Dr. Sam P. Bessman This is Me

 View all 24 references Web References

1. 1. www.drpasswater.com

   www.drpasswater.com/nutrition_ - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/19/2007   Last Visited: 12/20/2007

   Almada: Samuel Bessman, a researcher at the University of Southern California with whom I met in 1993, had done some pioneering work with creatine, which included examining its impact on heart function in animal models.

2. 2. BCNG Portals Page

   www.nanaimobulletin.com/portal - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/10/2007   Last Visited: 2/10/2007

   A famous biochemist at the University of Southern California, Dr. Sam Bessman, once told me: "Remember that the body never stops eating. If you don't feed it properly, it will begin to consume itself." That is precisely what happens in the girl who consumes too few calories; she may have no periods for years at a time.

3. 3. DNA.com - New Standards for Treating PKU

   www.dna.com/newsArticles/newsA - [Cached]

   Published on: 10/18/2000   Last Visited: 4/25/2002

   "You have got to remember that there is such a thing as junk science," says Dr. Samuel Bessman, chair of pharmacology and professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine.
   
   According to Bessman, the panel's recommendations largely ignore the fact that some patients with PKU never develop mental retardation. They also ignore the fact that treatment of PKU can itself have harmful effects, and that the most commonly used diagnostic test for PKU is not 100% accurate, he says.
   
   "My fear is that they are making suggestions based on numbers that are not wholly accurate," he tells WebMD.
   
   The current treatment for PKU involves putting patients on a diet that excludes all high-protein foods, such as milk, eggs, and nuts. The reason is that all protein contains phenylalanine. When a strict diet is begun early and phenylalaline levels are controlled, experts believe that children with PKU can develop normally.
   
   Treatment also carries risks
   
   ...
   But the treatment itself can be dangerous and difficult to maintain since it also requires the diligent use of supplements, Bessman says. And due to the limited amount of research conducted on PKU, there's no evidence to demonstrate that everyone needs treatment or that mandatory screening is necessary, he tells WebMD.
   
   PKU is thought to occur in about one in every 15,000 children, he says. That means the average hospital will see one case every four years, and the average pediatrician will see about one case during his or her lifetime, he says.