Latest news with #CaseWesternReserveUniversitySchoolofMedicine
Time Magazine
27-05-2025
- Health
- Time Magazine
Should You Take Amino Acid Supplements?
Amino acid supplements have soared in popularity in recent years. Social-media influencers peddle them with promises that they'll build muscle, enhance athletic performance, promote weight loss, boost metabolism, and improve mental focus. But they're not right for everyone. Here's what to know about the trendy supplements. What are amino acids? Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and there are a total of 20. Nine essential amino acids—histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine—are available only through foods or supplements. 'You can't store amino acids in your body, so if you have a diet that's unhealthy, you're not going to get all the amino acids your body needs,' says Joan Salge Blake, a clinical professor of nutrition at Boston University and host of the nutrition and health podcast Spot On! There are also 11 non-essential amino acids—alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine—that can be produced by your body. While each amino acid plays a specific role in the body, as a group, they're involved in nearly every biological process, including building and maintaining muscle, helping with wound healing, regulating hormones and immune function, and producing energy. Because they do so many different things, 'you need a good circulating pool of these floating around in your body,' says Wendy Bazilian, a nutrition and wellness expert based in San Diego and host of the 1,000 Waking Minutes podcast. 'You want them in your system so they're available when you need them.' Who might benefit from a supplement? If you consume a healthy, balanced diet and don't do a lot of intense exercise, you may get enough amino acids from food. But other people may benefit from taking supplements. These include older adults who want to preserve muscle mass and function and prevent sarcopenia, an age-related condition characterized by a loss of muscle mass and strength, says Leslie Bonci, a sports dietitian and owner of Active Eating Advice in Pittsburgh. Research has found that taking an amino acid supplement enriched with leucine for eight weeks led to increased muscle mass, strength, and function in older adults with sarcopenia. Athletes and other people who are very physically active may also benefit from taking amino acid supplements to promote muscle maintenance and recovery after exercise. This category includes what Lindsay Malone, a registered dietitian at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, calls 'invisible athletes': people with physically demanding jobs like delivery drivers, construction workers, utility workers, and camera operators. 'Taking essential amino acids regularly helps your body replace old or damaged muscles so your muscles keep working well,' she says. Research has found that taking supplements of branched-chain amino acids [BCAAs]—namely leucine, isoleucine, and valine—can ease muscle damage and soreness after resistance training in athletes. BCAAs have also been shown to reduce people's ratings of their perceived exertion (how hard it feels like they're exercising), which can help people exercise longer and harder. People who are consuming limited calories (because they're trying to lose weight, for example) or who are following a vegan or vegetarian diet also may benefit from taking amino acid supplements, Bonci says. They may not be consuming enough protein, which means taking a supplement with essential amino acids could protect their muscles. Regardless of dietary habits or age, there's also some evidence that amino acid supplements could help people who are recovering from surgery or an injury, Bazilian says. In these instances, she explains, 'you need more of the building blocks [of protein] to help you recover.' Research has found that people who took amino acid supplements after surgery for bone fractures had fewer medical complications during recovery, including surgical-site infections, than those who didn't take these supplements. The best way to take them If you're interested in taking an amino acid supplement, it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor about it first to make sure it's safe for you. 'If you have diabetes or liver disease, you shouldn't be taking them,' Salge Blake says. If you decide to move forward, Bazilian recommends looking for a formula that contains all the essential amino acids or at least the BCAAs. Choose products that have undergone third-party testing and certification by an organization such as NSF, Informed Choice, or BSCG, Bonci adds. 