Prostate Cancer Symptoms Tips What is prostate cancer symptoms? We have tips about prostate cancer symptoms

New research in the FASEB Journal shows that resveratrol blocks the growth effects of estrogen by reducing the specific breast cancer receptors

A new research report appearing in the October 2011 issue of The FASEB Journal (https://www.fasebj.org) shows that resveratrol, the "healthy" ingredient in red wine, stops breast cancer cells from growing by blocking the growth effects of estrogen. This discovery, made by a team of American and Italian scientists, suggests for the first time that resveratrol is able to counteract the malignant progression since it inhibits the proliferation of hormone resistant breast cancer cells. This has important implications for the treatment of women with breast cancer whose tumors eventually develop resistance to hormonal therapy.

"Resveratrol is a potential pharmacological tool to be exploited when breast cancer become resistant to the hormonal therapy," said Sebastiano Andò, a researcher involved in the work from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Calabria in Italy.

To make this discovery, Andò and colleagues used several breast cancer cell lines expressing the estrogen receptor to test the effects of resveratrol. Researchers then treated the different cells with resveratrol and compared their growth with cells left untreated. They found an important reduction in cell growth in cells treated by resveratrol, while no changes were seen in untreated cells. Additional experiments revealed that this effect was related to a drastic reduction of estrogen receptor levels caused by resveratrol itself.

"These findings are exciting, but in no way does it mean that should people go out and start using red wine or resveratrol supplements as a treatment for breast cancer," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "What it does mean, however, is that scientists haven't finished distilling the secrets of good health that have been hidden in natural products such as red wine."

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People with prehypertension have a 55 percent higher risk of experiencing a future stroke than people without prehypertension, report researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine in a new meta-analysis of scientific literature published in the September 28 online issue of the journal Neurology.

Prehypertension is clinical category created by experts in 2003 to describe patients whose blood pressure was elevated, but still considered within normal range. Hypertension or abnormally high blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and strokes, but much less is known about the health threat posed of prehypertension, which is defined by a systolic pressure reading between 120 and 139 mmHg (the top number) and a diastolic reading between 80 and 89 mm Hg (the bottom number)

"The experts reasoned that, generally speaking, the higher the blood pressure, the greater the risk of death and disease, possibly starting from within the normal blood range," said Bruce Ovbiagele, MD, professor of neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine and senior author of the study.

However, Ovbiagele said, conclusive evidence was lacking, "so we decided to compile all the published studies in the scientific literature to date, and using statistical techniques find out if there is indeed a higher risk of future stroke in people with prehypertension, the extent of that risk, and whether particular characteristics were associated with higher stroke risk."

The researchers identified 12 relevant prospective cohort studies of prehypertension. All of the studies were derived from the general population. Four were from the United States, five from Japan, two from China and one from India. Combined, the studies involved more than 518,000 participants and covered periods ranging from 2.7 years to 32 years, with stroke occurrences documented. The prevalence of prehypertension in the studies ranged from 25 to 46 percent. In the United States, it's estimated roughly one-third of adults have prehypertension.

"Overall, people who had prehypertension (in the studies) were at a 55 percent higher risk of experiencing a future stroke than people without prehypertension," said Ovbiagele. "This result held regardless of sex, race-ethnicity, blood pressure type (systolic or diastolic) or the type of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic)."

The health risk was measurably greater for those whose blood pressure levels were at the high end of the "normal" spectrum. "We found that those people who fell within the higher range of prehypertension were at 79 percent higher risk of experiencing a future stroke," Ovbiagele said.

The findings should add clarity to the perceived health risk of prehypertension, said Ovbiagele. "Prehypertension has been controversial since its inception, with occasional accusations that it would not be used to diagnose sick people, but rather it would label healthy people whose blood pressure was towards the upper reaches of normal as unhealthy, without any compelling reason for doing so. Others complained that the new designation would needlessly expose people to blood pressure-reduction drugs, all to the benefit of pharmaceutical companies."

Thomas Hemmen, MD, PhD, director of the UC San Diego Stroke Program and a neurologist at the UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center who was not involved in the study, described it as "ground-breaking."

"Over the years, the blood pressure range identified as increasing stroke and cardiovascular risk has been lowered," Hemmen said. "Now anything that's above 115 is thought to increase risk. But we need more tools for diagnosing prehypertension. We need to learn more so that we can adjust risk and develop therapies. Hopefully, this study will lead to more research."

Both Hemmen and Ovbiagele note little empirical evidence exists to show that taking blood pressure-reducing drugs can prevent future strokes. "There just haven't been any large studies," Hemmen said. On the other hand, both doctors say the new findings should encourage persons with high-but-normal blood pressure to change unhealthy behaviors.

"Young and middle-aged persons should check their blood pressure regularly. If they do fall into the higher range of prehypertension, they should take specific steps to modify their lifestyle, such as reducing salt intake and maintaining a normal weight," said Ovbiagele. "Modifying one's lifestyle is relatively safe and could potentially lower not just the risk of future strokes, but possibly other complications of prolonged elevation of blood pressure, including heart attacks, heart failure and kidney disease."

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NIH-funded study finds dietary supplement does not alleviate BPH

Saw palmetto, a widely used herbal dietary supplement, does not reduce urinary problems associated with prostate enlargement any better than a placebo, according to research funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study was published Sept. 28 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Prostate enlargement, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), can cause frequent urination, a weak or intermittent urine stream and an inability to empty the bladder completely. More than half of men in their 60s, and up to 90 percent in their 70s and 80s, have symptoms of BPH.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) supported the study. All are part of the NIH.

According to Robert A. Star, M.D., director of the NIDDK's Division of Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases, the current study met an important need for rigorous evaluation of standard and higher doses of saw palmetto. The trial also confirmed results of the earlier NIDDK- and NCCAM-sponsored Saw Palmetto Trial for Enlarged Prostates (STEP), which found that a standard daily dose of 320 milligrams provided no greater symptom relief than placebo.

