Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 11/25/09.  You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids boost the birth of new neurons, study finds - Science Daily, 11/24/09 - "a diet rich in polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, patented as an LMN diet, helps boost the production of the brain's stem cells -neurogenesis- and strengthens their differentiation in different types of neuron cells ... mice fed an LMN diet, when compared to those fed a control diet, have more cell proliferation in the two areas of the brain where neurogenesis is produced, the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus, both of which are greatly damaged in patients with Alzheimer's disease ... Polyphenols can be found in tea, beer, grapes, wine, olive oil, cocoa, nuts and other fruits and vegetables. Polyunsaturated fatty acids can be found in blue fish and vegetables such as corn, soya beans, sunflowers and pumpkins"

Dietary Antioxidants Could Help Preserve Muscle Strength in Older Adults - Medscape, 11/23/09 - "In a study in older adults, dietary intake of vitamins C and E was linked with muscle strength, leading the researchers to suggest at a meeting in Atlanta this past weekend that a diet high in antioxidants could play an important role in preserving muscle function in older adults ... Muscle strength is really a marker of aging ... Muscle strength starts declining when people are in their 40s, but it decreases dramatically after age 60 ... At this point, it's not clear whether vitamins C and E specifically help preserve muscle strength, or if intake of these micronutrients is a marker of a healthy diet"

Alzheimer's: Destructive amyloid-beta protein may also be essential for normal brain function - Science Daily, 11/23/09 - "Alzheimer's disease is thought to be caused by the build-up of a brain peptide called amyloid-beta. That's why eliminating the protein has been the focus of almost all drug research pursuing a cure for the devastating neurodegenerative condition ... amyloid-beta is also necessary to maintain proper brain functioning"

Fat around the middle increases the risk of dementia - Science Daily, 11/23/09 - "Anyone carrying a lot of fat around the middle is at greater risk of dying prematurely due to a heart attack or stroke ... If they nevertheless manage to live beyond 70, they run a greater risk of dementia ... women who were broader around the waist than the hips in middle age ran slightly more than twice the risk of developing dementia when they got old"

Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive - Science Daily, 11/23/09 - "About 70 percent of the population of the United States has insufficient levels of vitamin D" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Resveratrol could prove HRT alternative, study - Nutra USA, 11/23/09 - "While genistein, resveratrol and glycitein all increased apoptosis and reduced the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, resveratrol reduced this ratio more than either genistein or glycitein ... Because it (resveratrol) stimulated the transcription of endogenous estrogen receptor (ER) and proapoptotic effects, this phytoestrogen is the most promising candidate as an HRT alternative and chemopreventive reagent for breast cancer ... The researchers added that their results indicated that daidzein causes a slight cell-stimulating effect in the absence of E2, which may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women taking supplements containing these phytoestrogens" - [Abstract] - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.

Antioxidant found in vegetables has implications for treating cystic fibrosis - 11/20/09 - "a dietary antioxidant found in such vegetables as broccoli and cauliflower protects cells from damage caused by chemicals generated during the body's inflammatory response to infection and injury. The finding has implications for such inflammation-based disorders as cystic fibrosis (CF), diabetes, heart disease, and neurodegeneration ... the antioxidant thiocyanate normally existing in the body protects lung cells from injuries caused by accumulations of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorite, the active ingredient in household bleach. These potentially harmful chemicals are made by the body as a reaction to infection and injury. In addition, thiocyanate also protects cells from hypochlorite produced in reactions involving MPO, an enzyme released from germ-fighting white blood cells during inflammation"

Artificial Sweetener May Lower Blood Pressure - WebMD, 11/20/09 - "Systolic blood pressure dropped an average of 6.9 points in the OFS group, compared with 3.5 in the placebo group ... Diastolic blood pressure decreased an average of 7.3 points in the OFS group vs. 2.3 in the placebo group ... Levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein ( LDL or “bad” cholesterol), and triglycerides also dropped more in participants given OFS than in those who took placebo tablets" - See:

• Fructooligosaccharide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - "Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) also sometimes called oligofructose or oligofructan, is a class of oligosaccharides used as an artificial or alternative sweetener. FOS exhibits sweetness levels between 30 and 50 percent of sugar in commercially-prepared syrups. [1] Its use emerged in the 1980s in response to consumer demand for healthier and calorie-reduced foods. The term oligosaccharide refers to a short chain of sugar molecules (in the case of FOS, fructose molecules). Oligo means few, and saccharide means sugar"
• See inulin at Amazon.com.

Green Tea May Prevent Kidney Stones - WebMD, 11/20/09 - "The results showed that as the amount of green tea extract applied increased, the calcium oxalate crystals became flatter and flatter ... Researchers say flatter crystals form less stable kidney stones that break up more easily" - See green tea extract at Amazon.com.

Common plastics chemicals -- phthalates -- linked to ADHD symptoms - Science Daily, 11/19/09 - "Researchers found a significant positive association between phthalate exposure and ADHD, meaning that the higher the concentration of phthalate metabolites in the urine, the worse the ADHD symptoms and/or test scores" - Also see:

• Phthalate exposure linked to less-masculine play by boys - Science Daily, 11/16/09

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):

Effects of diverse dietary phytoestrogens on cell growth, cell cycle and apoptosis in estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer cells - J Nutr Biochem. 2009 Oct 2 - "While genistein, resveratrol and glycitein all increased apoptosis and reduced the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, resveratrol reduced this ratio more than either genistein or glycitein. Moreover, resveratrol significantly enhanced p53-dependent transcriptional activity, but slightly reduced NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional activity. On knockdown analysis, genistein, resveratrol and glycitein all reduced the Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the presence of apoptosis-inducing stimuli, and estrogen receptor (ER) alpha silencing had no effect on these reductions. In contrast, in the absence of apoptosis-inducing stimuli, only resveratrol reduced the ratio, and ERalpha silencing abolished this reduction. Thus, resveratrol might be the most promising candidate for HRT and chemoprevention of breast cancer due to its estrogenic activity and high antitumor activity" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.

Low Total and Nonheme Iron Intakes Are Associated with a Greater Risk of Hypertension - J Nutr. 2009 Nov 18 - "Low nonheme iron intake at baseline was associated with a greater increase in systolic BP (SBP) and pulse pressure over time after adjustment for multiple possible confounding factors (P-trend = 0.002 and 0.0005, respectively). Conversely, participants in the 3rd tertile of nonheme iron intake at baseline had a 37% lower risk of hypertension after 5.4 y of follow-up compared with those in the first tertile (P-trend = 0.04). Heme iron intake was not associated with BP changes or risk of hypertension. Meat intake was positively associated with an increase in SBP (P-trend = 0.04). However, that relation became nonsignificant after adjusting for dietary pattern scores. Baseline hemoglobin and ferritin concentrations were not associated with changes in BP or incidental hypertension. Our data support a possible role of low nonheme iron intake, independent of heme iron intake, in the development of hypertension"

Efficacy of testosterone gel in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in hypogonadal hemodialysis patients: a pilot study - Int J Impot Res. 2009 Nov 19 - "T administration significantly increased serum T levels to the normal range, and was associated with statistically significant improvements of the scores of the IIEF domains (erectile function from 7.6+/-8.0 to 12.8+/-7.8; intercourse satisfaction from 3.4+/-4.5 to 4.8+/-3.1; orgasmic function from 4.8+/-3.1 to 3.4+/-2.9; sexual desire from 3.4+/-2.9 to 4.4+/-0.6; overall sexual satisfaction from 2.6+/-1.3 to 3.8+/-1.0). But scores of the IIEF did not normalize. Frequency of weekly sexual intercourse increased from 0.4+/-0.4 to 1.1+/-0.8 (P<0.05) after 6 months. There were no adverse effects" - Note:  One problem with testosterone administration is that it increased estradiol by about the same percentage.  I'm 60 years old and my testosterone was above the limits just by taking a half tablet of letrozole per day.  I've cut it to a quarter tablet but haven't had it rechecked.  Letrozole has been shown to double or triple testosterone and lower estrogen at the same time plus there's not the testicle shrinkage problem that some claim (click here) is only from watching the view (joke).  Some studies indicate that you might want to keep estrogen around 25 for men.  See letrozole at OffshoreRx1.com.  See:

