1. The Limitations of the Alzheimer’s Ginkgo biloba Study


2. Why Don’t You Use Methylcobalamin?


3. Inner Shampoo is the Best


4. Pu-erh Tea Is Low in Fluoride

The Limitations of the Alzheimer’s Ginkgo biloba Study

Q I would like your input re: the recent massive coverage of a study showing no benefit from using ginkgo in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. It’s been all over the news.

RACHEL Fort Jones, CA

A We are not huge fans of ginkgo, preferring to think of ourselves as moderately disposed to its usefulness. However, the recent study, billed as the largest randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of ginkgo to date has found no effect for ginkgo in a group with an average age of 79 years (a much-older group than is typically subject to memory studies).¹

As per Doug MacKay of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, “[C]ognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are multi-factorial chronic conditions and the exact causes and mechanisms are unknown, and most importantly that there is no magic bullet or cure that has yet been found.²

“The solution to these conditions will likely not be a single isolated approach, but rather will be a multi-component, integrative approach to supporting cognitive health, which may include lifestyle habits such as eating a healthy diet and taking dietary supplements such as Ginkgo biloba, along with both mental and physical exercise,” he said.

While the study does add to the overall data on ginkgo, it should “not be viewed as the final word.” No drug or nutritional supplement has ever produced completely positive results in studies intended to measure efficacy, whether of memory or anything else. Scientists are fallible. Knowledge will always be incomplete. That is not to say that there will never be a complete “go” for ginkgo or any other supplement.

In the National Library of Medicine there have been 72 clinical trials on ginkgo, many of which support its use. There have been many more done in Europe. So, ginkgo already has a moderate “go.”

We at Life Enhancement Products believe that there are other supplements that can support memory function more successfully—see our entire range—and our knowledge is ever widening.

1. Snitz BE, O’Meara ES, Carlson MC, Arnold AM, Ives DG, Rapp SR, Saxton J, Lopez OL, Dunn LO, Sink KM, DeKosky ST. Ginkgo biloba for preventing cognitive decline in older adults: a randomized trial. JAMA 2009 Dec 23;302(24):2663-70.
2. http://www.crnusa.org/CRNPR09RespondsGinkgoBilobaStudy122909.html/ CRNPR09RespondsGinkgoBilobaStudy122909.html

Q Just wondering why you still use cyanocobalamin instead of methylcobalamin as your B12. Don’t we know enough about the difference by now and why it’s superior and, for many, the only form they (due to genetics) can benefit from? I’d love to be able to use your multis, but . . .

MARY Ann Harbor, MI

A The amount of research done with cyanocobolamin exceeds that of methylcobalamin by 40 times. While there are a few uses of methylcobalamin that are not found for cyanocobalamin, the reverse is true, and cyanocobalamin leads by a wide gap. Moreover, cyanocobalamin is converted to its active forms, first hydroxocobalamin and then methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin in the liver.

If you want methylcobalamin, you can find it in Dr. Jonathan Wright’s ProBone-O and ProBone-O Plus drops. All of our other products use cyanocobalamin for the greatest number of foundational benefits.

T Inner Shampoo is the very best shampoo I ever used in my life of 58 years. I have had thin, oily hair, with a touch of psoriasis in the lower back of my scalp, but no more. Inner Shampoo fixed all my hair and scalp problems. I have tried New Generation products and lots of others but nothing beats Durk & Sandy’s Inner Shampoo. It is the very best and I am living proof. Bless these wonderful folks by trying the best shampoo in the world. You’ll love it.

STEVEN Chatsworth, GA

Q I have read that tea can contain fluoride, lowest in white tea, higher in green and highest in black, and so therefore it is best to drink white tea.

I have read that fluoride is generally toxic and is correlated with spinal stenosis, which I have in my neck.

So while your Pu-erh Tea looks promising, I wanted to know about the fluoride level in this tea.

SALLY Perryberg, OH

A Pu-erh is lower than black, green, and oolong, and may be as low as white. Fluorine is used in processing teas, especially those that use old tough leaves in which fluorine has accumulated, such as Bianxiao tea. On the other hand, Pu-erh is made from tender leaves and is quite unlikely to induce fluorosis, even if you drink a lot of it. Pu-erh has special properties that other teas do not. See the following: “Dramatic Weight-Loss” in the June 2009 issue, “Pu-erh Tea Provides Statin Benefits” in the December 2007 issue, “Fighting Fat with Pu-erh Tea” in the July 2007 issue, “Pu-erh Tea—Exotic, Aged, and Anti-Fat” in the June 2007 issue, and “Cocktail of Selected Teas for Better Health and Weight Loss” in the April 2007 issue.