Latest news with #NewEnglandJournalofMedicine
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
The diet that could lower your blood pressure and boost heart health
Your blood pressure could be reduced by following a low-salt diet, according to research - and it's all to do with the types of food you put in your body Adopting a diet centred on reducing salt intake could significantly decrease your blood pressure and risk of heart complications. There are numerous risk factors that can heighten your likelihood of experiencing heart disease at any stage in your life. These include diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, frequent and intense stress, and elevated blood pressure. Thankfully, many of the risk factors linked to an increased risk of heart disease can be mitigated and potentially avoided. For instance, high blood pressure can often be lowered by restricting the amount of salt you consume in your daily diet. Diet to reduce salt and lower blood pressure The Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension (DASH) diet is centred on consuming and avoiding foods directly associated with higher blood pressure. Moreover, the diet could potentially aid in reducing overall body fat percentage and cholesterol due to its emphasis on certain healthy foods. NHS advice also underscores that excessive salt consumption has been directly tied to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. It further pointed out that it's all too easy for individuals to overconsume salt given the prevalence of packaged foods, meat products, ready meals, restaurants, and takeaways which often contain hefty amounts of salt. On average, adults are advised not to exceed 6g of salt a day - the equivalent of one level teaspoon. This includes salt already present in food before any additional is added during cooking. Common foods eaten in a DASH diet A study from the New England Journal of Medicine involving 412 participants who followed either a typical western diet or the DASH diet found that those adhering to the latter had lower blood pressure. In contrast, those on a typical diet experienced significantly higher blood pressure and sodium levels. The study also emphasised that the long-term health benefits would likely depend on the duration of significant dietary changes. If you're considering the DASH diet, your focus should be on consuming foods low in sodium but rich in essential vitamins and minerals. This could involve eating more: Nuts Beans Seeds Lean poultry Fish Leafy green vegetables Low-fat dairy However, the DASH diet may not be right for everyone and will depend on your unique dietary needs. If you plan on making a significant change to your eating habits, you should first speak to your GP or a healthcare professional.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Babies with three people's DNA hailed as breakthrough; but questions remain
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015 raised concerns about effectiveness and potential side-effects. The announcement that this technology has led to the birth of eight apparently healthy children therefore marks a major scientific achievement for the UK, which has been widely praised by numerous scientists and patient support groups. However, these results should not detract from some important questions they also raise. Tenyears after the UK became the first country to legalise mitochondrial donation, the first results from the use of these high-profile reproductive technologies – designed to prevent passing on genetic disorders – have finally been published. So far, eight children have been born, all reportedly healthy, thanks to the long-term efforts of scientists and doctors in Newcastle, England. Should this be a cause for excitement, disappointment or concern? Perhaps, I would suggest, it could be a bit of all three. The New England Journal of Medicine has published two papers on a groundbreaking fertility treatment that could prevent devastating inherited diseases. The technique, called mitochondrial donation, was used to help 22 women who carry faulty genes that would otherwise pass serious genetic disorders – such as Leigh syndrome – to their children. These disorders affect the body's ability to produce energy at the cellular level and can cause severe disability or death in babies. The technique, developed by the Newcastle team, involves creating an embryo using DNA from three people: nuclear DNA from the intended mother and father, and healthy mitochondrial DNA from a donor egg. During the parliamentary debates leading up to The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations in 2015, there were concerns about the effectiveness of the procedure and its potential side-effects. The announcement that this technology has led to the birth of eight apparently healthy children therefore marks a major scientific achievement for the UK, which has been widely praised by numerous scientists and patient support groups. However, these results should not detract from some important questions they also raise. First, why has it taken so long for any updates on the application of this technology, including its outcomes and its limitations, to be made public? Especially given the significant public financial investment made into its development. In a country positioning itself as a leader in the governance and practice of reproductive and genomic medicine, transparency should be a central principle. Transparency not only supports the progress of other research teams but also keeps the public and patients well informed. Second, what is the significance of these results? While eight babies were born using this technology, this figure contrasts starkly with the predicted number of 150 babies per year likely to be born using the technique. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the UK regulator in this area, has approved 32 applications since 2017 when the Newcastle team obtained its licence, but the technique was used with only 22 of them, resulting in eight babies. Does this constitute sufficiently robust data to prove the effectiveness of the technology and was it worth the considerable efforts and investments over almost two decades of campaigning, debate and research? As I wrote when this law was passed, officials should have been more realistic about how many people this treatment could help. By overestimating the number of patients who might benefit, they risked giving false hope to families who wouldn't be eligible for the procedure. The safety question: Is it safe enough? In two of the eight cases, the babies showed higher levels of maternal mitochondrial DNA, meaning the risk of developing a mitochondrial disorder cannot be ruled out. This potential for a 'reversal' – where the faulty mitochondria reassert themselves – was also highlighted in a recent study conducted in Greece involving patients who used the technique to treat infertility problems. As a result, the technology is no longer framed by the Newcastle team to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial disorders, but rather to reduce the risk. But is the risk reduction enough to justify offering the technique to more patients? And what will the risk of reassertion mean for the children born through it and their parents, who may live with the continuing uncertainty that the condition could emerge later in life? As some experts have suggested, it may be worth testing this technology on women who have fertility problems but don't carry mitochondrial diseases. This would help doctors better understand the risks of the faulty mitochondria coming back, before using the technique only on women who could pass these serious genetic conditions to their children. This leads to a fourth question. What has been the patient experience with this technology? It would be valuable to know how many people applied for mitochondrial donation, why some were not approved, and, among those 32 approved cases, why only 22 proceeded with treatment. It also raises important questions about how patients who were either unable to access the technology, or for whom it was ultimately unsuccessful feel, particularly after investing significant time, effort and hope in the process. How do they come to terms with not having the healthy biological child they had been offered? This is not to say we shouldn't celebrate these births and what they represent for the UK in terms of scientific achievement. The birth of eight healthy children represents a genuine scientific breakthrough that families affected by mitochondrial diseases have waited decades to see. However, some important questions remain unanswered, and more evidence is needed, and it should be communicated in a timely manner to make conclusions about the long-term use of the technology. Breakthroughs come with responsibilities. If the UK wants to maintain its position as a leader in reproductive medicine, it must be more transparent about both the successes and limitations of this technology. The families still waiting to have the procedure – and those who may never receive it – deserve nothing less than complete honesty about what this treatment can and cannot deliver. (The writer is associated with De Montfort University)
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Three-parent babies: Can this reproduction technique prevent genetic disorders?
