Why is the Doctor pressing your abdomen? check it out.

For those trained in such touching, pressing on your abdomen can provide significant clues to potential problems.

The external examination with the hands gives doctors information about such important structures as the liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines, pancreas, bladder, gallbladder, appendix, abdominal aorta (the major blood vessel from your heart to your legs), and in females, the uterus and ovaries.

When the doctor presses on your abdomen, he or she is feeling to see if any of these are enlarged or tender, making them painful to touch, which could indicate disease.

Doctors use two different techniques to examine your abdomen: palpation and percussion.

A diagnosis is rarely made from only a manual examination of the abdomen, but this procedure can turn up what appear to be abnormalities, warranting further examination or testing.

Palpation means pushing down to see if the organs can be felt. For example, the aorta that supplies blood to the lower extremities runs directly beneath the navel and should be only an inch wide; if it is wider than that, there could be a problem such as an aneurysm.

The doctor also looks for tenderness, or pain that you experience when he depresses then quickly lifts his hands off your stomach (rebound tenderness). Such pain indicates that the peritoneum, or the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, is inflamed--as often happens when the appendix becomes diseased, the bowel is perforated or there is peritonitis.

Then there's the spleen. If you're a healthy adult, the doctor shouldn't be able to feel it. If he can, that means the spleen is enlarged. The next step is finding the reason for the enlargement--possibly disease, such as infectious mononucleosis or leukemia.

Percussion means tapping the abdomen and listening to the sounds. It's similar to the tapping done by shoppers who know a ripe watermelon sounds different from an unripe one. When the doctor taps below the rib cage, he can hear the sounds made by a normal liver. But when he taps beyond where the liver should extend, the same sound could indicate an enlarged liver. Fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites), a result of heart, liver or kidney disease, can sometimes be detected by percussion.

Why the Doctor Asks for your Urine Sample.

It's probably safe to say that no one really likes giving a urine sample. But the fact is that few tests can match the routine urine analysis for telling your doctor about what's going on inside your body.

The bladder can hold almost 2 cups of urine for two to five hours comfortably, and excretes about 2 quarts of waste products and additional water daily. And just as you use a dipstick to check your car's engine oil, doctors rely on a specially treated "dipstick," a plastic stick that has segments imbedded with different chemical indicators on it, to test urine. Unusual amounts of certain substances in your urine can indicate conditions ranging from minor urinary tract infections to diabetes and other more serious conditions.

One portion of the dipstick, for instance, measures the specific gravity (a measure of the amount of substances dissolved in the urine). The higher the specific gravity, the more concentrated the urine is. Using a numerical scale, the dipstick shows whether you're drinking enough fluids and how well your kidneys are filtering wastes from your body. Very concentrated urine suggests you are probably not drinking enough fluids, making it harder for your body to flush wastes. Urine is normally darker--more concentrated--in the morning, because your body's been storing wastes all night.

The dipstick registers the presence of a variety of chemicals that the kidneys filter, such as glucose (sugar) or minerals. Healthy people generally don't excrete sugar in their urine. Its presence may mean that you have diabetes or another condition that prevents your body from efficiently converting blood sugar into energy.

The urine test also can indicate infections by measuring nitrites and leukocytes. Bacteria produce an enzyme that converts nitrates, which are normally present in urine to nitrites. Leukocytes are the white blood cells that fight infection. The presence of either indicates that your body may be fighting an infection in the bladder or somewhere else along the urinary tract. They also can indicate something even more serious, such as a tumor, but further tests are needed to confirm these findings.

The dipstick gauges protein and pH levels. Urine shouldn't contain much, if any, protein, although some perfectly normal people do excrete tiny amounts. Urine pH, or acidity, normally ranges between 4.5 and 8, with most people's urine falling between 5.5 and 6.5. Significantly high protein or pH levels can suggest kidney or other renal dysfunction.

Ketones can be detected by dipsticks. They are substances produced when fat is used by the body for energy. They are eliminated from the body in the urine. Large amounts of urinary ketones indicate a diet low in carbohydrates, starvation, or, in a person with diabetes, a dangerous condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis.