'That means it's been tested in a facility to make sure it doesn't contain impurities,' and that it contains the ingredients and potency it claims to. Amino acid supplements come in lots of different forms, including powders, capsules, liquids, and gummies. Before choosing one, think about which form is likely to agree with your digestive system, Bazilian says, and 'skip those with artificial sweeteners or other unnecessary ingredients.' Take it with food—ideally, something with protein, carbs, and fat—to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal distress. Be sure to maintain the right perspective about how these supplements might fit into your life. 'It's important for people to understand that these are not a replacement for protein,' says Bonci. 'They can offer a false sense of security if you think you can eat like crap as long as you're taking an amino acid supplement.' Amino acid supplements are meant to complement a healthy diet—not replace one.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pregnant Women in Prison Aren't Getting Care, and No One Is Keeping Track
Early in her second trimester, Linda Acoff was taken into custody for failing to complete court-ordered mental health treatment. After three weeks in the Cuyahoga County Jail in Columbus, Ohio, she began experiencing intensifying pressure, cramping, and bleeding. But despite her pleas for help, the nurse on duty offered only sanitary napkins and Tylenol. After banging on her cell door for hours, Acoff was eventually taken out of the jail's pregnancy pod on a stretcher—leaving behind the remains of her 17-week-old fetus. A recent exposé from The Marshall Project revealed that Acoff had contracted chorioamnionitis, an infection of the fluid and tissues inside the uterus. Although considered a serious pregnancy complication that can threaten both the fetus and the mother, there was hope that Acoff's 17-week pregnancy could have been saved. "If there's early appropriate diagnosis and intervention, that baby can absolutely survive if the patient is treated promptly," Michael Baldonieri, an OB-GYN and assistant professor of reproductive biology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, told The Marshall Project. In the end, Acoff lost her baby, and while the nurse on duty was ultimately fired, the tragedy has not inspired change in the way that Ohio handles incarcerated pregnancies or collects data on them. Unfortunately for Acoff, and the estimated 55,000 pregnant women who enter the nation's jails every year, little data exists on the impact incarceration has on pregnancy outcomes. A 2024 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that "comprehensive data on pregnant women incarcerated in state prisons and local jails do not exist" even though the U.S. has "one of the highest maternal mortality rates" and "incarcerates women at the highest rate in the world." This number is trending upward: between 1980 and 2022, the female prison population in the U.S. grew by more than 585 percent, more than twice the growth rate of the male prison population. Much of this increase has been attributed to more expansive policing, post-conviction barriers, and stiffer drug sentencing laws. Women have seen drug-related arrests increase by 317 percent since 1980, while men have seen a 69 percent jump. Today, more than half of the incarcerated women are serving time for drug and property offenses. Sentencing for these offenses, which considers the nature of the crime and criminal histories, can disproportionately put pregnant women inmates in harm's way. The Prison Policy Initiative estimates that in 2024, about 189,600 women and girls were held in state custody, and 93,000 were held in local jails across the country. Of this number, more than half of the women were held in jail while awaiting trial. Even after a conviction, women were more likely to be sentenced to jail, rather than to prison, compared to convicted men. This distribution can be problematic, particularly for pregnant women, because jails are poorly positioned to provide proper health care and often offer fewer services than prisons. This discrepancy, plus negligent care, is ultimately what cost Acoff her pregnancy. Given these grim statistics, tracking pregnancy outcomes in jails is essential, Dr. Carolyn Sufrin, board member of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and fellow at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told The Marshall Project. Otherwise, Sufrin believes, it's impossible to know whether the nation's 3,000 jails are failing pregnant women. Sufrin is right to demand better data on how incarceration impacts pregnancies, but data alone will not stop the mass incarceration of Americans or reform policies that created the problem. The post Pregnant Women in Prison Aren't Getting Care, and No One Is Keeping Track appeared first on
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Does Joe Biden's Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Have You Concerned About Your Own Health?
