Thursday, May 14, 2009

Dark Chocolate Is More Filling Than Milk Chocolate And Lessens Cravings

Dark Chocolate Is More Filling Than Milk Chocolate And Lessens Cravings: "ScienceDaily (Dec. 23, 2008) — New research at the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) at the University of Copenhagen – shows that dark chocolate is far more filling than milk chocolate, lessening our craving for sweet, salty and fatty foods. In other words, eating dark chocolate may be an efficient way to keep your weight down over the holidays."

Can Cherries Relieve The Pain Of Osteoarthritis?

Can Cherries Relieve The Pain Of Osteoarthritis?: "ScienceDaily (Mar. 21, 2009) — For the estimated 27 million Americans who suffer from osteoarthritis, pain relief may come with a cherry on top. According to researchers with the Baylor Research Institute, tart cherries, in pill form, may be a promising pain-reliever for this common and debilitating form of arthritis...Made from Montmorency tart cherries, this preparation is made up of ground whole cherries and given as a soft gelatin capsule (marketed under the brand name CherryFlex®)."

Frankincense Provides Relief To Arthritis Sufferers

Frankincense Provides Relief To Arthritis Sufferers: "ScienceDaily (July 31, 2008) — An enriched extract of the 'Indian Frankincense' herb Boswellia serrata has been proven to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy has shown that patients taking the herbal remedy showed significant improvement in as little as seven days...The extract the authors used was enriched with 30% AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid), which is thought to be the most active ingredient in the plant. Raychaudhuri said, "AKBA has anti-inflammatory properties, and we have shown that B. serrata enriched with AKBA can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee". This is a proprietary product developed by Laila Nutraceuticals...B. serrata has been used for thousands of years in the Indian system of traditional medicine known as 'Ayurveda'. This study is the first to prove that an enriched extract of the plant can be used as a successful treatment..."In this study, the compound was shown to have no major adverse effects in our osteoarthritis patients. It is safe for human consumption and even for long-term use"."

Frankincense Oil -- A Wise Man's Remedy For Bladder Cancer

Frankincense Oil -- A Wise Man's Remedy For Bladder Cancer: "ScienceDaily (Mar. 24, 2009) — Originating from Africa, India, and the Middle East, frankincense oil has been found to have many medicinal benefits. Now, an enriched extract of the Somalian Frankincense herb Boswellia carteri has been shown to kill off bladder cancer cells. New research demonstrates that this herb has the potential for an alternative therapy for bladder cancer...the oil suppresses cancer cell growth by arresting cell cycle progression and induces bladder cancer cell death by activating multiple cell death pathways."

Chocolate, Wine And Tea Improve Brain Performance

Chocolate, Wine And Tea Improve Brain Performance: "ScienceDaily (Dec. 24, 2008) — All that chocolate might actually help finish the bumper Christmas crossword over the seasonal period. According to Oxford researchers working with colleagues in Norway, chocolate, wine and tea enhance cognitive performance...Those who consumed chocolate, wine, or tea had significantly better mean test scores and lower prevalence of poor cognitive performance than those who did not...The largest subclass of dietary polyphenols is flavonoids, and it has been reported in the past that those who consume lots of flavonoids have a lower incidence of dementia...The effect was most pronounced for wine..."

Women Who Breastfeed For More Than A Year Halve Their Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Women Who Breastfeed For More Than A Year Halve Their Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis: "ScienceDaily (May 13, 2008) — Women who breast feed for longer have a smaller chance of getting rheumatoid arthritis...Women who had breastfed for 13 months or more were half as likely to get rheumatoid arthritis as those who had never breast fed. Those who had breast fed for one to 12 months were 25 per cent less likely to get the disease..."

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

New Anti-cancer Components Of Extra-virgin Olive Oil Revealed

New Anti-cancer Components Of Extra-virgin Olive Oil Revealed: "ScienceDaily (Dec. 18, 2008) — Good quality extra-virgin olive oil contains health-relevant chemicals, ‘phytochemicals’, that can trigger cancer cell death...“Our findings reveal for the first time that all the major complex phenols present in extra-virgin olive oil drastically suppress overexpression of the cancer gene HER2 in human breast cancer cells”...Extra-virgin olive oil is the oil that results from pressing olives without the use of heat or chemical treatments. It contains phytochemicals that are otherwise lost in the refining process. Menendez and colleagues separated the oil into fractions and tested these against breast cancer cells in lab experiments. All the fractions containing the major extra-virgin phytochemical polyphenols (lignans and secoiridoids) were found to effectively inhibit HER2...“The active phytochemicals (i.e. lignans and secoiridoids) exhibited tumoricidal effects against cultured breast cancer cells at concentrations that are unlikely to be achieved in real life by consuming olive oil”..."

