HealthBeat News

Author: Wellness Club

  • CoQ10: The Marketing Wars Continue

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Coenzyme Q10 is a nutrient vital to the energy processes of all our cells. It is also known as ubiquinone, ubidecarenone, and coenzyme Q, and is commonly abbreviated as CoQ10.

    CoQ10 is one of the more popular supplements and there is a lot of confusion about just what it is and what is the best form of CoQ10.

    We have written often about CoQ10, and I encourage you to review those articles to get ‘up to speed’ on the ins and outs of CoQ10:

    Ubiquinone, Ubiquinol, CoQ10: What’s Real, What’s Not.

    Ubiquinone (CoQ10) versus Ubiquinol: Which Is Better?

    This Supplement Slashes Cardiac Death Risk By Half

    Here is a recent question sent in to us by a reader:

    There are SO many CoQ-10 products out there. I would like to hear your take on Qunol. Specifically the liquid, pharmaceutical Grade Ubiquinone. I’d also like to hear your (hopefully slams) on Ubidecarenone which I’m told is a synthetic form.

    Many supplement sellers take advantage of all the confusion in order to hype their own particular brand of CoQ10 over everyone else’s. A page taken directly from the Big Pharma playbook – you know the ads; “Fall asleep faster with liquid Druginex!” or “Headmax is better for headaches – it’s gelcap formulation goes to work on pain right away!” There seems to be always some new wrinkle that makes drugs better, faster, stronger – and makes for bigger sales.

    So it is with CoQ10. Micronized, water soluble, liquid microspheres, softgels, nanoparticles, chewables, capsules, you-name-it, it has all been hyped as “the Best!”

    Others like to tout their product as “pharmaceutical grade.” Just what the heck is “pharmaceutical grade,” anyway? Is that like “professional strength” or “contractor quality” or “heavy duty” or “trusted by doctors”? Let’s put it this way – it had better be “pharmaceutical grade” if I am going to take it or if The Wellness Club is going to sell it – we have a Quality Control Audit process that makes our suppliers cringe!

    Then there are the three forms of CoQ10: fully oxidized (ubiquinone,) partly reduced (semiquinone or ubisemiquinone,) and fully reduced (ubiquinol.) Confused yet? You are not alone – and there are sellers of each of these forms that will gladly tell you that their form is the very best.

    What they don’t tell you is that your body happily cycles CoQ10 through all of these forms, over and over again as it uses each form for it’s specific purposes.

    And then, to add more confusion, there is a synthetic analog of CoQ10 called Idebenone – that is claimed to have far better absorbability from the gut. That much is true – unfortunately it also undergoes significant “first-pass” metabolism in the liver, and research has shown that 1% or less actually reaches the circulation. Oops… But don’t dismiss it entirely, there is research underway for it’s use in some specific medical conditions, it is thought to be effective as a part of an anti-aging program, and it is used topically for wrinkles.

    And Qunol? This is a brand name for a “solubilized” form of CoQ10. The company claims that it is both water and lipid soluble, and is better than all other forms of CoQ10 – a tall claim indeed. Is it really better, or is this just another sales wrinkle? Who knows – they aren’t offering any scientific evidence to back up their claim to being “the gold standard”…

    So there you have it – the marketing wars rage on for CoQ10, with each seller vying for a larger share of “the market.” How to pick the best? Do your homework, and be careful to not fall for marketing hype – if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. And remember, when it comes to CoQ10, price is often a good indicator of quality and purity and potency – shop carefully and avoid the “bargain brands.” A “bargain” that doesn’t work is no bargain at all – it is a waste of money!

  • Is Kavinace Safe?

    By Nurse Mark

     

    We often get questions asking whether this or that or another supplement is “safe.”

     

    These are really tough questions: Safe for who? And in what dose? And whose brand? And what other health conditions, drugs, or supplements are involved?

    Even natural supplements can cause problems if overused or misused…

    Kavinace is one of our more popular supplements, for very good reason – it is an excellent sleep aid. We have written often about Kavinace – here is one of our recent articles: Kavinace or the Lunesta Moth – You Decide.

