Pain Doctor: No Need to Suffer. Pain Center of Orlando

Selenium Supplement Intake and Prostate Cancer Prevention

Introduction

Prostate cancer presents a very real risk to life and longevity. The incidence of prostate cancer rises dramatically with age. Genetic predisposition does play a role in the risk of prostate cancer, but it is difficult to change the structure and nature of the gene thereby mitigating cancer risk. It is, however, fairly easy to alter some environmental risk factors that dramatically improve risks for disease development.

Evidence suggests a significant link between prostate enlargement (BPH) and hormonal levels. As males age, production of androgenic (male) hormones decreases, causing an imbalance in androgen and estrogen levels, and high levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the main prostatic intracellular androgen.

The likelihood of developing an enlarged prostate increases with age.Prostate enlargement is present in many males older than age 40, and prostate enlargement is present in more than 90% of males older than the age of 80.

Blacks have a higher incidence of prostate cancer, with an incidence rate of 224.3 cases per 100,000 people, and blacks are at the greatest risk to present with more advanced neoplastic disease associated with a poorer diagnosis. Whites, by comparison, have an incidence of 150.3 cases per 100,000 people, and Asians have an incidence of 82.2 cases per 100,000 people.

Supplement Selection

Selenium: At least five major clinical trials have concluded that higher levels of selenium (in blood or toenail clippings) are associated with a sharply reduced risk of prostate cancer. The Nutritional Prevention of Cancer (NPC) trial found that supplementing with 200 micrograms/day of selenium cuts prostate cancer risk in half. Researchers at the Harvard Medical School now weigh in with another study confirming the beneficial effects of selenium. Their study involved 22,000 healthy, male physicians who were enrolled in the study in 1982 and had blood samples taken at that time. Sufficient samples to analyze for selenium content and PSA level were available for 586 men diagnosed with prostate cancer as well as for 577 controls matched for age and smoking status. After 13 years of follow-up the researchers concluded that study participants with a plasma selenium level of 0.12-0.19 ppm had a 50% lower incidence of advanced prostate cancer than did men with a level of 0.06-0.09 ppm. The correlation was only apparent in men with a PSA level of more than 4 ng/mL and was particularly strong for those with a baseline (1982) PSA level greater than 10 ng/mL. For these men a high selenium level corresponded to a 70% decrease in the risk of advanced prostate cancer. The researchers also observed a trend for a lower incidence of localized prostate cancer with high selenium levels, but this trend was not statistically significant. They conclude that selenium is perhaps not too effective in preventing the initiation of prostate cancer, but that it is highly effective in slowing down tumor progression. They believe that selenium acts by selectively killing off cells whose DNA has been extensively damaged, by inhibiting cellular proliferation, and by its role as a key component of glutathione peroxidase, which protects cells from peroxide damage.

Cinnamon & Honey

David S. Klein, MD
Pain Center of Orlando, Inc.
225 W. SR 434 Suite #205
Longwood, Florida  32750

407-679-3337
www.suffernomore.com

Cinnamon and Honey

                                 David S. Klein, MD, FACA, FACPM

Okay, you saw this one several weeks ago, but, we are seeing a tremendous number of patients in the office with the flu and/or some miserable respiratory problem lasting up to 2 weeks or more. 

Look this over, and please........... buy some quality honey and cinnamon and give this remedy a try.  

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and
Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine or all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:

Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS:

Arthritis patients may take daily, morning, and night, one cup of hot water With two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If Taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research Conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors Treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half Teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, Out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally Relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not Walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:

Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a Glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:

Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce The level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As Mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic Cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:

Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon Lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This Process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:

Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears Stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS:

According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:

Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and Protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found That honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral Diseases.

INDIGESTION:

Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food Relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient' Which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY:

Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the Ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder And three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to Four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increases and even a 100 year old, starts performing the Chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES:

Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with Warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS:

Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts Cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:

Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach And at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one Cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:

Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three time s a day.

FATIGUE:

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half Tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. When the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH:

People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:

Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restore hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

New Herbal Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer?

David S. Klein, MD---------      Pain Center of Orlando, Inc.
225 W. SR 434 Suite #205
Longwood, Florida  32750

www.suffernomore.com


Thymoquinone, the major constituent of the oil extract from a Middle Eastern herbal seed called Nigella sativa, exhibited anti-inflammatory properties that reduced the release of inflammatory mediators in pancreatic cancer cells.

