Category Archives: Disease

Statin Drugs, Dr. Jarvik and a Reality Check

A colleague of mine, Dr. Jeffrey Dach, wrote an eye opening article in his latest TrueMedMD newsletter about the use of Dr. Robert Jarvik as a spokesman for Lipitor. I got permission from him to reproduce his article in its entirety. If you would like to learn more about this excellent physician, go to his website at www.drdach.com

Lipitor, Jarvik and Cholesterol

Perhaps you have seen the Direct-to- Consumer TV and print advertisements with Robert Jarvik, the inventor of the Jarvik Heart, speaking on behalf of the Pfizer’s anti-cholesterol drug, Lipitor, the best selling statin drug, the best selling drug in the world, and most prescribed drug in the U.S. with 13 billion dollars in sales last year.

Jarvik is best known from the media circus surrounding the 1982 implantation of his Jarvik-7 into the Seattle dentist, Barney Clark. Although the artificial heart continued to beat in his chest, Barney died of multi-organ failure 112 days after the heart implantation operation, tethered to a dishwasher sized air compressor. The heart device acted as a blender which chewed up the blood cells. Recipients of the Jarvik-7 suffered horribly for months, finally succumbing to infections, strokes, convulsions and immune system failure.

During the ensuing media coverage, the New York Times dubbed the Jarvik Heart the “Dracula of Medical Technology”. Jarvik-7 patients had the Kevorkian option of assisted suicide, a small on-off button which allowed the mechanical heart to be stopped when too unbearable. About 90 people received the Jarvik-7 heart before it was banned.

Why would Pfizer select an MD like Jarvik as spokesman for their Direct to Consumer (DTC) campaign? Jarvik himself doesn’t have the strongest of professional credentials, he enrolled for the first two years of medical school at the University of Bologna in Italy, later returning for the MD degree at the University of Utah. Jarvik never did an internship or residency, and never actually practiced medicine. And the heart device had been invented by somebody else, Paul Winchell, the ventriloquist, who assigned his patent to the University of Utah.

Why does Jarvik’s “Dracula of Medical Technology” make him an expert on statin drugs? It really doesnt.

Eight controlled clinical trials have shown that statin drugs like Lipitor cause depletion of Coenzyme Q10, an important vitamin for cellular energy production. Heart muscle requires high levels of Co-Q10. Side effects of Co-Q10 deficiency include muscle wasting, muscle pain, heart failure, neuropathy, amnesia, and cognitive dysfunction. Muscle pain and statin-drug induced heart failure can be prevented by supplementing with Co-Enzyme Q10, found at your local health food store, an intervention considerably less expensive and less traumatic than an artificial heart operation followed by cardiac transplantation.

Perhaps Jarvik is not really the best choice for the Lipitor Ad campaign which has had mixed reviews. Instead of Jarvik, a more convincing yet unlikely spokesman would be the popular Duane Graveline MD MPH, a former NASA astronaut, and author who was started on Lipitor during an annual astronaut physical at the Johnson Space Center, and 6 weeks later had an episode of transient global amnesia, a form of sudden memory loss described in his book. Dr. Graveline points out that 50 percent of the dry weight of the cerebral cortex is made of cholesterol, an important substance for memory and cerebral function.

Graveline also points out that statins are useful for prevention of heart disease in patients who already have clogged arteries and pre-existing coronary artery disease, however this benefit is independent of how low the serum cholesterol goes in response to the statin drug.

Contrary to the findings in patients with known heart disease, no statin primary prevention study has ever shown a benefit in terms of all cause mortality in healthy men and women with only an elevated serum cholesterol, and no known coronary artery disease.

Patients with known heart disease are customarily placed on statin drugs by the medical system with no need for direct to consumer (DTC) advertising to this group. DTC ads for Lipitor are clearly directed at the larger group of untreated primary prevention patients, for which there has been no benefit in terms of all cause mortality in multiple statin drug studies.

