Natural And Healthy

Enzyme 'switch' clue to infertility and miscarriage

2012-01-07T13:28:00.001+07:00

The findings could help some couples trying to have a baby

Scientists have identified a "fertility switch" protein which appears to increase infertility if levels are too high and fuel miscarriage if too low.

An Imperial College London team took samples from the womb lining of more than 100 women.

Writing in Nature Medicine they said women with unexplained infertility had high levels of the enzyme SGK1, while those who miscarried had low levels.

One fertility expert said the research offered new avenues for research.

About one in six women have difficulty getting pregnant, and one in 100 women trying to conceive experience recurrent miscarriages, defined as the loss of three or more consecutive pregnancies.

The Imperial team also carried out mouse studies which found levels of SGK1 in the womb lining decline during the window of time during which they can fall pregnant.

When extra copies of the SGK1 gene were implanted into the womb lining, these mice were unable to get pregnant.

The researchers say this suggests a fall in SGK1 levels is essential for making the uterus receptive to embryos.

However, if low levels of SGK1 persist into pregnancy, this appears to cause different problems.

When the researchers blocked the SGK1 gene, mice had no problem getting pregnant but they had smaller litters and showed signs of bleeding, suggesting a lack of SGK1 made miscarriage more likely.

'Focus for research'

Prof Jan Brosens, who led the research at Imperial's Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, said: "Our experiments on mice suggest that a temporary loss of SGK1 during the fertile window is essential for pregnancy, but human tissue samples show that they remain high in some women who have trouble getting pregnant.

"I can envisage that in the future, we might treat the womb lining by flushing it with drugs that block SGK1 before women undergo IVF."

“"It's all very well to measure something that is missing - whether or not you can correct it is the next step”

Prof Richard Fleming Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine

After an embryo is implanted, the lining of the uterus develops into a specialised structure called the decidua.

The team say lab tests show low levels of the enzyme may impair the ability of cells in the decidua to protect themselves against oxidative stress, a condition in which there is an excess of reactive chemicals inside cells.

Dr Madhuri Salker, who also worked on the study, said: "We found that low levels of SGK1 make the womb lining vulnerable to cellular stress, which might explain why low SGK1 was more common in women who have had recurrent miscarriage.

"In the future, we might take biopsies of the womb lining to identify abnormalities that might give them a higher risk of pregnancy complications, so that we can start treating them before they get pregnant."

Prof Richard Fleming, of the Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine, said the research was "encouraging".

"To have something as clear as this, with a specific enzyme, is great. It is giving us something to focus on."

But, Prof Fleming, who is also a member of the British Fertility Society, warned it would be some time before the discovery translated into day-to-day practice.

"It's all very well to measure something that is missing - whether or not you can correct it is the next step.

"But at least we know somewhere that's directly involved, and can explore that.

Ayurveda Sukraja for Male Potency

Breast cancer prevention drugs 'should be prescribed'

2011-12-13T20:19:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Breast density could be a risk factor of breast cancer

Women at high risk of developing breast cancer should be given preventative drugs, according to an international panel of cancer experts.

Writing in the Lancet Oncology, they said drugs such as tamoxifen could reduce the chances of developing breast cancer.

Such a policy would be similar to prescribing statins to patients at risk of heart disease, they suggest.

However, tamoxifen has been linked with womb cancer, blood clots and stroke.

In the UK, 46,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.

Two drugs, tamoxifen and raloxifene, have been approved in the US for the prevention of breast cancer. However, they are not available as a preventative measure in the UK.

Professor Jack Cuzick, who chaired the panel and is an epidemiologist at Queen Mary, University of London, told the BBC: "The two drugs should be approved in the UK. The evidence for them is overwhelming."

He estimates that for every 1000 women given tamoxifen there would be 20 fewer breast cancers, but there would also be three more womb cancers and six more cases of deep vein thrombosis.

To balance the risks, the panel agreed that women who had a greater than 4% chance of developing breast cancer in the next 10 years should be offered preventative therapy.

Predicting risk

In heart disease, there are well-known risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol, which can inform treatment.

The challenge for any preventative breast cancer treatment would be identifying similar "markers" of risk.

The panel suggests breast density. They say patients with more than 75% "dense breast tissue" had at least four times the risk of developing breast cancer than patients with mainly non-dense tissue.

Professor Cuzick said: "Increased breast density is one of the leading risk factors for breast cancer and early trial results suggest that where tamoxifen is shown to decrease density, the risk of cancer decreases.

"If this is confirmed in long-term studies, breast density could become a powerful way to identify high-risk women who could benefit from preventive treatments."

He suggests the risk of getting breast cancer should be determined during cancer screening.

Dr Lesley Walker, from Cancer Research UK, said: "Our scientists were behind some of the first trials showing the long term benefits of tamoxifen for preventing breast cancer in women with a greater than average risk of the disease.

"Being able to accurately predict breast cancer risk and who will respond to preventative drugs like these is a crucial step in ensuring women get the most suitable treatment."

Meg McArthur, senior policy officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer said: "It is vital that we find effective ways to prevent breast cancer, especially in women with a high risk. However, as preventative therapy may have negative side effects it would not be appropriate for everyone.

"We welcome studies investigating the best treatments to be used for breast cancer prevention. It's also crucial to identify those at high-risk who would benefit the most from this form of therapy."

Female Sexual health

Heart fears over common chemical

2011-11-26T21:23:00.000+07:00

BBC News

Bisphenol A is commonly used in food packaging

Higher levels of a chemical often found in plastic food and drink packaging are associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, a study has suggested.

The group with the highest levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) in their urine were found to be more than twice as likely to have diabetes or heart disease.

But the Journal of the American Medical Association research did not show that Bisphenol A caused the conditions.

And a UK toxicology expert stressed the study's findings were "preliminary".

Over two million tonnes of BPA were produced in 2003, although usage of the chemical is starting to decline.

BISPHENOL A

Used in the industrial production of plastics, two types in particular:

Polycarbonate plastic: A lightweight, rigid and reusable plastic used in products including CDs and DVDs, electronics equipment, sports equipment and reusable food and drink containers

Epoxy resins: Used in protective coatings, paints and adhesives, and protective liners for metal food and drink cans

As well as being present in packaging, people are exposed to BPA through drinking water, on their skin and in household dust.

Previous research in the US found detectable levels of BPA in more than 90% of the population.

Animal tests had raised concerns about the possible effects in humans - such as disruption to hormone production - but were inconclusive because people process the chemical differently.

The study by researchers from the UK's Peninsula Medical School in Exeter looked at BPA levels in the urine of 1,400 US adults, and whether they had ever been diagnosed with one of eight major diseases, including arthritis, stroke and thyroid disease.

No strong link was found aside from that with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, although higher BPA concentrations were associated with clinically abnormal concentrations of three liver enzymes.

Obesity link

People who were obese, and therefore already at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, had higher BPA levels - and the researchers said it was possible that eating more was simply linked to a higher intake of the chemical.

TESTING AND SAFETY

Some lab and animal tests have suggested potential problems, with BPA disrupting hormone balance in the body

Specifically BPA has been found to mimic the female sex hormone oestrogen - with implications for development and reproduction

Lobby groups, mainly in Canada and US have called for a ban

Canada has become the first country to move towards reducing levels of BPA exposure in the population

But they said the link between higher levels of the chemical and the conditions remained true, even when they took body mass index levels and waist measurements into account,

Dr David Melzer, who led the study, said: "These findings add to the evidence suggesting adverse effects of low-dose BPA in animals.

