Imagine your surprise. Your doctor gave you a prescription for an anticonvulsant drug to treat your migraine headaches and one day you noticed you had lost some of your muscle strength. No one explained that your medication could have this side effect. Or that you only needed to take an amino acid to prevent it. And what's worse, this medication is only one of many that deplete nutrients your body needs to be healthy and strong.

We all know that pharmaceutical drugs have side effects. But few people know the degree to which they can rob you of essential vitamins and minerals. You could be taking a medication to help control one condition and end up with a nutrient deficiency and other unexpected health problems.

This is unnecessary.

If you're taking any drug on a regular basis — even aspirin — keep reading. I'll tell you which nutrients you need to take to avoid a vitamin or mineral deficit in 10 of the most popular medications.

Aspirin is the most common and most frequently overused over-the-counter drug in the country. Doctors prescribe it for pain and to thin the blood to prevent heart attacks and stroke. But aspirin also decreases the absorption of vitamin C and folic acid. If you have wounds that heal slowly, or if you get sick frequently, you could be low in vitamin C. Signs of folic acid deficiency include depression, insomnia, anemia, and fatigue. Folic acid is frequently low in older people. This is most likely due to low consumption in foods high in folic acid (i.e., dark green leafy vegetables) and taking medications that interfere with its absorption.

Antacids, which doctors over-prescribe for acid reflux, only suppress symptoms. They don't address the underlying cause – a malfunctioning valve in the esophagus. You can read about this further in my most recent book (The Health Detective's 456 Most Powerful Healing Secrets – call 800-728-2288 to order). Unfortunately, antacids also lower your levels of protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. This is because they all need acid to break them down where your body can utilize them.

In addition, antacids decrease the absorption of vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin D. There's increased evidence that very high amounts of vitamin D (5,000 IU in winter and 2,000 IU in summer) are protective against colds, flu, breast cancer, and osteoporosis. If you've been taking antacids for a year or more, ask your doctor to check your vitamin D and vitamin B12 levels. You may be deficient. When you reverse this deficiency you can strengthen your bones and avoid colds and flu.

Antibiotics upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in your intestines by killing off the good guys as well as the bad. You need enough beneficial bacteria to utilize B vitamins and vitamin K. Different antibiotics contribute to different deficiencies. Some increase the excretion of calcium and magnesium, which can lead to osteoporosis. Others contribute to poor absorption of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. After any course of antibiotics, take probiotics (friendly bacteria) for one to three months. But don't dismiss other possible nutrient deficiencies. Ask your pharmacist which deficiencies you might have incurred from taking any antibiotics during the past six months.

Anticonvulsants are used to treat seizure disorders and are prescribed for migraines, chronic pain, and anxiety. In one study, more than 10% of people taking anticonvulsants were extremely low in calcium. And all of the patients taking anticonvulsants were low in vitamin D.

That's not all. One study found that more than 75% of patients who were taking Depakote were low in L-carnitine. A deficiency in this amino acid can cause muscle weakness, and poor fat absorption (including the healthy fats from fish and flax oils, and vitamins A, D, and E).

Blood pressure drugs. Almost one out of three adults in this country has high blood pressure. Many take medications. Propranolol and other beta-blockers prevent CoQ10 from getting into the heart muscle. So do some hypertensives like Clonidine, guanfacine, and alpha-methyldopa. Low levels of CoQ10 are seen in people with congestive heart failure.

Vasodilators also deplete vitamin B6, which can cause depression, anxiety, low libido, water retention, and blood sugar imbalances. If you're taking blood pressure medications you may want to supplement with CoQ10 and vitamin B6.

Diabetes drugs. Metformin (Glucophage, Diaformin) is the most popular class of anti-diabetic drugs in the country. All of the drugs in this class deplete vitamin B12 and folic acid, which can lead to anemia. Patients taking metformin over a long period of time can have significantly low B12 levels. Short-term use often increases homocysteine, an amino acid associated with inflammation and heart disease. What lowers dangerous homocysteine? B vitamins. If you're taking oral medications for diabetes, make sure you're taking a strong multivitamin with well-absorbed B vitamins like Vitality Plus (800-728-2288).

