Drug Updates

New Recommendations for Low Dose Aspirn (webmd)

June 2, 2010 — Women under 60 and men under 50 who have diabetes but no other major risk factors for heart disease probably should not be on low-dose aspirin therapy, new research suggests.

The new recommendations are based on close examination of nine studies that found the risks of some aspirin side effects, such as stomach bleeding, should be better balanced against the possible benefits of using aspirin.

The new guidelines suggest low-dose aspirin therapy be used by men over 50 and women over 60 with diabetes who have other risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force still recommends low-dose aspirin for prevention of heart attacks and stroke in men aged 45 to 79 and women aged 55 to 79.

The new guidelines have been endorsed by a panel of experts from the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, and the American College of Cardiology Foundation.

“The larger theme here is that use of low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks in people who have not already experienced one is probably not as efficacious as we used to believe it was,” Craig Williams, PharmD, an associate professor in the College of Pharmacy at Oregon State University, says in a news release.

Williams, one of those on the recent review panel, says doctors need to balance the benefits of any medication against possible side effects, and that even low-dose baby aspirin has some degree of risk, even though it is very low.

OTC Allergy Medications and Sleeping Pills Could Hurt Your Brain (PhysOrg.com)

“Simply put, we have confirmed that anticholinergics, something as seemingly benign as a medication for inability to get a good night’s sleep or for motion sickness, can cause or worsen cognitive impairment, specifically long-term mild cognitive impairment which involves gradual memory loss. As a geriatrician I tell my Wishard Healthy Aging Brain Center patients not to take these drugs and I encourage all older adults to talk with their physicians about each and every one of the medications they take,” said Malaz Boustani, M.D., IU School of Medicine associate professor of medicine, Regenstrief Institute investigator and IU Center for Aging Research center scientist.

Vitamin D Trumps Bisphosphonates for Bone Health (Better Bones)

Keep in mind this was a smaller sample size, though other studies with larger samples show up to 50% reduction in fractures with the right dosage of Vitamin D. 🙂 This link also provides basic information on how to reduce fracture risk and build strong bones.

FDA Warns of Meningitis in Seizure Drug (Medscape)

The decision to revise the lamotrigine label is based on FDA’s review of adverse event reports submitted between December 1994, when it was first approved, and November 2009. A total of 40 cases of aseptic meningitis were identified in both pediatric and adult patients taking the drug. During this same period, it is estimated more than 46 million prescriptions were dispensed.

Among the 40 cases, headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, nuchal rigidity, rash, photophobia, and myalgias were noted, the FDA notes. Symptoms occurred 1 to 42 days after starting the drug, with a mean of 16 days. There was 1 reported death, although the death was not thought to be the result of aseptic meningitis. Thirty-five of the 40 patients required hospitalization.

In most cases, symptoms resolved after lamotrigine was withdrawn. However, 15 patients reported a rapid return of symptoms after reinitiation of use of the drug; symptoms recurred within 30 minutes to 24 hours after reinitiation, with a mean of 5 hours. “In these re-challenge cases, symptoms were frequently more severe after re-exposure,” the statement notes.

Nutrigenomics

Longevity Genes Trump Disease Genes (Webmd)

“We often think, ‘Who would want to live to 100?'” Perls said. “But these people do not have Alzheimer’s. In fact, 90% are disability free at an average age of 93. They compress their diseases to the very end of their lives. And super centenarians compress disease to even later in life.”

That does not appear to be luck. Centenarians are just as likely as anyone else to have genetic risks for diseases of aging such as dementia, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. But their exceptional-longevity genes seem to cancel out disease risks.

“The enrichment and presence of these longevity-associated genetic variants could trump or cancel the effect of some of these disease-associated variants,” Perls said.

Nutraceuticals and prevention of atherosclerosis: focus on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and Mediterranean diet polyphenols. (Accessed on Chiroaccess Newsletter July 29th)
Cardiovasc Ther. 2010 Aug;28(4):e13-9.

