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Author: Sima

Published on Leave a comment on Subtle Brain Changes From Heading Soccer Balls
Soccer ball Credit: Wikipedia

Many studies have discussed the short-term and long-term harm to the brain from both concussions and sub-concussions in athletes playing tackle football. But relatively little has been said about the possibility of similar harm from soccer. A recent study found that heading a soccer ball results in subtle brain changes, even when there isn't a concussion.

The well-done study of 15 adult male soccer players looked whether there are brain changes after a routine "heading" task (heading the ball 20 times in 20 minutes) and after a routine "kicking" task (the tasks were routine soccer exercises). Blood samples and MRIs of the brain were taken after each task, as well as cognitive function assessments.

There were subtle brain changes seen in the MRIs, as well as inflammatory markers present in the blood after the soccer heading task, but not after the kicking task. As the researchers concluded: "non-concussive impacts, specifically those administered in the form of a controlled SHT, can alter select markers of brain function, chemistry and microstructure in male soccer players." Additionally, "heading decreased tissue conductivity in 11 areas of white matter of the brain".

The big question is what does heading of soccer balls, many times over a lifetime, do to the brain? Increased rates of dementia?

Bottom line: Heading soccer balls, even when done as part of soccer practice, causes subtle changes in certain areas of the brain. Be cautious!

From Medical Xpress: Heading soccer balls can cause changes in the brain even without concussion or symptoms

Heading a soccer ball alters the brain, new research spearheaded by the University of Sydney has found, despite having no immediate impact on cognition. ...continue reading "Subtle Brain Changes From Heading Soccer Balls"

Published on Leave a comment on Chemicals of Concern Found In the Bodies of Young Children

Once again, those wondering about the chemicals lurking inside us have bad news. In a long-running study, researchers tested 201 young children (aged 2 to 4 years old) and found that all of them have many dangerous chemicals ("chemicals of concern") in their bodies. Some of the chemicals were in higher levels in the children than in their mothers during pregnancy.

In this study pregnant women from 4 states had their urine analyzed, and later the urine of their children when they were 2 to 4 years old. The testing of blood and urine from a person and looking for certain chemicals is called biomonitoring.

The researchers only looked for  111 chemicals and found that at least 5 children had 96 of them detected in their urine. Over 50% of the children had 48 chemicals detected. Thirty four of the chemicals were detected in over 90% of the children. But keep in mind that they only looked for a limited number of chemicals. Some of the chemicals found are not being monitored in adult biomonitoring. Many chemicals we are routinely exposed to, such as the common pesticide glyphosate (found in many non-organic foods) were not looked at.

One trend the researchers found is that levels of 2,4-D (pesticide used as a herbicide or weed-killer) are trending upwards over time. This is because 2,4-D is commonly used as a weed-killer on lawns (including Feed and Weed) and elsewhere, but it is also used on genetically modified crops.

The 111 chemicals tested for are from the foods and beverages children (and adults) ingest, personal care products (e.g., soap, lotion), the chemicals used in the home (e.g., pesticides, cleaning products) or chemicals outgassing from products used in the home (e.g., from non-stain synthetic rugs, plastic toys, vinyl floors). Children are exposed to the chemicals when they breathe indoor and outdoor air, eat food, touch surfaces or objects - both indoors and outdoors.

Bottom line: Eat as many organic foods as possible (pesticides such as 2,4-D and glyphosate are not allowed in organic food production). Additional tips: Lifestyle tips for avoiding harmful chemicals.

Excerpts from Science Daily: Researchers tested 200 toddlers — 96 chemicals were lurking in their bodies

A national study published in Environmental Science & Technology finds children aged 2 to 4 years in the United States are routinely exposed to a broad range of potentially harmful chemicals. Many of the chemicals the researchers identified are not routinely monitored and may pose health risks. ...continue reading "Chemicals of Concern Found In the Bodies of Young Children"

Published on Leave a comment on Diabetes and Artificial Sweeteners

For years I heard health care providers recommend to persons worried about or with type 2 diabetes to only consume water, unsweetened coffee or tea, or zero calorie artificially sweetened beverages, including soda. Well, it turns out that artificial sweeteners have all sorts of harmful health effects, with different sweeteners (e.g., erythritol) having different effects.

