Latest Health Research

Keeping up on the latest health research is enough to drive someone who models his behavior after findings in earlier reports (me) nuts.  Contradictory reports keep coming in – the last 3 weeks have seen all too many of them.

Here they are:

Still no clear evidence for health benefits of vitamin D

Drinking alcohol several times a week increases the risk of stroke mortality

New evidence raises questions about the link between fatty acids and heart disease

An international research collaboration led by the University of Cambridge analysed existing cohort studies and randomised trials on coronary risk and fatty acid intake. They showed that current evidence does not support guidelines which restrict the consumption of saturated fats in order to prevent heart disease. The researchers also found insufficient support for guidelines which advocate the high consumption of polyunsaturated fats (such as omega 3 and omega 6) to reduce the risk of coronary disease.

Fish Oil Not All Its Cracked Up To Be?

People who take fish oil capsules may not be getting the heart-health benefits they desired, according to a pair of new research reports. Both studies found that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil supplements do not provide any significant protection against heart disease, when compared to other types of dietary fats.

"Looking at the 17 randomized clinical trials that we combined, the majority of the trials -- especially the more recent and large-scale ones -- showed consistently little or no significant effect on reducing coronary heart disease events," said Dr. Rajiv Chowdhury, lead author of a comprehensive review of nutrition research related to fats.

And here's more depressing news:

Depression increases heart failure risk by 40 percent

I’m glad I stopped taking Vitamin E and drink lots of white tea:

Antioxidants can protect against omega 6 damage -- or promote it

I miss hot dogs and salami!

High consumption of red meat, especially processed meat, may increase all-cause mortality. 

I should take a few minutes off outside every morning:

Morning rays keep off pounds

My ancestors must have done some medical research a long, long time ago:

Circumcision benefits far outweigh risks
I’m going to keep eating 85% dark chocolate almost every day:

Key chocolate ingredients could help prevent obesity, diabetes

More on why dark chocolate is good for you

The health benefits of eating dark chocolate have been extolled for centuries, but the exact reason has remained a mystery –– until now. Researchers reported here today that certain bacteria in the stomach gobble the chocolate and ferment it into anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart.

I’m going to keep taking Vitamin D and getting some sun as the debate rages on:

Vitamin D insufficiency sustained over 5 years contributes to increased 10-year fracture risk

More severe heart disease found in patients with vitamin D deficiency

I guess just drinking beer with dinner doesn’t accomplish the same thing:

Beer marinade could reduce levels of potentially harmful substances in grilled meats

Very good news for me:

Study finds gout drug may reduce risk of death

Physical activity and occasional drinking found to be associated with decrease in vision impairment

I eat a large bowl of oatmeal every day except Sunday:           

New reason to eat oats for heart health

I need to do more upper body strength building when I can’t go kayaking:

Older adults: Build muscle and you'll live longer

New UCLA research suggests that the more muscle mass older Americans have, the less likely they are to die prematurely. The findings add to the growing evidence that overall body composition — and not the widely used body mass index, or BMI — is a better predictor of all-cause mortality.