Mold in Brewers Yeast

Brewers yeast is especially rich in b vitamins and has other nutritional constituents that has endeared itself as a valuable food supplement. Many people use brewers yeast added into smoothies or other foods they are ingesting. However, recent German research shows 90% of 46 samples of brewers yeast contained a mold toxin called ochratoxin A. The amounts ranged from 0.01 ug/kg - 4.2 ug/kg. There are no maximum levels for OTA in nutritional supplements such as brewers yeast, but the researchers recommended brewers yeast should be analyzed for  mycotoxins in the future as part of a quality control check.

This is bad news for folks with mold sensitivities that use brewers yeast. Some people have trouble removing mycotoxins (the toxins made by molds) from their body after exposure to a moldy environment. These people take "binders" such as cholestyramine, charcoal, clay, yeast cell walls, probiotics etc.  to help remove mycotoxins as they pass through the gut during enterohepatic circulation.

Some strains of brewer's yeast are known to be capable of acting as a mycotoxin binder. The very fact that it bind mycotoxins means it is more likely to have mycotoxin contamination if it came in contact with mold at any point during it's processing or storage. The take home for me here, is that anyone who uses binders for mycotoxins needs to be careful that they are free of mycotoxins when they ingest them. I had some clay that had been in storage for a long time and found when I opened it up that it smelled revolting to me. I was stupid enough to taste it and it ended up making me sick. So, lesson be learned. Mind your nose. 

Dietary Supplement Study Siting Increased Mortality in Older Women Was Flawed

The recent study "Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women," published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 2011, Volume 171(18):1625-1633, was fatally flawed and in my opinion can not be considered good research. They claim there is a slightly higher risk of all-cause mortality associated with the use of multivitamins, iron and copper in these women. I think it is interesting that this has been put fourth during a period of time that many countries (Phamaceutical companies are always behind this.) including ours is trying to make herbs and nutrients prescription only items.

The  study was data extracted from the on-going Iowas Women's Health Study. The information in this study is based on self administered questionnaires distributed in 1986, 1997 and 2004. The study asked about supplement intake but did not get specific and ask how much of any specific nutrients was consumed. They also did not ask about the chemical form of the supplement or quality. When the women were asked about taking a multivitamin, the study did not have them specify if it was a mineral multi-vitamin or had herbs in it. 

The study made no attempt to verify accuracy of the answers, or ask why the women were taking supplements or how those supplements might effect the health of that individual.

The most glaring error to me is that the health condition of the person was not taken into account. Many people with cancer, cardiovascular disease, or other health conditions will start taking supplements when they get the diagnosis. If that person subsequently dies of a serious ailment they began taking the supplements for, this study is blaming it on the supplements rather than on the disease. This glaring error should have been accounted for.

You can get a detailed analysis of this poorly executed study by clicking here:  

--> http://www.thorne.com/Then scroll down and click on  REBUTTAL: DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AND MORTALITY IN OLDER WOMEN.
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