Wow!  3% of doctors took a nutrition elective while in med school.  They are as much of an expert in your diet and supplements as i am in nuclear physics.  That being said, if someone came to me and asked me a question on nuclear fusion or nuclear fission would i even pretend to know what i’m talking about?  Most likely not because i would probably sound like an idiot anyways.  However, when someone asks their doctor if they should take supplement X, how is it that their doctor can proceed to give him/her his “expert” opinion?  I understand telling your doctor to make sure that the supplement will not interact with one of the meds you are on, but that should be the extent of their opinions.  basically, the conversation should go like this;

“doc, can i take Vitamin C?”

“Yup, it won’t interact with {insert soon to be recalled drug name here}”

“What do you think about Vitamin C?”

“I know you get it from oranges and i think spinach, but i’d have to look that up”

“thanks doc!”

As the conversation goes on, the doctor has to bite his tongue and resist the urge to blurt out “KIDNEY STONES” whenever they hear the word vitamin C, since we all know that the literature on kidney stones and vitamin C is sparse and most likely non-existent.  

My point is this.  If you have questions about the actual benefits of a supplement, don’t ask your doctor because chances are you know more than him/her about it.  If you have questions about interactions ask your doctor or pharmacist.

3 percent! that’s embarrassing.  Do you now understand why prevention and treatment alternatives are never discussed?

Interesting findings recently published states that bottled water may not be as contaminant free as we think.  The study fingers two companies, Walmart and Giant food’s bottled water as having chlorine byproducts, while other bottled waters had everything from pain killers, caffeine and bacteria.

Should we go back to drinking tap water?  What do you think?

A recent new published study of almost 400 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee showed that taking glucosamine with or with chondroitin sulfate may not positively affect joint health.  But, keep in mind that a previous study by the National Institue of health showed positive results.  

I know i consistently critique prescription medications that don’t work so it is only fair that i also give my two cents on supplements that don’t do much either.  Now, to be honest, taking a supplement that may not work won’t cause your kidney’s to fail, liver to breakdown, heart to stop working, or lead to cancer like many unnessecary prescriptions do.  That being said, in 2005 over 810 million (a slow quarter for the drug lipitor) worth of glucosamine was sold.  

At the height of glucosamine sales, people were taking it for everything from a headache to weight loss, neither of which make any sense.  There was no doubt that glucosamine was a fad, a must try supplement.  The question always asked was, does it really work?  The verdict is still out.  For every person who swears by it there are 3 who say it didn’t do anything.  My personal opinion (won’t get you even a cup of coffee) is that glucosamine is definitely overhyped and won’t do to much to help with chronic OA sufferers.  However, if you try glucosamine, unlike vioxx and other anti-inflammatories, you don’t have to worry about strokes or heart disease from trying to get pain relief.

my personal opinion is that systemic oral enzymes, pine bark extract and essential fatty acids will do more for OA than glucosamine will and the research is there to back that up.

Toilet paper researcher.  Now there’s a job.  I bet most items in his/her home have been flagged!!!

Sure enough, i asked a few hours ago how would the FDA respond to a recent study linking BPA (Bisphenol A) to heart disease and diabetes less than a month after the FDA declared BPA safe? Well, here is the FDA response. For those of you not in public relations, this is called the “bury your head in sand and hope it goes away” approach.

Some may wonder why i’m making a big deal of this. First of all, part of the problem is that BPA is found in baby bottles. if BPA turns out to cause developmental problems in reproductive organs or heart disease, then it is a big deal. Secondly, i love conflicting research. the media makes a big deal when both sides publish their story and the public is left scratching their heads wondering what just happened.

Also, do you ever wonder why the FDA gets stubborn on certain issues? Just today, why would the FDA declare BPA safe when studies may suggest otherwise. Vytorin is another example. Vytorin didn’t meet their study goals, has been linked to cancer, causes a whole bunch of other problems, yet the FDA still allows it. Now that is Fringe science (a cheap reference to a show on Fox.)

This is a follow up to another blog i wrote earlier about BPA (Bisphenol A). A new study links BPA in plastic bottles to heart disease and diabetes!!!
I wonder what the FDA will do now. It was only a month ago that they declared plastic bottles safe.

Why add crystal light to your water when you can have carbamapezine?

On Friday August 15th, the FDA said that trace amounts of Bisphenol A that leach out of food containers, plastic bottles and cans are not a threat to infants and adults. Case closed right? The FDA and their crack team of scientist have settled the issue. Go back to drinking out of the same water bottles as before, no harm no foul.
Yet, according to a report today from the National Toxicology Program (not a bunch of frat boys drinking alcohol all day) says that Bisphenol A is of “some concern” for the effects on the development of the prostate gland and brain for behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children. HUH? According to the report, there is the potential with Bisphenol A to cause problems with the human development and the reproductive system.
What should we do then? I know that i’m following the old proverb…better safe than sorry.