Preparing Your Body for Christmas the Mediterranean Way

Whatever we tell ourselves there is no doubt that Christmas – and indeed all of December – is a time for over-indulgence and it might be sensible to give your body an MOT in preparation.

Detoxing has long been a favoured naturopathic tool and Vital Detox has taken the principles of the Mediterranean diet and applied them in a very convenient way. The traditional Mediterranean detox is based on three things:

1. Reducing the amount of food consumed in order to give the digestive system a rest and allow energy to be diverted to cleansing rather than digesting.
2. Introducinge extra greens to provide the important additional nutrients needed to help quell the accumulated winter toxins being thrown from the cells
3. Take traditional herbal recipes to ensure the natural, seasonal detoxification process works efficiently.

Developed by a Naturopathic Physician in Italy, vitalDETOX is based on this herboristic tradition to allow a gentler detox approach and ensure the effectiveness of the immune system during the process and so prepare you for the festive season.

Some of the herbs included are well known to us such as Milk Thistle which has a beneficial effect on the liver, and Artichoke which improves digestion. Less common in the UK are ingredients such as Rosemary which stimulates the adrenal cortex and is diuretic, Boldo leaves, traditionally used to produce the bile needed for the breakdown of dietary fats, and Radish roots and Agrimony, used for centuries to support the liver. The plant extracts arethen dissolved in an organic solution of the juice extracted from the Mexican cactus Agave salmiana, which is rich in calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.

During December, instead of having a glass of sherry as an aperitif, you can add one 5ml spoonful of vitalDETOX to a small glass of water with an added a dash of lemon juice before your meal. You should find it in health stores, but if not then visit the website at www.simplyvital.com.

Passive Smoking – Still A Real Danger to Children says W.H.O.

Smoking is now so restricted, you would think the issue of passive smoking had gone away – but it certainly has not. It causes 1% of all deaths globally – 603,000 a year – of which about 165,000 are in children, according to a study, from the World Health Organization’s Tobacco-Free Initiative in Geneva.

This is the first assessment made of passive smoking’s impact worldwide and is based on data analyses from 192 countries. They found that worldwide, 40% of children, 33% of male non-smokers and 35% of female non-smokers were subjected to passive smoking and the deaths related to that are not insignificant. They estimated that that one year this caused:

• 379,000 deaths from ischemic heart disease
• 165,000 deaths from lower respiratory infections
• 36,900 deaths from asthma
• 21,400 deaths from lung cancer

Almost half (48%) of all passive smoking deaths were in women and more than a quarter (28%) in children, with only 26% in men because research showed that men are more likely to be active smokers themselves.

Most deaths in children caused by passive smoking occurred in low- or middle-income but adult deaths from passive smoking were fairly evenly spread across all countries, irrespective of income. Children suffer heavier exposure to second-hand smoke than any other age-group, and are also the group for which there is strongest evidence of harm from passive smoking.

Although much has been done to cut smoking in public places such as bars and restaurants there is still the problem of smoking in the home, or around children outdoors. There are currently estimated to be around 1.2 billion smokers in the world and they are exposing billions of non-smokers to second-hand smoke. I know giving up can be hard, but if you are spending time around children, please do think about it.

Lower Risk of Breast Cancer Linked to Reduced Hormone Therapy

For the first time scientists can show a direct link between reduced hormone therapy and declines in breast cancer. The researchers saw such a striking decrease, they believe they also have uncovered indirect evidence that hormones promote breast tumour growth. The declines occurred in the age groups that most widely embraced then abandoned hormone therapy.

The use of hormone therapy surged in the 1980s and ’90s but at the same time, there was a steady increase in the rate of breast cancer. In mid-2002, following a landmark report of the Women’s Health Initiative indicating that the risks of oestrogen plus progestin therapy outweighed its benefits, hormone therapy fell into widespread disfavour with millions of women either giving it up or looking for alternatives.

So HRT has long been associated with a high breast cancer risk and the best advice if you are taking it is to use the lowest dose possible for the shortest time you can in order to relieve hot flashes and night sweats. Many doctors assume that women can safely take hormones for four or five years but Dr. Rowan T. Chlebowski, first author of an article published this week in The Journal of the American Medical Association and an oncologist at U.C.L.A. Medical Center said “I don’t think you can say that now. I know some people have to take it because they can’t function, but the message now is that you really should try to stop after a year or two.”

