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August 2007 vol. 12 no. 8

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)


Table of Contents:

Carcinogens in Cooked Meat Increase Breast Cancer Risk

Researchers at the University of South Carolina recently evaluated the effects of exposure to two carcinogenic compounds found in cooked meat—polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs)—and breast cancer risk. The study found that postmenopausal women who consumed grilled, barbecued, or smoked red meat more than once a week had a 47 percent increased risk of developing breast cancer over their lifetime, compared with women who ate meat less than one time per week. Breast cancer risk increased to 74 percent for women who consumed meat and ate fewer than five servings a day of fruits and vegetables. PAHs and HCAs are formed when barbequing, grilling, smoking, and pan-frying meats at high temperatures. Exposure to these harmful substances can be limited simply by eating a plant-based diet that is rich in beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Steck SE, Gaudet MM, Eng SM, et al. Cooked meat and risk of breast cancer — lifetime versus recent dietary intake. Epidemiology. May 2007;18:373-382.

FDA-Approved Drug Makes You Hypersexual and a Compulsive Gambler

Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has updated the package insert for its restless legs syndrome (RLS) drug Requip. According to the new insert, Requip may cause “pathological gambling” and “increased libido including hypersexuality.”

These side effects are reportedly a class-wide effect, which impact all the drugs belonging to the non-ergoline dopamine agonist class of drugs. Specifically, the insert reads:

“Impulse control symptoms, including compulsive behaviors such as pathological gambling and hypersexuality, have been reported in patients treated with dopaminergic agents.”

Another RLS drug, Mirapex (which is also used to treat Parkinson’s disease), has reported similar symptoms. The Mirapex package insert reads:
“Patients taking certain medicines to treat Parkinson’s disease or RLS, including Mirapex . . . have reported problems with gambling, compulsive eating, and increased sex drive.”

A 2005 study published in the Archives of Neurology also found that dozens of patients using Mirapex or similar drugs developed serious gambling addictions.

Hundreds of people have reportedly contacted lawyers about joining class-action lawsuits that allege Mirapex and Requip caused unusual side effects such as compulsive gambling, shopping, painting and eating.

BrandWeekNRX.com August 14, 2007
Archives of Neurology July 11, 2005

Insomnia Worsened by Increased Nighttime Toilet Visits

A Danish study team found that sleep-deprivation might lead to increased urinary output and more salt in the urine. Normally, the body follows a circadian rhythm, producing greater amounts of urine during the day, and lessened production at night, enabling uninterrupted sleep.

Sleep deprivation, however, was found to change the body’s blood flow, leading to:

  • More frequent bathroom breaks in the middle of the night
  • A reduced fall in nighttime blood pressure
  • Higher salt content in the urine

The researchers speculate the reduced dip in nighttime blood pressure affects blood-pressure related substances, which in turn may keep the kidneys on a daytime schedule, hence the need to go to the bathroom during the night.

The American Physiological Society Press Release August 8, 2007
Reuters August 8, 2007
Science Daily August 8, 2007

33 Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep
http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm

Diet Foods Will Cause Obesity, Not Cure It

Children eating diet foods in lieu of the full-calorie versions may lead to overeating and obesity when they grow up, according to a report from the University of Alberta, Canada.

In the study, young rats were fed either a regular diet or low-calorie substitutes. The low-calorie versions led the rats to overeat, whether they were lean or genetically predisposed to obesity. Adult rats, however, did not show the same tendency to overeat.

The researchers believe that diet foods with low calorie content disrupt the body’s ability to use taste to regulate caloric intake. This would explain why older animals did not overeat, as they, unlike the younger rats, were able to rely on taste-related cues to assess the energy value of their food correctly.

Lead researcher Professor David Pierce stated, “Based on what we’ve learned, it is better for children to eat healthy, well-balanced diets with sufficient calories for their daily activities rather than low-calorie snacks or meals.”

University of Alberta August 8, 2007
BBC News August 8, 2007
Eurekalert August 8, 2007
MedicineNet.com August 8, 2007

Fat May Inhibit the Beneficial Effects of Vitamin C

Researchers from the University of Glasgow found that fat in foods diminishes the ability of vitamin C to protect against cancer-forming compounds in the stomach. N-nitroso compounds are formed in the body by a chemical process that starts with nitrates such as cured meats and dairy products. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, usually neutralize these potential carcinogenic compounds by turning them into nitric oxide. Researchers from the study found that consuming fat may cause N-nitroso compounds to re-form in the stomach.

Fat counters vitamin C benefits. BBC News. April 8, 2007.

Flavonoids May Decrease Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Researchers from the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii found that consuming foods rich in Flavonoids may decrease pancreatic cancer risk by as much as 23 percent in nonsmokers and 59 percent in smokers (smokers generally have a higher pancreatic cancer risk). Foods rich in Flavonoids include apples, broccoli, onions, kale, and berries. These compounds play important roles in cancer prevention and survival, including apoptosis or cancer cell death.

The study was part of the ongoing, eight-year Multiethnic Cohort Study involving 183,518 participants. Investigators looked at three specific classes of flavonoids—quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin. Kaempferol was found to have the strongest cancer-fighting effects in smokers. Foods rich in kaempferol include grapefruit, spinach, and cabbage.

Nöthlings U, Murphy SP, Wilkens L, Henderson BE, Kolonel LN. Flavonols and pancreatic cancer risk: the multiethnic cohort study. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. April 2007. Abstract 856.


Selected segments are reproduced from:

Dr. Mercola’s excellent website: http://www.mercola.com/index.htm

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine http://www.pcrm.org