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Bulletin, Progressive, Record, Reporter Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 5B
Are vitamins dange00
C-FORCE
HEALTH AND FITNESS
CHUCK NORRIS
info@creators.com
Last week, I began to an-
swer a reader's question
about a new study published
in the Archives of Internal
Medicine, a semimonthly
professional medical journal
published by the American
Medical Association. It
reported on the potential un-
healthy and even dangerous
effects of some vitamins for
women ages 55 - 69. (If you
haven't had a chance to read
Part 1, it is available at
creators.com.)
The study alleged that
women taking multivitamins
or supplements of iron, vita-
min B-6, zinc, magnesium,
folic acid or copper had at
least a 2.4 percent increased
chance of death. Calcium,
however, reduced the risk of
death.
Since the media hysteria
over the initial reporting of •
this study, a host of health
and nutrition experts have
rebutted it as largely junk
science. My own rebuttal in
Part 1 noted how it was based
upon inadequate research,
• faulty statistics and no
clinical verification or
medical investigation. It was
unjustly founded upon only
three self-reporting and
limited health surveys given
over an 18-year period.
One of the biggest reasons
for calling it into question is
that in 2002, The Journal of
the American Medical Asso-
ciation itself shocked the
medical world by publishing
a study that recommended all
adults take a multivitamin
supplement for the purpose
of helping to prevent chronic
diseases. The recommenda-
tion was based upon the re-
view of scientific and medical
studies from 1966 to 2002 in
which those who did not
take supplements were at
increased risk for heart
disease, cancer and other
chronic diseases.
The new, negative vitamin
study's lead author himself--
Dr. Jaakko Mursu, of the
University of Eastern Finland
and the University of Minne-
sota --: confessed to Reuters
that the three surveys don't
prove vitamins and supple-
ments are harmful, just that
they may not be as helpful as
we assumed they are or they
are marketed to be. Mursu
summarized: "I would con-
clude that supplements are
not protective against chronic
diseases. In some cases they
may be harmful, especially if
used for a long time."
But that is not a health
revelation; it's old news.
We've long known that
vitamins can become toxic
when taken at heightened
levels. Most micronutrients
consumed in large amounts
can be detrimental.
For example, Mursu's study
focused particularly on an in-
creased risk of death for those
women who take iron supple-
ments. But as CBS News
medical correspondent Dr.
Jennifer Ashton pointed out,
we already knew that for
those "with certain types of
blood disorders, excessive
iron can be dangerous to the
heart and liver."
Moreover, ABC News re-
Cently reported that by only
doubling the government's
daily recommended 'dosage of
vitamin A in the form of
retinol, one could increase the
"=us to hecllth? Part 2
risk of liver damage and birth
defects. And excessive doses
of vitamin C (often taken for
colds) can cause gastroin-
testinal difficulties.
A study led by the chair-
man of the Glickman Uro-
logical and Kidney Institute
at the Cleveland Clinic re-
ported that men taking
supplemental vitamin E
might be increasing their
risk for prostate cancer by
up to 17 percent.
Similarly, in a study by
Columbia University, women
with early-stage breast can-
cer who took carotenoids
(such as vitamin A and beta
carotene) had a higher risk of
dying from breast cancer
than women who did not take
them. On the other hand,
women who took supple-
ments of either vitamin C or
vitamin E had a lower risk of "
cancer recurrence over five
years than those who didn't.
Another important consid-
eration with excessive vita-
min consumption is that in
order to compensate for lack
of nutrition, many food pro-
ducers have fortified foods
and beverages with an over-
abundance of vitamins and
minerals. So if one already is
taking supplements, it isn't
difficult to see how overload
can occur.
At the same time, we must
never forget that there are
those who genuinely need
additional nutrient supple,
ments -- such as pregnant
women, who need folic acid
(to prevent neural tube de-
fects); vegetarians, who often
need more iron; and those
who want to slow down
osteoporosis with calcium
supplements.
Because nutrients are
both needed in the under-
nourished and potentially
harmful for those who overly
consume them, balanced
health enthusiasts and prac-
titioners don't prescribe a
one-size-fits-all supplement;
they consider gender, age,
genetics, diet and other
health habits and stats while
also reviewing a complete
blood count that accurately
measures nutrient levels.
Only after a complete
holistic review should one be
advised as to what to supple-
ment to take or a.void, and
that prescription should be
led by improvements to one's
diet. As Connie Diekman,
director of nutrition at Wash-
ington UniverSity, said, "Sup-
plements should be viewed as
ways to boost intake when
food does not meet need."
• The potential helpful and
harmful effects of dietary
supplements are more proof
that we should not check our
brains at the door of health.
Double-check the f/cts. En-
sure that the data are backed
by other reliable studies.
