Author Topic: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)  (Read 330577 times)

ccp

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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #550 on: October 31, 2022, 11:30:06 AM »
thank you for the article

I recall reading about this some yrs back
and literally forgot all about it.

Not sure what to do with the information
since statins are so beneficial in lowering vascular events.

I am thinking doctors will think twice about using statins in people at risk for diabetes
who are not yet diagnosed with diabetes
the definition of which is somewhat arbitrary actually.


 


Crafty_Dog

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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #551 on: October 31, 2022, 11:40:36 AM »
Thank you.

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ET: Wuhan Virus and the Endocrine System
« Reply #552 on: November 02, 2022, 05:29:58 AM »
Endocrinologist Forecasts More Hormone-Related Diseases as Spike Proteins Found to Deplete Endocrine ‘Reserves’
SPIKE PROTEIN
Marina Zhang
Marina Zhang
Nov 1 2022
biggersmaller
Rendering of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins binding to ACE2 receptors. (Shutterstock)
Rendering of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins binding to ACE2 receptors. (Shutterstock)

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Dr. Flavio Cadegiani, a Brazilian endocrinologist, suspects that the worst has yet to come for spike protein-induced diseases in the endocrine system.

The endocrine system, colloquially known as the hormone system, is critical for our health. It regulates growth and development, mood, metabolism, reproduction, immunity, and functions of other organs through the secretion of hormones.

Hormones are one of the three biggest messengers in the body. Compared to the two other messengers—neurotransmitters and cytokines—hormones are slower in responding, and have systemic functions across the body rather than localized actions.

While cells can usually respond to neurotransmitters in milliseconds and cytokines in minutes to hours, cells that respond to hormones can take hours or even weeks.

Since hormones can have slow and systemic actions, a dysfunctional or damaged endocrine system will generally be slow in its symptom onset and recovery.

Studies have shown that spike proteins from COVID-19 infection and the vaccines can damage endocrine glands, including pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands, as well as reproductive organs, and many more.

Cadegiani raised a concern that the slower onset of endocrine pathologies may pose difficulties in diagnosis and treatment.

Depletion of Hormonal Reserves
Endocrine pathologies can take longer to become apparent because endocrine glands have “reserves,” according to Cadegiani.

“What we’re going to see in the future [for endocrine diseases] is a little bit different from the other fields, because glands have reserves and the decrease of the reserve will not be clinically seen right now, but it may be in the future,” said Cadegiani at a Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) conference in Kissimmee, Florida.

Therefore, affected individuals may show no symptoms until their reserves have been depleted.

Cadegiani said that most of his concerns for the future are speculative and based his own clinical observations. But since the pandemic and the administration of COVID-19 vaccines began, there have been increasing reports that implicate endocrine pathologies.

Endocrine,Glands,Of,Human,Body,For,Male,And,Female,Including
(udaix/Shutterstock)
Hormonal Axis and Systemic Dysfunction
Hormones regulate the entire body, so once the reserved are depleted and underlying endocrine pathologies are unmasked, there may be cases of systemic dysregulations.

Endocrine glands control the function of many organs across the body, and each endocrine organ is also connected through a feedback loop, also known as a hormonal axis.

At the top of this chain is the hypothalamus, which is a diamond structure in the brain and acts as a master switchboard. It sends messages to the pituitary glands, a small, oval structure tucked behind the nose.

The pituitary gland is colloquially known as the master gland; it regulates other endocrine organs, together with the hypothalamus forming hormonal axes.

The pituitary gland is part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis which regulates the reproductive organs including the ovaries and the testes. In females, it is responsible for regulating the release of ovarian hormones as part of the menstrual cycle, and in males the axis regulates spermatogenesis.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a neuroendocrine axis that mediates the adrenal glands, an organ that produce hormones that trigger the fight or flight response. The fight or flight process is a stress response that occurs in response to harmful threats, and can reduce metabolism, suppress immune, as well as activate the sympathetic nervous system.

Another major axis is the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. This regulates the thyroids and the hormones it secretes. Thyroid hormones are essential for biological functions of growth, regulation of the cardiovascular system, bone replacement, liver function, and metabolism.

How Spike Proteins Target the Endocrine System
The spike protein is the most toxic part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Studies on people with long COVID and post-vaccine symptoms often detected spike protein presence months or even a year after the exposure.

Spike protein particularly favors tissues and organs that express ACE2 and CD147 receptors. Many endocrine glands display ACE2 receptors, including the pancreas, thyroid, testes, ovaries, adrenal glands, and the pituitary gland, making the endocrine system particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2.

The key driver behind spike protein-induced disease is inflammation.

Upon entering cells, spike protein can activate pro-inflammatory pathways by inducing DNA damage, inhibiting DNA repair, causing stress to the cell’s mitochondria, which is critical for cell energy production, and many more. All of this lead to cellular stress, injury, and possible cell death.

When many cells are affected, it can cause problems in tissues and organs, affecting individual endocrine glands and the system.

Spike proteins also inhibit autophagy, the cellular “recycling system,” thereby preventing the cells from clearing the toxic protein out, leading to prolonged damage.

Read More
Natural Ways to Increase Autophagy and Detox Spike Proteins After COVID Infection, Vaccination
Spike proteins may also contribute to autoimmunity. Since it shares many similarities with common human tissues and proteins—known as “molecular mimicry”—it has the potential to cause immune cells to mount an attack against its own cells and organs, leading to endocrine damage.

Several studies have reported on endocrine pathologies following COVID-19, though data on the exact damage is still emerging.

Epoch Times Photo
(ttsz/iStock)
Pituitary Glands
As the master gland of the endocrine system, the pituitary gland secretes many hormones, including ones that regulate other endocrine glands:

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) targets the adrenal glands and is responsible for producing cortisol, which stimulates the stress response
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) regulates the thyroid
Growth hormone (GH) is responsible for growth and metabolism
Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) boosts the production of melanin when exposed to UV rays and increases appetite
Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) is responsible for retaining water and producing less urine
Luteinizing hormone (LH) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL) are important for reproduction
Oxytocin plays a role in childbirth, metabolism, and happiness
Studies in cell culture have shown that the spike protein is able to suppress the production of LH and FSH in pituitary cells, with unknown long term consequences in humans.

ACTH deficiencies have been observed following mRNA vaccination in Japan, with the person affected found to have a shrunken pituitary gland.

Cadegiani said that pathologies in the pituitary are difficult to diagnose; they are often masked by other conditions, therefore there is little literature on pituitary pathology presentation after COVID-19 vaccinations.

Epoch Times Photo
The adrenals are a pair of glands shaped like Napoleon’s hat that lie just above the kidneys. (ttsz /iStock)
Adrenal Glands
There is published literature with data that may be used as evidence to suggest spike protein injury at the adrenal glands.

The adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, produce hormones responsible for the stress response. This includes adrenaline, cortisol, and aldosterone. The release of these three hormones are critical for maintaining energy and other needs during stressful situations.

Studies on COVID-19 have shown that the adrenal glands are major sites of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA accumulation and spike protein production.

The glands are also likely to be involved in post-vaccine myocarditis events that are often seen in young males. Cadegiani reasons that this type of myocarditis may be a sign of adrenal dysfunction.

Cadegiani authored a peer-reviewed study on post-vaccine myocarditis and concluded catecholamines are a main trigger for these events. Catecholamines are a group of neurohormones and includes dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline.

While dopamine mostly acts within the nervous system, both adrenaline and noradrenaline play important roles in stress responses.

Adrenaline activates the fight or flight stress response and the noradrenaline supports the response by increasing heart rate, breaking down fats, and increasing blood sugar levels.

Intense and prolonged exercise trigger the fight or flight response, which is why catecholamines are usually elevated in athletes.  Males in particular tend to have higher levels of catecholamine. Testosterone is also suspected to play a role in the higher incidence of myocarditis following vaccination.

Stress responses increase blood pressure, stronger heart contraction, and when chronic, can increase the risk of cardiac events.

Cadegiani linked catecholamines with myocarditis by analyzing autopsy reports in two teenage boys who died three to four days after mRNA vaccination from myocarditis events. Their heart damage was different from normal myocarditis pathology, with clear similarities with stress-induced cardiomyopathy; Cadegiani observed clear characteristics of catecholamine-induced myocarditis.

He hypothesized that vaccines triggered a hyper-catecholaminergic state by elevating levels of adrenaline, causing hyperactivation of adrenaline.

Studies on mRNA vaccinated athletes also found that after exercise, those who were vaccinated had higher heart rates and noradrenaline levels than those who were not vaccinated.

Dysfunctions in the adrenal glands are likely to lead to adrenal insufficiency.

