Health
‘This Is a Dangerous Virus’
When bird flu first struck dairy cattle a year ago, it seemed possible that it might affect a few isolated herds and disappear as quickly as it had appeared. Instead, the virus has infected more than 900 herds and dozens of people, killing one, and the outbreak shows no signs of abating.
A pandemic is not inevitable even now, more than a dozen experts said in interviews. But a series of developments over the past few weeks indicates that the possibility is no longer remote.
Toothless guidelines, inadequate testing and long delays in releasing data — echoes of the missteps during the Covid-19 pandemic — have squandered opportunities for containing the outbreak, the experts said.
In one example emblematic of the disarray, a few dairy herds in Idaho that were infected in the spring displayed mild symptoms for a second time in the late fall, The New York Times has learned. In mid-January, the Department of Agriculture said that no new infections in Idaho herds had been identified since October. But state officials publicly discussed milder cases in November.
That a second bout of infections would produce milder symptoms in cattle is unsurprising, experts said, and could be welcome news to farmers. But reinfections suggest that the virus, called H5N1, could circulate on farms indefinitely, creating opportunities for it to evolve into a more dangerous form — a “high-risk” scenario, said Louise Moncla, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Pennsylvania.
“You could easily end up with endemically circulating H5 in dairy herds without symptoms, obscuring rapid or easy detection,” Dr. Moncla said.
It’s impossible to predict whether the virus will evolve the ability to spread among people, let alone when, she and others said. But the worry is that if bird flu finds the right combination of genetic mutations, the outbreak could quickly escalate.
“I’m still not pack-my-bags-and-head-to-the-hills worried, but there’s been more signals over the past four to six weeks that this virus has the capacity” to set off a pandemic, said Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Federal officials, too, have subtly altered their tone in discussing the outbreak, now emphasizing how quickly the situation might change.
For the general public, H5N1 is “a low risk, relative to the other risks they face today,” said Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But “100 percent, that could change,” he said. “This is a dangerous virus.”
Health experts emphasize that there are precautions Americans can take: Do not touch sick or dead birds or other animals; get tested if you have flulike symptoms; do not consume raw milk or meat, or feed them to your pets.
If a larger outbreak were to erupt, the federal vaccine stockpile holds a few million doses, although that vaccine might first need updating to match the evolved form of the virus. In either case, officials would have to scramble to produce enough for the population.
The C.D.C. recommends treatment with the antiviral Tamiflu, but studies have shown that the drug does very little to ease illness.
Underlining concerns among many experts is that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would lead the federal health department if confirmed, was a vocal critic of Covid vaccines and has said the bird flu vaccines “appear to be dangerous.”
Even if the second Trump administration embraces vaccine development, as the first one did when Covid bore down, it’s unclear how many Americans would roll up their sleeves for the shots. Influenza typically affects children and older adults, and pandemic influenza has sometimes hit young adults the hardest. But the mistrust engendered during Covid-19 may make Americans eschew precautions, at least initially.
An evolving threat
Unlike the coronavirus, which caused havoc with its sudden arrival, influenza viruses typically start off in a specific animal species or in certain geographical regions.
When H5N1 emerged in East Asia nearly three decades ago, it mostly sickened birds. In the years that followed, it infected at least 940 people, nearly all of whom had close, sustained contact with infected birds; roughly half of those people died.
But since January 2022, when the virus was detected in wild aquatic birds in the United States, it has affected more than 136 million commercial, backyard and wild birds, helping to send egg prices soaring. It has also struck dozens of mammalian species, including cats both wild and domesticated, raccoons, bears and sea lions.
For at least a year, H5N1 has been infecting dairy cattle, which were not known to be susceptible to this type of influenza. In some cows, it has had lasting effects, reducing milk production and increasing the odds of spontaneous abortions.
And in 2024, the virus infected 67 Americans, compared with just one in the years before, in 2022. The sources of these infections are not all known; one person may have transmitted the virus to someone in their household.
Many of these developments are classic steps toward a pandemic, said Dr. James Lawler, a director at the University of Nebraska’s Global Center for Health Security. But, he noted, “where those were really supposed to trigger accelerated and amplified actions at the federal, state and local level, we’ve just kind of shrugged when each milestone has passed.”
Infections in dairy herds, which first emerged in Texas, appeared to be declining last summer. But in late August, California announced its first case. The state’s figures soon rose sharply, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a public health emergency in December.
