To Joe Graedon, M.S., and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D.: I hope you can help with my dilemma. I have suffered with burning tongue syndrome for almost a year.
I have worked in the dental profession for over 30 years. So far as I understand, there is no real cure for this diagnosis.
I have tried essential oils, hot sauce and steroid mouthwash to no avail. I love to cook and enjoy food and drink, but now I am at my wits’ end. Are there any remedies you can recommend?
A. Burning mouth syndrome has the medical profession puzzled. The lips, tongue or entire mouth may be painful without obvious signs of inflammation. As you stated, there are no clear causes or cures.
People with this syndrome are significantly more likely than others to show signs of iron or B-vitamin deficiency (Journal of the Formosan Medical Association, February 2021). At the Mayo Clinic, screening revealed low values or deficiencies in vitamin D, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, zinc, vitamin B12 and folate (International Journal of Dermatology, September 2017). Values for blood glucose and TSH were both frequently elevated, and the authors suggest screening for these factors. We wish we had more to offer, but as you note, this condition is challenging.
Q. I am very interested in helping my husband control his blood pressure. Would he get the same benefits from eating beet juice chews as from drinking beet juice? The chews seem much easier for him.
A. There is a substantial body of evidence regarding the benefits of beet juice for lowering blood pressure. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials concluded that the nitrate from beetroot juice helps lower systolic blood pressure (Frontiers in Nutrition, March 15, 2022). By the way, moderate doses appear to be more effective than high doses (Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, March 2, 2023).
Chewing beet juice gummies could be more appealing than drinking a cup of juice. However, we could not find any research on these products. Consequently, we don’t know if they would provide an appropriate dose of nitrate to reliably lower your husband’s blood pressure.
We discuss beet juice itself and numerous other non-drug approaches in our “eGuide to Blood Pressure Solutions.” This online resource may be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q. My childhood was in the mid-20th century, before the explosion of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. We rarely went to the doctor except for real emergencies — certainly not for colds or flu.
My father kept a bottle of elderberry wine on hand for those ailments. If we got bad sore throats, flu, croup or cough, he would make us “hot toddies.” He would mull the wine with cinnamon sticks and other spices (probably ginger and allspice) and add a shot of alcohol (bourbon?) before making each of us sip a small dose of it. I remember my parents also had a bottle of Sambuca syrup as well. Why don’t people rely on elderberry any longer?
A. Some people still do rely on elderberries. The ripe fruits of the European black elderberry, Sambucus nigra, are known to have antiviral, antibacterial and antidiabetic properties (Plants, March 10, 2022).
Investigations have confirmed the benefits of elderberry extract combined with vitamins and zinc in strengthening the immune response among older adults (Nutrients, Aug. 24, 2022). Children with recurrent respiratory infections got sick less often when they took a similar supplement (Allergologia et Immunpathologia, May 1, 2022).
In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”
(c) 2023 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
