ADHD – Is your child deficient in magnesium?

Written by Kevin Flatt

Magnesium has been scientifically proved to help in many cases of ADHD as the following research clearly illustrates.

Low levels of magnesium have long been known to cause hyperexcitability with convulsive seizures in rodents, effects that have been reversed by treatment with magnesium. (Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2004 Oct;23(5):545S-548S). Animal studies have suggested that magnesium supplements can increase learning and enhance the behavioral response to stimulants. Therefore the use of magnesium together with amphetamines will likely enhance the effectiveness of these drugs in the treatment of ADD. (Psychiatry research. 1994;54:199–210).

In 1993 Polish researchers measured magnesium levels in 142 girls and 107 boys (ages 5-15) by the colorimetric method and found low levels in 24 children including 7 boys and 17 girls. In 21 of them neurotic reactions or concentration disturbances were observed. (Wiad Lek (POLAND) Feb 1993, 46 (3-4) p120-2).

In 1997 researchers in Poland, reporting in the journal Magnesium Research, investigated 116 children (94 boys and 20 girls), aged 9-12 years, with recognized ADHD. In 48 of the participants disruptive behaviour was also a factor. Measuring blood levels of magnesium is not a reliable indicator of magnesium deficiency as can be seen by these researchers’ following observations. They determined magnesium levels in blood serum, red blood cells and in hair. Magnesium deficiency was determined in hair 77.6 %, in red blood cells 58.6 % and in blood serum only 33.6 %. Overall magnesium deficiency was determined in 95 per cent of these ADHD children. The researchers concluded that magnesium deficiency in children with ADHD occurs more frequently than in healthy children. (Magnesium Research. 1997 Jun;10(2):143-8).

Drs. Bella and Burton Altura have performed laboratory research and clinical research to the tune of about 1,000 studies over the past 40 years and feel that magnesium has not been given its due because there has been no lab test that will give an accurate reading of the magnesium status in the tissues. Only one percent of magnesium of the body is distributed in the blood, making a simple sample of magnesium in the blood highly inaccurate. (Carolyn Dean, MD, ND. lead author on Death by Medicine, and author of The Miracle of Magnesium). This is mainly because the serum magnesium measurements are not adequate for the determination of magnesium deficiency - this requires measurement of magnesium in the cells, platelets or whole blood. The best results, however, are obtained from the cumbersome measurement of magnesium loss in the urine over a 24-hour period. (Dr. Matti Tolonen).

In a study that compared four forms of magnesium preparations, results suggested lower bioavailability of magnesium oxide, with significantly higher and equal absorption and bioavailability of magnesium chloride and magnesium lactate. [30]. (Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health).

Many magnesium supplements are poorly absorbed. Always check the amount of elemental magnesium in a supplement. For example, a chelated magnesium product may indicate 500mg but the elemental (actual) magnesium content may be 100mg. Look for good quality products.

In 1997 researchers reporting in the journal Magnesium Research, divided 75 children (ages 7to12) with diagnosed ADHD into two groups in a preliminary, controlled trial. The children had a deficiency of magnesium which was determined in blood serum, red blood cells and in hair. Fifty children, 20 of whom showed disruptive behaviour, were supplemented with 200 mg per day of magnesium for 6 months in addition to their standard treatment. The other group of 25 children, 10 of whom showed disruptive behaviour, received the standard treatment without magnesium. At the end of the trial, the children whose treatment included magnesium supplements demonstrated a significant improvement in hyperactive behaviour as determined by parent and teacher ratings and other standard testing procedures compared to the children who had not received the supplements. (Magnesium Research. 1997 Jun; 10(2): 149-56).

In 1998 one of the researchers in the study above, reporting in the journal Annales Academiae Medicae Stetinensis (Poland), elaborated on the study, reiterating the decrease of hyperactivity in the group of children treated with magnesium, but adding that in the group of children given standard treatment without magnesium, hyperactivity had actually intensified! The researcher concluded: “…magnesium supplementation together with standard traditional mode of treatment gives us the opportunity to extend the methods of therapy of ADHD children who are the “children of the risk” in connection with their educational, emotional and social problems.” (Ann Acad Med Stetin. 1998;44:297-314. Polish).

In 2004 French researchers, reporting in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, investigated the effects of magnesium and vitamin B6 supplementation on the behaviour of 52 hyper excitable children all under the age of 15 years. Thirty of the hyperactive children were low in magnesium and were subsequently treated with magnesium and vitamin B6. After 6 months of treatment all children had reduced symptoms of hyperexcitability including physical aggression, instability and learning attention. Interestingly, the researchers also tested their family members for low levels of magnesium and similar symptoms. Those that fitted the criteria were also supplemented with magnesium and vitamin B6 and also responded in a positive manner. (Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2004 Oct;23(5):545S-548S).

In 2006 Russian researchers used a combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 to treat children aged from 6 to 12 with ADHD. The children were split into two groups, 31 children were given the magnesium and vitamin B6 combination, while 20 children in the other group received a multivitamin complex. After 30 days the researchers established significant improvements in the magnesium and vitamin B6 group compared to the control group. The main areas of improvement were in behaviour, decreased level of anxiety and aggression and increased attention. (Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2006 Jan-Feb;69(1):74-7).

In 2006 French researchers, reporting in the journal Magnesium Research, supplemented 40 children with clinical symptoms of ADHD with magnesium and vitamin B6 for 8 weeks. In almost all of the children symptoms of hyperactivity, hyperemotivity (excessive emotions) and aggressiveness were significantly reduced after two months. In addition, school attention was also improved. The researchers observed that when the magnesium and vitamin B6 treatment was stopped, clinical symptoms of the disease reappeared in a few weeks. (Magnesium Research. 2006 Mar;19(1):46-52).

