Monthly Archives: May 2017

Soda May Cause Worsening of Osteoarthritis in Men

In a study published in the BMJ Open, researchers found that the consumption of soft drinks may be associated with an increased progression of osteoarthritis (OA)  of the knees in men. Researchers examined data from the Osteoarthritis initiative, which was started in 2002 by the National Institutes of Health.

Data from over 2000 participants was examined. X-rays of the knees were taken to evaluate the joint space narrowing in patients, over a course of four years.

Results of the study showed that increased soft drink intake was associated with an increasing rate of OA progression in the knees of men. Interestingly, this relationship did not hold for women. The research group also looked at fruit juice intake and OA progression, and no association was found.

Diet sodas were not examined as part of this particular study. It would be helpful to know if diet sodas were better, worse or the same relative to regular soda. It would also be helpful to know if discontinuation of soda led to improving osteoarthritis status. These may be areas of further research. In any case, this study provides yet another reason to cut back or eliminate sodas entirely, particularly in men.

(Source- BMJ Open 2013; 3: e002993)

This bog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

Acupuncture for Arthritic Knee Pain

May is designated Arthritis Awareness Month, and in recognition of this several posts will review topics related to arthritis. In a systematic review published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, researchers found acupuncture to be effective in reducing knee pain from osteoarthritis. Researchers looked at several published studies to compare the effectiveness of acupuncture to other treatments for arthritic knee pain.

The research group, based in the UK, reviewed a total of 156 published trials. In addition to acupuncture, they reviewed other treatment modalities such as aerobic exercise, muscle-strengthening exercise, heat treatment, manual therapy, laser/light therapy, Tai Chi, TENS, and weight loss, among others. The purpose of the review was to compare acupuncture with alternative treatments that a primary care physician might typically prescribe for osteoarthritic knee pain.

The researchers found that several treatment modalities including acupuncture, TENS, aerobic exercise, and muscle strengthening exercise all showed some benefit when compared to “standard care”. Standard care in this instance would include analgesic pain medications and general exercise advice. In turn, when the other treatment modalities were compared to acupuncture, acupuncture was statistically superior in reducing knee pain compared to weight loss, muscle-strengthening exercises, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and pulsed electromagnetic fields.

It is important to note that when the research group specifically looked at what they described as “better quality studies” acupuncture again showed a statistically significant reduction in knee pain when compared to standard of care. Also, when the better quality studies were considered, acupuncture was better at relieving knee pain when treatment modalities such as muscle strengthening exercise, weight loss and aerobic exercise were compared. 

This thorough review paper again highlights the benefits of acupuncture, in this case for arthritic knee pain. Acupuncture should be considered as a treatment option for osteoarthritic knee pain.

(Source- Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 21 (2013))

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

 

 

Walnut Oil Lowers Cholesterol in Diabetics

May 17th is National Walnut Day, and in recognition of this today’s post will review recently published research on walnut oil.

A group of researchers in Iran designed a study to examine the effects of walnut oil on lipids in a group of patients with Type 2 diabetes. Compared to other tree nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and pecans, walnuts are particularly high in essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Because of favorable nutritional qualities such as this walnuts have been the subject of research in regards to potential health benefits. China is the largest producer of walnuts in the world, while the U.S. is the largest exporter of walnuts.

The researchers completed a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial, enrolling 45 diabetic patients in the walnut oil group, and another 45 patients in the placebo group. Those in the walnut oil group ingested four capsules of walnut oil three times each day. Those in the placebo group ingested similar capsules which contained simply water.

Labs were drawn at the start of the study and again at the conclusion after three months. The primary outcome measure was change in total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and HDL (“good cholesterol”).

After 90 days researchers found that the participants in the walnut oil group had a significant decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL. There was also a trend towards higher HDL. The walnut oil preparation was well tolerated, with no significant side effects. 

Walnuts may be part of a low-risk diet strategy for primary prevention in a high risk population of diabetic patients.

 (Source- Nutrition&Diabetes (2017) 7, 259)

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

 

Curcumin For Knee Arthritis

May is recognized as Arthritis Awareness Month and we will have several posts on arthritis during the month of May.

Curcumin is a spice that has been used since ancient times, often as a coloring agent in Asian foods. Curcumin is an active ingredient of the Asian spice turmeric, which is a member of the ginger family. Turmeric is a widely used spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking and is grown in India, Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and elsewhere. Turmeric is also used in Ayurvedic Medicine, and is currently being studied in Western Medicine for possible uses. Curcumin has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. There has been a lot of interest in this spice due to its potential health benefits.

