MultiVitamin & Mineral – Why?
One of the most common questions asked by patients and people in general is why should I take a multivitamin and multimineral supplement? Dr Alex Vasquez addresses this question in a 10 minute video exploring 5 papers in a simplified format – an ideal place to send suitable questioners?
Read the rest of this page »
Enjoyed this article?
Revolutionary Advances in the Prevention of Demyelinating Diseases.
Vit D Essential for MS Patients
This collective review focuses on three major factors that influence the incidences of multiple sclerosis (MS) to include ultraviolet radiation (UVR), vitamin D3 supplementation, and vitamin D receptor gene (VDRG) polymorphisms.
In general, the rate of MS increases with latitude. Individuals tend to carry their original risk with them if they migrate to a different latitude after adolescence. It is important to emphasise that UVR increases the synthesis of vitamin D3, which has a known immune suppressant action via the VDRG. Clinical studies have pointed out that vitamin D deficiency may exacerbate the development of MS.
Read the rest of this page »
Enjoyed this article?
A Conversation with Dr. Abram Hoffer
In December 2008, IFM had the opportunity to film an interview between Dr. Jeffrey Bland and Dr. Abram Hoffer, a founding father of orthomolecular medicine and recipient of the 14th Linus Pauling Functional Medicine Award. Excerpts from this video first aired at last May’s symposium on mood disorders on the day following news of his death at age 91.
In honour of Dr. Hoffer and his lifetime of work advancing the fields of psychiatry and functional medicine, The Institue of functional Medicine is making this video available to you on their website.
Read the rest of this page »
Enjoyed this article?
Vitamin D: Summary Papers To Provide Relevant Clinical Update
A summary of 6 papers exploring the various relationships discovered between Vit D status, health and disease risk.
Vitamin D Supplementation Improves Glycmic Control in Diabetes
Regular dosing of vitamin D (2000 IU/day) in early childhood has been shown to reduce the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes (up to an 80% reduction projected over the next 30 years),
Read the rest of this page »
Enjoyed this article?
Lifestyle Choices Impact Positively on Second Breast Cancer Risk
Breast cancer survivors might be able to reduce their risk for contralateral breast cancer by making lifestyle modifications. A new study published online September 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has found that obesity, alcohol use, and smoking all significantly increase the risk for second primary invasive contralateral breast cancer among breast cancer survivors.
Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, found that obese women had a 50% increased risk for contralateral breast cancer, and those who consumed 7 or more alcoholic drinks per week had a 90% increased risk. Survivors who currently smoked had a 120% increased risk of developing a second breast cancer.
Read the rest of this page »
Enjoyed this article?
French Study Contradicts FSA’s Opinion on Organic Food Benefits
A report just published by the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA), the equivalent to the UK’s Food Standards Agency has described organic foods as being better for you,contain less pesticides and nitrates, both of which have been linked to a range of health problems including diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
This up-to-date exhaustive and critical evaluation of the nutritional quality of organic food has found organic foods have higher levels of minerals and antioxidants, counter opposing the recent FSA report that questioned the benefits of growing and consuming organic foods.
Published in the peer reviewed journal Agronomy for Sustainable Development this review carries substantive scientific opinion. It defines a number of advantages provided by the organic food production methods.
Enjoyed this article?
Vit D Optimisation Requires Supplementation Says Harvard
The conservative Harvard Medical School in the USA normally promotes micronutrient intake being derived from food stuffs alone. The Health Publications Bulletin out in Sept 2009 says that from the perspective of Vitamin D food sources may be inadequate and that supplementary intake is required to meet physiological optimisation. (See Video)
Enjoyed this article?
The Role of Vitamin C in the Treatment of the Common Cold
Dr Harri Hemila MD PhD co author of the Cochrane Review article replies [1]:
The Cochrane review was limited to placebo-controlled trials in which at least 0.2 g of vitamin C was used per day.[2] Most of these trials examined vitamin C administration as regular supplementation and provided strong evidence that vitamin C shortens the duration of colds and alleviates its symptoms.
Read the rest of this page »
Enjoyed this article?
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Herbs, Phytochemicals and Vitamins and Their Immunologic Effects
Complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are used in more than 80% of the world’s population and are becoming an increasing component of the US health care system, with more than 70% of the population using CAM at least once and annual spending reaching as much as $34 billion. Since the inception of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, there has been an enormous increase in the number of basic science and therapy-based clinical trials exploring CAM.
Enjoyed this article?
Vitamin C as a Potential Anti-Cancer Agent: Progress and Controversies
Read the rest of this page »
Vitamin C is commonly known to be essential to human health. However, specifically as it relates to cancer treatment, the value of vitamin C is debated and often considered a topic of scientific controversy. Cancer researchers have investigated various ways of administering high-dose vitamin C, including both orally and intravenously. Researchers have also examined different forms of vitamin C—ascorbic acid (AA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA)—which may well be a comparison of apples and oranges.
