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October 1, 2003 Research Update |
James Bogash, D.C. Mesa, AZ
info@lifecarechiro.com
www.lifecarechiro.com
The dendritic cell: its role in intestinal inflammation & relationship with gut bacteria
Frequent readers of the Updates will not be surprised at this information. However, the idea that the gut controls inflammation (usually too much such as in autoimmune conditions) has never taken hold in clinician's offices. The use of probiotics, very simple, cheap and safe, is still limited to recommendations to eat yogurt after antibiotic use. We need to understand the the balance of the bacteria in the gut can have a huge impact on our overall health, and take this in context with every decision to pull out the script pad and write for antibiotics.
Gut -- Abstracts: Stagg et al. 52 (10): 1522
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Prevalence of Diabetes and Impaired Fasting Glucose in Adults
I hate to keep calling this the "pink elephant in the corner," but there's no other way to describe this phenomena. We have a metabolic condition that wreaks havoc on just about every organ system and is very amenable to lifestyle changes, and yet most clinicians, their patients and the general public are total unaware that the Metabolic Syndrome even exists. I can't even begin to come up with an explanation.
Prevalence of Diabetes and Impaired Fasting Glucose in Adults --- United States, 1999--2000
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Long-Term Persistence of Resistant Enterococcus Species after Antibiotics To Eradicate H pylori
Frequent readers of Updates will know that I believe that H pylori, the bacteria that "causes" ulcers is merely an opportunistic bug--growing only because the environment for its growth is ideal. But, with reckless abandon, we have taken to destroying this little bug with a vengence using triple regimines of antibotics. Now we are seeing some of the long term side effects of this approach. The growth of antibiotic resistant superbugs that can cause their own set of problems. Interestingly, H pylori growth has been shown to be slowed or reversed with probiotic supplementation--an approach that would seem contrary to current accepted approaches.
Ann Intern Med -- Abstracts: Sjölund et al. 139 (6): 483
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A crucial role for thiol antioxidants in estrogen-deficiency bone loss
Osteoporosis is, in reality, a disease of lifestyle. Somewhere along the line we managed to convince the masses that it was all about calcium, and that milk was the answer. Well, it ain't so easy (not to mention the fact that the countries with the highest intakes of dairy have the highest incidence of osteoporosis...). Here we see that heavy duty antioxidants such as glutathione plays a role in protecting bone, and that supplementation (albeit in a rat..) with NAC or vitamin C help regenerate glutathione and protect bone.
JCI -- Abstracts: Lean et al. 112 (6): 915
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St John's Wort on Drug Metabolism by Induction of Cytochrome P450
Wow!! What great news!! A natural product that speeds up hepatic detoxification!! Unfortunately, the medical community does not view this with the same enthusiasm. Remember that pharmaceutical drugs are considered toxins by the body and the liver moves quickly to help eliminate them from the body. St John's Wort helps this process along. However, by speeding up this process the levels of other drugs may be reduced in the bloodstream, reducing their efficacy. Nothing to be alarmed about--just something to be aware of. Incidentally, the article fails to mention that every other antidepressant on the market has similiar effects on hepatic detoxification....
JAMA -- Abstracts: Markowitz et al. 290 (11): 1500
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Affective style & in vivo immune response: Neurobehavioral mechanisms
Here we have another article that links mind and body. We already know that the mind and body have major impacts on one another. In this study, the researchers find that patients with a more negative impact on life have a reduced immune response. All the more reason to view each day with happiness and fun--it actually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
PNAS -- Abstracts: Rosenkranz et al. 100 (19): 11148
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Interaction of a selective COX-2 inhibitor w/ aspirin and NO-releasing aspirin in the human gastric mucosa
The dominoes of the newest wonder-drug for arthritis pain continue to fall. They don't mention on those fairy-tale like commercials that combining the new drugs such as Celebrex and Vioxx with aspirin will accelerate damage to the lining of the GI tract. This is a major concern since many patients self-medicate with aspirin in an attempt to lower risk of heart attacks.
PNAS -- Abstracts: Fiorucci et al. 100 (19): 10937
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Prediabetes in obese youth
I hate sounding like a broken record, but this review article stresses severe insulin resistance as a major player in the deterioration of our youth's health. While genetics plays a small role, I place this blame squarely on the shoulders of parents. Much like an overweight dog, there really is no one else to blame. The programming of a child's genes begins in the womb, is accentuated by nursing choices (with breast feeding being number one choice) and further worsened by blatant disregard for processed sugars in the diets of our kids. The schools do not help by trading spots in the hallways for pop machines and the "added funding" from the big companies, but these patterns are established long before the child begins school. We need to educate parents on healthy food choices.
The Journal : Back Issues
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Depression in Association With Severe Obesity
I have yet to have a new patient come into my office who was told to use lifestyle changes to address their depression. All were offerred antidepressants with very few cases given recommendations for counseling. If clinicians could begin to suggest lifestyle changes, folic acid/B12 and exercise instead of jumping to the prescription pad we might see better management of depression. Ironically, one of the more commone side effects of some of the newer, fancier antidepressants is weight gain--further perputating the cycle. Does this not sound strange to you???
Arch Intern Med -- Abstracts: Dixon et al. 163 (17): 2058
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The Metabolic Syndrome
Just so you don't think I am overreacting to this "insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome" thingee I thought I would throw in yet ANOTHER article on how devastating this condition is to human health. Keep in mind that these 3 articles were all from vastly different medical journals. I say again, "There is absolutely, totally, unmistakably, NO reason for clinicians not to be evaluating for and addressing insulin resistance in every patient that walks through their door." There is no other single intervention that could have as great of an impact from a societal level on human disease than this.
Circulation -- Wilson and Grundy 108 (12): 1422
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C-Reactive Protein
This is a nice review of CRP from a cardiology journal. CRP is a marker of inflammation that has only recently been given the attention is deserves. I have found in my office that exercise and avoiding refined carbs are powerful ways to lower CRP levels. Most of the research now with CRP is focusing on current and new drugs' abilities to lower CRP. News flash--who needs drugs when lifestyle changes have already been proven to work??
Circulation -- Ridker 108 (12): 81e
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