These results suggest that magnesium supplementation, or at least high amounts of magnesium in the diet, may prove to be beneficial for children with ADHD.

References

Bosc M, Roche M, Rapin J, Bali JP. Magnesium VitB6 intake reduces central nervous system hyperexcitability in children. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Oct;23(5):545S-548S.

Reviewed in Schmidt ME, Kruesi MJ, Elia J, et al. Effect of dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate on calcium and magnesium concentration in hyperactive boys. Psychiatry Res 1994;54:199–210.

Nizankowska-Blaz T, Korczowski R, Zys K, Rybak A. [Level of magnesium in blood serum in children from the province of Rzesz'ow]. Wiad Lek (POLAND) Feb 1993, 46 (3-4) p120-2.

Kozielec T, Starobrat-Hermelin B. Assessment of magnesium levels in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Magnes Res. 1997 Jun;10(2):143-8.

Magnesium review By Dr Matti Tolonen MD

Starobrat Hermelin, B : Kozielec, T. The effects of magnesium physiological supplementation on hyperactivity in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Positive response to magnesium oral loading test. Magnes-Res. 1997 Jun; 10(2): 149-56.

Starobrat-Hermelin B. [The effect of deficiency of selected bioelements on hyperactivity in children with certain specified mental disorders] Ann Acad Med Stetin. 1998;44:297-314. Polish.

Bosc M, Roche M, Rapin J, Bali JP. Magnesium VitB6 intake reduces central nervous system hyperexcitability in children. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Oct;23(5):545S-548S.

Nogovitsina OR, Levitina EV. [Effect of MAGNE-B6 on the clinical and biochemical manifestations of the syndrome of attention deficit and hyperactivity in children][Article in Russian] Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2006 Jan-Feb;69(1):74-7.

Mousain-Bosc M, Roche M, Polge A, Pradal-Prat D, Rapin J, Bali JP. Improvement of neurobehavioral disorders in children supplemented with magnesium-vitamin B6. I. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Magnes Res. 2006 Mar;19(1):46-52.

Copyright 2007 KevinFlatt. Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is presented for information purposes only and is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. It cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment.

Policosanol lowers cholesterol without side effects

Written by Kevin Flatt

If your cholesterol has ever exceeded 200, your doctor probably pulled out his prescription pad and prescribed a statin drug.

Statin drugs have some pretty nasty side effects including lowering mental performance, muscle pain, kidney failure, liver failure and cancer. I will write more extensively on these side effects in another article. There are safer, more natural ways to achieve healthy cholesterol ratios and protect your heart.

Policosanol has been shown to normalize cholesterol as well or better than cholesterol-lowering drugs, without side effects such as liver dysfunction and muscle atrophy.

Although many laboratory tests on animals have been done, policosanol has demonstrated its performance in human trials, this article will focus on some of the human trials only.

In 1999 researchers reporting again in the journal Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 437 participants with high cholesterol and additional coronary risk factors. Participants were divided into two groups, one of which took 5 milligrams of policosanol daily for 12 weeks followed by 10 mg policosanol for the next 12 weeks, while the other group was given placebo (sugar pill).

In the group given policosanol, the 5 milligram dose for the first 12 weeks reduced LDL cholesterol by 18.2%. The 10 milligram dose for the next 12 weeks reduced LDL cholesterol by 25.6%. Total cholesterol reduction was 13.0% at 5 milligrams and 17.4% at 10 milligrams. HDL cholesterol was increased by 15.5% at 5 milligrams and 28.4% at 10 milligrams. The researchers concluded: “This study shows that policosanol is effective, safe, and well tolerated in patients with hypercholesterolemia and concomitant coronary risk factors.” (Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 1999; 65:439-47).

Interestingly, triglycerides remained unchanged after the first 12 weeks but were reduced significantly by 5.2% at study completion, suggesting either the effect on triglycerides was time dependent or dose dependent or both.

Triglycerides or blood fats are also important. Interestingly, high triglycerides appear to be an even more important risk factor for cardiovascular heart disease in women than in men. Triglycerides should be kept to less than 150.

Policosanol has demonstrated its abilities in human trials that compared its performance against top-selling statin drugs. Policosanol rivaled and even outperformed the statins.

In 1999 researchers reporting in the International journal of clinical pharmacology research, compared the cholesterol lowering effects of policosanol against that of pravastatin. Pravastatin (trade names Pravachol or Selektine) is a member of the drug class of statins, used for lowering cholesterol and preventing cardiovascular disease.

This was a randomized, double-blind study. 68 participants, ages 60 to 80, with “type 2 hypercholesterolemia” (high blood cholesterol associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease) followed a low-fat diet for six weeks, after which they were divided into two groups, one of which took 10 milligrams of policosanol daily, and the other took 10 milligrams of pravastatin daily, both for eight weeks. Policosanol lowered LDL levels nearly 4 percent more than pravastatin, and raised HDL levels 18 percent which was 13 percent more than pravastatin.

The researchers also noted that policosanol, but not pravastatin, significantly reduced triglycerides by 14.1%. (Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1999; 19(4):105-116).

Another study in 1997 with 53 participants ages 60 to 77 with high cholesterol, not linked to diabetes or other known metabolic problems, compared policosanol with simvastatin (trade name Zocor). All participants followed a low-fat diet for six weeks, after which they were divided into two groups, one of which took 10 milligrams of policosanol daily, and the other took 10 milligrams of simvastatin daily, both for eight weeks. Total cholesterol was lowered in both groups. However, triglyceride levels in the policosanol group were 5% lower than those in the simvastatin group. (Curr Ther Res 1997;58(6):390-401).

