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.

Coronary arterial calcium scans help detect overall death risk in the elderly

Measuring calcium deposits in the heart's arteries can help predict overall death risk in American adults, even when they are elderly, according to a new study published in the July issue of Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2 Jul 2008

New discovery a step towards better diabetes treatment

In the July 2nd issue of the prestigious journal Cell Metabolism Uppsala scientists are presenting new findings that shed light on the processes that determine the release of the blood sugar-lowering hormone insulin.

1 Jul 2008

Carbohydrate and caffeine following exhaustive exercise helps muscles refuel

Recipe to recover more quickly from exercise: Finish workout, eat pasta, and wash down with five or six cups of strong coffee.

1 Jul 2008

Neuroscientists pinpoint how neural activity boosts blood flow to the brain

New research from Harvard University neuroscientists has pinpointed exactly how neural activity boosts blood flow to the brain. The finding has important implications for our understanding of common brain imaging techniques such as fMRI, which uses blood flow in the brain as a proxy for neural activity.

26 Jun 2008

Gastric bypass linked to greater risk of kidney stones

Morbidly obese patients who undergo a particular type of gastric bypass surgery called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are at an increased risk of developing kidney stones - small, pebble-like deposits that can result in severe pain and require an operation to remove them - earlier than previously thought. These stones develop in patients within only a few months following the procedure rather than several months to years, according to research published in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

26 Jun 2008

Clinical Data secures European patent for key multi-drug resistance gene

Clinical Data, Inc. has announced that the European Patent Office has granted Patent No. 1232260 to Bernried, Germany-based Epidauros Biotechnologie AG, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clinical Data, relating to the use of a genetic variant, or biomarker, of the gene MDR1 (also known as ABCB1), which encodes P-glycoprotein (PGP).

26 Jun 2008

Complementary medicines can help mild depression and premenstrual syndrome

Not all dietary supplements and "alternative" products are harmless though. German Institute urges consumers to be more critical of health claims.

26 Jun 2008

Discovery of second genetic risk factor for developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have discovered the second, strong genetic risk factor for developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, according to a new report in the June 27th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication.

25 Jun 2008

Study uncovers a mechanism that explains calcium abnormalities in Alzheimer's brain

A new study uncovers a mechanism that directly links mutations that cause early onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) with aberrant calcium signaling. The research, published by Cell Press in the June 26th issue of the journal Neuron, provides exciting molecular insights into the pathology of AD and may lead to new treatment strategies.

25 Jun 2008

Evidence for an increased cancer risk following the use of radioactive Radium-224 in the therapy for Ankylosing Spondylitis

In the course of an epidemiological study, scientists of the Institute of Radiation Biology of the Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health - have established an unfavourable benefit-risk-ratio for ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with Radium-224 therapy (Rheumatology 2008; 47: 855-59).

23 Jun 2008

FDA targets cancer cure 'scammers' online

Warning Letters have been sent to 23 U.S. companies and two foreign individuals marketing a wide range of products fraudulently claiming to prevent and cure cancer, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today.

17 Jun 2008

Vitamin D, "the heart tranquilizer"

Strong bones, a healthy immune system, protection against some types of cancer: Recent studies suggest there's yet another item for the expanding list of vitamin D benefits. Vitamin D, "the sunshine vitamin," keeps the heart, the body's long-distance runner, fit for life's demands.

11 Jun 2008

Sunshine vitamin protect against heart attacks

In a study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, it has been found that men with low levels of vitamin D have an increased risk for heart attacks.

10 Jun 2008

Calls for parents of vegan girl with severe rickets to face court

The parents of a young British girl brought up on a strict vegan diet could face court after the child was admitted to hospital with a degenerative bone condition.

9 Jun 2008

New perspective on coronary disease thanks to ultrasound

Compared to other techniques, Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) is much better at monitoring the increase or decrease of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries. Can the method even be used to predict the odds of a heart attack or other cardiovascular event? Studies indicate this may be the case, states Professor Clemens von Birgelen in his inaugural address at the University of Twente.

5 Jun 2008

Nanotechnology specialist discovers method to regenerate cartilage naturally

Scientists have long wrestled with how to aid those who suffer cartilage damage and loss. One popular way is to inject an artificial gel that can imitate cartilage's natural ability to act as the body's shock absorber. But that solution is temporary, requiring follow-up injections.

3 Jun 2008

Genta announces initial trial results for novel drug for bone disease

Genta Incorporated has announced the release of final results from the Company's Phase 1 clinical trial of G4544, a proprietary small molecule that is intended as a treatment for diseases associated with accelerated bone loss. Results showed that the drug was very well-tolerated, and that blood levels were achieved in a range that is known to be clinically bioactive. The data were featured in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago on Saturday, May 31, 2008.

2 Jun 2008

Potential hypophosphatasia therapy discovered

Researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, led by José Luis Millán, Ph.D., have demonstrated in mice the first successful use of enzyme replacement therapy to prevent hypophosphatasia (HPP), a primary skeletal disease of genetic origin. This discovery lays the foundation for future clinical trials for HPP patients.

1 Jun 2008

Increased screening may better predict those at higher risk for heart disease

Adding noninvasive imaging to current risk-assessment protocols may identify more people who are at risk of developing heart disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

27 May 2008

Increased screening may better predict those at higher risk for heart disease

Adding noninvasive imaging to current risk-assessment protocols may identify more people who are at risk of developing heart disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

26 May 2008