Supplementation With Vitamins C and E or Beta-Carotene May Not Prevent Cancer

from latest news wrote:

Laurie Barclay, MD

December 30, 2008 — Supplementation with vitamin C, vitamin E, or beta-carotene does not help in the primary prevention of total cancer incidence or cancer mortality, according to the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study reported in the January 7, 2009, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

"Observational studies suggested that a diet high in fruits and vegetables, both of which are rich with antioxidants, may prevent cancer development," write Jennifer Lin, PhD, from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues from the Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study (WACS). "However, findings from randomized trials of the association between antioxidant use and cancer risk have been mostly negative."

WACS was a double-blind, placebo-controlled 2 × 2 × 2-factorial trial of vitamin C (500 mg of ascorbic acid daily), natural-source vitamin E (600 IU of alpha-tocopherol every other day), and beta-carotene (50 mg every other day). The total trial cohort included 8171 women; the study sample for this analysis consisted of 7627 women who were cancer-free before randomization.

Hospital reports and the National Death Index allowed confirmation of diagnoses and deaths from cancer at a specific site. Hazard ratios (relative risks [RRs]) of common cancers associated with individual or combined use of antioxidants were determined with Cox proportional hazards regression models, and subgroup analyses examined whether duration of use modified the association of supplement use with cancer risk. Statistical tests were 2 sided.

Average treatment duration was 9.4 years. During that time, incident invasive cancer developed in 624 women, and 176 women died from cancer. Use of any antioxidant was not associated with any statistically significant effects on total cancer incidence. Compared with placebo, RRs were 1.11 for vitamin C (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95 - 1.30), 0.93 for vitamin E (95% CI, 0.79 - 1.09), and 1.00 for beta-carotene (95% CI, 0.85 - 1.17).

Deaths from cancer also did not vary significantly among groups. RRs vs placebo were 1.28 for vitamin C (95% CI, 0.95 - 1.73), 0.87 for vitamin E (95% CI, 0.65 - 1.17), and 0.84 for beta-carotene (95% CI, 0.62 - 1.13).

"Duration and combined use of the three antioxidants also had no effect on cancer incidence and cancer death," the study authors write. "Supplementation with vitamin C, vitamin E, or beta carotene offers no overall benefits in the primary prevention of total cancer incidence or cancer mortality."

Limitations of this study include lack of complete follow-up and compliance; lack of generalizability to the overall population; limited power to evaluate the combined effects of the 3 antioxidants on site-specific incident cancers; and possibly insufficient duration to evaluate effects on cancer incidence, given the long latency for cancer.

In an accompanying editorial, Demetrius Albanes, MD, from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, notes that taken as a whole, WACS offers limited or no evidence that vitamin supplementation as tested offers any measurable preventive effect on cancer in women. However, he points out 2 specific findings that show the potential of antioxidants for site-specific efficacy.

"The first is the possible effect of vitamin E supplementation in preventing colorectal cancer (RR = 0.63), similar to what was observed in the ATBC [Alpha Tocopherol Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention] Study and in a pooled analysis of serum tocopherol levels in cohort studies," Dr. Albanes writes. "The second is the elevated lung cancer risk in the beta carotene arm, along with modest excess overall cancer risk in smokers and heavier drinkers.

"The suggested harmful effects from vitamin C for lung and pancreatic cancers, with the former effect achieving statistical significance, are also noteworthy and raise questions concerning the chemopreventive [potential] of ascorbic acid," Dr. Albanes concludes. "All these observations, based on the randomized design, represent value-added data that will contribute to a better understanding of cancer etiology and prevention and the appropriate role of these micronutrient supplements."

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute sponsored this study. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals provided pills and packaging for another study to coauthor J. Michael Gaziano.

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009;101:2-4, 14-23.

Age-Related Memory Decline Linked to Increased Glucose Levels

from journal of medicine wrote:

Marlene Busko

December 30, 2008 — Memory decline with age appears partly explained by increased blood glucose levels that cause decreased activity in the dentate gyrus, a new study published in the December issue of the Annals of Neurology suggests.

"Our experiments in humans, monkeys, and mice establish that blood glucose elevations target the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, a region that is affected by normal aging," study author Scott A. Small, MD, from Columbia University, in New York, told Medscape Psychiatry.