In 2000 researchers reporting in the journal Gynecological Endocrinology, carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study consisting of 244 postmenopausal women with high total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. All participants followed a low-fat diet for five weeks, after which they were divided into two groups, one of which took 5 milligrams of policosanol daily for 12 weeks followed by 10 mg policosanol for the next 12 weeks, while the other group was given placebo. At the end of the 24 week trial period LDL cholesterol was lowered by an impressive 25.2%, total cholesterol by 16.7%, and HDL cholesterol was raised by 29.3% in the policosanol group, whereas in the placebo group, LDL, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels went up. (Gyn Endocrin 2000;14(3):187-195).

In 2002 researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany reviewed the literature on policosanol and noted that at doses of 10 to 20 mg per day, policosanol lowers total cholesterol by 17% to 21% and LDL cholesterol by 21% to 29% and raises HDL cholesterol by 8% to 15%. They also pointed out that daily doses of 10 mg of policosanol have been shown to be equally effective in lowering total or LDL cholesterol as the same dose of simvastatin or pravastatin.

On the subject of safety, the researchers noted that at dosages of up to 20 mg per day, policosanol is safe and well tolerated, as studies of greater than 3 years of therapy indicate, and because higher doses have not been tested up to now, it cannot be excluded that effectiveness may be even greater. (American Heart Journal. 2002 Feb; 143(2): 356-65).

The above is only a sample of studies carried out with policosanol. Many others have been done with very good results.

References.

Mas, R. et al. Effects of policosanol in patients with type II hypercholetserolemia and additional coronary risk factors. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 1999; 65:439-47.

Castano, G : Mas, R : Arruzazabala, M L : Noa, M : Illnait, J : Fernandez, J C : Molina, V : Menendez, A. Effects of policosanol and pravastatin on lipid profile, platelet aggregation and endothelemia in older hypercholesterolemic patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1999; 19(4):105-116.

Ortensi G, et al. “A comparative study of policosanol versus simvastatin in elderly patients with hypercholesterolemia.” Curr Ther Res 1997;58(6):390-401.

Castano G, et al. “Effects of policosanol on postmenopausal women with type II hypercholesterolemia.” Gyn Endocrin 2000;14(3):187-195.

Gouni Berthold, Ioanna : Berthold, Heiner K. Policosanol: clinical pharmacology and therapeutic significance of a new lipid-lowering agent. Am-Heart-J. 2002 Feb; 143(2): 356-65.

Copyright 2007 KevinFlatt. Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is presented for information purposes only and is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. It cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment.

Milk counteracts the health benefits of tea

Written by Kevin Flatt

A surprising study by German scientists has revealed that adding milk to tea stops its ability to dilate blood vessels and give antioxidant benefits, two protective factors for a healthy heart and cardiovascular system, Catharine Paddock reported for Medical News Today on 9 Jan 2007.

The study is published online in the European Heart Journal and was conducted by a group of scientists from the University of Berlin's Charit Hospital.

Previous studies have shown that tea protects against cardiovascular disease, but nobody had investigated the effect of adding milk to the drink. Scientists have been puzzled about the fact that the UK, a high tea-consuming nation, does not report the extent of health benefits of other tea drinking populations. This could be because most tea in the UK is drunk with milk, the researchers say. (Medical News Today 9/1/2007).

Tests on volunteers showed that black tea significantly improves the ability of the arteries to relax and expand, but adding milk completely blunts the effect. Their study showed that the culprit in milk is a group of proteins called caseins, which they found interacted with the tea to decrease the concentration of catechins in the beverage. Catechins are the flavonoids in tea that mainly contribute to its protection against cardiovascular disease. (www.eurekalert.org).

The research, published in the European Heart Journal, involved studying 16 healthy post-menopausal women. They were given either 500ml of freshly brewed black tea, black tea with 10% skimmed milk or boiled water as a control. They drank it on three separate occasions but refrained from drinking tea for four weeks both before and after the study. The authors concluded that "milk counteracts the favourable health effects of tea on vascular function".

Senior researcher Dr Verena Stangl, professor of cardiology at the hospital, said the findings could also have implications for cancer. "Since milk appears to modify the biological activities of tea ingredients, it is likely that the anti-tumour effects of tea could be affected as well. I think it is essential that we re-examine the association between tea consumption and cancer protection, to see if that is the case." (Manchester Evening News. 9/1/2007).

(c) Copyright Kevin Flatt 2007

References

URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=60437

http://www.oxfordjournals.org/our_journals/eurheartj/press_releases/freepdf/ehl442.pdf

Manchester Evening News. Tuesday, 9th January 2007. Tea minus milk - for your heart's sake.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-01/esoc-rwm010907.php

Health and Positive Quotes

The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years.

~Deepak Chopra

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Everyone is born with a distinct set of genes. But, how you use your genes is much more important than which genes you have. You can turn your genes on and off, amplify them, or never use them at all.

Your current health is the result of how your choices have activated genes from your genetic library. Make the best possible choices from here on out, and you can “program” your genes to build a better you.

~Al Sears, MD

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Half of the modern drugs could well be thrown out of the window, except that the birds might eat them.

~Martin Henry Fischer

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The trouble with always trying to preserve the health of the body is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind.

~G.K. Chesterton

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A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs.

~Joan Welsh

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In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.

~Author Unknown

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Red meat is not bad for you. Now, blue-green meat, that's bad for you!

~Tommy Smothers

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The best and most efficient pharmacy is within your own system.

~Robert C. Peale

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If I'd known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself.

~Leon Eldred

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If you haven't all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have that you wouldn't want.

