Love Hormone Could Help Treat Depression
What is love hormone-brain releases a chemical called oxytocin
Gazing into your lover’s eyes isn’t only romantic; it also releases a brain chemical called oxytocin that strengthens social bonds in a variety of species. For some people who suffer from depression, the so-called “hormone of love” might hold out hope. Researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine are conducting a clinical trial to study whether oxytocin – the brain hormone released with touches, hugs, or when a mother and her newborn baby bond – might help patients with depression. “In humans, oxytocin is released when they hug or experience other pleasant physical touch, and it plays a part in the human sexual response cycle,” said Kai MacDonald, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
MacDonald went on to explain that oxytocin appears to change the brain signals related to social recognition via facial expressions, perhaps by changing the firing of the amygdala, the part of the brain that plays a primary role in the processing of important emotional stimuli. In this way, oxytocin in the brain may be a potent mediator of human social behavior.“That’s why oxytocin is sometimes called ‘the love hormone,’” said MacDonald. “It’s said that the eyes are the window to the soul…they certainly are the window to the emotional brain. We know that the eye-to-eye
communication, which is affected by oxytocin, is critical to intimate emotional communication for all kind of emotions – love, fear, trust, anxiety.”UC San Diego researchers have previously discovered that oxytocin may help patients with schizophrenia, and MacDonald and colleague David Feifel, MD, PhD, UCSD professor of psychiatry, are now enrolling participants to examine its role in clinical depression.“Studies of blood levels and genetic factors in depressed patients point to the possibility that this natural hormone might play a part in helping clinical depression,” said MacDonald. “Previously, studies of healthy individuals have shown that intranasal doses of oxytocin reduce activation of brain circuits involved in fear, increase levels of eye contact, and increase both trust and generosity,” MacDonald said. “Interestingly, people given oxytocin don’t report feeling any different, but they act differently.”
Early clinical data also indicates oxytocin may help women with anxiety disorders.
“A hug or a touch that causes a release of this hormone might somehow change brain signals,” MacDonald said. “We want to see if we can harness this response to help patients who suffer from depression.”
(Source- UC San Diego School
Lead Levels In Lipstick Much Higher Than Previously Thought
Though lead is found frequently in our environment, it has no known purpose in our bodies. When lead gets inside the body, the body confuses it with calcium and other essential nutrients. This confusion can cause permanent damage to the health of both children and adults.
Children
"Lead is a developmental toxicant" and the "harmful effects of lead on children's development can occur without signs or symptoms."
~ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In children, lead is most damaging when they are six years and younger. Children are growing at a very fast rate - growing bones, developing stronger muscles and creating many connections in their brain. When lead instead of essential nutrients is "available" to the body to make bones, muscle, and brain connections, permanent harm to health can occur. Even at low levels, lead can be harmful and be associated with:
•Learning disabilities resulting in a decreased intelligence (decreased IQ)
•Attention deficit disorder
•Behavior issues
•Nervous system damage
•Speech and language impairment
•Decreased muscle growth
•Decreased bone growth
•Kidney damage
High levels of lead are life threatening and can cause seizures, unconsciousness, and death.
Adults
Lead exposure is a concern for adults, even though they have finished growing. Since an adult's body is much larger than a child's body, more lead is needed to cause injury but the harm lead can do to an adult is very serious. High levels of lead can cause:
•Increased chance of illness during pregnancy
•Harm to a fetus, including brain damage or death
•Fertility problems in both men and women
•High blood pressure
•Digestive issues
•Nerve disorders
•Memory and concentration problems
•Muscle and joint pain
Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, because lead easily crosses the placenta and enters the fetal brain where it can interfere with normal development.
We have assessed the potential for harm to consumers from use of lipstick containing lead at the levels found in both rounds of testing. Lipstick, as a product intended for topical use with limited absorption, is ingested only in very small quantities. We do not consider the lead levels we found in the lipsticks to be a safety concern. The lead levels we found are within the limits recommended by other public health authorities for lead in cosmetics, including lipstick."
A recent study conducted by the U.S Food And Drug Administration (FDA) reveals that over 400 popular lipstick brands contain twice as much lead as previously believed - up to 7.19 parts per million (ppm). Mark Mitchell, M.D., MPH, policy advisor of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice and co-chair of the Environmental Health Task Force for the National Medical Association comments:
"Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels."
Maybelline Color Sensation, by L'Oreal USA, was found to have the most lead of all the brands that the FDA tested, with 275 times more than the brand with the lowest amount of lead - Wet & Wild Mega Mixers Lip Balm. The Wet & Wild lip balm happened to be the least expensive, which shows that a high-priced lipstick does not mean it is safe.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent a letter to the FDA requesting they they change the "misleading statements" on the FDA website in terms of the safety regulations regarding lipstick, because the FDA has merely reported the levels of lead contained in lipstick, but has not analyzed the actual safety and health consequences of dangerous ingredients in the popular makeup. Currently, the FDA website claims there is not a safety concern in the amount of lead found in lipstick. Their website says:
"We have assessed the potential for harm to consumers from use of lipstick containing lead at the levels found in both rounds of testing. Lipstick, as a product intended for topical use with limited absorption, is ingested only in very small quantities. We do not consider the lead levels we found in the lipsticks to be a safety concern. The lead levels we found are within the limits recommended by other public health authorities for lead in cosmetics, including lipstick." The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an announcement in January stating no amount of lead is a safe one, and they urge people to be diligent in stopping women who are pregnant and children from being exposed to it. Janet Nudelman, interim director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and policy director at the Breast Cancer fund says: How many millions of women have applied and reapplied lead-containing lipsticks since we first raised concerns about this problem five years ago? How many kids have played with their mom's lipstick? It's time for L'Oreal to get the lead out of its products, and for the FDA to set a safety standard for lead in lipstick."The FDA is now working on determining if it is necessary to make a maximum limit for lead to be allowed in lipstick, and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is pushing them to do so, saying the smartest thing to do would be to limit the lead amount to the smallest amount possible that the companies can accomplish. They are also telling L'Oreal is it time to take action in regards to changing their products containing lead. John Kerry and Dianne Feinstein, U.S Senators, have also taken an interest in this matter and are hoping the FDA will take a stand in reducing the amount of lead in lipstick.
(Source-U.S Food And Drug Administration (FDA)
Lastly Use less is good idea....
