New Study Confirms That
Mercury Is Linked to Autism
Researchers found strong relationship between mercury toxicity levels and autism severity.
By Robert. F. Kennedy, Jr.
Two new studies by international teams, including Egyptian scientists, have validated the link between autism and mercury.
In an article published in the journal Metabolic Brain Disease, a team of nine scientists from leading Egyptian universities and medical schools confirmed the causal role of mercury in the onset of autism.
The scientists determined the extent of mercury poisoning in children by measuring urinary excretion of organic compounds called porphyrins, which act as biomarkers for mercury toxicity. The researchers also measured blood levels of mercury and lead. The researchers found a strong relationship between mercury toxicity and the presence of autism and a direct correlation between levels of mercury toxicity and the severity of autism symptoms.
The scientists studied 100 children; 40 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 40 healthy individuals and 20 healthy siblings of ASD children. The results showed that the children with ASD had significantly higher mercury levels than healthy children and healthy siblings. Children with the highest mercury levels had the most severe autism symptoms.
At least six American studies have linked autism presence or severity to mercury exposure as determined by measuring urinary porphyrins. The first study, completed by Heyer et al. in 2012 (Autism Res 5:84) showed a correlation between the presence of autism and specific urinary porphyrins associated with mercury toxicity. This affirmed an earlier study by Kern et al. (2011, Pediatr Int 53:147) where specific porphyrins associated with mercury toxicity were significantly higher in ASD children as compared to non-autistic controls. Woods et al. (2010, Environ Health Perspect 118:1450) also saw disordered porphyrin metabolism in autistic kids which was not observed in non-autistic control children. This again suggested increased mercury toxicity associated with autism and autism spectrum disorder.
Autism severity has also been correlated to levels of specific porphyrins associated with mercury toxicity. Kern et al. in 2010 (Biometals 23:1043) showed a strong relationship between the level of autism severity as measured by the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) instrument and the amount of urinary porphyrins observed in ASD children. Geier et al. (2009, J Toxicol Environ Health A 72:1585) also correlated urinary porphyrins to autism severity in a blind study using the childhood autism rating scale (CARS). This study was further elucidated by Geier et al. (2009, J Neurol Sci 15:280) where children with severe autism showed significantly higher urinary porphyrins associated with mercury toxicity as compared to those children with mild autism and non-autistic controls. Other biomarkers measured in this study correlating mercury toxicity with autism severity include the presence of glutathione, cysteine and sulfate metabolites in plasma.
In a second study, by Mostafa et al., published in Metabolic Brain Disease in June 2016, an international team of Egyptian, Norwegian, Saudi Arabian and Chilean physicians and scientists used a different set of measurement protocols to find a direct correlation between mercury levels and autism diagnosis. The reasearchers measured levels of neurokinin A and B - pro-inflammatory neuro peptides that indicate the presence of mercury in the blood – in 84 children with ASD and 84 controls. The results showed a positive linear relationship between mercury levels and the severity of autism symptoms.
Many of the mothers of children in the first 2016 Egyptian study (Khaled et al.)had multiple dental amalgams which may have contributed to the children's body levels of mercury. The study does not examine the potential link between autism and the vaccine preservative, thimerosal, which is 50 percent ethyl mercury by weight. However, other studies indicate that the ethyl mercury in thimerosal is 50 times as toxic to human tissue as the methylmercury in amalgams and fish (Guzzi et al. 2012, Interdiscipl Toxicol 5:159) and at least twice as persistent in the brain (Burbacher et al. 2005, Environ Health Perspect 113:1015).
The 2016 Metabolic Brain Disease studies are only the latest in a series of important studies by leading Egyptian doctors and scientists linking mercury exposure to autism. A September 2015 paper published in Behavioral Neurology (Mohamed et al. 2015, PMID 26508811) by a group of researchers from the faculty of Cairo's Ain Shams University and the National Institute of Standards studied 100 autistic children and 100 healthy children. The researchers found significantly high levels of mercury, lead and aluminum in the autistic children (probably from maternal fish consumptions, living near gas stations and usage of aluminum paints) and concluded that "environmental exposure to these toxic metals at key times in development may play a causal role in autism."
