Natural Alternatives to ADHD Drugs: L-carnitine
This aminolike substance can be effective for boys with ADHD.An eight-week double-blind study resulted in improvement in 54 percent of boys compared to 13 percent for those taking placebo. L-carnitine significantly decreased the attention problems and aggressive behavior in boys with ADHD. Take 100 mg per 2.2 pounds of body weight daily. L-carnitine is quite safe.
Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease Drugs: Vitamin K
Vitamin K not only helps with regulating bone calcification but also protects against harmful arterial calcification. Vitamin K is required for normal function of the protein osteocalcin. When vitamin K is deficient, blood calcium accumulates in the arteries.
Vitamin K sources
The Rotterdam Study, an ongoing European clinical trial started in 1990, evaluated (among many other things) how vitamin K intake affected 4,807 subjects over a period of 7 to 10 years. Results published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that a diet providing 45 mcg per day of vitamin K2 was associated with 50 percent less arterial calcification, a 50 percent decreased cardiovascular mortality risk, and a 25 percent reduction in risk of dying from any cause. Clinical trials also have demonstrated that vitamin K2 improves elasticity of the carotid arteries, thereby promoting better blood flow. (more…)
Pomegranate Juice and Its Effect on Plaque
Pomegranate juice has proven to be a powerful food for arterial health. It is loaded with antioxidants called polyphenols that prevent cholesterol oxidation and improve blood flow. Israeli researchers discovered its effectiveness in a three-year study of patients with carotid artery plaque. The study included 19 men and women, 65 to 75 years old, who had severe carotid artery blockage. Ten participants received 1,7 ounces (50 ml) of 100 percent pomegranate juice daily and nine participants drank a placebo.
Statins are a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs that inhibit the enzyme called hydroxy-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase), which is involved in the manufacturing of cholesterol in the liver. They also reduce arterial inflammation associated with atherosclerosis.
There is a decreased risk of dying when statins are given in the hospital after a heart attack, and a reduction in the long-term death rate. These medications have also been shown to reduce inflammation.
The most common side effects are headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, rash, weakness, muscle and joint pain, and increased liver enzymes. The most serious (but fortunately rare) side effects are liver failure and rhabdomyolysis, a serious side effect in which there is damage to muscles. Statins should not be used by pregnant women or nursing mothers.
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Topical
Tretinoin (Retin-A, Avita, Renova)
Adapalene (Differin)
Isotretinoin (Isotrex gel)
Oral
Isotretinoin (Accutane)
Retinoids are a derivative of vitamin A. In topical form, they work by increasing skin cell turnover and promoting the release of the plugged material in the follicle. They also prevent the formation of new whiteheads and blackheads (comedones) because the rapid turnover of cells prevents new pimples from forming. Some retinoids (oral isotretinoin specifically) also reduce the amount of sebum produced by the sebaceous glands and stop P. acnes growth.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Although the list of side effects and precautions is daunting, the long-term effectiveness of Accutane (isotretinoin) is extremely positive. Seventy percent of patients receiving Accutane will be acne-free for more than 10 years. However, about 25 percent of patients who have used Accutane will see acne symptoms return after two years, and 10 percent will see acne return after just one year. A normal treatment period is about four to six months.