Erectile Dysfunction ‘increases the risk of early death by 70%’

Often thought of as just an embarrassing and unwanted problem hindering the man’s performance in the bedroom, there could be something much more serious to erectile dysfunction than an inability to achieve or sustain an erection satisfactory for sexual intercourse.

A US study recently published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that men who suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) have an estimated 70% higher chance of premature death.

The study, carried out by a team of researchers at the University of Mississippi, discovered that poor cardiovascular health is the most common cause of ED – a disorder which affects 18 million men in the US and half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 will have it to some degree.

Due to the findings, the researchers involved in the study are calling for men suffering with impotence problems to be screened and possibly treated for complications – such as cardiovascular disease – that may cause an early death.

Even though ED has long been associated as being an older man’s condition, the researchers say that almost 20% of men under the age of 40 are also afflicted with the problem too. Indeed, many of the males that have sought help from Medical Specialists® Pharmacy for ED have been of varying ages.

Erectile dysfunction has already previously been associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, high blood pressure (hypertension), obesity and smoking.
Scientists said that a connection between erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular risk could exist because of endothelial cell dysfunction and impaired production of nitrous oxide.

For the study, researchers looked at 1,790 men between the ages of 20 to 85 who had been involved in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They then compared and matched then data to death certificates from the National Death Index through December 21, 2011.

Whether or not men actually had ED was determined by the question: ‘How would you describe your ability to get and keep an erection adequate for satisfactory intercourse?’ and those men who answered ‘sometimes able’ or ‘never able’ were determined to have the disorder.

It was discovered that 557 of the 1,790 men had erectile dysfunction. Following an 8 year follow-up, researchers learned that 244 of the original group had died. From the 244 deaths, 61 were caused by cardiovascular disease, 64 from malignant neoplasms, 12 from chronic lower respiratory diseases and the remainder were from a different range of causes.

Results were then manipulated to take into account the men’s age, physical activity, race-ethnicity, waist circumference, poverty-to-income ratio, cotinine and comorbid illness.

It was determined that the survey participants who suffered with ED have a 70% higher risk of premature overall mortality.

The study said: ‘This finding should, however, be interpreted with caution as among the evaluated sample of 1,790 adults, only 61 adults between 20 to 49 years had erectile dysfunction, and among these 61 patients, only four died during the follow-up period.’

The scientists also said results could have been hindered by the self-report assessment of erectile dysfunction. On the flip side, they added that major strengths of the study were its novelty and utilisation of a national sample.

Further research is needed to see the long-term results over a longer follow-up period, the researchers concluded.

The study said: ‘These findings have major public health and clinical implications in that erectile dysfunction is a strong predictor of premature mortality.’

Banish the booze for Dry January!

With only days until the start of Dry January, Medical Specialistsׅ® Pharmacy are urging as many of the nation’s drinkers as possible to take part in the annual month-long awareness event.

By giving up alcohol for 4 weeks during the first month of the year, drinkers will hopefully be able to change their habits for the long-term, similar to the premise of October’s Stoptober smoking campaign, where some participants manage to quit smoking altogether after the month of abstinence.

For Dry January 2015, more than 2 million people managed to reduce their alcohol intake for the month, and it is expected that 2016 will be bigger, better, with more people getting on board, so join in and reap the rewards of giving up booze for the 31 days of January.

There are simply countless benefits from either cutting back on alcohol or stopping entirely, from weight loss to a better night’s sleep and more energy in general, to more cash to spend on other things – there is nothing to lose by taking part in Dry January 2016! The sense of achievement to be had from completing the month will be huge, and the chances will be much greater of drinking less alcohol in the future even after Dry January is over.

But don’t take it from us, NHS Choices have published the experiences of a woman named Joanna, who previously was drinking glasses of wine every night, but managed to abstain from alcohol for the entire month of January.

She says: “…After two weeks the cold turkey wore off, and the first benefits kicked in. I was in bed snoring shamelessly before 10 and was awake before the alarm at 6.15am. My skin was looking better. I had more energy, and was proud of myself for sticking at it.

“Although weight loss wasn’t a decisive factor for me, I lost 5lbs (2.3kg) in the first month and I have now lost nearly 10lbs and banished three inches (7.5cm) of muffin top from my waistline. Like many other people on Dry January’s page, my problem was the inexplicable desire to replace my evening dose of wine with snacks in front of the TV.

“Yet in the long run, less wine meant less nibbles. I realised how alcohol opened up my appetite and made me reach for those salty nibbles…”

Joanna’s weight loss is perhaps unsurprising, considering the often under-estimated calories contained in some of the most popular alcoholic beverages:

Pint of 4% beer: Equates to about 182 calories and 2.3 units of alcohol, rising depending on alcohol strength.

Small glass of 13% wine: A 175ml glass equals 159 calories and 2.3 units, varying depending on the strength of the wine (this can be anything from 11% to 16%).

Bottle of beer: A 330ml bottle contains about 159 calories and 2.3 units.

Pint of 4.5% cider: 216 calories and 2.6 units of alcohol.

A single 40% spirit: A Standard English 25ml measure has 61 calories and 1 unit. However, in Northern Ireland, a single measure comes in at 35ml and in 1.4 units.

At Medical Specialists® we understand how difficult it can be to giving up alcohol, but hopefully after a heavy festive period of over-indulgence of both food and alcohol, it should make it that little bit easier to participate in Dry January.

For example, the Friday before Christmas – often dubbed ‘booze Black Friday’ or ‘Mad Friday’ is one of the busiest, hectic drinking nights of the year as Emergency Services prepare for a chaotic night. Last year saw alcohol takings surge in pubs, clubs, restaurants and hotels across the country by a whopping 142%, and that’s not taking into account sales from shops and supermarkets.

Then there is Christmas Eve, Christmas Day itself, Boxing Day…and finally, New Year’s Eve! By the first day of January, some people are truly feeling the effects of the alcohol excess over the festive period and wanting to take a break for January.

For those deciding to take the plunge, here are some top tips for giving up the booze:

Avoid temptation


Initially, it is wise to avoid situations where alcohol is involved. Perhaps opt out of the weekly quiz at the pub, or persuade friends to meet up for a trip to the cinema or bowling during January instead of the usual drink at the pub.

Clear the house

Not of everything in it! Just the booze. Hide away those bottles of beer or the filled-up wine rack. By removing the temptation this will help stick to not drinking. Nobody during Dry January wants to come home from a stressful day at work and see alcohol staring back of them. Out of sight, out of mind!

Encourage a friend

Being the only one in a social circle that isn’t drinking for the first month of the year can seem daunting. Considering asking a friend if they want to take on the challenge too will make it easier to complete, don’t forget to remind them of the wonderful benefits of not drinking!

Make others aware

If someone is taking part in Dry January, they should tell friends and family about it, with the reasons for getting involved. This way, that person can share successes with the friends and family, and they will understand why that person is rejecting drinks or trips to the pub. This may even encourage someone else to give up or cut down too.

Treat yourself

It’s amazing how much healthier a bank balance and wallet can look when there is no alcohol to be bought. A typical pint of beer can cost upwards of £4…just 5 pints in an evening can set someone back around £20! That money could be put to better use, whether it’s saving up for a holiday or an expensive pair of shoes, the extra cash will help loads!

Medical Specialists® Pharmacy are fully behind the Dry January campaign, already seeing an increase in enquiries about alcohol dependency treatment Selincro during the last few weeks, as thousands of people around the country prepare for an alcohol-free month.

