Latest Scientific News
Updated information about scientific approaches and research field.
Thursday, 22 April 2021 08:01
Do moderate wine drinkers have a lower risk of cataract surgery?
Recent headlines have stated that moderate wine consumption may prevent cataracts. What are the practical implications/practical significance of these headlines? What is it all about? Age-related cataract is the leading cause of visual impairment worldwide. With an ageing population and a greater life expectancy, the number of individuals with cataract is likely to increase. A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens. It normally develops slowly and does not affect the vision at the beginning. However, over time and…
Thursday, 22 April 2021 07:55
High intake of alcoholic beverages in early adulthood and risk of colon cancer later in life
In three large US prospective studies, higher intake of alcoholic beverages (≥15g/day) during early adulthood was related to a higher risk of colorectal cancer later in life compared to non-drinkers. This risk was independent of the level of smoking in early adulthood and intake of alcoholic beverages during midlife. These results suggest that early adulthood may be a potential period where there is an increased susceptibility to colorectal cancer. Hur J, Smith-Warner SA, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Wu K, Cao…
Wednesday, 24 March 2021 14:25
Chinese light drinkers with a lower disease and mortality risk
The results of this large-scale prospective study with over 80,000 Chinese participants and a follow-up time of 10 years showed that participants who reported consuming between 1g and 150 g of alcohol/week had a lower risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and total mortality compared to heavy drinker and non-drinkers. The authors explain that this study in an Asian population supports prior observations of a J-shaped association between the consumption of alcoholic beverages and chronic diseases (CVD and cancer) and…
Wednesday, 24 March 2021 14:15
Resveratrol can contribute to healthy ageing in women
This double-blind placebo-controlled trial evaluated the benefits of low-dose resveratrol supplementation on various aspects of healthy ageing in post-menopausal women. Dementia and cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in older women. Over 55 years old women have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease than their male counterparts or younger women. The rapid mid-life decline in circulating estrogen following menopause is partly responsible for these differences. Estrogen plays an important role for memory retention, metabolic regulation and bone health…
Thursday, 25 February 2021 09:02
Benefits and hazards of wine/alcoholic beverages, the J-curve: from scientific evidence to individual and public health
Two well-known scientists and a family physician1 published three extensive reviews confirming the latest scientific evidence of the J-curve and discussing the methodological challenges, including the Mendelian randomisation (MR) but also possible practical implications of these results at individual and public health level2-4 . The following is a short summary of the very detailed discussion in these three publications. The cardiovascular benefits of moderate drinking were observed already in the 1960’s, but the results were initially disputed by the scientific…