Experts Offer Tips To Lower Risk of West Nile

stay indoors, wear long clothes that cover your skin and use insect repellant. Eliminating standing water, such as that pooled in puddles or unused containers, can also help reduce mosquito breeding grounds and populations overall.

Stopping the mosquitoes’ spread helps in the long-run

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Lower vitamin D could increase risk of dying, especially for frail, older adults

ScienceDaily (July 26, 2012) — A new study concludes that among older adults -- especially those who are frail -- low levels of vitamin D can mean a much greater risk of death.

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The randomized, nationally representative study found that older adults with low vitamin D levels had a 30 percent greater risk of death than people who had higher levels.

Overall, people who were frail had more than double the risk of death than those who were not frail. Frail adults with low levels of vitamin D tripled their risk of death over people who were not frail and who had higher levels of vitamin D.

"What this really means is that it is important to assess vitamin D levels in older adults, and especially among people who are frail," said lead author Ellen Smit of Oregon State University.

Smit said past studies have separately associated frailty and low vitamin D with a greater mortality risk, but this is the first to look at the combined effect. This study, published online in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined more than 4,300 adults older than 60 using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

"Older adults need to be screened for vitamin D," said Smit, who is a nutritional epidemiologist at OSU's College of Public Health and Human Sciences. Her research is focused on diet, metabolism, and physical activity in relation to both chronic disease and HIV infection.

"As you age, there is an increased risk of melanoma, but older adults should try and get more activity in the sunshine," she said. "Our study suggests that there is an opportunity for intervention with those who are in the pre-frail group, but could live longer, more independent lives if they get proper nutrition and exercise."

Frailty is when a person experiences a decrease in physical functioning characterized by at least three of the following five criteria: muscle weakness, slow walking, exhaustion, low physical activity, and unintentional weight loss. People are considered "pre-frail" when they have one or two of the five criteria.

Because of the cross-sectional nature of the survey, researchers could not determine if low vitamin D contributed to frailty, or whether frail people became vitamin D deficient because of health problems. However, Smit said the longitudinal analysis on death showed it may not matter which came first.

"If you have both, it may not really matter which came first because you are worse off and at greater risk of dying than other older people who are frail and who don't have low vitamin D," she said. "This is an important finding because we already know there is a biological basis for this. Vitamin D impacts muscle function and bones, so it makes sense that it plays a big role in frailty."

The study divided people into four groups. The low group had levels less than 50 nanograms per milliliter; the highest group had vitamin D of 84 or higher. In general, those who had lower vitamin D levels were more likely to be frail.

About 70 percent of Americans, and up to a billion people worldwide, have insufficient levels of vitamin D. And during the winter months in northern climates, it can be difficult to get enough just from the sun. OSU's Linus Pauling Institute recommends adults take 2,000 IU of supplemental vitamin D daily. The current federal guidelines are 600 IU for most adults, and 800 for those older than 70.

"We want the older population to be able to live as independent for as long as possible, and those who are frail have a number of health problems as they age," Smit said. "A balanced diet including good sources of vitamin D like milk and fish, and being physically active outdoors, will go a long way in helping older adults to stay independent and healthy for longer."

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Vitamin E may lower liver cancer risk

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) — High consumption of vitamin E either from diet or vitamin supplements may lower the risk of liver cancer, according to a study published July 17 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

See Also:Health & MedicineLiver DiseaseCancerBreast CancerProstate CancerColon CancerVitamin DReferenceB vitaminsHealth benefits of teaVitamin DRickets

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin which is considered an antioxidant and numerous experimental studies have suggested that vitamin E may prevent DNA damage.

Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer mortality in the world, the fifth most common cancer found in men and the seventh most common in women. Approximately 85 percent of liver cancers occur in developing nations, with 54 percent in China alone.

To determine the relationship between vitamin E intake and liver cancer risk, Wei Zhang, M.D., MPH., Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, and colleagues analyzed data from a total of 132,837 individuals in China who were enrolled in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study (SWHS) from 1997-2000 or the Shanghai Men’s Health Study (SMHS) from 2002-2006, two population-based cohort studies jointly conducted by the Shanghai Cancer Institute and Vanderbilt University.

Using validated food-frequency questionnaires, the researchers conducted in-person interviews to gather data on study participants’ dietary habits. Participants were asked how often they ate some of the most commonly consumed foods in urban Shanghai and whether they took vitamin supplements.

