Caregiving Archive

Research we're watching

Do you know someone who is using a supplement for weight loss, muscle building, or sexual enhancement? You might want to recommend a dose of caution. An analysis published on October 12 by JAMA Network Open found that many of these supplements contain unapproved and potentially dangerous pharmaceutical ingredients. From 2007 to 2016, FDA reviewers detected contaminants in 776 dietary supplements, produced by 146 different companies. Contaminants included sildenafil, which is the generic form of the drug Viagra; sibutramine (Meridia), a weight-loss drug taken off the market in the United States in 2010; and anabolic steroids or steroid-like substances. And 20% of products contained more than one unapproved ingredient.

These supplements could prove harmful for those who take them because their ingredients may interact with other medications or cause problems for people with underlying health conditions.

Research we're watching

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Even so-called nontoxic nail polishes may still contain toxic ingredients, says a study published October 10 in Environmental Science and Technology. In the early 2000s, some nail polish makers decided to start removing three problematic chemicals — dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and formaldehyde — from their products. These new formulations were often labeled as "3-free." Yet subsequent testing showed that some of these polishes still contained these chemicals. This study found that manufacturers replaced these ingredients with new chemicals that may also bring health risks, including triphenyl phosphate and the potentially cancer-causing chemical didiethylhexyl phthalate.

The study authors say that additional action is needed to better protect both consumers and nail salon workers.

Do you feel you spend too much time on social media? Does the time you do spend on social media leave you feeling depressed, anxious, or lonely? Being more aware of how much time you spend and how it makes you feel, and taking steps to limit your usage, could leave you feeling better.

These conditions are associated with a higher risk.

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Most men are familiar with the common strategies to reduce their heart disease risk: keep cholesterol in check, manage high blood pressure, follow a heart-healthy diet, and perform regular exercise. But there may be other preventive steps you can take.

"Some age-related conditions can further increase your risk without you knowing it, which is why it's important to be mindful about all aspects of your health," says Dr. Michael Gavin, a cardiologist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "Fortunately, once they are recognized, these other risk factors can be addressed and managed."

On call

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Q. I have lost some of my sense of taste. I take medicine for high blood pressure. Could that be the reason?

A. The ability to enjoy food's flavor requires both your sense of taste and your sense of smell, which are triggered by the stimulation of nerve endings in the mouth and nose. As we age, our senses of smell and taste diminish. We lose taste buds, and those that remain shrink; and our tongue and nose become less discerning.

Memory lapses are common as you age, but there are ways to help your brain store new information and recall it later.

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Does this sound familiar? You go into the kitchen, but can't remember why. Or you can't recall a name you just heard during a conversation, or miss a routine appointment because it slipped your mind.

"Everyday memory lapses like this can be upsetting, but they are more common than we often assume," says Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist specializing in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Exercising in colder temperatures offers many advantages.

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Even though the temperature has dropped, this doesn't mean you have to bring your workouts indoors.

"When it gets into the 40s and 30s, you can still enjoy your regular outside routines, like walking, running, and even cycling," says Dr. Adam Tenforde, an assistant professor of sports medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Network.

In the journals

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A high-protein breakfast may help curb your appetite later in the day, suggests a small study in the October 2018 Journal of Dairy Science.

Researchers assigned 32 healthy adults to eat a breakfast containing two servings of a high-carbohydrate cereal, with either 1 cup of commercial milk that contained 12.4 grams of protein, or 1 cup of milk mixed with a whole-milk protein concentrate or a whey protein powder that boosted protein intake to 28 grams. The participants then had their blood sugar levels measured.

In the journals

Are you excessively sleepy during the day? If so, you may have a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to a recent study published online Sept. 5, 2018, by the journal Sleep.

Scientists asked 124 healthy older adults, average age 60, about how often they felt drowsy or fell asleep during the day when they would rather be awake, as well as their napping habits. The group then had regular PET scans over the next 15 years to look for beta-amyloid in the brain, high amounts of which are a hallmark for Alzheimer's.