Past News Items - July 2017
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In the News
The Lancet Commission: One Third of Dementia May Be Preventable
International Conference® 2017 Focus On Lifestyle, Risk Reduction, Improved Diagnosis And Early Detection English
We Invite You to Meet the New Klaire Klaire Labs, ProThera and Complementary Prescriptions to Be Unified Under Klaire Labs Brand
The Joint Commission Introduces Revised Pain Assessment and Management Standards, for Accredited Hospitals, to Include Use of Non-Pharmacologic Treatments and Strategies
New MU School of Medicine Partnership with Indian Company Could Help Produce Holistic Medicine Treatments Aimed at Cancer, Arthritis, Diabetes
North America to Remain the Largest Market for Probiotic Supplements
The Lancet Commission: One Third of Dementia May Be Preventable
LONDON, July 20, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a report presented today at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2017 (AAIC 2017) in London, The Lancet International Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care reported that more than one third of global dementia cases may be preventable through addressing lifestyle factors that impact an individual's risk. These potentially modifiable risk factors have been identified at multiple phases across the life-span, not just in old age.
The Lancet Commission's report was simultaneously published in The Lancet and presented at AAIC 2017.
Also at AAIC 2017, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) announced inaugural research grants to investigate health disparities in Alzheimer's disease.
"Today's findings are extremely hopeful," said Maria Carrillo, PhD, chief science officer at the Alzheimer's Association. "At an individual level, many people have the potential to reduce their risk of cognitive decline, and perhaps dementia, through simple, healthful behavior changes. At a public health level, interventions based on this evidence could be extremely powerful in managing the global human and economic costs of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias."
The Alzheimer's Association offers 10 Ways to Love Your Brain, including practical guidance to reduce your dementia risk based on the latest research.
The Lancet International Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care
The Lancet Commission brings together 24 international experts to consolidate the huge strides that have been made in our knowledge and understanding of dementia risk factors, treatment and care, and the emerging knowledge as to what we should do to prevent and manage dementia. The Commission conducted a new review and meta-analysis; based on which they extended current models of risk by including hearing loss and social isolation. Incorporating potentially modifiable risk factors from across the life-span, they proposed a novel life-course model of risk, highlighting the opportunity for prevention.
Among their key recommendations are:
- Be ambitious about prevention. Interventions for established risk factors may have the potential to delay or prevent one third of dementias.
- Treat cognitive symptoms. To maximize cognition, people with Alzheimer's dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies should be offered cholinesterase inhibitors at all stages, or memantine for severe dementia.
- Individualize dementia care. Good dementia care spans medical, social and supportive care; and should be tailored to unique individual and cultural needs, preferences, and priorities.
- Care for family carers. Family carers are at high risk of depression. Effective interventions reduce the risk and treat the symptoms, and should be made available.
- Plan for the future. People with dementia and their families value discussions about the future and important upcoming decisions.
- Manage neuropsychiatric symptoms. Management of the neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia - including agitation, low mood or psychosis - is usually psychological, social, and environmental, with drug treatment reserved for more severe symptoms.
- Consider end of life. A third of older people die with dementia, so it is essential that professionals working in end-of-life care consider whether a patient has dementia as they may be unable to make decisions about their care or express their needs and wishes.
Focus on Prevention
The Lancet Commission launched a novel life-span-based model of dementia risk, showing interventions that may maximize cognition, decrease distressing associated symptoms, reduce crises, and improve quality of life. The team estimate the contribution of each of the risk factors to the overall incidence of dementia, at the population level. The combined evidence to date shows that roughly 35 percent of all cases of dementia are attributable to nine potentially modifiable risk factors. Many of the risk factors occur at particular life stages but some, such as smoking and hypertension, are likely to make a difference at all life stages. The nine modifiable risk factors include:
- Early life - Education to a maximum of age 15
- Mid-life - Hypertension; Obesity; Hearing loss
- Later life - Depression; Diabetes; Physical inactivity; Smoking; Low social contact
Risk factors that are more common account for a higher percentage of population risk. For instance, the authors estimate that eight percent (8%) of all dementia cases could be associated with poor early school education; and five percent (5%) could be associated with smoking. While the mechanism linking education, hypertension, diabetes and smoking to dementia is relatively well understood, the recognition of hearing loss as a potential risk factor is still new, and the research is at an earlier stage.
The Commission's report delivered recommendations for targeted public health strategies that the researchers expect will significantly lower the global burden of Alzheimer's and other dementias. For example:
- The authors strongly recommend vigorously treating hypertension in middle aged and older people without dementia to reduce dementia incidence.
- Other recommended interventions include more childhood education, getting regular exercise, maintaining social engagement, stopping smoking, and management of hearing loss, depression, diabetes, and obesity.
The authors stated that, due to lack of data, the study did not include dietary factors, alcohol use, visual impairment, air pollution and sleep.
"While public health interventions will not prevent, or cure all potentially modifiable dementia, intervention for cardiovascular risk factors, mental health, and hearing may push back the onset of many people for years," said Professor Gill Livingston, MD, from University College London and lead author of The Lancet Commission. "Even if some of this promise is realized, it could make a huge difference and we have already seen in some populations that dementia is being delayed for years. Dementia prevalence could be halved if its onset were delayed by five years."
According to the Commission's report, worldwide dementia prevalence could be reduced by more than 1 million cases with a 10 percent reduction in the prevalence of seven principal health and lifestyle factors. An intervention that delayed dementia by a year might decrease the number of people living with dementia globally by 9 million in 2050.
"Overall, there is good potential for prevention and, once someone develops dementia, for care to be high-quality, accessible, and give value to an underserved, growing population. Effective dementia prevention and care could transform the future for society and vastly improve living and dying for individuals with dementia and their families. Acting now on what we already know can make this difference happen," said Lon Schneider, MD, from the University of Southern California and co-author of the Commission.
Advancing health disparities research in Alzheimer's - National Institute on Aging inaugural grants
According to the Alzheimer's Association 2017 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, African-Americans are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer's or other dementias as older whites, and Hispanics are about one and one-half times as likely to have Alzheimer's or other dementias as older whites. Yet, these populations are underrepresented in Alzheimer's and dementia research.
The NIA has identified a clear need to diversify research cohorts and improve methods and tools for conducting health disparities research related to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Two funding opportunities were created to encourage research that examines disparities in Alzheimer's disease using diverse cohorts of subjects. At AAIC 2017, NIA will announce the inaugural grant recipients and their projects, and highlight the new information expected to be generated because of these awards.
"Aging research using a framework that incorporate factors at multiple levels needs to be conducted with study populations that have robust demographic diversity," said Carl V. Hill, PhD, MPH, Director of the NIA Office of Special Populations. "When cohorts are diverse, new pathways that link environmental, sociocultural, behavioral and biological factors can be identified. This is our hope for these research awards."
According to the funding opportunity announcements, health disparities populations include: Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Populations, and Rural Populations. Additional populations may include: Disability Populations, and Sex and Gender Minorities.
About Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC)
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world's largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer's and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer's Association's research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community.
AAIC 2017 home page: www.alz.org/aaic/
AAIC 2017 newsroom: www.alz.org/aaic/pressroom.asp
About the Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Visit alz.org or call +1 800.272.3900.
- Gill Livingston, MBChB, PhD; Lon S. Schneider, MD, MS. The Lancet International Commission on Dementia Prevention and Care. (Funder(s): University College London, Alzheimer's Society UK, Economic and Social Research Council, Alzheimer's Research UK)
- Carl V. Hill, PhD, MPH and Rachel Whitmer, PhD, chairs. Advancing Health Disparities Research with the National Institute on Aging (NIA). (Funder: U.S. National Institute on Aging)
International Conference® 2017 Focus On Lifestyle, Risk Reduction, Improved Diagnosis And Early Detection English
LONDON, July 20, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New research results presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2017 (AAIC 2017) deepen our understanding of the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and highlight the potential to prevent cognitive decline through lifestyle interventions. Other important data reported at AAIC 2017 included new studies that highlight the impact of race and socioeconomic status on dementia risk, plus advances in diagnostic tools and early detection.
At AAIC 2017, the Alzheimer's Association announced the launch of the U.S. study to PrOtect through a lifestyle INTErvention to Reduce risk (US POINTER) – a $20 million U.S. two-year clinical trial to test the ability of a multi-dimensional lifestyle intervention to prevent cognitive decline and dementia in 2,500 older adults at increased risk for cognitive decline.
Also at the conference, The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care reported that more than one-third of global dementia cases may be preventable through addressing lifestyle factors that impact an individual's risk. They highlighted nine potentially modifiable risk factors at multiple phases across the life-span, not just in old age.
