Monday, July 30, 2018

Study Offers Clues for Improving Seasonal Flu Vaccine

The 2017-2018 flu season was rougher than most. During peak flu activity in February, more than 10% of deaths in the U.S. were attributed to the flu or pneumonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To help combat the flu, NIH-supported researchers are exploring how to improve vaccines. Current influenza vaccines mainly target the influenza surface protein hemagglutinin (HA) but can sometimes offer varying or limited protection.

Recent studies indicate that seasonal flu vaccines might provide better protection if they were optimized to include an additional target, a different flu surface protein called neuraminidase (NA).

The study is supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. This study and related efforts are part of NIH’s larger plan to develop a universal vaccine – one that can durably protect all age groups against multiple strains of the flu.
Remember to get your seasonal flu shot every year to help protect yourself and your loved ones.

My Take:
There are several problems with our current vaccination process. The concepts are over 100 years old and the technology is quite dated as well.

Friday, July 27, 2018

The Trouble with Ingredients in Sunscreens

Sunscreen is a unique body care product: consumers are directed to apply a thick coat over large areas of the body and reapply frequently. Thus, ingredients in sunscreen should not be irritating or cause skin allergies, and should be able to withstand powerful UV radiation without losing their effectiveness or forming potentially harmful breakdown products. People can potentially inhale ingredients in sunscreen sprays and ingest some of the ingredients they apply to their lips, so ingredients must not be harmful to lungs or internal organs. Further, sunscreens commonly include ingredients that act as “penetration enhancers” and help the product adhere to skin. As a result, many sunscreen chemicals are absorbed into the body and can be measured in blood, breast milk and urine samples.

Active ingredients in sunscreens come in two forms, mineral and chemical filters. Each uses a different mechanism for protecting skin and maintain stability in sunlight. The most common sunscreens on the market contain chemical filters. These products typically include a combination of two to 6 of the following active ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosulfate and octinoxate. Mineral sunscreens use zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. A handful of products combine zinc oxide with chemical filters.

Laboratory studies indicate that some chemical UV filters may mimic hormones, and physicians report sunscreen-related skin allergies, which raises important questions about unintended human health consequences from frequent sunscreen application.

The Food and Drug Administration has not reviewed evidence of potential hazards of sunscreen filters – instead it grandfathered in ingredients used in the late 1970s when it began to consider sunscreen safety. The Danish EPA recently reviewed the safety of active ingredients in sunscreen and concluded that most ingredients lacked information to ensure their safety (Danish EPA 2015). Sixteen of the 19 ingredients studied had no information about their potential to cause cancer. And while the published studies suggest that several chemical filters interact with human sex or thyroid hormones, none of the ingredients had sufficient information to determine the potential risks to humans from hormone disruption.

EWG has reviewed the existing data about human exposure and toxicity for the nine most commonly used sunscreen chemicals. The most worrisome is oxybenzone, which was added to nearly 65 percent of the non-mineral sunscreens in EWG’s 2018 sunscreen database. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention routinely detects oxybenzone in more than 96% of the American population. In a recent evaluation of CDC-collected exposure data for American children, researchers found that adolescent boys with higher oxybenzone measurements had significantly lower total testosterone levels. Three other studies reported statistically significant associations between oxybenzone exposure during pregnancy and birth outcomes.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Wisdom Wednesday: Rheumatoid Arthritis or Osteoarthritis?


Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease, a result of the immune system attacking the tissues that line the body’s joints. This causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints and the pain is often symmetrical. It is more common in women and those who are middle aged, but it can happen to anyone.

Osteoarthritis happens over time. It is the most common form of arthritis, and it usually occurs in older people. The protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wear down as you age, making it difficult to move. It usually affects one side of the body. Osteoarthritis can damage any joint in your body, though it most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine.

My Take:
This article is fairly accurate but is an example of the type of health care reporting that has replaced reporting on new research.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) effects women nine times more often than men. It tends to be bilateral and symmetrical. If you left elbow is affected, sooner or later, so will the right, but maybe not with the same intensity. It is typically diagnosed in a woman’s mid-to-late 30’s. But has been going on for years. I don’t consider that middle age but maybe that’s because I’m in my sixties.

