STRANGE MEDICINAL CLAIMS

In the world of medicine and nutritional supplements, do we really know what we are doing? People seem so sure about their claims, but we need to remind ourselves: we don't know what we don't know.

This AFP article broke this last week: (7-10)

"Ordinary calcium supplements taken by the elderly to strengthen bones may boost the risk of heart attacks, according to a study released Friday. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal, suggest that the role of calcium in the treatment of osteoporosis should be reconsidered, the researchers said.

"They found that calcium supplements were associated with about a 30 percent jump in heart attack risk. The chances of stroke and mortality also increased to a lesser extent."

One of the strangest medicinal events of all time occurred in the Arabian Dessert over 3,400 years ago: the bronze serpent.