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.

Don’t let arthritis become a pain this National Arthritis Week

Monday 12 October happened to be both World Arthritis Day and the first day of National Arthritis Week 2015, which will be running until Sunday 18 October.

The awareness week is organised by the charity Arthritis Research UK and is used as an effective way to highlight the huge day-to-day impact that arthritis has for those with it, in addition to providing their friends and family, information to successfully manage the condition.

As a long-term provider of a wide range of treatments for both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis such as brufen (ibuprofen), celebrex (celecoxib), diclofenac, naproxen, etc., at Medical Specialists® Pharmacy we are fully aware and sympathetic to arthritis sufferers; the pain associated with the condition can be excruciating, constant and cause otherwise ‘simple’ tasks in life, difficult to perform.

However, Arthritis Research UK want people to use National Arthritis Week as an opportunity to share their story to help boost awareness about what exactly it is like to live with the invisible pain of arthritis, in the hope that one day, people will be able to enjoy a life without pain.

In the UK alone, there are an estimated 10 million people with arthritis. There are many different types of arthritis (such as ankylosing spondylitis, gout, lupus, etc.), but the two most common types of arthritis by far are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. 

Osteoarthritis

  

Osteoarthritis afflicts 8 million people in the UK, making it the most common form of the condition. It is most prevalent in people over the age of 50 years of age, but can occur in younger people, following injury or another joint-related condition. The joints that are most commonly affected are those in the hands, hips, knees and spine.

Movement can prove difficult as osteoarthritis begins to impact the smooth cartilage lining of the join resulting in pain and stiffness. The cartilage can then thin, and tissues within the joint may become more active, causing swelling and the development of small bony spurs, called osteophytes. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage (connective tissue) between bones withers away, causing the bones to rub against one another.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Over 400,000 people are believed to suffer with rheumatoid arthritis in the UK. The condition tends to arise when a person is between the ages of 40 and 50, with women three times more likely to have it.

Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis differ due to the fact rheumatoid arthritis arises as the body's immune system impacts the affected joints, resulting in the pain and swelling. 

The first area often affected is the outer covering (synovium) of the joint, before spreading across the joint, with the shape of the joint altered as the swelling increases. The bone and cartilage are then eroded. Those suffering with rheumatoid arthritis are also susceptible to other problems related to tissues and organs.

It is not just in Britain that the problem is prevalent though - arthritis and other types of musculoskeletal pain are in fact common, global problems that can impact any person irrespective of age (children can develop arthritis), sex, ethnicity or job.

Arthritis Research UK provide the funding for around 20 grants that have a combined value of about £6 million, dedicated to the research into understanding the cause of pain and attempting to develop new therapies and drugs to treat it.

Symptoms of arthritis

The symptoms of arthritis that people will experience can vary according to the specific type of arthritis he or she has, so therefore it is crucial to receive an accurate diagnosis if you suffer with one or more of the following symptoms:

•     Difficult moving a joint.
•     Fatigue.
•     Inflammation in and around the joints.
•     Joint pain, tenderness and stiffness.
•     Muscle weakness.
•     Poor sleep.
•     Warm, red skin over the affected joint.
•     Weight loss.

Treatment of arthritis

Unfortunately, there is no definitive/outright cure for arthritis, however health experts often recommend a good intake of omega 3 fats as they can prevent or subside symptoms, as the fats help to reduce inflammation. Moreover, Vitamin D – also known as “the sunshine vitamin” - can help to prevent rheumatoid arthritis. Excellent Vitamin D-containing foods include fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon and tuna. In addition, there are many arthritis treatments provided by Medical Specialists® that can be taken to slow down the condition.

For osteoarthritis, painkillers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, celebrex (celecoxib), diclofenac and brufen (ibuprofen), and corticosteroids, are usually prescribed. However, revolutionary osteoarthritis treatment flexiseq gel has also proved highly popular with patients of Medical Specialists® since the pharmacy started to provide it almost 2 years ago. The gel is remarkably free of any drug – meaning there are none of the side-effects of oral painkillers - and dries onto the skin, travelling into the affected joint(s) to reduce pain and restore mobility in the joint(s). Flexiseq gel may be particularly beneficial to those that don’t like to take tablets, or struggle to swallow them.

