Alcohol Is a Social Lubricant, Study Confirms

In a study, published recently in the journal Psychological Science, researchers randomly assigned 720 men and women to groups of three people who didn't know one another. They said previous studies have focused on alcohol's effect on individuals.
"We felt that many of the most significant effects of alcohol would more likely be revealed in an experiment using a social setting," study author Michael Sayette, a professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, said in a journal news release.
In total, 20 groups were formed consisting of every combination of genders. Each group was assigned one of the following scenarios: drink an alcoholic beverage, drink a placebo beverage or drink a nonalcoholic control beverage.
The alcoholic beverage contained one part vodka and 3.5 parts cranberry-juice cocktail, with a lower dose of vodka for women. To make placebo beverages more credible, glasses were smeared with vodka.
While seated at a round table, the participants drank three of their assigned beverages over the course of 36 minutes.
Group drinking sessions were videotaped so the researchers could analyze individual and group interactions frame by frame for facial action and group speech behavior.

Alcohol fueled social bonding and increased the amount of time people spent talking to one another. It also increased the frequency and enhanced the coordination of "true" smiles, the researchers said: All three members of the groups drinking alcohol were more likely to smile at the same time than the other groups.
Imbibers also were more likely to have all three members stay engaged in the group discussion.
Alcohol affected how strongly participants agreed with survey statements such as, "I like this group" and "the members of this group are interested in what I have to say."
[From these results], "we can begin to ask questions of great interest to alcohol researchers: Why does alcohol make us feel better in group settings? Is there evidence to suggest a particular participant may be vulnerable to developing a problem with alcohol?" Sayette said.
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
SOURCE: Association for Psychological Science, news release, June 29, 2012; June 29, 2012, Psychological Science

Help Prevent Malnutrition in Seniors

Seniors are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition, so caretakers must ensure that the elderly get enough carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers this advice:

• Provide plenty of healthy foods and snacks.
• Flavor foods with fresh herbs and spices, avoiding salt.
• Offer prepackaged supplements, such as nutrition shakes.
• Promote daily exercise, even a little bit, to help stimulate appetite and promote strong bones and muscles.
• Plan social activities centering around meals and exercise. 

Even without anemia, iron may help fatigue

Physicians often test for iron deficiency by measuring blood levels of hemoglobin, a protein in blood cells that carries oxygen. But hemoglobin levels usually don't fall until the later stages of iron deficiency, when a person has full-blown anemia.
In their study, Vaucher's team measured women's blood levels of ferritin, which is a marker of the body's stored iron. Doctors may or may not order that test when looking for iron deficiency.
Vaucher said that for a woman with unexplained fatigue, measuring ferritin would be wise.
"This marker will then give a better idea of whether iron load is low or not, even if women are not anemic," Vaucher said in an email.
All of the women in this study had ferritin levels below 50 micrograms per liter, which would be considered low to borderline-low.
Since women in the placebo group also improved, the effects of the iron supplement were not huge. They amounted to an extra 3.5 points shaved off a woman's fatigue score.
"That might seem like a small difference," said Dr. Christine Gerbstadt, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who was not involved in the study.
But, she said in an interview, the iron-pill advantage was still significant in statistical terms, and that's something doctors should be aware of.
Fatigue is complex and subjective, and women in the placebo group might have improved for a number of reasons, Gerbstadt noted. Some, for example, may have started getting more sleep and generally taking better care of themselves.
So if you're habitually worn out, could taking iron be worth it?
Gerbstadt cautioned that you should first see a doctor to try to get at the cause of your fatigue. She said a range of problems, from depression to sleep disorders to physical health conditions, can lead to fatigue.
"It may or may not be iron," Gerbstadt said.
Vaucher, whose study was funded by Pierre Fabre Médicament, a French maker of pharmaceutical and health products, agreed.
"We do know (fatigue) is related to many different diseases that can be treated," he said. "Iron deficiency should therefore only be considered once other causes have been ruled out by a physician."
On top of that, iron pills can have side effects, like constipation, diarrhea and nausea. In this study, 35 percent of iron users reported at least one side effect - though 25 percent of placebo users did as well.
In general, experts recommend that women in their reproductive years get 18 milligrams of iron per day, and no more than 40 mg. (If you are actually iron deficient, your doctor may recommend supplements with a higher dose.)
Iron deficiency is much less common in men and in women who are past menopause. The current study included only women who were still menstruating (which increases the chances of low iron), so the findings do not apply to men or postmenopausal women.
To help prevent iron deficiency in the first place, experts advise getting a balanced diet that includes food rich in iron - like beef, poultry, fortified cereals, beans and spinach. Eating vitamin C-rich foods will also help your body absorb the iron in plant foods.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/PFNK44 Canadian Medical Association Journal, online July 9, 2012.

Using Antiretrovirals To Prevent HIV Infections - World Health Organization

New guidance - Using antiretrovirals to prevent HIV infections

• People receiving PrEP must be HIV-negative. This is important so that future drug resistance is kept to a minimum


• Those using PrEP need to be encouraged to continue using condoms


• Make sure that those seeking PrEP do not have bone disease, kidney disease, or other medical conditions which would make them unsuitable for ARV therapy


• Making sure adverse events are carefully monitored


• Helping those using PrEP remember to take their medications every day


• Making sure that PrEP medications are easily and readily accessible


• Regularly checking the HIV-status of those taking PrEP, and also checking for signs of drug resistance if infection is detected


• For those who stop taking PrEP, ensuring they have access to HIV prevention services


• Help countries find ways of using their resources to best use. This involves gathering more data on the cost-benefits of PrEP

• Truvada (Tenofovir/emtricitabine) approved by FDA, USA

  This week, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), USA, approved ARV usage as part of an HIV prevention strategy, which should be used in combination with safe-sex practices (condom use), regular HIV testing, and counseling. The drug, Truvada, is estimated to cost $13,900 per person per year in the USA. The FDA said that it is the first medication it has approved which is indicated for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of becoming infected with HIV.
  
  
  Truvada, a once-daily oral drug - is a combination of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine.