Raspberry Ketones Quickie (What's up with this?!)

Most of us have heard of Raspberry Ketones (RK) by now.  You've probably seen a commercial for them or looked at them in the diet section of your local convenience or grocery store.  I know I wondered if they lived up to the hype, I'm sad to say that the research I've done soo far has left much to be desired.  This doesn't mean that I'm discouraged at the possibility that RK could aid people in their weight loss journey, the truth is RK hasn't been tested on humans in any scientific study, the closest we've gotten to human testing is human flesh testing in test tubes (Hand, 2013).  

What are Raspberry Ketones?
RK is one of the "...200 molecules that contribute to [a raspberry's] distinct flavor" and smell" (Cox, 2013).  RK, specifically, deals with that raspberry smell we love soo well, which is why it is used in products ranging from candles to soaps.  I was surprised to find out that RK "...is actually found in cranberries, blackberries as well as red raspberries..." (Cox, 2013) of various genes.

The initial thoughts that RK could prevent weight gain and promote weight loss is due to its molecular structure, which bears resemblance to the structure of capsaicin. 

So does it work?
Unfortunately, there isn't enough evidence to say if it does or doesn't.  According to Caroline Cederquist, R.D. (2012), none of her patients that added RK to their weight loss regimens noticed a significant change.  We will just have to wait for more scientific trials to be sure.

Also, it is important to keep in mind that those who are experimenting with RK are a biased variable because they don't have a control group to compare their results against and they have personal feelings towards the supplement that could affect their results.

What does the FDA say?
Well, for those that might not know, the FDA does not regulate anything this is considered a supplement.  They don't even regulate energy drinks, by the way.  This is why every bottle you buy of a supplement has the disclaimer.  However, RK was deemed "Generally Recognized as Safe" in the 1960s...at a daily dose of less than 2 milligrams.  The supplements being produced today contain much more than that, the bottle I picked up at the grocery store contains 600mg a serving, that's 1200mg a day!

Are you side effects?
According to WebMD, no.  According to the sources I've listed below, some.  It appears that RK has similar side effects that stimulants have: increased heart rate, heart palpitations, and the shakes.  It may interfere with blood thinners like Coumadin; lower blood sugar levels; and lower risk of bleeding.  However, there isn't enough information to be certain.

So why the hype?
Dr. Oz featured RK on his show back in 2012 and it took off from there.  My local herbalist has to keep an eye on the show because whenever he recommends a supplement people flock to her store to buy it. 

It's similarity to capsaicin and synephrine, which "...is often marketed as a powerful weight loss support supplement" (Clark, 2012).  Synephrine is a stimulant and, according to Shannon Clark (2012), helps boost your metabolism.  The idea of being able to boost your metabolism will be covered at a later date because it is a rather controversial topic.  :)

Final thoughts?
I'll pass on RK and just stick to eating with a focus on eating whole foods and getting at least 30 minutes of rigorous activity a day.

You can purchase the study Anti-obese action of raspberry ketone at: 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024320505001281

References

Cederquist, C. (December 3, 2012). What's the rave with raspberry ketone?. Retrieved from "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caroline-j-cederquist-md/raspberry-ketone_b_2213936.html".

Cox, L. (September 26, 2013). What is raspberry ketone?. Retrieved from "http://www.livescience.com/39972-raspberry-ketone-supplement-facts.html".

Hand, B. (February 28, 2013). What they don't want you to know about raspberry ketones. Retrieved from "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/becky-hand/raspberry-ketones_b_2727943.html".

Future blog post: What is garcinia cambogia?

http://www.livescience.com/39243-garcinia-cambogia-supplement-facts.html

Vitamin A Quckie

Welcome to the first quickie blog post.  These posts aren't meant to be the end all on the topics they'll be talking about.  It's more of a collection of quick bursts of information, hence the name.  These posts will be me for me than anything else, but I figured, instead of just writing these up and keeping them on my PC, I'd share them with the world.  I'm planning on this being an on going series that gets updated every Monday.  :D

Why do we want some Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin that: promotes cell regeneration and division which means healthy skin, gums, teeth, and mucus membranes; assists the immune system by stimulating and production and activity of white blood cells (Harvard School of Public Health/HSPH, n.d.); is crucial for the health formation and maintenance of major organs like the heart, lungs, and kidneys (National Institutes of Health/NIH, 2013); aids sight, especially for lower light situations; and may play a key role for breastfeeding.

What is Vitamin A?

There are actually two forms of vitamin A that I am currently aware of, active vitamin A (also called retinol or preformed vitamin A) and precursor/proformed vitamin A like beta-carotene.  Precursor vitamin A is created in the body through chemical reactions as the body breaks down one compound.  This form of vitamin A is not toxic, even at high intake levels (/HSPH, n.d.).  Active vitamin A, however, is a different story and should be capped at 3,000 micrograms, though "...intakes this high may increase the risk of hip fracture or interfere with the beneficial actions of vitamin D" (HSPH, n.d.). 

Where do we get active vitamin A?

A leading source is from fortified foods, like breakfast cereals, and supplements.  It is recommended that people use a supplement that uses a precursor vitamin A, like beta-carotene, instead of an active version.  Another high source is animal based, especially beef liver which can give up to 444% DV in 3oz (NIH, 2013).

Where do I get precursor vitamin A?

FRUITS and VEGGIES!  A serving of sweet potatoes pack a whopping 561% DV of vitamin A while a serving of cooked frozen spinach contains 229% (NIH, 2013).

How does my body absorb vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning you need to eat the sources with some fat for your body to do much of anything with it.  This is another reason why I add Greek yogurt to my green smoothies, or coconut oil if I'm not using Greek yogurt.  

References

Harvard School of Public Health (n.d.). Vitamin A. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-a/.

Medicine Plus (February 18, 2013). Vitamin A. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002400.htm.

National Institutes of Health (June 5, 2013). Vitamin A - Health professional fact sheet.Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/#h3.