 National Institutes for Health (NIH)
September (2008)
Vitamin C Injections Reduce Growth of Mouse Tumors
A new study has found that daily high-dose injections of vitamin C significantly reduce tumor growth in mice.
Daily high-dose injections of vitamin C significantly reduce tumor growth in mice.Vitamin C—otherwise known as ascorbate— is an important nutrient that’s used throughout the body.
Deficiency can result in a condition called scurvy that can ultimately result in death if left untreated.
Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant, removing unstable oxygen molecules left over from chemical reactions that can damage cells.
Several studies dating back 30 years ago had observed that vitamin C had potential anti-cancer properties when given to patients in high doses orally and through injections.
A few years later, however, when patients with advanced cancers were treated with oral vitamin C in clinical trials, the vitamin did not have an anti-cancer effect.
Researchers from NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the University of Kansas Medical Center decided to reexamine vitamin C as a potential cancer therapy.
First they tested high doses of ascorbate on 43 different tumor lines and 5 normal cell lines.
In the August 12, 2008, issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers reported that high concentrations of vitamin C caused cell death in 75% of the 43 cancer cell lines they tested, but didn’t affect the normal cell lines.
When high-dose ascorbate injections were given once or twice daily to mice with aggressive brain, ovarian or pancreatic cancers, the tumors shrank by up to 53%.
In mice with aggressive brain tumors, the injections prevented cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body.
Vitamin C is best known as an antioxidant, but when it is injected at high doses, it promotes formation of prooxidant, destructive hydrogen peroxide molecules.
The researchers tested catalase, an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, and found that it neutralized the effect of ascorbate on the tumor cell lines.
Mice examined after injections of ascorbate had high levels of hydrogen peroxide in the spaces surrounding tumor cells, supporting the idea that hydrogen peroxide is the cause of tumor cell death.
Previous clinical trials using vitamin C were unsuccessful, explained lead researcher Dr. Mark Levine, because when taken orally vitamin C levels are tightly controlled by your body.
“When you eat foods containing more than 200 milligrams of vitamin C a day—for example, 2 oranges and a serving of broccoli—your body prevents blood levels of ascorbate from exceeding a narrow range,” he said.
Researchers didn’t realize at the time that only injected ascorbate could raise tissue levels enough to harm tumor cells.
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 National Institutes for Health (NIH)
September (2008)
New Genetic Quirks Linked to Schizophrenia
New studies by international research teams provide the most complete picture to date of the genetic glitches that may contribute to schizophrenia.
The studies confirm what recent smaller studies have hinted: that rare and diverse variations, at multiple locations in a person’s genome, raise the risk of schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a lifelong, disabling brain disorder that affects about 1 in 100 adults nationwide.
The disease usually emerges in late adolescence or early adulthood, causing delusions, hallucinations and problems with thinking and concentration.
Researchers believe that a complex set of genetic and environmental factors combine to cause schizophrenia, although the details remain unclear.
Working independently, 3 scientific teams—supported in part by NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)—conducted genome-wide association studies to find genetic factors linked to schizophrenia.
Two of the studies looked for relatively large deletions or duplications—called structural variations—in the chromosomes of thousands of patients with schizophrenia.
The third study looked at tiny variations called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in strands of DNA.
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 National Institutes for Health (NIH)
September (2008)
Laser Treatment Best for Diabetic Macular Edema
A promising new drug therapy for people with diabetes who have abnormal swelling in the eye—
a condition called diabetic macular edema—proved less effective than traditional laser treatments in a new study.
Laser therapy was not only more effective than corticosteroids, but also had far fewer side effects.
Traditional laser therapy proved most effective for treating diabetic macular edema.
These include diabetic macular edema, which involves swelling of the center part of the eye's retina, the macula. The condition can lead to blindness if left untreated.
Ophthalmologists traditionally use lasers to reduce the swelling.
However, starting around 5 years ago, early reports of success in treating diabetic macular edema with injections of a corticosteroid called triamcinolone led to a rise in its popularity.
The Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network, a collaborative network supported by NIH’s National Eye Institute (NEI) and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK),
set out to compare the long-term benefits of both treatments and evaluate their potential side effects.
A total of 693 patients with diabetic macular edema participated at 88 sites across the United States. Each person was randomly assigned to corticosteroid or traditional laser treatment.
Following the treatment, investigators tested each patient to determine whether the procedure had prevented substantial vision loss,
defined as reading at least 2 less lines on a standard eye chart 2 years after entering the study.
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 Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
August (2008)
Step 1: Make a commitment.
Step 2: Take stock of where you are.
Step 3: Set realistic goals.
Step 4: Identify resources for information and support.
Step 5: Continually "check in" with yourself to monitor your progress.
Step 1: Make a commitment.
Making the decision to lose weight, change your lifestyle, and become healthier is a big step to take.
Start simply by making a commitment to yourself. Many people find it helpful to sign a written contract committing to the process.
This contract may include things like the amount of weight you want to lose, the date you’d like to lose the weight by, the dietary changes you’ll make to establish healthy eating habits, and a plan for getting regular physical activity.
Writing down the reasons why you want to lose weight can also help.
It might be because you have a family history of heart disease, or because you want to see your kids get married, or simply because you want to feel better in your clothes.
Post these reasons where they serve as a daily reminder of why you want to make this change.
Step 2: Take stock of where you are.
Consider talking to your health care provider. He or she can evaluate your height, weight, and explore other weight-related risk factors you may have.
Ask for a follow-up appointment to monitor changes in your weight or any related health conditions.
Keep a "food diary" for a few days, in which you write down everything you eat.
By doing this, you become more aware of what you are eating and when you are eating.
This awareness can help you avoid mindless eating.
Next, examine your current lifestyle.
Identify things that might pose challenges to your weight loss efforts.
For example, does your work or travel schedule make it difficult to get enough physical activity? Do you find yourself eating sugary foods because that's what you buy for your kids?
Do your coworkers frequently bring high-calorie items, such as doughnuts, to the workplace to share with everyone? Think through things you can do to help overcome these challenges.
Finally, think about aspects of your lifestyle that can help you lose weight.
For example, is there an area near your workplace where you and some coworkers can take a walk at lunchtime?
Is there a place in your community, such as a rec-plex, with exercise facilities for you and child care for your kids?
Step 3: Set realistic goals.
Set some short-term goals and reward your efforts along the way.
If your long-term goal is to lose 40 pounds and to control your high blood pressure, some short-term eating and physical activity goals might be to start eating breakfast, taking a 15 minute walk in the evenings, or having a salad or vegetable with supper.
Focus on two or three goals at a time.
Great, effective goals are —
Specific
Realistic
Forgiving (less than perfect)
For example, "Exercise More" is not a specific goal. But if you say, "I will walk 15 minutes, 3 days a week for the first week,"
you are setting a specific and realistic goal for the first week.
Remember, small changes every day can lead to big results in the long run. Also remember that realistic goals are achievable goals.
By achieving your short-term goals day-by-day, you'll feel good about your progress and be motivated to continue.
Setting unrealistic goals, such as losing 20 pounds in 2 weeks, can leave you feeling defeated and frustrated.
Being realistic also means expecting occasional setbacks.
Setbacks happen when you get away from your plan for whatever reason – maybe the holidays, longer work hours, or another life change.
When setbacks happen, get back on track as quickly as possible. Also take some time to think about what you would do differently if a similar situation happens, to prevent setbacks.
Keep in mind everyone is different – what works for someone else might not be right for you.
Just because your neighbor lost weight by taking up running, doesn't mean running is the best option for you. Try a variety of activities – walking, swimming, tennis, or group exercise classes to see what you enjoy most and can fit into your life.
These activities will be easier to stick with over the long term.
Step 4: Identify resources for information and support.
Find family members or friends who will support your weight loss efforts.
Making lifestyle changes can feel easier when you have others you can talk to and rely on for support.
You might have coworkers or neighbors with similar goals, and together you can share healthful recipes and plan group exercise.
Joining a weight loss group or visiting a health care professional such as a registered dietitian, can help.
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