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Health Tips from Cougars
Pregnancy
 Fetal
Cells Can Trigger Disease After Pregnancy
Fetal cells that survive in the mother after pregnancy may trigger
diseases in the woman many years later. The discovery that these
cells can persist in the mother's bloodstream may provide a reason
why women are three times more likely than men to suffer from autoimmune
diseases. These are a family of about 100 different disorders which
all share a common feature. They are caused when the body's own
immune system which protects against bacteria and viruses suddenly
turns against healthy tissues. Certain tissues are destroyed, leading
to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis
and a progressive and often fatal hardening of tissues called scleroderma.
The discovery that the fetus might be an unexpected enemy from within
was presented yesterday at the American Association for the Advancement
of Science annual meeting in San Francisco. The work was done by
Dr Lee Nelson and colleagues of the University of Washington in
Seattle. Women on average are three times more likely than men to
get an autoimmune disease and for certain diseases 10 times more
likely. Dr Nelson's theory was that fetal cells which survived for
decades in the woman's bloodstream after pregnancy somehow affected
the woman's immune system over time and caused it to malfunction
and cause damage. She led a research team looking for "foreign"
DNA in blood samples taken from healthy women and from women with
scleroderma. They searched for evidence of male DNA, signs of the
male Y chromosome. They found what they were looking for. Women
with scleroderma had 11.1 fetal cells per million maternal cells
tested. Less than one fetal cell in a million was discovered in
those without the disease. "Pregnancy is mini-gene transfer," Dr
Nelson said. "Those genes that are transferred from the child can
ingraft and persist, probably indefinitely." Even 30 years after
having a child these foreign cells can be discovered in women who
had children. "It turns out that there is cell transfer in both
directions," she said. The mother's cells can be found in her sons
and there is now also evidence that cells from the grandmother passed
to her daughter can reach the bloodstream of the granddaughter.
She is now trying to make the connection between these foreign cells
and the high rate of autoimmune diseases in women.
Smoking
Link
May Exist Between Passive Smoking and Periodontal Disease, Researchers
Say
Among
U.S. residents who have never used tobacco products, those exposed
regularly to environmental tobacco smoke are more likely to develop
gum disease than others not exposed to such second-hand smoke, a
new University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study suggests.
The study, which involved analyzing data from the Third National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1988 to 1994, or NHANES
III, revealed between a 50 percent and 60 percent increased risk
of periodontal disease among non-smokers who are around smokers
than those who are not. Researchers, who are affiliated with the
UNC School of Dentistry, said their findings provide evidence of
an association but do not prove it. A report on the research appears
in the February issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Authors are Drs. Samuel J. Arbes Jr. and Helga Agustsdottir, former
postdoctoral fellows with the Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases,
and Dr. Gary D. Slade, associate professor of dental ecology. "We
found that among adults in the United States who had never smoked
cigarettes, 11 percent of those exposed to environmental tobacco
smoke in their homes or at work had periodontal disease, and their
risk was about 1.5 times higher than for people not exposed," Arbes
said. "Even though this increase in risk is much smaller than the
increase in risk associated with active cigarette smoking - up to
five times greater - environmental tobacco smoke could account for
many cases of gum disease nationwide." Researchers evaluated NHANES
III data on a subset of 6,611 U.S. residents age 18 and older who
had never smoked or used other forms of tobacco. The survey is the
most recent in a series of national surveys conducted by the federal
government to help assess the health in this country. "One advantage
to using the NHANES III data is that it is a sample of the total
civilian, non-institutionalized population of the nation," Arbes
said. "Therefore, our results can be generalized to the U.S. population."
About a third of non-smoking adults in the study were exposed to
environmental tobacco smoke, which also is called "passive smoking,"
at home or at work, he said. Investigators did not measure the amount.
How could the smoke cause gum disease? "Active smoking is one of
the most important, if not the most important, risk factor for periodontal
disease, and many studies have examined its effects," Arbes said.
"One of the many chemicals that gets into the body when a person
actively smokes or breathes someone else's smoke is nicotine. "Earlier
studies have suggested that nicotine in cigarette smoke impairs
the immune system and causes blood vessels to constrict, including
blood vessels in the tissues around the teeth. This causes a decrease
in oxygen in these tissues which, along with an impaired immune
system response, creates a favorable environment for bacteria that
cause periodontal disease." Undoubtedly, the real picture is much
more complicated, and the mechanism by which other people's smoke
may promote the illness has not been studied, he said. Periodontitis
destroys soft tissues and bone that support the teeth, which often
leads to tooth loss. "We strongly believe that it is premature to
claim that passive smoking causes periodontal disease or to make
any policy recommendations," Arbes said. "However, we do feel that
it is reasonable to use these findings to repeat the known oral
health hazards of active tobacco consumption. We also hope the findings
further motivate dental health providers to promote tobacco cessation
in their practices."
