Monday April 27, 2009

Fruit juice may help people be skinnier
United Press International 04-24-09
NEW ORLEANS, Apr 23, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- People who drink a glass of 100 percent juice daily have fewer risk factors for several chronic diseases, U.S. researchers found.
Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004, Dr. Mark Pereira and Dr. Victor Fulgoni, co-authors from the University of Minnesota, found that, compared with non-consumers of juice, 100 percent juice consumers had lower mean body mass index, smaller waist circumference and lower insulin resistance.
Based on the analysis, risk for obesity was 22 percent lower among 100 percent juice drinkers, while risk for metabolic syndrome was 15 percent lower compared with non-consumers.
Metabolic syndrome is defined as the presence of three or more of the following: central obesity, elevated blood glucose, elevated fasting triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein "good" cholesterol or elevated blood pressure.
"We know that maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is linked to decreased risk of some chronic diseases," Pereira said in a statement "One cup of 100 percent fruit juice counts as a serving of fruit and, based on our analysis, 100 percent juice consumption is associated with some of these same benefits."
The findings were presented at the Experimental Biology 2009 meeting in New Orleans.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8185&Section=Nutrition

Age Matters : Bone Density Is Not Only Key to Osteoporosis
Roanoke Times & World News  04-24-09
Dear Dr. Camardi: I was so pleased at how you and your team took care of my mother while she was recovering from a broken hip at Spring Tree Rehabilitation Center that I wanted to write and thank you. You always gave her a smile and made her feel hopeful.
I also wanted to ask you if you could repeat what you were talking about to all those people when you were examining Mother about osteoporosis because I have it, too, and it sounded interesting. Thank you.
-- Roanoke
Thank you for the opportunity to discuss this very important topic.
My interest in this field started back in the mid-1990s when we at Jacobi Medical Center in New York became one of the first centers to start work with a new, at that time, diagnostic tool called a DEXA scan, with which we could begin to identify patients who might benefit from osteoporosis treatment.
At the time, we noticed the difference in the appearance of bones from a routine chest X-ray among females from different parts of the world. It led us to start looking at the variances in bone mineral density based on ethnicity and how to tailor some early approaches to suit such diversity.
We found that ethnicity played an important role in bone health. The lasting impression I had from that work was that on its own, bone density is not really the Holy Grail of osteoporosis.
For years, I struggled with how to identify those patients who truly need treatment and when to begin such treatment.
Recently the World Health Organization presented a methodology called the FRAX (or "fracture") assessment calculator that incorporated our early and very basic work with many others from around the world in trying to understand the role of ethnicity in gauging osteoporosis risk, as well as what to do with the gray area of osteopenia.
Now we have a method for understanding both and the key for the use of this tool is getting a DEXA scan. Timing of the test is important because many women can wait until the age of 65 unless:
n there is a family history of osteoporosis,
n they are Caucasian or Asian,
n they have a small frame,
n they take certain medications (check with your provider),
n they have broken a bone as an adult,
n or they have certain conditions that can raise the chances of getting the disease such as multiple sclerosis or inflammatory conditions of the bowel, in which case one should be studied at age 50 or older.
Once you get the DEXA scan, sometimes you get a result called osteopenia, which puts you in a gray zone of thinning bones but not quite osteoporosis. This is where the FRAX calculation comes in, because if you have osteopenia and a 10-year fracture risk above 18 percent to 20 percent, then you should start taking medications sooner.
One more item. A study from Tufts University demonstrated that women who did strength training twice a week for a year gained about 1 percent to 2 percent in bone density, but they lost the gains if they stopped it.
This contradicts the current dogma that a woman's skeleton is formed mostly in adolescence and young adulthood, and that a lack of estrogen after menopause greatly speeds the bones' decline.
Any weight-bearing workout can provide similar benefits. The key: Keep increasing the intensity with the aid of a good strength trainer who understands your goals.
Along with this, realize that while food alone cannot build bone density, a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D can slow the rate of bone loss. In the March 23 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, a study reviewed trials that included more than 65,000 subjects.
It found that vitamin D doses less than 400 international units a day had no important effect in preventing nonvertebral bone fractures, but for doses larger than that, the data showed a 20 percent reduction in the risk for all nonvertebral fractures, and an 18 percent reduction for broken hips.
The type of vitamin D also was important. Without getting too technical, there are different types of vitamin D (vitamin D2 and D3). The effect of vitamin D3 was significant, with a 23 percent risk reduction, but there was no significant reduction with vitamin D2.
Be sure to check with your provider on how to bring these factors safely into your healthy lifestyle choices .
By the way, no, gentlemen, I did not forget you, but you are the topic of another article.
Over the years, all of this has been very interesting to me because in my field of work, I just think about how much pain could have been avoided, bones saved and complications curtailed if we started treatments sooner and patients started helping themselves at a younger age.
Just the saving in global health care costs would be incredible.
While it has been a long time in coming, I now feel we have a strategy based on data to improve our chances at a better outcome for people so that my geriatric patients can enjoy fewer days in the hospital and more days in the sunshine with their families.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8183&Section=Nutrition

Spoonful of Strawberries Help the Cholesterol Go Down
NewsRx.com 04-24-09
For millions of Americans now in hot pursuit of super foods that improve health and longevity, the latest research results on strawberries are right on time. A new study published in the scientific journal, Metabolism, found that antioxidants in strawberries help lower "bad" cholesterol (see also Heart Disease).
The study, conducted by David J.A. Jenkins, MD, PhD, backs existing evidence that touts strawberries as one of the world's most nutrient-rich foods. It showed that the antioxidant power in strawberries can improve and maintain the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering diets. High cholesterol is known to contribute to heart disease which is the leading cause of death for women and men.
"As more Americans embrace healthy eating trends to promote their own health and guard against illness, these types of findings are important," said Dr. Jenkins. "Diet plays a crucial role in lowering cholesterol and including antioxidant-rich strawberries in a healthy diet is a behavior change that's simple and delicious to make."
Antioxidants Review
Antioxidants are the body's internal heroes that go to battle with harmful "free radicals" known to contribute to diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. According to a US Department of Agriculture study, strawberries rank third when compared to the top fresh fruits and vegetables.
The good news from this study adds to the growing body of research that supports the importance of strawberries as a "super fruit." California strawberries are grown and available year-round in supermarkets across the country. Below are a few more reasons to say yes to the red berries:
Strawberries contain a powerful mix of antioxidants which are critical to warding off chronic diseases and promoting optimum health.
They are low in sugar, containing only eight grams per serving. One serving, about eight strawberries (or one cup), has only 50 calories.
An excellent source of vitamin C, one serving of strawberries provides more vitamin C than an orange!
About the Study
The 2.5-year University of Toronto study focused on 28 men and women with high cholesterol who were previously on a diet to lower cholesterol that included soy, oat bran, plant sterols and nuts. One half of the group was instructed to eat about 3 cups of strawberries per day while the other group consumed additional oat bran bread for one month.
Results showed that the subjects who ate strawberries had several positive effects. While continuing to maintain their lowered blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the strawberries also reduced oxidative damage to LDL cholesterol. LDL is the 'bad' cholesterol, and it becomes even more damaging when it becomes oxidized. Furthermore, the strawberries improved the taste of the cholesterol-lowering diet. Overall, the research shows that strawberries can improve the effectiveness of diets designed to lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8182&Section=Nutrition