"Investigators designed the current trial to determine whether daily doses of up to 960 milligrams — three times the standard daily dose — would prove better than a placebo at improving lower urinary tract symptoms in men due to BPH," said Star. "We were disappointed to find that higher doses of saw palmetto did not improve symptoms more than placebo."

Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of NCCAM, added that this study further illustrates the importance of conducting research on botanical products that are used extensively by the general public.

"This was a well-designed study that addressed limitations of earlier, smaller trials — it was a multicenter study with a larger sample size and tested different doses of a carefully analyzed saw palmetto product," Briggs said. "The NIH is committed to bringing rigorous science to the study of natural products and to building the evidence base that can guide consumer decisions."

The study was a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted at 11 North American clinical sites from June 2008 to October 2010. A cohort of 369 men aged 45 years or older participated, each with a peak urine flow rate of at least four milliliters per second at the beginning of the study — which is less than normal. Also, all had an American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI) score of between eight and 24 — a lower score is better. The AUASI score ranges from zero to 35. Escalating doses of saw palmetto or placebo were given, starting at one, then two, and then three pills of 320 milligrams per day, with dose increases at 24 and 48 weeks.

The study measured the differences between the AUASI score at the start of the trial and after 72 weeks of treatment. Secondary measures included improvements in frequency, nocturia (nighttime urination), peak urine flow, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, sexual function, incontinence and sleep quality.

Between baseline and 72 weeks, mean AUASI scores decreased from 14.4 to 12.2 points with saw palmetto extract and from 14.7 to 11.7 points with placebo. The group average change in AUASI score from baseline to 72 weeks between the saw palmetto and placebo groups was 0.79 points, favoring placebo. Saw palmetto was not more effective than placebo in reducing urinary symptoms for any of the secondary outcomes.

According to Joseph M. Betz, Ph.D., director of the Analytical Methods and Reference Materials program at ODS and a study co-author, the study used a very well-characterized saw palmetto product. Through batch testing, study investigators took extreme care to ensure that the composition of the supplement was consistent over the whole study.

"Saw palmetto and other herbs are often manufactured in different ways, so no two brands are likely to have the same composition," Betz said.

Christine Wilson, cancer survivor, shares her experiences from the Abramson Cancer Center’s 2011 Update in Breast Cancer: Coverage of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting CME/CE Certified Course. The course is under the direction of Kevin Fox, MD, medical director of the Rena Rowan Breast Center. This is the second of four posts about the latest findings in treating breast cancer. 

One of the larger trends in cancer treatment, especially breast cancer treatment, is the increasing ability to identify biologic subtypes of the disease and the need for better prognostic biomarkers, or biomarkers that provide information regarding outcome without regard for therapy.

Angela DeMichele, MD, MSCE

At the 2011 ASCO conference, Angela DiMichele, MD, MSCE, assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, talked about the important role biology plays in identifying these markers. As co-program leader of the Abramson Cancer Center's National Cancer Institute (NCI)-approved breast cancer program, she discussed one such marker, Ki-67, and intrinsic genetic subtypes.

Two studies (Abstracts 500 and 501) provide support for the validity of Ki-67 as a means of identifying highly proliferative tumors and those that are more likely to respond to specific chemotherapy regimens. Ki-67 is a cancer antigen that is found in growing, dividing cells but is absent in the resting phase of cell growth. This characteristic makes Ki-67 a good tumor marker. This test is done on a sample of tumor tissue, to help predict your prognosis.

Many studies have been done to determine Ki-67's value as a tumor marker test. Researchers agree that high levels of Ki-67 indicate an aggressive tumor and predict a poor prognosis and tumors that tested positive with high levels of Ki-67, have a higher risk of recurrence.

Perhaps more intriguing is the emergence of intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer. Gene expression studies have identified several distinct breast cancer subtypes. The value of this information is less clear, but understanding the specific biologic characteristics that influence these subtypes may help determine which patients will respond to which therapies.

Cancer researchers now understand that breast cancer is a spectrum of diseases, ranging from those that are more endocrine driven to those that are more chemosensitive. These findings reinforce the need for accurate molecular profiling for all breast cancer patients.

OncotypeDX has become a standard means for molecular profiling and guiding breast cancer treatment decisions, but another, potentially even more comprehensive tool is on the horizon. PAM-50 screens for 50 genes and is potentially more sensitive, but is not yet clinically available. Further studies are needed to validate its use.

Abstracts can be found on the 2011 ASCO meeting website.

Learn more about breast cancer treatment at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center.

Are you at risk for breast cancer? Attend Penn Women’s Cancer Conference – Focus on Your Risk of Breast/Ovarian Cancer

Are you a breast cancer survivor? Attend the Penn Women’s Cancer Conference – Life after Breast Cancer

Coming up next, How Weight and Hormones Affect Breast Cancer Outcomes.

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Older people with low levels of vitamin B12 in their blood may be more likely to lose brain cells and develop problems with their thinking skills, according to a study published in the September 27, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Foods that come from animals, including fish, meat, especially liver, milk, eggs and poultry, are usually sources of vitamin B12.

The study involved 121 people age 65 and older living on the south side of Chicago. Their blood was drawn to measure levels of vitamin B12 and B12-related metabolites that can indicate a B12 deficiency. The participants also took tests measuring their memory and other cognitive skills. An average of four-and-a-half years later, MRI scans of the participants’ brains were taken to measure total brain volume and look for other signs of brain damage.

Having high levels of four of five markers for vitamin B12 deficiency was associated with having lower scores on the cognitive tests and smaller total brain volume.
“Our findings definitely deserve further examination,” said study author Christine C. Tangney, PhD, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “It’s too early to say whether increasing vitamin B12 levels in older people through diet or supplements could prevent these problems, but it is an interesting question to explore. Findings from a British trial with B vitamin supplementation are also supportive of these outcomes.”

