As most of you know, I get this stuff usually from Yahoo, so I have to give credit here.... they are my home page ;-) and I love em for all the up to date info flying through...
Now, are you aware that pharmacuetical companies illegally market drugs. I am. But I wasn't always. If you want to know more about this topic, buy and READ the book The Turth About the Drug Companies, (How they decieve us and what to do about it) by marcia Angell, MD, former editor in chief of the "New England Journal of Medicine", the go to medical magazine for all US medical doctors. I have written about her before. Here is the article from yahoo news:
Lilly settles Zyprexa suit for $1.42 billion
INDIANAPOLIS – Eli Lilly & Co. said Thursday it pleaded guilty to a charge that it illegally marketed the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa for an unapproved use, and will pay $1.42 billion to settle civil suits and end the criminal investigation.
The Indianapolis-based company said it will pay $800 million to settle civil suits, including $438 million to the federal government and $362 million to states. It will pay $615 million to resolve the criminal probe, and plead guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act for promoting Zyprexa as a dementia treatment.
The company did not acknowledge any wrongdoing in the civil cases.
The misdemeanor plea resolves charges related to Lilly's marketing of Zyprexa between September 1999 and March 2001. It states that Lilly marketed the drug for the treatment of dementia, including Alzheimer's-related dementia, even though the drug is not approved for that use.
Zyprexa is approved to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Doctors are allowed to prescribe it for other uses, but Lilly is not allowed to market the drug for any other illnesses because it lacks Food and Drug Administration approval.
The case began in 2004 and was led by the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Office of Consumer Litigation of the Department of Justice.
Laurie Magid, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, said they hoped cases like this put an end to a pharmaceutical practice known as "off-label" marketing.
"The company made hundreds of millions of dollars by trying to convince health care providers that Zyprexa was safe for unapproved uses," Magid said, noting that they hold the drugmaker "responsible for putting thousands and thousands of patients at risk." She added that off-label marketing circumvents "the very process put in place to protect the public."
Lilly also said it agreed to resolve civil investigations brought by the Medicaid fraud-control units of the states involved in the settlement. The states were looking into rebate agreements between Lilly and pharmacy benefits managers related to Zyprexa and other drugs.
A company spokesman said about 30 states are involved.
Zyprexa was approved in 1996 and has been Lilly's top seller for years. It brought in $3.5 billion in revenue through the first three quarters of 2008, or roughly $1.5 billion more than the company's second-best seller, the antidepressant Cymbalta.
But the company has spent roughly $1.2 billion to resolve 32,000 claims related to Zyprexa product liability. About 125 cases are still pending.
For instance, a group of insurance companies, unions and others are suing Lilly for billions, saying it broke marketing laws and overcharged for the drug.
Lilly in October said it expected to pay the additional $1.42 billion to end the investigations. It set aside that amount, or $1.29 per share, in the third quarter, which resulted in the company's first quarterly loss in three years.
Earlier the same month, Lilly agreed to pay $62 million to 32 states and the District of Columbia to resolve accusations it marketed Zyprexa for pediatric care, for use in high doses and for dementia.
Lilly shares fell 66 cents, or nearly 2 percent, to $36.81 in Thursday morning trading.
___
Associated Press writer Maryclaire Dale contributed to this report from Philadelpia.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Drinking Coffee reduces Alzheimers
Being a coffee lover, this is a study I really like ;-)
Drinking coffee reduces risk of Alzheimer's: study
Drinking coffee reduces risk of Alzheimer's: study AFP/File – Middle-aged people who drink moderate amounts of coffee significantly reduce their risk of developing …
STOCKHOLM (AFP) – Middle-aged people who drink moderate amounts of coffee significantly reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a study by Finnish and Swedish researchers showed Thursday.
"Middle-aged people who drank between three and five cups of coffee a day lowered their risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease by between 60 and 65 percent later in life," said lead researcher on the project, Miia Kivipelto, a professor at the University of Kuopio in Finland and at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
The study, which was also conducted in cooperation with the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki and which was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease this month, was based on repeated interviews with 1,409 people in Finland over more than two decades.
They were first asked about their coffee-drinking habits when they were in their 50s and their memory functions were tested again in 1998, when they were between 65 and 79 years of age.
A total of 61 people had by then developed dementia, 48 of whom had Alzheimer's, the researchers said.
"There are perhaps one or two other studies that have shown that coffee can improve some memory functions (but) this is the first study directed at dementia and Alzheimer's (and) in which the subjects are followed for such a long time," Kivipelto told AFP.
