LINUS
PAULINGINSTITUTE
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITYRESEARCH NEWSLETTERSPRING–SUMMER 2019

Free Public Lecture at the LPI Conference LOOK INSIDEDIVING INTO DYSFUNCTION:

IN THIS ISSUE

by Kathy Magnusson, DVM, PhD

Diving into
Dysfunction...........1

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH OF THE MAGNUSSON LABORATORYThe Magnusson laboratory has been active on the OSU campus for the last 14 years.
Originally hired in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Kathy Magnusson joined theLinus Pauling Institute in 2013. Currently, she is working to develop new cognitive
tests for use in clinical studies in older adults.

From the Director...2

Introduction

A Trusted Resource
for Nutrition
Information............8

The brain changes as we age. I am interested
in finding ways to prevent or repair someof these changes, especially age-related
declines of learning and memory.
On the other hand, I am not as young as I used
to be, so you could also say that I am hoping tofigure out how to improve memory problems
before I forget what I am researching!
A primary focus of my laboratory is
discovering the molecular mechanisms
underlying the changes that contribute to
age-related memory decline. I focus on

the changes that occur to a complex ofbrain-specific proteins known as the NMDA
receptor – a brain protein important tomemory formation.

Learning from NMDA
The NMDA receptor is a gated channel inneurons. It allows positively charged ions toenter the neuron when the amino acidglutamate binds to its surface. After the gate
opens, the flood of ions sends a pulse throughthe brain cell.
The NMDA receptor is a focus of our work for
two reasons: it is very important in theContinued on page 4

Vitamin C to the
Rescue..................6

Frequently Asked
Questions about
Vitamin B12...........10
LPI Students.........13
The Linus
Pauling InstituteConference............14

FROM THE DIRECTOR
In this issue of the Research Newsletter, the Linus Pauling Institute looks
ahead to our 10th biennial conference, to be held August 14-16, 2019 on
the Oregon State University campus.

Richard van Breemen, PhD
Endowed Chair andDirector, Linus Pauling InstituteOne of the conference sessions will explore new approaches to the treatmentof neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Another session
is dedicated to the role that oxidation/reduction reactions play in biology,
especially in neurodegeneration, inflammation, and cancer. Lastly, we will
discuss how nutrition and dietary supplements can help maintain cognitive
resilience and prevent neurodegeneration.
Thus, it is only proper that in this issue we feature Dr. Kathy Magnusson’slaboratory on the cover. Her work on campus for the last 14 years spansmany aspects of neuroscience, and now her work in the LPI studies theeffects of dietary supplements on cognitive function.
In my Fall/Winter 2018 column, I described how Linus Pauling contributed topassage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act in 1994 (alsoknown as DSHEA). Still law today, DSHEA ensures that dietary supplements
like vitamins, minerals, and botanical supplements remain non-prescription
and available over-the-counter to all consumers.
In recognition of the 25th anniversary of DSHEA, our upcoming conference
will include a session concerning regulatory and research priorities forbotanical dietary supplements. We will feature presentations by scientists
from the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration,and the dietary supplements industry. Sessions throughout the conference
will describe the health benefits and mechanisms of action of manyphytochemicals, as well as vitamins.
Our conference will close with a public session featuring Dr. Louis J.
Ignarro, who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1998. Hispresentation, “The Road to Stockholm – A Nobel Mission,” will be free for all.
We only ask that audience members register online to reserve their seat.
In his Nobel Prize winning research, Dr. Ignarro discovered that a molecule
produced by the body called nitric oxide relaxes vascular smooth muscle.
This amazing molecule can improve cardiovascular function, lowering
blood pressure and inhibiting platelet aggregation. It also functions as aneurotransmitter mediating erectile function and is responsible for the
biological actions of nitroglycerin and endothelium-derived relaxing factor.
Among his many achievements, Dr. Ignarro was elected to the National
Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, andthe National Academy of Medicine. He was honored year after year as an
outstanding teacher first while on the faculty of Tulane University and thenat UCLA, where he is currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of
Molecular and Medical Pharmacology.