    Kavinace is a proprietary blend of taurine and phenibut.

    Phenibut (β-phenyl-γ-aminobutyric acid) is a derivative of the naturally occurring inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. It tends to function as a CNS (Central Nervous System) depressant – which is part of the reason it is so effective as a sleep aid. It has also been shown to increase dopamine levels – and dopamine is considered to be one of the “feel-good” neurotransmitters.

    We have never encountered legitimate reports of  persons becoming physically addicted to phenibut or to Kavinace – though it is possible to become psychologically addicted to anything, especially if that thing is misused or overused. There are anecdotal reports of people using very large doses of phenibut on a regular basis (it is often used by people who feel socially awkward or anxious) who have found that very large repeated doses of pure phenibut have caused addictive effects – that stopping the very high doses led to feelings of anxiety returning.

    How to avoid any danger of tolerance or addiction? Easy – never use more than the recommended amount!

    Here is a recent question, and Dr. Myatt’s reply:

    Subject: Is kavinace safe?
    Message: Hello, I had a neurotransmitter urine test and it was suggested I use Kavinace. I am apprehension of the Phenibut causing addiction. I am sixty four and having horrible panic and do not want to use pharmaceuticals. Is Kavinace safe?
    Thank you so much, Peggi

     

    Hi Peggi:

    Sorry for your travails. Panic attacks are no fun, although on a positive note, I’ve never lost a patient to a panic attack. Remind yourself of this when you are in the throes.

    Use of a neurotransmitter test before starting neurotransmitter treatment has largely been discredited by actual research, although several companies including Neuro Science (makers of Kavinace) still promote this. One could just have easily suggested Kavinace to you based on your complaint of panic attacks.

    Phenibut is effective and as far as I can see, safe when used moderately. I have not seen dependence in anyone although I know this is a concern.

    Please keep in mind that panic attacks are not caused by a phenibut deficiency! Which means, even if it helps, it doesn’t get to the root of the problem.

    The most common causes of panic attacks include hormone imbalances or deficiencies, neurotransmitter imbalances and — the big one — unstable blood sugar levels. Do you wake up in the middle of the night, say between midnight and 3 a.m., filled with anxiety?

    I would like to review the "rule out" list with you and we can do this on a brief phone consult. Here’s the link on how to schedule: https://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/BriefConsults.htm

    Panic attacks are correctable but drugs and even natural substances, though they may provide relief, don’t really cure the problem.

    Whatever you do, I’m wishing you a complete resolution from this most annoying problem.

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

  • Dr Myatt in Car Crash: Lesson Learned

    By Dr. Myatt

     

    Hi Folks:

    Well, that was more excitement than I bargained for when I took a friend to lunch. I’m alright, thanks for asking, but the car was totaled.

    We took Cindy’s Volkswagen Jetta because she "just loves this car" and wanted me to ride in it. Nice car. Nice lunch.

    On the way home, as we slowed to make a right turn, we heard a loud "pop" and the car stopped moving. "What happened?" she asked me. "We just got hit" I diagnosed.

    Sure enough, a big delivery truck had rear-ended her lovely little car. Our seatbelts and the car both worked well to protect us and we did not seem to have any injuries. I say "seem" because "whiplash," a strain-sprain of the back and neck muscles, and MTBI — mild traumatic brain injury— can occur in such accidents even when people appear to be OK.

    The vehicle that hit us was a "box truck," a good-sized delivery vehicle – perhaps a 1-ton truck.

    It’s front grill was 16 feet behind the wreck, so it had pushed us some distance when it hit. Everything happened so fast, I didn’t realized we were pushed.

    The Jetta’s trunk was crushed into the back seat, the back window shattered.

    My friend and I, and the young man who hit us, were all able to get out of the vehicles. No one was bleeding, no broken bones.

    The traffic was light when we were hit. We were doing about 15 miles per hour and the lane we were in was clear when we pulled into it. I don’t know where the truck came from.

