Turmeric compounds improve heart health

Turmeric compounds improve heart health as much as exercise.

A chemical that naturally occurs in turmeric root appears to improve heart health as much as moderate aerobic exercise.

Turmeric root has been an important component of traditional Asian medicinal systems for hundreds of years. In recent decades, scientific studies have confirmed the potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of the trio of turmeric chemicals known as "curcuminoids," which give the root its distinctive yellow-orange color. Although only one of these chemicals is properly known as "curcumin," the name is commonly used to refer to all of them collectively.

The three new studies all compared the effects of exercise and curcumin on heart health and postmenopausal women over an eight-week period. All the studies were randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled. Curcumin was delivered by means of colloidal nanoparticles.

Can turmeric prevent heart disease?

In the first study, researchers assigned 32 women to either take a curcumin supplement, engage in moderate aerobic exercise training, or undergo no intervention at all. The researchers measured participants' vascular endothelial function - the responsiveness of the layer of cells that line the blood vessels, a key indicator of overall cardiovascular health - both at the beginning and end of the study. They found that while there was no improvement in the control group, endothelial function significantly increased in both the exercise and curcumin groups. Most surprisingly, the improvement in the two experimental groups was identical.

The second study examined curcumin's effects on the responsiveness of arteries to changes in blood pressure ("arterial compliance"), another key measure of cardiovascular health. In this study, 32 women were randomly assigned to receive either a curcumin supplement or a placebo pill, or to undergo an exercise routine plus either a curcumin or placebo pill. The researchers found no significant improvement in the control group, significant (and equivalent) improvements in both the exercise-only and curcumin-only groups, and the greatest improvement among participants who exercised and also took the supplements.

In the final study, researchers examined the effects of exercise and curcumin on the rate of age-related degeneration of the heart's left ventricle. 45 participants were randomly assigned into one of the same four groups used in the second study.

The researchers once again found that both exercise and curcumin produced significant increases in heart health. In this study, however, curcumin alone did not appear to provide any benefit. Specifically, brachial systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased among participants who exercised, whether or not they took curcumin. In addition, heart-rate-corrected aortic augmentation index (AIx) and aortic SBP both decreased significantly only among participants who both exercised and took curcumin.

"Regular ingestion of curcumin could be a preventive measure against cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women," the authors of the first study wrote. "Furthermore, our results suggest that curcumin may be a potential alternative ... for patients who are unable to exercise."

Curcumin is best absorbed from turmeric root, rather than from supplements.

Perspiration contains natural, safe antibiotics that kill dangerous germs

Sweating is just a nasty annoyance to many modern-day people. Sure, it keeps you from overheating during exercise or if you are exposed to extremely hot weather. But most often, perspiration is seen as a negative body secretion to be stopped whenever possible with chemical-laden antiperspirants. On the positive side, many traditional cultures have used induced sweating - such as sitting in sweat lodges - to benefit health. It's been mostly assumed that the physical benefits from sweating are the result of toxins released in sweat.

But now comes information on how the incredible human body uses the sweating process to help protect health in another way. Sweat contains amazing disease fighting chemicals. An international team of scientists has discovered how a natural antibiotic called dermcidin, produced by our skin during perspiration can destroy tuberculosis germs and other dangerous pathogens.

Although about 1,700 types of these natural antibiotics are known to exist, they are rarely discussed -- and this is the first time researchers have come up with a detailed understanding of how they work. The researchers from the University of Edinburgh and from Goettingen, Tuebingen and Strasbourg, uncovered the atomic structure of dermcidin, allowing them to pinpoint for the first time what makes this natural compound so efficient in destroying disease-causing germs.

Their new study, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that sweat spreads highly efficient antibiotics onto skin to protect our bodies from dangerous disease-causing "bugs." So if you scratch or cut yourself or get a mosquito bite, antibiotic agents secreted in sweat glands, including dermcidin, immediately and efficiently kill invading germs if perspiration reaches them.

What's more, the scientists say these natural substances, known as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), are more effective in the long-term than traditional antibiotics. The reason? Germs are incapable of quickly developing resistance against them. Unfortunately, germs are capable of mounting resistance to many antibiotics created by Big Pharma and this has caused the development of so-called superbugs.

It turns out that natural antimicrobials found in sweat can attack bacteria through cell walls which bacteria can't modify quickly to resist attack. The scientists were able to determine dermcidin can adapt to extremely variable types of membranes, too. That's probably the reason why dermcidin is such an efficient broad-spectrum antibiotic. Research has shown the compound is active against many well-known, potentially dangerous pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus.

