Recent longevity news for the seven days ending 11/28/01:

Low-Dose HRT Prevents Bone Loss and Osteoporosis in Early Menopause - Medscape, 11/28/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "low-dose HRT, especially if started in the first 5 years of menopause, can greatly reduce the risk of osteoporosis and further bone loss ... The HRT regimen consisted of 0.3 mg of conjugated equine estrogens and 2.5 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate daily. Both groups received 1000 mg of calcium daily ... Women receiving HRT had a significant 2.72% increase in mean bone mineral density (p < 0.05), while in controls mean bone mineral density decreased by 7.9% (p < 0.05) ... In the control group, body mass index significantly increased (p < 0.05) with a weight gain of 3%. Women in the HRT group had no change in body mass index and a nonsignificant 1.3% weight gain" - Note: You shouldn't take calcium alone like that.  See:

• Drugs That Deplete-Nutrients That Heal - Life Extension Foundation, 7/00 - "The irony here is that excess calcium supplementation may lead to magnesium deficiency (it also interferes with zinc and iron absorption)."
• Magnesium--A Forgotten Mineral - Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, 9/97 - "Excess calcium and phosphate also interfere with magnesium absorption. (Thus, taking calcium supplements without adding magnesium could result in magnesium deficiency.)"
• Inhibitory effects of zinc on magnesium balance and magnesium absorption in man - Medline, 10/94 - "the overall effect of the high Zn intake of the three groups combined, regardless of the Ca intake, was a highly significant decrease of Mg absorption and of the Mg balance"
• Zinc -- The Immune System's Missing Link? - Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, 12/97 - "Supplementing with zinc is quite safe--its only significant side effect is lowered copper levels in the body tissues, since the two minerals compete for absorption. Considering zinc's safety, people should consider taking zinc supplements, especially as they age--being sure to include copper in the proper balance. Most practitioners who supplement their patients' diets with zinc also recommend taking copper at a ratio of 10 mg to 15 mg zinc for each milligram of copper."
• See the Body Wise Essential Calcium Formula

Oral Enzyme Therapy Reduces Radiation-Related Side Effects In Cervical Cancer - Doctor's Guide, 11/28/01 - "Acute side effects related to radiation were less intense in the patients receiving oral enzymes. The maximum extent of skin, vaginal mucosa, genitourinary and gastrointestinal reactions were all lower in patients who received oral enzymes compared to controls. Moreover, enzyme therapy was associated with lower total adverse event scores compared to controls ... During follow up, patients who received oral enzymes showed less severe side effects arising from radiotherapy than controls ... The authors concluded that oral therapy with trypsin, chymotrypsin and papain reduced the severity of side effects arising from radiotherapy used to treat locally advanced cervical cancer" - Note:  Wobenzym is the best enzyme formula I know of and it contains the three enzymes used in that study.  Related enzyme articles:

• Enzymes Encourage Healthy Skin - Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, 7/98 - "These enzymes break down cell debris, fibrin and toxins as well as stimulate phagocytosis within the immune system and accelerate elimination by way of the lymphatic system and blood vessels. Metabolic enzyme therapy improves circulation, fights free radicals and reduces inflammation"
• Enzymes Can Hasten Pain Relief - Nutrition Science News, 2/01 - "Enzymes work not by stopping or blocking inflammation, but by supporting and quickening the process . . . By the third day after the operation, levels of C-reactive protein—a measure of inflammation—were threefold higher in the control group"

Study Suggests Hormones Linked to Migraines - ABC News, 11/27/01 - "chronic migraine sufferers had higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that is involved in the control of blood pressure and blood sugar metabolism, and were more likely to have delayed peak levels of melatonin, the hormone that controls sleep cycles"

Hypothalamus Hormones Play Key Role In Chronic Migraine - Doctor's Guide, 11/27/01 - "Cortisol levels were significantly higher in the migraineurs"

I mentioned last week a study claiming mirtazapine significantly reduced cortisol.  I tracked down the study and posted the data on my web site.  Compared to the placebo, 15 mg of mirtazapine reduced cortisol by about 60% after fours hours. - Ben

Getting Vigilant About High Blood Pressure - WebMD, 11/27/01 - "High systolic blood pressure is a powerful predictor of strokes, heart attacks, and death, and must be treated aggressively"

Red Clover Supplement Eases Monthly Breast Pain - WebMD, 11/26/01 - "A supplement containing red clover isoflavones reduced breast pain by 44% ... The red clover isoflavones are believed to act as a weak estrogen, which reduces the amount of estrogen produced in breast cells, thereby reducing pain ... The supplement used in the study -- sold under the brand name Promensil -- has been used in clinical trials involving more than 1,000 women" - See Promensil at iHerb (discount code "qc")