Grapes protect hypertensive rats from heart failure
LIFE EXTENSIONS, April 24, 2009
In a presentation at the 2009 Experimental Biology convention in New Orleans, E. Mitchell Seymour, MS, of the University of Michigan, revealed the finding of a cardioprotective effect for grapes in a rodent model of hypertension. High blood pressure can, over time, damage the heart, leading to heart failure.
A team from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center tested the effect of a blend of powdered green, red, and black table grapes on rats bred to develop hypertension when given a high salt diet. The animals were provided with high or low salt diets and with or without 3 percent grape powder by weight. An additional group of rats provided with the high salt diet were given the blood pressure drug hydrazine.
After 18 weeks of treatment, rats on the high salt diet that received powdered grapes had reduced blood pressure, improved heart function, and less heart muscle damage compared to those that did not receive grapes. Those that received hydrazine also had a reduction in blood pressure, but the drug did not protect their hearts from damage.
In a report of the findings, which was published last year in the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, the authors remark that since grapes and hydrazine both lowered blood pressure in this study, the mechanism of grapes in protecting the heart is evidently more than that of reducing hypertension. Rats that received grapes were found to have increased cardiac levels of glutathione, an antioxidant amino acid that protects the heart from hypertension-induced oxidative stress. The authors explain that “Bioavailable grape phenolic phytochemicals may activate cardiac genes, which modify glutathione dynamics, like glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase.”
"There are the small changes that diet can bring, but the effect of grape intake on genes can have a greater impact on disease down the road," Seymour stated.
http://www.lef.org/whatshot/2009_04.htm#grapes-protect-hypertensive-rats-heart-failure

Supplements: Time to change the nay-saying record?

Nutraingredients.com 27-Apr-2009

As yet another TV show concludes that supplements are unnecessary, is the ignorance of the mainstream media few putting the health of the many at risk? Isn’t it time to change the record?
Professor Regan’s Diet Clinic, a TV programme broadcast recently as part of BBC2’s acclaimed Horizon series, came to the conclusion that supplements are totally unnecessary for people eating a balanced diet.
Academics interviewed in the programme supported this view, and went so far as to point out the dangers of certain vitamins when taken in large doses.
Take-home message for the viewers: Stay away from supplements - you don’t need them and they may even be dangerous.
I, however, took a different message away: Why is there a continued lack of understanding of what supplements actually do? I don’t want to sound patronising, but the clue is in the name - they ‘supplement’ diets. They bridge nutritional gaps; they are not meal replacements, nor are they a cure all.
Professor Regan’s message may have been made with all the best intentions - a balanced diet is the ideal way of meeting nutritional needs, but the issue is not ‘how things should be’ but ‘how things actually are’.
How many people do eat a balanced diet? I would argue very few. Hence the need for supplements.
Consider vegans and vitamin B12, or how many people in northern climes that are vitamin D deficient during winter months (and during some summer months, too). Are supplements unnecessary?
And what about folic acid to reduce the incidence of birth defects in children? Current recommendations in Europe are for supplements for women of childbearing age (many pregnancies are not planned). Why? Because they are not getting enough via the diet.
So while it may be all well and good to say that a balanced diet is the ideal - and I’m sure all involved in nutrition would agree - the science supporting the benefits of supplements to correct nutritional shortfalls should not be dismissed.
Going back to Professor Regan, the show sought to prove its point by profiling the nutritional intakes of two long-term supplement users. The dietary and supplemental intakes of these two ‘volunteers’ was evaluated, and it was found that their diet alone was sufficient to provide all the recommended daily intakes. Case proved?
I think not! An experiment with two people proves nothing. Second, if the volunteers have been taking supplements for 15 years then I’m guessing these two are pretty health conscious and take care of themselves - lots of studies have shown that long-term supplement users tend to lead healthy lifestyles.
Finally, where are the comparisons? Let’s grab a couple of kids off the street, a couple of office workers on their way home, and a grandmother on her way to the post office - let’s test them and see if they have a balanced diet. Why didn’t the programme makers do this?
Hopefully, consumers are smart enough to see through this. Supplement sales are increasing in a lot of places, suggesting people understand more about how they should be used than they are being given credit for.

Curcumin may cut body fat and weight gain: Mouse study

Nutraingredients.com, 27-Apr-2009

Curcumin, the natural pigment that gives the spice turmeric its yellow colour, may prevent reduce body weight gain, and help in the fight against obesity, suggests new data from a study with mice.
Mice fed a high-fat diet and supplemented with curcumin were found to have reduced body weight gain, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels, according to findings published in the Journal of Nutrition.
“The curcumin suppression of angiogenesis in adipose tissue together with its effect on lipid metabolism in adipocytes may contribute to lower body fat and body weight gain,” wrote the authors, led by Asma Ejaz from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.
“Our findings suggest that dietary curcumin may have a potential benefit in preventing obesity.”
If the study can be repeated in studies with humans, it could see curcumin added to the burgeoning weight loss and management market, estimated to already be worth $7bn (€5.2bn) globally.
With 50 per cent of Europeans and 62 per cent of Americans classed as overweight, the food industry is waking up to the potential of products for weight loss and management.
The slimming ingredients market can be divided into five groups based on the mechanisms of action - boosting fat burning/ thermogenesis, inhibiting protein breakdown, suppressing appetite/ boosting satiety (feeling of fullness), blocking fat absorption, and regulating mood (linked to food consumption).
Study details
Ejaz and her co-workers performed in vitro and in vivo experiments. The effects of different doses of curcumin on the growth (differentiation) of 3T3-L1 fat cells (adipocytes) showed a suppression of differentiation and an increase in programmed cell death (apoptosis).
The in vivo experiments involved feeding mice a high-fat diet (22 per cent) and supplementing the animals with 500 mg of curcumin per kg of diet for 12 weeks. The pigment was found to reduce body weight gain and fat mass, without affecting the levels of food intake, wrote the researchers.
Furthermore, a reduction was noted in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), one of a number of genes associated with angiogenesis (blood vessel formation that is necessary for the growth of fat tissue).
Curcumin was also associated with significantly lower cholesterol levels and a reduction in the expression of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma), a protein that plays a role in metabolic functions.
Source: Journal of Nutrition
Volume 139, Pages 919-925, doi:10.3945/jn.108.100966
“Curcumin Inhibits Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and Angiogenesis and Obesity in C57/BL Mice”
Authors: A. Ejaz, D. Wu, P. Kwan, M. Meydani
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Curcumin-may-cut-body-fat-and-weight-gain-Mouse-study

