New Evidence That Fat Cells Are Not Just Dormant Storage Depots for Calories
ScienceDaily – Scientists are reporting new evidence that the fat tissue in those spare tires and lower belly pooches — far from being a dormant storage depot for surplus calories — is an active organ that sends chemical signals to other parts of the body, perhaps increasing the risk of heart attacks, cancer, and other diseases.
They are reporting discovery of 20 new hormones and other substances not previously known to be secreted into the blood by human fat cells and verification that fat secretes dozens of hormones and other chemical messengers. Their study appears in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research.
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Posted in
Health on September 4th, 2010
Amino Acid Leucine No Aid to Muscle Recovery
NORMAN, Okla.—Adding leucine to a pre- and post-exercise carbohydrate beverage does not provide benefit on muscle recovery after resistance exercise, according to a new study (J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(8):2211-19. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181dc3a10). Leucine is an essential amino acid that plays a role in muscle protein synthesis. Researchers in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, recruited resistance-trained men (n=17) and women (n=3) for their study looking at the impact of supplemental leucine on selected markers of muscle damage, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and squat performance after lower-body resistance training (six sets of squats to fatigue). Subjects consumed a carbohydrate beverage with or without 22.5 mg/kg-1 of leucine 30 minutes before and immediately after squat exercise, in a randomized, double blind fashion. The subjects repeated the exercise at 72 hours to test recovery.
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Fish Oil Supports Muscle Recovery
WOLLONGONG, Australia—Supplementation with fish oil may improve skeletal muscle function and recovery, according to a new study (Br J Nutr. ePub 9 Aug 2010. DOI: 10.1017/S0007114510002928). Researchers from the University of Wollongong, Australia, noted fish oil modulates the fatty acid composition of muscle membranes; such changes in heart membrane composition have been linked to enhanced mechanical performance and modulations in oxygen consumption. They sought to determine whether changing skeletal muscle membrane composition in the legs could impact muscle function.
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Ultra-Endurance Running May Not Be Good for the Heart
ScienceDaily – In 2009, a study was conducted in UK by Liverpool John Moores University and the Countess of Chester Hospital to assess the effects of running in ultra-endurance races. Typically aimed at super-fit and experienced athletes, these races are held over distances exceeding 50 miles (80 kilometres).
The conclusions, presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s Congress 2010 in Stockholm, suggest that some damage is likely to occur to the heart muscle of competitors, while 12 percent of the study group showed signs of significant cardiac damage.
Commenting on the reasons for the research, Professor John Somauroo of the Countess of Chester Hospital said, “Previous studies into the effects of ultra-endurance exercise examined changes to the shape and function of the heart, and also changes in sensitive markers of cardiac damage including use of the cardiac Troponin I blood test.
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Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Solo Slim® Found to Contain an Undeclared Drug Ingredient
EZVille, Ltd. of Ronkonkoma, NY, has been informed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that FDA lab analysis of Solo Slim® distributed by the company was found to contain an undeclared drug ingredient. Solo Slim® was found to contain Didesmethyl Sibutramine. Sibutramine is an FDA-approved drug used as an appetite suppressant for weight loss. The FDA has not approved Solo Slim®, therefore the safety and effectiveness of the product is unknown.
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DHA Omega 3 Fatty Acids in the War Against Obesity
Dietary intake of DHA omega 3 essential fatty acids is woefully lacking all around the world. In populations that have adequate access to other foods this correlates strongly with the world-wide obesity epidemic. A new study reviews the multiple mechanisms by which omega 3 fatty acids, especially DHA, can combat the obesity epidemic.
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Step Toward a New Sunscreen? Plant Agents Show Promise in Preventing Skin Cancer
ScienceDaily – Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio are on to something that should bring joy to sunbathers everywhere. Studies show that certain plant substances, administered in combinations, have the ability to suppress skin cancer development in susceptible mice.
“On the basis of our research, supplements and creams or sunscreens may be developed, tested in humans and then used to prevent skin cancer,” said Zbigniew Walaszek, Ph.D., research associate professor of pharmacology at the Health Science Center.
Natural agents, susceptible mice
The plant substances are being tested in SENCAR mice, which because of genetic manipulation are sensitive to skin cancer initiation and promotion/progression. The natural agents include resveratrol, found in the skin of red grapes, and grape seed extract. Others are calcium D-glucarate, a salt of D-glucaric acid, present in many fruits and vegetables and also the bloodstream, and ellagic acid, found in a host of berries and in walnuts.
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Posted in
Health on August 31st, 2010
President of Applied Pharmacy Services gets 10 years in prison for steroids conspiracy
To defense attorneys, A. Samuel Kelley II was as a self-made entrepreneur who had started a number of businesses but who made mistakes navigating the complex regulations governing the pharmaceutical industry.