Since blood glucose levels tend to rise with age, this study suggests that improving blood glucose regulation may be a good way to ameliorate age-related memory decline, said Dr. Small.

"Whether through physical exercise, diet, or drugs, this research suggests that improving glucose metabolism could help some people avert the cognitive slide that occurs in many of us as we age," he said.

Glucose levels that are too low, conversely, may inhibit cognitive function. In a separate small study published in the February 2009 issue of Appetite, researchers found transient impaired memory in dieters who depleted their glycogen stores by not eating any carbohydrates for a week.

"We saw decreased memory at the point when the dieters had exhausted their body's supply of glycogen, and memory returned when small amounts of carbohydrates were reintroduced a week later," Holly A. Taylor, PhD, from Tufts University, in Medford, Massachusetts, told Medscape Psychiatry.

Study in Mice, Humans, and Monkeys

Understanding cognitive decline in aging is becoming more important as people are living longer and "expect to live intellectually challenging lives," Dr. Small and colleagues write in the Annals of Neurology article.

Researchers have shown that the hippocampus, which is vital for memory, is targeted by Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes — diseases that occur in later life. But the underlying causes of age-related hippocampal dysfunction have remained largely unknown, said Dr. Small.

To investigate whether different regions of the hippocampus are targeted differently by diabetes and stroke, the researchers studied 240 nondemented seniors (58% women) who had a mean age of 79.7 years and were living in the community.

They used functional magnetic resonance imaging to obtain cerebral blood volume maps of hippocampal subregions and to ascertain whether the individuals had survived a stroke.

Of the 240 study subjects, 60 had type 2 diabetes and 74 had documented stroke. Each disease was associated with dysfunction in the hippocampus.

Further analysis showed, however, that in subjects with diabetes, the hippocampal dysfunction was mainly due to changes in the dentate gyrus, whereas in patients with stroke, it was due to changes in the CA1 subfield.

In a further experiment in rhesus monkeys, the researchers found that increased blood glucose levels affected the dentate gyrus in these animals.

Further, using a mouse model of diabetes, the researchers also found that compared with controls, diabetic mice had greater dysfunction in the dentate gyrus.

"Our study is the first to show in humans, monkeys, and mice that blood glucose differentially targets the dentate gyrus," said Dr. Small.

Their study suggests that moderating blood glucose levels, through physical exercise, diet, or medication, may aid in preventing cognitive decline, he added.

"I now recommend physical exercise to my aging patients as a way to preserve cognitive ability," he said. "There are a lot of other reasons why physical exercise is good for you, and this is an additional reason."

Low-Carb Diets May Hinder Memory

In the article published in Appetite, Dr. Taylor and colleagues note that little is known about how a low-carbohydrate diet may affect cognitive performance.

To look at this further, the researchers performed a 3-week study in 19 women, aged 22 to 55 years, who chose to follow either a low-carbohydrate diet similar to the Atkins diet or a low-calorie, balanced, weight-loss diet recommended by the American Dietetic Association.

Nine women chose to follow the low-carbohydrate diet, and 10 women chose the low-calorie, balanced diet.

Just prior to starting the diet, the women completed computer-based tests that assessed visuospatial memory, attention, and preoccupation with food. They were then tested again at 48 hours and 1, 2, and 3 weeks later.

Participants in both diet groups lost less than 2 kg over the 3-week period.

During complete withdrawal of carbohydrates in week 1, participants in the low-carbohydrate diet performed worse on memory tests than the women on the low-calorie, balanced diet.

"It was essentially a no-carbohydrate diet in week 1, which was not good for brain function," said Dr. Taylor. When very small amounts of carbohydrates were reintroduced in the second week, cognitive performance returned to normal.

Individuals following the low-carbohydrate diet also reported less confusion and performed better on a "very boring" task that assessed ability to pay attention, said Dr. Taylor.

Study limitations include its small size and the fact that the subjects were followed for only 3 weeks.

Nevertheless, "the results showed a clear difference in cognitive performance as a function of diet . . . [and] the data suggest that diet can affect more than just weight," Dr. Taylor said in a statement. "The brain needs glucose for energy, and diets low in carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory and thinking."

The authors of the Annals of Neurology article and the Appetite article do not have any financial disclosure to report. The Annals of Neurology study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the James S. McDonnell Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, and the McKnight Brain Research Foundation.

