Overview:

Siberian ginseng is a native of eastern Russia, northern China and Japan. It is a small woody shrub that grows 3-10 feet tall. The leaves are palm-shaped and attach to the trunk by a long stem. The leaves and stems are covered with thorns. Flowers of either yellow or violet grow in umbrella shaped clusters. These flowers turn into small black berries. Siberian ginseng is grown for its roots which are woody, and twisted. Siberian ginseng has been used in Chinese medicine for over 2000 years. It is valued for its ability to help the body combat physical, mental and environmental stress. It is also used to treat bronchitis, infections, and improve concentration. Studies done by the Russians in the 1950’s confirmed what traditional Chinese medicine already knew. Siberian ginseng is widely used in Russia to increase endurance, improve concentration and enhance their performance.

Active ingredients:

• Eleutherosides
• Polysaccharides
• Saponins
• Beta-sitosterol

Traditional uses:

The traditional uses of Siberian ginseng are:

• Bronchitis
• Antioxidant
• Anti aging
• Endurance
• Fatigue
• Infections
• Immune system enhancement
• tonic

Clinical uses:

Most of what we know about Siberian ginseng came from studies conducted in Russia. These Russian studies supported Siberian ginseng’s ability to strengthen the body and help the body deal with physical and mental stressful exposures such as heat, cold, physical exhaustion, infections, noise and pollution. There is some indication that Siberian ginseng strengthens the immune system in order to be better able to combat viral and bacterial infections. Studies have even shown that the use of this herb reduced the frequency, severity and duration of Herpes simplex II outbreaks. Siberian ginseng is popular with body builders and athletes for its ability to increase their endurance. It has also been found helpful in improving the memory and concentrations of middle aged volunteers compared to a placebo.

Recommended Dosage:

Pediatric

Siberian ginseng is not recommended for use in children

Adult

• 500 to 3,000mg of dried herb in a tea or capsule per day
• Tincture (1:5) in 30% ethanol: take 2 to 12ml daily

Siberian ginseng should not be taken on a continous basis. To increase stamina and endurance it is recommended to take it for one month and then take one month off. To treat symptoms of fatigue it should be taken for 3 months followed by 2-3 weeks off.

Contra-indications:

• Siberian ginseng should not be taken by women who are pregnant or nursing.
• People who have high blood pressure should avoid siberian ginseng
• People who suffer from narcolepsy and sleep apnea should avoid it as well

• High blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Drowsiness
• Irregular heart beat
• Nosebleeds
• Vomiting and headaches

Siberian ginseng should be taken before 3pm to avoid insomnia.

Drug interactions:

If you are taking the following medications, check with your health care practitioner before taking Siberian ginseng.

• Digoxin as Siberian ginseng may cause a rise the blood levels of this drug and increase the risk of adverse effects.
• Sedatives for insomnia, especially barbiturates.

Web References:

1. Kroger
2. iBiblio
3. Flora Health
4. UMM.edu

1. Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs. Boston, Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 1998:124-125.
2. Bucci LR. Selected herbals and human exercise performance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;72(suppl):624S-636S.
3. Fugh-Berman A. Herb-drug interactions. Lancet. 2000;355:134-138.
4. Glatthaar-Saalmuller B, Sacher F, Esperester A. Antiviral activity of an extract derived from roots of Eleutherococcus senticosus. Antiviral Res. 2001;50(3):223-8.
5. Gyllenhaal C, Merritt SL, Peterson SD, Block KI, Gochenour T. Efficacy and safety of herbal stimulants and sedatives in sleep disorders. Sleep Med Rev. 2000;4(2):229-251.
6. Harkey MR, Henderson GL, Gershwin ME, Stern JS, Hackman RM. Variability in commercial ginseng products: an analysis of 25 preparations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;73:1101-1106.
7. Kelly GS. Nutritional and botanical interventions to assist with the adaptation to stress. Alt Med Rev. 1999;4(4):249-265.
8. Koren G, Randor S, Martin S, Danneman D. Maternal ginseng use associated with neonatal androgenization [letter]. JAMA. 1990;264(22):2866.
9. McRae S. Elevated serum digoxin levels in a patient taking digoxin and Siberian ginseng. Can Med Assoc J. 1996;155:293–295.
10. Miller LG. Herbal medicinals: selected clinical considerations focusing on known or potential drug-herb interactions. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158(20):2200–2211.
11. Newall CA, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal Medicines: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. London, England: The Pharmaceutical Press; 1996:141-144.
12. Ott BR, Owens NJ. Complementary and alternative medicines for Alzheimer's disease. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 1998;11:163-173.
13. Pizzorno JE, Murray MT, eds. Textbook of Natural Medicine. New York, NY: Churchill-Livingstone; 1999:433-434;531-532;713-717;1385-1386.
14. Sinclair S. Male infertility: nutritional and environmental considerations. Alt Med Rev. 2000;5(1):28-38.
15. Vogler BK, Pittler MH, Ernst E. The efficacy of ginseng. A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1999;55:567-575.
16. White L, Mavor S. Kids, Herbs, Health. Loveland, Colo: Interweave Press; 1998:22, 40.
17. Williams M. Immuno-protection against herpes simplex type II infection by eleutherococcus root extract. Int J Alt Comp Med. 1995;13:9-12.
18. Winther K, Ranlov C, Rein E, Mehlsen J. Russian root (Siberian ginseng) improves cognitive functions in middle-aged people, whereas Ginkgo biloba seems effective only in the elderly. J Neurol Sci. 1997;150:S90.
19. Wong AHC, Smith M, Boon HS. Herbal remedies in psychiatric practice. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55:1033-1044. Review Date: April 2002

