What does and doesn't get lots of press never ceases to amaze me.  This one did get some mild press for a day or so, but was quickly replaced by the info on vaccine shortages and where to get your vaccinations.  Huh?  Okay, let me get this straight--a large review of the data shows vaccinations for the elderly do not save lives, but run out and get yours.  Remember last year's fear?  Several elderly persons actually DIED standing in line for an intervention that was not going to have an impact on their own mortality.  How ironic.  By the time next year's "flu season" roles around, you can be the fear mongering and pressure to get vaccinated will be back full strength.  How quickly we forget!

 

 

Any regular readers of the Updates know my position on neurodegenerative disorders, and the research continues to support this position.  I do, however, wonder how long it really will be before clinicians in neurology begin to pick up on the concept that mitochondrial dysfunction THE reason for seizures, PD, AD, ALS and the like.  I'm putting my money on 30 years...

 

 

Following up on the previous article, the base problem with using a mitochondrial dysfunction/oxidative stress model is that we have not yet identified a good, solid, commercially available marker.  This article helps in that regards in suggesting that 8-OHDG, a marker of oxidative damage to DNA, may be a viable option.  Interestingly and, not surprisingly, the treatment of choice for Parkinson's, l-dopa, did not affect 8-OHDG levels.

 

 

Don't you just love this?  An instant contribution to our dilemma!!  While the jury is still out, we are starting to gather evidence as to what are good markers of oxidative stress.  This study did support the use of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker--which is wonderful because there is already a very easy urine at-home test available that is also very inexpensive.  Stay tuned as more research comes out.

 

 

***The long and creative arm of the drug industry ***

Just thought I'd throw this one in.  Sometimes we become so oblivious to advertising around us that we don't even notice how ubiquitous it is...

 

 

I just recently ran bloodwork on a patient that drinks red wine on a consistent basis and she has a beautiful triglyceride/HDL ratio.  My gut feeling is that the red wine she drinks is a factor in her lowered insulin resistance.  The amount consumed daily in this study was 360 ml, which is about a have bottle of wine per day.

 

 

That's just great.  The person who is most likely to respond to this class of drugs is the one who has the most stomach upset from the drug.  At some point don't we have to decide that exercise, diet and targeted nutritional supplementation are just a little easier and less fatal?

 

 

We really can't let information like this get out.  That would totally ruin the drug company's hopes for the next blockbuster drug when they finally figure out how to lower CRP pharmaceutically.  Of course, the fact that managing insulin resistance, exercise and fish oils bring down CRP levels has not stopped them.  But, mark my words--the second it is confirmed that a drug lowers CRP levels (there are currently several trials of the potential for statins to lower CRP), there will be advertisements all over telling patients to have their CRP levels checked...  We saw the same push with irritable bowel syndrome once the new anti-motility drugs were released.

 

 

After a class I taught recently, I had a patient come up and ask me about coumidin's interaction with other natural compounds (specifically, I believe, fish oils).  She was on coumidin for atrial arrhythmia which, quite frankly, is not a bad idea if nothing else is attempted.  However, with rising evidence of fish oils and now flavonoids being able to reduce arrhythmias, the permanent use of blood thinning agents may need to be re-evaluated.  Especially in the light that patients on blood thinners have to avoid most green leafy veggies which have unquestionable major benefits on long term health.