Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/DeihdcN1XFk

With the rates of skin cancer including the deadly melanoma escalating, sunscreen is a must for beach goers and particularly vital for those with light complexions.  Since sunlight is a driver for Vitamin D synthesis in our bodies, some worry that sunscreen use will create a Vitamin D shortfall.

A study just published in the British Journal of Dermatology shows that sunscreen use does not prevent Vitamin D synthesis despite protecting against sunburn and cancerous skin cell mutations.   Those sunscreen formulations with a high UVA protection factor allowed more Vitamin D production.

Sunscreen overuse can be harmful, however, as application and reapplication can drive absorption of sun-blocking chemicals into the body.  A study from the FDA shows that 4 daily applications of sunscreen by spray, lotion, or cream drives absorption of the most common sunscreen chemicals, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and ecamsule to levels deemed possibly toxic.

The bottom line is that you should use sunscreen but avoid exposure to the chemicals.  One way to do this is to use unblocking mineral creams such as zinc oxide or tandem dioxide.  If you do use chemical sunscreens, minimize reapplications by limiting your time in the sun.

A.R. Young, J. Narbutt, G.I. Harrison, K.P. Lawrence, M. Bell, C. O'Connor, P. Olson, K. Grys, K. Baczynska, M. Rogowski‐Tylman, H.C. Wulf, A. Lesiak, P.A. Philipsen. Optimal sunscreen use, during a sun‐holiday with a very high UV index, allows vitamin D synthesis without sunburn. British Journal of Dermatology, 2019; DOI: 10.1111/bjd.17888

Matta MK, Zusterzeel R, Pilli NR, et al. Effect of Sunscreen Application Under Maximal Use Conditions on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. Published online May 06, 2019. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.5586

#Sunscreens #vitaminD #melanoma

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/DeihdcN1XFk

With the rates of skin cancer including the deadly melanoma escalating, sunscreen is a must for beach goers and particularly vital for those with light complexions.  Since sunlight is a driver for Vitamin D synthesis in our bodies, some worry that sunscreen use will create a Vitamin D shortfall.

A study just published in the British Journal of Dermatology shows that sunscreen use does not prevent Vitamin D synthesis despite protecting against sunburn and cancerous skin cell mutations.   Those sunscreen formulations with a high UVA protection factor allowed more Vitamin D production.

Sunscreen overuse can be harmful, however, as application and reapplication can drive absorption of sun-blocking chemicals into the body.  A study from the FDA shows that 4 daily applications of sunscreen by spray, lotion, or cream drives absorption of the most common sunscreen chemicals, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and ecamsule to levels deemed possibly toxic.

The bottom line is that you should use sunscreen but avoid exposure to the chemicals.  One way to do this is to use unblocking mineral creams such as zinc oxide or tandem dioxide.  If you do use chemical sunscreens, minimize reapplications by limiting your time in the sun.

A.R. Young, J. Narbutt, G.I. Harrison, K.P. Lawrence, M. Bell, C. O'Connor, P. Olson, K. Grys, K. Baczynska, M. Rogowski‐Tylman, H.C. Wulf, A. Lesiak, P.A. Philipsen. Optimal sunscreen use, during a sun‐holiday with a very high UV index, allows vitamin D synthesis without sunburn. British Journal of Dermatology, 2019; DOI: 10.1111/bjd.17888

Matta MK, Zusterzeel R, Pilli NR, et al. Effect of Sunscreen Application Under Maximal Use Conditions on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. Published online May 06, 2019. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.5586

#Sunscreens #vitaminD #melanoma

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/R0U3fzU6TIw

More than 6 cups of coffee a day drives blood pressure to dangerous levels and bumps up the risk of heart disease by 22%.   A new study from the University of South Australia derives this conclusion from a review of data from 347,000 Aussies between the ages of 37 and 73 years.

Coffee has many beneficial effects including waking us up boosting our energy, and focusing our thinking, but, as is the case with many things in our lives, more is less.  An estimated 3 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily worldwide.  Do make sure that your consumption reflects the principle of moderation and amounts to fewer than 6 cups a day.

Ang Zhou, Elina Hyppönen. Long-term coffee consumption, caffeine metabolism genetics, and risk of cardiovascular disease: a prospective analysis of up to 347,077 individuals and 8368 cases. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2019; 109 (3): 509 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy297

#Coffee #hypertension

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/R0U3fzU6TIw

More than 6 cups of coffee a day drives blood pressure to dangerous levels and bumps up the risk of heart disease by 22%.   A new study from the University of South Australia derives this conclusion from a review of data from 347,000 Aussies between the ages of 37 and 73 years.

Coffee has many beneficial effects including waking us up boosting our energy, and focusing our thinking, but, as is the case with many things in our lives, more is less.  An estimated 3 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily worldwide.  Do make sure that your consumption reflects the principle of moderation and amounts to fewer than 6 cups a day.

