Thursday, October 29, 2009

IS THERE A VITAMIN (D3) CONSPIRACY OF SUPPRESSION?

Recent key papers perhaps expose the falseness of the vitamin  conspiracy, the condemnation if not regulatory suppression of free choice  supplements in favour of risky designer drugs like antimicrobials on the FDA’s  (ie the New Drug Industry’s) self-serving argument to protect the Disease Industry with the poor argument that experience and observational and evolutionary evidence are not good enough, only randomized controlled trial evidence will do.

This despite the major studies that vitamin D in optimal  dose, like vitamin C, in  fact in optimal multinutrient combination, offers better protection – prevention and treatment- than any designer drugs against all diseases, from acute and chronic infections eg  flu, HIV and other  STDs,   and tuberculosis and other bacterial (and parasitemia) infections, to autoimmune, lipid- hypertensive-vascular disease, depression and cancer, prevention of frailty and fractures, even dementia and multiple sclerosis – as Dr John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council repeatedly details.

Earlier this year a  research centre in San Francisco estimates benefit of increased vitamin D status in reducing the economic burden of disease in western Europe. The reduction in direct plus indirect economic burden of disease was based on increasing the mean serum 25(OH)D level to 100nmol/L, which could be achieved by a daily intake of 2000-3000 IU of vitamin D.  For 2007, the reduction is estimated at euro187,000 million/year. The estimated cost of 2000-3000 IU of vitamin D3/day along with ancillary costs such as education and testing might be about euro10,000 million/year. Sources of vitamin D could include a combination of food fortification, supplements, and natural and artificial UVB irradiation, if properly acquired. Steps to increase serum 25(OH)D levels can be implemented now based on what is already known.

A University Toronto study last month on    How to optimize vitamin D supplementation to prevent cancer, based on cellular adaptation and hydroxylase enzymology by Prof Robert Vieth Univ Toronto, Canada  analyzes the question of “what makes an ‘optimal’ vitamin D intake” ie  ‘what serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] do we need to stay above to minimize risk of disease?’. This simplistic question ignores the evidence that fluctuating concentrations of 25(OH)D may in themselves be a problem, even if concentrations do exceed a minimum desirable level. It explains why higher 25(OH)D concentrations are not good if they fluctuate, and that desirable 25(OH)D concentrations are ones that are both high and stable.”

A new study last week from Finland probes the benefits of vitamin D in institutionalized adults with intellectual disability ID, who may eat poorly and seldom get any sunshine. . Those given 800iu vitamin D daily for 6 months did better than those given simply 150 000iu imi at the start, when all had a mean vit D bloodlevel of 40nmol/L, the oral dose group having a final level of 82 compared to 62 nmol/L in the other group. PTH fell in both groups, but target D3 level of 80 was attained in 42 % orally vs 12%  imi.

and now this week Pietras ea from Boston  detail how Vitamin D2 Treatment  50 000iu fortnightly for up to 6 years for Vitamin D Deficiency and Insufficiency in Boston increased vitamin D levels from 67  to 117 nmol/L, without change in blood calcium, and no kidney stones- but with persistent vitamin D deficiency in perhaps 10%, for a variety of possible reasons. They agree that oral vitamin D3 is the best preparation. This is retailed in South Africa for as little as  R6 (($0.80)  per 50 000iu.

The short answer is that, from local and international experience with such doses, there is indeed no evidence of harm, only benefit- ie nothing to lose. Prudence dictates query about history of hypercalcemia/ kidney stone problems, and baseline and followup check of at least serum calcium phosphate and creatinine if not also vitamin D  levels, to judge whether dose of 2000iu or 10 000iu/day (or 50 000iu every week or month)  is both enough to produce stable blood level in the range of 125 to 150nmol/L, and safe for the individual.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

My Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet: Day 54 + Potassium Deficiency

Weight: 154 lb

Transgressions: TNTC (too numerous to count)

Exercise: none

Comments

The Potassium Problem

My current food intake on the Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet appears to be low in potassium, which might have long-term health consequences if followed for many months or years.  According to the Linus Pauling Institute’s Micronutrient Information Center, adequate potassium intake apparently decreases blood pressure, reduces salt sensitivity, decreases risk of kidney stones, and protects against osteoporosis and stroke. 

