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Immune Function Aging, stress and nutrition affect blood concentrations of anabolic hormones—modulating immune function. Discussions on the immune-endocrine loop during aging reflect the role of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1. Review current research and medical articles on immune function and disease risk to stay informed. Aging, Adiposity, and Calorie Restriction.pdf
This study concluded that
calorie restriction in adult
men and women causes
beneficial metabolic,
hormonal, and functional
changes, but the precise
amount of calorie intake or
body fat mass associated
with optimal health and
maximum longevity in humans
is not known. In addition,
it is possible that even
moderate calorie restriction
may be harmful in specific
patient populations, such as
lean persons who have
minimal amounts of body fat.
The aim of this study was to
determine whether an
increase in unprocessed lean
red meat intake, partially
replacing carbohydrate-rich
foods, adversely influences
markers of oxidative stress
and inflammation. The
results of this study
suggest that partial
replacement of dietary
carbohydrate with protein
from lean red meat does not
elevate oxidative stress or
inflammation.
The objective of this study
was to assess the relations
between dietary patterns
during adult life (at ages
36, 43, and 53 y) and risk
factors for chronic disease
at age 53 y. Participants of
a longitudinal study of
health completed a 5-d food
diary at 3 occasions during
adult life (n = 1265).
Factor analysis was used to
identify dietary patterns
and a pattern score was
calculated from the
consumption of the food
items in each dietary
pattern. Fiber Crucial to Breast Health in Premenopausal Women.pdf
According to this article,
researchers suggest that
fiber may support health in
premenopausal women because
antioxidant nutrients in
high-fiber foods have
protective properties
against reactive oxygen
species. Another theory,
they suggested, is that
fiber may stabilize insulin
levels in the body, since
hyperglycemia may be a
potential cause of cancer.
Another theory why fiber may
be important to breast
health, they suggested,
revolves around estrogen’s
role in the development of
breast cancer. NAMS Updates Recommendations on Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women.pdf
To address the
need for standards
of care as they
relate to
menopause-associated
health conditions,
the North American
Menopause Society (NAMS)
has updated its
evidence-based
guidelines on the
diagnosis,
prevention, and
treatment of
osteoporosis in
postmenopausal
women. The full
report was published
in the May/June 2006
issue of
Menopause. High Carb, Low Glycemic Index Diet Best to Reduce CV Risk.pdf
Diets high in
carbohydrates (CHOs)
with low glycemic
index (GI) are best
for cardiovascular
risk reduction,
according to the
results of a
randomized
controlled study
reported in the July
24 issue of the
Archives of Internal
Medicine. Lowering Dietary Glycemic Load for Weight Control and Cardiovascular Health: A Matter of Quality.pdf
This study
concludes that
although significant
differences in
neurohormonal
responses to
different types of
carbohydrates have
long been
recognized, until
recently this
knowledge has not
been comprehensively
and systematically
applied to the study
of diet and CVD in
populations or to
the development of
food-composition
tables in guiding
dietary practice. Prevalence of Hypogonadism in Males Aged at Least 45 Years: The HIM study.pdf
According to this
study, based on TT
concentration, the
prevalence of
hypogonadism in men
reporting to primary
care offices was
estimated to be
38.7%. The medical
conditions that
occurred
significantly more
frequently among
hypogonadal men than
eugonadal men
included increased
BMI, hypertension,
hyperlipidaemia,
diabetes, and asthma
or COPD. As men age,
they are susceptible
to conditions that
share many of the
same symptoms
similar to
hypogonadism. The
presence of these
conditions may, in
effect, mask
underlying
hypogonadism and
negatively impact
quality of life. Association of Coffee and Caffeine Intake with the Risk of Parkinson Disease.pdf
The findings of
this study indicate
that higher coffee
and caffeine intake
is associated with a
significantly lower
incidence of PD.
This effect appears
to be independent of
smoking. The data
suggest that the
mechanism is related
to caffeine intake
and not to other
nutrients contained
in coffee. Low Serum Testosterone and Mortality in Male Veterans.pdf
This study used a
clinical database to
identify men older
than 40 years with
repeated
testosterone levels
obtained from
October 1, 1994 to
December 31, 1999,
and without
diagnosed prostate
cancer. It
concluded that low
testosterone levels
were associated with
increased mortality
in male veterans.
