New research shows that to get an optimal vitamin D supplement from the sun at a minimal risk of getting cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), the best time of sun exposure is noon.
That means that common health recommendations given by authorities in many countries -- that sun exposure should be avoided for three to five hours around noon and postponed to the afternoon -- could be wrong and may even promote CMM.
This is in part because the action spectrum for CMM is likely to be centered at longer wavelengths than that of vitamin D generation.
Sources:
* Advanced Experiments in Medical Biology 2008; 624: 86-88
21 August 2008
Merck Vioxx Trial Was Conducted to Boost Sales
Merck’s marketing department devised a study on the painkiller Vioxx solely in order to persuade 600 doctors involved in the trial to prescribe the drug and recommend it to their peers.
This information is based on 100 internal company memos and reports about the study known as Advantage. The memos and reports were obtained from lawsuits against Merck over heart risks tied to Vioxx, a drug which has been withdrawn.
The report provides some of the first evidence of what is thought to be a widespread practice: recruiting doctors for a study to boost their confidence in a new drug and get them to promote it to colleagues. According to Kevin Hill, of Harvard Medical School, the Advantage study “was marketing masquerading as science.”
Sources:
* Bloomberg August 18, 2008
This information is based on 100 internal company memos and reports about the study known as Advantage. The memos and reports were obtained from lawsuits against Merck over heart risks tied to Vioxx, a drug which has been withdrawn.
The report provides some of the first evidence of what is thought to be a widespread practice: recruiting doctors for a study to boost their confidence in a new drug and get them to promote it to colleagues. According to Kevin Hill, of Harvard Medical School, the Advantage study “was marketing masquerading as science.”
Sources:
* Bloomberg August 18, 2008
20 August 2008
Stress Makes Allergies Worse
Psychological stress and anxiety can make seasonal allergy attacks both worse and longer lasting.
To gauge how stress and anxiety affect allergy sufferers, researchers recruited 28 men and women with a history of seasonal allergies to participate in a laboratory study. On different days, the volunteers were subjected to a low-stress condition or to a much more stressful condition.
Anxiety following the stressful event heightened the magnitude of the allergic reactions induced by skin prick tests. These allergic reactions show up on the forearm as slight wounds, or "wheals."
People who were moderately stressed because of the experiment had wheals that were 75 percent larger compared to the same person's response after the low-stress condition. People who were highly stressed had wheals that were twice as large as the low-stress response. Moreover, these highly stressed people were four times more likely to still retain allergic wheals a full day after the stressful event occurred.
Sources:
* Reuters August 14, 2008
To gauge how stress and anxiety affect allergy sufferers, researchers recruited 28 men and women with a history of seasonal allergies to participate in a laboratory study. On different days, the volunteers were subjected to a low-stress condition or to a much more stressful condition.
Anxiety following the stressful event heightened the magnitude of the allergic reactions induced by skin prick tests. These allergic reactions show up on the forearm as slight wounds, or "wheals."
People who were moderately stressed because of the experiment had wheals that were 75 percent larger compared to the same person's response after the low-stress condition. People who were highly stressed had wheals that were twice as large as the low-stress response. Moreover, these highly stressed people were four times more likely to still retain allergic wheals a full day after the stressful event occurred.
Sources:
* Reuters August 14, 2008
Childhood Ear Infections Linked to Obesity
A series of studies has linked chronic ear infections (otitis media) to a higher risk of being overweight or obese later in life. The studies suggest that ear infections may damage nerves that control taste, creating a preference for fatty or sweet foods.
One study of more than 6,500 people ages 16 to 92 showed that those with a moderate to severe history of otitis media were 62 percent more likely to be obese.
Another study showed that tonsillectomies may also cause taste nerve damage that triggers food preferences. A study of more than 13,000 children ages 6 to 17 found that those who had had their tonsils removed were also at an increased risk for being overweight.
