Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:58:24 GMT

Natural Sugar Tagatose To Treat Type 2 Diabetes

A recently published study (pdf file) indicates that tagatose, a type of natural sugar already approved by the U.S. FDA as a low-calorie sweetener, may be an effective drug for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Tagatose is a sugar similar to fructose and can be found naturally in some dairy products. Only 20 percent of tagatose that is ingested is fully metabolized, principally in the liver, following a metabolic pathway identical to that of fructose. The FDA deemed it a safe sweetener for foods and beverages in 2001. The sugar substitute, marketed under the name Naturlose, is used in ready-to-eat cereals, sodas, mouthwash, toothpaste, lipstick and over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

"In addition to its potential for treating Type 2 diabetes, tagatose shows potential for promoting weight loss and raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, both important ancillary effects in controlling diabetes," the authors say, adding that tagatose is also an antioxidant and a prebiotic, both of which are considered important to good health.
Phase III clinical trials are currently underway.

Source: University of Maryland Medical Center Posted by: ruth      Read more     Source

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:47:44 GMT

Product Alert: KFC Double Chocolate Chip Cakes

If you have food allergies, particularly to egg, milk, soy and/or tree nuts, don't think that KFC's "Double Chocolate Chip Cakes" are safe for you just because thre was no declaration that it contains these ingredients, because they actually do and KFC is recalling them for this reason.

The recalled cakes were distributed nationwide at KFC restaurants. They come in a round, 16-oz. package with a black or clear plastic bottom and a clear plastic dome.

If you bought this cake by mistake, you may return the recalled product to a KFC restaurant for a full refund, or call (800) 225-5532 for more info. Posted by: ruth      Read more     Source

April 21, 2008, 9:09 PM CT

Vitamin D in brain function

In a definitive critical review, researchers at Childrens Hospital & Research Center Oakland ask whether there is convincing biological or behavioral evidence linking vitamin D deficiency to brain dysfunction. Joyce C. McCann, Ph.D., assistant staff scientist and Bruce N. Ames, Ph.D., senior scientist at Childrens Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) conclude that there is ample biological evidence to suggest an important role for vitamin D in brain development and function, and that supplementation for groups chronically low in vitamin D is warranted. Their conclusions will be published on April 22, 2008 in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal.

This critical analysis of vitamin D function and the brain is a model of careful thinking about nutrition and behavior, says Gerald Weissmann, MD, Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal One wishes that all studies of nutritional supplements or requirements were this thoughtful. Drs. McCann and Ames deftly show that while vitamin D has an important role in the development and function of the brain, its exact effects on behavior remain unclear. Pointing to the need for further study, the authors argue for vitamin D supplementation in groups at risk.

Vitamin D has long been known to promote healthy bones by regulating calcium levels in the body. Lack of sufficient vitamin D in very young children results in rickets, which can be easily prevented by vitamin D supplements. Only recently the scientific community has become aware of a much broader role for vitamin D. For example, we now know that, in addition to its role in maintaining bone health, vitamin D is involved in differentiation of tissues during development and in proper functioning of the immune system. In fact, over 900 different genes are now known to be able to bind the vitamin D receptor, through which vitamin D mediates its effects. In addition to protecting against rickets, evidence now strongly indicates that a plentiful supply of vitamin D helps to protect against bone fractures in the elderly. Evidence also continues to accumulate suggesting a beneficial role for vitamin D in protecting against autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis and type I diabetes, as well as some forms of cancer, especially colorectal and breast......... Posted by: Emily      Read more         Source

April 13, 2008, 9:14 PM CT

Risk of first depression episode late in life

Even after the age of 70, people prone to feelings of anxiety, worry, distress and insecurity face a risk for a first lifetime episode of clinically significant depression, as per a unique study led by a University of Rochester Medical Center researcher.

We assume that because depression has not developed for people with these personality traits by the age of 70 that it wont develop, said Paul R. Duberstein, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry who led the study. But even in older adulthood, these traits confer risk. Presumably something about aging helps take down the faade or destroys the protective sheath that has kept them from significant depression.

The findings from the prospective study, the first of its kind, are reported in the recent issue of the journal Psychological Medicine.

Having a working-class background also may place elderly adults at heightened risk for depression, especially previous to the age of 80, the study found. Consistent with prior research, women were found to be at greater risk than men. The study enhances the understanding of late-life depression and could aid in the identification and therapy of people who are at risk.

The findings suggest that long-standing personality traits can predict onset of depression into older adulthood, said Duberstein, who is director of the Laboratory of Personality and Development at the Medical Center......... Posted by: Emily      Read more         Source

April 7, 2008, 10:37 PM CT

Link Between Pain And Fatigue

A recent University of Iowa study reveals a biological link between pain and fatigue and may help explain why more women than men are diagnosed with chronic pain and fatigue conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Working with mice, the researchers, led by Kathleen Sluka, Ph.D., professor in the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science in the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, observed that a protein involved in muscle pain works in conjunction with the male hormone testosterone to protect against muscle fatigue.

Chronic pain and fatigue often occur together -- as a number of as three in four people with chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain report having fatigue; and as a number of as 94 percent of people with chronic fatigue syndromes report muscle pain. Women make up the majority of patients with these conditions.

To probe the link between pain and fatigue, and the influence of sex, the UI team compared exercise-induced muscle fatigue in male and female mice with and without ASIC3 -- an acid-activated ion channel protein that the team has shown to be involved in musculoskeletal pain.

