Newsletter

Corey Weinstein, MD

This newsletter contains information about homeopathy and natural medicine as well as important news about health and medicine. Questions of general interest that you send in will be answered here.

VITAMINS: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Vitamins are necessary for health and longevity. The health food industry promotes vitamins vigorously selling them as prevention for various diseases. There is a lot of money to be made, but what about the claims? For at least two vitamins, Folic Acid and A (Beta-carotene) studies have shown that in high doses these essential nutrients can actually be harmful.

Vitamins are micronutrients needed for well being in tiny amounts compared to macronutrients like protein, fat or carbohydrates. Most vitamins act as catalysts which allow certain chemical reactions or functions to occur. In my opinion when our bodies have quite enough of a vitamin then the excess is gotten rid of or can act as an irritating or toxic chemical. Many of you have noticed that a few hours after taking a high potency B vitamin your urine turns bright yellow or chartreuse. That is the body getting rid of excess water soluble B.

In a number of studies Vitamin A and Beta-carotene have been proved to increase the incidence of lung cancer among smokers. The doses were 25,000 IU of A and 30 mg. of Beta-carotene (ATBC trial, CARET study). Also in another large trial there was no benefit or harm found in healthy men taking supplements (Physicians’ Health Study).

A recent study on Folic Acid and cancer in Norway found that after about 7 years of use those people taking the test supplement with Folic Acid developed cancer 21% more often than others. This is a disturbing finding as Folic Acid deficiency is not uncommon and known to cause various blood illnesses and even Spina Bifida in newborns of mothers who don’t have enough.

The same may be true for other vitamins given in large doses. But they haven’t been subjected to clinical trials. Certainly the health food industry isn’t interested in such. For these reasons I do not routinely recommend high potency vitamins. Rather I advise an insurance formula preparation that has just 100% of the Daily Allowance. That way both deficiency and toxicity are avoided. Of course the best way to get micronutrients is through whole foods.

CELLPHONES ARE HARMFUL

Yes, there I've gone and said

it. Mobile phones do cause ill-

ness and there is a variety of

data that proves it. The

occasional brief use of the

phone held against your head

is of no concern and isn't a

problem. But the studies show

that the risk of tumors of the

brain and head increase with

length and duration of use.

In other words there is a dose

response relationship like

any other irritant or poison.

The more you use it the more

likely the harmful effect.

I recommend that you look

at the information presented

It's hard to find reliable and

unbiased data. Like we have

seen with trials of medications

negative studies aren't

published and drug companies

underwrite many that are

designed to get the results the

sponsor desires. But it seems

clear to me that independant

research shows that for every

100 hours of cellphone use,

the risk of brain cancer

increases by 5%, and for every

year of use the risk goes up 8%.

Afterall the phone has power

to send a signal for miles via

microwaves. That is significant

energy,and it's held against the

head. The research is so

convincing that a few

European countries have limited

sales of the devices to children,

allowing use only for texting or

mandating earphone use.

I recommend that you only

use your mobile phone routinely

with an earpiece, and consider

a text only device for your child.

That will keep it off of your

heads where it does its damage.

We will deal with the early

thumb arthritis prevention from

texting and gaming with thumbs

Corey Weinstein, MD, CCH 1063 Plymouth Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112 415-333-8228

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