Coffee intake linked to reduced risk of MS

It is estimated that more than 2.3 million people worldwide have multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease of the central nervous system - the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease, whereby immune-system induced inflammation damages the protective coating of nerve fibers, called myelin. Symptoms of MS vary but commonly include loss of balance and coordination, blurred vision, extreme fatigue, tremors and numbness.
Past studies have suggested that coffee consumption may protect against other neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. In this latest study, researchers say the beverage could also protect against MS.
To reach their findings, study author Dr. Ellen Mowry, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, and colleagues analyzed data from two separate population-based case-control studies that looked at the link between coffee consumption and MS.
The first study was a Swedish study involving 1,629 people with MS and 2,807 healthy controls, while the second study was a US study involving 1,159 people with MS and 1,172 healthy controls.
Both studies recorded coffee consumption among people with MS at 1 and 5 years prior to onset of symptoms, and the Swedish study also recorded coffee consumption among these participants 10 years before symptoms began. Coffee intake of those with MS was compared with the healthy controls at similar time points.

Consuming at least four cups of coffee a day linked to reduced risk of MS

The results of the Swedish study revealed that participants who did not drink coffee in the year prior to symptom onset were around 1.5 times more likely to develop MS, compared with those who consumed six or more cups of coffee each day.
The researchers also identified a protective effect against MS among participants who consumed large amounts of coffee at 5 and 10 years prior to onset of symptoms.
From the US study, the team also found that participants who did not drink coffee in the year prior to symptom onset were approximately 1.5 times more likely to develop MS, compared with those who consumed at least four cups of coffee a day.
The team says the protective effect of coffee consumption against MS may be down to the main ingredient of the beverage - caffeine. They explain:

"Caffeine has neuroprotective properties and seems to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which may be mechanisms that explain the observed association."

Dr. Mowry says future research should investigate how coffee consumption affects long-term disability and symptom relapse in patients with MS.
The Swedish Medical Research Council, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute of Environmental and Health Sciences and the National Institute on Aging were among the supporters of this research.

The health benefits and risks of coffee consumption

Past studies have associated coffee consumption with numerous health benefits. In April 2014, Medical News Today reported on a study claiming that increasing coffee intake could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, while another study found the beverage may protect against tinnitus.
Last month, a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute claimed coffee consumption may reduce the risk of melanoma skin cancer by a fifth, while more recently, UK researchers found drinking three to four cups of coffee a day could reduce the risk of endometrial cancer in women by up to 19%.
Our Knowledge Center article - "What are the health benefits of coffee?" - looks at some of the other ways coffee may be good for us, while noting some of its risks to health.
Drinking too much coffee, for example, has been associated with increased risk of depression and anxiety, while some studies have indicated that coffee intake may interfere with a woman's reproductive system.

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Drinking beetroot juice reduces high blood pressure, trial shows

One glass of beetroot juice a day is enough to significantly reduce blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure, conclude researchers who conducted a placebo-controlled trial in dozens of patients. beetroot juice Beetroot contains high levels of inorganic nitrate. Other leafy vegetables - such as lettuce and cabbage - also have high levels of the compound, which they take up from the soil through their roots. The trial, conducted at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) in the UK, was funded by the British Heart Foundation, whose senior research advisor Dr. Shannon Amoils remarks: "This interesting study builds on previous research by this team and finds that a daily glass of beetroot juice can lower blood pressure in people with hypertension - even those whose high blood pressure was not controlled by drug treatment.

" The researchers publish their findings in the journal Hypertension. Beetroot contains high levels of inorganic nitrate. Other leafy vegetables - such as lettuce and cabbage - also have high levels of the compound, which they take up from the soil through their roots. In the human body, inorganic nitrate converts to nitric oxide, which relaxes and dilates blood vessels. For the trial, Amrita Ahluwalia, a vascular pharmacology professor at QMUL, and colleagues recruited 64 patients aged 18-85. Half of the patients were taking prescribed medication for high blood pressure but were not managing to reach their target blood pressure, and the rest had been diagnosed with high blood pressure but were not yet taking medication for it. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group consumed a daily glass (250 ml or around 8.5 oz) of beetroot juice, and the other group had the same except their beetroot juice was nitrate-free (the placebo). The patients consumed the juice every day for 4 weeks. They were also monitored for 2 weeks before and after the study, bringing the total trial period to 8 weeks. The trial was double-blind, which means neither the administering clinicians nor the patients knew whether the beetroot juice they were given was the placebo or the active supplement. First study to show lasting reduction in blood pressure from dietary nitrate During the 4 weeks they were taking the juice, patients in the active supplement group (whose beetroot juice contained inorganic nitrate) experienced a reduction in blood pressure of 8/4 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). 

