Author Archives: Editor

New Alzheimer’s treatment pioneered in UK

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London: A pioneering new treatment, in which a protein is used to attack amyloid plaques, the substance blamed for damaging the brain in Alzheimer’s disease, is being carried out in the UK for the first time.

A small trial involving four patients was recently carried out at London’s Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. The treatment uses an artificial antibody which attaches itself the to the amyloid plaque and destroys it. There are now plans for a larger test

Recently thousands of UK Alzheimer’s patients were told they were not eligible for drugs – including Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl, which cost as little as £2.50 a day and can dramatically delay the disease’s progress.

Patients will be scanned by doctors at Hammersmith Hospital using a new technique which allows amyloid plaque in the brain to be seen for the first time.

Professor Martin Rossor, a neurologist at the hospital, who is heading the trial, said although it was early days the results indicated that Alzheimer’s may be controlled in the same way as other diseases.

Scientists grow joint cartilage from stem cells

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London: Stem cells have been used to grow cartilage in a breakthrough that could eventually mean fewer patients need hip and knee replacements.

Scientists from Imperial College London have used stem cells from embryos to make new cartilage that can be injected into damaged joints. The development may mean that the technology can be used for patients with sports injuries and age-related disasters such as osteoarthritis.

Cartilage is a smooth, flexible layer of tissue that sits between the bones in the body’s major joints. Its job is to act as a shock absorber, protecting the joints against impact damage and from wear and tear.

The Imperial College scientists combinedthe stem cells with a few cartilage cells extracted from healthy joints. Although the technique has yet to be used in humans, the team behind the research is confident it has major advantages over existing cartilage production methods.

Impotence may signal heart disease

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Chicago: Impotence, which affects 50% of men over the age of 40, may be an early wraning of heart disease, says new research published in the journal of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Scientists at the University of Chicago who carried out a study, said four out of ten men with impotence also had badly clogged-up veins and arteries which put them at higher risk of cardiac illness as well as being a cause of impotence. The results led the researchers to believe that impotence is a better indictor of heart disease than other risk factors.

Impotence is often caused by the clogging-up of arteries leading to the penis. These narrow blood vessels become blocked earlier than the wider arteries around the heart, giving prior warning of cardiac disease. The researchers examined the results of heart tests on 221 men – more than half of whom were impotent.

They found that 43 per cent of the impotent men were at high risk of heart disease. However, only 17 per cent of subjects who were not impotent had similarly poor test scores. Impotent men also fared worse in physical tests and their hearts were found to pump less blood.

Vitamin D deficiency linked to stroke

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A shortage of vitamin D may be linked to an increased risk of stroke, according to research published in the journal Stroke.

Stroke patients often suffer a number of vitamin D deficiency-related symptoms such as a lowering of bone mineral density, changes in calcium homeostasis, and an increase in hip fractures. Vitamin D deficiency has already been associated with stroke and hip fractures.

The researchers measured vitamin D serum levels, every 2 months for 1 year, in 44 patients admitted to an acute stroke unit with those of 96 healthyelderly subjects. The stroke patients included in the study had not previously suffered from a stroke.

It was discovered that 77 percent of the stroke patients were deficient in vitamin D throughout the year. The researchers suggested that this deficiency may have preceded the occurrence of stroke.

According to the researchers, “Vitamin D is a potential risk marker for stroke, and the role of vitamin D repletion in enhancing musculoskeletal health after stroke needs to be explored.”

Wine drinkers have healthier diets than beer drinkers

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Copenhagen: People who buy wine also buy healthier food and therefore have healthier diets than people who buy beer, finds a Danish study.

Studies have shown that drinking wine is associated with lower mortality than drinking beer or spirits. Some studies have also suggested that wine drinkers have healthier diets than beer or spirits drinkers, and this may explain wine’s beneficial effect on health.

To study this theory, researchers in Denmark investigated the link between the purchase of beer and wine and various food items from supermarkets. The results are published in the British Medical Journal

They analysed 3.5 million transactions chosen at random from 98 outlets of two large Danish supermarket chains over a six month period (September 2002 to February 2003).

Customers were categorised as “wine only,” “beer only,” “mixed,” or “non-alcohol” buyers. Details of items bought, the number and price of the items, and the total charge for each customer’s transaction were recorded.

They found that wine buyers bought more olives, fruit and vegetables, poultry, cooking oil, and low fat cheese, milk, and meat than beer buyers. Beer buyers bought more ready cooked dishes, sugar, cold cuts, chips, pork, butter or margarine, sausages, lamb, and soft drinks than wine buyers.

These results indicate that people who buy (and presumably drink) wine purchase a greater number of healthy food items than those who buy beer, say the authors. They also support findings from the United States, Denmark, and France showing that wine drinkers tend to eat fruit, vegetables, and fish and use cooking oil more often and saturated fat less often than those who prefer other alcoholic drinks.

The health benefits of drinking wine may be due to specific substances in wine or to different characteristics of people who drink other types of alcohol, they add. Thus, it is crucial that studies on the relation between alcohol intake and mortality adjust for other lifestyle factors such as drinking patterns, smoking, physical activity, education, or income.

Work stress leads to heart disease and diabetes

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London: Stress at work is an important risk factor for the development of heart disease and diabetes, finds a study published by the British Medical Journal today.

Stress at work has been linked with heart disease, but the biological processes were unclear. This study provides new evidence for the biological plausibility of the link between work stress and heart disease.

Researchers examined the association between work stress and the metabolic syndrome (a cluster of factors that increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes) in 10,308 British civil servants aged between 35 and 55, over a 14 year period.

Work stress was measured on four occasions between 1985 and 1999. Components of the metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels, were measured between 1997 and 1999. Social position and health damaging behaviours, such as smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and lack of exercise, were also recorded.

A dose-response relation was found between exposure to job stress and the metabolic syndrome, even after adjusting for other risk factors. For example, men with chronic work stress were nearly twice as likely to develop the syndrome than those with no exposure to work stress. Women with chronic work stress were also more likely to have the syndrome, but they formed a small group.

Both men and women from lower employment grades were more likely to have the syndrome, confirming previous reports that the syndrome has a social gradient.

The association between the metabolic syndrome and exposure to health damaging behaviours was stronger among men than women. Poor diet (no fruit and vegetable consumption), smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity were all associated with higher odds of the syndrome.

