Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Aged Garlic Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Garlic is a nutrient that as a supplement or even spicy food enhancer can be found everywhere. The benefits of using garlic as either a supplement or even just as a spice to add to our food are numerous. …
Dental Abscess and Cavities Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND Everyone has heard of cavities. What you may not have heard of is a dental abscess. What is a dental abscess? How is dental abscess related to a cavity? And what can you do if you are …
Bromelain- The Power of Pineapple
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
Bromelain is an enzyme that has been written about many times in the past. In fact, there are even a few blogs on the Invite website itself! Yet, despite this, people still have a few unanswered questions about this interesting supplement. In this blog I will be offering a slightly different outlook on bromelain. So, let us get into it, shall we?
Bromelain is an enzyme that is found in pineapples. Now a lot of people will hear this and ask, “why can’t I just eat a little pineapple?” Other people will chime in with “but Dr. Claire I hate taking pills why can’t I just use some pineapple juice?” There are many reasons why it is better and easier to use bromelain in pills than eating fruit or drinking juice. When you eat pineapple there is some naturally occurring bromelain. However, eating pineapple does not usually supply a large enough dose of Bromelain to help with pain or even breakdown food. (1) Pineapples, like all plants, can vary in what they contain. This is true for bromelain. Different batches of pineapple can have different concentrations of bromelain. Even various parts of an individual pineapple can have different concentrations of bromelain. Which brings up the next point. The highest concentration of Bromelain in pineapple is found in the hard stem. (2) In order to use pineapple as a primary source of bromelain you would really have to eat the hard stem.
When it comes to supplements, in my clinical experience it is important to be consistent. I often tell people that the more consistent they are with supplements the better they will work! That said, in my clinical experience, if you are getting Bromelain from pineapple, you would need to eat it EVERY DAY. While yes pineapple is a delicious treat do you really see yourself chowing down on the stem of a pineapple every day?
If your response to this point is what about canned pineapple? I am sorry to tell you this, but canned pineapple and commercially available pineapple juice do NOT contain any active bromelain! It is deactivated in these items. (3)
Pineapple, like all fruits contains sugar. This means that for anyone who has blood sugar issues such as diabetes or even Prediabetes, pineapple (as all fruits) should be consumed in moderation. (4)
So overall while in my experience you can get some benefits from eating pineapples using a supplement can increase the benefits you receive from bromelain. In fact, in an emergency where you do not have any supplements on hand pineapple can be a great fill in. However, if you do plan to use it as part of your daily supplement protocol, bromelain capsules are easier to incorporate into a daily regime.
Why even use Bromelain at all? Well studies have found several benefits for Bromelain! In 1 study it was found that bromelain is anti-inflammatory and has analgesic properties that make it extremely helpful for reducing pain! (5) Another study found that bromelain was helpful at reducing symptoms associated with chronic sinusitis such as swelling and congestion. (6) Studies have also found that bromelain can have certain benefits for cardiovascular health. For example, peripheral artery disease, stroke, heart attack and even high blood pressure! Other benefits include helping with allergic airway disease (such as asthma), helping with colitis and it even helps to treat burns. (1) Bromelain is also a digestive enzyme. (7)
Using Bromelain can be confusing! So how do I personally recommend using it? Well in my clinical experience it really depends on what your goals are. I find that if you are using bromelain as an anti-inflammatory, it works best away from food. If you plan to use it as a digestive enzyme it is best taken with food. If you are unsure how to use bromelain feel free to contact an Invite nutritionist!
Our next topic will be Dental Abscesses and Cavities.
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Sinus Infections or Sinusitis Part 2 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND In my last blog on sinusitis I started with a description of what the sinuses are, where they are and even what they do. I then talked about what the symptoms of sinusitis are. (1,2,3) …
Sinus Infections or Sinusitis Part 1 Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to talk about sinus infections for several reasons. Obviously, the location of the sinus cavities plays a role in the decision to talk about them during a review of dental health. In …
Strontium Citrate for Bone Health
Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
I wanted to talk about Strontium citrate because most people have either not heard of it or have some very interesting ideas about it. In fact I recently had a conversation with someone who wasn’t sure if strontium was even safe (spoiler alert it is safe!). So what is strontium citrate? What does it do? What is the best way to take it? Let’s get into it, shall we?
Simply put Strontium citrate is a nutrient very similar to calcium or even magnesium. (1) Now I know what you’re probably thinking, is it safe to use? The answer is yes strontium citrate is safe to use. When it comes to strontium citrate studies conclude that “strontium in its natural citrate form improves healthy bone mineralization and resistance to fracture”. While strontium ranelate may potentially have side effects strontium citrate is a different molecule. In fact strontium citrate “has an excellent safety record”. And while it is true that calcium and strontium share a common carrier system to get into the body this system will always prioritize calcium over strontium! So those rumors that you may have heard about strontium preventing calcium absorption are just malarkey! If you are at all concerned then the best answer is to separate them by 2 hours. Lastly studies done to check the safety of strontium citrate have found that using strontium citrate as part of a bone building protocol is perfectly safe! (2)
Now we have talked about the safety of Strontium citrate however we haven’t talked about the benefits of using it! Why would you even want to use it? Well a recent study found positive effects of using strontium on bone density, bone structure and the overall strength of the bones. It was also found that using strontium citrate daily for 5 years can possibly lead to new bone tissue formation and help to maintain calcium levels. (3) Studies have found that adding strontium to a bone health protocol can improve bone density. (4) In another study made up of 81% postmenopausal women adding strontium to their bone heath protocol lead to “significant improvements in bone density”. (5) Other studies have also reported that strontium has beneficial effects on bone health. (6) Interestingly strontium citrate use has been reported to help reduce bone pain. (2)
As I said in my blog on dental bone loss Strontium citrate can play an important part in addressing our dental health. In fact studies have found that strontium citrate can improve bone formation in the mouth! (7) Studies have also found that strontium citrate can reduce the loss of tooth enamel leading to healthier teeth. (8)
While strontium citrate has been found to be safe it is still filtered through the kidneys. Anyone who has kidney failure should not take strontium. I would also like to point out that dialysis fluids can contain high concentrations of strontium and thus I do not recommend strontium citrate for anyone on dialysis. (2) In my clinical experience anyone with osteopenia or osteoporosis with normal kidney function is an excellent candidate for strontium citrate supplements.
How is it recommended to use strontium citrate? Strontium citrate is what I like to call a loner. You really want to take it all by itself. Ideally it should be taken 1 hour before food and or supplements/medications. If you want you could eat and take any supplements/ medications then wait 2 hours and then take strontium. In my experience strontium citrate does not affect sleep. So you can take it at night. In fact I had 1 person tell me they take it during their 2 AM bathroom break! And that is ok. As long as it’s away from food. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to an Invite Nutritionist!
Next up will be Sinus pain and infections!
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