Alternative Medicine Alert articles from September 2002

Alternative Medicine Alert archives from September 2002

Folate for the prevention of colon cancer.
September 1, 2002... ACCORDING TO FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION DAILY VALUE Guidelines, (1) most of us need folic acid supplements. The typical American diet has 300-400 mcg of vitamin [B.sub.9], or folate. That's more than Americans have been getting because the...

Human Growth Hormone to prevent key physiological effects of aging: Part 2 of a series on Human Growth Hormone.
September 1, 2002... INTEREST IN HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE (HGH) THERAPY has recently shifted away from its use by athletes to enhance performance to its use by baby boomers to prevent and even reverse the effects of aging. (1) A huge marketing campaign is promoting...

Chelation therapy for coronary artery disease.
September 1, 2002... "CHELATION" COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD FOR claw. That fits just right with the popular notion that chelation therapy can snatch bad molecules from clogged arteries. Established as a treatment for heavy metal poisoning, chelation has been...

Clinical trials harmed by lack of informed consent.
September 1, 2002... The mention of clinical trials often triggers a silence between physician and patient, usually because neither one knows much about the subject. Nearly 80% of physicians admit they would like to know more about clinical trials so they can help...

CME questions.(continuing medical education)
September 1, 2002... 15. Which of the following is false? a. Folate is consumed at a level below that recommended by the FDA by more than 75% of Americans. b. High intake of folate increases sperm count by 40% or so in subfertile men....

Homeopathic immunotherapy and asthma. (Clinical Briefs).
September 1, 2002... TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY OF homeopathic immunotherapy on lung function and respiratory symptoms in asthmatic people allergic to house dust mite, a double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in 38 general practices in Hampshire and...

Adverse reactions associated with echinacea use. (Clinical Briefs).
September 1, 2002... FIFTY PERCENT OF AUSTRALIANS USE complementary and alternative medicines (other than vitamins) in any 12-month period, of which echinacea-containing products are increasingly popular. Recent reports have highlighted the risk of allergic...

Decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
September 1, 2002... HEALTHY DIETARY CHOICES AND REGULAR EXERCISE CAN HELP REDUCE THREE RISK FACTORS for heart attack and stroke: high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess body weight. The American Heart Association (AHA; www.americanheart.org) has...