Cadegiani hypothesized adrenal insufficiency–a condition that the adrenal glands become unable to produce enough hormones–to be a possible consequence of spike protein injury.

There is already a report of adrenal insufficiency following infection; in the case of long COVID where there are spike protein remnants, it is likely that the damage will be prolonged, possibly leading to chronic damage.

In the case of vaccines, a report evaluating spike protein production after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination found that the adrenal glands were one of the highest spike protein-producing tissues, and the spike protein production in these glands increased with time.

Current research has also shown that complications from thrombocytopenia as a post-vaccine symptom have led to adrenal hemorrhage and adrenal insufficiency.

Epoch Times Photo
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the the neck just above the collarbone. It secretes hormones that regulate many body functions including metabolism and cell growth. (Shutterstock)
Thyroid
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located over the throat. It has a lot of functions, primarily regulating growth and metabolism.

It makes two hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Deficiencies in triiodothyronine results in hypothyroidism, characterized by a large thyroid; over secretion of it can cause hyperthyroidism.

The thyroid also plays roles in regulating the immune system. COVID-19 infection is often a sign of underlying thyroid problems, and damage from infection can exacerbate thyroid problems, creating a negative cycle.

An autopsy study on 15 people deceased from COVID-19 found that 13 of them had viral RNA and proteins in their thyroid tissues. ACE2 receptors, previously thought to be not presented on the thyroid, were also detected, indicating a possible route for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Though the research shows that thyroids can be implicated in infection, thyroiditis, which is inflammation of the thyroids, have currently only been reported in relation with the COVID-19 vaccine.

A study from Turkey stated that the COVID-19 vaccine can induce thyroiditis. The study evaluated 15 patients who developed thyroiditis following vaccination.

Four of the patients also developed Grave’s disease, which is an autoimmune disease and a complication of hyperthyroidism. Hashimoto’s disease, another thyroid autoimmune condition, has also been reported following vaccinations.

It is possible that spike proteins produced from vaccinations may attack the thyroid cells by binding to ACE2 receptors. However, looking at the high reports of autoimmune diseases, Cadegiani suspects that the pathogenesis of thyroid dysfunction is likely autoimmune. The spike protein has also demonstrated its autoimmune capacity due to high incidences of “molecular mimicry.”

Pancreas
The pancreas produces glucagon and insulin, two important hormones that regulate our blood sugar levels. Dysregulation of blood sugar levels are an indication of pancreatic dysfunction and may lead to complications such as diabetes.

Spike protein both from the vaccine and the virus have shown a potential to disturb glucose metabolism.

There have been reports of a sudden onset of type 1 diabetes, which is a form of autoimmune disease where the body attacks its own pancreatic beta cells.

A study evaluating EudraVigilance safety surveillance reports have also found reports of dysregulation of blood glucose with transient worsening of hyperglycemia reported after vaccinations.

Chronic hyperglycemia, meaning high blood sugar, is usually a sign of dysfunction in the pancreatic beta cells.

Therefore Cadegiani proposed that there could be a loss or malfunction of pancreatic beta cells as studies have shown that the spike protein is able to directly affect and damage these beta cells, likely resulting in their death.

Epoch Times Photo
Health of sperm relates to overall body health, Australian research has found. ( koya979/Adobe Stock)
Reproductive Organs
The harms of COVID-19 on male reproductive organs are well established.

A study from Thailand showed that in 153 sexually active men, around 64.7 percent experienced erectile dysfunction during COVID-19 infection, with 50 percent persisting in these symptoms three months after recovery.

Erectile dysfunction has been established in research to be due to dysfunctions of the endothelial cells, and the spike protein impairs endothelial cells.

Studies linking COVID-19 and erectile dysfunction have largely blamed it on the virus’s interaction with ACE2 receptors displayed on the surface of endothelial cells. Endothelial cells are abundant in ACE2 receptors, making it one of the most targeted in COVID-19 infections.

A study evaluating adenovirus DNA vaccines showed that cells exposed to the vaccines also produced spike proteins that could interact and bind with ACE2 receptors, suggestive of equal endothelial damage.

Since the vaccine rolled out in 2021, the CDC data reported 193 cases of erectile dysfunction following COVID-19 vaccination.

An Israeli study on sperm donations have also noticed a reduction by 15 percent in sperm concentration and 22 percent in motile sperm count following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.

The authors confirmed in a later response (pdf) that the people tested had no underlying health conditions, and therefore the reduction could not be due to any underlying health conditions that were existent prior to the vaccination.

Though sperm count gradually made a recovery after 145 days, sperm concentration and motility did not return to pre-vaccination levels, with unknown long-term effects.

Concerns of reproductive problems have also been reported in women, most particularly after vaccinations rather than after infection.

Studies showed that men are generally at a higher risk of severe outcomes and deaths from COVID-19 infections; however, women seem to be at a higher risk of vaccine injury.

VAERS data showed that over 60 percent of adverse event reports came from women, indicating that women are more vulnerable to post-vaccine symptoms.

Dr. Paul Marik, critical care expert, also observed that women were at a greater risk of presenting with post-vaccines symptoms in the clinic.

During the pandemic, many women reported menstrual abnormalities following vaccination. A study on Middle Eastern women found almost 70 percent of them reporting menstrual irregularities after vaccination.

A study funded by the National Institute of Health found a “temporary increase in menstrual cycle length” linked to the COVID-19 vaccination.

A study published on the website titled My Cycle Story reported over 290 women who have experienced decidual cast shedding after the COVID vaccines rolled out, even though less than 40 such cases have been documented over the past 109 years. This also indicated that many of the reproductive symptoms women were suffering from may be vaccine related, rather than related to COVID infections.

Cadegiani predicted greater adverse events in pregnancies for the coming future.

He cited a study that concluded “no association” between COVID-19 vaccines and fertility. The data however showed that unvaccinated women had a higher rate of pregnancy than the vaccinated, both for clinical and biochemical pregnancy.

The authors of the paper reviewed 10 studies and found that unvaccinated women have a clinical and biochemical pregnancy rate of 47 and 60 percent respectively, while the COVID vaccinated had a rate of 45 and 51 percent.

Cadegiani predicts more cases of endocrinopathologies as a result of spike injuries in the future.

“Endocrine diseases progress slowly and then only clinically appears in the severe states,” said Cadegiani. “So it’s not possible to tell this [anytime] beforehand.”

ccp

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CDC relaxes opioid guidelines a bit
« Reply #553 on: November 03, 2022, 01:15:20 PM »
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/cdc-opioids/2022/11/03/id/1094784/
thought nothing stated about securing the border :((

Crafty_Dog

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50% World-wide decline in sperm count in last 50 years
« Reply #554 on: December 02, 2022, 02:17:23 PM »
Backing up what Tucker Carlson has repeatedly said:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28981654/

DougMacG

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Re: 50% World-wide decline in sperm count in last 50 years
« Reply #555 on: December 03, 2022, 06:07:53 AM »

ccp

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FDA approves expensive medicine with very marginal benefits
« Reply #556 on: January 07, 2023, 10:55:30 PM »
https://www.newsmax.com/health/health-news/alzheimers-eisai-biogen/2023/01/06/id/1103373/

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00030-3

if I recall the advisory 3 panel members resigned after the FDA ignored their 8 to 1 decision to not recommend approval

something rotten at FDA ?




Crafty_Dog

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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #559 on: March 02, 2023, 07:57:55 AM »
Sidebar comments can be seen at:
https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cardiologist-speaks-truth-about-cholesterol-and-statins_5088422.html?utm_source=Health&src_src=Health&utm_campaign=health-2023-03-02&src_cmp=health-2023-03-02&utm_medium=email&est=FdpVeNEsvLjsglLANm5E4fsHjv7sGssvdeiGV%2F6jFCbVDmDtjQ9zvir8wUfFUGOSHg9J

Cardiologist Speaks Truth About Cholesterol and Statins
FEATUREDHEART HEALTH
Thomas E. Levy
Feb 28 2023


Is elevated cholesterol really a problem? In a word, absolutely! However, beyond that assertion, there is a lot about cholesterol that is little known or completely misunderstood. Elevated cholesterol levels feed the growth of obstructive plaques in the coronary arteries, and the higher the cholesterol levels, generally, the more rapid the growth of the plaques.

Very elevated cholesterol levels clearly increase the chances of having a heart attack as long as they are up, with the highest levels having the highest risks. So, significantly elevated cholesterol levels (280 mg/dL or greater) must be avoided at all costs.

Obviously, I want to get my cholesterol as low as possible, right?