• Androgel prescribing information - androgel.com - "Serum estradiol (E2) concentrations increased significantly within 30 days of starting treatment with AndroGel 5 or 10 g/day and remained elevated throughout the treatment period but remained within the normal range for eugonadal men"
• High, Low Estradiol Levels and Mortality in Men With Systolic HF - Medscape, 5/19/09 - "Both low and high serum levels of estradiol, compared with mid-range levels, are significantly and independently associated with increased all-cause mortality in men with chronic systolic heart failure"
• Short-term aromatase inhibition: effects on glucose metabolism and serum leptin levels in young and elderly men - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 Dec 2 - "Ten elderly and nine young healthy men were randomized to receive letrozole 2.5 mg daily or placebo for 28 days in a crossover design. Results: Both in young and elderly men, active treatment significantly increased serum testosterone (+128 and +99%, resp.) and decreased estradiol levels (-41 and -62%, resp.). Fasting glucose and insulin levels decreased in young men after active intervention (-7 and -37%, resp.) compared to placebo. Leptin levels fell markedly in both age groups (-24 and -25%, resp.), while adiponectin levels were not affected by the intervention. Lipid profile was slightly impaired in both groups, with increasing LDL-cholesterol levels (+14%) in the younger age group and 10% lower levels of ApoA1 in the elderly. A decline in IGF-1 levels (-15%) was observed in the younger age group. No changes in weight or BMI were observed in either young or old men"
• Letrozole once a week normalizes serum testosterone in obesity-related male hypogonadism - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 May;158(5):741-7 - "Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is frequently observed in severely obese men, probably as a result of increased estradiol (E(2)) production and E(2)-mediated negative feedback on pituitary LH secretion. Aromatase inhibitors can reverse this process ... treated with 2.5 mg letrozole once a week for 6 months ... Six weeks of treatment reduced total E(2) from 123+/-11 to 58+/-7 pmol/l (P<0.001, mean+/-s.e.m.), and increased serum LH from 4.4+/-0.6 to 11.1+/-1.5 U/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose from 5.9+/-0.5 to 19.6+/-1.4 nmol/l (P<0.001), and free testosterone from 163+/-13 to 604+/-50 pmol/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose to within the normal range in all subjects, whereas free testosterone rose to supraphysiological levels in 7 out of 12 men ... Letrozole 2.5 mg once a week produced a sustained normalization of serum total testosterone in obese men with IHH. However, free testosterone frequently rose to supraphysiological levels. Therefore, a starting dose <2.5 mg once a week is recommended"
• Comparative assessment in young and elderly men of the gonadotropin response to aromatase inhibition - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Oct;90(10):5717-22 - "As assessed after 28 d of treatment, letrozole lowered E2 by 46% in the young men (P = 0.002) and 62% in the elderly men (P < 0.001). In both age groups, letrozole, but not placebo, significantly increased LH levels (339 and 323% in the young and the elderly, respectively) and T (146 and 99%, respectively) (P value of young vs. elderly was not significant). Under letrozole, peak LH response to GnRH was 152 and 52% increase from baseline in young and older men, respectively"
• Letrozole normalizes serum testosterone in severely obese men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism - Diabetes Obes Metab. 2005 May;7(3):211-5 - "Six weeks of treatment decreased serum estradiol from 120 +/- 20 to 70 +/- 9 pmol/l (p = 0.006). None of the subjects developed an estradiol level of less than 40 pmol/l. LH increased from 4.5 +/- 0.8 to 14.8 +/- 2.3 U/l (p < 0.001). Total testosterone rose from 7.5 +/- 1.0 to 23.8 +/- 3.0 nmol/l (p < 0.001) without a concomitant change in sex hormone-binding globulin level. Those treated with Letrozole 17.5 mg per week had an excessive LH response"

Dietary supplementation of n-3 PUFA reduces weight gain and improves postprandial lipaemia and the associated inflammatory response in the obese JCR:LA-cp rat - Diabetes Obes Metab. 2009 Nov 16 - "n-3 PUFA treatment resulted in a significant improvement (i.e. decrease) in the postprandial response for triglyceride (45%) (p < 0.05), apoB48 (45%) (p < 0.03) and LBP (33%) (p < 0.05) compared to controls (measured as area under the clearance curve). In contrast, we observed a significant elevation in postprandial haptoglobin (165%) (p < 0.001) in obese rats supplemented with 10% n-3 PUFA. Treatment with 5% n-3 PUFA in the JCR:LA-cp obese animals resulted in a complementary decrease in total body weight gain (6%) (p < 0.001) and an increase (i.e. improvement) in adiponectin (33%) (p < 0.05) compared to controls, without a concomitant reduction in food intake" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Searching for the right outcome? A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials using carotid intima-media thickness or pulse wave velocity to infer antiatherogenic properties of thiazolidinediones - Diabetes Obes Metab. 2009 Nov 17 - "A composite of combined placebo and comparator controlled trials demonstrated a significant weighted mean difference of-0.06 mm for CIMT (95% CI-0.09 to-0.02, p = 0.001) and-0.72 ms(-1) for PWV (95% CI-1.28 to-0.16, p = 0.011) in favour of thiazolidiendione treatment" - Note:  I still take pioglitazone for anti-aging.  See my Insulin and Aging page.  See  pioglitazone at OffshoreRx1.com.

Inverse association between serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels and non-melanoma skin cancer in elderly men - Cancer Causes Control. 2009 Nov 18 - "Men in the highest quintile of 25(OH)D (>30 ng/mL) had 47% lower odds of NMSC (95% CI: 0.30-0.93, p = 0.026) compared to those in the lowest quintile. Our results suggest that a diagnosis of NMSC is not a surrogate for adequate 25(OH)D levels or increased UV exposure, and high 25(OH)D levels may be associated with a reduced risk of NMSC" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Health Focus (C-reactive protein):

Related Topics:

• inflammation / interleukin 6 / doxycycline

Alternative News:

• Serum vitamin C concentration and hs-CRP level in middle-aged Japanese men and women - Atherosclerosis. 2009 Aug 7 - "Inverse associations between serum vitamin C concentrations and hs-CRP levels were established for both men and women. Multivariable-adjusted mean values of hs-CRP for the lowest to highest quintiles of vitamin C levels were 0.75, 0.65, 0.61, 0.61 and 0.47mg/L (P for trend <0.001) for men, and 0.56, 0.51, 0.49, 0.41 and 0.41mg/L (P for trend <0.001) for women. The inverse association between vitamin C and hs-CRP was stronger for non-smoking men and women, non-overweight women and postmenopausal women ... Serum vitamin C concentrations were found to be inversely associated with hs-CRP levels in both men and women, primarily among non-smokers, non-overweight women and postmenopausal women"
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements improve the cardiovascular risk profile of subjects with metabolic syndrome, including markers of inflammation and auto-immunity - Acta Cardiol. 2009 Jun;64(3):321-7 - "were given 1 gram of fish oil as a single capsule, containing 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid daily for 6 months. Control subjects did not receive any supplementation over the same period. RESULTS: The study was completed by 47 subjects in the intervention group and 42 subjects in the control group. Treatment with omega 3 supplements was associated with a significant fall in body weight (P < 0.05), systolic blood pressures (P < 0.05), serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05), and total cholesterol (P < 0.05), triglycerides (P < 0.05), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P < 0.01), and Hsp27 antibody titres (P < 0.05). No significant changes were observed in the control group. CONCLUSION: It appears that omega 3 improves the cardiovascular risk profile of subjects with metabolic syndrome, having effects on weight, systolic blood pressure, lipid profile and markers of inflammation and autoimmunity" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• An inverse relationship between plasma n-3 fatty acids and C-reactive protein in healthy individuals - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Apr 8 - "The highest hs-CRP tertile (>3.0 mg/l) had significantly lower concentrations of total n-3 fatty acids, EPA and DPA, when compared with the other tertiles (P<0.05). This study provides evidence that in healthy individuals, plasma n-3 fatty acid concentration is inversely related to hs-CRP concentration, a surrogate marker of CVD risk" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Omega-3 DHA boost for heart health in high-risk men: Study - Nutra USA, 3/6/09 - "supplementation with DHA for 45 days resulted in decreased levels of the number of circulating white blood cells (neutrophils) by 11.7 per cent, and these reductions were maintained until the end of the 90-day study (10.5 per cent reduction) ... levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) had decreased by 15 per cent, and IL-6 had decreased by 23 per cent ... Furthermore, levels of the anti-inflammatory matrix metalloproteinase-2 rose by 7 per cent ... In conclusion, DHA may lessen the inflammatory response by altering blood lipids and their fatty acid composition" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• DHA Supplementation Decreases Serum C-Reactive Protein and Other Markers of Inflammation in Hypertriglyceridemic Men - J Nutr. 2009 Jan 21 - "DHA supplementation for 45 and 91 d decreased the number of circulating neutrophils by 11.7 and 10.5%, respectively (P < 0.05). It did not alter the circulating concentrations of other inflammatory markers tested within 45 d, but at 91 d it reduced (P < 0.05) concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) by 15%, interleukin-6 by 23%, and granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor by 21% and DHA increased the concentration of antiinflammatory matrix metalloproteinase-2 by 7%. The number of circulating neutrophils was positively associated with the weight percent (wt %) of 20:4(n-6) in RBC lipids, and negatively to the wt % of 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3). Concentrations of CRP and serum amyloid A were positively associated with the sum of SFA and negatively with the wt % of 18:1(n-9) and 17:0 in RBC lipids; CRP was also positively associated with the wt % of 20:2(n-6). The mean size of VLDL particles was positively associated with plasma concentrations of neutrophils and CRP. In conclusion, DHA may lessen the inflammatory response by altering blood lipids and their fatty acid composition" - See Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• Inflamed Gums Linked To Heart Disease - Science Daily, 12/20/08 - "a protein associated with inflammation (called CRP) is elevated in people who are at risk for heart disease. But where's the inflammation coming from? ... infected gums may be one place ... something as simple as taking good care of your teeth and gums can greatly reduce your risk of developing serious diseases"
• Pine bark extract may help joints and hearts: Study - Nutra USA, 12/11/08 - "The decrease of systemic inflammatory markers, particularly CRP, suggests Pycnogenol properties may be potent enough to arrest the spread of inflammation from osteoarthritic joints to the whole organisms ... subjects received either two daily doses of 50 mg Pycnogenol or placebo for three months ... people receiving the pine bark extract experienced significant reductions in CRP levels from an average of 3.9 mg/L at the start of the study to 1.1 mg/L after three months. This is equivalent to a 71 per cent reduction ... Moreover, a reduction in the blood levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of 30 per cent was recorded" - See Pycnogenol at Amazon.com.
• Vitamin C Lowers Levels Of Inflammation Biomarker Considered Predictor Of Heart Disease - Science Daily, 11/14/08 - "for people with elevated CRP levels, the amount of CRP reduction achieved by taking vitamin C supplements in this study is comparable to that in many other studies of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. They noted that several larger statin trials lowered CRP levels by about 0.2 milligrams per liter; in this latest study, vitamin C lowered CRP by 0.25 milligrams per liter" - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com.
• Vitamin C-lipid metabolites: Uptake and retention and effect on plasma C-reactive protein and oxidized LDL levels in healthy volunteers - Med Sci Monit. 2008 Nov;14(11):CR547-551 - "ascorbic acid (AA), calcium ascorbate (CaA) ... PureWay-C(R) supplementation leads to the highest absolute serum vitamin C levels when compared to AA, CaA and Ester-C(R). PureWay-C(R) provides a statistically significant greater serum level than calcium ascorbate at 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours post oral supplementation whereas Ester-C(R) shows a less but slightly statistically significant increase at only 1 and 4 hours. Oral supplementation with PureWay-C(R) also led to a greater reduction in plasma C-reactive protein and oxidized LDL levels compared to the other vitamin C formulations. Conclusions: PureWay-C(R) is more rapidly absorbed and leads to higher serum vitamin C levels and greater reduction of plasma levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers than other forms of vitamin C, including Ester-C(R)" - See vitamin C products at Amazon.com.
• Anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and plant sterols in hyperlipidemic individuals - Atherosclerosis. 2008 Sep 27 - "The combination of n-3 PUFA and plant sterols reduced several inflammatory markers. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was reduced by 39% (P=0.009), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by 10% (P=0.02), interleukin-6 (IL-6) by 10.7% (P=0.009), leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) by 29.5% (P=0.01) and adiponectin was increased by 29.5% (P=0.05). Overall cardiovascular risk was reduced by 22.6% (P=0.006) in the combination group. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated, for the first time that dietary intervention with n-3 PUFA and plant sterols reduces systemic inflammation in hyperlipidemic individuals. Furthermore, our results suggest that reducing inflammation provides a potential mechanism by which the combination of n-3 PUFA and plant sterols are cardioprotective" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.
• What Else May Probiotics Do In Adults? - Science Daily, 5/20/08 - "It was found that probiotics have an anti-inflammatory potential seen as a decrease in serum CRP levels and as a reduction in bacteria-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells"
• Whole Grains Shrink Belly Fat? - Dr. Weil, 3/31/08 - "the whole grains may have helped by stabilizing the dieters' blood sugar, which in turn may have had a beneficial effect on CRP levels"
• Serum C-reactive protein concentrations are inversely associated with dietary flavonoid intake in u.s. Adults - J Nutr. 2008 Apr;138(4):753-60 - "Among the flavonoid compounds investigated, quercetin, kaempferol, malvidin, peonidin, daidzein, and genistein had inverse associations with serum CRP concentration"
• Dietary intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is inversely associated with CRP levels, especially among male smokers - Atherosclerosis. 2008 Mar 14 - "Sufficient dietary intake of n-3PUFA may attenuate inflammatory reaction and this effect is more evident among high-risk populations such as male smokers although the small numbers of female ex-smokers and nonsmokers limited statistical power to draw strong conclusions about these groups" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com.
• Dietary choline and betaine intakes in relation to concentrations of inflammatory markers in healthy adults: the ATTICA study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Feb;87(2):424-30 - "Compared with the lowest tertile of choline intake (<250 mg/d), participants who consumed >310 mg/d had, on average, 22% lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (P < 0.05), 26% lower concentrations of interleukin-6 (P < 0.05), and 6% lower concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha" - See citicholine at Amazon.com.
