Let's Start a Company

Brad Hirakawa · 10-26-2006, 09:44 AM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15387493/

Anyone want to start a supplement company with me?

Yael Grauer · 10-26-2006, 11:44 AM

http://www.medherb.com/hypericum-jama.htm

Robb Wolf · 10-26-2006, 11:57 AM

Can't we just sell people capsules of sand? High fiber and no calories!!

Brad Hirakawa · 10-26-2006, 01:51 PM

Yael,

Are you aware of how that particular herb affects P450 enzymes in humans.

It is useful information to know.

Brad

Brad Hirakawa · 10-26-2006, 01:52 PM

.... it would have to be colloidal sand.

Brad

Yael Grauer · 10-26-2006, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Hirakawa

Are you aware of how that particular herb affects P450 enzymes in humans.

http://www.medherb.com/hypericum-drug-herb.html

Are you aware of the way hypericum (topically) affects "permanent" nerve damage? It is useful information to know.

Brad Hirakawa · 10-26-2006, 02:30 PM

Yael,

Calm down my friend, I did not mean to start a fight. I am sorry if my post sounded sassy. In fact, I was just having fun. My job deals with ultra-serious diseases and not-so-pleasent experimental procedures. So, I come online during breaks (not many of those now a days) to chill out.

I am aware of many of the properties of that particular herb (and a few others), as I did a lengthy research project on the topic in graduate school. I'm talking biochem, mol. bio, analytical chem.. the works. I was interested in herbal products back then, but have since lost interest. The marketing and general bull-shit associated with many of those companies (herb, supplements, etc.) is right up there with the marketing and bull-shit associated with big pharma. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.

I was not aware of the medherb journal, but it looks interesting. I would have to check up on the advisory board, the editor(s) and read a few articles before I made my own decision about it's content.

I am certain many herbs have pharmacological effects, but I am not as certain about the safety or efficacy research behind them. Many, in my opinion, are poorly run or poorly documented with substandard scientific practices. They do seem to be getting much better though, but still not yielding any magic results I’m waiting for (like the Spice Mélange).

I am also certain that some herbalists, supplement peddlers and the like walk that felonious line that divides humble suggestion and practicing medicine without a license.

Brad

Brad Hirakawa · 10-26-2006, 02:42 PM

In the spirit of learning.. I'll bite.. how is it used to help with nerve damage? A link to the clinical studies would be great. Thanks!

Brad

Yael Grauer · 10-26-2006, 03:14 PM

Calm down?!!

Them's fightin' words!!

I am just playing. I agree with you-- most products in stores are formulated by marketers. Herbs, supplements, etc. are not a baseline strategy for dealing with daily life--good sleep, exercise, diet, etc. are. Most herbal formulas you buy in store, IF they have an effect at all, are only good for masking deeper underlying problems that people aren't taking care of (and letting them go unabated.) I also think allopathic medicine often treats symptoms instead of the root cause of conditions and docs prescribe medicines that are harmful in the long term when there are other alternatives.

I think you'd like the journal. Paul Bergner is amazing and ranks up there with people like Robb, in my opinion. He had an "Herban legends" lecture I attended which was amazing. He had a critical thinking question format at the end that he has his students use where they find three MEDLINE articles and determine whether the studies are based on humans, account for all confounding factors, use appropriate form, dose and duration of intervention, measure real results instead of indicators, are interpreted properly, fit in context of the larger body of research, do not have deliberate bias, have significant results, which show what the title and abstract claim they do, etc. It would be nice if people who dismiss plants like SJW offhand would know how to read the scientific studies--if they did they would know there were a lot of problems with the hypericum studies.

I've seen plants do some really amazing things that allopathic medicine couldn't touch (like SJW basically curing radial mononeuropathy, for one) and I've seen a lot of prevented surgeries... and I think many allopathic meds are suspect, not to mention the fact that iatrogenic deaths are at least the third leading cause of death in North America, and possibly the leading cause.

Yael Grauer · 10-26-2006, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Hirakawa

In the spirit of learning.. I'll bite.. how is it used to help with nerve damage? A link to the clinical studies would be great.

I'm at work too and sadly my SJW research is at home--but I will dig the studies up sometime tomorrow or this weekend. You have to use the freshly infused oil--if it's not red, it won't work.