Vitamins K1 & K2 Reduce Diabetes Risk
A study found that higher intakes of phylloquinone and menaquinone (also known as Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2) reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The research covered a 10-year period and observed that those with the highest intake of phylloquinone had a 19% lower risk of diabetes compared to those with the lowest intake. To a lesser extent, menaquinone was linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes which was further reduced with greater intake of menaquinone. Dietary deficiencies of vitamin K are rare; however, deficiencies are more common in those with liver disease, cystic fibrosis and inflammatory bowel diseases and are linked to long-term aspirin use.
Phylloquinone, or vitamin K1, is found chiefly in leafy green vegetables such as spinach, Swiss chard and brassica (vegetables such as cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts). Some fruits such as avocado and kiwi are also high in vitamin K1. Menaquinone, or vitamin K2, is found in meat, eggs, dairy and natto (fermented soybeans). The study will be published in the August 2010 issue of the journal, Diabetes Care. It is now available online at http://bit.ly/aq90QB.
Toxic Sales Receipts?
Sales receipts contain up to 1,000 times the amount of BPA found in the epoxy lining of some food cans, a previous source of controversy.
Just one grocery receipt contained 41 mg, which exceeds the EPA’s maximum ingestion limit for a 155-pound male. The chemical residue on receipts sinks into the skin to the point that it may not wash off; whether it actually transfers to the blood vessels deep in the skin is not known.
BPA was found on 40 percent of the receipts collected from supermarkets, automated teller machines, gas stations and chain stores by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), according to the group’s release to the media on July 27. Prompting this EWG survey, scientists had reported July 11, 2010 that the thermal paper used in sales receipts is a major source of BPA although their study will not be published until a future issue of the journal, Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry. Meanwhile, this study is available online at the journal site at http://bit.ly/abynos.
Listening to Music While Studying Impairs Performance
A study found that listening to background music while performing cognitive tasks – yes, kids, such as studying – impairs overall mental performance and ability to do arithmetic or recall information later.
The surprising aspect to the study findings is that the interference with mental ability and ability to recall remained strong even when the music being heard is among a person’s favorite music; same as listening to music the subject hated. Quiet produced the best recall performance.
The researchers stressed that music might have some generally beneficial effect on our health but only when one listens to it prior to – never while – performing mental tasks or memorizing material. This study will be published in the September 2010 issue of the journal, Applied Cognitive Psychology. It is available early to read online at http://bit.ly/aCr5GE.
Insomnia & Sleep Drugs in Children
A study found that among children visiting child psychologists for mental health issues, 20% of preschoolers, and a third of school-aged children and adolescents, suffer from insomnia.
Researchers also discovered many of these young patients receive drugs to promote sleep. This is a substantial percentage to have sleep problems.
The psychologists prescribed drugs to alleviate the impact late-onset sleep and disturbed sleep have on daytime functioning; also, medications prescribed for psychological issues may have a negative effect on sleep.
Despite prescribing a wide array of sleep medications, the psychologists expressed concerns about the use of sleep medications – including sedatives, antihistamines and antidepressants – by children with many pointing out that little data exist on the effectiveness and safety of these drugs in children and adolescents.
The researchers concluded there is need for further study on appropriate treatment choices for children with sleep problems. They also reported that past studies found behavioral treatments such as relaxation techniques, sleep restriction and cognitive behavioral therapy to be effective for childhood insomnia.
This study will appear in the August 2010 
print issue of the journal, Sleep Medicine. Further details can be read online now at: http://bit.ly/aYBILR.
Produce Pesticides Linked to ADHD
CHICAGO—Children exposed to common pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have an increased risk of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an article by Bridget M. Kuehn, published in the Journal of American Medical Association (2010;304(1):27-28). In the review titled “Increased Risk of ADHD Associated With Early Exposure to Pesticides, PCBs,” Kuehn said individuals who are exposed early in life to organophosphates or organochlorine compounds, widely used as pesticides or for industrial applications, are at greater risk of ADHD, according to recent studies.
She noted previous studies linked ADHD with very high levels of childhood exposure to organophosphate pesticides, such as levels experienced by children living in farming. However, more recent research has found children who experience more typical levels of pesticide exposure, such as from eating pesticide-treated fruits and vegetables, have a higher risk of developing the disorder.
