Statin Drugs - Are They Really Worth Risk?

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Wednesday, April 27 2005

On the subject of cholesterol-lowering drugs, I've read a few articles recently from Jon Hering of Early To Rise which are as informative as they are shocking.

Here's just a small example from his latest article:

They'd like you to believe that "high cholesterol" is the cause of heart disease. But it's not. It's only a symptom. Just like a runny nose is a symptom of a cold or an allergy. But you wouldn't put a cork up your nose to treat a cold, would you? Well, that's essentially what people are doing when they take statin drugs. They are using a chemical to block the liver's production of cholesterol. In other words, masking the symptom rather than treating the cause.

There's no doubt that statin drugs are effective at lowering cholesterol. But at what cost? The side effects of these drugs include liver toxicity, muscle pain and cramps, CoQ10 depletion (which leads to heart disease), sexual dysfunction, suppression of the immune system, and loss of cognitive skills. A lot to risk just to hide a symptom.

In another article on the subject, Jon writes: "The latest cholesterol-level guidelines issued by the federal government effectively 'qualify' 36 million Americans for statin drugs. The government received these guidelines from the influential National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) - an organization with a stated goal to 'reduce the number of people with high cholesterol.'"

It gets more interesting...

According to a USA Today Report, it turns out that eight of the nine doctors who make up the NCEP board have made money from the cholesterol-lowering drugs they promote - clearly a conflict of interests. And here's some additional background on the nine NCEP board members:

• Two of them own stock in statin drugs.


• Two others worked for drug companies after setting the guidelines.


• One of them was a consultant for 10 drug companies.


• Another was serving on the board of a drug company.

(Reference: USA Today, October 2004)

There are safer ways to get your cholesterol under control ...lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase your good cholesterol (HDL)... and for most people it can be accomplished by exercising more and maintaining a proper diet.

What is the difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol?

The American Heart Association describes it best:

Why is LDL cholesterol considered "bad"?

When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, it can cause a heart attack or stroke. The levels of HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the blood are measured to evaluate the risk of having a heart attack. LDL cholesterol of less than 100 mg/dL is the optimal level. Less than 130 mg/dL is near optimal for most people. A high LDL level (more than 160 mg/dL or 130 mg/dL or above if you have two or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease) reflects an increased risk of heart disease. That's why LDL cholesterol is often called "bad" cholesterol.

Why is HDL cholesterol considered "good"?

About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL cholesterol is known as the "good" cholesterol because a high level of it seems to protect against heart attack. (Low HDL cholesterol levels [less than 40 mg/dL] increase the risk for heart disease.) Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe that HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaque in arteries, thus slowing the buildup.

What is Lp(a) cholesterol?

Lp(a) is a genetic variation of plasma LDL. A high level of Lp(a) is an important risk factor for developing fatty deposits in arteries prematurely. The way an increased Lp(a) contributes to disease isn’t understood. The lesions in artery walls contain substances that may interact with Lp(a), leading to the buildup of fatty deposits.

The triglyceride connection

Triglyceride is a form of fat. It comes from food and is also made in your body. People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol, a high LDL cholesterol and a low HDL cholesterol level. Many people with heart disease also have high triglyceride levels. People with diabetes or who are obese are also likely to have high triglycerides. Triglyceride levels of less than 150 mg/dL are normal; levels from 150-199 are borderline high. Levels that are borderline high or high (200 mg/dL to 499 mg/dL) may need treatment in some people. Triglyceride levels of 500 mg/dL or above are very high. Doctors need to treat high triglycerides in people who also have high LDL cholesterol levels.

According to the AHA, even with a low risk of heart disease, it's still smart to eat foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and also get plenty of physical activity.

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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Fun Facts: What Is ...arachis hypogaea?

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Monday, April 25 2005

Arachis hypogaea is the fancy term for peanut. Peanuts aren't actually nuts at all -- they're legumes, and are more closely related to lentils and kidney beans than to macadamias and Brazil nuts. What differentiates them from the rest of their legume cousins is that their pods grow under the soil instead of on the vine.

