Probiotics: Don't Buy the Online Hype

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 -- Many people turn to the internet with health questions, but how reliable is the information you find? When it comes to probiotics, a new study urges caution.

The research found that of 150 websites that came up with a search of probiotics, most were commercial sites, hoping to sell a product. Others were news sites or health portals (providing links to other sites). Many of these sites mentioned potential benefits of probiotics, though not all had scientific evidence to back up those claims. And just 1 in 4 of the websites mentioned any potential side effects from taking probiotics.

Two More Heartburn Meds Recalled Due to Possible Carcinogen

FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2020 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is adding to a list of recalled lots of popular heartburn medications -- including generic forms of Zantac -- because the pills might contain small amounts of a suspected carcinogen.

The substance, called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), is an environmental contaminant that can be found in water and foods and has been classified as a "probable human carcinogen" by the World Health Organization.

FDA Approves First Disposable Duodenoscope, Reducing Infection Risk

FRIDAY, Dec. 13, 2019 -- Improperly cleaned duodenoscopes -- a type of endoscope used to diagnose illness in the pancreas and bile ducts -- have been linked to hundreds of cases of severe, sometimes fatal, infections in patients.

Now, U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the first disposable duodenoscope should pave the wave for procedures that nearly eliminate that worry.

AHA News: Quitting Smoking Could Lead to Major Changes in Gut Bacteria

FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Quitting smoking leads to major changes in intestinal bacteria, according to new research. But just what the changes mean will need further investigation.

The small pilot study, to be presented Monday during the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia, comes in the wake of past research showing a link between bacteria in the gut and cardiovascular health. That past work has shown smoking is associated with a decrease in diversity in the types of beneficial bacteria living in the gut.

Popular Heartburn Drugs May Up Odds of Stomach Bug

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2019 -- If you're one of the millions who rely on medications known as proton pump inhibitors for relief from heartburn, you may be at higher risk of illness from a stomach bug, new research suggests.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) include medications such as Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix and Prilosec.