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sciencespies · 4 years ago

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What Happens When Scientists Become Allergic to Their Research

https://sciencespies.com/nature/what-happens-when-scientists-become-allergic-to-their-research/

What Happens When Scientists Become Allergic to Their Research

Bryan Fry’s heart was pounding as he stepped back from the snake enclosure and examined the bite marks on his hand. He had just been bitten by a death adder, one of Australia’s most venomous snakes. Its neurotoxin-laced bite could cause vomiting, paralysis and — as the name suggests — death.

Fry, at the time a graduate student, had kept snakes for years. Oddly, the neurotoxins weren’t his biggest worry; the nearby hospital would have the antivenom he needed, and, although data is limited, people who receive treatment generally survive. Anaphylactic shock, on the other hand, might kill him within minutes.

“Anaphylactic shock is the single worst feeling you can possibly imagine,” recalled Fry, now a biologist at the University of Queensland in Australia. “It is just insane. Every cell in your body is screaming out in mortal terror.”

Fry, who had spent his life admiring and eventually studying venomous snakes, had become deathly allergic to them.

Bryan Fry observes a cobra on a trip to Pakistan. He is now deathly allergic to snake venom.

(Courtesy of Bryan Fry)

While most cases are not so extreme, anecdotal reports and expert analysis suggest that it is far from rare for scientists, students, and laboratory technicians to develop allergies to the organisms they study. Perversely, some allergy researchers say, it is the researchers’ passion for their subjects — the close observation, the long hours of work each day, and the years of commitment to a research project — that puts them at such high risk.

“It is true that some things cause allergies more often than others, but the biggest factor is the frequency of the interaction with the study organism,” said John Carlson, a physician and researcher at Tulane University who specializes in insect and dust mite allergies. “You probably have about a 30 percent chance of developing an allergy to whatever it is that you study.” While data is limited, that estimate is in line with research on occupational allergies, which studies suggest occur in as many as 44 percent of people who work with laboratory rodents, around 40 percent of veterinarians, and 25 to 60 percent of people who work with insects.

Federal guidelines suggest that laboratories have “well-designed air-handling systems” and that workers don appropriate personal protective equipment, or PPE, in order to reduce the risk of developing an allergy. However, interviews with researchers and experts suggest that there may be little awareness of — or adherence to — guidelines like these. For scientists working with less-common species and those engaged in fieldwork, information on what exactly constitutes appropriate PPE may be very limited.

Many researchers, perhaps especially those who do fieldwork, are used to being uncomfortable in service of their work, Carlson points out. “I think that a lot of researchers are so interested in the process of the research,” he said, “that they aren’t really considering the long-term effects that it could have on them.”

In general, allergies develop when the immune system overreacts to a substance that is usually harmless, or relatively harmless. The immune system monitors the body for potentially dangerous invaders like bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Sometimes, for reasons that are not well understood, the immune system identifies something benign, like pollen or animal dander, as dangerous. To help mark the intruder, a person who has become sensitized in this way produces antibodies, or types of proteins, to identify it.

When that person comes into contact with the substance again, the antibodies flag it as an invader. As part of the response, immune cells release compounds like histamine, which irritate and inflame the surrounding tissues, resulting in allergy symptoms.

Although some risk factors have been identified, researchers who study allergies are often unable to determine exactly why this overreaction occurs in some people but not others. But it’s clear that, for some substances, repeated exposures can increase the likelihood of an allergic response.

While anecdotes of allergic scientists abound, research into the issue is scant. The best documented are allergies to rodents, which are ubiquitous in biomedical research. But some scientists report allergies that are almost completely unstudied, potentially because relatively few people — at least in wealthy nations in which many allergy studies are conducted — regularly come into contact with the organisms that cause them.

For example, while most people avoid regular contact with leeches, University of Toronto doctoral student Danielle de Carle goes out looking for them. De Carle studies leech genetics in order to figure out how different species are related to one another and to understand how blood feeding evolved. To study the leeches, she first has to catch them, and like other researchers in her field, she uses her own body as bait.

“We wade into swamps and stuff, and we let them attach to us and feed from us,” she said. For most people, leech bites are relatively painless. When de Carle needed to keep the leeches alive in the lab, she would let them feed on her then as well.

Doctoral student Danielle de Carle now uses sausage casings filled with pig blood to nourish the leeches she studies.

(Courtesy of Danielle de Carle)

After about a year and a half of this, she started to notice symptoms. At first, the bites became itchy, but the more she was exposed, the worse it got. “The last time I fed a leech — which I try not to do anymore — my entire hand swelled up so much that I could hardly make a fist,” she said. “It itched like crazy.” De Carle said that, when she’s out hunting leeches now, she can avoid an allergic reaction if she removes the leech after it attaches itself to her, but before it starts to feed. For the leeches she keeps in the lab, she’s switched to feeding them pig’s blood from a butcher shop instead of letting them feed on her.

Nia Walker, a Ph.D. student in biology at Stanford University, has also begun reacting to her research organism. Walker studies how genetics influence coral bleaching resistance and recovery. She began to notice rashes on her hands during her third trip to conduct fieldwork on corals in Palau, an island nation in the South Pacific. “And then each subsequent trip after that, it got more and more extreme,” she said. “It got to the point where my face would bloat and I’d get welts on my hands from touching them.”

While her symptoms are especially intense, Walker said she’s not the only member of her lab who has developed a sensitivity. By now, she said, everyone in the lab has “developed a slight irritation to corals.” Walker has been able to manage her allergy by using protective equipment and over-the-counter antihistamines. “It’s sad,” she said, “but it’s also pretty funny.”

