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Posted: 24 Apr 2013 03:52 AM PDT

Tucking into a bowl of cream of mushroom soup or a plate of sauteed mushrooms may be an effective way of upping your vitamin D intake, provided you choose mushrooms that have been exposed to plenty of UV light, suggest the authors of a new US study.

In the randomised study out of Boston University, 30 healthy adults took capsules of vitamin D2, capsules of vitamin D3, or mushroom powder containing vitamin D2 once a day during the winter, when stores of the sunshine vitamin are low.

Doses all measured 2,000 International Units (IUs). Vitamin D is crucial for building strong bones and muscle strength, and helps reduce the risk of fracture and osteoporosis. It's been shown to help fight infections like the flu and to play a role in fighting cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression and diabetes.

After 12 weeks, researchers found no difference in the vitamin D levels among participants who took supplements versus those who ingested the mushroom powder.

"These results provide evidence that ingesting mushrooms which have been exposed to ultraviolet light and contain vitamin D2, are a good source of vitamin D that can improve the vitamin D status of healthy adults," said lead author Michael Holick in a statement.

The findings were published in the journal Dermato-Endocrinology and presented Monday at the American Society for Biochemistry and Microbiology annual meeting in Boston.

It's been a good week for the fungi, as another study released this week out of John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health concluded that swapping out meat for mushrooms in one meal a day helped subjects lose weight, reduce overall body fat and maintain their weight loss over time.

A tall tale

Posted: 24 Apr 2013 02:18 AM PDT

Understanding the factors that determine your height.

ONE of the basketball players in my college is over six feet five inches tall. Why do some people grow so tall?

Tall stature is defined as a person having height in excess of two standard deviations above the mean for the person's gender, age and genetic background.

The most common cause of this is if you have two tall parents.

Now, different races have different characteristic heights. For example, if you are a pygmy, you would be considered normal for your genetic background and race, but short compared to the general population.

Sometimes, height in a population is also affected by extreme poverty or prolonged warfare. This can lead to chronic malnutrition. For example, during World War 2, many of our parents grew up with very little to eat. Therefore, they may be shorter than their children today.

Of course, there are plenty of disorders that can lead to tall stature, namely gigantism and several syndromes.

What determines how we grow?

When we are children, the growth hormone plays a very important part in our growth.

Growth in height is a result of the lengthening of our long bones. This is controlled by the human growth hormone, which is secreted by the pituitary gland. It also stimulates another hormone called insulin-like growth factor.

These two hormones perform many other functions, especially during our adult life. But when we are children, they chiefly result in growth. They peak in childhood when we are growing the fastest, and gradually subside after our adolescence.

The bulk of their secretion happens in spurts and bursts, especially in adolescence. And the biggest spurts occur at night. That is why sleep is essential for growth.

Do very tall people die earlier? I have heard such rumours.

Some studies have suggested that tallness can confer better cardiovascular health, but increased cancer risk. Other studies suggest that shortness is associated with a long life.

Unfortunately, if you are too tall, this can put a burden on your heart because your heart has to pump more blood to supply your entire body. For example, Robert Wadlow, the tallest man ever recorded in history, was 8 feet 11 inches. He suffered from excessive secretion of growth hormone.

He had difficulty walking and couldn't feel his feet and hands most of the time. He acquired a blister because of his walking braces and died of the subsequent infection at age 22.

Why are people in certain countries so tall, even though they all possess the same racial characteristics? For example, the Dutch tourists seem to be very tall to me. But in old Dutch paintings, they appear very short.

In the 19th century, the North Americans were among the tallest in the world, taller than their European counterparts. But then, the Europeans have surpassed them now, particularly the Dutch and Scandinavians.

In Holland, the men average 1.83m (6 feet) in height, and the woman average 5 feet 7 inches.

This is ironic because in the 19th century, the Netherlands was famous for its short people. Height actually decreases in a period of rapid industrialisation, because there will be more economic unequality.

What is gigantism?

Gigantism usually presents in childhood or young adulthood. It is caused by a pituitary tumour (adenoma) that leads to oversecretion of growth hormone.

If you get a pituitary adenoma after your bone growth plates fuse, the result is acromegaly, where you do not have tall stature, but have myriad other structural presentations.

Gigantism has a hereditary component as well and pituitary adenomas may run in families.

Other than tall stature, in gigantism, the muscles and body organs may be enlarged. There may be a delay in puberty, abnormally large hands and feet, an enlarged forehead and jaw, and pronounced underbite (jutting jaw).

The person may be prone to arthritis and headaches, as well as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease due to heart enlargement.

> Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health advice, computers and entertainment. For further information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

'Cinnamon challenge' game poses danger to lungs: report

Posted: 23 Apr 2013 11:26 PM PDT

Health experts warned Monday about serious risks from the "Cinnamon Challenge," a game popular with US teens, who ingest a spoonful of the pungent spice, then try to refrain from drinking water.

A study published in the journal Pediatrics warned that while the game may seem like harmless fun, many youth who play in end up taking a trip to the emergency room, and some even suffer lung damage.

Over the past few years, it has become popular for youth to film themselves attempting the stunt, then gagging desperately as they try to refrain from drinking water for at least a minute. One such video on YouTube has garnered nearly 30 million views.

But cinnamon is caustic, and trying to swallow it can cause choking, throat irritation, breathing trouble and even collapsed lungs, the Pediatrics report warned.

"Cinnamon is a caustic powder composed of cellulose fibers, which are bio-resistant and bio-persistent. They neither dissolve nor biodegrade in the lungs," said the study, which was released online.

"It is prudent to warn that the Cinnamon Challenge has a high likelihood to be damaging to the lungs," the study said.

Pediatrics said at least 30 teens across the United States required medical attention after taking the challenge last year. -- AFPRelaxnews

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Rabu, 24 April 2013

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health

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