Dr. Arturo M. Volpe

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (February 13 2002;287 (6):734-41) found a clear association between long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women and an increased risk of breast cancer.

The study looked at 705 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancers of all types between 1990 and 1995 as well another 692 randomly selected age-matched women.

Researchers concluded that those who had been on long-term HRT, both on estrogen alone and estrogen plus progestin, had a risk of contracting breast cancer of any type that was 60% to 85% higher than that of women who had not been on long-term HRT. When considering only the lobular type of breast cancer, the risk was more than three times higher for the HRT group.

Tags: Cancer
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A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (February 13 2002;287 (6):734-41) found a clear association between long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women and an increased risk of breast cancer.

The study looked at 705 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancers of all types between 1990 and 1995 as well another 692 randomly selected age-matched women. Researchers concluded that those who had been on long-term HRT, both on estrogen alone and estrogen plus progestin, had a risk of contracting breast cancer of any type that was 60% to 85% higher than that of women who had not been on long-term HRT. When considering only the lobular type of breast cancer, the risk was more than three times higher for the HRT group.

Tags: Hormone Replacement Therapy
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Metformin (Glucophage) is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for type II or “adult-onset” diabetes, the type of diabetes that does not usually require insulin.

A previously known – although rare – risk associated with this medication is acidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by a build-up of lactic acid in blood.

A recent study (Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2001;11:108-116) found that Metformin also raises blood levels of homocysteine, a substance that has been found to cause heart disease. Homocysteine builds up in blood when certain B vitamins are deficient and it is believed that Metformin raises homocysteine levels by blocking the absorption of vitamin B12 and folic acid, two essential nutrients.

In recent years, Metformin has also been prescribed to individuals who are considered at high risk for developing diabetes in the hope of preventing or delaying its onset. A study this year (N Engl J Med 2002;346:393-403) looked at more than 3,000 individuals, all of whom were in this high-risk category and divided them in three groups: one received Metformin, the second a placebo, and the third followed very basic diet and exercise guidelines but received no medication or placebo.

The study concluded that, although Metformin reduced the onset of diabetes by roughly 30% over the placebo group, the basic lifestyle and diet changes recommended in the study were twice as effective, reducing diabetes onset by almost 60%.

Although certain people are more susceptible to this illness because of family history, Type II diabetes is clearly caused by diet and lifestyle. I believe it can be prevented, and often reversed, when these issues are addressed and related nutritional deficiencies are corrected. Herbal products such as cinnamon, a common kitchen spice, have also been shown to help normalize blood sugar and can be helpful while the underlying causes are addressed. Research on cinnamon and diabetes can be found in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (Aug. 2001;20(4):327-336), although there are no large scale studies due to lack of funding.

Tags: Diabetes
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This study, published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2001;108(4):516-20), looked at infants and small children from two European countries, Sweden and Estonia, analyzing their stools and keeping a record of the bacteria populating their intestinal tracts.

Over a period of time, researchers tracked those children in the group who developed allergies and concluded that the onset of allergies in children was preceded by a prevalence of unhealthy bacteria. In contrast, the children who did not develop allergies had a greater concentration of healthy bacterial species populating their intestinal tracts.

Our intestines are host to a wide variety of bacteria, estimated to number in the trillions. Some of these bacterial species are ‘healthy’ in that they help us digest food, assimilate nutrients and they even produce some of the vitamins we need. Other ‘unhealthy’ bacteria can interfere with proper digestive function and lead to a breakdown of the intestinal lining and a condition sometimes defined as ‘leaky gut’. This can have far-reaching effects on the immune system and overall health.

Babies receive their first exposure to bacteria that will populate their intestines through motherís milk. Other sources include yogurt and other fermented foods. Unhealthy bacteria sometimes become entrenched as a result of a diet that is high in sugar and processed foods, or as a result of repeated or long-term antibiotics.

Tags: Allergies & Asthma
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