A high-level inquiry into the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found there was
Little Exposure To BPA Turns Offspring Into Genetic Mutants
August 31, 2010 Leave a Comment
A recent study published online in the journal Biology of Reproduction further reveals the disruptive nature of bisphenol A (BPA) in gene expression. According to the data, pregnant mice exposed to BPA experience significant genetic changes in their fetal ovaries, indicating that the next generation of their offspring will likely be born with serious genetic defects.
Dr. Patricia A. Hunt and her colleagues at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, Wash., exposed female mice to levels of BPA roughly equivalent to the levels humans are exposed to on a regular basis. The team discovered that in as little as 12 hours after exposure, egg production in exposed mice suffered reproductive damage. They believe exposure even altered the reproductive capacity of the mice’s grandchildren.
According to the study report, BPA exposure negatively affects mitosis, the process by which cells divide their nuclei chromosomes in order to reproduce into new cells. BPA also disrupts other normal cell cycle functions and DNA replication, which researchers say can potentially shorten the “reproductive lifespan” of females.
What makes BPA particularly dangerous is the fact that very low levels of exposure to it can cause significant harm. According to reports, there have already been more than 200 studies conducted about BPA’s dangers, many of which implicate the chemical as being highly dangerous even at extremely low levels.
One such study that appeared in the journal Reproductive Toxicology found that newborn animals exposed to BPA experience uterine damage.
“The researchers indicated that such damage is a possible predictor of reproductive diseases in women, including fibroids, endometriosis, cystic ovaries and cancers,” explains Andreas Moritz in his book Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation: Unleash The Natural Healing Power That Lies Dormant Within You.
Editor’s Note: NaturalNews is strongly against the use of all forms of animal testing. We fully support the implementation of humane medical experimentation that promotes the health and well-being of all living creatures.
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Broccoli Can Cure Stomach Infections
August 31, 2010 Leave a Comment
It is hardly breaking news that eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli helps to improve health. But researchers from the University of Liverpool have discovered new benefits to eating both broccoli and plantains — two high-fiber foods — that may help people with Chron’s disease and other digestive disorders. According to the recent study, broccoli and plantains contain compounds that help protect the gut from infection and improve overall stomach health.
Broccoli and plantains are not the only foods that provide this benefit, but they are two in particular that scientists found to have exceptional benefit. The compounds in these two foods actually boost the ability of the stomach lining to ward off bad bacteria, passing it through the tract and out of the body before it can cause harm.
“We have known for some time the general health benefits of eating plantain and broccoli, which are both high in vitamins and minerals, but until now we have not understood how they can boost the body’s natural defenses against infection common in Chron’s patients,” explained Dr. Barry Campbell, who worked on the study.
The intestinal lining in the gut is coated in M-cells, which are designed to maintain intestinal health. But these cells are often disrupted by processed foods, artificial chemicals and other additives. Long-term ingestion of these substances can severely damage a person’s bacterial balance, leading eventually to disease.
“Knowledge of the M-cell role offers a more detailed explanation as to why a healthy diet can improve the health and well being for people with Chron’s disease and healthy individuals alike,” emphasized a spokeswoman from the Chron’s and Colitis Foundation, in response to the study.
“Simple, nonprocessed foods…are associated with positive ecology of friendly bacteria in our intestines,” explains Greg Hicks, M.D., in a book by Dan Buettner called The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.
“These friendly bacteria include immunomodulating and fiber-fermenting lactic acid bacteria. Stressors of this healthy ecological system, such as surgery, certain medications, and consumption of meats and processed foods disrupt a natural balance and shift from friendly to unfriendly bacteria.”
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Anticonvulsant Drug Makes People Suicidal
August 31, 2010 Leave a Comment
Popular anti-seizure drugs may seriously increase a patient’s risk of suicide and violent death, according to a study conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The drugs, known as anticonvulsants, were initially designed for the treatment of epilepsy but are now widely prescribed “off-label” for conditions such as bipolar disorder, migraine headaches and pain.
“We all know the range of uses of these medications is very, very wide,” researcher Elisabetta Patorno said.
The researchers examined the prescription and medical records of more than 300,000 people above the age of 14 who had been prescribed an anticonvulsant for the first time between July 2001 and December 2006.
All of the drugs, they found, significantly increased a patient’s risk of attempted or successful suicide, as well as violent death by other causes. During the course of the study, there were 801 attempted suicides, 26 successful suicides and 41 violent deaths.
“We found increased risk for suicidal acts beginning within the first 14 days after treatment initiation, opening the possibility that anticonvulsant medications could induce behavioral effects prior to the achievement of their full therapeutic effectiveness,” the researchers wrote.
Based on prior studies, the FDA ruled in 2008 that all anticonvulsants must carry labels warning that they double the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. These older studies had not been able to determine if any drugs posed higher risks than others, however.
In the current study, researchers compared the rates of suicides and violent deaths among users of topiramate (sold generically and also marketed as Topamax), gabapentin (marketed as Neurontin), lamotrigine (marketed as Lamictal), oxcarbazepine (marketed as Trileptal), tiagabine (marketed as Gabitril) and valproate (marketed as Depakine and Epilim). They found that the risk was lowest in topiramate, and roughly equal in the five other drugs.
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