CLOSE
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Smoking

by -
0 534

People who wish to look after their heart health are aware that regularly eating vegetables is key.

A new study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Joondalup, WA, in Australia finds that leafy greens and other vegetables high in nitrates in particular confer significant cardiovascular benefits.

Researchers found that daily consumption of a cup of vegetables rich in nitrates is associated with better heart health.

“Our results have shown that, by simply eating 1 cup of raw (or half a cup of cooked) nitrate-rich vegetables each day, people may be able to significantly reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.”

– lead author Dr. Catherine Bondonno from ECU’s Institute for Nutrition Research

Green leafy vegetables high in nitrates include spinach, lettuce, arugula (also known as rocket), Chinese cabbage, and parsley. Non-leafy vegetables with strong nitrate content include radishes, fennel, and beet.

The researchers estimate that cooking reduces a vegetable’s nitrate content by about 50%, but that is still enough to promote heart health.

Dr. Bondonno said, “The greatest reduction in risk was for peripheral artery disease — 26% — a type of heart disease characterized by the narrowing of blood vessels of the legs. However,” she added, “we also found people had a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.”

The authors note that their findings are consistent with four earlier studies.

Worldwide, roughly 17.9 million people die of heart disease each year. In the United States, it is the leading cause of death for “men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 655,000 people in the U.S. die of heart disease every year — one out of every four deaths in the country.

The study appears in the European Journal of Epidemiology.

A long-term study

The researchers analyzed 23 years of data for 56,468 residents of Denmark who participated in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study. All individuals filled out a food frequency questionnaire, and the resulting data was cross-referenced against public health records.

Analysis revealed that people in the highest fifth of intake of vegetable nitrates exhibited a 2.58 mm Hg, or millimeters of mercury, lower systolic blood pressure — which is the first value in a blood pressure reading — compared with those in the lowest intake group (after adjustments for possible confounding differences between the groups).

The higher the nitrate intake, the greater the fall in blood pressure. The top intake group ate an average of 141 milligrams (mg) of nitrate per day. This is equivalent to 2–2.5 cups of leafy vegetables daily.

In contrast, the impact of nitrate intake on hospitalizations across all types of cardiovascular disease (CVD) plateaued at 59 mg per day. It did not increase with further nitrate intake.

Overall, there was a 15% reduction in CVD admissions over the 23 years of follow-up, compared with those with the lowest nitrate intake, which was 23 gm per day. The greatest reduction in risk — at 26% — was seen in hospitalizations for peripheral artery disease.

Speaking to Medical News Today, Dr. Edo Paz of K Health, who was not involved in the research, said he considers the study significant due to its large sample size and lengthy follow-up period.

“However,” he noted, “this is an observational study, and there are some key limitations as a result.” He explained:

“In particular, it is highly likely that people who eat vegetables have other healthy behaviors that are different than those people who do not eat vegetables. For instance, these participants may be more likely to maintain a healthy weight, exercise more, smoke less, etc. Even though the authors try to account for these variables, this is still a key limitation inherent to observational studies in general.” – Dr. Edo Paz

Just a cup

The study suggests that the equivalent of a cup of raw or half a cup of cooked green leafy vegetables of this kind a day is just about the right amount for long-term heart health. “We did not see further benefits in people who ate higher levels of nitrate-rich vegetables,” said Dr. Bondonno.

“People don’t need to be taking supplements to boost their nitrate levels,” Dr. Bondonno said, “because the study showed that one cup of leafy green vegetables each day is enough to reap the benefits for heart disease.“

Dr. Paz told MNT: “It’s important to remember that everything should be eaten or consumed in moderation. If extreme amounts of nitrate are ingested, it could lead to methemoglobinemia, which is a condition in which red blood cells have reduced ability to carry oxygen.”

“Fortunately, methemoglobinemia is relatively rare and is more commonly caused by nitrate contamination of drinking water.”

Dr. Bondonno does not recommend juicing vegetables if you want to enjoy the optimal nitrate benefit, since juicing removes pulp and fiber.

On the other hand, blending vegetables is fine. She recommends including a cup of spinach in a berry smoothie as an easy, enjoyable way for people to consume their vegetables.

by -
0 707

Kidney cancer is the eighth most common cancer in adults, with just over 10,100 people diagnosed each year.

Signs and symptoms of kidney cancer can include: blood in your urine; a constant pain in your side, just below the ribs; and a lump or swelling in the kidney area (on either side of the body).

See your General Practitioner (GP) as soon as possible if you experience any of these symptoms. They will examine you and may refer you to a specialist clinic for further tests.

In around half of all cases of kidney cancer, there are no symptoms, and the condition is detected during tests for other unrelated conditions.

The kidneys and cancer
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located on either side of the body, just underneath the ribcage. Their main role is to filter out waste products from the blood, in addition to producing urine. Only one of the kidneys is usually affected by cancer.

The human body is made up of billions of cells, which normally grow and multiply in an orderly way, with new cells being created only when and where they’re needed. In cancer, this orderly process goes wrong and cells begin to grow and multiply uncontrollably.

Exactly what triggers this growth is unknown; however, there are certain risk factors that can increase the chances of the condition developing, such as smoking and obesity.

