Stress can kill brain cells
Stress contributes to depression by killing new nerve cells in the hippocampus, the area that processes learning, memory and emotion.Research suggests that in young rats, the stress of encountering older, aggressive rats didn't stop the creation of new brain nerve cells, the first step in a process called neurogenesis. However, this form of stress did prevent many new nerve cells from surviving, which left the young rats with fewer neurons for processing feelings and emotions.
Vitamin A lotion reduces wrinkles
A research suggests that application of retinol, a form of vitamin A, makes older people less prone to skin wrinkles and poor healing of wounds. Three dozen white people - average age, 87 - had a skin moisturizer laced with retinol applied to one of their inner arms a couple of times a week for six months; a placebo was applied to the other arm, Los Angeles Times reported.

Low vitamin D levels linked to higher blood pressure
People with low blood levels of vitamin D may be at an increased risk of higher blood pressure - a problem that could be easily remedied with supplements, says a new study."This finding may have public health significance, as vitamin D levels can easily, and cheaply, be increased by a modest increase in sun exposure or vitamin D supplementation," wrote lead author Robert Scragg in the American Journal of Hypertension.

Drug that Thwarts Nicotine Addiction May Help with Alcohol Dependence
SAN FRANCISCO, July 10 -- A drug already approved as a smoking-cessation aid might also have role in the treatment of alcohol dependence, if results achieved in animals carry over to humans. A single dose of varenicline (Chantix) reduced alcohol consumption by 50% in rats, investigators here reported in the July 9 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The reduction was maintained during six days of treatment. A single dose of varenicline (Chantix) reduced alcohol consumption by 50% in rats, investigators here reported in the July 9 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The reduction was maintained during six days of treatment.

Selenium Supplements: Diabetes Risk?
Study: Taking Selenium Supplements May Raise Type 2 Diabetes Risk
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDJuly 9, 2007 -- Taking seleniumsupplements may, over time, make type 2 diabetes more likely, a new study shows.The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine's advance online edition, doesn't prove that selenium supplements cause type 2 diabetes.
But the researchers write that selenium supplements don't appear to prevent type 2 diabetes and "may increase risk for the disease."

Alzheimer's drug's impact hailed
The drugs are reserved for those with moderate Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's drugs currently being denied to some NHS patients may have a dramatic impact on the pathology of the brain, research in the UK indicates.
Neurology says that post-mortem tests on 24 patients found a 70% fall of a protein linked to dementia in those who had taken cholinesterase inhibitors. Campaigners are fighting to get the drugs available on the NHS after they were rejected for use in mild cases. Experts said the study was interesting but small and inconclusive as a result. Post-mortem examinations were done on 12 patients who took part in UK trials of the drugs - donepezil, rivastigmine, tacrine and galantamine.

Retinol May Smooth Aging Skin
Retinol Holds Promise for Curbing the Appearance of Fine Wrinkles in Elderly Skin
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDMay 22, 2007 -- Retinol lotion may ease the appearance of fine wrinkles in elderly skin, according to a new study on aging skin.The study comes from skin experts including Sewon Kang, MD, of the University of Michigan's dermatology department.They added retinol, which is derived from vitamin A, to an over-the-counter moisturizer. For comparison, they also made a placebo lotion containing no retinol.

Superfoods: The Next Frontier
Had it up to here with broccoli? Join the club. But it's hard to take it off the menu when it's such a great source of vitamins and minerals. Still, is a little variety too much to ask?Not anymore, thanks to research that's shifting the spotlight to a new generation of health-boosting foods--many of which do double or triple duty to help prevent illness. Here are six on the brink of superstar status.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins
Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion.When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.                

Brain behind high blood pressure
The brain, not the heart, is responsible for high blood pressure, suggests a new study carried out by the British researchers. The scientists said that hypertension, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes and kidney damage, is an inflammatory vascular disease of the brain rather than the heart, as previously thought.
They discovered that a protein located in the brain, JAM-1, trapped white blood cells, which can then cause inflammation and obstruct blood flow, leading to poor oxygen supply to the brain.

Start eating, diets don't work
Following a comprehensive review, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have concluded that dieting is futile at best. The study published in the April edition of American Psychologist says that a comprehensive review of dieting research has indicated that dieting does not work.

Restless Legs Syndrome, Heart Risk Tied
Blood Pressure Elevations From Restless Legs Syndrome May Raise Heart Disease Risk April 9, 2007 -- Early research suggests a possible link between restless legs syndrome and heart disease.Periodic leg movement during sleep, which is a characteristic of restless legs syndrome (RLS), led to increased blood pressure among patients participating in a newly reported study from the University of Montreal.

Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure
Dark Chocolate, Other Cocoa-Rich Foods May Lower Blood Pressure Better Than Tea
April 9, 2007 -- A chocolate treat may be better than green or black tea at keeping high blood pressure in check. A new study suggests that dark chocolate and other cocoa-rich products may be better at lowering blood pressure than tea.
Researchers compared the blood pressure-lowering effects of cocoa and tea in previously published studies and found eating cocoa-rich foods was associated with an average 4.7-point lower systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) and 2.8-point lower diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number). But no such effect was found among any of the studies on black or green tea.
Cocoa and tea are both rich in a class of antioxidants known as polyphenols. But researchers say they contain different types of polyphenols, and those in cocoa may be more effective at lowering blood pressure.

Fat reduces vitamin C benefits
The presence of fat in the stomach may remove the anti-cancer effects of vitamin C, research by the University of Glasgow suggests. The rate of stomach cancer has risen over the past 20 years, and researchers from the UK say the fatty foods we eat are partly to blame. A new study just released by the University of Glasgow has made some interesting discovery linking vitamin C and fat, BBC reported.

New Early Clue to Autism
Autism Possible in at-Risk 1-Year-Olds That Don't Respond to Their Names
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDApril 2, 2007 -- Babies that don't respond to their names by age 1 likely have a developmental abnormality -- perhaps even autism, a MIND Institute study shows.

Cancer therapy: When all else fails
DCA, or dichloroacetic acid, is an analogue of acetic acid in which chlorine atoms replace two of the three hydrogen atoms on the methyl group. Because it is a corrosive acid, it must be "buffered" to damp down the acidity, and it is usually administered as sodium dichloroacetate.The drug in this case, known as DCA, is a widely available chemical that cannot be patented. In basic laboratory tests and experiments in rats it has shown promise as an anti-cancer agent, but in people it may yet show side effects that could further damage the lives of people who take it. Scientists investigating the potential of DCA as a cancer treatment fear that any deaths or injury caused by its premature, unregulated use could damage their work - and the welfare of patients far into the future.

Angioplasty treatment top, but short-term
Angioplasty remains the top treatment for people who have had a heart attack or been hospitalized with the symptoms of clogged arteries. Most angioplasties are done on a non-emergency basis to relieve chest pain caused by a crimping of the heart's blood supply, according to a study. Surprisingly the treatment does not save lives or prevent heart attacks in non-emergency heart patients, it only temporarily relieves pain. In the study, only one-third of the people treated with drugs ultimately needed angioplasty or a bypass. More people upon feeling chest pain receive an unnecessary course of the treatment, which costs around 40,000 USD. These days with improved technology drugs are more effective than ever before.
Those patients now should try drugs first, experts say. If this does not help, they can consider angioplasty or bypass surgery, which does save lives, prevent heart attacks and give lasting chest pain relief. Medicines such as aspirin, cholesterol-lowering statins, nitrates, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers improve chest pain and heart and artery health. "An ounce of prevention better than pounds of cure," as a famous proverb goes; so consider living a healthy

Fish Oil Sinks Coronary Event Rates When Added to Statins
Among more than 18,000 patients with hypercholesterolemia and a history of coronary artery disease, the addition to statins of eicosapentaenoic acid, a long-chain-n-3 fatty acid in fish oil, reduced the occurrence of major coronary events by 19% over statins alone, reported Mitsuhiro Yokoyama, M.D., from Kobe University here, and colleagues. Eicosapentaenoic acid, (EPA) was associated with significant reductions in unstable angina and non-fatal coronary events, but there were no differences in either sudden cardiac death or coronary death, the investigators in the Japan EPA Lipid Intervention Study (JELIS).wrote in the March 31 issue of The Lancet.

