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CoQ10 Triumphs Over Ubiquinol in Heart Health Battle
Reproduced from original article:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/12/12/coq10-ubiquinol-heart-health.aspx
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola December 12, 2024
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- CoQ10 supplementation shows significant benefits in heart failure patients, leading to lower cardiovascular death rates and improved cardiac function, making it more effective than the reduced form, ubiquinol
- CoQ10 aids in the early recovery of cardiac function post-myocardial infarction by reducing inflammation through the inhibition of CCR2+ macrophage recruitment and suppression of the NLRP3/IL1β inflammatory pathway
- Intravenous administration of CoQ10 demonstrates promise in emergency ischemic conditions by rapidly increasing tissue penetration, reducing infarct size, and enhancing antioxidant capacity, offering protection during acute ischemia and reperfusion
- CoQ10 reduces inflammation via the NLRP3/IL1β pathway, which is crucial for heart health, and its anti-inflammatory properties help improve cardiac function and reduce fibrosis and hypertrophy
- CoQ10’s antioxidant properties protect against oxidative stress, providing a promising alternative to conventional heart failure treatments with fewer side effects and long-term benefits
Heart failure is a significant health concern, especially among older adults. The average one-year case fatality rate for heart failure patients is 33%, highlighting the serious nature of this condition.1 Prevalence rates vary widely however, from as low as 0.2% in a Hong Kong hospital study to as high as 17.7% in a U.S. Medicare population aged 65 and older between 2002 and 2013.2
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been extensively researched for its role in heart health, and numerous studies suggest CoQ10 supplementation can significantly reduce cardiovascular mortality and improve cardiac function. These benefits are crucial, given the high prevalence and mortality rates associated with heart failure.
Interestingly, in a surprising reversal of long-held beliefs, recent research suggests that CoQ10 (ubiquinone) is more effective for heart health than its reduced form, ubiquinol.3 For years, health experts and supplement manufacturers have advocated for ubiquinol, claiming its superior bioavailability made it the obvious choice for those seeking cardiovascular benefits.
Their recommendation seemed logical: since ubiquinol is the active form of CoQ10 in the body, taking it directly should provide better results. However, emerging evidence challenges this conventional wisdom, indicating that the body may actually use standard CoQ10 more effectively for cardiac function. As noted by the authors:4
“A slightly better water solubility and a lack of understanding absorption and transfer of CoQ10 and CoQH2 have led to misleading interpretations pushing CoQH2 as more bioactive form.”
This finding not only questions our understanding of CoQ10 supplementation but also highlights how assumptions about bioavailability don’t always translate to real-world therapeutic benefits.
I was absolutely thrilled to come across this new study, which confirms what I concluded after delving into Ray Peat’s work. It has helped me recognize that reductive stress is a significant factor contributing to reverse electron flow in the electron transport chain (ETC). The solution to reductive stress lies in the use of oxidants. Examples of effective oxidants that can help remove excess electrons include quinones such as vitamin K2, methylene blue, and ubiquinone (CoQ10).
When we were selling ubiquinol, the studies seemed to support its use, so I took the initiative to confront the company about it. After three months, their chief scientists produced a 30-page PowerPoint presentation in an attempt to convince me that ubiquinol was superior. However, the scientific evidence I presented indicated that the oxidized form was actually more effective.
Now, with this new study providing objective confirmation of my conclusions from two years ago, I finally have the proof I needed.
CoQ10 Mechanisms of Action
CoQ10 is a vital supplement for cardiovascular health, known for its role in energy production and antioxidant protection. This compound is essential for the production of ATP, the energy currency of cells, and plays a crucial role in maintaining mitochondrial function.
Mitochondria, often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell, rely on CoQ10 to shuttle electrons during the process of energy generation. This function is particularly important in heart cells, which have high energy demands.
Conventional treatments for heart failure often fall short, leaving patients with limited options and significant side effects. CoQ10 offers a promising alternative, providing cardiovascular benefits with fewer adverse effects. Its ability to reduce heart failure mortality and improve cardiac function makes it a key player in heart health management.
By improving mitochondrial function and energy production, CoQ10 supports the heart’s ability to pump efficiently. Additionally, its antioxidant properties protect against oxidative stress, a major contributor to heart disease. This dual action not only aids in the prevention of heart failure but also supports recovery in those already affected.
CoQ10 has also been shown to aid in the early recovery of cardiac function following a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. By reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, CoQ10 helps to preserve heart tissue and improve overall cardiac health. This makes it an important supplement for those at risk of or recovering from heart-related events.
CoQ10 Proven Superior in Lowering Heart-Related Deaths
Importantly, a recent scientific review of 28 studies found that CoQ10 is more effective than its reduced form, ubiquinol, in reducing deaths related to heart diseases.5 Participants who took CoQ10 supplements showed significantly lower rates of cardiovascular mortality compared to those who took ubiquinol.
CoQ10 enhances mitochondrial function, which is crucial for energy production in heart cells. By improving how mitochondria operate, CoQ10 ensures that the heart muscle gets the energy it needs to pump blood efficiently. This improvement in energy production directly contributes to better heart health and reduced mortality rates.
Moreover, CoQ10 is more stable and bioavailable than ubiquinol. This means that CoQ10 is easier for the body to absorb and use effectively. Higher bioavailability ensures that more of the supplement reaches the heart cells where it is needed most, providing greater benefits.
Long-term studies have shown that the positive effects of CoQ10 persist over time, offering sustained protection against heart failure. In contrast, ubiquinol does not demonstrate the same level of long-term benefits, making CoQ10 the preferred choice for ongoing heart health management.
CoQ10 supplementation is particularly important if you’re on a statin drug. Statins block HMG coenzyme A reductase in your liver, which is how they reduce cholesterol. But this is also the same enzyme that makes CoQ10, making deficiency highly likely. Statin-induced CoQ10 deficiency is in many cases responsible for the myopathic side effects attributed to these drugs (i.e., side effects involving loss of muscle control).
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CoQ10 Aids in Early Recovery of Cardiac Function Post-Myocardial Infarction
Other recent research found that CoQ10 significantly reduces inflammation by inhibiting the recruitment of CCR2+ macrophages. CCR2+ macrophages are a type of immune cell that contribute to inflammation in the heart after a myocardial infarction, making their reduction crucial for recovery.6
Additionally, CoQ10 suppresses the NLRP3/IL1β inflammatory pathway. This pathway plays a key role in the body’s inflammatory response, and its inhibition by CoQ10 helps decrease overall inflammation, promoting better heart function after an infarction.7
The research also demonstrated that CoQ10 improves cardiac function and reduces both fibrosis and hypertrophy. Fibrosis refers to the stiffening of heart tissue, while hypertrophy is the enlargement of heart muscle cells. By mitigating these factors, CoQ10 supports a healthier heart structure and more efficient pumping action.8
Furthermore, CoQ10 enhances survival rates in models of myocardial infarction. This improvement in survival underscores the compound’s potential to not only aid in recovery but also to increase the likelihood of long-term survival following a heart attack.
CoQ10’s anti-inflammatory properties are therefore crucial for heart health. By targeting specific inflammatory pathways and reducing harmful immune cell activity, CoQ10 helps maintain a balanced inflammatory state, which is essential for the heart’s healing process and overall function after ischemic injury.
Intravenous CoQ10 Administration Shows Promise in Emergency Ischemic Conditions
Yet another 2024 study found that administering CoQ10 directly into the bloodstream can quickly boost its levels in vital organs.9 This rapid increase is crucial because it allows CoQ10 to act swiftly during emergencies like heart attacks or strokes.
