NAFDAC Warns Against Use Of Poisonous Weight Loss Supplement From UAE

The management of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has warned the public Against purchasing and using a product made by Ingi Oman called Weight Rapid Loss Capsule.

The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH) has also advised against using the Weight Rapid Loss Capsule due to its potential to cause cancer, according to a notification posted by the management on the Agency’s website on December 20, 2022, and titled Public Alert No. 049/2022 – Alert on the UAE health authority warning against consumption of weight loss pills.

According to the alert: "The product is being marketed as the most effective weight loss supplement and is being illegally sold through social media platforms like Instagram.

“Laboratory testing revealed that the pills contain phenolphthalein, a chemical that is illegal and that the US Food and Drug Administration has deemed hazardous. Additionally, it has microbial development that is beyond what is allowed.

Genes have been proven to be prone to harm by phenolphthalein because it can harm or change DNA. Additionally, studies have revealed its possible carcinogenic dangers.

Further, the management noted, “NAFDAC implores consumers to stop the purchase and use of the product. Members of the public in possession of the product should discontinue sale or use and submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.”

  

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Study Shows Stress Can Speed Up Vision Loss

An ongoing state of stress can gradually impair your vision, according to a recent mouse study published in the journal Aging Cell. According to recent research work, chronic stress prematurely ages eye cells and causes them to degenerate.

The cells in your eye age just like all other cells do. Nevertheless, a significant risk factor for glaucoma is the mass ageing and degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in the eye. Since people are living longer, it is predicted that by 2040, there will be over 110 million glaucoma patients worldwide.

Retinal tissue is subjected to stress, such as increased intraocular pressure, which causes epigenetic and transcriptional alterations akin to those associated with ageing. The authors of the study demonstrated that repetitive stress caused the eye tissue to age more quickly in younger retinal tissue. The discoveries might make it possible to target and maintain cellular activity in glaucoma patients.

“Our work emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and prevention as well as age-specific management of age-related diseases, including glaucoma,” said study author Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, an assistant professor of Physiology and Biophysics and Ophthalmology and the faculty of the Center for Translational Vision Research at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, in a statement. 

“The epigenetic changes we observed suggest that changes on the chromatin level are acquired in an accumulative way, following several instances of stress. This provides us with a window of opportunity for the prevention of vision loss, if and when the disease is recognised early.”

When the UCI-led team examined the optic nerve head of eyes that had minor pressure elevation, they discovered that there was no evidence of axon loss in the juvenile optic nerve head. However, a considerable sectorial loss of axons was found in the optic nerves of aged animals, which is similar to the phenotype frequently seen in glaucoma patients.— UCI School of Medicine 

In healthy people, the intraocular pressure in the eye oscillates between 12 and 21 mmHg on a daily basis. Nearly two-thirds of people experience it more frequently at night. A single measurement of intraocular pressure is insufficient to forecast glaucoma patients' disease progression due to the large range of intraocular pressure. 

Long-term variations in intraocular pressure are regarded as a reliable indicator of the evolution of glaucoma. This prediction is strengthened by the study's findings. Authors contend that the ageing of retinal tissue is accelerated not just by oscillations but also by the effects of frequent, mild fluctuations.

According to Skowronska-Krawczyk, even mild increases in intraocular pressure cause the death of retinal ganglion cells and the resulting visual impairments in old animals. In order to identify possible treatment targets, researchers are still investigating the mechanism of accumulative ageing alterations. They are also experimenting with various methods to stop the stress-related acceleration of ageing.

  

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The Link Between Caffeine And High Blood Pressure

Coffee and tea are incredibly healthy beverages.

Most types contain caffeine, a substance that may boost your mood, metabolism and mental and physical performance. Studies have also shown that it’s safe for most people when consumed in low-to-moderate amounts.

However, high doses of caffeine may have unpleasant and even dangerous side effects.

Research has shown that your genes have a major influence on your tolerance to it. Some can consume much more caffeine than others without experiencing negative effects (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

What’s more, individuals who aren’t used to caffeine may experience symptoms after consuming what is typically considered a moderate dose (4Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

Overall, caffeine doesn’t seem to increase the risk of heart disease or stroke in most people.

However, it has been shown to raise blood pressure in several studies due to its stimulatory effect on the nervous system (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).

Elevated blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke because it may damage arteries over time, restricting the flow of blood to your heart and brain.

Fortunately, caffeine’s effect on blood pressure seems to be temporary. Also, it seems to have the strongest impact on people who aren’t used to consuming it.

High caffeine intake has also been shown to raise blood pressure during exercise in healthy people, as well as in those with mildly elevated blood pressure (37Trusted Source, 38Trusted Source).

Therefore, paying attention to the dosage and timing of caffeine is important, especially if you already have high blood pressure.

Summary: Caffeine seems
to raise blood pressure when consumed at high doses or prior to exercise, as
well as in people who rarely consume it. But this effect may only be temporary,

so it’s best to monitor your response. 

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The Link Between Caffeine And Addiction

Coffee and tea are incredibly healthy beverages.

Most types contain caffeine, a substance that may boost your mood, metabolism and mental and physical performance. Studies have also shown that it’s safe for most people when consumed in low-to-moderate amounts.