Hormone Replacement Therapy Appears to Protect Against Cataracts - Medscape, 11/26/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "there was a protective association between HRT use and nuclear opacity ... Past (OR, 0.2) and current (OR, 0.3) HRT use were associated with a lower prevalence of posterior subcapsular opacity"

Carotenoid Intake May Protect Against Cataract Development - Medscape, 11/26/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "People who consume diets rich in carotenoids may be protected against cataract development ... alpha-carotene levels of >0.12 µmol/L had an odds ratio of 0.5 for nuclear cataracts relative to subjects with levels of 0.07 µmol/L or lower ... Beta-carotene was also tied to risk of developing nuclear cataracts ... Subjects with plasma lycopene levels of 0.14 µmol/L or higher were significantly less likely to develop cortical cataracts than subjects with lower levels. High plasma concentrations of lutein were associated with a reduced risk of developing posterior subcapsular cataracts" - I see this as another blow to supplements that only contain beta-carotene vice mixed carotenoids.  Beta-carotene is just one of over 600 carotenoids and some believe that taking large quantities of just one carotenoid may cause a deficiency of the other carotenoids - Ben

A Tiny Berry, A Pound Of Prevention - Intelihealth, 11/21/01 - "cranberries keep E. coli from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. Eighty to 90 percent of urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli ... cranberries may inhibit human breast cancer cell growth, and reduce the risk of gum disease and of stomach ulcers ... in animal studies cranberries decrease levels of total cholesterol and LDL, or bad cholesterol ... Compared with 19 other common fruits cranberries have the highest level of the antioxidant, phenol"

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Safe for Pregnant Women With Mood Disorders - Clinical Psychiatry News, 11/01, user=benhess, pwd=asdfgh - "Omega-3 fatty acids are well tolerated, nontoxic, and appear to be safe in pregnancy—characteristics that have made them attractive for many patients with mood disorders ... Calculating the dose of commercial preparations can be tricky. Front product panels should be ignored. “You'll see things all over the bottles, like ‘over 1,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids,’ but they won't necessarily have it,” she said, advising consumers to turn the bottle on its side to add up the milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)"

Flushing Away Heart Disease - Delicious! Online, 11/01 - "Niacin's nonflushing counterpart niacinamide does not provide the same cardiovascular benefits" - Note, there are two niacin compounds marketed as "no-flush".  One is niacinamide, which this article claims doesn't work.  I found that out on my own. The other no-flush niacin is inositol hexanicotinate, which worked great for me.  I took four of the 500 mg Source Naturals inositol hexanicotinate and my HDL went from 34 to 67.  Part of it may have been from increasing fat in my diet.  A very low fat diet can reduce HDL cholesterol.   I started snacking on whole wheat toast with the non-hydrogenated peanut butter and strawberry jam sweetened only with fruit juices on top.  Taking antioxidants can also decrease HDL and not many people take more than me.  Important HDL related articles:

• High Levels of HDL Cholesterol Can Save Your Life - ABC News, 11/3/00 - "So how much HDL is enough? Current guidelines say 35 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dl) is normal, but most cardiologists would prefer you to have an HDL count that’s twice that. “The higher the better,” says Gaziano. “Once you get over 60 mg/dl, it’s a strong positive factor in avoiding heart disease.”"
• Cholesterol guideline goals too lenient to stop heart disease - Reuters, 9/9/98 - "the main thing that needs changing is HDL ... HDL goals should be "...45 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women"
• 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)"

Herbs Dr. Ruth Should Know - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 11/01 - "In men, the herb [horny goat weed] reputedly promotes sperm production and sexual desire, and improves some cases of impotence. In women, the herb has primarily been used for fatigue and postmenopausal hypertension"

Enzymatic Therapy has a new product just out this month for heartburn.  It isn't even on Enzymatic's web site yet.  iHerb has it (click here) -  "Heartburn Free will not reduce mineral absorption or inhibit protein digestion, and does not shut down acid production nor adversely affect acid-producing cells."  Also see Drug Nutrient Depletions: Ulcer/Antacid Medications

Sustain Your Brain - Delicious! Online, 11/01 - "Antioxidants And B Vitamins ... Acetyl-L-carnitine ... Alpha-lipoic acid ... Docosahexaenoic acid ... Huperzine A ... Phosphatidylserine ... Ginkgo ... Ginseng"

The Life Extension Foundation Buyers Club started their annual sale on 11/26/01.  They didn't say when the sale ends.