    I asked the driver what he was doing that he hadn’t seen us. "I dunno; I was looking down and when I looked up…"

    Ahh. "DWI" — Driving While Inattentive. Probably texting or messing with a cell phone is my guess. Cell phone use is a more common cause of vehicle accidents today than drunk driving. And since more people yak on a cell phone while driving than drive while drunk, cell phone use represents a major cause of motor vehicle accidents.

    So, Cindy is getting a new car; another Jetta I’m betting. That little car did just what it was supposed to do -  it gave it’s life to protect us. But every good story has a moral, and here’s mine with a bonus extra.

    One: Always wear your seat belt. We likely would have sustained serious injury being impacted that hard without our belts.

    Two: HANG UP AND DRIVE – the life you save might be your own! (or mine)

    On that note, please watch this brief but important "crash" experiment.

     

    References

    Strayer, D. L., Drews, F. A., and Crouch, D. L. A comparison of the cell phone driver and the drunk driver. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 2006 (Summer), 381-391; University of Utah.

    Pickrell, T. M. (2014, February). Driver Electronic Device Use in 2012. (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 811 884). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

  • Danger! L-Carnitine Causes Heart Disease!

    That’s What The Headline Said, So It Must Be True – Right?

     

    By Nurse mark

     

    Our recently featured supplement ALA / ALC caught the attention of our eagle-eyed readers, who also have the memory attributed to elephants – who never forget.

    We received a few “heads-ups” and questions about a news article that made the rounds a few years ago, reporting on a study from the Cleveland Clinic.

    The article, written by a very prolific freelance writer by the name of Cari Nierenberg goes to great lengths to stress the evils of eating red meat (which contains carnitine) and concludes with this ominous warning:

    Pass it on: A compound called carnitine found in in red meat and supplements may increase the risk of heart disease.

    Yikes! This is scare-tactics journalism at its worst – just like my title for this article. But it worked, because Cari’s article was picked up (read: purchased) by dozens of different outlets from The Huffington Post to LiveScience.com and more. It also has taken on a life of its own on the internet, and is being reproduced and quoted in endless emails and blogs, all dedicated to warning us poor unwary and uneducated folk about the dangers of meat…

    I’m not going to rebut Cari’s article – it is a sensationalized but moderately accurate report of a very limited study done by the Cleveland Clinic that looked at the gut bacteria of people who ate red meat and found that in some of those people carnitine (and l-carnitine) could be broken down into a compound called trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). The researchers then pointed to very preliminary and unproven research that suggested that TMAO might be bad for the heart. They then wrapped up this grand study of 10 subjects by concluding that meat eaters had gut bacteria that took carnitine and created TMAO which caused heart disease.

    I wonder if the researchers were a little out-of-breath after jumping to all those conclusions…

    I won’t try to rebut the research article or its conclusions either, since I would not be able to do any better than the doctors and research staff at Life Extension Foundation who produced a very thorough, well-researched, and quite readable rebuttal to the study in this article of August 2013:

    Rebuttal to Attack Against Carnitine
    By William Faloon, Steven V. Joyal, MD, Luke Huber, ND, MBA, Blake Gossard, and Richard A. Stein, MD, PHD

    The L.E.F. Report concludes:

    In the wake of a single negative study, deceptive media headlines have generated concern that supplemental forms of L-carnitine may be detrimental to heart health. This notion flies in the face of numerous published, peer-reviewed studies showing L-carnitine promotes cardiovascular health in a variety of ways. The media’s effort to generate outrageous headlines has undermined decades of scientific research on the heart-health benefits of carnitine.

    Carnitine is a vital nutrient for health. The discovery of carnitine’s ability to maximize cellular fuel efficiency and minimize the impact of normal cellular metabolism on delicate cellular machinery has led to a revolution in the way scientists think about some of the most troubling age-related conditions. Supplementing with carnitine can help preserve cell energy levels, enhance heart muscle strength, reduce the impact of obesity and diabetes, and protect heart attack victims from dying.

    I hope you will read the Life Extension Report – it offers valuable information on the many benefits of carnitine and l-carnitine as well as debunking the sensationalist news reporting of a flawed study.

