Nexus - 1802 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

the development of Alzheimer's disease. In one study, the use of paracetamol in dementia patients was found to be higher, at 51 per cent, compared with 21 per cent in non-demented controls. In some more recent studies, aspirin and other NSAIDs had a moderately protective effect on the development of AD, but paracetamol use of more than two years increased the tisk by about 50 per cent. However, these were short- term studies and it was not specified if paracetamol use was occasional and light, or chronic and heavy. the development of Alzheimer's disease. In one study, This has enormous implications... It's a huge the use of paracetamol in dementia patients was found __ problem to start thinking about a nearly infinite array of to be higher, at 51 per cent, compared with 21 per cent = mixtures of chemicals, instead of the risk that a single in non-demented controls. In some more recent — chemical might pose."’ studies, aspirin and other NSAIDs had a moderately Perhaps residues of paraquat and maneb also cause protective effect on the development of AD, but or contribute to the development of AD. Who is paracetamol use of more than two years increased the responsible for finding out and allowing only safe tisk by about 50 per cent. However, these were short- combinations of drugs and chemicals into our food term studies and it was not specified if paracetamol use chain? Obviously, the safe way to minimise our was occasional and light, or chronic and heavy. chances of developing AD is to minimise our exposure to all drugs and questionable chemicals! Even Other Contributing Factors occasionally taking relatively harmless drugs to treat We may assume that the risk of developing insomnia and anxiety has recently been shown to Alzheimer's disease is a function of several factors, increase mortality risk by 36 per cent, and widely used including the lifetime intake of SAIDs increase the risk of a stroke paracetamol, the ability of the liver to by up to 86 per cent while also detoxify the substance, and the ability increasing the overall death rate.* of the kidneys to excrete the residues. Therefore We have government health Pneteore someone wt Jue" ez| someone with liver | sie": "at resunposed te ena ingestion of other drugs, or exposed or kidney damage, 100 years of medical use, no proper t ted t ‘ fety checks h d develop AD at much loverdoses than | OF Burdened With | ee ae aoe ee etamol someone who is reasonably healthy the Ingestion of especially in regard to the possibility and does not normally use any other of causing or contributing to AD. For drugs. y y other drugs, or hat ma a no proper Safety checks There are three metabolic pathways exposed to ave been done for other drugs, in which the liver can detoxify either. Drug companies are just paracetamol, and one of these mercury, can be required to do some short-term pathways can produce a toxic expected to studies with single drugs and metabolite which may often on healthy individuals. develop AD at much lower doses than someone who is reasonably healthy... From this, the medical system deduces in an act of magical thinking that such drugs are then safe when used in the long term or for a lifetime, and/or if used by individuals with weak liver or kidney functions, and/or with impaired metabolic or detoxifying abilities, and/or when accumulate with high intakes and certain genetic and metabolic conditions. Therefore it is clear that the accumulated dose of paracetamol which may trigger AD can be expected to vary widely between individuals. Furthermore, there is no reason to believe that paracetamol may be the only. drug’ or used in combination with environmental chemical that can various other drugs and cause AD-type brain damage. Not only individual drugs chemicals. In a few cases, drugs may be curtailed or and chemicals but combinations of them may cause or withdrawn after a few decades when _ sufficient contribute to AD. We do not know anything about this; | numbers of patients have needlessly died, but overall so far, no one has investigated. no one knows how much morbidity or mortality is One telling example is the "accidental" finding that | caused by long-term drug use in varying combinations small amounts of the common herbicide paraquat and _ for different conditions. the fungicide maneb are apparently harmless when fed One class of drug that does frequently cause to animals individually but when given together to rats deterioration or loss of memory is the statin drugs and mice, even at very low rates, they produce the _ prescribed to lower cholesterol levels. Dr Duane symptoms of Parkinson's disease. These chemicals are — Graveline, a former NASA astronaut and US Air Force widely used in farming and may remain present as crop _ flight surgeon and a retired family doctor, wrote that he residues. The leader of the research team said: "No suddenly had a temporary complete loss of memory one has looked at the effects of studying together some after six weeks of using Lipitor®. He collected of these compounds that, taken by themselves, have statements from others who had been similarly little effect. affected. Therefore or kidney damage, or burdened with the ingestion of other drugs, or exposed to expected to develop AD at healthy... NEXUS ¢ 43 someone with liver mercury, can be much lower doses than someone who is reasonably FEBRUARY - MARCH 2011 www.nexusmagazine.com