“That was sort of a flag to me, like, ‘OK, this hasn’t gone away,’” said Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. “Over the last couple of months, it has felt like the tempo has increased,” she said.
Several other recent events have raised the level of alarm among experts. In early December, scientists reported that in a lab setting, a single mutation helped the virus infect human cells more efficiently.
And late last year two people, a 13-year-old Canadian girl and a Louisiana resident older than 65, became seriously ill; previously, most people infected with H5N1 had not experienced severe symptoms. The Louisiana patient, who had health conditions and cared for sick and dying birds, died in early January.
The girl was placed on life support because of organ failure, but eventually recovered. Scientists still do not know how she became infected; her only risk factor was obesity.
Both patients had contracted a new version of the virus that is distinct from the one in dairy cattle and is now widespread in birds. In both individuals, the virus gained mutations during the course of infection that might allow it to better infect people.
“We are clearly now getting novel viruses forming in the wild bird reservoir,” Dr. Moncla said. “It’s become challenging to keep a handle on all of the various threats.”
Some experts see it as particularly worrisome that the virus seems to be in food sources like raw milk and raw pet food. Domesticated cats have died in numerous states, prompting the recall of at least one brand of pet food and new federal guidelines on pet food quality.
“The raw-pet-food thing to me is, I think, quite alarming,” said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Pasteurization kills live virus, as does cooking meat at high temperatures. Still, neither procedure is perfect, Dr. Marrazzo noted: “There’s no way that you can police production and sterilization in a way that’s going to make sure 100 percent of the time that food supply is going to be safe.”
A flawed response
In the year since the outbreak began, federal officials have announced other measures to prevent or prepare for a pandemic. But each is deeply flawed, experts said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was slow to begin testing H5N1 vaccines for cows, leaving interested companies in limbo. Dr. Marrazzo said that the department had released genetic information from virus samples but had not said where or when they were collected — details that would help scientists track the virus’s evolution.
It is also unclear how many herds are reinfected or have been battling monthslong infections. In Idaho, some herds infected in the spring seemed to recover but showed milder symptoms again in November.
“From the data we have to date, we do not see evidence of new infections or reinfections in previously affected herds, but rather a lack of clearance of the original infection,” a spokesman for the U.S.D.A. said in an emailed response. But outside experts said that the trajectory of symptoms suggested a second round of illness.
The U.S.D.A.’s program to test bulk milk began in December — nearly a year after the outbreak began — and still does not include Idaho. Engaging private companies may help the program move faster.
Ginkgo Bioworks, a company that worked with federal agencies during the Covid pandemic, already assesses roughly half the nation’s commercial milk supply for bacteria, antibiotics and other substances.
Adding H5N1 to the list would be straightforward, so “why wouldn’t we just add assays into this infrastructure that we already have?” said Matt McKnight, a manager at the company’s biosecurity division.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced $306 million in new funding, about one-third of it for surveillance, testing and outreach to farmworkers.
But farmworkers in some places like the Texas Panhandle are still unaware of what bird flu is, how it spreads and why it should matter to them, said Bethany Alcauter, director of research and public health programs at the National Center for Farmworker Health.
As a result, she said, many workers still do not use protective gear, including in milk parlors where the virus is thought to spread.
Human testing has been voluntary, and infections have been missed. Few farmworkers have opted to be tested, out of fear of immigration officials or their own employers.
“If you don’t look for it, you won’t find it, right?,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, who served as White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under President Trump. “This is not about lockdowns or restricting activity. It’s about protecting the individual American by empowering them with the information.”
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Before the first successful vaccine was developed in 1796, Americans had little protection against deadly infectious diseases like smallpox, measles and diphtheria.
Over the next 250 years, vaccines helped eliminate or dramatically reduce many vaccine-preventable infectious diseases, preventing millions of illnesses, infections and deaths.
“There is a reason that vaccines are widely considered to be the greatest public health tool after sanitation,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital.
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“They are designed to ‘fool’ the immune system into thinking it has seen a disease, creating an ‘immune memory’ to provoke an immune response to the pathogen when it actually does appear.”
“True vaccines have side effects, and there is the risk of vaccine injury — but overall, the benefit to the individual and society vastly outweighs any harm,” Siegel added.
Over 250 years, vaccines helped eliminate or dramatically reduce many vaccine-preventable infectious diseases, preventing millions of illnesses, infections and deaths. (iStock)
As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, the following vaccines stand out among the most significant medical achievements in the country’s history.