Despite some study limitations, a dose-response relation exists between exposure to work stress and the metabolic syndrome, even after other risk factors are taken into account, say the authors.

One possible explanation is that prolonged exposure to work stress may affect the nervous system. Alternatively, chronic stress may reduce biological resilience and thus disturb the body’s physiological balance (homoeostasis).

This study provides evidence for the biological plausibility of psychosocial stress mechanisms linking stressors from everyday life with heart disease, they conclude.

Med diet fights impotence

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Naples: Doctors at the University of Naples have discovered that diet may play a key role in protecting against impotence.

They have proved for the first time that men with a so-called Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of the condition, also known as erectile dysfunction.

In the new research doctors looked at 200 men and compared the diets and lifestyles of those with and without ED.

They found that men suffering from the condition ate a significantly lower amount of Mediterranean foods. Researchers found that the intake of fruits was particularly important.

‘Vioxx like’ drugs may still be best option for arthritis

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London: Scientists believe that despite the current concerns around anti-inflammatory drugs like Vioxx, they may still be the best option for treating some forms of arthritis.

In a Nature Reviews of Drug Discovery article this month the researchers from Imperial College London and Queen Mary, University of London examine the use of selective inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2).

They argue that although this class of drugs, which includes Vioxx, has been associated with an increase in the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes in some patients, the same may be true for traditional non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

All NSAIDs, including COX-2 inhibitors, work by blocking the actions of both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. Blocking COX-2 relieves inflammation and pain, but blocking COX-1 can increase the risk of gastric ulcers and bleeds. For this reason COX-2 selective drugs were developed with the simple aim that they would retain the therapeutic actions of NSAIDs (linked to inhibition of COX-2) but lose the gastric side effects (linked to inhibition of COX-1).

The researchers reviewed over one hundred papers on the subject and looked at the latest recommendations from organisations such as the American Federal Drugs Administration on the use of COX-2 inhibitors and NSAIDs.

The researchers point out that the calls for the removal of COX-2 inhibitors, and a return to using NSAIDs, may cause additional problems.
Although NSAIDs have been marketed for a number of years, they have never been required to meet the clinical trial standards now set for
COX-2 inhibitors, meaning they may not be any safer.

Professor Jane Mitchell, from Imperial College London, and one of the reviews authors, said: “Although some COX-2 drugs have been reported to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, they may still remain the best option for treating arthritis in some patients without cardiovascular risk factors who cannot tolerate traditional NSAIDs because of gastric side effects.”

Professor Mitchell added: “This review shows us that despite the large scale use of NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors for a number of years, we still need more information on their benefits and potential risks and that more research needs to be done in this area. Looking at existing evidence, however, it would seem COX-2 inhibitors may be the best option for some patients. They are as effective as traditional NSAIDs, but with less gastric side effects than some older drugs.”

Cat parasite and schizophrenia link

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London: Researchers have found stronger evidence for a link between a parasite in cat faeces and undercooked meat and an increased risk of schizophrenia.

Research published today in Procedings of the Royal Society B, shows how the invasion or replication of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii in rats may be inhibited by using anti-psychotic or mood stabilising drugs.

The researchers tested anti-psychotic and mood stabilising medications used for the treatment of schizophrenia on rats infected with T. gondii and found they were as, or more, effective at preventing behaviourial alterations as anti-T. gondii drugs. This led them to believe that T. gondii may have a role in the development of some cases of schizophrenia.

Dr Joanne Webster from Imperial College London, and lead researcher
said: “Although we are certainly not saying that exposure to this parasite does definitely lead to the development of schizophrenia, this and previous studies do show there may be a link in a few individuals, providing new clues for how we treat toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia.”

Previous epidemiological and neuropathological studies have indicated some cases of schizophrenia may be associated with environmental factors, such as exposure to the parasite T. gondii. At the same time several of the medications used to treat schizophrenia have been shown to posess anti-parasitic and in particular anti-T.gondii properties.This led the authors to suspect that the anti-psychotic activity of these medications may be due in part to their inhibition of these parasites.

When the rats were given Haloperidol, an anti-psychotic, and Valporic acid, a mood stabiliser, the behavioural symptoms of T.gondii were reduced. They found the drugs were able to limit the ‘suicidal feline’attraction by which the rats became less aware of the dangers of cats.

Dr Joanne Webster added: “By showing that drugs used to treat schizophrenia affect the parasite T. gondii, this does provide further evidence for its role in the development of some cases schizophrenia. It may be that anti-psychotic drugs work partly by parasite inhibition, and this could lead to new medicine and treatment combinations.”

The researchers have already begun human clinical trials using anti-T. gondii treatments as adjunct therapies for schizophrenia with researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

Website: www.imperial.ac.uk

Exercise can help prevent Alzheimer’s

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New York: Taking regular walks can help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease in older people, new research from the National Institute of Aging in Maryland has found.

Those who exercise three times a week during old age are a third less likely to develop dementia than the less active, research shows.

Walkers and cyclists are at lower risk of the disease, a study of more than 1,700 pensioners found. Aerobics and weight training are also beneficial.

The US research followed the progress of volunteers for six years. All were over 65 and in good health.

At the end of the study there were more cases of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, in those who took little or no exercise.

Those who exercised at least three times a week for at least 15 minutes at a time were 32 per cent less likely to develop the condition.

Researcher Dr Eric Larson, from the National Institute of Ageing in Maryland, said: ‘Even those elderly people who did modest amounts of gentle exercise, such as walking for 15 minutes three times a week, appeared to benefit. Even if you’re 75 and have never exercised before, you can still benefit by starting to exercise now.’

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia with more cases being diagnosed each year. For some, drugs can delay the progress of symptoms such as memory loss and the erosion of ability to do everyday tasks, but there is no cure.

However, exercising boosts blood flow to the parts of the brain used for memory, Dr Larson said.

‘Earlier research has shown that poor blood flow can damage these parts of the brain,’ he said. ‘So one theory is that exercise may prevent damage and might even help repair these areas by increasing blood flow.’

Writing in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the researchers said the social aspect of exercising may help keep men and women alert.

Previous findings have shown that exercise may keep Alzheimer’s at bay by reducing levels of amyloid, a sticky protein that clogs the brains of those with the disease, leading to nerve damage and memory loss.

Regular activity also helps prevent diabetes and high blood pressure – both of which increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

It is also possible those who exercise regularly as pensioners will have led healthier lifestyles over the years.

