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Blood levels omega-3 fatty acids from either fish or plants are moderately associated with a lower risk of dying from heart attacks, according to a new epidemiological study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, by researchers from Stanford and Tufts.¹

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids with a double bond (C=C) at the third carbon atom from the end of the carbon chain. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for normal metabolism.²Human body cannot synthesize omega-3 fatty acids, but can obtain the shorter-chain omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3(n-6)) through diet and use it to form the more important long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5(n-3)) and then from EPA, the most crucial, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6(n-3)).²The ability to make the longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids from ALA may be impaired in aging.^3,4

Animal based omega-3 fatty acids including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5(n-3)) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6(n-3)) were usually obtained exclusively from fish, especially fatty fish such as salmon, trout, anchovies, sardines, and herring. Plant-based omega-3 fatty acids including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3(n-6)) may be found various plant sources including in walnuts, flaxseed oil, algea oil, canola oil and some other seed and nuts oils.

By pooling findings from diverse large studies that had measured blood or tissue levels of omega-3 fatty acids, Stanford and Tufts scientists evaluated relationships between omega-3 fatty acids in blood with heart disease events over time. A total of 19 studies were involved from 16 countries including 45,637 participants. Of these, 7,973 people developed a first heart attack over time, including 2,781 deaths and 7,157 nonfatal heart attacks. The meta-analysis of these 19 studies showed that both fish-sourced and plant sourced omega-3s were associated with about a 10 percent lower risk of fatal heart attacks.

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Journal Reference:

Del Gobbo, L.C.; and Mozaffarian, D., et al. ω-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acid biomarkers and coronary heart disease: Pooling project of 19 cohort studies.. JAMA Internal Medicine, June 2016 DOI: 1001/jamainternmed.2016.2925
“Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Health: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals”. US National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. 2005. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
Freemantle E, Vandal M, Tremblay-Mercier J, Tremblay S, Blachère JC, Bégin ME, Brenna JT, Windust A, Cunnane SC (2006). “Omega-3 fatty acids, energy substrates, and brain function during aging”. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. 75 (3): 213–20.
Gao F, Taha AY, Ma K, Chang L, Kiesewetter D, Rapoport SI (2012). “Aging decreases rate of docosahexaenoic acid synthesis-secretion from circulating unesterified α-linolenic acid by rat liver”. AGE. 35 (3): 597–608.

About SGC: SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNCTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Stems cells are literally those “fountain of youth” cells that are vital in keeping us healthy and alive. In brain, we have neural stems cells proliferating in two main regions of the brain: the subventricular zone and hippocampal dentate gyrus. Unfortunately, as we age, the numbers of these neural stems cells decline and become insufficient to protect us against age-related injuries such as cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injuries and vascular dementia. The theory goes that if we can figure out a way of stimulating endogenous neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation in our brain, then we will be able to delay brain aging and maybe even avoid senile dementia.

Ginkgo biloba extract seems to be a solution. A research published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 18, 2013) hasfound that Ginko biloba effectively and safely treats memory loss and cognitive impairments in patients with senile dementia.

In the study, Gingko biloba extract seems to promote neural stem cells proliferation in the subventricular zone and dentate gyrus of animal models with vascular dementia. The end result is that Ginkgo biloba significantly improved learning and memory in the tested animal models with vascular dementia.

Gingko biloba has been extensively used in herbal medicine for treating brain diseases such as senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. These findings provide further evidence on how the herb works to protect brain from aging related diseases. For an easy and delicious way of taking Ginkgo biloba, check out Mocca Shots dark chocolate gummies here https://seattlegummy.com/product/moccashots/.

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Journal Reference: Wang JW, Chen W, Wang YL. A ginkgo biloba extract promotes proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells in vascular dementia rats. Neural Regeneration Research, 2013; 8 (18): 1655-1662 DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.18.003

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If you are reading this blog, I am sure that you are familiar with the role of vitamin D in promoting healthy bones and a healthy cardiovascular system as well as reduced risk for diabetes. Additional studies suggest that low vitamin D may be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. New research just added one more surprise benefit for vitamin D supplementation – vitamin D deficiency in pregnant mothers is linked with autistic traits in the child a few years down the track.

