Wednesday April 29, 2009

Proper levels of good' cholesterol as important as lowering the bad'

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News 04-28-09

Apr. 28--Dr. Stephen Devine is on a mission to raise levels of HDL, or the "good" cholesterol.

Devine, a Gundersen Lutheran cardiologist who specializes in non-invasive ways to prevent heart disease, said low levels of HDL can lead to diabetes and heart disease. He and Dr. Brendan Doyle, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist who works at Franciscan Skemp, are seeing more patients with below-normal levels of HDL, which are putting them at greater risk for heart disease.

Some of these same patients have a good side of their cholesterol profile -- normal or below-normal levels of total cholesterol and LDL, the "bad" cholesterol -- but lose some protective effects on their heart and vessels with low HDL.

Devine said one-third of American males and 39 percent of American women have below-normal HDL levels.

"When we look at the lipid profile, low HDL stands out," Devine said.
"We have put an emphasis on HDL. It's too important to overlook it."

Obesity, increased triglycerides, high blood pressure and high blood sugars often go hand-in-hand with low HDL levels, he said.

"These patients have pre-diabetes, and they don't know it," Devine said.
"I tell them frankly that they don't want diabetes and what can go with it -- blindness, kidney damage and leg amputation.

"My job is to prevent them going from pre-diabetes to diabetes," he said.

Devine recently saw a 22-year-old with chest pain who had pre-diabetes and didn't know it.

HDL levels are going down at an alarming rate, Devine said, and doctors need to treat patients with low HDL levels aggressively.

A study reported in the January issue of the American Heart Journal showed three-fourths of 136,000 heart attack patients had normal or low LDL, but poor levels of HDL.

Raising HDL levels may be the next frontier in reducing one's risk for heart disease, said the study's lead author, Dr. Greg Fonarow at UCLA.

Doyle agreed doctors are more concerned about raising HDL levels.

One problem doctors face, he said, is they can raise HDL with some medicines, but that may not translate to decreased risk for heart attacks or a longer life.

"Some drugs can change the number, but we don't see the clinical benefit," Doyle said. "The number is half the battle."

He said doctors know lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity and being sedentary contributes to low HDL and pre-diabetes.

"We're more aggressively screening for risk factors," he said. "It's good to be aware of the numbers, but treatment options can be quite limited. That could change in the future with more research."

But Doyle said healthier lifestyles -- maintaining a healthy weight and a regular exercise program and not smoking -- will help reduce risk for heart disease.

Some medications used to lower LDL may also increase HDL, such as niacin, fibrates and statins.

If people have low LDL and low total cholesterol but also have low HDL, they still need to see their physician, Devine said.

Jessica Aberg, a Gundersen Lutheran cardiology registered dietitian, works on dietary and lifestyle changes with patients to increase HDL levels.

Aberg said her patients who have lost significant weight in three or four months often still have low HDL levels.

"I've seeing more patients with low HDL, and they're always surprised their other cholesterol levels are fine," Aberg said. "HDL should be taken seriously, but raising it can take time."

http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8196&Section=Disease

Low vitamin D linked to female infections: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 29-Apr-2009

Low vitamin D levels may increase the risk of bacterial vaginosis, a common vaginal infection linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, suggests a new study from the US.

In a study with 469 women participating in a pregnancy cohort study, vitamin D <http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/search?SearchText=vitamin+D>
levels below 20 nmol/L were associated with a 34 per cent increase in the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis <http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/search?SearchText=bacterial+vag
inosis>  compared to women with vitamin D levels over 80 nmol/L.

According to researchers led by Lisa Bodnar from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health a potential protective effect of vitamin D may be due to the vitamin’s influence on the immune system.

The findings are published online ahead of print in the Journal of Nutrition.

The study adds to an ever growing body of science supporting the benefits of maintaining healthy vitamin D levels.

In adults, it is said vitamin D deficiency may precipitate or exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
There is also some evidence that the vitamin may reduce the incidence of several types of cancer and type-1 diabetes.

The new study represents the first report linking vitamin D status with the incidence of bacterial vaginosis, according to PubMed.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a highly prevalent vaginal infection that affects about 30 per cent of women between the ages of 14 and 49. It is caused by changes to the normal chemical and biological balance of the vaginal microflora.

