In rare cases, children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) actually have a tumor that appears to cause symptoms similar to those of ADHD, according to a small new study.

The researchers evaluated 43 children with rare tumors of the adrenal gland, called pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. (The adrenal glands are located near the kidneys, and produce adrenaline and other hormones.)

They found that nine of the children (21 percent) had been diagnosed with ADHD before doctors discovered their tumors. That's much higher than the usual rate of ADHD in children, which is 7.2 percent. What's more, after the tumors were removed, three out of the nine children no longer had symptoms of ADHD.

"Symptoms of anxiety and difficulty in concentration in these patients may have been related to their underlying [tumors]" but were not recognized as signs of these tumors, the researchers, from the National Institutes of Health, wrote in a paper published online May 12 in the journal Hormone and Metabolic Research. [Typical Toddler Behavior, or ADHD? 10 Ways to Tell]

Because high blood pressure is a common symptom of these tumors (and was seen in four out of the nine children diagnosed with ADHD), the researchers said that high blood pressure accompanying symptoms of ADHD may be a warning sign of these underlying tumors.

In children with high blood pressure and ADHD symptoms, "an evaluation to rule out [these tumors] is warranted prior to treatment with stimulant medications," they said.

Pheochromocytomas form inside the adrenal gland, whereas paragangliomas form outside the adrenal gland, according to the National Cancer Institute. But these tumors are very rare: It's estimated that pheochromocytomas occur in about 1 in 500,000 people, and paragangliomas occur in about 1 in 1 million people, according to the National Institutes of Health.

These tumors release compounds called catecholamines that stimulate the brain and spinal cord, the NIH said. It's possible that symptoms of these tumors may become worse when children take ADHD medications, the researchers said.

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Exercise May Reduce the Risk of These 13 Cancers

Here's another reason to get active: Exercise may reduce the risk of 13 types of cancer, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed information from 1.4 million people in the United States and Europe; the subjects were in 12 different study groups and were followed for about 11 years. Participants were asked whether they did moderate or vigorous exercise in their free time, like walking, swimming or running, and how much physical activity they got.

During the study period, more than 186,000 cases of cancer were diagnosed in the study participants.

People were classified as doing higher levels of exercise if they were in the top 10 percent of all people in their study groups for the amount of exercise they did. These individuals had a reduced risk of 13 types of cancer compared to the people who were in the lowest 10 percent of their study groups.

These were the 13 cancers, with their associated amounts of risk reduction:

    Esophageal cancer, a 42 percent lower risk

    Liver cancer, a 27 percent lower risk

    Lung cancer, a 26 percent lower risk

    Kidney cancer, a 23 percent lower risk

    Stomach cancer of the cardia (top portion of the stomach), a 22 percent lower risk

    Endometrial cancer, a 21 percent lower risk

    Myeloid leukemia, a 20 percent lower risk

    Myeloma, a 17 percent lower risk

    Colon cancer, a 16 percent lower risk

    Head and neck cancer, a 15 percent lower risk

    Rectal cancer, a 13 percent lower risk

    Bladder cancer, a 13 percent lower risk

    Breast cancer, a 10 percent lower risk

Overall, high levels of physical activity were linked with a 7 percent lower risk of any cancer, according to the study.

"These findings support promoting physical activity as a key component of population-wide cancer-prevention and -control efforts," the researchers wrote in the May 16 issue of the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

For most of the cancers (10 out of 13), exercise reduced the risk of the disease regardless of people's body mass index or smoking habits. [4 Easy Ways to Get More Exercise]

Interestingly, high levels of physical activity were actually linked with a slightly higher risk of prostate cancer (5 percent increased risk). A biological reason for this finding is not known, and it's possible that physically active men are more likely to get screened for prostate cancer, which would lead to more cancers identified in this group, the researchers said.

But high levels of exercise were also linked with a 27 percent higher risk of malignant melanoma, which is likely the result of more sun exposure, the researchers said. Efforts to prevent cancer that focus on exercise should also emphasize how people can protect themselves from sun exposure when they exercise outdoors, the researchers said.

The new findings "underscore the importance of leisure-time physical activity as a potential risk-reduction strategy to decrease the cancer burden in the United States and abroad," Marilie Gammon, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues wrote in a commentary accompanying the study.