Ann Neurol. 2008;64:698-707. Abstract
Appetite. 2009;52:96-103. Abstract

Aspirin does not reduce the risk of heart diabetik

The researchers from Kumamoto University of Japan to find, low-dose aspirin does not reduce the risk of a meaningful cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes. According to the researchers, aspirin is not a means to reduce the combination of fatal coronary and cerebrovascular fatal.

In the study, Japanese Primary Prevention of atherosclerosis with Aspirin for Diabetes, the researchers examined whether low-dose aspirin to prevent atherosclerosis that stricture, or stiffening arteries due to plaque dump on patients with type 2 diabetes.

From December 2002 to April 2008, 2,539 patients with type 2 diabetes and do not have a history of atherosclerosis from 163 institutions in Japan, occurred 154 cases of atherosclerosis. 68 from the aspirin group and 86 from non-aspirin group.
In the 1,363 patients age 65 years or older, aspirin group consisted of 719 persons and non-aspirin group 644 people. Case in atherosclerosis means lower in the aspirin group. Or 45 cases in the aspirin group and 59 cases in non-aspirin group.
From the 1,176 patients under age 65, the difference between the two groups are not meaningful. The findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and presented at the American Heart Association meeting in New Orleans.

Factors Making the Vulnerable Child Ear Infection

Ear infections custom suffered in children and occured for various reasons. Certain factors, for example, environmental and other matters that can not be controlled can increase the risk of children. Here, risk factors, ear infections in children, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians: Environment with cigarette smoke. Participated in the previous ear infections, often cold, or have a family history of ear infections. Stay in child care. Born premature, or born with low weight. Sleep by drinking milk from a bottle. A boy. Own allergy that causes nasal congestion.

Prevent Child from Toxicity of Chemistry or Medicine

Bathroom full with danger and temptation for children younger age. Here, advice from the National Safety Council, United States, to prevent a small chemical poisoning substances and drugs in the bathroom. Always keep medicines in a locked medicine box or place in a place that is not affordable. All drugs must have cover that children can not open it and make sure stopper and secure. Dilution kumur contain alcohol that even in a small amount of any hazardous to children. Save the liquid in a place that can not be reached by the children. When an expired drugs or drugs that are not applicable, ensure safe closed and children can not open. Save-cleaning toilets, which often contain toxic chemical substances, which are locked in place can not be reached by the children.

how to be relax in 5 minutes

From New York University

People who use the spare time by gardening have lower heart rate.

One thing to do to get this advantage in just 5 minutes is to take care your garden.

Health Food with Low Cost

Consuming health food not just important for having strong body, but also to step down the risk of the disease, enhance productivity, and also give more energy. You perhaps suspect that good food is expensive. But, there some tricks to save your cost.

Before you buy some foods, value first the healthy food, there are :

• Protein - to build and repair the damage cells. Building muscle for example, that required for power.
• Fat - balance intake between omega 3, 6 and 9.
• Vegetables - all kind of vegetables, especially green fibery vegetables.
• Fruits - rich of vitamine.
• Water - 1 liter per 1000 calorie expensed.
• Intact ricely food - havermut, rice, pasta, bread.

Bring food stock to the office

Have you count the money you expenses for buying food in your cafetaria everyday? Start to bring your own food for a day by :

• get up early in the morning
• eat solid food like scramble eggs
• prepare food for working Total times that you need is 30 minutes. Not worry for being frustration of thinking what food that you're going to eat.

EAT EGGS

eat egg for breakfast because :

- rich of vitamine

- rich of protein

- cheaper than meat or chicken

You may select the fatty meat Fatty meat cheaper and more palatable than not fatty meat. You may think fat is not healthy. Try to learn the myths about fat: - Fat does not make obesity. That make obesity is excess calories. (There is also truth. The Chinese in mainland China consume more fatty foods, but the case obesity is lower than the United States). Except: if you need a low-fat diet because you have certain health problems. -Intake of fat you need to be balanced: Omega 3, 6 and 9.
You may buy frozen vegetables Frozen vegetables also have some benefits -More time to prepare brief. No-burn money if not eaten out at the time. -Can be purchased in the number of lots with price discounts and stored in freezers. Fish Oil Omega-3 include in the fish oil. Properties consume Omega-3 include: Lowers cholesterol-rate Lower-body fat -Reduce inflammation To get this property, if you eat fish, you should eat 3 times a week. More expensive than fish oil, taking 1 teaspoon per day. Use supplement Some experts recommend supplement. The reason for pesticides and reduce the level of vitamin fruits and vegetables. Solution: Buy organic fruits and vegetables, but expensive. Select the most suitable with the condition of your wallet.