Kidney cancer most frequently affects people over 50 years of age and is more common among men.
Treating kidney cancer

The earlier kidney cancer is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. How it is treated will depend on the size and spread of the cancer. Surgery to remove the cancerous cells is usually the first course of action.

Unlike most other cancers, chemotherapy isn’t very effective at treating kidney cancer. However, non-surgical treatments are available, such as radiotherapy or targeted therapies. These are most commonly used in the more advanced stages of kidney cancer, when the cancer has spread beyond the kidney.

Preventing kidney cancer
As the causes of kidney cancer aren’t fully understood, it is not possible to fully prevent it.

However, leading a healthy lifestyle may reduce the chances of developing the condition. A combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise will help to avoid becoming overweight or obese, which is a significant risk factor for kidney cancer.

If you are overweight or obese, you can lose weight and maintain a healthy weight by combining regular exercise with a calorie-controlled diet.

by -
0 549

The unmistakable taste and smell of coffee — not to mention its ability to perk people up in the morning — have made it one of the world’s most popular beverages.

Better still, observational studies indicate that coffee may protect against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and certain cancers.

Prospective studies, which follow people over time, have provided evidence that drinking this beverage is safe for most people and is associated with lower mortality rates.

However, a new study suggests that some of the supposed health benefits of coffee for cardiovascular health may have been overblown. The research was limited to white British participants.

As a result of the caffeine that coffee contains, excessive consumption can cause unpleasant symptoms such as tachycardia (a fast resting heart rate) and palpitations.

Drinking coffee can also lead to a moderate, temporary increase in blood pressure.

So it may come as a surprise that regular coffee drinkers either have normal or reduced blood pressure compared with people who do not drink coffee.

One explanation may be that coffee drinkers develop a physiological tolerance for the effects of caffeine.

But a new study suggests that people with a high genetic risk of cardiovascular disease unconsciously reduce how much they drink to avoid unpleasant cardiovascular symptoms.

The research found that individuals with high blood pressure, angina, or arrhythmia drank less caffeinated coffee and were more likely to drink decaffeinated coffee.

Crucially, there was strong evidence that their genetic vulnerability to cardiovascular disease led to their reduced consumption of coffee.

This rules out the alternative explanation that consuming less coffee made them more vulnerable to cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at the University of South Australia in Adelaide conducted the study, which appears in The American Journal of Clinical NutritionTrusted Source.

Guided by genetics

“Whether we drink a lot of coffee, a little, or avoid caffeine altogether, this study shows that genetics are guiding our decisions to protect our cardio health,” Professor Elina Hyppönen, who led the research and directs the Australian Centre for Precision Health at the university.

“If your body is telling you not to drink that extra cup of coffee, there’s likely a reason why,” she adds. “Listen to your body — it’s more in tune with your health than you may think.”

In observational studies, this effect could give the false impression that coffee prevents high blood pressure and protects the heart.

In reality, people vulnerable to high blood pressure may simply avoid drinking coffee because, for them, the caffeine is more likely to cause unpleasant symptoms.

The scientists drew on information about 390,435 white British participants aged 39–73 years who are part of a medical and genetic database called UK Biobank.

On recruitment, participants reported their regular coffee consumption. Researchers also measured their blood pressure and heart rate and noted any cardiovascular symptoms.

Participants with high blood pressure, angina, or arrhythmia consumed less caffeinated coffee compared with those without these symptoms.

To determine whether regular coffee consumption caused the symptoms, or whether the symptoms triggered a reduction in coffee consumption, the researchers used a statistical technique called Mendelian randomization.

This technique exploits the random inheritance of genetic variants that increase a person’s risk of a particular outcome later in life — in this case, the association between blood pressure and heart rate with habitual coffee consumption.

Because factors, such as lifestyle or diet, cannot change a person’s genetic sequence, any associations that the researchers discovered must be due to the gene variants rather than any other factors.

When they analyzed the data, it showed that having a particular genetic variant determined how much coffee a person drank.

“What this means is that someone who drinks a lot of coffee is likely more genetically tolerant of caffeine, as compared to someone who drinks very little,” says Prof. Hyppönen.

“Conversely, a noncoffee drinker, or someone who drinks decaffeinated coffee, is more likely prone to the adverse effects of caffeine and more susceptible to high blood pressure,” she adds.

Psychological effects

Medical News Today asked Prof. Hyppönen whether the psychological effects that some people experience when they drink a lot of coffee, such as anxiety and agitation, could also play a role.

“This is not something that we looked at in our study, but any unpleasant sensation that an individual feels in response to coffee consumption is likely to reduce their wish to drink coffee,” said Prof. Hyppönen.

MNT asked Dr. Edo Paz, a doctor atdigital primary care platform K Health, about the effects of drinking too much coffee.

He responded:

“[D]rinking too much coffee can result in headache, anxiety, tremors, and difficulty sleeping. With regards to the heart, in particular, excess coffee intake can result in palpitations and may trigger events in the heart, such as abnormal heart rhythms, in susceptible individuals.”

The problem of reverse causation

The findings of the new research suggest that observational studies that found an association between coffee consumption and better health may have fallen prey to “reverse causation.”

In other words, heart health issues led people to drink less coffee, rather than the other way round.

Prof. Hyppönen said Mendelian randomization studies had cast doubt on other apparent protective effects.

For example, epidemiological studies have led people to infer that moderate alcohol consumption protects against cardiovascular disease, and that having excess weight reduces mortality compared with moderate weight.

“According to [Mendelian randomization] studies, there does not appear to be any benefit for having [excess weight] versus [slim or moderate] weight, with the possible exception for smokers,” she said.

Smoking reduces appetite and hence weight, but it also has links with a wide range of negative effects on health.

“Also for alcohol, [the] evidence suggests linear increases in blood pressure and stroke risk, with no benefit for light alcohol consumption,” she added.

While further studies are necessary using a more diverse population, this study suggests using a considered, personalized approach when promoting high coffee intakes.

by -
0 527

There have been numerous investigations into a possible role for vitamin D in preventing both SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 complications.

These studies have drawn conflicting conclusions. Now, a study from researchers in Brazil provides a more robust answer to at least one key question: can vitamin D help prevent COVID-19 complications in particularly ill hospitalized patients? According to the results, the answer appears to be no.

The study found that high doses of vitamin D administered to hospital patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 did not affect the course of the disease.

“In vitro studies or trials with animals had previously shown that in certain situations, vitamin D and its metabolites could have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, as well as modulating the immune response,” explains Rosa Pereira, principal investigator for the study.

“We decided to investigate whether a high dose of the substance could have a protective effect in the context of an acute viral infection, reducing either the inflammation or the viral load.”

Based on the study’s results, says Pereira, “So far, we can say there’s no indication to administer vitamin D to patients who come to the hospital with severe COVID-19.”

The research appears in JAMA.

COVID-19 and vitamin D

Scientists at the University of São Paulo’s Medical School (FM-USP) in São Paulo, Brazil, conducted the randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trial. The researchers say this study is the first of its kind.

The team tracked the experiences of 240 volunteers receiving treatment for COVID-19 symptoms at FM-USP’s Hospital das Clínicas and the Ibirapuera Park field hospital in São Paulo City, from June to August 2020. All participants had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 using a polymerase chain reaction test or via antibody testing.

All of them received treatment with standard COVID-19 protocols that include antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medications. The researchers then divided them into two equal groups at random.

The scientists gave participants in the first group a single 200,000-unit dose of vitamin D3 dissolved in peanut oil. They gave those in the second group unaltered peanut-oil placebos.

The design of the study was to discover whether a high dose of vitamin D was associated with a shorter hospitalization — the researchers found that it was not.

The investigation also found no evidence that vitamin D made a person less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit or less likely to need intubation.

Vitamin D also seemed to have no effect on mortality, although Pereira cautions that a larger study with more participants is required before researchers can draw final conclusions.

More vitamin D studies needed

The study conclusively rules out vitamin D as a “magic bullet” for treating COVID-19.

Co-author Bruno Gualano, a researcher at FM-USP, says, “But that does not mean continuous use of vitamin D cannot have beneficial effects of some kind.”

Having suggested that a single high dose of vitamin D is not a solution to severe COVID-19, Pereira is now leading a new study to determine whether a vitamin D deficiency has any effect on a person’s ability to overcome SARS-CoV-2.

Pereira is also looking to establish the amount of vitamin D a person should have in their bloodstream to promote good health. This threshold will vary depending on an individual’s characteristics. Younger, generally healthy people should have at least 20 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/ml). Whereas for older people, for example, and those with osteoporosis, the minimum is 30 ng/ml.

Pereira says, “The ideal approach is case-by-case analysis, if necessary dosing the substance periodically by means of blood work, with supplementation if a deficiency is detected.”

by -
0 817

A toothache is a painful annoyance, especially at night. Getting a toothache at night can make falling asleep or staying asleep very difficult.

However, there are a number of remedies that may help people find relief and get to sleep, including taking pain relievers or applying a cold compress or even cloves to the tooth.

In this article, learn more about nine home remedies for relieving a toothache at night.

9 ways to treat a toothache at night

Treating a toothache at night may be more difficult, as there is not much to distract a person from the pain.

However, people can try the following methods to relieve pain:

1. Oral pain medication

a man taking medication because that is how to get rid of toothache at night
Oral pain medication may help treat a toothache at night.

Taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) is a quick, simple way for many people to effectively reduce mild-to-moderate toothaches.

Always stay within the recommended dosage on the packaging.

If the toothache is severe, it is best to see a dentist and speak to them about stronger pain relievers.

2. Cold compress

Using a cold compress may help ease the pain of a toothache.

Applying a bag of ice wrapped in a towel to the affected side of the face or jaw helps constrict the blood vessels in the area, which can reduce pain to allow a person to fall asleep.

Applying a cold compress to the area for 15–20 minutes every few hours in the evening may also help prevent pain when going to bed.

3. Elevation

Pooling blood in the head may cause additional pain and inflammation. For some people, elevating the head with an extra pillow or two may relieve the pain enough for them to fall asleep.

4. Medicated ointments

Some medicated ointments may also help reduce toothache pain. OTC numbing gels and ointments that contain ingredients such as benzocaine may numb the area.

However, benzocaine is not suitable for use by young children.

5. Salt water rinse

A simple salt water rinse is a common home remedy for a toothache.

Salt water is a natural antibacterial agent, so it may reduce inflammation. This, in turn, helps protect damaged teeth from infection.

