July 25, 2002 Research Update

James Bogash, D.C. Mesa, AZ
info@lifecarechiropractic.com
www.lifecarechiropractic.com

Toning down BP: nonpharmaceutical device approved for OTC sale

An article for this device was featured on Heartwire and I thought it was very interesting. Overall, it sounds like a biofeedback-like device that lowers blood pressure. With clinical studies to back up the effectiveness, it seems prudent to add a device like this to a natural approach to hypertension.

Resperate - Study

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Trial of falls prevention among older people living in their own homes

I see alot of seniors in my office and I always strongly push exercise. For some patients with appearant balance problems, I push towards tai-chi classes and/or videos. This is a very safe and effective way to restore some balance to our senior population. Remember that falls in the elderly can be severe, leading to fractures, head trauma and hip replacements.

bmj.com Abstracts: Day et al. 325 (7356): 128

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Breast cancer and breastfeeding

While this is one of those articles that does not yield a very surprising result, I do need to comment on something interesting. I had heard on the radio in the background a story on breastfeeding lowering risk of breast cancer but did not pay much heed until I got home that evening and read this article in the Lancet. It's funny how quickly some information now makes it into the news and yet how some other research (like recent articles on lack of efficacy for HRT and study cancelled due to increased risks) may take years or even decades. I can't quite figure it out...some articles I read seem like incredible wonders to read and never make it to the mainstream medicine.

The Journal : Current Issue

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Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Once-Daily Niacin for Dyslipidemia

The dosages used in this study (1,000 and 1,500 mg) are very reasonable and low enough to avoid most side effects (most notable is flushing). Participants had elevations of HDL up to 25%, which is a large jump unmatched by most pharmaceuticals (most don't touch HDL levels).

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Cardiorespiratory Fitness and C-Reactive Protein

CRP is a marker of inflammation that has been shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. I have had success lowering CRP levels with avoidance of processed sugars, and now it seems that exercise can be added to the list of tools used to lower CRP levels.

Circulation -- Abstracts: LaMonte et al. 106 (4): 403

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Possible Pathogenic Link Between H pylori Infection and Atherosclerosis

I plan on going to my grave believing that H pylori is an opportunistic infection (if not normal flora...) and that the conditions associated with infection (gastric cancer, ulcers, heart disease) are really secondary effects of whatever physiological alterations allowed H pylori to thrive and not the bacteria themselves. Here we see an immunological cross reaction between proteins in H pylori and artery walls. Lest we jump to conclusions, recall that nutrients such as zinc are essential for proper development and maturation of the immune system. Is it possible that a zinc deficiency could lead to faulty maturation and thus cross reaction?

Circulation -- Abstracts: Franceschi et al. 106 (4): 430

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Collagen Synthesis in Cultured Fibroblasts w/ Varicose Veins

This experiment demonstrates that the synthesis of collagen, an essential building frame for the structure of almost all tissue in the human body, is dysregulated in patients with varicose veins. Horsechestnut and butcher's broom are two herbs that have been used for centuries to address varicose veins. These contain bioflavanoids that are known to stabilze vessel walls. Vit C is also important for collagen synthesis and may benefit varicose veins.

Circulation -- Abstracts: Sansilvestri-Morel et al. 106 (4): 479

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Sugar and Cardiovascular Disease

This is a wonderful review on this topic. Geez...even if it was an awful review, it's still a review!! The negative effects of sugar on health have been virtually ignored by the medical community and seeing this topic in a major cardiovascular journal is refreshing. Don't ever doubt the negative effects of sugar on human health. Any disease condition or program for disease prevention has to involve avoiding refined sugar intake.

Circulation -- Howard and Wylie-Rosett 106 (4): 523

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Medroxyprogesterone in Food Chain Raises Consternation in Europe

Medroxyprogesterone is used as HRT here in the US. However, in Europe it is showing up in the feed supply in certain areas of the Netherlands and Europe is extememly concerned. What I can't figure out is why, if this is supposedly safe for use as a hormone replacement, has Europe banned it use in lifestock and why are they so scared now that it's shown up in the food supply for animals? Vaguely reminiscent of "flouridation" in the US, huh???...

(article)

Jul 17 - France said on Wednesday it had imported hundreds of animals, up to 200 tonnes of feed and five tonnes of meat potentially tainted with a banned growth hormone which is at the centre of a food scare spreading across Europe. Contaminated feed and animals have turned up in most of the European Union's 15 nations since the hormone medroxyprogesterone-acetate (MPA) was discovered last month in foodstuffs at three farms in the Netherlands. The French farm ministry said 200 pigs from a suspect Dutch farm were imported to the Ain region of eastern France in July and 3.7 tonnes of ham made from them were then shipped to Italy. An additional five tonnes of suspect ham had been imported from Belgium to two companies in the Ain region and the western Ille-et-Vilaine region in Brittany, the ministry said, although it added there was no evidence the meat was tainted. "We have no proof that there has been a contamination in France, these are just products that are potentially tainted because they come from suspect farms," a spokesman said. MPA is banned in the European Union and in other countries as a growth hormone in livestock feed. It is, however, a component in some pharmaceuticals, such as hormone replacement therapies and contraceptives. The source of the contamination has been traced to waste water from an Irish pharmaceutical factory owned by U.S. drugmaker Wyeth, Irish officials said last week. The waste was shipped to a now-bankrupt Belgian reprocessing plant, Bioland, which in turn provided glucose syrup as raw materials to Belgian soft drink makers and Dutch feed producers. The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium have been hardest hit so far by the scare over MPA. In the Netherlands, the world's third biggest pork exporting nation, officials have found that 73 feed makers who had received tainted raw materials have delivered feed to around half of all pig producers, or around 7,000 farms. In Brussels, EU veterinary experts met on Tuesday to review the MPA contamination, a day after officials said 11 EU countries had been touched by the problem, and they stressed the need for joint action to protect public health.