Health Options Alan Titchenal  & Joannie Dobbs                    Wednesday, July 11 , 2001

False nutrition hype flows fast

Without a doubt, the science discussed most nearly any day is nutrition, and most of this discussion contains a significant amount of fiction and snake-oil hype. Even though good nutrition research is proceeding at a rapid rate, the rate of blatant misinformation is accelerating even faster.

So much nutrition promotion is about selling products that contain "magical" properties or have the ability to defy the laws of chemistry and physics. This is especially true for many weight-loss products.

Promoters of such products are conting on you never having mastered basic high school science. They are literally banking on you willingness to ignore what you learned, based on your desire to believe in the magical properties proclaimed in their sales pitches.

LISTED BELOW are a few concepts to keep you from being a nutrition product victim.

Nutrients are chemicals; this is not a debatable point. When someone tells you that a product is all natu­ral and contains no chemicals, you have to question what they mean.

Just because a product is natural, doesn't mean it is better or even safe. Hemlock and cyanide both occur naturally and can kill you.

Body weight is maintained by balancing energy (calories) consumed by the energy the body needs to function. Most of this energy goes to maintain heart, lung, liver and kidney functions, and to a lesser de­gree for work and exercise.

The main component of the human body is water. If a person loses more than 1 or 2 pounds in a week, most of the weight loss is water. Many weight-loss products fall under the category of diuretics. These products remove water, but can also remove important body minerals, which can disrupt normal heart function.

Only four food components supply energy to the body: protein, carbohydrate, fat and alcohol. Vitamins promote chemical reactions but do not provide energy. Many "Energy boosting" vitamin products may make your feel more energized, but often do this through caffeine, in the form of ma huang, guarana, and/or kola nut.

Foods and nutrients are neither good nor bad by nature. Too much of an essential nutrient can be as big a problem as too little.

Just because someone says they are a nutritionist doesn't mean they have a valid degree. Many individuals take a weekend course, then call themselves nutritionists. Earning a masters degree in nutrition from an accredited college or university takes two to three years. After a bachelor's degree, earning a Ph.D. may take up to eight years. Would you trust your car to a person who took a one or two-day class in auto mechanics?

Companies promoting worthless dietary products are banking that you don't believe your basic high school science is important and therefore won't encourage your children to learn the sciences either.

components are being identified. A number of studies point to the importance of foods high in antioxidants, especially vitamin E and the mineral selenium.

Good sources of vitamin E include nuts and seeds, spinach, fortified breakfast cereals and sunflower, safflower and canola oils. For those taking vitamin E supplements, it is best that the dosage not exceed 400 IU per day. Those taking blood-thinner drugs should not take vitamin E supplements without a physician's supervision.

Foods high in selenium include nuts (especially brazil nuts), fish, whole grains and lean red meats. Just one brazil nut provides 150 percent of a man's recommended daily allowance of 55 micrograms. Because selenium can be toxic, total intake should not exceed 400 micrograms per day.

Adequate vitamin D, from moderate sun exposure or from diet, also might help. And phytoestrogens from soy foods might work in conjunction with vitamin D to fur­ther reduce risk.

Other recommended foods include grapes, peanuts and green tea.

Q: Can foods or nutrients increase risks?

A: Excessively high calcium intake from supplements or foods might increase risk, although remaining within commonly recommended calcium levels should not be a problem.

High intake of an omega-3 fatty acid called alphalinolenic acid is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer as well as retinal macular degeneration. Flax oil, therefore, should be used in moderation.

Q: What herbs are used for prostate health?

A: Standardized extracts of saw palmetto might benefit the prostate gland, but saw palmetto can compound effects of blood-thinner drugs, including aspirin, and should be used with medical supervision.

Q: Can exercise help?

A: Regular exercise appears to be the most important factor in promoting prostate health. How and why remains a matter of further study.