Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Cognitive Impairment
 We already know that Vitamin D is essential for maintaining bone health and keeping our immune systems strong. Now, based on a study by Peninsula Medical School, the University of Cambridge and the University of Michigan, there is evidence that Vitamin D may also help maintain cognitive skills.
The study was based on information collected from almost 2,000 adults aged 65 and over who participated in a large health survey in England. The data showed that as Vitamin D levels decreased, cognitive impairment increased; in fact, compared to older adults with optimal levels of Vitamin D, those with the lowest levels were over two times as likely to be cognitively impaired.
We get Vitamin D from three main sources:
- exposure to sunlight
- foods that naturally contain Vitamin D, such as oily fish
- foods that are fortified with Vitamin D, such as milk and cereal
Unfortunately, as we grow older, our skin becomes less effective at absorbing Vitamin D from sunlight, so we have to obtain Vitamin D from other sources as well. The researchers now want to find out whether Vitamin D supplements can be beneficial in maintaining brain health and preventing cognitive impairment. I look forward to hearing more about this; in the meantime, I might take some more walks in the sunshine this spring.
Photo © Microsoft
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Cognitive Impairment originally appeared on About.com Alzheimers Disease on Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 at 23:57:39. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Can Apple Juice Delay Alzheimer's Disease?
 Maybe. Dr. Thomas B. Shea of the Center for Cellular Neurobiology at the Neurodegeneration Research University of Massachusetts - Lowell and his colleagues have conducted a number of studies that found that drinking apple juice improved the performance of mice in maze tests and prevented the usual decline in performance among mice as they age.
In their most recent study, they found that mice who consumed the human equivalent of 2 glasses of apple juice a day for 1 month produced less beta amyloid than mice who did not receive apple juice. Beta amyloid is the protein that makes up the plaques that accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
I'm glad to see that a series of studies has supported the brain benefits of apple juice. Still, remember that these studies were done with mice, so we need evidence that apple juice produces similar benefits in humans. In the meantime, it sure can't hurt to add apple juice to your diet if you don't include it already.
Photo © Microsoft
Can Apple Juice Delay Alzheimer's Disease? originally appeared on About.com Alzheimers Disease on Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 at 23:04:17. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Salmonella in Salami?
The FDA and CDC are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo. It appears that certain italian style sausages and salami were contaminated with Salmonella.
So far, at least 207 people in 42 states have gotten sick due to the contaminated meats. The agencies believe the contamination may be traced to black pepper that the meats were seasoned with, but have not confirmed that theory. The FDA and CDC have compiled lists of the recalled products. They include salami and italian sausages that can be stored without refrigeration for up to a year.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection include:
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Stomach Cramps
- Vomiting
If you have any of these symptoms and have consumed any of the recalled products in the past couple of days, contact your healthcare provider. If you have any of the recalled products at home, discard them.
Most people that have salmonella infections will never know it. They simply have symptoms that they assume to be a stomach flu and recover without any complications within a couple of days. Therefore, the actual number of people affected by this outbreak could be significantly higher than what is reported.
Salmonella in Salami? originally appeared on About.com Cold & Flu on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 19:32:29. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Avandia Still on the Market Despite Cardiac Deaths
After ongoing observational studies on the safety of the type 2 diabetes drug, rosiglitazone (Avandia), the FDA issued a statement today that says, for now, rosiglitazone will stay on the market, at least until all the results of all the studies are in, most likely in July of this year. The results will be presented at a public meeting at that time.
This announcement follows major news stories of this past weekend, which brought to light a confidential report on rosiglitazone by a U.S. Senate investigatory committee.
In that report, according to ABC News, Glaxo Smith Kline, the manufacturer of rosiglitazone did not warn patients that Avandia was potentially deadly, when cardiovascular events and deaths were first brought to light.
According to the NY Times, rosiglitazone has been linked to 304 deaths during the third quarter of 2009.
In a quote from today's announcement from the FDA, The "FDA recommends that healthcare professionals follow the recommendations in the drug label when prescribing rosiglitazone. This includes a Boxed Warning. Patients should continue taking rosiglitazone unless told by their healthcare professional to stop."
Do you agree with the FDA's position on rosiglitazone, or do you feel that the drug should be pulled from the market immediately? Weigh in with the poll on the right.
Avandia Still on the Market Despite Cardiac Deaths originally appeared on About.com Diabetes on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 at 20:53:06. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Bill Clinton's New Heart Problems
Bill Clinton was hospitalized this afternoon after experiencing chest pains. Spokespersons for Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, where the 63-year-old former President Clinton was admitted, said he has received two stents in one of his coronary arteries. Mr. Clinton is known to have had coronary artery disease at least since 2004, when he had bypass surgery performed to four of his coronary arteries. At that time, it was noted that he did not have heart muscle damage. Whether he has sustained any permanent heart muscle damage with this latest episode has not been reported.
