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Child Asthma linked to Moms Acetaminophen Use
According to the American Lung Association an estimated 3.8 million
children under age 18 in the United States have asthma. Pregnant
women
who frequently took Acetaminophen later in pregnancy may increase
the chances that their babies will suffer asthma after birth.
The conclusion of the study published in the November issue of the journal
Thorax found that exposure to acetaminophen in the womb appears to double the
risk of asthma early in life. The new study led by Dr. Seif Shaheen from King's
College in London included 9,400
children when they were 2.5 to 3.5 years old. The FDA found that acetaminophen
overdoses lead to more than 56,000 emergency room visits a year in the U.S.
about 100 die.
Tuna Salad Sandwich on Whole Wheat, Hold the Tuna!
From the November issue of Environmental Health Perspectives
comes an interesting article regarding mercury levels among persons
consuming higher levels of fish.
Authored by Jane Hightower, M.D., the study examined a series
of patients from her Marin County practice that she described as "coastal
affluent" that included CEOs, Internet execs, lawyers, vintners,
physicians and bankers. They all shared in common a diet richer
in swordfish, sea bass, halibut and ahi tuna steaks.
The findings of the study indicated that of 89% of the 89 persons
in the study had mercury levels that exceeded the EPA recognized
safe level of 5 parts per billion. Sixty-three were found
to have more than double the recommended level, 19 had levels
4 times higher than acceptable and four had levels 10 times greater
than the EPA considers safe.
The study did not include a cross-reference with mercury levels
and symptoms but several examples of patients with elevated mercury
levels and symptoms were presented. Following withdrawal of fish
likely to be mercury laden, 67 subjects saw a dramatic drop in
mercury levels in six months.
Fish that do not accumulate mercury include salmon, sardines,
sole, tilapia and small shellfish.
