Daily smoking and drinking may be associated with advanced brain age

Daily drinking and smoking may be associated with modest increases in relative brain age compared to those who drink and smoke less, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.
Research has shown that certain lifestyle habits, such as heavy smoking and alcohol consumption, are associated with adverse effects in specific brain regions. However, it is unclear how smoking and alcohol consumption may be associated with brain age, especially when the whole brain is considered.
Arthur W. Toga and colleagues used machine learning methods and MRI to identify relative brain age in 17,308 individuals aged 45 to 81 years whose data was included in the UK Biobank. Relative brain age is an individual's brain age based on MRI measurements, compared to the average brain age of their peers.
The authors found that in 11,651 individuals for whom information on smoking habits was collected, those who smoked on most or all days had a higher relative brain age than those who smoked less frequently or not at all. Each additional pack-year of smoking was associated with 0.03 years of increased relative brain age. A pack-year was defined as smoking a pack of cigarettes per day on average for a whole year. In 11,600 individuals for whom information on drinking behavior was collected, those who drank alcohol on most days had a higher relative brain age than those who drank less frequently or not at all. Each additional gram of alcohol consumption per day was associated with 0.02 years of increased relative brain age. The findings suggest that detrimental effects of smoking and drinking on brain age may occur mainly in those who smoke and drink at high frequencies and with modest increases in brain age.
The authors caution that besides smoking and alcohol consumption, various other environmental and genetic factors may be associated with brain age. Studies in larger samples are needed to further clarify these associations.

Vegetarian diet linked with lower risk of urinary tract infect

A vegetarian diet may be associated with a lower risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs), a study in Scientific Reports suggests.
UTIs are usually caused by gut bacteria, such as E. coli, which enter the urinary tract through the urethra and affect the kidneys and bladder. Previous research has shown that meat is a major reservoir for E. coli strains known to cause UTIs, but it is unknown whether avoiding meat reduces the risk of UTIs.
Chin-Lon Lin and colleagues assessed the incidence of UTIs in 9,724 Buddhists in Taiwan, who participated in the Tzu Chi Vegetarian Study, a study investigating the role of a vegetarian diet on health outcomes in Taiwanese Buddhists. The authors found that the overall risk of UTIs was 16% lower in vegetarians than in non-vegetarians. Of the 3,040 vegetarians in the study, 217 developed a UTI compared to 444 UTI cases in 6,684 non-vegetarians studied. The reduced UTI risk associated with a vegetarian diet was greater in men than women, although overall UTI risk for men was 79% lower than for women, regardless of diet.
The authors suggest that by not eating common sources of E. coli, such as poultry and pork, vegetarians may avoid ingesting E. coli that may cause UTIs. They also propose that the higher fibre diet of many vegetarians may prevent the growth of E. coli in the gut and decrease UTI risk by making the intestine more acidic.

Your gums reveal your diet

Sweet soft drinks and lots of sugar increase the risk of both dental cavities and inflammation of the gums - known as periodontal diseases - and if this is the case, then healthy eating habits should be prioritised even more. This is the conclusion of a research result from Aarhus University.
Most of us are aware that sweets and other sugary food and drink increase the risk of dental cavities. A new research result now suggests that a sugary diet can also promote periodontal diseases.
The results have been obtained in connection with a critical review of the literature over the past fifty years, and have just been published in the international scientific journal Journal of Oral Microbiology.
"Sugar hasn't traditionally been associated with the development of periodontal diseases. It's true that back in the 1970s two American researchers suggested that a diet which was high in carbohydrates could be a common risk factor for both dental diseases and inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease, but this knowledge was largely forgotten again," says Professor, Dr. Odont. Bente Nyvad from the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health at Aarhus University, who has headed the research.
"Today, there is general agreement that the above-mentioned diseases are associated with a high sugar intake. However, a hypothesis that could link and explain the two major dental diseases, caries and periodontitis, has been lacking," she says.
In the new research project, the researchers have arrived at a common hypothesis for the development of the two major dental diseases. The hypothesis is based on the biochemical processes that take place in the bacterial deposits on teeth when you add copious amounts of nutrients to the bacteria - particularly when you eat sugar.
"In other words, we revive the 'forgotten' hypothesis that sugar can promote both dental cavities and periodontal diseases," says Bente Nyvad, and emphasises the importance of continuing to brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste, even if you cut down on sugar.
The researchers assumption is that periodontal diseases caused by sugar belong to the group of inflammatory diseases in line with diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Bente Nyvad therefore recommends that healthy eating habits should be given much higher priority if the goal is to avoid expensive treatments in the healthcare system.

High and low exercise intensity found to influence brain function differently

A new study shows for the first time that low and high exercise intensities differentially influence brain function. Using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (Rs-fMRI), a noninvasive technique that allows for studies on brain connectivity, researchers discovered that low-intensity exercise triggers brain networks involved in cognition control and attention processing, while high-intensity exercise primarily activates networks involved in affective/emotion processing. The results appear in a special issue of Brain Plasticity devoted to Exercise and Cognition.
 
"We believe that functional neuroimaging will have a major impact for unraveling body-brain interactions," said lead investigators Angelika Schmitt, MSc, and Henning Boecker, MD, Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany. "These novel methods allow us to 'look' directly into the brains of a group of athletes, and, maybe even more importantly, understand the dynamic changes in brain structure and function associated with the transition from a sedentary to a healthy lifestyle.
Twenty-five male athletes underwent individual assessments using an incremental treadmill test. On separate days they performed low- and high-intensity exercise bouts for 30 minutes. Before and after exercising, Rs-fMRI was used to examine functional connectivity of different brain regions that are linked to specific behavioral processes. Participants also completed a questionnaire to measure positive and negative mood before and after the exercise.
The behavioral data showed a significant increase in positive mood after both exercise intensities and no significant change in negative mood. The results of the Rs-fMRI tests showed that low-intensity exercise led to increased functional connectivity in networks associated with cognitive processing and attention. High-intensity exercise, on the other hand, led to increased functional connectivity in networks related to affective, emotional processes. High-intensity exercise also led to a decreased functional connectivity in networks associated with motor function.
The investigators note that this is the first study to report distinct effects of exercise intensity on specific functional networks within the brain at rest. Future research in this area will help provide neurobiological evidence about what type of exercise intensity is best suited for certain neurological or behavioral modulations and may pave the way for supportive clinical applications in patients or for enhancing brain functional plasticity.

'Spring forward' to daylight saving time brings surge in fatal car crashes

Fatal car accidents in the United States spike by 6% during the workweek following the "spring forward" to daylight saving time, resulting in about 28 additional deaths each year, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research.
The study, published January 30 in the journal Current Biology, also found that the farther west a person lives in his or her time zone, the higher their risk of a deadly crash that week.
"Our study provides additional, rigorous evidence that the switch to daylight saving time in spring leads to negative health and safety impacts," said senior author Celine Vetter, assistant professor of integrative physiology. "These effects on fatal traffic accidents are real, and these deaths can be prevented."
The findings come at a time when numerous states, including Oregon, Washington, California and Florida, are considering doing away with the switch entirely, and mounting research is showing spikes in heart attacks, strokes, workplace injuries and other problems in the days following the time change.
For the study - the largest and most detailed to date to assess the relationship between the time change and fatal motor vehicle accidents - the researchers analyzed 732,835 accidents recorded through the U.S. Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 1996 to 2017. They excluded Arizona and Indiana, where Daylight Savings Time was not consistently observed.
After controlling for factors like year, season and day of the week, they found a consistent rise in fatal accidents in the week following the spring time change. Notably, that spike moved in 2007, when the Energy Policy Act extended daylight saving time to begin on the second Sunday of March instead of the first Sunday in April.
"Prior to 2007, we saw the risk increase in April, and when daylight saving time moved to March, so did the risk increase," said Vetter. "That gave us even more confidence that the risk increase we observe is indeed attributable to the daylight saving time switch, and not something else."
With the arrival March 9 of daylight saving time, clocks shift forward by one hour, and many people will miss out on sleep and drive to work in darkness - both factors that can contribute to crashes.
Those on the western edge of their time zone, in places like Amarillo, Texas, and St. George, Utah, already get less sleep on average than their counterparts in the east - about 19 minutes less per day, research shows - because the sun rises and sets later but they still have to be at work when everyone else does.
"They already tend to be more misaligned and sleep-deprived, and when you transition to daylight saving time it makes things worse," said first author Josef Fritz, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Integrative Physiology. In such western regions, the spike in fatal accidents was more than 8%, the study found.
The increase kicks in right away, on the Sunday when the clocks spring forward, and the bulk of the additional fatal accidents that week occur in the morning.
Changes in accident patterns also occur after the "fall back" time change, the study showed, with a decline in morning accidents and a spike in the evening, when darkness comes sooner.
Because they balance each other out, there is no overall change in accidents during the "fall back" week.
In all, over the course of the 22 years of data analyzed, about 627 people died in fatal car accidents associated with the spring shift to Daylight Savings Time, the study estimated.
Because the data only include the most severe of car accidents, the authors believe the results underestimate the true risk increase to drivers when time springs forward.
"Our results support the theory that abolishing time changes completely would improve public health," said Vetter. "But where do we head from here? Do we go to permanent standard time or permanent daylight saving time?"
Generally speaking, research has shown, it's better for sleep, the body clock, and overall health to have more morning light and less evening light, as is the case under standard time. Under permanent daylight saving time, mornings would stay dark later in winter all over the country, with the western parts of each time zone seeing the sun the latest, Vetter noted.
"As a circadian biologist, my clear preference is toward standard time."

To best treat a burn, first cool with running water, study shows

American College of Emergency Physicians

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- New research in the January edition of Annals of Emergency Medicine reveals that cooling with running water is the best initial treatment for a child's burn. Researchers found that cool running water can reduce the odds of needing a skin graft, expedite healing and lessen the chance that a young burn victim requires admission to the hospital or an operating procedure.
"If a child is burned, the first course of treatment should be 20 minutes of cool running water," said Bronwyn R. Griffin, PhD, honorary senior fellow at the University of Queensland Child Health Research Centre (Australia) and study co-author. "Cool running water is most effective immediately after a burn occurs, but evidence suggests it remains beneficial for up to three hours following an injury."
The study shows children who received adequate first aid involving 20 minutes or more of cooling with running water had the odds of skin grafting reduced by more than 40 percent. Providing any amount of cool running water was associated with reduced odds of hospital admission by 35.8 percent and reduced the odds of requiring treatment in an operating room by 42.4 percent.
Among patients who did not require grafting, the speed of healing was faster with the administration of any cool running water. This is important because faster healing reduces the risk of scarring, the authors note.
Study results confirm that burns cooled with running water fared better than those that received no first aid or an alternative to cool running water, such as aloe, gels, compresses, toothpaste, butter or egg whites, for example.
The study, "Cool Running Water First Aid Decreases Skin Grafting Requirements in Pediatric Burns," analyzed the treatment of 2,495 children at a children's hospital with the median age of two years old. Patients in the study cohort were treated most frequently for scalds, liquid or steam burns, on or near their arms or legs. These types of mild to moderate burns commonly occur at home.
The optimal duration of cool running water therapy remains under discussion. The Australian Burn Association, British Burn Association and European Burns Association all recommend 20 minutes of cool running water. The American Burn Association calls for five or more minutes and the British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance (UK) both prescribe 10 minutes or more. This study lends further support to the recommendation of a full 20 minutes, the authors note.
"Whether you are a parent or paramedic, administering 20 minutes of cool running water to a child's burn is highly recommended. This is the most effective way to lessen the severity of tissue damage from all thermal burns," said Dr. Griffin.

Dining out is a recipe for unhealthy eating for most Americans

The typical American adult gets one of every five calories from a restaurant, but eating out is a recipe for meals of poor nutritional quality in most cases, according to a new study by researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.
Published today in The Journal of Nutrition, the study analyzed the dietary selections of more than 35,000 U.S. adults from 2003-2016 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) who dined at full-service (those with wait staff) or fast-food restaurants, which included pizza shops and what has become known as fast-casual. The researchers assessed nutritional quality by evaluating specific foods and nutrients in the meals, based on the American Heart Association 2020 diet score.
At fast-food restaurants, 70 percent of the meals Americans consumed were of poor dietary quality in 2015-16, down from 75 percent in 2003-04. At full-service restaurants, about 50 percent were of poor nutritional quality, an amount that remained stable over the study period. The remainder were of intermediate nutritional quality.
Notably, the authors found that less than 0.1 percent - almost none - of all the restaurant meals consumed over the study period were of ideal quality.
"Our findings show dining out is a recipe for unhealthy eating most of the time," said Dariush Mozaffarian, senior author and dean of the Friedman School. "It should be a priority to improve the nutritional quality of both full-service and fast-food restaurant meals, while reducing disparities so that all Americans can enjoy the pleasure and convenience of a meal out that is also good for them."
The disparities documented by the study authors show some groups ate more healthfully than others while dining out. For example, the average quality of fast-food meals consumed by non-Hispanic whites and Mexican-Americans improved, but there was no change in the average quality of fast-food meals consumed by non-Hispanic blacks. Also, the proportion of poor-quality fast-food meals decreased from 74 percent to 60 percent over this period for people with college degrees, but remained high at 76 percent for people without a high school diploma.
The researchers also looked at the extent to which Americans relied on restaurants during the study period and found:

• Restaurant meals accounted for 21 percent of Americans' total calorie intake.
• Full-service restaurant meals represented 9 percent of total calories consumed.
• Fast-food meals represented 12 percent of total calories consumed.
• Fast-food breakfasts increased from just over 4 percent to nearly 8 percent of all breakfasts eaten in America.

The researchers assessed specific foods and nutrients in restaurant meals and identified priorities for improvement. "We found the largest opportunities for enhancing nutritional quality would be adding more whole grains, nuts and legumes, fish, and fruits and vegetables to meals while reducing salt," said first author Junxiu Liu, a postdoctoral scholar at the Friedman School. She noted the study findings showed no improvement in sodium levels in fast-food meals and worsening levels in full-service dishes consumed.
"Our food is the number one cause of poor health in the country, representing a tremendous opportunity to reduce diet-related illness and associated healthcare spending," Mozaffarian said. "At restaurants, two forces are at play: what's available on the menu, and what Americans are actually selecting. Efforts from the restaurant industry, consumers, advocacy groups, and governments should focus on both these areas."
NHANES participants are representative of the national population and completed at least one valid 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire from nine consecutive cycles of NHANES between 2003-2016, including types of foods and beverages consumed and the source.
The study authors used the American Heart Association (AHA) diet score to assess meal quality, which is based on the AHA 2020 Strategic Impact Goals and is a validated risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. The AHA diet score includes both a primary and secondary score. The primary score assesses the consumption of fruits and vegetables, fish/shellfish, whole grains, sodium, and sugar-sweetened beverages, and the secondary score assesses intake of nuts/seeds/legumes, processed meat, and saturated fat.
Researchers also evaluated individual food groups and nutrients based on the USDA Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) and MyPyramid Equivalents Database (MPED) associated with chronic illnesses.
Limitations of the study include the fact that self-reported food recall data is subject to measurement error due to daily variations in food intake. Participants may also overreport or underreport healthy or unhealthy foods due to social desirability perceptions.

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Antioxidant flavonol linked to lower risk of Alzheimer's dementia

People who eat or drink more foods with the antioxidant flavonol, which is found in nearly all fruits and vegetables as well as tea, may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's dementia years later, according to a study published in the January 29, 2020, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"More research is needed to confirm these results, but these are promising findings," said study author Thomas M. Holland, MD, of Rush University in Chicago. "Eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more tea could be a fairly inexpensive and easy way for people to help stave off Alzheimer's dementia. With the elderly population increasing worldwide, any decrease in the number of people with this devastating disease, or even delaying it for a few years, could have an enormous benefit on public health."
Flavonols are a type of flavonoid, a group of phytochemicals found in plant pigments known for its beneficial effects on health.
The study involved 921 people with an average age of 81 who did not have Alzheimer's dementia. The people filled out a questionnaire each year on how often they ate certain foods. They were also asked about other factors, such as their level of education, how much time they spent doing physical activities and how much time they spent doing mentally engaging activities such as reading and playing games.
The people were tested yearly to see if they had developed Alzheimer's dementia. They were followed for an average of six years. The researchers used various tests to determine that 220 people developed Alzheimer's dementia during the study.
The people were divided into five groups based on how much flavonol they had in their diet. The average amount of flavonol intake in US adults is about 16 to 20 milligrams per day. In the study, the lowest group had intake of about 5.3 mg per day and the highest group consumed an average of 15.3 mg per day.
The study found that people in the highest group were 48 percent less likely to later develop Alzheimer's dementia than the people in the lowest group after adjusting for genetic predisposition and demographic and lifestyle factors. Of the 186 people in the highest group, 28 people, or 15 percent, developed Alzheimer's dementia, compared to 54 people, or 30 percent, of the 182 people in the lowest group.
The results were the same after researchers adjusted for other factors that could affect the risk of Alzheimer's dementia, such as, diabetes, previous heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.
The study also broke the flavonols down into four types: isorhamnetin, kaempferol, myricetin and quercetin. The top food contributors for each category were: pears, olive oil, wine and tomato sauce for isorhamnetin; kale, beans, tea, spinach and broccoli for kaempferol; tea, wine, kale, oranges and tomatoes for myricetin; and tomatoes, kale, apples and tea for quercetin.
People who had high intake of isorhamnetin were 38 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Those with high intake of kaempferol were 51 percent less likely to develop dementia. And those with high intake of myricetin were also 38 percent less likely to develop dementia. Quercetin was not tied to a lower risk of Alzheimer's dementia.
Holland noted that the study shows an association between dietary flavonols and Alzheimer's risk but does not prove that flavonols directly cause a reduction in disease risk.
Other limitations of the study are that the food frequency questionnaire, although valid, was self-reported, so people may not accurately remember what they eat, and the majority of participants were white people, so the results may not reflect the general population.

Fermented soy products linked to lower risk of death

A higher intake of fermented soy products, such as miso and natto, is associated with a lower risk of death, finds a study from Japan published by The BMJ today.
However, the researchers stress that the findings should be interpreted with caution as they may have been affected by unmeasured (confounding) factors.
In Asian countries, especially Japan, several types of soy products are widely consumed, such as natto (soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis), miso (soybeans fermented with Aspergillus oryzae), and tofu (soybean curd).
It is, however, still unclear whether different soy products, especially fermented soy products, are associated with specific health effects.
So a team of researchers in Japan set out to investigate the association between several types of soy products and death from any cause ("all cause mortality") and from cancer, total cardiovascular disease (heart disease and cerebrovascular disease), respiratory disease, and injury.
They base their findings on 42,750 men and 50,165 women aged 45-74 years who were taking part in a study based in 11 of Japan's public health centre areas.
Participants filled in detailed questionnaires about their dietary habits, lifestyle, and health status. Deaths were identified from residential registries and death certificates over a follow-up period of nearly 15 years.
The researchers found that a higher intake of fermented soy (natto and miso) was associated with a significantly lower (10%) risk of all cause mortality, but total soy product intake was not associated with all cause mortality.
Men and women who ate natto also had a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality than those who did not eat natto, but there was no association between soy intake and cancer related mortality.
These results persisted even after further adjusting for intake of vegetables, which was higher among those consuming larger portions of natto.
The authors point out that fermented soy products are richer in fibre, potassium and bioactive components than their non-fermented counterparts, which may help to explain their associations.
However, this is an observational study, so can't establish cause, and the researchers cannot rule out the possibility that some of the observed risk may be due to other unmeasured factors.
They conclude: "In this large prospective study conducted in Japan with a high rate of soy consumption, no significant association was found between intake of total soy products and all cause mortality. In contrast, a higher intake of fermented soy products (natto and miso) was associated with a lower risk of mortality."
Increasing evidence has suggested that fermented soy products are associated with health benefits, write researchers in a linked editorial. Whether people eat those products depends on their food culture, they say, but some countries already include soy and fermented soy products in their dietary guidelines.
Further studies are still required, however, "to refine our understanding of the health effects of fermented soy, and perhaps to inform the development of healthier and more palatable products," they conclude. "These efforts should be collaborative, including not only researchers but also policy makers and the food industry."

Low-calorie sweeteners do not mean low risk for infants

Many people turn to artificial or so-called natural sweeteners to cut calories and lose weight. A new study led by Dr. Raylene Reimer, PhD, published in the high-impact journal Gut discovered that the consumption of low-calorie sweeteners while pregnant increased body fat in their offspring and disrupted their gut microbiota - the trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit the intestinal tract and affect our health and risk of numerous diseases.
The findings are significant as they impact the critical early years of life, particularly during pregnancy and breast feeding.
"Low-calorie sweeteners are considered safe to consume during pregnancy and lactation, however evidence is emerging from human studies to suggest they may increase body weight and other cardiovascular risk factors," says Reimer, a University of Calgary professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the Cumming School of Medicine , and member of the Alberta Children's Research Institute.
"Even stevia, which is hailed as a natural alternative to aspartame and other low calorie artificial sweeteners, showed a similar impact on increasing offspring obesity risk in early life."
Aspartame, an artificial sweetener, and stevia, a natural low-calorie sweetener extracted from a plant native to South America, are 200-400 times sweeter than sugar. Stevia, gaining popularity, was historically used in Paraguay and Brazil to treat diabetes and is an emerging ingredient in many natural products and protein drinks.
Demand for sweeteners for weight loss
In response to higher obesity rates, the use of low-calorie sweeteners has risen, particularly in women and children. Daily consumption is associated with large babies and early menstruation in young females under 10 years - a known risk factor for chronic diseases. Additionally, the presence of some but not all of these sweeteners has been detected in breastmilk presenting a potential mode of transmission, according to the study.
"Understanding the impact of dietary ingredients on maternal metabolism and gut microbiota may help to define the optimal maternal diet, one which promotes a healthier future for both mother and child," says Reimer.
Altering the gut microbiota of babies
Our understanding of how sweeteners affect weight gain is not complete but there is reason to believe that alterations in the gut microbiota may play a key role. In this animal study, a fecal transplant was used to show the direct influence of altered gut microbiota on causing the increased obesity risk. Transplanting fecal matter from the offspring of mothers that consumed the low-calorie sweeteners into sterile, germ free mice caused the mice to gain more weight and have worse blood glucose control. Even though the offspring had never consumed the sweeteners themselves, the changes to mom's microbiota and metabolism was sufficient to change the microbiota in their offspring and trigger obesity.
"A healthy pregnancy, including good nutrition, is important for a healthy baby," says Reimer. "Our research will continue to examine what makes an optimal diet and more importantly seek to find ways to correct disruptions to gut microbiota should they occur."

Weight loss and health improvements with Mediterranean, fasting & paleo diets

There were some weight loss and health benefits for overweight adults who followed the Mediterranean, Intermittent Fasting and Paleo diets, though adherence to the diets dropped off considerably during the one-year study, new University of Otago research shows.
Intermittent fasting - whereby participants limit their energy intake to about 25 per cent of their usual diet (500kcal for women and 600kcal for men) on two self-selected days per week, led to slightly more weight loss than the other diets. The Mediterranean diet also improved blood sugar levels.
Co-lead author Dr Melyssa Roy, a Research Fellow in the Department of Medicine, says the amount of weight loss was modest - on average two to four kilograms for the 250 participants, but for those choosing the fasting or Mediterranean diets, clinically significant improvements in blood pressure were also seen.
The aim of the research was to examine how effective all three diets were in a "real world" setting, where participants self-selected which diet they wished to follow, without any ongoing support from a dietitian.
Dr Roy says the evidence shows that for some people the Mediterranean, fasting or paleo (Paleolithic) diets can be "healthful, beneficial ways to eat".
"This work supports the idea that there isn't a single 'right' diet - there are a range of options that may suit different people and be effective. In this study, people were given dietary guidelines at the start and then continued with their diets in the real world while living normally. About half of the participants were still following their diets after a year and had experienced improvements in markers of health.
"Like the Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting and paleo diets can also be valid healthy eating approaches - the best diet is the one that includes healthy foods and suits the individual."
The Mediterranean diet encouraged consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds and olive oil with moderate amounts of fish, chicken, eggs and diary and red meat once a week or less.
The paleo diet consists of mostly less-processed foods with an emphasis on eating fruit and vegetables, animal proteins, nuts, coconut products and extra-virgin olive oil. While "original" Paleo diets strictly exclude all legumes, dairy and grains, this study used a modified version including some dairy as well as up to one serving daily of legumes and grain-based food.
Co-lead author Dr Michelle Jospe, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Medicine, says the results showed people found the Mediterranean diet to be the easiest to adhere to.
"Our participants could follow the diet's guidelines more closely than the fasting and paleo diets and were more likely to stay with it after the year, as our retention rates showed."
Most of the 250 participants (54 per cent) chose the fasting diet, while 27 per cent chose the Mediterranean and 18 per cent the paleo. After 12 months, the Mediterranean diet had the best retention rate with 57 per cent of participants continuing, with 54 per cent still fasting and 35 per cent still on the paleo diet.
After 12 months, the average weight loss was 4.0kg for those choosing the fasting diet, 2.8kg on the Mediterranean diet and 1.8kg on the paleo diet.
Reduced systolic blood pressure was observed among those participating in the fasting and Mediterranean diets, together with reduced blood sugar levels in the Mediterranean diet.
Dr Jospe explains participants who said they were still following their diet at 12 months lost even more weight, showing the importance of choosing a diet that is sustainable.
She believes the results of this study are relevant to the thousands of people following self-chosen diets with little supervision and indicates more realistic outcomes.

Eating yogurt may help lessen the risk of breast cancer

One of the causes of breast cancer may be inflammation triggered by harmful bacteria say researchers.

