Vitamins + Supplements

Herbal Medicines May Be Tainted – Especially Those Sourced Overseas

If you travel overseas and you’re a fan of herbal medicines, heed this warning! In 2018, a University of Adelaide forensic pathologist in cautions that potentially harmful substances found in herbal medicines may be playing a bigger role in deaths of “health tourists” than previously thought. Professor Roger Byard is calling for closer checks during… Continue reading Herbal Medicines May Be Tainted – Especially Those Sourced Overseas

Chewing Gum: Could it Be Effective for Delivering Vitamins?

Gum as a delivery system for vitamins? Nearly 15 percent of all chewing gum varieties sold promise to provide health-enhancing supplements to users – which inspired a team of Penn State researchers to study whether two vitamin-supplemented products were effective at delivering vitamins to the body. Their results validate the concept of gum as an… Continue reading Chewing Gum: Could it Be Effective for Delivering Vitamins?

Multivitamins Do Not Promote Cardiovascular Health

Taking multivitamin and mineral supplements does not prevent heart attacks, strokes or cardiovascular death, according to a new analysis of 18 studies published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. “We meticulously evaluated the body of scientific evidence,” said study lead author Joonseok Kim, M.D., assistant professor of cardiology in the… Continue reading Multivitamins Do Not Promote Cardiovascular Health

Many Popular Vitamins Don’t Have Health Benefits

The most popular vitamin and mineral supplements provide no health benefit or harm, according to a new study. The finding, from researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital, in Toronto, and the University of Toronto, was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. According to a news release from St. Michael’s, the systematic review… Continue reading Many Popular Vitamins Don’t Have Health Benefits

Obesity and Lack of Vitamin E

People with metabolic syndrome need significantly more vitamin E than those who don’t have the condition, researchers have found. Such a lack could be a serious public health concern, in light of the millions of people who have this condition that’s often related to obesity. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition… Continue reading Obesity and Lack of Vitamin E

Calcium Supplements Linked to Dementia Risk in Older Women with Certain Health Conditions

According to a study published in the August 17th 2016 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, calcium supplements may be associated with an increased risk of dementia in older women who have had a stroke or other signs of cerebrovascular disease. A release from the academy explains that… Continue reading Calcium Supplements Linked to Dementia Risk in Older Women with Certain Health Conditions

Magnesium

What is Magnesium and What Does it Do? Magnesium, a mineral found abundantly in the body, is naturally present in many foods, available as a dietary supplement, and an ingredient in medications including laxatives and antacids. Magnesium is an important component of key enzyme systems in the body, including protein synthesis and muscle and nerve… Continue reading Magnesium

Vitamin D

What is Vitamin D and What Does it Do? Vitamin D is one of the most versatile vitamins for improving your overall health. There are two forms of vitamin D: Vitamin D2, which is commonly found in foods, and Vitamin D3, which your body naturally creates through direct exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D3 is the only… Continue reading Vitamin D

Essential Nutrients for Women over 40

Although they say “40 is the new 30,” and cougars in the dating scene have never been more trendy, there are key considerations that women should keep in mind after they reach a certain age. Deny it as we may, our bodies and minds are changing, and well-informed women who take control of their health… Continue reading Essential Nutrients for Women over 40

What You Need to Know About Zinc

From LabDoor.com What is Zinc? Zinc is an essential trace mineral that is intricately involved in hundreds of activities inside our cells. At the moment, research estimates that 100 to 300 different enzymes require zinc to accomplish their tasks. In many cases, zinc acts as a catalytic component for those enzymes, aiding the biochemical processes… Continue reading What You Need to Know About Zinc

Higher Doses of Vitamin D = Increased Risk of Falls in the Elderly

Higher monthly doses of vitamin D were associated with no benefit on low extremity function and with an increased risk of falls in patients 70 or older in a randomized clinical trial, according to an article published online in January 2016 by JAMA Internal Medicine. A release from the publisher notes that lower extremity function… Continue reading Higher Doses of Vitamin D = Increased Risk of Falls in the Elderly

Antioxidant Supplements Cause Malignant Melanoma to Metastasize Faster

Research at Sahlgrenska Academy of University of Gothenburg in Germany has found that antioxidant supplements can double the rate of melanoma metastasis in mice. The results reinforce previous findings that antioxidants hasten the progression of lung cancer. According to Professor Martin Bergö, people with cancer or an elevated risk of developing the disease should avoid… Continue reading Antioxidant Supplements Cause Malignant Melanoma to Metastasize Faster

Drug Allergies: 6 Questions to Ask Your Doctor

At one time or another, you or someone you know has probably had some sort of allergic reaction. But how can you tell if you’re allergic to a medication or if the “weirdness” you’re feeling is a side effect? The first step is to try to understand the difference between an allergy versus side effect… Continue reading Drug Allergies: 6 Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Omega-3s Don’t Benefit Brain Health

Omega-3 fatty acids, touted as an aid to brain health, don’t slow cognitive decline, according to a large trial conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The study, which followed 4,000 patients over a five-year period, was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “Contrary to popular belief, we didn’t see… Continue reading Omega-3s Don’t Benefit Brain Health

Is Fish Oil As Helpful As We Think?

The efficacy of fish oil, touted as helpful for people with heart disease, has been called into question by new research from investigators from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. Synthetic versions of marine fish lipid-derived molecules called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) show anti-inflammatory properties in cell cultures and live animal models. But… Continue reading Is Fish Oil As Helpful As We Think?

Vitamin B12 May Not Help Everybody

Although taking Vitamin B12 helps older people who have a serious deficiency of the substance, it doesn’t improve neurological or cognitive function in older people with only moderate B12 deficiency, according to a new study. The research, from investigators at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, was published in the American Journal of… Continue reading Vitamin B12 May Not Help Everybody

Mixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your Health

When you take prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, do you take also a vitamin, mineral, or other dietary supplements? Have you considered whether there is any danger in mixing medications and dietary supplements? There could be, says Robert Mozersky, a medical officer at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Some dietary supplements may increase the… Continue reading Mixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your Health

Fish Oil Could Cause Resistance to Chemo

Researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam found that consuming herring and mackerel as well as three kinds of fish oils, raised blood levels of the fatty acid, which experiments in mice suggest may induce resistance to chemotherapy used to treat cancer. The study was published online in April 2015 by JAMA Oncology. A… Continue reading Fish Oil Could Cause Resistance to Chemo