If you are taking HRT for osteoporosis prevention, or want more information on natural hormone alternatives, then can I suggest you study the articles on my other health site at www.bio-hormone-health for a fuller picture.

The study has been published online by the Journal of Clinical Oncology and senior author Karla Kerlikowske, MD said “We show that the incidence of breast cancer decreases if you take the hormones away. The fact that we’re continuing to see a decrease in invasive cancer means that the effects of stopping the hormones may be long-lasting.”
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The study uncovered a clear pattern: women 50 to 69 years old had the highest level of hormone usage — and showed the biggest reduction in invasive breast cancer when they stopped, from 40 cancers per 10,000 mammograms in 2002 to 31 cases in 2005, 35 cancers in 2006. There was a parallel drop in cancer among women older than age 70.

Strikingly, the scientists found that among women 40 to 49 years old, who were less likely to have been on hormone therapy, breast cancer rates did not change over the course of the decade studied. The study supports the idea that in giving such artificial hormones it was also promoting tumour growths.

Previous research has found that hormone treatment can cause delays in diagnosis by increasing breast density, making tumours harder to see on mammograms. Delayed diagnosis may increase the risk of successful treatment and it is also possible that hormones may feed the growth of some breast cancers or the blood vessels that tumours need to grow and spread.

Jet Lag Is Not All In The Mind – Though It Does Affect It!

Returning from a long flight can leave you feeling tired and disoriented and this disturbance to your internal body clock and disruption of circadian rhythms can cause you to feel out of sorts and often means an upset stomach because the body’s hunger cycle is out of sync with meal times.

It usually also means your memory is less than reliable which most of us put down to the combination of the time zone shift and the tiredness, but it seems that chronic jet lag alters the brain in ways that cause memory and learning problems long after you get back. Knowing how this can affect your body can help you plan your recovery time and reduce the level of stress and anxiety that you might be subject to as you forget to order the milk or even what your own last name is.

Each of us has an internal, 24-hour clock that drives our circadian rhythm, which is reset every day by small amounts. When a person enters a time zone that is not synched with his or her internal clock, it takes much longer to reset this daily rhythm, causing jet lag until the internal clock gets re-synched.

If you are a frequent flyer then, unlike occasional travellers who recover in a few days, the risks are much greater and include decreased reaction times, higher incidences of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and reduced fertility. The World Health Organization actually lists shift work as a carcinogen so knowing that it pays to be proactive about your health care and reduce all other known cancer risks as well.

Research by psychologists at the University of California, Berkeley studied the effects of continuous jet lag by exposing female Syrian hamsters to six-hour time shifts — the equivalent of a New York-to-Paris airplane flight. If you are wondering (and why not) why female and Syrian, then it is because their bodily rhythms are so precise that they will produce eggs, or ovulate, every 96 hours to within a window of a few minutes.

Nice to know hamsters at least have a reliable monthly pattern, but why they didn’t just ask frequent flyer air crews is a mystery, but then I am not a scientist – thank goodness.

During the last two weeks of jet lag and a month after recovery from it, the hamsters’ performance on learning and memory tasks was measured and, as expected, during the jet lag period they had trouble learning simple tasks that the hamsters in the control group had no difficulty with.

What did surprise the researchers was that these deficits persisted for a month after the hamsters returned to a regular day-night schedule.

The real discovery was that the jet lag caused persistent changes in the brain, specifically within the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays an intricate role in memory processing. Compared to the hamsters in the control group, the jet-lagged hamsters had only half the number of new neurons in the hippocampus following the month long exposure to jet lag.

This is important because new neurons are constantly being added to the adult hippocampus and are thought to be important for specific types of learning, and memory problems are associated with a drop in cell maturation and atrophy.

This study shows directly that jet lag decreases neurogenesis in the hippocampus and so this effect means that when you experience jet lag it has a profound effect on brain and memory function, and cognitive function is impaired at that time and for up to a month afterwards.

Anyone experiencing sleep pattern disturbance, whether from jet lag or a working schedule that means repeated disruption of circadian rhythms such as those who undertake shift work, like hospital doctors or call centre operators then they are likely to have a long-term impact on their cognitive behaviour and function.”

A Simple Regime to Help You Cope With Jet Lag:
If you suffer from jet lag, then you are going to be operating under par and a few simple techniques can help you avoid it. The worst effects seem to occur during eastward travel and in general you should allow one day of recovery for every one-hour time zone shift.

