Polyphenols

'Prevention' discussed polyphenols and foods that contain them. In a short piece entitled 'Tart Heart Savers'1 a University of Wisconsin-Madison study was referenced which tested the effects of cranberries on pigs. Pigs were suitable animals to study because their circulatory system is similar to humans. These particular pigs were fed a diet that caused them to develop constricted arteries.

After six months of feeding these pigs cranberries it was noted that the blood vessels of the pigs became like those of healthy pigs who had not been bred to develop the arterial condition. The benefits of cranberries and polyphenols are well known. In addition to cranberries polyphenols can be obtained from a diet that includes black or green teas, chocolate, strawberries and pomegranates.


Reference:

1. 'Tart Heart Savers'; Prevention; November 2005 issue; Page 76

Dioxins: Separating Myth from Reality

An article from Johns Hopkins entitled 'Researcher Dispels Myth of Dioxins and Plastic Water Bottles' cites the expert views of Rolf Halden, PhD, PE on the subject of dioxins about which misinformation has been circulated. In the article Dr. Halden points out that traces of dioxins are found in all parts of the earth, as well as to some degree in our bodies, even if we have a good diet. The following italicized parts are likely of greatest interest to most readers.



OC&PA: What do you make of this recent email warning that claims dioxins can be released by freezing water in plastic bottles?

RH: No. This is an urban legend. There are no dioxins in plastics. In addition, freezing actually works against the release of chemicals. Chemicals do not diffuse as readily in cold temperatures, which would limit chemical release if there were dioxins in plastic, and we don’t think there are.

OC&PA: So it’s okay for people to drink out of plastic water bottles?

RH: First, people should be more concerned about the quality of the water they are drinking rather than the container it’s coming from. Many people do not feel comfortable drinking tap water, so they buy bottled water instead. The truth is that city water is much more highly regulated and monitored for quality. Bottled water is not. It can legally contain many things we would not tolerate in municipal drinking water.


OC&PA: Is there anything else you want to add?

RH: Don’t be afraid of drinking water. It is very important to drink adequate amounts of water and, by the way that’s in addition to all the coffee, beer and other diuretics we love to consume. Unless you are drinking really bad water, you are more likely to suffer from the adverse effects of dehydration than from the minuscule amounts of chemical contaminants present in your water supply. Relatively speaking, the risk from exposure to microbial contaminants is much greater than that from chemicals.

Phytoestrogens

Most of us are familiar with nutritional compounds like carbohydrates, proteins and a variety of vitamins as well as the value of eating nutrient rich vegetables and fruits. Few of us are familiar with phytoestrogens even though they too can yield health benefits and are found in plants consumed by us. More detailed information about phytoestrogens can be found at wikipedia and this website.

A Biocompare article entitled 'Higher Consumption Of Some Soy Products, Grains And Vegetables Linked To Reduced Risk Of Lung Cancer' reveals that increased phytoestrogen consumption could reduce the risk of getting lung cancer. Part of the article, which explains both the compound phytoestrogen and its possible benefits, follows.


"Phytoestrogens are plant-derived nonsteroidal compounds found in soy products, grains, carrots, spinach, broccoli, and other fruits and vegetables, according to background information in the article. They have weak estrogen-like activity. The three main classes of phytoestrogens are isoflavones, lignans, and cumestrans. A fourth group of plant-derived steroidal compounds believed to have estrogenic properties are the phytosterols. Phytoestrogens have been shown to have a protective effect against some solid tumors, but there has been little epidemiologic research focused on dietary intake of phytoestrogens and lung cancer risk.

"Our main findings were that patients with lung cancer tended to consume lower amounts of phytoestrogens than controls, that there were sex-specific differences both in intake and in protective effects, and that the apparent benefits were evident in both never and current smokers but less so in former smokers," the authors report.

Reduction in lung cancer risk tended to increase with increasing phytoestrogen intake. "The highest quartiles of total phytosterols, isoflavones, lignans, and phytoestrogens were each
associated with reductions in risk of lung cancer ranging from 21 percent for phytosterols to 46 percent for total phytoestrogens from food sources only," the authors write."

Do Sports Drinks Enhance Performance?

Sports drinks are a common site at practices and sporting events. But how beneficial are they? An article entitled 'Protein-added Sports Drinks Don't Boost Performance During Exercise, Study Finds' provides answers. Researchers at McCaster University concluded that proteins in sports drinks do not enhance performance. That is not to say that other ingredients in the drinks are without value. Carbohydrates, sodium and of course water, when consumed during prolonged exercise, do have beneficial effects. The following italicized paragraphs from the linked article detail the points made.


