LINUS
PAULINGINSTITUTE
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITYRESEARCH NEWSLETTER
FALL-WINTER 2016

READ INSIDE for details on our new look

VITAMIN E AND PREGNANCY
Why this misunderstood nutrient may be thetwenty-first century equivalent to folic acid
Back in the 60s, it was first hypothesized that low
folate levels may be tied to serious birth defects involving
the neural tube. It wasn’t until the 90s that randomized
controlled trials could confirm the relationship between
this crucial nutrient and a healthy pregnancy, a
discovery that spurred the rise of food fortification
programs across the globe. Now it is a standard publichealth recommendation in the U.S. that all womencapable of becoming pregnant take a daily folic acidsupplement, as well as eat fortified foods.
Linus Pauling Institute Principal Investigator andAva Helen Pauling Professor Maret Traber, Ph.D., isinterested in whether there is a similar story to be told
about the importance of vitamin E to early development.
If there is, she is certainly the one to tell it, given that
she helped develop the national dietary requirementsfor vitamin E and has led the field over the past decade
toward a better understanding of this essential vitamin.
Unlike other well-characterized nutrients like C and A,
vitamin E remains somewhat misunderstood, with little

LPI Fall-Winter16 NL.indd 1

known about how it works in the body and how muchof it is needed for optimum health over the course of alifetime.
Traber’s lab has been instrumental in filling in theseknowledge gaps, and a driving force behind her work is
the fact that 90% of Americans do not get the current
recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin E.
“I believe this is a really overlooked public health issue—
we need to be looking closely at vitamin E levels in the
population,” said Traber. “Vitamin E plays a critical role innerve, brain, and liver function, and it’s important to haveadequate intake at any age,” she said. It is especially
important for women of childbearing age to get enoughE because of the role it plays in embryonic development
at the very onset of pregnancy, before a woman is likely
even aware of the pregnancy or has started taking
prenatal vitamins or making diet/lifestyle changes.
Working in zebrafish—an excellent model because
they share similar genes and metabolic pathways withhumans—Traber’s lab found a clear connection between
vitamin E levels and embryonic brain development.
Vitamin E-deficient zebrafish embryos had deformed
heads and displayed behavior changes that indicatedIN THIS ISSUE
From the Director ...................2
Uncovering the Secrets of the
Naked Mole Rat ..................... 4
LPI News ................................5
New Hope for Treating Lou
Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) ........... 6
LPI’s Clinical Trials Looking
at Micronutrient Status inOlder Adults........................... 8
Q & A .................................... 10
New, Free Resource for
Finding Diet and Health
Information Online ............... 12
A Reason to Ask for Secondsof Broccoli? .......................... 14
Developments ...................... 15

Continued on page 3

11/12/16 3:44 AM

FROM THE DIRECTORJan Frederik Stevens, Ph.D.

Professor and Interim Director
Linus Pauling Institute

It is my pleasure to report that LPI is thriving,with numerous research studies underway andacademic scholarship at its prime, during thisnotable period of transition for the institute. It isa time of new leadership and new partnerships,
and I am honored to be a part of it. After Balz Frei,
Ph.D., retired from the institute and theuniversity this past June, the university selected
me to act as interim director until a permanent
director is appointed.
This is an important period for us at LPI toreflect on where we want to go next and the best
way to get there. Our strengths and expertise
remain to be in molecular nutrition relevant
to aging, cardiometabolic health, and cancer
prevention. More so now than in the past, weare reaching out to regional medical schools topartner with collaborators with clinical expertiseand resources. For example, our partnershipwith Western University of Health Sciences in
Lebanon, Oregon, allowed my research group
to conduct and complete a human study on thehealth benefits of an experimental beverage
fortified with the hop polyphenol, xanthohumol.
We partnered with the Oregon Clinical andTranslational Research Institute at Oregon Health& Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon,
to facilitate molecular nutrition research involving
humans. In those partnerships, we contributeto the molecular understanding of disease andhow it can be prevented through dietary means.
A good example is the research of principal
investigator Emily Ho, Ph.D., on prevention ofbreast and prostate cancer by consumption of
cruciferous vegetables (you can read more about
one of her studies in this issue of the newsletter).
Together with other OSU units, we partnered with
the Knight Cancer Institute at OHSU. I am hopefulthat these and other partnerships will bringsynergistic interactions to the institute, which
will make us even stronger contenders in thefierce competition for federal research dollars.
Our research focus continues to be on
vitamins, essential minerals, and dietary
phytochemicals, and we have recently expanded
our interests to include the gut microbiome. The
complexity of food in terms of chemical diversity
and composition is further enhanced by gut
microbial metabolism. Bacteria and othermicroorganisms in the human gastrointestinal