2

Dr. Ignarro interacted with Dr. Pauling in the 1950s and 1960s. Their first meeting took place
while Dr. Ignarro was attending high school in Brooklyn, NY. In his own words:“I first met Linus Pauling in 1956, two years after his Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
My high school chemistry teacher invited him to Long Beach High to assist insetting up a chemistry lab to complement the course lectures, and also to give ageneral experimental demonstration to the high school in the auditorium.
Since my teacher knew of my passion for chemistry, I had the opportunity to workwith Professor Pauling for many hours. There has never been any doubt in my mind
that Linus Pauling was the most important motivating factor accounting for mysuccess as a chemical pharmacologist.”
The conference is being held in conjunction with the Society for Redox Biology and Medicine,and I am grateful to Maria C. Franco of the OSU Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
who is representing the SfRBM in planning this event.
I would also like to thank the LPI conference committee for their diligence in organizing theconference: LPI principal investigators Maret Traber, Fred Stevens and Fritz Gombart, with
LPI staff members Alex Michels, Dustin Helvie, and Caitlyn Reilley. Also I thank Jen Stotts andall of her hard-working team at OSU Conference Services.
Please consider coming to Corvallis in August. If you can attend the entire conference orjust the public session, all of us at the LPI would be delighted to see you.
Sincerely,

Richard B. van Breemen

3

Dr. Ignarro’s work
showed that the body
produces nitric oxide
in order to control theconstriction of bloodvessels. The deliveryof nitric oxide into thebloodstream can cause
constricted arteries
to relax, ultimately
lowering bloodpressure.

Continued from cover — Diving into Dysfunction

formation of memories, and it shows
problems binding to glutamate withincreased age. In comparison to otherglutamate receptors in the brain, the NDMA
receptor shows more deficits with age.
These changes affect both short- and longterm memory.

Dr. Magnusson is aprincipal investigatorat the Linus Pauling
Institute and is a
professor in theCollege of Veterinary
Medicine at OSU

Observing biochemical changes in the
NMDA receptor requires a detailed analysisof the protein, including how much of it isfunctional and expressed on the surface of aneuron. This is also the way we characterize
other modifications present on the proteinthat might affect its function.
We use this information to devise
interventions that may reverse brain aging.
If successful, this would change or slow themodifications on the NMDA receptor andallow it to look and function more like it doesin the brains of younger animals.
While a detailed analysis of the NMDA
receptor is very valuable, it is only one
piece of a puzzle that can help us improve
cognitive function. What we need to do islink these biochemical changes tosomething functional.
In other words, how do we really know thatany given change might affect memory?

More than just a Swim Test
Cognitive function tests for rodents areused to probe certain brain functions. For
example, if you want to test the anxiety
level in a laboratory animal, you can use atest that puts them in a light versus dark
environment. Because rodents typicallyassociate safety with darkness, the amountof time that they stay in a dark area can beassociated with their anxiety level.

Cognitive flexibility
is defined as theability to adjust andremember a change,or shift from thinking
about one topic toanother.

For memory tests, we take a different
approach. Repeated trials to find food inan environment or to locate an object cantest long-term memory. Once an animal has
learned a particular location or task wellenough, we can change something about thetest and measure their cognitive flexibility.
This adaptability to new situations tends todecline as the animal gets older.

4

Another way to test long-term memory
is novel object recognition, which takes
advantage of the natural curiosity ofmice. After a given time period to become
familiar with an object, mice are less likely
to investigate it – that is, assuming they
remember it. Mice spend less time exploringan object that is familiar to them.
For different aspects of memory that involve
spatial learning, our laboratory utilizes theMorris Water Maze. In short, this is swim
test for mice. We put them in a round pool
filled with water that contains a platform. In
order for the animals to get out of the water(which they are very eager to do), they mustswim to the platform.
The difficulty is that the platform is hidden
just under the surface of the water. The
water is made opaque, so they can’t see
the platform and swim toward it. When the
animals are placed in the pool, they swimaround until they find the platform. Everysubsequent time that they are placed inside
the pool, they will do the same thing: search
until they find the platform.
To help the animals orient themselves in theround pool, objects or distinctive shapes areplaced around the pool edge. If the animal
finds the platform in a particular location, it
will use the objects as landmarks to locate it
faster on the next trial.
Once the mice learn that the objects tellthem where the platform is, the faster the
animal will swim directly to it. If the platform
is removed, animals with a good memory will
still search that area first before looking forthe platform in other areas. Removing theplatform helps us to see whether the animal
knows where the platform is supposed to be
and is not just swimming fast and running
into it randomly.
We use this swim test extensively to linkchanges in the NMDA receptor to memory
declines with age. We can identify someolder mice that perform almost as well as
younger animals, while others perform muchworse. Older animals with good memories
have distinctly different NMDA receptors
than their poor-performing counterparts.
This suggests they can compensate for thenatural changes that occur with age.

