Vitamins, minerals & supplements Archive

People with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who took anti-VEGF injections were able to maintain their vision enough to legally drive or read small print, like the classified ads in newspapers, for five or more years.

A study found that the drug ticagrelor (Brilinta) was no better than aspirin at preventing stroke among people who had a mild stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which mimics stroke-like symptoms. However, ongoing research may show benefits in using the drug in combination with aspirin.

 Reducing daily calorie intake by 25% may improve health-related quality of life even in people who are not overweight, according to a new study. After two years following a specific diet plan, subjects lost an average of 16.7 pounds, compared with less than a pound in control subjects. They also had better mood, less tension, greater general health, higher sexual drive, and better quality of sleep. 

Activity trackers, farmers' markets, and mindfulness aren't just passing fancies. They can help you develop beneficial health habits.

 Image: julia514/iStock

The word "trendy" has come to refer to a fad or fashion that may have little lasting value, so it can be a turn-off, especially when applied to health practices. But trends can also have lasting health benefits—for example, the trends toward making public places smoke-free or adding calorie counts to fast-food menus. There is increasing evidence that the three trends below fall into the "beneficial" category.

1. Wearing activity trackers

3. Practicing mindfulness

This old standby may not be your first choice for pain relief, but it still has an important role in disease prevention and first aid.

Image: Thinkstock

We have a lot to thank aspirin for. It's cheap and plentiful. It does a good job of relieving pain and bringing down fevers. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and colon cancer. It can even stop heart attacks and strokes in their tracks. In fact, if you're in your 50s or 60s, you may want to think about taking a low-dose aspirin every day.

After evaluating the results of scores of studies, in April 2016 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that women and men ages 50 through 69 who have a 10% risk of a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years take 81 milligrams (mg) of aspirin daily. Under the previous recommendations—which, were different for men and women—daily low-dose aspirin was advised for women ages 60 through 79 who were at increased risk for cardiovascular events. The recommendation was revised to reflect a new method of calculating the risk of heart attack and stroke and of increased risk of bleeding in older people.

Some simple techniques can make big pills go down more easily.

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If you have trouble swallowing a pill, you're in the majority. In a Harris survey conducted a few years ago, 51% of women said they had experienced difficulty swallowing tablets or capsules. "We often see people who can swallow food and liquid just fine, but have difficulty with pills," says Denise Ambrosi, director of the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Ambrosi notes that some people have physical issues that affect their ability to swallow, while others have an aversion to taking pills.

How swallowing can go awry

Age-related drops in sex hormone levels sometimes cause undesirable symptoms. But is hormone therapy safe for the heart?

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A decline in sex hormones is a natural part of growing older. Still, it's only natural to want to feel robust, mentally sharp, and healthy as we age. So it's no surprise that hormone therapy—which has been touted by drug companies as a way to restore youthful vigor, first for women and more recently for men—has generated so much interest.

But hormone therapy has a long, controversial history, particularly with regard to how it may affect the risk for common, chronic health problems. The following is a summary of what we know—and don't know—about the cardiovascular effects of hormone therapy for women and men.

New findings suggest that one in six older adults is at risk for drug interactions. Should you be concerned?

 Image: iStock

Earlier this year, a study that examined the pill-taking habits of older Americans suggested that seniors are taking more prescription drugs and dietary supplements than in years past. Not surprisingly, most of these pills are used to treat or prevent cardiovascular disease, the nation's leading killer.

The report found that more than a third of adults ages 62 to 85 take five or more prescription medications, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, or dietary supplements (see box for a description of the study). The study found that about one in six older adults is taking a combination that could cause a major interaction.

When older people start taking a new blood pressure drug or change the dose of their current drug, they may be more prone to a serious fall during the following two weeks. But this increased fall risk doesn’t seem to persist over the long term. 

It appears that four healthy habits—getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, maintaining a body mass index between 18.5 and 27.5, no smoking, and drinking only in moderation—may prevent many cancer cases and death in white people.