So what does this latest episode indicate? It is impossible to know for sure considering the sparse details released so far, but based on the symptom of chest pain, and his doctors' very rapid insertion of stents as a result, it appears very likely that President Clinton has experienced a form of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS).
Generally, ACS occurs when a blood clot suddenly forms within a coronary artery, usually due to the acute rupture of a plaque. ACS can lead to myocardial infarction (which causes permanent heart muscle damage), or to unstable angina. ACS always ought to be considered a medical emergency, and ought to initiate medical care aimed at accomplishing two things: 1) to limit the heart muscle damage being done acutely by the blood clot within the coronary artery, and 2) to limit the possibility that the plaque - which has now shown itself to be unstable and prone to rupture - will rupture again.
Accomplishing the first goal - limiting the damage being done by the blocked or partially-blocked artery - often involves rapid angioplasty and stenting.
So, if Mr. Clinton had ACS, as appears likely, the treatment he has received so far has been appropriately aggressive.
Bill Clinton's New Heart Problems originally appeared on About.com Heart Disease on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 17:46:00. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Donating Kidney Doesn't Shorten Lifespan
A study of over 80,000 American live kidney donors found they were likely to live just as long as people who have two healthy kidneys and that the procedure carries very little medical risk. You can read about the landmark study by lead author and transplant surgeon Dr Dorry L Segev, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues, online in the 10 March issue of JAMA, Journal of the American Medical Association...
Texas Earthquake Study Cites 'Plausible Cause'
A study of seismic activity near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport by researchers from Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Austin reveals that the operation of a saltwater injection disposal well in the area was a "plausible cause" for the series of small earthquakes that occurred in the area between Oct. 30, 2008, and May 16, 2009. The incidents under study occurred in an area of North Texas where the vast Barnett Shale geological formation traps natural gas deposits in subsurface rock...
Sunscreen Basics
Spring is just around the corner and that means most of us will be spending more time outdoors. Drugstores are already bulking up their tanning and sun protection aisles with numerous sprays, lotions, and oils. While having a large selection is important, it can be downright overwhelming! UVB this and SPF that... throw UVAs in the mix and the confusion begins! Study up on sunscreen basics before you go to the store. This way you will know exactly what product you need, what type of protection you are looking for and hopefully you will be in an out in under 15 minutes!
What You Need to Know About Sunscreen:
Sunscreen Basics originally appeared on About.com Cancer on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at 19:50:42. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Early Detection Blog Series Supports Those in Search of an Accurate Diagnosis
If you are a proponent of the early detection of Alzheimer's disease, check out the Alzheimer's Association's Early Detection Blog Series, where the organization's Early Stage Advisors share their personal experiences recognizing the signs of Alzheimer’s. Their real stories are powerful and motivate us to seek early detection in order to improve quality of life for everyone.
Early Detection Blog Series Supports Those in Search of an Accurate Diagnosis originally appeared on About.com Alzheimers Disease on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 22:53:54. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Is It Allergy Season Yet?
Most people who suffer from allergies have what we call "seasonal allergies" meaning that they only have allergies during certain seasons (typically spring or fall). Spring is only a few weeks away - despite what the groundhog says - and with it will come pollen and lots of watery, itchy eyes and runny noses.
However, it is still winter right now. Have you had a cold that has lasted for months on end? Believe it or not, it may be allergies. In fact, some people can even be allergic to cold weather! I'm a Southern girl and always thought I was "allergic to the cold", but it turns out there may be some truth to that thought.
If you aren't sure if your symptoms are due to a cold or allergies, learn about the differences between the two and find out what you should do.
Is It Allergy Season Yet? originally appeared on About.com Cold & Flu on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at 12:14:00. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Identifying Patient-Relevant Outcomes In Metastatic Prostate Cancer
While subjective patient-reported outcomes, such as scores from health-status questionnaires, have become an integral part of clinical trials, there is also a need to identify what specific outcomes are the most important ones to target in a given disease context. The objective of this study was to develop a framework of patient-relevant outcome issues in men being treated for metastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer in order to enhance and support the clarity of measurement in this population...
Sinusitis & Asthma
Sinusitis is one of the conditions that could be making your asthma worse with as many as half of chronic asthmatics having chronic sinusitis according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. While cold symptoms are common this time of year, stuffy nose and headache lasting more than 2 weeks may be more than just a winter cold.