Rinsing with salt water may also help remove any food particles or debris stuck in the teeth or gums.

6. Hydrogen peroxide rinse

Periodontitis is a serious gum infection that generally occurs as a result of poor oral hygiene. It can cause issues such as soreness, bleeding gums, and teeth that come loose in their sockets.

The author of a 2016 study found that rinsing with hydrogen peroxide mouthwash helped reduce plaque and symptoms of periodontitis.

People should always dilute food-grade hydrogen peroxide with equal parts water. Swish the solution in the mouth, but do not swallow it.

This remedy is not suitable for children, as there is a risk they may accidentally swallow the mixture.

7. Peppermint tea

Swishing peppermint tea or sucking on peppermint tea bags may also help temporarily relieve pain from a toothache.

Researchers note that peppermint contains antibacterial and antioxidant compounds. Menthol, an active ingredient in peppermint, may also have a mild numbing effect on sensitive areas.

8. Clove

Eugenol, which is one of the main compounds in cloves, can reduce tooth pain. The results of a 2015 clinical trial indicated that people who applied eugenol to their gums and socket after having a tooth extracted had less pain and inflammation during healing.

Eugenol acts as an analgesic, which means that it numbs the area. To use clove for a toothache, soak ground cloves in water to make a paste. Then, apply the paste to the tooth, or put it in an empty tea bag and place it in the mouth.

Alternatively, gently chewing or sucking on a single clove and then allowing it to sit near the painful tooth may help relieve pain.

This is not a suitable remedy for children, as they may swallow too much clove. Single cloves can be spiky and painful if a person swallows them.

9. Garlic

garlic cloves
The antibacterial effect of garlic may help kill bacteria in the mouth.

Garlic is a common household ingredient that some people use to relieve toothache pain.

Allicin, which is the main compound in garlic, has a strong antibacterial effect that may help kill the bacteria in the mouth that lead to cavities and tooth pain.

Simply chewing a clove of garlic and allowing it to sit near the tooth may help relieve pain. That said, the taste of raw garlic can be too strong for some people, so this may not be the right solution for everyone.

Causes

Tooth decay is a very common cause of a toothache. Tooth decay may lead to cavities if a person does not receive treatment.

Cavities occur when acids and bacteria break through the enamel and eat away at the delicate tissues inside the tooth. This can expose the nerve, causing mild-to-severe pain.

Sinus infections may also cause toothache in some people. This symptom occurs as the infection drains from the head. Symptoms such as pain and pressure from the infection may hurt more at night.

Other potential causes for a toothache include:

Why do some toothaches hurt more at night?

Toothaches can be painful in the day, but they may seem to get worse at night.

One reason that this may occur is because when a person is lying down, blood rushes to the head. This extra blood in the area may increase the pain and pressure that people feel from a toothache.

Another reason why many aches feel worse at night is because there are fewer distractions. With little else to focus on but the toothache, a person may find it difficult to fall asleep.

When to see a dentist

dentist analysing a cracked tooth
A dentist may recommend antibiotics if there are any signs of infection within the mouth.

People with a toothache at night should see a dentist as soon as possible. Any home remedies are only for temporary relief.

If the toothache also comes with other signs of an infection, a person may need antibiotics to clear out the infection.

When a cracked or decaying tooth is causing the pain, a person should see their dentist. They will be able to find a permanent solution.

Ignoring the signs of tooth decay, such as an aching tooth, may lead to more serious issues, including abscesses, gum disease, and tooth loss.

Summary

Dealing with a toothache is a painful experience. Although many home remedies can provide temporary relief and help a person get some sleep, they are not permanent solutions.

Anyone who experiences a toothache for longer than 1 or 2 days without symptoms of a sinus infection should see a dentist for a full diagnosis and treatment.

They may need to clean out a cavity or consider more serious options, such as root canals or tooth extractions.

by -
0 697

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer accounted for 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020. Globally, it is a leading cause of death.

In the United States, an estimated 39.5% of people will receive a cancer diagnosis within their lifetime.

Myths tend to develop around particularly prevalent conditions. It is no surprise, therefore, that people often misunderstand cancer.

“Cancer” is a generic term for a group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. This variety adds fuel to the fire of confusion.

In this article, we hope to dispel some myths and clarify this common and varied group of diseases.

1. Cancer is a death sentence

Cancer is not a death sentence. Despite the sobering statistics quoted above, cancer is not always terminal.

As scientists understand cancer better and develop improved treatments, recovery rates continue to improve.

For instance, in January 2019, an estimated 16.9 million cancer survivors were living in the United States. In the United Kingdom, survival rates have doubled in the last 40 years.

It is also worth noting that survival rates vary significantly depending on the type of cancer. For instance, in the U.K., survival rates for testicular cancer are 98%, whereas survival rates for pancreatic cancer are just 1%.

According to the National Cancer Institute:

“In the United States, the likelihood of dying from cancer has dropped steadily since the 1990s. Now, 5-year survival rates for some cancers, such as breast, prostate, and thyroid cancers, are 90% or better. The 5-year survival rate for all cancers combined is currently about 67%.”

Overall, cancer death rates are slowly declining, although the survival rates of some cancers are increasing more than others. An annual report on the status of cancer in the U.S., which appears in Cancer in 2020, concludes:

“[C]ancer death rates decreased 1.5% on average per year during 2001 through 2017.”

