Month: May 2012

by Rebecca Oas, PhD

WASHINGTON, D.C., MAY 16, 2012 (Zenit.org).- In 1960, the combined oral contraceptive pill was first approved for use in the United States.  Seven years later, “the Pill” was featured on the cover of Time Magazine, illustrating its enormous societal impact[1]. Roughly two generations later, statistics from the United Nations show that, within more developed nations worldwide, just under 16% of “partnered” women use contraceptive pills, a number which does not include usage among single women[2].

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However, even as the popularity of oral contraceptives remains high, the drugs themselves have been evolving in response to further discoveries about the human reproductive system, as well as efforts to reduce the Pill’s negative side effects. As with any major technological or medical development, particularly one embraced very quickly by a large sector of the population, it can take years, and even decades, for the full range of effects to become evident. And as demonstrated by several recent studies, many questions remain unanswered regarding the long-term and environmental effects of the hormones used in oral contraceptives, as well as other medical treatments.

When a new synthetic substance is created, or a naturally occurring substance is generated at greatly increased levels, the effects can be far longer-lasting and wider-reaching than its manufacturers predict or intend. Some well-known examples of this include asbestos, a popular insulation and flame retardant in the late 19th century, which was later discovered to be carcinogenic; and polystyrene foams like Styrofoam, which is frequently used in disposable packaging, yet takes hundreds of years to break down once discarded. In the case of oral contraceptives, the key ingredients are synthetic hormones known as progestins, which mimic progesterone, either alone or combined with estrogen. When used therapeutically in contraceptive pills or in hormone replacement treatments for menopause, these synthetic hormones make their way into the water supply after being excreted in the patients’ urine. As environmental contaminants, these are referred to as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), due to the fact that they interfere with the endocrine systems of humans and animals alike following exposure. 

While its impact is still being widely studied, there is no doubt that the exposure is occurring: multiple international studies have documented elevated levels of natural and synthetic hormones in drinking water, and one such study conducted in France noted that progestins in particular were more resistant to removal by water treatment methods, compared with other types of pharmaceuticals (3).

Due to the accumulation of synthetic steroids in water, much of the research conducted on its impact has been done using water-dwelling vertebrates such as fish and frogs. An ever-increasing collection of studies report harmful effects of these hormones on aquatic vertebrates, particularly with regard to their reproduction, as would be predicted given the nature of the contaminants (4). One study focused on the effects of exposure to the progestin Levonorgestrel (LNG) on the frog Xenopus tropicalis. While the male reproductive system did not appear to be impaired, female tadpoles exhibited severe defects in the development of their ovaries and oviducts, rendering them sterile (5). 

While studies such as these cannot be taken as a direct assessment of the impact of environmental EDCs on humans, they do have certain advantages: the capability of controlling for the duration and concentration of exposure, and the fact that these animals’ life cycles are much shorter than those of humans, thus enabling multigenerational studies in far less time. Like the proverbial “canary in the coal mine,” animal studies can serve as early indicators of environmental conditions that may prove harmful to humans and direct our attention toward seemingly innocuous substances we encounter in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and, as in this case, our water supply. However, the effects of EDCs are not limited to water-dwelling frogs: female sterility resulting from early exposure to progestins has been reported in studies involving rats and mice, whose mammalian reproductive systems more closely resemble those of humans (6). The female reproductive system undergoes many key developmental changes in the early stages of life, and these changes are dependent on endocrine signaling events that are sensitive to contaminating environmental hormone exposure. A series of studies by a group at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have demonstrated that mice exposed to phytoestrogens – plant estrogens such as those found in soy products – at key developmental time points exhibited impaired fertility (7).  In contrast to mice, in which the critical period of time is during the neonatal period, the human female reproductive tract is undergoing development from prior to birth through adolescence. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the risk of exposure to EDCs across a broader window of time, beginning in the womb.

The use of hormonal contraceptives by pregnant women is discouraged for the obvious reason that they are not ovulating, in addition to the potential for harm to the unborn child. However, postpartum contraception guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control in 2011 state that the use of progestin-only contraceptives “can be initiated immediately postpartum,” and discourage the use of estrogen-containing combined contraceptives in breastfeeding women primarily because the estrogen can reduce the mother’s milk supply (8). The presence of progestins in the breast milk of women taking oral contraceptives has not been demonstrated to adversely affect their babies’ health, although such assessments tend to focus on the short-term outcomes rather than those that might not manifest until adulthood. Nevertheless, the most recent report from the NIH group studying the effects of phytoestrogens highlights the notion that limiting early exposure to plant estrogens, such as those found in soy-based infant formulas, may prove to be beneficial to female reproductive health in the long term. Furthermore, the potential harms of prevalent EDC pollution in the environment are not restricted to women: in November of last year, the British Medical Journal published a report indicating that levels of prostate cancer in men are highest in geographic areas with the greatest use of oral contraceptives (9).  While the authors stress that their findings are correlative rather than causative, their work provides a sobering hypothesis for further important research.

