Boastin'

[spiffyone]

In other news, one of my research mentors had an article published in JAMA yesterday and it's all over the Boston Globe and the news today. It's about the levels of heavy metals in certain forms of herbal medications. Very interesting stuff. Some of you know that I switched careers this summer and am now doing a research fellowship so I can pursue research in a more full-time way. It's very inspiring to see someone so close to me succeed.

(Unrelated to flying....but interesting....)

:hamster

[MadScientist]

I would be interested in reading this report. The FDA doesn't govern health food stores or herbal supplements so we really don't know what we are getting. Heavy metal contents can cause a whole slew of health problems if present in high enough concentrations.

[spiffyone]

Ken, EXACTLY. It reminds me of the early 1900s when patent medicines were sold without much regulation and all kinds of claims were made...and most of them had alcohol and morphine and cocaine and all kinds of *&% in them.

The article can be found in this week's JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Assoc) - it may be accessible online, actually. There's some coverage on boston.com as well - not very scientific though.

[beaugest]

Spiff, I couldn't find it online. I'd be interested in seeing it too.
I think research in that area is very important.
I'm sure you know there's a lot of interest in the psych field about herbal meds. People debate St. Johns Wort endlessly.
Actually, I was also planning looking up this thing about not eating or drinking grapefruit with Valiums(and I think some other benzos). There are some herbal things that may contain enough grapefruit to also have an impact. Trying to get a handle on this. Do you know anything about it?Monica

[Disney fan]

Spiffy,

If you could copy and paste I would be very interested too. Quite a number of my patients take herbals. I also take a number of supplements myself.

Lynda

Congrats by the way!