Microsoft word - october_2011.doc

DAARDIE KLEIN BLOU PILLETJIE EN DIE OLIMPIESE SPELE Eendag was daar ʻn klein, blou pilletjie. Die uitvinders daarvan het probeer om hartsiekte te behandel en hartaanvalle te voorkom, en het ontdek dat die pil bloedvate kan verwyd. Teoreties sou angina of borspyn verlig kon word as meer suurstofdraende rooibloedselle deur die wyer koronêre vate na die hartspierselle geneem word. Al het dit in die teorie goed geklink, was die klein, blou pilletjie nie baie doeltreffend nie. Navorsers en die pasiënte het egter ontdek dat hierdie klein, blou pilletjies nie alleen die hartvate verwyd het nie, maar selfs beter gevaar het om die bloedvate baie laer af te verwyd. Dit was hierdie newe-effek wat Viagra stewig op die mark geplaas het as die eerste doeltreffende behandeling vir erektiele disfunksie, en so is die klein, blou pilletjie in ʻn medisyne-superster verander. Nou is dit op pad om selfs ʻn nog groter ster in die atletiekwêreld te word. Navorsing onder fietsryers en bergklimmers het bepaal dat die klein, blou pilletjie op hoër hoogtes bloedvate in die longe verwyd, wat meebring dat meer suurstof uit die lug onttrek kan word om die suurstofkonsentrasie in die bloedstroom te verhoog. Dit veroorsaak dat jy vinniger en harder kan oefen. Die klein, blou pilletjie het nou van die slaapkamersport na buitesport gespring. Daar word beweer dat bofbalspelers, atlete en professionele fietsryers Viagra nou mildelik gebruik. Wie onthou nog anaboliese steroïede en groeihormone? Die teorie is eenvoudig. Aërobiese metabolisme benodig suurstof en glukose om te kan plaasvind. As daar meer suurstof na ʻn spier geneem kan word gedurende oefening en mededinging, kan dit ʻn hoër vlak van aktiwiteit handhaaf voordat dit na anaërobiese metabolisme oorskakel (wanneer die suurstofvoorraad opraak). Melksuur, die neweproduk van anaërobiese metabolisme, is ʻn doodsvonnis vir prestasie. Die suur-basisbalans in die spierselle word ontwrig en spiere hou op saamtrek. Hersteltyd is nodig om die suur uit te werk en normaliteit in die sel en die spier as geheel te herstel. Daar is verskillende maniere waarop suurstoflewering aan die selle verhoog kan word, en die meeste daarvan het te doen met die verhoging van die aantal rooibloedselle in die liggaam. Die wettige manier om die aantal rooibloedselle in die liggaam te verhoog, is om na ʻn plek te trek wat hoër bo seespieël lê. Wanneer wen egter van ʻn tiende van ʻn sekonde of ʻn breukdeel van ʻn duim afhang, sal die atleet na daardie ekstra voorsprong soek. Die klein, blou pilletjie kan dalk net vir daardie voorsprong sorg. SELFS ÉÉN GLAS WYN OF BIER VERHOOG JOU RISIKO OP ‘N MOTORONGELUK Volgens ʻn nuwe studie kan selfs ʻn enkele glas wyn of bier jou bloedalkoholkonsentrasie sodanig laat styg dat dit jou risiko verhoog om ernstig in ʻn ongeluk beseer te word of te sterf. Navorsers aan die Universiteit van California, San Diego, het bevind dat ʻn bloedalkoholkonsentrasie van slegs 0,01% - veel laer as die wettige perk van 0,08% in die Verenigde State - die kans verhoog om in ʻn ernstige ongeluk betrokke te raak. Die navorsers het die nasionale data van noodlottige motorongelukke in die Verenigde State tussen 1994 en 2008 ontleed. Volgens die studie is daar geen hoeveelheid alkohol wat as veilig beskou kan word as jy bestuur nie. Selfs met byna geen opspoorbare alkohol in die bestuurder se bloed nie, was daar 4,33 ernstige beserings vir elke nie-ernstige besering, teenoor 3,17 ernstige beserings vir sober bestuurders. Ongelukke was 36,6% ernstiger, selfs wanneer daar byna geen alkohol by die bestuurder opgespoor kon word nie. Volgens die navorsers is daar drie faktore wat hierdie bevindings kan verklaar. As sober bestuurders vergelyk word met bestuurders wat selfs net effens hoenderkop is, is laasgenoemde groep meer geneig daartoe om te vinnig te ry, nie korrek vasgegordel te wees nie en waarskynlik die voertuig te bestuur wat die ongeluk veroorsaak. Al hierdie faktore kan tot ʻn ernstige ongeluk lei. Die navorsers het ook ʻn verband gevind tussen hierdie drie faktore en die hoeveelheid alkohol wat die bestuurder gedrink het. Hoe hoër die bloedalkoholkonsentrasie van die bestuurders was, hoe vinniger het hulle gery en hoe ernstiger was die gevolglike ongelukke. As ʻn mens in ag neem dat verskillende lande se wettige bloedalkoholkonsentrasievlakke baie verskil (Duitsland: 0,05; Japan: 0,03; Swede: 0,02), behoort die nuwe bevindings wetmakers en andere aan te moedig om strenger wetgewing teen bestuur onder die invloed van alkohol in te stel. Dit behoort na alle waarskynlikheid beserings wat tot ongeskiktheid lei, VERANDER JOU DIEET EN SIEN BETER OP JOU OUDAG Vir mense wat ʻn hoë risiko loop om hul sentrale visie te verloor soos hulle ouer