Overview:

Suma is a rambling shrubby ground vine with an extensive root system. It is native to the Amazon basin, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. It has been used for 300 years in the Amazon for a variety of ailments. Para todo as it is called there can be translated to mean “for all things”.

Active ingredients:

Nutritional

• 19 amino acids
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Other trace minerals

• Beta-ecdysterone
• Saponins
• Pfaffic acid
• Glycosides
• nortriterpenes

• A general tonic
• Aphrodisiac
• Increasing stamina and endurance
• The treatment of ulcers
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Skin conditions

Clinical uses:

Suma has been used in South America for 300 years, but it is little is known outside of its native habitat. Suma is not approved as a medication by the Food and Drug Administration, but a number of beneficial effects are beginning to be reported.

• Russian athletes use suma to enhance their performance
• It is showing promise in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, ulcers and anxiety.

Recommended Dosage:

Adult

• Decoction (a strong tea): boil 10rams of the dried root in a quart of water. This should be divided and taken throughout the day.
• Powdered extract (capsules): take 2-4grams of herb divided into 3 doses and take throughout the day.

• Suma contains a significant amount of plant sterols. These steroids may have estrogenic properties. Women who have estrogen positive cancers should avoid taken suma.
• There have been reports of allergic reactions to the powder if inhaled
• Suma is reported to cause gastrointestinal disturbances.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consult a health care provider before using suma.

Drug interactions:

None reported

Web References:

1. Answers.com
2. Rain Tree.com

Printed Reference Material:

1. Foster, Steven and Varro E. Tyler. Tyler's Honest Herbal. Binghampton, NY: Haworth Herbal Press, 1999.

Blocks the production of DHT and reduces urination difficulties.

Common Name: Selenium

Overview:

Selenium is not only a metal but also an essential trace mineral in human nutrition. This mineral is incorporated into proteins and forms selenoproteins. These proteins are important antioxidant enzymes. Selenoproteins help to prevent cellular damage from free radicals (free radicals are natural by products of cellular metabolism) that are ultimately responsible for many chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and other illness that become more common as we age.

Selenium is found in plants and animals. The selenium content of plants is dependant on the amount of selenium in the soils where they are grown. The selenium content of animals used as a source of meat is dependant on the selenium content of the plants on which these animals feed. Researchers have found that the soils in Nebraska and the Dakotas are high in selenium. People who live in this region have been found to have the highest selenium intake in the United States.

The soils in some parts of Russia and China have very low levels of this mineral in their soils. In this part of the world, selenium deficiencies are very common. Keshans disease, endemic in China where the soils are selenium poor, is a cardiomyopathy caused by a selenium deficiency. Kashins-Beck or “big joint disease” is a form of osteoarthropathy that is again found in areas of China, Tibet, Siberia, and North Korea. All these areas have soil that is very poor in selenium.

Selenium has antioxidant activity. Studies are showing that selenium may also have anticancer properties, antiatherogenic properties as well as the ability to strengthen the immune system. Selenium may also have the ability to detoxify some metals and compounds that are poisonous to humans.

Benefits

While a deficiency in selenium can lead to: cardiomyopathies, ischemic heart disease, and an increased risk of cancer. Selenium supplements have been shown to:

• Protect against certain forms of cancer. Low dietary intake of selenium has been linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer including lung, colorectal, skin and prostate. Studies in vitro (in the test tube) as well as animals and humans are showing that selenium supplementation protects against some forms of cancer.

Studies to date are showing that low selenium levels are not, in and of themselves, carcinogenic. Instead low selenium levels increase the susceptibility to the development of tumors. Low selenium status has been linked to poorer outcomes in those with cancer has been found in some studies.

