Experts agree that a daily 1,500 mg dose of glucosamine sulfate is generally safe and well tolerated—the main exception being for pregnant and nursing mothers. Some studies show benefits in reducing joint pain and improving function, while others have failed to show any value. Stick with national brands when selecting a product, and make sure you’re buying glucosamine sulfate, rather than glucosamine hydrochloride. (The latter formula needs more clinical testing.)

As always, ask your doctor or pharmacist about potential interactions with prescription medicines before starting any new supplement.

Glucosamine Guide The Saturday Evening Post

Your cholesterol is creeping up and it’s just a matter of time before the doc prescribes statin therapy. Can foods fortified with plant sterols help?

The short answer is yes. Plant sterols—which are found naturally in vegetables, fruits, and seeds, and which are being added to a growing number of foods—lower cholesterol by keeping it in the digestive tract and out of the bloodstream.

“Research is pretty clear: Adding two grams of plant sterols to your daily diet can reduce LDL cholesterol by 8 to 15 percent. Importantly, you get quick results (within two weeks) and without compromising the taste or texture of your favorite foods,” says holistic pharmacist and author Sherry Torkos, who practices in the Buffalo area of New York.

Happily, it’s easy to find sterol-fortified foods in regular grocery stores. Look for Cargill’s CoroWise logo on labels of pasta, margarine, orange juice, granola bars, chips, and oatmeal squares. One serving of these foods typically provides 0.5 grams of plant sterols, or ¼ the FDA-recommended amount for cholesterol lowering.

“To get your 2 grams of sterols, take your pick of Minute Maid HeartWise orange juice or Smart Balance milk. Then have a serving of Corazonas torilla chips or my mother’s favorite: oatmeal squares topped with dark chocolate,” suggests Torkos.

Future research will focus on the role of sterols in preventing heart attacks and strokes. “Long-term data aren’t yet available to confirm these foods promote heart health. Nevertheless, I encourage my patients to consume them as part of a healthy diet,” says leading cardiologist and Post contributor Douglas Zipes.

Photo credit Cargill.

Eat for Health The Saturday Evening Post

Taking a low-cost natural product like berberine to manage roller-coaster blood sugar sounds great, but does it work?

The answer is a qualified yes.

Pilot studies find that taking 500 mg of berberine three times daily reduces insulin resistance and fasting blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes just as well as taking the prescription drug metformin.

“Berberine appears to stimulate glucose transporters, allowing cells to take up blood sugar from the bloodstream without the need for insulin,” says leading authority on herbal medicine Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

While these findings are very exciting, it’s important to remember that the large studies required to confirm these early results have not yet been performed.

Additionally, there is early evidence that berberine (found in plants such as goldenseal, barberry, goldthread and Oregon grape root) may interact with some prescription drugs. So make sure you speak with your physician or pharmacist before taking this supplement, especially if you have been prescribed tamoxifen, codeine, or antiarrhythmic drugs for your heart, says Dr. Low Dog. And finally, berberine is not considered safe for pregnant women.

More on berberine and health
Scientists are also testing the herbal product’s ability to:

Trim Triglycerides: Preliminary studies show that taking berberine (500 mg three times daily) reduces triglycerides, a lipid or fat that is often elevated in people with diabetes. Researchers suspect the herb targets carbohydrate metabolism in the intestine, preventing uptake.

Fight Germs: Traditionally used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for treating infections, modern research now confirms berberine’s significant antimicrobial activity. In China, berberine hydrochloride is available as an over-the-counter drug for treatment of gastrointestinal infection. Interest in the herb’s hypoglycemic effects surfaced in the 1980s when doctors noted diabetic patients taking berberine to relieve diarrhea experienced a drop in blood sugar.

Tieraona Low Dog, MD, is author of National Geographic’s Life is Your Best Medicine (2012).

Click here for more on managing blood sugar without drugs.

Managing Blood Sugar Without Drugs The Saturday Evening Post

It’s still early in the game, but people with diabetes may want to consider boosting blood sugar control with the potent antioxidant harbored in red wine and grape skins often touted for heart health, says Heather Hausenblas, Ph.D., Director of the University of Florida’s Exercise Psychology Laboratory. In a recent study, diabetics taking a concentrated resveratrol product for three months boosted blood sugar control while lowering total cholesterol and blood pressure compared to the control group.

In early 2012, National Institute of Health researchers and their colleagues reported that resveratrol may confer its health benefits by attaching to and inhibiting a category of proteins called phosphodiesterases or PDEs. This important discovery may help settle the debate surrounding the natural product’s biochemistry and pave the way for resveratrol-based therapies.

