Cocktail Hour
Years ago, a natural medicine physician here in Baltimore held regular “cocktail hours” for many of his patients. But he wasn’t serving the sort of cocktail you’re probably thinking.
I’m talking about the now-deceased physician, Dr. John Myers who pioneered a nutrient IV therapy that has come to be known as the Myers Cocktail. He served this vitamin/mineral “cocktail” to his patients with fibromyalgia and numerous other chronic conditions with overwhelming success for 25 years before he passed away in 1984.
Dr. Myers didn’t actively promote his cocktail, run double-blind experiments to study it, or fight the uphill and often thankless battle to convince traditional physicians of his therapy’s effectiveness. He merely wanted to serve his patients in the best way he knew how. But because he wasn’t focused on getting the word out about his treatment, when Dr. Myers passed away, the cocktail could very well have faded into extinction.
However, after Dr. Myers passed on, another Baltimore natural medicine physician and colleague of Dr. Wright’s named Dr. Alan Gaby started getting phone calls inquiring about this mysterious cocktail. And thanks to Dr. Gaby and Dr. Wright picking up where Dr. Myers left off, and taking those steps he didn’t to inform people about this impressive formula, we now know more than ever about the Myers cocktail and what it can do.
The more official term for this therapy is IVFM, and it is a high-dose combination of B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium. Dr. Gaby has made some modifications to the original formula, including boosting the doses of magnesium and vitamin C. He now administers the modified Myers Cocktail to patients with asthma attacks, migraines, fatigue (including chronic fatigue syndrome), muscle spasms, upper respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis, and seasonal allergic rhinitis, in addition to fibromyalgia.
Dr. Wright uses the therapy as well, and both doctors, along with many of their colleagues, have found that their patients with chronic diseases in particular have responded quite well.
Thousands of patients around the country have experienced relief using the Myers Cocktail. It appears to be safe as long as it is carried out by a natural medicine physician (it is not intended to be a do-it-yourself solution).
Patients have reported feeling a slight pinch followed by a warm sensation at the injection site. It takes just 10 to15 minutes, and can be done as often as once a week or as infrequently as once a month. But it is a therapy that requires follow-up: Many patients report that after a month, their symptoms begin to return. Also, while some get immediate relief, for others, it takes as much as six to eight weeks to feel a difference. IVMT can cost anywhere from $15 to $100 per session, but some insurance providers may cover at least part of that cost.
****************************************************
Sweet solutions
Q: I’ve heard some interesting things about sugar cane extract lately. I always thought sugar was bad for you, but it seems that may not necessarily be the case. Is this true or is it just a sugar industry ploy?
JVW: Sugar is indeed bad for you when it is processed and refined. Basically, anything ending in “ose” on an ingredient label — including sucrose, fructose, and glucose (as well as their cousin, corn syrup) — has had its natural goodness removed, leaving a product that severely inhibits the immune system and compromises the body in many ways.
That being said, it is true that not all sugars are bad for you. In fact, some can be extremely helpful. For example, a sugar cane extract called policosanol is an excellent alternative to cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. It also appears to be effective at lowering triglyceride levels.
Another sugar cane extract that does the body good is D-mannose, which is naturally found in cranberry juice and is often used to treat e.coli, the common cause of most bladder infections. The e.coli bacteria stick to the D-mannose instead of sticking to your bladder walls, which allows your body to eliminate them during urination. This process appears to be a common job that simple sugars perform, making them beneficial for eliminating all sorts of bacteria from your system.
Xylitol is also on the list of helpful simple sugars. One of my colleagues reports a 93 percent reduction in ear and sinus infections in his patients who use an intranasal spray made from xylitol. In another form, xylitol can actually prevent tooth decay, and some manufacturers have even added it to breath mints and chewing gum.
Then there are polysaccharides, which are simple sugars that combine in metabolic “chains” and cause immune cells to be more active and vigilant against bacteria and other germs. Echinacea, a well-known immune-boosting herb, is a rich source of polysaccharides.
There is actually an entire field of study, called “glycobiology,” based on examining these and other simple sugars in order to better understand their bacteria-fighting and other health-preserving potential.
Many of the sugars I’ve mentioned here are readily available at natural food stores, or through a compounding pharmacist.
If you’re a Nutrition & Healing subscriber and want to learn more about what simple sugars can do for you, visit www.nutritionandhealing.com and download the December 2001 issue. Just click the “sign on” option at the top of the page and, when prompted, enter the username and password listed on page 8 of your most recent Nutrition & Healing issue. If you’re not already a subscriber, the website also offers details on becoming one.
****************************************************
What is…fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that is marked by pain, stiffness, disturbed sleep, and fatigue. While the cause is not known, there is often a trigger event before onset of symptoms, such as a bacterial or viral infection, hyperthyroidism, development of another chronic condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, or even a car accident or other traumatic event. It is believed that as many as 8 million people in the U.S. alone have the condition, many of them women.
To say that the condition is a mystery is an understatement. Many patients must face doctor after doctor who responds as if the symptoms are either non-existent or psychosomatic. Then, treatment options are limited — and often ineffective.
This is why trying IVMT (the Myers Cocktail) is an attractive option for many sufferers, especially if they aren’t getting relief from anything else and are faced with health care providers who are less than sympathetic to their situation.
Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Managing Editor
Nutrition & Healing
Sources:
Gaby AR. “Intravenous nutrient therapy: the ‘Myers’ cocktail.'” Altern Med Rev 2002; 7(5): 389-403