When CoQ10 is given intravenously, it reaches the affected tissues much faster than when taken orally. This speedy delivery ensures that organs under stress from a lack of blood flow receive the necessary protection immediately. By enhancing the heart’s ability to function during acute ischemia, CoQ10 helps maintain essential energy production and prevents further damage.
In emergency situations, CoQ10 plays a significant role in reducing the size of the damaged area, known as the infarct. Smaller infarct sizes mean that less heart muscle is lost, which directly improves the heart’s overall function and the patient’s chances of recovery.10 This reduction in damage is a key factor in improving long-term outcomes for patients experiencing severe heart conditions.
Additionally, intravenous CoQ10 boosts the body’s antioxidant defenses, which help neutralize harmful free radicals created during ischemic events. By reducing oxidative stress, CoQ10 protects cells from further injury and supports the healing process.11 This enhanced antioxidant capacity is vital for minimizing the overall impact of the ischemic event on the body.
Given these benefits, intravenous CoQ10 stands out as a valuable treatment option in acute medical settings. Its ability to rapidly increase tissue concentrations, protect against immediate damage, and support long-term heart function makes it an essential tool for managing emergency ischemic conditions.12
CoQ10 Counteracts Reductive Stress
As mentioned earlier, reductive stress is a major factor that contributes to reverse electron flow in the electron transport chain, and CoQ10, being a potent oxidant, helps remove excess electrons.
Reductive stress is an important topic because it’s fundamental to optimizing your biology. In a nutshell, reductive stress means you have too many mobile electrons in the cell. Think of your body’s cells as tiny engines that need to process fuel (from the food you eat) efficiently.
Just like a car needs the right mixture of fuel and air to run smoothly, your cells need the right balance of electrons (which come from breaking down food) and carriers (like NAD) to transport these electrons. These carriers work like taxis moving passengers (electrons) around the city (your cell).
Reductive stress happens when there’s too much fuel coming in. When all the electron carriers are full, new electrons have nowhere to go, creating a traffic jam in your cells. This typically occurs when we flood our system with too many calories. Just as a car engine runs poorly with too much fuel and not enough air (called a “rich” mixture), your cells can’t function properly when overwhelmed with too much energy input.
This cellular traffic jam is what scientists call reductive stress, and it’s a key feature of metabolic syndrome and other health issues.
To understand how oxidants like CoQ10 helps in this instance, think of it as a traffic controller for those electrons. When you have reductive stress, oxidants open up new routes to help move the traffic along.
CoQ10 specifically has a unique ability to accept backed-up electrons and safely transport them through the cellular machinery, helping to clear the congestion. By providing these alternative pathways for electron flow, oxidants like CoQ10 help restore balance to the system. They essentially help convert those backed-up electron carriers back into their empty form (NAD+), making them available to transport more electrons again.
Optimizing Your Heart Health with CoQ10
If you’re new to CoQ10 supplementation, an initial dose of 200 to 300 mg per day is recommended. After about three weeks, when plasma levels typically reach their optimal plateau, you can transition to a maintenance dose of 100 mg daily, which is sufficient for most healthy individuals. However, if you maintain an active lifestyle, exercise frequently, or experience high stress levels, you might benefit from continuing with 200 to 300 mg daily.
Special consideration must be given to certain health conditions. Those taking statin medications should supplement with at least 100 to 200 mg of CoQ10 daily, and possibly more. Similarly, individuals managing chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, ALS, chronic fatigue, or autism may require higher doses.
For optimal absorption, split your daily dose into two or three portions rather than taking it all at once, and take it with a healthy source of fat since CoQ10 is fat-soluble. While these guidelines provide a general framework, working with an integrative physician can help determine the most appropriate dosage for your specific needs.
Additionally, given the varying quality of supplements available in the market, it’s crucial to select a CoQ10 product specifically formulated for maximum absorption and bioavailability.
CoQ10 Outshines Ubiquinol in Enhancing Heart Health
CoQ10 significantly reduces heart-related deaths more effectively than Ubiquinol. Studies demonstrate that individuals taking CoQ10 supplements experience lower rates of cardiovascular mortality due to improved mitochondrial function and efficient energy production in heart cells.
The stability and bioavailability of CoQ10 ensure it is easily absorbed and utilized by the body. This higher bioavailability allows more of the supplement to reach heart cells, providing consistent and long-lasting benefits that surpass those of Ubiquinol.
CoQ10 plays a crucial role in the early recovery of cardiac function after a myocardial infarction. It reduces inflammation by inhibiting specific immune cells and inflammatory pathways, which helps preserve heart tissue and improves overall heart health following a heart attack.
Intravenous administration of CoQ10 offers rapid elevation of its levels in vital organs during emergency ischemic conditions. This swift delivery protects the heart muscle, reduces the size of damaged areas, and supports better long-term recovery, making CoQ10 an essential treatment option in acute medical settings.
Incorporating CoQ10 into your daily routine can optimize heart health. By selecting a high-quality supplement, determining the appropriate dosage based on age, and maintaining consistent supplementation, you can enhance energy production, boost immune responses, and protect your heart from damage.
- 1, 2 Heart 2022;108:1351-1360
- 3, 4, 5 Current Cardiology Reports (2023) 25:1759–1767
- 6, 7, 8 BMC Cardiovascular Disorders (2024) 24:76
- 9, 10, 11, 12 Life 2024, 14(1); 134
Osteoporosis warning: How bone loss signals inflammation and a risk of disease
Reproduced from original article:
https://www.naturalhealth365.com/osteoporosis-warning-how-bone-loss-signals-inflammation-and-a-risk-of-disease.html
by: November 23, 2024
(NaturalHealth365) Osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become brittle and prone to breakage, is so widespread that 50 percent of all women over age 50 (and 25 percent of all over-50 men) will eventually suffer an osteoporosis-related bone fracture. A new study published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle reveals systemic inflammation and frailty as key contributors to osteoporosis and fracture risks.
Unfortunately, the consequences of osteoporosis extend even beyond the pain and disabling effect of broken bones. In fact, recent research highlights a shocking connection between osteoporosis and life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.
Fortunately, a combination of natural nutrients may help prevent osteoporosis – and offer protection against the devastating diseases that can accompany it.
Pro-inflammatory molecules released by bone loss are linked to increased risk of deadly diseases
The creation of bone is regulated by the actions of the body’s osteoblasts (bone cells that create new bone) and osteoclasts (cells that break down bone).
At about age 35, the “balancing act” begins to shift – and the rate of bone breakdown starts to overtake the rate of bone development, leading to bone loss. Researchers are now learning that aging bones contain more “senescent” cells – meaning they have stopped reproducing themselves and now exclusively promote the breakdown of bone tissue.
These senescent cells release pro-inflammatory molecules into the bloodstream, laying the groundwork for disease. Senescent bone cells have been found in plaque deposits in heavily calcified arteries.
And, having large numbers of senescent cells in the bones is linked in studies with accelerated aging – particularly affecting the brain. Finally, people with osteoporosis have an increased risk of cancer.
Keep in mind, when over-activated, the bone proteins that normally regulate bone maintenance and healing can lead to uncontrollable cell growth and replication.
Discover a natural way to strengthen your bones
The antioxidant vitamin C plays a critical role in preventing bone loss – which it does by preventing the oxidative stress that destroys bone structure. Vitamin C also plays a pivotal role in the formation and structure of bones by forming collagen and developing other bone proteins.
If the body’s need for vitamin C is unmet, insufficient collagen production can result – leading to easily fractured bones. Many natural health experts believe osteoporosis is a vitamin C deficiency or “scurvy of the bones.”
Bone-building vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, and bell peppers. However, supplementation may be necessary – especially if you have osteoporosis. By the way, for superior bioavailability (absorption), natural health experts advise using a liposomal form of vitamin C.