Organic apples beat conventionals on antioxidants

Nutraingredients.com, 24-Apr-2009

Organically produced apples have a 15 per cent higher antioxidant capacity than conventionally produced apples, says a new study from Germany.
Findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry add to the on-going debate over whether organically grown produce is more nutritious than conventionally grown produce. A report published in March 2008 by the Organic Center at America’s Organic Trade Association argued that organic produce is 25 per cent more nutritious than conventional foodstuffs.
However, these claims were countered by Joseph Rosen, emeritus professor at Rutgers University and scientific advisor to the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) who said the data was selective, and that, when recalculated, the data used in the original report showed that conventional products are actually 2 per cent more nutritious than organic varieties.
“In the present study the organically produced apples displayed a higher phytochemical concentration and a higher antioxidant capacity than conventionally produced apples,” wrote the researchers, led by Bernhard Watzl from the Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food in Karlsruhe.
“However, it remains unclear whether these minor differences caused by the production method are of nutritional relevance.”
Study details
Watzl and his co-workers compared the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of Golden Delicious apples grown under organic and conventional conditions over a three year period (2004-2006).
According to their findings, in 2005 and 2006 the antioxidant capacity was 15 per cent higher in the organic fruit than the conventionally produced fruits. Organic apples grown in 2005 also had a higher polyphenol concentration, said the researchers.
On the other hand, no differences between the organic and conventional fruit were observed when the researchers compared fruit from 2004 and 2006.
“The organically grown apples showed a tendency of higher phytochemical concentrations compared to the conventionally produced apples (10 per cent), resulting in a 12 per cent higher antioxidant capacity in the course of three years,” wrote the researchers.
No end in sight?
A recent review, published in the journal Nutrition Bulletin (June 2007, Vol. 32, pp. 104-110) and authored by Claire Williamson from the British Nutrition Foundation, stated that the overall body of science does not support the view that organic food is more nutritious than conventionally grown food.
"Organic farming represents a sustainable method of agriculture that avoids the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides and makes use of crop rotation and good animal husbandry to control pests and diseases," wrote Williamson. "From a nutritional perspective, there is currently not enough evidence to recommend organic foods over conventionally produced foods."
Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Published online ahead of print, 23 April 2009, doi: 10.1021/jf803961f
“Three-Year Comparison of the Polyphenol Contents and Antioxidant Capacities in Organically and Conventionally Produced Apples (Malus domestica Bork. Cultivar `Golden Delicious')”
Authors: B.A. Stracke, C.E. Rfer, F.P. Weibel, A. Bub, B. Watzl
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/Organic-apples-beat-conventionals-on-antioxidants

Men treated for localized prostate cancer could benefit from pomegranate juice consumption
American Urological Association, April 26, 2009
LINTHICUM, MD, April 26, 2009–Pomegranate juice may slow the progression of post-treatment prostate cancer recurrence, according to new long-term research results being presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA). Researchers found that men who have undergone treatment for localized prostate cancer could benefit from drinking pomegranate juice.
The two-stage clinical trial followed a total of 48 participants over six years. Eligible participants had a rising PSA after surgery or radiotherapy, a PSA greater than 0.2 ng/ml and less than 5 ng/ml and a Gleason score of 7 or less. These patients were treated by drinking eight ounces of pomegranate juice daily. Currently, in the sixth year of treatment, active patients who remain on the study have a median total follow-up of 56 months. These participants continue to experience a significant increase in PSA doubling time following treatment, from a mean of 15.4 months at baseline to 60 months post-treatment, with a median PSA slope decrease of 60 percent, 0.06 to 0.024.
Researchers compared active patients, who remain on the study, with non-active patients, who no longer remain on the study. Though these two groups demonstrated similar mean PSA doubling times at baseline, both the PSA doubling time prolongation and the decline in median PSA slope were greater in active patients when compared to non-active patients.
"This study suggests that pomegranate juice may effectively slow the progression of prostate cancer after unsuccessful treatment," said Christopher Amling, MD, an AUA spokesman. "This finding and other ongoing research might one day reveal that pomegranate juice is an effective prostate cancer preventative agent as well."
Parts of this ongoing study suggest that some patients may be more sensitive to the effects of pomegranate juice on PSA doubling time. Phase three of this study is currently underway to further evaluate the benefits of pomegranate juice in a placebo-controlled manner.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/aua-mtf041409.php

Certain ecologic factors associated with greater risk of bladder cancer
American Urological Association, April 26, 2009
LINTHICUM, MD, April 26, 2009–Persons drinking well water (as opposed to public supply) may be at an increased risk of bladder cancer, according to new research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Researchers will present data about the relationship between bladder cancer and certain ecologic factors including water source and UV radiation levels at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA).
From these results, researchers hypothesized that increased bladder cancer risks from well water may arise from pesticide contamination, which may be present in drinking water from unmonitored domestic wells. Researchers also identified solar UV radiation as the best predictor of bladder cancer incidence and mortality in men, and solar UV radiation and smoking as the best predictors of incidence and mortality in women.
Because bladder cancer rates vary among states in the United States, and the causes for these variations are largely uncertain, researchers sought to compare bladder cancer incidence and mortality rates in the country to ecological factors that may have an association. The study compared bladder cancer incidence and mortality rates for men and women in the United States to levels of former cigarette smoking, solar UV radiation and well water as a source of drinking, as opposed to public supply. Lack of health insurance and median family income were taken into account to adjust for access to healthcare and socioeconomic status.
Researchers obtained cigarette smoking levels and health insurance statuses from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual survey sponsored by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for health tracking; state-specific solar UV radiation levels from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); well water usage among states from the U.S. Geological Survey; and family income from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The study reaffirmed that cigarette smoking is directly associated with bladder cancer incidence and mortality rates in men and women, and found that well water intake is directly associated with bladder cancer incidence in women and mortality rates in both sexes; and that exposure to solar UV radiation is inversely associated with bladder cancer incidence and mortality rates in both sexes.
"Cigarette smoking is a well-known risk factor associated with bladder cancer but sources such as the patient's water supply are coming to light as potential unmonitored risk factors," said J. Brantley Thrasher, MD, an AUA spokesman.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/aua-cef041409.php

