There is no proof that human growth hormone therapy, which has been praised by some to prevent aging, makes people live longer or benefits fitness, and it may have several potential negative effects, according to new research. A Stanford University report published Tuesday said human growth hormone injections could result in joint swelling and pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and a greater likelihood of developing diabetes.

"You are paying a lot of money for a therapy that may have minimal or no benefit and yet has a potential for some serious side effects," Dr. Hau Liu of Stanford said, according to the Chicago Tribune

The natural B vitamin "folate" is missing from many young women's diets, and this has caused alarm among government health officials.

Deficiency of this vitamin has been linked to birth defects of the brain and spine, as concluded by past research. The results of this research brought out the need for breads and cereals fortified with folic acid, an artificial version of "folate," the natural vitamin B, to be included in diets, especially during pregnancy

Flour and bread should be fortified with folic acid to lessen the risk of birth defects such as spina bifida, the Expert Advisory Group on Nutrition said Monday. The group recommends that fortification be mandatory, but some say the initiative would take away individual choice and could mask signs of vitamin deficiency in elderly people.

Now the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will begin a 3-month consultation to see how the public feels about the issue

Babies with iron deficiencies may have learning problems when they get older, according to a report released Monday. The study showed that teenagers who had low iron levels at about 17 months scored lower on cognitive tests than their peers who had adequate iron levels at the same age.

The study, led by Dr. Betsy Lozoff of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, spanned about 20 years. Lozoff and her team studied 185 children at about one year of age. The children who screened for iron deficiencies were given supplements, but some of them were never able to achieve normal iron levels

A new test could identify a rare genetic disorder that has been found to be linked to the development of lung disease.

This disorder is a deficiency that changes the natural processes of the body to heal itself in lung and liver functions, therefore leading to inflammation. People who have this genetic disorder are at risk of developing a chronic lung or liver disorder