Testing It Up

The FDA has posted a public health advisory warning against use of any supplements that claim to contain steroids or steroid like materials. This report came five days after a raid of American Cellular Labs in California looking for proof that the company sells actual steroids under the guise of supplements. Products that were under investigation are: MASS Xtreme, TREN-Xtreme and six others. Over the last two years five reports have been made related to these drugs and more from other companies citing liver damage. These reports prompted the investigation along with concerns that high school athletes, who are not generally required to undergo steroid testing, may be using them.

Such supplements are readily available in malls and retail outlets across the country which spreads their use and side effects across a wide area of consumers. Steroids and other drugs that are intended to build muscle mass aren’t the only supplements that should require this level of caution. Many supplements make health benefit claims that are simply unfounded and are often outright lies to market the product. Caution should always be used when taking any sort of supplement for health reasons whether it’s for mental or physical results. Discuss the supplements you’re looking into with your doctor before using them, it could lower your risk for side effects and improve your knowledge of the product.

It’s the stuff that tearjerkers are made of, but this, unfortunately, is real life. Jade Goody, who catapulted to stardom after appearing on the reality show Big Brother UK in 2002, has been told that her cancer is terminal and that she may have as little as eight months to live. And all these were captured on film through a reality show chronicling her battle with the disease aired on LivingTV.

The mother of two was diagnosed with cervical cancer in August last year. She underwent chemotherapy, which caused her hair to fall off, but to no avail. The cancer has now spread to her liver, bowel and groin. After she was told of her worsening condition, she is said to have cried out in despair, “Can’t anyone do anything to help me?”

Jade Goody has two sons, five year-old Bobby and four year-old Freddie, by boyfriend Jack Tweed. Tweed had an assault conviction and is currently under police curfew, but the couple is pursuing plans to get married before Goody becomes too weak. Today, the couple staged a private ring-exchange ceremony on the side of the River Thames, where they exchanged rings bought from Tiffany & Co. The actual wedding ceremony is expected to happen within the next couple of weeks.

The realization that she might have weeks left with her children pains Goody no end. She has begun to prepare a sort of memory box filled with mementoes for her kids. What scares Goody more than her disease is the thought that her children might forget her.

Jade and Jack have been offered the £20 million mansion of Sir Elton John near the Windsor Castle as a possible venue for their wedding.

Jade is also finishing her will, where she is expected to leave everything she has to her children. Having been in front of the camera for years, it has been speculated that even Jade’s passing will be chronicled on film.

The Hepatitis-C virus, which causes the disease Hepatits-C in a person it has infected, is already known to lead to a variety of other more serious diseases of the liver. It will be initially benign, but once it sets in, chronic infection can eventually cause liver inflammation. This can lead to liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis.

Once the disease has progressed to cirrhosis, it can result to more serious liver complications such as liver failure or liver cancer. Recent studies show, however, that it can also cause certain cancers in organs other than the liver.

It is one of five known hepatitis viruses, and in contrast to types A and B, there is no available vaccine to prevent its contraction. It is spread through the blood, and in more developed countries it has been determined that about 90% of patients that have been infected with the Hepatitis-C virus contracted it through transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products, or by sharing needles during illegal drug use. When diagnosed early enough, though, treatment through anti-virus medicines is enough to manage the infection.

A study made by a team of researchers led by Hashem El-Serag of the Baylor College of Medicine now indicates that infection by the Hepatitis-C virus may increase one’s risk of contracting cancer of the biliary tree. This is a rather fatal form of cancer of the bile pathway between the liver and the pancreas. This was the result of data gathered from more than seven hundred thousand patients treated in Veterans Affairs medical facilities over 16 years, between October 1988 and September 2004.

After the data was processed and arranged by demographic, it was determined that the risk of contracting biliary cancer was twice for a patient that is infected by the Hepatitis-C virus when compared to someone who was not.

These results also indicate that this may also mean that there may be a link between Hepatitis-C virus infection and pancreatic cancer. The researchers think that this will lead to more studies geared towards concretely establishing links to other rare malignancies.