Diuretics cause potassium to be excreted, which is why most people using diuretics take supplemental potassium. But magnesium is also depleted. This can lead to fibromyalgia, asthma, allergies, PMS, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Some diuretics significantly decrease zinc levels, which can lead to thinning hair, loss of taste and smell, and lower immunity. Diuretics can increase the excretion of vitamin B6, ascorbic acid, calcium, sodium, magnesium, and chloride. Talk with your pharmacist today about the diuretic you're presently taking and discuss any possible nutrient depletion.

Hormones. We've all heard about hormone therapy and breast cancer. But few people know that one estrogen, oral estradiol, can cause a vitamin B6 deficiency. A deficiency in B6 affects your body's tryptophan metabolism. Simply speaking, this means that depression is a side effect from taking estradiol. Estrogens also increase the body's absorption of magnesium into the bones. This may sound positive, but every imbalance has its cost to your health. Increased magnesium absorption in your bones reduces blood levels of magnesium, altering the ratio of calcium to magnesium. The result is increased blood coagulation and a higher risk for blood clots (which can lead to heart attacks or stroke).

Statins lower cholesterol and prevent coronary artery disease. Unfortunately, they do this at a cost to your health. Your heart and brain use the most CoQ10, an antioxidant needed to make energy. In the complicated pathway that leads from high to lower cholesterol, statins significantly lower blood levels of CoQ10. Two nasty side effects from statins are liver and muscle toxicity. Having enough CoQ10 can counteract this toxicity. My suggestion for anyone taking statins is to take 200 mg or more of supplemental CoQ10 a day.

Steroids reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system. This is only a good idea if you have an autoimmune disease, such as lupus or MS, and want to stop your immune system from attacking itself. But steroids increase osteoporosis by reducing calcium absorption and increasing calcium excretion. When you use steroids over a long period of time, you also decrease magnesium. You can't have strong, dense bones without calcium and magnesium. Steroids lower other nutrients as well, including potassium, zinc, copper, and very possibly vitamins C and D.

Bottom Line: If you're taking any medications, begin by taking a good, high-potency multivitamin/mineral like Vitality Plus. A strong multi will slowly begin to counteract nutrient depletion. Then take a closer look at each medication you're taking and increase the nutrients they're depleting. If your medications aren't listed within the 10 I've just discussed, you may be able to find them in Supplement Your Prescription (Basic Health Publications), a new book hot off the presses. My dear friend, Hyla Cass, MD is the author.

Consult your pharmacist if you need more specific information. Be sure the supplements you use to counteract any depletion are good quality, well-absorbed products like those from Source Naturals, Thorne, ProThera, and, of course, Women's Preferred. I've checked out these companies for years and there are none finer in my opinion.

Meletis, C.D., ND, and N. Zabriskie, ND. ''Common nutrient depletions caused by pharmaceuticals,'' Alternative & Complementary Therapies, February 2007.

How to Stop an Incurable Skin Disorder — And Even Reverse It

Years ago, a beautiful young actress who had a major role in a weekly television series walked into my office for nutritional counseling. Her medical doctors had given up on a condition that was causing her a great deal of distress and interfering with her work. She had a skin disease that was beginning to mar her otherwise flawless skin. Small white patches had begun to appear on her face and arms. This meant that she needed to get to makeup hours earlier than her other cast members. Every day her work was a reminder of her slowly progressing skin disease.

Her condition isn't new. In fact, we know that people suffered with it as far back as 2200 B.C. in India. And it's even mentioned in the Old Testament (Leviticus, chapter 13). It's called vitiligo, or leukoderma, and it is either an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the skin cells that produce pigment, or a genetic problem. Her vitiligo was genetic.

For some, vitiligo is an unsightly skin disease that disturbs them daily. For others, it's hardly noticeable. This young woman was willing to do everything possible to clear up her skin because her appearance was so closely linked to her work. But this loss of pigment has another consequence: It reduces any natural protection from the sun. If you have vitiligo, it's important to always use sunscreen on the affected areas.

I worked hard to find a solution for this young actress. Reversing it wasn't an easy task, because this skin condition is considered incurable. During the time we worked together, I saw for myself how difficult this condition was to treat. But I refused to give up. So did she.