Ang Zhou, Elina Hyppönen. Long-term coffee consumption, caffeine metabolism genetics, and risk of cardiovascular disease: a prospective analysis of up to 347,077 individuals and 8368 cases. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2019; 109 (3): 509 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy297

#Coffee #hypertension

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/RnDteFmdD5o

Women who give birth via a vaginal delivery that requires an instrumental assist using either forceps or a gentle vacuum benefit from a single dose of a common antibiotic.  A just published study from the University of Oxford in The Lancet journal shows a significant reduction in post-partum infection after one intravenous dose of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, better known as Augmentin.

The randomized, blinded study looked at nearly 3500 women who gave birth in 27 British obstetric units.  The group that received a single dose of antibiotic enjoyed a 42% reduction in postpartum infection.  The antibiotic advantage was somewhat greater for those women requiring forceps versus vacuum assist.  There also appeared to be an antibiotic advantage for those women requiring an episiotomy despite the lack of need for instrumentation. 

Prophylactic antibiotics are currently recommended by the World Health Organization for all women delivering by c-section.  This study suggests the same recommendation should be extended to women who require either a forceps or vacuum assist for their vaginal delivery. 

Meanwhile, if you or a woman you love is having a vaginal delivery with instrumentation or requiring an episiotomy, ask the managing physicians to consider a dose of Augmentin as soon as possible after delivery.

Knight M Chiocchia V Partlett C et al.

Prophylactic antibiotics in the prevention of infection after operative vaginal delivery (ANODE): a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Lancet. 2019; (published online May 13.)

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30773-1

#Obstetrics #antibiotics #postpartuminfection #episiotomy #forceps #vacuum

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/RnDteFmdD5o

Women who give birth via a vaginal delivery that requires an instrumental assist using either forceps or a gentle vacuum benefit from a single dose of a common antibiotic.  A just published study from the University of Oxford in The Lancet journal shows a significant reduction in post-partum infection after one intravenous dose of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, better known as Augmentin.

The randomized, blinded study looked at nearly 3500 women who gave birth in 27 British obstetric units.  The group that received a single dose of antibiotic enjoyed a 42% reduction in postpartum infection.  The antibiotic advantage was somewhat greater for those women requiring forceps versus vacuum assist.  There also appeared to be an antibiotic advantage for those women requiring an episiotomy despite the lack of need for instrumentation. 

Prophylactic antibiotics are currently recommended by the World Health Organization for all women delivering by c-section.  This study suggests the same recommendation should be extended to women who require either a forceps or vacuum assist for their vaginal delivery. 

Meanwhile, if you or a woman you love is having a vaginal delivery with instrumentation or requiring an episiotomy, ask the managing physicians to consider a dose of Augmentin as soon as possible after delivery.

Knight M Chiocchia V Partlett C et al.

Prophylactic antibiotics in the prevention of infection after operative vaginal delivery (ANODE): a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Lancet. 2019; (published online May 13.)

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30773-1

#Obstetrics #antibiotics #postpartuminfection #episiotomy #forceps #vacuum

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/OI5pnCcaYbc

Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.  

Here’s a run down of this weeks stories:

The Healthiest Breakfast For Diabetics

Kids’ Foreign Body Ingestions Double Over 20 Years

Muscle Power Versus Muscle Strength Associated With Longer Life

Smiling Does Make You Feel Happier

An ICU Stay Can Disrupt Brain Function

Petting Zoos Harbor Bad Germs

Taking A Break From Learning New Skills Hastens Success

Flow And Grow Drugs Are Associated with Diabetes

New Imaging Detects CTE Brain Damage In The Living

Dental Whitening Could Destroy Your Teeth

Fecal Transplants May Help Autism

A Five Minute Exercise Works Wonders

Glimpses Of Coffee Mimic Caffeine Effect

Fruits and Vegetables Keep Your Vision Clear

MEDICAL MAILBAG: Farxiga For Weight Loss?

For more information, you’ll find all the references for the stories and a copy of show notes on my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.com/apr-2019-3rd-week-health-news

Thanks for listening and special thanks to my followers on social media. 

My next regular reports with go up on May 17th after a Spring hiatus.

Until then, I’m Dr. Howard Smith reminding you to keep a smile on your face, your brain active, and your body in motion....these are the best medicines!

#Egg #diabetes #sugar #hyperglycemia #Ingestion #parenting #Musclepower #strength #Expression #mood #weightlifting #ICU #neuropathy #Learning #practice #rest #Finasteride #dutasteride #diabetes #CTE #chronictraumaticencephalopathy #tau #dementia #football #soccer#Whiteningstrips #dentalenamel #dentin #collagen #autism #MTT #microbiome #fecaltransplant#Inspiratorymuscletraining #IMST #aerobics #respiratorymuscles #Cataracts #fruits #vegetables #farxiga #dieting

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/OI5pnCcaYbc

Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.  

