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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mogger on June 19, 2009, at 0:03:06
Hello,
my sister is on depakote and it has been heaven sent for her depression (the only real thing to help after years of trying). Unfortunately it has caused her to gain 30 pounds and she understandably gets frustrated and down as to her weight. I was wondering if anyone knew (besides metformin which is she is on and does have some benefit from) of any natural supplements that might help curb the weight gain? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. thanks,
mogger
Posted by morganpmiller on June 19, 2009, at 4:31:47
In reply to depakote weight gain, any supplements to help?, posted by mogger on June 19, 2009, at 0:03:06
Green Tea Extract, Acai, Transresveratrol, Omega 3s from fish oil, and Acetyl L Carnitine combined with R lipoic acid. If she takes all of these, she will also be starting a good life long health regimen. Most of these with the exception of acai are taken by many for life extension purposes.
I can't say they will work, but it is worth a try. If they don't work, these are things anyone in their 30s or 40s should consider taking anyway.
Is she exercising alot? Intense Cardio combined with weight training should help. I would also recommend Bikram yoga or a spinning class a few times a week. Switching things up and doing different things throughout the week would be best for conditioning and weight loss.
Of course diet is always crucial to maintaining a healthy weight. This means eating small meals 4 to five times a day. No skipping meals, this slows down the metabolism. Believe it or not, olive oil may actually help one lose weight. There is no reason to avoid the healthy fats as long as they are consumed in moderation. A well balanced diet with healthy fats, low in simple sugars(this includes white bread), and a good balance between protein and complex carbs, is ideal for anyone.
Alternate day fasting may help with weight loss as it trains the metabolism to adjust better to changes. I know this goes against my saying not to skip meals. Alternate fasting will improve insulin sensitivity, but she already takes metformin. A good resveratrol product my also improve insulin sensitivity.
That's my 3 cents
Posted by SLS on June 19, 2009, at 5:52:13
In reply to depakote weight gain, any supplements to help?, posted by mogger on June 19, 2009, at 0:03:06
> Hello,
> my sister is on depakote and it has been heaven sent for her depression (the only real thing to help after years of trying). Unfortunately it has caused her to gain 30 pounds and she understandably gets frustrated and down as to her weight. I was wondering if anyone knew (besides metformin which is she is on and does have some benefit from) of any natural supplements that might help curb the weight gain? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. thanks,I don't usually like to see people ask their doctors for Topamax to help them control their weight, but this might be a situation where it might make sense. I have found for myself that it does have mood stabilizing properties, including antidepressant properties. If your sister goes up in dosage very gradually, she may not suffer any cognitive side effects at all: 25mg for one week with a 25mg increase per week thereafter to 100mg per day. For your sister, it might help reinforce what Depakote is doing therapeutically.
- Scott
Posted by desolationrower on June 19, 2009, at 8:18:25
In reply to Re: depakote weight gain, any supplements to help? » mogger, posted by SLS on June 19, 2009, at 5:52:13
well mogger covered most things. The important thing to figure out is why is she gaining weight. Is the drug making her hungry and unable to control appetite? reducing energy so not getting out and moving as much? if its something like that you can target symptoms. theres also ephedrine, yohimbe, nicotine, thyroid, etc. i also wonder if it ahs something to do with hormone changes
-d/r
Posted by SLS on June 19, 2009, at 11:21:00
In reply to Re: depakote weight gain, any supplements to help?, posted by desolationrower on June 19, 2009, at 8:18:25
> well mogger covered most things. The important thing to figure out is why is she gaining weight. Is the drug making her hungry and unable to control appetite? reducing energy so not getting out and moving as much? if its something like that you can target symptoms. theres also ephedrine, yohimbe, nicotine, thyroid, etc. i also wonder if it ahs something to do with hormone changes
Sometimes, people just gain tons of weight on Depakote - no rhyme or reason. Well, of course there's a reason, but I don't think it has been well studied. It is probably metabolic.
- Scott
Posted by mogger on June 19, 2009, at 20:29:35
In reply to Re: depakote weight gain, any supplements to help?, posted by SLS on June 19, 2009, at 11:21:00
thanks for your thoughts everyone I really appreciate it.
I am going to get to the bottom of why she has gained weight. She does exercise quite a bit. I do know that she always craves carbs.
mogger
Posted by desolationrower on June 20, 2009, at 1:45:42
In reply to Re: depakote weight gain, any supplements to help?, posted by mogger on June 19, 2009, at 20:29:35
has she had cortisol level checked
-d/r
Posted by morganpmiller on June 20, 2009, at 1:56:08
In reply to Re: depakote weight gain, any supplements to help?, posted by mogger on June 19, 2009, at 20:29:35
> thanks for your thoughts everyone I really appreciate it.
> I am going to get to the bottom of why she has gained weight. She does exercise quite a bit. I do know that she always craves carbs.
> moggerPycnogenol may help with carbs. Read this carefully, there is a mention of pycnogenol slowing the absorption of carbohydrates.
