Saturday, October 26, 2019

Latest Health Research

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General Health

Chemicals in consumer products during early pregnancy related to lower IQ

Health News Report - 18 hours ago
Exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy to mixtures of suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in consumer products is related to lower IQ in children by age 7, according to a study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Karlstad University, Sweden, published in *Environment International* in October. This study is among the first to look at prenatal suspected endocrine-disrupting chemical mixtures in relation to neurodevelopment. Scientists measured 26 chemicals in the blood and urine of 718 mothers during the first trimester of their preg... more »
Study shows trampoline injuries have increased over the past decade
Health News Report - 19 hours ago
- Between 2008 and 2017, the incidence of trampoline-related fractures increased by an average of 3.85% in the U.S., and the driver behind those increases are trampoline injuries outside of the home at places of recreation or sport , according to new research being presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2019 National Conference & Exhibition. The research abstract, "Rates of Pediatric Trampoline Fractures are Jum... more »
Overweight before age 40 increases the cancer risk
Health News Report - 1 week ago
In an international study, lead by the University of Bergen in Norway, the researchers wanted to find out how adult overweight (BMI over 25) and obesity (BMI over 30) increase the risk of different types of cancer. The study showed that if you were overweight before age 40, the risk of developing cancer increases by: - 70 percent for endometrial cancer. - 58 percent for male renal-cell cancer. - 29 percent for male colon cancer. - 15 percent for all obesity-related cancers (both sexes). "Obesity is an established risk factor for several cancers. In this study, we ha... more »
Another reason to get cataract surgery: It can make you 48% safer on the road
Health News Report - 1 week ago
The ability of cataract surgery to restore sight is well known. People say they're stunned by the vibrancy of color after surgery and the improvement in night vision. Some can even reduce their reliance on glasses. But can you quantify that improved quality of vision? To find out, researchers in Australia used a driving simulator to test patients' vision before and after cataract surgery. They found that near misses and crashes decreased by 48 percent after surgery. The researchers present their study today at AAO 2019, the 123rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmo... more »
Diet
High fiber, yogurt diet associated with lower lung cancer risk
Health News Report - 19 hours ago
A diet high in fiber and yogurt is associated with a reduced risk for lung cancer, according to a study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers published in *JAMA Oncology*. The benefits of a diet high in fiber and yogurt have already been established for cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal cancer. The new findings based on an analysis of data from studies involving 1.4 million adults in the United States, Europe and Asia suggest this diet may also protect against lung cancer. Participants were divided into five groups, according to the amount of fiber and yogurt... more »
Plant-based foods and Mediterranean diet associated with healthy gut microbiome
Health News Report - 4 days ago
[image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *This is a summary of the key findings in relation to food or food pattern and effect on the gut microbiota. view more Credit: UEG A study presented at UEG Week 2019 has shown that specific foods could provide protection for the gut, by helping bacteria with anti-inflammatory properties to thrive. Researchers from the University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands have found that certain foods including legumes, bread, fish, nuts and wine are associated with high levels of friendly gut bacteria that aids the biosynthesis of essential nutrients and the pr... more »
Dairy products associated with higher risk of prostate cancer
Health News Report - 4 days ago
*Comprehensive review of studies shows decreased risks associated with plant-based diets* A high consumption of dairy products, like milk and cheese, appears to be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, according to research published in the *Journal of the American Osteopathic Association*. Researchers note that prior studies have shown dairy products are the primary source of calcium in Western countries, where rates of prostate cancer are high. Conversely, there are lower rates of prostate cancer in Asian countries, where intake of dairy products is low. The study a... more »
Potato as effective as carbohydrate gels for boosting athletic performance
Health News Report - 1 week ago
Consuming potato puree during prolonged exercise works just as well as a commercial carbohydrate gel in sustaining blood glucose levels and boosting performance in trained athletes, scientists report. "Research has shown that ingesting concentrated carbohydrate gels during prolonged exercise promotes carbohydrate availability during exercise and improves exercise performance," said University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Nicholas Burd, who led the research. "Our study aim was to expand and diversify race-fueling options for athletes and offset flavor fatigu... more »
Fathers-to-be should avoid alcohol six months before conception
Health News Report - 1 week ago
Aspiring parents should both avoid drinking alcohol prior to conception to protect against congenital heart defects, according to research published today in the *European Journal of Preventive Cardiology*, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Drinking alcohol three months before pregnancy or during the first trimester was associated with a 44% raised risk of congenital heart disease for fathers and 16% for mothers, compared to not drinking. Binge drinking, defined as five or more drinks per sitting, was related to a 52% higher likeli... more »