There are reliable blood tests for RA including the ANA (antinuclear antibodies), RA factor, and SED rate. However, the diagnosis is based as much on symptoms as lab work. On occasion, the diagnosis is based on x-ray findings but by the time you see the damage on x-ray, the disease is quite advanced.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the result of wear and tear on a joint over time. So, the joints that get the most use typically show the most damage. The base of the thumb on your dominant hand is the most likely joint for osteoarthritis.

The current theory on the mechanism of osteoarthritis is more complex that just a wearing down of the protective cartilage over time. It is thought that micro trauma (or a single severe traumatic injury) damages the blood supply to the end of the bone. The gradual loss of blood supply causes the cartilage to erode.

Monday, July 23, 2018

Is Melatonin Safe for Kids?

It’s estimated that up to 75% of school-aged children don’t get enough sleep. Unfortunately, poor sleep can affect a child’s mood and ability to pay attention and learn. It has also been linked to health issues such as childhood obesity. This is why some parents consider giving their children melatonin, a hormone and popular sleep aid.

Melatonin levels rise in the evening, which lets your body know it’s time to head to bed. Conversely, melatonin levels start to fall a few hours before it’s time to wake up. It also helps regulate your blood pressure, body temperature, cortisol levels and immune function.

In the US, melatonin is available over-the-counter at many drug and health food stores. However, in other parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand and many European countries, melatonin is only available with a prescription.

An analysis of 35 studies in children with autism found that melatonin supplements helped them fall asleep faster and a stay asleep longer. Similarly, an analysis of 13 studies found that children with a neurological condition fell asleep 29 minutes faster and slept 48 minutes longer on average when taking melatonin.

Similar effects have been observed in healthy kids and teenagers who struggle to fall asleep. However, sleep problems are complex and can be caused by a variety of factors.

For instance, using light-emitting devices late at night can suppress melatonin production. If this is the case, simply limiting technology use before bed can help treat sleep issues.

Most studies show that short-term melatonin use is safe for kids with little or no side effects. However, some children may experience symptoms such as nausea, headaches, bed wetting excessive sweating, dizziness, morning grogginess, stomach pains and more.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Low Dose Aspirin May Not Be Effective in Heavier Patients

Low-dose aspirin may not be effective in preventing cardiovascular events in people weight 70 kg (154 pounds) or more, a Lancet study suggests.

Researchers analyzed 10 trials that evaluated aspirin versus controls for primary prevention of cardiovascular events in 120,000 people.

Daily, low-dose aspirin (75-100 mg) was associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular events among those weighting less than 70 kg (odds ratio, 0.77), but there was no significant effect for heavier patients – roughly 80% of men in the study and nearly half of women weighted 70 kg or more. In the heavier group, low-dose aspirin may be even less effective in smokers and in those who take enteric-coated aspirin.

High-dose aspirin (300-325 or 500 mg), meanwhile, appeared to be effective in reducing primary cardiovascular events only [in] patients weight 70 kg or more.

Commentators said that people with more body mass may have more esterases, which clear aspirin and would reduce the bioavailability of the drug.

The authors conclude: “A one-dose-fits-all approach to aspirin is unlikely to be optimal, and a more tailored strategy is required.

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Wisdom Wednesday: Health Research Dissemination


I’ve been blogging for the past five years trying to inform you about new developments in health and health care. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been a constant source of information for those blogs.

PubMed, the official publication of NIH, posts peer reviewed research and research papers presented at conferences all over the world. As you might imagine, that’s a lot of data and unless you know what you are looking for, new information is difficult to find.

Research is arranged by the number of citations in other research, so the new stuff is often buried behind older research. To remedy this issue, a team of writers glom through the web site, pulling out new research of interest to health care professionals and the general public.

