http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/?track=rss Headlines from latimes.com en ©2012, latimes.com Fri, 25 May 2012 19:41:00 -0700 By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times/For the Booster Shots Blog http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-biggest-loser-bariatric-20120525,0,3624063.story?track=rss Contestants on the reality TV program "The Biggest Loser"not only lost weight fast, they "rapidly and substantially" lowered their blood pressure and improved their metabolic function, the physician who is the show's medical consultant reported Friday to the American Assn. of Clinical Endocrinologists. Fri, 25 May 2012 19:41:00 PDT By Thomas H. Maugh II http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-sci-sn-magnesium-stroke-20120525,0,1174062.story?track=rss The common practice of infusing magnesium sulfate into patients who have suffered a hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke provides no discernible benefit, Dutch researchers reported Friday. The study could lead to a change in treatment for victims of such strokes, which account for about 13% of the estimated 795,000 strokes that afflict Americans each year -- and about 30% of the 133,000 stroke deaths. The rest of the strokes are caused by blood clots that impede circulation in the brain. Many survivors of hemorrhagic strokes, which occur when a blood vessel in the brain leaks blood into the organ, causing acute pressure, are left permanently impaired. Fri, 25 May 2012 12:06:00 PDT By Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times / For the Booster Shots blog http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-smoking-tobacco-control-money-20120525,0,4920924.story?track=rss Every day, about 3,800 American kids try a cigarette for the first time. A thousand of them will grow up to to have a daily smoking habit, and nearly 300 will wind up dead due to a smoking-related disease.  Fri, 25 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT By Rosie Mestel, Los Angeles Times / For the Booster Shots blog http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-psa-test-doctors-20120524,0,2546844.story?track=rss Is the routine PSA test to screen for prostate cancer going to fade away now that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended against it for men of all ages? Thu, 24 May 2012 18:57:00 PDT By Mary MacVean http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-he-sunscreen-20120524,0,2677955.story?track=rss With the unofficial start of summer just days away, it’s time to stock up on sunscreen. Does it matter which one you buy? Consumer Reports tested some popular brands, and found that it does, but the best choices are not necessarily the most expensive. Thu, 24 May 2012 11:32:00 PDT By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times/For the Booster Shots Blog http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-fevers-pregnancy-autism-20120523,0,6934232.story?track=rss Women who reported having had a fever during pregnancy were more likely to give birth to a baby who would later be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or a development delay, says a major new study. But the babies of women who treated their fevers with medication fared no worse than babies whose mothers recalled having suffered no fevers at all. Wed, 23 May 2012 18:03:00 PDT By Rosie Mestel, Los Angeles Times / For the Booster Shots blog http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-psa-test-prostate-cancer-treatment-20120523,0,2477503.story?track=rss The PSA test should not be a routine screen for men of any age, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force declared earlier this week. The assessment wasn’t about saving money but was based on a review of the science on PSA screening -- what were the benefits and what were the harms? Wed, 23 May 2012 18:02:00 PDT By Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times/For the Booster Shots blog http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-birth-control-unintended-pregnancies-20120523,0,3008654.story?track=rss Health experts estimate that half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended. That adds up to about 3 million accidental pregnancies every year – and, as a result, about 1.2 million abortions. About half of these unintended pregnancies can be traced to failures of condoms, birth control pills and other forms of contraception. (In the other half of cases, couples fail to use contraception entirely.) Wed, 23 May 2012 15:02:00 PDT By Thomas H. Maugh II http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-sci-sn-calcium-heart-disease-20120523,0,6754802.story?track=rss Taking calcium supplements increases the risk of having a heart attack, Swiss and German researchers reported Wednesday. The finding adds to the growing body of evidence that such supplements increase the risk to those who take them while providing only minimal benefits. The study is considered important because large numbers of people, especially elderly women, continue to take the supplements in hopes of minimizing loss of bone density. The body of evidence now seems to suggest that calcium consumed as part of a normal diet can, indeed, increase bone density and perhaps help lower blood pressure, but that supplements may be too risky for most people to take. Wed, 23 May 2012 16:26:00 PDT By Mary MacVean http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-he-food-survey-20120523,0,7795440.story?track=rss Half of Americans say it’s easier to do their taxes than it is to figure out how to eat healthfully – and 23% described their diets as extremely or very unhealthful, according to an annual survey conducted by an industry-supported nonprofit group and released on Wednesday. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:56:00 PDT