Seeds of change, part 2: flaxseed oil and bone health
Last year I wrote a post about the promising effects of flaxseed — a plant-based estrogen– on hot flashes. Flaxseed contains antioxidants with weak estrogen properties (lignans) and omega-3 fatty acids. It is also an excellent source of fiber. In addition to its potential ability to reduce the frequency and severity of menopausal hot flashes, it might also be a valuable tool for both heart disease prevention and boosting the effects of breast cancer therapies.
Another potential use of flaxseed, namely the oil, is to reduce osteoporosis risk. In an animal study published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, researchers analyzed how the addition of flaxseed oil to the diet of 70 diabetic rats (30 of which had had their ovaries removed) might affect bone health. Note that while studies have shown a clear link between type 1 diabetes and osteoporosis, the evidence is not quite as clear for type 2. Nevertheless, both types of diabetes have been linked with an increased risk for fractures.
After two months, insulin-like growth factor and osteocalcin ( a bone-creating protein) were increased in rats who received the flaxseed oil in their diet. In fact, the levels of these two markers actually reached normal. On the other hand, levels of a marker that actually breaks down bone, fell. The research team attributed the positive effects of flaxseed oil to its omega-3 component.
Certainly, studies are needed in humans to truly determine if flaxseed oil can have a beneficial effect on bone health, especially in post-menopausal women who also have diabetes. In the meantime, it can’t hurt to add a bit of flaxseed oil to your diet. A little prevention may go a long way towards protecting those bones!
Read MoreHRT and heart disease. And the beat goes on….
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Hormone replacement therapy can help prevent heart disease, right?
Think again. Research has shown that use of HRT increases the risk for stroke, blood clots and heart disease. Although increased risk starts to decline within three years of stopping hormone therapy, women are still cautioned to continue rigorous prevention efforts and to see their physicians for any recommended testing.
So, are you asking yourselves why I’m writing about this if doctors know already about the link between HRT and heart disease? Well it appears that in the early 200s, and despite a marked decline in the use of HRT among women following confirmation of the risk, as many as 8% of women with existing heart disease and 14% with two or more identifiable risk factors were still prescribed hormones by their doctors. Writing in the American Journal of Public Health, investigators of a newly-published analysis said that although the reasons are unclear, women continued to receive HRT for heart risks, even though it “was never proven for this indication and ultimately found to be ineffective.”
To add insult to injury, the International Menopause Society, in concert with the European Society of Cardiology, has just issued a statement staying that hormone therapy, in limited doses, does not increase the risk of heart disease and may even decrease risk in younger women.What’s more, they are now saying that in some cases, HRT may even lower blood pressure. Conversely, they recommended that HRT should not be used in women with a history of heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism (blockage of one or more lung arteries).
Are you confused yet?
Some experts have questioned the results of the Women’s Health Initiative studies, which were the first to raise the flag about the dangers of HRT. Some argue that the studies looked at women who were older, i.e. 50 to 79 and not menopausal or perimenopausal. However, others have determined that both the timing (i.e. when HRT is started) and length of time on HRT can affect disease risks, as can type of hormone used.
In some respects, these confusing recommendations echo the recent controversy over mammography, in which medical experts have taken sides, some agreeing the screening is overrated and even dangerous, and others, saying that even the small numbers of lives saved make mammography worthwhile in younger women. That, however, is a post for another time.
Meanwhile, what should you do when it comes to HRT and heart disease risk?
As always, I urge women to err on the side of caution and do their due diligence: make an appointment with an informed health provider and discuss the risks and the benefits. There’s no way to make an informed decision without all the facts and information about how they apply specifically to you, your family and personal medical history and your unique set of needs and symptoms. At the same time, the evidence is pretty darn strong that HRT does not protect your heart and may in fact, exacerbate other risk factors for developing a heart attack or stroke.
Is it worth it? Only you and your practitioner can decide.