No. 1: Smallpox
Smallpox, a highly contagious viral disease caused by the variola virus, was one of the world’s deadliest diseases before vaccination, killing about 30% of those infected, according to CDC data.
The infectious disease had no cure and spread through close person-to-person contact, causing fever, fatigue and a distinctive rash that led to pus-filled blisters. Survivors were often left with permanent scarring or blindness.
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The first successful vaccine, developed by English physician Edward Jenner in 1796, eventually transformed public health in the United States.
Jenner’s smallpox vaccine ultimately led to the global eradication of smallpox, according to the World Health Organization. The vaccine is no longer given routinely to the public and is mainly used for select military, laboratory and emergency-response needs.
“There is a reason that vaccines are widely considered to be the greatest public health tool after sanitation.”
“The first vaccine against smallpox eradicated a disease that killed 5-10% of all humans who had ever lived for almost all of human history,” Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, told Fox News Digital. “Then the drumbeat began of relentless progress right at the eve of the 20th century.”
No. 2: Rabies
A viral disease that attacks the brain and nervous system, rabies spreads through the saliva of infected mammals, most commonly through the bites of dogs, bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes.
Once symptoms begin, rabies is almost always fatal, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the brain and nervous system and spreads through the saliva of infected mammals, most commonly through the bites of dogs, bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. (iStock)
Although there is no cure, vaccination immediately after exposure can prevent the disease. It can also be given before exposure for people at high risk.
Researcher Louis Pasteur created the first rabies vaccine in 1885, according to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Today, prompt vaccination after exposure remains the standard way to prevent an otherwise almost universally fatal disease.
No. 3: Diphtheria
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can cause a thick coating in the throat. It was fatal for some, and survivors could face serious complications, including heart damage, paralysis and breathing problems, according to the CDC.
Before the vaccine’s introduction in the 1920s, diphtheria was one of the leading causes of illness and death among youth in the U.S. During that decade, there were 100,000 to 200,000 cases and 13,000 to 15,000 deaths recorded each year, mostly affecting children.
Before the vaccine’s introduction in the 1920s, diphtheria was one of the leading causes of illness and death among youth in the U.S. (Ebrahim Hamid/AFP via Getty Images)
The diphtheria toxoid vaccine was introduced in the 1920s. Diphtheria is now extremely rare in the U.S. due to widespread vaccinations, per the CDC.
The vaccine remains part of the routine childhood immunization schedule as part of the DTaP series, with boosters recommended for teens, adults and pregnant women.
No. 4: Tetanus
Tetanus is a bacterial disease caused by Clostridium tetani, which enters the body through cuts or wounds, according to the CDC. The infection can cause severe muscle spasms, “lockjaw” and death.
Before vaccination, tetanus was often fatal because severe muscle spasms could make it impossible to swallow or breathe. Although the disease is not spread from person to person, hundreds of Americans died from tetanus each year, records show.
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The tetanus toxoid vaccine was developed in the 1920s, according to CHOP. Tetanus vaccination remains part of the routine childhood immunization schedule, with boosters recommended every 10 years and as needed following certain wounds.
No. 5: Pertussis (whooping cough)
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes severe coughing fits, often making it difficult to breathe, eat or sleep. Infants are at highest risk, as they can develop pneumonia, seizures, brain damage or even death.
Before widespread vaccination, the U.S. recorded more than 200,000 pertussis cases and thousands of youth hospitalizations each year, the CDC states.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection that causes severe coughing fits, often making it difficult to breathe, eat or sleep. (iStock)
The first pertussis vaccine was introduced in the 1910s, followed by the combination DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine in the 1940s.
After widespread vaccination, cases fell by more than 90% and deaths from the disease became uncommon. The pertussis vaccine remains part of the routine U.S. immunization schedule for children, teens and adults, and doctors recommend vaccination during pregnancy to pass protective antibodies to newborns.
No. 6: Influenza
This contagious viral respiratory illness can cause serious complications, hospitalization and death, CDC data shows.
Before the vaccine was available, seasonal flu epidemics caused widespread illness and death every year. During the 1918 influenza pandemic (“Spanish flu”), an estimated one-third of the world’s population was infected and at least 50 million people died worldwide, including about 675,000 Americans.
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The first U.S. flu vaccine was licensed in 1945, helping launch routine seasonal influenza vaccination programs.
Widespread vaccination has significantly reduced the risk of flu illness, hospitalization and death. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older receives a seasonal flu vaccine each year, with rare exceptions. The vaccine is updated annually to target changing strains.
