Pancreatitis. According to the American College of Gastroenterology's guidelines, there are three criteria that must be present to diagnose acute pancreatitis, including: Severe abdominal pain. Amylase or lipase levels that are three times higher than the upper limit of normal. The level will increase 2 to 1. It may rise 5 to 1. Pancreatitis is likely if the level reaches 3 times above the upper limit of normal. Amylase also may be monitored in people with chronic pancreatitis; it will often be moderately elevated until the cells that produce it are destroyed (as a result of the pancreatitis), at which point blood levels of amylase may be decreased. It should be noted that amylase is an enzyme that has different forms called isoenzymes: P- amylase refers to the form made by the pancreas and S- amylase refers to the form made by the salivary glands. Normally, a total amylase test is requested. Sometimes, the isoenzyme tests are requested individually to distinguish pancreatic and non- pancreatic causes of increased amylase. Lipase is the pancreatic enzyme that, along with bile from the liver, digests fats. Its level increases in the blood within 4 to 8 hours of the beginning of an acute attack and peaks at 2. Lipase is both more sensitive and more specific than amylase for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. However, there are other sources of lipase in the digestive tract. In some assays that detect non- pancreatic lipase, milder elevations may occur as a result of non- pancreatic disorders. In people with pancreatitis, lipase may rise to several times its normal level and remain elevated longer than amylase. Like with the amylase test, pancreatitis is diagnosed if the lipase level reaches 3 times above the upper limit of normal. As cells are destroyed with chronic pancreatitis and as lipase production drops to less than 1. As chronic pancreatitis progresses, amylase and lipase may be normal or decreased, even during acute attacks. Trypsin is the pancreatic enzyme that digests proteins. Measurement of serum trypsin is thought to be the most sensitive blood test for pancreatitis, particularly chronic pancreatitis, but is not widely available and is not routinely used. The available test is variably identified as trypsinogen, trypsin- like immunoreactivity, or immunoreactive trypsin. Tests that may be used to check for complications of acute pancreatitis include: Other tests that may be used to help diagnose and evaluate chronic pancreatitis include: Non- laboratory tests used to diagnose pancreatitis may include: Abdominal ultrasound. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): a test that uses a flexible scope inserted through the mouth and threaded through the esophagus to see and document damage to the pancreas and/or bile ducts. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP): a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used to image the pancreas and bile ducts; often used before or instead of ERCP because it is faster and non- invasive; also useful in distinguiding pancreatitis from pancreatic cancer. Alzheimer's is a devastating disease whose incidence is clearly on the rise in America. Fortunately, a significant number of research dollars are currently. Computed tomography (CT) scan. Secretin testing (not widely available) in which a tube is positioned in the duodenum to collect pancreatic secretions stimulated by intravenous (IV) administration of secretin. Secretin is a hormone that causes the pancreas to release fluid containing digestive enzymes. The amount of enzymes, such as lipase and trypsin, and bicarbonate in the pancreatic secretion is measured and compared to normal values. For more information on imaging studies, visit Radiology. Drinking Tea Daily Reduces Risk Of Cognitive Decline By 5. Percent In Old Age. Tea is a wildly diverse beverage that can be served hot or cold in a variety of flavors, year- round. The benefits of drinking tea go beyond its taste; its ingredients can combat a variety of ailments we experience, even in old age. Researchers from the National University of Singapore suggest drinking a cup of tea daily can improve brain health later in life, and even reduce the risk of dementia.“The data from our study suggests that a simple and inexpensive lifestyle measure such as daily tea drinking can reduce a person’s risk of developing neurocognitive disorders in late life. The APOE gene influences an individual's risk for the more common late- onset type of Alzheimer's. Everyone has two copies of the APOE gene, and its combination determines our APOE “genotype”, including E2/E2, E2/E3, E2/E4, E3/E3, E3/E4, or E4/E4. The APOE4 allele increases the risk of Alzheimer’s and lowers the age of onset. One copy of E4 (E3/E4) increases the risk by two or three times, while two copies (E4/E4) can increase the risk by 1. Drugs in development may alter the physical structure of the APOE4 protein so it acts more like a APOE2 protein, where even one copy appears to the reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 4. However, Feng and his colleagues have potentially found a simple, inexpensive, and natural treatment to reduce Alzheimer’s risk by about 9. In the study, published in Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, tea- drinking habits were examined in a total of 9. Chinese adults age 5. Cognitive function was tested every two years until 2. Data on lifestyle, medical conditions, and physical and social activity was also collected. The findings revealed regular tea drinkers who drank at least one cup, and up to three or more cups a day, yielded the most brain health benefits. ApoE 4 is one of several variants of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene. According to The Alzheimer's Action Plan, those who have the ApoE 4 gene are three to eight. Both green tea and black/oolong tea were found to be protective, but they also need to be brewed from tea leaves, either loose or in tea bags. Fruit or herbal teas do not produce the same effects. The long- term benefits of tea were attributed to the bioactive compounds in the leaves, including catechins, theaflavins, thearubigins and L- theanine. The flavonoids in the tea leaves have anti- inflammatory and antioxidant properties that prevent vascular damage in the brain.
Read More: Could Refined Sugar Lead To Dementia, Cognitive Decline? This includes investigating the effects of bioactive compounds in tea and testing their biological markers. Moreover, they emphasize the findings of the study could also apply to other ethnic groups, not just Chinese adults. Our findings have important implications for dementia prevention,” Feng said. Currently, 4. 7. 5 million people have dementia and there are 7. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, possibly contributing to 6. Although there is no cure or treatment for progressive dementia, like Alzheimer's disease, science has unveiled the best drinks to ward off the neurodegenerative disease. Coffee. Similar to its rival tea, drinking coffee could reduce the likelihood of experiencing cognitive impairment. In a 2. 01. 6 study, published in The Journals of Gerontology, researchers found women between 6. Caffeine's protective effect may lie in its ability to bind to the brain's adenosine receptors. Their function becomes . A 2. 01. 5 study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found the flavonoid xanthohumol (Xn) may delay, or even prevent the onset of dementia and other cognitive decline. The antioxidant, which is found in beer’s hops, has been proven to possess anti- cancer, anti- oxidation, and heart- protective properties, as well as the ability to prevent inflammation. Champagne. A glass of bubbly could potentially improve brain health. A 2. 01. 3 study published in Antioxidants and Redox Signaling found drinking three glasses of champagne every day can help to prevent the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's. The researchers looked at the possible effects of the phenolic acids — plant substances said to have antioxidant qualities — found in champagne on memory in rats. Those given champagne were better at recalling how to find a treat than those given the alcohol- free drink. These rats found the treats five times out of eight, compared with four times out of eight in the rats given other drinks, including a non- champagne alcoholic drink, or an alcohol- free drink. Of course, it's best to take this with a grain of salt; since the study was done in rats, we can't assume the same effects will apply to humans. Source: Feng L, Chong SM, Lim WS et al. Tea consumption reduces the incidence of neurocognitive disorders: Findings from the Singapore longitudinal aging study. See Also: Alzheimer's vs. Dementia: How They Differ And What To Do. Surprising Things Linked To Poor Brain Function.
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