STW 5 (Iberogast) is an herbal preparation containing 9 plant extracts (including Iberis amara [Candytuft] peppermint, and chamomile). In this study, it was better than placebo in treating functional dyspepsia — a chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort centered in the upper abdomen. (more…)

A study in the British Medical Journal concludes that adding weekly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine (Prozac) was no more beneficial for depressed adolescents than medication alone.

A closer look suggests the Adolescent Depression Antidepressant and Psychotherapy Trial (ADAPT) is not the definitive study on this subject.

Here’s why. (more…)

Does this come under the heading of complementary or alternative medicine?

According to Professor Mike Lean (yes, that’s really his name), clothes for fat children should come with information about where they can get advice to help them lose weight.

12/15/06 23:21 JR

Anael L’Esperance-Nascimento (photo) is the little boy from Quebec whose parents refused a second round of chemotherapy for his brain and spinal cord tumors. Instead, Anael will be treated at the Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida.

The intent of this post is to review wheatgrass, “an integral part” of the Hippocrates treatment. (more…)

The report by the University of Alberta Evidence-based Practice Center (UAEPC) after reviewing the published literature on meditation practices for health were published here and discussed here.

The authors found so many flaws in the design of the studies that “conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence.” The report was funded by the NIH Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (more…)

David Seckman, executive director and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA) announced. “By testing raw materials in China, we’re adding another layer of consumer protection.” (more…)

GW Pharmaceuticals was able to prove that Sativex, their marijuana oral spray product, was safe and reliably contained sufficient tetrahydrocannabinol. But proof of effectiveness was lacking, in the view of the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) (more…)

An earlier study (reported here, discussed here) showed that the Volcano vaporization device is a reliable way to achieve lung concentrations of marijuana.

Now, researchers from the University of California and San Francisco General Hospital confirm that vaporization of cannabis is a safe and effective mode of delivery of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). They think the device should be used in future studies of THC. (more…)

Yes, there’s an association. And it doesn’t seem to matter whether the soda pop you drink is “regular” or diet.

But can we rely on these findings? (more…)

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements might slow the cognitive decline (eg, perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning) in some people with very mild Alzheimer’s disease.

The same study showed no effect in people with more advanced cases. (more…)

In patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis — conditions characterized by weakness and swelling of limb and neck muscles — taking creatine supplements enhanced the benefit of exercise. (more…)

Three months ago, I predicted the China pet food contamination would have implications for the supplements industry.

Now, Food for Health International, which sells through the Internet, has announced it will start labeling boxes for its dietary supplements with a sticker that reads “safe” and “China-free.” (more…)

There’s increasing awareness that the homeopathic consultation is itself a therapeutic intervention that contributes to the outcome of homeopathic treatments.

So, how important is it?
(more…)

Horny goat weed, also known as epimedium and yin yan huo, is a source of phytoestrogens.

Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong report success using epimedium to prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women. (more…)

“Patients with psoriasis who drink coffee frequently respond better to treatment with methotrexate and sulfasalazine.” This is the conclusion reported by Dr. Yolanda Helfrich during her presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology in Philadelphia. (more…)

Let’s see what the Cochrane Collaboration reveals. (more…)

Probiotics are now used by 35% to 40% of the US population routinely and with increasing frequency in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Dr. Brian Lacy from Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire reports on the latest probiotic research from the recent Digestive Diseases Week meeting. (more…)

Low vitamin D status has long been implicated in colorectal cancer.

This study looks at the relation between blood levels of vitamin D and the risk of colon, colorectal, and rectal cancer in men and women. (more…)

Here’s what the FDA found in their evaluation of the evidence linking tomatoes or tomato-based foods and lycopene, with reduced cancer risk. (more…)

It’s easy to fall into the trap of using names incorrectly, assuming that differences are unimportant.

Milk thistle extracts are being studied to treat cancer and lessen the side effects of chemotherapy. Here’s what we should know, terminology-wise. (more…)