So why not sign up today for Dry January, receiving useful and fun hints and tips throughout the month to help completion right through to the end of the month.

IBS at Christmas: A Survival Guide

Let’s face it, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is difficult to live with at the best of times. Trying to tackle this chronic and debilitating disorder of the gut can prove a difficult task…It can be frustrating for IBS sufferers trying to pinpoint the food, drink and other triggers responsible for the symptoms which include: diarrhoea or constipation, alternating bowel habits, abdominal cramps and heartburn too.

However, IBS at Christmas time can be even more of a nuisance. There are numerous factors over the festive period that can all combine to create a perfect storm to heighten the severity of the IBS symptoms.

Before the big day itself, there is the stress and anxiousness involved with making sure everyone’s presents are bought, not to mention getting all the decorations, wrapping paper and food for Christmas Day. Stress is commonly recognised as one of the primary causes/triggers for IBS and its subsequent symptoms.

Then there is all the Christmas parties, fatty grub on offer and plenty of flowing booze. Simply put, this time of year can be catastrophic for the estimated 1 in 5 people around the UK that have IBS. Fear not, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy are at hand with some tips to try and avoid festive flare-ups:

Control portion sizes

As tempting as it is to pile up the plate with festive grub, party goers don’t have to stuff themselves like the Christmas turkey. Remember, the more food eaten, the harder the digestive system has to battle to process the volume of food…which will inevitably lead to excess gases.

Don’t ditch the exercise

It can be tempting to slack off over the festive period. The TV is usually good, the nights are cold and dark, and the last thing anyone probably wants to do is haul themselves to the gym for a strenuous workout. However, it is wise to try and keep up with the usual exercise routine. Digestive symptoms tend to become more sluggish when we aren’t as active, plus exercise helps to relieve stress too!

Minimise stress where possible

As mentioned previously, stress is a primary cause of IBS, and there is never a more stressful time of the year than Christmas time. The expense of shopping for presents and food can cause havoc for the gut. Where possible, try and plan ahead. This could involve buying the majority of presents and other essentials way in advance of the typical late-December rush. Yoga, relaxation tapes and massages may also keep stress at bay.

Be careful what goes on the plate

Try to avoid gorging on stodgy, fatty foods as this will only increase the risk of diarrhoea. The biggest culprits and definite must-avoid foods include: chocolate, fried foods (i.e. crispy wontons, spring rolls and samosas), mince pies and pastry-based products (i.e. quiche, vol-au-vents, sausage rolls and pork pies). Healthier buffet options would be fresh prawns, salmon and lean meat, chicken satay sticks and egg sandwiches.

Limit the booze

Alcohol and IBS are never an ideal combination. Alcohol may lead more severe IBS symptoms due to the fact that alcohol acts as an irritant on the bowel. Beer is particularly one culprit that often exacerbates a sufferer’s symptoms. Those who want to avoid feeling gassy this Christmas are advised to severely limit all bubbly drinks, such as beer, champagne, Prosecco and soft fizzy mixers.

Anyone suffering with moderate or severe IBS where constipation is the main problem, there is now a treatment option available named Constella.

Constella is available from Medical Specialists® Pharmacy today and can help to subside IBS symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation and bloating. To obtain this treatment, all patients must first undergo an online consultation with one of the GMC-registered doctors at Medical Specialists®, or send in a private prescription by post, obtained from the patient’s own doctor.

Wen Shampoo range being blamed for Female Hair Loss

Hundreds of women in American have begun legal action after complaining that a popular celebrity-endorsed shampoo range has made their hall start to fall out.

Hollywood hairstylist Chaz Dean is the creator of the Wen products and sells them through his website, whilst infomercial firm Guthy-Renker market them; both have been hit with a lawsuit.
According to NY Daily News, there are more than 200 women across 40 states that have impleaded into a class-action lawsuit against the haircare company Wen. The lawsuit states that the products worsened hair loss within a matter of weeks.

Meanwhile, many women have took to the internet – specifically Wen’s Facebook page – to voice their anger, complaining they have developed bald spots and even posting picture evidence of the hair loss visible on their scalp.

However, it isn’t just a few strands falling out, in some cases it seems to be massive clumps which are coming out, with irreparable damage caused say some complainants. One woman wrote: “I can’t leave my house. I’m depressed…I’m overwhelmed and frustrated [and] I cry when I look in the mirror.”

Moreover, within the court documents, a woman named Amy Friedman explained how she had purchased the Wen Sweet Almond Mint basic kit in January of 2014 for $29.95 and two weeks later, her hair begun to fall out. After stopping using the product soon after, she still ended up losing ‘one quarter to one third’ of her hair and had to spend a lot of money buying hair extensions to cover bald areas.

Other problems women are listing linked to the Wen shampoo products include scalp burn, itchiness and rashes, resulting in unsightly sores on the scalp.

The lawsuit is claiming that the Wen products, which include the Cleansing Conditioner, were responsible for the hair damage.

Chaz Dean and his Wen range has a long-list of A-list celebrity endorsers such as actresses Brook Shields, Alyssa Milano and Christina Applegate.

Wen hair products promise to strengthen hair by the use of no additives or harmful chemicals. Their website states, ‘What sets Wen apart is its cleansing conditioner, a single-step process that cleanses and conditions the hair simultaneously.

‘The cleansers include a perfect blend of special ingredients, including natural botanicals and herbs…’

Unfortunately, scorers of women are now coming forward to demonstrate truly frightening side effects. The complaint in the lawsuit alleges that the conditioners “contain one or more active ingredients that act as a depilatory or caustic agent, causing a chemical reaction that damages the hair strands and/or follicle.”

Whilst Wen have released a statement saying there is no scientific proof their products are causing the women’s hair loss, and that they intend to vigorously contest the allegations, attorney Amy Davis, who is representing those affected, has suggested a possible reason.

Speaking to CBS News, she commented: “What we understand about the product and how it causes hair loss is it contains virtually no cleanser. It’s like using lotion to wash your hair, so instead of removing the product, when you rinse it off, it just becomes impacted in your hair follicle.”
Whatever happens next will be interesting to see, but in the meantime, Wen’s Facebook page is certainly compiling complaints thick and fast.

For both men and women, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy can provide hair loss treatments Regaine Foam or Regaine Lotion, as featured in numerous television adverts. Regaine products contain the active ingredient Minoxidil; clinically proven to help prevent further hereditary hair loss. Minoxidil works by increasing the blood supply to the hair follicles, helping to strengthen existing hair and stimulate secondary hair growth.

Women suffering with female hair loss also have the option of the over-the-counter treatment Florisene® – strongly recommended as an addition to any female hair loss treatment. Florisene® is especially recommended for women who have reduced hair volume (compared with several years ago) or who have recently noticed hair shedding as seen by more hairs in the brush, comb or when shampooing.

Passive smoking linked to infertility and earlier menopause

With the end of another year almost up, many of us will be thinking about our New Year’s Resolutions for 2016. Perhaps they could include losing weight, cutting down on alcohol, giving up chocolate…but the most common resolution is usually quitting smoking.

This is not such a bad thing though; smoking is linked to numerous forms of cancer, in addition to heart disease, stroke and many more serious health problems, and a new study has demonstrated that even passive (second-hand) smoking could be the cause of infertility and an earlier menopause in women.

Published online in the Dec. 15 edition of the journal Tobacco Control, the new study reports that women with exposure to high levels of tobacco – either smoking themselves or passively – could have a menopause that occurs one or two years earlier compared to those who have never smoked or exposed to passive smoking.