Recently, we found more of a fatty acid called
palmitate attached to NMDA receptors ofaged animals. These palmitate deposits areassociated with more memory problems
and seems to be a phenomenon of the aging
process. It does not appear that we can domuch to reduce palmitate levels on these
proteins, but maybe we can influence otherways the brain can adapt?

Bringing it Home
Although research in rodents is thefoundation of much of the scientific workon memory, there is a big push to bringthis work out of animals and into people.
This process is known as translation – acomplicated way of saying that we are trying
to find ways for animal studies to be repeatedin human volunteers.
To enhance the translation of our work,
we have been developing a water maze fortesting human subjects. Unlike the rodent
test, this is not performed in a pool of water
but in a virtual computer environment.
Otherwise, this task is designed to be similar
to the water maze task that we use to assess
memory in mice.
Using this ‘virtual water maze,’ we find thatyoung adults learn the test in a very similar
pattern as young animals. Like the mice inthe pool, the participants use the landmarkson the computer screen to navigate theenvironment. Over repeated tests, their time
to find the hidden platform quickens.
However, older adults appear to learn muchslower in water maze, even slower than the
animal testing would predict. Why? Well,there are several possibilities. One is thatolder adults are not comfortable navigating
a computerized environment while mostyoung adults have been ‘training’ in thisenvironment since they were children.
Another possibility is a motivation factor.
Mice in a pool want to get out of the water
as soon as possible. Navigating a computer
environment means no reward for success,and no risks in failure.
However, we are able to divide participants
into good performers and poor performers,
just like we do for the mice. We can thenmonitor active brain regions that might beimportant to performance using equipment
such as an fMRI.
We believe that using a virtual test will
enhance our ability to transition fromanimals to humans. We are currently using
the virtual water maze in a study of cognitive
function in veterans from different war eras.

The Gut-Brain Connection
Our virtual water maze is a very effective tool
for measuring the effects of an intervention.
One of our ongoing studies, in partnershipwith Dr. Tory Hagen, looks at how multivitaminsupplements might alter cognitive function inolder men.
We also have experience examining the roles
that diet and gut microbiota play in cognitive
abilities. Our recent animal studies show thateating a high-sucrose diet can cause specificlearning deficits. Also, animals fed either ahigh-fat or a high-sucrose diet have trouble
with cognitive flexibility.
The composition of the gut microbiota
seems to play a big role here – animals thatshow the most changes in gut bacteria afterswitching to these diet tend to have morecognitive problems. We are pursuing evidenceof whether these cognitive deficits are due
to diet alone or to the microbiota, but either
scenario provides some exciting opportunities
for intervention.
You will hear more from my laboratory on this
topic soon. We are very excited to explore new
avenues of cognitive testing at the LPI, andcannot wait to share what we have learned
about the influence that gut bacteria haveon anxiety.

References
Zamzow et al. eNeuro 6 (2019)
doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0310-18.2019
Zhong et al. Behavioral Neuroscience 131 (2017)
doi: 10.1037/bne0000219
Magnusson et al. Neuroscience 300 (2015) 128-40
doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.05.016

5fMRI refers toFunctional Magnetic
Resonance Imaging, a
way to monitor brain
activity in real time.

VITAMIN C TO THE RESCUE:STEMMING ANTIOXIDANT DEPLETION IN METABOLIC SYNDROME
Gut dysbiosis in metabolic syndrome reduces vitamin E availability. Dr. Maret Traber and her colleagues
think that healing the gut might just require a little extra vitamin C.
It is no secret that a diet high in saturated
fat and processed food and low in fruit andvegetables is not doing the body any favors.
Not only is such a diet low in many vitamins
and minerals, but it can also lead to a hostof problems with your gut microbiome andcan promote intestinal dysbiosis (see p.7).

