Search Results for: supplements

Evidence Update- A Systematic Review of Diets & Dietary Supplements for Arthritis in Dogs and Cats (TL;DR- Can we please stop giving them glucosamine?!)

One of the most common topics over the lifetime of this blog has been treatments for osteoarthritis in dogs and cats. I’ve talked about pharmaceuticals, acupuncture, electromagnetic fields, laser, and other treatments, but the bulk of the articles have addressed the most popular over-the-counter (OTC) … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements, Nutrition | 21 Comments

The Latest in Veterinary Aging Supplements- Leap Years by Animal Biosciences

While the focus of my professional attention, and my writing, has largely shifted away from complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) per se and towards the field of aging, I obviously cannot escape the pseudoscience and sloppy or motivated reasoning that characterizes … Continue reading

Posted in Aging Science, Herbs and Supplements | 9 Comments

Evidence Update: Finally a Clinical Trial of Cranberry Supplements for Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs

One of the recurring subjects I have covered on this blog is the contention that cranberry supplements can help prevent or treat urinary tract infections. Each time I address the subject, the evidence points to pretty much the same general … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 5 Comments

Unregulated Herbal Products and Supplements Send 23,000 People to the Emergency Room Annually in the U.S.

Many times, I have written about the risks of herbal remedies and dietary supplements, and about the folly of not regulating these and requiring the scientific testing for safety and efficacy that is required of real medicine (e.g. 1, 2, 3, … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 10 Comments

Latest Review of Evidence for Vitamin D & Calcium Supplements

I have reviewed the complex and inconsistent evidence concerning the potential risks and benefits of vitamin supplements here, and concluded that most of the common claims for health benefits are unjustified. I recently discussed an example of this sort of … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 3 Comments

Evidence Concerning Vitamin and Mineral Supplements- Safety and Efficacy

Introduction I have discussed a number of studies and reviews of the value and risks of vitamin and mineral supplements in humans. While these studies can only be considered supportive, not definitive, in terms of the risks and benefits of … Continue reading

Posted in Topic-Based Summaries | 13 Comments

Unregulated Dietary Supplements Still Killing People

The New York Times recently reported on the growing evidence that unregulated dietary supplements are a significant cause of injury and death. According to research by a group of liver specialists, supplements now “account for nearly 20 percent of drug-related liver … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 7 Comments

Brain Protection Blend: Can Nutritional Supplements Preserve or Improve Cognitive Function in Cats?

Age-associated Cognitive Dysfunction As our pets age, behavioral changes associated with aging of the brain often become evident. Cats and dogs may exhibit changes in sleep patterns, in interactions with other animals or with humans, problems with housetraining, and other … Continue reading

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Herbs and Supplements for Pets: What Is a Vet to do?

I’ve written extensively about herbal remedies and dietary supplements both because these seem among the most likely to be useful of CAM therapies and also because they are widely used despite the lack of good evidence that they are safe … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 4 Comments

FDA Finds Widespread and Serious Violations of Safety and Quality Control Regulations for Dietary Supplements

Despite the possibility that some dietary supplements could have real health benefits, there are many reasons to be skeptical of the safety and value of most supplements on the market. Most have not been tested scientifically to an extent that … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements, Law, Regulation, and Politics | 2 Comments