The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for June, 2012

Heart failure and the benefits of drinking coffee

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

Research shows that coffee and caffeine are associated with increased blood pressure (acutely), (nor)epinephrine levels, arterial stiffness and impaired vasodilation.

But according to researchers in the US, drinking just the right amount may lower your risk for heart failure. (more…)

Does selenium reduce the risk for prostate cancer?

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

About 15 years ago, researchers in the US published the results of a study showing that taking selenium supplements lowered the risk of prostate cancer.

Now, researchers in the UK have examined all the available evidence for selenium intake, selenium levels in the body, and prostate cancer risk. (more…)

Benefit of vitamin D and calcium in the elderly

Friday, June 15th, 2012

Vitamin D appears to affect many health outcomes.

An international group of researchers reviewed the literature to see if there’s an effect on mortality. (more…)

Everything you wanted to know about cranberry

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

Drs. Catherine Neto and Joe Vinson from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth and the University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, contributed a chapter on cranberry in the textbook, Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, 2011.

Most of the chapter is detailed biochemistry — their specialty. But, they also review the status of cranberry in cancer therapy and managing urinary tract infections.

Let’s focus on urinary tract infections. (more…)

Treating cancer-related fatigue with American ginseng

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Cancer-related fatigue is occurs in 50% to 90% of all patients with cancer and severely affects quality of life, in addition to decreasing the daily functional capacity.

During the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, researchers from several US universities reported that American ginseng reduces general and physical cancer-related fatigue. (more…)

Improvement in symptoms with acupuncture treatment of COPD

Monday, June 4th, 2012

Last year, the Canadian Thoracic Society clinical practice guidelines, advised there was insufficient evidence to support the routine use of acupuncture to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Since then, 2 more studies have been published. (more…)

Consumer alert: Reumofan Plus

Monday, June 4th, 2012

FDA is warning consumers that Reumofan Plus, marketed as a natural dietary supplement for pain relief and other serious conditions, contains several active pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the label that could be harmful.

Here’s what we know. (more…)

Religion lowers the risk of depression

Monday, June 4th, 2012

It’s reported that the personal importance of religion or spirituality is associated with a lower risk for major depression.

Researchers at Columbia University, in New York City, examined this association in adults. (more…)

Adverse response to exercise

Friday, June 1st, 2012

Dr. Claude Bouchard and colleagues from around the US and Finland tell us that people differ in their response to regular exercise.

Sometimes these differences contribute to adverse changes in cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors, according to this study. (more…)