Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Male Health...

Omega 3 Fatty Acid - DHA Is Crucial For Male Fertility

Male fertility depends on sperm-cell architecture. A University of Illinois study reports that the specific omega-3 fatty acid (DHA) is necessary to construct the immature sperm cell into a properly-formed "pointy-headed super swimmer" with an extra long tail for effective motility.

"Normal sperm cells contain an arc-like structure called the acrosome that is critical in fertilization because it houses, organizes, and concentrates a variety of enzymes that sperm use to penetrate an egg," explained Manabu Nakamura, a University of Illinois associate professor of biochemical and molecular nutrition.

The study shows for the first time that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential in fusing
the building blocks of the acrosome together. "Without DHA, this vital structure doesn't
form and sperm cells don't work," said co-researchers conducting the study.

Men concerned about their fertility may want to increase their intake of foods containing DHA.
Most often recommended are omega 3-rich fish, such as salmon, mackeral, trout or tuna, known
as excellent sources of this omega-3 fatty acid.

The scientists became intrigued with DHA's role in creating healthy sperm when they experimented with laboratory subjects that lack a gene essential to its synthesis. "We looked at sperm count, shape, and motility, and tested the breeding success rate. The male mice that lacked DHA were basically infertile," they said.

But when DHA was introduced into the subject's diet, fertility was completely restored. "It
was very striking. When we fed the DHA, all these abnormalities were prevented," they added.

The scientists then used confocal laser scanning (3D) microscopy to look at thin slices of tissue in progressive stages of a sperm cell's development. By labeling enzymes with fluorescence, they could track their location in a cell.

"We could see that the acrosome is constructed when small vesicles containing enzymes fuse together in an arc. But that fusion doesn't happen without DHA," they emphasized. In the absence of DHA, the vesicles are formed but they don't come together to make the arch that is so important in sperm cell structure.

The role this omega-3 fatty acid plays in membrane fusion is particularly exciting,
according to the researchers. Because DHA
is abundant in specific tissues, including the
brain and the retina as well as the testes,
the scientists believe their research findings
could also impact research relating to brain function and vision.

"It's logical to hypothesize that DHA is involved
in vesicle fusion elsewhere in the body, and
because the brain contains so much of it, we wonder if deficiencies could play a role, for
example, in the development of dementia.
Any communication between neurons in the
brain involves vesicle fusion," they noted.

The Illinois research scientists will continue to study sperm; other laboratories are now studying DHA function in the brain and the retina.

Story Source:
University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

Journal Reference:
"Deficiency in the Omega-3 Fatty Acid Pathway Results in Failure of Acrosome Biogenesis in Mice" Biology of Reproduction, 2011;

This article is for informational and educational purposes only; It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment; Consult
your doctor or

healthcare professional.

Those Green Leafy Veggies and How They Help...

Chlorophyll From Green Vegetables Can Help Prevent Cancer...

A recent study at Oregon State University found that chlorophyll in green vegetables offers strong protection against cancer when tested against modest carcinogen exposure levels, most likely to be found in the environment.

Interestingly however, chlorophyll actually increases the number of tumors at very high carcinogen exposure levels.

Not only confirming the value of chlorophyll, the new research also raises serious questions about whether traditional lab studies done with mice and high levels of toxic exposure are providing accurate answers to what is a real health risk, what isn't, and what dietary and nutritional or pharmaceutical approaches are actually useful.

The findings, published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, were done using 12,360 rainbow trout as laboratory models, instead of more commonly-used laboratory mice as subjects.

Laboratory mice studies are much more expensive, forcing the use of fewer specimens and higher carcinogen exposures.

"There's considerable evidence in epidemiologic and other clinical studies with humans that chlorophyll and its derivative, chlorophyllin, can protect against cancer," said researchers
working at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

"This study, like others before it, found that chlorophyll can reduce tumors, up to a point,"
they explained. "But at very high doses of the same carcinogen, chlorophyll actually made
the problem worse. This questions the value of
an approach often used in studying cancer-causing compounds."

Oregon State University experts in recent years have become pioneers in the use of rainbow trout as a model for biomedical research. The reason, in part because the fish react in similar ways to those of rodents, but also because scientists can use thousands of them instead of dozens of laboratory mice and they're able to conduct research and experiments that would not otherwise be possible.

This study raises questions about a fundamental premise of most medical research... Typically, expose a laboratory animal to a compound at high levels, observe the result, and predict that a proportional amount of that same result would
be present at low levels of exposure.

In one part of the study, the trout were exposed to fairly moderate levels of a known carcinogen, but also given chlorophyll. This reduced their number of liver tumors by 29 to 64 percent, and stomach tumors by 24 to 45 percent.

However, in another section of the study, using
much higher (and unrealistic) doses of the same carcinogen, the use of chlorophyll caused a
significant increase in the number of tumors.

It is important to recognize that traditional research with small numbers of animals fed very high doses of a carcinogen might conclude that chlorophyll has the potential to increase human cancer risk. This study, and other evidence and trials, concludes just the opposite.

It also found that the protective mechanism of chlorophyll is fairly simple... It has the ability to bind with and isolate carcinogens within the gastrointestinal tract until they are eliminated from the body. At the lower carcinogen doses and cancer rates realistically relevant to humans, chlorophyll was strongly protective.

"The central assumption of such experiments is that intervention effects at high carcinogen dose will apply equally at lower carcinogen doses," the researchers wrote in their report.

"Contrary to the usual assumption, the outcomes in the major target organ were strikingly dependent on carcinogen dose."

Oregon State University experts have argued that in some studies rainbow trout can produce better, more accurate, real-world results compared to traditional rodent animal models and relevant to humans, because many more specimens can be used and lower doses of toxins studied.

Experiments done with fish may be about 20 times less expensive and ultimately produce more scientifically valid results, they report.

"Results derived at high carcinogen doses and high tumor responses may be irrelevant for human intervention," the scientists said in their conclusion.

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Story Source: Oregon State University

Journal Reference:
Cancer chemo-prevention by dietary chlorophyll: A 12,000-animal dose-dose matrix biomarker and tumor study. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2012;

Oregon State University (2012, January 12)
"Chlorophyll can help prevent cancer but
study raises other questions."

