Details revealed for how plant creates anticancer compounds

Date: March 21, 2016

Source: Kobe University

Summary:

Rosy periwinkle is a plant that produces organic compounds used to treat cancer, arrhythmia, and other medical conditions. A Japanese research group has revealed the details of the metabolism process for these compounds on a cellular level. Their data suggests the existence of an unknown mechanism which regulates the creation, movement and distribution of compounds within plants.

Catharanthus roseus (rosy periwinkle).

Credit: Image courtesy of Kobe University

Catharanthus roseus (rosy periwinkle) is a plant that produces organic compounds used to treat cancer, arrhythmia, and other medical conditions. A Japanese research group has revealed the details of the metabolism process for these compounds on a cellular level. Their data suggests the existence of an unknown mechanism which regulates the creation, movement and distribution of compounds within plants. The findings will be published in the online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in the week of March 21, 2016.

Plants are essentially stationary, so in order to protect themselves from insects, wild animals and disease they create a self-defense system of chemical compounds known as secondary metabolites. Most of these compounds are stored in the vacuoles of plant cells, and activate if an animal eats the plant. Humans have a long history of using these metabolites as both medicines and stimulants: they include nicotine and caffeine.

The researchers examined Catharanthus roseus, a plant well known for producing the antitumor compounds classified as terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs). During the process for metabolizing TIAs, various intermediary compounds are created and travel across different cells, finally arriving at the idioblast or laticifer cells where they are stored. Until now it was unclear how each compound moved between cells, and how their creation and storage was controlled within each cell.

The team analyzed the cellular distribution of each compound within the tissue using imaging mass spectrometry for the tissue and single-cell mass spectrometry for individual cells. This revealed, among other things, that the compounds previously assumed to have been metabolized and stored in the epidermal cells were in fact present in large numbers in a totally different location – idioblast cells.

These findings suggest the possibility of an unknown mechanism that regulates the creation, movement and regulation of organic compounds within plants. Additionally, clarifying the details of the metabolic process for valuable compounds in plants such as Catharanthus roseus could potentially help to develop new methods for synthesizing organic compounds.

The research group was led by YAMAMOTO Kotaro (2nd year PhD student) and Professor MIMURA Tetsuro from the Kobe University Graduate School of Science, in collaboration with Dr. TAKAHASHI Katsutoshi (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology), Dr. MASUJIMA Tsutomu (RIKEN), Dr. YAMAZAKI Mami (Chiba University), and Dr. MIZUNO Hajime (Shizuoka University).

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Kobe University.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Kotaro Yamamoto, Katsutoshi Takahashi, Hajime Mizuno, Aya Anegawa, Kimitsune Ishizaki, Hidehiro Fukaki, Miwa Ohnishi, Mami Yamazaki, Tsutomu Masujima, and Tetsuro Mimura. Cell-specific localization of alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus stem tissue measured with Imaging MS and Single-cell MS. PNAS, 2016 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1521959113

Cite This Page:

Kobe University. "Details revealed for how plant creates anticancer compounds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 21 March 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160321154046.htm>.

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Increased vitamin C in the diet could help protect against cataracts

Date: March 23, 2016

Source: King's College London

Summary:

Higher dietary intake of vitamin C has been found to have a potentially preventative effect on cataract progression in the first twin study of cataracts to examine to what degree genetic and environmental factors influence their progression with age.

See more at:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160323220408.htm

Couples' pre-pregnancy caffeine consumption linked to miscarriage risk

NIH study finds daily multivitamin before and after conception greatly reduces miscarriage risk

Date: March 24, 2016

Source: NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Summary:

A woman is more likely to miscarry if she and her partner drink more than two caffeinated beverages a day during the weeks leading up to conception, according to a new study. Similarly, women who drank more than two daily caffeinated beverages during the first seven weeks of pregnancy were also more likely to miscarry.

A woman is more likely to miscarry if she and her partner drink more than two caffeinated beverages a day during the weeks leading up to conception, according to a new study from researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Ohio State University, Columbus. Similarly, women who drank more than two daily caffeinated beverages during the first seven weeks of pregnancy were also more likely to miscarry.

However, women who took a daily multivitamin before conception and through early pregnancy were less likely to miscarry than women who did not. The study was published online in Fertility and Sterility.

"Our findings provide useful information for couples who are planning a pregnancy and who would like to minimize their risk for early pregnancy loss," said the study's first author, Germaine Buck Louis, Ph.D., director of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

The researchers analyzed data from the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study, which was established to examine the relationship between fertility, lifestyle and exposure to environmental chemicals. The LIFE Study enrolled 501 couples from four counties in Michigan and 12 counties in Texas, from 2005 to 2009.

For the current study, researchers compared such lifestyle factors as cigarette use, caffeinated beverage consumption and multivitamin use among 344 couples with a singleton pregnancy from the weeks before they conceived through the seventh week of pregnancy.

The researchers reported their results using a statistical concept known as a hazard ratio, which estimates the chances of a particular health outcome occurring during the study time frame. For example, the researchers evaluated caffeinated beverage consumption in terms of the daily likelihood of pregnancy loss over a given time period. A score greater than 1 indicates an increased risk for pregnancy loss each day following conception, and a score less than 1 indicates a reduced daily risk.

