The Life Extension Editorial Staff
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 To further complicate matters, certain supplements have proven mechanisms that could augment the cytotoxic efficacy of chemotherapy. For instance, curcumin has been shown to suppress growth factors that cancer cells use to escape eradication by chemotherapy drugs. (A complete description of curcumin's potential synergistic benefits with chemotherapy drugs appears later in this protocol.) The problem is that curcumin is also a potent antioxidant, and one recent animal study shows that curcumin could interfere with the cancer cell-killing effect of certain chemothetapy drugs. |
Tanya Harter Pierce
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 For optimal effectiveness, cancer patients usually also make positive changes in their diets and take other supplements as well to enhance their overall health and immune system.
Even though the therapy is non-toxic, cesium in the amounts required to kill cancer cells can cause stomach upset or nausea if taken on an empty stomach. The reason that cesium may cause nausea is because, as nature's most alkaline mineral, it reacts with anything that is highly acidic, including stomach acids. This type of discomfort is generally avoided by only taking cesium right after a meal. |
Jeffrey M. Smith
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 In his testimony, Archer seemed to take Congress to task for limiting FDA control over supplements. "The so-called Proxmire Amendment to the FDC Act is another factor influencing the atmosphere in which the agency made its decisions regarding the regulation of amino acids," he said. "The amendment was passed in direct response to an FDA rulemaking effort and it seemed to signal Congressional intent that supplement-type products not be regulated without indication of real danger to health."
Archer promoted the agency's get-tough-on-non-drugs policy. |
by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
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| However, if fish allergy is suspected, a molecularly distilled fish oil product should be used.
Other Recommendations
A number of herbal substances have demonstrated an effect equal or superior to cortisone's when applied topically. Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) and Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile) are the most active. Proprietary formulas containing these botanicals may be quite beneficial for the temporary relief of eczema. |
Jeffrey M. Smith
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| The FDA responded by issuing a recall—all over-the-counter supplements containing 100 mg or more of L-tryptophan were to be removed from the market. The level of 100 mg was chosen, according to FDA testimony, "because, at the time, the lowest daily intake associated with illness was 150 mg."7
The CDC named the disease eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome or EMS. It was named for the high number of eosinophils (eosinophilia) and for the severe muscle pain (myalgia). By early December, the reported EMS cases jumped to 707, with one death linked to the outbreak and several others under investigation. |
Philip Yam
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 More distressing, the source material could be cattle from BSE nations; the USDA ban on bovine products only extends to food and medicine, and supplements don't fall under either category The federal government has little authority in regulating the industry, thanks to the 1994 Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act. Labels often do not list the country of origin—nor are they required to do so, although the FDA recommends that the bovine material be obtained from non-BSE countries. |
| Although they may be marketed as "herbal" supplements, they may not contain any herbs at all. In fact, the source material may be raw animal parts: for the pills that make you smart, cow brains; for vision, cow eyeballs; for sexual potency, cow testicles. Scott A. Norton, a physician from Chevy Chase, Maryland, found that supplement makers do not want to advertise that fact. One nationally distributed product, he found, contained 17 bovine organs: brain, spleen, lung, liver, pancreas, heart, kidney, intestine, lymph node, thymus, pituitary gland, placenta, and the like. |
Jeffrey M. Smith
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| He continued, "As part of Commissioner Kessler's announced program of stepped-up enforcement, he has stated unequivocally that the FDA will not tolerate unsubstantiated drug claims being made for foods, including amino acid supplements." He added, "Another aspect of this problem is that some segments of the supplement industry have been able to capitalize on the confusion created by health claims for foods." Archer also admonished doctors, telling them not to recommend L-tryptophan to their patients for drug purposes. |
volker schulz and Rudolf Hansel
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 Sales of supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids (Ephedra) Prohibited, February 6, 2004. 69 Fed. Reg. 6788 (February 11, 2004). Available at http://www.fda.gov/0c/initiatives/ephedra/february2004/.
Walther H (1979) Klinische Pharmacologic Grundlagen der Arzneimittelanwendung. Volk und Gesundheit, Berlin: 360-364.
Zanker KS, Bliimel G, Probst I, Reiterer W (1984) Theoretical and experimental evidence for the action of terpens as modulators in lung function. Prog Resp Res 18: 302-304.
Ziment I (1985) Possible mechanism of action of traditional oriental drugs for bronchitis. |
Joseph E. Mario
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 Excess in humans may cause anxiety, depression, and palsy. If unmetabolized may accumulate in and damage the kidneys.
ABSORPTION: 10 to 20 mg. |
Jeffrey M. Smith
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| In addition to finding these vitamins in supplements, they are sometimes used to fortify foods. Organic foods, even if fortified with vitamins, are not allowed to use ingredients derived from GMOs.
Flavorings can also come from corn or other GM sources. For example, "hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), a commonly used flavor enhancer derived from corn and soy could be GMO,"11 says the Non-GMO Source. Vanillin can also be GM.
