Results of a recent review of nine studies add to brewing evidence that drinking coffee protects against cancer, this time against head and neck cancer.

Study participants who drank four or more cups of coffee a day, compared with those who were non-drinkers, had a 39% decreased risk of oral cavity and pharynx cancers combined. On the other hand, tea intake was not associated with head and neck cancer risk.

“Since coffee is so widely used and there is a relatively high incidence and low survival rate of these forms of cancers, our results have important public health implications that need to be further addressed,” notes lead researcher Mia Hashibe, PhD.

“What makes our results so unique is that we had a very large sample size, and since we combined data across many studies, we had more statistical power to detect associations between cancer and coffee,” she adds.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention – June 22, 2010;Epub.
cebp.aacrjournals.org

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports an alarming jump in overdoses from prescription pain killers. Specifically, emergency department (ED) visits for the abuse of opioid analgesics rocketed 111% from 2004 to 2008. This reflects a rise from 144,644 in 2004 to 305,885 in 2008. The highest numbers of ED visits were recorded for oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone.

“These increases in nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals suggest that previous prevention measures, such as provider and patient education and restrictions on use of specific formulations, have not been adequate. Given the societal burden of the problem, additional interventions are urgently needed, such as more systematic provider education, universal use of state prescription drug monitoring programs by providers, the routine monitoring of insurance claims information for signs of inappropriate use, and efforts by providers and insurers to intervene when patients use drugs inappropriately … . This report also reinforces the value of timely, population-based national surveillance for nonmedical use of drugs, which can be used to assess the effect of such interventions.”

MMWR – June 18, 2010 ;59;705-9.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr

An increased intake of the vitamins B6 and B12 may ward off depression, say scientists.

Researchers tracked 3,503 older adults for up to 12 years. The subjects were free of depression at the study onset. Over the course of the trial 11% to 14% of subjects developed depression. Every 10-microgram (mg) increase in daily B6 and B12 vitamins from food or supplements was associated with a 2% lower risk of depression. On the other hand, no link was evident between folate intake and the risk of depression. These findings held after adjustment for age, sex, race, education, income, and antidepressant medication use.

“Our results support the hypotheses that high total intakes of vitamins B-6 and B-12 are protective of depressive symptoms over time in community-residing older adults,” write the study’s authors.

AJCN – June 2, 2010 ;Epub.
www.ajcn.org

Vitamin D may help reduce the incidence and severity of viral respiratory tract infections including influenza, according to a new study conducted by investigators at Greenwich Hospital and Yale University School of Medicine.

The study followed 198 healthy adults during the fall and winter of 2009-2010.

In the double-blinded study, participants had blood samples drawn monthly using a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test to accurately measure vitamin D levels. Participants did not know that vitamin D was being measured, and the investigators did not know the levels until the end of the study. All participants were asked to report any evidence of an acute respiratory tract infection (nasal congestion, sore throat, and/or cough with or without fever, chills, fatigue and general malaise).

Of the 18 participants who maintained vitamin D levels of 38 ng/ml or higher during the study period, only three (16.6 %) developed viral infections. Of the 180 other participants, 81 (45 %) developed viral infections. Those with the higher vitamin D levels also experienced a marked reduction in the number of days ill.

 PloS One – June 14, 2010 ;Epub.
http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011088

People who are exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to have psychological problems, compared with people who are not exposed to second-hand smoke.

These findings are from a study that looked at 5,560 non-smokers and 2,595 smokers. None of the subjects had a family history of mental illness. The non-smokers underwent saliva testing for exposure to second-hand smoke. Overall, 14.5% of study participants complained of psychological distress. Compared with non-smokers, smokers had a 2.45-fold increased risk of mental problems. And, a direct correlation was evident between Read the rest of this entry »

Elective caesarean delivery is linked with an elevated risk of learning disabilities, including autism and dyslexia.

The study included 407,503 school-aged children in Scotland. Overall, 4.9% of these youngsters required special needs education (SEN). Babies born at 40 weeks had a 4% risk of learning disabilities. In contrast, those delivered “early term” between 37 to 39 weeks — a large portion of which are Caesarean deliveries — had a 5.1% risk of learning disorders. Read the rest of this entry »

Eating about a handful of pecans each day may play a role in protecting the nervous system, according to a new study in mice.

The report suggests that pecans may delay the progression of age-related motor neuron degeneration. This may include diseases like amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Researchers suggest the antioxidant vitamin E — which is abundant in pecans — may provide a key element to neurological protection. Read the rest of this entry »

A review study, which pooled data on 21 articles involving more than 622,381 people, finds that migraine sufferers have about double the risk of an ischemic stroke, compared with those who don’t suffer from migraines.

The study’s authors urge that people with migraines pay particular attention to other modifiable risk factors of stroke, such as diet, exercise, Read the rest of this entry »

Chiropractic adjustments may trigger changes in paraspinal skin temperature, according to an investigation of 20 individuals with acute low-back pain. 

Ten of the participants received chiropractic adjustments. Ten underwent a sham procedure. Specifically, “in the treatment group, a traditional chiropractic manipulation (lumbar roll technique with a pisiform contact on the ipsilateral mamillary of L5) was delivered, whereas with the sham group, the same technique was used, but no thrust was applied.”

Infrared cameras were used to measure paraspinal skin temperature bilaterally at the L5 level. These measurements were taken 2 minutes before the intervention. They were repeated immediately following the intervention, and again 1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes later. 

Among experimental subjects, skin temperature on the side of the spine receiving the adjustment warmed up by 0.2°F immediately following the adjustment. After 3 minutes, “the treatment side warmed by approximately 0.6°F, whereas the contralateral side (nontreatment side) cooled.” On the other hand, there were no significant changes in skin temperature to either side in control subjects. 

“The effects of a lumbar spine manipulation appear noticeable by changes in paraspinal CT measurements at the level of L5,” conclude the study’s authors. “However, the meaning and mechanisms of CT modifications at L5 are still being investigated.”

JMPT – May 2010;33:308-314.
www.jmptonline.org

Consumption of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in dairy is linked with a lower risk cardiovascular disease. And, milk from grass-fed cows contains significantly more CLAs, compared with milk from grain-fed cattle.

A new Harvard study compared 1,813 people who had suffered a nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) with an equal number of control subjects who had not endured a MI.

Findings showed that participants with the highest concentrations CLA in their fat had a 36% reduced risk of heart attack, compared with individuals with the lowest fat levels of CLA. The study’s authors note that this benefit may more than outweigh the heart-related risks of consuming saturated fat in dairy.

The analysis was conducted in Costa Rica, where traditional pasture-grazing is the norm. The vast majority of dairy — including organic dairy — in the US comes from grain-fed cattle.

AJCN – May 12, 2010;Epub.
www.ajcn.org