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Should You Take Supplements Before Working Out?
Timing is everything—even when it comes to keeping your bones healthy. That’s the takeaway from a new study that finds taking calcium supplements before working out helps minimize exercise-induced calcium loss.
Athletes who train intensely can lose substantial amounts of calcium when they sweat, leading to decreased bone density. So authors of the study, which was presented recently at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, set out to see if taking calcium supplements pre- or post-workout would help fix the problem. They divided 52 male cyclists into two groups. One group took 1,000 mg of calcium along with 1,000 iu of vitamin D (which helps the body absorb calcium) 30 minutes before training. The other group took the same calcium-vitamin D combo an hour after training.
The result: Though both groups showed decreased blood-calcium levels, the cyclists who popped the supplements before breaking a sweat had much less calcium loss, said Vanessa Sherk, PhD, lead author of the study and postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The findings suggest that when a person consumes calcium makes a difference in terms of how much bone density loss they rack up.
“It’s interesting research because we already know that getting enough calcium is crucial to maintaining bone health, but this may be the first study demonstrating that timing plays a role,” says Steven Hawkins, PhD, a professor of exercise science at California Lutheran University and a fellow of the American College Sports Medicine, which partially funded the study.
So should you pop calcium pills or load up on yogurt before killing it in your cycling class? Because the results are preliminary and the study focused on a small group of hardcore athletes (not to mention all men), Sherk says that further research needs to be done before any recommendation can be made. On the other hand, future studies may prove that calcium before a workout really does shore up bones—and women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s already need up to 1,000 mg of calcium daily as well as 600 iu of vitamin D to maintain good health. So it certainly can’t hurt to chose a pre-workout meal or snack from the dairy aisle, says Hawkins. Think: yogurt and nuts, an egg-white omelet with cheese, or a low-fat milk smoothie. But skip the supplements if you can. Nutrients are better absorbed when you consume them via food sources.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Get This: Research Says You Should Call In Sick
Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:
A new study gives you added incentive to actually take those paid sick days when you’re feeling under the weather: It can help prevent flu outbreaks. [Salon]
Good news if you have exercise-induced asthma: Vitamin C could help alleviate your symptoms. [Deccan Chronicle]
Jennifer Aniston and the stylist behind her amazing Rachel cut are teaming up to create a new haircare line. Why did this take so long to happen? [Vanity Fair]
Most people think Father’s Day doesn’t get as much attention as Mother’s Day, according to a new survey. Show Dad some (last-minute) love by heading to the store for one of these awesome gifts. [USA Today]
In the latest scary health news, medical devices can (and do) become infected by malware. [Newser]
Fitness trackers may help motivate you to move, but they aren’t terribly accurate. [NYT]
TLC is hosting a “Watch ‘n Sniff” event with scent cards for the season premiere of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo on July 17. Because who doesn’t want to know exactly what sketti (noodles with ketchup and butter) and Glitzy (the family’s pet pig) smell like? [Jezebel]
A University California Davis researcher is claiming that there’s no truth to the notion of beer bellies. Sorry, but anecdotal evidence would suggest otherwise. [Medical Daily]
In another dubious study, evolutionary psychologists say men are the reason menopause exists (because they chased after younger women, so older women didn’t need to be fertile). Right… [io9]
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Should There Be Nutrition Labels on Alcohol?
You expect to find nutrition facts when you’re shopping in the cereal aisle, but when you’re at the liquor store it can be nearly impossible to find out how many calories—let alone anything else—are in your booze. If you’re clamoring for more details on what’s in your booze, here’s the latest update: The Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) recently issued a ruling that gives alcohol companies the go-ahead to put Serving Facts labels on their products. The TTB proposed a rule in 2007 that would make these labels mandatory—but they have yet to decide on the fate of this rule. In the meantime, they’re giving this temporary green light to companies that want to participate. It’s totally voluntary, though—meaning alcohol manufacturers get to choose whether or not to roll these labels out.
