Stress doesn't increase the risk of multiple sclerosis

ΩContrary to earlier reports, a new study finds that stress does not appear to increase a person's risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). The research is published in the May 31, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology."While we've known that stressful life events have been shown to increase the risk of MS episodes, we weren't certain whether these stressors could actually lead to developing the disease itself," said study author Trond Riise, PhD, with the University of Bergen in Bergen, Norway.Researchers studied two groups of women nurses from the Nurses' Health Study. The first group of 121,700 nurses between the ages of 30 and 55 were followed starting in 1976. The second group of 116,671 nurses between the ages of 25 and 42 were followed...

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Selenium may prevent age-related diseases

ΩSevere deficiency of the vitamins and minerals required for life is relatively uncommon in developed nations, but modest deficiency is very common and often not taken seriously. New research published online in the FASEB Journal however, may change this thinking as it examines moderate selenium and vitamin K deficiency to show how damage accumulates over time as a result of vitamin and mineral loss, leading to age-related diseases."Understanding how best to define and measure optimum nutrition will make the application of new technologies to allow each person to optimize their own nutrition a much more realistic possibility than it is today." said Joyce C. McCann, Ph.D., a co-author of the study from the Nutrition and Metabolism Center at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute in...

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Blueberry's positive effects on cholesterol

ΩLaboratory hamsters that were fed rations spiked with blueberry peels and other blueberry-juice-processing leftovers had better cholesterol health than hamsters whose rations weren't enhanced with blueberries. That's according to a study led by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) chemist Wallace H. Yokoyama.Yokoyama pointed out that further research is needed to confirm whether the effects observed in hamsters hold true for humans. He works at the Western Regional Research Center operated in Albany Calif., by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the principal scientific research agency of USDA.In the investigation, hamsters were fed high-fat rations. For some animals, those rations were supplemented with one of three different kinds of juice byproducts: blueberry skins-that is, peels...

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Health Benefits of Vitamin E: Vitamin E Uses for Skin and Scars

Vitamin E was discovered in 1922, when rats were given a diet that was lacking in vitamin E, and they were unable to reproduce. When wheat germ oil was administered to them, they could reproduce. Then, vitamin E was isolated and was called the anti sterility vitamin.Vitamin E providesSeveral Health BenefitsWhat is Vitamin E?: What Does Vitamin E Do?Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin. It is also called tocopherol; ‘tokos’ meaning ‘offspring’ and ‘phero’ meaning ‘to bear’.Vitamin E is essential vitamin that has several pivotal roles to play, ranging from fertility, cardiovascular health, skin care, optimal nervous system functioning and prevention...

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When it comes to warm-up, less is more

ΩUniversity of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology researcher Elias Tomaras says the idea came to him while watching track and field sprinters warm-up for a race. "If you watch sprinters, short distance speed skaters or cyclists before their race, they will often warm-up for one to two hours, including several brief bouts of high intensity exercise. From an exercise physiology point of view, it seemed like it might be pretty tiring."Many coaches and physiologists believe that a longer warm up provides an increase in muscle temperature, acceleration of oxygen uptake kinetics, increased anaerobic metabolism and a process called postactivation potentiation of the muscles. However, very few studies have studied if warm ups has a detrimental effect on performance.As it turns out, the warm-up is one...

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Protein drinks after exercise help maintain aging muscles

ΩA new research report appearing online in the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) shows that what someone drinks after exercise plays a critical role in maximizing the effects of exercise. Specifically, the report shows that protein drinks after aerobic activity increases the training effect after six weeks, when compared to carbohydrate drinks. Additionally, this study suggests that this effect can be seen using as little as 20 grams of protein."It is not a mystery that exercise and nutrition help slow the aging process," said Benjamin F. Miller, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. "Studies such as ours help to explain how exercise and nutrition work so that we can better take...