2. Cancer is contagious

This is a myth. Cancer is not contagious. Someone with cancer cannot spread it to others.

However, some sexually transmitted diseases, including human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B and C, can cause cancers in the cervix and the liver. In these cases, an infectious agent causes the cancer, but the cancer itself is not contagious.

As an interesting aside, scientists have documented that cancers in some animals, including Tasmanian devils and dogs, can cause fatal transmissible cancers: devil facial tumor disease and canine transmissible venereal tumor, respectively.

3. Cell phones cause cancer

To date, there is no evidence that cell phones cause cancer. One of the reasons this myth developed is that these devices emit radiofrequency radiation (radio waves), a form of non-ionizing radiation. The body absorbs this radiation.

Scientists know that exposure to ionizing radiation, for instance, X-rays, increases the risk of cancer. However, radiofrequency radiation is non-ionizing radiation, which does not increase cancer risk. The National Cancer Institute writes:

“[A]lthough many studies have examined the potential health effects of non-ionizing radiation from radar, microwave ovens, cell phones, and other sources, there is currently no consistent evidence that non-ionizing radiation increases cancer risk in humans.”

4. Power lines cause cancer

This is also a myth. The extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields produced by power lines are non-ionizing and, therefore, do not cause cancer.

The American Cancer Society writes:

“Several large studies have looked at the possible effects of ELF magnetic fields on cancer in rats and mice. These studies expose the animals to magnetic fields much stronger than what people are normally exposed to at home […]. Most of these studies have found no increase in the risk of any type of cancer. In fact, the risk of some types of cancer was actually lower in the animals exposed to the ELF radiation.”

However, the American Cancer Society also explains that some studies have found a slight increase in leukemia risk for children who live close to power lines. However, the reasons for this remain unclear.

Medical News Today spoke with Dr. Joel Newman, a consultant hematologist and specialty lead for pathology at East Sussex Healthcare Trust in the U.K. He puts the risk into perspective:

“We don’t have any real evidence that cell phones or power lines cause cancer, and there are many other things that we do daily that put us at a much greater risk than these ever could, including smoking and alcohol consumption.”

5. Artificial sweeteners cause cancer

To date, there is no good evidence that artificial sweeteners increase the risk of developing cancer.

The National Cancer Institute explains why this myth may have arisen:

“Questions about artificial sweeteners and cancer arose when early studies showed that cyclamate in combination with saccharin caused bladder cancer in laboratory animals.”

However, they explain that further studies “have not provided clear evidence of an association with cancer in humans. Similarly, studies of other [Food and Drug Administration (FDA)]-approved sweeteners have not demonstrated clear evidence of an association with cancer in humans.”

Similarly, a study investigating aspartame and cancer, which included data from more than half a million participants, found no links between “aspartame consumption and lymphoma, leukemia, or brain cancer.”

6. Cancer surgery causes cancer to spread

This is only a partial myth. It is true that cancer surgery can cause the cancer to spread, but this is rare. As the American Cancer Society explains:

“Advances in equipment used during surgery and more detailed imaging tests have helped make this risk very low.”

A related myth indicates that a tumor will grow faster or spread to other parts of the body when exposed to the air. This is untrue.

7. Herbal medicines can cure cancer

There is no evidence that any herbal medicines can cure or treat cancer.

However, some people find certain alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, meditation, and yoga, help with the psychological stress associated with cancer and some of the side effects of cancer treatment.

As the National Cancer points out, just because something is “natural” does not mean it is safe. In some circumstances, herbal supplements can harm a person’s health; they provide a couple of examples:

“[S]ome studies have shown that kava kava, a herb that some people use to help with stress and anxiety, may cause liver damage. And St. John’s wort, which some people use for depression, may cause certain cancer drugs not to work as well as they should.”

It is important that people with cancer speak with a doctor about supplements and vitamins before taking them.

8. Cancer runs in families

Although some cancers are passed on genetically through families, they are the minority of cases: an estimated 3–10% of cancers result from mutations inherited from parents.

Because people are more likely to develop cancer as they age, and people today live longer lives, it is not uncommon for people to have some relatives who develop cancer. This might help explain why this myth persists.

Most cases of cancer are due to a buildup of mutations in genes that accumulate over time. As the American Cancer Society explains:

“Some types of cancer run in certain families, but most cancers are not clearly linked to the genes we inherit from our parents. Gene changes that start in a single cell over the course of a person’s life cause most cancers.”

9. Cancer always comes back

To address this question, MNT spoke with Dr. Collin Vu, a medical oncologist and hematologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. He said:

“Fortunately for all of us, this statement is a myth and entirely not true. The current therapies for cancers are improving to the point where the cure of cancer — that is, treatments that will kill cancer completely — are improving continuously.”

However, he explains that the subject is complicated because “different cancer types have a markedly different ability to be cured, and different cancer types also have different time frames for which a cancer may typically recur. [This] makes it very difficult for patients to know when they may be truly ‘cured’ or when they still have a high risk of cancer recurrence.”

Dr. Vu has great hopes for the future of cancer treatment; he told MNT:

“In the future, with current scientific progress in better treatments for cancer, and improved population awareness of cancer risks and diagnosis, the statement that ‘cancer always comes back’ may become even more of a myth.”