At least, that is the way it used to work. Starting in 2018, Medical News Today, the official newsletter of NIH, contains “headlines from the past week.” The weekly publication begins with advertisement for various drugs. This week the ads are for “Relapsed Multiple Myeloma – Updated Treatment Option Info,” “Psoriasis Treatment,” and “Osteoporosis Information.”

Current research is scant. Instead, general health tips are provided in article format. Here is a smattering of this week’s selections: “Causes of shortness of breath during pregnancy,” Chinese restaurant syndrome: What you need to know,” “How men can improve their sexual performance,” “The riddle of human nipple sizes,” “What to know about anal herpes,” “Is having vaginal pressure during pregnancy normal,” “Does nipple stimulation help to induce labor,” “What causes chest pain and vomiting,” “What causes bellybutton pain during pregnancy,” “Why does it hurt when I swallow, “Are Epsom salt baths safe during pregnancy,” “What causes a nosebleed at night,” and “How to fix peeling nails.”

Monday, July 16, 2018

Vitamin D Toxicity: A 16-Year Retrospective Study

Interest in vitamin D has increased during the past 2 decades, with a corresponding increase in laboratory testing of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. The vast majority of specimens tested display normal or deficient levels of 25(OH)D; concentrations rarely fall in the potentially toxic range.

We performed a retrospective investigation of elevated 25(OH)D levels during a 16-year period at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, a 734-bed medical center. Detailed medical-record review was performed for patients with serum/plasma 25(OH)D concentrations higher than 120 ng per mL.

A total of 127,932 serum/plasma 25(OH)D measurements were performed on 73,779 unique patients. Of these patients, 780 (1.05%) had results that exceeded 80 ng per mL and 89 patients (0.12%) had results that exceeded 120 ng per mL. Only 4 patients showed symptoms of vitamin D toxicity. Three of these cases involved inadvertent misdosing of liquid formulations.

Symptomatic vitamin D toxicity is uncommon, and elevated levels of 25(OH)D do not strongly correlate with clinical symptoms or total serum/plasma calcium levels. Our study highlights the potential risks of the liquid formulation of vitamin D.

My Take:
Vitamin D is one of the most common supplements I recommend in my practice. I do use the liquid formulation in which one drop contains 2,000 IU of vitamin D3. I typically recommend two drops daily (4,000 IU) but have recommended higher doses up to 5 drops daily (10,000 IU). Honestly, I have never had an issue with inadvertent overdosing of the supplement.

Friday, July 13, 2018

Cardiovascular Disease: Risk Assessment with Nontraditional Risk Factors

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death among adults in the United States. Treatment to prevent CVD events by modifying risk factors is currently informed by the Framingham Risk Score, the Pooled Cohort Equations, or similar CVD risk assessment models. If current CVD risk assessment models could be improved by adding more risk factors, treatment might be better targeted, thereby maximizing the benefits and minimizing the harms.

Detection - The USPSTF found adequate evidence that adding the ABI, hsCRP level and CAC score to existing CVD risk assessment models may improve calibration, discrimination and reclassification. The USPSTF chose to review these 3 nontraditional risk factor because prior evidence reviews identified them as the most promising to improve on existing CVD risk assessment tools.

Benefits - The USPSTF found inadequate evidence to assess whether treatment decisions guided by ABI, hsCRP level, or CAC score test results, when added to existing CVD risk assessment models, lead to reduced incidence of CVD events or mortality.

Potential Harms – Testing for hsCRP level and the ABI is noninvasive, and there is little direct harm from the tests. Harms of testing for CAC score include exposure to radiation and incidental findings on computed tomography of the chest, such as pulmonary nodules, that may lead to further invasive testing and procedures. Abnormal test results may lead to further testing, procedures, and lifelong medication use without proof of benefits but with expense and potential adverse effects for the patient. Psychological harms may results from reclassification into a higher-risk category for CVD events.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Wisdom Wednesday: Lifelong CMV Infection Improves Immune Defense in Old Mice


Epidemiological studies have shown a correlation between CMV infection and immune system aging, especially in elderly populations. It remains unclear whether CMV infection is a key driver of, or simply a factor associated with, aging of the immune system. In this study, we show that CMV infection improves T cell immunity in old animals by broadening the immune response to a different pathogen. Animals that have aged with CMV are able to recruit novel T cells into these immune responses that are present in, but not utilized in, animals aging without CMV. This data squarely challenges the premise that CMV is solely detrimental to the aging of the adaptive immune system.

