Your Health News at BAMI.us

Don’t delay in starting treatment for type 2 diabetes

In a recent article in MedPage Today, “It’s Never Too Early for Intensive Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes” was the key message from major trials reported at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

Diabetes was known in ancient times and remains today a world-wide and increasing health problem.  One of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, diabetes is a life-long disease that currently affects about 18 million Americans (6% of the country), but unfortunately nearly one-third of these people are unaware that they have the disease.

via Diabetes from Bay Area Medical Information

via Never Too Early for Intensive Glucose Control, MedPage Today, Sept. 10, 2008

via Overview of Diabetes from the American Diabetes Association

Brain atrophy associated with low intake of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is good for the brain. In a recent study out of Oxford, England, low levels of vitamin B12 were associated with increased rates of brain atrophy in older people.(1,2)   (The image shows the neurons in the brain signalling each other. The mists of color show the flow of important molecules like glucose and oxygen. Image courtesy of NIGMS/artist Kim Hager at the Univ of California, and neurobiologist Neal Prakash, UCLA.)

Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, fortified cereals, and milk, but up to 30 percent of adults >50 have difficulty absorbing the naturally occurring form of vitamin B12 from food sources. Synthetic vitamin B12 in a supplement or in fortified foods is better absorbed and is recommended by the Nat’l Academies of Science. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) of Vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 µg/ day. Adults age 50 and over should obtain their daily requirement of Vitamin B12, and all B Vitamins, in fortified breakfast cereals or from multivitamin-mineral supplements.(3) 

Fortunately you don’t have to worry about toxic levels of Vitamin B12 as it is a water-soluble vitamin and has a very low potential for toxicity. There have been no adverse effects reported due to excess vitamin B12 intake from food or supplements in healthy individuals.(4)

1. via Low B12 Linked to Brain Atrophy, MedPage Today, Sept 8, 2008
2. via Vogiatzoglou A, et al “Vitamin B12 status and rate of brain volume loss in community-dwelling elderly” Neurology 2008; 71: 826-832. 
3. via  Institute of Medicine, National Academies of Science The Institute of Medicine serves as adviser to the nation to improve health. 
4.  Vitamin B12: Vitamin Supplement Fact Sheet from the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institute of Health

You might be able to beat the fat gene

For those who have a genetic weight problem, don’t give up, you may be able to overcome it.  You just have to work a little harder, according to Evadnie Rampersaud, Ph.D. and colleagues at the University of Maryland. In their recent study, it took an extra 900 kilocalories of exercise every day to overcome the effects of the so-called fat mass and obesity gene (FTO). The association was only significant for those with relatively low levels of physical activity at baseline, however.

Whether you have the fat gene or not, exercise is one of the best ways to improve your health.  But very importantly, check with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program

There are more than a dozen reasons why exercise will not only extend the length of your life, but it will improve the quality of your life as well.  It will help you lose weight and burn fat, improve your appearance, diminish facial wrinkles, increase endurance, increase energy, increase muscle strength, decrease pain from arthritis, prevent future arthritis, improve sleep, improve blood cholesterol & triglyceride levels, strengthen the heart, improve and prevent hypertension,  lower blood sugar, improve immune function, improve balance and prevent falls in the elderly, lower the risk of breast cancer, ward off viruses & other common illnesses, help relieve or prevent erectile dysfunction, help relieve symptoms of depression, promote a sense of well-being, improve self image and self-esteem, and improve memory in older adults with mild mental decline. 

Basically, exercise will greatly improve the quality of almost every aspect of your life.  Here’s how to get started, from Bay Area Medical Information.

via “Exercise Overcomes Effect of Fat Gene” MedPage Today, Sept. 8, 2008

via Rampersaud E, et al “Physical Activity and the Association of Common FTO Gene Variants With Body Mass Index and Obesity” Arch Intern Med 2008; 168(16): 1791-1797.

Low testosterone levels common in young men with type 2 Diabetes

Men aged 18 to 35 with type 2 Diabetes tend to have low testosterone levels, according to Paresh Dandona, M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues, of the State University of New York at Buffalo.  Dr. Dandona had previously found an association of lower testosterone levels in middle-age men with type 2 diabetes, as well.

Low testosterone levels have been thought to be the cause of erectile dysfunction, diminished libido, Infertility, decreased bone mass, loss of skeletal muscle, weight gain, and worsened insulin resistance. 

Diabetes was known in ancient times and remains today a world-wide and increasing health problem, yet nearly one-third of the people who have the disease are unaware that they have it.  If you haven’t been tested for Diabetes, now is a good time.

via Chandel A, et al “Testosterone concentrations in young patients with diabetes mellitus” Diabetes Care 2008; DOI: 10.2337/dc08-0851.

via “Young Men With Type 2 Diabetes Have Low Testosterone” MedPage Today, Sept 5, 2008

Eye irritation, a common problem with a simple solution

Have your eyes gradually become irritated and somewhat reddened? Have you noticed slight difficulty with reading? If you have, it’s important to check with your health care provider or eye doctor right away instead of merely dismissing these symptoms as being due to annoying allergies or the unavoidable pitfalls of aging.