The first figure is the reduction in systolic pressure (when the heart is pushing) and the second figure is reduction in diastolic pressure (when the heart is relaxing). For many patients, the 8/4 mmHg reduction brought their blood pressure back into the normal range. In the 2 weeks after they stopped taking the juice, the patients' blood pressure returned to their previous high levels. The team notes that this is first study to show evidence of a long-lasting reduction in blood pressure due to dietary nitrate supplementation in a group of patients with high blood pressure. The patients in the active supplement group also experienced a 20% or so improvement in blood vessel dilation capacity and their artery stiffness reduced by around 10%. Studies show such changes are linked to reduced risk of heart disease. There were no changes to blood pressure, blood vessel function or artery stiffness in the placebo group (whose beetroot juice did not contain nitrate) during the period of the study. The authors note that the reduction achieved in the active supplement group is comparable to that of medication; the average reduction in blood pressure that a single anti-hypertension drug brings is 9/5 mmHg. The study concludes: "These findings suggest a role for dietary nitrate as an affordable, readily-available, adjunctive treatment in the management of patients with hypertension." 

To put the importance of these findings in context, the authors note that large-scale observational studies show that for every 2 mmHg increase in blood pressure, the risk of death from heart disease goes up 7% and from stroke by 10%. Natural products to lower blood pressure are 'more appealing' than pills woman having BP checked One glass of beetroot juice a day significantly lowered blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. Commenting on the findings, Prof. Ahluwalia says: "This research has proven that a daily inorganic nitrate dose can be as effective as medical intervention in reducing blood pressure and the best part is we can get it from beetroot and other leafy green vegetables." She says one reason the findings are exciting is because increasing dietary nitrate is something patients can easily work into their daily lives and see a positive benefit. "It is hugely beneficial for people to be able to take steps in controlling their blood pressure through non-clinical means such as eating vegetables," Prof. Ahluwalia adds. "We know many people don't like taking drugs life-long when they feel ok, and because of this, medication compliance is a big issue." 

"The possibility of using a natural product, rather than another pill, to help lower blood pressure, is very appealing," adds Dr. Amoils. Prof. Ahluwalia advises people looking to increase their daily nitrate intake not to boil vegetables because the nitrate dissolves in water. Instead, "steaming, roasting or drinking in a juice all has a positive effect," she notes. As for the next step, she says this was a small trial, and now what is needed is a larger study that tries to replicate the findings over a longer period with a much larger group of people with high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases the risk of more dangerous health conditions. For instance, about 70% of people who have a first heart attack, about 80% of those who have a first stroke, and 70% of those with chronic heart failure have high blood pressure. Kidney disease is also a major risk factor for people with high blood pressure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high blood pressure is either the primary cause of or contributes to 1,000 American deaths every day. In December 2014, Medical News Today reported research published in the journal Open Heart that concluded added sugars probably contribute more to hypertension than dietary sodium.

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Alcohol does not benefit the heart, claims new study

A new BMJ study finds that even among people who drink only light to moderate amounts of alcohol, reducing consumption can improve heart health, reduce body mass index, and bring down blood pressure.

The large multi-center international study, which was co-led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, calls into question previous research that suggests light to moderate drinking may be good for the heart.

The researchers found that people with a particular gene consumed 17% less alcohol per week, were less likely to binge drink, and were more likely to abstain from alcohol altogether, than non-carriers.

The study defines light to moderate drinking as consuming 0.6 to 0.8 fluid ounces of alcohol a day, or 17 to 23 ml, which is roughly what a 175 ml glass of wine contains.
The 155 researchers - from the UK, continental Europe, North America, and Australia - pooled and analyzed data about links between drinking habits and heart health from 56 epidemiological studies covering more than 260,000 people of European descent.
They found that people with a particular gene consumed 17% less alcohol per week, were less likely to binge drink, and were more likely to abstain from alcohol altogether, than non- carriers.
These lower alcohol consumers typically had a 10% average reduced risk of coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure and a lower body mass index (BMI).
The researchers conclude that reducing alcohol consumption across all levels of consumption - even light to moderate drinking - is beneficial for heart health.
Co-lead author Michael Holmes, a research assistant professor in Perelman School of Medicine's department of Transplant Surgery, says, "Contrary to what earlier reports have shown, it now appears that any exposure to alcohol has a negative impact upon heart health."
He explains how for some time, observational studies have suggested only heavy drinking is bad for the heart, and that light drinking might even provide some benefit, and this has led some people to believe moderate consumption is good for their health, even lowering their risk of heart disease.

Even for light-to-moderate drinkers, reduced consumption may improve heart health

"However, what we're seeing with this new study, which uses an investigative approach similar to a randomized clinical trial, is that reduced consumption of alcohol, even for light-to-moderate drinkers, may lead to improved cardiovascular health," says Prof. Holmes.
The focus of the study was investigating the heart health of people who carry a particular version of the gene "alcohol dehydrogenase 1B" which codes for a protein that helps to break down alcohol more quickly than in non-carriers.
The rapid breakdown causes nausea, facial flushing, and other symptoms, and is linked to lower levels of alcohol consumption over time.
The team used the gene as an indicator of lower alcohol consumption, and from there found the links between lower consumption and improved heart health.
Funds from the British Heart Foundation and the Medical Research Council in the UK financed the study.
In April 2014, Medical News Today learned how neuroscientists at the University of Utah are investigating a region of the brain that regulates how sensitive we are to the negative effects of alcohol. Inactivating this region of the brain in rats led them to drink more alcohol, at a faster pace.