"Genetically engineered bacteria and fungi are routinely used as sources of enzymes for the manufacture of a wide variety of processed foods,"10 says GEO-PIE. |
Rebecca Wood
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 I've included several foods sold as supplements: microalgae and barley and wheat grass juice. Unlike other supplements that are isolated food components, these are remarkable whole foods, ones that I heartily recommend to you.
I will alert you to a few noxious food products (noted with the 0 symbol) masquerading as healthful, such as canola oil and fruit juice sweeteners. Because there's more misinformation perpetrated—and profit made—with vegetable oils and sweeteners than any other products, I will provide you with guidelines for determining ¦ their quality. |
Philip Yam
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| He tried sulfa drugs, antibiotics, vitamin B supplements, copper sulfate therapy—all to no avail. Patients continued on their inexorable decline. Tests on tissue samples sent to Australia came back negative for infectious agents.
By March 1957, Zigas wasn't sure of his next steps. All he knew was that he planned to return to the outpost at Okapa from his hospital base in Kainantu; he would be going with the new Australian administrator for the region, Jack Baker, and taking two female kuru patients from the hospital back to their homes. |
David Brownstein
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 John Lee, author of Natural Progesterone: The Multiple Roles of a Remarkable Hormone writes, "I have treated postmenopausal osteoporosis with transdermal natural progesterone included in a program of diet, mineral and vitamin supplements, and modest exercise, and demonstrated true reversal of osteoporosis even in patients who did not use estrogen supplements."3 I have also experienced similar findings in my patients.
Dr. Lee studied 63 patients measuring bone mineral density, which is a common measurement to gauge the degree of osteoporosis. |
Jeffrey M. Smith
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| This alternative hypothesis appears to have saved the reputation of the biotech industry, allowing GM food and supplements to continue to be sold without safety testing. Let's analyze this alternative hypothesis to see if it justifies the FDA's hands-off approach.
The Blame Game
In the New England Journal of Medicine article Osterholm and his colleagues explain, "Although the powdered carbon may have contributed to the removal of the [toxic] agent, it does not explain how the agent was introduced into the product. |
Heather Boon, BScPhm, PhD and Michael Smith, BPharm, MRPharmS, ND
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 An ongoing randomized, multi-intervention trial (N=3599) to investigate the ability of daily long term use of 500 mg vitamin C, 200 IU vitamin E, 75 meg selenium, 800 mg garlic and 4 mg garlic oil to inhibit the progression of precancerous gastric lesions recently reported that the supplements were well-tolerated and that high compliance rates were achieved to date.128 Clinical outcomes from this study will be reported in the future. |
| However, a study evaluating the effect of acute dosing of garlic supplements on the single dose pharmacokinetics of ritonavir did not find any significant changes in the pharmacokinetics of ritonavir in healthy volunteers. The authors caution that their results should not be extrapolated to steady-state conditions, where the possibility of an interaction still needs to be evaluated.185
DOSAGE REGIMENS
ž fresh garlic: 3-30 g (1-8 cloves) daily.12 186 187 The German Commission E considers a daily dose equivalent to 4 g of fresh garlic to be therapeutically effective. |
Philip Yam
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| Paul Brown, as quoted in Anita Manning, "U.S. supplements May Harbor Mad Cow Diseases," USA Today, January 22, 2001.
CHAPTER 13: SEARCHING FOR CURES
1 Paul Brown, "Drug Therapy in Human and Experimental Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy," Neurology 58 (2002): 1720-1725.
2 Paul Brown, interview by the author, Bethesda, MD, February 27, 2002. All subsequent quotes are from this interview unless otherwise noted.
3 Katsumi Doh-Ura etal, "Lysosomotropic Agents and Cysteine Protease Inhibitors Inhibit Scrapie-Associated Prion Protein Accumulation," Journal of Virology 74 (2000): 4894-4897. |
David Brownstein
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 She claimed, "Within 2 weeks of starting the supplements, I started to feel better. My energy level began to improve and my bowels started to work better. Even my husband began to notice that I was feeling better. " Jodi was treated with a small amount of Armour thyroid along with vitamin and mineral supplements. Within 6 months, her hair and mineral tests showed normal levels of nutrients. Jodi now takes a multiple vitamin mineral product and eats more whole foods that are a rich source of vitamins and minerals. She has continued to maintain good health for the past two years. |
Philip Yam
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| Ideally, all the ingredients would be spelled out, as well as their countries of origin, so that a consumer could weigh the risk with the dubious benefits of the supplements.
