ADHD affects 3 to 12 percent of children in the United States. Up to 30 percent of these children do not respond to pharmaceutical medications or they have adverse effects such as nausea, insomnia, or weight loss from the medications. For these reasons, many parents seek alternative medicine for their children with ADHD. Complementary or alternative medicine treatments used for pediatric ADHD include massage, dietary changes, dietary supplements, and herbal treatments. In the United States, the most common herbal treatments used by children with ADHD are St John’s wort, Echinacea species, and Ginkgo biloba. Rhodiola rosea has also been reported to have an effect for ADHD.
However, recent research reported on in the June 11th issue of JAMA shows that children and teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who were treated with the herb St. John’s wort did not have any greater improvement in ADHD symptoms compared to those who received placebo.
Wendy Weber, N.D., Ph.D., of Bastyr University (Kenmore, WA) and colleagues conducted a clinical trial of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) with 54 children and adolescents with ADHD, age 6 to 17 years, to determine whether this agent was effective in lessening the severity of ADHD symptoms. Twenty-seven participants were randomly assigned to receive 300 mg standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin and 27 participants received a matched placebo, three times daily for eight weeks. Other medications for ADHD were not allowed during the trial.
The researchers found that there were no significant differences between the two groups in the change in ADHD rating scale scores from the start of the trial to week 8 and in change in scores rating inattentiveness and hyperactivity. There was also no difference in the proportion of participants who were rated as much or very much improved regarding ADHD symptoms on another measurement scale. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in the proportion of participants who experienced rashes, nausea/vomiting, headache, or sunburn during the trial.
“To our knowledge, this is the first placebo-controlled trial of H perforatum in children and adolescents. The results of this study suggest that administration of H perforatum has no additional benefit beyond that of placebo for treating symptoms of child and adolescent ADHD,” the authors write.
Dave
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Wham: Soy Supplement Reduces Hot Flashes in Menopausal Women
Researchers have found that a compound in soybeans is effective in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes in menopausal women.
The findings, by scientists at at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), appear in the first 2008 issue of Menopause, and they show a 52 percent reduction in the number of hot flashes among patients who consumed a soy supplement without evidence of negative side effects.
The medical world is always seeking a safe and effective alternative to hormone therapy. Hormone therapy yields the best results in treating hot flashes, but its long-term use could increase the risk of certain medical disorders such as coronary heart disease or stroke. In this case, the study found that patients who consumed the soy supplement showed a reduction in the number of hot flashes without taking hormones.
About 75 percent of all menopausal women are affected by hot flashes which are marked by the sudden, intense, feeling of heat caused by a decline in estrogen levels. With evidence that hot flashes are often uncommon in countries where a lot of soybeans are consumed, the research team at BIDMC decided to test a compound found abundantly in soy germ.
Researchers studied 147 menopausal women who were divided into three groups and instructed to take one soft-gel soy capsule a day. They tested two different concentrations, 40 mg or 60 mg, and compared them to a group taking a placebo. After 12 weeks, hot flash frequency was reduced by 52 percent in the 40 mg group and 51percent in the 60 mg group. (This compares with 39 percent in the placebo group, a rather high % for a placebo).
This study was funded by a research grant from Nichimo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. The company makes the soy ingredient which is available in the US as the supplement Effisoy®.
Dave
The findings, by scientists at at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), appear in the first 2008 issue of Menopause, and they show a 52 percent reduction in the number of hot flashes among patients who consumed a soy supplement without evidence of negative side effects.
The medical world is always seeking a safe and effective alternative to hormone therapy. Hormone therapy yields the best results in treating hot flashes, but its long-term use could increase the risk of certain medical disorders such as coronary heart disease or stroke. In this case, the study found that patients who consumed the soy supplement showed a reduction in the number of hot flashes without taking hormones.
About 75 percent of all menopausal women are affected by hot flashes which are marked by the sudden, intense, feeling of heat caused by a decline in estrogen levels. With evidence that hot flashes are often uncommon in countries where a lot of soybeans are consumed, the research team at BIDMC decided to test a compound found abundantly in soy germ.
