Health News – Trending Links

• Amino Acid L-Alanine Improves Glucose Control in Diabetes Scientists discover that L-Alanine activates AMP kinase (AMPK) to increase energy production in cells, resulting in a short-term reduction in blood glucose that does not involve insulin.
• Whey Protein Best for Helping Seniors Rebuild Lost Muscle While exercise buffs have long used protein supplements to gain muscle, new research suggests one protein source in particular, whey protein, is most effective for seniors struggling to rebuild muscle lost from inactivity associated with illness or long hospital stays.
• New 3-D Process Can Print Human Ligaments and Tendons Scientists have developed a method to 3-D print cells to produce human tissue such as ligaments and tendons. A person with a badly damaged ligament, tendon, or ruptured disc could simply have new replacement tissue printed and ultimately implanted in the damaged area.
• Newly Discovered Compounds Shed Light Health Benefits of Whole Grains Scientists have discovered new compounds that may explain whole grain health benefits. A high intake of whole grains increased the levels of betaine compounds in the body which, in turn, was associated with improved glucose metabolism, among other things.
• Nasal Administration of Resveratrol Shows Promise in Lung Cancer Lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in the world. Resveratrol exhibits chemopreventive properties against cancers of the digestive tract, no shows no effect on lung cancers. Scientists demonstrate that nasal administration of resveratrol shows very promising results in a study conducted in mice.
• Processed Meat Consumption Linked to Higher Breast Cancer Risk Previous studies linking red and processed meat consumption with breast cancer have been inconsistent. Now a new paper analyzing 15 earlier studies shows that eating processed meats is associated with a 9% higher breast cancer risk.
• Human Gut Study Questions Health Benefits of Probiotics New research suggests that probiotics might not be as effective as we think. Through a series of experiments looking inside the human gut, researchers show that many people's digestive tracts prevent standard probiotics from successfully colonizing them.
• Skin Cancer Linked to Widely-Used Drug Azathioprine The widely used drug azathioprine, used to treat inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, vasculitis and organ rejection, is identified as an important contributor to skin cancer development, especially cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).
• Eating in 10-hour Window Can Override Disease-Causing Genetic Defects, Nurture Health Mice lacking the biological clocks thought to be necessary for a healthy metabolism are still protected against obesity and metabolic diseases by having their daily access to food restricted to a 10-hour window.
• ACE Inhibitors Prevent Memory Loss in Lupus Patients, Study Suggests Activation of brain cells called microglia contributes to the memory loss and cognitive impairment in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). ACE inhibitors – drugs used to treat hypertension – block this process in mice and might help preserve memory in lupus patients.
• Aldosterone Hormone Link Between Diabetes and Hypertension Identified Increased levels of the hormone aldosterone, already associated with hypertension, can play a significant role in the development of diabetes, particularly among certain racial groups, researchers report.
• Hormone Therapy Can Make Prostate Cancer Worse, Study Finds Scientists have discovered how prostate cancer can sometimes withstand and outwit a standard hormone therapy, causing the cancer to spread. The findings may lead to a simple blood test to predict when hormone therapy resistance will occur.
• Widespread Use of Statins in Healthy Older People to Prevent Heart Disease Not Recommended in New Study Statins are not associated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease (conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels) or death in healthy people aged over 75, a new study finds.
• Secret Tunnels Discovered Between Skull and Brain According to a new study of mice and humans, tiny tunnels run from bone marrow in the skull into the lining of the brain and may provide a direct route for immune cells responding to injuries caused by stroke and other brain disorders.
• Oxygen Therapy for Patients Suffering a Heart Attack Does Not Prevent Heart Failure Oxygen therapy does not prevent the development of heart failure nor reduce the long-term risk of dying for patients with suspected heart attack.
• Sharp Increase in Falls in Women During Midlife Falls are not just a problem of advanced age, according to researchers in Trinity College Dublin, who have identified a sharp increase in falls after the age of 40, particularly in women.
• Osteoporosis Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia in Men and Women Osteoporosis is associated with a 1.2-fold increase in the risk of being diagnosed with dementia in women and a 1.3-fold increase in the risk of being diagnosed with dementia in men in new study.
• Eating Breakfast Burns More Carbs During Exercise and Accelerates Metabolism for Next Meal New research suggests that eating breakfast could 'prime' the body to burn carbohydrates during exercise and more rapidly metabolize foods after working out.
• Weight Loss Leads to Remission of Type 2 Diabetes in Some Patients Nearly half of individuals with type 2 diabetes achieved remission to a non-diabetic state after weight-loss. Now a new study links weight loss is with early and sustained improvement in the functioning of pancreatic beta cells.