Pycnogenol reduces cardiovascular disease risk in type II diabetics
Nutrition Research Newsletter , June, 2008
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* Recommend0Type II diabetes is a serious and well-prevalent disease worldwide. It is supposed to be the fifth leading cause of mortality globally and requires medications to control glucose levels. In this perspective, herbal supplements have been used with traditional medicines. The healing powers of pine bark have been well-known for centuries together. Pycnogenol is a natural water extract derived from the bark of maritime pine trees along the French coast. These contain a combination of procyanidins, bioflavonoids, and organic acids. The health benefits of the extract include its properties as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, vasodialator, and the ability to produce endothelial nitric oxide. Pycnogenol has been widely used in dietary supplements, multivitamins and health products alike.
More Articles of Interest* Mind Over Matter: Treating Depression to Fight Childhood Obesity and Type II...
* New appetite suppressant for body weight management
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* Antidiabetic effect of Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract in...
* French Court awards Substantial Damages to CEP Horphag Violated Agreements...Research on pycnogenol has shown its effectiveness to reduce risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. A study carried out by Ronald Watson, adjunct professor of Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, showed that pycnogenol might improve parameters of lowering glucose and providing cardiovascular benefits at the same time. Watson also carried out several clinical trials to show that pycnogenol could significantly lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. Furthermore, he also discovered that pycnogenol could reduce the activity of blood platelets, thus presenting a preventative effect for thrombosis in a manner similar to aspirin.
Previous studies demonstrate that pycnogenol significantly lowers fasting and postprandial blood sugar in type II diabetic patients, apparently without affecting patient's insulin levels. Research carried out by Petra Hogger at the University of Wurzburg, Germany, found out that pycnogenol inhibited the enzyme alpha-glucosidase, which breaks down complex carbohydrates (typically starch) into glucose molecules in the duodenum, which are then able to enter the blood stream. Since people with type II diabetes have elevated CVD risk factors, and these represent the primary cause for morbidity, the rationale of the study was to see if pycnogenol could improve the risk factors and at the same time improve blood sugar levels.
The study was randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial consisting of 48 men and women. The patients recruited for the study were older adults aged between 40 and 75 who were noninsulin-dependent diabetics taking antidiabetic medications such as metformin, sulfonylurea and/or glitazones. Although the patients were on antihypertensive medication with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as Lisinopril, their average blood pressure levels were > 136 mmHg and fasting glucose levels were 142 mg/dL, against the normal value below 120 mg/dL. The patients were instructed to add pycnogenol to their regular medication or placebo. During the 12-week trial, the patients were allowed to take daily multivitamins, but had to refrain from using any other food supplements. They were allowed to continue their diet as before the clinical trial.
Blood pressure was measured in two week intervals and the prescription medication dosage for hypertension was adjusted to keep the blood pressure levels below 130 mmHg. At baseline, and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks, blood samples were withdrawn and tested for blood glucose, the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1, HbA1c, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Urine samples were also analyzed for protein content. All parameters showed a considerable improvement and 50% of the patients reached a healthy blood pressure and 58% could lower their antihypersensitive medication. The blood glucose levels decreased from 142 mg/dL to 118 mg/dL in 12 weeks.
The study implicated that pycnogenol is a perfect adjunct to prescription medication for type II diabetic people. The potency of pycnogenol was evident as patients were able to lower their antihypertensive medication dosage. The study showed that pycnogenol slowed the absorption of carbohydrates; however, it did not interfere with the activities of prescription diabetes medication, but contributed to further glucose lowering activity. The striking result of the research study was that urinary protein decreased, which suggest that pycnogenol might have a protective effect on the kidneys. However, this needs to be further investigated for the possible prevention of diabetic nephropathy.
The study was carried out in collaboration with the University of Munster, Germany. The study was supported by a grant offered by Horphag Research (UK).
S. Zibadi, P. J. Rohdewald, D. Park, R. R. Watson. Reduction of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes by Pycnogenol Supplementation. Nutrition Research; (Elsevier), May 2008, (volume 28, Issue 5:pp. 315-320). [Correspondence: Dr Ronald Watson PhD, Adjunct Professor, Nutritional Sciences, Department of Family and Community Medicine, 1295, N, Martin Campus, PO Box 245163, Tuscon, AZ 85724-5163. Phone: 520-626-2850. E-mail: rwatson@email.arizona.edu.]
Posted by floatingbridge on June 20, 2009, at 12:40:57
In reply to Re: depakote weight gain, any supplements to help?, posted by SLS on June 19, 2009, at 11:21:00
> Sometimes, people just gain tons of weight on Depakote - no rhyme or reason. Well, of course there's a reason, but I don't think it has been well studied. It is probably metabolic.
>
>
> - ScottHi Scott and all,
Was recently made aware of a study that concluded depakote increased abdominal fat in women. Do I have the study at hand? No. Will see if I can dig it up. Might have heard this from my pdoc.
This is the end of the thread.
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