This article is for informational and educational purposes only; It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Consult your doctor or

healthcare professional.

Tips To Cut Cholesterol

6 Tips to Help Lower Your Cholesterol

To help you meet your weight-loss goals,  you are encouraged  to eat nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods and to exercise regularly. By following the this lifestyle, you’re also on the right track to lowering your cholesterol and thereby reducing your risk of heart disease. Here are 6 ways to help improve your cholesterol levels:

1. Limit saturated fat. Saturated fat (often referred to as animal fat) — from foods such as poultry skin, full-fat dairy products, and fatty cuts of beef, lamb, and pork — can stimulate cholesterol production in the body and cause your total cholesterol and LDL ("bad") cholesterol to rise. By adopting this diet, which is low in saturated fat, you've taken a good first step toward improving your cholesterol levels.
2. Avoid trans fats. Trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oils (check the list of ingredients on nutrition labels), may be even more damaging to cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they can raise your LDL cholesterol while lowering HDL ("good") cholesterol. Studies have shown that trans fats may also increase the risk of cancer. A good excludes foods like stick margarine, commercially packaged baked goods, crackers, chips, and other processed snacks, which often contain trans fats. On a good diet, we replace these unhealthy choices with products made with good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive, peanut, sunflower, and canola oils.
3. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can cause an increase in LDL cholesterol. For many people, losing weight decreases your LDL; in addition, for every two pounds you lose, your HDL level may show an increase.
4. Exercise smart and often. At least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise that incorporates interval training every other day can also help lower LDL levels and raise HDL levels. Combining a healthy eating plan with exercise can help further your weight loss, which will likely lower cholesterol levels even more. The important thing is to be consistent: Find aerobic activities you enjoy. Walking, swimming, and biking are all good choices.
5. Quit smoking. In addition to being a major risk factor for heart disease and cancer, cigarette smoking can also contribute to low HDL levels. If you smoke, quitting may raise HDL levels by up to 10 percent.
6. See your physician regularly. If lifestyle measures haven’t helped to lower your cholesterol, or if you have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, it may be necessary to embark on a program of medical therapy in the form of a cholesterol-lowering drug or drugs. Your physician will help determine the best course of action for you.

****The above is adapted from South Beach Diet.

Cutting The Sugar...

Control of Sugar Intake Is Essential to Ease Public Health Burden, Experts Urge

Sugar should be controlled like alcohol and tobacco to protect public health, according to a team of UCSF researchers...

They maintain in a new report that sugar is fueling a global obesity pandemic, contributing to 35 million deaths annually worldwide from non- communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Non-communicable diseases now pose a greater health burden worldwide than infectious diseases, according to the United Nations. In the United States, 75 percent of health care dollars are spent treating these diseases and their associated disabilities.

In the Feb. 2 issue of Nature, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF),
argue that sugar's potential for abuse, coupled
with its toxicity and pervasiveness in the Western
diet make it a primary culprit of this worldwide
health crisis.

Sugar is a bigger health problem than just "empty calories" that make people fat. At the levels now consumed by most Americans, sugar changes metabolism, raises blood pressure, critically alters
the signaling of hormones and causes significant damage to the liver. These health hazards largely mirror the effects of drinking too much alcohol, which is essentially the distillation of sugar.

Worldwide consumption of sugar has tripled during the past 50 years and is viewed as a key cause of the obesity epidemic. But obesity may just be a marker
for the major health damage caused by the toxic effects of too much sugar. For example, 40 percent
of people with metabolic syndrome, the key metabolic changes that lead to diabetes, heart disease and cancer, are not necessarily clinically obese.

"There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates," the researchers explained. "But sugar is toxic beyond its calories."

Limiting the consumption of sugar has challenges beyond educating people about its potential toxicity. "Changing these patterns is very complicated"

Effective interventions on environmental and community-wide solutions, similar to what has occurred with alcohol and tobacco, helps increase
the likelihood of success.

The researchers argue for society to shift away from high sugar consumption, the public must be better informed about the emerging science on sugar.

"There is an enormous gap between what we know from science and what we practice in reality," they added. "this issue needs to be recognized as a fundamental concern at the global level,"

The research was made possible with funding from UCSF's Clinical and Translational Science Institute, UCSF's National Institutes of Health-funded program that helps accelerate clinical and translational research.

Many of the interventions that have reduced alcohol and tobacco consumption can be models for helping address the sugar problem, such as levying special sales taxes, controlling access, and tightening licensing requirements on vending machines and snack bars that sell high sugar products in schools
and workplaces.

The team cautioned "We're not advocating a
major imposition of the government into people's lives. We're talking about gentle ways to make sugar consumption slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from the concentrated dose. What we want is to actually increase people's choices by making foods that aren't loaded with sugar comparatively easier and cheaper to get."

Story Source:
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF),

Journal Reference:
The toxic truth about sugar. Nature, 2012;

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) (2012, February 1) Societal control of sugar essential to ease public health burden, experts urge.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only; It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or

healthcare professional.

YouTube

Guest post from: Joe Castro

When I was planning my wedding, the hardest part was definitely narrowing down the guest list. After that, the second hardest thing was coming up with the music for the ceremony. There were so many songs to choose from and I did not even know where to start. Luckily, I have Mc Lean clear internet so I was able to get on YouTube to listen to all of the songs I was thinking about using. I could just search for a song on YouTube and hear several different versions of the song. I probably spent hours on YouTube trying to narrow down the two or three songs I wanted to use in my wedding ceremony. After getting my mom, my dad, and both of my sisters to listen to the options I had, I finally was able to pick the three songs I wanted. Picking my music would have been so much harder if I had not had the internet. Once I decided on my music, I was able to move on to more fun decisions like cake flavors.

Pre-Schooler Force Fed Chicken Nuggets!

Take The Bloat Out of Your Diet

If you often feel bloated after eating, simple changes to your diet can help.

We all know the pleasures of a good meal, and how that can be followed by discomfort around the waistband when we've eaten too much. While occasional episodes of feeling bloated after eating are the price we pay for overindulgence, for some people this unpleasant sensation is an all too common occurrence.