My Take:
The abstract was very technical so I didn’t repeat it here. However, these researchers basically exposed old mice with a history of CMV and a control group to Listeria monocytogenes then looked at the immune response. They postulate that we share coevolution with CMV that may include potentially positive impacts on adaptive heterologous immunity in late life.

In younger patient populations, CMV and EBV (Epstein - Barr virus) are documented factors in at least a third of all autoimmune cases. So this study showing an immune stimulation by CMV in older patients is not surprising.

In immune compromised patients, like HIV/AIDS, CMV can cause life threatening disease.

The real question is CMV a positive or negative factor in health? In my opinion, it has the potential for both. If your immune system is balanced, then CMV probably plays a positive role. However, if your immune system is compromised or overstimulated (autoimmune disease) then the effects are negative.

As we age, our immune systems tend to decline, so the immune stimulation from a chronic CMV infection may very well provide a boost to immune function. Again, as long as the immune system is healthy to begin with.

Monday, July 9, 2018

Vitamin N Deficiency

For the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population now live in urban setting rather than rural settings. This trending switch has taken us away from nature, which has taken a collective toll on our health.

With urbanization on the rise, people are less engaged with nature. No longer do we have the need to interact with nature for survival. Instead our relationship with the natural world is primarily based on recreation and enjoyment, and it’s minimal at best. As a result, many people suffer from what American writer, Richard Louv, calls “nature deficit disorder,” defined as a “diminished ability to find meaning in the life that surrounds us.”

In Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods, he explains that nature affects “everything from a positive effect on the attention span, to stress reduction to cognitive development and a sense of wonder and connection to the earth.” With incidences of heart disease, diabetes and cancer continuing to rise, as well as escalating mental health issues, research is linking artificial stimulation to exhaustion and a loss of health and vitality. Simultaneously, mounting scientific evidence points to the positive effects that interacting with nature has on a person’s physical and mental well-being.

Even though the amount and type of nature accessible to people is varied, our desire to connect with it somehow seems to be universally embedded in our DNA. As humans, our cells expect and thrive on natural sunlight, fresh water and air. Not having such a connection is, no pun intended, “unnatural”. Spending days in windowless rooms with artificial light and glowing screens from televisions, computers and smartphones denies us the necessary symbiotic relationship we need with the natural world to thrive. Our bodies haven’t evolved to keep pace with what is now a disconnect from nature. At our core, we’re still hunters and gatherers. In other words, our bodies need what nature give us, and that may always be the case.

The pendulum seems to be swinging back and we are seeing a shift back to nature. From fast food to more “slow” organic foods, a rise in popularity of dietary lifestyles rooted in hunting and foraging ancestral patterns and a resurgence of planned parks amidst urban sprawl, we are seeking a reconnection with nature. “Grounding” or “earthing”, a practice that involves walking barefoot on the earth’s surface, is also gaining popularity. Research has shown “earthing” can reduce inflammation promote wound healing, strengthen the immune system, and prevent or even help to alleviate chronic diseases, including autoimmune diseases.

Even in hospital settings, people are planting trees and gardens. Studies have shown that connecting to nature can speed recovery from surgery just being around plants or images of nature helped to heal the body faster and more efficiently. Patients with garden access on hospital grounds demonstrated positive health outcomes, such as less stress and anxiety, a positive outlook and faster healing.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Water Quality Reports

I just received the 2017 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report from the City of Deerfield Beach. The city has a longstanding reputation for providing high-quality drinking water. Their monitoring program tests over 90 regulated and unregulated compounds, with some tested regularly, following the standards required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of Health in Broward County.

