Acai berry - Six ways this superfood can change your health

If you've never heard of the acaiberry, you're missing out on the enormous benefits this superfood offers.

Acai berry contains anthocyanins and antioxidants - elements that have been linked to a slowing of the body's aging process. Studies indicate that acai berry has 10 times more antioxidants than grapes and fully twice as many as blueberries, making it extremely beneficial for those of us trying to thwart the aging process.

How does a boost of energy sound?  Acai berry is known to increase energy levels, and that's a plus considering the willy-nilly, hectic pace of life these days. There are times when we can all use some help maintaining enough energy to fulfill our daily life obligations (both at work and play). That is especially true for those of us who work a non-traditional shift, like day-evening, or evening-night shifts (we're pretty much designed to be awake during the day and asleep at night). Studies indicate regular Acai berry supplementation can boost your body's energy levels; increased energy levels mean more work gets done, making you more productive and valuable.

Keep your ticker ticking better. Acai berry has been found to improve overall cardiovascular health by improving the flow of blood and other nutrients to the heart and other organs. Acai berry is rich in omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, which are known to lower levels of bad cholesterol in the body. It's well known that bad cholesterol can accumulate in the form of plaque along the walls of your arteries and if not properly treated (or prevented in the first place), can eventually block blood vessels, causing stroke, heart attack or even sudden death. Acai berry also contains anthocyanins, the same substance found in red wine (which has also been shown to improve cardiovascular flow and function).

Good for hearts - and minds. Data shows that acai berry is good for both body and mind, by balancing the body's nervous system. "Most neuro-psychiatric problems arise from the imbalance of the nervous system," "Depression is also prevented if the stability of the mind and body is maintained. When the physical body is stable and functioning properly, the mind is also in harmony to the body preventing mental health problems..."

Take the extra pounds off. When eaten in conjunction with a healthy diet, acai berry can contribute to weight loss by boosting both metabolism and your energy levels. Also, the antioxidants, vitamins and fatty acids are much safer than many of the so-called "diet pills" and other products. What's more, acai berry is not known for harmful side effects.

Keep the extra pounds off. Once you reach your diet goals, you want to keep the pounds off; acai berries can help because, again, they work to increase metabolism in a way that is healthy and not harmful. Increased metabolism means food is digested faster and, thus, less likely to create fat stores.

Though research is limited, "Acai berries are widely touted as a so-called superfood, with proponents claiming that they are helpful for a variety of health concerns, including arthritis, cancer, weight loss, high cholesterol, erectile dysfunction, detoxification and improving general health," says registered dietician Katherine Zeratsky.

The one bad thing about acai berries is that in order to eat them fresh, you have to live in a region where they grow. That's because they are perishable within 24 hours of being picked. Lucky for Americans they can be freeze-dried, powdered and put into supplements.

Where does the acai berry rank on a list of superfoods? For Dr. Nicholas Perricone, noted dermatologist and nutritionist, the acai is number one.

"Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, acai tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Hidden within its royal purple pigment is the magic that makes it nature's perfect energy fruit. Acai is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Although acai may not be available in your local supermarket, you can find it in several health food and gourmet stores (often in juice form). A new product featuring the unsweetened pulp is now also available, and I highly recommend that you choose this form of acai," he says.

Cold Temperatures and Chili Peppers Help Burn Fat

What do low temperatures and chili peppers have in common? They both could help burn fat, a new study shows.

Exposure to cold and consumption of chemicals found in chili peppers both appear to increase the number and activity of so-called brown fat cells, which burn energy, rather than store it as typical "white" fat cells do, said Takeshi Yoneshiro, a researcher at Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan.

The study is the first to show that brown fat activity can be induced in people who appeared to have very few or no brown fat cells, said Dr. Clifford Rosen, a professor of medicine at Tufts University who wasn't involved in the study. Participants in the study who were exposed to cold also had less "bad" white fat at the end of the experiments.

Cold burns fat

Brown fat cells are currently a subject of intense research as a target for anti-obesity drugs, said Dr. Soren Snitker, a medical researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who wasn't involved in the study.

