Laboratory study is called preliminary, but promising

MONDAY, April 30 (HealthDay News) -- Green tea, already touted for its cardiovascular and anticancer benefits, may also help ease the inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.
The study was conducted in the laboratory, and its findings are preliminary, stressed lead researcher Salah-uddin Ahmed, an investigator at the University of Michigan Health System, in Ann Arbor.
"It's too early" to fully recommend green tea to ease rheumatoid arthritis, he said, but the study "is a starting point."
Ahmed was scheduled to present the research Sunday at the Experimental Biology meeting, in Washington, D.C.
For the study, Ahmed isolated cells called synovial fibroblasts from the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These cells form a lining of tissue surrounding the capsule of the joints.
In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, this lining is inflamed, leading to long-term joint damage and chronic pain. About 2.1 million Americans have rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Ahmed's team next cultured these cells and exposed them to the active ingredient in green tea, a compound named epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Next, the cells were stimulated with a protein of the immune system known to play a role in causing joint degradation in rheumatoid arthritis. The protein is called cytokine interleukin-1 beta or IL-1B.
"IL-1B is a major player in mediating cartilage degradation," Ahmed explained.
In an earlier study, Ahmed's team found that fibroblasts pretreated with EGCG and then stimulated with cytokine IL-1B were better able to block IL-1B's ability to produce damaging proteins and enzymes. Those proteins and enzymes can infiltrate the joints and cause the cartilage breakdown seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
In the more recent study, the researchers focused on whether EGCG had the ability to block the activity of two potent molecules, IL-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), which also play a role in breaking down bone in an RA joint.
The two molecules were suppressed by the EGCG, Ahmed's team found. While he said it is difficult to quantify exactly the effect of the suppression, the EGCG "blocked them significantly," he said.
EGCG also blocked the production of prostaglandin E2, another compound that can cause joint inflammation.
One expert said the new green tea study was intriguing. "This study is very specific," said Stephen Hsu, an associate professor of dentistry, molecular medicine and genetics at the medical College of Georgia in Augusta.
In his own research, Hsu has found that green tea may help protect against certain autoimmune diseases, in which the body triggers an immune response, basically attacking its own cells. Hsu studied EGCG's effect in helping to inhibit an autoimmune disorder known as Sjogren's syndrome, in which the salivary glands are affected, and in lupus, in which the skin is affected.
The new research by Ahmed is one of the first to focus on rheumatoid arthritis and green tea, Hsu said. If it bears out, it could be good news for rheumatoid arthritis patients, perhaps offering them a non-drug option to keep pain under control, he said.
Ahmed cautioned that it's too soon to advise rheumatoid arthritis patients to drink green tea. On the other hand, drinking green tea certainly wouldn't hurt, he said, since it is known to have many health benefits and no known side effects.
He said people might want to try drinking three or four 8-ounce cups of green tea per day. "Try different brands," he suggested. The flavors may taste slightly different. "Drink it continuously throughout the day," he said, to keep blood levels more constant.
And you might want to consider popping some tart cherries along with that tea, according to another study presented at the same meeting.
In the study, conducted by another team of University of Michigan researchers, powdered tart cherries appeared to lower total cholesterol and blood sugar and help the body handle fat and sugar -- at least in animals.
More information
To learn more about rheumatoid arthritis, visit the Arthritis Foundation.

Is “Healthy Soda” an Oxymoron?

Soda is a multi-billion dollar industry in this country, but despite huge sales, its image has suffered in recent years. Diet offerings have been plagued by artificial sweetener woes—from myths of brain tumors to some legitimate health concerns. And the versions sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup have fared no better. In a report issued in 1998, the nutrition advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest famously dubbed soda “liquid candy.” Subsequently, protests by parents and nutrition advocates have lobbied to get soda machines banned from high-school cafeterias, and fast-food chains like McDonald’s have expanded their drink options to include healthier choices like bottled water or milk.
So what’s a soda manufacturer to do in order to stay in the game? Coke and Pepsi seem to think the answer lies in adding vitamins to soft drinks—turning your fizzy afternoon indulgence into a “health” food. This month, Coke is set to launch Diet Coke Plus, a zero-calorie cola with a sprinkling of nutrients mixed in. According to the company, one 8-ounce serving of the soda will provide 15 percent of the daily value (DV) of niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, and 10 percent of the DV for zinc and magnesium. And in the fall, Pepsi will roll out Tava, a line of zero-calorie sparkling beverages in flavors like Tropical Berry Blend and Passion Fruit Lime. Each 8-ounce serving of Tava will deliver 10 percent of the DV of vitamins B3, B6 and E.
“The biggest thing in every industry right now is health and wellness,” says Lynn Dornblaser, director of Mintel Custom Solutions, a market research firm. “Even companies that never had that as a primary focus are now trying to adapt their product lines to fit what’s important today.”
But can a soda ever really make the leap from junk food to health food? “Probably it’s just marketing,” says Kristine Clark, director of sports nutrition at Penn State University and a registered dietitian. The small amounts of nutrients in such sodas probably aren’t enough to make much difference in the average American diet. “Let’s hope no one is using these products to meet their nutritional needs,” says Clark.
The ever-growing category of natural sodas has been promoting health claims for several years, and has lured drinkers away from more conventional carbonated beverages or turned the health conscious into first-time soda drinkers. Brands like Izze, Santa Cruz Organics and Blue Sky contain real fruit juice, organic sugar as well as, in some case, vitamins. “The success of natural sodas—and especially of fortified bottled waters—may have spurred the more traditional companies to move in a similar direction,” says Dornblaser.
While trend-watchers speculate on whether or not consumers will swallow the health claims of Coke’s and Pepsi’s new sodas, nutritionists remain sanguine. “If you’re drinking these because of their nutrients, that’s not a valid reason, but if you’re going to be drinking soda anyway, you’re at least getting something extra,” says Clark. “Just don’t kid yourself that soda is a health drink.”

