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Saturday, December 14, 2002
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By Darin Ingels, ND
Healthnotes Newswire (December 12, 2002)—Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and associated elevations of insulin levels may benefit from taking supplemental N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), according to a study in Fertility and Sterility (2002;77:1128–35).
PCOS is a common condition that affects up to 10% of all women of reproductive age. It is characterized by enlargement of the ovaries, irregular menstrual cycle, failure to ovulate, obesity, high levels of insulin in the blood and insulin resistance, excessive hair growth (due to increased testosterone), and infertility. More than 50% of all women with PCOS have high insulin levels, which may be a risk factor for diabetes, high blood pressure, blood clots, and heart disease.
There is no cure for PCOS, but doctors often recommend birth control pills, which help decrease the levels of testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone, thereby reducing hair growth and shrinking the cysts in the ovaries. However, birth control pills have not been shown to improve insulin resistance. N-acetyl cysteine may be useful in picking up where birth control pills leave off, by increasing insulin sensitivity. While it is possible that birth control pills and NAC could work in conjunction with one another, the interaction between the two treatments is unknown.
In this preliminary study, 31 women with PCOS were given 1.8 to 3 grams per day of NAC for five to six weeks. Blood measurements for glucose and insulin were taken before and after a glucose tolerance test, both at the start of the study and at the end of the treatment period. No dietary modifications were made during the study.
Initial measurements showed that 14 of the 31 women had normal insulin levels, while the remaining 17 had abnormally high levels of insulin. Women with high initial insulin levels who took NAC had a significant reduction in insulin levels following the glucose tolerance test and also showed improved insulin sensitivity. On the other hand, those with initially normal insulin levels had no improvement in any measurement. This suggests the benefit of NAC in women with PCOS may be restricted to only those women who already have high insulin levels to begin with.
NAC is an amino acid that has commonly been used as a treatment to break up mucus in the lungs. It is also a precursor to glutathione, a powerful antioxidant in the body, which has been shown in other studies to improve insulin sensitivity. Although glutathione levels were not measured in this study, the improvement in insulin resistance seen in the group taking NAC may have been due to increased amounts of glutathione; however, future studies will need to clarify this issue.
Some physicians recommend taking NAC on an empty stomach, so it does not compete with other amino acids in food for absorption. People taking single amino acids should also make sure they eat adequate amounts of protein, to prevent upsetting the balance of amino acids in the body. In addition, some doctors recommend that long-term supplementation of NAC (more than a few weeks) be accompanied by 15 mg of zinc and 2 mg of copper per day, because preliminary evidence suggests that NAC might deplete these minerals.
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. Republication or redistribution of the Healthnotes® content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Healthnotes, Inc. Healthnotes Newswire is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. Healthnotes, Inc. shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Healthnotes and the Healthnotes logo are registered trademarks of Healthnotes, Inc.
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8:04:43 PM 
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By Darin Ingels, ND
Healthnotes Newswire (December 12, 2002)—Elderly people who consume fish or seafood at least once a week may have a significantly lower risk of developing age-related (senile) dementia or Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to a study in British Medical Journal (2002;325:932–3). This is the latest study to demonstrate the health benefits of regular fish consumption.
More than one million new cases of age-related dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are diagnosed in the Unites States each year. While senile dementia often affects those over 70 years old, AD may affect people as early as 50 years old. Dementia is a progressive decline in brain function that is often characterized by memory loss, confusion, depression, anxiety, or changes in behavior. Alzheimer’s disease is similar to senile dementia, but memory loss is the predominant symptom and often occurs more rapidly than in senile dementia.
Although the cause of dementia and AD are unknown, some evidence suggests AD may be caused by an accumulation of aluminum in the brain. There is no conventional treatment to reverse dementia or AD, although medications such as tacrine (Cognex®), donepezil (Aricept®), rivastigmine (Exelon®), and aspirin may relieve some memory impairment. Because of the lack of effective treatments, attention has been focused on potential ways of preventing these disorders.
In this study, 1,674 people aged 68 years or older were questioned about their fish, seafood, and meat consumption. Frequency of consumption was recorded as daily, at least once a week, less than once a week, or never. Participants were then periodically evaluated for up to seven years to determine if any changes in mental status had occurred.
People who consumed fish or seafood at least once a week reduced their risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by 34% and 31%, respectively, compared with those who never ate fish. No association was found between meat consumption and risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The types of fish and seafood consumed were not specifically mentioned, so it is unknown whether certain fish may be more beneficial than others.
