October Research News

2 October 2024 by Leanne Scott

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Latest Health Research News

Here is your round up of the latest health research news from around the world.  Our monthly research round ups are compiled by Lead Instructor and Program Director Leanne Scott, FNTP

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Prescription drugs may be the leading cause of death

A provocative analysis by Dr. Peter C. Gøtzsche estimates that prescription drugs may be the leading cause of death in the United States, surpassing heart disease and cancer. Gøtzsche argues that commonly used medications, including psychiatric drugs, NSAIDs, and opioids, could be responsible for up to 882,000 deaths annually. He points out that many of these deaths go unrecognized as drug-related, often being attributed to natural causes or underlying conditions. The analysis highlights the risks of polypharmacy, especially in older adults, and questions the effectiveness of many widely prescribed medications. While acknowledging the challenges in precisely quantifying drug-related deaths, Gøtzsche calls for urgent action to address what he terms a "drug pandemic."

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The Heme Iron Debate: A critical look at recent research

A recent paper by the usual Harvard suspects—Walter Willet, Frank Hu, and colleagues—is suggesting a link between the consumption of heme iron (found in red meat) and increased type 2 diabetes risk. However, notwithstanding the breathless media headlines, this study does not prove that eating more heme iron increases diabetes risk.

As with most epidemiological nutrition studies, this one is plagued with problems—including healthy user bias, confusing correlation with causation, ignoring the importance of overall dietary patterns, and more.

Check out Chris Kressers detailed critique for the full story: "The Heme Iron Debate: Separating Fact from Fiction".

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Diet Beats Pharmaceuticals for IBS Symptoms in Landmark Clinical Study

In a world where prescription pads often take precedence over shopping lists, a surprising revelation has emerged from the realm of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) research. A groundbreaking study has shed light on the remarkable power of dietary changes in alleviating the relentless abdominal discomfort and erratic bowel habits that plague millions of IBS sufferers worldwide. Brace yourselves for a gut-wrenching twist: could the key to conquering this complex disorder be found not in a pill bottle, but rather on your dinner plate.

The Study: A Low FODMAP Diet plus Traditional Dietary Advice versus a Low-Carbohydrate Diet versus Pharmacological Treatment in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (CARIBS): A Single-Centre, Single-Blind, Randomised Controlled Trial

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Pesticide use may increase cancer risk as much as smoking

A new study published in Frontiers in Cancer Control and Society reveals that agricultural pesticide use could pose a cancer risk comparable to tobacco smoking for certain malignancies. Researchers analyzed data from over 3,000 U.S. counties and found positive associations between pesticide use and increased rates of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, and colon, bladder, pancreatic, and lung cancers. The study identified specific pesticides, including atrazine, glyphosate, and dimethomorph, as primary contributors in high-risk areas. Notably, pesticide use increased non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases by 154% compared to smoking. The research linking pesticides and other environmental toxins to cancer is getting stronger every year, so it's even more important than ever to eat organic food whenever possible and take other steps to limit toxic exposure.

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