The researchers at Australia’s University of Queensland and the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands examined around 4,200 blood samples from pregnant women and their children and discovered a link between autism and low levels of vitamin D. More specifically, they found that pregnant women who were vitamin D deficient at 20 weeks gestation were more likely to have a child with autistic traits by the age of six.¹

The result from this Queensland study seems to support the conclusion from a previous study published in the Journal of Pediatric Neurosciences in 2014, which revealed that Vitamin D deficiency was higher in autism children compared to healthy children.²The case–control study conducted between June 2011 and May 2013 surveyed a total of 508 children, 254 of autism and 254 of healthy children. The analysis revealed that Vitamin D deficiency was higher in autism children compared to healthy children.

Most of the vitamin D that we rely on comes from the sun. But things like air quality, long and cold winters at higher latitudes or simply covering up to avoid dangerous uv exposure can limit the amount of vitamin D people draw from sunlight. Rather than taking in more sunlight and, with it, the heightened risk of skin cancer, the researchers suggest that taking vitamin D supplements may be a better path forward.

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Journal References:

Vinkhuyzen, A. E. et al. Gestational vitamin D deficiency and autism-related traits: the Generation R Study, Molecular Psychiatry November 29, 2016; doi: 10.1038/mp.2016.213
Bener, A. et al. Is high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency evidence for autism disorder?: In a highly endogamous population, J. Pediatr Neurosc. 2014 Sept-Dec; 9(3) 227-233.

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNCTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Depression is known to cause coronary heart disease in healthy patients. In patients with existing coronary heart disease, depression could cause adverse cardiovascular outcomes. A study carried out jointly by the scientists from NIH, Stanford, UCSF and Emery University showed that lower levels of omega–3 fatty acids in diet not only increase coronary heart disease risk, but may also be involved in the pathophysiology of depression.

The investigators measured red blood cell levels of two omega–3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and assessed depressive symptoms in a cross-sectional study of 987 adults with coronary heart disease. Omega –3 fatty acids were blindly measured in fasting venous blood samples. Specifically, the fatty acid composition of red blood cell membranes was measured. Red blood cell levels of EPA and DHA are presented as a percentage composition of total fatty acids.

The investigators assessed current depression using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. They evaluated the association between omega –3 fatty acid levels and depressive symptoms. The investigators also examined the association of omega–3 fatty acids with depression.

The prevalence of depression ranged from 23% in participants with less than 3.1% EPA + DHA in total blood fatty acids to 13% in participants with more than 4.3% EPA + DHA in total blood fatty acids. Each unit decrease in EPA + DHA was inversely associated with depressive symptoms, and these associations persisted after adjustment for age, sex and race. Similarly, each unit decrease in EPA + DHA was associated with significantly greater odds of depression.

This study extends the existing literature by finding a strong association between low omega–3 fatty acids and depression in outpatients with stable coronary hear disease. Therefore, supplementing DHA+EPA in a low omega-3 diet may help with managing both the progression and the physiological complications of coronary heart disease.

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Journal Reference:

Ali et al. Association between Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Depressive Symptoms among Patients with Established Coronary Artery Disease: Data from the Heart and Soul Study. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 2009; 78 (2): 125 DOI: 10.1159/000203118

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNCTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

For those of you who exercise regularly, you will know that exercise does great things to your mind and body. For me personally, I have to admit that I am going for the runner’s high. The collateral benefits are extra bonus, of course. A study published in the Cell Press journal Current Biology just gave us one more reason to hit the gym.

The researchers from the Donders Institute at the Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands reported that physical exercise after learning improves memory and memory traces. However, the caveat is that the memory boosting effect only presents when the exercise is done in a specific time window, i.e., four hours after the learning, but not immediately after learning.

In the study, the researchers tested the effects of a single session of physical exercise after learning on memory consolidation and long-term memory. Seventy-two study participants learned 90 picture-location associations over a period of approximately 40 minutes before being randomly assigned to one of three groups: one group performed exercise immediately, the second performed exercise four hours later, and the third did not perform any exercise. The exercise consisted of 35 minutes of interval training on an exercise bike at an intensity of up to 80 percent of participants’ maximum heart rates. Forty-eight hours later, participants returned for a test to show how much they remembered while their brains were imaged via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The researchers found that those who exercised four hours after their learning session retained the information better two days later than those who exercised either immediately or not at all. The brain images also showed that exercise after a time delay was associated with more precise representations in the hippocampus, an area important to learning and memory, when an individual answered a question correctly.

