The clinical studies catalogued in the following abstracts are those in which the study clinicians are allowed access to the therapeutic and diagnostic tools within the naturopathic scope of practice or a range of tools which model relevant whole practice in the US and Canada. They are pragmatic studies of practitioner activities in which broad responses to presenting health conditions are a part of the intervention. Given that individualized combinations of modalities and remedies are generally the rule in naturopathic medicine and that their selection is guided by the system’s own principles and guidelines, evaluation of the whole practice is most likely to reveal its potential health benefit. Whole practice clinical studies represent good model fit to everyday practice and as such provide evidence on the effectiveness of a practitioner class. The studies are classified here as 1) randomized trials, 2) comparative non-randomized studies, 3) single group prospective studies and 4) retrospective studies. If you know of studies not listed here that meet the criteria above, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
1. Randomized whole practice trials
PLoS One. 2009 Aug 31;4(8):e6628.
Naturopathic care for anxiety: a randomized controlled trial ISRCTN78958974.
Cooley K, Szczurko O, Perri D, Mills EJ, Bernhardt B, Zhou Q, Seely D.
Department of Research and Clinical Epidemiology, The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Toronto, Canada.
BACKGROUND: Anxiety is a serious personal health condition and represents a substantial burden to overall quality of life. Additionally anxiety disorders represent a significant cost to the health care system as well as employers through benefits coverage and days missed due to incapacity. This study sought to explore the effectiveness of naturopathic care on anxiety symptoms using a randomized trial. METHODS: Employees with moderate to severe anxiety of longer than 6 weeks duration were randomized based on age and gender to receive naturopathic care (NC) (n = 41) or standardized psychotherapy intervention (PT) (n = 40) over a period of 12 weeks. Blinding of investigators and participants during randomization and allocation was maintained. Participants in the NC group received dietary counseling, deep breathing relaxation techniques, a standard multi-vitamin, and the herbal medicine, ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) (300 mg b.i.d. standardized to 1.5% with anolides, prepared from root). The PT intervention received psychotherapy, and matched deep breathing relaxation techniques, and placebo. The primary outcome measure was the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and secondary outcome measures included the Short Form 36 (SF-36), Fatigue Symptom Inventory (FSI), and Measure Yourself Medical Outcomes Profile (MY-MOP) to measure anxiety, mental health, and quality of life respectively. Participants were blinded to the placebo-controlled intervention. RESULTS: Seventy-five participants (93%) were followed for 8 or more weeks on the trial. Final BAI scores decreased by 56.5% (p<0.0001) in the NC group and 30.5% (p<0.0001) in the PT group. BAI group scores were significantly decreased in the NC group compared to PT group (p = 0.003). Significant differences between groups were also observed in mental health, concentration, fatigue, social functioning, vitality, and overall quality of life with the NC group exhibiting greater clinical benefit. No serious adverse reactions were observed in either group. RELEVANCE: Many patients seek alternatives and/or complementary care to conventional anxiety treatments. To date, no study has evaluated the potential of a naturopathic treatment protocol to effectively treat anxiety. Knowledge of the efficacy, safety or risk of natural health products, and naturopathic treatments is important for physicians and the public in order to make informed decisions. INTERPRETATION: Both NC and PT led to significant improvements in patients' anxiety. Group comparison demonstrated a significant decrease in anxiety levels in the NC group over the PT group. Significant improvements in secondary quality of life measures were also observed in the NC group as compared to PT. The whole system of naturopathic care for anxiety needs to be investigated further including a closer examination of the individual components within the context of their additive effect. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN78958974.
PMID: 19718255
Arthritis Rheum. 2009 Aug 15;61(8):1037-45.
Naturopathic treatment of rotator cuff tendinitis among Canadian postal workers: a randomized controlled trial.
Szczurko O, Cooley K, Mills EJ, Zhou Q, Perri D, Seely D.
Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of naturopathic care (NC) on rotator cuff tendinitis using a prospective randomized clinical trial design. METHODS: Canadian postal workers with rotator cuff tendinitis for a duration of >6 weeks were randomized to receive NC (n = 43) or standardized physical exercises (PEs; n = 42) over 12 weeks. Participants in the NC group received dietary counseling, acupuncture, and Phlogenzym (2 tablets 3 times/day). The PE intervention group received passive, active-assisted, and active range of motion exercises and matched placebo. The primary outcome measure was the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and secondary outcomes were the pain visual analog scale (VAS), Short Form 36 (SF-36), Measure Yourself Medical Outcomes Profile (MYMOP), and shoulder maximal range of motion. Participants and assessors were blinded to group and placebo allocation. RESULTS: Seventy-seven participants (87%) completed >or=8 weeks of the trial. Final total SPADI scores decreased by 54.5% (P < 0.0001) in the NC group and by 18% (P = 0.0241) in the PE group. Between-group differences in changes to SPADI scores showed statistically significant decreases in shoulder pain and disability in the NC group compared with the PE group (P < 0.0001). Significant differences between groups were also observed in the pain VAS, MYMOP, SF-36, and shoulder extension, flexion, and abduction, with the NC group showing superiority in each outcome. No serious adverse reactions were observed. CONCLUSION: NC and PE provided significant improvements, with greater improvement in shoulder function in the NC group compared with the PE group. Statistically significant improvements in quality of life measures were observed in the NC group as compared with the PE group.
PMID: 19644905
J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Jun;14(5):475-87.
A pilot whole systems clinical trial of traditional Chinese medicine and naturopathic medicine for the treatment of temporomandibular disorders.
Ritenbaugh C, Hammerschlag R, Calabrese C, Mist S, Aickin M, Sutherland E, Leben J, Debar L, Elder C, Dworkin SF.
Department of Family and Community Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson AZ
OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of studying whole systems of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Naturopathic medicine (NM) in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and to determine whether there is indication to support further research. DESIGN: A pilot study using a randomized controlled clinical trial design of whole system TCM and NM versus state-of-the-art specialty care (SC). SETTING/LOCATION: Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW), and practitioner offices in Portland, Oregon. SUBJECTS: One hundred and sixty (160) women 25-55 years of age attending a KPNW TMD specialty clinic. INTERVENTIONS: Whole system TCM and NM, and KPNW TMD clinic SC; the intervention protocols were designed to model the individually tailored type of community care offered in alternative medicine practices in Portland and in the KPNW TMD clinic, using protocols that enhanced similarities among practitioners within each system and permitted full descriptions of the treatments provided. OUTCOME MEASURES: TMD was ascertained using the Research Diagnostic Criteria/TMD; outcomes were self-reported worst and average facial pain and interference with activities (scaled 0-10 where 10 is worst). RESULTS: Of 948 consecutive eligible patients, 160 were randomized to one of three arms; 128 provided endpoint data. TCM and NM demonstrated significantly greater in-treatment reductions for worst facial pain compared to SC (adjusted regression analysis; higher negative values indicate greater improvement, = -1.11 +/- 0.43, p = 0.010 and -1.02 +/- 0.45, p = 0.025 for TCM and NM, respectively, compared to SC) and at 3 months post-treatment (-1.07 +/- 0.51, p = 0.037 and -1.27 +/- 0.54, p = 0.019 for TCM and NM versus SC, respectively). Additionally, TCM provided significantly greater decreases in average pain than SC; NM provided significantly greater decreases than SC or TCM in TMD-related psychosocial interference. CONCLUSIONS: These alternative medicine approaches each resulted in significantly greater reduction of pain and psychosocial interference than SC. Further research on the potential benefits of traditional whole systems of medicine for TMD appears warranted.
PMID: 18564953
J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Jun;14(5):489-96.
A randomized pilot study of naturopathic medicine in multiple sclerosis.
Shinto L, Calabrese C, Morris C, Yadav V, Griffith D, Frank R, Oken BS, Baldauf-Wagner S, Bourdette D.
Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA.
