March 2009
Canker sores: What they mean and what to do
Canker sores, also known as aphthous ulcers, appear as shallow, light-coloured mouth sores of different sizes and affect one in five North Americans. While no one is certain of any single cause, research does point to a few possibilities. Among them, a genetic predisposition might be the biggest cause, says Michael Martin, PhD, of the Department of Oral Medicine at the University of Washington.
 |
| Certain foods, such as citrus fruits, can make painful canker sores worse. |
"When both parents have a history of canker sores, the likelihood of their children developing them can be as high as 90%," he says. Other research points to food allergies and hormonal changes, such as chronic stress, anxiety and the menstrual cycle.
Recent research provides a few other clues on what may be behind canker sores and what to do about them.
B12 is key
A team of physicians at Ben-Gurion University say that a nightly dose of vitamin B12 is a simple, effective and low-risk therapy to prevent canker sores. They tested 58 randomly selected patients with recurrent canker sores who received either 1,000 mcg of B12 by mouth at bedtime or a placebo, and were tested monthly for six months. Almost three quarters of the patients taking B12 and only a third of the control group achieved remission at the end of the study. The treated patients expressed greater comfort, reported less pain, fewer ulcers, and shorter outbreaks during the six months while among the control group the average pain level decreased during the first half of the period but increased during the second half.
Herbal help
Other researchers examined the effects of licorice extract applied via an adhesive patch for treatment of canker sores versus no treatment. After seven days of treatment, ulcer size in the group who took the licorice was significantly lower, while ulcer size in the no-treatment group had increased 13%.
Licorice, typically in the form of DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) is also widely used as a treatment for gastric ulcers. DGL lozenges are available in health food stores and may be an alternative to adhesive patches. Dr Michael Martin adds that "in addition to speeding healing of the canker sores, the licorice extract helped to reduce pain after just three days of treatment."
Nutrition clues
An earlier study points to other nutrient deficiencies that may contribute to canker sores. Japanese researchers compared food intake among patients with recurrent canker sores and control patients. They found a significantly positive correlation with lower intake of calcium, iron, vitamin B1 and vitamin C among canker sore sufferers. They concluded that "not only iron and vitamin B1 might be deficient in these patients but also calcium and vitamin C."
Sources: General Dentistry, Mar/Apr 2008; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Feb 10, 2009; Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2001 Jan;91(1):45-9
Antioxidant blend protects hearing
Hearing loss affects about 10 million people in the US alone, from troops returning from war to students with music blasting through headphones. Now researchers at the University of Michigan Kresge Hearing Research Institute are hoping to address the growing problem with a cocktail of vitamins and the mineral magnesium. The nutrients were successful in laboratory tests, and now researchers are testing whether humans will benefit as well.
 |
| MP3 players are linked to a rise in hearing problems. |
"When we can't prevent noise-induced hearing loss through use of hearing protection, then we really need to come up with some way of protecting people who are still going to have noise exposure," says says Glenn E. Green, MD. "My hope is that this [combination] will give people a richer, fuller life."
In their animal study, the combination of vitamins A, C and E, plus magnesium blocked about 80% of the noise-induced hearing impairment. Now the formula is being tested in a set of four multinational human clinical trials: military trials in Sweden and Spain, an industrial trial in Spain, and a trial involving students at the University of Florida who listen to music at high volumes on their iPods and other PDAs.
"If we can even see 50% of the effectiveness in humans that we saw in our animal trials, we will have an effective treatment that will very significantly reduce noise-induced hearing impairment in humans.
Source: University of Michagan Health System, Nov 10, 2008
Chondroitin eases arthritis pain
Long-term use of chondroitin sulfate reduces arthritis knee pain and slows joint narrowing, say French researchers. The Study on Osteoarthritis Progression Prevention (STOPP) involved 622 patients in Europe and the US, ages 45-80 years, with knee arthritis.
 |
| Knee pain decreased significantly without side effects. |
On average, the patients reported moderate levels of pain when the study began. Patients were then randomly assigned to two years of daily treatment with either chondroitin or an inactive placebo. X-rays of the affected knee were taken to assess the impact of treatment.
