Probiotic Reduces Crying Time in Infants With Colic
/www.Medscape.com
June 17, 2010 (Stockholm, Sweden) — One week of supplementation with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis reduced crying time in colicky babies by 74%, compared with 38% with placebo, according to a double-blind study presented here at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition in Istanbul, Turkey.
"The data with L reuteri are convincing and confirm, in a placebo-controlled study, our earlier data with this probiotic [Pediatrics. 2007;119:e124-e130]. We believe these results will have an impact on the treatment of infants with colic," study presenter Francesco Savino, MD, PhD, from the Department of Paediatrics, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, University of Turin, Italy, noted in a statement issued by Swedish biotechnology firm BioGaia AB, the developer and marketer of the probiotic.
In the study, 50 infants with confirmed infantile colic were randomly assigned to L reuteri Protectis (5 drops, 108 colony forming units/day) or placebo drops for 21 consecutive days. The primary outcome was a reduction (by day 21) in average crying time to less than 3 hours per day, which is the limit of colic, Dr. Savino noted.
With L reuteri, "we saw improvement after 1 week, and at the end of the study there really was a significant effect," he told conference attendees. In addition, 84% of the L reuteri–supplemented infants reached the primary outcome by day 21, compared with 43% of infants in the placebo group (P < .05), he reported.
At baseline, median crying time per day was 370 minutes in the probiotic group and 300 minutes in the placebo group. On day 7, crying time had been reduced to 95 minutes in the L reuteri group and to 185 minutes in the placebo group (P = .082).
At the study's end (day 21), there was a significant difference in median daily crying time between the groups; it was 35 minutes in the L reuteri group and 90 minutes in the placebo group (P < .05), Dr. Savino reported.
He also noted that on days 7, 14, and 21, the proportion of infants responding to the supplementation, defined as a 50% or greater reduction in median crying time, was significantly greater in the probiotic group than in the placebo group.
In an email to Medscape Gastroenterology, Eamonn Connolly, PhD, senior vice president of research for BioGaia, in Stockholm, Sweden, said complete data from the study are scheduled to be published in a medical journal shortly.
Mechanism of Action Not Clearly Established
The effects of L reuteri noted in the study "could be due to a change in the intestinal commensal bacteria," Flavia Indrio, MD, PhD, who has studied the gastrointestinal effects of probiotics extensively, noted in an email to Medscape Gastroenterology. Dr. Indrio is a pediatric gastroenterologist in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Bari in Italy, and was not involved in this study.
"The crying infant who received L reuteri showed a reduction in Escherichia coli in the intestinal microflora, compared with the infant treated with placebo," said Dr. Indrio.
She added that "the target of the L reuteri action could be the intestinal motility pattern, as shown in the study published by me and my coworker in the Journal of Pediatrics in 2008. Another study is running in newborns to confirm this effect."
"Definitely, treatment with probiotics could open a new therapeutic approach in some gastrointestinal diseases," Dr. Indrio concluded.
The study was sponsored by BioGaia, which develops and markets probiotic products. Dr. Savino reports being an independent investigator with no relationship with BioGaia. Dr. Indrio has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
43rd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. Presented June 10, 2010.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Do you WANT IT? Then, PROVE IT!
Dr. Harriott's Comments:
Dr. Regina Benjamin is currently the Attorney General of the United States. She just announced a new initiative called, "Exercise is Medicine". Nice try Dr. Benjamin, but the problem is that we want people to exercise MORE and take Medicine LESS, right? In what universe can you then say that they can be seen similarly? And how are they similar?
Is everyone ready for the answer? - pause - pause pause.....
The answer is that the powers that be want us to continue to see Medicine as Healthy. This is a transparent effort to shift the population to a healthy lifestyle (because medicine is making our society sicker) while shizophrenically hoping that we will retain our faith in Medicine as a reasonable approach to health. Pardon my stating the obvious here -
Medicine is NOT HEALTHY..., no, not by a long shot.
