Supplements

Terrelle Pryor's career at Ohio State, which started with so much promise and potential, came to an abrupt and scandal-ridden end. The Ohio State quarterback announced through his attorney Tuesday that he would not play for the Buckeyes this season. He had already been suspended for the first five games for breaking NCAA rules by accepting improper benefits from the owner of a tattoo parlor. He is expected to make himself available for an NFL supplemental draft. The NCAA is looking into all aspects of Ohio State's once-glittering program, including cash, tattoos and car deals for players and other potential violations.

A supplement promoted for improving sexual dysfunction in women does not do so in cancer patients, but it does improve their quality of life, researchers said Monday. ArginMax for Women is marketed as a sexual enhancement aid, but its benefits for that purpose are not apparent, a team from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., reported at a Chicago meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. ArginMax is made from a patented formula containing a proprietary blend of the amino acid L-arginine, ginseng, gingko and 14 vitamins and minerals noted for boosting energy and circulation and optimizing hormonal balance.

A new muscle drink on the market isn't for bodybuilders or workout fanatics: It's aimed at middle-aged and older adults who are losing muscle naturally because of age. Ensure Muscle Health promises that its 13 grams of protein and special ingredient "HMB" will help such folks shore up muscle and muscle strength into their golden years. HMB — beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate — has been getting a lot of attention from researchers lately because of reports that it can help preserve or increase muscle mass.

Yet another local government agency in California is under fire for the seemingly outsized compensation paid to one of its employees. This time the spotlight is on the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System and its recently retired chief executive, Samuel Downing. The controversy isn't Downing's $150,000 annual pension as much as the $3.9 million in supplemental retirement benefits awarded by the healthcare system's board. Downing's employers defended the supplemental payments, saying that consultants found them to be in line with what "comparable organizations" pay. But as The Times' Sam Allen reported Wednesday, Downing's package was far more generous than those promised to administrators of several larger public hospitals.

When he turned 65 two years ago, Samuel Downing received a $3-million retirement payment from a public hospital district in Salinas, Calif., where he serves as president and chief executive. But Downing continued working at his $668,000-a-year job for another two years, and after he retires this week, he will receive another payment of nearly $900,000. That comes on top of his regular pension of $150,000 a year. The payments amount to one of the more generous pension packages granted to a public official in California and come amid growing debate about "supplemental" pensions that some officials receive on top of their basic retirement benefits.

The radiation leaking from crippled nuclear power plants in Japan has unleashed fears on this side of the ocean. Despite assurances from experts that the amount of radiation reaching the U.S. is miniscule and harmless, many people here are worried that the fallout could pose a serious health threat. And if William McBride's inbox is any indication, they're also wondering whether they should protect themselves by taking supplements or changing their diets. "I've been getting emails from friends asking me if they should take this or that," said McBride, professor of radiation oncology at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The average man produces hundreds of billions of sperm cells in his lifetime. Only a minuscule fraction of those little guys ever manage to swim far enough and fast enough to fertilize an egg. Successful sperm must be strong. It stands to reason then that they also must be well-nourished. Several nutritional supplements purport to help men take a big step closer to fatherhood. FertilAid for Men, manufactured by Fairhaven Health, contains megadoses of antioxidant vitamins and B vitamins.

Creatine supplements are extremely popular among amateur and pro athletes who believe the substance gives their muscles a boost. But a study finds that the supplements may also help women with knee osteoarthritis. The findings, published online recently in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, focused on postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis. For the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, some of the women took a creatine supplement for 12 weeks, while the others took a placebo.

Americans seem to be falling for fish oil supplements -- and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A new survey suggests fish oil pills are the most popular dietary supplement in the country, even over multivitamins. Fish oil matters because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, specifically DHA and EPA. If you've been paying attention (and the ConsumerLab.com survey indicates that you have), you know fish oil can help maintain a healthy heart and better brain function for starters.

Jack LaLanne, the seemingly eternal master of health and fitness who first popularized the idea that Americans should work out and eat right to retain youthfulness and vigor, died Sunday. He was 96. LaLanne died of respiratory failure due to pneumonia at his home in Morro Bay, Calif., his agent Rick Hersh said. He had undergone heart valve surgery in December 2009. FOR THE RECORD: Jack LaLanne: The obituary of fitness pioneer Jack LaLanne in the Jan. 24 LATExtra section, and a headline accompanying the article online, reported that LaLanne opened what is commonly believed to be the nation's first health club, in Oakland in 1936.