18-04-2011

04 February 2011 Exercise 'helps to prevent sick days'

Employers are being urged to encourage their staff to exercise more, as the move could help to reduce levels of sick leave. According to recent research by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), 46 per cent of workers experience physical pain as a result of not moving around at work.
Meanwhile, 25 per cent of employees said they often work through the day without taking any breaks. The CSP believes that bosses can help to prevent sickness absence by promoting exercise and healthier habits, particularly during the cold winter months. Physiotherapist Clare Claridge said: 'Exercise is an excellent way to improve your health and help your state of mind. 'There's nothing worse than being cooped up in an office behind a desk all day for your mental and physical wellbeing.' One million people take time off work because of sickness each week, according to figures from the Health and Safety Executive. Statistics also show that while the majority return to work within days, almost a fifth of those who reach their sixth week of statutory sick pay eventually leave work.

19 January 2011 Antioxidants may treat male fertility problems

Couples who have difficulty conceiving may benefit from the male taking antioxidant supplements, a review has found. The research, which is published in the Cochrane Library, looked at the results of 34 trials involving 2,876 couples - all of whom were undergoing fertility treatment. Most of the men had low sperm counts or low sperm motility and the trials had looked at the effect of taking antioxidants, such as vitamin E, zinc and magnesium. Researchers found that couples were more likely to become pregnant if the man took antioxidants than if he took a placebo (dummy pill). Other trials looked at by the Cochrane researchers suggested that antioxidants may improve sperm motility and concentration. Lead researcher Marian Showell, from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, commented: 'When trying to conceive as part of an assisted reproductive programme, it may be advisable to encourage men to take oral antioxidant supplements to improve their partner's chances of becoming pregnant.' However, she conceded that the evidence was 'limited' and that more comparisons of different antioxidants are needed.

19 January 2011 Eating more fruit and veg 'reduces heart disease death risk'

People who eat large amounts of fruit and vegetables have a lower risk of dying from heart disease, new research in the European Heart Journal shows. The findings indicate that eating at least eight portions of fruit and vegetables a day is associated with a 22 per cent lower risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease, compared with eating less than three daily portions. However, the researchers pointed out that people who regularly ate fruit and vegetables tended to be those who also adopted other heart-healthy lifestyle habits. Study author Dr Francesca Crowe, from theCancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford, revealed: 'This study involved over 300,000 people in eight different European countries, with 1,636 deaths from ischaemic heart disease.
'It shows a four per cent reduced risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease for each additional portion of fruit and vegetables consumed above the lowest intake of two portions.' The study was part-funded by the British Heart Foundation, which said that eating fruit and vegetables is 'healthy for your heart'. Senior dietician Victoria Taylor pointed out that more research is needed to explain the findings. In the meantime, she advised: 'We need to remember to make five portions our [daily] minimum, as the more fruit and vegetables people ate the lower their risk of dying from heart disease became.'

18 January 2011 Studies support health benefits of black tea

Two new studies have provided further evidence of the benefits of drinking black tea, which appears to help protect against heart diseaseand cognitive decline. In the first study, scientists at Jondi-Shapour University in Iran looked at the dietary habits of 216 patients and reported in Nutrition Journal that daily consumption of black tea was 'significantly' associated with a lower risk of coronary events Meanwhile, a second study in Appetite journal - by scientists at Unilever - has found that black tea may improve attention and alertness. Dr Carrie Ruxton, from the Tea Advisory Panel, said that previous studies have suggested a link between black tea and reduced cardiovascular risk, but that the research published in Appetite journal is thought to be the first controlled clinical trial showing that black tea improves attention. 'The findings of these two studies are very good news for the large number of black tea drinkers in the United Kingdom,' Dr Ruxton observed.
'Consumption of more than three cups of black tea each day was associated with a significant reduction in risk of coronary artery disease in the first study, while in the second, just two servings of black tea a day improved the ability to react to stimuli and to focus attention on the task in hand.' Three-quarters of male infertility cases are due to abnormal semen, which can be caused by a decreased number of sperm, reduced sperm mobility or abnormally shaped sperm.

17 January 2011 Essential oils may reduce PMS symptoms

Women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may benefit from taking a combination of essential oils, new research suggests. Scientists at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil enrolled 120 women in a study which looked at the effectiveness of a pill containing essential oils. The capsules included a combination of gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, other polyunsaturated acids and vitamin E. Results show that women who took 2g capsules typically reported significant improvements in their symptoms at their three and six-month follow-ups, and there were few complaints of side-effects.
Researcher Edilberto Rocha Filho, whose findings are published in the journal Reproductive Health, commented: 'The administration of 1 or 2g of essential fatty acids to patients with PMS resulted in a significant decrease in symptom scores. 'Essential oil capsules can now be said to show much promise as a treatment.' Nearly all women of child-bearing age have some premenstrual symptoms, which may include fluid retention, abdominal pain, headaches, changes to skin and hair, and weight gain.

17 January 2011 Blueberry compounds stave off high blood pressure

People who are at risk of high blood pressure may benefit from eating blueberries, a study has found. Scientists at the University of East Anglia teamed up with researchers at Harvard University in the US to study the effects of different compounds called flavonoids on persistent high blood pressure (hypertension). They analysed data on 134,000 women and 47,000 men who had taken part in health studies over a 14-year period. Analysis revealed that people who consumed the most anthocyanins - a type of flavonoid compound that occurs in fruits such as blueberries, raspberries and blackcurrants - were eight per cent less likely to develop hypertension than those who ate the least.
For blueberries in particular, the link was even more apparent - those who ate at least one serving per week were ten per cent less likely to suffer from high blood pressure. Lead author Professor Aedin Cassidy, from the University of East Anglia's Medical School, commented: 'Our findings are exciting and suggest that an achievable dietary intake of anthocyanins may contribute to the prevention of hypertension.' The findings are published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and follow a recent study in the Lancet that suggested people with high blood pressure should be started off on a combination of drugs, rather than just one.

