Discover the best supplements for Fibromyalgia, including vitamins, minerals, and natural remedies that can help manage symptoms and improve overall well-being.
Constant aches, pains and discomfort are felt by people with fibromyalgia. Fortunately, there are a lot of medications approved for fibromyalgia such as Lyrica that helps in dealing with the symptoms of fibromyalgia. But unfortunately, these medications do not respond equally to every person.
A new drug has been discovered that help a lot of people who cannot take other fibromyalgia medications. One problem this medication has it is that it is not prescribed by the doctors and a lot of insurance companies haven’t covered it yet. Xyrem is this new medication. Originally, it was used to help patients with narcolepsy.
As Xyrem was meant to get you into a deep sleep, recent studies have shown some positive results from Xyrem in people with fibromyalgia. When we get a full night sleep, we feel best and fresh, and people with fibromyalgia know that it gets impossible for them to sleep all night due to constant severe pain.
Xyrem is useful in solving this problem. You just need to take it two times per night that will get you into a deep sleep of almost 9 hours. Can you just imagine how well you will feel after a deep sleep? There are a lot of doctors who agree that this medication is effective for fibromyalgia people.
And many studies have proved this theory to be true. According to a study, patients felt less pain and improved energy after taking Xyrem for 3-4 weeks.
Why aren’t doctors prescribing it, if it is a miracle drug for fibromyalgia treatment? Well, the answer seems tricky. The root ingredients of Xyrem have a bad repute. Gamma Hydroxybutyrate or GHB is present in Xyrem. You may have heard about GHB in the news because it is related with the college-going people who offer this drug to other people illegally. It is morally wrong to misuse this narcolepsy medication. That is why doctors avoid prescribing it and getting it too much out into the public.
And this is also the reason you haven’t heard about Xyrem that it helps in treating fibromyalgia. But, doctors are not slowly accepting the fact that it is really effective for fibromyalgia sufferers. It can help in giving deep and restful sleep which allows the people to heal their mind and bodies.
In this age of advanced and progressive development in medical science, it is still a difficult task to understand Fibromyalgia.
The only clarified fact about fibromyalgia is that it is a genuine syndrome and affects millions of people every year but the cause and cure are still to be known.
Some of the experts have consented that it is a neurobiological or a functional somatic disorder, while most of them agree on the fact that its growth is strongly related to a certain imbalance of the neurochemical elements in the brain that lead the central nervous system to process the pain in a wrong way. However, a lot of research is still to be made.
The actual causes are still not clear. However, there are certain factors that may prove to be a risk for developing the syndrome like genetics, diet, stress, and other psychological elements.
Stress is a source of creating abnormalities in the neuro-chemical brain elements, which eventually lead to Fibromyalgia. Depression and anxiety are also strongly related to this syndrome, but it is still not clearly identified whether they are the actual cause of the syndrome or not.
The only clearly accepted fact about the symptom is that the patient experiences pain all over the body. But this fact is related to many other symptoms and disorders so it makes its diagnosis very complicated.
The common symptoms related to it are headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbances, irritable bowel, weak limbs, tingling, and numb fingers and extremities.
The proper cure for the disorder remains a mystery until its root cause is not identified. Its symptoms are treated separately and there is a number of things prescribed and recommended by the doctors in these cases.
But most commonly doctors recommend carrying the natural/alternative remedies to suppress the symptoms like yoga, meditation, acupuncture, Tai-Chi, and so on. A simple workout routine like walking or relaxing proves to be very beneficial.
Diet is always an important thing to be healthy and fit. It plays a vital role to reduce the risk associated to develop the disease and eventually ameliorating its symptoms. Good nutrition is important even for healthy living and being a patient it is really important to focus on your diet.
Fast food is a fast way to develop a number of health-related issues like heart, stomach, and waistline problems. But when you become a victim of Fibromyalgia, things can get even more complicated. Fast Food has a lot of “bad” fats that lead you to a worse condition.
The stomach is most endangered to be affected by this type of food. Moreover, it affects the energy levels in your body and does not provide essential nutrients required by the body.
