The People's Pharmacy

1 week ago | peoplespharmacy.com | Joe Graedon

Are doctors overusing Computed Tomography Imaging? CT or “CAT” scans were performed over 90 million times in 2023. That’s according to a study just published in JAMA Internal Medicine, April 14, 2025. The name CAT scan sounds innocuous, but in fact it represents ionizing radiation, similar to X-rays. According to these researchers, those CT scans will likely lead to more than 100,000 future cancers. Don’t get me wrong, though. There are times when such imaging is absolutely essential.

1 week ago | peoplespharmacy.com | Joe Graedon

Have you ever had an MRI to diagnose osteoarthritis of the hip or check for cancer or an aneurysm? MRI or magnetic resonance imaging is considered much safer than CT scans that require ionizing radiation. MRIs do not use ionizing radiation. They can be an effective way to detect problems, especially in soft tissue. Doctors may use them to diagnose a stroke or or joint problem. In 2015, experts estimated that 20 million MRIs were conducted in the U.S. each year.

1 week ago | peoplespharmacy.com | Joe Graedon |Alzheimer’s disease

For decades researchers have considered nicotine a serious health problem. It is, after all, the addicting compound in cigarettes and other tobacco products. Humans have apparently been using tobacco as a drug for over 12,000 years (Nature Human Behavior, Feb. 2022). It has been smoked, snuffed and chewed. More recently, drug companies have created the nicotine patch. It is supposed to help people stop smoking. Could it also help people who are suffering from Alzheimer disease?

1 week ago | peoplespharmacy.com | Joe Graedon

Doctors frequently tell their patients with elevated cholesterol levels to change their diet. The problem is that people rarely get specific details about what to eat. They are told what not to eat. That usually boils down to avoiding saturated fat. Is there a better cholesterol-lowering diet plan? One reader found a food that seemed to help quite a bit. Could Golden Milk Lower Cholesterol? Q. I’ve been on statins for decades, experiencing side effects with every one I’ve tried.

1 week ago | peoplespharmacy.com | Joe Graedon

Leg cramps are nasty whenever they occur. Leg cramps at night are even worse. That’s because they can strike without any notice. You can be fast asleep one moment and the next be writhing in agony. Sadly, neither health professionals nor the Food and Drug Administration have come up with effective treatments. Maybe that’s because nocturnal leg cramps have not been perceived as worthy of research dollars.