There are four basic popular types of peanuts: Runner, Virginia, Spanish, and Valencia. Each type has its own distinctive size, flavor, and nutritional composition. About 50 percent of all edible peanuts produced in the United States are used to make peanut butter and peanut spreads.

We all know peanut allergies can be extremely serious, and if you are allergic, you should certainly stay away from them. But if you're not allergic to peanuts, you may want to take a second look at adding them to your "healthy snack" pantry. Here's why...

They are:

- a great source of protein

- extraordinarily high in polyphenols (powerful antioxidants... roasting actually increases their antioxidant content)

- like avocados, they are high in the "good" kind of fat -- monounsaturated fat

- they also contain magnesium, folate, vitamin E, copper, arginine, and fiber (all considered by most experts to be good for the heart)

- plus they contain high amounts of resveratrol (you'll be hearing more about this in future)

Here are a couple quick tips for adding peanuts to your diet:

1. Choose the roasted, unsalted variety. When combined with dried fruits they make a tasty snack that is also packed full of polyphenols and other antioxidants.

2. Buy natural peanut butter that doesn't contain added sugar. Look for brands made from roasted, organic peanuts, since conventionally grown peanuts tend to have high pesticide content.

Craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Try replacing the jelly with slices of bannana and drizzle with honey for a tasty (and much more healthy) treat.

Enjoy!

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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April 22, 2005 Is Earth Day In The USA

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, April 21 2005

The International Earth Day was already held on March 20, 2005 ...in the USA, the original Anniversary date is used by many as the official Earth Day.

First officially recognized in the USA on April 22, 1970, Earth Day is a way to demonstrate support for a healthy environment, raise awareness about environmental issues, and remind people that we all need to contribute to a sustainable planet.

Find out how chemists are celebrating Earth Day this year at Chemistry.org

Here are some more great links on the subject of Earth Day:

ACS Publications

Earthday Network

The Wilderness Society (for teachers and students)

The Santa Barbara County 2005 South Coast Earth Day Festival will take place on Saturday, April 23


Ever heard of Sun Earth Day? Sun-Earth Day traditionally falls on the Spring Equinox which happened this year on March 20. However, many Sun-Earth Day events occur throughout the year.

Here's one day you may want to watch for: March 29, 2006

A total solar eclipse will occur in 2006 . In response to this celestial event, the official date for the next Sun-Earth Day will be March 29, 2006. Learn more about it on NASA's Sun Earth Day site.

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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Fun Facts: Secret To Better Popping Pocorn Revealed

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, April 21 2005

Science may have uncovered the secrets to a better popping popcorn.

Few people know that we live in a house that is surrounded by microwave popcorn cornfields all summer long, until harvest time when the farmer's hired hands pick this premium corn, delivering it to receive the Orville Redenbacher label.

To ease the soil, about once every 5 to 7 years, a year of soy beans is planted ...then once again, microwave popcorn reigns.

Last July, when the tornado went through our yard and headed on through the fields, it mowed down a wide swath of the highest quality popping corn, beating it into the ground. Insurance didn't cover the loss for the farmer.

Researchers at Purdue University in the US conclude kernels with the best 'popability', are composed of a stronger, 'more highly ordered crystalline arrangement of the cellulose molecules', than the pericarp of poorer performing varieties.

The finding could lead to a better microwave popcorn variety with fewer, or no unpopped kernels, they say.

Adding the 'pop' to corn occurs because each kernel of popcorn contains a small drop of water stored inside a circle of soft starch. The soft starch is surrounded by the kernel's hard outer surface.

As the kernel heats up, the water begins to expand, and pressure builds against the hard starch. Eventually, this hard surface gives way, causing the popcorn to explode. As it explodes, the soft starch inside the popcorn becomes inflated and bursts, turning the kernel inside out.

Processors consider the minimum expansion ratio for good popcorn to be 35 to 38 to one. However, some of today's improved hybrids will expand to over 40 times the original volume.

"We think the secret to maximising 'popability' is found in the special chemistry of the corn kernel," says food chemist Bruce Hamaker.

"We believe that the amount and location of the cellulose component of the kernel are critical for crystallinity, and think that this property can be transferred to corn kernels to improve their popping performance."