• The effects of a whole grain enriched hypocaloric diet on cardiovascular disease risk factors in men and women with metabolic syndrome - J Clin Nutr. 2008 Jan;87(1):79-90 - "Both hypocaloric diets were effective means of improving CVD risk factors with moderate weight loss. There were significantly (P < 0.05) greater decreases in CRP and percentage body fat in the abdominal region in participants consuming whole grains than in those consuming refined grains"
• More support for whole grains for healthy hearts - Nutra USA< 1/7/08 - "25 women and 25 men (average age 46, average BMI 35.8 kg per sq. m) were assigned to consume a reduced calorie diet (reduced by 500 kcal/d) with half of the subjects then randomly assigned to obtain all of their grain servings from whole grains or to avoid wholegrain foods for 12 weeks ... CRP levels fell by 38 per cent in the whole-grain"
• The effects of extended-release niacin on carotid intimal media thickness, endothelial function and inflammatory markers in patients with the metabolic syndrome - Int J Clin Pract. 2007 Nov;61(11):1942-8 - "After 52 weeks of treatment, there was a change of carotid IMT of +0.009 +/- 0.003 mm in the placebo group and -0.005 +/- 0.002 mm in the niacin group (p = 0.021 between groups). Endothelial function improved by 22% in the group treated with niacin (p < 0.001), whereas no significant changes were seen in the placebo group. High sensitivity C-reactive protein decreased by 20% in the group treated with niacin for 52 weeks (p = 0.013). Niacin increased HDL-C (p < 0.001) and decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides (p < 0.001) significantly, and there were no adverse effects on fasting glucose levels after 52 weeks of treatment" - See niacin at Amazon.com or niacin at Amazon.com.
• Effects of folic acid and vitamin B complex on serum C-reactive protein and albumin levels in stable hemodialysis patients - Curr Med Res Opin. 2007 Jun 29 - "Folic acid and vitamin B complex co-administration effectively lowers tHcy and hs-CRP levels and increases albumin levels in stable hemodialysis subjects, underscoring their potential benefit to attenuate the state of inflammation and possibly improve the nutritional status in patients on hemodialysis"
• Effect of a High-Fiber Diet vs a Fiber-Supplemented Diet on C-Reactive Protein Level - Arch Intern Med. 2007 Mar 12;167(5):502-6 - "Overall, the mean C-reactive protein (CRP) level changed from 4.4 to 3.8 mg/L (-13.7%; P = .046) in the high-fiber DASH diet group and to 3.6 mg/L (-18.1%) in the fiber-supplemented diet group ... fiber intake of about 30 g/d) from a diet naturally rich in fiber or from a supplement can reduce levels of CRP"
• High-Fiber Diets, Fiber Supplements Reduce CRP Levels - Medscape, 3/14/07 - "The participants were then randomized to either the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), high-fiber diet (mean intake, nearly 28 g of fiber per day), or to a fiber supplement (psyllium) on top of their regular diet (mean intake, totaling 27 g/day). After 3 weeks on one diet, participants crossed over to the other fiber diet ... Overall, the mean CRP level changed from 4.4 to 3.8 mg/L (-13.7%; P = .046) in the high-fiber DASH diet group and to 3.6 mg/L (-18.1%) in the fiber-supplemented diet group (P = .02)"
• Dietary long-chain n-3 fatty acids of marine origin and serum C-reactive protein concentrations are associated in a population with a diet rich in marine products - Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jul;84(1):223-9 - "Greater intake of n-3 PUFAs derived from marine products, as measured with a self-administered questionnaire, was independently related to a lower prevalence of high CRP concentrations in this older Japanese population with a diet rich in marine products. Our findings suggest that even very high intakes of n-3 PUFAs may lower serum CRP concentrations"
• Does Inflammation Cause Heart Disease? - Dr. Weil, 5/18/06
• Assessing Inflammation Levels? - Dr. Weil, 5/16/06
• Fiber Good, and Not Just for Your Gut - WebMD, 4/13/06 - "Compared with those who ate the least fiber, those who ate the most were 63% less likely to have high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP)"
• Vitamin C could reduce inflammation - Nutra USA, 3/8/06 - "High blood levels of vitamin C were associated with a 45 per cent reduced risk of inflammation (with respect to CRP levels)"
• Fish Help the Heart by Fighting Inflammation - WebMD, 7/5/05 - "compared with those who said they didn't eat fish, those who ate at least 10.5 ounces of fish per week had 33% lower C-reactive protein and 33% lower tumor necrosis factor-alpha (another indicator of inflammation) levels as well as much lower levels of other signs of inflammation"
• Total antioxidant capacity of the diet is inversely and independently related to plasma concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in adult Italian subjects - Br J Nutr. 2005 May;93(5):619-25 - "dietary TAC is inversely and independently correlated with plasma concentrations of hs-CRP and this could be one of the mechanisms explaining the protective effects against CVD of antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits, whole cereals and red wine"
• Study links good carbs to healthier hearts - MSNBC, 5/2/05 - "the CRP levels of women whose diets consisted primarily of refined grains were 10 percent higher than women who consumed a lot of good carbs such as fiber-rich whole grains, fruits and vegetables"
• Exercise May Reduce Metabolic Syndrome Risks - WebMD, 11/15/04 - "physical fitness was associated with lower levels of an inflammation marker associated with heart disease, known as C-reactive protein"
• New Research: What is Your Optimal TSH Level? - About.com, 9/30/04 - "normalizing the TSH with a target TSH level of less than 2 mIU/mL is advisable to lower CRP levels and homocysteine levels, and possibly the cholesterol levels"
• Red Wine Beats Gin for Heart Health - WebMD, 8/13/04 - "those who drunk red wine also had lower levels of C-reactive protein and two other inflammatory markers"
• Low plasma vitamin B-6 concentrations and modulation of coronary artery disease risk - Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Jun;79(6):992-8 - "Low concentrations of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP), the active metabolite of vitamin B-6, are associated with high C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations"
• Vitamin C supplement to beat diabetes and heart disease - Nutra USA, 4/14/04 - "Researchers at the University of California say that participants who took about 500 milligrams of vitamin C supplements per day saw a 24 per cent drop in plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels after two months" - See iHerb or Vitacost vitamin C products.
• Reduction of C-reactive protein levels through use of a multivitamin - Am J Med. 2003 Dec 15;115(9):702-7 - "multivitamin use was associated with lower C-reactive protein levels"
• Mediterranean Diet Lowers C-reactive Protein Levels - Medscape, 11/11/03 - "For each 10-point increase in diet score, there was a corresponding 0.22 mg/dL reduction in C-reactive protein levels, a 0.21 pg/ml reduction in interleukin-6, a 12.5 mg/dL decrease in fibrinogen, and a 0.87 mmol/L decrease in homocysteine levels (P < .05), he said. Also, white blood cell count decreased significantly"
• Dietary Changes Can Reduce Cholesterol and C-Reactive Protein as Much as Medication - New Hope Natural Media, 9/18/03 - "One group was treated with a statin medication (20 mg of lovastatin per day) and another received placebo. A third group ate a modified daily diet that included an additional 2 grams of plant sterols provided in a margarine, 20 grams of insoluble fiber from psyllium, oats and barley, 43 grams of soy protein from soy milk and soy meat-substitutes, and 1 ounce of whole almonds. At the end of the study, total cholesterol levels had decreased 6% in the placebo group, 23% in the statin group and 22% in the modified-diet group. Levels of LDL-cholesterol dropped 8% in the placebo group, 31% in the statin group and 29% in the modified-diet group. CRP levels decreased 10% in the placebo group, 33% in the statin group and 28% in the modified-diet group"
• Inflammation Syndrome a Red-Hot Topic - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 9/03 - "What are some of the key anti-inflammatory supplements? ... At the top of the list are omega-3 fish oils, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, an omega-6 fat that behaves more like an omega-3) and vitamin E. Several studies have shown that natural vitamin E supplements lower CRP levels by 30 percent to 50 percent"
• Weight Loss Eases Harmful Inflammation - WebMD, 2/4/02 - "They measured levels of a blood chemical called "C-reactive protein," or CRP. This chemical goes up when inflammation in the body rises. Then, 25 of the women were put on a weight-loss program ... On average, CRP levels fell by 32% after a weight loss of about 33 pounds over 14 months"
• Inflammation and Heart Disease - Life Extension Magazine, 1/01
• Diet and Exercise Alone Shown to Lower C-Reactive Protein - Doctor's Guide, 11/14/01 - "Hs-CRP, a marker of low level inflammation, has been found to be a strong predictor of myocardial infarction and stroke in men and women, as well as subsequent clinical events in patients following major cardiac events ... a structured program involving a low-fat, Mediterranean diet and a supervised, three-times weekly exercise program for three months ... Values of hs-CRP dropped 31 percent after the three months ... body fat was reduced by 5 percent ... exercise capacity improved 36 percent"
• A Prescription for Alarm - Nutrition Science News, 9/01 - "Taking natural vitamin E supplements to reduce levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory compound that increases the risk of heart disease by 4.5 times.  Heart disease is increasingly viewed as a disease of blood-vessel 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"

