Natural Standard Blog

Wall Street Journal Interviews Natural Standard

Natural Standard Chief Editor Dr. Catherine Ulbricht helped the Wall Street Journal separate fact from fiction in a recent news article about the Chinese herb astragalus.

The article, "Rooting Out the Facts On an Immune Booster," describes the potential immune-stimulating effects of astragalus. Although many manufacturers claim that it enhances immune function, there is a lack of evidence that these effects improve health in humans.

The article states that "scientific studies, mostly in Asia, have found the herb boosts the immune system in humans, but Western studies are scant." According to a Natural Standard Research Collaboration evidence-based systematic review, the immune-boosting properties of astragalus received a grade "C" on a scale from A to F. "'A grade of C means unclear or conflicting scientific information,'" Dr. Ulbricht, senior attending pharmacist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and a co-founder of Natural Standard told the Wall Street Journal.

As with other therapies, astragalus may be unsafe for some individuals. The article points out that "astragalus isn't recommended for people with autoimmune diseases such as lupus or multiple sclerosis, where activating the immune system could be harmful." People who are allergic to members of the pea family may also to be allergic to astragalus. Like other herbs, check with your doctor before using it with other medicines.

To read the full article, please click here.

To schedule an expert interview or book signing with Dr. Ulbricht, please e-mail questions@naturalstandard.com.

For more information about astragalus, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs and Supplements database

Vitamin D May Not Affect Prostate Cancer Risk

New evidence suggests that vitamin D may not decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

The authors looked at men from seven different European countries who participated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (1994-2000). They compared vitamin D levels of 652 men who developed prostate cancer after a four-year follow up period to 752 men who did not.

Men with the highest blood levels of vitamin D were 28 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than those with the lowest levels. However, this difference was not statistically significant. There was still no association between vitamin D levels and prostate cancer risk after adjusting for body mass index, age of diagnosis, cancer stage or grade, calcium intake and time from blood collection to diagnosis.

The authors concluded that “the results of this large nested case-control study provide no evidence in support of a protective effect of circulating concentrations of vitamin D on the risk of prostate cancer.”

However, there is some early laboratory and human evidence that high-dose vitamin D may be beneficial in the treatment of prostate cancer. Additionally, some evidence suggests that men with genetic mutations that affect the body’s ability to process vitamin D may have an increased risk of prostate cancer when they are vitamin D deficient. This study did not indicate whether or not the participants had such mutations.

Therefore, more research is needed in order to confirm these results.

For more information about vitamin D, please visit Natural Standard’s Foods, Herbs & Supplements database.

Hydroxycut® Recalled

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall of 14 Hydroxycut® supplements due to reports of serious liver damage in patients who took the recommended dosages. Liver damage linked to Hydroxycut® use has resulted in at least one death and one liver transplant.

The recalled products are marketed as weight-loss supplements under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names.

So far, the FDA has received more than 20 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice to liver failure. Symptoms of liver damage may include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, fatigue, weakness, abdominal pain, itching and loss of appetite. Other adverse effects that have been reported include seizures; heart problems and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that may lead to kidney failure.

The FDA has not determined which ingredients or other factors may be associated with the reported health risks.

 

The recalled products include:

• Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets®
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets®
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets®
• Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets®
• Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets®
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets®
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets® (Ignition Stix)
• Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets®
• Hydroxycut Liquid Shots®
• Hydroxycut Hardcore® RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
• Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed®
• Hydroxycut 24®
• Hydroxycut Carb Control®
• Hydroxycut Natural®

 

Hydroxycut Cleanse® and Hoodia® products, two other products marketed under the Iovate or MuscleTech brands, are not affected by the recall.

 

For more information about dietary supplements for weight loss, please visit Natural Standard’s Foods, Herbs & Supplements database.

Magnesium for Infants with Low Oxygen Levels

New evidence suggests that magnesium may help minimize nerve damage in newborns with low oxygen levels, a condition called perinatal asphyxia.

Perinatal asphyxia usually occurs when the mother's blood pressure drops or blood flow to the infant's brain is blocked during delivery. The condition occurs in about 0.1-1 percent of live births.

Asphyxia causes glutamate, an amino acid, to build up in the infant's brain. The excess glutamate allows calcium to flow through cell channels, thereby leading to permanent nerve damage.

This latest study suggests that magnesium sulfate may help prevent this flow of calcium.

Researchers studied 40 term infants with severe perinatal asphyxia and moderate or severe brain injuries. The infants randomly received three doses of intravenous magnesium sulfate or placebo. Treatment was given within six hours of birth and then again after 24 and 48 hours.

