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Bio-News: Health and Longevity
Vegetarians 'avoid more cancers'
(Jul 2, 2009)
Vegetarians are generally less likely than meat eaters to develop cancer but this does not apply to all forms of the disease, a major study has found. The study involving 60,000 people found those who followed a vegetarian diet developed notably fewer cancers of the blood, bladder and stomach. But the apparently protective effect of vegetarian did not seem to stretch to bowel cancer, a major killer.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Prostate cancer: shock breakthrough
(Jun 20, 2009)
Two patients with inoperable prostate cancer have made dramatic recoveries after receiving one dose of an experimental drug that is creating excitement among cancer specialists. The results were so startling that researchers decided to release details of the two cases before the drug trial, in which the patients took part, was complete. Doctors said their progress had exceeded all expectations. The men were treated at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, one of the top medical centres in the world.
Read more. Source: The Independent |
Problems are solved by sleeping
(Jun 9, 2009)
Sleeping on a problem really can help solve it say scientists who found a dreamy nap boosts creative powers. They tested whether "incubating" a problem allowed a flash of insight, and found it did, especially when people entered a phase of sleep known as REM. Volunteers who had entered REM or rapid eye movement sleep - when most dreams occur - were then better able to solve a new problem with lateral thinking.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Rogue protein 'spreads in brain'
(Jun 9, 2009)
Scientists have shown a rogue protein thought to cause Alzheimer's can spread through the brain, turning healthy tissue bad. They believe the tau protein may share characteristics with the prion proteins which cause vCJD. When injected into the brains of healthy mice it triggered formation of protein tangles linked to Alzheimer's.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Vitamins 'undo exercise efforts'
(May 13, 2009)
Taking vitamins after exercise may undo some of the beneficial effects of the workout, research suggests. Some advocate taking antioxidants like vitamin C and E to help protect the body from harmful chemical by-products it creates in breaking into a sweat. But German scientists now believe these "free radicals" may actually be good for us and even buffer against diabetes, PNAS reports.
Read more. Source: BBC |
'Proof' face creams beat wrinkles
(Apr 30, 2009)
Scientists say they have clinical proof that a face cream available on the high street does reduce wrinkles. Five months' worth of stock of the leading brand sold in a day after Professor Chris Griffiths announced in 2007 it appeared to combat sun damage. Two years on from the BBC Horizon programme showcasing his work, his team has shown the cream visibly smoothes out the skin.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Walnuts may prevent breast cancer
(Apr 23, 2009)
Eating walnuts may help to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, research suggests. The nuts contain ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols that may all reduce the risk of the disease. Mice fed the human equivalent of two ounces (56.7g) of walnuts per day developed fewer and smaller tumours.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Revealed: why we need a good night's sleep
(Apr 7, 2009)
To sleep, perchance to dream, said Hamlet. Now scientists have shown that sleep is more about getting rid of the previous day's mental rubbish than it is about dreaming. A study into slumber has found that the nerve connections built up in the brain during a busy day are pruned back during the night in an attempt to keep the mind from overloading on junk information.
Read more. Source: The Independent |
'Brain training' claims dismissed
(Feb 27, 2009)
People who spend money on brain trainers to keep their mind sharp may well get the same benefit from simply doing a crossword, experts conclude. Consumer group Which? asked three experts to check claims made about several devices, including the Nintendo DS, on memory and staving off dementia. They found the evidence behind such claims was non-existent or "weak".
Read more. Source: BBC |
Gene could allow lab-grown teeth
(Feb 24, 2009)
Scientists believe they have found a way to grow teeth in the laboratory, a discovery that could put an end to fillings and dentures. The US team from Oregon have located the gene responsible for the growth of enamel, the hard outer layer of teeth which cannot grow back naturally. Other scientists are already growing the inner parts of teeth in animals – but they have no hard enamel coatings.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Mole rats may hold secret to long life
(Feb 24, 2009)
They may not be the prettiest creatures, but naked mole rats may hold the secret to longevity. They can live for nearly 30 years longer than any other rodent.
Read more. Source: New Scientist |
Multivitamin supplements a 'waste of time'
(Feb 11, 2009)
Middle-aged women who swallow multivitamin supplements are not doing their health any favours, and are just creating expensive urine, according to the world's largest study into the subject. Researchers who examined the pill-popping habits of nearly 162,000 American women aged 50 to 79 found that although they swallowed dietary supplements by the bucketload, there was no sign that they reduced common cancers, heart disease or deaths.
Read more. Source: The Independent |
The great health debate: is sunshine a miracle cure?