On the cognitive tests, the scores ranged from -2.18 to 1.42, with an average of 0.23. For each increase of one micromole per liter of homocysteine—one of the markers of B12—the cognitive scores decreased by 0.03 standardized units or points.
Tangney noted that the level of vitamin B12 itself in the blood was not associated with cognitive problems or loss in brain volume. She said that low vitamin B12 can be difficult to detect in older people when looking only at blood levels of the vitamin

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The risk of depression appears to decrease for women with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee, according to a report in the September 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Caffeine is the most frequently used central nervous system stimulant in the world, and approximately 80 percent of consumption is in the form of coffee, according to background information in the article. Previous research, including one prospective study among men, has suggested an association between coffee consumption and depression risk. Because depression is a chronic and recurrent condition that affects twice as many women as men, including approximately one of every five U.S. women during their lifetime, “identification of risk factors for depression among women and the development of new preventive strategies are, therefore, a public health priority,” write the authors. They sought to examine whether, in women, consumption of caffeine or certain caffeinated beverages is associated with the risk of depression.

Michel Lucas, Ph.D., R.D., from the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and colleagues studied 50,739 U.S. women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study. Participants, who had a mean (average) age of 63, had no depression at the start of the study in 1996 and were prospectively followed up with through June 2006. Researchers measured caffeine consumption through questionnaires completed from May 1980 through April 2004, including the frequency that caffeinated and noncaffeinated coffee, nonherbal tea, caffeinated soft drinks (sugared or low-calorie colas), caffeine-free soft drinks (sugared or low-calorie caffeine-free colas or other carbonated beverages) and chocolate were usually consumed in the previous 12 months. The authors defined depression as reporting a new diagnosis of clinical depression and beginning regular use of antidepressants in the previous two years.

Analysis of the cumulative mean consumption included a two-year latency period; for example, data on caffeine consumption from 1980 through 1994 were used to predict episodes of clinical depression from 1996 through 1998; consumption from 1980 through 1998 were used for the 1998 through 2000 follow-up period; and so on. During the 10-year follow-up period from 1996 to 2006, researchers identified 2,607 incident (new-onset) cases of depression. When compared with women who consumed one cup of caffeinated coffee or less per week, those who consumed two to three cups per day had a 15 percent decrease in relative risk for depression, and those consuming four cups or more per day had a 20 percent decrease in relative risk. Compared with women in the lowest (less than 100 milligrams [mg] per day) categories of caffeine consumption, those in the highest category (550 mg per day or more) had a 20 percent decrease in relative risk of depression. No association was found between intake of decaffeinated coffee and depression risk.

“In this large prospective cohort of older women free of clinical depression or severe depressive symptoms at baseline, risk of depression decreased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee,” write the authors. They note that this observational study “cannot prove that caffeine or caffeinated coffee reduces the risk of depression but only suggests the possibility of such a protective effect.” The authors call for further investigations to confirm their results and to determine whether usual caffeinated coffee consumption could contribute to prevention or treatment of depre

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Each year, millions of Americans take statins, drugs collectively known to lower their blood cholesterol levels. While the drugs have proven effective in reducing heart attacks and strokes, for some people these benefits come at a cost: widespread muscle pain that persists as long as the drugs are taken. New NIAMS-supported research has found that for a subset of patients, statins appear to trigger a far more serious muscle condition that persists long after the drugs are stopped.

This discovery, published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at The Johns Hopkins University, began in 2010 when they noted that some patients at the university’s Myositis Center had unique antibodies that seemed to be associated with necrotizing myopathy, a progressive muscle wasting disease of unknown cause. Further investigation revealed that as many as three-fourths of these patients had previously used statins, leading the researchers to suspect from prior related research, that the condition might be an autoimmune disease associated with statins. In other words, they suspected statins might have somehow triggered these people’s immune systems to produce antibodies against components of their own bodies.

Following this hunch, the researchers set out to find the cause of the suspected autoimmune response. A series of "smart guesses" led them to 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), an enzyme in the body involved in the production of cholesterol, says Lisa Christopher-Stine, M.D., co-director of the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center and one of the NIAMS-funded researchers involved in the discovery. In the patients with necrotizing myopathy, the researchers found that autoantibodies (so-called because they react to the body’s own molecules) attack the body’s natural HMGCR. While statins work by inhibiting the body’s natural HMGCR, the body churns out more of the enzyme in an effort to compensate for the reduction caused by the statin. In a small percentage of people, they suspect, this extra HMGCR is the target of the immune system’s attack.

Making the problem worse was an earlier finding in 2005 by Livia Casciola-Rosen, Ph.D., and colleagues at Johns Hopkins that implicates regenerating muscle cells rather than mature muscle cells as the source of ongoing HMGCR supply in people with statin-induced myopathy. This suggests that, once the immune system starts to attack HMGCR and muscle damage begins, the regeneration to replace damaged muscle only fuels the problem — even when statins are stopped — says Dr. Christopher-Stine.

Unlike more common muscle pain from statins, this condition requires the use of corticosteroids and other drugs to suppress the immune system, with the goal of stopping progressive muscle damage, says Dr. Christopher-Stine. But even in these cases, she warns that stopping the statin — and forgoing its benefits to the cardiovascular system — may not be necessary. Treating with a statin and immunosuppressive drugs simultaneously may be preferable in some cases.

Eventually, the researchers believe their work could lead to tests that would enable doctors to identify which statin users have muscle pain that will improve on its own, and which ones require treatment to slow or stop progressive muscle disease. In the meantime, they urge doctors and patients not to avoid statins, which are among the most useful and commonly prescribed drugs. For patients who take statins and experience muscle pain, they recommend that doctors look for signs that could indicate a more severe problem such as difficulty swallowing, reduced grip strength, blood tests showing persistently elevated muscle enzymes and/or muscle pain that persists longer than 12 weeks despite statin cessation.

The mission of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health, is to support research into the causes, treatment and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research; and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. For more information about NIAMS, call the information clearinghouse at (301) 495-4484 or (877) 22-NIAMS (free call) or visit the NIAMS website at http://www.niams.nih.gov.

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Casciola-Rosen L, Nagaraju K, Plotz P, Wang K, Levine S, Gabrielson E, Corse A, Rosen A. Enhanced autoantigen expression in regenerating muscle cells in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. J Exp Med. 2005 Feb 21; 201(4):591-601.

