The Fitness Guru

Were you aware that the FDA doesn’t regulate sunscreens. I wasn’t. I was under the misguided assumption that, when shopping for a way to protect myself from the sun’s damaging rays, there was some regulation of protection claims. But now I find that there is no regulation. Go figure.

It gets better.

As we go into the Memorial Day weekend and millions will be hitting the beaches and backyards all over this country, The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released it Sunscreen Safety Guide. They studied 500 different beach and sport sunscreens and the results were staggering: of the 500 tested, only 39 were recommended. The rest failed due to “a surge in exaggerated SPF claims above 50″ and questions regarding active ingredients.

First, the SPF. Though sunscreen does help prevent sunburn, according to the FDA there is no proof that it helps to prevent skin cancer and premature aging. A product labeled SPF 15 blocks about 93 percent of the sun’s UVB rays; an SPF 50 protects against about 98 percent. Consequently, because 100% blockage is impossible (unless you stay indoors) SPFs higher than 50 are somewhat pointless, according to Dr. Henry Lim, chairman of the department of dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. The question is also how effectively sunscreens block UVA rays, the ultraviolet radiation that causes cell damage and contributes to skin cancer. The Environmental Working Group reported it found that one popular children’s sunscreen marketed as SPF 100 had a UVA protection factor of 9, which is relatively low.

Then come the other ingredients. Some sunscreens contain Vitamin A, which the EWG recommends avoiding. Seems Vitamin A can an enhance the rate of UV-induced skin tumor formation in lab mice. Big oops. One ingredient to look out for is Retinyl Palmitate, a Vitamin A derivative. Another ingredient is oxybenzone, an FDA-approved ingredient which boosts UVA protection BUT may have an estrogenic effect and is absorbed into the bloodstream. The jury is still out on this one.

So what is the FDA doing about this? There are conspiracy theorists who say that the FDA has known for some time about the problems with Vitamin A and done nothing. Under the FDA’s proposed guidelines, sunscreens would carry a four star rating system to show how effective each one is against UVA rays. Also, the term “waterproof” would be prohibited, replaced with water-resistant and suggestions would be added for how often the sunscreen should be reapplied.

The FDA’s timetable? Well……here there seems to be some hesitation. They hope to have all their new regulations in place by October or November of this year but…..well……you know they are working as hard as they can…….

And once the regulations are in place, the sunscreen companies have a full year to comply……so……nothing is really going to change until well into 2012.

Here’s to protecting the well being of the People.

I just go back about a year to the FDA vs. Zicam. Quick refresher: about 340 users of the nasal inhaler complained of a loss of smell after using the cold product. I feel bad for those 340 people, but still, a relatively low percentage of people who used the product (I was a HUGE fan). The FDA issued a warning and impressed on Zicam’s parent company that they could not market the product without FDA approval. Consequently, Zicam was pulled from the shelves. Here we have a situation where less than 10% of the products on the market may be as effective as advertised and, worse yet, may be leading to long term health problems down the road, and the best the FDA can do is ponder resolution for a few years? That doesn’t seem right, does it?

Conspiracy theorists, feel free to comment here…….

More info on the recent FDA recall of certain products that contain HVP, a flavor enhancing additive linked to a 40-state wide Salmonella outbreak. Apparently, the company that was processing the tainted additive continued shipping the product and it has been linked to certain flavors of Pringles. Oh, and salami……

Check out this video. The info is a bit more of the same, but the phrase “salami outbreak” has never been used with such seriousness.

This is Sal. Sal Monella.

The FDA has ordered a widespread recall of some processed foods. The reason? An additive called hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) that has been linked to salmonella bacteria. HVP is a “flavor enhancer” (for those of you loving McNuggets, its stuff like this that makes you luv ‘em). HVP is added to…..well……thousands of foods, from chili to dressings to snack foods.

The recall is specific to HVP from one plant, Basic Food Flavors Inc. in Las Vegas, and the scale of the recall is unknown as of now. The FDA investigated the plant after one complaint of salmonella contamination from one of the plant’s clients.

Though many products containing HVP contain a “kill step” in manufacturing that is designed to eliminate salmonella, the FDA still wants to remove products from the market that might be eaten without the processing or cooking that would kill the bacteria.

Ummmmm……..have a nice weekend.

