Welcome to MindShare Health

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y

Hydroxycut, one of the most popular diet pills on the market is being recalled due to reports of liver damage and other health problems. Hydroxycut accounts for about 90 percent of the market for weight loss supplements, with about 1 million bottles a year being sold.

The FDA announced today that the manufacturer of Hydroxycut just launched a nationwide recall of the dietary supplement. Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients, but dietary supplements are not tightly regulated by the government like medications are, so manufacturers don’t need FDA approval before marketing their products.

FDA Warns Consumers to Stop Using Hydroxycut Products

“The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.”

Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia products are not affected by the recall. Consumers who have any of the products involved in the recall are advised to stop using them and to return them to the place of purchase.

Due to the recession, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and other stress related conditions are on the rise. A New York Times story has some stats and several good personal stories about how the recession is affecting people’s mental health as worry about the economy grows.

Recession Anxiety Seeps Into Everyday Lives

“It is early to measure the recession’s consequences, but surveys suggest a growing impact. In an American Psychological Association poll in September, 80 percent reported the economy’s causing significant stress, up from 66 percent last April. The National Sleep Foundation said 27 percent of people surveyed last fall had sleeplessness because of economic anxiety.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline calls jumped to 50,158 in January 2009 from 39,465 a month in January 2008, and economic stress more frequently “played a central role,” said Richard McKeon, the group’s federal project officer.”

I agree with an anonymous commenter at the Psychology Today blog.

“My prescription for these anxieties… Turn off the news, and go play with your kids, pets, friends, etc. Articles like this add to the chaos. There was very little on how to manage stress in this article. I felt like this article was extremely sensational as is the case with the majority of articles and media reports. The fact that many cases sited were people who were not directly related, they still had a job, they were living in an area that was still doing well, they still had their savings, they had family to rely on, etc., yet they were incapacitated at times due to anxiety, proves my point. The best thing for our mental health right now, would be to turn off the sensationalizing media!!!”

Fear is natural. It is something that everyone deals with and can even be a healthy emotion when warranted. It’s when fear gets out of control and becomes an obsession or when someone suffers excessive fear for no valid reason that it becomes a problem that can turn into a panic or anxiety disorder. For some tips on how to deal with anxiety, read on.

My anxiety manifests as a tightness in my chest. like I have the fight or flight response for no reason. Then I get a scary out of control feeling in my head. What am I afraid of??? Nothing and everything. Chicken little the sky is falling! Doom and gloom! My mind just starts obsessing over every little thing and I become consumed with fear and these racing, repetitive thoughts take over.

So what can you do? If the anxiety is debilitating and affects your daily life - seek professional help. There are a variety of anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants that can help. If you’ve tried anti-depressants and they didn’t work, then possibly an adjunctive medication like Abilify added to an SSRI could help.

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that approximately 1 in every 5 adults suffer with from a fear-related disorder. Here are some quick facts:

· 18.8 million American adults will suffer from depression this year
· 9.1 million American adults have an anxiety disorder
· 5.2 million American adults will experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder this year
· 2.4 million American adults will experience a panic disorder this year

Here are some self-help articles I found about managing fear and anxiety.

• Managing Your Persistent Fears And Anxieties
• Managing Your Fearful And Obsessive Thoughts
• When Your Fears And Depression Have The Best Of You
• Managing Your Fears With The Help Of God
• Managing Your Every Day Stresses And Anxieties
• Finding The Answers In Managing Your Fears And Anxieties
• Alcohol And Substance Abuse Will Not Take Away Your Fears
• When Someone You Know Struggles With Fear And Anxiety
• A Review Of Techniques In Managing Your Depression
• Managing The Fear Of Loneliness
• Fame, Money, And Success Will Not Take Away Your Fears
• Facing The Fear And Anxiety Of The Unknown

Wish you could pop a pill that would give you more energy, boost your mood/overcome depression, improve your memory and help you lose weight - all at the same time? Provigil (Modafinil) sounds like a wonder drug to me and I’d love to try it. Too bad it’s not approved for any of the above uses. Right now it’s only approved for excessive sleepiness associated with treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), or with shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) or narcolepsy.