Sometimes, allergies that scientists have picked up during lab work can spill over into daily life. More than a decade ago, evolutionary biologist Karl Grieshop worked in a fruit fly lab in which bananas were a key part of the flies’ diet. Ever since, he said, his throat gets itchy every time he eats a banana. Jon Giddens, a doctoral student in plant biology at the University of Oklahoma, said that he didn’t have any allergies before he started studying Eastern redcedar, a small evergreen tree that is widespread in some regions of the country. But now, even though it’s been more than a year since he last worked with the species in the field, he has year-round nasal allergy symptoms, he thinks from the redcedar pollen in the air.

Likewise, Brechann McGoey, who received her doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Toronto, said she didn’t experience hay fever before she started her graduate work. But after repeated exposure to ragweed pollen during experiments, she developed symptoms like post-nasal drip and persistent cough. Even though she no longer works with the species, she still gets hay fever every fall during ragweed season. “It’s a souvenir from my Ph.D.,” she joked.

Reflecting previous research on occupational allergies in veterinarians, most of the researchers who spoke with Undark did not seek medical attention or get a formal diagnosis for their allergies.

Biologist Nia Walker attaches an ID tag to the base of a tabletop coral on the northern fore reef in Palau. Everyone in the lab she works in has “developed a slight irritation to corals,” Walker says.

(Dan Griffin / GG Films)

In many cases, scientists report that their allergies are annoying but manageable. But sometimes, the allergies force researchers to make major changes.

Entomologist Chip Taylor began his career studying sulphur butterflies as a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut. When he started his own lab at the University of Kansas in 1969, he had every intention of continuing to work with the species. But, he said, “by the time it rolled around to 1973, I realized I was so allergic to these butterflies.” Taylor began to experience asthma-like symptoms whenever he worked with them.

In the summer of that year, during a research trip to central Arizona, Taylor and a colleague rented a trailer to use as a workstation to process butterfly wing samples. “I could not go in the trailer,” he recalled. “I slept outside with my back up against a tree so my sinuses and my throat could drain.” To manage his symptoms, he was regularly taking prednisone, a powerful anti-inflammatory drug that can have serious side effects. “I decided that I had to get out of working with those butterflies,” Taylor said. “I had to readjust my career to work on something else.”

Taylor spent the next few decades studying killer bees. He returned to butterfly research in 1992, when he started the monarch butterfly conservation program Monarch Watch. Taylor said he’s never experienced any symptoms while working with monarchs — maybe, he guesses, because the two species produce different types of pigments.

Fry, the biologist who became allergic to snake venom, also said his allergy has shaped his career. The venoms of different snake species share similar components, Fry said, so someone who is allergic to one type of snake is likely allergic to many types. Because of this allergy, Fry also has to be extremely careful even around venomous snakes that are usually not dangerous to humans.

“Whenever I work with these animals now, I look like I’m going into the Hurt Locker,” he said, referencing the Oscar-winning movie about U.S. Army specialists who defused bombs in Iraq. “So, of course, in the tropical sun I’m absolutely melting.” Those limitations, he said, have made working with snakes less enjoyable. “I can’t just blithely interact with these animals that I find so absolutely fascinating, knowing that death is just around the corner at any given moment, even from a snake that normally wouldn’t be a medical problem.”

Fry survived his encounter with the death adder thanks to a snakebite kit containing injectable adrenaline and antihistamines, as well as a quick-thinking friend who raced him to the hospital. The allergy, he said, has caused him to redirect much of his research to studying venoms in other animals, including Komodo dragons, slow lorises (the world’s only venomous primates), funnel-web spiders, and box jellyfish. “I’ve managed to turn it into a good thing,” he said, “but it’s been nevertheless very frustrating.”

Allergy experts say that reducing exposure is the key to preventing allergy development. Exactly how much the exposure needs to be reduced is less clear, and increasing protection may be costly for institutions and inconvenient for researchers.

Some laboratories that use mice and rats have equipment and policies designed to reduce exposure to allergens. These labs install ventilation systems for the cages, use a robotic system to clean them out, house fewer animals per room, and provide an area for workers to change out of allergen-contaminated clothing. PPE such as masks, gloves, and gowns can also help researchers reduce their exposure.

But actually applying those preventative measures can be challenging, said Johanna Feary, who studies occupational lung disease as a senior clinical research fellow at Imperial College London.

In 2019, Feary and several colleagues published a study of seven research institutions in the United Kingdom that performed research on mice. They found that facilities that used individually ventilated cages, instead of open cages, had dramatically lower airborne allergen levels. But even that was not sufficient to prevent technicians from becoming sensitized to mouse allergens. The facilities with the lowest levels of sensitization were those where workers also wore properly fitted masks. The research, she said, demonstrated that, at least in the U.K., the development of allergies to lab animals “is probably preventable in almost all cases.”

But Feary said that lab animal allergies continue to be a problem for many people. “We should be getting better at it,” she said. “I’m not sure we are getting better at it.” The main reason, according to Feary, is that it can be costly to install equipment that reduces allergen exposure, such as those robotic cage cleaners, especially if it requires renovating older facilities.

It’s also hard to accurately assess the magnitude of the problem, she said, especially given that conditions and practices differ widely around the world. While well-run facilities will monitor workers’ exposure and health, “at the other end of the scale, you have filthy places with poor health and safety,” she said, where recordkeeping is patchy and people who develop allergies may simply feel compelled to seek work elsewhere. “So, it may look like everything’s fine, and nobody’s got any symptoms, but actually all the sick people have left,” Feary said.

It may also be the case that only the best-run facilities will report their data, she said, while the rest will simply not engage. Indeed, several years ago, when a group of Duke University researchers attempted a nationwide survey of the incidence of anaphylaxis associated with lab-animal bites in the U.S., only 16 percent of facilities even responded.