Abstract:
Nutraceuticals are potentially healthful foods that play a role in maintaining human well being, enhancing health and preventing, or even treating, specific diseases. More than for any other diseases, cardiovascular diseases occur in association with risk factors that are amenable to prevention or treatment by nutraceutical interventions. Several ingredients marketed for use in dietary supplements address such risk factors. The ability of nutraceuticals to favorably influence cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerotic vascular disease should be recognized as an enormous opportunity for the prevention or treatment of this common condition. In this review, we attempt at summarizing some of the recent research findings on omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant polyphenols that have beneficial cardiovascular effects to update the practicing clinicians on the potential benefits of nutraceuticals in this area.

The effects of Italian Mediterranean organic diet (IMOD) on health status.
Curr Pharm Des. 2010;16(7):814-24. (accessed on Chiroaccess July 29th)

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the effects of Italian Mediterranean Diet (IMD), consisting of organic versus conventional foods, on body composition, and biochemical parameters in a healthy individuals and in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients, in order to decrease cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factor and the progression of renal diseases.

DESIGN: After providing a written fully informed consent to the study, 150 Caucasian Italian men were recruited: 100 healthy male individuals (mean age 44,66+/-13,98 years; range 30-65 years) and 50 male CKD patients (mean age 46,25+/-5,97 years; range 42-54 years). These patients were affected by stage 2 and 3 of Chronic Renal Failure according to the K-DOQI 2003. Usual dietary intake and physical activity, during the previous 12 months were estimated by a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. The following were measured at baseline and after consumption of conventional/organic 14 days IMD: Body mass index (BMI), Body composition, by Dual-X absorptiometry (DXA) scanner, total plasma homocysteine (tHcy), serum phosphorus, glycemia concentrations, lipid profile, and microalbuminuria.

Results: A significant reduction of total homocysteine (tHcy) and phosphorus blood values were observed in the studied subjects. Body composition analysis by DXA highlighted high significant differences between conventional (T(0)) and organic diet (T(1)) for fat mass parameter, expressed as kilograms and as percentage (p<0.001). Improvement of lean body mass was observed in CDK patients (p=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS: Our study clearly demonstrates that the Italian Mediterranean Organic Diet (IMOD), according to the “Nicotera diet”, was able to reduce tHcy, phosphorus, microalbuminuria levels and CVD risk in healthy individuals and in CDK patients.

Do you want Pepper with that? (Vitalchoice)

Research from Daegu University suggests that capsaicin beneficially alters the “expression” of more than 20 key proteins that build, break down, or burn body fat.
 
Specifically, rats in the capsaicin group displayed changes in gene expression that caused key enzymes involved (GPDH and MDH) in producing body fat to be significantly “down-regulated”, while helpful enzymes (NQO1) were “up-regulated”.
 
The capsaicin also dramatically lowered levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha): a pro-inflammatory “cell-signaling” protein that’s commonly over-expressed in fat cells, with many negative health consequences.

 

Health Topics

5 Mind-Blowing Benefits of Exercise (US News and Reports)

Besides decreasing the effects of stress and making you look younger, exercise lifts mood by stimulating neurotransmitters, improves self-esteem, aids in faster learning, and leaves you feeling euphoric. The cheapest, most beneficial “drug” on the market.

Also, NYT reported that

Further, a new study by researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago have revealed impressive insights into why exercise is so good for your brain. In short, it appears that exercise lowers the activity of bone-morphogenetic protein or BMP, which slows the production of new brain cells.

At the same time, exercise increases Noggin, a brain protein that acts as a BMP antagonist.

According to NYTimes.com:

“The more Noggin in your brain, the less BMP activity exists and the more stem cell divisions and neurogenesis [production of new brain cells] you experience.”

You Gonna Eat That?? (Dr. Mercola)

“McNuggets served in the U.S. also contain tertiary butylhydroquinone, a petroleum-based product, and dimethylpolysiloxane, an anti-foaming agent used in cosmetics and other goods.

McDonald’s Holdings Co. Japan also serves chicken with the additives”.

