October 07, 2005

At first glance, a National Library of Medicine search shows literature suggesting increased bleeding time with Ginkgo biloba. This is of extreme concern to many, including macula degeneration patients. However, almost all titles listed are anecdotal letters to journals, not evidence-based science. The well-meaning letters almost never address the amount of Ginkgo the bleeding patient was taking, nor do most of the published letters include a list of the other prescription and OTC medications the patient with a bleed was ingesting.

September 30, 2005

Ocular allergy can be broadly classified into four disease subcategories: seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC), perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC), vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), and atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC). It is estimated that over 20% of the general population suffers from some form of ocular allergy. Of those, over 90% have SAC, PAC, or both.

September 16, 2005

In keeping with their commitment to provide up-to-date and useful information to macular degeneration patients and their families, the non-profit foundations that make up the International AMD Alliance are sponsoring the first AMD Awareness Internet Conference during AMD Awareness Month 2005. The conference dates are Sept 22nd -24th.

September 09, 2005

Age Related Macula Degeneration seems to result from cumulative oxidative damages suggesting that antioxidants can exert a protective effect against this pathology. A recently published peer-reviewed study suggests that serum levels of the carotenoid lycopene decrease in AMD patients, while serum levels of lutein and zeaxanthin do not. This study suggests that it takes a village of carotenoids to properly protect the macula.

September 02, 2005

It is most appropriate for the Biosyntrx research team to use the Labor Day weekend Friday Pearl to honor Dr. Betty Kamen, a member of our Scientific Advisory Board, for her half century of labor and outstanding contributions to the field of nutrition education. Betty recently celebrated her 80th birthday. She is living proof that insatiable curiosity (academic and otherwise), good nutrition, commitment to family, fitness, and the work you love, can be the key to looking beautifully radiant and feeling good at every age.

August 26, 2005

Dietary supplements have an extraordinarily safe usage history. In the United States, close to half of the population takes herbal or nutritional supplements every day. Andrew Saul, PhD, nutritionist and former health science and biology professor at State University of New York (SUNY) suggests that this amounts to over 145,000,000 individual daily doses, for a total of just under 53 billion doses annually. The most elementary of forensic arguments to the much publicized CODEX-FDA call for tighter controls on the supplement industry is - where are the bodies?

August 19, 2005

Folate deficiency can affect the health of the eyes. It is also one of the nutrients associated with hyperhomocysteinemia, a term denoting excessive extracellular amounts of the amino acid homocysteine; a byproduct resulting from sluggish metabolism of the amino acids methionine and cysteine within the body. The efficiency of this metabolic process is dependent on the enzymatic reaction of the B vitamins: folate, B12 and B6.

August 12, 2005

The untimely death of Peter Jennings from cigarette smoking related lung cancer suggests the need to discuss the increased risk factor for several eye diseases in those who smoke; including macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, optic neuropathy and neuritis, and dry eyes. Cigarette smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of death and disability in developed countries and it is one of our most significant public health concerns. The literature strongly suggests that ischemic, toxic, and oxidative effect of cigarette smoking plays an important role in damaging all ocular tissue.

July 28, 2005

Conflicting Age-Related Macula Degeneration studies published in the past 60 days by reputable journals add fuel to the AMD inflammation fires. Recent studies published in Archives of Ophthalmology and The American Journal of Ophthalmology support differing points of view.

July 22, 2005

A number of recently published studies suggest that Statin drugs may be appropriate to control the endothelial inflammatory process associated with a number of chronic diseases of the eye, including glaucoma and macular degeneration. Goodman and Gilman's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, states: "Any drug, no matter how trivial its therapeutic actions, has the potential to do major harm." Statin drugs are not trivial.