Martin Gibala, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, has found that adding protein supplements to sports drinks has no effect on performance despite industry pressure to create new products touting supplements that improve physical performance. (Photo Credit: McMaster University)

"Sports drinks improve performance during prolonged exercise because of two key ingredients: carbohydrate, which provides fuel for working muscles, and sodium, which helps to maintain fluid balance," says Martin Gibala, an associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster. "Research also supports the practice of consuming protein after exercise to promote muscle recovery. However, the alleged benefit of consuming protein during exercise is controversial."

The study, which is published in the August edition of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that adding protein to a carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drink did not improve cycling time trial performance compared to the sports drink alone.

Although the study was funded by Gatorade the results of the study could come as a dissapointment for both consumers and manufacturers of drinks containing protein additives. More from the article:

"Eating a little protein after exercise is important to help repair damaged muscles and promote training adaptations," says Gibala, "but no compelling evidence suggests that endurance athletes need protein during exercise."

Protein is of course an essential nutrient and therefore beneficial but according to the study the immediate benefit is not greater athletic performance.

Children and Fast Foods

There is an article online in 'The Scotsman' about changes in foods consumed by children of western nations in general and the UK and Scotland in particular. Lindsay Moss authored the article entitled 'Children doomed to obesity by 'toxic, addictive' fast-food.' Criticism of fast foods has been commonplace but this article added an interesting twist which focused on the addictive nature of such foods and its connection to the increasing obesity problem of children.

A Professor Lustig was the source of specific information contained in the article. From the article in bold print:


Prof Lustig said that the way in which food was now processed, which had changed significantly in the last 30 years, had created an environment in which foods were essentially addictive due to their effect on the hormone insulin. "In particular, fructose [sugar] - too much - and fibre - not enough - appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin," he said. Prof Lustig said it was known that insulin acted on the brain to encourage eating in two ways. Insulin blocks the signals that travel from the body's fat stores to the brain by suppressing the effectiveness of another hormone, leptin - leading to increased eating and decreased activity. The hormone also promotes the signal that seeks the reward of eating, carried by the chemical dopamine which makes people want to eat to get the pleasurable dopamine "rush". When leptin is suppressed by the effects of insulin caused by high-sugar, low-fibre diets, it decreases levels of activity and increases appetite - known as leptin resistance.

Prof Lustig said that sugar was now added to foods that never used to contained sugar, and meanwhile fibre was removed. Both were factors which promoted insulin production and made foods addictive, he said.

He said children could not be blamed or expected to take personal responsibility for their diets when they were offered cheaply prepared fast-foods full of sugar and devoid of fibre. "The concept of personal responsibility is not tenable. No child chooses to be obese. "Furthermore, young children are not responsible for food choices at home or at school, and it can hardly be said that pre-school children, in whom obesity is rampant, are in a position to accept personal responsibility," Prof Lustig said.

In other words take responsibility as a parent and limit the amount of fast food in the diet of your children. The combination of low fiber and high sugar content is not good for them; particularly on a steady basis.

Is there DEA in your Shampoo?

An article entitled 'UNC study shows ingredient commonly found in shampoos may inhibit brain development' indicates that a substance known as diethanolamine (DEA), which is found in some shampoos and other personal care products, caused abnormal brain development in infant mice. From the italicized article:


CHAPEL HILL - An ingredient found in many shampoos and other personal care products appears to interfere with normal brain development in baby mice when applied to the skin of pregnant mice, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have discovered.When Diethanolamine (DEA) was applied to the skin of pregnant mice, the fetuses showed inhibited cell growth and increased cell death in an area of the brain responsible for memory - the hippocampus. Previous research on DEA has focused on its potential as a carcinogen. The current study is the first exploration of the compound's affect on brain development.The finding needs further study and should not cause undue alarm, said Dr. Steven Zeisel, Kenan Distinguished University Professor of nutrition in UNC's schools of public health and medicine and associate dean for research in the School of Public Health. "I don't believe any woman who's been using these products needs to have a sleepless night about having caused harm to her child," Zeisel said."At this point it is a caution," he added. "But it would probably be prudent to look at labels and try to limit exposure until we know more."The study is featured as the cover story in the August issue of the FASEB journal, published by The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. In addition to Zeisel, other authors of the study are UNC nutrition research analyst Corneliu N. Craciunescu and postdoctoral research associate Dr. Renan Wu.DEA appears to block the body's ability to absorb the nutrient choline, which Zeisel has previously reported is essential for normal development of the brain. A pregnant woman requires extra choline so that she can pass the nutrient on to the fetus. "You need choline to build a baby," Zeisel said.More than 100,000 tons of DEA are sold in the United States each year. It is used as a wetting or thickening agent in not only shampoos but also such products as hand soaps, hairsprays and sunscreens. Other names for the compound include Lauramide diethanolamine, Coco Diethanolamide, coconut oil amide of diethanolamine, Lauramide DEA, Lauric diethanolamide, Lauroyl diethanolamide, and Lauryl diethanolamide.A list of some products that contain DEA can be found at

http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm.

