As the aging population continues to grow, memory impairment and cognitive decline are of increasing concern. Researchers are always on the lookout for new remedies that can help slow or reverse this decline.

You probably know by now that the more widely prescribed a drug is, the more skeptical I am about whether it's such a good idea. One member of the top 10 most prescribed drug classes in particular has done nothing to change my mind. It comes with a number of side effects and risk factors, and researchers have recently identified a new one: kidney disease.

I've been preaching against the use of calcium supplements to strengthen bones for over 20 years. And I'm sure that I'm not the only doctor who reads the literature. Despite that, I still have one woman after another come in to see me whose doctor has put her on calcium supplements to "help strengthen your bones."