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Thursday, August 01, 2002
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Deane Juhan. "Touching hands are not like pharmaceuticals or scalpels. They are like flashlights in a darkened room. The medicine they administer is self-awareness. And for many of our painful conditions, this is the aid that is most urgently needed."
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4:00:50 PM 
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By Darin Ingels, ND
Healthnotes Newswire (August 1, 2002)—People with chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome or CFIDS) may improve their immune function by taking a specific protein derived from the thymus gland, according to a study in the Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (2001;11:241–7).
CFIDS is a complex illness that includes a broad spectrum of symptoms, including memory or concentration problems, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, muscle or joint pain, and headaches or sleep disturbances. The most pronounced symptom is chronic, persistent fatigue. In many cases, the fatigue is debilitating to the point that people become unable to work. The underlying cause is unknown and there is no conventional treatment for CFIDS, other than symptomatic support. The new study on thymus protein offers new hope for those suffering from this often-incapacitating condition.
In the study, 23 people with CFIDS received 12 mcg of thymic protein A per day by mouth for three months. This treatment resulted in a significant improvement in several markers of immune function. Perhaps more importantly, the intensity and frequency of CFIDS symptoms decreased in many of the participants. Positive changes included a reduction in fatigue, better quality of sleep, less anxiety and depression, and fewer panic attacks.
The thymus is an important organ involved in regulating the immune system. In people with CFIDS, several cells of the immune system decrease in number and the ability of these cells to respond quickly to a foreign substance (such as a bacterium) is inhibited. Thymic protein A stimulates the immune system in such a way that these specific immune cells increase in number and become more biologically active making them more efficient and better functioning. It is unknown how these changes in immune function ultimately affect one's symptoms.
The cause of CFIDS has remained a mystery, although some evidence suggests it may be linked with certain viral infections (Epstein-Barr, cytomegalovirus, and human herpes virus 6 have all been mentioned as possible agents). Other studies suggest that the condition may be related to the organisms that cause walking pneumonia or Lyme disease. However, more research is necessary to determine whether the underlying cause is an infectious agent or an abnormality of metabolism. It is possible that the cause is different in different people. Thymic protein A is commercially available in the United States and may be found in some health food stores.
Darin Ingels, ND, MT (ASCP), received his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and his Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA. Dr. Ingels is the author of The Natural Pharmacist: Lowering Cholesterol (Prima, 1999) and Natural Treatments for High Cholesterol (Prima, 2000). He currently is in private practice at New England Family Health Associates located in Southport, CT, where he specializes in environmental medicine and allergies. Dr. Ingels is a regular contributor to Healthnotes and Healthnotes Newswire.
Copyright © 2002 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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3:46:53 PM
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By Alan R. Gaby, MD
Healthnotes Newswire (August 1, 2002)—Eating nuts may be good for your heart, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2002;162:1382–7). Participants in the study who consumed nuts regularly had a significantly lower risk of dying from heart disease, compared with those who did not eat nuts.
In 1982, more than 21,000 male physicians filled out a questionnaire that included information about dietary habits. Researchers then followed these doctors for a period of 17 years. Compared with men who rarely or never consumed nuts, those who consumed nuts two or more times per week had a 30% lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 47% lower risk of dying suddenly. The effect of consuming nuts remained statistically significant, even after controlling for known cardiac risk factors (such as high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol) and other dietary habits.
Although nuts are relatively high in fat, the types of fatty acids they contain do not appear to be ones that are dangerous to the heart. On the contrary, one of these fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid) may help prevent the heart rhythm disturbances that cause sudden cardiac death. In addition, nuts are rich sources of magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and the amino acid arginine, all of which help protect the heart and blood vessels.
This new report adds to the growing body of research demonstrating the health-promoting benefits of nuts. Studies have shown that almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and pistachio nuts can each reduce serum cholesterol levels. In addition, researchers have found that including nuts as part of an overall healthful diet can help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension.
Of course, nuts are high in calories, so eating excessive amounts might lead to weight gain. For that reason, some doctors recommend that nut consumption be limited to one ounce per day. In addition, the unsaturated fatty acids in nuts are unstable and tend to undergo spontaneous oxidation when exposed to oxygen in the air. The oxidation byproducts of these fatty acids (lipid peroxides) may actually promote heart disease or accelerate the aging process. Therefore, it is a good idea to store nuts in an airtight container. However, even airtight packages usually contain at least small amounts of air. To reduce the tendency of that air to promote oxidation, some nutritionists recommend that nuts be kept in the refrigerator or freezer, as colder temperatures reduce the rate of spontaneous oxidation.