Of the 344 pregnancies, 98 ended in miscarriage, or 28 percent. For the preconception period, miscarriage was associated with female age of 35 or above, for a hazard ratio of 1.96 (nearly twice the miscarriage risk of younger women). The study was not designed to conclusively prove cause and effect. The study authors cited possible explanations for the higher risk, including advanced age of sperm and egg in older couples or cumulative exposure to substances in the environment, which could be expected to increase as people age.

Both male and female consumption of more than two caffeinated beverages a day also was associated with an increased hazard ratio: 1.74 for females and 1.73 for males. Earlier studies, the authors noted, have documented increased pregnancy loss associated with caffeine consumption in early pregnancy. However, those studies could not rule out whether caffeine consumption contributed to pregnancy loss or was a sign of an unhealthy pregnancy. It's possible, the authors wrote, that these earlier findings could have been the result of a healthy pregnancy, rather than caffeine consumption interfering with pregnancy. For example, the increase in food aversions and vomiting associated with a healthy pregnancy led the women to give up caffeinated beverages.

Because their study found caffeine consumption before pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of miscarriage, it's more likely that caffeinated beverage consumption during this time directly contributes to pregnancy loss.

"Our findings also indicate that the male partner matters, too," Dr. Buck Louis said. "Male preconception consumption of caffeinated beverages was just as strongly associated with pregnancy loss as females'."

Finally, the researchers saw a reduction in miscarriage risk for women who took a daily multivitamin. During the preconception period, researchers found a hazard ratio of 0.45-- a 55-percent reduction in risk for pregnancy loss. Women who continued to take the vitamins through early pregnancy had a hazard ratio of 0.21, or a risk reduction of 79 percent. The authors cited other studies that found that vitamin B6 and folic acid--included in preconception and pregnancy vitamin formulations--can reduce miscarriage risk. Folic acid supplements are recommended for women of childbearing age, as their use in the weeks leading up to and following conception reduces the risk for having a child with a neural tube defect.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer information on the steps men and women of reproductive age can take to help ensure they have a healthy baby--whether they are planning pregnancy or not.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Germaine M. Buck Louis, Katherine J. Sapra, Enrique F. Schisterman, Courtney D. Lynch, José M. Maisog, Katherine L. Grantz, Rajeshwari Sundaram. Lifestyle and pregnancy loss in a contemporary cohort of women recruited before conception: The LIFE Study. Fertility and Sterility, 2016; DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.03.009

Cite This Page:

NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. "Couples' pre-pregnancy caffeine consumption linked to miscarriage risk: NIH study finds daily multivitamin before and after conception greatly reduces miscarriage risk." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 March 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160324133014.htm>.

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Curcumin may help overcome drug-resistant tuberculosis

Date: March 25, 2016

Source: Wiley

Summary:

New research indicates that curcumin -- a substance in turmeric that is best known as one of the main components of curry powder -- may help fight drug-resistant tuberculosis.

New research indicates that curcumin--a substance in turmeric that is best known as one of the main components of curry powder--may help fight drug-resistant tuberculosis. In Asia, turmeric is used to treat many health conditions and it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and perhaps even anticancer properties.

Investigators found that by stimulating human immune cells called macrophages, curcumin was able to successfully remove Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative bacterium of tuberculosis, from experimentally infected cells in culture. The process relied on inhibiting the activation of a cellular molecule called nuclear factor-kappa B.

The ability of curcumin to modulate the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis points to a potential new tuberculosis treatment that would be less prone to the development of drug resistance.

"Our study has provided basic evidence that curcumin protects againstMycobacterium tuberculosis infection in human cells," said Dr. Xiyuan Bai, lead author of the Respirology study. "The protective role of curcumin to fight drug-resistant tuberculosis still needs confirmation, but if validated, curcumin may become a novel treatment to modulate the host immune response to overcome drug-resistant tuberculosis."

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Wiley. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Xiyuan Bai, Rebecca E. Oberley-Deegan, An Bai, Alida R. Ovrutsky, William H. Kinney, Michael Weaver, Gong Zhang, Jennifer R. Honda, Edward D. Chan. Curcumin enhances human macrophage control ofMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection. Respirology, 2016; DOI:10.1111/resp.12762

Cite This Page:

Wiley. "Curcumin may help overcome drug-resistant tuberculosis." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 March 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160325093704.htm>.

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Study explores carb-loading's effect on the heart

Date: March 29, 2016

Source: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Summary:

Drinking a high carbohydrate shake can have an acute and detrimental effect on heart function, a study has found. Researchers studied 33 individuals who were given an acute carbohydrate load in the form of a 264-kilocalorie shake. They studied the subjects' blood levels for six hours looking for a number of things, chief among them whether this acute metabolic challenge could alter the heart's production of atrial natriuretic peptide.

See more at:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160329153403.htm

Sweet, tasty and healthy: The new essence of juice?