For the study, researchers assessed data on 79,690 women in the age range of 50 to 79 that had completed the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study (WHI OS) – a large study began in 1991 to monitor the health of over 160,000 healthy, postmenopausal women. 88,000 women were analysed for fertility effects, with another 80,000 analysed for the onset of natural, or nonsurgical, menopause.

All of the women had experienced a ‘natural’ menopause – meaning the woman had not had a period for 12 consecutive months and they had not had surgery to remove their ovaries.

Previous research has identified a connection between smoking and higher rates of infertility and earlier menopause. However, “second-hand smoke is less researched,” especially among never-smoking women, commented the study author Andrew Hyland, chair of health behaviour at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, in Buffalo, N.Y.

Researchers discovered that smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke were found to be associated with fertility problems and an earlier onset of menopause (i.e. prior to the typical age of 50).

Current or ex-smokers were found to be around 14% more likely to be infertile and 26% more likely to experience an earlier menopause in comparison to those that had never smoked. Hyland stressed that early menopause has been linked with a higher risk of death from all causes.

The study also found that for the never-smokers exposed to the highest levels of second-hand smoke – such as living with a smoker for a decade or more – were an estimated 18% more likely to have fertility problems and early menopause.

Women who had previously smoked, reached the menopause on average about 22 months before the women that had neither smoked or been exposed to smoke. Moreover, it was found those exposed to the highest level of passive smoke reached menopause 13 months earlier than those not exposed.
This latest study is just one of many important reminders that we should avoid all smoke, said Patricia Folan, director of the Center for Tobacco Control at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck, N.Y.

“This study provides additional motivation and incentive for women of all ages to avoid smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke, as well as to quit smoking,” she said. Both are associated with premature birth, low birth weight, infant death and certain birth defects, she added.

“This evidence, in addition to the data from the current study, offers health care providers, particularly ob-gyn practitioners, the information needed to counsel women about the hazards of smoking and second-hand smoke, and to encourage cessation,” Folan said.

Obesity may be passed on through the father’s sperm

During pregnancy – and maybe even whilst trying for a baby – most sensible women will usually decide to stop drinking and quit cigarettes in a boosted attempted to conceive, and then protect the health of the baby whilst in the womb.

However, new research has suggested that men may also need to watch what they eat and drink, following advice usually reserved for women, for an obesity risk may be passed on to children through the father’s sperm.

The Danish scientists involved in the new study discovered a series of genetic markers in the sperm of obese men, which have the chance of altering brain development and appetite control. It is interesting to note that these same changes were not present within the sperm of lean males.
Although more research is clearly needed in order to confirm such a theory is definitive, the tentative finding – if confirmed in much bigger studies – could lead to pressure on overweight men to lose weight and get in shape prior to starting a family, which may boost the chances of a healthier child.
“We don’t yet know if this is important. But if what we’ve found is transmitted to children and is doing something negative, it raises new questions about what do we need to do, and how long we need to do it before we conceive,” said Romain Barrès who led the study at the University of Copenhagen.

Past studies have demonstrated that obesity risk is strongly linked to both their inherited genes and their surrounding environment. The combination of factors leads to childhood BMI increasing line with parental weight, whilst previous analysis of twins found that as much of 70% of the differences between people’s fat mass can be attributed to DNA.

Researchers in the Danish study decide to look at the ‘epigenetic information’ found in the sperm of 10 obese men and 13 lean men. This information isn’t encoded in DNA, but is contained within other chemicals that work with DNA. One such example is the methyl molecules that can attach to specific genes and silence them.

Epigenetics can function in different ways, by changing the the protein that wraps DNA (adding or removing chemical “tags” that alter the structure of DNA), or via genetic molecules called small RNAs.

Reporting their findings in the journal Cell Metabolism, the researchers analysed the epigenetic marks on sperm from the two groups of men, formulating what they argue is a “distinct epigenome that characterises human obesity.” A few of the changes found change behavioural genes and eating “and could participate in predisposing the offspring to obesity”.

The researchers next decided to study the epigenetic information contained in the sperm of 6 morbidly obese men both prior to, and after undergoing gastric bypass surgery. A week after surgery, the epigenetic markers on 1509 genes had found to be changed in the sperm, increasing to 3,910 after a year. Over half also differed between obese and lean men.

It is uncertain if the epigenetic markers discovered are passed onto offspring, in addition to the extent of the effects if they indeed are passed on. Although a small proportion survives, the majority of such epigenetic information transmitted by sperm is eradicated during fertilisation. Barrès said added that the next step will be to conduct studies to investigate the sperm from obese fathers and IVF embryos they have donated after completing their families.

Wolf Reik, head of epigenetics at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge said that studies in animals have shown that changes in nutrition can alter the epigenetic markers carried by sperm. “It’s totally unknown what happens to these marks after fertilisation. In some ways the signals need to survive the global wipeout system, which is why it’s even more remarkable,” he said. “How strong the effects are in human populations is totally unknown. It’s impossible to tell at this point. That’s why the study is provocative, but much more needs to be done.”

Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at Sheffield University, commnted although the study was intriguing and could warrant further investigation, it is too early to say what the observations meant for human health. “Until we know more, would-be parents should just aim to be as healthy as possible at the time of conception and not be drawn to faddy diets or other activities in order to try and influence the health of their children in ways we don’t properly understand.”

World AIDS Day 2015 hopes to break the stigma about the disease

As a provider of numerous sexual health products and treatments, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy are proudly supporting World Aids Day 2015, which presents a fantastic opportunity for everyone around the world to unite in the huge fight against HIV and AIDS.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the immune system; our body’s natural defence mechanism against infections and disease. Health Protection Agency statistics from 2011 showed 95% of UK diagnoses stemmed from sexual contact, according to NHS Choices – failure to use a condom during sexual intercourse being the primary factor. Those who share infected needles, syringes or other drug paraphernalia are also at a high risk.

Following infection, symptoms can take between 2 to 6 weeks to show, including common flu symptoms such as fever, sore throat, tiredness, muscular pain and a body rash may also appear. Those that believe they might be at risk should not delay in being tested.

Delaying vital critical treatment can be fatal and somebody diagnosed at a late stage is actually 9 times more likely to die within 12 months of receiving their diagnosis compared to somebody who gets tested and diagnosed at an early stage.

If HIV is left untreated or insufficiently managed, HIV then develops into AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). At this stage the body is no longer able to fight off life-threatening infections due to the severe damage inflicted to the immune system.

According to the World Health Organisation, HIV is still a huge global public health issue. Even though the virus was only formally identified in 1984, so far HIV or AIDS has been responsible for the loss of more than 35 million lives.

Most people will have heard in the news recently that controversial Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen confirmed he was diagnosed with HIV back in 2011, putting an end to persistent rumours circulating around Hollywood. During an interview with NBC’s Today programme, the former 2 and a Half Men star said he sought medical help following consecutive nights of waking up soaking in sweat, and that his subsequent treatment has apparently rendered the virus almost “undetectable” in his system.

Sheen’s interview revealed he had paid “millions” to buy the silence of those aware of his condition, and only proved a reminder that the virus has not gone away and neither has the stigma about HIV and AIDS, with so many people reluctant to seek help initially, running the risk of receiving a diagnosis when it could be too late.

By the end of 2014, there were approximately 36.9 million people living with HIV and within the UK, an estimated 18,000 people of the 100,000 with HIV are unaware that they are living with the virus.

