Fact or fiction: The truth about 40 popular medical “facts”

FALSE! Even if you’re back in tip-top shape, continue taking your meds as prescribed. The symptoms can fade before the infection clears, meaning you could get sick all over again— and this time it might be more resistant to the antibiotic. So that’s absolutely one of the dangerous medication mistakes that could harm your health.

FALSE! When you rinse with nonfluoride mouthwash or water, you’re spitting out the fluoride that prevents tooth decay without giving it enough time to work. If you still feel like you need to rinse, studies suggest using a tiny bit of water to swish the toothpaste foam, then spitting it out. This will keep more fluoride on your teeth.

TRUE! It might seem as if anything that makes your heart race would put stress on your ticker, but mounting evidence says just the opposite. Studies suggest that drinking three cups of coffee a day is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular problems. The antioxidants in coffee may play a role, and caffeine might speed up cellular processes that help repair the heart.

FALSE! It’s true that cancer cells tend to get their fuel from sugar, but that doesn’t mean that eating less sugar will prevent or slow down cancer. The body makes its own glucose when you eat less sugar, which could negate any cancer-fighting benefit. That said, obesity is a risk factor for certain cancers, so keeping your hands out of the cookie jar can still have an indirect anticancer effect.

FALSE! Research has found that recreational runners are not at increased risk of having symptoms of knee arthritis or other orthopaedic problems. In fact, running may strengthen muscles that stabilise the knee, which may help prevent injuries and arthritis.

FALSE! You might feel warmer and your face may start to flush as you sip that hot toddy, because alcohol causes your blood vessels to dilate, moving warm blood closer to the skin. But this perception of warmth also causes you to stop shivering, which actually brings your core temperature down.

FALSE! Some people have raised concerns that substances used in trace amounts in certain vaccines—including formaldehyde, aluminum salts, and thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative—could cause autism. But none of these substances has been shown to cause harm in the small doses used in vaccines. Nor is there any evidence that multiple or combination vaccinations, such as those recommended for children, can weaken the immune system and trigger autism, as some people fear. It’s just one of several myths about vaccines that you can safely ignore.

TRUE! Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer among men but the second most common for women. Men do have a slightly higher risk overall: About one in 22 men will develop colorectal cancer, compared with one in 24 women.

FALSE! Until the late 1960s, the amount of radiation coming from TVs wasn’t well regulated, so some people worried that sitting too close could cause health problems. Modern TVs don’t pose that risk. Staring at anything for a long time can make the eyes feel tired, but it won’t do permanent damage.

FALSE! Vaccines do contain inactivated viruses in order to produce an immune response. You might experience minor side effects after your shot, such as aches or a low-grade fever, but unless you have a compromised immune system, it’s unlikely that you’ll get the full-blown flu.

Read on to learn more health myths like this that make doctors cringe.

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Source: RD.com