"We are determined to develop and deliver a more-specific recipe for Alzheimer's risk reduction," said Maria Carrillo, Ph.D., chief science officer at the Alzheimer's Association. "We now can effectively prevent or treat heart disease, cancer and HIV/AIDS with combinations of drugs and lifestyle. The same may also be true for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in the not too distant future."
"This will only come through additional, large-scale research trials in diverse populations. The Alzheimer's Association calls on the U.S. Congress to continue its commitment to Alzheimer's and other dementias by increasing funding for Alzheimer's research by at least $414 million in fiscal year 2018," Carrillo said.
AAIC is the premier annual forum for presentation and discussion of the latest Alzheimer's and dementia research. Bringing the world closer to breakthroughs in dementia science, AAIC 2017 convened more than 5,000 leading experts and researchers from 64 countries around the world, and featured more than 2,200 scientific presentations.
Large U.S. trial announced to explore benefits of lifestyle interventions on cognitive decline
The U.S. study to PrOtect through a lifestyle INTErvention to Reduce risk (US POINTER) will include physical exercise, nutritional counseling and modification, cognitive and social stimulation, and improved self-management of medical conditions. Recruiting for the study will begin in 2018.
"We now can effectively prevent and treat heart disease with a combination of drugs and lifestyle. The same is true with some cancers; the same with HIV/AIDS. The same may also be true for Alzheimer's disease in the not too distant future," said Carrillo. "We must test all options to treat and prevent this horrible disease. The Alzheimer's Association is extremely proud to launch this clinical trial with our scientific partners."
More than one-third of global dementia cases may be preventable through lifestyle
The Lancet released the report of its Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care at AAIC 2017, finding that more than one-third of global dementia may be preventable through addressing lifestyle factors that impact an individual's risk. The Lancet Commission brought together 24 international experts to consolidate the advances made in our knowledge of dementia risk factors, treatment and care.
The authors conducted a new review and meta-analysis; they extended current models of dementia risk by including hearing loss and social isolation. They proposed a novel life-course model of dementia risk showing potentially modifiable risk factors at multiple phases across the lifespan. They estimated the potential impact of elimination of the most potent risk factors, finding that roughly 35 percent of dementia cases may be attributable to nine modifiable risk factors:
- Early life – Education to age 15.
- Mid-life – Hypertension; Obesity; Hearing loss.
- Later life – Depression; Diabetes; Physical inactivity; Smoking; Low social contact.
Verbal and sensory skills, and emergency hospitalizations, may predict future cognitive function
Research reported at AAIC 2017 shed light on new and expanded risk factors for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's. New data suggests associations between cognitive status in older people and verbal skills, hearing loss, and certain types of hospitalization.
- Researchers found that people with hearing loss were roughly three times as likely to have mild cognitive impairment compared to those with normal hearing. In a separate study, speech content and fluency of study participants with mild cognitive impairment declined faster than those with normal cognition. If these findings are confirmed, hearing loss and speech pattern changes may be valuable in assessing risk for, or the beginnings of, cognitive decline as we age.
- A third study found that older adults may be at higher risk for memory and other cognitive problems after non-elective hospitalizations. These procedures were associated with a roughly 60 percent acceleration in the rate of cognitive decline versus pre-hospital rates. In this study group, elective procedures were not associated with cognitive decline. These findings may have important implications for medical decision-making and care of older adults.
Common sleep problems associated with increased markers of Alzheimer's risk
Several new research analyses at AAIC 2017 found significant associations between sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and the hallmark brain changes of Alzheimer's. Researchers found that, in their study populations, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was associated with increased brain amyloid deposition, decreased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of amyloid (which is thought to indicate increased buildup in the brain) and increased tau protein levels. SDB was associated with accelerated accumulation of brain amyloid both in cognitively normal individuals and people with mild cognitive impairment (data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative). SDB/OSA is a modifiable factor that – with effective treatment – may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and possibly Alzheimer's. More research is needed to test this idea.
Healthy eating habits may preserve cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia
Results from four large population-based studies support a connection between good dietary practices and better cognition in old age. A group of U.S. scientists found that, among nearly 6,000 older adults, those who consistently followed diets long known to contribute to good heart health were also more likely to maintain strong cognitive function in old age. Close adherence to the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet and Mediterranean diet was associated with 30 to 35 percent lower risk of cognitive impairment in healthy older adults. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that people sticking to a Nordic Prudent Dietary Pattern (including non-root vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry and tea) enjoyed better cognitive status. Another study linked unhealthy diet to markers of inflammation, smaller brain volume and worse cognitive performance.
