Q: A friend told me that she was given a prescription for 50,000 I.U. vitamin D to be taken once a month for her osteoporosis, and that she should get a calcium product without vitamin D. What is the purpose of this? How can your body use it all at one time? Shouldn't the vitamin D be taken daily with the calcium?
A: Vitamin D is one of the fat-soluble vitamins that will be stored in the body for lengths of time. Studies have shown that high dose vitamin D supplementation intermittently (e.g. 100,000 IU every 4 months) even without calcium supplementation can significantly reduce fracture risk in patients with osteoporosis. This is an option for noncompliant patients. There are many different ways to skin this cat!
Other things to remember are that vitamin K and magnesium are also important for proper bone health. Vitamin K comes from green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. Magnesium is abundant in sunflower seeds, spinach, quinoa, wild rice and tofu (and yes, there is some in chocolate!).
Q: Do you have any suggestions for natural remedies for the skin fungus Tinea versicolor?
A: A small study published in March 2004 showed that a mixture containing honey, olive oil and beeswax (1:1:1) was applied to the skin lesions three times daily for a maximum of 4 weeks. Clinical response was obtained in 86% of patients with Tinea versicolor. Acalypha ointment and Cassia alata, Linn leaf extract have also been studied and found effective. I usually rely on the western treatment of one dose of ketoconizole. It works every time, is out of the system before you have to worry about side effects or toxicities, and isn't a messy daily ointment, leaf or honey mixture! Selenium shampoo (Selsun Blue) works, but usually needs to be used once per week on the body to keep the rash away.
Q: I get horrible migraine headaches if I eat or drink anything with Nutrasweet in it. Is there anything to this?
A: There have been several randomized controlled trials trying to prove that aspartame causes seizures, headaches, hair loss, behavioral changes, brain tumors and more. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on which side of the argument you stand, there hasn't been any evidence to support the claims that this sweetener is dangerous. That being said, many people have food sensitivities that cause migraine headaches. If you are a migraine sufferer, you may not be able to tolerate wine, lunchmeat, cold beverages, MSG, changes in barometric pressure, aspartame or a number of other foods or additives. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's dangerous to the rest of the world. For those of us who would like to see more of the world avoid processed food and the ingestion of random chemicals, aspartame is definitely on my list of “Things to Avoid!”
Disclaimer: The information contained in this column is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. Seek the advice of a medical professional before making any changes to your diet, supplements or medication.
Tanya Edwards, M.D., M.Ed., is the Medical Director for the Center for Integrative Medicine and is a staff member in the Department of Family Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. As a Family Practice physician, she sees patients at the Cleveland Clinic Independence Family Health Center, and will begin wellness consultations at the new Cleveland Clinic Wellness Center. For the past seven years, she has been teaching complementary and alternative medicine courses at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