Date: March 29, 2016

Source: Aarhus University

Summary:

A cocktail consisting of lime, stevia and beta-glucans can help make a tasty fruit beverage that is both low in sugar and high in fiber, according to a study, adding nutritional value and promote the sensory experience of the juice.

Do you have a sweet tooth but need to keep a wary eye on your weight and blood sugar level? Then a new cocktail consisting of lime, stevia and β-glucans may be the answer to your prayers. In a study at Aarhus University the effect on the sensory experience of adding these three ingredients to juice was investigated. This trinity of ingredients means it is possible to make a tasty fruit beverage that is both low in sugar and high in fiber.

Many people like drinking fruit juice, which is both a good and bad thing. Fruit juice contains a number of beneficial vitamins but often has high sugar and low fiber contents. The challenge is to increase the nutritional value of the juice without spoiling the taste. A team of scientists that included researchers from Aarhus University devised a solution to the problem of combining sweetness with healthiness by adding stevia for sweetness and β-glucans for fiber with a dash of lime to adjust the taste.

Super sweetness joins fiber for health

A high intake of sugar is one of the factors contributing to obesity and lifestyle diseases, but cutting out sugar can be difficult. To satisfy our desire for something sweet while limiting our consumption of sugar, a natural sweetener called stevia can be used.

- Stevia is the only approved natural sweetener in Europe. From a health and technological viewpoint, the effects of using stevia have been purely positive, explains postdoc Line Holler Mielby from the Department of Food Science at Aarhus University.

Unfortunately, a characteristic of stevia is its effect on taste. Juice containing stevia has a tendency to leave a bitter aftertaste.

Earlier research results have shown that fiber in food has a number of health-promoting effects. fiber products that have a positive effect on health include β-glucans -- which are naturally occurring in oats, for example. However, β-glucans also have an adverse effect on flavour in that they give the food product a slightly metallic and stale smell.

The sensory experience is important

Foods should not only be healthy in order for consumers to buy them. They should also give the consumer a good sensory experience.

- Foods should have satisfying sensory characteristics, since these characteristics will determine whether the consumer will buy the product again. The product should leave a good all-round impression, explains Line Holler Mielby.

Adding healthy fiber and low-calorie sweeteners to food will not work if they have a negative effect on the flavour. A remedy has to be found for this and in this instance the choice fell on lime. In the study the scientists used an apple-cherry juice to which varying quantities of lime, β-glucans and stevia were added. The aim was to characterise the sensory experience of the juice.

The results showed that the addition of lime to the apple-cherry juice could counterbalance the adverse impact on taste of the stevia and β-glucans. The taste of lime in the juice concealed not only the aftertaste of stevia but also the smell of staleness and metals imparted by the β-glucans and improved the experience of drinking fruit juice containing β-glucans.

- With the increasing popularity of functional food, it would be relevant to examine the effects in other food products such as breakfast cereals that have a high sugar and low fiber content. In relation to the addition of β-glucans to food it would also be relevant to examine other eating experiences, for example satiety, says Line Holler Mielby.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Aarhus University.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Line H. Mielby, Barbara V. Andersen, Sidsel Jensen, Heidi Kildegaard, Alexandra Kuznetsova, Nina Eggers, Per B. Brockhoff, Derek V. Byrne.Changes in sensory characteristics and their relation with consumers' liking, wanting and sensory satisfaction: Using dietary fibre and lime flavour in Stevia rebaudiana sweetened fruit beverages. Food Research International, 2016; 82: 14 DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2016.01.010

Cite This Page:

Aarhus University. "Sweet, tasty and healthy: The new essence of juice?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 March 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160329112609.htm>.

Coffee consumption linked to decreased risk of colorectal cancer

Date: April 1, 2016

Source: University of Southern California - Health Sciences

Summary:

Researchers have found that coffee consumption, including decaf, instant and espresso, decreases the risk of colorectal cancer. Moreover, these benefits increase the more coffee you drink.

Whether you like your coffee black, decaf, half-caff or even instant, feel free to drink up. Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center of Keck Medicine of USC have found that coffee consumption decreases the risk of colorectal cancer.

The study examined over 5,100 men and women who had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer within the past six months, along with an additional 4,000 men and women with no history of colorectal cancer to serve as a control group. Participants reported their daily consumption of boiled (espresso), instant, decaffeinated and filtered coffee, as well as their total consumption of other liquids. A questionnaire also gathered information about many other factors that influence the risk of colorectal cancer, including family history of cancer, diet, physical activity and smoking.

"We found that drinking coffee is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer, and the more coffee consumed, the lower the risk," said Stephen Gruber, MD, PhD, MPH, director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and senior author of the study.

The data showed that even moderate coffee consumption, between one to two servings a day, was associated with a 26 percent reduction in the odds of developing colorectal cancer after adjusting for known risk factors. Moreover, the risk of developing colorectal cancer continued to decrease to up to 50 percent when participants drank more than 2.5 servings of coffee each day. The indication of decreased risk was seen across all types of coffee, both caffeinated and decaffeinated.

"We were somewhat surprised to see that caffeine did not seem to matter," Gruber said. "This indicates that caffeine alone is not responsible for coffee's protective properties."