These associations between higher potassium intake and lower condition rates are based mostly on observational studies of populations in which some people eat little potassium and others eat a lot.  It’s assumed that people with higher potassium intake are eating more fruits and vegetables, not taking supplements. 

The Linus Pauling Institute agrees with the U.S. Institute of Medicine’s  ”Adequate Intake” value for potassium of 4,700 mg daily for average adults.  The current U.S. Food and Drug Administration Daily Value is about 3,500 mg.  I’m only getting 2,000 mg/day now. 

Multivitamin/multimineral supplements in the U.S. provide a maximum of 99 mg potassium (by law?).  I bought a potassium gluconate supplement at CVS Pharmacy last night: 90 mg potassium, a drop in the bucket.  I dropped into a Hi Health vitamin store (health food store?) today and would swear I saw a combined magnesium and potassium supplement that contained 150 mg potassium. 

Excess potassium intake can be life-threatening in certain situations such as kidney impairment and use of medications like potassium-sparing diuretics and ACE inhibitors. 

Relatively high meat intake tends to create an acidic environment in the body, which our bones help to buffer or counteract.  In the process, calcium in our bones is mobilized and can be lost through urine.  The end result after many years is osteoporosis: thin brittle bones easily broken.  And perhaps calcium-containing kidney stones.  These are traditional concerns about high-protein diets. 

Many fruits and vegetables are considered naturally alkaline, tending to counteract the acid production of other foods. 

I see sporadic reports about potassium bicarbonate supplementation acting as an acid buffer and reducing urinary calcium loss.  Potassium citrate may do the same.  Even potassium chloride may reduce urinary calcium loss separate from any acid buffering capacity (which it shouldn’t have, anyway).  Are those supplements available without a physician’s prescription?  Health food store perhaps?  [Not in Hi Health.]  Would a salt substitute containing potassium chloride be a reasonable source of potassium? 

How about reducing fruit and vegetable consumption, replacing them with a potassium bicarbonate supplement?  Probably not a fair trade.  The food has myriad other nutrients that probably promote health and longevity. 

These potassium-related health concerns are much less bothersome, perhaps nonexistent, when I admit that very few people will follow a very low-carb ketogenic diet for longer than several months.  But it’s an issue.

On the other hand, maybe I worry too much.  Remember, the foods I choose are giving me 2,000 mg potassium daily.  The total potassium could be lower or higher depending on one’s choice of food items.  I have the 1993 edition of Understanding Nutrition, a popular college textbook in basic nutrition.  The table of Recommended Dietary Allowances doesn’t even list potassium.  The text mentions an estimated minimum requirement for potassium of 2,000 mg/day.  The Canadian minimum requirement was 1,170 mg/day. 

About My Diet Transgressions

After 53 days of very low-carb eating, I decided to take a break, a cheat day.  The family was celebrating a milestone.  We drove 2 hours and 20 minutes, one way, to eat at Eat At Joe’s Barbecue in Wikiup, Arizona.  Best Texas-style barbecue outside of Texas.  I had brisket, baked beans, half a roll, cole slaw, stuffed jalapenos, Shiner Bock beer, and cherry pie.  Probably ate 3,500 calories today instead of my usual 1,850.  Expect my weight will be up 2–3 lb tomorrow.  We’ll see how far and how long this transgression sets me back.  All in the name of Science, of course.

-Steve

Saturday, October 24, 2009

50 YEARS ON PREMARIN AND NOT DEAD YET

The widespread rumor that Premarin causes cancer has been going around since at least the 1950s. It’s out there like a smoldering campfire and every once in awhile somebody blows on it, and it flares up again. I know women right now living with hot flashes and other indications that they might benefit from a little Premarin, but their doctors won’t prescribe it. Too bad.

It was prescribed for me when I was only thirty years old after a ruptured tubal pregnancy had left me with only one ovary. That ovary went crazy and was producing a menstrual period every two weeks. With the recent surgery and three little kids to keep up with, Premarin, .0625 mg daily, was prescribed to bring my periods back into 28 day cycles.

I’ve never stopped taking it, 25 days a month, for 50 years now.

We will never know where I would have been without Premarin, of course. But my two sisters, one older and one younger, cannot understand how I could be as healthy as I am and have been for so long. They both have debilitating health conditions. I doubt that it’s because I’m the only milk drinker among us.

I am still tall and straight, have no osteoporosis, better than expected bone density, firm breasts, and all of my own teeth except for two. So I have no regrets for having been on Premarin for fifty years.  I can’t imagine not being able to work. It’s what I do.