Companies that choose to use the new Serving Facts statements will clearly list the serving size, as well as the calories, carbs, fat, and protein per serving. Granted, manufacturers were already permitted to include all of these stats on their labels before. The differences: Now, there’s a new recommended Serving Facts format (which looks a lot like the nutrition facts label you’d find on food and non-alcoholic drinks), and beverage companies have the option of listing information about the alcohol content. Plus, manufacturers now have to include the number of servings per container if they include Serving Facts. In this new ruling, the TTB says that some companies may need to consider changing their listed serving sizes to reflect how their drinks are actually consumed.
Of course, even if the new serving size isn’t standard, you’ll still need to use your own judgment. Just like with any food or non-alcoholic beverage, the amount you consume isn’t necessarily the same as the serving size, says Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, PhD, chair of the nutrition department at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. “There’s an example in the ruling of a 24-ounce bottle of a malt beverage that has 4 ¾ servings per container, and each serving has 139 calories,” says Mayer-Davis. You could easily think you’re taking in 139 calories when you’re probably going to consume more like 660—the total amount in the bottle.
The upshot: If these new “Serving Facts” labels do become mandatory, they would offer up a lot more information to shoppers—but that’s still just a big if at this point.
“I think the more information we can provide to consumers, the better,” says Eric Rimm, a Doctor of Science and associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. “While I’m not sure that everybody who grabs an alcoholic beverage will be looking at the nutrition facts, for those people who do, at least it provides some additional information that they probably did not know before.”
How do you feel about seeing nutrition facts on alcohol containers? Let us know in our poll:
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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“Should I Worry About Extreme Heat?”
Ah, summer: the season of picnics, beach trips, barbecues…and dangerous heat waves. Every year, an average of 658 deaths nationwide are caused by extreme heat—a deadly weather condition characterized by unusually hot temperatures that last for at least a few days. Sweltering sucks, but you’d better get used to it. Because of climate change, periods of extreme heat are expected to become much more common.
Heat-related deaths aren’t the only consequence of oppressive temps. Over the past decade, there’s been a substantial increase in the number of people treated for heat-induced conditions in emergency rooms, says Rebecca Noe, MPH, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control. The most dangerous of these include heat exhaustion, which happens when there’s a plunge in sodium levels due to excess sweating; and heatstroke, which occurs when you get so hot, your body can no longer cool itself down without medical intervention.
You’d think that with cold drinks and AC available pretty much everywhere, extreme heat isn’t something that should be on your radar. But it needs to be—particularly if you work out outdoors. It can take just minutes for your body to become seriously overheated even if you’re only being moderately active; and this can set you up for heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
If you can’t bear the thought of working out in a gym, cut your heat-related illness odds by taking a few precautions, such as getting your sweat on early in the a.m. or closer to dusk, when temps are cooler. Wear loose clothes, and switch to cooler activities, such as swimming or hiking in the mountains, says Noe. And of course, swill lots of liquids while you’re being active or working out outside—about two to four eight-ounce cups of water or another low-sugar, caffeine-free beverage per hour—whether you’re thirsty or not. Seem extreme? It’s not really since you’ll be sweating out that amount of liquid, says Noe, but staying hydrated and sipping consistently is what’s important—so you don’t need to stress over the exact amount of water you’re drinking.
And what if you don’t work out outdoors? You can still get overheated—so you should be aware of the symptoms (for your sake and in case you spot them in friends). They include heavy sweating; feeling weak or faint; pale, clammy skin; rapid resting heart rate; or even nausea or vomiting. If you notice any of these, immediately loosen your clothes (or your friend’s) and seek shade, cold water, and/or a blasting AC. If symptoms continue, head to the ER—heatstroke is a medical emergency.
The verdict: Heat-related health conditions caused by stretches of crazy-high temps are a concern for anyone who spends time outdoors or sans AC—but it can be extra dangerous if you’re exercising outside. In either case, it’s smart to take a few precautions to stay as safe as possible.
More from Women’s Health:
5 Tips for Running in the Heat
Heat Stroke (Hyperthermia)
The Safest Ways to Exercise in the Heat
Should You Hold Off on Treating That UTI?