And with less well-studied allergies, there’s simply little information available regarding prevalence and what sorts of protections are sufficient to prevent their development. Several scientists living with allergies, though, said they think that more information and awareness could help increase the number of scientists taking precautions in their research.

Fry said there is more awareness of snake venom allergy than there was when he started formally studying snakes in the late 1990s. But, he added, “it’s still not as well-known as it should be.” Researchers in the field, he wrote in a follow-up email, can be reticent to talk about venom allergies. But, he said, “I’m quite candid about it because, you know, this is life-saving information.”

Walker, the coral biologist, said more research on allergies among researchers would be helpful. “A lot of these things can be addressed if you knew to look out for it,” she said.

Early-career scientists generally receive thorough training on proper handling of biohazards and harmful chemicals. Institutions often provide extensive safety plans for fieldwork to help researchers prepare for the various risks involved, from dehydration to hypothermia to bear attacks. But scientists may learn little about the potential for developing allergies to seemingly harmless organisms.

“I feel like maybe there’s a bit too much of a casual attitude about protective gear,” said McGoey, who developed an allergy after doing research on ragweed. “Maybe especially if you’re working with a plant or animal, where it’s like a natural thing, and you’re not in the lab with a chemical, maybe people are just not careful enough.”

“As silly as it sounds, just maybe having more emphasis on using PPE and the consequences of not doing it would be kind of nice,” said de Carle, the leech researcher. “It can be really easy to just think, like, ‘Oh, I don’t really need to wear gloves; I’m just touching flowers or whatever.’”

Carlson, the allergist, said that even well-informed researchers can get caught up in their enthusiasm for the work and rationalize not taking the proper precautions.

In 2009, Carlson worked on a project that involved collecting data on house dust mites, microscopic arthropods which cause nasal and respiratory issues in millions of people worldwide. Despite his expertise, he neglected PPE. “I know all this,” he said. “I know I should be wearing a mask, but it’s hot, and it’s sweaty, and I don’t have a boss telling me what to do.” As he worked, he developed a runny nose and itchy eyes — the first steps toward a full-fledged allergy. “I pushed through and I ended up hyper-sensitizing myself,” Carlson said, to the point that even getting down on the ground to play with his then-young children made him “absolutely miserable.”

Carlson is saddened thinking about those scientists who have to give up the work they love due to allergies. “I really do feel for these folks doing their work and developing an allergy,” he said. “The more we get the word out there, the better.”

Hannah Thomasy is a freelance science writer splitting time between Toronto and Seattle. Her work has appeared in Hakai Magazine, OneZero, and NPR.

This article was originally published on Undark. Read the original article.

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marjorieevans92 · 5 years ago

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Can Men Get Bacterial Vaginosis Jolting Tricks

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vitamininfusiontherapy · 6 years ago

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Everything You Need to Know About IV Vitamin Therapy

If you're looking for natural ways to benefit your health, you should consider going to a medical spa for IV Vitamin Therapy. Here is everything you should know about the popular spa therapy.

Keyword(s): Primary: IV vitamin therapy; Secondary: vitamin iv, vitamin infusion, vitamin drip, vitamin iv drip, iv infusion

We know we should eat more fruits and vegetables. Also, we need to exercise more, and for some of us, drink less alcohol. So often, though, our busy lifestyles prevent us from taking these steps.

That is why over 40 percent of American adults don't get enough Vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as calcium and magnesium. Poor nutrition increases stress levels and fatigue. It also puts you at risk for obesity and diseases like cancer.

One way to combat nutritional deficiencies is IV vitamin therapy. Celebrities like Adele and Jane Fonda swear by this treatment. It gives them the energy to get through grueling concert schedules and promotes general wellness too.

Are you interested in reaping similar benefits? If so, consider going to a medical spa for an infusion. In the article below, let's examine IV vitamin therapy and see why it's good for you.

What Is IV Vitamin Therapy?

Intravenous therapy is a common procedure in many hospitals. Antibiotics, electrolytes, and various forms of nutrition are all administered via IV. This has been true for decades.

Hospitals like IVs because they deliver medicine or nutrients into the patient's bloodstream. This is the fastest way to administer medicine throughout the patient's body.

IV vitamin therapy works the same way. Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are added to a saline solution that goes right into your bloodstream. This method of administration bypasses the gastrointestinal system.

Supplements delivered the traditional way, that is, as pills or tablets, are subject to the whims of this system. Everything from its general state to the time of day can affect absorption rates.

What's more, individual minerals have their own standard absorption rates. When you take 500 mg of calcium citrate, for example, your body absorbs about 22%, or only 120 mg. That's not much.

An IV infusion, on the other hand, provides your body with a 100% absorption rate. It also allows you to take much larger doses than you could with a tablet or pill. All the risks associated with oral administration disappear with a vitamin drip.

Most importantly, though, it allows the practitioner to customize the types and amounts of nutrients to meet your health needs. This gives you the chance to achieve your optimal health and wellness.

Does vitamin therapy help with any specific illness or conditions, though? What are its benefits?

We'll explore these questions in the next section. Let's go!

Is a Vitamin IV Therapy Really Good for You?

Vitamins and minerals are, of course, good for you. The question here is whether the way they are administered in an IV drip is good for you. The answer appears to be yes.

Correcting Nutritional Imbalances

At the most basic level, a vitamin drip provides hydration and corrects any micronutrient deficiencies. There are a number of reasons why you might be dehydrated or low in vitamins/minerals.

Perhaps you had too much to drink the night before and need a boost of hydration and nutrition to bring you back up to speed.

Or maybe the frenetic pace and high-stress levels you experience are taking their toll on your health. Finally, you may try to eat right and exercise. But your digestive system prevents you from absorbing everything your body needs for optimal health.