However, the new study did not look at exactly how much exercise is needed, how intense the exercise should be or when in life people should start exercising to get these benefits, so those questions should be the focus of future research, the commentary said.

More research is also needed to determine exactly how exercise lowers the risk of cancer, the commentary said. Understanding the underlying mechanisms for the link could help identify potential targets for cancer prevention, the authors said

 

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Grapefruit: Health Benefits & Nutrition Facts

Grapefruit is a popular citrus fruit that is a terrific source of vitamins, fiber and other nutrients. Grapefruit is known for its antioxidant- and immunity-boosting capabilities as well as its digestive and cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Grapefruit provides vitamins A and C, folate (B9), fiber, choline, limonins and lycopene, according to Alissa Rumsey, a New York City-based registered dietitian, certified strength and conditioning specialist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

"Grapefruit has been hailed as a popular diet food for many years because it is widely believed to boost weight loss," said Rumsey. "While a grapefruit diet is far too extreme, the fruit can be added to one's diet for a healthy weight loss plan."

Grapefruit gets its name from the way it grows. Grapefruits grow on tree branches in grape-like clusters, according to the Library of Congress.

Puzzling history

Grapefruit is an accidental hybrid between the orange and the pomelo, but no one is sure when it was first grown. It was first documented in 1750 by a Welshman in Barbados who described it as a "forbidden fruit," according to the Purdue University horticulture department. Until the 19th century, it was also called the shaddock, named after a sea captain who is said to have brought the seeds of a pomelo to Jamaica. It has also been called paradise fruit. It was given the scientific name, Citrus paradisi, but in the 1940s when research confirmed that it was hybrid, the name was changed to Citrus x paradisi — the x indicates that it is a hybrid.

Grapefruit grows in warm climates; Florida and southern areas of China are the world's top producers. There are several varieties of grapefruit, including white, ruby red and pink, which have varying levels of sourness and sweetness. "Try topping it with savory seasonings, like cilantro or chili powder, to offset the tangy flavor," Rumsey suggested. She noted that grapefruits go well with seafood dishes, too.

Here are the nutrition facts for grapefruit, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates food labeling through the National Labeling and Education Act:

Nutrition Facts

Grapefruit, raw

red or pink

Serving size:

1/2 fruit (3-3/4" dia)(123 g)

Calories 52

  Calories from Fat 1

*Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

                Amt per Serving               %DV*                    Amt per Serving               %DV*     

Total Fat 0g         0%                          Total Carbohydrate 13g                 4%

Cholesterol 0mg               0%                            Dietary Fiber 2g              8%

Sodium 0mg       0%                             Sugars 8g           

Protein 1g                                                            

Vitamin A            28%                        Calcium                3%

Vitamin C             64%                        Iron        1%

Health benefits

Immunity

According to the George Mateljan Foundation's World’s Healthiest Foods website, half a medium-size grapefruit provides 59 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

"Vitamin C is plays a role in immunity and helps neutralize free radicals in our body," said Rumsey. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, vitamin C stimulates the production of white blood cells and may protect the integrity of immune cells. Vitamin C helps also protect leukocytes, which produces antiviral substances.

Heart health

Vitamin C is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, said Rumsey. A 2015 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at more than 100,000 people and found that those who ate the most fruits and vegetables had a 15 percent lower risk of developing heart disease. Those with the highest vitamin C levels in their plasma had even more reduced rates of heart disease.

Kidney stones

According to University of Wisconsin Health, citric acid, which is found in grapefruit, may deter stone formation and also break up small stones that are forming. The more citric acid in your urine, the more protected you may be from forming new kidney stones. A study published in theBritish Journal of Nutrition found that women who drank one-half to one liter of grapefruit, orange or apple juice each day saw their urinary pH value and citric acid excretion increase, which significantly lowered their risk of forming kidney stones.

Cancer

According to Rumsey, vitamin C and beta-carotene may lead to a reduced risk of esophageal cancer. A study published in the Journal of Chemotherapy found that vitamin C supplementation exerted a chemotherapy-like effect on esophageal cancer cells. The researchers suggested that vitamin C might improve the efficacy of chemotherapy.