She said it remained unclear exactly how moderate coffee drinking helped delay or avoid the onset of dementia, but pointed out that coffee contains strong antioxidants, which are known to counter Alzheimer's.
Some studies have also shown that coffee helps protects the nerve system, which can also protect against dementia, she said, pointing out that yet other studies show that coffee protects against diabetes, which in turn is known to be linked to Alzheimer's.
"Going forward, researchers should try to nail down exactly what the protective elements in coffee consist in," Kivipelto said.
The Finnish-Swedish research results surfaced just a day after a separate study published by psychologists at Durham University showed a link between heavy coffee drinking and hallucinations.
"I guess this shows that you shouldn't exaggerate," Kivipelto said when asked about the British study, pointing out that her research showed "insignificant" benefits to drinking more than five cups of coffee a day when it came to protecting against dementia.
"Too much is simply too much," she said.
Drinking coffee reduces risk of Alzheimer's: study
Drinking coffee reduces risk of Alzheimer's: study AFP/File – Middle-aged people who drink moderate amounts of coffee significantly reduce their risk of developing …
STOCKHOLM (AFP) – Middle-aged people who drink moderate amounts of coffee significantly reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, a study by Finnish and Swedish researchers showed Thursday.
"Middle-aged people who drank between three and five cups of coffee a day lowered their risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease by between 60 and 65 percent later in life," said lead researcher on the project, Miia Kivipelto, a professor at the University of Kuopio in Finland and at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
The study, which was also conducted in cooperation with the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki and which was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease this month, was based on repeated interviews with 1,409 people in Finland over more than two decades.
They were first asked about their coffee-drinking habits when they were in their 50s and their memory functions were tested again in 1998, when they were between 65 and 79 years of age.
A total of 61 people had by then developed dementia, 48 of whom had Alzheimer's, the researchers said.
"There are perhaps one or two other studies that have shown that coffee can improve some memory functions (but) this is the first study directed at dementia and Alzheimer's (and) in which the subjects are followed for such a long time," Kivipelto told AFP.
She said it remained unclear exactly how moderate coffee drinking helped delay or avoid the onset of dementia, but pointed out that coffee contains strong antioxidants, which are known to counter Alzheimer's.
Some studies have also shown that coffee helps protects the nerve system, which can also protect against dementia, she said, pointing out that yet other studies show that coffee protects against diabetes, which in turn is known to be linked to Alzheimer's.
"Going forward, researchers should try to nail down exactly what the protective elements in coffee consist in," Kivipelto said.
The Finnish-Swedish research results surfaced just a day after a separate study published by psychologists at Durham University showed a link between heavy coffee drinking and hallucinations.
"I guess this shows that you shouldn't exaggerate," Kivipelto said when asked about the British study, pointing out that her research showed "insignificant" benefits to drinking more than five cups of coffee a day when it came to protecting against dementia.
"Too much is simply too much," she said.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Olive oil--a Natural Appetite Suppresent
Who knew? Olive oil is a natural appetite suppressant! Gloy Halleujah. I hate the taste of the stuff, but by golly, now I am going to have to amend my ways and start using it regularly. Here's the skinny: Olive oil contains oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. Upon reaching the small intestine, oleic acid triggers the production of oleoylethanolamide (OEA), another fatty substance. OEA then finds its way to nerve endings that carry a hunger-curbing message to the brain. And that message is loud and clear: "Hey. Stop eating! You're full!!" Researchers are hoping that new appetite-suppressing drugs using OEA will be developed to reduce obesity. I got that from a Real Age email. I will start trying it and see if it works for me ;-)
What I want to know is why are pharmaceutical companies trying to make an appetite suprresant pill when all you have to do is swallow the real stuff. Hum, let's see.... is it number one, for people like me that would rather swallow a pill (at a small co pay with a doctors prescription) than get used to the flavor of the olive oil? Or, number two, the pharmacuetical companies need a new patented drug they can make a lot of money off of? Hum, tick, tock, tick tock, the clock is ticking, I just can't decide, which one could it be. Oh wait, I know, it's mostly number two, with a little of number one thrown in, mostly to be used massively in marketing. ! Oh, I bet you got that before I did, didn't you? You are so smart ;-)
What I want to know is why are pharmaceutical companies trying to make an appetite suprresant pill when all you have to do is swallow the real stuff. Hum, let's see.... is it number one, for people like me that would rather swallow a pill (at a small co pay with a doctors prescription) than get used to the flavor of the olive oil? Or, number two, the pharmacuetical companies need a new patented drug they can make a lot of money off of? Hum, tick, tock, tick tock, the clock is ticking, I just can't decide, which one could it be. Oh wait, I know, it's mostly number two, with a little of number one thrown in, mostly to be used massively in marketing. ! Oh, I bet you got that before I did, didn't you? You are so smart ;-)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Worried about Money?