A November 2014 study published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology (38:1016) by Heba Yassa of the Assuit University Medical School's Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, looked at 45 children with autism and 45 controls. Using blood and hair samples, Dr. Yassa also found high levels of lead and mercury among the children with autism and not the controls. Using dimercaptosuccinic acid or DMSA as a chelating agent, Dr. Yassa was able to reduce blood mercury and lead levels in the autistic children. His study documents significant declines in autism symptoms with the decrease of metals in the children's blood. The study's concluded: "Lead and mercury are considered as one of the main causes of autism. Environmental exposure as well as genetic inability of certain individuals to excrete metals is responsible for the high levels of heavy metals. Detoxification by chelating agents had a great role in improving those kids."
Dr. Yassa's 2014 study supported earlier findings by a team of German and Egyptian government and university medical school scientists, which reported in a 2012 study published in Maedica, a Journal of Clinical Medicine (Blaucok-Busch et al. 7:214). The scientists studied the efficacy of DMSA chelation therapy in a sample of Arab children with autism spectrum disorder. That study found that oral DMSA chelation in 44 children with autism ages 3 to 9 reduced body burden of three metals—sodium, mercury and lead—and that detoxification reduced their behavioral effects and neurological symptoms of autism.
These 2014 and 2012 Egyptian studies supported the findings of several other publications and case studies, suggesting that heavy metal chelation has a measurable therapeutic effect on autism. Other studies have reported significant improvement in the symptoms of autistic children following treatment with chelating drugs that remove metals from the body. In a 2002 study, 10 patients with autism were treated with a chelating agent. All but two of the patients showed improvement in their ATEC scores (Lonsdale et al., Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2002, 23:303). A study in 2003 by Jeff Bradstreet compared mercury excretion after three day treatment using the chelating agent, DMSA, and found that children with autism excreted three times the amount of mercury in their urine as the non-autistic control group (Bradstreet, et al., J Am Phys Surg 2003, 8:76).
These are only a sampling of the groundbreaking studies by Egyptian scientists, doctors and researchers on the etiology of autism. Impressive Egyptian studies beg a host of questions for public health officials and American citizens. Most prominently: why can a chaotic society in a war torn and relatively impoverished nation produce high quality science on the etiology and successful treatments of autism while the science on the environmental triggers of autism in the U.S. is stagnant despite the National Institutes of Health spending more than $1 billion on autism research since 2010?
Stroke rates have been declining in older people over the past 20 years — but have sharply increased in those under 55.
Researchers at Rutgers University used data from the New Jersey Department of Health on more than 227,000 hospitalizations for stroke from 1995 through 2014, calculating incidence by age over five-year periods. The findings appeared in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Compared with the 1995-99 period, the rate of stroke in 2010-14 increased by 147 percent in people 35 to 39, by 101 percent in people 40 to 44, by 68 percent in those 45 to 49, and by 23 percent in the 50 to 54 group.
Stroke is still far more common in older people. But the rate decreased by 11 percent in those 55 to 59, by 22 percent in the 60 to 64 group, and by 18 percent in people 65 to 69.
The reasons are unclear, but the lead author, Joel N. Swerdel, now an epidemiologist with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, said that increasing obesity and diabetes in younger people are probably involved.
“For a person 30 to 50, the good news is you ain’t dead yet,” he said. “With behavioral changes, changing diet, increasing exercise, there’s still hope for you. Behavioral change is hard, but this study is an early warning sign.”
MedReleaf continues to lead on scientific research: Landmark, peer-reviewed study shows medical cannabis dramatically improves lives of veterans with PTSD
MedReleaf, Canada's premium licensed producer of medical cannabis, today announced the findings from a landmark study on the effectiveness of medical cannabis on military veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The study found treatment with medical cannabis improved aggregate patient reported outcomes by 50-60% with a 77% decrease in suicidal thoughts as well as a 50% reduction in the consumption of related medications.
The study, being presented today in Vancouver at the 7th Annual Military and Veteran Health Research Forum, was conducted by Dr. Paul Smith, MD, using several of MedReleaf's proprietary strains of medical cannabis including AviDekel, Luminarium and Midnight.