Boron reduces the loss of indispensable calcium from the bones
This little-known trace mineral packs a powerful punch when it comes to supporting bone health.
Simply put, boron helps the body produce and use vitamin D – a mainstay of bone health. The mineral also helps regulate calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus levels – all “MVPs” of bone maintenance and support.
A study published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal showed that 3 mg of boron daily helped prevent calcium loss and bone demineralization in postmenopausal women.
Natural health experts may advise 3 to 6 mg of boron daily. You can increase your dietary boron intake by eating organic nuts, beans, avocados, and whole grains.
Calcium: The primary structural component of bones
Bones contain 99 percent of the body’s calcium stores – integral to bone building.
But, for your body to use calcium to build bone, you must have sufficient levels and adequate amounts of vitamin D. Deficiency in both minerals can cause bone loss and symptoms of muscle pain, muscle cramps, and weakness.
Calcium exists in sardines, including the bones, dark leafy greens, and cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts. Most adults require between 1,000 and 1,200 mg of calcium a day.
Magnesium deficiency is a cause of “incalculable” suffering
Magnesium works in concert with calcium to suppress hormones that break down bones – while activating enzymes needed to produce new bone. Unfortunately, experts estimate that about half of all Americans fail to consume enough of this important mineral.
More than 40 percent of post-menopausal women have low magnesium blood levels, which can trigger excessive bone breakdown.
In one landmark study on magnesium benefits, the researchers lamented that the deficiency of such an “inexpensive, low-toxicity nutrient” is currently causing diseases that are a source of untold “suffering and expense” worldwide.
Eating organic dark leafy greens, potatoes, raisins, chocolate, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and avocados can help ramp up your dietary intake of magnesium. Of course, your holistic healthcare provider may recommend supplementing with magnesium to avoid shortfalls.
Most natural healers recommend 250 to 750 mg a day. Magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, and magnesium taurate are considered the most bioavailable forms.
Vitamin D helps improve calcium absorption
Vitamin D reduces the activity of the pro-inflammatory signaling molecules that are released from senescent bone cells during bone breakdown. Unsurprisingly, vitamin D shortfalls are bad news for your bones and the rest of your body.
Vitamin D deficiency has been identified as a major contributor to osteoporosis – as well as to cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and lowered cognitive functioning. This fat-soluble vitamin is found in cold-water fatty fish (like wild-caught salmon), as well as in mushrooms and egg yolks.
Because the body manufactures vitamin D in response to sunlight, many natural health experts advise getting 20 minutes of direct sunlight three or four times a week. However, supplementation may be necessary to maintain healthy vitamin D levels, especially in northern climates.
Just remember to opt for vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) over vitamin D2.
Vitamin K2 directs calcium in the body
Vitamin K2’s job is to route calcium where it belongs – in the bones and teeth – while keeping it out of blood vessel walls (thereby helping to prevent heart disease).
Vitamin K2 improves bone mineral density and is particularly beneficial for improving bone mineral content of the femoral bone – which is particularly susceptible to fracture during falls. Researchers have found that vitamin K2 is synergistic with vitamin D3 – meaning that each nutrient enhances the beneficial effect of the other.
In an influential study published in Maturitas, supplementation with a combination of vitamins K2 and D3 protected and increased vertebral bone mass in postmenopausal women.
Food sources of vitamin K2 include liver, egg yolks, and natto, a food made from fermented soybeans.
Your doctor may recommend 100 mcg per day of vitamin K2 in the form of menaquinone-7, a highly available form of the nutrient.
Prescription drugs can jeopardize zinc supply
Zinc is needed for bone cells (osteoblasts) to create bone tissue – and is crucial for the entry of vitamin D into cells. And, yes, patients with osteoporosis have been found to have low levels of zinc.
Ironically, pharmaceutical osteoporosis drugs – such as Boniva and Reclast – actually rob the body of this important trace mineral. The RDA for zinc is 8 mg for women and 11 for men.
You can increase your dietary zinc intake by eating organic pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, nuts, yogurt, and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli. Grass-fed beef, oysters, and pasture raised poultry are also rich in zinc.
As with the other vitamins and minerals, consult your holistic doctor before supplementing with zinc.
With millions of people either suffering from osteoporosis – or at serious risk – it’s time to fight back. And, your best weapons in the battle to slow and reverse bone loss could be these non-toxic, natural micronutrients.
Sources for this article include:
NIH.gov
LifeExtension.com
SaveOurBones.com
UniversityHealthNews
Why Your Multivitamin May Be Harming Your Health
© GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC.
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Reproduced from original article:
https://greenmedinfo.com/content/why-your-multivitamin-may-be-harming-your-health
Posted on: Thursday, November 7th 2024 at 12:15 pm
Written By: Sayer Ji, FounderThis article is copyrighted by GreenMedInfo LLC, 2024
What comes to mind when you think of toxic waste disposal? Biohazard suits, lead-lined vaults, and burial deep underground? You might be shocked to learn that a dumping ground for these chemicals is a product that many people consume daily to ensure good health – and it may be in your medicine cabinet.
When it comes to dietary supplements, all products are not created equal. A label can identify the presence of a specific ingredient without indicating if it’s from a natural, bioavailable and biocompatible source, or from a synthetic, inorganic source. This is despite the fact that our bodies may not recognize these synthetic ingredients as food.
When a supplement contains an ingredient that is not bioavailable, the body either will not absorb or utilize it correctly. The best one can hope for is that the substance will pass, inert, through the body. But with certain ingredients, the material from which they are extracted is highly toxic, rendering a substance that can do more bodily harm than good.
Industrial waste products such as fluoride (a byproduct of aluminum manufacturing and known neurotoxin), and cobalt-60, a radioactive waste material culled from nuclear reactors, have been used for decades in broad-reaching applications to make our water “healthier” and our food “safer.”
With FDA-approval and cherry-picked, manufacturer-sponsored studies as “proof”, the unsuspecting public is lulled into a sense of safety regarding these practices. And these aren’t the only such hoaxes being perpetrated on the American people.
Hidden in Plain Sight
As with most things in our modern world, understanding this logic requires you to follow the money trail. The economics are simple: chemical byproducts and industrial waste are environmentally hazardous and in abundant supply. This makes them both difficult and costly to dispose of properly. Selling these waste products as cheap, raw materials is a BIG win for manufacturers. And repackaging them as health supplements can be extremely profitable.
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One of the most popular health supplements by category is the multivitamin. Consumed by adults and children alike, multivitamins are sold as veritable health insurance. If you don’t get enough of the recommended daily allowance of essential vitamins and minerals, taking a quality multivitamin can fill this dietary gap.
But not all vitamins on supermarket shelves are actually good for you. Some manufacturers source “healthy nutrients” that are toxic to the body, even in small quantities. This confounding trend is not limited to off-brand manufacturers looking to produce cheap knock-offs of “the good stuff”. Some of the most trusted name brands use ingredients that show up on global watch lists of hazardous substances we’ve been instructed to avoid for health and safety.
Disguised as healthy nutrients, the following toxic imposters are listed on the labels of popular multivitamins Centrum, One-A-Day, and Flintstones for Kids. As you will see, some of the biggest dangers to consumers are hidden in plain sight!
Sodium selenate/Sodium selenite
Sodium selenate, a byproduct of copper metal refining, is four times more toxic than the known killing drug, cyanide. Yet, it is proudly listed as a “nutrient” in many common health products.
Based on animal studies, we know that a mere 100 milligrams of the stuff are a fatal dose to most humans. The amount found in Centrum is 55 micrograms (mcg); that’s 5 mcg more than the EPA allows in a liter of drinking water before declaring it unsafe for human consumption!