One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity, and nowhere is that morbidly more true than in medicine. If people are becoming sick—or if they are just afraid of becoming sick—then there might be a way to address these concerns. Certainly, people want to know that the food they eat is safe, that their cows, sheep, elk, and deer are healthy, that the blood they receive will not kill them. |
Heather Boon, BScPhm, PhD and Michael Smith, BPharm, MRPharmS, ND
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| The popularity of evening primrose oil supplements is such that in 1993 a survey of complementary medicine use in Australia showed that over 12% of all women supplemented with this product.6
Current Medicinal Use
As a source of pre-formed gamma linolenic acid, evening primrose oil may be of use in a number of conditions, especially those with an inflammatory component. Evidence from clinical trails of the efficacy of evening primrose for specific conditions is usually not complete and often conflicting. |
| CAUTIONS/CONTRAINDICATIONS
Garlic supplements should be used with caution by pregnant and lactating women.180 In addition, they should be avoided before undergoing surgical procedures due to possible post-surgical bleeding.174 One author also recommends caution after organ transplants because it has been reported that garlic enhances the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, which are largely responsible for tissue rejection. |
Committee on Comparative Toxicity of Naturally Occurring Carcinogens
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 The RDA of vitamin A ranges from 400 to 1,000 fig depending on age, with additional supplements recommended for pregnant and lactating women. Although this RDA is not achieved by all individuals, the 1985 CSFII indicated that the majority of the population appeared to consume the recommended levels. Intakes tended to be lower among low-income groups and higher in the western United States. RDAs for vitamin C range from 35 to 60 mg, again with supplements for pregnant and lactating women. |
| In one recent report, neither P-carotene nor a-tocopherol supplements were effective in preventing lung cancer in Finnish men who were heavy smokers (Heinonen and Albanes 1994). These data may mean that P-carotene and a-tocopherol are not the active agents in fruits and vegetables that reduce cancer, or they may indicate that these smokers had a level of damage that could not be corrected by these supplements. Further research will be needed to determine the contribution, if any, of other carotenoids in cancer prevention. |
David Brownstein
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| As previously mentioned, supplements with iodine in them should be avoided. In particular, it is important to check multiple vitamin supplements to ensure that they are iodine free.
An interesting substance, Paraaminobenzoic Acid (PABA-- a member of the B Vitamin family) is effective in relieving many of the hyperthyroid symptoms. I have found PABA to be effective in improving the symptoms of hyperthyroidism in approximately 50% of those that suffer from autoimmune thyroid disorders (as well as other autoimmune disorders). |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
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| These supplements may also be taken separately.)
5. Fot chronic use of acetaminophen, milk thistle (silibinin) extract, 250 mg 2-3 times daily, may increase the amount of the protective antioxidant glutathione.
6. S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), for prevention and reversal of liver damage, 400-1200 mg a day. Dosages above 400 mg can cause dry mouth, gastric problems, and restlessness. Build slowly to tolerance.
7. Taurine, 1000-3000 mg a day, supports the kidney under stress.
8. Vitamin E succinate, 800-1200 IU a day, supports the kidney under stress.
9. |
Jeffrey M. Smith
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| Mayer could not find a cause for Bishop's symptoms either, but she had given him a list of all the supplements she had been taking. Mayer asked if Lorio had been taking any of these. When he asked about L-tryptophan (pronounced el-TRIP-tuh-fan), there was a match. Lorio was taking it to help her sleep.
The doctors phoned Gerald Gleich at the Mayo Clinic, an internationally renowned expert on eosinophils. They told him about the L-tryptophan. But two cases weren't enough to draw a conclusion, Gleich said. Better wait. They didn't wait long. |
Gary Null, Ph.D.
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 Dietary supplements of Vitamin E, Beta-carotene, Coenzyme Q10 and Selenium Protect Tissues Against Lipid Peroxidation in Rat Tissue Slices," Journal of Nutrition, 120(1), January 1990, p. 97-104.
This study examined the effects of CoQIO on lipid peroxidation and survival time of mice treated with adriamycin. Results found that CoQIO exhibited protective effects against a adriamycin-induced subacute toxicity, with mice administered 10 mg/kg of CoQIO showing the most prolonged survival time.
—S. Shinozawa, et al. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 A rational approach to aiding the body's detoxification involves • Eating a diet that focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds
• Adopting a healthy lifestyle, including avoidance of alcohol and exercising regularly
• Taking a high-potency multiple-vitamin-and-mineral supplement
• Using special nutritional and herbal supplements to protect the liver and enhance liver function
• Going on a three-day fast four times per year (fasting at the change of each season is a good rule of thumb). toxic derivatives of bile, and various carcinogenic substances. |
Grace Ross Lewis
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 What are the hormone supplements that are so popular these days?
You are probably referring to chemicals such as melatonin and DHEA.
78. What is tryptophan?
It is an essential amino acid found in milk and dairy products. There have been claims that, since it increases the neurotransmitter serotonin, it is a relaxant and induces calmness. Studies have shown that oral ingestion or injection of tryptophan raises brain tryptophan and serotonin levels. However, foods rich in tryptophan, such as dairy products, do not increase brain levels or stimulate serotonin synthesis.
79. |
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