February 5, 2010
GM rice has long-term risks
CHINA DAILY 2010-02-04 18:57
Genetically modified rice may potentially cause serious public health and environmental problems, experts warn.
Genetically modified organisms have genetic material, or DNA, that has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. Genetic modification allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, and also between non-related species, to create advantages, experts say. Such methods are used to create genetically modified plants, which are then used to grow genetically modified food crops.
Two major issues about GM rice are their tendencies to provoke allergic reactions and the uncertainty of gene transfers.
Fang Lifeng, Greenpeace's food and agriculture campaigner, told China Daily that the long-term risk of genetically modified rice should be taken into consideration.
"Once the engineered rice gets into the food chain on large scale, it will have a very big impact on food safety, environmental safety and biological diversity," Fang warned.
He cited some examples on the long-term risk of genetically modified food since it first appeared on the market in 1994.
In 2008, the immune systems of laboratory mice that consumed genetically modified corn were found to be abnormal.
The official nod to pesticide-resistant rice has triggered questions on whether the resistance technology will also work on humans.
"If the substance is killing pests, will it be hurting us if we eat it every day?" Jiang Gaoming, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Botany told the International Herald Leader.
Other uncertainties about GM food includes what chain reactions it will impact the life on earth and the food chain.
Widely cited environment concerns include the potential capability of the genetically modified plants to introduce the engineered genes into wild populations, and the susceptibility of non-target organisms to the gene product.
Other worries include the stability of the gene, and the reduction in the spectrum of other plants, including a loss of biodiversity, and the increased use of chemicals in agriculture.
The environmental safety aspects of genetically modified crops vary according to local conditions, the World Health Organization says.
Internationally, most governments consider that specific assessments are necessary for genetically modified food.
Specific systems have been set up for the rigorous evaluation of genetically modified organisms and foods relative to both human health and the environment.
Similar evaluations are generally not performed for traditional foods.
Hence a significant difference exists in the evaluation process prior to marketing these two groups of food, experts said.
Greenpeace China's spokesman Fang Lifeng said that the genetically modified crops should not be planted on a large scale as the health risks have not yet been ruled out.
Although the Chinese researchers involved in the GM rice studies claim that they own the intellectual property rights to the GM rice breeds, Fang Lifeng argued that China does not own the full IP rights of genetically modified foods.
Fang said that major international companies such as Monsanto possess the main IP rights.
China will be susceptible to huge IP costs when it starts mass commercialization of the GM technology, Fang said.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-02/04/content_9430645.htm
Obesity ups cancer risk, and here's how
NewsRx.com 02-04-10
Obesity comes with plenty of health risks, but there's one that's perhaps not so well known: an increased risk of developing cancer, and especially certain types of cancer like liver cancer. Now, a group of researchers reporting in the January 22nd issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, have confirmed in mice that obesity does indeed act as a "bona fide tumor promoter." They also have good evidence to explain how that happens (see also Research).
"Doctors always worry about our weight, but the focus is often on cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which can be managed pretty well with existing drugs," said Michael Karin of the University of California, San Diego. "However, we should also worry about elevated cancer risk. If we can reduce cancer deaths by as many as 90,000 per year, that's a lot of people - a lot of lives."
Karin's team shows that liver cancer is fostered by the chronic inflammatory state that goes with obesity, and two well known inflammatory factors in particular. The findings suggest that anti-inflammatory drugs that have already been taken by millions of people for diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease may also reduce the risk of cancer in those at high risk due to obesity and perhaps other factors as well, Karin said.
The epidemiological studies reported earlier showed that obese people have about a 1.5-fold increase in their risk of cancer overall. That may not necessarily sound like a lot, Karin said, but it equates to about 90,000 extra cancer deaths per year in the United States alone. When it comes to liver cancer, the study showed obese people have a 4.5-fold greater risk.
Given the apparent connection between obesity and liver cancer in particular, Karin's team decided to investigate in mice prone to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The mice are typically given HCC either by exposure to a chemical carcinogen, known as DEN, when they are two weeks old, or by exposure to that same carcinogen at three months of age followed by the tumor-promoting chemical phenobarbitol.
In the new study, the researchers gave two-week-old mice DEN and then divided them into two groups - one fed a normal, relatively low-fat food and the other fed on high-fat chow. "It was clear that the mice on the high fat diet developed more liver cancer," Karin said.
To further confirm the link, they gave DEN to two-week-old mice that were fed a normal diet but carried a gene that made them obesity-prone. Those mice, too, developed more liver cancers, evidence that it wasn't the high-fat diet that led to cancer, but rather something about the animals obese state.
But Karin said perhaps the biggest surprise came in studies of mice on a high-fat diet who were given DEN a little later in life, when they were three-months-old. Normally, mice on the standard diet given the chemical at that age really don't develop liver cancer unless DEN exposure is followed up with phenobarbitol, Karin explained. But the obese mice developed the disease without that extra push.
"We expected to see more cancer in our first experiments, but I was stunned to see here that only the mice who were obese developed the cancer," Karin said. "Obesity appears to be as strong as phenobarbitol; we can conclude, at least in mice, that obesity is a real tumor promoter."
His team was able to trace the source of obesity's tumor-promoting effect to a rise in two inflammatory factors known as IL-6 and TNF. Obese mice lacking either the TNF receptor or IL-6 don't show the same rise in liver cancer.
Those treatments also led the mice to accumulate less fat in their livers, he said. "They still get fat, but the distribution of the fat is different," he said. "The fat goes to other places, but not to the liver."
Karin suggests that clinical studies of people who are already taking anti-TNF drugs should be done, to find out if their livers are less fatty and cancer-free.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=9277&Section=Disease
Omega-3 may combat mouth bacteria, boost oral health
Nutraingredients.com, 05-Feb-2010
The dental health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids may include anti-bacterial effects, extending the benefits beyond inflammation, says a new study from the University of Kentucky.
Omega-3 fatty acids of marine and plant origin were found to have strong anti-bacterial activity against a range of oral pathogens, according to findings published in Molecular Oral Microbiology.
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), as well as their fatty acid ethyl esters could inhibit the growth of oral pathogens, including Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, andPorphyromonas ginigivalis at relatively low doses.
“To date, this is the first study to demonstrate the significant antibacterial activity of omega-3 fatty acids and their esters against oral pathogens,” wrote Dr Brad Huang and Dr Jeff Ebersole from the Center for Oral Health Research at U of K’s College of Dentistry.
Talking to NutraIngredients, lead author Dr Huang said: “Most Omega-3 studies on oral health have been focused on the inflammation part; for some reason, the anti-bacterial activity has not mentioned or ignored, including a recent Japanese study. (To read NutraIngredients’ coverage of the Japanese please click here .)
“On the contrary, the anti-bacterial part of the omega-3 fatty acids could be very important.
“Certainly, it could be a potential new use of omega-3 fatty acids as the nutraceuticals in the future,” added Dr Huang.
The new study looked at the effects of EPA, DHA, ALA and their fatty acid ethyl esters, ALAEE, EPAEE, DHAEE on a range of oral pathogens. All the omega-3 compounds studies were found to exhibit strong antibacterial activity.
The study, sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health, found that all six compounds showed cent 50 per cent inhibitory activity for concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 micrograms per millilitre.
“Although our data support the in vitro effect, the in vivo effects would still need to be empirically determined,” wrote the researchers. “However, EPA and ALA had a much stronger antibacterial activity than DHA in vitro so it is expected that EPA and ALA will have stronger in vivo effects than DHA.”
Dr Huang confirmed that work in this area was ongoing and expanding. “We currently plan to explore this new activity and will try to translate this into products, such as chewing gum.
“Of course, we plan to study and answer those questions about the optimal dosages, pharmacokinetics, the delivery into the oral cavity, and what kind of in vivo dosage/effect to expect, and so on,” he added.
Source: Molecular Oral Microbiology Volume 25 Issue 1, Pages 75 – 80 “A novel bioactivity of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their ester derivatives” C.B. Huang, J.L. Ebersole
Green Tea Extracts Halt Growth of Prostate Cancer Tumors
David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com February 5, 2010
(NaturalNews) An extract made from one of the main antioxidants found in green tea may be able to slow the progression of prostate cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers from Louisiana state University and published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Researchers gave 26 prostate cancer patients between the ages of 41 and 68's four capsules of day of Polyphenon E, an extract of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) made by Polyphenon Pharma. EGCG is a powerful antioxidant to which many of the health benefits of green tea have been attributed. The dosage given to the participants in the study was equivalent to that acquired from drinking 12 cups of green tea per day.
After 12 weeks, the researchers found that levels of the prostate cancer markers Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) had fallen by an average of 18.9 percent, 9.9 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively, indicating a slowed progression of the disease.
PSA is a marker of inflammation, and indicates disease severity in prostate cancer patients. HGF and VEGF are both produced by prostate tumors as they spread to other parts of the body.
In some patients, HGF and VEGF levels fell as much as 30 percent upon treatment with the EGCG extract.
The researchers were cautiously optimistic about the study findings.
"It's still in an early stage," researcher Jim Cardelli said. "Green tea can keep cancer from growing very fast, but it may not be able to shrink tumors. But it can be a good addition to traditional therapies, like chemo (chemotherapy) or radiation."
Researchers do not know whether the same effects could be seen in other cancers, but the antioxidants in green tea have previously been linked to a reduced risk of a variety of cancers, skin and autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease and inflammation.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028099_green_tea_prostate_cancer.html
Fast food burgers, fried chicken strongly linked to development of type 2 diabetes
Ethan A. Huff, NaturalNews.com February 5, 2010
(NaturalNews) A report recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that black women who consume fried chicken or fast food burgers at least twice a week are between 40 and 70 percent more prone to develop type 2 diabetes over the course of a decade than those who do not. Not only black women but all people who consume high calorie, low nutrient fast foods on even a moderate basis are susceptible to developing the disease.
Dr. Julie Palmer and her colleagues from Boston University analyzed over 44,000 black women who were instructed to complete questionnaires that they were given beginning back in 1995. Once concluded, researchers compared the results with another group of women who claimed never to eat fast food. The result was that not only were the women who ate fast food more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the non-fast food group, they also were generally heavier with many falling into the overweight range.
The standard measuring tool for determining healthy body weight is the Body Mass Index (BMI). A healthy BMI is somewhere between 18.5 and 24.9. Most of the participants in the fast food group were somewhere between 28 and 29 when they started the study, which according the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is overweight. Those in this group also continued to gain more weight during the course of the study.
Interestingly, the two foods that played the largest role in blood sugar disorder were fast food hamburgers and fried chicken. These foods were implicated in causing the most weight gain which resulted in more cases of diabetes. Nearly 3,000 women in the fast food eating group developed type 2 diabetes by the time the study concluded.
A previous fast food study conducted in 2004 by researchers from Boston Children's Hospital found similar results. After tracking more than 3,000 young adults for over 15 years, researchers found that people who ate at fast food restaurants more than twice a week gained an average of almost 10 pounds more than those who went only once a week. The twice a week group also had a 200 percent increase in insulin resistance compared to the once a week group.
Experts also concluded that those who ate the most fast food lived the most unhealthy lifestyles in general and were the most prone to developing other serious diseases throughout the course of their lives.
While some experts suggest consuming smaller portion sizes and less overall calories, a better option would be to make better food choices. Eating less fast food is good, but changing one's lifestyle to include whole, living foods is even better.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028097_diabetes_fast_food.html
Watching television causes aggressive behavior in young children
Ethan Huff, NaturalNews.com February 5, 2010
(NaturalNews) A study published in the November 2009 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found that three-year-old children who watch television or are even just exposed to household TV use by other family members are significantly more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior than children who are not.
Part of a project out of Princeton University called "The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study", the television study focused on the likely triggers of childhood aggression that often lead to problems later in life including juvenile delinquency, violence, and criminal behavior. Second only to music, television was found to be the element young children between birth and three years old are most exposed to during the early, sensitive years.
Researchers surveyed parents of children who were born between 1998 and 2000 to see if and how often their children were exposed to the television, taking into account other risk behaviors such as a disorderly neighborhood, parental depression, and stress. Following the 36-month evaluation period, researchers found that even when taking other factors into account, TV exposure plays a significant role in encouraging childhood aggression.
Despite recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics that children two and younger have no exposure to any sort of screen media, many parents allow their children in this age group to watch TV anyway. About 65 percent of mothers who participated in the study admitted that their three-year-old children watched more than two hours of television a day. The average amount of daily TV exposure among participants' children was over seven hours.
Experts believe that the likely increase in aggression among television-exposed children has to do with the lack of effective parenting that occurs within families that watch excessive amounts of TV. Households that have the TV on all the time are likely unrestrictive with children's viewing habits, allowing young children to watch inappropriate content. Routine eating patterns and effective communication among family members are likely stunted in households with excessive television use.
Parents who are addicted to the television themselves do not interact often enough with their children and are more likely to neglect proper discipline, resulting in increased negative behavior in their children. Children of these types of parents also tend not to read and play outside very much, engaging in far less positive development activities than children whose parents spend time with them and limit or eliminate their exposure to television.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028096_television_aggressive_behavior.html
Sunbathing ups men's testosterone
BBC News, February 2, 2010
A spot of sunbathing may be just the thing to lift a man's libido, say experts after an Austrian study finds testosterone is boosted by vitamin D.
The bulk of this essential nutrient is made by the skin on exposure to sunlight. The rest comes from the diet.
A study in Clinical Endocrinology journal of 2,299 men found those with enough of the vitamin had more of the male sex hormone than those with less.
Blood levels of both dipped in the winter and peaked in the summer.
Low testosterone levels can impact on a man's libido as well as zap energy levels.
It also performs essential functions in both men and women such as maintaining muscle strength and bone density.
“ Men who ensure that their body is at least sufficiently supplied with vitamin D are doing good for their testosterone levels and their libido among other things ”
Ad Brand of the Sunlight Research Forum
The researchers from the Medical University of Graz, Austria, found men with at least 30 nanograms of vitamin D per millilitre of blood had much more testosterone circulating than those lacking in vitamin D.
Across the 2,299 men studied, testosterone and vitamin D levels appeared to peak in the month of August, and drop off in the winter, hitting their lowest levels in March.
Professor Winfried Marz and colleagues, who ran the study, said scientists should now look at whether vitamin D supplements would have the same effect on testosterone.
Ad Brand of the Sunlight Research Forum in The Netherlands, a non-profit organisation set up to inform the general public on latest medical research on sun and health, said: "Men who ensure that their body is at least sufficiently supplied with vitamin D are doing good for their testosterone levels and their libido among other things."
Cancer experts warn that too much sun exposure is damaging for the health.
Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in Andrology at the University of Sheffield, said: "We know that medically we can increase the libido and general well-being of men who have low levels of testosterone by giving them testosterone replacement therapy.
"However, this is for a defined set of medical circumstances where testosterone production is low.
"Whether healthy men notice a significant changes throughout the year is less clear and I would urge men to be sensible about using sunbeds in the winter months given the known risks of using them excessively."
Jessica Harris of Cancer Research UK said: "Enjoying the sun safely while taking care not to burn should help people strike a balance between making enough vitamin D and avoiding a higher risk of skin cancer.
"People can also top up their levels of vitamin D by eating more foods like oily fish such as salmon, trout or mackerel."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8493042.stm
Melatonin Precursor Stimulates Growth Factor Circuits in Brain
ScienceDaily (Feb. 5, 2010) — Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have discovered unexpected properties for a precursor to melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles.
Melatonin is produced from the neurotransmitter serotonin in a daily rhythm that peaks at night. Melatonin's immediate precursor, N-acetylserotonin, was not previously thought to have effects separate from those of melatonin or serotonin.
Now an Emory team has shown that N-acetylserotonin can stimulate the same circuits in the brain activated by the growth factor BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor).
The results will be published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The team was led by Keqiang Ye, associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and P. Michael Iuvone, professor of pharmacology and director of research at Emory Eye Center. Researchers from Morehouse School of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin contributed to the paper.
The discovery has implications for the study of how some antidepressants function and may also explain previous observations that N-acetylserotonin has antidepressant activity in animal models of depression.
"Our results suggest that the molecules and pathways involved in mood regulation and circadian rhythms are intertwined," Ye says.
A lack of BDNF, which pushes brain cells to grow and helps them resist stress, is thought to lie behind depression and several neurodegenerative diseases. Ye and his colleagues have been searching for chemicals that can mimic BDNF by activating TrkB, the receptor for BDNF on cells' surfaces.
Several widely prescribed antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fluoxetine/Prozac) increase levels of serotonin in the brain, but the connections between serotonin levels and depression are complex. Because antidepressants seem to take weeks to display their effects, scientists have proposed that their real targets are BDNF and TrkB.
"We were exploring whether the serotonin system is involved in TrkB signaling," Ye says. "We were surprised to find that N-acetylserotonin, but not serotonin or melatonin, can activate TrkB."
N-acetylserotonin could stimulate TrkB even when BDNF was not present, both in cell culture dishes and in mice, Ye and his colleagues found. It could also protect neurons from overstimulation in the same way that BDNF can.
Melatonin is produced at several sites in the body: the pineal gland, the retina and the intestine. One of the most common strains of laboratory mice (C57Bl6) is deficient in making N-acetylserotonin and melatonin and develops retinal degeneration.
The authors observed that in the retinas of mice that produce adequate melatonin, TrkB is turned on at night, a pattern that matches the appearance of N-acetylserotonin. However, the pattern of TrkB activation is flat in C57Bl6 melatonin-deficient mice.
Ye's laboratory is now investigating the mechanism by which N-acetylserotonin activates TrkB. He says that N-acetylserotonin has a short lifetime in the body but similar compounds that are more stable may be useful in treating neurological diseases.
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and Research to Prevent Blindness.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100204101817.htm
Use of Acetaminophen in Pregnancy Associated With Increased Asthma Symptoms in Children
ScienceDaily (Feb. 4, 2010) — Children who were exposed to acetaminophen prenatally were more likely to have asthma symptoms at age five in a study of 300 African-American and Dominican Republic children living in New York City. Building on prior research showing an association between both prenatal and postnatal acetaminophen and asthma, this is the first study to demonstrate a direct link between asthma and an ability to detoxify foreign substances in the body. The findings were published this week in the journal Thorax.
The study, conducted by the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, found that the relationship was stronger in children with a variant of a gene, glutathione S transferase, involved in detoxification of foreign substances. The variant is common among African-American and Hispanic populations. The results suggest that less efficient detoxification is a mechanism in the association between acetaminophen and asthma.
The researchers assessed the use of analgesics during pregnancy and found that 34 percent of mothers reported acetaminophen use during pregnancy, and 27 percent of children had wheeze, an asthma-related symptom. The children whose mothers had taken acetaminophen were more likely to wheeze, visit the emergency room for respiratory problems, and develop allergy symptoms, compared to those children whose mothers did not take acetaminophen. The risk increased with increasing number of days of prenatal acetaminophen use. The children in this study live in neighborhoods of New York City that have been the hardest hit by the asthma epidemic: Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx.
Acetaminophen use among children in the U.S. has increased substantially since the early 1980s and has become increasingly common among women during pregnancy so that most women in the U.S. take acetaminophen during pregnancy. This increase coincided with a doubling of the prevalence of asthma among children in the country between 1980 and 1995.
"These findings might provide an explanation for some of the increased asthma risk in minority communities and suggest caution in the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy," says Matthew S. Perzanowski, PhD, assistant professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health.
Reasons for prenatal acetaminophen use vary, but in this study population the observed associations with headaches suggest pain management as likely; however, other host factors that caused mothers to take acetaminophen and also cause asthma may explain their association. While infection is one such potential confounder, the Mailman School researchers found no association between the reported use of antibiotics and acetaminophen, and adjustment for antibiotic use during pregnancy did not affect the results.
According to the researchers, the prevalence of current wheeze diminished as the children aged, from 40 percent at age one year to 25 percent, 17 percent and 27 percent at ages two, three, and five, respectively. However, the association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and current wheeze strengthened as the children aged.
The Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health study adjusted relative risks for sex, race/ethnicity, birth order, maternal asthma, maternal hardship, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, antibiotic use and postnatal acetaminophen use.
In a similar study conducted in the UK, the frequency of acetaminophen use during pregnancy and the magnitude of association in the UK study were similar to that in New York City.
The study was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100204144543.htm
Soy chicken has numerous health benefits
Times of India, 5 February 2010
University of Missouri scientists have developed a soy substitute for chicken which is much like the real thing and also has health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and maintaining healthy bones.
To create the soy chicken, lead researcher Fu-Hung Hsieh, an MU professor of biological engineering and food science in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and the College of Engineering, extracts soy protein extracted from soy flour.
The soy then goes through an extrusion cooking process that uses water, heat and pressure while pushing the mixture through a cylinder with two augers.