For the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, the primary focus is limiting the progress of the condition as well as limiting the damage to the affected joints. The treatments usually include analgesics (painkillers), disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), regular exercise and physiotherapy.

Exercise may benefit asthma sufferers after all!

If you are asthmatic, you may want to consider adopting a more active lifestyle, as new research suggests that adult asthma sufferers could see their symptoms relieved somewhat with just 30 minutes of exercise per day.

In the Canadian study – published in BMJ Open Respiratory Research – the researchers assessed the exercise habits of 643 participants diagnosed with asthma.

The researchers discovered that those who had completed optimal recommended levels of physical activity on a regular basis, were actually almost 2.5 times more likely to have good control of their asthma symptoms, in comparison to the participants that had not done any exercise.

The good news is, the physical activity required to significantly reap the benefits doesn’t appear to have to be too strenuous, such as competing in a marathon, and can be something simple such as walking, riding a bike or doing yoga.

Lead author Simon Bacon, a professor in the Department of Exercise Science at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, saw how whilst there was evidence of exercise benefits for asthma patients, the majority of the findings emanated from studies involving children. Therefore, the decision was made to investigate exercise and asthma control within adults.

In the past, those that suffer with asthma have typically been told to severely limit exercise, stemming from the belief it will cause a shortness of breath and asthma attacks. Bacon explains that simple precautionary measures can be taken to avoid the discomforts brought on by physical activity.
However, Professor Bacon says that there are basic precautionary measures asthmatics can take to limit symptoms that can arise as a result of physical activity.

“The issue of exercise-induced bronchospasm is real but if you use your reliever medication, blue puffer, before you exercise, and then take the time to cool down afterwards, you should be okay. Even if you have asthma, there’s no good reason not to get out there and exercise,” he said.

Professor Bacon and his team of researchers found that only 100 of the study’s 643 participants reported doing the optimal 30 minutes of exercise a day. In addition, 245 admitted to doing no exercise whatsoever.

According to Professor Bacon, this statistic does indeed reflect the general population, as 40% of people do not do any exercise at all.

He states that doing some exercise is better than nothing, and more is better than less. “Even the smallest amount of activity is beneficial,” he says. “We are not talking about running marathons here.”

He adds that exercise is vital throughout the year, which includes the winter season, when people tend to ease off with exercise in line with temperature and cold air can cause a flare-up of asthma symptoms.

Professor Bacon appreciates that not everyone can or even wants to exercise outside, and suggests maybe going to the gym, or if not, use the stairs as much as possible. Indeed anyone can be creative and indoor environments, where the cold is not such a major problem. “It would be great to see physicians recommending physical activity to patients with asthma, alongside traditional pharmacological treatments”, he concluded.

Don’t miss a beat! Get involved with October’s National Cholesterol Month

As a long-term provider of popular high-cholesterol treatments such as Lipitor and Crestor, Medical Specialists® Pharmacy are proudly supporting October’s National Cholesterol Month 2015, organised by the charity HEART UK to raise more awareness about what cholesterol is, the often underestimated serious health risks associated with high cholesterol, and what can be done to lower the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – also known as ‘bad cholesterol’.

What is cholesterol?

For those unaware of what cholesterol actually is, it is a fatty, waxy substance known as a ‘lipid’, located in all of the body’s cells. The body requires some cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D, and substances to aid food digestion, and will produce what it needs, but some of the food we eat also contains cholesterol.

Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream in small packages that go by the name of lipoproteins. The two main types of lipoprotein are:

. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) – HDL carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it’s either broken down or passed out of the body as a waste product. For this reason, HDL is referred to as ‘good cholesterol’ and higher levels are better.

. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – LDL carries cholesterol to the cells that need it. If there’s too much cholesterol for the cells to use, it can build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL is known as ‘bad cholesterol’.

High cholesterol – i.e. high levels of the bad LDL cholesterol – itself will not usually cause any symptoms, but it increases a person’s risk of serious health problems.

For example, plenty of evidence shows that high cholesterol can raise the risk of suffering with heart attack, heart disease, stroke, narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), transient ischaemic attack (known as a ‘mini-stroke’) and peripheral arterial disease.