It is enticing to enjoy your favorite movie and have a whole bag of gummy bears or chips, but so far it is one of the worst choices you make. You just enjoy it at the moment but unfortunately, such things are creating serious troubles inside your body.
Additives can produce serious problems related to the stomach and limit the dosage of essential nutrients required by the body to function properly. Moreover, certain additives actually influence the way your neurons perceive pain and make your condition even worse.
Sweets are not found good for patients with Fibromyalgia. Sweet chocolates or cakes may give you pleasure and you feel better, but in the long run, they promote fatigue and increase the chances of chronic yeast infection.
Fibromyalgia patients often suffer from bad sleeping patterns. Disturbed sleep or sleepless nights makes them feel tired during the day and in this situation, the greatest and simplest method of charging yourself seems to be a cup of coffee or tea.
But unfortunately, this is a bad choice because it will only lead you to more disturbed sleeping patterns and deprive you of adequate sleep required by the body.
These foods can prove to be good and bad depending on the patient. They contain Calcium and Vitamin D that are essential for people trying to ameliorate the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. However, some of the patients are very sensitive to these kinds of foods and thus they should avoid them.
So what we concluded is that we require a lot of healthy food in order to fight against Fibromyalgia. Fish contains omega 3 fatty acids that are important to reduce inflammation, and so do walnuts and other similar products.
Fruits and vegetables provide you with sustainable energy and will help you stay active throughout the day. However, avoid eggplant, tomatoes, and other similar vegetables as they are likely to make symptoms worse.
When you have fibromyalgia, your whole life becomes frightening. Fibromyalgia treatment is very much difficult since it is not known what causes it. One main feature that makes it a lot more difficult to understand this illness is that the symptoms of fibromyalgia vary a lot. Different people having fibromyalgia have different experiences. Of course, most of us deal with the generic symptoms, but the severity, triggers and combinations are across the board. Chronic pain, memory problems, mood disorders, sleep issues, depression and anxiety are some key symptoms that we all are familiar with. Thus, fibromyalgia seems to be mysterious sometimes. Certain options are there that permits you to treat more than one of the symptoms at a time.
Usually for treating fibromyalgia symptoms, a medication from the family of drugs that are known as “antidepressants” is prescribed. These antidepressants are prescribed to fibro patients even if depression is not an overwhelming symptom. These come from a highly effective branch of drugs called SSNRIs or SNRIs (Selective Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors).
Neurotransmitters produced by the body are acted upon by SNRIs such as Cymbalta. Normally, these chemicals carry out important functions within the brain. In this case, their importance is easier to understand by looking at their side effects from when the neurotransmitters do not function properly: the results include memory loss, depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, health issues such as neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia and much more. This may give you a closer look into the precarious role that neurotransmitters play in your health and overall well-being.
SNRIs help the brain in proper processing of neurotransmitters within the brain. Although it is not completely known by the researchers how it works. Usually, it is done by the brain automatically. However, this is not the case for people with anxiety, depression and fibromyalgia. The neurotransmitters broke down and reabsorbed into the components parts instead of carrying out their proper function within the brain. So, SNRIs help in bonding the neurotransmitters and it also forces them to stay in the brain until they are absorbed properly. Once these neurotransmitters are absorbed, the brain then uses them properly and the expected benefits that they provide are then experienced. People with major depression disorder, anxiety as well as fibromyalgia have found SNRIs to be effective.
Cymbalta (duloxetine) is a particular SNRI that is proved to be effective for both people having fibromyalgia and mood disorders. Cymbalta is widely prescribed to fibromyalgia sufferers by healthcare practitioners. A lot of fibromyalgia symptoms can be minimized by Cymbalta like depression, anxiety, musculoskeletal pain, brain fog and so on.
It is important to keep this in mind that everyone is different. No two bodies can be same, so no two people will experience the exact same things and exact same results whether in terms of positive or negative. Make it sure if you are using any other medication before your doctor prescribes Cymbalta for your fibromyalgia. Medications, as well as health or herbal supplements, are also included in it. Sometimes, the prescription medications also get interacted dangerously with the naturopathic herbs that you are taking to treat fibromyalgia.