Here’s Where It Gets Just a Little Complicated About Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol levels rise because they are one of the body’s natural defense mechanisms against various toxins. The higher the toxin presence, the higher the cholesterol goes to help block/neutralize the increased oxidative stress from those toxins. So, more heart disease is aggravated as the cholesterol levels rise.

But … you don’t want to lower the cholesterol levels without lowering the toxin presence as well. Otherwise, you’ll just have more un-neutralized toxins in the blood and in the body, causing increased oxidative stress and damage wherever they go.

Then What Do I Do if My Cholesterol Levels Are Elevated?

What needs to be done is to identify your toxin sources, eliminate them, and take an antioxidant protocol that will neutralize the toxins’ pro-oxidant effects. If this is done effectively, cholesterol levels will normalize all by themselves, without the need to use anti-cholesterol drugs such as statins.

Isn’t it good to take a statin drug just to make sure that my cholesterol stays nice and low? Not really. When just the elevated cholesterol level is treated with a statin and no attempt is made to lower toxin exposure and/or to neutralize existing toxins with antioxidants such as vitamin C, your chances of cancer dramatically rise.

The lower your cholesterol levels go without addressing the underlying toxin presence, the greater your chances of cancer. Period.

Furthermore, in a 2013 study, it has been shown that long-term statin use is associated with increased risks of two different types of breast cancer, completely consistent with the long-established link between cancer and low cholesterol. Multiple earlier studies have conclusively shown that cancer risk increases as cholesterol decreases, whether from drugs or severe dietary cholesterol restriction.

So, What Is a Good Cholesterol Level, Anyway?

As a general guideline, when new toxin exposures have been properly addressed, and “normal” daily toxin exposures are all that remain, most adults will end up with a “normal” cholesterol level between 160 and 220 mg/dL. You never want a cholesterol level to chronically stay below 150 mg/dL.

The low cholesterol levels resulting from very strict vegetarian diets are probably the biggest downside of such a way of eating. Nathan Pritikin, the father of the largely vegetarian Pritikin diet, had been diagnosed with heart disease at the age of 41. His cholesterol was over 300 mg/dL.

After following his own diet, he eventually lowered his cholesterol to 120 mg/dL. However, he ultimately ended up with two different kinds of leukemia, and he finally committed suicide many years later.

At autopsy, he had achieved his goal of having notably healthy and clean coronary arteries. So, cholesterol definitely accelerates heart disease, and lowering cholesterol does help to resolve heart disease. However, the answer to elevated cholesterol levels is not to solely lower it with drugs and leave endogenous toxins unaddressed.

So, Statins Should Never Be Taken?

Yes and no. If your cholesterol is above 300 mg/dL and you refuse to address your toxins, such as the proper removal of root canal-treated teeth, you will probably live longer taking a statin and getting your cholesterol back into the mid-200 range.

But the toxins will still be doing their work, and your chances of contracting and aggravating any of a wide variety of conditions, including cancer, will be increased. And be prepared to deal with the many possible side effects of statins, including, but not limited to, muscle pain and damage, liver damage, digestive problems, rashes, increased blood sugar that could lead to diabetes, and a variety of neurological problems, including memory loss and confusion.

And What Do I Do If I Don’t Want to Take Statins?

Dental toxicity needs to be addressed, as well as digestive toxicity. High doses of vitamin C, in regular and liposome-encapsulated forms, should be taken on a daily basis, along with as wide a variety of other quality antioxidant supplements as can reasonably be afforded.

Republished from NaturalHealth365

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
NIH.gov
NIH.gov
NIH.gov

ccp

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shingles
« Reply #560 on: March 03, 2023, 06:48:40 AM »
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/03/02/dianne-feinstein-hospitalization-leaves-senate-democrats-without-outright-majority/

typically not something person gets hospitalized for

unless it is in multiple locations, involvement of the eye, or severe pain,
or if they live alone , elderly and cannot care for themselves





ccp

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From Drudge today , obesity
« Reply #561 on: March 10, 2023, 01:13:52 PM »

ccp

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rising bacterial resistance
« Reply #562 on: March 29, 2023, 06:25:03 AM »
all day long people call in for infections

and all day long we have to try to limit antibiotics

it is by far the hardest thing we do

this is why:

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/-arrived-post-antibiotic-era-warns-new-drugs-deadly-superbugs-rcna76601

not clear from the article is whether any of the investigational antibiotics oral for outpatient use ( I doubt it) or just the more expensive Intravenous forms for hospitalized patient infections.

Crafty_Dog

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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #563 on: March 31, 2023, 08:22:07 AM »
From the bottom of the totem pole, I find myself wondering about the role of antibiotics in the food chain in this.



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ET: Microbiome Part 1
« Reply #566 on: April 08, 2023, 09:59:17 AM »
Killing Bacteria with Antimicrobials and Antibiotics May Be Shortsighted, According to New Science About the Microbiome (Part 1)
Cultivating Our Gut Microbiome to Stifle Disease Series
Amy Denney
Apr 3 2023


We might be on the verge of a new medical paradigm if what scientists are discovering about the microbiome ever makes it into the doctor’s office.

In this series, “Cultivating Our Gut Microbiome to Stifle Disease,” we’ll share how the latest developments on this medical frontier are transforming our approaches to illness and offering new strategies to heal and prevent disease.

Modern medicine has progressed in large part by waging war against germs—snuffing out microscopic disease-causing creatures before they kill us.

The 19th-century discovery that microorganisms are the cause of infectious disease—the leading cause of death at the time—led scientists to the consensus that “germs” posed a great danger to humanity, a stance that’s been woven into policy and ideology to this day. Public health advancements in the 20th century proved that controlling infectious outbreaks extended life expectancy and reduced infant and maternal deaths.

It was an era heralded for great medical achievements.

Death rates rapidly declined—even before the introduction of penicillin and vaccines—as public sanitation and better hygiene in hospitals transformed public health. Mass antibiotic production came in the 1940s, initially for wounded soldiers, then exploded into the public sphere. These new antimicrobial weapons cured millions of infections and saved many lives. However, antibiotics also came with consequences that are squeezing today’s health care on two sides: superbug infections and a rise in all diseases.

Good, Bad, and Usually Ugly
The microbial world is diverse. While it’s true that some microbes cause disease, saying that all of them are killers would be like calling all dogs killers because of a few.

Researchers have learned that thinking of microbes as pathogenic, or disease-causing, is profoundly incorrect. In fact, the microbial world encompasses bacteria, viruses, and fungi that largely promote health. Human beings host a vast microbial community, or microbiome, which forms a kind of detached organ with interactions that keep us alive. These tiny creatures may not be cute, but they are essential.

“[There is] a consortium of organisms in us and on us and around us. There are trillions of them,” Dr. Neil Stollman told fellow physicians at a recent Malibu Microbiome Meeting. “When we lose bugs, we are at risk of other bugs hurting us. They are intimately involved in our immune system development. And we help them. We provide a home for them and nutrients.”

Stollman is chairman of gastroenterology at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, California and past chairman of the American College of Gastroenterology.

Bugs Everywhere

Everyone has an individually unique microbiome, as well as distinct microbiomes in different areas of their bodies. We have microbes, for instance, on our skin and in our mouths, lungs, nasal passages, urinary tract, and especially in our gastrointestinal tract, and some of those microbes indeed are associated with illness. One database offers 5,677 associations between 1,781 microbes and 542 human diseases across more than 20 sites on the body.

Not surprisingly, the gastrointestinal tract was associated with 37 percent of those disease associations, with the oral cavity next at less than 10 percent. However, that doesn’t mean researchers understand this realm all that thoroughly. Dr. Sabine Hazan said more than 95 percent of microbes are still a mystery. A gastroenterologist and researcher, she presented microbiome discoveries from the past four years at the Malibu Microbiome Meeting.

“We have no idea what their names are and what they do, and possibly, they could be the culprit of a disease,” Hazan said. That also means researchers don’t know the precise synergistic roles those microbes play in the body that keep us alive and healthy. This collection of microbes, or flora, remains largely a mystery though it is an area of intense interest to researchers.

Tiny Organisms With Big Jobs

Microbiome studies tend to focus heavily on the gut, where our microbes configure the majority of our immune system. High levels of certain beneficial bacteria help us mount a robust response to invading viruses, for example. We know now that a diversity of flora is protective against disease.

Other processes that happen in the gut are critical to life, including metabolism, hormonal regulation, and neurological function. Various microbes throughout the gut set off a chain of signals to cells that are involved in hormone release and metabolic processes such as insulin sensitivity, appetite, and fat storage. Metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and diseases of the heart and circulatory system, as well as endocrine disorders that affect organs that rely on hormones, all lean on the microbiome.