word, kan voldoende hoeveelhede van sekere voedingstowwe dalk help om hulle sig te beskerm. Volgens nuwe navorsing het mense met ʻn genetiese vatbaarheid vir makulêre degenerasie hulle risiko om die siekte te ontwikkel met soveel as ʻn derde verminder deur meer sink, antioksidante of omega 3-vetsure te neem, vergeleke met mense wat minder van hierdie voedingstowwe geneem het. Makulêre degenerasie is die verswakking van sig wat deur die verwering van die retina veroorsaak word. Ouderdomsverwante makulêre degenerasie is algemeen, en in ontwikkelde lande is dit vir die helfte van alle gevalle van blindheid verantwoordelik. In die Verenigde State kom hierdie toestand by meer as ses uit elke 100 volwassenes oor die ouderdom van 40 jaar voor. Al kan medikasie en chirurgie die siekte behandel, kan die siekte nie genees word nie. Dit is bekend dat minstens twee variasies van gene ʻn persoon se risiko verhoog om die siekte te ontwikkel, vergeleke met die algemene bevolking. Die eetgewoontes van meer as 2 000 deelnemers wat veral vatbaar vir hierdie toestand en bo 55 was, is ontleed om vas te stel of hulle risiko verlaag kan word. Hulle is almal getoets vir die geen wat hulle meer vatbaar vir makulêre degenerasie maak. Al die deelnemers het vir die volgende dekade elke drie jaar oogondersoeke ondergaan om vas te stel wie se sig verswak het. Groter hoeveelhede sink, betakaroteen, omega 3-vetsure of luteïen/seaxantien in die dieet word verbind met ʻn laer risiko vir makulêre degenerasie. In die VSA is die aanbevole daaglikse sinkaanvulling vir mans 11 milligram en 8 milligram vir vroue. Daar word aanbeveel dat mans daagliks minstens 1,6 gram omega 3-vetsure inneem en vroue 1,1 gram. JOU LIEFDE VIR OLYFOLIE KAN JOU RISIKO VIR ‘N BEROERTE VERLAAG In ʻn studie oor vyf jaar onder ouer Franse volwassenes is bevind dat diegene wat gereeld olyfolie gebruik het, se kanse op ʻn beroerte 41% laer was as dié wat glad nie olyfolie gebruik het nie. Die bevindings, wat in die tydskrif Neurology gepubliseer is, dui daarop dat die alombekende verband tussen olyfolie en hartsiekte miskien ook na beroerte uitgebrei kan word. Olyfolie is ʻn kernbestanddeel van die sogenaamde Mediterreense dieet. Sommige kliniese toetse dui aan dat die dieet help om risikofaktore vir hartsiekte soos hoë bloeddruk, vet om jou abdominale area en verhoogde vlakke van “slegte” LDL-cholesterol, te beperk. ʻn Hoë inname van olyfolie word ook verbind met ʻn laer risiko vir hartaanval en ʻn langer lewe vir diegene wat hartaanvalle oorleef. Volgens ʻn kundige wat nie met die studie gemoeid was nie, ondersteun die nuutste bevindings die algemene advies dat mens verdagte dieetvette soos versadigde en transvette met olyfolie en ander onversadigde vette behoort te vervang. Hy benadruk egter dat die studie nie bewys dat olyfolie opsigself beroerte help voorkom nie. ʻn Neuroloog aan die Columbia University Medical Center in New York waarsku ook dat dit ʻn waarnemende studie was. Die studie het ʻn korrelasie gevind tussen mense se gebruik van olyfolie en hulle risiko vir beroerte, maar dit dui nie noodwendig op ʻn oorsaak-en-gevolg-situasie nie. Die mense wat baie olyfolie gebruik, kan baie verskil van diegene wat dit nie gebruik nie. Mense wat olyfolie gebruik kan byvoorbeeld meer verdien, oor die algemeen gesonder eet of meer oefen as dié wat nooit olyfolie gebruik nie. Die navorsers van die onlangse studie het sulke moontlikhede probeer in ag neem. In die huidige studie het 7 625 Franse volwassenes van 65 jaar en ouer inligting oor hulle dieet en leefstyl verskaf. Mense wat met olyfolie gekook en dit as slaaisous gebruik het, is as “intensiewe gebruikers” beskou. Vir die volgende vyf tot ses jaar was die voorkoms van beroertes onder die “intensiewe gebruikers” 0,3% per jaar. Daarteenoor was die ooreenstemmende syfer vir niegebruikers 0,5% en vir matige gebruikers 0,4%. Nadat die navorsers ander dieetgewoontes, oefening en ander groot risikofaktore vir beroerte soos hoë bloeddruk en diabetes verreken het, is 41% van die verlaging in die risiko van ʻn beroerte aan die hoë gebruik van olyfolie toegeskryf. Daar is ook bloedmonsters geneem om die vlak van oleïensuur - ʻn mono-onversadigde vet wat die grootste deel van die vetsure in olyfolie uitmaak - te bepaal. Die derde van die deelnemers met die hoogste oleïensuurvlakke was 73% minder geneig om beroerte te kry as die derde met die laagste vlakke. Olyfolie is een deel van die Mediterreense dieet wat met voordele vir jou hart verbind word. Die dieet bevat ook baie vrugte en groente, peulgewasse, volgraan, vis en matige hoeveelhede rooiwyn. Indien u nie meer hierdie nuusbrief wil ontvang nie, kanselleer hier asb. THE LITTLE BLUE PILL AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES Once upon a time, there was a little blue pill. Its inventors were trying to treat heart disease and prevent heart attacks and found that the little blue pill could dilate blood vessels. The theory was that angina or chest pain could be decreased when more red blood cells carrying oxygen were delivered to heart muscle cells through the dilated coronary vessels. Though good in theory, the little blue pill wasn't very effective. However, researchers and the patients discovered that the little blue pills not only dilated heart vessels, but did a lot better dilating blood vessels a lot lower down. It was this side-effect that put Viagra firmly on the market as the first effective treatment for erectile dysfunction and turned a little blue pill into a medicine superstar. And now it's on the way to becoming an even bigger star in the athletic world. Studies with cyclists and mountain climbers found that at high altitude, the little blue pill dilated blood vessels in the lungs and allowed more oxygen to be extracted from the air, increasing the oxygen concentration in the bloodstream. This translated into faster and stronger training. The little blue pill has now leapt from bedroom sports to outdoor sports. It has been alleged that both baseball players, athletes and pro-cyclists are now are loading up on Viagra. Who remembers anabolic steroids and growth hormone anymore? The theory is simple. Aerobic metabolism needs oxygen and glucose to occur. During training and competition, if more oxygen can be delivered to a muscle, then it can maintain a higher level of activity before switching over to anaerobic metabolism (when the oxygen supply runs out). Lactic acid, the by-product of anaerobic metabolism, is a death sentence for performance. The acid-base balance within the muscle cells is upset, and muscle contraction stops. Recovery time is needed to flush out the acid and restore normalcy to the cell and to the muscle as a whole. There are a variety of ways of increasing oxygen delivery to cells, and most have to do with increasing the number of red blood cells in the body. The legal way to increase the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream is to move to a high altitude. But when winning is dependent on a tenth of a second, or a fraction of an inch, the athlete will look for an extra edge. And that edge might just be a little blue pill. EVEN ONE GLASS OF BEER, WINE BOOSTS CAR CRASH RISK Drinking even a single glass of beer or wine can raise blood-alcohol concentrations enough to increase the chances of being seriously injured or dying in a crash for those who choose to get behind the wheel, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego found that having a blood-alcohol concentration of just 0.01 percent - much lower than the legal limit in the United States of 0.08 percent - increased the chances of being in a serious crash. In the study, researchers analyzed national data on fatal car accidents in the United States between 1994 and 2008. No amount of alcohol seemed to be safe for driving, according to the study. Even with barely detectable amounts of alcohol in a driver's blood, there were 4.33 serious injuries for every non-serious injury versus 3.17 serious injuries for sober drivers, the investigators found. "Accidents are 36.6 percent more severe even when alcohol was barely detectable in a driver's blood." The researchers suggested that there are three factors that might explain their findings. Comparing sober drivers to those driving with a so-called "buzz," it was found that "buzzed drivers are more likely to speed, more likely to be improperly seat-belted and more likely to drive the striking vehicle, all of which are associated with greater severity in an accident.” The investigators also found a relationship between the amount of alcohol a driver consumed and those three factors. For instance, the greater the blood-alcohol concentration of the driver, the greater the average speed of their vehicle and the greater the severity of the resulting accident. Considering that blood-alcohol concentration limits vary greatly between countries (Germany: 0.05; Japan: 0.03; Sweden: 0.02), the study authors said that the new findings should encourage lawmakers and others to enact stricter laws against driving under the influence. "Doing so is very likely to reduce incapacitating injuries and to save lives." DIET TIED TO A LOWER RISK OF VISION LOSS IN OLD AGE For people at a higher risk of losing central vision as they age, eating sufficient levels of certain dietary nutrients could help protect their eyes. A new study finds that among people with a genetic susceptibility to macular degeneration - vision loss caused by erosion of the retina - those who took higher