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Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 9/21/11.  You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Blueberry powder may slow breast tumor growth: Mouse data - Nutra USA, 9/20/11 - "The California-based researchers performed two separate experiments. The first put mice in one of three diet groups: A control diet or the diet supplemented with 5% or 10% blueberry powder ... After two weeks of feeding the mice received injections containing aggressive breast cancer cells. After a further six weeks of observation the researchers reported that the 5 and 10% blueberry groups displayed a 75 and 60% reduction in tumor size, compared to the control group ... In addition, results from molecular analysis revealed that blueberry consumption was associated with an alteration in the expression of genes related to inflammation, cancer, and metastasis in such a way that cancer risk would most likely decline ... This suggests that there may be an optimal level of blueberry intake" - [Abstract] - See blueberry extract at Amazon.com.

Giving flu shots to tots cuts ER visits by a third - MSNBC, 9/19/11 - "Recommending that all U.S. preschoolers get a flu shot cut visits to the emergency department for flu-like illness by more than a third, U.S. and Canadian researchers said on Monday in a study that showed the direct impact of vaccination policy changes on flu transmission"

Diabetes may significantly increase the risk of dementia - Science Daily, 9/19/11 - "people with diabetes were twice as likely to develop dementia as people with normal blood sugar levels ... the risk of developing dementia significantly increased when blood sugar was still high two hours after a meal"

Alcohol Linked to Colorectal Cancer Risk - Medscape, 9/18/11 - "Overall, the dose-risk analysis found a statistically significant 7% increased risk for colorectal cancer for 10 g per day of alcohol intake, which includes light alcohol consumers. According to the researchers, 1 drink is equivalent to 12 g of ethanol" - Note:  My problem with alcohol is that it increases free radicals which has to increase signs of aging like wrinkling.  It does decrease heart disease but it also increases breast cancer, etc.

Soluble fiber may help shed 1.5kg in 12 weeks: Roquette study - Nutra USA, 9/16/11 - "One hundred and twenty overweight men were randomly assigned to consume fruit juice supplemented with 17 grams of either Nutriose or maltodextrin (control) for 12 weeks. The participants consumed the juice twice a day to provide a daily dose of 34 grams ... men who drank the Nutriose beverage had an average body weight loss of 1.5 kg, an average body mass index (BMI) reduction of 0.5 kg/m2, and lost an average of 0.3% of their body fat percentage, compared with the control group ... In addition, men who drank the Nutriose-supplemented drink reported less hunger across the study period, compared with men in the control group" - [Abstract] - Note:  1.5 kg = 3.3 lbs - See Jarrow Formulas, Fiber Perfect at Amazon.com (It contains the Nutriose).

enetics may explain why calcium increases risk for prostate cancer - Science Daily, 9/16/11 - "The team targeted a genetic allele that is more common in populations of African origin than in other populations and which is associated with regulating the absorption of calcium ... men who reported the highest intake of calcium were two times more likely to have localized and advanced prostate cancer than those who reported the lowest. Men with a genotype associated with poor calcium absorption were 59 percent less likely to have been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer than men who genetically were the best absorbers of calcium. And, among men with calcium intake below the median, genetically poor absorbers had a 50 percent decreased risk of having advanced prostate cancer than the best absorbers"

Registry Data Support 'J-Curve' CV Risk Theory for Hba1c in Diabetes - Medscape, 9/16/11 - "In Cox regression analyses that used age and systolic blood pressure as covariates, the hazard ratio for the composite end point was lowest for HbA1c levels in the range of 6% to 7%, but rose below 6% and above 7%"

Psychologists discover oxytocin receptor gene's link to optimism, self-esteem - Science Daily, 9/14/11 - "UCLA life scientists have identified for the first time a particular gene's link to optimism, self-esteem and "mastery," the belief that one has control over one's own life -- three critical psychological resources for coping well with stress and depression ... The gene Taylor and her colleagues identified is the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Oxytocin is a hormone that increases in response to stress and is associated with good social skills such as empathy and enjoying the company of others ... An increase in oxytocin tends to lead to more social behavior, especially under stress and especially in females, earlier research has indicated ... OXTR likely interacts with other genes" - See Oxytocin 6x5iu tablets at International Antiaging Systems.

Juice concentrates may boost skin-from-within - Nutra USA, 9/14/11 - "Skin hydration improved by 9% while skin thickness increased by 6% following 12 weeks of supplementation with a micronutrient-dense concentrate of a range of fruit and vegetables including cherry, apple, broccoli, cranberry, orange, pineapple, spinach, and tomato ... skin microcirculation also improved by almost 40% following supplementation with the juice concentrate, which could boost the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the skin and thereby boosting health" - [Abstract] - See Garden of Life, Radical Fruits Antioxidant Complex, 60 Caplets.  I'll save you the multi-level-marketing Juice Plus mark-up.

