Put Old on Hold Newsletter Links for March, 2010

Links for March, 2010

Coca-Cola faces mercury poisoning cases in China

http://www.ap-foodtechnology.com/content/view/print/276454

In two separate incidents Chinese media reported that two people appear to have suffered mercury poisoning after drinking cans of Sprite. Coca-Cola is assisting Chinese police with its investigation into the poisoning cases that both took place in Beijing – the first one in November last year and the second just two weeks ago.

Excessive Internet Use Is Linked to Depression

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100202193605.htm

People who spend a lot of time browsing the Internet are more likely to show depressive symptoms, according to the first large-scale study of its kind in the West by University of Leeds psychologists.

Electronic Health Records Need Better Monitoring, Experts Urge

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100203161434.htm

The push is on for healthcare providers to make the switch to electronic health records but it is hard to tell how well these complex health information technology systems are being implemented and used, writes a health informatics researcher at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in a Feb. 3 commentary in JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Baker's Yeast: A Promising, Natural Therapy for Cancer?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100202201622.htm

A researcher at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science is investigating the potential use of non-pathogenic baker's yeast as a promising, natural therapy for cancer.

Magnesium Supplement Helps Boost Brainpower

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100127121524.htm

New research finds that an increase in brain magnesium improves learning and memory in young and old rats. The study, published in the January 28th issue of the journal Neuron, suggests that increasing magnesium intake may be a valid strategy to enhance cognitive abilities and supports speculation that inadequate levels of magnesium impair cognitive function, leading to faster deterioration of memory in aging humans.

Prayer Increases Forgiveness, Study Shows

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100127134607.htm

That's simply a fact, and here's another one: Nine out of 10 Americans say that they pray -- at least on occasion. Florida State University psychologist Nathaniel Lambert put these two facts together and came up with an idea: Why not take all that prayer and direct it at the people who have wronged us? Is it possible that directed prayer might spark forgiveness in those doing the praying -- and in the process preserve relationships?

Physical Activity Associated With Healthier Aging: Links Between Exercise and Cognitive Function, Bone Density and Overall Health

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100125172946.htm

Physical activity appears to be associated with a reduced risk or slower progression of several age-related conditions as well as improvements in overall health in older age, according to a commentary and four articles published in the January 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Genital Herpes Virus Reactivates Widely Throughout Genital Tract

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100122102435.htm

Genital herpes caused by a reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is generally treated as a lesion in one specific area of the genital region. A new study, however, finds that the virus can frequently reactivate throughout the genital tract, an important new concept that could help guide both HSV-2 treatment and prevention. Now available online, the study appears in the Feb. 15 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Lead May Be the Culprit in ADHD

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100128130227.htm

ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is among the costliest of behavioral disorders. Its combination of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity leads to accidental injuries, school failure, substance abuse, antisocial behavior and more. Yet despite nearly a century of study, the disorder’s roots remain mysterious.

Nutritional Drink for Alzheimer's Patients Evaluated in Clinical Trial

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100125173446.htm

Rush University Medical Center is leading a nationwide clinical trial of a nutritional drink to determine whether it can improve cognitive performance in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's.

Bruce Ames: Vitamin insufficiency boosting age-related diseases

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/content/view/print/276691

It is literally all about living for today. By understanding that nature favours survival today over tomorrow, a theory that vitamin inadequacy is behind the rise in chronic diseases “makes sense… and it is almost certainly going to be right,” says world-renowned scientist Bruce Ames. In an exclusive interview with Stephen Daniells, Professor Bruce Ames from the University of California, Berkeley explains why his “triage theory” could have enormous implications for human health.

As pot-smoking, pill-popping baby boomers age, new health problems may arise

http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2010/02/08/illicit_drug_use_among_baby_boomers_is_on_the_rise_as_are_long_term_health_concerns?mode=PF

Roughly 8 percent of Americans ages 50 to 59 had used an illicit drug in the past year, according to a recent survey by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Marijuana was the most commonly used, but close behind was abuse of prescription drugs, such as anti-anxiety medications, painkillers, and sleeping pills. The percentage of pot and pill abusers in this age group grew by more than 50 percent between 2002 and 2008, as more baby boomers hit 50.

Post Menopausal Iron Supplementation - Caution!

http://www.spacedoc.net/post_menopausal_iron_supplementation

Is there a medical doctor anywhere who does not think immediately of estrogen deprivation as the most likely explanation for the well-known spike in coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence in the 6th decade in women after menopause? A recent paper by Agrinier and others in France(1), summarized CHD risk factors in 1730 post menopausal women, revealing surprising information about the possible contribution of iron.

