A Relationship between Tylenol and Asthma

Researchers have linked the use of the painkiller acetaminophen (Tylenol) to both asthma and rhinitis. Individuals who used acetaminophen on a daily or weekly basis were shown to exhibit far more severe symptoms of asthma and rhinitis than those who didn't use the drug. (Thorax 00;55(4):266-70)

Acetaminophen has been shown to deplete the compound glutathione from lung tissue. Glutathione is a very important antioxidant that can limit lung tissue inflammation. Also, there is a direct relationship between glutathione levels and premature aging. You can read more about this under Acetaminophen Poisoning in the article called "What Scientists Know About Aging."

Acetaminophen-containing products (Tylenol, Midol, Alka-Seltzer Plus, Vanquish, etc.) result in over 100,000 calls a year to poison control centers, 560,000 visits to emergency facilities, 260,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths. From 1996 to 1998 the average annual deaths directly attributed to acetaminophen averaged approximately 458. I wonder what the regulatory agencies would do if a supplement were to kill 450 people a year?

Confidential documents revealed that the FDA has purposely avoided addressing the dangers of acetaminophen to avoid offending Johnson and Johnson (the dominant marketer of acetaminophen products) and the pharmaceutical industry. (BMJ 02;325:678)

The regulating authorities in the United Kingdom recognized that they were having the same problems, and required that acetaminophen be blister-packed instead of sold as bottles of loose tablets. Their research indicated that individuals would be less likely to overdose when the medication was packaged differently. By simply repackaging the acetaminophen, they have significantly reduced the number of drug-related poisonings, liver transplantations, and deaths. (RJM 01;322:1203-7)

I doubt that any such thing will happen in the U.S., simply because the change in packaging resulted in UK sales of acetaminophen products dropping from $123 billion to $84 billion. Thus, although 50 million Americans take some form of acetaminophen for pain each week, the FDA proceeds as if the known side effects, such as immune suppression, hearing loss, liver damage, and even death, are all acceptable risks for a pain reliever.

The FDA and other "watchdog" government agencies seldom are called to account for erroneous or irresponsible decisions. In the Dow Chemical silicone breast implant suit, the government was recently awarded $9.8 million for medical expenses paid out through Medicare and Medicaid. It didn't seem to matter that another agency, the FDA, of the same government had previously approved the use and sale of these implants and is currently considering whether to allow them to be sold again.

Further, these same agencies show definite bias when it comes to evaluating the risks associated with drugs. A good example is the fact that the agencies are constantly pushing for vaccinations and flu shots. For some reason, however, they neglect to tell the public that the preservative in these flu shots and vaccines is mercury.

It seems that many over-the-counter drugs that are generally considered harmless are instead shortening our lives and contributing to serious health problems. The latest figures show that roughly two million people are now being hospitalized each year from drug side effects and more than 100,000 of them die from those effects. That's enough to make drug side effects the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.

A Positive Role for Acetaminophen

You may have seen one of many bizarre television programs showing how brown tree snakes have practically taken over this island of Guam. Since an accidental introduction in the 1940s, these snakes have mushroomed in population to as high as an estimated 26,000 snakes per square mile. Since they have no natural enemies, they have decimated the lizard, rabbit, and bird populations. and been known to eat piglets, puppies, and even bite unattended babies. And by crawling along power lines, they've created electrical shorts resulting in local blackouts. All efforts thus far to eradicate the snakes have been ineffective.

When researchers placed two 40-milligram acetaminophen tablets inside dead, newborn mice and fed them to the snakes, every snake that took the bait died. Since previous toxicology studies have shown that the drug poses little risk to other wildlife and domestic animals, it appears that Tylenol may be the answer to the snake problem.

Hormones via Hair Care

Hormones via Hair Care

In the mid-1990s, Dr. Chandra Tiwary at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas contacted the FDA with concerns about various hair products that contain estrogen. The FDA wasn't interested. A few years later Dr. Tiwary published his findings, which again received very little publicity.

Dr. Tiwary reported on the results of four African-American girls age 1 to 8 years that developed breasts or pubic hair 2 to 24 months after starting to use estrogen or placenta-containing hair products. When the use of these products was stopped, the development of breasts and pubic hair also ceased. [Clin Pediatr 98;37(12):733-9]

To determine the scope of the problem, Dr. Tiwary later surveyed different racial groups that used the pediatric clinics at military medical facilities. He was the chief of pediatric endocrinology at Brooke Army Medical Center at the time.

http://altmedangel.com/envronmt.htm

The Hidden Danger in Lotions and Sunscreens

Many consumers have long known their favorite lotions and sunscreens contained parabens, or synthetic chemicals used as preservatives. But with more and more products being touted as “paraben-free," many are now wondering, "What, exactly, are parabens, and are they dangerous?"

