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Willner Chemists: The Nutritional Supplement Professionals
Melatonin and MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune
disease of the central nervous system
where immune T-cells mistakenly attack
the protective sheath around nerve path-
ways, scrambling signals between the
brain and the body. Because MS relapses
can occur with seasonal changes, doctors
suspected a link to sunlight and vitamin D
levels. In this study, researchers found that
139 people with MS relapses had signifi-
cantly fewer symptoms during the fall and
winter. Doctors analyzed several factors
including environment, respiratory health,
sun exposure, and vitamin D. The one fac-
tor with a consistent link to MS symptoms
was melatonin, which the body produces
at higher levels in the fall and winter.
Continuing in the lab, melatonin influ-
enced two kinds of white blood cells:
“killer” T cells that attack, and “regulatory”
T cells that shut them off. Doctors said
melatonin has a protective effect, damp-
ening the immune response by keeping
killer T cells at bay. It is too early to rec-
ommend people with MS take melatonin,
but more research is under way.
Reference: Cell; 2015, Vol. 162, No. 6,
1338-52
Postmenopausal Women Lose
Fat Mass
Melatonin regulates the sleep/wake cycle
but may also have a positive effect on
body weight and energy metabolism. In
this study, 81 postmenopausal women
took 1 mg or 3 mg of melatonin nightly, or
a placebo. After one year, women who
had taken either dose of melatonin had
Selenium and CoQ10 Protects
Against Heart Disease
Selenium is found in most good multivit-
amin multimineral supplements. Willvite,
for example, provides 100 mcg per the full
recommended four tablet per day dosage.
And it is in the bioavailable form,
selenomethionine. This may be adequate
for most people.
Many people take additional selenium,
however, and for that reason the amount
in Willvite was held to this level. The intent
was to reduce the chances of inadvertent
overdosages.
CoQ10, on the other hand, is rarely
present at therapeutic levels in multivita-
min formulations. That is true with Willvite,
as well. Willvite only contains 20 mg of
CoQ10 per 4 tablets. So, for therapeutic
levels, you will probably need an addition-
al source.
How much selenium is too much? While
there is no clear answer, it is generally
accpeted that from 200 to 400 mcg is safe.
Bear in mind that most people get about
100 mcg in their diet, and that should be
taken into consideration.
For those who want to add a specific
Selenium - CoQ10 supplement to their
daily supplement regimen, you might con-
sider a product from
NOW Foods
, Willner
Code: 38456,
CoQ10 50 mg
with Vitamin
E and Selenium 100 mcg, 100 Softgels.
Additional Comments
from Don Goldberg
S
elenium is a trace element that is essen-
tial for its role in human reproduction,
DNA synthesis, and protecting the body
from infection. CoQ10 is an antioxidant
responsible for basic cell function and ener-
gy, but the body produces less of it with age
and disease. Doctors wanted to test the
heart-health effects of these two antioxidants
in Europe, where selenium is low in the diet,
and in older men and women who were
naturally producing less CoQ10.
In this study of 443 Swedish men and
women, age 78 to 85, half the group took
200 mg of CoQ10 plus 200 mcg of selenium
per day for four years while the other half
received no supplements. Doctors followed
both groups for a total of 10 years and found
men and women in the CoQ10-selenium
group were 49 percent less likely to have
died from cardiovascular or heart
disease compared to those who did not
take CoQ10 with selenium.
Reference: PLoS One; December, 2015, Vol.
10, No. 12, e0141641
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