Other News:

• Association of sex hormones and C-reactive protein levels in men - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2009 Sep 21 - "A robust, inverse dose-response correlation between testosterone and SHBG levels with CRP levels provides further evidence of a potential role of androgens in inflammatory processes"
• Obesity, coffee consumption and CRP levels in postmenopausal overweight/obese women: importance of hormone replacement therapy use - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Sep 16 - "Plasma CRP was positively associated with BMI (P<0.001) and negatively associated with coffee consumption (P</=0.05). In women using HRT, plasma CRP was positively associated with BMI in women consuming less than one cup of coffee per month (r (2)=0.15 (P<0.001)), one cup per day (0.14 (P=0.02)) and more than one cup per day (0.12 (P=0.03)). In women who did not use HRT, CRP was associated with BMI only in women consuming less than one cup of coffee per day (r (2)=0.16 (P<0.001)) but not in women consuming one cup per day (0.06 (P=0.10)) or more than one daily cup of coffee"
• High Levels of Serum C-Reactive Protein Are Associated with Greater Risk of All-Cause Mortality, but Not Dementia, in the Oldest-Old: Results from The 90+ Study - J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Feb 23 - "Subjects with detectable CRP levels had significantly greater risk of mortality (HR=1.7, 95% CI=1.0-2.9), but not dementia (HR=1.2, 95% CI=0.6-2.1), 0.4 to 4.5 years later than subjects with undetectable CRP"
• Rosuvastatin Nearly Cuts in Half Risk of Stroke - Doctor's Guide, 2/20/09 - "A refined analysis of a major clinical trial indicates that treating patients with the cholesterol-lowering agent rosuvastatin dramatically reduces the incidence of stroke among patients with high levels of C-reactive protein when compared with patients taking placebo ... Patients in the study were randomised to rosuvastatin 20 mg daily or placebo"
• More May Benefit From Cholesterol Drugs - WebMD, 1/13/09 - "Eight out of 10 middle-aged and older Americans may benefit from treatment with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs ... All the participants had elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) ... Over an average of two years of treatment, participants who took the statin Crestor had half as many heart attacks, strokes, and deaths from cardiovascular causes as participants randomly assigned to receive a placebo"
• C-reactive protein levels and ageing male symptoms in hypogonadal men treated with testosterone supplementation - Andrologia. 2008 Dec;40(6):398-400 - "Aging Male Symptom (AMS) ... Testosterone administration resulted in a profound decline in CRP levels and AMS scores"
• JUPITER hits New Orleans: Landmark study shows statins benefit healthy individuals with high CRP levels - theheart.org, 11/9/08 - "In a study of individuals with low LDL cholesterol but elevated C-reactive-protein (CRP) levels, investigators showed that rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca) 20 mg significantly reduced the primary end point—a composite of nonfatal MI, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, revascularization, and confirmed death from cardiovascular causes—by 44% compared with individuals treated with placebo" - Note:  They seem to be attributing this to the reduction in CRP.  At 12 months, the CRP  of the 20 mg Crestor group was 2.2.  The baseline was 4.2.  That's a (4.2 - 2.2)/4.2 = 47.6% reduction in CRP.  Another option to reduce CRP might be Periostat (low dose doxycycline for periodontal disease).  See:
  • Low-dose Periostat (Doxycycline) Shows Benefits in Patients with Heart Failure - Doctor's Guide, 11/20/02 - "At six-month follow-up, sub-antimicrobial dose doxycyline significantly reduced CRP levels by 45.8 percent compared to baseline values (p<0.05). The drug was also associated with a 33.5 percent reduction in interleukin-6 and a 50 percent reduction in metalloproteinase ... The findings are exciting, since research is now showing that CRP is both a key marker of inflammation leading to future acute coronary events, but also that CRP itself may contribute to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis"
• Levels Of C-reactive Protein In The Blood Do Not Cause Diabetes - Science Daily, 8/11/08
• Adiponectin, but not leptin or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, is associated with blood pressure independently of general and abdominal adiposity - Hypertens Res. 2008 Apr;31(4):633-40 - "all three markers were significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (negative correlation for adiponectin and positive correlations for leptin and hs-CRP)"
• Inflammatory Markers and Albuminuria Independently Predict Heart Failure - Medscape, 5/2/08 - "Interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein, and macroalbuminuria are significant predictors of congestive heart failure, independent of obesity and other established risk factors" - Also see my inflammation page for ways to reduce it.
• Low Vitamin D, High CRP Linked to Poorer Function in Heart Failure Patients - Medscape, 4/28/08 - "Lower vitamin D levels and higher C-reactive protein levels are associated with poor aerobic capacity and greater frailty in elderly patients with heart failure"
• CRP Levels Predict Death in Patients With Chronic Heart Disease - Medscape, 1/8/08 - "Elevated baseline CRP levels raised the risk (per unit of log-transformed CRP level change) of the primary endpoint by 19%, MI by 17%, total death by 19%, and cardiac death by 28%"
• Comparison of Effectiveness of Rosuvastatin Versus Atorvastatin on the Achievement of Combined C-Reactive Protein (<2 mg/L) and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (<70 mg/dl) Targets in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (from the ANDROMEDA Study) - Am J Cardiol. 2007 Oct 15;100(8):1245-1248 - "CRP was effectively decreased in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving rosuvastatin or atorvastatin, whereas rosuvastatin decreased LDL cholesterol significantly more than atorvastatin"
• Inflammation Linked to Eye Disease - WebMD, 10/8/07 - "participants with the highest CRP levels at the study's start were 40% more likely to develop early-stage AMD during the study, compared to those with the lowest initial CRP levels"
• Human C-reactive Protein Regulates Myeloma Tumor Cell Growth And Survival - Science Daily, 9/15/07 - "CRP protects myeloma cells from apoptosis induced by chemotherapy drugs and stimulates myeloma cells to secrets more IL-6, which in turn provides additional protection to myeloma from apoptosis and stimulates liver cells to secrete more CRP. Thus, CRP could be a therapeutic target for breaking the vicious circle of myeloma to improve the therapeutic efficacy of currently available treatments"
• The Differential Effects of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers on Microalbuminuria in Relation to Low-Grade Inflammation in Metabolic Hypertensive Patients - Am J Hypertens. 2007 May;20(5):565-72 - "There was a significant increase in high molecular weight adiponectin in the telmisartan group ... The reductions of microalbuminuria and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were significant in the telmisartan group"
• Valsartan Cuts C-Reactive Protein Levels in Prediabetics - Doctor's Guide, 5/22/07 - "In diabetic patients with abdominal obesity, after 16 weeks of hydrochlorothiazide therapy, median hsCRP values were increased 16% (4.9 vs 3.7 mg/L at baseline, P <.05) but decreased 9% in patients on valsartan (3.7 vs 4.1 mg/L at baseline, P <.05) and 5% in patients on combination therapy"
• A randomized trial of the effects of rosiglitazone and metformin on inflammation and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes - Am Heart J. 2007 Mar;153(3):445.e1-6 - "Metformin and rosiglitazone treatment led to similar significant improvements in glycemic control (HbA(1c) -1.08% in the rosiglitazone group and -1.18% in the metformin group, P = nonsignificant). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels decreased by an average of 68% in the rosiglitazone group (5.99 +/- 0.88 to 1.91 +/- 0.28 mg/L, P < .001), compared with a nonsignificant 4% reduction in hsCRP with metformin"
• Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Pioglitazone and/or Simvastatin in High Cardiovascular-Risk Patients With Elevated High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein: The PIOSTAT Study - Medscape, 1/9/07 - "After 12 weeks of treatment, hs-CRP levels were reduced from 3.64 +/-2.42 mg/l to 2.48 +/-1.77 mg/l with pioglitazone monotherapy and from 3.26 +/-2.02 mg/l to 2.81 +/-2.11 mg/l with simvastatin monotherapy (as illustrated in Fig. 1). Combination treatment with pioglitazone and simvastatin resulted in an additive decrease in hs-CRP levels from 3.49 +/-1.97 mg/l to 2.06 +/-1.42 mg/l after 12 weeks" - See pioglitazone and simvastatin at OffshoreRx1.com.
• Two Markers Strongly Linked To Prostate Cancer Incidence And Mortality Almost A Decade Prior To Diagnosis - Science Daily, 11/14/06 - "Increased levels of two markers of inflammation, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), are significantly associated with prostate cancer incidence and mortality almost a decade prior to diagnosis"
• Researchers Find Added Benefit of Statins in Those at High Risk for Heart Disease, Diabetes - Doctor's Guide, 9/13/06 - "found marked reductions in two pivotal biomarkers of inflammation: C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6. While these markers are typically elevated in insulin resistance, a condition that precedes the development of diabetes, statin therapy reduced these levels by 36% and 44%, respectively"
• CRP Test: Identify Heart Risk? - WebMD, 7/0/06
• Valsartan the First Blood Pressure Medication in a Large-Scale Clinical Trial to Lower C-Reactive Protein, an Important Marker of Inflammation - Doctor's Guide, 5/26/06 - "The median change in hsCRP from baseline after six weeks in the Diovan group was -0.12 mg/L compared to +0.05 mg/L in the Diovan HCT group, representing a difference between the treatment groups of 13.3%"
• Valsartan Lowers C-reactive Protein Levels; Combination Doesn't - Doctor's Guide, 5/19/06 - "Paradoxically, adding a diuretic to valsartan (Diovan) allows even more patients to reach blood pressure goals -- but appears to raise levels of C-reactive protein ... the monotherapy patients achieved an 8.9% reduction while the combination patients experienced a 4.4% increase"
• Use of C-Reactive Protein to Assess Cardiovascular Risk - Doctor's Guide, 10/12/05
• CRP Tests: No News We Can Use? - WebMD, 10/10/05
• Rosiglitazone reduces insulin requirement and C-reactive protein levels in type 2 diabetic patients receiving peritoneal dialysis - Am J Kidney Dis. 2005 Oct;46(4):713-9 - "the RSG group also had significantly lower CRP levels than the control group (2.21 versus 8.59 mg/L"
• First Link Found Between Obesity, Inflammation and Vascular Disease - Doctor's Guide, 9/16/05 - "Researchers find human fat cells produce C-reactive protein ... aspirin and statin drugs, now commonly used to treat heart diseases, effectively damp down production of CRP from fat cells"
• Study Reaffirms Importance of C-Reactive Protein Testing in Predicting Heart Attack Risk - Doctor's Guide, 8/17/05 - "women with the highest levels of total cholesterol had twice the risk of future heart disease compared to women with the lowest levels. The research also demonstrated that women with the highest levels of hs-CRP had a three-fold increase in risk ... increased hs-CRP levels are associated with the development of atherosclerosis, independent of cholesterol"
• Diabetes Drug Actos (pioglitazone HCl) Showed Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in a Clinical Study - Doctor's Guide, 6/16/05 - "CRP decreased by 6.98 mg/L compared to 1.55 mg/L for placebo (p= 0.001). IL-6 decreased by 0.78 pg/mL compared to 0.22 pg/ml for placebo"
• Comparison of the effects of ramipril versus telmisartan in reducing serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus - Am J Cardiol. 2005 Jun 1;95(11):1386-8 - "All regimens were associated with a significant reduction of C-reactive protein and oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol serum levels"
• Insulin Resistance Correlates With Rises in C-Reactive Protein - Doctor's Guide, 5/23/05 - "As C-reactive protein rises, so does insulin resistance ... Increased C-reactive protein levels may also predispose to accelerated or premature atherosclerotic disease ... Maybe someday we'll have therapy to lower C-reactive protein levels"
• Intensive Lifestyle Intervention or Metformin on Inflammation and Coagulation in Participants With Impaired Glucose Tolerance - Diabetes. 2005 May;54(5):1566-1572 - "In men, the median changes in CRP from baseline to 1 year were -33% in the lifestyle group, -7% in the metformin group, and +5% in the placebo group. In women, the changes in CRP from baseline to follow-up were -29% in the lifestyle group, -14% in the metformin group, and 0% in the placebo group"
• Evolution of C-Reactive Protein as a Cardiac Risk Factor - Medscape, 4/20/05
• UC Davis Researchers Discover New Link Between C-reactive Protein, And Heart Disease And Stroke - Science Daily, 3/30/05 - "The cells that line the arteries are able to produce C-reactive protein ... The good news is that reducing the concentration of C-reactive protein with targeted drugs, such as statins, has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events"
• Protein's Link to Heart Disease Is a Mystery - New York Times, 1/11/05
• C-reactive protein levels and outcomes after statin therapy - N Engl J Med. 2005 Jan 6;352(1):20-8 - "Strategies to lower cardiovascular risk with statins should include monitoring CRP as well as cholesterol"
• Statin therapy, LDL cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and coronary artery disease - N Engl J Med. 2005 Jan 6;352(1):29-38 - "For patients with coronary artery disease, the reduced rate of progression of atherosclerosis associated with intensive statin treatment, as compared with moderate statin treatment, is significantly related to greater reductions in the levels of both atherogenic lipoproteins and CRP"
• Reduction of Both C-Reactive Protein and Cholesterol Required to Control Heart Disease - Doctor's Guide, 1/6/05 - "intensive therapy with atorvastatin reduced CRP levels 36 percent, while the more moderate pravastatin regimen reduced CRP by 5 percent"
• Blood Test Could Help Prevent Heart Deaths - WebMD, 1/5/05 - "We now know that it is not just cholesterol that drives the plaque buildup in the arteries. It is also C-reactive protein"
• Blood Test May Predict Heart Disease - WebMD, 12/15/04 - "Researchers at Harvard investigated the role of CRP in association with three other markers of inflammation and found that "the level of C-reactive protein is a significant marker of the risk of coronary heart disease," ... blood cholesterol levels were more strongly associated with an increased heart disease risk than CRP or other inflammatory markers"
• Common Blood Test May Predict Carotid Artery Disease - Doctor's Guide, 10/14/04 - "When the researchers adjusted for other carotid stenosis risk factors, such as age, history of smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, CRP was independently associated with stenosis, while LDL was not"
• Anger, Hostility And Depressive Symptoms Linked To High C-reactive Protein Levels - Science Daily, 9/23/04
• Anger Linked to Heart Disease - WebMD, 9/22/04 - "healthy adults who had mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anger, or hostility had levels of CRP, a marker of inflammation in the blood, that were two to three times higher than those of their calmer counterparts. And the more negative their moods, the higher their CRP levels were"
• High C-Reactive Protein Levels May Signal Fast-Moving Heart Disease - WebMD, 9/20/04 - "Researchers found four markers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein, neopterin, MMP-9, and sICAM, predicted rapid artery blockage ... People who had C-reactive protein levels in the middle range had three times the risk of progression than those with the lowest levels"
• Is Lower Really Better for Cholesterol? - WebMD, 9/14/04 - "The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) reduced target LDL levels from 100 mg/dL to 70 mg/dL for those at the very highest risk of heart disease ... high-dose Lipitor decreased CRP by 38%, while high-dose Zocor reduced CRP by just 17% in the current study"
• Study Shows Increased Levels of Blood Markers Years Before Onset of Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms - Doctor's Guide, 8/5/04 - "RA patients had consistently higher levels of CRP than the healthy controls throughout the 15 years preceding outward disease symptoms"
