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.’

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.”

Erectile Dysfunction linked to undiagnosed type 2 diabetes

It can be a daunting prospect for people to pluck up the courage to go and speak to their doctor about problems related to sex, especially maybe if said doctor treats the whole family or is regarded as a friend.

This explains somewhat why Medical Specialists® Pharmacy have a patient base spanning tens of thousands; people that have come to them primarily to use the online consultation service for erectile dysfunction treatments, or for the treatment of premature ejaculation. The benefit with this service is the whole process can be done online, confidentially, efficiently, securely, without a face-to-face visit to your doctor, as everything is processed in-house at Medical Specialists® and no information passed to third-parties.

However, men suffering with problems in the bedroom should take these problems more serious, as they could be a predictor for other undiagnosed conditions, such as diabetes. Gum disease and erectile dysfunction has already been linked in previous studies.

In addition, studies have also demonstrated that erectile dysfunction could be an early warning of cardiovascular disease. However, researchers have now shown that a possibly link exists between erectile dysfunction and undiagnosed hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, as well as undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.

This according to the results from a cross-sectional survey which is featured in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine, with researchers involved in the study arguing men – especially those in middle-age – with impotence problems should be able to receive diabetes screening.

The Study’s lead researcher Dr. Sean Skeldon, from the University of Toronto in Canada, says the risks were higher in middle-aged men aged 40 to 59 years old. He commented: “The probability of having undiagnosed diabetes increased from one in 50 in men without erectile dysfunction, to one in 10 in men with erectile dysfunction.”

Results were attained by collating the data from more than 4,500 men from the United States; all over the age of 20 and participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 and 2004. The study was conducted with the aim of trying to find if associations existed between male impotence and blood pressure, cholesterol, in addition to blood sugar. Interestingly, the researchers couldn’t seem to find a link with problems achieving or sustaining an erection to undiagnosed high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

However, the findings showed that 11.5% of the men with undiagnosed diabetes had also stated they suffered with impotence problems, with an even bigger proportion for men between the ages of 40 to 59 years old – 19% showing unusually high blood sugar.

All men– particular those middle-aged– have some degree of risk of type 2 diabetes even without a diagnosis and the researchers suggest that doctors should get not only screenings, but also the sexual histories of middle-aged men.

Type 2 diabetes has been strongly linked with both genetics and ethnicity, but an incredibly large percentage of cases of type 2 diabetes are caused by poor diet that leads to being overweight or due to obesity. With early enough lifestyle changes such as improving your diet, regular exercise and weight loss, it may just be enough to slow down or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Lazy Brits are not exercising enough, study finds

New research has painted a damning picture of Britain’s adults…Almost half of us are simply never doing any exercise.

The British Heart Foundation carried out a study and made the alarming discovery that a shocking 44% of adults do not engage in any form of moderate-intensity exercise, meaning British activity levels are shamefully amongst the worst across Europe.

An estimated five million adults are sat down for over a third of the day (8 hours), whilst around one in ten Brits say they are never walking anywhere for more than ten minutes at a time.

Britain is three times less active than our Dutch counterparts over in the Netherlands and overall ranks at a dismal 16^th place in a table of 28 European countries for fitness levels. This means we are on an equal inactive level with Slovakia, Romania and Ireland.

According to the NHS physical activity guidelines, adults aged 19-64 should be aiming for at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per day to stay healthy, which includes cycling or fast walking every week and muscle-strengthening exercises on two or more days each week that are making all the main muscle groups work. However, less than a third of women and less than half of men are actually reaching 150 minutes of the moderate-intensity exercise.

The study has resulted in further warnings about an increasing problem of obesity, which needs to be properly tackled sooner than later.

Catherine Kelly, director of prevention, survival and support at the BHF, commented: “The figures are a worrying indication of the overall picture of our nation’s heart health.

“Alongside funding research into improving outcomes for heart patients, we need to create environments that make it easier for people to better understand and cut their risk of heart disease.

“Research has shown that even making small, more active changes to your daily routine can improve your heart health.

“With the warmer nights and lighter evenings, the summer is the perfect opportunity for people to start making these changes.”

The new worrying statistics were amassed by researchers at Oxford University, who analysed previously conducted national surveys covering exercise levels and sedentary behaviour.

