Cellular Health

Discovered: A Direct Link Between Circadian Clock and the Immune System

You may have noticed that you are more likely to get sick when tired or otherwise feeling out-of-sync. Many people who travel have noted that they are most likely to become ill just after a large trip, especially one that takes them across time zones and causes the dreaded jet lag. Is this a coincidence? Studies have long suggested a link between the circadian clock and the immune system, but were unable to find a direct cause for the connection. However, new research now suggests that T cells, an important part of the immune system, are the missing link.

The Circadian Rhythm of the Immune System

Like all cells in the human body, the cells of your immune system run on a distinct circadian, or 24-hour, rhythm. There are daily rhythms in the release of immune proteins such as cytokines as well as in the migration of immune cells to inflamed tissues and the production of T cells and other cells involved in immunity.

How is this circadian rhythm maintained? Like many cells, immune cells appear to express circadian rhythm genes as well as to responding to melatonin and other hormones governing our sleep-wake cycle. According to new research, circadian genes may be more important to our immune system than we previously realized.

T Cells: The Link Between the Circadian Clock and the Immune System

If you have a loved one with a disease that affects their immune system, you have probably heard of T cells. T cells are tested to measure the strength of an immune system, and are in fact one of the most important parts of your immune system. T cells scout your body looking for microbes. When they see them, they attack. In addition, T cells have an amazing ability to remember the microbes that they have encountered, which is why you can only get some diseases once. Because T cells are so important, their numbers are tightly regulated.

However, T cells appear to be regulated in a different way than most cells in the body. Most cells can divide a set number of times, while T cells appear to have a time limit for division instead. They can divide as often as needed within their allotted lifetime and then they self-destruct. This appears to be controlled by a gene called Bcl-2, which also is involved in the circadian rhythm.

Circadian Rhythm-Governed Expression of Immune Cells

There are yet other ways that the circadian clock and the immune system are linked. The immune system revs up production of immune cells at certain times of day in response to melatonin levels. In addition, the expression of certain cell receptors that are crucial in the function of immune cells also appears to be governed in part by the time of day. These receptors are crucial in helping T cells to detect an antigen and then set off the immune cascade that will prevent or lessen the symptoms of an illness. The result is that you are far less likely to catch a cold that you are exposed to in the late morning, and far more likely to die from a serious infection such as sepsis in the late night and the hours just before dawn.

These new studies add to a growing body of research on the link between infections, immunity and the circadian rhythm. It explains a phenomenon that researchers have already repeatedly observed: Animals exposed to an illness just before or during their resting phase get more serious infections and become sicker. Your circadian rhythm appears to have an immense effect on whether you get sick from the many pathogens we are exposed to on a daily basis.

You may not be able to choose the time of day at which you are exposed to an illness, but there are a few things you can do to improve your odds of making it through the fall and winter with as few sick days as possible. Be especially vigilant about hand-washing and other common-sense disease-control measures in the evening and late at night when your immune system is most susceptible. Maintain a healthy circadian rhythm with set bedtimes and wake up times. Keeping a healthy body, including a healthy sleep-wake cycle, is one of the best disease prevention measures you can use to reduce your chances of catching the next office cold.

Timing is Everything: Using Chronotherapy in Cancer Treatment

Nov 03 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Cancer is one of the most deadly diseases in the world, killing an estimated 7.6 million people every year. While there is a constant flow of new treatments, the number of deaths nonetheless demands more research and, hopefully, an eventual cure. Many people use all available treatments but still die of this disease. For many, the treatment itself is part of the problem, as chemotherapy side effects can be quite serious. Until there are ways of stopping cancer in its tracks, we may be able to improve outcomes and reduce the tide of deaths by using chronotherapy in cancer treatment.

What Is Chronotherapy?

Every cell in our bodies runs on an internal clock called a circadian rhythm. Chronotherapy is the practice of timing treatments so they are taken at the most effective time of day. Giving medications at the right time can increase efficacy while reducing the actual amount of medication that patients need. For example, if a person who has high blood pressure primarily at night takes their medication before bed, not only will it be more effective, they will also need less medication than if they took it in the morning or another random time of day. This, in turn, reduces side effects, medication interactions and the chances of developing toxicity from high levels of medication.