Impact of Amyloid PET on patient management: early results from The IDEAS Study
At AAIC 2017, interim results were presented from the ongoing Imaging Dementia–Evidence for Amyloid Scanning (IDEAS) Study, which is evaluating the utility of brain amyloid PET imaging in a clinical setting. These PET scans are currently not reimbursed by Medicare or private insurance, who have expressed uncertainty about their clinical utility. Researchers reported results assessing changes in patient management (Alzheimer's and other drugs, and counseling by the physician) in nearly 4,000 IDEAS Study participants, who are Medicare beneficiaries age 65+ with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or atypical dementia where there are challenges getting a specific clinical diagnosis. After receiving the PET scan results, changes in medical management were seen in 67.8% of MCI patients, and 65.9% of people with dementia. This suggests that amyloid PET may have a substantial impact on patient management. The IDEAS Study is led by the Alzheimer's Association and managed by the American College of Radiology.
Racial and socioeconomic disparities in dementia risk and incidence
Several studies reported at AAIC 2017 confirm racial inequities in numbers of people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in the U.S. – even after age 90 – and point to growing evidence that stressful life experiences and neighborhood conditions contribute to dementia risk in late life, and disproportionately impact African Americans.
- Researchers from Wisconsin found that a single major stressful event in early life may equal four years of cognitive aging, and African Americans are most at risk – on average, they experience over 60 percent more of such events than Whites over their lifetimes.
- Scientists from Northern California found that African Americans born in the 1920s in states with highest infant mortality had 40 percent higher risk of dementia compared to African Americans not from those states, and 80 percent higher risk compared to Whites not from those states.
- Racial disparities in the risk for new cases of dementia, previously observed in the younger elderly, continue into the oldest-old – age 90+, which is the fastest-growing segment of the population – according to a new study reported at AAIC 2017. Oldest-old African Americans and Latinos had the highest incidence rates compared to Asian Americans and Whites.
Regional shortages of neurologists – Neurology "Deserts" – revealed across the U.S.
Twenty states in the U.S. have been revealed as neurology "deserts," due to a projected chronic shortage of neurologists and a rapid rise in Alzheimer's disease and other dementia cases. Researchers from a digital health startup company created an Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Neurology Desert Index (ANDI), defined as the ratio of neurologists to Alzheimer's/dementia population. Wyoming, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota and Oklahoma were revealed as the five states with the most significant projected gap between available neurology workforce and the health needs of people with dementia. With the continued aging of the population, additional resources, training and education are needed for primary care physicians and caregivers, especially in the identified states.
U.S. National Institute on Aging shares inaugural grants on health disparities in Alzheimer's
At AAIC 2017, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) highlighted new research grants to investigate health disparities in Alzheimer's. According to the Alzheimer's Association's 2017 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, African Americans are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer's as older Whites, and Hispanics are about one-and-a-half times as likely. Yet, these populations are underrepresented in Alzheimer's and dementia research. According to the NIA, "When [research] cohorts are diverse, new pathways that link environmental, sociocultural, behavioral and biological factors can be identified."
Promising early study of blood test to detect amyloid
Research has established that there is a connection between Alzheimer's and the buildup of amyloid protein into plaques in the brain. For a person's dementia symptoms to be caused by Alzheimer's, amyloid plaques must be present. Currently, a PET scan or analysis of cerebrospinal fluid can detect amyloid deposition in the brain. However, there is an urgent need for a simpler, less invasive, less expensive test for amyloid, such as a blood test. At the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2017, researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine presented promising findings from their investigation of a blood biomarker for amyloid in a small study group, plus a validation sample.
About Alzheimer's Association International Conference
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world's largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer's and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer's Association's research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community.
About the Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, provide and enhance care and support for all affected and reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Visit alz.org or call +1 800.272.3900.
We Invite You to Meet the New Klaire Klaire Labs, ProThera and Complementary Prescriptions to Be Unified Under Klaire Labs Brand
Reno, NV (July 7, 2017)— Klaire Labs, parent SFI USA, announced today that its sister brands, ProThera and Complementary Prescriptions will begin a transition to unify under a single brand moving forward: Klaire Labs. As a component of this transition, the company will also introduce a modernized design based on the legacy Klaire logo.
Harmonization of the three originator brands demonstrates the company's renewed commitment to Klaire's founding principles of purity and potency. As such, every product will now be evaluated through the highly discriminating Klaire Labs quality lens.