Nigella sativa seeds and oil are used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern and Asian countries.  Previous studies have also shown it to have anti-cancer effects on prostate and colon cancers.

Based upon their previously published findings that thymoquinone inhibits histone deacetylases (HDACs), Dr. Arafat and her colleagues compared the anti-inflammatory properties of thymoquinone and trichostatin A, an HDAC inhibitor that has previously shown to ameliorate inflammation-associated cancers.

The herb also inhibited the activation and synthesis of NF-kappaB, a transcription factor that has been implicated in inflammation-associated cancer. Activation of NF-kappaB has been observed in pancreatic cancer and may be a factor in pancreatic cancer's resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. When animal models of pancreatic cancer were treated with thymoquinone, 67 percent of the tumors were significantly shrunken, and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the tumors were significantly reduced.

Inflammation has been implicated in the development of several solid tumor malignancies. Chronic pancreatitis, both hereditary and sporadic, is associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with approximately 32,000 deaths a year. Only five percent of individuals with pancreatic cancer live for at least one year after diagnosis.

Curcumin: Breast Cancer Treatment & Prevention

Curcumin:  Breast Cancer Treatment & Prevention

 

Cucumin is a spice extracted from turmeric root.  This commonly available spice may be a key to fighting cancer.

1.  Curcumin reduces number of lung metastases and makes the chemotherapy agent, Taxol, less toxic.

Taxol, as is true with many chemotherapeutic agents, provokes an inflammatory  response, which leads to drug resistance. When administered with the chemotherapy, curcumin inhibited Taxol's inflammatory response by blocking nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) which regulates inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis (cell death).

2. Curcumin shuts down the production of NF-Kappa B, the "Smoke-Sensor"

It was determined that curcumin suppresses  tumor necrosis factor (TNF), from activating NF-kappa B.  By inhibiting TNF-induced NF-kappa B activation, curcumin reduced the expression of genes that regulate every stage of cancer development.

3.  Curcumin inhibits cancer cell growth rate

By inactivating NF-kappa B, genes involved in cell proliferation, such as COX-2, cyclin D1, and c-myc, are inhibited. This means that curcumin suppresses production of proteins needed for uncontrolled growth and proliferation, inflammation and inhibition of PGE-
2.

4.  Curcumin restores normal control of  Apoptosis (Cell Death)

Cancer may be a condition that damages he normal control mechanism involved in normal cell death. Curcumin helps to restore normal programmed cell death. The chemotherapy agent Taxol induced NF-kappa B activation, which leads to cell immortality, reducing the drug's ability to kill cancer cells.  In that drug resistance is a huge problem, curcumin can help to make chemotherapeutic agents more effective.

5.  Curcumin assists in controlling cancer cell metastasis

By inactivating NF-kappa B, genes promoting metastasis,  curcumin inhibits cancer metastasis.

 

Summary:

1. Curcumin has been demonstrated to be useful in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
2. Curcumin acts at the gene-activating level, and is involved in pathways that are common in inflammatory conditions.

 

NOTES TO MY PATIENTS:

1. Curcumin is useful  not only for breast cancer issues, but for prostate cancer, pancreatitis, and arthritis. 
2. I am preparing a newsletter looking at the use of Curcumin as it may pertain to prevention of heart disease.
3. Curcumin may reduce elevated CRP levels, something of intense interest to patients with heart disease, cholesterol and stroke concerns.
4. Dosage of Curcumin depends upon the strength and purity of the curcumin preparation.
5. The top of the line curcumin costs pennies more than the garbage that is generally available at the ‘health store.’ Using curcumin for the purposes above requires ‘solvent-free’ curcumin, and I am aware of only one reliable source.
6. Currently, I am recommending Curcumin (Vital Nutrients, Inc.) 500 mg twice daily.  Cost per month is around $24.  The cheaper brands cost a bit less, but you get a lot less.
7. You can get it from our website, if you wish. 

The link is http://stages-of-life.com/Store/search.aspx?q=curcumin

 

David S. Klein, MD, FACA, FACPM, FAAMIMS

Pain Center of Orlando, Inc. Suite #225 W. SR 434

Longwood, Florida  32750

 

Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement

Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement (HRT): Cancer, Menopause, and Other Medical Risks

 

The controversy over hormone replacement risks has been going on for over 3 decades, now. What is uncontroversial, however, are the   seemingly contradictory opinions that arise over the same scientific data.  One month, is good and safe, the next month, a newspaper article describes it as ‘unsafe.’ 

