Newsbriefs: High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease Cause; Prostate Choices; Benefits of Insomnia Treatment in Older Adults
New Cause of High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease Discovered: Phosphate-Rich Foods
Another way to protect yourself from cardiovascular disease: monitor your intake of certain phosphate-rich foods, according to a study in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine. Nearly every food contains some phosphate.
Foods high in protein, like meat, poultry, and eggs, are high in phosphate. Yet they also appear in larger amounts in many processed foods, such as cheese, soups, breads, pasta, chocolate, and soft drinks, to thicken, improve taste, or prevent discoloration. The researchers found when you consume large quantities of phosphates, production of the FGF23 hormone is stimulated.
FGF23 controls how much sodium filters through the kidneys and into the blood. High FGF23 levels equate to higher levels of sodium in the blood, and in turn, higher blood pressure, an increased strain on the heart, and a greater risk of heart disease. The FGF23 reaction can also occur in people with kidney disease, which is another reason they also often suffer from cardiovascular disease, say the researchers.
The recommended daily allowance for phosphate is 700 mg, but many adults consume twice that amount or even more. Watching your phosphate intake is easy if you know what to look for. Check processed food labels for additives that contain “phos” in the name. For instance: calcium phosphate, disodium phosphate, phosphoric acid, tricalcium phosphate, monopotassium phosphate, and pyrophosphate polyphosphates.
Men Uneducated About Their Prostate Cancer Have Trouble Making Treatment Choices
Men diagnosed with prostate cancer usually have a difficult time choosing the best course of treatment. A new study from UCLA found that not working to educate yourself about the condition and possible treatments could negatively impact that decision by causing you to make the wrong choice.
The study surveyed 70 men, average age 63, newly diagnosed with localized prostate cancer. Demographic and personal information on the patients also included their knowledge about prostate cancer treatments post diagnosis, but before they consulted a physician.
The UCLA team discovered that those with low-level knowledge of prostate cancer had less confidence about which treatment would be effective. Men with prostate cancer often choose between three treatment options: surgery to remove the prostate, radiation that targets the tumors, and active surveillance, in which patients are monitored for changes in their cancer’s progression.
Lead researcher Alan Kaplan, MD, of UCLA’s Department of Urology says too often men are passive about their health and wait for their doctor to recommend a course of action. “Prostate cancer education begins well before the doctor’s visit,” he says. “The more knowledge a man has beforehand, the better his doctor can counsel him regarding his options, and the more likely he will confidently choose a treatment best for his diagnosis and situation.”
Dr. Kaplan adds that men should not rely on anecdotal stories from other men with prostate cancer, as it may lead to skewed views of treatments. Instead, medical school websites offer some of the best basic information men need to begin the decision-making process.
Treating Insomnia in Older Adults Lowers Risk for Chronic Diseases, Says UCLA Study
Chronic insomnia does more than affect sleep. A new study from UCLA in the journal Sleep found it can ignite inflammation and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
About 15 percent of older adults suffer from chronic insomnia. Common symptoms include taking 30 minutes or longer to fall asleep, waking in the middle of the night, and sleeping for six hours or fewer at least three nights a week for a month or longer.
The study’s results came from a clinical trial of 123 adults age 55 and older. It showed that treating the subjects’ insomnia led to a decrease in a known inflammation marker in the blood called C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is found in blood plasma and its levels rise in response to inflammation. “Chronic inflammation can damage and kill healthy cells and lead to many diseases,” says lead researcher Michael Irwin, MD, at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
The study also examined three treatment options and found cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) performed best to improve sleep quality and maintain continuous sleep throughout the night. CBT is a form of therapy that helps people learn how to identify and change disturbing thought patterns that have a negative influence on behavior and sleep patterns. A licensed psychologist or psychiatrist teaches CBT.
The post Newsbriefs: High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease Cause; Prostate Choices; Benefits of Insomnia Treatment in Older Adults appeared first on University Health News.
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