Canadian researchers find a simple cure for cancer, but major pharmaceutical companies are not interested.
Researchers at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Canada have cured cancer last week, yet there is a little ripple in the news or in TV. It is a simple technique using very basic drug. The method employs dichloroacetate, which is currently used to treat metabolic disorders. So, there is no concern of side effects or about their long term effects.
This drug doesn’t require a patent, so anyone can employ it widely and cheaply compared to the costly cancer drugs produced by major pharmaceutical companies.
Canadian scientists tested this dichloroacetate (DCA) on human’s cells; it killed lung, breast and brain cancer cells and left the healthy cells alone. It was tested on Rats inflicted with severe tumors; their cells shrank when they were fed with water supplemented with DCA. The drug is widely available and the technique is easy to use, why the major drug companies are not involved? Or the Media interested in this find?
In human bodies there is a natural cancer fighting human cell, the mitochondria, but they need to be triggered to be effective. Scientists used to think that these mitochondria cells were damaged and thus ineffective against cancer. So they used to focus on glycolysis, which is less effective in curing cancer and more wasteful. The drug manufacturers focused on this glycolysis method to fight cancer. This DCA on the other hand doesn’t rely on glycolysis instead on mitochondria; it triggers the mitochondria which in turn fights the cancer cells.
The side effect of this is it also reactivates a process called apoptosis. You see, mitochondria contain an all-too-important self-destruct button that can’t be pressed in cancer cells. Without it, tumors grow larger as cells refuse to be extinguished. Fully functioning mitochondria, thanks to DCA, can once again die.
With glycolysis turned off, the body produces less lactic acid, so the bad tissue around cancer cells doesn’t break down and seed new tumors.
Pharmaceutical companies are not investing in this research because DCA method cannot be patented, without a patent they can’t make money, like they are doing now with their AIDS Patent. Since the pharmaceutical companies won’t develop this, the article says other independent laboratories should start producing this drug and do more research to confirm all the above findings and produce drugs. All the groundwork can be done in collaboration with the Universities, who will be glad to assist in such research and can develop an effective drug for curing cancer.
You can access the original research for this cancer here.
This article wants to raise awareness for this study, hope some independent companies and small startup will pick up this idea and produce these drugs, because the big companies won’t touch it for a long time.
Sun, 15 May 2011 17:05 CDT
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Due to the nuclear alert in Japan and its likelihood to affect the United States and other parts of the world, I decided to carry this article which I wrote for the Dot Connector Magazine‘s issue N. 12.
First, a little bit of background.
Radiation produces free-radicals (“inflammatory molecules”) that damage cells that make up tissues such as organs, glands, muscles, and bones. Besides causing the cells to age more quickly they also become distorted, or mutated, creating cancers such as leukemia, anemia, birth defects, and other diseases.
Sulfur has a long history of use as an antidote for acute exposure to radioactive material. DMSO is the classical sulfur compound. A Japanese study showed that even low concentrations of DMSO had radio-protective effects through the facilitation of DNA double-strand break repair, providing protection against radiation damage at all cellular levels in the whole body.
Remember that boosting your body’s detox capabilities and overall anti-oxidants levels is a key to survive in these stressful times. Being on a detox diet is crucial to regain health in a toxic environment. Our extensive experience and research shows that those on a no grain/low carb (no gluten) and non dairy diet fare MUCH better.
For more information on how to protect yourself from nuclear radiation, see:
DMSO is an effective pain killer, blocking nerve conduction ﬁbers that produce pain. It reduces inﬂammation and swelling by reducing inﬂammatory chemicals. It improves blood supply to an area of injury by dilating blood vessels and increasing delivery of oxygen and by reducing blood platelet stickiness. It stimulates healing, which is a key to its usefulness in any condition. It is among the most potent free radical scavengers known to man, if not the most potent one.
In 1866, Russian scientist Alexander Saytzeff isolated a most curious and peculiar chemical compound. It was crystalline, odor-less, non-toxic and had a garlic-like taste when consumed. At the time, Saytzeff had no way to predict that his discovery was going to prove highly controversial throughout its entire medical history, that it was going to be tested in thousands of studies, providing miraculous relief in numerous patients.
I’m talking here about dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an organic sulfur compound which was used only as an industrial solvent, that is, until its medical properties were discovered in 1963 by a research team headed by Stanley W. Jacob, MD.
DMSO is a by-product of kraft pulping (the “sulfate process”) which converts wood into wood pulp consisting of almost pure cellulose fibers. As industrial as it may sound, the process simply entails a treatment of wood chips with a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, known as white liquor, breaking the bonds which link lignin (from the Latin word lignum, meaning wood) to the cellulose.
DMSO is useful as a pain reliever, in burns, acne, arthritis, mental retardation, strokes, amyloidosis, head injury, scleroderma, it soothes toothaches, eases headaches, hemorroids, muscle strains, it prevents paralysis from spinal-chord injuries, it softens scar tissues. In fact, it is useful in well over 300 ailments and it is safe to use. You would think that a compound that has so many alleged uses and benefits will be automatically suspect, but careful examination of its properties and the data available will shed some light in this miraculous chemical.
