Experimental Diet Pill Tricks Body into Thinking It Ate

A new drug could trick the body into thinking it had a meal, according to a new study in mice.

Although the drug is far from becoming a miracle diet pill for treating obesity in people, it does show promise as a weight-loss solution, at least in mice, the researchers said. The drug works in the intestines and mimics the physiological processes that occur after an animal consumes a meal.

As a result, mice that consume the drug burn calories to make room for the imaginary calories they didn't actually consume, according to the study, published today (Jan. 5) in the journal Nature Medicine.

"It sends out the same signals that normally happen when you eat a lot of food, so the body starts clearing out space to store it," said Ronald Evans, director of the Gene Expression Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California.

The drug, called fexaramine, activates a molecular switch that releases bile acids into the intestines in response to food. Normally, the job of bile is to help the body digest the food, but its release also has ripple effects, triggering a set of other processes throughout the body, Evans said.  [The 7 Biggest Diet Myths]

The new drug also appears to have fewer side effects than other similar weight-loss medications because it stays in the intestines, rather than entering the bloodstream and affecting the whole body, according to the study.

In the experiments, the researchers gave mice that were on a high-fat diet and were already obese a daily oral dose of fexaramine for five weeks. The found that the animals stopped gaining weight. The drug also lowered the animals' blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels, and caused a buildup of brown fat, which helps burn energy. Untreated obese mice in the study didn't show these improvements.

The drug works by switching on a receptor called the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), which Evans and his colleagues have studied for about two decades. Some of the researchers stand to gain financially if a drug based on the research ever comes to fruition, the study noted.

After a meal is consumed, FXR triggers the release of bile acids, and also changes blood sugar levels and causes the body to burn some fats, the researchers noted.

The researchers said they believe a drug working on the same principles could one day offer people a nonsurgical treatment for extreme obesity. Currently, people who are severely obese even after trying to lose weight though diet and exercise have only a few treatment options, including gastric bypass surgery.

But first, the drug has to be tested in bigger animals, such as primates, and then in humans, before being used as a treatment for obesity. This process could take a couple of years, the researchers said.

6 Healthy Habits Dramatically Reduce Heart Disease Risk in Women

Up to three-quarters of heart attacks in younger women could be prevented if women followed a number of healthy lifestyle practices, a new study shows.

Researchers followed nearly 70,000 women over two decades. They documented all cases of heart disease and death that occurred during the study period, and every two years, they looked at six aspects of the women's lifestyles: smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity, TV-watching habits and diet quality.

"We wanted to find out what proportion of heart disease cases could be attributed to unhealthy habits," said study co-author Andrea Chomistek, a researcher at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.

In general, people's risk of dying from heart disease in the United States has been declining over the past couple of decades. But women ages 35 to 44 have not shown the same reduction as other groups, and researchers think a part of the difference could be explained by lifestyle choices, according to the study.

At the start of the study, the participants were 37 years old on average, and those who developed heart disease during the study period did so at age 50, on average, the researchers said. The researchers defined being "healthy" in the six habits as not smoking, consuming no more than one alcoholic drink daily, having a BMI in the normal range (18.5 to 24.9), exercising for at least 2.5 hours weekly, watching TV for fewer than 7 hours weekly, and consuming a diet rich in vegetables and whole grains and low in red meat, refined grains and sugar.

The researchers found that the women who followed healthy practices in all six aspects of their lifestyle had a 92 percent lower risk of having a heart attack, and a 66 percent lower risk of developing a risk factor for heart disease — such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol — compared with the women who were unhealthy in all six measures.

The results also showed that three-quarters of heart attacks in women in this age range, and almost half of all risk factors in these women, could have been prevented if all of the women in the study had lived a healthy lifestyle, the researchers said.

Taking up a healthier lifestyle by eating better and exercising more is often the first recommendation made for people who have high blood sugar, high cholesterol or another risk factor for heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In line with those recommendations, when the researchers looked only at women who had developed risk factors for heart disease (and not those who actually had heart attacks), they found that women who followed at least four of the healthy lifestyle practices had a markedly lower risk of going on to develop heart disease than the women who did not practice any of the healthy habits.

"Women should begin following these lifestyle practices early in life, especially if they are already taking medication for a risk factor such as hypertension or high cholesterol," Chomistek said. "It's an easy way to prevent future heart trouble."

2 Years After Car Crash, Man in 'Minimally Conscious State' Suddenly Speaks

A man in Italy who was in what doctors call a "minimally conscious state" for nearly two years unexpectedly regained full consciousness and the ability to talk, according to a new report of his case.