No. 7: Polio
Polio (poliomyelitis), a highly contagious viral disease caused by poliovirus, spreads mainly through contact with contaminated food, water or stool, per the CDC.
For some, the virus can attack the nervous system, causing permanent paralysis, breathing difficulties and death. During the early 1950s, more than 15,000 cases of paralytic polio were reported each year in the U.S.
A pediatrician vaccinates a child with a 6-way combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus (tetanus), polio, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and hepatitis B. (Julian Stratenschulte/dpa (Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance via Getty Images))
In 1955, Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine was introduced in the country, greatly reducing case counts. In 1979, the U.S. was declared free of wild poliovirus, according to the World Health Organization.
Injected polio vaccination is still part of the routine childhood U.S. immunization schedule.
No. 8: MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
Before vaccines, measles, mumps and rubella were common childhood diseases that infected millions of Americans and could cause serious complications.
Prior to the measles vaccine, nearly all American children contracted the highly contagious viral disease by age 15, according to the NIH. About 400 to 500 Americans died of measles each year, while about 1,000 experienced brain swelling and 48,000 were hospitalized, records show.
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Before the first mumps vaccine, about 186,000 cases were reported in the U.S. each year, and the disease was a common cause of children’s meningitis, per the NIH.
Rubella epidemics also regularly occurred in the U.S. before vaccination. Between 1964 and 1965, about 12.5 million Americans were infected, resulting in approximately 2,100 newborn deaths and 20,000 babies born with congenital rubella syndrome, causing blindness, deafness, heart defects and developmental disabilities.
A doctor is shown giving a vaccine to a baby. Rubella epidemics regularly occurred in the U.S. before vaccination (iStock)
The measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, followed by mumps in 1967 and rubella in 1969. In 1971, the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine became available, protecting against all three contagious viral diseases in a single shot. Prior to the combined vaccine, children typically had to receive three separate shots, the CDC noted.
Widespread vaccination has reduced cases of all three diseases by more than 99% in the United States, per NIH data.
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, meaning it was no longer spreading continuously within the country. Routine vaccination also led to endemic rubella being declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2004.
No. 9: Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B, a viral infection that attacks the liver, is spread through contact with infected blood and other body fluids, according to the CDC.
Some people develop chronic hepatitis B, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.
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Before vaccination, hepatitis B was a major public health threat in the U.S. In the early 1980s, an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 Americans contracted the infection each year, the NIH states. Infants infected at birth were at particularly high risk, with about 90% developing chronic infection.
The hepatitis B vaccine was licensed in 1981, and the CDC began recommending universal infant vaccination in 1991. Since then, acute hepatitis B cases have declined by more than 80% in the U.S., and infections among children and adolescents have fallen by more than 95%, per the NIH.
No. 10: Hib
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia, meningitis, bloodstream infections and severe throat swelling, per the CDC.
Severe cases can lead to hearing loss or brain damage.
Hib was once the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in young children in the U.S., with around 20,000 serious infections and 1,000 deaths reported each year in those 5 and younger. (iStock)
Hib was once the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in young children in the U.S., with around 20,000 serious infections and 1,000 deaths reported each year in those 5 and younger.
The first Hib vaccine was licensed in 1985, with routine immunizations reducing invasive disease by more than 99%, according to CDC data. The infection is now rare in the U.S.
No. 11: Chickenpox/varicella
Chickenpox (varicella) is a highly contagious viral disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus that causes an itchy, blister-like rash, fever and fatigue, according to the CDC.
In some people, it can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation and bacterial skin infections.
“There is a reason that vaccines are widely considered to be the greatest public health tool after sanitation.”
Before the first chickenpox vaccine became available in the U.S. in 1995, about four million Americans were infected each year, with around 100 to 150 deaths and up to 13,000 hospitalizations, according to the CDC and NIH.
Since routine two-dose childhood vaccination began, hospitalizations and deaths have declined by more than 90%, and severe complications have become rare, CDC data shows.
No. 12: Hepatitis A
A highly contagious viral liver infection, hepatitis A spreads mainly through contaminated food or water or close contact with an infected person, per the CDC.
While it does not cause chronic liver disease like hepatitis B, it can cause weeks or months of illness and, in rare cases, liver failure.
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Before vaccination, outbreaks led to as many as 30,000 infections each year.
The first hepatitis A vaccine was licensed in the U.S. in 1995. Since routine childhood vaccination began, infection rates have dropped by more than 95%, according to the NIH.