Ultimately, the Catholic opposition to contraception is grounded in a fundamental understanding of the meaning of human life and the purpose of procreation as a part of God’s plan, not a pragmatic conclusion reached by painstaking scientific research. While it makes intuitive sense that humans both individually and as societies benefit by living in accordance with the wishes of their Creator, in a fallen world there are practical things that can be done to alleviate some of our suffering, including the use of medical technology and pharmacology. It should be noted that synthetic hormones are not exclusively used in contraceptives, nor are the chemical compounds marketed as contraceptives intrinsically immoral – for instance, an unmarried and abstinent woman using hormonal treatments to treat endometriosis in the hopes of safeguarding her future fertility is doing nothing sinful, regardless of the efficacy or side effects of her decision. However, in a world in which influential groups and individuals are increasingly advocating for population control, often in a manner that recalls the eugenics movement of decades past, it is necessary to insist that research be done to uncover truths regarding the long-term and unintended side effects of widespread contraceptive pill usage.

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Rebecca Oas, Ph.D., is a Fellow of HLI America, an educational initiative of Human Life International. Dr. Oas is a postdoctoral fellow in genetics and molecular biology at Emory University. She writes for HLI America's Truth and Charity Forum.

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1)    Time Magazine, April 7, 1967.  http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101670407,00.html

2)    United Nations: World Contraceptive Use (2005) http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/contraceptive2005/2005_World_Contraceptive_files/WallChart_WCU2005.pdf

3)    Vulliet E; Cren-Olive C, Grenier-Loustalot MF.  Occurrence of pharmaceuticals and hormones in drinking water treated from surface waters.  Environmental Chemistry Letters (2011) 9:103–114

4)    Whitacre DM. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Volume 218.  Spring, 2012

5)    Kvarnryda M, Grabic R, Brandt I, Berg C.  Early life progestin exposure causes arrested oocyte development, oviductal agenesis and sterility in adult Xenopus tropicalis frogs.  Aquatic Toxicology 103 (2011) 18–24

6)    Uzumcu M, Zachow R.  Developmental Exposure to Environmental Endocrine Disruptors: Consequences within the Ovary and on Female Reproductive Function.  Reproductive Toxicology. 2007; 23(3): 337–352.

7)    Jefferson WN, Patisaul HB, Williams CJ.  Reproductive consequences of developmental phytoestrogen exposure. Reproduction (2012) 143 247–260

8)    Update to CDC's U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, 2010: Revised Recommendations for the Use of Contraceptive Methods During the Postpartum Period.  CDC, July 8, 2011.

9)    Margel D, Fleshner NE.  Oral contraceptive use is associated with prostate cancer: an ecological study. British Medical Journal Open. 2011 Nov 14;1(2)

by: John McKiernan

(NaturalNews) When most people believe they are experiencing symptoms of depression the first thing they do is run to the doctors office, hoping to be prescribed a pharmaceutical that will magically cure all of their symptoms and make them happy again. Similarly, many doctors are quick to write prescriptions for anti-depressants while neglecting to find the actual root cause of the depression symptoms.

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by Sayer Ji

Ever since the World Health Organization admitted in 2011 that cell phone radiation is "possibly carcinogenic," and may be contributing to the global uptick in brain cancer cases, its far harder to label someone a hypochondriac for being concerned about the health consequences of exposure.[i]  In fact, one study cited in their report showed a 40% increased risk for gliomas in the highest category of heavy users (reported average: 30 minutes per day over a 10-year period) – not exactly a small effect.

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(RTTNews) – The commonly prescribed antibiotic azithromycin, also known as Z-Pack, may marginally increase the risk of death in patients with heart disease, a study published in the May 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine said.

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The study, performed by the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, observed heart therapy patients taking azithromycin over a period of five days and compared findings with those who took no antibiotics. Those who took the drug had an increased risk of cardiovascular death while patients who took amoxicillin, another popular antibiotic, had no increase in the risk of death during this period.

"Relative to amoxicillin, azithromycin was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death," the study's authors noted. "Patients who took azithromycin had an estimated 47 additional cardiovascular deaths per 1 million 5-day courses of therapy."