The surveys show that a mere 10% of UK adults are involved in a sport or physical activity on a regular basis or physical activity. This is in comparison to a slightly better rate of 15% in Sweden, Spain and Slovenia. In addition, 9% admitted to never walking for over ten minutes at a time.

In 2014, NHS officials warned that an insufficient amount of exercise could be attributed to around one in six deaths – i.e. fatalities from conditions such as cancer, stroke and heart disease, this is comparable to the death rates from smoking. They stressed that inactive lifestyles are not only to blame for obesity, but for problems such as muscle and joint complaints, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, dementia, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

A third of adults in England now ‘on cusp of diabetes’

Over one in three adults are on the brink of developing type 2 diabetes, according to the findings of new research.

The British Medical Journal have published alarming findings that show there has been an “extremely rapid” increase in the cases of pre-diabetes since 2003.

The authors of the study discovered that in 2011, there had been a triple increase in the number of people confirmed with having pre-diabetes, rising from 11.6% in 2003 to a staggering 35.3% by 2011. To come to this judgement, the authors looked at data comprised from the Health Survey for England for the years 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2011, which included information about the blood samples of thousands of people.

The authors said: “This rapid rise in such a short period of time is particularly disturbing because it suggests that large changes on a population level can occur in a relatively short period of time. If there is no coordinated response to the rise in pre-diabetes, an increase in numbers of people with diabetes will ensue, with consequent increase in health expenditure, morbidity and cardiovascular mortality.”

Researchers determined an individual to have pre-diabetes if they had not been previously diagnosed with the condition, and their glycated haemoglobin – a measure of blood glucose control – was found to be at a level between 5.7% and 6.4%.

If the findings were amplified for the rest of the UK, it could suggest there are now an estimated 15 million adults that are pre-diabetic, with a further 4 million actually suffering from diabetes.
Nine tenths of all cases of diabetes are type 2, often occurring in mid-life and heavily linked to weight gain, and worryingly, as a nation we are simply getting fatter.

During the last 20 years there has been almost a double rise in the number of obese adults, soaring from 13.2% amongst men in 1993 to 24.4% now. Women show a similar pattern, increasing from 16.4% to a whopping 25.1%.

Pre-diabetes previously went by the name of ‘borderline diabetes’, and is the term given when someone has glucose levels that are in the very high end of what is deemed ‘normal’, but not yet high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes – a condition that can lead to other complications such as heart disease or stroke, and is particularly common in men with suffering with erectile dysfunction.

Most people in this ‘grey area’ between normal blood sugar levels and diabetic levels, often do not display any symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes, which usually include: urinating frequently (commonly at night), feeling very thirsty, loss of muscle bulk, weight loss and feeling very tired.

However, pre-diabetes is a very serious warning to take heed of and certainly an important stage in the development of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes has been strongly linked with both genetics and ethnicity, but an incredibly large percentage of cases of type 2 diabetes are caused by poor diet that leads to being overweight or due to obesity. With early enough lifestyle changes such as improving your diet, regular exercise and weight loss, it may just be enough to slow down or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, commented: “Unless we make people aware of their risk of type 2 diabetes and support them in changing their lifestyles, we could see an even greater increase in the number of people with the condition than we are already expecting. A tenth of the NHS budget is already being spent on diabetes and unless we get much better at preventing type 2 diabetes this spending will soon rise to unsustainable levels.”

Breast milk no better than bottled milk and may increase asthma risk, says new study

Almost from the moment they have given birth it seems new mothers are under heavy pressure to breastfeed their baby, with health experts long championing the health benefits of breastfeeding.

In fact, breast-fed babies have been said to be at a lower risk of suffering with sudden infant death syndrome, have less infections in their early years. Moreover, there are said to be health benefits in the long-term, with breast-fed babies growing up to be less likely to develop asthma, be obese, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.

However, all this could be thrown onto its head with the findings of a new study published in the Social Science & Medicine, which may finally help to shed the stigma of bottle-feeding a new-born baby and raises questions about previous studies that have supported and pushed for mother mothers to breastfeed, sometimes putting unfair pressure on mums to do this.

Lead author of the study Dr Cynthia Colen, from Ohio State University, and fellow researchers analysed 665 families in which there were siblings fed differently during their early years.  In total, there was 8,237 children made up of 7,319 siblings and 1,773 ‘discordant’ sibling pairs; one was breastfed with the other was fed with bottled milk.

