Medical Breakthroughs and the Challenges of Acceptance

The history of medicine is filled with stories of breakthroughs often being discounted, discredited, ignored, or attacked when initially discovered.  Many times a significant amount of time passes before these discoveries are accepted by medical practitioners and others.

One well known example is Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician who lived in the 1800’s and is regarded as the pioneer of antiseptic procedures in medicine.   His observations and studies showed that patient deaths from obstetrical deliveries could be significantly reduced, yet he was ostracized by the medical community and his ideas were rejected.  Doctors were offended by his suggestion that they should wash their hands before caring for patients.   It wasn’t until many years after Semmelwies’ death when germ theory was discovered that hand washing and antiseptic techniques became a standard part of medical practice.

Another example of the slow acceptance of a breakthrough is Sir Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin mold as an antibacterial agent.  He discovered penicillin’s effectiveness in 1928, but it wasn’t until the 1940’s that it became a valuable medication in reducing or eliminating infection and was commonly used.

A third example also occurred in 1928, when Dr. Georgios Papanikolaou discovered that uterine cancer could be diagnosed by means of a vaginal smear.  But it wasn’t until 1943 and later that the importance of his work was recognized and Pap smears became a common diagnostic technique.

In our previous blogs, we discussed the damaging effects of free radicals and oxidative stress, the importance of eating fresh fruits and vegetables in combating this damage, and the remarkable scientific breakthrough of Protandim®, a Nrf2 Synergizer™, that turns on our body’s survival genes and creates far more antioxidants than what we can get from food alone.

In 2005, ABC Primetime News did a story on Protandim®.  It generated considerable interest in the scientific community that wanted to study how reductions in oxidative stress could impact various diseases such as muscular dystrophy, cancer, cardiovascular, and diabetes.  As mentioned in an earlier blog, oxidative stress is relatively new to medical research, but is rapidly gaining interest as evidenced by almost 100,000 scientific research articles currently listed on pubmed.gov, a repository of over 21 million scientific studies maintained by the National Institutes of Health.

Currently, there are 10 peer-reviewed scientific reports on Protandim® and another 20 or more other studies currently underway.  With the exception of the initial research on Protandim®, all of these studies have been funded and undertaken independently by the national and international research centers, including the University of Michigan. 

One peer-reviewed scientific study showed that Protandim® reduced oxidative stress for individuals by an average of 40% in the first 30 days by taking just one tablet daily.  Other completed studies report that Protandim® reduced the incidence of skin cancer in mice, reduced the wall thickening of saphenous veins used for cardiac bypass surgery, and improved markers of oxidative stress and fibrosis in muscular dystrophy mice.

Stated simply, our bodies and disease processes are complicated.  There is no single solution for anything regarding our health.  We increase our chances of enjoying healthy lives if we eat fresh, non-processed foods, exercise regularly, and manage our weight.  Natural nutritional supplements like Protandim® can help our in our efforts to achieve a more healthy body, but it should be noted that this product is not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease.

Similar to what Dr. Semmelweis experienced in the 1800’s with his ideas on hand washing and antiseptic techniques, it may take time for a scientific breakthrough like Protandim® to be widely accepted as an important way to improve our health.

In our upcoming blog, we will provide some information about Dr. Joe McCord, who discovered one of the key antioxidant enzymes called Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and formulated the patented natural ingredients of Protandim®.  We will also share some stories of people who have experienced remarkable health results from Protandim®.

For more information or details about Protandim® and the anti-aging skin cream TrueScience®, contact David Zuza at 248-990-6116 or email me at strata.z@sbcglobal.net.