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Twin Study Defines Shared Features Of Human Gut Microbial Communities: Variations Linked To Obesity

Twin Study Defines Shared Features Of Human Gut Microbial Communities: Variations Linked To Obesity:
ScienceDaily 2008.12.02
"'This suggests that early environmental exposures play a key role in determining which microbes colonize our intestinal tracts,' Gordon says. 'It appears that we acquire an enormous number of genes - in the form of our microbial genes - from our early environment.' These microbial genes, together with our human genes, form our 'metagenome.'...The current research is part of the ongoing human microbiome project, which seeks to not only catalog the microbial species and genes associated with healthy bodies and certain disease states, but to understand how our microbial communities function. Microbial cells are estimated to outnumber human cells by a factor of ten to one. Collectively, the microbes are estimated to carry far more than the 20,000 genes that make up the DNA that we inherit from our parents..."

related:

Gut Check: Microbes Colonize Newborns' Digestive Tracts: "ScienceDaily (June 26, 2007) — For more than 100 years, scientists have known that humans carry a rich ecosystem within their intestines. An astonishing number and variety of microbes, including as many as 400 species of bacteria, help humans digest food, mitigate disease, regulate fat storage, and even promote the formation of blood vessels. By applying sophisticated genetic analysis to samples of a year's worth baby poop, Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have now developed a detailed picture of how these bacteria come and go in the intestinal tract during a child's first year of life...Before birth, the human intestinal tract is sterile, but babies immediately begin to acquire the microbial denizens of the gut from their environment -- the birth canal, mothers' breast, and even the touch of a sibling or parent. Within days, a thriving microbial community is established and by adulthood, the human body typically has as many as ten times more microbial cells than human cells. This is primarily due to the large number of microorganisms that have taken up residence in the intestine...intestinal microbial communities varied widely from baby to baby -- both in terms of which microbes were present and in how that composition changed over time. That finding, she said, is important because it helps broaden the definition of healthy microbial colonization in a baby...Another intriguing observation, Palmer noted, was a tendency for sudden shifts in the composition of the infants' intestinal microbial communities over time as different species of bacteria ebbed and flowed... Over time, however, the composition of the intestinal microbial communities converged toward a more generic profile characteristic of the adult intestine..."

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Broccoli Compound Targets Key Enzyme In Late-stage Cancer

Broccoli Compound Targets Key Enzyme In Late-stage Cancer: "ScienceDaily (Dec. 2, 2008) — An anti-cancer compound found in broccoli and cabbage works by lowering the activity of an enzyme associated with rapidly advancing breast cancer...indole-3-carbinol, is already undergoing clinical trials in humans because it was found to stop the growth of breast and prostate cancer cells in mice..."I think one of the real uses of this compound and its derivatives is combining it with other kinds of therapies, such as tamoxifen for breast cancer and anti-androgens for prostate cancer," said coauthor Gary Firestone, UC Berkeley professor of molecular and cell biology. "Humans have co-evolved with cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, so this natural source has a lot fewer side effects."...I3C inhibits the enzyme elastase, which at high levels in breast cancer cells heralds a poor prognosis: decreased response to chemotherapy, reduced response to endocrine treatment and reduced survival rates...Elastase is an enzyme that shortens a cellular chemical, cyclin E, that is involved in controlling the cell cycle. The shortened version of cyclin E accelerates the cell cycle, making cancer cells proliferate faster. Firestone showed that I3C prevents the elastase shortening of cyclin E, thereby arresting development of breast cancer cells...In previous work, they found that indole-3-carbinol interferes with more than cell proliferation. It also disrupts the migration and alters adhesion properties of cancer cells, as well as counteracts the survival ability of cancer cells, all of which are implicated in cancer cell growth. To have such broad downstream effects, I3C must act at the beginning of a major cellular pathway, Firestone said. The newly reported research pins this activity to elastase and its effect on cyclin E..."

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Lack Of Vitamin D Could Spell Heart Trouble

Lack Of Vitamin D Could Spell Heart Trouble: "ScienceDaily (Dec. 2, 2008) — Vitamin D deficiency—which is traditionally associated with bone and muscle weakness—may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A growing body of evidence links low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels to common CVD risk factors such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes, as well as major cardiovascular events including stroke and congestive heart failure..."Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognized, emerging cardiovascular risk factor, which should be screened for and treated,"...Vitamin D deficiency also alters hormone levels and immune function, which can increase the risk of diabetes, a major contributor to CVD...patients with vitamin D levels below 15 ng/ml were twice as likely to experience a heart attack, stroke or other CV event within the next five years compared to those with higher levels..."We are outside less than we used to be, and older adults and people who are overweight or obese are less efficient at making vitamin D in response to sunlight," said Dr. O'Keefe. "A little bit of sunshine is a good thing, but the use of sunscreen to guard against skin cancer is important if you plan to be outside for more than 15 to 30 of intense sunlight exposure."...