The man woke up after he was given a drug normally used as a sedative before surgery and other medical procedures, the case report showed.

The 43-year-old man was admitted to a hospital after a car accident, and was in a coma for 40 days. People who are comatose are completely unconscious — they have no sleep/wake cycles, and do not respond to their surroundings in any way.

The man awoke from the coma but remained in a "minimally conscious state," which means that although he remained largely unable to communicate or move, he was able to voluntarily open and close his eyes, and reach for and touch objects. He also had a sleep-wake cycle.

When he was discharged from the hospital 10 months later, he still did not talk or communicate with other people, nor did he respond to simple commands asking him to, for instance, close his eyes.

Over the next year, the man's cognitive ability started to decline; his movements became abnormally slow; and he began to engage in aimless, repetitive behaviors, such as clapping.

But then, about two years after the accident, the man's doctors wanted to examine his brain using a CT scan. To do the scan, they gave the man a mild sedative called midazolam. [7 Mind-Bending Facts About Dreams]

A few minutes later, the man began to talk and interact with others.

"He talked by cellphone with his aunt and congratulated his brother when he was informed of his graduation; he recognized the road leading to his home," the researchers who treated the man wrote in the case report. However, the man did not remember the accident, and he was not aware of the way it had affected his health, they wrote.

This is the first report of midazolam having an "awakening" effect, the researchers said.

However, the effect wore off after about two hours, and the man returned to his previous state, unresponsive to the environment, according to the study.

To see whether it was indeed the drug that caused the brief improvement in the man's condition, the researchers gave the man midazolam again. Several minutes following the administration, the patient began to interact with his brother and answered questions the researchers asked him. He was also able to calculate simple math problems, such as 100 minus 7, as well as read and understand simple sentences, such as "Close your eyes."

This time around, the researchers scanned the man's brain before, during and after the administration of midazolam, and identified the locations within the brain that were affected by the drug. They found that those regions previously had been linked to the symptoms of catatonia, which is a state of unresponsiveness to stimuli that is often associated with schizophrenia.

Moreover, the researchers noted, patients with catatonia have been reported to respond to midazolam in the past. The symptoms of the man in this report were similar to those of catatonic patients, which may mean that he was indeed catatonic and therefore responded to the drug, according to the study.

However, it is not completely clear whether the patient did indeed suffer from catatonia or whether his condition merely included certaincatatonic symptoms, the researchers wrote.

Although midazolam was effective as a short-term method of treating the man's symptoms, the researchers said they could not keep giving it to him. Usually, the drug is given only to people in intensive-care units, where they can be monitored continuously, said Dr. Maria Chiara Carboncini, medical director of the Brain Injury Unit in the University Hospital of Pisa's Department of Neuroscience in Italy, who treated the patient and was a co-author of the report.

The researchers tried treating the man with another drug called lorazepam, which belongs to the same class of drugs as midazolam but can be administered more easily, as the patient does not have to be monitored continuously, Carboncini told Live Science.

However, after several days of therapy with lorazepam, the man became agitated and aggressive. His doctors switched him to carbamazepine, a drug used to treat people with epilepsy. This drug allowed the man to "maintain the improvement of his ability to interact and communicate with people," Carboncini said.

Drinking Declines with Age, UK Study Finds

People tend to drink less as they get older, but how much a person's alcohol intake declines over time depends on both their overall health and whether they have a partner, a new report from the U.K. finds.

People in poor health tend to have a steeper drop in their drinking as they age than those in better health, the researchers found. It's likely that older adults with deteriorating health drink less because it's difficult to meet their friends for drinks if they're not feeling well, or because alcohol may interact with medicationsprescribed by their doctors, the researchers said.   

For those who lose their partner, either through a separation or death, the effect on drinking depends on the person's gender: Women who lose their partner show faster decline in their drinking compared with women who don't lose their partner, whereas men who lose their partner show a slower decline in drinking than men who remain partnered up.

The study challenges the assumption that the loss of a partner often leads to alcohol misuse in aging adults, the researchers said. "In particular, our analysis of drinking behaviors demonstrates that change in partnership status for women is associated with a reduction in alcohol consumption," Clare Holdsworth, a professor of social geography at Keele University in England, said in a statement.

