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Centrum®
multivitamins
Centrum contains the following vitamins per one tablet :
○ Vitamin A
3500 IU
○ Vitamin C
60 mg
○ Vitamin D
400 IU
○ Vitamin E
30 IU
○ Vitamin K
25 mcg
○ Thiamin
1.5 mg
○ Riboflavin
1.7 mg
○ Niacin
20 mg
○ Vitamin B6
2 mg
○ folic acid
400 mcg
○ Vitamin B12
6 mcg
○ biotin
30 mcg
○ pantothenic acid
10 mg
Centrum is used for:
Treating or preventing vitamin deficiency due to poor diet, certain
illnesses, and important for building blocks of the body and help
keep you in good health.
How to use Centrum
○ Take this medication by mouth, usually once daily or as directed
from the doctor.
○ This medication is best taken on an empty stomach 1 hour before
or 2 hours after meals. Take with a full glass of water (8 ounces or
240 milliliters).
○ If stomach upset occurs, you may take this medication with food.
○ Avoid taking antacids, dairy products, tea, or coffee within 2
hours before or after this medication because they may decrease
its effectiveness.
Special precautions:
○ Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take Centrum
products as it contain 800 micrograms of vitamin A, which is
within the safe limit, although vitamin A in the diet may raise
vitamin A levels in the blood. This can cause developmental
problems in an infant.
○ Centrum multivitamins contain fat-soluble vitamins and minerals,
which can cause side effects such as nausea and vomiting,
dizziness, headache, muscle weakness, muscle pain, bone
pain and confusion, if you exceed the recommended intake.
○ Tetracycline absorption blocked by iron, calcium.
Weight reduction products
1- glucophage
It contains metformin which is usually used for diabetes, but it is
recently being used for weight reduction.
Glucophage pills are taken in different dosages; some people take
500x1 others take 850x1 or 850x2 po.
Further research and scientific proof are needed because this use is an
off label use. Avoid in people with liver or kidney impairment and heart
failure. It causes GI disturbances (flatulence, constipation..) and may
cause vitamin b12 deficiency.
2- super trim (A&B)
Ingredient of super trim A:
— Apple Cider Vinegar Powder, Broccoli Powder, Calcium, Black Pepper
, Ginger Root , Peppermint leaf, Pomegranate Fruit Powder,
Cinnamon Bark Powder , Brown Seaweed, Grapefruit Powder.
Ingredient of super trim B
— Green Tea Leaf Powder ,Green Coffee Bean Powder , Cranberry
Powder , African Mango Seed Powder , Vitamin C {Ascorbic Acid},
Vitamin B1 {Thiamine} , Vitamin B12 { Cyanocobalamin} , Iron ,
Calcium , Potassium , Manganese , Zinc, Raspberry, Blueberry
Powder.
— super trim A: Increase Metabolism Process
— Decrease Appetite
— Fat Burning
— Super trim B: Decrease Appetite
— Fat Burning
— Decrease Fat absorption
— Administration: One Tablet From Super Trim A And B
Before half an hour from Breakfast and lunch meal with
plenty of water
Special precautions : pregnancy
Glucosamine and chondroitin
Brands:
1. Tablets: jointace
2. Cream: jointflex
Active ingredients:
Glucosamine and chondroitin
Uses:
 Osteoarthritis
 Rheumatoid arthritis
 Back pain
 Joints pain
Note: they are natural substances that we can get them from shellfish
(lobster, shrimps, etc.)
Dose and administration:
Tablet: 2 tablets daily with meal “lunch” …..Why? Food prevent the side
effects of the drug:
Nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, and sometimes constipation. (GIupset).
Cream: we should applied it on clean skin till disappear.
Precautions:
The drug is contraindicated with “warfarin” …why?
B/c these drugs decrease the chance of clots formation and cause
bleeding.
We must be aware when we use them with:
 Asthmatic patients (why) ?Sometimes they lead to asthma
exacerbations.
 Diabetic patients (why)? They may increase the sugar in the blood
“slightly”
 HTN
 Prostate cancer
 Shellfish allergy
 Bleeding disorders
PubMed (if they are effective):
After certain trials they found that these supplements only alleviate the
symptoms but they don’t prevent the progression of the disease.
Gincosan
Indications
1- Assist mental performance ,
support healthy memory ,
for lack of concentration and attention .
2- For Arteriosclerotic symptoms
Composition
Each capsule contain
1- 100 mg Panax ginseng .
2- 60 mg Ginkgo biloba
Administration
- One capsule twice daily after breakfast and lunch
( each capsule contain 100 mg panax ginseng and o mg ginkgo biloba
).
- Should be continued for at least 4 weeks .
