As per a research published in an issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, individuals who walk more or engage themselves in regular and rigorous exercises tend to have lowered levels of coronary heart ailment and ischemic stroke.

The authors of this study including Hiroyuki Noda, M.D. and Hiroyasu Iso, M.D., from the University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki and the Graduate School of Medicine at Osaka University in Osaka, Japan, remarked that there is a noteworthy inverse relationship between time spent by an individual on walking and the possible risks of ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease.

This study was focused on Asian Nations where individuals usually work with higher levels of physical activity while being on the job rather than those working in Europe or North America.

From News-Medical.Net:

Interestingly, the analysis suggested that walking and sports may have different effects.

“Our data suggest a potential differential effect of walking versus sports participation on ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease risk. We found that participation in sports was associated with a reduced mortality due to coronary heart disease, but this association did not exist with walking time. Walking time, however, was associated with a reduced risk for mortality from ischemic stroke, but sports participation was not,” they wrote.

By demonstrating an association between walking or sports and reduced cardiovascular disease deaths in this Asian population, similar to the results of studies in Western nations, despite differences in average levels of job-related physical activity, the researchers conclude that “the present study provides epidemiological evidence that engaging in physical activity through walking and sports participation might reduce risk of mortality from ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease among Japanese men and women.”

Russell V. Luepker, M.D., F.A.C.C., at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, who was not related to the study, said that there appears to be a strong message that clearly supports regular physical activity recommendations in context to walking & sports and the graded reduction of ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease.

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Osteopenia is a condition where bone mineral density is lower than normal. It is considered by many doctors to be a precursor to osteoporosis. However, not every person diagnosed with osteopenia will develop osteoporosis. Specifically, osteopenia is defined as a bone mineral density T score between -1.0 and -2.5.

Since influence of sex steroid hormones to bone mineral density (BMD) in men are less well-studied compared to women, a group of researchers led by Dr. Channing J. Paller of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore made some extensive research about this subject.

The study was participated by 1,185 adult men during the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). After a few data adjustments, the researchers identified relationships persistently occuring between low free estradiol, low free testosterone and high sex hormone – binding globulin with osteopenia.

Those with lower levels of sex hormone – binding globulin have higher protection against osteopenia. These results should act as a precursor for future studies looking at bone mineral density and higher risks of fracture in association with hormone levels. It should also explore alternative clinical management for osteopenia in men of all ages who have low hormone levels.

According to Medscape:

These results “call for prospective studies looking at BMD and/or fracture risk in association with hormone levels,” Dr. Paller and colleagues conclude. “In particular, future studies should explore the question of altering clinical management to screen for osteopenia in men of all ages who have low hormone levels, but do not meet the clinical definition of hypogonadism.”

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The potential battle in the war of asthma symptom control can be a psychological one, as per a recently concluded study.

The study went on to reveal that the primary reason why many asthmatic children in the United States do not take their medications as per medical advice is the leeriness of their parents for asthma medications.

Kelly Conn, M.P.H., a senior research coordinator at the University of Rochester Medical Center and lead author of the study, said that asthmatic children can get virtually free from all such symptoms with modern-day preventive medications.

From News-Medical.Net:

To see if parents’ beliefs about their children’s medicines might be influencing how dependably they administered the drugs, the Rochester team analyzed data from parents of 622 children in Southeast Michigan who reported use of at least one preventive asthma medication.

First, parents were asked to complete a Beliefs About Medications Questionnaire (BMQ), a survey that measures two often-conflicting realms of parents’ perceptions of their children’s medications – the necessity, or the extent to which they believed a child’s sickness necessitated taking it, versus the concern, or the extent to which a parent worried about possible risks associated with the drugs, such as side effects and potential for dependency.

Not unlike a “cost-benefit” analysis, a differential score was calculated by subtracting the concern score from the necessity score; this served as a weighed appraisal of each parent’s beliefs.

“We knew that parents often hold opposing attitudes on this issue, almost instinctively. It’s only natural to be caught between worrying about possible dangers related to the medicine and worrying the risks posed by the asthma itself,” Conn said.

The survey showed that, for 77 percent of parents, their perceived need for their child’s medication outweighed concerns about any possible risks. However, 17 percent – one in six parents – composed the opposite camp; they were more concerned about the drugs’ potential to affect harm than they were convinced of their child’s need for them.

Conn further remarked that these findings provide a new paradigm to improve the control of symptoms by just addressing the doubts and worries of parents of asthmatic children. He also said that things can be made better by providing accurate information about side-effects of the medications.

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It has long been a subject of much debate the pros and cons of steroid treatment in rheumatoid arthritis. Various side effects of long term steroid treatment made its use often limited. However, a new aspect of steroid treatment was found in the data result of the Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden.According to the data presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain, two years or more of oral steroid treatment decreases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis related lymphoma. The duration of rheumatoid arthritis at initiation of steroid treatment was found to be insignificant. However, if the steroids were taken for less than two years, then the beneficial side effects do not apply.

The study involved patients taken from the Swedish Hospital Register and the Cancer Register. They were compared with patients afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis without lymphoma. The risk of rheumatoid arthritis related lymphoma was more reduced in patients treated with steroids for over two years than those who received treatment for less than two years. The most pronounced protective steroidal effect was seen in the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma subtype. This type is most commonly associated with rheumatoid arthritis with grades 1 to 3.

According to Dr. Eva Baecklund:

“The pros and cons of corticosteroid treatment in rheumatoid arthritis have been a subject of much debate and long term steroid treatment is often limited as a result of concerns about various side effects. What our data show is a new aspect of steroid treatment. Patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk for malignant lymphomas (cancer in the immune system), but long term steroid treatment may decrease this risk.”

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More studies have been surfacing regarding the effect of steroids on sperm production. Fortunately, two drugs are already available in the market which could counteract this harmful side effect.

First is Clomid or clomiphene citrate. It is a drug specifically designed to increase sperm count and assist the testes in reproducing sperm. It’s an absolute drug to take if you are on steroids and seeking to make a family after enduring numerous cycles.

Nolvadex, is another drug which could also help steroid users. It is a mild estrogen which stops alternative estrogen production, since one effect of steroid is an increase in estrogen level. It works differently than Clomid because it halts the negative effects brought about by rising estrogen levels. However, it does not help very well with sperm production.

To help you better understand why it is necessary to take these drugs if you are planning to become a father, let us go through some changes in your body when on steroids.

After injecting artificial levels of testosterone in your body, your hormone level becomes unsteady. Your brain will then signal your pituitary gland to send a message to your reproductive system to stop producing natural testosterone in order to keep the testosterone in your bloodstream at a normal level. When this happens, sperm production will cease and infertility arises.

From Knol:

Bodybuilders should never just completely depend upon drugs when considering issues that will affect their families and lives in such a major way. If you plan on fathering children in the next two years, then running a cycle today isn’t in your best interest. That may not be something you want to hear. You may want to put on a lot of size before your wedding. You may want to get the cycles “out of the way” before you start a family, hence avoiding all the legal risks while you have small children to support. In the long run, however, you are placing your faith in medicines such as Clomid to help you restart a natural process (sperm production) that you know you will be damaging. It’s a very risky move. If you don’t respond to the Clomid as anticipated, you could end up in a fertility clinic regretting the risks you took to gain 8 or 12 pounds of muscle. Think long-term when making these decisions.

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In a scandal that brought bad vibes to the Boston Police Department, eleven of its police officers were reprimanded, but without a strict action, for their alleged role in a steroid scandal.

The scandal forced many senior police officials to revise and tighten their departmental drug policies and resulted in prison time for four of the involved patrolmen.

Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis was not happy with the action taken against the 11 culprits in uniform. In the announced judgement, seven of the eleven officers who admitted taking steroids at some point in their illustrated careers were asked to undergo a written reprimand to a 45-day suspension without any pay. However, not even one of the eleven officers were fired or will be facing any criminal charges, much to their relief.