The Japanese, J-Lit study actually showed higher mortality at the lowest serum cholesterol (both total and LDL-C), a paradox called the J-Shaped Curve. The highest mortality was found at the lowest total cholesterol of 160 mg/dl, and lowest mortality at serum cholesterol around 240 mg /ml, exactly the opposite one would expect if cholesterol lowering was beneficial for health. The authors state that the increased mortality at the lower cholesterol levels was due to increased cancer.

Another statin trial, CARE (Cholesterol And Recurrent Events), showed 1500 % increase in breast cancer among women in the statin treated group, explained as merely a statistical aberration. This is disputed by Uffe Ravnskov who feels that the difference is significant, and points to rodent studies showing statin drugs cause cancer in animals.

The Honolulu Heart Study of elderly patients showed the lowest serum cholesterol predicted the highest mortality in this patient group.

A study by Krumholz found lack of association between cholesterol and coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity in persons older than 70 years. Jenkins (BMJ) states that no statin drug study has ever shown an all cause mortality benefit for women.

The Jarvik-Lipitor Ad campaign is a perfect example of why prescription drug ads are dishonest, do not promote public health, increase unnecessary prescriptions, and can be harmful or deadly to patients. New Zealand and the US are the only two industrialized nations to allow direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs. Here in the USA, thirty nine public interest groups have proposed congressional legislation to ban DTC prescription drug ads.

Two more unlikely spokesmen for the Lipitor ad campaign include Mary Enig and Uffe Ravnskov. Should either one be selected as Lipitor spokesman, I myself would run down to the corner drug store to buy up the drug. It seems unlikey that even Pfizer’s deep pockets could ever induce them to recant their opposing position on the cholesterol theory of heart disease. Mary G. Enig writes, ”hypercholesterolemia is the health issue of the 21st century. It is actually an invented disease, a problem that emerged when health professionals learned how to measure cholesterol levels in the blood.

Uffe Ravnskov MD PhD, who opposes the Lipid Hypothesis, is spokesman for Thincs, The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics, and author of “The Cholesterol Myths, Exposing the Fallacy That Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease”. His controversial ideas have angered loyal cholesterol theory supporters in Finland who demonstrated by burning his book on live television.

How many people suffer from the adverse side effects of statin drugs? Will we ever know? People experiencing adverse side effects from statin drugs may share their experiences in discussion groups . One such group has 3800 messages.

For More Information Click Here: drdach.com or click here: TrueMed.com

Bugs Controlling Your Behavior?

In the latest issue of Discover Magazine (February 2007), there is small article about how a common parasite called Toxoplasma gondii can affect how rats who are infected with the bug seek out cats, increasing their likelihood of being killed.  Strangely enough, cats are the breeding ground for the parasite allowing them to complete their reproductive cycle.

In the book Plague Time, author Paul Ewald discusses the relationship between schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii. I have seen numerous articles suggesting that this bug is one of the leading causes of epilepsy in third-world countries. Around 60 million American may have toxoplasmosis and are symptom free. The parasite seems to have a mechanism that hides it from our immune systems making it hard to detect.

Mainstream medical journals are refusing to publish the data presented by Dr. Jaroslav Flegr of Charles University in Prague because they may not like the idea that they “…don’t like the possibility that their behavior and life are manipulated by a parasite.” according to Dr. Flegr. Reminds you of the fight against Helobactor pylori being the cause of ulcers.

Another strange finding was that normally 104 boys are born for every 100 girls but infected women will have 260 boys for every 100 girls. Why? Well we are not sure but that is a truly significant number.

The medical community needs to up the research effort in this field as it may provide breakthroughs in treating and possibly curing a number of psychological disorders.

Weekly Nutrition Update

Dietary Sodium Intake and Asthma: An Epidemiological and Clinical Review – In this paper, the researchers from Indiana University suggest that lowering sodium intake would be beneficial to asthma sufferers. This is not surprising to me as sodium is known to constrict tissue, in this case the lungs, which is one of the problems people with asthma have. I would be interested in seeing whether an increase in the intake of potassium would also be beneficial as that mineral is helpful in relaxing tissue.