Researchers will investigate whether some types of exercise are better than others at warding off dementia.

New arthritis drug fears

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London: There are health concerns over a new arthritis drug which comes from the same drug family as Vioxx, which is at the heart of a US class action against the manufacturers.

The new drug Prexige, is a Cox-2 inhibitor, an anti-inflammatory, the best-known of which is Vioxx. A law suit against Vioxx manufacturer Merck Sharpe & Dohme, is currently ongoing in which 7,000 Americans claim they suffered heart attacks or strokes after taking it. The drug was removed from the market in 2004.

Prexige’s maker, Novartis, has carried out its biggest-ever trial involving 34,000 patients to prove that the drug is no more likely to cause heart attacks or strokes than standard painkillers such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

Prexige has now been licensed for use in the Britain by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the government agency responsible for making sure drugs are safe.

But following the scandal over Vioxx, many GPs are expected to be reluctant to prescribe it.

When Cox-2s became available in the late 1990s, they were seen to reduce the rate of stomach ulcers caused by existing painkillers such as aspirin. Thousands of patients end up in hospital each year because of ulcers linked to painkilling drugs and it is estimated up to 2,500 Britons a year die as a result.

Patients with heart disease or at high risk of a stroke have been advised not to take Cox-2s since Vioxx was taken off the market.

Trials on Prexige show it reduces pain as successfully as some other Cox-2s and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. But it reduces the rate of stomach problems, including ulcers, by up to 79 per cent compared with two other commonly-used drugs.

There was no difference in the cardiovascular risk in patients taking the new drug compared with the painkillers ibuprofen or naproxen.

Cosmetic ops increase by 35% in UK

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London:More than 22,000 cosmetic surgery operations were carried in the UK last year – an increase of 35% on the previous year.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons www.baaps.org.uk said:

22,041 surgical procedures were carried out by BAAPS members, up 34.6% from 2004

While the majority of cosmetic surgery continues to be carried out on women, the number of men having aesthetic procedures rose from 1,348 in 2004 to 2,440
From representing only 8% in 2004, men now account for 11% of the total procedures

Women had 19,601 procedures in 2005, up from 15,019 the previous year. The top procedure for women was breast augmentation, with 5,646 carried out – a 51% rise since 2004, when 3,731 were performed

Rhinoplasty continues to be the top procedure for men, with 735 undertaken by BAAPS members, up from 462 performed in 2004

Anti-ageing procedures (facelifts, eyelid surgery and brow lifts) showed a
considerable rise in popularity in the last year, increasing by 42.1%, 50.2% and 34.8%, respectively.

According to Mr. Adam Searle, consultant plastic surgeon and President of the BAAPS:

“These figures appear to represent a growing acceptance of aesthetic surgery, particularly in maintaining appearance with age and the number of men choosing to undergo surgery. With the increasing media coverage that provides the public with ever more information on what surgical procedures might achieve, it is essential that our members continue to promote responsible practices. At the BAAPS we are committed to educating people considering plastic surgery by providing independent and serious advice to assist in sensible decision-making.”

The figures in full:

A total of 22,041 procedures were carried out this year by BAAPS members in their private practices, compared to 16,367 in 2004. 2005 results indicate that surgical numbers continue to grow, with a 34.6% rise over the previous year.

The top ten surgical procedures for men & women in 2005 were, in order of popularity:

Breast augmentation: 5,655 – up 51.4% from last year
Blepharoplasty (eyelids): 3,415 – up 50.2%
Breast Reduction: 2,700 – up 9.3%
Face/Neck Lift: 2,279 – up 42.1%
Rhinoplasty: 2,268 – up 34.7%
Abdominoplasty: 1,869 – up 24.4%
Liposuction (major): 1,436 – up 24.9%
Otoplasty (ears): 1,176 – up 28.1%
Liposuction (minor): 663 – up 9.6%
Brow lifts 580 – up 34.8%

Women had 89% of all cosmetic procedures (19,601, up from 15,019 in 2004). The top five surgical procedures for women in 2004 were: breast augmentation (5,646), blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery (2,868), breast reduction (2,593), face/neck lift (2,135), and rhinoplasty (1,533).

Men had 2,440 cosmetic procedures, an increase of 1,092 from 2004. The top five surgical procedures for men in 2005 were: rhinoplasty (735), blepharoplasty (547), otoplasty (526), liposuction (220), and face/neck lift (144).

According to Mr. Douglas McGeorge, consultant plastic surgeon and President-Elect:

“These increases maintain a solid trend – evidently, the British public want to feel good about the way they look as they age. A growing awareness of the procedures available and their continued safety are all contributors to the popularity of cosmetic procedures. When performed under the right circumstances, aesthetic surgery can have a very positive psychological impact and improve a patient’s quality of life.”

Mr. Rajiv Grover, consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS Council member responsible for the UK aesthetic surgery audit said:

“I was not surprised at the continued rise in numbers, especially in the area of anti-ageing surgery such as eyelid surgery and facelifting. With these procedures it is essential to be selective in choosing the right practitioner, as the results are long lasting but complications can be permanent. Patients have come to view the BAAPS as the ideal destination to find out more about the possibilities and realities of aesthetic surgery.”

Moderate exercise may delay congestive heart failure

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Boulder: A study, conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder, indicates low-intensity exercise may significantly delay the onset of congestive heart failure ( CHF ).

According to Russell Moore of CU-Boulder, who led the study, lab rats carrying the genetic characteristics for spontaneously developing heart failure were shown to live significantly longer if they exercised moderately on a treadmill.
The exercise protocol extended the life expectancy of the rat study group by at least 10 percent to 15 percent.

“Assuming the results are applicable to humans, low-intensity exercise is likely to have benefits to humans in early stages of congestive heart failure,” he said.

The study was published in the American Journal of Physiology.

” Our study, coupled with several human studies conducted elsewhere, shows a definite trend indicating that moderate intensity exercise has a potential role in stemming the downward spiral in heart failure,” he said.

Moore said a unique feature of the CU-Boulder study was that the delay in the onset of CHF in the rats through moderate exercise was accomplished without reducing hypertension, or high blood pressure, in the animals. Most people in the early stages of development of heart failure also have hypertension, which is regularly treated to help improve the prognosis of CHF sufferers, said Moore.

Although several human studies in the last 10 to 20 years have shown that moderate exercise does not appear to harm CHF sufferers, the positive benefits of such exercise have not been found to be statistically significant, he said. Such studies are difficult to evaluate because participants often are taking a number of different medications, he said.

The intensity of exercise in the study was a crucial factor affecting longevity in the rats used in the study, said Moore. Early in the study, several of the rats that began exercising at nine months of age died after the locomotion speed was increased from 10 meters per minute to 17.5 meters per minute, he said. The speed was subsequently reduced to 14 meters per minute for the duration of the study, and no additional rat deaths occurred, he said.

” The bottom line is if the animals are exercised too hard, they will die,” he said. ” But when exercised moderately, in this case at barely more than a walk, the results were striking.”

According to the American Heart Association, about 65 million Americans are afflicted with hypertension and nearly five million suffer from CHF. In addition, about 75 percent of patients diagnosed with CHF die within eight years.

Low-intensity exercise for patients diagnosed early with CHF could preclude the use of expensive drug therapies and their side effects until later in life.

The rats used in the study were bred over generations to carry a genetic blueprint causing spontaneously hypertensive heart failure, or SHHF. Rats and humans share a large number of common genes and proteins, including many thought to be involved in heart disease.

Magnet therapy has no proven benefits, say US researchers

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Philadelphia: Patients should be advised that magnet therapy has no proved benefits, and that any healing effect is likely to be small, say US researchers in this week’s British Medical Journal.

Magnetic devices that are claimed to be therapeutic include magnetic bracelets, insoles, wrist and knee bands, back and neck braces, and even pillows and mattresses. Annual sales are estimated at more than a billion dollars globally.

But Professors Leonard Finegold and Bruce Flamm argue that many studies of magnet therapy are suspect because it is difficult to blind subjects to the presence of a magnet. They suggest that money spent on expensive and unproved magnet therapy might be better spent on evidence based medicine.

More importantly, self treatment with magnets may result in an underlying medical condition being left untreated, they warn.

Magnets are touted by successful athletes, allowed to be widely advertised, and sold without restrictions, so it is not surprising that lay people think that claims of therapeutic efficacy are reasonable, they write. However – even theoretically – magnet therapy seems unrealistic.

Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence. Patients should be advised that magnet therapy has no proved benefits. If they insist on using a magnetic device they could be advised to buy the cheapest – this will at least alleviate the pain in their wallet, the authors conclude.

New Yorkers living longer

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New York: More New Yorkers are living longer according to the city’s health department.

The Department of Health says just over 57,000 people died in 2004. That is a historic low and about 2,000 fewer deaths then in 2003.

Health department officials say the biggest factor in the decrease in deaths was the reduction in heart attack deaths (down 14 percent), deaths from HIV and AIDS (down 12 percent), colon cancer and homicide (both down 9 percent).

The life expectancy for New Yorkers born in 2003 increased to just over 78 years, more than seven months longer than the national average.

Grapefruit helps fight gum disease, say British dentists

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London: Eating grapefruit could help fight gum disease. That’s the conclusion of research published in the new edition of the British Dental Journal (BDJ). Researchers found that eating two grapefruits a day significantly increased the vitamin C levels of those suffering from gum disease.

Because vitamin C promotes the healing of wounds and boasts antioxidant properties, it contributes to the therapy and prevention of the condition. The effect was observed for smokers and non-smokers alike.

The two-week study examined the effect of consuming grapefruit on a mixed group of smoking and non-smoking subjects. At the start of the study, virtually all of those taking part exhibited plasma vitamin C levels well below the normal range, with the smokers’ levels 29 per cent lower than the non-smokers’. A proportion of the group was then selected to consume two grapefruits per day after a main meal for the duration of the research.

Grapefruit raised the ascorbic acid plasma levels of all those who had consumed it. In non-smokers the mean level increased from 0.56 milligrammes (mg dl¹) to 0.87 mg dl¹. In smokers the mean level almost doubled, from 0.39 mg dl¹ to 0.74 mg dl¹. While smokers’ levels enjoyed a greater increase, the fact that they started from a lower baseline meant that their levels were still below those of the non-smokers. The levels of the remainder of the group, who did not consume any grapefruit, were unchanged.

The researchers also observed a significant reduction of the sulcus bleeding index, that is bleeding from the gums, after grapefruit consumption. They concluded that this effect was also likely to have been caused by the improved vitamin C supply.

Note:

1. The grapefruits consumed in the study were acquired from a supermarket and each weighed approximately 300g. Each grapefruit contains approximately 92.5 mg of vitamin C. Those taking part in the research were advised not to brush their teeth immediately after consuming the grapefruits. This is because citrus fruits are acidic and can weaken tooth enamel making it susceptible to erosion.

2. The research was carried out by the Friedrich Schiller University in Germany. It is published in the 27 August edition of the British Dental Journal (BDJ), the scientific journal of the British Dental Association. Please acknowledge the BDJ as the source of the research.

3. The British Dental Association is the trade union and professional association for dentists practicing in the UK, representing 20,000 members working in all aspects of dentistry.

4. For further information, please contact the BDA on 0207 563 4145/6.

New research casts doubt on BMI weight system

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Washington: A study of 33,000 adults has discovered that putting on a few pounds could actually lengthen your life. According to research published in the American Journal of Public Health most adults may be healthy with an extra half stone than that recommended under the current Body Mass Index(BMI) measuring system.

BMI is calculated by dividing a patient’s weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared. A rating below 18 is regarded as underweight, while above 25 is overweight and a mass index over 30 is regarded as obese.

But while many doctors use the index as a general guideline to good health, the US researchers have found that the average person classified as overweight in the UK actually lives longer.

Changing the current recommended BMI to 26 for men would allow the average male to carry 24lb more than is currently recommended. Women could quite happily tip the scales at half a stone more than suggested.

The study also found that adults with BMIs as high as 35 have the same life expectancy as skinny people who have BMIs of 20.

According to the research, only those with BMIs over 35, equivalent to 17st 6lb for a 5ft 10in man and 15st for a 5ft 5in women, face a marked reduction in life expectancy.

Researcher Dr Jerome Gronniger, of the US Congressional Budget Office, said: ‘This work does not support the idea that reducing weight alone would result in any large mortality risk reduction for most of the population.’

High protein diet book comes under attack

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Sydney: The authors of the best-selling slimming book, The Total Wellbeing Diet, have defended its high protein approach to dieting.