Type Of Vitamin B1 Could Treat Common Cause Of Blindness
ScienceDaily (Apr. 27, 2009) — University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have discovered that a form of vitamin B1 could become a new and effective treatment for one of the world's leading causes of blindness.
Scientists believe that uveitis, an inflammation of the tissue located just below the outer surface of the eyeball, produces 10 to 15 percent of all cases of blindness in the United States, and causes even higher rates of blindness globally. The inflammation is normally treated with antibiotics or steroid eye drops.
In a paper appearing in the May issue of the journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, however, the UTMB researchers describe striking results achieved with benfotiamene, a fat-soluble form of vitamin B1. In their experiments, they first injected laboratory rats with bacterial toxins that ordinarily produce a reaction mimicking uveitis. When those rats are fed benfotiamene, they fail to develop any signs of the inflammatory disorder.
"Benfotiamene strongly suppresses this eye-damaging condition and the biochemical markers we associate with it," said UTMB associate professor Kota V. Ramana, senior author of the study. "We're optimistic that this simple supplementation with vitamin B1 has great potential as a new therapy for this widespread eye disease."
The researchers' data shows benfotiamene works by suppressing the activation of a crucial signaling molecule called NF-kappa B, which is normally triggered by the stress caused by infection. Shutting down NF-kappa B, they said, prevents the runaway production of inflammatory proteins that generates uveitis.
Benfotiamene's low cost, rapid absorption by the body and lack of negative side effects make it an ideal candidate for uveitis prevention, according to Ramana.
"Already, clinical trials have shown that benfotiamene is absorbed better than thiamine [the most common form of vitamin B1] and significantly improved diabetic polyneuropathy in patients, and it's already taken as a supplement for diabetic complications," Ramana said.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423180237.htm

Meditation Provides Hope For People With Depression
ScienceDaily (Apr. 27, 2009) — People with severe and recurrent depression could benefit from a new form of therapy that combines ancient forms of meditation with modern cognitive behaviour therapy, early-stage research by Oxford University psychologists suggests.
The results of a small-scale randomised trial of the approach, called mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), in currently depressed patients are published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy.
28 people currently suffering from depression, having also had previous episodes of depression and thoughts of suicide, were randomly assigned into two groups. One received MBCT in addition to treatment as usual, while the other just received treatment as usual. Treatment with MBCT reduced the number of patients with major depression, while it remained the same in the other group.
Professor Mark Williams and colleagues in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford will follow up the promising preliminary evidence from this small-scale study. They hope to do follow up work with patients to reveal whether MBCT can also help reduce the risk of relapse. The Oxford team are currently carrying out a larger study that will compare MBCT with a group form of cognitive therapy to pinpoint which elements of meditation or talking therapies can help which people.
Professor Williams, who developed the treatment and led this study, said: ‘We are on the brink of discovering really important things about how people can learn to stay well after depression. Our aim is to help people to find long-term freedom from the daily battle with their moods.’
Barnhofer et al. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a treatment for chronic depression: A preliminary study. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 2009; DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2009.01.019
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423210055.htm

Greenhouse Gases Continue To Climb Despite Economic Slump
ScienceDaily (Apr. 26, 2009) — Two of the most important climate change gases increased last year, according to a preliminary analysis for NOAA’s annual greenhouse gas index, which tracks data from 60 sites around the world.
Researchers measured an additional 16.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) — a byproduct of fossil fuel burning — and 12.2 million tons of methane in the atmosphere at the end of December 2008. This increase is despite the global economic downturn, with its decrease in a wide range of activities that depend on fossil fuel use.
“Only by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and increasing energy production from renewable resources will we start to see improvements and begin to lessen the effects of climate change,” said scientist Pieter Tans of NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colo. “At NOAA we have monitored carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouses gases for decades and will continue to do so to help assess the situation and advise decision makers.”
Viewed another way, for every million molecules of air, another 2.1 molecules of carbon dioxide entered the atmosphere last year and stayed there — slightly less than the 2.2 parts per million (ppm) increase in 2007. Total global concentrations topped 386 ppm, compared to 280 ppm before the industrial revolution began in the 1800s.
“Think of the atmosphere and oceans taking in greenhouse gases as a bathtub filling with more water than the drain can empty, and the drain is very slow,” said Tans. “We need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the point where they match levels that can be absorbed by Earth's ecosystems."
The increases in CO2 and methane during 2008 are slightly less than those measured in 2007, but fall well within the range of yearly fluctuations from natural changes, according to NOAA experts.
The rise in CO2 levels varies from year to year along with plant growth and decay, wildfire activity, and changes in soil conditions. Emerging from that natural variability is a consistent upward trend produced by burning coal, oil, and gas for transportation and industry.
Methane levels rose in 2008 for the second consecutive year after a 10-year lull. Atmospheric concentrations increased by 4.4 molecules for every billion molecules of air, bringing the total global concentration up to 1788 parts per billion, according to NOAA data.
Pound for pound, methane is 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but there’s far less of it in the atmosphere and is measured in parts per billion. When related climate affects are taken into account, methane’s overall climate impact is nearly half that of carbon dioxide.
CO2, Historically Speaking
Carbon dioxide growth has increased by more than two percent each year since preindustrial times, doubling every 31 years, according to a study published in the journal Atmospheric Environment last month by David Hofmann, James Butler, and Tans. All are researchers at ESRL.
Even during the 1970s, when fossil fuel emissions dropped sharply in response to the oil crises, emissions remained high enough that CO2 levels continued to climb exponentially, similar to the way compound interest builds.
But the carbon dioxide record isn’t immune to temporary dips lasting several years or more. A slowdown occurred in 1930–36 after the Great Depression and again during the 1940s, possibly because of World War II.
The large volcanic eruptions of Mt. Agung (Indonesia) in 1963 and Mt. Pinatubo (Philippines) in 1991 each slowed CO2 buildup for several years. Volcanic emissions cool the lower atmosphere and scatter sunlight. Those changes can both reduce plant respiration, a process that releases carbon dioxide, and boost photosynthesis, which removes carbon dioxide from the air.
“Atmospheric CO2 growth is best reflected by the world population trend,” said Hofmann. “The two have tracked each other extremely well over the past century. A break in the close relation between population growth and CO2 growth would be a clear sign of progress in the inevitable need to limit atmospheric CO2.”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424195920.htm