In laboratory studies, the researchers demonstrated that these stronger crystalline structures tend to maximise moisture retention, leading to a more complete rupture and fewer unpopped kernels.

"We're not sure yet exactly how this will be achieved, but we're optimistic that enterprising researchers will be able to do this in the near future," says Hamaker.

Hamaker predicts the new corn could be available to consumers in three to five years.

Full findings of the study will be published in the 11 July print version of the American Chemical Society's BioMacromolecules, and was available online from 7 April.

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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Obesity Numbers On The Rise In China

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, April 21 2005

We hear reports all the time about the growing obesity problems in the Western world... the numbers are shocking, real, and a definite health threat (including major medical expense) for all nations.

As the West faces growing concerns over rising levels of obesity, a new study on 19,000 Chinese consumers finds around 18 million adults in China are obese, 137 million are overweight and 64 million have metabolic syndrome.

The researchers, based at Tulane University School, link the rise in obesity and metabolic syndrome to growing affluence.

"Economic development and consequential changes in lifestyle and diet might explain this high and increasing prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and overweight in China," says co-author Jiang He, professor and chair of the department of epidemiology at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

The article we read on the subject suggests changing lifestyles and growing urbanisation in larger cities have also contributed, bringing a wider acceptance of newer products and driving sales for foods like ready meals, pasta and frozen food.

In fact, China food industry sales took off in the mid 1990s, quadrupling over the ten year period between 1990 and 2000.

According to new figures from market research and training body IGD, China will become the world's second largest food retail market by 2020 behind the US.

We hope healthy options will be a large part of this growth.

Sidenote: We brought our Goji Juice, the most nutritionally dense food on the planet, 100% pure unpasteurized juice with clinical studies supporting weight loss benefits, to Hong Kong late last year. Plans are underway to bring this remarkable product to more Asian markets in the months ahead.

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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In A Nutshell, The Recent Ephedra Lawsuit

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, April 21 2005

What's up with ephedra? Or should we ask, what's up with ephedrine alkaloids? A court case in Utah last week may have some people confused regarding what's going on with the ban on ephedrine-alkaloid supplements.

In a nutshell, according to one report here's what happened:

Nutraceutical Corporation (a supplement manufacturer that once offered an ephedrine product) filed a suit alleging that the FDA had not proved that low doses of ephedrine-alkyloid supplements were dangerous.

Judge Tena Campbell of the US District Court of Utah agreed, stating that the agency had not met the standard for banning low doses of ephedrine-alkyloids (under 10 mg).
Judge Campbell ordered the FDA to conduct a study that would determine dose-dependent toxicology so the ban of ephedrine alkyloid supplements can be set at a proven toxic level.

A spokesperson for the Nutraceutical Corporation stated that the FDA ban had been overturned.

But an FDA spokesperson stated that the ban is still in effect for higher doses (above 10 mg) of ephedrine products and added that the agency is considering its options "with respect to next steps."

What does that mean? We'll have to wait for the FDA to figure that out and get back to us.

We'll be watching for new developments on this story as they unfold.

Meanwhile, stay safe and be well!

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

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Nutrition In Space - A New Outlook On Functional Foods

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Monday, April 18 2005

For the past three years a Danish dairy ingredients supplier --- Arla Foods --- has been working with US food technologists at the Johnson Space Centre to design safe, health-promoting, lightweight foods.

And when the expedition 11 crew takes off to the International Space Station in mid-April, Arla's fruit flavoured yoghurts will be on board.

Carsten Hallund Slot, project manager at Arla Foods Innovation and heavily involved in the space project, stated... "Working with such radically different criteria gave us the opportunity to learn more about product development, and crucially the impact of foods on human health," he added. "We've been thoroughly investigating the area of functional foods."

So, what are functional foods?

The term functional food isn't all that old, but it may not be a term that everyone is familiar with.

Scientists saw that there was a need for a term to describe the ever increasing number of foods that were being identified as being good for your health.

Here's one definition...

"Functional foods are products formulated with naturally occurring chemicals (or combinations of chemicals) - found in many fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs and spices - to provide a health benefit, lower the risk of certain diseases, or affect a particular body process."

