Researchers warn the elderly to watch their consumption of vitamin D and calcium. High levels of both calcium and vitamin D can significantly increase the number of brain lesions, which have been linked to cognitive impairment, dementia, depression and stroke.
“At this point, we do not know if high calcium and vitamin D intake are involved with the causation of brain lesions, but the study provides support to the growing number of researchers who are concerned about the effects of too much calcium, particularly among older adults, given the current emphasis on promoting high intakes of calcium and vitamin D,” says Dr. Martha Payne.
Payne and her fellow investigators at Duke University evaluated the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 232 men and women (79 men, 153 women) between the ages of 60 and 86 (average age 71). They accounted for other reasons for lesions, including age, hypertension, and other medical conditions.
Researchers from the University of Michigan Health System believe that a compound found in green tea may be therapeutic in preventing inflammation for people with rheumatoid arthritis. The result of the study was presented April 29th at the Biology 2007 conference in Washington, D.C.
The compound in green tea that looks like it has potent anti-inflammatory abilities is called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). They found that this compound inhibited the production of certain molecules in the immune system which cause inflammation. This inflammation is found in the joints in rheumatoid arthritis.
“Our research is a very promising step in the search for therapies for the joint destruction experienced by people who have rheumatoid arthritis,” said Salah-uddin Ahmed, Ph.D., lead researcher on the study.
Infant formula and baby food could have a new ingredient that will tame their appetites reports Lisa Melton in Chemistry & Industry magazine. The new baby foods could be on store shelves soon, as Clore Laboratory at the University of Buckingham are developing foods for infants that is fortified with leptin hormone.
Leptin is a fat hormone that controls hunger. The researchers believe that those who take leptin hormone early in life will never get fat and will remain slim despite eating those extra calories. You know those people that can eat and eat and never gain a pound.
Mike Cawthorne who is the head of the Metabolic Research group at Clore has already shown that supplementing infant rats with leptin protected them from ever getting fat or developing diabetes. They even showed that rats that were fed leptin and were fed a high-fat diet remained slender.