Sheer ignorance! That was my first reaction to a a small clipping by Metro news this wednesday which reported a man allegedly “motivating” and “encouraging” his son into sports by giving him pills of Steroids –  a controlled substance. Surely enough, the man had researched about the performance enhancing effects of steroids but either he got so excited that he didn’t bother himself to research about side effects of these steroids or he simply decided to ignore the warning notes that often find place in steroid related articles!

The boy’s dad here got some of his facts right. Anabolic Steroids are known to stimulate muscle and bone growth and have been frequently abused to boost stamina and athletic performance because of their androgenic properties of building muscle mass and enhancing endurance.

No doubt, steroids are quite capable of improving your built and stamina but they do it by re-sketching your hormonal equilibrium which may have far reaching negative implications. Steroids abuse may cease the production of body’s own steroidal hormones in order to maintain homeostasis. Exogenous steroids are also known to alter blood lipid profiles as they lower high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and raise low density lipoprotein (LDL) alias bad cholesterol. They may lead to a hormonal chaos and result a diverse array of disorders including Gynacomastia (development of breast tissue in males due to excess estrogen produced by aromatization of excessive androgens), Liver damage (resulting in a decreased hepatic excretory function and hemorrhagic cystic degeneration of the liver, which may lead to fibrosis and hypertension), development of male characters in women, kidney associated complications and sterility in both males and females because of disruption of various hormonal levels which potentiate the ability to have regular menstrual cycles in females while reducing follicle stimulating hormone in males to the point where normal production of sperm is not possible. Chronic use is often accompanied by increased aggressiveness, violence and even psychosis.

There are so many educational resources over the net including Testcountry’s information base of health articles. Considering the staggering numbers of substance abusers acros the globe, I simply wonder if at all people bother themselves to sit and study all aspects of steroids for if they do, they’ll never ignore the potentially harmful side-effects of drug abuse!

Hospitals, depressed patients and crying babies – a deadly combination that seems to take a toll on me everytime I enter the Genetic clinic wards in pediatrics these days. Spice that up with the pernicious vocal bombs from my thesis supervisor and little wonder that I end up with a bad headache when the sun goes down! Everytime that happens, my mind tells me just to pop in a pain-killer and call it a day but since that “poppin-in” thing has started turning into almost a routine, I thought I would better get a reality check.

Pain-killers, as they are called, do kill pain, but at the same time they seem to be doing much more than that! Just today, a kiwi newspaper reported about a man who turned to marijuana to escape side-effects of pain killers! In November last year, Washington post reported about the death of a professional NFL player whose life took a rapid descent fueled by chronic use of a painkiller prescribed to deal with the lingering soreness of playing professional football. In fact, various reports indicate that several cases of kidney and liver failures can be associated, at least partially, to the continuous use of analgesics. Some popular analgesic drugs like Paracetamol and Aspirin, which have decorated cupboards across the globe for quite some time now, are very useful without any doubt but may not be as necessay as they are percieved to be. A mild headache, for instance, can easily be treated effectively by simply sipping two or three glasses of water followed by some rest!

Abusing Pain-killers can rather make your headaches worse, requiring more of them and thus making you addicted to them. The Huffington Post made an interesting revelation about Cindy McCain in June last year that in the mid-nineties she was addicted to prescription pain killers! Not just her, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), an estimated 5.2 million people used painkillers in 2006 for nonmedical reasons in United States and disturbingly that’s more than twice the 2.4 million people that are estimated to abuse cocaine! If we look more closely at these pain killers, this addictive trend is easy to grasp – most of the painkillers are made up of opoids - a class of highly effective but also highly addictive pain relievers!

So, the moral of the story is that having a mild headache does not necessarily mean one should just grab a pill and pop it in, rather try taking a chill pill with some water and doze yourself off, at least as a preliminary step!

The problem on male infertility is often traced to the sperm. Sperm of excellent quality serves as a vital component of a healthy male reproductive system.  When a man has no the ability to deliver the right quantity and quality of sperm, it could result to the couple’s failure to produce an offspring.

