HealthBeat News

Category: Drugs and Alternatives

  • Gallbladder "Attacks" and Gallstones

    How to End the Pain and Save Your Gallbladder

    Nearly half a million gallbladder surgeries — removal, or cholecystectomy to be precise — are performed each year in the US. Many of the people who give up their gallbladders to such surgery appear to be fine, and the pain of their gallbladder attacks are over. Oddly enough, for many others, gallbladder "attacks" continue even in the absence of a gallbladder – in fact, one authoritative source indicates that Post Cholecystectomy Syndrome (PCS) affects at least 10 to 15% of people who have had their gallbladders removed!

    Are the people who have given up their gallbladders really "fine"? And why do others continue to have pain in spite of removal of their gallbladder? What is the real cause of Gallbladder pain? And most importantly, what can be done about it?

    You may be surprised at the answers to these questions – Dr. Myatt has written an informative and fully-referenced article that could just save you from needless surgery and from the pain and suffering of gallbladder disease. Check it out here at The Wellness Club website!

  • Antibiotics For Everything! A pill For Every Ill!

    How "Drug Resistant" Superbugs Are Born…

    Commentary by Nurse Mark

    Here is an interesting series of correspondence, and one that shows just how well the drug companies have conditioned us to believe that the only answer for any malady is a prescription drug, and just how casual conventional medicine practitioners have become about prescribing powerful drugs. This woman recently wrote in with the following question:

    Dr. Myatt:
    I Hope all is well with you and your family.  Fortunately for me, all I have is blood in my urine, burning sensation when urinating and bubbles (clouds) in my urine.  I don’t think this is serious yet.  But if it goes untreated, it can be deadly.  I do not have any medical insurance and due to the economy, my business is not bringing in income.  I cannot find a job. Q = Is there an antibiotic that I can take, without seeking a physician?
    Thanks!
    N

    Well, times are tough and a lot of Americans are not doing well financially – but being without "disease insurance" is not necessarily a bad thing…

    And it is true that if left untreated a urinary tract infection can be serious – indeed, alarming headlines have been filled recently with the tragic death of the South American  model who developed a septicemia – reportedly from a bladder infection.

    The short answer to N’s question is No.

    Prescription drugs are called that because they must be prescribed by a licensed health care professional – usually a doctor with prescribing privileges – and all patented antibiotics that I know of are controlled substances, available by prescription only.

    So, Dr. Myatt took the time to send N a brief reply pointing her in the direction of effective self-care:

    Dear N,
    This page tells you exactly what to do. More than 90% of people with a UTI (urinary tract infection) do NOT need, and shouldn’t take an antibiotic. Here’s what to do instead: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/UrinaryTractInfections.htm

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

    Well, it seems that in the meantime N was able to get together the money to go and seek a prescription – she wrote:

    Hi,
    …Your web-site stated "Antibiotics not only kill bacteria in the urinary tract, but they can kill a lot of "friendly bacteria" in the gut as well." I don’t want to destroy the good bacteria in my body.  I was prescribed the medication below.  I was instructed to take 1 tablet twice a day for 7 days. Are you saying that I shouldn’t take it?

    SMZ/TMP DS 800-160 TAB INTERPHARM substituted for BACTRIM DS

    Can I find this D-mannose in the stores?

    I have been reading up on your diet information. It’s makes a lot of sense.  Some of these things I have known for years.  I am from the old school where mom used bushes, weeds, roots, etc to heal our illnesses.  I am a descendant of Africans who were captured and made into slaves in the 1700-1800’s.  I am the 5th generation.

    Since Dr. Myatt was up to her eyebrows in patient reports I took a few minutes to answer N this time – since I wanted a little more information about how this popular and powerful antibiotic was prescribed so quickly.

    Hi N,
    You may be able to find D-Mannose in local health-food stores. Be careful to obtain a high-quality product – not all supplements are created the same!

    D-Mannose can also be found on our website: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/DMannose.htm – this is a pharmaceutical grade product and we can vouch for it’s purity, potency, and quality.

    As Dr. Myatt mentioned, it is impossible for us to advise you regarding the use of the antibiotic that was prescribed to you – we do not have benefit of the information that the person who prescribed it has: your history, symptoms, and laboratory report of the culture and sensitivity of your urine which tells whether there is a bacteria present in your urine, what variety of bacteria that is, and whether that bacteria is sensitive to (will be killed by) the antibiotic that was prescribed. The person who prescribed the antibiotic ~DID~ have a urinalysis culture and sensitivity performed, right?

