Does a Low-Fat Dairy Habit Boost Parkinson’s Risk?

Though you might think eating low-fat dairy foods is a healthy move, new research suggests the habit is tied to a slight rise in the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

In the study, researchers analyzed data on about 130,000 men and women, tracking their dietary habits every four years and the number of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s. After 25 years, more than 1,000 people developed Parkinson’s, a progressive neurodegenerative illness affecting coordination and movement.

Those who consumed at least three servings of low-fat dairy a day had a 34% higher risk of getting the disorder than those who only consumed one serving a day. Looking specifically at milk consumption, the researchers found that drinking more than one serving of low-fat or skim milk daily was also linked with a 39% higher chance of developing Parkinson’s.

No such association was seen with the consumption of full-fat dairy products, such as whole milk.

“It is important to note that the risk of Parkinson’s disease is still low, even among people in our study who consumed higher amounts of low-fat dairy or milk,” said study author Katherine Hughes, a researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Defense. It was published online June 7 in the journal Neurology.

Wisdom Wednesday: Dairy

Dairy intolerance is usually due to incomplete digestion of lactose. Lactose, a disaccharide, is cleaved into one molecule of glucose and one of galactose by the enzyme lactase. Lactase is produced by the cells that line the brush border of the small intestine.

Lactase deficiency is often genetic but can also occur from any illness that damages the brush border of the small intestine. As noted in previous blogs, this single cell lining is replaced every 24-36 hours and requires significant amounts of bioavailable folic acid (5-MTHF). A third of the population has at least one genetic mutation that impairs the conversion of folic acid to 5-MTHF. Because this conversion also takes place in the brush border, a loop often occurs in which cell production is diminished so less folic acid is converted further diminishing cell production. The result is leaky gut.

Mayo Clinic states that lactose intolerance is “usually harmless but the symptoms may be uncomfortable.” The symptoms are diarrhea, nausea, sometimes vomiting, abdominal cramps, bloating, and gas. These are also the symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). While lactose intolerance is “harmless”, the medical profession believes that new drug development is vital to treating IBS. (See my blog “New Bowel Disorder Treatments Needed, FDA Says” posted on May 5, 2017)

Like any food sensitivity, tolerance for lactose varies from person to person. It is estimated that 75% of the world’s population has some degree of lactose intolerance.

Antidepressants During Pregnancy Safe for Baby

Expectant mothers, if you’re taking an antidepressant it won’t make your newborn cranky or at higher risk for other problems, researchers report.

Northwestern University researchers divided 214 new moms into three groups: those with a mood disorder who were not using an antidepressant; those who were taking a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressant; and those without a mood disorder who were not on an antidepressant.

At two to four weeks after birth, babies in all three groups had similar rates of irritability, difficulty feeding, sleep disturbances and respiratory problems, the study found. The issues affected 3 out of 10 babies in each group.

Instead, preterm birth was the major risk factor for what is known as Neonatal Discontinuation Syndrome (NDS). Babies with NDS get agitated, restless, cry excessively and may be rigid or have tremors.

Many women fear that taking antidepressants during pregnancy will harm their fetus.

“Most pregnant women are naturally going to worry more about their baby’s health than their own, and might forego taking an antidepressant to avoid these neonatal signs,” study first author Amy Yang said in a university news release.

“But with the information form this study, they can be reassured that the baby’s behavior at two to four weeks after birth is not likely due to exposure to medication or depression,” she added. Yang is a biostatistician in Northwestern’s Center for the Study and Treatment of Depressive Disorders.

Seasonal Allergies: Which Medication is Right for You?

An allergy is your body’s reaction to a substance that it has identified as an invader. If you have allergies and encounter a trigger – called an “allergen”- your immune system fights it by releasing chemicals called histamines (hence the term “antihistamines”). Histamines cause symptoms such as repetitive sneezing and itchy, watery eyes.

Seasonal allergies are usually caused by plant pollen, which can come from trees, weeds and grasses in the spring, and by ragweed and other weeds in late summer and early fall.

Since you can’t always stay indoors when pollen counts are high, your health care provider may recommend prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications to relieve symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates a number of medications that offer allergy relief.

Antihistamines reduce or block symptom-causing histamines and are available in many forms, including tablets and liquids. Many oral antihistamines are available OTC and in generic form.

When choosing an OTC antihistamine, patients should read the Drug Facts label closely and follow dosing instructions, says Jenny Kelty, M.D., a pediatric pulmonologist and the FDA. Some antihistamines can cause drowsiness and interfere with the ability to drive or operate heavy machinery, like a car. There are other antihistamines that do not have this side effect; they are non-sedating. Some non-sedating antihistamines are available by prescription.