Dr. Traber is the
Ava Helen PaulingEndowed Professor
at the Linus Pauling
Institute and aprofessor in theCollege of Public
Health and Human
Sciences at OSU.

Dr. Maret Traber highlights antioxidant
depletion as one of the symptoms of thedysbiosis seen in metabolic syndrome.
Specifically, Traber and her colleagues,
Drs. Garry Buettner and Richard Bruno,
have been focusing on how vitamin C andvitamin E are affected by this condition.
In a recently published review in the journal
Redox Biology, they suggest that changes
in the gut microbiome and increases in
inflammation seen with metabolic syndromecan easily result in vitamin C depletion, andthis can lead to vitamin E depletion.
Antioxidants like vitamins C and E are thefirst line of defense against oxidative stressbrought on by free radicals – unstablemolecules that can damage cells. Vitamin E
is particularly good at stopping the oxidationof fats, especially those that reside in themembrane of cells.
A limitation to this protection is that once
vitamin E is oxidized, it can no longer
participate in antioxidant defense. Since
vitamin C can regenerate the antioxidant
capacity of vitamin E, it is only naturalto think about the combining the twoantioxidants.
“Vitamin C normally helps support
vitamin E activity,” Traber explains. “On
the other hand, if you do not have enoughvitamin C, vitamin E can be destroyed.
This is the start of a process that leads tothe loss of both antioxidants.”
One particularly insidious source of free
radicals in the body is our own immune
system. Activated immune cells create ahost of free radicals to fight off invaders.
Although helpful to stop infections, problems

6

arise when the immune system goes out ofcontrol.
Also, immune cells go on high alert whenpieces of bacterial cell walls enter into thebloodstream. This response is a hallmarkof metabolic syndrome, as well as otherdiseases that involve both an imbalance inthe gut microbiome and a loss of integrity of
the intestinal wall.
“Essentially, white blood cells are scrubbing
our bodies with bleach because fragmentsof bacteria cells are fooling them. They
are responding as if there was an ongoingbacterial invasion when none exists,” Trabersaid. “Now, instead of destroying bacteria,
this bleach destroys vitamin C, eroding the
body’s own protective mechanisms.”
The overactive immune system causes
inflammation that paves the road for the
production of more free radicals. Without anintervention, this process keeps repeating.
Is vitamin E a solution to the problem? Onlyin part. If you could increase the amountof vitamin E in the body, it would be better
equipped to fight off lipid peroxidation.
“We have performed studies measuringvitamin E in people with metabolic syndrome,
and they showed some interesting results,”
Dr. Traber explains. “In short, we foundwhen we gave vitamin E to people who
were healthy and to those with metabolic
syndrome, the healthy people had higher
vitamin E in the bloodstream. We think thisis because of low vitamin C status in people
with metabolic syndrome.”
Without vitamin C, adding more vitamin E
becomes very inefficient. Restoring vitamin C
levels should be the priority.
The benefits of maintaining a high vitamin
C status are multifold. Besides being a
versatile antioxidant, vitamin C can lower
inflammation and support ‘leaky’ cells in thegut. It may even alter growth of certain gut
bacteria.

Gut Microbiota and Your Health
The human gastrointestinal tract has
an abundance of microorganisms fromthe environment. The collection ofdifferent single cell organisms colonizing
the gastrointestinal tract is termed the‘gut microbiota.’
The relationship between thesemicroorganisms and our health can
get quite complicated. Althoughgenerally beneficial, there is potential
for dysfunction as a result of an alteredmicrobial composition – known as
dysbiosis.
As researchers explore the links
between the microbiota and ourhealth, it can become apparent that alarge number of diseases have links todysbiosis. Therefore, correcting or
preventing dysbiosis is of particularinterest in health research.

Dr. Emily Ho studies the effects of zinc and aging on
the gut microbiome in mice and how they are related
to inflammation.

Researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute have
explored gut microbiota in several studies over the
past few years:

Studies by Dr. Adrian Gombart and Dr. Fred Stevens
have focused on improving gut health with derivativesof xanthohumol (see our Fall/Winter 2018 ResearchNewsletter).