~Author Unknown

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If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.

~Mary Engelbreit

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He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts.

~Samuel Johnson

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My riches consist not in the extent of my possessions, but in the fewness of my wants.

~J. Brotherton

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The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.

~William James

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The Nurses Health Study followed 72,327 women between 38 and 63 years of age for 10 years. The researchers found that women with the lowest intake of vitamin K had a 30% higher risk of hip fracture than women with the highest intake of vitamin K. They concluded...Read full article

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Tea in Your Diet Lowers Cholesterol
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Should Creatine Supplements be Banned? - Part 5 of 5
Opponents of creatine supplementation have claimed that it is not safe for children and adolescents. While fewer investigations have been conducted in using younger participants, no study has shown creatine monohydrate to have adverse effects in children. In fact, long-term creatine monohydrate supplementation (e.g., 4 – 8 grams/day for up to 3 years) has been used as an adjunctive therapy for a number of creatine synthesis deficiencies and neuromuscular disorders in children. Clinical trials are also being conducted in children with Duschenne muscular dystrophy...Read full article

Healthy Weight Loss & Motivation

Weight loss information and motivation for achieving healthy weight loss. Additional weight loss related articles can be found under diabetes.


The Atkins Low Carbohydrate Diet: Does It Work?
The Atkins low carbohydrate diet is the diet that promotes weight loss through the consumption of foods low in carbohydrates and quite high in fat and protein contents, but not necessarily low in calories. It was the brain-child of Dr. R. C. Atkins who claimed that it would initiate a greater weight loss than a conventional, low calorie diet composed of a "balance" of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

In addition, it was supposed to be friendly to those prone to diabetes because of the low intake of carbohydrate; it might reduce the body's need for insulin. The Atkins diet concept is diametrically opposed to that used for years by traditional nutritionists and medical specialists.

Our initial response to the Atkins diet was that it might not be safe because years of scientific evidence suggested that high fat intake would surely raise blood cholesterol, thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease...Read full article


When Weight Loss Diets Don’t Work, Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle Instead
The “Every Size” strategy, a health-centered rather than weight-centered program, may help chronic dieters reshape their thinking, shed unhealthy habits, adopt new patterns of eating, become more physically active, and increase their self-esteem. That’s according to Nancy L. Keim, a chemist with ARS. “Chronic dieters are those who either have failed at a sequence of diets, or, after successfully losing weight, gain back the pounds and start the dieting cycle all over again,” explains ARS physiologist Marta D. Van Loan...Read full article


The Atkins Diet - Diabetes and Experts Viewpoints
The Atkins diet has revolutionized the dieting trend. According to Knight Ridder, an estimated 17 million Americans are currently following a formal low-carb diet and another 42 million are cutting back on carbohydrates...Read full article


Children and Television - Helping Your Child Lose Weight
According to US researchers who followed 550 children aged 11 to 13 over a period of 20 months, for each hour they spent watching television, their food intake was found at the end of the period to have increased by 167 calories a day. The study was published in the Archives of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine...Read full article


Eating less fat may be unhealthy for children
The current obsession with low fat diets may have unhealthy implications for children under the age of 2. The following media releases highlight the importance of not eliminating fat in children’s diets and parents eating habits often influence the eating behaviour of their children...Read full article


Green Tea: Weight Loss and Fat Burner
A new study shows that drinking green tea may fight fat. The study showed that people who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than those who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea...Read full article


Develop a Healthy Body Image instead of a Distorted Body Image
Professor Barbara Lohse – “Body image is very complex. It's more that just weight. It's not about body image; it's about your whole image.” A Kansas State University professor says that it is the mind that makes people who they are physically, socially and emotionally - not body image. But, according to Barbara Lohse, associate professor of human nutrition, a trend toward inaccurate body images is a cause for concern - not only for young children and teenagers, but also to those of all ethnicities, genders and ages...Read full article

Natural Aging Remedies plus Articles and News about Aging

Natural Health Remedies - Aging population issues and nutrition for the prevention and treatment of disease and ailments plus articles and news related to ageing.

Also see Natural Eye Health Remedies plus Articles and News


Natural & Healthy Anti-Aging Foods
Natural Anti Aging: Foods naturally high in antioxidant absorbance capacity protect against diseases that come with aging according to studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. These studies suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain. And spinach was the most potent in protecting different types of nerve cells in various parts of the brain against the effects of aging...Read full article





Ageing research in the UK: The 10 Commandments for Healthy Ageing
A large proportion of people over age 60 suffer from chronic illnesses or disabilities. In contrast to the UK, in some other countries (e.g. Japan) it has been found that extended lifespan does not necessarily translate into increased morbidity. Coping with the impacts of these demographic changes is one of the greatest challenges for the 21st century. However, aging research in the UK is largely fragmented, underrepresented, poorly coordinated and lacks adequate funding support...Read full article


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Improving Women's Health

Natural remedies for improving women's health. See also menopause.

Women Benefit More From Quitting Smoking Than Men
New findings from the Lung Health Study (LHS) indicate that, in general, women’s lung function improves significantly more than men’s after sustained smoking cessation. LHS researchers previously published results showing that both men and women benefit from smoking cessation; this new analysis indicates that the benefits to the lungs are greater in women than in men. The results are published in the June 1 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology...Read full article


Natural & Healthy Anti-Aging Foods
Natural Anti Aging: Foods naturally high in antioxidant absorbance capacity protect against diseases that come with aging according to studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. These studies suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain. And spinach was the most potent in protecting different types of nerve cells in various parts of the brain against the effects of aging...Read full article

Natural Eye Health Remedies plus Articles and News

Natural Eye Health Remedies and Information about Eye Health.

