Seniors and their friends and companions should consider reality versus magical thinking about the power of pills. The blunt truth: Over-the-counter dietary supplements can’t cure diseases. Not Alzheimer’s, not cancer, not diabetes, not any known disease. They don’t extend your lifespan either. Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the federal Food and Drug Administration, not only has warned a […]
Same story, new data, and a message that needs repeating: Over-the-counter supplements — sold as safe alternatives to prescription drugs for weight loss, muscle building, and sexual enhancement — may be risky and not beneficial to your health. Indeed, many of them are adulterated with strong prescription drugs. As the Washington Post reported of a […]
For a long time, we’ve been critical of Americans’ love of dietary supplements, and often write about the dangers they pose, and that they’re a waste of money. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has measured this harm in real terms. Last week CDC researchers published a study in the New England […]
Eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia have long been associated with mostly female patients, but research presented at the recent American Psychological Association (APA) convention suggests a certain well-defined, largely male population also might be at risk. Some men who engage in bodybuilding take legal, over-the-counter dietary supplements to such an extreme degree that […]
Last week the New York Times editorialized about conflicts of interest with the FDA that cast an ominous light on the discovery earlier this month of an amphetaminelike substance in diet pills and sports supplements. The compound, called BMPEA, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times, has not been tested in humans, and […]
A lot of people believe that dietary supplements they buy over the counter are merely nutritional insurance, but many of these can have unexpected side effects when taken with other medicine. Guidelines recently issued by the FDA warn consumers about the risks of mixing popular dietary supplements with medications. As explained on AboutLawsuits.com, people risk […]
Testosterone therapy is appropriate for some people, but far more use this hormone than should. We’ve written about the dangers of the misguided use of testosterone (here and here), and with recent research supporting a higher level of scrutiny, the FDA is going to investigate the increased risk of cardiovascular harm associated with testosterone therapy. […]
Anyone who has lived on an institutional campus is familiar with the term “mystery meat.” It refers to a slab of flesh-based protein of uncertain origin and added ingredients. A recent study in the British journal BMC Medicine invites the application of the adjective “mysterious” to the composition of some herbal supplements. “Many herbal supplements […]
As many people know, grapefruit is a delicious and healthful fruit that can be very bad medicine when consumed with certain drugs. One of its chemical constituents, furanocoumarin, interacts with a variety of drugs that can enhance or diminish their effects. Among the more common drugs not to be consumed with grapefruit are those taken […]
On May 1, 2009, the FDA issued a warning for consumers to immediately stop using dietary supplements containing Hydroxycut, which has been linked to dozens of serious health problems including jaundice and liver damage. The dietary supplement is also responsible for one death from liver failure. Other reported health problems include seizures, muscle damage and […]
DC Medical Malpractice & Patient Safety Blog