These risks are due to the fact cholesterol accumulate within the artery wall, reducing blood flow to the heart, brain and other areas of the body. In addition, the risk of a blood clot is also increased with high cholesterol.

What causes high cholesterol?
There are a number of contributing factors to a person having high blood cholesterol, some lifestyle choices, others being related to underlying conditions and there is also a risk if there has been a family history of such problems.

Lifestyle choices that can cause high cholesterol include a lack of exercise or physical activity, drinking too much alcohol, having a diet high in saturated fat and being a smoker. People with diabetes or high blood pressure usually also have high cholesterol.

Highlighting the risks of ‘The Silent Killer’ high cholesterol is imperative for HEART UK during National Cholesterol Month for many reasons, but one of those is to educate people about a condition many will not be aware of, but can be deadly – Familial hypercholesterolaemia (often shortened to FH).

FH is inherited, passed on by one of your parents and can cause incredibly high levels of cholesterol. Those with FH have high cholesterol levels from birth, whereas most people’s cholesterol increases with age and could be 50, 60 or 70 years of age before their cholesterol is deemed to be at a level linked to an increased risk of major heart problems.

Some people may never display any symptoms, but the common signs of FH are lumps and bumps around the knuckles or Achilles tendon (due to cholesterol deposits), yellow cholesterol build-up around the eyes and eyelids, or a pale ring around the iris.

If, after going to the doctor for a cholesterol check and it is found to be significantly high, the doctor may refer the patient to a specialist for an assessment if he or she believes that patient has FH, which could include gene tests. The specialist will then explain which family members need to be assessed too and medication will likely be required, as healthy lifestyle choices alone are not enough to reduce cholesterol for anyone with FH.

Treating high cholesterol

Adhering to a healthy diet that is low in saturated fat and engaging in regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight/BMI can lower the level of cholesterol in the blood, or prevent cholesterol levels being too high to begin with. The higher the cholesterol level, the higher the risk of stroke or heart disease and therefore the overall risk of having a heart attack.

Statin medication available today from Medical Specialists®, such as Atorvastatin, Pravastatin or Rosuvastatin, work to lower the LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol and raise the HDL (‘good’) cholesterol. Statins may be prescribed to certain people with risk factors for heart conditions, such as those with high cholesterol or high blood pressure, older patients, smokers, or those with family history of early heart disease. Between eight and ten million Britons take statins, making them the most widely prescribed drugs across the UK.

Get involved with National Cholesterol Month

HEART UK are providing expert, independent advice on statins and other cholesterol treatments, in addition to campaigning for improved detection of those at risk of high cholesterol and offering training for health professionals.

National Cholesterol Month 2014 was a roaring success, with more than £25,000 raised, but HEART UK are hoping to smash this amount for 2015, continuing with the theme the ‘Great Cholesterol Challenge’.

HEART UK state on their website how people can get involved and acquire a fundraising pack, saying: “Treat your heart by pledging to adopt a new healthy habit and raise funds for HEART UK at the same time! For this year’s campaign we have developed some really exciting ‘virtual challenges’ which we know you will love – see how you can get involved!

“Great Cholesterol Challenge packs are available now! If you would like a pack or need any further information about this year’s campaign, please email us and we will get one sent to you.”
Moreover, HEART UK offer advice on who should have cholesterol tests and how frequently to get one done:

•     Every 5 years if you are between the ages of 40 and 75.
•     Every 12 months if you are on cholesterol lowering medication.
•     Any child of a parent with inherited high cholesterol (FH) – by the age of 10.
•     First degree relatives of a person with FH – on being told of the risk.

“The NHS will provide you with a free cholesterol test if you fall into any of the above groups, speak to your Doctor or Practice Nurse about arranging your cholesterol test.”

Perfumes and aftershaves pose hospital asthma risk say doctors

Think twice before you next go to visit a friend or relative in hospital whilst doused in your favourite smelly, for perfumes and aftershaves could be triggering asthma attacks and allergies within hospitals and should be banned from them, doctors have argued.

