***Sucrose activates human taste pathways differently from artificial sweetener***
As if there weren't enough reasons to avoid artificial sweeteners already. It still amazes me how well they have permeated our society, and, even more frightening, is how readily our children have taken to their use. It is obvious from a common sense standpoint that putting artificial sweeteners into everything has done nothing to curb our growing rates of diabetes and obesity, and one could strongly argue that they have, in fact, contributed to the increasing incidence. Altering gut flora, altering our appetite, blunting the thermogenic effect of eating... And now, we see that they affect an unconscious region of our brain that table sugar does not. Personally, I prefer to know what regions of my brain I'm stimulating when I eat..
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***A 22-year Prospective Study of Fish, n-3 Fatty Acid Intake, and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Men***
Not to rattle on incessantly about how much we can do about preventing cancer..but I just can't help it. In this solid, long term study, we find up to a 40% reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer in those men with the highest intake of omega-3 fatty fish such as salmon. Given that colorectal cancer is up there in the number of cases and deaths, this could result in a staggering reduction in the number of cases. Couple this with soluble fiber, health bacterial flora, optimal vitamin D intake and it's almost GONE. So why is this message just not making it out to the public? Why do we continue to promote the idea of finding and funding a cure when prevention is so darn clear cut in almost all cases? A side note--there is a clear difference between farm raised and wild caught fish. Salmon in the wild eat algae as a fuel source, which is loaded in DHA and carotenoids. Farmed raised in generally fed grain meal, has dyes added instead of natural carotenoids, is high is pesticides and contributes to the perpetuation of parasites that destroy wild salmon. Still want to order the farmed raised?
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***Low Serum Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Predict Fatal Cancer in Patients Referred to Coronary Angiography***
You almost have to laugh at the direness of studies like this. Here is patient A with heart disease going in for a cardiac procedure that really isn't going to change their long term risk of needing an open heart surgery and not having the lifestyle factors addressed that contributed to the heart disease. But they will be put on statins for "prevention." So, this alone is enough to ruin your day. Then, to know that, in those with the lowest serum levels of 25-OH Vitamin D, there was a much greater risk of dying from cancer. Just don't let the life insurance underwriters get a hold of this study...
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***Reversal of Cardiac Hypertrophy and Fibrosis From Pressure Overload by Tetrahydrobiopterin. Efficacy of Recoupling Nitric Oxide Synthase as a Therapeutic Strategy ***
Personally, I think that "tetrahydrobiopterin" is a wonderful word to use in daily conversion and will not only score big points in Scrabble, but will make you appear much smarter. Boiling it down to a physiologic level, BH4 is a cofactor that is involved in some very important processes, including the production of neurotransmitters involved in mood and energy, as well as the activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Remember that NOS is an enzyme that produces, nitric oxide, and that nitric oxide helps to relax blood vessels and make blood vessels happier. So this study finds that the use of BH4 has a positive effect on the function of the heart muscles. Another important thing to consider is that, for proper formation of BH4 to occur, the body has to be able to methylate properly--which requires adequate levels of folic acid, B12 and B6 and is highly effected by genetic uniquenesses...
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***Early Dietary Intervention with a Mixture of Prebiotic Oligosaccharides Reduces the Incidence of Allergic Manifestations and Infections during the First Two Years of Life***
It should come as no surprise that I continue to be amazed at the complete lack of reverence in the pediatric practice for normal bacterial flora. And we could even go as far as to include to OBs as well, since mom needs a healthy flora during delivery and nursing. The amount of research suggesting that these bacteria are absolutely essential for normal immune system development is staggering, and the near ubitquitous inappropriate use of antibiotics without follow up with probiotics is inexcusable. Any physician charged with the care of their patients health has an absolute responsibility to stay current with the medical literature. This is not happening in medicine, with particular blame on the pediatricians. Now that my rant is over, I'd like to point out that this is yet another study linking healthy bacterial flora (the oligosacchardides used in this study are given to support the growth of healthy bacterial flora) and protection against both infections and allergies.