Diets high in fish and seafood have been associated with decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, attention-deficit disorder, and other conditions. Despite these apparent benefits, concerns have been raised about the safety of some fish, especially in regards to accumulation of mercury and other toxic substances in the fish. A recent report showed that tuna (especially canned tuna), shark, marlin, swordfish, and mahi-mahi have higher amounts of mercury than other types of fish. However, it is unknown if consuming these fish in large quantities will have any long-term adverse side effects. Some physicians recommend consuming cod, halibut, salmon, and flounder, which tend to accumulate less mercury.
Nutritional supplements that may help slow the progression of dementia or AD include acetyl-L-carnitine, vitamin E, thiamine (vitamin B1), melatonin, Ginkgo biloba, and Huperzine A. For specific amounts to take, consult a physician knowledgeable in nutritional medicine.
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. Republication or redistribution of the Healthnotes® content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Healthnotes, Inc. Healthnotes Newswire is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. Healthnotes, Inc. shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Healthnotes and the Healthnotes logo are registered trademarks of Healthnotes, Inc.
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8:04:12 PM
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By Darin Ingels, ND
Healthnotes Newswire (December 12, 2002)—S-Adenosyl methionine (SAMe) is a useful treatment for several conditions, including depression, osteoarthritis, and liver disease, according to a report issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (2002;64:1–3). More than 100 human studies have been published in medical journals showing that SAMe is a safe, effective treatment and, in the cases of depression and osteoarthritis, works as well as conventional medications.
The researchers reviewed 47 studies on depression, 14 on osteoarthritis, and 41 on liver disease. Some studies compared the effectiveness of SAMe with conventional treatment, while others compared SAMe with a placebo. All of the studies included in this analysis were considered to be of good quality.
In people with mild to moderate depression, SAMe produced a significant improvement in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) score; the HAM-D is a questionnaire commonly used to assess the severity of depression. SAMe treatment was significantly better than placebo and worked as well as conventional drug therapy. Little research has been done using SAMe to treat severe depression, so it is unknown whether SAMe would have the same benefits as seen in mild to moderate depression.
Several studies have shown that SAMe significantly reduces pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Other benefits of SAMe include decreased joint stiffness in the morning and improved mobility. Compared with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (for example, Advil® and Aleve®), SAMe was found to be equally effective in reducing knee pain. No serious adverse reactions have been reported with SAMe, whereas long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications has been associated with causing stomach ulcers and liver problems. The authors did not specifically mention the safety of SAMe, but the individual studies show that it has an excellent safety record. In one study, the placebo group had more side effects than the SAMe group.
SAMe may be helpful for liver disease, if the specific problem is related to poor flow of bile through the liver and gallbladder (called cholestasis). Women with cholestasis due to pregnancy had significant decreases in levels of bilirubin (the pigment in blood that can make skin look yellow), indicating an improvement in liver function, after taking SAMe. Itching of the skin, another sign of liver disease, also improved. Similar results were found in individuals with cholestasis due to other types of liver disease. While SAMe was beneficial for cholestasis, it did not work as well as conventional treatment.
For both depression and osteoarthritis, studies have used between 600 and 1,600 mg per day. Some physicians recommend tapering down the amount of SAMe, as symptoms improve, to a maintenance amount of 400 to 600 mg per day. Using SAMe at the higher amounts may be cost prohibitive, since it is a relatively expensive nutritional supplement. Nonetheless, for those who have failed other types of treatment for these conditions, SAMe may be helpful in achieving better health.
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. Republication or redistribution of the Healthnotes® content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Healthnotes, Inc. Healthnotes Newswire is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. Healthnotes, Inc. shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Healthnotes and the Healthnotes logo are registered trademarks of Healthnotes, Inc.
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8:03:04 PM
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This wonderful article gives an insight into the tragedy of AIDS in Africa and what some women are doing to change the culture to break the spread of the disease. It isn't a health issue but a survival issue as 33% of Zambians are infected and the ones dying are the young productive workers, the professionals, the teachers. [More...]
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7:54:37 AM
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George Bernard Shaw. "Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."
My cousins displayed such wonderful humor in the get together after their father's death. I think it is a mark of a life well lived if people feel confident enough to share humor and funny stories about their time with you.
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7:49:11 AM
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© Copyright
2003
Rick@Leaders.net.
Last update:
1/2/2003; 11:40:36 AM.
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