Nasal corticosteroids are typically sprayed into the nose once or twice a day to treat inflammation. Side effects may include stinging in the nose.

Decongestants are drugs available both by prescription and OTC and come in oral and nasal spray forms. They are sometimes recommended in combination with antihistamines, which used alone do not have an effect on nasal congestion.

Wisdom Wednesday: Wheat

Wheat is the most common food sensitivity in the world today. As noted in last week’s Wisdom Wednesday, you might react to any of the proteins or carbohydrates in wheat.

Wild wheat was a staple in the diet of most hunter-gatherer populations that pre-date farming.

The Egyptians are credited with being the world’s first farmers. This may have begun as early at 10,000 BC but was well documented by 5,200 BC. They grew barley and wheat in plowed fields then ground the seeds between stones to make flour. This “stone ground” wheat was a much healthier grain than the wheat produced today.

Despite the quality of their grains, archeologists are able to differentiate the hunter-gatherer from the farmer when examining mummified remains from ancient Egyptian tombs. Examination of those who ate farm raised grains shows evidence of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and other chronic degenerative diseases. The hunter-gatherer will be free of all of these ailments. It is interesting to note that the Egyptians perfected the art of mummification long before they became interested in farming.

The wheat that was grown remained relatively unchanged until the 1960’s. Long before GMO (genetically modified) wheat, hybridization altered the very nature of wheat. By cross-breeding various strains, scientists were able to create wheat with a shorter, heavier stalk, which was insect resistant.

By the time genetic testing became available, they had created strains of wheat that were genetically a whole new species from the original wheat strains. One of those changes was a 400% increase in the gluten content.

Studies Spotlight Diet, Supplements for Knee Pain

Fiber helps lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels and keep the bowels running smoothly, but a new study suggests it can also reduce knee pain from arthritis.

Researchers found that people who ate the most fiber reported reduced osteoarthritis knee pain by up to 60%. However, X-rays did not show any difference in their knees compared to those who consume less fiber.

A second study looked at the effects of the dietary supplement chondroitin on knee pain. That study – sponsored by a maker of the supplements – found that taking chondroitin daily was linked to less knee pain and improved function.

Both studies were published online May 23 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

“With both of these studies, the danger is that people are thinking they’re making a change in their arthritis, but they may only be masking the pain. Neither study has proven a change in the natural history of osteoarthritis,” explained Dr. Victor Khabie, who was not involved with the studies. He is co-director of the Orthopedic and Spine Institute at Northern Westchester Hospital, in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

Lead researchers Zhaoli Dai, a postdoctoral researcher at Boston University, said, “There is a strong link among obesity, inflammation and painful knee osteoarthritis. We speculate that eating more fiber increases satiety and therefore reduces total caloric intake and reduces body weight.”

The second study looked at chondroitin sulfate. It’s a chemical found naturally in the cartilage of the knee, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Reductions in pain and improvements in joint function were greater in people treated with chondroitin or celecoxib at three and six months. The researchers said that chondroitin provided similar relief to celecoxib.

Khabie said, “It looks like there’s an anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving effect when chondroitin is taken in a very purified, very well-controlled state, but that’s probably not what’s available off-the-shelf [in the United States].” He noted that chondroitin is a supplement, and in the United States supplements aren’t regulated in the same way that drugs are.

Dying Patients Often Given Medicines That Won’t Help Them

As older people approach the end of life, many are being prescribed drugs of questionable benefit, a new study shows.

“People with life-limiting illness often receive medications whose benefit is unlikely to be achieved within their remaining life span,” said study author Lucas Morin. He is from the Aging Research Center at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

The study included more than a half a million people, aged 65 and older, in Sweden. All died between 2007 and 2013. The proportion of patients getting at least 10 different drugs rose from 30 to 47% during the year before death, the findings showed.

People who died from cancer had the largest increase in the number of drugs. Those living in institutions were given more medications than people living in the community. But the number of drugs increased more slowly for those living in an institution, the investigators found.

Many patients were given a high number of drugs near the end of life to control symptoms. But for some, long-term preventive mediations or disease-specific drugs were also continued until the end of life, according to the report.

For example, during the last month of life, almost half of patients used drugs to keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming blood clots. Another 41% were taking heart medications called beta-blockers. Fifteen percent were taking another type of heart medication called a calcium channel blocker.

Blood pressure medications, such as ACE inhibitors (21%), vasodilators (17%), or potassium-sparing medications (12%) also were given during the last month of life. About 16% of people in the study were taking cholesterol-lowering medications, known as statins.

The report was published online May 15 in The American Journal of Medicine.