Friday, July 31, 2020

To improve students' mental health, Yale study finds, teach them to breathe

When college students learn specific techniques for managing stress and anxiety, their wellbeing improves across a range of measures and leads to better mental health, a new Yale study finds.

The research team evaluated three classroom-based wellness training programs that incorporate breathing and emotional intelligence strategies, finding that two led to improvements in aspects of wellbeing. The most effective program led to improvements in six areas, including depression and social connectedness.
The researchers, who reported findings in the July 15 edition of Frontiers in Psychiatry, said such resiliency training programs could be a valuable tool for addressing the mental health crisis on university campuses.
"In addition to academic skills, we need to teach students how to live a balanced life," said Emma Seppälä, lead author and faculty director of the Women's Leadership Program at Yale School of Management. "Student mental health has been on the decline over the last 10 years, and with the pandemic and racial tensions, things have only gotten worse."
Researchers at the Yale Child Study Center and the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (YCEI) conducted the study, which tested three skill-building training programs on 135 undergraduate subjects for eight weeks (30 hours total), and measured results against those of a non-intervention control group.
They found that a training program called SKY Campus Happiness, developed by the Art of Living Foundation, which relies on a breathing technique called SKY Breath Meditation, yoga postures, social connection, and service activities, was most beneficial. Following the SKY sessions, students reported improvements in six areas of wellbeing: depression, stress, mental health, mindfulness, positive affect, and social connectedness.
A second program called Foundations of Emotional Intelligence, developed by the YCEI, resulted in one improvement: greater mindfulness -- the ability for students to be present and enjoy the moment.
A third program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, which relies heavily on mindfulness techniques, resulted in no reported improvements.
In all, 135 Yale undergraduate students participated in the study. Across college campuses, there has been a significant rise in student depression, anxiety, and demand for mental health services. From 2009 to 2014, students seeking treatment from campus counseling centers rose by 30%, though enrollment increased by just 6% on average. Fifty-seven percent of counseling center directors indicated that their resources are insuf?cient to meet students' needs.
The researchers say resiliency training tools can address the overburdening of campus counseling centers directly. In the sessions. "Students learn tools they can use for the rest of their lives to continue to improve and maintain their mental health," said co-first author Christina Bradley '16 B.S., currently a Ph.D. student at University of Michigan.
Researchers administered the training sessions in person, but the courses can also be taken remotely.
"Continually adding staff to counseling and psychiatric services to meet demand is not financially sustainable -- and universities are realizing this," Seppälä said. "Evidence-based resiliency programs can help students help themselves."
Davornne Lindo '22 B.A., a member of the Yale track team who participated in the SKY Campus Happiness program, said practicing breathing techniques helped her to manage stress from both academics and athletics. "Now that I have these techniques to help me, I would say that my mentality is a lot healthier," Lindo said. "I can devote time to studying and not melting down. Races have gone better. Times are dropping." Another participant in the SKY program, Anna Wilkinson '22 B.A., said she was not familiar with the positive benefits of breathing exercises before the training, but now uses the technique regularly. "I didn't realize how much of it was physiology, how you control the things inside you with breathing," Wilkinson said. "I come out of breathing and meditation as a happier, more balanced person, which is something I did not expect at all."

Latest Health Research

 
 
Diet

Antioxidant-rich foods like black tea, chocolate and berries may increase risk for certain cancers

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 22 hours ago
It is a fact that has long baffled doctors: Cancer in the small intestine is quite rare, whereas colorectal cancer, a neighboring though much smaller organ, is one of the leading causes of cancer death for men and women. What is it about the colon that seems to "attract" cancer? To answer this question, Professor Yinon Ben-Neriah at Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)'s Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research and his team led by Dr. Eliran Kadosh, fou... more »

Link confirmed between a healthy diet and prostate cancer prevention

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 2 days ago
The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that more than 23,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020. Among other risk factors, more and more studies point to diet as a major factor in the development of prostate cancer, as it is for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Using data from a study conducted in Montreal between 2005 and 2012, a research team led by Professor Marie-Élise Parent of Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) has shown a link between diet and prostate cancer in the article "Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Risk of Pr... more »

Chocolate is good for the heart

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 6 days ago
EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOLOGY SHARE PRINT E-MAIL Sophia Antipolis, 23 July 2020: Eating chocolate at least once a week is linked with a reduced risk of heart disease, according to research published today in the *European Journal of Preventive Cardiology*, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 "Our study suggests that chocolate helps keep the heart's blood vessels healthy," said study author Dr. Chayakrit Krittanawong of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. "In the past, clinical studies have shown that chocolate is beneficial for both blood pressure a... more »

