We like to stay on top of the latest news in functional medicine and nutrition. If you do too, you’ll find our monthly, easy-to-digest compilation of research and news articles right here. Check back regularly to find updates, or follow us through our newsletters and social media to ensure you don’t miss any.
Acetaminophen use before and during pregnancy increases ADHD risk
21 percent rise in peanut allergy since 2010, black children have double the risk
Oral Allergy Syndrome Associated with Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Excess B vitamins aren’t ‘harmlessly peed out’
Any regular alcohol intake may raise lifetime cancer risk
“Old fashioned” diets protect against leaky gut and autoimmunity
Gut dysbiosis plays a role in MS onset and progression
Choose a park over the mall to reduce fatigue and restore attention
Acetaminophen use before and during pregnancy increases ADHD risk
Long-term use of acetaminophen (paracetamol) during pregnancy is associated with a more than doubled risk for ADHD in offspring, according to a new study. In addition, paternal and maternal acetaminophen use before pregnancy for 29 days or more was associated with ADHD incidence. While this does suggest some potential epigenetic effects of acetaminophen, as Functional Medicine physicians we should also be thinking about the reasons those parents were taking acetaminophen and whether factors such as inflammation can be mediating these apparent connections.
21 percent rise in peanut allergy since 2010, black children have double the risk
Life-threatening food allergies continue to rise at a dramatic pace – the rate of peanut allergy in children has climbed 21 percent since 2010, according to new data. Rates of allergies to tree nut, shellfish, fin fish and sesame also increased. Black children appear to be even more at risk, with nearly double the likelihood of having a peanut allergy relative to white children. At the start of this year, the NIH significantly changed its guidelines around peanut introduction to infants, which can help reduce development of food allergy. Functional Medicine also works to reduce susceptibility to allergic disease.
Oral Allergy Syndrome Associated with Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an increasingly recognized allergic condition, characterized by difficulty swallowing and food that gets stuck on the way down to the stomach. New research supports what we see clinically, that different food antigens play a role in triggering and perpetuating disease activity. Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers have published on the connection between oral allergy syndrome (also known as pollen-food allergy syndrome), and EoE. Most common triggers were apples, carrots and peaches. Also interesting is that in their study, food elimination alone did not fully resolve symptoms for most individuals; and in our clinic we find we also must concurrently do the underlying work to support immune balance and tolerance, even as we may temporarily remove trigger foods. The combined approach can be very effective.
Excess B vitamins aren’t ‘harmlessly peed out’
The old assertion that excess water-soluble vitamins can’t cause harm because you ‘just pee them out’ is just not true. We’ve written before about some of the published potential risks of excess folic acid and folate (vitamin B9) on the epigenome and many diseases, for example, in the eBook Methylation Diet & Lifestyle. Peripheral neuropathy is a known side-effect of excess vitamin B6 (typically doses over 100 mg). Now new data links commonly-available higher doses of B6 and B12 supplementation with increased risk for cancer, especially lung cancer. In fact, taking 20 mg B6 daily was associated with double the cancer risk in men. And in men who smoked, taking more than 55 mcg B12 daily was associated with quadrupled risk.
Any regular alcohol intake may raise lifetime cancer risk
Alcohol is a modifiable cancer risk, a recognized formally by the American Society of Clinical Oncology for the first time. Despite other guidelines that recommend limiting alcohol intake to 2 drinks per day for men, and 1 per day for women, the most recent research shows that even these levels of intake are still associated with some elevated cancer risk. A variety of causative mechanisms can be at play here, including alteration of levels of circulating estrogens, oxidative DNA damage and more.
“Old fashioned” diets protect against leaky gut and autoimmunity
Ultra-processed “foods” can induce gut dysbiosis, inflammation and a leaky gut, factors which can trigger autoimmunity in predisposed adults and children. Food emulsifiers, for instance, regularly used in processed foods, can modify the gut microbiota and increase intestinal permeability. Traditional whole-foods diets, conversely, are typically rich in plant nutrients and fiber, promoting a healthy microbial balance and delivering anti-inflammatory effects. Fiber also promotes healthier intestinal cells since it aids in butyrate production which improves intestinal integrity.
Gut dysbiosis plays a role in MS onset and progression
Microbes are increasingly linked with autoimmune conditions. This latest research further connects gut dysbiosis (an overabundance of harmful gut microbes) with the onset of multiple sclerosis by increasing levels of pro-inflammatory compounds and altering gene expression. This has huge implications for how we manage the health of our gut microflora, and suggests that a key factor in the success of autoimmune-related diets is via manipulation of the microbiome.
Choose a park over the mall to reduce fatigue and restore attention
To reduce mental fatigue and restore attention, choose a park over the mall. Just 20 minutes per day of walking in nature helps your brain recover from a full day of concentrating at work or school, according to new research. Combining outdoor time with connecting with family or friends, or with exercise (or both!), can take those benefits even further! What are your favorite ways to unwind?