Stress
Baboon
Key to Human Stress
The
stresses and strains that afflict humans are evident in baboon societies
- as are the long-term health effects. The findings of physiologist
Robert Sapolsky may suggest ways of limiting the impact of mankind's
modern, stressful lifestyle. And cultivating friendships, he suggests,
may be the way to alleviate harmful long-term stresses. In many
ways, the life lived by baboons holds echoes of our own. Their societies,
like Western ones, are rarely threatened by famine, plague or predators
- so they invent their own ways of generating stress. Professor
Sapolsky gave details of his work to the annual meeting of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science. His study claims to
be able to spot "Type A" baboons, who cannot cope with stress, and
suggests that there may be ways to spot humans who fall into the
same group. Professor Sapolsky said: "We're ecologically privileged
enough that we can invent social and physiological stress. Baboons
are similarly privileged. They ulcerate because of social complexities."
Professor Sapolsky, from Stanford University, studied the Serengeti
baboons. He anaesthetised them and then collected blood samples
to reveal levels of stress hormones, antibodies, and cholesterol.
Those with consistently high levels of stress hormones were showing
the physical signs: high levels of the "wrong" sort of cholesterol,
increased blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. Certain
situations were found to be more stressful for the baboons in the
study, most of whom were male. Baboons who sensed a problem and
started a fight were less stressed than those who sat back and worried
if a fight was about to start. In a stable hierarchy, stress levels
were lower, while the introduction of a new baboon sent stress hormones
up. And males who spent most time grooming and being groomed by
females not in heat and playing with infants had the lowest levels
of stress hormones. Other studies carried out by Professor Sapolsky
on rats suggest that the brain cells which control stress levels
can actually be damaged if the individual is too stressed. Continually
elevated levels of stress hormones appears to damage the hippocampus,
an area of the brain which also has a role in learning and memory.
Moderate stress, however, appeared to be good for the brain, he
said.
Stroke
An
Apple a Day May Really Keep the Doctor Away
A
research study recently published in the European Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, says that people who eat the most apples have a significantly
reduced risk of stroke. Finnish researchers who studied more than
9,000 men and women over a 28-year period said the reasons are inconclusive,
however. Apples happen to be rich in quercetin, a member of a group
of antioxidant substances called flavonoids. The researchers hoped
to explore a link between stroke risk and overall dietary intake
of quercetin -- which also is found in onions and other fruits and
vegetables. But to their surprise, no such relationship turned up.
The link between apple consumption and decreased stroke risk remained,
however. The apples' protective effect was "apparently not attributable
to quercetin ... and may be due to some other substances in the
fruit or simply to a lifestyle associated with apple intake." Perhaps
the overall levels of quercetin consumed by the study participants
were simply too low for the researchers to uncover an effect, said
lead researcher Paul Knekt, a researcher at the National Public
Health Institute in Helsinki.
Sleepyheads
and Snorers Face Risk of Stroke
Sleeping for more than eight hours a night, snoring and daytime
drowsiness was associated with an increased risk for stroke, researchers
reported today at the American Stroke Association’s 26th International
Stroke Conference. The American Stroke Association is a division
of the American Heart Association. Researchers evaluated the association
between snoring, sleep duration and daytime sleepiness with stroke
and carotid artery narrowing in 1,348 adults who participated in
a stroke screening program in Buffalo, New York. Of the group, 6
percent had a previous stroke and 7 percent had carotid arteries
that were significantly narrowed. Participants answered a questionnaire
on sleep habits and cardiovascular risk factors, were interviewed
by a neurologist or neurosurgeon and underwent ultrasound testing
on the carotid artery to determine the arterial narrowing or history
of stroke. The frequency of prior stroke or transient ischemic attacks
(TIAs) was 14 percent among those who reported routinely sleeping
eight hours or more a night, while the frequency was 5.4 percent
among those who slept for 6-8 hours and 5.4 percent for those who
slept less than 6 hours, says the study’s lead author Adnan I. Qureshi,
M.D., assistant professor of neurosurgery at the State University
of New York at Buffalo. Transient ischemic attacks are temporary,
stroke-like events that last for a short time. Like many strokes,
TIAs are caused by a blocked blood vessel leading to or within the
brain. Of individuals who reported experiencing daytime drowsiness,
14 percent had suffered a stroke or TIA, compared to 4 percent of
the participants who remained alert during the day. “We found that
certain sleep characteristics such as sleeping for more than eight
hours, the tendency to fall asleep during the day and the tendency
to snore influence the likelihood of having a stroke,” says Qureshi.