Parabens, which inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeast, and molds, have been used in personal-care products like shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, and sunscreens for years, allowing these products to survive for months, or years, during shipping and on store shelves.

Studies have now shown that parabens mimic the activity of the hormone estrogen, which is associated with certain forms of breast cancer.

Parabens are one of the most commonly used ingredients in personal care products. The only ingredient used more frequently is water. You can find them in:

• Shampoos and conditioners
• Creams and lotions
• Deodorants and antiperspirants
• Sunscreens
• Cosmetics

But, did you know they are also present in many prepared foods, like mayonnaise, mustard, salad dressings, and candy?

You can identify them on the label, where they may be listed as:

• methyl paraben
• ethyl paraben
• propyl paraben
• butyl paraben
• isobutyl paraben
• E216.

Studies have shown that parabens can affect your body much like estrogens, which can lead to diminished muscle mass, extra fat storage, and male gynecomastia (breast growth). Other studies have also linked parabens to breast cancer, as researchers found traces of parabens in every sample of tissue taken from 20 different breast tumors.

The EPA has linked methyl parabens in particular to metabolic, developmental, hormonal, and neurological disorders, as well as various cancers.

Would it surprise you to find out that more than a third of personal care products contain ingredients linked to cancer?

Cancer rates continue to rise, yet of the nearly 4,000,000 synthetic chemicals in your environment, less than one percent of these are known well enough to be able to ascertain their safety. This is a major concern. For example, the Environmental Working Group found that only 28 common cosmetics and toiletries out of 7,500 had all of their ingredients fully tested for safety.

It's important to recognize that whatever you put on your skin is readily absorbed into your bloodstream where it can potentially cause some serious damage to your body. If you want to learn more about the potential toxicity of your cosmetics, I urge you to review the EWG's extensive "Skin Deep Report."

To keep yourself safe, switch over to natural cleaning products and natural brands of toiletries, including shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants, and cosmetics.

Some suggestions for healthier, natural alternatives include:

• Deodorant -- A pinch of baking soda mixed into water is an effective all-day deodorant. Common soap and water work just fine too.
• Shampoo and Soaps -- You can find clean, non-chemical soaps at many health food stores. To make better shampoos, you can add a little rosemary oil.
• Skin softener -- A bit of coconut oil works great as an all over moisturizer.

Beware, however, that there are no federal certifications or official guidelines for beauty products, so anyone can claim their product is natural or organic. Some "organic" beauty products actually contain only a single-digit percentage of organic ingredients!

Truly organic personal care products do not contain preservatives, however they may contain natural antimicrobial and antifungal ingredients like grapefruit seed extract, or antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E), which come with all the benefits of a preservative, but none of the dangerous side effects.

There is no question that the beauty products you use on a daily basis can harm you, and the adverse effects of toxins are compounded over decades, so choose wisely, and read the labels.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/09/25/the-hidden-danger-in-lotions-and-sunscreens.aspx

Doctors Are Clueless About Medication for Kid

Information on how to prescribe medications to children is scarce, and doctors often rely on the flawed assumption that children are simply smaller versions of adults when doing so.

In reality, drugs act much differently in children, yet few studies have been conducted to determine their effectiveness, safety and proper dosages.

Federal regulators have enticed or forced pharmaceutical companies to conduct studies on more than 200 drugs geared for children, but more than two-thirds of the medications given to children remain untested. Among those that were tested, it was found that:

• One-fifth of drugs that work in adults are ineffective in children
• One-fifth of the drugs were being prescribed at the wrong dosage
• One-third of the drugs caused unexpected side effects, some of which were potentially fatal

Other alarming factors discovered were that children process drugs more quickly than adults do, and because children are still developing, drugs could stunt physical growth or impair emotional and cognitive development.

Researchers have identified categories of drugs that they say should be a priority for testing. These include drugs to treat cancers, infections, asthma, high blood pressure and hyperactivity, among others.

Hurdles still remain, however. Drug companies are often reluctant to study pediatric drugs because they represent only a small fraction of the market. Further, the drugs must be evaluated in four separate age groups, which makes analyzing data more difficult.

Parents are also wary about letting their children participate in studies for fear that they will be used as guinea pigs.

"They don't want their child to be thought of as a guinea pig or a rat in a study. What I try to explain is that if they are receiving a medication that hasn't been studied, then they are essentially participating in an experiment anyway," said Robert M. Ward, director of the pediatric pharmacology program at the University of Utah.

Sources:

• Washington Post November 23, 2007

Thousands Have Gotten Sick from Gardasil HPV Vaccine

Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine recommended for girls as young as 12 years old, is causing side effects ranging from seizures and numbness to dizzy spells, fainting and paralysis.

More than 17 girls a week in Australia have experienced such reactions after receiving the vaccination, but the country’s Department of Health and Aging refuses to release their details.