I have, again and again, told you how great Flylady and Leanne Ely, Saving Dinner are to your overall health and well being. Here is a email letter from Leanne today about saving money by planning menus and grocery shopping wisely. Read it, you will enjoy it!
Dear Friends,
I've had a few emails asking me how to plan menus when you have no
money. Well, this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Been
there/done that! It isn't a lot of fun when you have $25 in your
pocket to feed your family for a week! That's what happened to me in
the mid-90's. My budget was $100 a month to feed my family!
I want to preface what I'm saying with it was an emergency and I had
no choice. It wasn't easy—but it was necessary. So instead of whining,
I did something and I got real creative. Now keep in mind: we're not
talking diapers, detergent or any other non-food items—just food, and
food alone.
Okay, so here's what I did.
First off, I utilized the loss leaders the stores advertise each week.
I shopped at about 2-3 stores a week and made my menus according to
what was on sale (after awhile, you don't even need to do that
much—you will have quite a stocked pantry and freezer if you shop via
this method).
I also availed myself of the scratch and dent section of the grocery
store. Not all grocery stores have this, but be on the look out for a
big cart at the end of an aisle filled to overflowing with bread or
another like item (I once bought whole wheat bread for .25 a loaf. I
bought 10 loaves because I had the freezer space and made my (now ex)
husband's lunch every day—and saved a fortune). Look in places you
don't normally look—toward the back of the store or a shelf over by
the restrooms.
I also went early in the morning and took full advantage of the
markdown meats. Yeah, it was a hassle and at the time, I had two
little kids. But I got huge markdowns and sometimes, I even asked for
markdowns of stuff (that maybe they missed) and cleaned house (I
bought a HUGE fresh turkey right after Thanksgiving for $4 that way).
There's a good lesson there—always ASK when you don't see something
that should be marked down (ask the dairy manager, meat manager, etc.)
Check the dates on everything and ask for markdowns when appropriate.
I bought my milk this way too. Milk freezes well after you pour a
little out, or it pops and leaks all over your freezer! Simply thaw it
overnight in the fridge or in a sink full of cold water during the
day, add a pinch of salt—it is a preservative, shake it up and it'll
last a week. I bought whole gallons of milk for 50 cents a piece.
Other times, I mixed dried milk with fresh and my troops never knew
the difference.
I also bought most of my produce marked down. You can always cut off a
bad spot and make due. I made applesauce out of the apples that didn't
make good eating apples. If I didn't buy it marked down, I bought it
on sale and in season. I avoided imported produce as that it was
almost always more expensive, even when it was on sale.
I also found out about grocery outlets. These stores are usually
listed in the yellow pages under surplus food or salvage food. They're
usually not in the best neighborhoods and there are even a few
undesirables in these types of stores (not always, but sometimes).
However, it was survival time and I bought stuff there that was way
seriously marked down.
And last—I bought cheap food! We ate a TON of dried beans. We ate
cheap cuts of meat cooked in the crockpot, we ate homemade everything
(that convenience stuff costs a fortune).
Breakfast was a biggie. I made homemade pancakes, waffles, oatmeal.
When you make it yourself, it doesn't cost much. Good filling food and
infinitely cheaper than cold cereal.
Speaking of breakfast, we had Breakfast for Dinner a few times a
month. Breakfast foods are cheap and if you add a little ambience
(light a few candles and put the OJ--made yourself from frozen
concentrate- -in wineglasses) everyone will enjoy your cheap trick!
Our beverage of choice was (and still is) water. Water costs nothing.
I had a water filter that enabled me to skip the expensive bottled
water and that helped a lot. We had OJ for breakfast (and breakfast
only was the rule) and that's it. We had milk too, but it was only
allowed with the meal and even then, only one glass. One glass is
adequate…no one in my house was deprived or starved.
Nothing went to waste in my house—I mean NOTHING. If there was any
leftover anything, I froze it and made it into soup later that week
(no, I didn't scrape the food off my kids plates, but honestly? There
wasn't any usually). My famous Rubber Chicken recipe was born out of
that period of time (on my website!).