“Individuals who snore severely or have trouble staying awake during
the day should see a doctor to find out why. These may be signs
of certain sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, which is associated
with an increased risk of having a stroke.” Sleep apnea is a condition
in which breathing stops briefly and repeatedly during sleep. The
breathing abnormality often causes snoring and frequent awakening
as the sleeper quickly gasps for breath. It can lead to drowsiness
during the day. Sleep apnea is recognized as a contributor to heart
disease and stroke. Qureshi and colleagues conducted an earlier
study using database information in which they found that individuals
who reported longer sleep and daytime drowsiness were more likely
to experience a stroke during a 10-year follow-up period. The team
thought that some of the differences might be attributable to the
classic risk factors for heart disease and stroke: age, race, gender,
cigarette smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.
They took these variables into consideration in their latest study
and found that the risk for stroke was independently and significantly
associated with daytime sleepiness, average hours of sleep and nighttime
snoring, Qureshi says. The participants were also examined for the
presence of carotid artery stenosis, a build-up of fatty material
leading to narrowing of the principal arteries to the neck and head.
Carotid artery stenosis is itself an indicator of a higher risk
of stroke. After adjusting for the other variables, the researchers
found no association between carotid artery stenosis and sleep duration,
daytime sleepiness and snoring. Thus, they conclude sleep pattern
abnormalities are independently associated with stroke and TIA.
Exactly how the disruptions contribute to stroke and TIA risk is
still uncertain. Underlying factors, such as depression or sleep
apnea, may contribute to the chain of events. Study participants
were not asked to distinguish between sleep patterns before and
after stroke. But the researchers assumed it was unlikely the strokes
and TIAs caused major disruptions in habit because none were disabling.
All were able to attend the stroke screening program at the Buffalo
clinic where the study interviews took place in 1999 and 2000. “We
know from the literature that these patterns are not just habits
individuals can change; they are unconscious actions,” he says.
“These individuals should see a physician for evaluation.” Qureshi
and his colleagues are using the database again to investigate why
sleep disruption contributes to stroke and to examine sleep patterns
in relation to other diseases. These studies are in the preliminary
stages.
Certain
Fat Can Raise Female Stroke Risk
Hypertensive women who consume a low amount of a particular type
of fat may face a greater risk for an uncommon kind of stroke, new
research suggests. Women who ate 20 milligrams or less of saturated
fat, the artery-clogging kind of fat, appeared to double their risk
of experiencing hemorrhagic stroke, which is triggered by a burst
blood vessel. Whether saturated fat has a mechanical effect that
would make blood vessels prone to hemorrhagic stroke is still unclear,
and the researchers emphasize the study does not suggest people
should increase their fat intake. Instead, it indicates the possibility
that a moderate fat intake may be suitable for patients with high
blood pressure, they said. Dr. Meir J. Stampfer and colleagues at
the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston will publish the finding
Tuesday in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
The researchers analyzed data from the long-term Nurses Health Study
that began in 1980. Within the study, 85,764 women ages 34 to 59
completed questionnaires about their diets; all were free of cancer
and heart disease. By 1996, there were 690 strokes, including 74
intraparenchymal hemorrhagic strokes, a less common form of hemorrhagic
stroke and far less common than the prevalent ischemic stroke, where
blood is choked off to the brain by a blocked artery. Cholesterol
and polyunsaturated fat did not effect risk, and researchers say
it's unknown whether this link applies to men. "The question comes
up, for some people, might a low-fat diet be risky?" Patricia Liehr,
an associate professor at the University of Texas at Houston School
of Nursing who studies lifestyle and cardiovascular disease, told
United Press International. But she added the study isn't a green
light to eat saturated fat, found in animal products and processed
foods, saying people "shouldn't come away with the idea they should
eat all the fat they want because they don't want a stroke."
