COMMENTARY:

Guava lectin is a galactose-specific lectin that may be useful in the prevention of E. coli infection of the gut. This may be particularly true and useful for group Os and group B non-secretors.

Many plant and animal lectins possess anti-microbial activity. For example, the lectins in Helix pomatia (Roman snail; escargot) and soybean are capable of agglutinating Baccilus anthracis ('Anthrax'). Griffonia simplicifolia lectin, from the bean used to produce the 5HT supplement, also used as a 'natural mood elevator' has also been shown to agglutinate B. anthracis, however it is uncertain whether the lectin is in the nutritional supplement.



1. Cole HB, Ezzell JW Jr, Keller KF, Doyle RJ. Differentiation of Bacillus anthracis and other Bacillus species by lectins. J Clin Microbiol. 1984 Jan;19(1):48-53.

2. Doyle, R.J., Keller, K.F. and Ezzell, J.W. (1985) In: Manual of Clinical Microbiology (Lennette, E.H., Balows, A., Hausler,W. J., Shadomy, H.J eds.), pp. 211-215 (Washington DC, USA).

ANSWER:

Although research documenting the positive effects of GLUCOSAMINE sulphate in treating arthritis are now beginning to appear with regularity, it is still far from a perfect therapy. In my own practice, I've found that about 60% of the arthritic patients get some form of symptomatic relief, though in most instances I have not seen much actual improvement in the joints themselves.

One aspect of glucosamine's recognized actions goes largely unnoticed, but is important with regard to the blood type diet theory. There is strong evidence, that glucosamine binds many food lectins, including WGA or wheat germ agglutinin. One of several well-designed studies documenting this also showed definite systemic uptake of wheat lectin, where it deposited on the walls of the blood vessels and lymph nodes.

Interestingly, the percentage goes DOWN in individuals who take CHONDROITIN sulphate in addition to glucosamine, as part of a regimen advocated in the bestseller "The Arthritis Cure." How could this be? One simple explanation is that chondroitin sulphate is actually comprised of long linked chains of the sugar acetylated galactosamine. You might remember that galactosamine is also the blood type A antigen. Thus, upon hydrolysis (acid breakdown) in the stomach, chondroitin becomes free A-antigen. This would not be to much of a problem in type A or AB, who recognize A antigen as "self," but could be a major problem in types O and B, who recognize A antigen as "non-self." In essence, taking chondroitin sulphate if you are either O or B is the chemical equivalent of giving yourself a bad blood transfusion.

ANSWER: Probably the most prominent research that's evoking these suspicions was the published work of Lon White at the Pacific Health Research Institute in Honolulu. Dr. White's ongoing study of 3,734 Hawaiian men over more than thirty years suggests that regular consumption of tofu over many years during their middle age was associated with early dementia or what Dr. White terms "accelerated brain aging." (1)

White's study was a long-range study charting the eating habits of the men since 1965. Final assessments were made of their cognitive functioning (e.g. thinking, learning, memory) along with tests for measuring brain atrophy or shrinkage. The stunning conclusion was that the men who ate two or more servings per week of tofu had steeper declines in brain functioning resulting in dementia.

Yet, despite the dramatic results of his work White recently told an interviewer, "I would be violating a cardinal rule if I said my data says you shouldn't eat tofu [or other soy foods]." While White believes his research is solid, the results, he says, "can't be turned into sweeping conclusions and the findings must be considered only preliminary." In addition this same study concluded that the men who ate tofu had a 65 percent lower incidence of prostate cancer than their anti-soy counterparts.

However, this has not stopped the soy bashers from having a field day.

Dr. White's study was of an observational nature in which the participants chose their lifestyles. He says his findings demand further investigation through more randomized trials. For example, study subjects (humans or animals) would be randomly divided and one group would be fed tofu and the other would not. The incidence of dementia in the two groups would then be measured and compared. A progression of such studies would either confirm or refute Dr. White's findings. He believes it will take at least ten years for a conclusion.

One could argue that if a causal effect existed between soy and Alzheimer's or increased brain aging, a greater incidence of Alzheimer's should exist in Japan and China, where tofu is eaten regularly. Also White's findings have not been duplicated in animal models. Though in general I am not fond of extrapolating conclusions from animal to humans, but in this case it may be well worth noting that since White concluded that the effects of soy isoflavone was on the synthesis of new DNA in the brain, its effects should be more marked in animals, who actually have more brain DNA synthesis active for a longer percentage of their lifespan than humans.

Finally, some researchers are questioning whether the link between tofu and brain aging may actually be another link between aluminum and brain atrophy, since although soy is low in aluminum, it does absorb quite a bit of it when cooked in aluminum cookware. The results of this preliminary investigation suggest that the aluminum concentration in soy products is increased slightly by cooking, particularly in an aluminum pot, and strongly (as much as 15-fold) by some methods of tofu production.

Conclusion: Given the current evidence, soy products should occupy an important place in the blood group A anti-cancer strategy plan.

Many of these concerns prompted the FDA to reject assertions from opponents of soy products attempting to block recommendations for the use of soy to control cholesterol, as was reported in the FDA Register:



"...d. Other. (Comment 20). ….FDA finds that this abstract does not provide a sufficient basis to evaluate the merits and weaknesses of this study. As such, it is not useful in evaluating the safety concerns at issue. Moreover, the report does not provide information on total soy intake or what variables were controlled in the analysis. If tofu or soy were implicated in Alzheimer's disease, its prevalence would be expected to be higher in Japan than in Hawaii, but White et al. (Ref. 115) found the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease was higher in Hawaii than in Japan. Therefore, FDA is not persuaded by the comment raising concerns about potential adverse effects of soy protein in dementia and brain atrophy in older persons.





1. White LR, Petrovitch H, Ross GW, Masaki K, Hardman J, Nelson J, Davis D, Markesbery W. Brain aging and midlife tofu consumption. J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 Apr;19(2):242-55.

ANSWER:

Corn is a sacred food in many native American cultures. Unfortunately, that doesn't make it any better of a health choice!

A good example of the effect in adding corn into the diet of these type O native Americans can be observed in the bone remains of the Indiana Mound Building cultures, since we can exactly trace the introduction of corn into the diet following a long prior existence as hunter-gatherers, by the marked change in the bone structures. Prior to corn becoming a staple, the bone show little arthritis or thinning, after corn is introduced, bone deformation begins, including major changes to the teeth structure and jaw (periodontal disease). (1) In addition, maize stimulates a very rapid and powerful glycemic response,(2) so it may be that the switch to a maize-based diet from prior hunter-gathering may have been responsible for the precipitous increase in diabetes.

If corn lectins are problematic for type O, they are even more of a serious hemagglutinin in those people who are type B or type AB. Interestingly, those red blood cells of those who were blood type A2B where clumped more aggressively than those who were A1B.(3) Also of interest was the observation that corn lectin continued to persist in even the purified oil. (4)





1. Gagne G. [Mouth diseases in a prehistoric agricultural population of northeastern North America]. J Can Dent Assoc 1993 Aug;59(8):686-92

2. Segal I, Joffe BI, Walker AR, Stavrou E, de Beer M, Naik I, Daya B. Glycaemic responses to different carbohydrate foods in healthy and diabetic blacks in Soweto.S Afr Med J 1991 Dec 7;80(11-12):546-9 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

3. Prodanov P, Atanasova N. An anti-B lectin from Zea mays everta. Folia Haematol Int Mag Klin Morphol Blutforsch 1984;111(1):84-5

4.Klurfeld DM, Kritchevsky D. Isolation and quantitation of lectins from vegetable oils. Lipids 1987 Sep;22(9):667-8

ANSWER: The Encyclopedia was designed to offer guidance to a variety of possible health conditions, by 'mixing and matching' combinations of protocols to specific health problems. In general the first protocol listed under your type is premiere and the first substance listed under that protocol is the preferred starting point. Thus, it may be possible that the first compound listed in the Allergy Protocol would do the job and anything else would be overkill. However, if the problem is deep-seated or intractable, it may be necessary to use several protocols and quite a few substances.

ANSWER: Dietary lectins have been shown to increase antibodies against the kidney glomerulus (the filtration device used to detoxify the blood). Thus following the Blood Type Diet can help prevent this since it does minimize exposure to foods which may contain lectins capable of doing this.

Another interesting idea is to use certain types of dietary fibers to help eliminate certain poisons that can build up in a person with compromised kidney function. Larch arabinogalactan (ARA6) has been studied with regard to this. The researchers tested the hypothesis that dietary fiber, by inhibiting colonic bacterial ammonia generation and increasing fecal nitrogen excretion, might decrease hepatic urea synthesis and thereby reduce plasma urea in patients with chronic renal failure. Larch arabinogalactan decreased mean plasma urea in uremic subjects by 11% over 6-8 weeks. They concluded that "The reduction in plasma urea caused by dietary fiber is likely to be due to inhibition of colonic bacterial production of ammonia; such therapy could conceivably alleviate some of the symptoms of uremia and postpone dialysis in patients with endstage renal disease."

ANSWER: Considerable evidence has been accumulated showing that carbohydrate-containing blood group antigens represent prime candidates for the specific interaction with microbial surface lectins in infectious diseases.

It is known that the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common cause of external ear infections, has a preference for type A. Apparently, P. aeruginosa produces a LECTIN (1) specific for blood type A antigen, which they use to adhere to the inner ear canal wall. This lead the researchers to conclude "these results indicate that patients presenting with blood group A may have a genetic predisposition to this form of otitis externa."

In another study, the ABO blood groups of 610 patients with documented secretory otitis media (SOM) were compared with those of a control group. In in SOM a preponderance of group A or shortage of group O was statistically significant.(2)

The best treatment consists of a few drops of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) added to the ears before bed, and wick out in the morning (never place cotton swabs within the ear canal). Alternative treatments include using olive oil to which some fresh garlic oil has been expressed, or one of the many other formulas containing olive oil, garlic and mullein sold in many pharmacies or health food stores. As with any treatment common sense should dictate that if the ear is draining, red, swollen or painful, medical advice should be sought instead.

1.Steuer MK, Hofstadter F, Probster L, Beuth J, Strutz J. Are ABH antigenic determinants on human outer ear canal epithelium responsible for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections? ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 1995 May-Jun;57(3):148-52

2. Mortensen EH, Lildholdt T, Gammelgard NP, Christensen PH. Related Articles Distribution of ABO blood groups in secretory otitis media and cholesteatoma. Clin Otolaryngol. 1983 Aug;8(4):263-5.