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September 2012
The good news just keeps on coming for chocoholics. Now a new Swedish study suggests that eating chocolate may help reduce your risk of stroke. Researchers followed 37,103 men for more than 10 years, during which 1,995 incidents of stroke were recorded. Men in the top one-quarter of chocolate consumption (averaging 2.2 ounces per week, or between 1 1/2 and 2 candy bars) were 17% less likely to suffer a stroke than those in the lowest group, averaging no chocolate consumption. Men with a history of high blood pressure did not see a lower risk with greater chocolate intake, however. The Swedish scientists also performed a meta-analysis of 5 studies, including their new study, and found a similar association between chocolate and lower stroke risk among women as well as men. “Flavonoids in chocolate may be protective against cardiovascular disease through antioxidant, antiplatelet, and anti-inflammatory effects,” researchers concluded. — Neurology…
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September 2012
Contradicting other research on calorie restriction and longevity, a new National Institutes on Aging study reports that rhesus monkeys fed 30% fewer calories were healthier but didn’t live any longer than a control group. The monkeys — long-lived primates similar to humans — had been followed since 1987. Those on a restricted diet did have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. But that didn’t translate into longer lifespans. Researchers in a similar study at the Wisconsin National Primate Center, who have reported longevity benefits linked to calorie restriction, pointed out potentially key differences between the studies: The control group in the NIA study was given vitamin and mineral supplements and fed a limited, though higher-calorie diet. In the Wisconsin experiment, monkeys in the control group were allowed free access to food, which those researchers argued more closely resembles actual human lifestyles. — Nature…
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September 2012
Staying healthy and maintaining a normal weight helps protect your brain, according to a 10-year study of 6,401 British civil servants. Participants, initially ages 39-63, were less likely to have impaired cognitive function if they were not overweight or obese. Those with multiple markers of “metabolic abnormality” were more likely to suffer impaired cognitive function; these markers included high cholesterol or triglycerides, high blood pressure, low “good” HDL cholesterol, high glucose or diabetes. In followup mental testing at the 5- and 10-year points, those who were both obese and “metabolically abnormal” were significantly more likely to show a faster rate of cognitive decline. Researchers speculated that vascular problems associated with weight might affect brain function, along with fat-related secretions that impact the aging brain. — Neurology…
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June 2012
To eat right tomorrow, get a good night’s sleep tonight. Two studies presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies report that sleep-deprived subjects show brain changes that affect their decision-making and predispose them to poor dietary choices. Both were crossover studies, in which 23 and 25 healthy subjects were tested after being shorted on sleep and after sleeping normally; both used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study brain activity. The first study compared sleeping normally with staying up all night, with snacks at 2:30 a.m. and breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Participants were then quizzed about food desires and given fMRI scans. When subjects were well-rested, the scans showed greater frontal-lobe activity in areas indicative of decision making. The second study compared 6 days of sleep deprivation with normal sleep. When sleep deprived, subjects responded to fatty, sugary foods with brain activity much like that in studies of the obese.
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June 2012
Vitamin D may boost the survival of heart-failure patients by suppressing an enzyme called renin, which controls cardiac output in the body. New Dutch research presented at the Heart Failure Congress tested supplementation with 2,000 IU daily of vitamin D against a placebo in 101 heart failure patients. After 6 weeks, blood levels of renin in the vitamin D group were reduced to almost half that of the control group. The findings may help explain how vitamin D could be a factor in fighting heart failure: Previous research has associated low vitamin D levels with greater risk of heart failure and higher mortality rates among patients. Other research has strongly linked renin activity with heart failure mortality. The “encouraging results” should pave the way for a large clinical trial of vitamin D supplementation and clinical outcomes in heart failure, the scientists said.
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May 2012
The case for berries’ brain benefits was recently bolstered by a study the authors call the largest and longest of its kind. Scientists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital analyzed data on berry consumption among 16,010 women age 70 and older participating in the Nurses’ Health Study. The women completed dietary questionnaires every four years beginning in 1980, prior to cognitive testing; they were tested for memory and other cognitive function every two years between 1995 and 2001. The study found that women who consumed two or more half-cup servings of strawberries or one or more half-cups of blueberries per week saw slower mental decline — equivalent to up to two and a half years of delayed cognitive aging. Intakes of anthocyanins and total flavonoids (antioxidant compounds that give berries their vivid colors) were also associated with slower cognitive aging. Researchers concluded, “Our findings have significant public health implications, as increasing berry intake is a fairly simple dietary modification to reduce memory decline in older adults.” — Annals of Neurology
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May 2012
Pumping iron might also be good for your aging brain, according to new findings at the University of British Columbia. In a 6-month randomized trial of 86 women, ages 70-80, suffering mild cognitive impairment, those assigned to resistance training using machines and free weights significantly improved their scores on memory tests. The study compared resistance training with aerobic exercise (an outdoor walking program) and a control group that did only balance and stretching activities. The aerobic group got fitter but saw no memory benefits. In MRI scans of 22 participants, those in the weight-lifting group also saw significant functional changes in areas of the brain associated with cognition and memory. Researchers concluded that the study provides “novel evidence” of the benefits of strength training for those suffering mild cognitive impairment. — Archives of Internal Medicine
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April 2012
Grape juice might give your brain a boost, a new study reports. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati and grape-juice producer Welch Foods tested Concord grape juice versus a placebo beverage on 21 volunteers, average age 76, suffering mild cognitive impairment. The amount of juice varied with the weight of participants, so a 120-pound person received 12 ounces daily while a 200-pound participant drank 21 ounces a day. After 16 weeks, those in the grape-juice group scored better on tests of memory than those drinking the placebo. MRI testing showed greater activation in key parts of the brain, suggesting increased blood flow. The research supports 2006 findings at Tufts suggesting that Concord grape juice, which is high in polyphenol compounds, reversed brain aging in rats. — Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
