June 2, 2012

Interesting Research (FaceBook Links posted since 5/14)

"for women...moderately elevated cholesterol (by current standards) may prove to be not only harmless but even beneficial."

(Thanks to Peter at the blog, Hyperlipid, for the citation.) This huge, long epidemiological study debunks the relationship of Total Cholesterol to cardiovascular death.

THIS IS IMPORTANT. Read the study and look at the charts. (Note: Total cholesterol of 5 mmol/L is 193 mg/dl,  7 mmol is 271 mg/dl.)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3303886/

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A study confirms that low carb diets are safe for the kidneys. (Not the first, but a fairly large one.)

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/06/01/are-low-carb-diets-safe-for-kidneys/
Good news. The CVD death rate among people with diabetes declined by 40% (95% CI 23–54) and all-cause mortality declined by 23% over the past decade.

Trends in Death Rates Among U.S. Adults With and Without Diabetes Between 1997 and 2006
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/6/1252.full


OBJECTIVE To determine whether all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) death rates declined
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Carotid intima-media thickness does not reliably correlate with heart disease risk--though drugs are being sold based on studies that assume it does.
Carotid intima-media thickness progression to predict cardiovascular events in the general population

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)60441-3/abstract

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In case you don't have enough reasons already not to take Actos. Like brittle bones, macular edema (leading to blindness) and causing heart failure.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/246065.php

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This may give hope for some people with advanced diabetic neuropathy whose wounds don't heal. The underlying cause is damage to the nerves supplying extremities which are essential for triggering the release of the various immune system com...See More
Discovery Promises Unique Medicine for Treatment of Chronic and Diabetic Wounds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528100242.htm

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This backs up what some smaller studies I've seen have found. Exercise works well for some, for others it has no effect, and for some it makes health worse.

Can Exercise Be Bad for You?
For Some Exercise May Increase Heart Risk
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/can-exercise-be-bad-for-you/

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People diagnosed with Type 2 under 30 may have MODY. "Only 47% of MODY case subjects identified met current guidelines for diagnostic sequencing." Especially likely if diagnosed under 30 or under 45 without "metabolic syndrome."
Systematic Assessment of Etiology in Adults With a Clinical Diagnosis of Young-Onset Type 2 Diabetes


http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/6/1206.abstract

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Diet causes growth of neurons in the hypothalamus leading to weight gain. I wonder if SSRIs also cause this overgrowth in they hypothalamus. They do in the hippocampus. (Note this is a mouse study, but it has very interesting implications.)
Weight struggles? Blame new neurons in your hypothalamus

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115331.htm

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Not really diabetes news but absolutely amazing. Use of sound gives people born blind ability to read eye charts.
Training the blind to 'see' using new device to 'listen' to visual informatoin


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516093156.htm

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Fake industry-supported lobbying groups ensure your right to be exposed to endocrine disrupters linked with diabetes and worse.
Are You Safe on That Sofa?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/opinion/sunday/kristof-are-you-safe-on-that-sofa.html

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Yet another study showing that cutting carbs lowers blood sugar that will be ignored by the ADA.
Swedes Lob Dynamite Into a Controversy: High-Fat Diet Improves Blood Sugars - Diabetes Health


http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2012/05/20/7533/swedes-lob-dynamite-into-a-controversy-high-fat-diet-improves-blood-sugars/

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It's only 7 years since I posted the documentation supporting the idea that prediabetic blood sugars cause neuropathy. Now the Lancet acts like this is news.

http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/news/online/%7BFEC3820C-6604-4589-B8A7-600E7938AFD9%7D/Prediabetes-other-metabolic-syndromes-could-be-linked-to-neuropathy

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"Sulfonamides, macrolides and other antibiotic traces have been found [in baby food], as well as anthelmintics (anti-worm) and fungicides." Another subtle factor damaging our genes?


New method detects traces of veterinary drugs in baby food

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132416.htm


3 comments:

LeonRover said...

Thanks Jenny.

FaceBook clearly failed you since it reneged on the original distribution arrangement.

It was lucky to get its IPO price, but the after-market results in the following weeks shows that the retail investor feels it has been sold a pup.

I shall be reading these references at my leisure.

Slainte.

Daria said...

Thanks, Jenny!

Love both of your books relating to blood sugar and low carb diets. Am I correct in thinking that you may not be interpreting the study on carotid intima media progression accurately? It seems, that you use progression of cIMT and the number for thickness itself interchangeably. They are different things. Study mentions both and comes to different conclusions regarding significance of each of them. At least, judging by the abstract, as I did not get the full text. Could you, please, clarify that, as this issue is important to me, and I highly value your point of view.

Thank you again,

Daria

Jenny said...

It's the progression that they found not to correlate in this study, and that progression is what is being used in some drug company-funded studies to prove that the drug prevents heart disease. For example the study of Zetia discussed HERE.

Another example, a study that promotes the use of Statins for "low risk" subjects based on progression of cIMT thickness. HERE

Sorry if I didn't make that clear.