The second part in our series of charts describing nutrient depletions caused by commonly used pharmaceuticals. This chart covers hormone replacement, oral contraceptives, and various classes of antibiotics.
Hepatitis C infection affects roughly 3.9 million Americans, and growing. Conventional therapies are fairly limited and fraught with side effects. Fortunately, natural medicine has much to offer, including milk thistle, plant derived antioxidants, and acupuncture. Lyn Patrick, ND, reviews a variety of nutritional and botanical approaches to treating this serious health challenge.
Spagyric medicine, a form of homeopathy first described roughly 500 years ago, is making something of a resurgence in European and some American clinics.
Many commonly used drugs deplete essential nutrients, meaning that individuals taking a lot of medications may be compromising their nutritional status. Fortunately, these depletions are easy to correct with judicious use of supplements. This chart, the third in our series, reviews the nutrient-depletions associated with common drugs for diabetes, ulcers, and psychiatric disorders.
According to former Food and Drug Administration scientist Jerry Cott, PhD, omega-3 fatty acids are the most exciting development in psychiatry in the last 40 years. Several new studies show that omega-3s can reduce symptoms and disabilities associated with depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.
Vitamin E is not a single compound, but a grouping of 8 different naturally occurring tocopherols and tocotrienols. Unfortunately, many of the vitamin E products on the market contain only one: synthetically produced d-alpha-tocopherol. These products often fail to deliver on the antioxidant, tumor preventive, and heart-friendly benefits of vitamin E. But new full spectrum products have recently entered the market.
Cardiologist Howard Sacher believes that natural therapeutics have a big role to play not only in preventing coronary artery disease, but also in treating people who already have the condition. He offered his “Top Ten” natural therapies, which include CoQ10, the Mediterranean diet, Folic Acid and B vitamins, Omega-3’s, and mind-body training.
Coenzyme Q10, widely known for its cardiovascular benefits, can slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent clinical trial. While there are no data showing that CoQ10 can prevent Parkinson’s, it does improve an affected individual’s ability to carry on daily activities and maintain independence.
The International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids is the main event in the lipid chemistry world. Our intrepid reporter, Joyce Nettleton, netted a fat catch of good news about the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids.
PC-SPES, a supplement advertised as a botanical medicine for prostate problems, was wildly popular among men with prostate cancer, largely because it seemed to work when pharmaceutical options did not. PC-SPES turned out to contain DES and warfarin, and was pulled from the market by California authorities, triggering outrage in the prostate cancer community.
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