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1 in 10 patients inappropriately prescribed aspirin to prevent first heart attack, stroke

This was the conclusion of a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, led by a team at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX.
The researchers note that as aspirin is also available over the counter, it is possible that inappropriate use may be higher than their figure suggests because of patients medicating themselves against the risk of primary cardiovascular events.
In May 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised Americans against the general use of aspirin for primary prevention and they also recently denied a request to market the drug for such use.
To decide what constitutes inappropriate prescribing of daily aspirin for preventing a first heart attack or stroke, the researchers evaluated guidelines from organizations like the American Heart Association and the US Preventative Services Task Force.

Study analyzed large nationwide patient sample of aspirin use

From the published guidelines, the researchers determined that daily aspirin use would be inappropriate in patients whose 10-year cardiovascular risk was under 6%.
They then used this rule to analyze data on a nationwide sample of 69,000 patients receiving aspirin for primary cardiovascular disease prevention. The sample came from the National Cardiovascular Disease Registry Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence (PINNACLE) Registry.
The patients in the sample were attending 119 practices when they were prescribed aspirin between January 2008 and June 2013. The researchers excluded patients who had already experienced a cardiovascular event - such as heart attack or stroke - or who were affected by heart conditions like atrial fibrillation.
The analysis showed nearly 12% of patients in the nationwide sample probably should not have been prescribed aspirin to prevent primary cardiovascular disease.
The team found that inappropriate use of prescribed aspirin was higher among women than men (17% versus 5%). Patients prescribed aspirin inappropriately were also on average about 16 years younger than those receiving it appropriately, they note.
However, they also found that inappropriate use fell from 14% in 2008 to 9% in 2013.
In addition, the researchers found the rate of inappropriate prescribing varied among practices, ranging from 0-72% of patients receiving aspirin for primary prevention.

In people who do not meet guidelines, risk of bleeding outweighs potential benefits

There is no evidence, note the authors, that aspirin reduces the risk of a first stroke or heart attack in people who have no history of cardiovascular events and a low risk of developing disease. However, it is linked to raised risk bleeding in the gut or stomach and of hemorrhagic strokes.
First author Dr. Ravi S. Hira, a cardiology researcher at Baylor College of Medicine, says doctors must think about whether the potential for bleeding outweighs the potential benefits of aspirin in patients who do not meet the guidelines, adding:
"Since aspirin is available over the counter, patient and public education against using aspirin without a medical provider's recommendation will also play a key role in avoiding inappropriate use."
In an editorial published with the study, Freek W.A. Verheugt - a professor of cardiology at the the Heart and Lung Center and chairman of the Department of Cardiology at Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, both of the University Medical Centre of Nijmegen in the Netherlands - says:

"Major coronary events are reduced 18% by aspirin, but at the cost of an increase of 54% of major extracranial bleeding. Each two major coronary events have shown to be prevented by prophylactic aspirin at the cost of one major extracranial bleed. Yet, primary prevention with aspirin is widely applied."

In August 2014, Medical News Today reported a study that suggested daily aspirin could be an effective way to avoid recurrent blood clots in patients with venous thromboembolism - blood clots in the veins - who are unable to have anticoagulant therapy.

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Weight 'influenced by gut bacteria'

Past research has suggested that weight may be influenced by genes. A new study builds on this concept, revealing that our genetic makeup shapes what type of bacteria live in the gut, which may affect how heavy we are.

The results of a twin study suggest that our genes influence what type of bacteria we have in our gut, and that the abundance of bacteria could affect our weight.

The findings come from a twin study conducted by researchers from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and King's College London in the UK.
The research team, including Prof. Tim Spector, head of the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, says the results may open the door to personalized probiotic treatments that could reduce the risk of obesity and its related diseases.
For their study, published in the journal Cell, the researchers sequenced the genes of microbes present in over 1,000 fecal samples taken from 416 pairs of twins who were part of the Twins UK data registry.
Of these twins, 171 pairs were identical and 245 were non-identical. Identical twins share 100% of their genes, while non-identical twins share around 50% of their genes.

Increasing certain strain of bacteria in the gut 'could reduce, prevent obesity'

Results of the analysis revealed that identical twins had a similar abundance of specific types of gut bacteria, compared with non-identical twins. The team says this indicates that genes influence the type of bacteria present in the gut.
What is more, the researchers found that the presence of a class of bacteria called Christensenellaceae was most influenced by genes. A certain strain of this bacteria - Christensenellaceae minuta - was found to be more common among individuals of a low body weight.
On introducing this bacteria to the guts of mice, the team found the animals gained less weight than those that did not receive the bacteria. This suggests that increasing the amount of Christensenellaceae minuta bacteria in the gut could help to reduce or prevent obesity, the researchers say.
Commenting on their results, Prof. Spector says:

"Our findings show that specific groups of microbes living in our gut could be protective against obesity - and that their abundance is influenced by our genes. The human microbiome represents an exciting new target for dietary changes and treatments aimed at combating obesity."

Senior author Ruth Ley, an associate professor of microbiology at Cornell University, notes that this study is the first to determine that specific gut microbes are heritable and that the variation of these microbes is not solely influenced by diet, environment, lifestyle and health.