We do not currently know all of the diseases that respond best to chronotherapy. However, research suggests that allergies, heart disease and a wide range of illnesses may be treated more effectively when treatments are given at specific times. According to new research on chronotherapy in cancer treatment, chemotherapy may be among the growing number of medications where timing is everything.

Using Chronotherapy in Cancer Treatment

Chemotherapy aims to kill cancer cells, but unfortunately kills many of the patient’s healthy cells as well. Balancing side effects and toxicity is a major challenge for both doctors and patients. What if there were a way to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy while decreasing side effects and toxicity? It appears that chronotherapy may be the answer.

A recent study found that chemotherapy and other cancer treatments are more effective when timed to coincide with the most active times of the circadian rhythm of cancer cells. In other words, timing the medications to stop growth exactly when the tumor is actively trying to grow. This study did not discover only a small difference in efficacy; the chemotherapy administered at the right time of day was actually twice as effective in treating cancer. The perfect time to give a drug depends on the type of cancer and the type of medication, but there appears to be a perfect time for most cancer drugs. Giving medications at carefully-determined times also reduces side effects and toxicity, which are two major reasons that patients often cannot continue with an otherwise successful treatment.

The Circadian Rhythm of Cancer Cells

How can timing the administration of a drug make such a difference? Cancer cells tend to have a circadian rhythm that is different from that of healthy cells. They have often lost many of the checkpoints to growth that are present in healthy cells, which means that they can grow almost continuously. While they may grow faster at certain times of day, they are growing or preparing to do so almost constantly. On the other hand, human cells grow only for very small periods of time during the day.

With many types of cancer, it is possible to identify a time when cancer cells are extremely active while normal cells are not. When a drug attacking that part of the cell cycle is administered at these times, it is likely to have a huge impact on cancer while affecting normal cells very little, which means fewer side effects.

Your Circadian Rhythm and Your Health

While most people are not aware of their circadian rhythm, your internal clock plays a huge role in your health. The amount you sleep—or don’t—can affect whether you feel rested but also your risk of developing serious diseases. Because a poorly-regulated circadian rhythm is essential to health, it makes sense that working with your own innate timing would play a role in recovery from serious diseases such as cancer.

If you or a loved one are facing a battle with cancer, chronotherapy may give you an advantage. It’s important to talk to your doctors about the best time to take your medications to maximize treatment and reduce adverse effects.

Health Dangers of Smartphones Include Insomnia and Male Infertility

Oct 27 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Unless you live under that proverbial rock, you are likely familiar with the purported health dangers of smartphones. Although these devices make it easier to manage our busy lives and stay in contact with loved ones, more and more studies indicate that they may also pose health risks, even when not in use.

The Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation

Even when your phone is not in use, it’s still in contact with cellphone towers. It maintains this contact using a frequency known as electromagnetic radiation, allowing your phone to make its distinctive chime as soon as you receive a text or email. Electromagnetic radiation is very similar to microwaves. There have been conflicting studies regarding whether this type of radiation affects your health, but more recent research shows that the suspected health dangers of smartphones are likely a reality.

Exactly what are these health effects? Rats exposed to constant levels of this frequency of radiation develop brain tumors. There are also specific dangers for men who keep cellphones on their person or in a pocket, including infertility and potential testicular cancer. While our brains are partially protected by a skull, male reproductive organs have few defenses against the electromagnetic radiation, which can mutate sperm and make them unable to fertilize an egg. This is particularly unfortunate when you consider how many men keep their cellphone in their pants pocket.

Smart Phones and Sleep

Smartphones can affect not just our long-term health, but our daily lives. They emit a blue-tinted light that is easy to read in almost any setting, much like computers and tablets. However, this light can affect our circadian rhythms and make it more difficult to get the sleep we need. Blue light has a huge effect on melatonin production, and can even shut it down completely. When you read on your smartphone or another device before bed, you are stopping your brain from making the hormone it needs to induce sleep. This is especially true for adolescents.

However, blue light is not the only way that a smartphone may interfere with your sleep. Electromagnetic radiation also may interfere with sleep. Children appear to be more affected, as their growing brain tissues absorb four times as much of this radiation as adults. In addition, children often lack the self-discipline needed to turn off these devices and go to sleep. It is important for children to go to sleep in a room free of televisions, tablets and other devices that could have long-term effects on both their circadian rhythm and whole-body health.