Christopher-Stine L, Casciola-Rosen LA, Hong G, Chung T, Corse AM, Mammen AL. A novel autoantibody recognizing 200-kd and 100-kd proteins is associated with an immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy. Arthritis Rheum. 2010 Sep; 62(9):2757-66.

Mammen AL, Chung T, Christopher-Stine L, Rosen P, Rosen A, Doering KR, Casciola-Rosen LA. Autoantibodies against 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase in patients with statin-associated autoimmune myopathy. Arthritis Rheum. 2011 Mar; 63(3):713-21.

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A diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids may be associated with less cognitive decline in older healthy women, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Previous research has linked cognitive decline with cardiovascular disease, and certain types of dietary fatty acids (saturated and trans) are a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, in this study, no association was found between cognitive decline and saturated or trans fatty acids. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive and canola oils, and saturated fats are found in coconut and palm oils as well as in butter, cheese, milk, and fatty meats. Trans fats are found in some margarines, commercial baked goods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oil.

Researchers analyzed the dietary intake of 482 women aged 60 and older from a food frequency questionnaire, and assessed their cognitive function—memory, vision, executive function, language, and attention—upon enrollment and again after 3 years. The study is part of a larger observational study that examined associations between dietary and lifestyle factors and cognitive function in older women without dementia.

The researchers found that a higher intake of dietary monounsaturated fatty acids was associated with less cognitive decline over a 3-year period. Further, after testing for associations between monounsaturated fatty acids and individual components of cognitive function, the researchers found that greater intake of monounsaturated fatty acids was associated with less decline in visual-spatial ability and memory after adjusting for other factors (i.e., age, education, reading ability). In addition, higher intakes of saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, and dietary cholesterol were not associated with cognitive decline after adjusting for other factors.

The researchers noted that monounsaturated fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects and suggested that these effects may provide one explanation for their protection against cognitive decline (as chronic inflammation appears to be one contributor to Alzheimer’s disease). Limitations of this observational analysis include the small sample size and the use of a study population consisting primarily of healthy, educated Caucasian women, which the researchers noted may limit the generalizability of findings to other populations.

See also: Fish oil's positive impact on cognition and brain structure

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Raised blood pressure is linked to a higher risk of developing cancer or dying from the disease according to the findings of the largest study to date to investigate the association between the two conditions.

Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck will tell the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress in Stockholm that there had been contradictory results from previous, smaller studies investigating the link between cancer and blood pressure. However, her study, which included 289,454 men and 288,345 women, showed that higher than normal blood pressure was statistically significantly associated with a 10-20% higher risk of developing cancer in men, and a higher risk of dying from the disease in both men and women.

Dr Van Hemelrijck, a research associate in the Cancer Epidemiology Group at King's College London (London, UK), and her colleagues analysed data on blood pressure and cancer incidence and death in a prospective study that included seven groups of participants in Norway, Austria and Sweden.

They used figures on mid-blood pressure for their calculations. Mid-blood pressure is defined as systolic blood pressure plus diastolic blood pressure, divided by two. The average mid-blood pressure in this study was 107 mmHg for men and 102 mmHG for women. The results were divided into five groups (or quintiles), so that people with the lowest mid-blood pressure were in the first, and those with the highest mid-blood pressure were in the fifth quintile.

After an average of 12 years of follow-up and excluding the first year, 22,184 men and 14,744 women had been diagnosed with cancer, and 8,724 men and 4,525 women died from the disease. The overall risk of developing any cancer increased by 29% between men in the lowest quintile and those in the highest. The researchers also found that, as blood pressure rose, the risk of oral, colorectal, lung, bladder, and kidney cancers, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers rose in men. In women, increased blood pressure was not statistically significantly associated with the overall risk of developing any cancer, but was associated with an increased risk of cancers of the liver, pancreas, cervix and endometrium and melanoma.

In both men and women, there was an increased risk of dying from cancer; men in the fifth quintile had a 49% increased risk of dying compared to those in the first quintile, and women in the fifth quintile had a 24% increased risk compared to those in the first.

Dr Van Hemelrijck explained: "This means that we found that men with mid-blood pressure in the highest fifth had an absolute risk of developing cancer of 16% compared to an absolute risk of 13% for those with mid-blood pressure in the lowest fifth. Men in the highest fifth had an absolute risk of dying from cancer of eight percent, compared to an absolute risk of five percent for those in the lowest; and for women, those in the highest fifth had an absolute risk of dying of five percent compared to an absolute risk of four percent in the lowest fifth.

"Our study shows that blood pressure is a risk factor for incident cancer in men and fatal cancer in men and women. Although the relative and absolute risk estimates were rather modest, these results are important from a public health perspective since a large proportion of the population in many western countries suffers from hypertension."

The researchers adjusted their results to take account of age, sex, body mass index, smoking and random errors in the exposure classification of blood pressure (errors that occur due to inaccuracy in blood pressure measurements or due to an individual patient's variations in blood pressure, which can be corrected by using data from several examinations).

Dr Van Hemelrijck warned that, as the study was observational, it could not show that blood pressure was the cause of the increased cancer risk. "We cannot claim that there is a causal link between high blood pressure and cancer risk, nor can we say that the cause of cancer is a factor related with high blood pressure," she said. "However a healthy lifestyle, including sufficient physical activity and a normal weight, has been shown to reduce the risk of several chronic diseases. For instance, high blood pressure is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and our study now indicates that high blood pressure may also be a risk factor for cancer."

The researchers are unsure why men with high blood pressure appeared to have a higher cancer risk than women. "Our study, which to our knowledge is the largest and the first to take into account random error, showed that the association between hypertension and incident or fatal cancer is stronger for men than for women. In contrast, the second largest study previously found a higher cancer risk for women than for men. The differences in findings might be explained due to our larger sample size, slightly older population, adjustment for random error, or lack of information on anti-hypertensive treatment," she said.

The Metabolic syndrome and Cancer project (Me-Can) was set up in 2006 to investigate the relationship between various metabolic conditions and the risk of cancer using data from health examinations carried out on patients between 1972-2005. Two of its initiators, Dr Tanja Stocks and Professor Pär Stattin at Umeå University, Sweden, analysed these data on blood pressure and cancer together with Dr Van Hemelrijck.

