Excessive calcium intake is fraught with the deteriorating health

June 11, 2010

Excessive calcium intake is fraught with the deteriorating health
Excess calcium is harmful to health – doctors recorded the negative trend of the spread of the diagnosis of so-called milk-alkali or calcium-alkali syndrome. Much of the reason this situation has been the widespread use of supplements of calcium and vitamin D.

Food hypercalcemia syndrome occurs when dangerously inflated levels of calcium in the blood, which can cause high blood pressure and even kidney failure. Doctors say that many people take an excessive amount of vitamin supplements of calcium, mainly as a means of preventing osteoporosis, in combination with high doses of vitamin D. As a result, health is not only not improving, but rather worse, in many cases, patients with hypercalcemia requires hospitalization.

This diagnosis is associated with high calcium consumption, rather than milk, the scientists explain the University of Pennsylvania / USA /. According to them, pregnant women, women after menopause, patients after organ transplant operations, as well as bulimia and dialysis have a high risk of disease due to various physiological reasons. Researchers are strongly advised to limit consumption of calcium dose of no more than 1,2-1,5 grams per day – in that the number of useful minerals for the body.

Working conditions during pregnancy influence health of the child

March 24, 2010

Working conditions during pregnancy influence health of the child
Scientists warn that working conditions of the pregnant woman can affect weight of the child at a birth or lead to premature birth. Isabelle Niedhammer and its colleagues from University College (Dublin, Ireland) have studied working conditions of 676 women during the period from 14 till 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Researchers interested, the working day of the woman how many lasts, whether it is necessary it to work on changes, to overwork, strain physically. It has appeared that a combination at least two adverse factors (time or contract work, processing, the replaceable schedule, physically an arduous toil) raises risk of premature birth or low weight at a birth approximately five times.

«Physically the arduous toil most strongly influences weight at a birth, raising risk of a birth of the child with weight 2500 г or less», – speaks Isabelle Niedhammer. Long labour shifts also raised risk of a birth of the child with weight less than 3000 г and risk of chronic diseases in the future.

About 25 % of the women participating in research, have informed that they should work more than 40 hours per week, 20 % worked on changes, 18 % named the work physically strained.

Authors of research conclude that the further researches about influence of working conditions on a pregnancy outcome are necessary.

On materials Reuters Health.

Fighting obesity: two in one

November 13, 2009

Friendly people have more nerve cells

November 9, 2009

Friendly people have more nerve cells
British and Finnish psychologists and neuroscientists have found that people prone to a more warm and friendly relations of two sections of the brain contains more nerve cells than normal. The researchers hope that their discovery will help find ways to treat schizophrenia and autism.

The subjects who were recruited psychologists, passed a psychological test, which required them to answer questions about how they tend to establish friendships and to show positive emotions towards others. Then the researchers scanned the brains of volunteers using the imager – to obtain data on the size of various structures and compare them with test results.

Scientists have found that is located directly above the eye sockets of the orbitofrontal cortex and the striatum, the structures located deep within the brain, the more friendly people and contained more nerve cells. The main functions of the two structures are known – the orbitofrontal cortex, in particular, previously associated with self-control. And the striatum is involved in planning movements, and behavior associated with rewards. Under this behavior, scientists involve activities in which a person receives something or other reward: from praise to cash prizes or other tangible prize.

Communication as a jewel

Neuroscientists from the University of Cambridge and the University of Oulu (Finland) believe that it is the link the striatum with a sense of reward may explain the pattern detected by them. In their view, due to the friendliness, including the emotional benefits that a person receives in the process of communication.

Friendly people like to communicate, and their brain evaluates communication as a reward. “It is remarkable that we found parts of the brain provide not only an award for communication”, said Graham Murray, Head of Research – “These structures are related with satisfaction from the very simple things: eating, drinking and sex. It is about the brain structures that have emerged from more distant ancestors of the human species, and we believe that their study will enable us to understand how there were more complex phenomena such as sentimentality or affection. ”

The structure of the brain and friendliness – what comes first, the scientists do not yet know

The researchers stressed that they found pattern does not mean that it is an increase in any of the brain, makes people more friendly. It is possible that on the contrary, the very behavior has changed the structure of the brain (in principle such an effect is possible: even demonstrated an impact on the size of different parts of the brain meditation), in addition friendliness or empathy are too complex to be associated with any one area of the brain.

