The Importance of Vitamin C for Older Women… and a Few Problem Signs

For the longest time, I used to associate vitamin C deficiency with scurvy. Maybe this was from watching too many pirate movies when I was younger or my interest in maritime history that came from growing up on an island. But for whatever reason, whenever I heard about not getting enough vitamin C in my diet, I immediately conjured up visions of toothless pirates in the 18th Century.

When Eating Protein Becomes Deadly!

Meegan Hefford was a 25-year-old bodybuilder competitor and mother of two. She seemed to be the perfect picture of health. As she prepared for an upcoming competition, Hefford visited the gym religiously and maintained a strict diet that included egg whites and protein supplements.

Be Aware and Be Proactive for Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month, and April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. Autism is a developmental disorder that usually becomes apparent in children between the ages of 2 and 3 (sometimes as early as 18 months) It is also referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in order to reflect the differences or variation in challenges and strengths possessed by each person with autism. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, (NIH), “[s]ome people are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled.” This disorder may continue throughout the whole life of the person affected.

How vitamin B12 can help prevent memory loss as you age

Did you know vitamin B12 is critical for brain function? When you don’t have enough of this essential vitamin -- found in foods such as beef, fish and dairy products -- you may start to experience mental decline, such as memory issues or depression.

The trend toward vitamin D, fish oil and probiotics over the traditional multivitamin

Americans’ use of supplements has remained consistent over the years, with just over half saying they take supplements. But the supplements of choice are changing. A new study published in JAMA found that fewer Americans are taking a multivitamin, whereas vitamin D, fish oil and probiotic supplements are rising in popularity.

What you should know before reaching for the calcium supplements

Calcium supplements are pretty popular, but they may not be helping your health like you think they are. Many people take them for their bones, but research shows “the more the merrier” just isn’t the case with calcium. Taking in excess calcium (more than you need) in the form of supplements or food won’t make your bones less likely to break. Plus, calcium supplements may cause bloating, constipation, interference with medications, and particularly in men, greater heart attack risk (due to vascular calcification).

Loading up on excess calcium isn’t doing much to prevent bone fractures, studies show

Did your mom tell you to drink a glass of milk with every meal? Seems calcium has gotten a big push, touted as the best way to grow strong bones and prevent bone fractures. And while calcium is an important nutrient, if you’re loading up on supplements and calcium-rich foods for your bones as an adult, you may not be reaping as many benefits as you think. So we dug a little further to learn more.

Are your supplements a health benefit or health risk?

If you’re interested in vitamins and supplements, by now, you’ve probably seen the shocking headlines that thousands of people end up in emergency rooms each year due to dietary supplements. Many news media organizations seized this study as a reason to declare that supplements were dangerous.

Fatty liver disease: I in 4 Americans has it and doesn’t even know it

Many people who consider themselves healthy are walking around with a disease — fatty liver disease. First described in 1980, fatty liver disease, sometimes referred to as FLD or NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), is the condition of fat infiltrating the liver tissue. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis refers to a fatty liver that has become inflamed, with injury to the liver cells. According to the American Liver Foundation, fatty liver disease affects up to 25 percent of Americans.

Taking supplements to lose weight or bulk up? Minimize the risks to your liver!

Nearly half of all U.S. adults take dietary or herbal supplements ranging from multivitamins to fish oil and from calcium to iron. When used correctly to address a vitamin or mineral imbalance or deficiency, these supplements can do wonders to help you be your healthiest. Studies are showing, however, that people are increasingly taking the wrong supplements or are using them incorrectly which may cause an increase in liver damage. And research shows that supplements that promote weight loss or bodybuilding are among the most common not being used correctly.

Ask your doctor: 'Are supplements safe to take with my Rx?'

Many of you can probably recall that questionnaire you received at your doctor’s office inquiring whether you take any dietary supplements. If you are like most people, you do not include all the supplements or vitamins you take, and might jot down a few easy ones like vitamin C even if you take others.

Why you should care about your zinc levels

Recently, a close relative told me he did some bloodwork and his zinc levels “came back low.” Since I knew very little about zinc except that zinc was somehow involved in the immune system, I did some research to figure out whether he had cause for concern. As a health care attorney, research comes naturally to me, but more importantly, as a health care consumer, I believe it is important for me to be well-informed about nutrition and health issues. So, here is some of the information I found out about zinc.