"Early tests provided some of the fibrous texture to the final product, but it tasted more like turkey," Hsieh said.
"In order to produce a more realistic product, we had to tweak the process and add extra fibre to give the soy a stringy feeling that tears into irregular, coarse fibers similar to chicken."
"This particular soy substitute is different because we are working with a higher moisture content, which is up to 75 per cent. The high moisture content is what gives the soy a very similar texture to chicken — in addition to the appearance," Hsieh added.
The soy chicken provides health benefits for consumers. Soy foods contain important nutrition components, some of which help maintain healthy bones and prevent prostate, breast and colorectal cancers.
Soy foods also are a good source of essential fatty acids and contain no cholesterol.
The findings are published in the Journal of Food and Agricultural Chemistry, Journal of Food Science, and Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/diet/Soy-chicken-has-numerous-health-benefits/articleshow/5538737.cms
Baker’s yeast may help treat cancer
Times of India, 3 February 2010
A new study has shown that non-pathogenic baker's yeast might prove to be a promising, natural therapy for cancer.
Dr. Mamdooh Ghoneum at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science has for more than two decades, pursued a theory that cancer cells self destruct when exposed to small quantities of yeast.
During the study, Ghoneum exposed cancer cells to yeast and observed as they ingested the yeast—through a process known as phagocytosis—and then the cancer cells died.
First, he investigated this phenomenon in test tubes (in vitro), introducing yeast to breast, tongue, colon, and skin cancers.
"I have no doubt that I am close to unlocking the mystery as to why cancer cells weaken to the point of destruction after eating common baker's yeast," said Ghoneum.
"The cells just gravitate to the yeast. I call it fatal attraction," Ghoneum added.
In later experiments, yeast was injected inside the tumours of mice and, again, he observed a decrease in the size of the tumour mass.
Then he examined whether yeast could kill cancer cells in mice that had cancer metastasized to the lung.
These tests also showed significant clearance of the cancer cells from the lung.
The findings were presented at a special conference on "Cell Death Mechanism".
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Bakers-yeast-may-help-treat-cancer-/articleshow/5531429.cms
Human placenta cells die after BPA exposure.
Environmental Health News, Feb 02, 2010
Benachour, N and A Aris. Toxic effects of low doses of Bisphenol-A on human placental cells.Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology doi:10.1016/j.taap.2009.09.005
Exposure to very low concentrations of the plastic monomer bisphenol A (BPA) causes cellular damage and death in cultured human placentacells, researchers report. The doses used for this study are similar to blood levels found in pregnant women. A particularly worrying finding is that effects were most pronounced at the lowest – rather than the highest – concentrations of BPA indicating that placental development could be particularly sensitive to BPA exposure. Damage to the placenta can induce a range of adverse pregnancy outcomes including premature birth, preeclampsia or even pregnancy loss. It is not known if exposure to BPA is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in humans.
The researchers obtained placentas from five women who had normal pregnancies and deliveries. Human cytotrophoblast cells were collected from the placentas and cultured. This type of placental cell is important for the exchange of oxygen, nutrients and waste products between mother and fetus.
The cells were exposed to BPA for 24 hours at one of seven different concentrations, ranging from 0.002 to 200 micrograms per milliliter (µg/ml). These doses were selected because they approximate levels of BPA measured in fetal and maternal blood. The researchers then looked to see if BPA exposure damaged the cells.
Release of the protein adenylate kinase was used as a marker of cell death because this protein “leaks” from cells with damaged membranes. Presence of the protein cytokeratin 18 was used as an indicator of apoptosis, a specific type of cell death. Apoptosis is a normal part of placental development but altering the rate or degree to which this takes place can indicate abnormal placental growth.
Damage to the cell membrane was 1.3 to 1.7 times higher in placental cells exposed to BPA for 24 hours compared to cells that were not exposed to BPA. Apoptosis was 2 to 3 times higher in the BPA treated cells. These results indicate that cellular development was adversely affected by BPA.
BPA also increased the expression of tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a protein associated with apoptosis. This finding was used as another indicator of increased cell death in the cultured cells. Elevated expression was most pronounced at the lowest, not the highest, BPA exposure levels and provides further evidence that BPA can induce cell death in the placenta. This pattern, known as a non-monotonic (or 'inverted-U') dose-response curve, has been observed in multiple experiments with BPA previously and is a characteristic of many endocrine disruptors and endogenous hormones.
These results indicate that BPA, at levels within the range a pregnant woman is likely to be exposed, can damage human placental cells in ways that could affect fetal development.
BPA impacted cell death through two different mechanisms. Higher doses of BPA increased the rate of apoptosis type cell death but lower doses weakened cell membranes, an effect that also damaged and ultimately killed the placental cells.
The altered timing and amounts of cell death can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia, prebirth growth restriction, prematurity and pregnancy loss. While the results do not show BPA causes these conditions in people, the study provides a model for how BPA may change the signals and chemical controls that guide the development of important pregnancy cells.
Importantly, the exposure levels tested are similar to those measured in pregnant women's blood, placental tissue and chord blood.
This work was done in cultured human placental cells, a techniqe that has both benefits and drawbacks. One advantage of using this type of cell culture model instead of a laboratory animal model is that it uses human cells. Rodent placenta structure is very different from humans so BPA may produce different effects in rodents than humans.
A potential drawback of cell culture, however, is that it requires the direct application of BPA, a process that bypasses metabolism and therefore the opportunity for BPA to be changed into a less active form. To control for this, the researchers were careful to use a range of doses that have been measured in human blood.
The results of this study provide yet more evidence that exposure to BPA is a potental threat to human reproductive health.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/human-placental-cells-die-after-bpa-exposure/
Medicare cuts damage cancer care, group finds
Last Updated: 2010-02-04 9:50:39 -0400 (Reuters Health)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Changes to Medicare, the federal health plan for the elderly, may be damaging important aspects of cancer care in the United States, according to a study released on Thursday.
They found that many centers offering cancer care are losing money on patients and predicted that some may be forced out of business.
The Community Oncology Alliance, which commissioned the report, said the findings have implications for healthcare reform in Congress but also require immediate attention from Medicare.
"For some patients, particularly in rural areas, it means the infusion clinic that is close to them will close," the group's Dr. David Eagle said in a telephone interview.
Cancer is diagnosed in 1.3 million Americans every year, according to the American Cancer Society.
The alliance, which advocates for oncologists outside of big hospital centers, has been waging a public relations war to complain that changes to Medicare's reimbursement plans have inadvertently cut payments to cancer specialists.
The group commissioned Washington-based consulting group Avalere Health to survey community oncology practices, which the group says treat 85 percent of cancer patients in the United States.
They analyzed answers from 76 oncology practices representing 680 providers, which Avalere admitted may not be representative of all community oncology practices. The survey only looked at infusion services -- the delivery of chemotherapy -- not surgery or radiation treatment.
Eagle, of Lake Norman Oncology in Mooresville, North Carolina, is presenting the Avalere study at his group's annual meeting this weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona.
It found Medicare pays for 56 percent of the expenses of delivering chemotherapy.
"Under the rules, this 56 percent will go down by 20 percent to 45 percent in 2013," said Ted Okon, executive director of the Alliance.
He said the average practice was losing $500,000 a year. In many cases, patients with private insurance are charged more to make up the difference.
BUSINESSES THREATENED
Dr. Shannon Penland of Jefferson Medical Associates in Laurel, Mississippi is one of those affected.
"The busier I got, the more money we lost," Penland said in a telephone interview. "After my first eight months here, the practice had accrued almost $300,000 in debt."
Penland, the only oncologist in her group, said the other specialists were having to pay her debts. Treating cancer threatens the entire operation.
Much of the expense comes because cancer treatment requires many more staff than simple primary care, Penland said.
"Each internist has a nurse. They have one other person to help them," she said. But she has five staff to help her in handling the average 55 patients a day her clinic treats: two nurses, someone to mix the chemotherapy drugs, a nursing assistant and a nurse-practitioner.
"It is a small community but we have a lot of patients with cancer," said Penland, whose practice is about 45 minutes from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the nearest town of any size.
Penland said she is considering leaving oncology and going into internal medicine.
Lindsey Spindle, a spokeswoman for Avalere Health, said the changes threaten more than cancer care.
"Medicare payment reductions are poised to affect a broad range of medical specialties, including medical oncology, in an environment where fiscal resources are being carefully scrutinized by Congress and the Administration," she said.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2010/02/04/eline/links/20100204elin007.html
Girls with ADHD show other mental health risks
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Girls with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are more likely than their peers to develop depression, anxiety, eating disorders or other psychiatric problems by the time they reach adulthood, a new study suggests.
The study, reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry, followed 187 6- to 18-year-old girls with and without ADHD for 11 years. Over that time, girls with the disorder were more likely to at some point have symptoms of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse or antisocial disorders than girls without ADHD.
The researchers say the study is the first to follow girls with ADHD into adulthood, and the findings mirror what they had previously seen in boys.
However, one psychiatrist not involved in the study stressed that the findings do not mean that girls with ADHD should necessarily be placed on the stimulant drugs commonly used for the disorder, including Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall.
"Some people might become alarmed by the findings," said Dr. Daniel Carlat, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
"My concern is that they might think this means you need to treat these girls aggressively with stimulant medication starting at an early age," said Carlat -- who also publishes a newsletter, The Carlat Psychiatry Report, billed as an alternative to "existing journals and newsletters that receive pharmaceutical industry funding."
Right now, he told Reuters Health in an interview, there is little evidence that treating ADHD -- with drugs or otherwise -- can prevent other psychiatric disorders from arising.
For the study, researchers led by Dr. Joseph Biederman of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston followed 96 girls with ADHD and 91 without the disorder. At the outset and again five and 11 years later, the girls completed standard diagnostic interviews for psychiatric disorders.
The researchers found that by the age of 30, more than three-quarters of the ADHD group had suffered depression at some point in their lives, versus less than one-quarter of the comparison group.
Similar differences emerged for other types of disorders. By age 30, more than three-quarters of girls with ADHD had had anxiety disorder symptoms at some point in their lives, compared with just over half of girls without ADHD. And close to two-thirds had problems with drugs or alcohol at some point, versus less than one-quarter of girls without ADHD.
The findings underscore the importance of evaluating girls for potential symptoms of ADHD and the disorders that may accompany it, Biederman told Reuters Health, noting that ADHD is often still seen as largely a boys' disorder.
Exactly why ADHD is associated with a range of other psychiatric disorders is unknown, Biederman said. He speculated that some children may have an underlying genetic susceptibility to these conditions, and one or more may emerge when environmental stressors enter the picture.
Whether ADHD treatment can lower the odds of other problems remains in question.
Biederman, who has had financial ties to various drug companies, including makers of ADHD drugs, pointed to a 2009 study he and his colleagues published in the journal Pediatrics. They found that of 112 children with ADHD, those treated with stimulants were less likely to develop depression or anxiety disorders over the next 10 years.
However, that type of observational study does not prove cause-and-effect.
Carlat pointed out that, of girls with ADHD in the current study, 93 percent had received some form of treatment at some point -- most commonly, medication plus counseling. He added, however, that this was not a treatment study, and therefore not designed to show whether ADHD treatment can or cannot prevent other psychiatric problems.
What the findings do suggest, according to Carlat, is that parents of girls with ADHD should be aware that their daughters could have or could develop some of these other disorders. And if they have concerns about any symptoms their daughters have, they should bring it up with their doctors.
"Parents should also realize," Carlat said, "that there are alternative therapies to (ADHD) medication."
Besides behavioral therapy for children, Carlat noted, there is also parenting-skills training, which may be available through a social worker or psychologist. The training aims to teach parents ways of dealing with their children's behavioral problems, helping them with homework and addressing other issues of day-to-day life.
SOURCE: American Journal of Psychiatry, online January 15, 2010.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2010/02/03/eline/links/20100203elin003.html
Study links excessive internet use to depression
Last Updated: 2010-02-03 13:00:46 -0400 (Reuters Health)
LONDON (Reuters Life!) - People who spend a lot of time surfing the internet are more likely to show signs of depression, British scientists said on Wednesday.
But it is not clear whether the internet causes depression or whether depressed people are drawn to it.
Psychologists from Leeds University found what they said was "striking" evidence that some avid net users develop compulsive internet habits in which they replace real-life social interaction with online chat rooms and social networking sites.
"This study reinforces the public speculation that over-engaging in websites that serve to replace normal social function might be linked to psychological disorders like depression and addiction," the study's lead author, Catriona Morrison, wrote in the journal Psychopathology.
"This type of addictive surfing can have a serious impact on mental health."
In the first large-scale study of Western young people to look at this issue, the researchers analysed internet use and depression levels of 1,319 Britons aged between 16 and 51.
Of these, 1.2 percent was "internet addicted", they concluded.
These "internet addicts" spent proportionately more time browsing sexually gratifying websites, online gaming sites and online communities, Morrison said. They also had a higher incidence of moderate to severe depression than normal users.
"Excessive internet use is associated with depression, but what we don't know is which comes first - are depressed people drawn to the internet or does the internet cause depression?," Morrison said.
"What is clear is that for a small subset of people, excessive use of the internet could be a warning signal for depressive tendencies."
Morrison noted that while the 1.2 percent figure for those classed as "addicts" was small, it was larger than the incidence of gambling in Britain, which is around 0.6 percent.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2010/02/03/eline/links/20100203elin016.html
Acai may boost survival, for fruit flies at least: NIH Study
Nutraingredients.com, 04-Feb-2010
The lifespan of fruit flies may be extended by consuming acai pulp, according to a new study from the US National Institutes of Health.
The study, published online in Experimental Gerontology, also serves to support the apparent antioxidant properties of the fruit pulp when fruit flies were fed a high fat diet and supplemented with 2 per cent açai pulp.
Changes in age-related gene expression were also reported by the researchers, led by Sige Zou in the Laboratory of Experimental Gerontology at the National Institute on Aging, NIH.
“[Our results suggest] that açai pulp can antagonize the detrimental effects of high fat diets as a functional food,” wrote the researchers. “Further animal model and clinical studies need to be conducted to investigate the effects of açai pulp consumption in prevention of diseases, including diabetes.”
Super fruits from Central and South America
Açai berries (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) have long formed part of the staple diet of Indian tribes. With the appearance of a purple grape and taste of a tropical berry, it has been shown to have powerful antioxidant properties thanks to a high level of anthocyanins, pigments that are also present in red wine.
It is presently being sold in a number of countries, including New Zealand, Australia, South America, Japan, USA, and the Middle East
The researchers used a freeze-dried acai pulp with certified high antioxidant capacity provided by ABrazil LLC, Kendall Park, NJ USA.
Study details
Using Drosophila melanogaster, the researchers fed them a high-fat diet with or without 2 per cent açai pulp. Fruit flies (Drospholia) are a well-known organism for nutritional and medical research and an organism that shares 59 per cent of the human genome.
While the transcription of most genes was not altered, decreaes were observed in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pepck), a key gene involved in the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources (gluconeogenesis).
This observation could explain the results observed in human clinical trials reported for commercial açai products that, despite a high sugar content, are found to have a low glycemic index in humans.
An impact on lifespan was also observed in female flies with an altered genetic profile which reduces expression of the superoxide dismutase enzyme, increasing oxidative stress, and thereby reducing lifespan. In açai-supplemented flies the lifespan was increased to non-supplemented flies.
“Açai has the potential to antagonize the detrimental effect of fat in the diet and alleviate oxidative stress in aging,” concluded the researchers.
Source: Experimental Gerontology “Açai palm fruit (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) pulp improves survival of flies on a high fat diet” Authors: X. Sun, J. Seeberger, T. Alberico, C. Wang, C.T. Wheeler, A.G. Schauss, S. Zou
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Acai-may-boost-survival-for-fruit-flies-at-least-NIH-Study
Folate may protect women from pancreatic cancer
Nutraingredients.com 04-Feb-2010
Increased intake of folate may reduce a woman’s risk of pancreatic cancer by 50 per cent, but folate levels are not associated with pancreatic cancer risk in men, says a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health.
A study with 51,988 men and 57,187 women aged between 55 and 74 found that folate intakes above 253.3 micrograms a day were associated with significantly reduced risk of pancreatic cancer in women, compared to folate intakes below 179.1 micrograms per day, says research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study adds to an ever growing body of science supporting the potential anti-cancer effects of folate, linked to the vitamin’s role in DNA methylation, synthesis, and repair.
On the other hand, the researchers, led by Brietta Oaks from the University of California, Davis, report no association between folic acid supplements and cancer risk.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010, Volume 91, Pages 449-455, “Folate intake, post–folic acid grain fortification, and pancreatic cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial” B.M. Oaks, K.W. Dodd, C.L. Meinhold, L. Jiao, T.R. Church, R. Z Stolzenberg-Solomon
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Folate-may-protect-women-from-pancreatic-cancer
Soy may reduce the risk diabetes risk in overweight women
Nutraingredients.com, 04-Feb-2010
Increased intakes of soy and its isoflavones may decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes in overweight women, says a new study from Japan.
The risk of type 2 diabetes was 40 to 50 per cent lower in overweight women who consumed over 118 grams of soy a day, compared to overweight women who consumed less than 43 grams a day, according to a new study with 25,872 men and 33,919 women aged between 45and 75.
Similar associations were observed when the Japanese researchers considered the isoflavones daidzein and genistein. On the other hand, the risk of diabetes was not affected in men and women in general, according to findings published in the Journal of Nutrition.
“To our knowledge, ours in the first prospective study to examine the association of isoflavone intakes with type 2 diabetes in an apparently healthy population,”wrote the researchers, led by Akiko Nanri from the International Medical Center of Japan.
“[Furthermore,] no previous study to our knowledge has assessed the association between intake of these food factors and type 2 diabetes or glucose intolerance stratified by BMI,” they added.
Study details
Nanri and her co-workers used a 147-item food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary intakes of soy product and isoflavone intakes. Over a five year follow-up period, 1,114 people developed diabetes.
While intakes of soy products and isoflavones were not associated with a significant reduction in the risk of type-2 diabetes in men or all women, the highest intakes of soy products were found to significantly reduce the risk of diabetes in overweight women.
In addition, daidzein and genistein intakes of 22 and 36 milligrams per day, respectively, were associated with a 10 per cent reduction in the risk of diabetes in overweight women, added the researchers.
“The possible protective associations of soy and isoflavone intakes among overweight women deserve further investigation,” wrote the researchers.
The study does in no way establish causality, and Nanri and her co-workers note that a potential mechanism is “unclear”. They propose that the oetrogen-like effects of the isoflavones may be behind the benefits, since oestrogen has been reported to affect genes involved in insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake. Beyond the oetrogen-like effects, they note that isoflavones may inhibit the uptake of glucose in the gut, and also improve energy metabolism.
A role for soy protein was also mooted, with previous studies reporting that protein may improve insulin resistance.
The study’s findings were welcomed by soy ingredient supplier Solae. Michelle Braun, PhD, a member of Solae's nutrition science group told NutraIngredients that “Solae is happy to see that a sophisticated analysis led to the findings that soy product consumption was associated with decreased incidence of metabolic syndrome.
“The results of this large, well-conducted study suggest a protective association among overweight women consuming soy. This research further shows that soy has many associated health benefits, including those related to weight management and satiety,” she added.
An estimated 19 million people are affected by diabetes in the EU 25, equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected to increase to 26 million by 2030.
In the US, there are almost 24 million people with diabetes, equal to 8 per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $174 billion, with $116 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2005-2007 American Diabetes Association figures.
Source: Journal of Nutrition "Soy Product and Isoflavone Intakes Are Associated with a Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight Japanese Women" A. Nanri, T. Mizoue, Y. Takahashi, K. Kirii, M. Inoue, M. Noda, S. Tsugane
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Soy-may-reduce-the-risk-diabetes-risk-in-overweight-women
Britain facing food crisis as world's soil 'vanishes in 60 years'
British farming soil could run out within 60 years, leading to a catastrophic food crisis and drastically higher prices for consumers, scientists warn.
The Telegraph UK 03 Feb 2010
Fertile soil is being lost faster than it can be replenished and will eventually lead to the “topsoil bank” becoming empty, an Australian conference heard.
Chronic soil mismanagement and over farming causing erosion, climate change and increasing populations were to blame for the dramatic global decline in suitable farming soil, scientists said.
An estimated 75 billion tonnes of soil is lost annually with more than 80 per cent of the world's farming land "moderately or severely eroded", the Carbon Farming conference heard.
A University of Sydney study, presented to the conference, found soil is being lost in China 57 times faster than it can be replaced through natural processes.
In Europe that figure is 17 times, in America 10 times while five times as much soil is being lost in Australia.
Soil is also a valuable store of carbon and can release the greenhouse gas if it is ploughed or dug up.
The conference heard world soil, including European and British soils, could vanish within about 60 years if drastic action was not taken.