Health Highlights: April 26, 2007

Congress Should Limit TV Violence: FCC
Texas Governor's HPV Vaccine Order Rejected
Pull Shrek Exercise Ads for Children, Group Says
U.S. Army Testing Equipment to Check Soldiers for Brain Injuries
Texas Company Stops Illegal Production and Sale of Drugs
Primary-Care Doctor Visits Less Costly
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
Congress Should Limit TV Violence: FCC
The U.S. Congress should legislate limits on TV violence in order to better protect children since voluntary parental controls aren't working, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said in a report released Wednesday.
The FCC said this kind of regulation is needed because research shows that extended exposure to TV violence can lead to more aggressive behavior in kids, The Washington Post reported.
V-chip blocking technology is only partially effective in screening violent content, said the FCC, which produced the report at the request of 39 lawmakers. The report will be used as a basis to draft legislation, said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.).
"Clearly, steps should be taken to protect children from excessively violent programming. Some might say such action is long overdue," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said in a prepared statement.
Giving the government the power to determine what's acceptable for TV concerns some groups, however.
"The job of policing TV for children is one for parents, not the government," Caroline Fredrickson, director of the American Civil Liberty Union's legislative office in Washington, D.C., told the Post. "The government isn't capable of making distinctions about what's violent or gratuitous."
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Texas Governor's HPV Vaccine Order Rejected
Texas Governor Rick Perry's order requiring sixth-grade girls to get the human papillomavirus virus (HPV) vaccine was rejected Wednesday by Texas lawmakers, who sent the governor a bill that would block, for at least four years, officials from requiring girls to get the vaccine.
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer.
After Perry issued his executive order in February, prominent legislators vowed to overturn the order because they said the vaccine was too new to force on Texas families, the Associated Press reported. The order was to have taken effect in September 2008.
Perry has 10 days to sign or veto the bill passed by the legislature. Even if he does veto it, lawmakers have the two-thirds majority vote in both chambers needed to override the veto.
The vaccine, which protects against four HPV strains, was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26.
To date, about 20 states have introduced bills to require girls to get the vaccine, the AP reported. Critics charge that making the vaccine mandatory promotes promiscuity and infringes on parents' rights.
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Pull Shrek Exercise Ads for Children, Group Says
The animated character Shrek should no longer be used in U.S. Health & Human Services (HHS) public service TV commercials that encourage children to get more exercise, says the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.
The Harvard University-based child advocacy group said the animated green ogre is no longer an appropriate spokesperson for healthier lifestyles for youngsters. That's because promotions tied to the May 18 release of the Shrek the Third film also include a number of high-calorie or high-sugar foods, USA Today reported.
"The food industry and the government can't have it both ways. Either (Shrek's) a pitchman for junk food or a spokesman for health and well-being. Those are mutually exclusive roles," said Susan Linn, co-founder of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.
In the public service ads, which started airing in February, Shrek encourages children to: "Get up and play an hour a day." The ads are popular with children and it would be a mistake to drop them, said Penelope Royall, a deputy assistant secretary for health at HHS.
However, the ads will not air from early next month until 30 days after the end of the new film's run "because we're not in the business of promoting movies," HHS spokesman Bill Hall told USA Today.
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U.S. Army Testing Equipment to Check Soldiers for Brain Injuries
In an effort to better identify hard-to-diagnose brain injuries in soldiers, the U.S. Army says it will soon begin testing new neuroimaging equipment, the Associated Press reported.
A new scanning camera that uses gamma rays and radioisotopes is expected to arrive within two weeks, said Col. John Cho, commander of the Evans Army Community Hospital at Fort Carson, Colo.
Soldiers who've already been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury will be used to test the equipment and its effectiveness. The findings will be given to an Army review board, the AP reported.
Thousands of U.S. soldiers have suffered brain injuries in the Iraq War. A recent study at Fort Carson found that 2,932 (18 percent) of 13,400 troops who'd been to Iraq had suffered at least some degree of brain damage after being hit by blasts caused by improvised explosive devices.
Some critics have accused the Army of not doing enough to diagnose soldiers with brain damage.
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Texas Company Stops Illegal Production and Sale of Drugs
A Texas-based company has agreed to stop the illegal manufacture and distribution of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.
The agreement applies to PharmaFab Inc., its subsidiary PFab LP, and two company officials -- Mark Tengler, PharmaFab's president, and Russ McMahen, PFab's vice president of scientific affairs.
The products made by the company are illegal because they aren't made according to the required current good manufacturing practice and they may lack FDA approval.
PharmaFab made and distributed more than 100 different prescription and over-the-counter drug products, including ulcer treatments, cough and cold products, and postpartum hemorrhage products, the FDA said.
The unapproved drugs made by the company included: De-Congestine Sustained Release Capsules; GFN 1200/DM 60/PSE 60 Extended-Release Tablets; Rhinacon A Tablets; Sudal 12 Chewable Tablets; Histex PD 12 Suspension; Atuss HX CIII; Ergotrate Tablets; and Hyoscyamine Sulfate Time-Release Capsules.
Consumers who have used any PharmaFab products should talk with their doctor, the FDA said.
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Primary-Care Doctor Visits Less Costly
In 2004, primary-care doctors (general practice, family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatricians) accounted for nearly half of all 967.3 million doctor visits in the United States, but totaled only 30 percent of the $152 billion spent on office-based doctor care.
The remaining 70 percent of the $152 billion was spent on specialty care, says the latest News and Numbers from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The agency also found that the average cost of a visit to the doctor's office was $155, but there were wide variations depending on the type of doctor. The average cost for primary-care doctors was about $100, compared with $232 for a cardiologist, $210 for an orthopedist, and $206 for an ophthalmologist.
Other findings:
Private insurance paid for 48 percent of doctor office visits, Medicare paid for 21 percent, and 14 percent was paid out-of-pocket by patients and families.
On average, patients paid 20 percent of total expenses out-of-pocket when seeing a primary-care doctor, compared with 16 percent for an orthopedist visit, 13 percent for a cardiologist visit, and about 25 percent when seeing dermatologists, psychiatrists and ophthalmologists.

