Health Alert: Testosterone Therapy Increases Heart Attack Risk in Men Under Age 65.

A new study points to a two-fold increase in heart attack risk in men under age 65 shortly after beginning testosterone therapy. The study’s senior author, Dr. Sander Greenland, explains, “The extensive and rapidly increasing use of testosterone treatment and the evidence of risk of heart attack underscore the urgency of further large studies of the risks and the benefits of this treatment. Patients and their physicians should discuss the risk of heart attacks when considering testosterone therapy.”
PLOS ONE, January 2014

Chiropractic: Whiplash May Cause or Aggravate Jaw Pain.

A review of 129 studies on temporomandibular disorders (TMD) found that TMD patients are three-times more likely to have experienced whiplash trauma. TMD patients who also suffered head-neck trauma reported more TMD-related jaw pain, headaches, and stress symptoms. According to the authors of the review article, “These results suggest that whiplash trauma might be an initiating and/or aggravating factor as well as a co-morbid condition for TMD.”
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, January 2014

Exercise: Vitamins C and E Supplements May Affect Endurance Training.

A recent study suggests that athletes should stay away from vitamins C and E as these supplements may hinder endurance training. The study involved participants who were randomly selected to receive 1000mg of vitamin C and 235mg of vitamin E or a placebo pill daily for 11 weeks. The results revealed that markers for the production of new muscle mitochondria only increased in those who received the placebo pill.
Journal of Physiology, February 2014

Heading Soccer Balls May Affect Cognitive Function.

Dr. Tom Schweizer, director of the Neuroscience Research Program of St. Michael’s Hospital, recently conducted a literature review of studies related to head injuries among soccer players caused by “heading” the ball. According to existing studies, players who head the ball most often were found to have greater memory, planning, and perceptual deficits and were more likely to perform poorly on verbal and visual memory tests. Other studies noted that older and retired players were more likely to report significantly impaired conceptual thinking, reaction time, and concentration. Dr. Schweizer also found that nearly two-thirds of high school soccer players suffered from concussion symptoms during their playing careers and that girls’ soccer ranked second in concussion injuries among all high school sports.
Brain Injury, February 2014

Diet: Mediterranean Diet Better than Low-Fat Diet for Heart Health.

A literature review of over a half-century of studies shows that people who eat a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of heart attack and cardiovascular-related death compared to those who follow a low-fat diet. Investigators analyzed studies from 1957 to present and believe their findings show consuming a variety of cardioprotective foods in a diet is better at preventing heart disease by just eating less fat. The Mediterranean diet focuses on an increased intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, olive oil, nuts, and eating less meat.
American Journal of Medicine, December 2013

Diet: Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Increased with Higher Added Sugar Intake.

People who consume more than 21% of daily calories from added sugar have double the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality compared with people who consume less than 10% of their daily calories from added sugar. The risk almost triples for those who consume 25% of their daily calories from added sugar. The study authors write, “Our findings indicate that most [American] adults consume more added sugar than is recommended for a healthy diet. A higher percentage of calories from added sugar is associated with significantly increased risk of CVD mortality. In addition, regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with elevated CVD mortality.”
JAMA Internal Medicine, February 2014

Chiropractic: Does Back Pain Go Away Without Treatment?

Chiropractic: Does Back Pain Go Away Without Treatment?
In 1973, a self-described non-authority and non-researcher on back pain made a comment in a speech that would have long-lasting consequences for back pain sufferers. The speaker, whose last name was Dixon, made the following claim, “Of those who seek advice [for back pain] from their family doctors, 44% are better in one week irrespective of treatment and 86% are better in one month. Only 14% drag on longer than this.” In 1976, a well-regarded researcher erroneously referenced the 1973 speech as if it were a legitimate study. Subsequent references in textbooks and papers on the natural history of back pain appear to have copied the 1976 paper’s reference without having reviewed the original source to see if its claims were accurate.

 

More recent research has proven the 90% statistic is false and without proper treatment to address the underlying cause, as many as 75% of back pain patients will have continued pain and disability a year after the onset of back pain.

Denver Chiropractic Center- Just Two Treatments.

Nearly 200 adults with spinal pain were separated into two groups. One group received two chiropractic adjustments and the other received two sham adjustments so researchers could differentiate if results were the result of the adjustment itself or the expectation of treatment. Two weeks later, researchers assessed each group and found the adjustment group reported greater improvements in pain, better overall improvement, and higher satisfaction.
Spine, November 2013