In the new study, researchers exposed eight people with little or no brown fat cells to moderately low temperatures of 63 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours daily, over the course of six weeks. Compared with the control subjects, who went about their normal lives, the cold-exposed people had about 5 percent less body fat at the end of the study, and also burned more energy when exposed to cold, according to the study. The researchers also looked at people who ate capsinoids, which are normally found in chili peppers, for six weeks, and found they also burned more energy than the control group when exposed to cold, but didn't lose any more white fat than the control group.

Yoneshiro said the experiment might not have continued for long enough to see white-fat-burning effects of the compounds. A previous study that lasted 12 weeks found the capsinoid ingestion led to significant body fat decreases in mildly obese people.

The new results help explain the results from a recent study co-authored by Snitker, which found that people who ate capsinoids had increased levels of fat breakdown, and smaller waists after a six-week period, compared with people who took placebos.

The brown and the beige

It was once thought that brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue (BAT), was present only in babies. But three research groups independently discovered in 2009 that brown fat exists in adults, concentrated in the upper chest and neck of some adults, Rosen said. It appears reddish-brown because it contains many mitochondria, cellular factories that release energy, Rosen said. In 2012, scientists found yet another type of BAT called "beige fat," which is a subset of brown fat but is formed from white fat cells. Rosen said that the "brown fat" cells induced by cold and capsinoids are indeed likely beige fat, because they don't show up on scans used to detect concentrated regions of brown fat cells.

"The most interesting thing about this study from a treatment point of view is the capsinoids," said Jan Nedergaard, a physiologist at Stockholm University in Sweden who wasn't involved in the study. Reduction of fat from cold exposure was expected, he said, but "as everybody realizes, that's a difficult thing to put into practice."

Drug development?

The study is exciting because it suggests chemicals that induce brown fat could be used to fight obesity, although they'd probably work better at keeping healthy people from becoming fat, rather than making obese people skinny, Nedergaard said. "Everybody would like to take a fat person and make him slim, but that demands a high-burning capacity that BAT probably doesn't have."

Capsinoids appear to induce brown fat in the same way as cold, by "capturing" the same cellular system that the body's nervous system uses to increase heat production, Yoneshiro said. Drug developers want to use similar drugs to activate this system, but capsinoids themselves probably won't be used because they already exist in nature and thus cannot be patented, a major way that pharmaceutical companies make money, Nedergaard said.

Capsinoids come from "sweet" chili peppers that don't taste hot, but produce some of the same physiological effects — for example, producing sweat, Nedergaard said.

Musical Training Has Positive, Long-Term Effects on Brain Function

Studies by researcher Nina Kraus have shown that lifelong musical training is associated with the ability to hear and understand sounds in a noisy environment, even as we age. But what about people who have had limited musical training — four or five years of piano or guitar lessons as a child, for example? A recent study by Kraus's Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University suggests that even limited exposure to music may help inoculate us from some types of age-related declines in brain functioning. The study found that four to 14 years of musical training early in life is associated with faster neural timing in response to speech. Test subjects listened to a synthesized speech sound ("the syllable "da") by itself - without any other competing noise - and also amid other, background noises. She found that the group of test subjects who had had some musical training responded neurally to the syllable both in quiet and in noise more quickly than did the groups of test subjects without musical training. This result is relevant especially to older people, who often show difficulty processing fast-changing speech elements - consonant to vowel transitions, for example.

Other studies by Kraus have shown that musical training correlates to a better ability to pick out key sounds, such as spoken words, in noisy environments (see video), and a better ability to recognize the emotional content of sound.

Kraus is the Hugh Knowles Professor of Communication Sciences and Neurobiology at Northwestern University. Much of her research is supported by the National Science Foundation.

Eating chocolate 'reduces body fat level'

Despite being high in calories, chocolate might actually encourage lower levels of body fat, according to a recent study.

Researchers at the University of Granada, Spain measured the body fat of nearly 1,500 adolescents from around Europe between the ages of 12 and 17 years.

They found that regardless of their sex, age, diet and how much they exercised, subjects who ate lots of chocolate tended to be slimmer than those who did not. According to Magdalena Cuenca-Garcia, the study's lead author, this could be down to the fact that chocolate is rich in healthy flavonoids, especially catechins.

"These compounds have important antioxidant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects and can help prevent ischemic heart disease," she explained.