    Oh, and feel free to enjoy a nice juicy steak – in moderation of course – that red meat really is good for you!

  • The Safe, Proven Memory Drug Your Doctor Can’t Prescribe

    By Nurse Mark

     

    Doctors in more than 70 countries routinely prescribe this as a drug for head trauma, stroke, neurogenerative disease, glaucoma and more – but your US doctor can’t write you a prescription for it. Why? Because it’s not an FDA “approved drug.”

    Medical studies worldwide, including many studies conducted in the USA, have proven the worth of this drug over and over for a variety of neurological (brain, thought, and memory) conditions – but for all our progress and medical superiority here at home, you cannot get it as a drug here.

    Why is this a Big Deal?

    Let’s look at a few things that doctors worldwide prescribe this amazing drug for:

    In Japan and in Europe it is approved for treating head trauma, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases. European and Japanese doctors also prescribe it to improve recovery following an ischemic stroke (stoke caused by blood clot), as they have found that it reduces the damage caused by these strokes and improves healing.

    In fact, a respected clinical neurological researcher at the University Hospital of Copenhagen stated in a recent paper:

    [this] is the only drug that in a number of different clinical stroke trials continuously had some neuroprotective benefit.

    So, this drug (that’s not a drug in the USA) is the king of drugs for ischemic stroke treatment – and ischemic (blood clot) strokes are by far the most common type.

    What else is it good for?

    Spanish researchers have found that it is valuable in the treatment of memory disorders. It has been found effective in improving memory retention, and in lab studies has been shown to be protective against the ravages of Alzheimer’s Disease.

    Researchers at the EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center in Spain make the following statement:

    Based on these results, it was concluded that [it] exerts antiapoptotic, neuroprotective and antiamnesic effects in conditions of neurodegeneration induced by A beta 4 plus hypoperfusion.

    In plain English? It prevents the death of stressed brain cells, protects other brain cells from stress and damage, and helps to prevent the loss of memories (amnesia) that are a part of Alzheimer’s disease.

    The “Eyes” have it…

    Vision and brain and nerve function are all inter-dependant, and European researchers have embraced this drug as a treatment for both glaucoma and for ischemic optic neuropathy – two leading causes of blindness.

    An Italian clinical researcher at the G.B. Bietti Eye Foundation-IRCCS in Rome wrote of his findings:

    Glaucoma:

    The extension of {this drug] treatment up to a period of 8 years lead to the stabilization or improvement of the glaucomatous visual dysfunction. These results suggest potential neuroprotective effects of [the drug] in the glaucomatous disease.

    Non-arteritic ischemic neuropathy (NION):

    At the end of treatment (days 60 and 240), T-NION patients showed improvement … Conclusions: Our results suggest a beneficial effect of oral Citicoline in NION.

    Millions of Americans facing devastating vision loss and blindness could be benefiting from it, but tragically this is not a drug that their conventional doctors can prescribe.

    What do overeating and cocaine addiction have in common?

    Cocaine addiction is known to be associated with depleted dopamine levels in the brain. In cocaine addiction this drug has been found to increase brain dopamine levels and to reduce cocaine cravings.

    In general this drug increases the brains responses to the stimulus resulting from eating and by doing so results in improved feelings of satiety and decreased appetite.

    Researchers at our own Harvard Medical School studied this substance in cocaine-dependant volunteers and noted:

    Subjects did not experience any side effects and [the] treatment was associated with decreases in self-reported mood states associated with cocaine craving. These preliminary data are encouraging and suggest that [this substance] warrants further study as a promising potential treatment for cocaine abuse and dependence that is devoid of side effects.

    Helping to reduce the cravings for an addictive drug, and no side effects – isn’t that what our “War On Drugs” should be all about?

    And with regard to appetite… again from the experts at Harvard:

    RESULTS: After 6 weeks, there was no significant change in weight status, although significant declines in appetite ratings were observed for the 2,000 mg/day group. The higher dose group also showed significant increases in functional brain responses to food stimuli within the amygdala, insula, and lateral orbitofrontal cortex. Increased activation in these regions correlated with declines in appetite ratings.