Top 10 Reasons To Label Genetically Modified Foods (Huffington Post)-slideshow

Reversing Brain Trauma? (Dr. Amen)

Our study found that the retired NFL brain seemed to have its own pattern. Damage typically affected the following areas:

  • The prefrontal cortex (called the executive part of the brain that controls judgment, impulse control, attention span, organization and planning)
  • The temporal lobes (mood stability and memory)
  • The cerebellum (coordination and thought coordination)

The players tended to score poorly on the neuropsychological tests we gave them, except for reaction time and spatial processing. Forty-eight percent of our players had problems with obesity and nearly 30 percent suffered with or had been treated for depression. The incidence of memory problems and dementia were many times the rate in the general population.

As we were doing our study, a new study came out from the University of Pittsburgh that reported as a person’s weight went up the actual physical size of their brain goes down. Holy smokes!

We put our players on a brain healthy program that included a weight-loss group, regular exercise (surprisingly many of these former elite athletes had become couch potatoes), mental exercises and nutritional supplements that support brain health, such as fish oil, and a proprietary formula including ginkgo biloba, huperzine A, phosphatidyl serine and vinpocetine, among others.

The follow-up results have been nothing short of amazing. We have found that recovery and improvement in cognitive function is indeed possible. This is the most exciting part of our study.

Weight on the Hips, Bad for Brains (webmed)

July 14, 2010 — Older women who are obese are more likely to experience memory problems, especially if their excess weight is located around their hips, a new study shows.

And researchers say the location of the fat seems to be important — that it’s worse for memory if it’s around the hips than if it’s located around women’s waists.

Avoiding Skin Ouches in the Summer (webmd slideshow)

Tips on what to do with stingrays, jellyfish, brown reclise, black widows, poision ivy, and more

Meditation Boosts Focus (webmd)

“People may think meditation is something that makes you feel good and going on a meditation retreat is like going on vacation and you get to be at peace with yourself,” MacLean says in a news release. “That’s what people think until they try it. Then you realize how challenging it is to just sit and observe something without being distracted.”

The tasks the volunteers performed lasted 30 minutes and were very demanding, according to MacLean, who worked on the study as a graduate student at the University of California, Davis.

“Because the task is so boring and yet is also very neutral, it’s kind of a perfect index of meditation training,” says MacLean, now of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

The study is published in the July 2010 issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Children Exposted to Environmental Toxins Costs Thousands in Health Care Cost (OCA)

Lansing — Michigan could save billions annually by protecting children from exposure to environmental hazards, according to a study released today.

The report released by an Ann Arbor-based coalition of health and environmental groups examined direct and indirect costs of four childhood diseases linked to environmental toxicants: lead poisoning, asthma, pediatric cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders.

The study found treating those disorders costs Michigan an average of $5.85 billion each year. If all diseases with an environmental link were included, the number would be higher.

The report was released by the Michigan Network for Children’s Environmental Health, a coalition of health and environmental organizations, and the Ecology Center, a nonprofit environmental organization. This is the first-ever study of the cost of environmentally related pediatric diseases for Michigan, according to the Ann Arbor-based groups.

Dr. D’Adamo Gives Allergy Advice

Here are a few tips to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergens:

  •  
    • Install a high quality air filter to trap pollens and dust.
    • Try a neti-pot to clear pollen from the nasal passageways
    • Shower before bedtime to remove pollen that can cling to hair and trigger an attack
    • Minimize your outdoor time from 5am to 10 am when pollens are most active and on windy days. If you must garden or mow the lawn; wear a mask to reduce inhalation of pollens.

Beyond avoiding the substances your immune system is overreacting to, you can also support your body’s natural ability to balance the immune system and promote normal immune reaction with diet and supplementation. For example, you can eat the “highly beneficial” foods recommended by the Blood Type Diet!

Linking ADHD with SAD Diet (Vital Choice)

  • American-style diets are linked to higher risk of ADHD in teens.

    Results show an association that remains to be proven, but one that fits with basic brain research.

  • Lower risk seen in teens who ate healthier, whole-foods-oriented diets featuring veggies, fruits, whole grains, and fish.

