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ents such as magnesium, some nutrients such as REFERENCES
vitamin D and calcium may simply fail to func- 1. Melendez-Hevia E, De Paz-Lugo P, Cornish-Bowden A & Cardenas ML. A weak link in
metabolism: the metabolic capacity for glycine biosynthesis does not satisfy the need for
tion at all. The complex biology that makes the collagen synthesis. J Biosci. 2009;34(6): 853-872.
human body tick may operate very differently in 2. Martinov MV, Vitvitsky VM, Banerjee R & Ataullakhanov FI. The logic of the hepatic
the context of a diet rich in magnesium than in 3. methionine metabolic cycle. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2010;1804(1): 89-96.
Carmel R. Folic Acid. In Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease (eds M.E. Shils et al.)
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Rather than seeking dietary villains from among standard and postmethionine load conditions in healthy male subjects. Am J Clin Nutr.
our most ancient traditional foods to blame for 7. 2008;87(3): 577-585.
Olthof MR, Brink EJ, Katan MB & Verhoef P. Choline supplemented as phosphatidylcho-
our most recent modern diseases, we should line decreases fasting and postmethionine-loading plasma homocysteine concentrations
elaborate our understanding of how the many in healthy men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82(1): 111-117.
components within successful traditional diets 8. Brind J, et al. Dietary glycine supplementation mimics lifespan extension by dietary
methionine restriction in Fisher 344 rats. FASEB J. 2011;25(528.522.
work together to promote radiant and vibrant 9. McCarty MF, Barroso-Aranda J & Contreras F. The low-methionine content of vegan diets
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Chris Masterjohn has a PhD in Nutritional Sci- pairs the utilization of urea-nitrogen and increases 5-L-oxoprolinuria in normal women
consuming a low protein diet. J Nutr. 1998;128(4): 720-727.
ences from the University of Connecticut, where 11. Masterjohn C. Vegetarianism and Nutrient Deficiencies. Wise Traditions. 2008;9(1).
he studied the role of oxidative stress in contrib- 12. Tang G, Qin J, Dolnikowski GG & Russell RM. Short-term (intestinal) and long-term
uting to the accumulation of toxic byproducts of (postintestinal) conversion of beta-carotene to retinol in adults as assessed by a stable-
isotope reference method. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78(2): 259-266.
energy metabolism seen in diabetes and other 13. Masterjohn C. From Seafood to Sunshine: A New Understanding of Vitamin D Safety.
degenerative diseases. He is currently conduct- Wise Traditions. 2006;7(2).
ing post-doctoral research at the University of 14. Masterjohn C. On the Trail of the Elusive X Factor: A Sixty-Two-Year-Old Mystery Finally
Solved. Wise Traditions. 2007;8(1).
Illinois under Dr. Fred Kummerow, where he 15. Ichikawa T, Horie-Inoue K, Ikeda K, Blumberg B & Inoue S. Vitamin K induces phos-
2
is studying interactions between the fat-soluble phorylation of protein kinase A and expression of novel target genes in osteoblastic cells.
J Mol Endocrinol. 2007;39(239-247.
vitamins A, D, and K. Chris has written five 16. Masterjohn C. Vitamin A on Trial: Does Vitamin A Cause Osteoporosis? Wise Tradi-
tions. 2006;7(1).
peer-reviewed publications on antioxidants 17. Fu X et al. 9-Cis retinoic acid reduces 1alpha,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol-induced renal
and fat-soluble vitamins. He is the creator and calcification by altering vitamin K-dependent gamma-carboxylation of matrix gamma-
maintainer of Cholesterol-And-Health.Com, carboxyglutamic acid protein in A/J male mice. J Nutr. 2008;138(12): 2337-2341.
a web site devoted to extolling the benefits of 18. Spiesman IG. Massive Doses of Vitamins A and D in the Prevention of the Common Cold.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1941;34(4): 787-791.
cholesterol-rich foods and elucidating the role 19. Johansson S & Melhus H. Vitamin A antagonizes calcium response to vitamin D in man.
J Bone Miner Res. 2001;16(10): 1899-1905.
of cholesterol and other lipids in health and 20. Ikeda U, et al. 1alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and all-trans retinoic acid synergistically
disease. He is a frequent contributor to the Wise inhibit the differentiation and expansion of Th17 cells. Immunol Lett. 2010;134(1): 7-16.
Traditions journal and speaker at the annual 21. Ng KY, Ma MT, Leung KK & Leung PS. Vitamin D and vitamin A receptor expression and
Wise Traditions conference. He will be speaking the proliferative effects of ligand activation of these receptors on the development of pan-
creatic progenitor cells derived from human fetal pancreas. Stem Cell Rev. 2011;7(1): 53-63.
at Wise Traditions 2012 this coming November. 22. Rude RK & Shils ME. Magnesium. In Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease
(eds M.E. Shills et al.) 223-247 (2006).
23. SelfNutritionData: know what you eat., <http://nutritiondata.self.com>, accessed August
ACKNOWLEDGMENT 27, 2012.
Thank you to Denise Minger for first making me 24. Howe JC, Williams JR & Holden JM. USDA Database for the Choline Content of Common
aware of the study in which glycine was found Foods. U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Nutrient Data Laboratory. 2004.
to lengthen the lifespan of rats.

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