Vitamins, minerals & supplements Archive

With the increased stress caused by the the COVID-19 pandemic, prescriptions for medications to treat mental illnesses have increased, leading to potential shortages of certain psychiatric medications. This means that some people might need to discuss their options with their prescribing clinician.

Osteoarthritis pain can be debilitating. Strategies can help get you moving again.

Pain from osteoarthritis is more than just a nuisance. Knee pain, in particular, can not only keep people from exercising, but also have a chilling effect on their ability to participate in social activities, especially those that involve walking or traveling, says Elena Losina, the Robert W. Lovett Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Orthopaedic and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"In fact, the quality of life of a person with persistent pain due to knee osteoarthritis is similar to quality of life in women with metastatic breast cancer controlled by therapy," she says.

Research we're watching

Your diet may influence your breast cancer risk. An analysis of 20 studies by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which was published online April 6, 2020, by the journal Cancer, found that women who ate the most fiber were 8% less likely to go on to develop breast cancer compared with the women who ate the least.

The reduction in breast cancer risk was seen for both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancers, as well as different types of breast cancer, including those that were estrogen and progesterone receptor–positive and estrogen and progesterone receptor–negative. Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said that that the reduction may be due to fiber's effect in reducing both blood sugar and estrogen levels in the body.

There are ways to manage ED without medication.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the more common health issues older men face, especially those with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Some estimates suggest between 50% and 70% of men ages 50 to 70 experience mild to moderate ED.

ED is defined as difficulty achieving or sustaining an erection. It is often caused by a combination of physical and emotional issues. ED makes intercourse difficult, which can lower sex drive and desire, increase anxiety and depression, and affect a man's relationship with his partner.

Ten years ago, the Harvard Heart Letter published a story about the potential health benefits of chia seeds. At the time, people were more familiar with the ceramic figures known as Chia Pets (see www.chia.com) than the idea of chia seeds as a health food. But today, you can find these nutritious seeds in major grocery stores, sold in packages or in products such as crackers, cereals, energy bars, and beverages.

The small, black seeds are among the richest plant sources of the omega-3 fatty acid known as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Diets high in ALA have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Chia seeds are also high in insoluble fiber, which may help lower harmful LDL cholesterol levels.

Men need to manage their bone health as much as women do.

Most people think of osteoporosis as a women-only health problem, but older men also need protection from this bone-weakening disease.

About one in four men older than 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis during his lifetime, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. And research has found that compared with women, older men are more likely to die following a fracture related to osteoporosis.

Research we're watching

Thanks to marketing strategies that tout coconut oil as healthy, many people consider this solid, white fat a health food. But a new analysis confirms what nutrition experts have said for years: Coconut oil raises harmful LDL cholesterol (a well-known contributor to heart disease) much more than other vegetable oils.

The study, published online March 10, 2020, by the journal Circulation, pooled findings from 16 trials involving a total of 730 people. Most of the trials lasted one to two months and compared coconut oil consumption with that of other fats, including other vegetable oils such as soybean, safflower, canola, and olive oils. Compared with these vegetable oils, coconut oil raised LDL cholesterol by 10 points, on average. An editorial accompanying the study states "In culinary practice, coconut oil should not be used as a regular cooking oil, although it can be used sparingly for flavor or texture."

Before taking pills for a temporary situation, consider the risks.

You might think that using an antidepressant temporarily could help you weather a challenging time, such as a period of grief, extreme stress, or serious illness. But you shouldn't just jump into taking an antidepressant, cautions Dr. Jane Erb, psychiatric director of the Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care Program at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"There's no evidence that taking an antidepressant in the short term will help or that it will prevent longer-term consequences of stress, such as post-traumatic stress disorder," she says.

News briefs

Drinking coffee is linked to many health benefits, such as less weight gain, lower average daily blood pressure, and a reduced risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But which brewing method will help you get the most from your cup? A study published online April 22, 2020, by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that filtering coffee (for example, with a paper filter) — not just boiling ground coffee beans and drinking the water — was better for health, particularly for older people. Researchers analyzed the survey responses of more than 500,000 healthy coffee drinkers (ages 20 to 79) who were followed for about 20 years. People younger than 60 who drank one to four cups of coffee, particularly filtered coffee, had lower rates of artery disease and death. The lower rate of death with filtered coffee drinkers persisted in people ages 60 or older, but was lost in people who drank five or more cups per day. The study is observational and doesn't prove that filtered coffee is healthier than unfiltered coffee, but it makes sense. Unfiltered coffee contains diterpenes, compounds that can raise cholesterol, and researchers say a cup of unfiltered coffee contains 30 times more diterpenes than a cup of filtered coffee. So use that coffee filter, save the French press or Turkish unfiltered coffee for rare occasions, and consider limiting your coffee intake to less than five cups per day, on average.

Image: © Ohoho/Getty Images

Many children look forward to warm, mild spring weather, but kids with seasonal allergies (also known as hay fever) might not. Hay fever can interfere with a child's ability to play outdoors, and it can just plain make them feel miserable. These tips can help your child cope with allergy season — and they work just as well for adults, too.