PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Supplement found to improve quality of life for female cancer survivors

2011-06-07
(Press-News.org) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – June 6, 2011 – A natural nutritional supplement, marketed for the last decade as a sexual aid, has been shown to significantly improve overall quality of life for female cancer survivors, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

The findings will be presented today at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.

Interested in quality of life issues for female cancer survivors, Kathryn M. Greven, M.D., a radiation oncologist at Wake Forest Baptist, first learned of the supplement, called ArginMax for WomenTM, from a small study conducted at Stanford University that found that it improved sexual function. Sexual dysfunction is prevalent in female cancer survivors, so Greven set out to see if the supplement could produce the same benefit in this population. She found that, while taking the supplement did not result in any improvement in sexual function for female cancer survivors, the supplement did improve their overall quality of life.

With funding from the National Cancer Institute, researchers at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest Baptist, the Derrick L. Davis Forsyth Regional Cancer Center, and multiple other cancer centers across the country recruited 186 female cancer survivors to participate in the study.

To be considered, adult female volunteers had to be at least six months beyond their last active treatment for any kind of cancer, with no current evidence of cancer. Adhering to standard double-blind, placebo-controlled protocol, neither the participants nor the investigators knew who was receiving the supplement and who was receiving a placebo.

The Daily Wellness Company, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, provided materials for the study, including ArginMaxTM and placebo pills. Participants received three capsules of either ArginMaxTM or placebo twice a day for 12 weeks and were asked to complete two standardized questionnaires that accurately measure sexual function and quality of life. The questionnaires were completed at the start of the study, at four weeks, eight weeks and 12 weeks.

The Female Sexual Function Index is a questionnaire that measures different aspects of sexual function, such as desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain.

The FACT-G questionnaire measures overall quality of life and has been used in research of all cancer types. It evaluates physical, emotional, social and functional well-being.

ArginMaxTM was originally designed as a sexual enhancement aid, so researchers were primarily looking for improvements in sexual function in this new population. They found no benefit in this area.

However, the study findings did reveal an across-the-board boost in measures of overall quality of life for the patients who were randomized to take ArginMaxTM. The FACT-G questionnaires showed improvements in both physical and functional well being among the participants taking the supplement.

"The group taking the supplements experienced significant improvement in overall quality of life, particularly physical well-being," said Greven, the lead investigator on the study. "Bothersome symptoms such as lack of energy, pain, nausea, and sleeplessness were all improved, as were measures of functional well-being, for example the ability to perform normal activities at home or work. Simply, they reported a greater enjoyment of life, without any additional side effects from the supplement."

Edward G. Shaw, M.D., M.A., an oncologist as well as counselor, is principal investigator for Wake Forest Baptist's Community Clinical Oncology Program Research Base and a co-researcher on the study. He explained that cancer survivors can suffer from persistent inflammation, also known as chronic oxidative stress, that can continue for years following treatment of cancer causing fatigue that affects quality of life. He hypothesized that the ingredients in ArginMax for WomenTM may be helping to counteract this process.

ArginMaxTM is made from a patented formula containing a proprietary blend of L-arginine, ginseng, ginkgo, and 14 vitamins and minerals noted for boosting energy and circulation and optimizing hormonal balance. A separate Men's formula also is available.

"Beyond managing individual symptoms as they appear, the medical community has not been able to offer cancer patients more global symptom relief," he said. "This research is empowering for the community of cancer survivors. There's been some thought that dietary supplements could offer a potential benefit, but previous studies on other drugs and supplements have had disappointing outcomes. We'd like to see the results replicated in other studies, as they give us renewed hope in this area."

Greven said the findings have sparked interest among researchers about whether the supplement could improve quality of life and energy levels for other populations, as well. Future studies are being planned.

"It is very exciting that we've found something that has the potential to affect and improve quality of life for female cancer survivors," Greven said. "We still need to do further work to find an approach that will improve female sexual dysfunction."

### Media Relations Contacts: Jessica Guenzel, jguenzel@wakehealth.edu, (336) 970-3906; or Bonnie Davis, bdavis@wakehealth.edu, (336) 716-4977.

Media Relations Contacts for ArginMax: Paula Page, paula@paulapagepr.com, at (650) 279-3881. For more information about ArginMax visit www.arginmax.com.

