Nutritional and metabolic diseases

Role of community pharmacists in hypertension management

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the biggest killers in the UK, with associated co-morbidities costing the NHS more than £10bn every year. Community pharmacists are well placed to reduce this costly health burden through the delivery of locally commissioned services that focus on risk fa…

Vitamin D reduces risk of hospitalisation for asthma attacks

Taking oral vitamin D supplements as well as standard asthma medication halves the rate of asthma attacks requiring hospital attendance, and cuts the likelihood an asthma attack will require treatment with systemic steroids by almost a third.…

Bodyweight-based growth hormone dosing excessive for obese patients

Researchers argue that alternative dosing strategies for obese patients, in particular children, should be rigorously trialled.…

How following a diet from a small Italian village could improve your health

An interesting book which explains why sugar is the real enemy and not fat, and how dietary and lifestyle changes can improve cardiovascular health.…

Using sweeteners to reduce sugar consumption

Reducing sugar calorie intake by exchanging sucrose with a sweetener to meet World Health Organization targets…

The cholesterol and calorie hypotheses are both dead — it is time to focus on the real culprit: insulin resistance

Emerging evidence shows that insulin resistance is the most important predictor of cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes.…

How gut bacteria affect our overall health and wellbeing

The clever guts diet: how to revolutionise your body from the inside out, by Michael Mosley…

Making patients aware that healthy eating can prevent diabetes

A survey Diabetes UK has just conducted shows that most of us (59%) now know someone with type 2 diabetes. Yet most people would ignore four out of six symptoms of diabetes (thrush, fatigue, increased urination and extreme thirst). Diabetes is the fastest growing health threat. There are 3.6 m…

Tamoxifen prevents high fat diet-induced obesity in mice

The oestrogen-receptor modulator widely used to treat and prevent breast cancer could help to protect against weight gain and insulin resistance, researchers find.…

Increased body mass index causes poor heart health even in young people

UK researchers have shown that increasing body mass index worsens cardiovascular health, even in people as young as 17.…