Evening Exposure to Light-emitting Electronic Devices Can Reduce Quality of Sleep by Suppressing the Release of Melatonin

At a Glance

 A new study reveals that prolonged reading of electronic devices prior to bedtime  may significantly suppress or delay release of melatonin, negatively affecting the  quality of sleep and lengthening the time to alertness the next day. 

 Read more about this research below.

  

A new study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science suggests that certain light-emitting electronic devices may have a suppressive effect on melatonin and affect sleep patterns.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston studied 12 healthy adults who were randomized to read either a light-emitting eBook or a printed book in dim room light. The participants in each group read for 4 hours prior to bedtime for 5 consecutive evenings. At the end of the 5 days, the subjects switched their assignments. Blood samples were taken during the study and evaluated for melatonin levels. The researchers also documented sleep latency, time and efficiency using polysomnography, a diagnostic tool used in sleep studies. 

The reading of eBooks before sleep was associated with a longer time needed to fall asleep and less rapid eye movement (REM) in comparison to reading a printed book. Printed book reading resulted in no suppression of melatonin, but eBook readers experienced an average melatonin suppression of over 55%. In addition, compared to the reading of printed books, the onset of melatonin release in response to dim light occurred 1.5 hours later the day following reading of an eBook. Individuals reading the e-Books also reported being more tired and taking longer to become alert the next morning.

Unlike natural light, electronic devices emit a short-wavelength-enriched light that is more concentrated in blue light. These results demonstrate that evening exposure to light-emitting electronics such as eBooks may delay the circadian clock and suppress the release of melatonin, and this may have a negative impact on sleep, performance, health, and safety. 

Chang AM et al. Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Jan 27;112(4):1232-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1418490112.

Higher whole grain intake associated with increased life expectancy and lower risk of death from heart disease

At a Glance

Results from a new study indicate that higher whole grain consumption is  associated with lower total and cardiovascular disease mortality in US men and  women.

 Read more about this research below. 

   Previous research has shown a strong  correlation between high whole grain intake
   and a reduced risk of degenerative diseases  such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular    

disease (CVD). However, less is known about its potential association with mortality
 risk.  

In a new study published online in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers examined the association of whole grain intake and the risk of premature mortality. Researchers evaluated data from two large cohort studies that included participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (74, 341 women) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (43,744 men) conducted between 1984 and 2010. All participants were free of cancer and cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study. Dietary habits, including information on the type and frequency of intake from specific whole grains, were updated every two to four years using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Frequency of eating specific whole grains, including wheat, rye, barley, corn, oats, buckwheat, rice, popcorn, amaranth, psyllium, and added bran and wheat germ were documented. 

After adjustments were made for age, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, and modified Alternate Healthy Eating Index score, higher whole grain intake was associated with lower total and CVD mortality. Participants whose whole grain intake was in the top 20% had a 9% lower risk of premature mortality than those whose levels were among the lowest 20% of intake. When analyzing risk of death from cardiovascular disease specifically, those with the highest grain intake had a 15% decrease in mortality risk compared to the lowest intake group. It is estimated that every serving (28 grams/day) of whole grain consumption was associated with a 5% lower total mortality or a 9% lower CVD mortality.

The results from these large studies confirm the notion that whole grain consumption is associated with disease prevention and may extend life expectancy by decreasing cardiovascular disease and overall mortality risk in adult men and women.  

Wu H et al.  Association Between Dietary Whole Grain Intake and Risk of Mortality: Two Large Prospective Studies in US Men and Women. JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Jan 5. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.6283.

Weight gain common during first months of the year despite New Year’s resolutions

Do you make New Year's Resolutions?  How do they work out for you?

At a Glance

 Although the most common New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier and lose  weight, consumers tend to continue purchasing less-healthy foods at increased  holiday levels while also adding more healthy foods to the diet. The additional  calories result in small weight gains common at the beginning of the year despite  resolutions to lose weight.  

 Read more about this research below. 

Small yearly weight gains of one to two pounds may be a significant contributor to the high rate of obesity in America, and weight gain over the holiday period may be responsible for much of this yearly weight gain. A study published in PLOS ONE shows that despite people’s best intentions to eat less in the New Year, they may actually be taking in more calories during the first three months of the year.

