Briefs – Foods That Starve Cancer; Pain Meds Affect Testosterone in Unborn Babies; Heartburn Drugs and Mortality Risk

(Originally published Sept. 2017; Updated October 31, 2024)

Turmeric, Apple Peel, Red Grapes Starve Cancer Cells

Research has identified several natural compounds found in certain foods as having the potential to starve prostate cancer cells and inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.

Scientists first tested 142 natural compounds on mouse and human cell lines to see which inhibited prostate cancer cell growth when administered alone or in combination with another nutrient. The most promising active ingredients were then further tested: ursolic acid, a waxy natural chemical found in apple peels and rosemary; curcumin, the bright yellow plant compound in turmeric; and resveratrol, a natural compound common to red grapes or berries. These nutrients proved to have anti-cancer properties, notably against prostate cancer cells.

The study author said that we only need to increase concentrations of these compounds beyond levels found in a healthy diet for an effect on prostate cancer cells. The paper also demonstrated how these plant-based chemicals work together: combining ursolic acid with either curcumin or resveratrol prevents cancer cells from gobbling up something that they need to grow, glutamine. So the uptake of a nutrient needed by prostate cancer cells is blocked by nutrients that are found in these foods.

This study was posted online in npj Precision Oncology. The entire report is available at https://tinyurl.com/y9btsg4u free of charge.

Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy Can Inhibit Masculinity in Unborn Babies

Researchers have found that taking acetaminophen during pregnancy can inhibit the development of the male sex hormone testosterone in the male fetus. It also increases the risk of malformation of the testicles in infants, and affects future male behaviour. (Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is a popular pain-relieving substance sold under brand names such as Tylenol, Triaminic, or Acet. Testosterone is a male sex hormone that helps develop the male body and male programming of the brain.)

A mouse study demonstrated that a reduced level of testosterone means that male characteristics do not develop as they should, which also affects sex drive. Mice exposed to paracetamol at the fetal stage were simply unable to copulate in the same way as control animals. Male programming was not properly established during their fetal development, and this could be seen long afterwards in adult life.

Further, the treated males did not attack other males, were unable to copulate, and behaved more like female mice when it came to urinary territorial marking. Because the trials were restricted to mice, the results cannot be transferred directly to humans; but the harmful effects suggested in this research would make it improper to undertake the same trials on humans.

This study was published in the August 2017 issue of the journal Reproduction. A link to similar research can be found online at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150520151626.htm

Heartburn and Ulcer Medications Linked to 50% Increased Mortality

Scientists have concluded that long-term use of popular heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is associated with an increased risk of death. (Previous studies had linked PPIs to other health issues, including serious kidney damage, bone fractures, and dementia. This is the first study to link these drugs with greater mortality risk. Millions of people take PPIs, which are widely prescribed to treat heartburn, ulcers, and other gastrointestinal problems. Some are available over-the-counter such as Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium.)

The researchers examined medical records of about 275,000 PPI users along with those of nearly 75,000 people who took a different class of drugs, known as H2 blockers, to reduce stomach acid.

Those on PPIs for one to two years had a 50% increased risk of dying over the next five years. Both PPIs and H2 blockers are prescribed for serious medical conditions such as upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and esophageal cancer, but over-the-counter PPIs are most often used for simple heartburn and indigestion and are one of the most commonly used classes of drugs in the U.S. For every 500 people taking PPIs for a year, there is one extra death that would not have otherwise occurred, translating into thousands of needless deaths every year.

This study was published online July 4, 2017 by the journal BMJ Open. A link to similar research can be found here:  https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325372

Sugar Intake During Pregnancy Linked to Allergies, Asthma in Children

A new study suggests that a high sugar intake by mothers during pregnancy may increase the risk of allergy and allergic asthma in their children. The research involved almost 9,000 mothers who were pregnant in the early 1990s. The study assessed maternal intake of free sugars during pregnancy along with allergies and asthma in their children at seven years, as defined by positive skin tests to common allergens, namely dust mite, cat, and grass. (Until now, the relation between sugar intake during pregnancy and allergy and asthma in the offspring has received little attention.)

Comparing the 20% of mothers with the highest sugar intake versus the 20% of mothers with the lowest sugar intake, there was a 38% increased risk of allergy in the offspring and a 101% higher risk of allergic asthma. The study team found no association with eczema or hay fever. They speculated that the associations may be explained by a high maternal intake of fructose, causing a persistent postnatal allergic immune response, which in turn may be leading to allergic inflammation in the developing lung. This type of study cannot prove cause-and-effect. Interestingly, the sugar intake of the children themselves during early childhood was found to have no link to the risk of allergies or asthma, only the maternal intake of free sugar.

This study was published July 6, 2017 by the European Respiratory Journal, and the full-text study is available now at https://tinyurl.com/y82cck27 free of charge.

Sleep Quality Reduced Significantly by Blue Light from Devices

A new study has found that the blue light emitted from devices such as smart phones, tablets, TVs, or even desk lamps may be contributing to the reportedly high prevalence of sleep dysfunction. In this study, participants aged 17 to 42 wore blue light-blocking glasses three hours before bedtime for two weeks, while still performing their nightly digital routines. Results showed about a 58% increase in their night time melatonin levels, the chemical that signals the body when it is time to sleep. Those levels, resulting from blocking the blue light of digital devices, are even higher than the increases that result from taking over-the-counter melatonin supplements. The implication is that blue light at night time definitely decreases sleep quality.

Wearing activity and sleep monitors 24 hours a day, the 22 study participants also reported that they were sleeping better and falling asleep faster and had even increased their sleep duration by 24 minutes a night. (The largest source of blue light is sunlight, but it is also found in most LED-based devices. Blue light boosts alertness and dysregulates our internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, that tells our bodies when to sleep. This artificial blue light activates photoreceptors called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, or ipRGCs, which suppress melatonin levels.)

The author recommends limiting screen time, applying screen filters, wearing special glasses that block blue light, or using anti-reflective lenses to offset the effects of artificial light at night time. Some devices even include night mode settings that limit blue light exposure.

This study was posted online June 27, 2017 and will be published in a future issue of the journalOphthalmic and Physiological Optics. The full study report can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/y7ggzjb8for an access fee.

Overweight Teens Have Greater Risk of Colorectal Cancer as Adults

A large study has found that being overweight or obese as a teenager can increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer as an adult. Long-term follow-up of 1.79 million men and women examined for military service as teenagers showed that overweight and obese males and females were 53 and 54%, respectively, more likely to develop colon or rectal cancer by middle age, compared to their normal-weight peers.

Obesity as a teenager was also noted to increase the risk of rectal cancer by 71% in adult men and over 100% in women. The young men and women were between the ages of 16 and 19 at the time of the examinations. The study could not assess whether risk of colorectal cancer was related to adult obesity independent of teenage obesity. Also, other risk factors that may affect the risk of colorectal cancer such as family history, physical activity, diet, and smoking were not reported in the study.

The journal Cancer posted a version of this study online July 24, 2017. Find details at: https://tinyurl.com/y6uukl8c for a fee.