Nevertheless, the results of the scientists may already be useful in studying a number of psychiatric illnesses. When autism or schizophrenia, the ability to establish contacts with other people severely disrupted, and at least partial communication disorders with changes in brain structure may help to find new ways to treat these diseases.

Against a stomach ulcer will help the amino acid glutamine

Against a stomach ulcer will help the amino acid glutamine
Almost 20 years ago, it was found that the bacteria called Helicobacter Pylori is responsible for stomach ulcers. Since then, antibiotics have become the main way to combat bacterial infection that affects approximately six percent of the world’s population, as well as the main cause of stomach cancer.

But today, the bacteria become increasingly resistant to antibiotics. American researchers Medical Center Beth Israel Deaconess and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found an alternate method of prophylaxis against gastric ulcers: they believe that the amino acid glutamine to be helpful against damage to the stomach bacteria. According to gastroenterologists, glutamine supplement in the diet will protect the stomach from the effect of H. PYLORI, which weakens the mucous membranes and affects the work of cells, causing an excessive immune response is ineffective against the infection. Glutamic supplements will prevent the development of gastritis and conditions that lead to cancer, doctors believe.

Glutamine is found in many foods, including beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and some fruits and vegetables. Experiments have shown that glutamate blocks bacterial cell death, completely reversing the process of gastric lesions in the production of ammonia by bacteria. Amino acid stimulates the detoxification of ammonia in the stomach, reducing its concentration and prohibiting cell damage, demonstrated by clinicians who have observed the action of glutamine in the body of laboratory mice for 20 weeks. With supplements substance in the animals there was a decrease of inflammation and activity of inflammatory cytokines.

Found genes associated with menopause

October 22, 2009

Found genes associated with menopause
An international team of scientists have discovered genes that determine the time of onset and decline of reproductive functions in women. According to researchers, this discovery may help develop techniques for the treatment of certain disorders of reproductive ability of an organism, or related diseases such as breast cancer and osteoporosis, the authors are confident of the five independent papers published in the journal Nature Genetics.

As experts note, the duration of the reproductive period of women still remains unresolved scientific questions, the answers to which can be obtained by examining a range of factors – from individual genetic characteristics of an organism to environmental conditions and lifestyle, nutrition, health and others. In this context, the timing of puberty and menopause in women are important parameters which, in particular, allow to draw conclusions about the likelihood of developing age-related diseases such as osteoporosis or breast cancer.

All groups, including research teams from the UK, USA, Iceland, the Netherlands and Australia, came to similar conclusions. Scientists analyzed data about the most common variations in DNA among thousands of women living in different parts of the world, and compared them with data on age and time of occurrence of a reproductive phase.

Thus, four out of five research teams found that variations in DNA in the gene LIN28B lead to a change in the onset of first menstruation, called menarche. How LIN28B affect the timing of menarche, scientists still unknown. This gene is responsible for the synthesis of protein, which in turn controls the amount and ratio of other proteins synthesized by cells of the body.

Some previous work has shown that LIN28B somehow influences the growth of man, so the authors of works suggest that their finding may partly explain why the girls into early puberty, usually have a small increase, compared to those who have first menstrual cycle comes to a later age.

In addition, the Icelandic group of scientists have discovered genes associated with menopause. The age at which women experience this stage of development, ranging from 40 to 60 years. With Kari Stefansson of the Icelandic company eCODE Genetics, showed the presence in the genome of human genes are pushed or otherwise accelerate the manifestation of menopause for two years.

But one group of scientists, led by Ken Ong from the Medical Research Council of the epidemiological service in Cambridge, Britain, managed to find DNA variations affecting menarche and located in the chromosomes of several other genes associated with breast development in girls and brittle voice in boys.