No. 13: Pneumococcal
Pneumococcal disease, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, bloodstream infections, ear infections and sinus infections, the CDC states.
Before vaccination, pneumococcal disease caused thousands of cases of meningitis and bloodstream infections and hundreds of deaths among young children. (iStock)
Before vaccination, pneumococcal disease caused thousands of cases of meningitis and bloodstream infections and hundreds of deaths among young children, per the NIH. Older adults also faced a high risk of hospitalization from bacterial pneumonia.
The first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was licensed in 2000. Routine childhood vaccination has dramatically reduced disease rates, and newer vaccines have been developed to protect against emerging bacterial strains.
No. 14: HPV
The most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., the human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cervical, anal, penile, vaginal, vulvar and oropharyngeal cancers, according to the CDC.
The HPV vaccine was licensed in 2006, becoming the first immunization designed to prevent multiple types of cancer.
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Since the vaccine became available, HPV infections, precancers and genital warts have declined significantly, CDC data shows.
HPV vaccination is now part of the routine U.S. immunization schedule, with two doses recommended for those younger than 15 and three doses for those 15 and older.
No. 15: Rotavirus
Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that primarily affects infants and young children, causing severe diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
Before the vaccine became available in 2006, nearly every child contracted the virus by age 5, often leading to severe dehydrating diarrhea, the CDC states. Up to 70,000 children were hospitalized and 20 to 60 died each year in the U.S.
Before the shingles vaccine was available, about one million Americans developed the infection each year, with adults over 50 at highest risk. (iStock)
Since routine rotavirus vaccination began, hospitalizations, emergency room visits and severe illness have declined significantly. Infants receive two or three oral doses as part of the routine immunization schedule.
No. 16: Shingles
Shingles is a painful rash caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same one that causes chickenpox, per the CDC. It can cause severe nerve pain lasting months or even years.
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Before the vaccine was available, about one million Americans developed shingles each year, with adults over age 50 at highest risk.
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The first shingles vaccine was licensed in 2006, and the more effective Shingrix vaccine was introduced in 2017, greatly reducing the risk of shingles and long-term nerve pain, according to the CDC and FDA.
Experts recommend two doses for adults 50 and older and for certain immunocompromised adults ages 19 and older.
No. 17: COVID-19
When the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide in 2020, there was no vaccine to prevent severe illness from the infection, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The Food and Drug Administration on June 16, 2023, told COVID-19 vaccine makers to update fall shots to target the latest omicron strain. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
In the U.S., the contagious virus caused millions of hospitalizations and more than 1.2 million deaths, according to data from the CDC and NIH.
The first COVID-19 vaccines received emergency authorization in December 2020. Multiple studies have shown that the vaccines significantly reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death, particularly among high-risk groups.
“COVID vaccines saved millions of lives around the world during the COVID pandemic.”
“COVID vaccines saved millions of lives around the world during the COVID pandemic,” Siegel said.
Although the CDC continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination, specific guidance varies by age, risk level and previous vaccination history.
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Glanville, whose company is currently working to develop a universal flu vaccine, among others, summed up the impact of these and other vaccines in America.
People should contact a doctor to discuss individual recommendations for vaccines, which can vary by age, health status, medical history and risk factors. (iStock)
“To truly understand the impact that vaccines have had in the last 100 years, read through the list of pathogens along the timeline until they become familiar to you, until they include things you or your family may have been infected by in your own life,” he advised. “You may barely even recognize most of the pathogens in the first half of the list – because vaccines pushed them out of the human experience. That is the power of vaccines.”
People should contact a doctor to discuss individual recommendations for vaccines, which can vary by age, health status, medical history and risk factors.
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Americans are popping more supplements – and fewer multivitamins – than ever before, a new study found.
Research published in JAMA Network Open, led by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, looked at 25 years of U.S. dietary supplement use data from 1999 to 2023.
This included more than 63,000 adults over the age of 20 who reported their supplement usage.
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When tracking patterns over time, the analysis revealed that overall supplement use increased from 51% of U.S. adults to 60%. The largest rise – from 62% to 78% – was identified in adults 65 and older.
Supplement use was found to be more common in women, people with a higher income or education, and those with insurance.
Supplement use was found to be more common in women, people with a higher income or education, and those with insurance. (iStock)
During the same period, multivitamin use decreased from 35% to 31%, while intake of vitamins and minerals outside of multivitamins increased.
