Chinese researchers say hypertension caused by virus

Chinese researchers think most cases of high blood pressure are caused by a virus.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

6000% increase in autism

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Eating fruits and vegetables can starve cancer

According to Dr. William Li, a regular diet of red grapes, strawberries, soy beans, parsley, garlic, cooked tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables can starve cancer of blood supply. Watching this 20-minute video might change your life or the life of someone you love.

Dr. Li also cites research by the Harvard School of Public Health by Dr. Lorelei Mucci of 79,000 men: "Men who consume 2-3 servings of cooked tomatoes per week have a reduced risk for developing prostrate cancer by 40-50%."

Eat your fruits and veggies!



Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Get to the root cause of your health problem — and let's restore your health!

I’ve discovered some amazing things...

Things that have helped my clients and me benefit immensely...

I am so truly excited that I wanted to share them with you....

Time is flying by and I’ve been so busy with my focus on helping our clients achieve maximum results in their health and life. I needed to take a little breather to review the files of the many wonderful clients like you that I have been blessed to work with.

It has always been my desire to have a positive impact on my little area of the world. I believe the greatest impact we can have on others begins with our own health and wellness. To that end, it has been my mission to provide my clients with the most advanced and effective ways of improving their health and well being.

In order to deliver the most cutting edge natural and holistic healing methods, I have studied and traveled to attend the most incredible seminars taught by the leaders in the wellness field.

This past year, I’ve been blessed to discover Nutrition Response Testing, a system that will help me handle ninety percent of the cases I'll see. I’ve been so impressed with this system and the results I have seen with others and for myself. I'm committed to refine my skills and knowledge so that I can help even more people.

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander....

Stress Adaptation and Increased Quality of Life have been the norm in our office for years. Even though I’ve experienced amazing results in receiving chiropractic care and in using nutritional supplements, there was an essential component missing.

For years I’ve suffered the experience of neck and back pain, and sometimes a low energy level. To get to the bottom of it, I’ve had to explore every modality I could to find help. After medical misdiagnoses and trying what seemed like an endless list of alternative methods, no one could help me. I was beginning to think I would never get my own body healthy.

Finally, after years of searching, I found a way to solve the puzzle of my own health. Naturally, I want to help others, like you, solve their problems, too.

Because of my quest to find the most effective ways of healing and improving health, I am NOW able to help our clients get the results they need!

Can you imagine how it feels to have such a wonderful way to pinpoint the challenges my clients' health, and a method to resolve those chronic issues once and for all? And that's in addition to my reputation of already getting great results.

Even if you have achieved great results in some areas of your health and wellness, you may have some chronic issues that you thought I couldn’t help you with. Guess what? With what I now have available, I can probably help you!

Because these new methods and technologies are helping me get to the root of so many tough problems — much faster, easier and cheaper, in so many cases — it's important for you to call today and set up an appointment to come in for an update and recheck of how everything is going in your body.

In fact, it's so important that, we're not even going to charge you for the visit! That’s right — you are being offered a TOTALLY FREE VISIT.

I know you're busy. I know you're probably juggling so many things in your life right now. But this is so important, and the potential benefits are sooo great, and I want to share this with you so badly, I'm going to eliminate every excuse you have for not taking the steps you need to fully investigate such a crucial part of attaining your optimal health.

How? I'm going to make your check-up absolutely and totally free. This is a $150 value. But because we want to do everything possible to help you improve your health, this one is on us!

Why are we going to do this?

For six very special reasons....

#1: I don’t treat symptoms.

We are only interested in finding the real underlying causes of symptoms and health problems. Then, by addressing the problem at its cause, our clients routinely experience excellent results. If you still have your symptoms, or if they came back, never went away, or simply continued to get worse, we may be able to help you now in a way we were not able to earlier.

#2: Most clients routinely achieve excellent results on our programs.

We’ve always had great results. As long as our clients follow our recommendations long enough to help their body correct the underlying causes of their health problems, they routinely achieve results.

But, despite our best intentions, and even with good compliance, occasionally there are one or two clients who don’t always achieve the level of results we were hoping for.

It is this small group of patients that keeps me awake at night, burning the midnight oil, traveling to attend workshops and trainings with a few geniuses who have solved this or that, and are willing to share some of their answers with those of us who are persistent enough, are willing to make the trip, and of course, willing to pay the fee.

#3: I am feeling better than I have in years.

I have less pain, more flexibility, and more energy. Friends and clients have been commenting on how vibrant I look and want to know what I’ve been doing. I want to share the good fortune of my discoveries with you!

#4: Many conditions that people routinely experience are a direct result of improper autonomic control and imbalance of their endocrine system.

Menopausal and premenstrual symptoms, bone density loss, digestive issues, arthritis, depression, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol are just a few symptoms we see affected by this. We now have the ability to address this most fundamental cause of illness.

#5: In my eight years as a naturopathic doctor and 17 years in natural health care I've noticed a disturbing trend.

People are losing their health at younger and younger ages. Our country's chronic health problems have become our children's health problems. It is essential that we begin to get this handled. We want to help provide the resources that you need to be and live a healthy and happy life.

#6: We care about you!

If you are not experiencing your highest level of health and wellness, we take it personally. We are committed to join you in your commitment to better health and the many rewards that go with it.

You need to call us today! 706-529-1149

You will be receiving a comprehensive Nutrition Response Testing evaluation. Because my schedule is very busy and limited appointment times are available, call today to get first pick. (And don't think for a minute that I won't check to make sure you've called me! I'm proud to say I'm a "positive nag" when it comes to keeping you in good health, as long as you're a client of ours.)

We will do our best to fit you in our schedule as soon as possible. We care about you and your health. We care about you as a person and we care about you as a patient. But most importantly we care about you staying healthy!

Your health is so important to us, that this new, expanded health analysis/check-up is going to be FREE. No charge.

You'd be silly to pass this by. Especially considering all the new things we have learned and the new insights we might be able to give you into what is going on.

We're trying to make it as easy as pie for you to come in for your check-up. I know people put off what's most important for things that are considered urgent. But from my perspective, taking your health into consideration, this really IS urgent.

I can’t wait to share this amazing system with you! Our phone number is 706-529-1149. I’m looking forward to seeing you in a few days.

Your friend in health,


Dr. David

David Ross, N.D., CNHP, AHG
Clinical Nutrition
Wellness Education

PS: Our office is getting very busy… so this offer is being made to you on a limited time basis only. You need to contact us in the next 10 days to guarantee your spot for this very special FREE OFFER.