With the information available to us today, we can check things out for ourselves, can’t we? We don’t have to take somebody else’s word for anything or buy into even what our doctor believes. There’s a lot of free comfort to be found with the Google search button and there are other doctors out there. Listen to your body; go for it.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Food for Thought: Healing from Within - Ashley Boynes, Community Development Director, WPA Chapter

“Mind, Body, Spirit” is not ONLY an e-newsletter provided to you by the Arthritis Foundation – it is also an idea that is embodied by living a healthful lifestyle of wellness.

Did you know that what nourishes us can also destroy us? Did you know that what is healthy for one person may not be for the next? These ideas and many more were discussed today during an interview with Janet McKee, HCC, AADP – a certified holistic health counselor and drugless practitioner. You will soon be able to hear this interview in its entirety on Arthritis Radio or as an iTunes podcast, but for now, I would like to go over some of the concepts that Executive Director David Martin and myself touched upon with Janet during this fascinating afternoon.

Janet says that it can be easy AND enjoyable to take control of your own health and to live a vibrant life. She claims that we can eat foods that are delicious AND nutritious, and warns against many American “staples” such as fast food, junk food, processed foods, sugars, and fatty meats. Her mission to heal is not only a professional one, but is also a part of her personal journey. Janet herself suffers from an autoimmune digestive disorder that, like arthritis, is inflammation-based. In fact, she claims that many diseases – from rheumatoid arthritis to cancer – are due to inflammation and an out-of-balance immune system. This is where a life overhaul can help patients get to the healthy point of their lives where so many hope to be.

While Ms. McKee acknowledged how lucky we are in America, and particularly here in Pittsburgh, to have such a forward health care system and such scientifically advanced medicine, she also makes note of the fact that traditional medicine isn’t our only choice, and wants people to know that they do have an alternate option.

While she stressed the importance of seeking (traditional) medical attention when need be, and noted that for some conditions, it is absolutely necessary to go, and stay, on medications, she says that by eating healthy and feeding our body the right things, we can avoid getting to this point altogether. Also, even if you are at the point where you have to be on 1 or 2 meds, this healthy and nutritious lifestyle can only assist in the healing process and can help you achieve your goal of overall health and wellness. You may want to ask your doctor if seeking out a nutritionist or health counselor is right for you!

Janet says that there are two “types” of food: primary and secondary. Primary food isn’t what you’d think – it is the less “tangible” things that we feed our body – stress, work, social life, spirituality, etc. Secondary food is what we typically consider, food. Lowering stress, increasing mental and emotional wellness, finding work that we enjoy, finding hobbies that we enjoy, finding something we believe in (whether religious or seeking spirituality on a golf course), having a support system, finding positive energy and letting go of negative emotional blockages to healing are all “primary” foods that we “feed” our body are just as important as what physically goes into our body. The types of regular (“secondary”) foods that go into our body are important because Janet says that they feed us on even a very cellular level, helping to balance the pH of our blood, and thus allowing our immune system (and all systems of the body) to function properly, and naturally.

Janet says to boost immunity and decrease inflammation, we need to do away with overly fatty foods, most dairy and meats, processed sugars, etc. Healthy additions to our diet should be leafy greens, whole fruits and vegetables, legumes like peas and beans, healthy whole grains such as quinoa, and occasionally wild-caught cold fish. She encourages everything to be whole, and organic, and stresses the importance of phyto-nutrients (nutrients that are plant-based) and antioxidants. She recommends cherries for arthritis and also spices and herbs such as turmeric and ginger. Janet, who was a huge advocate of red grapes in any form, says that it is okay to enjoy an occasional glass of (organic) red wine in moderation, but that anyone who is in the early stages of trying to “heal” should avoid alcohol altogether.

Another helpful hint? Walnuts. She says that walnuts also help to combat inflammation and aid with the immune system, therefore being a perfect super-food for an arthritis sufferer. We also need to be certain to stay hydrated. Water is essential for life! For instance, we should drink a full glass of water upon wakening – BEFORE our morning coffee. As we sleep, our body becomes dehydrated and then may therefore not function properly until we hydrate.  Also be sure to drink water throughout the day to cleanse and hydrate. By the way, you CAN enjoy a cup of morning coffee – but, like anything, do so in moderation. Caffeine breeds acidity which can send our blood (and immune system) “out of whack.” However, it is high in antioxidants, so if you try not to overdo it, and be sure not to add too much sugar or milk, it is okay to consume now and then, especially if it brings you comfort or joy. She recommends green tea as an alternative to coffee. Plain, hot green tea is an excellent drink of choice for arthritis sufferers – packed with antioxidants and healing properties. She says that peppermint tea is also a great choice.