Of the patients in the magnesium group, 22 percent had abnormal brain exams when they were discharged from the hospital, compared to 56 percent in the placebo group. Additionally, 77 percent of the magnesium group was able to receive oral feedings when they were discharged compared to 37 percent of the placebo group. Fourteen days later, brain imaging showed that fewer infants in the magnesium group (16 percent) had brain abnormalities than the placebo group (44 percent).

Two infants died in each group. Two patients in the treatment group experienced breathing problems after receiving the second dose of magnesium sulfate and required the use of a respirator.

Although these early findings are promising and supported by limited animal research, additional research is warranted in this area.

Magnesium has been suggested as a potential treatment for many other conditions. Currently, strong evidence supports intravenous magnesium sulfate as a way to prevent seizures in pregnant women with preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Additionally, good evidence supports the use of magnesium for irregular heartbeat, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), type 2 diabetes, hearing loss, leg cramps during pregnancy, mitral valve prolapse, succinylcholine-induced muscle twitching and thrombolysis after a heart attack.

For more information about magnesium, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplement database.

Pomegranate for Prostate Cancer

Pomegranate juice may be beneficial in men who have undergone standard treatment for localized prostate cancer, according to a long-term study presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association.

The study, which began in 2003, included 48 men older than age 60 who underwent surgery or radiation therapy to treat localized prostate cancer. All of the men had rising prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels after treatment. PSA is an enzyme that helps break down proteins in the seminal fluid and plays an important role in fertility. Prostate cancer patients often have increased PSA levels, although cancer may occur with any PSA level.

Participants drank eight ounces of pomegranate juice daily. During the six-year follow-up, men who continued drinking pomegranate juice had lower PSA levels than those who stopped drinking the juice and were no longer active in the trial. By the end of the study, it took about four times longer for active participants' PSA levels to double than it had at the beginning of the study.

For more information about prostate cancer, please visit Natural Standard's Medical Conditions database.

 

Folic Acid may Improve Asthma, Allergies

Folic acid, or vitamin B9, may help treat allergic reactions and allergy symptoms, according to researchers from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

Folate occurs naturally in food while folic acid is the synthetic form of this vitamin. Sources include cereals, baked goods, leafy vegetables, asparagus, fruits, legumes, yeast, mushrooms and organ meat (such as beef liver or kidneys).

Previous studies have noted a potential link between folate and inflammatory conditions such as heart disease.

In the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers reviewed medical data from in 8,083 patients ages 2-85 who participated in the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). During the study, serum folate levels and total IgE levels were measured. IgE, or immunoglobulin E, is a class of antibodies that mediates allergic reactions. The authors also recorded asthma and respiratory symptoms.

Higher levels of folate were linked to lower IgE levels, fewer reported allergies, less wheezing and a lower likelihood of developing asthma. People with the lowest folate levels (less than eight nanograms per milliliter of blood) had a 40 percent increased risk of wheezing, 30 percent increased risk of having elevated IgE levels, 31 percent increased risk of allergic symptoms and a 16 percent higher risk of asthma compared to those with the highest levels of folate (above 18 nanograms per milliliter of blood).

However, additional research is needed to confirm these early findings and to determine exactly how folate may work. The researchers plan to compare the effects of folic acid to placebo in people with allergies and asthma.

For more information about asthma and allergies, please visit Natural Standard's Medical Conditions database.

Magnets for Migraines

New animal research suggests that a noninvasive therapy called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may help treat chronic migraines.

During TMS, the electrical activity in the brain is influenced by a pulsed magnetic field generated through coils of wire. The wires are wrapped in plastic and held close to the scalp. The location of the device allows for stimulation of specific areas of the brain.

In earlier human research, TMS relieved pain more effectively than placebo in patients who had migraines with auras, which are visual sensations (such as flashes of light) that occur before or during the pain of a migraine.

In this latest study, presented at the annual American Academy of Neurology scientific meeting in Seattle, researchers aimed to learn exactly how TMS may affect the brain to improve pain symptoms.

The authors found that the magnetic pulses of TMS may disrupt abnormal brain waves that have been linked to migraines. However, the authors state that more research in humans is needed to fully understand how TMS affects chronic migraines.

TMS has also been studied as a potential therapy for chronic or treatment-resistant depression. Some research suggests that therapy may down regulate beta-adrenergic receptors and subsequently increase the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain.