However, the researchers stressed that chocolate can still be unhealthy if not eaten in moderation.

"As they say, you can have too much of a good thing," they said.

Brain may play crucial role in development of type 2 diabetes

New research has found that the brain may play an essential role in glucose regulation and the development of type 2 diabetes.

In a study, researchers suggested that glucose regulation is controlled by coordinated interactions between both the brain and insulin-producing tissues in the pancreas – a theory that could eventually pave the way for new treatments for the disease.

Based on a review of both human and animal studies, the researchers speculated that while the pancreas reacts to increased levels of blood glucose by releasing more insulin, the brain is also heavily involved in helping the body maintain normal glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes occurs when both of these systems fail.

Currently, treatments for type 2 diabetes rely almost exclusively on methods that attempt to either increase insulin or regulate the body’s sensitivity to insulin. However, if the researchers are correct in their hypothesis that failures in the brain are crucial to the development of type 2 diabetes, it could lead to new, more effective methods by which to treat – or even reverse – the disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that 50 percent of the population will have developed diabetes by 2050.

Drink Water, Lose Weight

One of the most familiar pieces of weight-loss advice is also among the simplest: Drink lots of water. It makes you feel fuller, for one, so you don't eat as much junk later on (and maybe you won't drink sodas or other sugar-filled drinks).

Now, a new study adds some scientific heft to that advice. People who drank more water, researchers found, stayed slimmer than those who drank less. The study followed more than 120,000 people for about two decades, checking in on their lifestyle habits and weight every four years.

Overall, people in the study gained a small amount weight during each four-year span. But each cup of water a person drank per day meant they gained, on average, nearly three-tenths of a pound less during that time. The more water they drank, the less weight they put on – a noteworthy finding for a study that, for most participants, spanned a large chunk of middle age.

Fruit juice and sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, on the other hand, made participants gain more weight; each cup per day led to half a pound and four-fifths of a pound more weight gain in four years, respectively. Subbing water for a sugary drink, then, would likely have an even bigger impact, says An Pan, a public health researcher at the National University of Singapore who helped lead the study. Swapping a 12-ounce soda for a large glass of water every day would lead to a 1.25-pound smaller weight gain over four years.
If you tire of constantly sipping plain water, the researchers found that coffee had a similar slimming effect, too – though unlike water, it's easier to drink too much joe, which can have some downsides.

New Drug May Someday Battle Obesity and Diabetes

A new diabetes drug may one day perform double duty for patients, controlling both their blood sugar levels and helping them lose weight, researchers report. In mouse trials, doctors found the drug prompted weight loss, in addition to managing blood sugar levels.

"That [weight loss] is not what this drug was designed to do, but it's a very attractive additional benefit," said study co-author Richard DiMarchi, a research chemist at Indiana University in whose lab the drug was created. The injectable medication is based on a single molecule that combines the properties of two hormones that send chemical signals to the pancreas, said DiMarchi. "They signal to the pancreas that you are taking a meal," DiMarchi said. "The pancreas then responds by secreting insulin and to synthesize additional amounts of insulin for subsequent use."

People with type 2 diabetes have lower levels of these pancreas-signaling hormones, which are known as incretins, explained Dr. John Anderson, president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. "The incretin defect in type 2 diabetes is well known, and it's only within the last few years we have had agents to treat it," Anderson said.

Human and primate trials revealed that the new drug controls blood sugar with fewer side effects than other diabetes medications. Those side effects can include nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. "In this study, the degree of gastrointestinal discomfort is much more modest than is experienced in conventional drugs," DiMarchi said. "We get beneficial glycemic control with this combination drug, and it seems to be with less adverse drug effect."

The medication combines the action of the hormones GLP-1 and GIP. Current diabetes medications of this sort target GLP-1 receptors in the body; studies involving GIP have produced mixed results. GLP is known to suppress appetite, and DiMarchi said the weight loss observed in mice might be occurring because the second hormone, GIP, is somehow "turbo-charging" that appetite suppression.

In the mouse trials, a drug based on GLP-1 alone decreased body weight by an average 15 %. But the new drug combining GLP-1 and GIP decreased body weight by nearly 21 % as well as controlling blood glucose and decreasing appetite.

