Research has linked the amino acid homocysteine to heart attack risk. The higher your levels of homocysteine, the greater your risk of having a heart attack. You may also know that one of the most effective ways to lower your homocysteine is with B vitamins, B-Replete from NuMedica. But researchers recently found something you can take with those B vitamins that makes them even more effective.
In this study, researchers reviewed the data from 11 trials, which included more than 720 participants. They found that taking omega-3 fatty acids resulted in significantly lower levels of homocysteine in the blood. And it didn't matter if the source of the fatty acids was from diet or from supplements.
The researchers found evidence that answers why omega-3 fats lower homocysteine. They deactivate the enzyme that's necessary for the amino acid to form.
Science may one day find that homocysteine isn't the harbinger of disease everyone says it is, much like we've seen with cholesterol. No research has found that homocysteine itself causes heart attacks. All we know is that high levels tend to be present when heart attacks occur.
However, there is still much debate in the scientific community about homocysteine. That's because many of the best studies on the amino acid don't show an impressive association and that's not all. Many studies from well-respected groups didn't find any relation between homocysteine levels and either heart attacks or strokes.
Your body produces homocysteine naturally. So we can't say that it's a dangerous amino acid. In fact, it's difficult to find any studies looking at what homocysteine actually does. I suspect we'll see those studies before long. But because the body produces it, I take that to mean the body needs it. And high homocysteine levels are probably the body's response to some abnormal condition. In other words, I think homocysteine may be the body's way of protecting against the problems that cause heart attacks.
When you take B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, they work to correct the abnormal condition that leads up to the heart attack. So your body doesn't have to produce as much homocysteine. This is the best way to treat the higher levels — fix the underlying problem.
So take plenty of high-quality fish oils. The manufacturer should guarantee the product is completely free from any contamination or rancidity. Our pharmacy highly recommends Omega products from NuMedica. Omega 950 is the highest strength available and I commonly recommend patients take three to six capsules per day divided between two to three different doses. B-Replete is NuMedica’s high-quality B-complex supplement which enhances energy production and much more. Using riboflavin-5-phospate gives the best form of the supplement compared to cheaper but inferior products that use riboflavin hydrochloride (HCl). This is just one example of how B-Replete has the “real vitamins” in it at dose levels that matter.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
What is the importance of Coenzyme Q10 to healthy aging?
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a cellular energy nutrient—a nutrient that energizes every single cell within the body. Without CoQ10 not a single human cell would function. Another name for CoQ10 is ubiquinone—it is ubiquitous, found in every cell. An analogy I like to use is to look at the body as a car. It has millions and millions of cells, and each cell has a motor. The fuel that runs the “motor” in each cell is CoQ10.
The Mayo Clinic agrees CoQ10 is necessary for the basic functioning of cells; early studies suggest benefits from CoQ10 supplementation in lowering blood pressure; helping age-related macular degeneration; slowing down dementia in people with Alzheimer's disease; reducing angina and improving exercise tolerance in people with clogged heart arteries; improving symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome; aiding in the treatment of Parkinson's disease; decreasing the rate of stage I and II melanoma recurrence in patients with surgically removed lesions; and improving exercise capacity, heart function, muscle fiber development, and overall quality of life in patients with muscular dystrophy.
CoQ10 levels are reported to decrease with age. Some prescription drugs may also lower CoQ10 levels. This is a major issue as evidence suggests all of the “statin” drugs used to treat high cholesterol deplete the body of CoQ10. It is critically important for patients to take CoQ10 when they are on statins. Other medications that can deplete CoQ10 include anti-diabetes drugs, antidepressant medications such as Zoloft and Prozac, and some or all of the heart and blood pressure medications. Ironically, 225mg of CoQ10 taken daily has shown to be an effective treatment for many patients with essential hypertension (high blood pressure).
CoQ10 can be gotten as a cream and used topically, or used internally. If used topically, it’s as an anti-aging anti-wrinkle cream. If used internally, it is a very potent antioxidant, one of the most powerful antioxidants out there.
There are definite variations of product quality. One of the best brands is called CoQClear 100 from NuMedica, a supplier of supplements that are truly medical grade. The vast majority of CoQ10 supplements are absorbed very poorly by the body once swallowed. NuMedica’s CoQClear 100 is special product that is crystal-free ubiquinone that is made into nano-particles and then placed in a clear capsule, suspended in oil which improves absorption. This is achieved through a patented process that produces the most absorbable CoQ10 supplement on the market having 1200% greater absorption than some more inferior brands although these may be less expensive that CoQClear 100. Cheaper? Yes. Absorbable and effective? No.
Ask one of the expertly-trained pharmacists at Partell Specialty Pharmacy about CoQClear 100 from NuMedica or any item from the pharmaceutical-grade supplements they carry.