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) 31 million Americans develop sinusitis each year, leading to 18 million physician visits and $5.8 billion in overall health expenditures.
"Early on, the symptoms of colds and sinusitis are similar," said Anju Peters, MD, Chair of the AAAAI Rhinosinusitis Committee in a press release. "But if symptoms are worsening after 3-5 days, or if they are present for more than 10 days, then sinusitis is the likely culprit."
Without treatment sinusitis could continue to cause asthma symptoms and poor control of your asthma.
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Sinusitis & Asthma originally appeared on About.com Asthma on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 23:28:51. Permalink | Comment | Email this
New Beginnings
First of all, I want to apologize to everyone who reads this site for not posting in awhile. The last several weeks have been extremely busy as I made preparations to move across the country. Add to that some interesting challenges getting hooked up to the Internet again and it made it quite difficult to keep up with my About.com responsibilities. But I made the cross-country trek safe and sound and am getting back in the swing of things!
As always, Alzheimer's disease has been in the news quite a bit over the past several weeks. I'll be catching you up on the latest developments in the near future and adding new content every week. But before I start building momentum again, I have a question for you: What kinds of things do you want to read and learn about Alzheimer's disease? Are there specific questions to which you have not been able to find answers on this website? Please share your ideas and requests with me, and I'll do the best I can to gear my writing to your needs and concerns.
Thanks so much in advance for your great ideas.
New Beginnings originally appeared on About.com Alzheimers Disease on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 at 17:40:35. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Also In Global Health News: WFP In Somalia; Ugandans Displaced By Landslides; Polio Vaccination Campaign In Nigeria; Famine In Chad
Nearly 50% Of Food Aid Sent To Somalia Never Makes It To People In Need "As much as half the food aid sent to Somalia is diverted from needy people to a web of corrupt contractors, radical Islamist militants and local United Nations staff members, according to a new Security Council report," the New York Times reports. "The report, which has not yet been made public ...
Experimental Drug That Mimics Thyroid Hormone Safely Lowers 'Bad' Cholesterol In Statin-Treated Patients
People whose "bad" cholesterol and risk of future heart disease stay too high despite cholesterol-lowering statin therapy can safely lower it by adding a drug that mimics the action of thyroid hormone. In a report published in the Mar. 11, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Johns Hopkins and Swedish researchers say an experimental drug called eprotirome lowered cholesterol up to 32 percent in those already on statins, an effect equal to that expected from doubling the statin drug doses, without harmful side effects...
Soybean Product Tackles Alzheimer's-Related Protein
 A recent study by researchers in Taiwan showed that a particular soy product may prevent the formation of protein clumps associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The soy product is natto, a fermented food made out of boiled soybeans most commonly eaten in Asia. Natto is different from other soy products because it contains nattokinase, an enzyme known to have similar benefits as clot-busting medications used to treat heart disease.
The researchers found that nattokinase dissolved several different forms of amyloid protein; beta amyloid is what makes up the plaques that form in the brains of people with Alzheimer's.
The researchers would now like to do an epidemiological study that looks at whether populations that regularly eat natto have lower rates of Alzheimer's disease than similar populations that do not eat natto. I look forward to more research on this interesting food.
More on soy:
- Soy Confusion: Is Tofu Bad for Memory?
Illustration © Microsoft
Soybean Product Tackles Alzheimer's-Related Protein originally appeared on About.com Alzheimers Disease on Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 at 22:22:12. Permalink | Comment | Email this
GlaxoSmithKline Response to Senate Report Adds to Controversy Over Avandia
On Wednesday, Feb. 24th, 2010, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) issued a response to the recent Senate Finance Committee's "Staff Report on GlaxoSmithKline and the Diabetes Drug Avandia".
The report had stated that GSK, the manufacturer of Avandia, (rosiglitazone) did not warn patients that the drug was potentially deadly, when cardiovascular events and deaths were first brought to light.
In their response, GSK says, "The Senate Finance Committee's January 2010 Staff Report on GlaxoSmithKline and the Diabetes Drug Avandia" ("Staff Report") does not present an accurate, balanced, or complete view of the currently available information on Avandia® (rosiglitazone maleate). Further, the Staff Report mischaracterizes and distorts the efforts that GlaxoSmithKline LLC ("GSK") took to continue to monitor the safety and efficacy of its diabetes medication."
The 30 page report from GSK outlines several clinical trials in which Avandia was studied. According to GSK, results from some of these trials did not show Avandia to be the cause of cardiovascular events.