"Antibiotics are not only available on prescription. Our own bodies produce efficient substances to fend off bacteria, fungi and viruses," Dr. Ulrich Zachariae of the University of Edinburgh's School of Physics, who took part in the study, said in a press statement.

Finding a substance that is effective against superbug strains of Staphylococcus aureus, is especially important because these antibiotic-resistant staph infections are an increasing danger for hospital patients. Staphylococcus aureus infections can cause life-threatening diseases such as sepsis (blood infection) and pneumonia.

Foods That Help or Harm Your Sleep

If you could pick the right foods to help you get the best sleep possible, wouldn't you? And if you knew which foods would hinder your restful slumber, wouldn't you avoid them? Now's your chance to learn which foods to eat, and which to steer clear of for a good night's sleep.

We've all heard of warm milk's magical ability to send us off to dreamland. Do you know why it's true? Dairy foods contain tryptophan, which is a sleep-promoting substance. Other foods that are high in tryptophan include nuts and seeds, bananas, honey, and eggs.

Carbohydrate-rich foods complement dairy foods by increasing the level of sleep-inducing tryptophan in the blood. So a few perfect late night snacks to get you snoozing might include a bowl of cereal and milk, yogurt and crackers, or bread and cheese.

If you struggle with insomnia, a little food in your stomach may help you sleep. But don't use this as an open invitation to pig out. Keep the snack small. A heavy meal will tax your digestive system, making you uncomfortable and unable to get soothing ZZZs.

As if you needed another reason to avoid high-fat foods, research shows that people who often eat high-fat foods not only gain weight, they also experience a disruption of their sleep cycles. A heavy meal activates digestion, which can lead to nighttime trips to the bathroom.

It's no surprise that an evening cup of coffee might disrupt your sleep. Even moderate caffeine can cause sleep disturbances. But don't forget about less obvious caffeine sources, like chocolate, cola, tea, and decaffeinated coffee. For better sleep, cut all caffeine from your diet four to six hours before bedtime.

Here's the catch-22 with alcohol: It may help you fall asleep faster, but you may experience frequent awakenings, less restful sleep, headaches, night sweats and nightmares. If you're consuming alcohol in the evening, balance each drink with a glass a water to dilute the alcohol's effects. For a good night's sleep, the better bet is to avoid alcohol four to six hours before bedtime.

Sorry Atkins. Protein, an essential part of our daytime fare, is a poor choice for a bedtime snack. Protein-rich foods are harder to digest. So skip the high-protein snack before bedtime and opt for a glass of warm milk or some sleep-friendly carbs, like crackers.

Yes, staying hydrated throughout the day is great for your body, but curtail your fluid intake before bed. You're sure to have interrupted sleep if you're constantly getting up to go to the bathroom.

Nicotine is a stimulant, with effects similar to caffeine. Avoid smoking before bedtime or if you wake up in the middle of the night.

Avoid these six foods that could trigger acid reflux

Acid reflux or heartburn is a fairly common digestive problems that is annoying and uncomfortable, but not serious unless it becomes chronic. Then it's called GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease), which gets to the point of seriously irritating the esophagus.

Symptoms include chest pains, upper chest or lower throat burning sensations, spontaneous regurgitation, and nausea. These symptoms are the result of stomach acids coming through a not fully closed lower esophagus sphincter and flooding the esophagus.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or spastic colon obviously effects the lower end of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It usually shows up with lower abdominal cramps, constipation, diarrhea, or a weird combination of both with irregular, sporadic bowel movements and stool consistencies.

Foods that are common triggers for IBS and acid reflux

Both gastrointestinal ailments can be triggered by certain foods or food groups, of which six are common to both and should be avoided if you're prone to acid reflux or IBS:

1. Fried foods, especially those fried with hydrogenated oils containing trans-fatty acids. These are your common fast food and restaurant varieties.
2. Meat and dairy, especially fatty meats from factory farms, processed meats, and big dairy pasteurized milk. Some do well with raw milk and cheese and some meat from grass fed free range livestock without antibiotics and growth hormones.
3. Processed baked goods, including most packaged breads, pastries, cakes, and cookies. They contain refined sugar and bad fats as well as refined, bleached white flour. Sometimes they may contain MSG or HFCS (high fructose corn syrup). If you are acid reflux prone or suffer from IBS, you may get around this by purchasing baked goods directly from a bakery you trust or make your own with excellent whole ingredients. Sourdough and/or sprouted wheat, wheat substitutes, such as buckwheat, spelt, or other grains used in baked goods without harmful additives may also be tolerable. Read your labels and ask the right questions.
4. Coffee and alcohol, both can create acidic responses from the lower esophagus sphincter and the ileocecal valve (ICV), which is the sphincter between the large and small intestines that opens only briefly and shuts most of the time to keep the small and large intestinal fluids from mixing. ICV syndrome, the ileocecal valve remaining open too long, may be the most overlooked basis of many IBS issues and other more serious digestive diseases. All the other recommendations regarding foods and eating habits are relevant for ICV syndromes. Apparently, most chiropractors and some and naturopathic doctors (NDs) understand ICV syndromes more than most MDs.
5. MSG and artificial sweeteners: Sorbital may not be as neurologically dangerous as aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. But it does stimulate IBS symptoms.
6. Non-soluble fiber foods Yes, we all need fiber. But non-soluble fiber alone can cause IBS problems. 

Avoid overeating. Stop at 75 percent percent of your capacity. Chewing more and eating consciously and more slowly helps determine when to stop.

Never go to sleep or lie down after a meal. If you must rest, lie on your left side. But it's better to take a walk, which assists your digestion. Try eating three or four small meals instead of one or two big meals.

Apple peel compound may help fight obesity

Those who peel an apple before eating it may be discarding a helpful tool for fighting obesity. A study involving mice finds that a compound in apple peel called ursolic acid may curtail obesity by increasing muscle mass and boosting calorie burning. In addition to the weight control benefit, it may also deter fatty liver disease and pre-diabetes.

In the research all the mice were fed a high fat diet, but only half of them received food augmented with ursolic acid. Although the half that received the ursolic acid ate more, they gained less weight. Additionally, the investigators found they burned more calories, had more muscles and displayed greater endurance than the group who did not receive the compound. Furthermore, their blood sugar levels were near normal and they did not incur obesity related-fatty liver disease.

The mechanism of action responsible for the obesity-fighting benefit appears to be two-pronged. Author Christopher Adams explains that since muscle tissue is a good calorie burner, the muscle-building effect of ursolic acid may account for part of it. While the researchers were aware of this effect from prior research, they were surprised to find this compound also increases a substance called brown fat, which is a superb fat burner.

Adams notes that because of brown fat's healthful properties, scientists are endeavoring to discover how to increase it. Some research has associated greater levels of brown fat with reduced levels of obesity, along with improved blood sugar and lipids, indicating this substance can assist in weight management and in preventing diabetes.

Earlier studies show apple peels are richly abundant in antioxidants and polyphenols. Also, eating an apple a day lowers the risk of lung and colon cancer.

Adams intends to study the effect of ursolic acid on humans to determine if it is as beneficial for them as for mice. If this proves to be the case, the next step would be to ascertain the number of apples a person would need to eat to experience the positive effects. In the meantime, eating an apple a day seems like a good idea, but it is best to choose the organically grown ones to avoid insecticides and wax present in the peel.

Heart Murmur

A heart murmur is an extra sound that the blood makes as it flows through the heart. Your doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to your heartbeat. When you have a heart murmur, your doctor can hear an extra whooshing or swishing noise along with your heartbeat.

It can be scary to learn that you or your child has a heart murmur. But heart murmurs are very common, especially in children, and are usually harmless. These normal murmurs are called "innocent" heart murmurs. There is nothing wrong with your heart when you have an innocent murmur. Up to half of all children have innocent murmurs.1 They usually go away as children grow.

Adults can have innocent murmurs too. They can happen when your blood flows harder and faster than usual-during pregnancy, for example, or a temporary illness, such as a fever. They usually go away on their own. Innocent murmurs are often found in adults over 50 years of age.1

Sometimes, though, a heart murmur is a sign of a serious heart problem. This is called an abnormal heart murmur.
Abnormal murmurs are signs of a heart problem. In children, abnormal heart murmurs are usually caused by problems they are born with, such as a heart valve that doesn't work right or a hole in the wall between two heart chambers.

In adults, abnormal murmurs are most often caused by damaged heart valves. Heart valves operate like one-way gates, helping blood flow in one direction between heart chambers as well as into and out of the heart. See a picture of blood flow through a normal heart .

