Health Matters

Ethanol Induces Hypoglycemia by Boosting Islet Blood Flow and Insulin Output
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/568589?src=mp

By Anthony J. Brown, MD

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jan 10 - Ethanol intake is well known as a potential cause of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients and now new findings from an animal study shed light on the mechanisms involved, according to a report in the January issue of Endocrinology.

The findings show that alcohol produces "a massive redistribution of blood flow within the pancreas," lead author Dr. Ake Sjoholm, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, told Reuters Health.

Using various techniques, Dr. Sjoholm along with Dr. Zhen Huang, also from the Karolinska Institute, showed that pancreatic islet blood flow is increased by about fourfold in rats after an injection of ethanol. Whole pancreatic blood flow, by contrast, was not affected.

"The magnitude of the alcohol effect on islet blood flow surprised us," Dr. Sjoholm said. Ethanol injection also amplified insulin secretion and resulted in hypoglycemia.

Further experiments showed that these effects were prevented by a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and by atropine.

Summing up, the investigators write: "Our findings demonstrate that ethanol acutely exerts substantial influences on pancreatic microcirculation by evoking a massive redistribution of pancreatic blood flow from the exocrine into the endocrine part via mechanisms mediated by nitric oxide and vagal stimuli."

The take-home message for clinicians? "They should advise their diabetic patients (or patients with liver problems) to be very careful with alcohol, especially if they are also treated with hypoglycemic sulfonylureas since these drugs may potentiate the alcohol effect," Dr. Sjoholm emphasized.

Endocrinology 2008;149:232-236.

Science "discovers" old known wisdom
OR why mothers in the olden days gave their children a
teaspoonful of cod liver oil once a week during winter months.

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=469543&fulltextType=RV&fileId=S0950268806007175

Abstract

In 1981, R. Edgar Hope-Simpson proposed that a ‘seasonal stimulus’ intimately associated with solar radiation explained the remarkable seasonality of epidemic influenza. Solar radiation triggers robust seasonal vitamin D production in the skin;
vitamin D deficiency is common in the winter, and activated vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D, a steroid hormone, has profound effects on human immunity.
1,25(OH)2D acts as an immune system modulator, preventing excessive expression of inflammatory cytokines and increasing the ‘oxidative burst’ potential of macrophages.

Perhaps most importantly, it dramatically stimulates the expression of potent anti-microbial peptides, which exist in neutrophils, monocytes, natural killer cells, and in epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract where they play a major role in protecting the lung from infection.
Volunteers inoculated with live attenuated influenza virus are more likely to develop fever and serological evidence of an immune response in the winter.
Vitamin D deficiency predisposes children to respiratory infections.
Ultraviolet radiation (either from artificial sources or from sunlight) reduces the incidence of viral respiratory infections, as does cod liver oil (which contains vitamin D).

An interventional study showed that vitamin D reduces the incidence of respiratory infections in children. We conclude that vitamin D, or lack of it, may be Hope-Simpson's ‘seasonal stimulus’.

(Accepted August 5 2006)

posted by Bob
8th Oct 2006

NB- Only take a teaspoon of cod liver oil once or twice a week.
For small children (under 7) 1/2 teaspoon; less for toddlers.
Over-dosing can be dangerous. Too much Vitamin A can cause death.
I just keep to a dose on weekends, so I can remeber when to take it.
Vitamin D3 can be taken instead, or preferably, as well as, if "higher VitD3" is prescribed by your doc.
If Hyperthyroid use VitD3 or cod liver oil with caution as possibility it may worsen the condition.