The investigators then compared liver cancer risk among participants who had high intake of vitamin E with those who had low intake.

The analysis included 267 liver cancer patients (118 women and 149 men) who were diagnosed between two years after study enrollment and an average of 10.9 (SWHS) or 5.5 (SMHS) years of follow-up. Vitamin E intake from diet and vitamin E supplement use were both associated with a lower risk of liver cancer. This association was consistent among participants with and without self-reported liver disease or a family history of liver cancer.

“We found a clear, inverse dose-response relation between vitamin E intake and liver cancer risk,” the authors write, noting a small difference between men and women in the risk estimate, which is likely attributable to fewer liver cancer cases having occurred among male participants due to the shorter follow-up period.

“Overall, the take home message is that high intake of vitamin E either from diet or supplements was related to lower risk of liver cancer in middle-aged or older people from China,” said Xiao Ou Shu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Medicine at the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center.

Conversely, participants who had the highest vitamin C intake from supplements and who had a family history of liver cancer or self-reported liver disease were more likely to develop liver cancer. There was no link to liver cancer among participants who had the highest levels of vitamin C or other vitamins from food.

Other investigators involved with the study included Honglan Li, M.D., M.Ph., Jing Gao, M.D., Yong-Bing Xiang, M.D., M.Ph., and Yu-Tang Gao, M.D., Shanghai Cancer Institute; Gong Yang, M.D., MPH, Hui Cai, M.D., Ph.D., and Wei Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center; and Bu-Tian Ji, M.D., Dr.PH, National Cancer Institute.

Funding for the study was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health (R37 CA070867 and R01 CA082729), the State Key Project Specialized for Infectious Diseases of China (2008ZX10002-015 and 2012ZX10002008-002), and a training grant from the Fogarty International Center (D43 TW008313).

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First Drug Approved to Lower Risk of Acquiring HIV

HealthDay – 2 hrs 2 mins ago TUESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is the first drug to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce the risk of contracting HIV among adults at higher risk of acquiring the AIDS-causing virus.

In a statement, the agency said Truvada was meant to be taken daily to reduce the chances of becoming HIV-infected among adults exposed to the virus. The agency previously approved Truvada in combination with other anti-viral drugs to treat HIV-infected people 12 years and older.

The FDA said it would strengthen the drug's label to warn that people who take the drug as a preventive should confirm they are not already HIV infected.

Truvada's safety and effectiveness were clinically evaluated among 2,499 HIV-negative gay men and transgender women "with evidence of high risk behavior for HIV infection," the agency said. Results showed the drug reduced HIV infection by 42 percent, compared with those who took a placebo.

A second study involved 4,758 heterosexual couples where one partner was infected, while the other was not. Truvada reduced the risk of transmitting infection by 75 percent, compared to those who took a placebo, the FDA said.

The most common side effects reported were diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, headache and weight loss. Most serious but less common adverse reactions included kidney or bone toxicity.

Drugmaker Gilead Sciences, based in Foster City, Calif., is required to conduct follow-up studies to evaluate long-term HIV resistance, and the drug's effects among pregnant women, the FDA said.

More information

To learn more about this disease, visit AIDS.gov.

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First Drug Approved to Lower Risk of Acquiring HIV

HealthDay – 2 hrs 1 min ago TUESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is the first drug to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce the risk of contracting HIV among adults at higher risk of acquiring the AIDS-causing virus.

In a statement, the agency said Truvada was meant to be taken daily to reduce the chances of becoming HIV-infected among adults exposed to the virus. The agency previously approved Truvada in combination with other anti-viral drugs to treat HIV-infected people 12 years and older.

The FDA said it would strengthen the drug's label to warn that people who take the drug as a preventive should confirm they are not already HIV infected.

Truvada's safety and effectiveness were clinically evaluated among 2,499 HIV-negative gay men and transgender women "with evidence of high risk behavior for HIV infection," the agency said. Results showed the drug reduced HIV infection by 42 percent, compared with those who took a placebo.

A second study involved 4,758 heterosexual couples where one partner was infected, while the other was not. Truvada reduced the risk of transmitting infection by 75 percent, compared to those who took a placebo, the FDA said.

The most common side effects reported were diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, headache and weight loss. Most serious but less common adverse reactions included kidney or bone toxicity.

