Natural Standard Blog

Seafood may Affect Mood During Pregnancy

New evidence suggests that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids from seafood may be associated with mood-altering affects in pregnant women.

The study included 9,960 pregnant women in Britain who were 32 weeks pregnant. They each completed questionnaires about their mood and seafood intake during 1991 and 1992.

The researchers found that women who ate no seafood were 50 percent more likely to experience depressive symptoms than those who ate at least three servings of seafood (about 1.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids) per week. 

In the journal Epidemiology, the author concluded that “these observational data support an association between low omega-3 intake from seafood and increased risk of high levels of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Eating seafood during pregnancy may have beneficial effects on mental well-being.”

However, additional research is needed to confirm these findings. The authors also caution against eating too much seafood during pregnancy, as it may be contaminated with harmful substances such as dioxins, methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

For more information about depression during pregnancy, please visit Natural Standard’s Medical Conditions database.

Webinar Forum: UCONN Enduring CE Program: Scientific Evidence on the Health Benefits of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Through Every Stage of Life

In this knowledge-based continuing pharmacy education activity, Catherine Ulbricht, PharmD, discusses the available evidence of effectiveness for DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid.

Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and nurses interested in learning about the clinical evidence for the use of DHA for various disease states throughout life are invited to participate in the webinar.

There is no fee for this activity; funding was generously provided by an educational grant from Martek Biosciences Corporation.

Dr. Ulbricht is Attending Pharmacist Massachusetts General Hospital and Chief Editor of Natural Standard Research Collaboration.

In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Criteria for Quality and Interpretive Guidelines, The University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy requires that faculty disclose any relationship that the faculty may have with commercial entities whose products or services may be mentioned in the activity. Dr. Catherine Ulbricht does not have any actual or potential conflicts of interest associated with this CPE activity.

To obtain CE credit: pharmacists, technicians, nurses:

• Go to: www.pharmacyce.uconn.edu
• Click on the DHA Tab in the top banner
• Click on the link “post test learning assessment and evaluation”
• Register as a new user if you have never used our system at UConn
• Enter your license number and APPROPRIATE session code for your profession.  Failure to use the correct code will result in the incorrect statement for your profession. 
• Take the quiz and evaluation
• Print your statement of credit

After July 28, 2009, individuals may view the recorded webinar, successfully complete the online post-test learning assessment and evaluate the program to receive 1 hour (0.1CEU) of pharmacist, pharmacy technician or nursing credit.

Vitamin D for SAD

New evidence from a small study suggests that vitamin D supplements may improve symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a pattern of depression related to changes in seasons and a lack of exposure to sunlight.

SAD usually occurs during the winter months and may cause headaches, irritability and a low energy level. It is unclear exactly what causes SAD, although disruptions in the circadian rhythm and abnormal levels of melatonin, serotonin and vitamin D have all been suggested as potential contributors. 

During the winter months, many people are exposed to less sunlight, and sunlight helps the body make vitamin D3. Therefore, some researchers have suggested that vitamin D deficiency may play a role in SAD.

The study, published in the journal, Applied Nursing Research, included nine women who had borderline-low serum vitamin D levels (less than 40 nanograms per milliliter of blood) during the winter months. Six of these women completed questionnaires about their SAD symptoms before and after supplementation with 5,000 international units of vitamin D3 daily.

The researchers found that vitamin D supplementation was linked to an increase in serum vitamin D levels by an average of 27 nanograms per milliliter of blood and a significant improvement in SAD symptoms.

"This pilot study provides evidence to suggest that women who suffer from seasonal depressive symptoms may benefit from vitamin D3 supplementation if serum vitamin D levels are low," the authors concluded.

Although these early results are promising, this study is limited by its small sample size.

For more information about vitamin D, please visit Natural Standard’s Foods, Herbs & Supplements database.

Fat and Pancreatic Cancer

Two new studies suggest that being obese and eating a high-fat diet may both be associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

Although obesity is already considered a risk factor for pancreatic cancer, one of the new studies suggests that obesity during early adulthood may be especially risky.

The case-control study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, included 841 adults with pancreatic cancer and 754 cancer-free individuals. Both groups were matched by age, race and sex. The participants were asked about their height and weight when they were 14-19 years old and how it changed every 10 years.