In the absence of clinical guidelines, the authors outline specific recommendations for restoring and maintaining optimal vitamin D levels in CV patients. These patients should initially be treated with 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 or D3 once weekly for 8 to 12 weeks. Maintenance therapy should be continued using one of the following strategies:

  • 50,000 IU vitamin D2 or D3every 2 weeks;
  • 1,000 to 2,000 IU vitamin D3 daily;
  • Sunlight exposure for 10 minutes for Caucasian patients (longer for people with increased skin pigmentation) between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m."
DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Exercise Helps Prevent Age-related Brain Changes In Older Adults

Exercise Helps Prevent Age-related Brain Changes In Older Adults: "ScienceDaily (Dec. 2, 2008) — Older adults who exercise regularly show increased cerebral blood flow and a greater number of small blood vessels in the brain..."Our results show that exercise may reduce age-related changes in brain vasculature and blood flow," said presenter Feraz Rahman, M.S., currently a medical student at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. "Other studies have shown that exercise prevents cognitive decline in the elderly. The blood vessel and flow differences may be one reason."..."

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Eating Eggs When Pregnant (choline) lowers chance of getting aggressive breast cancer in offspring

Eating Eggs When Pregnant Affects Breast Cancer In Offspring:
ScienceDaily 2008.12.02
"The researchers made the discovery in rats by studying females whose mothers were fed varying amounts of choline during pregnancy. Different groups of pregnant rats received diets containing standard amounts of choline, no choline at all, or extra choline. Then the researchers treated the female offspring with a chemical that causes cancer of the mammary gland (breast cancer). Although animals in all groups developed mammary cancer, the daughters of mothers that had received extra choline during pregnancy had slow growing tumors while daughters of mothers that had no choline during pregnancy had fast growing tumors...The researchers also found multiple genetic and molecular changes in the rats' tumors that correlated with survival outcomes. For example, the slow growing tumors in rats had a genetic pattern similar to those seen in breast cancers of women who are considered to have a good prognosis. The fast growing tumors in mice had a pattern of genetic changes similar to those seen in women with a more aggressive disease. The researchers also found evidence that these genetic changes may result from the way that choline affects modifications of the DNA within the mammary gland of fetuses as they develop in the womb..."

And of course the evidence that choline improves the memory of your children.


DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Telomerase takes us a step closer to eternal youth - 19 November 2008 - New Scientist

Enzyme takes us a step closer to eternal youth - 19 November 2008 - New Scientist: "One of the latest studies confirms that at least one type of human cell can indeed be restored to a youthful state by boosting telomerase levels. The other suggests that boosting telomerase can result in longer life in animals... turned to a drug called TAT2, developed by Geron of Menlo Park, California, that boosts telomerase production without altering anyone's DNA. When killer T-cells from people with HIV were exposed to TAT2, it enhanced the cells' ability to fight the virus, suggesting that TAT2 might be used to supplement existing anti-retroviral drugs by boosting the immune systems of people with HIV...TAT2 also increased the cells' ability to divide and stopped their telomeres from shortening, which raises the possibility that it might be used to wind back the clock of other ageing cells and provide more general treatments for ageing...when TAT2 was added to tumour cells it did not affect the amount of telomerase they produced. Nor did it change the growth characteristics of immune cells that were cultured with a virus that can trigger cancer. "We are fairly confident at this point that TAT2 won't enhance cancer development,"...Telomerase is extracted from the Astragalus plant, which is used in Chinese medicine without any obvious adverse effects...Blasco's team bred mice engineered to be resistant to cancer with mice engineered to produce 10 times the normal levels of telomerase in epithelial tissue, which lines the cavities and surfaces of the body. These animals lived up to 50 per cent longer than normal mice...Blasco's mice also had less subcutaneous fat, healthier epithelial tissue and improved neuromuscular coordination and glucose tolerance, which are all signs of youth. Boosting telomerase also seemed to have beneficial effects on the animals' brains and muscles, even though the enzyme was not expressed in these tissues..."

