Category: Nervous System

Zinc


The Enzyme Activator

Zinc is a mineral that functions as a co-factor in numerous metabolic processes. In fact, zinc is a co-factor in over 200 enzymes in the body.

Zinc deficiency is associated with:

  • prostate enlargement
  • immune deficiency
  • atherosclerosis
  • malabsorption syndromes
  • slow wound healing
  • loss of taste or smell
  • impaired glucose tolerance
  • skin disorders of every type
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
  • inflammatory bowel disease (IBS)
  • abnormal menstruation

The adult daily dose range is from 15-50 mg.

Food sources include wheat germ, wheat bran, pumpkin seed, avocado, sea food.

Caution: Large doses (more than 50mg/day) can cause a copper deficiency & other mineral imbalances. Copper should be supplemented when using zinc in high doses.

Optimal daily amounts of Zinc are easily obtained from Dr. Myatt’s Maxi Multi – a comprehensive multiple vitamin and mineral nutrient formula. Click here for full information.

 

STROKE / thrombosis / phlebitis


Natural Prevention Strategies

Stroke

The term “stroke” refers to a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) where the brain is deprived of oxygen due to blood vessel blockage (80% of strokes) OR  the rupture of a blood vessel which causes bleeding in the brain (20% of strokes). Either of these events deprives areas of the brain of oxygen and can lead to neurological damage. A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a similar, smaller event, resolving in minutes to hours and without permanent damage. Recurrent TIA’s often precede a true stroke, and the causes of both are the same. Stroke (Cerebrovascular disease) is the most common cause of neurologic disability in Western countries.

Twenty percent of strokes are hemorrhagic, resulting from the rupture of a cerebral artery. Causes of hemorrhagic stroke include hypertension, aneurysm, blood vessel defects (inborn) and excess blood-thinning medication.

The remaining eighty percent of strokes are due to blockages resulting from emboli (a clump of blood cells or atherosclerotic plaque) in a cranial artery. Causes of infarct stroke are atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, excess blood-clotting factors (see “conditions predisposing to blood clot formation,” below), blood turbulence (due to arrhythmias, heart valve defects, arteriovenous malformation, and atherosclerosis), diabetes, and vascular inflammation.

A far lesser number of strokes may be due solely to lack of oxygen without a blockage, usually due to sympathomimetic drugs (cocaine, amphetamine), arterial compression caused by bone spurs, or circulatory insufficiency due to decreased overall circulation.

Thrombosis

“Thrombosis” refers to a blood clot that develops in a blood vessel. It is one of the leading causes of death in the Western world.

If a thrombosis forms in a coronary artery, a myocardial infarction may result. When thromboses form in the brain, the resultant oxygen deprivation may result in TIA or stroke. An emboli occurs when a clot breaks free and travels to other parts of the body. If an emboli reaches the brain, again, stroke may occur. Thromboses and emboli can also cause serious damage to lungs, kidneys — in fact, virtually any organ.

Phlebitis / Thrombophlebitis

“Thrombophlebitis,” or deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is the most common presenting vein disorder. Most vein clots begin in the valves of deep calf veins. Tissue substances are released that in turn form clumps of red blood cells (RBC’s). If these clumped blood cells remain in the leg or elsewhere, they cause redness, swelling, and pain. If they dislodge and travel to the brain, they can cause a stroke.

Causes of venous thrombosis include:

  1. Blood vessel lining injury (caused by catheters, septic phlebitis, injection of irritating substances, trauma).
  2. Excess blood clotting (due to malignant tumors, blood cell abnormalities, oral contraceptives and inflammation).
  3. Slowed blood flow (varicose veins, prolonged bed rest, heart failure, dependent immobilization of the legs such as occurs during car or air travel).

Factors which can cause blood clots

Specifically, any one of the following conditions may predispose to blood clot formation:

  • elevated homocysteine levels
  • oxidized LDL cholesterol levels
  • platelet activating factor (PAF)
  • elevated fibrinogen
  • elevated thromboxane A2, prostaglandin E2, lipooxygenase, cyclooxygenase
  • free-radical induced platelet aggregation
  • thrombin activating factor
  • deficiency of tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA)
  • increased blood viscosity
  • increased platelet count
  • increased red blood cell kinase activity
  • inflammation of the arterial wall
  • atherosclerotic plaque
  • elevated triglycerides
  • increased platelet adhesion
  • collagen-induced platelet adhesion
  • arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation
  • adenosine-induced platelet aggregation
  • epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation
  • serotonin-induced platelet aggregation
  • antigen-antibody reactions

Fibrin thrombi can be prevented by conventional anticoagulant therapy (heparin or coumarin / coumadin / warfarin compounds), but platelet aggregation is not inhibited by these agents. (Merck Manual p. 586). It is estimated that only 1/3 of all causative agents of thrombosis are blocked by the administration of conventional blood thinning drugs.

Treatment Considerations

Treatment of the underlying cause of thrombosis, and phlebitis which results in thrombosis, are the mainstays of prevention of stroke occurrence and reoccurrence. High blood pressure, high cholesterol (especially with low HDL- the “good” cholesterol), excessive blood clotting (“blood sludge”), and atherosclerosis should be addressed as indicated.  Because of the many and varied causes of thrombosis, a multi-faceted approach to anticoagulation and blood viscosity normalization is surer than conventional anticoagulant (coumadin) therapy alone.

Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations

  • Diet: eat a nutritious diet high in nutrient-rich foods. Plant foods contain phytonutrients which help prevent blood from clotting abnormally.
  • Achieve and maintain a normal weight.
  • Exercise regularly. 30 minutes, 3 times per week minimum.
  • Don’t smoke! Smoking irritates the blood vessel lining and such irritation initiates a chain of events that cause blood to clump.
  • Drink 64 ounces of pure water daily. Dehydration causes blood vessel irritation and can predispose to abnormal blood clotting.

Primary Support

  • Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal (not minimal) doses of antioxidant nutrients (vitamin A, beta carotene, C, E, zinc, selenium), B6, B12, folic acid, bioflavonoids and magnesium are especially important. Magnesium helps prevent high blood pressure, a cause of stroke.    
  • Omega 3 fatty acids: the anti-inflammatory action of Omega-3’s helps prevent blood vessel irritation.
    Flax seed meal, 2 teaspoons per day with food
    OR
    Flax seed capsules    : 2-4 caps, 3 times per day (target dose range: 6-12 caps per day)
    OR
    Flax seed oil

    : 1 tablespoon per day
    OR

    Max EPA (Omega-3 rich fish oil): 1-2 caps, 3 times per day with meals (target dose: 3-6 caps per day).

  • MAXI-GREENS: 3 caps, 3 times per day. Maxi greens contains a spectrum of the herbs known to maintain  normal blood viscosity. (grape seed, ginkgo, bilberry, green tea).

Additional Support

(Treat known risk factors. Consult an alternative medicine physician for further assistance):

High Cholesterol or Triglyceride levels:

Diabetes (which predisposes to atherosclerosis):

  • Follow additional recommendations for Diabetes

Atherosclerosis:

High fibrinogen:

High homocysteine levels:

  • B6, B12 and folic acid. (NOTE: Maxi Multi contains optimal doses of these nutrients. Take additional B6, B12 and folic acid only if you are not taking Maxi Multi, MyPacks or the equivalent).

High ferritin (storage iron):

  • Vitamin C: 5,000 mg per day in divided doses.
  • Grape seed extract: 150 mg per day. 

Primary Materia Medica for Stroke Prevention

(Professional descriptions follow. For laymen description of these same herbs, please refer to Twelve Important Herbs to Know )

The following list represents the most well-researched herbs for stroke prevention:

Garlic Allium sativa

Garlic is one of the most important cardiovascular botanicals and best documented blood-thinning agents.  It protects against collagen-induced, arachidonic acid-induced, ADP-induced, and epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation. Garlic inhibits cyclooxygenase and lipooxygenase-induced thromboxane A2 synthesis. Clinical studies have also documented garlic’s effectiveness in treating many factors involved in atherosclerosis, including high blood pressure, high LDL-cholesterol, and high triglycerides. Garlic decreases platelet aggregation while simultaneously increasing HDL cholesterol and fibrinolysis.

Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo exerts considerable effect on platelet aggregation, adhesion and degranulation. Specifically, ginkgo inhibits platelet activating factor (PAF) and reduces platelet aggregation induced by ADP, collagen, and arachidonic acid. It has membrane-stabilizing, antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects, and improves blood flow, oxygen and glucose utilization in the brain. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) stimulates endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) and prostacycline.  In animal studies, GBE has shown to stimulate nerve cell regeneration, making it potentially useful both for stroke prevention and post-stroke treatment.

Turmeric Curcuma longa

Curcumin, the yellow pigment of Curcuma longa, has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It inhibits platelet aggregation by inhibiting thromboxanes and leukotrienes and promoting the formation of prostacycline.

<Bromelain Anasas comosus

Bromelain is a mixture of enzymes found primarily in the stem of the pineapple plant. It exerts antiinflammatory effects by inhibition of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. Bromelain blocks production of kinnins and possesses fibrinolytic activity secondary to plasminogen activator, which may also account for the anti-metastatic properties seen in vivo.

Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus

The flavonoids in Bilberry, specifically anthocyanosides, promote prostacycline production and inhibit platelet aggregation in a manner similar to ginkgo. The potent antioxidant effects seen in this herb stabilize the vascular system and are therefore useful in treating capillary fragility, venous insufficiency, and varicose veins.

Grape Seed Vitus vinifera

Oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPC’s) from grape seed and other species, such as Landis’ pine, is one of the most potent antioxidants known. OPC’s trap reactive oxygen species including hydroxyl radicals, peroxyl radicals, and lipid radicals; they also delay the breakdown phase of lipid peroxidation. OPC’s inhibit platelet aggregation in part by raising cGMP levels and protecting against epinephrine renewed cyclic flow reductions. In addition, OPC’s inhibit certain proteolytic enzymes, including collagenase, elastase, beta-glucuronidase and hyaluronidase which can damage the extracellular matrix surrounding capillary walls. This makes OPC’s a useful choice for improving vascular fragility and peripheral vascular insufficiency which can lead to thrombophlebitis.

There is a safe

 There is a safe, easy, natural way to cure mood disorders and reclaim a life of health and happiness without spending a fortune or relying on dangerous (and often ineffective) drugs.


If You or Someone You Love
 Suffers From Depression, Anxiety,
Insomnia, Attention Deficit or Any “Mood Disorder,”
This May Be The Most Important Letter
You’ll Ever Read

From: Dr. Dana Myatt
                                 Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Myatt’s Wellness Club
                        To:  People Suffering from Mood Disorders

 

                        Dear Friend:

                        There is a “dirty little secret” known in many medical and scientific circles about “mood disorders” (depression, anxiety, etc.) …
                         a secret you will probably never hear from your doctor …and the Big Drug Companies want it that way.

                        This “dirty little secret” is the reason that 72% of people diagnosed with a mood disorder don’t feel better
                        regardless of what “head med” (drug) they take, and why even those who do feel somewhat better
                        with drugs often find that the “improvement” stops working after a while or still doesn’t make them feel
                        really good. If you knew the “dirty little secret” that is known to medicine’s “inner circle,” you would find yourself able to:
                       

                                    * not just feel “better,” but truly goodagain …

                                    * end fatigue, lethargy, anxiety and hopelessness in a few days, sometimes overnight …

                                    * skyrocket your energy levels without stimulants …

                                    * sleep like a baby all night long and wake rested and refreshed….

                                    * say “goodbye” to depression and anxiety without drugs….

                                    * reclaim your happy, energetic self in record time with NO dangerous drug side-effects

 

                        The best part is, you won’t need to take costly “head meds” or stimulants indefinitely
                        (which don’t work well anyway), pay thousands of dollars for often-ineffective counseling,
                        and still spend the rest of your life feeling only “half alive” because of a mood disorder. All you need to
                        know is the “dirty little secret” that has been kept behind closed doors… until now.


3 Lies Your Doctor Probably Told You About Mood Disorders
(and he doesn’t even know they’re lies…)

Lie # 1: Mood disorders are caused by a serotonin deficiency. In some cases, this is true. (Note: did your doctor ever actually TEST your serotonin levels to verify this? Answer: Almost certainly “NO”). Even if serotonin deficiency is your problem, as it is for some people with mood disorders, conventional drugs like Prozac and Zoloft only block the re-uptake of this neurotransmitter, giving your body the false impression that more serotonin is available. Treating “serotonin deficiency” without a test is not only a “shot-in-the-dark,” but the treatment itself is a “patch-job,” instead of a “fix.” Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) do not increase serotonin levels, and the artificial blocking of re-uptake eventually depletes serotonin levels even more.

Lie # 2:  Drugs are the best treatment for mood disorders. Come on. Do you really think depression is caused by a Prozac deficiency? Or that anxiety is caused by a Trazadone deficiency? Changes in brain chemicals (called Neuro-Transmitters) cause the symptoms we collectively call “mood disorders.” These changes in brain chemistry can be identified and corrected by natural means, restoring them to normal levels.
                       
Lie # 3:  There is no way to test Neurotransmitter levels. Actually, NeuroTransmitter Testing has been around for years. Your doctor could test and know exactly what “head hormones” (neurotransmitters) you are low or high in and make specific corrections. But keep reading and you’ll find out why he/she probably doesn’t even know about this test, and if they do, why they can’t (won’t) order it for you…..

___________________________________________________

The Real Cause of Mood Disorders That
Big Drug Companies Hope You Never Find Out

 

                        Doctors know that brain chemicals — called Neuro-Transmitters, or “NT’s” for short—- control everything from mood and sleep to food cravings. Most people have heard of at least one of these Neurotransmitters,  serotonin, but there are other major NT’s including epinephrine (adrenaline),norepinephrine, dopamine,                                     GABA, PEA and histamine. Together, these major Neuro-Transmitters control mood, libido, food cravings, sleep patterns and energy levels to name only a few. When any one of these NT’s are out of balance (as they are in an estimated 85% of the population with mood disorders), the implications can be enormous:

                                   

                             Serotonin:
                                           Too little can cause depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, uncontrolled appetite, migraine headaches, obsessive/compulsive disorders and PMS complaints.

                                           Too much serotonin is rare and is caused by excess drugs or other serotonin-increasing treatments. Serotonin overdose can be life-threatening.

 

                             Epinephrine (adrenaline): too much can causes sleep disturbances, anxiety and ADHD. Too little causes fatigue,  depression, lack of focus and difficulty losing weight.       

                             Norepinephrine (NE): Too much causes anxiousness, stress, hyperactivity and high blood pressure. Too little causes fatigue, lack of focus and difficulty losing weight.

                             Dopamine: responsible for feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Low levels play a role in Parkinson’s  disease and also in addictions and food cravings.  High dopamine is seen in people with autism,  attention disorders and GI disturbances. 

                             GABA

 

                             glutamate is the major excitatory neuro Transmitter in the brain. Excess glutamate is associated with neurological diseases such as Huntington’s disease, parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, ALS, Tourette’s syndrome and Korsakoff syndrome. While excess glutamate alone probably does not cause these diseases, it is felt that high levels of glutamate may be toxic to nerve cells and indicate toxicity elsewhere in the body.                                                  

                       

                        Doctors use various “head meds” (like Prozac or Zoloft) to increase serotonin’s effects. (Notice I said effects; these drugs do not increase actual serotonin levels). Sometimes these drugs help depression, but often not. That is because the other major Neurotransmitters’s — epi, NE, dopamine, GABA and glutamate — are also intimately involved in mood and “feel good” control. “Tinkering” with only one neurotransmitter — serotonin — may not help much if any of the other five major neurotransmitters are out of balance. In many people with anxiety, depression or other mood disorder, serotonin levels are not the only problem or not even the problem at all. Many cases of mood disorder havenothing to do with serotonin but instead involve one or more of the other major neurotransmitters.

So why doesn’t “Big Medicine” and “Big Pharma” want you to know that other neurotransmitter imbalances may be the cause of your depression? Because NT imbalances can be corrected with a few simple diet changes and some inexpensive over-the-counter supplements. Drug companies don’t have drugs to effectively correct other neurotransmitter except serotonin and norepinephrine. Depression medications like prozac, zoloft, XXX and XXXX are BIG BUSINESS, raking in $XXXXX of dollars for major drug companies each year. If even a small percentage of the 19 million depressed Americans discovered how to correct their depression without drugs, Big Pharma income from these drugs could drop precipitously. Or imagine if XXXX million children and adults no longer needed Ritalin and other stimulants! Believe me, the Big Drug Companies will do everything they can to make sure this doesn’t happen — including convincing your doctor and you that your only hope for treating a mood disorder is dangerous drugs. Even more appalling is that these drugs effects only ONE, or at most TWO major neurotransmitters — even if you have never had your neurotransmitters levels tested!

__________________________________________

Your Secret Weapon for Conquering Mood Disorders

                        Balancing the body’s six major neurotransmitters —  serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, GABA and glutamate — is the secret to feeling good and getting out from under the dark cloud of depression, anxiety, insomnia, attention deficit or any other mood disorder you may suffer from. Other “side-effects” of balanced NT’s (as if being free from depression or anxiety weren’t enough!) include sound sleep, improved libido and energy, normal appetite and better fat-burning. If you are over or under weight, body weight tends to normalize because mood disorders are a common cause of over and under-eating.

                        As you’ll learn, there are simple, natural ways to increase or decrease neurotransmitters. For example, two amino acids (both readily available in any health food) provide the raw materials that the body uses to produce epinephrine and norepinephrine. By supplementing these amino acids, a person who is low in epinephrine (adrenaline) or norepinephrine can improve their neurotransmitters levels without drugs, just by taking these amino acids between meals. By using “precursors” (raw materials that the body uses to make NT’s), the resulting increased NT levels are a true “fix,” not just a “band aid.”

                        Normal neurotransmitter levels are the key to a happy, energetic, symptom-free life. The correction for imbalanced neurotransmitters involves a few simple diet changes and some inexpensive, easily obtainable nutritional supplements. So what is holding you back? Obviously, you need to know which neurotransmitters are out of balance before you can begin an NT-improvement program. As you can see from the list of NT’s above, excesses cause just as many problems as deficiencies. The secret to normal neurotransmitter balance begins with knowing your neurotransmitter levels.
________________________________________
                                   
The Medical Test
That Can Save Your Life

______________________________________

 

Perhaps You’re Wondering,
“Why Didn’t My Doctor Order This Test…?”

Your doctor did not order a NeuroTransmitter test fortwo important reasons:

First, because he or she doesn’t know about it!Big Drug Companies aren’t “pushing” these tests yet because they don’t have drugs to address every neurotransmitter imbalance. Would you want to continue taking a serotonin-effecting drug, for example, if you found out you were low in epinephrine instead? And what about your doctor? The pharmaceutical industry is responsible for most of a doctor’s training, including the medical school curriculums. American medical schools are still marching to the Big Pharma tune. And Big Pharma isn’t ready for you or your doctor to know about simple ways to correct Neurotransmitter imbalances, especially when “head meds” are such Big Business.