In all of the families looked at, breastfeeding showed better outcomes for BMI, hyperactivity, maths, reading recognition, vocabulary word identification, digit recollection, scholastic competence and obesity.

However, when the analysis was focused purely on siblings fed differently within the same families, researchers discovered that the scores demonstrating breast-feeding’s positive benefits on 10 of the indicators were close to zero and therefore not deemed statistically significant. This means any health variances in those families may have happened by chance.

The only health condition that was found to have a significant difference in regards to breast-fed and bottle-fed siblings was asthma. Dr Colen actually claims that breast-fed babies were actually at a higher risk for developing asthma later in their life.

She said: “Many previous studies suffer from selection bias. They either do not or cannot statistically control for factors such as race, age, family income, mother’s employment – things we know that can affect both breast-feeding and health outcomes. Mums with more resources – with higher levels of education and higher levels of income – and more flexibility in their daily schedules are more likely to breastfeed their children and do so for longer periods of time.”

NHS guidance recommends new mothers to breastfeed for the initial six months (26 weeks) of a new-born’s life. Following this, breast milk alongside other food will “help them continue to grow and develop”, according to the NHS.

Dr Colen added: “I’m not saying breastfeeding is not beneficial, especially for boosting nutrition and immunity in new-borns. But if we really want to improve maternal and child health, let’s also focus on things that can really do that in the long term – like subsidised day care, better maternity leave policies and more employment opportunities for low-income mothers that pay a living wage, for example.”

Exercising for a few hours each week could cut diabetes risk by a third

Want to reduce your chances of type 2 diabetes? According to the findings of a new study, weightlifting could be the key.

The new study into diabetes was conducted over a period of 8 years and involved researchers monitoring the health of almost 100,000 nurses in the United States; all middle-aged or slightly older and none of whom had diabetes at the beginning of the study period.

The findings have been published in PLoS Medicine and show that lifting weights, doing press-ups or other similar resistance exercises on the muscles, shows a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Current guidelines state that people aged between 19 and 64 should already be doing such exercise at least 2 days a week.

Benefits witnessed in the study arose from also engaging in aerobic workouts such as cycling or fast walking; activities that again healthy people aged between 19 and 64 should be doing for at least 150 minutes per week.

So, how much exercise is sufficient enough to make an impact in this regard? The women in the study who managed to do at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week, together with at least an hour a week of muscle-strengthening activities had the most significant drop in risk, reducing their risk of type 2 diabetes by about a third. However, those who only engaged in a total of one hour a week still managed to reduce their risk by about 13%.

It is already known that regular aerobic exercise such as jogging, fast walking, cycling, etc., can help to reduce the risk of diabetes, but the study would suggest that incorporating resistance training will provide an even bigger boost – although this type of training is already recommended by the NHS.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body’s cells are not reacting correctly to insulin. It is estimated that around 90% of adults in the UK with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, commonly in recent times due to a poor diet and obesity. Other risks include a family history of the disease, are over the age of 40 and are of South Asian, African-Caribbean or Middle Eastern origin.

The charity Diabetes UK say that for overweight individuals, each kilogram you lose in weight could equate to up to a 15% decrease in your risk of developing diabetes.

Dr Richard Elliott, spokesman for the charity, commented: “Despite limitations to which this research can be applied to women in general, it underlines the message that leading an active, healthy lifestyle can help to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. We know for certain that the best way to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes is to maintain a healthy weight by eating a healthy, balanced diet and by taking regular physical activity. At this time of year, many people are looking for an easy way to lose weight and be more physically active. We recommend finding an activity you enjoy as you are more likely to stick with it and stay motivated.”

Could obesity and type 2 diabetes be treated with gut bacteria?

A particular type of gut bacteria has been found to help reverse obesity and type 2 diabetes in animal studies; perhaps paving the way for new treatments for both health problems. Type 2 diabetes is most commonly connected to obesity and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most effective ways of reducing the risk of developing the disease.

The Research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrates how mice were given a broth that contained a single species of bacteria, and there were subsequently huge benefits to their health.