Advantages and Disadvantages of having a home birth

Can I have a home birth?

You can 'book' a home birth with your GP, or direct with a community midwife. You can also do this through an independent midwife, although you will have to pay.

There are some health and pregnancy issues that make a home birth less suitable for some women, but it’s still your choice. Things you need to think about before reaching a decision are:

Advantages

• You'll be in a familiar, relaxing and private environment
• There should be no quick dash to hospital once you go into labour – you can stay put
• You can choose who you want there during labour, so if you want your other children around that's fine
• You may feel more in control at home
• After your baby's born, you can get into your own bath and your own bed

Disadvantages

• There may be fewer options for pain relief at home
• You may have to transfer to hospital if there are complications and this may be an issue if you live some distance away
• There is no emergency paediatric care on hand if your baby needs it

How do I arrange a home birth?

Once you've had your pregnancy confirmed, talk to your GP or midwife about a home birth. They'll discuss your choice and make the necessary arrangements.

If your GP's concerned about your choice, contact the manager of your local community midwifery services.

The earlier in your pregnancy you decide on a home birth, the easier it is to arrange one, and you can change your mind and opt for a hospital birth at any point.

Once labour begins, your community midwife may visit you once, twice, or more. When your baby's birth is imminent she'll stay with you.

Will I need any special equipment?

Your midwife will bring all the equipment she needs. You don't need to provide very much, but you should ensure your home is warm.

You'll need:

• Plastic sheets to protect your bed and carpet
• Warm towels and warm clothes for your baby
• A bright lamp so the midwife can see what she's doing
• A packed overnight bag, including baby clothes, in case you need to be transferred to hospital

If you'd like to use a birthing pool at home, these are available for hire.

What if I need to go to hospital?

If there are complications during your labour, the midwife may decide you or your baby would be safer in hospital.

She'll discuss this with you and your partner, and will call an ambulance. She'll go with you and may continue with your care depending on how many hours she's already worked.

If you use an independent midwife she may not be able to assist you at the hospital, although she can remain with you as a supporter.

After a home birth

Your midwife will stay for some time after the placenta has been delivered, and will check your baby and help you to breastfeed.

Your midwife, or one of her colleagues, will visit you every day for a few days and your GP will carry out a complete check on your baby.

Disclaimer

All content within Ask-Med-Blog is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Ask-Med-Blog is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of this Blog. Ask-Med-Blog is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.  Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.

3D images may help treat cancer

Three-dimensional images of tissue samples could help spot cancer early, say researchers.

Scientists from the University of Leeds have created a technique to generate hi-resolution, colour 3D images of a piece of tissue.

The images can be rotated on a computer screen and examined from any angle.

Cancer Research UK said the technology could help researchers understand how cancer grew and spread, and learn how to treat it more effectively.

The findings are published in the American Journal of Pathology.

Digital microscopy is not new - tissue scanning first appeared a decade ago, replacing the conventional method of manually cutting ultra-thin slices of tissue one by one to then examine them under a microscope.

But these scanners, which are now used around the world, produce two-dimensional images, revealing only one cross-section of that particular piece of tissue.

And this has drawbacks, according to Dr Derek Magee, one of the researchers involved in the study.

Realistic image

"The tissue is of course three-dimensional, and in a lot of applications this three-dimensional nature is important," he told BBC News.

"For example, if you take a blood vessel, which is a branching network of tubes, and you take a slice of it, the 2D image that you get is an ellipse.

"This tells you absolutely nothing about the connectivity, or the specific branching, of that particular network of blood vessels, which could be particularly important for cancer specialists."

A 3D image could help provide much more information than a simple 2D scan.

To create one, a piece of tissue must be cut with an ultra-precise machine called microtome into hundreds of very thin slices.

Each slice is then put onto a 1mm-thick piece of glass and loaded into a digital scanner.

The scanner then creates 2D impressions of each cross-section, and this is where the new technology comes into play.