"Claire Farr founded Klaire Labs at her kitchen table with a dream to create supplements pure enough that highly sensitive individuals like herself could tolerate reliably," said Ilene Buchholz, RN, a former colleague of Claire Farr and current technical education lead for Klaire Labs. "She was truly a humanitarian as well as a consummate entrepreneur dedicated to providing the purest, most potent, pharmacy grade nutraceuticals."
Since the acquisition by Soho Flordis International (SFI) in 2013, the three originating brands in Reno have benefited by both aligned philosophy and significant investment. The newly harmonized Klaire Labs boasts a new, purpose-built, 75,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, along with a renewed commitment to optimized quality processes, advanced formulation expertise, and significantly expanded manufacturing capability.
"We want our practitioners to know that the new facility and unification of brands are only the outward manifestations of our growth," said Jeremy Appleton, ND, Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs. "Internally, these changes are supported by investments in robust and streamlined quality systems, experienced staff, and regulatory and production expertise second to none. There have been some bumps along the way, but we are confident these changes will have the ultimate effect of elevating us far above most companies operating in this channel. Such improvements tangibly support practitioners in their patient care, including a pipeline of new and innovative products."
As a component of the unification, practitioners can expect to see a new, modernized branding with a clear and respectful nod to the legacy Klaire Labs logo and labeling. The refreshed look will begin to surface in late 2017.
For more information and FAQs on the unification of ProThera and Complementary Prescriptions under the Klaire Labs umbrella, to learn the Claire Farr story, and to subscribe to updates on the consolidation, please visit MeetKlaire.com.
About Klaire Labs Klaire Labs has been formulating and manufacturing premium, hypoallergenic supplements sold through healthcare practitioners for nearly half a century. Our mission is to develop and manufacture the purest, most potent nutraceuticals possible, thereby empowering clinicians with consistently reliable performance.
The Joint Commission Introduces Revised Pain Assessment and Management Standards, for Accredited Hospitals, to Include Use of Non-Pharmacologic Treatments and Strategies
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)®, which has long advocated non-pharmacological treatments, commends The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, for their revised pain management standards. The updated standards, effective January 1, 2018, will require Joint Commission accredited hospitals to provide nonpharmacological pain modalities, including acupuncture as one option, by licensed independent practitioners.
"These new guidelines, will help tens of thousands dealing with acute and chronic pain to reduce pain and the risk of opioid addiction," said F. Afua Bromley, Dipl. Ac., (NCCAOM)®, L.Ac., Chair of the NCCAOM Board of Commissioners. "Combined with the May 2017 U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recommendation that healthcare providers be knowledgeable about the range of available non-pharmacological therapies, including acupuncture, as part of a multidisciplinary approach to pain, these updated guidelines will usher in a more comprehensive strategy for pain management."
The Joint Commission's revised requirements were developed through a rigorous research, evaluation and review process. In 2013, Arya Nielsen, Ph.D., Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)°, along with colleagues Ben Kligler, MD, and Marsha Handel, MS, requested a review by The Joint Commissionto require nonpharmacological interventions based on the available evidence. The Joint Commission response was immediate and positive, resulting in the recruitment of panel consultant stakeholder experts, including Dr. Nielsen, to review the pain management language, that culminated in a January 1, 2015 clarification statement. The statement emphasized nonpharmacological therapies were always meant to be included as part of pain strategy options and specified effective evidence-based nonpharmacologic modalities.
In their ongoing response to the opioid crisis and continued calls to make effective therapies available to patients, The Joint Commission's revision mandate, effective January 1, 2018, will now require accredited hospitals to provide nonpharmacological approaches to pain, hire licensed independent practitioners, and provide educational resources and programs to improve pain assessment, pain management and the safe use of opioid medications based on identified needs of its patient population.
"As rates of addiction to, and deaths from, prescription opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone continue to rise, awareness and incorporation of effective, non-pharmacological, non-invasive therapies like acupuncture is more important than ever," said Kory Ward-Cook, Ph.D., CAE, Chief Executive Officer of the NCCAOM. "The NCCAOM Board Commissioners commends The Joint Commission on these timely and crucial pain management standards, which will bring greater and much needed access to qualified licensed acupuncturists to help alleviate and manage pain."
The NCCAOM recognizes Dr. Nielsen, Dr. Kligler, Marsha Handel and the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health, for their persistence in presenting the evidence to The Joint Commission and in requesting a change to the national pain strategy to include nonpharmacologic therapies.