Read MoreWednesday Bubble: Male menopause gets the test
Regular readers of this blog know that I take issue with the term “male menopause,” (aka, andropause) not only because it’s a misnomer but because, in my opinion, it is an overdiagnosed syndrome that may indeed, be a natural part of the aging process in men. So I was heartened to read that University of Pennsylvania researcher Peter Snyder is recruiting men for a new study — the T Trial — that will investigate whether or not declining energy and physical function, along with a low libido and memory issues are related to low testosterone levels or to the aging process itself.
According to the trial’s primary sponsor, the National Institute on Aging, a key impetus for this study was the burgeoning marketing of male hormone products as treatment for a variety of conditions. In fact, the market topped out at a whopping $809 million last year alone. “We hope this trial will establish whether testosterone therapy results in clear benefits for older men,” said Evan C. Hadley, M.D., director of NIA’s Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology.
Although there are questions whether or not the study is of long enough duration to really evaluate if testosterone therapy is valuable, needed or safe, the study is the largest of its kind. Importantly, according to an article last Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer, some endocrinologists believe that andropause is more of a marketing tool than an actual syndrome. One is even quoted as saying that the best remedy for andropause is exercise.
So, what do you think? Is it time to burst this bubble or not?
Read MoreThe Roundup: November news and tidbits
[Credit: Special thanks to artist Darryl Willison of whimsicalwest.com. Please visit his site and support his work.]
Time for November highlights. A new feature, a few guest posts and lots of controversy in this month’s mix:
- Introducing….It’s raining men. It’s a new month and a new feature on Flashfree. I am looking for men to lend their perspectives. Here’s one guys’ take.
- Wednesday Bubble: Equol-ity. Can the plant-based S-equol alleviate hot flashes? The evidence continues to mount in its favor.
- Oh, baby – a new glam parent is born. Forty Weeks’ Julia Beck provides some important tips for Boomer grandparents on breastfeeding and support.
- Be still my heart. When it comes to heart disease, knowledge is power. Heart attacks are on the rise in midlife women. Wondering why?
- Wednesday Bubble: Bifocals, babies, hot steamy flashes of perspective. It is enough. Author Patti Digh graces the pages of Flashfree with her insight and wisdom: time to call in the dumpster.
- Hip fracture, early menopause and age. Researchers show that early menopause is not a risk factor for hip fracture. Here’s what you can do right now to keep your bones in good shape.
- Viva la sweats! Forget the sheets! Who knew that night sweats might actually save your life?
- Wednesday Bubble: One pill makes you…. Coming to bedrooms soon: the new Viagra-like compound for women.
- Dem bones were made for dancing. Who says you can’t have fun while boosting your bone health? ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ are you listening?
- New Flash! Just a spit away… Is comprehensive non-invasive testing on the horizon for women? Researchers say that your saliva may hold important clues to illnesses as you age.
- Wednesday Bubble: NutraFem promises much. Will it deliver? There’s a novel multi-botanical on the market and it’s looking promising for controlling hot flashes and night sweats.
- Battle of the middle-aged bulge: pick your poison. That abdominal donut may cause you to lose your mind, if you don’t have a heart attack first. Time to get moving!
Battle of the middle-aged bulge: pick your poison
That age old battle of the bulge just got more challenging.. Researchers are saying that middle-aged women who store fat around their mid section are twice as likely as their peers to develop dementia in old age. Yikes! More reason than ever to lose that belly fat, right?
Starting in 1960, researchers looked healthy and lifestyle risk factors in 1,462 women and then at various intervals for 32 years. They found that women who were broader around the waist than the hips by the time they reached middle-aged more than twice the odds of developing dementia if they lived beyond 70 years. However, a higher body-mass index did not infer a similar risk.
Whether it’s associated with aging, testosterone or declining physical activity, weight gain around the midsection has been linked with the metabolic syndrome, which increases your risk for heart attack and stroke.
So, we’re left with a choice – heart attack, stroke or losing our minds….Or, better yet, move your body. Exercise, start eating healthier and being more mindful of what’s going in and what you are putting out. Granted, we may not be able to fight the inevitable but we can at least try to stave it off or control it as much as possible. The bulge around the middle is the hardest area to attack. But it’s not impossible.
I’d love to get some fitness experts to weigh in on this. Anyone?
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