Another Reason To Eat Fiber: Less Food Poisoning
August 7, 2008
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Eating certain types of fiber may decrease the risk of getting the symptoms of food poisoning. So in addition, to having benefit such as lowering cholesterol, fiber may decrease the number of episodes of getting sick from food.
When we eat anything, or stuff gets in our mouth, there are bacteria, viruses and fungi that come along. Many of these microbes are not harmful, but some are such as Salmonella may make us sick.
However, what is commonly not realized is that, for most microbes, we need to get a certain dose to get sick. One Salmonella microbe is not going to make you sick. You need to consume lots of Salmonella bacteria to get sick. Most people need to have a dose of at least one million Salmonella bacteria to get sick. Of course, the dose number varies with the organism.
When microbes pass through the gut many will bind to the walls of the gut and then start to grow and divide. If there are enough of a particular “bad” one, then you get sick. Microbes will also bind to other things including some types of fiber. So if there is lots of fiber for the microbes to stick too, then sometimes the number that are available to stick to the gut wall, may be lowered enough, that you will not get sick.
Recent research (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 88:2026-2035, 2008) studied how well a number of common bacterial strains, including 4 strains of E. coli and 7 of Salmonella enterica, stuck to different types of fiber.
The two most effective types of fiber for most of the strains were sesame seed extract and konjac gum. (See the post about Shirataki Noodles to read about konjac.) Other sources of fiber that bound well to many of the strains were tomato, pumpkin and artichoke. Other sources of fiber effectively bound one or two strains.
Therefore, theoretically, a high fiber diet may on occassion reduce the number of bacteria able to bind to the gut wall, enough that there are no symptoms of food poisoning.
The bottom line is to eat a diet high in a range of sources of fiber. A varied diet may lower the risk of getting sick with food poisoning, as well as other health benefits.
Technorati Tags: fiber, food poisoning, sesame seed, konjac, Salmonella
Popularity: 16% [?]
Need To Exercise? Take A Pill?
August 4, 2008
The pill that mimics exercise seems to have been all over the media in the last few days. Sounds too good to be true. How to get trim and buff with an exercise pill or two.
Guess there are 2 types of pills, one where you need to exercise and one that you don’t. I looked at the website of the journal where the research is being published but it was not up yet (the press gets the info ahead of the public). So I am relying mainly on the NYT for the basic info.
One drug (GW1516) makes mice that are exercising have a rapid increase in endurance. The mice on the drug for 4 weeks had 77% more endurance than mice that were not taking the drug.
Treatment with the second drug (AICAR) increased the endurance of mice that were not exercising by 44%. So even with no exercise there was an improvement in muscle structure.
Theoretically, you could take the second drug and sit at home and get more endurance as if you were exercising. It is unknown whether actually doing the exercise has all the major benefits that the pills would not have. Plus one of the drugs need exercise to be effective.
Of course if these drugs are found to consistently build muscle, and not have any serious short or long term side effects, would be very useful for degenerative diseases, after injury and in aging.
In aging it could help build up muscle in those who are frail. A strong musculature not only makes it easier opening jars, picking up groceries, and other things, but also lessens the number of falls and helps protect against injury when a fall occurs.
Even if these drugs can only be used for a short time, the hardest part of any exercise program is the first part, when very out of shape and weak. These exercise pills may provide a good way to get started and see quick results.
photo credit: Brooks Elliott
Technorati Tags: pill, exercise, aicar, endurance, aging
Popularity: 17% [?]
Weight Loss = Bone Loss
July 30, 2008
The maintenance of bones in the body is a balance between formation and breakdown. Osteoblasts are cells that responsible for bone formation. Osteoclasts are cells that remove bone (known as bone resorption). In an adult bone many things, such as levels of vitamin D and calcium can influence this balance between making and removing bone.
A recent study has shown that loss of significant amounts of weight on a severe calorie restriction diet can affect this balance in a negative way, with their being an increased rate of bone breakdown relative to formation. This will lead to a net loss of bone.
Further, the research found that there was an increased rate of breakdown and formation which can lead to more fragile bones, and that this persisted in the maintenance phase of the diet.
Both low carb or low fat, severe calorie restricted diets had the same effect on bone breakdown.