BACKGROUND: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is high in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), yet there are limited reports on safety and effectiveness of CAM in MS. Naturopathic medicine encompasses a broad range of CAM modalities and may improve quality of life in patients with MS. OBJECTIVE: To assess quality of life in MS subjects who received interventions designed to "model" the "whole practice" of naturopathy. DESIGN: A pilot, randomized, controlled study with a 6-month intervention period. PARTICIPANTS: Participants who met criteria for clinically definite MS. INTERVENTIONS: The 3 intervention arms were usual care, naturopathic medicine plus usual care, and MS education plus usual care. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was quality of life (36-item short form health survey [SF-36]). Secondary outcome measures included fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale); depression (Beck Depression Inventory); cognition battery (Stroop test and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test 3), and neurologic impairment (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite). Adverse event reporting and laboratory measures were used to assess safety. RESULTS: Forty-five (45) participants (15 per group) were randomized and all completed the 6-month intervention. There were no significant differences between groups on any outcome measure. There was a trend in favoring the naturopathic group in the General Health subscale of the SF-36 (p = 0.11), Timed Walk (p = 0.11), and neurologic impairment (EDSS) (p = 0.07). There was a trend favoring the Education group in the Stroop attention test (p = 0.07). There was no difference between groups in adverse events or laboratory changes. CONCLUSIONS: Naturopathic medicine combined with usual care for MS showed a trend in improvement in the General Health subscale of the SF-36, Timed Walk, and neurologic impairment. Evaluation of naturopathic medicine, as a multimodality regimen, warrants further investigation.
PMID: 18532899
PLoS One. 2007 Sep 19;2(9):e919.
Naturopathic care for chronic low back pain: a randomized trial.
Szczurko O, Cooley K, Busse JW, Seely D, Bernhardt B, Guyatt GH, Zhou Q, Mills EJ.
Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
OBJECTIVE: Chronic low back pain represents a substantial cost to employers through benefits coverage and days missed due to incapacity. We sought to explore the effectiveness of Naturopathic care on chronic low back pain. METHODS: This study was a randomized clinical trial. We randomized 75 postal employees with low back pain of longer than six weeks duration to receive Naturopathic care (n = 39) or standardized physiotherapy (n = 36) over a period of 12 weeks. The study was conducted in clinics on-site in postal outlets. Participants in the Naturopathic care group received dietary counseling, deep breathing relaxation techniques and acupuncture. The control intervention received education and instruction on physiotherapy exercises using an approved education booklet. We measured low back pain using the Oswestry disability questionnaire as the primary outcome measure, and quality of life using the SF-36 in addition to low back range of motion, weight loss, and Body Mass Index as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Sixty-nine participants (92%) completed eight weeks or greater of the trial. Participants in the Naturopathic care group reported significantly lower back pain (-6.89, 95% CI. -9.23 to -3.54, p = <0.0001) as measured by the Oswestry questionnaire. Quality of life was also significantly improved in the group receiving Naturopathic care in all domains except for vitality. Differences for the aggregate physical component of the SF-36 was 8.47 (95% CI, 5.05 to 11.87, p = <0.0001) and for the aggregate mental component was 7.0 (95% CI, 2.25 to 11.75, p = 0.0045). All secondary outcomes were also significantly improved in the group receiving Naturopathic care: spinal flexion (p<0.0001), weight-loss (p = 0.0052) and Body Mass Index (-0.52, 95% CI, -0.96 to -0.08, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Naturopathic care provided significantly greater improvement than physiotherapy advice for patients with chronic low back pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN41920953.
PMID: 17878954
2. Comparative non-randomized studies
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012 Apr 18;12(1):44.
Adjunctive naturopathic care for type 2 diabetes: patient-reported and clinical outcomes after one year
Bradley R, Sherman K, Catz S, Calabrese C, Oberg E, Jordan L, Grothaus L, Cherkin D
Background. Several small, uncontrolled studies have found improvements in self-care behaviors and reductions in clinical risk in persons with type 2 diabetes who received care from licensed naturopathic physicians. To extend these findings and determine the feasibility and promise of a randomized clinical trial, we conducted a prospective study to measure the effects of adjunctive naturopathic care (ANC) in primary care patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes.
Methods. Forty patients with type 2 diabetes were invited from a large integrated health care system to receive up to eight ANC visits for up to one year. Participants were required to have hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values between 7.5-9.5% and at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor (i.e., hypertension, hyperlipidemia or overweight). Standardized instruments were administered by telephone to collect outcome data on self-care, self-efficacy, diabetes problem areas, perceived stress, motivation, and mood. Changes from baseline scores were calculated at 6- and 12-months after entry into the study. Six and 12-month changes in clinical risk factors (i.e., HbA1c, lipid and blood pressure) were calculated for the ANC cohort, and compared to changes in a cohort of 329 eligible, non-participating patients constructed using electronic medical records data. Between-cohort comparisons were adjusted for age, gender, baseline HbA1c, and diabetes medications. Six months was pre-specified as the primary endpoint for outcome assessment.
