The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug for children in a category that has been linked to serious long-term side effects, including bacterial infection, nutrient deficiency and cancer.

The FDA announced its approval of Nexium for children ages 1 to 11 in a Feb. 28 news release.

Nexium, a proton-pump inhibitor, suppresses acid production in the stomach with the goal of healing erosions in the esophagus. Other proton-pump inhibitors include Prilosec and Prevacid.

Although the release recommended Nexium for short-term treatment – eight weeks – starting children on the drug, even at low potencies, should be cause for alarm. If doctors prescribe Nexium throughout a person’s childhood, or if use continues into adulthood, there could be serious consequences.

Drugs that inhibit natural acid production are associated with increased risk of hip fractures, likely because calcium is not sufficiently absorbed, according to a story from MSNBC. Impaired calcium absorption could be detrimental for children, who rely on the nutrient for healthy growth.

In addition, restrained acid production could increase the risk of intestinal infection and bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and small intestine. According to MSNBC, the overgrowth of bacteria in the stomach could lead to pneumonia, vitamin B12 deficiency and stomach cancer.

H2 blockers such as Zantac, Pepcid and Tagamet also suppress acid production. Some of these products, along with traditional antacids, can be purchased over the counter.

Antacids, such as Tums and Rolaids, can cause problems with protein digestion and vitamin B12 absorption. Long-term use can interfere with absorption of other nutrients, including iron and calcium.

Acid blockers and antacids simply mask the symptoms of gastrointestinal problems and provide temporary relief. Enzyme-based digestive supplements, on the other hand, help address the root cause of stomach problems – improper digestion.

Safe, effective digestive enzyme supplements work naturally with the body to relieve digestive problems. They appear to decrease distension of the stomach, which might help relieve symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to MSNBC.

For children, great-tasting WellZymes™ Digestive Chewables provide a broad-spectrum blend of digestive enzymes to help the body properly break down food. Other digestive enzyme supplements in the WellZymes™ line, offered in vegetarian tablets, also can help address gastrointestinal complaints.

Digestive enzymes can improve nutrient absorption while they help decrease or eliminate indigestion, gas, bloating, reflux and other symptoms of improper digestion. A reduction in the enzyme-producing burden placed on digestive organs can also increase energy and boost immune function.

For those with ulcers or other damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, WellZymes™ Gastric Ease™ is recommended in place of antacids. Gastric Ease™ can help soothe and protect the gastrointestinal lining, as well as promote proper digestion when taken with meals.

Whether it’s consumer-driven, government-sponsored or simply a blog, there are several Web sites out there that can offer useful information on medical conditions and symptoms.

And chances are that if you’ve ever struggled with an ongoing or painful illness, you’ve likely consulted the Internet a time or two to learn more about the problem. There are medical Web sites that can offer information on health care options, support groups or simply ways to help put your mind at ease.

Even better, Web sites can offer information that even your doctor might find useful.

In Georgia, for example, the doctor of a 4-year-old with cat scratch fever couldn’t find an antibiotic that would address the condition, according to a mid-February story from cnn.com. The only other option the doctor could offer was a stronger antibiotic; however, deafness was a potential side effect of the medication.

Wanting to avoid that risk, the young boy’s aunt, with the help of a colleague, tracked down an article that revealed another antibiotic option. It was something the doctor hadn’t considered, but it worked well, and the boy recovered with no side effects.

Consult Enzymes, Inc., Web sites for alternative options

At Enzymes, Inc., our Web sites offer the latest information on alternative health care and enzyme-based supplement options to help address your needs. In addition, our sites offer the latest in news and analysis to help you live a more healthful life.

At www.enzymesinc.com, you can learn more about the benefits of supplemental enzymes, the company and our product lines. Enzymes, Inc., provides consumer- and professional-based products that focus on several conditions, including digestive disorders, joint problems and fibromyalgia. We also have products that offer whole-body nutritional support.

In addition to this blog site, be sure to check out www.enzymeexperts.com. Here, you’ll find important news stories and links that put the spotlight on health and wellness.