Eventually, with a lot of help from extraordinary doctors of integrative medicine, and trial-and-error, we found two specific treatments to completely free her from the white spots. This was before science pointed to solutions. Now there are studies that prove they work. They've not only stopped vitiligo, they've reversed it. And they're perfectly safe to try.

Phototherapy

Doctors are using ultraviolet light therapy for many skin conditions, including vitiligo. But not all frequencies of ultraviolet light are the same. Some of it is broad spectrum (UVB) and some (narrow band) has a more select emission. Researchers have found that narrow band ultraviolet light is more therapeutic than UVB. It's been used in psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions. Now, it is an effective treatment for vitiligo.

There are a few good studies to support using narrow-band ultraviolet-B light therapy for vitiligo. In one, researchers gave seven vitiligo patients 19 treatments over the period of one year. Five out of the seven had 75% re-pigmentation. These are results never seen before!

In another study, this one much larger, researchers treated more than 100 patients with vitiligo and inflammatory skin diseases with this narrow band light therapy. Eighty percent of them improved.

Will phototherapy cause skin cancer? Studies show that UV rays are not harmful unless you get burned – either by the sun or a light box. Phototherapy is completely safe when used properly.

Phototherapy treatment works in most vitiligo cases, but not in all cases. So before purchasing a light box (they're expensive), you should have some treatments to make sure it's working for you. The best way to do this is to find a doctor who uses UVB light for skin conditions.

To locate a doctor near you who uses light therapy, call one of the companies that make light boxes for medical use. I've talked with the people at UVBioTek (800-882-4683). They've assured me that they'll help you find a doctor as close to you as possible who is skilled in using phototherapy for skin conditions. They will also work with you to see if your insurance will cover the cost of one of their phototherapy units, and explain how to use it.

Be patient. While the right kind of UV light can help re-pigmentation, the process is slow and can take twice-weekly treatments for a year or more.

Ginkgo

People have used the leaves from the oldest known tree, ginkgo biloba, to successfully stop and reverse vitiligo. You may already know that ginkgo is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory herb that helps regulate the immune system. Well, some researchers think that free-radical damage to the skin is a primary cause of vitiligo. If so, this would explain ginkgo's effectiveness in stopping free radicals and vitiligo.

A study published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Dermatology followed nearly 50 adults with a slow-spreading form of vitiligo. The researchers gave half of them 120 mg a day of a standardized extract of ginkgo leaf. The other half took a placebo. The ginkgo stopped the vitiligo in 80% of the people taking standardized ginkgo at the end of this six-month study. Forty percent of them had significant or complete re-pigmentation.

By the way, some people believe that ginkgo thins the blood and can cause bleeding. Not so, says a two-year crossover study of over 300,000 patients. It concluded that ginkgo doesn't increase bleeding or interact with blood-thinning drugs at all. So if you're taking blood-thinning medications, don't worry about taking gingko as well.

You can get 100 capsules of standardized ginkgo biloba leaf, from Shaman Shop (315-245-3000) for $14.25 plus shipping. At three capsules a day (120 mg), one bottle won't last a whole month. You should give it at least a three-month trial to see if it helps your vitiligo. I suggest you order four bottles to give it a fair trial.

Between these two therapies, you have an excellent chance to stop the spread of vitiligo and increase repigmentation.

Gaus, W., et al. "Identification of adverse drug reactions by evaluation of a prescription database, demonstrated for 'risk of bleeding," Methods Inf Med, 2005.

Kose, K., et al. Clinical & Experimental Dermatology, 2003.
Scherschun, L., MD, et al. "Narrow-band ultraviolet B is a useful and well-tolerated treatment for vitiligo," Journ of Amer Acad of Dermatology, June 2001.

Weischer, M., et al. "No evidence for increased skin cancer risk in psoriasis patients treated with broadband or narrowband UVB phototherapy: a first retrospective study," Acta Derm Venereol, 2004.

Yashar, S., "Narrow-band ultraviolet B treatment for vitiligo, pruritus, and inflammatory dermatoses," Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed, August 2003.