Results. Participants made 3.9 ANC visits on average during the year, 78% of which occurred within six months of entry into the study. At 6-months, significant improvements were found in most patient-reported measures, including glucose testing (P=0.001), diet (P=0.001), physical activity (P=0.02), mood (P=0.001), self-efficacy (P=0.0001) and motivation to change lifestyle (P=0.003). Improvements in glucose testing, mood, self-efficacy and motivation to change lifestyle persisted at 12-months (all P<0.005). For clinical outcomes, mean HbA1c decreased by -0.90% (P=0.02) in the ANC cohort at 6-months, a -0.51% mean difference compared to usual care (P=0.07). Reductions at 12-months were not statistically significant (-0.34% in the ANC cohort, P=0.14; -0.37% difference compared to the usual care cohort, P=0.12).
Conclusions. Improvements were noted in self-monitoring of glucose, diet, self-efficacy, motivation and mood following initiation of ANC for patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes. Study participants also experienced reductions in blood glucose that exceeded those for similar patients who did not receive ANC. Randomized clinical trials will be necessary to determine if ANC was responsible for these benefits.
PMID: 22512949
3. Single group prospective studies
Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Aug;17(3):157-61. Epub 2011 Mar 17.
CAM: naturopathic dietary interventions for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Oberg EB, Bradley RD, Allen J, McCrory MA.
Bastyr University Research Institute, Kenmore WA 98128, USA.
Objectve: To test feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a naturopathic dietary intervention in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Methods: Prospective observational pilot study evaluating the change in clinical and patient-centered outcome measures following a 12-week individualized and group dietary education program delivered in naturopathic primary care.
Results: HbA1c improved in all participants (n = 12); mean - 0.4% +/- 0.49% SD, (p = 0.02). Adherence to healthful eating increased from 3.5 d/wk to 5.3 d/wk (p = 0.05). Specific nutritional behavior modification included: days/week consuming ≥5 servings of fruit/vegetables (p = 0.01), attention to fat intake (p = 0.05), and -11.3% carbohydrate reduction. Measures of physical activity, self-efficacy and self-management also improved significantly.
Conclusion: A naturopathic dietary approach to diabetes appears to be feasible to implement among Type 2 diabetes patients. The intervention may also improve self-management, glycemic control, and have influences in other domains of self-care behaviors. Clinical trials evaluating naturopathic approaches to Type 2 diabetes are warranted.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PMID: 21742282 PMCID: PMC3136887 [Available on 2012/8/1]
J Altern Complement Med. 2004; 10(3): 506- 513.
Implementation of outcome measures in a complementary and alternative medicine clinic: evidence of decreased pain and improved quality of life.
Secor ER, Blumberg JH, Markow MJ, MacKenzie J, Thrall RS.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to design and implement a practical data collection sys- tem capable of obtaining pain and quality-of-life outcome measures in a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) outpatient clinic and (2) to evaluate changes in patient status over time using these objective measures.
Design: A prospective study was carried out in an outpatient practice based setting. Scannable forms were designed utilizing Cardiff’s TELEform® system (Cardiff Software, Inc., Vista, CA) for data collection. Setting/location: This study was conducted at Special Care Holistic Wellness Connection, an urban-based, hospital-affiliated, CAM clinic in Connecticut. Subjects: Inclusion criteria consisted of: a starting pain level of 2 or more, subjects receiving 3 or more treatments in a specific modality, and a completed SF-12v2® Health Survey (Quality Metric Inc., Lincoln, RI). A total of 94 subjects were evaluated for acupuncture, chiropractic, or naturopathy. Outcome measures: The Numeric Pain Analogue Scale and SF-12v2® Health Survey were used for subject evaluations and were compared from the first to the last treatments. International Classification of Disease codes were utilized to correlate and track the diagnosis. Results: An outcome measures data management system was successfully implemented into a CAM outpatient clinical setting. Significant decreases in pain were observed in subjects receiving acupuncture, chiropractic, or naturopathy. In addition, improvements in various subscales of the SF-12v2® Physical and Mental Health categories were observed for each CAM treatment modality studied. Conclusions: This study established that a practical data collection system could be implemented in a CAM clinic utilizing several treatment modalities. In addition, outcome measures demonstrated both a significant reduction in pain and improvement in quality of life for subjects who utilized acupuncture, chiropractic, or naturopathy treatments.