Second (and this one may shock you), a doctor can besued by either your insurance company OR the federal government for ordering a “non standard” medical test. You read that right. The Big Drug Companies have such a stronghold on doctors and the government that a doctor can only order those tests that the drug companies “approve of.” Big Pharma isn’t going to let the cat out of the bag about Neurotransmitter Testing until they have drugs to sell you to “correct” any NT imbalance that testing discovers. And while norepinephrine drugs have just recently been introduced (which means we are the “guinea pigs for testing their safety), there are no other “head meds” on the horizon. That means that you’ll be waiting for years— perhaps even a decade or more—before your doctor will know about this test and  order it for you.

As I showed you in the first half of this report, your doctor is telling you some potentially deadly lies-and he doesn’t even know it.

But it isn’t his fault. He simply never learned in medical school or in mainstream journals about the safe, natural miracle-cures that are all around us, but known only to an unorthodox, yet dedicated few. It’s a shame, but the modern medical establishment is so dominated by the pill and scalpel that these un-patentable (read: inexpensive and difficult to regulate) cures get swept under the rug by our Big Pharma-friendly government…

 

________________________________________


Ignorance Isn’t Bliss, It’s Blistered

As we discussed earlier in this report, your doctor is telling you some potentially deadly lies-and he doesn’t even know it.

But it isn’t his fault. He simply never learned in medical school or in mainstream journals about the safe, natural miracle-cures that are all around us, but known only to an unorthodox, yet dedicated few. It’s a shame, but the modern medical establishment is so dominated by the pill and scalpel that these un-patentable (read: inexpensive and difficult to regulate) cures get swept under the rug by our Big Pharma-friendly government…

_________________________

 

3 Reasons Why I Know You’ll Find Your
Neurotransmitter Improvement Program So Valuable

1.) Knowledge is Power. Whether you choose conventional drugs, natural (corrective) remedies or a combination of both, at least you will know exactly what neurotransmitters need to be normalized, instead of just going along with the conventional medical “guess” and treating only serotonin levels.

2.) You’ll know your Options.  Your follow-up report will detail which drugs, supplements, diet and lifestyle changes are available to correct your particular neurotransmitter imbalances.

3.) You’ll discover proven ways to live a healthier, happier life.  When you balance your brain chemistry through corrective measures, you’ll not only feel happier, you’ll be genuinely healthier.

_______________________________________________

Lift DEPRESSION Overnight
By Pressing Your “Happy Buttons”

_______________________________________________________________

What Patients Have To Say
About the Neurotransmitter Improvement Program….
(testimonials here)

“You Have Make A Huge Difference…”
“I feel like I have my life back. I really didn’t realize how depressed I was. Things seemed  better after I started taking Zoloft, but it was only after we discovered that I was low in epinephrine and norepinephrine, and made some changes, that I could tell the difference beween ‘just getting by’ and really living. It’s hard for me to find the words to express how greatful I am for this test and your recommendations.” John Abrams, Phoenix, Arizona

“I Have Already Experienced Great Changes In Myself Because Of The Principle #1 Exercise…”
” I started taking the recommended supplements just two days ago and I can already feel a difference. I slept better last night than I have in years. I really do believe with such fast improvement in my sleep that help is on the way…” Katherine K., Poduk MI

“Your NT Program Recommendations Are Easy To Follow…”
“I learned through NT testing that I had three neurotransmitter imbalances (none of which was serotonin, which explains why Prozac wasn’t helping me). But I was afraid that “natural treatments” would involve some strict diet and exercise plan and eating foods I don’t like, like tofu. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dr. Myatt’s recommendations were simple and easy to follow. Even better, I have experienced dramatic results in only two weeks. THANK YOU SO MUCH DR. MYATT!”

“TheNIP Program Has Empowered Me To Take Control Of My Life…”

“NIP Has Truly Changed My Life…”

” TheNT Test and Program Have Accomplished in Three Weeks what Drugs and Counselling Failed to Produce in Three Years…”

_____________________________________________________

Your Personal Neurotransmitter Improvement Plan (NIP) will be:

Simple — That’s because simple is the thing that works the best.

Fast Results — When you invest in this course, or in anything, you are doing so because you want results sooner rather than later.owever, you have to be open to fast results. This sounds crazy, but if you believe in the saying “anything worth having is worth waiting for” than you are going to live a life waiting. Let’s start getting results right now – fast, immediate – with these 11 Principles.

Real Life — Principles from the real world always work better (or else they would not be principles) than the “should be’s” some people try to get you to believe.

Realistic, A Game Plan — Do you agree that information without a plan that shows you how to use it is worthless information. That means even poor information, if it at least comes with a game plan, will benefit you.

So imagine what superior information, with a specific, easy to follow game plan like the 11 Principles course is worth to you… Not only do you learn each of the 11 Principles, you also see how other people like yourself have used them. And most importantly, you are given an easy to follow game plan to quickly and simply put each Principle into use for yourself.

____________________________

 

 

                       

 

Don’t just swallow a pill (and the marketing hype that goes with it) and carry on with business as usual. True neurotransmitter-balancing treatment is worth its weight in gold -and far outweighs the use of tranquilizers, anti-depressants, sleeping pills and other synthetic mood-altering drugs. So stop the drain on your health and feel like yourself again.

                             ___________________________

                        Drug-free treatments work like Prozac without dangerous side effects. Prozac and other antidepressants work by boosting your levels of the mood-enhancing chemical serotonin. Yet researchers have now discovered a technique that does the very same thing — without drugs!
_________________________

Believe me, this isnot “pop medicine.” Just the opposite. These unpublicized techniques were revealed to our editors by a team of over 250 leading physicians and scientists, then carefully double-checked against the latest research. You won’t find them in the popular press — and unlike the fluff printed there, these things work.

_______________________________________

We are supposed to have freedom of speech in this country, but even many courageous alternative medical doctors don’t dare dare discussnew medicines or testsuntil they are “approved” by conventional medicine.Funny thing is, many of these leading-edge discoveries will in fact become “accepted”—- just as soon as Big Pharma figures out how to make a profit from them.

___________________________________________

Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring chemicals within the brain that relay signals between the nerve cells and are required for proper brain and body function. A proper balance of neurotransmitter levels helps achieve optimal health.

_________________________________

Prescribing drugs based on opinions, theories and guesswork is like driving blindfolded. Without actual testing, you won’t discover your real Neurotransmitter imbalances except by accident.

Even “medicalexperts” find it hard to predict how patients will respond to a Neurotransmitter-effecting drug like Prozac or Zoloft. What’s more…

Testing often proves “expert opinions” dead wrong — and can skyrocket response and profits through the roof!

Simple diet, lifestyle and supplement changes can dramatically improve your neurotransmitter balance and hence, your mood and happiness level. But unless and until you test, you’ll never know what those needed changes are.

 

_____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Lift depression, Balance Your NT’s and see:

Better Results In Your BUSINESS

Better Results In Your HEALTH

Better Results In Your JOB

Better Results In Your Relationships

______________________________________________

How Much Is The Neurotransmitter Improvement Program?

The total value of the Neurotransmitter Test plus your personalized follow-up report —what I call the Neurotransmitter Improvement Program — is $794. And that would still be an incredible bargain based on the results it can bring you. But because I want to make this program available to as many people as possible before the “window of opportunity” closes, I’m going to make you an incredible offer.

Can you even put a price tag on a healthy, happy life?

How much would you give to wake up tomorrow morning living that dream life you gaze at every day in your head?

However, I want to get this life-changing information into everybody’s hand at a very reasonable price. And since this test is not yet “recognized” by conventional medical insurance (and won’t be until Big Pharma figures out how to get into the act), you’ll be paying out-of-pocket. Instead of the usual $794cost of theNeurotransmitter Test plus a New Patient Consult and follow-up report from me, I have chosen to make the entire program available for the cost of the NT test alone, $297.

Cost of NIP Program including NT test and Personalized Report: $297
Cost of feeling healthy, happy and energetic again: priceless

—————————————————————–

Money-Back Guarantee

Perhaps you are concerned about the test results. What if your test results say that all of your neurotransmittrs are completely normal? Personally, I’ve never seen completely normal test results in a person suffering from depression, but I suppose it could happen. Now, a test result is a test result. The lab isn’t going to give us our money back if we don’t like the test results, any more than you’d get your money back for any other medical test result that you didn’t like. (Did you get your money back when you didn’t like hearing that you had high cholesterol? Or high blood sugar?) But I am SO CONFIDENT that if you suffer from depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD or other any other mood disorder that  neurotransmitter imbalances will be discovered which will lead you to a better life, that I will personally make this guarantee:

If your NeuroTransmitter Profile results come back completely normal, I will personally return your money— you won’t even have to ask for it back. Not only that, but you can keep your bonuses. Even in the presence of normal test results (again, I’d be quite surprised), your personal report will contain suggestions for increasing your health and happiness levels.

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P.S. If you recognize the enormous value of this program, please order your Neuro Improvment Program today. I don’t know how long I can continue to offer The Neurotransmitter Test, which requires a “doctor’s order.” You see, I’ll have a lot of people “gunning” for me when they find out what I am offering, and I could be barred at any moment from making this life-changing test and report available. The drug companies won’t like it because hey don’t want you to find out that you may have a neurotransmitter imbalance that is correctable without one of their drugs. Other doctors who use this test won’t like it, because it may deprive them of a new patient visit and numerous follow-up visits. (Remember, the test can only be ordered by a doctor, so ordinarily you’d have to visit a physician who would order the test for you). Even the labs who perform the tests might get a little “testy” when they learn that I am offering this test to people that I haven’t seen in person. But until someone cuts me off, I’ll do my best to make this test available. I believe it’s that important. Because I have no idea how long I can offer it, please don’t delay. If you return to this page and it’s gone from the Internet, it will mean that this service is no longer available to anyone except a private practice patient of mine.
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Three Free Bonuses: Yours to Keep no Matter What

1.) The Body/Mind Connection DVD.