These ideas might help too:

1) Melatonin – a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain and one of its key jobs is controlling the body’s circadian rhythm. — Melatonin supplements are thought to help the body quickly adjust to the new surroundings and a low dosage is recommended of 0.5 mg a night for three nights, one hour before a normal bedtime – not before, once you get to your destination.

2) Adjust your watch – so it reflefts your destination time the day before you travel as that can psychologically help you adjust.

3) Homeopathy – a popular homeopathic remedy for Jet Lag is Cocculus Indicus and it can be taken every twelve hours starting two days before the flight until three days after the flight. This is not generally available but can be supplied by any homoepathic chemist. These are more commonly on sale for specific aspects of jet lag:

* Arnica – sleeplessness and restlessness when over-tired

* Bellis perennis – waking mid-sleep and sleep interruptions

* Chamomilla – emotional and mental stress, sleeplessness, impatience, intolerance and disorientation

* Ipecacuanha – intense and constant nausea

* Lycopodium – anxiety, anticipatory fears, apprehension, inability to adapt to new surroundings, digestive problems, especially bloating and gas

4) Valerian – is a natural sleep aid and can help you adjust to new time zones by helping people fall asleep at their desired time. Valerian is not addictive and will not cause grogginess the next morning.

5) Diet – the usual suspects; avoid excess alcohol or caffeine, drink plenty of water, and eat light meals. A new development on this is to start 3 days before departure and on day 1 eat a very high protein breakfast to help stimulate the body’s production of dopamine and then a high-carbohydrate dinner to stimulate the body to produce melatonin. Avoid stimulants like coffee, tea, chocolate and energy drinks.

On day 2 stick to light salads and soups and then on day 3 repeat day 1’s menu.

On day 4, repeat day 2 and get as much sleep as you can until it is breakfast time at your destination. Then have a protein-heavy breakfast without coffee, turn on the overhead reading light and then stay as active as you can afterwards. If this doesn’t fit in with the airline’s scheduled meal delivery, take your own with you in the form of protein bars.
WARNING – this is not a suitable diet plan for anyone with diabetes or eating disorders.

6) Bedtime – when you finally do get to your own bed make sure the room is completely dark and noise free to allow your body to adjust and get a decent amount of sleep.

Fit Flops Sneak Into Winter

You may have noticed, as I did over the summer, an increasing number of women striding out in flip flops – except they weren’t. Unlike conventional flips there is a new development called a Fit Flop which has been biomechanically engineered to help tone and tighten your leg muscles while you walk.
Also, more importantly to me, they absorb more shock than a normal shoe so you feel less ache in your hips and knees, help realign ground force reaction closer to your joints and reduce foot pressure.

Studies at the Centre for Human Performance at London South Bank University showed that normal walking in FitFlop sandal can help with all those which is presumably why they were such a big hit over the summer, but striding out in bare feet in winter just doesn’t do it.

With this in mind the company has developed a range of boots and a sneaker called the FF Supertone™ described as a muscle-toning, energizing and shock-absorbing. This apparently took a year in engineering to develop with something they rather endearingly call Microwobbleboard™ technology so you get all the benefits of the FitFlop with the all-weather wearability of a classically-shaped leather sneaker.
It looks smart enough that no one knows you are getting a workout, but the idea of incorporating the word wobble into something to tone you up doesn’t strike me as immediately reassuring but presumably they know what they are doing.

Given the approval of by the American Podiatric Medical Association, the Microwobbleboard™ technology was independently tested at Salford University in Manchester and now you can stride out in all weathers and get the full benefit.

If you can’t find FitFlops near you, then visit their website at www.fitflop.com

Warfarin and Supplement Interactions – and What About Food?

Way back in 1988 I was Editor of a book called The Medicine Chest which was a straightforward examination of the interactions between drugs, supplements and foods. It had a lot of good advice that hasn’t changed much over the years so I was surprised to receive a ‘news’ item that warned that Warfarin when taken with vitamin E and large doses of vitamin C can decrease effect of the drug.

I was not surprised at the effect because I was writing about it over 20 years ago, but that it was news came as a surprise. However, it never hurts to repeat a good piece of information and scientists never turn up a chance for a grant to research something we already know.