A vitamin infusion can help in any of these situations (yes, you can even get one to relieve a hangover!). Once these problems are fixed, you will notice some immediate benefits.

First, vitamin iv therapy boosts the fighting power of your immune system. One of the best ways to keep it strong and healthy is proper nutrition and a healthful overall lifestyle.

Vitamin iv therapy strengthens the immune system much more effectively than a pill or tablet (remember the part about bypassing your digestive system?). With your immune system strengthened, you are better protected against illness. In fact, many people report having fewer colds and other illnesses because of their vitamin IV therapy.

But you will also just feel better. One of the most common effects of a vitamin infusion is added energy. People report feeling highly energized and lighter, and they have increased stamina.

These reasons are why many busy celebrities find the treatment so helpful. They need to look and feel good, and a vitamin infusion helps them do both!

But what about specific diseases? Can a vitamin IV therapy help alleviate symptoms or prevent a specific disease? In the next section, we'll find out.

What Else Can Vitamin IV Therapy Do?

As mentioned above, an IV infusion helps relieve hangover symptoms. It is easy to see why. The saline and vitamin content reverses the negative effects of too much alcohol from the night before.

Infusions also produce better sleep patterns and seem to help with skin tone and appearance.

In terms of disease, a vitamin IV can help with acute problems and illnesses. Those are diseases or conditions happening right now, with symptoms that need to be relieved immediately.

Some of these include:

Migraines

Headaches in general

The common cold

The Flu

Seasonal allergies

Morning sickness

Overall fatigue

There is evidence it helps with some chronic diseases as well. These are the ones you live with on a daily basis. They have ongoing symptoms and include:

Rheumatoid arthritis

Crohn's disease

IBS/IBD

Ulcerative colitis

Lupus

Cancer

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Asthma

Depression

Drug addiction

Fibromyalgia

Adrenal insufficiency or adrenal fatigue

While vitamin infusions are not going to cure a chronic disease, they can affect and lessen the severity of its symptoms. Studies done on cancer patients show positive results from high dose IV vitamin C. Patients who received this treatment had a higher quality of life and reduced side effects from treatment.

Again, the reason vitamin IV's are so effective is an IV delivers a much higher nutrition level. The vitamins and minerals go right to your cells because they are not filtered out by the digestive system.

Are There Any Risks Associated with a Vitamin Drip?

A vitamin IV is a relatively safe procedure, and there are usually few, if any, side effects. This section will go over some of the ones you might want to look out for.

Choose Your Medical Spa Wisely

A vitamin infusion is a safe procedure when done by a medical professional. Do your research and carefully choose the facility or spa for your procedure.

One adverse event that may occur is IV fluid can end up entering the surrounding tissue instead of your vein. This is called infiltration which in general is not serious. The IV would be stopped immediately.

The second possible adverse event is called air embolism. This is potentially much more serious. An air embolism is when air bubbles enter your vein. It is usually a minor problem but with enough bubbles or a very large bubble, it can be more serious.

Any certified and experienced practitioner will know how to avoid these kinds of problems. After all, nurses place IVs in people all day long.

Furthermore, an experienced practitioner will ask for your medical history. They will also want to know about any medications you are taking and allergies.

Congestive Heart Failure and Vitamin IV

This is an important point. Do not undergo vitamin IV therapy if you have congestive heart failure. Your body's inability to remove fluids could lead to fluid overload. This dangerous possibility makes you a poor candidate for the procedure.

Some Final Notes on Risk

For everyone else, though, the risks associated with vitamin IV therapy are small. There are always going to be side effects of any medication or medical procedure.

In this case, there is a risk of infection. But this is true any time your skin is punctured.

Other possible adverse effects are minor but include things like:

Allergic reaction

Bruising at the IV insertion point

Redness

Bleeding

For many people, the health benefits greatly outweigh these small side effects. In the next section, let's look at a couple vitamin infusions to see what your options are!

What Are My Choices?

One of the wonderful things about vitamin IVs is that they can be customized to fit your health needs. Consequently, there are many different kinds of vitamin infusions.

Here are two that are quite popular.

The Myers Cocktail

The first is called the Myers Cocktail, or IV Myers Cocktail. It has been around since the 1970s and was created by Dr. John Myers.

Some of its ingredients include:

6 B Vitamins

Vitamin C

Magnesium

Phosphate

Calcium

Generally, the Myers cocktail is used to cure hangovers, provide extra energy, and boost your immune system. There is also a great deal of anecdotal evidence that it helps ease the pain associated with fibromyalgia.

Vitamin C-Glutathione

This infusion contains both Vitamin C and Glutathione. Vitamin C is a well-known antioxidant that is commonly used to strengthen the immune system. We saw earlier how it eases symptoms of cancer treatment.

Glutathione is also an antioxidant and is important in detoxifying your body. Vitamin C and Glutathione are excellent at working together to repair skin from sun damage. They also generally improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in your skin, so you look younger.

An experienced practitioner can tell you which vitamin iv drip is right for you.

Wrapping Up: IV Vitamin Therapy

There you have it! Everything you need to know about IV vitamin therapy. This popular treatment is used by celebrities to fuel their busy schedules and retain their youthful appearance.

Vitamin infusions can provide the same benefits to you while also helping with symptoms of various chronic diseases. A vitamin IV bypasses your digestive system and is able to work its magic directly on your cells.

We offer vitamin IV's in a safe and comfortable environment. Our experienced practitioners work with you to decide on the best treatment options.

Feel free to contact us today with any questions about vitamin IVs. We would love to hear from you!

