FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE BLOG
Includes over 800 monographs reporting on emerging studies in the medical and scientific literature of practical clinical importance, easily searched for content.
Magnesium: insulin, brain, heart and inflammation
Magnesium may be the critical nutrient most commonly drained by modern environmental stress to suboptimal levels... Recent studies add evidence to its indication for insulin resistance, diabetes, cognitive impairment, atrial fibrillation, cardiovascular disease, and neurogenic inflammation.
Multiple sclerosis and gluten
Additional evidence that loss of tolerance to gluten can be a contributing cause in multiple sclerosis is offered in a study published in Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. This deserves reflection because many clinicians seem to disregard that non-celiac gluten sensitivity may present with no other symptoms.
Cognitive impairment associated with low but still 'normal' TSH
A study just published JCEM (The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism) offers evidence that TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels when low but still 'normal' are associated with cognitive impairment and dementia.
Interstitial cystitis, an autoimmune condition
Interstitial cystitis, also known as Painful Bladder Syndrome (IC/PBS), can feel just like a bladder infection with urinary frequency and discomfort or pain. The symptoms can range from mild to intense. I find this to be a fairly common, undiagnosed condition that is often not recognized as an autoimmune disorder. A study recently published in PLOS One (Public Libary of Science) presents an autoimmune mechanism for interstitial cystitis and reminds clinicians to be alert to the diagnosis.
Migraine and histamine intolerance, with a link to MS
Histamine is involved in the pathogenesis of both migraine and multiple sclerosis (NS).
Atrial fibrillation risk increased by non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs
NSAIDs increased the risk for atrial fibrillation. Practitioners must bear in mind the potential for all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to cause atrial fibrillation by aggravating or triggering latent autoimmune inflammation due to gut barrier compromise.
Cognitive decline: major overlooked causes
Cognitive decline is fueled by that have not received adequate attention but have great practical, clinical significance.
Acute bronchitis: antibiotic no better than placebo
Another study recently published in BMJ (British Medical Journal) offers further evidence that antibiotics are not helpful for uncomplicated acute bronchitis even when the sputum is discolored.
Low 'normal' free T3 thyroid hormone predicts death in older patients even without overt hypothyroid
Low free T3 thyroid hormone (triiodothyronine, FT3), even without overt hypothyroid and still within most 'normal' reference ranges, predicts death from cardiovascular disease and all causes in people over 65 according to a study just published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Hyperexcitable brain syndrome and gluten
Hyperexcitable brain, with potentially severe consequences, is recognized as among the gluten-related autoiimmune neurological disorders... Practitioners should not underestimate the potential severity of gluten-associated neuroinflammation.
Wine and histamine intolerance
Wine and histamine intolerance can be associated with an array of symptoms depending the degree of impairment of DAO (diamine oxidase) activity and the characteristics of the wine... For patients whose presentation suggests histamine intolerance aggravated by wine, consider assessing DAO activity and compensating with supplemented DAO for impaired production if indicated; the use of flavonoid compounds, notably quercitin; and a suggestion to seek wines higher in polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds.
Quercetin may protect against LPS-induced inflammation
Quercetin, a flavonoid compound known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties, may help to prevent inflammation induced by reactions to lipopolysaccharides (LPS)...quercetin may help protect patients from autoimmune flare-ups while treating associated gut infections.
Metabolic health status and aging determined by inflammation, not weight
Metabolic health is not reliably determined by weight or BMI (body mass index). Lean individuals can suffer from cardiovascular and other diseases involving metabolism, and evidence has been mounting that supports the notion of a subtype of obesity that is metabolically healthy. Inflammation can determine metabolic health in both obese and non-obese populations.
Alzheimer's disease increased in women by common psychosocial stressors
As study just published in BMJ Open (British Medical Journal) identifies common psychosocial stress as a significant contributor to the development of Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia.
Histamine intolerance
Histamine intolerance is a widespread phenomenon that can mimic allergy. It plays a role in many diverse conditions including IBS and inflammatory bowel diseases, asthma, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), complications of pregnancy, drug hypersensitivity, and intestinal permeability (by means of which it contributes to autoimmunity). It can be objectively evaluated with serum DAO activity. HI can be ameliorated by supplementation with DAO. Practitioners need to be astute in its diagnosis and management.
Food allergy testing with IgG4 is not recommended
"...food-specific IgG4 does not indicate (imminent) food allergy or intolerance, but rather a physiological response of the immune system after exposition to food components. Therefore, testing of IgG4 to foods is considered as irrelevant for the laboratory work-up of food allergy or intolerance and should not be performed in case of food-related complaints."
Neuropsychiatric illness, autoimmunity and the role of microbes
Neuropsychiatric illness often involves brain inflammation for which there may be an autoimmune origin. The authors of a paper* recently published in Current Opinion in Rheumatology set out to..."illustrate how microbes might participate in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric illness by triggering the production of autoantibodies that bind to brain targets."
Progesterone and irritable bowel syndrome, headaches and irritable bladder
Progesterone plays a role in preventing or ameliorating irritable bowel syndrome by inhibiting the release of histamine. This applies to numerous conditions including migraine, interstitial cystitis (painful/irritable bladder), dysmenorrhea and others.
Progesterone increases thyroid hormone
This 12-week randomized controlled progesterone trial documented that Free T4 levels were significantly elevated in progesterone-treated compared with placebo-treated women.