Endocrine System

Health Benefits of Cinnamon & Nutrition Facts

The Many Health Benefits of Cinnamon Cinnamon is a powerful spice that has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years. It is still used daily in many cultures because of its widespread health benefits, not to mention its distinctly sweet, warming taste and ease of use in recipes. According to researchers, out of twenty-six […]

Lifestyle Change Program Effective for Weight Loss and Reducing Incidence of Diabetes

February 18, 2015 The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology TAKE-HOME MESSAGE The aim of this study was to investigate whether participation in lifestyle change programs has an effect on the incidence of diabetes. The researchers focused on individuals who had participated in the Veterans Health Administration MOVE! lifestyle change program. Intense and sustained participation led to […]

Anti-inflammatory mechanism of dieting and fasting revealed

Date: February 16, 2015 Source: Yale University Summary: Researchers have found that a compound produced by the body when dieting or fasting can block a part of the immune system involved in several inflammatory disorders such as type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. In their study, published in the Feb. 16 online issue ofNature […]

Menopausal Hormone Replacement Poses Small Ovarian Cancer Risk

02.12.2015 Action Points Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) conferred a “small but real” risk of ovarian cancer in women who used it for at least 5 years. Note that the association pertained to the two most common types of ovarian cancer — serous and endometrioid — but not mucinous or clear-cell tumors. Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) […]

Caffeine and menopausal symptoms: what is the association?

Menopause. 2015 Feb;22(2):155-8. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000301. Faubion SS1, Sood R, Thielen JM, Shuster LT. Author information Abstract OBJECTIVE: We assessed the association between caffeine intake and menopausal symptom bother, particularly vasomotor symptoms. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Menopause Health Questionnaire, which is a comprehensive survey of menopause-related health information. Questionnaires were completed by […]

The effect of ginger on glycemic markers in patients with type 2 diabetes

J Complement Integr Med. 2015 Feb 10. pii: /j/jcim.ahead-of-print/jcim-2014-0021/jcim-2014-0021.xml. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2014-0021. [Epub ahead of print] The effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on glycemic markers in patients with type 2 diabetes. Shidfar F, Rajab A, Rahideh T, Khandouzi N, Hosseini S, Shidfar S. Abstract Abstract Background: Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the functional foods which […]

Microbiome linked to type 1 diabetes: Shift in microbiome species diversity prior to disease onset

Date: February 5, 2015 Source: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Summary: In one of the largest longitudinal studies of the microbiome to date, researchers have identified a connection between changes in gut microbiota and the onset of type 1 diabetes. The study, which followed infants who were genetically predisposed to the condition, found that […]

Added fructose is a principal driver of type 2 diabetes, experts argue

1/29/15 Recent studies have shown that added sugars, particularly those containing fructose, are a principal driver of diabetes and pre-diabetes, even more so than other carbohydrates. Clinical experts writing in Mayo Clinic Proceedings challenge current dietary guidelines that allow up to 25% of total daily calories as added sugars, and propose drastic reductions in the amount of […]

Sugary drinks linked to earlier onset of menstrual periods

1/27/2015 Girls who frequently consume sugary drinks tend to start their menstrual periods earlier than girls who do not, according to new research published online Jan 28 in Human Reproduction. In the first study to look at the relation between sugar-sweetened drinks and the age at which girls have their first period, researchers followed 5583 […]

Gluten and Fertility

1.22.15 Aviva Romm, M.D. Fertility challenges are so uniquely painful. There is the tremendous anguish of living with the uncertainty that comes with each attempt at conception and the sadness with each unwanted period that comes. There are the feelings of inadequacy, and the aching bittersweetness of meeting your friends’ and sisters’ babies that they […]

Increased Risk for Colorectal Cancer in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

January 19, 2015 Diabetes Care TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this observational population-based cohort study, researchers evaluated patients with diabetes to determine risk for colorectal cancer. Patients with type 2 diabetes had an increased risk compared with nondiabetic patients (HR, 1.26). Longer duration of obesity in patients with diabetes was also associated with an increased risk for […]

Statin Therapy Associated With Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

January 16, 2015 The American Journal of Cardiology TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this prospective study, researchers evaluated 4645 patients with vascular disease to determine the association between statin use and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. Independent from metabolic syndrome characteristics, statin therapy, especially intensive statin therapy, was associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes. […]

How NOT to have diabetes

By Dr. Davis | January 8, 2015 If you want type 2 diabetes , follow conventional advice to cut fat and eat more “healthy whole grains.” (This is also true for type 1 diabetes in susceptible individuals with pancreatic beta cell autoimmunity triggered by wheat gliadin or corn zein.) But what if you don’t want to […]

Exercise Helps Menopause Symptoms and Quality of Life

Beth Skwarecki December 29, 2014 Middle-aged women who exercise regularly report a higher quality of life and reduced symptoms of menopause, according to a population-based study published in the January 2015 issue ofMaturitas. “Women with the recommended level of physical activity had a higher self-perceived health level, better relative health, and better global quality of life in relation to […]

Toxic Metals and Weight Loss

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., M.S. Can’t lose weight no matter what? Could the weight loss culprit be something as inconspicuous as mercury build-up in your body? It is widely accepted that metal toxicity can impair neuroendocrine function. Simply put, this means that normal thyroid function can be impaired from toxic metals such as mercury, […]

Leptin May Be Key in Knee Cartilage Loss

by Wayne Kuznar Contributing Writer, MedPage Today Circulating leptin was linked to knee cartilage thinning in adults after adjusting for body mass index and other factors, and may potentially explain the association between obesity and cartilage thickness. Over 2.7 years, baseline levels of leptin and changes in leptin over time were negatively associated with changes […]

Effect and Safety of Berberine in Type 2 Diabetes, Hyperlipidemia and Hypertension

Meta-analysis of the effect and safety of berberine in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipemia and hypertension Journal of Ethnopharmacology , 12/12/2014 Lan J, et al. – This study indicates that berberine has comparable therapeutic effect on Type 2 DM, hyperlipidemia and hypertension with no serious side effect. Considering the relatively low cost […]

Tramadol Linked to Low Blood Sugar

Painkiller Tramadol Linked to Low Blood Sugar Study finds the drug may be riskier than expected By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Dec. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) — The narcotic painkiller tramadol (Ultram) seems to be associated with an increased risk of dangerously low blood sugar, Canadian researchers report. Tramadol is a narcotic drug whose […]

Obesity May Add Decades of Diabetes and CVD, Shorten Life

Marlene Busko December 05, 2014 Story Source Very obese young men and women are likely to have diabetes and cardiovascular disease for close to 20 years and die 8 years sooner than their normal-weight peers, researchers have estimated. “We developed this computer model [to] provide a new but clinically meaningful way for healthcare professionals to […]

Itching: An Underrecognized Symptom of Small-Fiber Neuropathies

Pruritus: An Underrecognized Symptom of Small-Fiber Neuropathies Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology TAKE-HOME MESSAGE Questionnaire responses from 41 patients with a diagnosis of small-fiber neuropathies (SFN) revealed that 68.3% had pruritus. Symptoms were worsened by fatigue, sweating, stress, xerosis, and hot ambient temperature. In contrast, symptoms were alleviated by cold water. Patients reported […]