She said researchers found pregnant women exposed to low-level organochlorine exposure increased the chances of their children developing ADHD-like behavior. In particular, they found ADHD was associated with higher levels of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p’-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (a metabolite of the pesticide DDT). She noted both have been banned from production in the United States for decades, but persist in the environment.
One specific study she mentioned, conduced by Canadian and Boston researchers, found a 10-percent risk of ADHD in children with the lowest organophosphate exposure compared to a 20-percent risk in those in the highest exposure levels. The lead author of that study said organophosphates are known to cause toxicity by interfering with neurotransmitters, which could cause ADHD.
A separate study noted by Kuehn found children born to mothers who lived near a PCB-contaminated harbor in New Bedford, MA, had significant increases in ADHD-like behavior, especially at higher exposure levels. The risk of ADHD-like behavior increased 26 percent to 92 percent, depending on the particular organochlorines to which they were exposed.
SAFE PRODUCE LIST
The Environmental Working Group has just posted their new shoppers guide to produce to help you choose between produce that MUST be purchased organic, vs. produce that you can buy that is grown conventionally. Download the list and keep it with your reusable shopping bags to make the right choice next time you shop for your family, click here to download the safe produce list: http://tinyurl.com/2f5wpyz.
Lack of Omega 3s Leads to Weight Gain
NICE, France—Those who don’t want their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to be overweight may want to add omega-3 supplements to their diet. A new study from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis found eating too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s can lead to weight gain that can pass on through generations (J Lipid Res. 2010 Aug;51(8):2352-61).
The French researchers pointed out obesity has steadily increased over the last few decades. During this time, populations of industrialized Western countries have been exposed to diets rich in fat with a high content of the omega-6 linoleic acid and a low content of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid. Experts say human beings evolved on a diet with approximately a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs), whereas in Western diets, the ratio is 15:1 to 16.7:1.
In order to determine how this imbalance affects obesity, researchers fed male and female mice a high-fat diet (35 percent energy as fat) with the linoleic acid:a-linolenic acid ratio was 28 to 1. These mice mated randomly, and after breeding, maintained the same diet for successive generations.
While the mice’s genomes did not change, the offspring showed, over four generations, a gradual enhancement in fat mass due to combined hyperplasia (where the body builds extra cells in organs or tissue) and hypertrophy (an increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its cells) with no change in food intake.
Transgenerational changes in insulin-resistance and inflammation markers levels also occurred, singling an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
The authors concluded, “Thus, under conditions of genome stability and with no change in the regimen over four generations, we show that a Western-like fat diet induces a gradual fat mass enhancement, in accordance with the increasing prevalence of obesity observed in humans.”
Link Between Car Exhaust & Diabetes?
Long-term exposure to the inflammatory pollutants from automobile traffic may be a risk factor for development of Type II diabetes later in life. A handful of past studies have suggested some potential link between inflammation from vehicle pollution and diabetes and cardiovascular risk. But German research on middle-aged women, released in 2010 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, was the first to follow subjects over many years and – although not substantially proving a cause-and-effect relationship – adds weight to the overall evidence.
The study suggested that the risk of diabetes might increase by 15-42% for every 25% increase in traffic exposure. The greatest risk stemmed from nitrogen dioxide, a major byproduct of car exhaust. The mechanism for pollution’s effect on disease risk may involve one of two effects: the pollutant could contribute to disease by stimulating an inflammatory response in the body; or those who already have high levels of inflammation may be unable to handle the effects of pollution. The linkage between pollution, inflammation and diabetes is unclear. Further study is needed to pinpoint this mechanism and to determine whether the link holds true for men and children as well.
Calorie Restriction & Cancer
A study found that a calorie-restricted or CR diet – a daily regimen of substantially reduced calorie intake – can slow and restrict the spread of malignant brain cancer.
Lowering regular calorie intake reduces blood glucose (sugar) levels and thus, reduces the carbohydrate energy available to the tumor cells. Tumor cells rely heavily on this source of energy. But normal brain and heart cells can still survive by using the energy supplied by ketones (compounds produced when fatty acids are broken down in the liver and kidney).