Effects of a Low-Carb Diet (with and without soluble fiber supplementation) on LDL Cholesterol Levels and Other Markers of Cardiovascular Risk – Thirty study subjects in who were put on a low carbohydrate diet were found to reduce body weight, percentage of body fat, systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, plasma glucose, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels among both subjects given a soluble fiber supplement as well as those given a placebo. LDL cholesterol levels reduced more significantly and more rapidly among subjects taking the soluble fiber supplement. Another excellent reason to try a low carb diet if you are obese or overweight.

Curcumin – the active ingredient in Turmeric – May Help Correct Cystic Fibrosis – I have to tell you, curcumin is quickly becoming my favorite herb. Aside from the flavor it provides to many foods, it has been extremely beneficial in a number of different inflammatory conditions and here, the study authors suggest it may be helpful in the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis. While the study represents research in the earliest stages (animal model), it is worth trying as this herb has very few known side effects.

Risk of Mortality due to Cardiovascular Disease Increases as Blood Glucose Levels Increase – Controlling your blood sugar is always important but as this study suggests, it may be even more important if you are at risk or, or already have cardiovascular disease. In other words, cut out the extra sugar and especially high-fructose corn syrup which I feel is the number one food additive that needs banning.

Supplementation with Ginger May Benefit Diabetics – The herb ginger was found to be beneficial in lowering lipid peroxidation, a common problem amongst diabetics as well as increasing plasma antioxidant capacity.

Long-Term Supplementation with Vitamin D and BMD in Adults and Adolescents on Anti-Epileptic Drugs – As some of you may know, my daughter Tasya has epilepsy and based upon this study, increasing her vitamin D intake should decrease the risk of developing low bone density when she gets older. Vitamin D is increasingly becoming one of the most important nutrients to take on a daily basis.

Food Alone May Not Provide Sufficient Micronutrients to Prevent Deficiency in Athletes and Non-Athletes – With our nutrient depleted food supply, this study does not surprise me one bit. In my 21+ years in the field of health and nutrition, and the 38,000 lab tests I’ve reviewed, rarely do I see anyone who would not benefit from the addition of nutritional supplements.

Circumin the Spice Healer?

The regular readers of this blog know my affection for Circumin and Tumeric. The recent issue of Scientific American has a 4 page article about this remarkable herb. Its use in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, and cognitive impairment is discussed. While more research is warranted, I am a firm believer in using this remarkable herb on a regular basis.

Antiviral Drugs May Be Beneficial in the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

In a presentation done this past year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Dr. Jose Montoya, associate professor of medicine at Stanford University reported that the antiviral drug Valcyte, made by Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG , could be helpful in treating certain Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) patients. His data on 25 patients of his has been nothing short of impressive. All of his patients, nearly all of whom had high levels in their blood plasma of antibodies to the human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) and the Epstein-Barr virus showed positive response to the drug, some showed very dramatic improvement.

Most of the readers of my blog are aware that I am not the biggest fan of the pharmaceutical industry, but there are times when nutritional and herbal medicine just can’t do it all. In the case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, many people have been helped by nutritional and lifestyle changes, but many have had little or no success with alternative methods of treatment. While it is a bit early to say that Dr. Montoya has found a cure, if I had CFS and had no luck with other treatments, I would certainly ask my physician to try Valcyte out on me.

EHP Update – January 2007

Here is a review of the major articles in this months issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Pilot Study of Urinary Biomarkers of Phytoestrogens, Phthalates, and Phenols in Girls – While this study does not link serious health issues with these ubiquitous chemicals, it does show that many young girls have measurable amounts of these hormonally active toxins. Very disturbing indeed.