CHENNAI: A decade after the UK legalised mitochondrial donation—a pioneering reproductive technology that combines DNA from three individuals—questions are emerging about its effectiveness, safety, and the overall patient experience. Developed by scientists at Newcastle University, the technique uses nuclear DNA from the intended mother and father, along with healthy mitochondrial DNA from a donor egg. Approved under the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Regulations in 2015, the method has so far led to the birth of eight reportedly healthy children. The goal of mitochondrial donation is to prevent the transmission of serious genetic disorders caused by faulty mitochondria. Mitochondria are parts of a cell that act like power stations, converting food into energy the cell can use. They are inherited exclusively from the mother through the egg cell, as mitochondria in the father's sperm are typically not passed on to the offspring. Results from Newcastle University, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that 22 women received the treatment since 2017, resulting in eight births. The technology offers new hope to families at risk of passing on inherited mitochondrial disorders such as Leigh syndrome—a life-threatening condition that disrupts the body's ability to produce energy at the cellular level. In mitochondrial donation, the nucleus from the mother's egg—which holds her nuclear DNA—is moved into a donor egg that has had its own nucleus removed. This creates an embryo that contains the mother's nuclear DNA and the donor's healthy mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This technique helps stop the transfer of the mother's faulty mitochondrial DNA to her child, significantly lowering the risk of the child developing a mitochondrial disease.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
Babies Born With 3 People DNA Hailed As Breakthrough, But Doubts Remain
Leicester: Ten years after the UK became the first country to legalise mitochondrial donation, the first results from the use of these high-profile reproductive technologies - designed to prevent passing on genetic disorders - have finally been published. So far, eight children have been born, all reportedly healthy, thanks to the long-term efforts of scientists and doctors in Newcastle, England. Should this be a cause for excitement, disappointment or concern? Perhaps, I would suggest, it could be a bit of all three. The New England Journal of Medicine has published two papers on a groundbreaking fertility treatment that could prevent devastating inherited diseases. The technique, called mitochondrial donation, was used to help 22 women who carry faulty genes that would otherwise pass serious genetic disorders - such as Leigh syndrome - to their children. These disorders affect the body's ability to produce energy at the cellular level and can cause severe disability or death in babies. The technique, developed by the Newcastle team, involves creating an embryo using DNA from three people: nuclear DNA from the intended mother and father, and healthy mitochondrial DNA from a donor egg. During the parliamentary debates leading up to The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations in 2015, there were concerns about the effectiveness of the procedure and its potential side-effects. The announcement that this technology has led to the birth of eight apparently healthy children therefore marks a major scientific achievement for the UK, which has been widely praised by numerous scientists and patient support groups. However, these results should not detract from some important questions they also raise. First, why has it taken so long for any updates on the application of this technology, including its outcomes and its limitations, to be made public? Especially given the significant public financial investment made into its development. In a country positioning itself as a leader in the governance and practice of reproductive and genomic medicine, transparency should be a central principle. Transparency not only supports the progress of other research teams but also keeps the public and patients well informed. Second, what is the significance of these results? While eight babies were born using this technology, this figure contrasts starkly with the predicted number of 150 babies per year likely to be born using the technique. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the UK regulator in this area, has approved 32 applications since 2017 when the Newcastle team obtained its licence, but the technique was used with only 22 of them, resulting in eight babies. Does this constitute sufficiently robust data to prove the effectiveness of the technology and was it worth the considerable efforts and investments over almost two decades of campaigning, debate and research? As I wrote when this law was passed, officials should have been more realistic about how many people this treatment could actually help. By overestimating the number of patients who might benefit, they risked giving false hope to families who wouldn't be eligible for the procedure. The safety question Third, is it safe enough? In two of the eight cases, the babies showed higher levels of maternal mitochondrial DNA, meaning the risk of developing a mitochondrial disorder cannot be ruled out. This potential for a "reversal" - where the faulty mitochondria reassert themselves - was also highlighted in a recent study conducted in Greece involving patients who used the technique to treat infertility problems. As a result, the technology is no longer framed by the Newcastle team as a way to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial disorders, but rather to reduce the risk. But is the risk reduction enough to justify offering the technique to more patients? And what will the risk of reassertion mean for the children born through it and their parents, who may live with the continuing uncertainty that the condition could emerge later in life? As some experts have suggested, it may be worth