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Thursday, November 27, 2008

IP6 articles

Antioxidants Could Provide All-purpose Radiation Protection: "ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2007) — Two common dietary molecules found in legumes and bran could protect DNA from the harmful effects of radiation, researchers from the University of Maryland report. Inositol and inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) protected both human skin cells and a skin cancer-prone mouse from exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, the damaging radiation found in sunlight, the team reported November 5 at the American Association for Cancer Research Centennial Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine..."Both of these potent antioxidants have been shown to have broad-spectrum anti-tumor capabilities, and now our studies confirm the degree to which these molecules protect against the DNA-damaging effects of ionizing radiation"...While both inositol and IP6 are related to B vitamins, they are not considered essential dietary nutrients. In the 1980s, however, researchers discovered that these molecules, abundant within the hulls of seeds and grains, had definitive protective effects against colorectal cancer...According to Shamsuddin, IP6 could also offer protection against accidents or purposeful incidents involving nuclear material. "It could also be advisable to use IP6 plus inositol as a cautionary treatment following a nuclear disaster or dirty bomb,""

New Research On Cancer-fighting Foods, Supplements: ScienceDaily (Mar. 26, 2007)"The compound, inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), was fed to animal models of prostate cancer and resulted in up to a 66 percent reduction in tumor size in comparison to control animals"

Natural Substances Shows Promise In Cancer Prevention, Treatment: ScienceDaily (June 8, 1998)"cancer-fighting properties of inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) in colon, liver, breast and soft-tissue cancers in human cell-lines transplanted into mice..."The number of tumors and their size was reduced three-fold," Shamsuddin said. "The rate of cell division was cut in half. IP6 also normalizes cell division and up-regulates the product of the P53 gene, one of the body’s most powerful tumor-suppressor genes." ..."

Nutrition - IP6 - M. D. Anderson Cancer Center: "Precautions
IP-6 reduces platelet activity; therefore, people with low blood cell counts, or who are taking aspirin or other blood thinning medications, may want to avoid using IP-6. Because of its antioxidant properties, IP-6 may not be appropriate for patients receiving radiation or chemotherapy. Supplemental forms of IP-6 may also bind with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc and should therefore not be taken with food...
Dose
Although Dr. Shamsuddin indicates that further research must be completed before making more specific dosage recommendations, he gives the following guidelines: 1-2 g of IP-6 daily for cancer prevention, 4 g daily for people with an increased cancer risk, and up to 8 g daily for those with cancer. Patients who are considering an IP-6 supplement should consult with their physician or dietician.
"

IP-6 : by Ray Sahelian, M.D., inositol hexaphosphate IP-6 and cancer IP6: "Inositol hexaphosphate ( IP-6, phytic acid, or phytate ), is a naturally polyphosphorylated carbohydrate found in cereal grains, beans, brown rice, corn, sesame seeds, wheat bran, and other high fiber foods. It aids in the metabolism of insulin and calcium, hair growth, bone marrow cell metabolism, eye membrane development, and helps the liver transfer fat to other parts of the body. IP-6 in the diet may even help reduce the risk for kidney stones. Many researchers believe that some of the health benefits may be due to the antioxidant, immune enhancing, and cardiovascular supporting activities of IP-6. In-vitro and animal research has shown IP-6 to have significant protective and growth regulating effects on various cells and tissues including those of the colon, breast, and prostate...IP-6 has been reported to have in vivo and in vitro anti- cancer activity against numerous tumors, such as colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia, pancreatic cancer, and rhabdomyosarcomas. Significant human trials are lacking and hence we do not currently know for certain whether taking IP-6 supplements are helpful in cancer prevention or therapy, but the early data look promising. "

Protection against cancer by dietary IP6 and inosi...[Nutr Cancer. 2006] - PubMed Result: "Protection against cancer by dietary IP6 and inositol."

IP6 and Inositol Product Info: FAQ "Why combine IP6 with Inositol?
Dr. Shamsuddin theorized that when Inositol was properly combined with IP-6 it formed two molecules of IP-3 in the body. Although IP-6 gets all the attention, it is really the IP-3 that is doing all the work. IP-3 plays an important role in cells by helping them grow, mature, replicate and communicate with other cells. Cells that are low in IP-3 can become out of control, dividing uncontrollably. Studies confirm that the combination of IP-6 with Inositol yields much greater effects than IP-6 alone..
IP6 plus Inositol as an Antioxidant and NK-Cell Stimulant. Recognized as a potent antioxidant, IP6 acts to neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals on body cells and has been shown to enhance immunity by boosting the activity of natural killer (NK) cells.* These immune system cells (also called lymphocytes) are the body’s first line defense mechanism. Additional research indicates IP-6 & Inositol may support healthy renal function,* promotes heart health,* and helps maintain healthy glucose metabolism.* IP6 Gold is a rich source calcium, phosphorus and magnesium that supports and maintains strong, healthy bones...Developments from laboratory data suggest IP6 and Inositol play an important role in DNA functions such as cell division, repair and maturation.* Enhancing DNA function helps maintain a healthy genetic profile. Millions of dollars are currently being spent in research related to DNA profiling and alteration. Here we see a very natural compound plays an important role in this complex mechanism.

Can IP6 plus Inositol be used alongside conventional treatments? IP6 and Inositol has undergone extensive animal and human studies. No negative side-effects have been found, either when IP6 and Inositol is used on its own or in combination with other dietary supplements or conventional allopathic treatments. Indeed, Dr. Shamsuddin states that IP6 & Inositol may actually potentiate these treatments.

