DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Thursday, February 27, 2014 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

“It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Mental Attitude: Not All Helmets Created Equal for Concussion Risk. A football player's concussion risk may depend on the type of helmet he or she wears. For example, researchers at Virginia Tech analyzed data on two common helmet models (the Riddell Revolution Speed and the Riddell VSR4) used over a five-year period. During this span, sensors in the helmets recorded over one million head impacts. The Riddell Revolution Speed helmet provided wearers with a 54% lower concussion risk compared with the still widely used VSR4 model (38% of NFL players used it as recently as 2011). According to Dr. Stefan Duma, "The most effective strategies [for reducing concussion risk] are altering league rules and teaching players better techniques. These strategies focus on reducing the number of head impacts that players experience… However, head impacts in football will always occur, even with the best rules and technique. This is where improving helmet design to best reduce concussion risk becomes critical. Our data clearly demonstrate that this is possible." Virginia Tech, January 2014

Health Alert: Testosterone Therapy Increases Heart Attack Risk in Men Under Age 65. A new study points to a two-fold increase in heart attack risk in men under age 65 shortly after beginning testosterone therapy. The study's senior author, Dr. Sander Greenland, explains, "The extensive and rapidly increasing use of testosterone treatment and the evidence of risk of heart attack underscore the urgency of further large studies of the risks and the benefits of this treatment. Patients and their physicians should discuss the risk of heart attacks when considering testosterone therapy." PLOS ONE, January 2014

Diet: Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Increased with Higher Added Sugar Intake. People who consume more than 21% of daily calories from added sugar have double the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality compared with people who consume less than 10% of their daily calories from added sugar. The risk almost triples for those who consume 25% of their daily calories from added sugar. The study authors write, "Our findings indicate that most [American] adults consume more added sugar than is recommended for a healthy diet. A higher percentage of calories from added sugar is associated with significantly increased risk of CVD mortality. In addition, regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with elevated CVD mortality."  JAMA Internal Medicine, February 2014

Exercise: Vitamins C and E Supplements May Affect Endurance Training. A recent study suggests that athletes should stay away from vitamins C and E as these supplements may hinder endurance training. The study involved participants who were randomly selected to receive 1000mg of vitamin C and 235mg of vitamin E or a placebo pill daily for 11 weeks. The results revealed that markers for the production of new muscle mitochondria only increased in those who received the placebo pill.  Journal of Physiology, February 2014

Chiropractic: Use of Chiropractic Care. According to research published in 2005, approximately one in every 13.5 adults in the United States utilized chiropractic care in 2002. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine, January 2005

Wellness/Prevention: Obese Kindergarteners at Higher Risk of Obesity in Early Adolescence. A new report finds that children who are overweight or obese by age five are four times more likely to be obese when they reach middle school. The authors of the report suggest focusing on obesity prevention in young children since obesity is a risk factor for many health conditions later in life such as diabetes, stroke, coronary heart disease, and some cancers. New England Journal of Medicine, January 2014

For More Information on Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Whiplash, and To Sign Up For Our Daily Health Update Emails, Go To:www.DrJeffAllynBlog.com or our website at:www.berkleychiropracticclinic.com 

(This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.)