Omega-3 supplements show benefits against anxiety: Human data - Nutra USA, 9/14/11 - "the Ohio State researchers recruited 68 medical students to participate in their parallel group, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The med students were given either placebo capsules or omega-3 capsules containing 2085 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 348 mg DHA (docosahexanoic acid) ... Results showed a 14% reduction in levels of the production of pro-inflammatory interleukin 6 (IL-6), as well as a 20% reduction in anxiety symptoms in the omega-3 group, compared to the placebo group ... Proinflammatory cytokines promote secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), a primary gateway to hormonal stress responses; CRH also stimulates the amygdala, a key brain region for fear and anxiety. Accordingly, alterations in inflammation could also influence anxiety" - [Abstract] - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.  Note:  CRH increases cortisol.  See:

Primary schoolchildren that sleep less than 9 hours do not perform as well academically, study suggests - Science Daily, 9/13/11 - "sleeping less than nine hours, going to bed late and no bedtime routine generally affects children's academic skills ... the lacking hours of sleep distorts children's performance in linguistic knowledge, grammar and spelling rules, and key aspects in the organisation and comprehension of texts, to name a few examples. They are basic skills, meaning that if the pupil, due to a lack of sleep, develops problems in this area, it could have a repercussion on all subjects"

Plant compound reduces breast cancer mortality, study suggests - Science Daily, 9/13/11 - "The most important type of phytoestrogens in our Western diet are lignans, which are contained in seeds, particularly flaxseeds, as well as in wheat and vegetables. In the bowel, these substances are turned into enterolactone, which is absorbed by the mucous tissue and which was determined by the Heidelberg researchers as a biomarker in the patients' blood ... Compared to the study subjects with the lowest enterolactone levels, the women with the highest blood levels of this biomarker had an approximately 40 percent lower mortality risk ... Another observation that may be interpreted in this direction is that Asian women are less frequently affected by breast cancer. Their soy-rich diet contains large amounts of another type of phytoestrogens, isoflavones. On the other hand, scientists fear that isoflavones might imitate the growth-promoting properties of real hormones and, thus, accelerate hormone-dependent tumors such as breast cancer and prostate cancer. "It has not yet been finally determined whether lignans in the body imitate the hormone effect or, on the contrary, counteract it,""

Primary component in curry spice kicks off cancer-killing mechanisms in human saliva - Science Daily, 9/12/11 - "Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric used in curry, suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and neck cancer ... The inhibition of the cell signaling pathway also correlated with reduced expression of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, or signaling molecules, in the saliva that promote cancer growth ... it not only affected the cancer by inhibiting a critical cell signaling pathway, it also affected the saliva itself by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines within the saliva ... To be effective in fighting cancer, the curcumin must be used in supplement form. Although turmeric is used in cooking, the amount of curcumin needed to produce a clinical response is much larger. Expecting a positive effect through eating foods spiced with turmeric is not realistic" - See curcumin products at Amazon.com.

Abstracts from this week's Doctor's Guide Nutrition/Dietetics plus abstracts from my RSS feeds (Click here for the journals, the PubMed ones at the top):

Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin, But Not Testosterone, Is Associated Prospectively and Independently With Incident Metabolic Syndrome in Men: The Framingham Heart Study - Diabetes Care. 2011 Sep 16 - "Cross-sectionally, testosterone and SHBG were more strongly associated with metabolic syndrome than free testosterone in the training sample. SHBG, but not testosterone or free testosterone, was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome after adjusting for age, smoking, BMI, and insulin sensitivity (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]). These findings were confirmed in a validation sample. Longitudinally, SHBG at examination 7, but not testosterone or free testosterone, was associated with incident metabolic syndrome at examination 8 after adjusting for age, smoking, BMI, and HOMA-IR. Multivariable analyses suggested that age, BMI, and insulin sensitivity independently affect SHBG and testosterone levels and the risk of metabolic syndrome and its components"

Folate and risk of coronary heart disease: A meta-analysis of prospective studies - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011 Sep 14 - "Data were independently abstracted by 2 investigators using a standardized protocol. Study-specific risk estimates were combined by using a random effects model. A total of 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis: 7 studies on dietary folate intake and 8 studies on blood folate levels. For dietary intake, the summary relative risk (RR) indicated a significant association between the highest folate intake and reduced risk of CHD (summary RR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.80). Furthermore, an increase in folate intake of 200 ug/day was associated with a 12% decrease in the risk of developing CHD (summary RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.82, 0.94). For blood folate levels, we also found a borderline inverse association of highest blood folate levels on CHD risk (summary RR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.53, 1.02); our dose-response analysis indicated that an increment in blood folate levels of 5 mmol/l was associated with an 8% decrease in the risk of developing CHD (summary RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.84, 1.00)" - See folic acid products at Amazon.com.

