Health

Dietary Supplement :: Illegal Steroid Products Sold as Dietary Supplements

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned several manufacturers and distributors of unapproved drugs containing steroids that continued distribution and sale of these products without FDA approval could result in regulatory action including seizure and injunction. FDA is concerned that the use of these products, which are marketed as dietary supplements and promoted for building muscle and increasing strength, may cause serious long-term adverse health consequences in men, women, and children. These products claim to be anabolic and problems associated with anabolic steroids include: liver toxicity, testicular atrophy and male infertility, masculinization of women, breast enlargement in males, short stature in children, adverse effects on blood lipid levels, and a potential to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Hypertension :: Blood Pressure Dropping Globally

Levels of unhealthy blood pressure are on the decline worldwide, a new study shows, but experts aren’t sure why.

Back Pain :: Acupuncture appears effective for lower back pain

Acupuncture improves lower back pain, compared with no treatment, German researchers report. However, they found that a minimal intervention consisting of superficial needle placement at non-acupuncture points resulted in similar improvements.

Obesity :: Bottle-Feeding May Not Raise Child Obesity Risk

Breast-fed babies, so the prevailing wisdom goes, are less likely to have weight problems later in life. Introducing solid foods later — at about four or six months — is also thought to reduce the risk of being overweight later in childhood.

Insomnia :: Avoid Illuminated Bedroom Clocks

Avoid Illuminated Bedroom Clocks

Cancer :: First Head n Neck Cancer Treatment with Erbitux

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of Erbitux (cetuximab) for use in combination with radiation therapy to treat patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN) that can not be removed by surgery (unresectable SCCHN). This is the first drug approved for head and neck cancer that has shown a survival benefit in this population. Erbitux was also approved today for use alone (monotherapy) to treat patients whose head and neck cancer has spread (metastasized) despite the use of standard chemotherapy.

Insomnia :: Counting Sheep

We finally figured out why it never worked for us. The old wives’ cure for insomnia is to count bouncy little sheep leaping over a fence. No wonder it doesn’t work. Bouncy sheep are hyperactive and wide awake. They’re the last thing you need to dwell on when you want to go to sleep.