Scientists say their idea- as yet unproven - is supported by the available evidence, which is that bacterial induced inflammation is linked to cancer.
The paper in the journal Medical Hypotheses is by Lancaster University medical student Auday Marwaha, Professor Jim Morris from the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust and Dr Rachael Rigby from Lancaster University's Faculty of Health and Medicine.
The researchers say that: "There is a simple, inexpensive potential preventive remedy; which is for women to consume natural yoghurt on a daily basis."
Yoghurt contains beneficial lactose fermenting bacteria commonly found in milk, similar to the bacteria - or microflora- found in the breasts of mothers who have breastfed.
Dr Rigby said: "We now know that breast milk is not sterile and that lactation alters the microflora of the breast.
"Lactose fermenting bacteria are commonly found in milk and are likely to occupy the breast ducts of women during lactation and for an unknown period after lactation."
Their suggestion is that this lactose fermenting bacteria in the breast is protective because each year of breast feeding reduces the risk of breast cancer by 4.3%.
Several other studies have shown that the consumption of yoghurt is associated with a reduction in the risk of breast cancer, which the researchers suggest may be due to the displacement of harmful bacteria by beneficial bacteria.
There are approximately 10 billion bacterial cells in the human body and while most are harmless, some bacteria create toxins which trigger inflammation in the body.
Chronic inflammation destroys the harmful germs but it also damages the body. One of the most common inflammatory conditions is gum disease or periodontitis which has already been linked to oral, oesophageal, colonic, pancreatic, prostatic and breast cancer.
The researchers conclude that: "The stem cells which divide to replenish the lining of the breast ducts are influenced by the microflora, and certain components of the microflora have been shown in other organs, such as the colon and stomach, to increase the risk of cancer development.
"Therefore a similar scenario is likely to be occurring in the breast, whereby resident microflora impact on stem cell division and influence cancer risk."

With high fiber diets, more protein may mean more bloating

Though study does suggest that high fiber diets may be healthier overall

Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

People who eat high fiber diets are more likely to experience bloating if their high fiber diet is protein-rich as compared to carbohydrate-rich, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The researchers, whose findings were published online January 15 in the journal Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology, analyzed data from a clinical trial of high fiber diets. They determined that when the 164 trial participants ate versions of a heart-healthy, high-fiber diet that was relatively rich in plant protein, they were about 40 percent more likely to report bloating symptoms than when eating a carbohydrate-rich version of the same high fiber diet.
The study suggests that people who want to eat a high fiber diet would be less likely to experience bloating if the diet were relatively carb-rich versus protein-rich.
High-fiber diets are believed to cause bloating by boosting certain populations of healthful fiber-digesting gut bacteria species, which produce gas as a byproduct. The findings thus also hint at a role for "macronutrients" such as carbs and proteins in modifying the gut bacteria population--the microbiome.
"It's possible that in this study, the protein-rich version of the diet caused more bloating because it caused more of a healthy shift in the composition of the microbiome," says study co-senior author Noel Mueller, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Bloomberg School. "Notably, the protein in these diets was mostly from vegetable sources such as beans, legumes, and nuts."
Bloating affects about 20 percent of the U.S. adult population, and is so common as a side effect of high fiber diets that it deters many people from adopting such diets. Mueller and colleagues in recent years have been re-examining data from past, high quality clinical trials to find dietary factors that might modify bloating frequency in the context of a high fiber diet. Last year, Mueller and colleagues reported that salt appeared to be one such factor. It was associated with more bloating in a trial of a heart-healthy, high-fiber diet, suggesting that cutting back on salt could be one easy way to reduce bloating.
In the new study, the researchers examined a dietary clinical trial that was conducted in 2003 and 2005 at the Johns Hopkins ProHealth Clinical Research Unit in Baltimore and at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Known as the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial to Prevent Heart Disease (OmniHeart), it included 164 participants who had above-normal blood pressure. They were assigned to three different diets over consecutive six-week periods separated by two-week "washout" intervals during which participants returned to regular eating habits.
The diets were all considered high-fiber, low-sodium "DASH" diets, and had the same number of calories, but varied in their macronutrient emphases: a carbohydrate-rich version was, by calories, 58 percent carbohydrate, 15 percent protein, and 27 percent fat; a plant-protein-rich version was 48 percent carbs, 25 percent protein, 27 percent fat; and a fat-rich version was 48 percent carbohydrate, 15 percent protein, and 37 percent fat.
The primary results of the OmniHeart trial, published in 2005, suggested that the plant-protein-rich and fat-rich diets were the most effective in reducing blood pressure and improving measures of blood cholesterol (reducing LDL and triglycerides; increasing HDL).
In their new analysis of this data, Mueller and colleagues examined how participants' reports of bloating--which were among the secondary data collected in that trial--varied as participants ate the three OmniHeart diets. A key finding was that the prevalence of bloating went from 18 percent before the diets to 24, 33, and 30 percent, respectively, on the carb-, protein-, and fat-rich diets--indicating that these high fiber diets did indeed appear to increase bloating.
The researchers also analyzed the relative changes among the diets, and linked the protein-rich diet to a significantly greater chance of bloating--roughly 40 percent greater--in comparison with the carb-rich diet.
The results suggest that substituting high quality carb calories, such as whole grain, for protein calories might reduce bloating for those on high fiber diets, making such diets more tolerable.
There is the possibility, however, that making high fiber diets more tolerable in this way would also make them less healthy. The plant- protein- and fat-rich diets in the study, which led to higher bloating prevalence, also appeared, in the original OmniHeart trial analysis, to lower blood pressure and improve blood lipid measures more than the carb-rich diet.
Researchers have been uncovering evidence that many of the effects of a healthier diet come from shifts in the gut microbiome that result in greater microbial production of health-promoting molecules called metabolites. Mueller suspects that the plant-protein-rich diet caused more bloating because it caused a greater and healthier shift in the microbiome.
"Bloating may be just a consequence of a healthy shift in the microbiome, so that if somebody is able to put up with the bloating caused by a high-protein, high-fiber diet, they may ultimately benefit more in other health measures," Mueller says.
He and his colleagues are working on a follow-on study of the effects of similar dietary patterns on the gut microbiome.

Keto diet works best in small doses

A ketogenic diet -- which provides 99% of calories from fat and only 1% from carbohydrates -- produces health benefits in the short term, but negative effects after about a week, Yale researchers found in a study of mice.
The results offer early indications that the keto diet could, over limited time periods, improve human health by lowering diabetes risk and inflammation. They also represent an important first step toward possible clinical trials in humans.
The keto diet has become increasingly popular as celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Lebron James, and Kim Kardashian, have touted it as a weight-loss regimen.
In the Yale study, published in the Jan. 20 issue of Nature Metabolism, researchers found that the positive and negative effects of the diet both relate to immune cells called gamma delta T-cells, tissue-protective cells that lower diabetes risk and inflammation.
A keto diet tricks the body into burning fat, said lead author Vishwa Deep Dixit of the Yale School of Medicine. When the body's glucose level is reduced due to the diet's low carbohydrate content, the body acts as if it is in a starvation state -- although it is not -- and begins burning fats instead of carbohydrates. This process in turn yields chemicals called ketone bodies as an alternative source of fuel. When the body burns ketone bodies, tissue-protective gamma delta T-cells expand throughout the body.
This reduces diabetes risk and inflammation, and improves the body's metabolism, said Dixit, the Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Comparative Medicine and of Immunobiology. After a week on the keto diet, he said, mice show a reduction in blood sugar levels and inflammation.
But when the body is in this "starving-not-starving" mode, fat storage is also happening simultaneously with fat breakdown, the researchers found. When mice continue to eat the high-fat, low-carb diet beyond one week, Dixit said, they consume more fat than they can burn, and develop diabetes and obesity.
"They lose the protective gamma delta T-cells in the fat," he said.
Long-term clinical studies in humans are still necessary to validate the anecdotal claims of keto's health benefits.
"Before such a diet can be prescribed, a large clinical trial in controlled conditions is necessary to understand the mechanism behind metabolic and immunological benefits or any potential harm to individuals who are overweight and pre-diabetic," Dixit said.
There are good reasons to pursue further study: According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 84 million American adults -- or more than one out of three -- have prediabetes (increased blood sugar levels), putting them at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. More than 90% of people with this condition don't know they have it.
"Obesity and type 2 diabetes are lifestyle diseases," Dixit said. "Diet allows people a way to be in control."
With the latest findings, researchers now better understand the mechanisms at work in bodies sustained on the keto diet, and why the diet may bring health benefits over limited time periods.
"Our findings highlight the interplay between metabolism and the immune system, and how it coordinates maintenance of healthy tissue function," said Emily Goldberg, the postdoctoral fellow in comparative medicine who discovered that the keto diet expands gamma-delta T cells in mice.
If the ideal length of the diet for health benefits in humans is a subject for later studies, Dixit said, discovering that keto is better in small doses is good news, he said: "Who wants to be on a diet forever?"

An egg a day not tied to risk of heart disease

The controversy about whether eggs are good or bad for your heart health may be solved, and about one a day is fine.
A team of researchers from the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences found the answer by analyzing data from three large, long-term multinational studies.
The results suggest there is no harm from consuming eggs. Given that the majority of individuals in the study consumed one or fewer eggs per day, it would be safe to consume this level, says Mahshid Dehghan, first author and a PHRI investigator.
"Moderate egg intake, which is about one egg per day in most people, does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or mortality even if people have a history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes," she said.
"Also, no association was found between egg intake and blood cholesterol, its components or other risk factors. These results are robust and widely applicable to both healthy individuals and those with vascular disease."
The details are published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Although eggs are an inexpensive source of essential nutrients, some guidelines have recommended limiting consumption to fewer than three eggs a week due to concerns they increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Previous studies on egg consumption and diseases have been contradictory, said Salim Yusuf, principal investigator of the study and director of PHRI.
"This is because most of these studies were relatively small or moderate in size and did not include individuals from a large number of countries," he said.
The researchers analyzed three international studies conducted by the PHRI. Egg consumption of 146,011 individuals from 21 countries was recorded in the PURE study and in 31,544 patients with vascular disease from the ONTARGET and the TRANSEND studies.
The data from these three studies involved populations from 50 countries spanning six continents at different income levels, so the results are widely applicable, said Yusuf.

