Low vitamin D levels are related to ms brain atrophy, cognitive function

ΩLow vitamin D levels may be associated with more advanced physical disability and cognitive impairment in persons with multiple sclerosis, studies conducted by neurologists at the University at Buffalo have shown.Their results, reported at the American Academy of Neurology meeting, held earlier this month, indicated that:The majority of MS patients and healthy controls had insufficient vitamin D levels.Clinical evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images show low blood levels of total vitamin D and certain active vitamin D byproducts are associated with increased disability, brain atrophy and brain lesion load in MS patients.A potential association exists between cognitive impairment in MS patients and low vitamin D levels.The MRI study involved 236 MS patients -- 208 diagnosed...

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Peppers May Help Lose Weight

Imagine your delight while enjoying your favorite Mexican food -- perhaps a fully loaded bean burrito topped with an ample supply of thinly sliced jalepeño peppers. What happens when you bite into a few more peppers than you bargained for? Does this thought conjure up the thought of a little heat? Perhaps even a bit of sweat on the brow?Indeed, food scientists can tell you that hot peppers contain a substance called capsaicin that not only adds spice to our foods but can actually cause your body to heat up. They hypothesize that plants evolved to contain capsaicin because it protected them from being eaten by insects and other pesky predators. On the contrary, cuisines worldwide rely on capsaicin-packing peppers to add pungency and zing to many traditional foods, and "pepperheads" often choose...

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No way to avoid Alzheimer's disease?

Many preventive measures for cognitive decline and for preventing Alzheimer's disease -- mental stimulation, exercise, and a variety of dietary supplements -- have been studied over the years. However, an independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health determined that the value of these strategies for delaying the onset and/or reducing the severity of decline or disease hasn't been demonstrated in rigorous studies."Alzheimer's disease is a feared and heart-breaking disease," said Dr. Martha L. Daviglus, conference panel chair and professor of preventive medicine and medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago. "We wish we could tell people that taking a pill or doing a puzzle every day would prevent this terrible disease, but current evidence doesn't support this."The panel's...

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Restraining Calories Boosts Immunity

Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found that volunteers who followed a low-calorie diet or a very low-calorie diet not only lost weight, but also significantly enhanced their immune response. The study may be the first to demonstrate the interaction between calorie restriction and immune markers among humans.The lead researcher, Simin Nikbin Meydani, is director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., and also of the HNRCA’s Nutritional Immunology Laboratory.The study is part of the “Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy” trial conducted at the HNRCA. As people age, their immune response generally declines. Calorie restriction has been shown to boost these immune...

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Jon's Health Tips - Latest Health Research

Previous health research posts:April 21April 13April 1March 9February 20February 3January 15So many new research reports have come out this week that I'm doing a new report much sooner than usual (click on links for details.)Lots of research on what's good for you: .Vitamin D and drinking alcohol doesn't reduce value of Vitamin D100 Percent Fruit Juice Green teaSeeing sick peopleJust seeing someone who looks sick is enough to make your immune system work harder. (Even looking at a picture works!)Keeping food off the table"When we kept the serving dishes off the table, people ate 20% fewer calories. Men ate close to 29% less."Brown rice Brown rice may decrease the activity of a protein known to induce high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.Exercise Exercise can forestall osteoporosisRegular...

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Keeping Food Off The Table Reduces Consumption

Can eating less be as simple as leaving serving dishes on the stove and off the table? According to a team of researchers from Cornell University, it can.At this week's Experimental Biology conference in Anaheim, Calif., researchers led by Brian Wansink, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, shared findings of their "Serve Here; Eat There" study of 78 adults."We looked at whether serving foods from the kitchen counter, instead of at the table, would reduce the number of times a person refilled his or her plate," Wansink said."Quite simply, it is a case of 'out of sight, out of mind,'" he continued. "When we kept the serving dishes off the table, people ate 20% fewer calories. Men ate close to 29% less."The same strategy can be used to help increase the consumption of healthier foods,...

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low-moderate alcohol consumption does not impair vitamin D status in women

ΩFor as long as our ancestors have been drawing pictograms or writing prose about food and culture, humans have been imbibing various forms of alcohol. Once simply a process by which nutritious beverages could be preserved and stored for later use, there is no doubt that the production and consumption of wines, beers, and spirits now provides integral texture to the fabric of many cultures. However, whether alcoholic drinks provide health benefits is an area of active and on-going debate and research among health and nutrition experts. For instance, moderate alcohol consumption is linked to increased risks of some forms of cancer. Conversely, drinking in reasonable amounts is associated with protection from cardiovascular disease and premature death.Because many of the studies that have been...

