Recent Longevity News (7/17/01):

Another Study Suggests Inflammation May Trigger Diabetes - WebMD, 7/17/01 - "The immune system and inflammation may be factors causing type 2 diabetes ... women who had high levels of immune system substances called C-reactive protein or interleukin-6, or both, in their blood were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes ... Both C-reactive protein, called CRP, and interleukin-6, or IL-6, are considered indicators for inflammation"

• Cholesterol drug has wider benefit - USA Today, 6/28/01 - [in addition to lowering cholesterol] "Cholesterol-lowering drugs, called statins, apparently work by reducing levels of a chemical known as C-reactive protein. This protein causes inflammation, promotes blood clotting and weakens fat-encased blockages inside arteries, causing them to burst"

Black Tea Shown to Improve Blood Vessel Health - Medscape, 7/17/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "suggests that black tea reverses endothelial vasomotor dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease, which reduces the risk for heart attack and stroke in these patients"

Testosterone Supplementation Improves Cognitive Function in Healthy Older Men - Medscape, 7/17/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "Short-term testosterone supplementation improves spatial functions and verbal memory in healthy older men ... Aromatization of testosterone led to a 77% and 73% increase in estradiol levels at the same time intervals"

Hormone Therapy May Help Postmenopausal Diabetics - ABC News, 7/17/01 - "those who were taking HRT had significantly lower levels of HbA1c--a measure of long-term blood glucose (sugar)"

Is It Male Menopause? - WebMD, 7/16/01 - "those who got testosterone had significant improvements in a test of spatial memory ... They also had improvements in verbal memory ... Probably the most important area where it can help is with prevention of osteoporosis ... Probably the most important area where it can help is with prevention of osteoporosis"

Exercise Chemical May Cause Migraines - Intelihealth, 7/16/01 - "What seemed to trigger the headache was a spike in nitric oxide, a chemical that has been implicated before in migraine"

The Fat That Is Not on Food Labels - ABC News, 7/16/01 - "There are two kinds of heart-damaging fats: saturated fats, which are clearly listed on food labels, and trans fat ... Trans fat is not included with the other heart-damaging fats on food labels"

Researchers Link Smoking, Early Menopause - Doctor's Guide, 7/16/01 - "Cigarette smoking can cause female infertility by hastening menopause"

Folate Reduces Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk Related to Alcohol Consumption - Medscape, 7/16/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "This study adds to the growing body of evidence that if you have adequate levels of folate in the body, you are not increasing your risk of breast cancer by drinking in moderation ... women who consume alcohol regularly may want to consider a folate supplement"

Diet Rich in Trans Fatty Acids Impairs Vasodilation and Increases CHD Risk - Medscape, 7/13/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "A diet rich in foods containing trans fatty acids increases concentrations of LDL cholesterol. However, unlike saturated fats, trans fatty acids also decrease concentrations of HDL [good cholesterol] cholesterol, which appears to significantly impair endothelial function ... when subjects consumed trans fats instead of saturated fatty acids HDL-cholesterol levels went down by about 26% and arterial dilation was impaired by about one third" - If it says "hydrogenated oil", it has trans fatty acids.  That included most peanut butters.  The only margarine that I know of that doesn't have trans fatty acids is Smart Balance. - Ben

Trans Fats Tops List of Heart Unhealthy Foods - WebMD, 7/13/01 - "That treat you love probably contains trans fats, which not only affect your cholesterol levels, but also may harm the functioning of your blood vessels. This dangerous combination may increase atherosclerosis, the hardening of your arteries ... A diet high in trans fats appears to be unhealthier than a diet that's "just high in saturated fats"

Diet High in Veggies Can Reverse Type 2 Diabetes - WebMD, 7/12/01 - "After six months, levels of hemoglobin A_1C -- which reveal how high the blood sugar has been over a period of several weeks -- were an average of 30% lower in the 31 patients who stuck with the diet. Also, their total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol dropped nearly one-third, while their "good" HDL cholesterol increased 10%"

Inhibitory Effect of SSRIs on Platelets May Contribute to Benefit in Cardiac Patients - Medscape, 7/11/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "Chronic therapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) significantly inhibits baseline platelet characteristics in patients with coronary artery disease"

Could Nicotinamide And Vitamin E Have Synergistic Effect And Reduce Insulin Usage? - Doctor's Guide, 7/11/01 - "The combination of nicotinamide and vitamin E might have a synergistic effect in lowering daily insulin usage among newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetics"

A Grain of Hope for Prostate Cancer - WebMD, 9/11/01 - "Ground flaxseed -- a grain that was a dietary staple in the 19th century -- may prevent the growth of prostate cancer and speed the death of tumor cells when combined with a low-fat diet"

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