But don't throw down your napkin in surrender just yet. There is hope. With the proper diet adjustments and simple changes in eating habits, it is possible to enjoy food and feel good afterward.


Why Am I Bloated After Eating?
In a nutshell, that uncomfortable, bloated-after-eating feeling is typically caused by too much intestinal gas and/or excessive contents in the intestine. This in turn makes the stomach swell and feel tight.
The exact cause of bloating, however, can vary from individual to individual. Some people feel bloated after eating because they simply ate too much. The more a person eats, the longer it takes for the food to move from the stomach to the small intestine for digestion and the more bloated after eating you can feel. Other people may be sensitive to certain types of food.
For people who arelactose-intollerant, consuming regular milk and dairy products can cause discomfort. In addition, too much fiber in your diet can contribute to bloating after eating.
"High fiber intakes are not a problem if you are used to them, but going from a low to high [fiber diet] too rapidly can cause temporary discomfort in some people," says Susan B. Roberts, PhD, professor in the nutrition and psychiatry departments at Tufts University in Boston and author of The Instinct Diet (Workman). You definitely want to enjoy the health benefits of a high fiber diet, but add fiber to your diet more gradually if you think that's the source of your bloated feeling.

The number of calories you eat can also be a trigger. The body secretes hormones from the walls of the intestines that can cause nausea and bloating when too many calories are consumed. Try eating four to six small meals rather than three large meals a day.

How to Eliminate That Bloated-After-Eating Feeling

"Eating smaller meals can help prevent bloating," says Joan Salge Blake, RD, clinical associate professor in the department of health sciences at Boston University. "And slow down!" Eating or drinking too quickly can cause excess air to be swallowed, which contributes to the problem, she says.
In addition, watch what you eat. "Fatty foods take longer to digest," says Lona Sandon, RD, assistant professor in the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. "Also, vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and beans can cause more gas to be formed when digested in the small intestine." Of course, this doesn't mean you should avoid these healthful choices, just try to eat smaller portions of them at each sitting to see if that helps your body digest them more easily.

Here are some other ideas to relieve bloating after eating:

• Drink plenty of fluids, like water, to aid digestion. Sip slowly throughout the day, however; don't chug. as that will defeat the purpose. Carbonated beverages and drinks like coffee that have a diuretic effect don't count.
• Consider adding probiotic yogurt — Dannon is one brand to try — to your diet to encourage a healthy digestive tract. Keep in mind it may take a few weeks to notice its positive effects.
• Take a walk after you eat and get adequate evercise on a regular basis; both can ease bloating and help with overall digestion.

As for over-the-counter aids, "they're really only Band-Aids," says Dr. Roberts, "whereas eating the amount of calories your body needs and no more is a real cure."

***Taken from Everyday Health.

Honey For Wounds?

Honey Could Be Effective
At Treating and Preventing Wound Infections,

New Study Suggests

Manuka honey could help clear chronic wound infections and even prevent them from developing in the first place, reports a new study published in Microbiology...

The findings provide further evidence for the clinical use of manuka honey to treat bacterial

infections in the face of growing antibiotic resistance.

Manuka honey is a monofloral honey produced in New Zealand and parts of Australia from the
nectar of Leptospermum scoparium and Leptospermum polyglaifolium. To be labelled
manuka honey, the honey should have a manuka pollen count of at least seventy percent. The
typical physical characteristics of Manuka honey are its dark color with a strong flavor.

Cardiff Metropolitan University Research:

Streptococcus pyogenes is a normal skin bacterium that is frequently associated with chronic wounds that are not healing properly. Bacteria that infect wounds can clump together forming 'biofilms', which form a barrier to drugs and promotes chronic infection.

Researchers at Cardiff Metropolitan University have shown that manuka honey can not only destroy fully-formed S. pyogenes biofilms in vitro but also prevent the bacteria initially binding to
components of wound tissue.

Honey has long been acknowledged for its anti-microbial properties. Traditional remedies
containing honey were used in the topical treatment of wounds by diverse ancient
civilizations. Manuka honey is derived from
nectar collected by honey bees foraging on the
manuka tree found growing in New Zealand and parts of Australia.

It is included in modern licensed wound-care products around the world. Manuka honey has been reported to inhibit more than 80 species of bacteria, yet the antimicrobial properties of honey have not yet been fully exploited by modern medicine as its mechanisms of action are not fully
understood.

Wounds that are infected with S. pyogenes often fail to respond to treatment. This is largely due to the development of biofilms which may be difficult for antibiotics to penetrate in addition to problems of antibiotic resistance.

The results of the study showed that very small concentrations of honey prevented the start of biofilm development and that treating established biofilms grown in Petri dishes with honey for 2 hours killed up to 85% of bacteria within them.

The Cardiff team are working towards providing molecular explanations for the antibacterial action of honey. The latest study reveals that honey can disrupt the interaction between S. pyogenes and the human protein fibronectin, which is displayed on the surface of damaged cells.

"Molecules on the surface of the bacteria latch onto human fibronectin, anchoring the bacteria to the cell. This allows infection to proceed and biofilms
to develop," explained the researchers conducting the new study. "We found that honey reduced the expression of these bacterial surface proteins, inhibiting binding to human fibronectin, therefore making biofilm formation less likely. This is a feasible mechanism by which manuka honey minimizes the initiation of acute wound infections and also the establishment of chronic infections.

Ongoing work is investigating other wound-associated bacteria including Pseudomonas
aeruginosa and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Manuka honey has also been shown to be effective at killing these bacteria.

"There is an urgent need to find innovative and effective ways of controlling wound infections that are unlikely to contribute to increased antimicrobial resistance. No instances of honey-resistant bacteria have been reported to date, or seem likely," said the researchers.

"Applying antibacterial agents directly to the skin to clear bacteria from wounds is cheaper than systemic antibiotics and may well complement antibiotic therapy in the future. This is significant as chronic wounds account for up to 4% of health care expenses in the developed world."

Story Source:
Society for General Microbiology

Journal Reference:
Manuka honey inhibits the development of Streptococcus pyogenes biofilms and causes
reduced expression of two fibronectin binding proteins. Microbiology, 2012;

This article is for informational and educational purposes only; It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or healthcare professional.