Acceptance of the notion that the gut and mental health are connected has ebbed and flowed for decades, but metabolic processes instigated by bacteria can affect both the permeability of the gut lining and flip on inflammatory pathways. Both of these can affect mental health, as well as a plethora of other conditions and physiological systems, and now have wide acknowledgment.

Undoing a History of Hygiene

Historically, even as recently as the COVID-19 outbreak, medicine has been obsessed with pathogenic microbes, while commensal (helpful) bacteria haven’t gotten credit for the grunt work they do to keep us alive and healthy.

The problem is historical, in some sense. It goes back to our earliest concepts of the microbial world, when doctors including Ignaz Semmelweis hypothesized in the 1840s that physicians and medical students were transmitting “death particles” from autopsy rooms where they started their workday to clinics where they delivered babies for the remainder of the day.

That gave rise to the practice of routine hand-washing, with immediate and observable effects. But by the time we learned that many microbes played beneficial roles, there were already massive industries built around the war against microbes. Food processing, chemically treated crops, and overreliance on pharmaceuticals destroyed massive volumes of health-sustaining microbes.

One result of this assault is the seemingly unending dilemma of deadly superbugs that have become resistant to antibiotics. Allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory bowel diseases have all been linked to the oversterilization of our microbial environment. Killing microbes is a multibillion-dollar industry.

“Clearly, there are those who will want to defend the past and even the status quo. That is to be expected,” Dr. David Perlmutter, neurologist and fellow of the American College of Nutrition, wrote in his book “Brain Maker.” “I believe it is far more important to break the bonds of these constraints and recognize that our most exciting and respected science is offering us an incredible opportunity to regain our health through the force wielded by the microbiome.”

Medicine’s Philosophical Shift

Medicine is confronted with a crossroads: keep on the current anti-microbial path or reset our medical paradigm around the reality that our various microbiomes help sustain us while also fighting off infection and disease.

Many of the rapidly growing diseases we’re contending with today—such as autism and autoimmune disorders—have now been linked to microbiome health. A combination of lifestyle factors—from foods that feed the wrong microbes, to routine chemical exposures, and unnecessary antibiotics—have undoubtedly taken a toll on our symbiotic microbes and health, Hazan said.

“Have we in essence killed our microbiome? Could it be maybe we’re overdoing it?” she asked.

Concepts that include precision health and personalized nutrition hinge on a broad understanding of the gut microbiome, a race that has spurred investment in new companies with promises that have far outpaced the available research.

Scientists at the Malibu Microbiome Meeting shared absurd claims of products that insinuate one single probiotic can reverse specific diseases.

“To simply believe you’re going to take one pill of one particular bacteria and it’s going to solve your problem and provide some beautiful homeostasis to your microbial ecosystem is absurdly simplistic and is absolutely not true,” Stollman said.

And yet, there are also miraculous case studies indicating incredible promise. Trials are underway, at rapid rates. In fact, more than 80 percent of microbiome research has occurred since 2017, according to Stollman.

“There’s a real mania about the biome. I think the mania is also based not as much on ‘can we improve our health?’ but rather ‘can we diagnose an illness, and treat an illness?’” he said.

The challenge ahead is significant. Beyond fixing outdated medical protocols, like indiscriminate antibiotic use, there is the staggering volume of microbes and microbial interactions that need to be understood. Considering that our cells perform impossible complex chemistry at a scale and intricacy beyond anything modern science can match, imagine the additional complexity of trillions of microorganisms doing something similar.

In the next article:

Microbiome science may be new, but researchers have made undeniable connections between various bacteria and specific diseases. The truth of Hippocrates’s statement that “all disease begins in the gut” is starting to be recognized by today’s scientists.


Amy Denney is a health reporter for The Epoch Times. Amy has a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield and has won several awards for investigative and health reporting. She covers the microbiome, new treatments, and integrative wellness.

ccp

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just read a review on microbiome
« Reply #567 on: April 08, 2023, 03:44:08 PM »
I have people tell me all the time tell me they are taking "good bacteria " for this or that reason.

But do any of these things work ?

just to find the latest update I found only these 2 benefits :

mild improvement in IBS constipation type with bacillus coagulans

and to prevent second bout of C diff with saccharomyces boulardii after antibiotics

so far are only know good study supported benefits of good bacteria

researchers must be having lots of fun trying to figure out the benefits / harms done by 50 trillion bacteria in our guts

then compound that with different amounts combinations in people all with different genetics - well you can get the picture

of how formidable this is.



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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #568 on: April 18, 2023, 05:59:58 AM »
I take this:

https://www.rgarden.com/inner_garden_flora.html

and this:

https://www.rgarden.com/l_salivarius.html

whenever I get gassy/bloated and in short order my digestion improves and I feel better.


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Imprimis:America's Broken Health Care System
« Reply #569 on: April 18, 2023, 08:40:51 PM »
Big pharma controls medical research with obvious conflicts of interests
resulting in crazy rise in prescription prices

Something I have posted about in past:

https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/americas-broken-health-care-diagnosis-and-prescription/

recently I posted about the lack of transparency on drug pricing among the middle. men such as pharmacy benefits managers

Author points out the pharma industry also seems make their research less transparent.

not good for the nation as a whole that is going broke ....

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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #570 on: April 19, 2023, 04:46:09 AM »
Imprimis does very good work!

ccp

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Huge health data breach
« Reply #571 on: April 19, 2023, 02:40:51 PM »
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2023/04/19/the-data-breach-at-the-consumer-protection-bureau-was-worse-than-we-previously-known-n2622163

I just finished my umpteenth course and protecting health data
literally just this afternoon telling us how we can go to jail , be fined , terminated from employment and any company one works with be sued and have their reputation damaged

then I read the above

I am willing to bet since this is government at fault there will be no one held accountable

what a joke

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some plastic surgeons willing to mutilate
« Reply #572 on: April 27, 2023, 07:46:00 AM »
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OK_gesture#/media/File:LG_WHISEN_%EC%86%90%EC%97%B0%EC%9E%AC_%EC%A7%80%EB%A9%B4_%EA%B4%91%EA%B3%A0_%EC%B4%AC%EC%98%81_%EC%82%AC%EC%A7%84_(30)_hand_only.jpg

I have hard time looking at her image and not thinking something is wrong when I see what surgery has produced .

yeah she asked for this and is "happy"
blah blah blah

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Re: some plastic surgeons willing to mutilate
« Reply #573 on: April 27, 2023, 07:50:43 AM »
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OK_gesture#/media/File:LG_WHISEN_%EC%86%90%EC%97%B0%EC%9E%AC_%EC%A7%80%EB%A9%B4_%EA%B4%91%EA%B3%A0_%EC%B4%AC%EC%98%81_%EC%82%AC%EC%A7%84_(30)_hand_only.jpg

I have hard time looking at her image and not thinking something is wrong when I see what surgery has produced .

yeah she asked for this and is "happy"
blah blah blah

You might have something else you wanted to post.

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ET: Plasticizers
« Reply #574 on: May 13, 2023, 04:36:58 PM »

ET

Study of Popular Drinks Found 95 Percent Contained Plasticizers
HEALTH & SAFETY
Jessie Zhang, Reporter

May 10 2023

Study of Popular Drinks Found 95 Percent Contained Plasticizers

Spanish researchers have found in a study of 75 drink samples that nearly all contained plasticizers—chemical coatings that give plastics their bendy and soft form—and the more sugar, the more plasticizer it had.

Plasticizers are polymer materials added to plastics for desired flexibility and durability, with bisphenol A, also known as BPA, and phthalates being the most commonly used.

They are also used in daily items such as food storage containers, canned foods, and some toiletries.


However, excessive amounts of plasticizer in food can cause serious damage to the liver, kidneys, and reproductive system.

It has also been linked to causing miscarriages, birth deformities, and even cancer.

Published in Environment International, the researchers analyzed water, cola, juices, wine, and hot drink samples and found that regardless of the packaging, added sugar was found to make the most significance.

“Our results show that more than 95 percent of the beverages have at least one of the 19 plasticizers that we analysed, which shows the ubiquity of these compounds and our exposure to them in our day-to-day lives,” Julio Fernández Arribas explained.

Fernández Arribas is the first author of the study and a researcher from the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA) of the Spanish National Research Council.

They detected the highest levels of contamination in sugary soft drinks and juices with added sugars, with averages of 2,876 nanograms per litre and 2,965 ng/L, respectively.

The lowest levels of contamination were found in bottled water (2.7 ng/L) and coffee (24 ng/L), followed by wine, sugar-free soft drinks, tea, and juices without added sugars.

Barcelona’s tap water had significantly higher levels than bottled water, with 40.9 ng/L and 2.7 ng/L of plasticizer, respectively, which the researchers said is due mainly to the chemicals that may come from the plastic water pipes Spain uses.