Macular Deterioration and Age-Related Macular Degeneration
When you can't see well enough to jot down a grocery list, or to drive, you lose your independence. Carol Ann Holcomb, Kansas State University associate professor of human nutrition, knows these challenges from her work researching age-related macular degeneration. She has studied both the physical and emotional changes in people who develop this disease...Read full article


Age-related Macular Degeneration - Tips to Reduce Your Risk
While the cause of age-related macular degeneration is unknown, there are several risk factors that have been associated with changes in the eye and ways to reduce the risk of developing the disease, according to Kansas State University researcher Carol Ann Holcomb. Risk factors associated with age-related macular degeneration include age, eye color, ethnicity and a family history of the disease, she said. According to Holcomb, age has been the most significant risk factor in all major population-based studies...Read full article


Cataracts: High Carbohydrate Diets Increase Risk
Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Boston, Mass., have found that the higher the carbohydrate intake, the higher the odds of developing a certain type of cataract among a group of women aged 53 to 73 years...Read full article


What Causes Cataracts?
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens. The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a specific way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it. As we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens...Read full article


Age Related Macular Degeneration – The Link to Fast-Acting Carbohydrates
A study this year confirms earlier findings linking high consumption of fast-acting carbohydrates over time with age-related macular degeneration (AMD)...Read full article


The Benefits of Beta Carotene & Lutein – From Cancer to Macular Degeneration
Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments responsible for many of the colorful hues of plant leaves, fruits, and flowers. They also act as biological antioxidants, protecting cells and tissues from damage...Read full article

Eye & Vision Health
Vision Vitamin and Eye Health Supplement includes Herbs and Vitamins.

Natural Erectile Dysfunction Remedies plus Articles and News

Natural Health Remedies - Erectile dysfunction remedies and information.

Obesity and Erectile Dysfunction: Another Sad Story, Same Happy Ending
By Caroline Cederquist, M.D.
Now, when it comes to performance anxiety, low self-esteem about body image can be a real impediment to confidence, so that may account for some of the problem. But experts say that 90 percent of erectile dysfunction is physical in origin, not psychological. In large-scale studies, nearly 80 percent of men who reported having erectile dysfunction were also overweight or obese...Read full article

Natural Health (General) Remedies

Natural General Health Remedies and Information for the Treatment and Prevention of Health Problems.

My Doctor Won’t Listen to Me
The best doctors sit down, relax, and listen to the patient's story. The doctor patient visit is all about the patient. Robert Centor, MD, Professor and Associate Dean of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA, comments on a recent Archives of Internal Medicine article, "Physician self-disclosure in primary care visits: enough about you, what about me?”...Read full article


Heart Health and Healthy Eating Habits
The health consequences of eating one large meal a day compared with eating three meals a day has not been established. Now two recently published journal articles are among the first to report the effects of meal skipping on key health outcomes, based on a study involving a group of normal-weight, middle-aged adults...Read full article


Dealing With Stress at Work
K-State professors offer tips on de-stressing your workspace. Believe it or not, some stress at work is good for you. A certain amount of stress can make you more productive on the job. Too much stress can have detrimental effects on your output and, ultimately, your health...Read full article


Celiac Disease Diet: Oats Intolerance Does Exist
Most patients with celiac disease can eliminate their symptoms by life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet. This means no wheat, rye, barley, and, until recently, no oats in their diet. Some recent studies suggested that oats did not cause the intestinal inflammation characteristic of celiac disease, and therefore oats are now often included in the celiac disease diet...Read full article


Women Benefit More From Quitting Smoking Than Men
New findings from the Lung Health Study (LHS) indicate that, in general, women’s lung function improves significantly more than men’s after sustained smoking cessation. LHS researchers previously published results showing that both men and women benefit from smoking cessation; this new analysis indicates that the benefits to the lungs are greater in women than in men. The results are published in the June 1 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology...Read full article


Stilnox, Ambien Side Effects
The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia reported on 4 March 2007 that a woman who fell 30 metres to his death from a high-rise unit balcony may have been sleepwalking under the influence of Stilnox. The coverage prompted over 40 readers to contact the newspaper with their own accounts of Stilnox related automatism and the drug is now under review by the Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee...Read full article

Natural Pet, Animal Health plus Articles and News

Natural Health Remedies - Dogs, Cats, Horses and General Pet and Animal Health Information.

Diabetes in Dogs and Cats
Schermerhorn said that the types of diabetes in dogs and cats vary but are similar to those detected in humans. Dogs with diabetes, he said, are most comparable to humans who have Type I diabetes, which Schermerhorn characterized as being typically insulin-dependent. Cats, meanwhile, show more characteristics of a Type II diabetic, in which the human's diabetes usually is linked to obesity...Read full article


Dogs with Osteoarthritis and Omega 3 fatty acids
Roush's research is focused on two parts, a new drug that is marketed currently in Europe for people and a dog food that is higher in N3 (omega 3) fatty acids, higher in fish oil. "There are some reports on dogs with dermatitis where the dogs were given more omega 3 fatty acids to change the way they produce oil on the skin. These supplements also happened to help dogs in the study that had osteoarthritis feel better," Roush said...Read full article


Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

Pitcairn Over 400,000 copies of this treasured classic have been sold since its original publication more than 20 years ago. The book that is the definitive guide to a natural lifestyle for dogs and cats is now completely updated and revisedfor the first time in 9 years.

Writing with the warmth and compassion that have won them a national following, veterinarian Richard H. Pitcairn and his wife Susan Hubble Pitcairn, noted specialists in chemical-free nutrition and natural healing for pets, show dog and cat owners how to provide the very best in companionship and lifelong care.

