Fatty Diet May Decrease Brain Function
It is generally well-known that high fat diets lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. However, a new study suggests that diets rich in fat may also lead to a lower brain function.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto, and is published in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (volume 75, March 2001). The scientists conducted the study with rats, some of whom were fed high-fat diets. In comparison with rats who were fed a diet of normal fat intake, those who ate more fat had a lower capability of performing well on tests of learning and memory.
Researchers postulate that the rats performed poorly on tests of their brain function because their high-fat diets increased their resistance to insulin. Insulin resistance is a key indicator of diabetes, and previous research has indicated that people with diabetes may have lower mental functioning in areas such as long-term memory. More research is needed to determine whether or not diabetes is the link between a high fat diet and lower mental functioning.
  
Link Between Salt And Heart Disease?
For some people, taking their food with a grain of salt may be a recipe for disaster. New research suggests that those whose blood pressure levels are particularly effected by salt intake may be at increased risk for dying from heart disease.
In a recent issue of the journal Hypertension (volume 37; pages 429-432; February 16, 2001), researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis write about the correlation between salt intake and risk of death. They conducted a study of the medical records of 600 people between the ages of 18 and 80.
According to the research, 40% of the participants had high blood pressure, and 50% were sensitive to salt. Those in the latter group had sensitive blood pressure that rose and fell in proportion to salt intake and restriction. About 21% of the participants died of cardiovascular or other causes over the course of the 25-year study. Those who were salt sensitive and had normal blood pressure at the beginning of the study were just as likely to die as those with high blood pressure.
The researchers believe that approximately 26% of Americans with normal blood pressure and 58% with high blood pressure may be salt sensitive. As a result, they recommend that people limit their salt intake to 2,400 mg per day. Those who have an increased risk for salt sensitivity, such as elderly people, African Americans, and people with a family history of high blood pressure, should limit their salt intake even more.
Recurring Infections May Promote Heart Disease
For people who suffer recurring infections like sinus infections or bronchitis, recent research indicates that another concern may be an increased risk of clogged arteries.
In a five-year study involving 826 men and women aged 40 to 79, researchers from Innsbruck University Clinic in Austria examined participants' carotid arteries and asked questions about health history.
The results, which are published in the journal Circulation, indicated that 268 of the participants had chronic infections. The rate of chronic infections increased as people get older. Other risk factors included smoking, drinking heavily, and low socioeconomic status. At the conclusion of the study, 332 participants had new plaque buildup in their carotid arteries. People with chronic infections were about three times as likely to have the new blockages as those without. The biggest causes appeared to be bronchitis and sinusitis.
A likely cause of the clogged arteries could be the body's natural immune response to infection. When immune cells attach to fat cells and try to remove the cells from the blood stream they often get caught, and are too big to pass through the cell wal. After awhile, these trapped cells build up, and may impede the flow of blood.
Do Diabetes And Asthma Have Common Risk Factors?
Although diabetes and asthma are two very different diseases, recent research suggests that common rates of diabetes and asthma across many countries may link the two diseases by risk factors.
According to study data released in the journal The Lancet (volume 357; 607-608; February 24, 2001), the risk factors that lead to the development of asthma and diabetes may be connected. The research was conducted by doctors from Aker University Hospital and the National Institute of Public Health in Oslo, Norway. Researchers studied the rates of asthma and diabetes in children in 28 different countries, and found the rates to be very similar.
The researchers are not sure why the risk factors may be connected, and are quick to say that the causes of the two diseases are not connected as a result. However, they hope the study will encourage other researchers to expand their studies of the causes of and risks for diseases like asthma and diabetes.
Elderly Americans May Have Too Much Iron
One of the most common health concerns that doctors check elderly people for is anemia. However, a new study indicates that doctors should be more concerned about the opposite-- too much iron.
The study was conducted by researchers at Tufts University in Boston and Boston University, and included 1,016 participants aged 67-96. Results of the study were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Although 3% of the participants had low levels of iron in their bloodstreams, 12.9% had too much iron. Other studies have indicated that high levels of iron may lead to an increased risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Proponents Of Stem Cell Research Lobby President
The debate about stem cells, which are cells that have the ability to develop into any kind of cell in the body, continues to build. Recently, 80 scientific Nobel laureates congregated to petition President Bush to not block federal funding of this research.
The controversy surrounding the stem cell debate has been made into a moral issue, as anti-abortion groups have opposed stem cell research with fetal and embryonic cells. The law currently states that scientists who receive federal funds may not use human embryos in stem-cell research. However, scientists who receive private funds are not governed by this law.
This spring, the National Institutes of Health may award the first federal grants for research involving stem cells grown in the lab. Bush has indicated that he may block this funding, and has asked the Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson to review the NIH policy.
The scientists who lobbied for the continuation of stem cell research with government funds emphasized that stem cell research may lead to cures of many debilitating diseases, ranging from Alzheimer's to diabetes.
Information provided by The Diabetes Mall @ http://www.diabetesnet.com
Books, gram scales, and more: (800) 988-4772 or (619) 497-0900 |
