Dr. Steve: Vaccines vs. Autism, Your Blue-Eyed Daddy & The 2-Liter Estrogen

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7:00am Segment Info:
Another study shoots down the theory that vaccines cause autism.

Researchers say the mercury that's found in a vaccine preservative is pumped out of a baby's body too quickly for it to do any damage. Vaccines used to contain a preservative called thimerosol, which contained ethyl mercury. Researchers say that form of mercury is handled differently in the body than the mercury you get from pollution or contaminated fish. The study reinforces what researchers have been saying for years and should help calm parents fears about vaccinating their children.

Do vaccines still have that preservative in them?

In the United States the majority of routine childhood vaccines do not contain thimerosol but because of the overwhelming research finding no connection between autism and thimerosol the world health organization still sanctions its use. So there are countries in the world that still use it. Despite the fact that so many studies have shown thimerosal is safe, some groups still insist that vaccines cause autism.

In other news, there's an interesting report about eye color.

Scientists studying DNA and eye color found that 99.5% of people that they studied with blue eyes have the same single ancestor.

That's because they all have the same mutation in the gene that determines eye color. Researchers analyzed the DNA of about 800 people with blue eyes, ranging from fair-skinned, blond-haired Scandinavians to dark-skinned, blue-eyed people living in the Middle East. All of them, inherited the same switch at exactly the same spot in their DNA. No one is sure when this mutation occurred. They're guessing about 10,000 years ago. In North Western Europe when there was a great agricultural migration which resulted in rapid expansion of the human population.

Was brown the original eye color?

Originally, we all had brown eyes. But this genetic mutation basically shut off the mechanism that produced melanin in the eyes. When we see variations in eye color like blue, green, hazel. It's actually a different amount of melanin that's being produced in the eye.

8:00am Segment Info:
A new study finds those plastic bottles that we all drink from may release potentially harmful chemicals after they come in contact with hot liquids.

Researchers from the university of Cincinnati tested polycarbonate plastic bottles and exposed them briefly to boiling hot water and found that the plastic released a chemical called bisphenol a or BPA which is an environmental estrogen. After coming in contact with the hot water, BPA was released 55 times more rapidly than with cold water. Previous studies have shown that if you repeatedly scrub, dish-wash and boil polycarbonate baby bottles, they release BPA. And it doesn't matter if the bottles are old or new.

Is BPA dangerous?

BPA is a man-made chemical that's classified as an endocrine disruptor, which can alter the function of the body's natural hormones. It has been shown to affect reproduction and brain development in animals... But it's still not clear what level of BPA is harmful to humans. But there is a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests it may be harmful. So if you're you may want to consider dumping the plastic and going for glass bottles instead.

In other news, the Superbowl is just 3 days away, but for some fans. It can be "dangerous"?

Well, if you're a particularly rabid fan and you suffer from heart disease, diabetes or any other medical condition where stress can be a problem for you. Doctors say getting all worked up over a game can be dangerous.

According to a new study, heart attacks and other cardiac emergencies doubled in Munich, Germany, when their team played in world cup. While soccer fans are known to be a bit crazy, New York Giant fans can be just as crazy too.

I’m sure there are some tips.

Yeah, some basic things that really just make sense if you're on medication. Be sure to take it as prescribed. Super bowl Sunday is not a day to skip your medication. Stay away from tobacco and the high fat food and snacks. Try to get some rest the night before and don't drink too much. And finally, if you experience any heart symptoms don't wait till after the game. Call 9-1-1. Believe it or not some men put off emergency treatment until after a game is over.
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