Further prospective
studies are needed
to examine the
association between
low testosterone
levels and
mortality. Vitamin E Supplementation Raised Chances of New Cancer in at-Risk Patients.pdf
Researchers have
reported that cancer
patients who took
high-dose vitamin E
supplements to
protect themselves
from a recurrence of
the disease were
actually at higher
risk of getting a
second cancer while
taking the
supplement than
those in a placebo
group.
In this study,
the IGF-1 level was
not associated
positively with the
risk of prostate
carcinoma; however,
an increase in the
IGFBP-3 level was
associated with a
modest decrease in
risk. Experts Consider HT for Younger Women.pdf
Questions still
persist after the
release of the July
2002 Women’s Health
Initiative findings
regarding hormone
therapy.
Researchers have
been looking at the
data to see if
certain changes in
dosage or initiation
age could still
provide benefits to
women.
According to Mary
Ann Banerji, MD,
associate professor
of medicine and
endocrinology at
SUNY Downstate
Medical Center in
Brooklyn, N.Y.,
abdominal obesity
may be a better
marker of insulin
resistance syndrome
than other
indicators such as
BMI and weight.
Banerji spoke about
obesity and its
association with
insulin resistance
syndrome at the 65th
Scientific Sessions
of the American
Diabetes
Association. Study Links Fat Distribution and Not Body Weight as an Indicator of Cardiovascular Disease Risk.pdf
GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE),
announced that the company’s
Lunar Prodigy bone density
system was used in a
groundbreaking study to
evaluate body composition
and fat distribution in the
body as an important
indicator of risk of
cardiovascular
disease. The study was
presented at the 27th
Annual Meeting of the
American Society for Bone
and Mineral Research meeting
in Nashville, TN, September
23-27.
According to this review
article, the kidney plays a
major role in arginine
metabolism in 3 principal
ways: arginine synthesis,
creatine synthesis, and
arginine reabsorption.
Appreciable quantities of
arginine are synthesized in
the kidney from citrulline
produced by the intestine.
The renal enzymes of
arginine synthesis,
argininosuccinate synthetase
and argininosuccinate lyase,
occur in the cells of the
proximal tubule. The rate of
arginine synthesis depends
on citrulline delivery and
does not appear to be
regulated by dietary
arginine availability. Renal
arginine synthesis in humans
produces approximately 2 g
arginine/d, which may be
compared to an intake, from
a Western diet, of
approximately 4 to 5 g/d. Free Testosterone and Risk for Alzheimer Disease in Older Men.pdf
The results of a
recent study
revealed a link
between low
testosterone levels
and potential for
future onset of
Alzheimer’s.
Researchers found
that men with
Alzheimer disease
had a lower
testosterone level
prior to the
diagnosis. Future
research results may
offer protection
against a diagnosis
of Alzheimer disease
in aging men.
This study
concludes that
postmenopausal
hormone use was
associated with an
increased rate of
newly diagnosed
asthma but not newly
diagnosed COPD.
Female reproductive
hormones may
contribute to the
onset of asthma
among adult women,
but do not appear to
hasten the
development of COPD. Safety and Adverse Effects of Androgens: How to Counsel Patients.pdf
In short-term
clinical trials of
androgen replacement
in women, several
benefits have been
shown, including
improved libido,
bone mineral density
and body
composition.
While androgen
therapy for women is
relatively new, it
is receiving more
attention.
Formulations and Use
of Androgens in
Women.pdf
The conclusion of
this study was that
cardiac performance
is correlated with
the GH status
because significant
impairment was found
in patients with
severe and partial
GHD but not in non-GHD
hypopituitary
patients. Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 as a Vascular Protective Factor.pdf
According to this
study, until
recently, IGF-1 was
considered a
mediator of vascular
disease. Increasing
evidence indicates,
instead, that IGF-1
protects against
endothelial
dysfunction,
atherosclerotic
plaque development,
the metabolic
syndrome, clinical
instability, and
ischemic myocardial
damage. The Serum Growth Hormone to Somatostatin Ratio is Skewed Upward in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.pdf
These results of
this study indicated
that symptomatic RA
is associated with
elevated serum
growth hormone
without concomitant
changes in IGF-1
compared to
individuals from the
control group.