2.) FREE report: 29 simple, natural strategies to lift depression and live a life of joy.

3.)  [JV partner bonus here?]
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REFERENCES:

 

Recommended Reading

Commonsense Rebellion: Taking Back Your Life from Drugs, Shrinks, Corporations, and a World Gone Crazy (Paperback) by Bruce E. Levine, pHD. Continuum Press, 2006.

 

 

                       
                       

 

                       

                       


 

 

 

Neurological Disease


Treating Neurological Disease (M.S., Parkinson’s, ALS)

By Dr. Dana Myatt

Some things seem to go in “waves.” This week, I’ve had a lot of people asking about what to do for neurological conditions. Here’s my best “general” advice. (I can give more “specific” advice when I work with someone personally. Please read on).

You’ll NEVER hear any of this from your conventional medical doctor, for at least two reasons. First, there are no known cures for neurological diseases in conventional medicine. In fact, even our symptomatic treatments are fairly lame. Secondly, when a doctor does have information about a “non standard” (read that: “not conventional medicine”) approach, he or she could lose their medical license by telling you about it. So don’t be disappointed if your conventional medical doctor, no matter how good or well-respected, doesn’t have much hope to offer. That’s conventional medicine.

What I Would Immediately Do If I Were Diagnosed With a Neurological Disease

If I found out tomorrow that I had a neurological disease, here are the steps I would take right away:

  1. Have several un-conventional laboratory studies performed, including:
    1. Hair Mineral Analysis: to evaluate for heavy and toxic metal poisoning. This applies to ALL neuro conditions.
    2. Food allergy testing: to rule out immune responses to food allergies as a cause for symptoms. (This is especially important in MS).
    3. Neurotransmitter (NT) Testing: to look at neurotransmitter hormone levels. (This applies to all neuro conditions but is especially important in Parkinson’s, where a dopamine deficiency is often seen).
  2. Holistic dental evaluation, with removal of all dissimilar dental metals. NOTE: VERY FEW holistic dentist really understand this, and NO conventional dentists “get it.” If you have it done incorrectly (as most “holistic dentists are wont to do), it can cause more harm than good. Please don’t have any dental work done until you have talked to me first!). How important do I think this is? I have already had all metal removed from my mouth except for one full-gold crown. It is that important. If I hadn’t already had this done, I would get it done immediately, after I confirmed the skill and knowledge level of the attending dentist.
  3. Diet changes:
    1. Eliminate all food allergies (see above, laboratory testing).
    2. The Myatt Diet: low carbohydrate, high Omega-3 fatty acids. This is THE healthiest way to eat, proven by long-lived populations. This plus elimination of known food allergies relieves all dietary stress on the immune and nervous systems. Look for organic foods, too, since pesticide and herbicide toxicity is associated with neurological disease. Additional fish oil should be supplemented in those not regularly consuming wild Alaskan salmon and grass-fed beef. Ketogenic diets such as The Myatt Diet have proven useful for Parkinson’s, ALS and inoperable brain cancers. The diet switches the brain from using sugar for fuel to using ketones for fuel, and this “metabolic switch” is associated with fewer tremors and better movement.
    3. Discontinue ALL soy products, and milk (cow’s milk / dairy variety),
  4. Nutritional supplements: I’m make sure that I didn’t have a single nutrient deficiency known to cause or exacerbate a neurological disease. Here are the known connection.
    1. Parkinson’s: deficiencies of folic acid, B12, vitamins C, E and D are highly associated. Besides getting out in the sun, I’d be taking daily Maxi Multi’s to have achieve the recommended doses of these vitamins. CoQ10 has also shown to slow progression of the disease, but the dose needs to be higher, 1,200mg per day. Avoid iron, as iron overload can cause Parkinson’s and a number of other diseases. (You should be tested for iron overload with a serum ferritin test).
    2. M.S.: vitamin D deficiency is associated MS. Lower levels of calcium, magnesium, vitamin E and other antioxidant nutrients have been observed in MS patients and appear to slow progression of the disease. Vitamin B1 and niacin have proven to be useful. As with Parkinson’s, I’d get more sunshine and take Maxi Multis to have all of these nutrient bases covered.
    3. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Hi B12, gamma-E tocopherol, zinc, copper, selenium, CoQ10, Alpha-lipoic acid, Acetyl-L-carnitine, creatine, curcumin, DHEA, glutathion, green tea, N-acetylcysteine, grape seed extract (OPC’s), resveratrol (grape skin extract) and vinpocetin. These vitamins, minerals amino acids and trace minerals have all been shown to alter various aspects of the disease.
  5. Schedule a telephone consultation with ME, or someone just like me. A physician who is not limited by conventional medical techniques (but is still trained in them and can prescribe all conventional tests and drugs) will be your best bet for obtaining a full and complete evaluation of the causes of neurological disease. The sooner this is done, the better the chance for a more full and complete recovery.

I hope this provides help and comfort to the numerous health-seekers who contacted me this week about neurological concerns!

References:

  1. Journal of January Neurochemistry 2002;80:101-110
  2. Neurology March 22, 2005;64(6):1047-1051
  3. Journal Clinical Toxicology 2003;41(1):67-70
  4. American Journal Epidemiology March 1, 2003;157(5):409-14
  5. Malosse D, Perron H, Sasco A, Seigneurin JM. Correlation between milk and dairy product consumption and multiple sclerosis prevalence: a worldwide study. Neuroepidemiology 1992;11:304–12.
  6. Swank RL. Multiple sclerosis: fat-oil relationship. Nutrition 1991;7:368–76.
  7. Esparza ML, Saski S, Kesteloot H. Nutrition, latitude, and multiple sclerosis mortality: an ecologic study. Am J Epidemiol 1995;142:733–7.
  8. Dines KC, Powell HC. Mast cell interactions with the nervous system: relationship to mechanisms of disease. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 1997;56:627–40.
  9. Stern EI. The intraspinal injection of vitamin B1 for the relief of intractable pain, and for inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the central nervous system. Am J Surg 1938;34:495.
  10. Moore MT. Treatment of multiple sclerosis with nicotinic acid and vitamin B1. Arch Int Med 1940;65:18.
  11. Fahn S. A pilot trial of high-dose alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate in early Parkinson’s disease. Ann Neurol 1992;32:S128–32.
  12. Shoulson I. DATATOP: a decade of neuroprotective inquiry. Parkinson Study Group. Deprenyl And Tocopherol Antioxidative Therapy Of Parkinsonism. Ann Neurol 1998;44:S160–6.
  13. Fahn S. A pilot trial of high-dose alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate in early Parkinson’s disease. Ann Neurol 1992;32:S128–32.
  14. Dexter DT, Carayon A, Javoy-Agid F, et al. Alterations in the levels of iron, ferritin and other trace metals in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases affecting the basal ganglia. Brain 1991;114:1953–75.
  15. Dexter DT, Carayon A, Javoy-Agid F, et al. Alterations in the levels of iron, ferritin and other trace metals in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases affecting the basal ganglia. Brain 1991;114:1953–75.
  16. Pall HS, Williams AC, Blake DR, et al. Raised cerebrospinal fluid copper concentration in Parkinson’s disease. Lancet 1987;2(8553):238–41.
  17. Nutritional factors in the pathogenesis and therapy of respiratory insufficiency in neuromuscular diseases. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. 1993;48(4):327–330.
  18. N-acetyl-L-cysteine improves survival and preserves motor performance in an animal model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuroreport. 2000;11(11):2491–2493.
  19. Effects of an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, desmethylselegiline, trientine, and lipoic acid in transgenic ALS mice. Exp Neurol. 2001b;168(2):419–424.
  20. Increases in cortical glutamate concentrations in transgenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice are attenuated by creatine supplementation. J Neurochem. 2001a;77(2):383–390.
  21. Glutathione peroxidase in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: the effects of selenium supplementation. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol . 1998;17(3–4):325–329.
  22. Vitamin E intake and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Neurol . 2005;57(1):104–110.
  23. Coenzyme Q10 as a possible treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Free Radic Res . 2002;36(4):455–460.
  24. Neurodegenerative memory disorders: a potential role of environmental toxins. Neurol Clin . 2005;23(2):485–521.
  25. Nutritional issues and supplements in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2002;5(6):631–643.
  26. Acetyl-L-carnitine and Alzheimer’s disease: pharmacological considerations beyond the cholinergic sphere. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1993;695:324–326.
  27. Zinc metabolism in the brain: relevance to human neurodegenerative disorders. Neurobiol Dis. 1997;4(3–4):137–169.
  28. The role of excitotoxicity in neurodegenerative disease: implications for therapy. Pharmacol Ther. 1999;81(3):163–221.
  29. Protection by dietary zinc in ALS mutant G93A SOD transgenic mice. Neurosci Lett . 2005;379(1):42–46.
  30. Therapeutic efficacy of EGb761 ( Gingko biloba extract) in a transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Mol Neurosci . 2001;17(1):89–96.
  31. High dose vitamin E therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as add-on therapy to riluzole: results of a placebo-controlled double-blind study. J Neural Transm . 2005;112(5):649–660.
  32. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and occupational heavy metal exposure: a case-control study. Neuroepidemiology . 1986;5(1):29–38 .
  33. Feeding acetyl-L-carnitine and lipoic acid to old rats significantly improves metabolic function while decreasing oxidative stress. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99(4):1870–1875.
  34. Neuroprotective effect of green tea extract in experimental ischemia-reperfusion brain injury. Brain Res Bull. 2000;53(6):743–749.
  35. Kinetics of reduction of ferrylmyoglobin by (-)-epigallocatechin gallate and green tea extract. J Agric Food Chem. 2002;50(10):2998–3003.
  36. Effect of ultrahigh-dose methylcobalamin on compound muscle action potentials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a double-blind controlled study. Muscle Nerve . 1998;21(12):1775–1778.
  37. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS) protect hippocampal neurons against excitatory amino acid-induced neurotoxicity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998;95(4):1852–1857.
  38. Antioxidants and herbal extracts protect HT-4 neuronal cells against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity. Free Radic Res. 2000;32(2):115–124.
  39. Evidence for the stimulatory effect of resveratrol on Ca(2+)- activated K+ current in vascular endothelial cells. Cardiovasc Res 2000;45(4):1035–1045.
  40. Lim GP, Chu T, et al. The curry spice curcumin reduces oxidative damage and amyloid pathology in an Alzheimer transgenic mouse. J Neurosci. 2001;21(21):8370–8377.
  41. Curcumin, a molecule that inhibits the Ca2+-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum but increases the rate of accumulation of Ca2+. J Biol Chem. 2001;276(50):46905–46911.
  42. Randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of acetylcysteine in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Arch Neurol. 1995;52(6):559–564.
  43. Mano Y, Takayanagi T, et al. [Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and mercury—preliminary report]. Rinsho Shinkeigaku. 1990;30(11):1275–1277.
  44. Neuroprotection by dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate: role of an NFkappaB-like factor. Neuroreport. 1998;9(4):759–763.
  45. Coenzyme Q10 administration increases brain mitochondrial concentrations and exerts neuroprotective effects. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A . 1998;95(15):8892–8897.
  46. Effects of creatine supplementation on exercise performance and muscular strength in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: preliminary results. J Neurol Sci. 2001;191(1–2):139–144.
  47. Mitochondrial involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurochem Int. 2002;40(6):543–551.
  48. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: toxins and environment. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord . 2000;1(4):235–250.
  49. Prolonged pretreatment with alpha-lipoic acid protects cultured neurons against hypoxic, glutamate-, or iron-induced injury. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 1995;15(4):624–630.
  50. Biochemical characterization of plasma in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: amino acid and protein composition. Amyotoph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord . 2005;6(2):104–110.
  51. Clinical pharmacology of the dietary supplement creatine monohydrate. Pharmacol Rev. 2001;53(2):161–176.
  52. Antioxidant therapy in ALS. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord. 2000;1(Suppl 4):5–12; discussion 13–15.
  53. An increase of oxidized coenzyme Q-10 occurs in the plasma of sporadic ALS patients. J Neurol Sci . 2005;228(1):49–53.
  54. The slippage of the Ca2+ pump and its control by anions and curcumin in skeletal and cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. J Biol Chem. 2002;277(16):13900–13906.
  55. Potential for creatine and other therapies targeting cellular energy dysfunction in neurological disorders. Ann Neurol. 2001;49(5):561–574.
  56. A 1-year controlled trial of acetyl-1 -carnitine in early-onset AD. Neurology. 2000;55(6):805–810.
  57. Effect of creatine supplementation on metabolite levels in ALS motor cortices. Exp Neurol. 2001;172(2):377–382.
  58. Vinpocetine-enhanced stimulation of calcium-activated potassium currents in rat pituitary GH3 cells. Biochem Pharmacol. 2001;61(7):877–892.
  59. Alpha lipoic acid inhibits TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation and adhesion molecule expression in human aortic endothelial cells. Faseb J . 2001;15(13): 2423–2432.