When disease or an infection damages a heart valve, it can cause scarring and can affect how well the valve works. The valve may not be able to close properly, so blood can leak through. Or the valve may become too narrow or stiff to let enough blood through. When a damaged heart valve cannot close properly, the problem is called regurgitation. When the valve can't let enough blood through, the problem is called stenosis.

Heart valves can be damaged by heart disease or by infections like rheumatic fever or endocarditis. The normal wear and tear that comes with aging can also cause some damage.

Some heart murmurs are caused by a thicker than normal heart. When the heart muscle grows too large, it can get in the way of normal blood flow and cause a murmur. Most heart murmurs are found during regular doctor visits. During exams, doctors listen to each part of the heartbeat, including any extra sounds, or murmurs, that may be there.

If a doctor hears a murmur, he or she can often tell whether it is innocent by how loud the noise is, what part of the heart it is coming from, and what kind of sound it is. He or she will also look for signs of a heart problem-for example, shortness of breath when the person is active, lightheadedness, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or a buildup of fluid in the legs or lungs. If your doctor thinks your murmur may be a sign of a problem, you will have tests to check your heart. You may also be sent to a heart specialist, called a cardiologist, for more tests.

• An echocardiogram is a type of ultrasound test. It turns sound waves into pictures that show how well your heart is working.
• An electrocardiogram, also called an EKG or ECG, checks the electrical activity of your heart. It translates your heart's electrical activity into line tracings on paper. The spikes and dips in the line tracings are called waves.
• A chest X-ray shows the size and shape of your heart and the position and shape of your large arteries.
• Cardiac catheterization can check for defects in the heart. A thin tube is inserted into an artery in your leg or arm. The tube, called a catheter, is slowly pushed up to your heart. A small amount of dye is injected, and the pictures show the heart chambers and valves as the dye moves through them.

If you have an innocent murmur, you do not need treatment, because your heart is normal. If you have an abnormal murmur, treatment depends on the heart problem that is causing the murmur and may include medicines or surgery. Not all abnormal murmurs need to be treated. If you have an abnormal murmur and have no other symptoms, your doctor may only monitor your condition with an echocardiogram.

If you have symptoms, you may need to take medicine to lower your blood pressure and reduce your heart's workload. You may need surgery to replace a valve or repair a heart defect. Most heart murmurs are normal, and there is nothing you can do to prevent them or cause them. They just happen. Most abnormal murmurs cannot be prevented, either. They are often caused by infections or by problems that run in families.

What you can do is take good care of your heart by eating healthy food and getting regular exercise. Work with your doctor to control your blood pressure and your cholesterol. And if you smoke, quit. Your doctor can help you quit your smoking habit.

Positive Effects Of Steroids And The Heart

Cardiologists at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Australia recruited both juicing and non-juicing bodybuilders for a study. Each bodybuilder had various aspects of the heart measured (carotid intima-media thickness, arterial reactivity, left ventricular dimensions, etc.). These measurements indicate whether bodybuilding, steroid usage or both affect the function, size, shape and activity of the heart.

The doctors found some obvious and not so obvious results. Predictably, those bodybuilders who used steroids were physically stronger than those who didn’t. What was surprising was that the use of steroids was not found to cause any significant changes or abnormalities of arterial structure or function.

In essence, when the bodybuilders (both groups) were compared with sedentary controls, any changes in heart function were common to bodybuilders. The take home message from this study is that bodybuilding itself can alter (not impair) arterial structure/function and that steroids do not appear to impair cardiac function.
It’s been long established that men have a higher risk of heart disease. One of the risk factors implicated is Testosterone. Reportedly, the recreational use of Testosterone can alter lipoprotein levels and, in fact, case reports exist describing bodybuilders who’ve abused steroids and have experienced heart disease or even sudden death. But the question remains, is the causal association one of truth or just an association?

To answer this, researchers at the University of North Texas recruited twelve competitive bodybuilders for a comprehensive evaluation of the cardiovascular effects of steroids. Six heavyweight steroid-using bodybuilders were compared with six heavyweight drug-free bodybuilders.

As expected, the heavy steroid users had lower total cholesterol and HDL levels as compared to the drug-free athletes. What was unexpected was that the steroid users also had significantly lower LDL (the bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels as compared to the non-steroid users. In addition, the juicers also had lower apolipoprotein B levels (a marker for heart disease risk). Thus, the authors concluded that androgens do not appear to raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. (4) The take home message from this study is that the negative cardiac side effects of steroids are most likely overstated.

