• President's Desk  — New Hormone Testing Kits Offer More Flexibility, Value

• Neuroendocrine Theory Of Aging, Part II:  — Adaptive Homeostat Dysfunction

• Vitamin E:  — Still Beneficial After All These Years

• Why Test Hormones?  — 

• Veterinary Myth: Pets in Pain  — 

• Vitamin Wars Update  — 

• Resveratrol Inhibits Development of Mammary Tumors in Mice  — Breaking News 2/14/05
• Silymarin May Support Skin Health, New Review Indicates  — Breaking News 1/31/05

• CarnoSee Benefit after Six Months?
• Alternatives to Adderal for ADHD
• Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis
• Alternatives to Andro
• Statin Required to Reduce LDL?
• Venous Insufficiency and Stasis Dermatitis
• Nutritional Aids to Orthopedic Surgery Recovery
• Brittle, splitting fingernails

Beginning this month, Vitamin Research Products is pleased to offer our customers a new Hormone Testing Kit. The article in this months newsletter provides an overview of hormone testing, the role of specific hormones, and what measuring these hormones can reveal. Hormone testing to determine the level of imbalances is an invaluable first step towards attaining optimal health. VRP’s new Hormone Testing Kits provide more flexibility in the selection of tests, verified accuracy, greater ease-of-use— even better pricing. I’m confident our customers will find this new product to be of great value. Here are some of the many benefits the new kits offer:

• FDA-approved saliva testing
• Highly accurate results based on four daily samples instead of one
• User-friendly sampling requiring only two to three minutes to collect.
• Highly sensitive and specific testing that is raising the industry standard
• Rapid results in three to five business days.

Part I of the Neuroendocrine Theory of Aging introduced Professor Vladimir Dilman’s revolutionary theory of the causes of aging, as well as potential therapeutic approaches.

The central thesis of the Neuro-endocrine Theory is that the aging process is caused by an age-related loss of central (hypothalamic) and peripheral receptor sensitivity to inhibition by hormones and other signaling substances.

This loss of hypothalamic sensitivity results in a progressive shifting of homeostasis—the body’s regulatory system for maintaining internal balance—and altered levels of hormones, neurotransmitters, and cell signalers. These metabolic shifts are believed to cause aging and the diseases of aging.

With this new understanding, novel therapeutic approaches to delay and even reverse aging become obvious. All of these areas will be discussed at greater length in forthcoming issues of Vitamin Research News.

Stress and Its Relation to Diseases and Aging
Professor Hans Selye defined stress as the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it.(1) Stress-producing factors, or stressors, can be physical (work and exercise), biological (viral, bacterial and fungal), environmental (heat and cold), and situational (job, family, etc).

And while there are numerous stressors, the responses they elicit from the body are very similar. Reactions to stress are totally nonspecific, and common to all types of stressors. Emotional stimuli are probably the most common stressors that most of us encounter in our daily lives—but they elicit the same physiological response that an encounter with a saber-tooth tiger did for our cave-man ancestors.

While excess stress can adversely affect human health, certain types of stress are actually good for us and can benefit our health. For example, most people today recognize the multiple physical and emotional benefits to be gained from physical exercise.

Physicians once treated heart attacks with enforced inactivity. Now, we know that early resumption of physical activity (stress) is often the key to a successful recovery. According to Selye, stress is “the spice of life.” Certainly a life free of stress and devoid of challenges would be filled with boredom and hardly worth living. The most memorable events in life tend to be those that are the most stressful—situations that require us to rise to a challenge and push past our normal limits. Selye asks, “Who would enjoy a life of no runs, no hits, no errors?” When stress becomes excessive, is damaging or unpleasant, we then properly refer to it as “distress.”

Consequently, when we say someone is “under stress,” we usually mean excessive stress, or distress. Clearly, an issue for those looking to survive (and enjoy) the best in life is not how to avoid stress, but how to best manage stress.

How the Body Reacts to Stress

1. General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) was first described by Professor Selye in 1936 (Fig. 1). The GAS involves three progressive stages. The first stage is the alarm reaction, characterized by surprise and anxiety when confronted with a new situation. During the alarm reaction, the adrenal medulla produces epinephrine and norepinephrine—the “flight or fight” hormones. Additionally, the adrenal cortex is stimulated to produce additional cortisol and related hormones.