Sulfur: The Stuff of Life
DMSO is an intermediate product of the global Sulfur Cycle which distributes bioavailable sulfur for all animal and plant life (Parcell, 2002). Sulfur compounds are found in all body cells and are indispensable for life, they are needed for a number of chemical reactions involved in the detoxification of drugs and other harmful toxins, and they have potential clinical applications in the treatment of a number of conditions such as depression, fibromyalgia, arthritis, intersticial cystitis, athletic injuries, congestive heart failure, diabetes, cancer, and AIDS (Parcell, 2002). Among the sulfur compounds, DMSO is probably the one that has the widest range and greatest number of therapeutic applications ever shown for any other single chemical. It has around 40 pharmacological properties that may be beneficial in the prevention, relief or reversal of numerous diseases (Morton, 1993).
Someone complained to Dr. Jacob of a splitting headache and gave him permission to apply some DMSO after hearing of its capabilities. The headache was gone in minutes, came back in four hours, and left for good after DMSO was applied a second time. Used for one purpose, sometimes it did another; put on a cold sore, within a few hours it cleared up a woman’s sinusitis. A woman who had had a stroke found after DMSO was painted on her painful jaw that she could now write with her paralyzed hand and could walk better. (Haley, 2000)
DMSO is an effective pain killer, blocking nerve conduction fibers that produce pain. It reduces inflammation and swelling by reducing inflammatory chemicals. It improves blood supply to an area of injury by dilating blood vessels and increasing delivery of oxygen and by reducing blood platelet stickiness. It stimulates healing, which is a key to its usefulness in any condition. It is among the most potent free radical scavengers known to man, if not the most potent one. This is a crucial mechanism since some molecules in our bodies produce an unequal number of electrons and the instability of the number causes them to destroy other cells. DMSO hooks on to those molecules and they are then expelled from the body with the DMSO.
DMSO also penetrates the skin and the blood-brain barrier with ease, penetrating tissues, and entering the bloodstream. Furthermore, DMSO protects the cells from mechanical damage and less of it is needed to achieve results as time passes as oppossed to most pharmaceuticals where increasing doses are required. It has a calming effect in the central nervous system and it reaches all areas of the body, when absorbed through the skin, including the brain. That is, DMSO applied to one area often leads to pain relief in some other location due to its systemic effect.
It acts as a carrier for other substances or drugs and it also potentiates their effect. In fact, certain drugs dissolved in DMSO, such as corticoids, antibiotics and insulin, may be used in a lower dose than usual without reducing their therapeutic efficacy and in addition, their undesirable side effects are greatly diminished. Also, drugs are able to pass through the blood-brain barrier which is usually impenetrable.
DMSO promotes the excretion of urine and functions as a muscle relaxant. It boosts the immune system, increasing the production of white cells and macrophages that destroy foreign material and pathogens in the body. It also has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. DMSO also increases the permeability of cell membranes, allowing a flushing of toxins from the cell.
DMSO has radioprotective properties against lethal and mutagenic effects of X-rays in cells, cellular systems and whole animals. It also has cryoprotective properties, meaning that it is capable of protecting against injury due to freezing.
DMSO has also been shown to have cholinesterase properties (Sams, 1967), in other words, it inhibits an enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine, increasing both the level and duration of action of this important neurotransmitter. Acetylcholine is responsible for learning and memory and is also calming and relaxing. Acetylcholine is also a major factor in regulating the immune system, acting as a major brake on inflammation in the body.
As a source of sulfur, DMSO aids in heavy metal detoxification. Sulfur binds with toxic heavy metals (mercury, lead, aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, nickel) and eliminates them via urination, defecation and sweating.
FDA and Big Pharma Obstacles
DMSO is sold in health food stores, mail-order outlets, on the Internet, and in most countries around the world. It is used by millions for its health benefits yet in the U.S., DMSO has FDA approval only as a preservative of stem cells, bone marrow cells, and organs for transplant, and for interstitial cystitis – a painful inflammatory condition of the bladder which is very difficult to treat with other therapies.
That DMSO has not found favor as a remedy for other medical conditions is partly due to the inability to test it in double-blind experiments. Blind studies, as the name suggests, requires that a study be done without knowing which patient is taking the placebo or the drug. In the case of the DMSO, a blind study is impossible since the peculiar garlic-like taste and smell (no matter the route of application) gives it away and no satisfactory placebo could be devised that would mimic this particular effect of DMSO (Steinberg, 1967).
If you search for DMSO on the U.S. National Library of Medicine (pubmed.gov), you’ll get almost 30,000 indexed results, making it one of the most studied compounds of our time. Yet, we are led to believe that DMSO can’t pass the required regulations for its approval in other medical conditions even though its effectiveness and low toxicity profile is unquestionable.
You see, DMSO is a common chemical that can be manufactured cheaply. No drug company can get an exclusive patent since it is also a natural compound, therefore there is no significant financial return. In fact, an executive of a major drug company is quoted as saying, “I don’t care if DMSO is the major drug of our century and we all know it is, it isn’t worth it to us” [CBS TV show 60 minutes with Mike Wallace, The Riddle of DMSO]. If DMSO were to be approved by the FDA, it would be competetive and drug companies would be unable to hold the patents. In the words of the director of the Bureau of Drugs of the FDA, J. Richard Crout, M.D., “DMSO is a low toxicity and safe compound (…) I think that it is a fact of life that drug companies are not going to invest in something unless they think there is some financial return” [CBS TV show 60 minutes with Mike Wallace, The Riddle of DMSO].