When a UTI hits, it’s tempting to race to the doctor for a prescription, stat. But if you’re concerned about taking antibiotics for every little thing, listen up: When women chose to delay antibiotics for symptoms of a UTI, 71 percent of them were cured or showed improvement in a week, according to a new study published in the journal BMC Family Practice.
Researchers from the University of Amsterdam recruited patients from general practitioners in the area from April 2006 to October 2008. They looked at healthy, non-pregnant women who reported painful and/or frequent urination to their doctors. After the doctors did a routine urinalysis and culture (used to confirm a UTI diagnosis), they asked 137 of the patients if they were willing to delay antibiotic treatment—and more than a third of women said yes. Of those women, 55 percent still hadn’t taken antibiotics at the one-week follow-up, and 71 percent of them reported an improvement or total recovery.
“It’s an innocent condition with a very low chance of complications,” says Bart Knottnerus, MD, researcher at the Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam. “It’s always good to discuss this option with patients, even though a lot of them aren’t willing to delay treatment.”
Of course, this study only looked at women presenting with the symptoms of an uncomplicated urinary tract infection—a routine bladder infection that had not progressed to the kidneys and was not accompanied by flank pain (pain on one side of the abdomen/back), fever, chills, or other symptoms. When these types of complications aren’t present, many people do improve on their own, says Alyssa Dweck, MD, co-author of V is For Vagina. And since you typically have to wait a few days for the culture to determine if you really have a UTI, taking the meds upfront may mean unnecessary antibiotics if your results come back negative.
So should you skip the meds the next time you’re plagued with painful or frequent urination? “My preference is to try to at least culture everyone with symptoms and hold on treatment unless the culture is positive or symptoms worsen while waiting,” says Dweck. If you prefer to avoid antibiotics and wait it out, she suggests amping up your fluid intake and consuming plenty of cranberry juice or cranberry pills, as well as checking back in with your doctor if symptoms get worse. But here are the big exceptions: If you are pregnant or have a fever, chills, blood in your urine, flank pain, worsening symptoms, or a compromised immune system, don’t skip the antibiotics, says Dweck.
Make sure you’re also doing what you can to prevent UTIs from popping up in the first place—like not holding it in (even if your only option is a porta-potty) and always going to the bathroom before and after sex, says Dweck.
photo: Stockbyte/Thinkstock
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5 Ways to Prevent a UTI
Is Chicken Giving You UTIs?
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Should You Re-Route Your Career Path?
Considering a career do-over? In The Internship, a new movie out today, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson land internships at Google after losing their jobs as salesmen. Hilarity ensues when the pair has to compete with the other (much younger and more tech-savvy) interns. If only real-life career changes were so entertaining…
Vaughn and Wilson were forced to go looking for out-of-the-ordinary, shake-things-up gigs because they were out of work (and because it’s a Hollywood movie and all). But there’s definitely something to the idea of rethinking your career path if your current one isn’t satisfying you. It means taking a risk—or, well, lots of risks (see: financial uncertainty, less job security, still not being happy with your career choice). But it can also mean major bliss: “When people start to do work that really fulfills them, they feel good about themselves and who they are,” says Joel Garfinkle, career coach and author of Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level. “It makes an impact on their state of mind.”
The real women below took the leap—and they are way glad they did. Here’s what you can learn from their stories:
“I recently resigned from my job as a VP of healthcare investments at an investment firm to pursue my real interests—one of which is personal training, both in-person and online. I was doing it on the side in the early a.m., evenings, and on the weekend while at my finance job—with approval from my former employer’s Compliance department, of course—but I’d been turning away training clients because of my day job. Now I have time to help more people with their fitness needs.”
–Judy Kuan, New York City
The lesson: Make your hobby your career
Some signs that you’re not doing what you love for your job? “You don’t feel energized by it, it feels like work, there’s a burden to it,” says Garfinkle. He says it sometimes might not even occur to people that the thing they love to do outside of work—like a side job or even a weekend hobby—could actually be a full-time career. Kuan saw it and went for it. “It’s scary to put both feet in the water, but it can also be completely invigorating,” says Garfinkle. “Her work is now in alignment with her hobbies and interests.”