Black Tea and Your Blood Pressure

Drinking Black Tea Regularly May Lower Blood Pressure, New Study Suggests

A new study from Australia reports

that drinking 3 cups daily of regular

black tea was associated with a small
but significant drop in blood pressure.

Blood pressure readings less than 120/80 mm Hg are considered normal. High blood pressure is defined as a reading of 140/90 or above. People with a reading between the two are considered
to have "pre-hypertension."

Researchers divided 95 study participants, age 35-75, into two groups: One group drank 3 cups
of black tea daily, while a control group drank a placebo beverage containing the same amount
of caffeine but no actual tea.

At the study's start, participants had systolic
blood pressure readings ranging from 155-150. After 6 months, those in the tea-drinking group saw an average drop in systolic pressure of 2-3 points and about a 2-point drop in diastolic pressure, compared to the control group.

Although those improvements appear small, researchers said they had important potential public-health benefits. They noted that previous studies have suggested that the polyphenols in
tea can improve blood-vessel function, which
could account for the blood-pressure changes.

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine

This article is for informational and educational purposes only; It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or

healthcare professional.

Coffee and Fibrosis

Coffee Consumption Reduces Fibrosis Risk In People With Fatty Liver Disease, Study Suggests

Caffeine consumption is associated with decreased risk of liver disease and reduced fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Now, newly published research confirms that coffee caffeine consumption reduces the risk
of advanced fibrosis in those with nonalcoholic
fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Important new findings published in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that increased coffee intake, specifically among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), reduces the risk of hepatic fibrosis.

The steady increase in rates of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome over the past 20 years has given rise to greater prevalence of NAFLD. Experts now believe NAFLD is the leading cause
of chronic liver disease in the U.S., surpassing
both hepatitis B and C.

It is important to recognize the majority of patients will have isolated fatty liver which has a very low likelihood of developing progressive liver disease. However, a percentage of patients will have NASH, which is characterized by inflammation of the liver, destruction of liver cells, and possibly scarring of the liver. Progression to cirrhosis (defined by advanced scarring of the liver) may occur in about 10-11% of NASH patients over a 15 year period.

To enhance understanding of the correlation between coffee consumption and the prevalence and severity of NAFLD, a team of researchers at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas surveyed participants from a previous NAFLD study as well as NASH patients treated at the center's hepatology clinic.

The 306 participants were asked about regular coffee consumption and categorized into four groups: patients with no sign of fibrosis on ultrasound (control), steatosis, NASH stage 0-1, and NASH stage 2-4.

Researchers discovered that the average milligram amounts in total caffeine consumption per day in the control, steatosis, Nash 0-1, and Nash 2-4 groups was 307, 229, 351 and 252; average milligrams of coffee intake per day was 228, 160, 255, and 152, respectively.

There was a significant difference in caffeine consumption between patients in the steatosis group compared to those with NASH stage 0-1. Coffee consumption was significantly greater for patients with NASH stage 0-1, with 58% of caffeine intake from regular coffee, than with NASH stage 2-4 patients at only 36% of caffeine consumption from regular coffee.

Multiple analyses showed a negative correlation between coffee consumption and risk of hepatic fibrosis. "Our study is the first to demonstrate a histopatholgic relationship between fatty liver disease and estimated coffee intake," concluded
the researchers involved in the study. "Patients with NASH may benefit from moderate coffee consumption that decreases risk of advanced fibrosis. Further prospective research should examine the amount of coffee intake on clinical outcomes."

Source: Hepatology February issue
Journal Reference: Association of coffee and caffeine consumption with fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and degree of hepatic fibrosis. Hepatology, 2012;

This article is for informational and educational purposes only; It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or

healthcare professional.

Is There Something I Can Do To Guard Against Colon Cancer?

Regular Use of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements May Reduce the Risk of Colon Cancer, New Study Suggests

Could the use of vitamin and mineral supplements in a regular diet help to reduce the risk of colon cancer and
protect against carcinogens?

A study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (CJPP) found
that laboratory subjects given regular multi-vitamin and mineral supplements showed a significantly lower risk of developing colon
cancer when they were exposed to carcinogens.

"It has been unclear whether multivitamin supplementation to cancer patients is helpful,
has no effect, or is even detrimental during therapy," commented the researchers
"This study is important because it gives some direction to cancer patients in desperate need
of guidance on the value of multivitamins and minerals administered during cancer."

The authors studied laboratory subjects that
were fed a high-fat diet (20% fat) over a 32
week period. The subjects were divided into
6 groups, which were exposed to different combinations of supplements and carcinogens;
the colon carcinogenisis induced in the study has characteristics that mimic human colon cancer.

Those subjects fed a high-fat plus low-fibre
diet and exposed to carcinogens developed pre-cancerous lesions; whereas, those under
going similar treatment, but provided with daily multivitamin and mineral supplements, showed
a significant (84%) reduction in the formation
of pre-cancerous lesions and did not develop tumors.

The authors conclude that "multivitamin and mineral supplements synergistically contribute to the cancer chemo-preventative potential, and hence, regular supplements of multivitamins and minerals could reduce the risk of colon cancer."

Story Source:
Canadian Science Publishing

Journal Reference:
Multivitamin and mineral supplementation
in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine induced experimental colon carcinogenesis and evaluation of free radical status, antioxidant potential, and incidence of ACF. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2012;

This article is for informational and educational purposes only; It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or
healthcare professional.

Can Exercise Cut the Risk of Alzheimer's?

Exercise May Reduce Extra Genetic Alzheimer's Risk



People at higher genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease may be able to offset the propensity for the increased risk by exercising regularly, according to a new observational study at Washington University in St. Louis.

Researchers used PET scans to image the brains of 163 participants, ages 45-88, who tested normal on a test for cognitive decline. They identified 52 as carriers of APOE epsilon-4, a genetic risk factor
for Alzheimer's.

Among sedentary APOE epsilon-4 carriers, the scans showed greater buildup of amyloid plaques
in the brain associated with the development of Alzheimer's.

But the carriers who were physically active, meeting the American Heart Association guidelines for regular exercise, showed no more buildup of amyloid plaques than found in the brains of non-carriers.

