Harvard Health Content API

Should children ages 6 to 15 be allowed to drink “energy drinks” such as Red Bull?

I was diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis four years ago. I started taking Actonel. In the spring of 2010, I saw a news report that said these drugs are suspected of increasing the risk of fractures in the femur. My doctor recommends going to an annual infusion of Reclast. What is your opinion of the safety of all these drugs?

My mother-in-law had a low alanine transaminase (ALT) score on her last blood test. What is ALT and is it significant?

I am a 75-year-old woman in good health. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis at age 68. I have been taking Fosamax for the past 7 years. I read that there are risks in taking these types of drugs for more than 5 years. What should I do?

Is sleep apnea something that a person has always had and you find out about after it is diagnosed? Or is it something that could arise from external factors, such as stress or extreme fatigue? Can the symptoms “go away” without treatment?

If someone has both genes for Factor V, would all their siblings have it also? What about their children?

I am of Italian descent with light olive skin. I have always had dark circles around my eyes. They seem to be getting darker. What causes these? Is there anything other than makeup that can be done for them?

In addition to calcium supplements, can foods that contain calcium lower the effectiveness of thyroid prescription medication?

I am a 58-year-old woman with osteoporosis. I take calcium supplements with vitamin D. (I’m scared to take osteoporosis drugs.) Should I stop the supplements and vitamin D in light of the new heart warnings? Should I eat lots of calcium-rich food instead?

My father was admitted to the hospital after blood test showed his kidneys were only functioning at five percent. Can function of kidneys return to normal?