Arsenic
Folic Acid :: Folic Acid Lowers Blood Arsenic Levels in Bangladesh
A new study conducted in Bangladesh finds that folic acid supplements can dramatically lower blood arsenic levels in individuals chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. Arsenic is a toxic element that is naturally present in some soils and water. Arsenic-contaminated drinking water is currently a significant public health problem in at least 70 countries, including several developing countries and also parts of the United States.
Folic Acid :: Folic acid lowers blood arsenic levels
A new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health finds that folic acid supplements can dramatically lower blood arsenic levels in individuals exposed to arsenic through contaminated drinking water. This toxic element, naturally present in some aquifers used for drinking, is currently a significant public health problem in at least 70 countries, including several developing countries and also parts of the U.S.
Breastfeeding :: Calabash chalk may pose health risk for pregnant and breastfeeding women
Health Canada is advising Canadians, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women, not to use Calabash chalk because of the potential health risk due to high levels of lead.
Food :: Toxic food trend continues to worry US public
In the past year there have been several high profile recalls of toxic foods, from spinach to canned green beans, pet food to chili. A new book “Death in the Pot” (Prometheus Books, $24) traces the history of food poisoning and how it affects us all. Author and internationally renowned food expert Morton Satin documents several culinary mishaps and misdeeds in an engrossing narrative that spans from the ancient world to present day.
Ginkgo Biloba :: Better study of ginkgo biloba now possible with new materials
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued a suite of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for ginkgo biloba, one of the most popular dietary supplements in the marketplace, with annual worldwide sales estimated at $1 billion.
Lung Cancer :: Lung and bladder cancer deaths continue decades after arsenic exposure
Arsenic exposure appears to continue causing lung and bladder cancer deaths years after exposure ends, according to a study published online June 12 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Leukemia :: Research shows survival benefit for leukemia patients treated with arsenic trioxide
Through participation in a government-sponsored multi-year study, researchers at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest University have helped confirm that arsenic trioxide — marketed as Trisenox — significantly improves patient survival when coupled with standard chemotherapy treatment in newly diagnosed patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia, or APL.
Nutrition :: More nutritious, less toxic
Research led by Dartmouth scientists found that animals fed nutritious, high-quality food end up with much lower concentrations of toxic methylmercury in their tissues.
Chicken :: Arsenic in chicken feed may pose health risks to humans
Pets may not be the only organisms endangered by some food additives. An arsenic-based additive used in chicken feed may pose health risks to humans who eat meat from chickens that are raised on the feed, according to an article in the April 9 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society. Arsenic has been linked to cancer and other illnesses, the article notes.