Health
ADVICE FROM OUR WOMAN’S WEEKLY DOCTOR
Sleep and depression risk
There appears to be a link between poor sleep and depression, but which comes first? A genetic susceptibility to disease study has determined that poor sleep likely precedes depressive symptoms. Some 7,146 participants from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, scoring for short sleep (less than five hours), showed 14% higher occurrence of depression, while sleep duration of more than nine hours wasn’t associated with later developing depression. Obviously not the whole answer to avoiding depression, but it’s another reason for a good night’s sleep.
CERVICAL CANCER BREAKTHROUGH
Using an intensive six-week course of existing, cheap drugs (carboplatin and paclitaxel) ahead of the usual chemoradiation treatment for cervical cancer cut the risk of women dying from the disease, or the cancer returning, by 35%. Trial findings, announced at the European Society for Medical Oncology conference, show that there’s growing evidence for additional chemotherapy before other treatments like surgery and radiotherapy for several cancer types.
Coping with… B-VITAMIN DEFICIENCY
Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. Deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate results in abnormally large red blood cells that can’t function properly, with subsequent anaemia.
B12 and folate have other roles, including keeping the nervous system healthy.
Deficiency in either can cause a wide range of problems, including extreme tiredness, lack of energy, pins and needles, a sore red tongue, mouth ulcers, muscle weakness, visual problems and psychological problems, including depression, anxiety, confusion, dementia and memory problems. See a GP if you think you’re B12 or folate deficient. They’ll examine you, ask about diet, then do a simple blood test. B12 or folate deficiency must be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible because some problems caused by deficiency can be irreversible.
It’s commoner with ageing affecting one in 10 over-75s. Causes include: pernicious anaemia, which is where the immune system attacks healthy stomach cells, preventing B12 absorption; other stomach or gut disorders; or dietary lack of these vitamins from generally poor diets, or a vegan diet if you don’t take vitamin B12 supplements or eat B12-fortified foods, as we get B12 mostly from meat, fish or dairy.
As the body’s stores of B12 last up to five years it can take a long time for problems to develop after dietary change or taking certain medicines, such as anticonvulsants, metformin and PPIs, which can affect B12 or folate absorption, as does nitrous oxide use. Your body holds a four-month store of folate and again, poor diet, high alcohol use and certain medicines affect absorption. The body sometimes requires more folate than normal, such as in pregnancy or if you have cance