The NCCAOM's mission is to assure the safety and well-being of the public and promote national evidence-based standards of competence. The NCCAOM is the only nationally accredited certification organization that assures entry-level competency for licensed acupuncturists. ™ receive years of education and training in many methods of acupuncture therapies for the treatment of pain, as well as a wide variety of other health conditions.
To learn more about how acupuncture can help with pain management visit the NCCAOM's Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine News and Resource Center. To find an NCCAOM Nationally Board Certified™ practitioner in your area, click on Find a Practitioner at www.nccaom.org.
About NCCAOM®
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)® is a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization established in 1982. NCCAOM is the only national organization that validates entry-level competency in the practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) through professional certification. NCCAOM certification or a passing score on the NCCAOM certification examinations are documentation of competency for licensure as an acupuncturist by 46 states plus the District of Columbia which represents 98% of the states that regulate acupuncture. All NCCAOM certification programs are currently accredited by the National Commission for Certification Agencies (NCCA). To learn more about the NCCAOM and the NCCAOM Academy of Diplomates, and to find an NCCAOM Nationally Board-Certified Acupuncturists™ visit www.nccaom.org.
New MU School of Medicine Partnership with Indian Company Could Help Produce Holistic Medicine Treatments Aimed at Cancer, Arthritis, Diabetes
Ayurvedic medicine (also called Ayurveda) is one of the world's oldest medical systems. Originating in India more than 5,000 years ago, this holistic medicine system uses herbal compounds, special diets and other health care practices to augment conventional preventative and disease treatments. Now, Kattesh Katti, a researcher at the University of Missouri, has developed a non-toxic delivery method using gold nanoparticles that may revolutionize Ayurveda. His technique for producing the nanoparticles recently was licensed by Dhanvantari Nano Ayushadi (DNA), a company base in Tamil Nadu, India.
Ayurveda uses combinations of chemicals derived from natural herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables in combination with various metals including gold, silver and copper. Together, the chemicals and metals are aimed at treating various disorders. Traditional medicine, such as Ayurveda is used by 65–80 percent of the world's population as their primary form of health care, the World Health Organization estimates.
"In the past, metals predominantly used in holistic medicine have been crushed and burned; caregivers grind the ash with herbs to produce an ingestible treatment," said Katti, Curators Distinguished Professor of Radiology and Physics in the MU School of Medicine and the College of Arts and Science and senior research scientist at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR). "However, the ways in which those metals are procured often involve mercury; other toxic means to extract the gold or other alloys can be deadly if ingested in the wrong amounts. The gold nanoparticle production methods use a green technology that effectively eliminates the toxicity associated with these treatments."
Katti and his team helped develop green nanotechnologies to produce phytonano medicines, which are compounds that form the basis for India's Ayurvedic medicine. Scientists mix gold salts with cinnamon and stir the mixture with water to synthesize gold nanoparticles. These green therapies are less toxic to the body and could provide alternatives to current treatments for diseases including cancer, arthritis and diabetes among others.
The technology is patent pending and Kavita Katti, a senior research scientist at MU Radiology, recently demonstrated the production methods in the DNA labs in India, which has licensed the technology from Katti and the University of Missouri.
"These successful production runs within the DNA premises and the efficient training of our personnel fully fulfill the requirements signed in our contract," said Abhaya Kumar Jain, CEO and president of DNA. "We look forward to a long-term working and collaborative relationship with Dr. Katti and his team as we collectively advance the field of nano-Ayurvedic medicine to develop the next generation of health care products for the care and treatment of patients across the world."
"We are therefore, excited to be the first company in the world to apply principles of green nanotechnology to validate Ayurvedic principles and bring nano-Ayurvedic products to market for the care and savings of human lives suffering from cancer and various diseases/disorders in the world," Jain said.
Research and product development using the green nanotechnology techniques developed in Katti's lab will continue at the facility in India. Using Indian Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) guidelines, DNA will continue to test formulations that could provide complementary therapies to chemotherapy, radiation and other traditional treatments, Katti said.
"We are excited that two great minds, Mr. Abhaya Kumar Jain, a pioneer in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, and Professor Kattesh V Katti, globally recognized as the 'Father of green nanotechnology,' have come together to bring nano-Ayurvedic Medicine technology to India," said Anantkumar Hegde, who is an elected member of the Indian Parliament. "This is a marriage made in heaven because India and the world needed the intervention of green nanotechnology for the development of Ayurvedic products through scientifically rigorous methodologies."
