HHAL MEDICAL NEWS FEBUARY 2012
A Glass Of Milk A Day Could Benefit Your Brain
Pouring at least one glass of milk each day could not only boost your
intake of much-needed key nutrients, but it could also positively impact your brain and mental performance, according to a
recent study in the International Dairy Journal.1 Researchers found that adults with higher
intakes of milk and milk products scored significantly higher on memory and other brain function tests than those who
drank little to no milk. Milk drinkers were five times less likely to "fail" the test, compared to non milk drinkers.
Researchers
at the University of Maine put more than 900 men and women ages 23 to 98 through a series of brain tests - including visual-spatial, verbal and working memory tests - and tracked the milk consumption habits of the
participants. In the series of eight different measures of mental performance, regardless of age and through all tests, those
who drank at least one glass of milk each day had an advantage. The highest scores for all eight outcomes were observed for
those with the highest intakes of milk and milk products compared to those with low and infrequent milk intakes. The benefits
persisted even after controlling for other factors that can affect brain health, including cardiovascular health and other
lifestyle and diet factors. In fact, milk drinkers tended to have healthier diets
overall, but there was something about milk intake specifically that offered the brain health advantage, according to the
researchers.
In addition to the many established health
benefits of milk from bone health to cardiovascular health, the potential to stave off mental decline may represent
a novel benefit with great potential to impact the aging population. While more research is needed, the scientists suggest
some of milk's nutrients may have a direct effect on brain function and that "easily implemented lifestyle changes
that individuals can make present an opportunity to slow or prevent neuropsychological dysfunction."
New and emerging
brain health benefits are just one more reason to start each day with lowfat or fat free milk. Whether in a latte, in a smoothie, on your favorite
cereal, or straight from the glass, milk at breakfast can be a key part of a healthy breakfast that help sets you up for a successful
day. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend three glasses of lowfat or fat free milk daily for adults and each
8-ounce glass contains nine essential nutrients Americans need, including calcium
and vitamin D.
More Black Tea Lowers
Blood Pressure
Tea, the second most consumed drink after water, may help lower blood pressure. Scientists at The University Of Western Australia and Unilever, state in Archives of Internal Medicine, that drinking black tea three times a day may drastically lower a person's systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Leading the research, Jonathan Hodgson, professor
at UWA's School Of Medicine and Pharmacology says:
There is already mounting
evidence that tea is good for your heart health, but this is an important discovery, because it demonstrates a link between
tea and a major risk factor for heart disease.
During their study, the researchers examined 95 Australians, ages 35 to 75. A portion of the participants were asked
to drink black tea, three times daily, while the others were given a placebo that tasted identical and contained the same
caffeine content, but did not originate from tea. Black tea appears to have cardiovascular benefits
Six months later, the researchers examined the findings. They concluded that the people who drank
the black tea were found to have lower 24-hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure; between
2 and 3 mmHg lower.
Professor
Hodgson states
Blood pressure measurement consists of two numbers. The First is the systolic and measures
blood pressure when the heart beats, or contracts to push blood through the body. The second number is the diastolic and measures
the amount of pressure in between beats when the person is at rest.
Hodgson also says:
More research is required
to better understand how tea may reduce blood pressure, although earlier studies reported a link between tea drinking and
the improved health of people's blood vessels.
Green Tea Protects Against Functional Disability
Linked To Aging
Regular green tea drinkers have a lower risk of developing functional disability, researchers from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan, reported
in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition. Functional disability refers to problems with daily chores and activities,
such as bathing or dressing.
As background information, the authors explained
that prior studies had found that consuming green tea reduced the risk of diseases associated with functional disability, such as osteoporosis, cognitive impairment and stroke. Although most experts believed the risk of incident functional
disability would be lower for regular green tea drinkers, no direct studies to prove this had ever been carried
out.
Yasutake Tomata and team set out to determine whether
regular green tea consumption might reduce incident functionality disability in older people.
In 2006, they gave out questionnaires regarding daily tea consumption, as well as other lifestyle factors and gathered
data on 13,988 respondents. All the respondents were at least sixty-five years of age. They used the public Long-term Care Insurance database for information on functional
disability.
They found a close inverse link between functional
disability risk and the consumption of green tea - the more people drank green tea, the lower their risk.
Nearly 13% of those who consumed less than one cup of green tea each day developed functional
disability, compared to slightly more than 7% among those consuming five cups or more.
The authors stressed that their study in no way proves that it is just the green tea that protects against functional
disability as people age. They also noticed that the heavy green tea drinkers also ate more fruit and vegetables, consumed
more fish, were less likely to smoke, had fewer strokes and/or heart attacks, and tended to have a higher level of education.
They were also found to have sharper cognitive function.
The greater tea
drinkers tended to have a wider circle of friends and more family members around them.
However, even when all those above-listed factors were taken into account, there was still a link between regular green
tea drinking and less functional disability risk.
Nobody is yet certain
why green tea offers these benefits. The authors mentioned one prior study which demonstrated that green tea extracts help
maintain leg muscle strength in elderly females.
They warn that there is
a chance green tea extracts, such as caffeine and vitamin K, might interfere with how anticoagulant drugs work.
In an abstract in the journal, the authors wrote:
"Green tea consumption is significantly associated with a lower risk of incident functional disability,
even after adjustment for possible confounding factors. "
Green tea (Ryokucha) is common throughout Japan, and is simply known there as tea (ocha).
Historians say green tea was originally used in China during the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960-1279).
A Japanese Buddhist priest, Myōan Eisai (A.D. 1141-1215), who also set up the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, brought
green tea to Japan.
In Japan, green tea is graded, according to its quality,
what part of the plant it comes from, and how it is processed. The country's best green tea comes from the Yame region
of Fukuoka Prefecture, as well as the Uji region of Kyoto.
