Recent findings in various medical studies have shown a possible beneficial relationship between serum carotenoids and cardiovascular health. In particular lycopene was thought to help prevent cardiovascular disease.Read More
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Alli is the only nonprescription weight loss drug approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). The FDA approved Alli's prescription version Xenical (Orlistat) in 1999. Now the FDA is investigating reports of liver damage in patients taking Alli and Xenical. On its Website, the FDA states it received over 30 reports of liver damage from 1999 through October 2008 in patients taking alli and Xenical. The cases included 27 hospitalized patients, with six suffering...Read More
The human appendix is a slimy sac that hangs from the cecum of the large intestine. The function of the appendix has long been debated. Charles Darwiin first theorized that the appendix was a useless, vestigial organ. The appendix is best known for appendicitis, an infection of the appendix that can be fatal if not treated. Now research reports that the appendix may not be a worthless evolutionary artifact. The study, published in the Journal...Read More
Osteopenia is a relatively new diagnosis defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1992. Osteopenia is a condition where bone mineral density is lower than normal and may be a precursor to osteoporosis. Patients with osteopenia are often prescribed osteoporosis drugs. Since 2003 yearly sales of osteoporosis drugs have doubled. Now the WHO has developed an online tool called FRAX to determine fracture risk of patients and osteoporosis treatment. In a New York Times...Read More
The World Health Organization has confirmed 3,205 H1N1 swine flu deaths world-wide. Each year about 250,000 to 500,000 people die from seasonal flu. However, sasonal flu vaccine will not protect against H1N1 swine flu. Now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the release of four H1N1 swine flu vaccines. "Today's approval is good news for our nation's response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus," states FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D, in a...Read More
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a parasite that causes the intestinal disease toxoplasmosis. T gondii is a common parasite that infects over one billion people globally. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted through contaminated food, water, soil and cat feces. Now research reports that probiotics may help prevent and treat parasite infections. Probiotics such as acidophilus and bacillus are beneficial bacteria found in the intestinal flora. Probiotics are known to support GI (gastrointestinal) health and immunity. The study,...Read More
Telomeres are located at the tips of DNA chromosomes and shorten with cell aging and oxidative stress. Telomere shortening is associated with human aging and age-related diseases. Studies show that environmental factors and lifestyle choices can affect oxidative stress (damage caused by free radicals). Now research reports that male tea drinkers have longer telomeres than non-tea drinkers. This suggests that antioxidants found in tea may protect telomeres from oxidative damage and shortening. The study, published...Read More
Research suggests that infection and inflammation may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Gammaretroviruses have been found to cause cancer in animal cells. Now research reports that the XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus) retrovirus was discovered in human prostate cancer cells. This finding can aid the development of prostate cancer diagnostic tests, antiviral treatments and viral prevention. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, investigated the association of XMRV with prostate...Read More
Vitamin B6 is needed for mineral transport across cell membranes and for the conversion of homocysteine to cysteine. Homocysteine is a toxic amino acid that can damage blood vessels. It's a biomarker for cardiovascular disease when elevated in the blood. Now research reports that high blood levels of vitamin B6 may lower the risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction) in women. The study, published in Circulation, investigated the relationship between blood levels of vitamin B6 and...Read More
Zinc is an essential trace mineral and an important component in immune function and wound healing. Zinc stimulates production of the body's antioxidants and decreases inflammation. Antioxidants neutralize harmful radicals (toxic byproducts of metabolic functions) and protect against inflammation, cancer, and age-related diseases. Now research reports that zinc supplementation increases the activation of T cells (white blood cells) that fight viruses and bacteria. The study, published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, evaluated the effects of...Read More
About 60 percent of seniors suffer from osteoarthritis pain during the night. The pain is often accompanied by sleep disturbance and insomnia. Now research reports that the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-1) can reduce pain and comorbid insomnia. The study suggests that insomnia is not only a symptom of osteoarthritis but a co-existing illness. Therefore, improving sleep habits of osteoarthritis patients can also improve pain. The study, published in the Journal of...Read More
Previous research suggests that obesity increases the risk of chronic disease including heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Obesity in middle age may also increase the risk of dementia decades later. Now research reports that the brains of obese seniors looked 16 years older than the brain of lean seniors. Furthermore, the brain size of overweight and obese seniors were smaller than lean seniors. The study, published in Human Brain Mapping, investigated the relationship...Read More
Previous studies show the Mediterranean diet offers protection against heart disease, various forms of cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Now research reports that a low carb Mediterranean Diet reduced the need for prescription drugs in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes. The four year study compared the effects of a low fat American Heart Association type diet and a low carb Mediterranean Diet on drug therapy for diabetics. The study, published in Annals of...Read More
Alli is the only nonprescription weight loss drug approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). The FDA approved Alli's prescription version Xenical (Orlistat) in 1999. Now the FDA is investigating reports of liver damage in patients taking Alli and Xenical. On its Website, the FDA states it received over 30 reports of liver damage from 1999 through October 2008 in patients taking alli and Xenical. The cases included 27 hospitalized patients, with six suffering...Read More
