The results of a study carried out on 60,000 Singapore based men and women for over a decade have been published in ‘Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention’ this month. Dr Mark Pereira and his colleagues from the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis were looking at the effects of drinking sugary fizzy drinks on health. They […]
A study published in this month’s Archives of General Psychiatry has found that fish oil may at least delay, but probably prevent, the onset of schizophrenia. Dr Paul Amminger and his colleagues from the University of Australia carried out a randomised, double blind, controlled study with 81 patients between the ages of 13-25 years. They found […]
New research suggests that mango may be effective in preventing or halting breast or colon cancers. The American National Mango Board commissioned a variety of studies which tested the effects of mango polyphenol extracts in the laboratory on colon, breast, lung, leukaemia and prostate cancers. Mango showed some impact on lung, leukaemia and prostate cancers, but was […]
The European Medicines Agency suspended the licence of the drug Reductil this week, suspecting that it may cause heart attacks and strokes. 17 deaths have been linked to the drug in Britain since 2001 and 1,105 suspected adverse reactions have been reported. Reductil contains Sibutramine which tricks the brain into feeling full, allowing people to […]
A review published in the BMJ this week suggests that rickets is becoming disturbingly common amongst British children. Rickets is caused by vitamin D deficiency, which is triggered by insufficient sunlight and poor diet. It has been suggested that long periods of time spent indoors are contributing to the problem. The researchers from Newcastle University […]
Research carried out by Trinity College Dublin has found that meals-on-wheels dinners are lacking in vital nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamn D and calcium. As a result, the report stated that over a third of reciepients were malnourished or at risk of nutrient deficiency. The average meal contributed only 25% of the daily requirement […]
Are packed lunches healthy? They certainly can be, but research from Leeds University has suggested that only 1% children’s lunchboxes currently meet the nutritional standards that school dinners have to meet. The research, commissioned by the Government, has found that parents are choosing foods high in saturated fat, salt and sugar to put in children’s […]
Recent research has shown that an ingredient in pomegranates may help to slow the growth of breast cancer. In a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, ellagitannins in the fruit were found to inhibit an enzyme called aromatase in laboratory tests. Aromatase helps the body to produce oestrogen, which stimulates the growth of cancer cells. Drugs known as […]
Researchers at Newcastle University have recently discovered that Brazilian mint tea, brewed from the plant hyptis crenata, reduces response times to painful stimuli in mice. The researchers compared the tea to the drug Indometacin, which is similar to aspirin, suggesting that the tea could be as effective as commercial analgesics. The tea has been used traditionally by Latin American healers […]
If you enjoyed a couple of glasses of champagne over the festive season, don’t despair. Recent research suggests that champagne may have a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels. It has been known for a while that red wine may reduce the risk of heart problems and stroke due to the action of chemicals called polyphenols. […]
Please do not return samples to the laboratories that may arrive after Wednesday 27th March and up to and including Monday 2nd April.
The laboratories are closed from the 28th March – 2nd April for the Easter Holiday.