A research group in Thailand recently completed a study of the efficacy of an extract of curcuma domestica in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. A total of 367 subjects enrolled in the study. The participants in the study were primarily female (90%), with a mean age of 60 years. The group receiving the curcuma extract was compared to a similar group which instead received ibuprofen for the knee pain. 

The enrollees in the study were assessed at baseline, at 2 weeks, and at 4 weeks, which was the end of the study. Patients were assessed via a functional pain scale, and a six-minute walk test.

At the end of the four-week study the extract of curcuma domestica was found to be as effective as ibuprofen. The curcuma was generally well tolerated, with few side effects.

(Source- Clinical Interventions in Aging 2014:9)

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone.. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

 

Curcumin Helps With Depression- Part Two

Today’s post is the 4th in a series covering topics in mental health, in recognition of National Mental Health Month.

A group of researchers from Murdoch University in Western Australia examined the use of curcumin, as well as a curcumin/saffron combination, in treating major depression. Curcumin is an active ingredient of the Asian spice turmeric, which is a member of the ginger family. Turmeric is a widely used spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking and is grown in India, Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and elsewhere. Turmeric is also used in Ayurvedic Medicine, and is currently being studied in Western Medicine for possible uses. Curcumin has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The study was a randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial, which ran for 12 weeks. There were 123 participants in the trial, all of which were diagnosed with major depression. There were four different groups- a placebo group, a low-dose curcumin group, a high-dose curcumin group, and a low-dose curcumin/saffron combination group. The score on the Inventory of Depressive Symtomatology was the primary outcome measure.

After 12 weeks researchers found that the 3 groups treated with curcumin all had significantly greater improvements in depressive symptoms compared to the placebo group. The response rate in the groups treated with curcumin was 28% versus only 13% in the placebo group. 

Interestingly, the addition of saffron to the curcumin did not seem to improve the efficacy of the curcumin. Also, a comparison of the high and low doses of curcumin did not appear to show any major differences in efficaciousness.

This study adds to the growing body of evidence indicating potential benefits of curcumin for depression.

(Source- Journal of Affective Disorders 207 (2017))

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a  physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

Healthy Diet Reduces Risk For Depression

Today’s post is our third in recognition of National Mental Health Month. Today’s post will examine recently published research from Australia.

Researchers performed a meta-analysis on existing research regarding the association between dietary habits and the risk of depression. They were able to identify 21 studies (20 observational and one random controlled trial) that met their inclusion criteria. These studies were from Europe, the U.S., Australia, Japan, Taiwan and the UK, and involved thousands of patients, with ages between 20 and 94 years.

 After compiling data from these 21 different studies and performing the analysis, researchers concluded that a healthy diet composed of high consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, poultry and fish was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the odds of depression.

The  World Health Organization has concluded that depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. It is estimated that more than one out of twenty Americans ages 12 and older will report moderate to severe depression symptoms over a given two-week period. With statistics like these, a healthy dietary approach seems like a beneficial primary prevention strategy for depression.

 (Source- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2014;99)

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

Acupuncture for Depression- More Evidence

May is National Mental Health Month in the U.S., and today’s post is the 2nd in a series addressing mental health issues.

Today’s post highlights research published earlier this year, which examined acupuncture and counseling for depression. The research was conducted in the UK, and was designed to determine both the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a short course of acupuncture or counseling for depression, compared to usual care. 

Patients were recruited into the study from the primary care population in the UK. Patients were adults and had been seen in the past 5 years for depression and were continuing to experience symptoms of depression. Patients needed to score in the moderate to severe depression range to be considered for entry into the study.

Up to 12 sessions of acupuncture or counseling were offered, usually on a weekly schedule. The primary endpoint of the study was at 3 months. Data was collected at baseline, and again at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used. The PHQ-9 is a validated tool used to diagnose as well as monitor treatment for depression.

Results of the study showed statistically significant improvements in depression at 3 months with both acupuncture and counseling, when compared to usual care. 33% of the acupuncture patients and 29% of the counseling patients achieved a successful treatment outcome. Only 18% of the usual care group achieved this result. In addition, acupuncture was found to be a cost-effective treatment for depression.

This well-designed study shows that acupuncture is a well-tolerated and cost-effective treatment for depression, over the short to medium time frame. Given the worldwide burden of depression, acupuncture seems an option worthy of consideration for treatment.

(Source- Programme Grants for Applied Research 2017, Vol. 5 No.3)

This blog is a review of the medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

High Glycemic Index Diet a Risk Factor for Depression in Post-Menopausal Women

May is National Mental Health Month in the U.S., and in recognition several of this month’s posts will address mental health topics.