This time it is researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah who want to point out the dangers. Warfarin is a commonly prescribed drug used to prevent blood clots from forming and given to people with certain types of irregular heartbeat, those with prosthetic heart valves, and those who have suffered a heart attack.

The study consisted of interviews with 100 atrial fibrillation patients to determine their understanding of potential interactions between supplements and medications such as Warfarin. This is not really a study about interactions but of people’s understanding of them and generally people do not know enough about how supplements, and everyday foodstuffs react with their medication.

In this study more than half were unaware of potential interactions and they also found that of the 100 most-used supplements (vitamins, glucosamine/chondroitin, fish oil and coenzyme Q10) 69 percent interfere with the Warfarin’s effectiveness.

Warfarin and herbal and dietary supplements “compete” in the liver and this competition changes the way the blood thinner works — either intensifying its active ingredients, thereby increasing the risk of bleeding, or by reducing its effectiveness, increasing the risk of stroke.

All true, and the lead researcher is urging that doctors do a better job of teaching patients about the dangers of mixing Warfarin with these products. Now I entirely agree with him, but what he doesn’t mention is that this particular drug is also seriously affected by certain foodstuffs and other drugs.

Given what the average doctor knows about nutrition I hold out little hope they will also pass on this advice so that instead of increasing or decreasing their drug prescription they could suggest changes to their patients diet. In addition, the effectiveness of Warfarin is impacted by other drugs – particularly antifungals, barbiturates and beta blockers which all decrease the drugs effectiveness.
Conversely, antibiotics, some diabetes drugs, gout medicines, tricyclic antidepressants and asprin and paracetamol – among others – all can increase the drug’s effectiveness, making it more potent.

On Warfarin? Avoid These:
Warfarin is affected by large doses of vitamin E, vitamin C, bioflavanoids and calcium and a large intake of fats or oils. If the diet is also high in vitamin K rich foods this can cause an imbalance in the body which could decrease the anticoagulant effect.

Vitamin K is needed to allow your blood to clot normally, to protect your bones from fracture and postmenopausal bone loss, to prevent calcification of the arteries and provide possible protection against liver and prostate cancer.

Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin and only a small amount is able to be stored in the body. It is destroyed by light and acids and alkalis such as vinegar or baking soda. A deficiency of it can lead to increased blood clotting time, easy bruising and excessive bleeding.

Significant food sources include: green leafy vegetables including spinach, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, green beans, asparagus, broccoli, kale and also cauliflower, cow’s milk, eggs, fish liver oils, green vegetables, kelp, liver, molasses, polyunsaturated oils, tomatoes

Everyone responds differently to drugs, foods and supplements so if you have any concerns, or if your diet is high in vitamin K rich foods, then you should discuss with your doctor how this is affecting your medication.

Sore Throat Saviour – For Singers and Shouters – and Everyone Else

I sent out an SOS this week as I was suffering from the aftermath of a cold which had left me sounding like Fenella Fielding (younger readers ask your parents, sorry grandparents) and my choir had a big performance to give in a few days time. I always take echinacea and vitamin C for a cold but a new product from Kiwiherb has the Echinacea combined with thyme and liquorice.

It’s for anyone suffering from a cold-related sore throat, tonsillitis, a tickly, irritated throat or a hoarse voice from singing, shouting or talking too much (not me, surely?) and this is an organic, practitioner-strength combination tincture that really hit the spot.

The Echinacea boosts the immune system, thyme soothes the throat and the anti-inflammatory properties of liquorice help bring effective and rapid relief.

For a sore throat, resulting from a cold, gargle with it to soothe and calm any rawness and inflammation. That’s what I did and then held it in my mouth for 30 seconds before slowly swallowing. It’s powerful stuff and must be diluted with water, or fruit juice, and it’s also suggested for use with tonsillitis and when losing your voice.

Within 24 hours I was able to confidently feel I could return to singing tenalto rather than basso profundo and as it can also be taken as a preventative, if you’re planning to sing, talk or shout a great deal it is now going into my ‘speaker’s kit’ for all future talks. Though I don’t plan on doing much shouting, you never know.

If you can’t find it in your local health store then contact Kiwiherb’s UK distributor at www.lifeplan.co.uk.