Diets high in protein, particularly plant protein, linked to lower risk of death

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 6 days ago
Findings support recommendations to increase consumption of plant proteins BMJ SHARE PRINT E-MAIL Diets high in protein, particularly plant protein, are associated with a lower risk of death from any cause, finds an analysis of the latest evidence published by *The BMJ* today. The researchers say these findings "support current dietary recommendations to increase consumption of plant proteins in the general population." Diets high in protein, particularly protein from plants such as legumes (peas, beans and lentils), whole grains and nuts, have been linked to lower risks of deve... more »

Plant-based diets high in carbs improve type 1 diabetes

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 6 days ago
-Plant-based diets rich in whole carbohydrates can improve insulin sensitivity and other health markers in individuals with type 1 diabetes, according to two case studies published by researchers from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in the*Journal of Diabetes & Metabolism*. Both case studies followed individuals with type 1 diabetes who adopted plant-based diets rich in whole carbohydrates--including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. The patients' health care teams tracked their blood sugar control, heart disease risk factors, and other health measureme... more »

Pizza study shows body copes surprisingly well with one-off calorie indulgence

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 6 days ago
UNIVERSITY OF BATH SHARE PRINT E-MAIL A new study, which involved participants eating pizza well after feeling 'full' in order to test what immediate effects this had on the body, finds that our metabolism is surprisingly good at coping with over-indulgence. Researchers with the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism at the University of Bath compared the effects of normal eating (i.e. 'eat until you are comfortably full') with maximal eating (i.e. 'eat until you cannot manage another bite'). They found that the young, healthy men (aged 22 - 37) who volunteered for the t... more »

Plant-based diets shown to lower blood pressure even with limited meat and dairy

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 6 days ago
Consuming a plant-based diet can lower blood pressure even if small amounts of meat and dairy are consumed too, according to new research from the University of Warwick. UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK SHARE PRINT E-MAIL Consuming a plant-based diet can lower blood pressure even if small amounts of meat and dairy are consumed too, according to new research from the University of Warwick. Published online by a team from Warwick Medical School in the *Journal of Hypertension* today (25 July), they argue that any effort to increase plant-based foods in your diet and limit animal products is... more »

Cinnamon may improve blood sugar control in people with prediabetes

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
Cinnamon improves blood sugar control in people with prediabetes and could slow the progression to type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in the *Journal of the Endocrine Society*. It is estimated that nearly 90 million people in the United States have prediabetes, which occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal and often leads to type 2 diabetes. Identifying strategies to prevent the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes is challenging, yet important for a large population. "Our 12-week study showed beneficial effects of adding cinnamon to the diet... more »
 
General Health

Night-time exposure to blue light associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 22 hours ago
PRINT E-MAIL [image: IMAGE] IMAGE: INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION NIGHT IMAGE OF BARCELONA, COURTESY OF THE EARTH SCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING UNIT, NASA. 18 APRIL 2013. TIME: 22:10:46 GMT (LOCAL TIME 00:10:46) (ISS035-E-23385).... view more CREDIT: COURTESY OF THE EARTH SCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING UNIT, NASA. Blue light has become an increasingly common component of urban outdoor lighting. But how does it impact our health? A team led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, has conducted the first study of the association... more »

Forty percent of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by targeting 12 risk factors throughout life

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 22 hours ago
An update to the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care adds excessive alcohol intake, head injury and air pollution to nine previously identified modifiable risks UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - HEALTH SCIENCES SHARE PRINT E-MAIL [image: IMAGE] IMAGE: MODIFYING 12 RISK FACTORS OVER A LIFETIME COULD DELAY OR PREVENT 40% OF DEMENTIA CASES. view more CREDIT: COURTESY OF KECK MEDICINE OF USC LOS ANGELES -- Modifying 12 risk factors over a lifetime could delay or prevent 40% of dementia cases, according to an updatedreport by the Lancet Commission on de... more »

Laughter acts as a stress buffer -- and even smiling helps

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 22 hours ago
People who laugh frequently in their everyday lives may be better equipped to deal with stressful events - although this does not seem to apply to the intensity of laughter. These are the findings reported by a research team from the University of Basel in the journal *PLOS ONE*. It is estimated that people typically laugh 18 times a day - generally during interactions with other people and depending on the degree of pleasure they experience. Researchers have also reported differences related to time of day, age, and gender - for example, it is known that women smile more than men on... more »
 

