Health News Tidbits –
January 2005
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Drugs/Meds
Dietary Supplements
Food/Diet
Health Conditions
Therapies
Lifestyle
Public Health
Magnesium May Reverse Middle-Age Memory Loss -
According to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers say that as many as half of all Americans do not consume enough magnesium.
They discovered that magnesium helps regulate a key brain receptor important for learning and memory. Their work provides evidence that a magnesium
deficit may lead to decreased memory and learning ability. Neuron 12/2/2004
Vitamin D Protects Against Multiple Sclerosis -
A recent study of more than 29,000 patients concluded that a mother's exposure to sunlight during pregnancy may be a factor in whether her child
develops multiple sclerosis later in life. The study showed that babies born in Scotland in May have the highest risk of developing MS while children
born in November had the lowest risk. The researchers also state that that vitamin D supplementation should be routinely recommended during pregnancy. British Medical Journal, 12/7/2004
Melatonin Safe Short-Term -
After reviewing new evidence, government officials found that melatonin supplements, which people often take for problems sleeping, appear to be safe
when used over a period of days or weeks, at relatively high doses and in various formulations. However, the safety of long-term use is unknown. The Department of Health & Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 12/20/2004
Low Iron Levels May Contribute to ADHD -
While warning that iron supplementation should only be taken with the advice of a licensed health professional, researchers found from a small
study that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) seem to have iron deficiency. 42 (84%) of the 53 children with ADHD had
abnormal Ferritin levels compared with five of the 27 children without ADHD. Arch Ped & Adol Med, 12/2004
Kaprex May Reduce Minor Pain by 72% -
Based upon the findings of an 8- and 6-week placebo-controlled, double-blind trial sponsored by Metagenics, Inc., Kaprex showed a significant
decrease in pain threshold as opposed to the placebo. In addition, Kaprex had no adverse effect on blood pressure, kidney function, or
gastrointestinal function. MetaNews 12/9/2004
SAMe May Improve Treatment of Depression -
An NIH-sponsored study at Massachusetts General Hospital has found that adding the nutritional supplement SAMe to a standard antidepressant may be
helpful to patients who have not responded to single-drug treatment for clinical depression. While only a pilot study, the SAMe treatment improved
symptoms in half the study participants and produced complete relief in 43% of the participants.
J Clin Psychopharmacology 12/2004
Drugs/Meds -
Acid-Suppressive Drugs Increase Pneumonia Risk -
According to Dutch researchers who studied 364,000 people over seven years, medications for the treatment of acid reflux caused a
27% increase in pneumonia risk. It is believed that stomach acid, which destroys pneumonia bacteria, is suppressed by the medication, allowing the
bacteria to proliferate. JAMA 1/2005
FDA Investigates Prozac Documents -
The Food and Drug Administration has agreed to review confidential drug company documents that went missing during a product
liability lawsuit ten years ago. The documents obtained by the British Medical Journal and passed along to the FDA, include memos and reviews
indicating that Eli Lilly officials were aware in the 1980's that fluoxetine (Prozac) had troubling side effects, such as suicide attempts and
violence, and sought to minimize their likely negative effect on prescribing. British Medical Journal 1/2005
Bone Loss Seen With Depo-Provera Use -
University of Iowa researchers confirm that using the contraceptive Depo-Provera reduced hip bone density 2.8% in one year and 5.8%
after two years in 178 women. In contrast, 0.9% bone loss was seen in the 145 women comparison group. In mid-November, the FDA issued a black box
warning stating that bone density is lost and may not be regained, especially after using it for more than two years. Fertility
and Sterility 12/2004
Naproxen Tied to Cardiovascular and Cerebral Events -
Researchers have suspended the use of Naproxen (Aleve) in a large, government-funded Alzheimer's Disease Prevention trial because
of the apparent increase in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events among the participants taking Naproxen, when compared with those on placebo. National
Institutes of Health 12/21/2004
Journals Say Insist Drug Makers Make Research Public -