"Independent replication and follow-up studies are needed to confirm these findings and to provide evidence on whether the associations are causal."

He added: "Given the substantial negative effects on adult health that may be associated with increased BPA concentrations and also given the potential for reducing human exposure, our findings deserve scientific follow-up."

Hearing

The study is being published to coincide with a hearing on BPA by the influential US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A spokesperson from the UK's Food Standards Agency said an expert panel was keeping the safety of BPA under review.

"The FSA will continue to closely monitor scientific reports about the health effects of BPA in the body and will take action to further protect consumers if it becomes necessary."

Professor Alan Boobis, a toxicology expert based at Imperial College in London, said the study did not fit with previous research into the chemical.

"It's an interesting finding, which we can't ignore. But it is preliminary, and requires following up."

He added: "It may be that the association is the inverse of what they are suggesting; not that the BPA is causing cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but that these diseases result in a higher level of BPA, or that there may be a common cause - like something going wrong with the kidneys.

"Or it could be a chance finding."

Professor Richard Sharpe, of the University of Edinburgh, said for some people a raised risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes could simply be down to drinking too many high sugar canned drinks.

These people would also be exposed to higher levels of BPA from the lining of drinks cans - but that could be purely incidental.

He said more research was needed to tease out the truth before BPA could be labelled as the prime suspect.

In a joint statement, the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said bisphenol A had been approved as safe for use in food and drink containers by the regulatory authorities, and its use was closely monitored and regulated.

Levels of bisphenol A in food and drink can linings that did include the chemical were well below safety levels set by the European Food Safety Authority.

Cardiofy Heart Care Supplement

Action on antibiotics

2011-11-19T12:07:00.001+07:00

BBC News

NDM-1 has been found in E.coli bacteria

Ever since I've been reporting on science and health, there have been dire warnings of a return to the pre-antibiotic era.

"Resistance to antibiotics and other anti-infective agents constitutes a major threat to public health, and ought to be recognised as such more widely than it is at present."

That statement could have been written today, but was the conclusion of a House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report in 1998.

In 2011, it seems, little has changed. Numerous articles and calls to action have been issued to coincide with European Antibiotic Awareness Day.

Marc Sprenger, Director, European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control said: "The need for concerted action to curb growing resistance to antibiotics is now critical, with the establishment of resistance to the last line of antibiotics being reported to ECDC from several European countries for the first time.

"Failure to act will mean that treatment options for patients with bloodstream infections, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections in hospitals will be severely limited."

Lethal

Take the case of Klebsiella pneumonia, a hospital superbug, which can cause lethal infections.

It is commonly treated using carbapenems, a powerful class of antibiotics.

But data released by the ECDC shows a rise in the percentage of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumonia.

Although it remains a limited threat in the UK, in some countries like Italy and Greece 15%-50% of K. pneumonia from bloodstream infections were resistant to carbapenems.

Writing in the Lancet, Professor Laura Piddock from the Antimicrobial Agents Research Group, University of Birmingham, warned of a crisis due to the lack of new antibiotics: "The demise of antibacterial drug discovery brings the spectre of untreatable infections."

The majority of antibiotics in use were discovered several decades ago. Professor Piddock pointed out that 16 new antibacterial agents were approved and brought to market between 1983-1987, compared with less than four agents since 2008.

MRSA

The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy has launched the campaign group Antibiotic Action to call for greater investment and interest in this area.

It's not all bad news. It was only a few years ago that MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - was a major threat in UK hospitals. Two months ago MRSA rates in England hit their lowest level since records began.

But the evidence suggests other pathogens are ready to step in.

Resistance can arise due to a genetic mutation in bacteria which are normally susceptible to antibiotics. Although these bacteria may start small in number, this genetic adaptation gives them an advantage.

Professor Piddock told me: "Bacteria can grow very quickly, doubling in number in 20-30 minutes and they are good at sharing their DNA. So resistance can spread rapidly."

Failure to complete a course of antibiotics can also give micro-organisms - which may remain after symptoms have vanished - a chance to develop resistance.

Worrying

NDM-1 is an enzyme produced by some bacteria which makes them resistant to carbapenem antibiotics. There is particular concern about Gram-negative bacteria (like E.coli and K. pneumonia), due to their outer membrane which can prevent some antibiotics from penetrating the cell.

So far fewer than 100 patients in the UK have been reported as carrying NDM-1 bacteria. But there is concern that resistant strains could spread.

Some will assume that this is an example of scientists trying to frighten the public and ensure more funding for research and drug development. But there is no doubt that the inappropriate use of antibiotics is worrying.

I have met the families of several patients who died due to hospital superbugs and witnessed many lives saved by antibiotics. These medicines are neither a magic bullet, nor an endless resource.

It is depressing that a poll carried out by the Health Protection Agency found that a quarter of people wrongly believe antibiotics are effective against most coughs and colds.

Penicillin

Try this quiz from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test your knowledge of antibiotics.

If you are really interested in the subject, and find yourself near St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, you could visit the laboratory where the story of antibiotics began. The Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum has a reconstruction of Fleming's lab where he discovered penicillin in 1928.

Cleansing the body

Lung cancer vaccine shows promise

2011-11-11T11:05:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Many research groups are trying to harness the power of the immune system to fight cancer

A vaccine which triggers the immune system to attack the most common type of lung cancer has shown promise in early clinical trials, say researchers.

Tests on 148 patients, reported in the Lancet Oncology, showed that adding the vaccine to chemotherapy slowed the cancer's progression.

However, its effect on overall survival was limited and further trials are now needed.

Cancer Research UK said there were many unanswered questions.

Vaccines for cancer use the same principles as vaccines against infection - training the body's own immune system. However, instead of protecting against measles or seasonal flu, these vaccines attack tumours growing in the body.

The idea is that when a cell becomes cancerous and divides uncontrollably, its starts to look different. Proteins on the surface of the cells change and the immune system can be trained to spot these changes.

“Further research is needed to see whether the vaccine will actually improve survival for lung cancer patients”

End Quote Prof Peter Johnson Cancer Research UK

Targeted

Researchers at the University of Strasbourg used a vaccine called TG4010. It is a modified pox virus, distantly related to smallpox, which has been genetically modified to make a "cancerous" surface protein.

Patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer took part in the trial. All were given standard chemotherapy treatment, half were also infected with the virus.

Six months later, the illness was more likely to be stable in vaccinated patients than in those just taking chemotherapy drugs. Six month "progression free survival" was 43% for vaccinated patients and 35% for those on chemotherapy.

However average survival was 10.7 months in vaccinated patients, only marginally higher than the 10.3 months in chemotherapy patients.

Prof Peter Johnson, chief clinician at Cancer Research UK, said: "There's a lot of interest in harnessing the power of the immune system to treat cancer. This early-stage study shows that combining a vaccine with chemotherapy is possible, and may have some benefits for some people with lung cancer.

"But this study leaves a lot of unanswered questions - further research is needed to see whether the vaccine will actually improve survival for lung cancer patients."

Immunice for Immune Support

Diabetes, diet and obesity

2011-10-14T13:49:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Obesity is a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes

I will never forget my visit to a coffin factory in Mississippi. Sales of over-size caskets were rising fast - no wonder in the US's fattest state. Some of the coffins were three feet (1m) wide - on the inside.