While antibiotics are usually prescribed to treat the condition, there is evidence that probiotics <http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/search?SearchText=probiotics>
may prevent the condition. Extensive research by Gregor Reid from the Canadian R&D Centre for Probiotics at the Lawson Health Research Institute, and The University of Western Ontario, led to the conclusion that the combination of two particular strains - GR-1 (Lactobacilli
rhamnosus) and RC-14 (Lactobacilli reuteri) - provide the greatest benefit for the relief and prevention of bacterial vaginosis.

New data

Bodnar and her co-workers examined the pelvises of 469 pregnant women before week 16 of their pregnancy. Blood samples allowed for the quantification of serum levels of 25- hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the non-active 'storage' form.

According to the Journal of Nutrition, 41 per cent of all the women had BV, and 52 per cent were classed as vitamin D deficient, equivalent to 25(OH)D levels below 37.5 nmol/L.

Women with BV were found to have a lower average 25(OH)D levels (29.5
nmol/L) compared to women free of BV (40.1 nmol/L), said the researchers. Looking at the same issue from another angle, 57 per cent of women with low 25(OH)D levels lower than 20 nmol/L had BV, while BV was diagnosed in only 23 per cent of women with a 25(OH)D levels over 80 nmol/L.

“Compared with a serum 25(OH)D concentration of 75 nmol/L, there were 1.65-fold and 1.26-fold increases in the prevalence of BV associated with a serum 25(OH)D concentration of 20 and 50 nmol/L, respectively,”
wrote the researchers.

“Vitamin D deficiency is associated with BV and may contribute to the strong racial disparity in the prevalence of BV,” they concluded.

The study does not prove causality, and further studies are required to add support to the observation that vitamin D levels may be associated with the incidence of bacterial vaginosis.

The details on D

Vitamin D refers to two biologically inactive precursors - D3, also known as cholecalciferol, and D2, also known as ergocalciferol. The former, produced in the skin on exposure to UVB radiation (290 to 320 nm), is said to be more bioactive.

While our bodies do manufacture vitamin D on exposure to sunshine, the levels in some northern countries are so weak during the winter months that our body makes no vitamin D at all, meaning that dietary supplements and fortified foods are seen by many as the best way to boost intakes of vitamin D.

Source: Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, 8 April 2009, doi:10.3945/jn.108.103168 “Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with Bacterial Vaginosis in the First Trimester of Pregnancy”
Authors: L.M. Bodnar, M.A. Krohn, H.N. Simhan

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Low-vitamin-D-linked-to-female-
infections-Study

Vitamin E may reverse male pattern baldness: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 28-Apr-2009

Daily supplements of a patented tocotrienol (vitamin E) complex may increase hair growth in people with male pattern baldness by 42 per cent, suggests a new study from Carotech.

The eight month randomized, placebo-controlled trial involved 28 volunteers with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness), and was performed at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Science Malaysia.

“This is the first ever study to report such benefits for tocotrienols,”
Dr Sharon Ling, regional sales manager for Carotech, told NutraIngredients.com. Dr Ling will present the findings at next week’s Vitafoods International Conference in Geneva.

The study findings have yet to be submitted for publication in a peer-review journal due to some of the finer points of patent law, said Dr Ling. NutraIngredients.com has not seen the full data.

Male pattern baldness

According to the American Medical Association, about 95 per cent of all cases of hair loss are due to male pattern baldness, a condition that affects about 40 million American men.

The balding is reported to start by the age of 30 in 25 per cent of men, and in two-thirds by the age of 60. According to the AMA, there is a 4 in 7 chance of inheriting the baldness gene.

New data

According to data provided by Dr Ling, the Malaysian researchers conducted a double blind placebo-controlled clinical trial on volunteers with androgenetic alopecia using Carotech’s Tocomin SupraBio, a patented tocotrienol complex reported to increase oral absorption of tocotrienols <http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/search?SearchText=tocotrienols>
by 300 per cent.

