Your Health: Do jocks need magnesium?

Performance drinks:

Do athletes really need the magnesium contained in so-called sport drinks?

A review of studies for the American College of Sports Medicine found magnesium intake is often below the recommended 310 to 420 mg a day.

A study of athletic performance concluded creatine intake significantly increased strength, but the research on magnesium is inconclusive.

Still, magnesium helps more than 300 metabolic functions in the body, like activating the nervous system and contracting muscle.

Foods high in magnesium include halibut, nuts, spinach, wheat cereal and milk.

Choco-riffic:

Chocolate lovers have had an excuse to indulge thanks to reports that the treat contains flavanols that lower blood pressure and help the heart.

The Harvard Heart Letter points out that bitter-tasting flavanols are traditionally removed in "Dutched" cocoa treated with alkali.

So look for the least-processed chocolate you can find. And keep in mind that chocolate is 150 calories per ounce. Eating that much every day without cutting back elsewhere could lead to extra pounds that would far outweigh chocolate's cardiovascular benefits.

Goo-free dentistry:

The Chicago Dental Society show in Chicago this past weekend displayed the latest attempts at making a trip to the dentist less unpleasant.

One development is an alternative to the cold white goo patients must hold in their mouths to make a model of their teeth for crowns and bridges.

A new scanner by Cadent iTero that makes a digital 3-D impression of a patient's mouth eliminates the goo. Instead, the dentist uses a hand-held wand to get an impression of your teeth.

Dentists still have to make a mold to create a temporary crown, but it sets up much faster than the permanent mold. The device is not available yet for braces -- but they're working on it.

The digital impression is only available at some practices. Ask your dentist or call Cadent at (800) 577-8767.

Hearts and minds

With all the warnings about factors that endanger your health, it's nice to hear some good news.

Heart disease deaths have decreased by 26 percent and stroke deaths are down by 24 percent since 1999.

The American Heart Association believes the improvements are due to advances in prevention and treatment, including medicine and diet to control blood pressure and cholesterol.