CardioFactor / PreFight by AdapTx Labs

AdapTx Labs CardioFactor. Supplement formulated by Dr. Saleeby for the MMA arena. Athletic enhancement, stamina and strength, safe and legal.

PreFight by AdapTx Labs, formulated by Dr. Saleeby as an adjunct to CardioFactor for training and better recovery times.

Can Chia help with stamina? I know CardioFactor can.

I recently had a patient ask a question the other day about agents to fight fatigue. He was wondering the effects of Chia seed. My response was there are better proven supplements that can improve stamina and shorten recovery time:

A thousand years ago, chia was prized by the ancient Aztecs as a food for energy, endurance, strength and good health. For many generations, natives of the southwestern deserts of what is now part of the United States depended on wild chia seed as a staple food and a source of remedies. According to a book by James Scheer (a nutritionist/writer), historian Harrison Doyle, who, in the early 20th century lived with various tribes in the Americas, wrote that "it was nothing for tribesmen to run for 24 hours on a tablespoon of chia seed and a gourd of water." Unfortunately, is really nothing more than testimonial and anecdotal evidence to date on chia and stamina. More research is required. The real research findings are with adaptogen and other eastern and western herbs. While chia has the potential, more research (double blinded studies) are needed to "prove" its worth in stamina and endurance and fatigue fighting properties.

I have researched and formulated two products for a niche market (Mixed Martial Arts fighters). It was developed as a me-too supplement already in use by endurance cyclists but with a focus on MMA and a very unique formulation never before seen on the market. Besides strength, these fighters rely on endurance, to outlast their opponents should a match go beyond 2 rounds. I developed two products one called CardioFactor and the other PreFight. Both products were very well researched with quite a substantial backing of evidence via scientific study and not just "hear say" or subjective testimonials.

If you are interested in learning more, the products are manufactured in the USA by AdapTx Labs and can be purchased online. I will disclose that my financial interest with this product was in the research and formulation of these products. https://www.adaptxlabs.com for more information.

AdapTx Labs products:

Serving Size: 2 Capsules PREFIGHT
Amount Per Serving
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide USP) 20 mg
Vitamin B6 5 mg
Adaptogen HotMixTM
Jiaogulan 98% (Leaf)
Yerba Mate (20% caffeine) (Leaf)
Panax Ginseng (80% extract) (Root) 750 mg *



Serving Size: 4 Capsules CARDIOFACTOR
Amount Per Serving
Rhodiola rosea (min 3.0% total rosavins) (root) 3000 mg *
Cordyceps sinesis (min 7% cordycepic acid) (mycelia biomass) 600 mg *
Mitochondrial MatrixTM
Suma (Pfaffia paniculata) (root)
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
L-Citrulline Malate
Resveratrol (min 20%) (root) 1,100 mg *




JP Saleeby, MD
www.saleeby.net
www.CarolinaMobileMD.com

Niacin for HDL-C

A recent reader of my DocSaleeby & Wellsphere blog was concerned about his abnormal ECG showing evidence of possible myocardial injury and his cholesterol. He wanted to know if he should start back on high dose Niacin.

My response:

Niacin may be one of the most potent agents out there for elevating HDL-C. However, once myocardial muscle (heart muscle) is damaged it goes through changes as all damaged tissue does, resulting in fibrosis and loss of elasticity, etc. and this cannot be reversed. Once heart muscle is damaged it cannot be repaired, hence the formation of scar tissue which hinders wall motion (as seen on ECHO) and in severe cases aneurysm formation. Prevention by plaque formation, stabilization of plaques, and reduction with the use of natural or synthetic statins (extract of fermented yeast of red rice or pravostatin for example) to reduce LDL-C is proven effective.

Raising HDL-C as a scavenger lipid is also proven and may be more beneficial to lowering LDL-C. If an ECG shows myocardial damage then it is wise to see a cardiologist to be studied further (Cath, ECHO, stress test) to determine the extent of you Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), as lipids are only one risk factor. You may have small coronaries, stable and/or unstable plaque formation (genetically predisposed), or other processes (hypercoagulable state) that may need specific attention and therapeutics. I recommend a daily dose of Aspirin (ASA 81mg) to all my patients over 45 if they are able to tolerate. For more on CADz, read my blog at www.DocSaleeby.blogspot.com