The human appendix is a slimy sac that hangs from the cecum of the large intestine. The function of the appendix has long been debated. Charles Darwiin first theorized that the appendix was a useless, vestigial organ. The appendix is best known for appendicitis, an infection of the appendix that can be fatal if not treated. Now research reports that the appendix may not be a worthless evolutionary artifact. The study, published in the Journal...Read More
A study from the University of Milan investigated the antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation levels in human milk and formula.Read More
Osteopenia is a relatively new diagnosis defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1992. Osteopenia is a condition where bone mineral density is lower than normal and may be a precursor to osteoporosis. Patients with osteopenia are often prescribed osteoporosis drugs. Since 2003 yearly sales of osteoporosis drugs have doubled. Now the WHO has developed an online tool called FRAX to determine fracture risk of patients and osteoporosis treatment. In a New York Times...Read More
In the past, before the advent of safe corticosteroid medications, psoriasis was treated with simple measures aimed at reducing symptoms and improving skin function. A recent study published in the February issue of the Journal of Dermatology revisited a treatment of the past to assess its efficacy. Read More
The World Health Organization has confirmed 3,205 H1N1 swine flu deaths world-wide. Each year about 250,000 to 500,000 people die from seasonal flu. However, sasonal flu vaccine will not protect against H1N1 swine flu. Now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the release of four H1N1 swine flu vaccines. "Today's approval is good news for our nation's response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus," states FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D, in a...Read More
A study from the University of Arkansas was published in May that examined herb drug interaction in relationship to the detoxification system in the liver that is responsible for breaking down and eliminating drugs from the body.Read More
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a parasite that causes the intestinal disease toxoplasmosis. T gondii is a common parasite that infects over one billion people globally. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted through contaminated food, water, soil and cat feces. Now research reports that probiotics may help prevent and treat parasite infections. Probiotics such as acidophilus and bacillus are beneficial bacteria found in the intestinal flora. Probiotics are known to support GI (gastrointestinal) health and immunity. The study,...Read More
Telomeres are located at the tips of DNA chromosomes and shorten with cell aging and oxidative stress. Telomere shortening is associated with human aging and age-related diseases. Studies show that environmental factors and lifestyle choices can affect oxidative stress (damage caused by free radicals). Now research reports that male tea drinkers have longer telomeres than non-tea drinkers. This suggests that antioxidants found in tea may protect telomeres from oxidative damage and shortening. The study, published...Read More
Research suggests that infection and inflammation may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Gammaretroviruses have been found to cause cancer in animal cells. Now research reports that the XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus) retrovirus was discovered in human prostate cancer cells. This finding can aid the development of prostate cancer diagnostic tests, antiviral treatments and viral prevention. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, investigated the association of XMRV with prostate...Read More
An open label study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology looked at the efficacy of metformin compared to diet and antioxidant treatment for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Read More
A recent trial tested the efficacy of the statin drug atorvastatin with alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E) in patients on dialysis. The study was aimed at investigating the effects on the lipid profile as well as lipid oxidation in this population because of the high incidence of cardiovascular disease.Read More
A study published in the May issue of the Journal of Clinical Pathology was aimed at determining the antioxidant status of patients with Barrett's esophagus compared to healthy controls.Read More
Vitamin B6 is needed for mineral transport across cell membranes and for the conversion of homocysteine to cysteine. Homocysteine is a toxic amino acid that can damage blood vessels. It's a biomarker for cardiovascular disease when elevated in the blood. Now research reports that high blood levels of vitamin B6 may lower the risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction) in women. The study, published in Circulation, investigated the relationship between blood levels of vitamin B6 and...Read More
Zinc is an essential trace mineral and an important component in immune function and wound healing. Zinc stimulates production of the body's antioxidants and decreases inflammation. Antioxidants neutralize harmful radicals (toxic byproducts of metabolic functions) and protect against inflammation, cancer, and age-related diseases. Now research reports that zinc supplementation increases the activation of T cells (white blood cells) that fight viruses and bacteria. The study, published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, evaluated the effects of...Read More
About 60 percent of seniors suffer from osteoarthritis pain during the night. The pain is often accompanied by sleep disturbance and insomnia. Now research reports that the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-1) can reduce pain and comorbid insomnia. The study suggests that insomnia is not only a symptom of osteoarthritis but a co-existing illness. Therefore, improving sleep habits of osteoarthritis patients can also improve pain. The study, published in the Journal of...Read More
Previous research suggests that obesity increases the risk of chronic disease including heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Obesity in middle age may also increase the risk of dementia decades later. Now research reports that the brains of obese seniors looked 16 years older than the brain of lean seniors. Furthermore, the brain size of overweight and obese seniors were smaller than lean seniors. The study, published in Human Brain Mapping, investigated the relationship...Read More
Previous studies show the Mediterranean diet offers protection against heart disease, various forms of cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Now research reports that a low carb Mediterranean Diet reduced the need for prescription drugs in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes. The four year study compared the effects of a low fat American Heart Association type diet and a low carb Mediterranean Diet on drug therapy for diabetics. The study, published in Annals of...Read More
Researchers in London investigated the effects of supplementation with Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Vitamin E on heart function and functional decline in patients with Friedreich ataxia.Read More
