January 11, 2012
MS Sufferer Improves Dramatically
Here is a terrific YouTube post by Dr. Terry Wahls. She is a person living with secondary, progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). By 2008, she could not walk more than a short way with two canes. At this point, she began a journey into understanding how her disease progresses and ways in which diet and supplements can have an impact on that disease. Check out the video and see her remarkable results–one of the always remarkable and inspiring TED talks series!
January 10, 2012
What’s in Your Medicine Cabinet for Cold & Flu Season?
Here are some recommended supplements great for cold and flu season that have been the subject of recent, good research.
Vitamin D. According to some recent thinking, the “cold and flu season” may actually be the “Vitamin D deficiency season.” As the days grow shorter, people get less sunshine, leading to a decline in the body’s levels of this vitamin, which is essential to good health in many more ways than we used to think. Taking Vitamin D during the winter may therefore be one of the most effective ways to prevent colds and flu. Many researchers who’ve studied Vitamin D now recommend at least 1000 IU/day, but those with a known deficiency may be advised to supplement at even higher levels. There’s a simple test available to check for Vitamin D deficiency – ask your doctor.
Cold Away. This blend of Chinese herbs from Health Concerns is designed to “clear external heat and alleviate symptoms of the common cold.” A key component of this formula is the herb andrographis, which in several recent US studies was found to significantly decrease cold symptoms and the duration of a cold; it may also be useful for prevention. (NYBC stocks over 20 varieties of Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas, by the way.)
Vitamin C. Many good studies have shown a decrease in cold symptom duration, but no benefit for prevention. According to a guide to natural products published by the American Pharmacists’ Association in 2006, taking between one and three grams of Vitamin C per day may decrease cold symptoms (sore throat, fatigue, runny nose) by one to 1½ days.*
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) supports respiratory and immune system function. It has been studied extensively for chronic bronchitis. NAC is also the antidote for acetaminophen poisoning, now the leading cause of liver disease in the US. (Acetaminophen’s best-known tradename is Tylenol®, but it’s also found in many other drugs, so it’s become all too easy to overdose.)
One popular way to take NAC is to use PharmaNAC, notable for its careful quality control, pleasant “wildberry” flavor, and effervescent fizz!
Botanicals. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, astragalus is used for chronic respiratory infections, for colds and flu (both prevention and treatment) and for stress and fatigue. It contains complex sugar molecules called polysaccharides, which some studies show stimulate virus-fighting cells in the immune system. Researchers at the University of Texas and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have turned up convincing evidence that astragalus boosts immune responses in lab animals, and in human cells in lab dishes.
Elderberry extract (as found in Jarrow Formulas’ Wellness Optimizer) and American ginseng (found in two Health Concerns formulas) are two other botanicals that have been studied for cold and flu symptoms in recent North American research, with some promising results. Also, a study conducted by Israeli scientists showed that elderberry extract suppressed the growth of influenza viruses in lab dishes. The same research team reported that patients given the extract recovered from the flu faster. The perennially popular echinacea, however, has generally disappointed in cold prevention studies, but is still touted by some as beneficial at the onset of a cold.
Probiotics. They say the best defense is a good offense, so consider upping your intake of the beneficial bacteria found naturally in such things as kefir (the lightly fermented milk beverage) and yogurt: they boost the flora in your intestinal tract, which is where an estimated 80% your immune system resides.
NYBC stocks eight varieties of probiotic supplements, ranging from Florastor capsules, a favorite of international travelers, to the 40 billion beneficial baceteria-per-capsule Ultra Jarro-Dophilus, to Green Vibrance, a powder added to fruit juice or another beverage of choice (complimentary shaker cup included!).
*Natural Products: A Case-Based Approach for Health Care Professionals, ed. Karen Shapiro. Washington, DC: American Pharmacists’ Assoc. (2006), “Cold and Flu,” pp. 173-192.
January 6, 2012
Vitamin D level associated with breast cancer tumor size, likelihood of relapse
An international symposium on breast cancer at the end of 2011 featured a presentation from researchers who looked at the Vitamin D levels of women at the time they were diagnosed with breast cancer. The main finding: women with higher levels of D at diagnosis had significantly smaller tumors. Additional analysis of the follow-up data in this study showed that there was some relationship (termed of “borderline significance”) between higher levels of Vitamin D and lower risk of death from breast cancer. Furthermore, researchers detected a significant relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and risk of breast cancer relapse over a three year period.
The researchers suggested that Vitamin D’s anti-inflammatory effects might be the main mechanism by which Vitamin D levels influence breast cancer tumor size. The scientists presenting this research also called for further study to establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship between Vitamin D supplementation and breast cancer prevention. They also urged more research to determine the usefulness of Vitamin D supplementation as an additional therapy to bolster standard breast cancer treatments.
We accessed information about this presentation at the Dec. 2011 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium at
http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/SABCS/30191
For more on Vitamin D dosage recommendations, see NYBC’s entries for this very inexpensive supplement:
December 22, 2011
Vitamin D for TB?