Other ways in which gut bacteria may play a role in obesity

Numerous other studies have reported on the association between obesity and gut bacteria, but all of them have different theories.
In September, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that Granny Smith apples could protect against obesity by balancing the proportions of "good" gut bacteria.
The researchers of that study, from Washington State University, explain that the fibers and polyphenols present in Granny Smith apples are unscathed when they reach the colon, even after exposure to stomach acid and digestive enzymes. The bacteria in the colon then ferment these compounds, producing butyric acid that triggers the growth of good gut bacteria.
Another study, reported in July, detailed the creation of a probiotic that researchers say could prevent obesity.
Senior study author Sean Davies, of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, and colleagues genetically modified a strain of bacteria that colonizes the human gut - Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 - to produce a compound called N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE), which can reduce food intake.
On giving this bacteria to mice fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks, the team found that it significantly reduced their food intake, body fat and incidence of hepatosteatosis (fatty liver), compared with control mice.
"There are lots of people who are doing their best to change their lifestyle and it still isn't enough for them to get to and keep a healthy weight. We think this strategy will really help them," Davies told MNT.

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Some areas of the brain 'may not slow down with aging'

Past research has suggested that as we age, our brain functions slow down. But a new study from The University of Adelaide in Australia indicates that there are areas of the brain that remain as effective in old age as they are in youth.

A  new study suggests that some areas of the brain may remain as effective in old age as they are in youth.

Dr. Joanna Brooks - who performed the study while she was a visiting research fellow at the schools of psychology and medicine at The University of Adelaide - recently presented the findings at the 12th International Cognitive Neuroscience Conference in Brisbane, Australia.
To reach her findings, Dr. Brooks analyzed the "spatial attention" skills of 60 older adults aged 55-95 and younger adults aged 18-38.
Spatial attention is the ability to focus on a particular object in an environment with an array of visual stimuli. We use spacial awareness in day-to-day life, such as when we drive, walk, and pick up and use objects.
Study participants were asked to carry out a series of spatial awareness tasks. One task, for example, required subjects to wear a blindfold while feeling a variety of wooden objects. They had to judge where they thought the center of each object was.

Results 'challenge current models of cognitive aging'

Dr. Brooks found that all participants - regardless of their age - believed the center of each object was more toward the left-hand side of where it actually was.
She notes that in other tasks involving touch and sound, participants in both age groups gave the same responses, indicating that there may be cognitive systems in the right cerebral hemisphere of the brain - responsible for spatial awareness and other functions - that are protected from aging.
This study, according to Dr. Brooks, challenges current theories about how aging affects the brain:

"When we think of aging, we think not just of the physical aspects but also the cognitive side of it, especially when it comes to issues such as reaction time, which is typically slower among older adults.
Our results challenge current models of cognitive aging because they show that the right side of the brain remains dominant for spatial processing throughout the entire adult lifespan. We now need to better understand how and why some areas of the brain seem to be more affected by aging than others."

This research is part of an international collaboration with scientists from the UK, which aims to gain a better insight into the mechanisms behind spatial attention in the human brain.
But Dr. Brooks notes that this study could also provide a better understanding of how conditions that impair cognitive functioning, such as Alzheimer's disease, affect the brain.
Medical News Today recently reported on a study by researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, which suggested that older people who can process visual information quickly are more likely to stay mentally acute.
Another study, published in the journal Psychology and Aging, suggests that the brain functions of older adults work better in the morning.

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Tinnitus less common in women who drink more coffee

A new study finds that women who consume more caffeine are less likely to have tinnitus - a condition where a person perceives noise in one or both ears, or in the head, even though there is no external sound.

Researchers found that the more caffeine women consumed, the less likely they were to have tinnitus. The researchers, from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston, MA, write about their findings in The American Journal of Medicine.
According to the American Tinnitus Association, around 50 million people in the US experience some degree of tinnitus, which is often described as "ringing in the ears" although some people also hear hissing, buzzing, roaring, clicking or chirping. Of these, about 1 million are so badly affected they cannot function normally day to day.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data on over 65,000 women with and without tinnitus from the Nurses' Health Study II.
The women were aged between 30 and 44 at the start of the study in 1991, when researchers collected a wealth of information on medical history, lifestyle and diet. At this point, the average caffeine intake was 242.3 mg per day - the equivalent of nearly two and a half 8-ounce cups of coffee. Most of the caffeine consumed came from coffee drinking.
In 2009, 18 years after they joined the study, the women were asked questions about tinnitus, including date of onset, where applicable. When a woman reported experiencing symptoms either daily or on a few days per week, the researchers counted it as a case. They identified a total of 5,289 cases of reported incident tinnitus.

Women who consumed more caffeine less likely to be among tinnitus cases

When they analyzed the results, the team found the more caffeine women consumed, the less likely they were to be among the tinnitus cases.
Senior author Gary Curhan, a physician-researcher in BWH's Channing Division of Network Medicine and professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, says:

"We observed a significant inverse association between caffeine intake and the incidence of tinnitus among these women."

