LifeCare Chiropractic

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Gastroenterology

Effect of L. plantarum on CVD risk factors in smokers – (12-05-02)

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Effect of L. plantarum on CVD risk factors in smokers

Wow…talk about cutting across organ systems!! This study shows many cardiovascular benefits (inflammatory markers, lipids, BP, fibrinogen and leptin) from probiotic use. A gastrointestinal intervention resulting in multi-factorial cardiovascular benefits. Go figure. Now if only gastroenterologists would recognize that probiotic therapy actually exists. And if only they would mention this benefit to cardiologists…And if only pigs could fly.

AJCN — Abstracts: Naruszewicz et al. 76 (6): 1249

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Hypochlorhydria, Inflammation, Parietal and G-Cell Populations – (01-10-02)

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Hypochlorhydria, Inflammation, Parietal and G-Cell Populations

This study has incredible implications. This is a mouse study, but if it holds true in humans (and if this concept ever makes it out of this journal…) it could blow a hole in one of the highest prescription classes in Western civilization.

This article suggests that the normal stomach up-regulates its ability to make MORE acid in response to inflammation caused by bacterial infection. On the other hand, stomachs with impaired gastric acid production (hypochlorhydria), are more susceptible to infection and further injury from bacteria. The hypochlorhydria can be genetic or from treatment with acid suppressive drugs. The bottom line–we need to seriously re-evaluate or use of acid suppressive therapy in patients with gastritis and ulcers and especially H. pylori infection.

Gastroenterology — Abstracts: ZAVROS et al. 122 (1): 119

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Coating Doesn’t Reduce Risk of Upper GI Bleeds – (11-02-00)

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Coating Doesn’t Reduce Risk of Upper GI Bleed From Low-Dose Aspirin

The whole “aspirin a day” for health is becoming more and more controversial. First, there is no evidence that aspirin prevents a FIRST heart attack; only a second. Next, it is rare that a patient has their clotting ability monitored on aspirin therapy to check if it is even needed, and so many patients may be thinning their blood to dangerous levels. This is evidence by an increase in strokes in patients taking long term, low dose aspirin.

Am J Gastroenterol 2000;95:2218-2224 Use of low-dose aspirin increases by threefold the risk of an upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleed requiring hospital admission, according to a population-based cohort study from Denmark. Enteric coating of the aspirin does not reduce this risk. The investigators report that the standardized incidence rate ratio — “calculated as the ratio of the observed to the expected number of upper GI bleeding” — was 3.1 for all users of low-dose aspirin. This ratio increased to 5.6 when low-dose aspirin was combined with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). When aspirin was combined with non-NSAID drugs, the ratio was 4.7. The risk was similar for 100-mg and 150-mg tablets, and for enteric-coated and noncoated tablets. The risk remained elevated, with a standardized incidence rate ratio of 1.8, during the year after treatment with aspirin was discontinued. If confirmed, these findings “will have important public health implications for the assessment of the overall public health benefits of low-dose aspirin,” Dr. Sorensen’s group concludes.

PEPPERMINT OIL HELPS IN CALMING GI SPASMS – (05-29-03)

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Peppermint oil reduces gastric spasm during upper endoscopy.

Peppermint has been used for centuries to calm GI spasms. For patients with irritable bowel syndrome, many have found relief with peppermint oil. Here we see it replacing a commonly used antispasmodic during GI spasms during endoscopy. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Online

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GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY CAUSES PANCREATIC DISEASE – (08-01-05)

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Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia with Nesidioblastosis after Gastric-Bypass Surgery

I know this is a long title, so let me paraphrase it in English…”Gastric bypass surgery results in an attempt by the pancreas to compensate by making more insulin to the point where the brain runs so low on fuel as to be potentially lethal and these patients needed another operation to pull out a portion of the pancreas containing diseased regions.”  Wow.

Granted, this is only a case series presentation, but what a racket.  You get paid cash to bypass the stomach (oh hell–what was Mother Nature thinking of anyway?  Digestion is overrated.) and then you make money on the back end from insurance when the potentially fatal condition needs to be corrected.  And I’ve got a hard time getting 5 visits for a low back sprain from an insurance company…

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BNEFITS OF STOMACH ACID FOR HEALTH – (02-13-06)

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Use of Gastric Acid Suppressive Agents and the Risk of Community-Acquired Clostridium difficile associated disease.

Let’s first say that C. difficile is not something you want to suffer through. The authors of this paper seemed a little surprised to find an almost tripling of the risk of acquiring this infection in patient on acid suppressive drugs.

Well, given that we are constantly exposed to an enormous amount of bacteria in our daily lives, and given that stomach acid acts as a very strong barrier to these bacteria, suppression of this protection will of course open up yet another Pandora’s box of health problems with acid suppression. Ah heck. What was Mother Nature thinking anyway? We don’t need stomach acid for health.

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