Epoch Times Photo
The more sugar, the more contaminated by plasticizers. (Shutterstock)

“One of the most striking results was to observe that sugary beverages had higher levels of plasticizers, especially due to the presence of 2-ethylhexyldiphenyl phosphate (EHDPP),” IDAEA researcher and main author of the study, Ethel Eljarrat, said.

EHDPP is related to an increase in the risk of suffering from some types of cancer, such as breast and uterine cancer.

Surprisingly, packaging type—glass, plastic, or can—wasn’t critical in determining the plasticizer levels in drinks.

They found that plastic coating on metal caps of glass bottles releases eight separate compounds into the drinks, and in the case of one brand of juice, the glass bottle contained ten times higher plasticizer levels than the other packages.

Top Sugary Beverages
Sugar-sweetened beverages are prevalent in Australia, especially among young adult males, foreshadowing continued population weight gain and high burdens of chronic disease.

A population study of 3,430 adults found that almost half of Australian adults had consumed a drink that was high in sugar in the past week.

Consumption of fruit juices was the most prevalent at nearly 40 percent, followed by soda at 29 percent, artificially-sweetened soda at 18 percent, sports drinks at eight percent, and energy drinks at four percent.

In line with previous research from the U.S., the UK, and Norway, higher soda consumption was linked with males, younger age, socio-economic disadvantage, frequent takeaway food consumption, obesity, and a diagnosis of heart disease or depression.

Additionally, the levels of plasticizers in Australian food are generally low, according to Food Standards Australia & New Zealand’s (FSANZ) latest survey.

They analysed seven phthalate, adipate, and citrate plasticisers that may be used in food packaging materials.

“Estimated dietary exposure for Australian consumers was below internationally recognised Health-Based Guidance Values, and no appreciable health risks have been identified for the Australian population,” FSANZ said.

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More microplastics
« Reply #575 on: May 15, 2023, 06:51:02 AM »
https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/inhaled-microplastics-could-affect-sex-hormones_5257598.html?utm_source=Health&src_src=Health&utm_campaign=health-2023-05-15&src_cmp=health-2023-05-15&utm_medium=email&est=QFUu10nE4Do4mIgHT02diRbPkllLBufRJL7C5ynaMOA3LSWqC3CotX8OECsrH1%2FscRWF

Inhaled Microplastics Could Affect Sex Hormones
Irina Antonova
May 11 2023

Inhaled Microplastics Could Affect Sex Hormones

Microplastics may be more dangerous than first thought after a new study demonstrated that the substances were not only dangerous as chemicals but could also produce a hormone-disrupting effect when inhaled.

For humans, disruptions to sex hormones can impact the body’s fertility and metabolism, which researchers argue could be behind the recently declining fertility and increasing obesity rates around the globe.

Additionally, inhalation of such plastic chemicals can also generate pulmonary inflammation, as well as cardiovascular dysfunction and systematic inflammation.


MNPs can be found both in indoor and outdoor environments making it hard for humans to avoid them.

The trial, which was undertaken by the  Rutgers laboratory, showed that MNPs (microscale and nanoscale particles) of the known plastic polyamide—also known as nylon—can produce endocrine-disrupting effects when inhaled by female rats in laboratory conditions, using concentrations that are experienced by humans.

“This is one of the first studies to show endocrine disrupting effects from a plastic particle itself, not based on exposure to the plasticizing chemical,” explained Phoebe Stapleton, PhD, assistant professor at the Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and senior author of the study, in an interview for Rutgers Research.

“Previous research has focused almost exclusively on chemical additives,” Stapleton clarified.

The Study
Scientists noted that if they were to “assess the toxicological consequences of a single inhalation exposure,” they would need an innovative method of study to create airborne microplastics.

To this end, they used a very fine food-grade nylon powder (their MNPs model), which they placed on a rubber pad on top of a bass speaker so that the bass pulse dispersed the nylon in the air for the rats to breathe. They then assessed the toxicological effect of a single 24-hour exposure to MNPs by the female rats and estimated the pulmonary deposits of MNPs and their impact on the lungs, cardiovascular, systematic and endocrine systems.

“Previous studies have injected animals with the particles being studied or fed them to them. We figured out how to aerosolize the MNP to be inhaled just as we breathe it in real life. We expect many labs to use this method for experiments going forward as it better mimics actual exposure,” Stapleton said.

The researchers found that the inhaled particles deposited throughout the rats’ lungs, but this did not lead to significant lung inflammation.

What they did see, though, was an impairment of the animal’s cardiovascular function and that the levels of the reproductive hormone 17 beta-estradiol had decreased.

They explain that the latter was due to the fact that polyamide has a high affinity with estrogenic compounds, which can act as an endocrine disruptor in biological settings.

The main concern of the scientists is that the MNPs have similar effects on humans, and though it is not new that plastics can be harmful to us, the fact that those most microscopic particles are now in the air and we are breathing them is new and worrisome.

“Unfortunately, there’s very little that people can do to reduce exposure at the moment. You can be aware of your flooring, wear natural fibres and avoid storing food in plastic containers, but invisibly small plastic particles are likely in nearly every breath we take,” Stapleton said.

The authors conclude their paper with the hope that more knowledge on the issue will be helpful, “The pervasive nature of MNPs and their adverse effects as presented in this study highlight the need for better understanding of MNP toxicities to support consumer choice, regulatory policy, and environmental remediation.”

What are MNPs?
Microscale (microplastics) and nanoscale (nanoplastics) particles (MNPs) refer to tiny plastic fragments that are less than 5 millimetres and less than one micrometre in size, respectively.

They are a type of plastic pollution that is increasingly becoming a concern due to their widespread presence in the environment.

Microplastics are generally formed through the breakdown of larger plastic items, such as bottles, bags, and packaging materials, as well as from the degradation of synthetic fibres used in textiles.

Nanoplastics, on the other hand, can be intentionally manufactured at the nanoscale or result from the further degradation of microplastics.

These particles are pervasive in various environmental compartments, including oceans, rivers, lakes, soils, and even the air.

They have been found in diverse ecosystems, from the deep sea to the Arctic, and have been detected in numerous organisms, including marine life, birds, and even humans.

The presence of microplastics and nanoplastics raises concerns due to their potential adverse effects on ecosystems and human health.

Marine animals may ingest these particles, leading to physical harm, inflammation, and disruption of their digestive systems.

Additionally, microplastics can act as carriers for toxic substances, such as persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals, which may accumulate in the food chain.

Although research on the impacts of nanoplastics is still in its early stages, there are concerns about their increased mobility, potential for cellular uptake, and interactions with biological systems, as the small size of nanoplastics could enable them to cross cellular barriers and have a more significant impact on organisms.

Efforts are being made to reduce plastic pollution at its source and develop sustainable alternatives.

Additionally, research is ongoing to better understand the environmental fate, behaviour, and impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics, as well as to develop effective detection and monitoring methods.



ccp

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first birth control pill will soon be available without prescription
« Reply #578 on: July 13, 2023, 02:18:11 PM »
https://www.wsj.com/articles/otc-birth-control-pill-4c180a93

the day after pill is already otc

funny how these things always are announced by WSJ.........



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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #580 on: July 25, 2023, 07:42:07 AM »
very interesting

the study of the microbiome is very interesting
yet so far, so poorly understood


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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #581 on: July 26, 2023, 07:03:08 AM »
In my very layman amateur way I have been following this over time and whenever I feel bloated or other digestive unease I take:

https://www.rgarden.com/inner_garden_flora.html
https://www.rgarden.com/l_salivarius.html

I get the argument that doing so is "unnatural" but I think of it rather as a matter of counteracting the unnatural presence of anti-biotics in our food supply.

Regardless, my empirical experience is quite positive.


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ET: Statins, niacin therapy
« Reply #583 on: August 15, 2023, 07:28:56 AM »
https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/health/statins-the-lesser-known-dangers-and-a-good-alternative-5450083?utm_source=Health&src_src=Health&utm_campaign=health-2023-08-15&src_cmp=health-2023-08-15&utm_medium=email&est=SV6u0ek0pLx406JY1vPEnFB4tx7HWGEjp7FQdheOoSGJuVrHo32ZRb%2BcwAoJPRWOwxnS

Statins: The Lesser-Known Dangers, and a Good Alternative
FEATUREDDRUGS & TREATMENTS
Vance Voetberg
Vance Voetberg
Aug 12 2023
biggersmaller
(joel bubble ben/Shutterstock)
(joel bubble ben/Shutterstock)

0:00
5:52



1

For decades, statins—the most common cholesterol-lowering medications—have been recognized as a lifesaver for those with heart disease. While statins have revolutionized heart health in a positive way, some studies highlight the lesser-known concerns of the medication: energy-sapping, increased diabetes risk, and, for many people, muscle pain.