The eight-month study included 28 volunteers aged between 18 and 59 with a hair loss problem for approximately two to five years. During the course of the study, instructions were given to not alter their hairstyle, hair care products (shampoo, conditioners, etc) or dye their hair.

Volunteers were randomly assigned to the palm tocotrienol complex (total tocotrienol intake of 100 mg) or the placebo (soft gelatin capsule containing 600 mg soy bean oil)

Hair counts, measured by the counting the number of hairs in a pre-selected 2x2 cm area, were found to significantly increase by an average of 41.8 per cent in the tocotrienol group, with eight volunteers experiencing greater than 50 per cent hair growth. In the placebo group, however, no statistically significant differences in the number of hairs were detected before or after the study period, and only one volunteer showed more than 20 per cent increase in hair count.

The vitamin E
<http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/search?SearchText=vitamin+E>
family

There are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta).
Alpha-tocopherol is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while gamma-tocopherol is the most common form in the American diet.

Tocotrienols (TCT) are only minor components in plants, although several sources with relatively high levels include palm oil, cereal grains and rice bran.

While the majority of research on vitamin E has focused on alpha-Toc, studies into tocotrienols account for less than one per cent of all research into vitamin E

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Vitamin-E-may-reverse-male-patt
ern-baldness-Study

Depression linked with accumulation of visceral fat

Study explains association between depression and cardiovascular disease

Rush University Medical Center, April 28, 2009

Numerous studies have shown that depression is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, but exactly how has never been clear.

Now, researchers at Rush University Medical Center have shown that depression is linked with the accumulation of visceral fat, the kind of fat packed between internal organs at the waistline, which has long been known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The study is posted online and will be published in the May issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.

"Our results suggest that central adiposity – which is commonly called belly fat – is an important pathway by which depression contributes to the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes," said Lynda Powell, PhD, chairperson of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Rush and the study's principal investigator. "In our study, depressive symptoms were clearly related to deposits of visceral fat, which is the type of fat involved in disease."

The study included 409 middle-aged women, about half African-American and half Caucasian, who were participating in the Women in the South Side Health Project (WISH) in Chicago, a longitudinal study of the menopausal transition. Depressive symptoms were assessed using a common screening test, and visceral fat measured with a CT scan. Although waist size is often used as a proxy for the amount of visceral fat, it is an inaccurate measure because it includes subcutaneous fat, or fat deposited just beneath the skin.

The researchers found a strong correlation between depression and visceral fat, particularly among overweight and obese women. The results were the same even when the analysis adjusted for other variables that might explain the accumulation of visceral fat, such as the level of physical activity. The study found no association between depressive symptoms and subcutaneous fat. The findings were the same for both black and white women.

Powell speculated that depression triggers the accumulation of visceral fat by means of certain chemical changes in the body – like the production of cortisol and inflammatory compounds – but said that more research is needed to pinpoint the exact mechanism.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/rumc-dlw042809.php

Bee Propolis Stops Tumors from Neurofibromatosis and Cancer

Barbara Minton, NaturalNews.com  April 29, 2009

(NaturalNews) Honeybees are some of the most amazing creatures ever created by nature. They play a vital role in much of the food supply through pollination, and they provide people with a healthy natural alternative to sugar. Some of the most interesting aspects of bees are the substances they make to use themselves. Propolis is a natural resin found in young tree buds. Bees collect it for use as a glue to seal their homes. Propolis is an exceedingly complex product that contains substances that prevent and treat diseases ranging from cancer to the common cold <http://www.naturalnews.com/the_common_cold.html> . Recent research has documented the ability of propolis to suppress the growth of human tumors <http://www.naturalnews.com/tumors.html>  from neurofibromatosis and cancer <http://www.naturalnews.com/cancer.html> .

Compound from propolis halts tumor process in clinical trials

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that can produce coffee colored skin patches, but it is best known for producing tumors on nerve tissue including the nerves involved in hearing. Tumors from neurofibromatosis can grow anywhere else in the body including the brain and spinal cord, and if surgically removed, they can return. The condition of neurofibromatosis can be life threatening.

Neurofibromatosis affects one in every 3000 people. The body processes that form neurofibromatosis tumors are responsible for about 70% of human cancers.