The bacteria studied and which was administered to the mice, was the Akkermansia muciniphila – usually comprising of around 3-5% of gut bacteria. However, these levels are found to decrease in obese individuals.

Professor Patrice Cani and his team at the Catholic University of Louvain, in Belgium, wanted to focus firstly on mice that were eating a lot of fat and were obese and/or had type 2 diabetes. Researchers noted that the mice quickly gained two to three times extra fat compared to the leaner mice that were eating a more ‘normal’ diet.

However, giving the unhealthier mice oligofructose prebiotics – a dietary supplement that boosts the number of beneficial bacteria – this helped restore the Akkermansia muciniphila back to healthy levels.

These mice then gained a quicker metabolism and the rodents found themselves losing excess weight, reduced inflammation and lowered their insulin resistance; a symptom associated with type 2 diabetes.

The bacteria had worked at thickening the gut’s mucus barrier. This prevents some material from being transferred into the blood from the gut. In addition, the Akkermansia muciniphila had managed to alter chemical signals emanating from the digestive system, leading to changes in the processing of fat in other areas of the body.

Interestingly, similar findings were also achieved when researchers included a certain type of fibre in the diet of the mice and levels of Akkermansia muciniphila then increased.

Prof Cani commented on the study findings, saying: “Of course it is an improvement, we did not completely reverse the obesity, but it is a very strong decrease in the fat mass. I don’t think it’s feasible that you can eat cream cakes and chips and sausages all day long and then eat bacteria to reverse all that. It is the first demonstration that there is a direct link between one specific species and improving metabolism.”

Prof Cani said it was ‘surprising’ how merely one species of gut bacteria has such a positive impact when there are actually thousands within the gut, adding that the bacteria-based therapy may hopefully be utilised as a prevention method or as a treatment option for obesity and type 2 diabetes in the near future.

Sugary drinks linked to 200,000 deaths each year around the world

It has been claimed that the consumption of sugary soft drinks could be causing almost 200,000 deaths each year around the world.

The claims emanate from Harvard researchers who used data extracted from a huge investigation into causes of global disease – the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases study, and have now been able to link 180,000 deaths a year worldwide to high-sugar fizzy drinks.

Gitanjali Singh, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and lead author of the study presented the findings this week at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting in New Orleans.

After a painstaking five years spent putting the pieces together of a complex analysis into global fatalities, Singh and his colleagues were able to attribute sugary drinks to approximately 133,000 deaths from diabetes, 44,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease and 6,000 deaths from cancer during 2010.

There appeared to be a demographic division in the findings with a high proportion (78%) of the deaths occurring in the lower-to-middle income countries in comparison to wealthier nations. Being able to afford private healthcare could be a factor that contributed to this statistic.

The analysis found that Latin American and Caribbean countries had seen the most diabetes-related deaths linked to sugary drinks (38,000). In addition, East and Central Europe had the most heart-related deaths associated to sugary drinks (11,000).

From the 15 highest populated countries within the analysis, it was determined that Mexico had the highest sugary drink-associated death rate – 318 deaths per million adults. Japan was the country with the lowest sugary drink-associated death rate, at just 10 deaths for every million adults.

Sugar-sweetened drinks have been widely known to contribute weight gain and obesity. This then raises the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

The U.S. study is more evidence that high-sugar, high-calorie fizzy drinks that offer no nutritional value are a danger to public health and playing a major part in the UK’s growing number of diabetes cases – described as a ‘public health emergency’ only a fortnight ago.

Gitanjali Singh released a statement about the findings of the study, commenting: “We know that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to obesity, and that a large number of deaths are caused by obesity-related diseases. But until now, nobody had really put these pieces together. I think our findings should really impel policymakers to make effective policies to reduce sugary beverage consumption since it causes a significant number of deaths.”

However, the American Beverage Association has disputed the study, describing it as ‘more about sensationalism than science’. Releasing a statement, the group said: “It does not show that consuming sugar-sweetened beverages causes chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer – the real causes of death among the studied subjects. The researchers make a huge leap when they take beverage intake calculations from around the globe and allege that those beverages are the cause of deaths which the authors themselves acknowledge are due to chronic disease.”

UK’s soaring diabetes cases are a ‘public health emergency’

Many of us may already be aware of the obesity epidemic that is rife not only in the United Kingdom but over in the U.S. too. However, closely linked to this issue is an increasing problem of diabetes which in itself seems to be an epidemic of its own.