A recent report suggested that the use of cod liver oil may improve outcomes in those under treatment for TB. One speculation is that the oil, high in vitamin D, may be the most important and immune enhancing agent. Deficiencies of vitamin D are widespread, particularly among African Americans in general and people living with HIV in particular.
Note that cod liver oil also has significant amounts of vitamin A and the omega-3 fatty acids found in other fish oils. It may well be the combination of these agents that may help to improve outcomes and possibly act as a prophylaxis against tuberculosis–as well as being salutary for health in general!
October 19, 2011
The New York Times on turmeric (curcumin) for joint pain
Our hometown newspaper, The New York Times, has featured a report on turmeric (also known by its most active medicinal ingredient, curcumin) for joint pain. The recommending physician is Dr. Minerva Santos, director of integrative medicine at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York:
“I use a lot of turmeric in my practice,” she said. “It’s an amazing spice. Usually what I do is I make sure nothing else is going on, that it’s just plain old inflammation from wear and tear.”
While many people may encounter turmeric only in curry dishes and South Asian restaurants, Dr. Santos advises her patients to find it in health food stores in pill or capsule form. She recommends a dose of 1,000 milligrams a day. The benefit of buying it in a bottle, she said, is that it’s usually combined with a compound called piperine, which aids absorption.
NYBC stocks Curcumin (Jarrow) in two formats:
As new studies of Curcumin have emerged, NYBC also began stocking additional forms from Vibrant Health, which add bioperine (black pepper extract) for enhanced absorption:
Curcuminoids 1000 mg/30c w/bioperine
Curcuminoids 1000 mg/60c w/bioperine
Read the full story at http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/the-doctors-remedy-turmeric-for-joint-pain/?hp
October 11, 2011
Gut microbes important for health
As this story notes, the bacteria in our guts are important for a variety of health issues, including production of vitamins as well as protecting the immune system. They note a study indicating that the use of probiotics (like acidophilus, bifidus and the like) can help reduce the insulin resistance seen with type II diabetes.
The article is a short review of a presentation given by Professor Willem M. de Vos at the fourth Environmental Microbiology Lecture: “Microbes Inside” on October 10, 2011.
October 9, 2011
How often to check vitamin levels?
MedPage Today, an online medical information service that addresses current health care findings, recently conducted a readers’ poll on the question of how often vitamin levels should be checked. Most of those responding to the poll agreed that factors such as processed foods, mineral-depleted soil, overcooked vegetables and daily stress have combined to create widespread deficiencies in some vitamins and minerals. The majority also agreed that vitamin levels should be checked yearly. Here are some of the comments:
We asked readers if and when patients should be assessed for vitamin deficiencies. Of the more than 2,200 votes, 69% said that patients’ vitamin levels should be assessed at least annually.
“I cannot remember how many patients have been rescued from dementia and psychosis by B12, especially when I have a geriatric focus,” said one doctor, who also touted vitamin D, calcium, fish oil, and thyroid testing. “Everybody deserves a look about once a year.”
[...]
“I have just been rescued from severely low vitamin D levels, and my daughter has been found to have low vitamin levels as well. I wish my doctors had been checking levels all along,” noted another MedPage Today reader.And another expressed similar exasperation. “It was not until I was diagnosed with osteoporosis that I had a vitamin D 25-OH test, and found out that despite being outside every day, my level was insufficient. By then it was too late. I am very disappointed that my physician did not order this inexpensive test years ago. Now, I have asked for a B12 test as well.”
See details at http://www.medpagetoday.com/
September 28, 2011
Low Vitamin B12 Linked to Cognitive Decline
We’ve seen much information in recent years about the relationship between the B vitamins, especially B12, and cognitive function. But a new study fills in details about the mechanisms connecting low B12 levels and declining cognitive health. And one of the study’s authors has suggested that, while there is already a general recommendation for older adults to supplement with B12, there may be cause to advise middle age adults to do the same.
The mechanisms of cognitive decline associated with low levels of B12 include brain atrophy and cerebral infarcts (=blood flow blockage leading to tissue death). Other recent research has suggested that supplementing with B12 may slow brain atrophy as we age, so the current study linking low B12 levels to greater degrees of brain atrophy is not a big surprise.
The Institute of Medicine, an organization that establishes recommended daily allowances for vitamins, currently advises older adults to supplement with Vitamin B12, since seniors frequently are deficient in the vitamin due to declining ability to absorb nutrients. But according to one of the current study’s authors, it may make sense to screen adults for B12 deficiency even before they reach senior status, and address early signs of deficiency with supplementation.
NYBC stocks Vitamin B12 as in a highly absorbable form:
Also available is the B-complex:
B-right (Jarrow)
For more information about the B12 research on cognitive decline, see: http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/28740
September 26, 2011
Alpha Lipoic Acid and Type 2 Diabetes
There is growing evidence that Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) has beneficial effects on the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and some of its complications. Its wide-ranging benefits for diabetes include improved glycemic control, improved insulin sensitivity, reduction of oxidative stress, and reduction of neuropathy.
