Testing...1...2...3

[Guest guest]

" HSI - Jenny Thompson " <HSIResearch

HSI e-Alert - Testing...1...2...3

Mon, 29 Aug 2005 09:57:53 -0400

 

 

 

 

HSI e-Alert - Testing...1...2...3

 

Health Sciences Institute e-Alert

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August 29, 2005

 

 

 

Dear Reader,

 

For diabetics, any trip to the doctor's office, no matter how routine,

should be treated as an opportunity to take stock of various health

issues that can be compromised by diabetes.

 

In recent months, new research has emerged that every person with

diabetes (either type 1 or type 2) needs to be aware of. More

importantly, doctors of diabetics should take heed and run whatever

tests are necessary to make sure liver function is carefully monitored.

 

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Texas test

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The most recent study assessing the danger of liver cancer among

diabetics comes from researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine in

Houston, Texas.

 

The Baylor team analyzed information collected from a Medicare

database that included more than 2,000 subjects over the age of 65 who

had been diagnosed with liver cancer. These statistics were compared

with a control group of more than 6,000 subjects who were randomly

selected.

 

The results:

 

* More than 40 percent of the liver cancer patients were diabetic,

compared to only 19 percent in the control group

* The chance of having liver cancer was estimated as two to three

times greater for patients with diabetes

 

Writing in the April 2005 issue of the journal Gut, the researchers

concluded that diabetes is an independent risk factor for liver

cancer. This confirms the results of a 2004 Canadian study that

examined rates of diabetes in more than 3,200 cancer patients and also

found liver cancer risk to be about three times greater among diabetics.

 

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Early warning

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Another important result in the Baylor research concerned hepatitis C;

a blood-borne infection that often develops into a debilitating liver

disease called cirrhosis, which is a precursor to liver cancer. The

Baylor team found that non-diabetic subjects who had hepatitis C were

24 times more likely to develop liver cancer. But those who were

diabetic and also had hepatitis C were more than 35 times more likely

to develop the cancer.

 

Hepatitis C is currently the most widespread chronic blood-borne

infection in the U.S., and diabetics are particularly susceptible to

the virus. But for many hepatitis C patients, increasing vitamin K

intake may prove to be a lifesaver.

 

In the e-Alert " Special K " (3/1/05), I told you about a study from the

School of Medicine at Osaka City University (Japan). Researchers

recruited a group of 40 women with viral cirrhosis. Most of the

subjects also had hepatitis C. The average age for the group was about

60. For two years, 21 subjects took a daily 45 mg dose of vitamin K2.

The other 19 women took a placebo. Of the women in the K2 group, only

two developed liver cancer, while nine of the women in the placebo

group developed cancer.

 

Larger studies will be needed to confirm any liver cancer preventive

benefits of vitamin K2, but because of the length of the study, the

researchers feel confident that K2 supplements may reduce the risk of

liver cancer by as much as 20 percent in patients with viral cirrhosis.

 

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The K team

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You may have noticed that vitamin K2 was used in the Osaka study. And

if you're wondering what K2 is and how it may differ from other forms

of K, I'll call on HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., to explain:

 

" The plant-based source of vitamin K (K1, or phylloquinone) seems to

have no toxic effects in most any reasonable dose. But the synthetic

form (K3, or menadione) has caused some liver toxicity and, rarely, a

form of anemia when taken in high doses. There's also K2 (or

menaquinones), but K1 and K2 are fine. As usual, it seems best to

avoid synthetic forms, if possible. If the individual is on coumadin

(blood thinner), he needs to talk with his doctor, as vitamin K can

interfere with its effect. "

 

In his Nutrition and Healing newsletter, Jonathan V. Wright, M.D.,

describes vitamins K1 and K2 as, " very safe, " and recommends 5 to 15

mg per day. Note that the K2 dosage in the Osaka study was quite

higher than that. And although the supplement was well tolerated by

the Osaka subjects, you should talk with your doctor or a healthcare

professional for advice about a dosage level that would be right for you.

 

As for dietary sources of vitamin K, Dr. Spreen tells me that dark,

leafy green vegetables, such as kale and carrot tops, are the best for

vitamin K1. " The highest amounts of it are in chestnut leaves and fish

meal. Spinach leaves, cabbage leaves and cauliflower are also right up

there. "

 

In addition to those sources, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, endive, and

lettuce are also abundant in vitamin K1, as are olive oil and

avocados. Vitamin K1 is converted into K2 in the intestine, but we get

some amount of K2 in meat, liver and egg yolk, and fermented products

such as yogurt and cheese. And these sources reveal the basic

difference between K1 and K2: K1 comes from plant sources, and K2 from

animal sources.

 

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....and another thing

 

You can't throw a tin of Tetley's these days without hitting someone

who's talking about the health benefits of green tea. But black tea

has health advantages as well. In fact, it may help prevent oral cancer.

 

Oral leukoplakia is a precancerous condition that's most common among

tobacco users. White patches may appear on the gums, tongue and inside

the cheeks of patients with this condition, and about half of all

people with leukoplakia eventually develop oral cancer.

 

In a recent issue of the Journal of Pathology, Toxicology, and

Oncology, researchers report on a trial that tested 30 people with

oral leukoplakia. For one year, half the group drank three cups of

black tea daily. The other group abstained from drinking black tea.

 

Samples of cells from leukoplakia mouth plaques were taken from all

subjects at the beginning and end of the study period. When samples

were analyzed, precancerous cellular damage was significantly reduced

in the black tea subjects compared to those who didn't drink the tea.

 

Oral cancer is responsible for more than 300,000 deaths each year - a

number that might be considerably reduced with a few daily cups of

Assam, Ceylon or Darjeeling (three common varieties of black tea).

 

To Your Good Health,

 

Jenny Thompson

 

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Sources:

 

" Diabetes Increases the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the United

States: A Population Based Case Control Study " Gut, Vol. 54, No. 4,

April 2005, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

" Diabetes Triples the Risk of Liver Cancer " Reuters Health, 3/8/05,

reutershealth.com

" Canadian Researcher Discovers Possible Link Between Diabetes and

Liver Cancer " Press Release from the University

" Role of Vitamin K2 in the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in

Women with Viral Cirrhosis of the Liver " Journal of the American

Medical Association, Vol. 292, No. 3, 7/21/04, jama.ama-assn.org

" Black Tea Prevents Oral Cancer " Maureen Williams, N.D., Healthnotes

Newswire, 8/4/05, pccnaturalmarkets.com

 

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