by Jonathan Benson

More quality control issues at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) have spurred yet another consumer product recall. At least 2,200 bottles of Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion from lot number 0161LK have been found to be contaminated with coagulase-negative staphylococci, a highly-contagious, antibiotic-resistant pathogen that can cause crippling illness.

The J&J recall announcement specifically states that the recall "is not being undertaken on the basis of adverse events and the potential for adverse health events is remote," but rather out of "an abundance of caution." Concerned individuals that already purchased lotion from the lot in question are free to contact the company for a refund at (877) 298-2525 if they choose to do so (http://www.aveeno.com/babycare/product-home).

J&J insists that even the recalled lotions are safe, and also claims that coagulase-negative staphylococci is a common and generally harmless pathogen. However, a 1999 study published in the journal Annual Review of Medicine explains that coagulase-negative staphylococci is highly transmissible, particularly in hospitals, and can cause central nervous system infections, native or prosthetic valve endocarditis, urinary tract infections, and endophthalmitis (http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.med.50.1.223).

Throughout the past year and a half, J&J recalled at least 12 different consumer products manufactured by McNeil Consumer Healthcare. These products included Children's Benadryl Allergy Fastmelt Tablets, Tylenol 8 Hour, Motrin IB, Sudafed 24 Hour, Rolaids, and Tylenol Cold Liquid products (http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com/page.jhtml?id=/include/news.inc).

Meanwhile, two longtime executives at J&J will be retiring in March, according to The Washington Post. Patrick Mutchler, group chairman for over-the-counter drugs, nutritionals and wellness and prevention products, and Pericles Stamatiades, head of global strategy for consumer products, will be departing after having worked at the company for 35 years and 28 years, respectively (http://www.washingtonpost.com).

NOTE: F4L Ministries do not necessarily agree with all that is said in these articles, and am placing them so that our readers can have a greater insight in what is going on in the health care arena!

Pomegranate juice may improve the health and mobility of sperm when consumed regularly, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Firat University in Turkey and published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups, and given either 1 mL of water, 0.75 mL of water mixed with 0.25 mL of pomegranate juice, 0.50 mL of water mixed with 0.50 mL of pomegranate juice, or 1 mL of pomegranate juice once per day for seven weeks. At the end of that time, the researchers tested the blood and sperm of the rats.

Compared with the mice drinking only water, the mice drinking concentrated pomegranate juice experienced a 48.5 percent decrease in their blood levels of the reactive carbonyl malondialdehyde (MDA), and a 63.5 percent decrease in the levels of the chemical in their sperm. According to the researchers, sperm cells' high concentration of polyunsaturated fats, which are used to regulate the sperm's growth and development, makes them particularly susceptible to damage from MDA and other peroxidative compounds,.

The researchers also found that due to decreased peroxidation of lipids, the rats that drank the concentrated pomegranate juice had "increased spermatogenic cell density, epididymal sperm concentration, sperm motility and decreased abnormal sperm rate."

They noted that only the concentrated juice, and not the 25 or 50 percent mixtures, showed any benefit when compared with water alone.

Pomegranate juice is known to be rich in antioxidants, particularly a chemical known as punicalagin. It is these compounds that are believed to be behind the fruit's benefits for heart health, cancer and Alzheimer's prevention, and the slowing of cartilage loss from arthritis.

In late 2007, a pilot study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research reported that pomegranate juice had showed success as a way to manage erectile dysfunction.

NOTE: F4L Ministries do not necessarily agree with all that is said in these articles, and am placing them so that our readers can have a greater insight in what is going on in the health care arena!