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Herbal Remedies Natural Health Newsletter, January 2005, Issue 241

Herbal Remedies January 2005 Natural Health Newsletter Issue 241 Sponsored by www.HerbalRemedies.com Toll Free for orders 1-866-467-6444 Issue Editor - Heather Bowman

Herbs - Vitamins - Minerals - Magnetics - Candles - Aromatherapy - Holiday Gifts - Bath & Beauty - Essential Oils - Condition & Ailment Guide - Women's Health - Men's Health - Weight Loss - Health Books SAMe Could Help Depression, New Results - Click here for full story. Americans Must Up Calcium and Vitamin D Intake - Click here for full story. Antioxidant, B Vitamin Combo to Slow Dementia? - Click here for full story. Celiac Disease: Although Common, There Is A Supplement To Help Treat It - Click here for full story. Bilberry Extract: Helping Protect Against Cancer - Click here for full story. Our Sponsors Enter coupon code "NL011205" when checking out to obtain discounts on your next purchase from http://www.HerbalRemedies.com

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SAMe Could Help Depression, New Results Reprinted with permission from www.NutraIngredients.com, December 1, 2004 Adding the amino acid supplement SAMe to a standard antidepressant may be helpful to patients who have not responded to single-drug treatment for clinical depression, say US researchers. Their pilot study, published in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, found that treatment with both SAMe and an antidepressant improved symptoms in half the study participants and produced complete relief of symptoms in 43 percent of participants. "One of the most common problems in treating depression is the number of people who are left with symptoms after initial treatment with a first-line antidepressant," said study leader Jonathan Alpert, from the Massachussetts General Hospital. SAMe (S-Adenosy-L-Methionine) is found in all human cells and is also sold in synthetic form as a dietary supplement in the US. (In European markets however, it is classified as a medicine.) Although some reports had suggested the supplement might be useful in treating depression, few rigorous research trials have been carried out. "Some previous trials have suggested that SAMe might have effects comparable to some antidepressants, but there has not been sufficient research on oral SAMe preparations or comparisons with available antidepressants." Alpert’s team aimed to investigate whether adding SAMe, provided by supplement maker Pharmavite, to antidepressant treatment could improve the results for patients for whom a single medication had not relieved symptoms. They enrolled 30 participants who had continued to have significant depression after more than a month of treatment with drugs like Prozac, Paxil or Effexor. During the six-week study, participants received SAMe along with their antidepressant, starting at 400 mg of SAMe two times a day and increasing to 800 mg twice a day after two weeks. Patients were free to stay at or return to the 400 mg dose level if they chose to, in consultation with their doctor. At the end of the study period, analysis with several standard tools for measuring symptoms of depression showed that 50 per cent of participants had significant improvement in their symptoms and 43 per cent had complete remission of their depression. Although two participants dropped out because of treatment side effects, there were no reports of serious adverse events. "This is the first study to look at the safety and efficacy of combining SAMe with antidepressant treatment after antidepressants had proven insufficient on their own," said Alpert. "Patients and physicians have been using these combinations without good supporting data, and these results are an initial step toward compiling the necessary scientific evidence." The researchers note that the current study has many limitations – including its small size, the lack of a control group and the fact that participants knew they were taking an active dose of SAMe. However they have received US government funding for a double-blinded, placebo controlled trial of SAMe in combination with antidepressant treatment. A second National Institutes of Health-funded study will compare SAMe with standard antidepressants and with placebo as a single-drug therapy. Click the links below for other forms of SAMe products SAMe, SAMe Liquid drops, SAMe 200 mg Blister pack, SAMe 400 mg Blister pack, and SAMe: The Remarkable Substance That Promotes Detoxification, Relieves Arthritis, and Fights Depression By Rita Elkins, M.H.