Cell
Transplants Offer Hope of Brain Repair Following Stroke
Rat stem cells developed into neurons and other mature brain tissue
when transplanted into normal and stroke-damaged adult rats, according
to new research reported today at the American Stroke Association's
26th International Stroke Conference. The American Stroke Association
is a division of the American Heart Association. The stem cells
grew in the damaged area and formed connections with neighboring
cells, indicating the possibility of someday manipulating brains
and spinal cords into repairing trauma from stroke or other diseases,
says senior author Daniel M. Rosenbaum, M.D., professor of neurology,
neuroscience and ophthalmology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
and director of the stroke center at Montefiore Medical Center,
New York. "We were not sure the transplanted cells would even survive,"
he says. "But they did in both normal and stroke-damaged brains.
In just seven days some cells had begun differentiating into the
basic, yet immature types of cells that form the fundamental structure
of the brain." Blood vessels were also seen growing to nourish the
transplanted cells. At 21 to 45 days after the transplants most
stem cells had developed into mature neurons and other mature brain
cells. "The ultimate goal is to take an adult's own cells, expand
them in tissue culture in the laboratory and transplant them back
into the individual's brain in a way that would lead to functional
recovery," says Rosenbaum. Stem cells – which are found primarily
in bone marrow in adults or in embryonic tissue – lay down the blueprint
for development of all the body's organs including the brain. They
have the potential and the flexibility to grow and differentiate
into the many kinds of cells needed by the human body. Until about
10 years ago, many people believed that the ability to regenerate
neurons, or nerve cells, of the brain and spinal cord disappeared
soon after birth. However, Rosenbaum's research team has shown that
such repair processes can occur in mature brain cells at a very
slow rate. In the current study researchers sought to determine
whether stem cells would grow and mature into functioning neurons
when transplanted into damaged rat brains. Researchers harvested
embryonic cortical cells (which come from the cerebral Cortex –
the outer layer of the brain) for the transplants. The cerebral
cortex is the mantle of gray substance covering each half of the
brain. It's the area responsible for higher mental functions such
as thought, reasoning, memory and voluntary movement and is also
the area most often damaged by strokes. "Our goal was to replace
the dead area of the cortex with neural stem cells that would mature
into neurons and other brain cell types," says Gaurav Gupta, M.D.,
the lead author of the study. In their experiments, the researchers
injected the cortical stem cells into the brains of normal adult
rats and adult rats damaged by stroke. The cells were marked with
a chemical that glows when viewed under a fluorescent microscope,
allowing researchers to record their fate for 90 days. Because the
growth of cells is often influenced by the surroundings, researchers
grew the cells in different "cellular environments." In both healthy
and stroke-damaged brains, donor cells were transplanted into three
areas: the cerebral cortex, the subventricular zone - an inner layer
of the brain - and the eye cavity. Within a week, donor cells grew
in all three areas in both healthy and damaged brains. Three to
six weeks later, most donor cells had become mature neurons, which
made connections with other brain cells. Important differences were
found in the rate of growth among the six environments. For example,
cortical cells transplanted into healthy rats grew better when transplanted
into the cortical area rather than the subventriclular zone, suggesting
a preference for cells to grow better in their native environment.
However, when the cortical cells were transplanted into stroke-damaged
rats, the cells grew more profusely in the subventricular zone (the
area that was not as severely damaged) than in the damaged cortex.
"Because tissue in the stroke damaged cortex, is replaced by scar
tissue and fluid-filled cavities there is relatively poor structural
and nutritional support. The transplanted cells do not grow as well
as they do in the more fertile subventricular regions which have
supportive factors that help the cells grow," says Gupta. "We've
demonstrated that transplanted stem cells can survive, multiply
and differentiate," Rosenbaum explains. "The other significant finding
is that differences in the cell growth depend on the local factors
in the areas of the brain in which they're implanted. A greater
understanding of what these local factors are may enable us to better
manipulate the stem cells to grow new brain tissue." For his work
in this area, Gupta has been selected to receive the American Stroke
Association Mordecai Y.T. Globus Young Investigator of the Year
Award during the conference.
Unique
Duke Study to Probe How Genetics and Environment Influence Responses
to Stress
Being the main caregiver for a spouse suffering from Alzheimer's
disease can be a physically and emotionally draining experience
-- the slow, unrelenting progression of the disease and its certain
outcome put caregivers under constant pressure that can impact all
aspects of their lives. How these caregivers respond physically
and emotionally to these demands can vary widely among individuals;
some seem able to cope with the pressure while others suffer physically
and/or mentally. A group of Duke University Medical Center researchers
believes that by carefully studying these caregivers they will be
able to unravel the mysteries of why some people can successfully
handle life's stresses in general and why others fare poorly. The
researchers hope to be able to tease apart the interplay between
genetics, neighborhood environment, psychological makeup and other
factors with the ultimate goal of identifying those most at risk
of succumbing to these stresses so the appropriate interventions
can be developed. Negative responses to stress can include such
behavioral characteristics as anxiety and depression, as well as
physical responses such as cardiovascular disease, hormonal and
glucose imbalances, and high blood pressure. The novel Duke research
project, which begins this month, is supported by a $2.6 million
grant from three agencies of the National Institutes of Health:
the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National
Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Mental Health.
