Vitamins/Medicines
Vitamin D could help cancer patients live longer
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 21 hours ago
Michigan State University physicians have found that vitamin D, if taken for at least three years, could help cancer patients live longer. The findings suggest that the vitamin carries significant benefits other than just contributing to healthy bones and were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting on June 3, 2019. In the United States, cancer is the second leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Vitamin D had a significant effect on lowering the risk of death among those with cancer, but unfortunately it ... more »
Opioids are not sleep aids, and can actually worsen sleep
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 21 hours ago
- University of Warwick led study with Lausanne, Switzerland found patients on a low to high dose of opioids reported only a small improvement in sleep quality - Painkillers are often prescribed to manage pain that is disrupting sleep - Effects of opioids on sleep quality were found to be poorly researched, and under-reported in previous studies - A high dose of opioid therapy didn't necessarily lead to better results - The small reported improvements were not always straightforward and might be offset by excessive daytime sleepiness and increase... more »
Heartburn drugs linked to fatal heart and kidney disease, stomach cancer
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago
Extended use of popular drugs to treat heartburn, ulcers and acid reflux has been associated with an increased risk of premature death. However, little has been known about the specific causes of death attributed to the drugs. Now, a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System has linked long-term use of such drugs -- called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) -- to fatal cases of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and upper gastrointestinal cancer. More than 15 million Americans have prescript... more »
Aging
Deaths from falls increase among older US adults
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 21 hours ago
Death rates from falls for U.S. adults 75 or older increased from 2000 to 2016 in this study that analyzed nationally representative vital statistics data. The absolute number of deaths from falls increased from 8,613 in 2000 to 25,189 in 2016. The overall rate of death increased from nearly 52 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 122 per 100,000 in 2016. Rates of death from falls adjusted for different age distributions increased from about 61 per 100,000 men in 2000 to about 116 per 100,000 in 2016; among women rates increased from 46 per 100,000 in 2000 to about 106 per 100,000 in 2016.... more »
Home exercise program reduces rate of falling in at-risk seniors
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 21 hours ago
An in-home exercise program reduced subsequent falls in high-risk seniors by 36 per cent, according the results of a 12-month clinical trial published today in the *Journal of the American Medical Association*. The study, conducted by UBC faculty of medicine researchers in partnership with the clinical team at the Falls Prevention Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital, found a reduction in fall rate and a small improvement in cognitive function in seniors who received strength and balance training through the clinical trial. "When we think about falls we often think about loss of mus... more »
Brush your teeth -- postpone Alzheimer's
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 day ago
You don't only avoid holes in your teeth by keeping good oral hygiene, Norwegian researchers have discovered a clear connection between gum disease and Alzheimer's disease The researchers have determined that gum disease (gingivitis) plays a decisive role in whether a person developes Alzheimer´s or not. "We discovered DNA-based proof that the bacteria causing gingivitis can move from the mouth to the brain," says researcher Piotr Mydel at Broegelmanns Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen (UiB). The bacteria produces a protein that destroys ne... more »
Cannabis use among older adults rising rapidly
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago
Cannabis use among older adults is growing faster than any other age group but many report barriers to getting medical marijuana, a lack of communication with their doctors and a lingering stigma attached to the drug, according to researchers. The study, the first to look at how older Americans use cannabis and the outcomes they experience, was published this month in the journal *Drugs & Aging*. "Older Americans are using cannabis for a lot of different reasons," said study co-author Hillary Lum, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medic... more »
Attitude Toward Own Aging Among Older Adults: Implications for Cancer Prevention
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
Negative age stereotypes can become internalized and contribute to lower levels of physical and mental well-being in older adults, including those with serious illnesses. The main objective of this study was to examine the relationships of attitude toward own aging (ATOA) with health outcomes after controlling for resilience among older cancer survivors and comparison subjects without cancer, aged 50 years or older. Methods We examined data in 1,140 adults from the Successful Aging Evaluation (SAGE) study, a structured multi-cohort investigation of community-based adults selected us... more »
Among older women, 10,000 steps per day not needed for lower mortality
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
