Saturated fat lowers the risk of colon cancer

This study was published in Cancer Research 1994 May 1;54(9):2390-7

Study title and authors:
Intake of fat, meat, and fiber in relation to risk of colon cancer in men.

Giovannucci E, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Ascherio A, Willett WC.
Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8162586

The study investigated the relationship of food intake with colon cancer. The six year study included 47,949 U.S. male health professionals (aged 40 to 75) who were free of cancer at the start of the study.

With regard to saturated fat, the study found those who consumed the most had a 12% decreased risk of colon cancer compared to those who consumed the least.

Many pharmaceutical drugs increase the risk of acute pancreatitis

This study was published in Aliment Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2003 Apr 1;17(7):887-93

Study title and authors:
Discrepancies between population-based data and adverse reaction reports in assessing drugs as causes of acute pancreatitis.

Lancashire RJ, Cheng K, Langman MJ.
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12656691

This study investigated the risk of various types of drugs with pancreatitis. The study included 3,673 patients with acute pancreatitis and around 11,000 controls.

The study found:
(a) Those who were prescribed H2-antgonists (Tagamet, Pepcid etc.) had a 240% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used H2-antagonists.
(b) Those who were prescribed proton pump inhibitors (Nexium, Protonix etc.) had a 400% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used proton pump inhibitors.
(c) Those who were prescribed ACE inhibitors (Lotrl, Altace, Lisinopril etc.) had a 110% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used ACE inhibitors.
(d) Those who were prescribed statins (Zocor etc.) had a 10% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used statins.
(e) Those who were prescribed beta blockers (Lopressor, Tenormin etc.) had a 50% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used beta blockers.
(f) Those who were prescribed calcium channel blockers (Norvasc, Tiazac, Adalat etc.) had a 60% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used calcium channel blockers.
(g) Those who were prescribed diuretics (Navidrex, Lasix, Dytac etc.) had a 70% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used diuretics.
(h) Those who were prescribed valproate (Depakene, Convulex etc.) had a 140% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used valproate.
(i) Those who were prescribed fluoxetine (prozac, sarafem etc.) had a 60% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used fluoxetine.
(j) Those who were prescribed Tricyclic agents (Norpramin, Tofranil etc.) had a 40% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used Tricyclic agents.
(k) Those who were prescribed amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox etc.) had a 100% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used amoxicillin.
(l) Those who were prescribed azathioprine (Imuran, Azasan etc.) had a 1,190% increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those who never used azathioprine.

The data from this study highlights that many pharmaceutical drugs increase the risk of acute pancreatitis.

Statins reduce male fertility

This study was published in Endocrine Abstracts 2010 22 P526

Study title and authors:

Effects of atorvastatin on male fertility

Hanae Pons-Rejraji^1,2, Benoit Sion¹, Florence Brugnon^1,2, Christine Artonne¹, Gérald Gouby³, Geneviève Grizard^1,2, Laurent Janny^1,2 & Igor Tauveron^4
1EA975, Laboratoire Biologie de la Reproduction, UFR Médecine, Université Clermont 1, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ²CHU Clermont Ferrand, Hôtel Dieu, Biologie de la Reproduction, CECOS, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ³Clermont-Ferrand, Délégation à la Recherche Clinique & à l’Innovation, Clermont-Ferrand, France; ⁴CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Hôpital Gabriel Montpied, Service d’endocrinologie, Clermont-Ferrand, France.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0022/ea0022p526.htm

High levels of the enzyme Alpha-glucosidase are associated with higher percentages of sperm that have good motility.

The Acrosome is the "cap" on the head of the sperm that contains enzymes that make it possible for the sperm to penetrate the egg.

The aim of the study was to analyze the consequences on sperm parameters with atorvastatin (Lipitor) intake. The study included 17 men who were administered 10 mg/day of atorvastatin for five months. Various sperm parameters were measured before taking the treatment, after 5 months of treatment, and 3 months after its withdrawal.

The study found:
(a) Live spermatozoa percentage was reduced by atorvastatin by 8%.
(b) Concentrations of alpha-glucosidase were significantly decreased 3 months after ending the atorvastatin treatment.
(c) Significantly high concentrations of spermatozoa had spontaneously lost their acrosome 3 months after ending the atorvastatin treatment.

The results from the study indicate that atorvastatin treatment may reduce male fertility.