Although the study wasn't designed to prove cause and effect, the scientists noted that the genetic risk "makes beneficial lifestyle factors, such as exercise, preferentially important." - Archives of Neurology

This article is for informational and educational purposes only; It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or
healthcare professional.

Reduce the Risk of Stroke

Reduce Risk of Stroke By Eating

Vegetables, Fruits, and Grains

In a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, Swedish women who ate an antioxidant-rich diet had fewer strokes regardless of whether they had a previous history of cardiovascular disease.

"Eating antioxidant-rich foods may reduce your risk of stroke by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation," said researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. "This means people should eat more foods such as fruits and vegetables that contribute to total antioxidant capacity."

Oxidative stress is defined as an imbalance between the production of cell-damaging free radicals and the body's ability to neutralize them;
Ultimately, it leads to inflammation, blood vessel damage and stiffening.

Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotenoids and flavonoids can inhibit oxidative stress and inflammation by scavenging the free radicals. Antioxidants, especially flavonoids, may also help improve endothelial function and reduce blood clotting, blood pressure and inflammation.

"In this study, we took into account all the antioxidants present in the diet, including thousands of compounds, in doses obtained from a usual diet," the researchers explained.

The research team collected dietary data through a food-frequency questionnaire. They used a standard database to determine participants' total antioxidant capacity (TAC), which measures the free radical reducing capacity of all antioxidants in the diet and considers synergistic effects between substances.

Researchers categorized the women according to their Total Antioxidant Capacity levels: five (5) groups without a history of cardiovascular disease and four (4) with previous cardiovascular disease.

For women with no history of cardiovascular disease who had the highest TAC, fruits and vegetables contributed about 50 percent of TAC.

Other contributors were whole grains (18 percent), tea (16 percent) and chocolate (5 percent).

The study found:

Higher TAC was related to lower stroke rates in women without cardiovascular disease.

Women without cardiovascular disease with the highest levels of dietary TAC had a statistically significant 17 percent lower risk of total stroke compared to those in the lowest quintile.

Women with history of cardiovascular disease in the highest three quartiles of dietary TAC had a statistically significant 46 percent to 57 percent lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke compared with those in the lowest quartile.

"Women with a high antioxidant intake may be more health conscious and have the sort of healthy behaviors that may have influenced our results,"
the researchers cautioned... "However, the observed inverse association between dietary TAC and stroke persisted after adjustments for potential confounders related to healthy behavior such as smoking, physical activity and education."

For the study, researchers used the Swedish Mammography Cohort to identify 31,035 heart disease-free women and 5,680 women with a history of heart disease in two counties. The women were 49-83 years old.

Researchers tracked the cardiovascular disease-free women an average 11.5 years and the women with cardiovascular disease 9.6 years, from September 1997 through the date of first stroke, death or Dec. 31, 2009, whichever came first.

Researchers identified 1,322 strokes among cardiovascular disease-free women and 1,007 strokes among women with a history of cardiovascular disease from the Swedish Hospital Discharge Registry.

"To the best of our knowledge, no study has assessed the relation between dietary TAC and stroke risk in participants with a previous history of cardiovascular disease," they said. "Further studies are needed to assess the link between dietary TAC and stroke risk in men and in people in other countries, but we think our results are applicable."

The Swedish Research Council for Infrastructure and the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research funded the study.

Story Source: American Heart Association.

Journal Reference: STROKE: "Total Antioxidant Capacity of Diet and Risk of Stroke: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort of Women"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

Listen to Music for Pain!

Listening to Music Can Be Effective For Reducing Pain in High-Anxiety Individuals


Distraction is a proven pain reliever, and a new study reported
in The Journal of Pain concludes that listening to music can be effective for reducing pain in high-anxiety persons who can
easily become absorbed in cognitive activities.

Researchers from the University of Utah Pain Research Center evaluated the potential benefits of listening to music for diverting psychological responses to experimental pain stimuli. They hypothesized that music may divert cognitive focus from pain. The key to successful pain control from this method would be
the degree of engagement by the patient in the diversion task.

One hundred forty-three subjects were evaluated for the study. They were instructed to listen to music tracks, follow the melodies, and identify deviant tones. During the music tasks,
they were given safe, experimental pain shocks with fingertip electrodes.

The study's findings showed that central arousal from the pain stimuli reliably decreased with the increasing music-task demand. Music helps reduce pain by activating sensory path-
ways that compete with pain pathways, stimulating emotional responses, and engaging cognitive attention. Music, therefore, provided meaningful intellectual and emotional engagement to help reduce pain.

Among the study subjects, those with high levels of anxiety
about pain had the greatest net engagement, which contradicted the authors' initial hypothesis that anxiety would interfere with
a subject's ability to become absorbed in the music listening task. They noted that low anxiety actually may have diminished the ability to engage in the task.

The findings suggest that engaging activities like music listening can be effective for reducing pain in high anxiety persons who can
easily become absorbed in activities.

They noted that interaction of anxiety and absorption is a new finding and implies that these personality characteristics should be considered when recommending engagement strategies for pain relief.

Story Source: American Pain Society.

Journal Reference:
Individual Differences in the Effects of Music Engagement on Responses to Painful Stimulation. The Journal of Pain, 2011;

This article is for informational and educational purposes only;
It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional
for medical and nutritional consultation.

Prevent and Treat Nerve Damage

According To New Research...
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could

Prevent and Treat Nerve Damage

Research from Queen Mary, University of London suggests
that Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, have
the potential to protect nerves from injury and help them to regenerate. When nerves are damaged because of an accident
or injury, patients experience pain, weakness and muscle paralysis which can leave them disabled; Typically, recovery rates are poor.

The new study, published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that omega-3 fatty acids could play a significant role in speeding recovery from nerve injury.

The study focused on peripheral nerve cells. Peripheral nerves are the nerves which transmit signals between the brain and spinal cord, and the rest of the body.

These nerves have the ability to regenerate but, despite advances in surgical techniques, patients usually only have good recovery when their injury is minor.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for the body's normal growth and development and have been widely researched for their health benefits. Because the body cannot manufacture omega-3 fatty acids, they have to be consumed in foods such as oily fish or as dietary supplements.

