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Daily Rounds: New Vitamin D Advice; Emergency Room CT Scans Up Sharply; So Are Kids' Eating Disorders; New Cancer Targets; Smoking Pot Hurts Immune System

Extra Calcium and Vitamin D Aren’t Necessary, Report Says - NYTimes.com "The very high levels of vitamin D that are often recommended by doctors and testing laboratories — and can be achieved only by taking supplements — are unnecessary and could be harmful, an expert committee says. It also concludes that calcium supplements are not needed. The group said most people have adequate amounts of vitamin D in their blood supplied by their diets and natural sources like sunshine, the committee says in a report that is to be released on Tuesday." (The New York Times)

Tough To Say No To CT Scans In Emergency Rooms : Shots - Health News Blog : NPR "A new study shows that CT, or computerized tomography, has increased in ERs nearly six-fold since 1995 and shows no sign of tapering off." (npr.org)

Eating disorders among children are increasing, a new study finds - latimes.com "This report published online Monday in Pediatrics estimates that 0.5% of adolescent girls in the U.S. have anorexia and 1% to 2% meet the criteria for bulimia. It also says more boys and more children younger than 12 are being diagnosed with eating disorders." (Los Angeles Times)

In Cancer Research, a New Target - Tumors’ Fuel Line - NYTimes.com' “Nutrient supply and deprivation is becoming potentially the next big wave,” said Dr. David Schenkein, chief executive of Agios Pharmaceuticals, a company formed two years ago to develop drugs that interfere with tumor metabolism. Among its founders was Dr. Craig B. Thompson, the new president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.' (The New York Times)

Smoking pot suppresses the immune system - Health - Addictions - msnbc.com "This effect of marijuana is due to chemicals in the drug that fire up the body's production of immune system cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells. While most immune system cells are protective — fighting infections and cancers to keep a person healthy — these cells suppress the immune system, keeping it in check, according to the study." (MSNBC)

This program aired on November 30, 2010. The audio for this program is not available.

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