New Evidence Is Helping Explain Additional Health Benefits Of Aspirin
Researchers in Canada, Scotland and Australia have discovered that salicylate, the active ingredient in aspirin, directly increases the activity of the protein AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), a key player in regulating cell growth and metabolism. AMPK which is considered a cellular fuel-gauge is switched on by exercise and the commonly used anti-diabetic medication metformin. The research from scientists at McMaster University, the University of Dundee and the University of Melbourne is published in the journal Science.
Cellular Pathway Linked To Diabetes, Heart Disease
Cardiac researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have found that a certain cellular pathway is linked to obesity-related disorders, like diabetes, heart disease and fatty liver disease. These findings, presented at the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB) 2012 Scientific Sessions in Chicago, could lead to a potential molecular target for metabolic diseases in humans. Building on previous research, Tapan Chatterjee, PhD, and researchers in the division of cardiovascular diseases at UC found that genetically "deleting" the enzyme histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) completely protected mice against the health consequences of high-fat feeding, like elevated blood sugar, cholesterol levels and fatty liver disease.
Genetic Factors Related To Weight Gain May Be Counteracted By Sleeping Longer
Toss out another old wives' tale: Sleeping too much does not make you fat. Quite the opposite, according to a new study examining sleep and body mass index (BMI) in twins, which found that sleeping more than nine hours a night may actually suppress genetic influences on body weight. The study looked at 1, 088 pairs of twins and found that sleeping less than seven hours a night was associated with both increased BMI and greater genetic influences on BMI. Previous research has shown that genetic influences include things like glucose metabolism, energy use, fatty acid storage and satiety.