There are several
names for different types of Japanese green tea, including Gyokuro, Kabusecha, Sencha, Fukamushicha,
Tamaryokucha, Bancha, and Kamairicha.
Ingredients in green tea
Green tea
is known to contain the following:
·
Polyphenols - especially catechins (epigallocatechin gallate)
· Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin
K
· Carotenoids
· Several
minerals - including zinc chromium, selenium, and manganese
·
Tocopherols
·
Certain phytochemical compounds
Green tea is said to
have more antioxidant properties than black tea. However,
black tea has theaflavin, which green tea does not.
Older Women With High
Triglyceride Levels At High Risk Of Stroke
In a surprising finding with significant implications for older women, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
of Yeshiva University and NYU School of Medicine have found that high levels of triglycerides
(blood fats) are the strongest risk factor for the most common type of stroke in older women - more of a risk factor than
elevated levels of total cholesterol or of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (known as "bad"
cholesterol). The study appears online in Stroke.
Strokes involve
the sudden loss of blood flow to an area of the brain. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly
800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year. Stroke is the third leading cause of death for both men and women in the United
States, accounting for more than 140,000 deaths per year. Ischemic strokes, the type assessed in this study, account for more
than eight in ten strokes over all and occur when blood clots obstruct blood vessels
to the brain. Nearly three-quarters of all strokes occur in those over 65.
Abnormal levels of triglycerides and other
so-called lipid biomarkers have long been associated
with increased risk for heart disease and atherosclerosis (plaque buildup inside arteries). The study's senior author,
Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, Ph.D. , said that "until this study, researchers had not examined how these lipid biomarkers
are independently related to stroke risk in a single group of people." Dr. Smoller is head of the division of epidemiology,
professor of epidemiology & population health, and the Dorothy and William Manealoff Foundation and Molly Rosen Chair
in Social Medicine at Einstein.
The Einstein researchers analyzed data from the Hormones and Biomarkers Predicting Stroke
(HaBPS) study, which consists of women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), the landmark National Institutes
of Health study that has monitored the health of more than 90,000 postmenopausal women nationwide over a period of 15 years.
HaBPS is comprised of the first 972 women who experienced an ischemic stroke while participating in the WHI. These women were
matched with a control group of 972 participants who had not had strokes. All the women had donated blood samples when they
first enrolled in the WHI, and these samples were analyzed for lipid biomarkers. (Dr. Wassertheil-Smoller is principal investigator
of WHI and HaBPS at Einstein.)
"It's
important to note, many of the traditional measures of cholesterol that physicians use including total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were not associated with risk
of ischemic stroke," said lead author of the
study, Jeffrey S. Berger, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. "Currently, there is a
lack of data that lowering triglyceride levels can help reduce the risk. We believe future studies of people with elevated
triglyceride levels are warranted to show the reduction of ischemic stroke."
Dr. Wassertheil-Smoller and her colleagues
found that women in the highest quarter of baseline triglyceride levels were nearly twice
as likely to have suffered an ischemic stroke as women in the lowest quarter of triglyceride values. Levels of total cholesterol and LDL ("bad") cholesterol were not associated with stroke risk.
"The
bottom line is that postmenopausal women and their physicians need to pay attention to triglyceride levels," Dr. Wassertheil-Smoller
said. "We already know that women with elevated levels of triglycerides face a greater
risk for heart disease and heart attacks than men do. This study has underlined the importance of abnormal triglyceride
levels by establishing them as an independent risk factor for stroke." Elevated triglyceride
levels can be triggered by genetic factors or behavioral habits but can be successfully treated with medication and
dietary and lifestyle changes, Dr. Smoller pointed out.
Memory Function - Decaffeinated Coffee May Help
Drinking
decaffeinated coffee may improve brain energy metabolism associated with diabetes type 2, according
to a study published in Nutritional Neuroscience and carried out by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Brain energy metabolism is a dysfunction with a known
risk factor for dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
Giulio Maria Pasinetti, MD, PhD, and team decided to investigate whether dietary supplementation with a standard decaffeinated coffee prior to diabetes onset could improve insulin resistance
and glucose utilization in mice with diet-induced type 2 diabetes.
The mice were given the supplement for five months,
after which the researchers assessed the animals' brain's genetic response. They discovered that the brain could metabolize glucose more effectively and that it was used for cellular energy in the brain. People with
type 2 diabetes have reduced glucose utilization in the brain, which often leads to neurocognitive problems.
Dr. Pasinetti
stated:
"Impaired energy metabolism in the brain is known to be tightly
correlated with cognitive decline during aging and in subjects at high risk for developing neurodegenerative disorders. This
is the first evidence showing the potential benefits of decaffeinated coffee preparations for both preventing and treating
cognitive decline caused by type 2 diabetes, aging, and/or neurodegenerative disorders."
Drinking coffee is not recommended for everyone, because of its association
with cardiovascular health risks, including elevated blood cholesterol and blood pressure, both of which result in a
higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and premature death. However, these negative effects have mainly been caused
because of the high caffeine content of coffee - the study findings prove that some components in decaffeinated coffee have
beneficial health factors for mice.
Dr.
Pasinetti wants to investigate whether decaffeinated coffee as a dietary supplement in humans can act as a preventive measure.
He concludes:
"In light of recent evidence suggesting that cognitive
impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease and other age-related neurodegenerative disorders may be traced back to
neuropathological conditions initiated several decades before disease onset, developing preventive treatments for such disorders
is critical."
The Risk Of Colon Cancer
Could Be Reduced By Regular Use Of Vitamin And Mineral Supplements
Could the use of vitamin and mineral supplements in a regular diet help to reduce the risk of colon
cancer and protect against carcinogens? A study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (CJPP) found that rats given regular multivitamin and mineral supplements showed a significantly lower risk
of developing colon cancer when they were exposed to carcinogens.
