Stars Seek Jabs for Quick Health Fix

Feb. 21, 2007— -- A sore throat. A stuffy nose. The body aches and pains that accompany the common cold.

For the average person, such symptoms might be an invitation to don a comfy robe, crash on the couch, and find something entertaining on TV.

The Oscars, for example.

But for the stars that will be making their way down the red carpet at the Academy Awards Sunday night, the hallmarks of the common cold may be an uncommon nuisance.

So a few celebrities may be going one step further than conventional cold remedies to ensure that they are in the pink of health. Some say injections of vitamin B-12 are an effective remedy for stars feeling under the weather.

It's an unconventional treatment. And even the doctors who offer it say it has no scientific backing, which means the shots may merely be a placebo measure that has no real health benefit whatsoever.

While for most of us, it's allowable to look like death warmed over for a couple of days, many high-profile stars simply have no time to look like death warmed over.

"It's not that there is in general this trend toward being sicker if you are a celebrity," says Dr. Scott Kessler, a New York physician who has treated a number of stars in the days leading up to the Grammys and other award events.

"There's just an urgency and a need to be better, and fast. These patients often require a more aggressive medical approach than otherwise would be necessary."

On the occasion of an awards event, Kessler says his clinic fills up fast and stays open late. It seems that even though stars don't necessarily fall ill more often than the rest of us, awards season can be particularly hazardous for celebrities due to the extended hours they often spent on airplanes and other demands of the profession.

"Another aspect of that kind of celebrity gathering is that they are all kissing and smooching and hugging," Kessler says. "There is a lot of contact between those in the industry, none of whom are probably in particularly the best of health."