Drinking Wine May Increase Survival Among Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Patients
ScienceDaily (Apr. 24, 2009) — Pre-diagnostic wine consumption may reduce the risk of death and relapse among non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients, according to an epidemiology study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009.
Xuesong Han, the first author of the abstract and a doctoral candidate at the Yale School of Public Health, said their findings would need to be replicated before any public health recommendations are made, but the evidence is becoming clearer that moderate consumption of wine has numerous benefits.
"This conclusion is controversial, because excessive drinking has a negative social and health impact, and it is difficult to define what is moderate and what is excessive," said Han. "However, we are continually seeing a link between wine and positive outcomes in many cancers."
This study was the first to examine the link among patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Han and her colleagues analyzed data about 546 women with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
They found that those who drank wine had a 76 percent five-year survival compared with 68 percent for non-wine drinkers. Further research found five-year, disease-free survival was 70 percent among those who drank wine compared with 65 percent among non-wine drinkers.
Beer and/or liquor consumption did not show a benefit.
The study team at Yale also looked at subgroups of lymphoma patients, and found the strongest link between wine consumption and favorable outcomes among patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. These patients had a 40 to 50 percent reduced risk of death, relapse or secondary cancer.
Researchers then conducted an analysis to examine the effect of wine consumption among those who had drunk wine for at least the previous 25 years before diagnosis. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients who had been drinking wine for at least this long had a 25 to 35 percent reduced risk of death, relapse or secondary cancer.
Those patients with large B-cell lymphoma had about 60 percent reduced risk of death, relapse or secondary cancer if they had been drinking wine for at least the previous 25 years before diagnosis.
"It is clear that lifestyle factors like alcohol can affect outcome," said Han.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090421154322.htm

Brain music

Putting the brain's soundtracks to work

US Department of Homeland Security, April 24, 2009
Every brain has a soundtrack. Its tempo and tone will vary, depending on mood, frame of mind, and other features of the brain itself. When that soundtrack is recorded and played back -- to an emergency responder, or a firefighter -- it may sharpen their reflexes during a crisis, and calm their nerves afterward.
Over the past decade, the influence of music on cognitive development, learning, and emotional well-being has emerged as a hot field of scientific study. To explore music's potential relevance to emergency response, the Dept of Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) has begun a study into a form of neurotraining called "Brain Music" that uses music created in advance from listeners' own brain waves to help them deal with common ailments like insomnia, fatigue, and headaches stemming from stressful environments. The concept of Brain Music is to use the frequency, amplitude, and duration of musical sounds to move the brain from an anxious state to a more relaxed state.
"Strain comes with an emergency response job, so we are interested in finding ways to help these workers remain at the top of their game when working and get quality rest when they go off a shift," said S&T Program Manager Robert Burns. "Our goal is to find new ways to help first responders perform at the highest level possible, without increasing tasks, training, or stress levels."
If the brain "composes" the music, the first job of scientists is to take down the notes, and that is exactly what Human Bionics LLC of Purcellville, VA does. Each recording is converted into two unique musical compositions designed to trigger the body's natural responses, for example, by improving productivity while at work, or helping adjust to constantly changing work hours.
The compositions are clinically shown to promote one of two mental states in each individual: relaxation – for reduced stress and improved sleep; and alertness – for improved concentration and decision-making. Each 2-6 minute track is a composition performed on a single instrument, usually a piano. The relaxation track may sound like a "melodic, subdued Chopin sonata," while the alertness track may have "more of a Mozart sound," says Burns. (It seems there's a classical genius—or maybe two genii—in all of us. Listen to an instrumental alert track at www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/multimedia/snapshots/st_brain_music_active.mp3.
After their brain waves are set to music, each person is given a specific listening schedule, personalized to their work environment and needs. If used properly, the music can boost productivity and energy levels, or trigger a body's natural responses to stress.
The music created by Human Bionics LLC is being tested as part of the S&T Readiness Optimization Program (ROP), a wellness program that combines nutrition education and neurotraining to evaluate a cross population of first responders, including federal agents, police, and firefighters. A selected group of local area firefighters will be the first emergency responders taking part in the project.
The Brain Music component of the ROP is derived from patented technology developed at Moscow University to use brain waves as a feedback mechanism to correct physiological conditions.
In British philosopher John Locke's terms, Brain Music brings new meaning to his famous phrase: "A sound mind in a sound body, is a short, but full description of a happy state in this World."
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/udoh-bm042309.php

Natural Compound Restores Normal Function to Mutant Gene, Fights Cancer
by Sherry Baker, NaturalNews.com, April 27, 2009

(NaturalNews) A gene called p53 that is known to be important in controlling cell growth and death has the ability to suppress tumors. It works as a kind of checkpoint to keep abnormal cells from growing and dividing unheeded and causing malignancies. But something --an environmental toxin, chemicals, radiation, no one knows for sure -- can mutate the gene. The result? It no longer protects the body against pre-cancerous cells, allowing them to progress into cancer. In fact, researchers have learned mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene play a role in about half of all human tumors.

The p53 mutation was just in the news when researchers from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) presented results of what is believed to be the largest p53 and breast cancer study in the US. At the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in Denver, Colorado, the scientists said they've found that almost 26 percent of women studied who have breast cancer were found to have mutations in this gene. What's more, the women with the gene mutation had poorer outcomes and significantly higher risk of dying from their cancer.

"The p53 gene is the guardian of the genome because it signals the cell to repair DNA damage when that occurs. If we can find genetic or environmental risk factors that lead to damage of p53 or stress on the gene, we may be able to help prevent development of breast cancer as well as other cancers," the study's lead investigator, Catalin Marian, MD, PhD, a research instructor of cancer genetics and epidemiology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at GUMC, said in a media statement.

Meanwhile, another research team at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at GUMC presented a remarkable discovery about how a mutant p53 gene might be "fixed". They've observed that a natural substance can restore the cancer-stopping function to p53 in a variety of human tumor cells.

Specifically, the scientists have demonstrated that phenethyl isothiocyante (PEITC), a natural compound found in cruciferous vegetables such as watercress, broccoli and cabbage, can selectively deplete mutant p53. And when this happens in human cancer cells, the researchers said there's a restoration of what they call the "wild type", i.e. normal, function of p53.