“I worked in public relations for about five years before I had this aha moment, which was: What do I really want to do for the rest of my life? I took an inward look and decided that while I love public relations—and I’m actually still doing it freelance on the side—my real passion was in the nonprofit world. I prepared myself by looking at all the positives—like the impact I’d make, the extra time I’d have with family—and the negative, which was the pay: I took about a $ 20,000 pay cut while I was enrolled in graduate school. I knew I’d have to cut back, but once I made the decision to leave my job, I accepted it and embraced it. And it turned out to be better! Now my husband and I cook dinner together and stay home more often, and we rent movies or have friends over to our house instead of always going out.”
–Jenny H., Louisville, Kentucky
The lesson: Don’t make a switch based on an impulse—think it through
So you’ve worked up the courage to make a move? Now you have to plan! Give a lot of thought to how the switch could affect your lifestyle, says Garfinkle. Jenny considered both the pros and the cons of her change, as well as ways she could make it work financially. If you see a new career in your future, say, 18 months down the road, evaluate your finances and start saving now, says Garfinkle. “Know your bottom line: the minimum amount you need to make, and what changes you can make in your financial situation, what can you get rid of,” he says, “so that the sacrifice financially doesn’t become an impediment to the choice you make to leave.”
“I was working as a management consultant, but I had this desire to do something else, I wasn’t entirely sure what. I tried working for a healthcare nonprofit in Africa and then working on a startup company back in the U.S. None of those jobs felt like ‘it,’ though. It wasn’t until I started the career destination TheMuse.com in July 2011 that I really started feeling like I was in the right career.”
–Kathryn Minshew, New York City
The lesson: Not sure what you want to do? That’s OK! Start exploring.
While you don’t want to give notice at the first sign of a rough patch, you shouldn’t be afraid to try out new career options, either (particularly if you’re exploring working in something you feel passionate about). Minshew is an example of someone who tried different careers, found out what worked and what didn’t, and kept fine-tuning, says Garfinkle. “It’s better to go and (try a new job) and learn from it than sit on the sidelines and think about what it might be like,” he says. It might be the career of your dreams—or it might fizzle. But know that even if it doesn’t work out, it won’t be the end of the world. “There’s no shame in thinking you’ll love something and then figuring out that you don’t,” says Minshew. “If it turns out not to be the right fit, it’s OK to admit to yourself, ‘This isn’t what I thought it would be, so let’s see what I can learn from it, and let me start thinking about the appropriate time to make another move.’” Plenty of people have rebounded from failed career experiments and ultimately found a more fulfilling path—just like Minshew.
photo: Viktor Gladkov/Shutterstock
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How to Fund Your Awesome Idea
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“Should I Worry About…Dry Cleaning?”
Every week, the Scoop examines alarming new claims to help you make sense of the latest health research.
There’s nothing like putting on a crisp blouse or freshly laundered dress straight from the cleaners, but could slipping on dry-cleaned clothes be dangerous? A new study from the Danish Cancer Society Research Center suggests that exposure to Tricholoroethylene (TCE), a chemical used in dry cleaning since the 1950s, may increase your chances of getting cancer.
While TCE is known to be carcinogenic to animals, a U.S. Department of Human and Health Services Report on Carcinogens released in 2011 speculated that it may also cause cancer in humans—yet the chemical is still used in dry cleaning, white out, paint thinners, adhesives, and other cleaning products. Even more worrisome, trace levels of TCE have been detected in drinking water.
To determine TCE’s effect on humans, researchers at the Danish Cancer Society Research Center followed more than 40,000 people from 1947 to 1989 and monitored their TCE levels and any incidences of cancer. During that time, researchers noticed that men who’d been exposed to TCE were 8 percent more likely to get cancer and—disturbingly—women were 23 percent more likely to get the disease.
So should you toss your dry clean-only duds? Not just yet. Study subjects were exposed to much higher levels of TCE than people typically are today. “Nowadays, [TCE] is normally only used for spot removal in dry cleaning shops,” says lead study author Johnni Hansen, PhD. In fact, the dry-cleaning industry is no longer a major source of TCE exposure, says Hansen. Since the chemical is used in much larger quantities as a degreaser in the metal industry, people who work in that field should be much more concerned about their exposure levels, says Hansen.