PMID: 15253855
4. Retrospective studies
eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nep219, Jan 2010
Observed Changes in Risk during Naturopathic Treatment of Hypertension
Bradley R, Kozura E, Kaltunas J, Oberg EB, Probstfield J, Fitzpatrick AL.
Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA 98028
Few outcome assessments are published from complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices. We aimed to describe patient and practice characteristics of ND care for hypertension (HTN), quantify changes in blood pressure (BP), and evaluate the proportion achieving control of HTN during care. A retrospective, observational study of ND practice in HTN was per- formed in an outpatient clinic in WA State. Eighty-five charts were abstracted for the final analysis. At initiation of care, the mean patient age was 61years, with 51% having stage 2 HTN, despite common use of anti-hypertensive medications (47%). Patients with both stage 1 and stage 2 HTN appeared to improve during care, with stage 2 patients achieving mean reductions of 26mmHg (P<0.0001) and 11mmHg (P<0.0001) in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), respectively. The proportion of patients achieving control (<140/90mmHg) in both SBP and DBP was increased significantly from 14 to 44% (P<0.033), although the statistical significance was not maintained upon correction for mul- tiple comparisons. BP appears to improve during ND care for HTN, in a high-risk population. Randomized trials are warranted.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Jun;15(6):633-8.
Description of clinical risk factor changes during naturopathic care for type 2 diabetes.
Bradley R, Kozura E, Kaltunas J, Oberg EB, Probstfield J, Fitzpatrick AL.
Bastyr University Research Center, 14500 Juanita Dr NE, Kenmore, WA 98028, USA. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
BACKGROUND: Survey findings report that 48% of people with type 2 diabetes use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practice. Publications suggest a high incidence of health promotion counseling in naturopathic practice, yet clinical data on risk factor changes are not available in the literature. OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to describe clinical risk factor changes during the utilization of naturopathic CAM services in patients with type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: A retrospective, observational study design was used to describe naturopathic care. SETTING: Abstracted medical charts were from patients of the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle, WA. PARTICIPANTS: The patients in this study had type 2 diabetes and received naturopathic care between 2001 and 2006. OUTCOMES: Abstracted data included patient demographics, duration of care, number of visits, laboratory values for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides (TAG); and systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SPB, DBP). RESULTS: Thirty-seven (37) patient records met inclusion criteria and were abstracted in detail. Mean and median duration of care were 27 and 20 months, respectively. The mean number of visits was 11. Significant mean changes in clinical laboratory risk factors over the duration of care were: -0.65% for HbA1c (p = 0.046), -45 mg/dL for TAG (p = 0.037), -7 mm Hg in SBP (p = 0.02), and -5 mm Hg in DBP (p = 0.003). Mean changes for cholesterol did not reach statistical significance. The percentage of patients who reached new control, had clinically significant risk factor improvements, or had any improvement was: 26%, 42%, and 68% for HbA1c, 7%, 28%, and 62% for LDL, 0%, 25%, and 39% for HDL, 14%, 38%, and 52% for TAG, 16%, 51%, and 86% for SBP, and 27%, 54%, and 70% for DBP. COMMENTS/CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary outcomes suggest that risk factor improvements occur during naturopathic care for diabetes, although the contribution of naturopathic care to these changes cannot be determined. Effectiveness and generalizability of naturopathic approaches in treating type 2 diabetes should be evaluated in controlled prospective studies in representative populations or randomized trials.
PMID: 19500011
Altern Med Rev. 2006 Mar;11(1):30-9.
Naturopathic medicine and type 2 diabetes: a retrospective analysis from an academic clinic.
Bradley R, Oberg EB.
Bastyr University, Kenmore, Washington, USA.