A six-week human trial involving 53 patients with type 2 diabetes found that the medication effectively controlled their blood sugar levels. However, the researchers did not note any change in weight during the relatively short study period. The higher potency of the combined molecule suggests it could be administered at lower doses than other incretin-based medications, reducing side effects and making the drug easier to take.

"Currently approved drugs are quite effective," DiMarchi said, "but they are insufficient in normalizing glucose, and they certainly don't cause much loss of body weight."

High Smog Levels Tied to Serious Heart Problems

High levels of particulate air pollution - commonly known as smog - raise the risk of heart attack and other serious heart problems, according to a new study.

Particulate air pollution refers to tiny particles in the air known as PM10. The European Union's PM10 safety threshold is 50 micrograms per cubic meter (mcg/m3), but this study suggests that the harmful effects of PM10 may occur below that level.

The researchers compared data on average daily concentrations of PM10 in Brescia, Italy, between 2004 and 2007 and daily hospitalizations for cardiac events during that period. They found a significant association between PM10 levels and the number of admissions for heart attack and other acute coronary syndromes (an umbrella term for conditions where blood supply to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked), heart failure, worsening heart failure and heart rhythm disorders. For every 10-microgram increase in PM10 levels, there was a 3 percent increase in hospital admissions for serious heart problems, according to the study.

The researchers also found that men and people older than 65 were especially vulnerable to having acute coronary syndromes or heart rhythm disorders with increasing PM10 levels. In addition, people who had previously been hospitalized for heart problems were more likely to be admitted to the hospital with heart problems when PM10 levels were higher. "We need to pay particular attention to protecting patients who are older and who have had a previous heart attack or other heart problem, as they are more vulnerable to having another cardiac event," study author Dr. Savina Nodari said.

"Previous studies support the hypothesis that air pollution may increase cardiovascular-event rates because PM10 can induce processes that are bad for the heart, including inflammation and coagulation," she added.

Nodari said the current PM10 threshold is too high, and the cutoff should be reduced to 20 to 30 mcg/m3 or less, "because, like cholesterol, the risk is continuous -- the higher the levels the greater the risk. If we can obtain a lower level of PM10 probably we will lower the risk of heart disease."

Secondhand smoke really does cause heart attacks

Even legislation declaring only some public places off-limits to smoking reduced the rate of heart attacks by 11 percent, researchers have found. The greatest benefits were seen among women, all adults between the ages of 65 and 74, and non-smokers.

Coronary heart disease is the number one killer in the world, and was responsible for 9.2 percent of all deaths in Spain in 2011. More than 50,000 people were hospitalized in that year for heart attacks (acute myocardial infarctions) alone. Researchers estimate that 20 percent of all heart disease in European countries is caused by tobacco smoke.

"Smoking and second-hand smoke are major and preventable public health hazards and risk factors for coronary heart disease, the single most common cause of death and morbidity worldwide," the researchers wrote.

Ban provides immediate benefits

In 2006, a law went into effect in Spain banning smoking in the workplace or in any hospitality establishment larger than 100 square meters. It also imposed new regulations on the advertisement and sale of tobacco, but did not regulate smoking in hospitality establishments smaller than 100 square meters. Smoking in such establishments was finally banned in 2011.

To assess whether the partial ban had reduced the rate of heart attacks in the intervening years, the researchers analyzed information on 3,703 heart attacks that occurred in the province of Girona between the years of 2002 and 2008. Heart attacks occurring between 2002 and 2004 (before the implementation of the partial ban) were analyzed separately from those occurring between 2006 and 2008 (after the implementation).

Prior studies on the connection between second-hand smoke and heart attacks have typically used data from hospitals. The limitation of such studies; however, is that only one-third of all heart attacks occur in hospitals. In the current study, researchers used a population-wide database to gather more accurate results.

They found that the total heart attack rate in the province dropped by 11 percent following the law's implementation, even among those not treated at a hospital. Among nonsmokers, the rate of heart attacks was reduced by 15 percent, whereas among those over age 65, it was reduced by 18 percent.

The researchers believe that "the population group that has benefited the most from the law passed in 2006 is that of non-smokers, since their passive exposure to tobacco smoke has decreased."

