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Father's Age Important For Healthy Children

So far the risk for birth defects has been associated with the age of the mother: women over 35 run a higher risk of having a child with a genetic abnormality or birth defects than younger moms. Nothing much was said about the age of the father.
An epidemiological study by Dr. Mark Walker at the Obstetrics, Maternal And Newborn Investigation (OMNI) Research Group in Ottawa took a closer look at 24,916 infants with birth defects. The incidence of birth defects was broken down by paternal age in five-year increments, after considering and adjusting for other risk factors like maternal smoking, maternal age, alcohol consumption and prenatal care.
It turns out that the age of the father is of importance: the lowest incidence was among infants fathered by men of the age group of 25 to 29 years. The risk for birth defect increased with each subsequent paternal age group. Risk was highest where the fathers were age 50 or older.

The Medical Post, August 9, 2005, page 17

Dark Chocolate For Lower Blood Pressure

Chocolate, as long as it is consumed in moderation, can be good for you. The beneficial ingredients are the bioflavonoids, the same substances that are also found in fruit and vegetables.
Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, at Tufts University in Boston reported about a study, where 20 adults with hypertension (high blood pressure) were asked to eat white chocolate or dark chocolate for 15 days. Blood pressure was reduced by an average of 12/9 mmHg with the dark chocolate. White chocolate has no effect, as blood pressures stayed the same. Dark chocolate also caused a dip in the LDL cholesterol and lowered insulin resistance.
The reason for the benefits lies in the bioflavonoids content: dark chocolate is rich in bioflavonoids, whereas milk chocolate contains little, and white chocolate the least of the three.
For all chocoholics this is not a ticket for a box of Belgian dark chocolates or an assortment of candy bars in one sitting. Moderation is still the key, and you may consider consuming cocoa, perhaps as a Mexican chocolate drink without the fat and without the sugar.

The Medical Post, August 9, 2005, page 19

No Relationship Between Allergies And Cancer

Two opposite opinions have been voiced. There is the sinister threat that people who are prone to allergies are also at risk for coming down with cancer, because their immune system is constantly in overdrive. The opposite rumoring has also been heard: people with an overactive immune system and allergies have a built-in protection against cancer, because their immune system is in a constant state of vigilance.
Researchers from the Karolinska Hospital and Institute in Sweden made a point to examine these opposed hypotheses in a study that involved 70,136 patients between the years 1988 and 2000.

All these patients were tested for allergic disease and the results were linked with data from the Swedish Cancer Registry. The total number of cancers found was what could be expected of the general publication. In addition this large epidemiological study performed specific analysis for cancer of the lung, the cervix cancer, cancer of the pancreas as well as lymphoma and skin cancers. The findings demonstrated that none of these cancers were independently related to allergies.
Dr. B. Lindelöf and his research team concluded: "Our study did not support the reported decreased risk of cancer in allergic patients, nor did it support an increased risk."

Allergy 2005; 60: 1116-1120

Getting Ready For Ragweed Allergies Is Important

Allergies are often associated with watery eyes and sneezing, and in commercials that promote over-the counter anti-allergy pills (antihistamines) the effects are shown as merely bothersome. The commercials are often amusing. The facts for the allergy sufferer are neither amusing nor are allergies a minor bother. They have to be taken serious, as they can affect the quality of life and even be potentially life threatening.
A very common plant that can be the culprit for serious allergies is ragweed. Two varieties of the plant are accounting for the worst problems, Ambrosia trifida and Ambrosia artemisiifolia. People who are sensitized to the pollen of ragweed have the most severe symptoms in the months of August to October. Nasal congestion, sneezing, a constantly runny nose and itchiness of eyes, nose and throat are the problems that are encountered by the patient, but asthma can be the more serious consequence. The quality of life in the peak season of ragweed shows significant deterioration for allergy sufferers, as nasal congestion alone is linked to poor sleep quality which in turn leads to decreased productivity at work or in school. A skin rash can be another form of an allergic reaction. It is the less common form of ragweed allergy, but left untreated it becomes chronic and progressively worse. Other herbal products (chamomile and arnica), which may be used as compresses and as an ontment, can cross-react with ragweed exposure and produce a skin rash or dermatitis. Adults are more affected than children, and people with outdoor occupation (farmers, gardeners, harvesters, carpenters) are the group most at risk.
Unfortunately, ragweed particles are very small and very light, which makes it very difficult to avoid them in the peak season, but there are measures one can take to avoid exposure.

The peak time of pollen exposure is in the middle of the day, and it is a good idea to keep the windows closed to prevent large amounts of pollen from drifting into your home. The use of an air conditioner in the car or at home can be helpful. After spending time outdoors it can be helpful to change into fresh clothes and perhaps even take a shower. Drying clothes on the laundry line in peak season should be avoided, as they are prone to collect large amounts of pollen. Timing vacations to leave ragweed-infested areas for other parts of the country can also help.
It is also important to take action as soon as symptoms are present. Letting things take their course, will just have a snowball effect. An allergist can do patch tests to determine whether there is a reaction to ragweed. If ragweed dermatitis is present, it has to be treated early on to avoid the difficult to treat chronic state, in which a lower UV threshold is also part of the condition. Decongestants may help with nasal congestion, but unfortunately they tend to cause side effects, such as sleeplessness and a rapid heart beat. The physician can point out the most effective antihistamine to the patient, and intranasal cortico steroids (INCS) may be preferable over oral antihistamines. Newer INCS medications have shown to provide quick control of nasal symptoms, and they can actually minimize the emergence of symptoms, if they are started before the ragweed season begins in mid summer.

Allergy & Asthma, Summer 2005, page 4-9, page 13-16

Environmental Toxins Harmful For Generations To Come

It is a known fact that exposure to toxic substances during pregnancy can cause birth defects.
Investigators at the Center For Reproductive Biology of the University of Washington in Seattle examined the consequences of environmental toxins, which are also known as endocrine disruptors in their research. Dr. Michael K. Skinner led the study. The research team worked with rats, and they noticed that it was not only the first generation that was affected, but the effect persisted for as many as four generations later The substance they used in the experiment was either vinclozolin, an antiandrogenic compound commonly used as a pesticide in vineyards or methoxychlor, an estrogenic DDT replacement. Both pesticides are endocrine disruptors, as they interfere with the normal functioning of reproductive hormones. It was no surprise that ninety percent of male offspring that had been born to the exposed females had low sperm counts and reduced fertility.
The unexpected result showed up in the next generation. If these offspring were mated to unexposed females, they still had low sperm counts and reduced fertility. The effect persisted-completely unexpectedly- through all generations tested without further pesticide exposure. The researchers concluded that the toxins affected inheritance by altering patterns of DNA in the germ line. Genetic changes that are passed on for generations to come might play a role in more frequently occurring diseases such as breast cancer and prostate disease, as they may not be caused by genetic mutations.
This is also the first report that shows the menacing ability of an environmental factor to reprogram the germ line and promote a transgenerational disease pattern.

Parkhurst Exchange Volume 13,Number 6, August 2005, page 33

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