Alphaflex with Omega-5e for Muscle and Joint relief from Minor Pain.

The Battered Athlete Syndrome

Following an injury to muscle or joint structures while on the athletic field, it becomes the responsibility of the athlete and athletic trainer to find a program that can restore the athlete to his usual state of health. Making the athlete comfortable enough to comply with rehabilitation, without nullifying pain's protective function, is the first hurdle for the therapist.

Physiologically, a soft-tissue injury triggers the release of biochemical's from ruptured cell walls, altering the tissue ph; this leads to release of bioenzymes such as cyclooxygenase (COX) that break down the spilled intracellular chemicals into prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Prostaglandins are inflammatory chemicals that sensitize nerve endings, thus making them "irritable" nerve endings that fire more aggressively. Swelling, resulting from increased vascular permeability, vasodilatation, and release of blood at the damaged soft tissue site, also influences the pain response. The net result is subjective pain and objective swelling and warmth.

The ultimate "therapeutic goal," healing the injury, should always be the therapists primary concern. Any modality used to moderate pain should be chosen while keeping that "therapeutic goal" in mind. The goal is not just temporarily removing pain so the athlete can continue performing. With the "therapeutic goal" in mind, the physical therapist usually initiates the time proven protocol using, in order, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. The acronym is R.I.C.E.

If one starts the protocol as soon as the injury is announced, one can arrest much of the pain associated with the injury. There is a "golden window" of time, just after the injury but before swelling begins, during which the trainer can start the RICE protocol and reduce the amount of pain an athlete will suffer. RICE will work faster than oral medications. More importantly, today you can now supplement that program with a broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory/analgesic Omega-5 lotion and get even better results. I renamed the new protocol R.I.C.E.M.!!!.

* REST: take the athlete out of play until the injury is defined and healed
* ICE: reduces pain and swelling at the injury site
* COMPRESSION: reduces the fluid build up and bleeding at the injury site
* ELEVATION: reduces swelling gravitationally
* MEDICATION: be proactive by applying Omega-5 lotion to the injured tissue/structure site.

AlphaFlex^®, a newly formulated Omega-5 lotion made by Sierra Life Sciences, Inc., works synergistically with ice to relieve pain in 5 minutes, much faster than any other single facet of RICEM. Ice, if used alone, takes 20 minutes to reduce pain and swelling. Aspirin and NSAIDs require GI absorption so take 30-40 minutes to reduce pain but will not reduce swelling. I, however, don't recommend NSAID's or aspirin products in acute injury settings. They are clinically contraindicated in the acute phase of injury because they are anti-thrombotic, thereby actually promoting more bleeding and swelling at the injury site. While they may reduce pain, their anti-thrombotic side effects add to the chemical problems that occur at the injury site thus potentially leading to a longer rehab course.

After the injury is defined and stable, the therapist must start a rehab program in an attempt to return the normal joint range of motion, restore comfortable function, and strengthen the damaged structures. Early rehab intervention reduces the total amount of atrophy to muscle mass that occurs during the "rest phase" of rehabilitation. Also, psychological pain related to athletic inactivity and inability to be involved in the sport must be reversed as soon as possible. If the patient/athlete is in too much pain though, he or she will avoid even passive stretching and this will lead to long-term stiffness, adhesions, muscle atrophy, loss of proprioception and eventually psychological depression.

The goal is to not eliminate the body's perceptions and response, but to modify it and enhance the rehab experience. Using a non-toxic anti-inflammatory/analgesic lotion in the rehab setting is very helpful. Applied daily to the injured site, Omega-5 lotion will reduce the pain experienced with exercise and rehab. This, in turn, will lead to a quicker return of range of motion, muscle conditioning leading to strength will be easier, and ultimately faster return to the playing field will be achieved. The athlete will psychologically perform better because he feels better and sees the progress in measurable parameters such as better range of motion, better strength and faster muscle speed returns. Pain control becomes an important issue for the athlete, as well as the injured worker, trying to return to sport or job. Any modality that can improve rehabilitation progress should be considered an important part of the therapy program.

Can something you rub on the skin really help reduce muscle and joint pain? This is an often-debated question. Many therapists believe pain relieving skin creams are quackery because there is not enough of the cream absorbed nor is penetration deep enough to really affect the injury.