life style that includes a nutritional diet and exercise.
In her book "The Fiber 35 Diet" nutritionist Brenda Watson explains how to take in a minimum of 35 grams of fiber every day in order to maintain a healthy weight.
Many diets last for only a short time. One can go through the yoyo effect of losing weight and gaining it right back.The consumption of 35 grams of fiber has the following benefits:
The first thing fiber does in our body is to curb our appetite. One can become full quickly without eating more.It reduces the absorption of calories. The fiber-flush-affect states that for every gram of fiber you consume you absorb only about 7 calories. This amount of fiber stabilizes blood sugar. It decreases the craving for food that spikes up and down throughout the day. It reduces the risk of disease, a side benefit of having fiber in our diet.

Live a pain free life at any age
Having pain as we get older is not a natural process. If you suffer from any sort of pain, or lack of mobility, it is not too late to start exercising. Exercise is a lifetime commitment and habit. It's a journey rather than a destination. Here are four steps to eliminate pain as you age: Less weight /less pain - weight complaints are normally related to weight bearing joints particularly the knees. According to researchers in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism for every pound of weight lost there is a four-pound reduction in the load placed on the knee joint with each step. Therefore, less pressure causes less knee pain.

Cellular discovery could aid liver repair
U.S. researchers say they've found a cellular receptor that could help in early interventions or therapy in liver disease. They say the cellular receptor is involved in triggering cell death, which is a necessary component of tissue repair and regeneration immediately following liver injury, UPI reported. Katerina Akassoglou, Ph.D. assistant professor in the University of California San Diego's Department of Pharmacology, and colleagues describe the mechanism by which cells associated with liver damage -- called hepatic stellate cells or HSCs -- are activated by a cell surface molecule called the p75 neurotrophin receptor, p75NTR, to promote repair in the liver.Much therapeutics for liver disease target HSCs in order to kill them, but our study in animal models found that their initial activity could actually be protective, Akassoglou said.

Exercise boosts your brainpower
 Exercise boosts brainpower by building new cells in the part of the brain linked with memory and memory loss, according to new studies. Tests on mice showed that they grew new cells in an area called the dentate gyrus, a part of the hippocampus that is known to be affected in the age-related memory decline that begins around age 30 for most humans.

Working out fights memory loss
Researchers have found over the years that exercise can help fight the natural loss of memory which comes with aging. A new research explains that working out may stimulate the growth of neurons in a part of the brain associated with memory loss.
Exercise targets a region of the brain within the hippocampus, known as the dentate gyrus, which underlies normal age-related memory decline that begins around age 30 for most adults. The next step would be to identify an exercise regimen that is most beneficial to improve cognition and reduce memory loss.

Virgin olive oil, helps stomach ulcer
Virgin olive oil may prevent and treat stomach ulcer. According to a new Spanish study the anti-oxidant found in olive oil may fight against some strains of pylori bacteria that can infect the lining of the stomach. Study shows natural products rich in anti-oxidants known as phenolic compound like in green tea, cranberry juice and etc. may prevent the growth of H. pylori bacteria. The uniqueness of virgin olive oil comes from its high phenolic contents which can stay stable for hours in acidic condition of the stomach.

Stress Can Kill Brain Cells
A severely stressful episode can kill off new nerve cells in the brain and may ultimately lead to depression, research suggests.Scientists from Rosalind Franklin University have discovered that considerable stress can reduce the chances of cells surviving in the hippocampus part of the brain. The hippocampus is associated with learning, memory and emotion and a loss of cells in this part of the brain could have a devastating impact.

Study shows why exercise boosts brainpower
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Exercise boosts brainpower by building new brain cells in a brain region linked with memory and memory loss, U.S. researchers reported Monday.Tests on mice showed they grew new brain cells in a brain region called the dentate gyrus, a part of the hippocampus that is known to be affected in the age-related memory decline that begins around age 30 for most humans.The researchers used magnetic resonance imaging scans to help document the process in mice -- and then used MRIs to look at the brains of people before and after exercise.They found the same patterns, which suggests that people also grow new brain cells when they exercise."No previous research has systematically examined the different regions of the hippocampus and identified which region is most affected by exercise," Dr. Scott Small, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York who led the study, said in a statement.

