Energy Drinks May Be Harmful To People With Hypertension, Heart Disease

ScienceDaily (Mar. 26, 2009) — People who have high blood pressure or heart disease should avoid consuming energy drinks, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study to be published online Wednesday in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

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Researchers found that healthy adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink experienced an increase in their blood pressure and heart rate. No significant changes in EKG measurements were reported.

The increases in blood pressure and heart rate were insignificant for healthy adults, but could prove harmful to people with a heart-related condition, says James Kalus, Pharm.D., senior manager of Patient Care Services at Henry Ford Hospital and lead author of the study.

"Based on our findings, we recommend that people who have hypertension or heart disease and are taking medication for them to avoid consuming energy drinks because of a potential risk to their health," Dr. Kalus says.

Researchers believe the caffeine and taurine levels in energy drinks could be responsible for increases in blood pressure and heart rate. The brand of energy drink used in the study is not being identified because most energy drinks on the market boast similar levels of caffeine and taurine, a non-essential amino acid derivative often found in meat and fish. The caffeine levels in energy drinks are equivalent to at least one to two cups of coffee.

Dr. Kalus says energy drinks should not be confused with sports drinks, which aim to replenish the carbohydrates and electrolytes that a body needs.

"Both caffeine and taurine have been shown to have a direct impact on cardiac function," Dr. Kalus says.

Researchers studied 15 healthy adult participants who abstained from other forms of caffeine for two days prior to and throughout the study. On the first day after a baseline measurement of blood pressure, heart rate and EKG were taken, the adults consumed two cans of the energy drink.

Researchers then measured the participants' blood pressure, heart rate and EKG again at 30 minutes and one, two, three and four hours after consumption. For the next five days, the participants' consumed two cans of the energy drink.

On the study's seventh day, the protocol used on the first day was repeated and the average baseline measurements were compared to the measurements obtained after energy drink consumption. Researchers found that the participants:

• Heart rate increased 7.8 percent the first day and 11 percent the seventh day.
• Blood pressure increased at least 7 percent the first and seventh days.

Dr. Kalus says the participants did not engage in any physical activity during the study, suggesting that the increases could have been higher.

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Journal reference:

1. Leah Steinke, David E Lanfear, Vishnuprabha Dhanapal, and James S Kalus. Effect of "Energy Drink" Consumption on Hemodynamic and Electrocardiographic Parameters in Healthy Young Adults. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 2009; DOI: 10.1345/aph.1L614

Adapted from materials provided by Henry Ford Health System.

Protandim® Increases Antioxidant Factor

01/15/2009

SAN DIEGO—Results of a new peer-reviewed study published online in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine demonstrated the synergistic impact of the active ingredients used in Protandim® dramatically increased the body's production of glutathione, a key antioxidant and anti-aging factor.

Protandim, a patented product developed by LifeVantage Corp., consists of five ingredients, namely, ashwagandha, bacopa extract, green tea extract, silymarin and curcumin. The new study confirmed Protandim's gene induction approach to antioxidant therapy provides much broader and more powerful benefits to the body than those provided by vitamins such as E and C, according to the Company.

The study, conducted at the University of Colorado, Denver and Ochsner Medical Center, showed even low doses of Protandim induced human cells to increase their production of many antioxidant enzymes, and other anti-aging factors.

Learn more...

Fitness may shield the aging brain

Fitness may shield the aging brain

Last Updated: 2009-01-22 13:48:46 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Staying physically fit with age may help protect people from mental decline by maintaining a healthy flow of blood to the brain, new research suggests.

A number of studies have found that regular exercise may help prevent or delay age-related cognitive decline and full-blown dementia, but the reasons are not fully clear.

For the new study, Canadian researchers looked at the relationships between physical fitness, brain blood flow and cognitive-test performance in 42 women between the ages of 50 and 90.

They found that those with the highest fitness levels generally showed better blood flow to the brain during exercise. This, in turn, was related to better scores on tests of memory, reasoning and other cognitive skills.

The findings are published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

"Our results suggest that the vascular benefits of exercise that have been reported previously in the heart and muscles are also conferred to the brain," senior researcher Dr. Marc J. Poulin, of the University of Calgary in Alberta, told Reuters Health.

"Basic fitness -- something as simple as getting out for a walk every day -- is critical to staying mentally sharp and remaining healthy as we age," said Poulin, who is also a scientist with the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

The study included 42 healthy postmenopausal women, some of whom regularly got aerobic exercise and some of whom were sedentary. All of the women took fitness tests on an exercise bike and had ultrasound scans to gauge their cerebral blood flow.

In general, fitter women showed better blood flow to the brain and greater responsiveness of the blood vessels to increased circulation.

"Our study identified strong and significant associations between physical fitness and cognition, and between physical fitness and vascular function in the brain," Poulin explained.

This, according to the researcher, suggests that the benefits of exercise on mental function are at least partly explained by its effects on blood vessel function.