For more information about TMS and other types of magnet therapy, please visit Natural Standard's Health & Wellness database.

State of the Air Report

The American Lung Association released its State of the Air: 2009 Report this month. The 10th annual report states that air pollution has significantly improved in some areas of the country, but major cities still have significant problems with pollutants.

In urban areas, ozone gas is one of the biggest causes of air pollution. While the ozone layer in the Earth’s upper atmosphere helps defend against the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, ground-level ozone (called ozone pollution) can have harmful effects on human health and the environment. Ozone pollution occurs when sunlight combines with nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons, which are produced by vehicles and factories.

In March 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted stricter standards for ozone pollution. Based on these new standards, about 58 percent of Americans, or 175.4 million people, live in counties with unhealthy levels of ozone pollution.

Some major cities, such as Los Angeles and Houston, reported improvements in ozone pollution. However, 16 of the 25 most polluted cities (including Charlotte, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Cincinnati) experienced a worsening in pollution over the last year.

Particle pollution is also a health threat to many Americans. Particulate matter air pollutants are a mixture of very small particles and liquid droplets that occur in many shapes and sizes. Although nine of the most polluted cities reported decreases in their average annual particle pollution, 12 cities reported increases. About 47 million U.S. residents live in areas with unhealthy levels of particle pollution. Over time, exposure to these particles may increase the risk of asthma, lung damage and premature death.

The American Lung Association also provided suggestions for reducing indoor and outdoor air pollution. The organization encourages individuals to drive less, use less electricity, burn less wood or trash and support state and local efforts to reduce air pollution.

For more information about air pollution, please visit Natural Standard’s Environmental Resources database.

Warning Against Swine Flu Supplements

Several CAM organizations, including the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the Natural Products Association (NPA) and the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), are warning consumers about products that falsely claim to treat or prevent the H1N1 flu virus (swine flu).

According to a statement released by the organizations, the coalition is “unaware of any scientific data supporting the use of dietary supplements to treat swine flu. Furthermore, federal law does not allow dietary supplements to claim to treat any diseases, including swine flu.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved two drugs for the treatment of the flu: oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) and zanamivir (Relenza®).

The industry urged marketers and retailers of dietary supplements not to stock or sell any products that are presented as being able to treat or prevent the swine flu.

The industry also said that “there are dietary supplements that have much to offer in terms of enhancing general immune function. However, therapies for the treatment of swine flu should only be recommended by qualified healthcare professionals or public health authorities.”

The warning comes just days after the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alerted the public to be wary of Internet sites and other promotions for products that claim to diagnose, treat or prevent the swine flu.

"Consumers who purchase products to treat the novel 2009 H1N1 virus that are not approved, cleared or authorized by the FDA for the treatment or prevention of influenza risk their health and the health of their families," said Michael Chappell, acting FDA Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. "In conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission, the FDA has developed an aggressive strategy to identify, investigate, and take regulatory or criminal action against individuals or businesses that wrongfully promote purported 2009 H1N1 influenza products in an attempt to take advantage of the current flu public health emergency."

For more information about the influenza virus, please visit Natural Standard's Medical Conditions database.

Webinar Forum: Pain Management Naturally

Natural Standard is offering a series of upcoming complimentary webinars on integrative medicine. Natural Standard remains impartial and offers these educational webinars as an informational public service. All webinars are recorded and archived at www.naturalstandard.com.

 

Dr. Ellen Kamhi, PhD, RN, the “Natural Nurse,” has been involved in natural medicine since 1973, when she directed a program in Ethnobotany at Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona. Dr. Kamhi attended Rutgers and Cornell Universities, sat on the Panel of Traditional Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical School, and is a Clinical Instructor at Stony Brook Medical School and NY Chiropractic College, where she teaches Botanical Pharmacology. Dr. Kamhi is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild (AHG) and nationally board certified as a holistic nurse (a-HNC). She works to bring together a body of modern and ancient practices and philosophies that use less invasive, less toxic, natural techniques to enhance wellness. Dr. Kamhi is the author of Cycles of Life, Herbs for Women, The Natural Guide to Great Sex, WEIGHT LOSS-the Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide, and co-author of The Natural Medicine Chest and Arthritis, The Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide.

 

Complimentary access is available until May 30, 2009. To listen to the webinar, please visit https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/867442425 (Requires Windows Media Player).

 

Natural Standard values the opinions and views of its readers and welcomes feedback and questions about the latest webinar. Individuals are invited to leave comments below and/or e-mail to questions@naturalstandard.com.