Improve Your Memory and Guard Against Parkinson's Disease (It costs nothing and it works)

As we get older, some of the nerve cells in our brain, known as neurons, die off or become impaired and don't work as well as before. We forget the names of people we know we know, and where we left our car keys. We call these lapses "senior moments" even before we're old enough to be seniors.

In fact, I'm hearing women in their 40s and 50s complain about senior moments! Until recently, we thought there was nothing we could do about this short-term memory loss. It turns out we were wrong. We can help our brains make more neurons – ones that specifically control learning and memory.

The answer is not in doing crossword puzzles or playing chess or bridge. These mental exercises can help you preserve what you already have, but they don't make more brain neurons. No, this method I'm talking about doesn't just slow down aging. It actually reverses it.

The answer to "senior moments" is exercise. But not just any exercise. It's daily, or almost daily, aerobic exercise. A stroll around the mall or a yoga class isn't enough to keep you sharp. But running, a brisk walk, using the treadmill, or a vigorous ride on an exercise bike, will.

You may have heard before that exercise helps your memory. But now I have specific information on how and why it works. I'm hoping this information will help inspire you to get up and do some aerobic exercise every day.

This is how exercise works on your memory

Exercise helps your brain use a powerful hormone called IGF-1. IGF-1 stands for insulin-like growth factor. This hormone is so strong and effective in helping repair muscle tissues that many bodybuilders and professional athletes use it to boost their abilities. And it's a popular nutrient for people who are interested in anti-aging supplements. The problem is, too much IGF-1 can cause cancer. You can't take high amounts of any hormone without consequences. We found that out with hormone replacement therapy. However, there's no danger in using the amount your body naturally produces.

One way to use your own IGF-1 more effectively is to move it out of your bloodstream and into specific areas of your brain. Sound difficult? Well, it's not. That's what happens when you exercise. What's more, exercise stimulates the production of new neurons in the hippocampus — the part of your brain that controls memory and learning.

New neurons are more sensitive than older ones and can communicate better with one another. And this sensitivity extends into other areas. These neurons can process information more easily. When you make new neurons by exercising, you should be able to learn more quickly or easily than before.

How exercise can help Parkinson's disease

New brain neurons are just what Parkinson's patients need. Their disease is caused by insufficient dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (or nerve messenger) that helps control movement and muscle activity. When your levels of dopamine are low, you lose your balance, your muscles become frozen, and you get tremors. But what causes low dopamine? Having too few neurons to make this vital chemical, or having damaged neurons that don't work properly.

Researchers are currently conducting studies to determine how much exercise is needed to protect the neurons from being destroyed in patients with Parkinson's disease. Early results suggest that vigorous daily exercise for at least two months was more beneficial than less strenuous exercise. However, researchers say, "all exercise was better than none."

That's not all. Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that exercise helps regenerate damaged brain circuits. This means it can help people with traumatic brain injuries by increasing levels of a protein that neurons need in order to grow.

These researchers took a group of rats with brain injuries similar to those sustained in an auto accident and gave half of them access to a running wheel. The other half remained sedentary. The rats that exercised had a 75% improvement after 10 days.

Take action today

A friend and I were working out last week at the gym on treadmills. I walked briskly for 50 minutes while she stopped at 35. I felt fine afterward and she was wiped out for several days. "I guess I'm not in as good shape as I thought," she told me. Unfortunately, she was right. She needed to exercise daily, not just one or two times a week as she had been doing.

Half an hour a day on the treadmill is ideal for her to aim for. But I suggested she begin exercising 15 minutes every other day. Once that becomes easy – within a couple of weeks – she can increase to daily exercising. Later she can slowly increase her time by five minutes each week until she's working out daily for half an hour. I'm so pleased that she recognizes the importance of regular exercise, and sees her limitations. This means she can work within them and reach her goals.

Don't fool yourself by thinking that a few minutes of exercise two or three times a week is enough just because it's more than you used to do. It's not. Remember, your brain needs daily aerobic exercise. Walking your dog and stopping periodically won't keep you smart. Look for an aerobic exercise you'll do, and ease into it.

If there's no gym near you that you can afford and would use, look in your local paper for a used exercise bike, rowing machine, or treadmill. They're often a fraction of their original cost.

