June 3, 2008
Where to Get Transfer Factor?
Q: Re: The article on “Transfer Factor and the Importance of a Healthy Immune System.”
This is a super interesting article. However, it failed to mention how to obtain these Transfer Factor capsules. Please list a website or phone number for access. – cpspa
A: Here is a link to a Web site put together by the article’s author, Aaron White, PhD, to help guide you on which transfer factor to get and where you can get it: http://www.learnabouttf.com/get/index.html. Dr. White’s list includes links to sources in the U.S., including ProHealth. You can also go to ProHealth’s store and click on “Transfer Factor” in the alphabetical Product Categories index.
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Ribose in Energy Revitalization System?
Q: I received an e-mail regarding the Energy Revitalization System supplement. Does it have Ribose in it? Or does he [Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum] recommend taking this in addition to Ribose? – Jane
A: The Energy Revitalization SystemTM formulation does not contain Ribose – a sugar that sparks creation of ATP in muscles. The two supplements could be taken together, but our customer service people suggest trying one of these supplements by itself first. That way if you get all of the energy you need from one you won’t have to pay for both.
For future reference, in the ProHealth store, the information about each product includes three tabs. Click on the Label Info tab to find a complete list of ingredients and facts. And if you have questions, customer service is always happy to help.
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What Is Myers’ Cocktail?
Q: I have had Fibromyalgia and IBS for about 7 years. It has gotten worse over the last 6 months or so. My Doctor, who has been really great, has tried so many medications to help, but nothing seems to really help. I have just started going to another specialist that deals with a lot of Fibro patients and he mentioned a shot that he gives. I did some research about it and it is called the Myers’ cocktail. Has any one heard of it or tried it, or do you have any other information about it? – Cindy
A: All the info we find about the Myers’ cocktail indicates it is administered by an MD intravenously (IV) as a “pharmaceutical strength” nutritional therapy (usually B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin C, calcium). It may be that your doctor’s idea is a similar mix of nutrients delivered more simply as an injection (shot). As with B12 shots, one could speculate that this is an efficient way to deliver important nutrients straight to the bloodstream if the patient is deficient and/or the digestive tract, etc. isn’t effectively metabolizing/absorbing/manufacturing these nutrients from food.
There also seems to be a product that can be taken orally containing Myers’ cocktail nutrients. It is apparently prescribed by a doctor, taken under a doctor’s care, and must be shipped and stored cold.
Here are some resources with different info about Myers’ cocktail:
1. The Bastyr Center website, which is a good source of information on nutritional issues.
2. From Wikipedia – history, etc.
3. At the FibromyalgiaNetwork site – which discusses the issue of cost for Myers’ cocktail IV therapy (not shots) vs. taking individual oral supplements.
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Info on Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Q: Any info on trigeminal neuralgia? I hurt badly. – George
A: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a chronic pain condition that produces intense stabbing, burning and electric shock-like pain to the face. Some have described TN as the most excruciating pain known to mankind. It is caused by irritation of the trigeminal nerve, which starts at the base of the brain and branches into the forehead, cheek and lower jaw. You can see an illustration of the trigeminal nerve at http://www.stjosephsatlanta.org/gamma_knife_center/trigeminal.html.
Generally TN only affects one side of the face, although in some cases it can affect both sides. While TN can be caused by the pressure of a tumor on the nerve or by multiple sclerosis, which damages the nerve’s myelin sheath, it is more often due to vascular compression where the trigeminal nerve enters the brain. It is thought that this compression may damage the myelin sheath which protects the nerve.
TN attacks tend to run in cycles. Patients may have frequent attacks for a period of time followed by stretches of weeks or months with little or no pain. Unfortunately, the usual pattern is for attacks to intensify over time with shorter pain-free periods. Attacks of TN may be triggered by almost anything that touches the face or uses facial muscles – from a light breeze to brushing teeth or even smiling.
There are a number of different treatments available for trigeminal neuralgia, including medications and surgical procedures. Of course medication is the first line of treatment and generally works very well. The first and most common medication usually prescribed for TN is the anticonvulsant carbamazepine (Tegretol), although oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), a similar but newer medication with fewer side effects, has recently become the preferred first-line treatment. Other anticonvulsants sometimes used include: phenytoin (Dilantin), gabapentin (Neurontin), or lamotrigine (Lamictal). These medications work by interrupting the nerve impulses that trigger the painful attacks. The muscle relaxant baclofen is sometimes prescribed to be used with one of the anticonvulsants to improve its effectiveness. If medication does not work or loses its effectiveness over time, it may be necessary to consider having a surgical procedure.
Following are some Web sites that provide more in-depth information about trigeminal neuralgia:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
St. Joseph’s Gamma Knife Center
Neurosurgery Today
Trigeminal Neuralgia Association
Multiple Sclerosis Research?
Q: I would like to be informed about the latest research in the field of multiple sclerosis. I hope you can help me. – Ankit
A: We will do our best to include MS research in the Research Abstracts section of this newsletter. In the meantime, you might want to visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s research section – where they report on all the latest MS research news and present it in an easy-to-read format.
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Note: This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is generic and is not meant to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any illness, condition, or disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.
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