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Caffeine can reduce fertility in women

ΩCaffeine reduces muscle activity in the Fallopian tubes that carry eggs from a woman's ovaries to her womb. "Our experiments were conducted in mice, but this finding goes a long way towards explaining why drinking caffeinated drinks can reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant," says Professor Sean Ward from the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, USA. Ward's study is published today in the British Journal of Pharmacology.Human eggs are microscopically small, but need to travel to a woman's womb if she is going to have a successful pregnancy. Although the process is essential for a successful pregnancy, scientists know little about how eggs move through the muscular Fallopian tubes. It was generally assumed that tiny hair-like projections, called cilia, in the lining of the...

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Omega-3 may reduce the risk of artery disease, heart attacks

Ωfor patients with stentsOmega-3 fatty acids, combined with two blood-thinning drugs, significantly changed the blood-clotting process and may reduce the risk of heart attacks in patients with stents in their heart arteries, according to research reported in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association.Foods rich in omega-3, such as salmon and other oily fish, have been previously shown in other studies to reduce the risk of heart problems in people with coronary artery disease. In this study, the participants were given the pill form of omega-3 (1,000 milligrams n-3 PUFA daily) and were encouraged to increase their consumption of oily fish.This study sought to determine what effects omega-3 might add to those of aspirin and clopidogrel."There...

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Sugar sweetened beverages increases gout risk four-fold

ΩDrinking four or more sugar sweetened beverages increases gout risk four-foldA study from New Zealand examined the association between gout and sugar-sweetened beverages (including soft-drinks and fruit juices), primarily sweetened with sucrose, in 1,386 people from various ethnic groups.The results of the study showed that, similar to an association found in US study participants, consuming four or more sugar-sweetened beverages (defined as one can or large glass) was associated with an up to four-fold increase in developing gout across ethnicities. Authors suggest that the association could be due to the effect of fructose on sUA concentrations, through the production of adenosine monophosphate (a nucleotide in RNA) which is converted into uric ac...

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Yoga good for rheumatoid arthritis and Fibromyalgia

ΩStudies show significant benefits of yoga in 2 conditionsIndividuals with rheumatoid arthritis who practice yoga showed statistically significant improvements in disease activity, according to a small study presented today at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress.The results of the study conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) among 47 patients (26 yoga patients and 21 controls) demonstrate that patients who completed 12 sessions of Raj yoga** which is one of the gentler styles of yoga, combining exercise and breathing techniques showed significant improvements in disease activity scores (DAS28) of p=0.021 and health assessment questionnaire's (HAQ†) of p=0.0015. However there was no statistically significant improvement on the quality of life scale (QoL)."Most patients with RA do not exercise...

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Resveratrol good for concussions?

ΩResearchers evaluate red wine compound for treating concussions in pro boxersUT Southwestern Medical Center researchers are engaging the help of professional boxers and trainers to study whether a component in red wine and grapes could help reduce the short- and long-term effects of concussions.Researchers plan to recruit about two dozen professional boxers to take the neuroprotective compound resveratrol after a fight to see if it reduces damage to the brain after impact and helps restore subtle brain functions and connections via its antioxidant effects. If successful, researchers hope the results may be applicable not only to concussions in other sports such as football and hockey, but also to everyday incidents such as falls, auto accidents and other blows to the head."We know from animal...

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Fish oil may have positive effects on mood, alcohol craving

ΩOmega 3 fatty acids may be beneficial for more than just the heart. Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine disclosed at a molecular level a potential therapeutic benefit between these dietary supplements, alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorders.In a multi-year study, researchers showed conclusive behavioral and molecular benefits for omega 3 fatty acid given to mice models of bipolar disorder. The fatty acid DHA, which is one of the main active ingredients in fish oil, "normalized their behavior," according to Alexander B. Niculescu, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and the lead author of the study reported online in the Nature Publishing Group journal Translational Psychiatry.Using a stress-sensitive mouse model of bipolar disorder developed in his lab, Dr. Niculescu...