Reproductive health experts estimate that around 10% of couples in their reproductive age experience infertility, and 40% of these are due to male infertility while the rest of the cases may be caused by problems on the reproductive system of the female partner or some other factors.

It is estimated that 90% of total male infertility cases result from poor sperm quality, low sperm counts, or both.  The major causes of male infertility are generally divided into three major categories:

1. Sperm production deficiencies affecting the quantity and quality of sperm
2. Anatomical disorders
3. Other factors like immunological disorders

Sperm production disorders may arise from the presence of varicocele, which refer to the irregular enlargement of the veins in the scrotum that drain the testicles. The use of tight undergarments also elevates the risks of male infertility as well as constant exposure to occupational hazards, such as frequent exposure to excessive heat.

The anatomical factors causing male infertility include the incomplete formation or development of the testis, the non-descent of the testis, other obstructions that are due to infections, and critical injuries to the male organ.

Immunological disorders and abnormalities can also lead to male infertility. Of the total number of male infertility cases, it is estimated that half of these men suffer from irreversible infertility.

As many men find the issue of male infertility a sensitive one, home fertility tests for men (sperm count tests) have already been made available. You can check them here.

It’s another victory for the late Heath Ledger, as he was awarded a Golden Globe as Best Supporting Actor for his impeccable performance as the Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’. His win comes in the wake of the recently concluded Critic’s Choice Awards, where he was accorded the same honor for the same role.

It was also this month last year when the world was shocked by Heath Ledger’s passing. He passed away on January 22, 2008, due to an accidental overdose of prescription drugs which included oxycodone and hydrocodone — two powerful narcotics. His fate became a wake up call for a lot of people, stressing all the more the importance of caution and guidance when taking prescription drugs.

Oxycodone is basically a drug for pain relief, not unlike morphine, although it is not considered as strong or as effective. It was introduced to the US market in the late 1930s. One of its disadvantages is being susceptible to interactions when taken with other drugs because it is metabolized by an enzyme system in the liver, unlike morphine.

Hydrocodone, on the other hand, is an antitussive. It is most commonly used as an analgesic and a cough suppressant. Both oxycodone and hydrocodone are considered habit-forming and vulnerable to abuse. Faithfully following dosage guidelines from a physician is important since stopping cold turkey can cause withdrawal symptoms.

Both drugs have legitimate medical uses but share the common characteristic of being dangerous in the event of an overdose. Oxycodone, for one, may lead to circulatory collapse and respiratory arrest, among others, when unsanctioned high doses of it are taken.

Considering that both drugs were believed to be present and taken in conjunction with others drugs, an accidental miscalculation of dosage may have had dire consequences for Ledger. This is all, of course, just conjecture based on reports.

In a twist of fate, the Academy Award nominees are set to be announced on Heath Ledger’s first death anniversary. It is believed that his performance as the Joker makes him a strong contender for the award. Will he take home a posthumous Oscar, just as fellow Australian Peter Finch did in 1977? We shall see.

Just a quarter of a century ago, HIV was a term that could not be spoken freely. Back then, many people were unaware of this disease and how serious it is. Someone found to have it was ostracized from society.

Times have changed. Having the public informed about HIV is now a worldwide effort. From politicians to actors and singers, several of the world-renowned celebrities have joined the fight against HIV and AIDS. A number of these HIV advocates are HIV sufferers themselves. By revealing that they were infected with HIV, they shed better light to the public about the nature of the disease.

Rock Hudson was one of the first major celebrities in the USA who publicly announced that he has AIDS. A year after claiming that he is sick with liver cancer, he admitted that he was suffering from AIDS. He died at the age of 59.

Another HIV-infected celebrity was the Latina actress Ilka Tanya Payan. She was one of the first Latin celebrities to divulge her illness. Since she was heterosexual, she was able to change the preconceived notions of the general masses that HIV was a homosexual disease. Before she died in 1996, she spent her time delivering lectures regarding HIV and AIDS and she was also chosen to become a featured speaker in the United Nations World AIDS Day.