In their report, the researchers looked at surveys of more than 4,500 men and women living in the U.K., examining how people's drinking habits changed as they grew older. The study participants were all over age 45 at the start, and every two years, they answered survey questions about their life, including their wealth, health, education levels and life events, such as retirement or the passing of a spouse.

The researchers also found that men who are wealthy, single and educated drink the most of any group. It's possible these men have more disposable income to spend on alcohol, as well as more social engagements, especially because they are single, the researchers said. Men who fit into this group drank, on average, an equivalent of 24 small glasses of wine a week.

In contrast, when the men reached retirement age, those who had poor or deteriorating health or less education tended to drink an equivalent of five small glasses of wine weekly, the researchers said. Similarly, women with lower levels of education and poor health tended to have the lowest alcohol intake throughout the study.

Women over age 50 who lost a partner also drank an average of 16 percent less at the end of the study than they did at the beginning, the researchers found. By comparison, women who stayed in a relationship showed an 11 percent drop in alcohol consumption over the same period.

"Our findings suggest that the group most at risk of heavy drinking in later life are older single men with high levels of education and above-average wealth," Holdsworth said.  

But men in this group might not identify their drinking as problem behavior, making it difficult for health organizations to target them for intervention, she said. "Also this group are less likely to have poor health in the short term, hence the need for intervention might not be apparent."

The study, which started surveying people in 1998 and 2000, found that, on average, men older than 45 drank 14 small glasses of wine a week, whereas women of the same age drank seven small glasses of wine a week. The researchers considered a small glass of wine (11 percent alcohol by volume) to be the equivalent of about a half cup (125 milliliters).

The number of men who said they did not drink grew from 6 percent to 18 percent from the beginning to the end of the study. For women, that percentage grew from 18 percent to 26 percent over the course of 10 years.

Somnapure: Is It An Effective Remedy For Insomnia?

What is Somnapure?

Are you aware that majority of American adults fall short of the recommended sleep of 7 to 8 hours every night? Different people live with many sleep disorders at night as well. Somnapure is the one all-natural supplement promising to restore healthy sleep cycles associated with such problems. It claims that it is different from other sleep-aid pills in that you won’t feel sluggish on waking up to face the tussles and hassles of the next day. You won’t feel like you overindulged in too much alcohol the previous night like most prescription drugs make people feel. It is like the magic pill as it appears. But first have a look at some facts.

Manufacturer Information of Somnapure

If you have ever taken a keen interest in herbal supplements that claims to work better than doctors’ prescription drugs, you most likely have heard about Peak Life Company. They are the acclaimed producers and distributors of Somnapure which has gained a lot of popularity in the production of health and wellness natural supplements from herbs, trees, roots, fruits etc. Their processing laboratories are located in the U.S. in the State of Massachusetts. Allegedly, the manufacturer assures you that their supplement will give you restful sleep every night.

What’s in Somnapure?

Somnapure is simply made of herbal ingredients to help you fall asleep faster, improve your sleep quality, and help you wake up the next day feeling energetic. This formulation has been made possible due to ingredients like:

• Melatonin: This is a compound that your brain secretes naturally and helps in improving moods, correct circadian rhythm disorders, and treat cancer.


• L-Theanine: This is extracted from green tea and deals with anxiety to keep you relaxed. But, these claims lack any scientific support.


• Velarian Root: Branded as the magical drug, valerian root has been in use for centuries in treating sleeplessness. Somnapure boasts that its effective lies behind this ingredient.


• Other ingredients in Somnapure are Chamomile tea, lemon balm, and trip hops.

Pluses of somnapure

• It promises no side effects and ingredients are natural


• You will wake up without hangovers


• You will get enough rest every night


• You don’t have to get prescription advice from your doctor


• It is readily available in online stores and reputable retain drugstores


• It assures quality sleep all and every night

Minuses of somnapure

• It has mixed user reviews


• It has not been clinically proven to be effective


• Some customers complain of unfair billing during the trial offer


• It doesn’t work for everyone


• No money back guarantee


• It sounds too good to be true

Recommended Use

The manufacturer of Somnapure recommends that you should take two tablets of their supplement less than an hour before you hit the sack. That sounds very cheap and convenient for almost everyone. What appears to be the best thing about this supplement is that when your alarm goes off the next day, you won’t even dare hit the snooze button because you will already have had a restful night’s sleep. Getting out of your bed too will be like alighting from your car to get into your workplace. It seems those geniuses must have made a very accurate formulation.

Warnings!

