FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE BLOG
Includes over 800 monographs reporting on emerging studies in the medical and scientific literature of practical clinical importance, easily searched for content.
Oral contraceptive hormone doses could be reduced by over 90%
“Results show that it is possible to reduce the total dose by 92% in estrogen monotherapy, 43% in progesterone monotherapy, and…that by combining estrogen and progesterone the dose can be lowered even more.”
Encouraging news for prostate cancer and a better way to biopsy
After 15 years of follow-up, prostate cancer–specific mortality was low regardless whether the treatment assigned was active monitoring, surgery, or radiotherapy. Transperineal prostate biopsy is superior to transrectal.
Most prenatal supplements do not provide enough key nutrients
Research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals that almost no prenatal dietary supplements provide key nutrients in the doses needed for pregnant women.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements do not increase bone density in premenopausal women
A Cochrane Review of seven randomized studies shows that calcium and vitamin D do not improve BMD (bone mineral density) in healthy premenopausal women and is unlikely to prevent fractures.
How vagus nerve stimulation improves stomach function
taVNS (transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation), stimulates the gastric-brain network to regulate digestion and the experience of hunger.
Telomere dysfunction without shortening also drives immunosenescence
Oxidative damage can rapidly cause telomeres to no longer function, resulting in the ‘zombie cells’ characteristic of immunosenescence—in the absence of shortening.
Nordic walking beats HIIT exercise for cardiovascular benefits
Nordic walking surpassed HIIT and MICT exercise in improving functional capacity in subjects with coronary artery disease. Depression scores also improved.
Skip the hot bath after your COVID shot
There are several activities to avoid to reduce the risk of serious adverse effects from COVID-19 vaccination.
Calcium supplementation increases heart attack risk in large study
In a very large, real-world study calcium supplementation significantly increased the risks for heart attack, stroke, and mortality in general. On the other hand, subclinical magnesium deficiency is a major driver of cardiovascular disease.
Immunosenescence—immune deterioration associated with age—and social stress
Immunosenescence, the immune system deterioration associated with aging that drives the inflammation of chronic disease, can be accelerated by other factors including social stress.
Prediabetes is linked to heart attacks
Prediabetes is a major a risk factor for myocardial infarction (heart attack). There are excellent resources to reverse prediabetes and its associated vascular damage.
Enriching the conversation about menopause
An thought-provoking and inspiring article in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) freshly unwraps the experiential, medical, and psychological aspects of menopause and suggests a better way forward.
Overcoming postpartum depression to calm distressed babies with heart rate variability
Mothers can calm distressed babies when their heart rate variability reflects a state of ease to which the baby naturally synchronizes.
Pain is often prolonged by anti-inflammatory drugs
Treatment using steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen to treat low back pain can increase the risk of developing tenacious chronic pain.
Four factors shown to predict long COVID
There are four PASC (‘long COVID’)-anticipating biological factors that can be measured as early as at initial COVID-19 diagnosis, including pre-existing type 2 diabetes, SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia, EBV viremia, and autoantibodies from patients’ blood. These can help guide the prevention and treatment of long COVID.
Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation relieves depression by reducing brain inflammation
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) relieves depression by reducing inflammation in the brain. It is safe and easy to do. This study adds to the growing body of knowledge in the functional/integrative treatment of depression using interventions that promote healthy brain biology and adds to the expanding resources used in the FM model for calming brain inflammation, and taVNS in particular.
Fasting-mimicking diet benefits for cancer patients
The 5-day fasting mimicking diet is well tolerated and causes remarkable systemic metabolic changes in patients with different tumor types It reshapes systemic and intratumor immunity and activates several antitumor immune programs.
Anti-idiotype antibodies and symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination
Anti-idiotype antibodies (Ab2 antibodies) are produced by the immune system as a means to tame to effect of the ‘original’ antibodies (Ab1 antibodies) induced to react to a specific antigen to prevent the immune response from getting out of hand. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antigen is one such primary Ab1 target.
COVID’s ‘comet tail’ of autoimmunity
SARS-CoV-2, like many other infections, can trigger latent or instigate new autoimmunity. It is exceptional compared to many other pathogens in the large number of epitopes (the part of an antigen that an antibody attaches to) that mimic human antigens. This includes targets for brain inflammation.