Older women who took 4,400 steps per day had lower mortality than those taking 2,700; risk of death continued to decrease with more steps up to 7,500 steps per day before levelling off Brigham and Women's Hospital In the world of step goals and activity trackers, the number 10,000 can sound like a magic one. Many wearable devices that track the number of steps a person takes each day come pre-programmed with a daily goal of 10,000 steps. But while a large body of evidence shows that physical activity is good for a person's health and longevity, few studies have examined how many s... more »
Cognitive behavior therapy shown to improve multiple menopause symptoms
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
Although hormone therapy (HT) is the most commonly recommended treatment for menopause symptoms, research is ongoing for alternatives, especially nonpharmacologic options. Cognitive behavior therapy has previously been proposed as a low-risk treatment for hot flashes, but a new study suggests it may also effectively manage other menopause symptoms. Results are published online today in *Menopause*, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Women today have more options than ever before when it comes to the treatment of common menopause symptoms such as hot flashes,... more »
Researchers with the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Emory University have found a link between high LDL cholesterol levels and early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The results could help doctors understand how the disease develops and what the possible causes are, including genetic variation. According to Dr. Thomas Wingo, lead author of the study, the results show that LDL cholesterol levels may play a causal role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. The results appear in the May 28, 2019, issue of *JAMA Neurology*. "The big question is whether there is... more »
Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia - WHO Guidelines
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 weeks ago
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Physical activity interventionsPhysical activity should be recommended to adults with normal cognition to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.Quality of evidence: moderateStrength of the recommendation: strongPhysical activity may be recommended to adults with mild cognitive impairment to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.Quality of evidence: lowStrength of the recommendation: conditional Tobacco cessation interventionsInterventions for tobacco cessation should be offered to adults who use tobacco since they may reduce the risk of cognitive decline... more »
Diet
Red and white meats are equally bad for cholesterol
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 21 hours ago
Contrary to popular belief, consuming red meat and white meat such as poultry, have equal effects on blood cholesterol levels, according to a study published today in the *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*. The study, led by scientists at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) -- the research arm of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland -- surprised the researchers with the discovery that consuming high levels of red meat or white poultry resulted in higher blood cholesterol levels than consuming a comparable amount of plant proteins. Moreover, this effect ... more »
Cholesterol in eggs tied to cardiac disease, death
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 21 hours ago
The risk of heart disease and death increases with the number of eggs an individual consumes, according to a UMass Lowell nutrition expert who has studied the issue. Research that tracked the diets, health and lifestyle habits of nearly 30,000 adults across the country for as long as 31 years has found that cholesterol in eggs, when consumed in large quantities, is associated with ill health effects, according to Katherine Tucker, a biomedical and nutritional sciences professor in UMass Lowell's Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, who co-authored the analysis. The study was publ... more »
Coffee does not stiffen your arteries
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 day ago
Drinking coffee might keep us up at night, but new research has given us a reason to sleep easy knowing that the popular drink isn't as bad for our arteries as some previous studies would suggest. The research from Queen Mary University of London has shown that drinking coffee, including in people who drink up to 25 cups a day, is not associated with having stiffer arteries. The research, led by Professor Steffen Petersen, was presented today at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) Conference in Manchester and part-funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). Arteries carry b... more »
Eating blueberries every day improves heart health
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago
Eating a cup of blueberries a day reduces risk factors for cardiovascular disease - according to new research led by the University of East Anglia, in collaboration with colleagues from Harvard and across the UK. New findings published today in the *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition* show that eating 150g of blueberries daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 15 per cent. The research team from UEA's Department of Nutrition and Preventive Medicine, Norwich Medical School, say that blueberries and other berries should be included in dietary strategies to reduce... more »
New evidence links ultra-processed foods with a range of health risks
