Hormone replacement therapy increases ovarian cancer risks
A total of 909,946
cancer-free Danish women, aged 50-79 years, were followed from the year 1995 through 2005. In an average of 8 years
of follow-up, 3068 incidences of ovarian cancer, of which 2681 were epithelial cancer, were detected. Current users
of hormone therapy had a 38% higher rate of ovarian cancer (44% higher rate of the epithelial type) than non-users.
Cessation of hormone therapy reduced this difference to 22% in 2 years, and to below pre-therapy level in 4 to 6 years.
The risk of ovarian cancer is still low, however; approximately 1 in 8300 women taking hormone therapy will get the disease.
Source: Morch LS, et al. Hormone therapy and ovarian cancer. JAMA 2009;302(3):298-305.
Walking or biking to work is good for your heart -
This is the conclusion of a study reported in the July 13, 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Of the 2364
subjects who participated in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study and who worked outside the
home during the year 2005 to 2006, 16.7% either walked or biked to work. Adjusting for age, race, income, education,
smoking and other variables, participants who walked or biked to work were less likely to be obese, have lower levels of triglyceride,
fasting insulin, mean diastolic pressure, and fitness (as measured by treadmill test duration), compared to their more sedentary
counterparts.
Source: Gordon-Larsen P, et al. Active Commuting and
Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Arch Intern Med 2009;169(13):1216-1223
Eat less, live longer - Caloric restriction diet helps maintain health and prolong life
Caloric restriction (CR) without malnutrition delays disease onset and mortality in Rhesus monkeys, according to
a study reported in the July 10, 2009 issue of Science. In a population of rhesus macaques maintained at the Wisconsin
National Primate Research Center, moderate CR lowered the incidence of aging-related deaths. At this time, 50% of control
fed animals survived compared with 80% of the CR animals. Furthermore, CR delayed the onset of age-related diabetes,
cancer, cardiovascular disease, and brain atrophy.
Source: Colman RJ, et al. Calorie Restriction
delays onset and mortality in Rhesus Monkeys. Science 325(5937): 201-204.
Amino acids from plant protein sources reduce blood pressure
The amino acids glutamic acid, proline, phenylalanine, serine, and cysteine have all been found to significantly
reduce blood pressure in 4680 study subjects from 17 random population samples in China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the
United States, according to a study published online by the journal Circulation on July 6, 2009. These amino acids are
present in much larger quantities in plant protein than in animal proteins. Dietary glutamic acid, as measured by the
percentage of total protein intake, was inversely proportional to blood pressure. After adjusting for age, gender, and
sample variables, a 4.72% increase in glutamic acid intake was associated with a 1.5 to 3.0 mm Hg systolic, and 1.0 to 1.6mm
Hg diastolic reduction in blood pressure. Results were similar for the other three amino acids.
Source:
Glutamic acid, the main dietary amino acid, and blood pressure. The INTERMAP study (International Collaborative Study
of Macronutrients, Micronutrients and Blood Pressure) by Jeremiah Stamler, et al. Circulation 2009.
Among 6309
women with type 2 diabetes, frequent nut and peanut consumption resulted in lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in age-adjusted
analyses. After adjusting for conventional CVD risk factors, consumption of at least 5 servings per week of nuts or
peanut butter (1 serving=1oz nut or 1 tablespoon peanut butter) significantly reduced LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol,
and apolipoprotein-B-100 levels. However, no association was observed for HDL cholesterol or inflammatory markers.
Source: Li TY, et al. Regular consumption of nuts is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease
in women with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Nutrition 139(7):1333-1338, July 2009