Another recent study found that the consumption of diet drinks and saccharin, a very popular sugar substitute, are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In other words, the sweeteners are linked to the very problem people are trying to avoid.

A little confusingly, the researchers did not find a link to type 2 diabetes when looking specifically at overall artificial sweetener, sucralose, and aspartame intake. But they did with saccharin (the oldest artificial sweetener in use) and overall diet drink consumption.

This study questioned people 3 times over 20 years, with a final follow up at 30 years, so perhaps these results are due to different artificial sweeteners used in drinks over time, and even what they themselves purchased. For example, some people buy saccharin to add to coffee and tea at home.

From Medscape: Diet Drinks, Saccharin Tied to Increased Diabetes Risk

Consuming higher amounts of diet drinks and/or saccharin was associated with an elevated risk of developing diabetes, while total artificial sweetener intake, sucralose, and aspartame showed no significant association, according to an analysis of data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. ...continue reading "Diabetes and Artificial Sweeteners"

Published on Leave a comment on New Database of Vaccine Studies, Their Safety, and Their Effectiveness
Credit: Wikipedia

Well, well, well...It's unbelievable, but we've reached a point in this country where vaccines and their effectiveness have to be defended. To combat disinformation and misinformation, doctors have set up a database of vaccines and all the studies that have studied them - whether they work, how well they work, how they were done, and any adverse effects.

Dr Jake Scott, an infectious disease specialist at Stanford University, and his colleagues created a spreadsheet documenting randomized controlled trials (the best kind or research!) conducted for licensed vaccines. There are over 300 such trials listed in the spreadsheet, some of them conducted as early as the 1950s (e.g., the massive polio Salk Vaccine Field Trial). And the vast majority include the safety data (whether the vaccine is safe).

Dr. Scott points out that the evidence (all those studies!) shows that people claiming that vaccines (including childhood vaccines) have not been tested in randomized trials are "unequivocally, demonstrably, measurably false". Vaccines have been studied over and over. And they work!

Information about the spreadsheet and the randomized controlled studies (RCTs) for each vaccine are discussed in an interview with Dr. Jake Scott. Excerpts from CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy): Vaccine RCT spreadsheet aims to show the data, dispel myths about vaccines

Since late April, an infectious diseases specialist at Stanford University and his colleagues have been volunteering their time on a project they hope will help educate the public, and combat misinformation, about the safety and efficacy vaccines.

The project, led by Jake Scott, MD, is a spreadsheet of all the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have ever been conducted for licensed vaccines. The idea, hatched on the social media site X, was prompted by responses to an old video of current Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in which he claims that none of vaccines mandated for US children has ever been tested in preclinical studies against a placebo. In one of the responses, infectious disease physician Brad Spellberg, MD, suggested a crowd-sourced effort to identify and post all of the RCTs in which vaccines have been tested against a placebo. ...continue reading "New Database of Vaccine Studies, Their Safety, and Their Effectiveness"

Published on Leave a comment on Titanium Dioxide Will No Longer Be Added To Skittles
Nanoparticle form of titanium dioxide Credit: Wikiedia

Titanium dioxide has been a problematic food additive for years. The European Union banned the additive several years ago, while the FDA views titanium dioxide as safe. Recently, the company (Mars) that makes the candy Skittles announced that it was removing the additive from the ingredients.

Well, it took a lawsuit filed in 2022 alleging that Skittles are "unfit for human consumption" (because of the ingredient titanium dioxide) to finally have the manufacturer remove it from the product. Removing titanium dioxide  won't change the taste - it's only used as a "brightener" (makes colors brighter).

