Policosanol Helped High Cholesterol Hypertensives on Beta-Blockers in 3-Year Study: Policosanol is safe and well tolerated, even with high consumption of other medications. Studies have also shown that it decreases blood pressure compared with placebo. In a 3-year DB PC study of 205 older hypercholesterolemic patients taking beta-blockers, policosanol lowered LDL-C (34%), total cholesterol (23%) and triglycerides (21%) and raised HDL-C (12%)(p < 0.00001). Serious adverse events, mostly vascular, in policosanol patients (3%) were much lower than in the placebo group (14%). Blood pressure was reduced in more policosanol patients. Concomitant use of policosanol and beta-blockers in older patients. Castano G, Mas R, et al. Havana City, Cuba. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. 2004;24(2-3):65-77. Ed: High cholesterol is associated with increased depression. The statins may decrease depression. Policosanol appears as good or better than the statins for high cholesterol and lowering heart disease.  This is the fourth Cuban long-term study showing dramatic benefits.  Someone outside of Cuba needs to replicate this work.  Policosanol costs only $3-7 per month and has very few if any side-effects. For more, see High Cholesterol.

Autism: Nocturnal Production Low: In a study of 49 autistic children and adolescents and 88 normal children, nocturnal production of melatonin was reduced in autism. Nocturnal excretion of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin in children and adolescents with autistic disorder. Tordjman S, Anderson GM, et al. Universite de Rennes, France. Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Jan 15;57(2):134-8. For more, see Melatonin and Autism.

Combination of Three Common Inherited Mitochondrial DNA Polymorphisms Promotes Longevity in Finnish and Japanese subjects. Niemi AK, Moilanen JS, et al. Oulu,  Finland. Eur J Hum Genet. 2005 Feb;13(2):166-70. For more, see Longevity.

Selegiline Appeared to Help ADHD: In a 60-day DB study of 40 children ages 6-15 with ADHD, selegiline was as effective as Ritalin on reducing ADHD symptoms. Selegiline in comparison with methylphenidate in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children and adolescents in a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Mohammadi MR, Ghanizadeh A, et al. Tehran University, Iran. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2004 Fall;14(3):418-25. Ed: Selegiline is a fairly expensive MAO inhibitor which does not require a special diet. For more, see ADHD.

Money Wasted on Dementia Work-ups: In a study of 269 patients with dementia with an average age of 74, physicians did a full expensive work-up of every patient to attempt to find preventable causes of dementia. These included blood count, biochemical study, vitamin B12 and folic levels, thyroid hormones, and syphilis testing, and CT or MRI scans. In all, 31 patients presented potentially reversible conditions (11.5%), but if depression is excluded, the dementia was only reversible in one patient (0.4%). Researchers concluded that the percentage of patients with reversible causes of dementia in the field of extra-hospital neurology is very low and that the diagnostic studies must be individualized according to the clinical suspicion. Cost effectiveness of the diagnostic study of dementia in an extra-hospital Neurology service. Sempere AP, Callejo-Dominguez JM, et al. Alicante, Spain. Rev Neurol. 2004 Nov 1-15;39(9):807-10. For more, see Dementia.

Depression Twice as High with High Homocysteine: In a cross-sectional study of 924 men ages 46-64 as a part of the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (those with a history of psychiatric disorder (6.0%) were excluded), depressive symptoms were more than twice as high in individuals in the upper third for homocysteine levels (odds ratio: 2.30; P=0.002) vs. those in the lowest third. The results remained significant after adjustment for the month of study, history of ischemic heart disease, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, marital status, education, and socioeconomic status in adulthood (odds ratio: 2.23; P=0.004). Association between depressive symptoms and serum concentrations of homocysteine in men: a population study. Tolmunen T, Hintikka J, et al. University of Kuopio, Finland. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Dec;80(6):1574-8. Ed: High homocysteine can be corrected by folic acid and B-12 vitamins. For more, see Causes of Depression.

