Some of the statistics and information from medical research
around the globe this month has been astounding. ADHD can
now be effectively treated by fish oil supplements, heart
disease can now be diagnosed by looking into the eyes, and
coffee as part of your “morning after a big night out”
may help prevent liver cirrhosis – I just wonder how
they managed to get so many people to sit around drinking
for so many years to find out what was going to happen to
their livers!
Fish Oil Can Treat ADHD, Research Shows
Omega-3 fish oil can be more effective than stimulant drugs
commonly prescribed for children with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), according to new research. The University
of South Australia research tested a supplement called eye
q, a combination of omega-3 fish oil and omega-6 evening primrose
oil. The supplement was tested on 132 ADHD children over a
period of 15 to 30 weeks. At the end of the 30 week period,
almost half of the children had reduced ADHD symptoms, according
to their parents who completed assessment questionnaires for
the study. For the initial 15 weeks of the study, children
were divided into three groups: one taking eye q; another
eye q and a low dose multi vitamin/mineral supplement and;
a third group taking a
placebo. After 15 weeks, all children went on eye q and the
multi vitamin/minerals. “Around 30 per cent of the children
had shown strong positive treatment effects on the core ADHD
symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity compared
to the placebo group after 15 weeks,” study leader Natalie
Sinn said. “These effects were mirrored in the placebo
group following their switch to active treatment, and the
fish oil groups continued to improve after taking the supplement
for a further 15 weeks. “According to the data, the
multi vitamin/mineral supplement had no additional effects.”
(Excerpts MSN Health, June 2006)
Eyes Reveal Heart Disease Risk
A Melbourne scientist has been recognized for developing an
eye examination that can sound an early warning for heart
disease and other major illnesses. Associate Professor Tien
Wong, of the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Eye
Research, was awarded the $50,000 Commonwealth Health Minister’s
Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research. Professor
Wong’s team studied the eyes of more than 20,000 patients
over five years, as they developed an imaging technique that
can measure the narrowing of minute blood vessels. “Changes
in blood vessels in the eye may identify people who may be
at risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes,” Prof
Wong said. “These conditions and the most common cause
of death, disability and hospitalization in Australia and
worldwide and therefore, the potential impact of this research
is timely and significant.” The award was presented
at the Australian Society of Medical Research (ASMR) dinner
in Melbourne. (Excerpts MSN Health, June 2006)
Coffee Cuts Risk of Liver Disease
Dinking coffee after a night on the turps might do more than
help you sober up - it could also slash your risk of developing
cirrhosis of the liver. And the more you drink, the more it
seems to help. A huge US study found that each cup of coffee
consumed per day appeared to cut the risk of be caused by
The study, published yesterday in the Archives of Internal
Medicine, may provide a lead to protective treatments. Researchers
at the US health insurance giant Kaiser Permanente analyzed
health information from 125,580 people initially examined
between 1978 and 1985, when none reported having liver disease.
The participants filled out a questionnaire stating how much
alcohol, coffee and tea they drank per day during the previous
year. Some also had tests for liver enzymes that indicate
liver damage. By the end of 2001, 300 of the participants
had been diagnosed with cirrhosis, and in 199 cases alcohol
was the cause. The participants who drank coffee were much
less likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis. Those who drank
less than one cup per day were 30 per cent less likely to
develop alcoholic cirrhosis, although this result was not
statistically significant. But those who drank one to three
cups were 40 per cent less likely - a significant result -
and four or more cups per day cut the risk by 80 per cent.
(The Australian, June 2006)
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