I wonder if Provigil (Modafinil) will ever be approved as an adjunct to anti-depressant therapy? Some studies have been done showing it can be effective as a mood brightener. Many people suffering from depression also have severe fatigue and can’t get out of bed or enjoy life, so could certainly use an energy boost.

Several studies have been done on Modafinil as an augmentation for antidepressant treatment… but I don’t believe it’s FDA approved for this use yet, so it’s difficult to get insurance to cover it and Provigil is very expensive.

I’m intrigued by the fact that some consider it a smart drug, so I wonder if it could give us boomers a cognitive boost too. See: Is modafinil ( Provigil ) a smart drug ? and A Dose Of Genius - washingtonpost.com

Last but not least, studies on modafinil indicate that it has an appetite reducing/weight loss effect. Sounds like the perfect anti-depressan to me. More energy, weight-loss - instead of gain and mood enhancement all in one med. I’m going to ask my psychiatrist about it.

Misplaced car keys?  Forgetting words? Losing your train of thought?  Whether you call it brain fog, spaciness or flippantly refer to it as a senior moment - it’s irritating and can be debilitating. Regardless of what you call it, feeling like you are literally losing your mind is no fun at all!

Forgetfulness and memory problems increase with age and are associated with older people. However as the article states below, memory and cognitive function peaks at 22 and begins to decline at age 27. 
Old age begins at 27: Scientists reveal new research into aging

Many things can have an effect on brain function and create a sense of spaciness. Stress can feel like it’s literally eating your brain. Illness can affect mental capabilities, for instance brain fog is very common in fibromyalgia sufferers.

One product I’ve tried that seems to help make me feel more mentally alert is Neuro Optimizer by Jarrow. I just ordered a new product called MindRX by Advance Physician Formulas. I’ll let you know if that seems to work any better. One other product I just started taking is Ashwagandha which in studies has been shown to boost cognitive function. Here is some info.

Ashwagandha and brain health

“Ashwagandha is used in India to treat mental deficits in geriatric patients, including amnesia. Researchers from the University of Leipzig in Germany wanted to find out which neurotransmitters were influenced by ashwagandha herb… The researchers say, “The drug-induced increase in acetylcholine receptor capacity might partly explain the cognition-enhancing and memory-improving effects of extracts from ashwagandha observed in animals and humans.”

A study done in 1991 at the Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center indicated that extracts of ashwagandha had GABA-like activity. This may account for this herb’s anti-anxiety effects.

A 2002 laboratory study indicates ashwagandha extract stimulates the growth of axons and dendrites. A 2001 study in rodents showed ashwagandha extract had memory boosting ability. A 2000 study with rodents showed ashwagandha extract to have anti-anxiety and anti-depression effects.”

Depression is prevalent in our society and affects the majority of our population at some point in time. But when it becomes ongoing, persistent and painful - interfering with normal activity - it can be truly debilitating.

Following is the personal story of one person’s fight with depression as told by his psychiatrist. I wanted to share it because it illustrates so well how panic, stress, depression, medication, diet and supplementation can all interact. I like this story too because it ends on a positive note and shares what helped this person get better.

The Anatomy of a Depression: Part I Robert J. Hedaya, M.D., D.F.A.P.A., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry.

“GOAL: The person with depression is in a complex homeostatic state, albeit a disturbed, negative, painful one. The task of the clinician is to develop an understanding of the homeostatic processes (social, biological, etc) involved, and the nodal points that require intervention. The clinician must then intervene at as many of these points as possible, at the same time, to re-establish a new more functional equilibrium…

BEN’S STORY: In June of 1985, Benjamin sat in the corner seat of my waiting room, feeling distraught and humiliated. Recently released after three weeks on “the psych ward” at McLean Hospital, this rejection-sensitive young man was still highly anxious, experiencing panic, hopelessness and suicidal ideation. His pain was poorly disguised by a thin veneer of quick humor.”

Read the rest of Part one, then read The Anatomy of a Depression: Part II

Depression Symptoms and Treatment Resources

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes symptoms, causes, and treatments, with information on getting help and coping.

Depression Causes, Treatment, Symptoms at Medicinenet

Fibromyalgia sufferers know that depression usually goes hand in hand with the pain and suffering of the condition. Here is some information about new studies that show the effectiveness of certain antidepressants on fibromyalgia symptoms.