According to new research, a staggering three million people have been diagnosed with diabetes in Britain – equating to 4.6% of the population.

Researchers for Diabetes UK and Tesco have discovered that around 132,000 people were diagnosed with the disease over the previous year and an estimated 850,000 people are believed to have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes.

There are roughly 24,000 premature deaths each year in England and Wales because of diabetes and without rapid intervention, this death toll will continue to rise. Therefore, supermarket giant Tesco and the charity Diabetes UK have begun a partnership to try and improve the situation. Tesco hope to raise £10 million for the charity to tackle the disease and provide help to those who suffer with it.

In the UK alone, approximately 90% of all adults with diabetes have the Type 2 variation and the partnership will provide funds to launch the biggest ever public awareness campaign focusing on the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, aimed at the seven million people deemed ‘high risk’ of developing the disease.

In addition to the massive public awareness campaign, the money raised will also be used to develop a new vaccine for Type 1 diabetes as well as helping to identify those 850,000 people who are living with undiagnosed diabetes.

Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, warns the situation is a ‘grim staging post towards a public health emergency’.

She says: “We are hugely concerned that the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has reached three million for the first time and there is no reason to think this will mark the end of what has been a rapid rise in the condition. Instead, all the projections suggest that the three million figure will be a grim staging post on the road towards a public health emergency and this unfolding tragedy is already putting huge pressure on the NHS and will have potentially devastating consequences for those people who develop the condition. But this is not inevitable. By identifying those at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, we can ensure they start getting support to make the kind of lifestyle changes that can help prevent it. And by making sure people who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are already getting the care and support they need, we can help them avoid the devastating complications diabetes can cause.”

Rebecca Shelley, group corporate affairs director at Tesco, added: “Diabetes affects millions of families and communities across the UK and as today’s news confirms, the number of people with this condition is increasing. Thanks to this important partnership, we have the opportunity to inspire our colleagues and customers to come together, raise awareness and much needed funds to help the millions of people with diabetes in the UK.”

Type 1 diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin and as such is often referred to as ‘insulin-dependent diabetes’. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease not attributed to any lifestyle factor. With Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas (a small gland behind the stomach) will not produce any insulin (a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels) and anyone who has this kind of diabetes will be required to have injections for life in addition to strictly controlled diet. Diabetes UK state that 10% of all diabetes cases in the UK are Type 1 – usually beginning in childhood or young adulthood.

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than Type 1 and it occurs when the body is not generating enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not properly respond to it (or both). This is referred to as insulin resistance. It mainly affects adults over 40 years of age but in recent years it has become prominent in younger, overweight people. Type 2 diabetes is primarily caused by obesity, consuming too much sugar and leading a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, around 85% of cases of Type 2 diabetes occur in people who are obese and in the UK, about 90% of all adults who suffer with diabetes have Type 2.

Although each can have its own particular symptoms, there are some symptoms that are common for both types of diabetes. These include:

. Feeling very tired.
. Feeling very thirsty.
. Having to urinate often, particularly at night.
. Unexplained weight loss and loss of muscle bulk.

The symptoms of the most common kind of diabetes – Type 2 – can be mild and thus people can go for years without realising they have the disease or receiving a formal diagnosis. If you suspect you have diabetes you must see your doctor as soon as possible as an early diagnosis can decrease the chances of developing more serious problems at a later stage.

Can new weight loss drugs rival Xenical

Recently, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), approved two new weight loss medications (Belviq and Qysmia), and America breathed a sigh of relief. While weight loss drugs have always been a topic of controversy, over the years it has become clear that their addition to the dieting efforts of many individuals, who struggle with obesity, is extremely beneficial. And with more than one third of Americans (35.7%) falling under the obese category, it is no surprise that medical alternatives to diet and exercise, are needed to counteract the issue.

New obesity treatments are needed to bridge the gap between diet and exercise and the more radical option of bariatric surgery. This is a view backed up by Dr Sue DeCotiis, New York City based Medical Internist and Weight Loss Management Specialist, who said, “While there are potential side effects with every medication, long term studies show that overweight patients do much better losing and keeping off weight, when they are prescribed a weight loss drug.”