And as you search our Web sites, be sure to keep in mind the products and enzyme therapy options that are of most interest to you. If there are products you would like to try, ask your health care practitioner or call us at 800-228-1501 for more information.

Are you struggling with an ongoing illness or do you know someone who is? In either situation, sometimes a good support group can be one of the best ways to improve health, according to a story on MSNBC.com.

In fact, according a university professor quoted in the story, social support can strengthen the immune system and contribute to accelerated healing.

The story focused on caringbridge.com, a Web site that allows “patients to share the progress of serious injury or illness.” In a particular case, victims of the I-35 bridge collapse in Minnesota used the site to communicate with those interested in their conditions. In about six months, more than 400,000 visitors came to the site for updates on their recoveries.

Support sites such as caringbridge.com, according to an estimate in the story, are popping up about every 10 minutes.

One site that I’ve found informative is www.healthcentral.com, where online support groups are made available for several conditions, including acid reflux, allergies, diabetes and osteoarthritis.

It seems like most of the groups offer a moderator who is an expert on the specific health condition. It’s a great place to share stories about how enzymes and enzyme therapy have helped you tackle various conditions. Also, the site offers e-mail newsletters, which keep you informed on the latest posts from support-group members.

If you’re looking for another great option for natural and safe support, digestive and systemic enzymes can compliment online support groups, as they can help maintain a healthy immune system and improve healing.

There was a great story about online doctor shopping from The Associated Press in early February. A Minnesota company, Carol, launched in January its Web site that allows consumers to evaluate the quality and price of medical services.

It seems very similar to using the Web for car buying or comparing prices and quality of electronics. At Carol.com, consumers in the Twin Cities can compare the cost of medical procedures, exams or check-ups, as well as get practice descriptions and ratings.

Of course, there will be several in the health care realm who will come out against such Web sites. In the story, one doctor says health care is “too critical” to let the marketplace decide. And, to an extent, his point makes sense. The relationship with a family doctor, surgeon or nurse is a personal one, largely based on trust. Health care choice is far different from the decisions we make on weekly shopping trips, and we shouldn’t place a price tag on a limb, a heart or even a life.

An analyst in the story says people don’t make price an issue when it comes to health care, and for those with good insurance, that’s probably true. However, isn’t the modern-day health care crisis partly attributable to the high cost of health insurance? Wouldn’t the ability to shop for competitively priced or more effective health care help lower insurance costs and provide for improved care?

Consumers with good insurance might not care about the price of check-ups or procedures, but they certainly want top-quality care and likely, lower monthly health insurance costs. Those with poor health insurance, too, could benefit from doctor ratings and reviews if they have limited practitioner choices. Those without insurance could benefit from cost comparisons.

What’s more, a story at Enzyme Experts reveals that consumers get second opinions only 50% of the time. Shopping online for medical care could make finding a second, or even third, physician much easier.

Of course, for safe, effective health care, consumers can find Advanced Formula™ and BioSET™ practitioners who practice enzyme therapy in their areas. For more information on these practitioners and enzyme-based products, e-mail marketing@enzymesinc.com.

As an update to the Jan. 11 post titled “Insurance for alternative care,” be sure to check out this story from the American Chiropractic Association.

The ACA says that through its “profession-wide campaign, UnitedHealthcare has announced it will rescind its recent policy declaring chiropractic manipulative treatment for headaches and pediatric patients as unproven, and therefore, not a covered service.”

In the Jan. 11 blog, I mentioned that if health insurance companies aren’t already offering options for alternative care, they should consider including coverage from chiropractors, acupuncturists and other alternative practitioners.

Also, I wrote that the choice of some insurance providers to include alternative care was “great news for people who have already found relief from chronic or bothersome conditions through alternative practitioners and supplements. And for those that haven’t looked beyond traditional medicine, this could open their lives and minds to highly effective alternative care … as the rates of diabetes, obesity and other chronic conditions keep climbing, we have to make it clear that alternative medicine might not only decrease the costs of health care coverage, but might also help create a more healthful society.”

Here we go again, another story that says cell phones don’t cause cancer. This time, it was a Reuters story in early February reporting a study from Japan that supposedly considered the “effects of radiation on different parts of the brain” using different types of phones.