Drugmaker Gilead Sciences, based in Foster City, Calif., is required to conduct follow-up studies to evaluate long-term HIV resistance, and the drug's effects among pregnant women, the FDA said.

More information

To learn more about this disease, visit AIDS.gov.

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Lower iron levels seen in newborns of obese mothers

ScienceDaily (July 9, 2012) — A growing number of studies imply that children born to obese mothers face health problems stemming from the womb. New research from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and The Mother Infant Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center suggests that low iron status is among these health problems, according to an analysis of maternal hepcidin, a hormone that is key in keeping iron levels balanced.

See Also:Health & MedicineObesityPregnancy and ChildbirthDiet and Weight LossFolic AcidDiseases and ConditionsAnemiaReferenceNutrition and pregnancyBody mass indexMaternal bondFood groups

The study enrolled 15 obese pregnant women with body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 and 15 healthy weight pregnant women with BMIs between 20 and 25 as a control group. Maternal blood draws took place during the second trimester of pregnancy and newborn iron status was measured in cord blood.

The researchers found that being born to an obese mother with elevated hepcidin levels was associated with lower iron status at birth. Obese adults are known to produce higher levels of hepcidin compared to healthy weight adults and the researchers suggest that overproduction of the hormone interferes with the transfer of iron from mother to infant. The results were recently published online by the Journal of Perinatology.

During pregnancy, hepcidin levels are kept at low levels to optimize iron transfer from mother to fetus. "When there is excess hepcidin in a cell, it binds to and inhibits the function of ferroportin, the protein that allows iron to pass through the cell membrane and into the bloodstream," explained senior author Simin Nikbin Meydani, DVM, PhD, director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (USDA HNRCA).

"The chronic low-grade inflammation that can result from being obese triggers an abnormal immune response, increasing production of proteins that increase hepcidin levels," added Maria Carlota Dao, first author and a doctoral student in the Nutritional Immunology Laboratory at the USDA HNRCA.

Because iron plays a crucial role in the formation of the central nervous system, children born with iron deficiency are at a greater risk for delays in motor and cognitive development.

"The data on the impact of low maternal iron levels on the fetus comes from undernourished populations," said first author Sarbattama Sen, MD, a neonatologist at Tufts Medical Center and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM). "To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first study to demonstrate that obesity might hamper iron transfer from mother to child and offers some insight into the mechanism of how it occurs. Future studies, however, are needed to confirm the role of obesity associated with inflammation during pregnancy on hepcidin and iron status of the newborn."

The authors further stress that more research is needed before any changes to dietary guidelines or recommendations to obese pregnant women should be considered. Most prenatal vitamin supplements contain 27 milligrams of iron, the daily amount currently recommended by The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

"During pregnancy, women should try to eat a varied, healthy diet while taking the standard prenatal vitamins recommended by their doctors," Sen adds. "Weight gain goals should be based on a woman's BMI prior to becoming pregnant. In 2009, the Institute of Medicine issued new guidelines on weight gain during pregnancy."

Simin Nikbin Meydani is also a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and is a member of the immunology program faculty at the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts University. Additional authors of this study are Chitra Iyer, MD, a former maternal fetal medicine fellow at Tufts Medical Center and David Klebenov, a TUSM student. .

The authors received funding for this study from the USDA, a Tufts Medical Center Research Grant, the Natalie V. Zucker Foundation for Women Scholars, the Stanley N. Gershoff Scholarship and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) T32 training program.

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Kids Born Even a Little Early Have Lower School Scores: Study

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Night Staffing With Critical Care Docs May Lower ICU Death Rates

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Cissus Quadrangularis May Help Lower Excess Stomach Acid

Cissus quadrangularis is a traditional ayurvedic System of traditional medicine native to India and South Asia. It is considered a form of CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) compared to traditional Western medicine. Uses many different herbs, massage, yoga and moderation of various lifestyle components to keep things in balance for treatment of health conditions. Deepak Chopra is a very popular author and proponent of Aruvedic Medicine. herb best known for its bone healing and rejuvenating properties.  It has many additional folk uses, including the treatment of various digestive complaints and ulcers.  A previous study showed a variety of anti-ulcer properties and now a new study shows that cissus quadrangularis Nutrient found in woody vines from the grape family. It has been shown to be beneficial in bone and cartilage health along with lipid metabolism and oxidative stress support. can significantly reduce the excess production of stomach acid on par with Prilosec.

