Men with high blood levels of triglycerides, a risk factor for artery hardening, may benefit from supplements of the omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), says a new study.

From NutraIngredients.com

Omega-3 has been identified as one of the super-nutrients taking the food and supplements industry by storm. Much of its healthy reputation that is seeping into consumer consciousness is based largely on evidence that it can aid cognitive function and may help protect the heart against cardiovascular disease.

The results of the new study, published in this month’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reflect well for algae-derived DHA marketers, such as the manufacturer of the LifesDHA brand used in the trials, Martek Biosciences. In other areas, such as omega-3 for cognitive development - and in particular its use in infant formulas - fish oil suppliers have played up the DHA + EPA content of their ingredients on the grounds that it is closer to the lipid profile found in the human brain and breast milk.

The researchers, from University of California Davis, Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System, and Agricultural Research Service (US Department of Agriculture), recruited 34 men with hyperrtriglyceridaemia (age range 39 to 66) and randomly assigned them to receive with DHA supplements (3 grams per day) or olive oil placebo for 90 days.

High triglyceride levels (hypertriglyceridaemia) have been linked to an increased risk of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) - the causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and is reported to cost the EU economy about 169bn ($202bn) per year.

The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel study showed that supplementation with DHA for 45 days resulted in decreased fasting levels of triacylglycerol (24 per cent), very low density lipoproteins (92 per cent), and intermediate-density lipoproteins (53 per cent).

However, DHA was associated with increased levels of LDL cholesterol (by 12.6 per cent), and large LDL particles (120 per cent).

The researchers reported that similar changes were also observed when blood samples were measured after eating (postprandial), except increases in LDL cholesterol were no longer significant. No further changes were observed after the initial 45 day intervention, while placebo did not alter any of the measures taken.

“DHA supplementation may improve cardiovascular health by lowering concentrations of triacylglycerols and small, dense LDL particles,” concluded the researchers.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and certain cancers, good development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improvedbehaviour and mood.

From ScienceDaily

Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause are at an increased risk of developing memory problems or dementia and movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, according to two studies published August 29, 2007, in the online edition of Neurology.

The study on dementia involved approximately 1,500 women who underwent the removal of one or both ovaries for non-cancer-related reasons, such as ovarian cysts, endometriosis, or for the prevention of ovarian cancer. The women were compared to an equal number of women who still had both ovaries at the beginning of the study. All participants were followed for a median of 27 years and were interviewed about their memory. If the women could not be interviewed directly, the investigators interviewed a family member.

Researchers found that women who had one or both ovaries removed before menopause were nearly two times more likely to develop cognitive problems or dementia compared to women who did not have the surgery. In addition, those women who were younger when their ovaries were removed were more likely to develop dementia than women who were older when their ovaries were removed.

“It’s possible that estrogen has a protective effect on the brain and that a lack of estrogen due to ovary removal may increase a woman’s risk of developing memory problems,” said study author Walter A. Rocca, MD, MPH, with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and member of the American Academy of Neurology.

Rocca says this is one of the first studies to show there may be a critical age window for the protective effect of estrogen on the brain in women. Before this study, knowledge was based almost exclusively on animal experiments. “For example, the study found women who had both ovaries removed before age 49, but were given estrogen treatment until at least age 50, did not have an increased risk of developing memory problems. These findings suggest that estrogen is protective for these women in this age window. By contrast, past studies from the Women’s Health Initiative have shown that estrogen use started at age 65 years or later may have a negative effect on memory and may increase the risk of developing dementia,” said Rocca.

Rocca says these findings have important clinical implications and should prompt physicians to reassess removing ovaries before menopause and the use of estrogen treatment following such surgery. “Although almost 60 percent of women received some estrogen treatment after both of their ovaries were removed, only 20 percent of them received estrogen treatment until at least age 50. Age 50 is the median age when women reach natural menopause.”

Many of the women involved in the dementia study were also included in a larger study that found women who had one or more ovaries removed before menopause were nearly two times more likely to develop Parkinsonism, a syndrome involving tremor at rest, muscle rigidity, and slowness of movements. The most common form of this syndrome is Parkinson’s disease. The risk for Parkinsonism increased with younger age at ovary removal. “Similar to the findings for dementia, these findings may be explained by a premature loss of estrogen and decreased neuroprotection,” said Rocca.

Both studies were supported by grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Do patients with heart valve disorders require antibiotics when undergoing routine dental treatments?

Research casts serious doubt on this practice. We need to exercise caution in the use of antibiotics especially when there is little evidence to validate its utility. (See below)

Dental and Cardiac Risk Factors for Infective Endocarditis: A Population-Based, Case-Control Study

Brian L. Strom, MD, MPH; Elias Abrutyn, MD; Jesse A. Berlin, ScD; Judith L. Kinman, MA; Roy S. Feldman, DDS, DMSc; Paul D. Stolley, MD, MPH; Matthew E. Levison, MD; Oksana M. Korzeniowski, MD; and Donald Kaye, MD

Background: Although antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis is recommended, the true risk factors for infective endocarditis are unclear. Objective: To quantitate the risk for endocarditis from dental treatment and cardiac abnormalities.