Medicine is about sickness, pathology, pain, weakness, inability to function well enough to heal from or prevent illness or injury, or about just being overcome by a traumatic injury or an invading organism your immune system was unable to repel. In adverse functional states like this, at this level of a loss of health... this is when you might reach for medication to give yourself a helping hand. But ultimately, it is still up to you and your body to restore your health, because I guarantee you, medicine will NOT create or restore health.
At best, medicine gives your body a temporary "unfair advantage". In most cases, it gives you a crutch so you don't have to heal if you aren't willing to make the changes necessary. At it's worst, medicine will KILL you.
You see, that "advantage" that medicine gives a person comes at a cost in other aspects of our physiology. The costs vary from medicine to medicine, disease to disease, person to person, heck, even day to day...... Sometimes the costs are reasonable, sometimes they are not. Most of the time, we can't predict. But this is our health care business...This is our system... Convince the population that you will be there for them, so live your life without worry or concern. Then, once the person gets sick, he's all alone now. The health team players all dance and behave as though the King Medicine actually is wearing the most amazing clothes and that if you can't see it, well, clearly the problem is with you.
Too late, too sick, too unhealthy, too far gone,...
too bad :(
Exercise, Good Nutrition, Positive Mental Attitude, a good hug once in a while, a regular adjustment... That is HEALTH, my friends!!!!!
So, Ms. Attorney General, Dr. Regina Benjamin... let's just leave medicine where it belongs, in the hospitals, the pharmacies and the MD's offices. Please don't associate Medicine with anything healthy because it is confusing. Dump the "Medicine is Health" program name. Rename the campaign to something like
Exercise the Health Out of Yourself!!!
or how about a slogan like...
Health IS Exercise
Do you Really Want Health?
Then Prove It....
Dr. Regina Benjamin is currently the Attorney General of the United States. She just announced a new initiative called, "Exercise is Medicine". Nice try Dr. Benjamin, but the problem is that we want people to exercise MORE and take Medicine LESS, right? In what universe can you then say that they can be seen similarly? And how are they similar?
Is everyone ready for the answer? - pause - pause pause.....
The answer is that the powers that be want us to continue to see Medicine as Healthy. This is a transparent effort to shift the population to a healthy lifestyle (because medicine is making our society sicker) while shizophrenically hoping that we will retain our faith in Medicine as a reasonable approach to health. Pardon my stating the obvious here -
Medicine is NOT HEALTHY..., no, not by a long shot.
Medicine is about sickness, pathology, pain, weakness, inability to function well enough to heal from or prevent illness or injury, or about just being overcome by a traumatic injury or an invading organism your immune system was unable to repel. In adverse functional states like this, at this level of a loss of health... this is when you might reach for medication to give yourself a helping hand. But ultimately, it is still up to you and your body to restore your health, because I guarantee you, medicine will NOT create or restore health.
At best, medicine gives your body a temporary "unfair advantage". In most cases, it gives you a crutch so you don't have to heal if you aren't willing to make the changes necessary. At it's worst, medicine will KILL you.
You see, that "advantage" that medicine gives a person comes at a cost in other aspects of our physiology. The costs vary from medicine to medicine, disease to disease, person to person, heck, even day to day...... Sometimes the costs are reasonable, sometimes they are not. Most of the time, we can't predict. But this is our health care business...This is our system... Convince the population that you will be there for them, so live your life without worry or concern. Then, once the person gets sick, he's all alone now. The health team players all dance and behave as though the King Medicine actually is wearing the most amazing clothes and that if you can't see it, well, clearly the problem is with you.
Too late, too sick, too unhealthy, too far gone,...
too bad :(
Exercise, Good Nutrition, Positive Mental Attitude, a good hug once in a while, a regular adjustment... That is HEALTH, my friends!!!!!
So, Ms. Attorney General, Dr. Regina Benjamin... let's just leave medicine where it belongs, in the hospitals, the pharmacies and the MD's offices. Please don't associate Medicine with anything healthy because it is confusing. Dump the "Medicine is Health" program name. Rename the campaign to something like
Exercise the Health Out of Yourself!!!
or how about a slogan like...
Health IS Exercise
Do you Really Want Health?
Then Prove It....