Indigestion requiring some form of symptom management is one of the most common health complaints in America.  Unfortunately, the commonly used proton pump inhibitory drugs like Prilosec are like taking a sledgehammer to an important digestive process.  Side effects are many, including increased risk for fractures, pneumonia, weight gain, and overgrowth of very hostile germ gangs that further complicate the original problem.

Cissus quadrangularis contains a variety of phytonutrients such as quercetin, stillbenes, beta carotene, and other flavonoids Plant compound that is associated with pigmentation. Flavonoids have been shown to modify allergens, viruses, inflammation, and various carcinogens. Found in green tea, citrus, berries, onions, parsley, red wine, dark chocolate, and others..  Such nutrients help your digestive lining in several ways including preventing gastric damage, boosting antioxidant function, reducing inflammation, and preserving the capillary integrity and normal function of your stomach and digestive lining. 

This new study shows that cissus quadrangularis Nutrient found in woody vines from the grape family. It has been shown to be beneficial in bone and cartilage health along with lipid metabolism and oxidative stress support. has the ability to modulate the excessive production of hydrochloric acid by naturally inhibiting the proton pumps that are required to generate hydrochloric acid production. 

I should point out that another common problem that can occur in conjunction with excessive acid is the wearing away of a patch of one’s stomach or digestive lining, referred to as an ulcer.  Such wounds, when actually analyzed, are a cesspool of multiple germs including H. pylori.  Cissus quadrangularis demonstrates the ability to control undesirable bacteria that can be in your digestive tract, consistent with its traditional folk use for ulcers, hemorrhoids, and constipation.

Hypersecretion of stomach acid is an abnormal situation.  Plants that help balance the problem are useful tools.  Cissus quadrangularis offers multiple mechanisms by which it can assist a variety of digestive problems.  Since it has been ingested by humans for thousands of years it is highly preferable to man-made substances that humans have consumed for only a short period of time.  Nutrients seem to come with their own intelligence, helping the body balance a problem of excess by not working in ways that suppress needed stomach acid for general digestion.  While this latter statement was not tested in this current study, it is consistent with clinical observations and the general mechanism of operation of most nutrients.  As an example, antacids are now proven to promote weight gain from excessive acid suppression, whereas cissus quadrangularis Nutrient found in woody vines from the grape family. It has been shown to be beneficial in bone and cartilage health along with lipid metabolism and oxidative stress support. has been proven to help weight loss. And while antacids like Prilosec increase the risk of fracture, cissus quadrangularis Nutrient found in woody vines from the grape family. It has been shown to be beneficial in bone and cartilage health along with lipid metabolism and oxidative stress support. specializes in healing bones.

The bottom line is that cissus quadrangularis Nutrient found in woody vines from the grape family. It has been shown to be beneficial in bone and cartilage health along with lipid metabolism and oxidative stress support. is a safe way to help individuals combat indigestion.  A basic strategy is to follow the Leptin Diet, which often clears up indigestion on its own.  Digestive enzymes can also be helpful, as is taking friendly flora and increasing fiber intake – while getting the sugar, excess alcohol, and junk foods out of your diet. 

It is a fundamental principle of good health to figure out ways to get and keep your digestive system in tip-top working order.  Many extremely adverse health issues, including autoimmune disease, thyroid conditions, heart disease, and many types of cancer actually begin festering and manifesting as annoying digestive symptoms that eventually have systemic side effects.  Ignore the red flags at your own peril.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

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Upper Lower Lash Mascara Applicator Guide Eyelash Comb

Details and Features:Eyelash Mascara Guide is a new makeup tool for upper and lower lash mascara which is not dirty your eyPopular Lash Mascara Guide is a necessary for every lady. Small item put in bagBrush your lashes with the Eyelash Comb to tidy up the lashesThis is a light, continuous and useful grooming aid. Effectively help you to perfect your eye make upSize: 11 x 4.5 x 0.5cm

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Eating More Foods Rich in Omega-3s May Lower Alzheimer's Risk: Study

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Aspirin tied to lower lung cancer risk in women

Reuters – 1 hr 28 mins ago NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a new study of more than 1,200 Asian women, those who took aspirin at least a couple of times a week had a much lower risk of developing lung cancer -- whether or not they had ever smoked.

