Potential Sperm Count Drop - Tofu Related

Tofu a day, sperm goes away: study

A new study has found that men who consume more soy products have lower sperm counts, especially if they are overweight.

The study, published in yesterday's online version of the journal Human Reproduction, found that men who ate the most soy food had 41 million fewer sperm per millilitre than those who did not consume soy products.

"What we found was men that had the highest intake of soy foods had a lower sperm concentration," said Jorge Chavarro of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, who led the study.

He believes this happens because soy contains isoflavones, a naturally occurring compound that can mimic the effects of estrogen.

Previous studies have linked high consumption of isoflavones with infertility in animals, but Dr. Chavarro's research is the first to show a similar effect in humans.

The study analyzed the semen of 99 men who attended a U.S. fertility clinic between 2000 and 2006. The men were asked how often they ate soy products, including tofu, tempeh, soy milk and other soy products such as ice creams, cheeses and energy bars.

The average intake of soy for those with the highest consumption levels was about half a serving a day, although some men in that group ate as many as four servings a day. (A standard serving of tofu was 115 grams.)

The researchers also found that soy food intake had the greatest impact on sperm concentrations among those who were also overweight or obese.

This may be because overweight men already have higher levels of estrogen, Dr. Chavarro said.

"It's possible that when you already have very high levels of estrogen, an additional source of an estrogen-like compound may become an issue, but not if you're a lean man," he said.

This may explain why soy does not seem to affect fertility among Asian populations, for whom it is a food staple, he said. Obesity is not as common in Asian populations as it is among Western men.

In Dr. Chavarro's study, it was not clear whether the reduction in sperm count was a factor in the subjects' fertility issues, and he believes it is too early to warn people away from soy.

"I guess if somebody already knows they have a low sperm count and they're very avid consumers of soy foods they could try stopping it, but there's no guarantee that's going to help them," he said.

Isoflavones are present in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including black beans, peas and other legumes, but are most concentrated in soy.

The average sperm concentration for men ranges between 80 million and 120 million per millilitre. But even with reduced sperm count, men are capable of conceiving a child, said Dr. Chavarro, and soy seemed to have no other adverse effect on the sperm.

The study corrected for other factors that may affect sperm count, such as age, caffeine intake and smoking.

There have been two other studies on the connection between soy and sperm count. One, a study of 14 young men, found no change in semen quality, while the other, which followed 48 men, found that isoflavone intake had a positive effect on sperm count.

The men in Dr. Chavarro's study were predominantly white, and he plans to test the connection with different ethnic groups, as well as with larger sample sizes.

Source: TheGlobeandMail.ca

Gardasil Marketing Machine Silenced by FDA

FDA bars Merck from marketing cervical cancer vaccine to women age 27-45

Drug maker Merck & Co. said Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has rejected expanding the use of the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil to include women ages 27 to 45.

The federal agency cited "issues that preclude approval" within the expected time frame for a review, Merck said.

Gardasil was approved in 2006 for girls and women between nine and 26 years old to prevent cervical cancer caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV. The agency's current action does not affect this population's use.

The FDA decision bars Merck from marketing Gardasil to women ages 27-45, but does not prevent those women from getting the vaccine from their doctors.

Merck said that the agency identified several issues related to the application in a "complete response" letter, including stating that the data submitted does not support extending Gardasil's use to include non-vaccine HPV types.

Merck also reaffirmed its goal of attaining compound annual growth in its businesses of between four per cent and six per cent from 2005 through 2010.

Gardasil is the only cervical cancer vaccine approved for the lucrative U.S. market. It is outselling another vaccine, Cervarix, from GlaxoSmithKline PLC, in worldwide sales, analysts said, garnering over $1 billion in sales since its June 2006 U.S. launch.

"This is clearly not what Merck wanted. It reflects the painstakingly slow process that the FDA has in approving anything," WBB Securities analyst Steve Brozak said. "I think this is one where they would rather err on the side of getting another 23 pounds of documents."

