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October 2012
While the jury is still out on whether extra vitamin D can help prevent heart disease, the largest study of its kind reports that low levels of the “sunshine vitamin” are strongly associated with greater risk of heart disease, heart attack and cardiovascular mortality. Danish scientists took blood samples from 10,170 adults and followed them for an average of 29 years. Those with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D (below 15 nanomol/liter, 5% of the study population) were compared with those with adequate vitamin D (about half of the sample). People in the lowest vitamin D group were at 40% greater risk of heart disease, 64% higher risk of heart attack, 57% more likely to die early of any cause, and 81% more likely to die of heart disease. Researchers also conducted a meta-analysis of 35 other studies, finding those in the lowest one-quarter of vitamin D were at 39% greater heart-disease risk and 46% higher risk of early death than those with the most vitamin D. Scientists cautioned, however, that the studies couldn’t prove causality, and that vitamin D deficiency could be merely a marker for poor health generally. — Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology…
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October 2012
Active video games, such as those on the Xbox 360 using the Kinect motion-capture video system, boost heart rates and double energy expenditures, according to a new study. English researchers tested two active Xbox games, Dance Central and Sports Boxing, on 18 adolescents ages 11-15. Even on the easiest settings, the games increased heart rates to 118-131 beats per minute (34%-48% higher than sedentary games). Calories burned increased 150% over resting rates and 103% over sedentary gaming with the dance game, and 263% and 194%, respectively, with the boxing game. By switching to active games for the nearly 2 hours daily spent gaming, adolescents could lose almost 3 pounds a month. But researchers noted, “If such virtual activities are to play a part in weight management interventions, they need to be adhered to long term.” — Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine…
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October 2012
Low-calorie cranberry juice might be a new weapon in the battle against high blood pressure, according to findings reported at a meeting of the American Heart Association. USDA researchers gave 56 healthy adults without hypertension either 8 ounces twice a day of low-calorie cranberry juice or a placebo beverage. After 8 weeks, the cranberry-juice group showed an average drop of 3 mm Hg in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, while those sipping the placebo saw no change. The use of low-calorie cranberry juice was significant, researchers commented, because regular cranberry juice can contain high levels of added sugar to counter the berries’ natural tartness. Cranberries, they added, contain “a broad and interesting array” of natural plant flavonoids associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease.…
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September 2012
Is it possible to be fat but still fit? The largest study ever to examine the “obesity paradox” — analyzing data on more than 43,000 Americans — says yes, and that almost half of all obese people are nonetheless “metabolically healthy.” Those obese participants were found to be more fit than most, regardless of weight, and free of conditions such as insulin resistance, unhealthy cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes. As a result, Spanish and Swedish researchers concluded, these “metabolically healthy” obese people are at no greater risk of heart disease or cancer than normal-weight people. Researchers wrote, “There appears to be a subset of obese people who seem to be protected from obesity-related metabolic complications.” The 46% of obese participants classified as “metabolically healthy” after blood tests, treadmill testing and other assessments were at 38% lower risk of death from all causes compared to other obese subjects and at no greater risk than metabolically healthy but normal-weight participants. — European Heart Journal…
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August 2012
Already touted for heart health and other benefits, the so-called Mediterranean diet may also be good for your bones, especially when it’s served with extra olive oil. Spanish researchers report that a Mediterranean-style diet, enriched with olive oil, improved blood markers associated with bone formation. They compared a low-fat control diet with a Mediterranean diet enriched with either nuts or olive oil among 127 men, ages 55 to 80, participating in the large PREDIMED clinical trial of the diet’s cardiovascular effects. Over 2 years of testing, only the diet with extra olive oil showed bone-marker benefits; consumption of olives was also positively associated with indicators of bone health. Researchers commented, “The intake of olive oil has been related to the prevention of osteoporosis in experimental and in vitro models. This is the first randomized study which demonstrates that olive oil preserves bone, at least as inferred by circulating bone markers, in humans.” — Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism…
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August 2012
