Disease risk, progression, and premature mortality—in many types of cancer and in cardiovascular and infectious diseases—have been linked to telomeres, which are protective DNA-protein complexes that keep cells genetically stable. The cellular enzyme telomerase is an important part of the body's maintenance system for these essential complexes. For example, a previous investigation found that increased stress among caregivers of Alzheimer's patients was associated with lower telomerase activity and telomere shortening.

In a recent pilot study funded by NCCAM and several other sponsors, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco investigated the effects of lifestyle changes on telomerase levels in 24 men with low-risk prostate cancer.

October is Talk About Prescriptions Month, which is dedicated to making both health care professionals and patients aware of the importance of understanding how to use medicines safely. As with prescription pharmaceuticals, health care providers and patients should also discuss the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). If you are seeing a CAM provider (e.g., acupuncturist, chiropractor, etc.), share any information about conventional treatments and prescriptions you are taking. Some CAM approaches can have an effect on conventional medicine.

Feature Stories

• Tips for Talking with Your Health Care Provider
  Are you using—or thinking about using—complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)? If so, NCCAM provides some ideas on how to get a conversation started about CAM use when you talk to your health care providers.



• NCCAM Hosts Meditation Workshop
  Experts from a wide range of fields and disciplines who share a common interest in meditation for health purposes met to assess current scientific knowledge and identify areas of opportunity for future research.



• Meet NACCAM Member Margery Gass, M.D.
  What are some things that women can do to stay healthy at midlife and beyond? NCCAM National Advisory Council member Margery Gass, M.D., a specialist in women's health, discusses this topic.



• Happiness and Systematic Mind-Body Training
  What do monks, meditation, and music have in common? Dr. Richard Davidson discusses his work on the science of happiness and on systematic training of the mind and body.

Like many Americans, you may be using or considering some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). If so, it is a good idea to talk with your health care providers about your CAM use. This fact sheet explains why and offers some tips to help you get the conversation started.

Key Points

• Tell your health care providers about all the complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
• Be proactive. Don't wait for your health care providers to ask about your CAM use.
• When you talk with your health care providers about CAM, make the most of the conversation. Bring a list of everything you use, keep a record of the information you receive, and ask questions if something is unclear.

The dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, together or alone, appeared to fare no better than placebo in slowing loss of cartilage in osteoarthritis of the knee, researchers from the Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) team report in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism. Interpreting the study results is complicated, however, because participants taking placebo had a smaller loss of cartilage, or joint space width, than predicted. Loss of cartilage, the slippery material that cushions the joints, is a hallmark of osteoarthritis and its loss is typically measured as a reduction in joint space width—the distance between the ends of bones in a joint as seen on an X-ray.

"While these results are of interest, we cannot draw definitive conclusions about the utility of glucosamine or chondroitin in reducing joint space width loss, in part because the placebo group fared better than anticipated based on prior research results," said Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one of the study's funders. "The results of the study provide interesting insights for future research."

The FTC today announced a new Web site about bogus cancer cures. The site — www.ftc.gov/curious — tells consumers how to spot and report bogus claims they see online, and urges people with cancer to talk to their treatment team about any products they'd like to try. The site features a video and includes a list of resources on cancer treatments from a variety of agencies within the federal government. Information is provided in English and Spanish.

The Federal Trade Commission also announced 11 law enforcement actions challenging deceptive advertising of bogus cancer cures. The FTC charged the companies with making unsupported claims that their products cured or treated one or more types of cancer. In each case, the company is charged with violating the FTC Act, which bars deceptive claims. Some complaints allege that the companies also falsely touted clinical or scientific proof for their products.

Women troubled by hot flashes and night sweats during the years around menopause want safe, effective treatment options. A new research initiative from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will establish a multisite research network to conduct clinical trials of promising treatments for the most common symptoms of the menopausal transition.

The initiative Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health (MsFLASH) is led by the National Institute on Aging in collaboration with the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the Office of Research on Womens Health, all parts of the NIH. The MsFLASH network will be coordinated by principal investigators Andrea Z. LaCroix, Ph.D., and Garnet Anderson, Ph.D., both of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. The network centers will collectively receive approximately $4.4 million each year of the initiative, which is projected to run for five years.

A Press Release from the National Institute on Aging

As I've had the opportunity to meet with many of our stakeholders over the past 6 months, I have learned a lot. I've gained a greater appreciation of the complexities of studying CAM, the challenges to conducting rigorous research, and the need for setting clear priorities for the years ahead.

The older population is growing rapidly, and the aging of the "baby boomers," born between 1946 and 1964 (and who begin turning age 65 in 2011), will accelerate this growth. Healthy Aging Month was designed to focus national attention on the positive aspects of growing older. Many older Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to improve their health and maintain wellness. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) conducts and supports research on many conditions associated with aging and provides information on how to be an informed consumer.