In a dog study protocol following knee injury, oral aspirin tablet therapy was compared to application of an aspirin-containing cream on the injured knee. The cream contained trolamine salicylate. The study had the following conclusions: the pill-popping pooches had higher blood levels of salicylates than the cream users, but the cream users had much higher tissue levels of salicylate at the injured joint site in tendons, muscles, cartilage, ligament and joint space. These were the areas of the injured body where a high salicylate level really mattered. This is where the anti-inflammatory effects are needed. The added benefit is that the cream is also analgesic and actually relieved pain rapidly at the injury site, much better than the oral aspirin did. The pain relief was much longer lasting too because the tissue levels of salicylate at the injury site were much higher with cream than tablets. Another added benefit was that there was no secondary side effect on the GI tract with topical cream/salicylate use, whereas oral salicylates and NSAIDs have a known high rate of GI side effects. In summary, topical salicylate creams delay pain, reduce the magnitude of pain, last longer than oral agents and are not associated with GI side effects. The only negatives for salicylate cream are that they induce more bleeding at the injury site because of their anti-platelet activity. There are many people allergic to aspirin products and thus they cannot use aspirin cream. A typical Aspercreme costs $7 for 5 oz.

Udder Balm has a reputation for use in physical therapy offices. Before massage, the therapist puts the lemon-scented cream onto the inflamed/spastic muscle, or the recovering injured joint to lubricate and make the massage more comfortable for both the patient and the therapist. Udder Balm received its name and reputation from dairy farmers who used it on their hands before manually milking cows. Udder Balm is a soothing emollient cream composed of lanolin, aloe vera gel and Vitamins A, D and E. It is safe and cosmetic with weak anti-inflammatory activity provided by the aloe vera gel.

Tiger Balm is a mixture of Camphor, Menthol, Clove and other oils. It has a mint scent or a cinnamon scent. These chemicals have mild anti-inflammatory/analgesic properties and therefore are used for athletic injury and muscle pain. A Tiger Balm Ultra Sports Rub is on the market. 1.7 oz costs $10.

Ben Gay is a classic heating rub used for tight muscles or injured tissues. It contains menthol, methyl salicylate, and camphor. All are recognized analgesic agents. Recognize that the nervous system is gated, meaning a peripheral nerve can only interpret one sensation at a time. If you heat the area, or freeze the area, or vibrate the area, the nerve endings remain busy interpreting those sensations and cannot interpret any other sensation simultaneously. In effect this means the "heat sensation" created by the "heating rub" or "heating patch" will not allow the nerve to pass on the experience of pain. Heating rubs, then, act by redirecting the nerve fibers away from a "pain sensation" that may be harder to cope with than is a heat sensation. In effect, heating rubs camouflage the pain sensations in the nerve endings. One drawback is that Ben Gay uses camphor and menthol as its anti-inflammatory chemicals, so it has a distinct "medicine odor." It costs $6.95 for 4 oz.

Zostrix cream is primarily an analgesic cream. Capsaicin is the active pain-relieving chemical at a concentration of 0.075%. It was initially used to relieve the pain from Herpes Zoster virus blisters on the skin. It has a rapid pain relieving capability for muscles and joints so is now available as Zostrix Sports Cream. It does not have an anti-inflammatory property with its analgesic property. You must rely on anti-viral drugs or cortisone to reduce the nerve inflammation caused by the Zoster virus as well as use the Zostrix cream as a pain relieving adjunct until skin ulcers heal and all nerve pain is gone. It is a high buck non-odorous analgesic cream that burns when applied. It costs $10 per oz.

Two Seattle physicians have developed Myorx Cream. Described as a "tetra-omega antioxidant cream," it contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids used for their anti-inflammatory activity and Capsaicin for its analgesic effects. However, I am not sure Omega-6 fatty acids, which are pro-inflammatory, can reduce inflammation!!! The cream also contains antioxidant ingredients. It is used for arthritis pain, inflammation of tendons and bursas and in fibromyalgia. It has a menthol smell, leaves a light oil stain but provides 4 hours of pain relief. You can get 6 oz for $30.