 

Butterbur (MigraMAXX)


Natural Support For Migraine Headache and Hay Fever

ButterburrButterbur (Petasites hybridus) contains petasin, a substance which relaxes blood vessels and certain smooth muscles and is anti-inflammatory. Studies have shown that butterbur is useful for:

  • hay fever
  • migraine headaches

Butterbur and Hay Fever

Butterbur has been shown in studies to be as effective as drugs at relieving hay fever symptoms but without adverse side effects

One study compared Butterbur to the drug cetirizine (Zyrtec) and found that both relieved symptoms equally well. However, the drug was associated with a higher rate of adverse side effects including drowsiness.

A second study compared butterbur extract with fexofenadine (Allegra). Butterbur was just as effective as fexofenadine at relieving symptoms.

Butterbur and Migraine Headache

Studies have shown that Butterbur reduces the frequency of migraine headaches. The amount of Butterbur needed to be effective was 75mg of a standardized 15% petasin extract taken at least twice per day. Smaller doses were not effective in reducing migraine frequency.

Butterbur may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids which can cause liver damage, use only extracts which have the pyrrolizidine alkaloids removed. This will be stated on the label.

References

1.) Wang GJ, Shum AY, Lin YL, et al. Calcium channel blockade in vascular smooth muscle cells: Major hypotensive mechanism of S-petasin, a hypotensive sesquiterpene from Petasites formosanus. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2001;297:240–6.
2.) Thomet OA, Schapowal A, Heinisch IV, et al. Anti-inflammatory activity of an extract of Petasites hybridus in allergic rhinitis. Int Immunopharmacol 2002;2:997–1006.
3.) Lipton RB, Gobel H, Einhaupl KM, et al. Petasites hybridus root (butterbur) is an effective preventive treatment for migraine. Neurology 2004;63:2240–4.
4.) Lee DK, Haggart K, Robb FM, Lipworth BJ. Butterbur, a herbal remedy, confers complementary anti-inflammatory activity in asthmatic patients receiving inhaled corticosteroids. Clin Exp Allergy 2004; 34:110–4.
5.) Ziolo G, Samochewiec L. Study on clinical properties and mechanism of action of petasites in bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Pharm Acta Helv 1998;72:378–80.
6.) Schapowal A, Petasites Study Group. Randomised controlled trial of butterbur and cetirizine for treating seasonal allergic rhinitis. BMJ 2002;324:144–6.
7.) Lee DK, Gray RD, Robb FM, et al. A placebo-controlled evaluation of butterbur and fexofenadine on objective and subjective outcomes in perennial allergic rhinitis. Clin Exp Allergy 2004;34:646–9.
8.) Schapowal A; Petasites Study Group. Butterbur Ze339 for the treatment of intermittent allergic rhinitis: dose-dependent efficacy in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004 Dec;130(12):1381-6.
9.) Lee DK, Carstairs IJ, Haggart K, Jackson CM, Currie GP, Lipworth BJ. Butterbur, a herbal remedy, attenuates adenosine monophosphate induced nasal responsiveness in seasonal allergic rhinitis. Clin Exp Allergy. 2003 Jul;33(7):882-6.
10.) Käufeler R, Polasek W, Brattström A, Koetter U. Efficacy and safety of butterbur herbal extract Ze 339 in seasonal allergic rhinitis: postmarketing surveillance study.Adv Ther. 2006 Mar-Apr;23(2):373-84.
11.) Diener HC, Rahlfs VW. Danesch U. The first placebo-controlled trial of a special butterbur extract for the prevention of migraine: reanalysis of efficacy criteria. Eur Neurol 2004;51:89–97.
12.) Grossmann M, Schmidramsl H. An extract of Petasites hybridus is effective in the prophylaxis of migraine. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 2000;38:430–5.
13.) Pothmann R, Danesch U. Migraine prevention in children and adolescents: results of an open study with a special butterbur root extract. Headache 2005;45:196–203.
14.) Lipton RB, Gobel H, Einhaupl KM, et al. Petasites hybridus root (butterbur) is an effective preventive treatment for migraine. Neurology 2004;63:2240–4.

 

Magnesium Stearate: In Search of The Truth


An interview with  Dr. Dana Myatt, N.M.D.

Biography:
Dr. Myatt is a graduate of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and has been in multi-disciplinary, full-scope family practice for 23 years. In addition to her nationwide family practice, she frequently speaks at medical and lay conferences across the country on topics in holistic medicine.  She is the founder and CEO of  Dr. Myatt Nutritionals, her own line of nutritional supplements since 1994.

Dr. Myatt is author of “A Physician’s Diary” (A.R.E. Press, 1994) and the upcoming “Ketone Zone Diet” .  She is a member of  The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.  She is also a certified Advanced Hazmat Life Support provider and instructor.

Magnesium stearate, a common ingredient in many nutritional supplements, has gotten a bad rap from several nutritional supplement companies and online physicians.  One doctor has gone so far as to claim that it forms a deadly “biofilm” in the intestines and suppresses the immune system.  Since magnesium stearate is so widely used in the nutritional industry, we felt it important to carefully examine these claims.

 

After watching this thorough and completely scientifically referenced video by Dr. Dana Myatt on the subject, a nutritional supplement industry reporter named Jill requested an interview to learn the truth about magnesium stearate.

Here is that interview.

Jill: Dr. Myatt, what exactly is magnesium stearate and what is its role in nutritional supplements?

Dr. Myatt:  Magnesium stearate is a simple salt of two common substances, the mineral magnesium and the saturated fat stearic acid.  It is used as a “flow agent” in many nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals.

Jill: Could you explain a bit more about magnesium stearate?

Dr. Myatt:  Magnesium stearate is a salt that contains two common ingredients, a fatty acid called stearic acid and the mineral magnesium. Together they form magnesium stearate.

