Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 11/7/01:

Painkillers hold clues to Alzheimer’s - MSNBC, 11/7/01 - "IBUPROFEN APPEARS to protect against Alzheimer’s by thwarting production of a key protein found in the disease’s brain-clogging deposits ... the new study shows that the drugs inhibit production of a certain protein, amyloid-beta 42, that is found in the tangled plaques that clog and kill the brain cells of Alzheimer victims"

Estrogen Linked to Dry-Eye Syndrome - WebMD, 11/6/01 - "women using replacement hormones, like estrogen, are more likely to have dry eyes"

Metformin and Carbohydrate-Modified Diet Effective for Obesity Treatment - Medscape, 11/5/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "Group 1 used 1500 mg/day metformin and group 2 used 2000 mg/day ... Patients in both groups 1 and 2 had experienced significant weight loss by 3, 6, and 12 months (3.47, 6.41, and 8.06 kg and 4.4, 9.7, and 15.1 kg for groups 1 and 2 respectively). Twenty-five of 26 (96%) patients had lost at least 5% of their body weight by 6 months and 21 of 26 (81%) patients had lost at least 10% by 12 months ... The most significant predictor of 12-month weight loss was the percentage change in fasting insulin at the 3- to 6-month followup (mean 35.5% reduction)" - Related articles:

• Metformin - Ward Dean, M.D. - "metformin may prove to be one of the most promising anti-aging; life extending drugs available"

• I recently heard that Glucophage is considered an appetite suppressant - Intelihealth - "One of metformin's primary side effects is anorexia"

Suggestions For Blood Pressure - ABC News, 11/5/01 - "Diet and exercise are common prescriptions for treatment of hypertension. But the study showed weight loss had a greater effect than exercise did"

Statin Use May Slow Progression of Calcific Aortic Stenosis - Medscape, 11/5/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "Statin therapy, which has been shown to slow the progression of coronary atherosclerosis, also appears to slow the progression of calcific aortic stenosis"

Green Tea, Glycine May Slow Tumor Growth - WebMD, 11/2/01 - "polyphenols reduced the level of Bcl-XL protein in prostate cancer cell lines. Bcl-XL has been shown to protect cancer cells from death -- known scientifically as apoptosis ... The higher the concentration [of polyphenols] the more apoptosis ... high levels of glycine reduced breast tumor growth rates by 15% in rats by blocking the growth of new tumor-feeding blood vessels. The special diet also reduced wound-healing by 30% ... Tumors and wounds have one very important thing in common -- they both produce new blood vessels through the same mechanism, known as angiogenesis ... If you can block one response, you can block the other"

Ratio of Total to LDL Cholesterol Is Best Predictor Of Coronary Heart Disease - Doctor's Guide, 11/2/01 - "The total cholesterol/ HDL-C ratio was the most powerful lipoprotein predictor of future coronary heart disease ... Using a total cholesterol/HDL-C cholesterol ratio of 5.0 as the cut-off point was associated with significantly better specificity and accuracy and similar (though lower) sensitivity than an LDL-C level of 130 mg/dl (3.4 mmol/l)"

Vitamin D Supplements May Protect Against Diabetes in Kids - WebMD, 11/1/01 - "giving vitamin D supplements to children may help protect them from high blood sugar ... Children who had the recommended supplements of vitamin D (usually in the form of cod-liver oil) were found to have an 80% reduction in diabetes risk, compared to those receiving less than the recommended dose"

Shakes, Bars Can Help Obese People Lose Weight - ABC News, 11/1/01 - "a very low-calorie diet that includes shakes, energy bars and low-calorie entrees may be the key to long-term weight loss ... The researchers reviewed data from 29 studies of overweight and obese people who participated in weight loss programs in the US. Individuals followed a very low energy diet (VLED) of less than 800 calories or a hypoenergetic balanced diet (HBD) of 1,200 to 1,500 calories. HBDs include foods that are normally eaten while VLED diets rely on shakes, low-calorie entrees and energy bars ... Adults who followed a VLED lost significantly more weight and maintained greater losses over 5 years, compared with those who followed a HBD"

Eggs Might Not Be So Bad After All - WebMD, 11/1/01 - "something called phosphatidylcholine, or PC, in eggs actually stops the cholesterol in eggs from entering your bloodstream ... PC doesn't stop 100% of the cholesterol from getting into your blood, but it does seem to block a significant amount"

question regarding your new cholesterol-lowering supplement, Policosanol - Life Extension Magazine, 11/01 - "Studies show that niacin (B3) in doses of 1.5 grams to 3 grams lower triglycerides levels and raise HDL concentrations. Those who tolerated higher doses of niacin (nicotinic acid) showed even more improvement in lipid levels. Some people taking just 1000 mg of flush-free niacin see an elevation in beneficial HDL. Green tea also has been shown to elevate levels of HDL while lowering serum triglyceride levels. In the Journal of Molecular Cell Biochemistry, curcumin has been demonstrated, in vivo, to decrease triglycerides and increase HDL. In a study published in 1989 by the Journal of Associated Physicians-India, 125 patients receiving gugulipid showed a drop of 16.8% in triglycerides, and a 60% increase in HDL cholesterol within three to four weeks. Make sure you are taking at least six Mega EPA fish oil capsules daily, as low dose fish oil may not adequately suppress triglycerides. Finally, there are some lifestyle changes you may wish to consider. If you are overweight, weight loss would be recommended, as it would help to lower triglycerides and raise HDL. Also, try reducing carbohydrates, which can raise triglycerides"

What constitutes a glycation-reduced diet? I have a cataract and would like to try reducing glycation in my body - Life Extension Foundation, 11/01 - "Glycation of proteins has been shown to play a prominent role in the development of many diseases related to diabetes, atherosclerosis and cataract formation. Glycation also occurs as a result of general aging. A glycation reduction diet would be one that is low in simple sugars and carbohydrates. There are also certain supplements that help reduce glycation, such as carnosine. Carnosine is the most effective natural anti-glycating agent ... Other supplements include alpha lipoic acid, chromium picolinate and calcium pyruvate ... Taking antioxidants can help [with cataracts]. These supplements include melatonin, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), vitamin C and bioflavonoids"

Real Risks of Alzheimer's - ABC News, 10/31/01 - "there is strong enough evidence to suggest female hormone estrogen may be protective against the disease, making lack of the hormone a possible risk factor ... cholesterol is an "emerging risk factor" for Alzheimer's disease"