The source of water for the City of Deerfield Beach is ground water pumped from two aquifers: the Biscayne and the Floridian aquifers. The Biscayne aquifer is an underground geologic formation made up of highly permeable limestone and less permeable sandstone located under a portion of South Florida. The Biscayne is the shallower of the two aquifers, extending to depths of approximately 240 feet along the coast of South Florida and is the major source of ground water for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The Florida aquifer is deeper than the Biscayne and extends to depths of about 3,000 feet and has much higher mineral content, thus making the treatment process considerably more expensive. The raw water pumped from these aquifers is treated by three distinct processes: Lime Softening, Nanofiltration, and Reverse Osmosis.

Lime softening reduces the hardness of water from the Biscayne aquifer with quicklime. Then the water passes through high rate granular media filters to reduce turbidity. Disinfection is then achieved by choramination, combining chlorine and ammonia. Low levels of fluoride are also added to help with the prevention of tooth decay.

Nanofiltration of water, also from the Biscayne aquifer runs in a parallel path to lime softening and is then mixed with the softened water prior to disinfection.

Reverse osmosis is reserved for the deeper Florida aquifer water. The source water is treated under high pressures and sent through semipermeable membranes to remove salt and other inorganic minerals to produce drinking water. Again, the waters are blended with those produced from Lime Softening and Nanofiltration prior to disinfection.

The water quality test results include microbiological contaminants like E. coli from human and animal fecal waste. Radium, from erosion of natural deposits is the most common radioactive contaminant measured. Several inorganic contaminates are also monitored. A few examples are: Antimony from petroleum refineries, fire retardants, ceramics, electronics and solder. Arsenic runoff from orchards. Barium from drilling waste water. Fluoride discharged from fertilizer and aluminum factories and as a water additive. Copper and lead come from the corrosion of household plumbing systems and leaching from wood preservatives.

Monday, July 2, 2018

Detoxification


Toxicity is a ubiquitous health issue. I frequently have new patients fill out a symptom survey. It groups symptoms by organ systems. Over 95% of patients will show liver toxicity as their number one source of symptoms. The other 5% generally show a tie between liver and some other organ.

Many nutritionists start their patients with a detox program. However, I don’t believe detox is the place to start. In the QA (Quintessential Applications) protocol, liver detoxification is step 19 of 32. Inflammation is where treatment must begin, followed by immune system, general metabolism and endocrine function. Then, and only then can liver detoxification truly be effective. Digestion is a wild card and may have to be addressed before or after any of these other systems.

Toxins can contribute to fatigue, difficulty sleeping, indigestion, food cravings and weight gain, reduced metal clarity, low libido, skin issues and joint discomfort.

There are currently 80,000 synthetic chemicals registered for use in the United States. Over 800 million pounds of herbicides are used each year on our crops. Current research shows 167 industrial chemicals are found in adults with no employment-related exposure.

There are three phases of detoxification, the first two occur in the liver:

Phase 1 – The body transforms fat-soluble toxins to an “unlocked” state that is more water-soluble, and in many cases, more toxic than its original form. For almost all natural substances however, phase 1 is all that is need prior to transport to the bowel or kidneys. Caffeine, for example, only has to go through phase 1 detox.

Phase 2 – The highly toxic substances produced in Phase 1 convert to non-toxic molecules and become even more water-soluble. Up until about 100 years ago, phase 2 liver detox was reserved for hormone and alcohol detoxification. And those hormones were produced by you (endogenous) as no exogenous hormones existed. Estrogen, becomes dehydroxyestrogen in phase 1, some forms of which are carcinogenic. In phase 2 estrogen becomes a harmless, water-soluble compound excreted in the bowel and urine.

Phase 3 – Elimination of water-soluble toxins via the bowel and kidneys.

Most detox programs ramp up phase 1 detox. When phase 2 detox lags behind the result is an increase in highly toxic substances produced in phase 1 and the patient experiences “detox symptoms.”

The key is to support phase 2 detox first, then phase 3 and finally phase 1. We accomplish that by addressing steps 1-18 in the QA protocol prior to attempting liver detoxification.

The Bottom Line:
Detoxification is a significant issue for anyone living in the twenty-first century. However, you must improve general health and specific systems prior to a successful detox program.