The Total Wellbeing Diet, similar to the Atkins diet, advises eating around twice the daily amount of protein in a typical Western diet. But an editorial in the magazine Nature suggests the diet only helps a small number of people.

However the scientists from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) who wrote the book, which has sold more than half a million copies in Australia, stand by their work.

The diet recommends around 30 to 35% of a person’s daily energy intake should come from protein, compared to 15% in the typical Western diet. The authors Manny Noakes and Peter Clifton who devised the eating plan, recommend eating more meat and fish at lunch and dinner.

Unlike the Atkins diet it advises eating small amounts of carbohydrates and fruit and vegetables. The diet is based the diet on several studies, including one of 100 overweight women which they carried out themselves. Half the women were put onto the high-protein diet while the rest had a high-carbohydrate eating plan.
Both diets contained the same amount of calories, and women in both groups lost the same amount of weight.

Women with high triglyceride levels – a marker of insulin resistance – shed far more weight on the high-protein diet. Insulin resistance happens when the body cannot respond properly to the insulin being produced, leading to difficulty in regulating blood glucose levels.

The Nature editorial said: “The diet is being promoted as beneficial for everyone, whereas the published research indicates that it is superior to a high-carbohydrate diet only for a sub-population of overweight women with symptoms of metabolic disorder.”

Patrick Holford, of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London, said: “The main trial showed no difference in weight loss compared with a conventional diet.”

But a spokeswoman for the CSIRO said it had always published books on its scientific work and put its name to publications, and this was “no exception”.

“The decision to publish was in response to many consumers asking for further details of the diet.”

A daily drink cuts diabetes risk

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Utrecht: Women over-50s who enjoy a daily alcoholic drink are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to scientists at the Utrecht University Medical Centre in Holland.

On the other hand drinking more than moderately loses the benefit. The scientists studied more than 16,000 women aged between 49 and 70 who did not have diabetes. After six years they found that 760 women had developed type 2 diabetes.

After examining alcohol consumption, they discovered that women who took five to 30g of alcohol each week were much less likely to develop the disease.

Levels of diabetes in developed countries is increasing as a result of increased obesity. Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to process sugar, leading to high levels which damages organs. Type 1 diabetes develops at a young age and type 2 in older people who are usually overweight.

Large doses of Vitamin D cut cancer risk

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San Diego: Scientists at the University of California say that large doses of vitamin D each day can halve the chance of developing cancer.

They recommend a daily dose of 25 microgrammes. Vitamin D is found in oily fish, meat, eggs, milk and cod liver oil.

Multivitamin pills contain about a quarter of the amount, though there are higher levels in cod liver oil capsules and combined vitamin D and calcium pills. Sunbathing also boosts levels as vitamin D is made in the body in response to sunlight. But there are dangers in over-exposure, with fair-skinned people in particular advised to stick to food sources.

The report follows research indicating that good levels of vitamin D can prevent more than 25 chronic diseases.

In the latest research it was found after reviewing 63 studies, looking at the relationship between blood levels of vitamin D and cancer risk.

The papers, published worldwide between 1966 and 2004, included 30 investigations of colon cancer, 13 of breast cancer, 26 of prostate cancer and seven of ovarian cancer.

Analysis showed that, for at least some cancers, the vitamin D factor could not be ignored, says a report in the American Journal of Public Health.

Professor Cedric Garland, of the Moores Cancer Centre at the University of California, San Diego, called for urgent public health action.

He said: ‘Primary prevention of these cancers has largely been neglected, but we now have proof that the incidence of colon, breast, and ovarian cancer can be reduced dramatically by increasing the intake of vitamin D.

‘Breast cancer will strike one in eight women. Early detection using mammography reduces mortality rates by approximately 20 per cent, but the use of vitamin D might prevent this cancer in the first place.’

Professor Garland said a lack of vitamin D could explain the high death rates from cancer among certain groups.

The study found that people in the north- eastern U.S. were at increased risk because of lower sunlight levels. Poorer cancer survival rates among African-Americans may be because it is more difficult for dark-skinned people to make the natural form of the vitamin, known as D3.

The new results will add to a recent surge of interest in vitamin D for cancer prevention and possible treatment.

Earlier this year, Professor Johan Moan of the Institute for Cancer Research, in Oslo, studied all the people diagnosed with cancer in Norway between 1964 and 2000. He found the risk of dying within three years was 50 per cent lower for those diagnosed during summer and autumn – when blood levels of vitamin D are highest – than in winter.

Professor Moan said: ‘In Nordic countries, and in Britain, practically no vitamin D is generated in the skin during the winter because solar radiation contains too little ultraviolet B. In wartime Britain, children were regularly given cod liver oil for extra vitamins.’

Scientists 10 years from growing teeth

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London: Medical research teams in the US and Europe are heading towards a technique that can grow adult teeth. Growing teeth would be a more natural and cheaper alternative to dentures, dental implants and bridges

In London researcher Paul Sharpe of Kings College, is seeking funding of $5.2 million to begin testing people within three years. The teeth would be “completely normal and identical in every way to existing teeth.”

He plans to use stem cells grown in a lab which are then reimplanted at the site of the missing tooth. It would take about two months to grow into a full tooth. It is estimated that the technique is ten years away from fruition.

While in Chicago, Tom Diekwisch of the University of Illinois is studying tooth regenration in animals.

Different teams are using different approaches. But the techniques generally involve directing immature stem cells to develop into tooth tissue.

At the US Harvard School of Dental Medicine another team headed by Pamela Yelick has used rat stem cells to grow well-formed crowns, with layers of enamel, dentin and pulp. Her team also has grown pig tooth crowns.

It is likely that tooth repairs will precede whole teeth. Stem cells could, for example be used to repair cracked teeth rather than use synthetic materials. It also might be possible to regenerate pulp inside the tooth, thereby eliminating the need for root canals.

The key to growing or regenerating teeth is coaxing stem cells to do the job. A stem cell is an unspecialized cell that can develop into a specialized cell.

Stem cell research is under way on many fronts. For example, researchers hope to coax stem cells to produce insulin for diabetics, regenerate heart muscle for cardiac patients or repair spinal cord injuries for paraplegics.

Some researchers are obtaining stem cells from human embryos, which opponents consider unethical because embryos are destroyed in the process. But the stem cells that would be used to grow or repair teeth would not come from embryos. They instead could be obtained from such sources as the patient’s mouth, jaw, blood or existing teeth. Some researchers prefer to use the term progenitor cells.

