February 9, 2011
Supplements as alternatives to benzodiazepines
Here’s an update on this topic:
In her 2007 book, Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutrition, Dr. Hyla Cass has an interesting section (pp. 139-140) dealing with supplement alternatives to benzodiazepines and other drugs such as Ambien. (These drugs are generally prescribed as anti-anxiety agents and as sleep aids.)
Dr. Cass is a practicing physician and an expert on integrative (“holistic”) health, and one of her main concerns is to present ways to counter prescription medication side effects, or to identify supplement alternatives to prescription drugs.
Of benzodiazepines (the best-known tradenames in this category are Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Librium, Halcion), Dr. Cass writes that a principal problem is that these drugs develop dependence, and so can require steadily increasing dosages as time goes on. (Ideally, she says, they are intended as short-term therapies, but in fact many patients end up being prescribed them for a much longer time.) Withdrawal from these drugs can be quite hazardous, and should be done only under medical surpervision. Moreover, the effect of this class of medications is often a dulling of response, so their use can be associated with accidents.
Since benzodiazepines deplete needed nutrients, Dr. Cass advises supplementing as follows if you take them:
1000-1200mg Calcium/day, plus 400-600mg/Magnesium
400-800mg Folic acid/day
1000 IU Vitamin D/day
30-100mcg Vitamin K/day
She also states that in her own practice she has often successfully substituted supplements for these prescription drugs. Among the calming supplements that she has used:
5-HTP: 100-200mg at bedtime
Melatonin: 0.5-3.0mg at bedtime
L-theanine: 200mg, one to three times daily, as needed
In Dr. Cass’s view, supplements such as these, sometimes used in combinations, can provide a good alternative to the addictive benzodiazepines and their side effects (which, she says, are also characteristic of the newer drug Ambien).
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See the following NYBC entries for additional information on the supplements mentioned above:
Melatonin 1mg and Melatonin 3mg
Theanine Serene (includes L-theanine)
NYBC also stocks 5-HTP and the closely related Tryptophan.
Also note that the Jarrow supplement Bone Up very closely matches the set of supplements recommended by Dr. Cass to offset the nutrients depleted by taking benzodiazepines (Calcium, Magnesium, Folic acid, Vitamin D, Vitamin K).
January 19, 2011
Supplements for anxiety
A while back, we posted a review of holistic M.D. Hyla Cass’ recommendations for avoiding the dependence-inducing benzodiazepines for anxiety. Her prescription was to use supplements instead, and she had some specific recommendations:
In her 2007 book, Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutrition, Dr. Hyla Cass has an interesting section (pp. 139-140) dealing with supplement alternatives to benzodiazepines and other drugs such as Ambien. (These drugs are generally prescribed as anti-anxiety agents and as sleep aids.)
Of benzodiazepines (the best-known tradenames in this category are Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Librium, Halcion), Dr. Cass writes that a principal problem is that these drugs develop dependence, and so can require steadily increasing dosages as time goes on. (Ideally, she says, they are intended as short-term therapies, but in fact many patients end up being prescribed them for a much longer time.) Withdrawal from these drugs can be quite hazardous, and should be done only under medical surpervision. Moreover, the effect of this class of medications is often a dulling of response, so their use can be associated with accidents.
[...]
She states that in her own practice she has often successfully substituted supplements for these prescription drugs. Among the calming supplements that she has used:5-HTP: 100-200mg at bedtime
Melatonin: 0.5-3.0mg at bedtime
L-theanine: 200mg, one to three times daily, as neededIn Dr. Cass’s view, supplements such as these, sometimes used in combinations, can provide a good alternative to the addictive benzodiazepines and their side effects.
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See the following NYBC entries for additional information on the supplements mentioned above:
Melatonin 1mg and Melatonin 3mg
Theanine Serene (includes L-theanine)
NYBC also stocks 5-HTP and the closely related Tryptophan.
If you do decide to take one of the prescription benzodiazepines, Dr. Cass further notes, it is advisable to supplement to offset the key nutrients that these drugs tend to deplete in the body. We note that the Jarrow supplement Bone Up very closely matches the set of depleted supplements listed by Dr. Cass (Calcium, Magnesium, Folic acid, Vitamin D, Vitamin K).
One last note: rather small doses of melatonin may do the trick in terms of helping you to sleep. A 1mg dose may be all that’s necessary.
January 11, 2011
Drugs versus supplements as sleep aids
One of the reasons people turn to supplements is that drugs often have side-effects which make their use, especially over the long term, more damaging than helpful. That may be the case with long-term use of some common over-the-counter drugs to aid sleep.