tract can dramatically alter the health propertiesof food constituents. Eight laboratories at OSU,
including the Gombart, Stevens, Bobe, and Maierlabs in the LPI, have teamed up to unravel theinteractions of gut microbiota with vitamin D andxanthohumol, and vice versa. This project,funded by the National Center for Complementary
and Integrative Health, brings together expertisein microbiology, immunology, mammalianphysiology, metabolomics, and systems biology.
Metabolomics, or metabolic profiling, waspioneered by Linus Pauling, Ph.D., in the early
1970s and has become an integral technology
at LPI to uncover the molecular mechanisms ofaction of vitamins and dietary phytochemicals.
For example, metabolomics helps the Traberand Stevens labs to understand the molecularconsequences of vitamin E and C deficiency using
zebrafish models. It helps the Ho lab to answer
the question of how broccoli phytochemicals are
metabolized by gut microbes and affect humanmetabolism in beneficial ways. The Oxidative/
Nitrative Core Laboratory at LPI, in collaboration
with the OSU Mass Spectrometry Center, hasbeen instrumental in developing isotope-tracer
methods in conjunction with metabolomics toinvestigate diet exposure and effect.
Besides research, outreach is also part of our
mission. Both our Micronutrient Information
Center (MIC) and our Healthy Youth Program(HYP) serve important functions in the LPI, andthey are highly valued by the public. As a case inpoint, no less than 1.7 million people from all over
the world visit the MIC annually. We are gratefulto private and corporate donors for making it
possible for us to maintain the scientific andprofessional rigor of both programs, as well as tolaunch new initiatives such as the MIC’s diseaseindex (see an article by Giana Angelo, Ph.D., onpage 12 for more details). That said, it is criticalfor us to explore additional funding sources tosustain both programs. In collaboration withcolleagues in the College of Business, we are
exploring crowd funding, development of MICbased courses targeted toward health care
professionals as part of their continuing
education, and internet advertising to cover basic
operations. Our goal is to keep the threshold forgeneral access to the MIC and HYP programs as
low as possible without sacrificing content quality.

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The Stevens lab studies a variety
of different natural compounds,
including a polyphenol found in thehops plant, called xanthohumol.

Save the date! LPI is planning the 2017 Diet
and Optimum Health conference to be held
September 12-15, 2017. This conference, chairedby Maret Traber, Ph.D., will be a tribute toDistinguished Professor Emeritus Balz Frei, Ph.D.,
who directed LPI from 1997 to 2016. We are looking
forward to an outstanding conference with speakers
from around the world who will share their latest
scientific information on diet and health.
And finally, please join me in celebrating theaccomplishments of four LPI investigators. Maret
Traber, Ph.D., is the new holder of the Ava HelenPauling Professorship. David Williams, Ph.D.,
received the Helen P. Rumbel Professorship forCancer Prevention. Gerd Bobe, Ph.D., was granted
indefinite tenure with promotion to associate
professor. And last but not least, Cristobal L.
Miranda, Ph.D., was promoted to research
associate professor. With your generous support,these and other researchers in the LPI arecontinuing the important work that two-time Nobel
Prize winner Linus Pauling started. Thank you!

Continued from cover — Vitamin E and Pregnancy
defective neuromuscular responses. “By day
five, instead of being nice healthy swimmers,
half died,” said Traber. Her team discovered
the probable reason behind this effect: vitamin
E acts as a potent defender of critical omega
fatty acids needed for the brain to develop, andcontinue functioning, properly. Without that
defender in place, the embryos failed to thrive.
Professor Traber is now furthering her
research to understand the full cascade ofreactions that happen in early developmentwith a lack of vitamin E. Preliminary answers
point to a spiraling effect in multiple metabolic
pathways. Could an inadequate amount ofvitamin E in early pregnancy be a factor behind
miscarriages? There is already a known

association between vitamin E deficiency anda higher risk of miscarriage, and with the U.S.
miscarriage rate at 15-20%, research into thisarea is of vital public health concern.
Like with folate, gaining a better understandingof how and why vitamin E impacts early
development will allow for more informed
health recommendations for women capable ofbecoming pregnant, and could pave the way
for healthier pregnancies worldwide. For now,
Traber recommends women who may become
pregnant be sure to consume a multivitamin, as
a way to get folic acid and vitamin E. She also
recommends consuming foods high in vitamin E,
such as nuts, seeds, avocados, canola/olive oil,
and whole grains.