The dose of DEA a person might get from shampooing is at least 10 times lower than the dose found to interfere with brain development in the study, Zeisel said. Whether the amounts most people absorb from personal care products would cause harm remains unclear. Zeisel and colleagues are now doing further work to find out the lowest dose that causes an effect in mice, a process that could take about a year, he said.The researchers also are exploring DEA's effect on other areas of the brain and are testing the effects of other compounds used in personal care products.At very high doses, DEA treatment resulted in spontaneous miscarriages. "We saw smaller and smaller litters as we gave higher doses. No one has ever noted that before," Zeisel said. "This agent not only affects brain development, but at higher doses probably affects some other development in a way that is fatal to the fetus," he said. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Look Out for the Compound 1,4 DCB

An article entitled 'Chemical in Many Air Fresheners May Reduce Lung Function' reveals that a chemical compound known as dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB) may cause lung function impairment.
Find the air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs and other deodorizing products you use at home and if they contain 1,4 DCB then substitute another product for it. Taking the time to read the components of the products is worth the health of your family. Part of the article is highlighted below.

New research shows that a chemical compound found in many air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs and other deodorizing products, may be harmful to the lungs. Human population studies at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health, found that exposure to a volatile organic compound (VOC), called 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB) may cause modest reductions in lung function.

“Even a small reduction in lung function may indicate some harm to the lungs,” said NIEHS researcher Stephanie London, M.D., lead investigator on the study. “The best way to protect yourself, especially children who may have asthma or other respiratory illnesses, is to reduce the use of products and materials that contain these compounds.”

The researchers examined the relationship between blood concentrations of 11 common volatile organic compounds and lung function measures in a representative sample of 953 adults. VOCs are a diverse set of compounds emitted as gases from thousands of commonly used products, including tobacco smoke, pesticides, paints, and cleaning products. VOCs are also released through automotive exhaust. The researchers found that of the common VOCs analyzed, which included benzene, styrene, toluene, and acetone, only the compound 1,4 DCB was associated with reduced pulmonary function and this effect was seen even after careful adjustment for smoking, The researchers found that 96 percent of the population samples had detectable 1,4 DCB blood concentration levels. African Americans had the highest exposure levels and non-Hispanic whites the lowest.

This particular VOC, 1,4 DCB, is a white solid compound with a distinctive aroma, similar to mothballs. It is typically used primarily as a space deodorant in products such as room deodorizers, urinal and toilet bowl blocks, and as an insecticide fumigant for moth control.

Some Information from 'Advance'

I was browsing an October 9, 2000 issue of 'Advance' recently. Although the issue is dated there were two articles with information still very much relevant. The periodical is published for professionals in the field of radiology.

One article entitled 'Here's Looking at You, PET' by Joyce Ward explored how certain addictive substances affect the brain. PET is an acronym for positron emission tomography. One point in the article focused on a comparison between the effects of alcohol and benzodiazepines. Here is an interesting quote:

"Although both alcohol and benzodiazepines have addictive qualities, benzodiazepines have mainly a sedative effect, while alcohol has both sedative and stimulant effects.

"People often think of alcohol as having a depressant effect, but alcohol has a dual effect," said Dr. Wang. "In a low dose, it has a stimulant effect. People feel a little high and may be laughing and singing. We call it a euphoric high. Later they may feel sleepy and sedated."


Dr. Wang's point about alcohol being thought of as a depressant is on target. It also has a stimulant effect as one can readily observe wherever drinks are served. The article went on to reference effects of alcohol on the brain. The effects can be quite alarming.


A second article entitled 'To Stave off Bowel Cancer, Have an Olive Oil and Tomato Salad' refers to research involving 28 countries which was published in the 'Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.' The results indicated that olive oil was effective in preventing bowel cancer because apparently it reduces bile acid and also increases the levels of an enzyme known as diamine oxidase (DAO). The function of this enzyme involves regulating bowel cells. The article also noted the antioxidant properties of the tomato which also can contribute to the inhibition of cancer.

Breast Cancer and Genetic Damage

In a Biocompare news article entitled

'Links Between DNA Damage And Breast Cancer Studied'

researchers explored the relationship between genetic damage and breast cancer. The article is highlighted by italics.

Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Researchers from the Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have uncovered a pattern of DNA damage in connective tissues in the human breast that could shed light on the early stages of breast cancer and possibly serve as an early warning of a heightened risk of cancer.

In the United States, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Breast cancer detection and therapy generally target epithelial cells, the primary locus of breast cancers, but in recent years evidence has accumulated that genetic mutations that develop into cancer may occur initially in a deeper layer of breast tissue, called the stroma. Genetic changes in this connective tissue that supports the breast's network of glands and ducts have been reported to precede the malignant conversion of tumor cells, but the actual role of stromal cells in the early stages of breast cancer initiation and progression is not well understood.


Genetic mutations have been linked to breast cancer as well as other forms of cancer. Mutated genes include a variety of types. This study focuses on mutations that may occur in a layer of breast tissue known as the stroma.


In two recent papers*, the PNRI/NIST team explored the occurrence of damage to stromal DNA caused by free radicals and other oxidants. NIST researchers used a high-precision chemical analysis technique (liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with isotope dilution) to identify specific DNA lesions, while the PNRI team used a spectroscopic technique (Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy) to reveal subtle conformational changes to DNA base and backbone structures. Such alterations to the molecular structure can change or disrupt gene expression.

The team identified a unique oxidation-induced lesion in the DNA of breast epithelium, myoepithelium and stroma and found that the highest concentrations of this lesion tended to occur in women in the 33- to 46-years age group, a bracket that corresponds to a known rise in the incidence of breast cancer. In a second paper, the team studied age-related concentrations of two similar mutagenic DNA lesions and again demonstrated that their occurrence is roughly commensurate with the age at which the incidence of female breast cancer rises. "Collectively," they observe, "the findings reveal that the structural changes in DNA described may potentially disrupt normal reciprocal interactions between the cell types, thus increasing breast cancer risk." The findings suggest that lesions measured in the DNA of the stroma, which is readily obtained, may prove to be convenient and sensitive biomarkers for assessing oxidative DNA damage and for signaling an increased breast cancer risk.


The cause of DNA damage is attributed to "free radicals and other oxidants." The effect is disruption of normal cellular interactions. The value of the findings lies in the possibility of utilizing stroma DNA lesions as risk indicators for breast cancer.

A Tamoxifen Study

An article appeared in 'Women's Health Weekly' as of July 26th, 2006- 'Breast Cancer Tamoxifen-treated breast cancer may influence progression of atypical endometrial lesions '. NewsRx reported that the related study took place in Italy.

G. Garuti, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lodi Hospital, via Savoia no 1, 26900-Lodi, Italy; E-mail: giancarlo.garuti@tiscali.it was mentioned as a contact source for further information.

Medicinal Benefits of Honey

Sometimes humanity forgets old friends in the process of making new ones. We witness this at times in the field of medicine where tried and true remedies are abandoned for more high tech alternatives. An article entitled 'Honey Helps Problem Wounds' follows. It appears in italics. My comments are in standard form.


A household remedy millennia old is being reinstated: honey helps the treatment of some wounds better than the most modern antibiotics. For several years now medical experts from the University of Bonn have been clocking up largely positive experience with what is known as medihoney. Even chronic wounds infected with multi-resistant bacteria often healed within a few weeks. In conjunction with colleagues from Düsseldorf, Homburg and Berlin they now want to test the experience gained in a large-scale study, as objective data on the curative properties of honey are thin on the ground. The fact that honey can help wounds to heal is something that was known to the Ancient Egyptians several thousand years ago. And in the last two world wars poultices with honey were used to assist the healing process in soldiers' wounds. However, the rise of the new antibiotics replaced this household remedy. "In hospitals today we are faced with germs which are resistant to almost all the current anti-biotics," Dr. Arne Simon explains. "As a result, the medical use of honey is becoming attractive again for the treatment of wounds."

Dr. Simon works on the cancer ward of the Bonn University Children's Clinic. As far as the treatment of wounds is concerned, his young patients form part of a high-risk group: the medication used to treat cancer known as cytostatics not only slows down the reproduction of malignant cells, but also impairs the healing process of wounds. "Normally a skin injury heals in a week, with our children it often takes a month or more," he says. Moreover, children with leukaemia have a weakened immune system. If a germ enters their bloodstream via a wound, the result may be a fatal case of blood poisoning.

