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Trending patient news: Week of August 4, 2025

August 8, 2025

Keeping you a step ahead is our priority. That's why we've gathered some of the top stories your patients might be seeing. Here are this week's highlights:

A doctor explains what people should know about the ‘cortisol cocktail’ that’s gone viral on TikTok
(CNN)—This trendy drink blends coconut water, citrus juice, and sea salt or magnesium to “lower stress,” but experts say its benefits are mostly placebo. Read more

What is the herb kratom that is drawing addiction concerns?
(USA Today)—Kratom, sold as a natural energy booster, contains a compound similar to opioids and is now under FDA scrutiny for addiction risks. Read more

3 dead and at least 67 sick from growing Legionnaires' disease cluster in New York City
(ABC News)—A Harlem outbreak linked to contaminated cooling towers has caused multiple deaths and dozens of pneumonia-like illnesses. Read more

Presidential fitness test returns to U.S. schools
(U.S. News & World Report)—First introduced in the late 1950s and retired in 2013, the school fitness test is making a comeback, sparking debate over youth health standards. Read more

Will health insurance pay for COVID vaccines this fall?
(NBC News)—Conflicting federal guidance is creating confusion over coverage, especially for healthy children and pregnant people. Read more

Ultra-processed food consumption is down a bit, but still more than 50% of U.S. diet
(NPR)—CDC data shows Americans, especially kids, still get most of their calories from packaged snacks and sugary drinks. Read more

Heidi Klum is starting a ‘worm and parasite cleanse’
(Wall Street Journal)—Klum’s herbal detox includes cloves and papaya seeds, but doctors warn it may do more harm than good. Read more

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