Mitigating the Health Dangers of Smartphones

This news may be shocking to people who always have their phone in hand. However, most of us either cannot or will not eschew our electronic devices completely. We need them not just for work and time management, but for much-needed recreation and fun. If you plan on keeping your smartphone in your pocket despite these health dangers, there are a few ways that you can lessen the potential damage to your body.

Use a headset or speakerphone. Moving a source of radiation away from your body significantly reduces its effect on your cells.
Keep your phone out of your pants pocket. Stash it instead in a bag, on your desk, or in a shirt pocket.
Don’t sleep with devices in your bedroom. Smart phones are not the only sources of radiation; wireless modems and other devices also emit it. By keeping these in another room, you can reduce your exposure immensely.
Avoid using your phone when it has a low signal. It has to send out more radiation to continue making contact.
Limit your children’s usage of devices. Children are especially prone to negative effects from radiation because their bodies are still growing and their cells multiplying quickly.

It may be difficult to break the smartphone habit, but it will likely have a beneficial effect on your health. There are many ways to reduce the health dangers of smartphones, but simply putting it away may be the most effective.

New Research Shows the Health Benefits of Resveratrol Extend Beyond Heart Health

Oct 13 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Resveratrol has been in the news for its heart-health benefits for years. It is believed to help support a healthy cardiovascular system and protect against a wide variety of health concerns. New research on the health benefits of resveratrol suggests that, aside from its benefits to cardiovascular health, resveratrol may benefit your entire body through a mechanism that supports the healthy cellular inflammatory processes that are often thrown out of whack by our stressful modern life.

The Health Benefits of Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a plant compound found in grapes and red wine, as well as some nuts and berries. It is a natural antioxidant made by plants when they are under attack, whether from an insect or an illness. Although the foods containing this micronutrient are delicious, most people in the Western world do not get enough of it in their diets. This is unfortunate, because people who don’t get enough resveratrol may be missing out on some incredible health benefits.

Doctors have long known that supplementing with this natural plant compound can help to protect against certain cardiovascular concerns which can eventually lead to devastating heart attack or stroke. In addition, it can help support healthy cellular inflammatory processes in your body. This can affect your health in a variety of ways because inflammation is often a hidden contributor to many of the most common and most-feared illnesses of our times.

What’s the Big Deal With Inflammation?

Many people associate inflammation with an infection, but it actually can be present even without microorganisms or viruses. In fact, new research suggests that inflammation may be a major cause of almost every type of disease in the human body. Chronic low-grade inflammation is one cause of atherosclerosis and thus heart disease and stroke. However, it also may contribute to the development of diabetes, cancer, and chronic diseases of all kinds.

How can inflammation cause so much damage? When our bodies suffer an insult of any kind, be it a microbe or a toxic food preservative, it sets off a reaction. There is more blood flow to the area, more inflammatory molecules and more immune cells such as T-cells. These cells can help to fight off an infection, but when they are chronically present they damage our own cells. Chronic inflammation can be so subtle it is missed entirely until we begin to develop chronic illness. In the case of atherosclerosis, the vessel gradually hardens because of the constant inflammation, the way our feet and hands can form calluses. These rough spots on the inside of the vessel are prone to cracking and also clot formation. Eventually, the atherosclerosis is enough to completely block the vessel, which is when disease occurs.

Protecting Against Inflammation the Natural Way

There are many ways that you can change your lifestyle to reduce the occurrence of inflammation and thus help protect against the diseases that it can cause. Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and omega-3 fish oils is a delicious way to protect against inflammation. In addition, you can enjoy green tea or an occasional glass of red wine, both natural antioxidants. These are both better choices than sweetened beverages like colas that can increase inflammation. Getting enough sleep is also important because this is the time when your body performs critical repairs of cell damage that have occurred throughout the day. Last, taking the time to de-stress through yoga and meditation will help lower inflammation levels while improving your outlook on life.

