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2002-10-Members Alert

Articles from this month’s newsletter:

October 2002 PDF

ON THE SCENE, IN THE NEWS, IN THE KNOW…

New drugs are more profitable for the drug companies-but more dangerous for you. According to a study in JAMA, half of the drugs withdrawn because of serious side effects are off the market two years after being introduced. But you can limit your risk. Ask your doctor not to prescribe the newest drug on the market.

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Antidepressants-one of the most heavily advertised category of drugs-do no more than sugar pills, according to a recent study. A whopping 80 percent of the response to the six most commonly prescribed antidepressants was duplicated in groups taking placeboes. And the placebo takers avoided unpleasant side effects like weight gain and decreased sex drive.

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An unusual new ingredient called white tea is popping up in health supplements and cosmetics. Made from buds of green tea leaves, this Chinese delicacy contains high concentrations of polyphenols, the group of chemicals responsible for green tea’s antioxidant, anti-tumor properties. In fact, the Linus Pauling Institute found white tea to be two to five times more effective than green tea in preventing cell mutations. Our network tells us several North American companies are looking to put white tea in sunscreens.

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A new study from the University Hospital in Bern, Switzerland, reaffirms the critical role of homocysteine in heart health. The Bern team tested the effects of homocysteine-lowering therapy on 553 patients who had undergone a coronary angioplasty. Half of the group received a supplement of folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12, while the other half received a placebo. Over a yearlong follow up, the researchers found that the supplement not only slowed the development of plaque build-up in the arteries, but actually prevented it from occurring. Their conclusion: B vitamin and folate supplements may significantly lower homocysteine levels…and may spare you from cardiac disease.

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This fall, the Food and Drug Administration will be evaluating the safety of six popular dietary supplements: chaparral, chromium picolinate, glucosamine, melatonin, saw palmetto, and shark cartilage. The Institute of Medicine chose what supplements should be studied and developed the new evaluation framework the FDA will use. This effort follows the controversy around the FDA’s scrutiny of ephedra and the limited regulation of the supplement industry.

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In August, we alerted you about the unique opportunity to discover nature’s healing secrets in the heart of Ecuador. Response has been so great, a second trip has been added, November 30-December 8, 2002. For more details, call International Living Discovery Tours (through Agora Travel) at (800) 926-6575 or (561) 243-6276.

A macular degeneration miracle with a money back guarantee

Do you have any new information regarding macular degeneration? I read about a clinical trial in Boston, I think, using an injection called ruFab. Do you know anything about this?

-T.L., Poughkeepsie, NY

Dr. Spreen: First the bad news: Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with ruFAB, so I can’t offer you any insight into it. But now the good news: Don’t believe anyone who tells you that there’s no effective treatment for macular degeneration. My best advice for you is to find out all you can about the work of Jonathan V. Wright, MD, at the Tahoma Clinic in Washington state.

He has a treatment for macular degeneration that involves a series of intravenous vitamin and mineral injections (the injections include antioxidant vitamins, zinc, beta carotene, and other valuable nutrients). Dr. Wright has used this treatment in his own clinic and has seen it help up to 70 percent of his patients. In fact, he believes so strongly in this therapy that patients with the “dry” form of macular degeneration are offered a money-back guarantee if it doesn’t improve their vision. When was the last time you had a medical offer like that?! More information is available from Dr. Wright’s Tahoma Clinic at www.tahoma-clinic.com or (425)264-0059.

MSD

Foundation Formula & Renew Formula, Forever Well, P.O. Box 14653, Reading, PA 19612; tel. 800-619-5969 or 610-374-5258; fax 419-781-3161; or log on to www.foreverwell.com. The two products are sold together at US$69.90 for a 30-day supply (s&h is US$3.95 domestic and US$10 for international). Save US$40 when you order a 3-month supply by calling the 800 number.

CoQmeltTM, HSI Order Processing Center, P.O. Box 977, Frederick MD, 21705-9838; tel. 800-851-7100 or 508-368-7494. A 2-month supply costs US$69.95 (s&h is US$4.50 domestic and US$15 for international); when ordering, please include order code M650C901. Make checks payable to Health Sciences Institute

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