This will lead to a global food crisis, chronic food shortages and higher prices, the conference heard.
Despite better than average farming practices, European soil might last for 100 years if no further damage occurs worldwide, scientists said.
In reality, however, increased land pressures aimed at compensating global production losses would likely mean it will run out faster, they added.
Last September the government launched new plans to protect the nation's soil which included farmers being asked to use less fertiliser.
Britain imports about 40 per cent of all its food it consumes, a figure that has steadily risen over the past few years.
Almost £32 billion of food was imported into the UK in 2008 up from more than £27.7 billion the year before.
John Crawford, professor of Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Sydney, who presented the study, said it was unknown how long soil will last.
“It could be as little as 60 years and that is a scary figure because it is not obvious that we have time to reverse decline and still meet future demands for food,” he said.
"It is not an exaggeration to say that soil is the most precious resource we have got, and... (we) are not up to the task of securing it for our children never mind our grand children."
Prof Crawford, the former chair of the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council’s Agri-Food Committee, said restoring soil required several factors.
These factors include minimum ploughing, improved management and "resting" soil by covering crops which helps replace carbon in soil.
It can however, take decades to significantly increase the amount of useful carbon in soil, which helps make it fertile.
While organic farming could be part of the answer, he said there was "no clear evidence that we can feed the current population using organic approaches, never mind meeting demands in time".
Latest forecasts predict the world's population will grow from 6.8 billion to more than 9 billion by 2050, placing even further pressure on food production and farming.
The world last year faced a cereal crisis as wheat stocks dropped to a 30-year low after demand for wheat and rice outstripped supply for the past six out of the previous seven years.
This resulted in grain prices rocketing, which sparked civil unrest in many countries.
Extreme evidence of how soil is being eroded was seen in September whenSydney was blanketed by its worst dust storm in 70 years.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/farming/6828878/Britain-facing-food-crisis-as-worlds-soil-vanishes-in-60-years.html
Unwitting Public Consume More GMO Foods while Evidence of Harm Continues to Mount
Tony Isaacs, NaturalNews.com February 4, 2010
(NaturalNews) Most Americans do not want genetically modified foods and consider them dangerous. Because the U.S. does not require manufacturers to disclose genetically modified (GM or GMO) ingredients on the product labels, the public is largely unaware of when they are purchasing GM foods. Such foods are now found in up to 70 percent of all grocery store products. While an unwitting public consumes more and more GM foods, evidence of their dangers continues to mount.
Genetically modified foods are created when genes from another species are created in a lab and inserted into a food's DNA. The foods which have the highest prevalence of genetic modifications include some of our biggest crops: corn, soybeans, canola, tomatoes, lettuce, and potatoes. Corn oil and high fructose corn syrup are widely used in food items. Virtually every salad dressing and butter substitute finds that they contain one or more of corn oil, canola oil or soybean oil.
The European Union, Japan, China, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand require labeling of foods containing GMO content. Despite a CBS News showing a majority of Americans want labeling, no such laws exist. A CBS poll also found that 53 percent of Americans wouldn't buy food they knew had been genetically modified.
Experts and consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about GMO foods as evidence of their dangers continues to mount. In a study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences rats fed genetically modified corn were compared to their parents who had been fed non-GM corn. The results showed a clear difference between the two groups. The rats fed GM food had signs of liver and kidney problems as well as effects on their hearts, adrenal glands, and spleens.
A Russian study found that over 55 percent of the newborn rats from females fed genetically engineered soy flour before, during, and after pregnancy, died within three weeks and 36 percent were underweight. By comparison, only 9 percent of the offspring of rats fed non-GM soy died and less than 7 percent were underweight.
The global leader in the push for GMO foods is Monsanto. A new study which used the same data Monsanto used to gain approval of GMO corn linked organ damage to three strains of the Monsanto GM corn. The study was conducted by the Committee of Research and Information on Genetic Engineering (CRIIGEN) and the Universities of Caen and Rouen in France. The study, completed in December 2009, appears in the International Journal of Biological Sciences (IJBS).
Ninety-nine percent of GMO crops either tolerate or produce insecticide - which might explain why we see bee colony collapse disorder and massive butterfly deaths. If GMOs destroy our pollinators, they could be more disastrous than the threat they pose to humans and other mammals. In addition to possible extinctions and eco-system harm, GMO opponents fear they could trigger the emergence of antibiotic resistant diseases due to viruses and bacteria used to modify some GM foods. They also fear such foods could raise the risk of developing cancer, lead to chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia and trigger food allergies.
To avoid GM foods:
- Read the produce stickers on fruits and vegetables. Five-digit numbers beginning with an eight mean it is a GM food. Five-digit numbers beginning with a nine indicate organic foods. Conventionally produced foods have numbers containing four digits.
- Select products that are labeled GM-free.
- Buy foods labeled "100 percent organic."
- Get your produce from small, local farmers (most GM foods come from large commercial farms).
- Avoid processed foods, especially those containing corn, soy and canola.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028089_GM_foods_public_health.html
Public Health Warnings About Skin Cancer Lead to Widespread Vitamin D Deficiencies
David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com February 4, 2010
(NaturalNews) Public health warnings about the skin cancer risks associated with sun exposure have led people to avoid sunlight to such an extent that vitamin D deficiencies have now become widespread, according to a study conducted by researchers from King's College London.
The body produces vitamin D upon exposure to the ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. It takes only 15 minutes of sun on the face and hands each day for a fair-skinned person to produce enough vitamin D for their body, although it takes longer for darker-skinned people and those living far from the equator, particularly in the winter. Nevertheless, vitamin D deficiency appears widespread. One recent study from University College London estimated that 12 percent of men and 20 percent of women are clinically deficient in the vitamin, while 57 percent of men and nearly 67 percent of women have insufficient levels.
Vitamin D plays a critical role in bone development and health, and is now also believed to help protect against high blood pressure, cancer, autoimmune diseases and asthma.
"There has been so much effort put into telling people about the damaging effects of ultraviolet light from sunshine, many now take extreme measures to ensure they don't get exposure by wearing moisturizers with factor 15 all year round," said lead researcher Veronique Bataille, calling for new guidelines on sun exposure. "We don't want to say that sunbathing is healthy as there is clearly a risk, but people do need a bit of sunshine to stay healthy."
Bataille and colleagues measured blood vitamin D levels of 1,414 white women in the United Kingdom and collected information on their skin type, use of tanning beds, and history of foreign holidays and sunburns. They found that contrary to expectation, the women with the lightest skin actually had the lowest levels of vitamin D. The researchers concluded that this was likely due to lighter-skinned women avoiding the sun over fear of skin cancer.
Light-skinned women were also less likely to use tanning beds or take vacations out of Britain.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028088_vitamin_D_skin_cancer.html
Nearly 17,000 chemicals remain corporate secrets – even the EPA doesn't know what they are
Ethan A. Huff, NaturalNews.com February 4, 2010
(NaturalNews) The 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires that manufacturers of products containing potentially toxic chemicals disclose their ingredients to the federal government, however a loophole in the requirement allows manufacturers to arbitrarily withhold information that they deem sensitive to their business. As a result, over 17,000 product chemicals remain secret not only from the public but from government officials.
Each year, over 700 new chemicals are introduced by manufacturers, many of which do not get disclosed either to the public or to government agencies. About 95 percent of new chemical notices submitted to the government request some kind of secrecy. Critics allege that manufacturers are exploiting the original intent of TSCA, abusing it to hide sensitive information about ingredients that are likely toxic and may otherwise get banned.
For the first time in many years, Congress is addressing the issue of disclosure abuse with promises of reforming the regulatory provisions. Consumer and environmental groups, in conjunction with many government officials, are demanding that all ingredient information be made public with no exceptions.
Mike Walls, vice president of the American Chemistry Council, argues otherwise, insisting that public disclosure would reveal confidential information that could benefit competitors and hurt business. He believes that even the names and addresses of manufacturers should not have to be made public because competitors may trace the information and somehow figure out secret recipes.
According to EPA records, more than half of the 65 "substantial risk" reports submitted to agency last March involved secret chemicals. Of these, 151 of them are produced in quantities over one million tons a year and ten of them are used primarily in children's products.
Last year, a Colorado chemical spill nearly cost a nurse her life after she treated a man who had been exposed to the spill. Following his recovery, nurse Cathy Behr fell seriously ill herself, her lungs filling up with fluid and her liver on the verge of failing. Concerned doctors traced the contamination back to a product called ZetaFlow, produced by Weatherford International. After requesting information Weatherford provided some material but utilized ZetaFlow's confidential status to withhold the secret ingredients.
To this day, Behr does not know exactly what triggered her near death. She would like to see a list of all the chemicals contained in ZetaFlow. She also believes that the ingredients in all chemical products should be made public information to ensure safety. She continues to suffer from respiratory problems due to the unknown chemicals.
Steve Owens, assistant administrator for the EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, first arrived in his position back in July and within a week ended confidentiality protection for 530 chemicals. In each of these cases, manufacturers had obtained secrecy for ingredients that were otherwise publicly available on the manufacturers' websites and in trade journals.
Lynn Goldman, a former EPA official who now works as a pediatrician and epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, explained that the few EPA officials who are in the know about secret chemicals do not have enough information to properly assess risk by themselves and are legally bound not to share the information with anyone else. Officials who could otherwise help are unable to do so because they are not privy to the secret ingredients. Thus the entire system is unable to operate properly due to secrecy.
When specific chemicals are banned for safety reasons, manufacturers often change them slightly and begin using them again as secret ingredients. Heather Stapleton, a Duke University chemist, saw a case like this while researching flame retardants. She labored for months to identify a chemical found in dust samples taken from homes in Boston but was unable to figure it out. While at a conference, she came to realize from a diagram that the mystery chemical was a slightly varied version of another that had been banned for causing reproductive and other damage.
Richard Wiles, senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) believes there are thousands of chemicals currently being used that are potentially toxic and people do not even realize they are there. He questions how a regulatory agency like the EPA can even do its job when a great many of the chemicals it is supposed to be regulating are being withheld from the agency and the public.
Federal officials are working towards establishing regulations that would require manufacturers to provide evidence and reasoning why a chemical must remain secret. Under their proposal, the burden of proof would be on manufacturers to establish proof that disclosure would harm business. The EPA would then have 90 days to appeal the claim and prove otherwise if it believed necessary.
Others are not buying this idea, insisting that if public health is to be regarded then no chemical should remain a secret.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028091_toxic_chemicals_EPA.html
Mother's Exposure to Bisphenol A May Increase Children's Chances of Asthma
ScienceDaily (Feb. 4, 2010) — For years, scientists have warned of the possible negative health effects of bisphenol A, a chemical used to make everything from plastic water bottles and food packaging to sunglasses and CDs. Studies have linked BPA exposure to reproductive disorders, obesity, abnormal brain development as well as breast and prostate cancers, and in January the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was concerned about "the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and young children."
Now, mouse experiments by University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have produced evidence that a mother's exposure to BPA may also increase the odds that her children will develop asthma. Using a well-established mouse model for asthma, the investigators found that the offspring of female mice exposed to BPA showed significant signs of the disorder, unlike those of mice shielded from BPA.
"We gave BPA in drinking water starting a week before pregnancy, at levels calculated to produce a body concentration that was the same as that in a human mother, and continued on through the pregnancy and lactation periods," said UTMB associate professor Terumi Midoro-Horiuti, lead author of a paper on the study appearing in the February issue of Environmental Health Perspectives.
Four days after birth, the researchers sensitized the baby mice with an allergy-provoking ovalbumin injection, followed by a series of daily respiratory doses of ovalbumin, the main protein in egg white. The investigators then measured levels of antibodies against ovalbumin and quantities of inflammatory white blood cells known as eosinophils in the lungs of the mouse pups. They also used two different methods to measure lung function.
"What we were looking for is the asthma response to a challenge, something like what might happen if you had asthma and got pollen in your nose or lungs, you might have an asthma attack," said UTMB professor Randall Goldblum, also an author of the paper. "All four of our indicators of asthma response showed up in the BPA group, much more so than in the pups of the nonexposed mice."
The UTMB researchers said that although more work is needed to determine the precise mechanism of that response, it almost certainly has its roots in the property of BPA thought to contribute to other health problems: its status as an "environmental estrogen." Environmental estrogens are natural or artificial chemicals from outside the body that when consumed mimic the hormone estrogen, activating its powerful biochemical signaling networks in often dangerous ways. In a 2007 Environmental Health Perspectives paper, for example, Midoro-Horiuti, Goldblum and UTMB professor and current study co-author Cheryl Watson described how adding small amounts of environmental estrogens into cultures of human and mouse mast cells -- common immune cells packed with allergic response-inducing chemicals such as histamine -- produced a sudden release of allergy-promoting substances.
"Our results show that we have to consider the possible impact of environmental estrogens on normal immune development and on the development and morbidity of immunologic diseases such as asthma," Midoro-Horiuti said. "We also need to look at doing more epidemiological studies directly in humans, which is possible because BPA is so prevalent in the environment -- all of us are already loaded with it to a varying extent. For example, it should be possible to determine if children who have more BPA exposure are more likely to develop asthma."
In addition to Midoro-Horiuti, Goldblum and Watson, UTMB postdoctoral fellow Ruby Tiwari is also an author of the paper, titled "Maternal Bisphenol A Exposure Promotes the Development of Experimental Asthma in Mouse Pups." The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease supported this research.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100203161441.htm
Study Maps Effects of Acupuncture on the Brain
ScienceDaily (Feb. 4, 2010) — Important new research about the effects of acupuncture on the brain may provide an understanding of the complex mechanisms of acupuncture and could lead to a wider acceptability of the treatment.
The study, by researchers at the University of York and the Hull York Medical School published in Brain Research, indicates that acupuncture has a significant effect on specific neural structures. When a patient receives acupuncture treatment, a sensation called deqi can be obtained; scientific analysis shows that this deactivates areas within the brain that are associated with the processing of pain.
Dr Hugh MacPherson, of the Complementary Medicine Research Group in the University's Department of Health Sciences, says: "These results provide objective scientific evidence that acupuncture has specific effects within the brain which hopefully will lead to a better understanding of how acupuncture works."
Neuroscientist Dr Aziz Asghar, of the York Neuroimaging Centre and the Hull York Medical School, adds: "The results are fascinating. Whether such brain deactivations constitute a mechanism which underlies or contributes to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture is an intriguing possibility which requires further research."
Last summer, following research conducted in York, acupuncture was recommended for the first time by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a treatment option for NHS patients with lower back pain. NICE guidelines now state that GPs should 'consider offering a course of acupuncture comprising a maximum of 10 sessions over a period of up to 12 weeks' for patients with this common condition.
Current clinical trials at the University of York are investigating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and for depression. Recent studies in the US have also shown that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for migraines and osteoarthritis of the knee.
The York team believe that the new research could help to clear the way for acupuncture to be more broadly accepted as a treatment option on the NHS for a number of medical conditions.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100204101736.htm
Acupuncture Found Effective Against Depression During Pregnancy
ScienceDaily (Feb. 4, 2010) — In a study to be presented February 4 at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's (SMFM) annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting ™, in Chicago, researchers will unveil findings that show that acupuncture may be an effective treatment for depression during pregnancy.
"Depression during pregnancy is an issue of concern because it has negative effects on both the mother and the baby as well as the rest of the family," said Dr. Schnyer, one of the study's authors.
About 10% of pregnant women meet criteria for major depression and almost 20% have increased symptoms of depression during pregnancy. The rates of depression in pregnant women are comparable to rates seen among similarly aged non-pregnant women and among women during the postpartum period, but there are far fewer treatment studies of depression during pregnancy than during the postpartum period.
Dealing with depression is difficult for pregnant women because the use of anti-depressants poses concerns to the developing fetus and women are reluctant to take medications during pregnancy.
In the study, an evaluator-blinded randomized trial, 150 participants who met the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) criteria for Major Depressive Disorder were randomized to receive either acupuncture specific for depression (SPEC, n=52) or one of two active controls: control acupuncture (CTRL, n=49) or massage (MSSG, n=49). Treatments lasted eight weeks (12 sessions). Junior acupuncturists masked to treatment assignment needled participants at points prescribed by senior acupuncturists. Massage therapists and patients were not blinded. The primary outcome was the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, administered by blinded raters at baseline and after four and eight weeks of treatment. Data were analyzed using mixed effects models and by intent-to-treat.
The results showed that the women who received SPEC experienced a significantly greater decrease in depression severity (p<0.05) compared to the combined controls (d=0.39, 95% CI [-1.31, 1.65]) or CTRL acupuncture alone (p<0.05; Cohen´s-d = 0.46, 95% CI [-1.24, 2.31]). They also had a higher response rate (63.0%) than the combined controls (44.3%; p<.05; NNT=5.3, 95% CI [2.8, 75.0]) or CTRL acupuncture alone (37.5%; p<0.05; NNT=3.9, 95% CI [2.2, 19.8]). Symptom reduction and response rates did not differ significantly between controls (CTRL 37.5% and MSSG 50.0%). Mild and transient side effects were reported by 43/150 participants (4 in MSSG; 19 in CTRL, 20 in SPEC). Significantly fewer participants reported side-effects in MSSG than the two acupuncture groups (p<0.01).
"The results of our study show that the acupuncture protocol we tested could be a viable treatment option for depression during pregnancy" said Dr. Schnyer.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100204075105.htm
Is this the Biggest Medical Breakthrough Since the Discovery of Antibiotics?
Harvard Researchers are saying this miracle ingredient could be the biggest medical breakthrough in 30 years.*
Mercola.com February 4, 2010
Some Harvard-educated researchers believe they’ve discovered a proverbial ‘fountain of youth’.*
They’re talking about resveratrol, calling it a miracle ingredient, and the greatest discovery since antibiotics.*
Resveratrol is a compound found in the skin and seeds of grapes.
Researchers have been mystified for years about how the French can smoke cigarettes and eat high-fat foods, yet still have extremely low rates of cancer and heart disease. They call it the French paradox.
Harvard researchers Dr. Christoph Westphal and David Sinclair conducted genetic research to investigate the French paradox.
Until now, scientists believed drinking red wine had health benefits*… but couldn’t put their finger on exactly why.
Now they believe the resveratrol in wine activates cells into behaving more youth-like in a number of ways.*
The biggest hurdle with resveratrol is finding a way to consume the large concentrations required to provide you with a benefit. You’d need several bottles of wine per day to get the anticipated benefit from resveratrol. Drinking large amounts of wine or other alcoholic beverages will increase your insulin levels, which will eventually have a negative impact on your health in a number of ways.
I’ll tell you in a minute how you can get your highly-concentrated resveratrol without the alcohol, sugars and calories of red wine.
But first, let’s discuss how to control your free radical levels…
Every day of your life you face exposure to dangerous free radicals. No matter how healthy a lifestyle you lead or how healthy your diet is, this is simply a fact of life.
Fortunately this is not all bad – as your normal bodily functions (breathing, metabolism, and physical activity) naturally generate free radicals. Your immune system also generates free radicals to help neutralize viruses and bacteria.
But some free radicals are the result of environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, pesticides, and cigarette smoking.
The problem starts when these free radicals attack your healthy cells and cause them to weaken and become more susceptible to health disorders. Plus, this can also have a profound effect on how you age.
An All Natural Source of Resveratrol
Purple Defense contains 50 mg of Resveratrol per serving.
With an overall 3,500 ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value per capsule, Purple Defense capsules provide a powerful natural antioxidant blend.
But as part of normal functioning, your body is capable of keeping free radicals in check and naturally neutralizing them, unless you…
- Eat a diet consisting mostly of processed junk food
- Cut corners on getting enough sleep on a daily basis
- Ignore your need for regular exercise
- Find yourself under a great deal of stress
- Expose yourself to a high number of environmental free radicals
Exposing your body to these types of conditions may overwhelm it with free radicals and cause damage.
Plus, free radical damage accumulates with age. So, the longer your lifestyle and environment expose you to this damage, the greater your consequences as you age… the greater potential consequences to your overall aging process.
So what can you do?
Well, first of all, it would be helpful to address the unhealthy habits listed above.
Additionally, consider going the next step and find ways to fortify your healthy diet with antioxidant rich food.
I’m sure you’re well aware of the benefits of antioxidants from all the discussion on my site. I’ve spent literally decades researching this topic and cannot stress their importance to you enough.
Antioxidants provide your body with natural protection against free radicals and help you neutralize and keep them under control.
There are many sources of antioxidants available to help boost your health.
Most of these sources come directly from consumption of high quality, fresh, organic and preferably locally grown vegetables and fruits. But there is a catch.
The catch is that, to get the most potent antioxidant content from the fruits and vegetables – they need to be organically grown and processed.
Here’s why.
Research shows that certain organically grown fruits and vegetables have significantly higher levels of potent antioxidants than traditionally grown foods.
