Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 12/31/03:

Study Links Heart Disease To Dental Problems - Intelihealth, 12/30/03 - "the patients with heart disease had more markers of oral inflammation in their bloodstreams ... Some studies suggest that the bacteria that cause dental disease may enter the bloodstream and contribute to other diseases or infections"

Antioxidant may prevent destruction of delicate hairs in inner ear - HealthDay, 12/26/03 - "The drug is N-acetylcystine (NAC). It is an antioxidant compound that loosens mucus in airways and treats liver damage from overuse of acetaminophen. But research has shown it might also help prevent noise-induced hearing loss" - See iHerb or Vitacost NAC products.

Higher Seafood Consumption Correlates With Lower Rates of Bipolar Disorders - Medscape, 12/23/03 - "increased seafood consumption was predictive of lower lifetime prevalence rates of bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and bipolar spectrum disorder ... The most precipitous rise in prevalence rates for the bipolar disorders generally occurs in countries having a seafood consumption of less than 50 lb per person (per year)"

B12 Supplements, Fortified Foods Okay for Elderly - Clinical Psychiatry News, 12/03 - "In a departure from its longstanding position that nutrients should come from food rather than pills, the National Academy of Sciences is urging older people to meet their recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B12 through supplements or fortified foods ... the academy has responded to evidence that vitamin B12, or cobalamin, deficiency is widespread among the elderly, largely because they can't absorb much of the B12 found in food ... Long-standing vitamin B12 deficiency has been associated with irreversible cognitive decline in older people" - See iHerb B12 products.

Revised Guidelines Address Diagnosing And Treating Hypogonadism in Men - Clinical Psychiatry News, 12/03 - "In addition to decreased sex drive and sexual activity, men with low testosterone levels may exhibit anger, depression, fatigue, and confusion, as well as physical effects such as decreased muscle mass and bone density ... Based on the results of recent studies, the new guidelines state that testosterone replacement often alleviates associated psychological conditions, increases virilization, and optimizes bone density. Recent studies also indicate that the therapy may normalize growth hormone levels in elderly men. Therapy also may decrease cardiac mortality in this population"

Alpha-Linolenic Acid Conversion Revisited - PUFA Newsletter, 12/03 - "only a small percentage, about 5%, of dietary alpha-linolenic acid may be available for liver synthesis of n-3 LC-PUFAs" - Note:  Alpha-linolenic Acid is the form of omega-3 usually found in plant sources such as flaxseed oil.  n-3 LC-PUFAs are the long chain omega-3s such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) found in fish oils.

Abstracts from this week's Doctor's Guide Nutrition/Dietetics:

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"

Magnesium Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Men and Women - Diabetes Care. 2004 Jan;27(1):134-140 - "Our findings suggest a significant inverse association between magnesium intake and diabetes risk. This study supports the dietary recommendation to increase consumption of major food sources of magnesium, such as whole grains, nuts, and green leafy vegetables" - See iHerb or Vitacost magnesium products.

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