New Jersey-based Merck said it has already had discussions with the FDA and plans to respond next month.

In afternoon trading Wednesday, its stock was down eight cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $36.95 US in New York.

Gardasil is approved in Canada for use in women aged nine to 26.

Source: CBC.ca

Oral Sex and Throat Cancer Link

Oral sex can lead to throat cancer

The same virus that causes cervical cancer is the principal cause of throat cancer, according to a new study.

The research also suggests that unprotected oral sex is a major reason people are contracting throat cancer - not just smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as previously believed.

"It's the human papillomavirus that drives the cancer," said Maura Gillison, assistant professor of oncology and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., and lead author of the study.

She said the more oral-sex partners a person has, the greater the risk of contracting oral cancers (located in the tonsils, back of the tongue and throat). The good news is that the risk remains low over all.

"People should be reassured that oropharyngeal cancer is relatively uncommon, and the overwhelming majority of people with an oral HPV infection probably will not get throat cancer," Dr. Gillison said.

A new vaccine protects against infection by several strains of HPV, including the one associated with oral cancer, HPV-16. However, Dr. Gillison said it has not been specifically tested for its effectiveness against oral cancer.

The new research is published in today's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, which features several articles about HPV and the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Sold by Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. under the brand name Gardasil, the vaccine prevents infection by four strains of human papillomavirus that account for roughly 70 per cent of cases of cervical cancer.

Gardasil offers protection that lasts for at least three years, according to newly published data in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Another study, published today in the journal, suggests the vaccine protects against cancer of the vulva and cancer of the vagina, which are principally caused by HPV. (Penile cancer is also caused largely by the virus, although the effectiveness of the vaccine in men has not yet been demonstrated.)

In the most recent federal budget, the Conservative government set aside $300-million for an HPV vaccination program, which would target girls aged 9 to 11.

Health groups are divided on the wisdom of an immunization program, given the cost of the vaccine (more than $400 for the required three doses) and the limited data on its long-term effectiveness. There is also debate about whether vaccination should be limited to girls, and whether the vaccine should be offered to older teens who are already sexually active.

The new research should help assuage fears a bit, and broaden the appeal of the vaccine because of its effectiveness against other types of cancer.

About 1,350 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2007, and an estimated 390 will die. By contrast, approximately 3,200 Canadians will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year, and 1,100 will die, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Dr. Gillison's study involved 100 men and women who were newly diagnosed with oral cancer. They were compared to 200 similar people without cancer.

Dr. Gillison and her team found that those with HPV infection were 32 times more likely to have developed cancer. By comparison, the risk increased threefold for smokers and twofold for drinkers.

Study participants who reported having oral sex - be it fellatio or cunnilingus - with six or more partners were at greatest risk of contracting oropharyngeal cancer.

There is no screening test for oral cancer; it is usually detected when there is a sore in the mouth that does not heal.

Source: The Globe and Mail

Multiple Risks associated with Another Sexual Performance Aid

Health Canada warns Canadians not to use the sexual enhancer Vigorect Oral Gel Shooter due to potential health risks.

Health Canada is warning consumers not to use the unauthorized product Vigorect Oral Gel Shooter, because it contains an undeclared drug substance tadalafil, which should only be available by prescription. The use of Vigorect Oral Gel Shooter could pose serious health risks, especially for patients with existing medical conditions such as heart problems, those taking heart medication, or those at risk of stroke.

Sexual Enhancer Heart Problems Warning

Health Canada warns Canadians not to use the sexual enhancer XOX For Men, due to potential health risks

Health Canada is warning consumers not to use the unauthorized natural health product XOX For Men, because it contains an undeclared pharmaceutical ingredient, tadalafil, an ingredient found in the prescription drug Cialis. The use of XOX For Men could pose serious health risks, especially for patients with existing medical conditions such as heart problems, those taking heart medication, or those at risk of stroke.