This research strongly suggests that PEITC restores the normal p53 checkpoint control pathways in mutant p53-expressing tumor cells. Bottom line: this novel finding could well mean PEITC and other natural compounds in the isothiocyante family could play important roles in both cancer prevention and the treatment of human cancers linked to mutant p53 genes.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026138.html

Ocean Acidification Risks Mass Extinction of Sea Life
by David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com  April 26, 2009

(NaturalNews) Increasing acidity of the oceans due to rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions pose a major threat to aquatic life, scientists are warning.

"I am very worried for ocean ecosystems which are currently productive and diverse," said Carol Turley of Plymouth Marine Laboratory. "I believe we may be heading for a mass extinction, as the [current] rate of change in the oceans hasn't been seen since the dinosaurs. It may have a major impact on food security. It really is imperative that we cut emissions of CO2."

A full 50 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted by the burning of fossil fuels or other substances is absorbed by the ocean, but this does not mean that the substance is rendered harmless. Carbon dioxide reacts with water to form carbonic acid, thus increasing the overall acidity of ocean water. This has led to a lowering of the ocean's pH by 0.1 since the Industrial Revolution -- a 30 percent increase in acidity.

PH is a measure of relative acidity; pH 7 indicates neutral (water), higher numbers are more alkaline and lower numbers are more acidic.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the ocean's pH is expected to drop "between 0.14 and 0.35 units over the 21st Century."

Because life in the oceans has evolved to the pre-Industrial acidity levels, this change will likely change the makeup of ocean life, possibly driving a number of species extinct.

Laboratory studies have suggested that shelled creatures, in particular, may be unable to cope with the expected pH changes. Even more alarming, a study of naturally acidic waters in the Bay of Naples, Italy, finds that even shellfish that are able to tolerate higher acid levels in a short-term laboratory setting simply do not live in such environments in the wild.

"We are very worried," said researcher Jason Hall-Spencer of Plymouth University. "The changes here have clearly made life impossible for shell-forming creatures. When you start messing around with a complex ecosystem it is impossible to tell what will happen."

"One thing is certain," Turley said. "Things will change. We just don't know yet exactly how they will change. It is not a very wise experiment to be making."
http://www.naturalnews.com/026137.html

Vitamin C Prevents Gout
by David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com April 25, 2009

(NaturalNews) A high daily intake of vitamin C may reduce the risk of gout in men, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

In a 20-year study on 47,000 male health care professionals, researchers found that men who took a daily vitamin C supplement of 1,000 to 1,499 milligrams had a 34 percent lower risk of gout than men who did not take a vitamin supplement. Men who took a supplement of 1,500 milligrams or more per day had a 45 percent lower risk of the disease than men who did not take anything.

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by the deposition of uric acid or monosodium urate crystals in the joints. The disease, which can be intensely painful and debilitating, was much more common during the Victorian era, but rates have been increasing again over the past 30 years. Known risk factors are male sex, obesity, high alcohol consumption and unhealthy diet, particularly high meat consumption.

In the current study, the gout-preventing effect of vitamin C remained strong even after adjusting for these known risk factors.

"Given the general safety profile associated with vitamin C intake, particularly in the generally consumed ranges as in the present study, vitamin C intake may provide a useful option in the prevention of gout," lead researcher Hyon Choi said.

The study could not determine precisely how vitamin C might affect gout risk, but the researchers speculated that a role might be played by the vitamin's ability to reduce blood levels of uric acid, and its anti-inflammatory properties.

Experts warned, however, that a healthy lifestyle is still most important in preventing gout.

"It would be unwise for people to think they can compensate for eating and drinking too much by taking vitamin C with their pint of beer," said Michael Snaith of the U.K. Gout Society.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026133.html

Ubiquinol: Boost Energy Levels and Overall Health with Best Form of Co Q 10
by Barbara Minton, NaturalNews.com April 26, 2009

(NaturalNews) Still wondering what form of Coenzyme Q 10 to take? New research findings may help with the decision. Scientists have found that the ubiquinol, the reduced form of Co Q 10, dramatically improves absorption of Co Q 10 in patients with severe heart failure compared to supplements of ubiquinone, the unreduced form of Co Q 10. In other findings, the high antioxidant status of ubiquinol has allowed it to significantly inhibit inflammation. And to top it off, prices for the more effective ubiquinol have come down to levels commensurate with those of the unreduced Co Q 10 supplements in the ubiquinone form.

Heart patients show dramatic increase in Co Q 10 levels with the ubiquinol form

Scientists at East Texas Medical Center and Trinity Mother Francis Hospital in Texas noted that patients with chronic heart failure often fail to achieve adequate plasma levels of unreduced Co Q 10 even at doses as high as 900 mg per day. As a result of this, they show limited clinical improvement in their condition. For their study, these scientists identified seven patients in advanced chronic heart failure with sub-therapeutic plasma Co Q 10 levels at a mean of 1.6 microg/ml on an average dose of unreduced Co Q 10 of 450 mg per day. All seven of these patients were changed to an average dose of 580 mg per day of ubiquinol.

Mean plasma Co Q 10 levels increased to an average of 6.5 microg/ml. Measurement with echocardiogram showed mean improvement from 22% to 39%. Clinical status was remarkably improved from a mean of class IV to a mean of class II. The researchers concluded that the ubiquinol form of Co Q 10 dramatically improved absorption in patients with severe heart failure, and the improvement in plasma Co Q 10 levels is correlated with clinical improvement and improvement in measurement of left ventricular function. This study is from the 2008 journal Biofactors.

Ubiquinol is more compatible with the needs of the body

Ubiquinol is the new, reduced from of the Co Q 10 supplement that has been on the market for many years. The substance Co Q 10 is a critical component of human metabolism and a dynamic nutrient that moves between two states, the oxidized ubiquinone, and the reduced ubiquinol. While in the ubiquinol state, its ability to be assimilated into the human body is increased, and it develops the additional feature of being a first class antioxidant.

Due to its critical role in metabolism, the body is able to make Co Q 10 on its own, although some Co Q 10 is also obtainable from the diet. Although it is naturally in all cells, Co Q 10 is particularly concentrated in tissues having high energy requirements like the heart, liver, lungs, and muscles of the skeleton. Smaller amounts are centered in the brain, kidneys, and intestines, and the rest is in general circulation for use as needed. A normal adult has Co Q 10 amounts in the range of 0.5 and 1.5 grams. Within each cell, at least half the amount is centered in the mitochondra, the furnace of the cells where food is turned into energy, and this is where the final stages of its synthesis occur.