A 2010 study published in the journal Neurology, for example, looked at drugs called anticholinergics, which block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter. They include such common over-the-counter brands as Benadryl, Dramamine, Excedrin PM, Nytol, Sominex, Tylenol PM, and Unisom. They are taken for a variety of common medical conditions including insomnia or allergies. Unfortunately, according to this Indiana University study, over the long term these drugs also produce cognitive impairment. According to the study authors, taking “one anticholinergic significantly increased an individual’s risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and taking two of these drugs doubled this risk.”
Given these risks, it makes sense to consider such alternatives as Melatonin or 5-HTP. While these supplements, like many others, should be taken carefully and according to recommendations, we don’t know of any research suggesting that they produce cognitive impairment over the long run!
May 24, 2010
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY USE IN HIV-POSITIVE PEOPLE: AN ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY
An online survey conducted by our friend, Nelson Vergel and published in Antiviral Therapy. Here is the abstract:
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY USE IN HIV-POSITIVE PEOPLE: AN ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY Antiviral Therapy 2009; 14(Suppl. 2):A34 (abstract no. P-11)
NR Vergel
Program for Wellness Restoration, Houston, TX, USA
OBJECTIVES: To assess the use and types of complementary therapies (CT) and their perceived benefits in a sample of HIV-positive members of a community online health listserve.
METHODS: Members of pozhealth at yahoogroups.com were sent a link to a 13 point questionnaire related to demographics, length of HIV infection, type of CT use, and reasons and perceived benefits of CT use.
RESULTS: The majority of the 135 survey participants were white males over 40 years of age who live in the USA and with least 15 years of HIV infection. The top reported CTs and their perceived benefits were exercise, nutritional supplements, herbs, massage, prayer/ spirituality, meditation, acupuncture, chiropractic and yoga. The most popular supplements and their perceived or studied benefits were fish oils (improved lipids), coenzyme Q-10 (stamina), multivitamins (general health), selenium (immune system protection), N-acetyl cysteine (immune system protection), alpha lipoic acid (improved insulin sensitivity and neuropathy), niacin (improved lipids), whey protein (lean body mass enhancement), acetyl-l-carnitine (improved lipids, neuropathy and cognitive function), DHEA (stamina and sexual function), probiotics (gastrointestinal health and diarrhoea), calcium (bone health and diarrhoea), vitamin D (bone health) and milk thistle (liver protection). A total of 84% believed that they were benefitting from CTs, and 87% informed their physicians about their CT use. CTs were personally funded by 72% of patients, whereas the rest had access to them via community programmes.
CONCLUSION: The majority of this sample of HIV-positive people used CTs and derived perceived benefits. Unfortunately, there are little to no efficacycontrolled data available for most CTs. Also lacking are interaction studies between most nutritional/herbal supplements and HIV antiretrovirals (ARVs). As CT use seems to be common and pervasive in the self-management of adverse events and quality of life, the HIV-positive community would benefit from more controlled studies on popular CTs and supplement interaction data with ARVs.
DISCUSSION: There are obvious limitations to this survey. The majority of participants were long-term survivor/white males over 40 years of age, which might represent those who access HIV-related health listserves on the internet. It is suggested that more information is obtained from other HIV patient populations via other outreach venues. A larger survey sample will be available at the conference.
January 13, 2009
Supplement recommendations in “The Ultramind Solution” by Dr. Mark Hyman
NOTE: NOW SEE NYBC’S LOW-COST ALTERNATIVE TO THE ULTRAMIND SOLUTION MULTIVITAMIN PACK–
http://nybc.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/nybcs-brainpower-multi-pak-low-cost-ultramind-solution/
One-third less than the over-priced “Ultramind Solution” supplements!
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The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First
Mark Hyman, M.D.
This is one of many books published in recent years that seek to translate the enormous body of research findings from the last few decades about nutrition and brain function into simple, useful guidelines for improving and maintaining good mental functioning and psychological well-being. While it’s a popularizing text (Dr. Hyman has even been on Martha Stewart–see link below!), this book does, we feel, accurately register many important trends in our knowledge of nutrition and nutritional supplements and how these factors relate to mental health.
Here’s the statistic that sets off Dr. Hyman’s project: one in three Americans suffer from some kind of “brain dysfunction” (one term in use: “brain fog”), including symptoms such as depression, anxiety, memory loss, attention deficit disorder, autism, and dementia.