Coffee contains many elements that contribute to overall colorectal health and may explain the preventive properties. Caffeine and polyphenol can act as antioxidants, limiting the growth of potential colon cancer cells. Melanoidins generated during the roasting process have been hypothesized to encourage colon mobility. Diterpenes may prevent cancer by enhancing the body's defense against oxidative damage.

"The levels of beneficial compounds per serving of coffee vary depending on the bean, roast and brewing method," said first author Stephanie Schmit, PhD, MPH. "The good news is that our data presents a decreased risk of colorectal cancer regardless of what flavor or form of coffee you prefer."

This extensive study was conducted by a research team led by Gad Rennert, MD, PhD, director of the Clalit National Israeli Cancer Control Center in Haifa, Israel, together with investigators at USC Norris. One advantage of this large, population-based study is that the results are representative of many coffee-drinking populations.

"Although coffee consumption in Israel is less common and with more type-variability than in the United States, our results indicate similarities in risk reduction with use consumption of various types of coffee," Rennert said.

The study is available in the April 1, 2016 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, which is published by the American Association of Cancer Research.

"While the evidence certainly suggests this to be the case, we need additional research before advocating for coffee consumption as a preventive measure," Gruber added. That being said, there are few health risks to coffee consumption, I would encourage coffee lovers to revel in the strong possibility that their daily mug may lower their risk of colorectal cancer."

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer that is diagnosed in both men and women in the United States, with nearly five percent of men and just over four percent of women developing the disease over their lifetime. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that in the United States, over 95,000 new cases of colon cancer and 39,000 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in this year alone.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Southern California - Health Sciences. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

S. L. Schmit, H. S. Rennert, G. Rennert, S. B. Gruber. Coffee Consumption and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer.Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2016; 25 (4): 634 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0924

Cite This Page:

University of Southern California - Health Sciences. "Coffee consumption linked to decreased risk of colorectal cancer." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 1 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160401073709.htm>.

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Eating beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils may help lose weight and keep it off

United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization have designated 2016 as the International Year of Pulses

Date: March 30, 2016

Source: St. Michael's Hospital

Summary:

Eating one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils could contribute to modest weight loss, a new study suggests. Eating about 3/4 cup (130 grams) each day of these foods known as pulses led to a weight loss of 0.34 kilograms (just over half a pound), in a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available clinical trials on the effects of eating pulses.

Eating one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils could contribute to modest weight loss, a new study suggests.

Eating about 3/4 cup (130 grams) each day of these foods known as pulses led to a weight loss of 0.34 kilograms (just over half a pound), in a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available clinical trials on the effects of eating pulses.

The paper, by lead author Dr. Russell de Souza, a researcher with the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The research builds on previous work by the hospital's Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, that a daily serving of pulses makes people feel fuller than if they ate a control diet, and that eating pulses can significantly reduce "bad cholesterol."

"Despite their known health benefits, only 13 per cent of Canadians eat pulses on any given day and most do not eat the full serving," Dr. de Souza said. "So there is room for most of us to incorporate dietary pulses in our diet and realize potential weight management benefits."

The United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization have designated 2016 as the International Year of Pulses.

The meta-analysis looked at 21 clinical trials involving 940 adult men and women, who lost an average of 0.34 kg (0.75 pounds) over six weeks with the addition of a single serving of pulses to the diet--and without making a particular effort to reduce other foods.

Pulses have a low glycemic index (meaning that they are foods that break down slowly) and can be used to reduce or displace animal protein as well as "bad" fats such as trans-fat in a dish or meal.

Dr. de Souza noted that 90 per cent of weight loss interventions fail, resulting in weight regain, which may be due in part to hunger and food cravings.

"This new study fits well with our previous work, which found that pulses increased the feeling of fullness by 31 per cent, which may indeed result in less food intake." said Dr. de Souza.

Another recently published systematic review and meta-analysis found that eating on average one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils can also reduce "bad cholesterol" by five per cent and therefore lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Knowing which foods make people feel fuller longer may help them lose weight and keep it off.

"Though the weight loss was small, our findings suggest that simply including pulses in your diet may help you lose weight, and we think more importantly, prevent you from gaining it back after you lose it," Dr. de Souza said.

He said another bonus from eating pulses is that they are Canadian crops.

"So eating more pulses means eating local, being more sustainable and receiving many health benefits," he said.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by St. Michael's Hospital. The original item was written by Leslie Shepherd. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

Shana J Kim, Russell J de Souza, Vivian L Choo, Vanessa Ha, Adrian I Cozma, Laura Chiavaroli, Arash Mirrahimi, Sonia Blanco Mejia, Marco Di Buono, Adam M Bernstein, Lawrence A Leiter, Penny M Kris-Etherton, Vladimir Vuksan, Joseph Beyene, Cyril WC Kendall, David JA Jenkins, and John L Sievenpiper. Effects of dietary pulse consumption on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2016 DOI:10.3945/ajcn.115.124677

Cite This Page:

St. Michael's Hospital. "Eating beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils may help lose weight and keep it off: United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization have designated 2016 as the International Year of Pulses." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 March 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160330135255.htm>.

