FDA concerns about the safety of two testosterone boosters from Endo Pharmaceuticals may delay their approval, but safety concerns haven't kept testosterone sales from increasing 25 percent in the past year (while Viagra sales have dropped 8 percent), according Business Week.

Despite research studies, including one from the University of North Carolina, which show that testosterone boosters do not slow aging, they are commonly prescribed for older adults. Men use testosterone boosters to treat erectile dysfunction, and women use them hoping to increase sexual satisfaction.

If you use testosterone boosters in gel form, you may have seen packaging with the FDA's black box warning about secondary testosterone exposure. This was ordered after children--who were exposed to testosterone from the hands or clothing of an adult--began showing signs of testosterone exposure, including changes in genital size, development of pubic hair, and increased libido.

The Business Week article also reports that testosterone booster sales are expected to increase as more aging boomers look for their fountain of youth.

With Michael Jackson's untimely death and the debut of the hit film, This Is It--about preparations for the concert tour he died too soon to make--many people only think of Michael Jackson as an odd but talented adult.

We remember Michael Jackson before he became the King of Pop and a controversial figure.

It was 40 years ago when Michael Jackson made his public debut as the cute 10-year-old prodigy and lead singer of The Jackson 5 (in August 1969), and when he and his brothers released their first single (in October 1969) and their first album (in December 1969).

It doesn't seem like 40 years ago, does it? What other music milestones from 1969 do you remember?

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that people age 65 and older do NOT get early doses of the H1N1 vaccine, for two main reasons:

• Older adults are not in the high risk group for the H1N1 virus (also known as swine flu). The CDC reports that so far in 2009, only 1.3 people out of 100,000 people age 65 or older have contracted the H1N1 virus.
• There is currently a shortage of the vaccine, and medical and government officials want to make sure there are enough H1N1 vaccine doses for people in high risk groups, including children, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses.

Check with your doctor if you're concerned about the H1N1 virus. And for more information from the CDC, see answers to frequently asked questions about older adults and the H1N1 virus.

Have you ever taken a pill--vitamin or medication--and immediately forgotten that you took it?

Me too, and forgetting if you took your pills must be fairly common. Or researchers at Washington University in St. Louis wouldn't have done a study about it.

The study revealed that older adults who have to do something every day--like taking a pill, for example--often have no trouble remembering to do it. They just can't remember if they did it. Forgetting can lead to taking another pill--and the dangers of overmedication.

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President Obama has signed a declaration making the H1N1 virus a national emergency. The declaration can make it easier for local governments and health agencies to set up alternate sites to provide the vaccine and treatment for huge numbers of people who are expected to want the vaccine.

With all the publicity for H1N1, don't forget about your seasonal flu shot.

To address a national need for culturally-sensitive community support and services for lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults age 60 and older, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced plans to establish the first national resource center.

Sit up straight.

You may have heard those words from a parent or grandparent when you were growing up. And now it's time to pass them along.

But instead of replying "because I said so," you can say, "because you'll have more confidence in yourself."

President Obama supports giving $250 checks to seniors, people with disabilities and veterans in 2010, according to a White House press release about the proposed Economic Recovery Payments. This proposal is expected to cost $13 billion and will benefit 57 million people--including 49 million who receive Social Security benefits.

With all the belt-tightening that's been going on during the recession, I was surprised to learn that movie attendance has actually increased in 2009. I've heard that in tough times, people tend to favor escapist activities like movie watching and reading.

Dancing for romance. Dancing for fun. But dancing for health?

Yes, according to an Italian study, which reports what Fred and Ginger knew a long time ago: dancing for health is another great reason to put on those dancing shoes.

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