The research showed that tumor cells are far more susceptible than healthy brain cells to the stress arising from a deficient supply of energy; the brain cancer cells cannot grow on a low-calorie diet. The cancer tested – and restricted – was glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive and invasive form of human brain cancer. This study will not be published in print until the August, 2010 issue of the neurochemistry journal, ASN NEURO. The full-text version can now be read online at: http://bit.ly/cRKqJF.
Childhood Physical Abuse Raises Risk of Heart Disease
A new study involving 13,093 people has found a 45 percent greater risk of heart disease in adulthood among those who were abused physically during childhood.
The link remained even after taking into account other factors that could also affect the result, such as stress, parental addictions, mood disorders, income, obesity and other aspects. The study team suggested further research is required to understand exactly what biological mechanism could explain the link behind childhood physical abuse and adult heart disease. The researchers advised that patients known to have been physically abused or neglected during childhood should have their cardiovascular risks managed more aggressively due their higher risk.
Just released, this study will be published in a future issue of the journal, Child Abuse & Neglect. It can be read online at http://bit.ly/b17NdB.
Muscular Build May Reduce Severity of Heart Failure
A new study suggests that compared to those with a greater percentage of body fat, patients with more muscle fare better in the face of heart failure.
More muscle generally indicated improved nutritional status and less severe heart failure, found researchers, which could extend length of life.
Higher body fat was associated with increased inflammation and reduced exercise capacity.
Participants underwent special scans to measure their muscle mass and body fat. The study showed that body mass index (BMI) of heart failure patients doesn’t accurately measure their body fat status. In fact, 41 percent were inaccurately classified by BMI.
The study lends some support to the idea – but does not demonstrate clearly – that those who are treating heart failure patients may wish to recommend weight loss to these patients. This study was published in this month’s issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings and is available to read online, with subscription to the journal at: http://bit.ly/9R1Qj5.
Blueberries Can Reduce Cardiovascular Risk
A small study found that blueberry consumption by diet alone reduces key cardiovascular disease risk factors in obese men and women with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Everyday for 8 weeks, 48 participants consumed a beverage comprised of 960 mL of water, 50 gm of freeze-dried blueberries and about 350 gm of fresh blueberries. Researchers found that, compared with the control group, the blueberry group showed lower systolic and diastolic readings – the upper and lower numbers in a blood pressure reading. They also found lower blood levels of LDL, or “bad cholesterol” in the blueberry group. The blood sugar levels were not affected.
The study concluded that “blueberries may improve selected features of metabolic syndrome and related cardiovascular risk factors,” at doses that can be achieved through food consumption alone. This study was released July 21, 2010 by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and is available to read online, with journal subscription at: http://bit.ly/dAf3BK.
Fructose Promotes Cancer Growth
Carbohydrate metabolism is essential for cancer growth and increased refined carbohydrate consumption is known to affect cancer survival.
A new study suggests that – contrary to conventional wisdom – refined fructose, a sugar and carbohydrate, is metabolized differently than the sugar known as glucose; and that unlike glucose, fructose causes cancer cells to multiply.
Traditionally, sugars were considered to be so similar that they must be metabolized by the body in much the same way and little attention has been given to sugars other than glucose. But the study found that fructose – which is being consumed more dramatically in recent decades – is delivered to cells using different transporters than glucose. Fructose is readily metabolized by cancer cells to produce certain compounds that result in the proliferation of the cancer. The study drew a direct link between fructose and increased pancreatic cancer growth.
Researchers concluded that cancer patients should reduce their intake of refined fructose in order to disrupt cancer growth. The study was just released by Cancer Research, and will be published in a future issue of the journal. It is available online to subscribers to the journal: http://bit.ly/9XxUOC.
Do You Know How Much Vitamin D Your Body Needs?
Two thirds of the world’s population, including about half the people in North America and Western Europe, get an insufficient supply of vitamin D, according to vitamin D expert Anthony Norman, PhD.
His article appeared in the July, 2010 issue of Endocrine Today, a monthly newspaper about diabetes and endocrine disorders. Several studies have reported reduced risks of breast cancer, colon cancer and type 1 diabetes with adequate levels of vitamin D, the positive effect generally occurring within five years of beginning to get an adequate vitamin D intake, writes Norman.
It was Norman’s lab that discovered, in 1967, that vitamin D is converted by the body into a steroid hormone; and later discovered that 37 body organs respond to it biologically.