“Weight loss medications work in conjunction with healthy eating and exercise, and offer individuals a chance at a real lifestyle change. Those who suffer from obesity often have a host of other health problems that come with the condition. These drugs can alleviate those symptoms, and the result is that many of these patients will live longer and avoid the consequences of medical problems, such as hypertension, stroke, and heart attack.”

Listed below is a description of current weight loss drugs and how they work. Previously the only option was Xenical, but now for the first time in 13 years, Doctors will have a choice of which weight loss drugs to prescribe to overweight or obese patients.

Belviq (Locaserin)

Approved by the FDA in late June of this year, this medication works by activating a receptor in the brain that helps a person to eat less and still feel full. By regulating the appetite, it lowers the likelihood of individuals overeating. It works best in patients who suffer from weight related conditions, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. At least 47.5% of patients lost at least 5% of their body weight from the medication, as opposed to 20.3% who took a placebo during a trial study period.

Qsymia (Phentermine & Topirmate)

This combination of the drugs Phentermine (an appetite suppressant and stimulant) and Topirmate (an anticonvulsant with weight loss side effects) is the most recent of the crop of weight loss medications, that have been approved by the FDA. Drugs in this category are primarily considered appetite suppressants. With the medication producing dramatic weight loss in patients, this is one of the clearest signs of hope for those suffering from obesity related diseases. About half of the patients lost 10% of their body weight and four-fifths lost 5%.

Contrave (Bupropion & Naltrexone)

This drug that is still to be approved by the FDA, works by combining two active ingredients that have been used for over twenty years. With Bupropion initiating the weight loss, Naltrexone sustains it by preventing the body’s natural tendency to counteract efforts, to lose weight. The result of this combination is to reduce appetite and increase the body’s metabolism, giving those who are suffering from obesity related illnesses the ability to sustain continued weight loss, by addressing the portion of the brain that controls food cravings.

Xenical (Orlistat)

Xenical, which is the most established and proven of the weight loss drugs, is a lipase inhibitor. Xenical does not enter the patient’s blood stream, but works in the digestive system in the small intestine as a fat absorber. It blocks out a third of the fat in food eaten in a patient’s diet, leading to steady weight loss. Research involving 11,131 woman and 4,418 men, who had been over weight for an average of 14 years, showed that 87% lost at least 5% of total body weight, half lost at least 10%, around 20% lost more than 15% body weight and some patients lost more than 25%.

Only time will tell which of these weight loss drugs is the most successful. Unfortunately here in the UK Belviq is not expected to be released until 2013 and there has been no UK release date as yet for Qsymia and Contrave. However all is not lost as here in the UK we still have Xenical available, which has a proven track record for assisting weight loss. Here at Medical Specialists Pharmacy we can dispense Xenical after an online consultation with one of our doctors and as soon as these other weight loss drugs become available, we will be offering them. Check our news section for further updates.

Traffic light test could provide early diagnosis of liver disease

A new traffic light test could help doctors diagnose liver disease earlier in high risk populations. The Southampton Traffic Light (STL) test, developed by Dr Nick Sheron and colleagues, at the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, combines several different tests and clinical markers.

It is estimated one in five adults inEngland, some 10 million people regularly exceed Government advice on safe drinking. However because liver disease develops without symptoms, many people have no idea they have liver failure until it is too late.

The Department of Health states, “Men should not drink more than three to four units of alcohol a day and women should not regularly drink more than two to three units a day.”

The Royal College of Physicians also advises no more than 21 units per week for men and 14 units per week for women. An average pint of beer or lager contains roughly two units of alcohol. A small 125ml glass of ordinary strength wine has one and a half units, while a 25ml shot of a 40 per cent spirit has one unit.

The Southampton Traffic Light test combines different tests and indicators, to give a score showing the likelihood of a patient developing a problem. The researchers said, “The test can diagnose liver disease much earlier, enabling those at risk to change their drinking habits, which could save their lives.”

They also went on to say, “That while it should not be a substitute for clinical judgment or other tests, it could help GP’s determine the potential severity of liver disease, in high risk patients such as heavy drinkers, those with type 2 diabetes or the obese.”