"The nano-Ayurvedic medicine approaches are built on rigorous scientifically validated methods," Katti said. "I am excited to be a part of this important journey using nano-Ayurvedic medicine approaches for treating, healing and curing various diseases. I have always dreamed of helping humanity through my science, I can now see that I am able to use my interdisciplinary green nanotechnology approaches for the development of Ayurvedic products."
During the past five years, companies commercializing MU technologies have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in investments and grants to advance their commercialization efforts. In 2016, the Office of Technology Management and Industry Relations reported that Mizzou received $14.9 million in revenue from more than 40 technology licenses.
Editor's Note: Ayurvedic is pronounced: "Ay-ur-VADE-ic"
North America to Remain the Largest Market for Probiotic Supplements
The global probiotic supplements market is projected to register a staggering expansion at 15.4% CAGR through 2027, according to a report by Future Market Insights (FMI). FMI's report estimates the revenue amassed from global sales of probiotics to account for US$ 3,716.4 Mn in 2017. These revenues are further estimated to reach US$ 17,442.7 Mn by 2027-end.
Increasing Consumption of Antibiotics to Drive Growth of the Global Probiotics Supplements Market
Increasing consumption of antibiotics across the globe has resulted into imbalance of microbiota among individuals, and lowered the bacterial diversity as well as overall bacterial count in the gut. This has been propelling demand for probiotic supplements in order to cater additional supplementation of friendly bacteria in the body of individuals who consume excess antibiotics. Probiotic supplements are also helping patients with vaginal and urinary tract infections. These factors are expected to fuel growth of the global probiotic supplements market. In addition, factors such as usage of probiotics in infants or kids associated with C-section delivery, increasing incidences of stomach indigestion in kids, and health benefits of probiotic supplements are expected to drive demand for probiotic supplements.
Request a Sample Report with Table of Contents and Figures: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-613
Limited Availability of Probiotic Supplements in Developing Countries to Impede Growth of the Market
However, there is a limited availability of probiotic supplements in developing countries. Medical practitioners in these countries therefore have limited knowledge and awareness about probiotic supplements. Although manufacturers of probiotic supplements are taking huge steps in increasing awareness about associated benefits, consumers have not been reciprocating at similar threshold. Factors such as these are expected to impede growth of the global probiotic supplements market.
In a bid to foster a better understanding of the global probiotic supplements market, the report offers market forecast & analysis on
- Women- Lactobacillus bacteria is expected to remain dominant based on bacteria type, with over 50% share of the market. By formulation, sales of powder premixes will register highest CAGR in the market, while sales of capsules will reach US$ 946 Mn in 2017. Based on function, urogenital health will account for largest revenues by 2027-end, expanding at 19.9% CAGR through 2027. Pharmacy stores will remain preferred distribution channel, with sales estimated to reach US$ 851 Mn in 2017. North America will remain the largest market for probiotic supplements during the forecast period.
- Kids- By bacteria, revenue amassed from bifidobacterium is anticipated to reach US$ 256 Mn in 2017. Based on formulation, sales of tablets are projected to register the highest 16.3% CAGR, to reach nearly US$ 1,400 Mn in revenues by 2027-end. Hypermarket/supermarket will be the fastest growing distribution channel in the market, with sales expected to surpass US$ 1,000 Mn by 2027-end. Western Europe is expected to register a relatively high CAGR in the market through 2027.
- Senior- Streptococcus is expected to register a relatively low CAGR in the market based on bacteria type. By formulation, sales of capsules are estimated to reach nearly US$ 1,700 Mn by 2027-end. Specialty stores are expected to be the fastest growing distribution channel in the market. North America will continue to be the most-lucrative region for probiotic supplements in the global market.
Preview Analysis on Global Probiotic Supplements Market Segmentation By End Use - Women (((By Function - Immunity & Digestive Health, Urogenital Health) Pregnancy, Weight Management)); By Form - Tablet, Capsules, Liquid, Powder Premixes; Seniors - (By Formulation - Tablet, Capsules, Liquid, Powder Premixes); Kids - (By Form - Powder Premixes, Tablets), Liquid & Gels; Distribution Channel - Hypermarket/ Supermarket, Speciality Stores, e-Commerce, Pharmacy Stores; Bacteria - Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/probiotic-supplements-for-kids-market
Among the above mentioned segments, global revenues generated from sales of probiotics for women are expected to remain highest, expanding at 18.1% CAGR through 2027. Probiotic supplements for women are anticipated to account for over 50% share of the global probiotic supplements market during the forecast period.