"Functional foods are products formulated with naturally occurring chemicals (or combinations of chemicals) - found in many fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs and spices - to provide a health benefit, lower the risk of certain diseases, or affect a particular body process. They go beyond correcting diseases such as pellagra and scurvy, caused by nutritional deficiencies. Functional foods are akin to novel macro ingredients in that their formulation is intended to provide a health benefit to consumers. However, functional foods are designed to lower the risk of specific diseases such as lung cancer by removing certain ingredient, by adding or combining ingredients not normally found in a food product, or by concentrating substances in higher than usual quantities."

The above definition comes from the government document: "Food Safety and Quality - Innovative Strategies may be needed to regulate new food technologies" United States General Accounting Office, Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives. GAO/RCED-93-142

Whew! That's a mouthful!

Here's the short definition from the same document...

"Functional foods - food substances designed to lower the risk or delay the onset of certain diseases."

So... why the research into functional foods in space?

According to the NutraIngredients article, at zero gravity (space conditions) the body demineralises resulting in bone and muscle loss. For astronauts this happens fast, as much as 1 per cent a month, compared to on Earth where bone loss occurs when we grow old. Between 50 and 60 years of age we lose 10 per cent of bone loss.

And that's just one of the many challenges faced in space requiring the need for functional foods.

Conditions are exaggerated in space and astronauts need the right diet to keep fit and healthy, they need to ensure that they get a nutrition balance.

In addition to the astronauts health requirements, foods should maintain safety, acceptability, and nutrition, for an entire shelf life of 3–5 years. This is a great part of the challenge for food producers, since a lot of nutrient content of natural foods are lost during the processing phase... and packaging is also a concern.

NASA Space Agency has identified a range of areas that need to be tackled by food scientists. These are: long-duration, shelf-stable food; advanced packaging; food processing, and food safety.

There's one more...

Consider this, a sandwich with two slices of bread would take three hands to make in zero gravity space - otherwise one slice will float away, so another functionality has to be considered as well, namely ease of preparation for consumption.

Recently another success story for food scientists in the Space Food Systems Laboratory at Johnson Space Center has been achieved. They have developed special tortillas that taste good after almost a year! They keep these fresh with special packaging that includes an oxygen scavenger. An oxygen scavenger is a chemical that traps any oxygen, and prevents mold from growing.

As consumers, we may receive the benefits of such serious study into "functional foods" and food safety in the form of newer and healthier products for our own kitchens here on earth.

We'll keep watching for developments.

For now - be well and stay healthy!


Sources:

NASA - Space Nutrition, Are you hungry for space food?

NI Article - Space travel pushes the boundaries of food science

NI Article - Space station technology applied to food packaging

NI Article - Space travel pushes food science forward

NI Article - Space, the final frontier for food science

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

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Good health might begin in the womb...

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Monday, April 18 2005

You are what you eat?

Well, maybe you aren't, but if you're pregnant you might actually be affecting the health of your child's future based on what you are eating.

In a news release today by NutriIngredients, they reported a new study will test the impact of an Atkins-type' high meat, low carbohydrate diet in late pregnancy on a mother’s offspring.

"While fans of the Atkins diet are waning, it is thought that some mothers still have an unbalanced diet during pregnancy.

This is important as researchers increasingly believe that conditions in the womb could have a significant impact on risk of adult disease, previously thought to be largely the result of genetics."

On a sidenote, do you realize Dr. Mindell's Goji Juice is one of the few supplements available that is safe for pregnant women? In fact, since Goji Juice's launch in October 2003, goji juice babies are now being born (meaning their mother's drank goji juice as part of their regular diets during pregnancy) and mother's are rushing to tell us how happy and content their babies are.

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

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Reduced Sugar Cereals Not As Great As They Claim

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Monday, April 18 2005

Sales of so-called "reduced sugar" cereals grew by almost 50% last year, according to one recent Associated Press release... even though these new cereals are more expensive to purchase.

To look at the boxes and the major advertising thrown into the mix, you know the manufacturers are branding this as a "healthy" choice.

But, in truth... how healthy is it?