Jan Frederik Stevens, Ph.D.
Professor and Interim Director
Linus Pauling Institute3

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LPI NEWSAs one of his last projects at the helm of theinstitute, former director Balz Frei, Ph.D.,
launched an initiative to redesign the lookand feel of the Linus Pauling Institute’s
online and print presence. This “refresh” wasundertaken to more closely align the institute’s
unique strengths with its visual identity. Topgraphic designers from Oregon State University
developed an identity system that captures theessence, personality, and breadth of theinstitute, bringing to mind such words andphrases as vitality, optimum health, foodbased nutrients, prevention, micronutrients,and of course Pauling’s signature message of“how to live longer and feel better.”This edition of the Research Newsletter is thefirst print element we’ve rolled out using our
new visual identity (we also have redesigned
our website). We hope you like it! Please feel
free to let us know what you think via email(lpi@oregonstate.edu) or through social media.
As supporters and friends of the institute,we welcome and appreciate your thoughtfulcomments.
We also appreciate those of you who took
the time to answer our reader survey, includedin the last edition of the newsletter.

Thank you! We closed the survey at the endof September and will be taking some time tocarefully review all your responses (as wellas do the prize drawings!). Your input will be
instrumental in helping us determine theinstitute’s outreach and communication
priorities going forward.
One more bit of news: the institute’s
signature health website, the Micronutrient
Information Center, is introducing a new
online feature. Starting in November, you’ll
see a new tab on the top of theMicronutrient Information Center called“Health & Disease.” Click here and you’ll
find a variety of health topic pages, eachof which has information about
micronutrients as they relate to disease
prevention and treatment. Essentially, it is
the same kind of objective, evidence-based
information about micronutrients and dietaryfactors that you’ve come to rely on from theMicronutrient Information Center, but now
the information is organized by disease andthe language is more accessible to a wider
audience. You can learn more about it on
page 12, in an update from nutrition scientist
Giana Angelo, Ph.D.

The naked mole rat is an odd-looking
creature, with big buck teeth and anearly transparent pink body. It is also
unusual in another way: it lives much
longer than it ought to.

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Photo credit: Smithsonian National Zoo

UNCOVERING THE SECRETS OF THE NAKED MOLE RAT

Patterns in nature show that, in general, thelarger an animal is, the longer it tends to live.
With every doubling of species body mass, there
is roughly a 16% increase in maximum species
life span. The giant tortoise, for instance, can live
well past 100 years old; a dormouse is lucky tosee past its fourth birthday.
“But there are outliers to this logarithmic
relation,” said institute Principal Investigator
Viviana Pérez, Ph.D. The naked mole rat should,
by body mass, live to five years old, but it ends
up living a maximum lifespan of 31 years. Bats,same thing: they should live to be around six,
but instead live a maximum of 34 years.
Pérez’s laboratory at the institute is focusedon studying these animal outliers, asking whatmakes them so capable of that long life, of
defying the ecological norm. She’s honed in on
proteins, and their tendency to get “sticky” withage. When proteins stick to each other, this is
known as protein aggregation. “You don’t wantyour proteins to be aggregating,” says Pérez,“you want each protein to be working
individually, doing its job.”
This comparative biological approach has
important ties to human health and longevity.

Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s, for instance, areboth diseases where certain proteins go awry,
clump together, and cause problems. But in all
people, proteins are more prone to aggregation
as they age, even without one of these specificdiseases. “The quality of your proteins play animportant role in aging and disease,” said Pérez.
Her research asks the questions: how does
protein quality and resiliency impact longevity?
For long-living species like the naked mole rat,
what’s going on with protein aggregation? Do
they have cellular strategies for keeping theirproteins in good shape?
She recently received a federal grant from the
National Institutes of Health to further pursue
this line of inquiry. Previous research has shownthat the naked mole rat has potentially excellent
defenses against protein aggregation; now she’s
putting this theory to the test. Early resultsfrom her cell culture experiments indicate thatcells from naked mole rats are more resilient to
the toxicity induced by protein aggregates thancells of short-living species like mice. However,and contrary to all expectations, naked mole rat
cells accumulate more of a specific type ofprotein aggregate (called polyglutamine; it’s theprotein implicated in Huntington’s disease) thanmouse cells. Moreover, cells from the naked
mole rat cause protein aggregates to accumulate
in a very specific region of the cell: the perinuclear region, which is not observed in short-lived
mice. Based on these data, they hypothesizethat longevity is modulated not only throughresistance to protein toxicity, but also by thecapacity of the cell to clear protein aggregates
via a special “garbage deposit.”
The next step is to find out which specificmechanisms within the naked mole rat are
responsible for this protective effect, and zeroin on them. Once mechanisms are identified,then it opens up the possibility of modifying thatmechanism in another animal, like the mouse,to see if one can impact the aging process anddisease trajectory. This work, while still in theearly stages, could pave the way for a humanintervention that would maintain the quality ofproteins as people age, contributing to healthieraging and possibly providing therapies forprotein-aggregation diseases, like Alzheimer’s.
“We know the naked mole rat is a weird animal,”said Pérez, “we want to find out its secrets.”

