Candy paradox!

@Beatty Blue wrote:

My studies will be ending in only a week from now and we’ll have a huge party on February the 16th. We are going to drive around the city with trailer lorries standing on the scaffold (?!) throwing fishes at younger students (kids from kindergarden to highschool).

So we ordered a huge amount of fish and vodka from a drunken sailor and today it finally arrived. Now I have 5kg (that’s about 11 pounds) of fish in a plastic bag and 37 litres (about 60 pints) of vodka in numerous buckets and I have drag it along all day since my lessons won’t end before 3 o’clock today :roll:

The problem is that my mom paid for that fish (and we told her it cost more so we could buy the vodka) because she wanted some (I wouldn’t really care about that rather expensive tradition) it’s practically hers therefore I can’t eat that fish!
But I can’t leave it from my sight because someone would steal it otherwise. So I can’t go to eat!!!!!! I’m hungry and I have loads of fish with me… life is so unfair so I’m gonna drink some vodka :D

:-

@Beatty Blue wrote:

haha… ](*,)

To be quite honest with you, I can’t understand why you automatically think of fish when you think of Finns :-s
We don’t produce fish THAT much… I mean the Norwegians live by fish, we live by forests 8)

Magnesium deficit may well rank among the various cardiovascular risk
factors. Finland has exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular disease,
the prevalence of which may be directly corrected with the frequent
marginal magnesium deficit that occurs in developed countries1, where,
as is the case in Finland, a particularly high dietary Ca/Mg ratio is
observed (3.75 instead of a physiological ratio close to 2)2-4.

Since atherosclerosis is now considered to be multifactorial, the
importance of magnesium deficit among other dietary factors involved in
the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases should be acknowledged.

Atherosclerosis is induced by the combined effects of genetic and
environmental factors. Among the genetic variants that occur in
lipoprotein disorders, apolipoprotein E polymorphism appears to have
very important effects5,6. Early investigations of the apolipoprotein E
phenotypes were time-consuming and unsatisfactory. However, a rapid,
reliable and safe procedure is now available whereby apolipoprotein E
genotypes can be investigated as a routine procedure7. Among genetic
cardiovascular risk factors, subjects with the ApoE 4 allele and especially
the homozygous apo E4-4 type type seem particularly prone to
atherosclerosis5,8. The apo E 4 allele has an amino acid substitution at
codon 112 that adds arginine in place of cysteine, and this region appears
to reduce disulphide bonding of apoE with other free
sulphydryl-containing proteins. Consequently a cascade of deleterious
effects on lipoprotein metabolism results in hepatic cholesterol
accumulation and raised concentrations of serum cholesterol9. Subjects
with the apo E 4 allele are a diet-insensitive group, showing little
response either to classical dietary intervention (lowered total fat intake,
increased polyunsaturated/saturated fat ratio, and moderate decrease in
cholesterol intake10,11, or to an increase in dietary fibre12,13. Subjects
with apo E allele form a group with a genetic cardiovascular risk factor of
the familial hypercholesterolaemia type5-13.

In northern Finland the frequency of the E4-4 type is higher in the Sami
area, formerly known as the Lapp area (12 per cent), than in the rest of
the country (3 per cent). The same is observed in Norway. But
paradoxically in the Samis the E4-4 genotype together with a high serum
cholesterol are associated with a lower occurrence of coronary heart
disease mortality than in other communities in Finland or Norway14. The
low mortality from coronary heart disease, in a population with genetic
hypercholesterolaemia, could be explained by an adequate antioxidant
status. The Samis of northern Finland have a higher alpha-tocopherol,
albumin and selenium than Finns from neighbouring communities14. It
seems that antioxidants occupy a prominent place in the prevention of
human atherosclerosis15,16. This favourable antioxidant status may be
credited to the local diet. Reindeer meat is lean, rich in protein and
essential fatty acids, alpha-tocopherol and selenium. The same holds true
for fish which provide a particularly high selenium intake14. This diet may
also contain several other natural antioxidants such as taurine and
magnesium, the importance of which needs to be assessed.