Despite restrictions on the use of DMSO, thousands of Americans purchase it on the ‘black market’ each year, its popularity due not to publicity, but rather ‘word of mouth’. When you have something that relieves all kinds of ailments, including some life-threatening ones, people naturally recommend it to friends and family!
In the 1960s, research with DMSO on humans was temporarily halted after certain animals treated with DMSO were found to have changes in the eye lens. Some of these changes resembled those seen in aging dogs (Gordon, 1967), but nevertheless, research was gradually restarted after no evidence was found of eye changes in humans. As Daniel Haley reports in his book Politics in Healing: “Tests in rabbits, dogs, and pigs (but not humans) had shown some problems. When quantities of DMSO equal to about ten times the maximum human dose were given every day over a period of six months, slight changes in the lenses of the animals’ eyes would result, enough to produce a slight nearsightedness. The lens changes were not enough to cause dogs difficulty when running – they didn’t bump into things – and in some cases, the changes disappeared after the massive DMSO doses were stopped. In no test at that time or since has DMSO ever caused cataracts, either in animals or in humans” (Haley, 2000).
In fact, DMSO is effective for macular degeneration and retinal disease, both diseases of the eye. This effectiveness was first discovered when patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a retinal disease, were taking DMSO for certain musculoskeleteal disorders. They sensed that their vision had improved and some had remarkable results (Morton, 1993).
As far as eyes are concerned, the evidence on DMSO is quite to the contrary. When several patients treated with DMSO for muscular problems reported to Dr. Jacob that their vision had improved, he sent them to Dr. Robert O. Hill, ophthalmologist at the University of Oregon Medical School. Confirming the favorable changes, Dr. Hill began his own experiments with DMSO (after it was known that the lens changes did not happen in humans). His research showed drops of 50% DMSO to be effective in retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration, and presented a report on this at the New York Academy of Sciences symposium in 1971. (Haley, 2000)
In contrast, the number of medication-related deaths in the U.S. is estimated at over 200,000 a year, making medications the third or fourth leading cause of death (Pezzalla, 2005). Even common pain relievers called NSAIDs, examples of which include Advil, Motrin, Aleve and aspirin, account for an estimated 7,600 deaths and 76,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. every year (Tamblyn et al, 1997). Taking this into consideration, it is safe to declare that DMSO is among the safest substances in the world today. In fact, the classic test for toxicity -the LD-50 test – measures the lethal dose (LD) at which half of a group of test animals is killed. The LD-50 tests for aspirin and DMSO show that aspirin is seven times more toxic than DMSO (Haley, 2000).
Quick Guide and Ailments
DMSO is generally applied to the skin in a gel, cream, or liquid. It can be taken by mouth or as an intravenous injection, in many cases along with other drugs. It has also been administered subcutaneously, intramuscularly, intraperitoneally, intrathecally, by inhalation, instilled into the eye, on the mucous membranes, and into the urinary bladder. Strenghs and dosages vary widely.
If you are just dealing with pain or an injury, use a topical application. Don’t drink it. Drinking it is for serious detoxing and other internal necessities. If you use a rose scented DMSO cream, chances are that nobody will be able to smell DMSO’s garlic-like smell.
The usual oral dose of DMSO is one teaspoon per day of DMSO 70% (Morton, 1993). But since it can trigger detoxification reactions and DMSO’s total excretion from the body can take several days, it is best to do it only once a week. Start with half a teaspoon of DMSO 50% and increase to a teaspoon of DMSO 70% only if any possible detoxification reaction is well tolerated.
When you use liquid DMSO in the skin, let it dry for over 20 to 30 minutes before wiping the rest out. The skin must be clean, dry, and unbroken for any topical use of DMSO. The face and the neck are more sensitive to DMSO and no higher concenrations than 50% should be applied there. Topical concentrations of DMSO should be kept below 70% in areas where there is a reduction of circulation. When 60 to 90% DMSO is applied to the skin, warmth, redness, itching, and somtimes local hives may occur. This usually disappears within a couple of hours and using natural aloe vera, gel or cream, will help counteract or prevent this effect. When 60 to 90% DMSO is applied to the palm on the hand, the skin may wrinkle and stay that way for several days.
“My brother put some DMSO gel (70% dmso, 30% aloe vera) on his shoulders and lower part of neck because he had muscle pain/soreness in that area, and it caused skin redness/irritation for a few hours, although it did diminish the muscle soreness as well…my grandma has rheumatoid arthritis that made her legs swell up and hurt continuously, and I had her apply the same DMSO gel, and after about 2-3 days of applying it once a day, the swelling was 90% gone, and I think within 4-5 days it was 100% gone, and she said the pain diminished as well.” – Michael Shatskiy, Los Angeles, California, United States
Chronic pain patients often have to apply the substance for 6 weeks before a change occurs, but many report relief to a degree that had not been able to obtain from any other source. In general, the greater the chronicity of the disorder, the longer the treatment with DMSO must be employed in order to achieve palliation (Steinberg , 1967).