The post “Everything You Need to Know About IV Vitamin Therapy” was originally seen on hamiltonpalmbeach.com

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jesseneufeld · 6 years ago

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The Real Deal On Keto Body Odor

I’m continuing my crusade of keto mythbusting. Recently, there was keto crotch, then keto bloat, and today I’m returning to one of the O.G. myths—keto body odor. Yes, it seems detractors of the keto diet are hell-bent on making you think your body will become a stinky, bloated mess if you dare to drop your carbs below 50 grams per day…but is it true?

Here’s the spoiler: Yes, people in online keto diet forums occasionally complain about an unpleasant change in body odor when they first go keto. There is no scientific evidence that it actually happens, nor a clear, compelling explanation for why it would. Moreover, the anecdotal (and it’s all anecdotal) evidence suggests that if it does occur, it is rare and temporary. In other words, the whole idea of keto body odor seems to be exaggerated—shocking, I know.

That said, significant dietary changes can result in other physiological changes that may manifest in a variety of ways. Since nobody wants to be the stinky kid, let’s take this opportunity to look at what might be plausible about keto body odor and what to do if you think you’ve been afflicted.

What Causes Body Odor?

First, let’s clarify what’s meant by “body odor.” In the medical literature, the term is used in reference to aromas associated with breath, urine, feces, vaginal secretions, sweat (usually from the axilla, or armpits), and general bodily essence as it were. Because it’s such a broad term, the causes are also extremely varied. For the purposes of this post, I’m going to use the term “body odor” to mean aromas from sweat and general bodily funk, since that’s what’s usually meant by keto body odor.

Body odor arises when odorless compounds leave the body through glands in the skin and interact with microbes living on the skin’s surface. The microbes then release chemical compounds—what we actually detect as body odor. Typically, commercial deodorants target both pieces of the equation by using antiperspirants to minimize the excretion of the odor precursors and by creating an unfavorable environment for the microbes living on the skin. There is also a genetic component to how much individuals secrete compounds that cause body odor.

Although a huge industry is built around trying to help people mask their natural odors—and suggesting that body odor is always the result of poor hygiene—bodily scents are actually quite important. Just as other animals do, humans use olfactory cues for recognizing kin, making judgments about others’ personality traits and attractiveness, and even for detecting fertility. Although we rarely recognize it, the data suggests that smell probably factors into all our face-to-face social interactions.

Body odor can also result from illness. Before the use of sophisticated modern disease detection techniques, doctors were taught to use their sniffers as a diagnostic tool. Even today, smell can be an important clue that an individual is unwell. Often these odors emanate from the breath or urine, but certain infectious and metabolic diseases can be associated with distinctive body odors. In addition to perceptible body odor, the human olfactory system can detect infection and sense illness in others, presumably an important means of preventing the spread of communicable disease.

Diet and Body Odor

The whole notion that a keto diet can cause body odor rests on the assumption that how we smell is affected by what we eat. It turns out that there is scant evidence that that is actually the case.

When I’ve taken up the question of keto diet and body odor previously, I noted that there are really only two human studies that speak to this. One small study found that women judged men’s body odor more negatively when they ate a diet that contained red meat compared to when they abstained from red meat. However, the diets differed in other ways as well. In contrast, a different study found that women rated men’s body odor more positively when the men reported eating more fat, meat, and eggs, and more negatively when they ate more carbs. Hmm.

Besides those two small studies, evidence that diet impacts body odor seems to come primarily from studies on guinea pig urine and meadow voles—not exactly the most compelling in my opinion.

Nevertheless, the common belief persists that certain foods will make you stinky: garlic, onions, cruciferous vegetables, and spicy foods especially. However, there is no evidence that this is actually the case beyond the obvious bad breath and, ahem, flatus that these foods can cause. In fact, the one study I found on the subject reported that garlic counterintuitively improved body odor.

So, Can Keto Make You Stinky?

As you can see, there’s minimal evidence at best linking body odor to diet, and none of it has to do with the keto diet itself. Nevertheless, the belief that keto causes body odor persists…thanks to the few complaints from some in the keto community (and, just maybe, those who have nothing to do with keto but want to cause a stir). While I don’t want to dismiss anecdotal evidence out of hand, I have noticed that once people go keto, their diet is immediately to blame for every weird smell, twitch, or symptom. It’s remarkable really.

In the interest of fairness, let’s look at the explanations that are typically offered for why keto might cause body odor:

Is It the Protein?

The first hypothesis is that keto dieters smell funky because they’re eating a lot more meat. As I already mentioned, there are only two small studies that speak to this, and the findings conflict. The idea at work: protein metabolism yields ammonia as a byproduct (true), which builds up because of eating “too much protein,” resulting in body odor.

To which I object… First of all, it’s not necessarily true that going keto means eating more meat. My version of a keto diet certainly isn’t a steak-and-bacon fest—I still eat tons of veggies. If anything, my observation is that keto folks by and large remain fearful of eating “too much” protein lest it kick them out of ketosis. (The issue is not nearly so simple as that, as I’ve explained.) In any case, even if you’re eating a good deal of meat, a healthy liver should be able to convert the amount of ammonia generated into urea and send it off to the kidneys to be excreted as urine.

Maybe It’s the “Detoxing”?

Toxins such as environmental pollutants accumulate in adipose tissue, a.k.a. fat cells, and these toxins are then released into the bloodstream when people burn fat. Because the keto diet often results in increased burning of body fat, the theory goes that the body is “detoxing” all these pollutants, and that’s what causes body odor. Detoxing is a controversial subject, and while it is true that some of these toxins can be excreted through the skin, the actual amounts are fairly small (the majority get excreted via urine and feces). Plus, it’s not evident that the toxins that are excreted through the skin cause any particular odor. And wouldn’t any diet that actually does what it’s supposed to—i.e. burn fat—be subject to the same “stinky” detox effect? I think we can safely chuck this claim.