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April 2012
That “traditional Chinese medicine” you’re thinking of trying for what ails you just might contain some nontraditional — and potentially dangerous — ingredients. Scientists at Murdoch University in Australia used state-of-the-art DNA sequencing to unscramble the complex mix of organic compounds in samples of herbal teas, flakes and powders seized by customs officials. Among the ingredients identified were plants linked to urinary tract and kidney cancer, along with ephedra, banned in US dietary supplements. Some of the 68 different compounds found in 15 herbal medicines are toxic if taken in too large a dose; the packaging failed to list the concentrations of these ingredients. Scientists also discovered traces of animals restricted because of endangered-species concerns. Other animal compounds proved to be adulterated: A remedy labeled as 100% Saiga antelope actually included goat and sheep DNA. Scientists concluded, “Traditional Chinese medicines have a long cultural history, but today consumers need to be aware of the legal and health-safety issues before adopting them as a treatment option.” — PLoS Genetics
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April 2012
Frustrating environmental activists, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected a petition asking it to ban bisphenol-A (BPA) in food packaging and other containers likely to come in contact with food. The FDA stated that there wasn’t enough scientific data to support a ban on the chemical, which is used in polycarbonate hard plastic bottles and the lining of food and beverage cans. The Natural Resources Defense Council had originally petitioned the agency in 2008, citing animal studies of effects from BPA hormone-disruption as well as “emerging human research.” When the FDA didn’t respond, the environmental group took it to court to force a decision. While rejecting a ban, the FDA supported further research into the safety of BPA and said its ruling wasn’t the final word. In the meantime, some food companies — most recently, Campbell’s Soup — have announced that they’re seeking alternatives to BPA in their packaging.
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March 2012
Canadian consumers will soon be getting the message that switching fats is good for your heart. Health Canada, the nation’s equivalent of the US FDA, approved a health claim for food labels stating that replacing saturated fat with mono- and polyunsaturated fat, such as that in liquid vegetable oils, can reduce unhealthy cholesterol. The Vegetable Oil Industry of Canada, a trade group, promptly announced a new logo for food packaging to promote this health benefit. In approving the claim, only the ninth okayed since 2003, Health Canada pointed to research showing that for every gram of daily saturated fat replaced, LDL cholesterol drops 0.4% to 2.8%. Such benefits can appear after just 2 1/2 weeks of making this dietary change, and every 1% drop in LDL translates to a 2% decrease in heart-disease risk, according to the agency. The FDA approved qualified health claims for olive oil in 2004, canola oil in 2006 and corn oil in 2007.
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March 2012
An aging US population is increasingly looking to the foods we eat to help maintain health and ward off chronic disease, according to a new report from the Packaged Facts market-research firm. That’s driven growth in so-called “functional foods” and “nutraceuticals,” as well as those with label health claims. Packaged Facts research found that two-thirds of US grocery shoppers have bought a food or beverage in the past year for the purpose of addressing health or wellness concerns. Topping the list are cholesterol management and digestive health. The report also says more than half of consumers are willing to pay more for “better for you” foods, and one-quarter look to their healthcare professionals for advice on such purchases. Although aging and rising healthcare costs are factors, the report concludes that the key driver of foods for health and wellness is a growing recognition of the importance of diet to chronic-disease risk.
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March 2012
Does eating fish help protect your brain? Previous studies of the brain effects of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have been inconsistent, possibly because they’ve relied on food-frequency questionnaires that require subjects to recall what they ate. So UCLA researchers took blood samples from 1,575 participants in the long-running Framingham Offspring cohort to measure levels of the key omega-3s in fish (EPA and DHA). These were then compared to performance on cognitive tests and MRI scans of the brain. Participants with the lowest omega-3 levels scored significantly worse on tests of visual memory, executive function and abstract thinking than those in the top three-quarters of omega-3. Lower blood levels of omega-3s were also associated with smaller brain volumes — “equivalent to about 2 years of structural brain aging,” scientists concluded. While cautioning that the study was only a snapshot and didn’t track participants’ brains over time, researchers concluded, “We feel that omega-3s reduce vascular pathology and thus reduce the rate of brain aging.” — Neurology
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March 2012
Counting calories could do more than just help shrink your waistline. A new Mayo Clinic study suggests that eating too much may increase the risk for memory loss in people age 70 and older. Researchers compared the calorie intakes of 163 people suffering mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with 1,070 normal control subjects. Those consuming the most calories — more than 2,143 per day — were almost twice as likely to have MCI than participants eating the least, fewer than 1,526 daily calories. The higher the amount of calories consumed each day, the higher the risk of MCI, which is the stage between normal memory loss that comes with aging and early Alzheimer’s disease. The results were the same after adjusting for history of stroke, diabetes, amount of education and other factors that can affect risk of memory loss. The findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in April.
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January 2012
Previous studies have shown that drinking coffee may help protect against type-2 diabetes, but exactly how has remained a mystery. Now a new Chinese study reports that compounds in coffee may inhibit the formation of protein compounds that contribute to the death of cells in the pancreas, which produces insulin. Researchers focused on a chlorogenic acid naturally found in coffee, demonstrating in the lab “significant inhibitory effects” on the compounds linked to pancreatic cell death. They also looked at caffeine, and found a “weak inhibitory effect” on the damaging proteins and on the protection of pancreas cells. This is the first time, scientists noted, that caffeine has been shown to have beneficial effects on the pancreas; in type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce adequate insulin or the body doesn’t respond properly to insulin. Researchers speculated that coffee compounds might be considered for future anti-diabetes drug development. — Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
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