Americans love their supplements, but some of the products are contaminated with heavy metals, bacteria and toxic fungi. The FDA has little control because of a law passed in 1994.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Wild west of supplements
Analysis and Comment
Minority patients do better when treated by doctors who share the same race or ethnicity But there's a problem. Most doctors are white, and only 6% of doctors are black.
While US residents may feel safe from the effects of the coronavirus, the aftershocks could be damaging in unexpected ways. The disruption to China's supply chain could cause drug shortages.
Assisted living facilities are one option for seniors. But finding clear and accurate information about them isn't easy.
The coronavirus is still spreading in China, and the doctor who warned Chinese officials early on about a possible outbreak is now dead. But in the US, some think the outbreak is exaggerated. Is it?
The World Health Organization has said the coronavirus is not yet a pandemic. That raises a question: just what is a pandemic? An expert explains.
Australian scientists have grown the Wuhan virus in a lab, and that will speed up the search for a vaccine. It also will help scientists understand how the virus is transmitted from person to person.
Some of the world's worst diseases have come from animals. Bats, cows, camels and horses have all contributed. Now, scientists are working to know which animal introduced the new coronavirus.
Scientists do not yet know the severity of the current coronavirus. A biologist who worked on the 2009 flu pandemic offers insights on that outbreak as well as the SARS outbreak.
With coronavirus continuing to spread, you may wonder: How do I know if I might have it? An infectious disease expert explains.
There's widespread attention on the dangers of opioid addiction, but use of damaging crystal meth continues in the U.S., with police seizures rising.
The Trump administration has cut funding for infectious disease research and reduced high-level staffing for global health security, leaving the nation less prepared for major outbreaks.
Cancer mortality has dropped in the US, due largely to lower smoking rates, as well as early detection and better treatments. These advances often do not extend to people in developing nations.
As women began to come forward with experiences of rape and abuse, backlash came forward too. The notion of 'false memory' developed to explain away assault. Here's why that notion itself is untrue.
The FDA has banned flavored e-cigarettes that appeal to kids. But new research shows that the danger of flavors could go beyond their appeal to kids. The flavorings themselves could cause damage.
When it comes to exercise, there's no month like January, when resolutions kick into gear and call us to the gym. And while physical activity is good, you can injure yourself by overdoing.
Drug prices for many life-saving drugs have skyrocketed in recent years. The reasons may surprise you.
The coronavirus that has sickened hundreds in Wuhan, China, has worried health officials and other humans across the globe. Should people in the US worry?
Nearly 40% of Americans are obese, and the numbers are climbing. The U.S. needs to get serious about solutions.
Youth sports are a great way for kids to be active, but a recent study showed that after-sports snacks, on average, had 43 more calories than the amount burned during the activity.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who spent four years in a refugee camp, was recently criticized for saying that talk about war makes her feel anxious. A trauma psychiatrist explains the effects of PTSD.
Since caffeine is in so many different foods and drinks, it's easy for kids – or grownups – to get more than they should without realizing it.
After a talk show host mocked Joaquin Phoenix for what she assumed was a cleft lip, the experts address what causes this most common of birth defects.
A new coronavirus related to SARS and MERS has now traveled from China to the United States. A genetic analysis reveals that this deadly pathogen may have originated in snakes.
High prescription drug costs are a widespread concern for consumers and policymakers. For patients who need specialty drugs, though, the problem is even worse, with no relief in sight.
Vitamin D is essential for good health and particularly for fighting infections and keeping the microbes in the human gut healthy. But in winter it can be difficult to get enough.
A health informatics researcher explains why people don't always get the 'credit' they think they should from using wearable fitness trackers.
Norovirus, the winter vomiting bug, is highly infectious among people in confined places – like cruise ships. But not everyone is equally vulnerable. Your blood type may determine if you get sick.
Bioprinting, an offshoot of 3D printing, is advancing so rapidly that regulators have been caught off guard. Two legal scholars argue patients and manufacturers would benefit from clearer rules.
Health and politics
Some cite mental illness, or at least instability, as a basis to remove Pres. Trump from office. A doctor and a lawyer use a 1965 novel, 'Night of Camp David,' to explain why that's unlikely.
Vaccines
In 18 states, parents can choose to exempt their children from vaccines for nonmedical 'philosophical' or 'personal belief' reasons.
Minority groups
Approximately 25% of women – representing all races and backgrounds – will undergo an abortion before the age of 45.
Around the world
Alarm arose when news spread that Ebola cases had been found in Uganda. Here are the real reasons for concern.
Editors’ Picks
'Why is nutrition so confusing?' is a common lament, but the truth is out there. Forget fad diets and media hype. It's time to harness the power of science to create a healthy and sustainable diet.
You want to encourage the growth of good bacteria in your gut to improve health. But which foods should you eat to do that? It turns out that nutritional labels aren't much help figuring that out.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15; were you aware? Not many people are, yet abuse is growing. Two experts explain the trend and offer possible solutions.
Two experts ask whether dads are making their health a priority. Evidence suggests not. Pressures to provide income often hold fathers back.
E-cigarettes are unsafe for children, but some e-cig companies are using cartoons, which have been shown to appeal to youth. Should restrictions be in place, as they are for traditional cigarettes?
Childhood trauma is far more pervasive and injurious than many people know. Its effects last long into adulthood, if left untreated. A trauma psychiatrist unpacks its effects on the developing brain.
A ban on clinical trials involving gene editing rules out the controversial procedure done in China. But it also prevents procedures that could offer couples a chance for healthy children without genetic disorders.
Most Read past week
- Natural supplements can be dangerously contaminated, or not even have the specified ingredients
- Snakes could be the original source of the new coronavirus outbreak in China
- Being born in the wrong ZIP code can shorten your life
- The silent threat of the coronavirus: America’s dependence on Chinese pharmaceuticals
- Is the coronavirus outbreak as bad as SARS or the 2009 influenza pandemic? A biologist explains the clues
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