Q&A

 

Q: I recently came across a claim promoting acetaminophen to prevent oxidation of LDL, and was astounded. Looking up Tylenol in the PDR, one sees only the liver warning, never the renal. Could you please comment?

A: It appears that any anti-inflammatory agent helps prevent artery-related illnesses and other diseases. Acetaminophen causes serious long-term kidney damage that we have been bringing to light since 1990, yet there is still no warning on the label cautioning those with kidney disease to avoid it. This another example of the FDA's crimes against humanity. Whenever someone calls with renal disease, we frequently ask them about their analgesic use, and likewise as frequently hear the renal patient has been taking lots of acetaminophen for years. Nephrologists do not appear to warn their patients about this side-effect, which may be directly causing their underlying disease. There are far safer ways of suppressing chronic inflammation than taking acetaminophen drugs.

It has been well established that the consumption of animal protein is inversely correlated with bone density, i.e. individuals or cultures with higher animal protein intake have a greater incidence of osteoporosis. How can consuming whey protein help build stronger bones?

Bone loss is such a complicated process and relies on so many variables that it is not possible to simply blame protein intakes. We have many lines of evidence that it's simply untrue. There is some research that showed that adding additional protein to the diet of postmenopausal women increased bone density. Athletes, who often eat a high protein diet, do not suffer from bone loss. In fact, it's the opposite: athletes have denser bones than non-athletes, which is proof that other factors such as exercise, hormonal factors, intake of nutrients (i.e. calcium, boron, vitamin C, etc.) play a more important role. Specific to the whey, www.lifeextension.com has various articles citing several studies suggesting that whey has a direct effect on bone growth, both in vitro and in vivo. You can also look up "Protein Myths," (go to www.brinkzone.com) an article by whey specialist William Brink, which covers his particular views on the role of protein and bone loss.

Q: Can SAMe be taken by someone who is taking Zoloft?

A: Probably, but no controlled studies have been done. Foundation members have been using SAMe since 1996, often combining it with select serotonin reuptake inhibiting drugs (SRIs) like Zoloft. No adverse reactions have been reported to date.

Q: The October 99 issue of the Health Sciences Institute's Members Alert contains an article about the Anabolic/Catabolic Index and a supplement called "7-Keto" that is supposed to be better than DHEA. What have you found on the matter?

A: We have done some investigation of 7-Keto DHEA that has revealed very few independent studies to back up the many claims we have heard. In fact, with the exception of a couple, all of the studies done to date have come from the same university. Furthermore, we have heard from certain individuals taking this substance that it has irritated BPH symptoms. It does not elevate DHEA serum levels as effectively as DHEA. In our opinion, 7-Keto DHEA is not as effective for boosting estrogen or testosterone levels.