Treating functional dyspepsia with STW 5
STW 5 (Iberogast) is an herbal preparation containing 9 plant extracts (including Iberis amara [Candytuft] peppermint, and chamomile). In this...
Should cognitive behavioral therapy be added to antidepressant therapy?
A study in the British Medical Journal concludes that adding weekly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treatment with the selective...
Warning labels on your clothes
Does this come under the heading of complementary or alternative medicine? According to Professor Mike Lean (yes, that’s really his...
Anael, his tumors, and the Hippocrates Health Institute
Anael L’Esperance-Nascimento (photo) is the little boy from Quebec whose parents refused a second round of chemotherapy for his brain...
Experts respond to the negative AHRQ report on meditation
The report by the University of Alberta Evidence-based Practice Center (UAEPC) after reviewing the published literature on meditation practices for...
Natural Products Association will test Chinese raw materials
David Seckman, executive director and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA) announced. “By testing raw materials in China, we’re...
Insufficient proof of efficacy for marijuana spray to permit sale in the UK
GW Pharmaceuticals was able to prove that Sativex, their marijuana oral spray product, was safe and reliably contained sufficient tetrahydrocannabinol....
The Volcano alternative means of delivery of inhaled Cannabis sativa
An earlier study (reported here, discussed here) showed that the Volcano vaporization device is a reliable way to achieve lung...
Soft drinks and the risk of the metabolic syndrome
Yes, there’s an association. And it doesn’t seem to matter whether the soda pop you drink is “regular” or diet....
Slowing cognitive decline with omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acid supplements might slow the cognitive decline (eg, perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning) in some people with very...
Benefits from creatine reported outside sports medicine
In patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis — conditions characterized by weakness and swelling of limb and neck muscles — taking...
“China-free” labels for dietary supplements
Three months ago, I predicted the China pet food contamination would have implications for the supplements industry. Now, Food for...
The placebo component of the homeopathic response
There’s increasing awareness that the homeopathic consultation is itself a therapeutic intervention that contributes to the outcome of homeopathic treatments....
Horny goat weed to prevent bone loss during late postmenopause
Horny goat weed, also known as epimedium and yin yan huo, is a source of phytoestrogens. Researchers at the Chinese...
Coffee and psoriasis
“Patients with psoriasis who drink coffee frequently respond better to treatment with methotrexate and sulfasalazine.” This is the conclusion reported...
Is there any justification to take high doses of vitamin C?
Let’s see what the Cochrane Collaboration reveals.
More positive results using probiotics to treat irritable bowel syndrome
Probiotics are now used by 35% to 40% of the US population routinely and with increasing frequency in patients with...
What is the effect of vitamin D blood levels on colon and rectal cancer?
Low vitamin D status has long been implicated in colorectal cancer. This study looks at the relation between blood levels...
The pendulum swings away from lycopene as protection from cancer
Here’s what the FDA found in their evaluation of the evidence linking tomatoes or tomato-based foods and lycopene, with reduced...
Clarifying milk thistle nomenclature
It’s easy to fall into the trap of using names incorrectly, assuming that differences are unimportant. Milk thistle extracts are...