38 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Good gut gone bad: The C. diff Invasion
Trillions of bacteria, viruses and other
tiny organisms - called “microbes” - live
inside our bodies and make up a community
known as the microbiome. Th e
diversity of microbes is like a rainforest
in our gut, helping us digest food
and keep diseases at bay. Like bulldozing
a rainforest, taking antibiotics can
sometimes destroy that microbial landscape
and allow dangerous bacteria like
Clostridium diffi cile to take over.
Clostridium diffi cile, or C. diff , can lead
to a life-threatening form of diarrhea.
And that is not all; patients oft en become
isolated because of their symptoms, with
families taking on huge emotional and
fi nancial burdens trying to care for their
loved ones. While treatment with more
antibiotics may clear C. diff infections
in many patients, others fi nd themselves
stuck in recurring cycles of antibiotics,
illness and more antibiotics. About half
a million C. diff infections occur in the
U.S. each year, killing more than 20,000
patients annually. Th e illness has even
been labeled an “urgent health threat” by
the Centers for Disease Control.
If you are suff ering from C. diff , you are
not alone.
Th ere is good news. Scientists are developing
a whole new category of non-antibiotic
drugs that are designed to stop the
disease cycle and prevent recurrence. One
such drug under investigation in clinical
trials, called RBX2660 (formulated by
Rebiotix Inc.), aims to restore the benefi
cial microbes in the gut to a healthier
state to potentially stop reinfection.
RBX2660 is designed to be administered
to patients in one easy treatment, replacing
the microbial “rainforest” lost to antibiotic
treatment. Clinical trials like those
using RBX2660 will be key to understanding
this new type of therapy and potentially
providing patients and doctors with
more options to combat C. diff .
“Clinical trials can be a tool for you
to fi nd more C. diff treatment choices,”
says Nancy Caralla, founder of Th e C.
Diff Foundation. Caralla, a nurse who
is a survivor of the disease, was inspired
by her near-death experience to start the
foundation to support C. diff patients
around the world. Th e group works to
educate patients about seeking clinical
trials to treat or prevent their infections.
“Become an advocate for your
own healthcare,” advises Caralla. “Start
by asking your physician about clinical
trials in progress. Help (your doctor)
help you to help others. You aren’t out
of options.”
If you’re an adult being treated for
C. diff infection or know someone who
might be suff ering from the disease, consider
participating in the clinical trial
(https://rebiotix.com/punchcd3/clinical
trial-page/) at sites throughout the
U.S. and Canada to help further the
development of the RBX2660 drug. If
you are confi rmed to be a candidate
and decide to participate, the cost of
your study drug and study-related tests
are paid for by the study sponsor. You
may also be eligible for compensation
when completing required study visits
and phone calls.
Courtesy BPT
Not all omega-3s are created equal: Myths vs. facts
Every month, nearly 19 million
Americans take an “omega-3,” or “fi sh
oil” dietary supplement that may include
a mixture of DHA, EPA, saturated fats
and other ingredients.
In fact, omega-3s are the most-used
dietary supplement in the U.S. Since
many users are looking for heart health
and other unproven benefi ts that go
beyond simply supplementing their diets,
it’s important to understand some myths
and facts about these popular products.
Myth: All omega-3 products
are created equal.
Fact: Th e process by which omega
3s are properly produced is extensive
and complex. Th is leads to great
variation from product to product. Th e
content of most common fi sh oil products
includes only 30 percent omega-3
and may include other unwanted ingredients
including saturated fats and toxins.
Also, if they aren’t handled properly,
they may become spoiled. Th ese unwanted
and spoiled ingredients may lead to
potential health risk.
Fish oil dietary supplements are not
interchangeable with a prescription medication
and are not intended or approved
by the FDA to treat any medical condition.
Myth: Omega-3 dietary
supplements improve cardiovascular
health.
Fact: Th ere has been no conclusive
proof, to date, that getting omega-3s from
common fi sh oil dietary supplements has
a positive eff ect on cardiovascular health
in patients at risk. Dietary supplements,
unlike prescription drugs, are not intended
to treat any medical condition.
Myth: Fish oil dietary supplements
that are available
without a prescription at
pharmacies and grocery
stores are reviewed by the
FDA for safety and effi cacy.
Fact: Fish oil dietary supplements are
regulated as food, not drugs. Th ey are not
approved by the FDA to treat patients
with medical conditions. Dietary supplements
are not required to provide the
same stringent clinical proof as drugs,
including over-the-counter prescription
drugs (dietary supplements are not overthe
counter drugs).
Myth: Omega-3 products aid
in lowering LDL-cholesterol
(aka bad cholesterol).
Fact: Most omega-3 dietary supplements
contain DHA, which may increase
bad cholesterol in some people. Th e eff ect
of this increase on cardiovascular health
and safety has not been extensively studied.
Myth: Omega-3 dose levels
are not important.
Fact: Th e content of most common fi sh
oil dietary supplements is only 30 percent
omega-3. Taking a few of these capsules
provides a very low daily dose of omega-
3. Taking this amount has not been conclusively
proven to provide any cardiovascular
benefi t.
Myth: You can get the
same amount of omega-3
in a prescription by taking
more fi sh oil capsules.
Fact: Increasing the number of capsules
you take has not been shown to provide
the same amount of omega-3 as taking
a prescription. Prescription omega-3
products are diff erent from dietary supplements
in many ways, including purity,
stability, clinical eff ect, safety and
FDA review and oversight. Th e content
of supplement products varies, particularly
with respect to EPA (the active
ingredient in one patented prescription
drug is pure EPA) the molecular structure
and clinical eff ect of which has been
shown to be unique from other forms
of omega-3. Labeling of drugs is FDA
approved. Labeling of dietary supplements,
however, is created by the manufacturers
of the supplement. Calling
them “prescription grade” or “clinical
grade” on their labels is not an FDA recognized
standard and does not make
them the same as a drug. Dietary supplements
are not intended to treat serious
medical conditions. Th e eff ect and safety
of taking dietary supplements at high
dose levels is unknown.
“I oft en get questions from my patients
about the best ways to improve their
heart health, and if a supplement is right
for them,” said Dr. Ann Marie Navar,
Assistant Professor of Medicine at the
Duke Clinical Research Institute. “For
people at an increased risk of cardiovascular
disease - such as those who are
overweight, have diabetes or smoke -
it’s important to speak with your doctor
about the right course of treatment.”
Courtesy BPT
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