Common health problems for which people will apply topical DMSO at home include acute musculoskeletal injuries and inflammations. The earlier DMSO is used, the more dramatic the result. A 70% concentration of DMSO mixed with water in volumes ranging from 8 to 12 ml, applied on and around the injury in a wide area at least three times daily, will have a healing affect in 4 out ot 5 people.
Arthritis, Sprains, Strains
It provides rapid amelioriation of pain and increased mobility and reduction of inflammation when used topically. You can see a positive response within 5 to 20 minutes and usually lasting for 4 to 6 hours. (Steinberg, 1967).
“Applying DMSO where it hurt to a six-year-old wasted from rheumatoid arthritis, in a half hour the child could move her shoulder and turn her head for the first time in two years. Persuaded to try walking, she managed a few steps and then burst into tears. “Why are you crying?” Dr Jacob asked her. “Because it doesn’t hurt anymore”, she replied. (Haley, 2000)
“My brother has arthritis of the spine. He is in pain and bedridden more than half the time. When he is treated with DMSO, he is able to lead a normal, active life… Just one application of this cheap, safe DMSO changed my brother from a grimacing patient into an active, pain-free man in exactly 30 minutes!” (Haley, 2000)
June Jones, once quarterback and later coach of the Atlanta Falcons pro-football team, had a bursitis calcification in his right shoulder. His career almost didn’t happen as he could hardly lift his arm, let alone throw a football. But he was aware of DMSO and had used DMSO for sprains, like thousands of others. He received a shot of DMSO in the shoulder and after using DMSO for 30 days straight, the calcification disappeared. (Haley, 2000)
Given soon after a stroke, DMSO can dissolve the clot that causes the stroke, restoring circulation and avoiding paralysis. Once DMSO gets into the body either daubed on the skin, given in I.V., or by mouth, it permeates the body and crosses the brain barrier, so even taken orally it can improve circulation. Ideally it should be I.V.
Even though DMSO 40% causes a prolongation of bleeding time, it is still indicated for use in treating embolic or hemorrhagic stroke. DMSO is superior to any other treatment for wounds to the brain where a great deal of bleeding is present (Morton, 1993).
One man who had a stroke at 7:30 AM refused to go to the hospital until after his wife had spoken with Dr. Stanley Jacob, which didn’t happen until 6:30 PM. Starting at 7 PM the day of the stroke, she gave him one ounce of 50% DMSO in a little orange juice every 15 minutes for two hours and then every half hour for two hours. The next day, her husband was better and soon returned to normal. A substance that can stop a stroke as it’s happening is something many might want in their home medicine chest .(Haley, 2000)
Angina, Heart Attacks, Injuries of the Brain and Spinal Chord
DMSO may help neutralize harmful effects on the heart and brain in medical disorders involving the head and spinal chord injury, stroke, memory dysfunction, and ischemic heart disease (Jacob, de la Torre, 2009). A 40% DMSO solution should be administered within four hours to be effective, within ninety minutes is best.
After I.V. administration of DMSO, there is an elevation in the amount of spinal cord blood flow to the region of trauma. One of the first things that happens after spinal cord trauma is that a reduction of oxygen and blood flow sets in, inasmuch as the blood vessels constrict or shut down… Without some treatment, the tissue swells. Eventually, this leads to paralysis. In a cerebral stroke, the animal will either become comatose or lethargic or die. With DMSO infusion immediately after injury (or stroke) all this is prevented. – Dr. Jack de Ia Torre, professor of physiology and neurosurgery at the University of New Mexico
Dr. Stanley Jacob has even given DMSO intravenously to people who were already paralyzed – paraplegics – and some regained use of limbs. One man, quadraplegic, recovered enough to go through college and then to work in a bank. (Haley, 2000)
When combined with antibiotics, DMSO will convert bacteria which are resistant to a given antibiotic to being sensitive to that same antibiotic and probably a 80 to 90 per cent solution of DMSO will be required in order to be clinically useful ( Pottz, Rampey, Benjamin,1967). DMSO has been used to transport antibiotics to hard-to-reach areas of the body with excellent results, such as the bone marrow and brain (Sanders, 1967).
DMSO can dissolve a virus protein coating, leaving the virus core unprotected with its nucleic acid exposed to the immune system. Applied topically, it alleviates the lesions that occur as a result of Herpes Zoster, shingles (Morton, 1993).
Placed into the nostrils or topically in the face, DMSO can open blocked sinuses within a few minutes and it has been used with sucess in patients with polyps (Marvin, 1967).
DMSO can clear up gum disease and reduce tooth decay and their pain by painting it on the involved areas.