Are Ketones a Cause?

Maybe ketones themselves make you smelly? This one has the most potential validity, as it’s well documented that acetone—one of the three ketone bodies—gets excreted when you’re in ketosis. However, it’s the cause of the familiar keto breath, not body odor per se. I’ve seen no evidence linking acetone to actual body odor.

What To Do About It

Ok, I hear you saying, “Mark, I see that you’re skeptical, but I’m telling you… I stink!” What can you do about it?

Well, since there isn’t a clearcut cause, I can’t give a clearcut answer, but I’ll tell you what the general wisdom says:

First, you can support your body’s own detoxification pathways as I describe here. Your body should be able to do a fine job taking out the garbage—it’s designed to do so and is efficient at it—but hey, why not drink some coffee and throw some broccoli sprouts on your salad. This is a “can’t hurt, might help” situation.

Same thing goes for taking some nice epsom salt baths, another common recommendation. Whether there is any truth to their detoxifying nature, you’ll get a nice dose of transdermal magnesium with a hefty side of relaxation. Throw in some essential oils and olive oil and soak your cares away… hopefully taking some of the b.o. with it.

You can also experiment with eating less protein and more carbs, but I do see potential downsides to both. You definitely don’t want to eat too little protein, since it serves such a vital role in healthy functioning, and you don’t want to add back too many carbs if being in ketosis is your goal. That said, especially with regard to the protein you probably have room to play around, so feel free to experiment if you want. I’m not overly optimistic that this is the answer, but I’m always a fan of finding what works for you.

Or, take a wait and see approach. Most keto side effects come and go as people become keto-adapted. If your problem is keto breath, not body odor per se, you can try chewing on some fresh herbs or taking chlorophyll supplements, but these will just mask the issue.

Lastly, if it is very noticeable and very bothersome, you can—and probably should—consult your doctor. If you are excreting significant ammonia, which usually happens via the breath, this is a sign of liver or kidney problems that need to be diagnosed asap.

The Bottom Line…

Because switching to a keto diet can initiate a profound metabolic shift, some people might experience side effects. And, sure, it’s conceivable that transient changes to body odor might be one of them. The lack of evidence that body odor is strongly affected by diet (as well as my own experience interacting with the thousands of people in my community who have tried keto) leads me to believe that this is a minor problem at most—and one that most people won’t experience at all. If it’s affecting you, feel free to try to solutions I described above. They might not resolve the problem immediately, but at least they’ll likely have other positive benefits.

Ok, what say you? Are your friends giving you a wide berth now that you’re in ketosis, or are you chalking this up to yet another thing the haters are blowing out of proportion?

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window.onload=function(){ga('send', { hitType: 'event', eventCategory: 'Ad Impression', eventAction: '66572' });}

References:

Groyecka A, Pisanski K, Sorokowska A, et al. Attractiveness Is Multimodal: Beauty Is Also in the Nose and Ear of the Beholder. Front Psychol. 2017;8:778.

James AG, Austin CJ, Cox DS, Taylor D, Calvert R. Microbiological and biochemical origins of human axillary odour. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2013 Mar;83(3):527-40.

Natsch, A. What Makes Us Smell: The Biochemistry of Body Odour and the Design of New Deodorant Ingredients. CHIMIA Intl J Chem. 2015 Aug;69(7-8):414-420.

The post The Real Deal On Keto Body Odor appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

The Real Deal On Keto Body Odor published first on https://drugaddictionsrehab.tumblr.com/

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lauramalchowblog · 6 years ago

Text

The Real Deal On Keto Body Odor

What Causes Body Odor?

Diet and Body Odor

The whole notion that a keto diet can cause body odor rests on the assumption that how we smell is affected by what we eat. It turns out that there is scant evidence that that is actually the case.

Besides those two small studies, evidence that diet impacts body odor seems to come primarily from studies on guinea pig urine and meadow voles—not exactly the most compelling in my opinion.

So, Can Keto Make You Stinky?

In the interest of fairness, let’s look at the explanations that are typically offered for why keto might cause body odor:

Is It the Protein?

Maybe It’s the “Detoxing”?

Are Ketones a Cause?

What To Do About It

Ok, I hear you saying, “Mark, I see that you’re skeptical, but I’m telling you… I stink!” What can you do about it?

Well, since there isn’t a clearcut cause, I can’t give a clearcut answer, but I’ll tell you what the general wisdom says:

The Bottom Line…

Ok, what say you? Are your friends giving you a wide berth now that you’re in ketosis, or are you chalking this up to yet another thing the haters are blowing out of proportion?

(function($) { $("#dfnjY7K").load("https://www.marksdailyapple.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=dfads_ajax_load_ads&groups=954&limit=1&orderby=random&order=ASC&container_id=&container_html=none&container_class=&ad_html=div&ad_class=&callback_function=&return_javascript=0&_block_id=dfnjY7K" ); })( jQuery );

window.onload=function(){ga('send', { hitType: 'event', eventCategory: 'Ad Impression', eventAction: '66572' });}

References:

Groyecka A, Pisanski K, Sorokowska A, et al. Attractiveness Is Multimodal: Beauty Is Also in the Nose and Ear of the Beholder. Front Psychol. 2017;8:778.

James AG, Austin CJ, Cox DS, Taylor D, Calvert R. Microbiological and biochemical origins of human axillary odour. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2013 Mar;83(3):527-40.

Natsch, A. What Makes Us Smell: The Biochemistry of Body Odour and the Design of New Deodorant Ingredients. CHIMIA Intl J Chem. 2015 Aug;69(7-8):414-420.

The post The Real Deal On Keto Body Odor appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

The Real Deal On Keto Body Odor published first on https://venabeahan.tumblr.com

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cynthiamwashington · 6 years ago

Text

The Real Deal On Keto Body Odor

What Causes Body Odor?