"It has been unclear whether multivitamin supplementation
to cancer patients is helpful, has no effect, or is even detrimental during therapy," commented Dr. Grant Pierce, Editor
of CJPP. "This study is important because it gives some direction to cancer patients in desperate need of guidance on
the value of multivitamins and minerals administered during cancer."
The authors studied rats that were fed a high-fat diet (20% fat) over a 32 week period. The rats were divided into 6 groups,
which were exposed to different combinations of supplements and carcinogens; the colon carcinogenisis induced in the study
rats has characteristics that mimic human colon cancer. Rats fed a high-fat plus low-fibre
diet and exposed to carcinogens developed pre-cancerous lesions; whereas, rats undergoing similar treatment, but provided
with daily multivitamin and mineral supplements, showed a significant (84%) reduction in the formation of pre-cancerous lesions
and did not develop tumours.
The authors conclude that "multivitamin
and mineral supplements synergistically contribute to the cancer chemopreventative potential, and hence, regular supplements
of multivitamins and minerals could reduce the risk of colon cancer."
Sunshine May Help To
Prevent Allergies And Eczema
Increased exposure to sunlight may reduce the risk of both food allergies and eczema in children, according to a new scientific study.
Researchers from the European Centre for Environment
& Human Health, along with several Australian institutions, have found that children living in areas with lower levels of sunlight
are at greater risk of developing food allergies and the skin condition eczema, compared to those in areas with higher UV.
The research team used data from a study of Australian
children and analysed how rates of food allergy, eczema and asthma varied throughout the country. As well as finding a link between latitude and allergies
to peanut and egg, the results showed that on average children in the south of the country are twice as likely to develop
eczema as those in the north.
The
report builds upon existing evidence that suggests exposure to the sun may play a role in rising levels of food allergy and
eczema. Sunlight is important because it provides our body with the fuel to create vitamin
D in the skin, and locations closer to the equator typically receive higher levels of sunshine. Australia is a particularly
good place for this type of study as it spans nearly 3000 miles from north to south, with a large variation in climate, day
length and sun strength - from Queensland in the north to Tasmania in the south.
Dr Nick Osborne, who led the research, believes these findings provide us with an important insight into the prevalence of food allergies
and eczema, which appear to be on the increase. Dr Osborne also cautioned that exposure to sunlight can vary for a host of
reasons beyond latitude, such as local climate variations and behaviours, and these factors will also need to be considered.
He said "This investigation has further
underlined the association between food allergies, eczema and where you live. We're now hoping to study these effects
at a much finer scale and examine which factors such as temperature, infectious disease or vitamin D are the main drivers
of this relationship. As always, care has to be taken we are not exposed to too much sunlight, increasing the risk of skin
cancer."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=241212
Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease:
The emperor has no clothes
Dietary advice should
be based on broad and sound evidence. The association between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease was examined
in the scientific literature and compared with recommendations in three leading advisory reports. No overlap between the reports
and the literature was found. All three reports failed to distinguish the characteristics and effects of LDL and HDL cholesterol. Nutrition
Study links sunlight exposure to stroke
risk
U.S. researchers
who analyzed data on roughly 16,500 people with no history of stroke or heart disease found that people in the bottom half of the sun exposure range were 1.6 times more likely to experience a stroke than those exposed
to higher sunlight levels. The study, presented at the American Stroke Association meeting, also found that people living in places with colder climates were more prone to experience a stroke. HealthDay News
10 foods contribute to excess sodium
intake, CDC reports
An estimated
90% of Americans consume too much sodium daily, CDC researchers wrote in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. They found
that bread ranked first among the 10 foods responsible for 44% of all salt intake,
followed by luncheon meats and pizza. Reducing consumption of these 10 foods by 25%
would cut the amount of dietary salt intake by 10% and could prevent up to 28,000 deaths
a year, CDC Director Thomas Frieden said in a news release.
MMWR article
WebMD
Dietary calcium and body weight: What's
the "skinny?"
These authors
provide new insight into the observation that high dietary calcium intake may limit weight
gain in animals and in humans. Although calcium intake is often considered in the context of bone health and osteoporosis prevention, dietary calcium may also be important in the regulation of
energy metabolism. These results suggest that high-calcium diets lead to inhibition of adipogenesis
and enhanced insulin sensitivity via a mechanism mediated by the signaling protein S100A16. Metabolism -- Clinical and Experimental
Calorie reduction appears key to weight
loss in any diet plan
A study
found no significant difference in weight and fat reduction after six months and then after two years among participants who
followed one of four weight-loss diets, all of which cut about 750 calories per day. The finding, published in The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that simply cutting back on calories might be the
key to weight loss, regardless of the diet plan used, researchers said. Reuters
Switching To Water,
Diet Beverages Can Tip The Scales
Making a simple substitution of water or diet soft drinks for drinks with calories can help people lose 4 to 5 pounds, a new
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study shows.
The study, published online and scheduled to appear in the March 2012 print issue of The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared weight loss for 318 overweight or obese people, who were divided
into three groups: those who switched from calorie-laden beverages to diet soft drinks; those who switched to water; and those
who were not counseled to change beverages but received general information about healthy choices that could lead to weight
loss. All three groups attended monthly group sessions and had access to a group-specific website for 6 months.
"Substituting noncaloric beverages - whether
it's water, diet soft drinks or something else = can be a clear and simple change for people who want to lose or maintain
weight," said study author Deborah Tate, Ph.D., associate professor of nutrition and of health behavior at the UNC Gillings
School of Global Public Health and member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. "If this were done on a large
scale, it could significantly reduce the increasing public health problem of obesity."
Tate and colleagues undertook the study to provide scientific evidence of whether eliminating calories from beverages
is an effective weight loss tool that health-care providers and nutritional counselors could recommend.
The study, known as CHOICE, or Choosing Healthy Options Consciously Everyday, is believed to be the first randomized controlled
trial using noncaloric beverage substitution alone as the primary weight loss strategy in overweight adults.