“I have some pharmaceutical grade DMSO and I pour about two teaspoons in a glass in the evening, put my 20 mg of doxycycline in it, add about 2 teaspoons of distilled water, and then swish it around in my mouth for about 2 or 3 minutes and then swallow it. So I guess it is about 50% solution. It’s really working on my mouth. That inflamed area of my jaw has calmed down about 70% in just a couple of days. Or more, actually. I expect it to be completely soothed by tomorrow after tonight’s dose of DMSO.” – Laura, Toulouse, France
Keloids, Scars, Burns, Bruises
A concentration of 50 to 80% put on two or three times a day will flatten a raised scar after several months. It is of considerable value in superficial burns (Goldman, 1967) and when applied quickly to an injury, it can eliminate any bruising.
“I have been applying it to my face for two weeks… I had a bout of acne in March, and this healed the damage pretty well but what amazed me is that my hyperpigmentation (melasma) has also faded very noticeably. In fact, it’s amazing!” – HG, United States
“I diluted a 50% solution and applied it topically to the inflamed lymph node. I applied it again this evening. I am totally amazed! There is a noticeable decrease in the size of the node, in just two applications! And it no longer feels matted. This node has been swollen for over 20 years!!! – Melissa Medlock, Coldwater, Michigan, USA
DMSO can be effective in the treatment of painful corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, bunions, hammertoes, heel spurs, and the inflammation of gouty big toes.
Varicose veins and thrombophlebitis
Topical DMSO can whiten telangiectasias, small dilated blood vessels near the surface of the skin. It can also decrease the size of varicosities in the legs and the inflammation that goes with it, along with a relief of their cramping discomfort (Marvin, 1967. Blumenthal, Fuchs, 1967).
One drop of a 25% DMSO solution (diluted in sterile physiologic or saline solution) once or twice per day is useful for eye problems, including cataracts or glaucoma.
“DMSO is amazing, I’ve also read various good results with using it in the eyes. Being the adventurous type myself, today I diluted DMSO down to 30% and put 2 drops in one of my eyes that has been having red spots around the iris. The red spots diminished drastically. The only side effect was a slight burning sensation, similar to those drops you get when one goes for a glaucoma test, without the side effect of dilated pupils.” – DZ, United States
DMSO is highly effective in vascular headaches and in muscular tension which so often goes with headaches. It may be used on hairy areas such as the scalp and it also may be used near the eyes. A 90% solution is more effective (Ogden, 1967).
DMSO has been useful in the treatment of patients with the following diagnoses: (1) overexcited states (acute schizophrenic reactions, manic phase of the manic-depressive psychoses, alcoholic psychoses, symptomatic psychoses); (2) some symptoms of the chronic psychoses (autism, stereotypia, negativism, abnormal behavior or delusional states) ; (3) severe neuroses (anxiety reactions, obsessives)( Ramírez, Luza, 1967).
McGrady called special attention to an extraordinary paper presented by Dr. Eduardo Ramirez and Dr. Segisfredo Luza of the Ayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru. After extensive tests on animals and then on normal humans, Dr. Ramirez reported “injecting 50% or 80% DMSO intramuscularly into patients with acute and chronic schizophrenia” and that “of the 14 acute cases, every single one was discharged from the hospital within 45 days after the start of DMSO treatment… He said that 4 of the 11 chronic cases, one of whom has been ill for 14 years, were discharged eventually, and the other 7 improved a great deal and were given occupational therapy… He observed rapid decrease in agitation… recession of persecution feeling, a relatively sudden tendency to communicate and to stay clean.., the wane of obsessions, return to alertness, and a calmness where there had been restlessness and anxiety”. (Haley, 2000)
DMSO has been used in the treatment of a number of patients with various genitourinary disorders, including Peyronie’s disease, interstitial cystitis, acute epididymitis. Some have obtained dramatic and gratifying relief of symptoms (Persky, Steeart, 1967).
DMSO in conjunction with other treatments has shown to regress cancer in a very effective way (Ayre, 1967). Intravenous administration of DMSO markedly reduces pathological intestinal permeability while preserving the gut’s absorption capacities (Wang et al, 1996). Considering that gut permeability (‘leaky gut’) has a fundamental role in chronic degenerative diseases, this is of great clinical importance.
DMSO also has excellent results in the skin of people afflicted with scleroderma, results which have never been observed with any other method of therapy (Scherbel et al, 1967).
Mrs. Jean Puccio of Washington, DC testified at hearings of Senator Edward Kennedy’s sub-committee on health in 1980 on her recovery from scleroderma. Diagnosed in 1971, she was told that no medication would help, and that she would probably soon face a wheelchair and early death. By the time she found Dr. Jacob (through word of mouth), she told the Senators, “I was having difficulty breathing, walking, and eating”. The disease “thickens the tissue and makes your skin so tight you cannot move. It was difficult for me to drive, to turn the ignition in my car or turn my body”. Her dentist could not work on her for awhile because she could not open her mouth. “Now I can open my mouth like anybody”, she said. After her sensitized skin burned from topical application of DMSO, Dr. Jacob suggested taking it orally. “Within six months”, she testified, “my condition reversed almost immediately. I can do anything anybody else can do now” (Haley, 2000).
Hopefully, this brief overview of DMSO’s great capabilities has helped to illustrate how it is indeed, the cure of our times. I’m convinced of its therapeutic power, both by my own experience and that one of scores of people, not to mention the back-up of published scientific literature. Its uses and applications make it a very handy compound to have on your medical shelf. In pure form, the life of DMSO is indefinite, so it may be used for years.