Well, a recent lawsuit filed one San Diego mother reveals otherwise. She claims that lower-sugar versions of Cocoa Puffs and Froot Loops may seem healthier, but they're really a bunch of "Trix."

Jennifer Hardee has sued three big cereal companies, accusing them of misleading advertising through prominent "low sugar" packaging. She was surprised to learn from an Associated Press story last week that the new cereals have no significant nutritional advantage to regular versions of the popular kids' breakfast cereals.

Hardee, a Navy wife and homemaker with two young daughters who eat cereal, is suing Kraft Foods Co., General Mills Cereals, and Kellogg USA Inc., saying they intentionally misrepresent their products.

Howard Rubinstein of Miami, one of the lawyers representing her, said the companies have intentionally misled consumers by displaying low-sugar labels prominently on the packages. Consumers don't always understand the details in nutritional labels, he said.

"A lot of people, quite frankly, don't have the educational ability to make those decisions. They rely on the one-line ad," he said Monday. "It is that kind of an ad that adds a lot of ambiguity, and it shouldn't."

The AP had asked nutrition experts at five universities to review the new reduced-sugar cereals to see how they stacked up with the regular versions.

The nutrition scientists found that while the new cereals do have less sugar, the calories, carbohydrates, fat, fiber and other nutrients are almost identical to the full-sugar cereals. That's because the cereal makers have replaced sugar with refined carbohydrates to preserve the crunch.

In other words... they have no significant nutritional advantages over their full-sugar counterparts.

According to one news report, "officials at General Mills, Kellogg's and Post were unable to explain why the new cereals are a better choice, but noted they give consumers more options about how much sugar they eat."

"Company officials said they were responding to parents' demands for products with less sugar and that they aren't claiming these cereals are any healthier than the originals."

To preserve cereals' taste and texture, sugar is replaced with other carbs that have the same calories as sugar and are no better for you.

That's also why not even diabetics benefit from these cereals. The body treats all refined carbohydrates the same, whether they are sugars or grains, said Dr. Lilian Cheung of the Harvard School of Public Health.

"The changes don't buy you anything," she said. "From a health point of view, I really can't see the difference."

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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Tips For A Good Night's Sleep

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Tuesday, April 12 2005

Getting a good night's sleep is necessary for good health.

It provides you with the energy you need to enjoy the benefits of exercise, and it gives your brain the rest it needs to operate brightly and in a good humor.

But nearly half of us suffer from insomnia. In fact, about 15% of the population is chronically sleep-deprived. And as baby boomers get into their fifties and sixties, the problem is growing.

Many large drug companies have begun to introduce all sorts of new drugs for insomnia. But, unfortunately, drugs have unwanted side effects. There are better, natural alternatives.

Here's a few tips which may help:

1. Don't drink caffeine after six.
2. Don't eat for at least three hours before bedtime.
3. Get plenty of exercise during the day. (The more the better.)
4. Sometimes a hot bath before going to sleep helps.
5. Relaxation meditation tapes sometimes help.

Personally, I drink an ounce or two of Goji Juice nightly. It "feeds" my body nutrients my body can use through the night while I sleep in addition to providing a relaxing effect throughout my body. Also, I find I don't wake up during the night feeling thirsty like I use to before starting my Goji routine.

A new approach sleep specialists have been recommending lately is called "cognitive behavioral therapy" (CBT), and it's the rage in such upscale research facilities as Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

You don't need to go to an expensive clinic to practice CBT. Just replace the worried thoughts you usually have with positive ones. One writer I know tells himself, "Hey, it's OK if I just get four or five hours tonight. I'll nap during the day and sleep well tomorrow." Usually, about 10 or 20 minutes after he has begun telling himself that, he's fast asleep.

Whatever works best for you... we wish you healthy sweet dreams.

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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Sure, Have a Drink... but Lose the Weight First

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Saturday, April 9 2005

Here's an article I recently received which is worth mentioning...

Conventional wisdom tells us that one of the worst things you can do for your liver is to consume alcohol. However, the evidence shows that being overweight puts you at a much greater risk for liver damage than does having a few drinks.

Obesity alone accounts for 52% of liver disease, while alcohol contributes to only 6% of cases. When an overweight person is also a drinker, the risk of liver damage is compounded substantially.