Diet and Body Odor

The whole notion that a keto diet can cause body odor rests on the assumption that how we smell is affected by what we eat. It turns out that there is scant evidence that that is actually the case.

Besides those two small studies, evidence that diet impacts body odor seems to come primarily from studies on guinea pig urine and meadow voles—not exactly the most compelling in my opinion.

So, Can Keto Make You Stinky?

In the interest of fairness, let’s look at the explanations that are typically offered for why keto might cause body odor:

Is It the Protein?

Maybe It’s the “Detoxing”?

Are Ketones a Cause?

What To Do About It

Ok, I hear you saying, “Mark, I see that you’re skeptical, but I’m telling you… I stink!” What can you do about it?

Well, since there isn’t a clearcut cause, I can’t give a clearcut answer, but I’ll tell you what the general wisdom says:

The Bottom Line…

Ok, what say you? Are your friends giving you a wide berth now that you’re in ketosis, or are you chalking this up to yet another thing the haters are blowing out of proportion?

(function($) { $("#dfJk62h").load("https://www.marksdailyapple.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=dfads_ajax_load_ads&groups=954&limit=1&orderby=random&order=ASC&container_id=&container_html=none&container_class=&ad_html=div&ad_class=&callback_function=&return_javascript=0&_block_id=dfJk62h" ); })( jQuery );

window.onload=function(){ga('send', { hitType: 'event', eventCategory: 'Ad Impression', eventAction: '74578' });}

References:

Groyecka A, Pisanski K, Sorokowska A, et al. Attractiveness Is Multimodal: Beauty Is Also in the Nose and Ear of the Beholder. Front Psychol. 2017;8:778.

James AG, Austin CJ, Cox DS, Taylor D, Calvert R. Microbiological and biochemical origins of human axillary odour. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2013 Mar;83(3):527-40.

Natsch, A. What Makes Us Smell: The Biochemistry of Body Odour and the Design of New Deodorant Ingredients. CHIMIA Intl J Chem. 2015 Aug;69(7-8):414-420.

The post The Real Deal On Keto Body Odor appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Article source here:Marks’s Daily Apple

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organiclifestylemagazine · 8 years ago

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Migraines and Magnesium

Few things conjure up bigger grimaces and more dread than migraines. For sufferers, the effects are debilitating, the prevention is expensive and ineffectual, and causality is very challenging to pinpoint.

What Is a Migraine?

Migraines are still being studied and aren’t fully understood. Originally thought to be a vascular condition, neuroscientists are now learning that it’s not quite that simple. Migraines seem to be more nervous system related than they originally thought.

What scientists do know is that during the onset of a migraine, there are some electrical changes that take place across brain tissue.

First, there is an initial wave of excitation, which basically means that there’s an electrical wave that passes over the brain before the vessels begin to contract and then subsequently become inflamed. This rapid change in pressure is what causes unbearable pain.

This rapid contraction and inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain has been observed primarily in migraine patients who present with an aura and is believed to be strongly linked to those effects.

Migraines can last anywhere from 2 to 72 hours and typically present as an intense, pulsating pain on one side of the head. Symptoms vary wildly between patients, with sufferers experiencing intense symptoms often associated with strokes and seizures.

Migraines typically occur in stages. Long before the pain starts, many sufferers experience neck pain, tension, mood swings, and a general lack of focus. Without intervention, the migraine may progress to the aura stage, and then on to the pain stage, which can last for days.

What is a Migraine with Aura?

Migraines can either be a simple combination of nausea and intense pain, or they can include a series of symptoms characterized as “aura”. Migraines with aura include a series of highly unusual (and often alarming) symptoms, including, but not limited to:

Partial temporary loss of vision (blind spots, fuzziness)

Visual anomalies, like zigzag lines, white spots, and in some cases, colorful lines and spots

Numbness and tingling in the extremities

Dizziness and disorientation

Difficulty with speech and comprehension

Intense nausea and vomiting

Extreme sensitivity to light and sound

Migraines with aura present with a series of interesting neurological electrical patterns that scientists use to study them. Without an MRI they can sometimes be confused with strokes or seizures. The symptoms are intense and often very alarming for the patient. Experiencing a migraine with aura can be terrifying. It can feel like being in a body that isn’t your own.

The Difference Between a Migraine and a Headache

This is where things get a little grey. There is a simple distinction between migraines and headaches, and knowing the difference can help reduce their frequency.

Though tension and sinus headaches can concentrate in a certain part of the body, like the neck, forehead, or sinuses, the pain of a migraine is almost always focused on one side of the head.

The Causes of Migraines

Common migraine triggers:

MSG

Carrageenan

Gluten

Energy drinks, caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants

Artificial dyes, flavors, and sweeteners

Stress

Lack of sleep

Hormonal imbalances

Alcohol

Poor kidney function

Hypertension

Dehydration

Sluggish endocrine system

Leaky gut

Chronic constipation

Hypothyroidism

Conventional migraine treatment and prevention don’t consistently work. Prevention involves expensive daily medication, and the efficacy of these drugs vary wildly. The side effects of these drugs are often intense, and patients are faced with deciding whether the tradeoff is worth it.

Side effects from drugs prescribed to prevent migraines can run the gamut from mild to pervasive and include everything from nausea to memory problems. Some report weight loss, weight gain, nausea, eyesight disturbances, and even numbness and a disturbing loss of motor function. In short, migraine prevention drugs are expensive, and generally not worth the side effects.

Magnesium – The Miracle Mineral

For many people, magnesium is the simple, cheap, and effective home remedy they’ve been looking for.

