Integrative Medicine Alert – November 1, 2019
November 1, 2019
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Bright Light Therapy in Depression and Insomnia Associated With Parkinson’s
Bright light therapy (10,000 lux intensity for 30 minutes twice daily) and a low intensity control light showed similar efficacy in treatment of depression associated with Parkinson’s disease; the bright light therapy showed some advantages in improving subjective quality of sleep.
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Stopping Cannabis Improves Cognitive Function in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
The authors of a recent study evaluated the effect of discontinuing cannabis use in patients with multiple sclerosis. Stopping cannabis led to significant improvements in memory, processing speed, and executive function.
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Iron Absorption in Iron Deficiency Anemia With Alternate-Day Dosing
In a cohort of 19 women with iron deficiency anemia, alternate-day doses of iron led to 40-50% more iron absorption compared to consecutive-day doses. -
Mortality and Vitamin D Supplementation: A Meta-Analysis
In this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, researchers determined that when compared with placebo or no treatment, vitamin D supplementation alone was not associated with an increase in overall all-cause mortality, though there were some nuances based on vitamin D form and type of mortality.
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Effects of Probiotics on Cognition and Falls Risk in Patients With Cirrhosis
Patients with cirrhosis and mild cognitive impairment and falls were randomized to a probiotic formulation vs. placebo. Probiotic treatment improved cognitive outcomes and reduced the risk of falls.
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Predictors of Response to a Specific Psychological Treatment in Chronic Low-Back Pain
A theoretical model employed to predict response to either mindfulness meditation, cognitive therapy, or mindfulness-based therapy in patients with chronic low-back pain showed evidence that this type of model may be useful in determining which patients are most likely to benefit from a specified intervention.