Newsletter v2n13

"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it." Chinese Proverb.

The DOCTOR YOURSELF NEWSLETTER Vol 2, No 13 May 5, 2002 "Free of charge, free of advertising, and free of the A.M.A." Written by Andrew Saul, PhD. of http://www.doctoryourself.com , a free online library of over 350 natural healing articles with nearly 4,000 scientific references. NIACINAMIDE CURE FOR ARTHRITIS The world was still deep in the Great Depression when William Kaufman, MD, PhD had already begun treating osteoarthritis with two to four grams of niacinamide daily. Now, over 60 years later, his pioneering work in orthomolecular medicine is receiving the recognition it so well deserves.

In a 1978 radio interview with Carlton Fredericks, Dr. Kaufman told of how "I had one patient who was so severely arthritic that I could not bend his elbows enough to measure his blood pressure. He was one of my first patients. I gave him niacinamide for a week in divided doses, and then he could bend his arm. I took him off it and gave him a look-alike medicine (placebo). In a week he was back where he was before: his joints were stiff again.

"I arrived at my (megavitamin B-3 dosage) schedule by actually seeing the response of patients with varying degrees of arthritis. One cannot give a single large dose and get any really favorable results in arthritis... It is necessary to divide the doses so that the blood levels of niacinamide would be fairly uniform throughout the waking day."

Kaufman's findings were both plain and elegant. The greater the stiffness, the more frequent the doses. Severely crippled arthritic patients needed up to a total of 4,000 mg/day. Divided into 10 doses per day, in one to three months, patients could now get out of their chair, or bed. "If continued, they would be able comb their hair and be able to walk upstairs, so they would no longer be prisoners of the house. By the end of about three years treatment, they would be fully ambulatory, and this was even in the older age groups."

After being out of print for over half a century, Dr. Kaufman's detailed clinical experience treating arthritis with megadoses of niacinamide has been posted in its entirety at http://www.doctoryourself.com and is freely available for online reading.

Special features of Dr. Kaufman's book include highly specific niacinamide dosage information applicable to both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, along with the doctor's meticulous case notes for hundreds of patients, and some remarkably prescient observations on the antidepressant-antipsychotic properties of niacinamide. Kaufman, whom his widow has described as a conservative physician, nevertheless was the first to prescribe as much as 5,000 mg niacinamide daily, in many divided doses, to improve range of joint motion.

Special thanks are due to Mrs. Charlotte Kaufman for her kind permission in making this important work freely available to the public once more. She also sent me these notes written by Dr. Kaufman not long before his death:

"The (more frequent) 250 mg dose of niacinamide is 40 to 50 % more effective in the treatment of arthritis than the (less frequent) 500 mg. dose. In my paper (J. Amer Geriat. Society, 3:927-936, 1955) I noted that niacinamide (alone or combined with other vitamins) in a thousand patient-years of use has caused no adverse side effects.

"Please keep in mind niacinamide is a systemic therapeutic agent. It measurably improves joint mobility, muscle strength, decreases fatigability. It increases maximal muscle working capacity, reduces or completely eliminates arthritic joint pain.

"Some joints are so injured by the arthritic process that no amount of niacinamide therapy will cause improvement in joint mobility, but it takes three months of niacinamide therapy before you can conclude this, since some joints are slow to heal."

EXCERPTS from Dr. Kaufman's book: "Theoretically, optimal nutrition must be continuously available to bodily tissues to ensure the best possible structure and function of tissues. While we do not know what constitutes optimal nutrition, it has been demonstrated empirically that even persons eating a good or excellent diet according to present-day standards exhibit measurable impairment in ranges of joint movement which tends to be more severe with increasing age (see page 153). It has also been demonstrated that when such persons supplement their good or excellent diets with adequate amounts of niacinamide, there is, in time, measurable improvement in ranges of joint movement, regardless of the patients' ages. In general, the extent of recovery from joint dysfunction of any given degree of severity depends largely on the duration of adequate niacinamide therapy." (p 24)

"Whenever a patient taking the amounts of niacinamide prescribed by the physician, and eating a good or excellent diet, fails to make satisfactory improvement in his Joint Range Index, in the absence of excessive mechanical joint injury the niacinamide schedule must be revised upward to that level which permits satisfactory improvement. Failure of the patient to take niacinamide as directed will result in failure to improve at a satisfactory rate." (p 25)

Chapter Overview of THE COMMON FORM OF JOINT DYSFUNCTION

CHAPTER I http://www.doctoryourself.com/kaufman6.html (This chapter presents Dr. Kaufman's protocol for the treatment of arthritis with niacinamide, vitamin B-3. He also used ascorbic acid (vitamin C), thiamin (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), all in large doses. His rationale and his measurement methods begin the chapter, but one may wish to scroll down to the section on dosage ("Methods of Treatment") and read that first. The chapter closes with case histories and an insightful, practical discussion of patient management.)