Dr Nick Sheron, a consultant at Southampton General Hospital who led the study, and who published his work in the British Journal of General Practice, hopes the test will save lives. He said, “We are reliant on general practitioners detecting liver disease in the community, so they can intervene to prevent serious liver problems developing, but so far we haven’t been able to give them the tools they need to do this.”

Nurses could take blood from those doctors recommend to be tested one week, for them to return for the results the next. Like traffic lights, the scores are given in three colours. Red will mean the patient already has liver fibrosis and may have cirrhosis. Amber means there is at least a 50:50 chance of scarring, with a significant possibility of death within five years. In such cases patients should be advised to stop drinking, to reduce their chance of developing further diseases, whilst green means there is no cirrhosis.

It was given to more than 1,000 patients, and their progress carefully followed, in some cases over several years, to assess the ability of the test to predict the onset of liver fibrosis or cirrhosis.

After proving accurate in severe liver disease, it is hoped the test could help GPs accurately assess the potential severity, of liver disease in high risk patients, including heavy drinkers, those with type 2 diabetes, or  people. Dr Sheron said, “It is a powerful tool and a message for people. We find that for most patients this is a pretty good stimulus to stop drinking or at least to cut down to safe levels.”

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, said, “One of the challenges of liver disease, which is rising dramatically in this country, is the silent nature of the condition, which is that it is often too late to reverse the damage. This large study from Dr Sheron and colleagues in Southampton may prove really useful for guiding the right patients towards specialist care in a timely way.”

Bladder Cancer Linked to Type 2 Diabetes Drug

From nearly the moment it was invented, the type 2 diabetes drug Actos has been linked to bladder cancer. During the drug’s clinical trials, bladder tumors showed up in male lab rats. Once the drug was released to the public, the disease started showing up in Actos patients. Yet, despite these Actos complications, the drugs’ sales shot through the roof.

With the help of tiny font, glitzy advertising and the downfall of its main competition, Actos rose to stardom, and the bladder cancer risk went largely unnoticed for years. By the time researchers had definitive proof, Actos had a hold on the market and the drug was established as a household name.

Actos Moves In

It began in 1999 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Actos for sale. The active ingredient, pioglitazone, works by making the cells more receptive to insulin, a key component to type 2 diabetes control. While Takeda was trying to establish Actos as the go-to drug, another drug in the same family, GlaxoSmithKline’s type 2 diabetes drug, Avandia, was having its own problems.

At the time, Avandia was on the top of the type 2 diabetes drug food chain — that was, until it was linked to heart problems. Seeing their chance, Takeda executives pushed Actos as a safer alternative. The public bought into it.

Soon Actos owned the diabetes market. Doctors, convinced that Actos was a safer medication with few or no side effects, wrote millions of prescriptions – more than 100 million prescriptions globally by 2011.  Patients trusted it.

Actos-Bladder Cancer Link Revealed

While all this maneuvering was going on, Actos had a secret in plain sight. Written in tiny font on the drug’s label, Takeda revealed that the medication was shown to cause bladder tumors in male rats.  Even though the FDA knew of the risks, most of the public did not. The FDA ordered Takeda to launch a 10-year investigational study into the link at the same time the drug was made publically available. In 2007, Takeda said the initial results of the study showed that those taking the drug for longer than a year had 40 percent increased risk for bladder cancer.  About the same time, drug regulators in Germany and France revealed similar findings from their own Actos study. Some European countries banned or restricted the drug’s sales. The FDA’s response was to only added more wording to the drug’s label, underscoring the bladder cancer risk.

Actos Collapse?

Today, Actos has fallen out of favor with physicians and patients. Doctors don’t want to prescribe it, and patients don’t trust it. While the Takeda-run study won’t be completed until 2013, the latest independent study shows that Actos increases the bladder cancer risk up to 80 percent. At the same time, a whistleblower has accused Takeda of orchestrating the downfall of Avandia to promote Actos and skewing the FDA data to make the drug seem safer.
What’s left are the patients who are left diseased and worried after taking Actos? Many have started filing Actos lawsuits, against Takeda.

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It seems even the risk of cancer cannot persuade Brits to drop their excess baggage

Brits do not seem to possess enough motivation to shift those extra pounds it seems according to findings published this week by Cancer Research UK. At Medical Specialists Pharmacy we have already looked into many serious health issues that are directly linked to obesity such as lumbar disc degeneration of the back, and how having a poor diet is linked to high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction.