ECCO spokesperson, Professor Jan Willem Coebergh, from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry (The Netherlands), said: "This extensive, population-based study of the role of concomitant hypertension shows that it has a modest effect on the risk of certain cancers, especially of the kidney and colorectum, but it is probably a smaller effect than that caused by diabetes and various vascular conditions."

ESMO spokesperson, Dr Franco Berrino, from the Istituto Nazionale Tumori in Milan, Italy, said: "There is increasing evidence that metabolic syndrome is associated with a higher risk of developing cancer as well as other chronic diseases. As an unhealthy lifestyle is a major determinant of hypertension, these results from the highly productive MeCan project add to the evidence that lifestyles affect both the risk and prognosis of cancer."

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Exposure to goats could increase the risk of a certain type of lung cancer, according to French researchers.

The study has linked a professional exposure to goats with a distinct subset of lung cancer, known as pneumonic-type lung adenocarcinoma (P-ADC).

This form of lung cancer has a weak association with tobacco smoking when compared with other types of the disease. In attempting to identify other triggers that may cause the disease, scientists have previously noticed similarities between P-ADC and a viral infection which causes growths in the lungs of sheep. Given these similarities, the researchers have investigated whether a viral agent found in sheep and goats could be easily transferred to people who work with the animals, leading to a partiality for P-ADC.

The current epidemiologic study involved 44 patients with P-ADC and 132 controls without the disease. All participants were given a questionnaire assessing a number of risk factors including their smoking status, their personal history of cancer and their exposure to goats.

The results showed that people who had experienced a professional exposure to goats during their lifetime were five times more likely to get P-ADC compared with other types of lung cancer.

The findings also showed that P-ADC was significantly associated with females, and people who had never smoked or had any personal history of cancer.

Dr Nicolas Girard, from the Louis Pradel Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, said: "Scientists have noticed similarities between P-ADC and a contagious viral infection in sheep before. This led us to explore the possibility that professional exposure to cattle could make humans more susceptible to P-ADC. These findings demonstrate that exposure to goats could be a risk factor for this type of lung cancer, however further studies are needed to assess other potential risk factors for the disease."

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Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Drinking alcohol in moderate quantities can reduce the risk of asthma, according to Danish researchers.

The study, which will be presented today (25 September 2011) at the European Respiratory Society's Annual Congress in Amsterdam, found that drinking 1-6 units of alcohol a week could reduce the risk of developing the condition.

The research examined 19,349 twins between the ages of 12 and 41 yrs of age. All participants completed a questionnaire at the start and end of the study to compare alcohol intake with the risk of developing asthma over 8 yrs.

The results showed that the lowest risk of asthma was seen in the group which had a moderate intake of alcohol, as less than 4% of those who drank 1-6 units per week developed asthma.

The highest risk of asthma was observed in people who drunk rarely or never, as they were 1.4-times more likely to develop the condition. Heavy drinkers also had an increased risk of asthma development and were 1.2-times more likely to develop asthma.

The results also suggested that a preference for beer drinking was associated with an increased risk of asthma when compared with no preference.

Previous studies have found a link between excessive intake of alcohol and asthma attacks; however, this is the first study of its kind to show a link between alcohol intake and the onset of asthma for adults over a long period of time.

Sofie Lieberoth, from the Bispebjerg Hospital in Denmark, said: "Whilst excessive alcohol intake can cause health problems, the findings of our study suggest that a moderate intake of 1-6 units can reduce the risk of developing asthma. By examining all the factors linked with the development of asthma, we can understand more about what causes the condition and how to prevent it."

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The effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on colorectal cancer (CRC) appear to differ by site of origin, according to a new study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers found that within the proximal and distal colon, brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli) were associated with decreased risk of these cancers. A lower risk of distal colon cancer was associated with eating more apples, however an increased risk for rectal cancer was found with increasing consumption of fruit juice.

"Fruits and vegetables have been examined extensively in nutritional research in relation to CRC, however, their protective effect has been subject to debate, possibly because of different effects on different subsites of the large bowel," commented lead investigator Professor Lin Fritschi, PhD, head of the Epidemiology Group at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Perth, Western Australia. "It may be that some of the confusion about the relationship between diet and cancer risk is due to the fact that previous studies did not take site of the CRC into account. The replication of these findings in large prospective studies may help determine whether a higher intake of vegetables is a means for reducing the risk of distal CRC."

Researchers from the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, University of Western Australia and Deakin University investigated the link between fruit and vegetables and three cancers in different parts of the bowel: proximal colon cancer, distal colon cancer, and rectal cancer. The case-control study included 918 participants with a confirmed CRC diagnosis and 1021 control participants with no history of CRC. The subjects completed extensive medical and nutritional questionnaires and were assigned a socioeconomic status based on their home address.

Consumption of brassica vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cabbage) was associated with reduced incidence of proximal colon cancer. For distal colon cancer, both total fruit and vegetable intake and total vegetable intake appeared to decrease risk. Distal colon cancer risk was significantly decreased in association with intake of dark yellow vegetables and apples, although there was an increased risk for rectal cancer with consumption of fruit juice. Risk of proximal colon cancer and rectal cancer was not associated with intakes of total fruit and vegetable, total vegetable or total fruit.

Previous studies on CRC have often failed to distinguish between the different sites of origin of cancers in the large bowel, even though it is now well established that tumors in the proximal colon develop along different pathways to those of the distal colon and rectum and that risk of cancer varies by subsite within the colorectum. The mechanisms for different effects of dietary components on different sites of the large bowel have not yet been determined.

The authors conclude that "from a public health point of view it is easier to translate food-based analyses into dietary recommendations, rather than using the intake of single nutrient."

Patients Who Followed Recommendations to Move Despite Back Pain Fared Better Than Those That Rested in Small Study

A researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg suggests that people with back pain who are advised to stay active should move despite the pain, not rest. Patients with acute low back pain who were advised to stay active despite the pain fared better than those who were told to adjust their activity in line with their pain.