The key to all this is a large family of natural antioxidant compounds called polyphenols.
Polyphenols exist in plant floods and their contribution to the antioxidant capacity of the human diet is much larger than even that of vitamins.
And a subclass of this antioxidant-rich family found in fruits and vegetables is flavonoids.
In response to environmental stressors like insects and other competing plants, plants produce flavonoids with potent antioxidant activity.
Unfortunately, conventional growing methods that use pesticides and herbicides hamper the production of flavonoids.
Plants exposed to pesticides and herbicides have less of a need to produce such compounds. And therefore, these plants produce fewer antioxidants than organically grown food.
You don’t want to miss out on polyphenol flavonoids because they can:
- Improve your memory and concentration
- Boost the effectiveness of vitamin C in your antioxidant network
- Regulate nitric oxide – a potent free radical that regulates your blood flow
- Help promote your healthy heart
- Bolster your immune system
So, to take advantage of the highest potency flavonoids and rich antioxidants, always choose organically grown fruits and vegetables.
Fresh organic foods are important not only for what they give you, higher levels of antioxidants and nutrients, but also for what they don’t give you… exposure to pesticides, herbicides, and non-organic fertilizers.
Now let’s take a closer look at some common and not so common food sources of antioxidants – keeping in mind that for you to receive the highest antioxidant potential, organic is best.
A specific polyphenol flavonoid compound called quercetin is a potent dietary antioxidant found in certain berries: lingonberries, cranberries, bilberries, and black currants.
Not only do berries contain many flavonoids like quercetin, but also fiber… vitamin C… and other nutritious antioxidant-rich polyphenol compounds.
Ideally, berries should be eaten raw and as you already know – organic is best.
Another great source of antioxidants in berries is from blueberries. In fact, Europeans recognize their bilberries as blueberries.
Only a few years ago, the USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA) ranked blueberries #1 in antioxidant activity. This research compared 40 other fresh vegetables and fruits.
This is all great but there is a red flag I have to raise – watch out for too much sugar.
If you overdo your fruit consumption, even berries, you risk releasing too much sugar into your system. This could cause your insulin levels to rise and eventually your health could worsen instead of improving.
So, moderation is the key when eating fruit. Choosing fruit relatively low in sugar, like blueberries, should not only boost your antioxidant intake but help keep your insulin levels in check as well.
Broccoli, greens, beans, artichokes, and onions, to name a few, are good sources of polyphenol flavonoids. And of course, raw organic vegetables help you maximize the antioxidant benefits.
However, just like you need to be careful on how much and the types of fruit you eat, the same holds true with vegetables.
For example, from the USDA Human Nutrition Center research, potatoes ranked high on the list of vegetables with potent antioxidant content. But they are not necessarily your best choice because they may cause increased insulin levels.
In order to determine the amount of fruits and vegetables your body requires, I recommend you first determine your Nutritional Type™ (NT).
You see, foods and individual nutrients do not behave the same way in two people with different Nutritional Types. Your Nutritional Type determines your individual nutritional requirements and dictates your individual responses to what you eat and drink.
Please check my site for more details on how to determine your NT. It’s well worth your time.
Here’s a great table showing examples of fruits and vegetables along with their polyphenol content. Remember, polyphenols are natural antioxidant compounds that help you neutralize free radical damage.
Polyphenol Content in Selected Vegetables and Fruits |
|
Polyphenol |
Polyphenol Content Range |
Source (serving size) |
Subclass |
per Serving size (mg/serving) |
Vegetables: |
Yellow onion (100g) |
Flavonoids |
35-120 |
Broccoli (200g) |
Flavonoids |
8-20 |
Leek (200g) |
Flavonoids |
6-45 |
Artichoke (100g) |
Phenolic acids |
45 |
Potato (200g) |
Phenolic acids |
20-38 |
Fruits |
Blueberry (100g) |
Flavonoids |
25-500 |
Black Currant (100g) |
Flavonoids |
130-400 |
Blackberry (100g) |
Flavonoids |
100-400 |
Strawberry (200g) |
Flavonoids |
30-150 |
Plum (200g) |
Phenolic acids |
28-230 |
Note: Table adapted from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. |
A bountiful source of antioxidants that many people don’t know about is herbs and spices.
Researchers within the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that herbs are an abundant source of antioxidants – not to mention how they make your food tastier.
According to the research, on a per gram fresh weight basis, oregano and other herbs ranked even higher in antioxidant activity than certain fruits and vegetables.
In comparing antioxidant activity against a few selected fruits and vegetables, oregano came out on top with:
- 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples…
- 30 times more than potatoes…
- 12 times more than oranges
And there are other herbs and spices that pack an antioxidant punch as well: cloves… turmeric… cinnamon… garlic… basil… and curcumin… to name a few.
Herbs and spices have emerged as a quick and convenient way for you to get a concentrated source of antioxidants – without all the extra calories of many foods.
Now, your key to taking advantage of the antioxidant activity from herbs and spices is to find an organic source and consume them fresh and raw. For example, the antioxidant activity of fresh garlic is 1.5 times higher than dry garlic powder.
Just as consuming too much of any food product can carry health risks, herbs should be used with moderation… and only as a complement to your healthy diet.
So, add a little seasoning and spice to your life and feel good about the antioxidant benefits they provide you.
Many folks believe that a good way to promote your health is to drink a glass of red wine on a regular basis.
Certainly there’s the “French Paradox” theory… the observation that French people with poor diets who drink wine have better cardiovascular health than you might expect.
This opinion happens to be based on a potent polyphenol found in red wine and grape skins called resveratrol.
This powerful antioxidant potentially:
- Helps improve the overall health of your cells as a component of your cardio and neuro protection*
- Aids you in protection against age-related health disorders*
- Provides therapeutic support for your immune system against abnormal cell activity*
Researchers also believe that resveratrol helps keep your cholesterol within its normal range while promoting your healthy heart.*
However many experts are now questioning the value of drinking wine for health reasons and believe much of the evidence supporting this was based on very weak epidemiological observations.
You of course know that wine contains alcohol. And too much alcohol isn’t a healthy choice for anyone and it may outweigh the benefits of the resveratrol content
But, with all this said, resveratrol is such a powerful antioxidant that there must be a way you can benefit from it without taking undo risks.
This potent antioxidant is somewhat different from the rest. It not only helps you neutralize free radicals, it can cross the blood-brain barrier to help protect your brain and nervous system as well.
Studies show that resveratrol may increase the lifespan in human cells.* So, it could be a determining factor in extending your longevity.*
Resveratrol helps reduce oxidative stress damage to your cardiovascular system by neutralizing free radicals.* And it helps support your body’s natural defense system.*
Plus, resveratrol benefits you by how it…
- Protects your cells from free radical damage*
- Helps you keep your blood pressure within the normal range*
- Keeps your heart healthy and helps improve blood vessel elasticity*
- Boosts your protection against the spread of abnormal cell activity*
- Helps you better control the aging process*
http://products.mercola.com/purple-defense/?source=nl
Omega-3 may boost kidney health in diabetics: Study
Nutraingredients.com, 03-Feb-2010
Supplements of omega-3 fatty acids may improve the kidney health of diabetics, say results of a double-blind placebo-controlled trial from Hong Kong.
Kidney function is often evaluated by measuring creatine levels, with high levels indicative of damage to the functioning of nephrons in the kdiney. The new study reports that omega-3 supplementation led to significant decreases in diabetics, suggesting a potential benefit in this population group at increased risk of kidney disease.
Researchers from the University of Hong Kong report their findings in the journalDiabetic Medicine.
“Our results showed a significant decrease in serum creatinine level after fish-oil supplement in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients,” stated the researcher. “Prior studies have [also] suggested that fish-oil supplement has renoprotective effects in diabetes mellitus,” they added.
However, no benefits to vascular vessel function was observed, nor where there any changes in metabolic profiles, blood pressure, or markers of inflammation or oxidative stress following 12 weeks of supplementation with omega-3-rich fish oil.
Study details
The Hong Kong-based scientists recruited 97 people with type-2 diabetics and randomly assigned them to received either fish oil (four grams per day providing 42 per cent EPA and 25 per cent DHA, Squina International Group, Hong Kong) or placebo (olive oil) for 12 weeks.
“The specific dosage of 4 g per day for 12 weeks was chosen because previous studies have shown that fish oil or its component at this dosage effectively lowers triglyceride levels without significant side effects,” explained the researchers.
At the end of the study, the only measurable differences between the groups were for creatinine levels, which were significantly lower in the fish-oil group.
Despite the significant differences, the researchers noted that the findings should be interpreted with caution, and called for future prospective clinical studies to confirm the findings of this study.
Diabetes stats
An estimated 19 million people are affected by diabetes in the EU 25, equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected to increase to 26 million by 2030.
In the US, there are almost 24 million people with diabetes, equal to 8 per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $174 billion, with $116 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2005-2007 American Diabetes Association figures.
Source: Diabetic Medicine Volume 27, Issue 1, Pages: 54-60 “Fish-oil supplement has neutral effects on vascular and metabolic function but improves renal function in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus” C.-Y. Wong, K.-H. Yiu, S.-W. Li, S. Lee, S. Tam, C.-P. Lau, H.-F. Tse
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Omega-3-may-boost-kidney-health-in-diabetics-Study
Hibiscus tea may reduce blood pressure in at-risk people
Nutraingredients.com, 03-Feb-2010
A few cups of hibiscus tea a day may reduce blood pressure and offer cardiovascular benefits for people at risk of developing hypertension, says a new study from Tufts University.
Three 240 mL servings a day of tea made with hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) were associated with a 7.2 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure and a 3.1 mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure, compared to 1.3 and 0.5 mmHg in the placebo group, according to findings published in The Journal of Nutrition.
Researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University report that this is the first placebo-controlled clinical trial to study if hibiscus tea, in an amount easily attained from the diet, may affect blood pressure.
“Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, estimated to account for 35 per cent of myocardial infarction and stroke, 49 per cent of heart failure, and 24 per cent of premature mortality,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr Diane McKay.
“The dietary change assessed in this study, i.e. regularly incorporating 3 servings/d of hibiscus tea into the diet, effectively reduces blood pressure in pre- and mildly-hypertensive adults.
“This strategy may be useful in preventing the progression to moderate or more severe hypertension, potentially reducing the subsequent risk of developing cardiovascular disease,” they added.
Study details
Dr McKay and her co-workers recruited 65 adult with pre- and mild hypertension, and aged between 30 and 70, to participate in their randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Subjects were randomly assigned to consume either three servings of brewed hibiscus tea per day or a placebo drink for six weeks. At the end of the study people in the hibiscus tea group displayed an average reduction of 7.2 mmHg in their systolic blood pressure, compared to 1.3 mmHg in the placebo group. A slight but not significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure was also recorded in the hibiscus tea group.
The benefits of hibiscus tea appeared to be greater in people who had higher systolic blood pressure at the start of the study.
Commenting on the potential mechanism, Dr McKay and her co-workers note that previous studies indicated that hibiscus may act by relaxing blood vessels, and this may be linked to calcium channels, or inhibition of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), thereby preventing the conversion of angiotensin I to the potent vasoconstrictor, angiotensin II.
There is also evidence in the scientific literature that hibiscus may act as a diuretic. Another possible explanantion for the apparent benefits is related to the anthocyanin content of H. sabdariffa.
“The specific attributes of H. sabdariffa to cardiovascular health, including its ability to lower BP and its potential hypocholesterolemic effects, are not well understood and further research in this area is warranted,” added the researchers.
Source: Journal of Nutrition February 2010, Volume 140, Issue 2, Pages 298-303 “Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults” D.L. McKay, C.Y. Chen, E. Saltzman, J.B. Blumberg
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Hibiscus-tea-may-reduce-blood-pressure-in-at-risk-people
US concern rises over grocery spending
Foodnavigator-usa.com, 30-Nov-2009
Nearly three-quarters of American shoppers are more concerned about the cost of groceries than they were six months ago, according to a new study from Health Focus International.
The survey – a follow-up on April’s Grocery Buying in the Current Economy – asked 1,000 primary shoppers about how they are dealing with the economic downturn. The results will be of concern to food manufacturers, as more consumers are worrying about grocery spending, even as their attitudes to the economy as a whole have shown the first signs of improvement.
Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they were very or somewhat concerned about the overall economy compared to 87 percent six months earlier.
However, 74 percent said they were more worried about grocery spending, while only one percent said they were less worried. This has led to even more shoppers turning to cost cutting strategies this year, such as cutting coupons, switching from branded to private label products and buying less food.
President of Health Focus International Barbara Katz said: “The extended economic uncertainty has had a very profound and deepening impact on consumer attitudes and behavior. The resulting practice of shoppers using cost cutting strategies could have a lingering impact, irrespective of whether or not economic conditions improve.”
Higher income groups hit
One of the areas that the market research firm said is of greatest concern is that these cost cutting measures have spread into higher income groups. Nearly half of those in households earning more than $75,000 a year said they were usingcoupons more, up from 15 percent six months ago, and 40 percent said they were buying more store brand foods.
Consumers’ cost cutting strategies include more than one in five (22 percent) trying to eat less food or fewer meals, up from 11 percent in April; buying fewer non-essential items like convenience and snack foods, desserts and candy; and 54 percent of those surveyed said they were cutting down on the quantity of groceries they buy to save money.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/On-your-radar/Food-prices/US-concern-rises-over-grocery-spending
Report outlines climate change effects on US food production
Foodnavigator-usa.com, 18-Dec-2009
Climate change is already affecting American food production, according to a report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), released to coincide with the Copenhagen climate change summit.
The report, The Effects of Climate Change on US Ecosystems, draws on a scientific assessment project commissioned by the US Global Change Research Program released last year, as well as more recent findings to provide additional detail.
It states: “Climate change has had an impact on American farmers, ranchers, rural land owners, and foresters, and will continue to do so, through its influence on production, distribution, and yields.”
In particular, the report claims potential crop failure for grains and oilseeds if temperatures and CO2 levels rise, and smaller fruits and grains as a result of higher night-time temperatures – but extended potential area for perennial crops in the north of the country. However, it cautions against optimism, saying that risk of frost damage would increase because plants would start to grow earlier in the spring.
Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said: "Climate change poses significant threats and challenges for farmers, ranchers, and those who make a living off the land, which will have a serious impact on our ability to feed the people of the United States and the world.”
The report details a number of other areas for concern, including a possibility that glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide in the US, could lose its efficacy on weeds that grow at increased CO2 levels; as well as problems with providing sufficient nutritious animal feed due to disruptions in plants’ nitrogen and carbon cycle leading to lower protein levels in forage.
Vilsack added: "President Obama has made climate change one of his top domestic priorities and under his Administration, the United States has done more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions than at any other time in history, both by supporting domestic policies that advance clean energy, climate security, and economic recovery; and by vigorously engaging in international climate negotiations."
Commenting on the report, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) said that biotech could play an important role in increasing agricultural production in the States, despite the challenges of a changing climate.
Executive vice president for food and agriculture at BIO Sharon Bomer Lauritsen said: "Our member companies have been developing environmental stress tolerance traits (plants that are naturally tolerant to extreme cold, heat, drought, saline soil, diseases and insect pests) for the past decade, and many of these are poised for commercialization. The pending authorization of these products couldn't be more timely given the challenges facing farmers.”
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/On-your-radar/Food-prices/Report-outlines-climate-change-effects-on-US-food-production
Drugs for HIV Infection and AIDS Might Prematurely Age Brains
S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com February 3, 2010
(NaturalNews) In a report just published online in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California at San Diego say they've found a reduction of blood flow in the brains of people who are infected with HIV, the virus believed to cause AIDS. What makes this so concerning is that it indicates something is rapidly aging the brains of these patients. In fact, the blood flow in the brains of the HIV-infected research subjects was reduced to levels normally seen in uninfected persons who are 15 to 20 years older.
Does this mean HIV is causing premature brain aging? Maybe. However there's another possibility: according to the researchers, the drugs used to treat HIV/AIDS might play a role in this super fast brain aging.
AIDS drugs may damage the brain
Previous studies have found the HIV virus may adversely affect many parts of the body, including the heart, liver, kidneys, endocrine system and skeleton. Although a strong "cocktail" of antiviral medications has been credited with extending the life span of those with HIV, these drugs are known to come with a host of side effects -- many of which are health problems often associated with aging. For example, the drugs can cause anemia, digestive problems, peripheral neuropathy and osteoporosis. So it can be difficult to distinguish between any signs of rapid aging that are due to HIV or to the drugs used to treat it.
When it comes to the brain, HIV patients are sometimes known to develop dementia. And HIV infected people often complain of thinking problems.
"The graying of the AIDS patient community makes this infection's effects on the brain a significant source of concern," Beau Ances, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of neurology at Washington University and first author of the new study, said in a statement to the media. "Patients are surviving into their senior years, and a number of them are coming forward to express concerns about problems they're having with memory and other cognitive functions."
To investigate possible premature brain aging in HIV patients, Dr. Ances and his research team used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners and a new technique known as arterial spin labeling that allows precise, non-invasive blood flow measurement to check the brain blood flow in 26 subjects with HIV. The scientists also looked at the brains of 25 uninfected controls. Both groups were about the same age and had the same education.
When the study participants were resting in the scanner, the brain blood flow was found to be significantly reduced in those who tested positive for HIV compared to those in the uninfected control group. Significantly, the scientists found that having HIV was associated with reduced brain blood flow even among the younger, most recently infected patients.
The research team asked the research subjects to perform a visual task which normally triggers blood flow to increase in specific regions of the brain involved in the task. The MRIs revealed the HIV group had greater blood flow increases, suggesting their brains had to work harder in order to accomplish the task.
"Brain blood flow levels decline naturally as we age, but HIV, the medications we use to control it or some combination of the two appear to be accelerating this process independent of aging. Could we reduce the harmful effects of the virus if we started treatment earlier, or does treatment significantly contribute to the harm that's being done?" Dr. Ances said in a press statement. "These are the kinds of issues we urgently need to start examining as the AIDS patient population ages."
http://www.naturalnews.com/028082_AIDS_drugs_brain_damage.html
Cheap B vitamin beats Big Pharma's Zetia cholesterol drug
E. Huff, NaturalNews.com February 3, 2010
(NaturalNews) A recent study found that niacin, a form of vitamin B, is far more beneficial to heart patients with high cholesterol than is the popular cholesterol drug Zetia. Dr. Anthony DeMaria, a leading cardiologist and editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology stated that the findings will eliminate Zetia from the preferred treatment options list.
Though Zetia is touted as being highly effective at reducing the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often called "bad cholesterol", niacin is much more effective at boosting the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly termed "good cholesterol".
Evidence reveals that niacin significantly reduces plaque buildup on arterial walls, improving blood supply to the brain, while Zetia, also known generically as ezetimibe, can slightly increase arterial plaque buildup. For this reasons, doctors and experts agree that niacin is the preferred choice in maintaining proper cholesterol levels and a healthy heart.
In addition to being more effective, niacin is also a much more affordable option. Though the trial utilized a time-released prescription form of niacin, quality niacin supplements are available over the counter that work equally as well if not better than the prescription form.
Zetia is often prescribed to lower bad cholesterol and maintain heart health, yet its track record seems to indicate the opposite effect for some. Out of the 208 participants who engaged in the study, nine of the patients on Zetia experienced heart attacks, stroke, or they died from heart disease. Only two on niacin bore such an outcome.
Dr. Jim Stein of the University of Wisconsin was one of several who emphasized over-prescription of Zetia, stating that doctors fail to practice evidence-based medicine when using the drug. He recommends utilizing safer, more effective alternatives like niacin that are proven to reduce incidences of heart attack, stroke, and death.
Studies consistently show that therapeutic doses of niacin alone can raise HDL levels by up to 35 percent and lower LDL levels by 20 percent. When incorporated into a well-balanced diet with regular exercise, the benefits increase even more. Proper diet and exercise will actually cause arterial plaque to dissipate over time, unlike statin drugs which have never been proven to break up arterial plaque.
Niacin is naturally found in dairy products, lean meats, fish and poultry, nuts, eggs, and whole-grain or sprouted breads. Diets rich in plant-based sterols, soluble fiber, and balanced sources of omega-3 and omega-6 oils will also contribute significantly to maintaining proper cholesterol levels and a healthy heart.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028080_Zetia_cholesterol.html
Cell Phones Cause Brain Cancer, Scientists Warn
David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com February 3, 2010
(NaturalNews) A report issued by the International Electromagnetic Field Collaborative and endorsed by 43 scientists from 13 countries has reviewed the evidence linking cell phone use to brain tumors, and refuting the methodology of a forthcoming industry-funded study expected to give the phones a clean bill of health.