FORMER PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. Biden has been diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer, his office announced on Sunday. The cancer has spread to his bones, as it commonly does in more aggressive forms. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and an estimated 288,300 new cases will emerge this year, according to the American Cancer Society. It's more common in Black men and in all men over 65. It is generally slow-growing, and one of the big challenges with this cancer is that there are really no symptoms, especially early on, according to the American Cancer Society. By the time you do see symptoms, the cancer has likely reached an advanced stage. However, there is a screening test for it. When this is done and prostate cancer is caught early, it is often highly treatable, says Daniel Spratt, M.D., a prostate cancer management expert and a professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Protect yourself against this common disease by getting screened (see the recommendations for when below) and learning to identify the common signs. Here's how. "PROSTATE CANCER IS one of those conditions that could easily be caught early,' says John Lynam, D.O., an osteopathic physician in Florida who specializes in urology. 'Because of screening and testing, it has a high cure rate once caught early.' This is especially important because there are no real early signs of prostate cancer, he says. 'Once prostate cancer causes symptoms, it is usually advanced and is often not curable at that point,' says Jonathan Shoag, M.D., a urologist and member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Population and Cancer Prevention Program at Case Western Reserve University. If there are warning signs of prostate cancer, they can include: Blood in the urine or semen Problems urinating—including feeling like you need to urinate more often or a slow or weak stream Blocked urine Loss of bladder or bowel control Erectile dysfunction Painful ejaculation Pain in hips, back, ribs, or other areas Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet Fatigue Unintentional weight loss 'Prostate cancer tends to spread to the bones, which can be painful, cause fractures, and limit mobility,' Dr. Shoag says. Any time you notice any of these symptoms, visit your primary care doctor as soon as you can to get screened for prostate cancer, Dr. Lynam suggests. Dr. Spratt says many prostate or urinary symptoms often have nothing to do with prostate cancer. So it's important to rule out other potential health issues. INSTEAD OF WATCHING for signs of prostate cancer, which means it's reached an advanced stage, Dr. Lynam suggests getting regular screenings to catch it early. 'The hope is catching the cancer when it is still asymptomatic and relatively easy to treat,' Dr. Shoag explains. Following the American Urological Association guidelines, all men should be screened for prostate cancer once they turn 50, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., a urology professor at the Baylor College of Medicine and Men's Health urology adviser. For men at a higher risk for prostate cancer, screening is recommended between ages 40 and 45. Those groups include Black men, people with a family history of the cancer, and those with a genetic predisposition, such as having the BRCA gene, Dr. Lipshultz says. Screening involves getting a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, blood test and a prostate exam, he says. You should get re-screened every two to four years, according to AUA. PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING typically involves two tests, Dr. Spratt says. One is a digital rectal exam, where doctors feel the prostate gland for abnormalities. 'It's a quick and painless procedure,' he adds. The other is a PSA blood test, which measures the amount of a protein that's produced by cancerous and noncancerous cells in the prostate. 'Elevated PSA levels can be an indicator of prostate issues, including cancer,' Dr. Spratt. Men without prostate cancer typically have PSA levels of under 4 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), according to the American Cancer Society. PSA levels between 4 and 10 suggest you could have about a 25 percent chance of prostate cancer, and levels over 10 signal that your chance of having the cancer is more than 50 percent. Some have argued that a PSA test alone is enough to diagnose prostate cancer, Dr. Lipshultz says, but both are needed. 'You see somebody who has a normal PSA, and you do a prostate exam, and there's cancer everywhere because it's so undifferentiated that it doesn't make the PSA,' he explains. Undifferentiated cancer cells typically don't look or behave like the normal cells in tissues where they develop and may not produce much PSA. Prostate cancer is one of the most curable diseases when caught early, Dr. Lynam says. In some cases, lower-grade prostate cancers can sometimes be safely monitored by your doctor without needing intervention. 'The most important message I can tell patients is to know your family history and get regular prostate cancer screening and checkups,' he says. 'We are serious when we say early detection can save your life.' You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
Medscape
19-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Diversity in Dermatology Residencies Improves; Gaps Remain
Dermatology residency programs saw modest gains in racial and ethnic diversity from 2020 to 2024, but underrepresented groups remain disproportionately low compared with their share of the US population. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed national data on dermatology residents from the Association of American Medical Colleges from 2020 to 2024. They evaluated racial and ethnic representation trends and calculated rate ratios comparing residency demographics with the US population data. The analysis included comparison of underrepresented minority resident (American Indian or Alaska Native [AIAN], Black, Hispanic or Latino, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander [NHPI]) percentages across five historically less diverse specialties: Dermatology, neurological surgery, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, and integrated plastic surgery. TAKEAWAY: Black representation among dermatology residents rose from 4.6% to 8.7%, and Hispanic or Latino representation increased from 6.6% to 8.9%. NHPI representation declined from 0.2% to 0.1%, and AIAN representation remained steady at 0.7%. The rate ratio for Black residents compared with the US population demographics improved from 0.38 to 0.71, and for Hispanic residents from 0.35 to 0.47. Dermatology showed the highest annual increase in underrepresented minority residents (2.11% per year) among historically less diverse specialties, though it still lags behind specialties like obstetrics and gynecology. The total number of underrepresented minority residents grew from 185 in 2022 to 267 in 2024, still short of the 463 needed to meet the American Academy of Dermatology Pathways initiative goal of a 150% increase by 2027. IN PRACTICE: 'Despite incremental improvements in diversity, sustained mentorship, pipeline development, and outreach efforts remain the key drivers of these gains,' the study authors wrote. 'To ensure long-term progress, residency programs should track diversity metrics to better align recruitment with the demographics of their local communities,' they added. SOURCE: The study was led by Devin Barzallo, BA, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland. It was published online on May 14 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology . LIMITATIONS: The authors did not list any study limitations. DISCLOSURES: The study did not receive any funding. The authors reported having no relevant conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. Credit Lead image: Monkey Business Images/Dreamstime Medscape Medical News © 2025 WebMD, LLC Cite this: Edited by Deepa Varma. Diversity in Dermatology Training Programs Improves, but Gaps Remain - Medscape - May 19, 2025.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Proposed dessert restrictions on SNAP benefits wouldn't necessarily improve health, experts say
Apr. 13—By Molly Walsh (TNS) CLEVELAND — A new bill backed by U.S. Sen. Jon Husted would make it impossible to buy sugary treats through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a change supporters say could promote healthier choices. But public health experts remain skeptical. Husted, a Republican from the Columbus area, is cosponsoring the "Healthy SNAP Act of 2025," which was introduced by GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah. The proposed legislation would block people from using benefits to buy soft drinks, candy and prepared desserts. "American taxpayers are footing the bill on both ends of a broken system: first, by subsidizing the consumption of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods, and then again by covering the skyrocketing health care costs caused by the chronic diseases those foods contribute to. In effect, we're paying to make ourselves sick—and then paying again to treat the sickness," Husted said in a press release. But Darcy Freedman, Swetland Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, said the bill oversimplifies complex nutrition issues. "Restrictions alone will not benefit much. We have to have a two-pronged approach: restrictions and incentives," she said. Freedman pointed to Ohio's Produce Perks program as an example of how incentives help SNAP recipients, and others with similar benefits, stretch their food budgets while improving access to fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables. When SNAP/EBT cards are used at participating farmers markets or grocery stores, Produce Perks provides a dollar-for-dollar match—up to $25 per day—that can be spent on fresh produce. For example, if someone spends $10 using SNAP, they receive an additional $10 to purchase fruits and vegetables. Less than one in 10 Ohioans eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day, Freedman said. "It is much cheaper to buy sugar-sweetened beverages and highly processed foods than it is to buy healthy foods. And so any strategy that tries to reduce the cost of healthy food, I think, would have a much greater impact on health than only restricting what you can buy," she said. Freedman also noted that the food industry plays a significant role in shaping what is allowed under SNAP. For example, in response to proposals by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to remove sodas and processed foods from SNAP, companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper have actively lobbied against the initiatives. They argue that increased sales of low- and zero-sugar drinks, along with clearer calorie labeling, offer consumers healthier choices. "I think it's important to see who has an interest in what foods people with SNAP are buying," she said. "I think that the food industry is a very powerful lobbyist group. There's a lot of evidence to show they are active on a regular basis, influencing policy decisions." GOP U.S. Rep. Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma introduced the Healthy SNAP Act in the House of Representatives several months ago. He argued that recipients are spending too much money on junk food. In contrast, a 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture report stated that food restrictions would make the program more complex and expensive to operate. "It is difficult to justify the substantial cost and other burdens associated with identifying and enforcing new food restrictions given the very real possibility that individuals would simply substitute one form of payment (cash) for another (food stamps) in order to purchase unallowable foods," the report said. Kristin Mullins, president and CEO of the Ohio Grocers Association, said the proposed legislation is also concerning for independent grocery store owners. "Many stores, especially those in the inner cities, have a clientele that rely heavily on SNAP purchases. This could have a devastating impact on these citizens and thus our stores," she said. Stephanie Merlino Barr, a neonatal dietitian at MetroHealth, said SNAP benefits are critical to her patients, many of whom are lower income, and restricting purchases would not effectively address chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes. "Chronic conditions are complex. They don't have a simple solution. If they had a simple solution, we would have implemented it by now," she said. "Simply restricting financial benefits is not going to fix a complex problem. We should be addressing our food systems and how there is inequitable access to different types of foods."