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Precision-tinted lenses offer real migraine relief

ΩFor the first time, researchers have shown why precision-tinted lenses reduce headaches for migraine sufferers, a finding that could help improve treatment options for patients battling the debilitating ailment.Jie Huang of Michigan State University's Department of Radiology used functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to reveal how precision-tinted lenses normalize brain activity in patients with migraine headaches, preventing such attacks.Huang's research appears in the current edition of the journal Cephalalgia, published by SAGE.While tinted lenses are increasingly used for migraine sufferers, until now the science behind the effects was unclear. The team led by Huang showed how colored glasses - tuned specifically to each migraine sufferer - work by normalizing the activity in...

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Stress may increase risk for Alzheimer's disease

ΩStress promotes neuropathological changes that are also seen in Alzheimer's disease. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have discovered that the increased release of stress hormones in rats leads to generation of abnormally phosphorylated tau protein in the brain and ultimately, memory loss.Protein deposits in nerve cells are a typical feature of Alzheimer's disease: the excessive alteration of the tau protein through the addition of phosphate groups – a process known as hyperphosphorylation – causes the protein in the cells to aggregate into clumps. As a result, nerve cells die, particularly in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays an important role in learning and memory, as well as in the prefrontal cortex which regulates higher cognitive functions.Fewer...

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Increasing Daily Calcium Will Not Reduce the Risk of Fractures in Later Life, Study Suggests

ΩWhile moderate amounts of calcium (around 700 mg a day) are vital for maintaining healthy bones, there is no need to start increasing calcium intake in order to reduce the risk of fractures or osteoporosis in later life, finds a paper published on the British Medical Journal website on May 24.As people age, their bones lose calcium and they are more at risk of fractures and osteoporosis -- this is especially the case for women. As well as causing individual suffering, fractures are a huge drain on health services.With aging populations, this burden will increase in the coming years and therefore preventing them is a major public health issue, say the authors, led by Dr Eva Warensjö from Uppsala University in Sweden.The importance of increasing calcium intake to compensate for the loss of...

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Tangerines Fight Obesity/Protect Against Heart Disease

ΩNew research from The University of Western Ontario has discovered a substance in tangerines not only helps to prevent obesity, but also offers protection against type 2 diabetes, and even atherosclerosis, the underlying disease responsible for most heart attacks and strokes.Murray Huff, a vascular biology scientist at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, along with Erin Mulvihill, a PhD student, studied the effects of a flavonoid in tangerines called Nobiletin. Their research is published in the journal Diabetes.In a model of metabolic syndrome developed by the Huff laboratory at the Robarts Research Institute, mice were fed a "western" diet high in fats and simple sugars. One group became obese and showed all the signs associated with metabolic syndrome: elevated cholesterol...

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Vitamin A and its Remarkable Health Benefits: Vitamin A Oils and Capsules

Vitamin A plays a significant role in the maintenance of a healthy visual system and strong immune mechanism. The initial discovery of vitamin A was made in 1913, when the researchers found that animals that were fed a diet deficient in natural fats developed weak immune systems and inflamed eyes.What is Vitamin A?Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. In fact, it was the foremost fat-soluble vitamin to be discovered. The RDA or recommended dietary allowance for vitamin A is 5000 I.U.Sources of Vitamin A: Vitamin A FoodsCarrots are a excellentsource of Vitamin AThe most concentrated sources of vitamin A (preformed) are: whole milk and liver. Excellent...

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Cultural Activities Are Good for Your Health

ΩDoes going to the theatre make you feel good? Or perhaps you love to volunteer in creating exhibits and displays for the local library? A new study shows that participating in different cultural activities -- whether in schools, at church, or in the community at large -- is more than just good for your friends and neighbors -- it is also good for your health.Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) analyzed information about participation in cultural activities and health from a population-based study called HUNT that involved more than 50 000 participants from 2006-2008. The analysis showed a surprising link between participation in different kinds of community cultural activities and good health.Active or passive involvement both helpIn fact, being involved...