The garlic-like body odor and taste in the mouth that some experience is attributable to a specific DMSO metabolite: dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a component of natural onion and garlic flavors (McKim, Strub, 2008). This can last for one or two days and in a small number of people, especially men, the odor can be very pungent. Drinking enough water will help diffuse the smell. Other side effects – such as stomach upset, headaches, dizziness, and sedation – are very likely related to detoxification reactions prompted by the DMSO.
Only purified and properly diluted DMSO should be used. When you dilute a pure DMSO solution, always do it in distilled water. When it is applied, the skin site as well as the applying hand should be thoroughly cleaned before application. This is of utmost importance as DMSO’s properties allow contaminants to be absorbed through the skin and transported into the bloodstream.
DMSO is known to be one of the least toxic substances in biology (Parcell, 2002), so any serious side effects should come from potential contaminants or the intake of concomintant drugs that DMSO will carry into the body. Worth repeating again, DMSO and any substance dissolved in it, will penetrate the skin, the blood-brain barrier, and other parts of the body very fast.
Remember also that DMSO increases the effects of drugs like blood thinners, steroids, heart medicines, sedatives, etc. In addition to that, acetone or acid contamination of DMSO can lead to serious medical consequences. Be aware of this problem when buying unreliable DMSO. A pure DMSO solution will turn solid (like ice) in the refigerator within 2 hours. If, when the frozen bottle is turned upside down, little rivulets of water flow through the ice, you probably possess the veterinary grade DMSO. This is a 90% concentration. Ten percent is distilled water (Morton, 1993).
Women are discouraged from using DMSO during pregnancy or breastfeeding, even though DMSO is used to preserve frozen human embryos. DMSO can interfere with liver function tests and give a false reading. That problem is easily solved by waiting a week after DMSO usage before taking the test.
Long-term use has been documented as safe. Eye damage, reported in laboratory animals, has not been confirmed. Side effects such as skin rash and itching after topical application, breaking up of blood elements after intravenous infusion, can be avoided in large part by employing more dilute solutions. Despite these side effects, DMSO is used as a preservative for blood elements and stem cells (McKim, Strub, 2008).
When DMSO is diluted with water, heat is released. The bottle will be warm to the touch. This is a temporary, harmless reaction.
Since DMSO causes dryness and scaling of the outer layer of the skin, skin diseases characterized by scaling (psoriasis) could be aggravated by the use of DMSO. But DMSO applied topically for only a few days has been useful in psoriasis. Prolonged use of DMSO for the treatment of psoriasis is not advised however, as it can worsen the psoriatic condition (Engel, 1967), only DMSO taken orally is suggested.
“I’m happy to say that taking DMSO in conjunction with implementing the detoxification suggestions that were given is starting to take care of many of my remaining psoriasis problems. A couple areas are still being stubborn, but I’ve noticed a lot of general improvement. Using DMSO topically also helped improve a patch of eczema that my wife has been bothered by for quite a while.” – Peter Norquest, Tucson, Arizona, United States
DMSO2, a derivative of DMSO, is better tolerated and doesn’t have the odor and irritation side effects. Despite this positive aspect, it hasn’t surpassed the effectiveness, fascination and popularity of DMSO. It is also known as methylsufonlmethane or MSM, an entire topic for another article by itself!
Sulfur is an element of the earth and it is essential to life, it as among the most prevalent elemenents in the human body. Allergic reactions to sulfur are not possible because sulfur has no protein component. When people are ‘allergic to sulfur’, what they really mean is that they are allergic or sensitive mainly to certain sulfur-containing drugs or proteins, most notably sulfa antibiotics (sulfonamides) or to sulfites (preservatives used in wines and some foods), or to foods with a high sulfur content (broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onions, etc). Many individuals with allergies to sulfa drugs, sulfites, or high sulfur containing foods (like the author) do not experience problems taking DMSO, because apart from sulfur, DMSO bears no relation to these substances.
As always, proceed with caution, do your homework, and consult a health care provider in case of doubts.
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Engel MF. Indications and contraindications for the use of DMSO in clinical dermatology. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1967 Mar 15;141(1):638-45.
Goldman J. A brief resume of clinical observations in the treatment of superficial burns, trigeminal neuralgia, acute bursitis, and acute musculo-skeletal trauma with dimethyl sulfoxide. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1967 Mar 15;141(1):653-4.
Gordon DM. Dimethyl sulfoxide in ophthalmology, with especial reference to possible toxic effects. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1967 Mar 15;141(1):392-401.
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Jacob SW, de la Torre JC. Pharmacology of dimethyl sulfoxide in cardiac and CNS damage. Pharmacol Rep. 2009 Mar-Apr;61(2):225-35.
Marvin P. Interval therapy with Dimethyl Sulfoxide. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Volume 141, Biological Actions of Dimethyl Sulfoxide pages 551 – 554.
McKim A.S., Strub Robert. Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP,PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices. Pharmaceutical Technology, May 2008.