According to the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, red and pink grapefruit is one of the best sources for lycopene after tomatoes."Lycopene has been linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer," said Rumsey. A large-scale study of nearly 50,000 men published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found an inverse relationship between lycopene (in this study, the lycopene was from tomatoes) and prostate cancer risk. Men with the highest levels of lycopene were 21 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those with the lowest lycopene levels.

The lycopene in grapefruits may also contribute to reducing risk of stomach cancer, according to a review in the Journal of Cancer Prevention. Researchers looked primarily at participants who smoked, suffered from chronic inflammation or had elevated levels of stomach bacteria Helicobacter pylori, though they noted that poor diet and family history could also be risk factors lessened by lycopene.

Animal studies have suggested that grapefruit may have a reduction effect on colon cancer cells. A study published in the journal Carcinogensis found that grapefruit increased the death of cancer cells in rats whose colons had been injected with carcinogens.

"There are numerous studies being conducted to understand the role folate plays in cancer reduction," Rumsey said. A 2007 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that folate's possible cancer-reducing properties are likely linked to its role in the production of substances that silence cancer DNA.

Limonins have also been linked to a decrease in cancer risk, said Rumsey. A 2012 article in the Journal of Nurtigenetics and Nutrigenomics looked at limonins in breast cancer cells and found that they could be a helpful aid to chemotherapy.

Pregnancy health

"Folate is essential for pregnant women in order to prevent neural tube defects," said Rumsey. While folate is present in prenatal vitamins, consuming it through whole foods is an excellent way to make sure the body absorbs it.

Antioxidants

An article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry evaluated the phenolic compounds in 13 fruit juices. Grapefruit juice ranked among the best juices. Phenolic compounds act as antioxidants, which are molecules that safely interact with free radicals to stop the condition of oxidative stress, according to an article in Pharmacognosy Review. Free radicals cause cell damage and disruption that can contribute to diseases. Vitamin C is also a potent antioxidant.

Hydration

"Grapefruit is 91 percent water, so can help with hydration," said Rumsey.

Digestion

The fiber and water in grapefruit can aid digestion and help relieve or prevent constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Weight loss

"Grapefruit is naturally high in fiber, which contributes to feelings of satiation which can prevent overeating," said Rumsey. "Fiber also helps stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing spikes that contribute to hunger."

A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food looked at 91 obese patients who took either grapefruit capsules, grapefruit juice, half of a fresh grapefruit or placebo capsules. All grapefruit-taking patients lost more weight than the placebo group, with those eating fresh grapefruit losing the most and those drinking grapefruit juice losing nearly as much. The grapefruit groups also saw improved insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

Cholesterol

"Grapefruit contains pectin, a fiber that is can reduce LDL cholesterol levels and decrease triglycerides," said Rumsey. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry looked at 57 hyperlipidemic patients after coronary bypass surgery and found that supplementing their diets with either white or red grapefruit every day for 30 days lowered LDL cholesterol levels. Eating red grapefruit lowered LDL cholesterol levels more, and also lowered triglycerides.

Skin, hair and wound healing

According to a study published in the British Journal of Community Nursing, vitamin C is essential throughout the wound-healing process, largely because it contributes toward collagen synthesis and development. Collagen is also essential for healthy skin and hair. Furthermore, vitamin A is known to promote healthy tissue growth, including in skin, and the high water content in cantaloupes helps keep skin moisturized and supple.

Eyesight

Vitamin A, of which grapefruit is a good source, is essential for good vision. Through a complicated process in the eye, vitamin A (also called retinol) triggers an electrical signal in the optic nerve, causing the perception of colors and vision in dim light, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Vitamin A (acquired through phytonutrient beta-carotene, also found in grapefruit) is associated with a reduced risk of macular degeneration.

Risks of eating grapefruit

Some drugs become more potent when combined with grapefruit juice. These drugs include the immunosuppressent cyclosporine (Restasis, Neoral, Sandimmune), calcium-channel blockers (Norvasc, Cardizem, Procardia and others), the antihistamine terfenadine (Seldane), the antiviral agent saquinavir (Invirase) and the hormone estradiol, according to World's Healthiest Foods.

