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Researchers have provided the molecular explanation for why some osteoporosis drugs offer protection against COVID-19. The study builds on work that compared more than 450,000 users of a class of drugs, called bisphosphonates, with non-users during the months leading up to the pandemic in 2020. The Harvard study showed that those who used drugs, such as alendronate and zoledronate, had lower odds of testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 diagnosis and COVID-19-related hospitalization, but the study didn't explain why. Researchers explored all bisphosphonates listed in a drug candidate database that could potentially bind to a specific enzyme domain found in nidoviruses,...

I have long known that fluoridating water was a terrible idea, but I have been reluctant to write or even discuss this fact with people because the expert consensus was that anybody who opposed it was a kook. Remember this scene from Dr. Strangelove? It perfectly encapsulates the attitude of "experts" and the people who believe them about those who questioned fluoridation: they are insane.

As we age, our bones lose density and become more fragile, putting us in danger of breaks and fractures. This is especially a concern among post-menopausal women. Ock Chun has been working with blackcurrant. This study showed that the best time for intervention was in the transition between pre- and post-menopause before bone loss has significantly progressed. Forty peri- and early post-menopausal participants between the ages of 45 and 60 took capsules of blackcurrant powder daily for six months. Participants were randomly assigned to either take one capsule, two capsules, or a placebo. Each capsule was 392 milligrams. The researchers...

Researchers have identified a new hormone, CCN3, that significantly strengthens bones. This discovery, made while studying how breastfeeding women maintain bone density, could transform the treatment of osteoporosis and bone fractures.Published in Nature, the new study reveals that CCN3 promotes bone formation and repair in both male and female mice, offering new hope for millions suffering from bone-related conditions.About the StudyResearchers at University of California (UC) San Francisco (UCSF) and UC Davis collaborated to solve a long-standing medical mystery: how breastfeeding women maintain strong bones despite the significant loss of calcium needed for milk production.In lactating mothers, the high demand...

Researchers at UCSF and UC Davis discovered a hormone, named Maternal Brain Hormone (CCN3), which maintains bone strength in breastfeeding women despite calcium loss. This hormone could potentially treat osteoporosis and aid in healing fractures across different demographics. The study emphasizes the importance of including female subjects in biomedical research to uncover gender-specific biological processes. UCSF and UC Davis researchers identified a new hormone, CCN3, that strengthens bones in breastfeeding women and could treat osteoporosis and enhance fracture healing. Researchers from UCSF and UC Davis have resolved a longstanding mystery about how breastfeeding women maintain strong bones despite losing calcium...

For years, Sharissa Derricott, 30, had no idea why her body seemed to be failing. At 21, a surgeon replaced her deteriorated jaw joint. She’s been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition. Her teeth are shedding enamel and cracking. None of it made sense to her until she discovered a community of women online who describe similar symptoms and have one thing in common: All had taken a drug called Lupron. Thousands of parents chose to inject their daughters with the drug, which was approved to shut down puberty in young girls but also is...

Boston, Mass., Apr 24, 2023 / 12:51 pm A professor at a Catholic seminary in Louisiana lost his job after it was discovered that he had gone on social media to offer his services as a pilot to women wishing to travel to states where abortion is legal. Greg Williams, a former Greek and Latin professor at St. Joseph Seminary College, posted on his Facebook account just days following the overturning of Roe v. Wade that he would be available to fly women across state lines. “If any women need to make an unexpected trip from the south to, say,...

People who have low bone density may have an increased risk of developing dementia compared to people who have higher bone density, according to a study. The study does not prove that low bone density causes dementia. It only shows an association. "Low bone density and dementia are two conditions that commonly affect older people simultaneously, especially as bone loss often increases due to physical inactivity and poor nutrition during dementia," said Mohammad Arfan Ikram, MD, Ph.D. "Our study found that bone loss indeed already occurs before dementia and thus is linked to a higher risk of dementia." The study...

In a research review, the researchers found that prunes can help prevent or delay bone loss in postmenopausal women, possibly due to their ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which contribute to bone loss. "In postmenopausal women, lower levels of estrogen can trigger a rise of oxidative stress and inflammation, increasing the risk of weakening bones that may lead to fractures," said Connie Rogers, associate professor. "Fruits and vegetables that are rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolic acid, flavonoids and carotenoids can potentially help protect against osteoporosis," said Mary Jane De Souza, professor, "with prunes in...

In a meeting with my doctor on Friday she told me that I had severe bone loss in my left arm because of a problem with my parathyroid. She recommended surgery on my parathyroid, telling me that it was a step by step process. I must give her an answer soon. Does anybody have any experience in this issue? Any advice to tender? Thanks for your help. Freepers are the greatest!