In response to the findings, the FDA said it was "reviewing the results from this study and will communicate any new information that results from the FDA review."

by RTT Staff Writer

by: Rosemary Mathis, Vice President of Victim Support, SANE VAX, INC

by: Ethan A. Huff

(NaturalNews) As free as many Americans might think they are, there are certain glaring aspects of American life for which individuals are not free to make their own choices, and cancer treatment is one of them. In the sobering documentary Cut Poison Burn, filmmaker Wayne Chesler brings to light the sinister nature of the multi-billion dollar cancer industry, its suppression of any real pursuit of a cure, and its stranglehold on medicine that restricts individuals from choosing their own personalized, alternative forms of treatment.

by William Kay, M.D.

The phrase "medical ethics" sounds great in principle, but some important questions remain unanswered.  Who is deciding what is ethical in medicine?  How are those decisions being used?  In this article we will explore some of the very ugly uses of modern "medical ethics", namely the protection of hospital assets, limiting patient choices, obliterating the physician-patient relationship, and allowing hospital administrators to bully medical staff.

Medical ethics committees were originally created in the 1970's and promoted as a means to protect patients from being abused by an evolving medical system that was becoming increasingly driven by greed.  Today's hospital-based ethics committees are almost universally comprised of members who have been personally chosen by the C.E.O. of the hospital, who are themselves businessmen with no medical education.  The C.E.O.'s primary job at a hospital is to increase profits.  It is starting to look like the fox has been placed in charge of protecting the hen house, isn't it?

Hospitals have special nurses called "utilization nurses" (that do not have any patient care responsibilities) who make rounds every day and read every doctor's order, on every patient, inside every major hospital in the United States.  Their sole job is to identify ways to save hospital money.  Now, imagine a utilization nurse decides that the treatment plan that your doctor ordered will not make the hospital as much money as she believes it should.  After notifying your doctor that it is her recommendation to choose a more profitable form of treatment, your doctor protests, "I am the doctor, and the treatment chosen is the best one for the patient".  The doctor is very likely to face a reprimand from the C.E.O.-appointed ethics committee for violating the supposed ethic of being uncooperative with staff and purportedly placing the community at risk for not supporting the local hospital.  You can imagine the threat to the career of a physician who is professionally labeled as "unethical".  Let me paint the grim picture: loss of hospital privileges, dropped from insurance panels, potential loss of license, and ultimately the end of his career.

The above scenario is not simply hypothetical.  This is an active system that changes millions of doctor orders a day across this country — all for the sole purpose of increasing hospital profits, and  enforced by the power of modern medical ethics.  In my own experience, while practicing as a surgeon, I was called about twice per day on my patient orders.  In fact, my orders were often changed by the utilization nurse if she couldn't contact me immediately!  It had been illegal in the U.S. to change a doctor's orders if you were a nurse, but with the power of the ethics committees, nurses are directly supported by the C.E.O. as "ethically" acting in the best interest of the community!

In future articles about "medical ethics" I will share my experiences and knowledge concerning hospitals that use these committees to violate patient wishes, family wishes, taking custody of children, approving organ donation in trauma victims that were still alive and not registered as organ donors, forcing burn victims to submit to excruciating treatments against their wishes, and the list goes on.

by Katherine A. Carroll, NTP

These days, dry eye syndrome (DES) is the most common complaint made to eye doctors. It affects 25- to 30-million people, especially women over the age of 40. If you have ever experienced dry eyes, especially while trying to wear contact lenses, you know how irritating it can be.

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What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

The typical symptoms of DES include dryness, irritation, grittiness, burning, difficulty reading for extended periods of time, and fluctuating blurriness.  Excessive tearing and watering are also indicative of DES.  In extreme cases, light sensitivity, pain, and diminished vision can result. DES is particularly common among peri- and postmenopausal women as there is a gender bias and a hormonal aspect to this syndrome. Additionally, those who have had their gall bladder removed will find dry eye a common plague.

There are two types of dry eye: (1) Aqueous insufficiency, which causes a decrease in tear production; and (2) Tears that simply evaporate too fast due to lack of oil in the outer layer of the tear film.

Only by restoring proper structure and function to the tear film of the eye can we hope to provide a permanent resolution to DES.  Only after repletion, diet, and lifestyle have been assessed and addressed, should we then fall back upon considering using remedies like topical lubricant eye drops.  However, keep in mind that there is a difference between using eye drops like Viva (which use a natural approach) and artificial tears (which are chemical based). Finally, for those so inclined, there is the conventional medical approach of using drugs like Restasis, corticosteroid eye drops, oral anti-inflammatory drugs, and surgical methods, such as inserting punctual plugs.

The Important Tear Film

The ocular layers that make up the tear film are important to our eyes’ health and for understanding the different characteristics of DES and its common causes. The tear film is shown graphically in the illustration below.

The tear film is made up of three different layers: (1) The mucin or mucus layer; (2) The aqueous or water layer; and (3) The lipid or fat layer.

Restoring the Eye’s Structure and Function

Each of these three layers is driven by nutrition. Each has varying concentrations of vitamins and minerals that promote their proper structure and function. Replenishing the nutrients that saturate ocular tissues is vital for influencing structure and creating proper function. With proper nutrition, vision can be improved and contact-lens wearers will even find a more comfortable fit.  Consider that, in the eye, the cornea is two-thirds of its refractive power. If the refracting surface doesn’t have integrity, then good vision is not likely even with glasses or contact lenses. We must nourish all of the layers that make up our tear film.

Each of the three layers has special requirements to do their individual jobs:

Zinc is vital in the construction of a healthy corneal surface, having the highest concentration in the entire body in the cornea of the eye and it synergizes well with Vitamin A.

If DES goes untreated, it can cause fluctuations in vision, and the cornea can become scratched, scarred, and ulcerated. Bioindividuality is the key when considering treatment options and DES strategies become complex when we factor in:

known sensitivities to reduce inflammation and including friendly bowel bacteria in the diet, is superior to any other.  The Hale Project reported in the  Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004, confirming the success of the MeDi diet and lifestyle (non-smoking, moderate exercise, whole foods, and a largely plant-based diet) in reducing mortality and morbidity by 50% from all causes after ten years adherence in individuals aged 70-90.  What a successful lifestyle program! What is good for the body is good for the eyes.

Initially a healthy inflammatory reaction serves purposes of tissue isolation and protection from further injury so that the body can initiate a healing response. However, an inflammatory response that does not turn itself off upsets the balance in our body. Through the modified MeDi, our goal is to limit systemic inflammation by calming unnecessary inflammation signals.

Currently, the most effective treatment for DES we have used is a combination of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, a blend of Vitamins A, D, E, C, and the cofactors B6, Biotin, magnesium, and zinc. Getting the materials to the “jobsite” is only half the picture. Transporting them to their optimal location is the rest of the goal. Adding digestive enzymes and healthy bowel bacteria assures proper digestion and assimilation. The product we use that has most of these ingredients in it is by Carlson Laboratories. Usually within six weeks, the tear film is normal again. If you’ve had gallbladder surgery, use a digestive enzymes containing ox bile to break down the fatty acids you consume.

Gender Bias and DES

More than 60% of women suffer from dry eye at a ratio of nine-to-one over men, according to WebMD. Peri- and postmenopausal women are one of the most common patient groups affected by dry eye. It is believed that the androgen and estrogen receptors on the cornea and on the meibomian glands, which are tiny oil glands in the eyelids, are involved in the cause.

In a March 2007 study out of Bologna, Italy, researchers determined that “subjective symptoms;  tear production and stability, surface dryness and inflammation were significantly related to hormonal fluctuations in the menstrual cycle in peri-menopausal women. In particular, the impairment of these functions appeared to be related to the estrogen peak occurring during the follicular phase, especially in patients with dry eye.”

Nutrient Deficiencies and DES

The concept of macro- and micro-nutrient deficiency secondary to systemic disease and its impact on DES is a consideration. DES can accompany systemic diseases like diabetes and RA. DES is exacerbated by prescription and OTC drugs and can also emerge as the result of multiple micronutrient deficiencies that occur as a result of their use.  The resulting deficiencies can manifest as ocular disease, visual dysfunction, or ocular conditions such as DES.

Those with diabetes have a higher incidence of DES and are a great example of being aware that certain disease states will require repletion over and above a healthy population. Diabetics typically have about 30% less circulating Vitamin C than non-diabetic individuals and less magnesium as well. They are already experiencing greater oxidative stress due to the disease process, and are compromised in vitamins and minerals unless they are supplementing or consistently eating exceptionally well.

Again, we see the effect of deficiencies or a “cascade effect” associated with systemic disease.  An Indian study reported in 2006, in the journal Ophthalmic Epidemiology, finds “Patients with RA in the Indian population have a significantly higher prevalence and severity of dry eye when compared to age- and sex-matched controls.

Final Thoughts

We have much at our disposal today in the form of research, healthy dietary options, and supplements that can resolve Dry Eye Syndrome. Since most cases of dry eye are due to a deficiency of the oily tear-film layer, replenishing with GLA and maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet is the main natural approach for eliminating dry eye.

Reviewed by Donald A. Carroll, OD, NTP