Robert Seik, PharmD, FAARFM, RKC
CEO - Partell Specialty Pharmacy
Robert Seik is a Doctor of Pharmacy and principal owner of Partell Specialty Pharmacy. He managed research trials for biotechnology companies during a ten year career in the pharmaceutical industry. Robert is now a functional medicine specialist, trained in the areas of hormone replacement and nutritional medicine. Robert is a fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
CEO - Partell Specialty Pharmacy
Robert Seik is a Doctor of Pharmacy and principal owner of Partell Specialty Pharmacy. He managed research trials for biotechnology companies during a ten year career in the pharmaceutical industry. Robert is now a functional medicine specialist, trained in the areas of hormone replacement and nutritional medicine. Robert is a fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer:
Researchers just found that women who are low in vitamin D tend to have more aggressive breast cancer tumors and they're far more likely to suffer a recurrence. This information was presented on Friday, April 29 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. It also will appear in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
The study followed 155 women. All of these women underwent surgery for breast cancer sometime between January 2009 and September 2010. The researchers monitored blood vitamin D levels for all the patients for one year prior to surgery and one year after surgery. They found a clear association between vitamin D levels and how fast the tumor progresses.
As scary as these results are, they pale in comparison to another finding in the same study.
These researchers also found that low vitamin D levels affect every major biological marker doctors use to determine a patient's prognosis. In other words, the lower your vitamin D levels are when you get breast cancer, the more likely you are to die of the disease. And you're more likely to die quicker than those who have higher levels of vitamin D.
Those at the highest risk for a poor prognosis were those with vitamin D levels of less than 32 milligrams per milliliter of blood. Previous posts have noted the fact that insomnia is associated with levels less than 50, a fact also well-documented.
So if you're at high risk for breast cancer, you must take vitamin D. Actually, almost all of us need to take plenty of vitamin D, as most people are low. Just don't listen to conventional medicine to determine how much you need. Most people need to take at least 5,000 to 10,000 IU daily.
Ask your doctor to give you a baseline vitamin D blood test. If you're low, start taking at least 5,000 IU of vitamin D a day. This dose is perfectly safe for most people. Your pharmacist recommends high-potency Micellized D3 1000 drops. The micellized form is absorbed five times more efficiently than typical oral capsules so one drop under the tongue is like taking a 5,000 unit capsule. I frequently recommend patients take 1 or 2 drops every night at bedtime to replenish their vitamin D level. But, this strategy also helps reset our sleep:wake cycle and many patients report improved sleep, recuperative rest that helps them feel refreshed the next day. This is truly one of the biggest bang for your buck nutrients. Each bottle contains 600 drops, which at two drops per day will last 300 days, and sells for ~$30.00.
Robert Seik, PharmD, FAARFM, RKC
CEO - Partell Specialty Pharmacy
Robert Seik is a Doctor of Pharmacy and principal owner of Partell Specialty Pharmacy. He managed research trials for biotechnology companies during a ten year career in the pharmaceutical industry. Robert is now a functional medicine specialist and fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
The study followed 155 women. All of these women underwent surgery for breast cancer sometime between January 2009 and September 2010. The researchers monitored blood vitamin D levels for all the patients for one year prior to surgery and one year after surgery. They found a clear association between vitamin D levels and how fast the tumor progresses.
As scary as these results are, they pale in comparison to another finding in the same study.
These researchers also found that low vitamin D levels affect every major biological marker doctors use to determine a patient's prognosis. In other words, the lower your vitamin D levels are when you get breast cancer, the more likely you are to die of the disease. And you're more likely to die quicker than those who have higher levels of vitamin D.
Those at the highest risk for a poor prognosis were those with vitamin D levels of less than 32 milligrams per milliliter of blood. Previous posts have noted the fact that insomnia is associated with levels less than 50, a fact also well-documented.
So if you're at high risk for breast cancer, you must take vitamin D. Actually, almost all of us need to take plenty of vitamin D, as most people are low. Just don't listen to conventional medicine to determine how much you need. Most people need to take at least 5,000 to 10,000 IU daily.
Ask your doctor to give you a baseline vitamin D blood test. If you're low, start taking at least 5,000 IU of vitamin D a day. This dose is perfectly safe for most people. Your pharmacist recommends high-potency Micellized D3 1000 drops. The micellized form is absorbed five times more efficiently than typical oral capsules so one drop under the tongue is like taking a 5,000 unit capsule. I frequently recommend patients take 1 or 2 drops every night at bedtime to replenish their vitamin D level. But, this strategy also helps reset our sleep:wake cycle and many patients report improved sleep, recuperative rest that helps them feel refreshed the next day. This is truly one of the biggest bang for your buck nutrients. Each bottle contains 600 drops, which at two drops per day will last 300 days, and sells for ~$30.00.