Researchers studied 147 menopausal women who were divided into three groups and instructed to take one soft-gel soy capsule a day. They tested two different concentrations, 40 mg or 60 mg, and compared them to a group taking a placebo. After 12 weeks, hot flash frequency was reduced by 52 percent in the 40 mg group and 51percent in the 60 mg group. (This compares with 39 percent in the placebo group, a rather high % for a placebo).
This study was funded by a research grant from Nichimo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. The company makes the soy ingredient which is available in the US as the supplement Effisoy®.
Dave
Monday, June 9, 2008
Wham: Steaming Food Can be a Nutritious Change of Pace
At our house, one of our summer rituals is the outdoor grill. I used to believe that nothing tasted better than a nice piece of fish cooked outdoors along with a variety of grilled veggies.
Recently, however, we bought one of those Chinese bamboo steamers -- a simple set of bamboo containers that stack on top of each other and which are placed over a wok or a pan of boiling water. The steam goes up through the interlocking bamboo racks and cooks your food in a short period of time.
We decided to put our wild salmon in the bamboo steamer, along with some of the veggies that would normally go alongside the fish on the grill.
WOW was it good. In fact, we are going to switch over permanently to cooking fish and vegetables via our bamboo steamer. The fish was so tasty - it didn't dry out as it often does via the grill and it had a wonderful flavor thanks to the fish sauce (available at any Chinese grocery) that we sprinkled on the small plate holding the fish inside the steamer rack.
Steaming food can be very nutritious, because little of the water soluble vitamins (B, C) escape as they would otherwise, and much of the extra fat in the fish is cooked out (you pour it off the plate you use in the steamer). While veggies can be overcooked easily, the stacking trays on the bamboo steamer allow you to put items such as potatoes closer to the steam than other, more sensitive foods. For us, steaming food has been a great change.
Dave
Recently, however, we bought one of those Chinese bamboo steamers -- a simple set of bamboo containers that stack on top of each other and which are placed over a wok or a pan of boiling water. The steam goes up through the interlocking bamboo racks and cooks your food in a short period of time.
We decided to put our wild salmon in the bamboo steamer, along with some of the veggies that would normally go alongside the fish on the grill.
WOW was it good. In fact, we are going to switch over permanently to cooking fish and vegetables via our bamboo steamer. The fish was so tasty - it didn't dry out as it often does via the grill and it had a wonderful flavor thanks to the fish sauce (available at any Chinese grocery) that we sprinkled on the small plate holding the fish inside the steamer rack.
Steaming food can be very nutritious, because little of the water soluble vitamins (B, C) escape as they would otherwise, and much of the extra fat in the fish is cooked out (you pour it off the plate you use in the steamer). While veggies can be overcooked easily, the stacking trays on the bamboo steamer allow you to put items such as potatoes closer to the steam than other, more sensitive foods. For us, steaming food has been a great change.
Dave
Friday, June 6, 2008
Sham: Grapefruit Seed Extract Adulteration - A Story of Deceit
The May 30th issue of HerbClip, a publication of the American Botanical Council, describes the horrible situation revolving around extracts of Grapefruit seed. As it turns out, there are few products if any that actually contain what the label says they are supposed to contain. The marketing of most Grapefruit seed extracts is a sham.
Grapefruit seed extract has been promoted over the years as a product with a very strong antimicrobial effect -- one that can heal a variety of diseases. It has also been considered an up-and-coming natural preservative for food and dietary supplements. Many of these claims appear to be true -- the problem is that most products sold in this category have bogus ingredient lists.
Many studies show that Grapefruit seed extracts are often adulterated with other antimicrobials, and they do not have much of the promised Grapefruit in them at all. One study referred to in the HerbClip article showed that 7 out of 9 of the products tested contained traditional antimicrobial preservatives.
There have been adverse events reported that deal with these adulterated Grapefruit seed extracts. For example, an interaction with the drug warfarin resulted in a man and woman in serious medical difficulties within three days of ingesting the adulterated extracts. Of the three brands of Grapefruit seed extract these two were taking, two showed no traces of Grapefruit seeds at all (one of the labels said 33% and another said it contained 100% Grapefruit seed extract). Based on the drug interaction with warfarin, we're not even certain that Grapefruit seeds had anything to do with the medical issues because these products contained little to none.