Vitamin D is found in very few foods naturally – fish, eggs and cod liver oil – which is why some other foods such as milk, orange juice, some yogurts and some breakfast foods are fortified with it.
Currently, the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is:
- 200 international units (IU) for people up to 50 years old;
- 400 IU for people 51 to 70 years old; and
- 600 IU for people over 70 years old.
But many scientists suggest that amounts as high as 2,000 to 4,000 IU are required for optimal health, levels which cannot be achieved through food alone; a combination of food, sunshine and supplements may be needed to achieve these levels.
Does Your Doc Get an A?
DOCTORS OFTEN SCORE ‘F’ WHEN PATIENT NEEDS INDIVIDUALIZED CARE
A study has shown that although general practitioner medical doctors (MDs) fare well when treating patients with typical symptoms or in need of standard care, they often fail to provide effective treatment for patients with complex symptoms, special needs or different circumstances.
The study was based on 400 visits to MDs in Chicago and Milwaukee by actors posing as patients and given a strict script to follow. The MDs often failed to recognize “biomedical red flags,” indicating significant secondary health issues; and frequently missed “contextual red flags,” important life issues, such as the recent loss of a job and the resultant stress or loss of health insurance.
In biomedically complicated cases, only 22 percent of doctors provided error-free care; in contextually complicated cases, only 28 percent provided error-free care; and where both types of complication existed, only 9 percent of MDs served up error-free care.
The researchers suggested traditional medical education is the problem. This study was published today in the July 20, 2010 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine and is available to read online, with journal subscription at: http://bit.ly/bGV1C6.
Nature’s Own Mosquito Repellant
A study has discovered two insect-emitted “kairomones” that repel mosquitoes naturally, keeping them from laying eggs in the area.
Many people have heard of pheromones, which influence behavior in another member of the same species. But fewer have heard of predator-released kairomones, or PRKs, compounds detected by a member of a different species and frequently used to its advantage.
Researchers found that the backswimmer (N. maculate), a natural mosquito predator, emits two hydrocarbons called n-heneicosane and n-tricosane. If female mosquitoes approaching a pool of water to lay eggs detect these kairomones in the air, most do not land. Instead, they move on seeking another safer body of water – if they don’t die before succeeding. The scientists assert that the discovery of these two compounds and others that may yet be discovered, could produce an environmentally-friendly way to repel and control disease-carrying insects. Most diseases transmitted to humans by mosquitoes – causing over 2 million deaths a year – come from the older female, making this particular discovery especially useful.
This study was published in the July 2010 issue of the journal Ecology Letters and can be read online, with either journal subscription at: http://bit.ly/a3vHzE
How to Live Longer
A study has provided insight into how a calorie restricted diet extends lifespan and prevents age-related diseases.
Scientists have long known that calorie restricted diets or CR, and very low calorie diets or VLCD, have this longevity effect in animals and presumably in humans, but the mechanism has been unclear.
This study on mice looked for senescent cells – cells that have reached the point where they can no longer reproduce – to determine whether a restricted diet had any effect on this process, believed to be the main cause of aging.
They found a reduced accumulation of senescent cells in the liver and intestines, organs known to accumulate large numbers of these cells with age. Also, the telomeres – protective tips on the ends of chromosomes that prevent cell replication errors and disease, until they shorten with age – were better maintained in the restricted mice. Because the effect occurred after a short period of restriction, the researchers suggested that the longevity benefit might occur even when the diet is adopted later in life rather than for an entire lifetime.
This study was presented at the conference of the British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA) in Newcastle, UK, on July 16, 2010 but it has not been published.
Metformin Increases Risk of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Long term use of metformin, the commonly prescribed “cornerstone” type 2 diabetes drug, increases the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.
A deficiency of this vitamin raises levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood; higher levels are considered a risk factor for heart disease.
Metformin causes malabsorption of vitamin B12 and this negative effect increases over time. The study establishing this link was posted online at the site of the British Medical Journal on May 20, 2010 and the full-text version is now available at: http://bit.ly/aml8wr.
Alcohol Boosts Risk of Stroke For 1 Hour After Consumption
Previous research has shown that regular heavy drinking of alcohol increases the risk of ischemic stroke; research also has shown that regular light to moderate can decrease the risk.