A Paleolithic-type diet may help reduce future risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

Date: April 2, 2016

Source: The Endocrine Society

Summary:

A Paleolithic-type diet may help obese postmenopausal women lose weight, improve their circulating fatty acid profile and lower their future risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, new research reports.

A Paleolithic-type diet may help obese postmenopausal women lose weight, improve their circulating fatty acid profile and lower their future risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, new research reports. The study results will be presented in a poster Sunday, April 3, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.

"Eating a Paleolithic-type diet without calorie restriction significantly improved the fatty acid profile associated with insulin sensitivity, and it reduced abdominal adiposity and body weight in obese postmenopausal women," said lead study author Caroline Blomquist, a doctoral student in the Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umeå University in Umeå, Sweden. "A Paleolithic-type diet, high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, may have long-term beneficial effects on obesity-related disorders, including reduced risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease."

Blomquist and her colleagues conducted their 24-month intervention in 70 obese postmenopausal women with normal fasting plasma glucose levels. The women were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Those in the Paleolithic-type-diet group aimed to consume 30 percent of their total energy (E%, "energy percent,") in protein, 30 E% in carbohydrates, and 40 E% in fats with high unsaturated fatty acid content. By contrast, the women in the prudent control diet group aimed to eat 15 E% in protein, 30 E% in fat, and 55 E% in carbohydrates.

The Paleolithic-type diet was based on lean meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts and berries, with rapeseed, olive oils and avocado as additional fat sources. The diet excluded dairy products, cereals, added salt and refined fats and sugar.

Over two years, each group also took part in 12 group sessions led by a dietitian, and all participants kept ongoing records of their food intake.

Body measurements and proportions, food intake and physical activity, as well as circulating lipid levels, gene expression in fat of key factors in fat metabolism and inflammation, insulin resistance and relative fatty acid composition in plasma, were documented at baseline and at 6 and 24 months.

At 24 months, the women eating the Paleolithic-type diet reported that their intake of saturated fatty acids decreased by 19 percent; of monounsaturated fatty acids increased by 47 percent; and of polyunsaturated fatty acids increased by 71 percent. The women on the prudent control diet reported no significant changes in their intake of fatty acids.

Specific fatty acids associated with insulin resistance were significantly lower in the women eating the Paleolithic-type foods compared with those on the prudent control diet.

At 24 months, the women on both diets lost significant body weight and had significantly less abdominal obesity.

"Obesity-related disorders have reached pandemic proportions with significant economic burden on a global scale. It is of vital interest to find effective methods to improve metabolic balance," Blomquist advised.

The Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation, the County Council of Västerbotten and Umeå University supported the study.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by The Endocrine Society. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Cite This Page:

The Endocrine Society. "A Paleolithic-type diet may help reduce future risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160402113040.htm>.

Low levels of two components of vitamin D can help predict risk of heart attack

Date: April 3, 2016

Source: Intermountain Medical Center

Summary:

Low levels of total vitamin D and bioavailable vitamin D can help predict a person's risk of major adverse cardiovascular events such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death.

Low levels of total vitamin D and bioavailable vitamin D can help predict a person's risk of major adverse cardiovascular events such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death, according to a first-of-its-kind study from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.

"Our study found that low levels of both total vitamin D and bioavailable vitamin D appear to be associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes," said lead author Heidi May, PhD, MSPH, a cardiovascular epidemiologist with the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute.

The study evaluated 4,200 participants between the ages of 52 and 76. A quarter of the study participants were diabetic and 70 percent had coronary artery disease.

Clinicians tested participants' vitamin D metabolite levels, which included components of vitamin D that are formed during metabolism, to determine the metabolites' association with future major adverse cardiovascular events. Bioavailable vitamin D results from vitamin D being absorbed into the blood stream without binding to surrounding proteins.

During metabolism, only 10-15 percent of total vitamin D is available in the body to act on target cells, as most are bound to vitamin D binding proteins. Therefore, evaluating whether the proportion of vitamin D that can be used may be important, as only unbound vitamin D, such as bioavailable vitamin D, is available to act on target cells.

The study tested many different types of vitamin D, but found that measuring total vitamin D and bioavailable vitamin D were the most accurate in predicting harmful cardiovascular events.

"This study is the first research that evaluates the association of vitamin D metabolites with cardiovascular events," said Dr. May. "And evaluating usable vitamin D could mean the difference on the amount of vitamin D prescribed, if it's prescribed at all."

The study expands on the results of several observational studies, including some performed at Intermountain Healthcare, but researchers recommend conducting more studies on non-Caucasian populations because past research shows vitamin D metabolites affect Caucasian and non-Caucasian races differently.

Results of the study will be presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in Chicago, on Saturday, April 2, at 2:45 p.m., CST.

Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Intermountain Medical Center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Intermountain Medical Center. "Low levels of two components of vitamin D can help predict risk of heart attack." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 3 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160403152111.htm>.

More dietary calcium may lower risk of cardiovascular disease

Diet change did not affect stroke or fracture risk

Date: April 3, 2016

Source:

The Endocrine SocietySummary:In older people, higher dietary calcium intake may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, but not of stroke and fracture, new research suggests.