Don't just swallow every-
thing the news conveys, espe-
Cially when so much today is
reported to scurry and rally
viewers and readers.
The point is, whether it's
multiple vitamins or junk
food, we need to be more mind-
ful of what we are putting in
our bodies and what the long-
term effects of such consump-
tion might be. At the very
least, until you consult with
your health practitioner, don't
surpass recommended daily
dosages of vitamins. Most of
all, remember that nothing re-
places a well-balanced diet. An
excellent resource is the Uni-
versity of California, Berke-
ley's "Wellness Foods A to Z."
Write to Chuck Norris (info
creators.corn) with questions
a bout health and fitness.
Copyright 2011 Chuck Norris
Distributed by creators.com
Do symp 00c,ms mean t00llergies o00just a cold?
I-IER_E' S TO
Your HEALTH
AURA WHITTAKER
Even experts have a hard
time telling the difference be-
tween the similar symptoms
of the common cold and
seasonal allergies. Thexunny
nose, cough and congestion
could just as easily come
from a cold virus as from
allergies.
Knowing the facts about
the causes and treatment of
cold and allergy symptoms is
your best defense. According
to webmd.com, colds are
caused by hundreds of
different viruses. When one
of these viruses gets into
your body, your immune
system attacks. Some of
the effects of this immune
response are the classic
symptoms of a cold, such as
congestion and coughing.
The germs that cause colds
are contagious. You can pick
them up when an infected •
person sneezes, coughs or.
shakes hands with you. After
a couple of weeks, at the
most, your immune system
fights off the virus and you
stop having symptoms.
Allergies are caused by an
overactive immune system.
For unknown reasons, your
body mistakes harmless
substances -- such as mold or
pollen -- for germs and goes
into attack mode. In this
mode, your body releases
chemicals such as histamine,
just as it does when fighting a
cold. This can cause swelling
in your nasal passages,
which leads to congestion,
along with a runny nose,
coughing and sneezing.
Allergies are • not contagious,
although some people may
inherit a greater tendency to
develop them.
The difference between the
common cold and seasonal
allergies may be similar but
they are not the same. A cold
usually lasts three to 14 days
and occurs most often in the
winter months. Symptoms
take a few days to appear
after infection occurs.
Allergies, on the other
hand, can last only days or
for as many months as you
are exposed to the allergen.
They can occur any time of
the year during any Season,
and symptoms can begin
immediately after exposure
to the allergen.
There are also some
differences in less common
symptoms. Colds often pro-
duce a cough, but allergies
only sometimes produce
coughing. Aches sometimes
occur with a cold, but never
with allergies. A fever rarely
develops with a cold and' is
never present with allergies.
Itchy, watery eyes are not
common with a cold, but go
hand in hand with allergies.
Last, while a runny or stuffy
nose is common to both, With
a cold the mucus is yellow,
while with allergies the
mucus is clear.
The overlapping symptoms
might be confusing, but the
most important difference is
that colds don't generally
last longer than 14 days.
So, if you still have some of
the above symptoms after
two weeks, they may be
allergy symptoms.
And because the causes of
both afflictions are quite
different, preventing and
treating them requires
different strategies as well.
To prevent allergies, avoid
substances you are allergic
to, ff at all possible. For
example, if you are allergic to
pollen avoid going outside on
days when the pollen count is
higher than average.
The best way to prevent the
common cold is to stop the
virus from getting into your
system. Keep your distance
from people who have cold
symptoms and wash your
hands often. If you have a
cold, always cover your
mouth and nose when you
cough or sneeze.
There is no cure for a cold,
or for allergies, but there are
numerous ways to ease the
symptoms. To treat both
cold and allergy symptoms
simultaneously, try taking an
antihistamine, which will
block the histamine that
causes congestion and runny
nose, and a decongestant,
which can reduce swelling in
thenasal passages, making
you feel less stuffed up. And
take it easy because both
colds and allergies cause
fatigue.
To treat allergy symptoms
alone, try nasal steroids to
reduce the swelling in your
• nasal passages. Also consult
your doctor about allergy
shots, called immunotherapy,
which may help your body
• develop a tolerance of the
substance to which you are
allergic.
For cold symptOms alone,
try taking a non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory, such as
AdviL to treat aches and
pains. Most importantly, get
)
extra rest and drink plenty of
clear fluids.
Although the common cold
and seasonal allergies are
rarely serious, they can lead
to other health problems.
Both a cold and allergies,
separately and together, can
end up as a sinus infection,
bronchitis, pneumonia or
other serious medical condi-
tion. A cold Can cause an ear
infection or two, as well. So
take the time to treat your
symptoms properly and see
your doctor if they last longer
than. two weeks. Better safe
than sorry.
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