The Puzzling Link Between Statins and Insulin Resistance
A recent systematic review of 11 epidemiological studies with nearly 47 million participants found associations between statin use and decreased insulin sensitivity, as well as insulin resistance—both significant factors for developing Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, statins were found to reduce glycemic control and elevate fasting glucose levels.


Experts are uncertain about the precise mechanism through which statins might impact insulin resistance, considering their advantages, such as lowering inflammation, decreasing oxidative stress, and enhancing endothelial function—all of which actually improve insulin sensitivity rather than diminish it.

A 2021 study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology also found that statins can increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes, but how was unclear. In weighing the potential risks of statins, however, most researchers and health care professionals still believe them to be more beneficial than harmful.

“It is generally viewed that the strengths of lower cholesterol by a lot outweigh a modest increase in insulin resistance,” Michael Snyder, a genetics professor and chair of the Genetics Department at Stanford University School of Medicine, told The Epoch Times.

But the double-sided nature of statins remains unclear to researchers, added Dr. Snyder, who has coauthored multiple studies investigating the correlation between statin usage and insulin intolerance.

Lifestyle factors like obesity also play a major role in insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is often associated with high body weight, which individuals can reduce to potentially offset statins’ effects, Dr. Snyder said.

Why Do Statins Drain Energy?
Fatigue and muscle pain seem to be common with statin use. A study of over 350 statin users found that 93 percent reported muscle pain and fatigue, while 85 percent reported weakness.

“This is of no surprise because of the well-documented effects that statins have on Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10), which is a primary cofactor for mitochondrial function,” Dr. Node Smith, a board-certified naturopathic physician, told The Epoch Times. Mitochondria create energy for the entire body at the cellular level. Therefore, in practical terms, statins can deplete the body’s cellular energy by depleting CoQ10, he added.

A letter to the editor published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology noted that people taking statins who also supplemented with CoQ10 were less likely to experience chronic fatigue.

Dr. Smith said many of his patients who have taken statins long-term have reported experiencing persistent muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, and brain fog. “Some of these patients are avid athletes and simply are confused why they can no longer work out,” he added. “If I see this presentation in someone on a statin medication, I will almost always assume the statin is at least a contributing factor and discuss with the patient its removal and replacement with another therapy.”

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Is Vitamin B3 an Alternative to Statins?
Statins are commonly used alongside niacin (vitamin B3), recommended for over 40 years to prevent heart disease due to the vitamin’s positive impact on lipid levels.

Niacin is the most common and effective treatment that replaces statins, according to Dr. Smith. “Of all the pharmaceutical medications I’ve helped people get off of, statins are the easiest, least concerning, and patients typically have the best results with—because it is not uncommon for them to feel almost instantly better.”

Niacin decreases LDL cholesterol, which can build up plaque in arteries when levels are too high. It also increases HDL cholesterol, which absorbs other forms of cholesterol in the bloodstream and carries it back to the liver for removal, according to a clinical trial of over 300 people. Additionally, niacin lowers triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood.

Optimized niacin therapy costs patients $15 to 30 per month and is worth trying before statins, Dr. Smith added.

Studies have found that combining niacin and statins may outperform statins alone. Dr. Smith has observed similar results in his practice, although some studies suggest otherwise.

Niacin fell out of favor due to the side effect of niacin flushing, which produces a slight prickly heat sensation for about 30 minutes and can be quite concerning and uncomfortable for some people, he said.

About 15 years ago, wax-coated niacin tablets were developed. They allow high doses of niacin to be delivered while reducing flushing for most people, according to Dr. Smith. Side-effect management methods like taking niacin with food or baking soda can also help.

However, Dr. Smith cautioned that people with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder, may need more aggressive therapies, potentially including statins.

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niacin
« Reply #584 on: August 15, 2023, 09:13:24 AM »
"Niacin fell out of favor due to the side effect of niacin flushing, which produces a slight prickly heat sensation for about 30 minutes and can be quite concerning and uncomfortable for some people, he said"

not true .

niacin fell out of favor because it was not found to reduce cardiovascular events.

Almost never used today

interesting too that Niacin can also increase glucose
and muscle pain and gout and liver

For a while I was taking max dose naicin 2 grams 3 x per day
my good cholesterol went up and my bad down

the flushing was tolerable

aspirin was used in attempt to reduce flushing though I don't remember if it helped or not.
I oversaw a study with a niacin aspirin mix in 1990.

in the end studies revealed that while niacin a B class vitamin did have benefits on cholesterol numbers this did not translate to lower heart attacks or strokes

 

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ET: Main Culprit for Heart Disease
« Reply #585 on: August 16, 2023, 10:57:19 AM »


Her assertion that fat adds to the effects of high glycemic carbs is contrary to my understanding see e.g. Barry Sears "Enter the Zone":

Doctors Reveal a ‘Main Culprit’ for Heart Disease
FEATUREDHEART DISEASE
Marina Zhang
Marina Zhang
Aug 15 2023



High blood cholesterol has been a central focus in cardiovascular disease for decades. However, doctors are now challenging this emphasis, proposing that this may have caused health practitioners to overlook a critical culprit: insulin resistance.

Why Insulin Resistance Is a Cause for Concern
Dr. Robert DuBroff, a cardiologist and professor from the University of New Mexico, had a patient who suffered multiple cardiovascular events. The patient underwent coronary artery bypass three times and had been treated aggressively with statin medications, but his cardiovascular events continued.


Dr. DuBroff noticed that his patient’s blood sugar was borderline prediabetic and that he was overweight. However, none of these risk factors was addressed by previous doctors. Once these factors were addressed, the patient stopped having additional problems.

Insulin resistance is the leading cause of Type 2 diabetes and an indicator of metabolic health. One study found that over 80 percent of Americans were metabolically unhealthy, with nearly half prediabetic.

Type 2 diabetics face at least a twofold risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and most die from cardiovascular events. However, this is often missed in the literature, professor Ian Givens, specializing in nutrition at the University of Reading, told The Epoch Times.

“The certification of death says cardiovascular disease; doesn’t say diabetes, which is technically true because that is what they’ve eventually died from,” clarified Mr. Givens. However, this perspective overlooks crucial information: It was diabetes that led the person to die from heart disease.

What Is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin, a hormone released into the bloodstream when blood sugar rises after a meal or sugary consumption, directs the body’s fat, liver, and muscle cells to absorb the blood sugar, restoring normal blood levels.

Insulin resistance occurs when the body’s cells no longer respond to insulin.

Consequently, the brain signals pancreatic beta cells, responsible for insulin production, to secrete more insulin to help.

Over time, the body’s insulin resistance intensifies, ultimately causing beta cells to deteriorate and die off. Then, blood sugar gets out of control.

Insulin Resistance and Heart Disease
In an article published in The Pharmaceutical Journal, the official journal of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, renowned Drs. Aseem Malhotra and Robert Lustig wrote that insulin resistance is the “main culprit” of heart disease.

Healthy Blood Sugar
Insulin resistance contributes to all of the major heart disease risk factors.

Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis involves the development of plaques within blood vessels and eventual cardiovascular events such as heart attacks.

Insulin resistance results in chronically elevated insulin levels in the body, which promotes chronic inflammation. This impairs blood vessel linings and fosters plaque creation. Additionally, inflammation heightens platelet activation, increasing vulnerability to blood clotting.

High insulin also contributes to dyslipidemia—an imbalance in blood lipids, or fats. Dyslipidemia manifests as high blood triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and high LDL cholesterol levels, with insulin influencing all three components.

As a storage hormone, insulin tells the liver to package ingested calories into triglycerides to be distributed across the body for storage, elevating blood triglyceride levels.

Insulin suppresses HDL particle formation, reducing the “good” HDL cholesterol. When insulin levels increase, proteins that break down HDL particles also increase, which can cause an increased clearance of HDL particles from the blood.

“The HDL particle’s job is to bring lipids from the body back to the liver,” where they will “be recycled,” explained Mr. Bikman, who has a doctorate in bioenergetics and is a cell biology and physiology professor specializing in metabolic disease and the pathological effects of insulin at Brigham Young University. “But the insulin doesn’t want energy to be returning.”

Insulin also promotes the generation of atherogenic, small, dense LDL particles instead of the more harmless, larger buoyant ones.

Hypertension
Insulin increases heart rate and blood pressure. One way it does this is by activating the sympathetic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for activating the fight-or-flight response, usually activated during periods of stress. But insulin can trigger a similar reaction. During the fight-or-flight response, adrenaline and cortisol are released into the bloodstream, blood pressure rises, and the heart beats faster.