Although improved dental care is enabling more people to keep their teeth, tooth loss remains a huge problem. By age 44, nearly seven in 10 American adults have lost at least one tooth to decay or gum disease. And about one in four elderly adults have lost all of their teeth.

It costs anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 to replace a lost tooth with an implant or a bridge.

Women who enjoy a daily drink delay menopause

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New York: US scientists have discovered that women who enjoy an alcoholic drink each day may delay the start of their menopause.

Researchers at Columbia University found that women who had at least five drinks weekly delayed the menopause two years later than those to abstained. They concluded that alcohol raised levels of the hormone oestrogen. They also discovered that cigarette smoking caused women to have their menopause early.

The scientists hope to use the research to increase their knowledge of diseases such as osteoporosis and breast cancer, which increase after menopause.

The participants in the research included 500 New York women between 44 and 60. They recorded how many alcoholic and caffeinated drinks they drank, whether they smoked and the age at which their menopause began.

The study found that women who drank at least once a week started their menopause just over a year later than those who abstained. Women who drink on five to seven days a week started their menopause more than two years later than teetotallers.

Green tea attacks leukaemia cells

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Rochester: Green tea has been found to help leukaemia patients, a new study has discovered.

In a limited experiment, three out of four adult patients, suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukamia or CLL, which usually occurs in middle-age, shows improvement after several months of drinking green tea.

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, said the patients drank the tea on their own initiative after reading media reports on the properties of green tea.
The Mayo hadearler carried out tests in which cancer cells put into a test tube with a compound found in green tea, EGCG, were killed.

The three patients showed a regression in their cancer after consuming green tea or green tea capsules. The fourth patient showed an improvement in her white cell count but her condition remained unchanged. In another patient lymph nodes which swell in cancer patients started reducing in size.

The Mayo Clinic is now carrying out clinical trials to see how purified EGCG can treat CLL.

Christmas spirits – hangover preventions and cures

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By Avril O’Connor

It’s that time of year again when the world is full of Christmas spirit, but all that socialising can play havoc with our health.

The Government guidelines for safe alcohol consumption are 21 units per week for men and 14 for women, with no more than four in one day. This means, for example, that two glasses of wine would add up to three and a pint of beer two. So it is very easy to exceed the recommendations on a regular basis during the party season.

Although the liver is a very resilient organ, and can regenerate and detox, you will look and feel below par if you don’t take steps to minimise and repair the damage. The consumption of alcohol results in the formation of two very toxic compounds – acetaldehyde and malondialdehyde – these are poisons that can lead to massive free radical damage to cells, causing dehydration and depleting the body of vitamins and minerals. This is the reason people feel so sick the day after consuming too much alcohol.

But you can take steps to lessen the impact on your body. If a proper combination of antioxidants, in the form of dietary supplements, is taken at the time the alcohol is consumed or before we go to bed, the hangover and much of the cellular damage may be prevented.

Nutrients that neutralize alcohol by-products and protect cells against the damaging effects of alcohol include vitamin C, vitamin B1, the amino acids S-allyl-cysteine (also contained in garlic) and glutathione, vitamin E and selenium. One of the most beneficial and protective supplements for the liver is Milk Thistle. It is also advisable to hydrate as much as possible by taking a sports drink prior before partying and also before going to bed.

Alcohol also damages the liver by depressing an important enzyme needed to convert methionine, an antioxidant found in meat and diary food into S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a substance necessary for liver health. SAMe can be taken as a supplement twice a day will help protect the liver from damaging oxidation that could lead to cirrhosis.

Alcohol is also a diuretic, which means it speeds the loss of water from the body – causing parched-mouth thirst, headaches and that feeling of continual dizziness. Nausea, vomiting and indigestion are caused by irritation to the stomach lining. A tiring night out – followed by a lack of refreshing dream sleep – means you’ll feel tired the following morning. This is made worse as the body’s organs try to rid themselves of the alcohol making you feel drained.
It can be tricky to monitor your alcohol consumption with other people filling up your glass but there is a handy little device called the Alcohol Sensor which measures the level of alcohol in your breath in just 5 seconds. Costs £24.99. Available at Selfridges and Menkind. Freefone 0800 731 6994 for stockists.

And if you do go over the top and literally loose your shirt or party all night, Eton Shirts is running an emergency service to deliver a brand new shirt of your choice anywhere in London within one hour. Alternatively you can reserve a shirt and pick it up from their London flagship store at 65 Kingsway, London WC2. The service is available Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm. Prices start at £80 plus courier. T: 020 7430 1433.

The effects of a hangover last about 24 hours, after which you will feel better and ready to party again.

Top tips to avoid a hangover

Before you go out:
– Hydrate with a sports drink and take a combination of antioxidant supplements
– Eat a good meal with protein such as eggs – this is digested slowly and helps protect the stomach
– Drink a glass of milk – it slows down the absorption of alcohol

While you’re partying:
– Alternate water or non-fizzy soft drinks with alcoholic ones
– Avoid fizzy drinks – these speed alcohol through your system
– Try to drink in moderation
Before going to bed
– Drink lots of water or a sports drink to help you rehydrate
– Take vitamin C – speeds up metabolism of alcohol
– Eat Toast – the carbohydrate will help your blood sugar levels
– Walk in the fresh air

Hangover Cures
– Antacid liquid or tablets and Ginger Tea – help you stop feeling queasy and settle your stomach
– Ibuprofen or paracetamol will relieve your headache. Anti-sickness tablets may come in handy.
– Vitamin C (fruit juice or tablets)
– Eat toast and eggs – eggs contain cysteine, which helps to eradicate the toxic chemicals caused by alcohol

Supplements, Rehydrators and headache cures

Pure Energy Istonic fluid replacement drink

Pure Energy is used by marathon runners and is an isotonic fluid replacement drink containing electrolytes, which are mineral salts that dissolve in the body’s fluid. They include sodium, chloride, potassium and magnesium, and help to regulate the fluid balance in the body. Pure Energy replaces fluid faster than water, and the extra sugars will also help maintain blood sugar levels. The best way to deal with hangovers is to drink 500ml of Pure Energy before you go to bed and again 500ml first thing in the morning. Pure Energy is available in Sunburst Orange and Lemon & Lime. Costs £8.99 and is available at John Bell & Croyden, Unichem and Alliance pharmacies, Tree of Life and independent health food stores. Pure Energy is also available on line at www.bio-synergy.co.uk