I heard dire warnings from doctors about obesity-related health problems, especially Type 2 diabetes. One warned me that if the upward trend in diabetes continued, it would eventually bankrupt the state health budget.

But the problem was not confined to the US. The dramatic increase in obesity-related Type 2 diabetes is one of the most serious global health problems.

In the UK, 2.5 million people have Type 2 diabetes, which can cause long-term damage to many parts of the body and shorten life.

Cardiovascular disease, blindness and amputation are among the serious complications associated with the condition.

Drastic

Type 2 diabetes occurs when there is too much glucose in the blood - either because of insufficient insulin production in the pancreas - or cells becoming insulin-resistant.

“The participants were highly motivated and dedicated. ”

End Quote Dr Ee Lin Lim Newcastle University

Drastic weight loss and stomach surgery have both been shown capable of reversing the condition. A healthy lifestyle is especially important for managing the condition.

Low calorie

A new study, in the journal Diabetologia, has shown that an extreme low calorie diet can rapidly reverse Type 2 diabetes. Eleven people with diabetes followed an eight week diet of 600 calories a day.

The study, led by a team at Newcastle University, showed that after just one week of drastic dieting, the pre-breakfast blood sugar levels of all 11 participants had returned to normal.

Insulin

MRI scans revealed that fat levels in the pancreas fell, normalising insulin production.

The Newcastle team said their research showed the disease did not need to be a life sentence.

The study was small - just 11 participants. After 18 months, four of them were still free of diabetes. Much bigger and longer studies would be needed to see how useful this technique could be.

As with other research, the bigger the number of participants, the more robust the findings. I am also unsure how many people could stick to a 600 calories a day diet.

Dr Ee Lin Lim, one of the authors of the study paid tribute to those who took part: "The participants were highly motivated and dedicated. They also had very supportive families".

Diabetes UK which funded the research said such a drastic diet was not "an easy fix" and should only be undertaken with medical supervision.

Diabetes blood sugar levels

Bad sleep ups blood pressure risk

2011-09-07T08:37:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Elderly men who spend little time in deep sleep could be at risk of developing high blood pressure, according to US scientists.

A study on 784 patients, in the journal Hypertension, showed those getting the least deep sleep were at 83% greater risk than those getting the most.

A lack of deep sleep has been linked to higher blood pressure

Researchers say they would expect a similar effect in women.

The British Heart Foundation said it was important for everyone to prioritise sleep.

High blood pressure - also known as hypertension - increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other health problems.

Researchers measured the "sleep quality" of 784 men over the age of 65 between 2007 and 2009. At the start none had hypertension, while 243 had the condition by the end of the study.

The patients were split into groups based on the percentage of time asleep spent in deep, or slow wave, sleep. Those in the lowest group - 4% deep sleep - had a 1.83-fold increased risk of hypertension compared with those in the highest group, who spent 17% of the night in deep sleep.

“It's important we all try to make sleep a priority and get our six to eight hours of shut-eye a night”

End Quote Natasha Stewart British Heart Foundation

One of the report's authors, Professor Susan Redline from Harvard Medical School, said: "Our study shows for the first time that poor quality sleep, reflected by reduced slow wave sleep, puts individuals at significantly increased risk of developing high blood pressure.

"Although women were not included in this study, it's quite likely that those who have lower levels of slow wave sleep for any number of reasons may also have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure."

The report said further studies were needed to determine if improving sleep could reduce the risk.

Natasha Stewart, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Whilst this study does suggest a link between lack of sleep and the development of high blood pressure, it only looked at men aged over 65.

"We would need to see more research in other age groups and involving women to confirm this particular association.

"However, we do know more generally that sleep is essential for staying healthy. It's important we all try to make sleep a priority and get our six to eight hours of shut-eye a night."

Diabetes blood sugar levels

Stem cell sperm study leads to successful mouse births

2011-08-10T19:00:00.001+07:00

By Caroline Parkinson
Health editor, BBC News website
Fertility experts are hailing a mouse study in which working sperm cells were created from embryonic stem cells in mice as "hugely exciting".

The scientists were able to coax stem cells into early sperm cells

Japanese researchers successfully implanted early sperm cells, made from the stem cells, into infertile mice.

The working sperm which they made was then used to father healthy, and crucially fertile, pups, Cell journal reports.

A UK expert said it was a significant step forward in infertility research.

'Landmark achievement'

The Kyoto University team were able to turn mouse embryonic stem cells into early sperm cells called primordial germ cells (PGCs).

When these were transplanted into infertile mice, the animal played "host" as the stem cells developed into normal-looking sperm. This was then used to successfully fertilise eggs.

“"This has huge implications for furthering our understanding of how sperm are made, but may also one day lead to a clinical application whereby we could make sperm for infertile men."”

End Quote Dr Allan Pacey, University of Sheffield

These eggs were then transplanted into a female mouse and healthy offspring were born who grew into fertile male and female adult mice.

The team, led by Mitinori Saitou, suggest the same procedure could be carried out using stem cells derived from adult skin cells.

Dr Jane Stewart, a spokeswoman for British Fertility Society and consultant gynaecologist at Newcastle Fertility Centre said the ability to generate gametes (reproducing cells) or gamete producing cells in the lab would be a "landmark achievement in the understanding and potentially treatment of fertility problems".

She added: "This publication in an animal model marks a further step towards this goal.

"However, as the authors clearly point out, much work remains to be done before we have a full understanding of such biological processes and indeed the implications of undertaking them in the lab."

Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in Andrology at the University of Sheffield said: "Many research groups have attempted to re-create the process of sperm production in the laboratory using stem cells as the starting material.

"This has huge implications for furthering our understanding of how sperm are made, but may also one day lead to a clinical application whereby we could make sperm for infertile men."

But he added: "Sadly, so far, none of the attempts to make sperm from embryonic stem cells have been hugely successful, although we have learned much about some of the cellular processes involved.

"Furthermore, most of the attempts to use sperm-like cells have lead to the birth of unhealthy offspring which have quickly died."

But he said the Kyoto paper was "quite a large step forward" in developing a process by which sperm could be made for infertile men, perhaps by taking as a starting point a cell from their skin or from something like bone marrow.

He added: "Clearly more work needs to be done to refine this process, but it's hugely exciting."

Immunice for Immune Support

Fragmented sleep 'harms memory'

2011-07-26T11:40:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Broken sleep affects the ability to build memories, a study of mice suggests.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science findings could help explain memory problems linked to conditions including Alzheimer's and sleep apnoea.

The Stanford University found disrupting sleep made it harder for the animals to recognise familiar objects.

Continuous sleep is important for memory formation

A UK sleep expert said the brain used deep sleep to evaluate the day's events and decide what to keep.

This study looked at sleep that was fragmented, but not shorter or less intense than normal for the mice.

It used a technique called optogenetics, where specific cells are genetically engineered so they can be controlled by light.

They targeted a type of brain cell that plays a key role in switching between the states of being asleep and being awake.

Mouse memory test

The researchers then sent light pulses directly into the brains of mice while they slept.

“ "There are some things that we need to 'lock down' as a permanent hard memory”

End Quote Dr Neil Stanley Sleep expert

This meant they could disrupt their sleep without affecting total sleep time or the quality or composition of sleep.

The animals were then placed in a box with two objects, one of which they had encountered before.

