HEALTH NOTES
BLACKCURRANTS can help decrease the size of stomach cancers, a Scottish study has found. Researchers tested the anti-cancer activity of blackcurrant polyphenol extract and demonstrated that it has an ‘anti-tumour’ effect on gastric and oesophagus cancers. Separate research has revealed that these anthocyanins, particularly the purple anthocyanins found in blackcurrants, are effective and potent at inhibiting tumour cell numbers and increasing cancer-cell death. ‘Research now supports the idea that the anthocyanins found in blackcurrants do indeed have an ‘anti-tumour’ effect on gastric and oesophagus cancers,’ said Professor Derek Stewart of the James Hutton Institute, which has bases in Aberdeen and Dundee.
A NEW blood test for diagnosing liver fibrosis in people suffering from fatty liver disease could soon be available on the NHS. Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common types of liver disease, with up to 27 per cent of the population in the industrialised world suffering from the condition.
Untreated, NAFLD can result in cirrhosis of the liver, with consequences for the patient such as cancer and liver failure. Symptoms can take between ten and 30 years to develop, so early diagnosis is key to initiating treatment.
The current method of detecting liver damage, also known as fibrosis, is an invasive liver biopsy, a surgical procedure that can lead to misdiagnosis in 20 to 40 per cent of patients. However, the new test only requires a blood sample and delivers a result within an hour, allowing appropriate action to be taken to prevent further damage. The ADVIA Centaur ELF Test was recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence earlier this month.
THE team behind the launch of a Finnish probiotic drink sent British travel presenter Ian Wright on a bizarre journey around Europe to test its health-giving properties. He was told to lick as many unhygienic surfaces as he could find, including a toilet floor and a can of beer from a skip, while drinking the gut-health beverage Valio Gefilus as he travelled. The fruit whey drink, soon to launch in the UK, contains lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, a beneficial type of bacterium that has been scrutinised in more than 800 studies. Wright used a handheld device to assess bacteria levels on the surfaces he licked. Despite their high readings, he was given a clean bill of health by doctors on his return.
SENDING text messages to diabetics to remind them to take their medication could help them better control their blood sugar levels. Researchers at the University of Manchester and the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka found sending text messages to type 2 diabetics led to a significant improvement in blood sugar levels. The findings, published in the Journal Of Medical Internet Research, looked at the benefits of using texts as a reminder to take medication, a motivator to make positive health changes and to improve communication between patient and healthcare provider. The study found the largest positive effect was among low- and middle-class income countries – where 80 per cent of diabetics live.