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“Is your meat made of scraps stuck together with “meat glue”? This exposé reveals how you may be being deceived about the meat you buy – and why the dangerous practice makes food poisoning hundreds of times more likely. If you are still on the fence, wondering if you should make the switch to organic, grass-fed beef from a local farm instead of the mass-produced variety from your local supermarket, perhaps this news brief from the Australian Today Tonight show will help change your mind. If you haven’t yet seen the video, please click through and be ready to be amazed.
By now most people probably realize that ground beef contains the meat from hundreds of animals from different parts of the world, but few would ever suspect that the same can be true for prime cut steaks! Well, that’s possible through the use of so-called meat glue, used to “super-glue” small chunks of meat together that are too small to sell, and passing it off as prime cuts…
What is Meat Glue?
Meat glue is an enzyme called transglutaminase. Some meat glues are produced through the cultivation of bacteria, while others are made from the blood plasma of pigs and cows, specifically the coagulant that makes blood clot. When sprinkled on a protein, such as beef, it forms cross-linked, insoluble protein polymers that essentially acts like a super-glue, binding the pieces together with near invisible seams. The glue-covered meat is rolled up in plastic film, followed by refrigeration. Some manufacturers have gotten so proficient in the practice that even an expert butcher can’t tell the difference between a piece of prime beef and one that’s been glued together with bits and pieces of scraps! Meat glue is also used for: pork/ham, lamb, fish products such as fish balls, chicken, imitation crab meat, and processed meats.
Interestingly enough, Ajinomoto is one of the leaders in transglutaminase. You may recognize that name as they are also one of the leaders in aspartame. According to their website, transglutaminase is also used to “improve the general texture” of a variety of foods aside from meat, such as fat-free yoghurt and cheese.
Meat Glue—Both Unethical and Potentially Dangerous:
First, there’s the obvious issue of misleading consumers. Since food manufacturers are not required to disclose what they’ve done, you think you’re buying a prime cut when in fact you’re paying top dollar for glued-together bits and pieces that would otherwise have been discarded or sold for a fraction of the cost. But aside from the fact that it’s a pure scam, there’s the increased possibility of contracting food poisoning from these meats.
According to the featured report, the bacterial contamination of meat glued steak is hundreds of times higher than a solid piece of steak! Hence, if you cook your steak rare, which is the healthiest way to cook your meat, you’re at a much greater risk of contracting food poisoning. Additionally, when an outbreak does occur, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to discern the source of the contamination, as chunks of meat from multiple cows have now been combined.
Food poisoning is a serious problem in the US. According to US CDC estimates, anywhere between 6 to 81 million Americans contract food borne illnesses each year, and food poisoning claims up to 9,000 lives annually. Considering the fact that our current food system encourages pathogens and contamination’s of all kinds, it’s not all that surprising that as many as one in four people get sickened each year…
The Dangers of Mass Food Production:
Many people are still in the dark about the vast differences between Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and organically-raised, grass-fed beef, both in terms of contamination and nutrient content. It’s important to understand that when you raise animals in a CAFO – away from their natural environments and diets – you dramatically increase the risk of pathogenic contamination that can make you ill. Just take a look at the 2011 USDA list of recalls for various meat products. We’re not even half-way through the year and the list is already a long one.
Most CAFO cows are fed grains (oftentimes genetically modified grains, which make matters even worse), when their natural diet is plain grass. Grain diets create a much higher level of acidity in the animal’s stomach, which E. coli bacteria need to survive. Meanwhile, E. coli contamination is actually quite rare in organic beef for this reason—the cows just aren’t susceptible to those kinds of disease-causing bacteria and viruses when they eat what they were designed to eat.
You’d think that since the meat is being raised in ways that are known to encourage disease-causing organisms, there’d be stringent requirements on testing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. For example, there is no federal requirement for meat grinders to test their ingredients for E.coli prior to selling them. And most retailers do not test either. In August 2008, the USDA issued a guideline urging meat processors to test their ingredients before grinding. But the guideline is only optional and has been met with criticism and resistance from the meat industry.
Other Health-Harming Side Effects of Mass Food Production:
Modern mass production of food has created a wide array of safety problems. And the methods employed to make food “safer” typically deepens rather than solves them. In fact, once you delve into the world of the food industry, it becomes clear that eating much of it is like playing a game of Russian roulette with your health.
While I’m not going to address them all here, one problem in particular, which relates to the issue of meat, is the issue of contamination with hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides. As much as 70 percent of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are for animals, primarily to serve as growth enhancers. The excessive use of antibiotics in agriculture is the primary reason for the rampant increase in antibiotic-resistant disease in humans.
As for pesticides, most people do not realize that conventionally-raised meat is actually one of the primary sources of pesticide exposure—not fruits and vegetables! How’s that? Again, it goes back to the fact that CAFO animals are raised on a diet consisting primarily of grains, which are of course sprayed with pesticides. Genetically modified (GM) grains are another growing problem. Not only are they sprayed with MORE pesticides than conventional crops, but we also do not know exactly what the health effects on humans might be when you eat meat raised on GM grains.