"I fear we will see a tsunami of brain tumors, although it is too early to see that now since the tumors have a 30-year latency," study author Lloyd Morgan said. "I pray I'm wrong, but brace yourself."
Among the research cited in the study was a recent study by a Swedish team of scientists that found a 420 percent higher risk of brain cancer among people who had started using cellular or cordless phones as teenagers. Older analog phones, which are now mostly off the market, had been found to increase cancer risk by 700 percent.
Because children are especially vulnerable to radiation, the report recommends that parents not allow their children under the age of 18 to use mobile phones except in emergencies, or to sleep with cellular phones under their pillows. It recommends using corded land lines whenever possible, and using cellular phones mostly as answering machines, turning them on only to check messages and return calls. Use of cell phones inside buildings or in cars increases cancer risk, as it increases the radiation a phone must emit to function. Use of text messages and non-wireless headsets can reduce cancer risk. The report also advises against carrying cell phones against the body, even in pockets.
"Some countries are already banning cell phones over health concerns, with France saying children in elementary schools can only use them for texting," Morgan said.
The report also sets out 11 flaws in the forthcoming Interphone study, a study on cell phones and health being prepared by the wireless industry in 13 different countries. These flaws include the exclusion of non-cellular cordless phones (which also emit radiation), children and young adults (the most vulnerable demographics) from the study, the exclusion of certain types of tumors, and the exclusion of participants who died or were too sick to answer questions.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028078_cell_phones_brain_cancer.html
The Depressing News About Antidepressants
Studies suggest that the popular drugs are no more effective than a placebo. In fact, they may be worse.
Sharon Begley | NEWSWEEK Jan 29, 2010
Although the year is young, it has already brought my first moral dilemma. In early January a friend mentioned that his New Year's resolution was to beat his chronic depression once and for all. Over the years he had tried a medicine chest's worth of antidepressants, but none had really helped in any enduring way, and when the side effects became so unpleasant that he stopped taking them, the withdrawal symptoms (cramps, dizziness, headaches) were torture. Did I know of any research that might help him decide whether a new antidepressant his doctor recommended might finally lift his chronic darkness at noon?
The moral dilemma was this: oh, yes, I knew of 20-plus years of research on antidepressants, from the old tricyclics to the newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that target serotonin (Zoloft, Paxil, and the granddaddy of them all, Prozac, as well as their generic descendants) to even newer ones that also target norepinephrine (Effexor, Wellbutrin). The research had shown that antidepressants help about three quarters of people with depression who take them, a consistent finding that serves as the basis for the oft-repeated mantra "There is no question that the safety and efficacy of antidepressants rest on solid scientific evidence," as psychiatry professor Richard Friedman of Weill Cornell Medical College recently wrote in The New York Times. But ever since a seminal study in 1998, whose findings were reinforced by landmark research in The Journal of the American Medical Association last month, that evidence has come with a big asterisk. Yes, the drugs are effective, in that they lift depression in most patients. But that benefit is hardly more than what patients get when they, unknowingly and as part of a study, take a dummy pill—a placebo. As more and more scientists who study depression and the drugs that treat it are concluding, that suggests that antidepressants are basically expensive Tic Tacs.
Hence the moral dilemma. The placebo effect—that is, a medical benefit you get from an inert pill or other sham treatment—rests on the holy trinity of belief, expectation, and hope. But telling someone with depression who is being helped by antidepressants, or who (like my friend) hopes to be helped, threatens to topple the whole house of cards. Explain that it's all in their heads, that the reason they're benefiting is the same reason why Disney's Dumbo could initially fly only with a feather clutched in his trunk—believing makes it so—and the magic dissipates like fairy dust in a windstorm. So rather than tell my friend all this, I chickened out. Sure, I said, there's lots of research showing that a new kind of antidepressant might help you. Come, let me show you the studies on PubMed.
It seems I am not alone in having moral qualms about blowing the whistle on antidepressants. That first analysis, in 1998, examined 38 manufacturer-sponsored studies involving just over 3,000 depressed patients. The authors, psychology researchers Irving Kirsch and Guy Sapirstein of the University of Connecticut, saw—as everyone else had—that patients did improve, often substantially, on SSRIs, tricyclics, and even MAO inhibitors, a class of antidepressants that dates from the 1950s. This improvement, demonstrated in scores of clinical trials, is the basis for the ubiquitous claim that antidepressants work. But when Kirsch compared the improvement in patients taking the drugs with the improvement in those taking dummy pills—clinical trials typically compare an experimental drug with a placebo—he saw that the difference was minuscule. Patients on a placebo improved about 75 percent as much as those on drugs. Put another way, three quarters of the benefit from antidepressants seems to be a placebo effect. "We wondered, what's going on?" recalls Kirsch, who is now at the University of Hull in England. "These are supposed to be wonder drugs and have huge effects."
The study's impact? The number of Americans taking antidepressants doubled in a decade, from 13.3 million in 1996 to 27 million in 2005.
To be sure, the drugs have helped tens of millions of people, and Kirsch certainly does not advocate that patients suffering from depression stop taking the drugs. On the contrary. But they are not necessarily the best first choice. Psychotherapy, for instance, works for moderate, severe, and even very severe depression. And although for some patients, psychotherapy in combination with an initial course of prescription antidepressants works even better, the question is, how do the drugs work? Kirsch's study and, now, others conclude that the lion's share of the drugs' effect comes from the fact that patients expect to be helped by them, and not from any direct chemical action on the brain, especially for anything short of very severe depression.
As the inexorable rise in the use of antidepressants suggests, that conclusion can't hold a candle to the simplistic "antidepressants work!" (unstated corollary: "but don't ask how") message. Part of the resistance to Kirsch's findings has been due to his less-than-retiring nature. He didn't win many friends with the cheeky title of the paper, "Listening to Prozac but Hearing Placebo." Nor did it inspire confidence that the editors of the journal Prevention & Treatment ran a warning with his paper, saying it used meta-analysis "controversially." Al-though some of the six invited commentaries agreed with Kirsch, others were scathing, accusing him of bias and saying the studies he analyzed were flawed (an odd charge for defenders of antidepressants, since the studies were the basis for the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the drugs). One criticism, however, could not be refuted: Kirsch had analyzed only some studies of antidepressants. Maybe if he included them all, the drugs would emerge head and shoulders superior to placebos.
Kirsch agreed. Out of the blue, he received a letter from Thomas Moore, who was then a health-policy analyst at George Washington University. You could expand your data set, Moore wrote, by including everything drug companies sent to the FDA—published studies, like those analyzed in "Hearing Placebo," but also unpublished studies. In 1998 Moore used the Freedom of Information Act to pry such data from the FDA. The total came to 47 company-sponsored studies—on Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, Serzone, and Celexa—that Kirsch and colleagues then pored over. (As an aside, it turned out that about 40 percent of the clinical trials had never been published. That is significantly higher than for other classes of drugs, says Lisa Bero of the University of California, San Francisco; overall, 22 percent of clinical trials of drugs are not published. "By and large," says Kirsch, "the unpublished studies were those that had failed to show a significant benefit from taking the actual drug.") In just over half of the published and unpublished studies, he and colleagues reported in 2002, the drug alleviated depression no better than a placebo. "And the extra benefit of antidepressants was even less than we saw when we analyzed only published studies," Kirsch recalls. About 82 percent of the response to antidepressants—not the 75 percent he had calculated from examining only published studies—had also been achieved by a dummy pill.
The extra effect of real drugs wasn't much to celebrate, either. It amounted to 1.8 points on the 54-point scale doctors use to gauge the severity of depression, through questions about mood, sleep habits, and the like. Sleeping better counts as six points. Being less fidgety during the assessment is worth two points. In other words, the clinical significance of the 1.8 extra points from real drugs was underwhelming. Now Kirsch was certain. "The belief that antidepressants can cure depression chemically is simply wrong," he told me in January on the eve of the publication of his book The Emperor's New Drugs: Exploding the Anti-depressant Myth.
The 2002 study ignited a furious debate, but more and more scientists were becoming convinced that Kirsch—who had won respect for research on the placebo response and who had published scores of scientific papers—was on to something. One team of researchers wondered if antidepressants were "a triumph of marketing over science." Even defenders of antidepressants agreed that the drugs have "relatively small" effects. "Many have long been unimpressed by the magnitude of the differences observed between treatments and controls," psychology researcher Steven Hollon of Vanderbilt University and colleagues wrote—"what some of our colleagues refer to as 'the dirty little secret.' " In Britain, the agency that assesses which treatments are effective enough for the government to pay for stopped recommending antidepressants as a first-line treatment, especially for mild or moderate depression.
But if experts know that antidepressants are hardly better than placebos, few patients or doctors do. Some doctors have changed their prescribing habits, says Kirsch, but more "reacted with anger and incredulity." Understandably. For one thing, depression is a devastating, underdiagnosed, and undertreated disease. Of course doctors recoiled at the idea that such drugs might be mirages. If that were true, how were physicians supposed to help their patients?
Two other factors are at work in the widespread rejection of Kirsch's (and, now, other scientists') findings about antidepressants. First, defenders of the drugs scoff at the idea that the FDA would have approved ineffective drugs. (Simple explanation: the FDA requires two well-designed clinical trials showing a drug is more effective than a placebo. That's two, period—even if many more studies show no such effectiveness. And the size of the "more effective" doesn't much matter, as long as it is statistically significant.) Second, doctors see with their own eyes, and feel with their hearts, that the drugs lift the black cloud from many of their depressed patients. But since doctors are not exactly in the habit of prescribing dummy pills, they have no experience comparing how their patients do on them, and therefore never see that a placebo would be almost as effective as a $4 pill. "When they prescribe a treatment and it works," says Kirsch, "their natural tendency is to attribute the cure to the treatment." Hence the widespread "antidepressants work" refrain that persists to this day.
Drug companies do not dispute Kirsch's aggregate statistics. But they point out that the average is made up of some patients in whom there is a true drug effect of antidepressants and some in whom there is not. As a spokesperson for Lilly (maker of Prozac) said, "Depression is a highly individualized illness," and "not all patients respond the same way to a particular treatment." In addition, notes a spokesperson for Glaxo-Smith-Kline (maker of Paxil), the studies analyzed in the JAMA paper differ from studies GSK submitted to the FDA when it won approval for Paxil, "so it is difficult to make direct comparisons between the results. This study contributes to the extensive research that has helped to characterize the role of antidepressants," which "are an important option, in addition to counseling and lifestyle changes, for treatment of depression." A spokesperson for Pfizer, which makes Zoloft, also cited the "wealth of scientific evidence documenting [antidepressants'] effects," adding that the fact that antidepressants "commonly fail to separate from placebo" is "a fact well known by the FDA, academia, and industry." Other manufacturers pointed out that Kirsch and the JAMA authors had not studied their particular brands.
Even Kirsch's analysis, however, found that antidepressants are a little more effective than dummy pills—those 1.8 points on the depression scale. Maybe Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and their cousins do have some non-placebo, chemical benefit. But the small edge of real drugs compared with placebos might not mean what it seems, Kirsch explained to me one evening from his home in Hull. Consider how research on drugs works. Patient volunteers are told they will receive either the drug or a placebo, and that neither they nor the scientists will know who is getting what. Most volunteers hope they get the drug, not the dummy pill. After taking the unknown meds for a while, some volunteers experience side effects. Bingo: a clue they're on the real drug. About 80 percent guess right, and studies show that the worse side effects a patient experiences, the more effective the drug. Patients apparently think, this drug is so strong it's making me vomit and hate sex, so it must be strong enough to lift my depression. In clinical-trial patients who figure out they're receiving the drug and not the inert pill, expectations soar.
That matters because belief in the power of a medical treatment can be self-fulfilling (that's the basis of the placebo effect). The patients who correctly guess that they're getting the real drug therefore experience a stronger placebo effect than those who get the dummy pill, experience no side effects, and are therefore disappointed. That might account for antidepressants' slight edge in effectiveness compared with a placebo, an edge that derives not from the drugs' molecules but from the hopes and expectations that patients in studies feel when they figure out they're receiving the real drug.
The boy who said the emperor had no clothes didn't endear himself to his fellow subjects, and Kirsch has fared little better. A nascent collaboration with a scientist at a medical school ended in 2002 when the scientist was warned not to submit a grant proposal with Kirsch if he ever wanted to be funded again. Four years later, another scientist wrote a paper questioning the effectiveness of antidepressants, citing Kirsch's work. It was published in a prestigious journal. That ordinarily brings accolades. Instead, his department chair dressed him down and warned him not to become too involved with Kirsch.
But the question of whether antidepressants—which in 2008 had sales of $9.6 billion in the U.S., reported the consulting firm IMS Health—have any effect other than through patients' belief in them was too important to scare researchers off. Proponents of the drugs have found themselves making weaker and weaker claims. Their last stand is that antidepressants are more effective than a placebo in patients suffering the most severe depression.
So concluded the JAMA study in January. In an analysis of six large experiments in which, as usual, depressed patients received either a placebo or an active drug, the true drug effect—that is, in addition to the placebo effect—was "nonexistent to negligible" in patients with mild, moderate, and even severe depression. Only in patients with very severe symptoms (scoring 23 or above on the standard scale) was there a statistically significant drug benefit. Such patients account for about 13 percent of people with depression. "Most people don't need an active drug," says Vanderbilt's Hollon, a coauthor of the study. "For a lot of folks, you're going to do as well on a sugar pill or on conversations with your physicians as you will on medication. It doesn't matter what you do; it's just the fact that you're doing something." But people with very severe depression are different, he believes. "My personal view is the placebo effect gets you pretty far, but for those with very severe, more chronic conditions, it's harder to knock down and placebos are less adequate," says Hollon. Why that should be remains a mystery, admits coauthor Robert DeRubeis of the University of Pennsylvania.
Like every scientist who has stepped into the treacherous waters of antidepressant research, Hollon, DeRubeis, and their colleagues are keenly aware of the disconnect between evidence and public impression. "Prescribers, policy-makers, and consumers may not be aware that the efficacy of [antidepressants] largely has been established on the basis of studies that have included only those individuals with more severe forms of depression," something drug ads don't mention, they write. People with anything less than very severe depression "derive little specific pharmacological benefit from taking medications. Pending findings contrary to those reported here … efforts should be made to clarify to clinicians and prospective patients that … there is little evidence to suggest that [antidepressants] produce specific pharmacological benefit for the majority of patients."
Right about here, people scowl and ask how anti-depressants—especially those that raise the brain's levels of serotonin—can possibly have no direct chemical effect on the brain. Surely raising serotonin levels should right the synapses' "chemical imbalance" and lift depression. Unfortunately, the serotonin-deficit theory of depression is built on a foundation of tissue paper. How that came to be is a story in itself, but the basics are that in the 1950s scientists discovered, serendipitously, that a drug called iproniazid seemed to help some people with depression.
Iproniazid increases brain levels of serotonin and norepinephrine. Ergo, low levels of those neurotransmitters must cause depression. More than 50 years on, the presumed effectiveness of antidepressants that act this way remains the chief support for the chemical-imbalance theory of depression. Absent that effectiveness, the theory hasn't a leg to stand on. Direct evidence doesn't exist. Lowering people's serotonin levels does not change their mood. And a new drug, tianeptine, which is sold in France and some other countries (but not the U.S.), turns out to be as effective as Prozac-like antidepressants that keep the synapses well supplied with serotonin. The mechanism of the new drug? It lowers brain levels of serotonin. "If depression can be equally affected by drugs that increase serotonin and by drugs that decrease it," says Kirsch, "it's hard to imagine how the benefits can be due to their chemical activity."
Perhaps antidepressants would be more effective at higher doses? Unfortunately, in 2002 Kirsch and colleagues found that high doses are hardly more effective than low ones, improving patients' depression-scale rating an average of 9.97 points vs. 9.57 points—a difference that is not statistically significant. Yet many doctors increase doses for patients who do not respond to a lower one, and many patients report improving as a result. There's a study of that, too. When researchers gave such nonresponders a higher dose, 72 percent got much better, their symptoms dropping by 50 percent or more. The catch? Only half the patients really got a higher dose. The rest, unknowingly, got the original, "ineffective" dose. It is hard to see the 72 percent who got much better on ersatz higher doses as the result of anything but the power of expectation: the doctor upped my dose, so I believe I'll get better.
Something similar may explain why some patients who aren't helped by one antidepressant do better on a second, or a third. This is often explained as "matching" patient to drug, and seemed to be confirmed by a 2006 federal study called STAR*D. Patients still suffering from depression after taking one drug were switched to a second; those who were still not better were switched to a third drug, and even a fourth. No placebos were used. At first blush, the results offered a ray of hope: 37 percent of the patients got better on the first drug, 19 percent more on their second, 6 percent more improved on their third try, and 5 percent more on their fourth. (Half of those who recovered relapsed within a year, however.)
So does STAR*D validate the idea that the key to effective treatment of depression is matching the patient to the drug? Maybe. Or maybe people improved in rounds two, three, and four because depression sometimes lifts due to changes in people's lives, or because levels of depression tend to rise and fall over time. With no one in STAR*D receiving a placebo, it is not possible to conclude with certainty that the improvements in rounds two, three, and four were because patients switched to a drug that was more effective for them. Comparable numbers might have improved if they had switched to a placebo. But STAR*D did not test for that, and so cannot rule it out.
It's tempting to look at the power of the placebo effect to alleviate depression and stick an "only" in front of it—as in, the drugs work only through the placebo effect. But there is nothing "only" about the placebo response. It can be surprisingly enduring, as a 2008 study found: "The widely held belief that the placebo response in depression is short-lived appears to be based largely on intuition and perhaps wishful thinking," scientists wrote in the Journal of Psychiatric Research. The strength of the placebo response drives drug companies nuts, since it makes showing the superiority of a new drug much harder. There is a strong placebo component in the response to drugs for pain, asthma, irritable-bowel syndrome, skin conditions such as contact dermatitis, and even Parkinson's disease. But compared with the placebo component of antidepressants, the placebo response accounts for a smaller fraction of the benefit from drugs for those disorders—on the order of 50 percent for analgesics, for instance.
Which returns us to the moral dilemma. In any year, an estimated 13.1 million to 14.2 million American adults suffer from clinical depression. At least 32 million will have the disease at some point in their life. Many of the 57 percent who receive treatment (the rest do not) are helped by medication. For that benefit to continue, they need to believe in their pills. Even Kirsch warns—in boldface type in his book, which is in stores this week—that patients on antidepressants not suddenly stop taking them. That can cause serious withdrawal symptoms, including twitches, tremors, blurred vision, and nausea—as well as depression and anxiety. Yet Kirsch is well aware that his book may have the same effect on patients as dropping the magic feather did for Dumbo: without it, the little elephant began crashing to earth. Friends and colleagues who believe Kirsch is right ask why he doesn't just shut up, since publicizing the finding that the effectiveness of antidepressants is almost entirely due to people's hopes and expectations will undermine that effectiveness.
It's all well and good to point out that psychotherapy is more effective than either pills or placebos, with dramatically lower relapse rates. But there's the little matter of reality. In the U.S., most patients with depression are treated by primary-care doctors, not psychiatrists. The latter are in short supply, especially outside cities and especially for children and adolescents. Some insurance plans discourage such care, and some psychiatrists do not accept insurance. Maybe keeping patients in the dark about the ineffectiveness of antidepressants, which for many are their only hope, is a kindness.
Or maybe not. As shown by the explicit criticism of drug companies by the authors of the recent JAMApaper, more and more scientists believe it is time to abandon the "don't ask, don't tell" policy of not digging too deeply into the reasons for the effectiveness of antidepressants. Maybe it is time to pull back the curtain and see the wizard for what he is. As for Kirsch, he insists that it is important to know that much of the benefit of antidepressants is a placebo effect. If placebos can make people better, then depression can be treated without drugs that come with serious side effects, not to mention costs. Wider recognition that antidepressants are a pharmaceutical version of the emperor's new clothes, he says, might spur patients to try other treatments. "Isn't it more important to know the truth?" he asks. Based on the impact of his work so far, it's hard to avoid answering, "Not to many people."
http://www.newsweek.com/id/232781
Herbal medicine is under threat
Alternative medicines face a backlash just when clinical research is turning back to nature
The Guardian UK, February 2, 2010
Hawthorn is used to treat chronic heart failure. Photograph: Michael Rosenfeld/Getty Images
Tomorrow, an army of medical herbalists will be demonstrating outside the House of Commons. "What are they going to do," wonders sceptic Adam Rutherford, an editor at the science journal Nature, "wave strands of lavender at MPs?" But Michael McIntyre, chair of the European Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (EHTPA), has called for the demonstration because, quite frankly, he has had enough.
