Tune in to our radio show on your local public radio station, or sign up for the podcast and listen at your leisure. Here’s what it’s about:
New research suggests that multivitamins are not beneficial against heart disease or dementia. But though some doctors are saying vitamins are a waste of money, sometimes people really need to pay attention to possible vitamin deficiencies.
The hugely popular acid-suppressing drugs such as omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid) or esomeprazole (Nexium) have long been know to interfere with vitamin B12 absorption. But doctors don’t often test patients taking such PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) for vitamin B12 status, perhaps because this complication is unlikely. New research from Kaiser Permanente demonstrates that it is not as uncommon as it has been thought.
Lots of people are looking to natural supplements instead of drugs for relief from joint pain or possible protection from cognitive decline. Turmeric has been one of the favorites, partly because there is some evidence that it may be helpful. But just how good is your turmeric supplement? We find out from ConsumerLab.com.
There are brand new guidelines for treating blood pressure. How might they affect your treatment? We talk with Dr. Sidney Smith about the guidelines and how they are being received.
Cancer screening seems like such a good idea: isn’t an ounce of prevention supposed to be worth a pound of cure? Yet as screening technologies become more and more sensitive, they may pick up tumors that don’t require treatment. What do doctors and patients do? Listen to Dr. Ned Patz, the lead author of a new study on lung cancer screening published in JAMA Internal Medicine, explain the problem.
Call in your questions and comments at 888-472-3366 or email radio@peoplespharmacy.com between 7 and 8 am EDT.
Guests: Douglas Corley, MD, PhD, MPH is in the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. He is also a gastroenterologist practicing at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco. His article on PPIs and vitamin B12 deficiency was published in JAMA.
Tod Cooperman, MD, is founder and President of ConsumerLab.com.
Sidney C. Smith, Jr, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC, is Professor in the Department of Medicine (division of cardiology) at UNC Health Care and the UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, NC. He is a past president of the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Heart Federation (WHF).
Edward F. Patz, Jr., MD, is the James and Alice Chen Professor of Radiology, Professor of Pathology and Professor in Pharmacology & Cancer Biology at Duke University School of Medicine. His article on low-dose CT screening for lung cancer and overdiagnosis was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. The show can be streamed online from this site and podcasts can be downloaded for free for four weeks after the date of broadcast. After that time has passed, digital downloads are available for $2.99. CDs may be purchased at any time after broadcast for $9.99.
