Anyone ever researched him? He was the Japanese scientist who discovered interferon and then the study spread to the west in 1957 where British scientists discovered it as well. This guy spent 40 yrs trying to find natural ways to create interferon in the body. You can Google him a lot of ppl who dont do DMDs take the supplement he created. Wonder if anyone has ever heard of nutriferon?
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Yasuhiko Kojima is on the scientific advisory board of Shaklee, and is the brains behind Nutriferon (a Shaklee supplement).
Nutriferon boosts the immune system, something we as MSers are usually advised not to do.
Although Dr. Kojima's academic background is impressive enough, his association with Shaklee makes me dubious about him. Shaklee is the Granddaddy of all pyramid marketing schemes, and they promote a lot of their own supplements with dubious claims as to effectiveness.
All-in-all, I'd be inclined to give both Dr. Kojima and Nutriferon a pass.
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I thought nutriferon helped the body to make interferon? And EVERY drug/supplement is a part of some type of pyramid scheme, not like the FDA have our best interetst ae heart when their charging us about $30 grand a yr for interferon therapies. Nutriferon doesnt boost the imune system but just helps the body to make more interferon, and it just has natural chinese herbs if you ever read the label.Comment
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Also, isnt interferon a critical activator of the immune system anyways?Comment
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No, every drug/supplement is not a part of some type of pyramid scheme. Pyramid marketing has a specific meaning, wherein individual distributors recruit other distributors who kick back a certain amount of their income to the next level up, while recruiting yet more distributors to work under them, and so on. It's a dubious business practice at best.Originally posted by AshNight View Post
Contains MACH*, a patented blend of interferon-boosting plant extracts (500 mg) and a Shaklee exclusive. This proprietary blend of natural plant extracts is derived from pumpkin seeds, safflower flowers, plantago seeds, and Japanese honeysuckle flower buds, which have been clinically proven to support and stimulate the natural immune response process at the cellular level.
The herbs Nutriferon contains are not specifically Chinese...but that's neither here nor there. Herbs are not automatically safe for a given condition just because they're "natural."
As for activating the immune system, that's precisely what most authorities in MS treatment say we need less of. Our immune systems are already overactive. (I personally question that model, but I'm not an expert in the field.)
I can't find any confirmation online for your statement that "a lot of ppl who dont do DMDs take the supplement he [Kojima] created." Where did you find that information?Comment
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AshNight, considering that those are the exact words used by Shaklee in its advertising -- "interferon, a critical activator of the immune system" -- it's apparent that you're learning your "science" from nothing more than product promotional writings. It's also apparent (except, perhaps to you) that everything you've offered so far as argument is just superficial repetition of a conspiratorial party line. Put another way, you don't know enough about the subject to know how much you don't know about it, or how obvious it is to others that you don't know. It's disheartening to see you in this position.Originally posted by AshNight View Post
You aren't the first, and won't be the last, person to become so enthusiastic about something that they lose their logic and objectivity. Discussion of technical issues in a forum requires substance. If you can bring to the table something of substance that can stand up to critical assessment, there may be members here who'll be interested in continuing what might be an interesting discussion.Comment
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It looks like it boosts interferon productionOriginally posted by Sequoia View Post
MS authorities say a lot of stuff, but they use words like "supposedly" or "has been shown to", "supposedly MS is caused by an autoimmune response", or "supposedly MS will be helped by injecting yourself with interferon", i mean they dont even give you solid hope that "Yes these interferon therapies can and will help you"
A lot of folks on here told me that they are 30% effective which is just as much as a placebo effect . . .
Then you have folks like Terry Wahls, Dr Jelenik, Hillary Rubin, Montell, and countless others that stress the body's own natural healing processes and do SO well despite not taking meds and what the medical world tells us . . .
I think it boils down to research and looking out for yourself, and to think that the same people who are charging you $3000/month to help you with a chronic life long disease have your best interest at heart is a bit silly, I am sure that clinical trials have shown these drugs MAY be useful, but they are definitely not the end all be all of MS, and their side effects are HUGE.Comment
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Yikes, where to start! Interferon gamma makes MS worse. So, it is not enough information to just say the supplement helps you make "interferon."
Montel does take a DMD.
The studies indicate that the interferons beta reduce the formation of new lesions and relapses by about 30% over and above the placebo. That is why there is a placebo arm of the studies!!!
I wish statistics was taught in secondary school, instead of waiting until college or grad school. This just proves how much we need it.Comment
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Just to make things clear for people reading this thread, AshNight, you are the one who bolded "a patented blend of interferon-boosting plant extracts" when you quoted me. What I bolded was "which have been clinically proven to support and stimulate the natural immune response."Comment
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(Bold mine)i mean they dont even give you solid hope that "Yes these interferon therapies can and will help you"
I'm just going to go ahead and say this Ash. I hope that you take it in the spirit meant and are not upset by it.