For several decades, it's true, the field of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs, as they are often known) has boomed, with acupuncturists, osteopaths and homeopaths springing up on every corner. Lately, however, a fierce backlash has been brewing. Scientists such as Professor Edzard Ernst (who puts complementary medicine's claims through clinical trials), and writers such as the Guardian's own Ben Goldacre, have turned a long-needed microscope on to CAMs and accused them of being at best harmless, and at worst fraudulent and toxic. Herbal medicine was described by Rose Shapiro, in her book Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools Of Us All, as mostly "ineffective . . . if it worked and was safe it wouldn't need to be alternative . . . Herbal medicine should be subject to the same evidence-based regulation as are orthodox pharmaceuticals."
These days, though, the majority of herbal practitioners are crying out for regulation, but despite promising to implement this for 20 years now, the government is still dragging its heels. Meanwhile, discredited herbalists are able to continue practicing, giving the field a bad name. And next year, when European legislation comes in which will stop unregulated practitioners from accessing many key herbal medicines, UK herbalists may well find themselves snookered.
But it has not all been bad news, as some new clinical trials have proved the efficacy of various herbal treatments. A review of studies of hawthorn (authored by Ernst) concluded that it is not only useful as a treatment for chronic heart failure, but also carries few of the risks associated with some conventional medicines. Horse chestnut, in another study by Ernst, has been shown to be useful for treating chronic venous insufficiency (when leg veins are not strong enough to pump blood back up to the heart), again with fewer side effects than conventional equivalents. And some of the studies on St John's wort have shown that it can improve symptoms of depression.
Garlic, another common herbal treatment, is regularly shown to reduce blood cholesterol, while black cohosh, an ancient Native American treatment, has had some success in clinical trials of its efficacy in treating menopausal symptoms. Studies of green tea,meanwhile, have shown that it can help inhibit tumour growth.
But this is not enough for the sceptics. "Yes, a few herbal treatments may turn out to be medically effective," says Rutherford. "But for every one that turns out to work, there are hundreds that are just bollocks. It's not half and half; many of these treatments turn out to be no better than a placebo."
And yet scientists are increasingly turning back to the natural world in their search for modern medicines.Research is throwing up rich and intriguing results, showing that, among other things, the combination of tomatoes and broccoli is more effective in combatting tumours than either vegetable used alone; that cranberries really are effective at preventing urinary tract infections; that ginger can reduce nausea in the early stages of chemotherapy.
Declan Naughton, professor of biomolecular sciences at Kingston University, was part of a team which last year showed that mixing pomegranate rind with metal salts and vitamin C created an ointment effective at fighting the hospital superbug MRSA. "As time has gone on," he says, "it has become more and more clear to me that a great number of the drugs we use originate from plants. If you were to sit down and list them, you'd be speaking for a long while, and if you're looking at developing new drugs, then you should obviously look to nature."
Could there ever be a meeting of minds between ancient herbal and modern medics? "You do have [herbal practitioners] following practices that are just unacceptable," says Naughton. "But you also have an increasing number of scientists screening herbs to find new drugs; more and more scientists are turning back to the original sources of medicine, the micro-bacteria, marine organisms and plants from the rainforests."
"For centuries now we've been using these treatments," says McIntyre, a herbalist himself for 30 years. "It's profoundly frustrating to have to spend so much time battling to get ourselves regulated when what I'd really like to be doing is be in my practice, treating people."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/02/herbal-medicine-under-threat
Exercise May Increase Volume in Certain Brain Areas of Patients With Schizophrenia
ScienceDaily (Feb. 3, 2010) — Potentially beneficial brain changes (an increase in the volume of an area known as the hippocampus) occur in response to exercise both in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The findings suggest that the brain retains some plasticity, or ability to adapt, even in those with psychotic disorders.
Schizophrenia is known to be associated with a reduced volume in the area of the brain known as the hippocampus, which helps regulate emotion and memory, according to background information in the article. "In contrast to other illnesses that may display psychotic features, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia is often characterized by incomplete recovery of psychotic symptoms and persistent disability," the authors write. "These clinical features of illness may relate to an impairment of neural plasticity or mechanisms of reorganizing brain function in response to a challenge."
The formation of new neurons is one component of plasticity; previous studies have shown that neuron growth in the hippocampus of healthy individuals can be stimulated by exercise. Frank-Gerald Pajonk, M.D., of The Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, and Dr. K. Fontheim's Hospital for Mental Health, Liebenburg, Germany, and colleagues assessed changes in hippocampal volume in response to an exercise program in both male patients with schizophrenia and men who had similar demographics and physical characteristics but did not have the condition.
Eight participants with schizophrenia and eight controls were randomly assigned to exercise (supervised cycling) three times per week for 30 minutes, whereas an additional eight patients with schizophrenia instead played tabletop football for the same period of time. The game enhances coordination and concentration but does not affect aerobic fitness. All participants underwent fitness testing, magnetic resonance imaging of the hippocampus, neuropsychological testing and other clinical measures before and after participating in the program for 12 weeks.
Following exercise training, hippocampal volume increased 12 percent in patients with schizophrenia and 16 percent in healthy controls. "To provide a context, the magnitude of these changes in volume was similar to that observed for other subcortical structures when patients were switched from typical to atypical antipsychotic drug therapy," the authors write. Conversely, patients with schizophrenia who played tabletop football instead of exercising experienced a 1 percent decrease in hippocampal volume.
Aerobic fitness also increased among all who exercised, and improvement in test scores for short-term memory was correlated with increases in hippocampal volume among patients and healthy controls.
"Further clinical studies are needed to determine if an incremental improvement in the disability related to schizophrenia could be obtained by incorporating exercise into treatment planning and lifestyle choice for individuals with the illness," the authors conclude.
Frank-Gerald Pajonk; Thomas Wobrock; Oliver Gruber; Harald Scherk; Dorothea Berner; Inge Kaizl; Astrid Kierer; Stephanie Muller; Martin Oest; Tim Meyer; Martin Backens; Thomas Schneider-Axmann; Allen E. Thornton; William G. Honer; Peter Falkai. Hippocampal Plasticity in Response to Exercise in Schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2010; 67 (2): 133-143
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100201171519.htm
Can fish oil help guard against schizophrenia?
Last Updated: 2010-02-01 16:00:45 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Taking fish oil may help prevent full-blown psychotic illness in at-risk adolescents and young adults, a study released today hints.
These at-risk individuals may have weak or transient psychotic symptoms, and already show schizophrenia-like brain changes, Dr. G. Paul Amminger of The University of Melbourne in Australia, a researcher on the study, told Reuters Health. But while psychiatrists now know how to identify these individuals, he added, they don't know what to do with them. "At the moment there's no state-of-the-art guideline (on) how to treat those people."
Prescribing antipsychotic medications may be helpful, Amminger added, but these medications have serious side effects, and can also be stigmatizing. "For young people they don't want to commit themselves to a treatment which they might need to take for the next five to ten years," he said. Furthermore, only about a third of people at high risk for psychotic disorders will go on to develop full-fledged mental illness in a given year.
There's considerable evidence that abnormal fatty acid metabolism may contribute to the development of schizophrenia, Amminger and his team note in the Archives of General Psychiatry. To investigate whether omega-3 fatty acids might help prevent psychotic illness, they randomly assigned 81 at-risk individuals, 13 to 25 years old, to take 1.2 grams a day of omega-3s in fish oil capsule form or a placebo for 12 weeks and then followed them for another 40 weeks.
The researchers included people who met at least one of the following three criteria: having low-level psychotic symptoms; having transient psychotic symptoms; or having a schizophrenia-like personality disorder or a close relative with schizophrenia, along with a sharp decline in mental function within the past year.
Seventy-six of the 81 study participants, or 94 percent, completed the trial, Amminger noted, which underscores the safety and tolerability of fish oil.
At one year, 5 percent of the study participants taking omega-3s had developed a psychotic disorder (2 of 41 people), compared to 28 percent of those on placebo (11 of 40). People taking fish oil also showed significant reductions in their psychotic symptoms and improvements in function, while they were at no greater risk of adverse effects than people taking placebo capsules.
The effect of fish oil capsules, Amminger noted, was similar to that seen in two trials of antipsychotic drugs in at-risk individuals.
There are a number of mechanisms through which omega-3s could protect the brain, Amminger said; they are a major component of brain cells. They are also key to the proper function of two brain chemical signaling systems, dopamine and serotonin, which have been implicated in schizophrenia. Fish oil also boosts levels of glutathione, an antioxidant that protects the brain against oxidative stress.
Trials of medications for treating mental illness typically don't include people younger than 18, Amminger noted, while starting minors on these medications is "always very difficult, and always quite controversial."
But if future research bears out the current findings, he added, fish oil promises to offer a safe way to help prevent psychosis in at-risk people, and could also potentially be used to prevent or delay the onset of chronic depression, bipolar illness, and substance abuse disorder -- all of which are far more common than psychotic illness.
He and his colleagues are now planning a multicenter trial of fish oil for the prevention of psychotic illness in 320 at-risk people.
SOURCE: Archives of General Psychiatry, February 2010.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2010/02/01/eline/links/20100201elin005.html
Omega-3 may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s: Rat study
Nutraingredients.com, 01-Feb-2010
The omega-3 compound ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid (E-EPA) may improve memory and learning, and reduce the risk of Alzheimer´s disease, says a new study.
Researchers from Canada and Thailand report that, while levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine decrease with age, E-EPA may slow this decline, according to findings published in the Journal of Neurochemistry.
“This study, for the first time, reported […] a clear correlation between the decrease in acetylcholine release and memory deficit, [and] E-EPA improves memory by attenuating the reduction of acetylcholine release and nerve growth factor expression,” wrote Pornnarin Taepavarapruk from Naresuan University, Thailand and Cai Song from the University of Prince Edwards Island, Canada.
Omega-3 and brain health
The link between omega-3 and cognitive function is not new, with various studies reporting somewhat conflicting results for the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
Some of the more promising data has been reported for DHA, with memory function improvements found for healthy older adults with a decline in cognitive function that occurs naturally with age. Such decline is known to precede diseases such as Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia and currently affects over 13 million people worldwide.
However, according to data presented at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna last year, DHA supplements may not benefit people already suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Potential for EPA?
Using Amarin Neuroscience’s ethyl-EPA or palm oil (control), the researchers supplemented rat chow with 0.8 per cent of the oil.
Data showed that, in the palm oil supplemented animals, the release of acetylcholine decreased. In addition, a decrease in the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus was correlated with this reduced acetylcholine release. Both of these were associated with memory impairment, said the researchers.
Animals supplemented with E-EPA, however, showed improved memory, linked to attenuation in the reduction of acetylcholine release and NGF release.
“In this study, our findings add further evidence that E-EPA may improve memory by the modulation of acetylcholineand neurotrophin functions,” said the researchers.
The study was supported by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Amarin Neurosciences Ltd. and Atlantic Innovation Foundation.
Source: Journal of Neurochemistry February 2010, Volume 112, Issue 4, Pages 1054-1064
“Reductions of acetylcholine release and nerve growth factor expression are correlated with memory impairment induced by interleukin-1beta administrations: effects of omega-3 fatty acid EPA treatment” P. Taepavarapruk, C. Song
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Omega-3-may-reduce-risk-of-Alzheimer-s-Rat-study
S. Korean scientists say caffeine slows brain cancer growth
Xinhua News Agency – CEIS 02-02-10
S. Korean scientists say caffeine slows brain cancer growth SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Caffeine found in coffee and green tea could effectively slow the growth of brain cancer tumors, a group of scientists at the (South) Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) said Monday. According to the neural science research department at KIST, led by Lee Chang-joon, animal test results showed regular caffeine found in coffee and green tea to have strongly repressed the growth of inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) closely associated with glioblastoma, which is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor found in human. The research institute said calcium plays a primary role in spreading glioblastoma tumor cells in humans, and that IP3R directly contributes to the amount of calcium released. The KIST added that they discovered a sub-type of IP3R, or IP3R3, to be very active among brain cancer patients and that caffeine stymies the spread of such compounds, resulting in less tumor growth in the brain and blocks cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body. "This is the first type of discovery showing caffeine to have an inhibitive effect on the growth of glioblastoma, and thus, we expect it to have monumental impact on related studies," said Lee, who led the research team. The amounts of caffeine used in the animal tests were somewhere in the range of two to five cups of coffee or green tea consumed on average by humans per day, KIST added. It is extremely difficult to treat glioblastoma, KIST said, as the tumor cells are very resistant to other conventional therapies and anti-cancer drugs, and as a result, most patients die within a year of being diagnosed. The research team, comprising of scientists from Seoul National University, Gyeongsang National University, and Emory University in Atlanta, also published their discovery in the latest issue of U.S.- based Cancer Research Journal. (c) 2010 Xinhua News Agency - CEIS. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=9267&Section=Disease
Vitamin B6 may affect heart disease risk: Study
Nutraingredients.com, 02-Feb-2010
Low levels of vitamin B6 may increase the risk of inflammation and metabolic conditions, and subsequently cardiovascular disease risk, says a new study.
A cross-sectional study with 1,205 people found that higher levels of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP), the active form of vitamin B6, were linked to lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, as well as lower levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker for oxidative stress, both of which are related to heart disease risk.
CRP is produced in the liver and is a known marker for inflammation. Increased levels of CRP are a good predictor for the onset of both type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. CVD causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and is reported to cost the EU economy an estimated €169 billion ($202 billion) per year.
Researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University report their findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“Our data suggest that vitamin B-6 may influence cardiovascular disease risk through mechanisms other than [reduction of the amino acid] homocysteine and support the notion that nutritional status may influence the health disparities present in this population,” wrote the researchers, led by Jian Shen.
Study details
Shen and co-workers measured levels of PLP, CRP, and 8-OHdG in 1,205 Puerto Rican adults aged between 45 and 75 and living in Massachusetts.
Results showed a strong dose-dependent relationship between PLP levels and CRP levels, with the highest PLP levels associated with CRP levels almost 50 per cent lower than low PLP levels.
Furthermore, the highest average levels of PLP were associated with 8-OHdG concentrations of 108 nanograms per milligram, compared to 124 ng/mg for low PLP levels.
The associations were observed even after the researchers took into account homocysteine levels.
It is not the first time that PLP levels have been linked to CRP levels. A Harvard study reported last year that PLP levels were slightly inversely correlated with blood levels of CRP, and may also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 50 per cent (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Vol. 18, pp. 1197-1202).
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition February 2010, Volume 91, Number 2, Pages 337-342, “Association of vitamin B-6 status with inflammation, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammatory conditions: the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study” J. Shen, C-Q. Lai, J. Mattei, J.M. Ordovas, K.L. Tucker
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Vitamin-B6-may-affect-heart-disease-risk-Study
Children's Fitness Levels Continue to Decline; Today's Kids are Weak and Unfit
E. Huff, NaturalNews.com February 2, 2010
(NaturalNews) Researchers from Essex University recently concluded a study that evaluated the changing fitness abilities of modern children. Evaluated a decade apart based on physical strength, the study revealed that 10-year-olds from 1998 were capable of outrunning 95 percent of 10-year-olds in 2008.
While most studies about health focus on obesity, this study aimed to address children's physical fitness levels aside from their weight. Researchers purposely conducted the study in an area of town that had generally low obesity rates in order to test their hypothesis that being of a normal weight does not necessarily mean that a person is physically healthy. Their findings confirmed this to be true.
Comparatively, the participants from both the 1998 group and the 2008 group were of similar weight profiles. However when tested based on their speed and endurance in a shuttle run, a significant decline in ability over the course of just ten years was obvious and troubling to researchers. They believe that the results would probably have been even worse had the study been conducted in an area with high obesity rates.
Some experts worry that too much focus on obesity has led to an overall decrease in health among people of more normal weights who assume that they must be in good health because they are not overweight. All agree that children are spending too little time outdoors engaging in physical activity and too much time indoors in front of the computer and television screens. Educational facilities are partly to blame as well, they say, citing a lack of organized outdoor activities for kids during the school day.
The British government has begun a campaign designed to encourage healthy lifestyles among all children. Addressing obesity remains an important issue because overweight people, especially children, are more prone to developing chronic illnesses. However officials recognize the need to encourage everyone to participate in regular physical activity for their own well-being.
In the United States, the President's Challenge is a physical fitness testing protocol that schools often use to gauge the fitness levels of their students and spur them towards getting and staying in shape. Instructors give recognition and awards to children when they achieve the goals and requirements of the program. When used in conjunction with a complete and regular physical fitness program, including healthy lifestyle and diet recommendations, it can be highly successful at motivating children to stay fit and achieve better health.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028071_children_fitness.html
Driving While Medicated: 72 Percent of Older Drivers Have No Idea Their Meds Impair Driving
David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com February 2, 2010
(NaturalNews) Even though the vast majority of elderly drivers use one or more medications, few of them area aware of the effects that their drugs can have on driving performance, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and released as a report by the nonprofit AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
"That's really scary," said Peter Kissinger of the AAA Foundation. "The risks are real."
The researchers interviewed 630 drivers between the ages of 56 and 93, and found that 78 percent of them were taking one or more medications. Yet only 28 percent of the respondents knew of the potential risks from driving while medicated. Only 18 percent of those taking drugs especially known to impair driving ability -- including ACE inhibitors, beta blockers and sedatives -- had received warnings about the effects from their doctors or pharmacists.
Health care workers yet "are not effectively communicating known risks," Kissinger said.
The researchers also found that awareness of the risks of driving while medicated decreased with age, while the number of prescription medications used increased.
Studies have conclusively linked certain drugs or combinations of drugs to an increase in the risk of automobile collisions. However, the exact number of crashes caused by medications is still unknown because few safety agencies regularly test for the presence of drugs in drivers' systems after a crash, except when alcohol use is suspected.
An aging population and the increasing prevalence of multiple prescription use are only likely to worsen the problem of uninformed medicated drivers, Kissinger said. To attempt to reverse the trend, the AAA Foundation plans to release a free web-based resource known as Roadwise Rx in early 2010. Roadwise Rx will include a searchable database of the effects that drugs have, individually or in combination, on driving ability. Users will also be able to input personalized data, such as age, sex and weight. The program will be able to advise users about potential drug interactions, the effects of food, and when driving may be unsafe.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028073_medicated_driving.html
Study links infections in womb to asthma
REUTERS, 2 February 2010, 02:36pm IST
U.S. researchers have linked mothers' infection during pregnancy to asthma, the most common chronic disease among American children, in their offspring.
A 16-year study following nearly 400,000 births in California found that when mothers had an inflammation known as chorioamnionitis and if a baby was born pre-term, that child was more likely to develop asthma by age 8. Such inflammation of the placenta or amniotic fluid can result from a number of bacterial infections of the vagina, including E. coli and group B streptococci. Chorioamnionitis complicates 8 percent of pregnancies, according to the study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Dr. Darious Getahun of the West Los Angeles Medical Center, who led the study, said doctors had assumed that being born pre-term was the reason children developed asthma later in life. The study showed that chorioamnionitis is a factor in asthma independent of pre-term birth, Getahun said in a telephone interview. Getahun said the findings point out the importance of prenatal care. "Women sometimes tend to underestimate the importance of prenatal care and miss opportunities for finding this type of problem before it occurs," he said.
In 2006, nearly 10 million U.S. children were diagnosed with asthma and 6.8 million had an asthmatic episode, making it the most common chronic childhood disease, according the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The researchers used electronic health records to follow 397,852 single births from 1991 to 2007 at Kaiser Permanente medical centers in Southern California. Blacks are about 25 percent more likely to have asthma than whites and this infection could explain much of the difference, the researchers said. If a mother had the infection and if her baby was born pre-term, the risk of asthma was 98 percent higher for black children, 70 percent higher for Hispanic children and 66 percent higher for whites, the researchers found.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Study-links-infections-in-womb-to-asthma/articleshow/5527351.cms
Acupuncture can detect cancer via beams
Times of India, 2 February 2010, 12:20pm IST
Scientists in China claimed to have found a breakthrough in acupuncture therapy which would help detect cancer and brain tumours in patients at an early stage through a super powerful X-ray beam.
The researchers working on synchrotron have detected evidence that acupuncture points differ from other parts of the body. X-ray beams emitted by the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) are 100 million times brighter, and 10,000 times more intense than the beam produced by a standard X-ray machine, said Xiao Tiqiao, head of the construction of SSRF's beamlines.
Last month, the SSRF has carried out a nine-month trial during which it found that the light sources help in the treatment of fatal cancers. "The beamlines are just like super microscopes. They can contribute to the treatment of early-stage cancers by detecting the tumour cells that might be overlooked by the X-ray at hospital," Xinhua quoted Xiao as saying. "The SSRF had created a clear and detailed image of the tiny cephalic arteries of a living mouse, which could enable the observation of dynamic pathological changes in the human brain," said Yang Guoyuan, deputy head of the Med-X Institute, also a user of the SSRF.