• Statins May Provide Anti-Inflammatory Benefit in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis - Doctor's Guide, 7/5/04 - "C-reactive protein declined by 50%"
• Significant Reduction in Left Ventricular Mass Index, Reactive Oxygen Species Formation and C-Reactive Protein With Valsartan Treatment - Doctor's Guide, 6/18/04 - "Despite very similar effects on BP, there was a significantly higher reduction in LVMI with valsartan compared with amlodipine ... In the valsartan group, CRP levels were significantly reduced"
• Repeated Treatment Of Gum Disease Reduces Levels Of Inflammatory Factors Known To Increase Heart Disease Risk - Science Daily, 4/8/04 - "in people who had elevated levels of CRP at baseline, removal of dental plaque bacteria by scaling or scaling combined with topical antibiotics produced a statistically significant reduction, bringing CRP levels close to the low-risk level. Both treatments also significantly reduced levels of fibrinogen in patients with elevated fibrinogen levels"
• CRP Test Little Help in Predicting Heart Risk - WebMD, 3/31/04 - "Now a much larger study shows that these studies overestimated the value of CRP tests .... The newer test adds little to what doctors already know about a person's heart-disease risk from blood cholesterol levels and smoking status"
• CRP: Identifying Colon Cancer Risk - Physician's Weekly, 3/22/04 - "the likelihood of developing colorectal cancers increased progressively with higher concentrations of CRP"
• C-Reactive Protein as Independent Predictor of Type 2 Diabetes in Women - Doctor's Guide, 3/8/04 - "Elevated plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory biomarker, is an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes in females ... C-reactive protein is a sensitive and stable marker for systemic inflammation, and may be a potential target for intervention in healthy subjects"
• High C-Reactive Protein Levels Associated with Increased Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration - Doctor's Guide, 2/13/04 - "CRP levels were significantly higher among individuals with intermediate and advanced stages of AMD compared with controls"
• Link Found Between High C-Reactive Protein Levels and Subsequent Colon Cancer Development - Doctor's Guide, 2/3/04 - "Elevated plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) appear to increase the risk of developing colon cancer" - [WebMD]
• Higher C-Reactive Protein Levels Appear Associated with Increased Risk of Incident Hypertension - Doctor's Guide, 12/11/03
• Diabetes, Are You at Risk? - Time Magazine Cover Story, 12/8/03 - "Now there are half a dozen studies confirming that if you measure markers of inflammation, and CRP in particular, you can do a good job of predicting who's going to get diabetes"
• Elevated C-reactive Protein Level Predicts Ischaemic Heart Disease in Patients Undergoing Peritoneal Dialysis - Doctor's Guide, 12/2/03
• Elevated Systolic Blood Pressure And C-Reactive Protein Linked In Ischemic Stroke - Doctor's Guide, 12/1/03 - "increase of SBP, diastolic BP (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), or pulse pressure (PP) was significantly associated with an increased odds of elevated CRP level ... Moreover, for each 10 mm Hg increase in SBP, DBP, MAP, or PP, the odds of having a high CRP level increased by 72%"
• Inflammation Adds to Blood Pressure Risks - WebMD, 11/24/03 - "when both blood pressure and CRP levels are elevated, the risk of heart attack and stroke may be as much as eight times higher"
• Ezetimibe Plus Simvastatin Reduces C-Reactive Protein Levels - Doctor's Guide, 11/14/03
• Can C-Reactive Protein Make You Older? - WebMD, 11/13/03 - "Every 1 mg/L increase in C-reactive protein was equivalent to the effect [on exercise duration] of being approximately two years older ... At this point, we're not sure if poor fitness level causes the increase in C-reactive protein or vice versa"
• Zetia (Ezetimibe) Plus Simvastatin Provided More than Twice the Reduction of C-reactive protein in Patients with High Cholesterol Compared to Simvastatin Alone - Doctor's Guide, 11/13/03 - "CRP is considered an emerging risk marker for CHD ... Zetia with simvastatin reduced levels of the marker CRP by 33.3 percent compared to simvastatin administered alone (14.3 percent ... In addition, patients taking Zetia co-administered with simvastatin experienced an LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction of 45 to 60 percent across the dosage range, compared to a reduction of 31 to 44 percent in patients taking simvastatin alone"
• Metformin Decreases Serum C-Reactive Protein in Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - Doctor's Guide, 10/28/03 - "During metformin treatment, serum CRP levels decreased significantly at 6 months overall"
• Heart Risk Factor Shows Up in Kids - WebMD, 8/18/03 - "The factor is CRP -- C-reactive protein. In adults, high CRP levels mean a person is at high risk of serious heart disease. It's a sign that blood vessels are showing signs of inflammation ... high CRP levels were linked to being fat but not to other heart-disease risk factors"
• Glycaemic Control Important in Controlling Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes Risk - Doctor's Guide, 8/14/03 - "insulin resistance in the pre-diabetic state is associated with the presence of additional cardiovascular risk factors and increased incidence of CVD ... chronic sub-clinical inflammation as measured by C-reactive protein (CRP) and other markers is associated with insulin resistance, increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular events ... insulin-sensitising agents such as glitazones may be useful in decreasing sub-clinical inflammation, and statin therapy may lower both cholesterol and CRP"
• New Definition For Metabolic Syndrome Predicts Coronary Heart Disease And Type 2 Diabetes - Doctor's Guide, 8/11/03 - "C-reactive protein (CRP) level was significantly elevated in those with metabolic syndrome ... minor modifications of the current definition as achieved by adding CRP or lowering the glucose cut-off may enhance prediction of CHD and diabetes"
• Influence of depressive mood on the association of CRP and obesity in 3205 middle aged healthy men - Brain Behav Immun. 2003 Aug;17(4):268-75 - "Stratification of the sample into three levels of depressive mood revealed a significant association between increased CRP in the obese sample with highest level of depression in comparison to the low level obese depression group"
• Oral but not Transdermal Estrogen Replacement Therapy may Increase CRP Levels - Doctor's Guide, 8/11/03 - "Transdermal oestrogen appears to have no effect on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels after 6 months. In contrast, oral oestrogen may significantly increase CRP concentrations ... CRP is thought to promote the inflammatory component of atherosclerosis, and increased levels may be a strong predictor of cardiovascular events"
• Depression in Obese Men Associated with Increased C-Reactive Protein - Doctor's Guide, 7/15/03
• C-Reactive Protein Plus Established And Haematological Cardiovascular Risk Factors Substantially Linked To C-Reactive Protein And Cardiovascular Disease - Doctor's Guide, 7/10/03
• When Diet Doesn't Lower Cholesterol - WebMD, 7/7/03 - "Study participants whose CRP levels were originally below average saw dramatic reductions in cholesterol after 12 weeks on the DASH diet. Total cholesterol dropped by almost 9% and LDL, or bad cholesterol, dropped by almost 12%. In participants with higher than average CRP levels, total and LDL cholesterol levels dropped by just 3% each ... This is the first study to suggest that inflammation impacts the response to a traditional cholesterol lowering diet ... Several recent studies have shown that people who lost weight on high-protein, relatively high-fat diets lowered their cholesterol, suggesting that weight loss alone, no matter how it is achieved, plays a significant role in lowering cholesterol"
• Low-dose Periostat (Doxycycline) Shows Benefits in Patients with Heart Failure - Doctor's Guide, 11/20/02 - "At six-month follow-up, sub-antimicrobial dose doxycyline significantly reduced CRP levels by 45.8 percent compared to baseline values (p<0.05). The drug was also associated with a 33.5 percent reduction in interleukin-6 and a 50 percent reduction in metalloproteinase ... The findings are exciting, since research is now showing that CRP is both a key marker of inflammation leading to future acute coronary events, but also that CRP itself may contribute to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis"
