Subject: ANTIOXIDANT THERAPY FOR ELECTRICAL HYPERSENSITIVITY (Beal). Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 192732 -0600 From: Roy BeaversTo: guru -------------------------------------------------- ...........From EMF-L.......... Thanks to Jim Beal for this....... (I wager there will be some feedback.....) ......guru....... -------- Original Message -------- Subject: ANTIOXIDANT THERAPY FOR ELECTRICAL HYPERSENSITIVITY Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 17:03:07 EST From: EMFEFFECTS@aol.com To: roy@emfguru.com (Roy L. Beavers) Roy: Here's a report that just came in on MedScape. Nice try, but no results with antioxidants (which figures, if the mechanism of EHS is metabolism effects due to thyroid resistance at cell receptor interface, e.g., cell receptors stopped up with heavy metals or pesticide-type chemicals). Some of the refs look interesting (enclosed). You may want to post this so others can review it and obtain the references for background. These researchers seem to accept that the EHS syndromes are not entirely "just psychological" (!) and are trying to find out what works and what doesn't! Jim Beal EMF Interface Consulting ####### THE EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTARY ANTIOXIDANT THERAPY IN PATIENTS WHO REPORT HYPERSENSITIVITY TO ELECTRICITY: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL Swedish study tests the hypothesis that antioxidant therapy reduces symptoms and improves health in patients reporting hypersensitivity to electricity. MedGenMed, March 23, 2001 http://psychiatry.medscape.com/35315.rhtml?srcmp=psy-032301 Lena Hillert, MD, Birgitta Kolmodin-Hedman, MD, PhD, PeterEneroth, MD, PhD, Bengt B. Arnetz, MD, PhD; Department of Environmental Health,Stockholm County Council; Division of Occupational Medicine, Department ofPublic Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; Unit for AppliedBiochemistry, Clinical Research Centre, Novum/Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge;Section of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences,Uppsala University, Sweden [MedGenMed, March 23, 2001. © 2001 Medscape, Inc.] ABSTRACT Context: Hypersensitivity to electricity is a proposed environmental illness of unknown etiology. Patients report a variety of symptoms that they relate to electric equipment. The afflicted individuals suffer from ill health. Many interventions have been tried but, to date, there is no one specific treatment that has been proven superior to other remedial actions. In general, there is a lack of controlled prospective studies. Objective: To test the hypothesis thatantioxidant therapy reduces symptoms and improves health in patients reportinghypersensitivity to electricity. Design: Randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlledstudy. Setting: Patients referred to the Environmental IllnessResearch Centre, Stockholm County Council. Patients: Sixteen patients reportinghypersensitivity to electricity. Intervention: Antioxidant supplementation(vitamins C and E, selenium). Main outcome measures: Self-reported symptoms andreported degree of hypersensitivity to electricity, serum levels of uric acidand diphenylpycrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Results: The results indicated no significantdifferences in reported symptoms, reported hypersensitivity to electricity, oroxidative status in serum between periods of antioxidant and placebotreatments. Serum levels of DPPH and uric acid showed no correlation with thereported degree of symptoms or hypersensitivity to electricity. Conclusions: The study did not show anybeneficial effect of antioxidant supplementation for patients reportinghypersensitivity to electricity. The results do not support the hypothesis thatoxidative stress is a major contributor to ill health in patients who reporthypersensitivity to electricity. 12 Pages, 29 references References 1.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) Board of Directors. Idiopathic environmental intolerances. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999;103:36-40. 2.Cullen MR. The worker with chemical sensitivity: an overview. Occup Med State Art Rev. 1987;2:655-662. 