supplements

Data do not support the suggestion that taking B-vitamin supplements prevents heart disease, researchers in Venezuela say. Lead researcher Arturo Marti-Carvajal of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network in Valencia, Venezuela, says it has been suggested that giving B-vitamin supplements could help regulate levels of homocysteine, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Read more...

QUESTION: My father and brother both died of prostate cancer. I want to do everything I can now to avoid prostate cancer. Can you give me more information? ANSWER: Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages, and most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75. I've researched and prepared this list to help you and other proactive men. Read more...

Ask 10 medical professionals their opinion on the pros and cons of vitamins, and you're apt to get 10 different replies. Generally, it is agreed that vitamins have their place, though more as a supplement than as an everyday necessity. "For the most part, the regular everyday person, with our Western diet, doesn't really need any vitamin supplementation," said John Blumer, Read more...

Lead in ginkgo pills. Arsenic in herbals. Bugs in a baby's colic and teething syrup. Toxic metals and parasites are part of nature, and all of these have been found in "natural" products and dietary supplements in recent years. Set aside the issue of whether vitamin and herbal supplements do any good. Are they safe? Is what's on the label really what's in the bottle? Tests by Read more...

Here is a look at some of the most popular supplements and what scientific studies show regarding their safety and effectiveness: Fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids Source: Fatty fish, such as bluefish, halibut, mackerel provide 2 of 3 fatty acids; the third comes from walnuts, olive oil and flaxseed oil. Health claim: Mainly prevention of heart disease and related problems. Does it Read more...

We've always known that folic acid is good for women. But what about men? A study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) found that men who took a daily folic acid supplement of 1 mg daily had more than twice the risk of prostate cancer compared with men who took a placebo. The finding came from a secondary analysis of the Aspirin/Folate Polyp Prevention Study Read more...

Next time you visit your local pharmacist, pause in the aisle containing vitamin supplements, and take in the quantities and varieties of pills and potions. Tiny boxes and bottles stretch as far as the eye can see, affirming that even in these cash-strapped times, the gorging of such "miracle cures" continues to be big business. But as the U.K. population continues to shell out Read more...

The number of prostate cancer deaths in the United States has declined in recent years, but this cancer remains one of the most common malignancies in U.S. men, with approximately 186,000 new cases and 29,000 deaths (the second leading cause of cancer death) estimated for 2008. The good news is that early detection is associated with drastically improved five-year survival rates. The bad news is Read more...