Quantum Health And Wellness Center

Recommendations and reviews from 1 person

• Referral from March 29, 2014
  

  Sandie E. asked:

  Suggestions please ... what are your recommendations for preventing mosquito bites? I get eaten alive down there and I've tried every cream/spray etc. What works for you?

  

  Lisa H. replied:

  Stay healthy friends According to www.quantumhealth.com, and MedMinute, a service of Duke University Medical Center News, DEET should be used with caution due to its possible damaging effects on brain cells. Studies have shown that DEET causes brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats after frequent and prolonged use. This exposure causes neurons to die in regions of the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory, and concentration. Rats treated with an average human dose of DEET (40 mg/kg body weight) performed far worse when challenged with physical tasks requiring muscle control, strength and coordination. These findings are consistent with reported human symptoms following DEET's use by the military in the Persian Gulf War. With heavy exposure (such as with those of us who won't go outside without their favorite sunscreen or bug spray), humans may experience memory loss, headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors and shortness of breath. The bad part about it is that these symptoms may not be evident until months or even years after exposure. Some studies show that frequent and long-term use of DEET, especially in combination with other chemicals or medications, could cause brain deficits in vulnerable populations, particularly children. In fact, the dangers for children are particularly of interest. The Children's Health Environmental Coalition's "Healthe House" website is a resource for environmental health risks affecting children (http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/chemicals/chemicals-detail2.asp?Main_ID=345). They give DEET an orange flag for "warning" and recommend that exposure be avoided. The main reasons are because if swallowed, absorbed through skin or inhaled, DEET is "Very Highly Toxic". Now if I'm not mistaken, when using insect repellant aren't you at least inhaling it and absorbing it through the skin? Children are more susceptible to subtle brain changes caused by chemicals in their environment because their skin more readily absorbs them. Also, their still-developing nervous systems are more potently affected. For the same reasons, NEVER use insect repellant containing DEET on infants. The same caution should be applied to pregnant women as DEET can cross the placenta and expose babies in the womb.

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