Articles:

IP6 - A Rising Star in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer ... read article

Potential Life-Saving Information for Takers of Cholesterol-Reducing Drugs ... read article

The "Sunshine" Vitamin: Much, Much More than a Strong-Bone Maker... read article

Look Who's Talking... read article

IP6 - A Rising Star in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer by Barbara L. Minton (NaturalNews) Three recent studies have confirmed the role of inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) in cancer prevention and control of experimental tumor growth. IP6 is a naturally occurring carbohydrate first identified in 1855. It can exist on its own or can be bound to various other minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron or sodium. It’s found in substantial amounts in whole grains, dried beans, nuts, seeds, rice, wheat germ and corn. In addition to being found in plants, IP6 is contained within almost all mammalian cells, where it is important in regulating vital cellular functions such as signal transduction, cell proliferation, and differentiation. IP6 is also available in supplement form. Studies and Results As published in Oncology Research, February 2008, researchers reported that IP6 was shown to have significant inhibitory effects against a variety of primary tumors. They hypothesized that IP6 would inhibit the cell growth rate of Barrett’s adenocarcinoma in vitro. Two Barrett’s associated adenocarcinoma cell lines were treated with IP6. Reductions in cellular proliferation were observed in both cell lines. Apoptosis (necessary programmed cell death) of the adenocarcinoma cells was increased. Researchers concluded that IP6 decreased cellular growth of these cells by pro-apoptotic mechanisms. As published in Journal of Surgical Research, June 2006, researchers reported that IP6 had previously been shown to have significant inhibitory effects against pancreatic cancer in vitro. They hypothesized that IP6 would significantly inhibit cell growth of cutaneous melanoma in vitro. Melanoma cell lines were cultured and treated with IP6. The findings were that IP6 significantly decreased cellular growth and increased late apoptosis in melanoma, suggesting its potential therapeutic value. As published in Journal of Surgical Research, June 2005, researchers reported that IP6 has been found to have significant inhibitory effects against a variety of primary tumors including breast and colon. They hypothesized that IP6 would significantly inhibit cell growth and increase the apoptotic rate of pancreatic cancer in vitro. Two pancreatic cancer cell lines were cultured and treated with IP6. Researchers concluded that treatment of pancreatic cancer with IP6 significantly decreased cellular growth and increased apoptosis. IP6 Offers Cancer Prevention and Cure, and Much More In Dr. A.M. Shamsuddin's review of findings in Nutrition and Cancer vol. 55, he states that in addition to its role in cancer prevention and control of experimental tumor growth, progression and metastasis, IP6 possesses other significant benefits, such as the ability to enhance the immune system, function as a natural antioxidant, prevent calcification and kidney stone formation, lower elevated serum cholesterol, and reduce pathological platelet activity. According to Dr. Shamsuddin, when IP6 is administered it is rapidly taken into the cells and dephosphorylated to lower inositol phosphates, which further affect signal transduction pathways. In addition to the arresting of cell proliferation, this process also induces the differentiation of malignant cells. As previous known, the more differentiated the malignant cells, the less aggressive and dangerous is the cancer. Enhanced immunity and antioxidant properties also contribute to tumor cell destruction. In their book Too Good to be True?, Drs. Kim Vanderlinden and Ivana Vucenik describe what is presently known about how IP6 works to help normalize the rate of cell division, normalize cell physiology, enhance Natural Killer (NK) cells, increase tumor suppressor P53 gene activity, inhibit inflammation, and inhibit angiogenesis. The book also elaborates on other conditions shown to greatly benefit from IP6 including diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Food Sources or Supplements? There have been no clinical trials of IP6 as yet. In America, clinical trials are generally the province of drug companies, and little is done with substances which cannot be patented. In spite of this lack, IP6 is considered quite safe by all its investigators. As it is a naturally occurring substance already found in human cells, there are no side effects. So if you want the preventative or therapeutic benefits of IP6, the question becomes whether to try to get sufficient amounts from dietary sources or to supplement. There are reasons to use IP6 in supplemental form. In food, IP6 is bound to protein. Before it can be absorbed it must first be freed from this protein. An enzyme called phytase that is present in both food and the intestinal tract performs this function. The problem is that the power of the phytase enzyme damages the IP6 itself, rendering much of it inactive and therefore less effective. Pure IP6 from a supplement is absorbed intact providing us with its complete medicinal properties. Research has shown just that: when fiber from All Bran was added to the diet of rats with mammary cancer, it was much less effective than the equivalent amount of IP6 added to their drinking water. This is like the situation of lycopene which must be freed from tomatoes by cooking to achieve its potential. Supplementing with Inositol+Cal-Mag IP6 When taken alone, IP6 has the potential to bind with minerals, to act as a chelator. This is evidenced by its ability to prevent kidney stones. This leads to the question of high amounts of IP6 contributing to osteoporosis. To prevent this, IP6 is bound to atoms of calcium and magnesium. When supplemented in this form, IP6 will be delivered to the body along with substantial amounts of highly absorbable calcium and magnesium. Inositol then becomes the first half of the Inositol+Cal Mag IP6. It provides the base structure for the Cal Mag IP6. A number of research studies have shown that when combined in this formula, the effect is complimentary and augmentative. Most IP6 for supplementation comes from rice extract and is formulated as Inositol+Cal Mag IP6. Inositol+Cal Mag IP6 is available as 'Inocell' from Natural Factors, as 'Cellular Forte' from Phytopharmica, and as 'Cell Forte' from Enzymatic Therapeutics. The formulations of each are identical. The prices are quite different. It is available as capsules which provide a preventative or a maintenance dosage of 2 capsules twice a day. It is also available as powder for therapeutic dosages which range from one scoop daily up to several scoops twice daily. About the author Barbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural. This article was found at naturalnews.com/022731.html on Friday March 14.