A task involving three one-hour runs produced different levels of fatigue in the different groups of mice as measured by the temporary loss of muscle strength caused by the exercise......... Posted by: Emily      Read more         Source

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:31:34 GMT

Disrupted Sleep Can Increase Diabetes Risk

Each time your sleep is disrupted, you lose time of deep sleep. Deep sleep is also called short-wave sleep.



Now, according to a new study from the University of Chicago Medical Center, the lack of deep sleep can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes:

The University of Chicago study found that after only three nights of reduced slow-wave sleep, young healthy subjects became less sensitive to insulin. Although they needed more insulin to dispose of the same amount of glucose, their insulin secretion did not increase to compensate for reduced sensitivity, resulting in reduced tolerance to glucose and increased risk for type 2 diabetes.

The decrease in insulin sensitivity was comparable to that caused by gaining 20 to 30 pounds.

Previous studies have demonstrated that reduced sleep quantity can impair glucose metabolism and appetite regulation resulting in increased risk of obesity and diabetes. This current study provides the first evidence linking poor sleep quality to increased diabetes risk.

Well, I only have my unhealthy lifestyle to blame for my disrupted sleep patterns. Do you?

Find more details from University of Chicago Medical Center. Posted by: Gloria Gamat      Read more     Source

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:46:50 GMT

Allergies Can Have Deep Emotional Impact

If you or someone real close to you have allergies, you'd know that its impact on one's quality of life is not insignificant. It's easy for someone who has never suffered from allergies to say that I or allergic people are being melodramatic and are exaggerating, but I guess it takes another allergy sufferer to appreciate that it's not trivial, it's not something you can shrug off, not something to be dismissed.

Allergies not only manifest it physically; allergies can also have a deep, emotional impact on sufferers, affecting their mood and self-perception.

Between January and February 2008, Schering-Plough/MERCK Pharmaceuticals commissioned a survey that showed exactly this. The national, phone survey included 1000 allergy sufferers, 1000 general consumers and 300 physicians. Basically they found that:

• Six in 10 allergy sufferers report that their symptoms impact their mood; 51 percent of allergy sufferers feel annoyed, 48 percent feel irritable and 42 percent feel frustrated
• Two in 10 allergy sufferers report that their allergies make them feel less attractive and self-conscious
• Forty-seven percent of consumers believe that allergies make sufferers feel angry

You can download a pdf copy of the complete breakdown of results from the Attitudes About Allergies website. Posted by: ruth      Read more     Source

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:17:43 GMT

Bitter Melon Against Diabetes

And I thought bitter melon (or bitter gourd) is a local Filipino veggie?! Apparently, it is a traditional Chinese vegetable that is beneficial against diabetes.

Now in a groundbreaking partnership between East and West, Australia and China are analysing the reputed therapeutic effects of a traditional Chinese vegetable - the bitter melon.

Using high-end technology, researchers have been able to unlock its secrets and in the process may have found the basis for a new drug for type 2 diabetes.

At least once a week Sharman Wong prepares a traditional Chinese dish using the vegetable bitter melon.

The recipe comes from her grandmother, who also recommended a concoction of bitter melon juice to combat ailments.

Do you like eating bitter melon? I love to eat bitter melon stir-fried with tomatoes and scrambled eggs. Yummy!

Read the full report at ABC News.

[in photo is bitter melon growing in our backyard last summer] Posted by: Gloria Gamat      Read more     Source

April 1, 2008, 9:00 PM CT

Prednisone tablets less variable than marketed drugs

The U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention today announced results of a study comparing the dissolution variability of USP Prednisone Lot P Reference Standard tablets to two marketed drugs. Study results clearly show less variability in USP Prednisone Lot P tablets than in the marketed tablets. Dissolution testing of solid oral dosage forms plays a critical role in drug manufacturing because it indicates whether a drug will dissolve properly in the body. This in turn is an established criterion in quality assurance and regulation of manufactured drugs and dietary supplements.

In all analytical testing, including dissolution, the apparatus used must undergo installation, operation and performance qualification to ensure reliable results. These activities are detailed in various USP General Chapters, especially Dissolution <711> For dissolution testing, the performance verification test involves USP Prednisone Reference Standard tablets. The current study explored quality attributes of USP Lot P Prednisone Reference Standard tablets compared to two commercially available drugs that are marketed in tablet form.

The study was undertaken in response to assertions that the USP Prednisone Lot P Reference Standard tablets yielded highly variable results and led to unreliable dissolution test results. It compared the dissolution variability linked to selected commercial dosage forms to that of USP Lot P Prednisone Reference Standard tablets. The study was conducted as per metrological principles established by the International Organization for Standardization......... Posted by: Emily      Read more         Source

March 27, 2008, 9:31 PM CT

PTSD associated with more, longer hospitalizations

MAScientists from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have found post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to more hospitalizations, longer hospitalizations and greater mental healthcare utilization in urban primary care patients. These findings are reported in the current issue of Medical Care.

Previous studies suggest that trauma exposure and PTSD have considerable impact on health care use and costs. Most of this research, however, has focused on male veterans and female sexual assault victims but the impact on healthcare use in other populations is uncertain.

The scientists interviewed a sample of primary care patients to examine overall prevalence of traumatic exposure and select behavioral health outcomes in addition to PTSD, including major depression, substance dependence and chronic pain. The interview included demographic questions, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (version 2.1 PTSD module), the Chronic Pain Definitional Questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire (to measure depression) and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form (for drug and alcohol dependence).

Among the participants, the scientists observed that 80 percent had one or more trauma exposures. In comparison to participants with no trauma exposure, subjects exposed to trauma were significantly more likely to be males, unmarried, have substance dependence and depression. They also had more mental health visits than those with no trauma exposure......... Posted by: Emily      Read more         Source