Tainted Pet Food Found in Hogs in Several States

TUESDAY, April 24 (HealthDay News) -- Contaminated pet food, the focus of a massive nationwide recall last month, has been fed to hogs in at least five states, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.
Ten pet food manufacturers sent unusable dog and cat food containing the toxic chemical melamine to hog producers in California, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah and possibly Ohio, FDA officials announced during a late afternoon press conference. Contaminated pet food was also sent to one chicken farm in Missouri, the officials added.
"Hogs that have been fed salvage pet food in North Carolina, South Carolina and California were tested, and levels of melamine were detected in their urine," Dr. Stephen F. Sundlof, FDA's director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine, told reporters at the teleconference.
Whether any of the contaminated meat has entered the U.S. food supply isn't known, Sundlof added. But all the hogs at the farms have been quarantined, he said.
In addition, he said, the FDA has begun to test several types of imported protein supplements used both in human and pet food for the presence of melamine, a chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers.
The imported melamine found in dog and cat food was apparently used to boost the protein content of the foods, and has sickened and killed an unknown number of animals.
"The FDA will begin testing a variety of protein ingredients in finished products commonly found in the U.S. food and feed supply for the presence of melamine," Sundlof said. The agency will focus on newly imported products as well as products already in the country, he added.
Products to be tested include wheat gluten, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn meal, soy protein and rice bran, Sundlof said. Other products may be added to the list later.
These ingredients are used widely in human foods, Dr. David Acheson, FDA's chief medical officer at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, told reporters. "Things like breads, pastas, cereals, pizza dough, energy bars and protein shakes," he added.
However, he said, "At this time there is no indication that melamine has been added to ingredients other than those used in the pet food."
Melamine was first found in pet foods manufactured by the Canadian company Menu Foods, which began its recall March 16 with moist dog and cat foods made with melamine-contaminated wheat gluten from China.
The recall has since expanded to other pet food manufacturers and other pet food ingredients, including the imported rice protein concentrate and corn gluten.
On Tuesday, however, Sundlof also announced that in addition to melamine, the FDA has now found cyanuric acid in the rice protein concentrate used for the pet food.
Like melamine, cyanuric acid is a chemical that can be used to boost the apparent protein content of foods but is normally used as a stabilizer in outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs.
"We are testing for that compound as well," Sundlof said.
The pet food recall has gotten the attention of the U.S. Congress, and two senators have asked the FDA to be more forthcoming in disclosing information about the companies involved in importing pet food ingredients.
In a letter to the FDA, Democratic Senators Richard Durbin of Illinois and Maria Cantwell of Washington state asked the agency to reveal the names of all importers of the contaminated rice protein concentrate, which was first recalled last week by Wilbur-Ellis Co. of San Francisco, and the names of the companies that received the shipments.
"We have learned that in addition to Wilbur-Ellis, a second United States company imported a shipment of rice protein from China that is also likely to be contaminated with melamine," the senators wrote. "We request the FDA identify this second importer as well as those manufacturers to which it may have sold the contaminated product."
The FDA confirmed at Tuesday afternoon's teleconference that another company also imported rice protein concentrate from the same Chinese company as Wilbur-Ellis, but the agency continued to refused to identify the U.S. company.
On Monday, however, China finally gave U.S. regulators permission to enter the country to investigate whether Chinese suppliers had exported contaminated pet food ingredients to the United States this year, The New York Times reported.