The researchers were unable to study the effects of the more complete public smoking ban implemented in 2011, but they believe that it is likely to reduce heart attack rates even further.

Coronary heart disease is characterized by an insufficient blood supply to the heart. This may eventually starve the heart of oxygen, causing the cell death known as a heart attack. Coronary heart disease is estimated to cost the Spanish public approximately 1.46 billion Euros per year. 

Vitamin D deficiency linked to childhood obesity

The role of vitamin D is increasingly recognized as important for maintaining health, not only for metabolism of calcium in bone health, but also for other conditions as well. This fact makes the current widespread vitamin D deficiency all the more compelling, and a study published in the May issue of Journal of Adolescent Health has found that serious deficiency and insufficiency of vitamin D exist among obese adolescents.

The retrospective study, done at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, RI, looked at blood levels of 25(OH) D for 68 obese adolescents, and found that all of the girls had low vitamin D, with 72 percent deficient and 28 percent insufficient. Among the boys, 91 percent had low levels, with 69 percent deficient and 22 percent insufficient.

Pediatrician Zeev Harel, lead author of the study, said, "It is possible that the association between obesity and low vitamin D status is indirect, arising from obese individuals having fewer outdoor activities than lean individuals, and therefore, less exposure to sun. Likewise, is it also possible that obese individuals do not consume enough foods that contain vitamin D." Other studies have also found a link between obesity and vitamin D deficiency, possibly from storage of vitamin D in fat tissue

The Hasbro Children's Hospital study also found a disturbing difficulty in treating the problem. About two thirds of the patients had follow-up measurements of vitamin D after treatment, and of that group, only 28 percent reached normal levels. The other patients did not attain a normal level even after multiple treatments.

Harel said of this problem, "The prevalence of low vitamin D status among obese adolescents in this study is greater than previously reported for this age group. It is concerning to us that only 28 percent of the adolescents were able to reach normal vitamin D levels through one course of treatment of the recommended dose of vitamin D, while the other 72 percent failed to normalize their levels even with repeat treatments."

All individuals with low vitamin D are at increased health risks. There is evidence linking healthy levels of vitamin D to protection against certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders, as well as other diseases. Vitamin D is also thought to help boost the immune system to protect against infections. Adverse health conditions in adolescents have been found linked to low levels of vitamin D

Tamoxifen Citrate

For on cycle Gynecomastia prevention and post cycle therapy (PCT) needs Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) often fills the role of both for many performance enhancers across the board. For decades Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) has been a staple in many cycles in both men and women and for good reason; it works, it works well and is in most cases very well-tolerated.

By its mode of action Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) functions of the basis of two hormones; estrogen and testosterone; discouraging one while promoting the other. Belonging to a class of medications known as Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERM’s) Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) is not an anabolic steroid in any shape form or fashion; it does not perform in the traditional anabolic nature; although it can provide a secondary anabolic effect by its method of testosterone stimulation.

For its testosterone stimulating properties this will be and is the main reason any anabolic steroid user will supplement with Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) and this will occur during the PCT period for men. When we supplement with anabolic steroids our natural testosterone production is suppressed and once the cycle is complete it is imperative that we once again stimulate natural testosterone production. This is very important to our overall health, as a well-functioning endocrine system is more than necessary; however, it is also imperative to maintaining the gains made while on a cycle of anabolic steroids. While Tamoxifen (Nolvadex)therapy will not return natural testosterone production to its normal state during PCT use it will send you well on your way. A common misconception is that with a good PCT program our natural testosterone levels are normalized by this simple 3-4 week process; unfortunately this simply isn’t true. Assuming no more anabolic steroids are applied it can take several months for normal levels to be obtained even withTamoxifen (Nolvadex) therapy; however, without therapy such normalization can take up to as much as a year or more depending on the individual at hand.