“Exposure levels have decreased perhaps five- to 10-fold during the last 40 years,” he says.
While it’s hard to say what amounts of exposure are “safe,” higher levels clearly pose a higher risk, says Hanson. So people who work at a job that forces them to be exposed to TCE every day (like metal workers) should be much more concerned about their cancer risk being impacted than someone who dry cleans some of their clothing regularly.
And as for the TCE you may be exposed to when drinking water? “It’s in extremely low concentrations,” says Hansen, so it’s unlikely to affect your cancer risk. (The EPA actually regulates the amount of TCE allowed in drinking water to ensure it remains at or below safe levels.)
The Verdict: Don’t worry about dropping your duds off at the cleaners. Only small amounts of TCE are used in dry cleaning, and many cleaners don’t use it at all anymore. If you really want to avoid the chemical as much as possible, there’s an easy fix: Just ask your dry cleaner if they use TCE or find a chemical-free green dry cleaner in your area at nodryclean.com.
photo: Stockbyte/Thinkstock
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“Should I Worry About Eyelash Extensions?”
Every week, the Scoop examines alarming new claims to help you make sense of the latest health research.
Forget false eyelashes you apply at home—the latest lash trend (inspired by stars like Heidi Klum, Rihanna, and Kim Kardashian) is eyelash extensions. To get them, an aesthetician uses tweezers to glue individual strands of silk, synthetic material, or mink to each of your natural lashes one by one. The process takes about two hours, costs from $ 200 to $ 1,000, and can last about three weeks before they grow out and need to be removed or replaced.
While the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) generally recommends that false eyelashes be applied by a professional for safety reasons, earlier this month the AAO warned consumers that even eyelash extensions obtained in a salon may cause infections of the cornea and eyelid, as well contact dermatitis caused by an allergic reaction to the type of glue salons use. “I’m seeing more and more patients with injuries caused by extensions, some of which can threaten a woman’s vision,” explains Rebecca Taylor, MD, an ophthalmologist in Nashville, Tennessee, and a clinical spokesperson for the AAO.
Infections and allergic reactions aren’t the only problems. Another danger is the temporary or permanent loss of your natural eyelashes, which can happen if the extensions damage the lash follicle or are so heavy they put tension on the lash, causing breakage. “Eyelashes have an important function: They sweep dirt and debris away from your eyes, preserving vision,” says Taylor. Losing yours temporarily is harmful enough, but if they never grow back, you set yourself up for a lifetime of eye issues.
That said, if you’ve been thinking of getting them—the Bambi eyes look can be seriously sexy—you can lower your risk of complications by taking a few precautions. First, hit up a reputable salon, and have the procedure done by a certified experienced aesthetician. “An inexperienced aesthetician can easily cut the eyeball or cornea,” says Taylor. Ouch. Also, a salon with an iffy reputation may not encourage staffers to wash their hands and utensils properly between customers, and that can spread infection-causing microbes.
Next, ask the aesthetician not to use glue that contains formaldehyde. “Many of the glues used for extensions contain this chemical, which can cause an allergic reaction resulting in stinging, burning, swelling, and a rash on contact or up to a week later,” says Taylor. Even if you don’t think you’re allergic to formaldehyde, play it safe and insist on a glue without it.
Once the extensions are on, watch for symptoms such as pain, itching, or redness, says Taylor. If these develop, resist the urge to scratch or tug the extensions, which can make things worse, and see an ophthalmologist, who can diagnose the issue and prescribe any necessary meds, she says. And be vigilant about lash breakage: Should the fake lashes start causing your real ones to fracture and fall off, get the extensions removed by a professional and score seductive eyes the safer way—with a mascara wand.
The verdict: Eyelash extensions can pose a serious health threat to your eyes and even cause permanent damage. While your best bet is to avoid them, make sure to take the necessary safety precautions if you feel like you absolutely have to try them.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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