Alternative Health Blog

In this case report the authors discuss the successful treatment of anogenital wart presenting in an infant with topical application of a vitamin D(3) derivative. The authors conclude, "Topical application of a vitamin D(3) derivative may be an alternative therapy for anogenital warts in infants."

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study involving 51 patients with coronary artery disease, results indicate that supplementation with garlic powder may significantly reduce cardiovascular disease risk. The patients received supplementation with time-released garlic powder tablets (Allicor) or placebo for a period of 12 months. Garlic powder supplementation was associated with a 1.5-fold decrease in cardiovascular risk in men and a 1.3-fold decrease in women. Additionally, garlic supplementation was associated with a significant decrease in LDL cholesterol in men and women. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "Since Allicor is the remedy of natural origin, it is safe with the respect to adverse effects and allows even perpetual administration that may be crucial for the secondary prevention of atherosclerotic diseases in CHD patients."

In a prospective controlled study involving 80 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels less than 50 nmol/L, results indicate that supplementation with vitamin D3 may improve glycemic control. The patients received 4000 IU of vitamin D3 daily for 12 weeks. At intervention end, an inverse association was observed between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "There was an observed effect of vitamin D supplementation on glycemic control in vitamin D-replete, type 1 diabetes mellitus patients. Further studies are needed to determine if these findings are applicable."

In a randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 42 patients with prostate cancer undergoing external beam radiation therapy, results indicate that supplementation with soy isoflavones may alleviate the adverse effects of radiation on bladder, bowel, and sexual functions. The patients were randomized to 200 mg of soy isoflavone or placebo for a period of 6 months (beginning with the first day of radiation therapy). Soy-supplemented patients had less urinary incontinence, less urgency, less dripping/leakage of urine, less rectal cramping/diarrhea, less pain with bowel movements, and better erectile function, compared with patients in the placebo group. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "The results suggest that soy isoflavones taken in conjunction with radiation therapy could reduce the urinary, intestinal, and sexual adverse effects in patients with prostate cancer."

In a prospective, randomized, controlled study involving 66 patients with idiopathic SSNHL (sudden sensorineural hearing loss, results indicate that supplementation with zinc may enhance hearing recovery. The patients were randomized to oral supplementation with zinc gluconate or corticosteroid. A significantly larger hearing gain and rate of successful recovery was observed in the zinc group. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "Zinc supplementation may enhance the hearing recovery of SSNHL patients. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects may help reduce the oxidative stress of the cochlea in SSNHL, implying a new direction in the treatment of this disease."

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 108 patients (mostly male; mean age: 65.8 years) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), treatment with echinacea purpurea in combination with zinc, selenium and vitamin C for a period of 14 days, in addition to conventional drug treatment with ciprofloxacin for 7 days, was found to significantly reduce the severity and duration of exacerbation episodes following URTI, as compared to placebo and as compared to treatment with ciprofloxacin plus echinacea alone. The authors conclude, "The combination of EP, zinc, selenium and vitamin C may alleviate exacerbation symptoms caused by URTI in COPD. Further studies are warranted to investigate the interactions among Echinacea, zinc, selenium and vitamin C.

In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 44 healthy men and women, results indicate that supplementation with fish oil may significantly increase lean mass and decrease fat mass. For a period of 6 weeks, the subjects were randomized to safflower oil or fish oil (4g/day; supplying 1,600mg/d eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 800mg/d docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)). At intervention end, a significant increase in lean fat mass (+ 0.5 kg), a significant decrease in fat mass (-0.5 kg) and a tendency towards decrease in body fat was observed in the fish oil group, compared with the placebo group. Additionally, a tendency for salivary cortisol to decrease was found in the fish oil group. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "6wk of supplementation with FO significantly increased lean mass and decreased fat mass."

In a study involving 45 children with intermittent asthma, only 11% were found to have desirable serum vitamin D levels (at least 30-40 ng/mL), and furthermore, a positive association was found between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and forced vital capacity (FVC) as well as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). Children with a positive response to the exercise challenge (percentage fall in FEV1 at least 10%) were found to have lower serum 25(OH)D levels as compared to children with a negative challenge. The authors conclude, "Our results indicate that hypovitaminosis D is frequent in asthmatic children who live in a Mediterranean country. In those children, lower levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced lung function and with increased reactivity to exercise."