Dr. Kathy Magnusson explores the effects ofdysbiosis on cognitive function in mice(see Magnusson article, cover).

Traber and her colleagues believe there
is sufficient evidence that the government’s
recommended intake levels for vitamin C(75-90 mg for women and men, respectively)
might not be enough. She supports theLinus Pauling Institute recommendationthat every adult should consume 400 mg ofvitamin C every day.
Yet, adding more vitamin C is not a miracle
cure. Traber and her colleagues havefound that when people with metabolic
syndrome consume vitamin C, their plasma
concentrations of the vitamin remain low.
Something is happening to the vitamin, andTraber thinks that is because the dysbiosis
and rampant inflammation is not being
properly addressed.

The ideal intervention for metabolic
syndrome encompasses a complete overhaulof dietary habits.
“Ultimately, what these findings really say
is: Eat your fruit and vegetables,” Traber said
“Five to ten servings a day will get you thefiber and antioxidants you need to restore
beneficial bacteria, protect your gut, andultimately increase vitamin C and vitamin E
status in the body.”
References
Traber et al. Redox Biology 21 (2019) doi: 10.1016/j.
redox.2018.101091
Traber et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 105(2017) doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.138495

7

A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR NUTRITION INFORMATIONThe Linus Pauling Institute is home to one of the premier databases of evidence-based information on
nutrients, phytochemicals, and other dietary factors. The Micronutrient Information Center website(lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic) has been an integral part of our communication efforts since its debut
nearly 20 years ago.

Overview

Going In Depth

The Micronutrient Information Center isan open-access, online repository of
information designed to explain the roles ofvitamins, minerals, and other dietary factors
in the body, as well as the available evidenceof their health effects.

The bulk of the content on the Micronutrient
Information Center is found under the
Articles heading. This is where you will findin-depth articles on various nutrients anddietary factors, including food and beverages.

Accessed by people from all over the world,
it has been a trusted source of nutrition
information for hundreds of thousands ofpeople every year.
If you have not visited the Micronutrient
Information Center website before, thisarticle will serve as a primer on the available
content. If you are already familiar with the
database, you can skip ahead to page 9 tolearn about our recent updates and our new
developments.

8

Written by PhD nutrition scientists, eacharticle summarizes the current state of thescientific literature on the topic. In general,
the articles are broken down into an overview
of function, evidence for its role in disease
prevention and treatment, typical foodsources, and intake recommendations.
Other information, such as toxicity anddrug-nutrient interactions, is also included.
Not surprisingly, the articles on vitamins
and minerals are the most popular on oursite. However, you can also find information

about other dietary factors that contributeto health maintenance. In particular, theDietary Factors section contains detailed
information on several phytochemicals, i.e.,
biologically active, non-nutrient compounds
synthesized by plants.
The section on Food and Beverages has
articles on several foods and drinks thathave purported health benefits, including
cruciferous vegetables, nuts, and tea.
A general overview on glycemic index andglycemic load can be found in this section,
providing information to help people
understand how carbohydrates influence
blood sugar.

A Focus on Health & Disease
A fairly recent addition to the Micronutrient
Information Center website is the Health& Disease section. Instead of looking up
pages for each vitamin or mineral, thissection places the relevant information ona health topic in one convenient location.
Several health and disease conditions are
already available, including pages on
Alzheimer’s disease, bone health, immunity,
pregnancy, heart attack, and stroke, withmore planned for the future.
With user-friendly infographics and easyto-read summaries, any dedicated healthseeker can quickly access information on
nutrients and dietary factors related to a
specific health condition.

The Newest Additions
Supported by an “Independent Grant for
Learning & Change” from Pfizer, scientists
at the Micronutrient Information Center
developed articles and companion online
courses that are now available. These classes
are geared toward healthcare professionals
but available to anyone interested in the topic.
The first course, “Meeting Micronutrient
Needs,” has been accredited by theCommission on Dietetic Registration.

http://bit.ly/
MicronutrientNeeds

The second course, “Micronutrientsand Bone Health” is in the process ofaccreditation and should be available soon.

http://bit.ly/
MICBoneHealth

Articles from the Micronutrient Information
Center have now been translated into two
other languages: Spanish and Japanese.
This content is hosted on companion sites.
Articles recently updated on the site:
•

•

•

•

Lipoic Acid, with expanded content on
diabetes and a new section on weight
management.
Magnesium, with updated content
on disease prevention and disease
treatment.
Potassium, with new intake
recommendations and expanded
content on stroke, osteoporosis, andhypertension.
Zinc, with new content on disease
prevention and disease treatment.