How Smoking Advances Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers have added yet another piece to the puzzle that links cigarette smoking with cancer of the pancreas, one of the deadliest forms of cancer.
In a study published in the International Journal of Cancer, US researchers zeroed in on the way a healthy cell turns cancerous.They found that the chemicals produced by burning tobacco – polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – interfere with communication between the body’s cells, contributing to the promotion of cancer.

Chilli extract may stop fat cell growth
Capsaicin, the compound that gives red pepper its heat, could inhibit the growth of fat cells, says a new laboratory study.If the results can be replicated in further studies, the results could see a strengthening of capsaicin in the weight management supplements market, currently estimated by Euromonitor International to be worth US$0.93bn (€0.73) in Europe in 2005 and $3.93bn in the US."The results of this study clearly showed that capsaicin could inhibit the population growth and the induction of apoptosis [programmed cell death] in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes [cells that can be stimulated to form fat cells]," wrote Gow-Chin Yen and Chin-Lin Hsu in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Vitamins C and E linked to lower kidney cancer risk
Increased intake of the antioxidant vitamins C and E could cut the risk of kidney cancer by 28 and 44 per cent, respectively, says a new study from Italy.
More than 80 per cent of all kidney cancers are accounted for by renal cell carcinoma (RCC). According to the charity Cancer Research UK, kidney cancer is the tenth most common form of the disease, with a male:female incidence ratio of 5:3. In the UK alone, around 6,600 new cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year, and the disease results in around 3,600 deaths.

Vitamin C for Cancer Therapy Gets FDA OK
Federal approval of a clinical trial on intravenous vitamin C as a cancer treatment lends credence to alternative cancer care, U.S. researchers said.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America said it won Food and Drug Administration approval to begin the trial, a move the Illinois-based hospital group said adds credibility to its research into alternative methods for cancer medical care, the Chicago Tribune said Thursday. It is the first FDA-approved trial for CTCA.

Alzheimer's vaccine 'in a patch'
A patch which delivers a vaccine against Alzheimer's disease through the skin has been shown to be safe and effective, a study has found. University of South Florida researchers reported the patch was able to clear brain-damaging plaques from mice. They say it may be a simpler way of protecting people against the disease than a conventional injected vaccine.

Breaking the Sugar Habit for Better Health
Killing me Slowly with Sugar
The immune system is the body's protective force against foreign invaders including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, toxins, pollutants and even cancer. The skin, mucous membranes and body surface secretions are the initial buttresses that fend off assailants. If these guards are over thrown, then a cavalry of white blood cells and antibody-producing B cells gallop to the rescue.

Antidepressants Increase Fracture Risk for Older Patients
Daily use of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) doubled the risk of a minimal-trauma fracture, reported David Goltzman, M.D., of Royal Victoria Hospital and McGill University here, and colleagues, in the Jan. 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.The prospective population-based study confirmed the link that had been found in previous database studies t, which had limited ability to control for confounding factors.

Some medical myths and facts debunked
Let's clarify a few medical myths and facts such as eggs being rich in cholesterol and eight glasses of water needed to be drunk daily. Myth - Avoid eggs since eating them will raise your cholesterol level. This myth started because egg yolks have the most concentrated amount of cholesterol in any food.

Gum Disease and Tooth Loss Boost Pancreatic Cancer Risk
Men with periodontitis and tooth loss, or both, had an overall 64% greater risk of cancer of the pancreas than men with good oral health, showed data from Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. The strength of the association was underlined by the finding that men with periodontal who never smoked cigarettes -- one of the few known risk factors for pancreatic cancer -- had a more than two-fold greater risk for the malignancy, reported epidemiologist Dominique Michaud, Sc.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues

Long-used drug shows new promise for cancer
Imagine, if you will, a drug that shrinks cancer cells and can even make tumours disappear. A couple of spoonfuls a day of powder in a glass of water is all you need. There are no nasty side effects like nausea and hair loss, and no damage to internal organs such as with traditional chemotherapy. And it costs only about $2 a dose.
Too good to be true?Not according to a Canadian researcher who stumbled upon the potentially new anti-cancer agent called dichloroacetate, or DCA, a drug long used to treat rare metabolic disorders.