How You Can Dramatically Cut Risk of Mouth Cancer with Diet – And Increase It

Mouth cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in the UK, and is the cause of more deaths than cervical cancer and testicular cancer combined with one death from it every five hours. I have previously highlighted the risks of mouth cancer and now there is news of a specific preventive that works extremely well in helping us avoid mouth cancer and points out exactly what to avoid. For the first time, folic acid intake has been shown to affect the risk of the disease and an unhealthy diet means a threefold increase in risk.

This new information comes from a study of 87,000 nurses who were followed for 30 years from 1976 by researchers from the Columbia University Medical Centre and Harvard School of Public Health. What they found was that women who consume high volumes of folic acid found in Vitamin B from vegetables and some fruits are much less likely to suffer from mouth cancer.

You will find high levels of folic acid in spinach, beetroot, potato, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, banana, oranges and peaches.

What to avoid:
The researchers also discovered that women who drank a high volume of alcohol and had low folic acid intake were three times more likely to develop mouth cancer than those who drank high volumes of alcohol but had high volumes of folic acid in their diet. Alcohol is one of the major risk factors for mouth cancer and those who drink to excess are four times more likely to be diagnosed. Alcohol leads to a reduction in folic acid metabolism by creating acetaldehyde which leads to a reduction of folic acid in the body.

As social habits have changed, so women have been drinking more and the rates of mouth cancer in women have been increasing for many years. It is also be linked to the fact that we are consuming less fresh fruit and vegetables than previous generations.

Previous studies have tended to focus on men, as they are twice as likely to suffer from the disease, but this new information also applies to them.

Recent research has also shown that an increase in food such as eggs and fish that contain Omega 3, and nuts, seeds and brown rice, which are high in fibre, can help decrease the risks. Also brushing twice a day and flossing are key ingredients in oral health and help keep your risk factor down. With its low survival rate, it is critical to pay attention to prevention as only around half of diagnosed cases survive for 5 years.

What to look for:
The Mouth Cancer Action Month Campaign aims to increase awareness and reverse this trend with the theme ‘If in doubt get checked out’. Early warning signs to look out for include a mouth ulcer that has not healed within three weeks, red or white patches in the mouth and any unusual swelling or lumps in the mouth. These are all signs that you should get your dentist or doctor to check you out as soon as possible.

Mouth cancer is twice more common in men than in women, though an increasing number of women are being diagnosed with the disease. Previously, the disease has been five times more common in men than women. Age is another factor, with people over the age of 40 more likely to be diagnosed, though more young people are now being affected than previously.

The two biggest risk factors are alcohol, gum disease and tobacco and if you both smoke and drink alcohol in excess you are up to 30 times more likely to be diagnosed with mouth cancer.

For more information visit www.mouthcancer.org or call the Dental Helpline, which offers free impartial advice to consumers on 0845 063 1188 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Future Male Infertility Linked to Common Painkillers

Trying to start a family can involve many factors, but the overall health of both partners is critical. A new study throws another factor into the mix that cannot be ignored as its so common in society today.

The effect of Phthalates, bisphenol-A (BPA as commonly found in plastics), and other environmental toxins has been well established as disrupting proper hormone function in humans which of course affects fertility. However, a new European study has revealed that common painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen have a far worse effect on the future reproductive health of boys.

Scientists from Denmark, Finland, and France recently published their findings in the journal Human Reproduction. Their study draws urgent attention to the serious dangers associated with painkillers as they have discovered that pregnant women who take painkiller drugs have a significantly higher risk of bearing baby boys with reproductive problems than pregnant women who do not.

Any painkiller drugs taken during the second trimester doubles the risk of having a baby boy with cryptorchidism, where the testicles do not properly descend due to inadequate testosterone production. The risk rises massively by 1600 percent if more than one painkiller is taken during the second trimester.

Dr. Henrik Leffers, senior scientist at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen and author of the study explains: “A single paracetamol tablet [500mg] contains more endocrine disruptor potency than the combined exposure to the 10 most prevalent of the currently known environmental endocrine disruptors during the whole pregnancy. In fact, a single tablet will, for most women, be at least a doubling of the exposure to the known endocrine disruptors during the pregnancy and that dose comes on a single day, not spread out over nine months as with the environmental endocrine disruptors. Thus, for women using mild analgesics during the pregnancy, the mild analgesics will be by far the largest exposure to endocrine disruptors.”

This is a significant departure from the normal advice during pregnancy as taking painkiller at that time is largely considered to have no significant risks associated with it. In the study more than 57 percent of Danish mothers admitted in a telephone survey they used painkillers on a regular basis.