They now cover environmental matters, including pollutants both inside the home and out, as well as recent hot-button topics, such as Mad Cow disease, Lyme disease, and the West Nile virus.

Theyve updated dozens of recipes for delicious and healthful pet food and treats. With a guide to handling emergencies and an in-depth Quick Reference section, they give specific instructions for preventing, diagnosing, and treating a wide range of animal diseases and disorderswith special attention to homeopathic, herbal, and nutritional remedies.

Natural Benefits of Vitamin D

Natural Health Remedies - The Natural Health Benefits of Vitamin D.

Is Vitamin D an Autism Treatment?
It has now been suggested that autism may be caused by insufficient vitamin D during pregnancy and/or early years. Autistic children have difficulty in forming relationships, but they also tend to have larger heads, changes similar to those found in baby rats that are bred with insufficient vitamin D. (The Telegraph, Why is Vitamin D So Vital?)...Read full article



Breast Cancer Progression Correlates with Lower Vitamin D Levels
By Kevin Flatt
The Daily Mail (U.K.) reported on 17th October 2006 that a new study shows women with advanced breast cancer had lower levels of vitamin D than those in the early stages of the disease. Researchers at Imperial College London claim it is more evidence the vitamin - which comes from sunlight...Read full article


Vitamin D protects against prostate cancer and increases survival rates
By Kevin Flatt
The fat-soluble vitamins A and D have both been found to affect the growth of prostate cancer in preclinical experiments. Of the two, vitamin D has been the focus of greater attention in recent years, and there are indications that it may be useful both in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. (Semin Urol Oncol. 1999 May;17(2):77-84). “…the cells treated with Vitamin D fared much better. And while the vitamin protects healthy cells, Rebecca Mason’s experiments are showing that Vitamin D has the opposite effect on cancer cells. It kills them.” - Professor Michael Holick...Read full article


Vitamin D protects against Breast Cancer & curbs tumor progression
By Kevin Flatt
Natural Sunlight Destroys Breast Cancer Tumors: “…the cells treated with Vitamin D fared much better. And while the vitamin protects healthy cells, Rebecca Mason’s experiments are showing that vitamin D has the opposite effect on cancer cells. It kills them.” - Professor Michael Holick...Read full article





The Multitude of Health Benefits from Natural Sunlight and Vitamin D
John Cannell, MD, Executive Director of The Vitamin D Council, reports on the Vitamin D Conference in Victoria.

The group from San Diego presented evidence that vitamin D deficiency is intimately involved in breast, colon, and ovarian cancer.

Dr. Chen presented evidence that plain old vitamin D should prevent prostate cancer.

Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari then presented Dr. Giovannucci's data that one reduces your risk of all cancers about 17% for every 10 ng/ml of vitamin D in your blood.

Dr. Dixon presented fascinating evidence that high vitamin D blood levels prevent sunburn!...Read full article

Mental Health Nutrition and Articles Related to Mental Health

Articles on Mental Health Disorders and Nutrition to Help Prevent and Halt Mental Health Decline.


Causes of Memory Loss – Low Folate Levels
High homocysteine levels and low folate levels cause memory loss. The B vitamin folate may help reduce memory loss according to data from a recent nationwide health and nutrition survey, NHANES III. Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., were looking for a relationship between blood homocysteine levels and memory loss. Earlier, their research had established that homocysteine levels were higher in elderly people with low intakes of B vitamins, especially folate...Read full article


A Natural Remedy for Depression - Alleviating Sleep Apnea?
For more than twenty years studies have suggested the existence of a relationship between depression and obstructive sleep apnea in the general population. A researcher at Stanford University found that in the general population of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain about 800 of 100,000 individuals have both a breathing-related sleep disorder and a major depressive disorder with nearly 20% of the subjects who had one of these disorders also having the other...Read full article


Decreased Cognitive Brain Function Delayed and Reversed by Blueberries
Studies show that blueberries contain nutrients that reverse decreases in cognitive brain function and delay cognitive brain function decline while also protecting delicate brain structures against oxidative damage. One of the first of Agricultural Research Service neuroscientist James Joseph’s studies, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, showed a protective effect of consuming antioxidants on brain function...Read full article


Natural & Healthy Anti-Aging Foods
Studies suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain. Getting plenty of the foods with a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity activity, such as spinach, strawberries, and blueberries, has so far: Raised the antioxidant power of human blood, Prevented some loss of long-term memory and learning ability in middle-aged rats, Maintained the ability of brain cells in middle-aged rats to respond to a chemical stimulus, Protected rats' tiny blood vessels-capillaries-against oxygen damage...Read full article


Causes of Alzheimer’s and the Role of Blueberries
Although the exact cause of Alzheimer’s is not completely understood, experts have recently identified one mechanism involving the insufficient breakdown and recycling of amyloid protein in the brain. They studied mice that carried a genetic mutation for promoting increased amounts of amyloid beta, a protein fragment found within the telltale neuritic plaque, or “hardening of the brain,” seen in Alzheimer’s disease...Read full article


Causes of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are an increasing public health problem among young women: they may give rise to serious physical problems such as hypothermia, hypotension, electrolyte imbalance, endocrine disorders and kidney failure. Women with eating disorders are also at risk of long-term psychological and social problems, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicide. The costs in terms of quality of life, loss of productivity, serious medical problems and mortality are high...Read full article


Causes of Cognitive Losses in the Brain
What causes the cognitive part of the brain to stop working? Cognition can be defined as the mental process of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment and the ability to use simple-to-complex information to meet the challenges of daily living...Read full article


Dementia Treatment – Lower Homocysteine Levels
This article relates to 7 case reports regarding the administration of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine together with folate (folic acid) and vitamin B to cognitively impaired patients with elevated levels of homocysteine...Read full article

Memory Vitamin
Brain Alert & Memory Supplement using Memory Herbs and Vitamin Supplements.

