Natural Supplements, More Research Needed

Most medical doctors lack knowledge about the benefits of natural supplements for the treatment of disease. One reason is the lack of research on these products. Another reason is natural supplements do not require a prescription. Most are available over the counter or purchased via the internet. Some supplements have been researched and found to have significant benefits. Unfortunately most doctors are unaware of these possibilities. However, drug companies keep doctors well informed of their products.

Supplements like nattokinase, carnitine, creatine and other amino acids have some modest research supporting positive benefits for certain diseases. Admittedly, research is sparse and often employs a small number of subjects. Drug companies do not spend resources to study supplements because these are not patentable and will likely not contribute to their profit picture. What is needed is more research to determine efficacy, side effects, and proper dosage. Our government should support this research. Otherwise, we run the risk of not benefiting from supplements that may control, or even cure diseases.

Ocean Waves, Another Source of Clean Energy

Any motion that occurs in nature can become a non-polluting source of energy. Examples include wind, rivers, and tides. A less known source is ocean waves.Waves possess an enormous amount of energy. This energy can be transferred into electricity by forcing generators to rotate in a magnetic field. Unfortunately building durable, and cost-effective wave energy converters is proving to be difficult. Federal funding is ongoing and hopefully will result in progress in a decade or two.