Two common weight loss supplements promoted as ephedra-free and safe for dieters caused increased heart rate among healthy people, and could have harmful health effects in some people, according to a study by UCSF scientists. Their placebo-controlled clinical study is the first to examine the pharmacological effects of these re-formulated dietary supplements.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Higher daily doses of some commonly used non-aspirin pain-relievers increase the risk of high blood pressure in women, the results of two studies suggest. "Our results have substantial public health implications," the researchers write, "and suggest that these agents be used with greater caution."
Can't remember phone numbers, worried about an upcoming exam or desperately want to give up smoking? In future, the answer will be simple: just pop a pill. The idea that an array of easily available and addiction-free drugs could be used to improve memory or increase intelligence is the stuff of science fiction dystopia - in Brave New World, Aldous Huxley created a whole planet under the spell of a pleasure drug called Soma.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Supplements that contain ephedra and caffeine-rich guarana, which may be used for weight loss, result in significant cardiovascular and metabolic changes, investigators have found. These changes could be harmful in people with high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), or glucose intolerance, a precursor to diabetes marked by elevated blood sugar. All of these conditions are strongly associated with obesity.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Getting a good night's sleep is hard for many adults and that often means poorer health, lower productivity on the job, more danger on the roads and a less vibrant sex life.
"By 3 to 4 in the afternoon, I'm starting to feel brain-drained and I need that caffeine to pick me back up again," said Becky Mcerien, 50, of Philadelphia.
Green tea may soon show up in locker rooms and doping tests after being found to boost exercise endurance in mice up to 24% while spurring the use of fat as energy.
While the finding is based on green tea extract (GTE) and is difficult to extrapolate to human athletes, Japanese researcher Takatoshi Murase estimates that to match the effects athletes weighing 75 kilograms (165 pounds) would need to drink about four cups of green tea a day
Chocolate. It's on everyone's wish list. And for good reason.
There's something about chocolate, something beyond tactile taste that is indefinable, ineffable and inexpressible.
And as the medical reviews keep coming in, there's evidence that chocolate may meet a variety of needs, from the libido to the heart.
HealthDay - (HealthDayNews) -- If you're pregnant and planning to breast feed your baby, Boys Town Pediatrics in Omaha offers these suggestions:Eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, dairy products and protein-rich foods.Drink plenty of fluids.Continue taking prenatal vitamins.Avoid drinking more than two cups of coffee, tea or other caffeine-laden drinks a day.
Visit Our Article Sponsor
Weight loss and dieting is a perennial subject of conversation, TV talk
shows, best-selling books, and even trips to the doctor.u00a0 And no wonder. In
spite of the widespread introduction of "low fat", "no fat", and "reduced fat"
foods and snacks throughout the 1990's, obesity has reached epidemic proportions
in much of the Western world.