Fish Reduces Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Fish consumption has been associated with lower risk of dementia and alzheimer’s. Fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to be essential for neurocognitive development and normal brain functioning. Several studies have demonstrated that consumption of one omega-3 fatty acid in particular, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is important for memory performance...Read full article


Linking Cognitive Functioning and Exercise
By Kevin Flatt
Excercise directly affects the structure and function of the brain. Exercise has been suggested as an innovative approach to improving cognitive functioning in older adults. Cross-sectional evidence suggests that older adults who are physically active display better cognitive functioning than their sedentary peers, in areas such as memory, reaction time, and visuospatial skills...Read full article


Cognitive Function - Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Homocysteine
By Kevin Flatt
Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 Deficiency - Cognitive Function, Mental Deterioration, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Linked to High Homocysteine Levels. Findings from a broad range of studies show significant relationships between cognitive function and intakes of various nutrients, including long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins, and folate and vitamin B12...Read full article


Cinnamon Improves Cognitive Function
By Kevin Flatt
Recent research shows that cinnamon does more than just ward off diabetes and heart disease - it also makes you smarter. That’s what a recent study determined after administering cinnamon, both orally and nasally, to adults. Both “real” cinnamon and cinnamon flavored items, such as gum, were effective in enhancing the participants’ cognitive function. (Society for the Study of Investigative Behavior (abstract), 2/8/05). ...Read full article

Natural Remedies for Depression

For those who wish to use natural remedies for depression, a number of studies have shown an improvement in depression using natural remedies such as herbal remedies, vitamin D, the alleviation of sleep apnea etc. These articles also cover the controversies over anti-depression medication drugs as well as postpartum depression, depression during pregnancy, moderate depression and major depression.


A Natural Remedy for Depression - Alleviating Sleep Apnea?
For more than twenty years studies have suggested the existence of a relationship between depression and obstructive sleep apnea in the general population. A researcher at Stanford University found that in the general population of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain about 800 of 100,000 individuals have both a breathing-related sleep disorder and a major depressive disorder with nearly 20% of the subjects who had one of these disorders also having the other...Read full article


Anti-Depression Medication Drugs Found to be of Little Benefit
Study finds that there was virtually no difference in the improvement scores for anti-depression drugs and placebo in patients with moderate depression and only a small but clinically insignificant difference among patients with very severe depression. The findings also show that the effect for very severe depression patients seems to be due to decreased responsiveness to placebo, rather than increased responsiveness to anti-depression drug medication...Read full article


Depression and Repressed Memories in the Aged
Repressed memories of past life experience can lead to depression in the aging population, according to a professor at Kansas State University.Leon Rappaport, professor of psychology at K-State, said sometimes, in later life, a memory of a person or event from years earlier can trigger feelings of guilt, remorse or anxiety and lead to depression...Read full article


Omega 3 Fish Oil and Depression
A number of studies have found decreased omega-3 content in the blood of depressed patients. This article includes the effects of omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in depressive symptoms, premenstrual syndrome, anorexia nervosa syndrome, bipolar depression, borderline personality disorder and agoraphobia...Read full article


Dealing with Depression during Pregnancy – Part 1
Background Information - Pregnancy and Severe Depression
Canadian researchers, reporting in BMC Women's Health September 2007, explored the experiences of 19 women in Ontario who were diagnosed with depression during their pregnancy...Read full article


Depression During Pregnancy – Part 2
Depression During Pregnancy - The potential side effect of many drugs having the ability to cause defects in a developing fetus and the behavioral impact of antidepressant use on the infant...Read full article


Women With Depression During Pregnancy – Part 3
The women who have had anxiety and depression during pregnancy talk about their experiences...Read full article


Pregnancy: Depression, Antidepressant Drugs and The Baby – Part 4
Depression During Pregnancy – Depression Deepens – Doubt: Can they cope throughout the pregnancy and after the baby is born. Perceived consequences of depression and antidepressant use and the baby. Conflicting information provided by physicians and psychiatrists...Read full article


Pregnancy and Depression Seeking Support – Part 5
Management and treatment of their depression. Support from husbands, parents, siblings and friends? Their husbands accompanied them, on at least one occasion, to the psychiatrist, and participated in discussions about treatment strategies. However, being seen by their husbands as...Read full article


Dealing With Depression During Pregnancy – Part 6
Whether or not to take antidepressants drugs was a difficult decision. Receiving a definitive diagnosis, while difficult for some women, created a sense of relief and hope, and was a turning point for the women: it signified an identifiable, manageable disorder, justified and explained how they were feeling, and created a sense of relief, comfort, and hope upon hearing that they were “not the only one” to feel this way. Many of the women had knowledge of postpartum depression, but few knew that depression could occur during pregnancy. One woman summed up this turning point as follows:...Read full article


Depression During Pregnancy Regaining Control – Part 7
Depression During Pregnancy: Consequences of Becoming the best mom that I can – Re-grounding self and regaining control. Re-grounding self and regaining control describes the consequences of the strategies undertaken in confining the threat. All women had undergone counseling; ten took antidepressant medication during pregnancy, five commenced antidepressant medication within two months of delivering, and one woman delayed commencing antidepressant medication until she had weaned her baby. Three women elected not to use antidepressants at anytime during the pre- and postpartum periods. The properties of this category are: Being in a better place and Knowing self...Read full article



Depressed? Drink Tea
Researchers at the Kuopio University Hospital in Finland, using a questionnaire to 2011 people in the general Finnish population, found that those who reported drinking tea daily were less depressed than the others...Read full article

Autism Symptoms and Treatments

Autism Symptoms and Treatments. Some treatments shown to improve the symptoms of autism include: Vitamin D and Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy.


