We’re pleased to share that FORMA now carries a unique category of FDA-regulated medical food products that meet specific nutritional requirements and prevent some of the metabolic deficiencies associated with particular diseases, injuries and ailments.

You may not have ever considered medical food as a solution to an injury or to relieve pain or inflammation, but by utilizing Targeted Cellular Technology (TCT) to deliver natural amino acid precursors found to promote efficient functioning of specific cells, these prescription medical foods can fulfill the nutritional needs of a specific disease or injury that cannot be met with a simple shift in diet.

Our own Dr. Claudio Carvalho (you know him as “Dr. C.”) says these medical food capsules include specifically selected amino acids — the backbone of protein chains — that stimulate the body’s process to produce specific neurotransmitters (natural proteins) that have been found to increase the natural ability of the body to utilize the medication ingredients a thousand times more efficiently at the targeted cellular level. As a result, the medication ingredient in each medical food capsule is so small that it nearly eliminates the possibility of undesired side effects and interaction with other drugs.

At FORMA, the main classes of medical foods that are currently available by prescription include:

• AppTrim: Aids in weight control and low energy from fatigue
• AppTrim-D: Aids in weight control while you rest at night at sleep
• GABAdone: Prescribed for sleep difficulties with anxiety (racing toughts)
• Sentra AM: Recommended for attention difficulties, tiredness, fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain
• Sentra PM: Helps for sleep and with depression (sedness feelings)
• Theramine: Great for the treatment of pain and inflammation
• Trepadone: Used to assist in the treatment of joint degeneration  related Osteoarthritis/Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Hypetensa: Helps in the management of hight blood presure and metabolic syndrome
• Lister-V: Assists to enhance the ability of the cells to ward-off viral illness, modulate allergic reactions and modulate the immune response

For instance, a prescription for Theramine might decrease pain and inflammation from a knee injury with few if any side effects. That’s not the case with NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen, etodolac, etc.), which can cause kidney injury, or Tylenol, which can cause liver damage, or a stronger pain medication that can lead a person to perform through their pain, thus worsening their condition.

Dr. C. says Sentra AM can be used to manage the pain generated from hyperactive nerves — neuropathic pain. Thus, Sentra AM would prove advantageous for someone with sciatica symptoms.

In the case of an athlete who can’t sleep, is anxious about an upcoming race or suffers depression, GABAdone capsules might be prescribed. Pain, anxiety and depression are common symptoms that affect our ability to get a good night’s sleep. Dr. Carvalho says that for sleep difficulties with underlying depression, Sentra PM is a great alternative for some patients.

The use of the Targeted Cellular Technology process also prevents the development of tolerance to a particular drug. Unlike pharmaceutical agents that lose their effectiveness in a relative short period of time, Targeted Cellular Technology maintains its effectiveness and does not weaken.

In case you’re wondering, medical foods are supported by clinical trials, and are regulated by the FDA where they are listed as GRAS — Generally Recognized As Safe — products.

In addition, these medical foods can be used in combination with most already prescribed medications needed for existing or other conditions. In many cases, Dr. C. can modulate prescribed dosages of the pharmaceuticals in order to maintain effectiveness with decreased side effects. That’s because medical foods increase the production of neurotransmitters, which in turn, optimize cell’s utilization.

Currently, most private insurance plans and Medicare cover the medical foods available at FORMA. For more information, visit the Medical Foods section of our website, or, the next time you’re in the FORMA office in Costa Mesa, ask Dr. Carvalho if the Medical Foods are right for you.

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UPDATE (Dec. 10, 2010): Learn more about Medical Foods on the FORMA Medical Foods Page