A dozen editors from prestigious journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and The Journal of the American
Medical Association announced that they will refuse to publish drug research sponsored by pharmaceutical companies unless the studies are registered
in a public database from the outset - a step to ferret out unpublished studies that find medications to be ineffective or dangerous. washingtonpost.com
12/21/2004
Celebrex Can Triple Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes -
One study of more than 2,000 people showed Celebrex (celecoxib) increased the risk of heart attack and stroke by between 2.5 and
3.4 times, depending on the dose. US National Cancer Institute; New England journal of Medicine 12/20/2004
Strattera Get New Safety Warning -
Drug maker Eli Lilly announced it was adding a safety warning to attention-deficit disorder drug Strattera after two patients
suffered from severe liver damage. The new label warns people with jaundice or laboratory evidence of liver injury to stop taking Strattera. fda.gov
12/17/2004
Weight-Loss Programs Questioned -
One recent study showed that most weight-loss programs work well, but only if they are followed for at least one year. Unfortunately, three out of
every four participants in the study dropped out before then. Another study concluded that no one knows which diet really works well and are a waste
of time, with the possible exception of Weight Watchers, which at least has some scientific research to back its approach.
JAMA 1/4/05, Annals of Internal Medicine 1/3/05
Fruit May Protect From Leukemia -
U.S. investigators have found that children who ate oranges and bananas most days of the week before age 2 were significantly less likely than other
children to be diagnosed with leukemia before age 14.
Am J Epidemiology 12/2004
Walnuts Protective for People With Type 2 Diabetes -
A new study by Australian researchers shows that for patients with type 2 diabetes, a whole foods diet including walnuts can reduce LDL
"bad" cholesterol by 10%. Diabetes Care 12/2004
Fruit, Veggies Lower Kid's Blood Pressure -
Preschoolers who ate the recommended four servings of fruits and vegetables each day had 7 points lower blood pressure at age 12 than those who ate
less than four servings daily. In general, children who ate more fruits and vegetables at younger ages tended to continue these healthy eating habits
in early adolescence. Epidemiology 1/2005
Acupuncture Helps Treat Knee Pain -
According to the longest and largest randomized, controlled phase III clinical trial ever conducted, acupuncture provides significant pain relief
and improved function for people with osteoarthritis. The study was sponsored by the government-funded National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine and The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Annals
of Internal Medicine, 12/21/2004
Acupuncture Reduces Insomnia and Anxiety? -
Researchers believe that using acupuncture to increase nocturnal melatonin secretion may reduce insomnia and anxiety. The conclusion deduced by
the authors was from a meta-analysis and will need further research. Journal Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences, 12/2004
Meditation is Mental Training -
According University Wisconsin researchers working with Tibetan Monks can not only prove scientifically that brain development is ongoing, a term
called "neuroplasticity," but that mental training through meditation can itself change the inner workings and circuitry of the brain.
Meditation has been shown to increase focus, memory, learning, mental activity, and awareness. Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences 11/2004
Three Drinks Daily Contributes to Stroke Risk -
Harvard Researchers purport that based on a 38,000 participant study, men that have one glass of red wine daily have a 46% lower risk of stroke
than non-drinkers. Alternatively, men who drink three or more glasses of red wine daily have a 45% greater risk of stroke than non-drinkers. Annals of Internal Medicine 1/2005
Thimerosal Neurotoxicity Associated With Glutathione Depletion -
Scientists say that cultured neuroblastoma cells that were lower in glutathione, a potent antioxidant, were more sensitive to thimerosal (ethyl mercury)
toxicity than in cells with higher glutathione levels. The scientists go on to say that the potential protective effect of glutathione or its
precursor, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), against mercury toxicity warrants further research as possible adjunct therapy to individuals still receiving
Thimerosal-containing vaccinations. Neurotoxicology 1/2005
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