Every year on 1 December the National Aids Trust charity host World AIDS Day, using the day to boost people both discussing HIV and to help spread information about the virus. It is hoped that by more people talking about it, HIV will slowly lose the secrecy and stigma that surrounds it. More understanding and knowledge about HIV and AIDS, should hopefully result in less prejudice and better prevention methods.

Moreover, HIV is just one of many sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in circulation. Medical Specialists® Pharmacy can provide STD treatment for many of the more common STDs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and genital herpes.

In addition, Medical Specialists® can provide almost 100% accurate pregnancy tests to be used in the privacy and comfort of the person’s own home, a wide variety of condoms to suit different preferences, emergency hormonal contraception (morning after pill), other contraceptive pills, and even a chlamydia test that can be used at home and posted off for a quick analysis and result, saving the time and embarrassment of having to personally attend a clinic for a check-up.

Please note that for every prescription medication mentioned which are provided by Medical Specialists®, all patients must first undergo an online consultation with one of the GMC-registered doctors at Medical Specialists®, or send in a private prescription by post, obtained by the patient’s own doctor.

Modified mosquitoes to eradicate malaria?

Researchers claim they have managed to genetically engineer mosquitoes which can resist the malaria infection, doing it in such a way that can nearly ensure the trait will rapidly spread through a population.

Californian researchers have utilised a cutting edge new technique known as gene editing, a technique that involves precise placement of new DNA to enable specific desired effects.
The gene editing technique they used – called CRISPR – allows the new trait to quickly spread and almost guaranteeing the new gene will be transmitted to new generations, limiting the transmission of malaria to humans.

“This opens up the real promise that this technique can be adapted for eliminating malaria,” said Anthony James of the University of California Irvine, who helped lead the study.

“We know the gene works. The mosquitoes we created are not the final brand, but we know this technology allows us to efficiently create large populations.”

The new breed that the researchers looked at were genetically modified Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes – of which normal versions are a common carrier of malaria within India and the Middle East – will not be able to either carry or transmit the deadly disease.

The scientists at the University of California modified the Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes’ DNA with a “resistance” gene, placed into the ‘code’ via a common “cut and paste” gene-altering method known as CRISPR/Cas9.

The technique has previously been utilised to look at the safety of using pig organs safe for human transplants, and produce an HIV-resistant immune system.

Specifically, an analysis was conducted on the mosquitoes’ DNA to try and transmit malaria-fighting antibodies for the particular type of malaria infection that impacts humans that infects humans - Plasmodium falciparum. For the modified mosquitoes, the malarial parasite is either killed off entirely, or stopped from forming into a strain that could be deadly to humans.

The Californian study includes an optimistic future plan to emit the modified mosquitoes into the wild and then the theory is these mosquitoes would give the anti-malarial genes to their offspring, thus generating a resistance to the parasite.

Amazingly, the DNA was successfully passed on to 99.5% of the mosquitoes’ offspring in the lab; genes only have a 50% chance of being passed on usually. In addition, a tracer gene was added to the malaria-resistant one, which would make the modified mosquitoes’ eyes become a fluorescent red in colour.

With further research and development, the team of scientists at the University of California are optimistic they will be able to eventually engineer an anti-malarial mosquito population, helping to eradicate a potentially deadly disease that afflicts millions of people around the globe each year.

Don’t forget, if you are wanting to escape the wet and miserable weather in the UK currently, and are travelling to particularly at-risk countries for malaria, The NHS Malaria Fit For Travel website offers advice about antimalarials such as Malarone and includes a map to show what other serious diseases are rife in certain regions.

Viagra for diabetes? Not as bizzare as it sounds…

A new study has shown that wonder erectile dysfunction drug Viagra may help to stave off the onset of type 2 diabetes.

The Researchers involved in the study discovered that the medication sildenafil – commonly sold under the brand name Viagra – boosts insulin sensitivity in those people with pre-diabetes, in addition to decreasing a biological marker that signals an increased risk of kidney and heart disease.

People who are in the pre-diabetes range are sometimes referred to as being ‘borderline diabetes’, which occurs when glucose levels are in the higher end of what is deemed ‘normal’, but not quite high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes – a condition that can lead to other complications such as heart disease or stroke, organ damage, blindness, limb amputation and is particularly common in men with suffering with erectile dysfunction.

Pre-diabetic people are typically found to be insulin resistant, meaning their bodies are unable to generate sufficient levels of the hormone insulin, or the hormone doesn’t function as it should in order to get rid of sugar from the blood.

Previous research has shown that if necessary intervention isn’t undertook, as many as 30% of people with pre-diabetes are probably going to go on and develop type 2 diabetes within a mere 5 years, with over 3 million Brits already having this kind of diabetes.

However, studies conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in the US have discovered that sildenafil also can improve the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream by muscle. This can then can then bring down the level of circulating glucose, possibly reducing diabetes risk.
Dr Nancy Brown, of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said: “We need additional strategies to help slow the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes.

“Weight loss and exercise regimens can be difficult to maintain, and some current medications have been limited by concerns about adverse effects.

“Sildenafil and related drugs could offer a potential avenue for addressing the rising number of diabetes diagnoses.”

Erectile dysfunction drug Viagra (sildenafil) works by inhibiting an enzyme responsible for breaking down a chemical known as cGMP, which relaxes blood vessels. Therefore, if the chemical stays in the body, the vessels will continue relaxing.

For the study – published in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism – 51 overweight participants were involved. All had pre-diabetes and were given either Viagra or a similar-looking placebo for 3 months.

All people were tested to measure how much insulin was being produced by the body in response to sugar in the blood, and how sensitive they were to the hormone. Also, they were given the ‘hyperglycemic clamp’ test prior to, and after, the treatment with the Viagra or equivalent placebo.

Moreover, the participant’s had their urine tested for levels of albumin and creatinine – indicators of heart and kidney health. Overall, 42 of the participants managed to finish the study. Those taking the Viagra were found to be more sensitive to the effects of insulin and had lower levels of albumin in the urine compared to the people taking a placebo.

High amounts of albumin in the urine are a marker of risk for kidney and heart disease.

Dr Brown said: “Because existing drug therapies to prevent type 2 diabetes can have negative effects on the heart or be of limited use in patients with kidney disease, strategies to prevent diabetes without adversely affecting the risk of kidney and heart disease could have a large impact on public health.
“Further studies will be needed to determine whether long-term treatment with drugs like sildenafil can prevent the onset of diabetes in high-risk patients.”

Thousands of Brits could have mycoplasma infection STI

Just when you thought you probably knew about all the different sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in circulation, a new one turns up and is now striking fear amongst health experts that there could be thousands of people living with the disease in the UK – and unaware of it.

Well, despite being commonly reported as a “new” type of infection…Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) – as the STI is being referred as – was first discovered back in the 1980s.

The infection stems from a bacterium located within the urinary and genital tracts of humans. Affecting around 1% of people aged 16 to 44 years old, it does not produce many symptoms – practically none for those already infected – but research has shown it can be passed through unprotected sexual intercourse.

Researchers assessed data extracted from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, and determined that unsurprisingly, those with a higher number of sexual partners, people failing to use condoms, those living in deprived areas and people in the 25 to 44 age range are most at risk.

Findings reported in the International Journal of Epidemiology demonstrated that 1% of 16 to 44-year-olds in Britain who have had sex are living with MG. The report involved a cross-sectional study analysing the link between sexual activity and MG.

Researchers looked at the urine samples of 4500 people (both men and women) between 16 and 44 years old that had stated previously having sex at some point, in addition to the samples of about 200 people who reported never having had sex.