If you have a question
about one of our articles,
please email us at:
lpi.mic@oregonstate.edu.

From the Experts
Because human studies form the core of
the information on our website, theMicronutrient Information Center provides
information that informs healthy dietary andsupplement choices.
The content found in our articles is derived
from the published scientific literature,
representing an independent view on thesubject. Importantly, each article is reviewed
by an expert in the field to ensure its
accuracy and scientific validity.
If you are unable to access the Micronutrient
Information Center website, some of thecontent is available as two hardbound books
published by Thieme. If you are interested inpurchasing either book, please contact the
Linus Pauling Institute.

Support Us
The Micronutrient Information Center has always been freely available
and will never contain ads – generous donations to the Linus Pauling
Institute support its development and maintenance.
With more than a million visitors every year from around the globe, it is
one of the most frequently visited websites at Oregon State University.
To support this program, contact the OSU Foundation and make a gift
to the LPI’s Outreach Education Fund.
(800) 354-7281 • http://bit.ly/Give2MIC
Thank you!

9FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT… VITAMIN B12
The Linus Pauling Institute receives many questions from all over the world about micronutrients and dietary
supplements. Here, we summarize some common questions about vitamin B12.

What is vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is known as cobalamin. It is thelargest vitamin molecule and also the only
vitamin that contains the element cobalt.
Methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin
are the two forms of “active” vitamin B12
used by the body.
Like all vitamins, the body is unable to makevitamin B12. Synthesized only by bacteria,
this vitamin is prevalent in animal products,
including meats, fish, shellfish, dairy
products, and eggs, and absent in plantbased foods.

What does vitamin B12 do?
Sublingual forms ofsupplemental B12 areabsorbed in a passive
fashion. These can help
those with inadequate
vitamin B12 absorption
in the intestine.

Like all B vitamins, vitamin B12 functions
as an enzyme cofactor in the body. It is
used as a cofactor for methionine synthase— an enzyme that uses B12, folate, andhomocysteine to produce the amino acidmethionine.
B12 is also used by methylmalonyl-CoA
mutase, an enzyme that converts
10

breakdown products of certain amino acids,cholesterol, and some fatty acids into usable
fuel for the citric acid cycle in mitochondria.
Without this enzyme activity, thesebreakdown products cause neurologicaldamage that could be irreversible.

How is vitamin B12 absorbed?
Vitamin B12 absorption can occur in two
different ways.
The first method is assisted transport, withthe transfer of the B12 molecule to different
carrier proteins in the digestive tract toensure its stability. In this fashion, B12 isultimately absorbed in the small intestine.
If the body does not produce these carriers,
very little vitamin B12 is absorbed.
There is an unassisted transport mechanism
for this vitamin as well. In this mechanism,
B12 moves in the spaces between cells in ourdigestive tract. This form of transport is very
inefficient, with only about 1% of a givendose of B12 being absorbed.

What are the symptoms of B12
deficiency?

What are the recommendations forvitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 deficiency is characterized
by a specific type of anemia called
megaloblastic anemia. It can cause fatigue,
weakness, constipation, loss of appetite,
and weight loss. Numbness and tingling in
the hands and feet, depression, confusion,or poor memory can also occur.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance forvitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms per day (μg/day)for adolescents and adults. It is slightly higher
for women who are pregnant (2.6 μg/day) or
breastfeeding (2.8 μg/day).

Symptoms of B12 deficiency can takedecades to develop, and can usually only
be diagnosed by a medical professional.

Who is at risk for B12 deficiency?
Vegans: Diets devoid of animal products
will result in B12 deficiency. Vegans need toeat fortified food or use supplements tomaintain their B12 levels.
Stomach acid blockers: Because adequate
stomach acid is necessary to release vitamin
B12 from the proteins to which it is bound,some types of stomach acid blockers can
reduce vitamin B12 absorption from food.
Stomach inflammation: Autoimmune or
inflammatory conditions of the stomach wall
can degrade the proteins that aid vitamin B12
absorption, or stop their production entirely.
People with these conditions often have low
B12 status.
Older adults: A combination of chronic
stomach inflammation and reduced
stomach acid – which is more common inolder adults – can reduce the absorption ofvitamin B12 from food.