However, in an open letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Dr. Don Huber, professor emeritus at Purdue University, warns that a never-before-seen plant pathogen in Roundup Ready GM soybean and corn appears to be responsible for high rates of infertility and miscarriages in cattle. In the letter, posted on the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance website, Dr. Huber states: “This previously unknown organism is only visible under an electron microscope (36,000X), with an approximate size range equal to a medium size virus. It is able to reproduce and appears to be a micro-fungal-like organism. If so, it would be the first such micro-fungus ever identified. There is strong evidence that this infectious agent promotes diseases of both plants and mammals, which is very rare.
Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of this organism in a wide variety of livestock that have experienced spontaneous abortions and infertility. Preliminary results from ongoing research have also been able to reproduce abortions in a clinical setting. The pathogen may explain the escalating frequency of infertility and spontaneous abortions over the past few years in US cattle, dairy, swine, and horse operations. These include recent reports of infertility rates in dairy heifers of over 20%, and spontaneous abortions in cattle as high as 45%.”
Whether or not this could affect humans who consume these grains or meats raised on them is yet unknown, but I wouldn’t be the least surprised if that’s exactly what we’ll eventually find…
Meat Glue May Be the Least of Your Problems when it Comes to Processed Meats:
As mentioned earlier, meat glue is also commonly used in processed meats, but that may be the least of your problems in this case. Processed meats are so bad for your health that I am firmly convinced they should NEVER be consumed. But that’s not just my opinion. It’s also the conclusion reached by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) after reviewing more than 7,000 clinical studies examining the connection between diet and cancer.
Processed meats are those preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or the addition of chemical preservatives. This includes bacon, ham, pastrami, salami, pepperoni, hot dogs, some sausages and hamburgers (if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives) and more. Particularly problematic are the nitrates that are added to these meats as a preservative, coloring and flavoring. The nitrates found in processed meats are frequently converted into nitrosamines, which are clearly associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.
The latest research from WCRF is only the most recent of a slew of evidence linking processed meats to cancer. A 2007 analysis by WCRF found that eating just one sausage a day can significantly raise your risk of bowel cancer. Specifically, 1.8 ounces of processed meat daily – about one sausage or three pieces of bacon – raises the likelihood of the cancer by 20 percent. Other studies have also found that processed meats increase your risk of:
- Colon cancer by 50 percent
- Bladder cancer by 59 percent
- Stomach cancer by 38 percent
- Pancreatic cancer by 67 percent
And that’s not all. Hot dogs, bacon, salami and other processed meats may also increase your risk of diabetes by 50 percent, and lower your lung function and increase your risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Why is Grass-Fed Beef Your Best Choice?
A safer option, as many consumers are now beginning to appreciate, is to choose locally grown and raised foods over those that have been mass produced, despite label claims of being “natural” or “organic.” When selecting beef, grass-fed beef that has NOT been “finished off on corn” is definitely your healthiest option as it is:
- A natural source of healthy omega-3 fats – Omega-3s in cattle that feed on grass is 7 percent of the total fat content, compared to just 1 percent in grain-only fed beef. It also has the optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats (3:1)
- High in CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid); a fat that reduces your risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes, and a number of immune disorders
- High in beta carotene
- Loaded with over 400 percent more of vitamins A and E
- Virtually devoid of risk of Mad Cow Disease
You know, the rationale behind my nutritional guidelines really boil down to plain old common sense. My recommendations stem largely from what scientific research has determined are the types of foods that humans are naturally designed to eat. Health problems invariably surface the further you stray from eating such foods. Another way to say this would be that your body’s biochemical make-up is adversely affected if you eat things that aren’t right for you.
One result of this is that your body’s composition will inevitably change. Why would things be any different for a cow? When you think of a cow in its natural environment, doing what it naturally does, you likely will picture it grazing. Is it grazing on stalks of corn? Of course not! It’s grazing on green grass. (Animals given a choice will also avoid genetically modified grains, which really should tell us something…) When cows eat grains, their body composition changes in detrimental ways, just like your body and health changes for the worse when you eat lots of junk- and fast food. Most importantly for you, these changes include an alteration in the balance of fatty acids in their bodies, which leads to an imbalance in YOUR intake of omega-3 and omega-6s as well.
Does the E. Coli Risk Decrease With Grass-Fed Beef?
Yes, it does. Grass-finished beef has a minimal risk compared to grain-fed beef due to the difference in epigastric pH in the two diets. Grain diets create a much higher level of acidity in the animal’s stomach, which is exactly what the E.coli bacteria need to survive and thrive. Additionally, grass-finished animals live in clean grass pastures—as opposed to dirty, crowded pens—where higher levels of sanitation greatly reduce the risk of contamination as well.
How to Make Healthier Meat Choices:
If you want to eat beef in a truly healthful way (and yes, meat can be, and is, healthy), while at the same time avoiding getting fooled by glued piece-meats passed off as prime steak, follow these guidelines:
- The beef should be organic and grass-fed
- It should ideally come from a local farmer (try finding a farmer’s market or community-supported agriculture program in your area to do this) who can verify that the products are raised on pasture without antibiotics and pesticides, and who can tell you which cuts you’re actually getting
- The animals should be allowed to live in their natural habitats, eating their natural diets
- The farmer should be aware of the relationships between animals, plants, insects, soil, water and habitat – and how to use these relationships to create synergistic, self-supporting ecosystems