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Tufts University Health News letter...

Food for Healthy Skin - Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter We all want smooth, healthy skin. There is a huge market for skincare products, but the best way to care for our largest organ is the same way we care for all of our organs—by following a healthy diet. The fact is, what we put on our plate—as well as what we don’t—can have a significant impa...

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16 Dave Grohl Interviews That Prove He's The Nicest Guy In Music - rnkr.co/CKJLGA

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Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone was my favorite Character in the film. He displayed it with a tin cup Look it's Johnny Ringo, played by Michael Biehn.

Jimmy Kimmel Slams Back At Donald Trump's Legal Threat With This Witty 'Response' (The Inquisitr) Late-night host Jimmy Kimmelhas once again found himself in the spotlight, this time facing a legal threat from the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) o...

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The Buzz on Energy Drinks
These popular drinks can be dangerous-perhaps even more so for older adults.

The latest market data show a continued rise in demand for energy drinks—beverages that promise things like increased energy, improved mood, and sharper mental acuity. Medical records show adverse events related to these drinks are on the rise as well.

Typical Ingredients: Most energy drinks contain caffeine, and many contain multiple stimulants. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t define the term “energy drink,” which means manufacturers can decide whether to label their products as dietary supplements or beverages. For beverages, manufacturers must abide by the FDA’s safety limits for ingredients like caffeine. Dietary supplements are not regulated, so there are essentially no safety guidelines.

Some common ingredients of energy drinks include:

Caffeine. The main energy-boosting ingredient in many energy drinks is caffeine. A 16-ounce can may contain anywhere from 160 to 240 milligrams. (For comparison, an 8-ounce cup of coffee contains roughly between100 and 200 milligrams). The FDA recommends no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day.

Guarana. An extra boost of caffeine comes from this ingredient. The berries of this tropical plant contain more caffeine than coffee beans.

Taurine. This amino acid is produced naturally in our bodies. It is also found in foods like meat, fish, and dairy. There is no indication that we need more than our bodies produce.

Glucuronolactone. Despite claims, there is no evidence this molecule commonly found in energy drinks actually boosts energy.

Niacin, folic acid, and vitamin B12. These vitamins are often promoted as energy producers, but unless there’s a deficiency, this isn’t the case. Health concerns have been raised with regard to very high supplemental doses of these vitamins. (See High Doses of Vitamin B6 and B12 Supplements Associated with Increased Risk of Hip Fracture, January 2020 and Folic Acid Overload?, October 2019)

L-Carnitine. Created naturally by the liver and kidneys, L-Carnitine is critical to cellular energy production. The body produces sufficient amounts without supplementation.

Sugar. As simple carbohydrates, sugars are used by the body to produces energy. Too much dietary intake of added sugar has been linked to health problems. One energy drink can have more than 60 grams of added sugar. This is much higher than the American Heart Association’s recommended daily maximum intake of 25 grams of added sugar for women and 37 grams for men.

Health Risks: While limited studies support claims that energy drinks actually boost energy, many studies raise questions as to their safety. Emergency room visits involving consumption of energy drinks has increased significantly over the years. Serious, life-threatening events, hospitalization, and death have been reported. Reported cases include cardiovascular, central nervous, and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as tachycardia, agitation, nausea, dizziness, seizure, coma, and renal failure. A study published in the May 2019 Journal of the American Heart Association showed that caffeinated energy drinks significantly increase heart rate and can raise blood pressure. It’s unclear whether this is due to one ingredient in particular, or a combination of energy drink ingredients.

The bottom line is energy drinks are not a healthy, effective, or safe way to boost energy. Keep your energy up naturally by eating well, staying hydrated, keep physically active and getting plenty of sleep. When you need a pick-me-up, grab a glass of water and a piece of fruit, try a cup of coffee or tea, or take a ten-minute power nap or a brisk walk.

Take Charge!
Follow these tips to energize safely:

-Avoid energy drinks. There is little evidence to back energy claims, and thousands of people have had adverse energy drink experiences, from headaches, to hospital visits, to death.

-Be skeptical. Energy drinks are not all regulated by the FDA, leaving labels up to manufacturer discretion.

-Get enough sleep. At least seven hours of quality sleep a night is recommended.