This can be a cause for a number of serious conditions, but it can also be caused by one very common disorder, which is relatively simple to treat. It is called Dry Eye Syndrome and affects approximately 10-30% of the population, especially those older than 40.

The symptoms, at first, are only barely noticeable, but over time one or more of the following eye symptoms start developing:

• irritation
• itching
• burning
• redness of the whites of the eyes or the margin of the eyelids
• mucous build up or dry crusty mucous on the eyelid margin
• sometimes excessive watering instead of dryness 
• light sensitivity
• blurred vision, and difficulty reading

The symptoms are made worse by smoky or dry environments, indoor heating, and excessive reading or computer use. Running a ceiling fan all night in the bedroom is very drying to the eyes and enough to cause a flare up of symptoms.  It’s hard to believe that this could make a difference since you’re sleeping with your eyes closed, but apparently the wind from the fan reaches the surface of your eye and drys it out, even when the eyelid is closed. 

If you think you might have Dry Eye Syndrome, see your health care provider or eye doctor and ask about:

• Artificial tears (Artificial tears are sold over-the-counter and are to be used several times a day.  Recommended artificial tears include: Systane, Optive, Refresh, Gen-Teal, Visine Pure Tears, Soothe, Thera-Tears)
• Punctal Plugs to be inserted by an ophthalmologist. Your tears drain through tiny openings (puncta) in your eyelids.  Your ophthalmologist can treat dry eyes by painlessly plugging these tiny openings with microscopic silicone plugs (punctual plugs). These plugs close the tiny opening (punctum) that you have in the inner corner of your upper and lower eyelid so your own tears remain in your eyes longer.  This procedure does not last permanently and has to be repeated after a period of time. The clinical efficacy of silicone punctal plug therapy
• Restasis (A prescription eyedrop that successfully treats the underlying cause of dry eye in most patients.  Ask your doctor if it is right for you.)
• Fish oil capsules 500 mg twice daily or Flaxseed oil capsules 1000 mg twice daily with meals. Caution: Taking fish oil supplements should be done in consultation with your physician. High intakes could cause excessive bleeding in some people. Of particular concern are people expecting to undergo surgery, or those with bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, and those taking blood thinners, such as Coumadin (warfarin) heparin, Lovenox, anti-platelet drugs, such as Plavix (clopidogrel); and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), or even aspirin. Also, small reductions in blood pressure can occur.

via “Dry Eye Syndrome” Medline Plus

Regular exercise linked with improved memory

Regular exercise was associated with improved memory in older adults with mild mental decline, in this recent study from Australia.  The exercise program consisted of fifty-minute, moderate-intensity exercise, three times weekly for six months.  Walking was the most frequent activity, although some chose light strength training or other aerobic exercise. In this randomized controlled trial, 311 volunteers were aged 50 to 89 years old, and participants reported memory problems but did not meet the criteria for dementia.

This study joins the growing body of literature regarding the health benefits of exercise.  Regular exercise not only greatly extends the length of your life, but to a large extent enhances the quality of your life.  Exercise is good for every organ in your body, and there are studies that show the following benefits of exercise:

1. Promotes weight loss and burns fat
2. Strengthens muscles
3. Improves balance and prevent falls in the elderly
4. Increases endurance
5. Increases energy
6. Decreases pain from arthritis
7. Improves quality of sleep
8. Improves blood cholesterol & triglyceride levels
9. Strengthens the heart
10. Improves hypertension
11. Improves sex life (erectile dysfunction, and/or sex drive, and/or energy) 
12. Lowers blood sugar
13. Improves immune function
14. Lowers the risk of breast cancer
15. Wards off viruses & other common illnesses
16. Helps relieve symptoms of depression; stabilize mood swings
17. Promotes a sense of well-being
18. Improves self image and self-esteem.
19. Diminishes facial wrinkles

Read more about the Basics of Exercise and how to get started from Bay Area Medical Information 

 via MedPage Today, Sept. 2, 2008

Lautenschlager NT, et al “Effect of Physical Activity on Cognitive Function in Older Adults at Risk for Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized Trial” JAMA 2008; 300: 1027-1037.

Fish oil again linked with health benefits

In a group of chronic heart failure patients, one daily prescription fish oil capsule (1 g/day over a period of four years) in addition to standard medical therapy, significantly reduced the number of hospital admissions and deaths according to Italian researchers from the GVM Hospitals of Care and Research. 

Although the absolute reduction in mortality was quite small (just 1.8%), it was statistically significant, and even more importantly, this study adds to the growing body of literature surrounding the health benefits of fish oil.

Read more important facts and precautions about taking fish oil supplements.

via MedPage Today, August 31, 2008
via “Effect of rosuvastatin in patients with chronic heart failure (the GISSI-HF trial): A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial” Lancet 2008; Published online Aug 31.