Super Blue Stuff has been a nationally marketed cream sensation in the recent years. Through its infomercial cable TV campaign its sales are reported at $1 million per week. This product claims anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties because it contains the anti-inflammatory nutrients MethylSulfonylMenthane (MSM) and Emu oil. MSM removes free radicals and foreign proteins from the body. It also supplies sulfur substrate that is needed to make collagen, the primary component of cartilage and connective tissue. Emu oil has been studied in Australia and the United States and found to reduce inflammation in joints. Emu oil contains a high level of Omega-3 linolenic and oleic fatty acids. Both have anti-inflammatory capability. Oleic acid serves as a transport enhancer of oils through skin pores, therefore allowing the linolenic acid to penetrate the inflamed joint area and go to work. A small study on patients with early Osteoarthritis found positive effects on their joints in 58% of users. This product also contains aloe vera, one of nature's most potent plant sources for Vitamins C, E, and B-12. Aloe's beneficial effects are concentrated in its green skin and yellow sap, not in the gel of the plant. Aloe also contains three anti-inflammatory fatty acids, namely campersterol, cholesterol, and Beta-sitosterol. Super Blue Stuff, then, contains traces of at least five anti-inflammatory agents. 4 oz of cream costs $30. Recently this product was taken off the market by the FTC because of failure to clinically and scientifically prove its advertised claims.

JointFlex pain relieving cream has gotten a lot of press notice lately. It uses Glucosamine/chondroitin (GC) in their formulation because GC has known anti-inflammatory activity. While reputable sources, such as the Arthritis Foundation and Consumer Reports, allow for the possibility that GC supplements, taken orally and consistently, may lessen arthritis pain and even slow the disease process, there is no evidence to suggest that Glucosamine/chondroitin applied topically is effective at any level for inflammation or pain control. Researchers believe that the molecules glucosamine and chondroitin are too large to be absorbed through the skin. Large full-paged advertisements for this product have been seen throughout the country. Since they made false claims, the FTC has reprimanded them. Now the cream can only be marketed as a moisturizing agent containing GC. It is available in a 4 oz tube for $18. A similar GC containing topical product named Joint-Ritis also contains menthol. JointFlex, another product line, contains GC and camphor. These cost about $20 for 2 oz.

Sierra Life Sciences, Inc. patented and marketed Mysterol Capsules and Cream from 1998 through 2003. The formulations and presentations have now been modified and renamed AlphaFlex^® Capsules and AlphaFlex^® Lotion.

AlphaFlex^® Lotion: Research has shown that the Omega-5 fatty acid ester cetyl-myristoleate is readily absorbed through the skin pores. This is the active anti-inflammatory agent in this lotion formula. Capsaicin, an active analgesic agent, is also readily absorbed through the skin and provides rapid pain relief within five minutes after application. Both agents are found in AlphaFlex^® Lotion. They topically flood injured tissue working to reduce inflammation and pain. The lotion is non-odorous, does not evoke a heat sensation, and when rubbed into the skin leaves no greasy surface oil. AlphaFlex^® Lotion, unlike cortisone creams, has no risk of steroid cream side effects that include thinning of skin, skin pigment changes, or skin color change.

AlphaFlex^® Lotion can hasten recovery of injured muscle and joint structure by reducing swelling and pain associated with acute or chronic injury. Use it proactively before workouts or competitions. Many athletes believe it reduces the risk of muscles cramps and thus the risk of a disabling muscle tear injury while working out is reduced. AlphaFlex^® Lotion costs $20 for 4 oz.

Best candidates for use: 1. Psoriatic dermatitis: Omega 5 lotion can be used to supplement a program of AlphaFlex^® enteric-coated capsules, or added to the steroid/Methotrexate programs so one can use a decreased dose of these toxic drugs.
2. Atopic dermatitis (eczema): Avoids or reduces the dose of toxic steroids needed for control of itch, fissuring, pain.
3. Herpes simplex ulcers (cold sores) are responsive even after they erupt.
4. Sunburn and simple first degree burns: works to reduce the pain, swelling, and inflammation produced by over exposure to UV light or excessive heat elements. Post-operative use following burn therapies e.g. laser leg vein surgery for varicosities, tattoo applications.
5. Acne is an unattractive infectious inflammation of oil glands in the skin. The Omega 5 Lotion is readily absorbed through infected pores thus reducing swelling, redness and pain.
6. Bug bites: reduces itch and burn from bites left by mosquitoes, chiggers, spiders, gnats, fleas.
7. Spasm/pain related to muscle/joint structure disease e.g. fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome, strained muscles, tension myalgia relating to anxiety or muscle pain from overuse and abuse.
Cetyl-myristoleate, the Omega-5^e in AlphaFlex^® capsules and AlphaFlex^® Lotion, (formerly trade-named Mysterol capsules and cream) is the active agent that acts as a broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory/analgesic nutrient in our products. AlphaFlex^® capsules and AlphaFlex^® Lotion, used in combination, are the most effective and safest agents available for control of mild to moderate inflammatory pain.