• Products of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Metabolism May Have Anticancer Effects Molecules formed when the body metabolizes omega-3 fatty acids inhibit cancer's growth and spread in a new study in mice. The molecules – endocannabinoids – are made naturally by the body and have similar properties to cannabinoids found in marijuana.
• Technique May Improve Lung Delivery of Bacteria-Killing Phage A new delivery system for bacteriophages – viruses that selectively attack harmful bacteria – could help give doctors a new way to battle lung infections that threaten older patients and people with cystic fibrosis.
• Alcohol-Related Cirrhosis Deaths Skyrocket in Young Adults Rapid rise in liver deaths highlights new challenges in treatment and prevention, despite gains in fighting hepatitis C, researchers say.
• New Blood Test for Autism is Highly Accurate One year after researchers published their work on a physiological test for autism, a follow-up study confirms its exceptional success, with an 88 percent accuracy rate in correctly predicting if a child is on the autism spectrum.
• Prostate Cancer Ultrasound Treatment as Effective as Surgery or Radiotherapy Using high energy ultrasound beams to destroy prostate cancer tumours may be as effective as surgery or radiotherapy, but with fewer side effects.
• Exposure to Paint, Varnish, Other Solvents Linked to Increased Risk of MS People exposed to paint, varnish and other solvents who also carry genes that make them more susceptible to developing multiple sclerosis (MS) may be at much greater risk of developing the disease than people who have only the exposure to solvents or the MS genes.
• Daily Fasting on 16:8 Diet Aids Weight Loss Daily fasting is an effective tool to reduce weight and lower blood pressure, according to a new study that examines the effect of time-restricted eating on weight loss in obese individuals.
• Experimental Drug Stops Parkinson's Disease Progression in Mice Researchers say they have developed an experimental drug, similar to compounds used to treat diabetes, that slows the progression of Parkinson's disease itself – as well as its symptoms – in mice.
• Allergen in Red Meat Linked to Heart Disease A team of researchers says it has linked sensitivity to an allergen in red meat to the buildup of plaque in the arteries of the heart. While high saturated fat levels in red meat have long been known to contribute to heart disease for people in general, the new finding suggests that a subgroup of the population may be at heightened risk for a different reason – a food allergen.
• Do B Vitamins Increase the Risk of Getting Cancer? New study reveals a strong correlation between increased risk of lung cancer and long-term B₆/B₁₂ supplementation, especially in high doses and among smokers. There are several ways B vitamins may interact with cancer metabolism; more research is needed to determine the exact mechanisms at work.
• Growth Hormone May Improve Memory and Recovery For Stroke Survivors Less fatigue and better recovery of cognitive abilities such as learning and memory. These may be the results of growth hormone treatment after a stroke, an experimental study of mice suggests.
• Scientists Develop First 3D-Printed Human Corneas The first human corneas have been 3D-printed by scientists. It means the technique could be used in the future to ensure an unlimited supply of corneas.
• Fully Reprogrammed Virus Offers New Hope as Cancer Treatment Researchers have successfully 'trained' a respiratory virus to recognize ovarian cancer and completely destroy it without infecting other cells. The reprogrammed virus could also be used to treat other cancers such as breast, pancreatic, lung and oral.
• Vitamin B6 Helps People Recall Dreams New research from the University of Adelaide has found that taking high-dose vitamin B6 supplements before going to bed for five consecutive days could help people recall their dreams.
• Cocktail Of Vitamins And Steroids Treating a Major Killer In Hospitals
  An inexpensive cocktail of IV vitamin C, B1 (thiamine) and steroids is saving lives from sepsis, an out of control inflammatory response that kills more than 700 Americans every day.
• Gut Bacteria Linked to Arthritis, Knee Pain Bacteria in the gut, known as the gut microbiome, could be the culprit behind arthritis and joint pain that plagues people who are obese, according to a new study published today in JCI Insight.
• Kitchen Cabinets Are Emitting PCBs, Other Hazardous Compounds Scientist have detected airborne polychlorinated biphenyl compounds (PCBs) in kitchen cabinets. Widely considered carcinogenic, PCBs, are unwanted byproducts of modern kitchen sealants.
• Fatty Fish, Camelina Sativa Oil Improve HDL and IDL Cholesterol Eating fatty fish increases the size and composition of HDL particles in people with impaired glucose metabolism, and Camelina sativa oil shown to reduce harmful IDL particles.
• World's Oldest Insect Inspires New Generation of Aerogels Experts have created a new form of highly-efficient, low-cost, sustainable insulation based on the wings of a dragonfly.
• New Breath and Urine Tests Detect Early Breast Cancer More Accurately A new method for early and accurate breast cancer screening has been developed using commercially available technology.