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NEW HOPE FOR TREATING LOU GEHRIG’S DISEASE (ALS)
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or motor neuron disease, is a devastating illness characterized by relentless progressive paralysis
with death occurring typically after 1-5 years.
It has no cure. For years, researchers havebeen thwarted in finding new approaches totreat the disease. Now, through the work ofLinus Pauling Institute Principal Investigatorand Burgess and Elizabeth Jamieson Chair in
Healthspan Research Joseph Beckman, Ph.D.,a possible avenue has opened up, though it isstill in the early stages.
Using a specific type of copper compound,
Beckman’s laboratory was able to essentiallystop the progression of amyotrophic lateralsclerosis (ALS) for nearly two years in one typeof mouse model used to study the disease –allowing the mice to approach their normal
lifespan. His findings were recently published in
the journal Neurobiology of Disease.
“We are shocked at how well this treatment
can stop the progression of ALS,” said Beckman.
In decades of work, no treatment has been
discovered for ALS that can do anything but
prolong human survival less than a month.
The transgenic mouse model used in this study
is one that scientists believe may more closely
resemble the human reaction to this treatment,
which consists of a compound called
copper-ATSM.
It’s not yet known if humans will have thesame response, but clinical collaborators are
moving as quickly as possible toward humanclinical trials, testing first for safety and thenefficacy of the new approach. It appears likelythat the Phase I trial for copper-ATSM will start
recruiting in Australia and then in the U.S. ina few months (for more, please see
clinicaltrials.gov).

ALS was identified as a progressive and fatal
neurodegenerative disease in the late 1800s,
and gained international recognition in 1939
when it was diagnosed in American baseballlegend Lou Gehrig. It’s known to be caused by
the death and deterioration of motor neurons inthe spinal cord, which in turn have been linked
to mutations in the enzyme known as “copper,
zinc superoxide dismutase.”
After years of research, scientists havedeveloped an approach to treating ALS that’s
based on bringing copper into specific cells inthe spinal cord and mitochondria weakened
by copper deficiency. Copper is a metal thathelps to stabilize superoxide dismutase, andis important for its function as an antioxidant
protein. But when it lacks its metal co-factors,
the enzyme can partially “unfold” and become
toxic, leading to the death of motor neurons.
Copper-ATSM is a known compound that has
low toxicity, easily penetrates the blood-brain
barrier, is already used in human medicine atmuch lower doses for some purposes, and iswell tolerated in laboratory animals at far
higher levels.
However, this approach is not as simple
as taking a traditional dietary supplementof copper, which can be very harmful to thebody. Such supplements would be of no value
to people with ALS, researchers said. Although
copper is an essential micronutrient, even asmall excess of copper is toxic. The Linus Pauling
Institute’s online Micronutrient Information
Center provides a good summary of the body’s
requirements for copper, dietary sources, andtoxicity issues (lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/
minerals/copper).

“We have a solid understanding of why thetreatment works in the mice, and we predict
it should work in both familial and possibly
sporadic human patients,” Beckman said.
“But we won’t know until we try.”
Familial ALS patients are those with more ofa family history of the disease, while sporadic
patients reflect the larger general population.
Only 2-7% of ALS patients have mutations in
the enzyme superoxide dismutase. There isevidence that this approach, which also works
in part by improving mitochondrial function,
may have value in Parkinson’s disease andother conditions. Research is progressing
on those topics as well.
The treatment is unlikely to allow significant
recovery from neuronal loss already caused by
ALS, the scientists said, but could slow further
disease progression when started after
diagnosis. It could also potentially treat carriersof mutant superoxide dismutase genes thatwill eventually cause ALS to develop.
For more information, please read thisfollow-up blog written by Professor Beckman:
tinyurl.com/BeckmanALS.
This work has been supported by the
Department of Defense’s CongressionallyDirected Medical Research Program, theNational Institutes of Health, the Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis Association, the Australian
National Health and Medical Research
Association, and gifts by Michael Camillo andBurgess and Elizabeth Jamieson to the Linus
Pauling Institute.