Healthy eating and positive habits are important in reducing inflammation. However, inflammation does not have to negatively affect your health, even if you don’t always maintain the healthiest diet. According to a recent study, a substance found in grapes called resveratrol can help to reduce or even eliminate the effects of eating an unhealthy diet. Monkeys who are fed a high-fat and high-sugar diet tend to have muscles that become fatigued quickly. Adding a resveratrol supplement to their otherwise unhealthy diet led to less fatigue and inflammation in the muscles, partially compensating for the cost of a poor diet. This indicates that one of the health benefits of resveratrol may be that little “cheats” don’t have as large of an effect on your tissues, including the delicate tissues in your heart.

The health benefits of resveratrol may be just what someone people need to withstand the negative effects of modern life. While it’s important to try to eat healthily and lower your risk of inflammation through lifestyle changes, supplementing with this grape derivative can help you to get the boost you need to feel and be healthier over your lifetime.

Cancer and the Circadian Clock: Recent Insights Offer New Hope

Sep 29 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Cancer was once a dreaded death sentence. New research, specifically studies on cancer and the circadian clock, are offering new understanding and new hope.

Around half of all people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, making it one of the most common diseases in the modern world. While cancer once had a very high mortality rate, many people are now able to survive this disease and thrive with the help of modern therapies and treatments. The emerging science of chronobiology may hold the key to understanding and treating many common types of cancer.

Cancer and the Circadian Clock

Cancer cannot grow and metastasize without sabotaging the “checkpoints” on cell division and metabolism that exist in healthy cells. The circadian rhythm is intricately entwined with these checkpoints. Every cell in our body lives, functions and dies by a rhythm set by our internal clocks, which are in turn set by light levels, the times we eat, and a variety of other factors. In cancer cells, these rhythms are often disrupted so the cell can divide without normal controls.

In a recent study of liver tumors, the cancer cells were found to not only divide inappropriately, leading to tumor growth, but also to interfere with the normal function of the liver as a whole. The liver is responsible for a wide range of metabolic activities, which include glucose regulation and toxin removal from the blood. When liver cells turn cancerous, they act erratically. A small liver tumor can disrupt the entire body’s metabolism by disrupting how glucose is regulated.

Marching to the Beat of Its Own Drum

In many ways, cancer cells act like “hijackers,” taking over normal bodily functions and performing them in an erratic way. However, not all tumors function independent of the circadian rhythm. Some cancers, such as certain types of leukemia, depend on circadian rhythm genes to survive. A recent study found that normal stem cells in the blood can survive even without BMAL1, a crucial gene that regulates the circadian rhythm of each cell. On the other hand, stem cells with leukemia die when this gene is “knocked out.” This insight may present a new method of treating leukemia by genetically modifying cells with this cancer so they don’t express a gene that is important to their survival.

The Circadian Rhythm

Liver cancer and leukemia are not the only two cancers to show a link to the circadian rhythm in research. Breast cancer also appears to be associated with a circadian rhythm gene. Because breast cancer in itself is not life-threatening, metastasis is generally its biggest threat. Cancerous cells can eventually leave the breast and travel to the brain, the lungs, or the bones, where they can interfere with more necessary tissue. Having even small mutations in a circadian rhythm gene called Arntl2 is an important predictor of breast cancer death. The reason for this increased morbidity is that tumors with a functioning Arntl2 gene are unlikely to metastasize.

Sleep Disorders: A Cancer Risk Factor?

The link between cancer and the circadian clock is especially clear when you examine the relationship between sleep and cancer outcomes. Regardless of the type of cancer, having sleep apnea (and possibly other disorders that interfere with sleep) is a risk factor for poor cancer outcomes. People with sleep apnea suffer from decreased oxygenation during their sleep, which increases levels of VEGF, or vascular endothelial growth factor. VEGF is crucial for the survival of cancer cells because it creates new blood vessels, allowing them to get the nutrients they need to grow out of control. While we associate sleep apnea with poor sleep and snoring, it may have even greater effects on our health in the long run.

New Treatments and New Hope

Because cancer is so dependent on the circadian rhythm, some people may benefit from taking medications that attack cancer cells at certain times of day. Treating a disease at a particular time of day, a practice known as chronotherapy, ensures that cancer cells are hit with the right drugs at the right time—the time when they are most likely to deliver optimal effects. This practice can also lead to fewer side effects, as treatments can be targeted to times when they have the least impact on healthy cells. While normal cells undergo growth and metabolism only at certain times of the day, cancerous cells that have lost their checkpoints tend to divide without any set time frame or even a pause. They are in constant growth phase. Taking medications at times of the day when healthy cells are not active (but cancer cells are!) allows drugs to hit cancer cells alone while sparing healthy ones.