The findings, which link regularly taking aspirin to a risk reduction of 50 percent or more, do not prove that aspirin directly protects against lung cancer. There may be other explanations for the connection.

But the study backs up a number of previous ones linking regular aspirin use to lower risks of certain cancers, including colon, prostate and esophageal cancers.

Still, experts say it's too early to recommend widespread aspirin use for cutting cancer risk.

Even low-dose aspirin carries risks, like stomach irritation and ulcers.

"The question about whether aspirin use protects against lung cancer is still open to considerable debate at this point, and the published evidence to date is not conclusive," Dr. Wei-Yen Lim, who led the new study, said in an email.

Avoiding tobacco smoke remains the best way to protect yourself, said Lim, of the National University of Singapore.

Published in the journal Lung Cancer, the study included 398 Chinese women diagnosed with lung cancer and 814 cancer-free women.

Lim's team found that women who had used aspirin regularly -- at least twice a week for one month or longer -- were less likely to have lung cancer.

Among women who'd never smoked, the odds were 50 percent lower for aspirin users versus non-users. And among smokers, aspirin use was tied to a 62 percent lower risk of lung cancer.

The researchers were able to account for some other factors, like the women's age, education and fruit and vegetable intake. But there could still be other differences that would help explain why aspirin users had a lower lung cancer risk, according to Lim.

This type of study, the researcher said, is not designed to show whether taking aspirin cuts cancer risk. That takes a clinical trial, where people are randomly assigned to take aspirin or not.

And the findings do not give an idea of how much risk-reduction there might be.

There was a fairly large relative difference in cancer risk between aspirin users and non-users in the study. But the absolute reduction in any one person's risk, if there is one, might be small.

Other studies have linked regular aspirin use to lower risks of several types of cancer. Most recently, an analysis of past clinical trials found that people given daily low-dose aspirin were less likely to develop cancer after three years of use. (See Reuters story of March 21, 2012.)

Aspirin appeared to prevent about three cases of cancer per 1,000 aspirin users per year.

There are also biological reasons that aspirin might offer protection: it blocks an enzyme called cyclooxygenase-2, or COX-2, which promotes inflammation and cell division and is found in high levels in tumors.

Dr. Andrew T. Chan of Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the study, said that the evidence on aspirin and lung cancer has been "mixed."

"The number-one thing a person can do to minimize the risk of lung cancer is to not smoke," he said in an interview.

On the other hand, there is stronger evidence that aspirin may be protective against colon cancer, according to Chan, a gastroenterologist who researches colon cancer prevention.

"I don't think the evidence is definitive," Chan said. And it's too soon to recommend that all middle-aged and older adults take a daily aspirin.

But it may be reasonable for people to discuss the pros and cons of low-dose aspirin with their doctors, according to Chan.

"People are usually interested in more than preventing one particular cancer," he noted. "So it's important to view this in the context of a person's overall health."

That includes understanding the risks of aspirin. For many people, gastrointestinal side effects may be "minor," Chan said.

But some people can develop bleeding ulcers. Aspirin is also linked to an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke -- bleeding in or around the brain.

Many middle-aged and older adults already take daily aspirin for their cardiovascular health.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men age 45 to 79 take aspirin to prevent heart attacks, as long as their personal benefit is likely to outweigh the risk of bleeding. For women age 55 to 79, aspirin is recommended to prevent ischemic strokes (strokes caused by a blood clot), with the same caveat.

Lim said that if your doctor has recommended aspirin to you, stick with that advice.

"For people who are currently well," the researcher said, "we do not recommend taking aspirin to reduce their risk of lung cancer, as the effect of aspirin on lung cancer is still being evaluated."

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/IzaxsH Lung Cancer, online April 3, 2012.

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Everyday Activities Might Lower Alzheimer's Risk

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Lower death risk with heart bypass vs. angioplasty

Older patients with clogged heart arteries may have a little lower death risk over time if they get bypass operations instead of angioplasty and stents to fix the problem, new research suggests.

It's not the kind of study that gives conclusive evidence, but doctors say it gives a "real world" look at how people fare in ordinary practice. As such, it could tip the balance toward surgery for patients considering the choice, especially because research already shows bypass gives a better and longer lasting result for people with multiple blockages.