An interesting concept that kept coming up with Janet was “enjoyment” and “happiness.” She seems to have an attitude that you should enjoy eating. Do not focus on what you CANNOT eat, but what you CAN eat.  She says you should do things in life that make you happy – personally, professionally, and health-wise. She also encourages living as natural a life as possible – from the way you eat, to the way you drink, live, shop, and sleep.

Janet McKee is truly a “crusader” for nutrition and overall wellness. She had so many interesting things to say, that these are only the beginning! You will learn much more from this week’s Arthritis Radio broadcast, which will be up within the next few days!

Our Arthritis Radio interview with Ms. McKee will be up soon, and you can hear more in detail from this lovely lady herself, but you can always go back and peruse our past episodes on topics such as Tai Chi, fibromyalgia, Juvenile Arthritis, exercise, and more! For now, feel free to check out Janet’s website at www.janetmckee.com and be sure to subscribe to Arthritis Radio free weekly podcast on iTunes here: http://bit.ly/uiZw3

If this blog has inspired you to “get cooking”, our inaugural podcast Episode 1 with “Cooking with Arthritis” author, Melinda Winner can be heard here or, you can visit her website, here. To read a past blog on how the gluten-free diet can be healthy for arthritis, click here.

Also, be sure to browse our past blogs and Arthritis Radio episodes for much more useful information on holistic/alternative treatments, and diet & arthritis!

Please share your comments on how food or a natural, holistic  lifestyle of wellness for mind, body, and spirit has transformed your life! We enjoy feedback, and reading about your triumphs, struggles, and personal stories about surviving with arthritis and related conditions!


Thanks for reading, and stay well!

- Ashley Boynes

Community Development Director

Western Pennsylvania Chapter

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Bone Health;Know the Risks and Set a Plan

 

 

As I enter my post menopausal stage, I asked my health care provider to provide me additional information and tools to assist me for a plan for better bone health. I maintain a healthy diet and exercise program but I still wanted reassurance for a preventative plan.  Bones play many roles in the body,they provide structure, protect organs, anchor muscles, and store calcium. Adequate calcium consumption and weight bearing physical activity build strong bones, optimizes bone mass, and may reduce the risk of Osteoporosis later in life.

Both men and women get Osteoporosis however, women are more at risk due the primary cause of hormonal imbalances that interfere with the bone-forming cells. Osteoporosis is a health risk directly linked to Menopause. The lack of Estrogen causes the cells that build new bone to be less active than cells that remove old bone – your bones are being torn down faster than they are being built up. The excessive loss of bone mass causes Osteoporosis, a thinning and weakening of the bones. Osteoporosis increases your risk of a fracture and can lead to a loss of height and/or a humped back. This disease comes on silently – there are no warning signs and it is usually not detected until a fracture is suffered. It moves quickly with up to 20% of expected lifetime bone loss occurring within the first 5 to 7 years after menopause. It is also very common – 51 million American women over the age of 45 are at risk for osteoporosis.

Know your risks now for prevention; review this list carefully; you may decide now is the time to make some lifestyle changes.

  • Having small and thin bones
  • Having a relative; who has had it
  • Having gone through menopause
  • Not getting enough or no exercise
  • Having eating disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia
  • Tobacco smoking and drinking alcohol and using certain medications

*Here is a list of some preventative steps to lower your risk of bone loss.

                 Exercise                  

  • You need to get moving and exercise. Weight bearing and resistance exercises like weight training, walking, running helps keep bones strong by causing the muscles and tendons to pull on the bones, which in turn stimulates bone cells to produce more bone. I have to re-evaluate my workout program with some adjustments since I am in the menopausal stages and my requirements are now different.