Diabetes Starting on Atypical Antipsychotics No Higher Than on Antidepressants or Traditional: In a retrospective study of outpatients on atypical antipsychotics (10 265), traditional antipsychotics (4607), antidepressants (60 856) or antibiotics (59 878) in the database of a large pharmaceutical benefit manager) in a 12-month period, the annual rate of new cases of diabetes as measured using new prescriptions for antidiabetic drugs after a 6-month lead-in period were 7.5/1000/year for atypical antipsychotics, 11.3 for traditional antipsychotics, 7.8 for antidepressants and 5.1 for antibiotics. In multivariable analyses, age, male sex and Chronic Disease Score were associated with greater odds of diabetes onset. There were no statistically significant differences in outcome between the atypical antipsychotic, traditional antipsychotic and antidepressant groups. Multivariable comparisons among specific agents showed increased odds of diabetes for clozapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone and thioridazine (relative to risperidone), but these comparisons did not reach statistical significance. Atypical antipsychotic drugs and diabetes mellitus in a large outpatient population: a retrospective cohort study. Ostbye T, Curtis LH, et al. Duke University. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2004 Sep 16. v

Low Folate Linked to Cognitive Decline in Prospective Study: High homocysteine concentration is a risk factor for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.  In a 7-year follow-up of 499 high-functioning elderly ages 70-79, those with elevated homocysteine levels, or low levels of folate or vitamin B-6 showed worse baseline cognitive functioning.  After adjustments, those in the bottom quarter of folate had a 160% increased risk (p=0.04) of being in the worst quartile of 7-year cognitive decline.  Low folate levels largely accounted for a trend towards greater cognitive decline with elevated homocysteine levels. Homocysteine versus the vitamins folate, b(6), and B(12) as predictors of cognitive function and decline in older high-functioning adults: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging. Kado DM, Karlamangla AS, et al. University of California, Los Angeles. Am J Med. 2005 Feb;118(2):161-7.

Low Folate Intake Important Risk Factor for Severe Depression: In a very large, prospective follow-up study of 2,313 men ages 42-60, the mean intake of folate was 256 mcg/day. Those below the average had 204$ higher risk of getting discharged with a diagnosis of depression (RR 3.04 during the follow-up period) than those who had a folate intake above the median.  This excess risk remained significant after adjustment for current soioeconomic status, baseline HPL depression, intake of fiber and vitamin C, and total fat intake. Dietary folate and the risk of depression in Finnish middle-aged men. A prospective follow-up study. Tolmunen T, Hintikka J, et al. University of Kuopio, Finland. Psychother Psychosom. 2004 Nov-Dec;73(6):334-9. For more, see Folic Acid and Depression.

Up to One Drink per Day Slowed Cognitive Decline in Elderly Nurses: In a 20-year follow-up of the cognitive function in 12,480 retired nurses ages 70-81 in the Nurses' Health Study who were 70 to 81 years old, after multivariate adjustment, moderate drinkers (less than one drink (15.0 g of alcohol) per day) had better mean cognitive scores than nondrinkers with a 23% lower risk of impairment (RR 0.77). Over a carefully measured 2 year period at the end of the study, there was a 15% lower risk of a substantial decline (RR 0.85). Those drinking 1-2 drinks per day did not show this benefit. The type of alcohol made no difference nor did the apolipoprotein E genotype. Effects of moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive function in women. Stampfer MJ, Kang JH, et al. Brigham and Women's, Harvard. N Engl J Med. 2005 Jan 20;352(3):245-53

One Drink per Day Associated with Slower Mental Decline in Elderly Women: In a 4.2 year follow-up of 4,461 women ages 65-79 in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study, compared with no intake, intake of at least 1 drink per day was associated with higher baseline Modified Mini-Mental State Examination scores (p < 0.001) and a 60% lower level of cognitive decline (covariate-adjusted OR = 0.40). Associations with incident probable dementia and mild cognitive impairment were of similar magnitude. Associations with intakes of <1 drink per day were intermediate. Association between Reported Alcohol Intake and Cognition: Results from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. Espeland MA, Gu L, et al. Wake Forest University. Am J Epidemiol. 2005 Feb 1;161(3):228-38. For more, see Health Benefits of Alcohol.