If you are using (or thinking about using), you may have financial questions about paying for treatment. This fact sheet answers some frequently asked questions on this topic. To find out more about any topic or resource that is mentioned.

Some questions to ask a CAM practitioner or his office staff are:

• What does the first appointment cost?
• What do followup appointments cost?
• How many appointments does someone with my condition typically need?
• Are there any additional costs (such as for tests, equipment, or supplements)?

If you have a health insurance plan, some other questions are:

• Do you accept this insurance?
• What has your experience been with coverage by this insurance company for my condition?
• Do I file the claim forms, or do you take care of that?

If it would be difficult for you to pay the full fee at each visit, you can ask:

• Could you arrange a payment plan over time?
• Do you offer a sliding-scale fee? (Sliding-scale fees are determined by people's income and ability to pay.)

The purpose of the meeting was to articulate potential goals and directions for research on the mechanisms and efficacy of meditation practices for a variety of health concerns. Experts from a range of disciplines and with a wide range of involvement in the field of meditation research were asked to critically examine the current state of science on meditation for health, and to identify existing or potential intersections and contributions from their fields to further this area of science. This group developed a set of critical questions and approaches that could better inform future research in this area.

Reiki is a healing practice that originated in Japan. Reiki practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above the person receiving treatment, with the goal of facilitating the person's own healing response. In the United States, Reiki is part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This fact sheet provides a general overview of Reiki and suggests sources for additional information.

• People use Reiki to promote overall health and well-being. Reiki is also used by people who are seeking relief from disease-related symptoms and the side effects of conventional medical treatments.
• Reiki has historically been practiced as a form of self-care. Increasingly, it is also provided by health care professionals in a variety of clinical settings.
• People do not need a special background to learn how to perform Reiki. Currently, training and certification for Reiki practitioners are not formally regulated.
• Scientific research is under way to learn more about how Reiki may work, its possible effects on health, and diseases and conditions for which it may be helpful.
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

Ayurvedic medicine (also called Ayurveda) is one of the world's oldest medical systems. It originated in India and has evolved there over thousands of years. In the United States, Ayurvedic medicine is considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)—more specifically, a CAM whole medical system. Many therapies used in Ayurvedic medicine are also used on their own as CAM—for example, herbs, massage, and specialized diets. This fact sheet provides a general overview of Ayurvedic medicine and suggests sources for additional information.

Key Points

• The aim of Ayurvedic medicine is to integrate and balance the body, mind, and spirit. This is believed to help prevent illness and promote wellness.
• Ayurvedic medicine uses a variety of products and techniques to cleanse the body and restore balance. Some of these products may be harmful if used improperly or without the direction of a trained practitioner. For example, some herbs can cause side effects or interact with conventional medicines.
• Before using Ayurvedic treatment, ask about the practitioner's training and experience.
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

Feature Stories

• New Campaign Encourages Open Communication About CAM
  A new campaign from NCCAM, which offers free educational materials, is encouraging dialogue between patients and their health care providers about CAM use.



• A Walk in the Botanical Research Centers "Garden"
  Visit the NIH Botanical Research Centers "garden" to find out how Russian tarragon, prunella (self-heal), borage oil, and other botanical and dietary supplement ingredients are being examined to prevent and treat diseases and conditions.



• CAM and Fibromyalgia: At a Glance
  Fibromyalgia is a condition involving pain, "tender points" on the body, and fatigue. About nine out of 10 people with this condition use CAM. What is known from science about CAM's effectiveness for fibromyalgia?

People with chronic health conditions such as fibromyalgia often turn to some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)—a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. This fact sheet provides basic information on fibromyalgia and "what the science says" about the effectiveness of CAM practices that many people with fibromyalgia use. If you are considering a CAM therapy for fibromyalgia, this information can help you talk to your health care provider about it.

Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting millions of Americans. Conventional medical treatments are available to control diabetes and its complications. However, some people also try complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, including dietary supplements. This fact sheet provides basic information on diabetes (with a focus on type 2), summarizes scientific research on the effectiveness and safety of selected supplements that people with diabetes sometimes use, and suggests sources for additional information.

Key Points

• In general, there is not enough scientific evidence to prove that dietary supplements have substantial benefits for type 2 diabetes or its complications.
• It is very important not to replace conventional medical therapy for diabetes with an unproven CAM therapy.
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), Alzheimer's disease affects nearly 4.5 million Americans and is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. Alzheimer's disease is an incurable disease with a slow progression beginning with mild memory loss and ending with severe brain damage and death. While no treatment is proven to stop Alzheimer's disease, some conventional drugs may limit symptoms for a short period of time in the early stages of the disease. Emerging research shows a correlation between red wine consumption and reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease-type cognitive decline. Authors of a new NCCAM-funded study in mice found that grape seed-derived polyphenolics—similar to that in red wine—significantly reduced Alzheimer's disease-type cognitive deterioration.