Community ClicksQ: What can you tell me about red yeast rice?
Is it really good for lowering cholesterol levels, and are there any side effects?
A: Red yeast rice (RYR) can help in lowering cholesterol.
In one study, researchers recruited people who had high cholesterol but had discontinued statin-type drugs because of muscle pain or weakness.
They were randomized to RYR or a placebo.
Those taking red yeast rice lowered both bad LDL and total cholesterol significantly and did not suffer serious side effects (Annals of Internal Medicine, June 16, 2009).
We are sending you our Guide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health with details on RYR and other natural ways to lower lipids and reduce the risk of heart disease.
For a copy, send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. C-8, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717.
Or download it for $2 from www.peoplespharmacy.com.
There are natural statins in red yeast rice, so it is not surprising that some readers have reported muscle problems while taking this supplement.
Anyone who takes RYR should be under medical supervision.
Q: I take Zoloft (sertraline) for depression, but I had a frightening experience recently.
I am in excellent physical health.
To relieve a cold, I took one dose of a cold formula that contains dextromethorphan.
The box warned about MAOI class antidepressants.
It said nothing about Zoloft.
About an hour later, I began to experience chest pain, shortness of breath, shaking and tingling.
Paramedics were called and found my EKG and blood pressure were fine, but my heart was racing.
I had a textbook panic attack.
I’ve never had one before.
When I refilled the Zoloft, I read the fine print the pharmacist supplied.
I noticed, buried in a long list of drug names, that dextromethorphan was listed as harmful in combination with Zoloft.
With so many Americans taking SSRI antidepressants, shouldn’t there be a warning about this interaction?
A: You may have suffered serotonin syndrome.
When too much of this brain chemical accumulates, symptoms may include agitation, rapid heartbeat, muscle twitching, sweating, shivering, nausea, diarrhea, elevated body temperature, changes in blood pressure and mental confusion.
Dextromethorphan (DM) is found in many cough and cold medicines, including Robitussin DM and NyQuil. Although there is a warning about interactions with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), there is no mention of SSRI antidepressants such as Prozac (fluoxetine) or Zoloft.
Nevertheless, serotonin syndrome has been reported when DM is taken with this type of antidepressant (Clinical Toxicology, September 2008).
Q: I have been dealing with high blood pressure for years.
When I am under stress, my blood pressure goes up to around 150.
My doctor has prescribed lots of different drugs, with mixed results.
Atenolol caused fatigue and depression.
Amlodipine made me dizzy to the point I couldn’t function.
Lisinopril caused a horrible cough.
Now I am on Diovan with no problems, but I read recently that drugs like this are linked with cancer.
I am ready to try a more natural approach.
I heard that beets can lower blood pressure.
How effective are they, and what else might help?
A: An article in The Lancet Oncology (July 2010) has raised questions about the safety of drugs like Atacand, Diovan and Micardis.
The investigators analyzed many scientific studies and concluded that such drugs “are associated with a modestly increased risk of new cancer occurrence.”
Drug regulators and clinicians don’t know what to make of this new information.
An article published in the journal Hypertension (online, June 30, 2010) suggests that about 8.5 ounces of beet juice can significantly lower systolic blood pressure.
We are sending you our Guide to Blood Pressure Treatment with more information about beet and pomegranate juice plus other nondrug approaches to controlling hypertension.
For a copy, send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. B-67, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website:www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q: I was diagnosed with an overactive bladder six months ago.
The urologist prescribed VESIcare and handed me a pamphlet on the main offenders that cause the symptoms.
After reading it, I eliminated caffeine, chocolate and alcohol from my diet.
Voila — I make no more nightly visits to the bathroom.
As an added benefit, I no longer need any medication for reflux.
Sometimes giving up something that is harmful to your health is better and less expensive than taking medicine.
A: Not everyone will get as much benefit from the kind of changes you made, but this is a low-risk approach.
Chocolate, caffeine and alcohol all have been implicated as possible culprits in triggering reflux.
Q: Four months ago, I woke up with the tip of my tongue burning.
My doctor prescribed antifungal drugs, first Diflucan and then Mycelex, which provided no relief.
Now the roof of my mouth also is burning.
Do you what causes this or what can be done about it?
I have had zero success with prescribed medications.
A: You may want to ask your doctor if you could have “burning mouth syndrome” (BMS). Although this condition is mysterious (no cause or cure has been identified), researchers have noted that it is associated with lower levels of magnesium (Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine, March 2009) and vitamin B-12 (European Journal of Medical Research, Sept. 28, 2001).
Acid-suppressing drugs have been linked to lower levels of vitamin B-12 and BMS.
Ask your physician to measure both magnesium and vitamin B-12 to see whether your levels are low.
If so, perhaps dietary supplements might ease your symptoms.
Q: I graduated from nursing school in 1986.
My first job was in long-term care.
Unfortunately, we had a few patients with large bedsores.
We were told to mix up a batch of sugar and Betadine gel so we could pack the wounds and cover with a sterile dressing.
The results were sometimes amazing.
When all else fails, some of the old-time remedies do work well.
A: We first heard about this approach from a reader of this column 25 years ago.
After some sleuthing, we found an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jan. 8, 1973) describing the use of sugar for hard-to-treat bedsores.
The physician described an 80 percent healing rate over five years of study.
He speculated that the granules create local irritation that stimulates tissue formation and wound repair.
Sugar is also bactericidal.