Maternal Fish Consumption, Mercury Levels, and Risk of Preterm Delivery – In this landmark study, it was shown that there is a relationship between mercury and the risk of pre-term delivery. Even with low- to moderate-exposure, there was a relationship. The researchers tracked pregnant women’s fish intake from canned, sport caught and fresh purchased. The worst offender was canned fish. If you are pregnant, please do not eat canned fish or any predatory species such as shark or swordfish. If you need (and you do) Omega-3 fatty acids, take supplements.

Environmental Estrogens Induce Mast Cell Degranulation and Enhance IgE-Mediated Release of Allergic Mediators – In an interesting study, researchers suggest that environmental estrogens like DDT, PCBs, bisphenol A and others, may promote allergic reactions in humans. More evidence that these toxins need banning.

A Case-Control Analysis of Exposure to Traffic and Acute Myocardial Infarction – Pollution from automobile and truck traffic is once again linked to an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease and heart attack. If you live near heavy traffic, test for solvents through US Biotek, then use the Bio-ClarityTM Report from Health Director through your health care provider to come up with a detoxification protocol. Your heart will love you for it.

Increased Rate of Hospitalization for Diabetes and Residential Proximity of Hazardous Waste Sites – These researchers found a statistically significant relationship between diabetes hospitalizations and proximity to toxic waste dumps.

Potential Risks Associated with the Proposed Widespread Use of Tamiflu – Because of the fear of a viral pandemic, the World Health Organization suggested stockpiling hundreds of millions of doses of Tamiflu, an anti-retroviral drug. These authors believe that we need to be aware that because the drug does not easily degrade, if that many doses were to be taken, humans would eventually excrete the active ingredient which will then make its way to the environment. The risk is if birds ingest the drug and begin to breed Tamiflu resistant strains of viruses. This could have horrendous ramifications for people worldwide.

Hair Manganese and Hyperactive Behaviors: Pilot Study of School-Age Children Exposed through Tap Water – My fellow researcher and author, Robert Crayhon, has been a strong opponent of supplements containing the mineral manganese. After reviewing this paper, which shows a relationship between exposure to manganese and hyperactivity, I am becoming more and more convinced of the correctness of his position. I know of a couple who have taken so much manganese over the years that have exhibited very odd, almost psychotic behavior because of it. I suggest that everyone have their water tested through Doctor’s Data for this and other heavy metals and trace minerals.

Top 100 Science Stories of 2006 – My Opinion

Discover Magazine, one of my favorites, recently (January 2007) published its annual top 100 list of science stories in 2006.  Here is a selection on my top science stories based on their list.

  1. The World Melts the Masses Mobilize (their #4) – To me, global warming is one of the most important issues of the day. The evidence is growing, but action by the world’s governments is nowhere near where it has to be to avoid disaster.
  2. Alternative Energy (their #1) – This issue dovetails into my #1 as we need to lower our dependence on fossil fuels as fast as possible. That would be both good for the environment as for our economy.
  3. RNA Flouts Rules of Heredity – (their #5) – Epigenetics, a topic I have blogged about in the past, shows us that while our DNA is important, our environment may be more critical when it comes to developing disease. This understanding may very well change the face of medicine and health in the coming decades.
  4. Fast-Food Fats Prove Health Hazard (their #14) – The tidal wave of pressure to remove trans fats from our food supply is certainly welcome to those of us concerned with health issues. To quote Dr. Walter Willet, “Trans fats are clearly toxic to humans and have no place in human diets.” Fake science Fox News? I think not.
  5. Global Warming Leaves Its Marks (their #20) – Yes, two global warming stories in my top 10. This one shows many of the real devastating consequences of our environmental disaster. To those who deny its existence, please open your eyes and reflect on what is happening. If you are right, we waste some money, if you are wrong, our world is headed for a magnitude of disaster not seen since the last mass extinction 60 million years ago.
  6. New Tests Help Chemotherapy Hit the Mark (their #34) – As many of you know, I work in the lab interpretation business so this intrigues me to no end. Imagine that instead of just guessing which chemotherapy drug to use for a person, there could be a test to determine which would be best for them. Wow, the concept of biochemical individuality being used in medicine. What a shame its taken so long.
  7. Low-Fat Diet A Bust? (their #53) – Low-fat diets may not be as beneficial as was once thought. It is more important to eat the right fats than to eliminate fats. Stop eating trans and lower the intake of saturated fats is the way to go. Thank God medicine is realizing something many of us in the nutritional field have known for a long time.
  8. Polio’s Return Traced to Lapses in India (their #60) – Being a Rotarian, polio eradication has long been one of our organizations goal. This devastating disease must be stopped at all costs. Continually monitoring the outbreaks and educating the populous about the availability of a vaccine against polio is critical into making this disease a thing of the past.
  9. Tissue Engineering Triumph: Lab-Grown Bladders (their #2) – Being able to grow organs outside the body will have dramatic ramifications. While the initial success was based on a small trial, this form of research may save millions of lives in the future.
  10. Stem Cell Setbacks Inspire New Methods (their #15) – Despite not achieving much success with stem cells in the past, these failures did not dispel the belief in continuing research. No, it has spawned new techniques and more public funding which now seems to be paying off. There seems to be ways of harvesting stem cells without using embryos, something which should please many of the opponents of this type of research.

