Sense about Science, a UK based group trying to equip the public to understand scientific and medical claims to which they are exposed, has launched a new campaign Ask for Evidence that seems well worth supporting.
The concept is simple and should make sense to most people. When someone makes a claim, you should (and have every right to) ask why you should believe that claim. Ask for evidence. Below, I have illustrated an example of this: Continue reading “Ask for Evidence”
Shockingly, two “dietary supplements” for male enhancement have been found to contain active ingredients that happen to treat erectile dysfunction. Effectively, these products are unannounced and unregulated versions of Viagra (X-Hero) and Cialis (Male Enhancer), both of which have risks of negative interactions with other drugs. These interactions can only be avoided if individuals are aware that they are being exposed.
FDA lab analysis of X-Hero found the product contains sulfosildenafil, the analogue of the active ingredient of an FDA-approved drug used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), making X-Hero an unapproved drug. In addition, FDA analysis of Male Enhancer sample found the product contains tadalafil, the active ingredient of an FDA-approved drug used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), making Male Enhancer an unapproved drug.
The products pose a threat to consumers because they may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates. ED is a common problem in men with these conditions, and they may seek products to enhance sexual performance.
–FDA Medwatch (emphasis added)
No undeclared ingredients here, just dangerous levels of Vitamins A & D in an effectively unregulated dietary supplement called Soladek Vitamin Solution.
ISSUE: Tested samples of Soladek contained levels of vitamin A and vitamin D that were many times the recommended daily allowances for these vitamins. . .Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include anemia, anorexia, alopecia, joint pain, bone weakness, bulging eyes, liver abnormalities, and birth defects. Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity include weakness, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in mental status, increased blood pressure, abnormal heart rate or rhythm, kidney damage, and coma.
For vitamins, like many biochemically active compounds, more is not better. Rather, the body wants the right amount. Many vitamins are water soluble and very difficult to overdose on, as you simply eliminate the excess in your urine. Vitamins A & D are fat soluble and not so easily removed.
Usually, these cases have not been associated with reports of health problems. Not so in this case.
The FDA received seven reports of serious health problems occurring in consumers using the product. The problems include decreased renal function, elevated levels of calcium in the blood, fatigue, heart arrhythmia, vomiting, and diarrhea.
-FDA Medwatch
According to a preliminary study in the Journal of the American Medical Association – “Effects of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Signal Exposure on Brain Glucose Metabolism” (Volkow et al. 2011) – the radio frequency emissions from cell phones can cause detectable changes in the metabolism of a specific brain region.
In healthy participants and compared with no exposure, 50-minute cell phone exposure was associated with increased brain glucose metabolism in the region closest to the antenna. This finding is of unknown clinical significance.
While there has been a great deal of speculation in the media regarding the mechanism of this effect, we need to dedicated some thought to whether there is actually an effect that requires explanation.
Wired lets me down with some airport body scanner fear mongering:
TSA admits bungling of airport body scanner radiation test:
The Transportation Security Administration is reanalyzing the radiation levels of X-ray body scanners installed in airports nationwide, after testing produced dramatically higher-than-expected results.
The TSA, which has deployed at least 500 body scanners to at least 78 airports, said Tuesday the machines meet all safety standards and would remain in operation despite a “calculation error” in safety studies. The flawed results showed radiation levels 10 times higher than expected.
Read a little more deeply, and it turns out that the problem is not that the machines are emitting 10 times higher than expected radiation – it’s the much less hazardous (and less sensational) problem that the technicians testing the machines forgot to divide by 10. Continue reading “Wired Fear Mongering – Body Scanners”
The Finch and Pea 