    DISCUSSION: These preliminary findings suggest a potential usefulness of [this substance] in modulating appetite, but further research is warranted.

    Of course “further research is warranted” – this is a coded message to Big Pharma to say “this stuff works, and you had better fund us to either figure out how you can profit with it or to find some way to bury it so your patented drugs won’t have any competition!”

    Imagine if there was a drug that your doctor could prescribe that would allow you to go about your day with your appetite under control – a drug without dangerous side-effects. Well, there is – but not in this country!

    So, given the huge amount of research showing positive effects of this drug on a wide variety of neurological conditions, and it’s lack of any significant side effects, is there any wonder that doctors around the world routinely write prescriptions for it?

    In much of South America a doctor would prescribe Somazina; in Austria the script would be for Startonyl; your Japanese doctor might prescribe it as Tesi Cholin, in China, it is known as Ying Di Te.

    But in the United States? There is no name for it as a drug – no drug company markets it as a drug in the US. That means no doctor can prescribe the Sandoz drug Onquevit – even though it is widely available to doctors and patients in Mexico. It is not “approved” as a drug by the FDA and thus your doctor can’t prescribe it, your insurance company won’t pay for it, and if your doctor did try to ‘color outside the lines” and prescribe it for you he could face the wrath of the doctor licensing organizations and Big Pharma…

    But all is not lost – there is a “loophole.” This amazing substance, considered to be safe and approved as a “drug” in so many other countries is available outside of the conventional medical system here as a “Dietary Supplement.”

    Cognizin is a nutritional supplement that is the same as “drugs” that are prescribed in over 70 other countries. It is the same strength, the same purity, and works exactly the same when used in the same doses.

    Even though your conventional doctor can’t prescribe it as a drug and your insurance company is not likely to pay for it, it’s not expensive when one considers all of it’s benefits.

    It’s not an “overnight wonder” like many of the offerings of Big Pharma – it takes time, like weeks or months to work. But it also doesn’t have the nasty and noticeable side-effects that so many people have come to expect from many of their “FDA Approved” drugs.

    We are receiving anecdotal reports of it’s good effects from our patients and customers: better performance with the morning crossword puzzle, fewer incidents of lost car keys (and lost cars), less frequent stumbling for words that are “on the tip of the tongue” and reports from family members noticing positive changes in thought and memory.

    A suggested starting regimen would be 2000 mg per day for the first month to 6 weeks, and then dropping to half of that for maintenance. That translates to 4 capsules of Cognizin twice daily to start and then two capsules twice daily after that.

    Given the strength of the research that clearly demonstrates the benefits of this “brain drug” that-is-not-a-drug, we believe it is definitely worth a try.

    Learn More About Cognizin – The Miracle Memory Drug Your Doctor Can’t Prescribe

     

    References:

    Warach, S; et al. (November 2000). "Effect of citicoline on ischemic lesions as measured by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Citicoline 010 Investigators.". Annals of neurology  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11079534

    Overgaard, K (2014). "The effects of citicoline on acute ischemic stroke: a review.". Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24739589

    Alvarez, XA; et al. (October 1999). "Citicoline protects hippocampal neurons against apoptosis induced by brain beta-amyloid deposits plus cerebral hypoperfusion in rats.". Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10599052

    Parisi, V; et al. (2008). "Evidence of the neuroprotective role of citicoline in glaucoma patients.". Progress in brain research http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18929133

    Parisi, V.; et al. (1 May 2008). "Cytidine-5′-diphosphocholine (Citicoline): a pilot study in patients with non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy". European Journal of Neurology http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-1331.2008.02099.x/abstract

    Renshaw, PF; et al. (February 1999). "Short-term treatment with citicoline (CDP-choline) attenuates some measures of craving in cocaine-dependent subjects: a preliminary report.". Psychopharmacology http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10102764

    Killgore, WD; et al. (January 2010). "Citicoline affects appetite and cortico-limbic responses to images of high-calorie foods.". The International Journal of Eating Disorder. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3378241/