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| | November 2007 Â | Â Â
Cooling those hot flashes naturally  
Reduced estrogen levels are the cause of hot flashes, which some women experience at the approach of menopause. But what about solutions? Are there natural ways to keep hot flashes at bay?
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Frequency and severity of the hot flashes decreased by an average of almost 60% among women taking ground flax daily.
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New research says yes. Here are three natural remedies to consider if you are experiencing hot flashes, which involve flushing of the face and chest, sometimes in conjunction with heart palpitations, dizziness and headaches:
. Flaxseed: According to new research from the US, flaxseed may reduce the frequency of hot flashes by 50%. A pilot study at the Mayo Clinic recruited 29 postmenopausal women who suffered from hot flashes and did not take estrogen because of a perceived increased risk of breast cancer. The women were assigned to receive 40 grams of crushed flaxseed daily for six weeks. The 21 women from whom full data was obtained experienced a 50% reduction in frequency of hot flashes. The overall "hot flash score" (accounting for both frequency and severity of hot flashes) decreased an average of almost 60% among women who completed the trial. Improvements in mood, joint or muscle pain, chills and sweating were also noted.
. Pine bark extract: Also known as Pycnogenol, pine bark extract from the French maritime pine may be an alternative treatment to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), a new German study suggests. The study, based at the University of Munster, involved 155 perimenopausal women who received either 200 mg of Pycnogenol or a placebo daily during the study period. All symptoms including hot flashes improved significantly in the Pycnogenol group and did not change significantly in the placebo group. No unwanted side effects were noted among women receiving Pycnogenol.
. Black cohosh: Another German study points to this herb for alleviation of hot flashes. About 300 women experiencing menopausal symptoms were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or black cohosh for 12 weeks. Afterwards, women who took black cohosh were found to experience improvements in symptoms comparable to those among women in a recent study using HRT.
Other herbs to consider for hot flash relief include red clover, which contains high quantities of plant-based estrogens; and dong quai, used in traditional Chinese medicine along with other herbs to alleviate menopausal symptoms.
The bottom line: HRT isn't your only choice for respite from hot flashes. Although the effects may vary from woman to woman, natural alternatives can noticeably improve quality of life.
More studies link CLA to fat loss Â
Trying to lose body fat? Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may help, new research suggests.
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CLA can help burn fat and build lean muscle in just a few months.
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In a Norwegian study, researchers randomly assigned 118 overweight or obese subjects who were otherwise healthy to receive either 3.4 grams of CLA per day or a placebo.
At three and six months, body fat mass in the CLA group had decreased significantly, as did waist-to-hip ratio. Meanwhile, lean body mass had increased. Fat loss occurred mostly in the legs and in women with a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m(2).
Blood fat levels stayed within a normal range, as did indicators of inflammation and diabetes. No significant changes in bone mineral content were found.
"These results suggest that CLA may be a safe and effective therapy for reducing body fat mass in particular parts of the body in otherwise healthy overweight and obese adults," the researchers concluded.
A meta-analysis of various studies involving CLA came to a similar conclusion: that a daily dose of 3.2 grams of CLA produces a "modest loss in body fat in humans."
CLA had already been shown to reduce fat mass in animals, but until this meta-analysis, conducted at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, results in human studies had been inconsistent. Eighteen different studies were found eligible for the meta-analysis.
Garlic pills lower high cholesterol Â
Garlic supplements may be useful in treating high cholesterol, new research reveals.
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In those taking the herb, good cholesterol increased while bad cholesterol dropped.
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An Iranian study involving 150 patients with excess lipids, or fats, in their blood found that garlic supplements "may exert a beneficial effect on lipid profiles."
The patients were divided into three groups, with the first receiving an enteric-coated garlic powder supplement (equal to 400 mg garlic, 1 mg allicin), twice daily. The second group received a 650 mg anethum (aromatic herb) tablet, twice daily. The third got a placebo.
After six weeks, patients in the garlic group showed a 12.1% drop in total cholesterol. They also showed a 17.3% reduction in LDL cholesterol, a 15.7% increase in HDL cholesterol, and a 6.3% decrease in triglycerides.
"Anethum has no significant effect on lipid profile, but garlic ... has significant favorable effect[s] on cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol," the researchers concluded. "Garlic may play an important role in therapy of hypercholesterolemia [high cholesterol]."
Vitamin D could halve cancer rates Â
The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention has already been in the news, but now researchers are estimating the number of cancer cases that could be prevented if vitamin D levels met proposed targets.
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People living in colder climates are more prone to vitamin D deficiency.
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Increased vitamin D intake could prevent as many as 50% of breast and colon cancer cases, or some 600,000 cases per year worldwide, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (USCD) have found.
The USCD study, which examines the relationship between blood vitamin D levels and risk of colon and breast cancer, combines data from surveys of blood vitamin D levels during winter from 15 countries. It's the first such study to look at sunshine and cloud cover measurements in countries where blood levels of vitamin D3 have also been determined.
Vitamin D3 is available through diet, supplements and exposure to sunlight.
According to study projections, a 50% reduction in colon cancer incidence would require universal intake of 2,000 international units (IU) per day of vitamin D. For an equivalent reduction in breast cancer incidence, universal intake would need to be 3,500 IU per day.
By comparison, the median adult intake of vitamin D in the US is only 230 IU per day. Vitamin D deficiency affects people who live in colder climates such as Canada because sunlight induces the production of vitamin D. If blood vitamin D levels are low, researchers recommend vitamin D supplements in combination with foods containing vitamin D and short intervals of sun exposure.
Age-related vision loss: solutions Â
Carotenoids, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids may benefit people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease causing damage to the macula or central retina of the eye.
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A leading cause of vision loss, AMD can only be improved if acted upon early enough.
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In an Italian study involving 27 patients with non-advanced AMD, supplementation with a mixture of carotenoids and antioxidants for one year was found to improve a particular dysfunction of the central retina.
One group of patients received daily supplements providing 180 mg of vitamin C, 30 mg of vitamin E, 22.5 mg of zinc, 1 mg of copper, 10 mg of lutein, 1 mg of zeaxanthin and 4 mg of astaxanthin. The other group was not treated.
After six and 12 months, the treated group showed "highly significant" improvements compared to the untreated group.
In patients with non-advanced AMD, "a selective dysfunction in the central retina (zero degrees to five degrees) can be improved by ... supplementation with carotenoids [and] antioxidants," the researchers concluded. "No functional changes are present in the more peripheral (five degrees to 20 degrees) retinal areas."
An American study also points to antioxidants as beneficial for AMD - in particular, dry AMD, in which the tissues of the central retina become thin and slowly lose function.
This study involved 37 patients with an average age of about 76 years. After six months of receiving a daily supplement containing a mixture of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, the patients showed "significant improvements" in visual function.
Vitamin C: Cancer & heart disease Â
Data from clinical trials over the past several decades reveals that vitamin C may help prevent a variety of health disorders, including immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease and cancer.
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The review, conducted by Mark A. Moyad, MD, MPH of University of Michigan, examined over 100 studies. The data further suggests that certain vitamin C-containing metabolite formulations, such as Ester-C, may be even more effective than C alone and provide longer-lasting immune enhancement with lower risk of side effects.
"Vitamin C has received more clinical and commercial attention than any other dietary supplement, and for good reason," said Dr. Moyad. "The more we study vitamin C the more we appreciate its diversity in protecting our health. For example a recently published meta-analysis showed vitamin C to be beneficial to those whose immune systems may be weakened due to stress, something common to most people in today's society."
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