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Potential Life-Saving Information for Takers of Cholesterol-Reducing Drugs
The Scoop on Statins: Cholesterol-Reducing Drugs

Statins are drugs that are prescribed by physicians to lower cholesterol.

According to Forbes magazine's Best-Selling Drug list for 2004 the two top-selling drugs were the statins, Lipitor and Zocor. They showed a combined total of $16.4 billion in sales. In fact, Lipitor has been the #1 selling pharmaceutical for the last four years running.

It has been estimated that nearly 40 million people will take Lipitor this year in the United States alone, with an additional 20 million prescribed one of the other statin drugs.

There are currently six statin drugs available on the market:

· atorvastatin (Lipitor)
· fluvastatin (Lescol)
· lovastatin (Mevacor)
· pravastatin (Pravachol)
· simvastatin (Zocor)
· rosuvastatin (Crestor)

The Danger of Statin Drugs Depleting CoQ10 Levels

Most patients, and their prescribing physicians, are either unaware of , or ignore, the fact that statin drugs reduce circulating levels of the crucial coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) within the body. In fact, statin-induced CoQ10 deficiency could cause the one thing statins ultimately seeks to prevent: heart failure.

CoQ10 is produced naturally in the body. It assists every cell in producing needed energy, in addition to acting as an antioxidant. The same enzymes that are involved in the production of cholesterol are also required for the production of CoQ10. Simply put, statins work by preventing these enzymes from producing cholesterol. Not surprisingly, lower cholesterol levels in statin users are accompanied by reduced levels of CoQ10.

CoQ10 is known to be highly concentrated in heart muscle cells due to its high-energy requirements. Without a sufficient amount of CoQ10 circulating within your system, the risk for fatigued and weakened heart muscles is high. Additionally, tests of CoQ10 levels of persons with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) were shown in most cases to be dangerously low.

Dr. Peter Langsjoen, a cardiologist at East Medical Texas Center, who has written extensively about statin drugs for years, states "The great bulk of clinical work with CoQ10 has focused on heart disease. Specifically, congestive heart failure (from a wide variety of causes) has been strongly correlated with significantly low blood and tissue levels of CoQ10. The severity of heart failure correlates with the severity of CoQ10 deficiency.

In the last 15 years (roughly the time that statins have been on the market), the incidence of congestive heart failure has tripled."

Some of the most common complaints by statin users are: severe muscle weakness/pain, fatigue and amnesia. According to the Mayo Clinic's website, two "potentially serious" concerns are: elevated liver enzymes and statin myopathy, which means muscle weakness. Myopathy, if left untreated, could conceivably lead to kidney failure.

The importance of maintaining CoQ10 levels while taking any statin drug cannot be overstated. Moreover, the pharmaceutical companies are clearly aware of this. Indeed, in 1990 Merck Pharmaceutical Company obtained a patent to add up to 1000 mg of CoQ10 to its statin products. What's interesting is that Merck never brought this combination to the open market. Given the life of a patent runs 20 years, no other pharmaceutical company can attempt it until 2010, (even if they wanted).

Now why would Merck do this? The answer should be obvious. Though adding a nutritional supplement to a chemical drug is patentable, patenting anything that derives from nature alone is NOT! What sort of message would the larger-than-life Merck be sending out if they touted a nutritional supplement in any form, combination or dose?

Unfortunately, as long as:

1) physicians are paid "consulting fees" (for doing nothing more than prescribing a certain medication),
2) the media is paid billions of dollars to advertise their products, and
3) researchers are given grant money for "specific unilateral interests,"

the pharmaceutical giants will continue to rein.

If this doesn't convince you, note that Pfizer, the maker of Lipitor, was fined $430 million in criminal and civil charges in 2004 for paying doctors to prescribe its epilepsy drug, Neurontin for nonapproved purposes.

Although doctors are free to prescribe any federally approved drug for whatever reasons they choose, pharmaceutical companies are not allowed to promote drugs for nonapproved purposes. Which is to say, they may still continue to offer incentives (i.e., money) to doctors to write prescriptions for drugs with an approved use.

So, what do you do about the CoQ10 question if you're taking a statin. Some of you have prescribing physicians that have already covered this issue with you; however, the vast majority of you do not. And if the Pfizer fiasco says anything about the thousands of healthcare providers that prescribed, and continue to prescribe, the Neurontin for "unapproved" purposes, then you'll need to proceed with extreme caution.

If your health is important enough to you, you will initiate some of your own research. The web is an incredible source of information, both good, bad and questionable. Ultimately, you will have to decide what course of action to follow.

Below are instructions to CoQ10 supplements that you can purchase from within this website to maintain and/or increase your CoQ10 levels. However, as with all supplements of any kind, it is recommended that you consult a physician if you are pregnant, lactating, taking prescribed medications of any kind, or otherwise unsure of the doseage amounts you may or may not need.

If you believe we have missed anything, we invite you to email our customer service department at Doctor's Choice, Inc.

Enter CoQ10 in the search engine at the top of this page. All of the CoQ10 products will be listed for your perusal.

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† This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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The "Sunshine" VITAMIN
Much, Much More than a Strong-Bone Maker

Vitamin D has always been touted as the "sunshine" vitamin, and for good reason. Strong healthy bones make for strong "happy" people.

Over the last several years however, clinical research trials of vitamin 'D' in humans have focused on more than just bone health. In its March 2004 issue, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that vitamin D is important "in the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis1,2,3,4,5."

Because there are few food sources that naturally contain vitamin D, sunshine supplies most of our requirements. However, before you rush to don your shades and bathing wear, remember this:

You need to protect yourself from the harmful effects of ultra violet (UV) rays, which can cause its own serious health issues. Sunscreens with an SPF factor of 8 or more will block the UV rays that produce vitamin D, yet a sunscreen with an SPF factor below 15 allows room for trouble. The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), a federally funded organization recommends:

"An initial exposure to sunlight (10 -15 minutes) allows adequate time for Vitamin D synthesis and should be followed by application of a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 to protect the skin. Ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure at least two times per week to the face, arms, hands, or back without sunscreen is usually sufficient to provide adequate vitamin D."

This advice, states the ODS, is all dependent on:

"...season, geographic latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen, which affect UV ray exposure and vitamin D synthesis. For example, sunlight exposure from November through February in Boston is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Complete cloud cover halves the energy of UV rays, and shade reduces it by 60%. Industrial pollution, which increases shade, also decreases sun exposure and may contribute to the development of rickets in individuals with insufficient dietary intake of vitamin D."

Many foods today are fortified with Vitamin D, which make those of us from the "cod-liver-oil generation" much happier. Some of the foods that contain Vitamin D naturally however, are: salmon, tuna, milk, eggs, liver, beef and cheese. Evenso, Vitamin D deficiency seems to be a problem for many of us. Vitamin D deficient diets are associated with milk allergy, lactose intolerance, and strict vegetarianism. Infants fed only breast milk also receive insufficient amounts of vitamin D unless they also receive appropriate levels of vitamin D supplementation.

According to ODS, "It can be difficult to obtain enough vitamin D from natural food sources. For many people, consuming vitamin D fortified foods and adequate sunlight exposure are essential for maintaining a healthy vitamin D status. In some groups, dietary supplements may be needed to meet the daily need for vitamin D."

Below are instructions to CoQ10 supplements that you can purchase from within this website to maintain and/or increase your CoQ10 levels. However, as with all supplements of any kind, it is recommended that you consult a physician if you are pregnant, lactating, taking prescribed medications of any kind, or otherwise unsure of the doseage amounts you may or may not need.

If you believe we have missed anything, we invite you to email our customer service department at Doctor's Choice, Inc.

Enter Vitamin D in the search engine at the top of this page. All of the Vitamin D/Calcium formula products will be listed for your perusal.

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† This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Look Who's Talking
The Many Faces of Pharmaceutical Drug Companies

"More than half of the experts hired to advise the government on the safety and effectiveness of medicine have financial relationships with the pharmaceutical companies that will be helped or hurt by their decisions, a USA TODAY study found."

By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY
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"Aggressive marketing and pricing have made pharmaceutical companies America's most profitable industry. On the whole, Americans pay higher prices for prescription drugs than anyone else in the world because the United States is the only industrialized nation that does not exert influence over prices." Original article ...

By Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele, NEW YORK TIMES
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"In the last two decades, the drug and biotech industries have gained unprecedented leverage over what doctors and patients know--and don't know--about the $200 billion worth of prescription pharmaceuticals consumed by Americans each year. Industry has gained that leverage by funding and, increasingly, controlling medical research. It has also used its deep pockets to effectively buy the loyalty of physicians in private practice and to sway the opinion of thought-leaders in academia." Original article ...

By Shannon Brownlee, MOTHER JONES

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