14 January 2011 Study sheds light on coffee's protective effect against diabetes

US scientists claim to have worked out why coffee may help to protect against type-2 diabetes. A group of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have discovered that drinking coffee increases an individual's level of a protein called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). The protein helps to regulate the body's levels of testosterone and oestrogen, which are thought to be involved in the development of type-2 diabetes. According to the research team, whose findings are published in the journal Diabetes, women who drank at least four cups of coffee a day were less than half as likely to develop diabetes as those who drank no coffee at all. However, when their levels of SHBG were taken into account, the protective effect of the coffee disappeared. The findings are based on an analysis of data on 359 patients with diabetes and a further 359 healthy people. Dr Simin Liu, professor of epidemiology and medicine, said: 'It seems that SHBG in the blood does reflect a genetic susceptibility to developing type-2 diabetes.
'But we now further show that this protein can be influenced by dietary factors such as coffee intake in affecting diabetes risk - the lower the levels of SHBG, the greater the risk beyond any known diabetes risk factors.' However, the researchers found that drinking decaffeinated coffee did not significantly affect SHBG levels, nor people's risk of diabetes. Last year, Brazilian scientists reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that women who drank at least one cup of coffee with lunch were a third less likely to develop type-2 diabetes than non-coffee drinkers.

14 January 2011 Walking 'may reduce diabetes risk'

People may be able to reduce their risk of developing type-2 diabetes by increasing the number of steps they take each day, scientists say. Scientists at Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne carried out a study involving nearly 600 middle-aged people between 2000 and 2005. Participants were asked to provide information on their diet and lifestyle at the start of the study, and were given a pedometer to measure their number of steps each day.
The researchers found that people who walked the most over the five-year period tended to have a lower body mass index (BMI) and better insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing their risk of diabetes. They calculated that an inactive person can achieve a threefold improvement in their insulin sensitivity by increasing their daily steps to 10,000 per day, compared to an inactive person who only increases their daily steps to 3,000 on five days a week. Writing in the British Medical Journal, they concluded: 'These findings, confirming an independent beneficial role of higher daily step count on body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and insulin sensitivity, provide further support to promote higher physical activity levels among middle-aged adults.' The study coincides with new research from the University of California, Los Angeles, which helps to explain why drinking coffee may help to protect against diabetes.

11 January 2011 TV viewing time linked to heart health

Sitting in front of the TV for more than two hours a day increases a person's risk of heart disease, new research has found. Scientists at University College London studied 4,512 adults who participated in the Scottish Health Survey in 2003.
During an average follow-up period of 4.3 years, there were 325 deaths and 215 cardiac events. The researchers found that people who spent more than two hours a day watching TV or DVDs, playing sedentary video games or using computers for leisure purposes had a heightened risk of heart disease. Among those who had more than four hours of 'screen time' per day, the risk of being hospitalised or dying from a major cardiac event was more than double that of people who had less than two hours of screen-based entertainment each day.
The findings, which are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, show that people who spend excessive amounts of time in front of a screen 'are more likely to die of any cause and suffer heart-related problems', according to researcher Dr Emmanuel Stamatakis. He added: 'According to what we know so far, these health risks may not be mitigated by exercise, a finding that underscores the urgent need for public health recommendations to include guidelines for limiting recreational sitting and other sedentary behaviours.' Amy Thompson, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said that people who regularly watch TV should find 'more healthy things' to do with their time.

10 January 2011 Music may boost dopamine levels

Listening to music causes a chemical called dopamine to be released in the brain, new research shows. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is commonly described as a 'feel good' chemical, because it is associated with feelings of pleasure when eating or taking certain stimulants. Now, brain scans have revealed that the chemical is released at times of peak enjoyment while listening to music. Researchers at McGill University in Montreal scanned the brains of eight volunteers using both a PET scanner and a functional MRI scanner while they listened to different types of instrumental music.
The images were then used to estimate participants' levels of dopamine release. Publishing their findings in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the study authors revealed that levels of dopamine were up to nine per cent higher in people who were listening to music they enjoyed. They wrote: 'We found endogenous dopamine release in [an area of the brain called] the striatum at peak emotional arousal during music listening. 'Our results help to explain why music is of such high value across all human societies.' A number of small studies have suggested that music therapy may help to slow the progression of Parkinson's - a degenerative neurological disease characterised by insufficient levels of dopamine in the brain.

05 January 2011 Fast walking speed 'linked to longer life'

Older people who walk quickly may live for longer, a new study suggests. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh analysed data from nine studies, all of which had recorded the walking speed of over-65s. Information on nearly 35,000 community-dwelling adults was studied and the researchers found that gait speeds were associated with differences in the probability of survival. In over-75s, predicted ten-year survival ranged from 19 per cent to 87 per cent across the range of gait speeds in men, and from 35 per cent to 91 per cent in women. Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study authors observed: 'Walking requires energy, movement control and support, and places demands on multiple organ systems, including the heart, lungs, circulatory, nervous and musculoskeletal systems.
'Slowing gait may reflect both damaged systems and a high energy cost of walking.' The researchers concluded that gait speed could provide a simple indication of an older person's health. The findings come after a separate study, presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, found that walking may help to slow cognitive decline in older adults.