Antidepressants vs. Fibromyalgia

“Researchers examined 18 studies involving 1,427 fibromyalgia patients taking different classes of antidepressants, including low doses of tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants (TCAs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

The researchers used a standardized model to assess the effectiveness of the medications on common fibromyalgia symptoms, including pain, sleeplessness, fatigue, and depressed mood.

Among the major findings: More…

If a diet supplement sounds too good to be true, it probably is… and could even be dangerous to your health. If you need help losing those extra Holiday pounds, be careful what you take. The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning for almost 30 weight-loss products that contain unlisted and possibly dangerous ingredients, including high doses of a powerful anti-obesity drug, as well as a suspected carcinogen. Most of the diet pills appear to be coming from China. They are mainly sold over the Internet.

The dangerous diet supplements include: Fatloss Slimming, 2 Day Diet, 3x Slimming Power, 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming, 3 Day Diet Japan Lingzhi, 24 Hours Diet, 7 Diet Day/Night Formula, 7 Day Herbal Slim, 8 Factor Diet, 999 Fitness Essence, Extrim Plus GMP, Imelda Perfect Slim, Lida DaiDaihua, Miaozi Slim Capsules, Perfect Slim, Perfect Slim 5x, Phyto Shape, ProSlim Plus, Royal Slimming Formula, Slim 3 in 1, Slim Express 360, Slimtech, Somotrin, Superslim, TripleSlim, Zhen de Shou, Venom Hyperdrive 3.0

FDA warns against some diet pills sold on the Web

“Nearly all of the pills contain sibutramine, a powerful appetite suppressant that’s a chemical cousin of amphetamines. It can cause heart attacks, strokes and heart palpitations, especially in people with a history of high blood pressure or heart problems… FDA testing found that some of the diet pills contain nearly three times the recommended daily dose.

Several of the pills contain phenolphthalein, a chemical long used as a laxative, but which is now being withdrawn from the market because of cancer risks.

None of the supplements lists the dangerous ingredients on the label.”

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Pain is my friend. He’s with me almost all the time…  He’s so familiar, he’s almost part of me.

I figure why fight pain? So I try to make it a good thing. Acceptance is good right? Maybe it will make the pain easier to deal with.

Sometimes when pain leaves me it feels odd, like an important part of me is missing. Often, I even miss him when he’s gone. Because feeling pain is better than feeling nothing at all.

OK sorry, now I’m being depressing. Knock it off!!!

Back on a more positive note, I do think trying to make friends with your pain is better than fighting it.

It’s like that irritating relative you can’t stand to be in the same room with, but you have to be because it’s Christmas so you have to be nice. If you can get to a place of tolerance, let their rude comments just roll off your back instead of fighting them, it’s easier. Less friction. Acceptance is good right? Maybe it will make the jerk easier to deal with.

So that’s the lesson for today. Accept your pain. Make it your friend. Don’t fight it!

Sugar is addictive? Well I could have told you that and I’m not even a Princeton scientist! I definitely have a problem with sugar but it’s the opposite of most people. Instead of making me hyper it crashes me out.  I feel like I’m allergic to it, yet I crave it. Very much like some people describe their addiction to alcohol.  In fact sugar binges have replaced alcohol binging in many recovered alcoholics.

When I have a sugar binge I get a bit of a high and can feel my brain chemistry change. According to the research below, I guess it’s the dopamine. Dopamine is a “feel good” brain chemical and is even behind compulsions like gambling, smoking and binge eating. If you ever feel like you ‘NEED’ another fix… of ANYTHING, dopamine is probably at work, training you like Pavlov’s dog that you need more.

Are you a sugar addict too???

Bart Hoebel and researchers in the department of psychology and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute did research that suggests or maybe even proves that sugar is an addictive substance and it affects rats similarly to how drugs and alcohol impact humans.

Sugar addiction in rats may shed light on human behavior

“In certain models, sugar-bingeing causes long-lasting effects in the brain and increases the inclination to take other drugs of abuse, such as alcohol,” Hoebel explained in a University statement. He said that the behavioral study was carried out in addition to a neuroscientific approach, in which he and his team observed the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in reward motivation. Repeated release of dopamine, which precipitates a rewiring of the rats’ brain, is believed to cause addiction.”