3.Kreutzer R, Raymond NR, Lashuay N. Prevalence of people reporting sensitivities to chemicals in a population based survey. Am J Epidemiol. 1999;150:1-12. 4.Graveling RA, Pilkington A, Geroge JPK, Butler MP, Tannahill SN. A review of multiple chemical sensitivity. Occup Environ Med. 1999;56:73-85. 5.Bergqvist U, Vogel E, editors. Possible health implication of subjective symptoms and electromagnetic fields. A report by a European group of experts for the European Commission, DG V. Solna, Sweden: National Institute for Working Life; 1997 (Arbete och Hälsa 1997:19). 6.Department of Environmental Health. Miljöhälsorapport 1998 (Report on environmental health 1998, in Swedish). Stockholm, Sweden: Department of Environmental Health, Stockholm County Council; 1998. 7.Knave B. Electric and magnetic fields and health outcomes - an overview. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1994;20(special issue):78-89. 8.Lonne-Rahm S, Andersson B, Melin L, Schultzberg M, Arnetz B, Berg M. Provocation with stress and electricity of patients with "sensitivity to electricity." J Occup Environ Med. 2000;42:512-516. 9.Flodin U, Seneby A, Tegenfeldt C. Provocation of electric hypersensitivity under everyday conditions. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2000;26:93-98. 10.Bergqvist U, Hillert L, Birke E. 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Int J Occup Environ Health. 1996;2:37-47. 16.Burch JB, Reif JS, Yost MG, Keefe TJ, Pitrat CA. Reduced excretion of a melatonin metabolite in workers exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields. Am J Epidemiol. 1999;150:27-36. 17.Åkerstedt T, Arnetz B, Ficca G, Paulsson LE, Kallner A. A 50-Hz electromagnetic field impairs sleep. J Sleep Res.1999;8:77-81. 18.Jansson B. Behandlingsförsök med psykofarmaka (Treatment with psychopharmacological drugs, in Swedish). In: Ramel C, ed. Seminarium om elöverkänslighet (Symposium on hypersensitivity to electricity, in Swedish). Stockholm, Sweden: Royal Swedish Academy of Science; 1993:25-28 (KVA report 1993:2). 19.Hillert L, Kolmodin-Hedman B, Söderman E, Arnetz BB. Hypersensitivity to electricity; working definition and additional characterization of the syndrome. J Psychosom Res. 1999;47:420-438. 20.Dinis TCP, Madeira VMC, Almeida LM. Action of phenolic derivatives (acetaminophen, salicylate, and 5-aminosalicylate) as inhibitors of membrane lipid peroxidation and as peroxyl radical scavengers. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1994;315:161-169. 21.Ames BN, Cathcart R, Schwiers E, Hochstein P. Uric acid provides an antioxidant defense in humans against oxidant- and radical-caused ageing and cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981;78:6858-6862. 22.Pocock SJ. Clinical Trials. A Practical Approach. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1997. 23.Spencer AP, Stier Carson D, Crouch MA. Vitamin E and coronary artery disease. Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:1313-1320. 24.Arnetz B, Berg M, Anderzén I, Lundeberg T, Haker E. A nonconventional approach to the treatment of "Environmental Illness." J Occup Environ Med. 1995;37:838-844. 25.Andersson B, Berg M, Arnetz BB, Melin L, Langlet I, Lidén S. A cognitive-behavioral treatment of patients suffering from "electric hypersensitivity." J Occup Environ Med. 1996;38:752-758. 26.Hillert L, Kolmodin Hedman B, Dölling BF, Arnetz BB. Cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with electric sensitivity- a multidisciplinary approach in a controlled study. Psychother Psychosom. 1998;67:302-310. 27.Bergdahl J. Psychological aspects of patients with symptoms presumed to be caused by electricity or visual display units. Acta Odontol Scand. 1995;53:304-310. 28.Eriksson N, Höög J, Sandström M, Stenberg B. Facial skin symptoms in office workers. A five-year follow-up study. J Occup Environ Med. 1997;39:108-118. 29.Weaver VM. Medical management of the multiple chemical sensitivity patient. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol.1996;24:S111-S115. Archive provided courtesy of WaveGuide, http://www.wave-guide.org Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.emfguru.com