Here’s a run down of this weeks stories:

The Healthiest Breakfast For Diabetics

Kids’ Foreign Body Ingestions Double Over 20 Years

Muscle Power Versus Muscle Strength Associated With Longer Life

Smiling Does Make You Feel Happier

An ICU Stay Can Disrupt Brain Function

Petting Zoos Harbor Bad Germs

Taking A Break From Learning New Skills Hastens Success

Flow And Grow Drugs Are Associated with Diabetes

New Imaging Detects CTE Brain Damage In The Living

Dental Whitening Could Destroy Your Teeth

Fecal Transplants May Help Autism

A Five Minute Exercise Works Wonders

Glimpses Of Coffee Mimic Caffeine Effect

Fruits and Vegetables Keep Your Vision Clear

MEDICAL MAILBAG: Farxiga For Weight Loss?

For more information, you’ll find all the references for the stories and a copy of show notes on my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.com/apr-2019-3rd-week-health-news

Thanks for listening and special thanks to my followers on social media. 

My next regular reports with go up on May 17th after a Spring hiatus.

Until then, I’m Dr. Howard Smith reminding you to keep a smile on your face, your brain active, and your body in motion....these are the best medicines!

#Egg #diabetes #sugar #hyperglycemia #Ingestion #parenting #Musclepower #strength #Expression #mood #weightlifting #ICU #neuropathy #Learning #practice #rest #Finasteride #dutasteride #diabetes #CTE #chronictraumaticencephalopathy #tau #dementia #football #soccer#Whiteningstrips #dentalenamel #dentin #collagen #autism #MTT #microbiome #fecaltransplant#Inspiratorymuscletraining #IMST #aerobics #respiratorymuscles #Cataracts #fruits #vegetables #farxiga #dieting

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/K3jUwpv4zXE

A viewer on YouTube asks the following question:

I am not type two diabetic but my doctor has given me farxiga for weight loss cause I am 225 lbs and 5' 2 with a bmi of 39.9. Would you consider this drug safe for just weight loss?

I responded to her with the following:

Farxiga is not FDA-approved for any use in non-diabetics.  There are no published experimental studies on its use for weight loss in non-diabetics.  

The only available data on Farxiga and weight loss was in diabetics.  This drug and its sister medication Invokana, both sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, cause blood sugar to spill out through the kidneys and trigger weight loss.

A study reported in 2014 showed that, when Farxiga 10 mg was taken daily for 6 months, there was an average weight loss of only 1 kg or 2.2 pounds over that entire 6 months.  Not impressive!  A more recent study combined the Farxiga with insulin but in type 1 diabetics and clocked only a 3.8% weight drop.

Weigh that meager weight loss against some of Farxiiga’s side effects.  It’s blood glucose lowering can trigger ketoacidosis, the toxic breakdown of body fat stores that can be deadly.  Drug use has also been associated with kidney failure.  Also consider that Farxiga drug can trigger urinary tract infections and genital fungal infections.

The bottom line: the drug is no way to effectively lose weight and it has some fierce downside risks.  As always, the best formula for lasting weight loss is eating healthy foods in moderate amounts and exercising regularly.

http://www.rxeconsult.com/healthcare-articles/Invokana-and-Farxiga-for-Weight-Loss-Management-516/

 https://www.druglawcenter.org/amp/farxiga/

If you have a health question#you can direct it to me as a comment on YouTube, a Tweet to me, or as an email to [email protected].

#Dieting #Farxiga #ketoacidosis #kdneydisease

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/K3jUwpv4zXE

A viewer on YouTube asks the following question:

I am not type two diabetic but my doctor has given me farxiga for weight loss cause I am 225 lbs and 5' 2 with a bmi of 39.9. Would you consider this drug safe for just weight loss?

I responded to her with the following:

Farxiga is not FDA-approved for any use in non-diabetics.  There are no published experimental studies on its use for weight loss in non-diabetics.  

The only available data on Farxiga and weight loss was in diabetics.  This drug and its sister medication Invokana, both sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, cause blood sugar to spill out through the kidneys and trigger weight loss.

A study reported in 2014 showed that, when Farxiga 10 mg was taken daily for 6 months, there was an average weight loss of only 1 kg or 2.2 pounds over that entire 6 months.  Not impressive!  A more recent study combined the Farxiga with insulin but in type 1 diabetics and clocked only a 3.8% weight drop.

Weigh that meager weight loss against some of Farxiiga’s side effects.  It’s blood glucose lowering can trigger ketoacidosis, the toxic breakdown of body fat stores that can be deadly.  Drug use has also been associated with kidney failure.  Also consider that Farxiga drug can trigger urinary tract infections and genital fungal infections.

The bottom line: the drug is no way to effectively lose weight and it has some fierce downside risks.  As always, the best formula for lasting weight loss is eating healthy foods in moderate amounts and exercising regularly.

http://www.rxeconsult.com/healthcare-articles/Invokana-and-Farxiga-for-Weight-Loss-Management-516/

 https://www.druglawcenter.org/amp/farxiga/

If you have a health question#you can direct it to me as a comment on YouTube, a Tweet to me, or as an email to [email protected].

#Dieting #Farxiga #ketoacidosis #kdneydisease