Beyond PCT needs Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) is often used as a means of Gynecomastia prevention while on a cycle of anabolic steroids. Many anabolic steroids of an androgenic nature, such as testosterone will convert into estrogen after administration. Estrogen is an essential hormone for proper bodily function in-terms of sexual function, immune system and muscle growth, we do need some; however, as these levels increase it can become quite problematic. Many of the most commonly associated side-effects of anabolic steroid use are due to this conversion process brought on by the aromatase enzyme and as levels increase side-effects rear their head. A very common misconception is that Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) decreases estrogen in the body in the same fashion as many aromatase inhibitors; this is not true. While it will not reduce estrogen Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) will block it from binding to the receptors thereby preventing side-effects such as Gynecomastia. Generally 10mg every day of the medication will prove to be useful for this end; however, for many no amount will be enough and only an aromatase inhibitor will prove to be effective.

While Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) was not created with performance enhancing in mind it is just that for which it is used most commonly and without question it has proven to be one of the most useful tools in the arsenal of any performance enhancer. Available in both tablet and liquid forms you simply drink there really aren’t too many downsides to this medication; in-fact, most well-planned cycles, be it for on cycle or PCT use will include Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) in them at some point and time as it is a highly necessary medication for most any athlete.

Low arsenic levels linked with heart disease

Exposure to even low levels of arsenic in drinking water and food may increase the risk of developing, and dying from, heart disease, a new study suggests.

In the study, researchers analyzed urine samples from 3,575 American Indians in Arizona, Oklahoma and North and South Dakota, living in regions where arsenic levels in drinking water were "low to moderate," meaning they were above the limit set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is 10 micrograms per liter, but below 100 micrograms per liter.

Urine samples were collected between 1989 and 1991, and the participants were divided into four groups based on the concentration of inorganic arsenic in their urine. (There are two types of arsenic, organic and inorganic, inorganic arsenic is thought to be more toxic).

The participants were followed until 2008, and those in the group with the highest urine arsenic concentrations were 32 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, and 65 percent more likely to die from the condition over the nearly 20-year period, compared to the people in the group with the lowest arsenic urine concentrations.  The findings held after the researchers took into account certain risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking and high body mass index. However, the strength of the link declined slightly after the researchers took into account other risk factors: high blood pressure, diabetes and liver disease, suggesting that these factors may explain part of the link between arsenic exposure and cardiovascular disease risk, the researchers said.

While previous studies have linked high levels of arsenic exposure to increased risk of cancer and heart disease, few studies have looked at the effects of low to moderate exposure.

In 2001, the EPA estimated that the drinking water of 13 million Americans had arsenic levels above the limit of 10 micrograms per liter. People can also consume the element through their food, although no limit has been set for food.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration set a limit for the amount of arsenic in apple juice, but has not done so for food. Concerns have been raised over levels in rice, but after testing, the agency said that levels of arsenic in rice were too low to pose health risks over the short term, although it said more research on the long-term health effects is needed.

"Given the large population exposed, even a modest increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to arsenic could have important public health implications,", "These findings support the importance of low to moderate arsenic exposure as a cardiovascular risk factor with no apparent threshold," they said.

Because the study involved American Indian populations, who are at an increased risk for diabetes, the findings would be particularly applicable to other groups that also have a high diabetes risk, said study researcher Dr. Ana Navas-Acien, an associate professor of environmental health sciences and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The results are based on a single measurement of urine arsenic levels, which took place at the study's start, so it's not clear if the study participants' levels would have remained the same over time. However, a separate analysis done by the researchers showed that the measurement taken at the study's start was generally consistent with measurements taken at two other points.

It's not clear how arsenic exposure might increase the risk of heart disease, and the study cannot prove that arsenic exposure causes heart disease. Diabetes, high blood pressure and liver disease which were more common among those with the highest urine arsenic concentrations could play a role.

It could also be that some other factor, related to both arsenic exposure and cardiovascular disease risk, could explain the link, Navas-Acien said. Studies in animals suggest that arsenic exposure increases the risk of developing plaques in the arteries, or arteriosclerosis, which can cause heart disease.

Antibiotics can lead to crippling side effects and mental disorders

A close friend was put into a long term antibiotic regimen for a very unusual and difficult bacterial chronic lung infection. She started noticing nerve pains, arthritic symptoms and insomnia after a few months despite dosing up heavily with probiotics. After visiting an amoxicillin forum, she discovered that many others had similar side effects.