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Merely Seeing Disease Symptoms May Promote Aggressive Immune Response

ΩJust seeing someone who looks sick is enough to make your immune system work harder, according to a new study in which volunteers looked at pictures of sick people. This may help fight off pathogens, says Mark Schaller from the University of British Columbia who conducted the research. "It seems like it's probably good for the immune system to be responding especially aggressively at times when it looks like you are likely to be coming into contact with something that might make you sick."Previous research has found that, when people see someone who looks sick, they have a psychological response – they feel disgusted and want to stay away. Schaller, Gregory E. Miller, Will M. Gervais, Sarah Yager, and Edith Chen, all at the University of British Columbia, wanted to go one step farther,...

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Better vitamin D status could mean better quality of life for seniors

According to legend, it was The Fountain of Youth that the famed Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was seeking when he landed on the Floridian coast in 1513. It has long been said that he who drinks from the Fountain will have his youth restored. Without a doubt, the quest for eternal youth is as ancient as any pursuit. However, although we are now living longer than ever, there is now growing concern that quantity of years is not nearly as important as quality of those years. Indeed, as we experience the many joys of living longer, we also must deal with myriad consequences accompanying this aging trend. For instance, osteoporosis, arthritis, and other serious and often painful bone and joint diseases are much more common as we get older. And, not surprisingly, seniors often struggle daily with...

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Laughter is good for you

ΩStudy finds body's response to repetitive laughter is similar to the effect of repetitive exerciseLaughter is a highly complex process. Joyous or mirthful laughter is considered a positive stress (eustress) that involves complicated brain activities leading to a positive effect on health. Norman Cousins first suggested the idea that humor and the associated laughter can benefit a person's health in the 1970s. His ground-breaking work, as a layperson diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, documented his use of laughter in treating himself—with medical approval and oversight—into remission. He published his personal research results in the New England Journal of Medicine and is considered one of the original architects of mind-body medicine.Dr. Lee S. Berk, a preventive care specialist and psychoneuroimmunology...

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Brown rice and cardiovascular protection

ΩBrown or half-milled rice may decrease the activity of a protein known to induce high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseaseRice is generally thought to be a healthy addition to the diet because it is a source of fiber. However, not all rice is equally nutritious, and brown rice might have an advantage over white rice by offering protection from high blood pressure and atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries"), say researchers at the Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Physiology at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.New research by Satoru Eguchi, Associate Professor of Physiology, suggests that a component in a layer of tissue surrounding grains of brown rice may work against angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is an endocrine protein and a known culprit...

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Choosing different fruits and vegetables may increase phytonutrient intake

New research suggests Topping that bowl of cereal with raspberries instead of strawberries, or sautéing kale instead of spinach for dinner can boost phytonutrient intake, which may help decrease risk for certain chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.A study found that despite the availability of a wide range of foods that contain phytonutrients, many Americans are getting phytonutrients from a relatively small number of specific foods, which are not necessarily the most concentrated sources. Top food contributors for several key phytonutrient families in the diet include oranges, orange juice, carrots, grapes, garlic, tomatoes, strawberries, prepared mustard, tea and various soy products, according to the study."Americans could improve their phytonutrient...

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Grapes reduce risk factors for heart disease and diabetes

ΩFindings show grape consumption lowered blood pressure, improved heart function and reduced other risk factors for heart disease and metabolic syndromeCould eating grapes slow what's for many Americans a downhill sequence of high blood pressure and insulin resistance leading to heart disease and type 2 diabetes?Scientists at the University of Michigan Health System are teasing out clues to the effect of grapes in reducing risk factors related to cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The effect is thought to be due to phytochemicals -- naturally occurring antioxidants – that grapes contain.Findings from a new animal study will be presented today at the Experimental Biology convention in Anaheim, Calif., and show encouraging results of a grape-enriched diet preventing risk factors...

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4 unhealthy behaviors combine to increase death risk

Four unhealthy behaviors—smoking, lack of physical activity, poor diet and alcohol consumption—appear to be associated with a substantially increased risk of death when combined, according to a report in the April 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals."Several studies have shown that specific health behaviors, including cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, higher alcohol intake and, to a lesser extent, diets low in fruits and vegetables, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature mortality [death]," the authors write as background information in the article. Most studies that examine the effects of these behaviors control for other unhealthy behaviors to identify independent effects. However, several poor...

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Exercise can forestall osteoporosis

ΩThe stage for osteoporosis is set well before menopause—but exercise can help rewrite the script, according to Medical College of Georgia researchers.Declining estrogen levels have long been associated with osteoporosis, but bone density starts to decline years before these levels drop, according to Dr. Joseph Cannon, Kellet Chair in Allied Health Sciences and principal investigator of the National Institute of Aging-funded study. It's during that time that levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, released by the pituitary gland to help regulate ovarian function, actually increase.Cannon theorizes that higher levels of FSH decrease bone mineral density by increasing cytokines, regulatory proteins produced by white blood cells. One cytokine in particular, interleukin-1, signals certain cells...