Risperidone and Ziprasidone() Equally Effective: CGI-S scores, PANSS negative subscale scores, BPRS total and core item scores, and PANSS total and CGI-I responder rates. Both agents were well tolerated. Risperidone caused higher Movement Disorder Burden (MDB) score (p < .05) and higher incidences of prolactin elevation and weight gain. Risperidone-treated patients averaged 7.4 mg/day vs. ziprasidone’s 114.2 mg/day. Efficacy and tolerability of ziprasidone versus risperidone in patients with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: an 8-week, double-blind, multicenter trial. Addington DE, Pantelis C, et al. Foothills Medical Center, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. J Clin Psychiatry. 2004 Dec;65(12):1624-33. Ed: At the dosages used, the risperidone would cost twice as much at U.S. prices. For more, see  Ziprasidone.

Lexapro Supposedly Better for Depression: In a review of randomized controlled trials of escitalopram (Lexapro) (10-20 mg/day for 8 weeks) versus other antidepressants in therapeutic doses or placebo, 11 of 15 studies were not included due to failing to meet the authors inclusion criteria. Four were accepted (n=1472 patients). The four studies had nine arms, four for escitalopram (n=654), two for citalopram (n=333), one for venlafaxine-XR (n=142) and two for placebo (n=343). Remission rates for escitalopram were superior to placebo (48.7% vs. 37.6%, P=0.003) and citalopram (52.8% vs. 43.5%, P=0.003) but similar to venlafaxine-XR (P=0.97). Evidence based review of escitalopram in treating major depressive disorder in primary care. Einarson TR. University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2004 Sep;19(5):305-10. Ed: In all likelihood, every study included was funded by the manufacturer and done by academic psychiatrists depending on receiving pharmaceutical industry support. For decades now, the newest anti-depressant is always the magic bullet, always better than the older, now generic former magic bullets.  With the passage of time, independent researchers have always found the claims of superiority to be without merit.  The very company now selling Lexapro was telling us a few years ago how citalopram (Celexa) was the very best.  Now it's a generic.  I have had several patients doing well on Celexa find that Lexapro did not seem to do as well. For more, see Celexa.

Depressed Males Prone to Diabetes: In a study of 1,334 depressed and 66,670 non-depressed adults, among males below age 50, but in not other groups, there was a 78% increase in the rate of development of DM compared with non-depressed patients (HR 1.78). Is depression related to subsequent diabetes mellitus? van den Akker M, Schuurman Aet al. Maastricht University, The Netherlands. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2004 Sep;110(3):178-83. For more, see Diabetes.

Risperdal Consta Best at 50 mg Every Two Weeks: Thirteen patients with schizophrenia received injections of 25, 50, or 75 mg of long-acting risperidone every 2 wk.  After injections of 25, 50 and 75 mg on day 44 or day 71, D2 receptor occupancy ranged from 25-48%, 59-83% and 62-72%. Steady-state plasma concentrations were maintained for 4-5 wk after the last injection and then declined rapidly. The results indicate that brain D2 receptor occupancy at steady state after injections of long-acting risperidone was in the range found in patients effectively treated with 2-6 mg of oral risperidone. Pharmacokinetics and D2 receptor occupancy of long-acting injectable risperidone (Risperdal Constatrade mark) in patients with schizophrenia. Gefvert O, Eriksson B, et al. University of Uppsala, Sweden. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2005 Mar;8(1):27-36. For more, see Depot Anti-psychotic Medication.

Allopurinol Helped Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia as Add-On: In a 12-week DB PC crossover study of 35 treatment resistant schizophrenic patients, the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol (300 mg b.i.d.) when added to anti-psychotic treatment was well tolerated and produced significant improvement in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total, positive, negative, and general scores, particularly for positive symptoms compared with baseline and with placebo phase. Nine patients improved more than 20% in PANSS total score during allopurinol treatment, whereas none responded in the placebo phase. A Clinical Trial of Adjuvant Allopurinol Therapy for Moderately Refractory Schizophrenia. Brunstein MG, Ghisolfi ES, et al. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. J Clin Psychiatry. 2005 Feb;66(2):213-219.

Allopurinol Helped Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia as Add-On: Adenosine plays a role opposite to dopamine in the brain. Adenosine agonists and antagonists produce behavioral effects similar to dopamine antagonists and dopamine agonists, respectively. Allopurinol, a hypouricemic drug, has an inhibitory effect of purine degradation, enhancing adenosinergic activity. In an 8-week DB PC study of 46 patients with chronic schizophrenia, allopurinol 300 mg/day or placebo were added to haloperidol 15 mg/day. Haloperidol and allopurinol showed a significant superiority over haloperidol alone in the treatment of positive symptoms, general psychopathology symptoms as well as PANSS total scores. Allopurinol also decreased the risk of extrapyramidal side-effect. Beneficial antipsychotic effects of allopurinol as add-on therapy for schizophrenia: a double blind, randomized and placebo controlled trial. Akhondzadeh S, Safarcherati A, Amini H. Tehran University, Iran. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Feb;29(2):253-9. See Other Medications for Schizophrenia.

Risperidone Add-On to Clozapine Didn't Help Treatment Resistant Schizophrenics: In a 6-week DB PC study of 30 schizophrenic patients only partially responsive to clozapine after 32 months of treatment, adding risperidone up to 6 mg/day did not significantly improve symptoms or quality of life. A double-blind controlled study of adjunctive treatment with risperidone in schizophrenic patients partially responsive to clozapine: efficacy and safety. Anil Yagcioglu AE, Kivircik Akdede BB, et al. Hacettepe University , Ankara, Turkey. J Clin Psychiatry. 2005 Jan;66(1):63-72

Clozapine Equal to Olanzapine (Zyprexa) for Schizophrenia: In a DB randomized study of 114 patients with schizophrenia, there was no significant difference favoring olanzapine or clozapine. The lack of a marked correlation between PANSS and the subjective well-being measure SWN improvements indicates that patients and psychiatrists perceive treatment differently. Naber D, Riedel M, et al. Randomized double blind comparison of olanzapine vs. clozapine on subjective well-being and clinical outcome in patients with schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2005: 111: 106-115. For more, see Clozapine.

Yogurt Helped Lose Weight in Small Study: In a randomized study of 34 obese adults on equal caloric weight loss diets for 12 weeks, those consuming yogurt showed much more fat loss (9.6 pounds vs 6.1 pounds; P<0.005) while lean tissue loss was reduced by 31% on the yogurt diet. Trunk fat loss was increased by 81% and waist measurements similarly decreased on the yogurt  vs. the control diet (P<0.001).

Yogurt, Green Leafy Vegetables Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk: In a 9.9 year prospective study of 45,181 men and 62,643 women ages 40-79 in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study. Between 1988 and 1990, 457 died of colon or rectal cancer. Eating green leafy vegetables was linked to a 40% decreased risk (HR = 0.6; p = 0.02]. Yogurt was linked to a 50% decrease in male rectal cancer mortality (HR = 0.5; p = 0.04). Egg consumption was associated with an increase male colon cancer mortality (P = 0.04). Women with high fruit consumption had increased colon cancer mortality (HR = 1.6; p = 0.04). Diet and colorectal cancer mortality: results from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study. Kojima M, Wakai K,  Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mizuho, Nagoya, Japan. Nutr Cancer. 2004;50(1):23-32.

Yogurt Suppressed Bacterial Cause of Ulcers: In a study of 59 adult volunteers intentionally infected with H. pylori, the primary cause of stomach ulcers, eating standard yogurt twice a day after a meal for 6 weeks considerably lowered H. pylori activity compared to 11 controls (P < 0.0001). Effects of ingesting Lactobacillus- and Bifidobacterium-containing yogurt in subjects with colonized Helicobacter pylori. Wang KY, Li SN, et al. Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Sep;80(3):737-41. Ed: I recommend one "lite" yogurt, i.e., sugar-free, per day for everyone. For much more on yogurt and similar pro-biotics, see Yogurt.

Tau Axon Transport Dysfunction May Cause Alzheimer's: Jeff Goldstein of the University of California, San Diego, has shown that in a mouse model, blockages in the axon nerve cells in the brain of the tau transport system cause of build-up of beta amyloid plaques.  This suggests that a tau protein problem, whose long structures serve as a transportation system in nerve cells, are the initial cause.  The tau protein also becomes hyperphosphorylated and forms tau fibillary tangles, but this is after the amyloid build-up. Science 2/24/05. For more, see Causes of Alzheimer's Disease.