10. There is no cure for cancer

Thankfully, this is also a myth. As medical science delves deeper into the mechanisms behind cancer, treatments steadily grow more effective.

According to Dr. Vu, some cancers, such as testicular and thyroid cancer, have a 60% cure rate. Dr. Vu defines the cure rate as “the population of cancer patients that has the same life expectancy as the general population.”

Breast, prostate, and bladder also have cure rates of around 50%. Dr. Vu concludes:

“As can be seen by the above data, some cancers can be eradicated, but, unfortunately, not all cancers can be cured completely. There is ongoing optimism that cure rates are increasing given the ongoing focus on screening and better treatments for cancer.”

MNT also spoke with Dr. Anton Bilchik, Ph.D., a surgical oncologist, professor of surgery, chief of gastrointestinal research, and chief of medicine at Saint John’s Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. He also leads with a message of hope:

“It is imperative that patients who are diagnosed with cancer, even at an advanced stage, do not lose hope: there are many effective, novel therapies, as well as more effective surgical techniques. A good example is with the use of modern immunotherapy, up to 40% of patients with stage 4 melanoma are curable, and 50% of patients with stage 4 colon cancer metastatic to the liver can be cured with a combination of chemotherapy and surgery.”

In short: although the battle with cancer is ongoing, science is making significant headway.

by -
0 585

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric condition that is characterized by “positive” symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, and “negative” symptoms, such as social withdrawal and apathy.

For almost a century, scientists have speculated about a possible link between the immune system and schizophrenia.

Several lines of evidence suggest that the inflammation provoked by a viral infection, either before birth or during childhood, could trigger the condition in adulthood.

Some studies have also found changes in the blood-brain barriers of people with schizophrenia.

The blood-brain barrier comprises the tightly packed layer of cells that line the blood vessels in the brain and spinal cord. It prevents blood-borne immune cells from gaining entry to the central nervous system.

This is sometimes known as conferring “immune privilege” on the brain — in other words, protecting it from harmful inflammation.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia wondered whether a compromised blood-brain barrier in people with a rare genetic disorder known as DiGeorge syndrome or 22qDS, a genetic deletion syndrome, could be responsible for their increased risk of schizophrenia.

People born with the condition have a 1 in 4 risk of developing schizophrenia later in life. This is compared with an overall risk of schizophrenia of around 1 in 100 in the wider adult population.

People with 22qDS have a small section of DNA missing from chromosome 22 of their genome.

Leaky barrier

To test their hypothesis, the researchers isolated cells from people with DiGeorge syndrome and schizophrenia and from healthy matched controls. They then turned these cells into pluripotent stem cells, which can develop into any type of cell in the body.

In the laboratory, they transformed the stem cells into the type of cells that line the blood vessels in the brain. These are the cells that together function as the blood-brain barrier.

The researchers found that the cells derived from people with DiGeorge syndrome and schizophenia created a less effective, more “leaky” barrier than those derived from the healthy controls.

In addition, the cells produced more of a type of molecule that promotes inflammation. This allowed more immune cells to penetrate the barrier.

The researchers obtained similar results when they investigated the integrity of the blood-brain barrier in a mouse model of DiGeorge syndrome.

Finally, they performed the same tests in postmortem brain tissue from three people who had DiGeorge syndrome and from three age-matched healthy controls.

They found evidence that the effectiveness of the actual blood-brain barrier of these people had indeed been compromised.

The research, which doctoral student Alexis Crockett led, now appears in the journal Brain.

Other brain disorders

The study authors speculate that a compromised blood-brain barrier may interact with environmental or other genetic risk factors to increase the likelihood not only of psychosis but also of other brain disorders in the case of people with DiGeorge syndrome.

“[W]e think these findings could also be used to understand how the blood-brain barrier and neurological processes impact not only schizophrenia but mental disorders at large,” says senior study author Prof. Jorge Iván Alvarez, from the School of Veterinary Medicine.

In 2019, Medical News Today reported on a study that suggested that a faulty blood-brain barrier in aging mice triggered brain inflammation and cognitive impairment in the animals.

Prof. Alvarez speculates that further research into the link between inflammation and neuropsychiatric disease could lead to new therapies for these conditions.

Anti-inflammatory and immunotherapy drugs have already shown some promise as treatments for schizophrenia, alongside standard treatments.

Schizophrenia is multifactorial

It is worth noting that schizophrenia is a “multifactorial” condition. This means that there is no single, clear cause. Rather, a wealth of different genetic and environmental influences interact to increase or decrease an individual’s risk of developing it.

Prof. Alvarez told MNT that people with the DiGeorge syndrome “phenotype” — that is, the characteristics arising from interactions between genetics and environment — will respond negatively to particular environmental challenges.

“These might include prenatal infection in the mother, or an infection in childhood.”

This “second hit” would worsen their condition in distinctive ways. “In terms of a ‘second hit,’” he said, “we believe that such environmental challenges will exacerbate the phenotype described under [steady] conditions.”

In their paper, Prof. Alvarez and colleagues also report some limitations of their study.

For example, their experiments did not prove that everyone with DiGeorge syndrome has a compromised blood-brain barrier. There remains a possibility that the changes are only present in those who develop schizophrenia.