Further, as of November 30, 2007, 496 adverse reaction reports were filed with Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA). Of them, 468 had the cervical cancer vaccine as the sole suspected cause.

In the United States, up to 1,700 women have reported adverse reactions from Gardasil, including at least seven deaths.

To date, more than 10 million doses of Gardasil have been distributed worldwide.

TGA noted that the safety of Gardasil was being monitored by officials in Australia and overseas, and that the adverse reactions are consistent with those expected from any vaccine.

Sources:

• News.com.au December 3, 2007

Cancer Killed Almost 8 Million Worldwide in 2007

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Cancer continues to cut a deadly swath across the globe, with the American Cancer Society reporting 12 million new cases of malignancy diagnosed worldwide in 2007, with 7.6 million people dying from the disease.

The report, Global Cancer Facts & Figures, finds that 5.4 million of those cancers and 2.9 million deaths are in more affluent, developed nations, while 6.7 million new cancer cases and 4.7 million deaths hit people in developing countries.

"The point of the report is to promote cancer control worldwide, and increase awareness worldwide," said report co-author Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, director of the society's Cancer Occurrence Office.

The number of cancers and cancer deaths around the world is on the rise, Jemal said, mostly due to an aging population. "There is increasing life expectancy, and cancer occurs more frequently in older age groups," he noted.

Lifestyle may be another reason for the rise in malignancies in developing countries, Jemal said, as people adopt Western behaviors such as smoking, high-fat diets and less physical activity.

The best way to stem the increasing number of cancer cases and deaths is prevention, especially in poorer countries, the expert said. In many developing nations, the health-care infrastructure simply isn't there to offer cancer screening and treatment for most people, Jemal added.

In developed countries, the most common cancers among men are prostate, lung and colorectal cancer. Among women, the most common cancers are breast, colorectal and lung cancer, according to the report.

However, in developing countries the three most common cancer among men are lung, stomach and liver, and among women, breast, and cervix uteri.

Worldwide, some 15 percent of all cancers are thought to be related to infections, including hepatitis (liver cancer) and human papilloma virus (cervical cancer). But the incidence of infection-related cancers remains three times higher in developing countries compared with developed countries (26 percent vs. 8 percent), according to the report.

In addition, cancer survival rates in many developing countries are far below those in developed countries. This is mostly due to the lack of early detection and treatment services. For example, in North America five-year childhood cancer survival rates are about 75 percent compared with three-year survival rates of 48 percent to 62 percent in Central America, the report notes. The report estimates that 60 percent of the world's children who develop cancer have little or no access to treatment.

The report also includes a section on the toll tobacco use takes around the world. In 2000, some 5 million people worldwide died from tobacco use. Of these, about 30 percent (1.42 million) died from cancer -- 850,000 from lung cancer alone.

Jemal believes smoking is a key culprit.

"Smoking prevalence is decreasing in developed countries. So, as tobacco companies are losing market in developed countries they are trying to expand their market in developing countries," he said.

In China alone, more than 350 million people smoke. "That's more than the entire population of the United States," Jemal said. "If these current patterns continue, there will be 2 billion smokers worldwide by the year 2030, half of whom will die of smoking-related diseases if they do not quit," he added.

In the 20th century, tobacco use caused about 100 million deaths around the world. In this century, that figure is expected to rise to over 1 billion people. Most of these will occur in developing countries.

One expert agreed that many cancer deaths can be avoided through lifestyle changes.

"What is most provocative here is not the total global burden of suffering and death cancer causes, dramatic though that may be, but the variations in cancer occurrence around the world, and the insights provided about how much of the cancer burden need not occur at all," said Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine.

In developing countries, cancer of the uterine cervix is a leading cause of death in women, Katz noted.

"Yet this infection-related cancer is now preventable by vaccine, and long treatable when detected early using the Pap smear. As a result, death from cervical cancer in developed countries is dramatically lower. Its toll in the developing world is testimony to missed opportunities to apply our resources effectively, and equitably," he said.

Cancer of the liver, often related to hepatitis infection, is a leading cause of death in developing countries, but not so in developed countries. "Again, an infection preventable with vaccine is causing death because of inequities in the distribution and use of existing resources," Katz said.

Prostate and colon cancers are more common in wealthier countries, where they are likely related to poor diet and obesity, Katz said. "Unnecessary suffering and death are occurring in affluent countries due to dietary excesses," he said.

Katz also noted that tobacco-related cancer is largely preventable. "The toll of tobacco-related disease, including lung cancer, is an appalling example of a global willingness to tolerate preventable suffering and death for the sake of profit," he said.

These data show both developed and developing countries how to move toward the lower rates of specific cancers, Katz said.

"It will be a tragic failure for public health if instead of applying these lessons developed countries continue to export tobacco and dietary transgressions so that the developing world adds to its current cancer burden ours as well," he said.