The Dr. B Health Blog

As we cruise down the Affordable Health Care Act Highway, those of you that treasure control over your own body should be thinking twice, as more federal government insinuates itself into your body.

Just what do I mean by this? Am I against my fellow man/woman being assured a safety net of medical care? No!

But, I do not want to see the extreme right determining what a woman can or cannot do with her body. Likewise, I do not want to see the left decide what is good for me, whether I like it or not.

Increasingly, men with no erectile dysfunction to speak of are seeking out in doctor's offices and on the internet drugs like Viagra, Cialis, Levitra and Stendra in order to have more erections that last longer and "harder."

It's not different than men seeking male steroids (testosterone or doping) in order to build muscle strength. Men are looking to be "super," in this case, the super stud!

But, can recreational ED (Erectile Dysfunction)drugs lead to ED when the user really does not need assistance?

I have written about this, mentioned it more than once on my radio show and commented on this matter on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Simply put, I can see no reason, other than a laboratory demonstrated calcium deficiency -- typically a sign of other disease -- that anyone should be supplementing their diet with calcium liquid, chewables or pills.

Taking calcium does not, in and of itself, treat or prevent osteoporosis or osteopenia (loss of calcium and strength in the bone), no matter the cause. Calcium does not grow stronger teeth. Do you need calcium? Yes you do, but not as a supplement!

The body makes vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun, and we also ingest it.

But vitamin D is important and there is a lot to know about it.

1. I think that everyone should be taking vitamin D. I find that most of my patients have vitamin D levels that are either low (below 40 ng/ml) or very low (below 20 ng/ml)/ I prefer my patients to keep levels in the 25 to 30 ng/ml range. Conventional physicians will say the you are OK at 20 ng/ml. I disagree!