 

Fact #1: Both women and men must have estrogen (estriol, estradiol, estrone),

testosterone and progesterone in the blood stream.  These hormones are necessary to maintain the health of essentially every organ and tissue in the body.  Neither good, nor bad, these hormones must be maintained in rather tight ratios, relative to each other, in order to maintain health.  These hormones are healthy and youthful if maintained in the appropriate ratios.  They can result in damage and disease if the ratios are not determined and monitored.

 

Problem #1: This is where the problem arises: does your physician test for these hormone levels, and does your physician understand the nature of hormone ratios? These hormones are present in your body during times of health, the levels are greatest during youth and decline steadily with age. As you age, the levels decrease, but the ratios can change to unhealthy ratios.

 

Fact #2:  Progesterone is the naturally occurring hormone, Progestin is not.  Clinical studies, looking at the safety of HRT in patients that already developed breast, ovarian and uterine cancer, demonstrated that estriol, estradiol, estrone and progesterone were safe to administer.  Progestin, on the other hand was a problem.  Note this well:  Progesterone is not the same thing as Progestin.

 

Problem #2: Most physicians will prescribe hormone replacement without baseline blood levels of these hormones.  This is when and why hormone replacement can be dangerous.  If these hormones, bio-identical or not, are administered without determining baseline and treatment hormone levels, dangerous ratios can and will result.

 

Fact #3: A Bio-identical hormone is a chemical messenger that is chemically identical, not ‘similar’ to the chemical messenger found in the human system.    Many of these hormones come from animal sources, some are chemically manufactured or are derived from other biological means. 

 

Problem #3: Estrogen and Progesterone must be maintained, in balance, to avoid PMS like symptoms, ‘bitchiness,’ and depression.  The problem is usually too little progesterone, although both estrogen and progesterone levels do decrease with age. Excess estrogen is often known as ‘estrogen dominance.’ The answer may be as simple as the administration of progesterone.  Breast cancer incidence increases with age,   just as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels decrease with age.  If these hormones cause cancer, why does cancer tend to occur at ages when the levels actually decrease?

 

Fact #4: Blood testing is the only reliable means to determine hormone levels in the blood.  These chemical messengers do their work through the blood stream, and it only makes common sense that determination of blood levels is the proper approach.  Unfortunately, many patients are sold on the idea that salivary levels are ‘superior’ in some way to blood levels.  One would be led to believe that spitting in a tube will give you more consistent results than a blood draw.  Having performed paired determinations of salivary levels and blood hormone levels, I have found that the salivary results are rarely consistent with the blood levels. 

 

Problem #4: Almost is not good enough.   In order to properly determine blood levels of these hormones, it is simply not good enough to perform hormone testing that lacks scientific validity.  Unfortunately, many patients (and some physicians) rely on salivary hormone testing as a guide. Salivary hormone testing is available without a doctor’s prescription, which is what makes it popular.  It is not reimbursable by most (if any) insurance carriers because salivary hormone testing has never demonstrated consistency in results.  Simply stated, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved salivary hormone testing because the results are unreliable and inconsistent.  The FDA does approve blood testing of the same hormones, and insurance carriers do cover the blood determinations. 

 

Fact #5:  Low blood testosterone and DHEA levels lead to loss of libido, depression and other illnesses.

 

Problem #5: As you age, DHEA, sometimes known as the ‘fountain of youth hormone,’ decreases. The body uses DHEA to produce progesterone, testosterone, estriol, estradiol as well as other hormones.  There is more DHEA in the blood stream than any other hormone.  Why is it, then, that physicians rarely test the blood for adequacy of this vital hormone?  

 

Summary:  Replacement of the naturally occurring hormones is safe.  There is little data to suggest that replacement of these hormones to restore proper hormone levels in appropriate ratios will do anything but reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and actually reduce the risk of cancer.

           

 David S. Klein, MD is the medical director of the Pain Center of Orlando, Inc. A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Dr. Klein received training in General Surgery at the University of North Carolina, and Anesthesiology Residency at Duke University.  He was elected as Fellow in the American College of Pain Medicine, Fellow of the American College of Anesthesiologists, Fellow in the American College of Pain Management.  Dr. Klein has been published over 100 times, and he has lectured nationally and internationally on topics ranging from nutritional medicine, bio-identical hormone replacement and pain treatment.  He has been on served on several professional editorial boards, two medical school faculties and is currently enjoying private practice in Longwood, Florida.

From the Johns Hopkins Medical Center: Cancer Prevention

 

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY' IS THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.  
 

Cancer Update from John Hopkins

 

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the t ests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

 2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9 When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to sp read to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

 

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

 

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc. are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

 b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.

 c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

 d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment..   About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 min utes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try to drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

 e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water - best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic - avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

 13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and=2 0bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

 

(PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT)

 

CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL , U S - PLEASE READ

 

1. No plastic containers in micro.

 2. No water bottles in freezer

 3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

 Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, as well.

 
Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer.. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

 

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers.

 

This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics re leases dioxins into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.. You get the same results, only without the dioxins. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.

 

Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

 

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Melatonin and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

Melatonin has been shown to stimulate cells called osteoblasts that promote bone growth. Since melatonin levels may be lower in some older individuals such as postmenopausal women, current studies are investigating whether decreased melatonin levels contribute to the development of osteoporosis, and whether treatment with melatonin can help prevent this condition. Melatonin is useful not only in the treatment of sleep disorders, but it  is useful in cancer prevention, osteoporosis and, as an adjuvant for weight loss.

 

Melatonin's therapeutic potential is underestimated because of its wide variety of functional roles and  mechanism(s) of action are complex and varied. Melatonin is a chronobiotic agent secreted from the pineal gland during the hours of darkness.  Melatonin modulates metabolic and cardiovascular physiology as well as bone metabolism and immune function and detoxification of chemical agents and cancer reduction.

Melatonin levels decrease with age. This decrease in plasma melatonin levels observed in humans during late adulthood may further enhance susceptibility to osteoporosis.

Therapeutic dosages of melatonin seem to be be related to age, gender and co-administration of pain killers. Women need more melatonin than men, opiate users need more melatonin than non-opiate users. To make it even more interesting, individuals with gastrointestinal disorders need substantially more melatonin, as well.

The rule of thumb that I use is:

Ages 10 to 21, starting dose 1 mg for  boys, 3 mg for girls.

Ages 21 to 60, starting dose 3 mg for men, 6 mg for women.

For patients taking opiates, and for those patients with GI absorption or motility disorders, 10 mg for both women and men, anticipate 20 mg in women taking opiates.

Pharmaceutical Grade Melatonin

References:

Witt-Enderby PA, Radio NM, et al: Therapeutic treatments potentially mediated by melatonin receptors: potential clinical uses in the prevention of osteoporosis, cancer and as an adjuvant therapy.

J Pineal Res. 2006 Nov;41(4):297-305.

Radio NM, Doctor JS, Witt-Enderby PA: Melatonin enhances alkaline phosphatase activity in differentiating human adult mesenchymal stem cells grown in osteogenic medium via MT2 melatonin receptors and the MEK/ERK (1/2) signaling cascade. J. Pineal Res. 2006 May;40(4):332-42.

See also: 

 "Treatment of Osteoporosis with Oral Strontium Citrate"

"Nutritional Factors in Osteoporosis"

         

 

Selenium and prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer and Selenium Intake

Prostate cancer presents a very real risk to life and longevity.  The incidence of prostate cancer rises dramatically with age.  Genetic predisposition does play a role in the risk of prostate cancer, but it is difficult to change the structure and nature of the gene thereby mitigating cancer risk.  It is, however, fairly easy to alter some environmental risk factors that dramatically improve risks for disease development.

 

Evidence suggests a significant link between prostate enlargement (BPH) and hormonal levels. As males age, production of androgenic (male) hormones decreases, causing an imbalance in androgen and estrogen levels, and high levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the main prostatic intracellular androgen.

 

 The likelihood of developing an enlarged prostate increases with age.Prostate enlargement is present in many males older than age 40, and prostate enlargement is present in more than 90% of males older than the age of 80.  

 

Blacks have a higher incidence of prostate cancer, with an incidence rate of 224.3 cases per 100,000 people, and blaks are at the greatest risk to present with more advanced neoplastic disease associated with a poorer diagnosis. Whites, by comparison, have an incidence of 150.3 cases per 100,000 people, and  Asians have an incidence of 82.2 cases per 100,000 people.

 

 Selenium: At least five major clinical trials have concluded that higher levels of selenium (in blood or toenail clippings) are associated with a sharply reduced risk of prostate cancer. The Nutritional Prevention of Cancer (NPC) trial found that supplementing with 200 micrograms/day of selenium cuts prostate cancer risk in half. Researchers at the

Harvard Medical School now weighs in with another study confirming the beneficial effects of selenium. Their study involved 22,000 healthy, male physicians who were enrolled in the study in 1982 and had blood samples taken at that time. Sufficient samples to analyze for selenium content and PSA level were available for 586 men diagnosed with prostate cancer as well as for 577 controls matched for age and smoking status.

After 13 years of follow-up the researchers concluded that study participants with a plasma selenium level of 0.12-0.19 ppm had a 50% lower incidence of advanced prostate cancer than did men with a level of 0.06-0.09 ppm. The correlation was only apparent in men with a PSA level of more than 4 ng/mL and was particularly strong for those with a baseline (1982) PSA level greater than 10 ng/mL. For these men a high selenium level corresponded to a 70% decrease in the risk of advanced prostate cancer. The researchers also observed a trend for a lower incidence of localized prostate cancer with high selenium levels, but this trend was not statistically significant. They conclude that selenium is perhaps not too effective in preventing the initiation of prostate cancer, but that it is highly effective in slowing down tumor progression. They believe that selenium acts by selectively killing off cells whose DNA has been extensively damaged, by inhibiting cellular proliferation, and by its role as a key component of glutathione peroxidase, which protects cells from peroxide damage.

NOTE WELL:  Selenium is very inexpensive and easy to obtain.  Too much is poisonous.  Recommended dosages should not be exceeded.  A good starting point is 200 mcg/day increase to 400 or 600, with care and only under the supervision of a physician who understands the implications of the use of interventional nutrition and nutraceuticals.

David S. Klein, MD
Pain Center of Orlando, Inc.
www.suffernomore.com

Peptide that can induce cancer cell death

From the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine:

Researchers have created a peptide that binds to a protein, converting it from a cancer-promoting protein to a cancer-killing protein.

The Bcl-2 protein has long been known to protect cancer cells from programmed cell death, or apoptosis, a process that the body uses to destroy cancerous cells. Interest in Bcl-2 led Xiao-kun Zhang and colleagues at Burnham Institute for Medical Research to create a peptide called NuBCP-9 from a protein called Nur77, which is a potent pro-apoptotic (cell death-promoting) protein.  Both laboratory and animal studies showed that NuBCP-9 binds to Bcl-2, converting it into a pro-apoptotic protein, which induced cell death in cancer cells.

“Our results provide insight into Bcl-2 conversion and identify a new direction for Bcl-2-based drug leads and cancer drug development,” said Professor Zhang in a news release issued by Burnham Institute for Medical Research.

Kolluri SK, Zhu X, Zhou X, Lin B, Chen Y, Sun K, Tian X, Town J, Cao X, Lin F, Zhai D, Kitada S, Luciano F, O'Donnell E, Cao Y, He F, Lin J, Reed JC, Satterthwait AC, Zhang XK. A short Nur77-derived peptide converts bcl-2 from a protector to a killer. Cancer Cell. 2008;14:285-298.

Reducing Cancer Risk with Vitamin D-3

Latest Lowdown on Vitamin -3

For starters, Vitamin D-3 is not a vitamin at all.  Vitamin D is a family of steroidal hormones that the body needs to acquire from the environment to maintain an ever increasingly appreciated importance to the maintenance of health.

Vitamin D occurs in 3 morphologies- Vitamin D1, D2 and D3.  Vitamin D-3 is made in the gut from D-2, which is essentially inactive. Vitamin D-3 is derived from cholesterol and is structurally similar to estrogen, testosterone and other essential hormones. 

____________________________________

Vitamin D-3, in doses of at least 2,000 IU/day will decrease the risk of breast cancer by 50%; reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 50%. 

1. Pharmaceutical-grade Vitamin D-3 costs about $6 per month.
2. It should be taken in the morning with a fish-oil capsule, to enhance absorbtion.
3. Higher doses are indicated in the presence of rheumatoid arthritis, M.S., and other auto-immune disease processes.

____________________________________

Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) is being shown to help prevent multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and even prostate cancer. (See Daily Health News, March 29, 2004 and July 26, 2005.) Now it turns out that it may do even more -- vitamin D and calcium may help prevent premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In the Nurses' Health Study II (a large study of nurses that has been ongoing since 1989), women who consumed higher levels of these two nutrients faced a lower risk of premenstrual symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, mood swings and stomach cramps.

Doses of Vitamin D-3 (2,000 IU) have been shown to reduce the risk of breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancer by as much as 50%.

ABOUT THE STUDY

In the retrospective study, researchers from the University of Massachusetts, Harvard University and the University of Iowa examined the diets of 1,057 women who reported PMS symptoms and 1,068 who did not. They found that...

Women who consumed nearly twice the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin D (the RDA for vitamin D is 400 international units, or IU) -- the equivalent of seven or more cups of milk -- were 40% less likely to experience PMS than women who consumed the vitamin D equivalent of one cup or less of milk daily.
Women who took in one-and-one-half times the RDA of calcium (RDA is approximately 1,000 mg depending on your age) the equivalent of four-and-one-half or more cups of milk) were 30% less likely to experience PMS than women who consumed the calcium equivalent of less than half a cup of milk daily.
These results were reported in the June 12, 2005, issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU

While the study makes clear some kind of association between vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and PMS, the diary format of the study does not appropriately isolate each element to show causation. So what does that mean and what should you do?

According to Wendy Vannoy, ND, a naturopathic physician in Portland, Oregon, women often don't get enough calcium and vitamin D -- two nutrients that are especially critical during the childbearing years.

Since milk and other dairy products are not necessarily the best sources of calcium, Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, suggests other good dietary sources of calcium, such as broccoli, spinach, collard greens and turnip greens.

___________________________________________________________

Recent studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is very, very common, indeed.  It may be a co-morbid factor in the development of chronic pain as well as contributory to the development of a host of auto-immune diseaes.

___________________________________________________________

If you're not taking in sufficient nutrients (and most of us don't), Dr. Vannoy recommends taking a good daily multivitamin along with a calcium/magnesium supplement. (The magnesium will help with the absorption of the calcium.) Dr. Vannoy has found that getting proper nutrition combined with regular sleep and exercise can significantly reduce PMS symptoms for many women.

-Who needs additional amounts of vitamin D?
-Anyone with inadequate caloric or nutritional dietary intake or 
increased nutritional requirements.
-Older people (over 55 years), especially women after menopause.
-Pregnant or breast feeding women.
-Those who abuse alcohol or drugs.
-People who have recently undergone surgery.
-People with recent severe burns or injuries.
D (cholecalciferol/ergocalciferol)

Vitamin D is the principal regulator of calcium homeostasis in the body. It is essential for skeletal development and bone mineralization. Vitamin D is a pro-hormone with no hormone activity. It is converted to a molecule that has biological activity. The active form of the vitamin is 1-25-dihydroxyvitamin D, usually referred to vitamin D3. It is synthesized in the skin from 7-dehydrocholesterol via phytochemical reactions requiring UV light (sunlight). Inadequate exposure to sunlight contributes to vitamin D deficiency. Increasing evidence suggests that vitamin D may also contribute to antioxidant function by inhibiting lipid peroxidation. The mechanism of the antioxidant effect is unknown. Vitamin D receptors have been identified in the pancreas.

Vitamin D deficiency in adults can lead to osteoporosis, which results from an imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation. Decreased vitamin D levels result in decreased production of the active vitamin form, vitamin D3. Vitamin D enhances the efficiency of calcium absorption. Chronic vitamin D deficiency results in a decreased calcium absorption and secondary hyperparathyriodism.

Vitamin D has also been found to have anti-carcinogenic activity, including apoptosis in many types of cancer cells. It has also been useful in the treatment of psoriasis when applied topically. Vitamin D appears to demonstrate both immune-enhancing and immunosuppressive effects.

Supplemental vitamin D is available as vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) or vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). The Food and Nutrition Board of the institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences recognizes the biological activity of vitamins D2 and D3 are equivalent with age related intakes. Dosages over 3000 IU/day area associated with hypercalcemia, causing multiple debilitating effects. Anorexia, nausea and vomiting have been observed at doses as low as 1250 IU/day. The prolonged ingestion of excessive vitamin D and the accompanying hypercalcemia can result in metastatic calcification of soft tissues, including kidney, blood vessels, heart and lungs.