In 2015 a group of researchers associated with a number of universities including Columbia, Duke, the University of Minnesota, NYU, Stony Brook University and UC-Davis published a prospective cohort study examining the high glycemic diet as a possible risk factor for depression in post-menopausal women. The research group examined data from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study, which included over 80,000 women enrolled at over 40 clinical centers across the U.S.

Participants in the study completed a food frequency questionnaire at baseline, which consisted of 145 items. Participants also completed the Burnam 8-item questionnaire which measured depressive symptoms, both at baseline and then again at 3 year follow-up.

Results of the study showed that a higher glycemic index diet was associated with increasing odds of depression incidence in this group of post-menopausal women. In addition, researchers found that added sugars were strongly associated with depression incidence.

There were some other interesting findings of the study. Increased consumption of lactose, a sugar found in milk, was associated with significantly lower odds for depression incidence. Lactose is a lower glycemic index sugar. Also, both higher dietary fiber content and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables were also associated with lower odds for depression.

The glycemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrates on a scale of 0 to 100, based on how they raise glucose levels after eating them. Glucose is given a score of 100. GI scores for some common foods for comparison purposes include 36 (apples), 13 (peanuts), 56 (potato chips), and 111 (baked russet potatoes, a favorite of Idahoans), based on a standard serving size. 

It has been established that diets high in sugars and refined starches are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and increased inflammation, and it is perhaps through this relationship that the risk for depression is increased. 

Depression is a common problem world-wide. The World Health Organization estimates as many as 300 million adults suffer from depression, and it is more common in women. This well-designed study incorporates a large group of women across multiple study sites in the U.S. The results would seem applicable to a large group of post-menopausal women. Monitoring and reducing the glycemic index of one’s daily diet appears to be a simple way to lower the risk for developing depression.

(Source- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2015; 102)

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

 

 

Soft Drinks, Asthma and Adults

This is the third and final post in recognition of World Asthma Day, Tuesday May 2nd. This post looks at research from the University of Adelaide in South Australia. In particular, the researchers examined the relationship between soft drink consumption and asthma as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among a sample of adults in South Australia.

Using a random sample of South Australians phone interviews were conducted with adults ages 16 and older, with a mean of 47 years. In all, nearly 17,000 adults were interviewed.

Respondents were questioned regarding any diagnosis of asthma that was associated with symptoms over the past year, or use of typical asthma medications over the past year. Respondents were similarly queried regarding COPD diagnosis. Soft drink intake was associated by asking about the amount of soft drinks and sports drinks consumed in a typical day.

Results showed that higher levels of soft drink consumption were associated with a higher prevalence of asthma and COPD. Respondents who drank a half liter or more of soft drinks each day had a substantially higher prevalence of asthma (14.7%) compared to those who did not consume soft drinks (11.9%) A similar relationship was seen in COPD where those who drank a half liter or more of soft drinks each day had a prevalence of asthma of 6.0%, compared to only 4.2% in those who did not consume soft drinks.

In the U.S. the CDC estimates 1 in 12 adults has asthma. Women are more likely than men to have asthma. Given these statistics moderating our soft drink intake seems like a simple way to potentially limit one’s risk of asthma.

(Source- Respirology (2012) 17)

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

Sugary Beverages, Asthma and Children

This is the 2nd post in recognition of World Asthma Day, Tuesday May 2nd. This post highlights research from The Netherlands. Researchers took data from the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy (PIAMA) birth cohort. For the PIAMA project pregnant mothers were recruited from the general population in The Netherlands, for children born in 1996/1997. Parents were asked to complete questionnaires each year until the children were 8, then again at age 11. The children completed a questionnaire themselves at age 11 as well.

 

For this cross-sectional study, 2651 children completed their questionnaires. This included questions regarding consumption of six different beverages including diet drinks, energy drinks, 100% fruit juice, sports drinks, sugar added drinks (including soda), and sweetened milk products. Concurrently, parents completed a questionnaire that included questions about asthma diagnosis and symptoms. 

Results of the study demonstrated that high consumption of 100% fruit juice, sugar added drinks (including soda), and high total sugar containing beverages in general was associated with increased asthma in children. In particular, as the consumption of 100% fruit juice and total sugar containing beverages went up, the risk for asthma increased as well.

The CDC estimates 10% of all children in the U.S. have asthma. The highest rate of asthma is 17% in non-Hispanic black children. Boys are more likely to have asthma than girls. With statistics this alarming, cutting back on sugar containing beverages seems like a simple way to help limit asthma in our children.

(Source- European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2015, 69)

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health care concerns with your personal physician.