He and his and colleagues found that regardless of age, rates of tinnitus were 15% lower among women who consumed 450-599 mg a day of caffeine, compared with women who drank less than 150 mg a day (about one and a half 8-ounce cups of coffee).
Prof. Curham notes that while the reason behind the finding is unclear, we know that "caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, and previous research has demonstrated that caffeine has a direct effect on the inner ear in both bench science and animal studies."
The researchers say more evidence is required before we can say whether increased caffeine intake might improve tinnitus symptoms.
Funds from the National Institutes of Health helped finance the study.
Medical News Today recently reported on another study where researchers found tinnitus affects processing of emotions. Writing in the journal Brain Research, they describe how, compared with people not affected by the condition, those with tinnitus process emotions differently in the brain.

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New health benefits associated with hempseed oil

Hemp is a crop full of oils with potential health benefits, according to a new study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
A derivative of cannabis (marijuana), hemp has been used for millennia in textiles, medicine and food, by people all over the world.
Despite this, hempseed has been banned in North America since the 1930s, when all varieties of cannabis were made illegal due to its tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content. THC is the compound that induces the "high" in recreational use of cannabis.
However, hemp with low THC content (0.3%) has been legalized by the European Union, and the global economic market for low-THC hemp - used in medicines, papers and fabrics - is valued at $100-200 million annually.
Researchers analyzed a portion of hempseed oil to see what beneficial qualities it may have. They found that some of its components are effective at promoting good health. These include sterols, aliphatic alcohols and linolenic acids.

Linolenic acids, sterols and aliphatic alcohols

One of the linolenic acids contained in hempseed oil is an omega-3 fatty acid that some studies have recognized as preventing coronary heart disease.

Hemp is a derivative of cannabis (marijuana) and as such was prohibited across North America in the 1930s.

Sterols are steroid alcohols. Experts know that sterols are useful in lowering cholesterol, and daily dietary intake of sterols has been linked to a lower risk of heart attack.
The aliphatic alcohols contained in hempseed oil have also been known to lower cholesterol and reduce platelet aggregation. One of these alcohols, phytol, is associated with antioxidant and anticancer benefits, and can also be found in healthy foods such as spinach, beans, raw vegetables and asparagus.
Another antioxidant in hempseed oil is tocopherol, which is known to be beneficial against degenerative diseases, such as atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's.
Among other benefits, hempseed oil has also shown a positive effect on dermatological diseases and lipid metabolism (the process by which fatty acids are broken down in the body).
Hempseed also has high levels of vitamins A, C and E and β-carotene, and it is rich in minerals like phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur and calcium. As a food, hempseed oil is nutritious - it contains an excellent balance of polyunsaturated fatty acids - and it reportedly tastes good, too. Colorado recently legalized marijuana for recreational use and some states have passed laws allowing the medicinal use of marijuana. In 2013, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that the THC content of marijuana may be medically beneficial for people who have an autoimmune disease.

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'Rise of saturated fat in diet does not raise fats in blood'

A new controlled diet study has found that increasing the levels of saturated fat in the diet does not lead to increased levels of saturated fat in the blood. However, increasing the amount of carbohydrates in the diet was found to raise the levels of a fatty acid associated with diabetes and heart disease.

Diets full of high carbohydrate foods such as cookies could increase the risk of heart disease, according to research. Levels of palmitoleic acid were reduced with low carbohydrate intake and increased as the participants consumed progressively larger amounts of carbohydrates over the course of the study.
According to senior author Prof. Jeff Volek, the study, "challenges the conventional wisdom that has demonized saturated fat and extends our knowledge of why dietary saturated fat doesn't correlate with disease."
In the study, published in PLOS ONE, the authors state that current dietary guidelines in the US recommend the majority of calories should be acquired from carbohydrates, with only 7-10% of total energy coming from saturated fats.
To achieve this, foods containing saturated fat - beef, eggs, high-fat dairy products - should be limited. Typically, a reduction in these foods results in an increased consumption of carbohydrates.
"People believe 'you are what you eat,'" says Prof. Volek, "but in reality, you are what you save from what you eat. The point is you don't necessarily save the saturated fat you eat. And the primary regulator of what you save in terms of fat is the carbohydrate in your diet."

Dietary saturated fat not linked to palmitoleic acid

The study involved 16 adults being given six 3-week diets - each containing 2,500 calories and around 130 grams of protein - that progressively increased the participants' levels of carbohydrates while reducing their consumption of total fat and saturated fat.
Each of the participants had metabolic syndrome - a number of simultaneously occurring conditions that increase the risk of diabetes, stroke and heart disease. People with metabolic syndrome have at least three of the following conditions: abnormal blood cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood triglycerides, hypertension and obesity.
The researchers spent 3 weeks to get the participants to a baseline reduced carb diet before beginning the 18-week study. The first diet of the study consisted of 47 g of carbohydrates and 84 g of saturated fat daily, with the carb-saturated fat ratio progressively increasing until the final diet, consisting of 346 g of carbs and 32 g of saturated fat daily.
In this final diet, the carb level represented 55% of the participants' daily calories, a figure that is approximately the same as the estimated daily percentage of energy provided by carbohydrates in the American diet.
Across the study, levels of saturated fat in the blood of the participants decreased. Blood glucose, insulin levels and blood pressure also improved and, on average, the participants lost nearly 22 lb by the end of the 18 weeks.
Levels of palmitoleic acid - a fatty acid associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and heart disease - decreased in all of the participants during the high-fat/low-carb diets. In contrast, the acid was found to increase as the levels of carbohydrates progressively rose across the duration of the study.
Increases in palmitoleic acid indicate that more carbs are being converted to fat instead of being burned as fuel, states Prof. Volek. In contrast, reducing carbs and increasing dietary fat in a well-controlled way ensures that the body will burn the saturated fat as fuel, rather than storing it in the body.

