article on hormone magnifers

[Guest guest]

Came across this from another group. Not that many of us use HRT but

it sure adds fuel to the fire not to ever. I bet most of us would

show ethylene glycol in our systems. I know I would from old lab

tech days.

Anyone know if if these chemicals leave the body over time?

Lynn

Researchers Warn About Hormone Magnifiers

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20040419/D8223TG00.html

Apr 19, 5:03 PM (ET)

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID

WASHINGTON (AP) - Women considering hormone therapy should be

screened for

exposure to a common chemical and a widely used drug, both of which

can

boost hormone activity to potentially dangerous levels, researchers

suggest.

Millions of women have faced a dilemma about whether to use hormones

as they

confront reports that long-term use of estrogen slightly increases

the risk

of stroke and possibly of dementia. The government halted the

nation's last

major study of the hormone in March, a year early, because of the

safety

concern.

Studies also indicate that even more risk is involved in taking the

two-drug

combination of estrogen and progestin, which boosts the risk of

breast

cancer and heart attacks.

Now a research team led by P. McDonnell of Duke University

suggests

that, for some women at least, part of the problem may be associated

with

prior exposure to other chemicals that can boost the activity of

estrogen

and progestin.

McDonnell, whose study is based on cultured human cells, mostly

breast

cancer cells, and on work in mice, is urging that humans be screened

for

exposure to the chemicals.

Dr. Jacques Rossouw of the Women's Health Initiative at the National

Institutes of Health said, however, that the research is basic and

warned

that it would be premature to introduce screening for women based on

its

results.

While the findings may add a new level of concern to women

considering

hormone therapy, McDonnell said, " it's probably good news " for them.

Knowing

that these chemicals have an impact on the hormone action, " you may

be able

to parse out those women who are at higher risk for adverse effects. "

McDonnell and his colleagues focused on ethylene glycol methyl

ether - EGME

- an industrial solvent found in varnishes, paints, dyes, fuel

additives and

used in the semiconductor industry; and valproic acid, which has a

similar

chemical structure to EGME and is among the top 100 drugs prescribed

in the

United States. It is used to treat bipolar disorder, seizures and

migraines.

Both these chemicals significantly increase the action of hormones

in the

body, McDonnell reports in this week's issue of Proceedings of the

National

Academy of Sciences.

" Our study demonstrates that these chemicals boost the activity of

estrogens

and progestins inside cells eight- to 10-fold, " said

McDonnell. " These data

should prompt caution for patients who are exposed to either of these

chemical compounds while taking any estrogen- or progesterone-

containing

medications, such as hormone therapy, oral contraceptives or

tamoxifen for

breast cancer. "

Scientists have long had misgivings about chemicals in the

environment that

seem to mimic estrogen, fearing that these may lead to various

illnesses.

McDonnell's study focused on two similar chemicals that were known

to affect

the reproductive system, reducing sperm count in men and producing

irregular

ovulation and spontaneous abortion in women.

What the researchers found was not that the chemicals mimic

estrogen, but

rather they sensitize the cells to it by inhibiting enzymes inside

cells

that normally slow the process of gene transcription. The result is

to speed

up cell activity, which potentially can fuel cell growth beyond what

is

normal, the researchers said.

" Estrogen produces effects inside cells in a very tightly controlled

manner,

so skewing that process by accelerating transcription can produce a

variety

of problems, " said McDonnell.

" Clearly, these chemicals are affecting the cellular environment

where

estrogen works, and our goal would be to identify other chemicals

with the

same effect and alert the public to the potential for such drug-drug

interactions, " he added.

[Guest guest]

>Came across this from another group. Not that many of us use HRT but

>it sure adds fuel to the fire not to ever. I bet most of us would

>show ethylene glycol in our systems. I know I would from old lab

>tech days.

>

>Anyone know if if these chemicals leave the body over time?

>

>Lynn

Yeah, it would be an issue whether or not you are using HRT!

All of us have hormones!

-- Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

>

>

> >Came across this from another group. Not that many of us use HRT

but

> >it sure adds fuel to the fire not to ever. I bet most of us would

> >show ethylene glycol in our systems. I know I would from old lab

> >tech days.

> >

> >Anyone know if if these chemicals leave the body over time?

I doubt you'd show ethylene glycol in your system from old lab tech

days, and kind of doubt it would stay in your system for a very

significant amount of time-- it's water soluble. I also don't see

why it would be much more difficult to detox or take much longer than

ethanol.

Chris

[Guest guest]

< ....

Glad to see you posting again, Chris.

marty

[Guest guest]

> Glad to see you posting again, Chris.

> marty

Thanks! :-)

I'm glad to be back. I'll probably continue popping my head in

irregularly for the next two weeks, and maybe I'll be back " full

time " after that.

I'm a little behind in my school work (I've been slacking off writing

some lab reports), I've had lots of financial and car problems, and I

just got a new job that tripled the hours I'm working, so I've been

busy. School's over in two weeks though, and I'm getting my finances

back on track and my sick car's been cared for, so I'll be around...

Chris