Enjoying short-term pleasurable activities contributes much to a happy life

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 2 days ago
Relaxing on the sofa or savoring a delicious meal: Enjoying short-term pleasurable activities that don't lead to long-term goals contributes at least as much to a happy life as self-control, according to new research from the University of Zurich and Radboud University in the Netherlands. The researchers therefore argue for a greater appreciation of hedonism in psychology. We all set ourselves long-term goals from time to time, such as finally getting into shape, eating less sugar or learning a foreign language. Research has devoted much time to finding out how we can reach these go... more »

Lithium in drinking water linked with lower suicide rates

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 2 days ago
Naturally occurring lithium in public drinking water may have an anti-suicidal effect -- according to a new study from Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London. Published in the *British Journal of Psychiatry*, the study collated research from around the world and found that geographical areas with relatively high levels or concentration of lithium in public drinking water had correspondingly lower suicide rates. Professor Anjum Memon, Chair in Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine at BSMS and lead... more »
 

Health and happiness depend on each other

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
Good health and a happy outlook on life may seem like equally worthy yet independent goals. A growing body of research, however, bolsters the case that a happy outlook can have a very real impact on your physical well-being. New research published in the journal *Psychological Science*shows that both online and in-person psychological interventions -- tactics specifically designed to boost subjective well-being -- have positive effects on self-reported physical health. The online and in-person interventions were equally effective. "Though prior studies have shown that happier people... more »
 
Medicine

Botox injections may lessen depression

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 22 hours ago
FDA database of drug side effects indicates the benefit may hold up no matter where Botox is injected UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN DIEGO SHARE PRINT E-MAIL Botox, a medication derived from a bacterial toxin, is commonly injected to ease wrinkles, migraines, muscle spasms, excessive sweating and incontinence. Forehead injection of the medication is also currently being tested in clinical trials for its ability to treat depression. Researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego have mined the U.S. Food and Drug Adminis... more »
 

Flu vaccine could protect against serious heart and stroke complications

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 2 days ago
The rate of seasonal flu vaccinations among high-risk groups such as people over age 50 and nursing home residents is extremely low, and those who do get their flu vaccination significantly lower their cardiovascular risks for heart attack, TIA (transient ischemic attack), death and cardiac arrest, according to preliminary research to be presented July 27-30, 2020, at the virtual American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2020 Scientific Sessions. The meeting is a premier global exchange of the latest advances in basic cardiovascular science including research in fi... more »
 
 
 

Flu vaccine may reduce risk of Alzheimer's disease

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 2 days ago
People who received at least one flu vaccination were 17% less likely to get Alzheimer's disease over the course of a lifetime, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). First author Albert Amran, a fourth-year medical student at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, presented the findings at the 2020 Alzheimer's Association International Conference July 27-31. The conference was held virtually due to COVID-19. Senior author of the study was Paul E. Schulz, MD, Rick McCord Professor in Neurology and Umphrey Family Professor in N... more »

Supplements

Calcium and vitamin D nutrient deficiencies lead to higher risk for osteoporosis

A new research article in the journal *PLoS ONE* examines inadequate nutrient intake and its relationship to poor bone health, specifically risk of osteoporosis. The research was a cross sectional analysis of the U.S population [from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data], with a specific focus on those below the poverty line with food insecurities. Poverty can be a barrier to routinely acquiring adequate nutrient intakes, sp... more »
 

Dietary guidelines advisory committee reinforces need for increased choline intake

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
Vulnerable populations, including infants, toddlers, pregnant and lactating women, are at greatest risk for choline deficiency On Wednesday, July 15, 2020, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC or Committee) - a group comprised of 20 nationally recognized health and nutrition experts - published the Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Advisory Report to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Among its findings, the Committee concluded that current choline intake levels are too low for most Americans an... more »
 
 
Aging

Older Americans receive cancer screenings past recommended age

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 22 hours ago
SHARE PRINT E-MAIL Older Americans may be receiving cancer screenings not recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The task force recommends routine screening for colorectal, cervical and breast cancers. These recommendations end for people at upper ages or who develop a condition that decreases their life expectancy. A routine screening above the recommended age is called overscreening. "There are two reasons why people should stop screening for cancer," Jennifer Moss, assistant professor of family and com... more »

Physical stress on the job = brain and memory decline in older age

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 6 days ago
A new study out of Colorado State University has found that physical stress in one's job may be associated with faster brain aging and poorer memory. Aga Burzynska, an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, and her research team connected occupational survey responses with brain-imaging data from 99 cognitively normal older adults, age 60 to 79. They found that those who reported high levels of physical stress in their most recent job had smaller volumes in the hippocampus and performed poorer on memory tasks. The hippocampus is the part of th... more »

What factors help predict who will keep their memory into their 90s?