The cycling action of Co Q 10 helps it achieve its metabolic goals. Ubiquinone (unreduced Co Q 10) picks up electrons and becomes ubiquinol. Ubiquinol releases electrons and becomes ubiquinone, and the cycle repeats. According to scientist Kevin Connolly Ph.D., the ability of Co Q 10 to move electrons around is a "fundamental step in the production of energy, in the regeneration of antioxidants in cell membranes, and in the construction of other important biological molecules."

The electrons moved about by Co Q 10 aid in the chemical reactions that allow broken down sugars, fats and amino acids from food to be burned as fuel in the mitochondria and to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the actual chemical energy that powers cellular workings. Without adequate amounts of Co Q 10, cellular workings grind to a halt. It is clear that both ubiquinone and ubiquinol are essential to the process.

Co Q 10 as ubinquinol also has a role as a membrane and lipid antioxidant. It works with vitamin E, lycopene and beta-carotene to prevent LDL oxidation by giving up electrons to other oxidized molecules in order to regenerate them. This process results in the conversion of ubiquinol back into ubiquinone, which must then be re-engaged. Since ubiquinol is a form of Co Q 10 that can convert into ubiquinone, all the benefits of Co Q 10 as ubiquinone are available in ubiquinol supplements with the additional benefits that are provided only by ubiquinol including its ease of assimilation into the body and super antioxidant status.

Ubiquinol recently found to have strong anti-inflammatory properties

Numerous investigations of Co Q 10 have been conducted since its discovery in 1957. Most have centered on its applications for cardiovascular health. In addition to those dealing with chronic heart failure, Co Q 10 has been studied for its role against exercise-induced angina, hypertension, and recovery from heart attack. Deficiencies of Co Q 10 have been implicated in cellular energy dysfunctions and neurological degeneration.

A study done at the University of Kiel in Germany and reported in January investigated the potential of Co Q 10 as an anti-inflammatory. Scientists studied the influence of the ubiquinol form on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in a monocytic cell line. They found LPS induced responses were significantly decreased by pre-incubation of cells with ubiquinol. This study is from the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition. It highlights the super antioxidant benefits of ubiquinol, benefits that are not available from the unbiquinone form of Co Q 10.

Dietary benefits of Co Q 10 are quite limited

Food sources of Co Q 10 are meat (particularly organ meats such as liver and heart), poultry, fish, nuts and seeds. Vegetables, eggs, and dairy products contain small amounts. Co Q 10 is also found in soybean and canola oils, however soybeans should be fermented before eating, and canola probably should not be consumed at all. Here are the milligram amounts of Co Q 10 found in food:

Beef, fried 3 ounces 2.6
Herring, marinated 3 ounces 2.3
Chicken, fried 3 ounces 1.4
Rainbow Trout, steamed 3 ounces 0.9
Peanuts, roasted 1 ounce 0.8
Sesame seeds, roasted 1 ounce 0.7
Pistachio nuts, roasted 0.9
Broccoli, boiled 4 ounces chopped 0.5
Orange, 1 medium 0.3
Strawberries, 4 ounces 0.1
Egg, 1 medium boiled 0.1

As these numbers reveal, people were meant to manufacture Co Q 10 in the body rather than obtain it from the diet. On top of dietary amounts being minuscule, Co Q 10 from the diet is poorly absorbed by the body. For people seeking to boost sagging energy levels and support their hearts, supplements of the ubiquinol form of Co Q 10 are clearly the most effective option.

Ubiquinol is ready for absorption into the lymphatic system

Studies have measured absorption of supplemental Co Q 10 in the ubiquinone form at levels as low as two to three percent of the total amount ingested. The recent development of a stabilized dose of ubiquinol in supplement form is viewed by scientists as an exciting development because of its ease of absorption. Co Q 10 as ubiquinone must be reduced to ubiquinol before it can be released into the lymphatic system. Supplements of ubiquinol being already reduced are ready for absorption into the lymphatic system, and this may be why ubiquinol based Co Q 10 supplements exhibit enhanced bioavailability over those that are ubquinone based.

Supplementing with ubiquinol becomes more important as people age

Declines in ubiquinol result in less cellular energy and diminished protection against oxidative stress. This stress produces free radicals that can damage proteins, fats and DNA, allowing degenerative diseases to get started. Studies have reported dramatic decreases in Co Q 10 levels and increased oxidative stress associated with the aging process and with many age-related conditions. Healthy people in their 20s readily produce all the Co Q 10 they can use and efficiently convert it into ubiquinol. This ability becomes hindered as years go by through metabolic demands and oxidative stress. The decline in endogenous production of Co Q 10 and the ability to convert it into ubiquinol is apparent in 40 year olds.

For people age 40 and older, supplementing with ubiquinol is important for supporting and maintaining cardiovascular, neurological and liver health. Supplements of ubiquinol may restore healthy levels of Co Q 10 in plasma and organs for more efficient energy production, resulting in increased energy and stamina as well as better overall health. And because it is a powerful antioxidant, ubiquinol offers defense against oxidative stress and age-related conditions. Restoring this vital nutrient to optimal levels can result in people experiencing the energy levels they had when much younger.

Ubiquinol found safe in initial study

Ubiquinol as a supplement has been on the market only since 2006. The safety and bioavailability of ubiquinol were evaluated for the first time in February, 2007. Healthy subjects were administered a single oral dose of 150 or 300 mg, and additional oral administration of 90, 150, and 300 mg doses for four weeks. No clinically relevant negative changes were observed in laboratory tests, physical examinations, vital signs, or ECG. Significant absorption from the gastrointestinal tract was observed. This study was reported in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology and shows that initial testing found ubiquinol safe and highly bioavailable to the body.

There is currently only one manufacturer of ubiquinol. This means that whether you pay a lot or a little, you are getting the same ubiquinol compound when you buy ubiquinol supplements. The only variation is in the milligram amount in the capsules.

Co Q 10 is a lipophilic, meaning it dissolves in fat, so supplements of Co Q 10 as ubiquinol should always be taken with some type of dietary fat.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026128.html

Antioxidant in Berries Stops Wrinkles
by Sherry Baker, NaturalNews.com  April 24, 2009

(NaturalNews) Data is mounting that phytochemicals found in a host of berries and other fruits can enhance health from the inside. Now comes research just presented at the Experimental Biology 2009 meeting being held in New Orleans that a specific type of antioxidant phytochemical called ellagic acid holds the promise of enhancing our bodies on the outside, too. In fact, it may hold the key to successfully slowing down or even stopping skin aging.