Special precautions :
● It’s recommended to stop it 2 weeks prior to surgery .
● Important counseling points are listed below:
1- If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding
.
2-If you have a history of blood disorders or bleeding
conditions .
side effects:
1-mild gastrointestinal reactions (such as nausea, stomach pain and
diarrhoea)
2-headaches
3- allergic skin reactions
Biotin
Component of product :biotin + 7%calcium
Administration :once daily at the same hour for 3 months (as
supplement)
Uses :
 nutritional deficiency is very rare. The amounts needed are small
(for adults 30 microgram
 recommended as a dietary supplement for strengthening hair and
nails though scientific data supporting this outcome are weak.
 used as a supportive treatment in patients with disorders of
mitochondrial energy metabolism. In these patients, doses are
considerably higher (2 to 15 mg per kilogram of body weight per
day) than the dietary reference intake in children (5 to 25 μg per
kilogram per day)
 scientific research support biotin as promising treatment of nail
disorders. (brittle nail syndrom)
 scientific research supported biotin as treatment for alopecia in
patients with biotinidase deficienc .
special precaution :D-DI with antibiotics such as penicillin
Echinacea
Ingredients:
We take the ingredient from:
➢ leaves.
➢ flower.
The root of different echinacea species
Uses:
➢ fight infections, especially the common cold, the flu, and
other upper respiratory infections.
➢ urinary tract infections.
➢ vaginal yeast infections.
➢ herpes, HIV/AIDS.
➢ bloodstream infections (septicemia).
➢ others like: tonsillitis, streptococcus infections, ear
infection, warts, and nose and throat infections.
Recommended dosing and administration:
Usual adults dose
➢ Tablets :One (100mg ) 3 times daily.
➢ Syrup :two teaspoonful (10 ml) 3 times daily.
Usual Children dose
➢ Syrup : one teaspoonful (5ml) 3 times daily.
Clinical evidence:
- pubmed:
Echinacea products have not here been shown to provide benefits for
treating colds, although, it is possible there is a weak benefit from some
Echinacea products: the results of individual prophylaxis trials
consistently show positive (if non-significant) trends, although potential
effects are of questionable clinical relevance.
Specialprecautions:
Echinacea use for more than 8 weeks at a time should be avoided
because of the potential for immune suppression.
Intravenous (IV) use is not recommended
Fish oil
Ultra Omega-3
Ultra™ Fish Oils provides a rich source of the essential fatty acids DHA
(Docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) to help
maintain health
and wellbeing:
EPA and DHA are classed as essential fatty acids because they cannot be
made efficiently by the body and must be obtained through the diet.
Uses:
● DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal vision¹ and brain
function¹. ¹A beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of
250mg of DHA
● Both DHA & EPA contribute to the normal function of the heart²
. ²A beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250mg of
DHA and EPA
● Ultra™ Omega-3 capsules contain vitamin E, which contributes to
the protection of cells from oxidative stress and helps to protect
the high purity oil.
Dosing and administration:
● Take two capsules per day. Preferably with a meal and a drink
such as milk or orange juice. Do not exceed recommended intake
● To help prevent any aftertaste, Ultra Omega-3 capsules have
pioneered an orange flavoured odourmasked shell
Special precautions:
● As with other food supplements seek professional advice before
using if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or suffer from food
allergies, and consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have an
underlying medical condition or if on medication(oral
anticoagulant ).
● Do not exceed the recommended intake.
● . Store at or below 25°C. Protect from sunlight and direct heat.
● Always read the product directions before use.
● Food supplements are not intended to treat or prevent any
disease. Food supplements must not replace a balanced and
varied diet, and a healthy lifestyle.
Are the manufacture claims about it scientifically valid ?
There is currently lack of evidence to support the use of Omega-3
in the primary and secondary prevention of CVD. While it does
exert beneficial effects in reducing death from cardiac causes,
sudden cardiac death and death from all causes.
Cod liver oil
Is the essential oil extracted from the livers of Atlantic cod (Gadus
morhua).
The exact concentration of nutrients in cod liver oil depends on the
species of Gadus family the oil comes from.
This product :
Helps to maintain healthy vision, skin and immune function
Helps in the development and maintenance of night vision
helps ease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Vitamins A and D are essential for the growth development and
maintenance of skin, tissue,
bones, teeth and vision.
it also provides excellent cardiovascular support.
uses:
**likely effective for :
Lowering blood fats called triglycerides ,can reduce TG level by 20%50% in people with high TG levels .
**possibly effective for:
1-high blood pressure
2-kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, it seems to reduce
protein in the urine ,a marker for kidney disease severity.
**possible ineffective for :
1-osteoarthritis
2-cholesterol disease that runs in families (familial hypercholesterolemia)
** insufficient evidence for:
1-depression
2-irregular heartbeat in people with heart disease ,,might help to
prevent certain types of irregular heartbeat.
3-ear infections in young children
4-heart disease
5-systemic lupus erythrematosus
6-wound healing
::topical application of 25% cod liver oil ointment
7-glucoma
8-cognitive performance…. vit D
dosing and administration:
It’s taken orally :
***1 softgel capsule twice daily
Some other doses :
For lowering TG : 20 ml/day
For high cholesterol : 30 ml/day
For lowering blood pressure:20 ml/day
Drug interactions
with :
Antihypertensive agents**
**Anticoagulant agents
lecithin:
it is a dietry supplement
• Because it contains phosphatidylcholines, lecithin is a source of
choline, an essential nutrient.
Clinical studies have shown benefit in acne,in improving liver
function,and in lowering cholesterol, BUT clinical studies in
dementia and dyskinesias have found no benefit.
Lecithin is used for treating memory disorders such
as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It is also used for
treating gallbladder disease, liver disease, certain types of
depression, high cholesterol, anxiety, and a skin disease
called eczema.
• milk ducts which can lead to mastitis in breastfeeding women.[24]
• It can be used as a component of cooking sprays to prevent
sticking and as a releasing agent.
Lecithin is a fat that is essential in the cells of the body. It can be found
in many foods, including soybeans and egg yolks. Lecithin is taken as a
medicine and is also used in the manufacturing of medicines.
Lecithin is used for treating memory disorders such
as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It is also used for
treating gallbladder disease, liver disease, certain types of
depression, high cholesterol, anxiety, and a skin disease called eczema
uses:
Possibly Effective for:
• Liver disease. Taking lecithin seems to reduce the accumulation of
fat in the liver of people who are fed long-term through a needle
in the vein (parenteral nutrition).
Possibly Ineffective for:
• Gallbladder disease.
Likely Ineffective for:
• Dementia related to Alzheimer's disease or other causes.
• Age-related memory impairment.
• Head injury.
safety and side effects:
• Lecithin is LIKELY SAFE for most people. It can cause some side
effects including diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, or fullness and
hepatitis.
• Special Precautions & Warnings:
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Information regarding safety and
efficacy is lacking.
• Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
doses:
• depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and
several other conditions.
•
At this time there is not enough scientific information to
determine an appropriate range of doses for lecithin.
• Studies of lecithin in cognitive impairment have used a wide
variety of doses, from 1 to 35 g daily.
hair, nails and skin (perfectil):
what the product contains:
multivitamins ( vit B3/ B7/ vit C), zinc and iron.
what is used for:
it's used to support hair, nails and skin
used to maintain healthy strong nails and shiny hair.
doses:
one capsule daily for 3-6 months
are the manufacturer claims scientifically valid:
vit B3/B7 increase the formation of energy by converting sugars and
proteins to energy thus increase blood flow to skin and nails, bring
more nutrition and oxygen which make the skin and hair look more
healthy and the nails become more stronger.
vit C is critical for collagen production which is essential for hair and
nails structure.
zinc/ iron: help in decreasing hair loss.
special precautions:
take the drug after meals with a full glass of water
don't exceed recommended dose, specially for young children since it
contains iron that may cause harmful side effect
like other vitamins, consult a doctor in case of pregnancy and breast
feeding or other medical problem.
Herbal medicine
1-Prospan:
active ingredient: ivy leaves dry extract
uses: it's used to treat catarrhal disease of the respiratory tract
by its secretolytic, broncho-spasmolytic and cough relieving
effects.
dosing and administration:
children below 6 years: 2.5 ml twice daily
6-12 years: 5ml twice daily
children over 12 and adults: 5ml 3 times daily
in children under the age of 1 year consult the doctor.
Are the manufacture claims about it scientifically valid:
prospan is well tolerated and has no known drug interactions,
which is one of the reasons why prospan is number one selling
herbal cough medication worldwide.
2-Bronchicum elixir
what is bronchicum elixir:
It’s a liquid extract from thyme and primula root for
administration in children from 1 year and adult
what is used for:
Used in cold of respiratory tract and for the treatment of
symptoms of acute bronchitis and colds in respiratory tract
with mucus secretion
doses:
1-4 years (8-16kg): 2.5ml 6 times daily
children from 5 years and adults: 7.5ml 4 times daily
special precautions:
*children
The use in children younger than 1 year of age has not been
adequately studied so must not be given to children less than 1
year .
*Taking other medication
No interactions are known
Inform doctor before use if taking other