With the hubbub over prescription NSAIDs - namely Vioxx® and Celebrex® - leading to increased risk for heart attacks and strokes, both physicians and patients are scrambling to find alternatives for the relief of pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis. Against this backdrop, the report of an NIH-sponsored study on the affect of acupuncture for osteoarthritis couldn't have been more timely....more
Unnecessary Concern Raised Over Vitamin E Safety
The Annals of Internal Medicine recently published an article entitled Meta-Analysis: High-Dosage Vitamin E Supplementation May Increase All-Cause Mortality. This is a very dramatic statement, to say the least. The problem, however, is that there is no substantial basis for it. As is the case in many studies, this incompetent and shoddy work has garnered the attention of a news media that usually takes press releases from journals such as the Annals of Internal Medicine at face value, rather than delving into the specifics of the article. Consequently, the media attention created by the report has stirred up unnecessary fear regarding the safety of vitamin E supplementation....more
February is Heart Health Month
February is Heart Health Month and the American Heart Association's "Go Red For Women," nationwide campaign is intended to raise awareness that heart disease is the number one cause of preventable death among women. The six major risk factors for heart disease facing women today are hypertension, elevated cholesterol, smoking, physical inactivity, diabetes, and being obese or overweight....more
Krill Population Not At Risk
An article published in the November 4 issue of Nature reported a decline in the krill biomass in the Antarctic. As Thorne Research carries a krill oil product, some of our customers may be concerned about how harvesting krill may affect the environment.....more
Merck Recalls Vioxx®- Patients Seeking Alternatives
On September 30, 2004, pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck voluntarily recalled the arthritis drug Vioxx from the market, after results from a clinical trial indicated patients taking the drug had an increased risk of potentially deadly cardiovascular side effects. Vioxx, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), was being studied for its potential effect on colon polyp recurrence in people who had previously been diagnosed with colon polyps; however, researchers found the risk of a heart attack or stroke doubled in patients taking Vioxx for 18 months.....more
L-Carnitine and Acetyl-L-Carnitine Improve Sperm Motility in Infertile Male Patients
L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine are necessary for mitochondrial beta-oxidation of long-chain fatty acids, providing for their central role in cellular energy production. The highest levels of L-carnitine in the human body are found in the epididymal fluid, reaching 2,000 times the level in circulating blood. To initiate sperm motility the epididymal epithelium secretes L- carnitine into the epididymal lumen.....more
Green Tea component Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) Kills Leukemia Cells
Increased and abnormal angiogenesis have consistently been detected in the marrow of patients with hematological disorders. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key mediator of uncontrolled proliferation of vessels that develop in a chaotic fashion. Lee et al have established that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells synthesize and release VEGF as a survival mechanism. CLL cells also express VEGF receptors, subsequently creating a bone marrow microenvironment that sustains the survival and proliferation of leukemic cells.....more
Study shows slower rise in PSA Levels
Preliminary research published in the December issue of Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Disease has shown that modified citrus pectin (MCP) may fight resistant prostate cancer cells...more.
Antioxidant Vitamins Combat Age-related Macular Degeneration
Estimates indicate a significant reduction of age-related macular degeneration
Recent research by the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) group published in the current issue of Archives of Ophthalmology1 estimates a significant reduction in the number of persons developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) during the next five years in patients supplemented with a high-dose antioxidant/zinc supplement. The study concluded that if all Americans over age 55 at risk for developing advanced AMD took a high-dose antioxidant and zinc supplement, more than 300,000 out of 1.3 million people (approximately 23%) would avoid vision loss. This could translate to a potentially significant impact on public health in the United States....more
Editorial (PDF)
Alternative Medicine Review, Volume 9, Number 4.
Bursting the Analytical Bubble
And you thought when you learned the truth about Santa Claus it ruined your day. Read on. . . .
Practitioners, retailers, and the public are currently suffering through an unrelenting barrage of claims and certifications from companies who claim they meet "cGMP" (current Good Manufacturing Practices) and all their products are "independently" tested. It makes for great press, and the official "independent" analyses look very impressive and oh-so reliable.....more