Sources:
* Los Angeles Times August 15, 2008
One study of more than 6,500 people ages 16 to 92 showed that those with a moderate to severe history of otitis media were 62 percent more likely to be obese.
Another study showed that tonsillectomies may also cause taste nerve damage that triggers food preferences. A study of more than 13,000 children ages 6 to 17 found that those who had had their tonsils removed were also at an increased risk for being overweight.
Sources:
* Los Angeles Times August 15, 2008
Red Bull Can Give You a Stroke
Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. The effect was seen even in young people.
The caffeine-loaded beverage causes blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.
One hour after drinking Red Bull, your blood system becomes abnormal, as might be expected from a patient with cardiovascular disease.
Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health.
Sources:
* Reuters August 14, 2008
The caffeine-loaded beverage causes blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.
One hour after drinking Red Bull, your blood system becomes abnormal, as might be expected from a patient with cardiovascular disease.
Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health.
Sources:
* Reuters August 14, 2008
20 Diseases and Conditions Directly Attributable to Being Overweight
Obesity is a growing concern in the U.S.; overweight rates have doubled among children and tripled among adolescents. This increases the number of years that they are exposing themselves to dangerous health risks associated with obesity.
Here are 20 diseases or conditions that can be attributed to obesity:
1. Diabetes, a disorder where the pancreas is not producing enough or sometimes not any insulin. Diabetes can lead to a whole host of other medical issues and obesity is one of the main causes.
2. Cancer has many different forms and types; many of them could be prevented with more attention to eating healthily and avoiding obesity.
3. Congestive Heart Failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood to the body’s other organs.
4. Enlarged Heart is another heart condition where the muscle of the heart become larger due to being overworked, which naturally happens if you are overweight.
5. Pulmonary Embolism is a sometimes fatal blockage of an artery. Being overweight causes most people to reduce activity, and after time lack of activity can result in an embolism.
6. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a condition in which cysts develop in your ovaries. These can burst, causing even further problems.
7. Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease happens when stomach acid and juices flow from the stomach back up into the esophagus. It is common in overweight people.
8. Fatty Liver Disease is a reversible condition in which large pockets of fat accumulate in liver cells.
9. A Hernia is caused when the hole in the diaphragm weakens and enlarges.
10. Erectile Dysfunction is the inability to develop or maintain an erection, which can be caused by a medical problem due to obesity.
11. Urinary Incontinence is the inability to control urination. It is frequently associated with obesity, weak bladder and pelvic floor muscles
12. Chronic Renal Failure, meaning the kidneys fail to work, is a much greater risk to those that are overweight or obese.
13. Lymph Edema is a condition that occurs from a damaged or dysfunctional lymphatic system, sometimes caused by people suffering from obesity actually crushing their own lymphatics.
14. Cellulitis is clinically a spreading infection, involving both the dermis and subcutaneous skin tissues, resulting from poor lymph flow caused by obesity.
15. Stroke is caused by a lack of blood supply to the brain.
16. Pickwickian Syndrome is characterized by sleep apnea resulting from obesity placing an excessive load on the pulmonary system.
17. Depression is a condition where a person feels miserably constantly, even to the point of being suicidal. It can be worse for someone who also has a weight problem.
18. Osteoarthritis is a clinical syndrome in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints. It is caused by abnormal wearing of the cartilage, oftentimes due to obesity.
19. Gout occurs when uric acid accumulates in the blood. Nerve endings then become irritated, causing extreme pain which is made worse by carrying extra weight.
20. Gallbladder Disease commonly affects overweight people as a result of high blood cholesterol levels, which causes gall stones.
According to the Surgeon General report, obesity is responsible for 300,000 deaths every year in the U.S.
Sources:
* Scientific Laboratory for Food Intolerance
Here are 20 diseases or conditions that can be attributed to obesity:
1. Diabetes, a disorder where the pancreas is not producing enough or sometimes not any insulin. Diabetes can lead to a whole host of other medical issues and obesity is one of the main causes.