- Exercise Daily
- Eat well... lots of veggies, less meat, smaller portion sizes on maximum 9 inch plate
- Get enough sleep
- Get adjusted regularly. A chiropractic adjustment helps to re-boot your awareness of your physical status, your position in space, and allows your brain to re-evaluate it's functional strategies toward emotional stress, movement, posture, healing, gravity, and physical limitations.
- Have fun... do this well and often.
Dr. Harriott
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Maps Listings II
I have just added link files to my website for my Google Maps listings to help people find me when they search on Google... You needn't click these now. If you want to see the listing, go to
http://tinyurl.com/2eczcyt
These are the actual links to the files:
Mission Viejo Chiropractor
Mission Viejo Chiropractor
http://tinyurl.com/2eczcyt
These are the actual links to the files:
Mission Viejo Chiropractor
Mission Viejo Chiropractor
Maps Listing
I have just added link files to my website for my Google Maps listings to help people find me when they search on Google... You needn't click these now. If you want to see the listing, go to
http://tinyurl.com/2eczcyt
These are the actual links to the files:
Mission Viejo Chiropractic
Mission Viejo Chiropractic
http://tinyurl.com/2eczcyt
These are the actual links to the files:
Mission Viejo Chiropractic
Mission Viejo Chiropractic
Saturday, May 8, 2010
32.5 Million US Infants Innoculated with Pig Virus DNA
Dr. Harriott's Comment:
Great... how many years later and now we learn that we have been innoculating our infants with pig virus DNA.
Oops!
But don't worry, folks... we have no proof that the 32.5 MILLION infants dosed in the U.S. will have any long term negative effects from the pig virus DNA.
Wow, I feel so much better :(
========================
Original Publication:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/PublicHealth/19986?utm_content=GroupCL&utm_medium=email&impressionId=1273307416380&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=mSpoke&userid=241758
=================================================
Visit us online at www.MedPageToday.com
FDA Says Viral Contamination Found in Second Rotavirus Vaccine
By Emily P. Walker, Washington Correspondent, MedPage Today
Reviewed by
May 07, 2010
Review
GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- DNA from a pig virus has been detected in Merck's RotaTeq rotavirus vaccine, an FDA official announced during the opening session of a hearing on rotavirus vaccines.
The announcement means that both rotavirus vaccines on the market have been found to harbor the contaminant, although officials said there was no immediate health hazard.
Merck researchers detected "very low levels" of porcine circovirus 1 and 2 (PCV1 and PCV2) DNA in RotaTeq and immediately shared the results with the FDA, according to Merck and the FDA.
"There is no evidence at this time that DNA from PCV causes any disease in humans," said a statement posted on Merck's website. "We remain confident in the safety profile and quality of RotaTeq."
In March, the FDA reported that PCV1 had been detected in Rotarix, a rotavirus vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Although the FDA said the virus didn't appear to be harmful to humans, with an alternative vaccine available, the agency recommended that clinicians discontinue use of Rotarix.
In the latest action, the FDA did not say whether RotaTeq should be avoided, but a top FDA official again stressed that the virus doesn't appear dangerous to humans.
"There is no evidence PCV1 poses a safety risk," said Norman Baylor, PhD, of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at a Friday meeting of the FDA's Vaccine and Related Biologics Advisory Committee (VRBAC).
Data on PCV2 is less robust, and the agency only became aware of the PCV2 contamination shortly before Friday's meeting.
Researchers with GlaxoSmithKline said Friday that their data prove the virus is benign, but that the company is committed to revamping its vaccine manufacturing process in order to produce Rotarix that is not contaminated with PCV1.
"This is a complex process and will take time," said Barbara Howe, MD, vice president of North American Vaccine Development.
Howe said the company is prepared to make the vaccine available again in the U.S.
Merck is the main provider of the rotavirus vaccine in the U.S. The company has distributed 30 million doses of RotaTeq here, and another seven million in other parts of the world.
GlaxoSmithKline's Rotarix meanwhile, is twice as widely-used as RotaTeq in foreign countries, but the company has provided just 2.5 million doses in the U.S., according to David Martin, MD, MPH, acting chief of CBER.
The VRBAC, which is a panel of outside experts, is meeting to discuss the contamination in Rotarix and the benefits and drawbacks of using new, more sensitive tests to check for viruses in the human vaccines. Those advanced detection methods were responsible for finding PCV1 in both rotavirus vaccines.