-Hydrate. Fatigue can be caused by dehydration. While there is no universal fluid intake recommendation, aiming for the equivalent of eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day is a quick benchmark.

-Move! A stretch break or a brisk walk can be energizing.

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Are you a big believer in taking nutritional supplements?
Or are you skeptical… but considering trying dietary supplements to improve some aspect of your health?

Either way, you’re not alone:

Half of Americans use dietary supplements on a regular basis to improve their health.

These men and women spend about $30 billion a year on herbs, vitamins, minerals, hormones, and other pills—bought without a doctor’s prescription.

According to a recent study, more than 90,000 types of supplements are marketed in the United States.

Biggest myths about “safe” natural medicines

The nutritional supplement marketers and the pharmaceutical industry seem to be at war.

At stake: billions of dollars in revenue from the sales of pills—medicines we take to protect and improve our health.

Advertising from the dietary supplement industry often makes out the pharmaceutical industry to be an “evil empire,” raking in billions by poisoning consumers with expensive, dangerous chemicals they shouldn’t be taking.

But some of the myths and half-truths that all this expensive advertising has implanted in the public awareness can be downright dangerous to your health…

MYTH #1: Dietary supplements are far safer than prescription drugs because they are “natural.”

THE REALITY: The fact that a supplement is derived from an herb or other plant, and is therefore “natural,” doesn’t necessarily make it safe.

If everything that was made from plants was safe, we wouldn’t be told to avoid eating certain berries or mushrooms while hiking in the woods. And would you consume arsenic or hemlock?

MYTH #2: Dietary supplements are rigorously tested, and their effectiveness backed by all sorts of studies and scientific proof.

THE REALITY: To gain FDA approval, any new prescription drug has to pass a series of strict clinical trials. But dietary supplements are sold without FDA approval.

Worse, they either undergo no testing at all—or the “testing” to which they have been submitted typically does not meet the standards required by the scientific community.

Example: Supplement advertisements frequently boast that a particular herb has been used for a thousand years in Asia. In reality, some Chinese herbs can cause liver damage and other dangerous side effects.

MYTH #3: Supplement makers are knights on white horses riding to our rescue, while the pharmaceutical industry is “evil.”

THE REALITY: Both the pharmaceutical and the dietary supplement industries spend millions of dollars trying to get us to buy their products.

So the question comes down to: Who—and what products—do you trust?

2020 Vitamins and Other Supplements White Paper
Your Guide to Making the Best Choices
With thousands of different dietary supplements to choose from—from alpha-lipoic acid to zinc—no one person can keep up with all the new developments in nutritional therapies.

It’s hard to separate the good science from the hype.

That’s where the 2020 Vitamins and Other Supplements White Paper can help save you time and money while improving your health.

Our editorial advisors, all M.D.s or Ph.D.s with impressive credentials in their specialties, conduct an exhaustive search of the medical literature on a particular topic—in this case, vitamins and other supplements.

They then carefully review the research to ensure that it’s based on scientifically sound methods… and to confirm the accuracy and reliability of the findings.

Next, our editors painstakingly convert medical jargon, formulas, and statistics into clear, plain English.

You’ll find it fascinating reading—and useful. Our experts tell you exactly what you need to know about the particular vitamins and supplements you’re thinking of taking … plus, how to apply key research findings to improve and maintain your own health.