So, it is important to let your doctor know about everything you are using and its effect on you, either good or bad. It is also important to follow the directions in regards to the proper dosages. Sometimes the medications become toxic and lead towards organ damage or may even die.
The side effects of Cymbalta
No doubt, Cymbalta can be very beneficial to people having fibromyalgia, but people should be aware of the side effects that come with it, just like other medications. These are not limited to, but include:
Everyone will be thinking that fibromyalgia is such an overwhelming condition. So, why would I take something that would cause some of the symptoms that I need to fix? Yes, this is a valid concern. Like other SNRIs, Cymbalta is also proved to be effective for treating fibromyalgia symptoms. Yet some of the patients can’t take because Cymbalta may make some symptoms worse. You need to do research on your own as well as you have to consult your doctor and should do a trial run of Cymbalta. You and your doctor need to determine what is best for you.
There is no need to ask even. Everyone does know that people with fibromyalgia have those days where they just want to let fibromyalgia know where it can be pushed. Or maybe some people chose the religious route: set it on fire and send it to hell. This article is about getting rid of the fibromyalgia for good and isn’t about stumbling in the misery.
We have to face it; if we don’t the causes of this condition, we surely don’t know about its cure. We all know that not every fibromyalgia treatment or medication is effective for everyone in an exact manner. No two bodies can be identified and the medication prescribed to one person do not guarantee that it will work the same way for the other person too.
Keeping this in mind, many of us will supplement the prescriptions of pain therapy with over the counter (OTC) medications. Some risks are always associated with these medications, especially when using prescription medication. For OTC medications, some options are there that are safe and have fewer side effects as compared to the well-known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen, aspirin and ibuprofen.
Now, we are going to talk about acetaminophen. It is also known as paracetamol or APAP. It has another common brand name Tylenol. A common medication, Tylenol, is used to treat mild to moderate health problems like headaches and fever. Muscle aches and pain injuries are also treated by it.
In fact, maybe you are from those unlucky people with fibromyalgia who also suffer from arthritis and use Tylenol in dealing with some of the joint pain. Although, the underlying inflammation doesn’t get treated by it just like NSAIDs like ibuprofen. After surgery, Tylenol is used as an effective medication for relieving pain. Above all, Tylenol is cheap, legal and is easy to find.
Tylenol is considered to be relatively safer when taken in recommended doses. You need to consult your doctor and let him know if you are taking any other medications, vitamins, herbs, and supplements on daily basis.
There are chances that some of them can dangerously interact with the prescribed medication. Tylenol is safe for using it for fibromyalgia, but you need to be careful enough not to overdo it. You can suffer from very destructive and even deadly consequences by taking too much of Tylenol. These include but are not limited to:
Some studies have suggested a connection between Tylenol and kidney cancer. So, it is important to discuss everything with your doctor before taking medications. Usually, there are few people who suffer from any severe or long-lasting negative side effects from Tylenol. That is why it is commonly used. But if you have fibromyalgia and you also know how sensitive you can be to even the most mainstream medication or substances. So just be cautious and consult with your doctor.
It seems like as my acupuncturist says, “Well, that’s the $10M question, now isn’t it? If I knew the answer to that, I’d be a rich man”. I repeat, everyone is different and no two bodies can be identical. There are some people who find some pain relief especially when it is used in conjunction with other medications, while others notice a little or no benefit from this medication. Some doctors think that Tylenol is more effective than NSAIDs. Again, everyone is different. So, you need to try for yourself.
Fibromyalgia sufferers also struggle with the feelings of chronic fatigue along with chronic pain. No matter how much fibromyalgia sufferers sleep, they may still get up feeling tired and it feels like their thinking is impaired as if they are in fog.
Luckily, various medications are there that have been designed to effectively treat the issues related to fatigue. Milnacipran is one of those medications.