The authors found significant associations between pancreatic cancer risk and being overweight at age 14-39 and being obese at age 20-49. In addition, being overweight or obese at age 20-49 was associated with an earlier onset of pancreatic cancer by two to six years. On average, pancreatic cancer was diagnosed at age 61 in overweight or obese patients compared to age 64 in people who were of healthy weight.

Although the risk of developing pancreatic cancer leveled off in people older than 40, disease prognosis was worse in people who were overweight or obese later in life (age 30-79).

Another new study suggests that eating a high-fat diet may also be associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, particularly if the fat comes from animal sources, such as meat and dairy products.

Although earlier studies have examined this potential link, results have been inconsistent. This latest observational study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, analyzed data from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. The study included 308,736 men and 216,737 women who completed a 124-item food frequency questionnaire from 1995 to 1996. None of the participants had cancer when the study began.

After an average follow-up period of 6.3 years, 865 men and 472 women were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. On average, men and women who ate the most total fat were about 23 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who ate the least amount. People who ate the most saturated fat had a 36 percent increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. This risk increased even more (to 43 percent) in people who ate the most saturated fat from animal food sources. The findings remained after adjusting for other risk factors for pancreatic cancer, including smoking, body mass index, energy intake and history of diabetes.

However, this study only shows an association between high-fat diets and pancreatic cancer and does not prove cause and effect. Additional research is needed to fully understand the potential relationship between fat and cancer.

For more information about pancreatic cancer please visit Natural Standard’s Medical Conditions database.

Ethics of Chelation Study Questioned

Early findings from a federal investigation suggest that there may be ethical problems with a large-scale study on chelation therapy, an alternative treatment in which chemical compounds are injected into the blood. According to the report from the U.S. Office for Human Research Protections, researchers did not properly inform the participants of potential health risks. The probe also revealed that some of the researchers have been disciplined by state medical boards, and at least three are convicted felons.

Despite these findings, the trial is allowed to continue during the ongoing investigation.

The controversial study initially began in 2002 to test the effects of EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) chelation therapy and high doses of vitamins and minerals in heart attack survivors. Researchers hypothesize that this therapy may help break down cholesterol plaques that cause clogged arteries by binding to calcium and other minerals.

Although chelation therapy with calcium-disodium EDTA and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for lead poisoning, there is currently a lack of evidence that any type of chelation therapy is safe and effective for heart disease.

The trial was voluntarily suspended in August 2008 when the U.S. Office of Human Research Protection first questioned whether participants were fully aware of the health risks. Chelation therapy has been associated with numerous adverse effects, including allergic reactions, severe kidney damage, bone marrow problems, dangerously low blood pressure, dangerously low calcium levels in the blood, increased risk of bleeding or blood clots, immune reactions, irregular heartbeat, blood sugar imbalances and convulsions. Death has also been reported, although it is not clear if chelation therapy was the direct cause.

Just one month earlier, in July 2008, another chelation study was also halted due to potential safety concerns. This study aimed to test the effects of chelation therapy in autistic children. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) cancelled the study after a rat experiment found that the therapy may cause brain problems.

In early 2009, the researchers once again began recruiting participants for the heart disease trial. So far, the $30 million study, which is funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, includes at least 1,500 participants.

For more information about chelation please visit Natural Standard’s Health & Wellness database.

Vegetarians and Cancer

Cancer rates are generally lower among vegetarians compared to meat eaters, but a new study suggests that this may not apply to all types of cancers.

The study included 32,403 meat eaters, 8,562 non-meat eaters who ate fish and 20,601 vegetarians. After an average of 12.2 years, 2,204 meat eaters (6.8 percent), 317 fish eaters (3.7 percent) and 829 vegetarians (4 percent) developed various types of cancer.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Cancer, suggest that the risk of developing stomach cancer, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma may be cut by more than half in vegetarians.

The association was particularly strong for multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer. Vegetarians were 75 percent less likely to develop the disease than meat eaters. In addition, vegetarians and fish eaters were about one-third less likely to develop stomach cancer than meat eaters. Although the number of stomach cancer cases was small, earlier research suggests that processed meat may contribute to the disease.

