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September 26, 2002 Research Update |
James Bogash, D.C. Mesa, AZ
info@lifecarechiro.com
www.lifecarechiro.com
Inhibition of amyloid aggregation by Ginkgo biloba extract
Once again we have a beautiful example of how natural medicine, clinical applications and research work. Most of the clinicians are debating whether ginko is effective for maintaining healthy brain function and terrified to use it, while the researchers have moved beyond the "if" and moved into the "how."
PNAS -- Abstracts: Luo et al. 99 (19): 12197
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Functional polymorphism in promoter of progesterone receptor gene associated with endometrial cancer risk
Hate to beat up on today's clinicians, but here we go again...the research is loaded with relationships between single gene nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and disease risk and tests to determine many of these SNPs are readily available, cheap and easy to do. And yet, I would guess that it will be well over 40 years (the magic number for clinicians to recognize and use the literature) before these tests are accepted by mainstream medicine. The wonderful thing about SNPs is that many of them identify unique requirements for nutrients, natural compounds and lifestyle changes that can reduce risk.
PNAS -- Abstracts: De Vivo et al. 99 (19): 12263
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Enzyme Might Relieve Research Headache
Just thought I'd throw this tidbit in for entertainment's sake...and for those of you that think that mainstream medicine has a handle on things and fully understands the whys and hows of interventions that it uses regularly. Here we see that we may finally understand how Tylenol works (huh?? Tylenol?? That stuff that 90% of the population takes like candy???) and it identifies a new variant of an enzyme we have all become familiar with since widely publicized release of Vioxx and Celebrex--cyclooxygenase (COX).
Science -- Wickelgren 297 (5589): 1976a
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CRP binds both oxidized LDL, apoptotic cells through common ligand
CRP is now widely accepted as an independent risk factor for heart disease (at least it is by those of us that don't rely on the drug companies as a sole source of continuing medical information....), but whether it was a marker or played a direct role was unknown. This article begins to identify CRP as playing a direct role. I have seen interventions such as exercise and avoidance of refined carbs lower CRP levels dramatically.
Chang et al., 10.1073/pnas.192399699
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Promotion of cosmetic botulinum toxin A frowned upon
This is an issue that has me just a little on the nervous side. I have seen numerous ads for salons offerring Botox treatments. Salons, mind you. Keep in mind that botulinum toxin is one of the most potent toxins on the planet, and one thimblefull is plenty to wipe out the entire planet. Can't see myself jumping in line to have the stuff injected just centimeters from my brain by someone who also cuts hair and does nails....(which, ironically, I wouldn't trust to most PCPs...)
The Journal : Current Issue
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Systematic review of long term effects to reduce dietary salt in adults
Okay...I'm a little confused here. This is a review article done in one of the major medical journals and the authors find that intensive salt restriction has little effect on blood pressure. Easy to understand. However, in the next breath they give the recommendation that "reduced sodium intake may help people on antihypertensive drugs to stop their medication while maintaining good blood pressure control." Huh?? Is anyone else confused? No wonder we can't figure out whether this intervention is effective or not!!
bmj.com Abstracts: Hooper et al. 325 (7365): 628
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HRT and Associated Risk of Stroke in Postmenopausal Women
Sorry...just felt the need to beat a dead bush (too much of an animal lover to beat a dead dog...). Still wondering why this stuff is even available, let alone prescribed...
Hormone Replacement Therapy and Associated Risk of Stroke in Postmenopausal Women
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Insulin resistance and risk for stroke
I'm sure that none of you who regularly read Updates had your eyes bulge wide on this one, this article does bother me a little. First, it is in a neurological journal, which is fine--all specialist should become familar with the effect of increased insulin resistance because it truly cuts across all organ systems. However, I have a serious beef with the conclusion of this article that suggests that new drugs can be used to affect insulin resistance. Well, we know from several well designed studies that insulin sensitivity can be dramatically impacted through lifestyle changes (exercise, avoidance of refined grains for whole grains and intake of lots of fresh fruits and veggies). This article, which may be some neurologist's first exposure to this concept, neglects to mention one of the most powerful tools to treat insulin resistance.
Neurology -- Abstracts: Kernan et al. 59 (6): 809
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Effect of low doses of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and folic acid on plasma homocysteine in healthy subjects with or without the 677CT polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase
Sorry about the long title...This study compares the use of folic acid to 5-methyl THF, the active form of folic acid (after being converted by MTHFR). Both showed similar effects at lowering homocysteine. However, the interesting effect here is that, in patients with two sluggish copies of the enzyme MTHFR, 5-methyl THF showed continued lowering of homocysteine 6 month after cessation of supplementation. This suggests that 5-methyl THF supplementation somehow changed the phenotypic expression related to folic acid metabolism.
Synergy Abstract
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Arthritis Puzzle: Two Pieces Snap Into Place
This article may be a little technical for some, and the clinical relevance of it is still a long way off, but this article may trigger a fundamental change in the way we view immune responses. I personally have always considered antigens (substances that elicit an immune response by the body) as proteins. This article challenges that assumption, and suggests that the immune system can also recognize carbohydrates as antigens. As I said...this has no clinical relevance as of yet, but stay tuned.
Arthritis Puzzle: Two Pieces Snap Into Place
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