CHAPTER 2 http://www.doctoryourself.com/kaufman7.html (Dr. Kaufman now discusses physical and psychological stresses, allergy, posture, obesity and other factors that may interact or interfere with niacinamide megavitamin therapy for arthritis.)

CHAPTER 3 http://www.doctoryourself.com/kaufman8.html (Dr. Kaufman's practical recommendations for case management are summarized in this short chapter.)

CHAPTER 4 http://www.doctoryourself.com/kaufman9.html Analysis of Clinical Data (Dr. Kaufman kept meticulous patient records that support megavitamin therapy with niacinamide. This 42-page chapter of statistical analysis contains 53 charts, tables, and graphs, which are not reproduced online. They are to be seen in the original book, which is available through interlibrary loan, or from the address below.)

CHAPTER 5 http://www.doctoryourself.com/kaufman10.html (Dr. Kaufman, writing in 1949, shows remarkable foresight half a century into the future of orthomolecular medicine. In this chapter, he describes how the lack of a single nutrient can cause diverse diseases; the need for a new way of looking at arthritis, and reviews his treatment and what level of success to expect.)

Bibliography http://www.doctoryourself.com/kaufman11.html (The book contains 248 references.)

If you would like to own a mint-condition, hardcover copy of the extremely rare, original 1949 edition of The Common Form of Joint Dysfunction (194 pages plus references), you may obtain one directly from Charlotte S. Kaufman, 3180 Grady Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27104, USA. The price is $95.00, including shipping and handling within the USA. International orders: Canada: US $99.00 including shipping and handling. Overseas addresses: US $108.00 includes air mail delivery.

Advance reservations are recommended by e-mail to cskaufman1@earthlink.net (I have no financial connection with the sale of this book, and it is not available from me.)

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS and VITAMIN C When I tell people that Frederick Robert Klenner, MD was arresting or even reversing multiple sclerosis with vitamin megadoses back in the 1950's and '60's, they do not easily believe me. And who in their right mind would? A MS patient in a wheelchair, perhaps. Like the one who was wheeled into my office one day by his private RN.

I shared the details of Dr. Klenner's protocol with them. They went home and did it. It worked. In little over two weeks, the man was out of his wheelchair, walking with a walker or cane. It was beautiful to see.

Why did it work? Because Dr. Klenner's experience in treating MS taught him to understand it as a vitamin deficiency disease.

MS AND VITAMIN B-1 Let's consider thiamin (vitamin B-1) and one oddball disease, beriberi. Beriberi has been a problem for centuries in impoverished countries. It is a disease of the peripheral nervous system. Beriberi, a description of nutritional exhaustion, literally means "I can't, I can't." It results in pain (neuritis) and paralysis, swelling and anemia, decreased liver function and wasting away. Note, please, the wide variety of symptoms.

And no drug on earth, then or now, can cure it.

Continued deficiency of thiamin is very grave. Unchecked, beriberi is fatal. But a long-standing inadequate, marginal, or minimal thiamin supply may cause severe neurological effects, most significantly nerve irritation, diminished reflex response, prickly or deadening sensations, pain, damage to or degeneration of myelin sheaths the fatty nerve cell insulation material, and ultimately paralysis.

Dr. Klenner, aware that this could well describe multiple sclerosis, went to work trying megadoses of thiamin. On the principle that it takes a lot of water to put out a well-established fire, Klenner ignored the US RDA of one to two milligrams per day and gave MS sufferers one or two *thousand* milligrams of thiamin a day. He administered a number of other vitamins in megadose quantity (notably vitamin C) as well. Patients improved.

What precisely did they do? Klenner's Clinical Guide to the Use of Vitamin C contains his multiple sclerosis protocol on pages 42-53. (Smith, Lendon H, editor: Clinical Guide to the Use of Vitamin C: The Clinical Experiences of Frederick R. Klenner, M.D. Forward written by Linus Pauling. Portland, OR: Life Sciences Press, 1988. ISBN 0-943685-01-X. Reprinted 1991, ISBN 0-943685-13-3). This 67-page book is pretty much out of print, but the Price Pottenger Nutritional Foundation probably has some for sale. Try their website.

