A few posts back, I talked about breaking your smoking addiction with exercise. Well, it looks like there's a new addiction making the rounds that might be even harder to resist with summer coming up: tanning.

FoxNews reports that in a study conducted last year, frequent tanners (8-15 times a month) showed signs of withdrawal when given a drug that blocked a narcotic-like substance that is produced when skin tans. Symptoms included nausea and nervousness, and were not observed in infrequent tanners given the same drug.

The study also revealed that indoor tanners were often more susceptible to the tanning addiction. Researcher Mandeep Kaur, MD, says, "If you are tanning yourself eight or more times a month, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.---if you are baking yourself, this is going to affect you...And that goes for tanning beds, too. They say they are safe, but there is no such thing as safe tanning."

Now, aside from the fact that it's hard to believe someone is going to tan 8 to 15 times a month, is there any more reason to keep sun exposure down to a minimum? Sunlight can improve moods and benefit your health through the creation of Vitamin D, but a little goes a long way. The advice seems to be to slap on some sunscreen (like TiO2 Sunblock SPF 30) now, or your next stop may be a rehab center filled with patients that sport tans that would make Coco Chanel envious.

DG

There has always been a lot of belief and scepticism over the benefits of nutritional supplements, but it seems like the debate has become even more of a roller coaster ride in the last few months.
One recent study declared that not only are antioxidant supplements worthless, but research actually points to some of them increasing people's mortality rates.

For the legions of Americans and those around the globe who do take a supplement high in antioxidants, this is fearsome news indeed.

But NBC Today Show nutritionist, Joy Bauer, recently released another interpretation of this study that puts the little pills in a slightly better light. While she does say that most nutrition should come from foods and people should avoid "mega" doses of antioxidants, she does recommend that people fill out their nutrition with multi-vitamins from trusted sources.

From the article:

"That being said, I say people should stop taking MEGA-doses of antioxidants unless there's a real reason for taking them... and that's something to work out with your personal doctor.

On the other hand, I do think most people will benefit from a basic multivitamin to fill in any potential nutrient gaps in their diets (most importantly you'll get 100% daily value for Vitamin D---an important vitamin that most people do not get enough of). Think of it as an "insurance policy."..... Finally, I really like omega-3 fish oil supplements because they're so good for overall heart health. If you don't eat enough omega-3-rich fish---like salmon and sardines---you may want to consider a supplement. Always speak with your physician first."

To find supplements you can trust, she suggests you look for the following:

1. What's on the label is in the bottle---no more, no less.
2. It doesn't contain harmful levels of contaminants.
3. It will break down properly in your body.
4. It has been made under good manufacturing processes.

Keeping sources pure and doses manageable are two things MenScience Omega 3 Supplement Formula and Advanced Antioxidants can definitely fulfill. There's no recipe for long life that can be found in a little pill, but I have a feeling the benefits of nutritional supplements will continue to be debated for years to come.

DG

To kick off the new Men of MenScience series, we're spotlighting skier/windsurfer Bill "Tuna" Fontana. At 61 years old, Tuna's year is spent between two locations most men would give their left arms to even visit: Aspen and Maui, Hawaii.





DG

We talked about the benefits of drinking wine, and moved down to laser-combs, and now it's time to talk about tennis.

The Sony Ericsson Open, if you will.

Maybe I'm just a tennis and beach freak, but I really love this tournament. Where else can you enjoy the best tennis in an inexpensive way, be surrounded by beautiful beaches and blue-green waters, and get a great experience at the same time?

The world's #1 player Roger Federer will be there, of course, along with Rafael Nadal (Vamos!) and Gustavo Kuerten. And they're all relaxing and getting ready for this awesome open.

I think there is nothing more entertaining than spending a week under the sun in Key Biscayne, Florida.

I am taking my favorite sunscreen, TiO2 Sunblock SPF30 with me. It's an ultralight, non-greasy waterproof sunblock that is also moisturizing.

JM

A Florida-based company has released a new type of comb that utilizes a low-level laser to promote greater hair growth on men with thinning hair. Sound too good to be true? The FDA recently allowed the product to be used as a treatment for the most common form of male baldness.

A new Dutch study reveals that men who drink red wine on a daily basis live about four years longer on average than non-drinkers. While red wine has long been touted as having benefits for heart health, it's only through recent research that the effects of the beverage have been tested for how it effects longevity.