"It does help," Tate said. "We
learned that both water and diet sodas have some benefits, but they may be different. People who really like the sweet flavor
or carbonation or caffeine of sodas may be more likely to stick with the change if they are drinking diet sodas as opposed
to water only, but drinking water was associated with some other important health improvements like reduced blood sugar."
All three groups experienced small reductions
in weight and waist circumference during the 6-month study.
However, people who switched to calorie-free beverages were twice as likely to lose
5 percent or more of their body weight than those who were not counseled to change beverages. People in the group who drank
mostly water had lower fasting glucose levels and better hydration levels than the control group.
Tate said that that percentage of weight loss
and lower blood sugar levels were important because they are associated with clinical improvements in risk factors for obesity-related
chronic diseases.
The study also noted that while participants'
weight loss was less than reductions observed in more intensive, clinic-based behavioral lifestyle modification programs,
the UNC study required minimal self-monitoring and prompted people to change just one aspect of their diets (beverages) - an approach consistent with other findings recommending
small but potentially more sustainable lifestyle changes that people can make to improve their health.
"Substituting specific foods or beverages
that provide a substantial portion of daily calories may be a useful strategy for modest weight loss or weight gain prevention,"
Tate said. "Beverages may be ideal targets, but keep in mind, the strategy will only work if the person doesn't make
up for the lost calories some other way."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=241640
Thigh-Length vs. Below-Knee Compression Stockings
Prevention
of postthrombotic syndrome was similar with both types of stockings in patients with venous thrombosis, but adverse effects were less common with below-knee stockings.
Prandoni
P et al. Blood 2011 Dec 16;
Vitamin D and UVB Radiation:
How Much Is Necessary?
For individuals unable to benefit from supplements, ultraviolet B exposure every
2 weeks may be an alternative.
Bogh
MKB et al. Br J Dermatol 2011 Oct 20;
Do Antibiotics Help Uncomplicated Sinusitis?
A placebo-controlled
study says no.
Many studies have
indicated that antibiotics are wildly overprescribed for sinusitis. However, randomized trials on the utility of these medications
have had conflicting results, with statistical interpretation complicated by different enrollment criteria and high rates
of spontaneous improvement.
In a double-blinded study, researchers
randomized 166 adults reporting 1 to 4 weeks of standard sinusitis symptoms (including maxillary pain or tenderness in the
face or teeth, and purulent nasal secretions) to receive 10 days of amoxicillin or placebo,
along with a range of as-needed symptom-relief medications (acetaminophen, guaifenesin, dextromethorphan, pseudoephedrine,
and nasal saline spray). Imaging studies were not performed.
Symptom
improvement — evaluated on a standardized questionnaire called the "SNOT-16" — was indistinguishable
between the groups at day 3, slightly favored amoxicillin at day 7, and was then indistinguishable
again at day 10. Reported adverse effects of treatment and overall satisfaction with treatment did not differ between
groups; recurrence rates were similar.
Garbutt
JM et al. JAMA 2012 Feb 15; 307:685
Medline abstract
Amoxicillin Has No Effect on Acute, Uncomplicated Bacterial Rhinosinusitis
Amoxicillin doesn't ameliorate the severity of acute, uncomplicated bacterial
rhinosinusitis any better than placebo, according to a JAMA study.
Some
160 patients with clinically confirmed disease (purulent nasal discharge and maxillary pain or facial tenderness) were randomized
to receive either 1500 mg/day of amoxicillin or placebo for 10 days. In addition, all received a supply of symptomatic treatments
(e.g., acetaminophen) for use as needed.
Patients' assessment of improvement
in 16 sinus-related symptoms did not differ between groups at day 3 or at day 10. (While symptom scores did favor antibiotics
at day 7, the authors judge the difference to be "too small to represent any clinically important change.")
In his Journal Watch HIV and ID Observations blog, Dr. Paul Sax says the study reminds us that "most of the common community-acquired infections
resolve spontaneously."
JAMA article
Calcium-Channel
Blockers and Losartan Are Associated with Lower Risk for Gout in Hypertensive Patients
Diuretics, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting–enzyme inhibitors, and non-losartan angiotensin-receptor
blockers are associated with increased risk.
Choi
HK et al. BMJ 2012 Jan 12; 344:d8190
Gout
and Diuretics in Hypertensive Patients
Diuretic use raised risk for gout by several percentage
points.
Observational data have suggested that
gout is associated independently with both hypertension and diuretic use. In a prospective study, researchers determined incidence
of diuretic-associated gout in nearly 6000 hypertensive patients with no histories of gout at baseline.
During
9 years of follow-up, 37% of patients received diuretics. Incidence of gout was 5.5% among diuretic users (5.0% among thiazide
users and 7.0% among loop-diuretic users) and 2.9% among patients who did not use diuretics. After adjustment for potentially
confounding variables (except serum uric acid), use of thiazides and loop diuretics were
both significantly associated with incident gout (hazard ratios, 1.4 and 2.3, respectively). Compared with serum uric
acid levels in nonusers of diuretics, levels rose by a mean of 0.65 mg/dL among those who began taking thiazides and 0.96
mg/dL among those who began taking loop diuretics. The association between diuretics and gout was no longer significant after
additional adjustment for serum uric acid; this finding is consistent with the assumption that diuretic-induced increases
in serum uric acid mediate the association between diuretic use and gout.
·
Medline abstract
Chipping Away at
Bone: Proton-Pump Inhibitors and Smoking
Long-term PPI use was associated with excess
risk for postmenopausal hip fractures, especially in smokers.
Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) suppress gastric acid production and, consequently,
calcium absorption. Thus, long-term PPI use may reduce
bone density and raise fracture risk. Using data from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and prior studies, investigators
assessed the association between long-term PPI use and risk for hip fracture in postmenopausal women.