(Feb 8, 2009)
Our bodies make vitamin D when the sun shines, and new research suggests the positive effects on health are greater than we ever guessed. But too much sun causes skin cancer. It's a dilemma provoking fierce discussion among scientists.
Read more. Source: The Guardian |
Cutting calories 'boosts memory'
(Jan 27, 2009)
Reducing what you eat by nearly a third may improve memory, according to German researchers. They introduced the diet to 50 elderly volunteers, then gave them a memory test three months later. The study, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, found significant improvements.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Vitamin D 'is mental health aid'
(Jan 23, 2009)
Vitamin D, found in fish and produced by sun exposure, can help stave off the mental decline that can affect people in old age, a study has suggested. UK and US researchers looked at 2,000 people aged 65 and over. They found that compared to those with the highest vitamin D levels, those with the lowest were more than twice as likely to have impaired understanding.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Body repair 'could be ramped up'
(Jan 14, 2009)
A combination of drugs could trick the body into sending its repair mechanisms into overdrive, say scientists. The technique could be used to speed the healing of heart or bone damage, they claim. The bone marrow of treated mice released 100 times as many stem cells – which help to regenerate tissue.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Scientists dismiss 'detox myth'
(Jan 5, 2009)
There is no evidence that products widely promoted to help the body "detox" work, scientists warn. The charitable trust Sense About Science reviewed 15 products, from bottled water to face scrub, and found many detox claims were "meaningless". Anyone worried about the after-effects of Christmas overindulgence would get the same benefits from eating healthily and getting plenty of sleep, they said.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Smiles and scowls 'in our genes'
(Dec 29, 2008)
The facial expressions we make to show or hide our emotions are hardwired into our brains rather than learned during life, a study has concluded. Blind and sighted athletes made the same expressions when they won and lost, US researchers found. This, the study reported in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology study suggests, meant the expressions were not picked up by watching others.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Skipping sleep 'hardens arteries'
(Dec 24, 2008)
People who scrimp on sleep are more likely to develop hardening of their arteries, a precursor to heart disease, research suggests. Calcified arteries were found in nearly a third of people who slept fewer than five hours a night. This dropped to around one in 10 for those who slept an extra hour, the Journal of the American Medical Association study of 495 adults found.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Happiness 'rubs off on others'
(Dec 8, 2008)
Happiness is infectious and can "ripple" through social groups, according to US researchers. A study of 5,000 adults suggests a person's happiness is dependent on the happiness of those around them. A friend who becomes happy and lives less than a mile away increases your likelihood of happiness by 25%, the British Medical Journal reported.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Antioxidants 'cannot slow ageing'
(Dec 1, 2008)
Diets and creams claiming their antioxidant properties could cheat ageing may be worthless, a study says. Using Nematode worms, scientists found even those given enhanced antioxidant powers to deal with tissue damaging "free radicals" did not live longer. The team from University College London said, in the Genes and Development journal, there was "no clear evidence" they could slow ageing.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Has universal ageing mechanism been found?
(Nov 27, 2008)
An overworked protein, called Sir1, that causes yeast to age when it neglects one of its functions may trigger ageing in mice too. If the same effect is found in people, it may suggest new ways to halt or reverse age-related disease.
Read more. Source: New Scientist |
Windpipe transplant breakthrough
(Nov 19, 2008)
Surgeons in Spain have carried out the world's first tissue-engineered whole organ transplant – using a windpipe made with the patient's own stem cells. The groundbreaking technology also means for the first time tissue transplants can be carried out without the need for anti-rejection drugs. Five months on the patient, 30-year-old mother-of-two Claudia Castillo, is in perfect health, The Lancet reports.
Read more. Source: BBC |
'Elixir of youth' drug could fight HIV and ageing
(Nov 14, 2008)
A drug extracted from a plant used in Chinese medicine has helped immune cells fight HIV and raises the possibility of slowing the ageing process in other parts of our bodies. The method hinges upon telomeres – caps of repetitive DNA found at the ends of chromosomes. These get shorter as cells age and are thought to affect the cell's lifespan.
Read more. Source: New Scientist |
Child's play 'better than a jog'
(Nov 4, 2008)
Running around like a child in a playground may be better for you than traditional grown-up ways of taking exercise like jogging and cycling. Researchers have found short sharp sprints of up to 30 seconds could be as beneficial as doing up to five sessions of an hour's exercise a week. Fewer than one in three adults in Wales follow recommended exercise guidelines.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Red LEDs could make anti-ageing device
(Oct 28, 2008)
Sunlight causes wrinkles, among other kinds of skin damage, but a different kind of light – specifically the red glow from LEDs - may help to smooth them out by altering the interactions between water and elastic proteins in the skin. Andrei Sommer and Dan Zhu of the University of Ulm in Germany have been investigating how water molecules in the skin interact with different substances.