Apart from acting as a hormone for storage, insulin also promotes growth, which can cause the inner lining of the blood vessels to thicken, increasing blood pressure.

Obesity
Elevated insulin levels lead to the storage of consumed sugar as fat instead of promoting its immediate consumption for energy, explained nephrologist and metabolic expert Dr. Jason Fung. This is also why meals high in carbohydrates, triggering insulin spikes, often induce hunger more quickly.

Preventing Insulin Resistance
1. Reduce Refined and Starchy Carbohydrate Consumption
Insulin is uniquely sensitive to glucose, so cutting down on sugary and starchy foods can prevent spikes in blood glucose and insulin levels. Any food that’s sweet, crunchy, or comes in packaging is usually high in carbohydrates, according to Mr. Bikman.

Complex carbohydrates such as vegetables, legumes, and low-glucose fruits primarily consist of dietary fiber and have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.

Consuming fat and simple carbohydrates together is worse than consuming only carbohydrates or only fat. Although fat is calorically dense, fat by itself does not trigger insulin. However, in the presence of sugar or starches, insulin levels rise and stay up longer, Mr. Bikman said. Studies show that foods that combine sugar and fat increase cravings, stimulating overeating.

2. Practice Fasting, Chew Thoroughly
During fasts, no food is ingested, meaning there is no rise in blood sugar or insulin.

Fasting promotes the breakdown of fat in fat cells for energy and improves insulin sensitivity, according to a 2021 review.

According to Mr. Bikman, insulin resistance usually first starts in the fat cells.

Fat cells are the body’s primary storage sites of calories, including sugar, acting as the energy warehouse.

Fat cells can also expand up to 20 times their original diameter to accommodate more energy. However, “when fat cells get too big,” Mr. Bikman explained, insulin wants the fat cell to continue growing, but the cell has reached maximum dimension. “They become insulin resistant.”

Breaking down fat in these fat stores frees up room in the warehouse, thereby improving insulin sensitivity.

Chewing food thoroughly also helps.

Eating too quickly can result in swift spikes in blood glucose, triggering a robust insulin response. It is also linked with poorer satiety, making the person more likely to snack after the meal.

3. Sleep, Build Muscle
Adequate sleep prevents stress and inflammation, which contribute to elevated blood glucose levels and insulin resistance.

Muscles are the primary consumers of glucose, utilizing up to 80 percent of ingested glucose daily. If an individual maintains their previous sugar intake while their muscle mass decreases, excess sugar cannot be entirely burned and gets stored as fat.

Resistance training is the most effective exercise for increasing muscle mass. These exercises stimulate the release of testosterone and growth hormones, facilitating muscle development and boosting metabolic rates.

RELATED TOPICS
insulin resistanceheart diseasesugar
Marina Zhang
Marina Zhang
Marina Zhang is a health writer for The Epoch Times, based in New York. She mainly covers stories on COVID-19 and the healthcare system and has a bachelors in biomedicine from The University of Melbourne. Contact her at marina.zhang@epochtimes.com.

ccp

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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #586 on: August 16, 2023, 12:35:19 PM »
good article

every extra pound of muscle added increases basal metabolic rate ~ 50 Kcal per day

I recently got back into weights -  ***4530.592*** grams in each arm !!! :))

[ 10 pounds - :(( ]


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new list of drugs Medicare will have ability to negotiate prices on
« Reply #588 on: August 29, 2023, 06:58:33 AM »
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/biden-administration-targets-drugs-from-jj-merck-for-controversial-medicare-price-negotiations-114618490.html

I believe this is a good thing towards "saving" Medicare.

Not sure what the overall effect will be.  Will the pharmas then simply increase the prices of private insurance costs to make up for this?

I am not privy to the price elasticity but would lowering the price thus increase overall sales and be a wash in the end for the pharmas.

What will it mean for pharmacy benefits managers?



ccp

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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #590 on: September 11, 2023, 07:57:35 AM »
one clear reason Medicare must be able to negotiate lower drug prices

is the obvious fact Medicare will soon be bankrupt

the newer drugs are much better then older drugs
but the costs are very high.

We need to negotiate
for the future of Medicare

that and Social Security are the big drivers of debt .

alternative is we see the debt continue to increase and HHS and SSA  go bust .

I know not "free market"

but a big provider like Medicare NOT negotiate is NOT free market either.

as hospitals continue to merge buy up all the local health care delivery
and insurers continue to grow and negotiate advantage plans through Medicrare,

then Medicare should also negotiate with big pharma

I think this will help people get better drugs and reduce costs
though I admit I am not sure about this supposition


Crafty_Dog

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ET: A new old probiotic
« Reply #591 on: September 12, 2023, 06:29:35 PM »
A Gut Microbe That Heals the Gut Is Dying Off
L. reuteri is fading from the microbiome even as we discover more of its benefits
One bacteria that can reverse gut problems is going extinct.
A Gut Microbe That Heals the Gut Is Dying Off
Not many people have L. reuteri bacteria in their gut anymore, which might explain the rise in small intestinal bacterial infections. (Shutterstock)
Amy Denney
By Amy Denney
9/9/2023
Updated:
9/12/2023


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Donna Schwenk’s kitchen is overflowing with bacteria—something that comes as no surprise after more than two decades of culturing food for healing, first as a personal mission to heal her baby and now for her business.

Still, she was a bit reluctant to try out a new bacteria. Afterall, her health was in tip-top shape, and her business, Cultured Food Life, was growing. Author of three bestselling books and podcast host, Ms. Schwenk had her hands full with her courses teaching others the ins and outs of how to make their own fermentation labs at home.

She reluctantly began culturing yogurt with a new bacterial strain—Limosilactobacillus (formerly Lactobacillus) reuteri at the encouragement of Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist and author of several books including “Super Gut.” Dr. Davis also asked her to eat it daily for a year.

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“It blew my mind. I thought I was really smart. I thought I knew everything,” she said. “They use L. reuteri to clean fermentation vats because it’s so strong."

Ms. Schwenk said the human gut is also a fermentation vat or sorts since it nurtures the growth of many different bacteria, some of which may also need to be cleaned out. That's where L. reuteri comes in.

"It will kill all the other [microbes] that don't belong there, and it will thrive. That’s why it’s working so well for people, because in that upper gastro area, without L. reuteri, you start having problems if you get other bacteria in there.”

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Ms. Schwenk began offering it to friends, including one who had chronic diarrhea and couldn’t leave the house. Relief from pain and embarrassment came in just a few days. Other testimonies included improved energy and mental health, less muscle fatigue, easier breathing, appetite suppression, and more.

A single bacterial species can have widespread effects in the gut by altering the entire community microbes in the human microbiome—the total collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

In the case of L. reuteri, it inhibits the growth of pathogenic species while remodeling the biome, benefits host immunity, and decreases the translocation of bacteria out of the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream or lymphatic system—believed to be a root cause of autoimmune disease.
L. Reuteri’s Origins
Discovered in 1962, L. reuteri colonizes human gastrointestinal tracts and can withstand a wide range of pH environments, making it a rare beneficial bacteria that can proliferate in the small intestine. Typically, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine can lead to digestive problems, but not with L. reuteri. Back when it was discovered, L. reuteri was found in about 30 percent to 40 percent of the population. A Science Daily article in 2010 said its presence had shrunk to 10 percent to 20 percent by then. Dr. Davis and others claim its level is now at 4 percent.
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Like many other bacteria that are disappearing from the human microbiome, L. reuteri’s extinction is connected to antibiotic overuse, glyphosate, emulsifiers in processed food, and stomach acid blockers. Dr. Davis told The Epoch Times that L. reuteri is quite susceptible to death by antibiotics.
“Even though reuteri is ubiquitous in mammals and in indigenous human population like New Guinea or in the Brazilian rainforest, almost nobody in the modern world has reuteri anymore because we’ve all killed it,” he said.

It’s believed that L. reuteri is conferred to infants from breastfeeding mothers. Samples of breast milk from different regions in a 2008 study in Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease illustrate the differences between the bacterial makeup of breastmilk by country. Breastfeeding translates to greater protection against childhood diseases such as asthma and obesity.
About half of the mothers from Japan and Sweden had L. reuteri. Mothers in South Africa, Israel, and Denmark had very low or undetectable levels. Urban and rural living did not appear to play a significant role, though the authors speculated that diet could be a factor. The Japanese diet, for instance, is high in functional, probiotic, and fermented foods.