I ask you, could cetyl-myristoleate be the BEST essential fatty acid discovery of our time? The following patients believe it and voluntarily testify with their results. Patient Profiles:

Cliff Wilson, the athletic trainer at Charleston College in South Carolina, reported this case. He treated a 22 y.o. college freshman baseball catcher who developed resistant patellar tendonitis. Squatting aggravated it, so the coach converted him to a first baseman, but Cliff tried to rehab his knee so he ultimately could resume catching. The athletic trainer tried electrical stimulation, ultrasound, ibuprofen, stretching programs, patellar tracking programs, ketoprofen gel plus ultrasound, all without relief. Iontophoresis with dexamethasone was then used daily for one week, again without significant relief. Vioxx was then started by the orthopedic surgeon, but led to significant high blood pressure, so had to be discontinued. The ballplayer was forced to play first base with painful patellar tendonitis throughout his first three college baseball seasons. Mysterol, the Omega 5 cream, (now reformulated and named AlphaFlex^® Lotion) became available during his senior year. NCAA guidelines allow use of athletic creams and prescription drugs for athletes, but not oral neutriceuticals. Mysterol cream fit their guidelines, so was applied to the inflamed knee, followed by friction massage to the patellar tendon, followed by ultrasound to drive the medication deeper into the tissue. The first baseman stated that he felt no pain after the first treatment. After practice that first day, the athlete returned to the training room for ice and stated he felt a little sore, but was amazed at how good he felt throughout the entire practice. After two more daily treatments, following that same protocol, the first baseman stated that he didn't need the ultrasound anymore because the pain was gone. The athlete continued using the cream prophylactically on a daily basis throughout the entire baseball season with no return of his patellar tendonitis pain.

Cliff Wilson reports that he has athletes use Mysterol cream on sore muscles, tendons and bursas before practice. They use the Mysterol cream when rehabilitating grades I to III muscle strains and sprains as well as tendonitis, epiphysitis, and fasciitis. He stated "as a result, we could move the athlete through a greater range of motion and used a higher resistance during our therapy sessions. This had a direct correlation on how fast our athletes returned to full activity. Mysterol cream has also been found to be effective in muscle recovery after exercise. I would rub the cream into the shoulders of our pitchers after they had completed throwing in a game. It was a unanimous consensus that their shoulders didn't feel as sore or have a heavy feeling the next day."

Paula Newby-Fraser in an 8-time ironman triathlon Champion. She found it hard to believe, initially, that a dietary supplement could be safe, non-toxic, yet help eliminate inflammation and reduce pain from athletic workouts and training. She started taking Mysterol, two enteric-coated capsules per day. She had dramatic improvement in a chronic pain near her old fractured ankle. She says: "I train extremely hard, and the last thing I want is to be distracted by muscle and joint pain." She continues, "What really excites me about this product is the fact that Mysterol allows me to train at a very high intensity level with little or no recovery time. My schedule often requires back-to-back training. In a typical week I'll run 50-70 miles, bike 200 some miles and swim another six or more." After a triathlon, she found she could restart her training sessions without a long layoff, thereby not losing muscle mass or timing. She concluded: "I'll never be without Mysterol again. Mysterol is clearly a breakthrough product for the competitive athlete's world. As a performance enhancer, I think the competitive endurance world is going to fall in love with Mysterol. Mysterol is now a daily part of my training program. What I find fascinating is that I am taking no other dietary supplements right now. No vitamin C, no vitamin E, not a thing except for Mysterol.and I feel great!"