2. Cancer has many different forms and types; many of them could be prevented with more attention to eating healthily and avoiding obesity.
3. Congestive Heart Failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood to the body’s other organs.
4. Enlarged Heart is another heart condition where the muscle of the heart become larger due to being overworked, which naturally happens if you are overweight.
5. Pulmonary Embolism is a sometimes fatal blockage of an artery. Being overweight causes most people to reduce activity, and after time lack of activity can result in an embolism.
6. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a condition in which cysts develop in your ovaries. These can burst, causing even further problems.
7. Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease happens when stomach acid and juices flow from the stomach back up into the esophagus. It is common in overweight people.
8. Fatty Liver Disease is a reversible condition in which large pockets of fat accumulate in liver cells.
9. A Hernia is caused when the hole in the diaphragm weakens and enlarges.
10. Erectile Dysfunction is the inability to develop or maintain an erection, which can be caused by a medical problem due to obesity.
11. Urinary Incontinence is the inability to control urination. It is frequently associated with obesity, weak bladder and pelvic floor muscles
12. Chronic Renal Failure, meaning the kidneys fail to work, is a much greater risk to those that are overweight or obese.
13. Lymph Edema is a condition that occurs from a damaged or dysfunctional lymphatic system, sometimes caused by people suffering from obesity actually crushing their own lymphatics.
14. Cellulitis is clinically a spreading infection, involving both the dermis and subcutaneous skin tissues, resulting from poor lymph flow caused by obesity.
15. Stroke is caused by a lack of blood supply to the brain.
16. Pickwickian Syndrome is characterized by sleep apnea resulting from obesity placing an excessive load on the pulmonary system.
17. Depression is a condition where a person feels miserably constantly, even to the point of being suicidal. It can be worse for someone who also has a weight problem.
18. Osteoarthritis is a clinical syndrome in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints. It is caused by abnormal wearing of the cartilage, oftentimes due to obesity.
19. Gout occurs when uric acid accumulates in the blood. Nerve endings then become irritated, causing extreme pain which is made worse by carrying extra weight.
20. Gallbladder Disease commonly affects overweight people as a result of high blood cholesterol levels, which causes gall stones.
According to the Surgeon General report, obesity is responsible for 300,000 deaths every year in the U.S.
Sources:
* Scientific Laboratory for Food Intolerance
Argentina Investigates Deaths of Vaccinated Children
Argentine authorities are investigating a possible link between the deaths of 14 children and an experimental vaccine they were taking as part of a clinical trial run by GlaxoSmithKline.
The deaths may be tied to the Synflorix vaccine, which is designed to fight pneumonia, ear infections and several other pneumococcal diseases.
A U.S. spokeswoman for GlaxoSmithKline said that the company is not attributing the deaths to the experimental vaccine, which is being tested in three Latin American countries and elsewhere around the world.
Sources:
* Seattle Times August 14, 2008
The deaths may be tied to the Synflorix vaccine, which is designed to fight pneumonia, ear infections and several other pneumococcal diseases.
A U.S. spokeswoman for GlaxoSmithKline said that the company is not attributing the deaths to the experimental vaccine, which is being tested in three Latin American countries and elsewhere around the world.
Sources:
* Seattle Times August 14, 2008
19 August 2008
3 Myths About Running and Your Health
Every person who takes up running has been confronted by a “helpful” critic who is more than happy to reel off the reasons running will ruin your life. Here’s a look at three questionable claims about running and health:
1. Running will give you a heart attack or other heart problems. It is true that exercise temporarily raises the odds of a heart attack while you're mid-workout, but doing it consistently reduces that risk over the long haul, leading to a net benefit. Going for a run most days of the week is doing far more good than bad for your heart.
2. Running will ruin your bones and joints. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found no evidence of accelerated rates of osteoarthritis among long-distance runners. Weight-bearing exercise like running helps stave off osteoporosis by maintaining bone mineral density.