Read more. Source: New Scientist |
Brain boost drugs 'growing trend'
(Oct 17, 2008)
Increasing numbers of people are using prescription drugs like Ritalin to boost alertness and brain power, say experts. Up to a fifth of adults, including college students and shift workers, may be using cognitive enhancers, a poll of 1,400 by Nature journal suggests. Neuropsychologist Professor Barbara Sahakian of Cambridge University said safety evidence is urgently needed.
Read more. Source: BBC |
New twist in brain obesity riddle
(Oct 5, 2008)
The discovery of another way in which the body appears to control how much it eats could shed fresh light on obesity. US researchers said poor diets may trigger a signalling system which prompts the body to consume even more. When the signals – involving a protein linked to inflammation - were blocked in mice, they maintained normal weight.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Clean living 'slows cell ageing'
(Sep 16, 2008)
Taking more exercise and eating the right foods may help increase levels of an enzyme vital for guarding against age-related cell damage, work suggests. Among 24 men asked to adopt healthy lifestyle changes for a US study in The Lancet Oncology, levels of telomerase increased by 29% on average. Telomerase repairs and lengthens telomeres, which cap and protect the ends of chromosomes housing DNA.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Vitamin linked to brain shrinking
(Sep 9, 2008)
A vitamin found in meat, fish and milk may help stave off memory loss in old age, a study has suggested. Older people with lower than average vitamin B12 levels were more than six times more likely to experience brain shrinkage, researchers concluded. The University of Oxford study, published in the journal Neurology, tested the 107 apparently healthy volunteers over a five-year period.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Climbing stairs can prolong life
(Sep 1, 2008)
Taking the stairs instead of the lift at work could save your life, claim Swiss researchers. Banning the use of lifts and escalators led to better fitness, less body fat, trimmer waistlines and a drop in blood pressure, a study of 69 people found. This translates to a 15% cut in the risk of dying prematurely from any cause, calculate the University of Geneva team.
Read more. Source: BBC |
New brain cells are essential for learning
(Sep 1, 2008)
Far from being a completed masterpiece, some parts of the brain are works-in-progress, continuously churning out new cells. Now we may know why the brain goes to all that trouble. In mice at least, it appears that fresh brain cells are key to learning and memory.
Read more. Source: New Scientist |
Cancer spread 'happens earlier'
(Aug 29, 2008)
Apparently "normal" cells may carry cancer to new sites long before a tumour develops, lying dormant until key genes are activated, experts say. US researchers say their findings, published in Science, could explain why some breast cancers lead to new tumours long after the disease is treated. Secondary, or metastatic, cancers are responsible for the majority of deaths from the disease.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Alzheimer's drug 'halts' decline
(Jul 29, 2008)
UK scientists have developed a drug which may halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Trials of the drug, known as rember, in 321 patients showed an 81% difference in rate of mental decline compared with those not taking the treatment. The Aberdeen University researchers said the drug targeted the build-up of a specific protein in the brain.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Cell change 'keeps organs young'
(Aug 11, 2008)
Researchers may have found a way to halt the biological clock which slows down our bodies over the decades. A US team thinks it may have found the genetic levers to help boost a system vital to cleaning up faulty proteins within our cells. The journal Nature Medicine reported that the livers of genetically-altered older mice worked as well as those in younger animals.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Sleeping soundly 'boosts memory'
(Jul 14, 2008)
A refreshing night's sleep may be the best way to boost memory, a study suggests. Researchers found sleep appears to have a dramatic impact on the way the brain functions the next day. It appears to strengthen connections between nerve cells in the brain – a process key to both learning and memory.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Blood pressure 'link to dementia'
(Jul 8, 2008)
Controlling blood pressure from middle-age onwards may dramatically reduce the chances of developing dementia, researchers have said. Two studies support a link between high blood pressure and dementia risk - with one by an Imperial College London team suggesting treatment could cut this. This study, by published in the Lancet Neurology journal, found blood pressure drugs reduce dementia by 13%.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Mediterranean diet 'cuts cancer'
(Jul 2, 2008)
Adopting just a couple of elements of the Mediterranean diet could cut the risk of cancer by 12%, say scientists. A study of 26,000 Greek people found just using more olive oil alone cut the risk by 9%. The diet, reports the British Journal of Cancer, also includes higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and less red meat.
Read more. Source: BBC |
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