Healthy Heart

I f you remember the great saccharin scare of the late 1970s, it may come as a sweet surprise to learn that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has removed the artifcial sweetener from its list of hazard- ous substances. The switch clears the last offcial blemish from saccharins reputa- tion, with the FDA having given it an OK in 2000. Following studies linking saccharin with cancer in rats, the EPAs Carcinogen Assessment Group listed the sweetener as a possible human carcinogen in 1980. Now, in response to a petition from an artifcial- sweetener trade group, the agency has reversed that listing, saying theres insuffcient evidence that saccharin causes cancer in humans. Although not as popular in the US in part because of lingering can- cer fears, inexpensive saccharin remains the largest-volume artifcial sweetener in the world, primarily used in Asia.

Can foods, beverages or dietary supplements really increase your mental energy? Scientists at the Life Sciences Research Organization (LSRO) recently reported the results of a review of the scientific evidence for such claims regarding ginkgo biloba, ginseng, glucose and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They defined mental energy as consisting of mood (transient feelings about the presence of fatigue or energy), motivation (determination and enthusiasm) and cognition (sustained attention and vigilance)

Your mom was right about fiber being good for you-and not just because of its powers to aid digestion. A new analysis of nine years of data from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study reports a link between dietary fiber and a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases, as well as a reduced risk of death from any cause

Zinc really might work to prevent the common cold and lessen the severity of symptoms, according to a new review, but the prevalence of side effects might make you think twice about taking it. Scientists searched for randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials conducted since 1984

Inside Tufts HNRCA Laboratory of Nutrition, Exercise, Physiology and Sarcopenia-on the front lines of the fight against frailty. At 711 Washington Street, in the heart of downtown Boston, you will find the worlds largest research center on nutrition and aging. With over 300 scientists, the Tufts Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) has been advancing the knowledge of human nutrition since 1979

Do physicians take dietary supplements-and if so, which ones and why? A new survey conducted for the supplements-industry trade association the Council for Responsible Nutrition sought answers from 900 physicians, evenly divided among three specialties-cardiology, dermatology and orthopedics

The good news from a new pooled analysis of 57 studies is that, despite some red flags from previous research, vitamin E supplements are safe and dont increase the risk of death. But neither do the once-highly touted supplements help you live longer, the review reports, despite hopes their antioxidant effects might fight chronic disease. Calling their meta-analysis the largest and most inclusive to date, scientists concluded in Current Aging Science that vitamin E supplementation cannot be endorsed as a means of reducing mortality

Could trans fats be making you blue-and not just because of their dangerous effects on your heart health? A new Spanish study of more than 12,000 men and women reports that those consuming the highest level of trans fats were 48% more likely to suffer from depression. People consuming the most healthy poly- and monounsaturated fats, on the other hand, saw a lower incidence of depression

Long the object of jokes, prunes may now have the last laugh. New research demonstrates that prunes (dried plums) are more effective than psyllium fiber in combating constipation

Plus new clues to the disease from ibuprofen and vitamin D. Three new studies are shedding light on the mysteries of Parkinsons disease, one of the most common nervous system disorders with aging. A neurodegenerative brain disorder that leads to tremors and difficulty with movement and coordination, Parkinsons most often develops after age 50; 50,000-60,000 new US cases are diagnosed annually