Antibiotics & Weight Gain: Are They Causing Obesity?

Antibiotics are potent medications that are most commonly used to treat (or in some cases prevent) serious bacterial infections that would otherwise cripple our body’s defenses and prove fatal. One potential issue associated with using antibiotics, particularly if used for a long-term, is significant weight gain. It is known that antibiotics have been used as …

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Melatonin & Alprazolam (Xanax) Together: Potent Hypnotic Mix?

Why am I writing about mixing alprazolam (Xanax) and melatonin? Because I’ve done it a few times – and did it last night. My aim was to research whether the combination is safe and/or more useful in certain ways than each substance used individually. Xanax (alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine anxiolytic most commonly used for the …

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Melatonin Shrinks Testicles & Ovaries: Hamster-Sized to Rice Grains?

Earlier this year while listening to podcasts about sleep and insomnia, I stumbled upon the neuroscientist Andrew Huberman of the “Huberman Lab” podcast who discussed melatonin with Matthew Walker (sleep neuroscientist). While discussing melatonin, Huberman stated that he personally avoids it in part due to studies showing that melatonin significantly shrinks testicles and ovaries of …

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Alprazolam (Xanax) for Sleep & Insomnia: Why I Use It Occasionally

Alprazolam (Xanax) is a fast-acting, medium-duration benzodiazepine that was patented in 1971 and approved for medical use in the U.S. in 1981. As of 2019, alprazolam was the 41st most-prescribed medication in the U.S. with over 17M annual prescriptions. It is commonly used for the short-term treatment of anxiety disorders, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety …

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Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) & C. Diff Infection Risk: Concerning?

Although PPIs are generally safe medications for most people, some users are concerned with increased risk of infection – particularly C. diff (Clostridium difficile). I happen to be: (A) a PPI user (esomeprazole 20 mg, b.i.d.) and (B) someone who’s concerned with potential increased risk of C. diff – so I reviewed the literature on …

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