“Resveratrol has potential for treating diverse diseases such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease,” says lead study author Jay H. Chung, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research at the National Institute of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. “However, before researchers can transform resveratrol into a safe and effective medicine, they need to know exactly what it targets in cells.”

Click here for more on managing diabetes without drugs.

Natural Therapy for Diabetes? The Saturday Evening Post

In the U.S., more than 37 million people suffer from migraines, according to Migraine.com. Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

Do you or a loved one have chronic migraines? Don’t give up! Evidence-based treatment guidelines released by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society strongly endorse seven prescription beta-blockers and seizure drugs [see chart: Proof Positive] and one herbal preparation (butterbur) for preventing migraines and lessening symptoms when they do occur. And even Botox, better known for erasing age lines, got the thumbs-up in 2010.

Research also shows that managing common triggers (such as foods, stress, and bright lights), eating well, and getting enough sleep help prevent migraine pain. “But when the steps you can take without going to a doctor don’t work, prescription medicines are well worth exploring,” says Stephen D. Silberstein, M.D., of Jefferson Headache Center in Philadelphia and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

The point is to do something: Migraines are often undertreated, says Dr. Silberstein. It is estimated that only about one-third of migraine sufferers who could benefit from preventive treatments currently use them.

Click here to review all the guidelines.

Heading Off Migraines The Saturday Evening Post

Enjoying a glass or two of red wine each day is widely believed to lessen one’s risk for cardiovascular problems and other chronic diseases—although no one has really understood why. Until now.

A new study led by Roberta Cazzola from the University of Milan, Italy, and published in Food Research International says that the benefits stem from red wine polyphenols that protect omega-3s in the bloodstream from breaking down, reducing inflammation in the body and leading to a healthier heart.

The potent tag team is also attracting attention at Federico II University in Naples, Italy, where a study on the effects of dietary omega-3s and polyphenols on cardiovascular risk factors is expected to finish up in June 2012.

Polyphenols are plant chemicals with antioxidant properties that may exceed those of vitamins A, C, and E.  Flavonoids, resveratrol, lignans, and quercetin are among the many polyphenols.

Moderate wine consumption means one five-ounce glass a day for women and two for men.  In general, a serving of red wine adds about 0.5 grams of polyphenols to the diet; white varieties contain less. Looking specifically for flavonoids? Research at the University of California says the flavonoid favorite is Cabernet Sauvignon followed closely by Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir. Spanish reds may offer the most resveratrol, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.

Don’t drink alcohol? Don’t start! Get your polyphenols from red grapes, strawberries, boiled peanuts, and dark chocolate. In addition, green tea and coffee contain lesser yet significant amounts of the antioxidants.

Why Wine Works The Saturday Evening Post

Most study participants used extra-virgin olive oil, which accounts for 98 percent of the olive oil available in France.

The versatile product also appears to protect against cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.

Want to add olive oil to your diet? Go for it! But remember that even healthier fats like olive oil are high in calories, so use it in moderation; choose olive oil instead of butter and stick margarine—not in addition to them.

Here are 3 tips for buying, storing, and enjoying olive oil:

1. If you can, smell (and taste) before you buy. Olive oils encompass a wide range of flavor from fruity to peppery, mild to intensely strong. Don’t buy one you don’t like!
2. Good extra-virgin olive oil lasts about a year when stored out of the light and away from heat.
3. Virgin and extra-virgin oils are best used uncooked or cooked at low to medium temperatures. Try them in marinades, drizzle them over vegetables or bread, and add them at end of cook time for a burst of flavor.

Is Olive Oil Good For You? The Saturday Evening Post

PN occurs when poor circulation and damaged nerves disrupt the body’s communication network. Nerve fibers in the feet are often the first to go haywire, and the tingling and pricking pain can move up the body—from feet to legs, or hands to arms.

Prescription drugs Lyrica and Cymbalta are popular options to ease the pain.

Also, ask your doctor about Metanx, a less-known, prescription-strength combination of B vitamins that targets underlying nerve problems and is FDA-approved to treat PN in diabetics.

We’re excited about the potential of healing PN with B vitamins. Have you tried Metanx? Did it help? If so, tell us your story in the comments section below.

Treating Peripheral Neuropathy with Metanx The Saturday Evening Post

Recent research published in Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience suggests that boosting patients’ levels of the B vitamin folic acid called L-methylfolate—via tablets of the prescription medical food Deplin—helps regulate brain chemicals affecting mood.

Study data reported by Lawrence Ginsberg, MD, show that patients taking Deplin in addition to an antidepressant improved 2.5 times more often than those taking an antidepressant alone. Patients on the combined therapy also achieved results more quickly.