Long-term treatment ANTIBIOTIC Damaging Good Bacteria

A new Stanford University study found, antibiotic treatment, especially for long-term or repeated, can be a negative effect on good bacteria that live in the stomach. This good bacteria to help various aspects of human nutrition, metabolism and immune response.

In the study, the researchers focused on antibiotics that are widely used, ciprofloxacin, prescribed for a condition caused by bacteria, including urine infection. During these experts suspect, ciprofloxacin only cause danger on the good bacteria in the body.

The researchers found more than 5,600 species and a different strain of bacteria in the feces of volunteers treated with ciprofloxacin. When drinking antibiotics, about 30% of the species and strain of the bacteria affected the means.

Antibiotic effect on the stomach bacteria that vary between individuals with one another. Two volunteers showed a sharp decrease in the type of bacteria. Studies also found, so treatment with antibiotics is completed, most stomach strain of the bacteria need time to 4 weeks to return to the level before treatment.

No volunteers reported signs - signs that problems associated with the stomach for fluctuations in population stomach bacteria. But the study indicates, the possibility of antibiotic treatment have effects that last long on the overall health without known. The findings published in the journal PLoSBiology online edition.

TUBERCULOSIS

Infection of the lungs, the disease caused by germs groups Mycobacterium tuberculosis. WHO in 1990 stated that approximately 1,760 million people (1 / 3 of the world's population) are infected with tuberculosis germs. In developing countries tuberculosis is still the main health problems in the community. Tb is a major cause of death number 2 in Indonesia. This way of passing the disease through droplet issued by a TB sufferer in the air that can survive in room temperature (25-30o). People can be infected apabaila droplet is terhirup everywhere in the channel. Clinical symptoms Symptoms that arise in the lungs, TB is a sufferer; • vulnerable-productive cough  3 weeks • bloody vulnerable • shortness of breath • Pain chest • Weak, weary • body weight decreased • Nafta decreased food • sweat in the night • Fever is not high Laboratory examination Checking the usual routine blood examination is mainly LED. Most of the cases, the rate increased LED on the lungs, TB sufferer. In addition, sputum examination is done / sputum 3 times. Results showed positive when 2 of 3 sputum samples found BTA (acid-resistant bacteria). Diagnosis that can be done on the culture and the results there are bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Checking other routine X-rays images is paru. Photos done in 2 position, namely from the front and side. Photo chest X-rays done at the beginning and the end of the treatment to monitor the success of treatment, treatment is usually done after 2 months and 6 months. Imuno-examination serologis usually done in children, conducted by tuberkulin skin test (Mantoux test) said if there is a positive skin redness around the tested> 15 mm. Dealing Therapy is done with the OAT (Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs). OAT should be given in combination at least two drugs that are bakterisid (isoniazid and rifampicin) with or without a third drug. OAT is available Isoniazid (H), Rifampicin (R), Etambutol (E), Streptomicin (S), Pirazinamid (Z). Compliance is very important for patients total healing of germs Add.

Disabilities in Children Can be a Cancer

Children with cancer more often have deformity or disability, such as a form of eyelid and long legs indifferent with the other, compared to the other children. According to the study, this caused by a damage of genetic factors or environmental factors early in the pregnancy that affect both of the problem was. Dr.Johannes H.M. Merks et al from the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam compares digits of disability in the 175 children who suffered cancer, cancer sufferer 898 children who survive long, and 1,007 children - healthy school-age children. From the results of the research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, early January and then mentioned that there are 214 disability found. Ketidaknormalan found in the majority of children with cancer, namely 26.8%, compared to 5.5% in healthy children. In the children's cancer sufferer, deformitas also tend to be more than one type. 14% deformitas were found, significantly associated with cancer in the children. Some type of disability among the lid down, indifferent long legs, bending palm rocker, broad feet, and a reddish skin (discoloration). In cancer patients, these aberrations were found to 9 times more often than normal children. With recognize the difference - the difference, according to the researchers, the doctor can identify children who are easy to get cancer in the future.

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