An estimated three in ten people claim they are sensitive to the artificial scents worn by those around them, with around 25% of asthmatics saying that their asthma condition was is worsened by being exposed to perfumes and aftershaves.

Researchers also state that more than half of asthma attacks are caused by various irritants such as cigarette smoke, cleaning fluids, perfumes and strong odours.

There are countless other things that can trigger an attack however, which include animal proteins like animal hair, cat saliva and house dust mites, household cleaners pollens (tree and grass pollens are the most common to affect asthma sufferers, changes to weather/temperature and fumes from traffic.

However, writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, doctors Ken Flegel and James Martin have argued the case that perfumed products should be forbidden from inside of hospitals.

In their editorial, they said: “There are many practices that are acceptable outside hospitals – but not inside. One of these is the application of artificial scents to our bodies.

“While artificial scents are designed to make us more attractive, they may result in unintended harm to those who are vulnerable.

“There is emerging evidence that asthma in some cases is primarily aggravated by artificial scents.
“This is particularly concerning in hospitals, where vulnerable patients with asthma or other upper airway or skin sensitivities are concentrated.

“These patients may be involuntarily exposed to artificial scents from staff, other patients and visitors, resulting in worsening of their clinical condition.

“As patients, family members and emergency physicians will attest, the attacks can be quite sudden and serious. There is little justification for continuing to tolerate artificial scents in our hospitals.”

The researchers added that other workers have protection from artificial scents. They said: “The high prevalence of asthma and its adverse effects on health and productivity argue strongly for greater consideration of the air we breathe in our health care centres.

“Hospital environments free from artificial scents should become a uniform policy, promoting the safety of patients, staff and visitors alike.

“As education and promotion programmes have some effect on this practice, these programmes too ought to be part of our accreditation standards.

“Until this happens, individual hospitals must take the lead, particularly in spaces where susceptible patients wait.”

Could Erectile Dysfunction treatment Viagra also help for slimming?

At Medical Specialists® Pharmacy we know that losing weight can sometimes be a hard task. We know this due to the thousands of patients that come to us for weight loss treatments such as Xenical or Alli, after previously struggling to shed the pounds.

However, according to researchers in China, erectile dysfunction drug Viagra may actually be a radical method of losing weight.

Laboratory and animal studies have discovered that ‘the little blue pill’ – as Viagra is often labelled – produces alterations in body fat, causing calories to be burned for energy as opposed to being stored.
As animals have only been assessed, a trial has now begun to see if the same premise holds true for humans. A group of men will be administered either a Viagra tablet or an ineffective placebo, to be taken three times daily for a duration of seven days, with any possible fluctuations in body-fat analysed.

Public Health England say that two-thirds of British adults and a quarter of children between the ages of two and ten can be classified as overweight or obese. The risks from being obese are well-known and include serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and pressure placed onto the joints, leading to osteoarthritis.

Fat accumulates within the body when we consume more calories than we burn, however not all fats are generated in the same way. Most of the typical adult’s bodily fatty tissue is white fat, linked to the storage of excess calories. The body also has a smaller amount of brown fat, which actually work to burn calories to generate heat, so the body is kept warm.

Brown fat is most prominent in new-borns, as they need to be kept warm but are less capable of regulating body temperature. Unfortunately, we lose most of this brown fat as we get older, except for small amounts (particularly around the neck and shoulders) which are used to keep a constant core body temperature.

As we grow into adults, we lose most of our brown fat. But small amounts – teaspoonfuls – remain, particularly around the neck and shoulders, where it is needed to help maintain a constant core body temperature.

Whilst white fat can comprise of around 20 to 25% of a person’s bodyweight, brown fat only takes up between 3 and 7.5% of bodyweight, however, some scientists are looking at methods of boosting the prowess of brown fat – or even ways of producing more of it.

They discovered that exposure to cold temperatures can help to induce a process called ‘browning’ – the conversion of the unhealthy white fat into energy-burning, heat-generating brown fat, and research would suggest erectile dysfunction treatment Viagra can actually kick-start browning.