From baseline to follow up, the study revealed a number of key insights on patient outcomes including:
Aggregate score of both PTSD symptoms and social impacts improved by 59%
Drug and alcohol overuse was reduced by 82%
Marital and relationship harmony improved 65% and
Severity of pain experienced by patients decreased 48%
Improvements in outcomes were also associated with a 50% reduction in the consumption of PTSD-related medications, including opioids. 36% of patients on PTSD related medications at baseline discontinued all such medications, for an estimated annual savings of $2,300 to $3,800 per patient.
"The evidence is overwhelming that cannabis is dramatically improving the lives of veterans with PTSD," noted Neil Closner, CEO of MedReleaf. "We're encouraged by Dr. Smith's work; it provides valuable insight and data that will assist the broader healthcare community in their quest to help veterans better manage their healthcare needs."
"In my practice, I see the worst of the worst in terms of PTSD; when all other treatment options fail, these patients come to me," noted the study's author, Dr, Paul Smith, adding "70% of veterans are dropping out of traditional PTSD programs in favour of a medical cannabis course of treatment and as the evidence overwhelmingly shows, it is remarkably effective."
Patients in the study required 9.4 grams of medical cannabis a day to achieve these results leading Dr. Smith to note, "There is no one-size-fits-all approach to effective cannabis dosing but I believe that when veterans get VAC coverage for cannabis oils and capsules, we'll see more veterans turn to this treatment and I think that with these new, accurate dosing methods of delivery we'll see a reduction in the amount of cannabis required for a course of treatment."
Following the presentation of the abstract at Forum 2016, Dr. Smith will submit the results for peer review with the goal of publication in the Journal of Veteran, Military and Family Health.
About the study
The study is based on chart audits of 100 patients with confirmed diagnosis of PTSD and who initiated a treatment of medical cannabis after January, 2014. Self-reported Patient-Related Outcomes (PRO) were captured at baseline and at a follow up visit between 3 and 18 months after initiation of a treatment of medical cannabis. The data review was conducted at a single medical practice with extensive treatment of medical cannabis and which serves a large number of military veterans.
The full abstract, including details on study background, methodology, epidemiology and detailed results can be found at www.medreleaf.com/research-overview.
About MedReleaf
MedReleaf is the leading, research-and-development driven, medical cannabis producer in Canada and the only ISO 9001 certified cannabis producer in North America. They offer the finest range of premium cannabis products sourced from around the globe and cultivated in their Ontario facility under the strictest guidelines and care. MedReleaf focuses on quality, safety, uniformity, and reliability, and they do it all to improve the quality of life for their patients. MedReleaf is setting The Medical Grade Standard™, because quality assurance is at the core of every product they produce. Through tireless clinical research in concert with the Canadian medical community, MedReleaf is consistently striving to unlock the immense potential of medical cannabis, and is dedicated to leading the way in the discovery of its medical and therapeutic benefits.
For more information on MedReleaf, its products and processes, please visit MedReleaf.com
SOURCE MedReleaf Corp.
New Study on Finally Treating Chemo Brain
Breast cancer patients and support groups first brought attention to a phenomenon they called “chemo brain” or “chemo fog” in the 1980s. The often vague yet incredibly distressing mental changes cancer patients experienced were real, yet many medical professionals continued to question the phenomenon’s seriousness and very existence. Studies on cancer-related cognitive decline unfortunately did not begin until the late 1990s, and, 30 years later, there is still no treatment.
However, a new study will publish on Monday, October 31st, which suggests that the lack of understanding and treatment for cancer-related cognitive decline may be about to change. For decades cancer patients have been affected by chemo brain – a mental cloudiness noticed before, during, and after cancer treatment. Defined as a decrease in mental “sharpness” – with many chemo brain patients having difficulties with memory recall, finishing tasks, and learning new skills – chemo brain indisputably impacts every aspect of the patient’s life. One doctor working to reverse such devastating effects is world-renowned scientist and founder of Posit Science, Dr. Michael Merzenich.