Beer could stop bones going brittle Drinking beer regularly could stop bones from going brittle, according to scientists in Spain. A study found that the bones of women who drink beer regularly are stronger, making them less likely to suffer from osteoporosis. It is thought that the high level of silicon in beer slows down the thinning that leads to fractures and boosts the formation of new bone, the journal Nutrition reports. Beer is also rich in phytoestrogens, plant versions of oestrogen, which keep bones healthy. Bones are made up of a mesh of fibres, minerals, blood vessels and marrow,...

Some risk factors for osteoporosis such as being older and female or having a family history of the condition cannot be avoided. But others can, like smoking cigarettes, consuming alcohol, taking certain medications, or being exposed to environmental pollutants. But until now researchers haven't gained a firm picture of how these exposures link up with bone loss. A new study led by researchers from Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine reveals a mechanism by which these factors and osteoporosis may be linked. Damage to mitochondria—key cellular organelles and energy generators—leads to a surge in the creation of cells called osteoclasts, which...

  “Exactly how curcumin exerts its effects is not certain, but it may be due to its ability to reduce brain inflammation, which has been linked to both Alzheimer’s disease and major depression,” said Dr. Gary Small, director of geriatric psychiatry at UCLA’s Longevity Center and of the geriatric psychiatry division at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, and the study’s first author. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 40 adults between the ages of 50 and 90 years who had mild memory complaints. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or 90 milligrams of curcumin twice...

Science Finding Medical Promise In Kitchen Cabinets By BRIE ZELTNER   Spices lend food wonderful flavors and also impart health benefits. (Photo by Sean Simmers)     [Cleveland, OH] -- In 1993, an eager biochemist at the University of Texas struggled to put the brakes on a protein he had discovered a few years earlier, a protein that can trigger cancers and inflammatory diseases.Bharat Aggarwal knew that the protein, tumor necrosis factor, or TNF, could cause a whole cascade of inflammation in the human body — a very bad thing. He also knew that turmeric, the yellow curry spice, was...

FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Cancer researchers have been given a million-dollar grant to investigate the therapeutic value of the folk medicine propolis and the food spice turmeric. The U.S. National Cancer Institute grant is earmarked for the study of the two alternative remedies, each of which has shown promise in reducing risks for breast, prostate and colorectal malignancies, and in enhancing cancer treatment. Propolis and turmeric are rich in plant polyphenolic compounds that exhibit potent antitumor activities, the researchers said. "A very interesting property of these compounds is that they have been shown to cause cell death in...

Ladies, if you love your man, give him cauliflower curry with a side of kale for dinner. It may stave off prostate cancer, according to research released yesterday by Rutgers University. Though they don't often make the favorite menus of most men, cauliflower and kale -- along with cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, watercress and turnips -- contain a chemical that is a significant cancer-preventive.

Ingredient In Yellow Curry Can Reduce Heart Enlargement And May Prevent Heart FailureTurmeric. Eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure. (Credit: iStockphoto/Nilesh Bhange) ScienceDaily (Feb. 22, 2008) — Eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure, researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital have discovered. In a study entitled, “Curcumin prevents and reverses murine cardiac hypertrophy,” published in the February edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers found when the herb is given...

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Revered in India as "holy powder," the marigold-colored spice known as turmeric has been used for centuries to treat wounds, infections and other health problems. In recent years, research into the healing powers of turmeric's main ingredient, curcumin, has burgeoned, as its astonishing array of antioxidant, anti-cancer, antibiotic, antiviral and other properties has been revealed. Yet little has been known about exactly how curcumin works inside the body. Now, University of Michigan researchers led by Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy have discovered that curcumin acts as a disciplinarian, inserting itself into cell membranes and making them more orderly, a move that...

LA JOLLA, CA--A synthetic derivative of the curry spice turmeric, made by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, dramatically improves the behavioral and molecular deficits seen in animal models of ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Two new studies suggest that the novel compound may have clinical promise for these conditions, which currently lack good therapies. Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death of older people in the United States, while TBI is the leading cause of death and disability in both civilians and military personnel under the age...

A drug derived from the curry spice turmeric may be able to help the body repair some of the damage caused in the immediate aftermath of a stroke. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles are preparing to embark on human trials after promising results in rabbits. Their drug reached brain cells and reduced muscle and movement problems. The Stroke Association said it was the "first significant research" suggesting that the compound could aid stroke patients. "This is the first significant research to show that turmeric could be beneficial to stroke patients by encouraging new cells to grow and...