Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements Archive

Everyday staples like potatoes, beans, or juice can quietly add too much potassium to the diet of someone who's been told to limit their intake. Learn which other foods to limit.

When damaged kidneys can&rsquot clear extra potassium, everyday staples like potatoes, beans, and juice may strain the heart. Learn which foods are risky.

Protein supplements promise muscle gains. But your kidneys must handle what your body can't use. Learn how to estimate daily needs and weigh supplement choices.

Very low vitamin D levels may prompt your doctor to prescribe a short regimen of high-dose vitamin D pills before switching to a lower daily dose. See how this approach boosts stores safely.

Certain diuretics flush out both water and potassium, but not everyone needs extra. Your doctor will consider blood test results and which other medications you're taking to determine the safest approach.

Calcium is vital for bones, and calcium that you're getting from foods are not a concern. However, calcium supplements can lead to kidney stones.

Regular blood donations can slowly drain iron stores, lowering hemoglobin levels. Iron supplements may help rebuild them.

Most people have heard the nutritional recommendation to eat five servings of fruit per day. But are some fruits better for you than others? Is it okay to eat dried or frozen fruit, or to drink fruit juice? Does it have to be organic?

Like most vitamins, B₁₂ can't be made by the body and must be gotten from food or supplements. A B₁₂ deficiency -- which might stem from a vegan or vegetarian diet, or problems with absorption due to weight loss surgery or aging -- can seriously harm nerves, mood, thinking, energy, and more.

Brain health supplements purport to enhance memory and improve attention and focus. But no robust scientific evidence backs up those claims. The FDA doesn't oversee supplement testing, so manufacturers do not need to prove products are effective.