    An analogy could be that all snakes can bite – but some snake bites are much more serious than others. Knowing which kind of snake has bitten is pretty important!

    If the urine C&S (med-speak for culture and sensitivity) showed that there was a bacteria present and that bacteria is sensitive to the antibiotic that was prescribed, then you should probably take the antibiotic as directed. Using the D-Mannose along with the antibiotic will help it to do it’s job better.

    Some harm to the normal flora (bacteria) of the gut is unavoidable with almost any antibiotic use, but can be corrected with the use of  probiotics (friendly gut bacteria) to replace the bacteria harmed by the antibiotics. More information, and an excellent product for this purpose can be found here: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/supremadophilus.htm

    N, as you know we often use the questions and comments of folks who write us in our HealthBeat Newsletter when we feel that they can be helpful to others. Some form of this back-and-forth will likely appear in an upcoming article as these are questions that we hear often. Can you tell me please, did the person who prescribed the antibiotic for you perform the laboratory test for culture and sensitivity on a sample of your urine, or was the antibiotic prescribed to you just based on your symptoms?

    Cheers,
    Nurse Mark

    N wrote back once more to say:

    Hi Nurse Mark,
    Thank you for commenting on my questions. I went to one of the local hospitals. I gave a urine sample. The nurse said that I have a urinary tract infection. He said that there were white blood cells, bacteria and something else in the urine     [Nurse Mark notes: probably protein]. Another nurse brought me a prescription along with home care instructions and sent me on my way.

    Mark, thank you and Dr. Myatt for all of your help.

    Well, there you have it – as I suspected, a urine sample was collected. It was certainly "dipped" – a test done in a few seconds using a dipstick that will demonstrate the quick results that N described. It may have been sent on to be cultured – a more expensive and time consuming test requiring 48 hours or more for meaningful results – but I doubt it. No, the antibiotic was prescribed presumptively – based on N’s reported symptoms and the results of the "dip".

    You see, it is very common in conventional medicine to prescribe powerful antibiotics "presumptively", and here’s how it works: the patient complains of a symptom, and the doctor (or in this case the nurse) presumes that this symptom is the result of something common and therefore no further testing is necessary before prescribing a drug. Further, in this case, SMZ/TMP (Bactrim) is considered a "broad spectrum" antibiotic, meaning that accuracy in diagnosis is even less important – it’ll kill a wide variety of bacteria and so it is easy to prescribe. It’s easy, "cookbook" medicine.

    Is this a good thing? Well, if used carefully it certainly is – broad spectrum antibiotics can be life-saving in the case of an overwhelming infection. They can be used to begin a patient on antibiotic therapy while a careful doctor awaits the results of the Culture and Sensitivity lab test that will t
    ell him if he guessed correctly at what the causative bacteria was, and what that bacteria would be sensitive to. If the results of the C&S show that a different bacteria is present or is sensitive to a different antibiotic, then the antibiotic can always be changed – but only if a C&S was done, and only if the doctor was made aware of the results in a timely manner.

    My guess is that none of that will happen and that N was prescribed her powerful antibiotic based on presumption and a "standing order". Standing Orders allow people who otherwise are not allowed to prescribe drugs to do so based on a set of defined conditions – the doctor just comes along and "signs off" on the order later. This saves time, gets more people seen, and sells more prescription drugs to people.

    And that’s just the way the big drug companies like it.

    Unfortunately this willy-nilly prescribing of powerful antibiotics at the drop of a hat (or the dip of a test stick) is giving us a frighteningly powerful crop of drug-resistant bacteria that scoff at our current antibiotics – these are the "superbugs" that we hear about ever more often in the news.

    Superbugs that will need to be battled with yet-to-be-developed Super Antibiotics that can be patented and offered to a frightened and desperate public at "Super" prices.

    And that’s just the way the big drug companies like it.

  • We get Questions! Can Niacin Raise Blood Pressure?

    We get Questions! Can Niacin Raise Blood Pressure?