                Calcium and Vitamin D                                                                                                 

Eat a healthy diet rich in calcium and the best way to get calcium is to eat calcium-rich foods. Good sources of calcium include: low fat dairy such as yogurt, milk and cheese,dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach.  I make a Salmon Spread from canned Wild Salmon with the bones, add a little mayo and spread on whole wheat crackers or bread. I also purchase calcium fortified OJ and I have it in the morning with breakfast or I make fruit smoothies with added calcium. The recommended intake of calcium for adults, men and women, 19 to 50 years is 1,000 milligrams each day, with higher amounts recommended for younger and older age groups and in pregnancy. A full list of recommended intakes is available from the National Institutes of Health Calcium Fact Sheet, in addition to additional valuable information on calcium in food and how to meet your requirements. Vitamin D also plays an important role in healthy bone development. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium (this is why milk is fortified with vitamin D).

For more information on calcium and children visit the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

Medications

  • Be aware of medications: certain medications can contribute to bone loss such as antacids containing aluminum, corticosteroids and thyroid hormone. Ask your doctor for more information if you are using these types of medications.

Caffeine, Tobacco and Alcohol

I am a Starbucks drinker, I love my morning cup of coffee but I limit my intake of caffeine to 1-2 cups per day. Studies do show that drinking 300 milligrams of caffeine a day contributes to bone loss. Avoid alcohol and heavy the drinkers at the greatest risk, drinking even two to three ounces of alcohol regularly may be damaging to your bones. I have never been a smoker and for you Tobacco users; smoking affects how the body absorbs calcium. While doing my research I found that; women who smoke have lower estrogen levels. Our bodies and hormones operate like a symphony; when one hormone is out of cord our whole system is out of harmony and balance. Regular alcohol consumption of 2 to 3 ounces of alcohol every day increases the risk of Osteoporosis. It interferes with the absorption and use of calcium and vitamin D and other bone nutrients.

Please talk to your doctor,  especially if you feel that any of these items on the list apply to you, there is something that you can do to lower your risk. Talk with your  health care provider who specializes in these areas. 

For more information on bone health and osteoporosis please visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation. *

May you find this information helpful and useful for preventative care and balance.

Jacqueline G. Logan

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Direct link between osteoporosis and celiac disease

It used to be thought that people with celiac disease developed osteoporosis because they cannot properly absorb calcium and vitamin D from their diet, but new research shows 20 per cent of people with celiac produce antibodies that attack the OPG protein and stop it working properly, resulting in rapid bone destruction and severe osteoporosis.

Read the full article here ScienceDaily 08/10/09

If you're confused about prostate awareness "-embers", this will help

PROSTABLOG NZ: Moustaches or blue paint? What works best when it comes to helping prostate cancer patients?

This may be a dilemma for NZ’s generous public as two Australian-based marketing organisations go up against one another in annual Kiwi campaigns to get attention – and money – for the world’s most devious killer of men.

One (MWC Media) has just completed Blue September, which has just run for the second time here.

Seemingly unique to NZ and Australia, Blue September uses celebrities, blue paint on faces, clever branding, media events and photo-ops to raise the profile of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of NZ, a bunch of mostly volunteer prostate cancer survivors and their families.

The other is Movember. It hooked up with the Foundation in 2006 and in two years raised it more $2 million, but in 2008 switched its benevolent aim to the Cancer Society of NZ and the Mental Health Foundation.

Also big in the US, Canada and the UK, Movember is in the process of launching once again for next month.

This week, it got national and web attention with the announcement of a survey it had done on how poorly men look after their health (no details of the sample size, who did the survey, etc, were released, going by the media reports).

Movember began as the 2003 brainwave of four Aussie blokes and has since grown into a global operation which raises funds for the US Prostate Cancer Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Charity in Britain, and the Cancer Council in Australia.

Australia and NZ seem to be the only countries where there are two prostate awareness campaigns running closely together (separated by October).

Who raises what, who gets the money and what’s it spent on?

This writer knows the answers so far as the NZ Prostate Cancer Foundation is concerned (I was a board member for a couple of month).

They were published here in August, when we provided an account of the foundation’s annual results released at its annual meeting in late July.

What about the Cancer Society of NZ, the 50% beneficiary of Movember (it’s unclear how the Mental Health Foundation got into the act, but we have asked Movember. There has been a delay because earlier this month its NZ website was not working)?

Some questions were put to Dalton Kelly, the Cancer Society’s CEO, who readily provided detailed answers today.

Here’s what we asked, and here’s what he said:

Hello Jim – thank you for your email.