A.G. is a registered nurse with numerous cancerous and pre-cancerous skin lesions on her face. She had them treated with Dermatologic Photodynamic Therapy by a dermatologist. She used the Mysterol Cream three times a day post-operatively because of its known anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties on her recovering facial skin. She says, "What an outcome! Within 10 days there was a significant decrease in pain, reduction in facial redness and chemical burn areas, and overall tremendous improvement in facial lesions."

L.B. is a middle-aged female. She has painful bone spurs on her heels with associated fasciitis. Mysterol Cream relieved her "long-standing" pain. She swears by its results. L.B. has a pure bred Chow named Murphy. The large dog has arthritis, especially hip dysplasia. They have noticed amazing improvement in Murphy's mobility since the dog started taking Mysterol. "We are a Mysterol family for life."

L.G. Our son suffers from cystic acne. He already did the Accutane series and he still has to deal with the red and purple scars. He started Mysterol Cream before bedtime and takes a capsule 3x/day. "We are both amazed with the results as the scarring is slowly being lifted and the color is fading. Every morning, as he's getting ready for school, we look at each other with amazement."

M.A. is an 18 y.o. daughter of a physician. She suffers from severe comidone/papular acne vulgaris since puberty. Faced with a decision to either start birth control pills and Accutane, or some other form of therapy, she decided to try Mysterol Cream combined with antibiotics. "In one day after applying the Mysterol Cream to her forehead, there was a significant reduction in the redness and swelling. It was very noticeable and she delightfully showed me the results of one application." Mysterol has allowed her to control the acne without taking the toxic risks and costs inherent in use of birth control pills and Accutane to control severe acne vulgaris.

M.T. is a 12 y.o. elite gymnast. She spends 20 hours per week in the gym. She developed patellar tendonitis, probably a form of Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome, at her tibial epiphysis and started Mysterol Cream with dramatic results. As her training continued, she subsequently developed Achilles tendonitis. Her mother, a nurse, and father, a nurse anesthetist, decided to try the non-toxic anti-inflammatory/analgesic Mysterol capsules on their athletic daughter. Two enteric-coated capsules twice a day and the inflammation abated rapidly. M.T. is now training, without pain, under the watchful eye of Bella Karolli in Houston Texas.

C.A. is a 60 y.o. with psoriasis. His dermatitis involves his hands, elbows, knees, scalp and the largest plaques are on his thighs and buttocks. After unsuccessfully using fluorinated cortisone creams, sunlight, and coal tar preps with their foul odor, he decided to try Mysterol Cream and capsules. After two weeks of Mysterol enteric-coated capsules, three per day, and Mysterol Cream two times per day, he writes, "The results to date on my psoriasis are amazing. My scaling has been practically eliminated. Prior to Mysterol, I itched all the time and could get enough flaking from one passing scratch to make it look like a snowstorm hitting the floor. Needless to say, that alone is a great relief. I also do not have the burning sensation on the affected area with me constantly. I have no negative side effects that I am aware of. The only effects are the positive change to my personality with the better feeling skin and not the constant itching I felt before. I do not have much problem with arthritis, but it feels like my joints are better-lubricated and run smoother. In general, I feel good!"

Margie has severe psoriasis and associated arthritis. She has large plaques on her back, thick crusts on her elbows and knees. Her palms are thick and fissured with a rough texture. Psoriasis is a tough disease to cope with when you are a professional who has to use hands-on-technique as a head radiology tech. She had been on Methotrexate for several years with intermittent bursts of Prednisone for disease control. After 8 weeks of Mysterol capsules and cream, the hand lesions completely cleared and her back lesions were significantly smaller. The arthritis had also improved. She is very happy at this point with her treatment results using Omega 5 products.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) monitors advertising. Sierra Life Sciences, Inc. wishes to comply with their regulations. We need to inform all that the issuance of U.S. patents does not prove that MYSTEROL/ALPHAFLEX^® products are effective in treating or alleviating any symptoms of disease. Mouse research studies do not, in the eyes of the FTC, prove efficacy of the product either. Testimonials from consumers may not reflect the typical experience of members of the public who use the MYSTEROL/ALPHAFLEX^® products. On the other hand, our patents, our mouse research results, and the consumer testimonials presented may just be entirely truthful. Before there was a FTC, people believed in testimonials, used common sense, and new product testing didn't require $100 million to bring a drug to market with brand name recognition. We hope this information is informative. We, at Sierra Life Sciences, Inc. believe it is truthful.