Propolis halted neurofibromatosis tumor growth in a group of cancer patients <http://www.naturalnews.com/cancer_patients.html>  taking part in a study by scientists at Universitaets Klinikum Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany. Dysfunction of the NF1 or NF2 gene coding is the major cause of neurofibromatosis. Researchers had previously demonstrated that the human gene PAK1 is essential for the growth of both NF1 and NF2 tumors.
Although several attempts have been made to develop anti-PAK1 drugs, none have been successful.

Since bee propolis contains anticancer ingredients caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and artepillin C (ARC), both of which block the oncogenic PAK1 signaling pathways, its potential therapeutic effects on NF tumors were explored in vivo. It was demonstrated that a CAPE-rich extract of propolis mixed with water completely suppressed the growth of human NF1 and caused an almost complete regression of human NF2 (Schwannoma), that had been grafted in mice. The scientists stressed that although CAPE is not used clinically due to its poor bioavailability, it can be made soluble with the addition of lipids (fats). (Phytotherapy Resources, February)

In an earlier study, this German team identified CAPE's anti-cancer abilities. CAPE is a natural compound found in some foods, but is highly concentrated in bee propolis. Previously, propolis had been known only to have anti-cancer function through its profound ability to boost the immune system <http://www.naturalnews.com/immune_system.html> .

Clinical trials to test the compound on humans are ongoing. So far, cancer patients taking part have seen their tumor growth <http://www.naturalnews.com/tumor_growth.html>  halted. The compound's effect on neurofibromatosis, melanoma and pancreatic cancer is being investigated. Although the trials are still in early stages, the majority of patients have shown no further growth of their tumors. Those in charge of the study believe that several other PAK-1 dependent diseases such as AIDS and Fragile X mental retardation syndrome can be impacted by the compound.

Propolis is effective against cancer of the larynx

Scientists in Brazil <http://www.naturalnews.com/Brazil.html>  recently investigated the effects of propolis on human laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma. They incubated cells with different concentrations of bee propolis for different time periods. Then they analyzed morphology and number of viable cancerous cells. Their data showed that propolis exhibited the ability to kill cancerous cells in a dose and time dependent manner. (Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, October 22, 2007)

Propolis keeps tumors from setting up their own blood <http://www.naturalnews.com/blood.html>  supplies

In other recent research, researchers examined the ability of propolis components to stop tumors from developing their own blood supplies. When blood supply to a tumor is cut off, it can no longer receive nutrients to fuel its growth. Acacetin, apigenin, artepillin C, CAPE, chrysin, p-coumaric acid, galangin, kaempherol, pinocembrin, and quercetin <http://www.naturalnews.com/quercetin.html>  were studied for their antioxidant <http://www.naturalnews.com/antioxidant.html>  activity as well.

Two of the components, CAPE and quercetin, possessed strong inhibitory effects on tube formation and endothelial cell proliferation, and coincidentally showed strong antioxidant activity. Artepillin C, galangin, and kaempferol also possessed strong ability to block tumor blood supply. Each had strong antioxidant activity although not to the degree of CAPE and quercetin. In contrast, acacetin, apigenin, and pinocembrin possessed a considerable degree of effect against blood supply formation, although they demonstrated low antioxidant activity.
The scientists noted the potential for these compounds to be developed into pharmaceutical drugs for the treatment of human tumors. (Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, December 8, 2008)

Bee propolis rejuvenates the immune system

The first double-blind study of propolis involved a team of five doctors led by Professor S. Scheller in Poland, who found that propolis had the power to prolong the prime of life by stimulating the immune system to release substances that protect against cellular deterioration. In addition, propolis boosted the destruction of potentially harmful foreign bacteria <http://www.naturalnews.com/bacteria.html>  and stimulated the formation of antibodies to build immunity to many diseases. This strengthening of cellular defense helps build resistance to aging <http://www.naturalnews.com/aging.html>  and illness.

Phagocytes are the white blood cells that serve as the primary defense against bacterial infections <http://www.naturalnews.com/infections.html> . Their activity was found to be increased by propolis.

