From the monthly archives:

January 2010

A Université de Montréal Research Team Is Developing A Pill Composed Of Leptin, The Protein That Tells Our Brain To Stop Eating.

January 29, 2010 News & Research

“Mice deprived of leptin will not stop eating. They become so big they have trouble moving around,” says Moïse Bendayan, a pathology professor at the Université de Montréal Faculty of Medicine who has studied the leptin protein extensively.

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Arthritis: Environmental Exposure to Hairspray, Lipstick, Pollution, Can Trigger Autoimmune Diseases

January 29, 2010 News & Research

The links between autoimmune diseases, infections, genetics and the environment are complex and mysterious. Why are people who live near airports more susceptible to autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus? How do hormones in meat trigger the onset of a disease?

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Human Growth Hormone: Not a Life Extender After All?

January 29, 2010 News & Research

People profoundly deficient in human growth hormone (HGH) due to a genetic mutation appear to live just as long as people who make normal amounts of the hormone, a new study shows. The findings suggest that HGH may not be the “fountain of youth” that some researchers have suggested.

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Vitamin D Supplements Could Fight Crohn’s Disease

January 29, 2010 News & Research

A new study has found that Vitamin D, readily available in supplements or cod liver oil, can counter the effects of Crohn’s disease. John White, an endocrinologist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, led a team of scientists from…

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Rejuvenating The Old Immune System

January 29, 2010 News & Research

Thanks to the progress in health care and improved living conditions, we live longer. The price we pay: Our immune system loses functionality as we age and the susceptibility to infections increases. Members of the infection immunology research group at the…

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Antioxidants Aren’t Always Good for You And Can Impair Muscle Function, Study Shows

January 29, 2010 News & Research

Antioxidants increasingly have been praised for their benefits against disease and aging, but recent studies at Kansas State University show that they also can cause harm. Researchers in K-State’s Cardiorespiratory Exercise Laboratory have been studying how to improve oxygen delivery to the skeletal muscle during physical activity by…

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Hungry Immune Guardians Are Snappier: Nutrition Has A Direct Influence On The Immune System

January 29, 2010 News & Research

Bonn researchers have discovered an elementary mechanism which regulates vital immune functions in healthy people. In situations of hunger which mean stress for the body’s cells, the body releases more antimicrobial peptides in order to protect itself. The scientists will publish their results in the journal Nature.

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‘Overweight’ Adults Age 70 Or Older Are Less Likely To Die Over A 10-Year Period

January 28, 2010 News & Research

Adults aged over 70 years who are classified as overweight are less likely to die over a ten year period than adults who are in the ‘normal’ weight range, according to a new study published in the Journal of The American Geriatrics Society.

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Arthritis: Environmental Exposure To Hairspray, Lipstick, Pollution, Can Trigger Autoimmune Diseases

January 28, 2010 News & Research

The links between autoimmune diseases, infections, genetics and the environment are complex and mysterious. Why are people who live near airports more susceptible to autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus? How do hormones in meat trigger the onset of a disease?

Read more...

Low-Carb Diet Effective At Lowering Blood Pressure

January 26, 2010 News & Research

In a head-to-head comparison, two popular weight loss methods proved equally effective at helping participants lose significant amounts of weight. But, in a surprising twist, a low-carbohydrate diet proved better at lowering blood pressure than the weight-loss drug orlistat, according…

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Vitamin D Supplementation Can Reduce Falls In Nursing Care Facilities

January 26, 2010 News & Research

Giving people living in nursing facilities vitamin D can reduce the rate of falls, according to a new Cochrane Review. This finding comes from a study of many different interventions used in different situations. In hospitals, multifactorial interventions and supervised exercise programs also showed benefit.

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Nutrition Has A Direct Influence On The Immune System

January 22, 2010 News & Research

Bonn researchers have discovered an elementary mechanism, which regulates vital immune functions in healthy people. In situations of hunger which mean stress for the body’s cells, the body releases more antimicrobial peptides in order to protect itself. The scientists will publish their results in the journal Nature.

Read more...