Antioxidants in health and disease.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous studies have been published about the probable causes of age-related macular degeneration, arresting or preventing the disease continues to be an elusive goal. METHODS: The professional literature is reviewed to provide an overview of the relationship of the antioxidants to disorders such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, cataracts and macular degeneration. RESULTS: Diseases associated with aging appear to have a common denominator: oxidative damage. Antioxidants have been extensively studied to determine if they can prevent or successfully treat these diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Larger-than-recommended amounts of antioxidants need to be used earlier in life, for longer periods of time, to determine their effectiveness in arresting or preventing diseases of aging.

Mercury excretion and intravenous ascorbic acid.

We tested the hypothesis that intravenous ascorbic acid increases urinary excretion of mercury in subjects with low mercury levels from dental amalgam, food, and other sources. From 89 adult volunteers we selected 28 subjects with the highest mercury excretions (2 to 14 micrograms/24 h). We administered intravenous infusions of 500 ml lactated Ringer's solution with and without addition of 750 mg of ascorbic acid/kg body weight, up to 60 g ascorbic acid. Average mercury excretion during the 24 h after infusion of ascorbic acid was 4.0 +/- 0.5 micrograms (mean +/- SEM), which was not significantly more than after infusion of Ringer's solution alone (3.7 +/- 0.5 micrograms). Lead excretion was similarly unaffected. If ascorbic acid administered intravenously benefits some persons with suspected adverse reactions to mercury, the benefit in subjects similar to ours appears unrelated to short-term enhanced excretion of mercury or lead.

Macular degeneration: how big is the problem?

Almost every report on macular degeneration begins with a somber reminder that macular degeneration is the single most common cause of blindness in the elderly in the United States and Europe. Almost every report also confirms that there is no known successful approach to slowing, stopping, reversing, or preventing this syndrome. In the light of these devastating statements, it is difficult to explain the paucity of information about the disease process in general and its epidemiologic implications in particular. What little is known deals with prevalence rates; no figures are available regarding the incidence. Additionally, almost without exception, the prevalence numbers are based on the assumption that macular degeneration is a binomial (black and white) problem. However, macular degeneration, like all chronic diseases, exists in a potentially infinite number of shades of gray. Hence, when viewed as an achromatic continuum, macular degeneration is more prevalent than generally believed. Recognizing this disorder earlier invites the greater possibility of a cure or primary prevention.

The nature/nurture controversy: spouse-likeness revisited.

Within the past twelve months two distinguished scientific journals have once again raised the issue of nature versus nurture in health and sickness. The conclusion continues to be simply that both genetics and environment play a role. The issue still to be resolved is the relative contributions of nature and nurture. The model which most contributes to the answer is the very one least employed, namely spouse-likeness. This is a review of the approximately 100 most recent articles. It is evident that, within the limits of these observations, environment may play a more dominant role than generally considered.

A different methodologic approach to "ideal weight": a study of the ponderal index (PI).

It is clear from the literature that practically all of the evidence for "desirable" weight has been derived from mortality and morbidity studies. As far as we can determine this is the only attempt to establish "ideal" weight in terms of health rather than some measure of disease. There are two notable findings. First, "ideal" weight as judged by the ponderal index probably exists in a narrow range. Second, "ideal" weight as judged by this height: weight ratio is different in the sexes.

The relationship of subtle differences in fasting serum triglycerides with subtle differences in the electrocardiogram: a study of the PR interval.

The nonmedical community has long recognized the well-observed fact that both medical and nonmedical matters can be expressed in gradations. Witness the continuum from hot to cold, from mad to glad, from fat to thin as but a few simple confirmations. In contrast, the medical establishment, by act if not by word, still struggles to establish absolutes. This is well-exemplified by such diagnoses as diabetes mellitus or no diabetes mellitus even though common sense would suggest that there must be degrees of this metabolic problem (possibly 21 or 32 percent diabetes mellitus). This report underlines the presence and importance of degrees of lipid metabolism versus degrees of electrocardiopathy. Additionally, this experiment suggest that such relationships become more meaningful as one focuses onto the subtleties of such a relationship.

Differences in human serum copper and zinc levels in healthy and patient populations.

This report is designed to re-examine the use of our presently accepted normal laboratory levels for human serum zinc and copper and to suggest a technique, previously unreported in the literature, to more precisely understand the relationship of serum zinc and copper in health and disease. Data from a patient population of 95 and a healthy population of 115 who met certain criteria are compared.