Chemicals used in food packaging that can lower antibody responses in humans will be phased out starting in 2021. JAMA reported on the FDA announcement that several manufacturing companies have agreed to a voluntary phase-out per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are used to keep fats from soaking into paper and cardboard food packaging.1 These chemicals are immunotoxic to humans and animals, harming the immune system directly.2 Their effects range from a mild reduction in antibody response levels (measured from…

COVID-19 April 6, 2020 Update On April 2nd, the number of COVID-19 cases reached 1 million worldwide. The US currently has over 300,000 reported cases, more than any other country in the world. Amid the uncertainty around the pandemic, the US is also learning so much more about the novel coronavirus. Epidemiologists and infectious disease experts recently published what they had learned based on existing data in JAMA Viewpoint. Below are some of the highlights.1 How does SARS-CoV-2 spread? The…

COVID-19 April 2, 2020 Update Currently, the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection heavily relies on RT-PCR-based viral RNA detection method. Although the test has high sensitivity (i.e., true positive rate), there are challenges with the test that may cause delay of a confirmed diagnosis, thereby impacting timing of treatment and ability to control further spread of the virus. Here are some variables: Test sample collected at different stage of infection: The viral RNA test has high sensitivity in the early stage…

COVID-19 March 31, 2020 Update Keeping the immune system healthy is on most people’s minds during the current COVID-19 pandemic. According to epidemiological data, smoking increases susceptibility and severity of flu caused by the influenza virus.1 And experimental data have shown that cigarette smoke directly inhibits epithelial antiviral pathways and increases replication of influenza virus.2 There are also data showing higher mortality among smokers in the 2012 outbreak caused by a coronavirus known as MERS-CoV.3 However, as SARS-CoV-2 is a…

COVID-19 March 30, 2020 Update Most of us are exercising physical distancing, avoiding running unnecessary errands, and other control measures in order to minimize person-to-person transmission of COVID-19. The goal is to “flatten the curve,” to delay the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, thereby reducing the surge of illnesses in a very short time and allowing the healthcare system to breathe, to accommodate, to provide proper patient care. However, how long can (or should) schools remain closed, businesses shut,…

(Coronavirus) COVID-19 March 27, 2020 Update Two Research Letters published online March 26th in the JAMA described 3 cases of possible vertical transmission.1,2 In the first report,1 an infant girl was delivered by cesarean in a negative-pressure isolation room. She had no symptoms and was immediately quarantined. The mother with COVID-19 wore an N95 mask and did not hold the infant. Test results 2 hours after birth showed higher IgM antibody level. Because IgM antibodies do not usually appear until…

COVID-19 March 25, 2020 Update According to the first published article analyzing currently available cases in China, the overall finding is: children at ALL ages were susceptible to COVID-19, but their clinical symptoms were generally less severe compared to adult patients.1 Between January 16 and February 8, 2020, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 2,143 cases with COVID-19 who were under the age of 18. Researchers from Shanghai Children’s Medical Center (Shanghai, China) proceeded to analyze the characteristics…

by Lewis Chang, PhD and Noelle Patno, PhD New research continues to demonstrate that the benefits of probiotics are strain-specific,1 and their effects go beyond supporting digestive health. A recent example is the strain Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis 420 (B420), which was previously shown in a 6-month randomized clinical trial to support weight management in adults affected by overweight or obesity.2 Recently, new data analysis from that study found other potentially beneficial metabolic benefits associated with B420.3 The original trial…

by Bianca Garilli, ND, USMC Veteran Energy drinks have become a common sight in today’s fast-paced, “get the job done” world. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), next to multivitamins, energy drinks are currently the most popular dietary supplement consumed by American teens and young adults.1 These drinks are marketed as a means to improve energy, stamina, athletic performance, and concentration, as well as reducing fatigue.1-3 Energy drinks are sometime considered “functional beverages” while also falling…

by Lewis Chang, PhD and Annalouise O’Connor, PhD, RD High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is best known for its ability to carry cholesterol from the blood to the liver for elimination. HDL also facilitates other cardioprotective effects in the body through anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and antithrombotic actions.1,2 However, for HDL to have these benefits, it needs to be functional. Loss of HDL function, or worse, gain of HDL dysfunction can negatively impact cardiometabolic health.3 In addition to cholesterol, HDL can accumulate other molecules,…