During the five-year project, the Duke researchers, led by Dr. Redford
Williams, will conduct in-depth analyses of 200 caregivers of spouses
with Alzheimer's disease or similar dementias. As a control, they
will perform the same analyses on 200 people who are similar in
all aspects to the caregivers, but who have a healthy spouse. "By
the end of this study we hope to better understand the underlying
biological and behavioral mechanisms whereby stressful situations
-- like caring for a spouse with Alzheimer's disease -- can contribute
to health disparities between socioeconomic groups, as well as between
racial groups," said Williams, who is director of Duke's Behavioral
Medicine Research Center. "This is a truly innovative approach to
a complex problem. "The possible payoff is that we might be able
to identify groups of people with certain characteristics -- whether
psychological, genetic or environmental -- who are at a much higher
risk of developing health problems under stressful situations and
help them through early intervention," Williams said. "This is truly
a study aimed at determining how the environment and genetics interact
in contributing to the problems." To better understand how the roles
of environment and genetics can impact responses to stress, the
researchers chose caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients because
there is a well-described body of scientific literature that shows
that these caregivers do suffer from a broad range of physical and
emotional problems. "What makes Alzheimer's disease different from
other diseases is that you gradually lose the person you love, and
while they still have lucid moments, you have to make important
decisions about that person without his or her understanding or
input," said Lisa Gwyther, director of the Family Support Program
(FSP) at the Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development
and co-investigator for the study. "Many people have this romanticized
vision that taking care of a sick family member comes easily and
naturally," Gwyther continued. "But it doesn't come that easily
for everyone, and it is not what people expect. Most of the stresses
experienced by caregivers come from dealing with the unexpected,
which is a hallmark of the disease." In addition to documenting
the stresses involved in the actual caregiving, the researchers
also plan to conduct a detailed analysis of the environmental stressors
present in each caregiver's neighborhood. "We will be using a unique
survey developed by our colleagues at the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, which not only takes into account census data for
the neighborhood, but such factors as the overall quality of the
housing, noise levels, safety issues and the social support network
within the neighborhood," Williams explained. With this knowledge,
the team wants to see how certain moderators, such as genetics and
certain personality traits, play into a caregiver's response to
stress. One truly unique part of the study, according to Williams,
will be elucidating the role of genetics. For each caregiver, the
team will be looking for a particular naturally occurring form of
a gene that controls the effects of a neurotransmitter called serotonin
on the central nervous system. Previous studies have demonstrated
that low levels of serotonin have been implicated in such negative
behaviors or traits as hostility, depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse
and smoking. By the end of this project, we should able to pinpoint
how this different form of the gene influences the responses to
stress in different races as well as by gender," Williams said.
"As results become clear during the study, we plan to share this
information with the community to help improve the conditions of
family members and caregivers who are under a tremendous amount
of stress."
Study:
Exercise Boosts Clot-Dissolving Protein (see
heart)
Severe
Headache May Signal Clot in Brain Vein (see
headaches)
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Viagra
Flex
Those Love Muscles
Everyone
love muscles, and giving them a good workout now may help heat things
up in the bedroom later. It's true. The pubococcygeal (PC) muscles--the
muscles in the genital area that you use to stop the flow of urine--can
be strengthened like any other set of muscles. By squeezing and
releasing the PCs up to 30 to 50 times per day, you will strengthen
them significantly. What is the result of doing these exercises
(known as Kegels) daily? Enhanced lovemaking for both of you--in
the form of better, more intense orgasms. Having sex twice per week--which
is twice the national average--can make you as much as 1.6 years
younger. As an added benefit, women who do Kegels guard against
possible later-in-life bladder control problems.