In contrast, vegetarianism was not linked to a reduced risk of colon or rectal cancer. In fact, the incidence of these cancers was slightly higher among vegetarians than meat eaters. However, this risk was not statistically significant, meaning that the higher rate may be due to chance.

Additionally, the risk of cervical cancer was significantly higher among vegetarians than meat eaters. This increased risk was similar, although not statistically significant, among fish eaters compared to meat eaters. It has been suggested, but not scientifically proven, that dietary factors may contribute to the risk of infection with the human papillomavirus, which causes many cases of cervical cancer. The authors caution that these findings are based on only 50 cervical cancer cases and may be influenced by other factors, such as cervical cancer screening.

The authors conclude that more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between vegetarianism and cancer risk.

For more information about vegetarianism, please visit Natural Standard’s Health & Wellness database.

Reflexology and Fertility

According to a recent study published in Fertility and Sterility, foot reflexology may not significantly improve ovulation or pregnancy rates among women with fertility problems.

Foot reflexology is a type of therapy that involves applying pressure to specific areas of the feet called "reflex points." These points are thought to correspond to other parts of the body. Proponents claim that pressing on these points may have beneficial health effects. Despite a lack of evidence, foot reflexology is popularly used in the United Kingdom to treat infertility.

This latest study included 48 women with fertility problems resulting from polycystic ovarian syndrome, a hormonal disorder that is characterized by irregular menstrual periods, excessive hair growth and weight gain. The women were randomly assigned to receive either eight sessions of foot reflexology or a sham therapy with gentle massage for 10 weeks. None of the women had experienced foot reflexology before this study.

Both groups had similar ovulation and pregnancy rates. Eleven out of the 26 women in the reflexology group (42.3 percent) had serum progesterone levels indicative of ovulation, and four women (15.3 percent) became pregnant. In the massage group, 10 out of the 22 (45.5 percent) women ovulated and two (nine percent) became pregnant.

The results of this study are limited by the small sample size. The authors noted that recruitment was difficult, and they did not meet their goal sample size of 104 women. Also, the sham treatment may not have been an adequate control since the massage may have had a relaxing effect on the body.

Reflexology has been studied for several other medical conditions, such as anxiety and pain, but the available evidence is limited.

For more information about reflexology, please visit Natural Standard’s Health & Wellness database.

Amino Acid for Hair-Pulling Disorder

A new study suggests that supplementation with the amino acid N-acetylcysteine may help reduce symptoms of trichotillomania, an impulse-control disorder that causes people to pull out hair from various body parts.

Treatment for trichotillomania may include cognitive behavioral therapy, medications and/or support groups. However, the effectiveness of these therapies varies among individuals.

Earlier research has found that N-acetylcysteine may have beneficial effects on compulsive disorders by acting on the glutamate system.

In this latest trial, 50 adults with trichotillomania were randomly assigned to receive either 1,200-2,400 milligrams of N-acetylcysteine or placebo daily for 12 weeks.

According to the findings, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, hair pull-symptoms were "much or very much improved" in 56 percent of patients in the N- acetylcysteine compared with 16 percent taking placebo. No side effects were reported during the study.

Although these results are promising, additional studies are needed to fully understand the potential relationship between N-acetylcysteine and trichotillomania.

For more information about impulse-control disorders, please visit Natural Standard’s Medical Conditions database.

Webinar Forum: Yoga - The Clinical Bottom Line

Natural Standard is offering a series of upcoming complimentary webinars on integrative medicine. Natural Standard remain impartial and offers these educational webinars as an informational public service. All webinars are recorded and archived at www.naturalstandard.com. 

This month, Natural Standard Associate Editor Regina Windsor, MPH, offers a presentation entitled, Yoga: The Clinical Bottom Line. Using the Natural Standard Grading Scale™ as a guide, Windsor discusses the available evidence concerning the therapeutic effectiveness of yoga in a variety of conditions.

Complimentary access is available until July 31, 2009. To listen to the webinar, please visit www1.gotomeeting.com/register/118961840. (Requires Windows Media Player).

Natural Standard values the opinions and views of its readers and welcomes feedback and questions about the latest webinar. Individuals are invited to leave comments below and/or e-mail questions@naturalstandard.com.