By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Having high blood levels of “bad” (LDL) cholesterol predicts increased risk for heart attacks, but contrary to what we thought in the past, having high levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol does not necessarily predict protection from heart disease. A recent report from the Copenhagen General Population Study shows that having either…
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Recent research shows that we can now add sarcopenia, loss of strength and muscle size with aging, to the list of medical problems associated with inflammation. Older people who suffer from sarcopenia are far more likely to have high blood levels of the markers of inflammation such as CRP, SED rate…
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Countless studies have shown that exercise helps to prevent heart attacks, but some researchers have found scarring in heart muscle and increased plaques in the heart arteries of men who have run many marathons and triathlons, resulting in news headlines warning of “too much exercise.” A study of 50 men who…
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Eighty percent of North Americans have X-ray evidence of osteoarthritis by age 65, and 60 percent have significant joint pain. A recent study compared the size of knee cartilage in: 176 skeletons of people who lived from 6000 to 300 years ago (from U.S. museums) 1,581 skeletons of people who died…
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. The American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and nine other heart health groups now agree that you have high blood pressure if your blood pressure is above 130/80, not 140/90 as the previous guidelines recommended (American Heart Association’s annual meeting, November 13, 2017). This means that 46 percent of…