However, high doses of caffeine may have unpleasant and even dangerous side effects.

Research has shown that your genes have a major influence on your tolerance to it. Some can consume much more caffeine than others without experiencing negative effects (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

What’s more, individuals who aren’t used to caffeine may experience symptoms after consuming what is typically considered a moderate dose (4Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

Despite all of caffeine’s health benefits, there’s no denying that it may become habit-forming.

A detailed review suggests that although caffeine triggers certain brain chemicals similarly to the way cocaine and amphetamines do, it does not cause classic addiction the way these drugs do (30Trusted Source).

However, it may lead to psychological or physical dependency, especially at high dosages.

In one study, 16 people who typically consumed high, moderate or no caffeine took part in a word test after going without caffeine overnight. Only high caffeine users showed a bias for caffeine-related words and had strong caffeine cravings (31Trusted Source).

Additionally, the frequency of caffeine intake seems to play a role in dependency.

In another study, 213 caffeine users completed questionnaires after going 16 hours without consuming it. Daily users had greater increases in headaches, fatigue and other withdrawal symptoms than non-daily users (32Trusted Source).

Even though the compound does not seem to cause true addiction, if you regularly drink a lot of coffee or other caffeinated beverages, there’s a very good chance you may become dependent on its effects.

Summary: Going without
caffeine for several hours may lead to psychological or physical withdrawal

symptoms in those who consume large amounts on a daily basis. 

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Long Use Of Antibiotics May Lead To Cognitive Decline In Middle Age Women

Antibiotics are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the world. They’re used to treat many different bacterial infections. While most people may only be on a course of antibiotics for a week or two at a time, some may take antibiotics for a longer period to treat certain chronic conditions, such as pneumonia or acne.

While antibiotics can be life-saving, long-term use can come with several side effects – not least of which is the risk of bacteria developing antibiotic resistance. And now, a recent study has also linked long-term antibiotic use by middle-aged women to an increased risk of cognitive decline.

To conduct their study, the researchers collected data from 14,542 participants who had taken part in the Nurses’ Health Study II. This study monitored the health and wellbeing of nurses every two years between 2014-2018. The average age of participants at the start of the study was 54.

The researchers recorded the participants’ antibiotic use up to four years prior to the start of the study. Some women had taken long-term antibiotics (two months or more) for a variety of conditions – such as respiratory problems or acne. Others had not been prescribed any antibiotics. The researchers measured cognitive ability using online tests that participants completed, which measured factors such as learning and working memory.

– can have negative effects on cognition up to 11 years later.

Though few studies have measured both antibiotic use and cognitive function in adults, some studies have shown broad-spectrum antimicrobials (including antibiotics) can affect our cognitive function – causing side effects such as confusion, delirium and poorer attention in both men and women, even after short-term use.

While this recent study showed a link between long-term antibiotic use and cognitive decline, the study has some of limitations to take into account. First, the online cognitive test only assessed four functions. This means we don’t have a full picture of cognitive health, and we do not know if there are other cognitive deficits in addition to those measured in the study.

Another shortfall is that researchers did not collect faecal samples. This means we don’t actually know whether the microbiome changed significantly after long-term antibiotic use – and whether this change persisted. Though the researchers were able to show that antibiotic use had a greater link to poorer cognitive function than other lifestyle factors (such as diet, or other health conditions), it will still be important for future research to look at whether the microbiome really plays a role in antibiotic use and cognitive function.

The age of the participants is also an important factor, as the average age was 54 at the start of the study – which is the time most women experience menopause. Menopause causes hormonal changes that can affect everything from how the immune system works, sleep quality, weight, blood pressure and even concentration and thinking.

Some research also shows that the menopause alters the microbiome. As such, it will be important to future studies to include men in mid-life to see whether they show similar effects.

These research findings indicate that it’s important to pay attention to gut health at all stages of life. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to make your microbiome healthier – such as eating a high-fibre diet and using prebiotics and probiotics. Fresh air and exercise also have positive effects on the microbiome. Of course for persistent problems medical attention should be sought

Lynne A Barker

 Associate Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience, Sheffield Hallam University

 

 

  

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High Caffeine Intake And Muscles Damage

Rhabdomyolysis is a very serious condition in which damaged muscle fibers enter the bloodstream, leading to kidney failure and other problems.

Common causes of rhabdomyolysis include trauma, infection, drug abuse, muscle strain and bites from poisonous snakes or insects.

In addition, there have been several reports of rhabdomyolysis related to excessive caffeine intake, although this is relatively rare (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

In one case, a woman developed nausea, vomiting and dark urine after drinking 32 ounces (1 liter) of coffee containing roughly 565 mg of caffeine. Fortunately, she recovered after being treated with medication and fluids (29Trusted Source).

Importantly, this is a large dosage of caffeine to consume within a short period of time, especially for someone who isn’t used to it or is highly sensitive to its effects.

In order to reduce the risk of rhabdomyolysis, it’s best to limit your intake to about 250 mg of caffeine per day, unless you’re used to consuming more.

Summary: People may
develop rhabdomyolysis, or the breakdown of damaged muscle, after they ingest
large amounts of caffeine. Limit your intake to 250 mg per day if you’re

uncertain of your tolerance. 

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