Mice would naturally spend more time examining the newer object, and those who had been allowed uninterrupted sleep did just that.

But those whose sleep had been disrupted were equally interested in both objects, suggesting their memories had been affected.

Writing in the journal, the researchers, led by Dr Luis de Lecea, said: "Sleep continuity is one of the main factors affected in various pathological conditions that impact memory, including Alzheimer's and other age-related cognitive deficits."

Broken sleep also affects people addicted to alcohol, and those with sleep apnoea - a condition in which the throat repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, restricting oxygen and causing the patient to wake up.

The researchers add there is no evidence of a causal link between sleep disruption and any of these conditions.

But they added: "We conclude that regardless of the total amount of sleep or sleep intensity, a minimal unit of uninterrupted sleep is crucial for memory consolidation."

Independent sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley, a former chairman of the British Sleep Society, said: "During the day, we accumulate all these memories.

"At some point we have to sort through what's happened during the day.

"There are some things that we need to 'lock down' as a permanent hard memory.

"That process occurs in deep sleep. So anything that affects sleep will have an effect on that process to a greater or a lesser extent."

Dr Stanley said there was particularly striking evidence that people with sleep apnoea had particular problems "locking down" memories.

And he added that people with Alzheimer's often had trouble sleeping, but said: "There is something there. But whether it's the degeneration of the brain that causes poor sleep, or poor sleep that aids the degeneration of the brain has not been determined."

Memory concentration

Stem cell hope for heart patients

2011-07-14T20:08:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Scientists have raised hope that stem cell therapy could provide significant relief for patients disabled by untreatable chest pain.

Patients with severe angina had stem cells from their blood injected into their heart.

The therapy, carried out by Chicago's Northwestern University, halved the number of bouts of angina chest pain.

Angina can be debilitating

But UK experts have stressed the work is still at an early stage, and the potential longer benefit is unknown.

The procedure may also carry a risk: it is suspected of causing heart muscle damage in two patients, and others reported bone and chest pain.

The study, reported in the journal Circulation Research, was carried out on 167 patients with "refraction" angina, which does not respond to any standard treatment.

They were given high or low dose stem cell infusions, or a dummy injection.

A year on, patients in the low-dose group had an average of 6.3 episodes of pain a week, compared to 11 a week for those given the placebo jab.

“It translates as going from being able to walk slowly to being able to ride a bike.”

End Quote Professor Douglas Losordo Northwestern University

The length of time they were able to tolerate exercise also improved by 139 seconds after six months, compared to an improvement of 69 seconds for the placebo group.

There was no significant benefit from receiving a higher dose of stem cells.

Lead researcher Professor Douglas Losordo said: "The net difference in exercise tolerance is highly clinically significant, particularly in a patient population that is severely limited by symptoms.

"It translates as going from being able to watch television to being able to walk at a normal pace or going from being able to walk slowly to being able to ride a bike."

Bone marrow cells

The treatment used bone marrow stem cells called CD34+ cells which circulate in the blood.

Previous research has suggested these cells can create new blood vessels in diseased heart muscle.

The researchers used a growth-stimulated drug to boost their numbers before harvesting them.

The cells were then injected into areas of heart muscle that had been starved of blood.

The Chicago team plans to further develop the technique in more advanced Phase III trials later this year.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said the study showed promise, but warned it was still uncertain whether the therapy would produce lasting benefit.

He said: "The mechanisms involved are still poorly understood.

"Until these uncertainties are resolved, it remains unclear how successful this kind of treatment will prove to be."

Cardiofy Heart Care Supplement

US regulators: Silicone breast implants relatively safe

2011-06-29T10:21:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Silicone breast implants are relatively safe despite frequent complications and a small increased risk of the disease lymphoma, US drug regulators have said.

In a new report, the Food and Drug Administration said the risks were well enough understood that prospective patients could make informed decisions.

The FDA removed silicone implants from the market from 1992-2006 over safety concerns

But it found as many as one in five breast augmentation patients had the implants removed within 10 years.

The US approved the implants in 2006 after a long absence from the market.

Market removal

On Wednesday, the FDA released a 63-page report on the safety of the silicone gel-filled implants that compiled studies performed by the two companies approved to manufacture the the products.

Approximately five to 10 million women across the world have breast implants, the FDA said.

In 2006, the FDA approved two brands of silicone gel implants for women over 22, Allergan's Natrelle implants and MemoryGel implants from manufacturer Johnson and Johnson's Mentor division.

Silicone implants had been off the market since 1992, when the FDA removed them amid concerns about implant rupture and silicone leakage.

The agency allowed saline-filled implants to remain on the market, and allowed limited distribution of silicone implants for mastectomy patients and other cases of medical necessity.

Increased risk

According to the new report, as many as one in five breast augmentation patients and half of breast reconstruction patients had to have the implants removed within 10 years.

Studies found no association between the silicone implants and connective tissue disease, breast cancer, or reproductive problems, the FDA reported.

But they did find a "very small" increased risk of anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

The most frequent complications from the implants included implant rupture, wrinkling, asymmetry, scarring, pain, and infection.

'Shape and size'

The report found that the risk of those local complications increases with time.

"Breast implants are not lifetime devices," the FDA cautioned women. "The longer you have your implants, the more likely it will be for you to have them removed."

But the agency also found that most women who had breast implants "report high levels of satisfaction with their body image and the shape, feel and size of their implants".

"Despite frequent local complications and adverse outcomes, the benefits and risks of breast implants are sufficiently well understood for women to make informed decisions about their use," the FDA concluded.

Ayurtox for Body Detoxification

Sex addiction

2011-06-26T12:48:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Dr Trisha Macnair
The idea that someone could have an addiction to sex isn't widely accepted, even among health professionals, some of whom say that it is more a matter of compulsive behaviour than a true addiction.

What is sex addiction?

It's estimated that six per cent or more of the population experience sex addiction and one in five are women.

Maybe if you look at the sheer physical damage that addictions such as heroin or cocaine can wreak on the body then sex addiction may indeed seem like a different sort of problem. But sex addiction certainly meets some of the criteria for an addiction. Like other addictions, the person is driven by a compulsion to seek out and engage in the behaviour that brings them the benefits or a sort of intoxication that they seek, even though it may cause enormous disruption and even harm to their life.

If you've a sex addiction you may find you need a markedly increased amount of sex to feel sexually fulfilled. And you may have such a persistent desire that you'll spend abnormal amounts of time involved in activities necessary to fulfil cravings, or recover from its effects.

As a result this addiction may interfere with work, hobbies and relationships with family and friends. You may struggle to cut down or control your behaviour, and continue despite being well aware of the psychological or even physical damage that it's doing.

Sex addiction symptoms

Of course most people enjoy sex, get a buzz from it and welcome the chance to engage in it. So when does sex become addiction?

One clue comes from a definition often used by experts, who suggest that sexual addiction is any sexual behaviour that feels out of control. Another important feature is that, like other addictions, those affected find their emotions swing between intense highs and lows.

Following the gratification and sought–after high that the sexual behaviour brings, emotional lows follow. Typically you may feel:

Shame
Regret
Remorse
Anxiety about your behaviour
Trapped by your helpless need

The only way to relieve these feelings may be another sexual encounter, so you go in search of more sex.