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
Two large European studies published by *The BMJ* today find positive associations between consumption of highly processed ("ultra-processed") foods and risk of cardiovascular disease and death. The researchers say further work is needed to better understand these effects, and a direct (causal) link remains to be established, but they call for policies that promote consumption of fresh or minimally processed foods over highly processed foods. Ultra-processed foods include packaged baked goods and snacks, fizzy drinks, sugary cereals, ready meals containing food additives, dehydrated ... more »
Energy drinks may increase risk of heart function abnormalities and blood pressure changes
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
Drinking 32 ounces of an energy drink in a short timespan may increase blood pressure and the risk of electrical disturbances in the heart, which affect heart rhythm, according to a small study published in *Journal of the American Heart Association*, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. The study enrolled 34 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 40 years. Participants were randomly assigned to drink 32 ounces of one of two commercially available caffeinated energy drinks or a placebo drink on three separate days. The drinks... more »
New evidence: It's not necessary to fast before complete cholesterol test
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago
A new study adds to the growing body of evidence that it is unnecessary for most patients to fast before having bloodwork done to measure lipid levels to determine risk of future cardiovascular events. Since the 1970s, studies have suggested that fasting and nonfasting before a complete cholesterol test, otherwise known as lipid level testing, may make little difference in assessing who is at risk for a future heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event. But most of these studies were conducted by comparing groups of people at a population level rather than in the same indivi... more »
Preventable cancer burden linked to poor diet in the US
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago
Tufts University, Health Sciences Campus [image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *A new study estimates that 5.2 percent of new invasive cancer cases reported in 2015 are associated with poor diets. view more Credit: Nako Kobayashi/Tufts University BOSTON (May 22, 2019, noon EDT)--A new modeling study estimates the number, proportion, and type of specific cancers associated with the under or overconsumption of foods and sugar-sweetened beverages among American adults. The analysis is one of the few to focus on the modifiable risk factors for cancer connected to food intake in the United States. The s... more »
Dawn-to-sunset fasting suggests potential new treatment for obesity-related conditions
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 weeks ago
Fasting from dawn to sunset for 30 days increased levels of proteins that play a crucial role in improving insulin resistance and protecting against the risks from a high-fat, high-sugar diet, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2019. The study, which was based on the fasting practices of Ramadan, a spiritual practice for Muslims, offers a potential new treatment approach for obesity-related conditions, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). "According to World Health Organization data, obesity affects over ... more »
Sleep
Opioids are not sleep aids, and can actually worsen sleep
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 21 hours ago
- University of Warwick led study with Lausanne, Switzerland found patients on a low to high dose of opioids reported only a small improvement in sleep quality - Painkillers are often prescribed to manage pain that is disrupting sleep - Effects of opioids on sleep quality were found to be poorly researched, and under-reported in previous studies - A high dose of opioid therapy didn't necessarily lead to better results - The small reported improvements were not always straightforward and might be offset by excessive daytime sleepiness and increase... more »
Sleepless nights linked to high blood pressure
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 21 hours ago
A bad night's sleep may result in a spike in blood pressure that night and the following day, according to new research led by the University of Arizona. The study, to be published in the journal *Psychosomatic Medicine*, offers one possible explanation for why sleep problems have been shown to increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and even death from cardiovascular disease. The link between poor sleep and cardiovascular health problems is increasingly well-established in scientific literature, but the reason for the relationship is less understood. Researchers set out to learn m... more
Why lack of sleep is bad for your heart
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 weeks ago
In recent years, numerous studies have shown that people who don't get enough sleep are at greater risk of stroke and heart attack. A new University of Colorado Boulder study, published in the journal *Experimental Physiology*, helps explain why. It found that people who sleep fewer than 7 hours per night have lower blood levels of three physiological regulators, or microRNAs, which influence gene expression and play a key role in maintaining vascular health. The findings could potentially lead to new, non-invasive tests for sleep deprived patients concerned about their health, the... more »
General Health
Seven key health measures help predict future risk of heart disease