Reduced somatostatin
levels in older RA
patients resulted in
a skewed upward
growth hormone to
somatostatin ratio.
It was concluded
that the serum
growth hormone to
somatostatin ratio
may be a useful
surrogate marker of
disease activity in
symptomatic RA.
A third of men
with type 2 diabetes
have low
testosterone levels,
a new study
suggests.
Testosterone helps
men reduce body fat
and improves the way
their bodies handle
insulin. So low
testosterone levels
may have serious
consequences for men
with diabetes,
suggests Sandeep
Dhindsa, MD, of
State University of
New York at Buffalo.
Frequent Occurrence
of Hypogonadotropic
Hypogonadism in Type
2 Diabetes.pdf
Review by
Amazon.com of
Suzanne Somers’ book
The Sexy Years:
Discover the Hormone
Connection: The
Secret to Fabulous
Sex, Great Health,
and Vitality, for
Women and Men.
This study
focused on
severely-burned
patients. It
looked at combining
administration of
glutamine (Gln) and
recombinant human
growth hormone (rhGH)
to see if it could
be beneficial to the
elevation of the
plasma Gln level in
these patients. Low Androgenization Index in Elderly Women and Elderly Men with Alzheimer's Disease.pdf
The authors of
this study
investigated whether
testosterone levels
and testosterone
availability differ
between older lean
subjects with and
without Alzheimer's
disease (AD). Sex
hormone binding
globulin (SHBG) and
estradiol levels
were higher, whereas
the free
androgenization
index (FAI) was
lower, in lean
subjects with AD
than in lean
subjects without AD.
Factors involved in
the increase of SHBG
secretion could have
an important role in
the lower
testosterone
availability of
subjects with AD. Diet Composition and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Epidemiological and Clinical Evidence.pdf
This article
concludes that new
emphasis on
prevention by
multiple lifestyle
modifications,
including moderate
changes in the
composition of the
habitual diet, might
limit the dramatic
increase in
incidence of type 2
diabetes envisaged
worldwide.
This study
provides further
support that
carbohydrate and fat
metabolism influence
cardiac outcome and
provides new
evidence that
dietary modification
prior to coronary
artery bypass
surgery can shorten
the hospital stay. Risks of Testosterone-Replacement Therapy and Recommendations for Monitoring.pdf
According to this
study, hypogonadism
affects an estimated
2 million to 4
million men
in the
United States; its
prevalence increases
with age. However,
it has been
estimated that only
5 percent of
affected men
currently receive
treatment. Recent
interest in
testosterone therapy
has been fueled not
only by increased
medical
awareness of the
effects of
hypogonadism, but
also by media
attention regarding
hormone-replacement
therapy in both men
and
women, the marketing
of new topical
testosterone
formulations,
and the
desire of "baby
boomers" to maintain
vigor and health
into
their more mature
years.
Growth Hormone
Replacement Therapy
Appears Safe in Long
Term.pdf
Reduced Longevity in
Untreated Patients
with Isolated Growth
Hormone
Deficiency.pdf
According to this
article,
testosterone
infusion increases
coronary blood flow.
Similarly,
testosterone
replacement retards
atherogenesis in
experimental models
of atherosclerosis.
However, the
long-term risks and
benefits of
testosterone
administration in
human
immunodeficiency
virus-infected men
with fat
redistribution
syndrome have not
been studied in
randomized clinical
trials. Testosterone and Atherosclerosis.pdf
This article
concludes that the
overall effect of
administration of
testosterone on
cardiovascular-disease
risk is difficult to
assess because
androgens have such
an extraordinary
array of effects in
vivo.
The results of
this study did not
reveal any
significant changes
in study parameters,
apart from a
statistically
significant increase
in DHEA-S levels
after therapy with
active substance.
Effects of Growth
Hormone Secretion on
Body Composition in
Patients with
Crohn’s Disease.pdf
These findings of
this study support
the hypothesis that
host pubertal
development,
independent of age
and, by proxy,
cumulative exposure,
is necessary for
maximal expression
of resistance to
malarial infection
and morbidity, as
assessed by
hemoglobin level. Growth Hormone Protects Human Lymphocytes from Irradiation-Induced Cell Death.pdf
According to this
study, undesired
effects of cancer
radiotherapy mainly
affect the
hematopoietic
system. Growth
hormone (GH)
participates in both
hematopoiesis and
modulation of the
immune response.
Twenty patients
undergoing abdominal
surgery participated
in this
placebo-controlled
randomized
double-blind trial.
Each patient was
given human growth
hormone
subcutaneously for a
period of days
leading up to and
following the
operation.
The Study of
Phenolic Compounds
as Natural
Antioxidants in
Wine.pdf
In this article,
the authors discuss
some of the
mechanisms involved
in atherosclerotic
coronary artery
disease and the
putative link
between testosterone
deficiency and
atheroma formation.
They present the
hypothesis that the
immune-modulating
properties of
testosterone may be
important in
inhibiting atheroma
formation and
progression to acute
coronary syndrome.
Growth Hormone and
Insulin-Like Growth
Factor-1
Concentrations in
Women with
Fibromyalgia.pdf Endogenous Sex Hormones and Cardiovascular Disease in Men.pdf
The purpose of
this article is to
summarize the
evidence currently
available on the
association between
endogenous sex
hormones and
cardiovascular
disease in males.
Published studies
dealing with the
relationship between
circulating levels
of sex hormones and
cardiovascular
disease in males
were reviewed. The
studies reviewed in
this article suggest
that circulating
endogenous sex
hormones and
estrogens have a
neutral or
beneficial effect on
cardiovascular
disease in men.
This study
concludes that after
1 year of
testosterone
replacement therapy
(TRT) men with
prostatic
intraepithelial
neoplasia (PIN) do
not have a greater
increase in PSA or a
significantly
increased risk of
cancer than men
without PIN. These
results indicate
that TRT is not
contraindicated in
men with a history
of PIN.
This study
concludes that
greater levels or
production of the
catabolic cytokines
TNF-alpha and
interleukin 6 are
associated with
increased mortality
in
community-dwelling
elderly adults,
whereas IGF-1 levels
had the opposite
effect. Serum Free Testosterone in Men with Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis.pdf
The aim of this
study was to
determine whether
levels of serum free
testosterone differ
between men with and
without coronary
artery disease. It
concluded that a low
level of free
testosterone may be
related to the
development of
coronary artery
disease.
This study
concluded that in
elderly patients
undergoing total hip
replacement,
preoperative GH
treatment results in
improvements in lean
body mass and
skeletal muscle mass
that are sufficient
to offset
postoperative
losses. The
treatment may also
preserve or improve
muscle strength and
postoperative
walking ability.
Inverse Relationship
Between Total
Testosterone and
Anti-Oxidized Low
Density Lipoprotein
Antibody Levels in
Ageing Males.pdf
Insulin-like
growth factor-I (IGF-I)
is regulated by
human growth hormone
(hGH) and mediates
many of the
biological functions
of human growth
hormone (hGH).
It is known that
human growth hormone
(hGH) levels decline
with age. This
study was to
determine whether a
decrease in the
availability of
insulin-like growth
factor-I (IGF-I)
might contribute to
age-related changes
in immune functions.
The results
indicated that a
reduction in
immunocompetence may
be one of the
consequences of
reduced insulin-like
growth factor-I (IGF-I)
levels in human
aging.
This study
concludes that
recombinant human
growth hormone (rhGH)
has a beneficial
effect on metabolism
in patients who are
severely burned.
Hyperglycemia,
however, is apt to
occur and water,
Na(+), Cl(-)
retention are
suggested.
Fifty patients were
studied.
Fifty
severely-burned
patients were
enrolled in this
study, the aim of
which was to explore
the effects of
recombinant human
growth hormone (rhGH)
on the metabolism of
branch chain amino
acid when applied
postoperatively. The Influence of Recombinant Human Growth Hormones on the Systemic Metabolism After Severe Burn.pdf
The conclusion of
this study involving
twenty-four burn
patients was that a
small dose of
recombinant human
growth hormone could
promote systemic
protein synthesis
with no side effects
on blood glucose
levels.
This study
concluded that 12
months of GH
replacement
normalized IGF-I and
improved lipid
profile and cardiac
performance in adult
GHD patients. A
similar period of GH
deprivation induced
a further impairment
of lipid profile and
cardiac performance.
This finding
strongly supports
the need of GH
replacement in adult
GHD patients.
