New curry spice health benefit found from curcumin in turmeric

Indian curry spice boosts immunity
Image credit: Wikimedia commons

Researchers have found a new health benefit associated with eating Indian spices; specifically from curcumin, found in turmeric. 

In the study, researchers discovered turmeric naturally boosts immunity by activating a protein in the body that helps fight infection. Curcumin has a previously unknown benefit for health.

Curcumin could protect against infection from bacteria, fungus

The study that comes from the Linus Pauling Institute at OSU, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, shows curcumin could protect humans from bacteria, viruses and fungus.

Turmeric has been shown to have potential medicinal applications for fighting cancer, reducing pain from arthritis and neuropathy,enhancing the effect of chemotherapy in head and neck cancers, combating obesity and protecting from diabetes.

In the new study, which was supported by the National Institutes of Health and included researchers from Copenhagen, the Indian spice was found to regulate expression of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, or CAMP, which plays a role in immunity.

"This research points to a new avenue for regulating CAMP gene expression," said Adrian Gombart in a media release. Gombart is an associate professor of biochemistry and biophysics in the Linus Pauling Institute. "It's interesting and somewhat surprising that curcumin can do that, and could provide another tool to develop medical therapies.

Gombart adds that turmeric in curcumin isn’t as potent for boosting immunity as is vitamin D. He suggests that consuming the Indian spice in low levels regularly could have health benefits that add up over time; especially for protecting the stomach and gastrointestinal tract from infection.

Chunxiao Guo, a graduate student, and Gombart looked at adding omega-3 fatty acids to curcumin for health benefits. They found no added benefit with omega-3, but the immune fighting protein CAMP was tripled with turmeric.

CAMP is also believed to protect from tuberculosis. Finding a way to curb tuberculosis has been a recent focus of researchers as resistant strains of the bacteria emerge. Turmeric, found in the Indian spice curcumin, is shown to have an added health benefit that wasn’t previously known and could help humans fight infection. You can add the spice for cooking or purchase it in capsules for daily consumption.

Source:

Oregon State University

May 25, 2012

What obesity does to adolescent hearts

Children who are overweight or obese are found in a new study to already have heart damage, even before symptoms appear in adulthood. The finding makes it even more important than to take measures to curb childhood obesity that is already known to adversely affect health decades later. 

New findings show teens who are obese have heart damage

Heart function abnormal in overweight, obese adolescents

The findings, presented at the Heart Failure Congress 2012, showed obese adolescents without symptoms of heart disease had thickened heart muscles in the lower chambers, or ventricles and other heart damage. 

 The study included 97 adolescents who had their weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference measured. 

The researchers divided the adolescents into 3 groups based on body mass index (BMI) – lean, overweight and obese. There were 32 participants in the lean and obese group and 33 in the overweight group.

The adolescents had echocardiograms performed that measures heart function, including how well the heart muscle pumps blood into the circulation. 

The obese group of adolescents was found to have decreased systolic velocity, which could mean impaired blood flow. 

The study means obesity during adolescences takes a toll on the heart even before symptoms are present. 


Lead study author, Professor Gani Bajraktari said n a press release:

"Education on healthy food and exercise is needed in schools to prevent obesity and early cardiovascular disease in adolescents." 

Childhood obesity can also be prevented by ensuring communities have green spaces for activities. The Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth (QUALITY) study found environment plays a major role in helping fight childhood obesity. 

The childhood obesity epidemic spawned new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2008, who suggested children who are overweight with metabolic risk factors for heart disease should be put on cholesterol lowering medications, which was met with some controversy.

The researchers also note more studies are needed to find out if weight loss can reverse the heart damage that comes from obesity during adolescence.

The finding adds to a growing body of evidence highlighting the health dangers of childhood obesity. The new study shows obesity takes a toll on the heart – even as early as adolescence.

Source:

European Society of Cardiology

“Abnormal myocardial systolic and diastolic myocardial function in obese asymptomatic adolescents”

May, 2012