In a bypass operation, doctors move healthy blood vessels from other parts of the body to detour around clogged arteries supplying blood to the heart. Angioplasty treats the problem via a tube pushed through a blood vessel. A tiny balloon is inflated to flatten the clog and a mesh scaffold, a stent, is placed to prop the artery open.

Researchers compared these approaches using records on 190,000 Medicare patients with two or three blockages

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New Injection Might Lower Tough-to-Treat Cholesterol

HealthDay – 3 mins 7 secs ago MONDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers report that injections of a novel "monoclonal antibody" lowered LDL cholesterol levels in patients with high cholesterol by as much as 72 percent.

This new treatment could help lower levels of "bad" cholesterol for the one in five people who don't respond to the commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins. It may also be helpful in patients who can't get their cholesterol low enough with statins alone, the researchers added.

"If this pans out, it will be a whole new approach to lowering cholesterol," James McKenney, chief executive officer of National Clinical Research Inc., said during a Monday press briefing at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting in Chicago, where the research was to be presented. A report on the findings was published simultaneously in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The experimental compound appeared to lower LDL cholesterol by making it easier for the liver to remove LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream, McKenney said. Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies cloned from a single cell, which are all identical because they are cloned, the researchers explained.

The study was funded by the drug's manufacturers: Sanofi U.S. and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The research company that McKenney works for has also received funding from both drug makers.

For this phase 2 study, McKenney's team randomly assigned 183 patients with high cholesterol who had been treated with Lipitor (atorvastatin) for more than six weeks, to one of six groups.

Three groups were given injections of the new drug in high, medium or low doses every two weeks. Two other groups were given very high doses of the drug every four weeks. The sixth group received a placebo.

After 12 weeks, the researchers found those who received the low dose of the monoclonal antibody saw their LDL levels drop by 40 percent. For those given the medium dose, LDL levels decreased 64 percent while those given the high dose saw their cholesterol levels drop by 72 percent.

For those in the two groups taking very high doses every four weeks, the drops in LDL cholesterol were 43 percent and 48 percent, the researchers said.

McKenney noted there is a long way to go and much more research is needed before this drug is ready for public use. Since it would need to be taken regularly, he see it as akin to insulin where the patient can inject the drug in measured doses.

In terms of cost, it's far too early to say what a patient would have to spend for this therapy, the researchers said.

Longer trials are planned. The study authors said they feel confident that the drug is safe and effective, but they need to confirm the results over the long-term.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center and co-director of the UCLA Preventative Cardiology Program, said that "statin therapy has been remarkably effective in reducing fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events."

Yet, many patients cannot achieve optimal reduction in LDL cholesterol levels with statins and some patients do not tolerate statins well, he noted.

"This novel, new therapy is exceptionally promising," Fonarow said. "Achieving LDL cholesterol reductions of up to 72 percent on top of statin therapy is very impressive."

"If further studies demonstrate the long-term safety, efficacy and effectiveness of this therapy, this will represent a tremendous advance in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease, which has remained the leading cause of premature death and disability in men and women," Fonarow added.

Results of another study also due to be presented Monday suggest that starting statin therapy early in life might significantly reduce the risk for heart disease.

Rather than actually treating patients with statins, the researchers used a type of study that looks at changes in DNA that, in this case, were linked to lower levels of cholesterol.

Since one has these mutations at birth, it's like being blessed with naturally low cholesterol. These mutations stand in for statin therapy, lead researcher Dr. Brian Ference, director of the cardiovascular genomic research center at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Indiana, said during Monday's press conference.

"This research is a way of finding out the effects of lowering cholesterol early without having a lengthy clinical trial," Ference said.

The researchers looked at genes from participants of several studies, one including more than 350,000 patients, and found nine specific mutations.

For each single measure of reduced lifetime exposure to LDL cholesterol associated with having the mutations, the researchers found a 50 percent to 60 percent reduction in heart disease risk.

