Latest Health Research - Click on each title for full report

 Exercise

Blink! The link between aerobic fitness and cognition

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 17 hours ago

Research News SHARE PRINT E-MAIL [image: IMAGE] IMAGE: WE REVEALED THAT SPONTANEOUS EYE BLINK RATE SIGNIFICANTLY MEDIATED THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HIGHER AEROBIC FITNESS AND GREATER COGNITIVE FUNCTION. Β INDICATES STANDARDIZED REGRESSION COEFFICIENT, WHICH REPRESENTS THE DEGREE OF ASSOCIATION... view more CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA Tsukuba, Japan - Although exercise is known to enhance cognitive function and improve mental health, the neurological mechanisms of this link are unknown. Now, researchers from Japan have found evidence of the missing link between aerobic fitn...

Aging and Longevity

Study finds those who gradually get overweight live longest

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 day ago

People who start adulthood with a body mass index (BMI) in the normal range and move later in life to being overweight - but never obese - tend to live the longest, a new study suggests. Adults in this category lived longer than even those whose BMI stayed in the normal range throughout their life. Those who started adulthood as obese and continued to add weight had the highest mortality rate. "The impact of weight gain on mortality is complex. It depends on both the timing and the magnitude of weight gain and where BMI started," said Hui Zheng, lead author of the study and ass...

'Aging well' greatly affected by hopes and fears for later life

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 day ago

If you believe you are capable of becoming the healthy, engaged person you want to be in old age, you are much more likely to experience that outcome, a recent Oregon State University study shows. "How we think about who we're going to be in old age is very predictive of exactly how we will be," said Shelbie Turner, a doctoral student in OSU's College of Public Health and Human Sciences and co-author on the study. Previous studies on aging have found that how people thought about themselves at age 50 predicted a wide range of future health outcomes up to 40 years later -- cardiov...

An integrated approach for an effective prevention of Alzheimer´s disease

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 days ago

Research News SHARE PRINT E-MAIL [image: IMAGE] IMAGE: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PREVENTION view more CREDIT: DR. RICARDO B. MACCIONI Amsterdam, December 29, 2020 - This new pioneering study by Prof. Ricardo Maccioni and coworkers of the International Center for Biomedicine, "New Frontiers in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer´s disease" was published in the special issue of Latin American investigators of the *Journal of Alzheimer's Disease*(JAD). This supports a growing body of research on the Alzheimer's prevention value of an integrated approach using dail...

Afternoon napping linked to better mental agility

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 week ago

Taking a regular afternoon nap may be linked to better mental agility, suggests research published in the online journal *General Psychiatry*. It seems to be associated with better locational awareness, verbal fluency, and working memory, the findings indicate. Longer life expectancy and the associated neurodegenerative changes that accompany it, raise the prospect of dementia, with around 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 affected in the developed world. As people age, their sleep patterns change, with afternoon naps becoming more frequent. But research published to date hasn't ...

Diet and supplements

Vitamins A and D and essential amino acids significantly lower, DHA missing, in children on vegan diet

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 day ago

The study concludes that vegan diet has a broad effect on children's metabolism. Serum biomarker levels for vitamins A and D, cholesterol forms and essential amino acids were significantly lower in children on vegan diet compared to age-adjusted omnivores. In addition, docosahexaenoic acid is absent from vegan diet. The results were recently published in a high-profile international scientific journal *EMBO Molecular Medicine*. Vegan diets gain popularity especially among young adults, and through choices of the families vegan diet is becoming more common in young children, too. ...

Childhood consumption of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of developing subsequent asthma

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 day ago

New research suggests that a higher dietary intake of long chain omega-3 fatty acids in childhood may reduce the risk of developing subsequent asthma, but only in children carrying a common gene variant. The study, led by Queen Mary University of London, is in collaboration with the University of Bristol and University of Southampton, UK, and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. In the UK, 1.1 million children (1 in 11) are currently receiving treatment for asthma and most adult asthma begins in childhood. The NHS spends around £1 billion a year treating and caring for people with asth...

Probiotic lactobacillus manipulates bile acids to create favorable gut environment

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 days ago

NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY Research News SHARE PRINT E-MAIL [image: IMAGE] IMAGE: LACTOBACILLUS GASSERI ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. view more CREDIT: NC STATE UNIVERSITY New research from North Carolina State University reveals that probiotic Lactobacillus bacteria use enzymes situationally to manipulate bile acids and promote their own survival in the gut. These findings further elucidate the complicated relationship between bile acids and gut bacteria and could eventually enable researchers to design lactobacilli with therapeutic properties, thereby engineering a health...