Misunderstanding about dietary saturated fat is 'not smart'

The study authors hoped to discover at which point in the increased intake of carbs that the participants began to store fat in their bodies rather than burning it off. Although palmitoleic acid levels increased in all participants, the moment when fat began to be stored varied widely. This finding supports the idea that individual tolerances to carbs can be dramatically different.
Prof. Volek says that there is widespread misunderstanding about saturated fat, stating that despite population studies failing to find a link between dietary saturated fat and heart disease, dietary guidelines continue to advocate restriction of saturated fat:

"That's not scientific and not smart. But studies measuring saturated fat in the blood and risk for heart disease show there is an association. Having a lot of saturated fat in your body is not a good thing. The question is, what causes people to store more saturated fat in their blood, or membranes or tissues?"

The authors acknowledge that the study is limited by the relatively short timeframe that the diets were followed for. However, a small number of the participants were given the diets in reverse order, starting with the highest carb diet, and the same observations regarding palmitoleic acid were made.
"A higher proportion of plasma saturated fat is related to increased risk of diabetes and heart disease," conclude the authors. "Thus, there is a need to better understand the relationship between dietary and plasma saturated fat."
Recently, Medical News Today reported on an analysis of clinical trials for four popular diets, questioning the long-term benefits of the Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers and Zone diets.
Written by James McIntosh

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Cure for baldness? Hair-follicle-generating stem cells bring hope

According to the American Hair Loss Association, two-thirds of men will experience hair loss by the age of 35. But women are also affected, making up 40% of all hair loss sufferers. Affecting self-image and emotional well-being, the condition has been a difficult one to treat. But a new study brings hope - in the form of human hair-follicle-generating stem cells.
Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have published results of their study in Nature, where they describe the method by which they were able to convert adult cells into epithelial stem cells (EpSCs).
Although using stem cells to regrow hair follicles has been a potential technique for combatting baldness, until now, nobody has been able to produce enough of these cells.
The team says they are the first to achieve this result in either humans or mice.
Led by Dr. Xiaowei "George" Xu, associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, the scientists started their research by using human skin cells called dermal fibroblasts.

How did the team produce the cells?

The researchers converted the human skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by adding three genes. These iPSCs are able to change into any cell types in the body, so the researchers converted them into epithelial stem cells, which are normally found in a part of hair follicles.

The arrows show hair shafts, which were formed by iPSC-derived epithelial stem cells.
Image credit: Ruifeng Yang, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Using techniques from other research teams to convert iPSCs into keratinocytes - a main cell type in the top layer of the skin - Dr. Xu and colleagues showed they could "force" the iPSCs to make large quantities of EpSCs by controlling the timing of growth factors the cells received.
When they implanted these EpSCs into mice, the cells regenerated cell types of human skin and hair follicles, and also created recognizable hair shafts, which the team says shows promise for eventually regrowing hair in humans.
In 18 days, 25% of the iPSCs converted into EpSCs, which were then purified using the proteins expressed on their surfaces, the team notes.

Technique 'not yet ready for humans'

After mixing the human-derived EpSCs with dermal cells from mice, the team grafted them onto the skin of the mice and produced a functional human epidermis - the outermost layers of the skin.
The hair follicles that were produced from this, notes the team, were structurally similar to human hair follicles.
Dr. Xu says that this "is the first time anyone has made scalable amounts of epithelial stem cells that are capable of generating the epithelial component of hair follicles," adding that the cells could aid in wound healing, cosmetics and hair regeneration.
However, these cells are not yet ready for use in humans because the team has only solved one part of the equation. A hair follicle contains both epithelial cells and a certain kind of adult stem cell called dermal papillae.
Dr. Xu explains:

"When a person loses hair, they lose both types of cells. We have solved one major problem, the epithelial component of the hair follicle. We need to figure out a way to also make new dermal papillae cells, and no one has figured that part out yet."

However, he adds that stem-cell researchers are beginning to use new strategies using only chemical agents, which could result in more solutions.
In late 2013, Medical News Today reported on a study that showed how scientists successfully grew human hairs from dermal papilla cells taken from the inside of donor hair follicles, suggesting we are a step closer to a cure for baldness.

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Too much protein in middle age 'as bad as smoking'

Two new studies conclude that low protein intake may hold the key to a long and healthy life, at least until old age. They also emphasize the need to examine not only calories when deciding what constitutes a healthy diet, but also where those calories come from - such as whether protein is animal or plant-based.
Another key finding is the suggestion that while a high-protein diet may in the short term help people lose weight and body fat, in the long term it may harm health and reduce lifespan.
Both studies are published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

The first study was led by Valter Longo, a professor at the University of Southern California, who counts longevity and cell biology among his areas of expertise.
He and his colleagues showed that high protein consumption is linked to increased risk of cancer, diabetes and death in middle-aged adults, although this was not the case for older adults who may benefit from moderate protein consumption. Also, the effect is much reduced when the protein comes from plant sources.
The second study was led by Stephen Simpson, a professor at the University of Sydney in Australia, whose group works at the interface of physiology, ecology, and behavior. From studying mice, he and his fellow authors concluded that diets low in protein and high in carbohydrates are linked to the longest lifespans.
Both studies suggest it is not just calories, but also diet composition - particularly in terms of amount and type of protein - that may determine the length and health of a lifespan.
Prof. Longo says:

"We studied simple organisms, mice and humans, and provide convincing evidence that a high- protein diet - particularly if the proteins are derived from animals - is nearly as bad as smoking for your health."