It is an anti-depressant that is used for treating fibromyalgia. FDA has approved three drugs for treating this chronic condition and it is one of them.
Milnacipran works to help to reduce the feeling of chronic fatigue by lessening the pain. it also has some other positive effects on fatigue apart from the pain relief. Although scientists are not sure how this medication works effectively, they do know that it is effective for fibromyalgia treatment.
The activity of neurotransmitters in the brain increases by this drug. Both serotonin and norepinephrine are included in these neurotransmitters that work to filter pain signals traveling along the spinal cord. This means that the brain does not receive high pain signals, so that brain cannot signal the body to feel the pain.
This drug bolts onto the molecules and carries the neurotransmitters back across the nerve junction when these two neurotransmitters are at nerve endings. So, this permits them to be used again or can be recycled for fighting against pain and also preventing pain signals. Other medications like milnacipran who helped in increasing serotonin levels were also shown to be effective in pain relief and relaxing muscles.
Based on the three criteria, the approval of milnacipran was made. The first criteria were that the drug milnacipran was sold under the brand name Savella that permitted the patients to experience a 30% pain reduction at least.
The second criterion was that the patients were asked to rate their pain as “very much improved” or “much improved” by this medication. There had to be some significant progress in the patient’s physical working when taking milnacipran. Since this medication stood up on all these requirements so, FDA approved it.
People who took milnacipran also showed a marked improvement about a week after they started to take milnacipran. Many of the patients, in this case, took milnacipran of 100 to 200 mg on regular basis.
However, this medication is prescribed in the lowest dose of 12.5 mg at first. After that, the high dose is prescribed gradually. The highest recommended dose per day for milnacipran is 200 mg.
Milnacipran also helps in relieving the fatigue during daytime along with the pain relief. It can also help with some problems like poor memory or lack of focus.
It is not easy to tell either the drug is going to work effectively for a patient or will fail in relieving fibromyalgia symptoms in others. However, there are some ways that can help in telling if this drug has some possibility to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms.
For example, venlafaxine, also known as Cymbalta or Effexor helped in dealing with pain but caused weight gain, and then Milnacipran may be a better medication for fibromyalgia sufferers.
Moreover, the side effects like weight gain, feeling sleep the next day and dry mouth are usually not experienced by people while taking this drug, since it isn’t a tricyclic medication.
As every medication has some side effects, so milnacipran also has some side effects. The side effects occur with this medication ranges from mild to severe, depending on the person who is taking the medication.
Weight reduction is the favorable side effect that arises upon taking this medication. Some people who took this medication reported a decrease of one to two pounds in weight per month. However, this medication has increased levels of norepinephrine, so there is also a possibility of increased high blood pressure and heart rate.
Nausea, constipation, insomnia, dry mouth, headaches, hot flashes, palpations and profuse sweating are some other common side effects that are associated with this medication.
When this medication is used continuously, and especially when it is taken with food, most people feel reduced nausea usually. Few interactions occur with other medications and the medication takes at least two hours to be completely absorbed into the bloodstream.
Fibromyalgia symptoms can get even worse with some of the side effects of this medication. Milnacipran should not be taken at night especially if you have some difficulty in falling or staying asleep due to having restless legs, because this medication can worsen the sleep.
However, this medication can help in reducing pain during the day. But it can also worsen the daytime fatigue since it causes sleeping problems. Try to take this medication a few hours earlier if it causes problems with sleep and asks your doctor to help you from preventing fatigue issues.
As this medication causes high blood pressure, so people who are not able to manage their high blood pressure should not take this medication. However, your doctor may re-evaluate your blood pressure medication to manage it or change the dosage, if you find a reduction in your pain with milnacipran.
You may need to switch your medication if you are taking this and side effects are causing problems to you. In this case, you should reduce the dosage of this medication slowly because it can cause problems if quit abruptly.
The medication sometimes reacts differently to each person. So it can be a frustrating guessing game of effectively treating your fibromyalgia. You and your doctor will decide which treatment suits you the best if you are being better informed about your treatment. it will help you in pain, fatigue and symptoms reduction.