No cases of the mycoplasma infection were discovered in the people who had never had sex, whilst the infection was found in approximately 1% of the sexually active participants.

The mycoplasma infection was prevalent in 1.2% of men and 1.3% of women. The prevalence peaked at 2.1% in men aged between 25 and 34, while in women, the peak prevalence occurred in 16 to 19 year olds (2.4%) and then decreased with age.

MG seems to more prevalent in those that have had over 4 sexual partners in the preceding 12 months, whilst MG-positive men were found to be likely to have reported a previously diagnosed gonorrhoea, syphilis, or non-specific urethritis, while women reported previous cases of trichomoniasis. Researchers also noted that incidence of MG was higher in those living in the most deprived areas and black men.

The majority of those who came back positive for MG did not report having any noticeable symptoms but a high proportion of women with symptoms, said they were bleeding after sex. Other known symptoms were genital discharge, testicular and pelvic pain, with scientists believing that more long-term ramifications could include pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and female infertility.

Nigel Field, consultant clinical epidemiologist at Public Health England (PHE), and one of the researchers behind the new study, said it had found further evidence that MG is an STI.
“MG is a bacterium that was present in around 1% of the general population aged 16 to 44 years, who had reported at least one sexual partner,” he said.

“The study adds to the accumulating evidence-base that MG causes infection in some men and women, and the study found that women with MG were more likely to report bleeding after sexual activity.

“However, over 90% of men and more than half of women with MG had no symptoms. It may be that MG does not cause illness in all individuals in whom the infection is detected.

“Laboratory testing for MG is not yet widely available in the UK.”

He added that there would need to be more research into the “clinical consequences of MG infection” prior to any work being carried out on screening or preventative methods for the infection.

“PHE has recently established national surveillance to monitor diagnoses of MG from any clinics undertaking testing and will continue to gather public health data on MG to inform policy on infection control,” he said.

“As for all STIs, prevention measures promoting increased condom use and a reduction in sexual risk behaviours are likely to play an important role in efforts to control MG.”

Mycoplasma genitalium is just one of numerous STIs in circulation and until treatment is developed, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy provide treatments for many of the more common STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and genital herpes.

In addition, Medical Specialists® can provide almost 100% accurate pregnancy tests to be used in the privacy and comfort of your own home, a wide variety of condoms to suit different preferences, emergency hormonal contraception (morning after pill), other contraceptive pills, and even a chlamydia test you can take at home and post off for a quick analysis and result, saving you the time and embarrassment of having to personally attend a clinic for a check-up.

Chris Evans and his Hair Loss

Male pattern baldness will affect nearly half of men by the time they reach the age of 50, regardless of social class, race, etc.…that is the simple truth. Hair loss does not discriminate, and Medical Specialists® Pharmacy have reported countless celebrity hair loss stories over the years, such as Wayne Rooney’s very expensive hair transplant at a Harley Street clinic, Justin Bieber cheekily saying that Prince William should use hair loss treatment Propecia, and golfer Rory McilRoy teasing fellow pro Tiger Woods about his diminishing hair.

One story that seems to have resonated with the British public was the article Medical Specialists® published all the way back in 2011 about Chris Evans’ battle with hair loss, leading to a massive surge in traffic to the Medical Specialists® website from men wanting to combat their hair loss as well.

The popular, outspoken television and radio presenter first rose to prominence back in the early 1990s as the presenter of The Big Breakfast, and later his own written-and-presented show ‘Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush’.

With his thick, wavy ginger hair and rather prominent black, square glasses, Evans instantly stood out from the crowd, becoming popular amongst viewers; viewing figures for The Big Breakfast reached around two million per episode in 1993 – the highest rated UK breakfast television programme at the time.

However, Evans has not been without drama in his personal life, now into his third marriage and going through a notoriously bitter and public divorce from former Loose Women presenter Carol McGiffin back in 1994. It could be that these testing times in his personal life have affected his once luxurious thick head of ginger hair. After all, stress is just one of many factors that is often believed to be a contributor to hair loss.

Evans has commented on his hair loss many times in recent years, seemingly intent on fighting the problem before he turns 50 next year. The TV and radio personality actually invited the renowned Harley Street Trichologist Dr Hugh Rushton onto his Radio 2 Drivetime show in June 2008 to discuss some facts about male pattern baldness to listeners.

Then in 2011, the DJ revealed on his Radio 2 show that he was taking hair loss treatment, but did not confirm exactly what the treatment was, but from his comments it would suggest he was taking Propecia. Evans commented that in addition to the new hair growth on his scalp, there had been growth on other areas of his body too.

He said: “I’m taking these pills to help my hair grow but it’s not only the hair on my head that’s growing. Lots of trimming to be done.”

It remains to be seen if the DJ is still taking his hair ‘pills’, but he has most likely stopped them by now, going off the comments he made in October whilst appearing on an episode of Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. Speaking to presenter Tim Lovejoy, Evans stated he was using ‘drops’ for hair growth, but didn’t specify which drops these were, adding they had been running down his face causing some hair growth there as well.

The drops in question were no doubt obtained from his ‘hair doctor’ Dr Rushton. There is a possibility Evans has already tried Regaine Foam or Regaine Lotion in the first instance, so what is this lotion that he was speaking about. When we asked leading retired Trichologist David Bailey, he said, “…Hugh like myself has dabbled with topical anti-androgens for some time, but it’s quite possible that he may have other ingredients in the lotion like Bimatoprost. This is the ingredient of Lumigan eye drops used for glaucoma, which have been shown to grow eye lashes in the patients that used them, and published medical papers have shown it to have an effect in re-growing male hair loss. Though I cannot go with the statement by Chris Evans, saying he grew facial hair due spillage on his face…I don’t think that is possible.”

Any male or female suffering with hair loss can find all the latest hair loss treatments on the Medical Specialists® website. We have the aforementioned Propecia (for men only), both Regaine Foam and Regaine Lotion (for either men or women), as well as Regaine for Women and Florisene – the latter of which is often taken for female hair loss in addition to the combined oral contraceptive pill Dianette.

Medical Specialists® Pharmacy embrace Ask Your Pharmacist Week 2015

In less than 1 week’s time will see the start of Ask Your Pharmacist (AYP) Week 2015, running from 9-15 November 2015. During past AYP weeks, there have been exhibitions, social media campaigns, opinion surveys by students, poster campaigns etc. to increase patient awareness regarding pharmacy as a healthcare resource.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has published numerous videos, such as one that discusses the services patients can expect from their local pharmacy, in addition to information about pharmacy services which are useful for men, as previous AYP weeks have aimed to boost awareness for men’s health.

For AYP 2015, the primary aims will be to raise public awareness about the services provided at local pharmacies in the framework of the theme “Ask Your Pharmacist about Medicines and More”, such as hammering home the message that a pharmacy isn’t merely just a place to go to collect prescribed medication.

The pharmacy can be so much more! For example, some might be unaware that pharmacies can even provide services to help people stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight, manage alcohol consumption and offer screening and health checks, such as sexually transmitted infection and blood pressure testing. The great news is that patients can pop in without the need for an appointment and many of these services are completely free.

Also, with winter fast approaching, it is also worth remembering that many local pharmacies provide flu jabs – free of charge on the NHS for those in the ‘at risk’ groups. There are an estimated 13,000 community pharmacies within the UK and 96% of people can access a pharmacy in 20 minutes, either by foot or via public transport.

One of the aims of AYP week is that patients understand that pharmacists are not just there for handing out prescriptions and painkillers. This is crucial now more than ever with the government cutting funding for many GP surgeries, meaning it is increasingly difficult to get a doctor’s appointment, and pharmacists are becoming more important.