Dogs: Caloric Restriction by 25% Lengthens Life: 48 dogs from 7 litters were paired, and 1 dog in each pair was fed 25% less food from 8 weeks of age until death. Median life span was significantly longer for the group that was fed 25% less food, whereas causes of death were generally similar. High body-fat mass and declining lean mass significantly predicted death 1 year prior to death, and lean body composition was associated with metabolic responses that appeared to be integrally involved in health and longevity. Lawler DF, et al. Nestle Purina, St Louis, MO. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005 Jan 15;226(2):225-31. For more, see Caloric Restriction.

ADHD Medications Increase Blood Pressure in Adults: In a DB PC study of 125 ADHD adults, average age 39, all five ADHD medications used increased blood pressure. Statistically significant changes in systolic blood pressure (bupropion: +5.9 mm Hg, p < .05; amphetamine: +5.4 mm Hg, p < .05), diastolic blood pressure (desipramine: +7.1 mm Hg, p < .05), and heart rate (bupropion: +6.9 mm Hg, p < .05; amphetamine: +7.3 mm Hg, p < .05; methylphenidate: +4.5 mm Hg, p < .05). Blood pressure changes associated with medication treatment of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Wilens TE, Hammerness PG, et al. Massachusetts General Hospital. J Clin Psychiatry. 2005 Feb;66(2):253-9.

ACE Inhibitors Better Than ARBs: In doing a meta-analysis of all relevant published studies (1966-August 2004), researchers concluded that ACE inhibitors have been definitively shown to prevent death. However, studies with ARBs in similar populations have not reduced death or heart attacks. Angiotensin Receptor Blockers versus ACE Inhibitors: Prevention of Death and Myocardial Infarction in High-Risk Populations. Epstein BJ, Gums JG. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Ann Pharmacother. 2005 Mar;39(3):470-80.

Nifedipine Blood Pressure Treatment No Decrease in Death: In the DB PC ACTION study of 7665 patients, 52% were hypertensive. Some 80% were on a beta blocker; hypertensives were more often treated with other blood pressure-lowering drugs. Mean baseline blood pressure was 122/74 mmHg among normotensives and 151/85 mmHg among hypertensives. Follow-up blood pressures were reduced by nifedipine (P < 0.001) on the average by 3.9/2.4 and 6.6/3.5 mmHg among normotensives and hypertensives, respectively. Authors emphasize that nifedipine GITS (P < 0.05) reduced the combined incidence of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, refractory angina, heart failure, stroke and peripheral revascularization by 13% in hypertensives only. However, nifedipine did not affect all-cause death, cardiovascular death and myocardial infarction in either normo- or hypertensives, but increased the need for peripheral revascularization. Effect of long-acting nifedipine on mortality and cardiovascular morbidity in patients with symptomatic stable angina and hypertension: the ACTION trial. Lubsen J, Wagener G, et al. Erasmus Medical and Bayer Healthcare AG, Wuppertal, Germany. J Hypertens. 2005 Mar;23(3):641-8. For more, see Hypertension.

Gastric Banding Looks Very Good for Obesity: Five hundred very obese patients (average age 42; weight 270 pounds) underwent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery. At 36 month follow up, average body mass index (BMI) had decreased from 45.2 to 34.9 and 47% of excess weight was lost. Complications were: gastric pouch dilatation (6.8%), slippage (2.8%), and stoma obstruction (0.6%). There was no mortality. Disease improvements were: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (87%; usually immediately postsurgery), asthma (81.8%), diabetes (66%), dyslipidemia (65.5%), hypertension (48%), and sleep apnea (33%). Weight loss and improvement of obesity-related illness in 500 U.S. patients following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedure. Spivak H, Hewitt MF, et al. Houston, TX. Am J Surg. 2005 Jan;189(1):27-32. For more, see Obesity.