And, as the truly last final thought before I send this off:

Maybe you are currently doing great. I sincerely hope so. But maybe you have a family member whose health situation is worrying you. Well, as long as we are at this, I am going to include them in this invitation as well. As long as you call within the next 10 days to make the appointment, their $150.00 initial visit will also be FREE.

Don’t delay. We look forward to seeing you soon.


Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

'Health care professional' doesn't know what's in vaccine she's giving

Healthcare professional: "No," when asked if there is mercury in the flu vaccine.

She continues to read the label, and then, says, "Uh, actually there IS mercury."

Health care "professional," indeed!



Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Washington State Secretary of Health suspends health protection law

This very disturbing article appeared on YourSpine.com Friday, Sept. 25, 2009.

Washington State Secretary of Health Suspends Health Protection Law

Law limiting the amount of mercury that can be injected into pregnant woman and children suspended.

by Herb Newborg

The Washington State Department of Health will allow more mercury than usual in some of the swine flu vaccine to “make sure shots are available to pregnant women and children under three years old.”

Secretary of Health Mary Selecky is temporarily suspending Washington’s limit on the amount of mercury (thimerosal) allowed in H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine given to pregnant women and children under three.

The six-month suspension is effective through March 23, 2010 and applies only to H1N1 (swine flu) vaccines now being developed. Washington state law limits the amount of mercury that can be in vaccines for pregnant women and children under three. The secretary of health can suspend the law when there is a shortage of vaccine or during a disease outbreak. Both criteria apply to the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine. Supplies of mercury-free vaccine will be limited, which the department says may stop people in these groups who want the vaccine from getting it.

Pregnant women and children under three are at the top of the list to get the vaccine because they’re at high risk for serious complications from swine flu.

“We believe suspending the law allows health care providers to offer their patients as many choices as possible to protect themselves against H1N1,” said Cindy Markus, MD, President of the Washington State Medical Association.

The mercury in vaccines is in a preservative called thimerosal. Except for some types of flu vaccines, all vaccines routinely recommended for children under six years of age are required by law to be thimerosal-free, or contain only trace amounts.

When the limits are suspended, the law requires that pregnant or lactating women and parents or guardians of children under 18 be told they’re getting a vaccine containing more mercury than is usually permitted. However, there is no specific notification method required; most patients will get a handout to read, according to the press release.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Don't Infect Me (The Swine Flu Vaccine Song)

Don't Infect Me (The Swine Flu Vaccine Song), written and performed by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, of NaturalNews.com.



Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Fear: It's what's for breakfast

Back in the 1940's, the only thing we had to fear was fear itself.

In the 1950's and 1960's, we had to hide under our desks, fearing communism and Russian rockets raining down upon us. We knew where every "fallout shelter" in town was. And if the commies didn't do us in, then those damn hippies with their long hair and drugs and rock 'n' roll were going to be the ruin of us all.

In the 1970's, Watergate and Richard Nixon showed us how much we should fear our government. Sadly, we seem to have forgotten that lesson in fear until recently.

In the 1980's, AIDS taught us to fear sex.

In the 1990's, we feared the world as we knew it would collapse at midnight, December 31, 1999.

On September 11, 2001, we learned to be afraid of our own shadows. Terrorists were lurking on every playground, we were told. Color-coded fear charts were all the rage for a while, and now you can't even carry toiletries or nail clippers on an airplane. Every time an elementary school student spilled baking soda from his volcano science experiment, HAZMAT and SWAT teams came out in force.

The parade of nightmarish scenarios we were told to fear began in earnest as the new century dawned.

West Nile virus, Ebola, anthrax, dirty bombs, flesh-eating bacteria, bird flu, SARS, mad cow disease.... Each of these was going to kill us all, we were told.

Our "news" channels and talk radio are constant fear-mongers. Pick your paranoia — there's a network and a pundit for you. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC... whatever your political view, there is a ready-made fear to keep you tense 24/7. Race riots. Socialism. Death panels. Economic collapse.

And now, it's swine flu. Millions of Americans will soon eagerly line up to have a chemical cocktail of untested pus and viral egg-goo and mercury and god knows what else jabbed into their arms and bloodstreams, because they are afraid.

Do your own research. Question authority. Think for yourself.

"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." — Marie Curie

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Four foods to avoid at the mall's food court

In this ABC video with Men's Health magazine writer Matt Bean you'll find out why you should eat before you go to the mall. The food court at your local mall is dangerous to your health!

For example, did you know a single Cinnabon cinnamon roll contains 56 grams of fat and over 1,100 calories? Or that a large Smoothie King smoothie has more than 250 grams of sugar? That's more sugar than is in a baker's dozen of chocolate frosted Dunkin' Donuts.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Monika Ponton-Arrington joins Wellness Center staff

Monika Ponton-Arrington, a Native American healer, has joined the staff at the Natural Wellness Center of Ellijay.

Monika is an enrolled member of the Taino Nation and has lived in the north Georgia mountains since 1973. The first-born of a family of long ceremonial standing, she knew from an early age that her lifepath would be one of health and counseling. The teaching and guidance of the family's elder women, as well as being a caregiver to younger siblings provided her with a solid foundation for this path.

Married to a Cherokee, Monika studied the "mountain medicine" as well as the traditional ways of her husband's people for many years before returning to the Caribbean isles to study more closely the ways of her own people, under the guidance of the Taino Abuellas, or "grandmothers."

Armed with the understanding that all wellness is holistic in nature, Monika has sought formal knowledge as well. A graduate of the Native Wellness Institute, she is blessed with "book learning" as well as the intuition of a native healer.

Monika has worked and continues to work with physicians, therapists and counselors since the late 1990's.

She is the mother of four grown children, and lives near Fort Mountain and the Cohutta Wilderness near Ellijay, Georgia.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

MRSA outbreak: Elephant infects 20 zoo employees

No sooner than I had posted an entry on AltHealthNews.com about the high levels of bacteria found on hospital workers' cell phones, including the deadly Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bug, MSNBC hit the wire with this story about how a baby elephant infected 20 employees at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.

As Professor Randy Pausch said in The Last Lecture, you should always acknowledge an elephant in the room.

This is the first known instance where MRSA has crossed over from an animal to humans.

Not only should you wash your cellphones... now you have to wash your elephants, too!

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Trouble in the Trainyard

You'd think that once you've heard something several hundred times, you'd get used to it, but that's not always the case.

One question I always ask of clients is "How regular are you?" Even though more than a few women think I am inquiring into their menstrual cycles, I still prefer asking the question this way instead of a more direct question like "How often do you poop?"