The thesis looked at 109 patients with acute severe lowback pain. They were randomly advised in one of two ways: "stay active even though it hurts" or "adjust your activity to the pain." They were also asked to keep a diary for seven days and to note how many steps they took each day, to what extent they could carry out their day-to-day activities and how they felt physically. They also completed a form to show whether they felt depressed or not.

In spite of having more pain, the group that was advised to be as active as possible recovered more quickly and did not feel depressed at the end of the follow-up.

"The other category, who had been advised from the very start to adjust their activity to their pain, were less mobile and felt slightly depressed compared to the patients who were active," says Olaya-Contreras, a researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy's Department of Orthopaedics.

She believes that this could be because some people who are depressed and in pain experience the pain more acutely. Another explanation could be that the more acute the pain is perceived to be, the less a person wants or is able to move. This, according to Olaya-Contreras, is in line with previous research.

"I think that if you're suffering with acute low back pain you should try to remain as active as possible and go about your daily business as well as you can. If you don't keep moving, it's easy to get locked into a downward spiral, as inactivity combined with pain can, in a worst case scenario, turn into long-term disability and an inability to work that, in turn, can lead to depressed mood and more pain."

Olaya-Contreras therefore feels that the health service should introduce a routine investigation to determine the underlying psycho-social causes of patients' back problems. This could measure the degree of perceived depression as well as anxiety and fear of movement.

"The results of the investigation and associated discussion could lead to patients taking a more active role and taking responsibility for their treatment," says Olaya-Contreras. "I also believe that it can help patients to focus more on the positive resources they themselves have to handle the pain and master various physical movements even though it hurts."

Back Problems

Low back pain affects up to 80% of people of working age at some time in their lives, though most will get better. Low back pain can be recurring, and some people will continue to suffer with some degree of pain. In 85-90% of cases the pain cannot be attributed to a specific illness or injury.

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An analysis of nearly 30 studies including more than 300,000 patients finds that depression is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing stroke and dying from stroke, according to an article in the September 21 issue of JAMA.

"Stroke is a leading cause of death and permanent disability, with significant economic losses due to functional impairments. Depression is highly prevalent in the general population, and it is estimated that 5.8 percent of men and 9.5 percent of women will experience a depressive episode in a 12-month period. The lifetime incidence of depression has been estimated at more than 16 percent in the general population," according to background information in the article. Whether depression increases the risk of stroke has been unclear.

An Pan, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to describe the association between depression and risk of total and subtypes of stroke. The researchers conducted a search of the medical literature and identified 28 prospective cohort studies that met criteria for inclusion in the analysis. The studies, which included 317,540 participants, reported 8,478 stroke cases during a follow-up period ranging from 2 to 29 years.

The researchers found that when the data from the studies were pooled, analysis indicated that depression was associated with a 45 percent increased risk for total stroke; a 55 percent increased risk for fatal stroke; and a 25 percent increased risk for ischemic stroke. Depression was not associated with an increased of hemorrhagic stroke.

The corresponding absolute risk difference associated with depression based on the most recent stroke statistics for the United States was estimated to be, per 100,000 individuals per year, 106 cases for total stroke, 53 cases for ischemic stroke, and 22 cases for fatal stroke.

The researchers speculate that depression may contribute to stroke through a variety of mechanisms, including having known neuroendocrine (relating to the nervous and endocrine systems) and immunological/inflammation effects; poor health behaviors (i.e., smoking, physical inactivity, poor diet, lack of medication compliance) and obesity; having other major comorbidities, such as diabetes and hypertension, both of which are major risk factors for stroke; and antidepressant medication use, which may contribute to the observed association.

"In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides strong evidence that depression is a significant risk factor for stroke. Given the high prevalence and incidence of depression and stroke in the general population, the observed association between depression and stroke has clinical and public health importance. More studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms and elucidate the causal pathways that link depression and stroke."

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This large scale, first-of-a-kind study will be published in the November issue of Stroke

A new study published in the November 2011 issue of Stroke reveals some promising data on the positive effects of soy protein reducing the progression of clogged arteries in women who were within five years of menopause. This study was the largest and longest randomized controlled human study conducted to-date that directly investigated the efficacy of isolated soy protein consumption on the progression of atherosclerosis (lipid deposition in the artery walls).

"These results are consistent with what we have learned through research conducted over the past decade," said Howard N. Hodis, MD, USC Keck School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "The literature demonstrates that there is a 'window of opportunity' of a potential beneficial effect on coronary heart disease for products that bind to the estrogen receptor including hormone-replacement therapy, soybean isoflavones or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) when initiated in women within 5-6 years of menopause."

The progression rate of carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) trended to be 16 percent lower on average in the isoflavone-containing soy protein group compared with the placebo group. However, in women who had experienced menopause within the past five years, isolated soy protein consumption was associated with a significant 68 percent reduction in CIMT progression compared to those consuming the placebo.

Excellent compliance was observed for this study as determined by package and bar count (86.5 percent for placebo and 91.0 percent for isolated soy protein). Compliance was confirmed by plasma and urine isoflavone measurements.

"The high compliance suggests that the clinical study products provided by Solae were very palatable and were not associated with any significant adverse effects as confirmed by the data," said Elaine Krul, PhD, nutrition discovery lead, Solae.

Subjects in this study were 'healthy' with no previous signs of cardiovascular disease which may explain the lack of significant reduction in plasma lipids that is seen in persons with higher plasma lipid levels.

"This study also showed a significant increase in HDL ("the good") cholesterol in participants consuming isolated soy protein," said Krul. "The results of this study reinforce that soy protein can provide health benefits for the healthy aging market segment."

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The study was conducted between 2004 and 2009. It was a double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-design study of 350 postmenopausal women aged 45-92 years without diagnosed diabetes or heart disease that were recruited in Greater Los Angeles.

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Christine Wilson, cancer survivor, shares her experiences from the Abramson Cancer Center’s 2011 Update in Breast Cancer: Coverage of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting CME/CE Certified Course. The course is under the direction of Kevin Fox, MD, medical director of the Rena Rowan Breast Center. This is the first of four posts about the latest findings in treating breast cancer.