Statins and Erectile Dysfunction ( ED )

http://www.spacedoc.net/statins_erectile_dysfunction

As is well known, some of the claims for drugs, including statins (CrestorTM, LescolTM, LipitorTM, PravacholTM, ZocorTM and others) found in the package insert or PDR (Physicians' Desk Reference) prepared by the drug's maker do not match the findings of unconflicted outsiders. In other words, what the drug manufacturers say about their products' side effects and the reality obtained from post marketing experience may be widely divergent.

Diabetes Drug Ups Risk for Bone Fractures in Older Women, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100210110746.htm

A Henry Ford Hospital study finds women with type 2 diabetes who take a commonly prescribed class of medications to treat insulin resistance may be at a higher risk for developing bone fractures. (Actos and Avandia)

Dietary Formula That Maintains Youthful Function Into Old Age

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100211163116.htm

Researchers at McMaster University have developed a cocktail of ingredients that forestalls major aspects of the aging process.The findings are published in the current issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Using bagel bits soaked in the supplement to ensure consistent and accurate dosing, the formula maintained youthful levels of locomotor activity into old age . . . This builds on the team's findings that the supplement extends longevity, prevents cognitive declines, and protects mice from radiation.

Ingredients consists of items that were purchased in local stores selling vitamin and health supplements for people, including vitamins B1, C, D, E, acetylsalicylic acid, (aspirin) beta carotene, folic acid, garlic, ginger root, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, green tea extract, magnesium, melatonin, potassium, cod liver oil, and flax seed oil. Multiple ingredients were combined based on their ability to offset five mechanisms involved in ageing.

Using Nitroglycerin to Treat Prostate Cancer Shows Potential to Halt Disease

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100209091844.htm

Treatment of prostate cancer using a very low dose of nitroglycerin may slow and even halt the progression of the disease without the severe side effects of current treatments, Queen's University researchers have discovered.

Popular Antidepressant Blocks the Beneficial Effects of Tamoxifen in Breast Cancer

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100209182454.htm

Women with breast cancer who take the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil) at the same time as tamoxifen are at an increased risk of death, concludes a study published on the British Medical Journal website.

Beer Is a Rich Source of Silicon and May Help Prevent Osteoporosis

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100208091922.htm

A new study suggests that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. Researchers from the Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of California, Davis studied commercial beer production to determine the relationship between beer production methods and the resulting silicon content, concluding that beer is a rich source of dietary silicon.

Inhibiting Serotonin in Gut Could Cure Osteoporosis

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100207145344.htm

An investigational drug that inhibits serotonin synthesis in the gut, administered orally once daily, effectively cured osteoporosis in mice and rats reports an international team led by researchers from Columbia University Medical Center, in the Feb. 7 issue of Nature Medicine. Serotonin in the gut has been shown in recent research to stall bone formation. The finding could lead to new therapies that build new bone; most current drugs for osteoporosis can only prevent the breakdown of old bone.

Vitamin D may cut elderly heart disease and diabetes risk

http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/278125

Middle aged and elderly people with high blood levels of vitamin D may be at a 33 per cent lower risk of developing heart disease, says a new review from the UK.Researchers from the University of Warwick performed the first ever systematic review and meta-analysis looking at the association between blood levels of vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type-2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Pan-Frying Meat With Gas May Be Worse Than Electricity for Raising Cancer Risk

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100217224239.htm

Frying meat on a gas burner may be more harmful to health than using an electric burner, because of the type of fumes it produces, suggests research published ahead of print in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Later Introduction of Baby Foods Related to Lower Risk of Obesity Later in Life

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216142336.htm

One area of great interest is the possibility that being breastfed might predispose a person to being lean, and the longer the better. Extended breastfeeding, however, is usually associated with delayed introduction of complementary "baby" foods, and it is possible that this (gain rather than breastfeeding) might influence weight.

Charging Less for More Effective Treatments Could Reduce Health Care Costs While Improving Health

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100215201601.htm

Value-based insurance design (VBID) in which consumer payments are waived for highly effective treatments, but are raised for less effective ones, could increase the benefits of healthcare in the US without increasing expenditures, according to research published in PLoS Medicine. The costs saved by VBID could be used to subsidize coverage for the currently uninsured, providing a substantial improvement in health outcomes.

Walking Linked to Eased Osteoarthritis, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100215100757.htm

"Progressive walking" combined with glucosamine sulphate supplementation has been shown to improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open-access journal Arthritis Research and Therapy found that patients who walked at least two bouts of 1500 steps each on three days of the week reported significantly less arthritis pain, and significantly improved physical function.

Source: March, 2010 Put Old on Hold Newsletter