Among 80,000 women in the NHS (age range at entry, 30–55), PPI use rose from 7% in 2000 to 19%
in 2008. Absolute risk for hip fracture was 2.0 events per 1000 person-years among regular PPI users and 1.5 events per 1000
person-years among nonusers. Adjusted for multiple factors (e.g., body-mass index, calcium intake, osteoporosis history, use
of hormone therapy), risk for hip fracture among women who used PPIs regularly for 2 years was 40% higher
than among nonusers and rose with duration of PPI use. Among previous or current smokers, PPI use was associated with a 50%
increased risk for hip fracture, whereas among never-smokers, PPI use was not associated with excess risk. In a meta-analysis
involving 11 studies and 1.5 million participants, PPI use was associated with a 30% increased risk for hip fracture.
Medline abstract
Lack of
Sleep Makes Your Brain Hungry
New research from Uppsala University,
Sweden, shows that a specific brain region that contributes to a person’s appetite
sensation is more activated in response to food images after one night of sleep loss than after one night of normal sleep.
Poor sleep habits may therefore affect people’s risk of becoming overweight in the long run. The findings are published
in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
In this study, Christian Benedict, together with other researchers have examined which regions
in the brain, involved in appetite sensation, are influenced by acute sleep loss. By means of magnetic imaging (fMRI) the
researchers studied the brains of 12 normal-weight males while they viewed images of foods. The researchers compared the results
after a night with normal sleep with those obtained after one night without sleep.
Christian Benedict explains:
“After
a night of total sleep loss, these males showed a high level of activation in an area of the brain that is involved in a desire
to eat. Bearing in mind that insufficient sleep is a growing problem in modern society, our results may explain why poor sleep
habits can affect people’s risk to gain weight in the long run. It may therefore be
important to sleep about eight hours every night to maintain a stable and healthy body weight.”
Conclusions: These results provide evidence that acute sleep loss enhances hedonic stimulus processing in the brain underlying the
drive to consume food, independent of plasma glucose levels. These findings highlight
a potentially important mechanism contributing to the growing levels of obesity in Western society.
http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/early/2012/01/12/jc.2011-2759
Altered Circadian Rhythms Are Associated with Dementia
But are they a cause or
an effect?
Tranah GJ et al. Ann Neurol 2011 Nov 70:722
Lim ASP and Saper CB. Ann Neurol 2011 Nov 70:677
Metformin Associated with Lower Cancer Risk
Compared with sulfonylurea users, metformin users had
a 10% lower incidence of cancer.
During the past
decade, observational studies have suggested associations between cancer and type 2 diabetes (or insulin therapy). Although several plausible
mechanisms exist (e.g., cancer cells express insulin receptors that when activated could
promote cell proliferation in type 2 diabetic patients with hyperinsulinemia), the association remains controversial
(CA Cancer J Clin 2010; 60:207). In some studies, metformin has been associated
with decreased cancer risk.
In a population-based retrospective study, Dutch researchers
recorded the incidence of cancer in 85,000 type 2 diabetic patients who initiated metformin or sulfonylurea monotherapy. During up to 10 years of follow-up, metformin users were less likely to receive cancer diagnoses
than sulfonylurea users (hazard ratio, 0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.88–0.91) after adjustment for age, sex,
and several other variables. This 10% reduction was modest in relative terms but highly statistically significant. Metformin-associated lower risks were noted for cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon, liver, pancreas, lung,
breast, and prostate.
Ruiter R et al. Lower risk of cancer in patients
on metformin in comparison with those on sulfonylurea derivatives: Results from a large population-based follow-up study. Diabetes Care 2012 Jan; 35:119. (http://dx.doi.org/10.2337/dc11-0857)
·
Medline abstract
GLP-1R Agonists
Associated with Weight Loss in Overweight Patients
The association held for
patients with or without diabetes.
Vilsbøll T
et al. BMJ 2012 Jan 11; 344:d7771
Healthy Nutrients
in the Blood Help the Aging Brain
A study of nutrient biomarker
levels in plasma confirms the usual suspects that help or hurt our cognition.
Bowman
GL et al. Neurology 2012 Jan 24; 78:241
Tangney CC. Neurology 2012 Jan 24;
78:230
Even Infrequent Use of Sleeping Pills Linked to Increased Mortality
Adults who take hypnotics for insomnia even less than 20 times a
year might face increased mortality risk, according to a study in BMJ Open.
Using a rural health system database,
researchers matched more than 10,000 adults who used hypnotics with nearly 24,000 nonusers. The most commonly used hypnotics
were zolpidem (e.g., Ambien) and temazepam (e.g., Restoril). During 2.5 years of observation, 6% of hypnotic users and 1%
of nonusers died.
After adjustment for comorbidities, hypnotic use was associated
with an elevated risk for death, with risk increasing with the number of doses used. However, even adults who took just 0.4
to 18 pills per year had a significantly increased mortality risk compared with nonusers (hazard ratio, 3.6). In addition,
use of more than 18 pills per year was associated with increased cancer risk.
Asked
to comment, Dr. Peter Roy-Byrne, editor-in-chief of Journal Watch Psychiatry, said, "While a provocative finding, it is hard to conceive of a mechanism that
would account for increases in mortality with just a handful of sleeping pills taken annually."
BMJ Open article
What's Really Important in a Woman's Lipid
Profile?
Prospective
data from the Women's Health Initiative suggest that HDL level is a significant inverse predictor of coronary events,
regardless of LDL level.
Mora
S et al. Ann Intern Med 2011 Dec 6; 155:742
Patients with Psoriasis Have an Increased Risk for Coronary Artery Disease
The association between psoriasis and vascular disease strengthens with greater disease severity
and duration.
