Are rotten eggs the key to curing diabetes, strokes, heart attacks and dementia?

from: http://www.thehealthsite.com/news/are-rotten-eggs-the-key-to-curing-diabetes-strokes-heart-attacks-and-dementia/

Scientists have found that hydrogen sulfide, a chemical which stinks like rotten eggs, can offer health benefits to people suffering from diabetes, stroke, heart attacks and even dementia. Scientists at the University of Exeter have come up with a new compound (AP39) that protects mitochondria, the ‘powerhouse’ of cells, which drives energy production in blood vessel cells. Preventing or reversing mitochondrial damage is a key strategy for treatments of a variety of conditions such as stroke, heart failure, diabetes and arthritis, dementia and ageing. Mitochondria determine whether cells live or die and they regulate inflammation. In the clinic, dysfunctional mitochondria are strongly linked to disease severity. Professor Matt Whiteman from the University explained that when cells become stressed by disease, they draw in enzymes to generate minute quantities of hydrogen sulfide. This keeps the mitochondria ticking over and allows cells to live. If this doesn’t happen, the cells die and lose the ability to regulate survival and control inflammation. Their results indicate that if stressed cells are treated with AP39, which slowly delivers very small amounts of this gas specifically to the mitochondria, the cells stay alive. Dr. Mark Wood of Biosciences added that although hydrogen sulfide is well known as a pungent, foul-smelling gas in rotten eggs and flatulence, it is naturally produced in the body and could in fact be a healthcare hero with have significant implications for future therapies for a variety of diseases. The scientists are now working towards advancing the research to a stage where it can be tested in humans. The study was published in the journal Medicinal Chemistry Communications. What is stroke? Also known as a cerebrovascular accident, stroke is a medical emergency that arises when arteries that supply blood to the brain get affected. As a result a part of the brain doesn’t receive sufficient blood supply. Without blood and nutrient supply, the brain cells get affected and can die within a few minutes. Stroke often results in long-term dysfunction of the body part controlled by the affected brain area. There are two main types of strokes: ischemic stroke and haemorrhagic stroke. An ischemic stroke is caused due to a block (blood clot) in the blood vessel whereas a haemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding through a tear in the blood vessel. Damage occurred by has a huge impact on various aspects of life and well-being. A single stroke can makes a person age by 36 years. People who survive a stroke need rigorous treatment and rehabilitation methods to achieve full recovery. Strokes can be prevented with healthy diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes. Stroke can be more damaging in women and hence women can refer to these guidelines for stroke prevention in women. In this section, you’ll find useful articles like identifying symptoms of stroke, improper hypertension medication and risk of strokes, role of oranges in preventing strokes and latest drugs reversing the effect of stroke. Read more about Stroke – causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention What is dementia? Dementia refers to a group of degenerative mental diseases in which there is a serious loss of cognitive function which goes beyond normal ageing. Symptoms include confusion, mood swings, long-term memory loss and a gradual loss of bodily functions. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. It is caused due to plaque deposition in the brain’s neurons which affects its functioning and causes it to die. Why this happens is still not clear though research suggests it’s linked to genetic susceptibility and mental age. Read more about Dementia — causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention What is heart attack? A heart attack also referred to as a myocardial infarction (MI), coronary thrombosis or coronary occlusion. It usually occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked suddenly due to complete blockage of the artery supplying blood to the heart. This causes the heart muscle cells to die. The blockage of artery is often caused by plaque formation (deposition and hardening of fatty substances and cholesterol on the walls of arteries) resulting in coronary heart disease (CHD). If left untreated it can be fatal. Some of the symptoms of heart attack include feeling a tight band around the chest, shooting pain up and down the left side of your body,anxiety, cough, fainting, heavy pressure, palpitations, shortness of breath and sweating. Most people tend to ignore the initial symptoms of heart attack which causes greater damage to the heart. If you have thesewarning signs of heart attack, you should call your local emergency number right away. Read more about Heart attack — causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention What is diabetes? Diabetes is a life long disease that is characterised by increased levels of sugar in the blood. It is either caused due to lack of insulin (a protein that regulates blood glucose levels) or due to lack of response to insulinproduced by the body. Diabetes caused by lack of insulin is called type 1 diabetes. It develops due to fault in the genes that make insulin and is seen in young adults and teenagers. Diabetes caused by failure of response to insulin is called type 2 diabetes. It is more common type of diabetes and is found in adults. It is caused mainly due to lifestyle factors. Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are hunger, frequent urination and increased thirst. Factors like unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle and obesity are main contributing factors of type 2 diabetes. In fact, type 2 diabetes is one of the most common ‘lifestyle diseases’ which is plaguing people in the developed countries. Diabetes is also known to cause complications like heart diseasesand hypertension. Read more about Diabetes – Symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and complications