Satisfaction Directly Related To Weight-Loss Methods And Public's Ability To Understand The Skinny Behind Dieting Claims
As many Americans make plans to lose unwanted weight in the New Year, a national survey released today by the Partnership for Essential Nutrition (PEN) finds that dieters who lose weight through a comprehensive program of a reduced calorie diet, increased physical activity and a supportive environment -- the method advocated by public health officials -- are the most satisfied with their results.

Coenzyme Q10 benefits people with heart failure
The popular supplement coenzyme Q10 improves the functional capacity of patients with chronic heart failure, along with strengthening of their heart, a new study shows.Combining exercise training with CoQ10 produced more marked improvements in these and all other parameters.The researchers conclude that oral CoQ10 improves several aspects of heart failure, "without any side effects."

New PET Imaging Technique Detects Early Cognitive Loss
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 20 -- The telltale plaques and tangles of even mild cognitive impairment can be detected by brain PET scans augmented by a new chemical marker, researchers reported. Action Points.Be aware that the technology used in this investigational study still lacks the clinical trials needed for FDA approval of the new molecular marker. A PET scan aided by a small-molecule chemical marker (FDDNP) that binds to Alzheimer's amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles distinguished patients with mild cognitive impairment from those with Alzheimer's disease or from normals, UCLA investigators reported in the Dec. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "This is the first time this pattern of plaque and tangle accumulations has been tracked in living humans over time," said Gary Small, M.D., and colleagues.

ADULT MALE CIRCUMCISION SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES RISK OF ACQUIRING HIV
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced an early end to two clinical trials of adult male circumcision because an interim review of trial data revealed that medically performed circumcision significantly reduces a man's risk of acquiring HIV through heterosexual intercourse. The trial in Kisumu, Kenya, of 2,784 HIV-negative men showed a 53 percent reduction of HIV acquisition in circumcised men relative to uncircumcised men, while a trial of 4,996 HIV-negative men in Rakai, Uganda, showed that HIV acquisition was reduced by 48 percent in circumcised men.
Chemo drugs 'destroy brain cells'
Drugs used to destroy cancer cells may actually be more harmful to healthy cells in the brain, research suggests. A team from New York's University of Rochester found several types of key brain cell were highly vulnerable to the drugs. They say it might help explain side effects such as seizures and memory loss associated with chemotherapy - collectively dubbed 'chemo brain'. The research is published in the Journal of Biology.

Low Brain Oxygen Ups Alzheimer's Risk
Lab Mice Living in Low Oxygen Show Worse Memory, More Brain Plaque
In humans, conditions such as stroke that hamper blood flow in the brain can limit the brain's oxygen supply. Even a "slight" rise in BACE1 activity "could lead to a dramatic increase in [amyloid beta] production," the researchers write.Low brain oxygen levels might also affect other genes and may spur brain cell death, worsening memory in Alzheimer's disease, Song's team notes.Boosting brain oxygen levels may benefit Alzheimer's patients, the researchers say. However, their study did not test that theory.

Take folic acid to protect against heart disease, say scientists
A range of studies has linked increased blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It has been suggested that by lowering the levels of homocysteine in the blood with B-vitamins, people could cut the risk of CVD.
“Since folic acid reduces homocysteine concentrations, to an extent dependent on background folate levels, it follows that increasing folic acid consumption will reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by an amount related to the homocysteine reduction achieved,” wrote lead author David Wald in the British Medical Journal.

Folic acid may slow cognitive decline in old age
19/01/2007 - Older people taking folic acid supplementation had improved memory and ability to process information, as well as a slower rate of age-related cognitive decline, says a study from the Netherlands.“In 818 older adults, daily oral folic acid supplementation for three years beneficially affected global cognitive function, and specifically memory, and information processing: functions that are sensitive to ageing,” wrote lead author Jane Durga in this week's issue of The Lancet. Cognitive performance declines naturally with age, but the results of Folic Acid and Carotid Intima-media Thickness (FACIT) trial suggests that this could be slowed by folic acid supplementation.