• Infection, Autoimmune Reaction, Inflammation Trigger Heart Attack - WebMD, 5/12/03
• Effect of metformin and sulfonylurea on C-reactive protein level in well-controlled type 2 diabetics with metabolic syndrome - Endocrine 2003 Apr;20(3):215-8 - "CRP level was significantly lower in patients using metformin for blood glucose control compared with those using glibenclamide, 5.56 and 8.3 mg/L, respectively ... The data showed that metformin decreases the level of circulating CRP, a marker of inflammation, more than glibenclamide"
• C-reactive protein is independently associated with fasting insulin in nondiabetic women - Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2003 Apr 1;23(4):650-5 - "increasing levels of CRP were associated with a stepwise gradient in odds for elevated fasting insulin among both lean and overweight women"
• Estrogen Patch More Heart-Friendly Than Pills - WebMD, 4/15/03 - "the C-reactive protein increased to an average of almost twice their baseline levels when the women took oral estrogen replacement, but not when they were on the estrogen patch"
• Birth Control Pill Linked to Heart Disease Protein - WebMD, 4/11/03 - "young women who took birth control pills had twice as much C-reactive protein in their blood as a similar group of women who did not use birth control pills ... It is possible that oral contraceptive use promotes inflammation"
• C-Reactive Protein Linked to Stroke Risk - WebMD, 4/7/03
• Ezetimibe Plus Simvastatin Reduces C-Reactive Protein in Patients with High Cholesterol - Doctor's Guide, 4/4/03 - "C-reactive protein is considered an emerging risk factor and risk marker for coronary heart disease ... the levels of C-reactive protein were about halved when the pooled ezetimibe plus simvastatin results were compared with simvastatin alone. The combination produced about a 34.8% reduction compared to an 18.2% reduction if the statin was used as monotherapy"
• Level Of C-Reactive Protein Tied To Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Size - Doctor's Guide, 3/13/03
• Statins/Beta Blockers Impact On Certain C-Reactive Protein Levels - Doctor's Guide, 1/29/03 - "Some 93% of the 89 patients who did not use beta-blockers and were in the highest CRP category and had exercise-induced ischaemia, compared with 42% among patients in the lower four categories. Similarly, 94% of the 67 patients who did not use statins and were in the highest CRP category had exercise-induced ischaemia, compared with 44% in the lower four categories"
• CRP improves cardiovascular risk prediction in metabolic syndrome - American Hearth Association, 1/28/03
• New Heart Disease Blood Test Discouraged - WebMD, 1/27/03 - "hs-CRP is most useful when a doctor is "sitting on the fence" while determining the right treatment strategy for a person with intermediate risk of heart disease. In those cases -- meaning someone who, based on cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking history, and weight, is believed to have about 10% to 20% increased risk for heart attack over the next 10 years -- an elevated hs-CRP could tip the scale toward more aggressive treatment"
• Bad Boy in the Blood: CRP - WebMD, 1/15/03 - "CRP doesn't just mark risk. It contributes to plaque formation in the blood-vessel wall. It promotes cholesterol uptake ... The most dazzling observation has been that in postmenopausal women, even those with low cholesterol levels, CRP identifies a three-fold increased risk for coronary artery disease ... When they added CRP to these cells, they saw dramatic effects. The cells began to secrete a substance called PAI-1. Increased PAI-1 secretion predicts formation of blood clots and heart disease. It also predicts diabetes and the pre-diabetes condition known as metabolic disorder ... You can lower your CRP levels by doing the same things you would do to lower your cholesterol levels: lose weight, eat fewer calories and a very low fat diet, take the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, and the natural form of vitamin E"
• Low-dose Periostat (Doxycycline) Shows Benefits in Patients with Heart Failure - Doctor's Guide, 11/20/02 - "At six-month follow-up, sub-antimicrobial dose doxycyline significantly reduced CRP levels by 45.8 percent compared to baseline values (p<0.05). The drug was also associated with a 33.5 percent reduction in interleukin-6 and a 50 percent reduction in metalloproteinase ... The findings are exciting, since research is now showing that CRP is both a key marker of inflammation leading to future acute coronary events, but also that CRP itself may contribute to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis"
• Study finds alcohol may lessen inflammation - USA Today, 11/17/02 - "alcohol exerted the greatest benefit in those with the highest levels of a chemical called C-reactive protein, CRP, which builds up when arteries become inflamed. Some researchers now believe that CRP itself may be a previously unrecognized cause of heart disease ... Although LDL has long been considered the best measure of heart attack risk, about half of people who have heart attacks don't have high cholesterol ... "I think this is a fundamental shift in our thinking about (artery) disease""
• Simple Blood Test Predicts Heart Disease - WebMD, 11/13/02
• Periodontal Diseases Increase C-Reactive Protein In Haemodialysis Patients - Doctor's Guide, 11/7/02
• C-Reactive Protein, IL-6 Levels Tied to Heart Disease in Postmenopausal Women - Doctor's Guide, 8/28/02 - "Baseline levels of the inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are independently associated with a two-fold increase in risk of healthy postmenopausal women developing coronary heart disease (CHD)"
• Ulcer-Causing Bacteria Linked to Stroke - WebMD, 7/8/02 - "H. pylori causes ulcers in the stomach ... those who had suffered a stroke from a blocked large artery had significantly higher levels of the more potent strains of the bacteria ... The study also found that levels of a substance known as C-reactive protein (CRP) that indicates inflammation within the body were also higher in the stroke groups. But patients with the potent strains of H. pylori had the highest CRP levels ... treating patients with H. pylori infection may be an easy way to reduce the risk of stroke"
• Avandia (Rosiglitazone) Lowers Markers for Cardiovascular Inflammation in Diabetic Patients - Doctor's Guide, 6/17/02 - "Rosiglitazone treatment also reduced plasma MCP-1 (75 percent of the basal level; p<0.05) and CRP (70 percent of basal; p<0.05)"
• New Test Predicts Sudden Death Risk - WebMD, 4/15/02 - "those who suffered sudden cardiac death had higher levels of a substance called C-reactive protein (CRP) ... CRP is released when blood vessels are inflamed ... the findings of this study show that the levels of CRP in the blood are even more telling than once thought ... we can intervene with lifestyle counseling and drugs like statins and aspirin"
• Combining Statin With Estrogen May Maximise Post-Menopausal Cardiovascular Benefits - Doctor's Guide, 4/5/02 - "Oral estrogen alone increased the median level of C-reactive protein from 0.27 to 0.46 mg/dL, equivalent to a 70 percent rise. On the other hand, simvastatin decreased C-reactive protein levels from 0.29 to 0.28 mg/dL. Oral estrogen combined with simvastatin increased C-reactive protein levels by 29 percent from 0.28 to 0.36 mg/dL" - Note:  Red yeast rice is a non-prescription statin.
• Lipitor (Atorvastatin Calcium) Reduces C-Reactive Protein In Acute Coronary Syndrome - Doctor's Guide, 3/19/02
• Statin Treatment In Coronary Heart Disease Lowers Levels Of Marker C-Reactive Protein - Doctor's Guide, 11/29/01
• C-Reactive Protein Levels Indicative of Ischemic Risk in Some Men - Doctor's Guide, 11/12/01
• Studies Bolster Inflammation-Heart Disease Link; May Prove Better Predictor Than Cholesterol - Intelihealth, 11/6/01
• 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"
• Blood Test Could Indicate Who Might Benefit From Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs - Intelihealth, 6/27/01 - "Half of all heart attack patients have normal cholesterol levels. A blood test can detect high levels of C-reactive protein - a sign of inflammation"

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