Depression, a chronic, recurrent disease, is one of the nation’s most common ailments, affecting more than 18 million people in the United States.

And new treatment options are desperately needed. Nearly 70 percent of patients with major depression won’t improve with initial monotherapy, according to the landmark Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression study.

Scientists have long suspected a link between a deficiency of bioactive folate and depression. L-methylfolate was chosen for the study because of its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, its bioavailability, and its safety benefits compared to folic acid and other synthetic folates.

Have you tried Deplin? Did it work? Let us know!

B Vitamin Fights Depression The Saturday Evening Post

Researchers zeroed in on women with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer (such as basal or squamous cell cancers) enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative, a large clinical trial involving 36,282 postmenopausal women who received either placebo or 400 international units of vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams of calcium carbonate per day.

“In preventive medicine, we want to target people most at risk for the disease,” said dermatologist Jean Tang, MD, PhD, lead author of the study in a university report. “If you previously had a non-melanoma skin cancer, calcium plus vitamin D might reduce your risk of the more deadly melanoma.”

But the supplements didn’t help everyone. Study data show melanomas were detected in about as many women without a history of non-melanoma skin cancer who took the supplements as in their placebo-group counterparts.

The study was published online on June 27 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Can Vitamin D and Calcium Help Prevent Skin Cancer? The Saturday Evening Post

Earlier research suggests that fish oil—which contains omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid—may help patients maintain or gain muscle. To test the hypothesis, a research team led by Vera Mazurak, PhD, of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, compared the effects of fish oil with that of standard care (no intervention) on weight, muscle, and fat tissue in people newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer.

In the trial, 16 patients took fish oil (2.2 grams of eicosapentaenoic acid/day) during initial chemotherapy treatments which lasted about ten weeks and 24 patients did not.

Data show that patients not taking fish oil lost an average of 2.3 kilograms (5 pounds, 1.13 ounces) whereas patients receiving fish oil maintained their weight. Sixty-nine percent of patients in the fish oil group gained or maintained muscle mass. In contrast, 29 percent of patients in the standard care group maintained muscle mass, and overall, patients in this group lost 1 kilogram (2 pounds, 3.27 ounces) of muscle. No difference in total fat tissue was observed between the two groups.

“Fish oil may prevent loss of weight and muscle by interfering with some of the pathways that are altered in advanced cancer,” said Dr. Mazurak. “This holds great promise because currently there is no effective treatment for cancer-related malnutrition,” she added.

In addition, the investigators think that fish oil may be beneficial to patients with other forms of cancer and chronic diseases that are associated with malnutrition, as well as to elderly individuals who are at risk for muscle loss.

Click here for more health benefits of fish oil.

Do you take fish oil? Tell us why.

Article Source: “Nutritional intervention with fish oil provides a benefit over standard of care on weight and skeletal muscle mass in non-small cell lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.” Rachel A. Murphy, Marina Mourtzakis, Quincy S.C. Chu, Vickie E. Baracos, Tony Reiman, and Vera C. Mazurak,. CANCER; Published Online: February 28, 2011 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.25709).

How Fish Oil Can Help Cancer Patients The Saturday Evening Post

Why cherries? Earlier research suggests that antioxidants called anthocyanins, the chemicals that give cherries their bright red color, can reduce inflammation linked to muscle soreness. New findings show that Michigan’s Montmorency cherries can help undo the damaging effects of intensive exercise, according to a medical study from London.

In the UK study, ten well-trained men drank one ounce of CherryActive cherry juice concentrate twice daily for one week before and two days after a tough series of single-leg knee extension exercises.

“Montmorency cherry juice consumption improved the recovery of isometric muscle strength after intensive exercise perhaps due to attenuation of the oxidative damage induced by the damaging exercise,” reported Dr. Joanna Bowtell and colleagues in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

CherryActive cherry juice, made from 100% Montmorency cherries and marketed overseas, is available online. US distributors of Montmorency cherry products include King Orchards and Brown Wood Acres.

Can cherry juice dodge aches and pains after an occasional jog or trip to gym? Test it for yourself, and post your story here.

How Cherry Juice Can Help Muscle Injury The Saturday Evening Post

Findings by the Italian research team report that taking 150 mg of brand name Pycnogenol once day for 4 weeks relieved ear noise, or tinnitus, better than taking 100 mg of the extract or none at all. No side effects were observed.

People with tinnitus perceive sounds that don’t actually exist, a problem that science suggests is linked to poor circulation to the inner ear. Earlier research shows that Pycnogenol (pik NahJ en al)contains substances that might improve blood flow and stimulate the immune system.

