Many Ayurvedic Medicines Laced With Toxic Metals

Researchers in Boston have just released the findings of a recent study that evaluated the levels of certain toxic metals in a randomly selected list of Ayurvedic medicines sold over the internet. The analysis reveals Ayurvedic medicines laced with toxic metals, including arsenic, lead, and mercury, include about 20% of all such products on the internet market and many of them contain higher levels of these metals than federal standards for toxicity allow. Read more

Calcium-Rich Diet Strengthens Kids’ Bones

Strong healthy bones, teeth, and muscles rely on calcium to get and stay strong but it’s a mineral that most American children and adolescents do not get enough of. A new study has revealed two very important findings about a calcium-rich diet during childhood and bone health. Read more

Energy Drinks Induce Risk-taking Behavior

Three billion dollars are spent every year on “energy drinks,” usually fruit-flavored beverages heavily laced with caffeine and a wide assortment of added nutritional supplements. In spite of the widespread popularity of the beverages, there has been little scientific study of the effects of consuming these energy-boosting beverages on a regular basis. Read more

Omega-3s Display Surprising Effect on Wound Healing

Americans are urged to consume a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids because these fish-based polyunsaturated fats have been found to minimize inflammation and promote healing.  Omega-3 supplements and foods fortified with omega-3s are widely available. Read more

Magnolia Extract Targets Cancer Cells’ Survival Signals

Almost one-third of all cases of cancer in humans involve a mutated version of a family of genes called Ras that stimulate the growth of cancer and have thus far been considered undruggable, due to their resistance to previous attempts to chemically manipulate them.  Ras activates an enzyme, phospholipase D, which allows cancer cells to stay alive in the face of traditional anti-cancer therapies when most cells would otherwise die, earning it the reputation for being a survival signal within the cells of a specific group of cancerous tumors.  Researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine, however, have been studying the use of a compound called honokiol, which is proving to be successful at blocking the pathway to cellular growth in even Ras-related cancers.

Honokiol, a compound derived from magnolia cones, has long been used in Chinese and Japanese herbal medicine applications.  It was found to successfully inhibit the growth of tumors in laboratory mice in 2003.  The Emory research team, led by Jack Arbiser, MD, PhD, and associate professor of dermatology, believes knowing exactly how honokiol works will help the medical community know which forms of cancer it is most beneficial in treating.  Although honokiol has shown promise in treating a wide variety of cancers, it is proving to be the most effective when treating tumors activated by the Ras family of genes.  The research team says that when used in conjunction with other anti-cancer treatments, honokiol may make cancerous tumors more sensitive to traditional treatments.

When applied to breast cancer tumors, the compound seems to prevent Ras genes from turning on phospholipase D.  Similar action has been discovered in laboratory tests of bladder and lung cancers.

The National Institutes of Health funded the research and Emory University has begun the process of licensing honokiol and similar compounds so they can be used in human tests.  The university has approved the financial interest expected by Arbiser as inventor of the technology.

Source: Emory University

Low Vitamin D Intake During Pregnancy Risks Baby’s Teeth

Mothers who don’t get enough vitamin D during pregnancy put their children at increased risk for tooth decay early in their childhood.  The vitamin seems to be important to healthy tooth calcification and a reduction in defects of the child’s tooth enamel, which can increase the risk of developing cavities at an early age. Read more

Growth Hormone for Athletic Performance Simply Mind Over Matter?

That’s the question behind a study recently conducted at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. And the evidence is overwhelming that people who think they are taking performance-enhancing drugs think their performance is actually enhanced as a result. Read more

St. John’s Wort Doesn’t Soothe ADHD Children

There are many treatment options available to help families bring peace into the home and soothe ADHD children from the many troubling symptoms of the disorder.  Unfortunately, medicine works with children the same way it does with adults - everyone is different and different treatment strategies are required to bring optimum relief to each individual.  Many parents turn to herbal remedies to replace or enhance traditional methods for treatment of this sometimes-traumatic disorder that affects the entire family. Read more

Too Many US Babies with Too Little Vitamin D

An alarming number of young children in the US do not get enough vitamin D to avert health complications that are likely to stay silent until much later in the child’s adult life.  Calling it an invisible deficiency, researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston fear a future of easily broken bones and an impaired immune system may be in store for these children. Read more

B Vitamins Don’t Influence Heart Health in Women

The amino acid, homocysteine, has been linked directly to cardiovascular risk in repeated studies and certain B vitamins, especially folic acid (B9), B6, and B12, are known to reduce homocysteine levels in the bloodstream.  The findings from a recent study that followed 5,442 female healthcare professionals in the United States for more than seven years revealed a generally reduced level of homocysteine but no reduction in the number of cardiovascular events experienced by the study participants. Read more

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