Omega 3s can help in giving benefits to fibromyalgia patients according to a study conducted in 2012. Medical literature has shown again and again about the effectiveness of omega 3s in helping cardiovascular and joint health issues.
Therefore, we all should acknowledge this that omega 3s helps the patients in dealing with fibromyalgia pain.
Omega 3s functions very well to reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia if you are a fibro patient.
For reducing pain and inflammation, omega 3s acts as precursors to the chemicals. In contrast with this, chronic pain and inflammation can be increased by Omega 6s fatty acids. It is important to know the differences between the two.
According to some recent studies, a huge drop in the cholesterol level, less muscle tightening and less tender points have been shown in people who take at least 1500 mg of Omega 3s supplements every day. Moreover, less fatigue is also shown in these people. These acids work as an anti-inflammatory in the body. Although, no scientific proof has been shown yet about how and why they seem to work well but many people reported omega 3s to be a way of relieving discomfort and pain.
According to a study, by using Omega 3s for seven months, one patient significantly showed lower levels of pain from a level of 8 to just 3 out of 10 points.
It is believed by the authors of this study that investing in high-quality Omega 3 supplements may be worth for relieving pain in fibromyalgia patients.
For patients, who are willing to try Omega 3s as a remedy for their condition, should seek out the highest concentration of DHA and EPA per serving. Look for the product that is produced in cold weather near the Arctic, when you are using fish oils because there are toxic levels of mercury in the fish that are harvested in warmer waters. And many fibromyalgia patients are sensitive to mercury.
Studies have shown that it takes at least 6 months of trying supplements for seeing the results. Although, there are some people who see the results of supplements sooner. Consider freezing the capsule before taking them if you feel nausea or burping.
Try to take the supplements with the meal. Split your doses with each of the meal. It is recommended to take the supplements with Lyrica or Cymbalta if the patient is dealing with extreme pain.
You can find Omega 3s in sardines, herring and wild caught salmon besides cold water fish. Unfortunately, albacore tuna is no more a good source because it has high levels of mercury which can worsen fibromyalgia.
-quit the Trans fats. You should try to eliminate baked goods that have been cooked with Trans fats. You should also eliminate some other things like donuts, onion rings, French fries, all margarine and highly processed foods.
–reduce the intake of alcohol and caffeine. Quit smoking and stop using any kind of tobacco products. Reduce the intake of foods that are high in sugar, high in salt and high in fat.
Consider taking Omega 3 supplements on regular basis. One to two tablespoons or one to two capsule of fish oil can be taken regularly. Inflammation can be reduced and immune system can be improved by these supplements.
Talk to your doctor before taking Omega 3s, especially when you are also taking any type of blood thinners such as aspirin or warfarin.
Consider taking multivitamin daily that includes antioxidants such as Vitamin A, B, C and D. You also need to take the trace minerals like calcium and magnesium and also zinc and selenium.
Consider taking Vitamin C regularly. The capsule or tablet of Vitamin C can be 500 to 1000 mg. the capsule works as an antioxidant that helps in supporting your immune system.
You can take 20 to 25 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid twice per day. Your thiamine levels may get lowered and can react with some medications used in thyroid and chemotherapy treatments. So, you need to consult your doctor before taking it.
You can also take 800 mg of SAMe for immune and emotional support. But, do not take this medication if you are using any kind of medication for manic or bipolar disorders. You can suffer from negative side effects.
Probiotics are also used to maintain a healthy gut and improving the immune system.
Take 100 to 200 mg of COQ10 before going to bed. It helps in improving the immune system and muscular support. Do not take this medication if you are using any kind of blood thinners.
It is important to talk to your doctor before getting into a new treatment or any remedy. Because some supplements can interfere with the medications. Your doctor can advise you well. People with fibromyalgia find omega 3s useful in reducing pain and symptoms.
With this knowledge on hand, cannabis deserves a better reputation that the one it already has.
The cannabis patches are nothing but transdermal patches that release the “good stuff” in the skin, which later travel through the bloodstream.