What are different forms ofvitamin B12 supplements?
Vitamin B12 can be found in different
supplemental forms, but each form of
the vitamin (also called vitamers) can beconverted to active B12 after absorption.
The derivatives commonly found inthese products are adenosylcobalamin,
methylcobalamin, hydroxycobalamin,
and cyanocobalamin.
Despite claims of better absorption,enhanced bioavailability, or lack of side
effects, no differences in these forms of B12
have been observed in scientific studies.
Sublingual forms of B12 may be helpful for
those with absorption issues.

Linus Pauling’s mother,
Belle Pauling, sufferedfrom pernicious
anemia, one typeof megaloblastic
anemia caused by
B12 deficiency.

Because of the increased risk of malabsorption
by adults over 50 years of age, they should
get most of their B12 from fortified food or
supplements. The Linus Pauling Instituterecommends adults older than 50 years take
100 to 400 μg/day of supplemental vitamin
B12. Others may also have difficulty absorbing
vitamin B12 from food, but determining thisrequires an evaluation of vitamin B12 status by a
medical practitioner.
Vitamin B12 is present only in foods of animal
origin, including dairy products and eggs.
Thus, people following a vegan diet need toconsume vitamin B12-fortified food or use
supplements to prevent B12 deficiency.
No toxic or adverse effects have been
associated with large intakes of vitamin B12
from food or supplements in healthy people.

Proton-pumpinhibitors and H2receptor blockers
are two classes ofstomach acid blockers
associated with lower
B12 absorption.

What is the latest research on
vitamin B12?
A recent study in the journal Gerontology
showed that elevated blood concentrationsof vitamin B12 were associated with increased
risk of mortality in people 85 years or older.
This garnered some attention from the media
with the idea that B12 supplements could be
harmful.
However, the authors of this study noted thattaking B12 supplements was not a factor in thisassociation, as less than 5% of people withhigh plasma vitamin B12 levels also took dietary
supplements. Therefore, the idea that taking
vitamin B12 supplements leads to death is quite
misleading, to say the least.

What if I have more questions aboutvitamin B12?
The Linus Pauling Institute has scientificallyaccurate information on vitamin B12 on our
website.
As always, you can email your specificinquiries to lpi.mic@oregonstate.edu.

11

A quick link to thevitamin B12 page on
the Micronutrient
Information Center:
http://bit.ly/MIC-B12

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• Increase your income (a portion may even be tax-free)• Receive an immediate charitable deduction• Reduce capital gains taxes• Reduce estate tax• Support a specific area of research at LPI

How does this work?
You start by transferring cash, stocks, real estate, or other property to fund thelife-income gift. In return, you receive an income stream for the number of years thatyou choose. These payments to you (or another designee) can begin immediately or
be deferred to a future date, such as a savings for your retirement.
For a personalized confidential illustration of how a life-income gift may workfor you, please contact Andrew Norwood at the OSU Foundation: (503) 936-0086.

12

LPI STUDENTS
The Linus Pauling Institute provides financial support to a number of graduate
students and postdoctoral researchers. This often comes in the form of
fellowships, made possible by donations or endowments by generous LPI donors.
This year, the Institute selected three graduate students as recipients of new fellowships.
Each of these fellowships is named for the generous donors that make student research
opportunities possible.
For 2019, the following awardees were named: John Bouranis (Caron and Donald Reed
Fellowship), Emily Rue (Balz Frei Fellowship), and Isabelle Logan (George and Audrey
Varseveld Fellowship).

John Bouranis - Public Health and Human Sciences

Ho Laboratory — The Caron and Donald Reed Fellowship

Cruciferous vegetables are a rich source of many essential micronutrients, such as vitamins E
and K, but also a host of phytochemicals. Many of these phytochemicals act as antioxidants
and modulate the gut microbiome, helping to prevent the onset of disease.
I have been working on biomarker discovery – finding ways to quantify the consumption of
cruciferous vegetables. Ultimately, our hope is that more accurate, consistent measurementsof dietary cruciferous vegetables will help elucidate the role they play in diseases like cancer.
We are also looking at the effects of zinc on the immune system and the gut microbiome.
With the help of the LPI Core Laboratories, I am looking at short fatty acids in fecal samples– these fats act as a bridge between the gut microbiome and signals to the immune system.
These molecules may be important in determining how age and diet influence human health.