In this new study, researchers first examined isolated lab subjects' nerve cells. They simulated the type of damage caused by accident or injury, by either stretching the cells or starving them of oxygen. Both types of damage killed a significant number of nerve cells but enrichment with omega-3 fatty acids in cells gave them significant protection and decreased cell death.

The researchers then studied the sciatic nerves. They found that a high level of omega-3 fatty acids helped the subjects to recover from sciatic nerve injury more quickly and more fully, and that their muscles were less likely to waste following nerve damage.

The research was carried out by a group led by Adina Michael-Titus, Professor of Neuroscience at Barts and The London Medical School and lead of the Neurotrauma and Neurodegeneration group in the Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma, Queen Mary, University of London.

She explained: "Our previous research has shown that these fatty acids could have beneficial effects in a number of neurological conditions. This new study suggests that they could also have a role in treating peripheral nerve injuries.

"More work is needed but our research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids can protect damaged nerve cells, which is a critical first step in a successful neurological recovery."

Story Source:
Queen Mary, University of London.

Queen Mary, University of London (2012, January 11).
Omega-3 fatty acids could prevent and treat nerve damage, research suggests.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only;
It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or healthcare professional.

Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer With A Little Vino!

Moderate Red Wine Drinking May Help Cut Women's Breast Cancer Risk, New Study Reports...



Drinking red wine in moderation may reduce one of the risk factors for breast cancer, providing a natural weapon to combat
a major cause of death among U.S. women, new research from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center shows.

The study, published online in the Journal of Women's Health, challenges the widely-held belief that all types of alcohol consumption heighten the risk of developing breast cancer. Doctors long have determined that alcohol increases the body's estrogen levels, fostering the growth of cancer cells.

But the Cedars-Sinai study found that chemicals in the skins
and seeds of red grapes slightly lowered estrogen levels while elevating testosterone among pre-menopausal women who
drank eight ounces of red wine nightly for about a month.

White wine lacked the same effect...

Researchers called their findings encouraging, saying women who occasionally drink alcohol might want to reassess their choices.

"If you were to have a glass of wine with dinner, you may want
to consider a glass of red," said Chrisandra Shufelt, MD, assistant director of the Women's Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and one of the study's co-authors. "Switching may shift your risk."

Shufelt noted that breast cancer is the leading type of women's cancer in the U.S., accounting for more than 230,000 new cases last year, or 30 percent of all female cancer diagnoses. An estimated 39,000 women died from the disease in 2011, according to the American Cancer Society.

In the Cedars-Sinai study, 36 women were randomized to drink either Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay daily for almost a month, then switched to the other type of wine. Blood was collected twice each month to measure hormone levels.

Researchers sought to determine whether red wine mimics the effects of aromatase inhibitors, which play a key role in managing estrogen levels. Aromatase inhibitors are currently used to treat breast cancer.

Investigators said the change in hormone patterns suggested that red wine may stem the growth of cancer cells, as has been shown in test tube studies.

Co-author Glenn D. Braunstein, MD, said the results do not mean that white wine increases the risk of breast cancer but that grapes used in those varieties may lack the same protective elements found in reds.

"There are chemicals in red grape skin and red grape seeds that are not found in white grapes that may decrease breast cancer risk," said Braunstein, vice president for Clinical Innovation and the James R. Klinenberg, MD, Chair in Medicine.

The study will be published in the April print edition of the Journal of Women's Health, but Braunstein noted that large-scale studies still are needed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of red wine to see if it specifically alters breast cancer risk. He cautioned that recent epidemiological data indicated that even moderate amounts of alcohol intake may generally increase the risk of breast cancer in women. Until larger studies are done, he said, he would not recommend that a non-drinker begin to drink red wine.

The research team also included C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director of the Women's Heart Center, director of the Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center and the Women's Guild Chair in Women's Health, as well as researchers from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and Hartford Hospital in Connecticut.

Story Source: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Journal Reference:
Red Versus White Wine as a Nutritional Aromatase Inhibitor in Premenopausal Women. Journal of Women's Health, 2011;

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (2012, January 6).
Moderate red wine drinking may help cut women's breast cancer risk, study suggests.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only;
It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or healthcare professional.

Coffee And The Pancreas

Coffee Compounds Protect

Pancreas Function

Previous studies have shown that regularly drinking coffee
may help protect against type-2 diabetes, but exactly how
has remained a mystery.

Now a new Chinese study reports that compounds in coffee
may inhibit the formation of protein compounds that are
known to contribute to the death of cells in the pancreas,
which produces insulin.

Researchers focused on a chlorogenic acid naturally found
in coffee, demonstrating in the lab "significant inhibitory
effects" on the compounds linked to pancreatic cell death.

They also looked at caffeine and found a "weak inhibitory
effect" on the damaging proteins and on the protection of
pancreas cells.

This is the first time, scientists noted, that caffeine has been shown to have beneficial effects on the pancreas; in type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce adequate insulin or
the body doesn't respond properly to insulin.

Researchers speculated that coffee compounds might be considered for future anti-diabetes drug development.

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

This article is for informational and educational purposes only;
It is not intended to provide medical advice,diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

A Little Licorice A Day...

Licorice Root Fights the Bacteria That Cause Tooth Decay and Gum Disease, New Study Finds

Scientists are reporting identification of two substances in licorice, used extensively in Chinese traditional medicine that kill the major bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease. Identified as the leading causes of tooth loss in children and adults, tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented with proper care. In a study in ACS' Journal of Natural Products,
the researches report that the licorice-derived substances
could have a role in treating and preventing tooth decay and
gum disease.

The dried root of the licorice plant is a common treatment in Chinese traditional medicine, especially as a way to enhance
the activity of other herbal ingredients or as a flavoring.

Despite the popularity of licorice candy in the U.S., licorice root has been replaced in domestic candy with anise oil, which has a similar flavor. Traditional medical practitioners use dried licorice root to treat various ailments, such as respiratory and digestive problems, but few modern scientific studies address whether licorice really works.

Consumers should check with their health care provider before taking licorice root because it can have undesirable effects and interactions with prescription drugs.To test whether the sweet root could combat the bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities, the researchers took a closer look at the various substances in licorice.

