Joining George Knapp, consumer advocate and natural health expert, Bill Sardi, discussed the truth behind natural remedies, the bias within the medical establishment against natural products, and how studies are rigged and promising cures buried. Regarding heart disease, he cited the work of Dr. Lester Morrison, who provided evidence that it could be reversed using the supplement chondroitin sulfate, years before statin drugs flooded the market. Statin drugs do not prevent mortal heart attacks, Sardi noted. He stated that the antioxidant resveratrol has shown promise fighting heart disease, but the mainstream medical community has shunned studying its value for this kind of issue.
Sardi further claimed that research into resveratrol has found it has beneficial properties as an antidepressant, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and as a blood thinner. The supplement has additionally been shown to successfully fight macular degeneration, a medical condition in which older adults may lose their vision, he said. Sardi also cited Vitamin D and Fish Oil as products that treat a host of ailments, as well as a new kind of potential treatment for alcoholism and addiction, targeting the Gaba A receptor, to be made by the company Blue California.
Studies of various health supplements and herbs are often slanted or misleading, Sardi reported. For instance, researchers sometimes will use an ineffective dose, or a dose that is toxic at higher levels. People like to think that more is better when it comes to natural supplements and vitamins, but such products have an optimal dosage that requires balance, he continued. One reason doctors may not be motivated to suggest natural treatments to their patients is that they have a financial incentive-- they receive a "drug consultation fee," for every prescription they write out, Sardi revealed. On the flip side, consumers should be especially cautious purchasing supplements over the Internet, as the FDA doesn't regulate the products of overseas and offshore companies, he noted.