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 6 days ago
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY SHARE PRINT E-MAIL MINNEAPOLIS - Why do some people stay sharp into their 90s, even if they have the amyloid plaques in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's disease? And why do others reach their 90s without ever developing any plaques? These questions are explored in a new study published in the July 22, 2020, online issue of *Neurology®*, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study involved 100 people who did not have dementia and were followed for up to 14 years, when they were an average of 92 years old. The pe... more »

Biggest risk factors identified to try and prevent Alzheimer's disease

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
Clinicians should identify and target 10 risk factors in their attempt to prevent Alzheimer's disease, say researchers There are at least 10 risk factors that appear to have a significant impact on a person's likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease that could be targeted with preventative steps, suggests research published in the *Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry*. Focusing on these factors, which include cognitive activity, high body mass index in late life, depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure, could provide clinicians with an evidence based guideline f... more »

Vision, hearing, touch, olfaction linked to cognition

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
Seniors who can identify smells like roses, turpentine, paint-thinner and lemons, and have retained their senses of hearing, vision and touch, may have half the risk of developing dementia as their peers with marked sensory decline. In a study by UC San Francisco, researchers tracked close to 1,800 participants in their seventies for a period of up to 10 years to see if their sensory functioning correlated with the development of dementia. At the time of enrollment, all participants were dementia-free, but 328 participants (18 percent) developed the condition over the course of th... more »

Genes, cardiovascular health each factor into dementia risk

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
Genes and cardiovascular health each contribute in an additive way to a person's risk of dementia, U.S. researchers including Sudha Seshadri, MD, and Claudia Satizabal, PhD, of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) reported July 20 in the journal *Neurology*. The study was conducted in 1,211 participants in the Framingham Heart Study and involved collaborators from Boston University. Participants with a high genetic risk score based on common genetic variants, including having an allele called apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4, were at a 2.6-f... more »

 

 
Exercise

Weight loss not always best strategy to enhance athletic fitness in young women

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 2 days ago
For young women seeking to improve their aerobic fitness and athletic performance, who are not overweight or obese, weight loss may be counterproductive, according to preliminary research to be presented July 27-30, 2020, at the American Heart Association's virtual Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2020 Scientific Sessions. The meeting is a premier global exchange of the latest advances in basic cardiovascular science including research in fields like microRNAs, cardiac gene and cell therapy, and cardiac development. "There is a common preoccupation among athletes in endurance sports th... more »
 

High levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria found on equipment in communal gyms

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 6 days ago
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY SHARE PRINT E-MAIL Washington, DC - July 24, 2020 - Research presented at ASM Microbe Online found that 43% of Staphylococcus bacteria found on exercise equipment in university gyms were ampicillin-resistant, with 73% of those isolates being resistant to multiple additional drugs. The late Xin Fan, Ph.D., and her student Chase A. Weikel of West Chester University (WCU) conducted the research in cooperation with WCU's John M. Pisciotta, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rough... more »
 

Regular exercise helps prevent high blood pressure, even in areas of high air pollution

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
Circulation Journal Report People who regularly exercise tend to have a lower risk of high blood pressure, even if they live in areas where air pollution is relatively high, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal *Circulation*. The risk-benefit relationship between air pollution and physical activity is an important public concern because more than 91% of people worldwide live in areas where air quality does not meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. "Extended outdoor activity in urban areas increases the intake of air... more »
 
 
 
COVID-19

Nitric oxide may slow progression of COVID-19

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
A recent review published by GW researchers suggests that nitric oxide has promise as a therapeutic to control the replication and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SHARE PRINT E-MAIL WASHINGTON (July 21, 2020) - Nitric oxide treatment can be pivotal in the world's fight against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to a review from the George Washington University (GW). The article is published in the journal *Nitric Oxide*. Nitric oxide is an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory molecule with key roles in pulmonary vascular function ... more »