An overweight person who drinks two or more glasses of alcohol a day has a 3.4 times greater chance of developing liver disease. An obese person with the same drinking habits is 6 times more likely to have liver damage.

If you're a moderate drinker who keeps your weight in check, take heart. Normal-weight people who do not drink at all have the same likelihood of liver disease as normal-weight people who have one or two drinks a day.

Source: Dr. Sears' Health Alert

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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Prozac In The Headlines - Again!

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, April 1 2005

An internal document purportedly from Eli Lilly and Co. appears to show that the drug manufacturer had data more than 15 years ago showing that patients on its antidepressant Prozac were far more likely to attempt suicide and show hostility than patients on other antidepressants.

The document also suggests that the company attempted to minimize public awareness of the side effects.

The document, made public Monday, Jan. 03/2005 was provided to CNN by the office of Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., who has called for tightening FDA regulations on drug safety.

The 1988 document indicated that 3.7 percent of patients attempted suicide while on the blockbuster drug, a rate more than 12 times that cited for any of four other commonly used antidepressants.

The document, which cited clinical trials of 14,198 patients on fluoxetine the generic name for Prozac also stated that 2.3 percent of users suffered psychotic depression while on the drug, more than double the next-highest rate of patients using another antidepressant.

In addition, the paper said that 1.6 percent of patients reported incidents of hostility more than double the rate reported by patients on any of four other commonly used antidepressants.

The trials reviewed in the document said that 0.8 percent of users of Prozac reported causing an intentional injury, eight times the rate associated with any of the other antidepressants.

In the paper, titled "Activation and sedation in fluoxetine clinical trials," the authors said that the drug may produce nervousness, anxiety, agitation or insomnia in 19 percent of patients, and sedation in 13 percent of patients.

The existence of the document obtained by CNN and other documents was reported last week by the British Medical Journal. Its editors said the documents had been reported missing from a 10-year-old murder case, and that they had sent them to the Food and Drug Administration for review.

In a long-awaited move, in January 2005 the FDA approved the language for so-called black-box warnings on antidepressants.

The action came four months after a government panel determined the medicines were linked to suicide in youngsters. As a result, the panel recommended drug makers add the warnings in order to alert doctors to the serious side effects.

The recommendation followed 18 months of controversy over the medicines. The episode cast a harsh spotlight on the pharmaceutical industry after it became known that some drug makers failed to disclose links between their antidepressants and suicide.

A black-box warning is the most severe warning that can be issued about a prescription drug. The information is prominently placed on package inserts and in physician reference manuals that are read by doctors nationwide.

The warning was to be added to several widely prescribed drugs, including Effexor, Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac. Only Prozac was approved for children, but doctors are free to prescribe any medication for patients, which explained widespread usage of many pills.

In a letter to drug makers, the FDA wrote in January 2005 that final labeling should be on company Web sites within two weeks and on all products within 30 days, according to the Pink Sheet, an industry publication. A medication guide was also supposed to be available by Jan. 31.

Flash forward to February, 2005...

The Washington Post reports on Feb. 21, 2005:

"Adults taking popular antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide as patients given placebos, according to an analysis of hundreds of clinical trials involving tens of thousands of patients.

The results, published last week in the British Medical Journal, mirror a recent finding of the Food and Drug Administration that the drugs increase suicidal thoughts and behavior among some children and offer support to concerns going back 15 years that the mood-lifting pills have a dark side.

The examination of 702 controlled clinical trials involving 87,650 patients is the most comprehensive look at the subject and is particularly telling because it counted suicide attempts and included patients treated for a variety of conditions, including sexual dysfunction, bulimia, panic disorder and depression."

Since the arrival of Prozac in 1988, these drugs have transformed psychiatry in the United States, even as persistent critics have warned that their benefits were hyped and their risks ignored. A spate of lawsuits in recent years have claimed that the drugs were responsible for violent and suicidal behavior.

Flash forward to March 31, 2005...

Newstarget reports, "The very first week you start taking antidepressant drugs, your risk of committing suicide quadruples. Antidepressants have long been accused of actually causing suicides and violent behavior, and now research is proving it."