In good health,

JP Saleeby, MD

Thyroid function and diet

I recently had a patient ask me how diet and/or supplements could affect thyroid function. This particular patient has mild hypothyroid, but was reluctant to start on any hormone therapy (natural or synthetic). This was some advice given her on her quest for a better balanced thyroid function with just diet/herbal control:


Researchers have identified that the isoflavones in soy act as potent anti-thyroid agents, and are capable of suppressing thyroid function, and causing or worsening hypothyroidism. Soy is a phytoestrogen, and therefore acts in the body much like a hormone, no surprise that it interacts with the balance of the thyroid's hormonal systems. High consumption of soy products (either by high dose soy supplements or a high concentration of soy and soy-products) in our diet can be detrimental. Very high doses have been proven to cause goiter. I would suggest limits on soy and soy-based foods. In adults, just 30 mg of soy isoflavones per day is the amount found to have a negative impact on thyroid function. This amount of soy isoflavones is found in just 5-8 ounces of soy milk, or 1.5 ounces of miso. So use these products sparingly and definitely NOT daily.

Of course Iodine is very important to thyroid function. Low iodine intake can cause goiter and low thyroid hormones, but in America we have iodinated (iodized) salt to help obliterate this cause of hypothyroid. Make sure you use occasional iodinated salt in you cooking (most processed foods with salt in them don't use iodinated salt). And also a good source of Iodine is sea food (cod, sea bass and shellfish). Kelp is a vegetarian source of iodine.

Additionally, the lauric acid in coconut oil has a stimulant affect on thyroid function. This was discovered in the 1940's, so using coconut oil in your cooking or taking it as a daily supplement may help stimulate higher levels of T4 and T3 naturally.

With fluoridation of water (and fluoride toothpaste) we can see an impact on iodine. Fluoride displaces iodine in the body, so intake of iodine (by iod. salt and seafood) is important to counter the unavoidable fluoridation of municipal water systems and toothpaste.

Some herbals that have a history of increasing thyroid function are: bladderwrack, iceland moss, oat straw, saw palmetto berries, calamus root. There are preparations out there that have these as single or grouped supplements for thyroid health.

A 1/4 teaspoon of iodized table salt provides 95 micrograms of iodine. A 6-ounce portion of ocean fish provides 650 micrograms of iodine. Most people are able to meet the daily recommendations by eating seafood, iodized salt, and plants grown in iodine-rich soil. Recommendations for females age 14 and older: 150 mcg/day of iodine.

JP Saleeby, MD
www.saleeby.net
www.CarolinaMobileMD.com

Moving Carolina MD practice to Uzbekistan

JP & Sharon have decided after much contemplation and planning to move to Uzbekistan. We are moving mostly because we like their flag. Or was it their exceptional health care system?

PS: Oh, don't worry....April Fools!

You need to WATCH THIS

What will become "required viewing" for all my patients is a 2008 documentary on our Food Industry. The title is "FOOD, Inc." and it is available on DVD from NetFlix and others.

I urge you to rent and watch and learn from this video and change you dietary habits for your better and the betterment of our country.

Vesalius Skeleton

ECI Public Announcement on Tipping Point in ED Medicine

http://www.eci-med.com/psa/03_2010/

March 2010 Newsletter

This is the First installment of a monthly health and wellness newsletter. With a topic of the month and health and wellness "pearls" and announcements. I will keep it short and easy to read. This month we will discuss Omega-3 Fatty Acids and options you have for obtaining safe and effective dietary intake of this proven cardiovascular risk reducing supplement.

I am currently working with a retreat center near Charlotte, NC for a weekend of wellness education and relaxation/rejuvenation. More information is forthcoming on the details of the program and location but the tentative date is set for the weekend of May 14th.