A MS SURVIVOR WRITES: "I've had MS for 9 plus years. I have taken megadoses of vitamin C for 12 years - up to 60 grams a day before I had my terrible teeth out - and 15 grams a day now. Such high amounts of ascorbic acid are sometimes a bother with mouth sores. Linus Pauling has mentioned that intravenous C is given in the form of sodium ascorbate is pH neutral. I neutralize ascorbic acid C very simply by spooning 2 level teaspoons of C powder into a half glass of cold water, then 1 level teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate, such as "Arm and Hammer Baking Soda." It fizzes and balances out just perfectly to of course a neutral solution of sodium ascorbate. Doesn't even taste that terrible - just a bit like dead mineral water. If you mix the other way, or try a bit of juice, you'll have a fizzy kitchen counter. If you do it as above, it's quite civilized. It is also cost effective, since sodium ascorbate crystals often cost so much more."

R. MacB. Canada

For persons with very sensitive tummies, this is indeed a practical way to completely neutralize ascorbic acid. But even a quarter teaspoon of baking soda will likely work for most people. One level teaspoon of sodium bicarb contains about 950 mg of sodium. Folks worried about sodium levels will also be interested to know some other easy and cheap ways of buffering vitamin C posted at http://www.doctoryourself.com/tabtaking.html

DEPRESSION AND SCHIZOPHRENIA have been are among the most searched-for topics at http://www.doctoryourself.com this quarter. Persons most concerned will want to be sure to read all available articles by Dr Abram Hoffer, posted in their entirety at http://www.doctoryourself.com/hoffer_niacin.html http://www.doctoryourself.com/hoffer_psychosis.html and http://www.doctoryourself.com/hoffer_future.html

My articles are http://www.doctoryourself.com/nerves.html http://www.doctoryourself.com/psychiatry.html http://www.doctoryourself.com/bvitamins.html

SPECIALIZED GERSON THERAPY BOOKLETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE directly from Charlotte Gerson, the daughter of Dr. Max Gerson. Each booklet individually discusses either cancer of the colon/liver/pancreas, breast, ovaries, lymphoma, or melanoma. The 36 page booklets cost $3.95 apiece (plus 85 cents postage a nd handling to USA addresses. California residents please add 30 cents sales tax). Canadian and other international orders, please add $6.00. (International orders will be shipped by airmail.) Checks or money orders should be sent directly to: Charlotte Gerson, 355 Greenwood Place, Bonita, CA 91902, USA. (Incidentally, I have no financial connection with this offer, and no, you can NOT obtain these booklets from me.)

I have posted the text of a speech by Dr. Gerson at http://www.doctoryourself.com/gersonspeech.html

If you are unfamiliar with the Gerson therapy, you might want to read a summary and review of the latest (2001) and most complete Gerson how-to book at http://www.doctoryourself.com/gersontherapy.html

Two extensive bibliographies are also posted. The first of Dr Gerson's work http://www.doctoryourself.com/bib_gerson.html

and the second of papers about the Gerson therapy http://www.doctoryourself.com/bib_gerson_therapy.html

PANIC ATTACKS Troy Christianson writes: "I recently read your anxiety and panic attack page ( http://doctoryourself.com/anxiety.html ) My experience with panic attacks was during my student years, just like yours. However, some friends showed me a simple technique to get rid of them : LIGHTLY JOGGING IN PLACE. Every time I had a panic attack, I simply started jogging, slowly. I also found that drinking water really helped as well. This is all low-cost and low-tech, but definitely worked for me.

"I understand that eating a diet excessively high in meat protein will cause an individual's levels of serotonin to drop dramatically, which is related to your http://doctoryourself.com/prozac.html page."

That may be because carbohydrates help L-tryptophan absorption into the brain, and high-protein diets do not. Thanks for the tips.

CODEX INFORMATION RESOURCE Frans writes from Belgium: "In your last Newsletter, you didn't talk about a important player in the EU / CODEX issue : Matthias Rath, M.D. http://www.vitamins-for-all.org/ "

You are right; Dr Rath's work has been very important. Thank you for a really good link. Keep 'em coming.

LINUS PAULING AND VITAMIN C Jean writes: "I read that Linus Pauling, PhD, who died at age 93, only began to be seriously interested vitamin C when he was already in his 60's. He recommended very large amounts of vitamin C, and suggested that people start at 1,000 mg and increase gradually until bowel tolerance was reached, and then drop back the dose by 1,000 mg. My doctor told me, with obvious irritation, that Linus Pauling was completely wrong about vitamin C megadoses fighting the common cold. I know that Dr. Pauling won two Nobel prizes. Who should I believe?"

Dr. Pauling committed the cardinal sin of allopathic medicine: he dared to present thorough reviews of the scientific literature that showed that vitamins cured disease. His reinvestigation of supposedly-open-and-shut, vitamin-C-is-useless studies actually showed, in dozens of instances, that the researchers had in fact demonstrated that vitamin C has statistical significance in stopping the common cold. If the negative studies were actually positive, organized medicine has egg on its beard. Hence your doctor's embarrassment.