According to the manufacturer, anyone can take Somnapure if above the age of 18, not pregnant, and while not on other medication for other ailments. If you have an underlying medical condition that you think could be affecting your sleep, speak to your doctor before resorting to this seemingly miraculous sleep-inducing remedy. You should not take this sleep-aid supplement if you are driving, have already taken alcohol or when operating a heavy machinery.

Expert Opinion

According to health experts, Somnapure can be an effective remedy for insomnia as the ingredients shown have been used in the past to effectively treat sleep-related problems and other mental complications. However, it is misleading for the manufacturer to claim that a product which has not undergone clinical studies can be effective in addressing all sleep-related illnesses, let alone insomnia. They also question how expertly the ingredients have been formulated to work for every person with sleep problems given that severity differ with an individual and the causes. If you check out well on the official website of the manufacturer, they have clearly indicated that the product is not evaluated by the FDA because it is not a food or drug.

Final Words

Somnapure is just like any other sleep-aid supplement you can obtain from over-the-counter. It has nothing unique to offer and may fail the trial test of the many people who experience sleep difficulties at night. The manufacturer of Somnapure is simply trying to win the light-hearted by ostensibly assuring potential customers of a restful night and a refreshed mood on waking up the following day. Where qualified health experts differ, there must be something unclear on how effective such a product is, considering the stated ingredients. If you have difficulties with your sleep, continue with your research if you haven’t come across one that is effective yet. Somnapure is no better. Spare your cash.

MenoSure: Is This Best Way to Treat Menopausal Problems?

Overview

Women need to have some special care when it comes to times that are related to their changes in life since they tend to experience a bad feeling such as menopause whenever they reach the age of 50 and above. Some experts dedicate their time in providing the best of the best when it comes to these matters, and MenoSure is the best product that they might need as they age. Many women have assured other women that this product will guarantee the best benefits for a change of life in a better way.

Manufacturer Information of MenoSure Supplements

This is a product that’s guaranteed to be proven and tested by experts before being placed in a bottle for selling. There are lots of experts also ensured that the product have the highest qualities, and they will guarantee all natural benefits that every woman will love when it comes to the problems that they face in their lives when it comes to the reproductive system that they have.

Menosure Ingredients

There are some amazing ingredients that are made for MenoSure that will surely guarantee you the benefits of the product. Here are the ingredients:

• Soy Isoflavones – This is an active ingredient found in soy, and is good for high cholesterol, blood pressure, and prevents type 2 diabetes, lung diseases, and kidney problems. This is also beneficial for women as it prevents hot flashes, breast pain, menopausal problems and PMS


• Black Cohosh – This one is an herb that’s used for treating women’s problems such as PMS, menopausal problems, painful menstruation, osteoporosis, and even helps out those who are under labor.


• Don Quai – The roots of this plant is used as a powerful ingredient for PMS and menopausal syndromes. This is also known to be a good treatment against hypertension, blood pressure, joint pain and even infertility.


• Licorice – This is a good plant used for treating sore throat, bronchitis, tubercolosis, malaria, and even food poisoning. It’s also great for fertility and for the women’s reproductive system.


• Red Clover – This is a plant that is being used for various conditions. This is also a good treatment against problems that women usually have including menopause.


• Vitex Berry – This is known to be an herbal medicine for women that are great for menstrual problems and even menopause. This is also good for the blood, and is good for controlling blood when giving birth so that no huge blood loss will happen.


• Squaw Vine – This is a plant which came from the acacia tree which is capable of helping the body with its properties when it comes to stomach health and cholesterol levels. A good way to get fit.


• False Unicorn – This is considered as an herbal medicine where the roots and the stems serve as a good treatment for women whenever they face their problems in health and their body condition.


• Sage – This is an herb that is perfect for digestion, stomach problems, and even heartburn. This is also perfect for women as it can help out prevent excessive milk from flowing, hot flashes, and problems during menopause.
  
• Blessed Thistle – This plant is a good treatment against bacteria that can infest the body.


• Wild Yam – This is good for the reproductive system as it will assure you a better function for it. This is good for both males and females, and is quite common in some supplements.


• Red Raspberry – This is a type of berry which is known to have a sweet taste. This is used in the supplement because of its ingredients that can help you sweat out when exercising, and can make your skin and blood healthier. This is also good for periods, pregnancy symptoms, giving birth, and during menopause when getting old.

Pluses of MenoSure

• Healthier body, skin and blood flow.


• A better mood indeed during menopause.


• Less pain and discomfort when taking this product regularly.


• All natural ingredients inside.

