So after reading marks post about coffee today, i have a query. page 7

[Paleobird]

Anyway, let's start with myelin. The majority of myelin is composed of lecithin, and supplementing with lecithin granules will help increase myelin production. I recommend 1 tablespoon three times daily with meals. Larger doses are not recommended due to the high phosphorus content, which can have adverse effects on the bone. The fatty acids EPA and DHA as well as sublingual B12 in the form of methylcobalamin or trimethylglycine (TMG) also aid in the regeneration of myelin.

It will take some time. Myelin regenerates so slowly that it was once thought it did not regenerate at all, but we now know it does.

To help slow down brain over firing I recommend amino acids that increase GABA levels in the brain. The best are glycine, glutamine or taurine. Amino acids are best taken on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before meals since they compete for absorption.

Yes, but won't a fat heavy ketogenic diet supply enough lecithin naturally without supplementing? I think the fat phobic diet of the last few decades is to blame for a lot of the neurological illnesses we have today.
Very true about the GABA inhibitory neurotransmitter being important. As for B12, the top ten B12 containing foods list reads like a menu of my most eaten things. Shellfish, liver, fish, octopus, fish eggs, lobster, lamb, beef, cheese, eggs. The only one I don't have in my fridge or pantry atm is lobster, seriously.

I appreciate your well informed input. Thank you.

[YogaBare]

Hey JamesS,

Do you know the exact science behind how coffee crashes the adrenals? Is it coffee specifically, or anything with caffeine?

[JamesS]

Yes, I know it was just in vitro study and doesn't mean much.
How about this one? Can you dissect it?
High Levels of Carcinogenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Mate Drinks

The first that came to mind while reading the study is that they make no differentiation as to whether the mate' products are raw or roasted. The reason this is important is because the roasting or cooking of many foods increases PAH concentrations. Even the roasting of coffee leads to increased PAH concentrations. It would have been nice to know which products were raw if any and what the PAH concentrations were in these products since some people do drink raw mate'.

They were surprised that the PAHs ended up in the teas since the PAHs are hydrophobic. But this can be easily explained by the presence of saponins in the mate', which are natural surfactants that will allow the PAHs to mix with the water.

As for the danger of cancer it needs to be noted that they are talking about the consumption of very large amounts of mate'. I doubt there is much of a difference between the levels of PAHs in roasted mate' and coffee.

In addition, steroidal saponins have very strong anti-cancer properties.

I see the study tried to play down the role of the hot water in mate' tea playing a role in the cancer formation. But other studies say otherwise:

Cancer and yerba mate consumption: a... [Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

Hot and cold mate drinking ... [Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1995] - PubMed - NCBI

This study is interesting in the fact that they show the consumption of large amounts of mate' will increase the risk of cancer, but the risk increases when drunk at higher temperatures:

Maté consumption and the ri... [Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003] - PubMed - NCBI

[KathyH]

The first that came to mind while reading the study is that they make no differentiation as to whether the mate' products are raw or roasted. The reason this is important is because the roasting or cooking of many foods increases PAH concentrations. Even the roasting of coffee leads to increased PAH concentrations. It would have been nice to know which products were raw if any and what the PAH concentrations were in these products since some people do drink raw mate'.

They were surprised that the PAHs ended up in the teas since the PAHs are hydrophobic. But this can be easily explained by the presence of saponins in the mate', which are natural surfactants that will allow the PAHs to mix with the water.

As for the danger of cancer it needs to be noted that they are talking about the consumption of very large amounts of mate'. I doubt there is much of a difference between the levels of PAHs in roasted mate' and coffee.

In addition, steroidal saponins have very strong anti-cancer properties.

I see the study tried to play down the role of the hot water in mate' tea playing a role in the cancer formation. But other studies say otherwise:

Cancer and yerba mate consumption: a... [Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

Hot and cold mate drinking ... [Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1995] - PubMed - NCBI

This study is interesting in the fact that they show the consumption of large amounts of mate' will increase the risk of cancer, but the risk increases when drunk at higher temperatures:

Maté consumption and the ri... [Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003] - PubMed - NCBI

Interesting. Thanks for clarification

[JamesS]

James, I appreciate the time and effort you put into researching the science behind many health claims. With regards to coffee can you tell me the average amount of Benzene soluble matter that is in a typical cup of coffee. Also are you aware of any reliable research studies that present any possible benefits to drinking 1 to 2 cups of coffee per day.

I don't know what the exact amounts would be, and it should vary with the coffee. Things such as where the coffee is grown for example can alter amounts of compounds as can processing. The main components I can think of that would be soluble though would be the alkaloids (caffeine, theophylline, theobromine) and the oils.

There are a lot of studies claiming health benefits of coffee, but as you mentioned "reliable studies". Most of the studies claiming coffee is healthy were either conducted by coffee makers or the studies were funded by coffee makers.

I am sure that I could probably find some studies that have no association with the coffee industry that claim coffee is healthy. But studies like these often focus on one isolated substance, not the product overall. For example, they may focus on the antioxidant polyphenols, which is usually the case with coffee, while ignoring the adverse effects of the caffeine, oxalic acid, etc. Then there are other factors that are not addressed in the studies such as the fact that adding milk to the coffee neutralizes the antioxidant effects of the polyphenols.

[KerryK]

[SNIP] . Then there are other factors that are not addressed in the studies such as the fact that adding milk to the coffee neutralizes the antioxidant effects of the polyphenols.

I have read this about tea countless times and didn't think about how it probably was true for coffee, too. Dang it all. Perhaps this is one more 'plus' for the bullet proof recipe...

Now many cheap coffees (& instant) affect me pretty badly but some other ground coffee, as I recall, did not negatively affect me much. I truly believe that, even with studies, this isn't a black & white situation. I do agree with those that say that good, properly grown, harvested and produced coffee can have positive affects on some people's systems and on others that same coffee can affect them adversely.

[Omni]

Been reading about circadian rhythms,
Not sure if this study has been posted before.
Most people have best performance in the afternoon, but it seems a good shot or two of black coffee may be able to bring morning performance up to same as afternoon.
PLoS ONE: Caffeine Ingestion Reverses the Circadian Rhythm Effects on Neuromuscular Performance in Highly Resistance-Trained Men