Robert Seik, PharmD, FAARFM, RKC
CEO - Partell Specialty Pharmacy
Robert Seik is a Doctor of Pharmacy and principal owner of Partell Specialty Pharmacy. He managed research trials for biotechnology companies during a ten year career in the pharmaceutical industry. Robert is now a functional medicine specialist and fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Understanding Bio-Identical Hormones by Robert Seik, PharmD, FAARFM, RKC
Understanding Bio-Identical Hormones by Robert Seik, PharmD, FAARFM, RKC
The term ‘hormone’ comes from the Greek and is interpreted as “to excite.’ With the right hormone levels, the body is excited into action. Hormones not only help athletes run faster, they help the body repair faster, think faster, and perform using less energy. Life without hormones is less life, less action and a more rapid demise.
From age 40 to 50 women’s hormones drop 30% and with menopause, a 90% drop in estrogens and a 75% drop in testosterone occur. Men are now losing 25-40% of their ‘manly’ hormones from 35 to 50. No wonder we see so much depression, insomnia, hot flashes, decreased sex drive, and disease. Many symptoms of hormone deficiency are now considered “normal”. However, hormone wellness practitioners know that is it not normal for their patients to not sleep, feel fatigued all the time, have no sex drive, feel chronic pain, and have no zeal. Our bodies are falling apart without our life-sustaining hormones and Partell Specialty Pharmacy now has two locations to help medical practitioners and their patients get them back.
Using sophisticated laboratories, Partell compounds to the absolute highest standards of quality in preparing hormone capsules, creams, sublingual troches, and more. Many practitioners and their patients prefer to use implantable pellets which steadily deliver hormones over 3 to 6 months, just like the body is supposed to do. Learn more at www.revitapel.com.
A movement in the United States has formed against dangerous synthetic hormones, some of them pregnant horse urine, and Partell Pharmacy is a leader in the field. Numerous doctors and their patients now avoid the synthetic hormone drugs and use compounds for natural estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone. Partell Pharmacy has mixed these natural hormones in topical creams, capsules, sublingual dosage forms, and implantable pellets for years. And because they are ‘natural’, structurally identical to human hormones, they avoid many of the inherent problems of the synthetics like Premarin and PremPro.
As Suzanne Somers accurately stated: “There are four steps to getting appropriate medical treatment. (1) Recognize your symptom. (2) Measure the decrease from ‘normal’ in your blood stream. (3) Take the bio-identical hormone and re-measure to see that a normal range has been met. (4) See if your original complaint has been resolved. If not, go back to the doctor and get another answer.
Men too are realizing that there is no more beneficial substance to their health than a hormone, manly testosterone. Large studies show that men with the highest levels of this crucial hormone have the lowest risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Partell’s pharmacists are also trained on the importance of nutrients like zinc for men to optimize testosterone and CoQ10 for all patients to protect muscles and the brain. As one of the most important antioxidants in the body, CoQ10 is dramatically depleted by “statin” drugs to treat cholesterol. Known side effects of these drugs include muscle weakness and pain, exactly the symptoms associated with CoQ10 deficiency. It’s important to use a CoQ10 form this is well-absorbed and made at a high enough dose. Ask Partell’s pharmacists about CoQClear 100, the best CoQ10 product on the market. Other nutrients are important too. Hormones are crucial but each hormone requires several internal chemical reactions to express its effects. Vitamins and minerals, are the cofactors for these reactions. Pharmacists and physicians who are specially trained in functional medicine use the replacement approach to treat deficiencies of hormones and nutrients rather than toxic drugs that only mask the symptoms.
The Importance of Vitamin D:
Mother Nature didn’t make a mistake. In early December, a report was released by a Committee of the Institute of Medicine which states that a 3 year old child needs the same amount of Vitamin D as a 50 year old adult. This doesn’t make sense because most medicines are dosed by body weight so we should be dosing our nutrition by body weight also. This report states that any dose of Vitamin D over 600 I.U.'s per day is unnecessary and could be dangerous. Now, think about that for a minute:
Caucasian skin produces approximately 10,000 IU of vitamin D in response to 20-30 minutes of summer sun exposure-50 times more than the US government's recommendation of 200 IU per day! This high rate of natural production of vitamin D3 in the skin is the single most important fact every person should know about vitamin D-a fact that has profound implications for the natural human condition. Does anyone believe God made a mistake and we're not supposed to be in the summer sun for 30 minutes? What do we all know to do if a newborn baby has yellowish skin (suggestive of jaundice)? Put them in the sunshine for 10-20 minutes every day! According to this new Report, the amount of Vitamin D from 10-20 minutes of sunshine per day to newborn infants would be dangerous. Does that make sense to you?