The results, Poulin said, "provide a strong scientific basis for future studies to examine how exercise improves cognition in older adults."

"The implications are huge," he added, "given the aging population and age-related diseases like Alzheimer's disease and stroke."

SOURCE: Neurobiology of Aging, January 2009.

Heart Attacks getting less severe in the U.S.

Reuters Health reports this week that heart attacks are getting less severe. While we haven't improved on getting to the hospital any sooner after the onset of symptoms (still about 33% of people make it in under 2 hours) we have less heart muscle damage with a heart attack.

Before we start the party, realize a couple things. First, heart disease is still the #1 cause of death in the U.S. (followed by cancer and stroke, in that order). Second, we're getting MORE OBESE as a nation. So how can you reconcile these two, apparently disparate, facts?

Sedentary life leads to an "older" heart, which develops more "collateral circulation" -- smaller vessels that feed more heart muscle because of the lack of exercise. So our chunky, couch-potato, gaming, inactivity is giving us hearts that have more, smaller vessels. So our hearts sustain less damage per heart attack episode. That's no reason to celebrate.

I've mentioned elsewhere that I got to meet Jack LaLanne in Long Beach this year -- I followed him on the podium after he gave a 7:00 am lecture. Before he spoke he and his wife had walked on the beach for an hour. Jack is 94. He is proof that regular exercise and good nutritional habits count, and count big!

Home for the holidays...

Many of our patients will be traveling this holiday season -- may you all return home safely! In the meantime, we've got our holiday clinic schedules put together. Good news! Looks like we'll have full chiropractic coverage through January 2, including emergency care for those unfortunate spines, and their owners, who may need it.

Now is the time take care of any residual symptoms, aches and pains. Deductibles are met, and a new cycle starts January 1, 2009. If you need a holiday tune, give us a jingle (bells). (Couldn't resist...) :0) Call us at (303) 675-3009!

Our immune systems get pummeled about now through March. If you're a patient of ours, be sure to check your email for our HealthCoach Newsletter and Holiday Flyer for significant savings on therapy to support and strengthen your immune system -- our Winter Wellness Package. (If you aren't a patient yet, go to our home page at www.center4spine.com, then follow the link on the right to "CSP Patient Info Central." There's a downloadable newsletter waiting there for you!)

It's a bit disconcerting to know that when we sneeze, viruses travel up to 100 mph and can be effectively deposited 12 feet away. Then the little buggers live for 2 days! So, DO cover your sneeze, but don't sneeze into your hands (unless neck pain prevents you from covering a sneeze or cough any other way.) Sneeze into the inside of your bent elbow, or better yet, a Kleenex (or a Puffs, to be commercially neutral.) And if your upper respiratory infection or flu is hanging on, remember that an antiobiotic will do NOTHING for your viral infection. You need an immune boost. You need our Winter Wellness Package!

Merry Christmas, Chag Sameach, and Happy Holidays to all!

Dr. C

Anti-aging and the MRS 2000

The MRS 2000 works by providing every cell of your body with an abundance of energy in the form of electrons. When there are too many ions and molecules with unpaired electrons, damage to cells and tissues occurs. Using natural magnetic resonance the MRS 2000 surrounds you with an invisible “electron cloud.” All 75 trillion cells are supplied with electrons to neutralize free radicals and other reactive oxygen species, and begin repairing cell damage.
Memory capabilities decline with age. Current studies show that free radical cell damage contributes to aging and age-related decline in brain functioning. Sleep deprivation, insomnia or the inability to stay asleep deprives your body of releasing its own supply of growth hormone, another powerful anti-aging substance. Arthritis pain can prevent you from being as active as you want.

The MRS 2000 combats the deleterious effects of aging 3 ways:
it restores sleep, reduces arthritis pain and neutralizes free radicals!

Our strategy for aging well is prevention. Whatever your age, the more you understand about prevention, the longer you’ll live -- IF YOU ACT on what you know! Protecting your health and active lifestyle is one of the best investments you can make in your future!

Don't let your feet leave home without 'em...

Orthotics, or "custom foot orthoses" are footbeds placed in the shoes to correct biomechanical imbalances that lead to chronic back pain, knee pain, and foot or ankle pain. If your recurrent or chronic back pain occurs mostly with standing and walking, it may be a sign that orthotics can help.
Orthotics correct excessive "pronation" -- the joints in the midfoot are too lax, allowing the foot to rotate inward. As a result, the knee rotates inward, the pelvic rocks forward and there's too much arch in the back ... and it works upwards from there.
CSP & W have designed orthotics for all kinds of people from all walks of life. Here's what one of our patients, an Olympic Athlete who competed in Beijing, recently had to say:

“I had knee pain for six years... After using my orthotics for two days, my knee pain was completely gone.”
Natalie Woolfolk, 3-time National Champion in Weightlifting (2005, 2006, 2007)
Through October 10th, we're offering our patients a *Complimentary orthotics screening as a way to get the fall season "off on the right foot."
:-)
Dr. C