Category Archives: Herbs and Supplements

Proponents of CAM often claim that one major advantage to their methods is the absence of side effects seen with conventional medical treatments. This makes little sense since there is no “free lunch” in physiology, and an intervention that affects … Continue reading →

A couple of  “news” articles, which were essentially truncated but often verbatim reprints of a company press release, appeared today about a clinical trial looking at a mysterious new veterinary product with grand but vague claims. Naturally, this caught my … Continue reading →

One of the most popular nutritional supplements these days is fish oil. It contains a high proportion of omega 3 fatty acids (EFA), notable eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This supplement is purported to have a broad range … Continue reading →

Back in September, I reviewed the evidence (or lack thereof) supporting claims of benefits from nutraceuticals in cognitive dysfunction. One of the more popular ingredients in many of the products sold with such claims is Ginkgo biloba, and at the … Continue reading →

There is widespread agreement among veterinary behaviorists, and veterinarians in general, that one consequence of the improved longevity of our patients has been an increase in clinical behavior problems associated with brain aging. Changes in sleep/wake cycles, activity level, housetraining … Continue reading →

What is it?   Osteoarthritis (OA), also called degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a common and painful disease in older humans and animals. OA mostly affects cartilage, the hard but slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they … Continue reading →

What is it?   A widely used definition of probiotics is “Live microbes that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” The basic idea is that all animals have a great number and variety of … Continue reading →