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Regular aerobic exercise is good for the brain

ΩRegular exercise speeds learning and improves blood flow to the brain, according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine that is the first to examine these relationships in a non-human primate model. The findings are available in the journal Neuroscience.While there is ample evidence of the beneficial effects of exercise on cognition in other animal models, such as the rat, it has been unclear whether the same holds true for people, said senior author Judy L. Cameron, Ph.D., a psychiatry professor at Pitt School of Medicine and a senior scientist at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health and Science University. Testing the hypothesis in monkeys can provide information that is more comparable to human physiology."We found...

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Drinking 100 Percent Fruit Juice Is Associated With Improved Diet Quality In Children

ΩNew research shows children and teens who drink 100 percent juice have higher intakes of key nutrients compared to non-consumersConsumption of 100 percent fruit juice is closely linked to improved nutrient intake and overall diet quality in children and teens, according to new research presented yesterday at the Experimental Biology (EB) 2010 meeting.Two new studies from researchers at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and Baylor College of Medicine clearly highlight the benefits of drinking 100 percent fruit juice. Researchers used data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to compare the diets of juice drinkers to non-consumers.According to the findings, children 2-5 years of age who consumed fruit juice had significantly higher intakes...

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Phosphorous in sodas and processed foods accelerates signs of aging

ΩNew research in the FASEB Journal shows that high levels of phosphate in sodas and processed foods accelerate the aging process in mice and contribute to age-associated complications such as chronic kidney diseaseHere's another reason to kick the soda habit. New research published online in the FASEB Journal shows that high levels of phosphates may add more "pop" to sodas and processed foods than once thought. That's because researchers found that the high levels of phosphates accelerate signs of aging. High phosphate levels may also increase the prevalence and severity of age-related complications, such as chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular calcification, and can also induce severe muscle and skin atrophy."Humans need a healthy diet and keeping the balance of phosphate in the diet...

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Arginine supplements can improve the cycling ability of over-50s

Taking arginine supplements can improve the cycling ability of over-50s. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition tested a combination of the amino acid and an antioxidant in sixteen cyclists, finding that it enhanced their anaerobic threshold -- the amount of work done before lactic acid begins to accumulate in the blood.Zhaoping Li worked with a team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, USA, to carry out the randomized controlled trial. She said, "The loss of exercise capacity with age often results in a reduction in physical fitness and more rapid senescence. A dietary supplement that increases exercise capacity might help to preserve physical fitness by optimizing performance and improving general health...

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Eating too much sugar raises heart disease risk

Consuming a higher amount of added sugars in processed or prepared foods is associated with lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, the “good cholesterol”) and higher levels of triglycerides, which are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to a study in the April 21 issue of JAMA.“In the United States, total consumption of sugar has increased substantially in recent decades, largely owing to an increased intake of ‘added sugars,’ defined as caloric sweeteners used by the food industry and consumers as ingredients in processed or prepared foods to increase the desirability of these foods,” the authors write. No known studies have examined the association between the consumption of added sugars and lipid measures, such as HDL-C, triglycerides and low-density...

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Health threat posed by Americans' over-consumption of sodium

Responding to the health threat posed by Americans' over-consumption of sodium, experts in the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) called today for sodium reduction strategies that are strong and effective—and that maximize the enjoyment people derive from food."There is now overwhelming evidence that we must treat sodium reduction as a critical public health priority, much as we did when we discovered the harms of trans fats," said Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, chairman of the department of nutrition, HSPH, and a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. "The food industry tackled the trans fat reduction challenge with remarkable speed. We invite their best creative minds to bring similar...

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Mercury is higher in some tuna species

New research provides insight into healthier consumption of sushi New research showing that that mercury levels are higher in some species of tuna could help consumers minimize their consumption of the silvery metal in their sushi and provide a powerful new tool for regulatory organizations. The new research—combining DNA barcoding at that American Museum of Natural History with analysis of mercury content at Rutgers University—is published in Biology Letters early online edition and shows surprisingly that tuna sushi purchased in supermarkets might be healthier than that from restaurants. The sushi made for supermarkets tends to be yellowfin...

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Fish oil supplements provide no benefit to brain power

ΩThe largest ever trial of fish oil supplements has found no evidence that they offer benefits for cognitive function in older people.The OPAL study investigated the effects of taking omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements over a two year period on the cognitive function of participants aged 70-80 years.The number of people with cognitive impairment is rising and it is estimated that by 2040, more than 81 million people globally will have dementia.Some studies have suggested that high intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, most commonly found in oily fish, are important for the maintenance of good cognitive health in later life.The OPAL (Older People And omega-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) study, published today in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was a randomised...

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Green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases

Ω Scientists have confirmed that the healthful substances found in green tea — renowned for their powerful antioxidant and disease-fighting properties — do penetrate into tissues of the eye. Their new report, the first documenting how the lens, retina, and other eye tissues absorb these substances, raises the possibility that green tea may protect against glaucoma and other common eye diseases. It appears in ACS' bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.Green tea contains healthful substances that can penetrate eye tissues, raising the possibility that the tea may protect against glaucoma and other eye diseases.Chi Pui Pang and...

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