As people reach their 30s and 40s, the immune system generally begins to weaken, increasing susceptibility to disease <http://www.naturalnews.com/disease.html> . Propolis offers wide spectrum activity though its broad range of flavonoids <http://www.naturalnews.com/flavonoids.html>  and other cell-building compounds, such as vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Flavonoids from propolis can block the release of histamine by stabilizing cell membrane lipids. Flavonoids guard against deposits of aging lypofuscins, which is fatty pigment in the heart, brain, nerves and liver.

Here are some comments from Dr. Scheller about his findings regarding propolis as quoted in Carlson Wade's article Can Bee Propolis Rejuvenate the Immune System:

"There was an increase in general physical performance, also sexual, and above all intellectual.

"In the gastro-enterological area, we found a favorable effect on infectious changes in the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines.

"There was an accelerated and intensified regeneration of injured tissue on traumatically or infectiously altered tissues.

"There were no unequivocally negative changes in the white blood picture or in the liver or kidney values. Among other things, this substantiates the absence of side effects of propolis as well as its non-toxicity.

"In our paper, we particularly studied the effect on the immune system and documented further positive effects of propolis on circulation, metabolism, physical well-being and infectious diseases.

"Simulate the immune system, and it is possible to control the aging process and enjoy a long and healthy life. Propolis holds the key to this form of inner rejuvenation."

Propolis is effective against a variety of bacteria and viruses <http://www.naturalnews.com/viruses.html>

A bee hive is a busy place crammed full of bustling bodies. These conditions would make them very susceptible to bacterial and viral infections, which could destroy the hive the way the Bubonic Plague ravaged Europe in the 17th century. Yet bees are able to prevent infection by using sap from young trees that has antibiotic <http://www.naturalnews.com/antibiotic.html>  properties. They gather the sap, remetabolize it with their nectar secretions, and take it back to the hives. There they spread it all over the place so that every bee will brush against it and become immunized. The tree antibiotic becomes the bee antibiotic.

Studies have documented the ability of propolis against Staphylococcus aureus that causes deadly infections in hospitals. Researchers found that extracts of propolis inhibited the growth of the bacteria.

Another study documented that propolis inhibited the activity of streptococcal bacteria species that cause dental cavities <http://www.naturalnews.com/cavities.html> . Japanese researchers reported that propolis fed laboratory rats had far fewer cavities than those given a regular diet.

Researchers in Brazil recently evaluated the antimicrobial activity of two experimental pastes containing propolis extract associated with calcium hydroxide against polymicrobial cultures collected from molars of children. The paste was effective in controlling dental infections.
(Brazilian Dental Journal, 2008)

Propolis is equally effective against viral infection. Several journals have documented its ability to fight upper respiratory infections, such as those caused by the common cold <http://www.naturalnews.com/common_cold.html>  and influenza viruses. It has been shown to prevent viruses from reproducing, but it must be used throughout the infection period.

http://www.naturalnews.com/z026158.html

Boycott Kellogg's For Using Genetically Modified Sugar in its Cereal Products

David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com, April 29, 2009

(NaturalNews) The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) has called for a boycott of the Kellogg Company, also known as Kellogg's, after the company refused to sign a pledge refusing to use genetically modified sugar in its cereal products.

Sugar from genetically modified sugar beets hit the U.S. market for the first time this year, making the beets the first genetically engineered crop to enter the U.S. food stream since the widespread introduction of modified corn and soy in the 1990s. The sugar has been modified by the Monsanto <http://www.naturalnews.com/Monsanto.html>  Corporation to be resistant to the company's signature herbicide <http://www.naturalnews.com/herbicide.html> , Roundup.

"These GE sugar beets <http://www.naturalnews.com/sugar_beets.html>  do not provide any environmental, nutritional or food <http://www.naturalnews.com/food.html>  quality benefits whatsoever,"
the OCA said. "They are created by Monsanto to withstand massive doses of herbicides and keep farmers on a never ending pesticide treadmill that is bad news for rural communities, the environment and consumers.
The bottom line is that there are numerous options to GE sugar <http://www.naturalnews.com/sugar.html>  beets."