They found that two of the licorice compounds, licoricidin and licorisoflavan A, were the most effective antibacterial substances. These substances killed two of the major bacteria responsible for dental cavities and two of the bacteria that promote gum disease. One of the compounds licoricidin also killed a third gum disease bacterium. The researchers say that these substances could treat or even prevent oral infections.

Story Source: American Chemical Society

Journal Reference:
Isoflavonoids and Coumarins fromGlycyrrhiza uralensis: Antibacterial Activity against Oral Pathogens and Conversion of Isoflavans into Isoflavan-Quinones during Purification.
Journal of Natural Products, 2011;

American Chemical Society (2012, January 4). Dried licorice root fights the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease, study finds.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only;
It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or healthcare professional.

Some Questions On Vitamins and Minerals

Frequently Asked Questions About Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements








More than 50% of Americans take dietary supplements, yet many people are not sure which ones to take, how much to take or when to take them. Here are the answers to your most frequently asked questions about vitamins and supplements.

What time of day should I take vitamins and other nutritional supplements?

Most dietary supplements including your daily multiple vitamin, vitamins A,B Complex, C and D or Omega 3 fish oil capsules can be consumed any time of day, preferably with your largest meal of the day. Most people prefer to take them with their breakfast or lunch. It's important to remember that it's better to take your supplements with food in order to help with proper digestion, absorption and optimum utilization.

However, not all supplements should be taken with food and best utilized when on an empty stomach before a meal. That's why it's essential to read the label directions.

As an example, plant sterols and stanols as found in products
like Super Sterol Protein Complex and Cholesto-Plex should
are best taken before mealtimes. If you are taking plant sterol supplements to help promote healthy cholesterol levels, try
to take them 15-30 minutes before a meal for optimal effectiveness.

How do I decide which vitamin and nutritional supplements are best for me?

Determining which supplements you should take begins with properly understanding your diet. If specific nutrients are missing from your regular diet, it's best to consult a nutritional healthcare practitioner or talk to your primary health care provider. To help assure fulfillment of nutrient "gaps" many people choose a comprehensive daily multivitamin & mineral supplement. It's the most convenient and effective way to
assure optimal vitamin and mineral levels.

If you are looking for the most appropriate formulation for you, be sure to identify one that is formulated to meet your specific age-related, personal fitness level and basic gender needs. For example, iron requirements for women over age of 50 are typically 8 mg per day while the needs for women under 50 are 18 mg per day. Multivitamins for women over the age of 50 should contain little to no iron because 8 mg per day can usually be acquired through the regular diet.

A multivitamin for men over the age of 50 should not contain iron and may often include other ingredients that may not typically be included in a woman's multiple vitamin such as Lycopene, L-Carnitine, L-Histidine, Saw Palmetto, etc.

Conversely, a good woman's multi-vitamin supplement may contain ingredients not included in a man's formula such as:
Herbal Black Cohosh, Gamma Linoleic Acid, Calcium, Iron, etc.

While a multivitamin is ideal for supplementing basic vitamins and minerals, some people need more than one single multi-combination formula. For example, many people today are advised to take extra vitamin C, calcium and vitamin D. Some people cannot tolerate milk or milk products, the most potent sources of calcium, and many people do not maintain sufficient levels of vitamin D. Although a multivitamin provides these nutrients, it may not supply enough of each to keep your levels adequate.

In addition, a multivitamin is often formulated with a combination of vitamins and minerals only, not other key nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, protein, amino acids or coenzyme Q10.

If you don't consume at least two to three servings of fatty fish (i.e. salmon, anchovies, sardines) each week then you should consider taking a daily fish oil supplement. If you take a statin drug to lower your cholesterol levels, you may be at risk of low blood levels of coenzyme Q10, and otherbeneficial antioxidant nutrients that protect your heart. Thus, if you've been prescribed statin drug, taking a coenzyme Q10 supplement could be very valuable.

Again, be sure to talk to a nutritional healthcare practioner or your primary physician when deciding on a safe and effective nutritional supplement program.

Can you take too much?

Many supplements can be safely taken in amounts greater than the Recommended Daily Value (DV) or Recommended Daily allowance (RDA). The percent daily value (%DV) displayed on
the label denotes what percent of the recommended intake amount for a specific nutrient is met per serving.

Numerous studies have shown that taking certain nutrients in amounts greater than 100% DV may have valuable health benefits. For example... Consuming higher levels of Vitamin C, Beta Carotene and Vitamin E may promote stronger immune function and help protect the body against free radical damage.

When taking supplements including herbs, vitamins, minerals etc. it is important to follow the suggested use, dosage and to consider which is the highest amount that can be safely consumed. Before taking any vitamin or supplement, be sure to carefully review the precautions and instructions on the product's label.

Can I take supplements with my prescription medications?

Be sure to inform your doctor or healthcare practitioner about
all the dietary supplements you take, even if you take them occasionally. This is especially important because some dietary supplements may interfere with prescription medications and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, perhaps causing those prescriptions and OTCs to be less effective.

Conversely, some medications cause certain nutrients levels to drop and so taking supplements can help support your nutrient status and overall health when taking such drugs. Statin drugs, for example, have been known to lower blood levels of the antioxidant nutrient coenzyme Q10. To that end, individuals taking statin drugs are often advised to supplement with coenzyme Q10. It's important to let your doctor know the dosage and the frequency of use for all the supplements you are taking.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about potential nutrient depletions that may occur with your medication(s) so you can be sure to restore those key nutrient levels with proper supplementation.

Can I take supplements after the expiration date?

When a vitamin nutritional supplement expires, it is not necessarily harmful to consume. Expiration dates on most dietary supplements are actually "best if used by" guidelines.

However, the active ingredients may no longer be up to the potency specified on the label. If in doubt about an expired product, you may want to discard that product and purchase a fresh, new batch.

Can I cut vitamin and nutritional supplement tablets into smaller pieces if I can't swallow them whole?

Most supplements may be cut in half, milled into powder or chewed if swallowing is a problem.

Softgels (soft gelatin capsules) that are too large for you to comfortably swallow may be punctured or cut in half to empty the contents into a spoon or food.

