Dr. Darren Taylor
DAILY HEALTH UPDATE Thursday, October 15, 2015
Mental Attitude: Antidepressant Paroxetine Not Safe for Teens. A reanalysis of data from a decade ago finds that paroxetine (also known by the trade names Paxil, Pexeva, Seroxat, Brisdelle, and Rexetin) can make some teens suicidal and likely to harm themselves. The reanalysis found that paroxetine was no more effective than a placebo in the treatment of major depression among teenagers, and investigators also considered the increase in potential harm with the drug to be clinically significant. These new findings suggest that the original analysis came to the wrong conclusion when it declared the medication safe and effective for use in teens. Study co-author Dr. David Henry writes, "It's not clear whether it was deliberate or accidental, but it wrongly gave the impression [this] antidepressant drug was effective and safe in children and adolescents." British Medical Journal, September 2015 Health Alert: Daytime Sleepiness and Long Naps Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk. A new research review finds that being sleepy and taking long naps during the day may be a sign an individual is at a greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The analysis included data from 261,365 participants and found excessive daytime sleepiness is associated with a 56% increased risk of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, while taking a daytime nap of one hour or longer is tied to a 46% higher risk for the same condition. European Association for the Study of Diabetes, September 2015 Diet: Beet Juice Boosts Muscle Strength Among Heart Patients. Foods with high concentrations of nitrates, such as beets and spinach, may help boost muscle strength among patients with heart conditions. Nitrates are converted into nitric oxide inside the body, which helps relax blood vessels and improves metabolism. Study participants given concentrated beet juice experienced a 13% power increase in the muscles that extend the knee two hours after consuming the nitrate-rich juice when compared with those in a control group who did not drink beet juice. Investigator Dr. Andrew R. Coggan writes, "I have compared the beet-juice effect to Popeye eating his spinach… The magnitude of this improvement is comparable to that seen in heart failure patients who have done two to three months of resistance training." Circulation: Heart Failure, September 2015 Exercise: Nearly 10% of Deaths Worldwide Caused by Physical Inactivity. Taking into account the increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, age-associated frailty, and cancer associated with physical inactivity, a study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings estimates that 9.4% of the more than 57 million deaths worldwide in 2008 were caused by simply too much sedentary behavior and not enough physical exercise. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, September 2015 Chiropractic: If You Have Back Pain, Consider Seeing a Chiropractor First… After following 747 patients with low back pain (LBP) for one year, researchers report that LBP patients who initially seek care from a medical doctor regarding their condition are five times more likely to undergo advanced diagnostic imaging and 7.69 times more likely to eventually consult with a surgeon than those who visit a doctor of chiropractic first. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, September 2015 Wellness/Prevention: Keep Blood Pressure in Check. High blood pressure can lead to serious health events if not treated and monitored properly. If you suffer from this condition, you must work with your primary care provider to keep it under control. Experts at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute recommend eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and regularly checking and keeping a log of your blood pressure to review with your physician at your next doctor visit. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, September 2015
Quote: “The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success.”- Ian Fleming