High-protein diet had highest risk, except in older adults

In their study, Prof. Longo and colleagues analyzed data on over 6,800 American adults who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III, a US national survey that assesses health and diet.
They found that:

The researchers found that consuming a high-protein diet in middle age significantly increases the likelihood of dying from cancer or diabetes.

• Participants aged 50 and over who said they ate a high-protein diet were four times more likely to die from cancer or diabetes, and twice as likely to die from any cause, in the following 18 years.
• Those who consumed moderate amounts of protein had a three-fold higher chance of dying of cancer.
• These effects either reduced or disappeared altogether among participants whose high-protein diet was mainly plant-based.
• However, in those aged 65 and over, the effect was nearly the opposite - high protein intake was linked to a 60% reduced risk of dying from cancer and a 28% reduced risk of dying from any cause, with similar effects for moderate protein intake.

The researchers defined a high-protein diet as one where at least 20% of the calories consumed come from protein.

Growth hormone, amino acid damage, ability to process protein may be key factors

The team suggests, because of evidence from other studies, that growth hormone and the growth factor IGF-1 may be responsible for these effects, as Prof. Longo explains:
"Notably, the activity of these factors, but also body weight, declines naturally with aging, which may explain why older people not only did not benefit but appeared to do worse if they ate a low-protein diet."
Cell experiments have suggested the amino acids that proteins are made of can reduce cellular protection and increase damage to DNA, both of which might explain why high-protein intake is linked to cancer.
Also, experiments in mice have shown that the body's ability to process protein declines with age.

Researchers trialed 25 different diets in hundreds of mice

In the second study, Prof. Simpson and his group trialed the effects of 25 different diets on hundreds of mice to see how different amounts and types of proteins, fats and carbohydrates affected energy intake, metabolic health, aging and lifespan.
They discovered that:

• Mice on diets high in protein and low in carbohydrates had reduced food intake and lower levels of body fat, but they also died earlier and had poorer cardiometabolic health.
• Mice on low-protein, high-fat diets had the poorest health and shortest lifespans.
• The healthiest, longest living mice were those on diets high in carbohydrates and low in protein - this was in spite of increased food intake and having higher levels of body fat.
• A calorie-restricted diet did not increase lifespan - which is contrary to evidence from previous studies on mice, other animals, yeast and worms that show calorie restriction lengthens life as long as supplemented with essential nutrients.

Prof. Simpson says:

"We have shown explicitly why it is that calories aren't all the same - we need to look at where the calories come from and how they interact. This research has enormous implications for how much food we eat, our body fat, our heart and metabolic health, and ultimately the duration of our lives."

He and his colleagues suggest the ideal diet for a long and healthy life is one with moderate amounts of high-quality protein, low in fat, and high in complex carbohydrates.
Meanwhile, Medical News Today recently learned of a study by researchers at the University of Granada in Spain that found high-protein diets may increase risk of kidney disease.

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Social media: how does it really affect our mental health and well-being?

In 1971, the first email was delivered. More than 40 years on, social media has taken the world by storm. Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, are now used by 1 in 4 people worldwide. Such activity may seem harmless, but some researchers suggest social media may affect our mental health and well-being.
In 2012, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that Facebook use may feed anxiety and increase a person's feeling of inadequacy.
A more recent study, led by social psychiatrist Ethan Cross of the University of Michigan, found that using Facebook may even make us miserable.
"On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection," says Kross. "But rather than enhance well-being, we found that Facebook use predicts the opposite result - it undermines it."
But are such claims exaggerated? Or should we be limiting our use of social media? Medical News Today looks at the evidence.

What is social media?

In essence, social media defines an array of Internet sites that enable people from all over the world to interact. This can be through discussion, photos, video and audio.
Facebook is the leading social networking site, with more than 1.2 billion global active users every month. The site's popularity is followed closely by MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn and Bebo.

On average, Americans spend 7.6 hours using social networking sites, such as Facebook, every month.

The latest statistics show that around 42% of online adults use multiple social networking sites. Perhaps not surprisingly, the majority of social media users are under the age of 30, although the number of older users is on the rise. Around 45% of Internet users aged 65 or older now use Facebook, increasing from 35% in 2012.
On average, Americans spent 7.6 hours a month using social media, with the majority of individuals accessing social networking sites through cell phones.
But what attracts us to social media?
In the late 1980s, the first commercial dial-up Internet service provider (ISP) was launched in the US. Internet technology has certainly advanced in the past 25 years, so much so that the words "dial-up" make most people cringe.
Of course, one of the main attractions for connecting to the Internet was, and still is, the ability to better connect with the world around us. For example, the Internet allowed us to send emails as an alternative to the timely process of sending letters through the mail. Social media has built on this premise.
This is Facebook's mission statement:
"Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what's going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them."
This sums up what the majority of social networking sites endeavor to achieve, and there is no doubt that the general public has succumbed to the world of social media, perhaps a little too much.

