Alternative Medicine News

Policosanol for High Cholesterol No Help

German research casts doubt on the effectiveness of a sugar cane-based ingredient sold as a cholesterol treatment in One-A-Day vitamins and other products marketed in dozens of countries.

The substance, called policosanol, worked no better than dummy pills in German adults with high levels of LDL cholesterol, the bad kind that can clog arteries and lead to heart problems. (excite.com)

Medical Marijuana Has No Benefit Says FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will publish a statement on Friday criticizing state measures to legalize the medical use of marijuana, calling them attempts to bypass scientific review. (Reuters.co.uk)

Yoga May Help Kids and Teens De-stress

More and more parents are sending their kids and teens off to yoga class to improve their health and help them de-stress.

Growing up isn't as stress-free as it used to be.
There are academic and athletic demands; peer pressure from other students and sometimes even juggling a part-time job along with school.

Yoga may be the solution to relieving some of these stresses for pre-teens and teens. (Manitowoc Herald)

Medical Marijuana Issue Returns to Court

Each time the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on medical marijuana, the justices have come down against allowing the sick and dying to use the drug to ease their symptoms and possibly prolong life.

However, the door has never been fully closed, and now a federal appeals court is set to hear arguments in the latest round of legal wrangling over the issue. (Washington Post)

Leeches Making the Rounds in Australian Hospitals

It’s not quite clear just how many hospitals across the country [Australia] are using the little bloodsuckers, but those in the medical profession who have discovered a taste for leeches swear by them. “I spoke to one doctor who is the head of the burns unit over at Concorde Hospital in Sydney and he’s been using them for ten years,” says science writer Joshua Gliddon. (ABC Regional Online, Australia)

Leeches and Maggots Require Prescription

FDA advisers considering how much scrutiny to give to leeches and maggots used for medicinal purposes yesterday decided they should require a prescription. (Boston Globe)

Homeopathy No Better Than Placebo

The clinical benefits attributed to homeopathic treatment are merely placebo effects, according to the authors of a report in The Lancet medical journal. (Reuters)

Hypnosis for Infertility

The effectiveness of the mind-over-matter approach to solving problems is clearly evident in the use of hypnosis in treating women who have difficulty in becoming pregnant, according to a Durango hypnotherapist. (DurangoHerald.com)

Acupuncture and Male Infertility

Acupuncture may help some men overcome infertility problems by improving the quality of their sperm, according to a
new study. Researchers looked at the effects of acupuncture on the structural health of sperm in men with infertility of unknown cause. (prnewswire.com)

Acupuncture for Side Effects of AIDS Drugs

Acupuncture may help relieve bloating, cramping, and appetite loss among HIV-infected people taking potent drug cocktails to keep the virus in check. (WebMD)

Acupuncture for Headaches

The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture has proven to be an effective treatment for tension headache. It not only relieves pain, but also cuts rates of recurrence by almost half, a recent study indicates. (Daily News Central)

Benefits of Echinacea Disputed

The National Institutes of Health has bad news for the millions of Americans who spend $155 million a year on the popular herbal remedy echinacea to treat the cough, runny nose and malaise that is the common cold: It doesn't work. (USA Today)

Maggot Treatment Saves Woman's Foot

Barbara Enser wasn't very comfortable at first with the idea of using maggots to clean the wound on her right foot. But if it meant saving it from amputation, she was willing to give it a try. For the procedure, the maggots - about 2 millimeters each in size - are placed on the wound, then surrounded by an adhesive foam, clear tape, and a gauze bandage. (AP)

Acupuncture for Overactive Bladder

Acupuncture performed at specific sites on the skin may relieve some of the symptoms of overactive bladder, according to researchers. Their study of 85 women with the condition, marked by an overwhelming and frequent urge to urinate, found that a few sessions of acupuncture improved these symptoms for many. (Reuters)

Walking on Cobblestones is Healthy

The path to better health and lower blood pressure may be paved with cobblestones. When people over 60 walked on smooth, rounded cobblestones for just a half-hour a day over four months, they significantly lowered their blood pressure and improved their balance, a study showed. (AP)