Luckily for us all, there are few products in the dietary supplement industry which have this same record of shame. Always buy from a reputable company, one that is known to be a supplier of quality-controlled extracts.
Dave
Grapefruit seed extract has been promoted over the years as a product with a very strong antimicrobial effect -- one that can heal a variety of diseases. It has also been considered an up-and-coming natural preservative for food and dietary supplements. Many of these claims appear to be true -- the problem is that most products sold in this category have bogus ingredient lists.
Many studies show that Grapefruit seed extracts are often adulterated with other antimicrobials, and they do not have much of the promised Grapefruit in them at all. One study referred to in the HerbClip article showed that 7 out of 9 of the products tested contained traditional antimicrobial preservatives.
There have been adverse events reported that deal with these adulterated Grapefruit seed extracts. For example, an interaction with the drug warfarin resulted in a man and woman in serious medical difficulties within three days of ingesting the adulterated extracts. Of the three brands of Grapefruit seed extract these two were taking, two showed no traces of Grapefruit seeds at all (one of the labels said 33% and another said it contained 100% Grapefruit seed extract). Based on the drug interaction with warfarin, we're not even certain that Grapefruit seeds had anything to do with the medical issues because these products contained little to none.
Luckily for us all, there are few products in the dietary supplement industry which have this same record of shame. Always buy from a reputable company, one that is known to be a supplier of quality-controlled extracts.
Dave
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Wham: Sun Exposure and Vitamin D Have Strong Impact in Children with Diabetes
New findings by researchers at the Moores Cancer Center at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine show a strong connection between sun exposure and vitamin D on the risk of type 1 diabetes in children. This association comes on the heels of similar research findings by this same group regarding vitamin D levels and several major cancers.
Vitamin D is, once again, a major news item on the health front. This is the first study to show that higher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced incidence rates of type 1 diabetes worldwide.
In this new study, the researchers found that populations living at or near the equator, where there is abundant sunshine (and ultraviolet B irradiance) have low incidence rates of type 1 diabetes. Conversely, populations at higher latitudes, where available sunlight is scarcer, have higher incidence rates. These findings add new support to the concept of a role of vitamin D in reducing risk of this disease.
Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure triggers photosynthesis of vitamin D3 in the skin. This form of vitamin D also is available through diet and supplements. The study is published June 5 in the online version of the scientific journal Diabetologia.
Type 1 diabetes is the second most common chronic disease in children, second only to asthma. Every day, 1.5 million Americans deal with type 1 diabetes and its complications. About 15,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year, where this disease is the main cause of blindness in young and middle-aged adults and is among the top reasons for kidney failure and transplants in youth and midlife.
“This research suggests that childhood type 1 diabetes may be preventable with a modest intake of vitamin D3 (1000 IU/day) for children, ideally with 5 to 10 minutes of sunlight around noontime, when good weather allows,” said the lead author. “Infants less than a year old should not be given more than 400 IU per day without consulting a doctor. Hats and dark glasses are a good idea to wear when in the sun at any age, and can be used if the child will tolerate them.”
In the paper the researchers call for public health action to address widespread vitamin D inadequacy in U.S. children.
“This study presents strong epidemiological evidence to suggest that we may be able to prevent new cases of type 1 diabetes,” said Dr. Garland, lead author. “By preventing this disease, we would prevent its many devastating consequences.”
Dave
Vitamin D is, once again, a major news item on the health front. This is the first study to show that higher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced incidence rates of type 1 diabetes worldwide.
In this new study, the researchers found that populations living at or near the equator, where there is abundant sunshine (and ultraviolet B irradiance) have low incidence rates of type 1 diabetes. Conversely, populations at higher latitudes, where available sunlight is scarcer, have higher incidence rates. These findings add new support to the concept of a role of vitamin D in reducing risk of this disease.
Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure triggers photosynthesis of vitamin D3 in the skin. This form of vitamin D also is available through diet and supplements. The study is published June 5 in the online version of the scientific journal Diabetologia.
