Research Roundup
"Research Roundup," a new feature, presents examples of recent reports on NCCAM-funded research, published in peer-reviewed journals listed in the National Library of Medicine's PubMed database.
Do Weight-Loss Supplements Work?
More than 175 supplement products are marketed for weight loss. But are these supplements--which do not need Food and Drug Administration approval before they are marketed--safe and effective for patients to take?
In the November 1, 2004, issue of American Family Physician, Harvard Medical School researchers led by Robert B. Saper, M.D., M.P.H., looked at many supplements, including ephedra, ginseng, chromium, psyllium, and L-carnitine. They pointed out that ephedra is associated with serious side effects (its sale is now banned in the United States), and the long-term safety of chromium has not been determined. There is insufficient evidence or conflicting information on the safety and effectiveness of most of the other products. The authors concluded none of the products could be recommended for weight loss.
Immune System Benefits?
Many CAM therapies claim to boost the immune system and help the body protect itself from disease. What is the evidence, and how can this topic be best studied in the future? In Nature Reviews Immunology (November 2004), Martin H. Goldrosen, Ph.D., Director of NCCAM's Office of Scientific Review, and NCCAM Director Stephen E. Straus, M.D., examined these questions in a review article. They noted issues with many previous studies on CAM and the immune system (such as using tests in the laboratory which may have uncertain relevance to effects in the human body, and small studies in which effects on immunity could not be proven to be connected with meaningful clinical changes). They identified some areas that may merit future study, such as probiotics, some mind-body therapies, and brain-body interactions. Using new, powerful technologies as study tools will be important.
Do Cancer Survivors Take More Supplements?
People with a history of cancer seem to use a similar number of dietary supplements as those who never had cancer. However, they are more likely to choose supplements based on their specific cancer diagnosis and to take these at higher doses. That's the conclusion of Heather Greenlee, N.D., M.P.H., and a team of researchers who compared supplement use in the two groups. The researchers' findings are published in the August 2004 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
More than 75,000 men and women who took part in the study filled out questionnaires about their use of certain vitamins, minerals, and supplements. Results indicated that bladder cancer survivors, for example, were more likely to take cranberry pills and prostate cancer survivors were more likely to take soy supplements. The authors noted that further studies should look at whether these supplements are safe and effective for people who have had cancer.
A Chemical Analysis of Ginger
In the July 2004 issue of the journal Phytochemistry, researchers from the University of Arizona presented an up-close look at the components of fresh ginger, Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae). Ginger has been reported to decrease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis; it contains gingerol, which has been said to reduce inflammation. The researchers used complex techniques to analyze the compounds that make up ginger. They confirmed 31 previously reported compounds and found 20 others that had not been described before.
