Prelief May Reduce Painful Interstitial Cystitis Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammation of the bladder. By some estimates, as many as one million people suffer from this condition, and about 90 percent of them are women. One of those women is a friend of an HSI member named Evi who writes: "I have a girlfriend with chronic Interstitial cystitis. She already had an operation but nothing helps. She is only in her 30s. Maybe you know of a remedy?" A remedy may be hard to come by, especially for someone with a condition advanced enough to require surgery. But there are a couple of strategies that might bring some relief to Evi's friend. For many patients with bladder problems, certain foods and beverages aggravate their condition - particularly people with IC. The foods that seem to cause the most problems are those that are highly acidic: tomato-based foods, cabbage, coffee, tea, soda, fruits, fruit juices, beer and wine. In the July 2003 HSI Members Alert we told you about a product called Prelief, which has been clinically proven to reduce painful IC symptoms. The active ingredient in Prelief is calcium glycerophosphate, a dietary mineral that combines calcium and phosphorus. When added to acidic foods, the mineral helps neutralize pH levels. In a study presented to the Quebec Urological Association in 1998, researchers reported that when 200 IC patients used Prelief for four weeks, pain and urinary urgency were significantly reduced. Similar results were recorded in a study from Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. One caveat, however: HSI Medical Advisor Marty Milner, N.D., cautions that the calcium/phosphorus compound might reduce the level of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, compromising the digestion of protein and dietary forms of calcium. So talk to your doctor and proceed carefully when using Prelief. You can find more information about Prelief at akpharma.com. And HSI members can read the complete Members Alert article by searching the archives on our web site at hsibaltimore.com. Sources:
"Learn what may be causing your bladder control problems - and what you can do about it" Jennifer Arnold, HSI Members Alert, July 2003, hsibaltimore.com | 
