Nutrients Vs. Disease: An Update
Can certain vitamins and minerals boost the immune system, helping to ward off colds, cancer, acquired immune deficiency syndrome and other diseases?
It’s a question being asked by a number of scientists who are studying the effects on immunity of such substances as beta-carotene, zinc, selenium and Vitamins C, E and B-6.
So far, the studies have yielded promising clues but no definitive answers, according to Jeanine Barone, a nutritionist and exercise physiologist with the American Health Foundation in New York, who summarizes the research in the current issue of Nutrition Action Health-letter. The newsletter is a publication of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, based in Washington.
“Beta-carotene, the precursor of Vitamin A found in many green and yellow fruits and vegetables, seems to play a role in immunity,” she writes, citing a Toronto study in which men who took daily doses of extra beta-carotene showed an increase in helper T-cells, the so-called “battle managers” of the immune system, while men who didn’t get the extra beta-carotene showed no such T-cell increase.
Research Results
Other immune system research shows:
--Subjects with low levels of Vitamin B-6 who took 25 times the U.S. recommended daily allowance (RDA) of the vitamin scored higher on four immune tests after supplementation.
--Vitamin C supplementation didn’t protect subjects in another study from getting colds, but it did seem to lessen the severity of symptoms.
--In one study, healthy subjects who took 20 times the RDA of zinc had some decrease in immune system functioning. In another, megadoses of zinc impaired immune responses in healthy subjects but improved them in those whose initial functioning was weak.
“Based on current data, we really cannot recommend megadosing on vitamins and minerals to boost the immune system,” said Barone, who does advise taking a daily vitamin supplement, minimizing dietary fat (some studies suggest that low-fat diets protect immunity) and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Dr. Joseph Vitale, professor of pathology and nutrition at Boston University School of Medicine, concurs. Based on current data, he said the best advice is trite but true: “Eat a balanced diet.”
Pesticide Precautions
Ants, fleas and crickets can be especially pesky this time of year. If you are planning to spray your yard with pesticides, here are some steps to minimize the health risks:
“Adults, children and pets should stay out of treated areas until they are dry,” said John Munro, director of education for the Pest Control Operators of California Inc., a Sacramento-based trade association. “If it’s a hot day, spray on a yard could dry in 15 minutes. But if it’s cloudy it might take up to two hours.”
If the grass becomes wet again after pesticide application (from watering or dew, for instance), stay off until it’s dry, advised a spokeswoman from the National Pesticide Telecommunications Network in Lubbock, Tex., a clearinghouse co-sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and Texas Technical University Health Sciences Center.
Follow directions when using indoor insecticides, experts advised. And be on the alert for possible symptoms of insecticide poisoning, such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. For more information on pesticides, including alternatives to pesticide use, call the network’s 24-hour toll-free hot line: (800) 858-PEST.
Hip to Horticulture
Horticultural therapy--a treatment based on gardening and often used in rehabilitation programs--can also inspire senior citizens to eat better, exercise more and have higher self-esteem, say proponents.
About 200 registered horticultural therapists, with training in gardening and behavioral sciences, now practice in the United States, according to Charles Richman, executive director of the Maryland-based American Horticultural Therapy Assn.
Many senior-based programs are in nursing homes and senior centers, but horticultural therapy also can be practiced by individuals who live alone. “Horticultural therapy can provide a source of physical activity, a way to stimulate the mind and improve the social skills of seniors, plus have a positive impact on the living environment,” said Gene Rothert, a horticultural therapist with the Chicago Botanic Garden.
(A book written for therapists and individuals details step-by-step information. Called “Horticultural Therapy for Nursing Homes, Senior Centers and Retirement Living,” it’s available through the Chicago Horticultural Society for $10. Write “Books,” care of the society, P.O. Box 400, Glencoe, Ill., 60022.)
Earring Allergies
The boom in costume jewelry sales is good news for manufacturers, but not for earring wearers sensitive to the nickel often found in such jewelry.
More allergic contact dermatitis rashes are due to nickel than all other metals combined, says Dr. Carl S. Korn, a Sherman Oaks dermatologist and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the USC School of Medicine. To prevent such reactions, he said, “be sure instruments used to pierce ears are stainless steel and that earring studs are stainless steel.” (Even stainless steel contains nickel, he explained, but it’s tightly bound and not as likely to escape.)
Once a reaction occurs, immediately remove the earrings and wash the affected areas with water and an antibacterial soap, Korn advised. If there’s no relief within a day, seek professional help from a dermatologist, he added.
A kit sold by Allerderm Laboratories Inc. in Mill Valley, Calif., tests for nickel in metallic objects and is designed for use by those with a history of nickel allergy, said a company spokeswoman. Information: (800) 365-6868.