Organically-bound selenium is the vital human nutrient that sodium selenate can not replace. Selenium is found in foods like nuts, seeds, and organic produce grown in selenium-rich soil. This naturally-occurring trace mineral is very different than the unbound, synthetic form being put into some multivitamins.
Organic selenium is known for its ability to boost the immune system, improve thyroid function, protect against heart disease, and even prevent cancer. Sodium selenite/selenate, on the other hand, has been shown to cause DNA damage associated with cancer and birth defects.
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This mass market vitamin reveals a litany of toxic chemicals sold as “nutrients’
Cupric oxide
Cupric oxide is one of several derivative forms of “dietary copper”, a micronutrient needed to ensure proper growth and development of bones and connective tissues, as well as for maintaining the health of vital organs such as the brain and heart.
Organically, copper is found in a variety of foods, including dark leafy greens, organ meats, beans, nuts, dried fruits, nutritional yeast, as well as oysters and shellfish. The synthetic derivations found in many multivitamins are an entirely different kettle of fish!
For decades, cupric oxide was the principal source of dietary copper in supplements sold for livestock and companion animals. But an array of studies conducted as far back as the 1980’s on the bioavailability of cupric oxide determined it was not fit for animal consumption. This hasn’t stopped it from being fed to humans!
A summary of these studies published by The American Society for Nutritional Sciences ascertained that cupric oxide is not bioavailable due to it’s inability to permeate the gut wall. The fact that this form of copper is still being used in human health supplements and even baby formula, is particularly troubling since an estimated 61% of people in the U.S., U.K., and Canada have dietary deficits of this essential nutrient. Copper deficits are linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, and poor blood sugar metabolism, among other troubling disorders.
The dangers of this supplement go beyond the nutritional deficits caused by this deceptive masquerade. Cupric oxide is listed on the European Union’s Dangerous Substance Directive as a hazardous substance, for humans and the environment. Not surprising, considering its use as a chemical in industrial applications such as the production of rayon fabric and dry cell batteries.
Ferrous fumarate (aka iron)
With a list of side effects a mile long including nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, blackened stools, tooth discoloration, and anorexia, it should come as no surprise that this is the one ingredient in Flintstones vitamins to precipitate the warning on the label:
Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
However, it might surprise you to learn that the amount of ferrous fumarate in one Centrum vitamin is six times higher than the maximum EPA allowed limit for 1 liter of drinking water!
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Another tip-off that this isn’t the iron Popeye was getting from spinach, is the fact that it is impossible to die from too much iron obtained from food. But ferrous fumarate is so toxic that accidental overdose is “a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6.”
Ferrous fumarate is an industrial mineral that is not found in nature as food. A byproduct of iron mining, ferrous fumarate has drawn even more criticism as a supplement due to its interaction with vitamin C leading to ulceration of the GI tract, chronic inflammatory diseases, and cancer.
Adding to these concerns are the high doses present in many health supplements. Studies found high concentrations of iron to be associated with several pathologies, including cancer, diabetes, liver and heart disease.
Dishonorable Mention
In addition to the offenders already mentioned, the following common multivitamin ingredients have disturbing toxic rap sheets, and are found in dangerously high concentrations in most multivitamins.
Stannous chloride (tin)
In a 1983 study, it was determined that stannous chloride was “readily taken up by white blood cells and can cause damage to DNA.”
In small doses, it’s known to cause side effects such as skin irritation, headache, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. In larger doses, severe growth retardation and cancer. While the EPA says a mere 4 mcg is the high-end limit for one liter of water to become undrinkable, you will find 10 mcg in one dose of Centrum.
Manganese sulfate
Manganese sulfate is often promoted as a supplement to prevent bone loss and anemia. The organic form of this essential nutrient helps with blood clotting, the formation of bones and connective tissues, as well as hormone regulation. Found in nuts, beans, seeds, and leafy greens, manganese is considered an essential nutrient. Manganese sulfate’s other claim to fame is its pervasive use as a chemical pesticide.
Even low doses of this chemical present significant neurological risk over time, as evidenced by reports of workplace exposure. Affected field workers showed loss of coordination and balance, along with an increase in reporting mild symptoms such as forgetfulness, anxiety, or insomnia.
In high concentrations, this supplement becomes a neurotoxin, presenting with Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms, including tremors and permanent memory loss. So why is the standard dose in a single Centrum more than four times the EPA safe consumption limit?
It should be noted that even if there aren’t extraordinary large amounts of these metals and toxicants in the vitamins you are taking, the age old justification that small amounts of chemicals or heavy metals won’t hurt you, i.e. “the dose makes the poison,” is now an outdated and disproved toxicological risk model. For instance, recent discoveries indicate that exceedingly small amounts of the following metals: “aluminium, antimony, arsenite, barium, cadmium, chromium (Cr(II)), cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenite, tin and vanadate,” exhibit estrogen receptor binding and stimulating properties, which has lead to them being described as ‘metalloestrogens’ with the capability to induce hormone reponse related carcinogenicity. This concept that, in some cases, the lower the dose concentration, or the lower the energy state, the higher the damage, has also been demonstrated with x-ray mammography, toxicants like glyphosate, and nanoparticles, to name but a few examples.
Who is Minding the Store?
It may seem unfathomable that these harmful, toxic chemicals could be allowed into our food and drug supply. The truth is, no one is minding the store. Loopholes abound, allowable limits are questionable, and even our organic food supply is not safe from subterfuge. Even organic infant formula can skirt regulatory oversight thanks to the numbers game.
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According to the USDA’s National Organic Program guidelines, any multi-ingredient product that contains 95% or more organic ingredients may be labeled organic. That means even the copper sulfate in Similac’s Advance Organic formula falls within the “contains less than 2%” ingredient list guideline, giving this noxious chemical a free pass.
The public has a right to expect that any substance that is suspected of being harmful will be held to a high-level of scrutiny before it is approved for mass consumption. This basic, precautionary principle would minimize public risk until all known toxicological data has been thoroughly examined. Only when a determination that no serious health risks are present can be made, should a substance be allowed into mass-market products.
However, it is essentially the reverse of this model that is in effect today. Only when a substance has repeatedly demonstrated harm in already exposed populations, is it subject to the level of scrutiny that can precipitate its removal from FDA-approved products on store shelves. This means lobbying and corporate interests often prevail through the off-loading of harmful substances that are considered “innocent until proven guilty.” Guilt, in this instance, means acute or large-scale sickness suffered by the public.
Currently, no law forbids the use of any of these questionable substances in dietary supplements, despite copious laboratory research demonstrating their toxicity in animals, and significant clinical data demonstrating their actual or potential toxicity in humans. Don’t wait for the fallout to affect you before you act. Look for high-quality, organic supplements with food-grade sources, and a proven supply chain. Also consider using whole food concentrates and focusing on improving the quality of your food instead of focusing on taking supplements to try to counterbalance a deficient diet.
Biological Contamination of Pharmaceuticals: Oh No
Reproduced from original article:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2023/12/29/biological-contamination-of-pharmaceuticals.aspx
The original Mercola article may not remain on the original site, but I will endeavor to keep it on this site as long as I deem it to be appropriate.
Analysis by Tessa Lena December 29, 2023
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Biological contamination of pharmaceutical products and hospital-acquired infections are not uncommon but they rarely get the massive attention they deserve
- Pharmaceutical giants regularly recall their products due to contamination — and that is just when they get “caught”
- In 2012, a multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis was linked to contaminated steroid injections; a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts was blamed
- In 2021, David Stonebrook filed a lawsuit, alleging unsanitary conditions at the facilities where they packaged components used in the production of Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines
- Under the “new normal, due to apathy and overall decline, the real-life sanitary standards are getting worse”
Degradation of Standards
Signs of emotional and physical decay are everywhere, especially in the previously glamorous cities like New York. Apathy and indignity come with a decline in basic sanitary standards and hygiene. One would think that obsessive mask wearing would be accompanied by impeccable hygiene — but no. It has been my observation that paradoxically, during the times of “COVID,” business sanitary conditions — imperfect even prior to 2020 — took a major nose dive.