That's it in a nutshell. It took extra time that I had back then. I
figured the way I slashed my grocery bill so dramatically, it was like
having a part time job without the taxes, pantyhose and rush hour! I
got to stay home with my kids and we made it through that very rough
time and ate quite well.
I hope some of these tips will help any of you who are wondering how
to make a menu with no budget. You sometimes just have to do what you
have to do! I did it and so can you!
Love,
Leanne
www.savingdinner. com
Dear Friends,
I've had a few emails asking me how to plan menus when you have no
money. Well, this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Been
there/done that! It isn't a lot of fun when you have $25 in your
pocket to feed your family for a week! That's what happened to me in
the mid-90's. My budget was $100 a month to feed my family!
I want to preface what I'm saying with it was an emergency and I had
no choice. It wasn't easy—but it was necessary. So instead of whining,
I did something and I got real creative. Now keep in mind: we're not
talking diapers, detergent or any other non-food items—just food, and
food alone.
Okay, so here's what I did.
First off, I utilized the loss leaders the stores advertise each week.
I shopped at about 2-3 stores a week and made my menus according to
what was on sale (after awhile, you don't even need to do that
much—you will have quite a stocked pantry and freezer if you shop via
this method).
I also availed myself of the scratch and dent section of the grocery
store. Not all grocery stores have this, but be on the look out for a
big cart at the end of an aisle filled to overflowing with bread or
another like item (I once bought whole wheat bread for .25 a loaf. I
bought 10 loaves because I had the freezer space and made my (now ex)
husband's lunch every day—and saved a fortune). Look in places you
don't normally look—toward the back of the store or a shelf over by
the restrooms.
I also went early in the morning and took full advantage of the
markdown meats. Yeah, it was a hassle and at the time, I had two
little kids. But I got huge markdowns and sometimes, I even asked for
markdowns of stuff (that maybe they missed) and cleaned house (I
bought a HUGE fresh turkey right after Thanksgiving for $4 that way).
There's a good lesson there—always ASK when you don't see something
that should be marked down (ask the dairy manager, meat manager, etc.)
Check the dates on everything and ask for markdowns when appropriate.
I bought my milk this way too. Milk freezes well after you pour a
little out, or it pops and leaks all over your freezer! Simply thaw it
overnight in the fridge or in a sink full of cold water during the
day, add a pinch of salt—it is a preservative, shake it up and it'll
last a week. I bought whole gallons of milk for 50 cents a piece.
Other times, I mixed dried milk with fresh and my troops never knew
the difference.
I also bought most of my produce marked down. You can always cut off a
bad spot and make due. I made applesauce out of the apples that didn't
make good eating apples. If I didn't buy it marked down, I bought it
on sale and in season. I avoided imported produce as that it was
almost always more expensive, even when it was on sale.
I also found out about grocery outlets. These stores are usually
listed in the yellow pages under surplus food or salvage food. They're
usually not in the best neighborhoods and there are even a few
undesirables in these types of stores (not always, but sometimes).
However, it was survival time and I bought stuff there that was way
seriously marked down.
And last—I bought cheap food! We ate a TON of dried beans. We ate
cheap cuts of meat cooked in the crockpot, we ate homemade everything
(that convenience stuff costs a fortune).
Breakfast was a biggie. I made homemade pancakes, waffles, oatmeal.
When you make it yourself, it doesn't cost much. Good filling food and
infinitely cheaper than cold cereal.
Speaking of breakfast, we had Breakfast for Dinner a few times a
month. Breakfast foods are cheap and if you add a little ambience
(light a few candles and put the OJ--made yourself from frozen
concentrate- -in wineglasses) everyone will enjoy your cheap trick!
Our beverage of choice was (and still is) water. Water costs nothing.
I had a water filter that enabled me to skip the expensive bottled
water and that helped a lot. We had OJ for breakfast (and breakfast
only was the rule) and that's it. We had milk too, but it was only
allowed with the meal and even then, only one glass. One glass is
adequate…no one in my house was deprived or starved.
Nothing went to waste in my house—I mean NOTHING. If there was any
leftover anything, I froze it and made it into soup later that week
(no, I didn't scrape the food off my kids plates, but honestly? There
wasn't any usually). My famous Rubber Chicken recipe was born out of
that period of time (on my website!).