Social media addiction

Recent statistics show that 63% of American Facebook users log on to the site daily, while 40% of users log on multiple times a day.
We all have our own reasons for using social media. Some of us like to browse at other people's status updates and photos, while others use the sites as a way to vent their emotions. But according to Dr. Shannon M. Rauch, of Benedictine University at Mesa, AZ, one of the main reasons we use social media is for self-distraction and boredom relief.
"Therefore, social media is delivering a reinforcement every time a person logs on," she says.

"For those who post status updates, the reinforcements keep coming in the form of supportive comments and 'likes.' And of course we know that behaviors that are consistently reinforced will be repeated, so it becomes hard for a person who has developed this habit to simply stop."

This behavior can lead to Facebook addiction. In fact, such behavior is so common that researchers have created a psychological scale to measure Facebook addiction - the Berge Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS).
The scale, developed by Dr. Cecile Andraessen and colleagues at the University of Bergen in Norway, uses six criteria to measure Facebook addiction. These include statements, such as "you spend a lot of time thinking about Facebook and planning how to use it" and "you use Facebook to forget about personal problems." The researchers say that scoring "often" or "very often" on four of the six criteria indicates Facebook addiction.
What is interesting is that the researchers found that people who are more anxious and socially insecure are more likely to use the social networking site.
Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study that provided a potential explanation for addiction to Facebook "fame."
The research team, led by Dar Meshi of the Freie Universität in Germany, found that individuals who gained positive feedback about themselves on Facebook showed stronger activity in the nucleus accumbens of the brain - a region associated with "reward" processing. This stronger activity correlated with greater Facebook use.
From these studies, it appears that many users who are addicted to Facebook use the site as a way of gaining attention and boosting their self-esteem. But can this behavior have negative effects on mental health and well-being?

The negative impacts of social media

In 2012, Anxiety UK conducted a survey on social media use and its effects on emotions.
The survey found that 53% of participants said social media sites had changed their behavior, while 51% of these said the change had been negative.

Many people using social networking sites make comparisons with others, which can lead to negative emotions.

Those who said their lives had been worsened by using social media also reported feeling less confident when they compared their achievements against their friends.
"This problem has definitely gained recent attention," says Dr. Rauch. "We know that many people on social media sites often present idealized versions of their lives, leading others to make upward social comparisons, which can lead to negative emotions."
Furthermore, the survey revealed that two thirds of participants reported difficulty relaxing and sleeping after they used the sites, while 55% said they felt "worried or uncomfortable" when they were unable to log onto their social media accounts.
In a more recent study, conducted by Dr. Rauch and colleagues, the team found that social interaction on social media sites, specifically Facebook, may have a negative impact on face-to-face encounters for individuals who already have high levels of anxiety.
Another concern regarding social media use is cyber bullying. As stated earlier in this feature, the majority of social networking users are under the age of 30, and most of these are adolescents.
According to Enough is Enough (EIE) - an organization that aims to make Internet use safer for children and families - 95% of teenagers who use social media have witnessed forms of cyberbullying on social networking sites and 33% have been victims of cyber bullying.
But Dr. Rauch believes it is not purely the use of social media that is getting out of control, but our need to be electronically connected at all times.
She adds:

"I think parents should be aware that their adolescent children are living at a time where they are constantly 'on' and connected.
I would encourage any parent to explore ways to encourage or even mandate 'off' time, not just away from social media sites, but away from the devices. That is probably good advice for all of us."

Could Facebook be used to improve mental health and well-being?

Although many studies point to the negative impacts of social media on mental health and well-being, some researchers say they could have the opposite effect. Social networking sites could be a useful tool in identifying individuals with mental health issues.
Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study from researchers at the University of Missouri, which claimed that Facebook activity may be an indicator of a person's psychological health.

Some studies have suggested that social media use may even improve mental health and well-being.

The team found that people who shared fewer pictures on the site communicated less frequently, had a longer profile and fewer Facebook friends, and were more likely to experience social anhedonia - the inability to encounter happiness from activities that are normally enjoyable, such as talking to friends.
Another study, from the University of California San Diego (UCSD), suggests that using social media may even spread happiness. The research team, led by James Fowler of the School of Medicine at UCSD, found that happy status updates encourage other users to post happy status updates themselves.
"Our study suggests that people are not just choosing other people like themselves to associate with but actually causing their friends' emotional expressions to change," says Fowler.
"We have enough power in this data set to show that emotional expressions spread online and also that positive expressions spread more than negative."
In fact, the researchers believe that this viral spread of happiness is so strong that if magnified, it could trigger an "epidemic of well-being."
"If an emotional change in one person spreads and causes a change in many, then we may be dramatically underestimating the effectiveness of efforts to improve mental and physical health."
Overall, it appears that the exact effects of social media on our mental health and well-being remain to be seen. But one thing is certain; our use of social networking sites is unlikely to fade anytime soon.

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