Research digest.....

I wanted to get a post up to point to a couple of pieces of research that I have seen in the last week, about which I've not had time to write:

1. A study which might indicate that garlic is helpful in treating exercise induced muscle damage: Effects of allicin supplementation on plasma markers of exercise-induced muscle damage, IL-6 and antioxidant capacity.
2. Yet another complication associated with statin use! This time it a French study confirmed previous anecdotal reports that statins seem to trigger tendinitis or even an Achilles rupture. The study is reported here and here. Statins are full of potential side effects which are swept under the carpet by physicians desperate - for some reason - to reduce cholesterol. Once again I'd encourage you to read some of the cholesterol sceptics (e.g. this essay) and think for yourself about whether or not cholesterol deserves to be so demonised!