From Boston.com:

The punishments were the culmination of an investigation that began in August 2006 soon after the FBI arrested Officer Roberto “Kiko” Pulido for trying to traffic cocaine. Pulido, a steroid user, would guard parties hosted by a convicted drug dealer at an after-hours club in Hyde Park called the “Boom Boom Room.”

Pulido was sentenced to 26 years in prison. Two other officers, Nelson Carrasquillo and Carlos Pizarro, received sentences of 18 years and 13 years, respectively.

Two of the 11 officers were disciplined for going to the club in uniform and while they were on duty. The club sat above an auto body shop on Factory Street, where prostitutes and dancers mingled with police and where alcohol and drugs were readily available.

The Globe reported in March 2008 that a federal grand jury was investigating steroid use and after-hours parties involving Boston officers.

Acting US Attorney Michael Loucks said today that the federal investigation regarding Pulido and steroids use in the Boston Police Department has been closed. Pulido pleaded guilty in November 2008 to charges that he conspired to traffic cocaine and heroin from Western Massachusetts to Jamaica Plain. He was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison.

The disciplinary action against the officers ends one of the most embarrassing chapters in the department’s history, but questions linger about how effective the police can be in controlling steroid use in the department, considering how difficult it is to test for the drug. Unlike other narcotics, steroid testing is much more expensive and results from taking hair samples can be less accurate, resulting in false positives.

However, all the eleven Boston Police officers will be subjected to drug tests during their entire careers.

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Masteron Enanthate is a steroid which comes in oil form in a standard vial of 10 ml. It is manufactured by Dpharm, the original makers of this product. An illegal drug company started manufacturing fake Masteron Enanthate made from enanthate ester which made several people sick. It was not in any way related with Dpharm.

What is Masteron Enanthate? It is an injectable steroid which can result in lean muscle gains and increases in strength. It is also highly concentrated so when injected in the bloodstream, it could be present in the plasma after several hours. Masteron enanthate can be detected for up to twelve weeks after taking it during a drug test. There are recommended doses which are different in men and in women. In men, the effective dosage should be 400 – 600 mg per week divided into two injections. Several men, however, dabble into the dangerous side by taking as much as 800 mg to a full gram per week. This level of dosing is highly unadvisable. On the other hand, in order to avoid any side effects and because of lesser bodyweight, the recommended dosage for women is at about 100 mg per week also divided into two doses. Women should stick strictly to about one fourth of the dosage. Depending upon a number of factors, Masteron enanthate stays active for six to ten days in the body.

From Knol:

Q: Is Masteron Enanthate right for me?

A: It would probably fit fine in either a pre-contest or off-season program for any bodybuilder seeking to add or retain size. It has a fairly long detection range, so its use should be monitored if you’re competing in a tested federation. It will provide good size and strength gains on par with other steroids of its caliber. Perhaps a bit more, if you take into account its increased potency. If you’re interested, give it a shot!

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Administration of progesterone for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients after the injury on an immediate basis can minimize the degree of disability and risk of death besides being a safe option, as per a new study.

Researchers from the Emory University were of the view that progesterone treatment for traumatic brain injury has been extensively studied with laboratory animals for as much as 15 years. It was also suggested that progesterone treatment is capable of minimizing brain swelling besides preventing nerve death, and enhancing functional outcomes.

From News-Medical.Net:

In a phase II three-year pilot study, called ProTECT (“Progesterone for Traumatic brain injury–Experimental Clinical Treatment”), the Emory researchers enrolled 100 participants who reached the emergency department within 11 hours of injury, in order to evaluate whether progesterone can be administered intravenously in a reliable way, and whether the treatment is safe to use in humans with TBI.

People enrolled in the study had a “blunt” traumatic brain injury, which typically occurs from a car accident, motorcycle crash or a fall, and lead researcher Dr. David W. Wright and colleagues randomly assigned the patients to receive an intravenous dose of progesterone or an inactive “placebo.”

The death rate in the 30 days after injury was 13 percent in the progesterone group compared with 30 percent in the comparison group indicating that progesterone cut the risk of death by 57 percent.

No serious side effects were seen with the hormone or with the placebo.

Progesterone is a promising treatment because it is inexpensive, widely available and has a long track record of safe use in humans in treating other diseases.