Two-piece hard shell gelatin capsules may be opened easily to release the contents into food or a beverage.

Be advised, the only products not recommended to cut into smaller pieces are those that are timed-release or enteric coated. Such supplements should be swallowed whole to assure the best performance.

Where is the best place to store vitamins and nutritional supplements?

Storage directions are commonly explained on a vitamin label. Most often, storing the bottles in a cool, dry place with the cap tightly sealed is recommended. Certain formulations may require special storage conditions such as refrigeration.

Always keep these products out of reach of children and pets.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only;
It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor or healthcare professional.

Can Something Stop Lung Cancer???

Milk Thistle Extract Stops Lung Cancer

In Laboratory Mice, New Study Shows

Tissue with wound-like conditions allows tumors to grow and spread. In mouse lung cancer cells, treatment with silibinin, a major component of milk thistle, removed the molecular billboards that signal these wound-like

conditions and so stopped the spread of these lung cancers, according to a recent study published in the journal Molecular Carcinogenesis.

Though the natural extract has been used for more than 2,000 years,
mostly to treat disorders of the liver and gallbladder, this is one of the first carefully controlled and reported studies to find benefit.

How it works...

Basically, in a cell there can be a chain of signals, one leading to the next, to the next, and eventually to an end product. And so if you would like to eliminate an end product, you may look to break a link in the signaling
chain that leads to it. The end products COX2 and iNOS are enzymes involved with the inflammatory response to perceived wounds -- both can aid tumor growth. Far upstream in the signaling chain that leads to these

unwanted enzymes are STAT1 and STAT3.

These transcription factors allow the blueprint of DNA to bind with

proteins that continue the signal cascade, eventually leading to the production of harmful COX2 and iNOS.

Stop STAT1 and STAT3 and you break the chain that leads to COX2 and iNOS -- and the growth of lung tumors along with them.

"This relatively nontoxic substance, a derivative of milk thistle silibinin was able to inhibit the upstream signals that lead to the expression of COX2 and iNOS," say research scientists from the University of Colorado - Skaggs School of Pharmacy and the laboratory of University of Colorado Cancer Center.

In addition, the researchers compared the effects of silibinin to drugs currently in clinical trials for lung cancer. Would drugs that target other signaling pathways, other linked chains, similarly cut into the production

of COX2 and iNOS?

It turned out that inhibiting the chains of JAK1/2 and MEK in combination and also inhibiting the signaling pathways of EGFR and NF-kB in combination blocked the ability of STAT1 and STAT3 to trap the energy
they needed to eventually signal COX2 and iNOS production.

Compared to these multi-million dollar drugs, naturally-occurring silibinin blocked not only the expression of COX2 and iNOS, but also the migration of existing lung cancer cells.

"What we showed is that STAT1 and STAT3 may be promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of lung cancer, no matter how you target them," the researchers reported. "And also that naturally-derived products like silibinin may be as effective as today's best treatments."

This work was supported by NCI RO1 grant CA113876.

Story Source: University of Colorado Denver.

Journal Reference: Silibinin modulates TNF-α and IFN-γ mediated signaling to regulate COX2 and iNOS expression in tumorigenic

mouse lung epithelial LM2 cells. Molecular Carcinogenesis, 2011;

University of Colorado Denver (2011, November 15). Milk thistle extract stops lung cancer in laboratory mice, study shows.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

Fish and Alzheimer's

Eating Fish Regularly Reduces Risk Of
Alzheimer's Disease, According To New Study Reported From The

University Of Pittsburgh

New Research From
University from the
University of
Pittsburgh Medical
Center and the
University of
Pittsburgh School of
Medicine Reports
Eating Fish Regularly
Reduces Risk of Alzheimer's Disease...
People who eat non-fried fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and reducing their risk of
developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and
Alzheimer's disease, according to a study presented at
the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting.

"This is the first study to establish a direct relationship
between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer's risk,"explained a team of research scientists from the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University
of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "The results showed that
people who consumed baked or broiled fish at least once
each week had better preservation of gray matter volume
on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer's disease."

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable, progressive brain disease
that slowly destroys memory and cognitive skills. According
to the National Institute on Aging, as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer's disease. In MCI, memory
loss is present but to a lesser extent than in Alzheimer's disease. People with MCI often go on to develop Alzheimer's disease.

For the study, 260 cognitively normal individuals were selected from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Information on fish consumption was gathered using the National Cancer Institute Food Frequency Questionnaire. There were 163 patients who consumed fish on a weekly basis, and the majority ate fish one
to four times per week.

Each patient underwent 3-D volumetric MRI of the brain. Voxel-based morphometry, a brain mapping technique that measures gray matter volume, was used to model the relationship between weekly fish consumption at baseline and brain structure 10 years later. The data were then analyzed to determine if gray matter volume preservation associated with fish consumption reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease.

The study controlled for age, gender, education, race, obesity, physical activity, and the presence or absence of apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4), a gene that increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's.

Gray matter volume is crucial to brain health. When it remains higher, brain health is being maintained. Decreases in gray matter volume indicate that brain cells are shrinking.

The findings showed that consumption of baked or broiled fish
on a weekly basis was positively associated with gray matter volumes in several areas of the brain. Greater hippocampal, posterior cingulate and orbital frontal cortex volumes in relation to fish consumption reduced the risk for five-year decline to
MCI or Alzheimer's by almost five-fold.

"Consuming baked or broiled fish promotes stronger neurons
in the brain's gray matter by making them larger and healthier," the researchers said. "This simple lifestyle choice increases the brain's resistance to Alzheimer's disease and lowers risk for the disorder."

The results also demonstrated increased levels of cognition
in people who ate baked or broiled fish.

"Working memory, which allows people to focus on tasks and commit information to short-term memory, is one of the most important cognitive domains," they said. "Working memory is destroyed by Alzheimer's disease. We found higher levels of working memory in people who ate baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis, even when accounting for other factors, such as education, age, gender and physical activity."

Eating fried fish, on the other hand, was not shown to increase brain volume or protect against cognitive decline.

Story Source: Radiological Society of North America.

Radiological Society of North America (2011, November 30). Eating fish reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease, study finds.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only;

It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and
nutritional consultation.