Design: Population-based, casecontrol study

Setting: 54 hospitals in the Philadelphia area.

Patients: Persons with community-acquired infective endocarditis not associated with intravenous drug use were compared with community residents, matched by age, sex, and neighborhood of residence.

Measurements: Information on demographic characteristics, host risk factors, and dental treatment was obtained from structured telephone interviews, dental records, and medical records.

Results: During the preceding 3 months, dental treatment was no more frequent among case-patients than controls (adjusted odds ratio, 0.8 [95% CI, 0.4 to 1.5]). Of 273 case-patients, 104 (38%) knew of previous cardiac lesions compared with 17 controls (6%) (adjusted odds ratio, 16.7 [CI, 7.4 to 37.4]). Case-patients more often had a history of mitral valve prolapse (adjusted odds ratio, 19.4 [CI, 6.4 to 58.4]), congenital heart disease (adjusted odds ratio, 6.7 [CI, 2.3 to 19.4]), cardiac valvular surgery (adjusted odds ratio, 74.6 [CI, 12.5 to 447]), rheumatic fever (adjusted odds ratio, 13.4 [CI, 4.5 to 39.5]), and heart murmur without other known cardiac abnormalities (adjusted odds ratio, 4.2 [CI, 2.0 to 8.9]). Among case-patients with known cardiac lesions-the target of prophylaxis-dental therapy was significantly (P

0.03) less common than among controls (adjusted odds ratio, 0.2 [CI, 0.04 to 0.7] over 3 months). Few participants received prophylactic antibiotics.

Conclusions: Dental treatment does not seem to be a risk factor for infective endocarditis, even in patients with valvular abnormalities, but cardiac valvular abnormalities are strong risk factors. Few cases of infective endocarditis would be preventable with antibiotic prophylaxis, even with 100% effectiveness assumed. Current policies for prophylaxis should be reconsidered.

To read the entire study, click here: Dental and Cardiac Risk Factors for Infective Endocarditis: A Population-Based, Case-Control Study — Strom et al. 129 (10): …

25% of U.S. youngsters find it tough to get their zzz’s, experts say

From HealthDay

The nightly trip to dreamland is a frustrating one for millions of American children suffering from insomnia, night awakenings and even sleep apnea, experts say.

“Across every study, 20 to 25 percent of children have some kind of sleep problem,” said Jodi Mindell, associate director of the Sleep Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “That spans everything from kids who are waking during the night, to resisting bedtime, to sleepwalking, disordered breathing — the gamut,” she said.

One 2004 National Sleep Foundation poll found that, among children under 11, 60 percent experienced some kind of sleep trouble at least a few nights a week, Mindell said. “And 74 percent of parents said they wanted to change something about their child’s sleep,” she added.

So, parents awakened in the night by a sleepless child have lots of company nationwide. One big culprit: sleep apnea, which occurs when blockages in the airway trigger snoring and frequent nighttime awakenings.

“About 2 to 3 percent of children will have sleep apnea,” said Mindell, co-author of Take Charge of Your Child’s Sleep. “About 10 to 12 percent of kids snore on a regular basis, but not all children who snore have sleep apnea. In children, the primary cause of obstructive sleep apnea is enlarged tonsils or adenoids.”

In most cases, tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy offers a quick fix for pediatric sleep apnea, Mindell said. But there’s another contributing factor that’s rising in prevalence — obesity. “In obese kids, what you’re getting is the tonsils and adenoids being big, and then the weight on the neck closing the airways,” she explained.

The daytime drowsiness that comes with sleep apnea can greatly affect a child’s mood, daytime alertness and academics. One 2006 study in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine found that youngsters with sleep apnea scored lower on standard IQ tests compared with unaffected kids — an average of 85 points vs. 100, respectively.

Left untreated, sleep apnea might even permanently damage cognitive function, the researchers said. “We can only assume that it could turn an otherwise smart kid into a mediocre kid,” lead investigator Dr. Ann Halbower, of the John Hopkins University Children Center, told HealthDay.

But there are other sleep woes affecting children, including insomnia, night terrors, and frequent awakenings and sleepwalking.

Many can be fixed with simple behavioral changes at home, Mindell said. Those steps include:

Setting firm schedules. “Get them to bed the same time every night and wake them up the same time every morning,” Mindell said. “This sets a child’s internal clock and makes it so they’ll get sleepy easier and fall asleep easier.”

Create a bedtime routine. Implementing a “wind-down” time before bed, perhaps 20 to 30 minutes each night, helps kids of all ages settle down and ready their minds and bodies for sleep, Mindell said.

Ban electronics from the bedroom. According to polls, 97 percent of U.S. kids have some kind of electronic distraction — TV, cell phone, computer, Gameboy — in their rooms. “That has a major impact on sleep,” Mindell said. “We want to get kid’s bedrooms unplugged.”

Limit caffeine. This doesn’t mean only coffee — it’s ice tea, plus dark- and light-colored sodas. “For some kids it takes much longer to metabolize caffeine,” Mindell said. “So, that ice tea at 3 o’clock in the afternoon can still be keeping them up at 10 p.m.”

Make sleep-time a solo affair. Kids who get used to a parent being with them as they drift off will need that parent every time they seek slumber. “So, if you’re lying down with your 5-year-old at bedtime, be prepared to be lying down with him at 1 a.m.,” Mindell warned. Allowing a child to fall asleep on his or her own eliminates that problem.

School boards have an important role to play, too, Mindell said.

“Many high schools are starting now at 7:15 in the morning, and that’s completely against what is happening with teenagers’ internal clocks,” she explained. “Their clocks actually shift later [than adults] — that’s just a simple biological function.”

So, later school start times can make a big difference. According to Mindell, school districts that have made such a change “have seen huge, positive responses in their kids’ grades.”

For more information please see chapter 13 in: Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten

From Utah County News

Everyone knows you shouldn’t mix household chemicals. Occasionally they compliment each other and make your work easier, but more often than not they interact in unexpected ways and can cause dangerous or even fatal results.

The Utah County Division of Substance Abuse, as part of the Utah County Health Department, is concerned with a similar trend that is happening in the beverage industry. Energy drinks are becoming increasingly more prevalent, with new flavors, types and products entering our stores every day.

“Most people aren’t even aware that some energy drink manufacturers are adding alcohol to their beverages,” said Pat Bird, Utah County Division of Substance Abuse prevention coordinator. “They can be extremely hard to identify, using such phrases as ‘malt beverage’ and ‘A-L-C by weight’ to indicate they contain alcohol.”

Most people we have talked to think malt is something that is used to flavor ice cream shakes, said Bird. In this case, however, it refers to an alcohol fermentation process.

So why are they doing it? The activity of mixing energy drinks and alcohol isn’t new, explains Bird. It has been going on in the bar scene almost since energy drinks first hit the market. The stimulants in the energy drink make people feel less impaired, so they think it is safe to drink more alcohol. The truth is we just get a bunch of hyped up drunks.

Bird explains that manufacturers have just recognized a market and moved in. Many of these new products have bright colors or a fruity flavor, so you dont even realize they contain alcohol. They look pretty much the same as the non-alcoholic energy drinks, so unless you look really close it is easy to confuse them.

Bird expressed other health concerns. Energy drinks mixed with alcohol can cause dehydration, risk of seizures, and increased alcohol intake. When you have a beverage stimulating one part of your brain, and at the same time depressing other parts, you know there are going to be some unhealthy consequences.

While energy drinks with alcohol are regulated as beer in the state of Utah, there are no placement or labeling laws governing these products. It is common for retailers to stock the same brands next to each other, even when one contains alcohol and another doesn’t. We have found many cases of where products have been mis-shelved and alcohol and non-alcoholic products are mixed.

Besides labeling and stocking issues, the Division of Substance Abuse is also concerned about marketing trends.

Alcohol is already the number one drug used by teens, said Bird. They are also being targeted by energy drink manufacturers. Products are specifically being marketed to sell using sex, references to illicit drugs, questionable health benefits, and risk behaviors.

There is literally an energy drink for every type of individual, said Bird. A new drink seems to come on the market every day. That is one way the alcohol energy drinks are gaining market share, is by catering to those individuals that have to try the newest thing.

Our goal is to help educate individuals about these drinks, especially parents, said Bird. Many retailers are seeing adults coming in to buy the energy drinks for their children.

We have a program we started that has gone statewide intended to stop the selling of alcohol to underage buyers, said Bird. The Eliminate Alcohol Sales to Youth program - or EASY - is designed to give retailers tools to identify underage buyers, know how to correctly ask for and interpret identification cards, and how to recognize intoxicated customers. Many of those attending our classes dont realize that some of these beverages contain alcohol.

If the retailers dont know about this, how are parents suppose to know?

Bird also points out that many of the energy drinks have additional ingredients you have to be aware of. Some have as much as nine times the amount of caffeine as a regular cola drink, Bird said. Others include such stimulants and supplements as guarana and gensing and ginko, which aren’t regulated by the FDA.

As with anything, you have to be mindful of what you are putting into your body, said Bird. Read labels. Not only of what you are consuming, but what you are giving to your kids.

The mission of the Utah County Health Department is to promote health, and prevent avoidable disease and injury by monitoring the health of our community, and assuring conditions in which people can be healthy. For more information on its programs and services, visit www.UtahCountyHealth.org or call 851-7000. The Division of Substance Abuse is responsible for prevention, treatment, and early intervention programs for both youth and adults.