More
and more studies show a heightened risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease of the coronary, cerebral, and peripheral vascular
systems in patients with psoriasis. The increased risk appears to be independent of other traditional risk factors, including
hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus, which are also more prevalent in psoriasis patients and other populations
with chronic inflammatory disease. The association between psoriasis and vascular disease strengthens with greater disease
severity and duration. Some findings suggest that decreasing systemic inflammation (e.g., with methotrexate or tumor necrosis
factor-α antagonists) has a beneficial effect on some risk factors.
These
authors examined the records of 9473 patients who had undergone coronary angiography and found that 204 of them (2.2%) had
a history of documented psoriasis prior to the procedure. Patients with psoriasis had greater mean body mass index than those
without psoriasis, but other risk factors were not more prevalent in the psoriatic patients, although such patients had a
nonsignificant trend toward hypercholesterolemia. The researchers found that psoriasis was significantly associated with coronary
artery disease (odds ratio, 1.8), particularly of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Additionally, coronary artery
disease was significantly more common in those with disease duration longer than 8 years compared with those with a history
of shorter duration. Lastly, patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were more likely to have a history of prior myocardial
infarction than were those with mild psoriasis.
Erectile Dysfunction Appears to Be More Prevalent in Psoriatic Patients
Dermatologists should ask male patients with psoriasis about ED and make appropriate referrals.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) became easier to discuss
with the development of sildenafil and an accompanying marketing campaign that included then-Senator Bob Dole. Now, most internists
discuss ED with their male patients. In a relatively small study published last year, questionnaires completed by patients
with psoriasis suggested that the disease was not an independent risk factor for ED. The authors noted that increasing age
and hypertension were risk factors for ED and concluded that dermatologists should screen for ED (Br J Dermatol 2011; 164:103)
in these patients.
Now, using a population-based dataset, researchers from Taiwan
analyzed more than 4000 patients with ED and compared them 1:3 with non-ED controls. Of the 18,424 participants, 77 (1.7%)
of the ED patients and 59 (0.4%) of the controls had an antecedent diagnosis of psoriasis. The risk for having a prior psoriasis
diagnosis in patients with ED (odds ratio, 3.85) remained after adjusting for monthly income, geographic location, hypertension,
diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, obesity, and alcohol abuse/alcohol dependence syndrome status.
Medline abstract (Free)
Gestational diabetes raises
women's heart risk
Women with gestational diabetes had a 26% increased risk of developing cardiovascular
disease in later years, researchers reported in Circulation. They also noted bigger waistlines and higher blood glucose concentrations
in women with large-for-gestational-age babies than in those with babies whose size was appropriate for gestational age. Endocrine Today
The Y chromosome and coronary
artery disease
The human Y chromosome is associated with risk of coronary artery disease in
men of European ancestry, possibly through interactions of immunity and inflammation.
The Lancet
Statin Labels Updated to Include Diabetes, Memory, and Drug Interaction Risks
The FDA is making several changes to the labels of statins following a comprehensive review,
the agency announced on Tuesday:
· Incident
diabetes and increased blood glucose are possible with statin use. Several meta-analyses found an increased risk for diabetes
(9%–13%) in patients taking statins.
· Reversible
memory loss and confusion are possible, though rare. The FDA said there is no evidence that these side effects
lead to significant cognitive decline later.
· Routine
monitoring of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase is no longer required, although testing before statin
initiation and as clinically indicated is still recommended. The agency has concluded that serious liver injury among patients
taking statins is rare and cannot be prevented with routine monitoring.
·
Use of lovastatin is now contraindicated with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors — including itraconazole
and erythromycin — to reduce the risk for rhabdomyolysis. Lovastatin's new label also lists dose
limitations and several other drugs to avoid.
FDA MedWatch safety alert
White-Matter
Findings in Infants at High Risk for Autism
Among
infants at high risk for autism, development in white-matter tracts differs between those
who were and those who were not diagnosed with autism at 24 months.
Another
Molecular Clue About Exercise's Power to Combat Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Exercising muscle produces irisin, which converts calorie-storing white fat cells into calorie-burning brown fat cells.
During the past 14 years, researchers have identified an
important biochemical pathway in energy metabolism. At the center of this pathway is a molecule
called PGC1-α, a transcription factor that stimulates the coordinated activation of many other genes. Exercise
triggers muscle cells to produce PGC1-α; as a result, white fat cells develop into brown fat
cells (which burn rather than store calories and insulin resistance is reduced. But how does muscle-derived PGC1-α
elicit its effects in distant tissues?< /P>
These investigators
now report that PGC1-α stimulates muscle cells to produce and secrete a hormone, which
they call irisin. This hormone transforms subcutaneous white fat cells into brown fat cells. Even without exercise
or decreases in caloric intake, irisin causes weight loss and reduced insulin resistance
in mice. Human muscle also produces irisin in response to exercise; indeed, human and mouse irisin are identical.
Comment: These results demonstrate that exercise not only burns calories directly, but also causes the body to
burn additional calories through activation of the PGC1-α pathway and subsequent production of irisin. Besides being
an important discovery in the molecular physiology of exercise, irisin might one day constitute a treatment for obesity and
insulin resistance. Many "silver bullets" for obesity have come and gone; still, I'd bet on this newly discovered
molecule.
Boström P et al. A PGC1-α-dependent
myokine that drives brown-fat-like development of white fat and thermogenesis. Nature 2012 Jan 26; 481:463.
Medline abstract
TAK-875,
a Free Fatty Acid Receptor Agonist, Improves Control in Type 2 Diabetes
An agonist of free fatty acid receptor 1 appears to improve glucose control as well as the sulfonylurea
glimepiride does, but with fewer side effects, according to a phase II, industry-conducted study in the Lancet. The drug, TAK-875, stimulates insulin secretion in the presence of rising glucose.
Roughly 425 patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes were randomized to either various doses of TAK-875,
glimepiride, or placebo. After 12 weeks of daily treatment, patients taking TAK-875 at 50
mg and higher had a 1% drop in hemoglobin A1c, similar to that observed among those taking glimepiride. Incidence of
adverse events was similar between the TAK-875 and placebo groups, while the glimepiride group had significantly more hypoglycemic
episodes and weight gain.