“The Ultramind Solution” contends that revising your diet–changing your nutritional intake–can often make a huge difference in these symptoms. Dr. Hyman’s recommendations focus both on weeding out elements that adversely affect the system (too much sugar, poorly chosen carbs, alcohol, cigarettes), and sticking to a menu of what’s good, especially what’s good for brain function: 1) omega fatty acids (found in salmon, sardines, flaxseed); 2) amino acid sources (nuts, lean meats); 3) high-quality carbs (for example, beans, peas, and lentils); 4) phyto-nutrients (plant foods containing antioxidants and other helpful substances, like blueberries, cilantro, etc.).
Finally, Dr. Hyman observes that, since more than 90% of Americans don’t get adequate nutrients from food (a finding of an often-cited US government survey), people realistically will need to supplement at least periodically in several key categories: 1) a multivitamin; 2) fish oil (omega fatty acids); 3) Calcium/Magnesium; 3) Vitamin D; 4) B complex vitamins; 5) probiotics (for good digestion/absorption of nutrients); and 6) occasionally a sleep aid like melatonin to insure a good amount of rest.
Here are some NYBC suggestions for supplementing in the categories recommended by Dr. Hyman:
Multivitamins: Added protection with Iron (Douglas) ; Added Protection without Iron (Douglas) – recommended for those with liver conditions; Opti-Pack – iron-free (SuperNutrition); Super Immune Multivitamin – iron-free (SuperNutrition)
Fish oil: Max DHA (Jarrow); ProOmega (Nordic Naturals) 60 caps; ProOmega (Nordic Naturals) 180 caps;
For Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin D, NYBC recommends Bone-Up (Jarrow), which provides all three nutrients in the most useful dosages.
B complex vitamins: B-right (Jarrow)
Probiotics: NYBC recommends Jarrodophilus EPS (Jarrow) because it doesn’t require refrigeration. But other probiotics may be useful as well–see the Probiotics entry on the NYBC website.
NYBC also stocks Melatonin in several formats.
See Dr. Hyman on Martha Stewart:
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=0f545e9ea969e110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
September 16, 2008
Melatonin for high blood pressure (hypertension)
There’s a long history of studies of melatonin as a sleep aid, but more recently there has also been research with human participants suggesting that this hormone may be helpful not only in regulating sleep patterns but also in lowering blood pressure.
High blood pressure or hypertension poses a risk over the long term to the cardiovascular system, and it’s now widely agreed that controlling hypertension is one of the most significant steps people can take to prevent adverse events such as heart attack.
Using melatonin as an aid to lowering blood pressure presents some advantages over prescription medications used for this purpose, since the prescription drugs often have unwanted side effects such as decreased sexual performance and fatigue.
Note that when low-dose melatonin was used at bedtime to reduce blood pressure in a Harvard Univ. study, the decrease in blood pressure was not dramatic, but still significant enough to help those with borderline blood pressure problems.
Of course anyone interested in the potential of melatonin supplementation for control of blood pressure should consult with a doctor before using.
For further information on this supplement, including comments on dosing, see the NYBC entries:
April 10, 2008
Melatonin, best known as sleep aid, now studied as adjunct in some breast cancer treatment regimens
The University of Maryland Medical Center’s Complementary Medicine website provides an assessment of some recent studies on melatonin as an adjunct treatment for breast cancer. Of course melatonin is best known and has been most researched for its effects on sleep and its potential to address sleep disorders. Most of these investigations have focused on people whose circadian rhythms are disrupted by factors such as jet lag or work schedules, but there have also been studies looking at melatonin as a sleep aid for the elderly or for those with HIV (see other “Melatonin” entries on this Blog).
This excerpt from the UMMC article on Melatonin indicates, however, that this supplement may be eliciting additional interest as an auxiliary to certain cancer treatment regimens. We have highlighted the last sentence in this passage, which repeats one of the crucial guides in using supplements: be sure to consult your health care professional.
“Several studies indicate that melatonin levels may be linked with breast cancer risk. For example, women with breast cancer tend to have lower levels of melatonin than those without the disease. In addition, laboratory experiments have found that low levels of melatonin stimulate the growth of certain types of breast cancer cells, while adding melatonin to these cells inhibits their growth. Preliminary laboratory and clinical evidence also suggests that melatonin may enhance the effects of some chemotherapy drugs used to treat breast cancer. In a study that included a small number of women with breast cancer, melatonin (administered 7 days before beginning chemotherapy) prevented the lowering of platelets in the blood. This is a common complication of chemotherapy, known as thrombocytopenia that can lead to bleeding.