The authors of
this study concluded
that they found an
independent inverse
association between
levels of
testosterone and
aortic
atherosclerosis in
men. In women,
positive
associations between
levels of
testosterone and
aortic
atherosclerosis were
largely due to
adverse
cardiovascular
disease risk
factors.
Thirteen adult
patients with severe
GH-deficiency (GHD)
were evaluated in
this study.
The objective was to
evaluate the
microcirculation and
vascular reactivity
in a GHD state
before and during GH
replacement. Growth Hormone Therapy for Adults: Not Ready for Prime Time?.pdf
This article
states that
long-term studies in
patients receiving
appropriate
comprehensive
management for other
hormonal
deficiencies and for
concomitant
abnormalities will
be required to
convince physicians
of the utility and
safety of growth
hormone replacement
therapy.
This study
concluded that
individuals without
IHD but with low
circulating IGF-I
levels and high
IGFBP-3 levels have
significantly
increased risk of
developing IHD
during a 15-year
follow-up period.
Our findings suggest
that IGF-I may be
involved in the
pathogenesis of IHD.
This study
concluded that DHEA
administration
improves cellular
immune function
after hemorrhage and
may therefore be
beneficial in
patients with
hemorrhagic shock. Association of IGF-I Levels with Muscle Strength and Mobility in Older Women.pdf
This article
summarizes that in a
study population
including frail and
healthy older women,
low IGF-I levels
were associated with
poor knee extensor
muscle strength,
slow walking speed,
and self-reported
difficulty with
mobility tasks.
These findings
suggest a role for
IGF-I in disability
as well as a
potential target
population for
interventions to
raise IGF-I levels. Safety Aspects of Pharmacological GH Therapy in Adults.pdf
The objective of
the study was to
assess the safety of
large doses of rhGH
therapy in human
adults.
Well-conducted and
reported randomized
trials are still
needed to inform
practice as to
whether GH
administration will
be safe in specific
illness categories.
This article
concludes that GH
replacement for 12
months significantly
improved lipid
profile, decreased
fibrinogen levels,
and increased LVMi
and LVEF in young
adults with co- or
ao-GHD. However,
lipid profile,
fibrinogen levels,
and systolic
function remained
abnormal compared
with those in age-
and sex-matched
controls, suggesting
that a longer period
of GH replacement is
necessary to
normalize
cardiovascular
parameters and
reverse the
cardiovascular risk
of these patients. Prostate Cancer Risk and Serum Levels of Insulin and Leptin: A Population-Based Study.pdf
The results of
this study suggest
that serum insulin
levels may influence
the risk of prostate
cancer in Chinese
men. Further
research, especially
prospective studies,
is needed to confirm
these findings in
high-risk
populations and to
clarify the
underlying
mechanisms involved. Clinical Perspective - Acromegaly and Cancer: Not a Problem?.pdf
This study
discusses how
uncontrolled
acromegaly may
provide
a growth advantage
to concurrently
occurring neoplasms
in
these patients; and
based upon
experimental
information,
cancer
in a patient with
acromegaly and
uncontrolled GH
levels
will
likely be more
aggressive, with
potentially
increased
cancer-associated
morbidity and
mortality. However,
there is no clear
evidence
for
enhanced de novo
cancer initiation in
acromegaly and, as
yet, no
direct proven causal
relationship of
acromegaly with
malignant disease.
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Decreases Mortality
Rate and Improves
Cellular Immune
Function During
Polymicrobial
Sepsis.pdf
This article,
written soon after
September 11th,
says that Americans
have been
re-evaluating their
priorities since the
attacks, and for
some people that
means paying closer
attention to their
health. There has
even been a rise in
interest in
so-called anti-aging
clinics. It
discusses several
clinics, including
Cenegenics. Diagnosis and Management of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults.pdf
According to this
article, treatment
with growth hormone
reverses
abnormalities in
body composition and
may reduce
cardiovascular risk
factors; however,
the long-term
treatment outcomes
regarding mortality,
the incidence of
cardiovascular
disease, bone
fractures, tumor
development, and
recurrence are not
known. Longer
prospective clinical
studies are needed.
The major
manufacturers of
growth hormone have
initiated
postmarketing
surveillance
databases to monitor
the safety of growth
hormone treatment. This study concluded that low-dose supplemental testosterone treatment in men with chronic stable angina reduces exercise-ind |