Getting Your Nutrients: From the Source or Supplements?

THURSDAY, June 6, 2019 -- Americans are making shifts in the supplements they take -- fewer multivitamins and vitamins C and E, more fish oil and vitamin D. Many think of supplements as magic bullets, but studies don't always support their supposed benefits.

Some research is positive. Vitamin D is important for good health and very hard to get naturally from foods or, if you live in northern latitudes, from the sun. So you might need a supplement to meet daily needs. But first ask your doctor for a blood test to check your level and, if it's low, whether it's safe for you to sit in the sun twice a week for 15 minutes to allow your body to make D naturally.

Hot Water Soak May Help Ease Poor Leg Circulation

FRIDAY, June 14, 2019 -- Could soaking in hot water followed by light exercise work as well on peripheral artery disease (PAD) as a longer bout of exercise does?

The authors of a new study suggest it could, but some PAD experts aren't convinced.

FDA Takes Hard Look at CBD

FRIDAY, May 31, 2019 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration took a good look at the safety and effectiveness of CBD products on Friday, as it weighs how to best regulate the hemp-derived compound going forward.

During a public hearing that stretched for hours, the agency heard testimony from folks on all sides of the issue.

CBD -- It's Everywhere, But Does It Work?

MONDAY, May 13, 2019 -- You would have to be living in a cave to have missed the CBD craze that is sweeping across America: New products are cramming store shelves as the market explodes for what many Americans believe to be a miracle cure-all.

Everything from oils to gummies to pills, creams and ointments are now for sale at supermarkets and specialty chains. You can even get massages infused with CBD, or cosmetics laced with the drug.

Could You Be Short on Vitamin B12?

THURSDAY, May 2, 2019 -- In the ABCs of vitamins, B12 is often overlooked. But it's essential for the making of nerve and red blood cells, as well as DNA along with many other body processes. Adults and teens need just 2.4 micrograms a day, but you can fall short even on this small amount.

You're at particular risk of a B12 deficiency if you're a vegetarian because animal foods, like meat and dairy, are the only foods that deliver it. If you have a health problem that affects nutrient absorption, like Crohn's disease, have had bariatric surgery or take certain medications, you also run the risk. So do people over 50 because of changes in stomach acids.

For One Man, Too Much Vitamin D Was Disastrous

MONDAY, April 8, 2019 -- Vitamin D is the healthy "sunshine" vitamin, but it can have a dark side, one Canadian man discovered.

A team of Toronto physicians reported on the case of a 54-year-old man who developed kidney damage after taking extremely high doses of vitamin D.