Thursday, 8 December 2011

Iron overload and diabetes

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/30/7/1926.full

Monday, 7 November 2011

Can exercise really boost metabolism?

Most people believe that it can and the answer appears to be "yes, but only a little bit".

According to Dr Len Kravitz from the University of New Mexico, resistance exercise can increase muscle mass by about 2kg in the average person thus allowing an extra energy burn of 50kcal/day. Aerobic exercise does NOT increase resting metabolic rate.

Read the whole story here: http://www.fitcommerce.com/Blueprint/Page.aspx?pageId=577&tabindex=5

Dr Kravitz introduces the concept of NEAT: Non exercise activity thermogenesis - i.e. all non-structured physical activity. He seems to be stating that NEAT can be increased by for example by "parking at the furthest place in the car park". This may be included in the definition of NEAT, but what I am more interested in is subconscious physical activity such as fidgeting.

Monday, 21 February 2011

Cholesterol does not predict stroke in women and is a very poor indicator in men

Annals of Neurology - Nonfasting triglycerides, cholesterol, and ischemic stroke in the general population


BBC News: Cholesterol 'does not predict stroke in women'


Cholesterol has long been blamed for causing strokes in spite of the heroic efforts of groups like The International Association of Cholesterol Sceptics. This study shows that cholesterol is irrelevant in women and not especially relevant in men.

Friday, 18 February 2011

Pandemrix and Narcolepsy linked

The World Health Organisation has called for a closer look at a potential link between GlaxoSmithKline's pandemic swine flu vaccine Pandemrix and the development of the chronic sleep disorder narcolepsy.

The group's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety said in a statement that "further investigation is warranted" after a 12 different countries reported cases of the condition in children and adolescents following vaccination with GSK's product.



Read the full article here: