Secret Cure

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" HSI - Jenny Thompson " <HSIResearch

HSI e-Alert - Secret Cure

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 08:41:33 -0400

 

 

HSI e-Alert - Secret Cure

 

Health Sciences Institute e-Alert

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June 20, 2005

 

 

Dear Reader,

 

Have you ever struggled with a health condition and wondered if the

solution might be some simple thing, right under your nose, that you

and your doctor have easily overlooked?

 

This might be the case for thousands of the 18 million people in the

U.S. who have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis or have low

bone mass, which places them at high risk of the disease.

 

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Making the connection

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Scientists already know there's a much larger incidence of celiac

disease (CD) among osteoporosis patients than that of the general

population. CD is a digestive disorder triggered by gluten intake.

Treatment for this condition is simple: remove gluten from the diet.

But will CD treatment have any effect on osteoporosis?

 

This is the question that researchers from the Washington University

School of Medicine in St. Louis set out to address when they recruited

840 subjects, 266 of whom had been diagnosed with osteoporosis. All

subjects were screened for CD, and results were confirmed with

intestinal biopsies. Those who tested positive for CD then underwent

one year of treatment with a gluten-free diet. Bone mineral density

tests were used to monitor osteoporosis.

 

The results: Severity of osteoporosis was found to correlate with

severity of CD. More importantly, subjects who were treated with the

special diet showed significant improvement in bone mineral density.

 

The lead researcher, William F. Stenson, M.D., offered this assessment

in a Washington University press release: " Our results suggest that as

many as three to four percent of patients who have osteoporosis have

the bone disease as a consequence of having celiac disease, which

makes them unable to absorb normal amounts of calcium and vitamin D. "

 

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Hiding out

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Gluten is a typical component of several different grains. As a

primary ingredient of flour, gluten delivers protein and gives bread a

higher rise. The problem is that many people don't tolerate gluten

well, complicated by the fact that a good number of them aren't even

aware of their sensitivity.

 

But celiac disease is more than just sensitivity to gluten; it's an

auto-immune disorder in which gluten creates an obstruction to the

absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. When CD goes

untreated, malnutrition can develop, followed by a chronic condition

that may trigger other dangerous ailments, including gastrointestinal

cancer.

 

The problem with diagnosis of CD is that the symptoms are sometimes

directly related to digestion (as with abdominal cramping, unexplained

weight loss, and chronic diarrhea), but sometimes not (as with joint

pain, and depression). If any of these symptoms occur in a patient

with family history of CD, this should stand out as a red flag for any

physician.

 

The primary treatment for celiac disease is adherence to a strict

non-gluten diet. But this is easier said than done. High-gluten grains

can be easily remembered with the mnemonic " BROW " : barley, rye, oat

and wheat, but gluten is often hidden in some foods such as soups, soy

sauce, low-fat or non-fat products, and even in candies such as jelly

beans. Some common food ingredients that may contain gluten include:

modified food starch, hydrolyzed vegetable or plant protein, and some

binders and fillers, as well as malt and natural flavorings.

 

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Enzyme helper

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As Dr. Stenson pointed out, for a small fraction of osteoporosis

patients CD may be a precursor of their condition. But that small

fraction could equal thousands of patients in the U.S. alone. Needless

to say, anyone with osteoporosis who has a family history of CD or

sensitivity to gluten should talk with their doctor about the

Washington University study to determine if a blood test to screen for

CD is necessary.

 

Those who test positive may also want to talk with their doctors or

healthcare providers about supplements that contain a plant-based

enzyme called Aspergillus oryzae. A number of studies have shown that

the enzyme may be effective in protecting the intestine from the

effects of gluten. Formulas containing Aspergillus oryzae (such as

Similase and Zest for Life Enzyme Boost Formula) are available from

sources on the Internet.

 

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....and another thing

 

Leaky pipes? Have we got a drug for YOU!

 

You've probably seen the TV commercial. At first it looks like a

trailer for the animated movie " Robots. " Friendly Robotic-like people

made out of tubes and pipes go about their business in a town that's

also made out of tubes and pipes.

 

Problems is, one of these tube folks has a leaky pipe, which is a

metaphor for bladder leakage.

 

The drug being advertised here is VESIcare, a treatment for overactive

bladder characterized by frequent trips to the bathroom brought on by

strong, sudden urges to urinate.

 

As with all drug ads, the commercial does its best to list the

possible side effects in as breezy a manner as possible so as not to

alarm anyone. In this one the announcer calmly intones: " Common side

effects include dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision and

indigestion. So why wait? "

 

Hmm...I think you just answered your own question.

 

To Your Good Health,

 

Jenny Thompson

Health Sciences Institute

 

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Sources:

 

" Increased Prevalence of Celiac Disease and Need for Routine Screening

Among Patients with Osteoporosis " Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol.

165, No. 4, 2/28/05, archinte.ama-assn.org

" Patients with Osteoporosis Should Be Screened for Celiac Disease,

Study Suggests " Washington School of Medicine press release, 2/28/05,

sciencedaily.com

" Osteoporosis Progress and Promise: NIAMS " National Institute of

Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes

of Health, niams.nih.gov

 

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