The Lancet: UK's vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 is safe and induces an immune reaction

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
UK's vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 is safe and induces an immune reaction, according to preliminary results - - A phase 1/2 trial involving 1,077 healthy adults found that the vaccine induced strong antibody and T cell immune responses up to day 56 of the ongoing trial. These responses may be even greater after a second dose, according to a sub-group study of 10 participants - Compared to the control group (given a meningitis vaccine), the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine caused minor side effects more frequently, but some of these could be reduced by taking paracetamol. The... more »

The Lancet: Chinese phase 2 trial finds vaccine is safe and induces an immune response

Jonathan Kantrowitz at Health News Report - 1 week ago
Chinese phase 2 trial finds vaccine is safe and induces an immune response - - Phase 2 randomised controlled trial of a recombinant adenovirus type-5-vectored COVID-19 vaccine (Ad5-vectored COVID-19 vaccine) was conducted in China in April 2020 and involved more than 500 people - The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the immune response and safety of the vaccine, and to determine the most suitable dose for a phase 3 trial - Phase 3 trials are needed to confirm whether the vaccine candidate effectively protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection A p... more »
 

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Calcium and vitamin D nutrient deficiencies lead to higher risk for osteoporosis


Pharmavite LLC, the makers of Nature Made vitamins, minerals and supplements, announced the publication of a research article in the journal PLoS ONE, which examines inadequate nutrient intake and its relationship to poor bone health, specifically risk of osteoporosis. The research was a cross sectional analysis of the U.S population [from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data], with a specific focus on those below the poverty line with food insecurities.
Poverty can be a barrier to routinely acquiring adequate nutrient intakes, specifically for calcium and vitamin D, to ensure bone health with the ultimate goal of preventing of osteoporosis. Age, gender and dietary intake are major factors that contribute to osteoporosis prevalence. This study examined the relationship between markers of poverty with calcium and vitamin D intake and osteoporosis in Americans, 50 years and older.
"This study continues to demonstrate how prevalent nutrient deficiency is among the U.S. population, and even more so, among lower income individuals and those with food insecurities. Yet, we know that nutrient adequacy is imperative in supporting overall health and wellness, including immune health, at a time when that is heavy on everyone's mind," said Susan Hazels Mitmesser, PhD, Vice President of Science & Technology at Pharmavite.
In the U.S., 25% of older Americans live below the poverty line. Within this population, 68% have inadequate calcium intakes, and 46% have inadequate vitamin D intakes. Gender, ethnic, and socio-economic differences impact overall risk for inadequate calcium and vitamin D intakes and subsequent osteoporosis risk, as seen in some of the study key findings:
  • American women over the age of 50 consistently have inadequate calcium intake regardless of their economic status.
  • Inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D affects poverty-stricken men more than women with respect to osteoporosis risk.
  • Non-Hispanic Black men with a low income have two times greater risk for developing osteoporosis.
    "Improving the consumption of nutrient-rich and fortified foods among individuals that live in poverty can help to decrease their chances of developing osteoporosis. Additionally, dietary supplements can play a critical role in helping any underserved population meet their nutrition needs --including making supplements readily available through programs like SNAP, for example," adds Mitmesser. "Our research demonstrates that participants with SNAP benefits and more access to food, have fewer nutrient inadequacies which helps them meet their nutrition needs."
    It has been estimated in the U.S. population age 50 and older, about 10.2 million suffer from osteoporosis, and 80% of these affected cases are females. In addition, there are potentially 43.4 million people, or 44% of the population with osteopenia, which is a bone condition that often leads to osteoporosis. More than two million osteoporosis-related fractures occur annually, leading to more than 19 billion dollars in health care costs in the US.

Night-time exposure to blue light associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer

IMAGE
IMAGE: INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION NIGHT IMAGE OF BARCELONA, COURTESY OF THE EARTH SCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING UNIT, NASA. 18 APRIL 2013. TIME: 22:10:46 GMT (LOCAL TIME 00:10:46) (ISS035-E-23385).... view more 
CREDIT: COURTESY OF THE EARTH SCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING UNIT, NASA.
Blue light has become an increasingly common component of urban outdoor lighting. But how does it impact our health? A team led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, has conducted the first study of the association between night-time exposure to outdoor artificial light and colorectal cancer. The findings, published in Epidemiology, show that exposure to the blue light spectrum may increase the risk of this type of cancer.
Previous studies have found associations between night-time exposure to artificial light--especially blue light--and various adverse health effects, including sleep disorders, obesity and increased risk of various types of cancer, especially in night-shift workers. Blue light is a range of the visible light spectrum emitted by most white LEDs and many tablet and phone screens. An earlier study by ISGlobal found a link between exposure to blue light at night and increased risk of breast and prostate cancer.
"Using the same methodology as the previous study, we decided to analyse the relationship between exposure to artificial light and colorectal cancer, the third most common type of cancer worldwide after lung and breast cancer," explained Manolis Kogevinas, Scientific Director of the Severo Ochoa Distinction at ISGlobal and coordinator of the new study. The World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies night-shift work as probably carcinogenic to humans; breast, prostate and colorectal cancer are associated with the highest risk.
The authors analysed data obtained through the MCC-Spain project on approximately 2,000 adults in Barcelona and Madrid, of whom 660 had colorectal cancer and the rest were randomly selected from the local population. Individuals with a history of working night shifts were excluded. Night-time levels of outdoor artificial light were determined using images from the International Space Station (ISS).
Results from both cities showed that participants with the highest exposures to blue light had a 60% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than the less exposed population. No association was found with full-spectrum light.
"Night-time exposure to light, especially blue-spectrum light, can decrease the production and secretion of melatonin, depending on the intensity and wavelength of the light," explains Kogevinas.
Because exposure to light was estimated using satellite images, this calculation did not take into account individual behaviours such as the use of rolling shutters, which is common in Spain and other Mediterranean countries. The estimate of exposure can therefore be interpreted as the amount of light people are exposed to when they are outside their homes--a common pattern in Spain--and inside their homes before closing the shutters and going to bed.
"There is growing concern about the effects of light on ecosystems and human health," commented Kogevinas. "Research on the potential effects of light exposure is still in its infancy, so more work is needed to provide sound, evidence-based recommendations to prevent adverse outcomes."

Antioxidant-rich foods like black tea, chocolate and berries may increase risk for certain cancers


IMAGE
IMAGE: HEBREW UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR YINON BEN-NERIAH. view more 
CREDIT: EMET PRIZE
It is a fact that has long baffled doctors: Cancer in the small intestine is quite rare, whereas colorectal cancer, a neighboring though much smaller organ, is one of the leading causes of cancer death for men and women. What is it about the colon that seems to "attract" cancer?
To answer this question, Professor Yinon Ben-Neriah at Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)'s Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research and his team led by Dr. Eliran Kadosh, found that cancer mutations are not necessarily bad actors, in and of themselves. In fact, in certain micro-environments like the gut, these mutations can actually help the body to fight cancer, not spread it. However, if the gut microbiome produces high levels of metabolites, like those found in certain bacteria and antioxidant rich foods like black tea and hot cocoa, then it acts as a particularly hospitable environment to mutated genes and will accelerate the growth of bowel cancers. Their breakthrough findings were published today in Nature magazine.
Ben-Neriah and his team kept gut microbiomes in mind as they took a closer look at gastrointestinal cancers, and may have found the reason why only 2% of cancers take root in the small intestine, whereas a whopping 98% of cancers take place in the colon. One major difference between these two organs is their levels of gut bacteria: small intestines contain few, whereas colons contain multitudes. "Scientists are beginning to pay more and more attention to the role gut microbiomes play in our health: both their positive effects and, in this case, their sometimes pernicious role in aiding and abetting disease," explained Ben-Neriah.
A little background. TP53 is a gene found in every cell. It produces a protein called p53 which acts as the cell's barrier, suppressing genetic mutations in the cell. However, when p53 becomes damaged, it no longer protects the cell. Quite the opposite, it drives the cancer, helping tumors spread and grow.
To test their theory that gut flora was at play, the researchers introduced mutated p53 ("cancer-driving") proteins into the gut. Amazingly, the small intestine reacted by converting the mutated p53 cancer driver back to normal p53, turning into "super-suppressors" that were better at suppressing cancer growth than healthy p53 proteins. However, when mutated p53 was introduced into the colon, they did no switcheroo but stayed true to their driving-cancer nature and promoted the cancerous spread. "We were riveted by what we saw," recalls Ben-Neriah. "The gut bacteria had a Jekyll and Hyde effect on the mutated p53 proteins. In the small bowel they totally switched course and attacked the cancerous cells, whereas in the colon they promoted the cancerous growth."
To further test their theory that gut flora was a major factor as to why mutated p53 were acting as tumor blockers in the small bowel but tumor accelerants in the colon, the scientists administered antibiotics to kill off the colon's gut flora. Once they did, the mutated p53 was not able to go on its cancer spree.
What's in this flora that makes colon cancer spread so quickly? A close analysis identified the culprit: gut flora that produces metabolites, aka "antioxidants", which are found in high concentrations in foods such as black tea, hot chocolate, nuts and berries. Tellingly, when the scientists fed mice an antioxidant-rich diet, their gut flora accelerated p53's cancer-driver mode. This finding is of particular concern to those patients with a family history of colorectal cancer.
"Scientifically speaking, this is new territory. We were astonished to see the extent to which microbiomes affect cancer mutations--in some cases, entirely changing their nature," shared Ben-Neriah. Looking towards the future, those at high-risk of colorectal cancer may want to screen their gut-flora more frequently and think twice about the foods they digest, antioxidant and otherwise.