We are very happy to share our involvement with Movember and the funding we have received from them. We have very detailed project plans and accounting processes, which we use to report back to Movember on a regular basis, so I can do this straight away for you.

How much did the Cancer Society receive from the Movember organisers last year?

The Cancer Society received 50% of funds raised from the 2008 Movember Campaign. The Mental Health Foundation was the recipient of the other 50%.

What was that money spent on?

The money was divided into a three-way split – one third research, one third for regional projects and one third for national projects.

The research share was awarded in our last grants round to two projects:

To improve the health and quality of life of prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy by programmed physical activity

Dr Justin Keogh and Dr Daniel Shepherd, School of Sport and Recreation, AUT University, Auckland. Money from this grant round will be used by the investigator to explore how to best get men with prostate cancer into exercise programmes and how they may stay in it. Men on hormone treatment for prostate cancer lose some strength and exercise may reverse this.

RADAR prostate cancer trial

The biggest prostate cancer trial in Australasia has been running since 2007. Associate Professor David Lamb, based in Wellington, is investigating how long to use hormone therapy in prostate cancer, and whether the side effectives of treatment (osteoporosis) could be reduced by the use of bone-hardening drugs (bisphosphonates).

So far the regional budget has been awarded to eight regional projects:

  • Field Days – men’s health with a focus on prostate cancer – Waikato.
  • Developing a resource being a hardware education tool for prostate cancer – Central Districts.
  • Men’s Health Challenge brochure delivered to the RFU – Taranaki Centre.
  • Workplace-based men’s health initiative with a focus on prostate cancer (with an intention it will be developed into a national model) – Wellington
  • A prostate cancer support project to visit rural areas using kaumatua who have had prostate cancer to talk to the men/women and also a project with all the Rotary Clubs focusing on prostate cancer – Gisborne/East Coast.
  • What do men want? A series of focus groups asking men about how they want information about prostate cancer delivered to them – booklets, advertising, and also reviewing the Cancer Society’s current prostate cancer literature for suitability – Auckland.
  • Hawkes Bay A&P Show – Men’s Warrant of fitness

National Office has spent some of its allocation on the Men’s Health Challenge – targeting organisations such as the Defence Forces, Fire and Police Service where the employees are largely men.

What proportion was spent on prostate cancer?

All the money has been spent on prostate cancer in the sense that all the projects have a focus on prostate cancer and there is a component in every activity addressing prostate cancer.

In addition the projects promote reducing risks behaviours – such as not smoking, eating well and exercising -as we see these as an important aspect of public education.

What amount do you expect to receive this year?

We don’t really have any idea – we have not made any projections.

What will this year’s proceeds be spent on?

We plan to repeat the exercise of one third to research, one third to regional projects (which there will be a grant round again for) and one third to developing national programmes and resources focusing on prostate Cancer

What proportion of the overall sum raised by Movember is given to your society?

Once expenses are taken out, the Cancer Society receives half the money in conjunction with the Mental Health Foundation.

How much did the society receive from the Rowing For Prostate team in the Indian Ocean Rowing Race? I understand you agreed to be a beneficiary of that. The team apparently raised 24,000 pounds for the UK Prostate Cancer Charity.

The Rowing for Prostate Team approached the Cancer Society of New Zealand to ask us to be a beneficiary for this fundraiser in New Zealand.

Initially, as was Movember, the Rowing for Prostate team had aligned itself to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Both organisations found it very difficult to work with the Prostate Cancer Foundation and approached us instead.

We felt the project had a great deal of merit in that the boys were very high profile, committed to spreading the word about prostate cancer and were good role models in terms of living healthy lives.

At this stage we do not know the amount we will receive from this fundraising event.

On this last question – how much came from the four English expats living in NZ who made up the Rowing For Prostate (RFP) team – Prostablog can assist to a small degree.

We found an English fundraising organisation called Just Giving that handled the RFP fundraising, which involved some radio stations in Auckland and a Rowing For Prostate website (now gone).

It says the rowers’ target was £24,000.00 ($NZ51,827.43), its main beneficiary is the UK Prostate Cancer Charity, and the target was slightly exceeded (£24,145.03 raised so far).

Prostablog has emailed the website to ask how much of the money is coming back to the NZ Cancer Society, but so far there is no reply.

A similar request made to the organisers of the Indian Ocean Rowing Race referred us to the Rowing For Prostate team, but our inquiry some weeks ago has drawn no response.