The loss of bone makes biological sense. One of the functions of bones is to support our weight. Lose some weight and the body senses it has less weight to carry. However, it is a good idea to try and maintain bone density, both for the strength and to stop bones becoming more fragile
It is also likely that with severe restriction of food that the diet may not contain sufficient calcium or vitamin D. This research suggests that when going on a long term diet to lose a significant amount of weight that care should be taken to have a balanced diet and in particular consume plenty of calcium and either supplement with vitamin D or get sufficient sun exposure.
However, probably the best way to stop the bone loss is to do plenty of high-impact weight bearing activities.
photo credit: Simon Goldenberg
Technorati Tags: bone loss, fragile bones, high-impact activity, calorie restriction, weight loss
Popularity: 20% [?]
CoQ10, will now be added to many foods and drinks?
July 28, 2008
CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10, ubiquinone) is a compound in the body that is essential for life. It is found in mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of cells. Mitochondria convert the energy that is in the food we eat, into a form of energy that the body can use.
CoQ10 can function as an antioxidant and is included in some dietary supplements that are sold for their antioxidant properties.
Since our cells need CoQ10 our bodies make it. However, there are several studies that suggest that as we age that we make less CoQ10, and that we start to become deficient. CoQ10 supplementation has been investigated for efficacy in a number of diseases including cancer, Parkinson’s and high blood pressure (hypertension). There is some evidence that this compound might be helpful but the jury is still out.
The most common treatment for high cholesterol are statins (mevacor ( lovastation) Zocor (simavastatin), lipitor, pravachol, lescol, crestor). These drugs have a very slight risk of myopathy (muscle damage). Studies sugest that statins may lower the level of CoQ10 in the body and for some who may have lower levels of CoQ10 to start with, this may lead to myopathy. Some doctors now suggest taking CoQ10 supplementation.
CoQ10 is not soluble in water. If you open up a capsule of CoQ10 there is an orange oil. The CoQ10 is dissolved in the oil, and gives it an orange color.
The fact that CoQ10 is not water soluble has limited what it can added too. Now a chemist has found a way to make it disperse in water using nanotechnology, using detergent micelles that have a lipophilic (fat loving) center will take up CoQ10 into the center. These micelles are stable in water.
This is being touted as being a way to add CoQ10 or any other water insoluble compound to supplements. I do wonder though where the nanosphere will release the CoQ10 in the gut or whether it will pass on out.
More information can be found in a Science Daily release.
Addendum added later: I also wonder whether the CoQ10 in water and not taken with dietary fat will be efficiently absorbed. For instance more lycopene is absorbed from tomatoes when they are consumed with oil.
Technorati Tags: CoQ10, coenzyme Q10, mitochondria, statin, oil, lipophilic, micelles
Popularity: 19% [?]
Kinerase Cream and Lotion
July 10, 2008
Kinerase cream and lotion are two products that seem to, at least in part, live up to the hype. They are recommended for improving the look of aging skin and seem to improve skin pigmentation with less blotchiness and a more even skin tone, and perhaps a reduction in minor wrinkles.
Both products contain kinerase or N6-furfuryladenine. The lotion, but not the cream, also contains retinyl palmitate, which is a retinoid that is converted in the skin to retinoic acid (retin-A). The lotion therefore packs more power but for some people may be more irritating unlike the cream.
N6-furfuryladenine is found in most cells of the body. Originally it was isolated from plants but has been found in nuclei of cells including human. Another common name is kinetin. In the scientific literature, kinetin is the name that is used.
Studies of keratinocytes (skin cells) and fibroblasts (also found in skin) have shown that kinerase treatment delays aging, particularly in the presence of high levels of calcium. In human studies there is some evidence of improved skin tone and more even pigmentation, and reduction in minor wrinkles. Recently kinerase has been found to be helpful for rosacea.
As well as being a signaling molecule that plays a role in regulation of maintenance and repair of cells, kinerase has been shown to have antioxidant effects. Additionally there is evidence that N6-furfuryladenine may improve the skin barrier and so reduce the loss of moisture from the skin.
As people get older they are more likely to become calcium deficient. Since, as stated above, high calcium levels added to the effect of kinerase, it may be that as well as reducing the rate of osteoporosis, calcium may help slow aging of skin too.
Kinerase Cream and Kinerase Lotion
can be found at my favorite online skin store Dermadoctor.