Emily Rue - Pharmaceutical Sciences

van Breemen Laboratory — The Balz Frei Fellowship
Procyanidins, compounds known for their antioxidant activities, can be found in cranberries,
cocoa, cinnamon, grape skins, and many more plants. Chemically, procyanidins are polymersof smaller flavonoids arranged in different ways. Antioxidant and therapeutic properties ofprocyanidins have made them attractive for many different research studies.
To expedite research on these compounds, I am working to identify and characterizeprocyanidins in plant extracts faster and more efficiently than ever before. Using a techniquecalled positive ion electrospray ion mobility-mass spectrometry, we can separate andcharacterize these molecules in milliseconds, using only a fraction of the product thattraditional methods use.
I have used this technique to characterize procyanidins in cranberries, cocoa, cinnamon,
crab apples, and peanuts. We hope that the structural characteristics we identify in theseprocyanidins will help others better understand their therapeutic effects.

Isabelle Logan - George and Audrey Varseveld Fellowship
Isabelle is a PhD Student in Biochemistry and Biophysics, working with
Dr. Adrian Gombart. Her work focuses on elucidating the roles of xanthohumol
and its derivatives, especially in gut health and cancer. Isabelle was featured in ourSpring/Summer 2018 Research Newsletter.

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Each graduate student
fellowship furthers our
mission to train futurescientists.
If you are interested incontributing to student
fellowships, pleasecontact the Linus
Pauling Institute or the
OSU Foundation.

JOIN US FOR LPI’S 10 th

BIOACTIVES, BOTANICALSAND REDOX MECHANISMS
LINUS PAULING INSTITUTE INTERNATIONALCONFERENCE AND SFRBM REGIONAL SYMPOSIUM

AUGUST 14-16, 2019
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY | CORVALLIS, OREGON

lpi.oregonstate.edu/conference

CONFERENCE TOPICS:• Redox Biology in Neurodegeneration and Cancer• Therapeutic Targets in Neuroscience• Bioactives in Supplements: Vitamins and Phytochemicals• Research Priorities for Botanical Dietary Supplements

FEATURES:• Poster Session and Lightning Talks• Contributed Talks• Young Investigator Awards

CONFERENCE CHAIRS:• Richard van Breemen, PhD – Oregon State University• Maria Clara Franco, PhD – Oregon State University

14

BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
The Road to Stockholm:
A Nobel Mission
Nobel Laureate

LOUIS IGNARROFRIDAY, AUGUST 16 | 3:30-6:30 PM
LASELLS STEWART CENTER
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
The “father of Viagra,” Dr. Louis Ignarro will present an American
success story. Hear how early education and a chance encounter
with Linus Pauling were key to his success in achieving one ofsociety’s highest honors: the Nobel Prize.

Registration Required:bit.ly/publicsession
For More Info:541-737-5075
lpi@oregonstate.edu
lpi.oregonstate.edu/conference

15

LINUS PAULING INSTITUTE
Alexander Michels, Newsletter Editor
Victoria Drake, Associate Editor
Oregon State University
307 Linus Pauling Science Center
Corvallis, Oregon 97331
phone: 541-737-5075
fax: 541-737-5077
email: lpi@oregonstate.edu
website: lpi.oregonstate.edu

JOIN US FOR LPI’S 10th
BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
AUGUST 14-16, 2019
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY | CORVALLIS, OREGONFEATURINGThe Road to Stockholm:
A Nobel Mission

A PUBLIC LECTURE BY NOBEL LAUREATE LOUIS IGNARROFRIDAY, AUGUST 16
DOORS OPEN AT 3:30 PM

COME TO CORVALLIS
The Linus Pauling InstituteInternational Conference has somethingfor everyone. Join us for our scientificsessions or our free public lecture. For
more information, look inside or see
lpi.oregonstate.edu/conference