Taurine, a ubiquitous and stable sulphonic amino acid, constitutes an
example of a water-soluble molecular antioxidant which may play an
important role in cardiovascular protection15,17,18.

Magnesium may also play a physiological antioxidant role when it
compensates a deficient intake, for example against lipoprotein oxidative
stress16,17,19-21. In Greenland Eskimos, the serum calcium to
magnesium ratio is significantly lower than in Danes, and death from
ischaemic heart disease is 3-6 times lower than in Denmark. These high
levels of serum calcium — which might be cardioprotective in Eskimos —
could originate from the Ca/Mg ratios in their respective diets (2.0 in
Greenland and 4.5 in Denmark)22.

To sum up, when a genetic risk factor linked with the Apo E 4-4 genotype
is involved in hypercholesterolaemia, its harmful effects can be
counteracted by nutritional means. The low cardiovascular mortality
observed in the Lapp group does not seem to be connected with the type
of dietary fats they consume, since lowering the total fat and cholesterol
intake and increasing the polyunsaturated/saturated fat ratio is
ineffective10,11. It seems, rather, to be related to a rich natural
antioxidant intake14. Since we can hardly found our staple diet on
reindeer meat and a daily fish catch, we may at least try to prevent such
dyslipidaemias not only by a larger intake of vitamin E, selenium, taurine
and magnesium14-17,19-21 but also with numerous other natural
vitamin, metabolic and mineral antioxidants15,16,23,24 that are equally
important in nutritional prophylaxis of atherosclerosis.

Jean Durlach
Editor-in-Chief, Magnesium Research
President SDRM
Hôp. St. Vincent-de-Paul, Paris, France

Anne Durlach
Unité de Biologie Cellulaire
Hôp. Maison Blanche, Reims, France

Vincent Durlach
Clinique Médicale
Hôp. Robert Debré, Reims, France
References

1. Durlach, J. (1989): Recommended dietary amounts of magnesium: Mg
RDA. Magnes. Res.2, 195-203.

2. Karpannen, H. (1981): Epidemiological studies on the relationship
between magnesium intake and cardiovascular diseases. Artery 9,
190-199.

3. Luoma, H. (1989): Risk of myocardial infarction in relation to
magnesium and calcium in drinking water, with some aspects on the
magnesium vs. fluoride interactions. In: Magnesium in health and
disease, eds. Y. Itokawa and J. Durlach, pp. 183-190. London: John
Libbey

4. Marier, J.R. (1991): Intakes of magnesium and fluoride, and some
systemic effects. Proc. Finn. Dent. Soc. 87, 581-594.

5. Davignon, J., Gregg, R.E. & Sing, C.F. (1988): Apolipoprotein E
polymorphism and atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis 8, 1-21.

6. Rall, S.S. & Mahley, R.W. (1992): The role of apolipoprotein E genetic
variants in lipoprotein disorders. J. Intern. Med. 231, 653-659.

7. Clavel, C., Durlach, A., Durlach, V. & Birembaut, P (1995): Rapid and
safe determination of human apolipoprotein E genotypes by miniaturised
SDS-PAGE in noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus. J. Clin. Pathol. 48,
295-299.

8. Lehtimaki, T., Moilanen, T., Solakivi, T., Laipalla, P. & Ehnholm, C.
(1992): Cholesterol-rich diet induced changes in plasma lipids in relation
to apolipoprotein E phenotype in healthy students. Ann. Med. 24, 61-66.

9. Boerwinkle, E., Brown, S.A., Rohrbach, K. & Gotto, A.M. (1991): Role
of apolipoprotein E and B gene variation in determining response of lipid,
lipoprotein and apolipoprotein levels to increase dietary cholesterol. Am.
J. Hum. Gen. 49, 1145-1154.