Fushi Hangover Herbal Tonic

A 100% herbal tonic, containing fruit juice extracts and a fusion of Western and Asian herbs – hangover therapy in a bottle – that can be added to lemonade or Indian tonic water to create a delicious drink. Hangover Cure, which contains, white willow bark, milk thistle seed, lemon, Angelica root and Siberian Ginseng should be taken before and after a night of over-indulgence. Costs £12.95. Flagship store at 55 Duke of York Square, Chelsea SW3; Harvey Nichols (London), and selected products at Fresh & Wild stores across the UK. Online orders at www.fushi.co.uk

quarma EPO – Virgin Organic Evening Primrose Oil

quarma EPO contains essential fatty acids and natural vitamin E which help the body repair the damage caused by too much alcohol. By taking 4-6 qarma virgin organic evening primrose oil capsules before going to bed after a night’s heavy drinking you help the body repair the damage and wake up feeling better that you would otherwise.
Costs £7.99. qarma EPO is available from, Tesco and selected pharmacies. On line orders 0870 241 5621 or visit www.equazen.com

Cynara Milk Thistle and Arichoke supplements

Renowned for its liver-boosting properties, milk thistle has been found to promote regeneration of healthy new liver cells to replace old and damaged ones. A powerful antioxidant, it aids the body’s ability to destroy toxins such as alcohol and helps quell feelings of nausea and indigestion. Aritchoke helps improve function of both the liver and the gall bladder, helping to digest fat and break down alcohol, ideal for those who indulge in rich and fatty diets. Cynara Artichoke is £9.95 for 30 capsules, Cynara Milk Thistle is £7.99 for 30 tablets and Cynara Turmeric is £7.99 for 30 tablets. Available from pharmacies nationwide. Readers can call 0800 652 7150 for advice or their nearest stockist, or log on to www.lichtwer.co.uk

Chaser for Wine

Chaser for Wine is a natural food supplement developed specifically to prevent wine headaches, because you take it before you drink. It contains natural ingredients that attract and absorb congeners, the by-products of the fermentation process that are the primary cause of wine headaches. It doesn’t stop you getting drunk. The active ingredients include calcium carbonate, vegetable carbon and vitamin B2. . Two caplets last for three hours or up to five glasses of wine.
There is also Original Chaser, for use with Beer and Spirits available. Both are priced at £2.99 for a 4 caplet card or £19.95 for a 40 caplet bottle and available from most Superdrug stores. Alternatively you can call 08450 066 077 or visit www.doublechaser.co.uk for more information.

4head natural headache cure

4head is a natural product, containing levomethol, which relaxes blood vessels and comes in a handy pop up stick that you apply to your forehead for the topical relief of headaches including hangover headaches. It is cooling and soothing and takes seconds to apply. Costs £5.95 from Boots.

Silicol Gel

Silicol Gel is made from the essential trace element silicon, found naturally in foods such as oats, barley and millet. The therapeutic action neutralises excess acidity in the stomach, absorbs toxins, irritants and carries them safety out of the body. It is good for nausea, acid indigestion, diarrhoea and an upset stomach. Silicol Gel can also be taken as a precautionary measure before a night out to line and protect the stomach wall. Costs £7.99 for 200ml and £16.99 for 500ml. Available from Holland and Barrett and independent health food stores. For further information, please visit www.silicol.com

Cranberry Juice

Cranberry juice is well-known for its cleansing properties and a hangover cure (without the vodka!) Ocean Spray Cranberry Classic, available in stores across the UK. Expect to pay 94p for a 1 litre carton at supermarkets.

Patch-It Detox

A plaster-style patch that stimulates the body’s reflexology points, promoting improved circulation, and supporting the body’s natural detoxification processes. Simply apply to the soles of the feet before going to bed. Contains purified powdered mandarin wood vinegar that emits far infra-red energy (heat) through the skin, which in turn stimulates the body’s reflexology points. Costs £12.95 for 6 patches and £29.99 for 20 patches. For stockist details contact 01628 898366 or visit www.vitalia-health.co.uk

HealthAid Livercare and Monthly Detox Plan

A range of supplements designed to protect the body from toxic damage. HealthAid Livercare™™ which includes Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Turmeric and Artichoke has been formulated to help maintain a strong healthy liver and to help process toxins effectively. The Monthly Detox Plan lasts for 25-30 days and includes herbal tea, a tincture targeting the liver and trialpha with psyllium capsules for the colon. The HealthAid Weekend Detox Plan is aimed at people who want and quicker and easier option. Costs: Livercare: £7.99 for 60 tablets; Monthly Detox Plan: £19.99; Weekend Detox Plan: £7.99Available from all good independent Chemists and selected Health Food stores.For stockists and mail order call HealthAid Ltd on 020 8426 3400

Nucell Active

A supplement that you take to build up your body before you go out for the evening. It contains concentrated nucleotides, a substance found in high concentrations in human milk and RNA building blocks, which speed up the process of creating new cells, essential for recovery after a night of drinkingNucell Active costs £14.99 and is available by calling Natra Health on 08452 705070 or visit www.nucell.co.uk

REVIVING & CAMOFLAGE TREATMENTS

Delanta Ethiopian Massage

One hour of bliss by Yerous Sissaye-Raya, who brings massage techniques from Ethiopia to the stressed of Clerkenwell. A qualified massage therapist she specialises in deep tissue massage using invigorating strokes that stimulate and relax. She also offers stress and relaxation treatments including back, neck and shoulder massage and Indian Head Massage in a calming and quiet atmosphere. Cost: Delanta Deep Tissue Massage £50, Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage, £30 and Indian Head Massage £30. Deltanta Holistic Therapy at Anita Cox Hair and Beauty Salon, 62 Britton Street, EC1. T: 020 7251 8220.