To test this possibility, Prof. Alvarez said that he and his team would repeat the experiments using pluripotent stem cells from people who have this particular genetic deletion syndrome but have not developed schizophrenia.

“[W]e are planning to run these experiments using deleted non-schizophrenia [stem cells],” he said.

by -
0 553

Scientists have offered a detailed view of the biochemical pathway surrounding Parkin — a protein that plays a key role in maintaining cellular energy.

The research, which appears in the journal Science Advances, may help scientists develop new treatments for Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, which can all occur when Parkin is not functioning properly.

Mitophagy

Parkin’s central role is to remove damaged mitochondria, which are the power stations of the cell that are responsible for generating energy. Cellular stress can damage mitochondria.

Damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria tend to accumulate in the cell, and the body needs to clear them away using a process known as mitophagy. This process is essential for cell health and energy production.

Researchers have implicated mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s.

A key question for scientists has been how Parkin is able to respond to cellular stress so quickly. The signal for Parkin to do its work appeared to occur after it had already started.

Biochemical pathways

In the present study, the scientists gained a better perspective on the biochemical pathway that signals Parkin to clear away damaged mitochondria.

According to Prof. Reuben Shaw, director of the Salk Cancer Center in La Jolla, CA, and senior author of the study, “our findings represent the earliest step in Parkin’s alarm response that anyone has ever found by a long shot.”

“All the other known biochemical events happen at 1 hour; we have now found something that happens within 5 minutes.”

“Decoding this major step in the way cells dispose of defective mitochondria has implications for a number of diseases.”

Building on their prior research, the scientists searched for proteins that activate in response to the enzyme ULK1, which the enzyme AMPK triggers. They found that Parkin was a prime candidate.

The results were surprising as biochemical pathways are normally very complicated, involving up to 50 different proteins.

The scientists confirmed the findings using mass spectrometry. This process revealed how ULK1 was interacting with Parkin, offering a detailed view of how the various proteins work together.

It is this chain, from AMPK to ULK1 to Parkin, that accounts for the speed with which Parkin can react to cellular stress.

Future treatments?

By drawing a link between Parkin and AMPK, the research may aid in the development of new treatments for various diseases.

For Prof. Shaw, “the big takeaway […] is that metabolism and changes in the health of your mitochondria are critical in cancer, they are critical in diabetes, and they are critical in neurodegenerative diseases.”

“Our finding says that a diabetes drug that activates AMPK, which we previously showed can suppress cancer, may also help restore function in patients with neurodegenerative disease.”

“That is because the general mechanisms that underpin the health of the cells in our bodies are way more integrated than anyone could have ever imagined.”

by -
0 488

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of obesity among adults in the United States increased from 30.5% in 1999–2000 to 42.4% in 2017–2018.

The prevalence of severe obesity almost doubled over the same period, from 4.7% to 9.2%.

One of the factors behind the steep rise in obesity rates may be the intensive marketing of high calorie, nutrient-poor food in restaurants, on screens, and on billboards.

Past research suggested that children with excess weight or obesity are more susceptible to food advertising, which may cause a cycle of weight gain and overeating.

Whether adults with obesity are also more prone to food marketing was unclear, however.

Researchers in Canada and France have found that women with obesity also appear to be more vulnerable to marketing — but that weight loss due to bariatric surgery can free them from the cycle.

If the scientists had found that marketing still holds sway over people after weight loss, this would imply an inbuilt vulnerability to overeating.

“That would mean people are endowed with unchangeable psychological characteristics that would always make them more responsive to marketing — which would make it very difficult to sustain a medically recommended weight,” says the study’s lead researcher Yann Cornil, Ph.D., from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada.

“But one of the positive things is that after significant weight loss, people become less responsive to marketing, such that it is more sustainable to remain at a lower body mass index,” he adds.

The research, which was a collaboration between UBC and the Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital in Paris, France, appears in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.

Tests of susceptibility

The scientists compared the susceptibility to food marketing of three groups of women:

  • Group one: Comprising 73 women with severe obesity who were due to receive bariatric surgery (gastric bypass or band), which involves surgically altering the digestive system to promote weight loss.
  • Group two: Consisting of 41 women with moderate weight, who the scientists referred to as “lean controls.” The team matched these individuals to the first group in terms of their age, gender, income, employment, and marital status.
  • Group three: Comprising 29 women with obesity who were not in line to receive bariatric surgery or any other weight loss procedure.

The researchers tested the patients with obesity who were due for surgery before the procedure, then 3 and 12 months afterward.

They tested the second group twice, 6 months apart, and the third group only once.

The tests measured participants’ susceptibility to three common marketing strategies that portray food and portion sizes as more healthy than they actually are.

The first strategy, called the “health halo” effect, involves framing a product as natural or healthy.

The researchers asked participants to estimate the calorie content of 4 “healthy” snacks, including apple juice and granola bars, and 4 “indulgent” snacks, including a can of cola and chocolate bars.

In reality, the “healthy” snacks all contained more calories than the “indulgent snacks.”

The second marketing strategy involves downplaying portion sizes by renaming them, which tends to make people overeat.

The researchers asked participants to imagine choosing a portion of fries or a drink from a range of three options.

