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Safety evaluation of topical applications of ethanol on the skin and inside the oral cavity. Lachenmeier DW. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2008 Nov 13;3:26. PMID: 19014531 doi:10.1186/1745-6673-3-26

Feb. 20, 2009 (San Diego) -- High doses of B vitamins may help prevent stroke in high-risk people, new research suggests.\n\nThe finding comes from the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation 2 trial of more than 5,500 men and women with heart disease. Participants were assigned to a daily regime

Derived from the bulb or clove of the plant. Garlic is used as a spice and to treat hyperlipidemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cancer, and infections. Processing can have a substantial effect on the chemical content in garlic; the volatile oil components are sensitive to heat and certain enzymes are acid-labile. Several oral garlic formulations are available, and clinical studies have addressed a variety of the proposed claims. Placebo-controlled trials on the cholesterol lowering effect of garlic yielded mixed results (16) (17) (18) (21) (22) (26). Studies evaluating the antithrombotic effects repeatedly have shown modest reduction in platelet aggregation, but varying levels of fibrinolytic activity. Research shows mixed effects with regard to reductions in blood glucose, blood pressure, or risk of cardiovascular disease (23). Frequently reported adverse events include bad breath, headache, fatigue, GI upset, diarrhea, sweating, and possible hypoglycemia (9). Because garlic is known to decrease platelet aggregation and potentially elevate the INR, it should not be used with anticoagulants or in patients with platelet dysfunction (15). Garlic appears to induce cytochrome p450 3A4 and may enhance metabolism of many medications (e.g. cyclosporin and saquinavir) (12). An analysis of several case-control studies in Europe suggests an inverse association between garlic consumption and risk of common cancers (25).

March 27, 2009 - A significant decrease in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels has led to an increase in vitamin D insufficiency in the US population, especially in racial and ethnic groups, according to results of a population-based study reported in the March 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Vitamin D insufficiency has been associated with increases in cardiovascular disease, cancer, and infection," write Adit A. Ginde, MD, from the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, and colleagues. "Vitamin D supplementation appears to mitigate the incidence and adverse outcomes of these diseases and may reduce all-cause mortality." [...] "These findings have important implications for health disparities and public health," the study authors conclude. "Our data provide additional evidence that current recommendations for vitamin D supplementation (200-600 IU/d) are inadequate to achieve optimal serum 25(OH)D levels in most of the US population." They add that large, randomized controlled trials of higher doses of vitamin D supplementation are needed to evaluate their effect on general health and mortality.

Hathcock JN, Shao A, Vieth R, Heaney R. \nRisk assessment for vitamin D.\nAm J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jan;85(1):6-18. Review.\nPMID: 17209171 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]