Krill Oil the New Omega-3FA Benchmark

By JP Saleeby, MD
Krill oil is an Omega-3 Fatty Acid (n-3FA) rich oil harvested from a very small marine crustacean. Krill are small shrimp like animals ranging from about ½ to 2 inches in length and are one of the most abundant animals in the ocean. Krill is at the bottom of the ocean’s food chain and are eaten by a host of other animals from fish to squid to seals and whales. They in turn feed on phytoplankton which occupies the bottom rung of the food chain. The commercial fishing of krill occurs primarily in the northern Pacific Ocean and southern oceans along the coasts of Canada and Japan. In Japan, krill is fished directly for food and is considered by the Japanese a delicacy called okiami. But other commercial uses include use in aquaculture, sport fishing bait and the production of very high quality n-3FA oils.
In addition to it useful source of a high quality, krill oil shows a lower contaminant level of heavy metals and toxins. For this reason n-3FA is becoming popular as a supplement. Another reason is because of a unique antioxidant that it contains. Astaxanthin is a type of antioxidant that occurs in this marine animal that can protect the human body from the damages of free radicals and oxidative load. The characteristic red-pink color attributed to krill and other crustaceans (like shrimp and lobster) comes from the red pigment in astaxanthin, and is due to the type of algae that the krill ingest.
As we know, antioxidants protect our body from harmful highly reactive substances called free-radicals that are implicated in human disease and degenerative disorders. One unique property of astaxanthin not found in many of the other antioxidants is that it crosses the blood-brain barrier, thus protecting the brain, eyes and our central nervous system where other antioxidants cannot.
Krill oil may become a favorite for those supplementing with n-3FAs as it may be preferred over fish oil (derived from a higher food chain ocean animal) that can accumulate higher levels of mercury and other toxins because they live longer. Another reason is because krill oil does not come with the fishy taste often associated with fish oil. Flax oil is a vegetarian form of n-3FA but there are those people who do not possess a critical enzyme that converts the substrate fatty acid to the desired n-3FA. Remember, krill oil also contains a higher amount of astaxanthin than does fish oil. Flax seed oil contains no astaxanthin.
Krill oil in one scientific study of 120 people with elevated LDL-Cholesterol compared with placebo showed a reduction in LDL by 34% and an increase in HDL (good cholesterol) by 43.5%. When fish oil was compared it had less of an effect on LDL and HDL. Krill also was shown to lower Triglycerides.
Pro-inflammatory conditions such as the discomfort common in premenstrual syndrome and arthritis were relieved by krill oil. Krill oil at a dose of 300mg daily was effective in reducing arthritic symptoms in a study published in the Journal of American College of Nutrition.
Those with allergies to seafood should use caution when taking krill oil as there may be reactions. With the use of any n-3FA, one can realize an increase in bleeding time and thus those on blood thinners or those going in for elective surgery should refrain from use. Additionally, people using blood thinners, anti-platelet medication or NSAIDs must use caution and only use high doses of krill oil under physician supervision. Herbs such as garlic, ginkgo biloba and ginseng can also increase bleeding times.

http://docsaleeby4.blogspot.com/2009/12/krill-oil-article.html

Pearl of the Month:

DID YOU KNOW About 47-million adults in the United States (almost 25% of the population) have metabolic syndrome, and the numbers continue to grow. Metabolic Syndrome will be the focus of the May 2010 Wellness & Rejuvenation Retreat. Stay tuned for more information.


Quote of the month:

"It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth and wisdom."
-Aristotle (384-322 BC)

What is Concierge Medicine

Letter to SC Senators & Representatives regarding Medicare cutbacks

Representative Spratt
Senator DeMint
Senator Graham

Message text follows:

Yusuf (JP)
410 Lakeshore Dr.
Bennettsville,
SC 29512-2512

February 17, 2010

Dear [Senator/Rep.],

I am requesting that you work to 1. Avert the March 1, 2010 scheduled Medicare cut to physicians, and 2. Support a fair and permanent fix to the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. In a few days, physicians in our state who care for Medicare patients face a 21.2% cut in reimbursement.

Members of Congress have recognized that the SGR fomula is flawed and needs to be fixed. Now is the time to fix that formula. Elderly residents in our state, and your district, who are on Medicare should not have to be concerned with the possibility of being denied care because their physician no longer accepts Medicare.

Please take the first steps to change our healthcare system now with this "fix".

I expect you to work towards eliminating the cut that will take place without your action on March 1, 2010, and that you seek a permanent and fair fix to the SGR formula.