There were labels providing the actual size of each portion in grams or centiliters (cl), but these names either understated the sizes (as “mini,” “small,” and “medium”) or overstated them (as “medium,” “large,” and “extra-large.”)

The third marketing strategy involves omitting the smallest option in a size range, which can also lead to people choosing larger portions.

In this test, participants chose from a menu with 47, 65, and 95 cl size options, or from a menu with 24, 47, and 65 cl size variants.

The tests revealed that women with obesity were significantly more responsive than those with a moderate weight to the health halo and size labeling effects.

Crucially, however, women with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery were no more susceptible to these marketing ploys 12 months after the procedure than the control group with moderate weight.

Reward and motivation

In their paper, the scientists note neuroscientific research suggesting that brain regions involved in reward and motivation are more active in those with obesity.

They add that bariatric surgery may “rewire” the brain’s reward system in favor of more healthy food choices.

Alternatively, they write, the psychological impact of undergoing radical surgery to reduce their weight may motivate patients to eat more healthily.

At any rate, it remains unclear whether people who lose weight through other means, for example, through exercise or dieting, also become less responsive to food marketing.

The authors acknowledge that their study had some other limitations.

For example, they tested women with obesity only up to 12 months after surgery, so the durability of the effects beyond this point is unknown.

In addition, all the participants were adult French women. “Future research should therefore examine a larger and more diverse sample of people with obesity, including men and adolescents,” they write.

by -
0 648

Stressful events — such as sitting an exam, giving a presentation, or attending a job interview — temporarily increase heart rate and blood pressure and dilate arteries.

This is a normal part of the body’s “fight-or-flight” response, but the lining of blood vessels, known as the endothelium, can take up to 90 minutes to recover after this kind of stress.

This may help to explain why a single episode of stress temporarily increases the risk of an acute cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack.

On the other hand, experts know that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and cardiovascular mortality.

Among the healthy nutrients found in fruits and vegetables are polyphenolic compounds known as flavanols. In the long term, these improve endothelial function and lower blood pressure.

The effects of flavanols during stress and in its immediate aftermath are unknown, however.

Scientists at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom have conducted the first study to investigate this question.

Their research suggests that drinking cocoa, which is rich in flavanols, in the hours before a stressful event can improve blood flow during the experience and help restore endothelial function in males aged under 45 years old afterward.

“Our findings are significant for everyday diet, given that the daily dosage administered could be achieved by consuming a variety of foods rich in flavanols — particularly apples, black grapes, blackberries, cherries, raspberries, pears, pulses, green tea, and unprocessed cocoa,” says senior author Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, Ph.D., of the university’s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences.

“This has important implications for measures to protect the blood vessels of those individuals who are more vulnerable to the effects of mental stress,” she adds.

The research, conducted by postgraduate student Rosalind Baynham, appears in the journal Nutrients.

Stress tests

The scientists recruited 30 healthy males between 18 and 45 years who underwent tests at the lab on two separate occasions at least 7 days apart.

The research involved them fasting for 12 hours before each session and abstaining from alcohol, vigorous exercise, and polyphenol-rich food and drink for 24 hours beforehand.

At the start of each visit, while the participants were relaxed, researchers assessed their “brachial flow-mediated dilatation,” which is a measure of endothelial function.

They also measured their blood pressure, heart rate, and blood flow.

On one of these visits, the participants drank regular cocoa, which is rich in flavanols, and on the other visit, they drank a special cocoa drink that was low in flavanols.

About 90 minutes later, they took a competitive test of mental arithmetic designed to elicit stress.

For example, during the test, the researchers filmed the participants, and they had to watch their performance on a screen. The researchers told the participants that “body language assessors” would assess them.

The arithmetic task got progressively faster, and the participants lost points whenever they got an answer wrong.

An experimenter in the room marked their responses and sounded an alarm when they made a mistake, or once every 10 answers if they did not.

At 30 and 90 minutes after the stress test, the researchers remeasured the participants’ endothelial function and blood pressure.

The results showed that 30 minutes after the stress test, all participants had impaired endothelial function. This measure remained significantly higher 90 minutes after the stress test.

However, participants who drank the high-flavanol cocoa saw smaller declines in endothelial function than those who consumed the low-flavanol cocoa.

In addition, high-flavanol cocoa increased blood flow during and after the test compared with low-flavanol cocoa.

Other cardiovascular and blood pressure measures were similar for both conditions.

Future investigations

The researchers note that the main limitation of their study was that it excluded females.

They report that, for the sake of consistency, they wanted to avoid the impact of hormonal fluctuations during the female menstrual cycle on the vascular changes under investigation.

This means that it is not possible to apply the outcomes of this study to females. Researchers remain unclear on the impact of flavanols on stress response in females.

However, existing evidence shows there are gender differences in how a body responds to stress. So, future studies should focus on females.

The researchers also write that a more in-depth investigation would include molecular measures of cardiovascular function. These should consist of nitric oxide, which is a signaling molecule that dilates blood vessels, and the stress hormone cortisol.

Finally, they write that future research should explore the effect of flavanol intake on stress responses in individuals at higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure, and people who experience mental stress, such as care workers.

123...4Next Page 1 of 4
© Copyright 2015 - 9jahealth. A Cyborg Business