I lost a dear friend this week. He will be sorely missed.

John R Carlson 1934-2011

LONG GROVE, Ill.—John R. Carlson, the co-founder and president of J.R. Carlson Laboratories, passed away Oct. 1; he was 77. Carlson retired last fall from his post at the company, and was serving as Director Emeritus. For 45 years, Carlson was dedicated to the natural products industry, serving as an active member of industry organizations including the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, Natural Products Association (NPA), National Institute of Nutritional Education and Mid-American Health Organization; he was a founding member of Citizens for Health. In 2001, he received NPA’s Crusader Award for given for “notable individual contributions above and beyond commercial success" and to those whose contributions have had a lasting benefit to the industry.

John Gay, executive director and CEO of NPA, commented, “John Carlson was tremendous supporter and leader of the Natural Products Association and the natural products industry for many years. He will be missed by all, but leaves a substantial legacy of giving back to the industry for us to emulate.”

Carlson is survived by his wife, Susan, daughters Carilyn Anderson and Kirsten Cecchin, and three grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Natural Products Foundation.

Omega-3 supplements reduce both inflammation and anxiety.

A daily dose of 2.5 grams of marine source omega-3s ( EPA and DHA) may reduce symptoms of anxiety by about 20%, according to new data from the Ohio State University.

Twelve weeks of supplementation was also associated with a significant reduction in a range of inflammatory marker compounds: An important finding considering that inflammation is reported to be a major factor in many age associated sources of death and disability, note the Ohio State scientists.

The study adds to the ever growing body of science supporting the potential health benefits of omega-3. The majority of the science has focused on the cardiovascular benefits of the oils, but an increasing number of studies are reporting the potential cognitive effects related to mood and behavior.

“The reduction in anxiety symptoms associated with [omega]-3 supplementation provides the first evidence that omega-3 may have potential [anti-anxiety] benefits for individuals without an anxiety disorder diagnosis,” wrote the authors in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity .

“Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation and anxiety in medical students: A randomized controlled trial”

Authors: J.K. Kiecolt-Glaser, M.A. Belury, R. Andridge, W.B. Malarkey, R. Glaser

Vitamin D Deficiency Common In Cancer Patients.

More than three-quarters of cancer patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D (25-hydroxy-vitaminD) and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancer, according to a study presented on October 2, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology. (ASTRO).

Until recently, studies have not investigated whether vitamin D has an impact on the prognosis or course of cancer. Researchers are just starting to examine how vitamin D may impact specific features of cancer, such as the stage or extent of tumor spread, prognosis, recurrence or relapse of disease, and even sub-types of cancer.

160 patients with a median age of 64 years and a 1:1 ratio of men to women. The five most common primary diagnoses were breast, prostate, lung, thyroid and colorectal cancer. A total of 77 percent of patients had vitamin D concentrations either deficient (less than 20 ng/mL) or sub-optimal (20-30 ng/mL). The median serum vitamin D level was 23.5 ng/mL. Regardless of the age or sex of the patient, levels of vitamin D were below the median predicted for advanced stage disease in the patient group.

Patients who were found to be vitamin D deficient were administered replacement therapy,

increasing serum D levels by an average of 14.9 ng/mL. Investigators will be analyzing if vitamin D supplementation had an impact on aspects of treatment or survival in the long-term.

Supplement May Improve Recovery From Spinal Cord Injuries

UK Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (SCoBIRC) - have discovered that in experimental models, severe spinal cord injury can be treated effectively by administering the supplement acetyl-L-carnitine or ALC, a derivative of essential amino acids that can generate metabolic energy, soon after injury.

The researchers previously reported that following spinal cord injury, the mitochondria, or energy generation components of cells, are overwhelmed by chemical stresses and lose the ability to produce energy in the form of the compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This leads to cell death at the injury site and, ultimately, paralysis of the body below the injury level.

Results soon to be published show that administration of ALC soon after a paralyzing injury promoted the milestone recovery of the ability to walk. Unlike the animal control group given no ALC, which regained only slight hind limb movements, the group treated with ALC recovered hind limb movements more quickly and were able to stand on all four limbs and walk a month later. Critically, such remarkable recovery was correlated with significant tissue sparing at the injury site following administration of ALC.

Because ALC can be administered orally, and is well-tolerated at relatively high doses in humans, researchers believe that their discovery may be translated easily to clinical practice as an early intervention for people with traumatic spinal cord injuries.

Samir P. Patel, Patrick G. Sullivan, Travis S. Lyttle, Alexander G. Rabchevsky. Acetyl-l-carnitine ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction following contusion spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurochemistry, 2010