Magnesium stearate contains two molecules of stearic acid and one molecule of magnesium.  The molecule is held together by ionic bonds — the definition of a salt — that break apart easily in acid, the condition found in the human stomach.  Though the name may make it sound like a synthetic, space-age molecule, both magnesium and stearic acid are abundantly available in many foods in our diet.  In order to really understand magnesium stearate, let’s look at its two components.

Magnesium is an essential mineral, the major mineral most likely to be deficient in the American diet. (1)  I don’t think anyone would argue the safety of magnesium.

Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid found in many foods including eggs, chicken, grass-fed beef, coconut oil, walnuts, cheese, chocolate , salmon and human breast milk to name just a few. (2)

Both magnesium and stearic acid are not only safe, they are beneficial to human health. Magnesium stearate is simply a salt that combines both of these molecules.

Jill: What is a “flow agent” and why is it used?

Dr. Myatt:  Flow agents help ensure a consistent dose of product in each capsule. Magnesium stearate does this by preventing individual ingredients from sticking to each other and from sticking to the encapsulating machines.  It allows manufacturers to create a consistently homogenous mix, so the amount of active ingredients is the same from capsule to capsule or tablet to tablet.  In other words, the use of magnesium stearate and other flow agents helps ensure consistency and quality control.

Jill: Some companies claim to fame is that they do not use flow agents or other “inert ingredients.” Is that a good thing?

Dr. Myatt: This might sound good to consumers who do not understand the nuances of good supplement manufacturing practices,  so some companies use it as a selling point.

The truth, however, is that companies who don’t use flow agents are more likely to have inconsistent doses of ingredients in each capsule or tablet. This aspect of quality control is so important that the FDA is said to be considering the issue as part of their new GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) guidelines.  If flow agents are added to the GMP’s, all manufacturers may be required to use flow agents to ensure consistency. Flow agents are that important for quality control.

Jill: Do most drugs, vitamins and supplements contain more than just the active ingredient? Can they be made without them?

Dr. Myatt:  Almost all drugs and supplements contain inactive ingredients. These “inactives” serve multiple purposes.  Flow agents, as we discussed, help ensure consistent dosing in each tablet or capsule. Some products contain fillers like cellulose which acts as a binder in tablets and helps fill out the size of tablets or capsules.

Herbs can be encapsulated and additional herb used as filler, so these products may contain only “actives.”

So yes, it is possible to make capsules or tablets without inactive ingredients, but quality control becomes more difficult.  Manufacturing without minute amounts of inactives is possible but drives the price of the supplement up unnecessarily.  There is no proven benefit to manufacturing without magnesium stearate except as a marketing angle.

Jill: One doctor claims that magnesium stearate suppresses immune t-cell function and causes the collapse of cell membrane integrity in helper t-cells.  Is there any scientific support for this?

Dr. Myatt: (laughing) Not unless you’re a mouse. This claim amuses me the most, because the doctor who promotes the idea that magnesium stearate is dangerous also promotes and sells a lot of foods that are high in steric acid, claiming it to be a healthy fat, which it is.

The entire argument is based on the gross misrepresentation of a single mouse study. Here’s the “Cliff notes”:

The entire claim is based on a single study—- that’s right, one study — performed in 1990, using mouse T-cells in a Petrie dish. When mouse T-cells were incubated (read that: “soaked” or bathed) with stearic acid — not magnesium stearate, but stearic acid — there was indeed a collapse of the cell membrane and a loss of T-cell function. (3) This study was never repeated.

But here’s the factoid that magnesium stearate naysayers conveniently “forget” to mention.  Mouse t-cells are known to lack the delta-9 desaturase enzyme that converts stearic acid into oleic acid. This was mentioned right in the same mouse-cell study.  Mouse T-cells can apparently become toxic from high levels of stearic acid, at least in a Petrie dish and at levels far above what could ordinarily be achieved from diet.

Human t-cells have the delta-9 desaturase enzyme that converts stearic acid to oleic acid, so human T-cells don’t develop this same toxic build-up when exposed to stearic acid. (4)

Bottom line: Mice lack an enzyme in their T-calls that humans have, so stearic acid is toxic to mouse T-calls and not to human T-cells. Stated another way: humans are not mice.

Jill: So… stearic acid isn’t bad for humans? What’s the difference between stearic acid and stearate?

Dr. Myatt: Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid and one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in nature.(5) The term “stearate” is used when steric acid is part of a salt (as when stearic acid combines with magnesium to form magnesium stearate). The terms steric acid and stearate can be used interchangeably.

Jill:  But isn’t stearic acid or stearate toxic at some dose?

Dr. Myatt:  Water is toxic if the dose is high enough.

Anybody concerned about the minute amount of stearic acid in supplements should know the following:

  • The daily adult intake of stearic acid from food (US adult) averages about 7,000 mg/day.(6)
  • A person taking 20 vitamin capsules weighing 500 mg each and containing 1% magnesium stearate would take in less than 96 mg of stearic acid per day. Manufacturers typically use 0.25% – 5% magnesium stearate in nutritional formulations.
  • The amount of stearic acid from supplements in the above scenario is 1.3% of the total daily adult intake.
  • Magnesium stearate is considered safe for human consumption at levels below 2,500 mg/kg per day. This equates to 170,000 mg per day as a safe dose for a 150-pound adult.(7) That’s almost 6 ounces of pure magnesium stearate.

Jill: Got it. Magnesium stearate is magnesium plus stearic acid, correct?  Is there something about the two molecules that, once combined, makes it behave differently than the two separate molecules? In other words, is magnesium stearate actually different than magnesium and steric acid?

Dr. Myatt:  No, there is nothing special or different about magnesium stearate. It is a simple salt of magnesium and stearic acid. Here is the chemical “short course”:

Magnesium Stearate = 2 stearic acid + 1 magnesium

This salt disassociates (comes apart) readily in the acidic medium of the human digestive tract.

One claim I’ve seen is that the addition of magnesium stearate to supplements decreases bioavailability. What the studies actually show is that absorption might be slowed somewhat but overall absorption is not decreased. (8,9)

Jill:  Another claim is that magnesium stearate a chalklike substance that gums up your intestines and prevents absorption of your nutrients.  Fact or fiction?

Dr. Myatt: Fiction.

Magnesium stearate is definitely not a chalk. Chalks are soft, stone-like minerals, including things like gypsum (calcium sulfate) CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) and CaO (calcium oxide).  Remember that magnesium stearate is a salt, containing approximately 96% stearic acid, which is a saturated fat. The other 4% is magnesium. Chalks are combinations of minerals, but magnesium stearate is mostly saturated fat.

How could a fat be a chalk? It isn’t, not by any known scientific definition of a chalk.

Even if it were a chalk, you shouldn’t be worried about it gumming up your intestines or “caking the lining.” Why? Because if you did eat chalk, like calcium carbonate, which is a form of calcium used in many nutritional supplements, your digestive system would break it down to its mineral components. Human digestion is truly amazing.

By the way, I used to perform quite a few endoscopies in clinic. This is where you examine the lining of the large intestine with a special scope, looking for polyps. I never once saw anyone with a “caking of the lining” of their intestinal tract.  Tenacious, dry stool sometimes, yes. But “caking” with a chalk-like substance? Never. If this story about “caking the lining” is told by a doctor, it must be one who has never actually visualized the inside of the large intestine.

Jill: OK. No T-cell collapse in humans, no “caking of the lining” of intestines. How about the claim that magnesium stearate stimulates the gut to form a biofilm? And is a biofilm a sludge that would act as a barrier to the absorption of nutrients?

Dr. Myatt: There is not one single scientific reference or study to support this claim.  In fact, if you know what a biofilm is — and I’m going to tell you in just a minute — you’ll see that this entire argument is completely preposterous. It has no basis in any known science.

To clarify for those readers who haven’t seen it, this internet legend, promoted by a well-known doctor, says that a biofilm is basically like the “sludge in your toilet tank,” and that magnesium stearate causes this sludge and prevents nutrient absorption. Just as there is a big difference between a chalk and a fat, a biofilm is not akin to sludge, a.k.a. “soap scum” that you might find in your toilet tank.  By the way, I don’t have soap scum in my toilet tank. But I digress.

A toilet tank film or bathtub ring occurs when hard water, containing calcium or magnesium, reacts with fatty acid in soap to form a so-called “soap scum.” If you live in a hard-water area, you’ll see this as an annoying white film on your shower curtain.

Humans get significant amounts of magnesium, calcium and fatty acids — the ingredients in soap scum —from diet. But we don’t form soap scums in our bodies because of our digestive enzymes and acids. Further, soap scum is not biofilm — not even close.

We learned that soap scum is a mineral (usually calcium or magnesium) plus fatty acids. Humans eat both all day, every day and do not develop a “scum” in their intestines.

Biofilms are layers of bacteria or yeast embedded in the gel-like substance they secrete. They tend to be highly antibiotic-resistant and often fatal.  As to the claim that stearic acid causes biofilms, this is completely without any scientific evidence. In fact, several studies have shown just the opposite — stearic acid actually helps prevent the formation of biofilms. (10,11)

Jill:  Next claim.  Magnesium stearate made from contaminated oils from genetically engineered crops. True?

Dr. Myatt:  OK, let’s talk dirty. Magnesium stearate is most commonly sourced from cottonseed oil or palm oil and it’s true that cotton can be a GMO crop and is typically high in pesticides. But even if the starting cottonseed oil is contaminated, the finished product, stearic acid, is so highly purified that contamination really isn’t an issue. Cottonseed-derived stearic acid is so purified and the final molecule so far-removed from the original source, it doesn’t carry any pesticide residue. We might as well worry about the food-grade additive cellulose, which is also obtained either from wood waste (we call that “sawdust” out here in Arizona) or cotton waste (known as “gin trash,” — the waste cotton remaining in the cotton gin). (12)

Just like taking dirty water and purifying it into something clean and drinkable, purifying cottonseed oil to obtain stearic acid delivers a pure finished product.