Minuses of MenoSure

• Too much usage of the product might cause Menosure side effects and over dosage issues.

Recommended Use

The best way to use the product is to take it twice a day. This is much preferred during mornings, and is the best if taken with other vitamins for a healthier lifestyle.

Warnings

Despite of the product’s assurance that it’s safe to take, since there are some natural ingredients that made it; make sure that you take the right amount of dosage to avoid problems. Always be sure to take this if you’re at the right age and if you’re feeling problems during menopause.

Expert Opinion

Many experts say that this product will really guarantee you a great time, and more active lifestyle to prevent stress. They say that this will really bring you back to your former glory, and making sure that you exercise, take a healthy diet, and loving oneself aside from taking the product will guarantee you the perfect mood that you always wanted to get.

Final Verdict

This product is safe and it will assure you wonderful benefits that every woman wants to have since women are the type of people that always want to get a good mood, but might have a problem because of their issues in their reproductive system. Menopause might be a natural occurrence in a woman, but making sure that comfort at its best must be achieved. So be sure to take MenoSure for you to have a better mood and a better decision in the coming chapter of your life. Why not buy Menosure?

Provasil: Does Provasil Improve Mental Alertness?

Provasil Overview

Provasil is a product that is designed to improve cognitive performance in several ways. As most people are aware, when we age, it is not only the body that experiences a decline in function. The brain also loses some of its ability to process thoughts, retain memories and stay alert. This can result in forgetfulness, a feeling of brain ‘fog’, and inability to remember names and details. For many people this is very distressing. Provasil contains natural ingredients that work together to not only improve these problems but also strengthen the brain cells allowing them to regain their lost capabilities.

Provasil Brain Enhancement Formula

Provasil provides a patented formula that can be used over the long term to help improve the cognitive function. Because the ingredients are natural, there is no danger of the user becoming addicted and none of the ingredients should cause any harmful side effects either. The manufacturer of Provasil provides a very informative website for their prospective customer which shows not only how the product works, but explains some of the problems associated with brain aging. There is a comprehensive FAQ section and several customer testimonials. A video presentation is also available for viewing on the site. It is said to have a multi-action formula that overtime will significantly improve long and short term memory, clear brain fog and increase mental alertness and focus.

Provasil is sold at a cost of $49.95 per bottle but discounted prices are offered with multiple orders. Free bonus gifts are provided as is a 60-day money back guarantee.

What Ingredients it has?

• Phosphatidylserine has been proven effective in reversing the signs of Alzheimer’s disease and can improve memory


• Folic acid decreases the speed of cognitive decline


• Choline Bitartrate provides building blocks of cell membranes


• N-Acetyl Carnitine neutralizes cell-damaging free radicals


• Resveratrol provides anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits


• Biotin strengthens neurotransmitters in the brain, improving mood and memory


• L-Glutamine naturally boosts mental alertness


• Asian Ginseng increases general energy levels while benefitting reaction times


• DHA is an Omega 3 fatty acid that enhances the structure of the membrane


• Bacopa allows improved memory retention

How Does Provasil Work?

Provasil works on many levels, providing benefits for several areas of cognitive function. By improving the performance of the brain’s neurotransmitters, the user experiences an increase in brain ability particularly in the areas of memory and concentration. By strengthening the membrane structure, Provasil also slows down further cognitive decline allowing the consumer to remain alert and focussed longer and warding off cognitive disease such as Alzheimer’s.

How to Use Provasil?

It is recommended that 1-2 capsules of Provasil are taken daily. If the problem of concentration and alertness are more prevalent in the morning then this is the best time of day to take the product. The capsules should be taken with a meal to decrease the likelihood of stomach upset.

Who Can Take Provasil?

While Provasil is more likely to be taken by older adults experiencing memory lapses and brain fog, it can also benefit anyone needing a boost in concentration levels. This would also apply to students who could use a boost in focus and alertness while studying. It’s natural ingredients means that it will not interact with other medications.

Direction to Use?

1-2 capsules daily with a meal

Conclusion

Provasil contains high quality, beneficial ingredients that have all shown promise in clinical trials in the area of cognitive function. It should be taken as soon as signs of decline surface, allowing the formula to build in potency over time. Because it is non-addictive it is safe to take long term and, because it doesn’t interact with other medications, is particularly good for older adults who may have other medical issues.

Where To Find It

Best Deals and Pricing Available at Provasil.com

Discount Code REV10 gets you 10% OFF your order at Provasil.com