By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Many people who take statin drugs complain of muscle pain and muscle damage. A new study associates this statin-induced muscle pain with low blood levels of vitamin D (Atherosclerosis, 11/22/2016). An eight–week randomized, double–blind crossover trial of a statin drug (simvastatin, 20 mg/day) on 120 patients who had previously complained of…
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. If you don’t exercise regularly and vigorously, expect to lose a significant amount of muscle strength as you age, and expect that loss of strength to reduce the quality of your life. A 15-year follow-up study showed that older people who lift weights at least twice a week had a 46…
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. If you store the extra fat in your buttocks and thighs, you are at low risk for being harmed by that extra fat. However, if you store the extra fat primarily in your belly, you are at high risk for becoming diabetic and dying prematurely. People with tiny buttocks and a…
By John Hogan At first take, getting two total knee replacements at once sounds insane. But I decided it would be best for me. I found no relevant first-hand experience from any brave souls who actually went through bilateral total knee replacement (B-TKR), especially as it pertains to serious road cyclists. The goal of this…
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. A resting heart rate greater than 80 beats per minute is a strong predictor for future heart attacks, diabetes and even cancer. From 1974 to 2002, 53,322 healthy people were followed at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas. Those with a resting heart rate lower than 60 beats per minute were…
