Cranberry Juice and Coumadin (Warfarin)

Coumadin is an anticoagulant drug prescribed for patients who are at risk for possible blood clots. Initially, a patient is started off on a low dosage that is gradually increased under a physicians guidance and discretion. The dosage is actually monitored and altered to maintain the correct balance for the duration that the patient uses Coumadin.

Possible Side Effects

coumadin and cranberry juiceMedical reports have reported that at least 12 harmful side effects have been noted when people take Coumadin and cranberry juice together, especially high volumes of cranberry juice such as daily use. One case was even fatal, but the evidence for the cranberry juice and coumadin interaction is not yet conclusive.

In all of the cases so far there is evidence to show that other factors may be responsible or partly responsible, and the fact that there is only 12 documented cases is still too small a number to draw a solid conclusion from. In these cases, the problem was almost always (except one) a result of the blood thinning too much and leading to internal bleeding and/or ineffective wound healing.

Some of the alternative factors that draw attention away from cranberry juice as the problem include pateints having inaqeuate amounts of vitamin K in the blood as a result of not eating a lot of food, or digestive issues that lead to poor vitamin K absorption. Interactions with other medications that patients were taking are another valid possibility.

A Precaution

Even though the possible negative interations between regular cranberrry juice and coumadin intake is not yet confirmed, there is enough evidence for The Evaluation of Drug Interactions to recommend that cranberry juice intake should be limited during Coumadin intake to ensure patient safety.

Source:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/545631_3

Blueberry Research Shows Bone Health Benefits in Rodents

Blueberries Research

blueberry researchGreat bone health is vital to maintaining flexibility throughout life. Even So, many people encounter pain in their joints as a result of reduced skeletal strength.

Recent blueberry research publicized in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research revealed that polyphenol antioxidants present in blueberries might help enhance bone health in lab rodents. It is these compounds that give fruits their blue, red and purple pigmentation.

Even though the benefits haven’t been confirmed in humans, the scientists said they’re optimistic that these findings might lead to natural treatments for bone-based ailments.

The results of this research demonstrated that rodents given a diet comprising of 10 % blueberry freeze-dried powder experienced a greater bone mass than the others that didn’t consume this powder. The researchers declared that one reason behind the rodents’ enhanced bone health might be that blueberry polyphenol antioxidants stimulate a growth in osteoblasts, a type of bone-forming cell.

The key mechanisms powering this process involves two genes, TCF and LEF, and a type of protein called beta-catenin, that work together via numerous pathways to encourage proper cell function and cell growth.