The second stage is that of resistance, where we learn to efficiently cope with the stressor (adaptation). An ideal situation is one in which adaptation occurs and continues until the stressful situation resolves, with a rapid return to the resting state. If the stage of resistance is prolonged, or the response is excessive, hyperadaptosis can occur.(2,3) While everyone’s adaptational capacity (i.e., tolerance to stress) is different— what may “charge one person’s batteries” may totally devastate someone else— ultimately our capacity for adaptation is limited.

Consequently, the third stage of the GAS is that of exhaustion, involving a depletion of our energy reserves and loss of adaptational ability, leading to fatigue, or other symptoms or diseases. Just as a chain breaks at its weakest link, exhaustion of our adaptive capacity results in stress-induced disease.

2. Neuroendocrine Adaptation Mechanisms—the Adaptive Homeostat
Dilman described the system that enables the body to deal with stress as the adaptive homeostat. The adaptive homeostat consists of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (Fig. 2). In order to fully appreciate the significance of Dilman’s work and his sometimes-unfamiliar terminology, a review of basic endocrinology may be helpful.

Stressors normally excite the hypothalamus to produce corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH). CRH in turn causes the pituitary to produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which induces the adrenal cortex to secrete glucocorticoids (principally cortisol) and DHEA.

ACTH also stimulates the adrenal medulla to secrete the “flight or fight” hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine. As cortisol levels rise they have an inhibitory effect on the hypothalamus and pituitary, which in turn decrease CRH and ACTH production, respectively. Conversely, when blood cortisol levels decrease, hypothalamic activity increases, releasing CRH.

This increases pituitary ACTH output, which stimulates the adrenal cortex to increase blood cortisol levels. In this cyclic manner, equilibrium is maintained in the system.

Cortisol concentrations in the blood undergo cyclic, diurnal (circadian) changes—higher in the morning, and lower in the afternoon and evening. These changes are due to variations in CRH and ACTH output, as well as to changes in hypothalamic and CNS sensitivity to cortisol (these changes in hypothalamic sensitivity are very important). With normal diurnal rhythm, blood ACTH levels rise between 3 and 6 a.m., causing increases in blood cortisol. These peak levels gradually decrease, dropping to minimal levels by night. Under normal conditions, basal morning cortisol concentrations are twice those at night.

Effects of Cortisol
Cortisol is an anti-inflammatory, catabolic hormone, which is essential to life. Release of high amounts of cortisol for short periods enables the body to deal with stress. Cortisol elevates blood glucose, decreases protein synthesis, and promotes fatty acid mobilization, making these substances available for energy and for synthesis of other compounds needed by different tissues of the body. Cortisol also helps to control allergies and inflammation by stabilizing lysosomes. Cortisol has been described by Dr. William Jefferies, author of Safe Uses of Cortisone, as “the hormone of life,” as without it we would be unable to adapt to the various stressors of life.(4) However, when cortisol is produced in excess over a prolonged period, it can have a number of adverse, damaging effects.

Hyperadaptosis
Prolonged periods of exposure to elevated levels of cortisol (such as occurs during chronic stress) cause a number of adverse effects in the body. These include elevation of blood sugar (diabetes), sodium retention (resulting in hypertension), suppression of immunity, gastric ulcers, headaches, loss of bone density (osteoporosis), heart attacks, loss of even more hypothalamic glucocorticoid (cortisol) receptors (creating a “vicious cycle”), and increased neuronal cell death in the brain.(5)

Dilman theorized that with increased age the hypothalamus becomes less sensitive to the inhibitory effects of cortisol. Thus, increasingly higher levels of cortisol are required to inhibit cortisol production and restore balance. Dilman conclusively demonstrated the adverse effects of aging on the adaptive homeostat in women by measuring cortisol levels in surgical patients of various ages before and after surgery.(6)

His study revealed that while there were no differences in basal cortisol levels in women of different ages, in older women cortisol levels rose faster, went higher, and remained elevated longer following surgery. This confirmed that the stress response is more intense and of longer duration with increased age (Fig. 3). Indeed, after age 40 many people undergo a characteristic change of appearance with age, as faces become moon-like and fat accumulates around the waist.

These changes are usually accompanied by a relative loss of fat and muscle on the arms and legs. When severe, these changes cause the person to resemble someone with Cushing’s Syndrome. Cushing’s Syndrome results from chronic excessive exposure to cortisol (Fig. 4).

