Almost half of older adults take vitamin D with or without calcium.

Researchers at the University of Tasmania, Hobart, in Australia, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Researchers in France participating in the GuidAge Study Group assessed the long-term use of standardized ginkgo biloba extract in elderly adults with memory complaints. (more…)

Approximately 30% of people over 65 years of age living in the community fall each year.

This Cochrane review updates what we know. (more…)

There’s lots of interest, but nobody ever reviewed the evidence before this.

Researchers at the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts, accepted the challenge. (more…)

Researchers at the Foundation of Public Health, Mutuelle Generale de l’Education Nationale, in Paris, reanalyzed data from the Women’s Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study (WACS), a cohort of women with prevalent vascular disease or 3 cardiovascular risk factors. (more…)

Researchers at the University of Tasmania, in Launceston, evaluated the effects of a Pilates on balance and function in community-dwelling elderly adults. (more…)

Despite the reported benefits, weight loss isn’t always advised for older adults because some studies have associated weight loss with increased mortality.

Researchers from North Carolina and Maryland, put this belief to the test. (more…)

Using data from a study of pregnant women from an inland area in the US South, researchers at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina, sought to understand the fish consumption habits and associated mercury levels. (more…)

At first, I was skeptical, but research suggests there are benefits.

Researchers at Skidmore College, at Saratoga Springs, New York, studied the effects of stationary cycling virtual reality tours (“cybercycle”) on executive function and clinical status. (more…)

Researchers at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, reviewed the evidence to determine whether physical fitness and function benefits are achieved through the practice of yoga. (more…)

Chronic constipation is common among the elderly and women. Doctors prescribe various treatments, and patients often use over-the-counter remedies.

Researchers at Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ontario, reviewed the evidence and provide perspective. (more…)

Drinking Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) tea is popular in Argentina and other South American countries.

Researchers at the National University of Cuyo, in Mendoza, Argentina, measured effects of Yerba Mate as part of a program for osteoporosis prevention and treatment in postmenopausal women. (more…)

In October 2010 the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) conducted a telephone survey. (more…)

Breathlessness (aka dyspnea) is difficult to manage in palliative care.

Researchers in the UK reviewed and ranked the most effective nonpharmacological strategies. (more…)

Prof. Ernst and a colleague critically evaluated the systematic reviews of tai chi for any improvement of medical conditions or clinical symptoms. (more…)

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

The results reported by researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, in Los Angeles, California reinforce the recommendation to quit smoking — even for older women. (more…)

Studies have documented an association between moderate alcohol consumption and longevity.

Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, studied whether moderate alcohol intake is associated with overall health and well-being in older age. (more…)

One hundred years ago, German physician Alois Alzheimer described “eine eigenartige Erkrankung der Hirnrinde” (a peculiar disease of the cerebral cortex) in Auguste Deter, a 51-year-old woman who had severe memory, language, and behavior problems. His autopsy results revealed a dramatically shrunken brain and unusual abnormalities in and around brain cells (shown here in black).

What’s this got to do with caffeine? (more…)

During the New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit Meeting, researchers at David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, reported that adding tai chi to escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex, Seroplex) treatment further reduced the severity of depression. (more…)