n-3 PUFA prevent metabolic disturbances associated with obesity and improve endothelial function in golden Syrian hamsters fed with a high-fat diet - Br J Nutr. 2011 Sep 16:1-11 - "In conclusion, n-3 PUFA prevent some metabolic disturbances induced by high-fat diet and improve endothelial function in hamsters" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Effect of α-lipoic acid on sperm quality, reproductive tract measures in thinner exposed rats - Andrologia. 2011 Sep 15 - "The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of alpha lipoic acid (ALA, an universal antioxidant) on thinner-induced testicular toxicity regarding spermatological features, body and reproductive tract measures in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five treatment groups, eight rats in each. Control group was treated with placebo. Group O was given only olive oil. The group L received only α-lipoic acid. Thinner + Lipoic Acid group received thinner + α-lipoic acid and group T received only thinner. Thinner alone administration caused significant decreases in body and some reproductive organ weights, sperm count, motility and sperm membrane integrity, and significant increases in seminal vesicle weight and abnormal sperm rates compared with the values in the control group. However, concomitant administration of thinner with α-lipoic acid provided significant improvements in sperm parameters compared with values in alone group T.  In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that α-lipoic acid has a protective effect against thinner-induced reproductive dysfunction in male rats" - See alpha lipoic acid products at Amazon.com.  I assume that the thinner is something like this:

Association between HbA(1c) and cardiovascular disease mortality in older Hong Kong Chinese with diabetes - Diabet Med. 2011 Sep 14. - "A total of 2137 Chinese aged 65 years or above attending the Elderly Health Service, Department of Health, Hong Kong, with diagnosed diabetes had HbA(1c) measured during 1998 to 2000 and were followed up to 2009 ... After adjusting for potential confounders, higher HbA(1c) (≥ 69 mmol/mol, 8.5%) increased the risk of cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio 2.11;95% CI 1.37-3.25) and stroke mortality (hazard ratio 2.43; 95% CI 1.06-5.55) compared with HbA(1c) of 58-68 mmol/mol (7.5-8.4%), and increased the risk of all-cause (hazard ratio 1.41; 95% CI 1.06-1.86) and coronary heart disease mortality (hazard ratio 2.44; 95% CI 1.11-5.37) compared with HbA(1c) of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) or less. Analysis of HbA(1c) as a continuous variable showed that every XX mmol/mol (1%) increase in HbA(1c) decreased stroke mortality risk by 51% in those with HbA(1c) level less than 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) and increased stroke mortality risk by 30% in those with an HbA(1c) level of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) or higher, suggesting a U-shaped association between HbA(1c) and stroke mortality.  Conclusion: High HbA(1c) predicted excess risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke mortality. The question of whether low HbA(1c) increases mortality in older patients with diabetes needs further investigation"

Serum total and HDL cholesterol and risk of prostate cancer - Cancer Causes Control. 2011 Sep 14 - "After excluding the first 10 years of follow-up, men with higher serum total cholesterol were at increased risk of overall (≥240 vs. <200 mg/dl: HR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.03-1.44, p-trend = 0.01) and advanced (≥240 vs. <200 mg/dl: HR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.13-3.03, p-trend = 0.05) prostate cancer. Higher HDL cholesterol was suggestively associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer regardless of stage or grade ... In this population of smokers, high serum total cholesterol was associated with higher risk of advanced prostate cancer, and high HDL cholesterol suggestively reduced the risk of prostate cancer overall. These results support previous studies and, indirectly, support the hypothesis that statins may reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer by lowering cholesterol"

The effects of metformin on the survival of colorectal cancer patients with diabetes mellitus - Int J Cancer. 2011 Sep 12 - "Metformin use has been associated with decreased cancer risk and mortality ... We identified 595 patients who were diagnosed both CRC and diabetes mellitus. Patients were compared by two groups; 258 diabetic patients taking metformin and 337 diabetic patients not taking metformin ... After a median follow-up of 41 months, there were 71 total deaths (27.5%) and 55 CRC-specific deaths (21.3%) among 258 patients who used metformin, compared with 136 total deaths (40.4%) and 104 CRC-specific deaths (30.9%) among 337 patients who did not use metformin. Metformin use was associated with decreased overall mortality (P=0.018) and CRC-specific mortality (P=0.042) by univariate analysis. After adjustment for clinically relevant factors, metformin use showed lower risk of overall mortality (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.084-1.934; P=0.016) and CRC-specific mortality (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.026-2.061; P=0.035) in CRC patients with diabetes. Metformin use in CRC patients with diabetes is associated with lower risk of CRC-specific and overall mortality" - See metformin at The Antiaging Store.

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