In a little more progressive study, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Boogie Down Bronx (the BDB to those in the know) examined Testosterone as a possible therapy for cardiovascular disease. (5) The researchers note that T can be given in oral, injectable, pellet and transdermal delivery forms. It’s noted that injections of Testosterone (100 to 200 mg every two weeks) in men with low levels of T will decrease total cholesterol and LDL while raising the HDL.

In fact, Testosterone therapy has been found to have antianginal effects (reduces chest pain). Low levels of Testosterone are also correlated with high blood pressure, specifically high systolic pressure. The researchers determined that returning T levels back to normal and even high-normal levels have positive cardiovascular effects and should be considered as an adjunctive treatment for maintaining muscle mass when someone has congestive heart failure.
Strong research demonstrates that the risks of negative cardiovascular effects of steroids are overstated. In fact, a recent paper published in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology questioned the whole risk of using steroids. (6) Joey Antonio, Ph.D. and Chris Street MS, CSCS published strong data showing that the risks of steroid use are largely exaggerated, much like scare tactics used by your parents while you were a kid. Of course, it goes unsaid that abuse of anything will lead to unwanted consequences.

We know that as we age, circulating Testosterone levels naturally decrease. For most people the Testosterone decrease goes from high-normal to mid to low normal. Data shows that there’s an inverse relationship between T levels and blood pressure as well as abdominal obesity (that paunch we see on so many middle age males).

Testosterone replacement lowers abdominal obesity and restores Testosterone back to normal levels. Restored Testosterone is correlated with better mood, better muscle tone, stronger sex drive, lower cardiovascular disease risks, stronger bones and better memory. It’s important to note that while conservative use gives a pronounced positive health benefit, higher doses may not necessarily lead to further health benefits.

Cialis increasis testosterone.

Like Viagra, Cialis also is used to treat erectile dysfunction. What’s the difference between the two? Although Viagra and Cialis both work by inhibiting an enzyme called phosphodiesterases, which increases vasodilatation, there are pharmacologic distinctions between Viagra and Cialis, being that Cialis has a longer half-life (17.50 hours) compared to Viagra (4.0–5.0 hours) and Levitra (4.0–5.0 hours), resulting in longer duration of action14 which is partly responsible for Cialis being dubbed "The Weekend Pill." Cialis’ molecular structure differs significantly from Viagra; one of the benefits of Cialis is there are no visual side effects like Viagra and an absence of effect of food on absorption. Nitric oxide is a hot topic of debate in bodybuilding, as NO-producing supplements are always one of the top-selling products. Being in touch with many bodybuilders and powerlifters, many swear that by taking Cialis, they get better pumps in the gym and can recuperate from exercise faster.

Many suspect its enhanced nutrient delivery or some other mechanism. Cialis demonstrates similar vasodilator (blood pressure-lowering) effects in healthy subjects when compared with Viagra in studies of 10mg or 20mg doses (mean systolic blood pressure reduction, of ~4.3mg). Many of the experts in sports will attest that nitric oxide only increases performance in environments with low oxygen availability, such as high-altitude training or areas with high air pollution.  If there are no performace-enhacing effects, then why were Olympic athltetes using it? There have only been a handful of studies on the performance-enhancing effects of Cialis and sports performance, and none yielded beneficial effects.

• In one study, 14 healthy young males were given a 20mg dose of Cialis or a placebo and performed a maximal exercise test on a treadmill. The study found that a single dose of Cialis had no effect on exercise performance, exercise tolerance or cardiopulmonary responses.
• The second study involved three “all-out” sprints to determine if Cialis could increase anaerobic threshold. The study found no significant differences in peak power, average power or fatigue index compared to a placebo. One positive finding noted was that Cialis decreased the time to reach peak power. Cialis did not have an effect on peak power, but time to peak power output was reduced. Only to sports that need to reach maximum power output in a few seconds could Cialis administration be beneficial.

Bodybuilders are known for bringing cutting-edge pharmacology to the forefront of science. If NO (nitric oxide) products really don’t work, then why do so many people use them? Given that the second study reported that the author claimed that Cialis may increase peak force, the powerlifters who swear by Cialis increasing performance may be onto something that research has not discovered yet.