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NEW HOPE FOR
TREATING LOU GEHRIG’SDISEASE (ALS)

Mutations in the enzyme
superoxide dismutase areassociated with ALS, and a
new copper compound may
help address this problem.

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LPI investigators are studying
whether daily consumption ofhazelnuts boosts health inolder adults.

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LPI’S CLINICAL TRIALS LOOKING AT MICRONUTRIENTSTATUS IN OLDER ADULTS
BY ALEX MICHELS, PH.D., CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR

It’s an unfortunate fact that many people
in the United States are still not getting thevitamins and minerals they need from thefood they choose to eat. According tonational surveys, people fall short in several key
nutrients. For example, close to 9 out every 10
adults in the U.S. don’t get enough vitamin E.
More than half don’t get enough magnesium.
The problem can get worse for people as theyage. Food preferences and eating habits may
shift as the sense of taste and smell changes,
thus older adults may eat fewer nutrient-dense
foods. Also, biologically, some micronutrientsare absorbed less efficiently.
The problem is worsened by the fact thatthe body’s demand for certain nutrients may
actually increase with age. So the end result isthat many older adults are at risk of not getting
the vitamins and minerals necessary for good
health.
As a way to fill in micronutrient gaps, theLinus Pauling Institute has long recommended
people of all ages take a daily multivitamin that
contains the recommended levels of all therequired vitamins and minerals.
But do multivitamins actually change
nutritional status in older adults? It sounds likean obvious question that must already havean answer, but it is one that hasn’t beenanswered using rigorous research techniques.
Our new multivitamin study, led by Tory
Hagen, Ph.D., Helen P. Rumbel Professor for
Aging Research, has been designed to answer
that question. Focusing on older men, theresearch study will compare micronutrient
levels in participants taking a multivitamin
tablet to levels in participants taking a placebo—a tablet not containing vitamins or minerals.
A second goal of the study will examine whether
taking a multivitamin also changes levels ofenergy or cognitive function in older adults; if
so, these findings will lay the groundwork forother human trials in the future.
And what about older adults who don’t wantto take a supplement? This is being addressedby the second clinical study at the institute.
Led by Maret Traber, Ph.D., Ava Helen Pauling
Professor, this clinical trial looks at thenutritional effects of a signature Oregon crop:
hazelnuts. Since hazelnuts are a good source ofvitamin E, magnesium, fiber, and unsaturated
fat, hazelnuts could serve as a tasty way to getseveral important nutrients. The research study
asks the following question: does eatinghazelnuts boost blood levels of vitamin E andmagnesium in older men and women who eat
the nuts daily?
Other nutrition scientists have previously
shown that hazelnuts can be beneficial inmaintaining good blood cholesterol (HDL) levels,
suggesting they are a heart-healthy snack.
What LPI researchers want to know is if theseeffects can be related to changes in vitaminand mineral levels. Since older adults may also
benefit from the fiber and fatty acids that comein hazelnuts, the research team also plans onlooking at how eating these nuts may affectthings like blood pressure and body weight.
With these studies, the Linus Pauling Institutehopes to better understand nutrition in older
adults, an area of science that is in need ofmuch more in-depth research. We look forward
to updating everyone with the results of theseimportant trials.
Clinical studies at the Linus Pauling Instituteare recruiting only local subjects from thegreater Corvallis area at this time. If you would
like to know more about the progress of thesestudies or lend your financial support, pleasecontact us at lpi@oregonstate.edu.

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Q: I’M IN MY 50s.
SHOULD ICONSIDER TAKING
A LIPOIC ACID
SUPPLEMENT?
A: PERHAPS, BUT IT
IS GOOD TO KNOW
MORE ABOUT
IT FIRST.

