My doctor found that my blood levels of vitamin D were low. She gave me a prescription for 50,000 international units of vitamin D to be taken every two weeks. But I?ve read that the recommended dose is more like 1,000 IU a day, and that more than 4,000 IU a day is unsafe. I have thin bones but not osteoporosis yet. I?m a healthy woman and don?t want to do more harm than good. What?s your advice?
Can some foods cause headaches?
What risks do I have as I enter my 40s and 50s as a person with pectus excavatum? Am I at more risk for heart problems?
I have a sinus infection. Is it okay for me to get a flu shot? Also, how long does it take for the vaccine to start protecting me against the flu?
Babies and toddlers who snore or have other breathing problems when they sleep may develop more behavior problems, a study finds. The research was based on surveys filled out by parents of more than 11,000 children. The first survey was done when the children were 6 months old. Parents were asked whether their children snored, breathed through the mouth or had pauses during breathing (apnea) while asleep. The surveys were repeated 5 times, ending at age 69 months. The parents also were asked about children’s behavior at ages 4 and 7. Behavior problems were twice as common at age 7 in children who had the worst sleep-disordered breathing. Hyperactivity was the most common problem. Others included attention issues, depression, aggression and conflicts with other children. The study does not show that breathing issues during sleep actually caused the behavior problems.
I am a 47-year-old man. According to a health examination done recently for life insurance, my LDL cholesterol was 62 mg/dL and too low. Is this a reason to be concerned? Are there any steps I can take to raise my LDL level?
Women who have regular Pap smears are less likely to die of cervical cancer if they ever develop it, new research finds. The Pap smear removes a bit of tissue from the cervix. The sample is examined under a microscope. Any precancerous cells found can be removed before they become cancer. The study found that women who do have cancer are also less likely to die if it is diagnosed after a routine Pap smear, rather than after symptoms develop. The study focused on more than 1,200 Swedish women. They were diagnosed with cervical cancer between 1999 and 2001. The researchers found that 92% of those who had regular Pap smears were cured. The cure rate was 66% for women diagnosed after they had symptoms. With cervical cancer, symptoms occur after the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Women who had Pap tests, but not as often as recommended, also were more likely to die.
Taking selenium in pills may correct a deficit. But too much can be risky, a new study suggests. Much of the difference may depend on where people live and what they eat. Selenium levels in soil, and the food grown there, vary from place to place. The new study reviewed recent research on selenium. Low levels in the blood have been linked with a higher risk of death from all causes and from cancer. Selenium deficiency also has been linked with poor immune function and a greater risk of dementia. But too much selenium can be harmful, research suggests. High blood levels have been linked with a greater risk of type 2 diabetes. Other research has linked high selenium with increases in skin rashes, hair loss and skin cancers other than melanoma. The new review of research found that blood levels of selenium vary greatly by region. They tend to be high in North America.