Both rotavirus vaccines are given orally to infants to prevent rotavirus disease, which can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration and is deemed responsible for the deaths of more than 500,000 infants around the world each year, primarily in low- and middle-income countries.
Disclaimer
The information presented in this activity is that of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, MedPage Today, and the commercial supporter. Specific medicines discussed in this activity may not yet be approved by the FDA for the use as indicated by the writer or reviewer. Before prescribing any medication, we advise you to review the complete prescribing information, including indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse effects. Specific patient care decisions are the responsibility of the healthcare professional caring for the patient. Please review our Terms of Use.
© 2004-2010 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Great... how many years later and now we learn that we have been innoculating our infants with pig virus DNA.
Oops!
But don't worry, folks... we have no proof that the 32.5 MILLION infants dosed in the U.S. will have any long term negative effects from the pig virus DNA.
Wow, I feel so much better :(
========================
Original Publication:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/PublicHealth/19986?utm_content=GroupCL&utm_medium=email&impressionId=1273307416380&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=mSpoke&userid=241758
=================================================
Visit us online at www.MedPageToday.com
FDA Says Viral Contamination Found in Second Rotavirus Vaccine
By Emily P. Walker, Washington Correspondent, MedPage Today
Reviewed by
May 07, 2010
Review
GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- DNA from a pig virus has been detected in Merck's RotaTeq rotavirus vaccine, an FDA official announced during the opening session of a hearing on rotavirus vaccines.
The announcement means that both rotavirus vaccines on the market have been found to harbor the contaminant, although officials said there was no immediate health hazard.
Merck researchers detected "very low levels" of porcine circovirus 1 and 2 (PCV1 and PCV2) DNA in RotaTeq and immediately shared the results with the FDA, according to Merck and the FDA.
"There is no evidence at this time that DNA from PCV causes any disease in humans," said a statement posted on Merck's website. "We remain confident in the safety profile and quality of RotaTeq."
In March, the FDA reported that PCV1 had been detected in Rotarix, a rotavirus vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. Although the FDA said the virus didn't appear to be harmful to humans, with an alternative vaccine available, the agency recommended that clinicians discontinue use of Rotarix.
In the latest action, the FDA did not say whether RotaTeq should be avoided, but a top FDA official again stressed that the virus doesn't appear dangerous to humans.
"There is no evidence PCV1 poses a safety risk," said Norman Baylor, PhD, of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at a Friday meeting of the FDA's Vaccine and Related Biologics Advisory Committee (VRBAC).
Data on PCV2 is less robust, and the agency only became aware of the PCV2 contamination shortly before Friday's meeting.
Researchers with GlaxoSmithKline said Friday that their data prove the virus is benign, but that the company is committed to revamping its vaccine manufacturing process in order to produce Rotarix that is not contaminated with PCV1.
"This is a complex process and will take time," said Barbara Howe, MD, vice president of North American Vaccine Development.
Howe said the company is prepared to make the vaccine available again in the U.S.
Merck is the main provider of the rotavirus vaccine in the U.S. The company has distributed 30 million doses of RotaTeq here, and another seven million in other parts of the world.
GlaxoSmithKline's Rotarix meanwhile, is twice as widely-used as RotaTeq in foreign countries, but the company has provided just 2.5 million doses in the U.S., according to David Martin, MD, MPH, acting chief of CBER.
The VRBAC, which is a panel of outside experts, is meeting to discuss the contamination in Rotarix and the benefits and drawbacks of using new, more sensitive tests to check for viruses in the human vaccines. Those advanced detection methods were responsible for finding PCV1 in both rotavirus vaccines.
Both rotavirus vaccines are given orally to infants to prevent rotavirus disease, which can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration and is deemed responsible for the deaths of more than 500,000 infants around the world each year, primarily in low- and middle-income countries.
Disclaimer
The information presented in this activity is that of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, MedPage Today, and the commercial supporter. Specific medicines discussed in this activity may not yet be approved by the FDA for the use as indicated by the writer or reviewer. Before prescribing any medication, we advise you to review the complete prescribing information, including indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse effects. Specific patient care decisions are the responsibility of the healthcare professional caring for the patient. Please review our Terms of Use.