These patches relieve neurological nerve pain caused by diabetes and fibromyalgia. Experts from the company explain that controlled doses can’t harm the body nor cause any side effects.
These patches guarantee that the needed amount of the healing content is delivered into the patient.
It can be applied through a penetrable membrane that allows full absorption or thin layers that melt on the skin. The thin layers are packed with powerful cannabinoid extract that reaches for the central nervous system, and relieves pain.
CBD is the second most important cannabinoid in cannabis. As you already know, THC is the first cannabinoid. CBD offers huge anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving potential. There’re almost no side effects, except for the hallucinogenic effect.
Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, CEO of Cannabis Science says that their product is just a tiny bit of the whole capacity of Cannabis Science.
“The development of these two new pharmaceutical medicinal applications are just the tip of the iceberg for what we see as the future for Cannabis Science.
While we strive to increase our land capacity for growth and facilities to produce our own product to supply our scientists with proprietary materials to make these formulations, we are also busy researching more potential needs for Cannabis related medical applications and developing the methods for delivery of these medications,”explained the CEO.
Over 10% of all Americans are affected by fibromyalgia, and many don’t even know they have it.
Neuropathic nerve pain is common in many people worldwide, and these patches can help in the treatment of both diseases. There’s a strong possibility that the patches even cure these health problems.
“As more states nationwide legislate for the legalization of cannabis and cannabis-derived medications, we here at Cannabis Science are focused on developing pharmaceutical formulations and applications to supply the huge growing demand expected over the coming few years,” finished Dabney.
With the recent approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a human clinical trial is set to begin on BCG, a vaccine typically used to prevent tuberculosis, to treat fibromyalgia.
BCG, or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, has been used since 1921 as a TB vaccine in countries with a high prevalence of TB. One particular type, or “species,” of BCG is also used to treat bladder cancer. Some studies have shown promise in BCG’s ability to potentially treat type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis by enhancing the immune system’s ability to fight its own diseased cells — a process known as immunotherapy.
The trial is funded by EpicGenetics, a biomedical company that also manufactures a blood test for fibromyalgia called the FM/a Test. Research by physician and EpicGenetics CEO Bruce Gillis suggests that fibromyalgia is an immune system disorder that causes patients to have abnormal white blood cells that produce irregular quantities of proteins called chemokines and cytokines, leading to inflammation. The test measures the levels of these proteins.
EpicGenetics released its FM/a test in 2013 and has faced criticism from skeptics, who say the research the test is based on is not consistent with other studies, and that the test doesn’t reliably distinguish fibromyalgia from other disorders with similar symptoms. EpicGenetics conducted a follow-up study comparing patients who took the FM/a test to patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and a control group and found “statistically significant differences” between the patients, which Gillis said supports the test. He also said further research will be done to see if the test can be used to diagnose people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.
The BCG trial builds on EpicGenetics’ previous research. Gillis told The Mighty he believes BCG will “retrain” stem cells so they stop producing abnormal white blood cells and start producing normal white blood cells, thus producing normal proteins and potentially eliminating fibromyalgia symptoms. The trial will use a species of BCG called the Tokyo species, different than the species used to treat bladder cancer, which Gillis believes has the biologic activity needed to reverse immune system abnormalities.
“It’s like being in a sword fight with no shield — that’s what patients with fibromyalgia are afflicted with,” Gillis said. “So now what we’re hoping is, we’re giving them the shield, they should now function normally, they should have healthy protein systems and hopefully if all goes well their symptoms should disappear.”
If BCG treatment is successful, it would be different than the drugs currently available for fibromyalgia, which include antidepressants like Cymbalta and the anti-seizure medication Lyrica. These drugs may help treat fibromyalgia symptoms, but do not address the biology of fibromyalgia itself.
Trial participants will go to Massachusetts General Hospital to receive the BCG injections. Gillis said he does not expect there to be any side effects, and he believes two doses, spread 12 months apart, may provide a “lifelong benefit.” The FDA will not need to approve BCG as a drug since it is already in use for other conditions, but before it can be used to treat fibromyalgia, the FDA will need to see indicators that the BCG is working.