The results of the study suggest that appropriately timed physical exercise can improve long-term memory and highlight the potential of exercise as an intervention in educational and clinical settings. However, it is not yet clear exactly how or why delayed exercise has this effect on memory. Some earlier studies of laboratory animals suggest that naturally occurring chemical compounds in the body known as catecholamines, including dopamine and norepinephrine, can improve memory consolidation. One way to boost catecholamines is through physical exercise, which could be accounted for the observed memory boosting effects in this study.

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Journal Reference: van Dongen et al. Physical Exercise Performed Four Hours after Learning Improves Memory Retention and Increases Hippocampal Pattern Similarity during Retrieval. Current Biology, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.04.071

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

A range of diseases — from diabetes to cardiovascular disease, and from Alzheimer’s disease to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — are linked to changes to genes in the brain. A study by UCLA scientists has found that hundreds of those brain genes can be damaged by fructose, a sugar that’s common in the Western diet. This means that, by altering genes in the brain, fructose could affect the occurrence of these diseases. However, the researchers discovered good news as well: the omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), seems to reverse the harmful changes produced by fructose.

DHA occurs naturally in the membranes of our brain cells, but not in a large enough quantity to help fight diseases. Human brain and the body are deficient in the machinery to make DHA; it has to come through our diet. DHA strengthens synapses in the brain and enhances learning and memory. It is abundant in wild salmon and, to a lesser extent, in other fish and fish oil, as well as walnuts, flaxseed, and fruits and vegetables.

To test the effects of fructose and DHA, the researchers trained rats to escape from a maze, and then randomly divided the animals into three groups. Then, for six weeks, one group of rats drank water with an amount of fructose that would be roughly equivalent to a person drinking a liter of soda per day. The second group was given fructose water and a diet rich in DHA. The third received water without fructose and no DHA.

After the six weeks, the rats were put through the maze again. The animals that had been given only the fructose navigated the maze about half as fast than the rats that drank only water — indicating that the fructose diet had impaired their memory. The rats that had been given fructose and DHA, however, showed very similar results to those that only drank water — which strongly suggests that the DHA eliminated fructose’s harmful effects.

Other tests on the rats revealed more major differences: The rats receiving a high-fructose diet had much higher blood glucose, triglycerides and insulin levels than the other two groups. Those results are significant because in humans, elevated glucose, triglycerides and insulin are linked to obesity, diabetes and many other diseases.

The research team sequenced more than 20,000 genes in the rats’ brains, and identified more than 700 genes in the hypothalamus (the brain’s major metabolic control center) and more than 200 genes in the hippocampus (which helps regulate learning and memory) that were altered by the fructose. The altered genes they identified, the vast majority of which are comparable to genes in humans, are among those that interact to regulate metabolism, cell communication and inflammation. Among the conditions that can be caused by alterations to those genes are Parkinson’s disease, depression, bipolar disorder, and other brain diseases.

The research also uncovered new details about the mechanism fructose uses to disrupt genes. The scientists found that fructose removes or adds a biochemical group to cytosine, one of the four nucleotides that make up DNA. This type of modification plays a critical role in turning genes “on” or “off.”

Americans get most of their fructose in foods that are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup such as soda drinks. Next time, when top off your cup at the soda fountain, remember to take your omega-3 supplement with the drink.

Thanks for reading.

Journal Reference:

Meng, QY et al. Systems Nutrigenomics Reveals Brain Gene Networks Linking Metabolic and Brain Disorders. EBioMedicine, 2016; DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.04.008

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Caffeine has well-known short-term stimulating effects on central nervous system, but the long-term impacts on cognition have been less clear. Scientists from Indiana University (IU) just gave those of us, who live on coffee and tea, another reason to enjoy that steaming cup of mocha. It turns out that caffeine not long gives you that extra boost in the morning but also protects you against dementia in old age.