Is Vitamin D an Autism Treatment?
It has now been suggested that autism may be caused by insufficient vitamin D during pregnancy and/or early years. Autistic children have difficulty in forming relationships, but they also tend to have larger heads, changes similar to those found in baby rats that are bred with insufficient vitamin D. (The Telegraph, Why is Vitamin D So Vital?)...Read full article


Autism - Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy
Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy and Autism - Recently, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has increased in popularity as a treatment for autism. In this study, children with autism were treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy at atmospheric pressures and oxygen concentrations in current use for this condition..Read full article


Signs of Autism in Infants – Parents See Signs Long Before Professionals
Parents notice signs of autism spectrum disorders in infants as early as 6 months of age, but diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorders is generally not until the age 3 or 4 years...Read full article

Exercise Tips and Health Benefits of Exercise

Exercise Tips and Health Benefits, Diet and Exercise and Natural Nutritional Enhancers.

Coenzyme Q10: Exercise Duration Is Increased
Coenzyme Q10 appears to increase the duration of exercise to exhaustion in healthy untrained and trained individuals. Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin like, fat-soluble substance existing in all cells. Coenzyme Q10 acts as an essential antioxidant and supports the regeneration of other antioxidants...Read full article


Exercise, Fitness & Dietary Nutrition – Zinc
Healthy Exercise, Fitness & Dietary Nutrition: Consuming lower than recommended levels of dietary zinc could be especially hard on the body during exercise, according to an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study. Ever wonder how some people exercise routinely with a bounce in their step, while others get to the gym and soon end up staggering to the first chair they see?...Read full article


Exercise Tips and Myths
K-State expert on physical fitness responds to exercising myths. How much do you really know about exercise? David Dzewaltowski, associate professor of kinesiology at Kansas State University, gives tips on what is true and false about exercise. * "I can lose weight in a certain spot on my body by exercising that spot." FALSE - You cannot lose body fat by exercising a particular region of the body. The best way to lose body fat...Read full article


Stretching Before or After Exercise? Misconceptions Explained
"A well-rounded fitness program includes stretching," said Craig Harms, assistant professor of kinesiology. "A lot of the misconception with stretching is when to stretch, because you really shouldn't stretch before exercise when muscles are cold, but you should stretch a warm muscle. "It's best to stretch a warm muscle because when problems happen with injuries and low back pain, it generally happens when people stretch when their muscles are cold or they aren't warmed up," he said...Read full article


Strong Abdominal Muscles Don’t Require Exercise Machines
If all you want for Christmas is a great set of abs, then a recent study of ab machine effectiveness is just for you. Exercise scientists at Kansas State University found that the unassisted crunch or sit-up is as good a workout for the abdominal muscles as any you'd get using typical abdominal exercise equipment on the market now...Read full article


Creatine Side Effects: Myths and Safety Profile - Part 1 of 5
No serious side effects from creatine have ever been recorded in research. A common misconception is that creatine is an abusive steroid-like substance that can kill you. With a little education, most people can realize the falsity of their claims. Media reports have often claimed that creatine usage is a dangerous and unnecessary practice; often linking creatine use to anabolic steroid abuse. This is the International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Statement on the use of creatine and exercise:...Read full article

Facts and Benefits of Creatine - Part 2 of 5
Creatine has become one of the most extensively studied and scientifically validated nutritional ergogenic aids for athletes. Additionally, creatine has been evaluated as a potential therapeutic agent in a variety of medical conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases...Read full article

The Best Creatine? Creatine Monohydrate Effectiveness - Part 3 of 5
Many forms of creatine exist in the marketplace, and these choices can be very confusing for the consumer. Most of these forms of creatine have been reported to be no better than traditional creatine monohydrate in terms of increasing strength or performance...Read full article


Medical Safety of Creatine Supplementation - Part 4 of 5
While the only clinically significant side effect reported in the research literature is that of weight gain, many anecdotal claims of side effects including dehydration, cramping, kidney and liver damage, musculoskeletal injury, gastrointestinal distress, and anterior (leg) compartment syndrome still exist in the media and popular literature. While athletes who are taking creatine monohydrate may experience these symptoms, the scientific literature suggests that these athletes have no greater, and a possibly lower, risk of these symptoms than those not supplementing with creatine monohydrate...Read full article


Should Creatine Supplements be Banned? - Part 5 of 5
Opponents of creatine supplementation have claimed that it is not safe for children and adolescents. While fewer investigations have been conducted in using younger participants, no study has shown creatine monohydrate to have adverse effects in children. In fact, long-term creatine monohydrate supplementation (e.g., 4 – 8 grams/day for up to 3 years) has been used as an adjunctive therapy for a number of creatine synthesis deficiencies and neuromuscular disorders in children. Clinical trials are also being conducted in children with Duschenne muscular dystrophy...Read full article


Physical Activity or Exercise? - Making a New Year's Resolution
Being fit in the New Year does not have to mean going to the gym. When starting a new fitness program this year, David Dzewaltowski recommends focusing on the term "physical activity" as opposed to "exercise."...Read full article


Is Starting a New Exercise Program Your New Years Resolution?
Struggling with your New Year's resolution to attend aerobics class five times a week, or run two miles a day? A Kansas State University professor says if you haven't been active, and you are beginning a new exercise program, take it slow and start out by adding activities you enjoy...Read full article