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Toll Free (888 337-1122 ,, wvoratateEs.ltaxlstai Megadoses Of Vitamin E Benefit People Over 65 ALISON ASHTON Special to The Jewish News I f you're over 65, be sure you're getting enough vitamin E. The recommended daily allowance of 30 milligrams a day may be enough for younger people, but researchers have found that 200 mil- ligrams a day boosts the immune sys- tem in those 65 and over. A recent study conducted by the Nutritional Immunology Laboratory and the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston revealed that high levels of vitamin E enhances immunity by inhibiting the body's production of • certain fatty acids. Vitamin E could have an even more profound effect for people with Alzheimer's disease. A two-year clinical trial showed that 2,000 international units of vitamin E daily can slow the progression of the disease. Researcher Mary Sano, Ph.D., of the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University, says this news is noteworthy because this is the first time a medication or vitamin has been shown to actually halt progression of Alzheimer's rather than just provide relief from symptoms. "These findings are especially exciting in light of the fact that scientists presently have not identified other treatments that have shown similar benefits with respect to functional out- comes," says Sano, adding that more research is needed to determine if vita- min E can prevent Alzheimer's. Vitamin E is a lipid-soluble anti-oxi- dant that Sano suspects protects neu- rons from oxidative injury by free radi- cals. In people with Alzheimer's, neu- rons degenerate in regions of the brain affected by the disease, which results in memory loss and impaired cognitive ability. Sano notes that most people partici- pating in the study had no side effects from such high doses of the vitamin, but adds that it can worsen blood coag- ulation defects in people with those problems. Take It Easy Researchers at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., have found that stress and negative emotions really can lead to permanent heart damage. Tension, frustration, anger and sadness increase the risk of Alison Ashton writes for Copley News Service. 10/31 1997 138 : 1 -Wiiiiii°11111111115 myocardial ischemia, which results from restricted blood flow to the heart and can be a precursor of heart attacks. And you'd probably never know it, because this abnormality is usually painless. "Only a minority of patients we studied experienced chest pain, suggest- ing that patients were unaware that stress was affecting their hearts," says researcher Elizabeth Gullette. How did Duke's researchers find this out? They had 58 heart patients wear portable electrocardiogram monitors and record their moods and physical symptoms for two days. "Episodes of ischemia were more than twice as likely to occur in the hour following emotional stress com- pared to nonstress hours," says Gullette. Fat Emotions People who want to lose weight have a better chance of keeping the unwant- ed pounds off if they're willing to con- front the emotional issues that lead them to overeat. "When a person is ready to work on issues underneath his or her weight, the 7 weight is more likely to come off and stay off," says Lee Kern, clinical direc- tor of Structure House, a weight-con- trol center in Durham, N.C. Kern notes that successful clients at the clinic were willing to work on psy- chological codflicts and keep food diaries. The diary enabled them to track their eating patterns, especially unplanned indulgences and the emo- tions involved. Mother's Fears A new mother's fear of hurting baby could signify something more serious than simple nervousness, according to one expert. Dr. Kimberly Yonkers, director of thc) Reproductive Mood Disorders Program at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, says these moms could have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Postpartum OCD occurs four to six weeks after a woman gives birth; - symptoms include repetitive intrusive thoughts to harm the infant. Estrogen levels drop after delivery, which can lead to an imbalance in the brain chemical serotonin and cause OCD symptoms to emerge. Oxytocin is a hormone produced during preg- nancy that may also worsen pre-exist- ing OCD. Women diagnosed with postpartum OCD may benefit from certain antidepressants. ❑