***Melatonin improves abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome patients who have sleep disturbances***
I know that when I hear melatonin, I used to only think of a natural hormone that can help with sleep. Now, years later, we've found so many other physiologic roles for melatonin. It's a very strong antioxidant in the brain; it's found in certain vegetables; and now, helps to regulate GI motility. As such, in this study, 3 mg at bedtime lowered abdominal pain in patients with IBS. Interestingly, there were no beneficial effects on sleep quality. While this may not have had a bearing, I have recently moved to starting patients on a lower (.5 mg) dose to start with and this seems to result in less side effects.
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***Intestinal microbiota and immunoglobulin E responses in 5-year-old Estonian children***
While we're on the subject of the gut, why not a reminder as to how much the gut influences the immune system? This study in 5 yr olds found that higher levels of Bifidobacterium led to less allergies. Interestingly enough, higher levels of bacteria such as clostridia led to more allergies. Antibiotic treatment is well known to lead to clostridia infection because all of its' competition gets wiped out. While we have be loath to admit it, the evidence is strong that the overuse of antibiotics is a key factor in the increase in allergies and asthma.
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***Magnesium and Tension Type Headache***
While this was a very small study, the results were pretty amazing. 76% of this small group experienced symptom reduction with magnesium alone. Of interesting note is the form and dose of magnesium used--2.25 g of magnesium pidolate. I was unfamiliar with this form until I saw it in this article, and some research does suggest that it might be better utilized by the body. What I cannot explain is how such an incredibly high dose (most people taking more than 500 mg will experience loose stools, and this was done in kids with 4.5 times that dose) was tolerated in these kids. Is it that this form of magnesium is absorbed better? Stay tuned..
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***Effect of weekly zinc supplements on incidence of pneumonia and diarrhoea in children younger than 2 years in an urban, low-income population in Bangladesh***
Whether a study done on poor Bangladesh children will have the same effects as healthy kids in the US is unknown. But the results from something as safe and inexpensive as zinc were pretty impressive. The kids taking zinc once weekly had a much lower rate of pneumonia, and while there were 14 deaths in the placebo group, the zinc group had only 2. Quite a reduction.
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***Effects of Pomegranate Juice Consumption on Myocardial Perfusion***
For those of you active in the community, no doubt you have come across the "miracle" product Xango, made up of the juice from Garcinia mangostana. It is well know to have high levels of xanthones that have potent antioxidant benefits. So, because it is a strong antioxidant, the conditions it can help cut across a wide range. However, there has been increasing research on pomegranate juice which may have similar potencies. The problem? Xango is about $40/bottle. Pom juice--$6. Which would you buy?
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***Efficacy and Safety of Second-Generation Antidepressants in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder***
The use of antidepressants in both adults and children has been increasing greatly over the past few years. But are the newer, more expensive (in some cases, VERY expensive) drugs any better than the older ones? And that is, of course, assuming that the older generation antidepressants were all that effective in the first place. Even more sad is that, in studies done on the efficacy of these newer drugs compared to the earlier models, a whopping 96% of the studies had at least one author with financial ties to the drug companies.
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***Urinary Hydroxyestrogens and Breast Cancer Risk among Postmenopausal Women***
While there are many risk factors known to contribute to breast cancer risk, the real problem is that, collectively, they are a big secret. By focusing on some of the more specific risk factors, such as in this case the urinary 2/16 hydryoxylation ratio, we could see a wonder drop in the incidence of breast cancer in this country. And how about getting the info out that acid suppressive therapy may remove the protection conferred by Mother Nature (remember that we require stomach acid to convert I-3-C in plants to DIM that goes on to lower the 2/16 ratio..). It definately frustrates me that these types of markers for risk are not disclosed. It is also one of the main reasons I rarely support the national organizations--they're not doing their job despite millions and millions of dollars being raised in support of their "cause."
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***Pharmacologic ascorbic acid concentrations selectively kill cancer cells: Action as a pro-drug to deliver hydrogen peroxide to tissues***
Linus Pauling was frequently considered somewhat of a quack by his peers, and his concepts of high dose Vitamin C were not well accepted. Well, as in so many cases before, time has proven that some of these men truly were ahead of their time. This study was not done in the human body, but we still see some interesting effects at levels far in excess or what could be achieved orally and would have to be given intravenously. But the results from this study certainly back up what physicians using high dose Vit C have seen for years.
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***Bioelectric impedance and individual characteristics as prognostic factors for post-operative complications***
Being a big fan of the BIA as a clinical tool (mainly because I have one...), I am always happy to see it's use expand. While the definition of phase angle eludes most except electricians, I usually have a hard time describing it without some reference to Star Trek. But the phase angle has been gaining increasing ground as a mortality risk indicator for many conditions: AIDS, certain cancers, dialysis, and now post-op complications in surgical patients. For lack of a better definition, the higher the phase angle, the greater your likelihood of surviving something bad happening to you.
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***Doctors refuse space to group fighting drug company influence***
Hypocrisy at it's finest. Coke and McDonald's are welcome at the annual conference of the American Academy of Family Physicians, but not a group wanting to divorce the drug companies from doctor's practices.
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James Bogash, DC and Amy Strock, DC
1830 S. Alma School Rd, Bldg 7, Ste 135, Mesa, AZ 85210
(Alma School Road, just south of the Superstition Freeway/Highway 60)
Chiropractic Health Care Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert & Tempe, Arizona
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