While treatment for cancer was once limited to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, new research has brought forth new medications and treatments that kill malignant cells by disrupting their growth and other key metabolic processes. Understanding more about the relationship between cancer and the circadian clock will allow doctors to attack cancer more aggressively while yielding better outcomes for the people who suffer from this disease. Because all of us will suffer from cancer or love someone who does in our lifetimes, this is truly life-changing research.

Exploring the Connection Between Selenium Deficiency and Liver Health

Sep 12 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Selenium is a non-metal chemical element that the human body requires in very small amounts. There are 13 to 20 milligrams of this mineral present in your body at any given moment. Selenium plays a role in immune health, reproductive health, DNA synthesis, thyroid hormones and more. The most notable food sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, mushrooms and organ meats. It’s also present in smaller amounts in other animal products and grain. However, the selenium content of food can vary widely depending on the food’s geographical origin, as some soils have a higher selenium content than others.

It’s important to get enough selenium. Adults over the age of 14 should get 55 micrograms daily. Pregnant women should get 60 micrograms of selenium daily,and lactating women should get 70. Taking a dietary supplement containing this nutrient can have health benefits, especially if you’re at risk for low selenium. You might be at risk for low selenium if you’re undergoing long-term hemodialysis, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, take birth control pills, or have a medical condition that causes malabsorption (such as Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, or HIV). New research indicates that there is a direct link between selenium deficiency and liver cancer.

The Link Between Selenium Deficiency and Liver Cancer

One of the most recently-discovered health benefits of selenium is that having enough in your body may help protect against liver cancer. Previous studies have already proven the antioxidant properties of selenium, which is amplified when selenium is combined with vitamin E. Possessing antioxidant properties means that this nutrient helps to protect against cell damage caused by uncharged molecules known as free radicals, which is a type of cell damage well-associated with the development of cancer.

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that there is a relationship between selenium deficiency and liver cancer risk. These findings also extended to other biliary tract cancers, including cancers of the pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 21,000 Americans die from these cancers every year.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from about 477,000 adults over a period of a decade. Over 260 of these people developed liver cancer and other biliary tract cancers over this time span. It was found that the people who developed these types of cancer had significantly lower levels of selenium than everyone else. Compared to those with the highest selenium levels, people in the study with the lowest selenium levels were up to 10 times more likely to develop liver cancer.

Additional Health Benefits of Selenium

Having low selenium levels not only increases your risk of liver cancer, but it also increases your risk of death by any type of cancer. Scientists have also observed that selenium-rich geographical regions have lower cancer rates on average. Not very much research has been done yet on specific cancers as they relate to selenium intake. One study done in the Netherlands found that men with higher selenium levels have a lower risk of prostate cancer. Two studies to date also suggest that consuming lots of selenium can help protect against colorectal cancer.

Besides the link between selenium deficiency and liver cancer, getting enough selenium has many other health benefits. Selenium is needed for optimal reproductive health, as it contributes to sperm motility. If a man isn’t getting enough selenium, he may suffer from infertility. Selenium is also important for women’s reproductive health. There have been studies that showed that low selenium levels can decrease female fertility, affect fetal growth and possibly cause miscarriage.

Another one of the most notable health benefits of selenium is its benefits for cardiovascular health. Low selenium levels are common among heart attack patients, and severe selenium deficiency can cause heart failure. Another benefit that selenium has for heart health is that when combined with vitamin E and beta-carotene, it can help normalize cholesterol levels.

Selenium is also needed by the thyroid gland. The element is present in enzymes that activate and deactivate the various thyroid hormones. Therefore, getting enough of this nutrient is important for proper thyroid function. Studies have shown that taking a selenium supplement reduces inflammation in those with autoimmune thyroiditis as well as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Finally, studies have found that selenium levels decline as you get older. Low selenium can contribute to cognitive decline in seniors, as shown by a considerably large study that looked at nearly 1,400 people over a period of nine years. It is believed that this effect is due to the fact that selenium reduces oxidative stress (cell damage caused by free radicals), a factor that contributes to cognitive decline.