Before you reach for a Monster energy drink, consider this: Are energy drinks bad for you? A growing number of studies are finding that products like Monster, Red Bull, and 5-Hour Energy can result in a variety of health dangers without offering any unique benefits. The extreme acidity, high caffeine, … Read More
Welcome to the new season of America’s Got Viruses. From a common cold to Zika, viruses from all over the globe are competing to infect the highest number of host cells. While some viruses are mild, gifting us with symptoms like a runny nose and sore throat (we feel you, … Read More
"Heartburn" isn't actually a medical term, but it's one of the most commonly used words to describe symptoms of the upper gastrointestinal tract. An estimated 20 to 40 percent of adults report having chronic heartburn.[1] Yet most people are confused by the symptom and how it differs from indigestion, reflux, … Read More
The medical term for fainting is syncope, and it refers to a sudden loss of consciousness that can happen due to hypoxia (oxygen deprivation in the brain). If the levels of blood and oxygen in your brain decrease for any reason, your brain reroutes blood and oxygen from non-vital parts … Read More
Most of us value health and fitness, so a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may surprise you: About 27 percent of adults age 65 and older don’t exercise. The study (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Sept. 15, 2016) revealed that the numbers are even worse … Read More
The most accurate method of checking testosterone levels is to have your physician conduct a hormone blood test. If your levels are near the lower limit, or if multiple tests display a decreasing trend over time, you should consider taking measures that will allow your body to produce more of … Read More
When you feel your heart skip a beat or beat faster than normal, the sensations are called palpitations. They may be brief and harmless—the result of a vigorous workout. Or, heart palpitations symptoms could indicate an arrhythmia or another heart problem. An arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart’s … Read More
Are you plagued by constant worry or fear? Do you often feel “on edge”? Anxiety is among the most common mental health issues facing today’s population. Up to 31.6 percent of people in the United States will at some point in their lives be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.[1] Anxiety … Read More
Though it sounds like a condition in which the heart stops beating altogether, heart failure is actually a problem that develops when the heart can no longer pump enough blood and oxygen to meet the body’s needs. It’s a serious and complicated health challenge. But if you and your physician … Read More
Cardiomyopathy is sometimes referred to as an "enlarged heart," because the main sign is a heart muscle that has become thicker and more rigid. Bigger muscles might be what athletes want in their arms and legs. But a bigger heart isn’t a good thing, as it actually becomes weaker rather … Read More