testing this technology on women who have fertility problems but don't carry mitochondrial diseases. This would help doctors better understand the risks of the faulty mitochondria coming back, before using the technique only on women who could pass these serious genetic conditions to their children. This leads to a fourth question. What has been the patient experience with this technology? It would be valuable to know how many people applied for mitochondrial donation, why some were not approved, and, among those 32 approved cases, why only 22 proceeded with treatment. It also raises important questions about how patients who were either unable to access the technology, or for whom it was ultimately unsuccessful feel, particularly after investing significant time, effort and hope in the process. How do they come to terms with not having the healthy biological child they had been offered? This is not to say we shouldn't celebrate these births and what they represent for the UK in terms of scientific achievement. The birth of eight healthy children represents a genuine scientific breakthrough that families affected by mitochondrial diseases have waited decades to see. However, some important questions remain unanswered, and more evidence is needed and it should be communicated in a timely manner to make conclusions about the long-term use of the technology. Breakthroughs come with responsibilities. If the UK wants to maintain its position as a leader in reproductive medicine, it must be more transparent about both the successes and limitations of this technology. The families still waiting to have the procedure - and those who may never receive it - deserve nothing less than complete honesty about what this treatment can and cannot deliver. (Disclaimer Statement: Cathy Herbrand receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.)
Japan Today
5 days ago
- Health
- Japan Today
World-first IVF trial reduces risk of babies inheriting diseases
A new IVF technique using DNA from three people successfully reduced the risk that eight babies inherited genetic diseases from their mothers By Daniel Lawler and Julien Dury Eight healthy babies have been born in the UK using a new IVF technique that successfully reduced their risk of inheriting genetic diseases from their mothers, the results of a world-first trial said Wednesday. The findings were hailed as a breakthrough which raises hopes that women with mutations in their mitochondrial DNA could one day have children without passing debilitating or deadly diseases on to the children. One out of every 5,000 births is affected by mitochondrial diseases, which cannot be treated, and include symptoms such as impaired vision, diabetes and muscle wasting. In 2015, Britain became the first country to approve an in-vitro fertilization (IVF) technique that uses a small amount of healthy mitochondrial DNA from the egg of a donor -- along with the mother's egg and father's sperm. Some have called the result of this process "three-parent babies", though researchers have pushed back at this term because only roughly 0.1 percent of the newborn's DNA comes from the donor. The results of the much-awaited UK trial were published in several papers in the New England Journal of Medicine. Important reproductive option' Out of 22 women to undergo the treatment at the Newcastle Fertility Centre in northeast England, eight babies were born. The four boys and four girls now range from under six months to over two years old. The amount of mutated mitochondrial DNA -- which causes disease -- was reduced by 95-100 percent in six of the babies, according to the research. For the other two newborns, the amount fell by 77-88 percent, which is below the range that causes disease. This indicates the technique was "effective in reducing transmission" of diseases between mother and child, one of the studies said. The eight children are currently healthy, though one had a disturbance of their heart's rhythm which was successfully treated, the researchers said. Their health will be followed up over the coming years to see if problems arise. Nils-Goran Larsson, a Swedish reproductive expert not involved in the research, hailed the "breakthrough". The new technique offers a "very important reproductive option" for families affected by "devastating" mitochondrial diseases, he added. Ethical review Mitochondrial donation remains controversial and has not been approved in many countries, including the United States and France. Religious leaders have opposed the procedure because it involves the destruction of human embryos. Other opponents have expressed fears it could pave the way for genetically engineered "designer babies". An ethical review carried out by the UK's independent Nuffield Council on Bioethics was "instrumental" in conducting the new research, the council's director Danielle Hamm said Wednesday. Peter Thompson, head of the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which approved the procedure, said only people with a "very high risk" of passing on a mitochondrial disease would be eligible for the treatment. Ethical concerns have also been raised over the use of mitochondrial donation for infertility in Greece and Ukraine. French mitochondrial disease specialist Julie Stefann told AFP that "it is a question of the risk-benefit ratio: for a mitochondrial disease, the benefit is obvious". "In the context of infertility, it has not been proven," she added. Oxford University reproductive genetics expert Dagan Wells observed that "some scientists will be a little disappointed that so much time and effort has, so far, only led to the birth of eight children". Among the children being closely monitored are three that showed some signs of what is known as "reversal", which is still little understood. It is "a phenomenon where the therapy initially succeeds in producing an embryo with very few defective mitochondria, but by the time the child is born the proportion of abnormal mitochondria in its cells has significantly increased," he explained. © 2025 AFP