Study shows early detection of disease & disease risks

• Study participants were evaluated with Human Longevity's multi-modal precision health platform, the Health Nucleus™
• The assessment yielded highly actionable findings, most of which were not previously known, resulting in early identification of disease and disease risk in conditions that can lead to pre-mature mortality in adults
• Study published in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

San Diego, January 27, 2020 -- Human Longevity, Inc. (HLI), an innovator in providing data-driven health intelligence and precision health to physicians and patients, announced today the publication of a ground-breaking study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study titled, "Precision medicine integrating whole-genome sequencing, comprehensive metabolomics, and advanced imaging," showed that by integrating whole-genome sequencing with advanced imaging and blood metabolites, clinicians identified adults at risk for key health conditions. Data from 1190 self-referred individuals evaluated with HLI's multi-modal precision health platform, Health Nucleus, show clinically significant findings associated with age-related chronic conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, chronic liver disease, and neurological disorders -- leading causes of pre-mature mortality in adults.
"The goal of precision medicine is to provide a path to assist physicians in achieving disease prevention and implementing accurate treatment strategies," said C. Thomas Caskey, MD, FACP, FACMG, FRSC, chief medical officer for Human Longevity, Inc., lead author of the study, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. "Our study showed that by employing a holistic and data-driven health assessment for each individual, we are able to achieve early disease detection in adults."
Study highlights include:

• Approximately 1 in 6 adult individuals (17.3%) had at least one pathogenic genetic variant, and when integrated with deep phenotyping (imaging, blood test, etc.), 1 in 9 (11.9%) had genotype and phenotype associations, supporting the clinical diagnosis of a genetic disorder.
• Additional highly actionable findings in this self-referred cohort, most of which were not previously known, include:
  • Insulin resistance and/or impaired glucose tolerance (34.2%)
  • Elevated liver fat (29.2%)
  • Cardiac structure or function abnormalities such as valvular disorders (16.2%)
  • Significant calcified coronary artery plaque (calcium score > 100) (11.4%)
  • Elevated liver iron (9.3%)
  • Cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (6.1%)
  • Cardiac conduction disorders (4.8%)
  • Early stage tumors, most malignant (1.7%)

• A lack of phenotype and genotype associations were observed in 5.8% of individuals with pathogenic genetic variants, further suggesting that the identification of pathogenic genetic variant(s) by sequencing alone is not sufficient for a definitive diagnosis, highlighting the importance of a multi-modal assessment.
• Genomics and metabolomics associations revealed 5.1% of heterozygous carriers with phenotype manifestations, affecting serum metabolite levels, suggesting that some genetic carriers may not be completely asymptomatic.

"This study shows that the definition of 'healthy' may not be what we think it is and depends upon a comprehensive health evaluation," said J. Craig Venter, PhD, founder, Human Longevity, Inc. and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. "The data underscore Human Longevity's innovative approach to helping clinicians with early detection and personalized treatments, potentially achieving better health outcomes for patients."
"Our traditional approach to the annual health assessment has been very superficial and will need to be replaced by data-driven measures that will be made possible as costs continue to decline for whole- genome sequencing, advanced imaging, especially MRI, and specialized blood analytics," said David Karow, MD, PhD, president and chief innovation officer, Human Longevity, Inc.

Walnuts may slow cognitive decline in at-risk elderly

Two-year study examined walnut consumption among study groups in California and Spain

Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center

Eating walnuts may help slow cognitive decline in at-risk groups of the elderly population, according to a study conducted by researchers in California and Spain.
The Walnuts and Healthy Aging Study, published this month in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that walnut consumption by healthy, elderly adults had little effect on cognitive function over two years, but it had greater effect on elderly adults who had smoked more and had a lower baseline neuropsychological test scores.
The study examined nearly 640 free-living elders in Loma Linda, California, USA, and in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. For two years, the test group included walnuts in their daily diet, and the control group abstained from walnuts.
Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols, which have previously been found to counteract oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which are drivers of cognitive decline.
Joan Sabaté, MD, DrPH, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and the study's principal investigator, said this was the largest and most well-controlled trial ever conducted on the effects of nuts on cognition.
"While this was a minor result, it could lead to better outcomes when conducted over longer periods of time," Sabaté said. "Further investigation is definitely warranted based on our findings, especially for disadvantaged populations, who may have the most to gain from incorporating walnuts and other nuts into their diet."
Sabaté and his research team at Loma Linda University were the first to discover the cholesterol-lowering effect of nut consumption -- specifically walnuts -- with lowering blood cholesterol. Findings were first published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1993.
Subsequently, findings from Loma Linda University researchers have linked nut consumption to lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Zinc lozenges did not shorten the duration of colds

University of Helsinki

Administration of zinc acetate lozenges to common cold patients did not shorten colds in a randomized trial published in BMJ Open.
Eight controlled trials previously reported that zinc lozenges reduced the duration of the common cold, but several other trials did not find benefit. Variation in the types of zinc lozenges has been proposed as one explanation for the divergence in the study findings. Many studies with negative findings used lozenges that had low doses of zinc or contained ingredients such as citric acid that bind zinc ions preventing the release of free zinc in the oropharyngeal region. Divergence in the study findings indicates that further research is needed to determine the conditions when zinc lozenges may be effective and the type and dosage of lozenges that may be optimal.
In a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial, Dr. Harri Hemilä from the University of Helsinki, Finland, and his colleagues investigated the effect of zinc acetate lozenges on employees of City of Helsinki, Finland. To minimize the delay between the onset of common cold symptoms and the initiation of treatment, the participants were administered a package of lozenges with an instruction to start treatment as soon as feasible after the onset of symptoms. Participants were instructed to slowly dissolve 6 lozenges per day in their mouth with a total zinc dose of 78 mg/day zinc for 5 days.
During the trial, 88 participants contracted the common cold and started to use lozenges. No difference in the rate of recovery from the common cold was observed between the zinc and the placebo groups during the 5-day treatment period. Unexpectedly, after the end of the 5-day treatment period, participants in the zinc group recovered less rapidly than in the placebo group. This potential adverse effect after active treatment needs to be confirmed or refuted by future studies.
Bad taste has been a common complaint of zinc lozenges. In the study carried out by Dr. Hemilä and colleagues, 37% of zinc participants did not complain of any adverse effects. In addition, the experiences of bad taste were mostly such minor that they did not reduce the average use of zinc lozenges when compared with the placebo group. Even if taste may prevent the use of zinc lozenges by certain individual patients, wide segments of people do not seem to experience strong discomfort from the taste.
"Our study does not confirm the usefulness of zinc lozenges for treating the common cold, but neither does it refute the previous studies where zinc lozenges were found to be effective," Dr. Hemilä states.
"In future trials of zinc lozenges, the dosage of zinc should be greater, the lozenges should dissolve more slowly, and the treatment should last longer than 5 days. Before zinc lozenges can be widely promoted for common cold treatment, the characteristics of lozenges that are clinically efficacious should be defined in detail," he says.

Eating disorders linked to exercise addiction

New study led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is first to calculate risk factor

Anglia Ruskin University

New research shows that exercise addiction is nearly four times more common amongst people with an eating disorder.
The study, led by Mike Trott of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), was published this month in the journal Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity.
The research is the first to measure rates of exercise addiction in groups of people with and without the characteristics of an eating disorder, The meta-analysis examined data from 2,140 participants across nine different studies, including from the UK, the US, Australia and Italy.
It found that people displaying characteristics of an eating disorder are 3.7 times more likely to suffer from addiction to exercise than people displaying no indication of an eating disorder.
Trott, a PhD researcher in Sport Science at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: "It is known that those with eating disorders are more likely to display addictive personality and obsessive-compulsive behaviours. We are also aware that having an unhealthy relationship with food often means an increased amount of exercising, but this is the first time that a risk factor has been calculated.
"It is not uncommon to want to improve our lifestyles by eating healthier and doing more exercise, particularly at the start of the year. However, it is important to moderate this behaviour and not fall victim to 'crash diets' or anything that eliminates certain foods entirely, as these can easily lead to eating disorders.
"Our study shows that displaying signs of an eating disorder significantly increases the chance of an unhealthy relationship with exercise, and this can have negative consequences, including mental health issues and injury.
"Health professionals working with people with eating disorders should consider monitoring exercise levels as a priority, as this group have been shown to suffer from serious medical conditions as a result of excessive exercise, such as fractures, increased rates of cardiovascular disease in younger patients, and increased overall mortality."

Top strategies for successful weight loss maintenance

Building healthy dietary, self-monitoring and psychological coping strategies may be the keys to maintaining weight loss

Just in time for the New Year, a new Cal Poly study shows that if you want to lose weight and keep it off, building healthy dietary, self-monitoring and psychological coping strategies may be the keys to success.

Results published today in Obesity found that some of the most effective behaviors and psychological strategies reported by those maintaining their weight loss included choosing healthy food, tracking what you eat and using positive self-talk.
The study surveyed almost 5,000 members of WW (formerly Weight Watchers) who reported losing an average of about 50 pounds and kept it off for more than three years, to look at their weight management strategies. Researchers compared this group to a control group of more than 500 people with obesity and who reported not gaining or losing more than five pounds for a period of greater than five years.
The research team examined 54 behaviors related to weight management. Compared to the group of weight-stable individuals, the group of weight loss maintainers reported more frequent use of strategies like setting daily food intake goals, recording what was eaten each day, measuring foods, thinking about past successes, and remaining positive in the face of weight regain. The researchers also found that these eating and thinking behaviors became easier and more ingrained over time in the group of those maintaining their weight loss.
"People who maintained their successful weight loss the longest reported greater frequency and repetition in healthy eating choices," said Suzanne Phelan, a kinesiology and public health professor who led the study. "Healthier choices also became more automatic the longer people continued to make those choices. These findings are encouraging for those working at weight loss maintenance. Over time, weight loss maintenance may become easier, requiring less intentional effort."
The nation's principal health statistics agency, estimates that nearly two out of five (40%) adults in the U.S. have obesity and another one in three (32%) have overweight. Obesity increases the likelihood of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, among other health conditions.
While the terms "overweight" and "obesity" are similar, the difference between the two arises with Body Mass Index, or BMI, which is a measure of body fat based on an individual's weight in relation to his or her height and age. In general, a person with a BMI of 25-29.9 is considered to have overweight, while a person with a BMI over 30 is considered to have obesity.
"Successful weight loss is associated with a variety of health benefits," Phelan said. "The improved quality of life observed among the successful weight losers in this study may serve as an important motivator for people working at long-term weight management."
The results of this study can help people focus on the strategies that are most likely to help participants maintain a healthy weight

High-protein diets boost artery-clogging plaque

Such diets lead to weight loss but could increase heart attack risk

Washington University School of Medicine

IMAGE: An unstable plaque builds up inside the aorta of a mouse on a high-protein diet. A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveals how high-protein... view more 

Credit: Razani Lab

High-protein diets may help people lose weight and build muscle, but a new study in mice suggests they have a down side: They lead to more plaque in the arteries. Further, the new research shows that high-protein diets spur unstable plaque -- the kind most prone to rupturing and causing blocked arteries. More plaque buildup in the arteries, particularly if it's unstable, increases the risk of heart attack.
The new study, by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, appears Jan. 23 in the journal Nature Metabolism.
"There are clear weight-loss benefits to high-protein diets, which has boosted their popularity in recent years," said senior author Babak Razani, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine. "But animal studies and some large epidemiological studies in people have linked high dietary protein to cardiovascular problems. We decided to take a look at whether there is truly a causal link between high dietary protein and poorer cardiovascular health."
The researchers studied mice fed a high-fat diet to deliberately induce atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the arteries. According to Razani, mice must eat a high-fat diet to develop arterial plaque. Therefore, some of the mice received a high-fat diet that was also high in protein. And others were fed a high-fat, low-protein diet for comparison.
"A couple of scoops of protein powder in a milkshake or a smoothie adds something like 40 grams of protein -- almost equivalent to the daily recommended intake," Razani said. "To see if protein has an effect on cardiovascular health, we tripled the amount of protein that the mice receive in the high-fat, high-protein diet -- keeping the fat constant. Protein went from 15% to 46% of calories for these mice."
The mice on the high-fat, high-protein diet developed worse atherosclerosis -- about 30% more plaque in the arteries -- than mice on the high-fat, normal-protein diet, despite the fact that the mice eating more protein did not gain weight, unlike the mice on the high-fat, normal-protein diet.
"This study is not the first to show a telltale increase in plaque with high-protein diets, but it offers a deeper understanding of the impact of high protein with the detailed analysis of the plaques," Razani said. "In other words, our study shows how and why dietary protein leads to the development of unstable plaques."
Plaque contains a mix of fat, cholesterol, calcium deposits and dead cells. Past work by Razani's team and other groups has shown that immune cells called macrophages work to clean up plaque in arteries. But the environment inside plaque can overwhelm these cells, and when such cells die, they make the problem worse, contributing to plaque buildup and increasing plaque complexity.
"In mice on the high-protein diet, their plaques were a macrophage graveyard," Razani said. "Many dead cells in the core of the plaque make it extremely unstable and prone to rupture. As blood flows past the plaque, that force -- especially in the context of high blood pressure -- puts a lot of stress on it. This situation is a recipe for a heart attack."
To understand how high dietary protein might increase plaque complexity, Razani and his colleagues studied the path protein takes after it has been digested -- broken down into its original building blocks, called amino acids.
Razani and his team found that excess amino acids from a high-protein diet activate a protein in macrophages called mTOR, which tells the cell to grow rather than go about its housecleaning tasks. The signals from mTOR shut down the cells' ability to clean up the toxic waste of the plaque, and this sets off a chain of events that results in macrophage death. The researchers found that certain amino acids, especially leucine and arginine, were more potent in activating mTOR -- and derailing macrophages from their cleanup duties, leading to cell death -- than other amino acids.
"Leucine is particularly high in red meat, compared with, say, fish or plant sources of protein," Razani said. "A future study might look at high-protein diets with different amino acid contents to see if that could have an effect on plaque complexity. Cell death is the key feature of plaque instability. If you could stop these cells from dying, you might not make the plaque smaller, but you would reduce its instability.
"This work not only defines the critical processes underlying the cardiovascular risks of dietary protein but also lays the groundwork for targeting these pathways in treating heart disease," he said.

Living near major roads linked to risk of dementia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and MS

Living near major roads or highways is linked to higher incidence of dementia, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis (MS), suggests new research published this week in the journal Environmental Health.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia analyzed data for 678,000 adults in Metro Vancouver. They found that living less than 50 metres from a major road or less than 150 metres from a highway is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and MS--likely due to increased exposure to air pollution.
The researchers also found that living near green spaces, like parks, has protective effects against developing these neurological disorders.
"For the first time, we have confirmed a link between air pollution and traffic proximity with a higher risk of dementia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and MS at the population level," says Weiran Yuchi, the study's lead author and a PhD candidate in the UBC school of population and public health. "The good news is that green spaces appear to have some protective effects in reducing the risk of developing one or more of these disorders. More research is needed, but our findings do suggest that urban planning efforts to increase accessibility to green spaces and to reduce motor vehicle traffic would be beneficial for neurological health."
Neurological disorders--a term that describes a range of disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and motor neuron diseases--are increasingly recognized as one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Little is known about the risk factors associated with neurological disorders, the majority of which are incurable and typically worsen over time.
For the study, researchers analyzed data for 678,000 adults between the ages of 45 and 84 who lived in Metro Vancouver from 1994 to 1998 and during a follow-up period from 1999 to 2003. They estimated individual exposures to road proximity, air pollution, noise and greenness at each person's residence using postal code data. During the follow-up period, the researchers identified 13,170 cases of non-Alzheimer's dementia, 4,201 cases of Parkinson's disease, 1,277 cases of Alzheimer's disease and 658 cases of MS.
For non-Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease specifically, living near major roads or a highway was associated with 14 per cent and seven per cent increased risk of both conditions, respectively. Due to relatively low numbers of Alzheimer's and MS cases in Metro Vancouver compared to non-Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease, the researchers did not identify associations between air pollution and increased risk of these two disorders. However, they are now analyzing Canada-wide data and are hopeful the larger dataset will provide more information on the effects of air pollution on Alzheimer's disease and MS.
When the researchers accounted for green space, they found the effect of air pollution on the neurological disorders was mitigated. The researchers suggest that this protective effect could be due to several factors.
"For people who are exposed to a higher level of green space, they are more likely to be physically active and may also have more social interactions," said Michael Brauer, the study's senior author and professor in the UBC school of population and public health. "There may even be benefits from just the visual aspects of vegetation."
Brauer added that the findings underscore the importance for city planners to ensure they incorporate greenery and parks when planning and developing residential neighbourhoods.

Research suggests potential link between marijuana and heart risks

As more states legalize marijuana for both medicinal and recreational use and use increases nationwide, cardiologists should advise patients about the potential risks, including effects of marijuana with some commonly prescribed cardiovascular medications, according to a research review published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The authors estimate that more than 2 million cardiovascular disease patients are currently using marijuana or have used marijuana previously. This includes recreational use and approved medical uses, such as human immunodeficiency virus-related weight loss, treatment of seizure disorders, or chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting.
"Some observational studies have suggested an association between marijuana and a range of cardiovascular risks," said lead author Muthiah Vaduganathan, MD, MPH, of Brigham and Women's Hospital's Heart and Vascular Center in Boston. "We also know that marijuana is becoming increasingly potent. Our review suggests that smoking marijuana carries many of the same cardiovascular health hazards as smoking tobacco. While the level of evidence is modest, there's enough data for us to advise caution in using marijuana for our highest-risk patients, including those who present with a heart attack or new arrhythmia, or who have been hospitalized with heart failure."
Certain cardiovascular medications, including statins and blood thinners, can be affected by marijuana use, the review found. For example, statin levels can increase in the blood when used together with marijuana because both are metabolized through a network of liver enzymes called the cytochrome P450 system. Levels of blood thinners such as warfarin also can be expected to increase when used together with marijuana.
"The review provides detailed tables of many drugs administered for various cardiovascular conditions, with the anticipated effects of marijuana on each one," Vaduganathan said. "These will be helpful to cardiologists and pharmacists reviewing patients' medications and will help them collaboratively decide whether they need to adjust dosing if the patient continues to use marijuana."
The reviewers recommend that cardiologists screen their patients for marijuana use, asking them how often and how much they use. They also should ask about how they use marijuana.
"Vaping marijuana is becoming more and more common, and we know vaping marijuana increases the pharmacological effects of the drug," Vaduganathan said.
For patients who wish to continue to use marijuana, or who have other medically indicated reasons for use, the reviewers recommend limiting use as much as possible and for clinicians to inform patients that vaping and certain synthetic forms of cannabinoids are particularly potent and may have greater adverse effects.
In some patients, cardiologists should test for marijuana use by urine toxicology screening, the reviewers recommend. These include patients being considered for heart transplantation or those who present with early-onset heart attacks or heart failure at a young age.
The review also analyzed the current state of evidence linking marijuana use with cardiovascular health and disease.
Data on the exact health effects of marijuana on the cardiovascular system are limited, largely because federal laws that classify marijuana as a Schedule I drug have limited the ability of scientists to conduct high-quality research, Vaduganathan said.
"Now that we have seen marijuana use become more popular than tobacco smoking, we need more rigorous research, including randomized clinical trials, to explore the effects of marijuana on cardiovascular health," he said.

Burnout lmay lead to irregular heartbeat

---

Feeling excessively tired, devoid of energy, demoralised, and irritable? You may have burnout, a syndrome associated with a potentially deadly heart rhythm disturbance. That's the conclusion of a large study published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

"Vital exhaustion, commonly referred to as burnout syndrome, is typically caused by prolonged and profound stress at work or home," said study author Dr. Parveen K. Garg of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. "It differs from depression, which is characterised by low mood, guilt, and poor self-esteem. The results of our study further establish the harm that can be caused in people who suffer from exhaustion that goes unchecked."
Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of heart arrhythmia. It is estimated that 17 million people in Europe and 10 million people in the US will have this condition by next year, increasing their risk for heart attack, stroke, and death. Yet, what causes atrial fibrillation is not fully understood.
Psychological distress has been suggested as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, but previous studies showed mixed results. In addition, until now, the specific association between vital exhaustion and atrial fibrillation had not been evaluated.
The researchers in this study surveyed more than 11,000 individuals for the presence of vital exhaustion, anger, antidepressant use, and poor social support. They then followed them over a period of nearly 25 years for the development of atrial fibrillation.
Participants with the highest levels of vital exhaustion were at a 20% higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation over the course of follow-up compared to those with little to no evidence of vital exhaustion.
While further study is needed to better understand the observed relationship, Dr. Garg noted that two mechanisms are likely at play. "Vital exhaustion is associated with increased inflammation and heightened activation of the body's physiologic stress response," he said. "When these two things are chronically triggered that can have serious and damaging effects on the heart tissue, which could then eventually lead to the development of this arrhythmia."
No connections were found between anger, antidepressant use, or poor social support and development of atrial fibrillation. "The findings for anger and social support are consistent with prior research but two previous studies did find a significant association between antidepressant use and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. Clearly, more work still needs to be done," said Dr. Garg.
Further research is also needed to identify concrete actions for doctors to help patients with exhaustion, said Dr. Garg.
He concluded: "It is already known that exhaustion increases one's risk for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. We now report that it may also increase one's risk for developing atrial fibrillation, a potentially serious cardiac arrhythmia. The importance of avoiding exhaustion through careful attention to -- and management of -- personal stress levels as a way to help preserve overall cardiovascular health cannot be overstated."

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Soybean oil linked to metabolic and neurological changes

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 day ago

[image: IMAGE] University of California - Riverside *IMAGE: *Edible fats and oils consumed in the U.S., 2017/18. view more Credit: USDA New UC Riverside research shows soybean oil not only leads to obesity and diabetes, but could also affect neurological conditions like autism, Alzheimer's disease, anxiety, and depression. Used for fast food frying, added to packaged foods, and fed to livestock, soybean oil is by far the most widely produced and consumed edible oil in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In all likelihood, it is not healthy for humans. It cert... more »

Walnuts may be good for the gut and help promote heart health

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 days ago

Walnuts may not just be a tasty snack, they may also promote good-for-your-gut bacteria. New research suggests that these "good" bacteria could be contributing to the heart-health benefits of walnuts. In a randomized, controlled trial, researchers found that eating walnuts daily as part of a healthy diet was associated with increases in certain bacteria that can help promote health. Additionally, those changes in gut bacteria were associated with improvements in some risk factors for heart disease. Kristina Petersen, assistant research professor at Penn State, said the study -- rec... more »

Drinking 1% rather than 2% milk accounts for 4.5 years of less aging in adults

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 days ago

A new study shows drinking low-fat milk -- both nonfat and 1% milk -- is significantly associated with less aging in adults. Research on 5,834 U.S. adults by Brigham Young University exercise science professor Larry Tucker, Ph.D., found people who drink low-fat milk experience several years less biological aging than those who drink high-fat (2% and whole) milk. "It was surprising how strong the difference was," Tucker said. "If you're going to drink high-fat milk, you should be aware that doing so is predictive of or related to some significant consequences." Tucker investigated the... more »

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Sperm are influenced by diet

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago

Sperm are influenced by diet, and the effects arise rapidly. This is the conclusion of a study by researchers at Linköping University, in which healthy young men were fed a diet rich in sugar. The study, which has been published in *PLOS Biology*, gives new insight into the function of sperm, and may in the long term contribute to new diagnostic methods to measure sperm quality. "We see that diet influences the motility of the sperm, and we can link the changes to specific molecules in them. Our study has revealed rapid effects that are noticeable after one to two weeks," says Anita ... more »

Tea drinkers live longer

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

Drinking tea at least three times a week is linked with a longer and healthier life, according to a study published today in the *European Journal of Preventive Cardiology*, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 "Habitual tea consumption is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death," said first author Dr. Xinyan Wang, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. "The favourable health effects are the most robust for green tea and for long-term habitual tea drinkers." The analysis included 100,902 participants of the China-PA... more »

How diet affects mental health

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

A new expert review confirms that diet significantly influences mental health and wellbeing, but cautions that the evidence for many diets is comparatively weak. This, the most up to date overview of the new field of Nutritional Psychiatry, is produced, by the Nutrition Network of the ECNP and is published in the peer-reviewed journal *European Neuropsychopharmacology* (see download details below). Lead author, Professor Suzanne Dickson (University of Gothenburg, Sweden) said: "We have found that there is increasing evidence of a link between a poor diet and the worsening of mood d... more »

Processed foods highly correlated with obesity epidemic in the US

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

As food consumed in the U.S. becomes more and more processed, obesity may become more prevalent. Through reviewing overall trends in food, George Washington University (GW) researcher Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS, concluded that detailed recommendations to improve diet quality and overall nutrition are needed for consumers, who are prioritizing food that is cheaper and more convenient, but also highly processed. Her conclusions are published in a review article in *Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology*. "When comparing the U.S. diet to the diet of those who live in "blue zo... more »

Children who drank whole milk had lower risk of being overweight or obese

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 weeks ago

A systematic review and meta-analysis led by St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto found children who drank whole milk had 40 per cent lower odds of being overweight or obese compared with children who consumed reduced-fat milk. The research, published in *The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*, analyzed 28 studies from seven countries that explored the relationship between children drinking cow's milk and the risk of being overweight or obese. None of the studies - which involved a total almost 21,000 children between the ages of one and 18 years old - showed that kid... more »

Fewer fats over the festive season may be the perfect formula for men's fertility

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 3 weeks ago

A diet low in fat and high in egg whites could be the key to boosting male fertility according to a new pilot study. The research, by Dr Karma Pearce from the University of South Australia in collaboration with fertility specialist Prof Kelton Tremellen, Repromed, and Flinders University, presents a direct link between diet and testosterone - showing that what men eat could affect their fundamental male sex hormone. The study is the first to identify that a diet high in any type of fat - including healthy mono-saturated fats such as olive oil - negatively impacts testosterone pro... more »

 