In many ways, age-related metabolic and physiologic changes in the adaptive homeostat resemble the body’s response to chronic stress and prolonged exposure to excess cortisol. Dilman coined the term hyperadaptosis to describe this state. He believed that aging itself is a chronic stressor, and that everybody suffers, to a greater or lesser degree, from hyperadaptosis.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis of hyperadaptosis is usually based on a spectrum of signs and/or symptoms listed in Table 1. These signs and symptoms are similar to those found in persons who suffer from hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia—all of which may be related to hyperadaptosis.

Often, treatment is initiated on an empirical basis (i.e., “educated guesswork”), with no further testing, since treatment is relatively benign and the likelihood of improvement so high.

There are a number of tests that may contribute to the diagnosis, including blood or salivary tests of a.m./p.m. cortisol levels, and the DHEA-S/cortisol ratio. The low-dose dexamethasone-suppression test (used by many psychiatrists to evaluate depression) is considered the “gold standard.” These tests provide objective information on which to base the optimal therapeutic program.

Prevention and Treatment of Hyperadaptosis —Therapeutic Approaches / Intervention Based on the Neuroendocrine Theory

Dilman proposed that the most effective approaches to delay (and even reverse) the aging process and ameliorate the diseases of aging were to:

1. Restore hypothalamic (and peripheral) receptor sensitivity;
   
2. Restore hormone levels to more youthful values by hormone replacement therapy;
   
3. Prevent damaging effects of the hormones(3);
   
4. Restore intracellular bioenergetics.
   

Vitamin E has been safely used by tens of millions of Americans over the past 55 years, and it is one of the most popular individual vitamin supplements. In light of the recent trumped-up adverse publicity regarding vitamin E, here is a brief but reassuring overview of the many benefits of vitamin E supplementation.

I will only focus on five major areas of vitamin E’s benefits, but this by no means exhausts the areas of health and disease where vitamin E is known to provide benefit. In addition, the studies cited in each section represent only a sampling of the many favorable reports on vitamin E available in the published scientific literature.

Vitamin E: What Is It?
“Vitamin E” (VE) is a term used to designate a family of eight closely related fat-soluble antioxidants: alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherols, and alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocotrienols.(1) Traditionally, alpha-tocopherol or mixed tocopherols have been the main VE supplement forms sold in the United States. Recently, gamma-tocopherol and mixed tocotrienol supplements have also become available. VE occurs in both a natural form (called d-alpha tocopherol or RRR-tocopherol) and a synthetic form (known as dL-tocopherol or all-racemic tocopherol). D-alpha tocopherol has generally been the most popular form, and there are sound biological reasons for alpha’s popularity.

In recent years a protein made by the liver—alpha-tocopherol transport protein —has been discovered that selects d-alpha tocopherol for transport throughout the body, while leaving most of the other tocopherols and stereoisomers of synthetic E to be degraded and excreted.(2)

Even though gamma-tocopherol is more plentiful than alpha-tocopherol in the American diet, because of the action of the alpha-tocopherol transport protein, plasma levels of gamma-tocopherol are only about 10 percent as high as plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol.(2)

Gamma-tocopherol has been shown to be a more effective protector against toxic peroxy-nitrites than alpha-tocopherol, yet it has been shown that alpha-tocopherol “alone is sufficient to remove any peroxynitrite-derived reactive nitrogen species in vivo [in the body].”(1) The need for gamma-tocopherol to detoxify peroxynitrite only occurs if all alpha-tocopherol body stores are exhausted.(1) In addition, alpha-tocopherol has been shown to have many non-antioxidant functions shared little or not at all by the other tocopherols.(2) Thus, alpha-tocopherol can rightly be considered the “star” of the vitamin E family.