"In an experiment on rabbit tissue, we have found that at acupuncture point regions there exists the accumulation of micro-vessels. But the images taken in the surrounding tissue out of the acupuncture points do not show such structures," said Zhang and his colleagues in the paper. Their paper suggested that the structures had a link with the function of acupuncture points and played an important role in acupuncture treatments. The SSRF could also shorten the period of developing a new drug by three to four years, said Shen Xu, a researcher with the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica under the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS). The light sources could expose the three-dimensional structure of viruses, and thus help us design a drug to cure them, said Shen, who has been working on new drugs against cancers and diabetes mellitus.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Acupuncture-can-detect-cancer-via-beams/articleshow/5527036.cms
Goji berries ‘help fight skin cancer’
Times of India, 1 February 2010
Goji berries can significantly reduce the risk of skin cancer, experts have claimed.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the superfruit berry lycium barbarum, also known as wolfberry, has long been recognized for various therapeutic properties based on its antioxidant and immune-boosting effects, reports The Daily Express .
And now, scientists at University of Sydney have found that liquid containing just five per cent goji berry juice can reduce the inflammatory oedema (fluid retention) of the sunburn reaction in hairless mice.
To reach the conclusion, scientists compared the effects of Himalayan Goji Juice, containing 89 per cent of the juice and eight per cent other fruit juices added for flavour – grape, pear, apple and pear puree – with those of JustJuice apple and pear from Woolworths.
The study has been published in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s journal Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences.
Dr Vivienne Reeve, of the University of Sydney, said, “Goji berry juice might prove useful in preventing skin cancer development in susceptible humans.”
But Dr Alison Ross, of Cancer Research UK, said, “This study in mice does not provide evidence that drinking goji berry juice can offer any protection against the skin-damaging effects of excessive sun exposure in people.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Goji-berries-help-fight-skin-cancer/articleshow/5524176.cms
Body odour helps detect cancer
Times of India 31 January 2010
A new study by American researchers has shown that changes in body fluid odours can be used to identify presence of lung cancer tumours.
The research by scientists at the Monell Center and collaborators may help in methods to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers for lung cancer in human urine. Monell biologist Gary K. Beauchamp, a senior author on the study, said, "Cancer tumors result in a change in body related odours that can be detected both by trained animal sensors and by sophisticated chemical techniques.
"These findings indicate that odour sensing has the potential to improve early diagnostic and prognostic approaches to lung cancer treatment." The scientists used a controlled animal model to reduce many confounding factors frequently found in human patient studies. In behavioural studies, sensor mice were first trained to recognize the scent of urine of animals with lung cancer tumours. The trained sensor mice were then able to use urine odour to make a difference between tumour-bearing from healthy animals.
Chemical examination of urine compounds showed that the amounts of several chemical compounds differed significantly between tumour bearing and healthy mice. Interestingly, the levels of many of these compounds were lessened in tumour bearing mice rather than increased, which is often expected.
After experimenting more, the researchers were able to identify tumour bearing from control mice simply by measuring the amounts of these biomarker chemicals in mouse urine and then creating chemical profiles. This chemical classification was accurate enough to identify 47 out of 50 mice as tumour-bearing or healthy. The findings show that lung cancers produce changes in odorous compounds secreted in urine and that these changes can be detected and used as markers for the disease.
Steven M. Albelda, a senior author on the paper and William Maul Measey Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, said: "Finding new ways to screen for early lung cancers in patients at risk, such as smokers, is one of the best ways we have to reduce the high death rate from this disease," Albelda added, "Using the same chemical approaches as in this paper, we hope to be able to detect odors in urine of smokers that could be used to identify lung cancer at a very early stage."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Body-odour-helps-detect-cancer/articleshow/5505383.cms
How mushroom cancer drug works
Times of India, 29 January 2010
Researchers at the University of Nottingham have discovered how a promising cancer drug, first discovered in a mushroom commonly used in Chinese medicine, works.
Dr Cornelia de Moor of The University of Nottingham and her team have investigated the drug called cordycepin, which was originally extracted from a rare kind of wild mushroom called cordyceps and is now prepared from a cultivated form.
“Our discovery will open up the possibility of investigating the range of different cancers that could be treated with cordycepin. We have also developed a very effective method that can be used to test new, more efficient or more stable versions of the drug in the Petri dish. This is a great advantage as it will allow us to rule out any non-runners before anyone considers testing them in animals,” Dr de Moor said.
Cordyceps is a strange parasitic mushroom that grows on caterpillars (see image). Properties attributed to cordyceps mushroom in Chinese medicine made it interesting to investigate and it has been studied for some time. In fact, the first scientific publication on cordycepin was in 1950.
The problem was that although cordycepin was a promising drug, it was quickly degraded in the body. It can now be given with another drug to help combat this, but the side effects of the second drug are a limit to its potential use.
“Because of technical obstacles and people moving on to other subjects, it’s taken a long time to figure out exactly how cordycepin works on cells. With this knowledge, it will be possible to predict what types of cancers might be sensitive and what other cancer drugs it may effectively combine with. It could also lay the groundwork for the design of new cancer drugs that work on the same principle,” Dr de Moor.
The researchers have observed two effects on the cells: at a low dose cordycepin inhibits the uncontrolled growth and division of the cells and at high doses it stops cells from sticking together, which also inhibits growth.
Both of these effects probably have the same underlying mechanism, which is that cordycepin interferes with how cells make proteins.
At low doses cordycepin interferes with the production of mRNA, the molecule that gives instructions on how to assemble a protein. And at higher doses it has a direct impact on the making of proteins.
The study is to be published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry .
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/How-mushroom-cancer-drug-works/articleshow/5390935.cms
Sleep yoga helps beat insomnia
Times of India, 29 January 2010
People suffering from insomnia can move over sleeping pills and instead try sleep-time yoga, experts suggest.
Sat Bir Khalsa, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, who has studied yoga as a treatment for insomnia since 2001, insists practising yoga can be effective among people with sleep disorders.
“People spend a lot of time getting dysfunctional thoughts like, ‘Oh my God, I’m not going to sleep tonight,’ and that triggers a stress response,” the Globe and Mail quoted him as saying.
He added: “[Yoga] develops the ability to regulate attention. ... Your stress system isn’t being triggered as much. With time and practice, the stress system begins to quiet down.
“My major complaint with sleeping pills is that it doesn’t address the problem. It’s just a hammer to knock your brain out.”
Toronto yoga teacher Graydon Moffat herself suffered from insomnia till she took up yoga.
She said: “Sometimes I would be so desperate that I would go get something to drink – like alcohol. I would try things like banana and warm milk. ... If I would get really desperate I would take a sleeping pill.”
Moffat’s favourite pose is lying back on her bed with legs upright against the wall. She also curls forward to do the child’s pose and sits upright for the pigeon pose, with an eye pillow putting pressure on her optic nerve.
She said: “It’s not a magic button. But I know that I’m not just lying down there and tossing and turning – I’m restoring my body.”
Also, Dee Dussault, a yoga instructor who teaches the Slo-Yo class at Toronto’s Follow Your Bliss studio, added: “It’s like foreplay before bed to set the mood before sleep.”
Dussault specifically focuses on yoga nidra in her classes. It is a type of practice that puts more emphasis on breathing and relaxation than on body-stimulating poses.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Sleep-yoga-helps-beat-insomnia-/articleshow/5509507.cms
Pregnant women who are overweight put their infants at risk
NewsRx.com 01-29-10
In recent years, there has been a large increase in the prevalence of overweight and obese women of childbearing age, with approximately 51% of non-pregnant women ages 20 to 39 being classified as overweight or obese (see also Wiley-Blackwell).
A new article published in the journal Nursing for Women's Health finds that obesity in pregnant women is associated with pregnancy complications, birth defects, as well as a greater risk of childhood and adult obesity in infants born to obese mothers.
Merrie Rebecca Walters, RN, and Julie Smith Taylor, PhD, RNC, WHNP-BC, reviewed the potential consequences of maternal obesity. Results show that obese women are more likely to have an infant with a neural tube defect, heart defects, or multiple anomalies than women with a normal BMI.
Obese pregnant women also put themselves at a higher risk of pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, induction of labor, cesarean delivery, and postpartum hemorrhage, compared with women with normal pregnancy body mass indexes.
Additionally, information from the article explains that obesity among pregnant mothers is linked to childhood obesity in their infants. Obesity during pregnancy more than doubles the risk of obesity in children at two to four years of age. Also, the risk of obesity in children born to obese mothers may extend into their adolescence, with the risk of obesity during adulthood being greater among obese children.
The article emphasizes the need for women to consult with their healthcare providers about what their ideal pre-conception weight should be. "Assisting women of childbearing age to achieve and maintain a healthful weight prior to conception will potentially minimize health risks to both mothers and infants," the authors note.
Additionally, strategies for breaking the cycle of obesity include breastfeeding. Research has shown that mothers who breastfeed have a significantly higher weight loss than mothers who formula feed from 1 to 12 months postpartum. Also, breastfeeding may be beneficial in reducing excessive weight gain in infants, therefore reducing the risk of future childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes.
"Health care providers must recognize the association between maternal obesity and childhood obesity and work to break the cycle of obesity before it becomes the leading cause of mortality in the United States."
Keywords: Bariatrics, Breastfeeding, Cardiology, Cesarean Section, Gestational Diabetes, Heart Defects, Hypertension, Insulin-Dependent Diabetes, Obesity, Obesity and Diabetes, Obstetrics, Overweight, Pediatrics, Postpartum Hemorrhage, Preeclampsia, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Women's Health, Wiley-Blackwell.
This article was prepared by Obesity & Diabetes Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Obesity & Diabetes Week via NewsRx.com.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=9260&Section=Nutrition
China sees sexual frustration causing social problems
Last Updated: 2010-02-01 9:01:19 -0400 (Reuters Health)
BEIJING (Reuters) - Sexual frustration amongst migrant workers in China's booming southern province of Guangdong is leading to a host of social problems and must be tackled, state media on Saturday cited a local official as saying.
Guangdong, China's export powerhouse, is home to about 30 million migrant workers, the most in the country. Many leave wives, husbands or children in their native villages to seek the higher wages factories pay compared with agricultural work.
The China Daily quoted Zhang Feng, head of Guangdong's provincial commission of population and family planning, as saying these migrant workers suffered from "severe sexual repression".
"Sexually transmitted diseases are spreading faster among migrant workers, whose sex lives have long been neglected," Zhang said.
Many migrant workers turn to sex workers during long periods of separation from their spouses, he said.
"Unsafe sex by migrant workers will lead to a rise in venereal diseases and other social problems," Zhang said.
The newspaper cited a recent survey on migrant workers' sexual habits as showing that up to 36 percent of married men had experienced severe sexual repression.
The problem was not limited to men.
"Many young women who have migrated from rural areas, where sex education is nonexistent, experience a culture shock in bustling cities. They may follow in their friends' footsteps by adopting a more open attitude toward sex," the China Daily said.
"Some women reportedly take modeling jobs, and others end up married but accepting their husbands' second wives or mistresses. Other women may even go as far as participating in the online sex industry, such as chatting to men online while nude."
Zhang said he was asking Guangdong's provincial assembly to tackle the problem by thoroughly investigating it.
"Again this year, I am asking for the government to do the research. Migrant workers will develop less interest in work if they cannot satisfy their sex needs," Zhang said.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2010/02/01/eline/links/20100201elin015.html
Omega-3 may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s: Rat study
Nutraingredients.com, 01-Feb-2010
The omega-3 compound ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid (E-EPA) may improve memory and learning, and reduce the risk of Alzheimer´s disease, says a new study.
Researchers from Canada and Thailand report that, while levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine decrease with age, E-EPA may slow this decline, according to findings published in the Journal of Neurochemistry.
“This study, for the first time, reported […] a clear correlation between the decrease in acetylcholine release and memory deficit, [and] E-EPA improves memory by attenuating the reduction of acetylcholine release and nerve growth factor expression,” wrote Pornnarin Taepavarapruk from Naresuan University, Thailand and Cai Song from the University of Prince Edwards Island, Canada.
Omega-3 and brain health
The link between omega-3 and cognitive function is not new, with various studies reporting somewhat conflicting results for the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
Some of the more promising data has been reported for DHA, with memory function improvements found for healthy older adults with a decline in cognitive function that occurs naturally with age. Such decline is known to precede diseases such as Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia and currently affects over 13 million people worldwide.
However, according to data presented at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna last year, DHA supplements may not benefit people already suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Potential for EPA?
Using Amarin Neuroscience’s ethyl-EPA or palm oil (control), the researchers supplemented rat chow with 0.8 per cent of the oil.
Data showed that, in the palm oil supplemented animals, the release of acetylcholine decreased. In addition, a decrease in the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the hippocampus was correlated with this reduced acetylcholine release. Both of these were associated with memory impairment, said the researchers.
Animals supplemented with E-EPA, however, showed improved memory, linked to attenuation in the reduction of acetylcholine release and NGF release.
“In this study, our findings add further evidence that E-EPA may improve memory by the modulation of acetylcholineand neurotrophin functions,” said the researchers.
The study was supported by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Amarin Neurosciences Ltd. and Atlantic Innovation Foundation.
Source: Journal of Neurochemistry
February 2010, Volume 112, Issue 4, Pages 1054-1064
“Reductions of acetylcholine release and nerve growth factor expression are correlated with memory impairment induced by interleukin-1beta administrations: effects of omega-3 fatty acid EPA treatment”
Authors: P. Taepavarapruk, C. Song
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Omega-3-may-reduce-risk-of-Alzheimer-s-Rat-study
Vitamin, minerals may reduce eczema risk in children
Nutraingredients.com, 01-Feb-2010
Increased intakes of beta-carotene, vitamin E, folic acid, and iron may reduce the risk of atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema, suggests a new study from Korea.
Children with the highest average intakes of the four nutrients were found to have significantly lower risks of atopic dermatitis, than children with the lowest average intakes, according to findings published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers from Kyung Hee University in Seoul used both data on intakes of vitamin and minerals, and corresponding biomarkers, in relation to atopic dermatitis, the first time such an approach had been used.
Atopic dermatitis (AD), characterised by areas of severe itching, redness and scaling, is one of the first signs of allergy during the early days of life and is said to be due to delayed development of the immune system. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists it affects between 10 to 20 per cent of all infants, but almost half of these kids will 'grow out' of eczema between the ages of five and 15.
Study details
The Seoul-based scientists recruited 180 five-year olds with AD, and 242 five-year olds without AD and assessed their diets using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Blood samples were also taken after a period of fasting to determine levels of fat-soluble vitamins, like retinol, alpha-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E), and beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
Results showed that the risk of AD was 56 per cent lower in children with the highest average intakes of beta-carotene, compared to the lowest.
Moreover, dietary vitamin E, folic acid, and iron were associated with 67, 63, and 61 per cent reductions in AD risk, added the researchers.
The dietary intake data was also matched by data from the blood samples, with the highest average levels of alpha-tocopherol associated with a 36 per cent lower risk of AD, while retinol was associated with a 26 per cent lower risk.
“These findings suggest that higher antioxidant nutritional status reduces the risk of AD and that such risk-reduction effects depend on nutrient type,” wrote the researchers.
Benefits are skin deep
Commenting on the possible mechanism, the researchers note that reactive oxygen species (ROS) from environmental pollution and the sun may promote oxidative damage to proteins in the outermost layer of the skin (stratum corneum), which would exacerbate AD.
“Antioxidant nutrients have been proposed to counteract oxidative stress and inhibit the inflammatory response and are known to be possibly associated with the ability of the individual to restrain the inflammatory response and allergic diseases,” they added.
The subject of antioxidants and health will be discussed in more detail at the upcoming conference, NutraIngredients Antioxidants 2010: Science, Testing and Regulation. For more information about the conference, please click here .
Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.148
“Antioxidant nutrient intakes and corresponding biomarkers associated with the risk of atopic dermatitis in young children”
Authors: S-Y Oh, J Chung, M-K Kim, S O Kwon, B-H Cho
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Vitamin-minerals-may-reduce-eczema-risk-in-children
Nanotech risk assessment bill introduced in US
Nutraingredients.com, 29-Jan-2010
A bill under scrutiny in the United States Senate would create a new nanotechnology risk assessment programme within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Under the Nanotechnology Safety Act 2010, “the health and safety implications of nanotechnology in everyday products and develop[s] best practices for companies who employ nanotechnology” would be put in place.
The measure, introduced by Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR) and Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).
It would authorise the appropriation of $25m annually between 2011 and 2015 to fund the FDA scheme. At present, the agency receives no funding for nanotechnology-specific research, analysis, or other purposes.
Specifically, the bill calls for “a program for the scientific investigation of nanoscale materials included or intended for inclusion in FDA-regulated products, to address the potential toxicology of such materials, the effects of such materials on biological systems, and interaction of such materials with biological systems.”
Under the proposals, a program manger would be charged to develop a strategic plan on how to asses the potential risks associated with the technology. The FDA would be required to report to Congress on the work of the program no later than March 1, 2012 and March 1, 2014.
Thousands of bills are introduced into the US Congress every year but only around five per cent are ever passed into law.
Risk identification
“Nanotechnology touches so many facets of our lives today and will play a greater role in the future, but the benefits to industry and consumers come with unknown risks that must be identified and managed appropriately,” said Cardin.
Senator Pryor said nanotechnology was one of the most important technologies currently being developed.
“As these products are developed and used, we must understand any potential risks to human health, safety or the environment,” he added. “My legislation will help ensure public safety and confidence in the marketplace, and it will support companies that employ nanotechnology materials.”
The senator said the FDA already had facilities, such as the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) in Jefferson, Arkansas, and its consolidated headquarters at White Oak, Maryland, that could carry out the scientific studies.
Great potential
There are over 600 known commercial uses of nanotechnology. Last year, Bernadene Magnuson, senior scientific and regulatory consultant in food toxicology with Cantox Health Sciences International, Ontario, Canada, told FoodProductionDaily.com there was great potential for nanoscience in food packaging and food industry applications. The technology, which harnesses the use of particles between one and 100 nanometers in length, could be used to provide anti-microbial coatings for food contact surfaces or packaging.
In 2004, the National Science Foundation estimated new nanotechnology-based products would contribute 2 million jobs and $1 trillion dollars in revenue to the world’s economy by 2015.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Legislation/Nanotech-risk-assessment-bill-introduced-in-US
Fats of any kind may boost prostate cancer risk: Study
Foodnavigator-usa.com, 29-Jan-2010
Increased intakes of fats, from saturated to polyunsaturated fats, may increase the risk of prostate cancer, says a new study.
The role of diet in prostate cancer development is not fully understood with some studies reporting a link between dairy and an increased risk of prostate cancer. The new study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, indicates thatfat intake, of any kind, may also be a major risk factor for the development of prostate tumors.
According to the European School of Oncology, over half a million news cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year world wide, and the cancer is the direct cause of over 200,000 deaths. More worryingly, the incidence of the disease is increasing with a rise of 1.7 per cent over 15 years.
The new study, led by Dr Artitaya Lophatananon from University of Nottingham Medical School and based in the England, looked at dietary intakes of 512 men with prostate cancer, and 838 healthy controls.
Diets were measured using a food frequency questionnaire, and data showed that the highest average intakes of total fat was associated with 153 per cent increase in prostate cancer, versus the lowest average intakes. Similar trends were observed for saturated fat, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats.
“There was a positive statistically significant association between prostate cancer risk and energy-adjusted intake of total fat and fat subtypes,” wrote the researchers.
“These results potentially identify a modifiable risk factor for early-onset prostate cancer,” they added.
Previous evidence
Last year, a study from Harvard reported that increased intakes of trans-fatty acids may increase the risk of non-aggressive prostate tumors by about 100 per cent.
Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, the Boston-based researchers found that the highest blood levels of trans oleic acid and linoleic acids (18:1n-9t and 18:2t) were associated with a 116 and 97 per cent increase in the risk of non-aggressive prostate tumors, respectively, compared to the lowest levels. The study followed almost 15,000 men over 13 years.
Source: British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, First View Articles, doi: 10.1017/S0007114509993291
“Dietary fat and early-onset prostate cancer risk”
Authors: A. Lophatananon, J. Archer, D. Easton, R. Pocock, D. Dearnaley, et al.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/Fats-of-any-kind-may-boost-prostate-cancer-risk-Study
Cocaine, Spices, and Hormones Now Being Found in Drinking Water
E. Huff, NaturalNews.com January 31, 2010
(NaturalNews) A University of Washington research team recently released the results of a study it conducted on contaminant residue in the waters of Puget Sound in Washington State. Various spices, flavorings and other substances are being identified as making their way out of water treatment plants and back into the world's water supply.
Winter holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas bring extra amounts of cinnamon while chocolate and vanilla are especially popular on the weekends. Likewise, caramel corn residue and waffle-cone pieces are particularly excessive around the Independence Day. The most popular contaminant found in the sound is artificial vanilla flavor which is found at an average of 14 milligrams per liter of water.