Their article cites specific headlines that hit the front pages in many cities, including:

"Don't forget that the high school students who went on a shooting rampage in Colombine were on antidepressant drugs. So was Phil Hartman's wife when she murdered the actor. Time and time again, the most outrageous acts of violence in our nation are frequently linked to people who use SSRIs (antidepressant drugs)."

The New York Times reports, "The year-long debate over whether antidepressant drugs increase the risk of suicide in some children may soon widen to include adults, as English and Canadian scientists are reporting findings from three new analyses of suicide risk in people over age 18 who have taken the medications."

The story on Prozac is not going away...

If anything, it's building in momentum as more and more clinical trials come to light, and further documents are made public.

Here's what really puzzles me about this picture.

We have a 100% juice product that is made from a berry well known to have a major side effect --- it makes people happy. Safe for children, adults, seniors, diabetics, even pregnant women... It's a natural, whole food, unpasteurized and nutritionally dense product that does far more for your health than simply make you feel good.

Then on the other side of the coin, you have a pill that's "supposed" to make you happy --- yet, according to many of the recent reports and clinical studies flying in, it comes with extremely dangerous side effects for some users.

Yet millions (yes, I said millions) would rather pop a potentially dangerous pill.

Do you see something wrong with this picture, too?

Sources:

NewsTarget March 31, 2005 - Antidepressant drugs quadruple risk of suicides, research shows

Washington Post Feb. 21, 2005 - Study Ties Antidepressants To Suicide

New York Times Feb. 18, 2005 - Antidepressant Safety Debate May Include Adult Patients

Star Ledger Jan. 14, 2005 - FDA Approves Antidepressant Warning Language

CNN Jan. 4, 2005 - Document May Reveal Prozac Risk

ParmExec Jan. 4, 2005 - BMJ TURNS OVER MISSING PROZAC DOCUMENTS TO FDA; LILLY DENIES ANY MISSING DOCUMENTS

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
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Perchlorate Found In Breast Milk

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, April 1 2005

Remember the story we brought you last month about perchlorate? Well... the story hasn't gone away yet.

A team of Texas Tech University researchers has found a contaminant from rocket fuel in women's breast milk at five times the average level found in dairy milk.

This first study in breast milk of perchlorate, a chemical that interferes with the thyroid, indicates that the majority of breast-feeding infants would be exceeding the safe daily dose set by the National Academy of Sciences.

The peer-reviewed data published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology reported perchlorate in 36 milk samples from women in 18 states and in all but one of 47 cow milk samples from 11 states.

Cows have lower levels of perchlorate in their milk than women because they produce six times more milk for the food they eat. The amount of milk dilutes the contaminant, scientists say.

The federal and state regulators saw the study results for the first time Tuesday, Feb. 22/2005.

Rich Hood, director of the EPA's national press office in Washington, D.C. , said, "We're not going to be able to comment on the Texas Tech study. The EPA scientists and researchers are looking at the study. They want to determine what our appropriate response ought to be."

In Sacramento, Allan Hirsch, a spokesman for the state EPA, said, "We need to sit down and look at it."

The strictness of future standards could force cleanups at toxic sites nationwide. Sources of perchlorate include rocket fuel from military and industrial plants, some nitrate fertilizers and natural rock deposits.

Perchlorate has been found in the Colorado River and other water bodies, drinking-water supplies, cow's milk, bottled water, and lettuce and other vegetables nationwide by Texas Tech, the FDA and the Environmental Working Group. Women probably get perchlorate in their bodies from consuming contaminated food and water.


Sources:

San Francisco Chronicle - 02/23/05 - Rocket Fuel Contaminant Found In Women's Breast Milk

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

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What You Should Know About FDA Approval

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, April 1 2005

Just because a drug receives FDA approval, don't consider this to be a seal of approval for the safety of a drug.

Although federal law allows doctors to prescribe an FDA-approved drug for any use, companies can market the drug only for specific indications endorsed by the FDA.

That's why companies seek FDA approval for multiple uses for a single drug.

For example, on March 30, 2005, the FDA rejected Forest Laboratories application to market the antidepressant Lexapro for treating social anxiety disorder. This was the second setback... not long before that the FDA also rejected Forest's application to have the drug marketed for treating panic disorder.