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Americans Must Up Calcium and Vitamin D Intake Reprinted with permission from www.NutraIngredients-usa.com, October 18, 2004 Americans were warned last week that unless they up their consumption of Calcium and Vitamin D, the number of people suffering from osteoporosis and low bone mass is likely to jump, and advised that supplements could be the answer. The Surgeon General Richard Carmona said in the report that by 2020, half of all American citizens older than 50 will be at risk for fractures from osteoporosis and low bone mass if no immediate action is taken by individuals, doctors, health systems and policymakers. The study added that 10 million Americans over the age of 50 already have osteoporosis, while another 34 million are at risk of developing what is now America’s most common bone disease. Around 1.5 million people suffer a bone fracture related to osteoporosis each year. To prevent these statistics becoming reality, Carmona said it is imperative people of all ages receive an adequate amount of calcium and vitamin D. He noted that for those not getting enough of these vitamins, supplements may be helpful. The average adult under 50 needs about 1000mg of calcium per day and 200 International Units (IU) of vitamin D - one cup of vitamin D fortified milk provides 302 mg of calcium and 50 IU of vitamin D. "Osteoporosis isn't just your grandmother's disease. We all need to take better care of our bones," said Carmona. "You are never too old or too young to improve your bone health. With healthy nutrition, physical activity every day and regular medical check-ups and screenings, Americans of all ages can have strong bones.” The lack of calcium in the average American’s diet had already been highlighed in September when the latest update of the dietary guidelines was released. This noted that although Americans are still generally consuming too much of everything, most should up their intake of vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber. The Grocery Manufactures of America (GMA) had commented at the time that it was important for the consumer to be aware of the various sources of calcium, over and beyond the most obvious. "Calcium-fortified foods and beverages are proven alternatives to dairy products for individuals who are lactose intolerant or who choose not to consume dairy products for religious or personal reasons,” said Mark Nelson, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the GMA.

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Antioxidant, B Vitamin Combo to Slow Dementia? Reprinted with permission from www.NutraIngredients.com, December 6, 2004 Combining B vitamins Vitamin B 9, Vitamin B 6, or Vitamin B 12 with a powerful antioxidant could lower blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine enough to prevent dementia, claims a UK research firm preparing to test the theory in clinical trials. High blood levels of homocysteine are a known risk factor for stroke and dementia but although homocysteine can be lowered by standard B vitamin supplements it is not yet known whether these can be used to treat or prevent dementia. So far, the small studies on this effect have been disappointing. However homocysteine research company Cobalz says that clinical trials starting in January could confirm that adding B vitamins to the powerful antioxidant N-acetylcysteine is superior to standard B vitamins in slowing the rate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease patients. Dementia already affects millions around the world and the threat is increasing with the growing numbers of elderly. Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia in the elderly, afflicts an estimated 4.5 million people in the US alone. The condition is not only associated with homocysteine levels but also with ‘free radicals’ that oxidise and damage an enzyme that breaks down homocysteine. Cobalz has found that adding a powerful antioxidant to B vitamins lowers homocysteine levels even further and results in prompt, striking and sustained clinical improvement in patients. Cobalz claims that the glutathione precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC)is not only a potent antioxidant but also a source of cysteine . Cysteine is required to generate hydrogen sulphide - an important neuromodulator and vasorelaxant. Levels of hydrogen sulphide levels are severely decreased in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Last week the firm signed a licensing agreement with US pharmaceutical firm Pamlab to produce the product scheduled for use in the trial by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Neil McCaddon, global head of licensing and corporate development at Cobalz, said: “We are very excited about the possibilities, and hope to announce some real breakthroughs for sufferers of dementia, and their carers.” The UK company is seeking other licensing and development partners for the rest of the global market.

