What’s in your supplements?
If you’re taking an over-the-counter supplement that wasn’t recommended by your doctor, you’re not alone — about half of the US adult population takes one or more supplements regularly. We spend more...
View ArticleSweeteners: Time to rethink your choices?
When it comes to low-calorie sweeteners, you have a lot of choices. There’s the blue one, the pink one, the yellow one, or the green one. Whichever one you choose, know that scientists have probably...
View ArticleCan vaping help you quit smoking?
It’s hard to overstate the dangers of smoking. Nearly 500,000 people die of tobacco-related disease each year in the US. Over the next decade, estimates are that around eight million people will die...
View ArticleHow long does a joint replacement last?
Joint replacement surgery represents one of the biggest and most life-changing advances in modern medicine. It has meant the difference between disability from crippling arthritis and nearly normal...
View ArticleWhy the wheelchair? Could it be gout?
When Paul Manafort appeared in court for sentencing recently, he was in a wheelchair and pleaded for leniency, in part because “his confinement had taken a toll on his physical and mental health.” He...
View ArticleIs obesity a reason to avoid joint replacement surgery?
“Come back when you’ve lost 40 pounds.” That’s something obese patients have heard often when being evaluated for a hip or knee replacement for severe arthritis. And sometimes the recommendation is to...
View ArticleThe trouble with new drugs
When a drug is approved by the FDA, it may seem like it’s only a matter of time before some unexpected side effects are discovered. Perhaps it seems that way because it’s true! According to a study of...
View ArticleThe latest deadly superbug — and why it’s not time to panic
I have to admit it: recent news reports about a newly described “superbug” are worrisome and at least a little bit terrifying. This time, it’s not a flesh-eating bacterium or drug-resistant...
View ArticleBeer before wine? Wine before beer?
Apparently, this is an important question for people hoping to avoid hangovers — at least, it was important enough that researchers have published a study about it. And we may now have an answer....
View ArticleFDA curbs unfounded memory supplement claims
I must have seen the commercial for Prevagen 50 times. Perhaps you’ve seen it, too: “You might take something for your heart… your joints… your digestion. So why wouldn’t you take something for the...
View ArticleIs tramadol a risky pain medication?
All medications come with a dose of risk. From minor side effects to life-threatening allergic reactions, every decision to take a medication should be made only after the expected benefits are weighed...
View ArticleA poor sense of smell might matter more than you thought
As one of the five major senses, you could argue that our sense of smell is the least important. Sight, hearing, touch, and taste may poll better than smell, but try telling that to someone who has...
View ArticleShowering daily — is it necessary?
Do you shower or bathe daily? If you do, you’re not alone. Approximately two-thirds of Americans shower daily. In Australia it’s over 80%. But in China, about half of people report bathing only twice a...
View ArticleShould you see a chiropractor for low back pain?
If you’ve ever seen a doctor for back pain, you’re not alone. An estimated 85% of people experience back pain severe enough to see a doctor for at some point in their life. Yet despite how common it...
View ArticleAre antibacterial products with triclosan fueling bacterial resistance?
When it comes to keeping clean, there could such a thing as too clean. I’ve posted before about how often people shower and whether showering daily might have a downside. It’s not just my opinion. Over...
View ArticleDo employee wellness programs actually work?
It seems like a question that’s not worth asking. If you offer employees wellness programs such as fitness centers, nutrition counselling, and stress reduction, and you charge little or nothing — or...
View ArticleCan vaping damage your lungs? What we do (and don’t) know
The rising popularity of vaping has been dramatic, especially among teenagers. According to a recent study, about 37% of high school seniors reported vaping in 2018, up from 28% the year before. An...
View ArticleHarvard Health Ad Watch: What you should know about direct-to-consumer ads
If you’re like most people, you’ve seen a ton of direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug ads in recent years. They’re all over television, in magazines, online, on billboards, and slapped on the sides of buses,...
View ArticleIf you have migraines, put down your coffee and read this
During medical school, a neurologist taught me that the number one cause of headaches in the US was coffee. That was news to me! But it made more sense when he clarified that he meant lack of coffee....
View ArticleHarvard Health Ad Watch: A new treatment for knee arthritis
The TV ad promises pain relief for knee osteoarthritis, the source of most of the 600,000 knee replacement surgeries performed in the US each year. A man in a bowling alley winces with pain. He nearly...
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