Botox injections may lessen depression


FDA database of drug side effects indicates the benefit may hold up no matter where Botox is injected
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN DIEGO
Botox, a medication derived from a bacterial toxin, is commonly injected to ease wrinkles, migraines, muscle spasms, excessive sweating and incontinence. Forehead injection of the medication is also currently being tested in clinical trials for its ability to treat depression.
Researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego have mined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Adverse Effect Reporting System (FAERS) database to see what nearly 40,000 people reported happened to them after treatment with Botox for a variety of reasons.
In the study, published July 30, 2020 in Scientific Reports, the team discovered that people who received Botox injections -- at six different sites, not just in the forehead -- reported depression significantly less often than patients undergoing different treatments for the same conditions.
"For years, clinicians have observed that Botox injected for cosmetic reasons seems to ease depression for their patients," said Ruben Abagyan, PhD, professor of pharmacy. "It's been thought that easing severe frown lines in forehead region disrupts a feedback loop that reinforces negative emotions. But we've found here that the mechanism may be more complex, because it doesn't really matter where the Botox is injected."
Abagyan led the study with Tigran Makunts, PharmD, who was a pharmacy student at the time and is now a research fellow at the FDA, and Marc Axel Wollmer, MD, a psychiatrist and researcher in Germany who has led past clinical studies in which Botox was found to alleviate depression.
The FAERS database contains more than 13 million voluntary reports of adverse effects people experienced while taking a medication. Abagyan and team have found they can also use the database to look at absence of a health complaint when a person takes a medication, if compared to a control group. In this case, they searched for the absence of depression.
The team focused on nearly 40,000 FAERS reports of people experiencing adverse events after Botox treatment. The reports cover Botox treatment for eight different reasons and injection sites, including forehead, neck, limbs and bladder. Then the team applied a mathematical algorithm to look for statistically significant differences between Botox users and patients who received different treatments for the same conditions.
Here's what they found: Depression was reported 40 to 88 percent less often by Botox-treated patients for six of the eight conditions and injection sites.
"This finding is exciting because it supports a new treatment to affect mood and fight depression, one of the common and dangerous mental illnesses -- and it's based on a very large body of statistical data, rather than limited-scale observations," Makunts said.
To be clear, the data used in this study was not collected for the purpose of exploring the association between Botox use and depression exclusively. In addition, the FAERS data represents only the subset of Botox users who experienced negative side effects. While the team excluded reports in which a person was also taking antidepressants, the use of other prescription and over-the-counter medications could have been underreported in some cases.
The clinical trial underway are directly testing Botox treatment for people with depression, a gold standard approach for gathering insights on the relationship between a medication and a health condition. Since that trial is only testing forehead injection of Botox, Abagyan says additional clinical trials may be necessary to work out the best site and dose to administer the medication specifically for the treatment of depression.
Likewise, more research is needed to determine the mechanism by which Botox acts as an antidepressant, Abagyan says. He and collaborators hypothesize a few possibilities worth investigating: Botox could be transported to the regions of the central nervous systems involved in mood and emotions. Or, since Botox is commonly used to treat chronic conditions that may contribute to depression, its success in relieving the underlying problem may indirectly also relieve depression.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 264 million worldwide experience depression. Depression is frequently treated with psychotherapy, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and/or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Yet these approaches are ineffective for nearly one-third of patients. That's why clinicians and researchers are exploring other therapeutic options, including electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, ketamine infusions and, more recently, Botox forehead injections.