FX Medicine Podcast Central

Professor Michael Holick, the world's leading expert on vitamin D research, responds to some of the more recent negative studies that seem to be so readily picked up by the media. He then goes on to provide a roundup of some of the exciting, upcoming trials of this vitally important nutrient.

In this episode Andrew Whitfield-Cook interviews Hub Regtop on his research into the use of specific plant extracts, nutrients and probiotics in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Hub draws on his extensive knowledge and experience as a research scientist to explain the options practitioners have in treating this common and often recurrent condition. Areas covered include: - how to release important therapeutic enzyme components from pomegranate extract to inhibit bacterial replication - the use of certain probiotic species for specific antibacterial effects - how to inhibit E. coli colonisation and replication - blocking bacterial receptor sites on the urinary tract wall - managing urinary tract pH - the role of cathelicidin in the prevention of infection and how this can be influenced Hub goes on to explain how a specific combination of nutrients and probiotics can work together to provide an optimal formula for the prevention and treatment of UTIs.

We are all familiar with what it feels like to react to a stressful or threatening event. That uneasy feeling of worry or panic, coupled with an increased heart rate, rapid breathing and loss of hunger, is a typical physiological response known as ‘fight or flight’. Of course, once the perceived threat goes away, so too should this reaction, and we soon after expect to return to a normal and relaxed state. However, for a considerable number of people, that uncomfortable feeling of fear or impending danger can be a persistent presence and so too can those distressing physiological symptoms. It is an unfortunate feature of the 21st Century that anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric presentation in Australia, affecting one in seven people. In part 2 of our interview with Dr Jerome Sarris, we explore some truly exciting nutraceutical and herbal therapy developments that may contribute a substantial piece of the anxiety treatment puzzle.

Depression is a common condition, affecting more than one million Australians each year. When it takes hold, it can be a debilitating illness that robs people of their ability to experience joy, meaning or motivation. Instead, sadness and anxiety can take over. Rather than there being a specific cause, depression seems to be associated with a combination of life events, personal factors and changes in brain chemistry, particularly serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine. As every individual is affected by depression in a unique way, there is no single treatment that cures depression. Traditional treatments typically include a range of psychological therapies, medication or both, but have we been overlooking some potentially powerful options? In part 1 of this interview with Dr Jerome Sarris, we review some of the impressive research on the herbal medicines and nutraceuticals found to be effective in the treatment of depression.

Can Probiotics Really Treat Lactational Mastitis? Lactational mastitis is an infection of one or more lobules of the mammary gland, occurring up to 33% of lactating mothers. Although the condition may happen at any point during the lactation period, between 75-95% of cases occur within the first 12 weeks, with the frequency particularly higher during the second and third weeks postpartum. New research shows that lactational mastitis is a dysbiotic process. Significant levels of beneficial microbes including Lactobacillus gasseri and L. salivarius are found in healthy breastfeeding mothers, whilst their presence is unidentifiable in the milk of those with lactational mastitis. In comparison, high levels of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermis are found in acute and chronic episodes of the disease respectively. Both strains display multi-drug resistance to antibiotics, explaining why this condition is difficult to treat and can become recurrent or chronic. Due to their anti-infectious, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties, much attention has been paid to the oral administration of L. fermentum, L. gasseri and L. salivarius. A blend of L. gasseri and L. salivarius was administered to women with lactational mastitis for four weeks. At day 14, those supplemented showed no clinical signs of mastitis, whereas the condition persisted in the control group throughout the study period. A second trial divided mastitis sufferers into three groups; receiving either L. salivarius, L. fermentum or antibiotics. Those in the probiotic groups had greater improvement, and lower recurrence of lactational mastitis when compared to those in the antibiotic group. Other lactobacilli species such as L. lactis and L. rhamnosus have also shown to significantly inhibit the growth of S. aureus. In this interview, Andrew Whitfield-Cook interviews Belinda Reynolds, a noted dietitian with a special interest in women's health, pregnancy and breastfeeding. By explaining this truly groundbreaking research, Belinda highlights the potential that probiotic therapy has for the prevention and treatment of infectious lactational mastitis.

Many would be familiar with Dr Murray and his extensive body of work in the field of complementary medicine research. He has published almost 30 books, selling over two million copies, including the seminal clinical reference Textbook of Natural Medicine. He has compiled a database of more than 50,000 scientific studies in the medical literature which provide the strong evidence that natural measures are effective at maintaining good health and treating disease. One of Dr Murray''s key areas of interest is in the unique therapeutic benefits of curcumin. In recognising the significant challenges associated with its bioavailability, Dr Murray set out to develop a curcumin formula with a truly superior delivery system, now known as Theracurmin.

Rethinking the Cholesterol Paradigm Part 2, is a two part audio interview with Dr Robert Buist, Australia's leading nutritional biochemist, is interviewed by Andrew Whitfield-Cook on some of the latest cholesterol research and explores the exciting new directions this is taking us in our understanding of cardiovascular health and disease prevention.

Rethinking the Cholesterol Paradigm Part 1, is a two part audio interview with Dr Robert Buist, Australia's leading nutritional biochemist, is interviewed by Andrew Whitfield-Cook on some of the latest cholesterol research and explores the exciting new directions this is taking us in our understanding of cardiovascular health and disease prevention.