Is it REALLY Gluten Free? (Reuter’s)

Thompson and her colleagues analyzed 22 naturally gluten-free grains, seeds, and flours off supermarket shelves, only looking at products that weren’t specifically advertised as being gluten-free. They tested the amount of gluten in those products against a proposed Food and Drug Administration limit for any product labeled gluten-free, 20 parts contaminant per million parts product.
Seven of the 22 products wouldn’t pass the FDA’s gluten-free test – and one product, a type of soy flour, had a gluten content of almost 3,000 parts per million, the authors found.

Brain Health and Fish Oil Summary Research (Vitalchoice)

Fish oil helps in some studies with depressive and anxiety comorbidity, may help with schizoprenia and relate to effects in different regions of the brain

We Study Dis-Ease of the Brain, but What About Health? (Dr. Northrup)

When it comes to prevention, there’s a lot you can do to protect your brain and promote a healthy mind. I suggest you refer to the chapter on brain health in The Wisdom of Menopause for in-depth recommendations. For now, here are some points to consider:

  • Diet and exercise. Regular exercise and getting enough omega-3 fats in the diet are important factors. So is getting enough antioxidants. Those who eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day are far less likely to suffer from strokes. The key is to keep the endothelial lining of all blood vessels in good working order. And the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables help do this. 
  • The role of the human will and neuroplasticity. We know from the famous Nun’s Study that mental acuity throughout a woman’s life is, in part, dependent upon how she thinks. The famous Nun’s Study correlated “idea density” measured years before, with decreased risk of Alzheimer’s in later years. We know that the brain is capable of adding new cells and new pathways throughout life if it is challenged. So it’s crucial that women be encouraged to become life-long learners and keep growing and changing. 
  • Get professional help to work through painful experiences. We have some anecdotal evidence that the tangles and pathology of a brain with Alzheimer’s disease tends to “attack” the area of the brain associated with memories that are painful. It’s almost as though the body “protects” its owner by causing them to forget. 
  • The value of keeping one’s ovaries/or having hormonal support for the brain. Most women do not know that having their ovaries removed before the age of 45 is associated with a five-fold increase in neurologic and mental disorders as they age. This is from a twenty-year study done at the Mayo Clinic. They also have an increased risk of developing Parkinsonism, cognitive impairment, and dementia, as well as an increase in depressive and anxiety symptoms later in life.2

Ultrasounds Could be Used to Prevent Unnecessary Breast Biopsies (Science Dialy)

“By performing high-quality breast ultrasound, we can reduce the number of expensive and avoidable invasive diagnostic procedures in young women,” said senior author Constance D. Lehman, M.D., Ph.D., professor and vice chair of radiology at the University of Washington and director of imaging at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. “We don’t want to be overly aggressive with this population.”

 The Good News About High Cholesterol (Dr. Mercola)

Good summary regarding the biochemistry of cholesterol and why under 200 for cholesterol doesn’t make sense physiology.

Low Cholesterol Linked to Depression (ScienceDirect)

DEP is associated with higher atherogenic risk in women (low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), whereas the reverse is observed in men (low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Late-life depression may have a complex gender-specific etiology involving genetic vulnerability in men.     

Translation: Low LDL in men was related to more incidences of depression in men and low HDL in women.

Cholesterol Flucuations in Women (webmd)

Cholesterol is highest at the beginning of menses and decreases after ovulation. This makes sense as estrogen and progesterone are formed by cholesterol. Translation: for women, your cholesterol could vary by 20% depending on where you are in your cycle. YOu might want to mention this to your doctor when they start to wonder if hormones affect cholesterol.

What’s the Deal with Soy? (Dr. Mark Hyman)

Does soy cause or cure breast cancer? Should we avoid all soy? Is fermented better than other types of soy? Read Dr. Hyman’s blog to find out!

Nationwide Egg Recall (Webmd)

The following brands are reported to contain Salmonella!

The brand names included in the expanded recall include Albertsons, Farm Fresh, James Farms, Glenview, Mountain Dairy, Ralphs, Boomsma, Lund, Kemps,  and Pacific Coast. Stamped on the end of the recalled egg cartons are Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1720 and 1942. Recalled eggs are in six, dozen, and 18-egg cartons, as well as loose eggs for institutional use and repackaging.

The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223.  Recalled eggs may be returned to the store for a full refund.