Respectfully,

Yusuf (JP) Saleeby, MD
912 656 2297

BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (bHRT)

BioIdentical Hormones

by JP Saleeby, MD

With popularity growing daily, bioidentical hormones are
being used for the replacement of insulin, thyroid hormones,
gonadal (sex) hormones and the trend continues to be
natural. For insulin dependent diabetics, the last decade saw a
transition away from using porcine based insulin derivatives to
that of recombinant human forms. Some doctors also prefer to
prescribe a natural bio-identical thyroid replacement of both T3
and T4 in the correct ratios, rather than the single synthetic-T4
drugs offered, for thyroid disorders. Instead of synthetic blends,
physicians are also prescribing natural compounded sex hormones
such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone when
the need arises for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

Bioidentical hormones are manufactured in the lab to have
the same molecular structure as those made by the human body
and are therefore referred to as natural. By contrast, synthetic
hormones are intentionally different due to the fact that drug
companies cannot patent a bioidentical structure, therefore synthetic
hormones are invented that can be patented. Even though
bioidentical hormones have been around for years, many practitioners
are still unfamiliar with them. One of the major issues
remaining concerning bioidentical hormones is efficacy—reported
well designed double blinded studies to prove effectiveness
and the long-term study of potential side-effects. While
efficacy is a priority, the smaller number of controlled scientific
studies for natural hormone therapy is due in part to the lack
of financial support or underwriting of scientific trials on all
things natural. With increased interest, that fact is changing as
more studies are being published with growing acceptance of
research outside the USA.

What we replace in our bodies as the need arises should be
of the same biochemical composition as what our own endocrine
organs produce. Cost is another factor to consider as many
natural and bioidentical therapies are much less expensive than
more widely recognized synthetics. Side effects are another
major consideration as many women choose bioidenticals that
offer an almost exact replica of what the body once produced.
Other important considerations include the biochemical components,
dosage and timing (chronopharmacology). Appropriate
testing to determine each individual’s needs and current state of
health is the first step. Once a deficiency is detected, bioidentical
hormone replacement (bHRT) may be the best solution.

More details on bHRT are available on Dr. Saleeby’s
medical blog site at DocSaleeby.blogspot.
com. For a limited time, he is offering free consultations
for bHRT (a $300 value) to the first two
new patients who qualify based on income and
lack of health insurance status—patient will be
responsible for lab testing and any prescriptions.
See listing page 35.

Source:
http://www.nalowcountry.com/uploads/NA_Lc_mag_2-10.pdf See page 17.

Dr. Saleeby shares thoughts on Suzanne Somers' blog

http://www.suzannesomers.com/Blog/

Myers' Cocktail Lecture

A Piece of My Mind - editorial in JAMA

JAMA
Vol. 303 No. 4, January 27, 2010
JAMA. 2010;303(4):309-310.


by Julie Wu, MD

Belmont, Massachusetts




Recertification



I cannot bring my own tissues. The test administrator confiscates these in the glass-walled fingerprinting vestibule and replaces them with special, nonprogrammable American Board of Internal Medicine Recertification facial tissues. A well-coiffed physician I recognize from the hospital where I used to practice widens her eyes when confronted with the lipstick tube found in her pocket.



"I can't bring this in?"
The administrator jokes, "Who are you trying to impress?"
We laugh and are shushed; on the other side of the glass, some people are already taking their examination. We remove our watches, our bracelets, our jackets. We place our index fingers on the fingerprint scanner and then are ushered into little cubicles in a windowless room with video cameras in the corners.



I wonder, if you did want to cheat, how you would possibly do so. The amount of material covered by the examination is staggeringly, impossibly huge. This is why internal medicine has subspecialties. I have spent months and thousands of babysitting dollars memorizing the criteria for Bartter syndrome, the chemotherapeutic regimens for Hodgkin lymphoma, the prognosis for the different stages of small cell and non–small cell lung cancer—none of which I would, in practice, ever manage without consultation.



It's all I can do just to stay awake at my work station. Six hours of long cases, one after the other, and I read the chief complaints over twice, three times, to keep them in mind. A 63-year-old man with nausea, fever, and joint pain. A 48-year-old woman with fever, cough, and pruritus. I blink my eyes at the flat screen, struggling to envision a face for each vignette. There are fewer pictures than I’d hoped. I am not a chief resident type, the type who rattles off lists of differential diagnoses and acronyms and a bibliography of recent articles to support them. Though I dutifully memorized the Krebs cycle and the structure of the cytoplasmic membrane along with the best of them, once the tests were over I forgot them immediately.



