Bariatric Surgery Centers in the U.S.Written by Eddie Tobey
According to American College of Surgeons, most severely obese patients fail to maintain a normal, healthy weight without non-surgical means. Because surgery holds key to success for so many obese Americans, it is helpful to learn about prominent bariatric surgery centers. Many hospitals and medical centers now have bariatric surgery centers onsite. These centers do more than just perform surgeries; many offer a multidisciplinary approach, including expertise of surgeons, psychologists, registered dietitians, physical therapists, exercise physiologist, meditation specialists, and others. Some centers will also communicate with patient’s insurance company for pre-approval and appeal process. Most provide ongoing medical check-ups to monitor patient health and weight-loss post-operatively. On occasion, bariatric surgical centers will partner with others to form a cooperative, essentially doubling services they can provide and number of patients they can assist. Many also contract with contract with financial institutions to offer financial assistance to patients who do not have insurance but who still want bariatric surgery.
| | Is Vitamin E Lethal?Written by Dr. Randy Wysong
Recently news carried story that a researcher had discovered that taking vitamin E at a level of 400IU or more increases risk of death. (Jan 2005, Annals of Internal Medicine) I was immediately suspicious because I have studied scientific literature on vitamin E for over two decades and have come to exact opposite conclusion. Hundreds of studies have shown beneficial effects of vitamin E on numerous modern diseases including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, claudication, arthritis, fibrocystic breast disease, epilepsy, infertility, intelligence…you name it. This evidence comes from carefully controlled clinical trials and meta-nalyses and is published in peer-reviewed publications. So what gives with this new “scoop?” Why di it receive headlines while all other studies aren’t? Actually this new information is not new at all. The researcher merely investigated mortality statistics from existing studies and came to a conclusion that people should not take 400IUs of vitamin E (exactly what I have been taking for years and recommending to others) or they may die. In effect he wrote an editorial on other people’s work. That is not science. Although writer conceded his conclusions may only apply to those who are already seriously ill and not to healthy people, that is only balance given in article. He examined 19 different vitamin E studies performed by others including almost 140,000 people. Surely it would seem statistical meaning would emerge out of that. But as science (and life) always goes, truth is in details…details too often left out. For example in one of 19 studies, large doses of zinc were also given and this can create a copper deficiency which can lead to heart and other diseases. Although a copper supplement was given, it was in form of cupric oxide, which is poorly absorbed in gut. In another of studies group being given vitamin E were much sicker to begin with, including larger numbers of smokers and higher numbers of those with coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. Of course there will be greater mortality in such a group, but it would have nothing to do with vitamin E they were taking. Another study was skewed by fact that participants were also taking a synthetic form of beta-carotene, which has been linked to increased lung cancer and liver damage. You can’t give vitamin E and synthetic beta-carotene to a group and blame mortality on vitamin E! Finally, not one of studies used natural form of vitamin E. Vitamin E is a mixture of tocopherols: alpha, beta, gamma and delta. But only alpha- tocopheral was used. Not only that, but synthetic isomeric form, D, L-alpha tocopherol was used in many of studies. Natural vitamin E exists in only D isomeric form. The synthetic L form is not produced in nature and may even interfere with benefits of natural D form.
|