In older people, higher dietary calcium intake may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, but not of stroke and fracture, new research from South Korea suggests. The results will be presented in a poster Saturday, April 2, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.

"The role of dietary calcium intake in cardiovascular disease, stroke and fracture is controversial. Moreover, participants in previous studies were from populations that had calcium-rich diets. We aimed to evaluate whether high dietary calcium intake increases the risk of CVD, stroke and fracture in a population with low calcium intake," said lead author Sung Hye Kong, MD, resident physician in the Department of Internal Medicine of Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea.

Kong and colleagues conducted their research among individuals in Korea's ongoing prospective community-based Ansung and Ansan Cohort Study that began in 2001. Of the 4,589 men and 5,042 women in the cohort study's database who were 40 years of age and above at baseline and were followed up for an average of 13 years, the authors performed their analyses in 2,199 men and 2,704 women over 50 years of age without previous cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The individuals in the study reported their dietary food intake in periodic food frequency questionnaires. Cardiovascular disease, stroke and fractures were recorded during interviews and examinations every two years. In their statistical analyses, the authors made adjustments for age, body mass index, vegetable and fruit intake, protein and sodium intake, physical activity, smoking and drinking, history of hypertension and diabetes, total energy from the diet, and additionally adjusted for menopausal status and hormone replacement therapy in women.

In older women in this population with low dietary calcium intake, higher dietary calcium intake was significantly associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, but not significantly associated with risk of stroke and fracture.

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The Endocrine Society. "More dietary calcium may lower risk of cardiovascular disease: Diet change did not affect stroke or fracture risk." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 3 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160403152128.htm>.

Vitamin D improves heart function, study finds

Date: April 4, 2016

Source: University of Leeds

Summary:

A daily dose of vitamin D3 improves heart function in people with chronic heart failure, a five-year research project has found. The study involved more than 160 patients who were already being treated for their heart failure using proven treatments including beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors and pacemakers.

See more at:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160404152900.htm

Plant metabolite promises more effective chemotherapy

Date: April 6, 2016

Source: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Summary:

Apigenin, a natural metabolite found in plants and vegetables, is poised to improve chemotherapy significantly report scientists. Combining a new synthetic apigenin compound with existing anticancer drug treatments can reverse drug resistance, say researchers.

Apigenin, a natural metabolite found in plants and vegetables, is poised to improve chemotherapy significantly.

Combining a new synthetic apigenin compound with existing anticancer drug treatments can reverse drug resistance, say researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). The compound can also improve the absorption of cancer drugs in the digestive system, allowing patients to take some anticancer drugs orally rather than intravenously for the first time.

Chemotherapy treatments sometimes fail because of drug resistance. One common resistance mechanism takes the form of a "drug efflux": a kind of internal pump that helps cancer cells get rid of attacking drugs.

PolyU researchers studying efflux say they have found a way to stop this pump mechanism from expelling drugs by using a naturally occurring "polyphenol" called apigenin, which is commonly found in plants and vegetables. Plant polyphenols are metabolic by-products that help the growth and development of plants, commonly through protecting them from pests and pathogens.

The team chemically linked two apigenin compounds together, forming a dimer, which fits into the two similarly shaped halves of the pump. Using cell and animal studies, they demonstrated that the new apigenin dimer was highly effective in reversing cancer drug resistance by inhibiting the pump.

Based on this success, the PolyU team has developed a large compound library of improved apigenin dimers, each with a different structure. Significantly, they have found that some dimers can reverse the highest level of drug resistance found in cancer stem cells.

"It is a breakthrough in tackling multidrug resistance in cancer," says PolyU applied biologist Larry Chow. "Drug resistance in cancer stem cells is one of the most difficult problems in effective chemotherapy and we have found a way to reverse it using our new generation of dimers," he says. The team's work on treating cancer stem cells has not yet reached the stage of human clinical trials.

PolyU has patented the development of its synthetic apigenin and signed a licensing agreement with Kinex Pharmaceuticals, a U.S.-based global company specialising in cancer treatment. Kinex will be further developing the apigenin dimers for use in improving the oral bioavailability of cancer drugs.

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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. "Plant metabolite promises more effective chemotherapy." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160406075514.htm>.

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Key to Herbal Remedy’s Success May Be in the Bacteria

Date: April 5, 2016

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Summary:

Juzen-taiho-to, also known as shi quan da bu tang, is a most popular herbal formula in China and Japan and is used in the West by practitioners of traditional Asian medicine. New research suggests the remedy’s immune-boosting effects are due, at least in part, to bacteria that grow on the roots of one of the formula’s component herbs.

uzen-taiho-to, also known as shi quan da bu tang, is one of the most popular herbal formulas in China and Japan and is used in the West by practitioners of traditional Asian medicine. New research suggests the remedy's immune-boosting effects are due, at least in part, to bacteria that grow on the roots of one of the formula's component herbs.

"There's been a lot of research on juzen-taiho-to in Asia, and it has attracted attention in the Western medical community, as well," said Kriti Kalpana, a doctoral candidate at Hunter College of the City University of New York, who conducted the research. "It has definitely been known as an immune-boosting formulation, and we believe that looking at the components one by one can help us better understand its effects."

Kalpana will present the research at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2016.

Juzen-taiho-to is a centuries-old formulation whose name means "all-inclusive great tonifying decoction." Its 10 component herbs include cinnamon, ginseng, licorice and an assortment of other roots and fungi that are ground into a fine powder and consumed as a tea-like broth.

To investigate the source of the formulation's immune-boosting activity, Kalpana and her colleagues zeroed in on its most potent ingredient, Angelica sinensis, an indigenous Chinese plant known as "female ginseng." Attempts to pinpoint the immunostimulatory activity of the plant itself kept leading the team into dead ends. So, they broadened the search using a technique known as metagenomics, which allowed them to screen for active compounds in both the plant and the microbes that grow on it.

The results revealed colonies of Rahnella aquatilis bacteria growing on the Angelica roots. A closer investigation showed Rahnella to carry on its surface a collection of large molecules known as lipopolysaccharides. It is these molecules, and specifically a component of them known as Lipid A, that appear to be responsible for the bacteria's powerful immunostimulatory effects.

Isolating the lipopolysaccharides and Lipid A and running them through a battery of screening tests, the team confirmed that the molecules are potent immunostimulants with low toxicity.

"Our study reinforces the growing awareness of 'good bacteria' and their health benefits," said Kalpana. "This type of bacteria, in this context, seems to be non-toxic, safe to use and effective in helping you fight off disease."

However, it seems that not all juzen-taiho-to is created equal. Testing several different brands of the formulation, the researchers found vastly different concentrations of the Rahnella bacteria and its potent compounds. Unlike the processes used to create Western medicines, there is little standardization in the preparation of herbal remedies; as a result, the types and amount of bacteria on a plant's roots may vary depending on its growing conditions, country of origin or the methods used to harvest and process it.

"There's a lot of concern about the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines. Our study, along with many others, shows that herbal medicines from different manufacturers can have very different properties and effects," said Kalpana.

The team plans to further investigate whether it is possible to extract the active compounds or produce the herbal remedy in ways that could offer immune-boosting activity with greater reliability.

Kalpana will present the findings during the Experimental Biology 2016 meeting on Tuesday, April 5.

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Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). "Key to Herbal Remedy’s Success May Be in the Bacteria." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160405175651.htm>.

Blueberries may offer benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder

Date: April 5, 2016

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Summary:

In a series of studies conducted in rats, researchers have found that eating blueberries could help to reduce the genetic and biochemical drivers behind depression and suicidal tendencies associated with PTSD.

For many people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), available medical treatments offer only limited relief. In a series of studies conducted in rats, researchers have found that eating blueberries could help to reduce the genetic and biochemical drivers behind depression and suicidal tendencies associated with the disorder.

"We need to conduct a clinical trial in people to be certain that this works, but based on our studies in animal models, there is evidence that blueberries may help to mitigate some of the problems associated with PTSD," said Joseph Francis, Ph.D., the Everett D. Besch Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine and the study's senior author. "And in the meantime, it seems safe to say that eating blueberries can't hurt -- and may help -- in people with PTSD."

Philip Ebenezer, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in Francis's laboratory at Louisiana State University, will present this research at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2016.

PTSD, an anxiety disorder that can develop after someone experiences a traumatic event, affects an estimated 6.8 percent of Americans at some point in their lifetimes. PTSD diagnoses have risen sharply in recent years and the disorder is particularly common among combat veterans. It is associated with a wide range of psychological, behavioral and social problems such as depression, substance abuse, relationship problems and an increased risk of suicide.

To investigate the biological factors that might contribute to PTSD and its effects, the research team developed a process that induces effects analogous to PTSD in rats, such as exhibiting fear instead of curiosity when presented with an unfamiliar object. They then assessed how eating a diet rich in blueberries affects those factors.

In the new study, the team focused on the role of a gene called SKA2, a gene that other researchers have found is expressed at abnormally low levels in people who have committed suicide. Although it is impossible to know whether a rat is experiencing suicidal thoughts, Francis and Ebenezer found that rats with PTSD-like effects express SKA2 at low levels compared with normal laboratory rats, bolstering the evidence for the role of SKA2 in psychological problems and suggesting the team's PTSD-like rats can be a useful model for studying the biochemistry behind suicidal tendencies.

The researchers then fed some of the PTSD-like rats a diet rich in blueberries -- the equivalent of about two cups per day for a person -- and found that SKA2 levels increased compared with rats fed a normal diet, suggesting the blueberries had a beneficial effect.

"In the PTSD animals, there was a decrease in the SKA2 levels in the blood, as well as in the brain's prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, compared to non-PTSD rats," said Francis. "Since these levels increased when we fed them blueberries, the findings suggest that a nonpharmacological agent like blueberries can have an effect on the expression of this important gene."

The work builds on a study released last year, in which Francis and Ebenezer found that rats with the PTSD-like experience fed a blueberry-enriched diet showed increased levels of the signaling chemical serotonin in the brain. Since serotonin is associated with feelings of happiness and well-being, that study suggested blueberries might help to alleviate depression in patients with PTSD.