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Potentially Universal Mechanism Of Aging Identified

Potentially Universal Mechanism Of Aging Identified: "ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2008) — Researchers have uncovered what may be a universal cause of aging, one that applies to both single cell organisms such as yeast and multicellular organisms, including mammals. This is the first time that such an evolutionarily conserved aging mechanism has been identified between such diverse organisms...The mechanism probably dates back more than one billion years. The study shows how DNA damage eventually leads to a breakdown in the cell's ability to properly regulate which genes are switched on and off in particular settings...Researchers have discovered that DNA damage decreases a cell's ability to regulate which genes are turned on and off in particular settings. This mechanism, which applies both to fungus and to us, might represent a universal culprit for aging...scientists have know that a group of genes called sirtuins are involved in the aging process. These genes, when stimulated by either the red-wine chemical resveratrol or caloric restriction, appear to have a positive effect on both aging and health...Sinclair and colleagues in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology lab of Leonard Guarente found that a particular sirtuin in yeast affected the aging process in two specific ways—it helped regulate gene activity in cells and repair breaks in DNA. As DNA damage accumulated over time, however, the sirtuin became too distracted to properly regulate gene activity, and as a result, characteristics of aging set in..."For ten years, this entire phenomenon in yeast was considered to be relevant only to yeast," says Sinclair. "But we decided to test of this same process occurs in mammals."...Oberdoerffer found that a primary function of sirtuin in the mammalian system was to oversee patterns of gene expression (which genes are switch on and which are switch off). While all genes are present in all cells, only a select few need to be active at any given time. If the wrong genes are switched on, this can harm the cell. (In a kidney cell, for example, all liver genes are present, but switched off. If these genes were to become active, that could damage the kidney.) As a protective measure, sirtuins guard genes that should be off and ensure that they remain silent. To do this, they help preserve the molecular packaging—called chromatin—that shrink-wraps these genes tight and keeps them idle...The problem for the cell, however, is that the sirtuin has another important job. When DNA is damaged by UV light or free radicals, sirtuins act as volunteer emergency responders. They leave their genomic guardian posts and aid the DNA repair mechanism at the site of damage.During this unguarded interval, the chromatin wrapping may start to unravel, and the genes that are meant to stay silent may in fact come to life...For the most part, sirtuins are able to return to their post and wrap the genes back in their packaging, before they cause permanent damage. As mice age, however, rates of DNA damage (typically caused by degrading mitochondria) increase. The authors found that this damage pulls sirtuins away from their posts more frequently. As a result, deregulation of gene expression becomes chronic. Chromatin unwraps in places where it shouldn't, as sirtuin guardians work overtime putting out fires around the genome, and the unwrapped genes never return to their silent state...

"We then began wondering what would happen if we put more of the sirtuin back into the mice," says Oberdoerffer. "Our hypothesis was that with more sirtuins, DNA repair would be more efficient, and the mouse would maintain a youthful pattern gene expression into old age."That's precisely what happened. Using a mouse genetically altered to model lymphoma, Oberdoerffer administered extra copies of the sirtuin gene, or fed them the sirtuin activator resveratrol, which in turn extended their mean lifespan by 24 to 46 percent...

"According to this specific mechanism, while DNA damage exacerbates aging, the actual cause is not the DNA damage itself but the lack of gene regulation that results," says Oberdoerffer. "Lots of research has shown that this particular process of regulating gene activity, otherwise known as epigenetics, can be reversed—unlike actual mutations in DNA. We see here, through a proof-of-principal demonstration, that elements of aging can be reversed.""

But is the picture of sirtuins more complicated?
Deleting 'Anti-Aging' Gene From Yeast Greatly Lengthens Life Span: "ScienceDaily (Nov. 18, 2005) — A counterintuitive experiment has resulted in one of the longest recorded life-span extensions in any organism and opened a new door for anti-aging research in humans...The result was a dramatically extended life span - up to six times longer than normal - when the SIR2 deletion was combined with caloric restriction and/or a mutation in one or two genes, RAS2 and SCH9, that control the storage of nutrients and resistance to cell damage..."

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Monday, November 24, 2008

Children of centenarians live longer, healthier

Children of centenarians live longer, healthier - Yahoo! News: "People who make it to the age of 100 may indeed have some 'good genes' that they pass on their children...children of centenarians tend to retain a "cardiovascular advantage" over their peers as they age..."

No surprise here. Most of the stories on this are remarkably light on details.

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Thursday, November 13, 2008

'Love handles' raise death risk

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Love handles' raise death risk:
2008.11.13
"Carrying extra fat around your middle dramatically increases your risk of early death, even if your overall weight is normal...Each extra 2ins (5cm) raised the chance of early death by between 13% and 17%. ...men with waists exceeding 47ins (119cm) had a doubled rate of death compared with those with waists under 31.5ins (80cm), and a similar statistic was found when women with waists over 39ins (99cm) were compared to those under 25.5ins (64.7cm)...An increase in risk of death could be plotted every time the belt was let out by another two inches - for two people with the same BMI, every additional 2ins (5cm) on their waistband added up to a 17% increase in risk for men, and 13% for women...abdominal fat was not like other fat reserves, but could directly influence the development of chronic disease by releasing "messenger substances"..."

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Monday, November 3, 2008

Child's sleep linked to adulthood obesity risk

Child's sleep linked to adulthood obesity risk - Yahoo! News:
2008.11.03
"Consistently getting a good night's sleep may help protect children from becoming obese as adults... those who got too little sleep as children were more likely than their well-rested counterparts to become obese adults... early sleep habits have a direct effect on weight in the long term...A number of studies have found that sleep-deprived adults and children are at greater risk of being overweight. However, this is the first study to show a long-term relationship between sleep and obesity risk...The study involved 1,037 men and women who had been followed since their birth, between 1972 and 1973, up to the age of 32. When the participants were 5, 7, 9 and 11 years old, their parents reported on their usual bed time and wake-up time...In general, Hancox and his colleagues found, as childhood sleep time declined, adulthood body mass index, or BMI, climbed...Experts generally recommend that children between the ages of 5 and 12 sleep for about 11 hours each night, while teenagers should get 8.5 to 9.5 hours...One theory, based on research in the sleep lab, is that sleep deprivation alters the normal balance of appetite-stimulating and appetite-suppressing hormones. Sleepy children may also be too tired for physical activity during the day..."

This is important, on the level of prenatal diets changing genes. Alas it comes at a time when it will get negligible attention.


DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Kids mimic parents' diets from an early age s

Kids mimic parents' diets from an early age - Yahoo! News:
2008.11.03
"Parents who want their preschoolers to eat their vegetables may need to take a hard look at their own eating habits...Children who stocked up on sweets, sugary drinks and salty snacks generally had parents whose typical grocery list featured such items. Similarly, children with the healthiest shopping habits seemed to be following their parents' lead as well..."The data suggest that children begin to assimilate and mimic their parents' food choices at a very young age, even before they are able to fully appreciate the implications of these choices,"..."

DogVitals natural antioxidant supplement - helping dogs health from the inside out

Even a little caffeine may harm fetus

Even a little caffeine may harm fetus, study finds - Yahoo! News:
2008.11.03
"Pregnant women who consume caffeine -- even about a cup of coffee daily -- are at higher risk of giving birth to an underweight baby...linked any source of caffeine, including that from tea, cola, chocolate and some prescription drugs, to relatively slower fetal growth...Babies born underweight are more likely to develop a range of health conditions when they grow older, including high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems...Women who drank one to two cups of coffee daily, or between 100-199 milligrams, had a 20 percent increased risk of having a baby of low birth weight, the study found. This was compared to women who consumed less than 100 milligrams daily...The impact was about the same as from alcohol and the association with low birth weight was maintained throughout a woman's pregnancy...reduce caffeine intake to a minimum..."

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Monday, October 27, 2008

Scientists develop cancer fighting tomato

Scientists develop cancer fighting tomato - Yahoo! News:
2008.10.27
"...anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant found in berries such as blackberries and blackcurrants that have been shown to lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological diseases...Using genes that help color the snapdragon flower, the researchers discovered they could get the tomatoes to make anthocyanins -- turning the tomato purple in the process...Mice genetically engineered to develop cancer lived an average of 182 days when they were fed the purple tomatoes, compared to 142 days for animals on the standard diet...findings do bolster research suggesting that people can significantly improve their health by making simple changes to the daily diet..."

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Prostate cancer not warded off vit E and selenium

Prostate cancer not warded off by supplements: study - Yahoo! News:
2008.10.27
"Selenium and vitamin E supplements do not prevent prostate cancer and may in fact be a little bit dangerous..."The data also showed two concerning, but not statistically significant, trends: there were slightly more cases of prostate cancer in men taking only vitamin E and slightly more cases of diabetes in men taking only selenium,"..."

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Early infections may increase arthritis risk

Early infections may increase arthritis risk - Yahoo! News:
2008.10.27
"Previous studies have suggested infections somehow trigger the autoimmune condition later in life but the Swedish findings raise the possibility infections may somehow change the way an immature immune system develops...whether the children had any infections during the first 12 months of life. Compared to people without the conditions, children who had serious infections early on were more than twice as likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis as a young adult..."

