Skin biome transplant could revolutionize eczema treatment
Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Diversity is required to create a healthy body politic and a healthy body, inside and out. You’ve heard a lot about the various “good” and “bad” bacteria that make up your gut biome. But you may not know that your skin is also home to a wildly rich and, when healthy, very diverse bacterial soup.
Scientists have discovered that on healthy skin, harmful Staphylococcus aureus is kept in check by its friendlier cousin, Staphylococcus epidermidis. But on folks with eczema (specifically atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema), there is an overgrowth of S. aureus compared to S. epidermidis.
When researchers check the biome in the inner elbow or the back of the knee on folks with AD, they find an imbalance of those microbes. And the less diversity there is the less healthy the skin. But a skin biome transplant may be possible: When gram-negative bacteria is collected from healthy human skin and cultured in the lab, it can be put into a treatment (maybe a cream) that can knock out AD.
This breakthrough in understanding of the skin biome means that there’s good news on the horizon for the 17.8 million Americans with AD. So, stay tuned for the next round of research and, in the meantime, try taking a probiotic capsule (Cul- turelle or Digestive Advantage) regularly. That can add healthful diversity to your skin biome, as well as your gut! And if you have AD, avoid antibacterial soaps and household products that can further upset your skin biome.
Bouncing back from baby blues
Paul Newman had great baby blues; so do Megan Fox and Meg Ryan. But for most women, the baby blues — which peak five days after giving birth, when there’s a 40 percent increase in levels of the brain protein MAO-A — are not a pretty experience.
MAO-A breaks down three neurotransmitters that influence mood: serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Too much MAO, and those brain chemicals become depleted and sadness can overtake you. (For about 13 percent of new moms, the blues segue into postpartum depression.)
Now a Canadian study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has identified what the researchers are calling a “nutritional kit” that, if taken for three days starting the third day after giving birth, seems to turn the baby blues to blue skies. Twenty-one women took the nutritional supplements. None experienced any sign of the baby blues. But the 20 women in the control group who didn’t get the supplements all did to one degree or another.
The kit contains tryptophan and tyrosine, which the researchers say compensate for the loss of mood-regulating brain chemicals, and blueberry extract with blueberry juice, chosen for its antioxidants. (They checked: Concentrations of these in breast milk didn’t increase!)
You know not to try this without talking to your doc first. And do verify that the pills are from reliable suppliers, as trypto- phan and tyrosine supplements have been associated with severe toxicity from the contaminants. But with supervision, this “kit” may make the first couple of weeks with your new baby much more enjoyable.
Question: I hear there’s a clinic in Canada that can medically cure Type 2 diabetes without bariatric surgery. I was diagnosed two years ago. Is this true? — William T., Bozeman, Montana
Answer: It’s almost true. Because Type 2 is a chronic disease, when you have the disease down and out for the count, it’s referred to as being in remission, not cured; the reasoning is, it could come back. That said, a group of researchers from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, achieved a threemonth remission of Type 2 diabetes for 40 percent of the people in one of their trial groups.
The Trial: Eighty-three volunteers with Type 2 diabetes were divided into three groups. For 16 weeks, members of one group received intense, personalized intervention, including an individual exercise routine, a meal plan cutting food intake by 500-750 calories daily and treatment with metformin, acarbose (an oral alpha-glucosidase inhibitor that lowers blood glucose) and insulin glargine. They also saw a nurse and dietitian regularly. The second group received the same treatment for eight weeks. And the third (control) group received standard blood sugar management and health advice.
The Results: At the end of the trial, participants in the two intensive-treatment groups discontinued their medications. In the 16-week intervention group, 11 of 27 participants showed complete or partial diabetes remission three months later. In the eight-week intervention group, six of 28 saw those results. But remember, this is a trial, not an accepted therapeutic approach.
There are solutions, however: Dr. Mike has demonstrated at his Wellness Institute and through online e-coaching programs that regular physical activity, avoiding the Five Food Felons, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight and taking prescribed medications can reverse Type 2 diabetes in over half of participants with early Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. This Canadian study also demonstrates that with hard work, William, you can defeat your diabetes. We hope you’re successful.
Q: I’ve developed agerelated macular degeneration. Are stem cell treatments a viable option? — Gladys G., Miami
A: Stem cell treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are not ready for prime time. In 2014, a small study looked at using pluripotent stem cell therapy for dry AMD and found that it might be viable. The first stem cell clinical trial for wet macular degeneration was launched in 2015. A 2016 study in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science concluded: “stem cell-based therapies for non-neovascular AMD are emerging and several clinical trials are in progress. However, there are major regulatory, safety and technical challenges that remain.”
Why should you be wary? The New England Journal of Medicine reports on three women who received stem cell therapy for AMD at a clinic in Florida. Two of them checked listings of clinical trials on the website www. clinicaltrial.gov. They “enrolled” in the Study to Assess the Safety and Effects of Cells Injected Intravitreal in Dry Macular Degeneration. The sponsor was one of hundreds of unregulated forprofit stem cell-therapy centers in the U.S. The third woman went directly to the company for treatment. Their outcomes were horrifying.
The facility charged each woman $5,000. (Red flag! Legitimate clinical trials never ask for payment!) The company’s staff then injected stem cells made from each woman’s fat cells into her eyes. One woman went completely blind and two are virtually blind.
How do you know if a clinical trial is legit? It should be conducted by a reputable not-for-profit research center or hospital or medical center and be free.
How do you know if a stem cell treatment is legit? Ask centers of medical excellence, like the Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute or The Harkness Eye Institute/CUMC, if they offer such treatments. If they don’t, you shouldn’t get them elsewhere.
Even some stem cell treatment businesses know they’re unreliable. Here’s a disclaimer we found on the internet: “All claims made regarding the efficacy of … treatments … are based solely on anecdotal support collected by (the company).” In other words, no scientific evidence backs up their claims.