The software developed by the Leeds University team generates a three-dimensional shape from these virtual slides, creating a realistic image that a researcher can manipulate and spin around.

Spotting cancer

"This may help spot small tumours that could be missed by conventional approaches," said Dr Magee.

"Also, if there is a major blood vessel fairly nearby, it will be possible to see if a tumour has reached it.

"And if it has not, you can probably cut it out very safely."

It is the same with organs, added Dr Magee - if a surgeon wants to remove a tumour near a very sensitive organ, the main question is about the safety of the procedure.

It is also possible to reconstruct 3D images of whole sections - as seen with this mouse embryo, created with 200 slides

This technology could help researchers understand more about the disease, and how to treat it more effectively, said Dr Kat Arney, science information manager at Cancer Research UK.

"We're beginning to understand just how complex cancer is," she told the BBC.

"A tumour is a complex three-dimensional 'organ' made of cancerous and healthy cells, including blood vessels, immune cells and other 'normal' cells.

"It will be fascinating to see how this exciting new technique is taken forward by cancer researchers, and what secrets it can yield about the disease."

In the past, there have been attempts to create 3D images of tissue samples.

But the images were low resolution and hence not very detailed, generated after taking photos of slides on a microscope with a camera, one by one, and then assembling them digitally.

But the Leeds University team said that their approach was the first time a standard digital scanner had been used to produce high-resolution images.

"Up until now, the use of 3D imaging technology to study disease has been limited because of low resolution, and the time and difficulty associated with acquiring large numbers of images with a microscope," said lead researcher Dr Darren Treanor.

Intake of Vitamin C in Large Doses May Lower BP

A new study has revealed that intake vitamin C in large doses may moderately reduce blood pressure. 

However, the researchers from Johns Hopkins University stopped short of suggesting people load up on supplements. 

"Our research suggests a modest blood pressure lowering effect with vitamin C supplementation, but before we can recommend supplements as a treatment for high blood pressure, we really need more research to understand the implications of taking them," Edgar "Pete" R. Miller III, the study leader, said. 

Roughly 30 percent of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, or hypertension, an important risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Successful treatment may include drugs, exercise, weight loss, and dietary changes such as reducing salt intake. 

Some experts believe that large amounts of vitamin C, an essential micronutrient found primarily in fruits and vegetables, could lower pressure as well, but randomized, controlled dietary intervention studies - the gold standard of nutrition research - have produced mixed results. 

Miller and his colleagues reviewed and analyzed data from 29 randomized, controlled, previously published clinical trials that reported systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure values and also compared vitamin C intake to a placebo. 

What they found is that taking an average of 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily - about five times the recommended daily requirement - reduced blood pressure by 3.84 millimeters of mercury in the short term. Among those diagnosed with hypertension, the drop was nearly 5 millimeters of mercury. 

By comparison, Miller said, patients who take blood pressure medication such as ACE inhibitors or diuretics can expect a roughly 10 millimeter of mercury reduction in blood pressure. 

500 milligrams of vitamin C is the amount in about six cups of orange juice. The recommended daily intake of vitamin C for adults is 90 milligrams. 

"Although our review found only a moderate impact on blood pressure, if the entire U.S. population lowered blood pressure by 3 milliliters of mercury, there would be a lot fewer strokes," Miller said. 

The study has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Blood Sugar Levels can be Reduced by Naturopathic Care .

Researchers have revealed that type 2 diabetes patients who received naturopathic care had lower blood-sugar levels, better eating and exercise habits. They also had a stronger sense of control over their condition than did patients receiving only conventional care. 

The findings resulting from a new joint study by Group Health Research Institute and Bastyr University Research Institute show that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may have several positive effects on people with type 2 diabetes. 

"The news is encouraging for those fighting the disease," said Ryan Bradley, ND, MPH, director of the Center for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Wellness at Bastyr University and its clinic, the Bastyr Center for Natural Health. 