Male fertility is under threat in many areas: environmental toxins, excess estrogen in the food and water supply, and even laptop computers as they can heat male genitalia to temperatures so high that reproductive function becomes impaired.

If you want to start a family, or know someone who is pregnant, then please pass on this important warning.

You may also be interested to read the article by Dr Jeffrey Dach on Low Testosterone and Painkillers that you will find at my other site at www.bio-hormone-health.com

Statins Update – News and Views

Statins are regarded as a lifesaver by some and a dangerous medication by others. I have written on this before and just by coincidence this week three separate news stories turned up on different aspects of these drugs.

Their primary use is to lower blood cholesterol levels by blocking the action of a chemical in the liver that is necessary for making cholesterol. So far so good, and they are used to maintain normal cholesterol levels and so lower the risk of chest pain (angina), heart attack, and stroke.
Unfortunately, in my view, they are over prescribed and used to simply alleviate anxiety about possible future health conditions and instead of promoting healthier lifestyle choices through diet and exercise. Here is the news – and you make up your own mind.

Statins 1: The Good News
Study results presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Nov. 7-10 in Philadelphia have indicated that long-term statin use is unlikely to increase cancer risk for bladder, breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, prostate, or renal cell cancer, but was associated with lower risk of melanoma, endometrial cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

This was a decent-sized study that included 133,255 participants in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort and they completed several questionnaires and were followed over a period of about 10 years. During that time more than 15,000 participants were diagnosed with cancer.

Statins 2: The Not So Good News
According to a study in the British Medical Journal statins significantly increase a person’s risk of cataracts, muscle weakness, liver dysfunction and kidney failure. Unlike the previous report, they also confirmed that the drugs lower the risk of heart disease and oesophageal cancer, but claims of other health benefits were unsupported.

Again this study is a respectable size, as researchers from Nottingham University examined data on more than 2 million patients between the ages of 30 and 84, seen at 38 different general practices, who had been prescribed statins.

The researchers confirmed prior data suggesting that statins increase patients’ risk of cataracts, liver dysfunction, kidney failure and a form of muscle weakness known as myopathy. They found that for every 10,000 women treated with the drugs, 23 would develop acute kidney (renal) failure, 39 would develop myopathy, 74 would develop liver dysfunction and 309 would develop cataracts. Men suffered an even higher risk of myopathy, but their risks of the other three conditions were similar to those suffered by women.

In a nutshell, the researchers found that only 434 people would need to be treated with the drugs for five years for one case of acute renal failure to develop. It would take only 136 treated for each case of liver dysfunction and 33 for each case of cataracts. Among women, 259 would need to be treated for each case of myopathy; among men, the number was only 91.

The risk of developing all conditions was highest during the first year of treatment, but continued throughout the course of the study. Risk of liver and kidney problems increased proportionally with the dose of statins being taken.

Further research involving statins and cancer has come from the large population-based Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) in the US. Their findings are that statins fail to reduce colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women.

Michael S. Simon, M.D., professor of oncology in the department of oncology at Wayne State University and Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit presented these study results at the previously mentioned Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference and according to him, the results from several case-control studies have shown a moderate reduction in colorectal cancer risk in people who use statins. However, a majority of the literature researching the association, including data from randomized controlled trials and cohort studies, show no association between statin use and reduced colorectal cancer risk.

Statins 3: Better News
The Nottingham researchers did find, however, that the risk of cataracts returned to normal within one year of stopping statin treatment, while the risk of liver and kidney problems returned to normal within one to three years. Additionally, they found no connection between statin use and the risk of dementia, osteoporotic fracture, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis or venous thromboembolism.

Unlike stated in Statins 1, these researchers found almost no data supporting claims they reduced cancer risk. The study “largely confirmed other studies that reported no clear association between statins and risk of cancers,” according to the researchers. The only cancer-fighting effect uncovered in the study was a slightly lower risk of oesophageal cancer, with eight cases averted for every 10,000 high-risk women treated. In other words, 1,266 high-risk women or 1,082 high-risk men would need to be treated with the drugs to prevent one case of oesophageal cancer.

It is a lot to take in, and you are going to have to assess your own risk of potential heart disease and high cholesterol against the other health risks associated with these drugs. As ever, adopting a healthier lifestyle is an essential first step to dealing with high cholesterol before resorting to any drug regime.

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