Antibiotics, probiotics, and the medical monopoly paradigm

Almost everyone who knows anything about gut flora knows it's wise to take probiotic dense foods and supplements during and after antibiotic use. But when is the last time an MD gave that recommendation when he or she wrote up an antibiotic prescription for you, a family member or close friend?

The same person mentioned earlier told various MDs in the clinic her problems; they all frowned and shrugged. They had never heard of her side effects, which were corroborated by several amoxicillin users on a forum. Still, not one doctor asked if she was taking probiotics. In all likelihood, her case is not an unusual one.

A big bugaboo in medical circles is antibiotic resistant microbes and MRSA, the virulent staph resistant bacteria that has become a bit of an epidemic. The medicos blame frequent and overused antibiotics that bacteria have evolved to overcome. But they keep prescribing antibiotics, even for long term dosage.

Antibiotics are everywhere

Meat and dairy consumers who don't bother to select organic dairy or meat from grass fed livestock are taking in antibiotics constantly. Antibiotics are injected into livestock and also put into their food.

Subsequently, humans who consume those animal-products are taking in the same antibiotics. Despite pressure, The FDA has thus far refused to ban antibiotics from animal feed.

The ostensible use of antibiotics for preventing disease in overcrowded factory farms has concealed a secret that is even worse: the antibiotics make the livestock fatter more quickly by destroying their probiotic intestinal flora. But the factory farmers love that!

Human intestinal flora destruction invites physical and mental issues

Getting fat faster happens with humans on antibiotics too, for the same reason it happens with farm animals, gut flora destruction. Besides being important for digestion, probiotic intestinal flora have more than one immunity function.

The first is to prevent the bad bacteria or fungal microbes from getting out of hand. Too much Candida yeast and not enough friendly bacteria create Candida overgrowth, which is a quality of life damper and potentially a symbiotic haven for cancer cells.

Though probiotic bacteria do go after pathogens, the obvious good guy bad guy game goes beyond direct conflict.

Even from the gut, probiotic bacteria plays a role in triggering disease-killing cells in the blood as well as serving other immune regulating functions in both blood and organ cells. Digestion is very important, but gut probiotic microbes go beyond digestion and make up to 80% of our immune system.

Recently, a small number of medical pioneers have come across evidence that the rising numbers of mental disorders can be traced to intestinal flora imbalances. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride has based her pediatric practice in the UK on fixing all kinds of behavioral and eating disorders by using diet and probiotics to restore gut health.

She had discovered what she calls GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) by curing her son of autism. That's way beyond the medical monopoly paradigm! You can find more on her work here.

Antibiotics may have their place and time but it's not everywhere or all of the time. Many consider it wise to opt for herbal antibiotics as an alternative.

Beat acid reflux naturally

Acid reflux or gastric esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common conditions affecting Americans today. This condition is characterized by a burning sensation in the chest that has coined the term "heartburn." An anti-inflammatory lifestyle has been shown to beat acid reflux naturally.

Upon eating, food naturally passes from the throat to the stomach through the esophagus. The esophagus contains a group of muscle fibers in the shape of a ring that prevent food from moving backward from the stomach to the esophagus. These muscle fibers make the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

If the LES is not closing well, it allows for food, liquid and hydrochloric acid to leak back into the esophagus. The inner esophageal tissue is not designed to handle the strong acidity, which inflames the region. This causes the characteristic heartburn sensation. Chronically damaging, the esophageal tissue often results in esophageal cancer and other more serious conditions.

The most common risk factors for GERD include anything that obstructs the esophagus or stomach region such as hiatal hernia, pregnancy, and scleroderma. Other proven risk factors include obesity, smoking, and alcohol usage. Many prescription medications list GERD as a common side effect so this should always be considered.

The popular belief is that acid reflux is due to an excessive amount of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. New science has revealed that this is not the case. GERD is most often caused by too little hydrochloric acid being secreted by the stomach.

During digestion the stomach secretes acid to lower its pH to around 1.5-2.5 range. More protein in the meal results in a greater need for stomach acid. Individuals with non-obstructive acid reflux are often not able to get their pH low enough. The LES is known to be a pH sensitive valve that initiates closure when pH drops under 3.0. When the stomach does not have enough acid, the LES remains open and acid can spill into the esophageal region and damage the tissue.