A Stanford University study comparing diets high in fiber to those high in fermented foods lends credibility to the idea that eating foods rich in probiotics diversifies gut bacteria. Those randomly assigned to fermented food diets for 10 weeks more quickly expanded their microbiomes and also displayed decreases in molecular signs of inflammation associated with disease, according to the results published in 2021 in Cell.
L. Reuteri and Gut Infections
L. reuteri appears to have a bi-directional relationship between gut health and disease. Several studies show that L. reuteri’s antimicrobial properties are nature’s version of an antibiotic—capable of protecting the body from gut infections.
There are various strains of L. reuteri that undergo a metabolic process which produces lactic acid, acetic acid, ethanol, and/or reutericyclin. These metabolites have proven effective against pathogens including Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, Salmonella, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), according to a 2018 Frontiers Microbiology review article.
H. pylori infections are a major cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers, in addition to a risk factor for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. L. reuteri supplementation is particularly effective at decreasing the bacterial load of H. pylori when both are competing for food and resources. Some studies have shown L. reuteri has the potential to completely eradicate H. pylori.

A Frontiers Immunology review article published in August explains L. reuteri’s mechanism of action like this: the microbe is able to resist the acidic environment of the small intestine and adhere to intestinal epithelial cells where it begins to regulate intestinal flora, enhance the mucosal barrier, regulate immune cells, improve antioxidant activity, and regulate the immune system of the host.
L. reuteri has been successfully used in GI diseases like colic, which can affect as many as 20 percent of newborns, and diarrhea. One way this pathogenic antagonist does this is by secreting exopolysaccharide, which is able to form mucus that tightens junctions in the intestinal mucosal barrier and begins healing GI damage.
L. reuteri bacteria have the ability to produce mucus that helps intestinal barrier form tight junctions that can better keep pathogens and toxins from entering the blood stream.
L. reuteri bacteria have the ability to produce mucus that helps intestinal barrier form tight junctions that can better keep pathogens and toxins from entering the blood stream.
The Rise of SIBO
It’s a logical theory that L. reuteri’s disappearance is linked to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which makes its reintroduction to the GI tract a compelling alternative to harsh prescription antibiotics for the condition.
SIBO is the presence of excessive bacteria in the small intestine that cause symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and sometimes malabsorption. Stomach acid and peristalsis (contractions that move food through the digestive tract) are protective mechanisms designed to protect the small intestine against excessive bacterial growth. Most non-specific gastrointestinal complaints are now considered to be SIBO.
“The SIBO gets pushed back by this microbe. There’s a variety of ways to gauge that, including if you test,” Dr. Davis said.

Besides breath tests that measure the amount of hydrogen or methane that you breathe out, inflammatory markers, blood pressure, body mass index, triglycerides, and symptoms related to inflammatory bowel disease have been associated with SIBO and impacted by L. reuteri, according to Dr. Davis.
Diseases Associated with L. Reuteri
Weak intestinal barriers—sometimes called “leaky gut”—have been implicated in a number of diseases, particularly autoimmune diseases. According to the 2018 review, many studies have shown that L. reuteri induces anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells, or Treg cells, which play a role in preventing autoimmunity, suppressing cytokine storms, and limiting chronic inflammatory diseases.
This makes L. reuteri a good candidate for disease prevention, as well as symptom management. “Indeed, the therapeutic potential of various L. reuteri strains has been studied in diverse diseases and the results are promising in many cases,” the study said. “The safety and tolerance of L. reuteri has been proven by the numerous clinical studies.”

Among some interesting studies:
Colon Cancer: Low levels of L. reuteri and reuterin levels are linked with colon cancer, according to research published in Cell in 2022. The study found L. reuteri was protective against tumor formation in the colon, with L. reuteri and reuterin levels reduced in mice and humans with colon cancer. In mice, both the bacteria and its metabolite were found to decrease tumor growth and prolong survival.
Obesity and depression: One L. reuteri strain was shown in a 2023 Frontiers in Pharmacology study to alleviate depressive-like behaviors and obesity co-morbidities in mice. They experienced improved blood lipids and insulin resistance. The bacteria also reduced liver inflammation, tightened intestinal junctions, and alleviated dysbiosis, or the overall imbalance of gut microbes.
Constipation: Use of L. reuteri for symptoms of gas, abdominal pain, bloating, and incomplete defecation led to better outcomes over a placebo in a double blind trial published in 2017 in Beneficial Microbes.
Proceed with Caution
While this microbe is very promising, there are some caveats. First, there are many different strains of L. reuteri that appear to have specific applications.
Also, as the 2023 review article warned, host genetics, and epigenetics—particularly diet— appear to diversify immune responses. Other issues of concern are dosing, how well studies are designed with subjects and controls, the length of intervention, and the synergistic effect of multiple strains, which could be beneficial but potentially damaging.
“[M]ixed strains might get out of control due to the inconsistent reproduction speed of each strain, thus disturbing the balance and hindering the control of microecology,” according to the review.

Weak strains were a concern for Dr. Davis, which is why he cultured the bacteria in yogurt using a supplement dose intended for newborns (the only one available when he began his investigations). Using flow cytometry, he was able to ferment and multiply the dose from 100 million to 300 billion.

Compared to other yogurts, it’s a bit harder to culture—requiring a sustained temperature of 100 degrees for 36 hours—and it appears that permanent gut colonization is unlikely so it would have to be maintained through diet, Dr. Davis said. The microbe is getting a lot of attention, however, with 21 studies in 2005 growing more than 200 last year in the PubMed database.
“So far every observation made in mice is proving true in humans, seen anecdotally and in clinical trials,” Dr. Davis said. “In other words, a lot of the modern phenomenon, we’re seeing recede by recolonizing the upper intestine with reuteri.”

The only people who should be cautious with L. reuteri—or take reduced doses—are pregnant or menstruating women and children, he said. That's because when women go into labor, their oxytocin levels surge. Another way L. reuteri is believed to work is by increasing production of oxytocin, the so-called “love” hormone that facilitates bonding, though the mechanism of action is not well understood.



ccp

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*dat
« Reply #594 on: September 19, 2023, 09:05:44 AM »
thanks for the article
CD

I am careful when I read that such and such % of antibiotics prescribed are not needed

because "need" is not clear cut

Need is determined by academic types and epidemiologists who look at trends

Where I worked we were being compared to peers (on how often we were prescribing antibiotics) with the goal of cutting back
At some point the company even tied bonuses to keeping rates down.

I explained to them that is never a good idea - clouding physicians best judgement with financial gain in withholding medicines.

I also explained that if our bonuses were tied to keeping rates low then doctors will begin to game the coding documenting game by coding other diagnosis that are not really included in the "data"

For example if a person is diagnosed with "sinus infection" and coded that way the bean counters will match all visits of "sinus" diagnoses to the number prescribed antibiotics
if the % is too high doctor will not get bonus

Well as I explained to them doctors will, with bonus in mind then code the visit for other diagnoses not included in the calculation to avoid having too many sinus and antibiotic prescription visits.

I saw this back the in the mid to late 90's when I did in hospital Medicare chart reviews.

OTOH it is very very hard to refuse an antibiotic to a patient who "knows " they need one , though doing so has become easier in recent yrs
due to education of patients

Some patients learn to game the system too .   Telling us signs and symptoms and exaggerating how long they are sick in order to better meet antibiotic necessity guidelines.

The "game " is played on both sides.

After the above events came true as expected they stopped tying bonuses to how many antibiotic prescribed

As far as the need for antibiotics for root canals I honestly know little about that since I am not a dentist.
Probably not needed but may be safer to give if patient has serious other medical co morbid conditions putting them at higher risk for infection or serious infection.

Funny thing about *data*
On one hand the "gold standard" is always based on population data .
If there is no measured benefit or the risk to benefit is negative on populations we should generally speaking not treat an individual this way.

Recently Fauci when confronted on cable that the best most recent study of population data seemed to demonstrate mask wearing is a waste of time for corona prevention.
His response was quite telling about his dishonest nature.
He stated well that may be true for populations but when looking at individuals it may beneift some.
Odd , suddenly populations studies which we all go by , he tried to debunk.

He is truly a self serving scum bag .

Crafty_Dog

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Re: Health Thread (nutrition, medical, longevity, etc)
« Reply #595 on: September 20, 2023, 10:17:31 AM »
Thank you for thoughtful comments.

ccp

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I don't recommend this recommendation
« Reply #596 on: October 02, 2023, 11:26:01 AM »
For gay, bi men who can't keep their peckers in their pants:

https://www.breitbart.com/news/us-health-officials-propose-using-a-cheap-antibiotic-as-a-morning-after-pill-against-stds/

I thought we were reducing antibiotic use to reduce emergence of resistance

once again gay sex can't be controlled .