**By Anh Thu V. Tran, MS, MD- Medical Director & Nutrition Consultant, Cyvex Nutrition

The growing segment of active sixty-five years and over Americans not only denotes successful commitment for research towards extension of lifespans, but also the acknowledgment that it really does not mean much if you can live longer, if you can’t enjoy it.  The key emphasis is longevity, however in light of extended lifespans and improved longevity is the expected eventual overdrive the body must undergo to maintain some state of homeostasis – the efforts to stay balanced in the aging process.

Of the many protectors of our body – the basic immune response to disturbances, such as infection and trauma, involves Inflammation.  However, it is also this process that can easily speed out of control against our bodies either in the natural progression of aging or accelerated destruction of disease and other pathological processes.  It is obvious this double-edged sword walks the fine line as we age.  What’s promising is that adopting a healthier lifestyle that includes adequate rest, daily physical exercise, specific diets, and halting poor choices (e.g. tobacco smoking) proactively work against such acceleration.

We previously discussed how flavonoids are effective even at a young age (Holt EM., et al 2009).  High consumption of fruits and vegetables reduce markers related to inflammation and oxidative stress among adolescents; this is supported on a molecular level and can be applicable to the immune process at any age and in associated disease processes.*  The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the University of California, Davis, has conducted numerous studies in the past decade demonstrating how inflammation favors the risk of cancer and chronic diseases such as Cardiovascular Disease (hypertension and dyslipidemia) and Diabetes Mellitus Type II (insulin resistance).  Dr. Daniel H. Hwang and team, after exhausting filtering of numerous phytochemicals, has finally placed the spotlight yet again on flavonoids in their role against certain inflammatory triggers (TMK-1 kinase and IRF1 dimerization and phosphorylation).  Luteolin among the 6 other phytochemicals most effectively targets these enzymes in its cascade of biochemical signaling that lead to the formation of gene products known to trigger inflammation (Lee JK et al 2009).*  Luteolin, found in food such as celery, green peppers, chamomile tea, and thyme, demonstrated to be the most effective of all other flavonoids studied (quercetin, chrysin, eriodicytol, hesperetin, and naringenin).

In addition, recent data suggests a promising role for luteolin as a possible candidate in developing immune-modulatory and neuroprotective agents on central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) against a specific trigger: the microglia.  The microglia has been confirmed as a major culprit in age-related disease progression.  Although protective, it also takes on that double-edged detriment.  The Institute of Human Genetics, University of Regensburg investigation showed inhibitory effects of luteolin on pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in microglia.  With the identification of several novel luteolin-regulated genes, their findings provide a molecular basis to understand the versatile effects of luteolin on microglial homeostasis (Dirscherl K., et al 2010).*

In the uncertainties of life – certainty does exist.  Making effective lifestyle choices are within your control and although not necessarily capable of halting the double-edged sword, but at least taming as such by the choices we make, including which fruits and vegetables we consume,  is the best we can do to help prevent diseases and slow-down the progression of aging.

References:

Holt EM., et al., “Fruit and vegetable consumption and its relation to markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in adolescents,” J Am Diet Assoc, 2009; 109:414-21.

Lee JK., et al., “Suppression of the TRIP-dependent signaling pathway of Toll-like receptors by luteolin,” Biochem Pharmacol, 2009; 77:1391-400.

Dirscherl K., et al., “Luetolin triggers global changes in the microglial transciptome leading to a unique anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective phenotype,” J Neuroinflammation, 2010; 14:7-3.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Author’s bio: Dr. Anh Thu V. Tran is the Medical Director & Nutrition Consultant for Cyvex Nutrition, PGY-1 Resident with  UC Davis Family Medicine Residency Network, and Founder of Strive to Live Well.  She holds a M.D. from St. George’s University, a M.S. in Nutrition from Loma Linda University, and a B.Sc. in Biology & Women’s Studies from UC Irvine.