Currently they have free shipping on domestic orders over $49.
Technorati Tags: kinerase, kinetin, N6-furfuryladenine, skin, pigmentation
Popularity: 33% [?]
Facial Aging Is Mainly Due To Changes In Fat Pockets
June 3, 2008
New studies reveal that major changes in our faces, as we age, are not due to thinning skin and less collagen but are due to changes in fat.
It turns out that we have fat compartments in our face. These compartments are separate from each other and are contained within fibrous connective tissue.
In young people there is a smooth transition between these compartments. However, as we age the different compartments change in different ways. These fat pockets can change shape, and shrink or grow. The result is that there is no longer a smooth transition between the compartments and where they have shrunk the skin gets looser and the face more hollow. These changes are part of our faces looking older.
The shrinking of some of the fat compartments probably plays a much bigger role in having loose skin and a saggy look, than the skin thinning and reduction in the synthesis of collagen.
One of the major fat pockets for affecting how we look is a deep fat pocket in the cheek. When this fat compartment shrinks, the nasolabial folds (the folds that rum down beside and nose and mouth) become more obvious, the under eye area and our upper lip all start to look older. Replacement of this fat will reduce the prominence of the nasolabial fold, fill out the area below the eye and make the upper lip look fuller.
These new findings are sure to have an impact on the methods that are used for skin rejuvenation. As more is learned about these fat compartments, targeted techniques will be developed using fillers for fat pockets including the deep fat pocket in the face.
It is probable that the use of targeted fillers will often replace face lifts. The returning of the face to a youthful shape which will make the skin less loose, rather than tightening the skin over an “old shaped” face will look more natural and not involve surgical incisions.
The research is published in Plast. Reconstr. Surgery (2008) 121: pages 1804-9 (PubMed), and the same journal volume, pages 2107-2112 (PubMed not yet available).
Technorati Tags: skin, facial aging, fat pockets, filler, cheek
Popularity: 53% [?]
Number Of Fat Cells Stays Constant In Adults
May 7, 2008
New research shows that changes in the amount of fat in our bodies, as we gain and lose weight, does not mean changes in the number of fat cells (adipocytes). The fat cells change in size, expanding and shrinking. By adulthood the number of fat cells is set.
Surprisingly, an individual fat cell does not persist forever. We slowly replace our fat cells with new ones. So even though we are constantly turning over the fat cells the number does not change.
Through childhood the number of fat cells increases to about the age of 20, and then the number is relatively constant. The number of cells is linked to body mass index. This means that that the more fat we have as a kid, the more fat cells we will probably have in adulthood.
The research raises some interesting questions
Does having more fat cells make it easier to gain weight? Does having more fat in childhood and hence more fat cells in adulthood predispose weight gain?
Are large fat cells different from small fat cells? Are some of the negative changes in the body when there is increased fat, due to the size of the fat cells?
Once fat cells have been large, is it easier for them to become large again?
This research suggests that keeping a kid at a normal weight may have an impact on their weight for the whole of their adult life.
The research is published in Nature online ahead of print PubMed
An accompanying commentary in Nature raises an interesting thought. Could a drug be developed that would restrict the formation of new fat cells so that the number could be decreased in those losing weight?
The photo is a fat cell. The darker blobs are fat droplets stored in the cell.
photo credit: Pazit Polak
Technorati Tags: fat cells, adipocytes, cell size
Popularity: 41% [?]
Lyric, A New Hearing Aid
April 17, 2008
I know several people, who have in the last couple of years, got hearing aids. They all complain about them and seem to have a particularly bad time when we are somewhere that there are multiple sources of sound such as a busy restaurant. Some of them seem to hardly wear their hearing aids since they find them so annoying and useless.
I just read about a new hearing aid called Lyric. This hearing aid seems to solve many of the problems associated with the currently available aids. It is only obtainable in a few clinics at present, but should become more widely available soon.
The new hearing aid is placed in the ear very close to the eardrum. So it is not visible on the surface like current hearing aids, also it is not an implant since no surgery is required.
The Lyric is worn 24 hours a day and does not need to be removed for showering. However, swimming and diving are not recommended.
Since it is so close to the eardrum what it picks up is much closer to what would be picked up by the eardrum with good hearing. Plus since it is so close to the eardrum there is less amplification needed than for the current standard hearing aid, so batteries will last longer.