The summary of the latest news in breast cancer treatment was delivered in rapid-fire style at the Abramson Cancer Center’s 2011 Update in Breast Cancer ASCO summary course. Unfortunately, many of those attending the annual conference thought the news was "not as exciting as last year," because of the lack of any single, major breakthrough.

At the 2010 conference, Penn cancer researchers highlighted the promising results of targeted immunotherapy in treating metastatic breast cancer.

While there may have been no single big story, significant data were presented across the full platform of breast cancer-related topics: from prevention to neoadjuvant therapy and managing metastatic disease. Major emphasis was placed on improved understanding of the biology of breast cancer and the development of more targeted therapies tailored to match the specific genetic profiles of patients.

From the Headlines: FDA Approval for Bevacizumab

David M. Mintzer, MD

One issue that has been in the headlines during the past months is the status of FDA approval of bevacizumab (Avastin®) for first-line of treatment of HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer in combination with paclitaxel.  Bevacuzumab received fast track approval in 2008. Subsequent studies, including those presented at ASCO 2011, demonstrated modest improvements in progression-free survival, but none in overall survival or improvement in disease-related symptoms.  The down sides of the drug are its toxicity and high costs of administration.

Just hours after the update concluded, the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 6-0 to withdraw FDA approval for bevacizumab for treating HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. While the committee vote was unanimous, the hearing itself was marked by emotional pleas from breast cancer patients who believe they are benefitting from bevacizumab treatment.   The recommendation is not binding and a final decision is expected in September. It also does not affect insurance coverage or availability at this time, or the drug's approval for other cancer types.

"We know this drug has activity in some women," said David Mintzer, MD, clinical associate professor and chief of hematology/oncology, Pennsylvania Hospital. "We have all seen it and we know that activity stops when you stop giving the drug, but we just know now how to predict which women will get that benefit."

Abstracts can be found on the 2011 ASCO meeting website.

Learn more about breast cancer treatment at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center.

Are you at risk for breast cancer? Attend Penn Women’s Cancer Conference – Focus on Your Risk of Breast/Ovarian Cancer

Are you a breast cancer survivor? Attend the Penn Women’s Cancer Conference – Life after Breast Cancer 

Coming up next, Understanding the Biology of Breast Cancer.

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Researchers have long known that regular exercise increases the number of organelles called mitochondria in muscle cells. Since mitochondria are responsible for generating energy, this numerical boost is thought to underlie many of the positive physical effects of exercise, such as increased strength or endurance. Exercise also has a number of positive mental effects, such as relieving depression and improving memory. However, the mechanism behind these mental effects has been unclear. In a new study in mice, researchers at the University of South Carolina have discovered that regular exercise also increases mitochondrial numbers in brain cells, a potential cause for exercise’s beneficial mental effects.

Their article is entitled "Exercise Training Increases Mitochondrial Biogenesis in the Brain." It appears in the Articles in PresS section of the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative, and Comparative Physiology, published by the American Physiological Society.

Methodology

The researchers assigned mice to either an exercise group, which ran on an inclined treadmill six days a week for an hour, or to a sedentary group, which was exposed to the same sounds and handling as the exercise group but remained in their cages during the exercise period. After eight weeks, researchers examined brain and muscle tissue from some of the mice in each group to test for signs of increases in mitochondria. Additionally, some of the mice from each group performed a "run to fatigue" test to assess their endurance after the eight-week period.

Results

Confirming previous studies, the results showed that mice in the exercise group had increased mitochondria in their muscle tissue compared to mice in the sedentary group. However, the researchers also found that the exercising mice also showed several positive markers of mitochondria increase in the brain, including a rise in the expression of genes for proxisome proliferator-activated receptor-g coactivator 1-alpha, silent information regulator T1, and citrate synthase, all regulators for mitochondrial biogenesis; and mitochondrial DNA. These results correlate well with the animals’ increased fitness. Overall, mice in the exercise group increased their run to fatigue times from about 74 minutes to about 126 minutes. No change was seen for the sedentary mice.

Importance of the Findings

These findings suggest that exercise training increases the number of mitochondria in the brain much like it increases mitochondria in muscles. The study authors note that this increase in brain mitochondria may play a role in boosting exercise endurance by making the brain more resistant to fatigue, which can affect physical performance. They also suggest that this boost in brain mitochondria could have clinical implications for mental disorders, making exercise a potential treatment for psychiatric disorders, genetic disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases.

"These findings could lead to the enhancement of athletic performance through reduced mental and physical fatigue, as well as to the expanded use of exercise as a therapeutic option to attenuate the negative effects of aging, and the treatment and/or prevention of neurological diseases," the authors say.

1. I always thought the best part (healthwise) of the apples I eat (and I should eat more) was the skin:

Apples and pears may keep strokes away.

That's the conclusion of a Dutch study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association in which researchers found that eating a lot of fruits and vegetables with white flesh may protect against stroke.

While previous studies have linked high consumption of fruits and vegetables with lower stroke risk, the researchers' prospective work is the first to examine associations of fruits and vegetable color groups with stroke.

The color of the edible portion of fruits and vegetables reflects the presence of beneficial phytochemicals such as carotenoids and flavonoids.

Fruits and vegetables were classified in four color groups:

* Green, including dark leafy vegetables, cabbages and lettuces
* Orange/Yellow, which were mostly citrus fruits
* Red/Purple, which were mostly red vegetables
* White, of which 55 percent were apples and pears

During 10 years of follow-up, 233 strokes were documented. Green, orange/yellow and red/purple fruits and vegetables weren't related to stroke. However, the risk of stroke incidence was 52 percent lower for people with a high intake of white fruits and vegetables compared to people with a low intake.

Each 25 gram per day increase in white fruits and vegetable consumption was associated with a 9 percent lower risk of stroke. An average apple is 120 grams.

"To prevent stroke, it may be useful to consume considerable amounts of white fruits and vegetables. For example, eating one apple a day is an easy way to increase white fruits and vegetable intake. However, other fruits and vegetable color groups may protect against other chronic diseases. Therefore, it remains of importance to consume a lot of fruits and vegetables."