Around the world, scientists are finding all sorts of things from pharmaceutical drugs to illegal drugs in water supplies despite rigorous efforts to remove them at water treatment facilities. Piggy-backing a report from last year that found trace levels of pharmaceutical drugs in most U.S. water supplies, this report highlights even further how easily water is being contaminated by various human elements.
While spices and flavorings may not inflict any noticeable harm, the concept that traces of everything flushed end up in the water is what researchers wish to convey. Contaminant byproducts, also known as metabolites, regularly make their way out of water treatment plants back into natural waters. Experts hope that awareness of this will encourage people to be cautious about what they flush and engaged in working toward a solution.
Illegal drugs have become a problem in many water supplies where the residue is toxic to both animals and other humans. A 2008 study found that 92 percent of water samples at a Spanish treatment plant contained trace elements of cocaine. Italy's longest river, the Po River, is also said to carry daily noticeable levels of the narcotic through its waterways as well as 44 pounds of daily pharmaceutical drugs which are also highly problematic.
Of notable concern is water contaminated by perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket fuel and fireworks that inhibits the uptake of iodine. Iodine is vital for proper thyroid gland function, and without it serious diseases like hypothroidism run rampant. Perchlorate is currently unregulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Current EPA guidelines require that more than 90 known contaminants be removed from water supplies, but the introduction of new chemicals as well as the use of ones that are not completely filtered out are becoming troublesome. Awareness of the issue will hopefully drive the effort to remedy the problem.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028066_drinking_water_hormones.html
Radiation Therapy Harms the Brain, Causing Memory and Attention Problems
David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com January 31, 2010
(NaturalNews) Radiation therapy for the treatment of brain tumors may lead to cognitive decline later in life, according to a study conducted by researchers from VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and published in The Lancet Neurology.
Scientists have known for some time that radiation therapy can damage healthy brain tissue, but prior research found no immediate negative effects from the treatment. In the new study, researchers conducted brain function tests on 65 patients who had undergone treatment for low-grade glioma 12 years previously.
Low-grade glioma is one of the most common forms of brain tumor. It is non-carcinogenic, and can often be removed with surgery. However, many doctors use radiotherapy following surgery.
The researchers found that a full 53 percent of patients who had been treated with radiation exhibited problems with mental function 12 years after their treatment, compared with only 27 percent of those who had not undergone radiation treatment. Radiotherapy patients were especially likely to have problems with memory and attention.
Because the average patient survives a full decade after being diagnosed with low-grade glioma, the researchers noted that large numbers of patients will survive long enough to suffer the negative cognitive effects of radiotherapy. For this reason, they recommended that doctors avoid using radiation in the treatment of glioma unless absolutely necessary -- such as in cases where the tumor returns after surgery, for example.
"It always depends on the patient, but if it is possible to defer radiotherapy, maybe people should," lead researcher Linda Douw said.
Cancer research scientist Jeremy Rees of the United Kingdom's National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Honorary said that his hospital already avoids radiotherapy for low-grade glioma patients except when the tumor is already progressing or when the patient suffers from uncontrolled epilepsy.
"Surgery is generally a preferred option with chemotherapy or radiotherapy coming into play at a later stage, if the glioma progresses," he said.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028065_radiation_therapy_brain.html
Alternative medicine sales soar as consumers shake off cynicism
The Daily Mail (UK) 26th January 2010
Sales of alternative medicines are booming as consumers shake off their cynicism.
Analysts say the market has grown by 18 per cent in two years and is worth £213million a year.
And they predict sales will increase by 33 per cent to £282million over the next four years as more patients reject prescription drugs in favour of natural remedies.
Even relatively unknown treatments such as ayurveda - the Indian holistic system of diet, yoga, massage and herbs - are picking up in popularity.
Analysts Mintel said the rise can be explained by growing official acceptance of many treatments such as acupuncture, which is available on the NHS.
A rise in the number of patients diagnosed with depression and stress has also led to more people exploring holistic approaches in favour of potentially addictive prescription drugs.
Around 1.5million Britons bought St John's Wort last year, predominantly for depression.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1246009/Alternative-medicine-sales-soar-consumers-shake-cynicism.html#
Doctors are addicted to 'every drug under the sun'
Doctors are addicted to “every drug under the sun” the head of the first ever confidential GP service for health professionals has warned.
The Telegraph (UK) 29 Jan 2010
In its first year the clinic has treated NHS staff hooked on drugs including heroin, ketamine, a horse tranquilliser, and methadrone, a drug linked to amphetamines, said Dr Clare Gerada, medical director of the Practitioner Health Programme.
The service also uncovered six cases of undiagnosed psychosis, in which sufferers see things or hear voices.
The clinic was set up amid fears many health professionals were treating themselves or avoiding their local GP or hospital because of worries colleagues could learn of their health problems.
Overall, two of the doctors and dentists treated were reported to to the General Medical Council (GMC), because of fears that they could be putting patients in danger.
Another six were encouraged to report themselves to the regulator.
So far the service has operated only in London but there are plans to roll it out across the country, starting initially in Newcastle.
Two thirds of the 184 treated in the first 12 months had mental health problems, while one in three who came to the specialist service had some form of addiction.
Of these 51 were alcoholics and 16 drug addicts.
Dr Gerada said: “We are seeing every drug under the sun.
“Ketamine, methadrone, amphetamines, heroin, every drug you have ever heard of is coming through the door.”
The service has also treated unexpectedly high numbers of paediatricians, anaesthetists and psychiatrists.
The stress of the jobs, easy access to drugs, and the extra stigma attached to psychiatrists suffering from mental health problems could be reasons for the high demand, Dr Gerada said.
More than 80 per cent of those treated for drug or alcohol addictions were now sober, the first report on the service shows.
Prof Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer for England, praised the success of the scheme.
“It has uncovered problems that would otherwise not have been seen and the interventions been highly effective,” he said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7102415/Doctors-are-addicted-to-every-drug-under-the-sun.html
Athletes Eat Plant-Based Diet for Health, Longevity and Environmental Concerns
M.Thornley, NaturalNews.com January 31, 2010
(NaturalNews) Vegan athletes are finding plant foods a source for renewed energy and achievement, and are proving, against the traditional wisdom favoring meat consumption, that a vegan diet will support competitive athletic performance. Three vegan star performers are Tony Gonzalez, a tight-end football player, Mac Danzig, a martial arts fighter and Brendan Brazier, a tri-athlete. Reasons these athletes gave for switching to a vegan diet were health and ethical issues related to meat consumption, long term health maintenance, and concern for the environment.
In an article titled "The 127 Lb Vegan," January 25, 2008, writer Reed Albergotti chronicles the odyssey of Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs, who switched to eating vegan after suffering a bout with Bell's palsy. Many doctors advise a vegetarian diet to combat this disorder. Gonzalez at age 31 was also concerned about shortened life span among athletes.
Prior to his brush with disease, Gonzalez had subscribed to the conventional wisdom about athletic performance. He ate steak, drank a gallon of milk a day, and loved macaroni and cheese. In ten seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Gonzalez established himself as the best tight end in the league. When he decided to become vegan, he worried that a vegan diet would not sustain his athletic performance. Under advice from a vegan strength coach, Gonzalez learned to prepare protein drinks, select fish oils and eat breads dense with whole grains, nuts and seeds to maintain his weight and strength. In his 11th season Gonzalez made 99 catches, and a nagging foot condition cleared up. He found renewed energy and stamina.
Like Gonzalez, Mac Danzig, a martial arts fighter, had encountered problems such as vertigo and ear infections. He discontinued milk and milk products, then gave up eating mammals and then poultry and fish in 2004, and eventually became vegan. Danzig says his diet improved his recovery from workouts while retaining his competitive edge. When questioned about his motives, Danzig, who is a nature enthusiast, cites environmental concerns.
Brendan Brazier is a vegan triathlete from Vancouver, Canada, who describes himself as 80% raw. He became vegetarian in 1990, and in 1998, a strict vegan. Since information on how to become a successful vegan athlete is not widely available, Brazier used trial and error. He noted that when he consumed highly processed protein isolate powders, he experienced muscle stiffness and joint pain. When he began to eat all raw, natural, alkalizing foods his recovery time improved, and his stiffness and pain faded.
Brazier is the author of "The Thrive Diet," and is a world recognized authority on plant-based nutrition. In 2006, Brazier won the National 50km Ultramarathon Championship, setting a new record. Brazier holds an impressive record of other triumphs. He credits his vegan diet to improved sleep and endurance. Brazier is a sought-after speaker who promotes environmental awareness, an interest also shared by Gonzalez and Danzig.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028056_plant-based_diet_athletes.html
Yoga Reduces Inflammation and Improves Heart Health
Steve G. Jones, NaturalNews.com January 31, 2010
(NaturalNews) Many people choose to practice yoga for the relaxation and flexibility benefits it brings. Yoga is a low impact form of exercise that strengthens muscles, increases balance, improves flexibility, and reduces stress with various poses and breathing exercises. Recent studies show that there are actual physical benefits of incorporating yoga into one's life. People who regularly practice yoga reduce compounds in the blood that contribute to inflammation. Yoga has also been shown to increase heart rate variability (HRV) which is a sign of good heart health.
Yoga is an ancient practice that combines physical poses and breathing exercises. The physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga are numerous. Yoga improves circulation and respiration and can increase metabolism and energy. The mental benefits of yoga include relief from stress, anxiety reduction, and increased self-confidence. Many people practice yoga for the spiritual benefits and the connection it brings to the mind, body, and spirit.
A recent study conducted at Ohio State University included 50 female participants. Half of the women were yoga novices who had practiced yoga for fewer than 12 sessions and the other women were considered experts who had practiced yoga twice a week for 2 years. Blood samples were drawn at various times during the study when the women were asked to perform yoga and light treadmill walking and during a stress test.
The blood samples showed that women who did not regularly practice yoga had 41% higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. This is a substance that increases inflammation in the body. Inflammation plays a major role in age-related diseases including heart disease and diabetes. This study shows that practicing yoga can help people fight illnesses as they age by reducing their levels of cytokine IL-6.
Another study shows that yoga increases heart rate variability. A high HRV is a sign of a healthy heart. The study assessed 42 men who were yoga novices and 42 men who were yoga experts. Those who regularly practiced yoga showed strengthening of parasympathetic control or control of heart rate indicating a healthier heart.
These studies show that there are numerous health benefits of practicing yoga on a regular basis. Yoga reduces the levels of cytokine IL-6, thus reducing inflammation in the body. Regular yoga sessions also increase heart rate variability which promotes heart health. By incorporating yoga into one's life just 2 times a week, people can realize many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits.
http://www.naturalnews.com/028063_yoga_inflammation.html
Prayer Increases Forgiveness, Study Shows
ScienceDaily (Feb. 1, 2010) — We have all been guilty of a transgression at one time or another. That's because we're not perfect. We all commit hurtful acts, violate trust, and hope for forgiveness.
That's simply a fact, and here's another one: Nine out of 10 Americans say that they pray -- at least on occasion. Florida State University psychologist Nathaniel Lambert put these two facts together and came up with an idea: Why not take all that prayer and direct it at the people who have wronged us? Is it possible that directed prayer might spark forgiveness in those doing the praying -- and in the process preserve relationships?
Lambert and his colleagues decided to test this scientifically in two experiments appearing in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. In the first, they had a group of men and women pray one single prayer for their romantic partner's well being. Others -- the experimental controls -- they simply described their partner, speaking into a tape recorder.
Then they measured forgiveness. The scientists defined forgiveness as the diminishing of the initial negative feelings that arise when you've been wronged. Their results showed that those who had prayed for their partner harbored fewer vengeful thoughts and emotions: They were more ready to forgive and move on.
If one single prayer can cause such a striking difference in feelings, then what could prayer over a period of time do for a relationship? In a second study, the researchers had a group of men and women pray for a close friend every day for four weeks. Others simply reflected on the relationship, thinking positive thoughts but not praying for their friend's well-being. They also added another dimension. They used a scale to measure selfless concern for others -- not any particular person but other people generally. They speculated that prayer would increase selfless concern, which in turn would boost forgiveness.
And that's just what they found. But why? How does this common spiritual practice exert its healing effects? The psychological scientists have an idea: Most of the time, couples profess and believe in shared goals, but when they hit a rough patch, they often switch to adversarial goals like retribution and resentment. These adversarial goals shift cognitive focus to the self, and it can be tough to shake that self-focus. Prayer appears to shift attention from the self back to others, which allows the resentments to fade.
Lambert et al. Motivating Change in Relationships: Can Prayer Increase Forgiveness? Psychological Science, 2010; 21 (1): 126 DOI:10.1177/0956797609355634
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100127134607.htm
Common Antidepressant Drugs Linked to Lactation Difficulties in Moms
ScienceDaily (Feb. 1, 2010) — According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism(JCEM), women taking commonly used forms of antidepressant drugs may experience delayed lactation after giving birth and may need additional support to achieve their breastfeeding goals.
Breastfeeding benefits both infants and mothers in many ways as breast milk is easy to digest and contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. The World Health Organization recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. This new study shows that certain common antidepressant drugs may be linked to a common difficulty experienced by new mothers known as delayed secretory activation, defined as a delay in the initiation of full milk secretion.
"The breasts are serotonin-regulated glands, meaning the breasts' ability to secrete milk at the right time is closely related to the body's production and regulation of the hormone serotonin," said Nelson Horseman, PhD, of the University of Cincinnati and co-author of the study. "Common antidepressant drugs like fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs and while they can affect mood, emotion and sleep they may also impact serotonin regulation in the breast, placing new mothers at greater risk of a delay in the establishment of a full milk supply."
In this study, researchers examined the effects of SSRI drugs on lactation using laboratory studies of human and animal cell lines and genetically modified mice. Furthermore, an observational study evaluated the impact of SSRI drugs on the onset of milk production in postpartum women. In this study of 431 postpartum women, median onset of lactation was 85.8 hours postpartum for the SSRI-treated mothers and 69.1 hours for mothers not treated with SSRI drugs. Researchers commonly define delayed secretory activation as occurring later than 72 hours postpartum.
"SSRI drugs are very helpful medications for many moms, so understanding and ameliorating difficulties moms experience can help them achieve their goals for breastfeeding their babies," said Horseman. "More human research is needed before we can make specific recommendations regarding SSRI use during breastfeeding."
Other researchers working on the study include: Aaron Marshall, Laura Hernandez and Karen Gregerson of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio; Laurie Nommsen-Rivers of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio; Kathryn Dewey of the University of California at Davis; and Caroline Chantry of the University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
The article will appear in the February 2010 issue of JCEM.
Marshall et al. Serotonin Transport and Metabolism in the Mammary Gland Modulates Secretory Activation and Involution. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2009; DOI: 10.1210/jc.2009-1575
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100126083128.htm
Physical Activity Associated With Healthier Aging: Links Between Exercise and Cognitive Function, Bone Density and Overall Health
ScienceDaily (Jan. 30, 2010) — Physical activity appears to be associated with a reduced risk or slower progression of several age-related conditions as well as improvements in overall health in older age, according to a commentary and four articles published in the January 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Exercise has previously been linked to beneficial effects on arthritis, falls and fractures, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity, write Jeff Williamson, M.D., M.H.S., and Marco Pahor, M.D., of University of Florida, Gainesville, in a commentary. All of these conditions threaten older adults' ability to function independently and handle tasks of daily living.
"Regular physical activity has also been associated with greater longevity as well as reduced risk of physical disability and dependence, the most important health outcome, even more than death, for most older people," they continue. Four new studies published in this issue of the Archives -- outlined below -- "move the scientific enterprise in this area further along the path toward the goal of understanding the full range of important aging-related outcomes for which exercise has a clinically relevant impact."
Midlife Exercise Associated With Better Health in Later Years
Among women who survive to age 70 or older, those who regularly participated in physical activity during middle age appear more likely to be in better overall health. Qi Sun, M.D., Sc.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues analyzed data from 13,535 participants in the Nurses' Health Study.
The women reported their physical activity levels in 1986, at an average age of 60. Among those who had survived to age 70 or older as of 1995 to 2001, those who had higher levels of physical activity at the beginning of the study were less likely to have chronic diseases, heart surgery or any physical, cognitive or mental impairments.
"Since the American population is aging rapidly and nearly a quarter of Americans do not engage in any leisure-time activity, our findings appear to support federal guidelines regarding physical activity to promote health among older people and further emphasize the potential of activity to enhance overall health and well-being with aging," the authors conclude. "The notion that physical activity can promote successful survival rather than simply extend the lifespan may provide particularly strong motivation for initiating activity."
Resistance Training Programs Appear to Improve Some Cognitive Skills in Older Women
One year of once- or twice-weekly resistance training appears to improve attention and conflict resolution skills among older women. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Ph.D., P.T., of Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and colleagues studied 155 women age 65 to 75. Participants were randomly assigned to participate in resistance training once (54 women) or twice (52 women) weekly, whereas 49 women in a control group participated in twice-weekly balance and tone training.
After one year, women in both resistance training groups significantly improved their scores on tests of selective attention (maintaining mental focus) and conflict resolution. The program simultaneously improved muscular function in the women.
"This has important clinical implications because cognitive impairment is a major health problem that currently lacks a clearly effective pharmaceutical therapy and because resistance training is not widely adopted by seniors," the authors write. "The doses of resistance training we used in this study fall within those recommended by the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for seniors."
Physical Activity May Be Associated With Reduced Cognitive Impairment In Elderly Population
Moderate or high physical activity appears to be associated with a lower the risk of developing cognitive impairment in older adults after a two-year period. Thorleif Etgen, M.D., of Technische Universität München, Munich, and Klinikum Traunstein, Germany, and colleagues examined physical activity and cognitive function in 3,903 participants (older than 55) from southern Bavaria, Germany between 2001 and 2003.
At the beginning of the study, 418 participants (10.7 percent) had cognitive impairment. After two years, 207 (5.9 percent) of the remaining 3,485 unimpaired study participants developed cognitive impairment. "The incidence of new cognitive impairment among participants with no, moderate and high activity at baseline was 13.9 percent, 6.7 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively," the authors write.
"Future large randomized controlled intervention trials assessing the quantity (e.g., no activity vs. moderate vs. high activity) and quality (aerobic exercise or any kind type of physical exercise, like balance and strength training or even integrated physical activities like dancing or games) of physical activity that is required to prevent or delay a decline in cognitive function are recommended," they conclude.
Exercise Program Associated With Denser Bones, Lower Fall Risk in Older Women
Women age 65 or older assigned to an exercise program for 18 months appeared to have denser bones and a reduced risk of falls, but not a reduced cardiovascular disease risk, compared with women in a control group. Wolfgang Kemmler, Ph.D., and colleagues at Freidrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany, studied a total of 246 older women. Half of the women exercised four days per week with special emphasis on intensity while the other half participated in a wellness program that focused on well-being.
Among the 227 women who completed the study, the 115 who exercised had higher bone density in their spine and hip, and also had a 66 percent reduced rate of falls. Fractures due to falls were twice as common in the controls vs. the exercise group (12 vs. six). However, the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease -- assessed using the Framingham Risk Calculator, which incorporates factors such as cholesterol level, blood pressure and presence of diabetes -- decreased in both groups and did not differ between the two.
"Because this training regimen can be easily adopted by other institutions and health care providers, a broad implementation of this program is feasible," the authors conclude.
- Qi Sun; Mary K. Townsend; Olivia I. Okereke; Oscar H. Franco; Frank B. Hu; Francine Grodstein. Physical Activity at Midlife in Relation to Successful Survival in Women at Age 70 Years or Older. Arch Intern Med, 2010; 170 (2): 194-201 [link]
- Teresa Liu-Ambrose; Lindsay S. Nagamatsu; Peter Graf; B. Lynn Beattie; Maureen C. Ashe; Todd C. Handy. Resistance Training and Executive Functions: A 12-Month Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Intern Med, 2010; 170 (2): 170-178 [link]
- Thorleif Etgen; Dirk Sander; Ulrich Huntgeburth; Holger Poppert; Hans Forstl; Horst Bickel. Physical Activity and Incident Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Persons: The INVADE Study. Arch Intern Med, 2010; 170 (2): 186-193 [link]
- Wolfgang Kemmler; Simon von Stengel; Klaus Engelke; Lothar Haberle; Willi A. Kalender. Exercise Effects on Bone Mineral Density, Falls, Coronary Risk Factors, and Health Care Costs in Older Women: The Randomized Controlled Senior Fitness and Prevention (SEFIP) Study. Arch Intern Med, 2010; 170 (2): 179-185 [link]
- Jeff Williamson; Marco Pahor. Evidence Regarding the Benefits of Physical Exercise. Arch Intern Med, 2010; 170 (2): 124-125 [link]
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100125172946.htm
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