Some of the largest increases in intake were seen in vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B12 and turmeric. Other emerging supplements include ashwagandha, elderberry, collagen, hyaluronic acid, probiotics and prebiotics, according to the research.
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The later post-pandemic period saw an influx of immune support-based products, like zinc and vitamin D (outside of multivitamins).
The rise in supplement use aligns with the longevity movement, as more people seek products tailored to specific health goals, such as immune support, inflammation, gut health, skin health and joint health.
The study only shows that people are taking more supplements, but does not prove that they’re effective for these uses, the researchers noted.
Those on a GLP-1 medication should factor in a multivitamin to counteract the risk of nutrient gaps or deficiencies, an expert recommended. (iStock)
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein gave her take on the emerging supplement movement.
“I love that people are getting more educated and more intentional – I just wish they were being advised by more doctors and dietitians and less by ‘wellness influencers’ who are likely not doing the due diligence on the quality and efficacy of the supplements they’re promoting,” she said.
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Muhlstein expressed concern that all-in-one-multivitamin use has “slipped,” despite the rise in GLP-1 weight-loss medications.
“A multivitamin is where I think people should start as the foundation to help bridge nutrient gaps, especially for people on a GLP-1 who are eating about 15% to 30% less, and therefore likely consuming 15% to 30% less vitamins and minerals,” she said. “I recommend that everyone on a GLP-1 medication [should] take a multivitamin daily.”
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A daily probiotic, magnesium and vitamin D3 are also “smart for many of us,” the nutritionist added. She also recommends elderberry as an effective supplement for boosting the immune system when fighting a cold.
A nutrition expert cautioned against taking supplements that have not gone through third-party testing for safety and quality. (iStock)
Collagen has also been shown to benefit the skin and joints, which Muhlstein said is “worth considering as we get older.”
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“My real concern is the unregulated market,” she cautioned. “I can’t tell you how many calls I’ve received over the years of people pitching me new supplements … because the margins are high and the market is huge.”
“That’s why I’m extremely picky about what I take and what I recommend to my family and clients.”
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Muhlstein warned against taking a supplement that hasn’t gone through third-party testing for safety and quality.
“The best ones go further and test for pesticides, arsenic and heavy metals, especially for protein powders,” she said. “If a product has many ingredients, I like to see that they do testing on each individual ingredient.”
Bipartisan push to invest in US national parks
Bret Baier moderates a discussion with Representatives Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Jared Huffman (D-CA) about the ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative. This bipartisan effort seeks to modernize national parks ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, investing $1.9 billion annually. They emphasize national parks as common ground, beloved by all Americans, and crucial for our shared heritage.
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As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, many Americans are taking extra notice of all the things the country has to offer.
One such case is our access to vast wilderness. Today, the nation’s national parks are bustling tourist attractions, but they may also serve as vital resources for public health, experts say.
The most immediate health boost comes from physical movement.
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Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that regular physical activity is crucial for reducing obesity, improving sleep quality and lowering the risk of chronic illnesses.
The nation’s public lands include parks, trails and open spaces that encourage outdoor recreation and physical activity.
Beyond physical fitness, national parks contribute to documented mental health benefits. (iStock)
A review by the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) found that implementing park, trail and greenway infrastructure directly increases physical activity across communities.
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When people walk, hike or bike through national parks, they are actively lowering their blood pressure, boosting immune function and reducing overall mortality, data shows.
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Beyond physical fitness, national parks may contribute to documented mental health benefits.
Previous research has demonstrated that direct exposure to nature significantly reduces physiological stress, lowers heart rates and decreases levels of stress hormones, like cortisol.
Engaging in educational activities and lifelong learning preserves brain function, improves memory and helps stave off age-related cognitive decline, research shows. (iStock)
This research also shows that natural environments boost attention span, combat mental fatigue and improve cognitive performance.
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Parks also act as natural venues for mindfulness and social connection.
Research shows that practicing mindfulness in quiet outdoor spaces lowers stress and mitigates feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
Research highlights that practicing mindfulness in quiet outdoor spaces lowers stress and mitigates feelings of loneliness and social isolation. (iStock)
Additionally, because parks protect cultural and historical resources, they can inspire lifelong learning.
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According to the data, engaging in educational activities and lifelong learning preserves brain function, improves memory and helps stave off age-related cognitive decline.
The National Park Service was established in 1916 to conserve the nation’s natural and historic resources for future generations, according to the organization.
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Today, that mission has expanded, as parks are recognized not only for their scenic and cultural value, but also the opportunities they provide for recreation and physical activity.
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