In another study of a small group of women whose breast cancer was not improving with tamoxifen (a commonly used chemotherapy medication), adding melatonin caused tumors to modestly shrink in over 28% of the women. People with breast cancer who are considering taking melatonin supplements should consult their doctors before beginning supplementation.“
November 7, 2007
Fatigue, sleep disturbances, low energy, depression: dietary supplements may help address special health concerns for people with HIV
As we were mulling over the recent New York Times piece on the billions of dollars Americans spend each year on sleep aids that are only mildly effective (see today’s other post under “Melatonin”), we thought we’d reprint this article from the NYBC newsletter THE SUPPLEMENT, which appeared earlier this year. It deals with the constellation of health concerns, from fatigue to depression, that often affect people with HIV, and gives an overview of some of the dietary supplements that have been used to address these issues.
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Sleeping poorly? Energy low? Feeling down?
Dietary supplements may have something to offer
Sleep disturbances are the third most common complaint among people with HIV seeking medical attention. Everybody knows what it’s like to sleep poorly, then feel cranky and fatigued the next day. But persistent insomnia, followed by chronic fatigue, can become major medical issues for people with HIV (we’re talking about lower CD4 counts and poor medication adherence), so it’s worth reviewing options for dealing with these problems.
A 2005 research presentation suggested that melatonin supplements can improve sleep patterns in people with HIV. Melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, has long been studied as a sleep regulator—levels increase in response to darkness, then fall during daytime. It’s also been investigated as an anti-cancer agent, where it has shown the capacity to combat solid tumors. (But melatonin should not be taken by people with cancers affecting immune cells, such as lymphoma or leukemia.)
Good news: a recent trial indicates that low-dose melatonin (0.5 to 1.0 mg) may be perfectly effective as a sleep promoter, making it a very inexpensive option for this purpose.
Fatigue can stem from other causes besides sleep disturbances. Anemia, a shortage of red blood cells, is another leading cause of fatigue among people with HIV, and is especially common among women. (A recent large study found that about 30% of people on HAART had moderate anemia. Women had an 80% greater risk of being anemic than men, and African-Americans had a risk of anemia 2.6 times higher than whites.) It’s important to learn the source of anemia in people with HIV (taking Retrovir, AZT, is a drug-related factor). Treatment options include increasing intake of iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid. Note that NYBC stocks multivitamins with iron for those concerned about their intake of this mineral. You’ll also find folic acid and B12 in our multis, and may want to consider adding a separate vitamin B supplement as well.
While for some people with HIV treating anemia can be a key to helping them overcome fatigue and its frequent companion depression, there are other cases where low energy is not connected to low red blood cell levels, and where the treatment options are therefore different. Particularly in HIV+ men, steroid hormones (testosterone and DHEA) have proven to be useful in combating the fatigue-depression combination. Recent federally-funded research on DHEA showed it to be an effective anti-depressant, with the added interesting feature that it can enhance sex drive (rather than undermining it, as do certain common prescription anti-depressants). And a Columbia University study of DHEA for fatigue and depression in people with HIV has found it to be a successful treatment for some, with the added bonus that, unlike some prescription energy boosters, it doesn’t carry the risk of addiction.
Sleep drugs wildly popular, and expensive, but not terribly effective–what about melatonin as an alternative?
We were amused to see the recent New York Times article about how many billions of dollars Americans spend on popular sleep drugs like Ambien, yet how little effect these medications actually seem to have:
Sleep Drugs Found Only Mildly Effective, but Wildly Popular NYT Oct. 23, 2007
Meanwhile, there have been a number of studies over the years pointing to the dietary supplement melatonin as a useful sleep aid, providing comparable effects to the prescription meds.
For example:
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1996 Jul;126(2):179-81.
Low dose melatonin improves sleep in healthy middle-aged subjects.
University Department of Psychiatry, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford, UK.
We studied the effects of single evening doses of melatonin (0.3 mg and 1.0 mg orally) on polysomnographically measured sleep in 15 healthy middle-aged volunteers, using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over design. Compared to placebo, the 1.0 mg dose of melatonin significantly increased Actual Sleep Time, Sleep Efficiency, non-REM Sleep and REM Sleep Latency. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that low dose melatonin has hypnotic effects in humans. It is possible that administered melatonin may have a role to play in the treatment of sleep disorders.
There are also current studies funded by NIH on melatonin for sleep disturbances in the elderly, and in people with Alzheimer’s.
But getting back to the New York Times piece: while the article reported prices of prescription sleep aids in the $2-4 range per dose, the typical melatonin dose can cost just a few cents. See, for example, the Douglas Labs Melatonin stocked by NYBC.