Many people use antacids to relieve the pain of heartburn. This covers up the symptom (reducing acidity) but only makes the problem worse by decreasing the acidity. This process limits the body from effectively digesting the food. This causes further stress on the enzymatic system of the pancreas as well as the other digestive organs. Antacids, processed foods and many medications deplete the body of critical b vitamins and trace minerals that are necessary to create a sufficient supply of stomach acid.

An anti-inflammatory lifestyle incorporates a diet rich in phytonutrient dense vegetables, healthy fat and clean protein sources. Healthy fat sources include coconut products, avocados, olive oil, & purified omega-3 fish oil supplements. Healthy protein includes wild-caught fish, grass-fed red meat and free range poultry and eggs. Anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, oregano & garlic are also powerful aids. Non-processed pink salts, sea vegetables, sea algae and cereal grasses should be used regularly to provide an abundance of critical trace minerals.

Individuals should avoid eating excessively large meals. Food should be eaten at least 2 hours before bed to allow gravity to push food through the system. Digestive enzymes and probiotics are particularly helpful at enhancing the digestive process. Raw apple cider vinegar with the fermented mother intact is rich in acetic acid, digestive enzymes and good bacteria. 2 tsp of raw apple cider vinegar in water before a high protein meal is particularly helpful at lowering stomach acid to prepare for digestion. It is also helpful to use apple cider vinegar to marinate meat, as a salad dressing and on grains such as rice.

Heart attack damage repaired using gene therapy

Heart attacks cause cells in the affected area to stop beating and become encased in scar tissue, but researchers believe the damage may not be permanent.
Using a combination of genes they were able to coax the scar-forming cells into a state which closely resembles healthy, beating heart cells, suggesting the condition is reversible.
The scientists, from the Gladstone Institutes in America, had already demonstrated their technique on mice but have taken a step further by doing the same to human heart cells in a laboratory.
The study is a "proof of concept" that the scar-forming cells, known as fibroblasts, "can be reprogrammed successfully into beating heart cells," and mend the heart from within, they said.
Dr Deepak Srivastava, who led the study, explained: "Fibroblasts make up about 50 per cent of all cells in the heart and therefore make up a vast pool of cells that could one day be harnessed and reprogrammed to create new muscle.
"We've now laid a solid foundation for developing a way to reverse the damage – something previously thought impossible – and changing the way that doctors may treat heart attacks in the future."
The researchers reported last year that by injecting three genes, known as GMT, into the hearts of live mice, they could turn the scar-forming fibroblasts into beating heart cells.
The new heart muscle cells beat in time with neighbouring cells and improved the heart's ability to pump blood around the animals' bodies.
Attempts to replicate the findings in human heart tissue initially failed, but by adding a further two genes to the mix the team was able to achieve similar results.
Dr Ji-dong Fu, one of the authors of the study, which was published in the Stem Cell Reports journal, said: "While almost all the cells in our study exhibited at least a partial transformation, about 20 per cent of them were capable of transmitting electrical signals — a key feature of beating heart cells.
"Success rates might be improved by transforming the fibroblasts within living hearts rather than in a dish – something we also observed during our initial experiments in mice."
The researchers intend to test the five-gene mixture in larger live mammals, such as pigs, and eventually to develop a combination of drug-like chemicals which could achieve the same effect but would be safer and easier to administer.
Figures released by the British Heart Foundation last year revealed that the number of patients who are surviving heart attacks has increased dramatically over the past decade.
Some 70 per cent of women and 68 per cent of men in England now live through the ordeal, compared with just a third of all cases in the 1970s.
However, about 750,000 people in the UK are now living with heart failure, a condition where the heart muscle is so damaged by a severe heart attack that it cannot function properly, which kills three quarters of patients within five years.
Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This research represents a small but significant step forward. Last year these scientists had a real breakthrough when they turned fibroblasts - the cells that form scarred heart tissue - in the hearts of mice into beating heart cells, by injecting them with a ‘cocktail’ of different genes.
“Now, using a different combination of genes, they have managed to turn human fibroblasts into beating heart cells in a culture dish. This process is still a long way from the clinic, but advances like this bring us closer to the likelihood that we could one day use these techniques to mend human hearts.”

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."