If you are interested in discussing the major developments and breakthroughs being made in the fight against cancer-related cognitive decline, the future of medicine, and how technology is creating new cognitive medical advancements, please let me know – I would be happy to arrange an interview with Dr. Merzenich or provide you with written commentary and additional information.
Additionally, please let me know if you would be interested in an early release on the forthcoming chemo brain study.
Doctors should know what supplements patients take to prevent interactions with medications
Botanical supplements are used by people around the world to treat a wide range of physical and mental ailments. Some of these botanical supplements have high levels of antioxidants, which may have some positive health effects for certain conditions. However, a new study from the University of Missouri in partnership with scientists in Africa has uncovered evidence that these supplements and their antioxidants may reduce the effectiveness of prescription medications. The researchers examined the effects of a widely used African botanical supplement, called Sutherlandia, and found that it may disrupt the effectiveness of a common anti-tuberculosis drug. This could lead to the development of active tuberculosis and perhaps drug resistant forms of the pathogen in some patients.
For the study, William Folk, a professor of biochemistry in the University of Missouri School of Medicine and College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and his colleagues monitored South African patients who were taking either Sutherlandia or a placebo, along with the world-standard anti-tuberculosis drug, isoniazid. Sutherlandia is a supplement commonly taken in Africa to fight symptoms of infection and some chronic diseases, such as diabetes. The researchers observed that several patients taking the Southerlandia supplement developed active tuberculosis despite taking Isoniazid.
“We believe that the antioxidants in Southerlandia can directly disrupt how Isoniazid functions within the body to prevent tuberculosis,” Folk said. “Isoniazid is very reliable in preventing the active form of this potentially deadly microbe, which is present in nearly one-third of all humans, but if individuals concurrently take a botanical supplement, they could undo the good that the scientifically proven drug is accomplishing. More than one-third of the world’s population is susceptible to active tuberculosis, so it is unfortunate that Sutherlandia, which traditionally is taken to prevent or treat infections, can actually cause them to develop the disease, and perhaps also cause the microbe to become a drug-resistant ‘super bug.’”
Folk says this finding could apply to many different botanical supplements and many different medications, including cancer-fighting drugs. He says it is important for future research to examine potential interactions between drugs and antioxidant-laden supplements.
“With so many people around the world turning to botanical supplements to help with a wide range of health issues, it is vital that we explore how these supplements interact with established medical drugs,” Folk said. “Many drugs use pathways that could be disrupted by antioxidants, so we need for physicians to better advise their patients. Many physicians do not know everything that their patients take, so it is important for people to inform their physicians, and for physicians to ask, so they can better advise their patients what is best for their health.”
The study, “Does Concurrent Use of Some Botanicals Interfere with Treatment of Tuberculosis?” was published in Neuromolecular Medicine DOI 10.1007/s12017-016-8402-1. Coauthors include Aaron smith, Hailong Song, Dennis Chuang, Jianlin Cheng, Sezong Gu and Grace Sun. This study was funded by grant P50AT006273 from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the University of Missouri. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.
A Third of People Track Their Health or Fitness. Who Are They and Why Are They Doing it?
A recentinternationalGfK survey, conductedonlinein 16 countries,shows one in threepeople(33 percent)currentlymonitor or track their health or fitness via an online or mobile application, or via a fitness band, clip, or smartwatch.
China is well in the lead for monitoring health and fitness in this way, with 45 percent of the online population currently doing this. Brazil and the USA come next, with 29 percent each, closely followed by Germany (28 percent) and France (26 percent).
In most countries studied, men are ahead of women in this activity, but five countries stand out as having a higher percentage of their female than their male online population currently tracking their health and fitness in this way: China (48 percent of women, compared to 43 percent of the men), Russia (21 percent of women and 17 percent of men), France (27 percent and 25 percent), Australia (20 percent and 18 percent), and Canada (20 percent and 19 percent).
Looking at age, it is those aged 30-39 and 20-29 years old that are most keen on tracking their health and fitness - standing at 41 percent and 39 percent of each age group respectively. However, teenagers (15-19 year olds) and the 20-29 year olds both show almost a quarter of their numbers saying that, while they do not currently monitor their health or fitness in this way, they have done so in the past. This suggests potential for bringing this significant number of 'past users' back into the market, given the right offers or messages by retailers or manufacturers.