Researchers in the laboratory of Dr. Young-Hee Kang at Hallym University in the Republic of Korea have found topical application of ellagic acid markedly prevents the two major causes of wrinkles and aged-looking skin -- the destruction of collagen and inflammation. Their findings are based on studies in human skin cells as well as on experiments with mice exposed to UV-B light that mimics the sun's skin-damaging ultraviolet radioactive rays.

Ellagic acid is found in many fruits, vegetables and nuts but it is especially abundant in raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and pomegranates. Previous studies have suggested it has a photoprotective effect on the skin so the Korean scientists decided to try to find out the exact mechanism. They discovered that in human skin cells, ellagic acid worked to protect against UV damage by blocking production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), enzymes that break down collagen in damaged skin cells. It also reduced the expression of a molecule known as ICAM that is involved in inflammatory reactions.

For their animal study, the researchers used 12 hairless mice genetically bred to be used in dermatology studies because of the physiological similarities of their skin to that of human skin. For about two months, the rodents were exposed to increasing ultraviolet radiation, beginning at a level that would normally cause redness or sunburn and increasing to an amount that would have definitely caused damage to a person's skin. Half the mice were given topical applications of ellagic acid but the other half didn't receive the antioxidant skin coating.

The results? The mice exposed to UV radiation without the ellagic treatment developed wrinkles and thickening of the skin but the group that received a topical dose of ellagic acid showed reduced wrinkle formation. What's more, the ellagic acid tamed the inflammation response, kept collagen from degrading and prevented the skin from thickening. In a statement for media, the researchers concluded these results show that ellagic acid works to prevent wrinkle formation and photo-aging caused by UV destruction of collagen and inflammation.

There's more good news about ellagic acid, too. Scientists from the University of Louisville and Fox Chase Cancer Center published research recently in the International Journal of Molecular Science which strongly suggests ellagic acid can reduce damage to DNA and, in fact, may help repair faulty DNA.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026124.html

BBC NEWS
Vitamin D hope in prostate cancer
By Emma Wilkinson
BBC News health reporter
Vitamin D is an effective treatment for prostate cancer in some patients, a UK study suggests.
A once daily dose reduced PSA level - an indicator of severity of disease - by as much as half in 20% of patients.
There has been much interest in vitamin D in prostate cancer after studies linking risk of the disease to sunlight exposure, the researchers said.
One expert agreed the findings were encouraging but said it needed to be tested in a bigger population.
The trial - results of which are due to be published in the journal BJU International - was set up after one patient got better when his wife bought him some vitamin D tablets.
“ The role of supplements in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer is an area which deserves a greater level of research attention ”
John Neate, The Prostate Cancer Charity
Professor Jonathan Waxman, said the example had prompted him to assess the effects in a wider group of patients.
Out of 26 men with recurrent prostate cancer, who took a daily dose of vitamin D2 bought from the chemist, five responded to the treatment.
In two the PSA level, fell by more than half, in two by 25-50% and in one man it fell by less than 25%.
The effects in one man were sustained for 36 months.
Welcome addition
Study leader Professor Jonathan Waxman, from Imperial College London, said vitamin D therapy was effective and well-tolerated.
"It's very interesting - there has been no significant trial of vitamin D.
"This is a treatment which is unlikely to have significant toxicity and is a welcome addition to the therapeutic options for patients with prostate cancer."
He agreed that a further trial in a larger number of patients, comparing vitamin D with a dummy pill was warranted.
One theory is that vitamin D interferes with the effect of the androgen receptor, which is stimulated by hormones such as testosterone and implicated in prostate cancer.
John Neate, chief executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, said it was not the first study looking at vitamin D in the disease but a consensus on the benefits had not been reached.
"This small scale study investigating the use of vitamin D as a 'stand alone' treatment for men with progressive prostate cancer provides a valuable additional perspective.
"Many men with prostate cancer may wonder whether they should take vitamin D supplements to control their disease.
"This study does not answer that question, but maintaining a good level of vitamin D is recommended as part of a generally healthy lifestyle.
"The role of supplements in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer is an area which deserves a greater level of research attention."
Professor Malcolm Mason, Cancer Research UK prostate cancer expert based at Cardiff University agreed the results were encouraging but more evidence was needed.
"We advise men with prostate cancer to consult their doctor before taking vitamin D supplements."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8017323.stm

BBC NEWS
Sugary drinks 'worsen vomit bug'
Parents are making children suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea more sick by giving them flat coke and lemonade, experts say.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said it was a myth that sugary drinks could help ease bouts of gastroenteritis.
Instead, NICE said bad cases of stomach bugs in children under five needed to be treated with rehydration drinks.
The NHS advisers said prompt action was needed to avoid hospital admission.
NICE made the warning as part of guidance it has produced on the treatment of gastroenteritis in children in England and Wales.
“ The idea that flat coke and lemonade helps is just a myth. In fact, it can make it worse, but unfortunately people are still using them ”
Dr Stephen Murphy, of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Half of all children under five will develop vomiting and diarrhoea over the course of the year.
Up to a fifth will end up seeing a health professional about the illness with nearly 40,0000 children a year ending up in hospital because of problems related to dehydration.
NICE believes some of the most serious cases could be avoided if parents and GPs followed the best advice.
Consultant paediatric gastronenterologist Dr Stephen Murphy, who chaired the panel drawing up the guidance, said: "The idea that flat coke and lemonade - or fruit juices for that matter - helps is just a myth. In fact, it can make it worse, but unfortunately people are still using them.
"Severe cases of diarrhoea and vomiting leading to dehydration need treating with oral rehydration solution immediately."
He said the combination of sugar and salt in rehydration drinks was the key to helping the body absorb fluids, whereas the likes of coke and lemonade had too much sugar.
NICE has produced a checklist for parents to assess whether their children are dehydrated.
Signs
The key signs are altered responsiveness, sunken eyes, pale or mottled skin and cold extremities.
If they are, set amounts of oral rehydration solution should be given over the course of four hours.
The amount of solution to be given varies depending on the child, but for the average one-year-old it would be half-a-litre, the guidance said.
After that, it is important that children are encouraged to eat food again, NICE said.
The guidance is also aimed at doctors and gives advice on when to carry out further tests and when and how to administer intravenous rehydration fluid.
Mother-of-three Narynder Johal, who acted as a patient representative for NICE, said the guidance was much needed as parents were often left frustrated by the advice given to them.
"I have often been very concerned when my children have had diarrhoea and vomiting and have not always received consistent advice on how to best manage the condition."