That's it in a nutshell. It took extra time that I had back then. I
figured the way I slashed my grocery bill so dramatically, it was like
having a part time job without the taxes, pantyhose and rush hour! I
got to stay home with my kids and we made it through that very rough
time and ate quite well.
I hope some of these tips will help any of you who are wondering how
to make a menu with no budget. You sometimes just have to do what you
have to do! I did it and so can you!
Love,
Leanne
www.savingdinner. com
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Stomach Virus? Apple Cider Vinegar
If you have a stomach virus, try a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, inbetween meals. I have now known of two people who tried this. For one, it took only one tablespoon, and for another, it took two. With both people, symptoms began to subside after a few hours, and within a day they were able to resume their activities. If this works for you, by golly how cheap is this? And how fast? Each person used NON Organic apple cider vinegar, for only 98 cents a bottle, which means what, about 4 cents a tablespoon. Pahleeze, is it not worth at least a try? Come on, what do you have to lose? And let me know the results, please!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Looking for a god Doctor?
This was my recent response to a Mom at Yahoo groups (ADD) on how to find a Mom in her area:
You wrote on Oct. 27, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Phone or email any one of the major suppliers of naturopathic supplies, like the outsource labs and pharmacuetical grade supplements. I don't have the websites but here are some of the names I can think of for supplements: Thorne, Medi Herb, Standard Process, and Pure Encasulations. For outsouce labs, there are two I can think of right now: US biotek, and Genova Labs. I have worked for a holistic chiropractor and these are folks she used. Often these websites will have a place for you to type in your zip code and they will respond back with the doctors in your area, and the driving radius. They want you to buy their producst so they will refer you to the doctors who use them. Do not feel bad at all contacting them.... this is what they do daily.... it helps them turn a profit. And yes, you may have to drive more than a half an hour, I have driven two hours one way often, but quite frankly, you just may not.
Another idea, is call the nearest chiropractic, naturopathic, acupuncture schools, and see where their doctors are practicing nearest you. Many chiropractors practice nutritional counseling, finding the underlying causes of many illnesses, including ADD/ADHD and by nature, naturopaths and acupuncturists do this daily with every consult. I think you wll have great luck with the first option, calling outsource labs and supplement companies, but this is a good second.
If all this fails, and I doubt it will, a third idea is that I have had great success in phone consultations with my holistic MD (www.drmanso.com) and with my holistic pharmacy (www.peoplesrx.com -- I usually call the Lamar south location.) and so have all my friends who have contanced them. Both of these advise people all over the world, you don't have to live in Texas or the United States to use them. I have found them to be worth every penny of their time.
Do you have a health food store nearby? This is my fourth idea. Ask them if they know of anyone. I have worked in a health food store, They can't refer you to anyone, but they can say. hum, here are some names of doctors that our customers have used and liked.
There, I have given you four ideas, and they should all work. But, start with the first one, calling, and emailing those outsource labs and supplement companies, to get the best doctors nearest you, the fastest. And good luck! keep me posted. I don't check back here often, but I do care. Hang in there!
You wrote on Oct. 27, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Phone or email any one of the major suppliers of naturopathic supplies, like the outsource labs and pharmacuetical grade supplements. I don't have the websites but here are some of the names I can think of for supplements: Thorne, Medi Herb, Standard Process, and Pure Encasulations. For outsouce labs, there are two I can think of right now: US biotek, and Genova Labs. I have worked for a holistic chiropractor and these are folks she used. Often these websites will have a place for you to type in your zip code and they will respond back with the doctors in your area, and the driving radius. They want you to buy their producst so they will refer you to the doctors who use them. Do not feel bad at all contacting them.... this is what they do daily.... it helps them turn a profit. And yes, you may have to drive more than a half an hour, I have driven two hours one way often, but quite frankly, you just may not.
Another idea, is call the nearest chiropractic, naturopathic, acupuncture schools, and see where their doctors are practicing nearest you. Many chiropractors practice nutritional counseling, finding the underlying causes of many illnesses, including ADD/ADHD and by nature, naturopaths and acupuncturists do this daily with every consult. I think you wll have great luck with the first option, calling outsource labs and supplement companies, but this is a good second.
If all this fails, and I doubt it will, a third idea is that I have had great success in phone consultations with my holistic MD (www.drmanso.com) and with my holistic pharmacy (www.peoplesrx.com -- I usually call the Lamar south location.) and so have all my friends who have contanced them. Both of these advise people all over the world, you don't have to live in Texas or the United States to use them. I have found them to be worth every penny of their time.