Well, I hope you were interested in my list.  I really suggest you get Discover this month. It is well worth it.

Vitamin D – Immune Booster???

Ever wonder why people tend to get more colds in the winter?  Well according to research coming from all over the world, the answer may be vitamin D.  Since humans need sunlight to produce natural vitamin D, and obviously winter is the time of the year we get the least amount of sunshine, it goes without saying that this is the time we are most likely to be vitamin D deficient (or at least suboptimal).

Vitamin D has long been known for its benefits relating to osteoporosis but it has been recent research that has focused on its immune benefits. Michael Zasloff of Georgetown University, Dr. John J. Cannell, Adrian F. Gombart of UCLA, dermatologist and immunologist Richard K. Gallo of UCSD, John H. White of McGill University, Mona Stahle of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and microbial immunologist Robert Modlin of UCLA, are among the many researchers that have published papers regarding the remarkable benefits of vitamin D supplementation and the human immune system. 

So how does this “wonder vitamin” work? One of the mechanisms thought to occur is the increase of the production of cathelicidin which seemingly punches holes in the external membranes of microbes thereby killing them. Also, vitamin D did more to stimulate the production of cathelicidin than any other substance. Not only was it helpful in protecting against colds, the flu and other minor infections, there is evidence that it may be highly beneficial in the treatment of tuberculosis. 

Further research into the use of topical vitamin D on skin wounds is continuing. Dr. Stahle’s research has already seen results from studies that suggest benefits.

One comment, made by Dr. Zasloff was, in my opinion, the most profound.  He states that the payoff from research into the positive effects of vitamin D “would be amazing. Imagine being able to block the spread of epidemic flu with appropriate doses of this vitamin.” Yes, imagine the value of a simple vitamin over the use of drugs.

After reading the review article in the November 11th issue of Science News (pgs 312 & 317), I am going out to the local health food store and buying extra vitamin D for the whole family.  Starting dose for the kids (four and ten) will be 400 i.u.’s and for my wife and I, 800 i.u.’s.

 

Quick news

Most physicians typically give people with pneumonia a seven to 10 day regime of antibiotics.  Recent research published in the British Medical Journal (June 10th) suggests that a three day treatment regimen may be just as effective.

One of the greatest mysteries in earth’s history was the mass extinction known as the Permian-Triassic extinction 251 million years ago. There has been a lot of speculation but it seems that a 300-mile crater found under the Antarctic ice may be the evidence scientists have been looking for. Five times larger than the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs, this meteor was the granddaddy of them all.

According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, June 13th, 2006, mammalian hearts may contain stem cells.  This may lead to a new generation of treatment for victims of coronary heart disease if we can get rid of the present administration in the White House whose misguided veto of federally funding stem cell research will set back research by 5-10 years.