METFORMIN CAUSES VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY

by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) Long-term use of the popular diabetes drug metformin (originally marketed as Glucophage) may cause patients to develop a steadily worsening vitamin B12 deficiency, Dutch scientists have found.

"Our study shows that this decrease is not a transitory phenomenon, but persists and grows over time," wrote the Maastricht University Medical Center researchers in the British Medical Journal.

This is an issue of particular concern given the prevalence of diabetes and the popularity of metformin as a treatment.

"Metformin is considered a cornerstone in the treatment of diabetes and is the most frequently prescribed first line therapy for individuals with type 2 diabetes," the researchers wrote. "In addition, it is one of a few ... associated with improvements in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which is a major cause of death in patients with type 2 diabetes."

Earlier, short-term studies had found that use of the drug might lead to insufficient levels of the vitamin in the body. The new study confirmed this trend over the long term.

"Metformin does ... induce vitamin B12 malabsorption, which may increase the risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency -- a clinically important and treatable condition," the researchers wrote.

The researchers assigned 390 Type 2 diabetes patients at the outpatient clinics of three nonacademic hospitals to take either metformin or a placebo pill three times per day for more than four years. The average study participant had been diagnosed with diabetes 13 years prior and had been undergoing insulin treatment for seven years. Average participant age was 61.

Among those taking metformin, vitamin B12 levels began to steadily drop relative to those who were taking a placebo pill. The biggest drop occurred in the first few months, but the decrease continued over the course of the study.

After four years, participants in the metformin group had undergone a 19 percent relative reduction in their levels of the nutrient. They were 11.2 percent more likely than placebo participants to suffer from B12 insufficiency and 7.2 percent more likely to suffer from deficiency.

For every 8.9 patients treated with metformin, one would develop insufficient vitamin B12 levels. This increased risk remained after researchers adjusted for other risk factors including age, duration of diabetes, insulin dose, sex, smoking status and previous treatment with metformin.

"Our study shows that it is reasonable to assume harm will eventually occur in some patients with metformin-induced low vitamin B12 levels," the researchers wrote.

The researchers found that metformin seems to inhibit the intestine's absorption of vitamin B12. Fortunately, calcium supplements appear to reverse this effect.

Vitamin B12 is critical for maintaining nerve and red blood cell health. It can be found in animal products, nutritional yeast and fortified breakfast cereals. Symptoms of deficiency include anemia, fatigue, nerve damage and cognitive changes. Because similar symptoms often occur in diabetics and the elderly, deficiency may be hard to detect in such populations. Yet while B12 deficiency can carry severe consequences, it is relatively easy to correct with supplementation.

The researchers suggested that all patients taking metformin have their vitamin B12 levels tested regularly to avoid potentially severe consequences.

"Vitamin B-12 deficiency is preventable; therefore, our findings suggest that regular measurement of vitamin B-12 concentrations during long-term metformin treatment should be strongly considered." the researchers wrote.

Nearly 11 percent of the U.S. population, or 24 million people, suffer from diabetes. Of these 5.7 million are undiagnosed. In addition, 57 million people in the United States alone are estimated to be pre-diabetic, or at imminent risk of developing the disease.

Worldwide, an estimated 246 million people suffer from the disease. Prevalence is only expected to increase as the spreading Western diet and lifestyle lead to increasing rates of obesity.

Sources for this story include: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS... http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle... http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocri....

McDONALD'S FINED FOR OBESE EMPLOYEE

HERALD SUN OCTOBER 29 2010
A BRAZILIAN court has ordered McDonald's to pay a former franchise manager $US17,500 ($18,000) because he gained 29kg while working there 12 years.

The 32-year-old man says he was forced to sample food products each day to ensure that quality standards remained high because McDonald's hired "mystery clients" to randomly visit restaurants and report on the food, service and cleanliness.

The man also says McDonald's offered free lunches to employees, adding to his caloric intake while on the job.

His identity was not released.

The ruling against McDonald's was signed on Wednesday by judge Joao Filho in Porto Alegre.

McDonald's can appeal the case. A local company spokesman did not immediately return calls today.

IS FREE THINKING A MENTAL ILLNESS?

Oct 8th, 2010 By Andrew

Is nonconformity and freethinking a mental illness? According to the newest addition of the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), it certainly is. The manual identifies a new mental illness called “oppositional defiant disorder” or ODD. Defined as an “ongoing pattern of disobedient, hostile and defiant behavior,” symptoms include questioning authority, negativity, defiance, argumentativeness, and being easily annoyed.

The DSM-IV is the manual used by psychiatrists to diagnose mental illnesses and, with each new edition, there are scores of new mental illnesses. Are we becoming sicker? Is it getting harder to be mentally healthy? Authors of the DSM-IV say that it’s because they’re better able to identify these illnesses today. Critics charge that it’s because they have too much time on their hands.