Key market players identified in FMI's report include Church & Dwight Co. Inc., DR. WILLMAR SCHWABE GROUP, The Clorox Company, i-Health, Inc., Jarrow Formulas, NOVA Probiotics, Natural Factors Inc., PharmaCare Laboratories, Total Nutrition, Inc., BioGaia AB, Lifeway Foods, Inc.
More from FMI's Cutting-edge Intelligence:
- Infant Formula Market Segmentation By Product Type - Starting Milk Formula, Follow-On Milk Formula, Toddler's Milk Formula and Special Milk Formula; By Distribution Channel - Specialty Outlets, Supermarkets, Online Stores, Chemist/Pharmacist/Drugstore and Others: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/infant-formula-market
- Processed Superfruits Market Segmentation By Form - Liquid, Frozen, Powder, Canned; By Application - Food, Beverages, Cosmetics: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/processed-superfruits-market
- Fruit Concentrate Puree Market Segmentation By Product Type - With Sugar, No Added Sugar; By Fruit Family - Berry Fruit (Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry), Citrus Fruit (Orange, Lemon), Exotic Fruit (Banana, Apple, Mango, Melon, Pineapple, Coconut, Tomato), Orchard Fruit (Apricot, Peach, Pear); By Application - Food (Baby Foods, Dairy & Frozen Products, Bakery & Confectionary and Others), Beverage And Juice (Alcoholic Beverages, Smoothies & Snack Drinks and Others): http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/global-fruit-concentrates-puree-market
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Internal Medicine Physician Launches FoodTherapyMD
New Online Community Educates Public on Plant-Based Nutritional Protocols
Stacy Mitchell Doyle, MD, a UCLA-trained, board-certified, internal medicine physician with nearly 20 years in private practice, has launched a new online community, FoodTherapyMD. This web-based educational resource is designed to help patients improve their overall health through evidence-based, plant-centric nutrition education. Many who suffer from chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, strokes, as well as those with a cancer diagnosis, are looking for complementary and alternative treatments. FoodTherapyMD is a platform that supports this urgent need for a more holistic approach to health.
The brainchild of Dr. Stacy (as she is known by her patients), FoodTherapyMD hatched as an expression of her frustration with a medical system that focuses on treating symptoms rather than causes.
"I witnessed pharmaceutical side-effects like dizziness, weakness, kidney and liver failure impact patients' overall health dramatically. For example, dizziness from blood pressure medications would lead to a fall, which led to a broken hip and then surgery and then infection, and so on. And the actual cause of the high blood pressure wasn't even addressed. I thought, this is madness! There has to be a better way to heal and treat patients," stated Dr. Stacy. "This experience, and one with a patient I was treating for a failing liver, who was ultimately removed from the transplant list after working with a nutritionist on a plant-based diet, were the tipping point for my pursuit of an alternative to pharmaceutical-driven healthcare."
Armed with a desire to treat the underlying inflammatory cause of disease and not just symptoms, Dr. Stacy focused on ways to utilize plant-based nutrition to improve health and longevity for patients. Just as doctors prescribe drugs for specific illnesses, a nutritional prescription should carry the same specificity, but without the side effects experienced through pharmaceuticals.
"Medical education in the United States supports a growing dependency on pharmaceuticals to treat illness. These corporate influences start the very first day of medical school, and while pharmaceuticals may have a place in treatment, they should never be the first or only tool in a physicians' tool kit," stated Dr. Stacy. "Physicians are not trained in the relationship between food and health and the opportunity to use nutrition to prevent illness and even reverse disease. FoodTherapyMD is my solution to offering a sustainable path to health using evidence-based nutritional medicine," she added.
Plant foods contain thousands of compounds that have been shown to both prevent illness and reverse disease. Dr. Stacy began to treat her patients using plant-based nutritional protocols that focused on the inflammatory basis of disease combined with the healing, anti-inflammatory properties of whole plant foods. Her patients' results have been remarkable.
FoodTherapyMD recommends that you consult with your physician before discontinuing any drugs and treatments. People interested in making nutritional decisions for long-term health goals as well as those currently suffering from chronic illness are invited to visit www.foodtherapymd.com to find out more about treating disease with food and nutrition. You can also connect with Dr. Stacy at FoodTherapyMD through popular social media channels and engage in chats and ongoing conversations.
About Dr. Stacy and FoodTherapyMD.com