Based on the research, acute dosages of Cialis do not have performance-enhancing effects, but new research suggests that Cialis increases testosterone! Researchers had participants perform three 30-second “all-out” sprints to exhaustion and measured testosterone and cortisol responses to exercise. They found that only after Cialis and exercise did testosterone increase, however Cialis also increased cortisol levels. Cialis also lowered the DHEA to cortisol response. The study demonstrates that Cialis increases the “stress” response to the body, but also has some testosterone-enhancing effects as well. It’s interesting that a large dosage of caffeine, which is a weak, non-specific PDE inhibitor, also caused an increase in testosterone and also an increase in cortisol. So it seems that Cialis has both positive and negative effects on muscle. Cialis does not directly stimulate testosterone secretion per se, meaning it does not stimulate LH release or SHBG release directly. This is not the first study to find that Cialis raises testosterone:

• In a study of 74 patients with erectile dysfunction treated on demand with 50mg of Viagra or 20mg of Cialis for three months, basal levels of total testosterone and free testosterone were at the bottom of the normal range that was reversed after treatment in both groups. Testosterone increase in Viagra-treated cases was significantly lower than in those treated with Cialis, suggested to be due to the higher frequency of full sexual intercourse in the Cialis-treated group.
• Another study reported that the increase in testosterone from taking Cialis is mediated by a reduction in estrogen demonstration that Cialis may have anti-estrogen actions. It was pointed out that the T/estradiol ratio was associated with long-term Cialis treatment. There was no increase in LH levels from Cialis, demonstrating that Cialis did not directly increase testosterone, but indirectly increased testosterone by lowering estrogen.
• One of the primary reasons that many older men have problems “rising to the occasion” is that they have excess estrogen levels. Furthermore, in men with hypogonadism, a low dose of clomiphene citrate (Clomid) is effective in improving testosterone:estrogen ratio, thus giving more long-term benefit for the management of erectile dysfunction in hypogonadal patients. It seems that based on the current study, Cialis has similar actions to Clomid by improving T:E ratio.

Obesity surgery-diabetes study shows pros and cons

Obesity surgery worked much better at reducing and even reversing diabetes than medication and lifestyle changes in one of the most rigorous studies of its kind. But the researchers and others warn that possible serious complications need to be considered.

The yearlong study indicates that the most common weight-loss surgery, gastric bypass, can effectively treat diabetes in patients with mild to moderate obesity - about 50 to 70 pounds overweight. Other studies have shown the operation can reverse diabetes in severely obese patients, although sometimes the disease comes back.

About a third of the 60 adults who got bypass surgery in the new study developed serious problems within a year of the operation, though some cases were not clearly linked with the surgery. That rate is similar to what's been seen in previous studies. But for the most serious complications - infections, intestinal blockages and bleeding - the rate was 6 percent, slightly higher than in earlier research.

The most dangerous complication occurred in one patient when stomach contents leaked from the surgery site, leading to an overwhelming infection, leg amputation and brain injury.  A journal editorial says such devastating complications are rare, but that "the frequency and severity of complications ... is problematic" in the study and that the best way to treat patients with both obesity and diabetes "remains unknown."

A research review in the journal said more long-term evidence on risks and benefits is needed to determine if obesity surgery is an appropriate way to treat diabetes in patients who aren't severely obese - at least 100 pounds overweight.

More than 20 million Americans have Type 2 diabetes; most are overweight or obese. Diabetics face increased risks for heart disease and strokes, and poorly controlled diabetes can damage the kidneys, eyes and blood vessels.

About 160,000 people nationwide undergo various types of obesity surgery each year. Bypass surgery, the type studied, involves stapling the stomach to create a small pouch and attaching it to a lower part of the intestines. The American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery says obesity surgery is safe and that the death rate is less than 1 percent, lower than for gallbladder and hip replacement surgery.

The study involved 120 patients at five hospitals in New York, Minnesota and Taiwan. All patients got medicines for diabetes, obesity, cholesterol and/or high blood pressure. They all were advised to cut calories and increase physical activity.

Sixty patients also had surgery, and the two groups were compared after one year.

The surgery group lost on average nearly 60 pounds and 75 percent lowered blood sugar levels to normal or near normal levels. The non-surgery group lost an average 17 pounds and just 30 percent reached the blood-sugar goal. The surgery group also needed less medication after the operation.

The researchers say the diabetes changes were likely due to the weight loss but that hormonal changes affecting blood sugar may have contributed. The surgery group showed a trend toward having less high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol - both major risk factors for heart disease, although those between-group differences could have been due to chance.

