YOUR HEALTH

IN THE FUTURE, A FLU SHOT WILL LAST FOR A DECADE

Top researchers at the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy say today's flu vaccine technology is much like it was in the 1950s. Today's methods make a good vaccine but not a great one. The flu vaccine released in 2012 was found to be 62 percent effective, down from 70 percent effective the previous year.

Now and for some years to come, however, an annual flu shot is still the best bet for preventing the disease. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention they say a game changing vaccine would produce immunity by including parts of the flu virus that don't change from year to year. These parts are common in most strains of flu virus. The shot should protect people for a decade or more.

Researchers say they are "guardedly optimistic" that the "universal" flu shot will be available in about five years.

THE GENERIC MAY NOT BE AS GOOD AS THE BRANDED DRUG

Last year, the Food and Drug Administration declared that the generic version of Wellbutrin, an antidepressant, was not its "biological" equivalent. Its maker, Teva Pharmaceuticals, stopped selling it.

About 80 percent of prescriptions filled in 2012 were for generics saving Americans $193 billion, says the Generic Pharmaceutical Association. Generics can be more different from the originals than people believe. One reason is that, although the generic may state that it contains the same ingredients, the original makers have not revealed their manufacturing processes. The processing and the additional ingredients to aid it can make a difference in such areas as the amount of the drug that will be absorbed into the bloodstream and how fast it will happen.

The FDA rules for bioequivalence say the active ingredient in the blood must not fall more than 20 percent or be 25 percent above the brand name. This is a potential range of 45 percent among generics labeled as being the same.

According to Fortune magazine, the FDA standards don't regulate how quickly the medicine reaches peak concentration in the blood. It can be a big issue for patients taking generic versions of time release medications. If the generic drug you are taking seems to be doing the job, that's fine. If not, it could be time to switch to the branded product.

LYCOPENE FROM TOMATOES AND TOMATO PRODUCTS

Listen, men: you can easily cut your stroke risk by more than half.

It's time to stop criticizing guys who like to put ketchup on their food. A new study shows it's not a bad idea, nor is eating a plate of spaghetti with a tomato based sauce. Research done at Eastern Finland University indicates that, for men only, a high intake of lycopene from tomatoes can reduce stroke risk by 55 percent or more. The study included more than 1,000 men between the ages of 46 and 65 who were given blood tests for lycopene levels then tested again in 12 years. During that time, 65 men in the study had a stroke, but among the 259 men with the highest levels of lycopene, only 11 suffered a stroke. The findings were published in a recent issue of Neurology.

Study leaders, quoted by Tufts University, say lycopene is the most effective killer of the oxygen free radicals that damage blood vessels. It also reduces inflammation and bad cholesterol, prevents blood clots and boosts immune function.

Lycopene is fat-soluble so it's better absorbed with a little fat, such as olive oil in a pasta sauce or salad dressing. Cooking increases the body's ability to absorb it. Doctors say even cutting and chopping can boost the amount your body absorbs from tomatoes. The more colorful a tomato is, the more lycopene it contains.

Mayo Clinic studies show lycopene also correlates with reduced incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration.

About 795,000 Americans will suffer a stroke this year, about 137,000 will die and others will be disabled. Stroke is caused by a clot blocking blood flow to the brain or by a blood vessel rupturing and preventing blood flow to the brain.

© 2013 TLC Magazine Online, Inc.