HealthBeat News

Category: Drugs and Alternatives

  • Questions about iron supplements…

    Questions about iron supplements…

    Iron supplementation is confusing and there is no shortage of information of dubious value and quality out there in "Internet-land". Conventional doctors often have little knowledge or training in anything other than what the drug companies have to offer – and they commonly deal with the constipation caused by their prescriptions for "nails-in-a-pill" by simply issuing yet another prescription for a laxative…

    Valerie recently wrote this letter to Dr. Myatt:

    Hello

    Hope everyone there is having a good and healthful day.

    My name is Valerie and my dermatologist says my Ferritin is 38 and she’d like to see me at around 70-75.

    She is prescribing 395 mg of iron per day and wants me to take that dosage for 3 months. She has recommended Feosol – a popular over the counter iron.

    For the last two years I have been taking one tablet of Every Woman’s Iron Support by New Chapter Organics.  It’s called a ‘whole food’.  It offers among other vitamins and minerals 9 mg of iron.  I don’t know if this is important but it also contains 900 mcg of folate.  I have never had any trouble with constipation at this dosage.

    In an attempt to up my iron intake and in an effort to finish off the bottle before I purchase something new and different, I’ve started taking 2 a day for a week, increased to 3 a day for a week and now 4 a day for the last 2 days.  Now I’m constipated.  Nowhere on the bottle does it say heme or non-heme.

    Apparently, the best I can get out of 6 Energizing Iron softgels is 150mg (they do come in soft gel, right?).  I can’t bear the thought of swallowing 6 more pills a day anyways, and certainly not 18.

    And the scariest part of all is a medical website I just saw that said non-constipating iron can lead to liver disease.  Google non-constipating iron if you want to see that for yourself.

    Have you any suggestions or comments about all this for me?

    Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

    Valerie in Illinois

    [Nurse Mark notes: I followed Valerie’s suggestion and searched the internet for this information – the best I can find refers to a single 1973 Lancet Medical Journal article, quoted and referenced many, many times on the internet, in which a researcher discusses an esoteric study of "oxyphenisatin-induced liver damage in chronic non-alcoholic liver disease". As I mentioned in the introduction to this exchange, the internet can be a misleading and frightening place! Articles such as these are often seized upon and exploited by Big Pharma in their quest to discredit anything that is not their own patented offering.]

    Dr. Myatt replies:

    Hi Valerie:

    As you can understand, I can’t give precise medical advice to someone who is not a patient, so these are general comments.

    Swallowing iron pills is like eating nails to get your iron levels up. "Elemental iron" is difficult to assimilate. That is "non-heme" iron. "Heme iron" is the type of iron found in red meat. It is easy to assimilate, non-constipating and tends to have a much more profound effect on iron levels even at very small doses. This is all explained on our website: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/liquidliver.htm

    I don’t know what form of iron you found as "non constipating iron," but there is no association between liquid liver and liver disease that I have ever seen in the medical literature, so the article you found is referring to something else. What does exist is a correlation between too much storage iron (ferritin) and liver disease, and we’re not sure which comes first. With your ferritin levels being low, this really isn’t your problem.

    If you can’t swallow capsules (that’s a "mindset problem," not a real problem if you are swallowing food OK), you could always put the caps in a blender along with a drink. I’d try a chocolate Super Shake as an easy way to take the caps. They’ll break apart in the blender. They have a small taste but not ugly and this should be masked by the shake. http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/supershake.htm

    Let me know how it goes!

    In Health,

    Dr. Myatt

    P.S. – Just last week I got the medical reports back on an elderly patient who has been low ferritin for a long time. They’ve had him on "epo" and medical iron for ages, to no avail. Since he’s been on the liquid liver (aka "energizing iron") his counts are back up in the normal range.

    We also had a young lady of menstrual age start using the liquid liver. (She is not a patient but communicated with me via email, like you). After two months, she emailed to order more liquid liver and tell me that her iron stores were up in the normal range for the first time in a long while. Needless to say, her local doc is pleased and so is she!

    [Nurse Mark notes: "Epo" is a common term for Erythropoietin – a synthetic hormone that prevents anemia (low blood count) by helping you make red blood cells – this drug is given by injection.]

  • How Long Will It Take To Improve Bone Density And Reverse Osteoporosis?

    Carole recently purchased some supplements from us, and wrote with her questions – the reply to which is a good review for all…

    Dear Dr.,

    I ordered two products to help fight the effects of osteoporosis. My test results show a negative 3.2 T-score. I am wondering how long it takes for the results of ingesting the multi vitamin [a one-a-day type], cal-mag amino and strontium (I just ordered these two from your site) to effect a change in my bone density? Also, will my bone return to normal after a period of time or is this impossible or unlikely? My doctor wants to put me on a prescription and I am not eager to do so.

    Thank you,
    Carole

    Dr. Myatt replies:

    Hi Carole:

    Here are my dosage recommendations for supplements in osteoporosis:

    Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal doses (not minimal doses) of B complex vitamins, C, D, K, calcium, magnesium, vanadium, zinc, and boron are particularly important for strong bones. A "once per day" vitamin supplement does not supply anything close to an optimal daily dose of the necessary bone nutrients.

    Cal-Mag Amino: Post-menopausal females take 1 cap, 3 times per day with meals in addition to the 1,000:500 mg from Maxi Multi. (Target: 1200-1500 mg/day calcium, 500-800 mg/day magnesium for post-menopausal women. Men and peri-menopausal females get sufficient calcium/magnesium/boron from Maxi Multi).

    Strontium : 1 capsule, 1-2 times per day with or between meals (take separately from calcium).  One capsule per day is advised for prevention, 2 caps per day for those at high risk of osteoporosis or in already-established cases of osteoporosis.

    NOTE: Maxi Multi does not contain strontium. If you see a "bone formula" with strontium, don’t take it. Strontium should be taken away from calcium and magnesium for best absorption.

    Of course, diet and lifestyle play a role in "how fast" your bones will rebuild. My full Osteoporosis recommendations are here. You can also Learn more here on the strontium page

    Some of the studies showed 3% increase in bone density within one year. This compares WAY favorably to bisphophonate drugs (which as you may know, act by killing off the bone cells responsible for "remodeling").

    Learn more about the dangerous results of these drugs here in this previous edition of HealthBeat News.

    Since individuals are all different (you knew that, right?) , I can’t say for sure. But I can tell you that strontium in combination with adequate bone minerals (calcium, magnesium, boron, vanadium) and other essential nutrient, good diet, weight-bearing exercise (such as walking) build bone as fast or faster than bisphosphonate drugs and the "side effects’ are better overall health!

    Hope this helps and let me know how it goes.

    In Health,
    Dr. Myatt

  • The Ugly Truth About "Bone-Building" Drugs for Osteoporosis

    The Ugly Truth About "Bone-Building" Drugs for Osteoporosis

    (And The Safe, Natural, Effective Alternative)

    By Dr. Dana Myatt

    Osteoporosis means "porous bone," a bone-thinning disease that affects some 25 million American women. It is called a "silent" disease because it comes on with few or no symptoms. Often, a fall resulting in a fracture is the first evidence of weakened bones. Other symptoms and signs of osteoporosis include a decrease in height, spontaneous hip or vertebrae fractures, and back pain. (Note: most back pain is NOT caused by osteoporosis, so don’t get hypochodriacal on me!)

    In elderly women, death resulting from complications of hip fracture is far more common than death from breast cancer, yet few people realize the potential seriousness of this condition. Although osteoporosis is more common in post-menopausal women, it also occurs in younger women, in men, and in all age groups. Caucasian and Asian women are at greatest risk because their bones tend to be less dense to begin with.

    OK, you get the picture. Osteoporosis is clearly a real health problem for many Americans. So it seems reasonable to take a medication that can make bones thicker if you’ve been told that you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, right? Please don’t go there until you consider these facts.

    The Drug Is A Success – The Bone Died. ("To Save The Village We Had To Burn It Down")

    The popular drugs prescribed for osteoporosis — alendronate (Fosamax, Fosamax Plus D), etidronate (Didronel), ibandronate (Boniva), pamidronate (Aredia), risedronate (Actonel, Actonel W/Calcium), tiludronate (Skelid), and zoledronic acid (Reclast, Zometa) — are all in a class of drugs called "bisphosphinates." (Abbreviated as "BP’s"). Although they are marketed as "bone-building" drugs, the real truth is quite a bit more ominous. These drugs work by killing a type of bone cell called osteoclasts. You read that right — the drug works by killing normal bone cells.

    But Wait! There’s More! ("Other Than That, Mrs. Lincoln, How Was The Play?")

    In addition to this insane "mechanism of action" (killing normal bone cells), the potential side-effects range from a mere nuisance to deadly serious.

    Stomach upset, inflammation and erosions of the esophagus are a common side-effect of the oral forms of these drugs. But not to worry that this might be a sign that the drug isn’t healthy for your body. Your doctor will simply tell you to "remain seated upright for 30 to 60 minutes after taking the medication." Wasn’t that easy? Problem solved.

    Bisphosphonates given by injection bypass the stomach troubles but have their own problems, including "flu-like symptoms after the first infusion." Manufacturers claim that this only happens the first time, but a quick search of online bulletin boards of people who have had this reaction tells a different story. Many people report severe flu-like symptoms and bone pain that was aggravated by each subsequent dose.

    One study found in increase in "serious atrial fibrillation" among zoledronic acid (Reclast, Zometa) users, but the FDA dismissed this as "not significant." Since all these drugs are in the same class, however, the finding raises concern about this atrial fib connection and ALL bisphosphonate drugs.

    [Nurse Mark Note: Atrial Fibrillation can quickly develop into a heart attack]

    Last and not least, bispohsphonate drugs (ALL of them) are associated with a osteonecrosis of the jaw. In plain English, this means death of the jaw bone. The problem occurs more often with IV BP’s but is also seen in oral BP use. As one medical article stated, "This complication can have a significant impact on the quality of life for those patients with advanced stages of necrosis." Uh, you mean because the dead part of the jawbone will have to be removed and possibly bone-grafted? With resultant facial deformity (not to mention pain and suffering)? Yeah, that might ruin your week… or month… or life…

    Is Bone Death Better Than Osteoporosis? (Is That Really A Serious Question?)

    Obviously, I’m not a fan of bisphosphonate drugs. The class of bone cells that they destroy — the osteoclasts — help to "remodel" bone. This means that bone is supposed to be a living, growing, constantly changing tissue. Bisphosphonates change all that.

    On the other hand, a life-threatening fracture from osteoporosis is no picnic, either. So what do I recommend for osteoporosis prevention and reversal? Nature’s way, of course!

    Rebuilding Bone The Natural Way

    It has long been known that declining sex hormones are associated with decreased bone mineralization. It is also known that un-natural hormone replacement, as practiced in conventional medicine, is a cause of breast and other hormone-related cancers (and increased risk of stroke, heart disease, blood clots and dementia).
    The "middle ground" on hormone replacement therapy is to use natural (bio-identical) hormone replacement therapy as practiced by holistic medical practitioners. Following hormone testing (urine testing is better than saliva or blood tests), a custom formula using doses and forms as found in nature will be prescribed.

    Normal bone formation requires the right "mix" of nutrients. Vitamin D is necessary for proper bone mineralization, and the latest medical research shows that we are getting far less than we really need. [NOTE: Maxi Multi’s have just been re-formulated to include 800IU instead of the previous 400IU per daily dose]. Folate, vitamin B6, B12 and vitamin K should also be in your daily "mix" and are found in optimal amounts in Maxi Multi’s.

    Exercise, especially the kind that puts some stress on bones such as walking, help "tell" the bones to take up more minerals.

    And of course, the minerals that build bone must be present. This usually requires mineral supplementation with calcium, magnesium, boron, manganese, zinc, copper and the "forgotten mineral," strontium.

    Strontium, the "Secret Sauce" for Strong Bones

    Strontium, a naturally-occurring mineral in the same class as calcium and magnesium, has been shown to prevent bone loss AND increase bone density even in already-established cases of osteoporosis. This, plus strontium (NOT the radioactive kind!) has little if any negative side effects. Read more about Strontium: The Missing Mineral for Osteoporosis Prevention and Reversal in this previous edition of HealthBeat.

    The Short Course On Strong Bones And Bone Remineralization

    Osteoporosis is not caused by a bisphosphonate deficiency! Given the potentially devastating side-effects of this class of drugs, doing it "nature’s way" should be a first choice for most people with osteoporosis (or those interested in prevention).

    Exercise, sex hormone balance and obtaining all necessary bone nutrients including strontium will prevent and reverse most cases of osteoporosis without causing harm in the process.

    References:

    1.) Osteoporosis: Part I. Evaluation and Assessment. American Family Physician, March 1, 2001.
    2.) Side effects courtesy of Merk’s Fosamax website: http://www.fosamax.com/alendronate_sodium/fosamax/consumer/side_effects/index.jsp
    3.) Alendronate and atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2007 May 3;
    356(18):1895-6
    4.) Once-yearly zoledronic acid for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.  N Engl J Med. 2007 May 3;356(18):1809-22
    5.) Osteonecrosis and bisphosphonates in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2007 May;19(2):199-206.
    6.) Biophosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws. Dent Clin North Am. 2008 Jan;52(1):111-28.
    7.) Bisphosphonate Use and the Risk of Adverse Jaw Outcomes: A medical claims study of 714,217 people. J Am Dent Assoc. 2008 Jan;139(1):23-30.
    8.) Osteonecrosis of the jaws secondary to bisphosphonate therapy: a case series. J Contemp Dent Pract. 2008 Jan 1;9(1):63-9.
    9.) Bisphosphonate osteonecrosis of the jaws; an increasing problem for the dental practitioner. Br Dent J. 2007 Dec 8;203(11):641-4.
    10.) Bisphosphonates and bisphosphonate induced osteonecrosis. Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2007 Nov;19(4):487-98, v-vi.
    11.) The current state of postmenopausal hormone therapy: update for neurologists and epileptologists. Epilepsy Curr. 2007 Sep-Oct;7(5):119-22.
    12.) Strontium Ranelate Reduces the Risk of Nonvertebral Fractures in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis: Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis (TROPOS) Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 May; 90(5):2816-22. Epub 2005 Feb 22.
    13.) Picking a bone with contemporary osteoporosis management: Nutrient strategies to enhance skeletal integrity. Clinical Nutrition (Epub ahead of print, 2006 October 12).
    14.) The effects of strontium ranelate on the risk of vertebral fracture in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.” New England Journal of Medicine 350 (2004):459 – 68.
    15.) Strontium ranelate reduces the risk of nonvertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis: Treatment of Peripheral Osteoporosis (TROPOS) study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 90 (2005):2816 – 22.
    16.) Strontium in Finnish foods. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research 52 (1982): 342 – 50.
    17.) Gaby AR. Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1994, 85–92 [review].
    18.) Strontium ranelate: a dual mode of action rebalancing bone turnover in favour of bone formation. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2006 Jun;18 Suppl 1:S11-5.

  • My Husband Has Lung And Brain Cancer – What To Do?

    It seems that this has been "cancer question month" here at The Wellness Club, and folks love to write us with very specific medical questions even though we have said many times, here and on our website, that it is not appropriate, ethical, or legal for us to provide medical advice to someone who is not an established patient of Dr. Myatt.

    Folks, let me repeat: We cannot provide detailed medical advice or recommendations to anyone who is not a patient. We will do our best to provide general, generic information, but without having all available information about someone it is not fair to the person for us (or anyone else for that matter!) to make specific medical recommendations and it is not fair for someone to expect us to give out medical advice – this request puts us in a very difficult position, as we certainly recognize the desperate nature of many of these requests – letters like this one recently received are heart-wrenching!

    Sue Writes: (these notes are reproduced as they were received…)

    MY HUSBAND HAS LUNG CANCER,ALSO BRAIN.I AM LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO HELP.IS FLAXSEED SAFE TO USE WHEN TAKING RADIATION FOR BRAIN AND ALSO CHEMO EVERY 3 WEEKS.I NEED HELP AND ANYTHING YOU CAN TELL ME WILL BE SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.ALSO,DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ZEOLITE TO HELP CANCER.THANK YOU SO MUCH.SUE

    Our answer:

    Hi Sue,

    This is very serious business – and I wish that there were one simple thing (like Zeolite) that I could recommend for you that would be effective. As you have seen on our website at Dr. Myatt’s consultation pages, we are often the "Doctor of Last Resort" for folks who have been given up on or written off by conventional medicine – we make a lot of saves, but we need a lot of information to do that – information that is only available to us when your husband is a patient of Dr. Myatt so that she has access to all of his medical records. Why not consider booking a consultation?

    There should be no contraindication to using flax – but again, without FULL knowledge of your husband’s situation we cannot even say that for certain. In terms of nutrition, generally, a very low carbohydrate diet – The Myatt Diet – is best in most cancers, especially fast growing or aggressive cancers. There are other nutritional supplements that may be of value, but again, we need far more information to give fair, proper, and appropriate advice.

    Cheers,
    Nurse Mark

    Sue wrote again:

    THANK ;YOU VERY MUCH. WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED.MY HUSBAND IS NOT ABLE TO TRAVEL AND GETTING WEAKER EACH DAY.HE GOES IN FOR CHEMO TOMORROW. RADIATION ON BRAIN NEXT MONDAY. I READ THAT BLACK CHERRY JUICE CAN BE BENIFICAL,I BOUGHT THAT ALONG WITH VITAMIN D AND CO10.I HAVE TO HELP BUT WITH NOTHING THAT WILL HARM HIM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANY AND ALL HELP.I HAVE READ OF THE FLAX AND COTTAGE CHEESE BUT LEERY OF THE RADIATION AND CHEMO.AGAIN THANKS SO MUCH.SUE 

    And this was our reply:

    Hi Sue,

    Dr. Myatt is located in Arizona, but she helps patients all across the country and around the world as well – she does her consultations by telephone.

    Please see her consultation brochure here: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/consultations.htm and here: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/consultbrochure.htm

    Cherry pits contain the substance Laetril which may, in some cases, be useful in the treatment of cancer. Unfortunately, many fruit juices also contain large amounts of sugar which is contraindicated in cancer as sugar is the primary fuel for cancer cells.

    Vitamin D may or may not be helpful – it is contraindicated in some cancers. CoQ10 is a very valuable antioxidant – but antioxidant levels must be carefully managed, as some oxidative stress (free radicals) may be desirable in order to stress / damage the cancer cells.

    As you can see, this is a complicated situation and considerable skill is needed to make proper recommendations.

    If you search the internet you will find hundreds of websites, each purporting to offer the one true cure for cancer – and you will make yourself crazy. As you have undoubtedly discovered, everyone you talk to – your neighbor, the butcher, your hairdresser, your accountant, your plumber, the lady down the street who sells MLM vitamins – all have advice for you – and none of them are really qualified to be giving advice the way someone like Dr. Myatt is.

    Additionally, Dr. Myatt is very skilled at working in concert with your conventional doctor’s treatments to help you get the very best benefit with the least unpleasant side effects – and can help you cut through the confusion and uncertainty that often surrounds a serious condition like this.

    Hope this helps,
    Cheers,
    Nurse Mark

    Folks, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Cancer treatment is NOT a Do-It-Yourself proposition! Please, Please, Please – work with a qualified, experienced physician who can guide you and assist you in treating this potentially life threatening disease. Don’t try to "go-it-alone" no matter what you read on the internet or hear from your well-meaning neighbor / friend / relative / other person. The stakes are too high!

  • Please – Tell Me What Pill Will Cure My Cancer!

    Conventional Medicine, in concert with Big Pharma, has done a fine job of convincing people that there is a pill to cure every ill. People are so convinced of this that even when they are skeptical of Big Pharma’s poisonous offerings (as they should be!) and wish to explore alternative treatments and therapies, they still look for a quick, one-pill solution. Unfortunately, it is just not that simple – consider the following exchange:

    Lavine wrote to ask:

    What is the best alternative medicine that you would prescribe for the curing/healing of lymphoma that I have in my lymph nodes? I use grape seed extract-just started a few days ago.

    Now, Grape Seed Extract is a wonderful, useful, powerfully protective and healing substance – but it is not a “one pill cure” for anything! Here is Dr. Myatt’s reply to Lavina:

    Hi Lavina:

    There is no “one best treatment” for ANY type of cancer because each individual’s case has different characteristics. In the case of lymphoma, there are now 35 different sub-types of the disease that have been identified.

    Here is information on lymphoma from our website, fully referenced.

    Cancer treatment should not be a “do it yourself” proposition unless you have a lot of medical and biochemical background. Even then, consultation with a qualified holistic medical practitioner is what I advise.

    Best success on your journey back to health!

    Dr. Myatt