But what effect on stroke risk does random or irregular alcohol drinking have?
Does a single drink produce an immediately higher risk?
And do different types of alcoholic beverages pose different ischemic stroke risks?
Ischemic stroke is a stroke characterized by reduced blood supply to the heart. Scientists interviewed 390 stroke victims and compared their regular alcohol consumption with their consumption just prior to the stroke. It was found that the risk of stroke more than doubles for the hour immediately following an alcoholic drink. Think of it as the not-so-happy hour.
Also, the risk does not vary with the type of drink and is independent of other risk factors (such as smoking). A brief abstract of this study was released July 15, 2010 and will be published in a future issue of the journal Stroke. In the meantime, the full-text version can be read online with a subscription to the journal: http://bit.ly/bMXeSf
Cashew Seed Extract Combats Diabetes
A study has found that cashew seed extract is an effective anti-diabetic and may be useful as a nutraceutical – a product that provides health and medical benefits – to combat diabetes.
Researchers concluded that the cashew seed extract significantly stimulated absorption of blood sugar into muscle cells.
Diabetic persons have high blood sugar because their body does not respond well to insulin or does not produce enough of the hormone. Insulin fuels the absorption of blood sugar into the body’s muscles.
Cashew products – leaves, bark, seeds and apples from cashew trees – have traditionally been alleged to be beneficial to diabetics. The new study found that of these products, only cashew seed extract lowered blood sugar. This confirms the traditional use for diabetes and points to possible future oral remedies. A summary of this study has been released early and will be published in a future issue of the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. Further details are available online with journal subscription at: http://bit.ly/bCfi4p
Risk of Parkinson’s with Low Vitamin D
A study of 3,000 people found that those with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D appeared to be three times as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease later in life – up to 30 years later – compared to those with highest levels.
Parkinson’s affects several brain areas and causes tremors and slow movements. Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because the skin can produce substantial amounts when in the presence of sunlight. It is also found in oily fish, milk, cereals and supplement pills.
For years, scientists have known that vitamin D assists calcium uptake and bone formation but recent evidence suggests it plays a role in regulating the immune system and developing the nervous system.
A level of 30 nanograms per milliliter of blood appears optimal for bone health. But the researchers suggested further research to determine the optimal blood level of vitamin D for brain and nerve health, as well as to determine the level of toxicity, neither of which is known. This study, which has been published in the July 2010 issue of the journal, Archives of Neurology, can be read online with journal subscription: http://bit.ly/bqfjsl
Acupuncture Helps Heart Failure Patients
Acupuncture helps heart failure patients.
Although exercise can be beneficial to patients with heart failure, exercising is a problem because shortness of breath and fatigue – which make vigorous or longer-term exercise difficult – are, in themselves, symptoms of heart failure.
But acupuncture can increase exercise tolerance.
The needles do not increase heart function; but they appear to boost skeletal muscle strength and thus, increase the distance patients can walk. Although heart disease is seen as a pump problem, it also involves inflammation and an imbalance in nerve transmitter substances; acupuncture seems to bring these systems back into balance.
A study found that focusing on acupuncture points associated in Traditional Chinese Medicine with muscle strength and inflammation allowed patients to walk further and get more exercise. The study appeared in the June 15, 2010 issue of the journal Heart and can be read online with subscription to the journal here: http://bit.ly/dlgsR7.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Increases Risk of Heart Failure
A study has found that men aged 40 to 70 who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have a higher risk of heart failure and coronary heart disease.
This link was not found in women or in men over 70.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which sleeping patients repeatedly stop breathing for at least 10 seconds. Heart failure occurs when the heart is weakened to the point that it cannot supply enough blood for the body’s need. Coronary heart disease is the inability of the blood vessels of the heart to supply sufficient blood to heart muscles.
A total of 1,927 men and 2,495 women free of heart problems were tested. Men – but not women – with significant OSA were found to have a 68 percent greater risk of coronary heart disease and were 58 percent more likely to develop heart failure.
If you suspect you might have OSA, talk to your health practitioner. A brief summary of this study was released July 12, 2010 and will appear in a future issue of the journal, Circulation. The full-text version is available online with a subscription to the journal
at: http://bit.ly/bwdrER.