Previously, China had barred FDA representatives from entering the country despite evidence that the contaminant in the U.S. pet food supply came from Chinese exporters of wheat gluten and other animal feed ingredients, the Times said.
Meanwhile, another manufacturer, SmartPak of Plymouth, Mass., announced that it has recalled its LiveSmart Weight Management Chicken and Brown Rice Dog Food, which it said could contain contaminated rice protein concentrate.
More information
For more information on pet food, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Bowel Disease, Nerve Problems Linked

MONDAY, April 23 (HealthDay News) -- People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are at especially high risk for carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve ailments, a new study finds.
"We found that those with inflammatory bowel disease were more than six times more likely to also have a disorder called sensorimotor polyneuropathy, a nerve disease that can cause weakness, pain, and numbness," said Dr. Francisco De Assis Gondim, professor of neurology at the Federal University of Ceara in Brazil.
"Those with bowel disease were also four times more likely to develop symptoms in the spectrum of a nerve disease called small fiber neuropathy, which causes pain and lack of feeling in the feet," he added. People with IBD were also four times as likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome compared to individuals without the bowel ailment.
All of these conditions were "more common in women with bowel disease than in men," Gondim added.
The findings were expected to be presented at this week's annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, in Boston.
IBD affects more than 600,000 Americans, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. The name applies to a group of disorders, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, in which the intestines are inflamed. Symptoms can include abdominal cramps and pain, weight loss, diarrhea and bleeding from the intestine.
In the study, the researchers compared 103 people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis to 51 people with other digestive disorders, including chronic heartburn, gastritis and irritable bowel syndrome.
Irritable bowel syndrome affects mainly the large intestine and causes constipation, diarrhea, or both at different times.
Gondim's team gave everyone a standard neurological evaluation, including testing for nerve problems.
They discovered that people with IBD were much more likely to develop a variety of nerve conditions compared to people in other groups.
The exact link between bowel and nerve disorders remains unclear.
"This should be analyzed carefully, because in many patients, I could diagnose other medical conditions which could have at least contributed to the development of nerve damage, like diabetes, glucose intolerance, vitamin deficiencies, hypothyroidism," Gondim said. But, "in many patients, we have no explanation (other than IBD), which may suggest that there is an undiagnosed nutritional deficiency or ongoing immune-mediated nerve damage."
It's not known yet, Gondim said, how all these factors may interact to affect the course of the IBD.
Another expert called the research "an important study." Dr. Dawn Eliashiv, director of neurophysiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, said the finding "exemplified the fact that when we are dealing with patients, we cannot overlook that GI disorders affect many systems."
"Patients with IBD may have vitamin B12 deficiency or vitamin E deficiency," Eliashiv noted, "which may cause numbness, instability of gait or balance problems."
Hopefully, the study will raise awareness among physicians about the possibility of neurological complications occurring alongside IBD, she said.
Eliashiv and Gondim agreed on their advice to those with IBD: Anyone with the condition who also has numbness or pain in the hands or feet should seek medical attention. If they have balance problems or weakness, they also need to consult their doctor.
The study was supported by grants from the Federal University of Ceara and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
More information
To learn more about IBD, visit the American Academy of Family Physicians.