Editor's Note: This release pertains to abstract abstract #9016 at the ASCO 2011 annual meeting.

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (www.wakehealth.edu) is a fully integrated academic medical center located in Winston-Salem, N.C. Wake Forest School of Medicine directs the education and research components, with the medical school ranked among the nation's best and recognized as a leading research center in regenerative medicine, cancer, the neurosciences, aging, addiction and public health sciences. Piedmont Triad Research Park, a division of Wake Forest Baptist, fosters biotechnology innovation in an urban park community. Wake Forest Baptist Health, the clinical enterprise, includes a flagship tertiary care hospital for adults, Brenner Children's Hospital, a network of affiliated community-based hospitals, physician practices and outpatient services. The institution's clinical programs and the medical school are consistently recognized as among the best in the country by U.S.News & World Report.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Hawaii's "Don't Drink Yourself Fat" Campaign

Hawaiis "Dont Drink Yourself Fat" Campaign
2011-06-07
It may have started this way: one passerine flying high above a plant-free, uninhabited and unnamed island - in the Pacific, north of the equator - unknowingly drops one seed from a mud-encrusted thigh. That seed and many others brought to the islands by other birds, animals, people and the wind now feeds the island's residents and visitors. That island is presently called Hawaii. Ancient Hawaiians were innovative farmers and skilled fisherman whose customs of sharing food amongst their communities lives on today as residents of present-day Hawaii struggle to return ...

Study finds high levels of vitamin D needed for bone density drugs to work

2011-06-07
To fully optimize a drug therapy for osteoporosis and low bone mineral density (BMD), patients should maintain vitamin D levels above the limits recently recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), according to a new study by researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. The study will be presented at the Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting in Boston, June 4-7. The study demonstrated that maintaining a circulating vitamin D level above 33 ng/ml is associated with a seven-fold greater likelihood of having a more favorable outcome with bisphosphonate therapy. ...

Not just skin and bones: Wrinkles could predict women's bone fracture risk

2011-06-07
Wrinkles are a telltale sign of aging, and they might also be able to predict a woman's bone fracture risk, according to Yale School of Medicine researchers who report in a new study that the severity and distribution of skin wrinkles and overall skin quality could tell the story of bone mineral density in early menopausal women. The findings will be presented June 6 at the Endocrine Society Meeting in Boston, Mass., by Lubna Pal, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Science at Yale School of Medicine. "Skin and bones share ...

Intravenous nutrition in critically ill patients should be delayed, study finds

2011-06-07
Patients in the intensive care unit who do not tolerate adequate nutrition from tube feeding should wait a week before receiving intravenous (IV) feeding because, compared with early IV feeding, it enhances recovery from critical illness. Results of a new multicenter study from Belgium will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston. "These findings have enormous impact for improving quality and reducing the cost of medical care for critically ill patients," said the study's principal investigator, Greet Van den Berghe, MD, PhD, a professor ...

Women's risk of heart disease after gestational diabetes differs by race

2011-06-07
New research finds that gestational diabetes, or pregnancy-related diabetes, may not raise the risk of heart disease independent of other cardiovascular risk factors except in certain high-risk populations, such as Hispanics. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston. "The prevalence of gestational diabetes is increasing, and its impact for the mother can extend well beyond pregnancy by raising her risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease," said study co-author Rhonda Bentley-Lewis, MD, of Massachusetts ...

Low vitamin D levels are related to decreased response to osteoporosis medicine

2011-06-07
Women with low bone density are seven times more likely to benefit from a bisphosphonate drug when their vitamin D blood levels are above recent recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as adequate for bone health. These new study results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston. "Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels above those recently recommended by the IOM is important for optimizing a standard therapy for osteoporosis: bisphosphonates," said coauthor Richard Bockman, MD, PhD, chief of the endocrine service at ...

Desserts with a low glycemic index may benefit weight-loss efforts for obese children

2011-06-07
Overweight girls lose more weight and can better stay on a healthy diet if they eat sugar-free, low-fat desserts several times weekly, as opposed to any dessert once a week, a new study finds. The results will be reported Monday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston. "Dieters commonly splurge on dessert once a week, usually choosing fattening items," said lead investigator Antonia Dastamani, MD, PhD, a pediatrician and research fellow at Athens University School of Medicine in Athens, Greece. "However, we found a positive effect of more frequent consumption ...