Warning symptoms of a sex addiction might include:

Certain types of behaviour such as frequent casual sex, multiple affairs when you're in a relationship or high-risk sex
Excessive use of pornography
Feeling worried about the possible behavior
Wanting to stop or change your sexual behaviour
Feeling unable to stop, despite wanting to
Using sex as a way to cope with other problems
Needing more sex to get the same fulfillment
Feeling very low or guilty after
Spending large amounts of time planning or engaging in sex
Missing important social events or even work in order to pursue sex

The debris of a sex addiction includes consequences such as breakdown of meaningful relationships, loss of job opportunities, sexually transmitted infections, and unwanted pregnancy. Depression is common among sex addicts (it may even be a factor which leads to the addiction or aggravates the problem) and as many as one in five may have contemplated suicide. Read more...

Male potency supplements

Depression may double dementia risk, say researchers

2011-06-17T20:47:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Having depression may nearly double the risk of developing dementia later in life, new research suggests.

Experts know that the two conditions often co-exist, but it is not clear if one actually leads to the other.

An estimated 750,000 people in the UK suffer from a form of dementia

Now two studies published in the American journal Neurology suggest depression does mean dementia is more likely, although they do not show why.

And the researchers stress that the findings merely reveal a link, not a direct cause.

They say more studies are needed to find out why the two conditions are linked.

They believe brain chemistry and lifestyle factors like diet and the amount of social time a person engages in may play a role.

Dr Jane Saczynski of the University of Massachusetts, who led the first of the two studies, said: "While it's unclear if depression causes dementia, there are a number of ways depression might impact the risk of dementia.

“What this study demonstrates is that depression at a younger age is probably a significant risk factor for dementia”

Professor Clive Ballard The Alzheimer's Society

"Inflammation of brain tissue that occurs when a person is depressed might contribute to dementia. Certain proteins found in the brain that increase with depression may also increase the risk of developing dementia."

Her study, which followed 949 elderly people for 17 years, showed dementia more often followed a bout of depression.

By the end of the study, 164 of the people had developed dementia.

Specifically, 22% of those who had depression went on to develop dementia compared to 17% of those who did not have depression.

The second study, meanwhile, followed 1,239 US people and looked at the number of times a person experienced depression related to their risk of dementia.

It showed that the more times someone experienced depression, the higher their dementia risk was.

Having two or more episodes of depression nearly doubled the risk of dementia.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Similarities in symptoms between dementia and depression can mean the two are sometimes confused at time of diagnosis, but we don't know if they are biologically linked.

"These latest studies suggest that there may be profound connections between dementia and depression so we must expand the research to find out more."

Professor Clive Ballard of the Alzheimer's Society agreed that more research was now needed to establish why the link exists.

"It is well known depression is common in early stages of dementia. What this study demonstrates is that depression at a younger age is probably a significant risk factor for dementia," he said.

Immunice for Immune Support

High blood pressure

2011-06-06T18:32:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries when the heart beats.
Dr Jeni Worden last medically reviewed this article in January 2010.

What is high blood pressure?

It causes the heart to work harder than normal putting both the heart and arteries at greater risk of damage. High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, damage to the eyes, congestive heart failure and atherosclerosis.

Hypertension exists where the pressure at which blood is pushing against blood vessel walls is consistently above average.

Blood pressure changes throughout the day. In particular, it increases during exercise and decreases during sleep.

Untreated high blood pressure can cause the heart to become abnormally large and less efficient (ventricular hypertrophy) causing heart failure and increased risk of heart attack.

Symptoms of high blood pressure

Although high blood pressure can cause headaches, dizziness and problems with vision, the majority of people suffer no symptoms at all. As a result many people with hypertension remain undiagnosed because they have no symptoms to motivate them to see a doctor or get their blood pressure checked.

However, despite the lack of symptoms hypertension can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, and many other medical problems

Causes of high blood pressure

In over 90 per cent of cases, the cause is unknown. In the remaining cases, high blood pressure is a symptom of a recognisable underlying problem such as a kidney abnormality, tumour of the adrenal gland or congenital defect of the aorta (in these cases when the root cause is corrected, blood pressure usually returns to norma).

This type of high blood pressure is called secondary hypertension.

If high blood pressure isn't treated and is combined with obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels or diabetes, the risk of heart attack is several times higher.

Arteries also suffer the effects of high blood pressure, becoming scarred, hardened and less elastic. Though this hardening of the arteries often occurs with age, high blood pressure accelerates the process. The hardened or narrowed arteries are unable to supply the amount of blood the body's organs need, preventing them working effectively. Another risk is that a blood clot may lodge in an artery narrowed by atherosclerosis, blocking blood supply.Read more...

Healthy blood pressure

Big head 'may protect against dementia'

2011-05-28T09:39:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Having a big head may help protect against the worst ravages of dementia, say researchers.

They found that people with Alzheimer's with the largest craniums had better memory and thinking skills than patients with smaller skulls.

Most of brain growth occurs in the earliest years of life

The Munich University team believe a larger head means there are greater brain reserves to buffer against dementia-related brain cell death.

Their findings, based on 270 patients, are published in the journal Neurology.

The patients were recruited through research registries or specialist memory clinics in the US, Canada, Germany and Greece.

“Improving prenatal and early life conditions could significantly increase brain reserve...”

Dr Robert Perneczky Lead researcher

They were given memory and cognitive skill tests and a brain scan to gauge the extent of their disease. They also had their head size measured.

A larger head was linked to better performance in the tests, even when patients had the same amount of Alzheimer's-related brain cell loss.

Specifically, for every 1% of brain cell death, an additional centimetre of head size was associated with a 6% greater score on the memory tests.

Although brain size is largely determined by genetics, the researchers say lifestyle can have an impact.

Poor nutrition or disease in early life can compromise growth, for example.

'Complex disease'

The researchers say the first few years of development are critical. By the age of six, the brain will have reached 93% of its final size.

"Improving prenatal and early life conditions could significantly increase brain reserve, which could have an impact on the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or the severity of symptoms of the disease," lead researcher Dr Robert Perneczky said.

Dr Simon Ridley, head of research for the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Alzheimer's is a very complex disease, so we should be careful not to focus too much on a single risk factor, particularly as there is little we can do about the size of our heads.

"The researchers have also posed the idea that nutrition, injury or infection in early life can have an impact on brain reserve, suggesting that we should look after our brain from day one.

"Research is the only answer to dementia. We must invest in research now to deliver the treatments needed to avert the coming dementia crisis."

Improve your memory

Immune genes 'key in Parkinson's disease'

2011-05-23T22:22:00.001+07:00

BBC News
The immune system may have a key role in the development of Parkinson's disease, say US researchers.

In a 20-year study of 4,000 people, half with Parkinson's disease, the team found an association between genes controlling immunity and the condition.

Parkinson's is a degenerative condition that affects the brain

The results raise the possibility of new targets for drug development, Nature Genetics reports.

Parkinson's UK said the study strengthened the idea that immunity is an important driver of the disease.

The team were not just looking for a genetic cause of the disease, but also considered clinical and environmental factors.

“Over the years, there have been subtle hints that immune function might be linked to Parkinson's disease”

Dr Cyrus Zabetian Study leader

During their search, they discovered that groups of genes collectively known as HLA genes are associated with the condition.

These genes are key for the immune system to differentiate between foreign invaders and the body's own tissues.

In theory, that enables the immune system to attack infectious organisms without turning on itself - but it is not always an infallible system.

The genes vary considerably between individuals.

Some versions of the genes are associated with increased risk or protection against infectious disease, while others can induce autoimmune disorders in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues.