The latest on multivitamins. About one-third of Americans take them, but recent research may have given them doubts.
If you take herbal supplements, you may be getting more—or less—than you bargained for. Find out what’s really in the bottle.
Can dietary supplements prevent sunburn and other skin damage?
Sales of probiotic supplements are booming, but can they really improve digestion and immunity, help in weight loss, and protect against gum disease as claimed?
Folic acid is a busy B vitamin—sometimes too busy: Both too little and too much can be a problem.
What’s special about vitamin K? This lesser-known vitamin has been the subject of much research.
At least half of people have low blood levels of vitamin D, by many estimates. Thousands of studies have looked at it in just the past few years. Here’s a summary of the research, plus the results of the long-awaited VITAL study testing vitamin D for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Studies on fish oil (omega-3) supplements have had mixed results. Should you deep-six your capsules? Here’s the bigger picture, with a special focus on the potential cardiovascular health benefits.
Ginkgo has been promoted to improve memory, sharpen mental function, and stave off dementia. Has modern science confirmed or debunked these claims?
Have trouble sleeping? Melatonin—a hormone produced in the brain—can promote sleep, prevent insomnia, and overcome jet lag. Or can it?
Echinacea is frequently marketed as an immunity-booster that can prevent-or even cure-colds. Should you keep a bottle handy in your medicine chest?
Capsules containing turmeric and its key component curcumin have become bestsellers. Do they live up to the marketing hype?
Vitamin E was discovered at UC Berkeley in 1922, and since then countless studies have been done on this still mysterious antioxidant. We summarize the latest research, notably on the vitamin’s potential as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
The ads say this vision formula can actually help prevent blindness in certain patients. A new study supports many of the claims, but suggests some variations of the formula may be preferable.
If you have high cholesterol, which supplements are worth taking? Niacin? Red yeast rice extract? Sterols? Garlic? Here’s our advice about such cholesterol busters.
Does vitamin A really weaken bones? Can it do serious damage to the liver? Here’s what the latest research shows.
Magnesium can lower your blood pressure, prevent heart disease, and strengthen your bones. But only a few groups of people should take magnesium supplements. Should you?
Can zinc really prevent or treat colds? Maybe, but you have to take the right kind of zinc.
The truth about a supplement that is promoted to people who take statin drugs: coenzyme Q10. And what about claims that it helps treat Parkinson’s disease and heart failure?
Why most selenium marketers now hesitate to claim that the supplement reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
What’s behind all those ads for resveratrol—is it really the secret weapon against aging?
Taking St. John’s wort instead of a prescription drug to combat your depression? Who should consider it—and who should not.
Who needs iron supplements, who should think twice before taking them, and who should definitely avoid them.
Discover what a definitive clinical trial found out about whether these two “natural arthritis cures”—glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate—can really increase your mobility and relieve joint pain.
Many supplement formulas contain zinc, but do you know that high doses can depress the immune system and interfere with absorption of copper?
This popular supplement, promoted to boost immunity and prevent heart disease, can not only turn your skin yellow—more importantly, it could increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers and perhaps other people.
Can chromium help you lose weight and treat diabetes, as supplement marketers claims?
Garlic may lower cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. So why do researchers say you shouldn’t bother with garlic pills?
Supplement manufacturers are now supposed to follow expanded Good Manufacturing Practices. Does this really make supplements more reliable?
Black cohosh is one of the best-selling herbs for menopausal symptoms. So why have British authorities warned that it can cause liver damage?
Are the supplements you choose doing you more harm than good? Are they a necessity for maintaining health or even curing your illness?
Why aren’t traditional medical doctors more enthusiastic about nutritional supplements? Can taking vitamins, minerals, and herbs really work? Or are they a colossal fraud—a waste of time and money?
And so much more…

Of all the decisions you make pertaining to your health, selecting dietary supplements puts you on less secure ground than anything else:

Advertising for “alternative medicine” is often filled with hyperbole.

You can buy and take any supplement without a doctor’s prescription or even recommendation.

The clinical proof of the efficacy of supplements is often sketchy, and sometimes virtually nonexistent.

Supplements in the News:
Diet Formulas, Sleep Aids and Exercise Boosters
Which Should You Take? Which Should You Avoid?
Weight loss formulas. Here’s the skinny on CLA along with 11 other diet supplements. You’ve seen the ads and emails about them, we provide the facts.
Sleep aids. Sleeping potions are almost as old as insomnia. Here’s the bottom line about melatonin, valerian, GABA, kava, and Chinese herbs. Which ones are good alternatives to prescription sleeping pills?
Exercise boosters: Science vs. hype. Athletes looking for even the slightest edge often turn to a wide variety of supplements—from caffeine, creatine, and antioxidants to hormone boosters, amino acids, and sodium bicarbonate—that are supposed to boost performance. Many weekend exercisers also try such ergogenic aids. How effective are they? Are they safe?

Healthy Eating
Processed Meats and Cancer: It’s Not Just Nitrates
December 13, 2018

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide are attributable to diets high in processed meats. While that number pales in comparison to the one million or so global cancer deaths related to smoking, it is significant enough to warrant a hard look at processed meats in our diets, especially because they are also associated with cardiovascular disease and other health conditions.