Vitamin E: Neuroprotector
Human, animal and in vitro (test tube) research has shown multiple ways in which alpha-tocopherol protects the brain and nerves. A study reported in 1997 found that natural alpha-tocopherol slowed the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. In the study, 341 patients with moderate Alzheimer’s were given selegiline (a prescription drug), alpha-tocopherol, placebo or alpha-tocopherol plus selegiline for two years. The primary outcome was the time to occurrence of “death, institutionalization, loss of the ability to perform basic activities of daily living, or severe dementia.”(3)

Alpha-tocopherol delayed the primary outcome for 670 days, compared to 440 days for the placebo.3 A prospective study of 633 persons 65 or older followed their health state an average of 4.3 years. At that time 91 of the participants had developed Alzheimer’s. None of the 27 VE supplement users had developed Alzheimer’s, compared with a predicted 3.9 cases among that group.(4)

A study that followed 958,000 subjects and their death rates from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from 1989 to 1998 found that those who used VE supplements for 10 years or more had a 62 percent lower death rate from ALS than those who used no VE, while those who used VE for less than 10 years had a 41 percent lower death rate from ALS than non-VE users.(5)

Several studies have shown that 1,600 IU VE daily can significantly reduce the abnormal involuntary movements in patients suffering from tardive dyskinesia, a neurological disorder caused by use of neuroleptic (antipsychotic) prescription drugs.(6,7) Based on the known biochemical pathology of Alzheimer’s disease, Prasad and colleagues have devised a protocol using VE along with other antioxidants to prevent/treat Alzheimer’s disease.(8)

Poulin and coworkers fed “high-dose” VE to “middle-aged” and “old” mice, and compared them to a control group of mice. They found that the VE regimen reduced the “normal” oxidative neuronal damage that occurs with aging, and subsequent neuronal cell death.(9) Hassoun and associates fed the toxin TCD-dioxin to rats, with or without extra VE or ellagic acid. Dioxin alone caused significant production of superoxide radical, lipid peroxidation and DNA strand breaks in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, while VE provided significant protection against these effects, more than provided by the antioxidant ellagic acid.(10)

Conte and colleagues gave extra VE to some 11-month-old mice, while control mice got no extra VE. The mice were subjected to repetitive concussive brain injury, a known risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease. The VE-fed mice showed significant decrease in brain lipid peroxidation levels compared to control mice. Lipid peroxidation is especially a problem for the brain, since the brain contains the highest level in the body of the peroxidation (rancidity)-prone fatty acid, DHA. The VE-fed mice also did not show the increase in amyloid-beta peptide formation (a known major biochemical risk factor for Alzheimer’s) found in the control mice, and the VE-fed mice had a significant reduction in learning deficits compared to the control mice.(11)

When mice were subjected to electroshock-induced seizures, a significant increase in brain lipid peroxides was found. Both clobazam (an anti-epileptic drug) and VE reduced brain lipid peroxide after electroshock. Administering combined VE and clobazam significantly reduced the intensity and duration of the seizures, with only minimal seizures occurring.(12) Abd el-Fattah and associates found that giving VE along with aluminum to mice significantly reduced the loss of brain glutathione and increase in brain lipid peroxidation that otherwise would have occurred.(13)

Vitamin E: Immune Booster
VE is the chief fat-soluble antioxidant in human tissues—it is the “lipid soluble, chain-breaking free radical scavenger” that protects cell membranes.(14) When VE sacrifices itself to protect polyunsaturated fats in cell membranes, it becomes the (weak) tocopheroxyl free radical. This free radical VE is then reduced back to VE by vitamin C.(14) Thus, vitamin C and VE act synergistically to protect membranes from lipid oxidation and play a key role in protecting phagocytes (immune cells) from damage by self-generated free radicals, since immune cells have a high percentage of easily oxidized fatty acids in their membranes.(14) Phagocyte membrane auto-oxidation is a major immune problem—so much so that neutrophils typically die from oxidant auto-oxidation after killing just three to 20 bacteria.

A study published in 1998 gave 30 women (average age 72) 200 mg VE and 1,000 mg vitamin C per day for 16 weeks. Ten were healthy controls, 10 suffered from heart disease (CHD) and 10 had major depressive disorder (MDD).(15) The study found a 60-to-70-percent drop in serum lipid peroxides in the CHD and MDD groups, and significant increases in neutrophil adherence, chemotaxis/migration and phagocytic (germ-killing) activity in all three groups.

The phagocytic index—how many germs a neutrophil can kill before dying itself—rose 260 percent in the controls, 225 percent in the MDD group, and 1,000 percent in the CHD group (Fig. 1). The vitamins also lowered superoxide production in all three groups—a good thing, as aging usually leads to a major increase in superoxide production in phagocytes. Excessive superoxide production by neutrophils shortens their lives.

