Scientists have theorized for decades that stress and cancer are directly linked. A new study suggests that the hormones we produce while under stress increase the growth rates of a few very lethal forms of cancer.

The study showed that an increase in norepinephrine, a stress hormone, can stimulate tumor cells to produce two compounds. These compounds can break down the tissue around the tumor cells and allow the cells to more easily move into the bloodstream. From there, they can travel to another location in the body to form additional tumors, a process called metastasis.

The research also suggests the same hormone can also stimulate the tumor cells to release another compound that can aid in the growth of new blood vessels that feed cancer cells, hastening the growth and spread of the disease. The work was reported in the latest issue of the journal Cancer Research.

“This opens up an entirely new way of looking at stress and cancer that’s different from current interpretations,” explained Ronald Glaser, a professor of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics, and director of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University .

A very interesting read, this article in Science Daily, gets one to think about the benefits of reducing stress in ones life.

In his latest edition of ?Did You Know??, Mike Furci tackles such topics as anabolic steroids and their link (or lack of a link) to dangerous side effects, muscle contracting while working out and low testosterone levels and whether or not they can be associated with heart disease, diabetes and decreased libido.

?all the actual data and medical studies on healthy individuals (adults) show no conclusions that physiological replacement doses of testosterone or other anabolic steroids are dangerous or cause side effects that do not reverse with cessation?

Moreover, in males who maintain physiological high normal levels, there appears to be health-promoting benefits associated with steroids. All the evidence contradicts the anti-steroid media blitz that started in the 80?s and continues today.

Approximately 25 years ago, Dr. Bob Goldman took a ride on the media feeding frenzy train and wrote a book, ?Death in the Locker Room.? This book puts steroids in the same class with alcohol and other recreational drugs as far as the dangers of usage. Since its release and despite the enormous increase in their use and dosage, there has not been one death attributable to steroids. (Planet Muscle Aug/Sept 2008: 72)

(Read the entire article here.)

Vitamin D3, which is technically a prehormone, has a whole host of benefits. This invaluable substance has a role in preventing or treating the following:

Cancer: It is now accepted that Vitamin D3 reduces the risk of seventeen types of cancer.

Multiple Sclerosis: It has been well demonstrated that the risk of MS increases rapidly the further away people live from the equator. The American Academy of Neurology has identified a lack of vitamin D as a predictable indicator in incidence of the deadly disease.
Diabetes
Heart Disease
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypertension
Mental illness
Osteoarthritis
Osteopourosis
Muscle weakness
Periodontal disease
Ulcerative colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease

The study authors established a strong link between vitamin D3 levels and telomere (protects the ends of chromosomes) length. They found that after taking into account the age of the subjects, women with higher vitamin D3 levels were more likely to have longer telomeres.

This meant that the telomeres in the subjects with high vitamin D3 levels were five years younger than the telomeres in the subjects with low vitamin D3 levels.

The researchers believe that the results demonstrate for the first time that people who have higher levels of vitamin D3 may age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D3. (Vitamin Research Breaking News Nov. 20, 2007)

As with most nutrients in our food supply vitamin D has also almost completely vanished due to over-processing and bad farming. Supplements are your best bet, but make sure you’re using D3 (cholecalciferol).