The team is now pursuing research into the links between SKA2 and serotonin levels to find out whether blueberries may simultaneously help relieve feelings of depression and reduce suicidal tendencies through a single biological pathway.

There are a number of medications that increase serotonin levels and are used to treat depression. However, these agents, called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, have shown limited success in treating patients with PTSD, and have even been linked with increased suicidal tendencies in some patients, particularly children and adolescents. Francis said the team's research aims to fill the treatment gap for PTSD sufferers who do not benefit from existing medications.

"There is an urgent need to identify novel targets for treating PTSD. Based on our findings, blueberries can not only increase serotonin, but also increase SKA2 levels, thereby potentially protecting against untoward behavior," said Francis.

Ebenezer will present the findings during the Experimental Biology 2016 meeting on Tuesday, April 5.

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Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). "Blueberries may offer benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160405175653.htm>.

Oily fish eaten during pregnancy may reduce risk of asthma in offspring

Date: April 6, 2016

Source: University of Southampton

Summary:

Children born to mothers who eat salmon when pregnant may be less likely to have doctor diagnosed asthma compared to children whose mothers do not eat it, new research has shown.

Children born to mothers who eat salmon when pregnant may be less likely to have doctor diagnosed asthma compared to children whose mothers do not eat it, new research has shown.

The study, led by Professor Philip Calder of the University of Southampton, was presented at the recent Experimental Biology Congress in San Diego.

Professor Calder presented the findings after being named as the tenth recipient of the Danone International Prize for Nutrition for his cutting edge research on fatty acid metabolism and functionality, focusing notably on the immune, inflammatory and cardiometabolic systems.

The Salmon in Pregnancy Study was a randomised controlled trial in which a group of women ate salmon twice a week from week 19 of pregnancy. Allergy tests were then performed on the children at six months and then at two to three years of age. Results were compared to a control group whose mothers did not eat salmon during pregnancy.

Professor Calder told the Congress that the early results, which are yet to be published, showed that at six months there was no difference in allergy rate between the two groups of children. However, at age two and half years, children whose mothers ate salmon while pregnant were less likely to have asthma.

These latest results are one example of Professor Calder's ground-breaking research into specific relationships between nutrition and immune-related conditions over the course of the human life course.

A particular strength of his research is its translational approach, extending the results of research in mechanistic and basic nutrition science to studies in humans, including both healthy volunteers and patients, thereby influencing the development of nutritional guidelines and innovative treatments, something with the Prize Committee have recognised.

Professor Calder's research over the years has shown that certain fatty acids -- or a lack of them -- are involved in a broad spectrum of common diseases ranging from diverse allergies through to atherosclerosis and inflammatory conditions such as Crohn's disease. The work carried out in this area over the last 25 years, to which Professor Calder has made important contributions, has deepened the scientific community's understanding of the underlying mechanisms that explain the relationship between nutrition and immunity, the important first step in the formulation of nutritional advice for better feeding the immune system.

Though fatty acids are at the centre of Professor Calder's work, he has also covered neighbouring areas such as pre- and probiotics, iron deficiency and amino acids, at all times with the objective of channelling the insights of nutrition science into improved public health.

"It is in honour of his pioneering work over the last 25 years, his ground-breaking results and their far-reaching clinical applicability that Professor Calder has been awarded, on the Jury's unanimous decision, the 10th Danone International Prize for Nutrition 2016," said Professor Olivier Goulet, President of the Danone Institute International.

Professor Calder, also of the National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, said as he received the award: "It is a great honour to receive the Danone International Prize for Nutrition. To me, it represents recognition by the nutrition community of 25 years of research in nutrition, immunology and omega-3 fatty acid functionality. It is also an encouragement to keep going further along this path. Our new findings from the Salmon in Pregnancy Study indicate that early nutrition interventions, even during pregnancy, can have long lasting effects on health."

The prize, which is one of the most distinguished honours in the field of nutritional science, carries with it a donation of 120,000 €. It is awarded every two years to reward internationally outstanding researchers and promote their work in this field. This is not the first time that a Southampton professor has received the award. In 2005 Professor David Barker, was the recipient, for the Barker Early Origins Hypothesis, also known as the fetal origins hypothesis or the thrifty phenotype hypothesis.

Promoting research, education and training in the field of nutritional health is the mission of the Danone Institute International. "Through multi-faceted support to research and educational programmes the Danone Institutes and their projects actively and independently contribute to Danone's commitments to nutrition and health. With increasing obesity rates, an ageing population and severe malnutrition issues, maintaining a healthy population is a huge task," said Danone CEO, Emmanuel Faber.

"At Danone, we believe it is crucial to support academic research in the field of nutrition as it enables to unlock new approaches and efficient solutions to address these growing challenges. We have proudly been supporting the Danone Institutes for 25 years with the Danone International Prize for Nutrition as a key initiative helping us to meet our mission: bringing health trough food as many people as possible."

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The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Southampton. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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University of Southampton. "Oily fish eaten during pregnancy may reduce risk of asthma in offspring." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160406074751.htm>.