Approximately 50 million GP visits each year are for non-life threatening problems such as coughs and colds, mild eczema and athlete’s foot. However, if people popped into their local pharmacy instead, they could save both themselves and their GP time and trouble. Instead of attempting to book, and then waiting, for a GP appointment, why not go to see your local pharmacist at any time.

Moreover, we at Medical Specialists® Pharmacy know that it can be sometimes near-impossible nowadays to get in at the doctors, and many patients find it difficult going to the doctor about more ‘embarrassing’ conditions, such as requesting Viagra for erectile dysfunction, or antibiotics for sexually transmitted infections, which is why 1,000s of new patients are coming to Medical Specialists® each and every month.

Please note that for every prescription medication mentioned which are provided by Medical Specialists®, all patients must first undergo an online consultation with one of the GMC-registered doctors at Medical Specialists®, or send in a private prescription by post, obtained by the patient’s own doctor.

On top of this, Medical Specialists® already have an ‘Ask Our Doctor / Pharmacist’ facility on the Medical Specialists® website, negating the need to physically attend a pharmacy – some people might struggle to get to a pharmacy during the week due to work commitments.

Patients can simply fill in their details – including email address – and whatever the enquiry may be. It doesn’t matter how trivial it is, whether it is a question regarding the safety and efficacy of taking 2 different medications together, possible side effects of a new treatment, or if you would like Medical Specialists® to begin to stock a particular product or type of medication…simply fill in the query and one of the Medical Specialists® doctors or pharmacists will use their experience and knowledge to provide a detailed, helpful response by email.

In addition, every year the NHS spends around £12 billion on medicines, but between 30 and 50 per cent of patients aren’t taking them as prescribed. Don’t forget, all pharmacists are trained in medicine, so they can suggest an alternative if a patient is having problems with a drug, or offer advice to that patient, especially if he or she is taking multiple medications.

NHS Choices offer comprehensive advice on when it is appropriate to speak to a pharmacist, or when it would be better to see a GP or even go straight to accident and emergency at hospital.
Their website states:

Your pharmacist may be able to help with:

•     Skin conditions, such as mild acne and mild eczema.
•     Coughs and colds, including nasal congestion and sore throat.
•     Minor cuts and bruises.
•     Constipation and haemorrhoids (piles).
•     Hay fever and allergies.
•     Aches and pains, such as headaches, earache and back pain.
•     Indigestion, diarrhoea and threadworms.
•     Period pain and thrush.
•     Warts and verrucas, mouth ulcers and cold sores.
•     Athlete’s foot.
•     Nappy rash and teething.

Some pharmacies also provide truss fittings, stoma products and incontinence supplies.
Go to your GP or a walk-in centre for:

•     Wound and dressing care.
•     Muscle and joint injuries, including strains and sprains.
•     Minor lacerations and cuts.
•     Infected wounds.

Go to accident and emergency (A&E) for:

•     Head injuries or loss of consciousness.
•     Suturing (stitches).
•     Foreign bodies.
•     Suspected broken bones or heavy blood loss.
•     Persistent chest pain or difficulty breathing.
•     Overdose or poisoning.

If an injury or illness is not serious, patients can seek help from a minor injuries unit (MIU), rather than going to an A&E department, plus there is also the NHS Choices online symptom checker, NHS 111 or an NHS walk-in or urgent care centres.

Activities planned during Ask Your Pharmacist Week include health checks in shopping centres across the UK, community talks, pharmacy window displays and pharmacy visits by local dignitaries.

Sugar is catastrophic for the body, study suggests

Sugar is getting an increasingly bad rap. Only last week, a leaked report by government advisory group Public Health England - which health secretary Jeremy Hunt initially tried to keep hushed – pinpointed sugar’s role in a soaring obesity crisis and proposed “a price increase of a minimum of 10%-20% on high-sugar products through the use of a tax or levy”.

Meanwhile, on Monday 20 October, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver gave evidence to the Health Committee on childhood obesity about why a sugar tax should be slapped onto food and drink, despite previous opposition to the idea by some ministers, including Prime Minister David Cameron, who instead has indicated that measures such as a clampdown on advertising and marketing deals could form part of a childhood obesity strategy.

Oliver has already added a sugar-levy to his restaurant chains, but has faced criticism for his apparent lack of understanding about the issue of obesity – especially within the different social classes.
However, the celebrity chef’s grave concerns about the impact of sugar on the human body would appear to carry weight, with the suggestions from a new study that reducing sugar in diets even without cutting calories or losing weight can significantly boost health in less than 10 days.
The study, featured in the journal Obesity, looked at obese children and discovered significant changes in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol in less than a fortnight.

In total, 43 children aged nine to 18 took part in the study at the University of California San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital. All children participating in the study were obese with at least one other chronic disorder, such as high blood pressure.

They were given 9 days of food prepared for them by the clinic and were weighed each day. The added sugar in their diet was cut back from 28% to 10%. In addition, the fructose – a type of sugar often advisable to limit – was reduced from 12% to 4% of their total calorie intake.

Results clearly showed that the new meal plan given to the children resulted in major improvements to their health in a short duration. Diastolic blood pressure dropped by 5mm, levels of blood fats called triglycerides dropped by 33 points, LDL-cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, dropped by 10 points, and liver function tests improved.

The diet overall stuck to the same fat, protein, carbohydrate, and calorie levels as their previous diets at home, but sugary food was replaced by starchy food such as turkey, hot dogs, crisps and pizza.
The Scientists involved in the study state that sugar was “metabolically harmful not because of its calories” but due to the fact it is putting a lot of strain on the body.

The study assessed potential impacts of limiting sugar on metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that raise heart disease risk, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. Those with metabolic syndrome may find they have raised blood pressure, high blood glucose levels, excess body fat around the waist and unusual cholesterol levels.

During the study, those children that did lose weight, were then given more low sugar foods to keep weight stable.

Lead author, Dr Robert Lustig, said: “This study definitively shows that sugar is metabolically harmful not because of its calories or its effects on weight; rather sugar is metabolically harmful because it’s sugar.

“This internally controlled intervention study is a solid indication that sugar contributes to metabolic syndrome, and is the strongest evidence to date that the negative effects of sugar are not because of calories or obesity.”

Jean-Marc Schwarz, senior author of the paper, added: “I have never seen results as striking or significant in our human studies.

“After only nine days of fructose restriction, the results are dramatic and consistent from subject to subject.”

“All of the surrogate measures of metabolic health got better, just by substituting starch for sugar in their processed food — all without changing calories or weight or exercise,” said Dr Lustig.
“These findings support the idea that it is essential for parents to evaluate sugar intake and to be mindful of the health effects of what their children are consuming.

“When we took the sugar out, the kids started responding to their satiety cues.

“They told us it felt like so much more food, even though they were consuming the same number of calories as before, just with significantly less sugar.

“Some said we were overwhelming them with food.”

Dr Lustig said: “This study demonstrates that a calorie is not a calorie.

“Where those calories come from determines where in the body they go.”

“Sugar calories are the worst, because they turn to fat in the liver, driving insulin resistance, and driving risk for diabetes, heart, and liver disease.

“This has enormous implications for the food industry, chronic disease, and health care costs.”

Dr Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist and advisor to Action on Sugar, said: “It’s time to abandon the outdated notion that a calorie is a calorie theory that continues to damage public health. This study provides further evidence that all calories do not have the same metabolic effects on the body with sugar calories being particularly harmful.”