© 2004-2010 MedPage Today, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Infant Dies 12 Hrs After Seasonal Flu Vaccine
Sad Story Out of Queensland, Australia...
National Flu shot fatality - toddler dies 12 hours after having vaccination
By Suellen Hinde
From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)
April 25, 2010 1:40AM
Twins given flu job; Ashley dies, Authorities caution jab for under-5s. Girl, 2, was fine 12 hours earlier
A FAMILY is in mourning after their toddler unexpectedly died less than 12 hours after receiving a seasonal flu vaccination.
Two-year-old twin Ashley Jade Epapara had been "perfectly fine" before dying at her Upper Mt Gravatt home, on Brisbane's southside, on April 9. Parents David and Nicole are shattered by the mysterious death of their baby girl. "It's dreadful, it's a very hard time," Mr Epapara said
yesterday.
National health authorities have ordered doctors to stop giving seasonal influenza vaccinations to children under five after dozens of serious reactions, including convulsions. Ashley's death is being investigated by police and the office of the coroner. A spokesman for Brisbane coroner John Lock confirmed yesterday that a report was being prepared.
Mrs Epapara told The Sunday Mail that "tests are being carried out" on her little girl. But the young mother didn't want to comment further as she began shaking and her eyes welled with tears. Ashley's twin sister, Jaime, also received the flu jab at the same time and is believed to have been vomiting the night before her sister died.
Asked whether he or his wife thought the influenza vaccine had anything to do with their child's death, Mr. Epapara said: "It's very coincidental."
More than 45 children experienced convulsions and fever, with some having to be taken to hospital in intensive care after receiving the vaccine in Western Australia. Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young confirmed 15 children in Queensland had been recorded
as having an adverse reaction to the vaccine. Australia's chief medical officer Professor Jim Bishop said in a statement that the West Australian events were being "urgently investigated by health experts and the Therapeutic Goods Administration".
The World Health Organisation last year said a "small number of deaths" had occurred in people
vaccinated for influenza, with 65 million people vaccinated globally.
Copyright 2010 New s Limited. All times AEST (GMT +10).
National Flu shot fatality - toddler dies 12 hours after having vaccination
By Suellen Hinde
From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)
April 25, 2010 1:40AM
Twins given flu job; Ashley dies, Authorities caution jab for under-5s. Girl, 2, was fine 12 hours earlier
A FAMILY is in mourning after their toddler unexpectedly died less than 12 hours after receiving a seasonal flu vaccination.
Two-year-old twin Ashley Jade Epapara had been "perfectly fine" before dying at her Upper Mt Gravatt home, on Brisbane's southside, on April 9. Parents David and Nicole are shattered by the mysterious death of their baby girl. "It's dreadful, it's a very hard time," Mr Epapara said
yesterday.
National health authorities have ordered doctors to stop giving seasonal influenza vaccinations to children under five after dozens of serious reactions, including convulsions. Ashley's death is being investigated by police and the office of the coroner. A spokesman for Brisbane coroner John Lock confirmed yesterday that a report was being prepared.
Mrs Epapara told The Sunday Mail that "tests are being carried out" on her little girl. But the young mother didn't want to comment further as she began shaking and her eyes welled with tears. Ashley's twin sister, Jaime, also received the flu jab at the same time and is believed to have been vomiting the night before her sister died.
Asked whether he or his wife thought the influenza vaccine had anything to do with their child's death, Mr. Epapara said: "It's very coincidental."
More than 45 children experienced convulsions and fever, with some having to be taken to hospital in intensive care after receiving the vaccine in Western Australia. Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young confirmed 15 children in Queensland had been recorded
as having an adverse reaction to the vaccine. Australia's chief medical officer Professor Jim Bishop said in a statement that the West Australian events were being "urgently investigated by health experts and the Therapeutic Goods Administration".
The World Health Organisation last year said a "small number of deaths" had occurred in people
vaccinated for influenza, with 65 million people vaccinated globally.