Cancer Research UK say there is an increasing number of kidney and womb cancer cases being diagnosed, and that more and more of these can be linked to obesity. Smoking is still the main culprit for causing cancer, but being overweight or obese comes in second in terms of cancer risks that you can actually do something about to avoid.  In fact recent data compiled by Cancer Research UK, showed that more than four in 10 cancers could be prevented by people making positive changes to their lifestyle.

Amongst those who answered questions for Cancer Research UK’s latest study, 68% of the overweight women claimed that they lacked the required willpower to lose weight. This was 8% more than the men who admitted the same thing. Overall, 87% of those surveyed did say they wanted to lose weight, but then problems such as ‘having too many other things to worry about’ and ‘ trying it before and not being successful’ were listed as reasons that eventually prevented them for losing weight.

In the midst of a recession, it can be understandable that a lack of money could be one of the main things people are ‘worrying’ about these days. But surely your short and long-term health is just as important? Overweight and obese individuals may regret the decision to decide to give up the admittedly tasking chore of losing those love handles, but bear in mind just some of the many health risks that are associated with obesity:

. High blood pressure (hypertension).
. Type 2 diabetes.
. High cholesterol.
. Joint and back pains.
. Severe tiredness or the inability to exert energy into physical activity.
. Poor circulation, ultimately leading to erectile dysfunction, as explained in great detail here.
. Psychological problems such as low self-esteem, confidence and feeling isolated.

Dr Harpal Kumar is chief executive for Cancer Research UK and he gave his views on the obesity crisis, “Unless we tackle the obesity epidemic in the UK, we risk cancer cases soaring. We understand that it can be extremely hard for people to maintain a healthy weight but keeping those extra pounds at bay could ultimately save your life.”

Dr Susan Jebb, head of diet and population health at the Medical Research Council, added to Dr Kumar’s comments and said, “It’s encouraging that most people recognise a poor diet and lack of physical activity significantly increase their risk of developing cancer. But it’s also clear that most people find it hard to turn their good intentions – to eat better and move more – into sustained changes in their lifestyle.  This gap between knowledge and behaviour helps to explain why the number of people who are obese is continuing to increase. Research shows that to make sustained changes in diet and physical activity people need tangible support from family, friends or health professionals. In the longer term, it’s important that the places we live and work make the healthier choice the easier choice, so healthy living becomes a way of life, not a matter of personal willpower.”

Calcium supplements could double the risk of a heart attack

Calcium boosters are usually taken by post-menopausal women and the elderly to deter the thinning of bones in the body. However, a new German study titled ‘the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition’ has indicated that these supplements may actually double the chance of the person suffering a heart attack. Researchers involved in the study, tracked 23,980 individuals in the 1990s for an average of 11 years and who were aged between 35 and 64. All participants in the study did not have any previous history of heart problems.

Studies that have been carried out in the past have shown that high calcium intake can be linked to helping combat high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity. All three are associated with heart disease. This latest German study has however highlighted the dangers of ‘calcium boosters’ in comparison to obtaining the vital mineral from dietary means such as cheese, milk, spinach and hazelnuts.

The subjects who participated in the study whose food intake was roughly about 820mg calcium each day, were found to have a 31% less risk of heart attack in comparison to those who had a lesser intake. For those with intakes of 1,100mg and above, there was no evidential benefit. The Food Standards Agency only actually recommends for adults to intake 700mg of calcium per day within their diet. Staggeringly, an 86% more risk of heart attack was discovered when scientists analysed the people who had been taking dietary supplements. The risk rose even further for those who were simply taking calcium supplements and nothing else. During the 11 year period, researchers noted 354 incidents of heart attack, 260 strokes and 267 deaths related to cardiovascular disease.

Following the alarming results, The National Osteoporosis Society have hit back and claimed there is not enough evidence to suggest the calcium supplements initiate any heart problems. Furthermore, a spokeswoman from the Department of Health is refusing to panic just yet until the full article has been published. The spokeswoman commented, “The majority of people do not need to take a calcium supplement. A healthy balanced diet will provide all the nutrients, including calcium that they need. Good sources of calcium include milk and dairy foods, fortified dairy food alternatives, e.g. soya drink, and green leafy vegetables.”