Health and Nutrition

March 16, 2006

Antibiotics in Infancy Linked to Later Asthma

Filed under: General Health — Doc Joe @ 4:51 pm

By Michael Smith, MedPage Today Staff Writer

Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

March 14, 2006

Source News Article: BBC News, Forbes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 14, 2006 – Antibiotic exposure in the first year of a child’s life appears to double the risk of developing asthma later, according to a meta-analysis.

There appeared to be a dose-response, with the more antibiotics in the first year being associated with a greater the risk of later asthma, reported Carlo Marra, Pharm.D., Ph.D., of the University of British Columbia and colleagues in the March issue of CHEST.

Asthma has become the most common chronic disease of childhood, and its increase has coincided with an increase in the use of antibiotics in young children, the researchers pointed out. This has led to the suggestion that the two phenomena are causally linked, although epidemiological evidence is unclear.

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Can Grapefruit Lower Your Cholesterol?

Filed under: Nutrition — Doc Joe @ 4:50 pm

A recent study found that one grapefruit a day can significantly lower your blood cholesterol levels, which are a major risk factor for heart disease.
Red, White, or None
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The new study showing this adds to the mounting evidence of the heart benefits of citrus fruits. Nearly 60 patients who recently had coronary bypass surgery were divided into three treatment groups. They were either given red grapefruit, white grapefruit, or no grapefruit along with their meals for a month.
Lower Triglyceride Levels

Patients who ate both red and white grapefruit showed a decrease in blood lipid levels compared to those who ate no grapefruit. Red grapefruit was the most effective in lowering triglycerides, the cholesterol often associated with heart problems.

Red grapefruit has higher levels of antioxidants than white, but it may also contain as yet unknown chemicals responsible for lowering triglycerides.

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Meta-Analysis Links Celebrex to Doubling of MI Risk

Filed under: General Health — Doc Joe @ 4:48 pm

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 2-A meta-analysis of 10 published studies has added a new voice to the concern that long-term treatment with Celebrex (celecoxib)–the only Cox-2 inhibitor left standing-may increase the risk of myocardial infarction.

A meta-analysis of data from four published placebo-controlled trials indicated that the MI risk for patients taking Celebrex is more than twice that of patients randomized to placebo, according to a report in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Moreover, when Richard Beasley, M.D., of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand and colleagues, analyzed six published studies that compared Celebrex with other painkillers such as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), Tylenol (acetaminophen), diclofenac and placebo, Celebrex was associated with 1.88 OR (95% CI 1.15-3.08) for MI.

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High Caffeine Pop from ‘Energy Drinks’ Revealed

Filed under: Uncategorized — Doc Joe @ 4:47 pm

 

GAINSVILLE, Fla., March 15, 2006 – Most so-called energy drinks are loaded with caffeine far above the FDA limit set for carbonated colas such as Pepsi or Coke, researchers here reported.

Because caffeine content is not disclosed on the label, these products may pose a health threat to unsuspecting consumers who should limit their caffeine intake, such as those with hypertension, pregnant women, or those who suffer from anxiety attacks, said Bruce A. Goldberger, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Florida College of Medicine here.

Energy drinks — with brand names such as Red Bull and SoBe No Fear — are not included in the FDA regulation that limits caffeine in colas or sodas, Dr. Goldberger and colleagues said in the March issue of the Journal of Analytic Toxicology.

The investigators tested the caffeine content of 10 energy drinks, 19 colas or sodas, and seven cold-coffee and iced-tea drinks.

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March 12, 2006

Calcium Supplements Reduce Pregnancy Complications

Filed under: Supplements — Doc Joe @ 4:52 pm

By Judith Groch , MedPage Today Staff Writer
Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD; Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Source News Article: Forbes

Review

GENEVA, March 10, 2006 – Calcium supplements failed to prevent preeclampsia in healthy pregnant women but reduced its more serious complications — maternal morbidity and neonatal mortality.

So determined a multicenter double-blind trial of 8,325 normotensive nulliparous women, sponsored by the World Health Organization, that was reported in the March 10 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

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March 2, 2006

Ginkgo biloba extract: More than just for memory?

Filed under: Herbal Remedies — Doc Joe @ 4:55 pm

Public release date: 23-Feb-2006

Contact: Laura Cavender
lsc6@georgetown.edu
202-687-5100
Georgetown University Medical Center
Washington, DC — Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center say they now have a clearer picture of how an extract from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree reduces the risk of aggressive cancer in animal experiments.

In the January-February issue of the journal Anticancer Research, the investigators reported that treating mice with an extract of leaves of Ginkgo biloba both before and after implanting human breast or brain (glioma) tumors decreased expression of a cell receptor associated with invasive cancer. This decreased expression slowed the growth of the breast tumors by 80 percent as long as the extract was used, compared to untreated mice, and also reduced the size of the brain tumors, but temporarily, and to a lesser extent.

Ginkgo biloba extract is a popular supplement that comes from the leaves of the Gingko tree, which is indigenous to Japan, Korea and China but can be found all over the world. Many believe it enhances memory, and is being currently being tested as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

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