Medicine and Supplements

Acid reflux drugs may have negative side effects for breast cancer survivors

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 day ago

Acid reflux drugs that are sometimes recommended to ease stomach problems during cancer treatment may have an unintended side effect: impairment of breast cancer survivors' memory and concentration. New Ohio State University research shows an association between breast cancer survivors' use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and reports of problems with concentration and memory. On average, cognitive problems reported by PPI users were between 20 and 29 percent more severe than issues reported by non-PPI users. PPIs are sold under such brand names as Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec. Th... more »

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Be wary of online probiotic health-benefit claims

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 days ago

Most websites that provide information on probiotics are unreliable and claims of benefits against disease are often based on mice experiments Frontiers The public should be wary of searching for probiotic information online as most webpages originate from unreliable sources and the health-benefit claims are often not supported by robust scientific evidence. A new study, published in *Frontiers in Medicine*, cautions that while Google is adept at sorting the most reliable websites to the top of the list, the majority of websites providing information on probiotics are from commercial... more »

 

Quercetin can significantly reduce blood pressure

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 days ago

A new paper in *Nutrition Reviews*finds that intake of the flavonoid quercetin can greatly reduce high blood pressure in patients suffering from cardiovascular disease. Researchers here consulted multiple studies that assessed the impact of quercetin on blood pressure and glucose levels. Quercetin is a plant pigment commonly found in many plants and foods, such as onions, teas, apples and red wine. Each study utilized here assessed blood glucose, total cholesterol, and/or insulin. 17 studies with a total of 886 participants were included. The pooled result from 13 treatment arms thr... more »

Patients shouldn't be prescribed melatonin for jet lag

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago

Scant evidence that it effectively relieves symptoms of short term, highly variable condition BMJ Patients shouldn't be prescribed melatonin for jet lag on the NHS, and its use for this indication should be added to the list of treatments that are not routinely funded by the health service, concludes an expert review in *Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin* (dtb). Jet lag is a condition that clears up by itself within a few days, and there is scant published evidence that prescription melatonin makes a major difference to symptom relief, finds the review. A previous dtb review of the evid... more »

 

Aspirin appears to curb colorectal cancer recurrence and tumor growth, study finds

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

The benefits of a daily aspirin may extend beyond heart health to colorectal cancer treatment, say City of Hope researchers who have found aspirin appears to reduce tumor growth and inhibit recurrence of the disease. The trick now, researchers say, is to determine the right dosage of aspirin that can be used as a daily prophylactic without triggering dangerous side effects such as stomach and brain bleeds. "Some might say aspirin is a 'miracle drug' because of its potential to prevent diseases that result from chronic inflammation, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and arth... more »

American College of Physicians issues guideline for testosterone treatment in adult men

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

Physicians should prescribe testosterone for men with age-related low testosterone only to treat sexual dysfunction, the American College of Physicians (ACP) says in a new evidence-based clinical practice guideline published today in *Annals of Internal Medicine*. "Physicians are often asked by patients about low 'T' and are skeptical about the benefits of testosterone treatment," said ACP President Robert M. McLean, MD, MACP. "The evidence shows that men with age-related low testosterone may experience slight improvements in sexual and erectile function. The evidence does not suppo... more »

 

TB vaccine lowers rates of Alzheimer's disease in cancer patients

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 3 weeks ago

 

Holidays are a time for family. Festive gatherings with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles create memories that last a lifetime. But when a loved one has Alzheimer's disease (AD), holidays often become painful reminders of loss and deterioration. Currently, Alzheimer's affects one-in-ten adults over the age of 65--a number that is expected to triple by 2030. The need to find a cure is great. Now there may be a glimmer of hope. A research team headed by Hervé Bercovier, Charles Greenblatt and Benjamin Klein at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)'s Department of Microbiology... more »

Higher magnesium intake - reduced fatal coronary heart disease risk in women

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 3 weeks ago

A new prospective study based on data from the Women's Health Initiative found a potential inverse association between dietary magnesium and fatal coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women. The study, which also showed a trend between magnesium and sudden cardiac death in this population, is published in *Journal of Women's Health*, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Click here to read the full-text article on the *Journal of Women's Health* website through January 23, 2020. Charles Eaton, MD, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and a la... more »

FDA approves new treatment for adults with migraine

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 3 weeks ago

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Ubrelvy (ubrogepant) tablets for the acute (immediate) treatment of migraine with or without aura (a sensory phenomenon or visual disturbance) in adults. Ubrelvy is not indicated for the preventive treatment of migraine. It is the first drug in the class of oral calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonists approved for the acute treatment of migraine. “Migraine is an often disabling condition that affects an estimated 37 million people in the U.S.,” said Billy Dunn, M.D., acting director of the Office of Neuroscience in... more »

First FDA-approved vaccine for the prevention of Ebola virus disease

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 4 weeks ago

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today the approval of Ervebo, the first FDA-approved vaccine for the prevention of Ebola virus disease (EVD), caused by Zaire ebolavirus in individuals 18 years of age and older. Cases of EVD are very rare in the U.S., and those that have occurred have been the result of infections acquired by individuals in other countries who then traveled to the U.S., or health care workers who became ill after treating patients with EVD. “While the risk of Ebola virus disease in the U.S. remains low, the U.S. government remains deeply committed t... more »

 

General Health

Having less sex linked to earlier menopause

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 day ago

Women who engage in sexual activity weekly or monthly have a lower risk of entering menopause early relative to those who report having some form of sex less than monthly, according to a new UCL study. The researchers observed that women, who reported engaging in sexual activity weekly, were 28% less likely to have experienced menopause at any given age than women who engaged in sexual activity less than monthly. Sexual activity includes sexual intercourse, oral sex, sexual

touching and caressing or self-stimulation. The research, published in *Royal Society Open Science*, is based

Healthy lifestyle habits at middle age may increase years lived free of chronic diseases

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

Maintaining five healthy habits--eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, keeping a healthy body weight, not drinking too much alcohol, and not smoking--at middle-age may increase years lived free of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study will be published online January 8, 2020 in *BMJ*. It is a follow-up and extension of a 2018 study, which found that following these habits increased overall life expectancy. "Previous studies have found that following a healthy lifestyle improve... more »

Plants can improve your work life

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

The mere sight of an indoor plant can reduce stress American Society for Horticultural Science [image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *An air plant used in the study on office stress reduction. view more Credit: Masahiro Toyoda A study out of the University of Hyogo in Awaji, Japan, details the stress-reducing benefits to office workers that even a small plant situated within easy viewing can impart. Masahiro Toyoda, Yuko Yokota, Marni Barnes, and Midori Kaneko explored the practical use of indoor plants to boost mental health among employees typically removed from exposure to healthy green environm...

Mindfulness makes it easier to forget your fears

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

A new study shows that brief daily mindfulness training delivered through the HEADSPACE mindfulness app makes it easier to achieve lasting extinction of fear reactions University of Southern Denmark Faculty of Health Sciences Mindfulness has been shown to reduce negative emotions in both healthy individuals as well as patients with psychological problems. Studies have also shown that mindfulness is effective for treating clinical emotional problems like anxiety, depression, stress and trauma related disorders. The biological mechanisms that underlie these positive effects on emotion... more »

 

 

 

 

Long work hours at the office linked to both regular and hidden high blood pressure

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 4 weeks ago

Office workers who spend long hours on the job are more likely to have high blood pressure, including a type that can go undetected during a routine medical appointment, according to a new study published today in the American Heart Association's journal *Hypertension*. High blood pressure affects nearly half of Americans ages 18 and older and is a primary factor in more than 82,000 deaths per year. Approximately 15-30% of U.S. adults have a type of the condition called masked hypertension, meaning their high blood pressure readings are normal during health care visits but elevate... more »

Acid reflux affects nearly a third of US adults weekly

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 4 weeks ago

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a digestive disorder that causes heartburn and other uncomfortable symptoms, may affect nearly a third of U.S. adults each week, and most of those who take certain popular medications for it still have symptoms, according to a new Cedars-Sinai study. Also known as acid reflux, GERD is caused by gastric acid from the stomach flowing back up into a person's food pipe, or esophagus. This backup can happen when the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that briefly opens to let food into the stomach and closes to take food inside, relaxes too of... more »

 

Aging

Blood pressure control for people aged 80 and older: What's the right target?

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society research summary American Geriatrics Society The number of people who are 80-years-old and older is on the rise, and will account for nearly 10 percent of the whole U.S. population by 2050. Since the lifetime chance for developing high blood pressure is at least 70 percent by age 80, more and more people will be at risk for the health problems that high blood pressure can cause. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is sometimes called the "silent killer" because it produces few, if any, symptoms. In fact, you might not even realize you ha... more »

Keep exercising: New study finds it's good for your brain's gray matter

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 weeks ago

Cardiorespiratory exercise -- walking briskly, running, biking and just about any other exercise that gets your heart pumping -- is good for your body, but can it also slow cognitive changes in your brain? A study in *Mayo Clinic Proceedings* from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases provides new evidence of an association between cardiorespiratory fitness and brain health, particularly in gray matter and total brain volume -- regions of the brain involved with cognitive decline and aging. Brain tissue is made up of gray matter, or cell bodies, and filaments, called whit... more »