New mental illnesses identified by the DSM-IV include arrogance, narcissism, above-average creativity, cynicism, and antisocial behavior. In the past, these were called “personality traits,” but now they’re diseases.

And there are treatments available.

All of this is a symptom of our over-diagnosing and overmedicating culture. In the last 50 years, the DSM-IV has gone from 130 to 357 mental illnesses. A majority of these illnesses afflict children. Although the manual is an important diagnostic tool for the psychiatric industry, it has also been responsible for social changes. The rise in ADD, bipolar disorder, and depression in children has been largely because of the manual’s identifying certain behaviors as symptoms. A Washington Post article observed that, if Mozart were born today, he would be diagnosed with ADD and “medicated into barren normality.”

According to the DSM-IV, the diagnosis guidelines for identifying oppositional defiant disorder are for children, but adults can just as easily suffer from the disease. This should give any freethinking American reason for worry.

The Soviet Union used new “mental illnesses” for political repression. People who didn’t accept the beliefs of the Communist Party developed a new type of schizophrenia. They suffered from the delusion of believing communism was wrong. They were isolated, forcefully medicated, and put through repressive “therapy” to bring them back to sanity.

When the last edition of the DSM-IV was published, identifying the symptoms of various mental illnesses in children, there was a jump in the diagnosis and medication of children. Some states have laws that allow protective agencies to forcibly medicate, and even make it a punishable crime to withhold medication. This paints a chilling picture for those of us who are nonconformists.

Although the authors of the manual claim no ulterior motives but simply better diagnostic practices, the labeling of freethinking and nonconformity as mental illnesses has a lot of potential for abuse. It can easily become a weapon in the arsenal of a repressive state.

PATIENTS' ANGER AFTER THEY ARE UNABLE TO OPT OUT OF SWINE FLU VACCINE DESPITE FEARS OF SIDE EFFECTS

By Jo Macfarlane 24th October 2010
Patients' groups have expressed anger over this year's seasonal flu jab programme because people are unable to opt out of having the swine flu vaccine.
The H1N1 vaccine will be the dominant of three flu strains included in the shot, meaning millions of elderly and vulnerable patients will get it automatically.
Yet many people refused to have the swine flu vaccine when it was offered last year because of fears it may cause serious side effects.

The H1N1 'swine flu' vaccine will be included in this years seasonal flu jab meaning millions of elderly and vulnerable patients will get it automatically

The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that Government experts are examining a possible association between the H1N1 swine flu jab and the paralysing nerve disease Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
The vaccine has also been linked to fevers in young children, temporary paralysis and narcolepsy.
Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: 'We are very disappointed that patients are not being given the opportunity to choose for themselves whether they wish to take the swine flu vaccine as part of their winter flu vaccine.
'Some may not want the swine flu vaccine and this may mean they would also miss out on their winter flu jab. This seems to go completely against the new initiative from the Government which states that in the NHS there will be "No decision about me without me" for patients and that there will be a large emphasis on patient choice.
There does not seem to be any patient choice involved here – either patients have both vaccines or no vaccine.' Each year the World Health Organisation considers which strains of flu will be dominant in winter.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association is disappointed that patients are not being given the opportunity to choose for themselves

This year they ruled H1N1 would be a dominant strain. The annual seasonal flu jab is being offered to about 12 million people. For the first time, pregnant women are included because of the dangers posed by the swine flu virus. However, some patients are fearful of having this year's jab.
Mary Harris, 64, from Plymouth, developed breathing problems and spent three days in hospital after having the swine flu vaccine last year. She said: 'I don't know whether to have the seasonal flu jab, even though I know I should. But I don't want a repeat of last year.
There really should be a choice.' The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency received nearly 8,600 suspected adverse reactions to the swine flu jab during the pandemic last winter. Most involved pain or swelling at the site of the jab, vomiting and headaches.
The MHRA also received 15 reports of patients developing Guillain-Barre Syndrome. It is not known if the cases are linked to the vaccine, although a swine flu jab in the US in 1976 led to 25 deaths from the condition.
The British Medical Association agreed last month that patients should be told the seasonal jab contains the swine flu strain. Dr Peter Holden of the BMA said: 'This is not a Machiavellian plot to vaccinate everyone against swine flu.
There isn't enough capacity to produce an alternative vaccine for those worried about swine flu. 'The consequences of flu are a greater risk than any risk posed by the vaccine itself.'
Professor David Salisbury of the Department of Health said: 'Given that we expect the H1N1 virus to be the most common type this year, it would be negligent if we didn't protect people against it.
Every year people die in this country from complications caused by getting flu; these are deaths that could be prevented. 'I would encourage anyone who is offered the seasonal flu vaccine to accept it.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1323208/Patient-anger-swine-flu-jab-stealth.html
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BLACK SALVE'S EFFECT ON SKIN MELANOMA

Dr. Rima Reports from Codex July 6, 2010