Viagra (generic name sildenafil) works in erectile dysfunction patients by helping to relax the smooth muscles of the penis and boosting blood flow. However, trials have shown that mice administered the drug over lengthy periods of time were less prone to obesity, despite having a high-fat diet.
With that in mind, researchers based at the University of Bonn in Germany decided to give mice Viagra for a week to see any potential effects on their fat cells.

Remarkably, the researchers discovered that Viagra manage to change white fat cells into ‘beige’ fat – which, similar to brown fat, burns the energy from food and converts it to heat. Writing in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, the researchers say that Viagra basically is able to ‘melt’ away the unhealthy fat, but precisely how it does that is unclear at this moment in time, but it is generally thought that sildenafil increases levels of compound cGMP.  This compound passes signals between cells and is thought to be linked to fat browning and speeding up metabolism.

Stoptober is Back! Medical Specialists® Pharmacy urge the nation's smokers to join the annual stop smoking attempt

Let’s be honest – there is never a bad time to stop smoking. Smokers can kick the habit on any given day or week, but if there is an ideal time to try and with a boosted chance of giving up for good, the month of October is a great time of the year to start.

The 1st October will see the launch of what is now a regular addition to the calendar - the annual 28-day Stoptober campaign, created and funded by Public Health England as an effective drive to encourage more of the nation to kick smoking into touch.

Last year saw over a quarter of a million smokers make the pledge to try and stop smoking, with a huge increase in the number of patients coming to Medical Specialists® Pharmacy for information about obtaining the popular smoking cessation treatment Champix (Varenicline), and the pharmacy expects a similar sales surge for 2015, if not much bigger.

Data from the Office for National Statistics show that 18.7% of adults in the UK smoked in 2013 - down from 19.8% in 2012. After the conclusion of last year’s Stoptober, Public Health England say its latest figures indicated that smoking rates had continued to fall during the last few months of 2014.

A 4 week duration is used for the Stoptober challenge due to the fact that research has shown those who manage to abstain from smoking for 28 days are actually 5 times more likely to quit for good. In addition, it is often said for every 28 days a smoker quits for, they could add an extra week onto their lifespan.

At Medical Specialists®, we know that making the leap into tobacco-free territory can be difficult and stressful, but those deciding to stop smoking should realise they are not alone. Literally thousands of others have made the same pledge to stop too, which should provide a welcome boost to willpower.

In addition, those that decide to sign up to this year’s Stoptober will receive a personal helping hand in their efforts, courtesy of some of the UK’s favourite comedians, such as Al Murray, Bill Bailey, Rhod Gilbert and Shappi Khorsandi. Quitters that register for the service can expect to be inundated with light-hearted and humorous messages of support and encouragement, sent straight to the participant’s phone and email during the 28 day period of Stoptober.

Comedian Rhod Gilbert decided to throw his support behind the annual Stoptober campaign after being a smoker himself for 25 years, toiling for 23 years of those attempting to quit. He says: “I know first-hand that it can be hard to find the motivation to quit, but Stoptober is the perfect time to give it a go,” he says.

There are countless benefits to ditching cigarettes. For example, quitters can expect to notice many physical improvements such as a boosted sense of taste and smell, increased energy levels, reduced signs of facial aging and wrinkles, whiter teeth, fresher breath and even better sex due to the improved blood flow and stronger erections for men.

Moreover, people that successfully quit smoking will have much serious longer term benefits, such as a lower risk of suffering from heart disease and a wide range of cancers such as lung cancer, not to mention protecting the health of those in the surrounding vicinity as there will now be no secondhand smoke for them to inhale.

Despite the fact smoking rates have come down in recent years, smoking remains the biggest factor behind preventable illness and premature death in the country - responsible for nearly 80,000 deaths per year in England alone.

Smokers aged 18 or above that want to quit, can use the support Stoptober as a foundation for doing so, along with help from Medical Specialists®.

Begin the road to a smoke-free future today by obtain the smoking cessation medication Champix following an online consultation with one of Medical Specialists’ GMC registered doctors. Champix works out from as little £26.95* a pack. The treatment works by mimicking the effect of nicotine on the body, reducing the urge to smoke and relieving withdrawal symptoms. It can also decrease the enjoyment you experience of smoking if you are still smoking whilst on the treatment.

(*based on private prescription price)