As we get older, some of the nerve cells in our brain, known as neurons, die off or become impaired and don't work as well as before. We forget the names of people we know we know, and where we left our car keys. We call these lapses "senior moments" even before we're old enough to be seniors.

In fact, I'm hearing women in their 40s and 50s complain about senior moments! Until recently, we thought there was nothing we could do about this short-term memory loss. It turns out we were wrong. We can help our brains make more neurons – ones that specifically control learning and memory.

The answer is not in doing crossword puzzles or playing chess or bridge. These mental exercises can help you preserve what you already have, but they don't make more brain neurons. No, this method I'm talking about doesn't just slow down aging. It actually reverses it.

The answer to "senior moments" is exercise. But not just any exercise. It's daily, or almost daily, aerobic exercise. A stroll around the mall or a yoga class isn't enough to keep you sharp. But running, a brisk walk, using the treadmill, or a vigorous ride on an exercise bike, will.

You may have heard before that exercise helps your memory. But now I have specific information on how and why it works. I'm hoping this information will help inspire you to get up and do some aerobic exercise every day.

This is how exercise works on your memory

Exercise helps your brain use a powerful hormone called IGF-1. IGF-1 stands for insulin-like growth factor. This hormone is so strong and effective in helping repair muscle tissues that many bodybuilders and professional athletes use it to boost their abilities. And it's a popular nutrient for people who are interested in anti-aging supplements. The problem is, too much IGF-1 can cause cancer. You can't take high amounts of any hormone without consequences. We found that out with hormone replacement therapy. However, there's no danger in using the amount your body naturally produces.

One way to use your own IGF-1 more effectively is to move it out of your bloodstream and into specific areas of your brain. Sound difficult? Well, it's not. That's what happens when you exercise. What's more, exercise stimulates the production of new neurons in the hippocampus — the part of your brain that controls memory and learning.

New neurons are more sensitive than older ones and can communicate better with one another. And this sensitivity extends into other areas. These neurons can process information more easily. When you make new neurons by exercising, you should be able to learn more quickly or easily than before.

How exercise can help Parkinson's disease

New brain neurons are just what Parkinson's patients need. Their disease is caused by insufficient dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (or nerve messenger) that helps control movement and muscle activity. When your levels of dopamine are low, you lose your balance, your muscles become frozen, and you get tremors. But what causes low dopamine? Having too few neurons to make this vital chemical, or having damaged neurons that don't work properly.

Researchers are currently conducting studies to determine how much exercise is needed to protect the neurons from being destroyed in patients with Parkinson's disease. Early results suggest that vigorous daily exercise for at least two months was more beneficial than less strenuous exercise. However, researchers say, "all exercise was better than none."

That's not all. Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that exercise helps regenerate damaged brain circuits. This means it can help people with traumatic brain injuries by increasing levels of a protein that neurons need in order to grow.

These researchers took a group of rats with brain injuries similar to those sustained in an auto accident and gave half of them access to a running wheel. The other half remained sedentary. The rats that exercised had a 75% improvement after 10 days.

Take action today

A friend and I were working out last week at the gym on treadmills. I walked briskly for 50 minutes while she stopped at 35. I felt fine afterward and she was wiped out for several days. "I guess I'm not in as good shape as I thought," she told me. Unfortunately, she was right. She needed to exercise daily, not just one or two times a week as she had been doing.

Half an hour a day on the treadmill is ideal for her to aim for. But I suggested she begin exercising 15 minutes every other day. Once that becomes easy – within a couple of weeks – she can increase to daily exercising. Later she can slowly increase her time by five minutes each week until she's working out daily for half an hour. I'm so pleased that she recognizes the importance of regular exercise, and sees her limitations. This means she can work within them and reach her goals.

Don't fool yourself by thinking that a few minutes of exercise two or three times a week is enough just because it's more than you used to do. It's not. Remember, your brain needs daily aerobic exercise. Walking your dog and stopping periodically won't keep you smart. Look for an aerobic exercise you'll do, and ease into it.

If there's no gym near you that you can afford and would use, look in your local paper for a used exercise bike, rowing machine, or treadmill. They're often a fraction of their original cost.

