Free Republic

Kidney stones are a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While genetics and various other factors can contribute to kidney stones, dietary components play a significant role in their formation. Previous research has isolated specific dietary culprits such as high oxalate or calcium intake. However, understanding of the effects of specific dietary components on stone formation remains limited. In this study, researchers used male CD-1 mice to explore the potential correlation between dietary intake and KS. Initially, the size of urinary sediment particles was analyzed in mice that were administered with cholesterol and fruit tannins by gavage. The...

Wine's beneficial effects on heart health depend more on the traditional vintner's art than the wonder molecule resveratrol. Resveratrol, a molecule found in the skin of red grapes, among other places, has been found to have a host of health effects, most recently prolonging the life spans of obese mice. But the natural wonder drug does not play a role in the beneficial effects of wine drinking, according to research published in the November 28 issue of Nature. "There are some fascinating effects of resveratrol in animal systems," notes plant biochemist Alan Crozier of the University of Glasgow. "To get...