People who eat more meals at home have lower levels of harmful PFAS in their bodies
Health News Report - 2 weeks ago
A home-cooked meal has many benefits, including healthier ingredients and fewer processed foods. But there's another reason to avoid eating out all the time. Preparing meals at home can reduce your exposure to harmful PFAS chemicals that are commonly found in take-out and fast food packaging, according to a new study by researchers at Silent Spring Institute. Reporting in the journal *Environmental Health Perspectives*, the researchers analyzed data from 10,106 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)--a program of the Centers for Disease Contr... more »
Fish in early childhood reduces risk of diseasey
Health News Report - 2 weeks ago
Children should be introduced to fish or cod liver oil early in life, from when they are about a year old. That's because children who consume fish early on show significantly reduced occurrences of eczema, wheezing and asthma at age six, as reported by their parents. The reduction ranges from 28 to 40 per cent fewer occurrences for the various conditions. "We compared children who ate fish at least once a week until they were two years old with children who consumed less fish than that," says associate professor and first author Torbjørn Øien, from the Norwegian University of Sci... more »
Large, long-term study suggests link between eating mushrooms and a lower risk of prostate cancer
Health News Report - 2 weeks ago
Tohoku University [image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *A new study suggests a potential link between including mushrooms in the diet and a lower risk of prostate cancer. view more Credit: Mushroom Council Results from the first long-term cohort study of more than 36,000 Japanese men over decades suggest an association between eating mushrooms and a lower risk of prostate cancer. Their findings were published on September 5, 2019 in the *International Journal of Cancer*. Prostate cancer begins when cells in the prostate gland -- a small walnut-shaped gland found only in men, which produces the fl... more »