Anyone that tells you that there is anything, be it properly studied FDA approved meds , diets, herbs, bee stings, goat serum or whatever that will with out doubt help you is at best wrong and at worst, trying to con you.
There is no 100% chance of anything with MS. That's the bottom line. No 100% chance of disability or ability. No 100% chance of having a mild course or a devastating one. No 100% chance a med or treatment will work or not.
Reading your other posts, I can see that you're new...scared and confused. You've asked about mild disease courses, disability, not taking meds, which is the best med to take, LDN and now this. You're looking for answers no one can really give you. You want to know that you'll be OK , not have to take meds and not use a wheelchair. I wish I could tell you, I really do. No one can.That's just the way it is. It's a harsh, sad and undeniable fact.
As many time as you've heard it, you'll hear it again: MS is different for everyone. We all want to know what will happen, but we can't. MS or not, no one knows what will become of them. It's something we must try to come to terms with in order to move on and live.
On to the topic at hand, if you choose to treat MS, you must base your decision on the best facts and science you have and not a sales pitch.
Diets and individual supplements can at least offer some science. We know a lot of what they can generally do to improve health, support various organs, cells,etc. Put together in a sensible dietary regimen they might help MS, but again, no one who isn't trying to sell you something will tell you it's the answer.
FDA approved meds have been studied for years, the oldest has been around since the early '90s. The CRABs are about 30% more effective ( as IkoIko said) than placebo. We know what they can do. We just don't know what they can do for you. Any dr telling you that they can and will help you is irresponsible and giving you false hope. There's no way to know who they will work for and how well. Would you rather the dr told you something will work, you get your hopes up and maybe learn the hard way it won't work for you or would you rather they were honest and gave you the realistic answer that it might ?
It's entirely your decision how you want to treat or not treat your MS. The other posters here have made excellent points. I won't repeat them, I'll just add two things.
First, please check with your neuro and pharmacist before taking anything. Besides the fact that they could do nothing but empty your pocket, they could, as Sequoia pointed out, be inadvisable with MS or even a dangerous mix with other meds you might take.
Second, when researching any possible treatments or supplements, if your only Google results are where to buy and not any studies, trials, or scientific articles written by medical professionals or researchers, then you should question efficacy and safety. Try it. Individually google Copaxone, Vitamin D ( any vitamin, really) and Nutriferon. See how many trials, medical journal articles and studies you find for each.
I wish you the best in deciding how you will deal with your MS.
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It's hard to know what to believe about medications and supplements, especially when you're just starting out with the process of trying to educate yourself. We all understand that.
The advice about going to actual research studies rather than manufacturers' claims is sound, but even then it can be hard to sort out which studies have been well-designed and replicated by other studies, from other studies that are on shakier ground.
It's best not to get too enthusiastic about any supplement, simply because strong enthusiasm tends to get in the way of keeping an open mind and continuing the search for more information...which may not support the supplement's efficacy.
As an aside, the side effects from the CRABs are really not that bad. Neither is self-injection. Many MSers have gotten used to these meds and now take them in stride as just part of daily life.
The bottom line here is that we care about you, AshNight, and hope you are able to settle on a method of treating your MS that works for you.Comment
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Understanding how an interferon works is tough, because frankly - doctors don't really even know why it works they way it does yet either. BUT, the important thing to remember is that interfons give better rates of flare reduction than the placebo effect. THis has been well studied and well documented in numerous studies with large numbers of MS patients.
I didn't want to take them either, and reading the literature about them they really don't make *that* much of a difference when push comes to shove. Again - they are all I have and I will take them. They work, and hopefully they will work for me (I was just diagnosed in January and started Beta in March).
I understand that you are scared, but science is always questioning itself and looking for mistakes and better answers. This really is our best shot. If it doens't work for you then fine, just be really - really careful when considering other alternatives.
Sasha - dx January 2011; tysarbi, zanaflex, gabapentin, and baclofen
~Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain.~Comment
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Sequoia: "As an aside, the side effects from the CRABs are really not that bad. Neither is self-injection. Many MSers have gotten used to these meds and now take them in stride as just part of daily life."
"Many" may be accurate, but after taking Avonex and being sick 2-3 days a week, every week for more than two years, I just can't do it any more. I tried all the suggestions - pre medicating, post medicating, everything but standing on my head
to no avail, I did however get used to self-injecting...
I gave it a good try, but now like many others I am seeking alternative, more natural solutions until a drug is developed and marketed that is more effective and has fewer side effects, which I understand may happen in the near future. 
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