Wright’s team was able to contact 92 percent of patients who survived 30 days and saw evidence that progesterone improved the recovery of patients with moderate brain injury, however those patients with severe injury seemed to glean no benefit from the hormone.

The study also brought the fact that progesterone is found to be critical for development of neurons in the brain in a normal manner along with exerting protective effects on the damaged brain tissue.

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TheUniversity of North Carolina School of Medicine conducted a research lead by senior author Kevin Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC and lead author Scott Horn, DO regarding the relationship between the use of performance enhancing steroids or AAS and muskulo-skeletal injuries among retired members of the National Football League. Majority of the respondents had an average age of 54 years and 6.6 average playing career.

The study surprisingly showed that tendon-related injuries were not associated with AAS use contrary to previous studies wherein researchers suspected that an increase in the muscle mass and strength might be too strenuous for the tendons. The study led to new conclusions that ligaments and cartilage might be the ones that cannot adapt to steroid-induced muscle changes and might be the “weakest links” in the chain rather than tendons. This evidence is seen among retired NFL players who admitted to using steroids. They reportedly had higher rates of herniated spinal disks, neck “stinger” or “burner” injuries, elbow injuries, knee menisci and ligament injuries, and injuries to the ankle, foot and toes.More data on dose, type and length of steroids use are needed to further establish and prove the relationship between AAS and muskulo-skeletal injuries.

From the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation:

“Steroid users also had an increased risk of osteoarthritis, depression and increased alcohol use later in life. In general, they were less able to maintain physically active lifestyles after retirement. The report found that players who used AAS actually had lower rates of diseases such as diabetes and cancer. However, there were only limited cases and they may reflect the fact that most of the players who used steroids have yet to reach old age, rather than any true decrease among steroid users.

The effects of AAS in increasing muscle size and strength are well known. Amid concerns about the risk of serious health effects, there are little or no data on how steroids affect the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. The NFL began enforcing its ban on AAS use by players in 1989. The athletes in the new survey were asked about their use of steroids “when it was acceptable.”

The results lend new insights into the risks of musculoskeletal injury associated with AAS use. The injury patterns suggest that joint ligaments and cartilage may not adapt to steroid-induced muscle changes. It may be that ligaments and cartilage, rather than tendons, are the “weakest link in the chain” leading to injury, according to Dr. Horn and colleagues.

The negative effect on joint health may be only the start of the adverse health effects of steroid use, Dr. Guskiewicz believes. “I call it a snowball effect, with joint injuries contributing to the gradual development of other medical problems, such as osteoarthritis, physical inactivity, depression, obesity, and diabetes.”

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A study found out that the body’s own natural stress hormone can help lastingly decrease the fearful response associated with reliving a traumatic memory. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have worked with mice to determine if corticosterone can alleviate traumatic memories.

The mice that underwent days of mild electric shock, which served as a traumatic event, still showed a fearful response when re-exposed to the place where it happened, a condition that could be a model for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans. But mice receiving the hormone corticosterone at the time they relived the event experienced a significant drop in that fear.

From Bio-Medicine:

“We’re not erasing memories,” said Dr. Robert Greene, professor of psychiatry at UT Southwestern and another author of the study. “What the steroid does is attenuate the fear memory by helping the mice to learn that these contexts should no longer be perceived as dangerous.”

This study focused on a mechanism called extinction, in which a memory gradually diminishes, but can be re-established by a small reminder of the original event.

“Our studies show that glucocorticoids work specifically to enhance the extinction of fear memory, as opposed to other mechanisms affecting recall, such as eliminating the memory entirely,” said Dr. Greene. “This provides a proof of principle, and is an essential step in advancing this therapeutic approach.”

Corticosterone appears to enhance new memories that compete with the fearful memory thereby decreasing its negative emotional significance. When an animal or human is exposed to or relives an aversive scenario, a process called extinction creates a competing memory.

A UT Southwestern study is now in collaboration with the Dallas VA Medical Center with veterans suffering from PTSD to see if receiving a stress hormone while reliving their memories can reduce their disabling fear responses to their traumatic memories.

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