Natural Healing

Q: In your last column, you mentioned a promising new nutrient for mood disorders called SAM. I wondered if any other substances were equally as promising?

A: Inositol is another mood-boosting substance I find very interesting. It not only seems to lift spirits but, in one particular form, also appears to have beneficial effects on the heart and immune system and has anticancer properties as well.

A B-vitamin, inositol has been studied as a treatment for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Patients with these conditions improved significantly when given the vitamin, according to a 1997 European study.

Even more interesting is a form of inositol known as inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) which seems to inhibit malignant tumors. Experiments at the University of Maryland found that colon tumors shrunk by two thirds in animals given IP6. The substance slows the growth of a wide range of cancer cells in laboratory studies. IP6 also boosts the immune system, and seems to protect the heart from damage when given to patients immediately after a heart attack.

In addition, IP6 appears to be very safe: in one study, 35 subjects received 9 grams of IP6 daily for several months without experiencing any adverse effects.

A Natural Form of Prozac

Q: I keep seeing a product called 5-HTP in my local health food store. The owner says it's a "natural" form of Prozac, and that it's good for insomnia and depression. Does he know what he's talking about, and is this supplement safe?

A: Your store owner is using a creative metaphor when he describes 5-HTP as a natural form of Prozac. Prozac is a drug, one of a class of antidepressants known as SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). These drugs indirectly increase the amount of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, helping to improve mood and well-being.

5-HTP (for 5-hydroxytryptophan) is not a natural form of the drug Prozac. It does, however, work on tine serotonin pathway. This substance is made from the amino acid tryptophan. Normally, your body takes tryptophan, converts it into 5-HTP and then turns the 5-HTP into serotonin.

Both Prozac and 5-HTP can increase levels of serotonin, but they do so in distinctly different ways. 5-HTP simply provides more of the natural resource your body uses to manufacture the neurotransmitter. Prozac, on the other hand, directly raises the levels of available serotonin.

I'm interested in 5-HTP, but studies thus far have been limited, probably because of a tryptophan scare back in 1989. A contaminated batch of the amino acid caused an unusual muscle disease in about 1,500 people. Tryptophan was banned, though the amino acid itself was not at fault. It is still not sold in health food stores today (although it is included in many baby formulas!).

At the time of the scare, a study on 5-HTP funded by the National Institutes of Health was abandoned. Nonetheless, there are some studies of 5-HTP and depression that are suggestive. A Japanese trial with 107 patients m 1.974 found that 74 improved with the supplement. A Swiss study in 1991 compared the antidepressant Luvox (fluvoxamine) with 5-HTP and found, them equally effective, although both treatments produced side effects. 5-HTP most commonly caused nausea and other gastrointestinal distress.

There are many natural treatments for depression, such as St. John's Wort, kava-kava and the amino acid tyrosine. Some people may do well on 5-HTP as well, but I'd recommend taking it only under a doctor's or nutritionist's supervision, since we don't know the long-term effects of this substance.

In addition, some of my patients find 5-HTP effective as an occasional sleeping aid; 25 or 50 milligrams taken half an hour before bedtime gently induces sleep.

On the DHEA Watch

Q: Do you think it's safe to take the hormone DHEA? I've heard it increases energy and can even be a kind of fountain of youth.

A: DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is a hormone manufactured in the adrenal glands. After about age 30, the body's production of the hormone starts to decline. DHEA supplements are now available over the counter, and many people who take them report increased energy and an enhanced sense of well-being. I've also found it to be useful in alleviating autoimmune conditions such as lupus and Reynaud's.

However, like any hormone, DHEA may trigger the growth of hormonally-driven cancers that are already present in the body. Since excess DHEA may be converted by the body into masculinizing hormones, patients who take too much of the substance may experience undesirable side effects such as the growth of facial hair. I recommend that DHEA be taken under a doctor's supervision, and then only after a blood workup that indicates a DHEA deficiency. It's best to start with low doses (as little as 5 milligrams a day) and slowly increase intake while carefully monitoring blood levels.

But since DHEA can have such profound health benefits, I'm excited about a new supplement that may offer the benefits of DHEA without its hormonal side effects. Called 7-keto DHEA, it was tested on 18 men for eight weeks. They took 100 milligrams twice a day, and experienced improved mood, energy and immunity while showing no increase m blood levels of various hormones, including testosterone, estrogen, cortisol and insulin. This is a supplement to watch, and if further studies prove as encouraging, it may become a staple in my immune-boosting arsenal.

The Skinny on Sweeteners

Q: I have a weight problem and I like to drink diet sodas, but I'm wondering if the artificial sweeteners are bad for my health?

A: One of the most popular and controversial kinds of artificial sweetener on the market is aspartame. A 1994 study suggested that some people are susceptible to headaches after using aspartame; another indicated that the EEG brainwaves of children who suffer from seizures become more erratic after consuming the sweetener.

Ironically, diet drinks may not help you restrict your calories. A 1997 study found that women who drank sugary beverages took in fewer calories the next day than those imbibing aspartame-sweetened drinks, while diet drinkers' calorie intake rose. Aspartame, it seems, may be an appetite stimulant.

There are times when diet drinks are useful. Diabetics, hypoglycemics, those with high triglycerides and others trying to restrict dietary sugar will be safer drinking them, though I'd recommend seltzer or tea first.

PHOTO (COLOR): IP6 protects the heart from damage during a heart attack.

PHOTO (COLOR): A Natural form of Prozac

PHOTO (COLOR): So-called "diet drinks" may be sugar-free, but they're little help in losing weight.

PHOTO (COLOR): On the DHEA Watch

Dr. Richard Firshein, founder of the Firshein Center for Comprehensive Medicine in New York City, is the author of Reversing Asthma: Breathe Easier With This Revolutionary New Program (Warner Books) and The Nutraceutical Revolution, to be published by Riverhead Books in January 1999. Please note that the information in this column is intended solely for educational purposes and may not be relevant to your particular condition. Remember to always consult your physician before embarking on any change in your current medical program.