This information is designed to keep you up to date in recent issues relating to medical care and personal health. It is derived from the medical journals and health news resources, with Dr. Janson’s commentary and explanations.
If you would like a free printed health newsletter, please contact Dr. Janson , and one will be sent to you by post. Eventually, I will post the contents on the website. For information on professional dietary supplements, call QCI Nutritionals 888-922-4848, or visit their website at www.qciNutritionals.com
Last Updated: January 2001
Medical Updates:
January 2001- Chromium helps diabetics. A new study confirms the value of chromium in managing diabetes (adult onset, now more properly called Type II diabetes, as it is now common at earlier ages due to overweight and poor diet). Earlier studies reported that up to 90 percent of diabetics could get off medication with chromium supplements, if they took 1000 mcg of chromium daily. Chromium enhances insulin sensitivity. This report confirms the value of chromium in an elderly population, using only 400 mcg daily. Of course, chromium is only a part of the solution to diabetes. A high fiber diet, weight loss, and regular exercise are extremely effective lifestyle changes that help control diabetes. James Anderson, MD, at the University of Kentucky, has shown that diabetics do better following such a diet and exercise program. In addition, other supplements help both to control sugar levels and prevent the complications of diabetes, related to circulatory disorders, visual problems, and neurological symptoms. Bioflavonoids, alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, bilberry, proanthocyanidins, magnesium, gamma-linolenic acid, vitamins C and E, B complex, and others are all beneficial for diabetics.
January 2001- Saw palmetto may treat and prevent prostate cancer. We know that saw palmetto berry extract helps benign prostate enlargement, but now there is evidence from the laboratory that saw palmetto also helps prevent and treat prostate cancer (American Society for Cell Biology meeting, Reuters Health, Dec 2000). Saw palmetto decreased growth of cancer cells in culture. It killed other cancer cells, but it was five times more potent against prostate cancer cells. The researchers noted that because it inhibited the inflammatory substance known as COX-2, which is high in prostate cancer cells, long-term usage of saw palmetto could help to prevent prostate cancer as well as treat it. The usual dose of saw palmetto is 160 mg of standardized extract, 2 to 3 times a day.