This type of Report is a grave injustice to the tens of thousands of people who are suffering, and now will be overly apprehensive about using Vitamin D at therapeutic doses when they truly need it. Vitamin D3 is available in high-potency sublingual drops over-the-counter at Partell Pharmacy. It is a critical nutrient that is documented to reduce cancer risk, prevent osteoporosis, calm inflammation, and can even improve insomnia. Ever wonder why you sleep so well after a day at the beach? It might have something to do with vitamin D made abundantly in the skin from natural sun exposure.
Caucasian skin produces approximately 10,000 IU of vitamin D in response to 20-30 minutes of summer sun exposure-50 times more than the US government's recommendation of 200 IU per day! This high rate of natural production of vitamin D3 in the skin is the single most important fact every person should know about vitamin D-a fact that has profound implications for the natural human condition. Does anyone believe God made a mistake and we're not supposed to be in the summer sun for 30 minutes? What do we all know to do if a newborn baby has yellowish skin (suggestive of jaundice)? Put them in the sunshine for 10-20 minutes every day! According to this new Report, the amount of Vitamin D from 10-20 minutes of sunshine per day to newborn infants would be dangerous. Does that make sense to you?
This type of Report is a grave injustice to the tens of thousands of people who are suffering, and now will be overly apprehensive about using Vitamin D at therapeutic doses when they truly need it. Vitamin D3 is available in high-potency sublingual drops over-the-counter at Partell Pharmacy. It is a critical nutrient that is documented to reduce cancer risk, prevent osteoporosis, calm inflammation, and can even improve insomnia. Ever wonder why you sleep so well after a day at the beach? It might have something to do with vitamin D made abundantly in the skin from natural sun exposure.
Don’t let standard Western medicine convince you that we’re all just supposed to get old, cold, tired, fat, and dumb with age. Give your body and mind an edge in the race and find a practitioner who specializes in bio-identical hormone replacement and nutritional medicine. Partell Specialty Pharmacy, www.partellpharmacy.com, has specially trained pharmacists with fellowship credentials from The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, A4M, and can refer patients to a number of expert practitioners who use natural hormone therapy and targeted nutritional replacement.
Robert Seik, PharmD, FAARFM, RKC is a principal owner of Partell Specialty Pharmacy. He is a fellow of The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and an expert in the application of functional medicine for the management and prevention of disease.
Where Are We?
We are proud to announce our new store opening in West Las Vegas! Please visit us at either location at the addresses below or for more information, visit our website at http://www.PartellPharmacy.com
WEST LAS VEGAS
8751 W. Charleston Blvd. #120
Las Vegas, NV 89117
702.685.3800
Fax: 702.685.3636
EAST LAS VEGAS
5835 S. Eastern Ave. #101
Las Vegas, NV 89119
702.791.3800
Fax: 702.791.3630
Who We Are and What We Do
We are excited to have our own blog so that we can share information and inspiration with our patients and practitioners. We thought it would be a great idea to tell you a little bit about who we are and what we do.
Our pharmacy accepts most prescription insurance plans and offers the latest in compounding technology and patient consultative services.
Our USP-compliant laboratory makes the highest quality products, customized for your individual needs, and is managed by a chemical engineer who is also a certified compounding technician to ensure the utmost in quality control.
The pharmacists who supervise the lab and the rest of the pharmacy have over twenty years of compounding experience and are also trained by The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), a fully-accredited fellowship program affiliated with the University of South Florida School of Medicine.
No other Las Vegas pharmacy can offer all of this to you.
Many pharmacies that say they "compound" don't even have a genuine laboratory. Some pharmacies are less expensive for cash patients but we stand firmly behind our quality and training. Cheaply compounded prescriptions may lack the quality and consistency that our customers have come to expect. Plus, it's our quality operation, accredited staff, and certifications that allow us to bill prescription insurance plans so that customers usually only have a co-pay.
Not only that, but we have just opened our second store in Las Vegas! We invite you to stop in either of our stores and speak to one of our trained pharmacists or browse our high quality pharmaceutical grade supplements!
- SHIPS NATIONWIDE
- USP APPROVED/CERTIFIED
- BILLS YOUR INSURANCE/PRESCRIPTION BENEFITS
- PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS
- PHARMACEUTICAL GRADE SUPPLEMENTS AND NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR NUTRITION AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS (NOT FOUND IN RETAIL STORES) AND BACKED BY CLINICIAL STUDIES
- 20 YEARS COMPOUNDING EXPERIENCE
- TRAINED AND CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS
- PHARMACIST WITH A4M FELLOWSHIP TRAINING (AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ANTI-AGING MEDICINE)
- PCCA MEMBERS (PROFESSIONAL COMPOUNDING CENTERS OF AMERICA)
- REVITPEL (EXCLUSIVE PROVIDER)
- DERMAROLLER FOR SKIN REJUVENATION
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