May 06 Health News from Dr. Murphree
Dear Friends,
It’s hard to believe that May is already here and summer is upon us!
It’s taken longer than we thought (5 months), but we’re happy to announce the debut of our new website, TreatingandBeating.com.
The new site allows easier access to my free nutritional protocols for various conditions, including arthritis, pain, hypothyroid, fatigue, allergies, anxiety, depression, yeast overgrowth, digestive disorders, and of course, fibromyalgia, and CFS. We’ll continue to add additional information on various conditions, as well as adding more information to the existing essays. We'll also be "polishing" the site over the next several months, so please check back periodically for updates.
Note: The old site is still accessible from our new site until everything is updated. If you are looking for something that you can't find on the new site, simply use the far right scroll bar and scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find a link to the old site.
Our new site is dedicated to helping others help themselves with essays, articles, newsletters, books, supplements, and breaking news on health issues.
In this month’s newsletter I’d like to share some information about managing acute and chronic pain with nutritional supplementation.
Believe it or not, the first place to start, when it comes to pain, is with a good optimal daily allowance multivitamin (that's a high dose multivitamin formula). All the B-Vitamins play a role in reducing pain.
B-1, or Thiamine, is particularly helpful for patients with neuritis (nerve pain) or pain that radiates to the legs and/or arms and hands. One study, which used B-1 in patients who suffered from headaches, joint pain, or neuritis (nerve pain), and who had not responded to traditional medical drug therapy, showed that 78% of headaches improved, 71% of of joint pains improved and 62% of those with neuritis improved.
B-3, or niacin (niacinamide), is a powerful anti-arthritis supplement. Some arthritis sufferers report a drastic reduction in their pain within 2-3 weeks of starting high-dose niacinamide (as found in Essential Therapeutics Arthritis and CFS/Fibro Formula). B-3 helps make joints more mobile; immobile joints are a major cause of inflammation and pain–especially in osteoarthritis.
B-6, or pyridoxine, helps increase pain thresholds (reducing pain). B-6 helps make serotonin, a brain chemical that increases a person’s pain threshold. This vitamin is often all that is needed to stop the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
B-12 has been shown to be a potent weapon in reducing pain. One study demonstrated that adding B-12 reduced pain levels by 50% within 3 weeks of beginning the supplement.
Vitamin E helps to block chronic pain by increasing natural pain blocking chemicals called endorphins. One study showed participants had a 52% reduction in pain compared to those taking placebo.
Magnesium act as powerful muscle relaxants. Magnesium is especially good at reducing the frequency and intensity of headaches, including migraines. I find it to be very helpful for the tight achy muscle pain associated with fibromyalgia. PMS sufferers often find relief when taking additional magnesium.
Boron helps reduce osteoarthritis pain by a whopping 90% in some studies.
All of the vitamins and minerals work together in a synergistic way. Therefore taking a good optimal daily allowance multivitamin (opposed to taking singly) ensures that you’ll get the most from supplementation.
Other nutritional supplements that help combat pain include ginger, tumeric, glucosamine, DL-Phenylalanine, Cat’s Claw, Boswellia, and SAMe.
Spotlight on SAMe
SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine) is an amino acid derivative normally synthesized in the body. The United States Department of Health is wholeheartedly supportive of SAMe and had this to say in their report...The over-the-counter dietary supplement SAMe ("SAMMY") shows promise as an alternative treatment to prescription drugs for depression and osteoarthritis and may help some chronic liver conditions (according to the Evidence Report Summary).
The Evidence Report on SAMe, introduced to the US in 1998, was sponsored by the US Department of Health and Human Services (H.H.S.) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
The report on SAMe, or S-adenosyl-L-methionine, a natural compound found in every human cell and involved in over 35 biochemical processes in the body, was prepared for the H.H.S. by Rand Corporation, a Southern California-based think tank. A team of medical professionals worked for more than three years on a literature review and synthesis of evidence on 102 different human clinical studies of SAM-e to determine its efficacy for treatment of depression, osteoarthritis and cholestasis of pregnancy and intrahepatic cholestasis associated with liver disease.
The key findings include evidence that SAMe is as effective as prescription antidepressants, fights osteoarthritis pain as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and helps some liver conditions.
But note that clinical trials show that for SAMe to be effective, at least 400 to as much as 800mg per day (1-4, 200mg tablets). Any lesser amount and SAM-e may not yield any results.
What about SAMe and Depression?
There are over 100 peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate SAMe to be an effective, fast-acting, natural medication for depression. An analysis of these studies concludes that SAMe is as effective, works faster and has less side effects than prescription antidepressants.
Not all SAMe is Created Equal
A number SAMe products being sold do not meet scientifically accepted standards. The SAM-e molecule has two forms, one is the SS isomer (known as the active isomer) and the other is the RS isomer (known as the inactive isomer).All SAME-e contains percentages of both. The accepted levels for potency of SAM-e require a minimum of 70% SS (active) isomer content. The SAMe I recommend comes from Italy (highest grade source of SAMe), and tests at 70% purity or higher, and is enteric coated for maximum potency.
Most vendors use 50%, or even less, active isomer content. Many of these vendors outsource their product from China or India; both provide a cheap and inferior form of SAMe.
Please also be advised that it is highly unstable when exposed to oxygen. It should be packaged in air-resistant packs, or the tablets should be enteric-coated to ensure maximum potency.Consumer Labs tested 30 preparations of SAME-e and only 4 had the acceptable "active ion" SAM-e content.
In the past, I was reluctant to recommend good high quality SAMe because of the expense. However, the price has come down over the last few years and I’m recommending it more and more to my patients. It quickly elevates mood, boosts energy levels, and as already noted, reduces over all pain.
Some Prescription Medications can Cause Pain
Some common prescription medications may cause pain. These include:Ambien (a sleep medication) - may cause flu-like achy pain.
Prilosec (stomach acid blocking drug) – may cause joint or muscle pain
Fosamax and any of the osteoporosis medications have potential side effects that include bone pain, especially in the long bones of the legs.
All of the cholesterol lowering medications commonly known as statin drugs, (Lipitor, Vytorin, Crestor, etc.) are associated with muscle pain. Seventy percent of those taking these medications discontinue taking them within 3 months due to pain.
Several antibiotics can cause muscle pain.
Diuretics (water pills) may deplete electrolytes (potassium) and cause leg cramps and other muscle pains.
If you’re experiencing chronic pain, please read-up on your prescription medications. An online search should help you find out what potential side effects are associated with your medication.
For more information about reducing pain, especially that associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and or fibromyalgia please check out the new site, TreatingandBeating.com.
SAMe Special
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SAMe has been shown through several well designed studies to be one of the best natural antidepressants available. There have been more than 100 peer-reviewed studies showing that SAMe is an effective natural medication for depression. It's faster-acting with fewer side effects than prescription anti-depressants.It also helps increase the production of endorphins. Endorphins are the bodies natural pain blocking chemicals and are more powerful than morphine.
SAMe helps manufacture and repair cartilage components. A study of osteoarthritis patients compared SAMe with NSAID drugs in its ability to reduce pain.
One double-blind study showed SAMe was superior to ibuprofen in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Several studies involving SAMe and fibromyalgia patients yielded substantial improvement in over all pain levels (as well as depression).
Special this month: One bottle is $27
Buy two for $49Click Here To See Special on SAMe
Thank you for taking the time to read this month's newsletter.
Wishing you all the best,
Dr. Rodger Murphree
1-888-884-9577