Making meals more nutritious: Just add mushroom

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 days ago

Research News SHARE PRINT E-MAIL [image: IMAGE] IMAGE: NEW RESEARCH FINDS THAT ADDING A MUSHROOM SERVING TO THE DIET INCREASED THE INTAKE OF SEVERAL MICRONUTRIENTS, INCLUDING SHORTFALL NUTRIENTS SUCH AS VITAMIN D, WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN CALORIES, SODIUM... view more CREDIT: MUSHROOM COUNCIL February 1, 2021 - Researchers have identified another good reason to eat more mushrooms. New research , published in *Food Science & Nutrition* (January 2021) found that adding a mushroom serving to the diet increased the intake of several micronutrients, including shortfall nutrien...

Bleeding gums may be a sign you need more vitamin C in your diet

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 days ago

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON Research News SHARE PRINT E-MAIL Current advice from the America Dental Association tells you that if your gums bleed, make sure you are brushing and flossing twice a day because it could be a sign of gingivitis, an early stage of periodontal disease. And that might be true. So if you are concerned, see your dentist. However, a new University of Washington study suggests you should also check your intake of vitamin C. "When you see your gums bleed, the first thing you should think about is not, I should brush more. You should try to figure out why ...

How vitamins, steroids and potential antivirals might affect SARS-CoV-2

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 5 days ago

Evidence is emerging that vitamin D - and possibly vitamins K and A - might help combat COVID-19. A new study from the University of Bristol published in the journal of the German Chemical Society *Angewandte Chemie* has shown how they - and other antiviral drugs - might work. The research indicates that these dietary supplements and compounds could bind to the viral spike protein and so might reduce SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. In contrast, cholesterol may increase infectivity, which could explain why having high cholesterol is considered a risk factor for serious disease. Recently, ...

Easy to follow time restricted eating weight loss plan works

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 6 days ago

A pilot study of time restricted eating, in which food is consumed only within a daily eight-hour period, has shown that the plan is simple, easy to follow, and that weight loss is at least as good as that achieved through more complex dietary interventions. Fifty participants with obesity attempted to follow the plan for 12 weeks. Telephone surveys were conducted weekly, and at 6 and 12 weeks participants attended the clinic to be weighed. Almost 60% of participants were still following time restricted eating at three months, and had lost an average of 3.5kg, but even those who ...

MEDICINE

Antibiotic overuse

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 week ago

The overuse of antibiotics occurs due to the mistaken widespread belief that they are beneficial for a broad array of conditions and because many physicians are willing to prescribe antibiotics if patients ask for the medication, according to a Rutgers study. The study, published in the journal BioEssays, reviewed more than 200 peer-reviewed studies to examine the causes behind antibiotic overuse, which can lead harmful bacteria to become drug-resistant and cause harmful effects on the microbiome, the collection of beneficial germs that live in and on our bodies. Martin Blaser,...

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Metformin use reduces risk of death for patients with COVID-19 and diabetes

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 weeks ago

Use of the diabetes drug metformin -- before a diagnosis of COVID-19 -- is associated with a threefold decrease in mortality in COVID-19 patients with Type 2 diabetes, according to a racially diverse study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Diabetes is a significant comorbidity for COVID-19. "This beneficial effect remained, even after correcting for age, sex, race, obesity, and hypertension or chronic kidney disease and heart failure," said Anath Shalev, M.D., director of UAB's Comprehensive Diabetes Center and leader of the study. "Since similar results have now been obtai...

Juicing technique could influence healthfulness of fresh-squeezed juice

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 week ago

With the New Year, many people are making resolutions to eat healthier, by eating more vegetables, for example. But those who don't like the taste or texture of some vegetables might prefer to drink them in a home-squeezed juice. Now, researchers reporting in *ACS Food Science & Technology* have found that the choice of household juicing technique can influence the phytochemical content and antioxidant activity of common vegetable juices. Home juicing machines have become popular in recent years, with different types available. For example, blenders crush vegetables with fast, spi...