Do you have a health food store nearby? This is my fourth idea. Ask them if they know of anyone. I have worked in a health food store, They can't refer you to anyone, but they can say. hum, here are some names of doctors that our customers have used and liked.
There, I have given you four ideas, and they should all work. But, start with the first one, calling, and emailing those outsource labs and supplement companies, to get the best doctors nearest you, the fastest. And good luck! keep me posted. I don't check back here often, but I do care. Hang in there!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Phthalates and Baby Boy Birth Defects!!!!
I adore hitting some of my favorite websites to get the latest news they know about. I highly reccomend you do the same. This I got from US Biotek.
Common chemical may cause defects in baby boys
By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
For the first time, scientists have shown that pregnant mothers exposed to high but common levels of a widely used ingredient in cosmetics, fragrances, plastics and paints can have baby boys with smaller genitals and incomplete testicular descent.
The paper, published Friday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found that the more a mother was exposed to the chemicals, called phthalates (THAL-ates), the greater the chance her boy's reproductive development would be harmed. Similar changes have led to decreased semen quality and fertility in rodents.
"We'll follow our children to see what the consequences are," says lead researcher Shanna Swan, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) School of Medicine.
The changes described in the federally financed study were seen at phthalate levels found in one-quarter of the female population in the USA.
The study tested levels of four kinds of phthalates in the urine of pregnant women. Researchers later examined 134 of the baby boys 2 months to 30 months old who were born to those women.
Previous work had shown that prenatal phthalate exposure in rodents can critically affect male hormones, resulting in impaired testicular descent and smaller genital size. The Swan study is the first to look at effects in humans.
While none of the boys showed clear malformation or disease, in the 25% of mothers with the highest levels of phthalate exposure, the odds were 10 times higher that their sons would have a shorter than expected distance between the anus and the base of the penis. This so-called AGD measurement is a sensitive indicator of impacts on their reproductive system.
A statement from the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association said the "use of phthalates in cosmetics and personal care products is supported by an extensive body of scientific research and data that confirms safety."
But, Swan says, no one had ever studied phthalate exposure in infant boys.
"It's way premature to have concern," says Marian Stanley, who manages the Phthalate Esters Panel of the American Chemistry Council in Arlington, Va. "More study is needed."
Andrea Dunaif, chief of endocrinology at Northwestern University, called the findings "strong evidence in humans that this endocrine-disrupting chemical is associated with changes in boys."
The changes are subtle, but male infertility rates appear to be rising, she said, and it's hard to know if the problem is environmental or just diagnosed more often. "The public health implications are enormous."
Common chemical may cause defects in baby boys
By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
For the first time, scientists have shown that pregnant mothers exposed to high but common levels of a widely used ingredient in cosmetics, fragrances, plastics and paints can have baby boys with smaller genitals and incomplete testicular descent.
The paper, published Friday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found that the more a mother was exposed to the chemicals, called phthalates (THAL-ates), the greater the chance her boy's reproductive development would be harmed. Similar changes have led to decreased semen quality and fertility in rodents.
"We'll follow our children to see what the consequences are," says lead researcher Shanna Swan, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) School of Medicine.
The changes described in the federally financed study were seen at phthalate levels found in one-quarter of the female population in the USA.
The study tested levels of four kinds of phthalates in the urine of pregnant women. Researchers later examined 134 of the baby boys 2 months to 30 months old who were born to those women.
Previous work had shown that prenatal phthalate exposure in rodents can critically affect male hormones, resulting in impaired testicular descent and smaller genital size. The Swan study is the first to look at effects in humans.
While none of the boys showed clear malformation or disease, in the 25% of mothers with the highest levels of phthalate exposure, the odds were 10 times higher that their sons would have a shorter than expected distance between the anus and the base of the penis. This so-called AGD measurement is a sensitive indicator of impacts on their reproductive system.
A statement from the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association said the "use of phthalates in cosmetics and personal care products is supported by an extensive body of scientific research and data that confirms safety."
But, Swan says, no one had ever studied phthalate exposure in infant boys.
"It's way premature to have concern," says Marian Stanley, who manages the Phthalate Esters Panel of the American Chemistry Council in Arlington, Va. "More study is needed."
Andrea Dunaif, chief of endocrinology at Northwestern University, called the findings "strong evidence in humans that this endocrine-disrupting chemical is associated with changes in boys."
The changes are subtle, but male infertility rates appear to be rising, she said, and it's hard to know if the problem is environmental or just diagnosed more often. "The public health implications are enormous."
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