A large well-controlled study that took place between 1983 and 1993 investigated the benefits of selenium supplementation. Participants in that study who took 200mcg daily (this was supplied by a brewer’s yeast with a high selenium level) showed a significantly lowered mortality from cancer. The mortality rate in those who took the supplements was 53% less that the control group. Although the rate of basal and squamous skin cell carcinomas was not affected, the incidence of lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers were greatly reduced. A similar study done in China took place over 4 years. The outcome of this study was similar. Those who took 200mcg of selenium had a reduced rate of primary liver cancer (cancer that develops first in the liver).

There has been much speculation that selenium in large doses may effectively tread some established cancers. A large study by the American Cancer Society is now underway.

1. Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Diminished selenium levels have been associated with an increased risk of suffering a heart attack. Because selenium has antioxidant properties, it has shown to be able to protect against free radiacal damage to blood vessels. This damage leads to atheromatous plaque build up and hardening of the arteries. The ability of selenium to prevent the clumping of platelets, inhibit the production of bad cholesterol, and inhibit the formation of the inflammatory producing prostaglandins are also linked to its ability to prevent heart attacks.
2. Be essential in the maintenance of a health immune system. When there is not enough selenium in the body, normally benign (viruses that cause no illness) viruses can transform into ones that can cause disease. Studies have shown that selenium plays an important role in T-cells as well as natural killer cells. The T-cell response to infection is enhanced in the presence of selenium supplementation. The antioxidant properties of selenium protects the cells of the immune system from free radical damage. One study showed that selenium supplements help in the incidence of hepatitis-B-hepatoma (LOOK THIS UP). The level of selenium in the body is predicative of the survival time in those infected with AIDS.
3. Supplemental selenium can help protect against Kashin-Beck Disease, a form of arthritis that is common in selenium deficient areas of China. Preliminary evidence links selenium and vitamin E to the alleviation of the pain and morning stiffness associated with arthritis.
4. Supplemental selenium is helpful in protecting against the adverse side affects of being exposed to UV-radiation. In studies with mice, a significant reduction the development and mortality from skin cancers caused by exposure to UV radiation was seen.

Dietary Sources

	Seafood		Brazil Nuts
	Salmon		Beef
	Pork		Chicken
Brown Rice

Recommended Dosage:

Typical dosage for selenium supplementation range from 50-200mcg (micrograms daily).

Contra-indications

Selenium intake less than 900mcg daily are not likely to cause any adverse reactions. The most common symptoms of selenium toxicity are hair and nail brittleness and loss. Other symptoms include skin rash, a garlic odor to the breath, fatigue, irritability, nausea and vomiting..

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid selenium intake greater than 60-70mcg daily and consult a health care provider before using selenium

Drug interactions

There is no known reaction reported with any drugs.

However, taking vitamin C and selenium together may decrease the absorption of selenium while taking selenium with vitamin E may increase the effective of both selenium and vitamin E.

Web References

1. http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium.asp
2. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/selenium/