Reasons for tracking health or fitness
Over half (55 percent) of those who are currently tracking their health and fitness said one of the reasons they do it is "to maintain or improve my physical condition or fitness" - making this the most popular reason internationally.
The next most widespread reason is motivating themselves to exercise, selected by half (50 percent) of those currently tracking.
Several of the reasons given by those currently tracking health or fitness are a reminder that users of these trackers value them for benefits that are not exclusive to the world of sports. Over a third give "to improve my energy levels" or "to motivate myself to eat and drink healthily" as a reason for tracking their health or fitness, while 29 percent say "to improve sleep" and a quarter say "to be more productive". In addition, 22 percent say "because it's fun". Only 14 percent of those currently tracking their health or fitness say they are doing it "to train for an event."
Why are people tracking or monitoring their health or fitness?
To maintain or improve my physical
condition/fitness 55%
To motivate myself to exercise 50%
To improve my energy level 35%
To motivate myself to eat and drink
healthily 34%
To improve sleep 29%
Because it's part of my daily routine 29%
To lose weight 29%
To be more productive 24%
Because it's fun 22%
To monitor or track a specific health
condition 17%
To train for an event (race, sport, etc.) 14%
To compete with other people 8%
For some other reason 2%
Not sure 1%
Source: GfK survey of 4,900+ internet users (ages 15+) in 16 countries who currently track their health or fitness; multiple answers allowed. Fieldwork was conducted in the summer of 2016.
Jan Wassmann, global lead for wearables research at GfK, comments, "These findings demonstrate the attraction that health and fitness monitoring has within much wider groups than just the obvious young sports players. Manufacturers and retailers can use these insights - combined with our point-of-sales data on purchases of wearable devices - to understand who are their real-life users and why, and tailor their products to deepen that appeal."
GfK conducted the online survey with over 20,000 consumers aged 15 or older across 16 countries. Fieldwork was completed in summer 2016. Data are weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the online population aged 15+ in each market. Countries covered are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, Spain, UK and USA.
New study shows higher levels of vitamin D can drastically lower risk of cancer by 67%
TORONTO, Ont. – Women with high concentrations of vitamin D have been found to have a much lower chance of developing cancer, according to a recently published study.
Published in the journal PLOS ONE and authored by a team from Creighton University, University of California, San Diego and GrassrootsHealth, the research found a 67% reduction in risk for all cancers in women with vitamin D levels > 100 nmol/L (40 ng/ml) compared to womenwith vitamin D levels < 50 nmol/L (20 ng/ml).
Drawing on results from one of Creighton’s past studies, Dr. Heaney and researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine worked with Dr. Lappe’s team and GrassrootsHealth to provide data from its members to aid in the study. Combining both pools of data, the researchers were able to create a larger overall cohort of 2,304 women with a broader range of serum levels for the analysis.
The resulting conclusion was that women with higher than 100 nmol/L (40 ng/ml) vitamin D levels were associated with substantial reduction in risk of all invasive cancers combined.
Dr. Heaney, one of the study’s authors, noted the importance of sunlight in vitamin D absorption. While ancestors spent a lot of time outdoors in direct sunlight, today more time is spent indoors and behind computer screens.
“Be sure you’re getting as much vitamin D as nature would give you under natural circumstances and you were wandering around outdoors exposing a lot of skin in the summer,” said Heaney. “We have got to find a way to translate [these studies] into policy; public health policy.”
In Toronto, Dr. Reinhold Vieth, scientific advisor for the Vitamin D Society and professor at the University of Toronto, is encouraged by the results.
“This analysis provides more evidence that vitamin D plays an important role for cancer, and not just bone health,” said Dr. Vieth. “More vitamin D, or more sunshine, is related to lower cancer, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis or death. Fortunately, taking advantage of the health benefits of vitamin D couldn’t be easier as it comes for free with spending time in the sun.”
Approximately 12 million Canadians (35%) fall below the minimum vitamin D blood level requirements of 50 nmol/L set by Health Canada and the Institute of Medicine and 90% of Canadians do not meet the 100 nmol/L recommended by this research study.