For the person with type 2 diabetes who is being prescribed Avandia, this controversy over the safety of the drug might be a little unnerving, to say the least. The FDA remains firm in it's stance to address the safety of Avandia this July and recommends that physicians adhere to the black box warnings on the drug when prescribing Avandia to their patients. The FDA also suggests that people who are on Avandia, should remain on it at this time.
If you'd like to read the current FDA Boxed Warning for Avandia, it's printed here...
WARNING: CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA
- Thiazolidinediones, including rosiglitazone, cause or exacerbate congestive heart failure in some patients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]. After initiation of AVANDIA, and after dose increases, observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of heart failure (including excessive, rapid weight gain, dyspnea, and/or edema). If these signs and symptoms develop,
the heart failure should be managed according to current standards of care. Furthermore, discontinuation or dose reduction of AVANDIA must be considered.
- AVANDIA is not recommended in patients with symptomatic heart failure. Initiation of AVANDIA in patients with established NYHA Class III or IV heart failure is contraindicated. [See Contraindications (4) and Warnings and Precautions (5.1).]
- A meta-analysis of 42 clinical studies (mean duration 6 months; 14,237 total patients), most of which compared AVANDIA to placebo, showed AVANDIA to be associated with an increased risk of myocardial ischemic events such as angina or myocardial infarction. Three other studies (mean duration 41 months; 14,067 total patients), comparing AVANDIA to some other approved oral antidiabetic agents or placebo, have not confirmed or excluded this risk. In their entirety, the available data on the risk of myocardial ischemia are inconclusive.
If you are taking Avandia, what are your thoughts on these recent reports? Do you feel comfortable taking Avandia? Hit the comment button below to give your opinion.
If you have concerns about your medication please speak to your doctor. It's important not to stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor.
GlaxoSmithKline Response to Senate Report Adds to Controversy Over Avandia originally appeared on About.com Diabetes on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 00:53:56. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Rheumatoid Arthritis May Affect Aging Process
 Rheumatoid arthritis patients appear to age faster than people without the disease, according to a report in Arthritis Today. After studying the medical records of 755 rheumatoid arthritis patients who were diagnosed between 1955 and 2008, Mayo Clinic researchers discovered that the patients were physically two years older than their actual age at the time of diagnosis. Beyond that point, they aged even more rapidly.
Researchers concluded that for "every 10 years of chronological aging, people with RA physically age 11.4 years." It is known that, in patients with the disease, there is accelerated aging at the cellular level. Is this effect causing an increased risk of mortality in rheumatoid arthritis patients? How are newer rheumatoid arthritis treatments that became available in the last decade or so affecting aging and mortality? Researchers will likely consider those questions going forward.
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Photo by Sean Warren (iStockphoto)
Rheumatoid Arthritis May Affect Aging Process originally appeared on About.com Arthritis on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 at 23:58:28. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Multiple Medications Recalled Due to Foul Odor
McNeil Consumer Healthcare has recalled numerous medications due to reports of a foul odor and some cases of nausea, stomach pain, vomiting or diarrhea. They recalled certain packages of Tylenol Arthritis last month due to the same complaints but have now expanded the recall to include all products that could possibly be affected.
The recalled products were sold in the Americas, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Fiji. After an investigation, McNeil determined that the odor - which has been described as moldy or musty - is caused by a chemical known as 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA) which is commonly found in wood pallets that are used to transport the packaging materials that the medications are stored in. Trace amounts of the chemical were found in some of the medications when they were tested.
Some of the medications involved in the recall include:
- Children's and Adult Tylenol
- Children's and Adult Motrin
- Benadryl
- St. Joseph's Aspirin
- Rolaids
- Simply Sleep
- Tylenol Arthritis
- Tylenol PM
You can find a complete list of the recalled products including lot numbers on the FDA's website.
If you have any of the recalled medications, you can contact McNeil Consumer Healthcare at 1-888-222-6036 or www.mcneilproductrecall.com for refund or replacement. If you have experienced symptoms after taking one of these medications, contact your healthcare provider.
Multiple Medications Recalled Due to Foul Odor originally appeared on About.com Cold & Flu on Saturday, January 16th, 2010 at 21:47:59. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Seaweed Extract May Hold Promise For Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treatment
Seaweed extract may eventually emerge as a lymphoma treatment, according to laboratory research presented at the second AACR Dead Sea International Conference on Advances in Cancer Research: From the Laboratory to the Clinic, held here March 7-10, 2010. Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system and is classified into Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's types, which are then further classified into B-cell and T-cell groups. "Some forms of B-cell lymphoma are especially resistant to standard treatment and thus new therapies are needed," said Mohammad Irhimeh, Ph.D...
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