Printed Reference Material

1. Alaejos MS, Romero FJD, Romero CD. Selenium and cancer: some nutritional aspects. Nutrition. 2000; 16:376-383.
2. Beck MA, Shi Q, Morris VC, Levander OA. Rapid genomic evolution of a non-virulent Coxsackievirus B3 in selenium-deficient mice results in selection of identical virulent strains. Nature Med. 1995; 5:433-436.
3. Berry MJ, Banu L, Larsen PR. Type I iodothyronine deiodinase is a selenocysteine-containing enzyme. Nature. 1991; 349:438-440.
4. Burk RF, ed. Selenium in Biology and Human Health. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag; 1994.
5. Burk RF, Levander OA. Selenium. In: Shils ME, Olson JA, Shike M, Ross AC, eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins; 1999:265-276.
6. Clark LC, Combs GF Jr, Turnbull BW, et al. Effects of selenium supplementation for cancer prevention in patients with carcinoma of the skin. JAMA. 1996; 276:1957-1963.
7. Colditz GA. Selenium and cancer prevention. Promising results indicate further trials required (editorial). JAMA. 1996; 276:1984-1985.
8. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2000.
9. Dworkin BM. Selenium deficiency in HIV infection and the acquried immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Chem Biol Interact. 1994; 91:181-186.
10. Fleet JC. Dietary selenium repletion may reduce cancer incidence in people at high risk who live in areas with low soil selenium. Nutr Rev. 1997; 55:277-279.
11. Hendler SS. Micronutrition: vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. In: Newcomer VD, Young EM, eds. Geriatric Dermatology. Clinical Diagnosis and Practical Therapy. New York and Tokyo: Igaku-Shoin; 1989:365-393.
12. Huttunen JK. Selenium and cardiovascular diseases -- an update. Biomed Environ Sci. 1997; 10:220-226.
13. Ip C, Thompson HJ, Zhu HJ, Ganther HE. In vitro and in vivo studies of methylseleninic acid: evidence that a monomethylated selenium metabolite is critical for cancer chemoprevention. Cancer Res. 2000; 60:2882-2886.
14. Ip C, Zhu Z, Thompson HJ, et al. Chemoprevention of mammary cancer with Se-allylselenocysteine and other selenoaminoacids in the rat. Anticancer Res. 1999; 19(4B):2875-2880.
15. Ip C. Lessons from basic research in selenium and cancer prevention. J Nutr. 1998; 128:1845-1854.
16. Ip C. Interaction of vitamin C and selenium supplementation in the modification of mammary carcinogenesis in rats. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1986; 77:299-303.
17. Jiang C, Jiang W, Ip C, et al. Selenium-induced inhibition of angiogenesis in mammary cancer at chemopreventive levels of intake. Mol Carcinog. 1999; 26:213-225.
18. Kardinaal AF, Kok FJ, Kohlmeier L, et al. Association between toenail selenium and risk of acute myocardial infarction in European men. The EURAMIC Study. European Antioxidant Myocardial Infarction and Breast Cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 1997; 145:373-379.
19. Kohrle J. Thyroid hormone deiodinases — a selenoenzyme family acting as gate keepers to thyroid hormone action. Acta Med Austriaca. 1996; 23:17-30.
20. Low SC, Berry MJ. Knowing when not to stop: selenocysteine incorporation in eukaryotes. Trends Biochem Sci. 1996; 21:203-208.
21. Moreno-Reyes R, Suetens C, Mathieu F, et al. Kashin-Beck osteoarthropathy in rural Tibet in relation to selenium and iodine status. N Eng J Med. 1998; 339:1112-1120.
22. Mukhopadhyay-Sardar S, Rana MP, Chatterjee M. Antioxidant associated chemoprevention by selenomethionine in murine tumor model. Mol Cellul Biochem. 2000; 206:17-25.
23. Olmsted L, Schrauzer GN, Flores-Arce M, Dowd J. Selenium supplementation of symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus infected patients. Biol Trace Elem Res. 1989; 20:59-65.
24. Reilly C. Selenium: a new entrant into the functional food arena. Trends Food Sci Technol. 1998; 9:114-118.
25. Schrauzer GN. Selenomethionine: a review of its nutritional significance, metabolism and toxicity. J Nutr. 2000; 130:1653-1656.
26. Scott R, MacPherson A, Yates RWS, et al. The effect of oral selenium supplementation on human sperm motility. J Urol. 1998; 82:76-80.
27. Selenium Intoxication-New York. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly. 1984; Report 33, No.12:157-158.
28. Suadicani P, Hein HO, Gyntelberg F. Serum selenium concentration and risk of ischaemic heart disease in a prospective cohort study of 3,000 males. Atherosclerosis. 1992; 96:33-42.
29. Ursini F, Heim S, Kiess M, et al. Dual function of the selenoprotein PHGPx during sperm maturation. Science. 1999; 285:1393-1396.
30. Yang G, Wang S, Zhou R, Sun S. Endemic selenium intoxication of humans in China. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988; 37:872-881.
31. Yu MW, Horng IS, Hsu KH, et al. Plasma selenium levels and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among men with chronic virus infection. Am J Epidemiol. 1999; 150:367-374.
32. Yu SY, Zhu YJ, Li WG. Protective role of selenium against hepatitis B virus and primary

Shilajit helps to reduce sugar in the urine, helps promote regeneration of pancreatic cells, and helps to reduce oxidative stress.

May help lower cholesterol by binding chemically with the cholesterol and helping to move it through the blood vessels. It may also improve memory, muscle control, and brain function.

Beneficial for our entire digestive tract. Also can help with the nervous system, arthritis, groin pain, fatigue, swollen limbs, abnormal blood pressure, and headaches. Is more easily absorbed by the body when in powder form.

Could enhance the immune system. May inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Has more complete protein per ounce than many other foods.

A natural sweetener that does not contain sugar so it allows the body to regulate the blood's sugar levels naturally.

Used to relieve the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Counters hormonal changes leading to prostate swelling and relieves the constant urge to urinate.

Suntheanine is a patented, pure, enzymatically-produced L-theanine produced by Taiyo Kagaku in Japan. L-theanine is an amino acid found in the leaves of green tea. Research on humans has demonstrated that L-theanine creates a sense of relaxation in approximately 30-40 minutes after ingestion.