The authors caution that their small sample
size, short treatment period, and multiple group comparisons "should lead to caution in interpretation of the results
beyond hypothesis generation."
Lancet article
FDA Advisers Recommend Approval of
New Diet Pill
FDA advisers have voted
20 to 2 to approve the diet pill Qnexa, a combination of phentermine and topiramate,
Reuters reports. If approved, Qnexa will be the first new prescription weight-loss pill to hit the market in 13 years.
In 2010, the FDA rejected the pill's approval over concerns that it could raise the risk for heart
problems and birth defects. During this week's meeting, advisers said the manufacturer should conduct a study on the potential
for heart problems, while supporting the company's intent to restrict its use to nonpregnant women. The advisers were
split on whether the heart study should be performed before or after the pill's approval.
Reuters story
Alzheimer
Flies Benefit From Turmeric-Based Drug
Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric,
prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimer's. The study conducted at Linkoping University, indicates that it is the initial stages
of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons.
Ina Caesar, as the lead author, has published the
results of the study in the prestigious journal PLoS One.
For several years curcumin has been studied as a possible drug candidate to combat Alzheimer's
disease, which is characterized by the accumulation of sticky amyloid-beta and Tau protein fibres. Linköping researchers
wanted to investigate how the substance affected transgenic fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), which developed
evident Alzheimer's symptoms. The fruit fly is increasingly used as a model for neurodegenerative diseases.
Five groups of diseased
flies with different genetic manipulations were administered curcumin. They lived up to 75 % longer and maintained their mobility
longer than the sick flies that did not receive the substance.
However, the scientists saw
no decrease of amyloid in the brain or eyes. Curcumin did not dissolve the amyloid plaque;
on the contrary it accelerated the formation of fibres by reducing the amount of their precursor forms, known as oligomers.
The results
confirm our belief that it is the oligomers that are most harmful to the nerve cells,
says Professor Per Hammarstrom, who led the study.
We now see that small molecules
in an animal model can influence the amyloid form. To our knowledge the encapsulation of
oligomers is a new and exciting treatment strategy.
Several theories have been
established about how oligomers can instigate the disease process. According to one hypothesis, they
become trapped at synapses, inhibiting nerve impulse signals. Others claim that they cause cell death by puncturing the cell
membrane.
Curcumin is extracted from the root of herbaceous plant turmeric
and has been used as medicine for thousands of years. More recently, it has been tested against pain, thrombosis and cancer.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=241647
Overeating Linked To Memory Loss
A study released today and scheduled to be presented at the American Academy
of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April
28, 2012, shows that those over 70 eating more than 2,100 calories per day, nearly
double their risk of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is
considered to be the stage between normal memory loss that comes with aging and early Alzheimer's disease. Study author
Yonas E. Geda, MD, MSc, with the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale,
Arizona and a member of the American Academy of Neurology said :
"We observed a dose-response pattern which simply means; the higher the amount of calories
consumed each day, the higher the risk of MCI."
1,233 people between the ages of 70 and 89 and free of dementia residing in Olmsted County, Minn. were studied. 163 had MCI and participants
noted the amount of calories they ate or drank in a food questionnaire. They were divided into three equal groups based on
their daily caloric consumption. One-third of the participants consumed between 600 and 1,526 calories per day, one-third
between 1,526 and 2,143 and one-third consumed between 2,143 and 6,000 calories per day.
Even
after adjusting for history of stroke, diabetes, amount of education, and other factors that can affect risk of memory loss,
the risk for the highest calorie group was nearly double that of the lower calorie group. There was no noticeable difference
in risk for the middle group.
Geda concluded :
"Cutting
calories and eating foods that make up a healthy diet may be a simpler way to prevent memory loss as we age."
The
co-authors of the study include Ronald C. Petersen, MD, Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, and other investigators
of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging in Rochester, Minn.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=241589
Future Risk For Osteoporosis May Be Lowered By Exercising During Early
20s
http://mnt.to/l/44FQ
Cardiac Arrests Often Preceded By Fainting
http://mnt.to/l/44B4
Dark Chocolates On Valentine's Day Are Better For You
http://mnt.to/l/44Cb
Research Suggests That Diabetes May Start In The Intestines
http://mnt.to/l/44HH
Protein May Play Role In Obesity, Diabetes, Aging
http://mnt.to/l/44H9
Link Between NSAIDs And Reduced Cancer Metastasis Strengthened By Study
http://mnt.to/l/44DH
Study Suggest 7 Hours' Sleep Best For High School
Students
http://mnt.to/l/44Cx
Smoking Speeds Up Male Cognitive Decline
http://mnt.to/l/44vj
Sleeping More Reduces Risk Of Alzheimer's
http://mnt.to/l/44Hg
A New Theory Of Sleep Disruption And Dissociation - Fragmented Sleep, Fragmented Mind
http://mnt.to/l/44Gw
Heart Disease May Be A Risk Factor For Prostate Cancer
http://mnt.to/l/44yT
Botanical Formula Effective In Treating Prostate Cancer
http://mnt.to/l/44KR
Mediterranean Diet Reduces Small Vessel Damage In The Brain
http://mnt.to/l/44FM
Study Of Resveratrol May Lead To Treatments For Vascular And Metabolic Diseases
http://mnt.to/l/44BF
Organic Food Can Have High Concentrations Of Arsenic
http://mnt.to/l/44Jk
Switching To Water, Diet Beverages Can Tip The Scales
http://mnt.to/l/44Fs
Women Born To Older Mothers Have A Higher Risk Of Developing Breast Cancer
http://mnt.to/l/44vQ
No Breast Cancer Protections From Soy Isoflavone Supplements
http://mnt.to/l/44tb
What Is Normal Blood Pressure?
http://mnt.to/l/44C8
Link
Between Sodium, Calcium And Heartbeat
That flutter in your heart may have more to
do with the movement of sodium ions than the glance of a certain someone across a crowded room.