Accurate descriptions of naturopathic medicine as a whole system of medical practice are rare in the literature and non-existent for type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Using retrospective analysis of medical records at an academic naturopathic outpatient clinic, data was abstracted to investigate patterns of patient status, details of treatment recommendations, and levels of evidence. RESULTS: Most naturopathic medical care for type 2 diabetes is adjunctive, although naturopathic physicians are qualified to fill the role of primary care providers. Glycemic control and other vital statistics in patients receiving naturopathic care are comparable to published national averages. Naturopathic physicians prescribe comprehensive therapeutic lifestyle change recommendations supported by a high level of evidence - 100 percent received dietary counseling, 69 percent were taught stress reduction techniques, and 94 percent were prescribed exercise. Patients additionally received prescriptions for botanical and nutritional supplementation, often in combination with conventional medication. Analysis of individual supplement effects was not performed due to inadequate records. Components of treatment recommendations are often evidence-based, with varying evidence quality. CONCLUSION: Naturopathic medicine as a whole medical system supplies evidence-based lifestyle recommendations as suggested in management guidelines for diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia set forth by the respective national organizations - the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Joint National Committee on Hypertension (JNC-7), and the National Cholesterol Education Program results of the third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP ATP-III). Increased research effort to determine the safety and efficacy of combinations of supplements or medications and supplements is warranted. Education of other health care providers, patients, and health policy makers regarding the value of the naturopathic approach in the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes is warranted, yet prospective data on efficacy must be collected.
PMID: 16597192 Free article
J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Aug;9(4):529-38.
Is naturopathy as effective as conventional therapy for treatment of menopausal symptoms?
Cramer EH, Jones P, Keenan NL, Thompson BL.
BACKGROUND: Although the use of alternative medicine in the United States is increasing, no published studies have documented the effectiveness of naturopathy for treatment of menopausal symptoms compared to women receiving conventional therapy in the clinical setting. OBJECTIVE: To compare naturopathic therapy with conventional medical therapy for treatment of selected menopausal symptoms. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study, using abstracted data from medical charts. SETTING: One natural medicine and six conventional medical clinics at Community Health Centers of King County, Washington, from November 1, 1996, through July 31, 1998. PATIENTS: Women aged 40 years of age or more with a diagnosis of menopausal symptoms documented by a naturopathic or conventional physician. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Improvement in selected menopausal symptoms. RESULTS: In univariate analyses, patients treated with naturopathy for menopausal symptoms reported higher monthly incomes ($1848.00 versus $853.60), were less likely to be smokers (11.4% versus 41.9%), exercised more frequently, and reported higher frequencies of decreased energy (41.8% versus 24.4%), insomnia (57.0% versus 33.1%), and hot flashes (69.6% versus 55.6%) at baseline than those who received conventional treatment. In multivariate analyses, patients treated with naturopathy were approximately seven times more likely than conventionally treated patients to report improvement for insomnia (odds ratio [OR], 6.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.71, 26.63) and decreased energy (OR, 6.55; 95% CI, 0.96, 44.74). Naturopathy patients reported improvement for anxiety (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.63, 2.56), hot flashes (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.68, 2.88), menstrual changes (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.43, 2.24), and vaginal dryness (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.21, 3.96) about as frequently as patients who were treated conventionally. CONCLUSIONS: Naturopathy appears to be an effective alternative for relief of specific menopausal symptoms compared to conventional therapy.
PMID: 14499029
Altern Med Rev. 2000 Aug;5(4):355-71.
Hepatitis C; a retrospective study, literature review, and naturopathic protocol.
Milliman WB, Lamson DW, Brignall MS.
Naturopathic Medicine Program, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA, USA. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
The standard medical treatment of hepatitis C infection is only associated with sustained efficacy in a minority of patients. Therefore, the search for other treatments is of utmost importance. Several natural products and their derivatives have demonstrated benefit in the treatment of hepatitis C and other chronic liver conditions. Other herbal and nutritional supplements have mechanisms of action that make them likely to be of benefit. This article presents comprehensive protocol, including diet, lifestyle, and therapeutic interventions. The authors performed a retrospective review of 41 consecutive hepatitis C patients. Of the 14 patients with baseline and follow-up data who had not undergone interferon therapy, seven had a greater than 25-percent reduction in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels after at least one month on the protocol. For all patients reviewed, the average reduction in ALT was 35 U/L (p=0.026). These data appear to suggest that a conservative approach using diet and lifestyle modification, along with safe and indicated interventions, can be effective in the treatment of hepatitis C. Controlled trials with serial liver biopsy and viral load data are necessary to confirm these preliminary findings.
PMID:10956381 Free article