12 Possible Heart Symptoms Never to Ignore

Heart Disease
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of U.S. men and women, accounting for 40% of all U.S. deaths. That's more than all forms of cancer combined.
Why is heart disease so deadly? One reason is that many people are slow to seek help when symptoms arise. Yes, someone gripped by sudden chest pain probably knows to call 911. But symptoms of heart problems aren't always intense or obvious, and they vary from person to person and according to gender.

Heart Disease Warning Signs
Because it can be hard to make sense of possible heart symptoms, doctors warn against ignoring any warning signs, toughing them out, waiting to see if they go away, or being quick to blame them on heartburn, muscle soreness, or other less serious, noncardiac causes. That's especially true for men and people over 65, as well as for people with other cardiac risk factors, such as high cholesterol or blood pressure, obesity, smoking, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease.

Heart Disease Risk Factors
'The more risk factors you have, the higher the likelihood that a symptom means something is going on with your heart,' says David Frid, MD, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. 'People often don't want to admit that they're old enough or sick enough to have heart trouble. Putting off treatment for other medical problems might not be so bad, but a serious heart problem can mean sudden death. It's better to go in and get it evaluated than to be dead

Anxiety - Heart attack can cause intense anxiety or a fear of death. Heart attack survivors often talk about having experienced a sense of 'impending doom.

Chest Discomfort - Pain in the chest is the classic symptom of heart attack, and 'the No. 1 symptom that we typically look for,' says Jean C. McSweeney, PhD, RN, associate dean for research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing in Little Rock and a pioneer in research on heart symptoms in women. But not all heart attacks cause chest pain, and chest pain can stem from ailments that have nothing to do with the heart. Heart-related chest pain is often centered under the breastbone, perhaps a little to the left of center. The pain has been likened to 'an elephant sitting on the chest,' but it can also be an uncomfortable sensation of pressure, squeezing, or fullness. 'It's not unusual for women to describe the pain as a minor ache,' McSweeney says. 'Some women say the pain wasn't bad enough even to take a Tylenol.' Women, more so than men, can also experience a burning sensation in their chest, rather than a pressure or pain. 'Sometimes people make the mistake that the pain comes from a stomach problem,' says Nieca Goldberg, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City and another expert on women's heart symptoms.

Cough - Persistent coughing or wheezing can be a symptom of heart failure -- a result of fluid accumulation in the lungs. In some cases, people with heart failure cough up bloody phlegm.

Dizziness - Heart attacks can cause lightheadedness and loss of consciousness. So can potentially dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities known as arrhythmias.

Fatigue - Especially among women, unusual fatigue can occur during a heart attack as well as in the days and weeks leading up to one. And feeling tired all the time may be a symptom of heart failure. Of course, you can also feel tired or fatigued for other reasons. How can you tell heart-related fatigue from other types of fatigue? 'If you don't feel well and all the wind is knocked out of your sails, don't try to figure it out on the Internet or from a book,' says Goldberg. 'Wasting time is dangerous.

Nausea or Lack of Appetite - It's not uncommon for people to feel sick to their stomach or throw up during a heart attack. And abdominal swelling associated with heart failure can interfere with appetite.

Pain In Other Parts of the Body - In many heart attacks, pain begins in the chest and spreads to the shoulders, arms, elbows, back, neck, jaw, or abdomen. But sometimes there is no chest pain -- just pain in these other body areas. The pain might come and go.
Men having a heart attack often feel pain in the left arm. In women, the pain is more likely to be felt in both arms, or between the shoulder blades.

Shortness of Breath - People who feel winded at rest or with minimal exertion might have a pulmonary condition like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But breathlessness could also indicate a heart attack or heart failure.
"Sometimes people having a heart attack don't have chest pressure or pain but feel extremely short of breath," Goldberg says. "It's like they've just run a marathon when they haven't even moved." During a heart attack, shortness of breath often accompanies chest discomfort, but it can also occur before or without chest discomfort.

Sweating - Breaking out in a cold sweat is a common symptom of heart attack. 'You might just be sitting in a chair when all of a sudden you are really sweating like you had just worked out,' Dr. Frid of the Cleveland Clinic says.

Weakness - In the days leading up to a heart attack, as well as during one, some people experience severe, unexplained weakness. 'One woman told me it felt like she couldn't hold a piece of paper between her fingers,' Dr. McSweeney says."