Health Detective

An Easy Way to Protect Yourself From the Flu

Here's a simple way to prevent getting the flu that is so inexpensive it's practically free. Gargle with tea. That's right, plain old Lipton's or any other black tea contains chemicals called catechins that have antiviral activity.

Researchers in Japan were first to report this simple way to use tea that can prevent you from getting the flu. They took 124 people over the age of 65 who were living in a nursing home and gave half of them an extract made from tea to gargle with three times a day for three months. The other half gargled without the tea solution. There was a significantly lower incidence of flu in the people who gargled with the tea extract. If it worked for elderly people who often have poor immune systems, it should work well for children and everyone else.

Take two or three tea bags and make a very strong cup or pot of tea. Gargle with a little of this solution three times a day. If it's too bitter, add some xylitol or stevia powder. Either one will sweeten the solution without feeding any bacteria. Be sure to refrigerate the unused tea to keep it fresh.

If you'd like to take something more to boost your immune system — either by itself or with this tea — the one supplement that's kept me cold-and-flu-free for years is MycoPhyto Complex, a blend of medicinal mushrooms with added beta glucan. You can get this flu-insurance by calling 800-728-2288. I take it every day.

Yamada, H., et al. 'Gargling with tea catechin extracts for the prevention of influenza infection in elderly nursing home residents: a prospective clinical study," J Altern Complement Med, 2006.

Ask Dr. Nan

Q: What causes hair loss in postmenopausal women? – G.P.J., e-mail

A: Decreased levels of progesterone usually cause post-menopause hair loss. Progesterone helps produce a number of adrenal hormones. When there isn't enough progesterone, your body makes more androstenedione — another hormone that makes adrenal hormones. The problem is, androstenedione promotes hair loss. One obvious solution would be to take natural progesterone.

First, get an evaluation from a nurse practitioner, medical doctor, or naturopath who specializes in natural hormone therapy. Then, if you need more progesterone, get it from a natural compounding pharmacy, such as Women's International Pharmacy (800-279-5708). They'll make a progesterone cream to meet your specific needs. This means you're getting the safest form and amount.

Next, be patient. It can take six months or more to see any results. If you're completely against taking any hormones, even natural ones, try these supplements; Zinc (30-50 mg), vitamin B6 (100-200 mg), and sulfur (found in egg yolks) all support healthy hair. Onions, garlic, broccoli, and cabbage are also high in sulfur. Include them in your diet every day, when possible.

Finally, it's important to know that an under-active thyroid and stress can contribute to hair loss. Have your thyroid checked and practice some type of stress-reduction daily. Exercise and meditation are two excellent stress-reducers.

Conrad, Christine. A Woman's Guide to Natural Hormones, Perigee Books, 2000.

Kunin, Richard A., MD. Mega-Nutrition for Women, Plume, 1983.

Q: I have osteoporosis and have been taking Fosamax for two-and-a-half years. I want to stop taking it and take strontium. But I have read that strontium citrate and strontium carbonate are toxic, and the doses sold in stores are too high. What can you tell me that will help me feel comfortable taking Ultimate Bone Support? – V.N., e-mail

A: I first heard about strontium two years ago and researched it extensively. In fact, I ended up with a four-inch thick pile of studies on the subject. I found that when pharmaceutical companies discovered that their patented form of strontium, strontium ranelate, was no better than the non-patented forms, they decided not to sell it.

Prior to that time, they conducted all of their studies on the ranelate form to help them sell their products. I also read numerous studies that showed other forms of strontium were safe and effective – not toxic at all. The formulators I work with came to the same conclusions. I've known them for over 25 years, and if they have any doubt about an ingredient, they refuse to use it or sell it.

Once they were convinced of strontium's safety, I had to wait for them to find good quality raw ingredients, along with the other nutrients that support bone health. This wait wasn't easy for me. I've wanted a natural, effective product to protect my own bones for a long time. Now I take Ultimate Bone Support morning and night on an empty stomach (it competes with calcium, so don't take it with high-calcium foods or supplements).

How well does it works? A friend of mine broke a bone in her foot over a year ago. It never even began to heal until I gave her strontium. I'm personally sold on it. You need to see for yourself how well it works for you. So give it a try, and have your doctor monitor your bone density.