A study by Indiana University researchers has identified caffeine, one of the 24 compounds with the potential to boost an enzyme in the brain shown to protect against dementia.¹ The protective enzyme, called NMNAT2, plays two roles in the brain: a protective function to guard neurons from stress and a “chaperone function” to combat misfolded proteins, which accumulate in the brain as “plaques” due to aging. Misfolded proteins have been linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, as well as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

To identify substances with the potential to affect the production of the NMNAT2 enzyme in the brain, the researchers screened over 1,280 compounds, including existing drugs. A total of 24 compounds were identified as having potential to increase the production of NMNAT2 in the brain. One of the substances shown to increase production of the enzyme was caffeine, which also has been shown to improve memory function in animal model genetically modified to produce high levels of misfolded proteins. To confirm the effect of caffeine, IU researchers administered caffeine to mice modified to produce lower levels of NMNAT2. As a result, the mice began to produce the same levels of the enzyme as normal mice. This means that caffeine increased the production of the protective enzyme in the brain and therefore could potentially lead to the protection of the brain against the dementia.

This UI research supports earlier epidemiology studies showing the protective effect of caffeine in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. For Example, the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study by Finland researchers in 2010 showed that coffee drinking of 3-5 cups per day at midlife was associated with a decreased risk of dementia/AD by about 65% at late-life.² The Finland researchers hypothesized that the correlation may be mediated by caffeine and/or other mechanisms like antioxidant capacity and increased insulin sensitivity. The UI research seems to confirm that caffeine is a key factor for the brain protecting effect of the coffee.

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Journal Reference:

Yousuf O. Ali, Gillian Bradley, Hui-Chen Lu. Screening with an NMNAT2-MSD platform identifies small molecules that modulate NMNAT2 levels in cortical neurons. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7: 43846 DOI: 10.1038/srep43846
Eskelinen MH1, Kivipelto M. Caffeine as a protective factor in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, J Alzheimers Dis. 2010; 20 Suppl 1:S167-74. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2010-1404.

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Saturated fats have been associated with the rising population of overweight, obese and type 2 diabetes. Scientists at the German Diabetes Center (Deutsches Diabetes-Zentrum, DDZ) and the Helmholtz Center in Munich (HMGU) have found that even the one-off consumption of a greater amount of palm oil reduces the body’s sensitivity to insulin and causes increased fat deposits as well as changes in the energy metabolism of the liver. The results of the study provide information on the earliest changes in the metabolism of the liver that in the long term lead to fatty liver disease in overweight persons as well as in those with type 2 diabetes.

In the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a group of German researchers published a scientific investigation conducted on healthy, slim men, who were given at random a flavored palm oil drink or a glass of clear water in a control experiment. The palm oil drink contained a similar amount of saturated fat as two cheeseburgers with bacon and a large portion of French fries or two salami pizzas. The scientists showed that this single high-fat meal sufficed to cause insulin resistance and increased fat content in the liver. In addition, changes in the energy balance of the liver were noted. Specifically, the observed metabolic changes were similar to changes observed in persons with type 2 diabetes or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease associated with obesity and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

The surprise from this study was that a single dosage of palm oil has such a rapid and direct impact on the liver of a healthy person and that the amount of fat administered triggered insulin resistance. In the study, scientists used non-invasive MRI to monitored the liver metabolism, which allows for tracking the storage of sugar and fat as well as the energy metabolism of the mitochondria (power plants of the cell). Through the investigation, the scientists were able to verify that the intake of palm oil affects the metabolic activity of muscles, liver and fatty tissue. The induced insulin resistance leads to an increased new formation of sugar in the liver with a simultaneously decreased sugar absorption in the skeletal muscles — a mechanism that makes the glucose level rise in persons afflicted with type 2 diabetes and its pre-stages. The insulin resistance of the fatty tissue increased fats\ release into the blood stream, which further causes the insulin resistance. In addition, the increased availability of fat leads to an increased workload for the mitochondria, which can in the long term overtax these cellular power plants and contribute to the emergence of a liver disease.

The take home message is that a single indulgence of fatty food will cause havoc in your system; and, depending on genetic predisposition, you may be able to manage this temporary negative impact. However, long-term consumption of high-fat diet can be problematic potentially leading to various metabolic problems.