As the weather cools, a cup of hot cocoa might hit the spot — and could boost your brainpower. A new clinical trial supported by chocolate-maker Mars reports that older adults with mild cognitive impairment improved scores on some mental tests when they consumed more cocoa. Over 8 weeks, Italian researchers tested 3 levels of cocoa flavanols (the antioxidant compounds credited with dark chocolate’s heart-health benefits) in dairy-based beverages among 90 elderly patients with mild impairment. Those randomly assigned to the high (990 mg of flavanols daily) and intermediate (520 mg) cocoa groups showed significantly greater improvement than those in the low (45 mg) group on “trail-making” tests, verbal fluency and composite cognition. Scores on the standard Mini Mental State Examination did not change significantly, however. Cocoa was also associated with improvements in blood pressure, glucose and insulin sensitivity. — Hypertension…
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August 2012
New York City’s ban on trans fats in restaurant chains, enacted in 2006 and put into place in 2007, appears to be working. An analysis of lunchtime receipts from 168 Manhattan fast-food eateries finds a sharp drop in trans-fat consumption, from 2.91 g before the ban to 0.51 g in 2009. That 2.4 g average decrease represents about 22 fewer calories from trans fat per meal. Researchers point out that studies have linked 40 daily calories from trans fat to a 23% greater risk of heart disease. Although saturated-fat intake rose after the ban, up 0.55 g, that increase was substantially less than the drop in trans fats. Hamburger chains, Mexican eateries and fried-chicken restaurants showed the greatest post-ban decline in trans fat consumption. The study compared nutritional data and food purchases on 6,969 lunch purchases in 2007 with 7,885 lunches in 2009. — Annals of Internal Medicine…
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July 2012
New Tufts research has linked low blood levels of vitamin B6 to markers of inflammation that contribute to heart disease and other chronic conditions. Lydia Sakakeeny, PhD, and colleagues analyzed data on 2,229 men and women from the Framingham Offspring study. The researchers found that levels of PLP, an indicator of vitamin B6 levels in the blood, correlated with 13 different markers of inflammation. The same associations weren’t seen with other B vitamins, suggesting a specific link, although the observational study couldn’t prove cause and effect. “Low vitamin B-6 status, based on plasma concentrations of PLP, has been identified in inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and diabetes,” Sakakeeny and colleagues noted. “This study, in combination with past findings, further supports our hypothesis that inflammation is associated with a functional deficiency of vitamin B6.” — Journal of Nutrition
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July 2012
Questions about the long-term health consequences of a high-protein, low-carb regimen like the Atkins diet have been raised by a study of 43,396 Swedish women who were followed for almost 16 years. The women, initially ages 30 to 49, were scored for carbohydrate and protein consumption and those scores compared to the 1,270 cardiovascular events recorded during the followup period. Each one-point increase in protein consumption (on a 10-point scale) was associated with a 4% greater risk of cardiovascular events, while the opposite trend was seen for carbohydrate consumption. Combined, each two-point increase on a 20-point protein/carbs scale—equivalent to 5 grams more protein and 20 grams fewer carbohydrates daily—was associated with a 5% higher risk of cardiovascular problems. The associations seemed to be stronger for women whose protein came mostly from animal sources. The findings, researchers commented, “draw attention to the potential for considerable adverse effects on cardiovascular health of these diets when they are used on a regular basis, without consideration of the nature of carbohydrates (complex versus refined) or the source of proteins (plant versus animal).” — BMJ
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July 2012
Australian scientists have added to the evidence that high-intensity exercise, such as sprinting, works better than jogging or other moderate aerobic exercise for burning off body fat. They assigned 46 sedentary 20-something men to either an exercise or a control group. Those in the exercise group did 20-minute routines, 3 times a week, in which they sprinted on a stationary bike for 8 seconds, then rested for 12 seconds. After 12 weeks, the sprinters lost an average of 4 pounds of body fat while adding 2.6 pounds of muscle. Most important, scientists said, was that the sprinters saw a 17% reduction in the belly fat stored around internal organs, which has been linked to higher risk for heart disease. Men in the control group, by contrast, gained weight and increased waist circumference. “Sprinting is a very efficient form of exercise,” researchers commented, “and it’s fun.” — Journal of Obesity
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June 2012
Not that most of us need convincing to indulge in stone fruits (“drupes”) such as plums, nectarines and peaches, but new Texas A&M research suggests compounds in these delicious fruits may fight metabolic syndrome. Scientists found four major types of antioxidant phenols in the fruits that attack the syndrome on “different fronts,” including via fat cells, arterial health and inflammation. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms such as obesity and hypertension that predisposes patients to heart disease and diabetes. “Each of these stone fruits contain similar phenolic groups but in differing proportions, so all of them are a good source of health-promoting compounds and may complement each other,” scientists added. The findings will be presented at the American Chemical Society meeting in August.