Lipoic acid is a naturally-occurring compound that is found in small amounts in food and isalso synthesized in small amounts by humans.
The amount of lipoic acid available in dietary
supplements (200-600 mg) is likely as much as
1,000 times greater than the amount that could
be obtained from the diet alone.
Taken as a dietary supplement, lipoic acidappears to act as a weak stress on the body—which, surprisingly, is a good thing. It is an
example of a fascinating concept in medicine
known as “hormesis,” which means to givea little bit of something bad in order to evoke
something good. Think of lifting weights—it
weakens muscles in the short term but the
response over time is a healthier, stronger body.
In a similar fashion, lipoic acid launches acascade of reactions that ultimately strengthens
the body’s own defenses against toxins andharmful free radicals that damage cells andgenetic material and increase the risk ofchronic disease.
This mechanism of action was discovered inlarge part by researchers at the Linus Pauling
Institute, but it is important to note that moretrials in humans are needed to investigate lipoic
acid’s role in supporting health.
What can be said conclusively about lipoic
acid is that several human clinical trials havedemonstrated its effectiveness in treating
nerve damage among diabetic patients, whenadministered intravenously (in Germany it isapproved for treatment of this condition,
known as peripheral neuropathy).
But there is reason to hope for more healthbenefits from this compound. Recent findings
from a human clinical trial conducted by theinstitute, in collaboration with Oregon Health& Science University, show that lipoic
acid promoted modest weight loss among
overweight women, compared with those
who did not take it. In addition, lipoic acidsupplementation lowered markers ofinflammation and free-radical damage. “Thesebeneficial effects of lipoic acid are remarkably
consistent with preclinical findings showingthat lipoic acid inhibits weight gain, accelerates
fat metabolism, lowers triglycerides, and exerts
anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects

in laboratory animals,” said Balz Frei, Ph.D., thetrial’s principal investigator.
This accumulating evidence points to apossibly important future role for lipoic acid inpreventing or treating obesity, heart disease,stroke, dementia, and other conditions.
Linus Pauling Institute Principal Investigatorand Helen P. Rumbel Professor for Aging
Research Tory Hagen, Ph.D., studies lipoic acidand recommends it as a dietary supplement,
especially for older adults because the body
becomes more inflamed and less resilient withage. “I see very few downsides in taking lipoic
acid for most people, except those prone tohypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or stomach
upset,” said Hagen. He says people should aim
to take lipoic acid half an hour before a meal,
if possible.

BOTTOM-LINE:
Lipoic acid supplementation at moderate
doses (less than 600 mg) appears to have few
serious side effects. Based on a growing bodyof clinical evidence, lipoic acid shows promise
as a dietary supplement to support a variety ofmeasures related to healthy aging. Talk withyour doctor before taking this supplement,
especially if you are on diabetes or thyroid
medications, as lipoic acid may interfere withthese drugs. If you decide to supplement withlipoic acid, the Linus Pauling Institute recommends
older adults take a daily dose of 200-400 mg.
For more tips on healthy living and dietary
supplements, check out the Linus Pauling
Institute’s Rx for Health:lpi.oregonstate.edu/rx-health.

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Q&A

New research indicates thepotential usefulness of lipoic
acid supplementation.

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NEW, FREE RESOURCE FOR FINDING DIET AND HEALTHINFORMATION ONLINE
BY GIANA ANGELO, PH.D.
We are inundated with nutrition information
on a daily basis, and much of it seems conflicting
and confusing. Since its founding in 1973,
the Linus Pauling Institute has strived to be asource of trusted information to help people
navigate the many headlines, articles, and media
reports that pop up daily. In addition to doing
cutting-edge scientific research, the instituteis committed to helping people make informed
decisions about food, dietary supplements, andtheir health.
Many of you may already know about
the Micronutrient Information Center(lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic), the institute’s free
online resource for scientifically accurate
information regarding the roles of vitamins,
minerals, and other dietary factors in promoting
health and preventing disease. The Micronutrient
Information Center contains a wealth of
information, but it can be daunting to siftthrough the in-depth, text-heavy articles.
Additionally, the website is organizedpredominantly by nutrient, so one must hop
around between articles to learn about all thenutrition research related to a specific health ordisease condition.
In an effort to make information from
the Micronutrient Information Center moreaccessible to more people, we developed a new
branch of the website. This new section, foundby clicking on the tab called “Health & Disease,”
has the following three distinct characteristics:(1) information is organized by health ordisease condition, (2) take-home messages
are summarized in bullet-point format, and (3)infographics are used to reinforce importantconcepts. As with the rest of the Micronutrient
Information Center, the maintenance of
scientific accuracy is of the utmost importance.
Content in this new section will continue tobe written and reviewed by LPI scientists, aswell as undergoing an additional review by an
external medical doctor or Ph.D. scientist before
publication on the website.
This new feature goes live in November, before
all the conditions and graphics are complete.
The upside of this early release is that it allows
us to gather valuable feedback from readers
before we get too far along (please let us knowwhat you think by emailing the Micronutrient
Information Center at lpi.mic@oregonstate.edu).
In the meantime, here is a glimpse of an
infographic on high blood pressure from the
new section of the website. You can find thefull infographic (and accompanying article
on high blood pressure) online by visiting theMicronutrient Information Center homepage,
clicking on the “Health & Disease” tab, andpulling up the page on high blood pressure.
Please check it out and stay tuned for more!

