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Statin Use May Cause Cataracts

Now a study reported in the journal BMJ (Volume 340, page 2197) suggests that statins, the widely used class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, are associated with an increased risk of cataracts.

Statin drugs reviewed included simvastatin (Zocor), atorvastatin (Lipitor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), or fluvastatin (Lescol).

The investigators found that statin use was associated with an increased risk of cataracts in both men and women. The risk of cataracts rose within one year of starting statin treatment, persisted during treatment, and then returned to normal within a year after discontinuing the statin.

Editor's Note: See natural approaches to help prevent and manage cataracts.

Artificial Retina Receives European Marketing Approval

The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System, an implantable device that provides useful vision to people who are blind from advanced retinal degenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, will be available later this year in Europe.

The Argus II has enabled people who are profoundly blind to see shapes, locate objects, and recognize large letters. The retinal prosthesis system captures images from a miniature video camera mounted on a pair of sunglasses and converts them into electronic impulses that are sent to a 60-electrode chip attached to the retina. Users of the device perceive patterns of light, which they learn to interpret as vision.

Second Sight reports that the Argus II is approved for persons meeting the following criteria:

• age 25 years or older
• severe to profound outer retinal degeneration
• some residual light perception or a retina that can respond to electrical stimulation
• previous history of useful form vision

The Argus II will be available later this year at the following clinical centers:

• Centre Hospitalier National d’Ophthalmologie des Quinze-Vingts (Paris, France)
• Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (Geneva, Switzerland)
• Manchester Royal Hospital (Manchester, United Kingdom)
• Moorfields Eye Hospital (London, United Kingdom)

The Foundation Fighting Blindness funded early, preclinical studies of this artificial retina technology.

Editor's Note: For an excellent whole food antioxidant formula for retinal and overall eye health, see our Advanced Eye and Vision Support Formula.

Source: Foundation Fighting Blindness

Sustainable Energy Update

A Massachusetts biotech company is claiming it can produce renewable diesel fuel using the same ingredients that make grass grow.

Joule Unlimited in Cambridge says it has invented a genetically-engineered cyanobacterium that simply secretes ethanol - at remarkable rates.

The organisms live in water and take in sunlight and carbon dioxide. They then produce and directly secrete ethanol or hydrocarbons - the basis of various fuels, such as diesel - as a byproduct of photosynthesis.

Other methods for making fuel from solar energy use "biomass," such as corn or algae. Joule says its technology is far less expensive.

Stem Cell Research for Diabetes Treatment

The role of bone marrow (BM)-derived stem cells in the islet cell regeneration process continues to evolve. A team of Italian researchers reports that employing BM-derived stem cells as "feeder tissue," playing a protective role in supporting pancreatic islet repair for clinical use in treating diabetes, presents new therapeutic possibilities. Which cellular components of BM play the feeder role has not been clear.

For the researchers, the 'easy availability' of BM, and that BM may offer "the ideal microenvironment for islet survival," suggest exploring the possibility of using BM as the site for islet transplantation and they have started a clinical trial aimed at expanding on that idea.

"There is mounting evidence that BM and BM-derived stem cells can participate in the regeneration of pancreatic isolates," concluded Dr. Piemonti. "Future studies should evaluate their effect for the prevention and cure of diabetes should it be verifiable that there is a cross talk between BM and the pancreas."

Contact: Dr. Lorenzo Piemonti, Diabetes Research Institute, S. Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Oligettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy

Editor's Note: For an excellent whole food antioxidant formula for diabetes and eye health, see Advanced Eye and Vision Support Formula.

New Study Completed! Omega-3 May Help Prevent Vision Loss from AMD in Women

A new study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, reported that regular dietary intake of DHA and EPA and fish is linked to a 45% lower risk of vision loss from AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration).

Ten years ago, 38,022 female health professionals free of AMD, with a mean age of 54, completed a questionnaire on eating habits.

Of the 38,022 women, a total of 235 cases of AMD were confirmed during the 10 year follow up. Women with the highest intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and who consumed 1 or more servings of fish per week, compared with those who consumed less than 1 serving per month, had a 45% lower risk of AMD.

The strong evidence in this study suggests that regular dietary intake of omega-3 may help prevent AMD.