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Heart Failure Risk Lower in Women Who Often Eat Baked/Broiled Fish

ΩThe risk of developing heart failure was lower for postmenopausal women who frequently ate baked or broiled fish, but higher for those who ate more fried fish, in a study reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.In a large-scale analysis, women who ate the most baked/broiled fish (five or more servings/week) had a 30 percent lower risk of heart failure compared to women who seldom ate it (less than one serving/month).Previous research has found that fatty acids (omega-3) in fish -- EPA, DHA and ALA -- may lower risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing inflammation, resisting oxidative stress and improving blood pressure, cardiac and blood vessel function.This study showed that they type of fish and cooking method may affect heart failure risk. The...

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Study links acetaminophen to lower prostate cancer risk

ΩA new study from American Cancer Society researchers finds use of 30 tablets a month or more of acetaminophen (Anacin)for five or more years was associated with an estimated 38% lower risk of prostate cancer. The study appears in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention and is one of only two studies of prostate cancer to date that have examined the association with acetaminophen use that was both long-term and regular.Use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly long-term use, has been associated with modestly reduced risk of prostate cancer in some previous epidemiologic studies. Acetaminophen, a commonly used pain-reliever, is not traditionally considered an NSAID but can have anti-inflammatory effects.For the current study, researchers led...

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Brisk walking may help men with prostate cancer

ΩA study of 1,455 U.S. men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer has found a link between brisk walking and lowered risk of prostate cancer progression, according to scientists at the University of California, San Francisco and the Harvard School of Public Health.The scientists found that men who walked briskly -- at least three miles per hour -- for at least three hours per week after diagnosis were nearly 60 percent less likely to develop biochemical markers of cancer recurrence or need a second round of treatment for prostate cancer."The important point was the intensity of the activity – the walking had to be brisk for men to experience a benefit," said Erin Richman, ScD, a postdoctoral fellow at UCSF who is the first author on the study, published today in the journal Cancer Research....

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Alcohol Consumption and the Risk of Hypertension

ΩDrinking too much alcohol can raise BP to unhealthy levels, especially among men. Moderate amounts of alcohol actually protect women, but not men. The meta-analysis evaluated a total of 16 prospective studies, which included 158,142 men and 314,258 women. Among men, a linear dose–response relationship between alcohol intake and risk of development of hypertension was noted. As compared to non-drinkers, men consuming < 10g/day of alcohol had a relative risk (RR) of 1.006, those consuming 10-20 g/day had a RR of 1.091, and those consuming > 30g/day had a RR of 1.416. Among women, the meta-analysis indicated protective effects at < 10g/day (RR -0.867) and 10-20g/day (RR – 0.904) of alcohol consumption, while the risk increased in women consuming > 30g/day (RR – 1.188). The risk of...

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Effect of Coffee on Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease

ΩStudies have shown that it is possible for caffeine to cause a short, but dramatic increase in your BP, even if you don't have high BP. A new meta-analysis shows that, among hypertensive individuals, caffeine intake of 1.5 – 2 cups produces an acute increase in BP, which lasts for at least three hours. However, present evidence does not support an association between longer-term coffee consumption and increased BP or increased risk of cardiovascular disease among patients with HBP.In five trials, the administration of 200-300 mg caffeine (the content of 1.5-2 cups of filtered coffee) produced a mean increase of 8.2 mm Hg (95% confidence interval [IC] 6.2-10 mm Hg) in systolic BP and of 5.6 mm Hg (95% CI 4.2-6.9 mm Hg) in diastolic BP. The increase in BP was observed in the first hour after...

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Headache: "no treatment" and placebo groups had a high overall recovery rate

ΩHeadache is a very common complaint, with over 90% of all persons experiencing a headache at some time in their lives. Headaches commonly are tension-type (TTH) or migraine. They have high socioeconomic impact and can disturb most daily activities. Treatments range from pharmacologic to behavioral interventions. In a study published online today in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, a group of Dutch researchers analyzed 119 randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and determined the magnitude of placebo effect and no treatment effect on headache recovery rate."Although the intention of control and placebo interventions in research studies is to be relatively ineffective, the question rises as to what factors might cause improvement seen in these groups," commented...