Inflammation

Multiple sclerosis has already been shown to be associated with the same HLA genetic variant seen in the latest study in Parkinson's disease, the researchers said.

It was already known that people who take anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, have a decreased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, which also supports the idea that the immune system has a role in the disease.

But this protective effect is not the same for everyone, probably because of genetic differences.

With better understanding of the link between Parkinson's disease, immunity and inflammation, it may be possible to design more effective drugs for treating the condition, the researchers said.

"Over the years, there have been subtle hints that immune function might be linked to Parkinson's disease," said study leader Dr Cyrus Zabetian, associate professor of neurology at the University of Washington.

"But now we have much more convincing evidence of this and a better idea of which parts of the immune system might be involved."

He added: "Our results also pointed to several other genes that might play a role in developing Parkinson's disease, and these findings need to be confirmed, so we have a lot of work ahead of us."

Dr Kieran Breen, director of research at Parkinson's UK, said the work provides additional evidence of the role of inflammation in the development of Parkinson's disease.

"We know already that some people are more susceptible to getting Parkinson's due to their genetic makeup. This study also points to some genes that may be involved."

He added: "This research, combined with Parkinson's UK funded research at Oxford University into the role of inflammation, may lead to the development of new drug treatments for the condition."

ClariMind Memory & Concentration Supplement

Sex and coffee 'trigger stroke'

2011-05-09T18:01:00.001+07:00

By James Gallagher
Health reporter, BBC News
Coffee, sex and blowing your nose could increase the risk of a type of stroke, say researchers in the Netherlands.

Coffee linked to one in 10 burst blood vessels in the brain

The study on 250 patients identified eight risk factors linked to bleeding on the brain.

They all increase blood pressure which could result in blood vessels bursting, according to research published in the journal Stroke.

The Stroke Association said more research was needed to see if the triggers caused the rupture.

More than 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke each year with nearly 29,000 due to bleeding on the brain.

Bleeding can happen when a weakened blood vessel, known as a brain aneurysm, bursts. This can result in brain damage or death.

The researchers at the University Medical Center in Utrecht looked at 250 patients for three years to identify what triggers ruptures.

Caffeine danger

They found that coffee was responsible for more than one in 10 burst brain aneurysms.

Percentage of bursts due to:

Coffee 10.6%
Vigorous exercise 7.9%
Nose blowing 5.4%
Sex 4.3%
Straining to defecate 3.6%
Drinking cola 3.5%
Being startled 2.7%
Being angry 1.3%

While people drinking coffee had only a 1.7 times greater risk, it is more common than other risk factors.

Being startled increased the risk by more than 23 times, but was responsible for just 2.7% of cases.

Dr Monique Vlak, a neurologist and the study's lead author, said: "All of the triggers induce a sudden and short increase in blood pressure, which seems a possible common cause for aneurysmal rupture."

Lower risk

The authors said one in 50 people has a brain aneurysm, but only a few rupture.

Dr Vlak advised that: "Reducing caffeine consumption or treating constipated patients with unruptured intracranial (brain) aneurysms with laxatives may lower the risk of subarachnoid haemorrhage."

The study only looked at the triggers for the burst. High blood pressure weakens blood vessels in the first place and can be caused by being overweight, smoking and a lack of exercise.

Dr Sharlin Ahmed, Research Liaison Officer at The Stroke Association said: "A sudden surge in high blood pressure can increase the likelihood of an aneurysm rupturing. However, it's very difficult to determine whether the triggers identified in this study are definitely related to the onset of a stroke as they could simply be put down to coincidence.

"A lot more research needs to be carried out to assess whether each of the identified triggers could directly cause an aneurysm to rupture."

How to control blood sugar

Thyroid drug 'boosts risk of fractures in the elderly'

2011-04-30T14:18:00.001+07:00

BBC News

Many elderly people may be taking "excessive" medication for their thyroid problems, increasing their fracture risk, researchers warn.

A synthetic hormone, thyroxine, is given to people whose thyroid glands produce too little naturally.

The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine

But writing in the British Medical Journal, researchers say having too much boosts fracture risk and doses may need to be reduced as people age.

A British expert said there was not enough research into the condition.

It has been estimated that 20% of older people are on long-term treatment for an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).

Patients are supposed to be checked regularly to ensure they are on the right dose, but for many it often remains unchanged into old age.

This can lead to people developing the opposite problem, an over-active thyroid - caused by having too much thyroxine - which can increase the risk of fractures, particularly in older women.

In this study, a team from the Women's College Research Institute in Toronto looked at 213,500 people aged 70 and over who had received at least one prescription for levothyroxine - the synthetic version of thyroxine - between 2002 and 2007.

'Unexpectedly low'

Participants were grouped into people who were currently on the medication, those who had stopped taking it between 15 and 180 days prior to study and those who had stopped taking it more than 180 days prior.

Just over 10% - 22,236 people - had had at least one fracture during the study period.

Those who were currently taking thyroxine, or who had recently stopped were at a significantly higher risk of experiencing fractures.

Writing in the BMJ, the researchers led by Dr Lorraine Lipscombe, said it suggested medication levels should be more closely monitored "in this vulnerable population".

In the same journal, Professor Graham Leese at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, said ideal thyroxine doses may vary with age and be "unexpectedly low" in elderly people.

"It is 120 years since the effect of excess thyroid hormone on bone was first described, yet research in this area still lacks funding," he said.

"With the prevalence of treated hypothyroidism increasing, and the annual economic burden of fractures in the United Kingdom currently estimated at £5.1bn ($8.4bn), such research warrants a higher priority."

Ayurveda Herbal Remedies

Ecstasy 'may help trauma victims'

2011-04-18T21:29:00.000+07:00

BBC News
Ecstasy may help boost therapy success in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, say US researchers.

A small trial in 20 patients suggests use of the drug is safe and seems to improve the effects of psychotherapy.

The US team has now gained approval for a larger study in military veterans, but stresses more research is needed to confirm the finding.

Ecstasy has been illegal in the UK since the 1970s

A UK expert said it was difficult to draw any conclusions from such a small study and urged caution.

It is thought the clubbing drug reduces fear enabling patients to get more out of their therapy sessions.

Writing in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, the team said patients were selected on strict criteria - they had to have had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for many years and have failed with conventional treatments.

Doctors also excluded those with a history of psychosis or addiction.

In the trial, patients were offered two eight-hour psychotherapy sessions scheduled a few weeks apart, with 12 of them given a dose of ecstasy and eight a placebo.

“Given that substance abuse is associated with many mental health problems including PTSD, I would want to see a lot more data before recommending this”

End Quote Professor Simon Wessely Adviser in psychiatry to the British army

Two months later, 10 of the 12 patients given ecstasy responded to the treatment, the researchers said.

In contrast, just two out of eight patients offered a placebo showed an improvement.

There were no adverse effects from the use of the drug in the study, which was funded by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

MAPS is a non-profit organisation which aims to develop psychedelic drugs and marijuana into medicines to treat conditions where conventional medicines provide limited relief.

Study leader and psychiatrist Dr Michael Mithoefer said before ecstasy or MDMA, as it is clinically known, was used recreationally, hundreds of psychiatrists and psychotherapists around the world gave it to boost therapy.

Therapy sessions

He said: "Therapies for PTSD involve revisiting trauma in a therapeutic setting.

