FDA Issues Warning on Use of Common Drugs for Osteoporosis

The FDA has issued a label change for biphosphonate drugs (Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, and Reclast). Because of upper leg fractures, jaw necrosis, and esophageal cancers that have been associated with these drugs, it is no longer appropriate to use them for more than 3-5 years for osteoporosis. However, there is no conclusive evidence that using them for such a short time is effective in the long run. Further, the warning did not address using the drugs for the lesser condition of osteopenia. My advice usually is to avoid the drugs and balance moderate doses of calcium and magnesium with high doses of vitamin D3. Transdermal natural progesterone might be added if needed. See the FDA warning label for bisphosphonate drugs (click here).

Shop to Save Lots of Money in Health Care Expenditures

The Toledo Blade did a survey to compare prescription prices among area pharmacies. For one month of Lipitor, there was a $32 variance. Lisinopril varied from $25 to $4. Metformin was free at some pharmacies and $35 at another. Prices varied all over the map. Not one pharmacy was consistently cheaper than others. We did a similar survey about lab charges and found variances of hundreds of dollars. In general, hospital labs tended to be more expensive and tests drawn in doctor’s offices were less so. A few minutes on the telephone might save you lots of money if you comparison shop. See The Blade, November 6, 2011, page one.

The “Million Hearts” Initiative to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease

The Department of Health and Human Services has launched an ambitious campaign to save lives from heart attacks. The strategy is to control hypertension, to reduce high cholesterol, stop smoking and lower consumption of sodium and trans fat. I am happy to join the Initiative, but I expect to get much better effects by encouraging exercise and offering the widespread use of EDTA chelation therapy with appropriate nutrient supplementation. Curbing unnecessary catheterization testing and surgery are also near the top of my list. See the Dept.of Health and Human Services.

Why We Tend to Regain the Weight We Lose When We go on a Diet

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine by Priya Sumithran and associates showed that levels of various circulating hormones, including insulin, remained low 1 year after significant very low-calorie weight loss. Such low-levels of hormones correlated with increased hunger. Thus participants tended to regain the weight they lost. This might be the mechanism by which HCG added to a 500 calorie diet for 3-6 weeks not only produces effective weight loss, but also reduces hunger so that weight loss is more likely to remain intact long-term. This should be studied further. See New England Journal of Medicine (click here-subscription needed), October 27, 2011, pp. 1597-1604.

Zeroing in on the Causes of Autism

Dr. Richard Soloman, Medical Director of Autism Services at Mercy Hospital in Toledo had an interesting article in the Blade in October, 2011. He pointed to recent research in twin studies that confirmed multiple genetic defects that cause dysfunctional webs of neurons. The expression of these genes, however, might depend on environmental insults, such as the mother taking antidepressant drugs during the year before delivery or her prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides. He believes that immunizations have been ruled out as a cause. While most of the studies that have been done have come to that conclusion, too many parents have reported that association for me to agree. It is also rewarding to see great improvements in autistic children who are treated with high-dose nutritional therapies. See the California Twin Study (click here) and the study by Stephanie Engel with the Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Center (click here)

Recent Concern About Taking Vitamins and Minerals is Very Misleading

Several articles have appeared in the scientific and popular press lately implying or stating that it may be harmful to take high dose or multivitamins. The studies cited are greatly misleading because they rely on faulty premises. They study the wrong type of nutrients, an inadequate dose, or they try to isolate a single nutrient, when it takes a combination of nutrients to work together to enhance the complex biochemical reactions in the body. Pharmaceutical companies love to promote false information about vitamins and minerals that might serve as competitors for their profitable drugs. While it may be true that the wrong type of vitamin E, folic acid or vitamin D or inappropriate iron or copper supplements might not be good for you, many nutrient therapies have excellent therapeutic effects. A knowledgeable physician or nutritionist can give you good guidance. See International College of Integrative Medicine(click here) or American College for Advancement in Medicine (click here) to find an integrative doctor.

Younger Doctors More Likely to be Concerned About Vaccines

At the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America a study showed that recent medical school graduates were 15% less likely to say that vaccines were safe and effective. Younger docs were also more likely to say that children get more vaccines than are good for them. The authors concluded that these physicians had no experience with the devastating disease that the vaccines have helped to prevent. Another study showed that 21% of pediatricians refused to see families who declined vaccines on schedule. Perhaps an alternative conclusion is that younger docs are more likely themselves to have children who might be put at risk by getting too many vaccines close together. See Family Practice News (click here, subscription needed), 11/1/11 p.1-2