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June 2012
Here’s another reason to watch the salt in the foods you eat: Not only can high sodium intake from dietary salt boost blood pressure, but a new study shows it can also damage blood vessels. That, in turn, in what scientists called a “sodium amplification loop,” could raise blood pressure still more, further increasing the risk of heart disease. US researchers studied 5,556 men and women in the Netherlands and found a link between higher sodium intake and two biomarkers for blood-vessel dysfunction. Study participants were not taking medication for hypertension. Researchers noted that past studies of people without hypertension have found little short-term effect of salt on blood pressure, yet salt “for unclear reasons, is associated with hypertension if consumed chronically.” The long-term effect of high salt intake on blood vessels could help explain this, they suggested. — Circulation
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June 2012
A new study of calcium and heart health suggests that a balanced diet is likely the best and safest way to make sure you’re getting enough calcium for your bones. In the study of 23,980 Germans, ages 35-64, those taking calcium supplements were almost twice as likely to suffer heart attacks as those taking no vitamin supplements of any kind. The EPIC-Heidelberg study followed participants for 11 years, during which time 354 suffered heart attacks. Researchers reported that calcium from food, previously thought to protect against cardiovascular disease, showed little benefit. Though the study couldn’t prove that calcium pills contributed to heart-attack risk, the findings were enough for an accompanying editorial to conclude that getting calcium in large doses by supplementation “is not natural, in that it does not reproduce the same metabolic effects as calcium in food. The evidence is also becoming steadily stronger that it is not safe, nor is it particularly effective.” — Heart
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June 2012
In a split decision on a 2010 complaint by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against the makers of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice, an administrative law judge ruled that the product has not been proven to treat, prevent or reduce the risk of heart disease, prostate cancer or erectile dysfunction. While upholding the FTC’s false-advertising complaint, however, the judge sided with POM in denying the agency’s demand that the juice company seek prior approval of any future advertising health claims. The 335-page opinion also allowed POM to claim its juice “supports prostate health” and “promotes erectile health.” Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials are not necessary, the judge added, to support such assertions. Both sides claimed victory following the ruling. POM agreed it would make “appropriate adjustments” to future ads, pending an appeal, but promptly rolled out new ads selectively quoting from the ruling, with the tagline, “I’m off to save prostates!”
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June 2012
That bacon double cheeseburger might be as bad for your brain as it is for your heart. New findings on 6,183 women over age 65 participating in the Women’s Health Study show that saturated fat may contribute to decline in cognition and memory, while healthy monounsaturated fat could actually protect your brain. “When looking at changes in cognitive function, what we found is that the total amount of fat intake did not really matter, but the type of fat did,” researchers said. Participants completed food questionnaires at the start of the study and were tested for overall cognitive function and verbal memory, then retested for mental abilities twice more over 4 years. Women who ate the most saturated fat had worse scores than those consuming the least and were more likely to decline over time. Those consuming the most monounsaturated fat, like that in olive oil, scored higher initially and were at lower risk of mental decline. — Annals of Neurology
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