I have seen first-hand a New York pharmacy employee sorting out a pile of new arrivals (reading glasses, etc.) on the dirty aisle floor. I have also witnessed different cashiers at yet another pharmacy clean up the trash cans and then proceed to check out purchases wearing the sane gloves, to the soundtrack of various Pfizer commercials for vaccines.
Methinks that the “microbiome” from New York trash is not exactly what our bodies crave for optimum health — but hey, it’s just me.
Hospital-Acquired Fungal and Other Infections
Hospital-acquired fungal and other infections are not anything new. They have been a major contributor to the iatrogenic harms for years now. According to a paper published in the Journal of Patient Safety ten years ago, in 2013, “a lower limit of 210,000 deaths per year was associated with preventable harm in hospitals.
Given limitations in the search capability of the Global Trigger Tool and the incompleteness of medical records on which the Tool depends, the true number of premature deaths associated with preventable harm to patients was estimated at more than 400,000 per year. Serious harm seems to be 10- to 20-fold more common than lethal harm.”
When a number of hospitals in America were rated by Consumer Reports based on the number of infections they reported, it was found that large teaching hospitals in big cities rated worse than smaller ones.
Here is a curious fact. This now-deleted article, published by MSN in 2021 and titled, “Killer fungus spread rampantly at US hospital Covid ward,” discussed Candida auris infections in patients in a Florida COVID ward:
“C. auris is associated with up to 40 percent in-hospital mortality and is usually caught inside healthcare settings, especially when people have feeding or breathing tubes, or catheters placed in large veins.
It causes bloodstream, wound and ear infections and has also been found in urine and respiratory samples, but it’s not clear if the fungus actually infects the lung or bladder. The recent outbreak began in July when a hospital — which the report did not name — notified the Florida Department of Health of an initial four cases of the fungus among patients being treated for the coronavirus.
The next month, the hospital carried out additional screening in its Covid-19 unit, which spanned four floors across five wings, and identified 35 more patients as being C. auris-positive. Follow-up data was available for only 20 out of the 35 patients.”
The numbers in the study are small but the implications are potentially very significant. That particular hospital happened to test the patients in their COVID ward for the fungus and acknowledge their fungal infections. How many hospitals forgot (or “forgot”) to do that?
And how about the mainstream claim that bacterial pneumonia might have caused a large percentage of “COVID” deaths? How about that? Is anyone going to apologize for the massive 2020 fear mongering, or was this claim allowed because they — the “they” — are about to push a different kind of vaccines and are preparing the scene?
Today, the official take on drug-resistant fungal and other infections in healthcare facilities is that they are very much on the rise. (Even the CDC says so.) But what caused them to be on the rise?
What impaired the natural ability of the westerners to resist infections? Was is mainly the overuse of antibiotics — like they say — or could it be that the entire model of Rockefeller sickcare is simultaneously crumbling under its own weight and doing exactly what it was supposed to do, i.e. turning innocent would-be healthy people into desperate patients for life?
Ironically, this 2018 paper half-answers the question about the rise in fungal infections and almost says the quiet part out loud (the HIV claim aside): “Fungal diseases became a major medical problem in the second half of the 20th century when advances in modern medicine together with the HIV epidemic resulted in large numbers of individuals with impaired immunity [emphasis mine].” Don’t you say!
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2012 Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Linked to Contaminated Steroids
Remember the 2012 multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis that was linked to contaminated steroid injections? In that particular outbreak, about 800 people in twenty states were officially diagnosed with fungal meningitis, and more than a hundred people died.
As a result of the formal investigation, Gregory Conigliaro, the former co-owner of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy implicated in the multistate fungal meningitis outbreak in 2012, was sentenced to one year in prison and one year of supervised release.
“Prosecutors said Conigliaro conspired with a fellow co-owner — the company’s head pharmacist — to misrepresent the company’s operating procedures to the US Food and Drug Administration and a state pharmacy registration board …
The head pharmacist, Barry Cadden, was sentenced to nine years prison in 2017, having been convicted of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead.”
In the case of the 2012 meningitis outbreak, they found the guilty parties — who weren’t any kind of “big names” — and sentenced them to jail. All fixed now? Shall we believe that the problem of contaminated injectable products has been limited to some compounding pharmacy, and nothing like that could ever happened again?
Mold Contamination in the Production of Pfizer and Moderna COVID Vaccines? David Stonebrook’s Lawsuit
In in 2021, David Stonebrook filed a lawsuit against Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany), Sigma-Aldrich Corp., EMD Millipore, and Research Organics, LLC, alleging unsanitary conditions at the facilities where they packaged some of the components used in the production of Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines. (Here is the amended complaint from 2023.)
According to Stonebrook’s lawsuit, he was hired as GMP (“Good Manufacturing Practices”) Packaging Supervisor at the defendants’ facility in Cleveland, Ohio, where he oversaw the packaging of TRIS and HEPES (buffers used in protein production and purification) from supersacks that hold several tons of product into smaller packaging for shipment. He was employed at the Facility as “GMP Packaging Supervisor” from January 4, 2021 to March 3, 2021.
Stonebrook was allegedly “informed by the management and reviewed documents reflecting that TRIS and HEPES manufactured and packaged at the Facility were intended for use in the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines.”
According to his complaint, he subsequently “observed that the conditions in these packaging rooms where TRIS and HEPES were being repackaged at the Facility do not comply with GMP standards, including because the air handling and dust collection systems servicing these rooms were highly contaminated with mold, other contaminants, and residue from other components packaged in those rooms.
This posed a serious danger to patient health and also plainly violated the obligations that Pfizer and Moderna had to provide GMP compliant Covid-19 vaccines to the United States government.”
Stonebrook made “numerous attempts to bring these serious issues to the attention of Defendants’ management, including initially in discussions, and then in writing. Defendants, instead of correcting these serious issues, fired him.” Here are some images from Stonebrook’s complaint:
Stonebrook’s lawsuit is pending (seemingly in mediation now). In 2023, the defendants in his lawsuit seem to have filed a counter lawsuit against him (defamation, contract breach, etc.).
J&J’s History of Mold and Other Contamination of Drugs and Vaccines
According to NBC News, in 2021, the FDA told Johnson & Johnson to “discard about 60 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine that were produced at a troubled plant in Baltimore.” The FDA inspection of the Baltimore facility “revealed it had serious problems with unsanitary conditions and had failed to properly train workers.” One of the problems reported was mold.
In relation to the J&J troubles, Fox Business reported that Emergent BioSolutions, the company at the center of the vaccine supply chain, had been previously “cited repeatedly by the Food and Drug Administration for problems such as poorly trained employees, cracked vials and mold around one of its facilities, according to records obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act.”
In 2010, Johnson & Johnson recalled multiple batches of “big-selling, over-the-counter medicines after customers complained about odors of mold and mildew coming from the packages.” The recalled products included a wide variety of Tylenol and Motrin painkillers, Rolaids antacids, St. Joseph aspirin, and Benadryl allergy tablets. According to FDANews, in 2010, both J&J and Pfizer “recalled major drugs for musty, moldy odor.”
In 2013, J&J recalled 5,000 vials of Risperdal Consta, a long-acting injectable version of the antipsychotic pill Risperdal. A routine analysis “revealed that one lot of the med was contaminated with a mold found commonly in the environment.”
“That recall followed close behind another from J&J’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit. After finding plastic particles in its API last week, the company pulled 200,000 bottles of Motrin Infants’ Drops.”
In 2014, J&J recalled 13,500 bottles of Xarelto because of contamination. “According to a recall notice in the latest FDA Enforcement Report, the drugmaker said that it confirmed that a sales sample of the drug was contaminated after a customer complaint, and so initiated a nationwide, voluntary recall. The company reported that the product came from a plant in Gurabo, Puerto Rico.”
“Brought to You by Pfizer”?
In 2019, Pfizer recalled two lots of Relpax, a headache medicine that narrows blood vessels around the brain, due to the “potential presence of Genus Pseudomonas and Burkholderia … Individuals who consume oral products contaminated with microorganisms are at risk of bacterial dissemination from the gut to the bloodstream potentially resulting in serious, life-threatening infections.”
Mycoplasma Contamination of Vaccines
Here is a highly censored talk by Dr. Garth Nicolson in which he discusses potential mycoplasma contamination of vaccines. I am sharing with great thanks to A Midwestern Doctor for posting this video as the last time I looked, it had been completely scrubbed from YouTube.
Contaminated Rotarix Vaccines?
Here is a very interesting excerpt by John Stone published by Age of Autism:
“On March 22, 2010 the FDA suspended the use of GSK’s Rotarix vaccine after it was found to be contaminated with porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV-1). Then on May 6 the Offit/Merck version Rotateq was found to be contaminated not only by PCV-1 but another related virus, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2).
On May 7, according to information on the FDA website a meeting was swiftly convened: ‘to discuss the findings of PCV and PCV DNA in rotavirus vaccines. Based on a careful evaluation of this information, a thorough review of the scientific literature, and input from scientific and public health experts, the Agency is revising its recommendation to temporarily suspend use of the Rotarix vaccine.
FDA has determined it is appropriate for clinicians and health care professionals to resume the use of Rotarix and to continue the use of RotaTeq.’”
Putting the Plasmid Contamination in Context
Like I said in an earlier Substack article, I would like to put the plasmidgate and the SV40 contamination of COVID injections in a broader context. The plasmid contamination is a very bad thing — and my hat goes off to every brave soul who is exploring that route.
“However, the problem is much bigger, in my opinion, and it is very helpful to zoom out and consider the fact that biological contamination of the things that we presume to be clean is very widespread.
And while it is very widespread — and we are exposed to a ton of natural and genetically modified bugs — due to poisoning of everything, our microbiomes and our immune systems are not “what they used to be.” So it’s a bit of a double whammy. And yet, our job is to prevail!”
Precision Fermentation
Then we have the so called “precision fermentation” which is playing an increasingly significant role in the production of pharmaceutical components, popular food additives, etc.
It is not really fermentation per se, it’s a technology that “uses microorganisms – usually genetically modified – as ‘cell factories’ to produce specific functional ingredients,” such as, for example, proteins and enzymes. The technology is considered cost-effective by the pharmaceutical, food, and other industries, and it is on the rise.
Once the target components are produced, they are supposed to be separated from the biological “goo” that’s produced them and thoroughly purified. How well are they separated and purified?
In theory, it all works great — but this particular peasant is feeling a little skeptical about the “quality assurance” process across the board and thinks that the problem of biological contamination of everything is going to become even bigger as precision fermentation is used more.
Hey, in no relation to precision fermentation, in 2013, Boehringer Ingelheim closed a whole pharmaceutical plant in Bedford, OH, following 2011 failed inspections that revealed unsanitary conditions, including the famous bucket of urine! Do you think that the spirit of “warp speed” moneymaking made things any better? Methinks, no.
A Prediction
Here is my prediction:
“We are going to hear more and more about drug-resistant non-viral infections running amok. It will be presented as a big surprise, despite the WEF writing for years about antimicrobial resistance being the next big threat. There will be cries for new drug development and new life-saving vaccines, this time against molds, yeasts, and intracellular parasites.
We are going to hear more about “dementia” being caused by microbes. Hell, they may even dare squeak that “autism” can be caused by microbes — and they are going to wrap this in a war cry for more vaccines.
It will be all very cruel because neurological issues can be caused by microbes and, in my opinion, often are — in part due to injecting very lucky microbes into children’s arms and bloodstreams for decades — but one thing that is definitely not going to help those children (now senior citizens with dementia) is more potentially contaminated vaccines.”
Conclusion
I would like to end the story with a few philosophical and practical thoughts:
“I believe that a lot of “mysterious” sickness that has been exploding over the past decades (including skyrocketing dementia and autism) can be attributed not just to the all-pervasive business model based on ruthless poisoning — but also to the under-the-radar microbes, such as molds and other fungi, protozoans, not-so-friendly bacteria, and other living creatures who are very prevalent in the westerners’ bodies but capitalize on the myth of cleanliness in the westerners’ minds.
Those bugs can lie low for a long time and then attack in earnest when the person gets old, overly stressed, overly poisoned or irradiated, gets another infection, etc.” This is not a reason for panic. It’s a call for exploring, protecting ourselves intelligently and fearlessly — and giving our bodies the love we deserve.
“When it comes to vaccines, the unsanitary abyss offers a unique way to harm. If a biologically contaminated substance is injected into one’s arm, the contamination can very easily get straight into the bloodstream, bypassing the body’s natural guards.
Furthermore, in case of COVID mRNA vaccines, they are immunosuppressive by design to prevent the body from nuking the foreign genetic material — and so if a lucky bug is accidentally injected straight into the bloodstream alongside immunosuppressive components — that is one lucky bug!”
“In next few years, the amount of people who can productively work and use their bodies and brains in the “old normal way” will likely significantly decrease. Now is a very good time for soul searching, exploring and learning the old ways of medicine, and remembering that there is a meaning to all this.”
There is definitely existential meaning to everything we are going through — including the abysmal decline of mainstream medicine — and my hope is that as the Rockefeller sickcare crumbles — we will find our connection to earth, to better medicine, to each other, and to our own souls.
About the Author
To find more of Tessa Lena’s work, be sure to check out her bio, Tessa Fights Robots.
The Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Effects of Willow Bark Extract
Reproduced from original article:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2023/12/26/willow-bark.aspx
The original Mercola article may not remain on the original site, but I will endeavor to keep it on this site as long as I deem it to be appropriate.
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola December 26, 2023
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Willow bark is perhaps most widely known as aspirin’s forerunner, but it appears to have powerful antiviral effects as well
- Willow bark extract has broad-spectrum, antiviral effects against coronaviruses and enteroviruses
- Willow bark is effective against both enveloped and nonenveloped viruses, causing the viruses to cluster together rather than spread apart
- In a study, willow bark broke down the enveloped coronaviruses, while the nonenveloped enteroviruses were “locked down,” meaning their genome wasn’t released and they couldn’t reproduce
- Willow bark extract is often used as a remedy for pain and inflammation, including that related to low back pain, osteoarthritis, tendinitis, bursitis and headaches
Willow bark is perhaps most widely known as aspirin’s forerunner, but it appears to have powerful antiviral effects1 as well. Willow bark contains salicylates, including salicylic acid — the acetylated form of which is now the active ingredient in aspirin — and its derivative salicin. But willow bark deserves accolades even apart from this contribution.
Used for medicinal purposes for more than 3,500 years,2 willow bark was revered in ancient Egypt, South America, Greece and China. Hippocrates used willow bark for pain and inflammation in the 4th century B.C., while the ancient Egyptians relied on willow bark as a painkiller and antipyretic, or fever reducer.
1763 marked the year the first clinical study involving willow bark was performed, which confirmed its effectiveness as an antipyretic. To this day, much of the research surrounding this natural compound centers on its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects, but willow bark’s antiviral effects are receiving increasing attention.
Willow Bark Extract Inhibits Viruses
Researchers in Finland set out to investigate the antiviral properties of willow (Salix spp.) bark extract against coronaviruses and enteroviruses. Broad-spectrum antiviral effects were noted, with the team revealing willow bark is effective against both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. Further, it stopped the viruses in different ways.
When viewing viruses treated with willow bark extract under a microscope, the viruses clustered together rather than spreading apart. Willow bark then worked to break down the enveloped coronaviruses, while the non-enveloped enteroviruses were “locked down,” meaning their genome wasn’t released and they couldn’t reproduce.3
Speaking with Phys.org, study author Varpu Marjomäki with the University of Jyväskylä explained, “The extracts acted through distinct mechanisms against different viruses. But the extracts were equally effective in inhibiting the enveloped as well as nonenveloped viruses.”4
Interestingly, when several commercial reference compounds, including salicin and salicylic acid, were tested against OC43, a strain of coronavirus responsible for 15% to 30% of mild upper respiratory tract infections in humans, and CVA9, a strain of coxsackievirus, none was effective, which means willow bark compounds may act synergistically. According to the study:5
“This suggests that any of the commercial reference compounds do not individually contain high enough antiviral activity. This became more evident after fractionation of the bark extract when we observed that all fractions except fraction number 1 contained very high virucidal activities.
Those active fractions contained various interesting chemical groups, of which many are known to contain biological activities. The bioactive properties of these bark extracts and broad-spectrum antiviral activity are thus likely to be due to the synergistic effects of the different detected flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and procyanidins.”
What Else Is Willow Bark Good For?
Willow bark extract is often used as a remedy for pain and inflammation, including that related to low back pain, osteoarthritis, tendinitis, bursitis and headaches. One meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found willow bark was more effective than placebo in relieving pain and improving physical status in people with arthritis. The willow bark was also safe, as no differences in adverse events were found.6
White willow bark (Salix alba) may also work better than placebo for short-term pain relief in people with low back pain.7 Further, willow bark at a daily dose of 240 milligrams reduced pain as well as a daily dose of the now-banned nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) Vioxx.8
Willow bark is also known to down regulate inflammatory factors, is useful for sports performance, and often is added to weight loss products.9 Material derived from willow bark also has antibacterial and antibiofilm properties, making it potentially useful for treatment of infected chronic wounds.10
“Traditional folklore claims that willow bark provides a major defense against surrounding pathogens,” researchers wrote in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.11 Indeed, lignin, a major component in willow bark, is effective against multiple food-borne and pathogenic microorganisms. Again, willow bark appears to relieve pain and inflammation via multiple mechanisms that work together to offer health benefits. As noted in Phytotherapy Research:12
“Although willow bark extracts are generally standardized to salicin, other ingredients in the extracts including other salicylates as well as polyphenols, and flavonoids may also play prominent roles in the therapeutic actions. Adverse effects appear to be minimal as compared to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including aspirin.”
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Could Aspirin Fight COVID?
Aspirin is derived from willow bark compounds, so it stands to reason that it, too, may offer benefits against infection. According to Thrombosis Research:13
“The therapy of rheumatism began thousands of years ago with the use of decoctions or extracts of herbs or plants such as willow bark or leaves, most of which turned out to contain salicylates. Following the advent of synthetic salicylate, Felix Hoffman, working at the Bayer company in Germany, made the acetylated form of salicylic acid in 1897. This drug was named “Aspirin” and became the most widely used medicine of all time.”
Aspirin is a staple medicine that is frequently recommended as a remedy to control inflammation and prevent blood clots. There’s also evidence it could have helped limit the COVID-19 pandemic death toll, had it not been downplayed and ignored.
According to research published in April 2021, aspirin reduced COVID-19 patients’ need for mechanical ventilation by 44%, ICU admission by 43% and mortality by 47%.14 Based on this research, it appears COVID-19-related hospital deaths could have been cut nearly in half had aspirin been routinely used. Study author Dr. Jonathan Chow commented on the results, stating:15
“The results of the study do not really surprise us because we know that COVID causes excess clot formation and we know that aspirin is a very potent blood thinner. So, when you have a disease that causes clots and a medication that thins your blood, that may lead to the protective effects that we found.”
A narrative review published in Biomedicines also suggested:16
“… [A] strong pathophysiological rationale for a potential therapeutic role for ASA [acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)] in COVID-19 has been advocated because of its anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet aggregation and anticoagulant effects, as well as its modulation of the immune system and possible inhibition of viral replication and/or entry.”
Aspirin Has Demonstrated Anti-Infective Properties
Aspirin’s anti-infective properties are also being explored.17 It turns out aspirin has properties that influence the immune response along with offering anti-infective and antibiofilm activity. The compound may be useful against bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, targeting conditions such as:18
| Sars-CoV-2 | Viral hepatitis |
| Viral infections | HIV |
| Tuberculosis | Leprosy |
| Mycobacteria | Pneumonia |
| Liver abscess | Gastroenteritis |
| Endocarditis | Endotoxins |
| Sepsis | Prosthetic joint infections |
Aspirin even has potential as an anticancer agent, with daily use associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.19 Interestingly, aspirin also lowers biomarkers of inflammation as well as increases autophagy, similar to fasting, according to a study in mice.20
The study showed that aspirin, or its active metabolite salicylate, caused autophagy by inhibiting the acetyltransferase activity of EP300, which is a specific gene, also known as p300, that codes for proteins that regulate the activity of many genes in tissues throughout your body. It plays an essential role in controlling cell growth and division, prompting cells to mature and take on specialized functions.
Was Aspirin the Target of a Discrediting Campaign?
While I cannot prove it, I suspect aspirin has been (and still is) the target of a discrediting campaign because it competes with newer, far more expensive blood thinners and pain relievers.
For decades, a daily regimen of low-dose so-called “baby aspirin” (81 milligrams), was recommended to prevent and treat heart attack, stroke and angina (chest pain) in those 50 and older. Pharma started attacking aspirin in the 1970s when NSAIDs were introduced as patented far more expensive, but not more effective, alternatives.
The discrediting campaign increased in 2014, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration started warning against the use of aspirin as a primary preventive for these conditions in those with no history of cardiovascular disease, due to potential side effects and the lack of data to support its use.21
In late 2021, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a physician group that issues guidance for medical best practices, also updated its guidance to formally discourage people 60 and older from using an aspirin regimen to prevent a first heart attack or stroke.22
Once NSAIDs hit the market in the 1970s, aspirin needed to be downplayed to justify these expensive patented drugs. That’s still the case today. It’s also competing against pricey anticoagulants such as Xarelto (rivaroxaban) and Eliquis (apixaban).
The average retail price for a monthly supply of Eliquis or Xarelto is around $550. A month’s supply of generic heparin is about $30, and warfarin (another generic) is around $19.23 Meanwhile, you can pick up a bottle of 300 baby aspirins, a 10-month supply, for less than $15. That’s a monthly cost of $1.50.24
Should You Take Aspirin or Willow Bark?
I’m convinced of the prophylactic value of aspirin, and I take 325 mg per day. I find its prometabolic, antilipolytic, anti-inflammatory, anticortisol and anti-estrogen effects very appealing, and its safety is well-established.
Aspirin also plays a role in mitochondria function25 and also has other health benefits. Importantly, it helps increase the oxidation of glucose as fuel for your body while inhibiting the oxidation of fatty acids, specifically linoleic acid.
The variety I use is not a tablet but, rather, is 99% pure USP aspirin. if you do decide to use aspirin, be sure to avoid coated extended-release varieties due to the additives they contain. Immediate-release aspirin is the preferred version.
If you are sensitive to aspirin, it would be best to use a salicylic acid or willow bark supplement. When you consume aspirin, the acetylsalicylic acid is metabolized in your body into salicylic acid, which is the compound responsible for the anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and antithrombotic effects of aspirin. This can be found in willow bark.
Look for a clean, high-quality willow bark supplement. Further, since the research suggests that some of willow bark’s healing properties are due to synergistic effects, it’s possible it may offer benefits above and beyond salicylic acid.
- 1, 5 Front. Microbiol., 08 November 2023, Sec. Virology
- 2, 6 Life (Basel). 2023 Oct; 13(10): 2058
- 3, 4 Phys.org November 8, 2023
- 7, 8 Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Dec; 2014(12): CD004504
- 9, 12 Phytother Res. 2015 Aug;29(8):1112-6. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5377. Epub 2015 May 22
- 10, 11 J. Agric. Food Chem. 2023, 71, 44, 16554–16567
- 13 Thromb Res. 2003 Jun 15;110(5-6):255-8. doi: 10.1016/s0049-3848(03)00379-7
- 14 Anesthesia & Analgesia April 2021; 132(4): 930-941
- 15 General Surgery News August 4, 2021
- 16, 17 Biomedicines. 2022 Feb; 10(2): 263
- 18 Biomedicines. 2022 Feb; 10(2): 263., Figure 1
- 19 Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2012 Apr 3;9(5):259-67. doi: 10.1038/nrclinonc.2011.199
- 20 Cell Rep. 2018 Feb 27; 22(9): 2395-240
- 21 American College of Cardiology May 5, 2014
- 22 AAFP October 21, 2021
- 23 Talk to Mira, Cost of Blood Thinners in 2021
- 24 Walmart Aspirin Prices
- 25 Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2017 Jan 8; 482(2): 346–351
Selenium in your cancer prevention program
by: July 20, 2019
(NaturalHealth365) What does selenium have to do with your health? The answer may surprise you (and motivate you – in a whole new way!)
Let’s start with a discussion about cancer – the second leading cause of death in the United States, right behind heart disease. Experts predict that cancer will soon surpass heart disease as the leading killer of American adults.
No doubt, we can all agree: the need for a safe (non-toxic) methods of preventing and treating this deadly disease is truly urgent. This brings us to why we – at NaturalHealth365 – are pleased to feature studies like this one – from Nutrition and Cancer highlighting the importance of consuming enough selenium – on a regular basis. (Note: PubMed has over 1,500 studies on “selenium and cancer prevention.”)
An essential trace element found in various foods, soil and water, selenium helps to prevent cancer by enhancing our immune system, increasing protection against stress and disease plus suppressing the growth of cancerous cells.
Selenium enhances the power of a “master antioxidant” to help detoxify the body
One of selenium’s most vital functions is to help create antioxidant enzymes, or selenoproteins, that recycle glutathione, the body’s “master antioxidant” and detoxifier. In this way, selenium strikes a blow against the disease-causing oxidative stress – which contributes to chronic degenerative disease.
But selenium also has many more “tricks up its sleeve” when it comes to fighting cancer.
Do NOT ignore the health dangers linked to toxic indoor air. These chemicals – the ‘off-gassing’ of paints, mattresses, carpets and other home/office building materials – increase your risk of headaches, dementia, heart disease and cancer.
Unlike therapies that address only one specific stage or type of cancer, selenium is pleiotropic. This means that it combats cancer through multiple pathways and mechanisms, allowing it to target the disease in various forms and stages.
So important is selenium that low levels are linked with an eight-fold increased risk of cancers of the bladder, lungs, stomach, esophagus and liver.
And, supplementation has been shown to lower cancer risk, particularly cancers of the bladder, lung and colon.
Selenium’s extensive therapeutic “toolkit” allows it to prevent cancerous cells from developing into tumors
In addition to preserving the selenoproteins that recycle antioxidants, selenium regulates inflammatory molecules that contribute to cancer growth.
This versatile nutrient also helps to boost the immune system, detoxify carcinogens and heavy metals, protect DNA from cancer-causing mutations and inactivate molecules crucial to the development of cancer cells.
In addition, selenium induces apoptosis – the programmed death of cancer cells – meaning it may help check the uncontrolled reproduction that can help cancer spread so swiftly.
Finally, selenium regulates sex hormone receptors used by some cancers, thereby helping to suppress tumor invasion and growth. Peer-reviewed research has documented reductions in cancer risk through selenium supplementation.
One recent meta-analysis involving nine randomized controlled clinical trials and over 152,000 participants showed that selenium supplementation can cut cancer risk by 26 percent.
Participants who had low levels of selenium at the beginning of the study experienced an even larger (36 percent) reduction in risk – and those in high-risk populations experienced a sizeable 34 percent decrease as well.
Great NEWS: Three different forms of selenium join forces to fight cancer “across the board”
Selenium exists in three distinct forms, each with its own unique capabilities against cancer. While their names can be tongue-twisters, it’s worth noting their individual benefits.
Inorganic sodium selenite destroys the mitochondria that exist in tumor cells – while leaving the mitochondria of healthy cells unharmed. It also helps repair damaged DNA while boosting the immune response.
While it is not absorbed as well as organic forms of selenium, sodium selenite seems to do the best job of boosting crucial glutathione activity.
The second form, selenium-methyl L-selenocysteine, is an organic complex of selenium that contains the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine.
This form suppresses tumor growth by inhibiting angiogenesis – the creation of new blood vessels that carry nutrients to tumors. It also induces the destruction of cancer cells, and has been shown to boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs.
The third form, L-selenomethionine, is an organic compound of selenium that contains the amino acid L-methionine. This is the form most frequently used in clinical trials – and it has yielded extremely promising results.
In a landmark 1996 University of Arizona study, participants were given 200 mcg of L-selenomethionine a day in order to discern whether the complex could prevent skin cancer. The study did not yield any evidence at all that L-selenomethione could prevent basal or squamous cell skin cancer, per se.
But what it did do – slash the incidence of death from all cancers, by 50 percent – caused researchers to do a double take.
The results were so impressive that the team did something that is almost unprecedented in medical research: stopped the “blinded” phase of the study cold – so that all participants could immediately begin to take advantage of maximum protection against cancer.
And that’s not all.
A separate study showed that L-selenomethionine could reduce risk of prostate cancer by 63 percent – when a prior history of cancer existed – and by a whopping 74 percent in those with normal levels of PSA (prostate-specific androgen, which researchers use as a marker of prostate cancer).
How to decrease your risk of bladder cancer by nearly 40 percent
Over 70,000 Americans will be diagnosed with bladder cancer over this year alone – and 14,000 will lose their lives to the disease.
A recent review shows that selenium can substantially decrease the risk of the disease.
In a meta-analysis involving over 17,000 participants and published in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers, the authors noted that selenium supplementation was associated with a 39 percent decrease in the risk of bladder cancer – when averaged out over both sexes.
When the researchers looked at the effects of selenium supplementation on women alone, they found that it reduced bladder cancer risk by a robust 45 percent. The team called for more study to further explore the benefits of selenium supplementation.
Proper nutrition can help raise selenium levels
The USDA advises that the adult daily allowance for selenium is 55 mcg a day.
You can increase your selenium levels by eating organic cage-free eggs, wild-caught salmon, halibut, poultry and grass-fed beef.
Vegans and vegetarians can obtain selenium through sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts. In fact, with a whopping 607 micrograms of selenium per cup, Brazil nuts are the single best source of this essential mineral.
If you think selenium supplementation might be right for you, check with your integrative healthcare provider before adding it to your health routine – to best advise you on the proper forms and dosages to take.
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