"But some reasons for it not being effective can be if the person is flooded with emotions they can't process or they have emotional 'numbing'.

"But MDMA seems to bring people into the optimal zone for therapy and seems to help them process the trauma and not be overwhelmed by feelings."

He said the next step was to start a planned trial in 40 military veterans before further studies in larger groups of patients.

The team are also following up patients to look at long-term effects and to find out if it increases the chance they will use the drug recreationally - but Dr Mithoefer said so far the results were reassuring.

If this were to be used more widely it would need special clinics equipped for long therapy sessions and overnight stays, he added.

Professor Simon Wessely, an expert in PTSD at King's College London and honorary consultant adviser in psychiatry for the British army, said due to the small size of the study it was difficult to draw any conclusions at this stage.

But he warned: "Given that substance abuse is associated with many mental health problems including PTSD, I would want to see a lot more data before recommending this."

Immunice for Immune Support

Carbon emissions linked to Europe's hay fever rise

2011-04-11T19:20:00.001+07:00

By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News, Vienna

The pollen season is getting longer in Europe, partly influenced by climate change

Carbon dioxide emissions may be raising pollen counts in European cities, according to a continent-wide study.

Researchers from 13 EU nations analysed pollen levels for more than 20 species of tree and plant.

They found that many, including several that cause allergies such as hay fever, correlated with rising CO2 levels.

Presenting their study at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) annual meeting, scientists said city planners might need to review which trees they plant.

Hay fever and other allergies appear to be rising across Europe.

In the UK, GP diagnoses of allergic rhinitis, which includes hay fever, rose by a third between 2001 and 2005.

It has been suggested that higher temperatures might be causing plants to produce more pollen.

But by comparing pollen counts during relatively hotter and relatively cooler years, this latest study found temperature was not the cause.

Annette Menzel from the Technical University of Munich said other possible factors were eliminated as well.

"We thought the increase in the amount of pollen could be related to land use changes, but we don't observe this," she told BBC News.

"We tried to link it to temperature, but that's not possible.

"So the only effect that's left would be a CO2 effect; and we know from experiments in the real world and in climate chambers that CO2 does promote the amount of pollen [that trees produce]."

Urban conundrum

“The season of suffering for people with hay fever is getting more serious”

End Quote Annette Menzel Technical University of Munich

Data in the study came from pollen monitoring stations in the 13 nations, supplemented by tree cover information from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and weather data.

Not all the 25 species studied show the same trend - pollen counts from some have actually gone down.

But 60% of species have seen an increase in pollen production across the decades of the study period, including nine species known to produce allergenic pollen.

There were also differences between trends in different countries, with pollen counts falling in a few.

Perhaps the most intriguing finding was that pollen counts have generally increased with CO2 inside cities, but not outside.

The researchers suggest this could be down to the longer lifetime of ozone molecules outside urban areas.

Pollen causes inflammation of the air passages by stimulating the immune system

The gas is known to disrupt plant growth.

Although more research remains to be done, Professor Menzel's team suggests further rises in pollen counts probably lie ahead, given that CO2 concentrations are rising.

The increasing length of pollen seasons in Europe is linked to the introduction of plants and trees from other continents, in addition to any impact of CO2.

"In Germany, it is now only in November that we do not see allergenic pollen - so the season of suffering for people with hay fever is getting more serious," she said.

"On a local scale, planners should be more aware of what sort of problems may arise from the urban trees they're planting.

"Often they use birch trees, for example, because of their nice silver colour, not aware that they leave allergenic problems behind."

Many of the researchers on this project are involved in wider efforts to plot climate impacts on the timing of natural events such as plant flowering, egg laying and bird migration across Europe - the field of phenology.

The hay fever research presented at EGU will shortly be written up for formal scientific publication.

Body detoxification

Liver disease deaths 'higher among diabetics'

2011-04-01T16:22:00.001+07:00

BBC News
People with diabetes are 70% more likely to die from liver disease than those without the condition, according to new research.

It is already known that diabetes can increase the risk of some types of liver disease, with poor blood sugar control boosting the risk.

Many people with diabetes must have regular injections of insulin

This can lead to scarring of the liver - also known as cirrhosis - and cancer.

In the study, Edinburgh researchers analysed the records of people aged 35 to 84 over a six-year period to 2007.

They compared 1,267 diabetes sufferers to 10,100 people without the condition, who all died of liver disease.

The results showed about one in four (24%) people with diabetes died of liver cancer, compared to one in ten (9%) of non-diabetics.

However, more people without diabetes died from alcoholic liver disease (63%) compared to those with diabetes (38%).

“Previous studies have found a link between diabetes and liver disease and this research adds to that knowledge”

End Quote Dr Iain Frame Diabetes UK

Diabetic patients are advised not to drink too much alcohol because of its potential impact on blood sugar levels and the risk of weight gain.

Dr Sarah Wild, of Edinburgh University, said: "Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has become much more common recently, particularly among people with diabetes.

"The major risk factor for it is being overweight, which is also an important risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.

"Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease increases the risk of cirrhosis which in turn increases the risk of liver cancer.

"A healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk and prevention is particularly important because the options for treatment are limited."

The research is being presented at the Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference, which ends on Friday.

Diabetes UK director of research, Dr Iain Frame, said: "Previous studies have found a link between diabetes and liver disease and this research adds to that knowledge.

"We now need further investigation into how diabetes affects the liver to find new methods of preventing this complication."

AyurGold for Healthy Blood

'Genes for pre-eclampsia' discovered

2011-03-26T15:54:00.001+07:00

BBC News
Scientists say they have identified genetic errors that appear to increase a pregnant woman's chance of getting the potentially life-threatening condition called pre-eclampsia.

Around four in every 100 women develops this problem of high blood pressure and leaky kidneys during pregnancy.

Delivering the baby early may be the only treatment option in some instances

Now researchers have found faulty DNA may be to blame in some cases, PLoS Medicine journal reports.

The discovery could lead to new ways to spot and treat those at risk, they say.

The US researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis analysed DNA from over 300 pregnant women.

Sixty of these were otherwise healthy women who were hospitalised because they developed severe pre-eclampsia.

“It may allow us to study new treatments to prevent or delay the onset of pre-eclampsia and to know which women need closer surveillance”

End Quote Professor Basky Thilaganathan RCOG spokesman

The remaining 250 were women who were being monitored for other health complications. Forty of these also went on to develop pre-eclampsia.

DNA analysis revealed a few genetic errors shared by five of the 60 otherwise healthy women and seven of the 40 "higher-risk pregnancy" women who developed pre-eclampsia.

The genes on which the errors were identified (MCP factor I and factor H) play a role in regulating immune response and the researchers believe this could explain their possible link to pre-eclampsia.

Scientists have suspected that problems with the immune system provoke many cases of pre-eclampsia because women with lupus and certain other autoimmune diseases - like 250 of the women in the study - have an increased risk of the disorder.

The researchers now plan to study more pregnant women and other genes to further their understanding.

Professor Basky Thilaganathan, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "This work shows an association.

"At best genes like these might identify 10-15% of pre-eclampsia, so it's relative importance may not be sensational. But it may allow us to study new treatments to prevent or delay the onset of pre-eclampsia and to know which women need closer surveillance."

He said that currently the only real way to halt the condition was to deliver the baby. This can be relatively risk free if the pregnancy is nearing its natural end anyway, but can be risky if the baby is premature.

