Author: Dr Foo Joo Pin

High risk when you buy health products online

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Consumers who choose to buy health products online are taking a high risk with their health and they may find it difficult to seek redress if they fall ill after taking such products, said the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).

CASE’s comments come as the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) issued an alert regarding two illegal weight loss products sold online. Two people fell ill after taking two illegal weight loss products, which were purchased online. A man in his 20s who suffered an acute kidney failure while another 15-year-old girl suffered hallucinations.

Anyone who are concerned about their health or suffers any symptoms should consult a proper physician to work up their health issues, instead of relying on health supplements to resolve their problems. And any health products should be obtained from reliable sources instead of just depending on unjustifiable anecdotal account or ‘testimonies’ from anyone, especially those from online sources.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/high-risk-when-you-buy/1524756.htmlthe-us-fda-warned

Illegal weight loss products land two in hospital: HSA

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The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) warned the public not to purchase or consume two illegal weight loss products, after these led to two people hospitalised for hallucinations and acute kidney failure. The two products – Nutri Drops Grapefruit Diet and Nutrex Research Adipodex – were tested by HSA to contain potent, undeclared chemical ingredients. For the former, the undeclared chemical ingredients include sibutramine, benzyl sibutramine (a chemically-related compound of sibutramine) and phenolphthalein. Sibutramine, a weight loss drug, has been banned in Singapore since 2010 due to serious safety concerns. As for Nutrex Research Adipodex, which was marketed online as a dietary supplement, was labelled to contain yohimbine – a potent western medicinal ingredient not allowed to be present in supplements sold locally, the press release stated. It can trigger chest pains and high blood pressure.

A teenager experienced hallucinations after consuming Nutri Drops Grapefruit Diet for more than a month to lose weight, and was subsequently hospitalised. The product was labelled to contain all natural ingredients including green tea. Another consumer in his 20s consumed Nutrex Research Adipodex and suffered acute kidney failure leading to hospitalisation.

One must always exercise caution when purchasing their health products, and obtain them from reliable and reputable sources locally. The dangers of online purchasing include the lack of information on the sellers’ location, the source of their products and the conditions under which the products were manufactured and stored. Products sold online could also potentially be counterfeit or adulterated with undeclared potent ingredients.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/illegal-weight-loss/1521426.html

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Diabetes in midlife could lead to mental decline by 70: Study

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Diabetes ages the mind about five years faster than normal, and those diagnosed in their 50s are far more likely to experience mental decline by age 70, researchers said. The study in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine was based on more than 15,000 US adults followed from 1987 to 2013.

They found 19 per cent more mental decline than expected in participants with poorly controlled diabetes, and smaller declines for those with controlled diabetes and pre-diabetes. The race of the patients had no factor in their outcomes.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/health/diabetes-in-midlife-could/1505076.html

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Malays, Indians with Type 2 diabetes more likely to suffer strokes, heart attacks: Study

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In a decade-long diabetes study, researchers from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) found that among those with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), Malays and Indians are at higher risk of cardiovascular diseases compared to Chinese patients.Malay patients had two times higher risk while Indians had 1.7 times higher risk of diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, compared to Chinese patients with T2DM, according to findings of a study released by the healthcare cluster that manages KTPH, Alexandra Health.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/health/malays-indians-with-type/1454528.html

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Coffee Addicts and Diabetes

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A recent report claims people who boosted their coffee intake by “moderate to large” doses in a US-based study had a lower risk for adult-onset diabetes than those with stable consumption. Reports linking certain food and disease incidence and outcome are not uncommon. It should be noted that these studies merely report an association between the food and the disease, and do not indicate a cause and effect between consumption of the food and disease itself. To illustrate with an example, it might be that people who drinks more coffee, for some reasons coincidentally or otherwise, might just happened to have other confounding factors that reduced the risk of diabetes. These studies will not always be able to account for these ‘confounders’ as thoroughly. Therefore, reports linking certain food with risk of developing a disease should always be interpreted cautiously. When it comes to diet, moderation is always the key. And diet itself should always be in tandem with physical activity, regular heath screening and prompt medical attention in the event of disease onset, in order to ensure the best outcome.

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Boy Spoke First Word with ‘Miracle’ Diabetes Treatment

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A five-year-old boy whose chronic diabetes meant he had never spoken said his first words just days after starting a ‘miracle’ treatment. Jack Neighbour suffered from health complications related to neonatal diabetes and it meant he could only communicate with his family through picture cards. But just six weeks after a genetic test by a team at the University of Exeter he switched from insulin injections to tablets. While the sensational headlines here is certainly uplifting, the ‘miracle’ treatment here is probably no more than the common oral diabetic agents, likely sulphonyureas here, that are already widely used for many diabetics for a long time.

Neonatal diabetes is a form of diabetes occurring within 6 months of birth, and are commonly wrongly classified as type 1 diabetes (insulin dependent diabetes). Patients are often put on insulin injections from a tender age, often with unsatisfactory control. An astute endocrinologist will be able to easily differentiate this form of diabetes from type 1, insulin requiring diabetes. A genetic test, which is widely available nowadays can detect the presence of a mutation causing neonatal diabetes. With genetic testing result, and the presence of clinical features well supporting a diagnosis of neonatal diabetes, there is a good chance that patients can be successfully converted from insulin treatment to oral agents, often with marked improvement in their sugar control and quality of life.

The story here underscore the importance of seeking proper treatment for your diabetes, and consulting an endocrinologist promptly when there are unusual features in your diabetes that does not commensurate with the garden variety diabetes which are ubiquitous nowadays.

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Teens’ Screen Time May Affect Their Bone Health

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Spending too much time sitting in front of screens may be linked to poorer bone health in teen boys, according to a new study from Norway.  The findings clearly show that sedentary lifestyle during adolescence can impact on bone mineral density and thus compromise the acquisition of peak bone mass. This can have a negative impact in terms of osteoporosis and fracture risk later in life. The skeleton grows from birth to the end of the teen years and bones reach their maximum strength and size in early adulthood. Nutrition and physical activity are major factors in bone growth. Therefore, the findings here that a sedentary lifestyle may cast a negative impact on bone health in adolescents is not surprising.

Adolescent should be encouraged to live a more active lifestyle and embrace outdoor activities more as the benefits are likely to be more far ranging than what we thought.

About one in five men older than 50 will suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis, but levels of awareness about osteoporosis risk and bone health in males are unfortunately extremely low. 

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Scientists Find Key ‘Fat Genes’

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Geneticists said on Wednesday they had pinpointed the most important obesity gene yet, and its functioning may explain why some people are more prone to obesity than others. It is worthwhile remembering that besides genes, obesity is a culmination of multiple other factors including lack of exercise and poor dietary habits. So rather than putting all the blame on your genes, an active lifestyle and good dietary choices still remain the most important interventions in mitigating obesity.

Obesity and related diseases like diabetes have gained epidemic proportions in many developed countries. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), obesity nearly doubled worldwide from 1980 to 2008.

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