Read Linus Pauling's complete 1968 paper on megavitamin therapy at http://www.orthomed.org/pauling2.htm

A 1974 Pauling megavitamin paper is posted at http://www.orthomed.org/pauling.htm

Linus Pauling and colleagues believe that vitamin C and the amino acid lysine may prevent and cure atherosclerosis. ( http://www.internetwks.com/pauling/ )

The Vitamin C Foundation is a great source of megavitamin information: http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/ , as are the following sites: http://www.internetwks.com/pauling/hoffer.html http://bookman.com.au/vitamins/vitc.html http://www.fightingcancer.com/vitaminc.htm http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/pau0int-1 (be sure to read the interview)

And I have always liked http://www.cforyourself.com , which is easy to use and very informative.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH, SAFETY AND HAPPINESS Norm Lee's "Parenting Without Punishing" newsletter is free by e-mail. Just send a request to Ashley@eaznet.com and ask for "PWP." You might also want to ask for a copy of the "Step Up" resolution, an active alternative to corporal punishment. More on gentle but effective child behavior management, with an emphasis on nutrition, will be found at

http://www.doctoryourself.com/kidraise.html http://www.doctoryourself.com/hoffer_ABC.html http://www.doctoryourself.com/adhd.html

PREGNANCY: SOME SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR COMMON DISCOMFORTS

Morning sickness: 1. AVOID FERROUS SULFATE IRON SUPPLEMENTS. Many doctors still prescribe this cookie-tossing form of iron, in too large an amount, and without enough supplemental "C" for absorption. Nausea (and constipation) are almost guaranteed with ferrous sulfate. Use ferrous fumerate, ferrous gluconate, or especially carbonyl iron instead, and TAKE WITH A MEAL.

For that matter, I think you will be most comfortable if you avoid taking supplements on an empty stomach.

2. Try a natural multivitamin, not an artificially colored one. Paint can be nauseating to eat.

3. Try the homeopathic remedy Natrum Phos 6X for simple morning sickness, and possibly Kali Phos or Natrum Sulph. http://www.doctoryourself.com/cell_salts.html

4. You could also try some fresh, tasty juice first thing to get off to a good start in the morning. Fluids are always good, and it is a light, nutritious, natural way to the blood sugar up.

5. Severe and prolonged vomiting requires medical attention.

Constipation Constipation is quite common during gestation. It is also quite easy to avoid (how-to information posted at http://www.doctoryourself.com/constipation.html . When pregnant, do not take medication for this or any other condition if you can possibly avoid doing so.

Hemorrhoids (see "Constipation", above, and definitely consider a look at http://www.doctoryourself.com/hemorrhoids.html ) Avoid gulping unchewed cheese pizzas. Eat more fiber and drink more water. And, bear in mind that babies and placentas and amniotic fluid are heavy. Oral vitamin C will often help here, because "C" strengthens connective a nd vascular tissues. And nothing relieves itching like topical application of vitamin E.

Heartburn? 1. Eat frequent, small meals. In other words, "graze" rather than feast. 2. Chew your food especially well. This simple measure really works. 3. Combine your foods especially well. No need to obsess over this, but from your own experience, you can tell that some foods do not mix well in your stomach. More at http://www.doctoryourself.com/reflux.html .

WELCOME to all new readers that have joined our growing Newsletter mailing list. And, thanks to you, the DOCTOR YOURSELF website is now averaging some 1,000 visitors a day. Thank you.

THIS MONTH'S REASON TO UNSUBSCRIBE: A man walked into a health food store to buy some vitamins, only to find a large horse standing behind the counter.

"I'll bet you are surprised to see me," the horse said.

"I sure am," said the man. "Did the cow sell the place?"

Newsletter Ideas? To submit a question or suggest a topic for the newsletter, email me at doctoryourself.com/contact.html

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: This newsletter is not in any way offered as prescription, diagnosis nor treatment for any disease, illness, infirmity or physical condition. Any form of self-treatment or alternative health program necessarily must involve an individual's acceptance of some risk, and no one should assume otherwise. Persons needing medical care should obtain it from a physician. Consult your doctor before making any health decision.

Privacy Statement: We do not sell, and we do not share, our mailing list or your email address with anyone. You may notice that there is no advertising at http://doctoryourself.com and no advertising in this newsletter. We also do not sell vitamins or other health products, except for Dr. Saul's books, which help fund these free public services.

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Copyright c 2002 and prior years Andrew W. Saul Permission to reproduce single copies of this newsletter FOR NON-COMMERCIAL, PERSONAL USE ONLY is hereby granted providing no alteration of content is made and authorship credit is given.