    By Nurse Mark

    One of our HealthBeat Subscribers writes occasionally with questions – and that is a good thing, because there is some serious misinformation out there in internet-land! There are plenty of competing interests, all wanting you to believe that what they tell you is the gospel truth about any given subject. While the supplement industry and most notably the MLM marketers who push berry juices and coral calcium are not immune to using hyperbole as they promote their products, they cannot hold a candle to the Big Pharma giants with their virtually limitless ability to purchase good press for their offerings while vilifying any competition.

    Consider this back-and-forth exchange that I recently had with Ann who wrote:…

    Mark
    I was just told that no flush niacin raises blood pressure…Is that so ? 
    Ann

    After giving my head a shake and reading the letter again to be sure I had read correctly I wrote Ann back:

    Hi Ann,

    Yikes! Who would tell you such a preposterous thing?!?

    We have never found anything anywhere in the medical or scientific literature, or in anecdotal reports, that would support such a statement.

    If this person who just told you this has any evidence to support this statement (other than of the "my aunt Effie was talking to her neighbor whose second cousin knew a fellow who said it made his wife’s blood pressure go up once…" variety) we would be most interested to see it.

    Our research has found that No-Flush niacin is extremely safe and well-tolerated.

    From our web page: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/niacin.htm

    The Coronary Drug Project,* an extensive study of cholesterol-lowering drugs, found that niacin was the only “drug” that actually reduced mortality. (Niacin is a “B” vitamin but was tested head-to-head with drugs in the study). Follow-up studies showed that the niacin-treated group had an 11% lower death rate years after niacin therapy was discontinued, but the cholesterol-lowering drug group had an increased death rate. (Example: the Clofibrate group had a 36% higher death rate).

    One caveat however: Time-release or extended-release niacin preparations, such as those your conventional doctor would prescribe since they are available only by prescription can be toxic to the liver. Perhaps this is what your person was referring to?

    Hope this helps,
    Nurse Mark

    Ann wrote back to give me the reference where she found this information, and things became a little more clear:

    Here it is.  What it does say is it can affect blood pressure medications… http://altmedicine.about.com/od/highcholesterol/a/highcholesterol.htm

    I read this article, and here is my reply to Ann:

    Hi Ann,

    Here is what we can read "between the lines"…

    The author of this article is a naturopathic doctor – a graduate of an accredited and reputable naturopathic medical school. That is the good news.

    The content of the article was "reviewed" by the website’s "Medical Review Board". That’s the bad news – since all the members of this "Medical Review Board" are conventional medical doctors, trained in conventional medicine and in conventional pharmacy – and conventional medicine is very unfriendly toward anything that is not a product of a drug company and available only by prescription.

    Now, on to some parts of this article…

    Niacin is available in prescription form and as a dietary supplement. The American Heart Association cautions patients to only use the prescription form of niacin.

    This is to be expected – since the AHA (American Heart Association) is heavily funded and controlled by the Pharmaceutical Industry. Niacin, and No-Flush Niacin, are not prescription drugs – they are natural substances and cannot be patented, so there is no great profit in them. Time-release forms of niacin are patented, and therefore the drug companies are able to achieve their desired profit margins with them. Bravo to the author for even mentioning that niacin is available as a non-prescription supplement!

    Because of side effects, niacin should not be used to lower cholesterol unless under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner.

    This is standard CYA (Cover Your ASSetts) boilerplate that needs to be said whenever there is a chance that someone might take the advice offered in an article. It gets the authors "off the hook" if someone does something silly with their advice, hurts them self, and tries to sue for damages. Remember how the now ubiquitous warning label "WARNING – Hot Coffee May Be Hot" got it’s start…? This is like the warning I once saw associated with a fitness program which said "WARNING – Exercise can cause elevated heartrate, fatigue, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Any exercise program should only be undertaken under the close supervision of a qualified health care practitioner." But I digress…

    Niacin can increase the effect of high blood pressure medication or cause nausea, indigestion, gas, diarrhea, gout, and worsen peptic ulcers, or trigger gout, liver inflammation, and high blood sugar.

    This statement says that niacin can INCREASE the effect of high blood pressure medication – this is possible due to niacin’s beneficial effects on circulation, and it would further LOWER blood pressure. These other side effects are incredibly rare – they are not something that either Dr. Myatt nor I have encountered in our years of practice. But if any one of these side effects was ever reported and niacin was blamed, rightly or wrongly, conventional medicine will use it to frighten the uninformed away from non-prescription niacin and toward the far more profitable statin drugs (which, by the way, have far more, and far more dangerous side effects).