Why do I need hormone testing? One size does not fit all when it comes to hormones. For decades Western medicine has prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) as if everyone needed the same thing and the same amount. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your hormones are like your fingerprints and in order to achieve optimal health, you need to know what your specific imbalances are. To find out about your hormonal status you’ll need to have lab tests performed. But what kind? There are several ways to test (saliva, serum and urine), but the state-of-the-art testing is through saliva. This is because it measures only the active portions of your hormones and it is these portions that determine how you feel. So if you’re seeking bio-identical hormone replacement (BHRT), you’ll need to know active hormone levels. In addition, if using a topical (transdermal) hormone preparation for treatment, saliva testing is the most accurate tool to measure and monitor your hormone status. Which Hormones Need Testing? The Five Major Players The major players in the sex hormone arena are estradiol, progesterone and testosterone. The main adrenal hormones are DHEA and cortisol. These five hormones will provide crucial information about your deficiencies, excesses and daily patterns, which then results in a treatment approach specifically tailored for you and one far more beneficial than the old “shotgun” approach. Below is a brief description of each of these five hormones to refresh your memory about what each one does and how they interact. Estrogen There are three forms of estrogen made by the body: estrone, estradiol and estriol. The form used in past hormone replacement therapies has been estradiol, often in the form of concentrated pregnant mare’s urine (Premarin®). It is a proliferative hormone that grows the lining of the uterus. It is also a known cancer-causing hormone: breast and endometrial (uterine) in women and prostate gland in men. However, it will treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, insomnia and memory-loss. With the bio-identical formulas, estriol is matched with estradiol (bi-est) to provide protective effects and additional estrogenic benefits. The other major protector in keeping estradiol from running amok is progesterone. Progesterone Progesterone is called the anti-estrogen because it balances estradiol’s proliferative effects. It is considered preventive for breast and prostate cancers as well as osteoporosis. In addition, too little progesterone promotes depression, irritability, increased inflammation, irregular menses, breast tenderness, urinary frequency and prostate gland enlargement (BPH). Testosterone Testosterone is an anabolic hormone (it builds tissue) essential for men and women. Testosterone is necessary for bone health, muscle strength, stamina, sex drive and performance, heart function and mental focus. DHEA DHEA is an important adrenal hormone, which is essential for energy production and blood sugar balance. DHEA is a precursor to other hormones, mainly testosterone (in women). Cortisol Cortisol is your waking day hormone (highest in the morning and lowest at night). It is necessary for energy production, blood sugar metabolism, anti-inflammatory effects and stress response. Common Imbalances Some of the common imbalances identified through testing include estrogen dominance, estrogen deficiency, progesterone deficiency, androgen (testosterone) and DHEA excess or deficiencies, adrenal dysfunction (hyperadaptosis and adrenal fatigue). State-of-the-Art Saliva Testing Vitamin Research Products is pleased to announce the transition to a new form of saliva testing. This testing is accurate, easy to collect and FDA-approved, and it offers rapid results (turn-around-time) and requires a much smaller sample size (one fifth the volume previously required). Sample collection takes only two to three minutes. Four samples are collected and pooled to give a more accurate reflection of hormone levels (hormones fluctuate dramatically throughout the day, thus one sample does not reflect your average levels). The exception is cortisol, which has its own daily rhythm, and is measured before the samples are pooled. This state-of-the-art saliva testing is an easy and helpful way to determine your levels as you aim to achieve optimum hormone balance.