Tracy Parker, heart health dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study is interesting, but we need more research to confirm these findings. Previous studies have suggested that eating too much added sugar increases a person’s risk of development of the various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, because of the link with excess calorie intake leading to obesity.”

Unlicensed male impotence medicines seized in the UK

Over the years, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy have reported countless instances of people being heavily prosecuted for their dealings with counterfeit drugs.

It is worth bearing in mind, counterfeiters are inevitably always tracked and traced by the relevant authorities and eventually punished with severe fines and long prison sentences.

Many countries’ governments are so fed up with the huge problem of dangerous fake medicines in circulation, that they are almost adopting a zero-tolerance policy and will not hesitate to imprison anyone for up to 10 years or more…Yet apparently this still doesn’t deter some people from trying to make money off the health of the unsuspecting public that buy these poorly-produced ‘medicines’.

One of the most commonly imitated type of drug is erectile dysfunction (ED) medications, i.e. Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, etc., prescribed to men suffering with impotence, and it has been reported that a large haul of ED drugs have been seized in the latest UK sting.

Almost £1 million worth of unlicensed erectile dysfunction medicines have been seized from a property in Datchet, Slough, resulting in the arrest of a 37-year-old male.

The as-yet unnamed 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an unauthorised medication, knowing or believing it would be supplied to another person, and has now been bailed until 10 February 2016.

MHRA Head of Operations, Danny Lee-Frost gave a warning for those thinking of trying to make money from counterfeit drugs, and explained the dangers present for those that take a counterfeited drug. He said:

“Selling unlicensed medicines is both illegal and poses a serious health hazard. Anyone thinking of committing this fraud should be under no illusions – we will come and find you.
“Criminals involved in the illegal supply of medical products aren’t interested in your health – they are only interested in your money.

“People should think very carefully before purchasing pills on the internet because you have no idea what you may be taking or where they come from. To protect your health, visit your GP, get a correct diagnosis and buy medicines from a legitimate high street or registered pharmacy which can trade online.

“Unlicensed medicines can be dangerous as they can contain impurities, wrong ingredients, and there is no way of knowing if they are manufactured to ensure acceptable standards of quality and safety.
“MHRA will continue to work with UK law enforcement agencies to crack down on those who put the public health at risk.”

Here at Medical Specialists® Pharmacy, we only supply genuine branded medication such as (Pfizer) Viagra, we only dispense medication after a patient has undergone a consultation with one of our fully registered GP’s, who will make sure the medication is both right and safe for you. In addition to that we are fully registered with the National Pharmacy Association and the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Medical Specialists® are fully aware that there are thousands of illegal websites plaguing the internet that offer ‘discounted’ and ‘genuine’ medicines. We speak to many patients who are clearly very reluctant to obtain medicines online. With this in mind, here are some important factors to be alert of when browsing through different websites:

. No requirement of a doctors’ consultation for prescription medication.

. Long delivery times, sometimes up to several weeks. This is due to the drug being imported from a foreign country before it gets to you.

. The price of the medication is a lot cheaper than what would be expected, sometimes by as much as 70%.

. The website does not list any contact details, e.g. a telephone and fax number, email address, company address or details of its pharmacists, doctors, etc.

. A registered Pharmacy such as Medical Specialists® Pharmacy will have the GPhC green cross logo together with its Pharmacy number. This number can be checked to see if it does actually exist.

. The company registration and VAT number should both be clearly stated on the website. Both of these are a legal requirement.

Embarrassing Problem? Back to Medical Specialists®…

The Channel 4 program Embarrassing Bodies has highlighted many obvious health problems that bring a great deal of distress to those suffering with them, but in the present day and age there are still thousands of people that are reluctant to go and speak to their doctor regarding genuine health issues that could be considered to be ‘embarrassing’.

A recent survey looked at around 61 million Google UK searches related to ‘embarrassing’ conditions, and discovered that the most embarrassing problems include anxiety, chlamydia and thrush.

However, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy helps thousands of patients around the world with countless other health concerns, problems that people are simply too reluctant to see their doctor about for treatment. With all prescription medications obtained from Medical Specialists®, the patient has to answer a series of medical questions (a consultation), and one of the GMC-registered doctors will assess and determine if that patient is suitable for the particular treatment. Basically, the patient doesn’t have to deal with any potential ‘embarrassing’ face-to-face contact.

Here, we run through the most common ‘embarrassing’ problems that Medical Specialists® patients have come to them seeking treatment for:

Acne

Acne usually starts in puberty, but it affects adults too. Around 80% of teenagers get some form of acne, and there are many myths about what causes it. Here are facts and details of acne treatments and products.

Acne consists of spots and painful bumps on the skin. It’s most noticeable on the face, but can also appear on the back, shoulders and buttocks. Severe acne can cause scarring.

The most common cause is when the skin reacts to hormonal changes. Skin contains sebaceous glands that naturally release sebum, an oily substance that helps protect it.

Adult acne is caused by raised levels of the hormone testosterone, which can cause too much sebum to be produced. It’s the sebum that can block hair follicles.

When dead skin cells mix with the blockage, it can lead to the formation of spots. Bacteria in the skin multiply, which can cause pain and swelling (inflammation) beneath the blockages.

There are different kinds of spots:

. Blackheads – small, blocked pores.
. Whiteheads – small, hard bumps with a white centre.
. Pustules – spots with a lot of pus visible.
. Nodules – hard, painful lumps under the skin.

Inflammatory acne is when the skin is also red and swollen. This needs to be treated early to prevent scarring.

Try not to pick or squeeze spots as this can cause inflammation and lead to scarring. Spots will eventually go away on their own, but they might leave redness in the skin for some weeks or months afterwards.

Medical Specialists® provide an extensive range of acne treatments, which include Aknemycin, Differin Cream, Differin Gel, Duac, Epiduo Gel, Minocin, and many more.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the UK. It’s a bacterial infection, which is found in semen and vaginal fluids. Chlamydia is usually passed from one person to another during vaginal, oral or anal sex, or by sharing sex toys.

Half of men and the majority of women do not notice any symptoms. However, symptoms and complications may develop if it is left untreated. Usually symptoms appear between one and three weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. In some cases, the symptoms occur many months later, or not until the infection has spread. In women, Chlamydial infection usually affects the cervix and uterus (the womb). In men, it usually affects the urethra in the penis. Chlamydia sometimes causes infection of the eye, throat, and lungs. If not treated, Chlamydia can cause pelvic pain, infertility and blocked fallopian tubes in females. In males, testicular problems and reduced fertility can occur.

Sexually active people should test every year and when they have a new partner. If you think you might have Chlamydia, it’s important to get tested quickly. You can get tested whether or not you have symptoms. The Clamelle Chlamydia Test Kit from Medical Specialists® is everything you need for a confidential test at home, avoiding embarrassing visits to your doctor or GP. Just place your order and we will post the test kit to you, which you can use to check yourself. Take a quick urine sample and post the sample to the laboratory in the envelope provided, and the result is posted or emailed back to you by the laboratory a few days later.

For those diagnosed with chlamydia, Azithromycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, used to treat a number of infections caused by bacteria, including the sexually transmitted infections Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea. Moreover, Doxycycline is an alternative antibiotic treatment for treating Chlamydia. Doxycycline is equally as effective as Azithromycin, but the treatment needs to be taken twice daily for 7 days.

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile Dysfunction (ED), also known as male impotence is a very common condition affecting about 4 in 10 men over 40. Erection problems may have considerable effects on a man’s self-esteem and may create stress that can damage his health and relationship with his partner. Erectile Dysfunction therapy is very effective and the three initial prescribed medications were Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.