Magnesium is astounding in its importance in the human body. This mineral is used in more than 300 enzyme systems in the body that regulate everything from protein synthesis to blood pressure. Magnesium is required for bone development and structure and DNA and RNA synthesis. It even plays a crucial role in heart rhythm and muscle contraction.

Magnesium is arguably one of the most crucial minerals to our bodies’ health and well-being, and yet it’s estimated that 80% of Americans suffer from magnesium deficiency. The vast majority doesn’t even know it.

Magnesium deficiency is very common due to the increasingly processed diet so many people in the developed world consume. There’s plenty of magnesium found in nuts and greens but none found in potato chips and bread.

Why Magnesium Can Stop a Migraine in Its Tracks

So what makes magnesium one of the most effective ways to prevent and treat migraines? Though the evidence of users is still largely anecdotal, the consensus seems to be that it’s magnesium’s effect on the nervous system and the role it plays in muscle function that makes it such an effective migraine prevention and treatment.s

Magnesium gets the body’s systems moving. It is frequently used as an anti-inflammatory treatment by athletes and is frequently recommended by physicians for conditions like restless leg syndrome.

Over the decades, only a few studies have been conducted to determine the efficacy of magnesium. Results have varied. Researchers have discovered low levels of magnesium in test subjects as they experience a migraine.

Salome Range, a certified holistic health coach says,

After looking into information about magnesium supplementation for my own health, I also read about how low magnesium levels can be linked to numerous ailments, including migraines and morning sickness. I happen to know many people affected by both and started offering a topical magnesium body butter which was received with high praise.”

Her custom butters take advantage of magnesium’s easy absorption into the skin.

The more and more people who come back to me and tell me it’s been a lifesaver convinces me of the efficiency and importance of magnesium. I have also experienced major relief from chronic pain with regular magnesium supplementation.”

Though more studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and effects of magnesium on sufferers of migraine attacks, regular use and application during a migraine headache have been reported to reduce and even completely stop migraines in their tracks. It’s definitely worth a try.

Using Magnesium for Migraine Prevention

Magnesium is available in several different mineral compositions and forms. As with most vitamins and minerals, the best way to get it into the body is through a healthy, balanced diet. Minerals in foods are usually accompanied by what the body needs to adequately absorb them. If not, other needed nutrients will be available through a wholesome, unprocessed diet.

Ditching the sweets and chips and reaching for salads and sprouted raw mixed nuts are good ways to increase magnesium intake. Greens, legumes, nuts, and seeds are good dietary sources of magnesium. A spinach salad with some garbanzo beans and walnuts makes a nutritious, magnesium-rich lunch.

Chlorophyll, which enables plants to capture solar energy and convert it into metabolic energy, has a magnesium atom at its center. Without magnesium, in fact, plants could not utilize the sun’s light energy. ” – The Need For Balance by Michael Spencer

Some Foods High in Magnesium:

Seaweed, agar, dried (770 mg)

Coriander (dried) (694 mg)

Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened (499 mg)

Flaxseed (392 mg)

Almonds (247mg)

Though choosing the “right” formulation of magnesium can certainly impact how well the body actually absorbs this mineral, studies have shown the greatest factor in mineral absorption varies with individual organ and body chemistry. Kidney function, for example, plays a tremendous role in how well the body stores and distributes magnesium.The body stores and redistributes magnesium as needed via the kidneys, so it makes since for some to supplement when dietary intake cannot provide and maintain adequate magnesium. Most people take magnesium calcite as a supplement for bone health. For migraine prevention, it’s best to just balance the diet and take a plain and simple tablet of magnesium. The amount depends on diet, weight, and lifestyle.

In addition to oral supplementation, topical application of magnesium oil is a fast way to get magnesium into the body. Since magnesium is stored primarily in muscle tissue and bones, the best bet for immediate migraine relief is to rub magnesium directly into the closest available muscle tissue.

Using magnesium oil or a butter on the neck is the most effective way to use magnesium to treat a migraine headache. It can also be rubbed into the scalp and forehead.

Magnesium injections are another alternative that some physicians offer. As regular readers know, OLM does not recommend this method.

Magnesium Supplementation

As a migraine sufferer, my M.O. with magnesium is to kick migraines in the teeth with it long before they become an issue. If you suffer from migraines and you know you’re not a salad munchin’, nut crunchin’ kinda person, start supplementing daily.

Plain old magnesium is the way to go in my opinion. Take it in conjunction with a multivitamin or with an otherwise fairly balanced diet and a nice helping of calcium and vitamin D. If my diet is particularly crappy one week, I double up on my dose, but if I’m doing a good job of eating my vegetables, I may even be bold enough to skip a dose. To each their own.

When it comes to symptoms of an oncoming storm, immediate intervention is needed. I keep magnesium butter on hand that my good friend, Salome, concocted and massage it into the left side of my neck where the trouble usually starts. This always (knock on wood) stops migraines in their tracks.

Magnesium oil is a good way to get magnesium into the body fast. If you’re in a particularly tight spot and feel a migraine coming on fast, start working it into your scalp and even try for your forehead. Though these spots will be less effective, as long as you have adequate circulation, it should still help. Maximize the effect with a plunge into an icy shower to get your blood flow up. On that note, check out Hot and Cold Hydrotherapy.

A hot bath with bath salts detoxifies the body, and it’s a great way to destress. It’s also a great way to absorb lots of magnesium in your body. All natural bath salts contain magnesium and many other minerals, coupled with the benefit of your pores opening in the hot water for maximum absorption into the blood stream. This is not the most bioavailable way to absorb the mineral, but it is a good supplement to a broader supplementation routine, and an enjoyable way to escape a migraine. It also makes since to use oils and baths for those with impaired digestion, which is the case with most who suffer from migraines.