Using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron, researchers from the University of British Columbia have revealed,
for the first time, one of the molecular mechanisms that regulates the beating of heart cells by controlling the movement
of sodium in out of the cells - and what calcium has to do with it. The findings, published in the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, sheds new light on this crucial
physiological process while revealing the root cause and possible treatment targets of two potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmiaconditions.
The contraction and relaxation of heart muscle cells depend on minute but finely regulated electrical impulses
that are created when charged atoms - or ions - of metals such as sodium, potassium and calcium
pass through complex molecular channels inside and between cells. Irregular heartbeats, referred to medically as arrhythmias,
can happen when these channels leak or otherwise malfunction. Professors Filip van Petegem and Christopher Ahern, members
of UBC's Cardiovascular Research Group, used the CLS to determine the molecular structure
of a part of the channel that controls the flow of sodium to cells in the heart, as well as in other electrically-excitable
cells such as in the nervous system.
"The heart is an electrical organ that depends on precise electrical
signals to contract [and pump blood]" explains van Petegem. "It is crucial for
heart rate that the signalling, controlled by the movement of sodium, be exact. So the entry of sodium into the cell is tightly
regulated."
The sodium channel that passes through the outer
membrane of heart cells is actually a huge, intertwined four-part molecule. The teams of Van Petegem and Ahern chose a section
of the molecule that appeared to regulate the closing of the channel by forming a plug, thus
stopping sodium from getting through.
The researchers were surprised to discover
that a protein called calmodulin binds to the sodium channel, keeping it open by preventing
the plug from forming. Calcium ions, in turn, regulate the connection between the protein and the channel: calcium ions cause
the protein to hook up to the channel, keeping it open and letting sodium through.
Problems occur
with the system when genetic mutations change the shape of the channel at the site where
the protein binds, affecting how well the channel can open and close. The result - the
flow of sodium into the muscle cells is disrupted and the heart does not beat regularly.
The scientists
have been able to identify mutations in the site that lead to two different kinds of heart arrhythmia: Brugada Syndrome and
Long Q-T type 3, so-called from the tell-tale trace doctors see on the ECG of patients suffering from the problem. Brugada syndrome is considered to be caused by not enough sodium getting into cells, while long Q-T is the result
of too much sodium.
The results of the study could pave the way
for the development of new drugs that can shore up how the calmodulin protein binds to the sodium channel, effectively treating
both conditions as well as other arrhythmias.
"It's really a very elegant
mechanism," notes van Petegem. "Many channels are regulated by calmodulin but not in such a simple way."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=241664
Taste Receptors Discovered In Pancreatic Beta Cells Can Sense Fructose And Stimulate
Insulin Secretion
http://mnt.to/l/44vD
Exercise In Low Oxygen Environment May Result
In Improved Insulin Sensitivity
http://mnt.to/l/44s8
Probable Mechanism Underlying Resveratrol Activity Revealed By NIH Study
http://mnt.to/l/44s7
How Bacteria Come Back From The Dead
http://mnt.to/l/44sR
Why The Middle Finger Has Such A Slow
Connection
http://mnt.to/l/44wR
Working
Memory And The Brain
http://mnt.to/l/44w3
Images Of Nerve Cells In The Brain Of A Living Mouse
http://mnt.to/l/44vR
Shedding Light On The Genetics Of Rice Metabolism
http://mnt.to/l/44yG
A Full Breakfast
That Includes A Sweet Dessert Contributes To Weight Loss Success, Say TAU Researchers
http://mnt.to/l/44xq
What Is A Healthy Weight?
http://mnt.to/l/44xX
What We Eat Can Alter The Brain Regions That Regulate Body Weight
http://mnt.to/l/44wF
Obesity Epidemic Linked To Brain Mechanisms
http://mnt.to/l/44ww
The Pathway To Losing Fat Is Heavily Influenced By A Hormone Produced In The Heart
http://mnt.to/l/44vz
Odds Of Living A Very Long Life Lower
Than Formerly Predicted
http://mnt.to/l/44wn
Study Of Identical Twins Reveals Mechanisms Behind Aging
http://mnt.to/l/44sh
Study Reveals Molecular Path From Internal
Clock To Cells Controlling Rest And Activity
http://mnt.to/l/44xM
Shedding Light On How The Brain Adapts
To Stress
http://mnt.to/l/44hD
Risk Of Surgical Complications May Be
Reduced By Limiting Protein Or Certain Amino Acids Before Surgery
http://mnt.to/l/44hN
Raised Cardiovascular Risk For Adolescents Consuming Large Amounts Of Fructose
http://mnt.to/l/44hd
Alcohol Consumption And Risk Of Colon
Cancer In People With A Family History Of Such Cancer
http://mnt.to/l/44nx
Cocoa Could Prevent Intestinal Pathologies Such As Colon Cancer
http://mnt.to/l/44gW
Are
All Itches The Same? - Probably Not
http://mnt.to/l/44nZ
Biological
Time-Keeper Linked To Diabetes
http://mnt.to/l/44nt
Sugar - Attacking Health Globally
http://mnt.to/l/44qs
What Is Brown Fat? What Is Brown Adipose Tissue?
http://mnt.to/l/44p9
Caffeine Alters Estrogen Levels
http://mnt.to/l/44md
Caffeine Consumption Linked To Estrogen Changes
http://mnt.to/l/44kr
The Importance Of Metabolism In Understanding
Health Benefits Of Cocoa Flavanols: Recent Study By Mars, Incorporated And Partners
http://mnt.to/l/44j4
Appetite Accomplice:
Ghrelin Receptor Alters Dopamine Signaling
http://mnt.to/l/44hC