Type 1 diabetes is the second most common chronic disease in children, second only to asthma. Every day, 1.5 million Americans deal with type 1 diabetes and its complications. About 15,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year, where this disease is the main cause of blindness in young and middle-aged adults and is among the top reasons for kidney failure and transplants in youth and midlife.
“This research suggests that childhood type 1 diabetes may be preventable with a modest intake of vitamin D3 (1000 IU/day) for children, ideally with 5 to 10 minutes of sunlight around noontime, when good weather allows,” said the lead author. “Infants less than a year old should not be given more than 400 IU per day without consulting a doctor. Hats and dark glasses are a good idea to wear when in the sun at any age, and can be used if the child will tolerate them.”
In the paper the researchers call for public health action to address widespread vitamin D inadequacy in U.S. children.
“This study presents strong epidemiological evidence to suggest that we may be able to prevent new cases of type 1 diabetes,” said Dr. Garland, lead author. “By preventing this disease, we would prevent its many devastating consequences.”
Dave
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Wham: Resveratrol in Small Doses Has a Large Effect on Cardiac Health
A new study by an international team of researchers reports that low doses of resveratrol in the diet of middle-aged mice has a widespread influence on the genetic levers of aging and may confer special protection on the heart.
As you know by know, resveratrol is a key compound in red wine. We've had other articles here on the blog about the health value of red wine -- use the "search" function to pull them up.
Specifically, the researchers found that low doses of resveratrol mimic the effects of what is known as caloric restriction - diets with 20-30 percent fewer calories than a typical diet - that in numerous studies has been shown to extend lifespan and blunt the effects of aging.
Previous research has shown that resveratrol in high doses extends lifespan in invertebrates and prevents early mortality in mice given a high-fat diet. The new study, conducted by researchers from academia and industry, extends those findings, showing that resveratrol in low doses and beginning in middle age can elicit many of the same benefits as a reduced-calorie diet.
"Resveratrol is active in much lower doses than previously thought," says Tomas Prolla, a UW-Madison professor of genetics and a senior author of the new report.
The group explored the influence of the agent on heart, muscle and brain by looking for changes in gene expression in those tissues. As animals age, gene expression in the different tissues of the body changes as genes are switched on and off.
In short, a glass of wine or food or supplements that contain even small doses of resveratrol are likely to represent "a robust intervention in the retardation of cardiac aging," the authors note.
That finding may also explain the remarkable heart health of people who live in some regions of France where diets are soaked in saturated fats but the incidence of heart disease, a major cause of mortality in the United States, is low. In France, meals are traditionally complemented with a glass of red wine.
The new resveratrol study is also important because it suggests that caloric restriction, which has been widely studied in animals from spiders to humans, and resveratrol may govern the same master genetic pathways related to aging.
Personally, I'd rather enjoy a glass of red wine with a meal anytime as opposed to restricting my calorie intact to get the same effect!
Dave
As you know by know, resveratrol is a key compound in red wine. We've had other articles here on the blog about the health value of red wine -- use the "search" function to pull them up.
Specifically, the researchers found that low doses of resveratrol mimic the effects of what is known as caloric restriction - diets with 20-30 percent fewer calories than a typical diet - that in numerous studies has been shown to extend lifespan and blunt the effects of aging.
Previous research has shown that resveratrol in high doses extends lifespan in invertebrates and prevents early mortality in mice given a high-fat diet. The new study, conducted by researchers from academia and industry, extends those findings, showing that resveratrol in low doses and beginning in middle age can elicit many of the same benefits as a reduced-calorie diet.
"Resveratrol is active in much lower doses than previously thought," says Tomas Prolla, a UW-Madison professor of genetics and a senior author of the new report.
The group explored the influence of the agent on heart, muscle and brain by looking for changes in gene expression in those tissues. As animals age, gene expression in the different tissues of the body changes as genes are switched on and off.
In short, a glass of wine or food or supplements that contain even small doses of resveratrol are likely to represent "a robust intervention in the retardation of cardiac aging," the authors note.
That finding may also explain the remarkable heart health of people who live in some regions of France where diets are soaked in saturated fats but the incidence of heart disease, a major cause of mortality in the United States, is low. In France, meals are traditionally complemented with a glass of red wine.