I have heard a number of what I call “veterinary myths” in my exam rooms and on my radio talk shows. While some are harmless, I want to do my best to dispel those that run contrary to pets’ well-being. For example, I often hear, “My dog/cat is very slow to rise from lying down and will limp intermittently throughout the day. I don’t think he is in pain—he’ll chase toys or run after birds or rabbits.” I respond to this by informing my clients that most pets will not cry out or whine in pain. The aforementioned signs are the clinically significant signals that your pet is hurting. When your pet becomes excited, a release of epinephrine or adrenaline can completely override discomfort and he can appear pain-free. I have had animals walk into our veterinary hospital on broken limbs, just because they were excited! Here are some warning signs that pets are in pain: 1. Slowness in getting up after resting 2. Exercise intolerance or not being able to walk or play like they used to 3. Limping 4. Discomfort when you touch their back, neck or limbs (flinching, head turning or ear twitching). Addressing Joint Pain Here are some things to consider in helping your dog or cat with chronic joint inflammation or osteoarthritis: 1. Eliminate obesity and effectively manage the animal’s weight. There is a huge correlation between being overweight and joint disease. Discuss some grain-reduced, whole-protein diet alternatives with your veterinarian. 2. Introduce an exercise program. Again, under your veterinarian’s supervision, discuss play-time, walking or swimming exercises. We even teach dogs and cats to walk on a treadmill. There are veterinary conditioning or rehabilitation hospitals just for these types of programs. 3. Institute nutraceutical or vitamin supplementation to your pet’s existing diet. I always add a joint-supportive product to my feeding regimen (like VRP’s Nutri-Joint for Pets). 4. In addition, decrease the inflammatory response in affected joints and increase the fluid cushioning. To do so, supplement the diet with the anti-inflammatory proteolytic enzyme combination UniZyme™ and fatty acids such as those in VRP’s Natural Whole Food Concentrate for Dogs (it’s good for cats, too). Also, add EthylEPA™ (pinprick a gelcap and squeeze it into the food) or Neptune Krill Oil. I also recommend a daily anti-aging nutrition supplement—RejuvaPet, for example. 5. Do your best to provide an orthopedically sound place for pets to sleep. There are many beds and cushions available—even some with magnets that will help their aching joints. Avoid having your pets rest on cold floors or areas outside the home. 6. Consider some alternative modes of therapy such as acupuncture, chiropractic and homeopathy. In my experience, these therapies have been very helpful in alleviating pain. I always recommend to my clients to watch their pets closely to assess the treatments or nutritional support we have chosen. Observation is the best way to determine what’s working to help your pet enjoy the best health possible. Dr. Aronson is Director of VRP’s Veterinary Division. By blending Eastern and Western philosophies, he has helped animals and animal-lovers for more than 20 years in his veterinary practice, as well as through his radio call-in show and published columns. To submit a pet question to Dr. Aronson or to sign up for VRP’s free electronic (e-mail) pet newsletter, visit www.vrppet.com.

As reported in previous articles, the hourglass is rapidly emptying as our vitamin freedoms are seemingly slipping away before our eyes. Below are a few more late-breaking examples. Germany: Bad Science On January 20, 2005, the recently established German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment released a 341-page report attacking the safety of commonly available nutritional supplements, claiming that a “safe” level of vitamin C is only 225 mg; a safe level of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is only 5.4 mg; and a safe level of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is only 9 mcg! This ridiculous report, full of pseudo-science, will add further fuel to the WHO/FAO/Codex attempt to set “safe upper potency limits” for supplements at levels only slightly above the current U.S. FDA RDAs (recommended daily allowance). NNFA: Siding with “Big Pharma” In the December 2004 issue of NNFA Today, the legal firm that represents National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA), wrote a question-and-answer article dismissing any concerns about Codex, the EU Food Supplements Directive, etc. The NNFA is the trade group that allegedly represents the interests of the U.S. health food and vitamin industry and health food stores. Unfortunately, the NNFA has become dominated by the pharmaceutical industry, and continues to push the “big Pharma” line that Codex will have no effect on the American vitamin industry. That’s why it is imperative for vitamin consumers to educate their local health food store personnel on the Codex issue. Many Vitamin Research News readers have contacted me and told me the vitamin buyers/experts at their local health food stores had no awareness at all about the Codex issue when they were asked about it. Europe: More of the Same On January 25, 2005, the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) presented its case against the EU Food Supplements Directive to the European Court of Justice. ANH director Rob Verkerk observed that the government supporters of the anti-supplement EU regulations did little to counter the legal and scientific challenge ANH presented to the Court. The Court is expected to release its ruling on the matter in June 2005, just shortly before the EU anti-supplement regulations are set to go into effect in August 2005. ANH still needs help with its legal bills in mounting this defense of supplement freedom. You can help online at www.alliance-natural-health.org. If the EU Food Supplements Directive is not overturned, the USA will be the last bastion of vitamin freedom left in the world. How much longer do you think it will last here? Remember: under its GATT, NAFTA, WTO and, probably soon, FTAA (Free Trade Area of the American) treaty agreements, the United States is required to continuously work to “harmonize” its regulations with the rest of the world.