Because the second study was presented at a medical meeting, its conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

For more about cholesterol, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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Chocolate-eaters have lower body mass: study

"Healthy people who exercise and also eat chocolate regularly tend to have a lower body mass index than those who eat the rich brown sweets less often, a US study suggested on Monday. (AFP Photo/Philippe Huguen)" title

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Compound in soy products may help lower blood pressure

ScienceDaily (Mar. 26, 2012) — Soy-based food products have taken grocery store shelves by storm, and the benefits of soy are steadily beginning to emerge. Eating foods that contain isoflavones -- a key compound in soy milk, tofu, green tea and even peanuts -- every day may help young adults lower their blood pressure. Moreover, and for the first time, there appears to be a particular benefit for African Americans, who have hypertension prevalence rates near 42 percent, according to research presented March 25 at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

See Also:Health & MedicineHypertensionHeart DiseaseNutritionPlants & AnimalsFoodMiceDevelopmental BiologyReferenceIsoflavoneMeat analogueHypertensionSoy protein

"What's unique about this study is that the results are very applicable to the general population. Our results strongly suggest a blood pressure benefit for moderate amounts of dietary isoflavone intake in young black and white adults," said Safiya Richardson, a graduating medical student at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and the study's lead investigator. "Our study is the first to show a benefit in African Americans, who have a higher incidence of high blood pressure, with an earlier onset and more severe end-organ damage."

Compared to those consuming less than 0.33 mg of isoflavones per day, those reporting the most isoflavone intake (more than 2.5 mg per day) had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure (-5.5 mmHg lower on average). To help put this into context, an 8 ounce glass of soy milk has about 22 mg of isoflavones, and 100 g of roasted soybeans have as much as 130 mg.

"This could mean that consuming soy protein, for example, in combination with a DASH diet -- one that is high in fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains -- could lead to as much as a 10 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure for pre-hypertensives, greatly improving their chances of not progressing to hypertension," said Richardson. "Any dietary or lifestyle modification people can easily make that doesn't require a daily medication is exciting, especially considering recent figures estimating that only about one third of American hypertensives have their blood pressure under control."

Isoflavones are thought to work by increasing the production of enzymes that create nitric oxide (NO), a substance that helps to dilate or widen blood vessels, thereby reducing the pressure created by blood against the vessel walls. Richardson said this mechanism may partially explain why the study was able to find an association with smaller amounts of isoflavone intake than examined previously. The relatively pronounced results in the overall biracial cohort may be driven by a more intense effect of isoflavones in African Americans, Richardson said. This is because endothelial dysfunction, a condition in which the blood vessels have a hard time either producing or using NO, plays a bigger role in hypertension in African Americans than it does in whites.

"It's possible that these foods may help compensate for this," she said. "Based on our results and those of previous studies, we would encourage the average adult to consider including moderate amounts of soy products in a healthy, well-balanced diet to reduce the chances of developing high blood pressure. For people with hypertension, it's important that they talk with their doctor about isoflavones as a possible addition to a low sodium DASH diet that could reduce the need for medication."

Richardson added that different soy products have different concentrations of isoflavones, so it is important for consumers to do their homework.

Researchers analyzed data from year-20 of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, which is an NIH-funded study created to examine the development and determinants of cardiovascular disease. This study began in 1985 with 5,115 African American and white Americans aged 18-30 years old who have been followed and reexamined at various intervals. Year-20 was the first year that participants completed an extensive dietary survey. Multivariable linear regression models evaluated the relation between daily isoflavone intake and systolic BP (SBP) after dividing patients across quartiles according to self-reported isoflavone intake. Even after controlling for age, sex, BMI, smoking, alcohol, physical activity and total caloric intake, the relationship between daily isoflavones and lower systolic blood pressure remained.

Richardson says this study helps lay the groundwork for randomized controlled trials to help better understand the association between isoflavones and blood pressure.

Richardson presented the study "Dietary Isoflavone Intake is Associated with Lower Systolic Blood Pressure: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study" on March 25, 2012 in McCormick Place South, Hall A.

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Could Soy Help Lower Your Blood Pressure?

HealthDay – 1 hr 17 mins ago SUNDAY, March 25 (HealthDay News) -- Isoflavones -- a compound found in foods such as soy milk, green tea, tofu and peanuts -- may help lower blood pressure in young adults, new research suggests.

The researchers also found that isoflavones may be of particular benefit for black American adults, nearly 42 percent of whom are estimated to have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

One expert not connected to the study said there is reason to believe that isoflavones could help the heart.

Isoflavones "dilate the vessels by increasing the release of nitric oxide," explained Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She said the new study, "brings to light a compelling dietary recommendation that can help control hypertension in younger patients."

In the new study, investigators examined data from more than 5,000 participants in a major study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The analysis revealed that those who consumed the highest amounts of isoflavones per day (more than 2.5 milligrams

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