Health News Tidbits - December
Cancer Center Supports Calcium D-Glucarate -
The AMC Cancer Research Center, based in Denver, has announced its support of
Calcium D-Glucarate as a detoxifying agent that may prevent cancer. Calcium D-Glucarate is
a patented form of glucaric acid. For more information, visit http://www.amc.org.
Compliments of Health Supplement Retailer, December 2000
Two Studies Show Benefits of Folic Acid -
Folic Acid, best known for prevention of neural tube defects in fetuses, may also
assist in lowering homocysteine levels and improving arterial flow in patients with
cardiovascular disease, according to a recent study published in the Journal of American
College of Cardiology. In addition, "The Nun Study," published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, claims that folic acid intake may prevent
Alzeheimer's disease in women by reducing atrophy of the cerebral cortex.
Americans Uneasy About 'Designer' Kids -
According to a Harris Poll of 1,015 Americans reveals that although most feel it is OK for
parents to choose to have a child who can "give cells" to a sick sibling, they
largely oppose allowing parents to choose to have an attractive or gifted child. Most also
feel parents should not choose whether to have a boy or girl.
Dangers of Iron Supplements -
According to Leo Galland M.D., Director for the foundation of Integrated Medicine, no one
should ever take iron supplements unless iron deficiency is present, with the possible
exception of pregnant women. High dosages of iron supplements increase susceptibility to
bacterial infection, interfere with mineral absorption such as zinc, and has been
implicated by some scientists as a cause of cancer and heart disease. Because the body has
a limited capacity for iron absorption, it does not make sense to ingest more than 20 mg.
of elemental iron at a time.
Teens Are Using Ritalin to Get High -
According to a survey of 6,000 public schools in Massachusetts in the last school year,
nearly 13% of high school students said they use Ritalin without a prescription at some
time in their lives. Among middle school students in the seventh and eighth grade,
slightly more than 4% admitted to non prescription medical use. With over 2 million
Americans on prescribed Ritalin, critics say that the impetus to use Ritalin
recreationally is on the rise. Ritalin, used primarily for calming people with Attention
Deficit Disorder, has a stimulating effect on people who do not have ADD. Teens are said
to regard Ritalin as a substitute for their first drugs of choice, marijuana or ecstasy. Compliments
of the Boston Globe
Soybean Extract Found Protective in Alcoholic Liver Disease -
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study at the VA Medical Center and Mount
Sinai School of Medicine, PPC (polyenylphosphatidlycholine), an extract from soybeans, was
found to halt, or perhaps even reverse progression of liver fibrosis. Out of eighteen
alcoholic patients, five of the nine on the placebo showed fribrotic progression on liver
biopsies two years later. The nine who received PPC showed no progression or slight
improvement. Compliments of Reuters
Study Links Pesticides, Parkinson's -
In a new study published in Nature Neuroscience, research using rats suggests that
long-term exposure to a widely used pesticide, rotenone, kills brain cells and triggers
debilitating physical symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. The study does not
prove that rotenone causes Parkinson's in humans. Most people would be exposed to
rotenone, widely used as an agricultural pesticide and to kill unwanted fish in
reservoirs, by ingesting residue in food or by handling the compound.
Compliments of the Associated Press
Celiac Disease on the Rise -
According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, Celiac Disease, also known as
Celiac Spruce or Gluten Intolerance, is much more common in the U.S. than previously
thought and may be linked to a long list symptoms experienced by people with digestive
problems and unexplained health problems. Celiac is a genetic disease that especially runs
in families of Northwestern European descent. Experts suspect that prevalence in the U.S.
is likely to be 1 in every 300 Americans. If you suspect that you may have Celiac, see
your health professional about a blood antibody screening. If confirmed, see a licensed
nutrition specialist for an individualized gluten-free diet.
Breathe Well with Broccoli -
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli appear to benefit lung health, according to a study
in the August 2000 issue of Lancet. Chemicals found in these vegetables, known as
isothiocyanates, contributed to a 36% less chance of developing lung cancer in men who
were supplemented than those who did not have isothiocyanates in their bodies.
Neurodevelopment Disorders - Are Fatty Acids the Missing link -
According to Dr. A.J. Richardson of the Laboratory of Physiology at Oxford University,
neurodevelopmental disorders such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, and autism are
biologically rooted in dietary imbalance or metabolic dsyfunction. Dr. Richardson points
to mounting clinical evidence suggesting "that fatty acid abnormalities are probably
implicated to at least some extent in these conditions. Gene-environment interactions are
clearly crucial at every stage, and phospholipid metabolism is also at the interface of
these, depending heavily as it does on the dietary intake of fatty acids."
Chronic Immune Reactivity May Damage Intestine -
Many children with autism have chronic digestive problems. A new study in the American
Journal of Gastroenterology lends a strong support to this possible gut-brain link.
Researchers found that autistic children had much greater evidence of intestinal lesions
than non-autistic children. Over 90% showed clinical evidence of chronic enterocolitis, a
sixfold greater rate than found in non-autistic children.
Alternative to Colonoscopy -
If early reports pan out, there may be a less invasive alternative to a
colonoscopy. A simple stool test that analyzes DNA has so far accurately detected 91% of
tumors and 73% of tiny precancerous polyps. It may be two or more years before the test
becomes available.
One in Five Americans Depressed -
A BASF survey involving almost 2,000 adults in six major US Cities found that 12%
of those interviewed met the criteria for clinical depression. The highest rates were aged
18-24 (19%), the unemployed (18%), members of unmarried couples (17%). Compliments
of Reuters
Breast-feeding Low Among U.S. Moms -
Some 64% of American women breast-feed during their infant's first weeks to month
of life. But only 29% of all moms, and 19% of black mothers, breast-feed until their
babies are 6 months old - a crucial time period, says the report Surgeon General David
Satcher.
Popular Bowel Drug Banned -
Lotronox, a presciption treatment for women suffering irritable bowel syndrome,
is being pulled off the market after just nine months. Eight confirmed deaths, and over 70
cases of severe intestinal side effects, including ischemic colitis and constipation so
severe that that some patients needed parts of their intestines surgically removed, caused
the FDA to act swiftly. It becomes the seventh banned drug the FDA has had to deal with in
21/2 years.
FDA Warns of Over-the-Counter Drug -
The FDA has warned American not to use over-the counter cold remedies and
appetite suppressants containing PPA (phenylpropanolamine). Consumers may
call 800-245-1040 for information. FDA determined the ingredient could be blamed for 200
to 500 strokes just in people under 50. Doctor's first warning sign about PPA came in the
1980s.
Ephedra May Be Deadly -
Ephedra, an herbal stimulant used by millions of Americans for bodybuilding and
weight loss, can cause heart attacks, stroke, seizures and death in otherwise healthy
young people. At least 54 deaths and about 1,000 reports of complications have been linked
to ephedra, otherwise known as Ma Huang, since the 1990s. New England Journal
of Medicine
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