The link between low iron levels and fatigue, and why this diagnosis is often missed
Today’s edition of the British Medical Journal contains an article which summarises guidance from the UK’s National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the management of chronic fatigue syndrome [1]. Let me start by saying I have special interest in this area, as quite a number of my patients present with ‘fatigue’ (often, [...]
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Study shows that doctors tend not to listen to their patients regarding side-effects of statins
My father (a retired doctor) is not one for pronouncements, though I do remember him offering me one piece of advice about how to be a good doctor: listen to your patients. I was reminded of this simple but sagely dictum recently on the reading of a study which assessed the response doctors give to [...]
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Drug company-funded statin studies shown to be highly biased and unreliable
In previous posts, such as here and here, I have focused on the apparent ability of pharmaceutical companies influence research, the journals that publish this research and treatment guidelines. There are many ways that drug companies can do this, including the funding and design of studies. In fact, back in July I focused on a [...]
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How much exercise is enough?
Last Friday I was having breakfast with colleagues in hotel in the southwest of England. We were half way through teaching a wellness and work-life balance course to some delegates from Central and Eastern Europe. A newspaper was in evidence, and its front page warned us that, according to new recommendations, we need to exercise [...]
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Compounds in olive oil found to ‘thin’ the blood
With all the talk about the supposed benefits of the ‘Mediterranean’ diet we’ve had over the last decade or so, there’s inevitably been some focus on the healthy properties of olive oil. In particular, olive oil is rich in so-called ‘monounsaturated’ fat that is believed to have benefits for the heart and circulation. The presence [...]
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More evidence that vitamin D is linked to better physical function in the elderly
At the end of April, I wrote about research which assessed the relationship between vitamin D status and physical function in a group of elderly individuals [1]. Briefly, the results of this study found that lower vitamin D levels were found to associated with lower muscular strength and physical function in both men and women. [...]
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Parents told to feed kids fat!
I don’t know for how long parents have been advised not to feed their kids too much fat. ‘Eating fat makes them fat’ is the usual message here, and therefore eating less of this particular foodstuff is the way to put a break on the burgeoning rates of overweight and obesity we’re seeing in our [...]
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‘Pot bellies’ again found to be a marker for cardiovascular disease
The body mass index (weight in kg divided by the square of height in metres) remains the standard way of assessing weight by the medical profession. The problem is, as I’ve pointed out previously, (for example, here and here) it is a generally useless measure as a marker for health. In previous pieces, I have [...]
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Acetyl-L-carnitine found to relieve fatigue in the elderly
Acetyl-L-carnitine is a naturally-occurring substance in the body which is made up, unsurprisingly, of carnitine and what is known as a acetyl group. Carnitine facilitates the transport of fat in the body’s cells into the miniature ‘powerhouses’ called the ‘mitochondria’ where fat is converted into energy. The ‘acetyl’ part of acetyl-L-carnitine may participate in the [...]
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Doctors question the use of statins in the elderly
In previous posts I’ve expressed a distinct lack of enthusiasm for cholesterol-reducing statin drugs. These medicaments are very much in vogue as a result of their much-touted ability to reduce the risk of ‘cardiovascular’ conditions such as heart disease and stroke. However, a better measure of the effectiveness of a ‘preventive’ treatment such as statin [...]
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