The volume is turned up and down, and the unit on and off using a magnet and once the battery has died the whole implant is removed with a magnet and replaced with a new implant. The batteries last for up to 120 days.
A spongy layer surrounds the unit, which apparently helps stop build up of fluid and so reduces the chances of infection. The layer also protects the hearing aid from earwax.
The cost is per year including all the units needed and insertion and removal. According to the NYT, for both ears the cost ranges frorm $2,900 to $3,600 per year.
Their website is www.lyrichearing.com
The Lyric and devices like it are going to be in great demand in a few years when the iPod generation start to have hearing loss.
photo credit: theginjaninja1979
Technorati Tags: Lyric, hearing aid
Popularity: 60% [?]
Drinking Too Much Water?
April 3, 2008
We are told to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. Depending on the size of the glass this is going to be at least 4 pints of water. Do we really need to drink this much. The answer is generally no.
Usually the two main reasons given for drinking lots of water are to eliminate toxins from the body, and to make the skin clearer. There is an editorial on this topic in the new Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (PubMed abstract not yet available).
Many waste products and toxins are cleared from the body by the kidneys. These waste products and toxins are removed form the blood with some water.
It would seem logical that if more water is consumed that there would be better clearance of metabolic waste and toxins. Except in the case of dehydration, this is not true. More water intake does not increase excretion of wastes. In fact, there is a rebound effect when a lot of water is consumed. The kidneys actually seem to process less effectively.
The second reason given for is hydrating skin. Unfortunately, unless you are very dehydrated the amount of water consumed is not going to make any noticeable difference. The body is about 60% water. If you weigh 150 lb, then you are about 90 lbs of water. Adding a few more pounds of water is not going to any significant differences to general distribution of water. Your body will sense the increased volume and increase the volume of urine. So usually instead of plumping the skin, the excess water will end up being peed out.
So how much water should you drink? Obviously your needs vary with the local temperature and activity level. If it very hot or you are very active then obviously you will need more water to replace that lost in sweat. The best indicator of the level of hydration is the color of urine. If you are dehydrated urine will have a strong yellow color like apple juice. If your urine is a pale weak yellow color then you are adequately hydrated. If your urine is virtually colorless you are probably over hydrated.
So, stay hydrated but it is unlikely unless you are sweating a lot that you will need to consume as much as 8 glasses of water.
photo credit: Paulio Geordio
Technorati Tags: water, 8 cups, kidney, skin, toxins, urine
Popularity: 55% [?]
Aging Skin: Pushing Out Wrinkles!
March 25, 2008
Out of interest I subscribe to a lot of newsletters. Some of them have some pretty amazing things in them, particularly to do with skin, aging and wrinkles. A recent example contained a sales pitch for a beauty vitamin formula that had a link titled “How you can push wrinkles out from the inside.” So of course I clicked the link to find out what I had to do to push out the wrinkles that I am getting in my aging skin.
Reading down the long page of different ways to try to get you buy the product, part of the way down the page it says that this is not exactly the way the cream works. The wording backpedals to “Imagine if you could push wrinkles out from the inside”. Then it says, “Of course you can’t actually push wrinkles out from the inside.” Then it tells you that if you take oral supplements they can make your skin look better. Interestingly for this claim the advertisement does not actually use the name of the oral supplement, i.e. the beauty vitamin formula, which they are trying to sell.
The web page to sell the beauty vitamin formula is very long and is a mix of lots of advice and information. Some of which is quite accurate and some is rubbish. Eventually they tell you what is in the beauty vitamin formula. It is partly compounds that you should be getting from a healthy balanced diet and some extracts of things like Gingko biloba. Many of the extracts and dietary compounds such as lycopene are probably present in such low amounts that even if they do help wrinkles they would be below the threshold of effectiveness.
The clever thing about the advertisement is that it contains information about how to change your makeup to make your skin look better and to hide wrinkles, and when you buy the supplements they come with a free beauty guide. So if you bought some beauty vitamin formula and changed your makeup regime, who is to say what it was exactly that made you look younger.
I can be quite gullible, but this time I think I’ll pass.
Technorati Tags: aging, skin, wrinkles, vitamins
Popularity: 66% [?]
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