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Celiac Disease: Although Common, There Is A Supplement To Help Treat It By Greg Arnold, DC, August 16, 2004, Abstracted from “Prevalence of Celiac Disease in At-Risk and Not-At-Risk Groups in the United States” in the February 2003 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine Celiac disease (CD) is a genetic disease where an allergy to gluten, a protein in bread, causes an overactive immune system. This increased activity of the immune system causes inflammation in the intestines, decreasing absorption of nutrients. Ninety-five percent of all cases of celiac disease have a genetic predisposition and, thus, it is frequently associated with genetic conditions such as type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease.(1) CD has recently gained attention among researchers because of how common it has been found to be in Europe. A large study conducted in Europe(2) found CD in one out of every 1,000 live births. Despite this finding, CD was not thought to be common in the United Sates. But a new study has proven otherwise. Published in the Archives of Internal Medicine,(3) researchers screened 1, 007 subjects between 1996 and 2001 in 32 states across the U.S. Surprisingly, “our findings suggest that CD is a much greater problem in the United States than has previously been appreciated.” The researchers found the presence of CD in the U.S. to be very similar to that reported in Europe. The best treatment found so far is to avoid any gluten-containing foods, particularly wheat, barley, rye and oats.(4) Since CD affects the function of the intestines, one of the most common symptoms is diarrhea.(1) Psyllium Husk Fiber has been shown to regulate bowel movement activity when 7.1 grams of psyllium were given per day.(5) This amount of fiber is equal to one tablespoon of psyllium husk fiber per day. Reference: 1 Pruessner HT. Detecting Celiac Disease in your patients. American Family Physician 1998; 57(11): 1023-1038 2 Greco L, Maki M, Di Donato F, et al. Epidemiology of celiac disease in Europe and the Mediterranean area. A summary report on the multicenter study by the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. In: Auricchio S, Visakorpi JK, eds. Common food intolerances 1: epidemiology of coeliac disease. New York: Karger, 1992:14 3 Fasano A. Prevalence of Celiac Disease in At-Risk and Not-At-Risk Groups in the United States. Archives of Internal Medicine 2003; 163: 286-292 4 Mearin KL. Celiac disease (gluten-sensitive enteropathy). In: Haubrich WS, Schaffner F, eds. Bockus gastroenterology. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders, 1995:1041-2 5 Bliss DZ. Supplementation with dietary fiber improves fecal incontinence. Nursing Research 2001; 50(4): 203-13

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Bilberry Extract: Helping Protect Against Cancer By Greg Arnold, DC, August 27, 2004, Abstracted from “Induction of apoptosis in cancer cells by Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and the anthocyanins” in the January 1, 2003 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry Cancer is responsible for one out of every four deaths in the United States. In 2004, over 560,000 Americans— or more than 1,500 people a day—will die of cancer. Over 18 million new cases of cancer have been diagnosed since 1990, and about 1.4 million new cases will be diagnosed in 2004.(1) According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer survival rates are increasing, from a ten percent increase in men to 20 percent in children.(2) Despite these encouraging statistics, cancer prevention must remain a primary focus. With the link between diet and cancer now “well established”,(3) every food, herb or supplement that shows promise against cancer should be recommended to become a part of the everyday diet. One food showing promise against cancer is bilberry . Bilberry contains antioxidants called anthocyanidins that provide up to fifty times the antioxidant protection of vitamin E and ten times the protection of vitamin C.(4) It is these anthocyanidins that researchers believe may help in the prevention of cancer. Published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry,(5) researchers obtained extracts from a number of sources: strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and bilberry and observed their effects on cancer cell activity in the laboratory. Researchers found that “bilberry extract was found to be most effective” for preventing bone cancer cells (leukemia) and colon cancer cells from dividing. Not only did they prevent cancer cells from dividing, they initiated the death of many cancer cells as well, proving efficient at both prevention and treatment of these cancer cells. Although this study was not completed in humans, they were nonetheless proven effective against live cancer cells. This alone should both increase research on bilberry as well as consumption by the public since side effects are yet to be seen in studies with bilberry. Reference: 1 Center for Disease Control and Prevention Website: “Preventing and Controlling Cancer: The Nation’s Second Leading Cause of Death” 2 National Cancer Institute website: “Annual Report to the Nation Finds Cancer Incidence and Death Rates on the Decline: Survival Rates Show Significant Improvement” posted 6/3/04 3 Go VL. Diet, nutrition, and cancer prevention: the postgenomic era. J Nutr, 2003. 133(11 Suppl 1): p. 3830S-3836S 4 Balch J. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Avery Publishers, Third edition. 2000 5 Katsube, N., et al., Induction of apoptosis in cancer cells by Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and the anthocyanins. J Agric Food Chem, 2003. 51(1): p. 68-75 Do you have a question for us? If so please send in your questions to newseditor@herbalremedies.com We will answer all email ASAP!

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