Apples and pears are high in dietary fiber and a flavonoid called quercetin. In the study, other foods in the white category were bananas, cauliflower, chicory and cucumber.

2. I need to eat more yogurt:

Probiotics Have Slight Preventive Effect on Colds: Review

Taking probiotics seems to provide both children and adults with a mild degree of protection against many upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) including the common cold, according to a new systematic review. People who consume probiotics are also less likely to end up taking antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection, the review found.

Probiotics are in fermented foods like yogurt, soy yogurt and kefir. People also often take probiotics as supplements. The reviewers compared how often colds and other respiratory infections occurred in people who consumed probiotics to people who took placebos and found a statistically significant difference.

3. I'm glad I take a statin for high cholesterol:

a. People with high cholesterol may have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

b. Statins reduce deaths from infection and respiratory illness

4. I eat a lot of broccoli but it's probably overcooked and I don't put mustard on it as I should:

Spicing up broccoli boosts its cancer-fighting power

Teaming fresh broccoli with a spicy food that contains the enzyme myrosinase significantly enhances each food's individual cancer-fighting power and ensures that absorption takes place in the upper part of the digestive system where you'll get the maximum health benefit, suggests a new University of Illinois study.

"To get this effect, spice up your broccoli with broccoli sprouts, mustard, horseradish, or wasabi. The spicier, the better; that means it's being effective," said Elizabeth Jeffery, a U of I professor of nutrition. It's no secret that many people cook the benefits right out of broccoli instead of steaming it lightly for two to four minutes to protect its healthful properties, she said. "However, this study shows that even if broccoli is overcooked, you can still boost its benefits by pairing it with another food that contains myrosinase," she said.

5. I'll drink to that:

a. Alcohol intake and 'successful aging'

Among 13,894 women in the Nurses' Health Study, investigators prospectively examined alcohol use assessed at midlife in relation to "successful aging," which was defined as survival to age 70 years, not having a major chronic disease (such as coronary disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes), and having no major cognitive impairment, physical impairment, or mental health problems. Only 11% of the women met these criteria.

The results indicate that moderate drinkers, especially those consuming wine and drinking regularly, were more likely to exhibit successful ageing. For average amount consumed, the largest benefit (an increase of 28%) was among women who reported 15.1 – 30 g of alcohol per day (an average of just over 1 to 2 _ drinks per day), when compared with non-drinkers. The frequency of drinking was especially important: in comparison with nondrinkers, women who drank only on 1 to 2 days per week had little increase in their risk of successful aging, but those drinking on at least 5 days per week had almost a 50% greater chance of successful aging.

b. Daily Moderate Drinking Helps Clogged Arteries - Weekend Binge Hurts

In the journal Atherosclerosis, scientists found that daily moderate drinking – the equivalent of two drinks per day, seven days a week – decreased atherosclerosis in mice, while binge drinking – the equivalent of seven drinks a day, two days a week – increased development of the disease. Atherosclerosis, or the hardening and narrowing of arteries, is a serious condition that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

6. I've always felt that I need regular exercise to keep me from going crazy, but here's proof:

Aerobic Exercise May Reduce the Risk of Dementia

Any exercise that gets the heart pumping may reduce the risk of dementia and slow the condition’s progression once it starts, reported a Mayo Clinic study published this month in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Researchers examined the role of aerobic exercise in preserving cognitive abilities and concluded that it should not be overlooked as an important therapy against dementia.

The researchers broadly defined exercise as enough aerobic physical activity to raise the heart rate and increase the body’s need for oxygen. Examples include walking, gym workouts and activities at home such as shoveling snow or raking leaves.

7. I've always avoided baked potatoes because of their high glycemic index. But new research is eye-opening as is the article below:

a. Baked Potatoes Reduce Blood Pressure

The potato’s stereotype as a fattening food for health-conscious folks to avoid is getting another revision today as scientists report that just a couple servings of spuds a day reduces blood pressure almost as much as oatmeal without causing weight gain. S

But don’t reach for the catsup, vinegar or mayonnaise. The research was not done with French fries, America’s favorite potato, but with potatoes cooked without oil in a microwave oven. Although researchers used purple potatoes, they believe that red-skin potatoes and white potatoes may have similar effects.

b. The TRUTH about Potatoes, Glycemic Index, and "White Foods" - Friend or Foe for Fat Loss?

White potatoes are actually a healthy carbohydrate as long as you eat them in the right form... with the entire skin, and please don't ruin them by deep frying them into french fries either! French fries are one of the most evil things ever invented for your health, but only because we ruin them by soaking them in a scorching bath of trans fats in the deep fryer from the hydrogenated oils that are typically used.

Keep in mind that potatoes contain so many vitamins and minerals that the list is way too long to even try. Also, as long as you eat the skins, you get a decent shot of fiber too.

8. I take it for other reasons but this is good to know:

Alternatives To Halt High Blood Pressure

The shining star among supplements is coenzyme Q10, an enzyme involved in energy production that also acts as an antioxidant. Patients with hypertension tend to have lower levels of the enzyme, and a meta-analysis – an overarching analysis of past studies – found that treatment with coenzyme Q10 supplements significantly reduced blood pressure.

9. My cycling is slow and steady (what little I do of it - I really, really need to do more), but at least my running on the soccer field is often intense:

Cycling fast: vigorous daily exercise recommended for a longer life

A study conducted among cyclists in Copenhagen, Denmark1 showed that it is the relative intensity and not the duration of cycling which is of most importance in relation to all-cause mortality and even more pronounced for coronary heart disease mortality.

10. Eating dark chocolate (86%) is one of the things I do best:

Chocolate reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke

Five studies reported a beneficial link between higher levels of chocolate consumption and the risk of cardiovascular events and they found that the "highest levels of chocolate consumption were associated with a 37% reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 29% reduction in stroke compared with lowest levels." No significant reduction was found in relation to heart failure.

11. More research directly related to my diet:

Why White Bread is Bad for You

Breast cancer risk drops when diet includes walnuts