Testosterone therapy improves memory in postmenopausal women

2011-06-07
Post-menopausal women have better memory after daily treatment with a testosterone spray for six months, a new preliminary study finds. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston. "Women have a higher risk of developing dementia compared to men," said Sonia Davison, MD, PhD, the study's lead investigator and a postdoctoral research fellow at Monash University, Melbourne. "These results offer a potential therapy, where none currently exists, to slow cognitive decline in women." The researchers compared a control group ...

Father's Day 2011: Children's Book Author Dad, Grandfather Regales His Children and Grandchildren with 'Wanda and the Oblahlahs' Story, Lost in Attic for 35 Years

Fathers Day 2011: Childrens Book Author Dad, Grandfather Regales His Children and Grandchildren with Wanda and the Oblahlahs Story, Lost in Attic for 35 Years
2011-06-07
This Father's Day, Joe Sutton's charming children's tale starring Wanda, a mischievous, gum-chewing yet lovable little girl, launches, giving a nod to the lost art of storytelling -- passing stories, family histories and values from one generation to the next. "Wanda and the Oblahlahs", (Bright Sky Press, September 2011), the brainchild of then Army Colonel Sutton, emerged at bedtime for his rambunctious young daughters, Gretchen and Megan. Now 35 years later, Wanda's imaginative adventure lives on for Sutton's grandchildren and, as a children's book, can share ...

Yearly zoledronic acid at lower-than-standard doses increases bone density

2011-06-07
A lower dose of zoledronic acid than currently recommended for prevention of bone fractures due to osteoporosis decreases bone resorption and increases bone density, and may be effective in reducing the risk of osteoporotic fractures, a study finds. The new research findings will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston. "Our research suggests that one fifth or one half of the recommended dose might be sufficient to decrease fracture risk," said Andrew Grey, MD, principal investigator of the study and an associate professor of medicine ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New way to find “aged” cells marks fresh approach for research into ageing

From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

Variability in heart rate during sleep may reveal early signs of stroke, depression or cognitive dysfunction, new study shows

New method to study catalysts could lead to better batteries

Current Molecular Pharmacology impact factor rises to 2.9, achieving Q2 ranking in the Pharmacology & Pharmacy category in 2024 JCR

More time with loved ones for cancer patients spared radiation treatment

New methods speed diagnosis of rare genetic disease

Genetics of cardiomyopathy risk in cancer survivors differ by age of onset

Autism inpatient collection releases genetic, phenotypic data for more than 1,500 children with autism

Targeting fusion protein’s role in childhood leukemia produces striking results

Clear understanding of social connections propels strivers up the social ladder

New research reveals why acute and chronic pain are so different – and what might make pain last

Stable cooling fostered life, rapid warming brought death: scientists use high-resolution fusuline data reveal evolutionary responses to cooling and warming

New research casts doubt on ancient drying of northern Africa’s climate

Study identifies umbilical cord blood biomarkers of early onset sepsis in preterm newborns

AI development: seeking consistency in logical structures

Want better sleep for your tween? Start with their screens

Cancer burden in neighborhoods with greater racial diversity and environmental burden

Alzheimer disease in breast cancer survivors

New method revolutionizes beta-blocker production process

Mechanism behind life-threatening cancer drug side-effect revealed

Weighted vests might help older adults meet weight loss goals, but solution for corresponding bone loss still elusive

Scientists find new way to predict how bowel cancer drugs will stop working – paving the way for smarter treatments

Breast cancer patients’ microbiome may hold key to avoiding damaging heart side-effects of cancer therapies

Exercise-induced protein revives aging muscles and bones

American College of Cardiology issues guidance on weight management drugs

Understanding the effect of bedding on thermal insulation during sleep

Cosmic signal from the very early universe will help astronomers detect the first stars

With AI, researchers find increasing immune evasion in H5N1

Study finds hidden effects of wildfires on water systems

[Press-News.org] Supplement found to improve quality of life for female cancer survivors