Gillis said he hopes to recruit thousands of people to join the trial. In order to qualify, people must take EpicGenetic’s FM/a test, and if they receive a positive result (or have already taken the test and indicated they were interested in participating in future research), they can decide if they would like to volunteer to participate in the trial. The test costs $1,080 without insurance, though Gillis said Medicare, CHAMPVA, most PPO insurance plans and some HMO plans will cover it.
In addition to finding a potential treatment for fibromyalgia, Gillis said he hopes to continue legitimizing the condition and also researching whether there is a genomic pathway that explains why people contract the disease, similar to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes for breast cancer.
“Fibromyalgia is a real disease and we’ve got to change the mindset of healthcare professionals and people in general,” he said.
Neurontin and its newer more potent version, Fibromyalgia pain relief drug Lyrica, are widely used for off-label indications that are an outright flagrant danger to the public. These blockbuster drugs were approved for use even though the FDA had no idea what they actually did in the brain. A shocking new study shows that they block the formation of new brain synapses, drastically reducing the potential for rejuvenating brain plasticity – meaning that these drugs will cause brain decline faster than any substance known to mankind.
The problem of these drugs is compounded by their flagrant illegal marketing. Neurontin was approved by the FDA for epilepsy back in 1994. Fibromyalgia pain relief drug underwent massive illegal off-label promotion that cost Warner-Lambert 430 million dollars (the very first big fine for off-label promotion). The Fibromyalgia pain relief drug is now owned by Pfizer. Pfizer also owns Lyrica, a super-potent version of Neurontin. It has been approved by the FDA for various types of pain and fibromyalgia.
Lyrica for Fibromyalgia pain relief is one of four drugs that a subsidiary of Pfizer illegally marketed, resulting in a $2.3 billion settlement against Pfizer. Even though the marketing of these drugs has been heavily fined, they continue to rack up billions in sales from the off-label uses. Doctors use them for all manner of nerve issues because they are good at suppressing symptoms.
However, such uses can no longer be justified because the actual mechanism of the drugs is finally understood and they are creating a significant long-term reduction in nerve health. The researchers in the above study try to downplay the serious nature of the drugs by saying “adult neurons don’t form many new synapses.” That is simply not true.
The new science is showing that brain health during aging relies on the formation of new synapses. Even these researchers managed to question the common use of these medications in pregnant women. How is a fetus supposed to make new nerve cells when the mother is taking a drug that blocks them? These are the kind of situations the FDA should be all over.
As usual, the FDA is sitting around pondering a suicide warning for Fibromyalgia pain relief drug Lyrica while its off-label uses include bi-polar disorder and migraine headaches. The FDA is likely to twiddle its thumbs for the next decade on the brain damage issue. Consumer beware.
As you may have noticed, products with CBD are now touted for all sorts of conditions, including pain relief (for fibromyalgia, for example), anxiety, depression, insomnia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancer. But how effective is CBD, what risks are associated with using CBD and why are we suddenly seeing it advertised and sold everywhere? (For example, this flag has appeared outside a small pharmacy across the street from where I live.) Many important questions do not yet have answers.
The proliferation of CBD products is an important women’s health issue for several reasons. First, chronic pain is a concern for many women – it’s the focus of Chronicillness.co first scientific summit, Chronic Pain in Women, on July 17 and 18. Second, as a fat-soluble compound, CBD (like THC), crosses the placenta, and is present in breast milk. And third, it is possible that CBD products could cause a woman to fail a drug test. (If a CBD product contains THC (the chemical in marijuana that causes a “high”) above the 0.3% threshold allowed under the new federal law, or a drug test is sensitive enough to detect low levels of THC, an individual could test positive. Likewise, if an individual has used a lot CBD products containing low levels of THC, or if a test is specifically looking for CBD, a positive drug test is possible.)