Journal Reference:

Elisa Álvarez Hernández, Sabine Kahl, Anett Seelig, Paul Begovatz, Martin Irmler, Yuliya Kupriyanova, Bettina Nowotny, Peter Nowotny, Christian Herder, Cristina Barosa, Filipa Carvalho, Jan Rozman, Susanne Neschen, John G. Jones, Johannes Beckers, Martin Hrabě de Angelis, Michael Roden. Acute dietary fat intake initiates alterations in energy metabolism and insulin resistance. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2017; 127 (2): 695 DOI: 10.1172/JCI89444

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

If you need one more excuse for your cocoa/chocolate addition, here it is: scientists from the University of Cambridge found that higher levels of chocolate consumption have been associated with a 37% reduction in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, 31% reduction in diabetes and a 29% reduction for stroke.

Previous research has shown that cocoa products appear to have a positive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on heart health. A Cambridge study analyzed the results from seven previous studies involving more than 114,000 participants who consumed cocoa products including dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate bars, chocolate drinks and chocolate snacks. The Cambridge analysis found a significant association between increased consumption of these cocoa products and reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes.

Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death worldwide and will kill nearly 23.6 million people by 2030 according to World Health Organization. It is well known that heart diseases are largely preventable through lifestyle changes including diet. Cocoa products, as popular as they already are worldwide, may provide a convenient and popular way of helping prevent these illnesses.

Did you know that more than 30% of Mocca Shots are organically sourced cocoa? Take Mocca Shots, it’s good for you.

Journal Reference: Buitrago-Lopez, A., Sanderson J. et al. Chocolate consumption and cardio metabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis, British Medical Journal 2011; 343 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d4448 (published 29 August 2011)

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Various studies in North America, Europe, and Asia have shown consistently that coffee drinking reduces mortality, including deaths from cardiovascular disease and some cancers. However, for some people who are sensitive to caffeine, coffee drinking can cause unpleasant side effects such as jittery, heart palpitation, anxiety and nervousness. Therefore, there are concerns about coffee’s health benefit, particularly among people with caffeine sensitivity, and among those drinking more than 5 cups per day.

The UK Biobank is a population-based study that invited approximately 9.2 million individuals from across the United Kingdom to participate. The researchers used baseline demographic, lifestyle, and genetic data form the UK Biobank population, with follow-up beginning in 2006 and ending in 2016, to study the relationship between coffee intake and mortality. As part of this study, the researchers especially noted the potential effect of genes that are known to modify caffeine metabolisms in the body and causes caffeine sensitivities. Of the 502,641 participants who consented with baseline data, the researchers included those who were not pregnant and had complete data on coffee intake and smoking status, which results in 498,134 volunteers to be included in the study.

The mean age of the participants was 57 years (range, 38-73 years); 271,019 (54%) were female, and 387,494 (78%) were coffee drinkers. Over 10 years of follow-up, 14 225 deaths occurred. Coffee drinking was inversely associated with all-cause mortality. Using non–coffee drinkers as the reference group, Hazardous Ratios (HR, meaning the ratio between drinking and death) for drinking less than 1, 1, 2 to 3, 4 to 5, 6 to 7, and 8 or more cups per day were 0.94 (95% CI, 0.88-1.01), 0.92 (95% CI, 0.87-0.97), 0.88 (95% CI, 0.84-0.93), 0.88 (95% CI, 0.83-0.93), 0.84 (95% CI, 0.77-0.92), and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.77-0.95), respectively – meaning the more coffee you drink, the less likely you will die.

The researchers concluded that coffee drinking reduces mortality, including among participants drinking 1 up to 8 or more cups per day. The reduction of mortality seems to be proportional to the amount of coffee consumed. In addition, the researchers noted that there were no differences observed in caffeine sensitive population. This study provides further evidence that coffee drinking can be part of a healthy diet and offers reassurance to coffee drinkers.

If carrying cups of coffee around is too troublesome, try Mocca Shots — packing two cups of coffee worth of caffeine in one convenient packet. Mocca Shots lets you stay alert anytime and GET __ DONE anywhere.

Journal Reference: Erikka Loftfield; Marilyn C. Cornelis; Neil Caporaso, Association of Coffee Drinking With Mortality by Genetic Variation in Caffeine Metabolism, JAMA Intern Med. Published online July 2, 2018. Doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.2425

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.