Alan R. Gaby, MD, an expert in nutritional therapies, served as a member of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Panel of the National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine. He is the Medical Editor for Clinical Essentials Alert, is the author of Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis (Prima, 1994), and co-author of The Natural Pharmacy, 2nd Edition (Healthnotes, Prima, 1999), the A–Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Healthnotes, Prima, 1999), Clinical Essentials Volume 1 and 2 (Healthnotes, 2000), and The Patient’s Book of Natural Healing (Prima, 1999). Currently he is the Endowed Professor of Nutrition at Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, Kenmore, WA.
Copyright © 2002 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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3:46:27 PM
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A Healthnotes Newswire Opinion
By Alan R. Gaby, MD
Healthnotes Newswire (August 1, 2002)—The Institute of Medicine, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, has developed a program at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate the safety of dietary supplements, according to recent reports from the Associated Press and Reuters. The Institute's initial task will be to review published safety data on two herbs (chaparral and saw palmetto), a hormone (melatonin), and three nutritional supplements (chromium picolinate, glucosamine, and shark cartilage), all of which are sold in the United States without a prescription.
These six supplements were chosen because of preliminary reports suggesting they can cause adverse effects. Chromium picolinate, for example, which is used to improve blood-sugar control, has been linked to kidney damage. Glucosamine, a natural remedy for osteoarthritis, made the list because of "concerns" about its safety for diabetics.
The fact that certain supplements are being investigated does not necessarily mean they are unsafe. Concerns about glucosamine are based on studies in which it was given by continuous intravenous infusion in relatively large amounts to animals or humans. In these studies, researchers observed transient changes in glucose metabolism that mimicked some of the abnormalities seen in diabetes. However, none of these abnormalities have been reported in humans taking glucosamine orally. On the contrary, in a three-year study of individuals with osteoarthritis, those taking glucosamine actually experienced a reduction (improvement) in their blood sugar levels.
The alleged association between chromium picolinate and kidney problems is also questionable. This link is based on two case reports in which kidney disease developed during or after a period of chromium picolinate supplementation. One of these case reports involved a 49-year-old woman who developed a kidney condition called interstitial nephritis five months after taking chromium picolinate for six weeks. However, the woman was also taking a medication (hydrochlorothiazide) that is known to be associated with this kidney disorder.
In the second case, the affected woman suffered from schizophrenia and depression, so her history in relation to the ingestion of kidney-damaging toxic substances may have been unreliable. In addition, this woman had been taking two psychiatric medications that are known to interact, and that are supposed to be combined only "with caution." Animal studies have failed to identify any adverse effects of chromium supplements on the kidneys, even when given in amounts far larger than those typically used by humans. Some confusion has arisen in relation to chromium supplements, because hexavalent chromium (an industrial compound that differs from the nutritionally essential trivalent chromium) has been linked to kidney damage.
Even if the evidence were to show that some natural substances cause adverse effects, their potential risks would need to be weighed against their benefits. Glucosamine, for example (in the form of glucosamine sulfate) has repeatedly been shown to be at least as effective as, and safer than, commonly used anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Chromium picolinate has been found to improve blood-sugar levels in diabetics and may also be useful for individuals with a mild form of depression called dysthymia. In analyzing the Institute of Medicine's report, due to be published in a few months, the FDA should also consider the benefits of these natural products, as well as the toxicity of conventional medications that are used as alternatives to the natural remedies.
Alan R. Gaby, MD, an expert in nutritional therapies, served as a member of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Panel of the National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine. He is the Medical Editor for Clinical Essentials Alert, is the author of Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis (Prima, 1994), and co-author of The Natural Pharmacy, 2nd Edition (Healthnotes, Prima, 1999), the A–Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Healthnotes, Prima, 1999), Clinical Essentials Volume 1 and 2 (Healthnotes, 2000), and The Patient’s Book of Natural Healing (Prima, 1999). Currently he is the Endowed Professor of Nutrition at Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, Kenmore, WA.
Copyright © 2002 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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3:45:41 PM
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Snakebite Advice Is Close to Snake Oil. Conventional wisdom for treating a snakebite is wrong, and can do more harm than good, researchers are saying. By Anahad O'connor. [New York Times: Health]
"Many people bitten by snakes are drunk."
Put the place bitten below the heart, do not apply a tourniquet or cut and try to suck the poison out. Just get them to a hospital!
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1:44:16 PM
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Nancy Astor. "One reason I don't drink is that I want to know when I am having a good time."
Henry Kissinger. "Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem."
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1:32:02 PM
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© Copyright
2002
Rick@Leaders.net.
Last update:
11/18/2002; 10:51:25 PM.
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