Higher omega-3 blood levels may reduce risk for death from COVID-19 infection

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 week ago

Researchers with the Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI) and collaborators at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and in Orange County, CA, have published the first direct evidence that higher omega-3 blood levels may reduce risk for death from COVID-19 infection. The report was published in the journal *Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids* on January 20, 2021. There are several papers in the medical literature hypothesizing that omega-3 fatty acids should have beneficial effects in patients with COVID-19 infection, but up until now, there have been no ...

No cardiovascular benefits to dietary supplements except B vitamins

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 week ago

According to research reported in the *Journal of the American College of Cardiology* (*JACC*) the evidence continued to show no cardiovascular benefits to dietary supplements except B vitamins. No cardiovascular or mortality effects were seen with multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, or vitamin C in a meta-analysis incorporating 156 randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses. Moderate-quality evidence was available associating folic acid (vitamin and B vitamins with reduced stroke risk, Niacin was tied to increased all-cause mortality when taken with background statins. New ...

Coffee temporarily counteracts effect of sleep loss on cognitive function

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 week ago

A new study exploring the impact of repeated sleep loss during a simulated working week has found that consuming caffeinated coffee during the day helps to minimize reductions in attention and cognitive function, compared to decaffeinated coffee1. While this effect occurred in the first three-to-four days of restricted sleep, by the fifth and final day, no difference was seen between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee drinkers. This therefore suggests that the beneficial effects of coffee for people with restricted sleep are temporary1. It is estimated that over 30% of adult W...

Daily aspirin use does not reduce risk of colorectal cancer among adults who begin taking it after age 70

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 1 week ago

Regular aspirin use has clear benefits in reducing colorectal cancer incidence among middle-aged adults, but also comes with some risk, such as gastrointestinal bleeding. And when should adults start taking regular aspirin and for how long? There is substantial evidence that a daily aspirin can reduce risk of colorectal cancer in adults up to age 70. But until now there was little evidence about whether older adults should start taking aspirin. A team of scientists set out to study this question. They were led by Andrew T. Chan MD, MPH, a gastroenterologist and chief of the Cli...

Short term low carbohydrate diet linked to remission of type 2 diabetes

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 weeks ago

Patients with type 2 diabetes who follow a strict low carbohydrate diet for six months may experience greater rates of remission compared with other recommended diets without adverse effects, suggests a study published by The BMJ today. The researchers acknowledge that most benefits diminished at 12 months, but say doctors might consider short term strict low carbohydrate diets for managing type 2 diabetes, while actively monitoring and adjusting diabetes medication as needed. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes worldwide and diet is recognised as an essential part o...

1 small alcoholic drink a day = an increased risk of atrial fibrillation

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 weeks ago

A study of nearly 108,000 people has found that people who regularly drink a modest amount of alcohol are at increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats in an abnormal rhythm. The study, published today (Wednesday) in the European Heart Journal [1], found that, compared to drinking no alcohol at all, just one alcoholic drink a day was linked to a 16% increased risk of atrial fibrillation over an average (median) follow-up time of nearly 14 years. This means that while four teetotallers in 100 might develop atrial fibrillation over the period of the study,...

Excess alcohol consumption linked to portion of cancer incidence and mortality

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 weeks ago

A new study finds that alcohol consumption accounts for a considerable portion of cancer incidence and mortality in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The article, which appears in Cancer Epidemiology, states that the proportion of cancer cases attributable to alcohol consumption ranged from a high of 6.7% in Delaware to a low of 2.9% in Utah. Similarly, Delaware had the highest proportion of alcohol-related cancer deaths (4.5%) and Utah had the lowest (1.9%). This study conducted by Farhad Islami, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the American Cancer Society is the first to estima...

Low-fat, plant-based diet vs. low-carb, animal-based diet

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 weeks ago

People on a low-fat, plant-based diet ate fewer daily calories but had higher insulin and blood glucose levels, compared to when they ate a low-carbohydrate, animal-based diet, according to a small but highly controlled study at the National Institutes of Health. Led by researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the study compared the effects of the two diets on calorie intake, hormone levels, body weight, and more. The findings, published in Nature Medicine, broaden understanding of how restricting dietary carbohydrates or fats may ...

Last Latest Health Research 

Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 2 weeks ago

*Exercise* Stretching more effective than walking to lower high blood pressure Jonathan Kantrowitz, Health News Report - 4 days ago A new University of Saskatchewan (USask) study has found that stretching is superior to brisk walking for reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure or who are at risk of developing elevated blood pressure levels. Walking has long been the prescription of choice for physicians trying to help their patients bring down their blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and among t...