The study concluded that regular cell phone use does not increase the likelihood of getting brain cancer, a finding that might bring a collective sigh of relief to the billions of cell-phone users out there. If you don’t use one yourself, it’s a pretty sure bet you know someone who does, either sporadically or regularly, and it’s certainly good to hear our brains are safe.

But are we safe from cell-phone radiation? One day we read about a short-term study that claims no correlation between brain cancer and cell phones, and the next day, the verdict is still out. It was reported in early January that a 10-year study found a connection, but this latest Reuters story says another 10-year study involving more than 400,000 people showed no cancer association. The other bit of good news, according to Reuters, is that the amount of brain cancer cases since the 1980s has barely changed.

However, the story cautions at its conclusion that it’s still necessary to study the long-term affects of cell phones.

And then, a story Feb. 6 makes national headlines claiming cell phone radiation might affect sperm quality.

According to this Reuters report, researchers observed lower sperm counts and a greater amount of abnormal sperm as men spent more hours using cell phones each day. Men who used a cell phone for more than fours hours experienced the most negative affects.

Of course, men who use their cell phones for more than four hours a day might have different lifestyles than those who use cell phones 30 minutes to one hour a day, and those lifestyle differences could lead to sperm abnormalities. And, the story notes, further studies are underway to determine if electromagnetic radiation directly affects sperm.

Still, studies such as this are quite disheartening, especially when the stories say that electromagnetic energy could possibly lead to DNA damage.

For now, maybe the best thing to do is limit our cell phone use and provide our bodies with sufficient nutrition to promote whole-body health and protect against free-radical damage. Among several other enzyme-based nutritional products, cell-phone users could support their health with BioSET™ Brain, BioSET™ Nutritive, WellZymes™ Mental Focus™ or WellZymes™ Antioxidant.

Enzymes, Inc., and BioSET plan to attend two chiropractic trade shows at the end of the week.

Look for us at the Las Vegas Parker Seminar on Feb. 7-9 at booth No. 817. Frank Guzzo of BioSET™ and Enzymes’ Bill Stephens, Western Sales Representative, will be there to meet with you and answer any questions you might have. Please stop by and say hello.

We’ll also be at the 36-hour Seminar of the Missouri State Chiropractic Association District II on Feb. 8-10 in Kansas City, MO. Steve Perry, Central Sales Representative for Enzymes, Inc., will be on hand to discuss our professional products and answer questions.

Whether you’re at the Parker Seminar or Missouri Chiropractic Seminar, be sure to take advantage of our show special of 40 percent off per bottle on BioSET™ Gluten Digestion and NutriSol™ Joint Care Plus.™ We are requesting a minimum order of four bottles and maximum of 10 for this show-only special. If you can’t make the purchase at the show, you’ll still be able to take advantage of show special 15 percent off per bottle on the BioSET™ product line through the end of February.

We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas or Kansas City.

Here’s more information about the products featured at the seminars:

For those that suffer from gluten sensitivity, BioSET™ Gluten Digestion has been specially formulated to help prevent the gastrointestinal discomfort that many people experience after eating foods that contain wheat, rye, barley or other grains.

BioSET™ Gluten Digestion contains Protease GL, a unique enzyme blend that rapidly digests gluten into peptides that keep the body from triggering immune or inflammatory responses. By taking Gluten Digestion with a meal, the patient is able to maintain a reasonable diet without experiencing the bloating, gas, cramping and diarrhea associated with gluten intolerance.

A safe, all-natural product that helps to slow joint deterioration and speed tissue repair, NutriSol™ Joint Care Plus™ provides the ingredient NEM® Eggshell Membrane for joint and connective tissue pain and inflammation.

NEM® Eggshell Membrane provides a rich source of a naturally occurring matrix of chondroitin, hyaluronic acid and collagen that is more easily absorbed and used by the body to maintain adequate cartilage and synovial fluid, providing cushioning barriers for the joints.

NutriSol™ Joint Care Plus™ also provides Serratiopeptidase, a potent anti-inflammatory enzyme that has been used for more than 40 years in Japan and Europe for the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, trauma, surgery and carpal tunnel syndrome.