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HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (Hypertension)
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AFFECTS:

7 in 10About
adults over theage of 65.

More African
Americans than any
other ethnicity.

% of Adult Population

1 in 3

About
adults in the US

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASES YOUR RISK FOR:45%

AfricanAmericans

What is blood pressure?

32%

30%

NonHispanic
white

Hispanic

STROKE
About

HEART ATTACK
About

HEART FAILURE
About

their first stroke
have high bloodpressure.

first heart attack
have high bloodpressure.

chronic heart
failure have highblood pressure.

8
in 10
adults having

7adultsinhaving
10 their 7adultsinwith
10What is high blood pressure?
HOW DOES HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
AFFECT YOUR HEALTH?

High blood pressure
stretches arteries
beyond a healthy limit.

Blood pressure is theforce exerted against
arterial walls as the heartpumps blood.

Chronic overstretching of arteries
has many negative eﬀects:• Tears and scarring• Weak spots that rupture easily• Blood clot formation• Increased workload on the heart• Plaque build-up

Arteries are muscular-walled
blood vessels that carry bloodaway from the heart.

BLOOD PRESSURE

SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (SBP)

Pressure exerted as the heart contracts, during a heart beat

NORMALAT RISK< 120 mm Hg

120-139 mm Hg

140-159 mm Hg

AND

OR

OR

OR

< 80 mm Hg

80-89 mm Hg

90-99 mm Hg≥ 100 mm Hg

Normotensive

Prehypertensive

Hypertensive
Stage 1Hypertensive
Stage 2

DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (DBP)

Pressure exerted when the heart is at rest, between heart beats

HOW CAN YOU LOWER YOURBLOOD PRESSURE?

HIGH

Diet and lifestyle changes can reduce your bloodpressure and improve your health.

H E A LT H Y E AT I N G

APPROXIMATE REDUCTION IN SYSTOLIC BP
with diet and lifestyle changes1
Lose
weight2

0

WATER

WHOLE
GRAINSVEGETABLES HEALTHY
PROTEINFRUIT

LOW FAT

MILK

DASH3
eatingpatternDaily
aerobic
exercise-5
DROP IN SYSTOLIC BP (mm Hg)

HEALTHYOILS≥ 160 mm Hg

-10

Limit
alcohol4

Limitsodium5

2-4
mm Hg

2-4
mm Hg

4-9
mm Hg

-15

8-14
mm Hg

-20

5-20
mm Hg

-25

Lowering blood pressure
even a small amount canhave a big eﬀect

Chobanian AV, et al. JAMA 2003; 289:1560-73
10 kg (22 lb) weight loss in overweight/obese
adults3
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
4
Maximum one drink/day for women, two
drinks/day for men
5
Sodium reduced by approximately
1,200 mg/day
12

Adopt the Dietary Approaches to Stop
Hypertension (DASH) eating pattern

1• Eat lots of vegetables, fruit, and wholegrains.
• Enjoy lean protein, low-fat dairy, and nuts.
• Limit saturated fat, added sugar, and“junk food.”

Increase potassium and decrease sodium

2• Eat nine servings of fruit and vegetables
each day.
• Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium/day (equivalent to one teaspoon of tablesalt).

Supplement with vitamin C

3• 500 mg/day of supplemental
vitamin C.

C

SOURCES• Micronutrient Information Center, lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, High Blood Pressure Facts, cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm
13• Mozzafarian D, Benjamin EJ, Go AS, et al., Executive Summary: Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics — 2016 Update. A Report from the American Heart
Association. Circulation. 2016; 133:447-454• American Heart Association, About High Blood Pressure, heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/AboutHighBloodPressure/About-HighBlood-Pressure_UCM_002050_Article.jsp#.VrCK1JMrJBw• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Description of the DASH Eating Plan, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/dash

LPI Fall-Winter16 NL.indd 13© Linus Pauling Institute11/12/16 3:44 AM

A compound in broccoli sprouts
may help slow cancer cell growth.