And by the way, stearic acid can also be derived from palm oil, which many manufacturers, myself included, use as the source of their stearic acid.

Jill:   Is magnesium stearate often contaminated during processing, as one doctor claims?

Dr. Myatt:  Contamination during the manufacture of supplements or pharmaceuticals can occur anywhere along the entire manufacturing process.   That is why quality supplement manufacturers test raw materials before purchase; after purchase when they are received; after mixing and after encapsulating. Raw materials can occasionally become cross contaminated, and that’s why quality manufacturers employ so many tests and inspections all along the process.

Now, is magnesium stearate one of the substances more likely to be contaminated? Absolutely not. There is one reported instance of a raw materials manufacturer notifying the World Health Organization that several batches of magnesium stearate had been cross contaminated with zeolite (sodium aluminum silicate), calcium hydroxide, and several other substances. The contamination was determined to be due to incomplete cleaning of air milling equipment. This was traced to a single raw materials manufacturer and was an isolated event.  Moreover, WHO found the contaminating substances to be present in such minute amounts that they posed no health risk.  And this was self-reported by the manufacturer of the raw material before it was used in product.(13)

Jill:  Is magnesium stearate going to be removed from supplements by the Codex Committee on Food Additives?

Dr. Myatt:  No. The Codex Committee considered removing magnesium stearate from the acceptable food list, not because of any danger, but because they didn’t see the use for it in food. They were simply trying to trim up their list of allowed food additives.  When food manufacturers pointed out that magnesium stearate is an important and safe anti-caking agent, it was reinstated.  Removing magnesium stearate from Codex for use in nutritional supplements has never been considered as far as I can determine.

Magnesium stearate is currently approved by FDA regulations for use in food and supplements. (14,15)

Jill: Is there room for disagreement in the supplement industry on what is safe and effective?

Dr. Myatt:  (laughing) Is the Pope Catholic?

I don’t always agree with my colleagues in the nutritional supplement industry. Some ingredients and doses based on the scientific literature are arguable. With most issues in medicine, there is no black and white. There is instead, “ten thousand shades of gray.” In many instances, there is evidence on both sides of the question.

But the evidence is not “mixed” on the safety of magnesium stearate. The evidence says that magnesium stearate, a simple salt of magnesium and stearic acid, is a safe and effective flow agent that helps maintain dose consistency, and there really isn’t any evidence to the contrary.  At least I haven’t found any, and I’ve looked long and hard at these claims because I, too, manufacture nutritional supplements and use magnesium stearate as a flow agent.  So I had to know if any of these claims had even a shred of basis in fact. They don’t.

That’s not to say that new evidence won’t emerge, but right now, the damning claims for magnesium stearate are completely without scientific verification or substantiation.

Jill:  Dr. Myatt, you have completely dismantled the “danger claims” of magnesium stearate, all supported with verifiable references.  Why would some companies and doctors make these claims if they have no basis in fact?

Dr. Myatt: There is a lot of competition in the nutritional industry today. Everybody and their brother is selling supplements, or so it seems. Companies must distinguish themselves in order to get a toe-hold in the industry. Think about it.

If 537 other companies are selling a calcium supplement, why should you buy mine? Everybody is looking for a unique selling angle.  “More bioavailable,” “72% more absorbable,” “nano-technology,” and on and on. Some of these claims have merit, but many are just marketing hype.

One “angle” is to claim that magnesium stearate is dangerous, bad, or evil — never mind the proof aspect. To paraphrase the movies, “We don’t need no stinking proof”!  And since the majority of manufactures who use magnesium stearatedo so because it is one of the absolute safest and best flow agents, claiming that it is bad and then making a supplement without it is a marketing strategy, nothing else.  Considering how few people do their “homework” on such claims — witness how these many unsubstantiated claims about magnesium stearate are now accepted “facts” in the minds of many — the technique is probably  fairly effective as a marketing tool.  But in my opinion this is not simply “misrepresentation.” Someone is telling outright lies.

Jill: (laughing) Wow — don’t hold back, Dr. Myatt. Why don’t you tell us what you really think?! Do you have any parting thoughts for our readers?

Dr. Myatt: Don’t believe something just because you read it, heard it or learned it at the University of Google. Check references. See if there is known science or studies to support claims.  Blind sheep can easily be led off a cliff.

Also, use supplements from manufacturers that you have researched and trust.  There are a number of quality manufacturers who are just as concerned with providing pure and health-giving products as they are with their bottom line and who believe that quality is the best way to stay in business.

Jill: Thank you Dr. Myatt for this most informative and, dare I say, entertaining Q & A.

Dr. Myatt: It’s always a pleasure to help set the scientific record straight.

References:

1.) National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
2.) USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24
3.) Tebbey PW, Buttke TM. Molecular basis for the immunosuppressive action of stearic acid on T cells. Immunology. 1990 Jul;70(3):379-84.  Full Text article: NCBI
4.) Anel A, Naval J, González B, Uriel J, Piñeiro A. Fatty acid metabolism in human lymphocytes. II. Activation of fatty acid desaturase-elongase systems during blastic transformation. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1990 Jun 14;1044(3):332-9.
5.) Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional
6.) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. What we eat in America,
NHANES 2001-2002, individuals 2 years and over (excluding breast-fed children).www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12355000/pdf/Table_1_BIA.pdf., page 5. Accessed 06/28/12
7.) Søndergaard D, Meyer O, Würtzen G. Magnesium stearate given perorally to rats. A short term study.Toxicology. 1980;17(1):51-5.
8.) Alija Uzunović, Edina Vranić; “Effect Of Magnesium Stearate Concentration On Dissolution Properties Of Ranitidine Hydrochloride Coated Tablets”; Bosnian Journal Of Basic Medical Sciences, 2007, 7(3): 279-283
9.)  Natalie D. Eddington, Muhammad Ashraf, Larry L. Augsburger, James L. Leslie, Michael J. Fossler, Lawrence J. Lesko, Vinod P. Shah, Gurvinder Singh Rekhi; “Identification of Formulation and Manufacturing Variables That Influence In Vitro Dissolution and In Vivo Bioavailability of Propranolol Hydrochloride Tablets”; Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, Volume 3, Issue 4 November 1998 , pages 535–547
10.) Soni KA, Jesudhasan P, Cepeda M, Widmer K, Jayaprakasha GK, Patil BS, Hume ME, Pillai SD. Identification of ground beef-derived fatty acid inhibitors of autoinducer-2-based cell signaling. J Food Prot. 2008 Jan;71(1):134-8.
11.) Liaw SJ, Lai HC, Wang WB. Modulation of swarming and virulence by fatty acids through the RsbA protein in Proteus mirabilis. Infect Immun. 2004 Dec;72(12):6836-45.
12.) USDA. Cellulose. www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5066975
13.) World Health Organization Quality of Medicines for Everyone, Contaminated magnesium stearate VG EP excipient manufactured by Ferro, supplied by Signet and used in finished pharmaceutical products, December 22, 2011. http://apps.who.int/prequal/info_press/documents/Mg-Stearate_InformationNote_Dec2011.pdf
14.) Food and Drug Administration, CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, accessed Sept. 10, 2012.
15.) Food and Drug Administration, Select Committee on GRAS Substances (SCOGS) Opinion: Magnesium stearate, accessed Sept. 10, 2012

Kava-Kava


Natural Anti-Anxiety and Muscle Relaxant Support

Description – Kava Kava (Piper methysticum) is approved in Europe as a treatment for nervous anxiety, depression, insomnia, and restlessness.  Clinical studies have found Kava Kava as effective as benzodiazepine drugs but without the undesirable side effects (impaired mental acuity and addiction).

Kava is also an antispasmodic and  muscle relaxant.  It has anesthetic effects on the urinary tubules and bladder.  With its analgesic properties, Kava is a good remedy for chronic pain. Kava is also effective for intestinal colic (pain) caused by IBS.

Suggested dose: 1 Capsule (40-75 mg kavalactones per cap) 1-3 times per day.

Dr. Myatt’s Comment: I find that kava is much more effective when taken as a tea, which is the way it is traditionally used. Open 4-6 capsules in a cup of hot water. Sweeten to taste. NOTE: kava has a bitter taste that must be “acquired.” Sweetening may help. If you know how much anti-anxiety or muscle tension relief it is going to give you, kava’s taste seems a small price to pay.

Additional Note: You may have heard or read about safety questions concerning kava. As it turns out, only the stem, leaf and peeled root bark cause problems; the whole lateral root does not. This kava product contains whole lateral root only. Read here for more information about the “kava kava mystery.”

Lavela

Lavender is an Ancient Calming and Soothing Essential Oil

Lavela WS 1265Lavender has long been valued for it’s ability to promote relaxation and it was treasured by the ancients as a soothing, relaxing oil.

This ancient wisdom was passed through generations of healers who understood that a sprig of fresh lavender or a few drops of lavender oil on a cotton ball and placed in a patient’s room would often bring calmness and sleep when all else had failed.

Up until this time it has not been possible totake lavender orally in any meaningful amount – like most essential oils it is not palatable when taken by mouth.

Now you can experience the benefits of this calming, soothing essential oil in a convenient, easy to swallow coated softgel capsule.

Lavela WS 1265 contains clinically studied lavender oil intended for the relief of occasional anxiety

When used for occasional anxiety, Lavela WS 1265 has been shown to promote relaxation and calm nervousness safely and effectively, as demonstrated in controlled trials published in peer-reviewed medical journals.

Lavela WS 1265 had a significant beneficial influence on quality and duration of sleep and improved general mental and physical health without causing any unwanted sedative effects. Researchers concluded that Lavela WS 1265 was “both efficacious and safe” for the relief of occasional anxiety not otherwise specified.* It has a clinically demonstrable relaxing effect and was found to support restful sleep.

References

1. Kasper S, Gastpar M, Müller WE, et al. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 2010;25:277–
87.
2. Woelk H, Schläfke S. Phytomedicine 2010;17:94–9.
3. Hidalgo RB, Tupler LA, Davidson JR. J Psychopharmacol 2007;21:864 72.
4. Woelk H, Kapoula O, Lehr S, Schröter K, Weinholz P (1999). Healthnotes Review
6:265–70.
5. Bielski RJ, Bose A, Chang CC. Ann Clin Psychiatry 2005 Apr-Jun;17(2):65–9.
6. Allgulander C, Hartford J, Russell J, et al. Curr Med Res Opin 2007
Jun;23(6):1245–52. Epub 2007 Apr 25.

HYPOGLYCEMIA (LOW BLOOD SUGAR)


Natural Support For This Dietary Imbalance

Hypoglycemia results when there is an abnormally low level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. This condition is often caused by an excess secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Symptoms of hypoglycemia can mimic many other conditions. Any or all of the following can be experienced during a hypoglycemic episode: weakness, heart palpitations, anxiety, dizziness, headache, depression, weakness in the legs, tightness in the chest, numbness and/or tingling of body parts, insomnia, confusion, craving for sweets or starches, and nervous habits. Poor adrenal function and abnormal carbohydrate metabolism often occur with hypoglycemia.

Although heredity can play a role, the most common cause of hypoglycemia is dietary imbalance. Nutritional deficiencies compound the problem. A diet that is high in refined carbohydrates will aggravate or even cause hypoglycemia. Paradoxically, these foods will give temporary relief of symptoms during a low blood sugar “episode” and are therefore often eaten by hypoglycemics.

If ignored, the condition may predispose to development of Type II (adult-onset) diabetes. Because of their high sugar intake, many hypoglycemics also develop candidiasis.

DIET AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Eat only unrefined (complex) carbohydrates. Avoid all processed grains and sugars (except fresh fruit) The Super Fast Diet is EXCELLENT for hypoglycemics.
  • Always eat breakfast and include protein with this meal. (Eggs, tofu, Super Pro ‘96, whey powder, etc.)
  • Do not use coffee, tobacco, alcohol, or sugar.
  • Exercise regularly. Exercise stabilizes blood sugar levels.
  • Practice stress reduction techniques: meditation, prayer, biofeedback, deep breathing. Stress releases excess adrenalin which lowers blood sugar levels.

PRIMARY SUPPORT

  • Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal (not minimal) doses of antioxidants (ACES), magnesium, B complex vitamins, and chromium are particularly important for correcting hypoglycemia.
  • Ultra-Chrome (chromium 4-oxopyridine, 2,6 dicarboxylate): 200-500mg daily in addition to multiple vitamin/mineral dose. (This form of chromium is 3 times more potent than chromium picolinate!)
  • Fiber: Maxi Fiber: 1 teaspoon, 3 times per day 10 minutes before meals, OR Fiber Formula: 4-6 caps, 3 times per day before or during meals.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

  • Multi-B-Complex: 1 cap, 2 times per day with meals IF you are not taking the Optimal Doses of B vitamins contained in Maxi Multi.
    • Support any organ system that scored “high” on the Self-Health Questionnaire, pages 6-8 in your Holistic Health Handbook.

 

 

HealthBeat News

HealthBeat Update: Memory-Boosting Supplements: Improving mental function

Alpha-Lipoic Acid is a neurological antioxidant that chelates free iron from the forebrain, thereby protecting against free radical damage. It also improves mitochondrial function (mitochondria are the energy-producing units of cells). It works especially well in conjunction with CoQ10 and acetyl-L-carnitine to improve energy production. Because of its utility for preventing brain aging and preserving neurological function, plus its use in cataract prevention, diabetes, congestive heart failure and neurological diseases, it can correctly be classified as an important anti-aging/ life-extending nutrient.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine, a derivative of the amino acid L-Carnitine, is a vitamin-like compound that transports fatty acids (“fuel”) into the body cells. It also acts as a powerful antioxidant in the brain. The acetyl form of L-Carnitine (ALC) has been shown to be substantially more active than L-Carnitine in brain cells.

ALC has been the subject of numerous studies. It bears a close similarity to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which led researchers to study its use in age-related memory changes. ALC has been proven to offer significant benefit to patients with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and also for people with memory impairment and age-onset depression.

L-Carnitine and its more active form, A-LC have also been shown to be effective as part of weight (fat) loss programs, enhancing the body’s fat-burning ability. This effect proves true even when no deficiency of carnitine is present, meaning that all overweight people will benefit.

Suggest Dose of Each: Acetyl-L-Carnitine: 500mg (1 cap) per day; Alpha Lipoic Acid: 200mg (2 caps) per day.

Ginkgo biloba: Memory enhancement for those over 50 (and those under 50 too!) Ginkgo biloba is one of the most well studied herbs for age related memory changes. Ginkgo is a potent antioxidant. It also increases circulation to small diameter blood vessels (such as those in the brain and extremities.) Studies have verified ginkgo’s efficacy in early-stage Alzheimer’s, multiple infarct dementia (memory changes caused by “mini-strokes”), age related depression, glaucoma, impotence (erectile dysfunction,) MS and vascular insufficiency. It also has anti-allergy effects that make it useful for treatment of chronic respiratory allergies and asthma.

Ginkgo is one of the best-selling natural remedies worldwide. It should be part of the longevity protocol for anyone over the age of 50.

Suggested dose: 1 cap, 2 times per day. (target dose: 240 mg per day of 24% flavoneglycosides)

Phosphatidyle serine (PS): Improved Brain-Cell Function. Phosphatidyle serine (PS) is responsible for normal fluidity and membrane integrity of the brain cells. These functions allow brain cells to communicate efficiently with each other.

The body manufactures PS. Lowered levels of PS are seen in aging in association with impaired mental function and depression in the elderly.

Eleven double-blind studies have verified the effectiveness of PS. Significant improvements were seen in mental performance, behavior, mood, and age-related cognitive decline.

Suggested dose: 1 cap (100 mg PS,) 3 times per day.

B Vitamins, Magnesium and Maxi-Multi: The B Vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folic acid, B12) are all vitally important and work together to regulate energy processes at the cellular level, and by doing so they are vital to the function of nerve and brain cells. Magnesium is a mineral that also plays a big role in energy processes and brain and nerve cell function.

Maxi-Multi is your very best way to be sure you are receiving optimal amounts of these vitamins and minerals, without having to take four or more separate formulas each day. Maxi-Multi provides you with: 1. High potency multiple vitamin / mineral / trace mineral supplement, 2. High potency B complex vitamins, 3. High potency antioxidants (A, carotenes, C, E, selenium, zinc & bioflavinoids) 4. High potency calcium / magnesium (1000 mg / 500 mg). If you only take one nutritional supplement, this should be the one! If you are taking any other “daily vitamin” supplement, do yourself a favor and compare the labels – you’ll see why Maxi-Multi is the way to go. The addition of Plant Enzymes ensures absorption of nutrients. This formula is hypoallergenic and suitable for even highly sensitive individuals.

Ask Dr. Myatt: Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy

Q: I am a postmenopausal woman who never took hormone replacement therapy (HRT). I feel I weathered this change of life pretty well. However, I have developed a chronic vaginal itch that my doctor feels is due to a thinning and drying out of the vaginal tissue. He has prescribed premarin vaginal cream (applied intravaginally) starting at twice a week and then just once a week on an on-going basis. I am hoping that there is a more natural way of dealing with this irritating problem. Any suggestions?

A: Natural hormone replacement therapy is one of the best anti-aging measures a person (male or female) can take. Please read more about “The Climacteric” in your Holistic Health handbook, pages 73-76.

Even with only minimal symptoms of hormone deficiency (the vaginal dryness), I still recommend natural hormone replacement therapy (n-HRT). The key word here is “natural.” The hormones used for such are still prescription, but they are custom-tailored to your needs and hormone profile results, not “generic.” Further, they are “bio identical” to your body’s own hormones, meaning that they are the same hormones and given in similar doses to that of a younger female, not synthetic or un-natural hormones, which cause more health problems than they cure. (Premarin is so named because of its origin: Pregnant Mare’s Urine. I kid not! This stuff is natural for a pregnant horse, but not for a postmenopausal human female!)

Natural hormone replacement therapy may include any or all of the three female estrogens, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA. Maintenance of cardiovascular health, bone density, protection against breast and other hormones related cancers, maintenance of youthful skin tone, prevention of age-related mood and mental changes are all part of the benefit you can expect from same.

How to go about this? First, you need a complete female hormones profile. I prefer the saliva test method because it gives an “average” look at your hormones instead of blood testing, which gives only a ‘snapshot” look. Please refer to page 135 in your Holistic Health Handbook. The complete profile costs $129 and that’s a bargain for all the information we get.

Secondly, you’ll need to hook up with a physician who is trained in hormone replacement therapy, especially natural hormone replacement therapy. Since I have been doing this my entire career (14 years now), “I” come readily to mind to help you with this. Since you are post-menopausal, the “finishing touches” on your corrective hormones will take only a few “tweaks,” and won’t change significantly over the years.

Let me know if I can help you get on some corrective natural hormones. You will age more gracefully and gently if you decide to go this route, and minimize opportunities for illness to get a foothold. Oh, yes, and it should take care of your vaginal dryness handily!