I am inherently artsy fartsy. I have the ability to be linear, to cram lists into my head, and to pay my bills on time, but my mind is largely that of a writer, a dreamer whose memories are a sea of personal experiences linked together across time by feeling and perception. I remember personality, body language, tone of voice. I remember that my college roommate liked coffee ice cream, that my sister-in-law loves lebkuchen. That ten years ago one patient grew New Dawn roses and another, Chinese eggplant. How an early Alzheimer patient recalled watching his first wife swim from pier to pier in the Hawaiian surf—how the waves obscured her, now rising, now falling, and how he had worried. But I will never, ever, be able to remember the coagulation cascade for longer than 60 seconds, and I pray it will not appear on this examination.
At break time, a pulmonologist who works in the pharmaceutical industry reveals that she has already completed two sessions in the time I have struggled to complete one. The rest of us exclaim in amazement. I wonder that she can even read through the cases so quickly without getting distracted, without worrying about how her kids are doing and whether the babysitter has bipolar disorder or simply hypomania and dysphoria, or whether her son actually has attention-deficit disorder and got it from her.



In the second session, I make use of the dry-erase board to take notes, trying to stay focused. I have not practiced medicine for five years. I perceive this as a disadvantage, but most of the material I studied I would never have seen in any case, and the bulk of what I used to see every day is most likely tested on the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology exam, not here: There's one last thing, Doctor: I just feel so down.



The time pressure is the same. You cannot rush a sobbing patient. In my community practice, at times two or three people broke down in my examining room in one day, and I would run an hour late. My university practice went faster because people there, while just as depressed, did not cry; they were too busy.



At my second break I unwrap my bologna sandwich in an echoing atrium that smells of plastic wrap and disinfectant. A primary care physician at a prestigious Boston practice sits down at my table. She has finished her lunch and could go back to complete her exam, but she takes the time to sit with me and complain about how irrelevant a closed-book examination is to clinical practice. I can't argue. Of course, it's useful to do a comprehensive review of medicine. But a good primary care physician doesn't guess the diagnosis or treatment. She knows what she doesn't know, and goes to find out the answer, either by reading or by asking someone who does know. She can tell who really knows, and who is bluffing.



Years ago, I saw a patient who was flying to Bolivia the following morning. He had excruciating pain in the floor of his mouth when he ate. My boss, a chief resident type extraordinaire, tried to talk me out of an emergency ENT consult. Tell the patient to soak it. Salt water gargle. Call with problems.



I truly admired my boss, and still do, but I called ENT anyway, and my patient had a salivary duct stone extraction that night. I didn't save his life, but at least I saved him from wandering the streets of La Paz looking for Percocet and an English-speaking otolaryngologist.
I start the final exam session refreshed from lunch. The super-speedy pulmonologist has gone home. The well-coiffed physician looks just fine, from the back, without her lipstick.
The first few questions are a breeze, then I start having to use the dry erase board. Nausea. Vomiting. High LFTs. Rash. After a half hour I catch myself writing no murmurs, rubs, or gallops.



Until there is a way to measure common sense and integrity, perhaps this is the only way to test our worthiness as internists. I accept this—it is just another standardized examination, one more hoop to jump through. I accept that the medical system rewards and promotes physicians who can memorize all the tables from Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine and retrieve each one sequentially on demand. While I, with Sanford's Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy stuffed in one pocket, a miniaturized pharmacopoeia in the other, with UpToDate constantly open on my desktop, and the telephone ringing off the hook with curbsided specialists, will be nothing more than a regular doc. I find recompense in referrals from patients, colleagues, and specialists who know me by first name. I am lauded with chocolate mice, with gilded Egyptian perfume bottles, porcelain bouquets of lavender, and heartbreakingly grateful, tearful embraces. I consider myself blessed.



I finish the examination with seconds to spare. I wonder whether I will take it again if I fail, because trying to learn and retain that much information has taken its toll on my family. The primary care physician I ate lunch with echoes my sentiments.
It's not worth it. I missed all my daughter's soccer games.



I walk out and hope that whatever answers I clicked on will show that I am a good doctor.



Editor’s Note: Dr Wu reports that she passed the examination and is thrilled not to have to take it again until 2019.



A Piece of My Mind Section Editor: Roxanne K. Young, Associate Senior Editor.





[I like her style. It is an abomination of our modern medical community that this type of recertification and certification is allowed to exist. It is an encumbrance to medical practitioners everywhere and wholly unnecessary and only stresses an already stressed system. Furthermore it pads the pockets of the test givers and their "colleges and institutions." -JP]

Adaptogen Lecture (Wonder Herbs: A Guide to Three Adaptogens)

Going to post this on Blog IV for more folks to appreciate.

Electromagnetic Fields and Your Health

The Dangers of EMF

 

by JP Saleeby, MD

Like the ancient Romans before us who drank their wine out of pewter goblets unaware that the sweetness those metal vessels bestowed upon their wine was the toxin some historians consider contributed to their downfall. Yes the acidic wine leached out enough lead from their pewter drinking vessels to effectively sterilize Roman nobility. Today in the 21st century we live our lives unwittingly damaging ourselves with what we hold in high quarters as advanced technology making our lives richer. Slamming our bodies with mega doses of Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) has become this millennium's poison of choice. Are we willing to give up the convenience of calling a friend while stuck in traffic. Are we to put on hold whipping out our laptop computer while waiting for a lay-over at the airport. No I think not. Even going "green" and replacing our incandescent lightbulbs with the energy saving florescent lights has some evil EMF repercussions. Many are unwilling to give up these conveniences so easily as the latency of the harm they produce are so remote to use we make no real time correlation. Should we see a "heavy cell phone user" drop dead in front of us as he talks and texts away, it may give us pause. Unfortunately, much like mad cow disease, it is a smoldering slow process that likely takes years to manifest. We must pick out technology wisely and use those for daily living judiciously and sparingly.

Even when we know the dangers of smoking, nicotine addicts cannot put their cigarettes down. Alcoholics aware of their liver swelling have a hard time keeping dry. Will it take a golf-ball sized tumor to force us to stop holding the cell phone so close to our brains? Going without our lickidly-split communicators is too much for some technofiles to bear. But you have been warned. There is mounting evidence showing rather significant harm from EMF. In 2007 an international collaborative effort occurred with scientists from the US, Sweden, Austria and China that released a 650-page report evaluating some 2000 studies pointing the finger at the public health risk of EMF. The group's report sited a variety of cancers, immunity disruptions and ailments ranging from dementia to heart disease as having an etiology in EMF. Several countries in the European Union have dismantled wireless networks and cell towers near schools and public buildings for fear that there may be overexposure to children. In Israel there is a ban on the placement of cellular antennae on residential buildings and in Russia the government has advised children under the age of 18 against the use of cell phones. Now we hear that the state of Maine is trying to legislate a ban of cell phone use amongst youngsters.

Besides cell phones we have to concern ourselves with WiFi transmitters, microwave communication towers, the power transformers we all use to recharge our cell phones and computers, and the increasingly ubiquitous fluorescent bulbs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs)) that Lowes and Home Depot are hawking as an energy saving alternative to incandescent bulbs. Of course, there are the detractors who say this is all hog-wash, but they tend to be funded by the cell phone and utilities industries. The jury is probably still out on how much EMF we as humans can really tolerate and why some are more sensitive than others, but it appears that there is really something to it and whether it pans out or not, it would be prudent to protect ourselves best we can to limit exposure to EMFs. Recommendations are to avoid wireless when possible (use a land line or put your cell phone on speaker and get it away from your head). Pick a safer lightbulb, stay away from circuit breakers, give up the Bluetooth headsets, don't use your cell phone when service is spotty as cell phones give off more radiation to compensate for low tower strength. Don't wear your cell phone as an accessory, don't put your laptop on your lap. Unplug your rechargers when not in use and pick LCD over plasma screens.

source: www.prevention.com/health

Using Bioidentical hormones over synthetics: Why it is such a good idea.

 

Bioidentical Hormones & HRT

by JP Saleeby, MD

All the rage today is the use of bio-identical hormones.  We are seeing bioidentical hormones use for the replacement of insulin, thyroid hormones, and gonadal (sex) hormones, and the trend continues to be natural.  For our insulin dependent diabetics the last decade saw a transition away from using porcine based insulin derivatives to that of recombinant human forms.  With thyroid disorders there are those doctors who would rather see their patients on a natural bio-identical thyroid replacement of bothT3 and T4 in the correct ratios, rather than the single synthetic-T4 drugs offered.  And there are those physicians that would rather see their patients taking natural compounded sex hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone when the need arises rather than a synthetic blend offered by some pharmaceutical companies. 

The big issues (that remain controversial with physicians on both camps) are efficacy, reported well designed double blinded studies, cost and side-effects.  For me efficacy is a priori, by natural it goes without being said that what we replace in our bodies as the need arises should be of the same biochemical composition as what our own endocrine organs produce.  Replacement with a synthetic in theory opens up a can of worms to all sorts of untoward effects both short term and long term (as yet unrecognized or unrealized).  The paucity of controlled scientific studies for natural hormone therapy is due in part to the lack of financial support or underwriting of scientific trials on all things natural.  But that fact is changing as more studies are being published and there is growing acceptance of research outside the USA.  Cost is a factor as many natural and bioidentical therapies cost much less than the latest and greatest that the pharmaceutical industry has to offer.  Side effects is the last contested point.  If we take for a moment all the trouble realized with synthetic hormone therapy replacement for women in recent years with the use of horse estrogens and synthetic progestin compounds and the increase incidence of cancers, blood clotting disorders and gallbladder disease, it is no wonder many women choose the less insulting therapy found in bioidenticals .  My philosophy is that the closer we get to replacing hormones with an almost exact replica of what our own bodies once produced is the ideal situation.  Not only the biochemical components, but also the doses and timing (chronopharmacology) are important.  Appropriate testing do discern the need for HRT is the first step.  Once a deficiency is detected bioidentical hormone replacement (bHRT) is ultimately the best solution.  You can read in greater detail the types of hormones that should be tested and what type of bHRT is offered on my medical blog site:  www.DocSaleeby.blogspot.com.

For a limited time I will be offering free consultations for bHRT (a $300 value) to the first two new patients who qualify based on income and lack of health insurance status.

FAQ about choosing source of EFA

[an answer to a question about which source of EFA to choose]

To answer your questions regarding n-3FA and Flax vs Chia vs Fish oil.  Using ground vs unground flax and the reason n-3FA is important in diet are outlined below.  Some references are listed below.

First of all omega-3-Fatty Acids (n-3FA) are important in human diet for several reasons.  They make up the outer cellular wall of each of our cells as part of the bi-lipid layer (eating poor fats high in n-6 and n-9 with low n-3) will result in a poor cellular structure and poor hormone receptors which poke out through this lipid bi-layer.  Intake of higher doses of good lipids (n-3) will result in a better cell wall function in 28 to 30 days.  Also DHA and EPA which are constituent parts of n-3FA are "brain food" so to speak.

So what type of n-3FA should you take.  10 years ago the rage was Fish Oil.  But with issues of over fishing, toxins (Hg, PCBs, and other heavy metals making their way into our fish) non-pharmaceutical grade fish oil is falling out of favor.  There are plant sources such as Flax, Borage, Chia and Hemp.  However, there is an important enzyme that converts precursor EFAs (ALA) to EPA and this is delta-5-desaturase.  The problem may be that some folks don't have enough d-5-destaurase activity or any at all.  This EFAs get "stuck" in this precursor lipid and don't progress to what the body really needs.  When you take a vegetable source of EFA that is the chance you run.  ALA is converted to DHA at a rate of 2-5% and to EPA at a rate of 2-15% in the body in general.  DHA conversion from plant EFA is less than that obtained from animal sources (fish, etc.)  Finally EPA through an enzymatic pathway yields DHA.

So a "fish" or oceanic source of EFA may be of more benefit and eliminate certain enzymatic steps within our body.  Krill oil steps up to the plate as a very good alternative to fish oil.  It is lower on the food chain, thus not a repository for heavy metals and toxins.  It is very plentiful and over fishing of Krill should not be a problem.  Additionally, Krill contains the anti-oxidant Astaxanthin which is only available in large quantities in this organism and not in plant oils and has the unique property of crossing the blood brain barrier (protecting the brain, CNS and eyes).

The scoop on Flax seeds is this:  ... to store it for freshness keep in whole.  To get the most out of its EFA grind it up.  Intake of whole unground Fax or Borage seeds is a great source of fiber bulk, but smaller quantities of the oils will be made available for absorption.

Bottom line... the best vegetable source for EFAs is Chia seed & extract.  The best animal source for EFA is Krill.  Better yet is to take a mix of both.  Variety always trumps picking only one source of any nutrient.  Hope this helps.

JP/

JP Saleeby, MD
www.saleeby.net
www.CarolinaMobileMD.com



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References:

Fatty acids and lignans in unground whole flaxseed and sesame seed are bioavailable but have minimal antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects in postmenopausal women

Karen D. Coulman 1, Zhen Liu 1, John Michaelides 2, Winston Quan Hum 2, Lilian U. Thompson 1 *

1Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada 2Robin Hood Multifoods Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada

^*Correspondence to Lilian U. Thompson, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 150 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E2 Canada Fax: +1-416-978-5882
Funded by:
 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
 Robin Hood Multifoods Inc.

Antioxidants • Blood lipids • Flaxseed • Sesame seed • Tocopherols

Fatty acids and lignans in ground flaxseed and sesame seed are absorbed, metabolized, and exert some health benefits in vivo. However, it is unclear if they are absorbed, metabolized, and exert health benefits when consumed as ungroundg unground flaxseed, sesame seed, or their combination (12.5 g each) (flaxseed+sesame seed bar, FSB) for 4 wk each, separated by 4 wk washout periods. Total serum n-3 fatty acids increased with flaxseed (p<0.05) and FSB (p=0.064) while serum n-6 fatty acids increased with sesame seed (p<0.05). Urinary lignans increased similarly with all treatments (p<0.05). Plasma lipids and several antioxidant markers were unaffected by all treatments, except serum -tocopherol (GT), which increased with both sesame seed (p<0.0001) and FSB (p<0.01). In conclusion, fatty acids and lignans from unground seed in food bars are absorbed and metabolized; however, except for serum GT, the 25 g unground seed is inadequate to induce changes in plasma lipids and several biomarkers of oxidative stress. whole seed; therefore, it was investigated in this study. In a randomized crossover study, 16 postmenopausal women supplemented their diets with food bars containing either 25

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Received: 20 January 2009; Revised: 26 March 2009; Accepted: 4 April 2009

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http://www.the-fertility-acupuncturist.com/omega-3-fatty-acid.html

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http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/27261743/Omega3-DHA-and-EPA-for-Cognition-Behavior-and-Mood-Clinical-Findings-and-StructuralFunctional-Synergies-with-Cell-Membrane-Phospholipids

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Frankincense and medicinal application

As the Epiphany draws closer on Jan 6th and the story of the three Magi bearing gifts of Gold, Frankincense (Boswellia sp.) and Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) comes to mind, we need to recall a study published in early 2009 in a bio-medical journal.  Frankincense a natural substance held in high regard for medicinal and spiritual healing in the middle east and Asia was shown to attack cancer cells of the bladder.  Not only did researchers find it attacked bladder cancer cells, it recognized normal health cells and did not destroy them.  The study used an extract of the oil of the Somalian Frankincense herb, Boswellia carteri.  There are other Boswellia species used such as B. serrata (Indian Frankincense) in Ayurvadic medicine and typically used to treat arthritis for centuries.

Source:

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2009 Mar 18;9:6.

Frankincense oil derived from Boswellia carteri induces tumor cell specific cytotoxicity.

Frank MB, Yang Q, Osban J, Azzarello JT, Saban MR, Saban R, Ashley RA, Welter JC, Fung KM, Lin HK.

Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA. frank@omrf.org

BACKGROUND: Originating from Africa, India, and the Middle East, frankincense oil has been important both socially and economically as an ingredient in incense and perfumes for thousands of years. Frankincense oil is prepared from aromatic hardened gum resins obtained by tapping Boswellia trees. One of the main components of frankincense oil is boswellic acid, a component known to have anti-neoplastic properties. The goal of this study was to evaluate frankincense oil for its anti-tumor activity and signaling pathways in bladder cancer cells. METHODS: Frankincense oil-induced cell viability was investigated in human bladder cancer J82 cells and immortalized normal bladder urothelial UROtsa cells. Temporal regulation of frankincense oil-activated gene expression in bladder cancer cells was identified by microarray and bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: Within a range of concentration, frankincense oil suppressed cell viability in bladder transitional carcinoma J82 cells but not in UROtsa cells. Comprehensive gene expression analysis confirmed that frankincense oil activates genes that are responsible for cell cycle arrest, cell growth suppression, and apoptosis in J82 cells. However, frankincense oil-induced cell death in J82 cells did not result in DNA fragmentation, a hallmark of apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Frankincense oil appears to distinguish cancerous from normal bladder cells and suppress cancer cell viability. Microarray and bioinformatics analysis proposed multiple pathways that can be activated by frankincense oil to induce bladder cancer cell death. Frankincense oil might represent an alternative intravesical agent for bladder cancer treatment.