More than 73 food producers and retailers have signed a pledge not to use genetically modified sugar in their products. When asked by the OCA to make such a pledge, however, Kellogg's <http://www.naturalnews.com/Kelloggs.html>  said it had no intention of doing so. While the company will make sure not to use modified sugar in any of its European products -- the European Union has not approved sugar from the beets for human consumption -- Kellogg's insists that U.S. consumers do not care if their food is genetically modified.

"However, poll after poll have demonstrated that Americans want GE foods labeled and restricted," the OCA said.

The OCA said that it decided to launch a Kellogg's boycott only after the company refused to heed more than 15,000 letters asking the company not to use the modified beet sugar. In addition, the company clearly has the logistical ability to avoid genetically modified sugar, since it is already doing so for its European products.

http://www.naturalnews.com/026154.html

Fruits and Vegetables: Older People Are Not Getting Their Five-a-day

ScienceDaily (Apr. 29, 2009) — Research from the Changing Ageing Partnership (CAP) reveals that older people are not eating enough fruit and vegetables.

Dr Katherine Appleton from the School of Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast conducted the research on behalf of CAP. Dr Appleton
said: "Fruit and vegetables are vital for psychological as well as physical health. We found that fruit and vegetable consumption became lower with increasing age and that intake was particularly low in males and people living in more deprived areas.

"Older people in Northern Ireland are eating on average four portions of fruit and vegetables per day. This is higher than levels in the rest of the UK, but remains below current government recommendations.

"A huge 22 per cent of respondents were not aware of the current government guidelines on eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. In fact, some respondents who were eating only two portions per day thought they were eating enough.

"Older people should eat more fruit and vegetables. They are more likely to do this if they are aware of the five-a-day recommendations and associated health benefits. We recommend that more should be done to raise older people’s awareness of these issues and increase their exposure to products and dishes that contain fruit and vegetables.

"We plan to build on this research by developing and testing approaches to increase older people’s knowledge of and liking for fruit and vegetables."

To aid greater consumption of fruit and vegetables, the research recommends improving awareness of the health benefits, and increasing awareness of adequate levels of consumption and the range of products or dishes. The research also recommends that specific strategies may be used to improve older people’s motivation and willingness to change eating behaviours.

Dr Katherine Appleton and her co-researcher Dr Jayne Woodside, will present their findings and recommendations of the research at a research launch at the Institute of Governance, Queen’s University on Wednesday
29 April at 1pm.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090429091236.htm

Oxytocin: Love Potion #1? Human Hormone Increases Positive Communication Between Couples

ScienceDaily (Apr. 29, 2009) — Relationships are difficult and most of us probably think at some point that communicating positively with our partner when discussing stressful issues, like home finances, is an impossible task.  What if there was a safe way to take the “edge” off these discussions?  The biology of human social relationships is just beginning to emerge as groundbreaking research on social cognition conducted in animals is now informing research in humans.

In its May 1st issue, Biological Psychiatry includes a paper by Swiss researchers that have investigated the effects of oxytocin, the “love hormone,” on human couple interactions.  They recruited adult couples who received oxytocin or placebo intranasally before engaging in a conflict discussion in the laboratory.  Oxytocin increased positive communication behavior in relation to negative behavior and reduced salivary cortisol, i.e., their stress levels, compared to placebo.

“We are just beginning to understand the powerful effects of hormones and chemicals released by the body in the context of important social interactions,” commented John Krystal, M.D., the editor of Biological Psychiatry.  “As this knowledge grows, the question of how to best use our developing capacities to pharmacologically alter social processes will become an important question to explore.”

Author Beate Ditzen, Ph.D., noted that this was the first study of its kind and important because it evaluated real-time natural couple behavior in the laboratory.  “[Oxytocin] might help us to pronounce the effects of a standard treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, by possibly making the benefits of social interaction more accessible to the individual. But it probably will not replace these standard treatments.”

They clarify that this study does not show that oxytocin should currently be used as a treatment itself and the effects of repeated administration have not been evaluated in humans.  In addition, important ethical concerns will have to be addressed, such as to what extent it should be used as a “treatment” and whether developed treatments could become drugs of abuse in the form of “social enhancers.”