Calcium News and Research

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Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is found in some foods, added to others, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids). Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system. The body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in blood, muscle, and intercellular fluids, though less than <1% of total body calcium is needed to support these functions.

The remaining 99% of the body's calcium supply is stored in the bones and teeth where it supports their structure. Bone itself undergoes continuous remodeling, with constant resorption and deposition of calcium into new bone. The balance between bone resorption and deposition changes with age. Bone formation exceeds resorption in growing children, whereas in early and middle adulthood both processes are relatively equal. In aging adults, particularly among postmenopausal women, bone breakdown exceeds formation, resulting in bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis over time.

Chili Peppers continue to help unravel mechanism of pain sensation

Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers, generally is viewed as an irritant that produces a burning sensation when applied to a sensitive area of the body, such as the cornea.

25 Feb 2009

Calcium linked to lower risk of cancer in women

Women with higher intake of calcium appear to have a lower risk of cancer overall, and both men and women with high calcium intakes have lower risks of colorectal cancer and other cancers of the digestive system, according to a report in the February 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Feb 2009

Biocomposites granted SFDA clearance for geneX in China

Biocomposites announced today that the company's unique bone graft substitute geneX , has been cleared for use by the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) of the People's Republic of China.

22 Feb 2009

Childhood Varicella zoster could affect oral health years later

You may recall as a child catching the itchy red rash, chicken pox.

20 Feb 2009

Enzyme activates stress response and hypertrophy of the heart

An enzyme makes the mouse heart prone to chronic cardiac insufficiency – if it is suppressed, the heart remains strong despite increased stress.

18 Feb 2009

Cells with double vision

In comparison to many other living creatures, flies tend to be small and their brains, despite their complexity, are quite manageable.

18 Feb 2009

Arab-American women need supplement to boost dangerously low vitamin D levels

Arab-American women living in southeast Detroit whose conservative dress limits their exposure to sun should be taking a vitamin D supplement to boost their dangerously low serum levels, according to a study published by Henry Ford Hospital researchers.

16 Feb 2009

Discovery of new biomarker for fatal prostate cancer

New research findings out of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin may help provide some direction for men diagnosed with prostate cancer about whether their cancer is likely to be life-threatening.

16 Feb 2009

Cellular changes in the sleeping brain promote the formation of memories

If you ever argued with your mother when she told you to get some sleep after studying for an exam instead of pulling an all-nighter, you owe her an apology, because it turns out she's right.

15 Feb 2009

Vitamin D linked to better muscle power

Young female athletes could have yet another reason to grab a glass of vitamin D-rich milk.

5 Feb 2009

Guidance for evaluating menopause-like condition in girls and young women

A comprehensive plan to help health care professionals diagnose and treat primary ovarian insufficiency-a menopause-like condition affecting girls and young women that may occur years before normal menopause is expected-has been developed by a scientist at the National Institutes of Health.

5 Feb 2009

Sun in pregnancy builds stronger bones for baby

New research from ALSPAC (Children of the 90s) indicates that children born in late summer and early autumn are slightly taller and have wider bones than those born in winter and spring.

3 Feb 2009

Century old drug clofazimine shows potential for multiple sclerosis

A century-old drug that failed in its original intent to treat tuberculosis but has worked well as an antileprosy medicine now holds new promise as a potential therapy for multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.

2 Feb 2009

Results of the third school nutrition dietary assessment study published

A special Supplement to the February 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association presents findings from the recently released Third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III), conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., as well as research from other studies using SNDA-III data.

2 Feb 2009

Assessing the real risk of heart disease in young people with low short-term risks

Risk stratification has become central to strategies for the prevention of coronary heart disease, with the implication that priority is given to those at highest risk (ie, those with established heart disease).

29 Jan 2009

Leconotide, an investigative calcium channel blocker, shows potential as pain treatment

Results of a pre-clinical study of leconotide, an investigative calcium channel blocker, shows it has the potential to be safe, selective, and efficacious as a new non-opioid treatment for pain relief. It also holds promise in multiple drug delivery options including nasal spray, transdermal patch, and pills. Data were presented today at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 25th Annual Meeting.

29 Jan 2009

Discovery of brain's memory 'buffer' in single cells

Individual nerve cells in the front part of the brain can hold traces of memories on their own for as long as a minute and possibly longer, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

27 Jan 2009

Study examines use of loop diuretics and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women

The use of loop diuretics does not appear to be associated with changes in bone mineral density, falls or fractures in postmenopausal women, according to a report in the January 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

27 Jan 2009

Vitamin D linked to cognitive problems in seniors

Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, the University of Cambridge and the University of Michigan, have for the first time identified a relationship between Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin", and cognitive impairment in a large-scale study of older people.

23 Jan 2009

Discovery could lead to novel arrhythmia treatments

Abnormal heart rhythms - arrhythmias - are killers. They strike without warning, causing sudden cardiac death, which accounts for about 10 percent of all deaths in the United States.

21 Jan 2009