3. Running will kill you before your time. According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, running and other vigorous exercise in middle age is associated with a longer life. Not only that, it will make your later years more pleasant by reducing disability.
Sources:
* U.S. News & World Report August 13, 2008
1. Running will give you a heart attack or other heart problems. It is true that exercise temporarily raises the odds of a heart attack while you're mid-workout, but doing it consistently reduces that risk over the long haul, leading to a net benefit. Going for a run most days of the week is doing far more good than bad for your heart.
2. Running will ruin your bones and joints. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found no evidence of accelerated rates of osteoarthritis among long-distance runners. Weight-bearing exercise like running helps stave off osteoporosis by maintaining bone mineral density.
3. Running will kill you before your time. According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, running and other vigorous exercise in middle age is associated with a longer life. Not only that, it will make your later years more pleasant by reducing disability.
Sources:
* U.S. News & World Report August 13, 2008
Sleep Selectively Preserves Emotional Memories
A study has offered new insights into the specific components of emotional memories, and suggested that sleep plays a key role in determining what you remember and what you forget.
The findings show that a period of slumber helps the brain to selectively preserve and enhance the aspects of a memory with the greatest emotional resonance, while diminishing the memory's neutral background details.
Study participants were shown scenes that depicted either neutral subjects on a neutral background or negatively arousing subjects on a neutral background. One group underwent memory testing after 12 hours spent awake during the daytime; a second group was tested after 12 nighttime hours, including their normal period of nighttime sleep. A third baseline group was tested 30 minutes after viewing the images, in either the morning or evening.
Among the individuals who were tested after a period of sleep, memory recall for emotionally resonant objects was preserved in particularly great detail.
Sources:
* Science Blog August 14, 2008
The findings show that a period of slumber helps the brain to selectively preserve and enhance the aspects of a memory with the greatest emotional resonance, while diminishing the memory's neutral background details.
Study participants were shown scenes that depicted either neutral subjects on a neutral background or negatively arousing subjects on a neutral background. One group underwent memory testing after 12 hours spent awake during the daytime; a second group was tested after 12 nighttime hours, including their normal period of nighttime sleep. A third baseline group was tested 30 minutes after viewing the images, in either the morning or evening.
Among the individuals who were tested after a period of sleep, memory recall for emotionally resonant objects was preserved in particularly great detail.
Sources:
* Science Blog August 14, 2008
Stress Makes Allergies Worse
Psychological stress and anxiety can make seasonal allergy attacks both worse and longer lasting.
To gauge how stress and anxiety affect allergy sufferers, researchers recruited 28 men and women with a history of seasonal allergies to participate in a laboratory study. On different days, the volunteers were subjected to a low-stress condition or to a much more stressful condition.
Anxiety following the stressful event heightened the magnitude of the allergic reactions induced by skin prick tests. These allergic reactions show up on the forearm as slight wounds, or "wheals."
People who were moderately stressed because of the experiment had wheals that were 75 percent larger compared to the same person's response after the low-stress condition. People who were highly stressed had wheals that were twice as large as the low-stress response. Moreover, these highly stressed people were four times more likely to still retain allergic wheals a full day after the stressful event occurred.
Sources:
* Reuters August 14, 2008
To gauge how stress and anxiety affect allergy sufferers, researchers recruited 28 men and women with a history of seasonal allergies to participate in a laboratory study. On different days, the volunteers were subjected to a low-stress condition or to a much more stressful condition.
Anxiety following the stressful event heightened the magnitude of the allergic reactions induced by skin prick tests. These allergic reactions show up on the forearm as slight wounds, or "wheals."
People who were moderately stressed because of the experiment had wheals that were 75 percent larger compared to the same person's response after the low-stress condition. People who were highly stressed had wheals that were twice as large as the low-stress response. Moreover, these highly stressed people were four times more likely to still retain allergic wheals a full day after the stressful event occurred.
Sources:
* Reuters August 14, 2008
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