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 4 days ago
Seven key measures of heart health may help predict future risk of cardiovascular disease, according to researchers. They added that improving these measures may also help decrease the risk of CVD in the future. The team of researchers, including three from Penn State, studied how seven key health measures -- like diet, exercise and blood pressure -- were related to people's cardiovascular health over time. They identified five patterns of how well people did or did not do on the seven health measures over time. These patterns were able to help predict participants' future risk of CV... more »
Sunshine may decrease risk of inflammatory bowel disease
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 5 days ago
Children who spend half an hour a day outside in the sun reduce their risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). More than 800,000 people live with the two life-long disorders which make up IBD - Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis. The paediatric study was based in Melbourne and led by Professor Robyn Lucas, from the ANU College of Health and Medicine. "Taking children to play outside in the sun could be life-changing," Professor Lucas said. "It doesn't have to be all at the same time. But, we found children w... more »
Overall cancer mortality continues to decline
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
The latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer finds that, for all cancer sites combined, cancer death rates continued to decline in men, women, and children in the United States from 1999 to 2016. Overall cancer incidence rates, or rates of new cancers, decreased in men from 2008 to 2015, after increasing from 1999 to 2008, and were stable in women from 1999 to 2015. In a special section of the report, researchers looked at cancer rates and trends in adults ages 20 to 49. The annual report is a collaborative effort among the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of ... more »
Why exposure to dirt is good for you
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
Thirty years after scientists coined the term "hygiene hypothesis" to suggest that increased exposure to microorganisms could benefit health, CU Boulder researchers have identified an anti-inflammatory fat in a soil-dwelling bacterium that may be responsible. The discovery, published Monday in the journal *Psychopharmacology*, may at least partly explain how the bacterium, *Mycobacterium vaccae*, quells stress-related disorders. It also brings the researchers one step closer to developing a microbe-based "stress vaccine." "We think there is a special sauce driving the protective effe... more »
Could repeated squeezes to the arms, legs protect the brain?
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
What if wearing a blood pressure cuff could help prevent stroke? In a new study, people who restricted their blood flow by wearing inflated blood pressure cuffs on an arm and leg showed signs of more controlled blood flow to their brain, a process that could be protective if blood flow is more severely restricted in the event of a stroke, according at a study published in the May 29, 2019, online issue of *Neurology®*, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The process is called remote ischemic preconditioning. Previous studies have shown that remote ischemic pre... more »
You're having a heart attack; why not ask for help?
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 6 days ago
------------------------------ A perceived inability to act on symptoms could signify a life-threatening situation, according to research published today in the *European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing*, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Most deaths from heart attack occur in the first few hours after the start of symptoms. Quick treatment is crucial to restore blood flow to blocked arteries and save lives. The time it takes for patients to interpret and respond to symptoms is the main reason for delays in getting to a hospital and the care they need. The stu... more »
Your health in middle age predict how healthy you'll be later in life
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago
Cognitive decline is the medical term for a decline in your abilities to think, remember, and make decisions. Researchers know now that cognitive decline may begin in midlife and can develop over a period of 20 years or so. In a new study, published in the *Journal of the American Geriatrics Society* (JAGS), researchers identified factors associated with brain health in middle age in order to identify ways to preserve brain function when people are older. Several studies have shown links between changes in the senses and the development of cognitive decline. In earlier studies, the... more »
Researchers find 28% of 35- to 50-year-old men studied are at-risk for osteoporosis
Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 week ago
Research published in The *Journal of the American Osteopathic Association* found 28 percent of men and 26 percent of women between 35 and 50 years of age had osteopenia, a precursor to osteoporosis. The findings surprised the participants and researchers, who did not expect the condition to be more prevalent in men. Osteopenia occurs when bones are weaker than normal, but do not yet break easily. The research suggests bone health assessments can help middle-aged adults understand their future risk of osteoporosis. Fractures are often the first symptom of osteoporosis after years o... more »
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