A REASON TO ASK FOR SECONDS OF BROCCOLI?
Principal Investigator Emily Ho, Ph.D., recently published a paper in the journal Cancer Prevention Research that showed the power of acompound in broccoli sprouts to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
The compound is called sulforaphane, andresearchers gave it to study participants insupplement form, in a dose equivalent to about
one cup of broccoli sprouts per day.
This research was done with 54 women withabnormal mammograms who were scheduled
for a breast biopsy and were studied in a
double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled
trial. They received either a placebo or
supplements that provided sulforaphane.
“Our original goal was to determine if
sulforaphane supplements would be welltolerated and might alter some of the epigenetic
mechanisms involved in cancer,” said Ho. “Wewere surprised to see a decrease in markers ofcell growth, which means these compounds
may help slow cancer cell growth,” said Ho,a co-author on the study. “This is very
encouraging. Dietary approaches havetraditionally been thought to be limited tocancer prevention, but this demonstrated it
could help slow the growth of existing tumors.”
A number of studies in the past have foundthat women with a high intake of cruciferous
vegetables—such as broccoli, cauliflower,
cabbage or kale—have a decreased risk ofbreast cancer. Research has also shown that
sulforaphane, which is found at the highest
levels in such foods, can modulate breast
cancer risk at several stages of carcinogenesis

and through different mechanisms.
In particular, sulforaphane appears to inhibit
histone deacetylases, or HDACs, which in turnenhances the expression of tumor suppressor
genes that are often silenced in cancer cells.
When better understood and studied, it’s
possible that sulforaphane or other dietarycompounds may be added to traditional
approaches to cancer therapy, whether toprevent cancer, slow its progression, treat itor stop its recurrence.
This research was supported by the
National Cancer Institute, the National Institutesof Health, and the National Institute ofEnvironmental Health Sciences.

14

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11/12/16 3:44 AM

DEVELOPMENTS
Dear Friends,
There are numerous exciting health discoveries
taking place in Linus Pauling Institute labs eachday. Many rely on support from our very
generous friends. Did you know there are many
ways to make gifts to the institute? Throughcharitable giving, like Sandy and Joanie
Sandborg’s, these exciting discoveries willcontinue for generations.
For years, Sandy and Joanie were faithful
supporters of research at the Linus Pauling
Institute. They believed in Pauling’s work and his
vision for better health through better nutrition.
They took vitamin C. And they enjoyed a long,
happy life, ending their years together ina small, beautifully crafted house they built on
the shore of Washington’s Puget Sound.
They joked that their house would be agreat retreat center for stressed-out institutescientists. But although that would be one
good use for the property, they said, they
figured it could probably be even more usefulto the institute.
They decided to bequeath their beloved hometo the Linus Pauling Institute through the Oregon
State University Foundation, the institute’s
parent charity. Its proceeds are now supporting
critical health research.
A bequest is just one way your gift of realestate can benefit the Linus Pauling Institute. In
fact, your generous gift—whether it’s a home,
farm, rental, vacation home, or timberland—canprovide you with powerful tax benefits and evenan income stream for you and/or your loved
ones. You can:• Increase your retirement income by turning
real estate into a Charitable Remainder Trustthat provides you with regular payments.
• Free up your time from managing a rental,
farm, timberland, or a vacation home.
• Eliminate capital gains taxes on highly
appreciated property and reduce or
eliminate estate taxes.

Heather Brust

Director of Development• Transfer ownership of your home to the
OSU Foundation through a Retained Life
Estate while retaining the right to live in it
as long as you like—and take a significant
tax deduction for your gift right away.
• Give an illiquid asset, such as appreciatedtimberland, while freeing up an easier,tax efficient asset for your heirs.
• Create a legacy in your name at the instituteby establishing a graduate fellowship or
supporting a research program that is
important to you.
If you are interested to learn more about
creative ways to support the Linus Pauling
Institute, I’d be happy to visit with you.
Sincerely,
HEATHER E. BRUST
Senior Director of Development
Division of Health Sciences
OSU Foundation
800-354-7281
heather.brust@oregonstate.edu

See us on Facebook
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LinusPaulingInstitute
Visit the LPI Blog
blogs.oregonstate.edu/
LinusPaulingInstitute

HOME SWEET. . .HEALTH?
Support the Linus Pauling Institute with a gift of real estate

15

LPI Fall-Winter16 NL.indd 15

11/12/16 3:44 AM

LINUS PAULING INSTITUTE

Non-Profit Org.

Oregon State University
307 Linus Pauling Science Center

PAID

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phone: 541-737-5075

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Portland, OR
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fax: 541-737-5077
email: lpi@oregonstate.edu
website: lpi.oregonstate.edu

SUPPORT LPI
Gifts in support of research efforts
can be made at any time. Checks
should be payable to OSU Foundation
for the Linus Pauling Institute.
Information on giving is available
from the OSU Foundation by calling
1-800-354-7281, going online toosufoundation.org/GiveToLPI,
or by writing to the institute

LPI Fall-Winter16 NL.indd 16

11/12/16 3:44 AM