The new resveratrol study is also important because it suggests that caloric restriction, which has been widely studied in animals from spiders to humans, and resveratrol may govern the same master genetic pathways related to aging.
Personally, I'd rather enjoy a glass of red wine with a meal anytime as opposed to restricting my calorie intact to get the same effect!
Dave
Monday, June 2, 2008
Heavy Pot Smoking May Cause Structural Brain Damage
New research being published in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA publications, shows that ong-term, heavy cannabis use may be associated with structural abnormalities in areas of the brain known as the hippocampus and amygdala.
There has long been conflicting evidence regarding the long-term effects of cannabis use. The authors write, “Although growing literature suggests that long-term cannabis use is associated with a wide range of adverse health consequences, many people in the community, as well as cannabis users themselves, believe that cannabis is relatively harmless and should be legally available,” the authors write.
With nearly 15 million Americans using cannabis in a given month, 3.4 million using cannabis daily for 12 months or more and 2.1 million commencing use every year, there is a clear need to conduct robust investigations that clarify the long-term effect of cannabis use.
The research was conducted by Murat Yücel, Ph.D. and his colleagues at the University of Melbourne, Australia, along with those from the University of Wollongong. They performed high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging on men who smoked more than five joints daily for more than 10 years. Their results were then compared with images from individuals who were not cannabis users. All participants also took a verbal memory test and were assessed for subthreshold (below the standard of disease diagnosis) symptoms of psychotic disorders, which include schizophrenia and mania.
The hippocampus, thought to regulate emotion and memory, and the amygdala, involved with fear and aggression, tended to be smaller in cannabis users than in controls (volume was reduced by an average of 12 percent in the hippocampus and 7.1 percent in the amygdala). Cannabis use also was associated with sub-threshold symptoms of psychotic disorders. “Although cannabis users performed significantly worse than controls on verbal learning, this did not correlate with regional brain volumes in either group,” the authors write.
There is ongoing controversy concerning the long-term effects of cannabis on the brain. These new findings challenge the widespread perception of cannabis as having limited effect on the health. Although modest use may not lead to significant neurotoxic effects, these results suggest that heavy daily use might indeed be toxic to human brain tissue. It's clear to me that those who seek a daily "buzz" need to reconsider the effect this habit is having on their body and mind.
Dave
There has long been conflicting evidence regarding the long-term effects of cannabis use. The authors write, “Although growing literature suggests that long-term cannabis use is associated with a wide range of adverse health consequences, many people in the community, as well as cannabis users themselves, believe that cannabis is relatively harmless and should be legally available,” the authors write.
With nearly 15 million Americans using cannabis in a given month, 3.4 million using cannabis daily for 12 months or more and 2.1 million commencing use every year, there is a clear need to conduct robust investigations that clarify the long-term effect of cannabis use.
The research was conducted by Murat Yücel, Ph.D. and his colleagues at the University of Melbourne, Australia, along with those from the University of Wollongong. They performed high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging on men who smoked more than five joints daily for more than 10 years. Their results were then compared with images from individuals who were not cannabis users. All participants also took a verbal memory test and were assessed for subthreshold (below the standard of disease diagnosis) symptoms of psychotic disorders, which include schizophrenia and mania.
The hippocampus, thought to regulate emotion and memory, and the amygdala, involved with fear and aggression, tended to be smaller in cannabis users than in controls (volume was reduced by an average of 12 percent in the hippocampus and 7.1 percent in the amygdala). Cannabis use also was associated with sub-threshold symptoms of psychotic disorders. “Although cannabis users performed significantly worse than controls on verbal learning, this did not correlate with regional brain volumes in either group,” the authors write.
There is ongoing controversy concerning the long-term effects of cannabis on the brain. These new findings challenge the widespread perception of cannabis as having limited effect on the health. Although modest use may not lead to significant neurotoxic effects, these results suggest that heavy daily use might indeed be toxic to human brain tissue. It's clear to me that those who seek a daily "buzz" need to reconsider the effect this habit is having on their body and mind.
Dave
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