New drug targets vitamin D receptors in hormone resistant prostate cancers

A new anti-cancer drug aimed at vitamin D receptors on cancer cells has prompted encouraging responses in the levels of PSA (prostate specific antigen) in men with prostate cancer that has become resistant to hormonal therapies.

Burn injuries rapidly deplete vitamin E, study finds

Severe burn injuries in children have been shown to rapidly deplete the levels of vitamin E in their body’s adipose, or fat tissues, a new clinical study has found. Stored levels of this important antioxidant were reduced more in a few weeks than might normally be possible in years.

Study links vitamin D deficiency to breast cancer

(NaturalNews) Researchers from the University of South Carolina (USC) recently conducted a study that found a clear connection between low vitamin D levels and some of the worst and most aggressive forms of breast cancer. Particularly in women with darker skin, those deficient in vitamin D were found to be eight times more susceptible to malignant breast cancer than are women with higher levels. For the study, Susan Steck, Ph.D., M.P.H., and her colleagues from USC evaluated 107 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous five years. Forty-seven of the women were Caucasian while the other 60 were African-American. All women provided blood samples to researchers who tested their levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D). They found that women with triple-negative breast cancer — meaning the tumors contain no estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 receptors — had the lowest blood serum levels of vitamin D. Triple-negative breast cancer is now widely recognized as one of the worst and most aggressive breast cancers, since it spreads easily and quickly. Additionally, roughly 60 percent of the African-American women that participated in the study were vitamin D deficient, in contrast to roughly 15 percent of Caucasian women. Darker skin is not as receptive to the sun’s ultraviolet rays — the rays that produce vitamin D in the skin — which is why researchers believe there is a large disparity between the two groups. “We know that darker skin pigmentation acts somewhat as a block to producing vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, which is the primary source of vitamin D in most people,” Steck is quoted as saying to MedPage Today . “We think it may be important to [sic] for doctors to monitor the vitamin D blood levels of their patients, especially among African-American patients.” When sunlight exposure is not enough, supplementing with vitamin D3 is the next best option. Some doctors recommend taking upwards of 10,000 international units (IU) or more per day of vitamin D as part of a healthy lifestyle. Sources for this story include: http://www.turnto23.com/moveit/25245791/detail.html http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/BreastCancer/22543

Urban pollution found to raise blood pressure

(NaturalNews) Exposure to urban pollution may be a cause of high blood pressure, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Dusiburg-Essen in Germany and presented at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society. “Our results show that living in areas with higher levels of particle air pollution is associated with higher blood pressure,” lead researcher Barbara Hoffman said. “This finding points out that air pollution does not only trigger life-threatening events like heart attacks and strokes, but that it may also influence the underlying processes, which lead to chronic cardiovascular diseases,” she said. “It is therefore necessary to further our attempts to prevent chronic exposure to high air pollution as much as possible.” Prior studies have shown that short-term spikes in the levels of air pollutants lead to equivalent increases in blood pressure, but little research had been done on the effects of longer-term exposure. In the current study, the researchers recorded air pollution levels over the course of a year, and compared this with blood-pressure readings among 5,000 residents of those areas over the course of four years. The researchers found that after adjusting for potential confounding factors such as age, gender, smoking and weight, increased exposure to fine particulate matter was significantly correlated with higher blood pressure. The effect was stronger in women than in men. Fine particulate matter is produced primarily by automobiles, power plants, heating and industry. Although blood pressure is known to increase the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), the current study could not prove that exposure to air pollution would actually produce heart disease. In their next study, the researchers plan to look for that connection directly. “There is extensive ongoing research into the link between air pollution and heart disease,” said Judy O’Sullivan of the British Heart Foundation. “This will help us understand what needs to be done to minimize harm to heart health and protect people most at risk from pollution.” Sources for this story include: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8682137.stm.

Vitamin D levels associated with Parkinson’s disease risk

Individuals with higher levels of vitamin D appear to have a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study.

Pistachios offer multiple benefits, study suggests

Pistachio nuts, eaten as part of a healthy diet, can increase the levels of antioxidants in the blood of adults with high cholesterol, according to nutritional scientists.

Metal hip replacements in pregnant women leach chromium and cobalt into babies

(NaturalNews) Between 200,000 and 300,000 hip replacement operations are performed each year in the U.S., mostly in people over the age of 60. However, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), five to 10% of these procedures are in patients younger than 50 — including women of childbearing age. Now comes a disturbing report that suggests women who have the metal-on-metal type of artificial hip joint and become pregnant could be putting their unborn babies at risk. A study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center recently presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons held in New Orleans revealed that expectant mothers with metal-on-metal hip implants pass metal ions to their offspring during pregnancy. The ions, it turns out, result from wear and tear as well as from corrosion as the parts of the artificial joint, called prosthesis, rub against one another. Dr. Joshua Jacobs, professor and chairman of orthopedic surgery at Rush University Medical Center, and his research team investigated three women who had metal-on-metal hip implants and gave birth two to six years after their surgeries. Blood samples from the mothers as well as umbilical cord blood samples were obtained at the time of delivery and tested for blood serum concentrations of titanium, nickel, cobalt and chromium. The researchers used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , a highly sensitive technique that can detect even minute amounts of metals in biological samples. The results showed that the moms with metal-on-metal implants and their babies had significantly higher levels of two metals — chromium and cobalt — compared with a control group of seven women who did not have metal hip replacements and their offspring. In addition, the levels of the metals in the blood of mothers with implants correlated with the levels of metals identified in the umbilical cords. The amount of cobalt found in the newborn babies was about half that in the mothers’ blood; chromium was about 15 percent as high in the infants as the levels in their mothers’ blood. The lower levels in the umbilical cords showed that the placenta stopped at least some of the transfer of metal ions from mother to fetus, although it was obviously not a complete barrier. “We don’t know whether metal ions pose any health risks for pregnant women and their babies but as metal-on-metal implants increase in popularity and use, especially among young, active patients, women of child-bearing age and their doctors need to be aware of these findings when considering options for hip replacements,” Dr. Jacobs explained in a statement to the media. While there’s no absolute proof the metal ions are dangerous for moms or babies, previous research concerning these metals should raise some concern. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the EPA have all determined that chromium metal compounds are known human carcinogens. In addition, based on animal studies, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that cobalt and cobalt compounds could possibly cause cancer in humans. Bottom line: women who plan on having children would be wise to consider natural and less invasive alternatives to metal hip replacement surgery. For example, keeping weight under control and appropriate exercise such as yoga can often help ease symptoms of osteoporosis, a condition that can lead to hip replacement surgery. For more information: http://www.rush.edu/webapps/MEDREL/servlet/NewsRelease?id=1359 http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts7.html http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts33.html

New testing method hints at garlic’s cancer-fighting potential

Researchers have designed a urine test that can simultaneously measure the extent of a potential carcinogenic process and a marker of garlic consumption in humans. In a small pilot study, the test suggested that the more garlic people consumed, the lower the levels of the potential carcinogenic process were.

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease

Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood are linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries — a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a new study.

Investment In Parkinson’s Disease Data Bank Yields Potential Therapy

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease who have higher levels of a metabolite called urate in their blood and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have a slower rate of disease progression, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. A clinical trial is under way to examine the safety and potential benefits of supplemental urate elevation for recently diagnosed Parkinson’s patients who have low urate levels.

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