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Dr. Matt believes its all the Tylenol. Dr. Matt is one of my favorite doctors (and those of you who know how I feel about the medical community know that is quite a statement). He’s one of my favorites, not only because he is just an all around great guy, but because he takes his work VERY seriously. He believes in the responsibility that he has taken on and the care that he needs to give every single patient. He is also incredibly well read and well studied when it comes to his professional work. The last time we got into a discussion like this, he felt that The Swine Flu Pandemic of 2009 was incredibly overblown, causing far more panic than Pandemic. He thinks that Tylenol is doing a number on our livers.

The FDA has been very busy lately.  A few weeks ago they issued a warning against Hydroxycut. Then they issued a warning against Zycam. Now they are issuing warnings, and may well pull from the market, products like Tylenol with Codeine, citing Codeine’s negative impact on the liver. Dr. Matt believes that it is the Tylenol and not the Codeine that is doing a number on our livers. The FDA, one of the most corrupt Agencies at work today according to Dr. Matt, simply won’t put the kabash on Tylenol because there is too much money involved. Dr. Matt is not the Informer, ready to bring down the entire over-the-counter pharmacuetical industry. Its simply his opinion– based on years of study and an equal number of years working in the field. Take it for what you will.

Here’s what I take it for: we think we are so damn clever and, in the midst of outsmarting everyone and everything, we have created what will be known as the great Millenial Paradox. We have spent the past century and a half trying to pull a fast one on Mother Nature: harnessing the power of petroleum and coal; conquering forests and jungles in favor of the urban landscape; and manipulating the world around us to better serve our “greater good.” The result, whether you believe it or not, has been the slow, steady shift of our climate. (Author’s note: honestly, if you don’t believe in climate change, come and spend next June in NYC. That’ll change your mind). We have also caused the extinction of an untold number of species. Extinction. That word means “extinguished”. Those species will never be seen again. Ever. Done.

The past few years have brought a great deal of focus to the new global condition, a Green Revolution, in the hopes that we can save the planet. But while trying to save the planet, who is going to save us? On a day-to-day basis, in one of the largest cities in the world, I watch people try to pull a fast one: drugs and drink and food and sleeplessness. We are wreaking havoc on our inner climates. You want to lose weight? Someone has a pill and a bar. You want to sleep? Someone has a pill and a drink. Something is wrong with your cholesterol (because of what you have been eating and drinking)? Someone has a pill and a song. On and on and on. The problems arise and we compound the problem with more problems. Sure, people need pain relief, and thank god we have drugs for that. But the use of these medicines has become casual and commonplace. We should have the good sense to back off and not simply wait for some agency, any agency, to dictate how we behave.

I have heard my eco-friendly friends say “Save the Planet. It’s the only one we’ve got!” True enough. But how are we going to save the Polar Bears if we are simply killing off ourselves? Oh! Wait a sec!! Just answered my own question.

When last we left the FDA, they were issuing a warning against a popular weight loss supplement, Hydroxycut. The warning was issued after 23 people had reported severe adverse reaction to the supplement, including one person who needed a liver transplant. Other issues included heart problems and muscle damage that could lead to kidney failure. All very serious stuff….but in 23 people– out of how many consumers that had purchased the product? And no mention of whether these people had taken the suggested dosage of the supplement (believe it or not, when people hear that something can help you lose weight, they tend to take more than they should. True.)

I have never been a big fan of weight loss supplements. I believe people take them in an effort to get the results without changing their behavior. In that sense, they are a crutch. As a nation, we are a mess in terms of weight management. And the supplements offer a false hope of change. It’s no wonder that people develop problems: some folks are probably popping the pills like Tic-Tacs (Editor’s Note: as of this writing, there is no existing FDA warning against Tic-Tacs.)

But now the FDA has issued a warning against Zicam. For those of you who don’t know, Zicam is a Zinc based nasal spray that works as a cold remedy. The warning suggests that Zicam can destroy one’s sense of smell. In 2006, Matrixx, Zicam’s parent company, paid out $12 million to 340 people who claimed their senses of smell had been damaged or destroyed.

I live by Zicam in the winter. The first sign of sniffles, I run to the drug store and stock up. I have never had any problems and I have found it effective. But what do I do now that I know my sense of smell is in danger? Do I continue taking the product? For heavy people, does the possibility of liver or kidney problems stop them from taking Hydroxycut? What do we do? Who do we listen to?