 

Over the course of 37 weeks, from July 17, 2010 to March 12, 2011, researchers recruited 207 households to participate in a randomized-controlled trial conducted at two regional-grocery chain locations in upstate New York. Daily-itemized transaction level data were collected for each of the households and a nutrient-rating system was used to designate “healthy” and “less healthy” items. Expenditures and calories purchased for the holiday period (Thanksgiving–New Year’s), and the post-holiday period (New Year’s–March), were compared to baseline (July–Thanksgiving) amounts.

Household food expenditures increased by 15% over the holiday season compared to baseline, and 75% of the additional expenditures were considered “less-healthy” items. Sales of healthy food items increased 29.4% after the holiday season, consistent with what would be expected based on New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, households spent about the same on the less-healthy items in the post-holiday season as they did during the holiday season. After the holidays, calories purchased each week increased by 9.3% (calories per serving/week) compared to the holidays and by 20.2% compared to baseline.

Despite resolutions to eat more healthfully after New Year’s and the greater focus on healthier items post-New Year’s Day, the current study found that not only was there an increase in the purchase of unhealthy items during the holidays, but it remained elevated in the weeks immediately following the holiday season. So, even though many people make a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier or lose weight, consumers are making purchasing decisions that only partly support these goals. Healthcare professionals should encourage consumers to substitute healthy items for less-healthy foods to assist consumers in fulfilling their New Year’s resolutions to reverse holiday weight gain.

Pope L, Hanks AS, Just DR, Wansink B (2014) New Year’s Res-Illusions: Food Shopping in the New Year Competes with Healthy Intentions. PLoS ONE 9(12): e110561. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110561

Investigation Busts Sellers of Bogus Health Supplements

This just in-- New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman busted several large retail chains selling herbal supplements, including Target, GNC, Walgreens and Walmart. The vendors were ordered to immediately cease sales of bogus herbal supplements.

According to an investigation which was conducted recently by the  NY State Attorney General's office, many nutritional supplements contain cheap fillers such as houseplant and powdered rice.  Upon analysis, investigators found that many products not only were ineffective, but also potentially harmful.  Four out of five products were found to actually contain no herbal ingredients, but instead had worthless fillers including powdered rice, houseplants and asparagus.  The fraudulent products were labeled as Echinacea, Ginseng, St. John's wort, garlic, Ginkgo Biloga and Saw Palmetto.

Schneiderman said, "Mislabeling, contamination and false advertising are illegal." They also pose unacceptable risks to New York families-- especially those with allergies to hidden ingredients."

Nutritional supplements are not required to have FDA approval because they are classified as food, and thus meet less stringent requirements than pharmaceutical products must meet. The products are not required to meet F.D.A. standards because of a loophole in a 1994 law sponsored by Utah Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, who received campaign contributions from supplement manufacturers.

According to the New York Times, the  NY State Attorney General's office had purchased 78 bottles of the leading brands of supplements from a dozen Walmart, Target, Walgreens and GNC stores in New York state.  "Then the agency analyzed the products using DNA bar coding, a type of genetic fingerprinting that the agency has used to root out labeling fraud in the seafood industry… the tests found so many supplements with no DNA from the herbs on their labels but plenty of DNA from unlisted ingredients, said Marty Mack, and executive deputy attorney general in New York. “The absence of DNA does not explain the high percentage of contaminants found in these products,” he said. The burden is now with the industry to prove what is in these supplements.”

Of course these are national chain stores, so the problem products were not only distributed in New York, but nationally. According to Salon, a spokesman for Walgreens said that all of the products will be withdrawn from its stores.  GNC said they stood by the quality of their products, but would be cooperating with the investigation.

This incident reveals that consumers need to be careful about what nutritional products they buy. Unfortunately, since the products are unregulated, the consumer has to beware of cheap products which may not contain what is on the label.

There are companies which do voluntarily adhere to stricter standards of  manufacturing to produce nutritional supplements at pharmaceutical grade.  These companies have submitted their products to consumer-rating agencies such as NSF and consumerlab.com to verify that the bottles actually contain what is on the label.  They offer a potency guarantee that their products do contain the proper ingredients at the amount listed on their label.