The researchers found that pain decreased with time in the chondroitin group and also reduced the likelihood of joint narrowing (indicating a loss of cartilage)by 33%.
In all, more than 90% of the subjects reported good or very good tolerability with chondroitin sulfate, and side effects were no more likely than with placebo. Chondroitin is often found in combination with glucosamine, another well researched and effective arthritis and joint pain remedy.
Source: Arthritis & Rheumatism, Feb 2009
Resveratrol blocks cancer, fat cells
Early lab research has shown that resveratrol suppresses the abnormal cell formation that leads to most types of breast cancer, suggesting a potential role in breast cancer prevention. Resveratrol is a natural substance found in red wine and red grapes.
 |
| Red grapes are one source of anti-cancer resveratrol. |
"Resveratrol has the ability to prevent the first step that occurs when estrogen starts the process that leads to cancer by blocking the formation of the estrogen DNA adducts. We believe that this could stop the whole progression that leads to breast cancer down the road," said Eleanor G. Rogan, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
The formation of breast cancer is a multi-step process which differs depending on type of disease, a patient's genetic makeup and other factors. However, scientists know that many breast cancers are fueled by increased estrogen, which collects and reacts with DNA molecules to form adducts. Rogan and colleagues found that resveratrol was able to suppress the formation of these DNA adducts.
"This is dramatic because it was able to be done with fairly low concentrations of resveratrol to stop the formation of these DNA adducts in the cells we studied," said Rogan. The current study was conducted in laboratory cultures, and will need to be confirmed in larger human trials, Rogan said.
In an earlier study, German researchers found that resveratrol inhibited pre-fat cells from increasing and prevented them from converting into mature fat cells. Also, resveratrol hindered fat storage. Most interesting, according to the lead author, was that resveratrol reduced production of substances that may be linked to the development of obesity-related disorders, such as diabetes and clogged coronary arteries.
Source: American Association for Cancer Research, Jul 7, 2008; Endocrine Society, Jun 11, 2008
7 ways to save your memory
According to natural health guru Dr. Andrew Weil, here are the top 7 ways to help prevent or lessen memory loss as we age:
 |
| Add zing to your brainpower with foods and supplements. |
- Challenge yourself. Evidence suggests that lifelong stimulation is the key to building and maintaining brain cells.
2. Supplement with vitamins A, C and E. A study at Johns Hopkins University suggested that when taken together, the vitamins might slow the progression of Alzheimer's.
3. Use a daily multivitamins that provides adequate levels of folic acid and other B-vitamins. They help the body reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid formed by the breakdown of animal protein. At elevated levels in the bloodstream, it has been linked with increased risks of Alzheimer's.
4. Use healing spices in your cooking: Turmeric, ginger and red pepper can add zing to meals and are all natural anti-inflammatories.
5. Eat a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids, including wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, freshly ground flaxseed and walnuts.
6. Incorporate plenty of fresh organic fruits and vegetables in your meals.
7. Reduce your intake of polyunsaturated vegetable oils (such as sunflower, corn and safflower oils), replacing them instead with a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
Source: Lancaster New Era, Jan 21, 2009
Nutrition Wise Q&A
Nutrition questions answered by Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN of the American Institute for Cancer Research
 |
| Many spices, such as turmeric, contain beneficial compounds. |
Q: Is the anti-cancer compound curcumin found in both turmeric and curry powder?
A: Technically, yes, but turmeric is a more concentrated source. Curcumin is the yellow pigment found in the ground spice called turmeric. Although curcumin content will vary from one batch of the spice to another, the curcumin content of curry powder is much more variable, since curry powder is not just one spice, but a mixture of turmeric, cumin, fenugreek and other spices. Emerging research suggests that curcumin may affect the activity of genes and proteins that control cell growth and cancer development, including the ability to stimulate cancer cell self-destruction. We still need to learn more about how well the body absorbs curcumin from food and what amounts provide optimal effects. Meanwhile, since turmeric provides flavour and colour, some experts suggest adding a little extra turmeric when cooking, even if you start with a commercial curry powder as your base.
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research (www.aicr.org)