In a randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 30 menopausal women free from any hormonal therapy, results indicate that supplementation with Klamath algae extract may improve mood, anxiety and depressive symptoms. The women were randomized to Klamath algae extract (1600 g/day) or placebo for a period of 6 months. At intervention end, both Symptom Rating Scale - Italian version [SRT] and Zung Self-Rating Scale improved significantly in the algae group, thereby showing a improvement in quality of life for mood, anxiety and depressive attitude. However, algae extract supplementation was not associated with any hormonal changes. These results warrant further research into the effects of Klamath algae extract supplementation.

In a controlled study involving 32 elderly subjects undergoing bilateral total knee replacement surgery, intravenous administration of vitamin C (a priming bolus of 0.06 g/kg vitamin C with 100 ml saline followed by 0.02 g/kg vitamin C mixed with 30 ml saline) was found to be associated with lower levels of malondialdehyde and higher levels of arterial oxygen tension and mean blood pressure after post-operative deflation of both knee touriquets, as compared to control subjects who did not receive intra-operative vitamin C. Furthermore, eight hours post-operation, troponin I levels were lower among patients given vitamin C. The authors conclude, "Administering high-dose vitamin C during bilateral TKR could prevent oxygen free radical production and a decline in arterial oxygen tension and mean blood pressure induced by ischaemia-reperfusion injury, thereby protecting the myocardium."

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study involving 33 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, supplementation with purple passion fruit peel extract (PFP, 150 mg/d) for a period of 2 months was found to be associated with significant improvements in total WOMAC score and WOMAC subscores of physical function after 30 days and pain after 60 days. After 60 days of supplementation, reductions in pain (18.6%) and stiffness (18.9%) and improvements in physical function (19.6%) and composite WOMAC score (19.2%) were found. On the contrary, patients in the placebo group were found to have increases in WOMAC scores in every category. The authors conclude, "The results of this study show that PFP substantially alleviated osteoarthritis symptoms. This beneficial effect of PFP may be due to its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties."

In an in vitro study involving human adipose tissue, treatment with resveratrol was found to exert anti-inflammatory effects on adipokine expression, which has been associated with chronic low-grade inflammation in obesity. In the study, human adipose tissue was exposed to interleukin 1-beta for 24 hours, which resulted in increased secretion of the proinflammatory adipokines IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, IL-1beta, and PAI-1 mRNA expression. When the tissue was concomitantly incubated with resveratrol, these increases were mediated, specifically, the increase in IL-1beta was reversed as were the gene expressions of other adipokines. The negative effects of IL-1beta on mRNA expression were also reserved through resveratrol treatment. The authors conclude, "This study is the first to show anti-inflammatory effects of RSV on adipokine expression and secretion in human adipose tissue in vitro through the SIRT1 pathway. Thus, RSV is hypothesized to possess beneficial effects and might improve the metabolic profile in human obesity."

In a 3-trial study involving 8 male and 8 female subjects, on average 24.4 years, consumption of a novel fiber supplement (PolyGlycopleX): a) in granular form, given in 4 different doses along with breakfast (study 1); b) in granular and capsule forms as a single dose (5 g for granules, 4.5 g for capsules) at -60, -45, -30, -15, and 0 before, and +15 min after a bread meal (study 2); and c) in capsule form at increasing doses (1.5, 3, 4.5, and 6 g) consumed with the evening meal, was found to be associated with reductions in glycemia. Specifically, granular PGX at breakfast in doses of 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g were found to reduce the incremental area under the curve by up to 50% in a linear, dose-response fashion, granular PGX (5 g) was found to reduce glycemia by up to 28% when consumed -45 to +15 min after a meal, and capsules containing 3, 4.5, and 6 g PGX consumed with the evening meal were found to reduce glycemia at breakfast up to 28%. The authors conclude, "PGX ha s biologically important, dose-related effects on acute and delayed (second meal) postprandial glycaemia."

In a prospective cohort study involving 762 patients undergoing dialysis, results indicate that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of short-term and long-term cardiovascular mortality. 51 patients and 213 patients died during 6 months and 3 years of follow-up. After adjusting for potential confounders, patients with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels less than or equal to 10 ng/mL showed more than a two-fold increased risk of short-term cardiovascular mortality and a 70% increased risk of long-term cardiovascular mortality, compared with patients with 25(OH)D levels above 10 ng/mL. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "Vitamin D deficiency in dialysis patients is associated with an adverse health outcome, in particular with short-term cardiovascular mortality. Intervention studies are urgently needed to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation improves health outcomes of dialysis patients."

In a randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 80 elderly patients admitted to a Geriatric Intensive Rehabilitation Center, results indicate that supplementation with essential amino acids (EAAs) may lower risk of infection. The patients were randomized to placebo or EAAs (8 g/day) for a period of 1 month. General infection rate was observed to be 82.5% in the placebo group, compared with 52% in the EAA group. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "EAAs supplementation may lower the risk of infection by 30% in the rehabilitative elderly population."

In a study involving 82 male airline pilots exposed to ionizing radiation, high dietary intake of niacin was found to be significantly inversely associated with chromosome translocation frequency, a biomarker of cumulative DNA damage. The adjusted rate ratio for subjects in the highest versus the lowest tertiles of dietary niacin intake was 0.58. The association between dietary niacin intake and reduced translocation frequency was particularly significant in subjects consuming high amounts of whole grains and low amounts of red meat and processed meat. The authors conclude, "Our data suggest that a high intake of niacin from food or a diet high in whole grains but low in red and processed meat may protect against cumulative DNA damage in IR-exposed persons."

In a pragmatic, open, block-randomized, controlled trial involving 154 children who were undergoing tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy, treatment with acupuncture and acupressure was found to significantly reduce retching and vomiting, as compared to children in a control group (46.8% vs 66.2%), particularly in girls and children between the ages of 1-3 years. Children in the intervention group received treatment at the acupuncture point, PC-6 (Pericardium 6), bilaterally, during anesthesia, followed by acupressure wristbands for 24 hours, along with standard treatment, while children in the control group received only standard treatment. 24 hours post-operatively, children in the acupuncture and acupressure group were found to have significantly reduced retching and vomiting. The authors conclude, "The results should encourage and promote the implementation of acustimulation for postoperative vomiting in children undergoing adenoidectomy or tonsillectomy."

In a longitudinal controlled study involving 32 lactating mothers who delivered very preterm infants (less than or equal to 29 weeks gestation), results indicate that early maternal supplementation during lactation with DHA may increase plasma DHA status in the infants. Mothers were assigned to a DHA group (received DHA supplementation (1200 mg/day, until 36 weeks after conception)) or to a control group (did not receive DHA supplementation) during lactation. Plasma DHA concentrations in infants were found to be greater in the DHA-supplemented group, compared with the control group. Additionally, DHA in maternal milk was nearly 12 times in the DHA group, compared with the control group. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "Early supplementation with DHA to lactating mothers with low dietary DHA intake successfully increased the plasma DHA status in very preterm infants."

In a randomized, double-blind, community-based, controlled trial involving 676 children between the ages of 7 and 9 years, who were born to women who were randomly assigned to receive: a) daily iron/folic acid; b) iron/folic acid/zinc; c) multiple micronutrients containing iron, folic acid, zinc plus 11 others, including vitamin A; d) vitamin A alone - from early pregnancy through 3 months post-partum, results showed that various aspects of intellectual functioning - specifically, "working memory, inhibitory control, and fine motor functioning among offspring were positively associated with prenatal iron/folic acid supplementation" in an area (rural Nepal) where iron deficiency is quite prevalent.

In a prospective, cross-sectional, 2-phase study, women who experienced preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) were found to have significantly lower plasma vitamin C levels, as compared to women without PPROM (0.53 vs 0.58 mg/dL). A significant association was found between low vitamin C levels and occurrence of PPROM. In addition, the researchers found that plasma vitamin C concentrations decreased with increasing gestational age of pregnancy. The authors conclude, "...improved dietary or drug supplements may be a useful adjunctive strategy to reducing the incidence of PPROM and its attendant adverse sequelae. While this intervention is advocated, further multicentre investigation of the effects of vitamin C on risk of preterm PROM is suggested."