For several years now Bonn paediatricians have been pioneering the use in Germany of medihoney in treating wounds. Medihoney bears the CE seal for medical products; its quality is regularly tested. The success is astonishing: "Dead tissue is rejected faster, and the wounds heals more rapidly," Kai Sofka, wound specialist at the University Children's Clinic, emphasises. "What is more, changing dressings is less painful, since the poultices are easier to remove without damaging the newly formed layers of skin." Some wounds often smell unpleasant -- an enormous strain on the patient. Yet honey helps here too by reducing the smell. "Even wounds which consistently refused to heal for years can, in our experience, be brought under control with medihoney -- and this frequently happens within a few weeks," Kai Sofka says.

In the meantime two dozen hospitals in Germany are using honey in their treatment of wounds. Despite all the success there have hitherto been very few reliable clinical studies of its effectiveness. In conjunction with colleagues from Düsseldorf, Homburg and Berlin, the Bonn medical staff now want to remedy this. With the Woundpecker Data Bank, which they have developed themselves, they will be recording and evalu-ating over 100 courses of disease over the next few months. The next step planned is comparative studies with other therapeutic methods such as the very expensive cationic silver dressings. "These too are an effective anti-bacterial method," says Dr. Arne Simon. "However, it is not yet clear whether the silver released from some dressings may lead to side-effects among children."

Effective bacteria killer
It has already been proved that medihoney even puts paid to multi-resistant germs such as MRSA. In this respect medihoney is neck and neck in the race to beat the antibiotic mupirocin, currently the local MRSA antibiotic of choice. This is shown by a study recently published by researchers in Australia. In one point medihoney was even superior to its rival: the bacteria did not develop any resistance to the natural product during the course of treatment.

It is also known today why honey has an antiseptic effect: when producing honey, bees add an enzyme called glucose-oxidase. This enzyme ensures that small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, an effective antiseptic, are constantly being formed from the sugar in the honey. The advantage over the hydrogen peroxide from the chemist's is that small concentrations are sufficient to kill the germs, as it is constantly being produced. As a rule much larger quantities of hydrogen peroxide would have to be used, as hydrogen peroxide loses its potency over time. However, in large concentrations it not only damages the bacteria, but also the skin cells.

Furthermore, medihoney consists of two different types of honey: one which forms a comparatively large amount of hydrogen peroxide, and another known as "lepto-spermum honey". Leptospermum is a species of tree which occurs in New Zealand and Australia. Honey from these trees has a particularly strong anti-bacterial effect, even in a 10% dilution. "It is not yet known exactly why this is," Dr. Arne Simon says. "Probably it is a mix of phenol-type substances which come from the plant and make life particularly difficult for the bacteria in the wound."


Good news. An inexpensive and readily available remedy. After reading the article a member of my family applied honey to a wound that was taking a long time to heal and was rewarded with the hoped for results.

It Helps Get You Through the Night

The benefits of naps are well known. Thomas Edison relied on them and apparently doctors and interns do too or at least they should acording to a study described in an article entitled 'Small Naps A Big Help For Young Docs On Long Shifts.'

A part of the cited article appears in italics. My comments are in standard form.


The first study to assess the benefits of naps for medical residents during extended shifts found that creating protected times when interns could sleep during a night on-call significantly reduced fatigue.

In the June 6, 2006, issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Chicago report that although average sleep time for interns in the study increased only modestly -- by about one hour -- the interns felt that even small gains in sleep led to substantial improvements in fatigue, sleep quality and ability to care for their patients.

"This is a proven method of alleviating fatigue in industries that combine high intensity with long shifts," said study director Vineet Arora, M.D., instructor of medicine at the University of Chicago, "yet is has been neglected by the one industry that studies sleep. Our results show that a well timed nap can provide a significant boost in physician concentration and take away some of the burden of chronic sleep deprivation."


In other words physicians function better with naps. Not surprising. Everyone does. Take heed employers. More from the article:


As hospitals nationwide search for ways to reduce resident sleep deprivation, many have considered shorter shifts. This study suggests that an extended long shift, punctuated by a substantial nap, may be more effective, reducing levels of resident fatigue but also limiting the amount of time that patients would be cared for by covering physicians, "a known risk factor for preventable adverse effects."

In response to this study, all interns on the general medicine service at the University of Chicago Hospitals now have access to night-float coverage and are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to sleep.The study was funded by the department of medicine and the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago. Additional authors include Carrie Dunphy, Vivian Chang, Fawaz Ahmad, Holly Humphrey and David Meltzer, all from the University of Chicago.


Why not extend the sleep opportunities to all night workers. Why would nurses and technicians not also benefit from prudently chosen nap opportunites? Their minds and bodies are subject to the same stress that affects physicians. It is a win-win situation for all involved. Hospital workers benefit from enhanced perfomance. Patients receive better treatment and all this would reflect favorably on the employer. The only missing ingredient is enlightened management.