Since July 2013 Sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra) is now available in a generic form. We also now stock the 2nd generation erectile dysfunction medication Spedra.
For men who find it difficult to swallow tablets Levitra Orodispersible is a new dissolvable version of the oral impotence treatment Levitra. They dissolve on your tongue within seconds, allowing you to take it discreetly whenever you need to.

Hair Loss

Almost a third of UK women (30%) and around two-thirds of men (66%) suffer thinning hair or baldness, according to the research.

Despite the fact hair loss is very common – approximately 80% of men experience some sort of hair loss at some time in their life – it seems two in five men would prefer to suffer alone in silence than seek help and one in ten women are doing the same.

There is no reason to suffer alone though, millions of people in Britain alone are battling hair loss and Medical Specialists® Pharmacy are here to help. With our extensive range of hair loss treatments for men and women, you can act now to halt the progression of hair loss, and even possibly see regrowth of hair.

Medical Specialists® can provide the prescription-only medication Propecia (finasteride), which is used to treat male pattern baldness and works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT, which thought to cause hair loss.  It is obtainable following a quick and easy 4-step process, which includes an online consultation with one of the Medical Specialists’® in-house doctors.

Other options that can be used in conjunction to Propecia include Regaine Foam or Regaine Lotion, as featured in numerous television adverts. Obtainable from Medical Specialists Pharmacy, Regaine products contain the active ingredient Minoxidil; clinically proven to help prevent further hereditary hair loss. Minoxidil works by increasing the blood supply to the hair follicles, helping to strengthen existing hair and stimulate secondary hair growth.

Women can also take minoxidil, contained within Regaine for Women, and have the option of the over-the-counter treatment Florisene® – strongly recommended as an addition to any female hair loss treatment. Florisene® is especially recommended for women who have reduced hair volume (compared with several years ago) or who have recently noticed hair shedding as seen by more hairs in the brush, comb or when shampooing.

Obesity

In the USA and the UK, people with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 30 are categorised as overweight, and those with an index above 30 are categorised as obese. Obesity is a chronic condition characterised by an excess of body fat. It is a risk factor for several chronic diseases, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease; sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis, and some cancers. About 280,000 deaths a year are attributable to obesity.

Obesity treatments include Xenical, Orlistat and Alli. All work within the digestive system in the small intestine as a fat absorber. Orlistat (the active ingredient in all 3 treatments) works to blocks out some of the fat in food eaten in the patient’s diet. If the fat is not digested, it cannot be stored, and passes naturally out of your body through your stool.

Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is one of the most common and frustrating sexual problems that a man can suffer from, and is something they find difficult to discuss with their own doctor. Men with this problem climax (come) before penetration or in less than two minutes after penetration.

Ejaculating too soon is embarrassing and unsatisfying for both partners. It is particularly common in younger men however many middle-aged men also have this problem. It often occurs early in relationships when excitement, some anxiety and over stimulation are common features.

It is also more common in younger men who are finding out about sexual activity and sexual relationships, and men of all ages after a long period without sex. Premature ejaculation is rarely caused by any underlying disease, structural or physical problems.

There are different proven techniques to prevent premature ejaculation such as self-distraction (taking a deep breath and thinking about something boring), stop and start method (stopping and starting sexual stimulation and changing intercourse positions), and squeeze method (squeezing below the tip of your penis for 10 to 20 seconds when you feel the climax is imminent).

There are also creams and sprays used to desensitise the end of the penis. They act like a local or topical anaesthetic. Some condoms have special Benzocaine cream inside the teat end of the condom to help control climax and prolong sexual excitement for longer lasting lovemaking. Oral tablets or pills are now available to help prevent premature ejaculation, but unfortunately not via the NHS.

Thrush

Thrush is a fungal infection caused by Candida albicans. The most common symptoms in women are itching, soreness and redness around the vagina, vulva and anus, unusual vaginal discharge which may be thin, thick and look like cottage cheese or pain on passing urine or during sex.

Thrush infections are relatively common in men as well. The most common symptoms in men are irritation, burning or itching under the foreskin or at the tip of the penis, redness or red patches on the penis or under the foreskin, a thick or thin discharge, like cottage cheese, under the foreskin or discomfort when passing urine.

All these symptoms can be embarrassing while some people don’t have any signs or symptoms, and may not be aware they have thrush. Sometimes thrush symptoms will be noticed during a vaginal examination for a cervical screening test.

Canesten Oral and Cream Duo is an oral capsule and soothing cream to treat thrush. Each capsule contains 150 mg of the active ingredient Fluconazole. This treatment is suitable for men and women. Diflucan (Fluconazole) is an anti-fungal medicine prescribed as a single dose for vaginal thrush. You can take it at any time of day, either before or after a meal. This treatment is for women only.

‘Female Viagra’ Addyi (Flibanserin) hits the American market

American women rejoiced on Saturday 17^th October after the commonly touted ‘female Viagra’ finally launched in the United States.

Addyi (known generically as Flibanserin) finally received the required approval from the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) on 18 August, albeit reluctantly, with the little pink pill previously facing two rejections on account of concerns about just how effective it was and any potential side effects – especially when alcohol is consumed.

The FDA have strongly warned that women should never drink alcohol while taking Addyi as the risk of fainting is high. This also poses a higher risk for drivers.

However, women that have lost their sexual desire can now go to their doctor and ask for Addyi (it is available on prescription only), and should find that they will be quizzed about their current method of birth control, prescribed medications, relationship with their partner, as well as if they have previously suffered from depression or other mental health problems.

The National Institute of Health claim that around 40% of women in America suffer from female sexual dysfunction, but Addyi is targeted at the estimated 10% of premenopausal women – around 16 million American women – who suffer from hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). HSDD is characterised as a constant lack of sexual thoughts and interest in sexual activity, resulting in a state of distress and cannot be explained by another medical condition or substance, such as anxiety or relationship issues.

Addyi becomes the first pill-based treatment of any type of low sexual desire, and many women will be unaware it has launched. Moreover, American women will not be inundated with advertisements on television, radio, print or digital advertising for at least 18 months.

The drug’s manufacturer’s – Sprout Pharmaceuticals - has agreed to forgo all paid advertising for more than a year to slightly ease the FDA’s worries about Addyi’s safety.

The promise to FDA will not prevent Sprout from promoting Addyi via various other popular mediums, with Sprout’s eagerness to engage with women through social media, in addition to holding interviews with media outlets and other influential organisations, demonstrating a new way forward for pharmaceutical marketing strategy.

“I think what they’re doing is pretty clever, actually,” Dan Leinweber, president at a boutique PR firm called Leinweber Associates, said. “This is a much less costly way to get their word out in a much more credible way.”

Widely popular erectile dysfunction treatment Viagra also happened to be a completely new treatment within a new class of sexual medicine upon its introduction to the world back in 1998. In the subsequent 17 years, ‘the little blue pill’ Viagra has easily become one of the most heavily advertised drugs in the world, bringing in massive amounts of profit for its maker Pfizer. An incredible $232 million was spent on advertising Viagra by Pfizer in 2014, and Viagra brought in a record $2 billion in revenue in 2012.

Thus far, it remains to be seen if Sprout will begin to look at the UK and other European countries for a release of Addyi, with no word yet on their future plans for the drug. Before any drug is sold in Britain though, it has to receive a license from the European Medicines Agency. Keep checking the Medical Specialists® Pharmacy website for further updates.