    The most common side effect of high-dose niacin is skin flushing or hot flashes, which is caused by widening of blood vessels. Most people only notice this when they initially start taking niacin. The flushing may be lessened by taking niacin with meals.

    This statement is true – but incomplete. This common side effect can also be avoided by using the No-Flush form of niacin.

    Although high doses of niacin showed promise in combination with drugs to lower cholesterol (called "statins), there are concerns that combining them could result in a potentially fatal condition called rhabdomyelosis. They shouldn’t be combined unless under the close supervision of a physician.

    Rhabdomyelosis is a well-known, very serious, and surprisingly common side-effect of statin drug therapy – it has nothing to do with niacin. There should be no reason to use niacin in combination with statins except for the need on the part of the doctor to write a prescription for a drug.

    In summary, Niacin is at least equally effective as statins at lowering cholesterol, and certainly safer. Someone using No-Flush Niacin and a proper diet (NOT a "Low Cholesterol" diet! see our articles Lower Cholesterol Naturally – Better Cholesterol Management with Vitamins and Herbs and Saturated Fats: Another Big Fat Lie for the full scoop on this!) should have no need to use both niacin and statins together. Further, since niacin improves microcirculation, and the diet that corrects high cholesterol also corrects high blood pressure, a person should be able to no longer need "blood pressure pills" either.

    Hope this clears things up a bit for you Ann!

  • What’s Burning You?

    What’s Burning You?

    The REAL Cause of Heartburn, Indigestion and GERD (and How To Correct It)

    By Dr. Dana Myatt

    Older people have considerably more digestive problems than younger folks, and this has typically but incorrectly been blamed on over-production of stomach acid. Not only have medical studies debunked excess stomach acid as the cause of indigestion, but common sense debunks the myth as well.

    Why does this matter? Because the chronic use of antacids and acid-blocking drugs for indigestion has some dangerous and even deadly side-effects

    The "Acid Over-Production" Myth Debunked

    Do you really think that some bodily function starts working better with age? Hahahaha!

    With age, nothing works as well as it did in earlier years. I hope I’m not popping anyone’s bubble here.

    Come on – we don’t move as fast at age 57 as we did at 27. Vision and hearing are typically less acute in our 70s than they were in our 30s. Skin is less elastic at 69 than at 29. Production of hormones and body fluids decreases with age. Why would we think that our stomachs do the opposite of all other organs and become more active with age instead of less active? Only a drug salesman or a pill-pushing doctor would try to convince us of such foolishness.

    The stomach’s primary job is to digest protein and emulsify fats, and it does this by making an extremely powerful acid called hydrochloric acid (HCL) and a protein-digesting enzyme called pepsin. The hydrochloric acid made by a healthy stomach is one million times stronger than the mild acidity of urine or saliva. A leather-like strip of jerky can be quickly turned into "beef soup" by the action of hydrochloric acid and pepsin in the stomach. That’s how normal digestion is supposed to work.

    But just like the rest of an aging body, the stomach’s hydrochloric acid and pepsin production decreases over time. As a result, we do not digest food as well. The term "indigestion" implies lack of digestion, not over-digestion. This is why we can’t eat a whole pepperoni pizza washed down with a bottle of soda like we did when we were teenagers. Our aging stomachs don’t have the same digestive vigor – strong hydrochloric acid and pepsin – to digest food like youthful stomachs do.

    Medical Science Verifies Low Acid Production

    OK, that’s the common sense of it. Now here’s the science. Many older studies conducted on several thousand people in the 1930’s and 1940’s showed that half of all people by age 60 were functioning at only 50% gastric acid output. Numerous contemporary studies verify that that stomach acid production often declines with age.
    The Bottom Line: when someone over age 40 has chronic or chronic / intermittent indigestion, that indigestion is almost certainly due to a weaker stomach with less acid and pepsin output, not a stronger stomach making more digestive juices.

    "But My Symptoms Feel Like Too Much Acid…"

    Strong stomach acid and pepsin quickly "emulsify" fats and proteins, making them ready for the next step of digestion, passage into the small intestine. When these digestive factors are weak, food remains in the stomach for longer and it begins to ferment. Gas pressure from the fermentation can cause bloating and discomfort and can can also cause the esophageal sphincter to open, allowing stomach contents to "backwash" into the esophagus.