People taking statins may want to avoid grapefruit. Grapefruit causes a higher amount of statins to enter the circulatory system than would normally. This causes a build up of statins that can be dangerous and lead to a rare, serious disease called rhabdomyolysis.

Individuals taking pharmaceutical drugs, particularly statins, should consult a doctor before eating grapefruit

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Gluten-Free Diets May Be Risky for Kids

Putting kids on gluten-free diets even if they don't have celiac disease or a wheat allergy may carry more risks than benefits, experts warned.

In recent years, gluten-free diets have become increasingly popular. A 2015 survey found that 25 percent of Americans said they consume some gluten-free foods, up from just 8 percent in 2013, according to the market research company Mintel Group.

However, celiac disease (CD), the immune condition that makes people sick if they eat gluten, is very rare. Less than 1 percent of people in the United States have celiac disease.

Some people who start a gluten-free diet may have misconceptions about gluten, or not be aware that the diet can come with risks, according to a new commentary paper in The Journal of Pediatrics.

"Out of concern for their children's health, parents sometimes place their children on a gluten-free diet in the belief that it relieves symptoms, can prevent CD or is a healthy alternative, without prior testing for CD or consultation with a dietitian," said Dr. Norelle R. Reilly, author of the commentary and a pediatric gastroenterologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. [9 Snack Foods: Healthy or Not?]

But the perception that a gluten-free diet is healthy in and of itself is a myth. There's no scientific evidence that a gluten-free diet brings health benefits to people who don't have celiac disease, wheat allergy or nonceliac gluten sensitivity, the commentary said. (Nonceliac gluten sensitivity may affect up to 6 percent of people and involves gastrointestinal symptoms that are specifically induced by gluten.)

What's more, a gluten-free diet can come with risks, particularly if people follow the diet without speaking with a doctor or dietitian first, Reilly said.

Gluten-free packaged foods are often higher in fat and sugar than are products that contain gluten, and studies have found that some people become obese or overweight after starting a gluten-free diet, the commentary said.

In addition, many gluten-free foods are not fortified with vitamins and minerals, and so following a gluten-free diet may lead to nutritional deficiencies, Reilly said.

Some people may think that a gluten-free diet can prevent celiac disease in children, but studies haven't found a link between when children start eating gluten and their risk of celiac disease. "There is no evidence to support a [gluten-free diet] for asymptomatic children without CD, or for delaying gluten introduction to infants to prevent CD," the commentary said.

Gluten-free products also tend to be more expensive than products that contain gluten, and people who must follow a gluten-free diet sometimes report feeling socially isolated because of their diet, the commentary said.

"Parents should be counseled as to the possible financial, social and nutritional consequences of unnecessary implementation of a gluten-free diet" in children, Reilly said

 

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Autism: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatments

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects a person's ability to communicate, interact and behave appropriately with others in social situations. Approximately 1 in 68 children in the United States has autism, and the condition is about five times more common in boys than in girls, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Autism is characterized by impairments in social skills, communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior such as hand flapping and an insistence on sameness. Many children also have unusual sensory responses, and may shy away from bright lights or may not notice if their clothes are rough and twisted.

Earlier versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the American Psychiatric Association's guide for diagnosis, listed autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and childhood disintegrative disorder as separate diagnoses. In the latest edition of the DSM, however, experts combined these conditions into one group called autism spectrum disorder because they all appear to be varying degrees of the same disorder, the association reported.

Despite controversy around the subject, there is no evidence that links vaccination of a child with the development of autism, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Symptoms of autism

No two people with autism are alike, but many parents notice signs of the disorder when their child does not meet certain developmental milestones, typically between 18 months and 3 years of age. For instance, the child may have problems with eye contact, responding to his or her name or engaging in imaginative play. 

Caregivers may also notice that their child does not appear to enjoy engaging and interacting with others, said Mayada Elsabbagh, an assistant professor in psychiatry at McGill University in Quebec, Canada.

However, mild forms of the disorder may not become apparent until the child is older, and some people are not diagnosed until adulthood.

"They may not be detectible until the child starts reaching school age and starts having specific types of challenges that highlight some of the social and communication problems that they have," Elsabbagh told Live Science.

