Mary Poppins may not be medically trained, but she was right about at least one thing: a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down. Mannitol is a sugar alcohol used commercially as an artificial sweetener and medically to facilitate the delivery of drugs into the brain by disrupting the blood–brain barrier. Now,ContinueContinue reading “A spoonful of sugar”
Tag Archives: diet
Berries benefit the brain
Berries are considered nutritional ‘superfoods,’ packed with antioxidants believed to scavenge potentially damaging compounds in the body, reducing inflammation and ameliorating the effects of stress. Shibu Poulouse (Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA) and colleagues specifically evaluated whether berries could protect the brain by reducing the accumulation of toxic proteins. LabContinueContinue reading “Berries benefit the brain”
Is caloric restriction a ‘fountain of youth’ for primates?
Since European explorers first probed the New World’s resources, humans have sought a simple but universally effective defense against aging and death. Countless experiments have evaluated the life-extending effects of myriad molecules and manipulations, be they genetic or lifestyle, in animal models. When studies in species from flies to worms to rodents suggested that reducedContinueContinue reading “Is caloric restriction a ‘fountain of youth’ for primates?”
Easier estimation of an individual’s ‘body time’
For many organisms, including humans, the activity of certain biological processes and the expression of certain genes and proteins fluctuate predictably over a period of roughly 24 hours. These oscillations are maintained by an internal time-keeping mechanism called the circadian clock. ‘Body time’ refers to the setting of each individual’s circadian clock, which can varyContinueContinue reading “Easier estimation of an individual’s ‘body time’”
Ad lib feeding confounds toxicology studies
In many experimental protocols, rodents are given unlimited access to food. This allows the animals to overeat, resulting in substantial changes in their metabolism and physiology. Past studies have reported elevated levels of triglycerides and cholesterol; diet-induced obesity; kidney and heart dysfunction; and greater risks of pituitary, pancreatic, adrenal and thyroid tumors in association withContinueContinue reading “Ad lib feeding confounds toxicology studies”
Modeling type 2 diabetes on the fly
The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly in the US, making it a major public health concern and the focus of much biomedical research. Insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, is linked to obesity and poor diet. Until now, researchers have relied primarily on rodent models for investigations of the mechanismsContinueContinue reading “Modeling type 2 diabetes on the fly”
Fructokinase isoforms face off in metabolic syndrome
Dietary intake of fructose is associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in humans, and fructose intake can induce metabolic syndrome in rats and in humans. These effects seem to be independent of excessive energy consumption and increased body weight. To investigate the mechanism linking fructose intake with metabolic syndrome, a researchContinueContinue reading “Fructokinase isoforms face off in metabolic syndrome”
Exercise alone relieves arthritis symptoms
The links between diet, obesity, exercise and arthritis have been the focus of much research attention, partly because arthritis is estimated to affect as many as 20% of adults in the US. One form of arthritis, called osteoarthritis, is characterized by inflammation, joint degeneration and development of osteophytes (bony outgrowths around joints), resulting in pain.ContinueContinue reading “Exercise alone relieves arthritis symptoms”
Thirty-seven strawberries a day?
The old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” may have a new star: strawberries. Thirty-seven of them, actually. That’s how many a person might need to eat each day to reap the benefits of the fruit, as reported recently in PLoS One (6, e21226; 2011. The report discussed how fisetin, a compoundContinueContinue reading “Thirty-seven strawberries a day?”
Raise a glass to vascular health
It’s no secret that vascular health declines with age. Contributing to this decline is dysfunction of the endothelium, the inner lining of the blood vessels. Normally, a functional endothelium enables coagulation, platelet adhesion and immune activity. However, its dysfunction is associated with reduced anticoagulant properties and an inability of arteries and arterioles to dilate fully,ContinueContinue reading “Raise a glass to vascular health”
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