10. Clifton, P.M., Kestin, M., Abbey, M., Drysdale, M. & Nestel, P.J.
(1990): Relationship between sensitivity to dietary fat and dietary
cholesterol. Arteriosclerosis 10, 394-401.

11. Marshall, J.A., Kamboh, M.I., Bessesen, D.H., Hoag, S., Hamman,
R.P. & Ferrel, R.E. (1996): Associations between dietary factors and
serum lipids by apolipoprotein E polymorphism. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 63,
87-95.

12. Jenkins, D.J.A., Hegele, R.A. & Jenkins, A.L. (1993): The
apolipoprotein E gene and the serum low-density lipoproteins cholesterol
response to dietary fiber. Metabolism 42, 585-593. (cited in 11).

13. Uusitupa, M.I.J., Ruuskanen, E. & Makinen, E. (1992): A controlled
study on the effect of beta-glucan-rich oat bran on serum lipids in
hypercholesterolemic subjects: relation to apolipoprotein E phenotype.
J.Am. Coll. Nutr. 11, 651-659. (cited in 11).

14. Luoma, P.V., Naha, S., Sikkila, K. & Hassi, J. (1995): High serum
alpha-tocopherol, albumin, selenium and cholesterol and low mortality
from coronary heart disease in northern Finland. J. Intern. Med. 237,
49-54.

15. Lecerf, J.M., Luc, G. & Fruchart, J.C. (1996): Antioxidants et
athérosclérose. Med. Nutr. 32, 8-16.

16. Steinburg, D. (1992): Workshop participants. Antioxidants in the
prevention of human atherosclerosis. Circulation 85, 2338-2334.

17. Durlach, J., Durlach, V., Bac, P., Rayssiguier, Y., Bara, M. &
Guiet-Bara, A. (1993): Magnesium and aging. II. Clinical data:
aetiological mechanisms and physiopathological consequences of
magnesium deficit in the elderly. Magnes. Res. 6, 379-394.

18. Suleiman, M.S. (1994): New concepts in the cardioprotective action of
magnesium and taurine during the calcium paradox and ischaemia of the
heart. Magnes. Res. 7, 295-312.

19. Durlach, J. (1993): Present and future of magnesium research. J. Jpn.
Soc. Magnes. Res. 12, 113-135.

20. Rayssiguier, Y., Gueux, E., Bussière, L., Durlach, J. & Mazur, A.
(1993): Dietary magnesium affects susceptibility of lipoproteins and tisue
to peroxydation. J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 12, 133-137.

21. Rayssiguier, Y., Durlach, J. & Mazur, A. (1993): Magnesium and
ageing. I. Experimental data: importance of oxidative damage. Magnes.
Res. 12, 369-378.

22. Jeppesen, B.B. (1987): Greenland, a soft-water area with a low
incidence of ischemic heart death. Magnesium 6, 307-313.

23. Remsy, C., Manach, C., Texier. O. & Regerat, F. (1996): Intérêt
nutritionnel des flavonoïdes. Med. Nutr. 32, 17-27.

24. Wiseman, H. (1996): Dietary influences on membrane function:
importance in protection against oxidative damage and disease. J. Nutr.
Biochem. 7, 2-15.

Address for correspondence: Dr. Jean Durlach Prf SDRM, Editor-in-Chief,
Magnesium Research, 64 rue de Lonfchamp, F-92200 Neuilly/Seine,
France. Tel: +33(1) 40-88-38-69; Fax: 33(1) 40-88-36-13.

All articles by Dr. Durlach are copyrighted, and permission is granted to
Web users only to make single hard copies for personal use. Additional
reprints should be obtained from the originating journals. Excerpts may
be used by the media with attribution to Dr. Durlach.

This page was first uploaded to The Magnesium Web Site on August 11,
1997

http://www.mgwater.com/
:wink: