UPGRAID combines a new formulation of turmeric (curcumin) with 3 other ingredients. It is said to be more bioavailable and to offer unique advantages. The advertising is bad, and can’t compensate for a lack of evidence. Does a new formulation of turmeric offer the best bioavailability and efficacy? The evidence… read more "Bad advertising for UPGRAID"
The Elephant in the Compounding Pharmacy
Compounding pharmacies create medicines specifically designed for the needs of an individual patient when those needs are not met by products available on the market. They may eliminate an ingredient the patient is allergic to, they may prepare a liquid version of a pill for patients who have difficulty swallowing,… read more "The Elephant in the Compounding Pharmacy"
Turmeric/Curcumin: The “Natural Remedy of the Century” or a Waste of Money?
Turmeric is a yellow spice used in Indian cuisine; its active ingredient, marketed as a dietary supplement, is curcumin. It is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is said to balance vata, pitta, and kapha, to kindle agni, and to help reduce kapha and ama. It allegedly supports the… read more "Turmeric/Curcumin: The “Natural Remedy of the Century” or a Waste of Money?"
Turmeric: Tasty in Curry, Questionable as Medicine
A correspondent asked me to look into the science behind the health claims for turmeric. He had encountered medical professionals “trying to pass turmeric as some sort of magical herb to cure us from the ‘post-industrial chemical apocalypse.’” It is recommended by the usual promoters of CAM: Oz, Weil, Mercola,… read more "Turmeric: Tasty in Curry, Questionable as Medicine"
Hash Oil for Gliomas? What Would You Do?
A friend asked me to look at the evidence for hash oil as a treatment for glioma. His teenage daughter was recently diagnosed with brain cancer: a grade 3 anaplastic ependymoma. It recurred very rapidly after surgery and radiotherapy and the latest tissue diagnosis shows an aggressive grade IV glioma.… read more "Hash Oil for Gliomas? What Would You Do?"