“The takeaway message from this study is clear,” said Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society. “If you want to help prevent the risk of cancer for you and your family, ensure that your 25(OH)D vitamin D blood levels are greater than 100 nmol/L.”
The Vitamin D Society is a Canadian non-profit group organized to increase awareness of the many health conditions strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency; encourage people to be proactive in protecting their health and have their vitamin D levels tested annually; and help fund valuable vitamin D research. The Vitamin D Society recommends people achieve and maintain optimal 25(OH)D blood levels between 100 – 150 nmol/L (Can) or 40-60 ng/ml (USA).
References:
McDonnell SL, Baggerly C, French CB, Baggerly LL, Garland CF, Gorham ED, et al. (2016) Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations _40 ng/ml Are Associated with 65% Lower Cancer Risk: Pooled Analysis of Randomized Trial and Prospective Cohort Study. PLoS ONE 11(4): e0152441. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0152441
Extremely Active Rats Become Lazy when They Artificially Receive “Runners’ High”
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Past research has shown that the pleasure and reward centers of the brain are activated similarly by dangerous drugs as well as by exercise, which is why therapies have been developed for drug addicts that include lots of exercise. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that activating these pleasure and reward receptors in the brain could provide the “reward” of dangerous drugs without having to consume those drugs.
For the study, a team of scientists led by Frank Booth, a professor at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, selectively bred rats that exhibited traits of either extreme activity or extreme laziness. The researchers then gave chemicals to the rats to either activate or shut off their mu-opioid receptors, which are the genes in the brains of rats and humans which release dopamine, a pleasure-inducing chemical. Greg Ruegsegger, a doctoral student in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and lead author of the study, says that when the receptors of the extremely energetic rats were activated, those rats were much less inclined to exercise.
“These highly active rats would run on their wheels constantly,” Ruegsegger said. “However, when we chemically activated their mu-opioid receptors, those rats drastically reduced their amounts of activity. Since exercise and addiction to substances follow this same chemical process in the brain, it stands to reason that activating these receptors in people with dangerous addictions could provide the same rewards they are craving without the use of dangerous drugs or alcohol.”
When MU researchers studied the brains of the rats, they found 400 percent more of the reward receptors in the extremely active rats than the extremely lazy rats. They believe this indicates that the extremely active rats were active to receive “rewards” from their mu-opioid receptors, which may explain why they voluntarily run such extreme amounts.
The researchers also used chemicals to shut off the mu-opioid receptors in the active rats, but found that it similarly reduced activity in the rats, though not as drastically as turning on those receptors in the active rats. Researchers found that activating and shutting off the receptors in the lazy rats seemed to have no significant effect on those rats’ overall activity levels.
This study was published in the journal Neuropharmacology.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — More than one-third of children in the United States ages 6 to 19 years old are overweight or obese. Over the past 30 years, the number of obese adolescents has more than quadrupled, which also has led to an increase in children diagnosed with diabetes. To combat this trend, Aneesh Tosh, M.D., adolescent medicine physician at University of Missouri Health Care and associate professor of clinical child health at the MU School of Medicine, recommends that sugary drinks be removed from adolescents’ diets.
“The sharp rise in childhood and adolescent obesity is alarming,” Tosh said. “Being overweight is the biggest risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. We want to prevent diabetes in adolescents to avoid the serious medical problems associated with the disease. One very important step to preventing these complications is to stop drinking sugary drinks.”
Through clinical experience and research, Tosh has found that eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages is the most significant lifestyle change that children and adolescents can make to lose weight and improve health. Sugary beverages can add up to 200 empty calories per serving to an adolescent’s diet that provide no nutritional benefits. Sugary beverages include juice, soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, energy drinks and coffee drinks, all of which can be high in calories.
“It is very important that a developing body gets plenty of water and milk,” Tosh said. “We realize those can get boring for some of our patients, so adding zero- or low-calorie flavorings to water is fine every once in a while.”
As adolescents progress toward adulthood, they become increasingly responsible for their own beverage choices. Many of the beverages adolescents have available at school, home and social gatherings contain significant amounts of sugar.