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Green Tea May Delay Onset Of Type 1 Diabetes

Green Tea May Delay Onset Of Type 1 Diabetes: "ScienceDaily (Oct. 26, 2008) — A powerful antioxidant in green tea may prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes...EGCG also can prevent and delay insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes was a big surpris...EGCG reduced the severity and delayed onset of salivary gland damage associated with Sjogren's syndrome, which has no known cure..."EGCG modulates several important genes, so it suppresses the abnormality at the molecular level in the salivary gland. It also significantly lowered the serum autoantibodies, reducing the severity of Sjogren's syndrome-like symptoms," Dr. Hsu says. Autoantibodies are antibodies the body makes against itself...supports earlier research showing EGCG's impact on helping prevent autoimmune disease..."If the abnormal expression of these genes is the same in humans as in the animal model, then the second stage will be intervention and treatment with a pure form of EGCG,"..."

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Friday, October 17, 2008

Aerobic activity may reverse mental decline

Aerobic activity may reverse mental decline - Yahoo! News:
2008.10.17
"Regular aerobic exercise can not only stave off the decline in brain function that often comes with age, it can also help turn back the clock on brain aging...regular moderate physical activity, enough to make a person breathless, has been shown to boost not only the speed and sharpness of thought but also the actual volume of brain tissue and the way in which the brain functions...adults ages 60 to 75 who walked briskly for 45 minutes a day three days a week not only improved their aerobic fitness but also their mental fitness -- particularly their ability to perform executive function tasks...regular moderate aerobic exercise can "reliably reverse age-related cognitive decline...physically fitter adults have less evidence of deterioration in gray matter (critical to thinking) than their less physically fit counterparts..."

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Parkinson's linked to vitamin D

BBC NEWS | Health | Parkinson's linked to vitamin D:
2008.10.13
"A US team found 55% of Parkinson's patients had insufficient levels of vitamin D, compared to 36% of healthy elderly people...the Emory University researchers do not yet know if the vitamin deficiency is a cause or the result of having Parkinson's...scientists say it may also be possible that low vitamin D levels are in some way related to the genesis and origin of the disease...More recently, scientists have been uncovering its effects elsewhere, including producing peptides that fight microbes in the skin, regulating blood pressure and insulin levels, and maintaining the nervous system. Low vitamin D levels also appear to increase the risk of several cancers and auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes. "

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Circadian Clock May Be Critical For Remembering What You Learn, Researchers Say

Circadian Clock May Be Critical For Remembering What You Learn, Researchers Say: "ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2008) — The circadian rhythm that quietly pulses inside us all, guiding our daily cycle from sleep to wakefulness and back to sleep again, may be doing much more than just that simple metronomic task...has shown that having a functioning circadian system is critical to the hamsters' ability to remember what they have learned. Without it, he said, "They can't remember anything."...The change in learning retention appears to hinge on the amount of a neurochemical called GABA, which acts to inhibit brain activity. All mammal brains function according to the balance between neurochemicals that excite the brain and those that calm it. The circadian clock controls the daily cycle of sleep and wakefulness by inhibiting different parts of the brain by releasing GABA...if the hippocampus - the part of the brain where memories are stored - is overly inhibited, then the circuits responsible for memory storage don't function properly..."What I thought was happening was that our animals were having chronically high levels of GABA because they had lost their circadian rhythm," Ruby said. "So instead of rhythmic GABA, it is just constant GABA output."...gave the circadian-deficient hamsters a GABA antagonist called pentylenetetrazole, or PTZ, which blocks GABA from binding to synapses, thereby allowing the synapses to continue firing and keeping the brain in a more excited state. It worked. The learning-impaired hamsters caught up with their intact peers to exhibit the same level of learning retention...Other researchers working with mouse models of Alzheimer's disease have reported similar findings. When those mice were given GABA antagonists, their ability to learn was restored, suggesting a possible link with their circadian system... findings may also have implications for the decline in memory function that older adults in general experience..."

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

'St John's Wort plant as effective as Prozac for treating depression

'St John's Wort plant as effective as Prozac for treating depression', say scientists | Mail Online:
2008.10.08
"In what is billed as the most thorough study of the plant, scientists have found it is just as effective as Prozac at treating depression...It also had fewer side effects than many standard drugs used to help those battling despair...Experts do not know exactly how the plant lifts depression, although most believe it probably works by keeping the chemical serotonin, which is linked to positive moods, in the brain for longer...St John's Wort products available in health food shops and chemists differed greatly and some may be more effective than others..."

St. John's Wort Relieves Symptoms Of Major Depression, Study Shows: "ScienceDaily (Oct. 7, 2008) — New research provides support for the use of St. John's wort extracts in treating major depression."


DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

IGF-1 Differences Between People And Animals On Calorie Restriction

Differences Between People And Animals On Calorie Restriction: "ScienceDaily (Sep. 26, 2008) — Calorie restriction, a diet that is low in calories and high in nutrition, may not be as effective at extending life in people as it is in rodents...the new research suggests the diet may not have the desired effect unless people on calorie restriction also pay attention to their protein intake...In the majority of the animal models of longevity, extended lifespan involves pathways related to a growth factor called IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1), which is produced primarily in the liver. Production is stimulated by growth hormone and can be reduced by fasting or by insensitivity to growth hormone. In calorie-restricted animals, levels of circulating IGF-1 decline between 30 percent and 40 percent..."For years, we have been following a cohort of people from the CR Society who have been on long-term calorie restriction. We found no difference in IGF-1 levels between people on calorie restriction and those who are not."..."The vegans had significantly less circulating IGF-1, even if they were heavier and had more body fat than CRONies," he says. "Protein in the diet seemed to correlate with the lower levels of IGF-1. The strict vegans took in about 10 percent of their total calories from protein, whereas those on calorie restriction tended to get about 23 or 24 percent of calories from protein."..."It's much easier to restrict protein than to restrict calories," he says. "If our research is on the right track, maybe humans don't need to be so calorie restricted. Limiting protein intake to .7 or .8 grams per kilogram per day might be more effective. That's just a hypothesis. We have to confirm it in future studies."..."

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life

IGF-1 - more on insulin-like growth factor 1 - longevity connection

More on IGF-1 - a complicated picture is emerging as you'll see by the following articles. Part of the problem might be that IGF-1 appears to influence more than 800 genes and every cell in our body. So tease that apart for a hobby.


Shorter Women May Have Very Long Lives: Gene Mutation Found: ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2008)"the female children of the centenarians had IGF-I plasma levels that were 35 percent higher than female controls--perhaps a sign that the body was compensating for a glitch in IGF-I signaling by secreting increased amounts of the hormone. That suspicion was strengthened by two other findings: the daughters of centenarians were 2.5 cm shorter than female controls; and when the researchers analyzed the gene coding for the IGF-I cell-surface receptor molecule to which the IGF-I hormone binds, the receptor genes of centenarians and their daughters were much more likely to have a variety of mutations than were the receptor genes of the controls..."Our findings suggest that, by interfering with IGF-I signaling, these gene mutations somehow play a role in extending the human life span, as they do in many other organisms,"..."

Hormone May Hold Key To Helping Elderly Men Live Longer: "ScienceDaily (May 28, 2008) — Elderly men with higher activity of the hormone IGF-1--or insulin-growth factor 1--appear to have greater life expectancy and reduced cardiovascular risk"

Study Shows New Method Of Growth Hormone Dosing Improves Height: ScienceDaily June 7, 2005,"'We feel confident that IGF-based growth hormone dosing could become a novel paradigm in treating growth hormone deficiency, resulting in improved height increases for these children. The growth hormone dose targeted to achieve the higher IGF-I level produced especially meaningful increases in height compared to conventional weight-based methods of determining doses,'"

Deficiency Of Growth Hormone And IGF-1 Reduces Cancer And Kidney Disease, But Creates Other Problems: "ScienceDaily (Apr. 7, 2005) — WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Deficiencies of growth hormone and similar compounds may reduce cancer and kidney disease late in life, but also may lead to cartilage degeneration and impaired memory and learning ability"

Growth Factor Signals Influence Balance Between Normal Growth And Cancerous Growth: ScienceDaily (Nov. 10, 2006) "So it is with the body's delicate concentration of growth factors. Too much of a signaling protein called insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) may fan the flames of cancer, while too little of the protein may cause short stature, dementia and osteoporosis, among other problems."

Study Raises Questions About Prostate Cancer Therapies Targeting IGF-1: "ScienceDaily (May 1, 2008) — Therapies under development to treat prostate cancer by inhibiting the ability of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) to activate its target receptor could have unexpected results especially if a major tumor suppressor gene -- p53 -- is already compromised"

Growth Factor Predicts Poor Outcome In Breast Cancer: "ScienceDaily (Aug. 29, 2008) — The response to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) in breast cancer cells predicts an aggressive tumor that is less likely to respond to treatment"

Why Elite Rowers Have Bigger, Stronger Hearts: "Elite rowers were found to have higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) compared to healthy sedentary volunteers. In these athletes, IGF-1 values correlate with enlargement and strengthening of heart muscle cells."

Growth Hormone Found To Have New Role In Development Of Brain's Smell Center: "ScienceDaily (Mar. 27, 2008) — A human hormone known to stimulate the growth of cells throughout the body has a new role - helping to set up the proper nerve connections in the odor center of the brain"

Green Tea Polyphenols Thwart Prostate Cancer Development At Multiple Levels: "'Consumption of GTP led to reduced levels of IGF-1,'"

DogVitals powerful antioxidant supplement for dogs - helping dogs live a younger, healthier life