High cholesterol is associated with a reduced risk of dementia

This study was published in Neurology 2005 May 24;64(10):1689-95

Study title and authors:

High total cholesterol levels in late life associated with a reduced risk of dementia.

Mielke MM, Zandi PP, Sjögren M, Gustafson D, Ostling S, Steen B, Skoog I.

Center on Aging and Health, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. mmielke@jhsph.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15911792

The objective of the study was to examine the association between cholesterol levels and dementia. The study included 392 participants who had their cholesterol levels examined at ages 70, 75 and 79 and were assessed for dementia between the ages of 79 and 88.

The study found:
(a) At age 70, for every 1 mmol/L (38 mg/dL) increase in cholesterol levels there was a 23% decreased risk of dementia between the ages of 79 and 88.
(b) At age 75, for every 1 mmol/L (38 mg/dL) increase in cholesterol levels there was a 30% decreased risk of dementia between the ages of 79 and 88.
(c) At age 79, for every 1 mmol/L (38 mg/dL) increase in cholesterol levels there was a 27% decreased risk of dementia between the ages of 79 and 88.
(d) At age 70, those with the highest cholesterol (8.03 to 11.44 mmol/L or 311 to 442 mg/dL) had a 69% decreased risk of dementia between the ages of 79 and 88.
(e) At age 75, those with the highest cholesterol (7.03 to 9.29 mmol/L or 272 to 359 mg/dL) had a 80% decreased risk of dementia between the ages of 79 and 88.
(f) At age 79, those with the highest cholesterol (6.82 to 9.10 mmol/L or 264 to 352 mg/dL) had a 55% decreased risk of dementia between the ages of 79 and 88.

This study shows that high cholesterol is associated with a reduced risk of dementia.

Statins worsen lung function in patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis

This study was published in the European Respiratory Journal 2009 Aug;34(2):513-4

Study title and authors:

Statins in lymphangioleiomyomatosis: a word of caution.

El-Chemaly S, Taveira-DaSilva A, Stylianou MP, Moss J.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19648526

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a rare progressive cystic lung disease.

FEV1% (forced expiratory volume) is the volume of air exhaled during the first second. So the lower the measurement - the lower the lung function. FEV1% predicted is defined as FEV1% of the patient divided by the average FEV1% in the population for any person of similar age, sex and body composition.

DL,CO% (diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide) is the extent to which oxygen passes from the air sacs of the lungs into the blood. The lower the measurement - the less oxygen there is - the lower the lung function. DL,CO% predicted is defined as DL,CO% of the patient divided by the average DL,CO% in the population for any person of similar age, sex and body composition.

This three year study evaluated the effects of statins on lung function in 335 patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

The study found:

(a) Those taking statins had a 1.9% yearly decline in FEV1% predicted levels compared to those not taking statins.

(b) Those taking statins had a 3.7% yearly decline in DL,CO% predicted levels compared to those not taking statins.

This study shows that statins worsen lung function in patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Kidney failure patients live longer if they have high cholesterol

This study was published in Kidney International 2002 May;61(5):1887-93

Study title and authors:

Hypocholesterolemia is a significant predictor of death in a cohort of chronic hemodialysis patients.

Iseki K, Yamazato M, Tozawa M, Takishita S.

Dialysis Unit and Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of The Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. chihokun@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11967041

The study investigated the impact of cholesterol levels in kidney failure patients receiving hemodialysis treatment. The study included 1,167 hemodialysis patients who were followed for ten years.

The study found that 12.7% more patients survived who had the highest cholesterol, above 220 mg/dL (5.7 mmol/L), compared to the patients with the lowest cholesterol, below 140 mg/dL (3.6 mmol/L).

Statins increase the risk of acute pancreatitis by 44%

This study was published in Aliment Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2006 Jan 1;23(1):185-90

Study title and authors:

Statins and the risk of acute pancreatitis: a population-based case-control study.

Thisted H, Jacobsen J, Munk EM, Nørgaard B, Friis S, McLaughlin JK, Sørensen HT, Johnsen SP.

Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. ht@dce.au.dk

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16393296

The aim of the study was to examine if statins are associated with risk of acute pancreatitis. The study included 2,576 patients with acute pancreatitis and 25,817 controls from the general population.

The study found that statin users had a 44% increased risk of pancreatitis.