Stealthy leprosy pathogen evades critical vitamin D-dependent immune response

Researchers discovered that the leprosy pathogen Mycobacterium leprae was able to evade immune activity that is dependent on vitamin D, a natural hormone that plays an essential role in the body’s fight against infections. A better understanding of how these pathogens can escape the immune system may be helpful in designing more effective therapies.

Antioxidant carnosine destroys free radicals

(NaturalNews)Carnosine is a powerful antioxidant that improves muscle, brain and cardiovascular function. This special molecule is found in healthy animal meat and is being deeply researched for its anti-aging effects. It mainly functions to protect the proteins of the body which…

Coffee promotes cortisol production and weight gain

Conventional wisdom about weight loss suggests coffee may be a good addition to a diet plan since it has minimal calories and no fat. While this seems logical, a more holistic view evaluates coffee from the perspective of its influence on the body’s ability to metabolize…

Miracle food? Cherries can help reverse gout and arthritis inflammation

Did you know that cherries can lower levels of inflammation in the body drastically enough to actually alleviate arthritis symptoms and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes? It doesn’t even take a super-powerful extract to feel the effect; powdered…

Study shows selenium may protect against pancreatic cancer

High levels of selenium in the body appear to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a study published in December 2011 in Gut, the journal of the British Society of Gastroenterology. Pancreatic cancer is particularly lethal. It tends to be diagnosed only…

Seven ways to end joint pain, arthritis and gout using cherries

Gout and arthritis have two things in common. Each condition makes the body hurt, and they respond to the powerful nutrients found in cherries that eliminate pain. Cherries contain high levels of antioxidants and anthocyanins, nutrients known to relieve pain, inflammation…

Vitamin D crucial in human immune response to tuberculosis, scientists find

A team of scientists has found that vitamin D plays an essential role in the body’s fight against infections such as tuberculosis. Researchers found that the immune system could not be activated effectively to kill the bacteria causing tuberculosis without sufficient levels of vitamin D present. The finding may lead to a new treatment pathway for tuberculosis which is estimated to cause 1.8 million deaths annually.

Sunlight can influence the breakdown of medicines in the body

A new study has shown that the body’s ability to break down medicines may be closely related to exposure to sunlight, and thus may vary with the seasons. The findings offer a completely new model to explain individual differences in the effects of drugs, and how the surroundings can influence the body’s ability to deal with toxins.

Antioxidants in pecans may contribute to heart health and disease prevention

New research shows that after eating pecans, gamma-tocopherol levels in the body doubled and unhealthy oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood decreased by as much as 33 percent.

Vitamin D supplements do not increase bone density in healthy children, review finds

Giving vitamin D supplements to healthy children with normal vitamin D levels does not improve bone density at the hip, lumbar spine, forearm or in the body as a whole, according to a new review.

Next Page »