Earvin Johnson, also known as Magic Johnson of the NBA, is one of the most well-known athletes to have HIV. He discovered that he had HIV during a physical exam before the basketball season of 1991. He then went on to write a book about safe sex and teamed up with Dr. Lynn Montana, educating the realities of HIV to the youth. He also founded the Magic Johnson Foundation to disseminate the truth regarding HIV and help those who are suffering from it.

Diabetes Mellitus is a condition caused by lack of control of glucose metabolism (Type 1) or poor control of glucose metabolism (Type 2).

In Diabetes Type 1, the body doesn’t produce insulin, which is a precursor in metabolizing the body’s glucose or sugar. In Type 2, the body does produce insulin, only this isn’t enough. If there is insulin deficiency in the body, the sugar in the bloodstream isn’t regulated properly, causing a rise in blood sugar levels.

In Diabetes Type 1, the management for this is to have lifelong injections of insulin. In Type 2, there are certain alternative methods that you can use. The rule of thumb in managing Diabetes Type 2, however, is that you need to keep your blood sugar level at normal levels. Here are certain natural home remedies that can help you manage Diabetes:

1. Magnesium: Aside from muscle and nerve functions, it also helps regulate blood sugar levels. You may find it from food sources such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
2.  Zinc: It helps in the production and storage of insulin. It can be found in beef liver, chicken, egg yolks, lima beans and sardines.
3. Cinnamon: A common spice found in most food preparations, it was found to make fat cells respond better to insulin and helps convert glucose to energy.
4. Ginseng: There are several types of ginseng, but the North American ginseng is the most efficient. Asian ginseng has also been traditionally used in China for treating Diabetes.
5. Mango Leaves: Mango trees have leaves that help decrease blood sugar levels. The fresh leaves are left to soak overnight, and the filtered liquid can be taken every morning to control the blood sugar.
6. Neem Tree Leaves: Juices from the neem leaves have been widely used, especially in India, to control blood sugar in diabetics. One teaspoon or 5 mL of the juice should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning.

Aside from the home remedies above, you have to keep in mind that you should do your part in keeping control of your blood sugar level. Get regular exercise, regulate your diet and monitor blood sugar level everyday.

You’re female and you’re at that certain age when your body will undergo one of the most significant life changes: menopause.

This may happen progressively over time, or it may happen all at once. Because the ovaries no longer produce eggs or ova, there will be a significant decrease in your body’s hormone levels of estrogen and progesterone.

Due to these drops in hormone levels, you may experience menopausal symptoms that may pose varying degrees of difficulty in your body. Here are some tips on how to cope with the most common symptoms of menopause:

1. Hot Flushes/Sweat Attacks

These are the most frequent complaints by far. These happen because the blood vessels of the skin are triggered to open, sending signals to the sweat glands to become active. Once the sweat glands are active, sweat is excreted, usually whenever the body needs to lose heat.

Hot flushes and sweat attacks may happen any time, even as often as many times in one hour. You can deal with these episodes by keeping yourself cool. You can wear light clothes and bring fans.

2. Osteoporosis

Because of the drop in estrogen levels, the body may lose bone mass, which can lead to brittle bones and osteoporosis. To combat this, you should drink 1-2 glasses of milk every day or take calcium and Vitamin D supplements to help meet your body’s nutritional requirements.

Foods rich in calcium include dairy products, sardines and green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach. You can acquire Vitamin D by moderate sun exposure, as well as eating foods like egg yolks, liver, fish and Vitamin D-fortified foods.

3. Mood Changes.

Irritability, depression or anxiety may result due to menopause, or because of the stress felt by this life change. To minimize these, you can try relaxation methods, such as deep breathing techniques and meditation. When you feel that you are about to lose your temper, try the age-old practice of stopping, taking a deep breath, and counting to ten.

You may, of course, also try products that minimize the effects of menopause. These products may come as caplets, creams or moisturizers.