Latest Health Research - Diet

Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 2 weeks ago
The relationship between lifetime drinking and non-fatal acute myocardial infarction Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 1 day ago New research from the Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation suggests that the impact of alcohol consumption on coronary heart disease may be underestimated. Although much of the literature to date on the subject suggests that risk is lower among current moderate drinkers than nondrinkers or heavy drinkers, the relationship between lifetime patterns of alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease remains u... more »
Medicine  and Supplements
Antibiotics not necessary for most toothaches, according to new ADA guideline
Health News Report - 19 hours ago
The American Dental Association (ADA) announced today a new guideline indicating that in most cases, antibiotics are not recommended for toothaches. This guidance, published in the November issue of the *Journal of the American Dental Association*, aligns with the ADA's longstanding antibiotic stewardship efforts and its pledged commitment to the U.S. government's Antimicrobial Resistance Challenge. Patients with toothaches are often prescribed antibiotics by physicians and dentists to help relieve signs and symptoms and prevent progression to a more serious condition. However, th... more »
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with poor muscle function in adults aged 60+
Health News Report - 2 days ago
New research from Trinity College Dublin shows that vitamin D deficiency is an important determinant of poor skeletal muscle function in adults aged 60 years and over. Maintaining skeletal muscle function throughout life is a crucial component of successful ageing, in promoting independence, mobility, quality of life and reducing falls and frailty. While resistance exercise is known to preserve muscle function, there is growing evidence that adequate vitamin D status may also be protective. The paper was recently published in the international journal *Clinical Interventions in Age... more »
Bed time is the best time to take blood pressure medication
Health News Report - 3 days ago
 Largest study finds greater reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease and death from bedtime rather than morning medication.  People with high blood pressure who take all their anti-hypertensive medication in one go at bedtime have better controlled blood pressure and a significantly lower risk of death or illness caused by heart or blood vessel problems, compared to those who take their medication in the morning, according to new research. The Hygia Chronotherapy Trial, which is published in the *European Heart Journal* [... more »
Hip and knee steroid injections more dangerous than thought
Health News Report - 1 week ago
A new study reveals that commonly given hip and knee steroid intra-articular injections may be harmful in some patients with at-risk conditions or may cause complications that are not well understood. Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers have found accelerated arthritis and joint destruction can be the unintended result of intra-articular corticosteroid injections. Osteoarthritis of the hip and knee is among the most common joint disorders. A frequently (thousands per day worldwide) performed treatment for osteoarthritis and other joint related pain syndromes are... more »
Taking vitamin D by oral spray just as effective as taking a tablet
Health News Report - 1 week ago
Taking vitamin D by oral spray is just as effective as taking a tablet, research from the University of Sheffield has found. Researchers from the University of Sheffield partnered with industry to test the efficacy of vitamin D oral sprays. The head-to-head clinical trial compared the rate of change of vitamin D status in response to a vitamin D3 (3000IU per day) dose, in both capsule and oral spray (sublingual) methods of delivery. Healthy volunteers took vitamin D over the course of six weeks in 2017 during the height of winter - a time when many people's stores from the summer mo... more »
Why statins give muscle pain
Health News Report - 1 week ago
A study from McMaster University has found a potential mechanism explaining why some people who take drugs to lower their cholesterol develop sore, aching muscles. The use of statin drugs to significantly lower cholesterol, and ultimately reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, has become widespread and large-scale studies suggest that nearly half of Americans and a quarter of Canadians are receiving or are eligible for statin treatment. Unfortunately, a very common side-effect of statin use is the development of muscle pain. In fact, that muscle pain is the primary reason for wh... more »
New Data Supports Link Between Menopausal Hormone Tx and Breast Cancer
Health News Report - 1 week ago
Up until 2002 many women routinely took menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) for symptoms of menopause as well as to prevent osteoporosis and heart disease. That changed, however, with the findings from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial of estrogen plus progestin (combination therapy). A 2013 overview of WHI hormone therapy trials reported that during the WHI combination therapy trial, breast cancer risk progressively increased to 24% overall. For every 10,000 women taking the combination hormone therapy for 1 year, there were nine additional cases of breast cancer, and the risk ... more »
Statins linked to higher risk of diabetes and skin infections, lower risk of prostate cancer
Health News Report - 2 weeks ago
Statins have been reported to be beneficial for infections such as pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. In the case of skin and soft tissue infections however, statin use is ironically associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, which is a risk factor for such infections. In a *British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology* study, statin use for as little as 91 days was linked with elevated risks of skin and soft tissue infections and diabetes. The increased risk of infection was seen in individuals who did and did not develop diabetes. Also, in a study of canc... more »
Dietary supplement from tomatoes boosts sperm quality
Health News Report - 2 weeks ago
- A dietary compound found in tomatoes has been shown to improve sperm quality - Men taking a dietary supplement of LactoLycopene had almost 40 per cent more fast swimming sperm with improvements to sperm size and shape - New discovery could transform outlook for men with fertility problems Sperm quality can be improved with a simple diet supplement containing a compound found in cooked tomatoes, according to new research by the University of Sheffield. The discovery could transform the outlook for men with fertility problems and lead to better ways to reduce the ... more »
Latest Health Research - Medicines and supplements
Health News Report - 2 weeks ago
Choline supplementation may help combat Alzheimer's disease Jonathan KantrowitzatHealth News Report - 3 days ago Arizona State University [image: IMAGE] *IMAGE: *Microglia are specialized cells that work to clear away debris in the brain and perform other essential duties. These cells typically become dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), leading to inflammation... view more Credit: Arizona State University In a new study, Biodesign researchers reveal that a lifelong dietary regimen of choline holds the potential to prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). Choline is a safe and easy... more »
Exercise
Increase health benefits of exercise by working out before breakfast
Health News Report - 1 week ago
According to a new study, published in the *Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism*, health scientists at the Universities of Bath and Birmingham found that by changing the timing of when you eat and exercise, people can better control their blood sugar levels. The six-week study, which involved thirty men classified as obese or overweight and compared results from two intervention groups (who ate breakfast before / after exercise) and a control group (who made no lifestyle changes), found that people who performed exercise before breakfast burned double the amount of fat ... more »
Regular exercise is good for your heart, no matter how old you are!
Health News Report - 2 weeks ago
Regular exercise is highly beneficial for all patients with cardiovascular disease regardless of age, report investigators in the *Canadian Journal of Cardiology*, published by Elsevier. Their results showed that the patients who benefited most from cardiac rehabilitation were those who started out with the greatest physical impairment. Elderly patients are at a higher risk for complications and accelerated physical deconditioning after a cardiovascular event, yet older patients are largely underrepresented in rehabilitation programs. Studies have shown that this might be due to a l... more »
Aging
More aggressive blood pressure control benefits brains of older adults
Health News Report - 1 week ago
A major UConn School of Medicine study published in the American Heart Association's flagship journal *Circulation* shows that more aggressively controlling daily blood pressure in older adults can improve brain health. It's been estimated that approximately two-thirds of people over the age of 75 may have damaged small blood vessels in the brain which are visible as bright white lesions on brain imaging. Prior research evidence has linked increased amounts of these white matter lesions in the brain with cognitive decline, limited mobility such as a slower walking speed, increased i... more »
Regular exercise is good for your heart, no matter how old you are!
Health News Report - 2 weeks ago
Regular exercise is highly beneficial for all patients with cardiovascular disease regardless of age, report investigators in the *Canadian Journal of Cardiology*, published by Elsevier. Their results showed that the patients who benefited most from cardiac rehabilitation were those who started out with the greatest physical impairment. Elderly patients are at a higher risk for complications and accelerated physical deconditioning after a cardiovascular event, yet older patients are largely underrepresented in rehabilitation programs. Studies have shown that this might be due to a l... more »
Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation training alters how we process fearful memories
Health News Report - 1 week ago
Participating in an eight-week mindfulness meditation program appears to alter how the brain processes fear memories. In a study that will appear in the November 1st print issue of *Biological Psychiatry*, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers report that mindfulness meditation appears to help extinguish fearful associations. A common way to treat anxiety disorders is to expose patients to the cause of their anxiety in a safe environment until it no longer elicits fear, a process known as exposure therapy. This exposure provides an opportunity to learn that ... more »
Cultivating joy through mindfulness
Health News Report - 1 week ago
New research shows that a specific mind-body therapy, Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), increases the brain's response to natural, healthy rewards while also decreasing the brain's response to opioid-related cues. The study, published Wednesday in the journal *Science Advances*, examined data from four experiments involving 135 adults who took opioids daily for chronic pain. The study participants were randomly assigned to two groups where they participated in eight weeks of MORE or eight weeks of a therapist-led support group. At the beginning and end of the study ...

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