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To fight the spread of COVID-19, many places now require people to wear face masks. But the advice on wearing them has changed over the course of the pandemic. This has led some people to question: Do face masks even protect against COVID-19? “Yes, absolutely,” says Dr. Adriaan Bax, a biophysicist at NIH. He has been testing how well different types of masks work. Masks, he explains, can help…

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes pain and swelling in the joints. It’s an autoimmune disease, where the body’s immune system attacks your own healthy joint tissue. Experts don’t know what causes the disease. Genes, hormones, and factors in the environment may play a role. Smoking cigarettes is known to increase the risk of developing RA. Researchers recently looked at whether being exposed to…

Bring on the holidays! But before you start cooking, take a moment to look over some tips on food safety. They can help avoid getting you and others sick. When preparing food, follow four basic steps: clean, separate, cook, and chill. First, wash your hands, countertop, and cutting board with hot soapy water. Make sure that knives and other cooking utensils are clean. Wash the lids of cans before…

It’s important to control high blood pressure. It is one of the most preventable risk factors associated with stroke and dementia. Visit this website to learn more about the connection between high blood pressure, stroke, and dementia.

Bottles of supplements line the shelves at your local supermarket. These include vitamins and minerals from A to zinc. You can also find products like probiotics, herbs, and fish oil. But are they needed for good health? And what about their risks? “For most people, eating a nutritious variety of foods can provide all the nutrients they need,” says Carol Haggans, a registered dietitian and…, Who Needs Supplements?, Your body needs different amounts of certain nutrients at different times in your life. For example, the ability to absorb and process some nutrients decreases with age. So older adults may need more of certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, and calcium. People who avoid certain foods may also need a nutrient boost. For example, vitamin B12 is found only in animal products…, Safety Concerns, If you take supplements, tell your health care providers. Some supplements can change how well medications work. Others have risks for specific groups of people. See the Ask Your Doctor box for questions to ask about supplements. You can track information about your supplements and medications using NIH's My Dietary Supplement and Medicine Record chart. “It’s also important to know the total…, Boosting Your Immune System, Perhaps the most common claim for supplements is that they boost your immune system. Researchers have been studying whether any can help. “Many nutrients, like vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, and magnesium are important for a healthy immune system,” Haggerty says. But so far, getting more than the recommended amount of any nutrient doesn’t appear to boost the immune system.…

Do you wake up with a tired or sore jaw in the morning? It could be a sign that you’re grinding or clenching your teeth at night. Over time, this can damage your teeth and lead to jaw problems. It can cause teeth to crack, loosen, and even fall out. Teeth grinding and clenching—also called bruxism—can cause serious issues if left untreated. And people aren’t always aware that they’re doing it. “…

Excerpts from an educational webinar from NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements, featuring Dr. Paul Thomas and Ms. Carol Haggans., Dietary supplement use in the United States:, Thomas:, Americans spend more on supplements than they do on over-the-counter medications, like products for pain relief, stomach upset, allergies, and the like. One good estimate is almost $49 billion in sales in 2019. Overall, about half of adults and a third of children take one of more supplements daily, or on most days. For adults, supplement use increases with age. About a third of those [aged] 19…, How the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements:, Haggans, : If you think about prescription or over-the-counter drugs, we expect them to work as intended and to be safe. FDA doesn’t treat dietary supplements the same. Dietary supplements are regulated as foods and not drugs. First, they’re [not approved] for effectiveness. So that means that if you take a supplement that’s marketed to help maintain [qtip:immune system|The system that protects your body…, How botanical and herbal supplements are different from vitamins and minerals:, Thomas, : There are no guideposts or recommendations for intake [for botanicals], like you have with the daily value for nutrients. So you need to get expert advice on when or if to take [a botanical] product. For most botanicals, we don’t know what the most important constituents are, or what combinations provide potential health benefits. And one company’s botanical supplement is [going to be]…, Questions to ask before taking a supplement:, Thomas, : The best advice we can give you is to talk with your health care providers before taking any supplements. Have a discussion with your doctor, pharmacist, registered dietitian, or other provider about which might be useful—or useless—to you. At the very least, let your main providers know what supplements you’re taking and why. Discuss your reasons for taking them and get their reactions. […

More than 37 million people in the U.S. are living with chronic kidney disease, or CKD. In this condition, the kidneys can’t filter blood the way they should. CKD may eventually lead to kidney failure. The most common blood test for CKD measures a protein called creatinine. Doctors use the amount of creatinine to estimate kidney function. This can affect the timing of treatments. Delaying…

Are you thinking of trying a “detox” or cleanse? They claim to help you lose weight or rid your body of toxins. After a winter of holiday eating, they might seem like a way to kickstart better habits in the new year. But are these trendy programs and products healthy or just a bunch of hype? “Detoxes” aren’t all the same. Some involve fasting, followed by eating only certain foods. You may be…

Do you need help finding a flu or COVID-19 vaccine? Vaccines.gov can help find vaccines near you. Use the search tool to find sites nearby or call 1-800-232-0233. Getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family.