Editor's Note: This is one of a number of studies showing that supplementing one's diet with omega-3 fatty acids helps; prevent eye disease such as macular degeneration; preserve vision for people with eye diseases such as AMD, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and Retinitis Pigmentos, and prevent heart disease and reduce general inflammation.

See an excellent omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil).

Olive Leaf for Hypertension

A recent study suggests that olive leaf extract may help lower blood pressure as effectively as the drug captopril (Capoten®).

Olive leaves come from the olive tree (Olea europae), which is native to the Mediterranean. While olives and olive oil are used as foods, olive leaf is primarily used medicinally or as a tea.

In the Middle East, olive leaf tea has been used for centuries to treat high blood pressure, sore throat, coughs, fevers, cystitis and gout. Olive leaf poultices have also been applied to the skin to treat skin conditions, such as boils, rashes and warts.

The first group received 500 milligrams of olive leaf extract (EFLA®943) twice daily for eight weeks. The second group started treatment with 12.5 milligrams of captopril twice daily for two weeks. Depending on how the participants responded to treatment, the dose either remained the same or was gradually increased up to 25 milligrams twice daily for the remaining six weeks.

Blood pressure was measured in the subjects before treatment and again every week until treatment ended. The researchers also recorded lipid levels every four weeks.

After eight weeks of treatment, blood pressure levels were significantly reduced in both groups. The improvements were similar between the olive leaf and captopril groups.

Additionally, the olive leaf group experienced significant reductions in triglyceride levels by the end of the study. No such improvements were noted in the captopril group.

Ref: Susalit E, Agus N, Effendi I, et al. Olive (Olea europaea) leaf extract effective in patients with stage-1 hypertension: Comparison with Captopril. Phytomedicine. 2011 Feb 15;18(4):251-8.

See Olive Leaf Plus 60 caps.

High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure in Middle Age Tied to Early Memory Problems

According to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011, middle-age men and women who have cardiovascular issues, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, may not only be at risk for heart disease, but for an increased risk of developing early cognitive and memory problems as well.

The study found people who had higher cardiovascular risk were more likely to have lower cognitive function and a faster rate of overall cognitive decline compared to those with the lowest risk of heart disease. Higher cardiovascular risk was also associated with a 10-year faster rate of overall cognitive decline in both men and women compared to those with lower cardiovascular risk.

Sources of Melatonin for Better Sleep

With the National Sleep Foundation reporting that six out of ten Americans suffer with insomnia several nights a week and 25% of the U.S. population uses sleeping drugs (known as “hypnotics”), an increasing number people these days are looking for natural sleep remedies. In recent research studies, it was discovered that both walnuts and tart cherries contain significant levels of the natural sleep hormone melatonin, and may therefore be a natural, food-based way to get a better night’s sleep.

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pineal gland located in the center of the brain, and is an essential hormone in the regulation of sleep onset and quality of sleep.

Melatonin als has strong antioxidant effects, helping us to battle the daily wear and tear effects of free-radicals and thereby slow cellular aging. It is also a powerful regulator of sex hormone production; so powerful, in fact, that for many animals it is the melatonin secretion throughout the year that produces the animal's seasonal breeding patterns.

The tart "Montmorency" cherry also contains a significant level of melatonin. The brain can also be assisted in its melatonin production by taking calcium supplements which helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin.

Editor's Note: While melatonin doesn’t require a prescription, it is a potent hormone. If too much is taken, it can make it more difficult to wake up and may result in daytime grogginess.

Alzheimer's Disease May Be Easily Misdiagnosed

New research shows that Alzheimer's disease and other dementing illnesses may be easily misdiagnosed in the elderly, according to early results of a study of people in Hawaii who had their brains autopsied after death. The research was presented as part of a plenary session at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011.

The study found that about half of those diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease did not have sufficient numbers of the brain lesions characterizing that condition to support the diagnosis. Most of those in whom the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease was not confirmed had one or a combination of other brain lesions sufficient to explain the dementia. These included microinfarcts, Lewy bodies, hippocampal sclerosis or generalized brain atrophy.

However, diagnoses of Lewy body dementia and vascular dementia were more accurate. Misdiagnoses increased with older age. They also reflected non-specific manifestations of dementia, a very high prevalence of mixed brain lesions, and the ambiguity of most neuroimaging measures.

The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging and the Department of Veterans Affairs.