Japanese
Find Viagra Ingredient in Chinese Health Drink
Japanese
officials have detected the active ingredient of Viagra in a Chinese
health drink... and forced it off the market. Government officials
discovered that Durui, a health tonic drink imported from China,
contains sildenafil - the main component in Pfizer's anti-impotence
drug. A Viagra tablet contains between 25 and 50 milligrams of sildenafil,
while the imported soft drink contains 64.3 milligrams in a 20 millilitre
bottle. As a result, the government has directed the Japanese importer
ASG to recall the product because its sale contravenes laws on retailing
pharmaceuticals. A spokesman says: "Products containing sildenafil,
a component of a medicinal drug, and which patients take by eating
or drinking, are deemed to be the same as the medicinal drugs. "Importing
and selling this product without approval and permission of the
authority violates the Pharmaceutical Business Law." Nagoya-based
ASG says it imported 46,656 bottles between February, 2000, and
January this year, and has sold 43,438 bottles, priced at 3,000
yen - that's £17.82. According to Kyodo News, ASG says the drink
was squeezed from Chinese fruits resembling grapes that could serve
as drug ingredients, but it was not aware that it contained sildenafil.
Durui was advertised in Japanese weekly magazines as a male anti-impotence
beverage, which would "restore the male's sex function", the newspaper
states.
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Vitamins
Collard
Greens Keep You in the Pink
Want
a way to kick up your calcium consumption, but keep down your dairy
intake? Go for the collard greens. A favorite staple of Southern
cooking, collard is part of the cabbage family--and one of the best
nondairy sources of calcium around. In addition to loads of calcium,
collard greens have a heaping helping of the antioxidant vitamins
A and C. The greens also boast an impressive amount of folate, and
like other kinds of cabbage, offer protection against cancer. Best
of all, you get all this goodness for a measly 25 calories per half
cup of cooked leaves. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D can make
you younger as much as 1.1 years.
Bone
China
Building
your bones may be as easy as serving tea. A recent study showed
that women who drink tea regularly may be giving their bones a boost.
Researchers analyzed the relationship between diet and bone mineral
density in over 1,200 women. They found that those who drank tea
regularly had higher bone mineral density measurements than those
who did not drink tea, regardless of whether milk was added to the
tea. The hypothesis is that the flavonoids in tea may be responsible
for the improved bone density.
Antioxidant
Vitamins C and E are Found to Protect Against Memory Loss
A new aging study has determined that antioxidant vitamins -- Vitamin
C and Vitamin E -- protect against dementia and can improve brain
function in later life. In a study of 3,385 Japanese-American men
living in Hawaii, scientists looked at the health records of men
aged 71 to 93 years and ascertained their use of Vitamin C and Vitamin
E. "We found that combined Vitamin E and C supplement use was associated
with a reduction of 88 percent in the frequency of subsequent vascular
dementia," or memory loss associated with blood vessels, eight researchers
reported in the medical journal Neurology, a publication of the
American Academy of Neurology. "In separate analyses limited to
non-demented subjects," they said, "use of either Vitamin E or C
supplements alone ... was associated significantly with better cognitive
test performance ... " The study, part of the ongoing Honolulu-Asia
Aging Study being conducted at the University of Hawaii and other
locations, suggested that "long-term use is required to improve
cognitive function in late life." Citing previous studies that suggested
a combination of Vitamin E and C might provide more antioxidant
effect that either alone, the researchers said that in their current
study "there was a strong interaction between Vitamin E and C in
promoting cognitive performance. It has been suggested, they reported,
that a higher level of Vitamin C can increase Vitamin E levels.
"The study has many strengths," the researchers concluded, pointing
out that the test subjects have been under medical surveillance
for more than 25 years and that participation rates were high. The
study population, Japanese-American men, is known to have high rates
of stroke. The researchers said their findings supported earlier
studies concluding that antioxidant vitamins can slow progression
of dementia, or memory loss, and recommended a "primary prevention
trial" to examine the potential protective effects of both vascular
dementia and Alzheimer's dementia. No protective effect was found
for Alzheimer's in the current study.
Vitamin
K May Fight Hip Fractures
Of the fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E and K - vitamin K seems to
get the least attention. Although vitamin D, calcium and magnesium
are the nutrients traditionally considered important for bone health,
vitamin K also seems to play an important role in maintaining proteins
required for bone metabolism. Furthermore, it appears to reduce
hip fractures in middle-age and older women. In January 2000, a
study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported
that women whose diets were high in vitamin K had a 30 percent lower
risk of hip fractures over a 10-year period. The diets observed
contained at least 109 micrograms a day, which was well above the
recommended amounts of vitamin K at the time of the study (65 micrograms
for women and 80 micrograms for men). The National Academy of Science
recently updated its recommendations to 20 micrograms for women
and 90 micrograms for men. Foods highest in vitamin K are lettuce,
broccoli, spinach, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts.
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