To prosecutors, he was a “kingpin” who sat atop a nationwide conspiracy, involving doctors and health clinics in several states, that was responsible for the sale of 2,465,701 dosage units of anabolic steroids from March 2003 until a federal raid on his business in August 2006.
Both sides agreed that Kelley, as president, chief executive officer and principal owner of Applied Pharmacy Services, reaped the largest share of the millions of dollars that flowed into the Mobile-based compounding pharmacy.
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TimeOut Capsules Tainted with Viagra-like Drug, FDA Warns
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to take TimeOut Capsules because it contains an active drug ingredient that can dangerously lower blood pressure. The product is marketed as a dietary supplement for sexual enhancement.
TimeOut is labeled as “100% natural” and consumers may mistakenly assume the product is harmless and poses no health risk. TimeOut is distributed on Internet sites and online marketplaces as 2,500 mg capsules.
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Drug Makers on the Trail of an Alternative to Steroids
By ANDREW POLLACK
The hunt is on for alternatives to anabolic steroids, which build muscle by mimicking the effects of the hormone testosterone but whose reputation has been tarnished by athletic doping scandals and side effects like liver damage.
A federally financed study showed that testosterone increased strength in the elderly. But the study was ended abruptly last year because those getting the hormone suffered far more cardiac problems than those getting a placebo.
Human growth hormone is also controversial because of side effects and questions about whether it can increase strength.
Companies like GTx and Ligand Pharmaceuticals are trying to develop drugs that possess the muscle-building ability of testosterone without its side effects, like the development of facial hair and other masculine features in women. These drugs are called selective androgen receptor modulators, or Sarms.
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MusclePharm almost out of business
by Anthony Roberts
The inside word that I’m hearing at the moment is that MusclePharm is teetering on the verge of going out of business. They’re several million dollars in the red, and have failed to turn any kind of profit in the time they’ve been operating. A recent phone call to their office revealed a disconnected phone line, although that’s apparently been cleared up. The problem here is very simple: They’re not making any money, so the small monetary inflow that they have is about to be stopped, because they’re not going to have the cash to pay for new product to get made…and no manufacturer is going to float a loan to a company that has only been around for a short while and is already millions of dollars in debt.
They’ve got some smart guys over at MusclePharm, but they don’t really know what they’re doing, and their entire product line is less than impressive (to me anyway).
Some estimates put the company out of business before the end of September, while conservative estimates give them until the end of the year.
source
Smoked Medical Cannabis May Be Beneficial as Treatment for Chronic Neuropathic Pain, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily – The medicinal use of cannabis has been debated by clinicians, researchers, legislators and the public at large for many years as an alternative to standard pharmaceutical treatments for pain, which may not always be effective and may have unwanted side effects. A new study by McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and McGill University researchers provides evidence that cannabis may offer relief to patients suffering from chronic neuropathic pain.
The results of the groundbreaking study are published in the latest issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
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Posted in
Health on August 30th, 2010
2010 NPC Jr. USA Bodybuilding, Figure & Bikini competition held in Stafford, Texas on August 28th, 2010
2010 NPC Jr. USA Men’s BB Results
Overall Winner
Lorenzo Jones
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Researchers Explore Effects of Protein, Carb Drinks on Exercise
STORRS, Conn.—Researchers continue to explore the benefits of different combinations of protein and carbohydrates in exercise recovery, as evidenced by several recently published studies. In a new a meta-analysis coordinated out of the University of Connecticut, Storrs, researchers sought to determine the performance benefits of ingesting a protein-carbohydrate drink during endurance performance (J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(8):2192-2202. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181ddfacf). A total of 11 studies were included, containing three time-trial and eight time-to-exhaustion cycling protocols; only three studies controlled for caloric content and contained an isocaloric trial. Four of the studies did find significant differences between a protein and control trial, but none were isocaloric studies. Meta-analysis of the time-trial studies found no
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Attention, Couch Potatoes! Walking Boosts Brain Connectivity, Function
ScienceDaily – A group of “professional couch potatoes,” as one researcher described them, has proven that even moderate exercise — in this case walking at one’s own pace for 40 minutes three times a week — can enhance the connectivity of important brain circuits, combat declines in brain function associated with aging and increase performance on cognitive tasks.
The study, in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, followed 65 adults, aged 59 to 80, who joined a walking group or stretching and toning group for a year. All of the participants were sedentary before the study, reporting less than two episodes of physical activity lasting 30 minutes or more in the previous six months. The researchers also measured brain activity in 32 younger (18- to 35-year-old) adults.
Rather than focusing on specific brain structures, the study looked at activity in brain regions that function together as networks.
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