In the past decade, a number of studies found that the nanoparticle ((between 1 and 100 nanometers) form of titanium dioxide to have harmful health effects, especially to the gut (intestines) [see post]. This is the form typically used in over 11,000 products in the US, all ultra-processed (many candies, baked goods, gum, frosting, snack foods, etc.)

Bottom line: Read food ingredient lists, and avoid titanium dioxide (if possible).

From Medical Xpress: Skittles removes controversial additive targeted by RFK Jr.

Mars Inc.'s Skittles candies are no longer being made with titanium dioxide, a chemical that whitens foods, brightens colors and makes candy appear shiny, the company confirmed to Bloomberg News. ...continue reading "Titanium Dioxide Will No Longer Be Added To Skittles"

Published on Leave a comment on Health Effects From Titanium Dioxide In Foods
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles Credit: Wikipedia

Titanium dioxide appears in many foods and some medicines (e.g., Allegra), in order to make colors and whites look brighter. In other words, it is an unnecessary food additive, found in a large variety of (ultra-processed) foods, including some candies, gum, frosting, soups, and even macaroni and cheese. It is allowed in the US (in over 11,000 food products!), but banned in Europe due to its harmful health effects.

A number of studies have linked titanium dioxide in its small nanoparticle form (between 1 and 100 nanometers) with a number of health harms, including to the gut (intestines). A recent study found that nanoparticle titanium dioxide has harmful or disruptive effects on the intestinal endocrine (hormone) system, resulting in abnormal blood sugar (glucose) levels, which can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. It also caused intestinal lining changes, reduced levels of gut hormones, and resulted in a drop in enteroendocrine cells

Larger particles of titanium dioxide Credit: Wikipedia

While the study was done in mice, the results are also thought to apply to humans. The study didn't find the same health harms from larger titanium dioxide particles called microparticles (about the size of a fine grain of sand), but only from the nanoparticles. The problem is that nanoparticles are so small that once ingested, they get into cells and tissues throughout the body. However, large particles can be excreted from the body.

Bottom line: Unfortunately, it's the small nanoparticles that are so common in foods that we ingest. Read labels carefully and try to avoid those with titanium dioxide or artificial colors (includes titanium dioxide).

Excerpts from two informative articles: 1) From investigative journalism site US Right to Know: Tiny titanium dioxide particles in food raise blood sugar, disrupt gut hormones in mice, study finds

The study, published this month [May 2025] in Food and Chemical Toxicology, adds to growing concerns over the safety of titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a widely used color additive that is banned in the EU but widely used in the U.S. and elsewhere. It also highlights the food industry’s increasing use of microscopic materials to preserve or enhance foods.  ...continue reading "Health Effects From Titanium Dioxide In Foods"

Published on Leave a comment on Living Near A Golf Course Increases Risk of Parkinson’s Disease

Many people think that living next to a golf course is wonderful, thinking that it's lots of open space. But... it also comes with exposure to all the pesticides used on golf course lawns (pesticides drift through the air to neighboring properties and also get into water). Unfortunately, pesticides can cause health harms, including Parkinson's disease.

A recent study found that the closer a person lives next to a golf course, the higher the incidence of Parkinson's disease. In fact, living within a mile of a golf course is associated with a 126% increased risk for Parkinson's disease. The biggest risk was for individuals living 1 to 3 miles from a golf course.

Additionally, drinking water from groundwater that includes a water source from a golf course was associated with an almost two-fold increased risk for Parkinson's disease (due to drinking water contamination).

While this observational study showed an association with Parkinson's disease, other studies also show that exposure to certain pesticides increases the risk of Parkinson's disease. Some of the pesticides linked to increase risk of Parkinson's disease: 2,4-D, chlorpyrifos, MCPP, maneb, paraquat, and rotenone. (Note that pesticides such as 2,4-D are also commonly found in feed and weed products.)

Another disturbing thing to keep in mind is that American golf courses use greater amounts and more pesticides, including pesticides that are banned in Europe, compared to European golf courses. Just think of weed-free carpet-like lawns as poison lawns.