Sports drinks have become the drink of choice for many teenagers because they incorrectly assume the drinks are healthier than soda. Tosh said most children and adolescents, even when involved in athletics, do not actually need the electrolytes in sports drinks, and some of these sports drinks have more calories than regular soda. Energy drinks, which also are rising in popularity, not only contain sugar but also caffeine. Energy drinks can lead to other health problems, such as poor sleep, headaches and heart irregularities.
“It really is about education, because many parents and young patients just don’t realize how many calories there are in sugary drinks,” Tosh said. “My patients who cut sugary beverages are the ones losing weight. Conversely, I’ve found that patients who struggle to switch to water and milk are the ones who have not been successful in losing weight.”
One successful patient is Andrew Roberts. At age 13, Roberts weighed 307 pounds and was in and out of the hospital because of obesity-related health complications.
“It was not uncommon for me to drink 2 liters of soda a day,” said Roberts, who is now a 23-year-old personal trainer. “I lost 115 pounds in about a year and a half by cutting out sugary drinks, junk foods and sweets, and getting exercise.”
Roberts said it was easy to see where excess calories were coming from once Tosh had him keep a food log that included drinks.
“Limiting consumption of sugary drinks to once a week for special events rather than daily is a significant step toward healthy weight loss for many children and teens,” Tosh said. “When children and teens spend time hanging out with their friends — not just when they’re at school — it’s important that sugary drinks aren’t their go-to beverage.”
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About the MU School of Medicine
The MU School of Medicine has improved health, education and research in Missouri and beyond for more than 165 years. MU physicians treat patients from every county in the state, and more Missouri physicians received their medical degrees from MU than from any other university. For more information, visit http://medicine.missouri.edu/.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (Sept. 28, 2015) ― Across the country, many employees are seated at desks for the majority of an eight-hour workday. As technology creates an increase in sedentary lifestyles, the impact of sitting on vascular health is a rising concern. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found that when a person sits for six straight hours, vascular function is impaired — but by walking for just 10 minutes after a prolonged period of sitting, vascular health can be restored.
“It’s easy for all of us to be consumed by work and lose track of time, subjecting ourselves to prolonged periods of inactivity,” said Jaume Padilla, Ph.D., an assistant professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “However, our study found that when you sit for six straight hours, or the majority of an eight-hour work day, blood flow to your legs is greatly reduced. We also found that just 10 minutes of walking after sitting for an extended time reversed the detrimental consequences.”
During the study, the researchers compared the vascular function of 11 healthy young men before and after a period of prolonged sitting. The findings indicated that blood flow in the popliteal — an artery in the lower leg — was greatly reduced after sitting at a desk for six hours. Researchers then had the participants take a short walk, and found that 10 minutes of self-paced walking could restore the impaired vascular function and improve blood flow.
“When you have decreased blood flow, the friction of the flowing blood on the artery wall, called shear stress, is also reduced,” Padilla said. “Moderate levels of shear stress are good for arterial health, whereas low levels of shear stress appear to be detrimental and reduce the ability of the artery to dilate. Dilation is a sign of vascular health. The more the artery can dilate and respond to stimuli, the healthier it is.”
Many workplaces are sedentary environments, and the researchers said it’s important that people understand the effects of sitting on their vascular health. By breaking up desk time with a short walk, workers can offset the harm caused to vascular blood vessels.
“Studies have shown that sitting less can lead to better metabolic and cardiovascular health,” Padilla said. “However, more research is needed to determine if repeated periods of reduced vascular function with prolonged sitting lead to long-term vascular complications.”
The study, “Impact of Prolonged Sitting on Lower and Upper Limb Micro- and Macrovascular Dilator Function,” recently was published in Experimental Physiology, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of The Physiological Society. In addition to Padilla, the research team includes Robert Restaino and Seth Holwerda, graduate students in the MU School of Medicine Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology; Daniel Credeur, Ph.D., assistant professor of exercise science at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Kinesiology; and Paul Fadel, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology and director of clinical translational science at the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing and Health Innovation.
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health under the award number K01HL125503 and the American Physiological Society. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.
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