"Patients involved in the study cited the benefits of trying different approaches to find the best ways to minimize the effects of type 2 diabetes. In many ways, that strategy mirrors our partnership with Group Health in this research study-working together to discover the best possible solutions," he stated. 

Forty study participants received counselling on diet, exercise, and glucose monitoring from four naturopathic physicians (NDs) in addition to conventional diabetes care from their medical doctors, including prescription medications. 

Many of the participants also received stress-management care and dietary supplements. Researchers then compared these 40 participants with 329 patients receiving only conventional diabetes care. 

In six months and about four naturopathic treatment visits, participants demonstrated improved self-care, more consistent monitoring of glucose, and improved moods. 

Hemoglobin A1c rates (a measure of blood-sugar control) were nearly a full percentage point lower for those patients. This compares with a drop of only 0.5 percent over the same time period for 329 clinically similar patients receiving only conventional diabetes care. 

The encouraging findings from this small observational study will need to be confirmed by a randomized trial with larger numbers of participants, according to Dr. Bradley. 

The finding has been published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Reasons Why 60 Percent of Salesmen Are Bald.

A new study has found stress as the major cause for men in sales who have either lost their hair or have a receding hairline. 

According to a poll, the sales industry is Britain's baldest with 60 percent of them going bald. 

Half of them believe long working hours and the pressure to sell in a difficult economic environment are the main causes of their hair loss. 

Most of them had a full head of hair when they started their job but began losing it within four and a half years. 

Web developers and software engineers were the second most likely group of workers to lose their hair, according to the poll of 1,903 men. 

Of all those who admit they hair is thinning, a quarter blame the stresses of their job. 

"Hair loss in men still carries a major stigma as this survey shows," the Daily Express quoted Nicola Reid, brand manager for Regaine for Men Foam. as saying. 

"On average, hair loss affects 40 per cent of men under 35," Reid added.

Link Discovered Between Estrogen And Tobacco Smoke

The hormone estrogen may help promote lung cancer - including compounding the effects of tobacco smoke on the disease - pointing towards potential new therapies that target the hormone metabolism, according to new research presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012 by scientists at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. 

"This research provides the link between estrogen and tobacco smoke," says study author Jing Peng, Ph.D., postdoctoral associate in the lab of Margie L. Clapper, Ph.D., also a co-author on the paper. 

The researchers found that estrogen is metabolized into toxic derivatives in the mouse lung. The level of these toxic metabolites increased when mice were exposed to tobacco smoke. The results suggest that new therapies which prevent estrogen from being converted into toxins could one day help treat - or even prevent - lung cancer, says Peng. "In the future, we would like to target estrogen-metabolizing pathways as a form of treatment or prevention of lung cancer." 

Researchers have long known that tobacco smoke is the number one cause of lung cancer. But recent findings suggest that estrogen may also play a role in the disease. If so, it wouldn't be the first form of cancer linked to estrogen - this hormone is known to promote breast cancer as well as other gynecologic cancers. 

To investigate, Peng, Clapper and their colleagues examined the lungs of healthy mice and found that they contained high levels of estrogen metabolites, known as 4 hydroxy- estrogens (4-OHEs), which are carcinogenic. Specifically, these 4-OHEs help activate processes that promote cell growth, and generate free radicals that damage cells. 

When the researchers exposed the mice to tobacco smoke for 8 weeks, they found that the levels of 4-OHEs increased. "We believe that these metabolites of estrogen can damage cells and contribute to lung cancer," says Clapper. 

Female mice had twice as much 4-OHE in their lungs compared to male mice after controlling for the level of total estrogen present. Whether this is the same in humans remains to be determined. "While lung cancer is not more common in women, the number of nonsmokers who develop lung cancer is greater for men than for women," explains Clapper. 

In the future, Peng and Clapper hope these results will help researchers develop new therapies that target estrogen metabolism as a way to treat or prevent lung cancer. Already, patients are enrolling in clinical trials that are using anti-estrogen drugs to treat lung cancer. 

"We believe that levels of these toxic estrogen metabolites may one day be useful in predicting a person's lung cancer risk or prognosis", adds Peng. "If levels are particularly high, for instance, that may suggest the person is more prone to developing the disease, or has a worse prognosis. We'd definitely like to be able to use this information to develop a more personalized treatment approach," she says. 

How can I prevent rhinitis?

What is rhinitis?

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Rhinitis is inflammation of the nose. It may, or may not, be caused by an allergy. Hay fever, the most common of the allergic diseases, is also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis.  People with hay fever generally have symptoms throughout the pollen season (spring, summer, autumn), the exact period depending on the type of pollen (tree, grass, weed) that triggers the symptoms. Then there is perennial allergic rhinitis, where symptoms are present year round, irrespective of season, because the allergen is something other than pollen, like house dust mite or pet dander. However, some people have rhinitis year round, but find their symptoms are worse during the pollen season. Also, in some countries the pollen season is very long. So you may hear the term persistent rhinitis or intermittent rhinitis used to describe such cases. 

Types of non-allergic rhinitis include triad and NARES. The name triad comes from the presence of three distinct symptoms: asthma, nasal polyps, and perennial rhinitis. Although triad does involve the immune system, it is not considered to be a classic allergy.  Triad is strongly associated with a sensitivity to aspirin and related drugs. NARES stands for Non-Allergic Rhinitis with Eosinophilia and is marked by the presence of immune cells called eosinophils in the nose, where they cause severe inflammation.  Then there is vasomotor rhinitis, whose exact cause is unknown. Triggers (not allergens) like spicy food, alcohol, stress, and air pollution can produce symptoms in vasomotor rhinitis.  The presence of nasal polyps may also contribute to non-allergic rhinitis.

 

What are the symptoms of rhinitis?

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They are similar to those of hay fever, namely:

• Red, watering eyes
• Sneezing
• Streaming nose
• Blocked nose/nasal congestion
• Itching of the nose, mouth, throat, eyes
• Dry throat
• Earache
• Loss of sense of smell.

Rhinitis may also be complicated by sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses, which are hollow cavities in the skull.  Fluid from the sinuses normally drains into the nasal cavity but if this area is congested, then mucus will build up in the sinuses and this may become inflamed and infected. Another complication of perennial allergic rhinitis is post-nasal drip where mucus runs down the back of the nose, and then into the throat and the airways, producing a persistent phlegm cough. 

What causes rhinitis?

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Allergic rhinitis is caused by exposure to an airborne allergen. Common allergens include:

• House dust mite droppings
• Particles from insects such as midges, mosquitoes, cockroaches, carpet beetles, house flies
• Mould spores, indoors and outdoors
• Pet dander, especially from dogs, cats and horses
• Workplace allergens, such as flour, wood dust and chemicals.

Sometimes a food allergen can cause rhinitis. Yeast is probably the most common food allergen to produce nasal symptoms.

How common is rhinitis?

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Allergic rhinitis (either seasonal or perennial) is common, affecting around 20% of the UK population. Around 50% of perennial rhinitis is thought to have an allergic cause.  

What causes the symptoms of rhinitis?

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What causes the symptoms of rhinitis?

The nose is a remarkable organ. It acts both as a heat exchanger and a filter. The nose is also well supplied with blood vessels (which is why a nose bleed produces so much blood). Cold air entering the nose flows past the turbinates, which are small bony projections on the breathing passages covered by mucous membrane. Particles and bacteria are trapped by the membranes, while the air is warmed by being drawn across the network of blood vessels that lies beneath the membranes. 

In vasomotor rhinitis, the blood vessels may swell in response to small changes in environmental conditions, including irritants, which leads to congestion. Tiny abnormalities in the anatomy of the nose – in the turbinates, or the septum, which divides the nostrils, may contribute to this, In allergic rhinitis, blood flow is increased, the mucous membranes swell and there is increased mucus production, all occurring in response to histamine production on exposure to the allergen. The result is nasal congestion, nasal blockage, and a runny nose. 

How is rhinitis diagnosed?

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A simple account of your symptoms and their seasonality may be all that is required to diagnose rhinitis. If confirmation and/or identification of an allergic cause is needed, then a skin prick test can be used.  A tiny drop of allergen extract is placed on the skin (either the arm or the back). If you are allergic to this substance, a small red weal will appear, usually within 15 minutes. Referral to a specialist is rarely necessary in simple cases of rhinitis, but should be done if you don’t respond to treatment (see below) or if there is doubt over the diagnosis. 

Can rhinitis be confused with other conditions?

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Nasal polyps and vasomotor rhinitis lead to similar symptoms to allergic rhinitis. It may be important to distinguish between an allergic and non-allergic cause for your nasal symptoms, as this will affect treatment. 

Facial pain is not usual in allergic rhinitis and a referral to an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist should be made for further investigation.

What is the outlook in rhinitis?

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Post-nasal drip can lead to a chronic cough, which is a symptom that always needs investigating. A cough that does not clear up within three weeks can indicate lung cancer. This is not to say there is any link between rhinitis and lung cancer – there isn't. But if you have a chronic cough, do not assume it is your rhinitis and ignore it. It may have a different cause.

Research has also suggested that about 40% of people with allergic rhinitis go on to develop asthma.  

How can I prevent rhinitis?

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Allergic rhinitis can be prevented by avoiding exposure to allergic triggers. Here are some pointers:

House dust mite

• Minimize allergen ‘reservoirs’ like carpets, sofas and curtains. 
• Keep your home dry, which reduces mould as well as HDM. 
• Invest in mite-proof covers for bedding.

Pet dander

• Confine your pet to one room in the house, or keep it outside.
• Wash the pet regularly with special shampoo and always wash your own hands after touching it.
• Pet dander gets airborne but also settles on carpets and soft furnishings. Keep the house ventilated and also vacuum regularly to suck up the allergen, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter to trap the particles. 

Mould spores

• Keep your home dry by dealing with any cracks, leaks, or rising damp, and remove any visible patches of mould. 
• When you are cooking, close the kitchen door and open a window. Do the same in the bathroom after taking a bath or shower.  Don't have a carpet in the bathroom.
• Dry clothes outside wherever possible.

A HEPA air purifier may help reduce the allergen burden by improving the quality of your indoor air. The filter traps allergen particles with very high efficiency. 

What medical treatments are there for rhinitis?

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If your symptoms are mild, use a long-acting non-sedating antihistamine such as:

• Claritin (loratadine) 
• NeoClaritin (desloratadine)
• Zyrtec (cetirizine)
• Xyzal (levocetirizine)
• Allegra (fexofenadine)

These are available over-the-counter (ask the pharmacist if you have questions about any of these medications). The older antihistamines like chlorpheniramine (Piriton) and hydroxyzine (Atarax) have a significant sedating effect and should not be used if you are driving, operating machinery, or studying. These older drugs also interact with alcohol so having even a small amount to drink may significantly affect performance.  If rhinitis mainly affects your eyes, antihistamine eye drops, such as Otrivine (antazoline) (also available over the counter) may help

A nasal decongestant (drops or a spray) may also be helpful, in addition to your antihistamine, to clear a blocked nose. Some of these are corticosteroids, which act by reducing inflammation. These include Beconase (beclomethasone) and Flixonase (fluticasone).  Meanwhile, Otrivine/Sudafed (xylometazoline) is a non-corticosteroid nasal decongestant. All of these can be bought without prescription.  But only use a decongestant for as short a time as possible, because the nose tends to develop 'rebound' vascular congestion and will stop responding to the medication.  

If antihistamines and nasal steroids do not do the job, then there is also Singulair (montelukast) which is a prescription medicine used for asthma and allergies. An antibody drug called Xolair (omalizumab) which targets the IgE antibody produced by the allergen has also been introduced recently. This approach gets to the root cause of allergic rhinitis, because IgE activates mast cells, making them produce histamine which triggers the allergic symptoms. 

In general, antihistamines and topical nasal steroids do give some relief in perennial allergic rhinitis but tend to be less effective than in seasonal allergic rhinitis/hay fever. These drugs may also be effective in non-allergic rhinitis, where Singulair and related drugs may also be tried with some success. 

Can rhinitis be cured?

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Immunotherapy (also known as densensitisation or allergy shots) offers a way of overcoming allergic rhinitis for good. In the desensitisation approach, the system is ‘flooded’ with a known allergen so that the body will eventually learn to ‘ignore’ it.  Patients for immunotherapy need to be carefully selected, and treated in a specialist centre.   The procedure now involves only four injections and has been shown to give lasting benefit. There is also a home version known as sublingual immunotherapy, in which the patient places medication under the tongue (currently only available for grass pollen allergy). People with allergic rhinitis are more likely to have asthma, which fits in with the ‘united airway’ concepts which many allergy experts have noted. The significance of treating your allergic rhinitis for long-term results with immunotherapy is that it may prevent asthma in the future.  

Weight Loss With Green Coffee Beans

Scientists report striking new evidence that green, or unroasted, coffee beans can produce a substantial decrease in body weight in a relatively short period of time. 

In a study presented at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, Joe Vinson, Ph.D., and colleagues described how a group of overweight or obese people who consumed a fraction of an ounce of ground green coffee beans each day lost about 10 percent of their body weight. 

"Based on our results, taking multiple capsules of green coffee extract a day - while eating a low-fat, healthful diet and exercising regularly - appears to be a safe, effective, inexpensive way to lose weight," Vinson said at the ACS meeting, being held here this week. He is with the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. 

The study involved 16 overweight or obese people aged 22-26 years who took capsules of the extract or capsules containing a placebo, an inactive powder, for a total of 22 weeks. The subjects alternated between a low dose and a higher dose of the extract. The low dose consisted of 700 mg of the coffee extract, and the high dose was 1,050 mg. It was a so-called "cross-over" study in which people cycled through the two doses and the placebo, each for six weeks. Such studies have advantages because each person serves as his or her own "control," improving the chances of getting an accurate result. 

All of the participants were monitored for their overall diet (calories, food eaten, etc.) and exercise over the study period. "Their calories, carbohydrates, fats and protein intake did not change during the study, nor did their exercise regimen change," Vinson said. 

Participants lost an average of 17 pounds during the 22 weeks of the study. It included an average of a 10.5 percent decrease in overall body weight and a 16 percent decrease in body fat. Vinson noted that weight loss might have been significantly faster, except that participants received the placebo and the lower dose of green coffee extract for part of the study period. 

Vinson pointed out that previous studies have shown weight loss with green coffee. But this was the first to use higher amounts of the coffee extract and the first to measure the response to various doses. Based on those studies, Vinson believes that green coffee beans' effects likely are due to a substance called chlorogenic acid that is present in unroasted coffee beans. Chlorogenic acid breaks down when coffee beans are roasted (usually at a temperature of 464-482 degrees Fahrenheit). Roasting gives coffee beans their distinctive color, aroma and flavor. Green coffee beans, in contrast, have little aroma and a slightly bitter taste. 

Abstract 

Obesity is a growing epidemic in industrialized societies. Overweight and obese subjects in the US are now 68% of the population. There are prescription drugs for weight loss but efficacy is low and side effects cause a large dropout rate in clinical studies. We have investigated an extract of green (unroasted) coffee beans high in coffee polyphenols. A 22-week cross-over study was conducted in 16 sub-obese adults to examine the efficacy and safety of a commercial product GCA™. Subjects receive a high-dose (1050 mg), low-dose (700 mg), and placebo in separate six-week treatment periods followed by two-week washouts. Primary measurements were body weight, body mass index (BMI) and fat mass (BIA). Heart rate and blood pressure were measured. There was a significant decrease (improvement) in all parameters except blood pressure. Weight loss averaged 8 kg without side effects. This product is a safe, effective, and inexpensive nutraceutical for weight loss.