Amino Acid Taurine is Crucial to Healthy Vision

amino acid taurineYour body is 1/1000th taurine, a chemical essential to life. The amino acid taurine is crucial for vision.  It supports function of the heart, skeletal muscle, and the central nervous system.[1] The pancreas produces taurine, and taurine is a major component of digestive bile. The chemical can be ingested from meats, fish and supplements, such as pills and energy drinks.

In the 1970s, experiments on animals deprived of taurine found they did not develop proper vision. Since then, Continue reading “Amino Acid Taurine is Crucial to Healthy Vision”

Glaucoma Linked to Mercury in the Body

mercuryA new study has found that higher levels of mercury in the blood are linked to a greater chance of developing the eye disease glaucoma. Additionally, low levels of manganese (a chemical element) were associated with lower incidence of glaucoma.

This cross-sectional population-based study was published online on August 6th 2015 in JAMA Ophthalmology. The researchers looked a blood or urine metallic element levels, as well as eye disease in 2,680 Korean adults.

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Cataract Surgery Might Not Make Wet Macular Degeneration Worse

cataract surgeryA study slated to appear in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Ophthalmology found that cataract surgery does not appear to worsen pre-existing wet AMD (age-related macular degeneration). However, cataracts surgery appears to slightly change the anatomy of the eye, which might make AMD patients more susceptible Continue reading “Cataract Surgery Might Not Make Wet Macular Degeneration Worse”

What are the Concerns Over BPA Bisphenol-A in Plastics?

bottled water bpaBPA, or Bisphenol-A, has practically become a household word in America as a dangerous chemical found in certain types of plastic, particularly plastic #7. This polycarbonate is a non-recyclable plastic commonly used for the following products:

FDA Asks Doctors To Limit Acetaminophen In Combination Drugs

combination drug Patients can inadvertently overdose on the drug. Excessive acetaminophen can result in liver failure and the need for a liver transplant. In some cases, patients can even die from liver problems.

The FDA said there is no data showing the taking extra acetaminophen has any reasonable benefits versus the risks. Nearly half of acetaminophen-related liver Continue reading “FDA Asks Doctors To Limit Acetaminophen In Combination Drugs”

Study: Statin Drug May be Tied to Cataracts

high cholesterolSubjects who took Zocor, lipitor or similar statins are more likely to get cataracts than non-statin users.[1. J. Leuschen, E.M. Mortensen, et al, Association of Statin Use with Cataracts; A Propensity Score-atched Analysis, JAMA Ophthalmology, November, 2013.]  A number of studies assessing data with different mathematical models find that the risk is increased by 27% to 34%.

Cholesterol can build up in the arteries, clogging them and causing strokes and heart attacks. A popular type of drug calls “statins” reduce cholesterol by blocking a substance that body needs to make cholesterol. Around 25% of Americans over the age of 45 take statin drugs to Continue reading “Study: Statin Drug May be Tied to Cataracts”

Diabetes Drug Metformin Anti-inflammatory Mechanism Discovered

diabetesResearchers have found that the anti-diabetic drug metformin reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines. When inflammatory cytokines are produced in excess, they cause inflammation that increases cancer risk and the incidence of other diseases.

The University of Montreal researchers reported that metformin inhibits the expression of genes that code for several inflammatory cytokines observed during cellular senescence. These inflammatory cytokines are normally secreted by the Continue reading “Diabetes Drug Metformin Anti-inflammatory Mechanism Discovered”

Dose Size of Sleeping Pill Ambien Lowered Due to Negative Effects

sleeping pill is a quick fixThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that the block-buster sleeping pill Ambien (zolpidem) dose be lowered, especially for women, due to negative side-effects. The drug stays in women’s system much longer than in men’s. Too many car accidents the day after taking Ambien have lead to the government agency to halve the recommended dose for women, and re-consider the dose for men.

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Traumatic Brain Injury in Football Players Reversed with Ginko, Fish Oil, and Other Natural Supplements

football traumatic brain injury natural ginkoA significant study has found that the deleterious effects of traumatic brain injury in American football players can be mitigated using a natural regimen of weight loss (if needed), fish oil, vitamins, and brain-enhancing supplements including ginkgo biloba. The positive results could help reverse brain damage in contact sport athletes, alcohol and drug addicts, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and people who have had brain damage from concussions.

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Medical Marijuana and Glaucoma: Does It Help?

medical marijuana for glaucomaYou may have heard that medical marijuana is sometimes used by glaucoma patients. When most people in the United States think of marijuana, many different images, words, and opinions come to mind. Marijuana, or cannabis, is known for its psychoactive effects and medicinal properties caused by a chemical within the plant called tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC. Marijuana is most commonly recognized as a recreational drug and is subject to many legal restrictions ranging from its use, to possession of certain amounts of the plant product.

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