CBD is cannabidiol, one of many compounds found in the cannabis family of plants, which includes marijuana and hemp. Products containing CBD can be “pure” (if it is the single compound), or it can be “full spectrum” when they contain all the compounds extracted from the plant material, (i.e., hemp), and some products many indicate “active hemp extract” without mentioning CBD.
The manufacturing and sale of CBD products have exploded since a December 2018 federal law removed CBD from the list of controlled substances and allowed hemp production, as long as the hemp doesn’t contain more than 0.3% THC.
So, what might CBD good for? The FDA has approved a medicine with CBD (Epidoliex®) for two very rare forms of childhood epilepsy. Some of the advertised CBD products tout benefits for neurological conditions, which may be based on research showing CBD interacts with certain types of neuroreceptors, and some limited clinical data. This information was summarized in a 2017 report from the National Academy of Medicine: “The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids.” However, CBD (like its psychoactive cousin THC) has not been rigorously studied outside of the clinical trials for the FDA-approved medicine, and most of the claims about CBD are based upon anecdotes or poorly conducted investigations. What this means for women’s health is that there are significant unknowns and many questions still to be researched.
The FDA is moving forward with developing rules about CBD. A hearing was held in late May, but it is unclear how long it will take FDA to develop and implement new regulations. (See the FDA’s Q&A page about CBD, related products and its regulatory activities here.) In this regulatory void, some states have enacted rules about how CBD products can be sold, marketed, or labeled.
Until the FDA acts, CBD products (with the exception of Epidoliex®) are not being regulated as prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins or as foods, (including dietary supplements). Therefore, adding CBD to any of those products is in violation of federal rules. Because of potential risks to consumers, the FDA has sent warning letters to some companies selling CBD products, particularly when claims are made about the CBD product as if it were a medicine, such as a treatment for cancer or other medical conditions.
Using CBD products rather than FDA-approved or physician-prescribed treatments is another risk associated with the proliferation of CBD products. As the FDA Commissioner wrote about CBD products in April 2019, “We also don’t want patients to forgo appropriate medical treatment by substituting unapproved products for approved medicines used to prevent, treat, mitigate or cure a particular disease or condition.”
The major safety and quality concerns about CBD products can be divided into a few categories:
The good news is that there doesn’t seem to be many direct side-effects of CBD for most people – although the clinical trials for Epidoliex® found some patients developed liver problems. However, outside of the studies on children with rare forms of epilepsy, large well conducted trials are limited, which especially raises concerns about health effects from long-term use. For women with chronic conditions and taking prescription medicines (including birth control pills), the unknown side effects and drug-drug interactions could be particularly important.
Quality, dosing and contamination issues are also serious concerns. How CBD is manufactured or purified is important because different extraction and purification methods produce different mixtures of compounds. Also, extraction from cannabis plant material has traditionally been done using butane or propane, which can leave petroleum residues in the final product. There are potentially other quality and safety problems that can arise in manufacturing – particularly when there is so little oversight or regulations. Specifically, researchers have found CBD products can contain THC, pesticides, lead or other heavy metals. The lack of data also means there is great uncertainty about what appropriate dosage levels might be for particular people or for different uses. And, of course, accurate dosing is a problem when quality control is inconsistent, i.e., how do you know how much CBD you are receiving, if the manufacturer may not be certain about the concentration of CBD in their products.
And why is CBD being added to foods (both for humans and pets) despite this violating FDA regulations because CBD is an active ingredient in an approved medicine? Maybe it is trendy and sounds like a great new thing? Or maybe it is a revenue-driven marketing strategy that is leveraging off state laws allowing the legalization (and taxation) of medical and recreational marijuana – despite marijuana still being illegal under Federal law.
The bottom line is that you likely can get CBD oil, capsules or foods where you live, but are there possible harms? Yes. But what these harms may be is still largely unknown. Therefore, until there are clear rules about the types of CBD products that can be sold and quality manufacturing requirements, including the information that manufacturers and sellers must make available (perhaps similar to the labels on foods or for OTC medicines), what is appropriate dosing, and of course, what CBD might actually be good for, it is “buyer beware.”
