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In the news: Shingles of the eye on Upswing;Vinegar May Lower Blood Sugar; Curcumin: Mood & Working Memory

Increasing Cases of Shingles in the Eye

If you’re 60 or older and had chickenpox as a child, chances are you might experience shingles during your lifetime. After recovering from chickenpox (varicella zoster virus), the virus can hide in nerve cells, only to reappear later in life to cause shingles. About 1 in 3 will develop shingles, according to the Centers for Disease Control, often manifesting as a painful rash on the face or body.

The varicella virus can also reactivate in the nerves of the eye causing herpes zoster ophthalmicus or herpes of the eye. This occurs in about 20%% of people with shingles and shows up as a rash in and around the eye. Shingles in the eye can cause scarring, vision loss, and appears to increase the risk of stroke as well.

A 2019 study found that the incidence of shingles of the eye had tripled in the US from 2004-2016. The risk for shingles is greater with age and is more common in Caucasians than African Americans, Asians and Latino adults. Yet the study’s findings held even when they adjusted for age, sex and race. As a recent article on this topic in points out, diseases don’t usually double or triple over a 12-year period (1).

There are theories to explain the steady rise in cases of shingles of the eye. Fewer adults are getting an immune boost from exposure to kids with chicken pox, for example. Or more people have a suppressed immune system due to cancer chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, treatment for autoimmune diseases or diabetes.

But one of the central causes is that people don’t seem to be taking advantage of the vaccines available to help prevent it. There are two vaccines approved for shingles: Zostavax and the more recent Shingrix, which requires two doses but is more effective. It’s unlikely that primary care doctors see many severe cases (neurologists, pain management specialists and ophthalmologists do), so they may not realize the full importance of preventing the condition. The vaccines are more commonly carried in retail pharmacies than in doctor’s offices. So, it may pay to ask your pharmacist as well as your health care professional whether you’re a candidate for a shingles vaccine.

Curcumin Reported to Support Cognition

In 2015, Australian researchers examined the effects of enhanced-bioavailability turmeric extract (400 mg daily Longvida brand, containing 80 mg curcumin) on cognitive function in 60 healthy older adults over 4-weeks. The investigators reported improvements in measures for memory, attention, fatigue, stress, and mood for turmeric when compared to placebo.   In a slightly larger and longer follow-up study (2), the same research team explored similar measures in 80 older people taking 400 mg Longvida or placebo daily for 12 weeks. While the study is not yet formally published, the reported findings appear to be consistent with those of the earlier investigation.

Compared to placebo, subjects taking curcumin experienced decreased tension, anger, confusion, and total mood disturbance at 4 weeks, with lower fatigue scores at both 4 and 12 weeks. They also experienced improvements in some aspects of working memory, the ability to remember and use relevant information while in the middle of an activity.

Apple Vinegar May Benefit Blood Sugar Levels

Emerging research suggests that apple cider vinegar, a source of acetic acid and polyphenols, may have some benefit in the management of type 2 diabetes. In the current study (3), 70 patients with type 2 and elevated lipids were assigned to receive 2 tsp. apple vinegar in water twice daily with meals, or to a control group.

The vinegar group showed improvements in fasting blood sugar and a measure of total antioxidant capacity vs. controls. Some of the participants were already taking anti-diabetes and/or lipid lowering meds, If you take anti-diabetic meds, check with your physician if trying vinegar so that blood glucose levels can be monitored.

References

1. Voelker R. Increasing cases of shingles in the eye raise key questions. JAMA. Epub August 7, 2019.
2. Scholey A, et al. A highly bioavailable curcumin extract improves neurocognitive function and mood in healthy older people: A 12-Week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Cur Develop Nutr. 3:S1, June, 2019.
3. Gheflati A, et al. The effect of apple vinegar consumption on glycemic indices, blood pressure, oxidative stress, and homocysteine in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. Clin Nutr ESPEN Epub July 9, 2019.