To provide health advice knowing the answer to the second question is important, but knowing the answer to the first question is even more important, as it provides a window into the mindset of the person with health issues.

It seems many people have no idea what "regular" should be, so they think that whatever is currently normal to them is "regular." I haven't had many people, even those who knew they were chronically constipated, say there weren't "regular." They would answer the question with, "Oh, I go every other day," or "Once a week."

Usually I pry just a little bit further, and discover that their infrequent eliminations were indeed "regular" for not only them, but their entire household. Each time I talk to someone who thinks having a bowel movement every three to five days is "normal," I'm amazed, no matter how many times I hear it.

I know... modern medical authorities play down the need for regular, consistent bowel movements, and instead offer the "warm fuzzy" advice that "Whatever is regular with you is okay -- if you feel you need help, try [insert name of over-the-counter laxative] for a few days."

But that's just not right. One early mentor of mine put it this way: "Three trains in... three trains out." If you eat a meal, you need to eliminate the remains of a previous one. Otherwise, eventually, you're going to have a back-up in the "train yard." When those trains get backed up, the toxic load that they're packing spills over, back into the bloodstream. Those food remnants that your body needs to eliminate end up poisoning you, over and over again. It's no wonder cancer is rampant, and colorectal cancer is the third-leading cancer-killer of women in the U.S.

Just think of all the chemicals, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors, etc., that most people consume each day. Soft drinks, doughnuts, coffee, hormone-saturated meats and milk... each item carries not only a "food value" (if it has any nutritional value at all), but also a toxic factor that your body was never meant to have to deal with.

Simply put, if you don't move that toxic sludge out of your system quickly, it is reintroduced through the colon wall back into your bloodstream, where the toxins are then carried throughout your body to lay siege against your organs and tissues, before finding their way back to the colon via the liver, your body's now-overworked poison-processor.

As you can imagine, it doesn't take long for constipation to cause your body to go into toxic overload.

Diets high in fiber and increased water consumption are the keys to avoiding constipation and toxic overload. If you're already constipated, you can begin to reverse the damage by using herbs for detoxification and by increasing your fiber and water intake. Avoid toxic foods, which, for starters, you should consider anything you can buy through a drive-through window.

Changing your lifestyle will change your bowel habits, which in turn will change your life for the better.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Men resist food temptations better than women

Men can resist food temptations better than women, a recent study shows.

Brain scans on 13 women and 10 men, who had fasted overnight, showed the differences in how the brains of men and women responded to the sight of their favorite foods.

"There is something going on in the female," Gene-Jack Wang, lead researcher in the study, said. "The signal is so much different.... Even though the women said they were less hungry when trying to inhibit their response to the food, their brains were still firing away in the regions that control the drive to eat."

While American men and women are approximately equally classified overweight (65.1 million men vs. 64.5 million women), far more women than men are considered obese (34.7 million women vs. 26.6 million men).

These stats are from 2001 — more recent statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics show that more than 72 million American adults are obese. That number is up more than 10 million in the past five years!

Amazing. From 2001 to 2005, more than 10 million American adults went from "merely" overweight to OBESE!

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Obese Americans now outnumber those who are 'merely' overweight

The number of obese Americans now outweighs the number of merely overweight Americans, according to recent government figures.

Over 34 percent of Americans, or over 72 million, are obese, while 32.7% of us are classified as overweight.

Obesity and overweight are calculated using a formula called body mass index (BMI). BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Someone with a BMI of 25 to 29 is classified as overweight. A person with a BMI of 30 to 40 is obese, and people with BMIs of 40 or more are morbidly obese.

You can discover your BMI status by inputting your height and weight into this calculator provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

To discover what Men's Health called the 20 worst foods in America, check out these pages on MSNBC. You'll be surprised at the whopping number of calories and grams of fat in what may be some of your favorite restaurant and grocery store foods.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Trapped in the medical model

The following letter by Ed Jones was sent to the Chattanooga Free Press recently. I couldn't agree more with Mr. Jones.

I guess I know that I live in my own little bubble of my world and this again became apparent to me as I looked at the front page picture on the September 11, 2008 Chattanooga Free Press and saw the [accompanying photograph].

I tend to forget that the average Tennessean takes 18 prescription drugs per year since I deal with so many individuals who use natural therapies to maintain health instead of drugs; I was again stunned to see the reality of pharmaceutical prescribing. This is an article written by Free Press writer Emily Bregel about an 81-year old lady from Cleveland, Tennessee and what you see on her table is by my estimate 26 prescription drugs that she must take every day.

The article was entitled "Trapped in Medicare Gap." The focus of the article was on the high cost of prescription drugs on seniors but my focus is very different. The picture above represents an absolute crime when you consider the followings facts:

(1) 100,000 patients die every year from properly prescribed, properly taken prescription drugs.

(2) No one can determine the true interactions of drugs when you combine three or more at one time.

(3) The majority of drugs are not studied on elderly people.

(4) Most patients, such as this lady, probably have several physicians and each one has given her their choice of drugs without anyone ever removing an old drug.

(5) You know that she has to feel horrible each day with the use of this many drugs, not counting being financially destroyed.

This is sheer madness to me and yet the system endorses this type of medical prescribing. What I also found so fascinating is that in the same A section of the Free Press is an article on page A7 that talks about the medical community becoming more critical of drug companies. The following is the first paragraph of this article and I could not have said it better myself.

Just about every segment of the medical community is piling on the pharmaceutical industry these days, accusing drug makers of deceiving the public, manipulating doctors and putting profits before patients. Three top editors of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine last month publically sided against the drug industry. The influence that the pharmaceutical companies, the for-profits, are having on every aspect of medicine... is so blatant now you'd have to be deaf, blind and dumb not to see it," said Journal of the American Medical Association editor Dr. Catherine DeAngelis.

Dr. DeAngelis said we should all get together and say, "Enough!"

My final thought on this the following: Health professionals practicing today have almost zero concept of true healing and the absolute effectiveness of safe nutritional therapies and diet change, especially on the elderly. They can dismiss nutritional supplements as untested, unsafe, not approved or any other wording they want but the truth is that research now bears out that nutrition therapy is truly safe, effective and low cost.

Anyone who doubts the research on nutrition and disease, simply go to www.vitasearch.com and you will find thousands of peer reviewed double blind studies to support every aspect of disease with nutrients. Lack of knowledge is no excuse for poorly managing people's chronic health conditions with excessive drugs when safe and effective nutritional therapies and dietary recommendations are available.

— Ed Jones

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Vitamin D deficiency linked to higher risk of death

People with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to die of any cause than those with higher levels of vitamin D, a study published June 23 in the Archives of Internal Medicine has shown.

Previous studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D are related to heart disease, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. The eight-year study conducted by Harald Dobnig, MD, of the Medical University of Graz, Austria, found that people with the lowest levels of vitamin D in their blood had the highest chances of dying.

Vitamin D levels may be important to maintaining general good health, the researchers suggest. Doctors generally recommend increasing vitamin D levels through diet and supplements instead of through increased exposure to the sun.

Vitamin D may affect how plaque builds up in the artery walls. Vitamin D may also protect against cancer and immune disorders. It is also essential for bone health, and may help prevent fractures and osteoporosis.

Vitamin D must be present in adequate amounts for calcium to be utilized in the body.

Studies have shown that women are consistently deficient in vitamin D, as are many of the elderly, who may not be getting enough sun exposure or who have inadequate diets.

Prescription and over-the-counter drugs that deplete vitamin D in your body include the use of mineral oil, antacids, prednisone, cholesterol-lowering drugs, dilantin, and many sedatives. Intestinal disorders, liver disease and gall bladder disease also rob the body of vitamin D.

The recommended daily dose of vitamin D is 200 international units (IU) for people up to age 50, 400 IU for people aged 51 to 70, and 600 IU for people over age 70. Some some medical professionals recommend levels as high as 2,000 IU a day. Levels above 600 IU per day should not be taken without first seeking your doctor's advice.

Vitamin D is inexpensive and readily available, and while cod liver oil, coldwater fish, egg yolks and butter are excellent sources of vitamin D, taking it in supplemental form is still the best and most convenient way to insure you're getting enough of this crucial vitamin. Only the most persistent sunbathers are getting enough vitamin D from exposure to the sun.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

The one-step informational system for health: How to encourage your patients to use nutritional supplements

An open letter to medical doctors, chiropractors and naturopaths from Dr. Gerred Popejoy, D.C., Q.M.E.

Dear Healthcare Professional,

Why do we still use outdated, inefficient ways to sell nutrition to our patients? Why are we still required to stock and retail nutritional products? Why are we spending time to physically show and sell products to patients which takes up our attention from what we do best? Why do patients stop using products when they stop seeing their doctor? Why would your nutritional income stop when you retire or become disabled? Doctors have stopped recommending nutrition because of these reasons, and they, at times, feel like a sales person, not a doctor. I know I did.

Then why are the latest journals and practice management consultants telling us to add nutrition into our practices? Maybe nutrition should be a part of our patients' daily healthcare, and as their doctor, you should be making those recommendations. Maybe they know you can create a new profit center in your office.

Problem #1 – Nutritional companies sell us products to stock and sell at retail.

Problem #2 – They don't provide us with any program to efficiently make recommendations.

For over twenty years, I have been asking when they are going to correct these problems. In 2001, I found an international nutritional company based in Batesville, Arkansas, with a history of selling quality products to doctors since 1936. Since 1992, patients have been able to order directly with a 30-day money-back guarantee; this solved the problem of carrying products. After two years making recommendations to my patients without carrying products, I still was left with a problem. How could I make a nutritional recommendation in less time than it took to write a prescription with all the necessary information to my patients? I spent the next five years creating and testing a new program to solve this problem.

The One-Step Nutritional Information System allows you as a healthcare professional to integrate nutrition into your practice with an uncomplicated, simple delivery system of customized nutritional information sheets in over 20 areas: daily nutrition, whiplash, DJD, fibromyalgia, weight loss, anti-aging, etc. The sheets are available in five languages — English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Japanese — on CD at no cost to you. There is the added benefit of a financial return, or not if you choose, without carrying products.

Now, with the One-Step System and a nutritional company with great products standing behind you, you can create a new profit center in your office. I want you to take this opportunity to try the One-Step Nutritional Information System in your office before you make a final decision.

We can provide your office with a complete nutritional program. Email Dr. Ross at david@drdavidross.com. You also will receive a DVD for your waiting room on nutrition and the products.

I’m sure you will have some questions on how to get started, so please call.

Sincerely,


Gerred L. Popejoy, D.C., Q.M.E.
Director of Healthcare Integrative Professionals International

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

FDA warns of salmonella outbreak in red tomatoes

For a tomato lover like me, this is terrible news. Luckily, my patio tomatoes are just beginning to produce.

A nationwide salmonella outbreak prompted the Food and Drug Administration to issue a news release Saturday warning consumers not to eat certain types of red tomatoes.

According to the release, since mid-April, 145 cases of salmonella poisoning have been reported in 16 states.

Consumers are urged not to eat red plum, red Roma, red round tomatoes, or any products that might contain them. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached are safe to eat. Tomatoes that are home-grown are also safe to eat.

Salmonella poisoning can be fatal. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Moderate alcohol consumption reduces chance of arthritis

People who consume a moderate amount of alcohol have 40-45% less chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a Scandanavian study reported yesterday.

Even more startling, those who consume high amounts of alcohol have upwards of 55% less chance of developing the disease.

The chief author of the study, Henrik Kaellberg of the Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, notes that previous research suggests alcohol interferes with inflammatory processes that trigger heart disease.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Alcohol Consumption | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Julie Matthews, CNC: Essentials of nutrition and dietary intervention in autism

I hope you listened to last week's Clinical Rounds teleconference, but if not, you missed an exciting and informative hour of discussion. Bernard Rosen, Ph.D., talked about the relationship between poor nutrition and erectile dysfunction. Basically, he said, three specific nutrients can go a long way in reversing a man's erection difficulties: Grape seed extract, omega-3 fish oils, and the amino acid arginine. You can listen to the presentation on our Designs for Health website. If you don't yet have a password to the professionals-only section, drop me an email and I'll get you set up.

Designs for Health offers all three supplements Dr. Rosen recommends. Ask me for details, or see the printed or the online catalog.

Today I found an article about the best-selling book Eat This, Not That by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. The article discusses nutrients for improving sex, and includes "high-performance" recipes for breakfast, snacks, smoothies, lunch and dinner. The recommendations even include a nice glass of red wine.

Tonight's (Feb. 6) Clinical Rounds teleconference features Julie Matthews, CNC, who will be discussing the nutritional needs of autistic children. She is the author of a book on diet and nutrition for autism, Nourishing Hope: The Essentials of Nutrition and Dietary Intervention for Autism.

"The more I learn about different imbalances, the more I'm convinced that most chronic disease stems from a combination of environmental exposures and genetic predispositions (sometimes created by toxin exposure). In addition to the toxins in our world, the stressful attitudes and beliefs we hold as a culture and individually, all affect our health. Proper nutrition helps to naturally balance the body's systems and aids in restoring overall health." — Julie Matthews

Next week's (Feb. 13) Clinical Rounds teleconference will feature Sam Visnic, an expert at designing corrective exercise programs that produce results both in the rehabilitative and sports performance settings. Sam's articles have appeared in many sports magazines and on many bodybuilding and fitness websites. His popular video-program End Your Back Pain Now! uses the system he has successfully implemented with hundreds of clients with chronic pain.

The teleconference tonight — Wednesday — begins at 9 pm. Email me for the phone number and passcode.

Calls usually last about an hour.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Die-hard sports fans have increased heart attack risk during games

A study published in this month's New England Journal of Medicine bodes a warning for Super Bowl fans this evening.

Research of heart attack rates in Germany during the 2006 World Cup soccer games shows that fans with previously-known heart conditions have a fourfold risk of suffering a heart attack, and those without a history of heart conditions have doubled chances of suffering a heart attack, during a match.

"Apparently, of prime importance for triggering a stress-induced event is not the outcome of a game — a win or a loss — but rather the intense strain and excitement experienced during the viewing of a dramatic match, such as one with a penalty shootout," the study authors wrote.

Don't get too worked up during tonight's game. And keep your cell phone nearby in case you need to call 911.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Improving diet 'could cut crime by a third'

It has been known for well over a decade that the lack of certain minerals, such as zinc and iron, as well as an overabundance of copper, can lead to acts of aggression and violence (see bibliography of research).

Now researchers in England and Scotland are going to prove it once again, this time in a prison setting. A three-year study is about to be launched to examine whether young criminals, including murderers, behave better in prison if they are given vitamins and other nutritional supplements.

Researchers believe that the results of the study, which will follow 1,000 youthful prisoners in three different facilities for the next three years.

Scientists think the results will have a profound impact on the criminal justice system, in the U.K. and elsewhere.

John Stein, a neurophysiologist from the University of Oxford, said, "We are not saying that nutrition is the only influence on behavior, but we seem to have seriously underestimated its importance."

Bernard Gesch, honorary director of the charity Natural Justice, said, "It may seem a little strange that what we eat has got anything to do with criminal justice. The law tends to assume that criminal behavior is entirely a matter of free will.

"I wonder if that is entirely true? I wonder how you can exercise free will without involving your brain and how your brain functions properly without a good nutrient supply?

"In that sense, this is potentially something that is very simple, very humane. It is likely to be very cheap and it has been largely overlooked."

Smaller studies have been done in the past, but this is the largest study of its kind. A previous study at Aylesbury young offenders' institution in 1998 found that prisoners who consumed vitamins and other supplements committed 25% fewer disciplinary offenses and 37 per cent fewer violent offenses.

Don't wait for the outcomes of this and future studies. If you have your own little droogies who occasionally get out of hand, try vitamins and minerals and other supplements — before they commit offenses that may hurt themselves or others, and get them locked up.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Women of childbearing age not taking folic acid

Two new studies indicate that women of childbearing ages, especially those between 18 and 24, are not taking folic acid. A minimum of 400 mcg per day of folic acid is recommended to prevent possible birth defects if they become pregnant.

To be effective for the prevention of birth defects, folic acid supplementation should begin before pregnancy occurs, not after the woman becomes aware she is pregnant.

The studies found that less than 48 percent of women aged 18-45 took a supplement containing folic acid. Less than 30% of women aged 24 or younger took a supplement containing folic acid, though 61 percent said they knew they should. Only six percent of these young women indicated they had adequate knowledge about the need for the supplement, it was reported.

Authors of one of the studies, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, wrote: "These findings warrant the continued promotion of folic acid consumption among all women of childbearing age and especially among women aged 18 to 24 years.... Folic acid education that promotes consumption of folic acid from various sources, in addition to foods rich in folate, can increase the possibility of all women consuming the recommended daily amount of 400 micrograms."

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Nutritional supplements teach old dogs new tricks: Acetyl-l-carnitine and alpha lipolic acid improve memory in dogs

Exciting new research shows that two nutritional supplements, acetyl-l-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid, can improve the memory, ability to learn and cognitive function of old dogs, and might be able to do the same thing with humans.

Acetyl-l-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid may provide a new approach to the neurodegeneration and cognitive decline common with aging, scientists say.

The study was recently published in FASEB Journal, produced by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, by researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, the University of Toronto, University of California/Berkeley, Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, and Juvenon, Inc.

The study found these two antioxidant compounds, which are believed to play a role in slowing mitochondrial decay in the cell, significantly increased the ability of aged beagle dogs to learn a new task.

"The prospects for cognitive improvement from use of these supplements is both fascinating and exciting," said Tory Hagen, an associate professor in OSU's Linus Pauling Institute, and recognized expert on the biological processes of aging.

"This is the first time these two compounds, by themselves, have been tested in canines, which have brains that are more biologically similar to humans than some other animal models," Hagen said. "The results should be relevant to what we could expect with humans, and are very encouraging."

The research suggests that long-term supplementation "may be effective in attenuating age-associated cognitive decline by slowing the rate of mitochondrial decay and cellular aging."

Enhancing the function of mitochondria — which provide almost all of a cell's energy — could literally be providing animals with more "mental energy," leading to improved memory and learning, the study indicated.

The compounds may also cause increased synthesis of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine.

Source: Oregon State University news release via Salem-News.com

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

How to choose what nutritional supplements you really need

Four billion people use herbal medicine to treat health conditions and improve their overall health, according to the China News Service.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is practiced in over 160 countries. Britain and Canada each have 3,000 TCM clinics; Australia has 4,000.

One billion dollars changes hands yearly just for raw ginkgo biloba leaves, according to Medical News Today.

People know about the benefits of using Nature as their source of medicine, and finally, more and more members of the scientific and medical communities are taking notice, as my previous articles about scientific studies on ginger and the African violet Viola yedoensis point out.

It's no longer a case of a professional health care provider saying "herbs don't work." It's now simply a question of "What is the best natural product to use for a specific patient's needs, and does the product I'm using have the quality I expect?"

Here are a few tips on choosing a quality nutritional supplement:

• Choose products from an established manufacturer that's been around awhile.


• Choose a company that produces their products using Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), a standardized set of manufacturing practices established by the National Nutritional Foods Association (now the Natural Products Association).


• Look for expiration dates on vitamin products. Vitamins easily oxidize.


• Make sure all herbal ingredients listed on the label specify what part of the plant is used. There is no law against creating a product that utilizes parts of a plant that don't contain the active bioactive properties that you're buying the product for. Plants contain many parts — for example, roots, leaves, berries — but not all parts of any specific plant are therapeutic.


• Avoid low-priced, mass market and store brand herbs, vitamins and other nutritional products. Priced cheaply to make them attractive to shoppers, these low-priced, high-profit products are often really incredibly expensive, when you realize that their potency is usually so low that a recommended serving provides you with only a tiny percentage of the traditional dosage or recommended serving of a quality product. I recall finding a mass-market gingko biloba product on sale at a "dollar store" a while back. When I compared it to a $25 bottle of a quality product, I discovered that the cheaper product would have to cost over $300 to actually equal the potency of the quality product.

Don't jump onto every new fad that comes along. Don't simply "try" a bottle of whatever herbal product is in today's news.

Back in my days in health food stores, I had such mixed feelings seeing a customer come in for the latest trendy herb, expecting one bottle to cure a health problem he or she had had for years. I was happy the customer was there, and was willing to try herbs, but their expectations were often too high, and they wouldn't maintain their enthusiasm for the herb or for even the general concept of natural health. Herbs work, but they don't necessarily work overnight. We live in a "right now" world, and sometimes our expectations are askew.

Your health care professional can guide you to a set of simple lab tests — a finger prick for blood and a urine sample — that will show you exactly what bio-processes in your body aren't functioning properly. Test results will recommend specific nutritional supplements that will improve your health and get your body's chemistry and metabolism back on track. Take the time and spend the money; it's smarter than just popping capsules of the latest herbal product, hoping they will quickly fix what ails you, and in the long run, it's much less expensive than repeatedly "trying" new supplements.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Air Force to fly high on protein supplementation

The U.S. Air Force is currently conducting studies into the benefits of whey protein for their pilots and commandos, reports the Daily American.

After an initial study led by Col. Breck Lebegue faltered for lack of participants, a new study is taking off, led by Maj. Thomas Walker.

Participation in the research is open to both military personnel and civilians, and seeks to find out if protein supplementation will prevent combat fatigue.

Walker said he hopes to study between 70 and 80 people between the ages of 19 and 44 by the end of the year and issue a report early next year, he said.

Image: Tom Cruise in "Top Gun"

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Heartburn? Think ginger, peppermint and chamomile

Bakhru Krishan Bakhru writes today in American Chronicle that "the three most commonly used herbal remedies are chamomile, which is botanically known as Matricaria recutita. Peppermint which is also botanically known as Mentha piperita and Ginger that is botanically known as Zingiber officinale."

These herbs fall into a category known as carminatives. All three herbs can help relieve indigestion and ease irritation that occurs in the intestines.

Chamomile is known for its calming effects. High in calcium, it can help ease esophageal irritation and help with proper digestion.

Ginger aids in digestion, and also has anti-inflammatory as well as anti-nausea properties.

Peppermint is also thought to have healing properties against indigestion, and can help calm the stomach.

All three herbs contain natural digestive enzymes to assist in proper digestion of food.

Image: Caricature by George Cruikshank, published by Thomas McLean, 1835

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Ginger an effective treatment against bacteria-triggered diarrhea, researchers discover

Taiwanese scientists have isolated a bioactive compound in ginger called zingerone that effectively treats bacteria-triggered diarrhea, the number one cause of infant death in the developing world.

"The ginger extracts don't actually kill the bacteria, but work by binding to the toxin the bacteria release," said Hsiang Chien-Yun of the China Medical University in Taichung. The toxin, known as LT, is usually taken up by cells in the gut, where it triggers a cascade response resulting in a huge loss of fluid and ions from the cells. Zingerone prevents LT from interacting with receptors on the cell surface by binding to the toxin, so the toxin doesn't get taken up.

"I've not seen any compounds before that can disrupt this interaction," Simon Gibbons, who studies antibacterial natural products at the School of Pharmacy at the University of London, England, told Chemistry World. "I was surprised that they didn't further fractionate their extracts to find the most active compound, instead of just looking at the major compounds in the extract. But in general they present good data. Ginger itself could be an effective treatment — you could promote people making crude extracts of ginger at home."

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Chinese herb may help kill the HIV/AIDS virus, researchers say

An Asian violet known as Viola yedoensis is showing promise as a new therapy in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The plant contains tiny proteins called cyclotides which which appear to kill off infected cells.

The ancient herb has been used for centuries in China for the treatment of burns, inflammation, carbuncles, boils, snakebite, bronchitis and hepatitis.

A team of scientists from the University of Queensland, Australia, conducted tests by applying cyclotides to two sets of cells, one infected with HIV and the other virus-free, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Professor David Craik, from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland, said the objective was to see how many of the cells infected with HIV were destroyed after the application of the cyclotides.

"The results were encouraging," Prof. Craik said.

The results of the study were presented at COMBIO 2007, a meeting of biochemistry and molecular biology specialists. The National Cancer Institute in the United States and the Division of Pharmacology at Uppsala University in Sweden also participated in the research.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Paving paradise to put up a parking lot

There are three times as many parking spaces as people in America's suburban heartland, researchers have learned, and those parking lots are a prime source of water pollution.

Heavy metals, oil, grease and contaminated sediment are washing into rivers and lakes at an alarming rate. And because large parking lots keep rain from soaking into the ground, they are a prime cause of erosion and flooding, LiveScience reports.

Vast paved areas also contribute to the urban heat island effect, raising temperatures five or six degrees Fahrenheit by absorbing more of the sun's rays than the surrounding ground.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

MD's rarely discuss Rx side effects with patients, study shows

A study by the University of California at San Diego, recently published in the journal Drug Safety, found that 87% of patients taking cholesterol-inhibiting statin drugs told their doctors about muscle pain, nerve tingling in the hands and feet, or memory problems — all potential side effects of the drugs — and over half the time, the doctor dismissed the complaints as unrelated to the statins.

"Person after person said their doctors told them symptoms like muscle pain could not have come from the drug," Dr. Beatrice Golomb, an associate professor of medicine and lead author of the study said, even though numerous published studies and prescribing guides cite such side effects as being common.

According to Golomb, patients were often told the drugs had no side effects, or that "you're just getting old" or "It's your imagination," according to an article by the Scripps Howard News Service.

Golomb said doctors were unlikely to file an "adverse event report" with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

High HDL cholesterol protects heart even when LDL levels are high, new study shows

A new study shows that high levels of "good" HDL cholesterol protect against heart disease and stroke no matter what the blood levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol are.

In a major trial reported in today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the incidence of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems was 40 percent lower in the participants who had the highest HDL cholesterol levels, regardless of their LDL cholesterol levels, U.S. News and World Report reported.

The study's author, Dr. Philip Barter of the Sydney, Australia Heart Research Institute said, "The fundamental important message of the paper is that if you take HDL high enough, LDL doesn't matter."

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is involved in the formation of fatty plaques that can block an artery. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol prevents the formation of plaque.

"The fundamental important message of the paper is that if you take HDL high enough, LDL doesn't matter," said study author Dr. Philip Barter, director of the Heart Research Institute in Sydney, Australia.

LDL cholesterol is involved in the formation of fatty plaques that eventually can block an artery; HDL cholesterol prevents the formation of those plaque.

"What we desperately need is a new drug to raise HDL levels," Barter said.

The only substance known to raise HDL levels is niacin, a member of the B-vitamin family.

Apparently we don't really need a new drug; we just need doctors to recommend niacin to their patients with cholesterol and heart issues.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com

Scientific backgrounder: Whey protein

Whey Protein

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this backgrounder is to present a summary of current scientific data and research regarding the use of whey protein as a food or dietary ingredient or dietary supplement. It is intended for educational use only and is not intended to be used as third-party literature.

BIOCHEMISTRY

Whey is the milk component remaining after the removal of casein, as by curdling. It contains about 17% of the total protein in milk. The proteins in whey and their percentage of the total whey protein are: beta(β)-lactoglobulin (58%), alpha(α)-lactalbumin (13%), immunoglobulins (12%), serum albumin (6%) and proteose-peptides (12%) (1C). Whey protein is a complete protein; it contains all of the essential amino acids. Whey protein has one of the highest protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores (PDCAAS; a measure of protein bioavailability) and is more rapidly digested than other proteins, increases protein synthesis faster, and is therefore believed to be appropriate for post-exercise (2A, 3A). Total whey protein is usually purified using acid hydrolysis, heat, ion-exchange methodology or a combination of these methods. Concentration of these proteins in total whey protein may vary based on the chosen purification technique.

BIOLOGICAL ACTIONS
Performance and Exercise Effects

Research suggests that muscle synthesis is modulated by extracellular amino acid concentration, not intracellular, thus dietary ingestion of amino acids is critical for muscle building (anabolism) (4A). Active persons ingest supplemental protein primarily to promote muscle strength, function and possibly size (5A^). The determinants of individual need are dependent on individual activity regimen and habitual nutrient intake (6A^). Whey protein supplements have been utilized in sports products based largely on the high content (~26%) of branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s), believed to stimulate protein synthesis and muscle building (anabolism) (7A^). Recent studies support ingestion of 20-25g of whey (or casein) either before or after resistance exercise led to muscle protein synthesis (8A^, 9A). Whey contains an abundance of the amino acid leucine, significant for protein metabolism and as a key signal in the initiation of muscle protein synthesis. The amino acid composition of whey is very similar to that of human skeletal muscle, providing almost all of the amino acids in approximate proportion to their ratios in muscle, which may be beneficial in terms of rapidly providing substrates for protein synthesis. Calcium is one of the primary minerals low in the diets of athletes— especially female athletes. (10A, 11A) Major mineral components present in whey proteins include the monovalent sodium, potassium and chloride ions as well as the more reactive calcium, magnesium and phosphate ions, which may benefit restoration of depleted mineral concentrations. A recent animal study demonstrated a diet rich in whey protein increased liver and skeletal muscle glycogen in exercise trained rats, which indicated the potential to enhance performance in strength-endurance activities (12A).

Other effects

While whey is used primarily for sports performance and exercise benefits, research on whey has shown other potential benefits. The science has shown whey demonstrates modest activity as an immune enhancer, antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-tumor, anti-microbial and hypolipidemic agent (13B). Whey is believed to exert a number of these effects primarily through its high content of the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine, an essential component of the antioxidant glutathione (13B). A patented whey protein concentrate was shown to increase immune response in mice (14A^) and provide cysteine for glutathione production during the immune response, potentially of interest toward inhibiting carcinogenesis (15A^, 16A^). Other studies demonstrate dietary whey protein advances cell differentiation and genetic expression of anti-carcinogenic factors in rats (17A, 18A). Another study demonstrated cytotoxic enhancement of baicalein, a potential chemotherapeutic agent, by inducing more apoptosis using a patented whey concentrate than baicalein alone (19A^). A major component of whey, α-lactalbumin, has also been shown to be capable of undergoing structural changes to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in a cancer cell line, under conditions similar to the stomach (20A). Whey α-lactalbumin is rich in tryptophan content. Tryptophan is used by the body to make the neurotransmitter serotonin. A supplement of alpha-lactalbumin enriched whey protein was shown to increase the ratio of plasma tryptophan to other large neutral amino acids and improve the cognitive ability (evaluated by memory tests) of high stress-vulnerable individuals. The cognitive ability of low stress-vulnerable individuals was not affected (21A^). Whey protein also contains lactoferrin, an iron-binding glycoprotein with potential bacteriostatic, bacteriocidal and antifungal activities (13B). Lactoferrin is only present in small quantities (<1%) in whey protein. Lactoperoxidase, an enzyme found in whey, possesses antibacterial and antiviral activities (22A). In a few clinical studies the use of antibiotics plus whey components has provided better results than antibiotic use alone (13B).

Other animal studies have suggested that whey proteins have potential beneficial effects in maintaining cardiovascular health. Peptides derived from a fermented whey product or a whey concentrate demonstrated anti-hypertensive activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats (23A^, 24A). Fermented milk with added whey concentrate was shown to lower serum cholesterol levels in rats and was used in a study with 20 healthy adult men. The human subjects were given 200 mL of the fermented milk-whey mixture two times a day for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks the HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly higher and triglyceride and systolic blood pressure were lower in the fermented milk-whey group compared to the placebo group (non-fermented milk alone) (25A^).

DAILY SERVING

Some benefits of whey protein have been demonstrated in clinical study with as little as 20 grams per day. For persons engaged in resistance training (e.g. weight training) a commonly used amount is between 25-75 grams of whey protein per day. (26A, 27A, 28A). Most clinical research has used similar amounts of whey protein. Studies that have directly assessed the protein needs of such individuals, including athletes, have determined that total protein needs, from all sources, should be 1.7-2 grams per 2.2 pounds body weight, with additional intakes being excessive and offering no additional benefit (6A^)

SAFETY

No specific studies of whey safety were found. As a component of milk, whey has a long history of human use. Allergies or lactose sensitivity can be safety factors for individuals depending on the whey preparation used. Recent advances in purification techniques have afforded lactose-free whey products which would reduce the risk of adverse reactions for these individuals.

NOTICE

By furnishing this backgrounder, the Natural Products Association does not provide any opinion as to:

* The safety of any product containing this ingredient;
* The efficacy of any product containing this ingredient;
* The use of any specific brand of product; or
* The level of substantiation for either the safety or efficacy of any such product.

Neither this backgrounder nor any portion of this backgrounder may be used in advertising or promotional materials. In addition, this backgrounder does not constitute, and is not to be used as, "third party literature" as that term is used in connection with section 5 of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).

As with any health-related product, consumers should discuss the use of any products with a health care practitioner.

REFERENCES*

1C Ohio State University, Food Science 822. http://class.fst.ohiostate.edu/FST822?lectures/Milk2.htm

2A Boirie, Y, et al. Slow and fast dietary proteins differently modulate postprandial protein accretion. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 94:14930-14935, 1997

3A FAO/WHO: Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Protein Quality Evaluation. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1990.

4A Bohé, J. et al. Human muscle protein synthesis is modulated by extracellular, not intramuscular amino acid availability: a dose-response study. J Physiol 552, 315-324 (2003).

5A^ Wolfe, RR. Protein supplements and exercise. Am J Clin Nutr 72, 551S-7S (2000).

6A^ Tipton, KD. & Wolfe RR. Protein and amino acids for athletes. J Sports Sci 22, 65-79 (2004)

7A^ Walzem RL, Dillard CJ, German JB. Whey components: millennia of evolution create functionalities for mammalian nutrition: what we know and what we may be overlooking. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 42, 353-72 (2002)

8A^ Tipton, KD et al. Ingestion of casein and whey proteins result in muscle anabolism after resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36, 2073-81 (2004)

9A Hulmi, JJ et al. Protein ingestion prior to strength exercise affects blood hormones and metabolism. Med Sci Sports Exerc 37, 1990-97 (2005)

10A Haymes EM & Clarkson PM. Minerals and trace minerals. In: Berning JR, Steen SN, eds. Nutrition for Sport and Exercise. Gaithersburg, Md: Aspen Publishers, 1998, pp. 77107.

11A Manore MM. Nutritional needs of the female athlete. In: Wheeler KB, Lombardo JA, eds. Clinics in Sports Medicine: Nutritional Aspects of Exercise. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders Company; 549563, 1999.

12A Morifuji M et al., Dietary whey protein increases liver and skeletal muscle glycogen levels in exercise-trained rats. Br J Nutr. 93, 439-45 (2005).

13B Marshall, K. Therapeutic applications of whey protein. Alt Med Rev 9, 136-156 (2004)

14A^ Bounous, G et al. The immunoenhancing property of dietary whey protein concentrate. Clin Invest Med 11, 271-8 (1988)

15A^ Bounous, G. Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and glutathione modulation in cancer treatment. Anticancer Res 20, 4785-92 (2000)

16A^ Bounous, G & Molson, JH. The antioxidant system. Anticancer Res 23, 411-5 (2003)

17A Xiao, R et al. Dietary exposure to soy or whey proteins alters colonic global gene expression profiled during rat colon tumorigenesis. Mol Cancer 11, 1 (2005)

18A Eason, RR et al. Dietary exposure to whey proteins alters rat mammary gland proliferation, apoptosis, and gene expression during postnatal development. J Nutr. 134, 3370-7 (2004)

19A^ Tsai, WY et al. Enhancing effect of patented whey protein isolate (Immunocal) on cytotoxicity of an anticancer drug. Nutr Cancer 38, 200-8 (2000).

20A Svensson, M et al. Conversion of alpha-lactalbumin to a protein inducing apoptosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97, 4221-6 (2000)

21A^ Markus, CR et al. Whey proteins rich in alpha-lactalbumin increase the ratio of plasma tryptophan to the sum of the other large neutral amino acids and improves cognitive performance in stress-vulnerable subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 75, 1051-6 (2002)

22A FitzGerald, RJ & H Meisel. Lactokinins: whey protein-derived ACE inhibitory peptides. Nahrung 43, 165-7 (1999)

23A^ Yamamoto, N et al. Purification and characterization of an anti-hypertensive peptide from a yogurt-like product fermented by Lactobacillus helveticus CPN4. J Dairy Sci 82, 1388-93 (1999)

24A Murakami, M et al. Structural analysis of a new anti-hypertensive peptide (beta-lactosin B) isolated from a commercial whey product. J Dairy Sci 87, 1967-74 (2004)

25A^ Kawase, M et al. Effect of administration of fermented milk containing whey protein concentrate to rats and healthy men on serum lipids and blood pressure. J Dairy Sci 83, 255-63 (2000).

26A Brown EC, et al. Soy versus whey protein bars: Effects on exercise training impact on lean body mass and antioxidant status. Nutrition Journal 2004, 3:22 (2004).

27A Demling RH & DeSanti L. Effect of a Hypocaloric Diet, Increased Protein Intake and Resistance Training on Lean Mass Gains and Fat Mass Loss in Overweight Police Officers. Ann Nutr Metab;44:2129 (2000)

28A Middleton et al. Whole blood and mononuclear cell glutathione response to dietary whey protein supplementation in sedentary and trained male human subjects. Int J Food Sci Nutr, 55, 131-141 (2004).

*KEY TO REFERENCE HIERARCHY
A reference: research article or editorial comment in peer-reviewed journal
B reference: letters to the editor, professional personal communications, meeting/conference abstracts (NOT usually peer reviewed), and pending reviewed publications
C reference: lay/trade press publications, interviews, patents and Web site material (NOT peer-reviewed)

This hierarchy shows the relative reliability and scrutiny of the science in the references cited. In general, articles in peer-reviewed journals are subjected to critical evaluation by disinterested scientists before acceptance for publication. A backgrounder with few A references, or a preponderance of B and C references, will usually indicate a substance with little critically reviewed scientific research to support its use and/or safety.

Source: Natural Products Association

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com