Monthly Archives: January 2018

Smoking Increases Risk of Erectile Dysfunction in Men

A common New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking, as it should be, as this may be the most important intervention to improve one’s health. A study from 2013 may provide some incentive to men who are considering quitting smoking in 2018.

This was a meta-analysis, which included 8 studies in total, with over 28,000 participants. The studies were from the U.S., Brazil, Jamaica, and Finland. The researchers reviewed the studies in an effort to analyze the association between smoking and the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED).

The reviewers had some issues with combining data from the various studies, due to differences in study design. They felt the data from the prospective studies was more accurate. Using these prospective studies, it was estimated that the risk of ED was increased 51% for current smokers, and 20% for ex-smokers, when compared to never smokers.

Given this profound increased risk of ED in smokers, perhaps this will provide the additional incentive needed for men smokers to finally give up cigarettes in 2018.

(Source- PLOS ONE, April 3, 2013)

This blog is a review of medical and scientific literature, and should only be used to information 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.

 

Just Say No to Soda for 2018- Part II

In our second post regarding sodas and soft drinks, we will review research from China which examines the association between sugar-sweetened beverages and the development of Type 2 Diabetes.

The research group pooled data from 8 studies published between 2004 and 2014. This comprised over 286,000 participants. Of the 8 studies, one was from Asia, two from Europe, and five from the US. In general, the studies included in the meta-analysis were considered to be of “high-quality”.

Researchers found that those subjects with a higher-intake of sugar-sweetened beverages had a 30% greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. When the data was adjusted for body mass index, the increased risk for developing Type 2 diabetes continued to be significantly positive, at 26%. The follow-up period varied from 5 to 20 years.

This is a compelling study, with a huge number of subjects, spread out over three continents, and included both men and women.

The statistics for Type 2 diabetes in the US are staggering. According to the CDC’s National Diabetes Statistical Report approximately 30 million people in the US have diabetes, making up more than 9% of the population. Complications of diabetes include cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes) and kidney disease. It is estimated that the cost of diabetes in the US in 2012 was $245 billion.

US per capita soda consumption is approximately 41 gallons per person. While this is a substantial decrease from the 1998 peak consumption of 53 gallons per capita, it still represents nearly 500 cans of soda per year for the typical American. These are calories which are devoid of nutritional value, but do substantially increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes. Cutting back or eliminating soda for 2018 might go a long way towards improved health, and may reduce your risk of developing diabetes in the future.

(Source- Journal of Diabetes Investigation, Vol 6 No 3, May 2015)

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 you personal physician.

Just Say No to Soda for 2018- Part I

As 2018 begins a common inquiry from patients at the start of a new year is what can be done to improve health going forward. Often these questions fall into discussion about proper diet or exercise regimens, or some combination of these. The onset of a new calendar year gives us another opportunity to reflect on what we can do to improve our overall health status.

One area of diet that offers a fairly simple and painless way to better health is to limit or eliminate soda (aka soft drinks), both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened.

A study from 2016 supports the limiting of sodas. Korean researchers looked at the association of both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages with the risk of development of hypertension. The research group identified six studies, with over 246,000 participants, for their analysis of sugar-sweetened beverages and hypertension. For artificially sweetened beverages and hypertension, a total of 4 studies involving over 227,000 subjects were identified. Most of the studies were conducted in the US, while one was conducted in Spain. Most of the studies included were considered to be of “high quality”.

The age at initiation into the study ranged from 18 to 84 years, while the duration of follow-up ranged from 4 to 38 years. Both men and women were included. Food frequency questionnaires were used for dietary assessments.

What the researchers found was a positive association between both sugar-sweetened beverages and hypertension, and artificially sweetened beverages and hypertension as well. More telling, when the lowest intake groups for sugar-sweetened beverages and artificially sweetened beverages were compared to the highest intake groups, it was found that each additional serving of sugar-sweetened beverage per day was associated with an 8% increased risk of hypertension, while each additional serving of an artificially sweetened beverage per day was associated with a 9% increased risk of hypertension. When researchers analyzed the groups based on gender, body mass index, and duration of follow-up period these positive associations continued to hold.

Recent figures indicate Americans consume an average of nearly 500 cans of soda each year. The US is second only to Argentina in per capita soda consumption. 500 cans of soda per year is a staggering total. Cutting back or going soda-free may be a great first step in making 2018 a healthier year for you.

(Source- Archives of Cardiovascular Disease (2016) 109)

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 an physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.

Exercise and Weight Loss Good for Diabetes

With the New Year now here, it is a great time to consider resolutions for exercise and weight loss for 2018.

A small study published in 2015 shows some of the benefits of exercise and weight loss, even over a short period of time. In this study, completed at the University of Vermont, patients were enrolled that had recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. These patients were typical of what is seen in a primary care setting, with HbA1c readings between 6.5-8.0%, and BMI from 27-40 Kg/M2. 

The patients engaged in exercise 5-6 days each week, including walking and supervised exercise. In addition, participants engaged in weekly group counseling sessions led by a registered dietician. It is important to note that participants were not on diabetes medications during the six month study.

At completion of the six month study, the majority of the participants went into at least partial remission of their diabetes, with the mean HbA1c dropping from 6.8 to 6.2, while one individual achieved what was termed a “total remission” with an HbA1c=5.6%. Mean weight loss amongst the group was 21+ pounds, and peak aerobic activity increased by 18%. Other cardiac risk factors such as CRP, fasting insulin and triglyceride levels all improved. Women made up the majority of those enrolled.

This study shows what is possible with directed efforts towards diet and exercise modifications. The authors suggest that no medication similarly used in this patient population would have provided such “broad reaching preventative efforts”, and perhaps that is true.

To be sure, this was a small study with only 12 patients enrolled and ten who completed. However, given the robust results, a more extensive study certainly seems warranted. Particularly for those patients who are very early in their diabetes disease process a diet and exercise regimen seems worthy of consideration. Combined with medication when appropriate, this intervention would likely yield even more profound results.

(Source- Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention, Vol 35(3), May/June 2015)

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.