Copyright 2010 New s Limited. All times AEST (GMT +10).
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Vitamin B-6 Cures Colorectal CA?
Dr. Harriott's Comments:
Below my comments is an interesting abstract of meta-analysis study showing the relationship between vitamin B-6 and colorectal cancer.
We hear from time to time some news blurb about how vitamins don't significantly affect lifespan. Typically this conflicting information comes from studies funded by the medical industry itself. Nonetheless, vitamin supplements exist in the marketplace because of other studies... just like this B-6 study. So who is right?
In the end, the truth of the matter is that the healthiest person gets proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, and takes care of his/her body, mind and soul. When a problem does become apparent, the solution is not automatically sought in a pill bottle, but rather the root cause is pursued.
Proper nutrition is only one piece of the puzzle so simply taking B-6 will not prevent colon cancer. But if you are eating and living right, you will likely have plenty of vitamin B-6 naturally. And with greater levels of B-6 through your diet, or a combination of dietary sources and B-6 supplementation, it is clear that your chances for developing colon cancer is reduced by a significant amount. The same can be said of the results one can expect from taking any other "miracle vitamin" that has "research which shows" its benefits for this or that "disease".
The most important thing to understand, then, is that a disease is not a thing that you "zap" with a vitamin. It is a loss of proper function in your body. And such dysfunction typically does not cause just one disease, but rather increases your risk for many different problems. And the initiating dysfunction, or "cause", was what you do or don't do everyday.
Q. "What kind of a disease or dysfunction is your high blood pressure?"
A. "High blood pressure is not a disease, it is a symptom. The root cause or initiating dysfunction that caused this symptom is what I did every day for the last twenty years. The crappy food choices I made and when I chose to eat, not getting enough sleep, not properly dealing with stress, not making time to exercise, ... The dysfunction started out behavioral, and eventually worsened until it has now affected my organ systems. My solution will not be found in a pill, but rather in going back and correcting the root cause - the behavioral dysfunction that started it all."
Bottom line: Do the right thing and live well. It's just that easy...
And I can help. Your body's ability to adapt and right itself is dependent on neurological perception of your environment and coordination/control of your organ systems. I can help guide you and with chiropractic, I can help you to maintain full clear communication within your nervous system through chiropractic adjustments so that you can heal closer to 100% and more quickly recover your optimal health.
If you haven't been to my office, print out a coupon from my website http://www.mvchiro.com. If you are a patient already, print out a coupon for someone you love. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Dr. Harriott
=======================
Vitamin B6 and Risk of Colorectal Cancer
A Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies
Susanna C. Larsson, PhD; Nicola Orsini, PhD; Alicja Wolk, DMSc
JAMA. 2010;303(11):1077-1083.
Context Mounting evidence indicates that vitamin B6, a coenzyme involved in nearly 100 enzymatic reactions, may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
Objective To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis of prospective studies assessing the association of vitamin B6 intake or blood levels of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP; the active form of vitamin B6) with risk of colorectal cancer.
Data Sources Relevant studies were identified by a search of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases to February 2010, with no restrictions. We also reviewed reference lists from retrieved articles.
Study Selection We included prospective studies that reported relative risk (RR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between vitamin B6 intake or blood PLP levels and the risk of colorectal, colon, or rectal cancer.
Data Extraction Two authors independently extracted data and assessed study quality. Study-specific RRs were pooled using a random-effects model.
Data Synthesis Nine studies on vitamin B6 intake and 4 studies on blood PLP levels were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled RRs of colorectal cancer for the highest vs lowest category of vitamin B6 intake and blood PLP levels were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.75-1.07) and 0.52 (95% CI, 0.38-0.71), respectively. There was heterogeneity among studies of vitamin B6 intake (P = .01) but not among studies of blood PLP levels (P = .95). Omitting 1 study that contributed substantially to the heterogeneity among studies of vitamin B6 intake yielded a pooled RR of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.69-0.92). The risk of colorectal cancer decreased by 49% for every 100-pmol/mL increase (approximately 2 SDs) in blood PLP levels (RR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.38-0.69).
Conclusion Vitamin B6 intake and blood PLP levels were inversely associated with the risk of colorectal cancer in this meta-analysis.