Last week it was reported that during the comparative analysis of the gene related to breast and milk, seven groups of mammals – a cow, platypus, opossum, dogs, mice, rats and humans, scientists have concluded: the common ancestor of these groups existed the Earth about 160 million years ago.

Older people with poor appetite die earlier

Older people with poor appetite die earlier
The doctors found an association between appetite and mortality in older people: doctors found that violations of appetite increase the risk of early death.

Clinicians from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev / Israel / reviewed energy expenditure, appetite and mortality among 298 healthy men aged 70-82 years. Scientists noticed that the feeling of appetite can predict death in old age, even after controlling for factors of the illness, presence of chronic diagnoses and other variables. People with poor appetite were dying earlier, although they had normal health for his age.

The doctors noted that elderly people who ate well, had a reduced risk of death from all causes. The results remained the same and after taking into account health status, physical activity levels and analysis of diet. While scientists can not explain how the appetite effect on life expectancy, but most likely, a feeling of appetite depends on the internal processes of aging and in particular from the age of hormonal changes.

Negative thoughts about aging impair memory

October 19, 2009

Negative thoughts about aging impair memory
If the age you are strongly associated with the development of multiple sclerosis, it is quite possible that in old age, you really will experience memory lapses.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina / United States / came to the conclusion that the negative thoughts about the signs of aging lead to a deterioration of memory. Experiments have shown that older people perform mental tasks and worse on memory tests if they are cultured in a negative stereotypes about aging. Memory functions are also affected, when retirees become hypochondriac about my age and believe that others are prejudiced against him for that reason. Affirmed that the negative stereotypes often affect memory in aged 60-70 years, and more on highly educated people.

As psychologists say, elderly people are often concerned about the opinion of others, especially in the working environment. Such obsessions reinforce negative stereotypes and not only lead to depression, excess stress and high anxiety, but also interfere with normal functioning of the brain. It was noticed that people who are on the contrary do not think about aging and do not pay attention to your own age, have a higher memory performance. In other words, be sure that aging does not disrupt your mental health, then the chances of a good memory in old age increase, say neuroscientists.

Chewing gum helps to control appetite

Chewing gum helps to control appetite
Sugar-free gum may help not only the teeth and gums, but also helps to control feelings of appetite, lowering calories and reducing cravings for products harmful to the waist, say researchers Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Louisiana State University / USA.

Studying the properties of chewing gum showed that it prevents the consumption of various snacks during the lunch hour for a total of 40 calories, and sweet food – to 60 calories. When the volunteers chewed gum between snack and lunch time, the feeling of hunger significantly suppressed, and the desire to eat something fatty, salty or sweet to waste.

The experiment found that chewing gum can increase the energy levels is between noon and lunch break, but also eliminates feelings of sleepiness during the same period of time. According to nutritionists, even small changes in caloric intake had a significant influence on the shape and overall health in the long term. Experts believe that chewing gum without the sugar content can serve as a simple way to control appetite.

Clean air has a positive effect on life expectancy

September 9, 2009

Clean air has a positive effect on life expectancy
Reducing air pollution contributed to an increase in the average of five months of life expectancy of people in dozens of American cities over the past two decades, writes The Washington Post, citing figures from the study.

Researchers from Brigham Young University and Harvard came to this conclusion based on the change in air quality and life expectancy for the period from 1980 to 2000 in 51 U.S. city, including Washington. Taking into account the impact on life expectancy of other factors, such as changes in population, income and education, as well as migration and smoking, they concluded that clean air contributes significantly to the increase in life expectancy.

Thus, the first time scientists have documented the relationship between air quality and long life, says author Juliet Eylperin.

The researchers concluded that the whole country, life expectancy of citizens has increased from 1980 to 2000 an average of 2.72 years? and five months of this period due to improved air quality.

“Our investments paid off,” – noted the study’s lead author Arden Pope, an epidemiologist and professor of economics at Brigham Young University. He added that reducing pollution in major cities has become “a major, nationwide, a natural experiment.”

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