Got milk? Drink up, say a group of French-Canadian researchers. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cream, cheese, and butter may play a role in helping to combat metabolic disorders such as obesity and type-2 diabetes, according to research published September 16 in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
Need another excuse to drink that cup of coffee in the morning? Do you regularly reach for a cup of green tea when you need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up? You may be lowering your risk of stroke, if research published March 14 in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association holds true. Study findings suggest that the benefits of green tea and coffee consumption may include a reduction in risk of stroke by as much as 20%.
A daily dose of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) may help to improve memory and reasoning abilities in older people, whether or not they have mild problems with cognition. In a small randomized trial conducted by a University of Washington research team, people who received daily injections of GHRH did better on tests of mental function than those who received a fake shot, or placebo.
Parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often concerned about the safety and long-term effects of medications used to help manage ADHD symptoms. But a recent animal study by a Wake Forest Baptist research team suggests that these fears may be unfounded. In this study of juvenile monkeys, the researchers found that Ritalin – the stimulant drug most commonly prescribed for ADHD – did not affect the developing brain, physical growth, or increase the risk of later substance abuse.
More than 90 percent of primary care doctors and 65 percent of oncologists do not know the major long-term side effects of four drugs commonly used to treat breast cancer and colon cancer, according to findings from a survey by the National Cancer Institute.
Weight lifting and other forms of resistance training may help older women with early signs of cognitive decline, such as memory loss, slow that decline and perhaps stave off dementia. These results are based on a small proof-of-concept study reported April 26, 2012 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
The study was conducted by a research team led by Teresa Liu-Ambrose of the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility at Vancouver Coastal Health Other investigators were from the University of British Columbia.
Insomnia can worsen the effect of tinnitus on physical and emotional health, according to results of a small retrospective study by a group of investigators at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. The study points to the importance of assessing and treating sleep problems in the millions of people worldwide who are living with tinnitus.
People who have trouble sleeping may be at higher risk of developing memory problems and developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
In a small study of cognitively normal people, frequent nighttime waking or lying awake at night was linked to development of the brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to lead author, Yo-El Ju, M.D., MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Blogging may help teens with social anxiety improve self-esteem and better relate to their friends, leading to overall improvements in psychological health. In addition, teens who blog may benefit more than those who write about their fears and concerns in a personal diary. These findings were reported January 4 in the American Psychological Association (APA) journal Psychological Services.
Scheduled for a colonoscopy? Ask your physician to play Mozart while she’s peering through that endoscope, and she may do a better job of detecting potentially cancerous polyps in your colon and rectum, called adenomas. Colonic polyps are common precursors to colon cancer. Adenomas are a type of polyp that may develop into invasive colorectal cancer. Adenocarcinoma of the colon is the most common form of colorectal cancer.
Adding a little spice to your diet might help increase your metabolism and help ward off chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, authors of a small but intriguing study reported August 1 in the Journal of Nutrition. Men in the study who added antioxidant-rich spices to their meals experienced several metabolic benefits, including lowered insulin and triglyceride levels.
A popular bodybuilding supplement does not live up to its labels’ promises of improved muscle strength and endurance, said two unrelated groups of researchers this summer. The supplement, arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG), is widely marketed as a strength-enhancer to weight lifters and bodybuilders. For example, AAKG is supposed to “extend muscle pump, enhance muscle growth, and get rock-hard muscles.” Evidence from these two studies, however, suggests that AAKG may actually decrease performance and have no effect on blood flow.
Researchers have identified a new strain of gonorrhea that is resistant to cephalosporin, the only antibiotic that can be used to treat the disease. The new strain of gonorrhea, labeled H041, has only been found in a very few infections. But the strain has doctors worried for two reasons: First, it does not respond to treatment with any known antibiotic. Second, in the lab, it rapidly passed the genes for resistance to other strains of gonorrhea.
People with Parkinson’s Disease appear to have a significantly higher risk of melanoma, according to findings from a meta-analysis (a "study of studies") reported in the June 7 print issue of Neurology.
Pregnant women who spend time in the sun or take vitamin D supplements may lower their children's risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, a preliminary study suggests.
People who have a “mini stroke” appear to be at twice the risk of later having a heart attack. For people who have a mini stroke before 60 years of age, the risk of heart attack is up 15 times greater.
Are sleep problems linked to our use of communications technology? Do a majority of Americans suffer from the effects of sleep deprivation? Results of a survey released today by the National Sleep Foundation suggest that we could be tweeting, texting, video-gaming, and watching our way to sleep problems.