A recent review of ALA for diabetes concluded that the supplement’s side effects were generally limited, and found that it was generally safe for use even by those with impaired kidney or liver function. (NYBC adds only a caution about a potential thyroid issue, especially for those taking higher doses of ALA.)
See the NYBC entry
Reference:
Poh Z, Goh KP. A current update on the use of alpha lipoic Acid in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2009 Dec;9(4):392-398.
September 24, 2011
Quercetin: New Study Suggests Its Potential for Hepatitis C Treatment
Quercetin has been available as a dietary supplement for decades. This plant-derived compound can be found in various foods, such as onions, apples, red wine, grapefruit juice, orange juice, pomegranate juice, as well as white, green and black teas. It is an antioxidant and has been shown to inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (the so-called “bad cholesterol”)–thus checking one of the primary processes implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease. It has also been investigated as a support for respiratory function.
But what excited us recently were reports about the potential of Quercetin to thwart the hepatitis C virus, and so perhaps provide a new, less toxic way of combating this debilitating disease that affects an estimated 270 to 320 million people worldwide. While there are currently approved treatments for hepatitis C (ribavirin and interferon), they can have significant side effects, and are not always effective. The recent Quercetin research, published in 2010, finds that this plant-derived compound may inhibit hepatitis C replication in a novel way, targeting cellular proteins rather than viral proteins. Clinical trials with Quercetin are now planned, and will focus especially on a type of hepatitis C that is least susceptible to successful treatment by the current medications. We will certainly stay tuned for more news on this topic!
NOTE: NYBC stocks Quercetin 500mg/100 and Quercetin 500mg/200
Reference:
Samuel W. French, et al. The heat shock protein inhibitor Quercetin attenuates hepatitis C virus production. Hepatology, Volume 50 Issue 6, Pages 1756 – 1764.
September 23, 2011
Follow-up on folate and cancer risk
We’ve had a recent comment on our own post regarding the importance of B12 and folate supplementation for people with HIV. The comment expressed concern about some reports that folate may be associated with increased cancer risk. Here’s a reply to that comment:
We recommend this web page for a recent study of folate and REDUCED colorectal cancer risk:
http://www.michaelmooney.net/FolateReducesCancerWillet.html
The 2011 article cited, by a well-known nutrition scientist, finds folate from diet and folate from supplements both associated with reduced colorectal cancer incidence–when taken over a long period (we’re talking about 15-20-30 years). This fits with what is generally understood about the value of vegetables in reducing cancer risk. Not surprising to us is the other finding of the study: that short-term folate intake, around the time of the development of pre-cancers, is not going to help reduce cancer incidence! Indeed, many supplements do not necessarily produce pronounced short-term effects, but rather show health benefits over the long term.
September 22, 2011
Curcumin: An Old Spice Performs New Tricks
Curcumin is one of the main components of the Indian spice turmeric, and gives the spice its characteristic yellow color. Aside from its use in cooking, curcumin/turmeric also holds a position of esteem in the ancient Indian medical tradition called Ayurveda, where it is most frequently recommended to treat gastrointestinal disorders.
In recent decades, this old spice has drawn the attention of a large crop of US-based scientific researchers, who have focused on its powers to address illnesses including cancers, liver disease, and Alzheimer’s. A 2007 review of research concluded that curcumin could protect against skin, oral, intestinal and colon cancers by inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells, by restricting blood supply to tumors, and by other mechanisms as well. As a researcher at the M. C. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas has put it: “The reason curcumin is so effective against cancer is that it hits not just a single target or cell signalling pathway but dozens of targets implicated in cancer.”
Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin has also been adopted as a potential therapeutic agent by scientists investigating difficult-to-treat liver disease. Preliminary research published in 2010 found that curcumin blocks several types of inflammation that can lead to cirrhosis (=scarring of tissue and destruction of liver function). The study authors suggest that the botanical, as a natural substance with few side effects, may ultimately prove a better treatment than currently available medications for some liver disease.
Frequently, supplement research looks for refinements and synergies in investigating the medicinal powers of traditional botanicals like curcumin. That’s been the case with a recent study involving Vitamin D3 and derivatives of curcumin known as curcuminoids. This combination of supplements, remarkably enough, proved helpful in clearing the kind of plaque in the brain that is associated with Alzheimer’s Disease. Of course the University of California researchers who conducted this study are now looking for further confirmation of D3/curcuminoids as a preventive and as a therapy for Alzheimer’s.
NYBC stocks Curcumin (Jarrow) in two formats:
As new studies of Curcumin have emerged, NYBC also began stocking additional forms from Vibrant Health, which add bioperine (black pepper extract) for enhanced absorption:
Curcuminoids 1000 mg/30c w/bioperine
Curcuminoids 1000 mg/60c w/bioperine
References:
Surh YJ, Chun KS. Cancer chemopreventive effects of curcumin. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007.
Champeau, R. Vitamin D, curcumin may help clear amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer’s. Press release, UCLA, July 15, 2009.
Baghdasaryan, A et al. Curcumin improves sclerosing cholangitis in Mdr2-/- mice by inhibition of cholangiocyte inflammatory response and portal myofibroblast proliferation. Gut, 2010.