Start the detoxification process

Doubts emerge over heart risk to 'apple shape'

2011-03-16T10:53:00.001+07:00

By Dominic Hughes
Health correspondent, BBC News
Doubts have been raised over the idea that being overweight and "apple shaped" increases heart attack risk.

Previous research argued that being overweight and 'apple shaped' greatly increased the risk of heart disease

A study in the Lancet found the risk of heart attack was not increased by fat being concentrated around the waist.

It contradicts previous work that found overweight people with "apple shaped" bodies were three times as likely to suffer heart attacks than those with more generally distributed fat.

But experts warned obesity was bad for the heart, no matter where the fat was.

The authors of the study say that obesity is still a major risk factor for heart disease, but they argue there is confusion about the best way to measure it.

One well known measure is the Body Mass Index (BMI) which relates weight to height.

Apples and pears

But previous research had also suggested that people with fat deposits in the middle of their body - known as an "apple shape" - were at much greater risk.

“This study suggests that measuring your waist is no better than calculating your BMI but it's not time to throw away the tape measure just yet”

End Quote Dr Mike Knapton British Heart Foundation

This method uses the "waist-to-hip" ratio and compares the distance around the hips and waist to measure what is known as central obesity.

It can tell if someone is "apple shaped - with a bulging middle - or "pear shaped", with a narrower waist and fatter hips and bottom.

Others have suggested concentrating on a measurement of the waist alone.

But this new study, which looked at 220,000 people over almost 10 years, found that all three measures indicated risk of heart attack or stroke.

The study was led by Professor John Danesh from Cambridge University and concluded that none of the measures on their own improved the prediction of heart disease, especially when doctors could also assess other warning signs like blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Writing in the Lancet, Professor Danesh said: "Whether assessed singly or in combination, body-mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio do not improve prediction of first-onset cardiovascular disease when additional information exists on blood pressure, history of diabetes, and cholesterol measures."

The study was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Obesity is still bad for you

The BHF's associate medical director Dr Mike Knapton said it was clear that no matter how you measure it, obesity is bad for your heart.

"This study suggests that measuring your waist is no better than calculating your BMI but it's not time to throw away the tape measure just yet.

"We tend to underestimate our body shape and size, so measuring our waist or checking our BMI are both quick and easy ways we can check our health at home.

"We should also remember there are other heart risk factors we need to think about too, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and smoking.

"Anyone over 40 who's worried about their waist measurement or BMI should ask at their GP surgery for a heart health assessment, which will take into account all cardiovascular risk factors and provide practical advice on how you can reduce your risk."

Professor Stephen Holgate of the MRC said the main worry about obesity was that it led to other illnesses.

"Around three-fifths of type 2 diabetes and one-fifth of heart disease cases are attributable to excess body fat. Six cancers are also linked to obesity.

"The percentage of UK adults who are obese has increased by 50% in the last decade, and obesity in children continues to grow at an alarming rate."

Lose weight quick

'Toxic trio' triggers gut disease

2011-03-10T10:25:00.001+07:00

By Helen Briggs
Health reporter, BBC News
The precise cause of the immune reaction that leads to coeliac disease has been discovered.

Three key substances in the gluten found in wheat, rye and barley trigger the digestive condition, UK and Australian researchers say.

Foods like cake are off-limit to coeliacs

This gives a potential new target for developing treatments and even a vaccine, they believe.

Coeliac disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten found in foods like bread, pasta and biscuits.

It is thought to affect around 1 in every 100 people in the UK, particularly women.

The link between gluten and coeliac disease was first established 60 years ago but scientists have struggled to pinpoint the precise component in gluten that triggers it.

The research, published in the journal, Science Translational Medicine, studied 200 patients with coeliac disease attending clinics in Oxford and Melbourne.

The volunteers were asked to eat bread, rye muffins or boiled barley. Six days later they had blood samples taken to measure their immune response to thousands of different gluten fragments, or peptides.

“It's an important piece of the jigsaw but a lot of further work remains so nobody should be expecting a practical solution in their surgery within the next 10 years."”

End Quote Sarah Sleet Coeliac UK

The tests identified 90 peptides that caused some level of immune reaction, but three were found to be particularly toxic.

Professor Bob Anderson, head of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia, said: "These three components account for the majority of the immune response to gluten that is observed in people with coeliac disease."

Coeliac disease can be managed with a gluten-free diet but this is often a challenge for patients. Nearly half still have damage to their intestines five years after starting a gluten-free diet.

Professor Anderson said one potential new therapy is already being developed, using immunotherapy to expose people with coeliac disease to tiny amounts of the three toxic peptides.

Early results of the trial are expected in the next few months.

COELIAC DISEASE

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease
Gluten found in wheat, barley and rye triggers an immune reaction in people with coeliac disease
This damages the lining of the small intestine
Other parts of the body may be affected
Source: Coeliac UK

Sarah Sleet, Chief Executive of the charity Coeliac UK, said the new finding could potentially help lead to a vaccine against coeliac disease but far more research was needed.

She said: "It's an important piece of the jigsaw but a lot of further work remains so nobody should be expecting a practical solution in their surgery within the next 10 years."

The symptoms of coeliac disease vary from person to person and can range from very mild to severe.

Possible symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, recurrent stomach pain, tiredness, headaches, weight loss and mouth ulcers.

Some symptoms may be mistaken as irritable bowel syndrome or wheat intolerance.

Are you looking for a full cleanse?

Male depression 'set to increase'

2011-03-02T15:35:00.000+07:00

BBC News
Psychiatrists have warned that the number of men with depression could rise because of changes in Western society.

An article in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests economic and social changes will erode traditional sources of male self-esteem.

Could the number of depressed men be about to rise?

The authors say men will struggle with the shift away from traditional male and female roles.

The Men's Health Forum said male identity was bound up in employment.

One of the authors, Dr Boadie Dunlop from Emory University School of Medicine, said: "Women are almost twice as likely to develop major depressive disorder in their lifetime as men, but we believe this difference may well change in the coming decades."

He argues that traditional males jobs such as manufacturing or physical labour are being lost, either through improved technology or jobs moving to other countries.

On the other hand the article states that as women are now more likely to go to university than men so the number of households where the main breadwinner is female will increase.

“Having to send your wife out and feel like a parasite surely would put up the rate of depression”

End Quote Dr Cosmo Hallstrom Consultant psychiatrist

Male identity

"Men's failure to fulfil the role of breadwinner is associated with greater depression and martial conflict," the article states.

Dr Dunlop said: "Western men will face a difficult road in the 21st century, particularly those with low levels of education. We believe economic and societal changes will have significant implications for men's mental health."

Peter Baker, chief executive of the Men's Health Forum, said: "This really confirms what we already know about unemployment and that it has a much bigger impact on men, mainly because male identity is bound up as a worker.

"Male social networks are based around work so losing a job can lead to isolation and depression."

Dr Cosmo Hallstrom, a consultant psychiatrist, said: "If you've spent 20 years pouring steel and the mill closes you can't just go and do something else.

"It seems self evident in a recession with joblessness that it will be bad for physical and mental health and some people will get depression.

"Having to send your wife out and feel like a parasite surely would put up the rate of depression, but overall is it unique to men? I don't know."

Mr Baker said men do not seek help when they have depression and were "more likely to self medicate in the pub" than seek professional care.

He said: "As we see more men affected we need to think about how to support and get them back to work."

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