levels of zinc, antioxidants or omega-3 fatty acids cut their risk of developing the disease by as much as a third compared with those who ate lower levels of the nutrients. Age-related macular degeneration is common, accounting for half of all cases of blindness in developed countries. In the United States, the condition occurs in more than six out of every 100 adults over age 40. Though patients can be treated with medications and surgery, none of these cures the disease. At least two gene variations are known to raise a person's risk for developing the condition compared to the general population. To see whether these especially susceptible people might reduce their risk, the researchers, based in the Netherlands, surveyed the eating habits of more than 2,000 participants over the age of 55. All were tested for the macular degeneration susceptibility genes. All the participants also had eye exams every three years for the next decade to determine who suffered vision loss. Greater amounts of either zinc, beta carotene, omega-3 fatty acids or lutein/zeaxanthin in the diet was linked to a smaller risk of macular degeneration. The recommended dietary allowance in the U.S. for zinc is 11 milligrams daily for men and 8 milligrams for women. Men are recommended to consume at least 1.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids a day, and women 1.1 grams. Older people who use olive oil in their cooking and on their salads may have a lower risk of suffering a stroke. In a study that followed older French adults for five years, researchers found that those who regularly used olive oil were 41 percent less likely to have a stroke than those who never used the oil. The findings, reported in the journal Neurology, hint that the well-known connection between olive oil and heart disease might extend to stroke as well. Olive oil is a key ingredient in the so-called Mediterranean diet. And some clinical trials have suggested that the diet helps control risk factors for heart disease, like high blood pressure, abdominal obesity and elevated levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol. High olive oil intake is also linked to a lower risk of heart attack, and a longer lifespan among heart attack survivors. These latest findings support the general advice that people replace dubious dietary fats - namely, saturated fats and "trans" fats - with olive oil and other unsaturated fats, according to an expert not involved in the study. But he also stressed that the study does not prove that olive oil, per se, helps prevent strokes. "We need to remember that this is an observational study," said a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. The study found a correlation between people's olive oil use and their stroke risk, but that doesn't necessarily translate into cause-and-effect. "People who use a lot of olive oil may be very different from people who don't!” Olive oil users may, for example, have higher incomes, eat better overall or exercise more often than people who never use the oil. The researchers on the new study tried to account for those differences. The current study included 7,625 French adults age 65 and older who reported on their diets and other lifestyle factors. People who said they used olive oil for both cooking and as a dressing were considered "intensive users." Over the next five to six years, those intensive users suffered strokes at a rate of 0.3 percent per year. That compared with just over 0.5 percent among non-users, and 0.4 percent among moderate users. When the researchers factored in other diet habits, exercise levels and major risk factors for stroke – like high blood pressure and diabetes - heavy olive oil use was tied to 41 percent reduction in the odds of stroke. The research team also took blood samples, measuring their levels of oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat that accounts for most of the fatty acids in olive oil. The one-third of participants with the highest oleic acid levels were 73 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than the one-third with the lowest levels. Olive oil is one part of the Mediterranean diet that has been tied to heart benefits. The diet also boasts plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and moderate amounts of red wine. If you do not want to receive this newsletter in future, please unsubscribe here. DISCLAIMER Please note that Stelkor Pharmacy, its contributors and/or associates cannot be held liable in any way for errors that may occur in any of the articles printed in this newsletter. Consult a qualified health care practitioner for diagnosis or treatment of any diseases or medical conditions.

Source: http://www.stelkor.co.za/newsletters/2011_10.pdf