There’s a concern (here, here, and here) voiced by some reputable websites that taking evening primrose oil might make seizures more likely in some people.

Here’s what we know. (more…)

Energy drinks are consumed by 30% to 50% of adolescents and young adults. The manufacturers claim they are safe.

Researchers at the University of Miami, in Florida reviewed the evidence and came to a different conclusion. (more…)

This has nothing to do with taking a bath.

Researchers at the University of Florida College of Medicine, in Gainesville, tell us, “The abuse of psychoactive “bath salts” (PABS) has become commonplace, and patients with PABS overdoses are presenting to emergency departments with increasing frequency. (more…)

FDA advises that prescription proton pump inhibitor drugs may cause low magnesium blood levels (hypomagnesemia) if taken, in most cases, longer than one year.

Proton pump inhibitors reduce the amount of acid in the stomach and treat conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcers, and inflammation of the esophagus. (more…)

The FDA is taking action to prevent Rising Sun Health and The Center for Complimentary and Alternative Health of Livingston, Montana, from manufacturing and selling unapproved new drugs and adulterated or misbranded dietary supplements in violation of the law.

Rising Sun manufactured and distributed a variety of unapproved new drugs under names such as Black Salve, Cancema, and Can-Support. (more…)

Dr. Steven Schachter (photo) is Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.

He voices his view and challenges for CAM for the treatment of epilepsy in a recent issue of Current Opinion in Neurology. (more…)

Infantile spasm (West Syndrome) is a specific type of seizure in infants and early childhood. The ketogenic diet is a high fat, adequate protein, low carbohydrate diet.

Researchers from the John M. Freeman Pediatric Epilepsy Center at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes in Baltimore, Maryland — the leader in this form of treatment in infants — report their experience over 12 years. (more…)

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, Texas reviewed the evidence on neurofeedback and epilepsy. (more…)

Cochrane review evaluates the evidence for treating epilepsy by using psychological methods to reduce seizure frequency and improve quality of life.

Here’s what was found with respect to seizure frequency. (more…)

Here’s an updated list of 69 contaminated products identified by the FDA.

What’s a consumer to think? (more…)

 Some of the weight loss products listed below claim to be “natural” or to contain only “herbal” ingredients.

The FDA found they actually contain potentially harmful ingredients not listed on the product labels or in promotional advertisements. (more…)

 That’s the conclusion by reviewers from the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital in China in this Cochrane review. (more…)

Lead, mercury, and (oh yeah) arsenic intoxication have been associated with Ayurvedic herbal medicines.

Here’s an account of one patent’s experience. (more…)

Today, it’s widely agreed that tobacco is highly addictive and linked to a long list of diseases.

It wasn’t always so. Come with me down memory lane.

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On May 19th, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) premiered its first annual Yoga Week.

Others have held yoga weeks in the past. What’s different is the involvement of the NIH. (more…)

Researchers from the Institute of Child Health in London tested the ketogenic diet in a randomized controlled trial. (more…)

During the First North American Regional Epilepsy Congress, researchers from the University of Texas reported that men with epilepsy who take enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have lower levels of vitamin D and calcium, plus higher parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.

The AEDs involved included the following.

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In patients with epilepsy that does not respond to drug therapy, researchers from the University of Uppsala in Sweden reported, “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and yoga decrease seizure index and increase quality of life.” (more…)

Researchers from Los Angeles reviewed the literature and found acupuncture holds promise but,… surprise … more research is needed.

Here’s what we know today. (more…)

Research presented during the American Epilepsy Society 61st Annual Meeting shows that almost half of all people with epilepsy are vitamin D deficient. (more…)