Diagnosis of autism

The diagnostic process is different for every person with autism. In some cases, pediatricians may use an autism screen, often a short yes-or-no survey that looks for signs of autism, to see whether a child may be at risk for the disorder. If the child screens positive, the family may receive a referral to a specialist for a diagnostic evaluation. 

When diagnosing autism, specialists rely on both direct observational information and parent report data about the child's behavior, said Elsabbagh, who encouraged parents to keep a detailed developmental records of their children's growth.

"For older children, some clinicians will seek input from the child's school, peers — how they interact in the settings outside their home," she said. "What they're trying to do is compile and put together these different sources of information and integrate them to figure out if this a child with autism or, alternatively, does this child have a general developmental delay that is not specific to autism?"

A thorough team of clinicians may also diagnose additional disorders that often accompany autism, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disability, epilepsy and depression, she added.

People with certain genetic disorders, such as fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex and Angelman syndrome, also tend to have autism, experts say.

Treatment of autism

There is no cure for autism spectrum disorders. However, there are behavioral and educational therapies that may help reduce symptoms. And early diagnosis is key to connecting children with autism to treatment, Elsabbagh said.

One of the most frequently used therapies, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), for instance, uses rewards to encourage people with autism to increase useful behavior and decrease impairing actions. Parent-mediated interventions are also an effective therapy that teaches the caregivers how to help their children in a natural environment, such as the home.

For instance, children with autism saw improvements in language and behavior after enrolling in the Early Start Denver Model, a two-year intervention that uses ABA and other therapies in a classroom setting, reported a 2010 study in Pediatrics.

"In reality, behavioral approaches are best because we know that changing the environment around the child and interacting with the child in different ways does change biological processes [in the brain]," Elsabbagh said. "It does have an impact on shaping brain development in a way that would be supportive and helpful for their independence."

Medications do not treat the core symptoms of autism, such as problems with communication, but can reduce symptoms such as irritability. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two drugs for autism — risperidone and aripiprazole — which treat aggression, irritability and mood swings.

However, the long-term effects of these medications are unknown, and often children with autism take multiple drugs to treat other problems such as hyperactivity or depression, experts find. About 65 percent of children with autism have a prescription for a psychotropic medication, a drug that can cross the blood-brain barrier, a 2013 study in the journal Pediatrics reported. Furthermore, 35 percent of the children in the study received prescriptions for two types of these drugs, and 15 percent had three or more prescriptions, the study found.

"Drug therapies are by no means a substitute for the behavioral approaches," Elsabbagh said. "They tend to be viewed as a complementary approach that overall fits within the child's treatment plan, but are a not a child's substitute for what therapies can do."

What's more, the market is inundated with alternative treatments and diets that are not clinically proven to help people with autism. "Sometimes the parents think these are substitutes and they choose not to put their children in behavioral treatments," Elsabbagh said. "And that takes away every chance the child could have to have a more validated option."

Adults with autism

Most autism research focuses on children, but more researchers are beginning to examine how the disorder affects the lives of adults. Relative to the general population, fewer adults with autism enroll in higher education, find a job or transition to independent living, research shows.

About one-third of young adults with autism attend college within eight years of leaving high school, said Anne Roux, senior research coordinator at the Life Course Outcomes research program at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Her team used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, a nationwide database that surveys students in special education programs.

About half of those with autism found a paying job within the first eight years outside of high school, she said. In comparison, 98 percent of typical people and 91 percent of people with disabilities in general find paying work in that time frame.

"The autism number is quite a bit lower than that, and that's the concern," Roux said. "You can see that they struggle a lot early on." About half are not connected either to school or to work within two years of leaving high school.

Furthermore, about 80 percent of young adults with autism continue to live with their parents after high school, which is more than the general population and adults with disabilities in general, Roux said.

Researchers plan to study how school and community programs can prepare students and young adults with autism with life skills that will help them gain independence as they age, she said

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7 Weird Things People Have Swallowed

It's probably not a good idea to swallow anything that isn't food or medicine. Yet doctors have seen cases of people who've swallowed all sorts of weird objects, from household items to tech gadgets. Here's a rundown of seven strange things people have swallowed

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