Hip Fracture - Extended Physical Therapy is Better than Home Exercise

Hip fractures are common in the elderly, and despite standard rehabilitation, many patients cannot walk or function as well as they could before the fracture. In a study of 90 men and women 65 years of age or older who had a hip fracture no more than 16 weeks prior and had completed standard physical therapy a comparison of low-intensity home exercise was compared to extended rehabilitation for 6 months that included progressive resistance training exercise (weight training - increasing from low weights to somewhat higher weights). The extended physical therapy was much more beneficial than home exercise. Physical therapy significantly improved walking speed and balance, muscle strength and perceived health. It improved physical function and quality of life and reduced disability compared to the home exercise. The study is published in the August 18th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph.

It would be helpful for patients who are recovering from hip surgery to supplement with a high quality Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder. A good Multiple-Vitamin, Mineral would be beneficial, since you need a cross section of both vitamins and minerals for the healing process. Omega-3 Fatty Acids particularly from Perna Canaliculus would also be extremely beneficial.

Wine and Resveratrol - Mechanisms of Cancer Prevention

There is evidence that red wine consumption decreases the risk of cancer at several sites, including cancer of the upper digestive tract, lung, colon, basal cell carcinoma (a skin cancer), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The presence of Resveratrol, a polyphenol specifically present in red wine, may contribute to these cancer preventive effects. Resveratrol in fact inhibits the metabolic activation of carcinogens (the turning on of cancer causing substances by pathways in our body), has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, decreases cell proliferation (the uncontrolled multiplication of abnormal cells), and induces apoptosis (Resveratrol causes programmed cell death of cancer cells - an unfortunate characteristic of cancer cells is that they become immortal and fail to die when signaled to do so by the body). The study is published in the October 2003 issue of the European Journal of Cancer Prevention.

Retinopathy Caused by Medication

The retina is critical for vision and damage to the blood vessels in the retina leads to vision loss. Several drugs have been associated with rare but serious retinopathies, sometimes resulting in blindness. Researchers reviewed available data for drugs that have caused retinal damage - they all seem to cause oxidative stress in the retina (oxidative stress is what we take antioxidants to prevent). These drugs include indomethacin (an anti-inflammatory drug), tamoxifen (a drug used for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer), thioridazine (a drug used for schizophrenia), and chloroquine (a drug used for malaria prevention). The study is published in the current issue of the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Commentary by Jerry Hickey, R.Ph.

This study demonstrates how important antioxidants that protect the retina and macula truly are.