    Even though weak stomach acid is the central cause of this, even this weak stomach acid, which has no place in the esophagus, will "burn." This burning sensation confuses many people, including doctors, who then "ASSuME" that excess acid is to blame. Too little acid, resulting in slowed digestion, and gas which creates back-pressure into the esophagus is the real cause of almost all "heartburn" and GERD.

    Why People Take Acid-Blockers

    Why in the world would anyone take antacids or acid blockers to correct a deficiency of stomach acid? In two words: symptom relief.

    But if heartburn or gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) are caused by too little stomach acid, why does blocking more of the acid relieve the discomfort? And why isn’t that a good thing to do?

    Remember, even weak stomach acid does not belong in the esophagus. When ALL acid production is blocked, the “backwash” of stomach contents into the esophagus will not burn. However, repeatedly using this “band-aid” method has some serious long-term consequences.

    The Dangers of Antacids and Acid-Blocking Drugs

    Our bodies need 60 or so essential nutrients. “Essential” means that the body MUST have this nutrient or death will eventually ensue, and the nutrient must be obtained from diet because the body cannot manufacture it. Many of these essential nutrients require stomach acid for their assimilation. When stomach acid production declines, nutrient deficiencies begin.

    Calcium, for example, requires vigorous stomach acid in order to be assimilated. Interestingly, the rate of hip replacement surgery is much higher in people who routinely use antacids and acid-blocking drugs. We know that people who have “acid stomach” were already having trouble assimilating calcium from food and nutritional supplements due to lack of normal stomach acid production. When these symptoms are “band-aided” with drugs which decrease stomach acid even more, calcium assimilation can come to a near-halt. The result? Weak bones, hip fractures and joint complaints resulting in major surgery.

    Jonathan Wright, M.D., well-known and respected holistic physician, states that “Although research in this area is entirely inadequate, its been my clinical observation that calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, selenium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, and many other micro-trace elements are not nearly as well-absorbed in those with poor stomach acid as they are in those whose acid levels are normal. When we test plasma amino acid levels for those with poor stomach function, we frequently find lower than usual levels of one or more of the eight essential amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Often there are functional insufficiencies of folic acid and/or vitamin B12.”

    Remember, these are essential nutrients. Deficiencies of any single one of them can cause serious health problems over time. Weak bones, diminish immune function, failing memory, loss of eyesight and many other “diseases of aging” are often the result of decreased stomach function.

    Ulcers can even be caused by too little acid. Surprised? We know today that most ulcers are caused by a bacterium called h. pylori. This little beastie is killed by strong stomach acid. But when stomach acid is weak, watch out! Weak stomach acid is how h. pylori gets a foot-hold. (People with active ulcers should not supplement hydrochloric acid until the ulcer has healed).

    Diseases Associated with Low Gastric Function

    Low stomach acid is associated with the following conditions:

    • Acne rosacea
    • Addison’s disease
    • Allergic reactions
    • Candidiasis (chronic)
    • Cardiac arrhythmias
    • Celiac disease
    • Childhood asthma
    • Chronic autoimmune hepatitis
    • Chronic cough
    • Dermatitis herpeteformis
    • Diabetes (type I)
    • Eczema
    • Gallbladder disease
    • GERD
    • Graves disease (hyperthyroid)
    • Iron deficiency anemia
    • Laryngitis (chronic)
    • Lupus erythromatosis
    • Macular degeneration
    • Multiple sclerosis
    • Muscle Cramps
    • Myasthenia gravis
    • Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)
    • Osteoporosis
    • Pernicious anemia
    • Polymyalgia rheumatica
    • Reynaud’s syndrome
    • Rheumatoid arthritis
    • Scleroderma
    • Sjogren’s syndrome
    • Stomach cancer
    • Ulcerative colitis
    • Vitiligo

    It also appears that many cases of depression, which appear related to too little neurotransmitters (which in turn are made from amino acids) may in fact be inability to absorb the necessary precursors due to – you guessed it – low stomach acid. I suspect there are a large number of other diseases that begin with a failing digestive system and that have not yet been recognized as such.

    Even so, many people who have low stomach acid do not have symptoms of heartburn, “acid indigestion” or GERD.

    The Gastric Acid Function Test

    Here’s a simple question. Before your doctor diagnosed GERD from “too much stomach acid,” did he/she perform a stomach acid function test?

    X-rays and gastroscopy do not evaluate stomach acid production. The medical test for stomach acid, called the Heidelberg test, requires swallowing a small capsule and then having it pulled back up on a “string.” You’d remember if you had this done. Interestingly, this test is ALMOST NEVER PERFORMED before excess stomach acid is diagnosed, hence the incorrect diagnosis!

    Why The Blind Spot In Medicine?

    From the 1800’s up until the 1950’s, hydrochloric acid (HCl) supplements (both with and without pepsin) were widely prescribed and used. Physicians simply considered replacement of digestive acid to be like replacement of thyroid hormone for a failing thyroid or hormone replacement for aging ovaries.

    In the 1950’s, some badly designed and misinterpreted “research” was used to convince physicians that HCl and pepsin replacement therapy is unnecessary. Besides, the “replacement” therapy – HCL and pepsin – are natural substances that are difficult to patent. Instead, drug companies focused on patentable drugs to treat “hyperchlorhydria” (excess stomach acid), and the highly profitable prescription and OTC acid blocking drug industry was born.

    Once again I ask: if a doctor diagnosed you with excess stomach acid, did he or she actually perform the Heidelberg test? If you diagnosed yourself, did you perform a gastric acid self-test? No? I rest my case.

    The Gastric Acid Function Self-Test

    Fortunately, the Heidelberg test is not required to arrive at a correct diagnosis of too little stomach acid. You can perform a gastric acid self-test at home using some betain HCL capsules taken with meals. If digestion improves – bingo! You’re hydrochloric acid deficient.

    This issue of low stomach acid is central to so many diseases that I recommend a gastric acid self-test to EVERYONE over age 50 and anyone under age 50 who has any medical complaint related to nutrient deficiency.

    I’ve put together an inexpensive yet highly effective “Gastric Acid Function Self Test Kit” that includes full instructions for testing your own stomach acid (it’s easy with the instructions) plus “test sizes” of the supplements – including hydrochloric acid and pepsin – needed for the test.

    Testing your own digestive function is simple and easy, and it could save you much grief, sickness, and yes, heartburn.

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    45.) Oesophageal acid exposure and altered neurocardiac function in patients with GERD and idiopathic cardiac dysrhythmias. Aliment  Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Jul 15;24(2):361-70.
    46.) Capper WM, Butler TJ, Kilby JO, Gibson MJ. Gallstones, gastric secretion and flatulent dyspepsia. Lancet 1967;i:413–5.
    47.) Gastric juice nitrite and vitamin C in patients with gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis: is low acidity solely responsible for cancer  risk? Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2003 Sep;15(9):987-93.
    48.) Correlation of ratio of serum pepsinogen I and II with prevalence of gastric cancer and adenoma in Japanese subjects. Am J Gastroenterol. 1998 Jul;93(7):1090-6.
    49.) Atrophic body gastritis in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease: an underdiagnosed association. Arch Intern Med. 1999 Aug 9-23;159(15):1726-30.
    50.) Early manifestations of gastric autoimmunity in patients with juvenile autoimmune thyroid diseases.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Oct;89(10):4944-8.
    51.) Review article: the role of pH monitoring in extraoesophageal  gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006  Mar; 23 Suppl 1:40-9. Summary: association with laryngitis, non-cardiac chest pain, etc.
    52.) Age-Related Eye Disease Study Group. Risk factors associated with age-related macular degeneration. Opthamology.
    53.) Altered gastric acidity in patients with multiple sclerosis. Cesk  Gastroenterol Vyz. 1968 Dec;22(8):526-30.
    54.) Gastroesophageal reflux disease, acid suppression, and Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease. Chest. 2007 Apr;131(4):1166-72.
    55.) Malabsorption of vitamin B12 in dermatitis herpetiformis and its association with pernicious anaemia. Acta Med Scand. 1986;220(3):261-8
    56.) Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1993 Jul;52(7):503-10.
    57.) Hartung EF, Steinbroker O. Gastric acidity in chronic arthritis. Ann Intern Med 1935;9:252.
    58.) Hypochlorhydria and hypergastrinaemia in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1979 Feb;38(1):14-7
    59.) Francis HW. Achlorhydria as an etiological factor in vitiligo, with report of four cases. Nebraska State Med J 1931;16(1):25–6.

  • 7 Good Reasons To Take Take Grape Seed Extract

    7 Good Reasons To Take Take Grape Seed Extract

    by Dr. Dana Myatt

    Grape seed extract is on my list of "must take" supplements." Here’s why.

    Grape Seed Extract Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

    Proanthocyanidin (OPC), a powerful antioxidant found in grape seeds, grape skins, strawberries and French maritime pine bark, has anti-inflammatory properties which have been shown to promote normal blood flow and thus benefit the cardiovascular system. In Doctor Myatt’s words, OPC’s prevent "blood sludge" that can cause strokes and heart attacks. OPC’s work like aspirin (only better and safer) to prevent abnormal blood clotting. OPC’s may be a superior answer for those who need thinner blood (like people with arrhythmias) as a safer alternative to coumadin. OPC’s are also called "pycnogenol" when they are derived from pine bark (the grape seed extract is slightly more potent and less expensive. You will see the terms pycnogenol, OPC’s, grape seed extract used interchangeably).

    In one study, 38 cigarette smokers were divided into two groups and received either 500 mg of aspirin or 125 mg of Pycnogenol. After taking these doses, each subject smoked a cigarette, which is known to increase blood platelet aggregation (blood clumping). After two hours, blood samples were analyzed. Both groups has greatly reduced platelet aggregation, but those in the aspirin group had increased bleeding times while those in the OPC group did not. Other studies in smokers have also shown the anti-aggregation effect of OPC’s.

    In another study, 30 people were given Pycnogenol and 10 were given placebo. People in the Pycnogenol group had significant reduction in blood pressure, capillary (small blood vessel) leakage, and blood vessel inflammation, all risk factors for heart disease. There were no negative side effects or adverse changes in blood chemistries from pycnogenol.

    Grape Seed Extract A Boon to Diabetics
    (and those who don’t want to be diabetics)

    Pycnogenol benefits the cardiovascular system by decreasing inflammation and improving blood viscosity in both normal and diabetic subjects. These effects can be especially important to diabetics. New research shows that OPC’s have even more benefits for diabetics by helping to lower blood sugar levels and improving microcirculation.

    OPC’s were administered to diabetic patients. Leg ulcers (which often result in gangrene and loss of limbs in diabetics) healed 25-29% faster in the group taking OPC’s. This is a significant benefit for diabetic patients and could help prevent loss of limbs that often occurs in diabetes.

    OPC’s have also been shown to help lower blood sugar levels. Researchers looked at the effect that Pycnogenol on alpha-glucosidase, an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates into glucose molecules. In this study, pycnogenol was compared to acarbose, a synthetic drug (sold under the brand name Precose) that inhibits alpha-glucosidase. Pycnogenol was found to be 190 times more potent at inhibiting alpha-glucosidase, producing a greater delay in glucose absorption. At higher concentrations, OPC’s greatly slowed the entrance of carbohydrates into the blood stream compared to the drug.

    Another study showed that pycnogenol improved the level of microangiopathy (small blood vessel abnormalities) decreased capillary filtration, improved symptoms and reduced edema in 18 out of 18 diabetic patients, with no subjects dropping out of the study due to adverse side effects. There were no improvements seen in the control group.

    OPC’s have been shown in French trials to help limit the progression of diabetic retinopathy. In one study, 60% of diabetics taking 150 mg per day of OPCs from grape seed extract had no progression of retinopathy compared to 47% of those taking a placebo.

    Another trial including 77 subjects with type 2 diabetes, (half receiving 100 mg of Pycnogenol and half received a placebo daily), showed after 12 weeks that subjects in the Pycnogenol group had significantly lowered their plasma glucose levels compared to placebo. Pycnogenol subjects were also found to have improved artery function. In another trial of 30 type 2 diabetics, researchers found that increasing doses of pycnogenol (doses of 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg) lowered blood sugar levels in a dose-dependent fashion. (The more grape seed extract, the lower the blood sugar levels). Subjects who received 100 to 300 mg of Pycnogenol had the most significant lowering of their fasting glucose levels.

    Anti-Cancer Effects of Grape Seed Extract

    Talc (talcum powder) increases "ovarian neoplastic transformation" (turns cells of the female ovary into cancerous cells). A brand new study showed that pycnogenol blocked this talc-induced cancerous change in ovarian cells. PC’s have also been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in breast cancer cells but not in normal breast tissue.

    OPc’s reduce four factors know to stimulate cancer cell growth: blood sugar levels, insulin levels, free radical and inflammation. This means that OPC’s may be a potent factor not only in cancer prevention but also in cancer treatment. (See our medical paper on cancer diet and nutrition for cancer for full details).

    But Wait! There’s More! (More Benefits of Grape Seed Extract)

    If heart-protective, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer effects aren’t enough to make you consider adding grape seed extract to your supplement regimen, here are a few more benefits of this amazing flavonoid for you to consider:

    * anti-allergenic (grape seed stabilizes histamine release and so acts as a natural anti-histamine, without any drowsy side-effects). Asthmatic children who took pycnogenol were able to decrease their asthma medications.

    * improves skin elasticity by increasing collagen in the skin. For this reason, OPC’s are often used in skin rejuvenation programs.

    * prevents varicose veins by strengthening blood vessels and increasing collagen (same reason it helps improve aging skin).

    * helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease by blocking the formation of beta amyloid (a protein associated with Alzheimer’s).

    * Reduces symptoms of endometriosis. This was recently reported in Family Medicine journal; yet another study showing positive benefit.

    I Don’t Know About You, But…

    The proven (but non-FDA-approved, blessed or verified) effects of grape seed extract (aka pycnogenol, OPC’s etc.) are just too great for me to overlook. I personally take 100mg, 3 times per day with meals and will continue to do so. The new research coming out on this important herb convinces me that I’ve made a good decision. Learn more about Grape Seed Extract here.

    References
    1.)Inhibition of smoking-induced platelet aggregation by aspirin and pycnogenol. Thromb Res. 1999 Aug 15;95(4):155-61.
    2.) Pine bark extract reduces platelet aggregation. Integr Med. 2000 Mar 21;2(2):73-77.
    3.) Single and multiple dose pharmacokinetics of maritime pine bark extract (pycnogenol) after oral administration to healthy volunteers. BMC Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Aug 3;6:4.
    4.) Inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 activity by plasma of human volunteers after ingestion of French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol). Biomed Pharmacother. 2006 Jan;60(1):5-9. Epub 2005 Oct 26.
    5.) Diabetic ulcers: microcirculatory improvement and faster healing with pycnogenol. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2006 Jul;12(3):318-23.
    6.) Oligomeric procyanidins of French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) effective
    ly inhibit alpha-glucosidase. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2006 Nov 10.
    7.) Rapid relief of signs/symptoms in chronic venous microangiopathy with pycnogenol: a prospective, controlled study. Angiology. 2006 Oct-Nov;57(5):569-76.
    8.) Procyanidolic oligomers in the treatment of fragile capillaries and diabetic retinopathy. Med Int 1981;16:432–4 [in French].
    8.) Retinopathies and OPC. Bordeaux Medicale 1978;11:1467–74 [in French].
    9.) Contribution to the study of procyanidolic oligomeres: Endotelon in diabetic retinopathy (in regard to 30 observations). Gaz Med de France 1982;89:3610–4 [in French].
    10.) Antidiabetic effect of Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract in patients with diabetes type II. Life Sci. 2004 Oct 8;75(21):2505-13.
    11.) French maritime pine bark extract Pycnogenol dose-dependently lowers glucose in type 2 diabetic patients.Diabetes Care. 2004 Mar;27(3):839.
    12.) Pycnogenol reduces talc-induced neoplastic transformation in human ovarian cell cultures.Phytother Res. 2007 Mar 14; [Epub ahead of print]
    13.) Selective induction of apoptosis in human mammary cancer cells (MCF-7) by pycnogenol. Anticancer Res. 2000 Jul-Aug;20(4):2417-20.
    14.) Nutritional and Botanical Considerations in the Systemic Treatment of Cancer: 2006 Update.     http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/cancer2006update.htm
    15.) Pycnogenol as an adjunct in the management of childhood asthma. J Asthma. 2004;41(8):825-32
    16.) Stabilization of collagen by polyphenols. Angiologica 1972;9:248–56 [in German].
    17.) Non-enzymatic degradation of acid-soluble calf skin collagen by superoxide ion: protective effect of flavonoids. Biochem Pharmacol 1983;32:53–8.
    18.) Pycnogenol protects neurons from amyloid-beta peptide-induced apoptosis. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 2002 Jul 15;104(1):55-65.
    19.) Pine Bark Extract Reduces Symptoms of Endometriosis. J Reprod Med. 2007;52:000-000.