According to an analysis of data that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected in 2003–2006, multivitamins were taken by 33% of Americans over the age of one year.  The National Institutes of Health reports that during the year 2012, U.S. consumers spent 5.4 billion dollars on multivitamins.  The reasons that people take…...

A trip to the pharmacy or grocery store to pick up an over-the-counter medicine to help with cold symptoms can be a confusing affair.  A host of manufacturers, each vying for your business, claim to be better than the others.  The use of different letters behind the name of the  same medication---AC, DM, LR, XP,…...

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report on the effect of unsafe listening practices on hearing. They estimate that up to one billion young people worldwide could be at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to excessive sound levels.  According to WHO, teenagers and young adults in middle- and high-income countries are…...

While writing an article on the various components of over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications, I learned that zinc, the active ingredient in a popular nasal spray marketed to shorten the duration of the common cold, had been removed from the product. This was requested by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) because of numerous reports of loss…...

Scientists have studied populations of humans whose life expectancy fails to meet the norm.  Major factors related to a decreased life expectancy include: 1) poor genetics, 2) a weak immune system, 3) genetic mutations and 4) unhealthy lifestyle habits.  Lifestyle issues that are correlated with increased risk of disease and premature death include cigarette smoking,…...

Alopecia areata is a disease that affects hair follicles, resulting in patchy areas of hair loss.  In rare cases, the disease causes total loss of hair on the head and other areas of the body.  In general, alopecia areata is a benign condition, although it may cause significant emotional or psychological distress. Who Gets alopecia…...

For several decades, the humble egg has been maligned because of its cholesterol content and the concern that eating eggs raises coronary heart disease risk. Most of this concern appears to be theoretical, however, since more recent data from population studies indicates that moderate egg consumption does not significantly raise cholesterol levels, nor does it…...

Nocturia is defined as “excessive urination at night”. Normally, the amount of urine the body produces goes down at night, reducing the need to urinate for the 6 to 8 hours that people are sleeping. Since waking to urinate on one occasion during the night is generally considered to be “normal”, having nocturia generally implies…...