Dr Denese’s First Aid Kit for Lifeless Skin

A complete three-step skin care system, scientifically developed to jumpstart tired skin, stimulating cellular turnover and re-hydrating dry and tired, damaged skin. Effects are almost instant. The eight-week course cleanses, rejuvenates and illuminates the skin. It includes a cleanser, exfoliator, firming pads, HydroSeal Recovery Serium that hydrates the skin by a massive 184% softening lines and wrinkles, a Night Recovery Cream with vitamins and antioxidants and Vitamin C Radiance Cream with a highly concentrated blend of vitamins A, C and E, ceramides and crushed pearl, fills lines and wrinkles and deflects light away from imperfections. Results are immediate but for optimum benefit complete the provided course of 10-12 home treatments. Costs £69.95 and is available from Dr Denese on 0870 1900 003 or online at www.drdenese.co.uk

Crystal Clear Eye Contour Life for hangover eyes

Lifts and firms the delicate area around the eye and reduces dark circles and puffiness. A unique activator solution is used to impregnate special pads containing Chitosan, a substance made from shells and a concentrate of firming, lifting, and anti-wrinkle agents. A box containing enough pads and solution for four treatments costs £32.95. Crystal Clear Skin Care is available from salons nationwide. Contact the Crystal Clear National Helpline on 08705 934 934 for a list of participating salons or for details on mail order visit: www.crystalclear.co.uk

DRESS2KILL HANGOVER BUSTING FACIAL FOR MEN

Dress2Kill is London’s first all in one male grooming studio where you can buy that suit and get a facial. The seasonal hangover buster facial lasts 45 minutes and you will feel better afterwards. Costs £45 and includes a cooling eye treatment, toxin relief massage, cleanse and scrub. Dress2Kill at The Cut, SE1. T: Tel 0870 7802066 www.dress2killgrooming.com

Oscar + Dehn’s Hangover from Hell Eye Mask

Revives tired eyes and eases a pounding head. A cooling eye mask for use at home that helps get you through the day. Costs £7 and buy on-line from www.hghair.com

TIGI Bed Head’s Wipe-Out Biggie Fixx-It Stick.

This chunky pencil concealer covers blemishes, dark circles and skin imperfections in a flash. It contains salicylic acid which helps heal spots. Available in two shades, the TIGI Bed Head Wipe-Out Biggie Fix-It Stick costs £9.30.Available nationwide from selected hairdressing salons. For your nearest stockist call 0870 330 0955 or visit www.tigi.co.uk

Medik8 Dark Circles

Dark circle busters – Professional strength under-eye dark circle fading formula. Helps fades dark circles; promotes bright even tone & relieve puffiness. Dramatically reduces dark circles and unsightly puffiness around the eyes. Strengthens the connective tissue and improves microcirculation. Also reduces the breakdown of the collagen and elastin matrix. Free Radical presence is also reduced. Costs £22. For further information on the Medik8® range, stockists or mail order please contact Medik8 on 0845 673 2222 or visit www.medik8
www.medik8.com to order online.

Moor At Home Spa Range Face Mask

This mask that is made from 331 different nourishing nutrients found in the moorlands of Europe. It is ideal for all skins, both men and women and the beauty of it is you only have to leave it on for three minutes. Ideal for a hangover is it re-invigiorates the skin, gets rid of any blotchiness or uneven skin tones and leaves skin refreshed and re-nourished. Costs £12 for 50ml; £65 for 500ml and £110 for 1 litre. Body wrap £55 for 1 litre. Product Stockists and mail order telephone 01622 844944.
Avotone Instant Non-Surgical ‘Facelift’
InstantEffects is a 60-second firming treatment that fades away lines and wrinkles right before your very eyes. Dubbed the pre-party face-lift in the States. Costs £29.99 and available on online at www.avotone-uk.com

Orange & Vitamin C 5-minute Miracle Face Tonic Facial

The 5-Minute Miracle Tonic with Orange and Vitamin C from Montagne Jeunesse will leave your skin bright, refreshed and rejuvenated in minutes, clearing your head and leaving you ready for the day ahead. The 5-Minute Miracle Tonics are salon-style fabric facials for everyday beauty solutions. For the ultimate post party pick me up choose the Orange and Vitamin C mask, which brightens the skin and cools a cloudy head. Costs 99p and available from Boots, Superdrug and major supermarket chains nationwide priced 99p or less.

ALCOHOL HELP

Life Works Addiction Clinic, W1

If you think you you’re drinking too much and are unsure if it’s getting out of hand, help is available. Life Works, a central London addiction clinic offers a free phone number for people seeking advice – 0800 081 0700″.

FRANK, the drugs misuse helpline.
For friendly, confidential advice on drugs talk to FRANK on 0800 77 66 00 or talktofrank.com

Next: Cosmetic Beauty Trends for 2006

Avril O’Connor is editor of www.elixirnews.com and independent news source on anti-ageing health. Contact: editor@elixirnews.com

Mild exercise helps lift depression say experts

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New York: Depression and anxiety can be worked off by mild exercise, say experts at the Harvard Medical School in Boston.

In the latest issue of the Harvard Medical Letter they say:”Although it is no magic remedy, there is little to lose and everything to gain by trying to work off depression and anxiety.”

Dr. Michael Craig Miller, editor-in-chief of the letter, comments”It’s clear that exercise is beneficial for mental health. What’s not clear is how it works.”

For example, in one of the studies cited in the letter, researchers found that adults who participated in a three-month rigorous exercise program experienced a decline in depressive symptoms about as great as they would have experienced had they received standard depression treatment, such as antidepressant medication.

Even among middle-school children, higher levels of physical activity have been found to be associated with fewer depressive symptoms, according to a another recent report. Other studies have found exercise to be similarly associated with improvements in panic disorder, post-traumatic stress and other anxiety disorders.

Researchers speculate that vigorous exercise may be associated with increased levels of “helpful chemicals in the brain,” such as endorphins, which are responsible for the euphoric feelings associated with exercise, said Miller, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, Massachusetts.

Also, the support group provided by other exercisers, as well as the heightened sense of alertness and improved self-esteem often associated with regular physical activity, all contribute to an enhanced sense of well being, he said.

Still, an increased level of physical activity will affect different people in different ways, and it is not a proven cure for any mental illness, according to the health letter.

What’s more, some depressed individuals may simply not have the desire to exercise.

Citing the popular NIKE slogan, Miller said, “Most people cannot ‘just do it,’ particularly if they are depressed.”

He advises that people who fall in this category do as much as they can, even if it means exercising for a few minutes at a time. Continued …

“The advantage of doing a little bit is that sometimes a little bit leads to a little bit more,” he said.

“You don’t have to have a program that includes 45 minutes of sweating and grunting and moaning,” he added. “A 10-minute walk is as good a place to start as anything else.”