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***Early decrease of oxidative stress by atorvastatin in hypercholesterolaemic patients: effect on circulating vitamin E***
Homage to the use of statins for preventing heart disease continues. But research suggests that their protective effect (as questionable as that is) comes not from their ability to lower cholesterol, but likely from some type of antioxidant or anti-inflammatory effect. This study finds that the use of statins increases circulating levels of Vit E, hinting that statins may have some type of antioxidant effects. However, this can be looked at another way. What if the use of statins increases Vit E levels, and this increase in Vit E levels is one of the ways that the risk of heart disease is lowered? Wouldn't that be a hoot? The pharmaceutical companies would hate to have their $100 / month drug replaced with $10 of Vit E...
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***A Meta-Analysis of 94,492 Patients With Hypertension Treated With Beta Blockers to Determine the Risk of New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus ***
I remain astonished at the results of this study. Beta blockers are given to patients with high blood pressure to presumably lower their risk of both cardiovascular disease and stroke. However, given the concern that this class of drugs may actually increase progression to diabetes (which would dramatically increase the risk of heart disease and stroke), this study looked more deeply into the question. What did they find in evaluating studies combining 95,000 patients?? A 22% INCREASED risk of diabetes!! Ok, so they get diabetes, but what about protecting against stroke? How well did that work? A 15% increased risk of stroke. Then, for the icing on the cake, the authors found no change in risk for heart attacks or death. And for this our insurance reimburses the cost??? The bottom line is that, any time we try to artificially mutate a value (like blood pressure) with drugs, there will be a price to be paid. As the wizened turtle in Kung Fu Panda say, "one is likely to meet their destiny on the road they take to avoid it." Lifestyle is the ONLY answer.
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***The Relationship Between Repeated Epidural Steroid Injections and Subsequent Opioid Use and Lumbar Surgery***
While the results of this study may have surprised the authors, as a practicing chiropractor I can tell you that it comes as no surprise. The authors evaluated within the VA system whether the use of epidural injections would reduce the use of opioid pain medication use and lumbar surgery. Well..they actually increased the frequency of patients being on medication and increased the likelihood that they would need surgery. This coincides with other research that epidurals do not have evidence of long term improvement. As a chiropractor, I would look at two potential pathways. First, the culture surrounding the use of ESIs is one of outside intervention and fosters an attitude of helplessness in the patient--that the answer will come from outside help, not inside recovery. This attitude would lead to further interventions. Secondly, it is entirely possible that the sanctity of the spinal canal is intruded in this procedure, leading to some degree of localized inflammatory response and fibrotic healing, further confounding the initial presenting complaint. The bottom line is that every possible conservative, non-invasive method should be tried first and the quick jump to interventions like ESIs will likely lead to a worse outcome.
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***Enhancement of in vitro interleukin-2 production in normal subjects following a single spinal manipulative treatment***
While we do not always mention it in our office, it is clear the spinal manipulation has effects that we have only begun to quantify that spread beyond the realm of helping patients achieve pain relief. This particular study, while by no means enough to hang one's hat on, finds that spinal manipulation has a stimulatory effect on an aspect of the immune system that is generated from T-cells.
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***Steam cooking significantly improves in vitro bile acid binding of collard greens, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, green bell pepper, and cabbage***
This is an interesting study that look at how steam cooking effects the ability of certain foods to bind to bile acids. Remember that bile acids are produced by the liver from cholesterol and stored in the gallbladder until needed. When our body needs to make more bile acids, we use cholesterol from the liver, essentially lowering it's potential circulation in the serum. So, not only would the binding to bile acids remove this cholesterol from circulation, but these bile acids, if left alone in the GI tract, are irritating to the lining of the GI tract and can increase the risk of certain GI cancers (that's one of those little gems they NEVER seem to tell patients who have their gallbladders removed...). So, these vegetables, when steamed, actually had a greater ability to bind the bile acids and have the dual effect on circulating cholesterol as well as protecting the GI tract.
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James Bogash, DC and Amy Strock, DC
1830 S. Alma School Rd, Bldg 7, Ste 135, Mesa, AZ 85210
(Alma School Road, just south of the Superstition Freeway/Highway 60)
Chiropractic Health Care Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert & Tempe, Arizona
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