Predict the Risk of Diabetes II
A study has developed a simple measure to predict an individual’s risk of diabetes type 2.
Ordinarily, various factors give a general risk indication: for example, having a family member with diabetes, or having a large waist measurement. But researchers have found that using a “nomogram” that combines two readings is much more accurate, in addition to being quicker, easier and cheaper.
The two readings are the systolic blood pressure reading (the upper blood pressure number) and the waist-to-hip ratio, or WHR.
The higher the score on each, the higher is the risk.
A nomogram is a tool that shows three parallel lines on a sheet of paper with, in this case, the line on the left representing the systolic reading, the line on the right representing the WHR and the middle line representing the resultant risk. A line is drawn from the systolic reading to the WHR and where it intersects the middle line represents the risk of diabetes.
Details of this jus
t-released study won’t appear until a future issue of the journal Diabetologia. More info here: http://bit.ly/asW2q9
How To Prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration
| Nutrition and diet can affect the risk of acquiring Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD.
AMD is a relatively common medical condition usually affecting older adults and causing a loss of vision in the center of the visual field. One study of 4,000 people aged 55-80, found that eating foods scoring low on the Glycemic Index (GI), also known as “slow carbs,” protects against AMD. A food’s GI is an indicator of how fast the carbohydrate it contains will spike blood sugar levels; lower GI scores mean a slower sugar spiking. The study’s analysis also produced a short list of specific nutrients that – in combination with a low-GI diet – are associated with a lower risk of AMD: vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and the omega-3 fatty acids known as DHA and EPA. Earlier research linked AMD to a high-fat diet. This study appeared in the May, 2010 issue of the Journal Ophthalmology. The full-text version can now be read online at: http://bit.ly/aD5tPl. |
Can Past Surgery Cause CJD, Alzheimers or Parkinsons?
A jarring statistical study concludes that with few exceptions, those who become afflicted with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) do so 20 years after some type of surgery.
Caused by an infectious protein called a prion, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or CJD is the brain-wasting and always fatal disease that slowly causes holes in the brain, making it sponge-like. It is the human variant of mad cow disease, and scrapie in sheep, and is also called a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or TSE.
Heredity can be a cause but most cases are called sporadic, meaning their cause is unknown.
The reliability of the data prompted researchers to conclude there is a cause-and-effect relationship between CJD and surgery. Without ruling out blood transfusions as the route, the team suggested that prions may enter the body through the central or peripheral nervous system, conceivably from sanitized but reused equipment.
Unlike germs, prions are not alive and have no DNA, making them impossible to destroy by traditional methods such as heat or radiation.
But the nervous system route has greater implications: if CJD is externally caused by surgery, other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s could also be transmitted through surgery and lie dormant for decades before striking.
This study was released in advance of publishing in the print version of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry but the full article is available online now at: http://bit.ly/bxamv6.
Resveratrol May Reduce the Risk of Diabetes
Wine may reduce the risk of diabetes.
Resveratrol – a compound found in wine, grapes and peanuts – has a positive effect on impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), also known as pre-diabetes.
A study found that resveratrol supplements taken at concentrations higher than those normally found in wine, grapes or peanuts, resulted in lower post-meal glucose levels and improved insulin sensitivity, which are both positive implications for those at risk of diabetes.
A separate study found that overweight and middle-aged individuals experienced a 40 percent improvement in insulin sensitivity. Both studies were presented at the June, 2010 annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association.
Can Fish Oil Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer?
A study of 35,016 postmenopausal women with no history of breast cancer has found fish oil supplements may reduce the risk of this disease by 32 percent.
The study looked only at “specialty” supplements taken by each subject, those that did not fall into the category of vitamins or minerals.
The risk of invasive ductal breast cancer – the most common type of the disease – was shown to be reduced in those taking fish oil supplements, which contain high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. None of the other “specialty” supplements, commonly taken for menopausal symptoms, showed any association to breast cancer. Previous studies of dietary omega-3 oils or fish provided conflicting results. This study’s researchers speculate fish oil supplements may contain much higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids than are normally consumed in even an omega-3-rich diet and this could explain the difference in findings between supplements and diet.
A brief summary was released (12:05am ET, July 8, 2010) by the journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; but the full study will not be published until a future issue of the journal.