Study Finds Some Sports Supplements Contain Prohibited Drugs
A study makes startling reading for people who consume sports supplements: as well as possibly having misleading labels, some include drugs prohibited by the FDA. Energy drink "ambassadors," and how football headers are linked to memory issues are among other public health news.
USA Today:
What In Your Sports Supplement? Not What's On The Label, Study Finds
Sports supplements may not contain what their bottle says they do ‒ and they might include unapproved drugs instead, according to a new study. The study, published this week, examined 57 products claiming to include botanicals that improve sports performance. Only six of the supplements ‒ just 11% ‒ included roughly what the label promised they would. Meanwhile, seven included drugs expressly prohibited by the Food and Drug Administration. (Weintraub, 7/20)
The Boston Globe:
Energy Drink Ambassadors At Colleges Market Caffeine To Teens
Looking for a part-time gig in college? Have a passion for marketing? Are you addicted to caffeine? Red Bull’s “student marketeer” college ambassador program has hundreds of openings, and they want you. For years, Red Bull has recruited college students to spend their free time outside of class going to campus events, handing out caffeine-packed energy drinks on the street, littering cases throughout dorm buildings, and marketing the brand on social media ― all for $16 an hour, according to one student marketeer. (Scales, 7/20)
ABC News:
Headers Linked To Memory Issues, Raising Questions About Soccer Safety As The World Cup Kicks Off
With the Women's World Cup kicking off this week, the focus of the sports world turns to soccer -- the most popular sport in the world and one continuing to grow in the United States. However, new research is calling attention to one of the risks of the game, heading the ball, which studies find may be linked to brain problems later in life. The newly released study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that professional male soccer players who headed the ball more frequently during their career were more likely to develop memory issues. The study builds on prior studies from Scotland and France that also showed a link between playing soccer and the development of dementia. (Garcia, 7/20)
In other public health developments —
CNN:
Over 1 In 10 Young Adults Regularly Use E-Cigarettes, CDC Report Says
Over 1 in 10 young adults in the United States regularly use e-cigarettes, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, conducted by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, provides a snapshot of e-cigarette use in 2021. Based on data from the National Health Interview Survey, the report identified that e-cigarette use generally declined as family income increased. Adults under 44 were more likely to be dual users of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes. (Viswanathan, 7/21)
NBC News:
Stop Biting Your Nails: New Research Suggests That Gentle Touch Could Help
For people who can’t stop biting their nails or picking at their skin, a new study suggests that a simple technique could help. Body-focused repetitive behaviors — compulsively pulling or picking at your hair or skin, unable to stop yourself even if the behavior leads to scabs, scars and bald spots — affects about 5% of people worldwide, according to the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, an advocacy group for people with the conditions. (One common repetitive behavior is nail-biting.) (Tamkins, 7/20)
Newsweek:
Human West Nile Virus Case Reported In California
Ahuman case of West Nile virus has been detected in a California county. The confirmed case of the mosquito-borne virus was in Tulare county, Tulare County Public Health said in a statement. Residents are being advised to be extra careful and to guard themselves against mosquito bites. (White, 7/20)
