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Vitamin D, magnesium, other nutrients may influence cardiovascular disease risk |
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Written by Neena Sareen
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Saturday, 11 July 2009 13:54 |
 Washington, July 11 : Vitamin D, magnesium, and other nutrients may influence the risk and progression of cardiovascular disease, says a report.
"The prospect that macro- and micronutrients may play an important role in the appearance of diseases of the cardiovasculature and their progressive nature is both intriguing and provocative," according to the article's preface by Dr. Karl T. Weber.
The findings highlighted in the article were presented at the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation's (SSCI) Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans earlier this year.
Published in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (AJMS), it says that several recent studies have identified low vitamin D levels as a common problem with many adverse health effects, including increased rates of cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Suzanne Judd, of University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Dr. Vin Tangpricha, of Emory University, say that people with vitamin D deficiency are at increased risk of high blood pressure, heart failure, and ischemic heart disease.
In patients who already have heart disease, low vitamin D may increase the risk of high blood pressure or sudden death, the researchers add.
Vitamin D deficiency may also help to explain the apparent relationship between osteoporosis-related fractures and heart failure, according to Dr. Syed H. Raza and colleagues.
Osteoporosis and heart failure are both common conditions in older adults and share several risk factors-including low vitamin D.
Pending further research to clarify this relationship, patients with heart failure need attention to their risks of osteoporosis and fractures.
Given that there is very little information on whether taking vitamin D supplements can avoid or reduce these risks, Dr. Rebecca B. Costello of the National Institutes of Health''s Office of Dietary Supplements urges rigorous scientific studies to clarify the relationship between vitamin D and cardiovascular disease, as well as other chronic diseases.
As regards other nutrients, folic acid (vitamin B9) reduces levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which affects cardiovascular risk, according to Dr. Lydia A. Bazzano of Tulane University.
Though studies have found that taking folic acid to reduce homocysteine does not lower cardiovascular risk in adults, taking folic acid during pregnancy does appear to reduce the risk of congenital heart defects.
Dr. Jay H. Kramer of George Washington University says that low levels of magnesium may lead to a "cascade" of harmful inflammation-promoting events. This may lead to disease of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), increasing vulnerability to injury from other forms of stress.
Especially with the high rate of magnesium deficiency in the population, antioxidants and other medications-in addition to magnesium supplements-might help in reducing cardiovascular disease.
Despite the tantalizing new evidence, "The role of nutrition in the causation, prevention, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases is largely unexplored," Dr. Weber concludes.
"Investigator-initiated, hypothesis-driven research conducted in a mode of discovery by a multidisciplinary team of basic and clinical scientists will undoubtedly open new frontiers and pave the way by identifying simple remedies that could advance the practice of medicine," Dr. Weber writes. (ANI) |
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Swine Flu affects 16 in Hyderabad |
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Written by Deepak Joshi
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Wednesday, 24 June 2009 16:41 |
 Hyderabad, June 24 : With medical authorities confirming another case of swine flu in Hyderabad, the total number of the affected people in the city turned 16 on Wednesday.
A 30-year-old woman, wife of another swine flu patient who was recently identified as the 15th person found affected by swine flu in the city, has also been found positive with swine flu here.
"We have officially reported 16th case. She is the wife of the 15th case. She is a 30-year-old woman. She has not travelled with him but she had travelled on a different date. So that is why (we are) screening that flight also, three rows in front and three rows back," said Dr. K. Subbarao of the Government General And Chest Hospital.
Out of the 16 cases, 14 have been discharged, while two are undergoing treatment.
Two suspected persons for swine flu, a 23-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl from Hong Kong, are awaiting reports. While another 45-year-old man who just travelled from Doha has also been admitted in the hospital for suspected HINI infection, after initial screening at Hyderabad airport
So far, a total of 59 people have tested positive for swine flu across India, of whom 32 patients have been treated as inpatients in isolation wards and discharged.
Out of the total 59 patients, 53 arrived from abroad while six contracted the disease in the country. A total 412 suspected cases were quarantined.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) elevated the H1N1 strain to pandemic status earlier this month.
The WHO, in an update on the spread of the new flu strain earlier on Saturday (June 20), said the number of worldwide cases had risen to 44,287, with 180 deaths.
Mexico, United States and Canada have borne the brunt of the illness while research work is still on to formulate an effective vaccine to counter the pandemic. (ANI) |
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Serbia reports first case of swine flu |
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Written by Ajay Gupta
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Wednesday, 24 June 2009 16:40 |
 Belgrade - Serbia on Wednesday reported its first case of swine flu, a man who recently returned from Argentina, the Serbian Ministry of Health said.
Serbian Minister of Health Tomica Milosavljevic told journalists in Belgrade that the 29-year-old man was currently in isolation and that his condition was stable.
The man recently returned from Argentina via Frankfurt and Zagreb and has been in contact with three persons who are currently being monitored.
The World Health Organization on June 11 declared the worldwide spread of swine flu a pandemic. (dpa) |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 June 2009 16:49 |
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Ingestion of sugar sends testosterone levels down |
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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 15 June 2009 16:52 |
Washington, June 14: A new study has shown that post-meal surges in blood sugar can cut a man's level of circulating testosterone by about a quarter.
According to study’s researchers, the finding might help doctors decide to test for testosterone levels while patients are fasting.
The study involved 74 men, including 42 with normal blood sugar, 23 with impaired blood sugar levels ("pre-diabetes") and nine newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Each of the men drank a sugary solution (75 grams of pure glucose), which typically triggers a spike in blood sugar levels. They then had their testosterone levels tested.
The researchers found that, regardless of whether the men had diabetes or not, blood levels of testosterone dropped by as much as 25 percent after they drank the sugary drink.
This trend continued for more than two hours after the glucose was ingested. In fact, 15 percent of the 66 men with normal testosterone levels before the test had low testosterone ("hypogonadism") at some point during the test.
The researchers said that changes in insulin levels didn't seem to affect the results, nor did levels of other hormones.
Study co-author Dr. Frances Hayes, an endocrinologist at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, said that doctors need accurate testosterone testing to see whether men are hypogonadal and require testosterone supplementation.
Hayes, who did the research at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, said that because testosterone now seems tied to blood-sugar levels, "this research supports the notion that men found to have low testosterone levels should be re-evaluated in the fasting state.”
The results were presented at The Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. (ANI)
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