Author Affiliations: Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Below my comments is an interesting abstract of meta-analysis study showing the relationship between vitamin B-6 and colorectal cancer.
We hear from time to time some news blurb about how vitamins don't significantly affect lifespan. Typically this conflicting information comes from studies funded by the medical industry itself. Nonetheless, vitamin supplements exist in the marketplace because of other studies... just like this B-6 study. So who is right?
In the end, the truth of the matter is that the healthiest person gets proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, and takes care of his/her body, mind and soul. When a problem does become apparent, the solution is not automatically sought in a pill bottle, but rather the root cause is pursued.
Proper nutrition is only one piece of the puzzle so simply taking B-6 will not prevent colon cancer. But if you are eating and living right, you will likely have plenty of vitamin B-6 naturally. And with greater levels of B-6 through your diet, or a combination of dietary sources and B-6 supplementation, it is clear that your chances for developing colon cancer is reduced by a significant amount. The same can be said of the results one can expect from taking any other "miracle vitamin" that has "research which shows" its benefits for this or that "disease".
The most important thing to understand, then, is that a disease is not a thing that you "zap" with a vitamin. It is a loss of proper function in your body. And such dysfunction typically does not cause just one disease, but rather increases your risk for many different problems. And the initiating dysfunction, or "cause", was what you do or don't do everyday.
Q. "What kind of a disease or dysfunction is your high blood pressure?"
A. "High blood pressure is not a disease, it is a symptom. The root cause or initiating dysfunction that caused this symptom is what I did every day for the last twenty years. The crappy food choices I made and when I chose to eat, not getting enough sleep, not properly dealing with stress, not making time to exercise, ... The dysfunction started out behavioral, and eventually worsened until it has now affected my organ systems. My solution will not be found in a pill, but rather in going back and correcting the root cause - the behavioral dysfunction that started it all."
Bottom line: Do the right thing and live well. It's just that easy...
And I can help. Your body's ability to adapt and right itself is dependent on neurological perception of your environment and coordination/control of your organ systems. I can help guide you and with chiropractic, I can help you to maintain full clear communication within your nervous system through chiropractic adjustments so that you can heal closer to 100% and more quickly recover your optimal health.
If you haven't been to my office, print out a coupon from my website http://www.mvchiro.com. If you are a patient already, print out a coupon for someone you love. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Dr. Harriott
=======================
Vitamin B6 and Risk of Colorectal Cancer
A Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies
Susanna C. Larsson, PhD; Nicola Orsini, PhD; Alicja Wolk, DMSc
JAMA. 2010;303(11):1077-1083.
Context Mounting evidence indicates that vitamin B6, a coenzyme involved in nearly 100 enzymatic reactions, may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
Objective To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis of prospective studies assessing the association of vitamin B6 intake or blood levels of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP; the active form of vitamin B6) with risk of colorectal cancer.
Data Sources Relevant studies were identified by a search of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases to February 2010, with no restrictions. We also reviewed reference lists from retrieved articles.
Study Selection We included prospective studies that reported relative risk (RR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between vitamin B6 intake or blood PLP levels and the risk of colorectal, colon, or rectal cancer.
Data Extraction Two authors independently extracted data and assessed study quality. Study-specific RRs were pooled using a random-effects model.
Data Synthesis Nine studies on vitamin B6 intake and 4 studies on blood PLP levels were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled RRs of colorectal cancer for the highest vs lowest category of vitamin B6 intake and blood PLP levels were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.75-1.07) and 0.52 (95% CI, 0.38-0.71), respectively. There was heterogeneity among studies of vitamin B6 intake (P = .01) but not among studies of blood PLP levels (P = .95). Omitting 1 study that contributed substantially to the heterogeneity among studies of vitamin B6 intake yielded a pooled RR of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.69-0.92). The risk of colorectal cancer decreased by 49% for every 100-pmol/mL increase (approximately 2 SDs) in blood PLP levels (RR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.38-0.69).
Conclusion Vitamin B6 intake and blood PLP levels were inversely associated with the risk of colorectal cancer in this meta-analysis.
Author Affiliations: Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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