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

Archive for the 'Alcoholism/Drug Abuse' Category

More dangers of pot smoking reported

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

MarijuanaTwo more research studies warn against having a cavalier approach to cannabis.

First, researchers at University of Sydney, in Australia, determined the prevalence of recent alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis use in young persons presenting for mental healthcare. (more…)

Cannabis use and the risk of psychosis

Saturday, February 12th, 2011

Researchers at Prince of Wales Hospital, in New South Wales, Australia, reviewed the evidence to determine the extent to which use of cannabis, alcohol, and other psychoactive substances affect the age at onset of psychosis. (more…)

Lifestyle choices and diabetes risk later in life

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

There are 5 choices that make a difference, according to this report by the Cardiovascular Health Study group. (more…)

Moderating effect of religiosity on problem alcohol use

Monday, December 13th, 2010

Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder studied whether religiosity moderated the genetic variance associated with problem alcohol use during adolescence and early adulthood. (more…)

Obesity and health-risk behaviors in children

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Researchers at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, in Bethesda, Maryland examined the association of overweight and obesity with health-risk behaviors among US youth. (more…)

Review of acupuncture to treat alcohol dependence

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Acupuncture has been used in the treatment of substance-related disorders for the past 30 years.

Researchers at Kyung Hee University Medical Center, in Seoul, Korea, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Key points about commonly used herbals

Sunday, July 5th, 2009

Dr. Darrell Hulisz from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio has written a continuing education article on herbals.

Here are the author’s take-away points, with additional references added. (more…)

Causes of death in the United States

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston studied dietary, lifestyle, and metabolic risk factors.

Toping the list were smoking and high blood pressure. (more…)

Alcohol, reflux esophagitis, and Barrett’s esophagus

Monday, March 9th, 2009

 Researchers from Ireland try to sort out the relationships. (more…)

Background on vitamin B-2

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

Riboflavin (vitamin B-2) was originally recognized as a growth factor in 1879 and named vitamin B-2 according to the British nomenclature system.

Here’s what we know today. (more…)

Complementary New Year Resolutions

Thursday, January 1st, 2009

 Dr. Harvey Simon, who is editor of the Harvard Men’s Health Watch, cuts through the clutter and provides 10 resolutions for 2009.

Surprise! They’re all complementary. (more…)

Religion and the influence of social contacts on alcohol use

Friday, November 14th, 2008

It’s known that religiosity and the personal importance of religion are associated with lower levels of alcohol use among both adolescents and college students.

This study looked at the influence of the religious beliefs of close friends and typical college students on alcohol use. (more…)

Saw palmetto-induced pancreatitis?

Thursday, July 10th, 2008

A case of pancreatitis in a 55-year-old man with alcoholism who had been sober for more than 15 years was published in the Southern Medical Journal. The authors make a circumstantial case for his ongoing use of saw palmetto and the occurrence of pancreatitis.

(more…)

Zinc cream to improve reliability of tuberculosis test

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

The results of this study have public health implications because the tuberculosis (TB) skin test is central to the problematic area of diagnosing TB infection and disease — especially in children prone to both zinc deficiency and false-negative skin-test results.

The zinc-mediated augmentation of TB skin testing may facilitate the diagnosis of adult and pediatric cases of TB in regions where micronutrient deficiency is prevalent. (more…)

The effect of marijuana on ADHD

Friday, May 9th, 2008

It’s not just pot, but tobacco and alcohol also appear to influence the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). (more…)

Feeling depressed? Start taking a vitamin

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008

Studies dating back more than 15 years suggest that people with depression are likely to have low blood levels of folic acid (or folate) and vitamin B12.

Of course, not all of the researchers have come to the same conclusion. But to start, here’s a summary of the most positive analysis of folic acid and B12.

(more…)

Is there a reliable way to prevent or treat alcohol hangover?

Monday, March 10th, 2008

Yes, but you might be disappointed.

(more…)

A critical review of herbals to treat anxiety and depression

Monday, July 16th, 2007

In 2003, Professor Edzard Ernst writing on the Cochrane Collaboration website concluded, “Compared with placebo, kava extract is an effective symptomatic treatment for anxiety although, at present, the size of the effect seems small.” (more…)

Using videotape to treat alcoholics with delirium tremens

Thursday, April 19th, 2007

Alcoholics who watch themselves after a bout of delirium tremens (DTs; a potentially fatal form of alcohol withdrawal), have less severe relapses and consume less alcohol.

Here are the details. (more…)

Coffee: Should you drink it or not?

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007

Let’s see, since June last year this blog has summarized 8 reports on the effects of coffee and caffeine and health.

What should we make of all this?

(more…)