Currently, Lexapro, which is Forest's bestselling drug, is approved for the initial treatment and maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder and for generalized anxiety disorder in adults. For the three months ended Dec. 31/2004, Lexapro produced sales of $427 million, or 54% of Forest's corporate revenue.

Now... just because the FDA has rejected Forrest's applications for the two uses above, don't believe Lexapro isn't being prescribed for those two specific areas for which it was rejected.

The above is just one example. Here's another coming up on the horizon...

Ever since June of 2003, when the FDA approved the prescription-only heartburn drug Prilosec for over-the-counter sales, drug makers have been chomping at the bit to secure this same lucrative treatment for the wildly popular
(read: over-prescribed) "statin" drugs for cholesterol control. The FDA voted against such a transition in January 2005...

However, the FDA shot it down because the proposed labels for the drug didn't adequately articulate who should and shouldn't take it - not because they know the drugs are too dangerous to patients' hearts and livers to be popping like breath mints.

The sad truth is, many drugs are being prescribed for applications above and beyond what they were originally intended and/or approved for.

For one example, take a look at Vioxx, a COX-2 drug pulled from the market late last fall... The New York Times reported in Jan. 2005... "The COX-2 drugs were initially hailed as potential lifesavers for a small minority of patients at real risk of fatal gastrointestinal effects. But according to researchers at the University of Chicago and Stanford, almost two-thirds of the COX-2 drugs prescribed from 1999 to 2002 went to patients with a low or very low risk of gastrointestinal complications. They were not appropriate candidates, under professional treatment guidelines, for the drugs."

The FDA informs doctors, but not the public, that the approval of a drug does not mean it is safe.

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

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Faith In Prescription Drugs Slipping

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, April 1 2005

I was recently contacted by one company to write up a 20 page report titled "What Your Doctor's Won't Tell You" and in the process of writing it, I came across some shocking news stories both on and off the Internet.

Here are just a few of the headlines I uncovered:

* Associated Press Jan. 20 2005 - Medical Errors Linked to 20 Minnesota Deaths

* Newsday Dec. 2004 - FDA'S Sad Slide: Warnings Went Unheeded

* Marketing Drugs to Unsuitable Patients - New York Times Jan. 2005

Over and over again during my research into this project, I came across information that supported the trend that seems to be growing in several countries... that people appear to be losing faith in prescription drugs.

A recent survey conducted between March 16, 2005 and March 18, 2005 for the Wall Street Journal produced some disconcerting results for major drug companies.

Of the 2507 adults polled, some 45 percent say they have failed to take their medications because of concerns they had about the drugs themselves, and 43 percent report having not complied with their regimens because they felt the drug was unnecessary.

In fact, 1 in 3 U.S. adults who have been prescribed drugs to take regularly say they often or very often don't follow their treatment regimens, the Harris Interactive online survey found.

Harris contacted a national sampling of 2,507 adults age 18 and over. The survey has a sampling margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Some of the information I uncovered during my research for the report even shocked me... and I've been involved writing for the alternative health industry for quite a few years now.

When I first began writing in this field back in the late 90's few legal cases against major drug companies hit the major news headlines. Many were buried deep on inside pages and drew little to no attention.

This is not the case lately.

In fact, headline after headline has been coming out regarding dangerous drug side effects. In the last 2 weeks alone, I received more than 4 dozen article clippings on the subject.

Be sure to stay tuned to BLV News. We'll be bringing you an update on a new report for this subject which we'll make available by request for all our visitors.

Until then, if you are taking any prescription medications --- be sure to read the warning labels and information literature that comes with it. In particular, pay close attention to the side effects which may arise from your prescription.

Stay safe. Stay healthy.


Sources:

United Press International via COMTEX - Adults Not Taking Prescribed Pills
Associated Press Jan. 20 2005 - Medical Errors Linked to 20 Minnesota Deaths
Newsday Dec. 2004 - FDA'S Sad Slide: Warnings Went Unheeded
Marketing Drugs to Unsuitable Patients - New York Times Jan. 2005

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Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

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