQQ provides neurological protection is by reducing the damage from a substance called inducible nitric oxide synthase (iONs) which plays a crucial role following a spinal cord injury [9].  Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iONs) forms reactive nitrogen species and these have been shown to damage N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors [10].  NMDA receptors are important because they allow your nerves cells to communicate to one another so that they can carry out the everyday functions of your nervous system.  In addition to reducing damage due to strokes and spinal cord injuries PQQ has also been shown to help in the treatment of Parkinson's disease[11] and Alzheimer's disease [12].

PQQ has also had a positive affect on memory function in humans.  A randomized, double-blind study released in 2009 looked at the the effect of PQQ and CoQ10 supplementation over a 3 month period on 71 middle aged individuals.  What they found is that memory, attention, and cognition improved in individuals supplementing with PQQ and this affect was enhanced even more when taking both PQQ and CoQ10 together [13].

The last benefit I'll mention is the ability of PQQ to enhance the cell growth and development of human fibroblasts [16].  Why is this important to you?  Well, I'm sure all of you females out there will like this because human fibroblasts are the cells that form connective tissue in the body.  The constant regeneration of new connective tissue keeps your skin from wrinkling.  So when you take in adequate amounts of PQQ you are keeping those wrinkles at bay and retaining your youthful appearance.

How much PQQ do I need?

The recommended daily intake of PQQ has not been determined thus far by either the USDA or the World Health Organization.  Research is just beginning in humans in regards to this topic and until more studies come out we just don't know.  However, an article written in 2009 in the Alternative Medicine Review journal mentions that typical exposure to PQQ in humans tends to be 100-400 mcg/daily in the free form and 1-2 mg/day in the form of PQQ derivatives [14].

Remember the study mentioned above about PQQ increasing memory function in humans?  Well, that study involved individuals taking a dose of 20 mg/day of PQQ to achieve those beneficial results [13].  PQQ has been studied in humans in dosages up to 60 mg/day with no observed side effects or toxicities [14].  With all this in mind, I think it's safe to say that the jury is still out when it comes to determining what dose of PQQ is considered optimal for overall human health.

Where can I get PQQ?

It has been shown that humans and other animals cannot currently synthesize their own PQQ [17,18] so it must be obtained through diet or supplementation.  Therefore, PQQ is considered an essential micronutrient.  PQQ is available in supplement form but I believe the best way to get this micronutrient is from nutrient dense, plant-based foods.  I have always been of the philosophy that if you can get the nutrients you need through health promoting foods then this is a much better option over taking supplements.  The reason that this is the case is because when you consume health promoting foods (i.e. nutrient dense, plant-based foods) for any one particular nutrient you are also getting many other added benefits including increased fiber intake in addition to consuming a myriad of other important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals contained within these foods.

With this being said you can find PQQ in many different foods.  However, it is found in the highest quantities in plant-based foods as seen in the chart below.

To sum it all up

PQQ is new on the research front and it's exciting to see the initial benefits coming to light with this very important micronutrient.  As time goes on we'll get a better idea of just how much we need for optimal health.  Until then I think it's fair to say that it would be wise to do what's long been proven to improve the overall health and well being of human beings and that is - consume nutrient dense, whole foods that are from the plant-based spectrum (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts/seeds, and legumes) and limit or avoid foods that are highly processed or are from animal-based sources (meat, dairy, eggs).  Science has proven that you just can't go wrong with this approach.

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by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

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