“Impaired blood flow to the ear is a common cause for tinnitus, a disturbing and very debilitating condition that can considerably impact overall health and quality of life,” said Dr. Gianni Belcaro, a lead researcher on the study with his team from Chieti-Pescara University. “With few options available for treatment, this study gave us the opportunity to explore a natural solution to tinnitis symptoms and its causes.”

No two individuals describe tinnitus in exactly the same way. Using fans or a “white noise” machine helps mask the often progressive problem that can interfere with sleep, concentration, and mood.

Some sufferers report success with a daily 200 mg dose of gingko biloba, another nonprescription and widely available product sold online and in retail stores. But it doesn’t work for everyone.

Click here for information from the National Institutes of Health about  the causes tinnitus as well as ongoing research about new ways to treat and prevent it.

Tinnitus The Saturday Evening Post

On CR’s “Dirty Dozen” list of dangerous compounds are: aconite, bitter orange, chaparral, colloidal silver, coltsfoot, comfrey, country mallow, germanium, greater celandine, kava, lobelia, and yohimbe.

In the US, supplements are considered as foods. Current laws require the FDA to prove that a supplement is harmful, rather than charging its manufacturer to prove the supplement is safe and effective, as is required with drugs.

In 2004, the FDA banned one supplement ingredient (ephedrine alkaloids) based on data showing it posed an “unreasonable risk” for illness or injury, particularly in people with heart failure and high blood pressure.

To find supplements that are most likely to help, and not harm, your health:

Talk to your health care providers about the products you use and the ones you are considering, especially if you are pregnant or nursing, take medicines for a chronic disease, or plan to have surgery.

Look for “USP Verified” on the label. The United States Pharmacopeia sets standards for the quality, purity, and strength of dietary supplements and posts a list of verified products on its website at www.uspverified.org. USP testing is voluntary.

Report problems. Tell your health care providers if you experience any symptoms after starting a supplement. To alert the FDA about serious side effects, go to the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call  800-332-1088.

Do your homework. Be wary about supplement claims in ads, on TV and by sales staff. Seek out reliable sources for assessing supplements, including www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/herb_All.html and nccam.nih.gov/

4 Steps to Safe Supplements The Saturday Evening Post

Two recent warnings serve as important reminders for us (and our doctors) to always carefully weigh the risks as well as the benefits of taking medicines and dietary supplements.

Calcium Supplements for Bones

Controversial research linking calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart attack published in a leading British medical journal is raising eyebrows around the world.

“A paper published in the July 2010 issue of the prestigious British Medical Journal found from 11 randomized studies (around 12 000 participants) that healthy women treated with calcium supplements (without vitamin D) had about a 30% increase in the incidence of heart attacks compared with those treated with placebo,” explains heart rhythm expert Dr. Douglas Zipes. “Studies on dietary calcium intake do not show such an increase so the risk appears to be due to the calcium supplements alone. Calcium supplements reduce the risk of bone fractures by only about 10%, so the benefits of taking them may not outweigh the risks for most individuals.”

Researchers say that even a small increase might translate into large numbers of women at risk because of the widespread use of calcium supplements. Others note that the findings are not based on studies designed to prove cause and effect.

PPIs Reduce Stomach Acid

In May, the FDA reported that high doses or long-term use of popular proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medicines for chronic heartburn may increase the risk of hip, wrist, and spine fractures.

PPIs effectively reduce stomach acid to treat heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux, and ulcers—conditions that, left untreated, can have serious consequences.

As a precautionary step, however, revised labels on prescription and over-the-counter PPIs will reflect the increased risk of broken bones, say federal health experts.

Prescription PPIs are Nexium, Dexilant, Prilosec, Zegerid, Prevacid, Protonix, Aciphex, and Vimovo.

Over-the-counter PPIs are Prilosec OTC (omeprazole), Zegerid OTC (omeprazole), and Prevacid 24HR (lansoprazole).

“Because these products are used by a great number of people, it’s important for the public to be aware of this possible increased risk,” said Joyce Korvick, MD, deputy director for safety in the FDA’s Division of Gastroenterology Products, in an FDA press release.

Advice for Consumers

“Before discontinuing any medicine and supplement, individuals should first check with their provider about specific risks and benefits,” advises Dr. Zipes.

Future research will better clarify the risks associated with calcium supplements and PPIs.

In the meantime, read and follow all product labels and talk to your health care professional about any concerns you have about using dietary supplements and drugs.

Click here for more from Dr. Zipes and his new book. The Black Widows | Saturday Evening Post

Drug Alerts The Saturday Evening Post