Category Archives: Science and Medicine

Testing female athletes for “excess” testosterone

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Chris

I see that the official international rules regarding who can and can’t compete continue to get more ridiculous. First, there was the ruling that Oscar Pistorius could run on prosthetic legs because no one could prove that he had any … Continue reading →

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Telomeres in sperm lengthen with age

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Chris

This BBC report is fascinating. As you get older, the protective caps at the end of the chromosomes, called telomeres, generally shorten. When they get short enough, the chromosomes stop dividing and cells stop replacing themselves. Except in sperm. They … Continue reading →

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Regarding prostate cancer, US government recommends you plug your ears.

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Chris

Well, the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF ) has officially proclaimed that the harms of prostate screening outweigh the benefits. Why does this put me in mind of this humorous DirectTV commercial?   When you have cable and … Continue reading →

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End of the Clovis people theory

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Chris

In the New York Times there is a good summary of long illness and finally terminal coma of theory that the first Americans were the Clovis people, who theoretically travelled an ice-free corridor from Asia down into the Americas. The … Continue reading →

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HDL Cholesterol not protective?

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Chris

The NY Times has an article about a study looking at whether HDL is truly protective against heart disease or whether it is just a sign. I’m glad to say that high HDL (the “good” cholesterol) is a sign of … Continue reading →

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Bees go to the pharmacy when sick

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Chris

Interesting report out of North Carolina. Bees apparently bring anti fungal and antibacterial plant resins back to the hive when there is an infection.

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Statins may harm muscles and inhibit healing

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Chris

More evidence that exercise may be the simpler, cheaper and better alternative to drugs for cardiovascular health. An article in the New York Times points out that test in mice show that statins lower the amount of exercise they can … Continue reading →

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Otzi had atherosclerosis and lyme disease

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Chris

Science magazine reports that Otzi, the neolithic iceman who was found preserved on an Alpine pass, not only had a genetic predisposition for atherosclerosis, he also had a severe case of the disorder. Since Otzi didn’t have a modern diet … Continue reading →

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Exercise and the brain

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Chris

This article from the NY Times talks about research showing that regular exercise helps the brain store glycogen, which can then be broken down to provide extra brain power when needed. This may help people who are in shape think … Continue reading →

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How Massage helps muscles after exercise

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Chris

Hot on the heals of recent posts on the cellular effects of exercise, comes this story about how massage reduces pain and accelerates healing after exercise. They note what I wrote about in another post–that anti-inflammatories may reduce muscle growth … Continue reading →

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