Excerpts from Medical Xpress: Golf course proximity linked to higher Parkinson's disease risk

Barrow Neurological Institute and Mayo Clinic-led researchers report an association between living near golf courses and increased Parkinson's disease (PD) risk in a study published in JAMA Network Open. ...continue reading "Living Near A Golf Course Increases Risk of Parkinson’s Disease"

Published on Leave a comment on The Sugar Substitute Erythritol And the Brain’s Blood Vessels

Once again artificial sweeteners are in the news, and not in a good way. New research found that the sugar substitute erythritol, at a concentration typically found in an artificially sweetened beverage, has harmful effects on the small blood vessels of the brain.

Erythritol crosses the blood brain barrier and interacts with the brain's cerebrovasculature (the blood vessels in the brain, including the arteries, veins, and capillaries that supply blood and nutrients to the brain tissue). This study focused on the smallest blood vessels (microvascular) in the brain. And yes, found that the amount or erythritol in 1 diet beverage has adverse effects at a cellular level on these blood vessels.

This study was done in a lab setting (and not directly on humans), but research results match up with other studies on erythritol. Other studies already found that erythritol increases the risk of heart attacks, heart disease, strokes, as well as blood clot formation. This study's results give an explanation for why there is a increased risk of these brain vascular (blood vessel) events happening.

Erythritol is found in some beverages advertised as low or zero calorie (e.g., Monster Zero energy drinks, Blue Sky Zero Sugar soda, Red Bull Zero) and in some low calorie foods (e.g., Halo Top low-calorie ice cream). Read ingredient lists on labels!

From Medical Xpress: Major sugar substitute found to impair brain blood vessel cell function, posing potential stroke risk

Erythritol may impair cellular functions essential to maintaining brain blood vessel health, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder. Findings suggest that erythritol increases oxidative stress, disrupts nitric oxide signaling, raises vasoconstrictive peptide production, and diminishes clot-dissolving capacity in human brain microvascular endothelial cells. ...continue reading "The Sugar Substitute Erythritol And the Brain’s Blood Vessels"

Published on Leave a comment on Woman Dies After Using Contaminated Water For Nasal Rinses
Naegleria fowleri Credit: CDC

Saline nasal rinses have become very popular, usually to ease symptoms of nasal congestion during colds, allergies, or sinus infections. It is very important to only use boiled (and cooled), commercially bottled, sterile, or distilled water for nasal rinses to make sure any harmful microbes and organisms in the water are killed. One person in Texas ignored this advice and paid with her life.

The woman used nonboiled water from the RV faucet (in her RV vehicle), which was unfortunately contaminated with the amoeba Naegleria fowleri. This amoeba traveled to her brain and caused primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), also known as Naegleriasis. Which is almost always fatal. In her case, she died within 8 days from the first symptoms.

Authorities were unable to determine if the amoeba was in the RV campsite drinking system or if it was picked up in another site when filling up her RV's water. But, they did point out that drinking water contaminated with Naegleria fowleri does not cause problems. It is only a problem when rinsing contaminated water into the nasal passages and sinuses - the amoeba can then travel to the brain.

As the CDC points out on its web-site (also see page on safe nasal rinsing):

"Germs such as the amebas Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba can grow in public and private water tanks and pipes. They can also grow in the pipes and water heaters in some homes and buildings.

Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba can pose a serious risk to your health if they are in the water you use to rinse your sinuses or nasal passages. If the amebas go up the nose and to the brain, they can cause nearly always fatal brain infections. Although rare, people have died from rinsing their sinuses with tap water containing Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba."

From CIDRAP (The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the Univ. of Minnesota): Woman dies from brain ameba after flushing nose with RV water

A previously healthy 71-year-old woman in Texas died within 2 weeks of using tap water from a recreational vehicle (RV) for nasal irrigation. She was diagnosed as having primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) a rare, often fatal brain infection caused by the ameba Naegleria fowleri, according to a report yesterday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. ...continue reading "Woman Dies After Using Contaminated Water For Nasal Rinses"