Processed Meat: “Generally speaking, a processed meat is one that has been salted, cured, smoked, fermented or undergone other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation,” says Joel B. Mason, MD, professor of medicine and nutrition at Tufts and director of the HNRCA Vitamins and Carcinogenesis Laboratory. Examples of processed meats include hot dogs (frankfurters), ham, sausage, corned beef, deli meats, and jerky.

“The evidence linking processed meat with most chronic diseases is largely epidemiological,” says Mason. “In other words, there is an association between consumption of processed meats and diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, and chronic obstructive lung disease, but it remains unclear whether the processed meat consumption is actually contributing to the risk of these diseases. In contrast, there is now convincing evidence that a diet habitually high in processed meats does increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer.”

The Cancer Connection: In 2015, based on a review of hundreds of studies, the WHO officially classified processed meat as a carcinogen—something that causes cancer in humans. The researchers concluded that consuming 50 grams of processed meat a day—equivalent to just one hot dog—would raise the risk of getting colorectal cancer by 18 percent over a lifetime. Eating larger quantities raises cancer risk even more. A new study published in September 2018 in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment combined previous research with new data from over 262,000 British women and found that postmenopausal women who ate the most processed meat (an average of more than nine grams a day or the equivalent of about 1 and a quarter hot dogs a week) had a 21 percent higher risk of breast cancer than those who ate no processed meat.

“It is not clear what component or components of processed meat are responsible for the association with cancer,” says Mason. Likely candidates under investigation include salt and known or suspected carcinogenic chemicals formed during processing and cooking.

Sodium: According to the American Cancer Society, there is good evidence that consuming large quantities of foods preserved by salting is associated with increased risk of stomach, nasopharyngeal, and throat cancers. “The link between excessive table salt (sodium chloride) and cancer risk (especially stomach cancer) is compelling,” says Mason. “People should try to limit their average intake of sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams per day.” Deli meats (like pre-packaged turkey and ham slices) are one of the main sources of sodium in the American diet. In fact, six thin slices (two ounces) of deli meat can contain as much as half of the daily recommended sodium intake. Even if all of this sodium does not raise cancer risk, it raises the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease in most people and should be limited none-the-less.

Nitrates: Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate (which naturally converts to sodium nitrite) are used as preservatives in processed meats because they prevent bacterial growth. Nitrates are also found naturally in a number of foods, including celery, beets, arugula, and other vegetables. “It is common nowadays to find the statement ‘no added nitrates’ on processed meat products,” says Mason. “In most instances, these products are manufactured using celery juice or other natural sources of nitrates. To my knowledge, there is no evidence that the nitrates in celery juice act any differently in the body than nitrates added as food-grade chemicals. In fact, unlike food-grade sodium nitrate or nitrite, there is no federal regulation that limits how much celery juice can be added to a processed meat, so it is feasible to actually be consuming more nitrates with a processed meat that says, ‘no added nitrates’.” When consumed in vegetables, nitrates are safe, and may even have protective health effects such as improving blood flow. But in meats, nitrites can react during processing, cooking, and storage to form compounds called nitrosamines, which are classified as carcinogens. “Keep in mind, however, that the link between sodium nitrate and cancer risk is still unclear,” says Mason.

Cooking: There is not enough data to prove that the way meat is cooked affects cancer risk, but it is known that cooking meat (processed or unprocessed) at high temperatures or in direct contact with heat (such as grilling or pan-frying) produces more carcinogenic chemicals than lower-heat, indirect methods like roasting or stewing.

While the exact culprit behind the association between processed meats and cancer is unclear, the association itself is convincing, especially for colorectal cancer, and the added sodium in these products has other clear negative health impacts. Cutting back on these foods, even if they say, “no added nitrates,” is a smart move for health.

Take Charge!
For reasons that are not yet fully understood, processed meat consumption increases risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer and is associated with other health problems.

-Eliminate or reduce intake of processed meats, including bacon, ham, sausage, hot dogs, and jerky, even if they say, �no added nitrates.�

-Reduce sodium (in processed foods and added in cooking or at the table) to less than 2,300 milligrams (the equivalent of about one teaspoon) a day.

-Limit deli meats and look for lower-sodium versions.

-Cook meats by roasting, baking, microwaving, stewing, or braising, rather than grilling or frying.