Potassium Chloride and Potassium Citrate Same Effect: In a randomized, crossover study comparing potassium chloride (e.g. 1 1/4 teaspoon No Salt/day) with potassium citrate (96 mmol/d, each for 1 week) in 14 hypertensive adults, blood pressure dropped from 151/93 mm Hg with a 24-hour urinary potassium of 81 mmol. to 140/88 mm Hg with potassium chloride (24-hour urinary potassium: 164 mmol) and 138/88 mm Hg with potassium citrate (24-hour urinary potassium: 160 mmol). Potassium citrate is similar to the potassium in fruits and vegetables. Thus, increasing the consumption of foods high in potassium is likely to have the same effect on blood pressure as potassium chloride. Effect of Short-Term Supplementation of Potassium Chloride and Potassium Citrate on Blood Pressure in Hypertensives. He FJ, Markandu ND, et al. St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, United Kingdom. Hypertension. 2005 Feb 21. For more, see Potassium. 

Carbamazepine (Tegretol) Worsens Multiple Sclerosis: In a large group of MS patients followed for 3 years, the 36 on carbamazepine had 12 periods "mimicking" a relapse; the 94 of gabapentin had only one case mimicking a relapse and the 22 on lamotrigine had none. The high rate of worsening of neurological functioning on carbamazepine suggests it should be avoided in MS. Antiepileptic medications in multiple sclerosis: adverse effects in a three-year follow-up study. Solaro C, Brichetto G, et al. Genoa, Italy. Neurol Sci. 2005 Feb;25(6):307-10. For more, see Multiple Sclerosis. 

N-PEP-12 for Memory Loss: N-PEP-12 is a derivative of cerebrolysin, a brain-derived neuropeptide compound that has been approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in more than 30 countries. N-PEP-12 is much less potent, but it can be administered orally instead of IV. In a 30-day DB PC study of 54 adults over age 49 with age-related memory loss, those on N-PEP-12 did better on the ADAS-cog Memory score, the SKT, clinical ratings and some, but not all other tests. N-PEP-12 may be an effective treatment for memory loss in healthy older adults. Effects of N-PEP-12 on memory among older adults. Crook TH, Ferris SH, et al. EBEWE Pharma, Unterach, Austria. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2005 Mar;20(2):97-100. For more, see Treatment of Alzheimer's.

Duloxetine (Cymbalta) Said to Help Depression and Pain: In two 9-week DB PC studies totalling 90 patients with Major Depressive Disorder, those given duloxetine (60 mg/day) had a higher probability of remission for duloxetine-treated patients (44.1%) was also significantly higher than that for placebo (16.1%). The drug company researchers lumped together the results of six studies of pain to report improved pain symptoms with duloxetine. The rate of discontinuation due to adverse events was significantly higher for duloxetine-treated patients (21.0%) than placebo (6.7%). Duloxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder in older patients. Nelson JC, Wohlreich MM, et al. Eli Lilly and Co. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2005 Mar;13(3):227-35. Ed: This is certainly an odd industry report, lumping together two studies for depression and six studies for pain. Amitriptyline and nortriptyline both achieve the same benefits at a much lower cost and no higher rate of side-effects. For more, see Duloxetine.

No Benefit Gingko for Normal Post-Menopausal Women: In a 6-week DB PC study of 87 women, those receiving gingko 120 mg/day and tested for mental flexibility, planning, memory and sustained attention, and ratings of mood, sleepiness, bodily and menopausal symptoms found that only older women with poorer performance had benefit and only for mental flexibility. Limited cognitive benefits in Stage +2 postmenopausal women after 6 weeks of treatment with Ginkgo biloba. Elsabagh S, Hartley DE, File SE. King's College London, UK. J Psychopharmacol. 2005 Jun;19(2):173-181. For more, see Menopause.

CoQ10 Helped Migraines: Riboflavin, which improves energy metabolism similarly to coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), is effective in migraine prophylaxis. In a 3-month DB PC study of 42 migraine sufferers, those on CoQ10 (3 x 100 mg/day) had lower attack-frequency, headache-days and days-with-nausea in the third treatment month; 50%-responder-rate for attack frequency was 14.4% for placebo and 47.6% for CoQ10 (number-needed-to-treat: 3). Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: A randomized controlled trial. Sandor PS, Di Clemente L, et al. University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. Neurology. 2005 Feb 22;64(4):713-5.  Ed: I like CoQ10. Very few side-effects. For more, see CoQ10 and Headaches.

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