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Salt Helps You Relax?

ΩElevated Levels of Sodium Blunt Response to Stress, Study ShowsAll those salty snacks available at the local tavern might be doing more than increasing your thirst: They could also play a role in suppressing social anxiety.New research from the University of Cincinnati (UC) shows that elevated levels of sodium blunt the body's natural responses to stress by inhibiting stress hormones that would otherwise be activated in stressful situations. These hormones are located along the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which controls reactions to stress.The research is reported in the April 6, 2011, issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience."We're calling this the Watering Hole Effect," says Eric Krause, PhD, a research assistant professor...

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Health Tips - Latest Health Research

I have a family history of diabetes, so I should be more worried about it than I am, but I will certainly try to keep my fat consumption down (with the occasional assistance of ALLI)Lowering Fat Intake Might Stave Off Diabetes Even without Weight LossSmall differences in diet – even without weight loss – can significantly affect risk for diabetes. In this study, 69 healthy, overweight people who did not have diabetes — but were at risk for it — were placed on diets with modest reductions in either fat or carbohydrate for eight weeks. At eight weeks, the group on the lower fat diet had significantly higher insulin secretion and better glucose tolerance and tended to have higher insulin sensitivity. These improvements indicate a decreased risk for diabetes.This is no longer a concern of mine,...

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Lowering Fat Intake Might Stave Off Diabetes Even without Weight Loss

ΩSmall differences in diet – even without weight loss – can significantly affect risk for diabetes, according to research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham published online May 18, 2011, by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.In this study, 69 healthy, overweight people who did not have diabetes — but were at risk for it — were placed on diets with modest reductions in either fat or carbohydrate for eight weeks.“At eight weeks, the group on the lower fat diet had significantly higher insulin secretion and better glucose tolerance and tended to have higher insulin sensitivity,” said Barbara Gower, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences at UAB and lead author of the study. “These improvements indicate a decreased risk for diabetes.”Gower says the unique aspect...

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Cell phone use may reduce male fertility

ΩMen who have been diagnosed with poor sperm quality and who are trying to have children should limit their cell phone use. Researchers have found that while cell phone use appears to increase the level of testosterone circulating in the body, it may also lead to low sperm quality and a decrease in fertility.“Our findings were a little bit puzzling,” says Rany Shamloul, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and lead researcher on the project. “We were expecting to find different results, but the results we did find suggest that there could be some intriguing mechanisms at work.”The research team discovered that men who reported cell phone use had higher levels of circulating testosterone but they also had lower levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), an important...

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Coffee seems to lower the risk of lethal prostate cancer

ΩDrinking coffee is a fine way to start the day, many men would agree. For those worried about prostate cancer, it appears to be a great way to start the day.The latest of many studies on whether a daily cup, or many cups, of java might lower a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer, especially lethal prostate cancer, falls on the side of coffee enthusiasts.A Harvard School of Public Health study of nearly 48,000 men found that those who drank more than six cups of coffee per day had a 60% reduced risk of developing lethal prostate cancer compared with nondrinkers.The reduction in lethal prostate cancer risk was similar between decaf and regular coffee drinkers. Thus, the researchers conclude, caffeine isn’t the wonder element -- good news for those who already consume far too much caffeine...

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Vitamin A for Skin, Eyes and Immunity: Preventing Vitamin A Toxicity

Recent studies in Australia have shown that 25000 IU of Vitamin A prompts the ability of insulin to control blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. However, with a Required Dietary Intake of 2500 IU, Vitamin A overdose is associated with serious diseases including liver cirrhosis. Scientists are working towards exploring safer Vitamin A derivatives which are effective and can be prescribed in higher doses. What is Vitamin A? Chemical Structure of Vitamin AVitamin A is a fat soluble nutrient which is stored in the liver. Vitamin A is present in the body in various chemical forms called retinoids. Though the role of Vitamin A in preventing night...

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