General Health
Peer-Reviewed Publication Sunscreen that includes zinc oxide, a common ingredient, loses much of its effectiveness and becomes toxic after two hours of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, according to a collaboration that included Oregon State University scientists. The toxicity analysis involved zebrafish, which share a remarkable similarity to humans at the molecular, genetic and cellular levels, meaning many zebrafish studies are immediately relevant to people. Findings were published today in *Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences.* The research team, which included Colleg... read more
It's long been known that meditative mindful breathing helps with various health conditions, including pain. To that end, researchers at the University of Michigan compared two types of meditative breathing––traditional mindful breathing and virtual reality, 3D-guided mindful breathing––to reduce pain. They found that each lessened pain by modulating the somatosensory cortex, a region of the brain responsible for processing pain, but each used different mechanisms, said *Alexandre DaSilva,* associate professor at the School of Dentistry. With the traditional breathing g... read more
Outdoor nature-based activities are effective for improving mental health in adults, including those with pre-existing mental health problems, a new study has found. The research - led by the University of York - showed that taking part in outdoor, nature-based activities led to improved mood, less anxiety, and positive emotions. The study found that activities lasting for 20 to 90 minutes, sustained for over the course of 8 to 12 weeks, have the most positive outcomes for improving mood and reducing anxiety. Gardening and exercise were among the activities associated with mental... read more
Peer-Reviewed PublicationPrint According to a study by the Techniker Krankenkasse, 23 percent of people in Germany frequently suffer from stress. This condition not only puts a strain on the well-being of those affected, but it is also linked to a number of physiological diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and psychological disorders such as depression, one of the world's leading causes of disease burden (Global Burden of Disease Study, 2017). Therefore, effective methods are being sought to reduce everyday stress in the long term. One promising option is mindfu... read more
Approximately 10% of new coronary heart disease cases occurring within a decade of middle age could be avoided by preventing iron deficiency, suggests a study published today in *ESC Heart Failure,* a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 “This was an observational study and we cannot conclude that iron deficiency causes heart disease,” said study author Dr. Benedikt Schrage of the University Heart and Vasculature Centre Hamburg, Germany. “However, evidence is growing that there is a link and these findings provide the basis for further research to confirm the result... read more
Active video games have similar positive health effects on the body as traditional exercises, such as jogging on a treadmill, according to a new study. The researchers say these games could be used by type 1 diabetics as a more enjoyable way to stay active and manage their condition. Whilst sedentary screen time spent playing video games is often blamed for causing obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, new research suggests that certain video games could encourage players to be more active. Researchers from Brazil and the UK ran a randomised trial to investigate the physiolo... read more
Diet
High intake of fatty acid in nuts, seeds and plant oils linked to lower risk of deathStudy adds to evidence of health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids in the diet *Study adds to evidence of health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids in the diet* A high intake of alpha linolenic acid (ALA) - found mainly in nuts, seeds, and plant oils - is associated with a lower risk of death from all causes, and specifically from diseases of the heart and blood vessels, finds a study published by* The BMJ* today. Higher ALA intake was associated with a slightly higher risk of death from cancer, but the researchers say further studies are needed to confirm this. Alpha-linolenic acid ... read more
18-year study measures increase in industrially manufactured foods that may be contributing to obesity and other diseases Consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased over the past two decades across nearly all segments of the U.S. population, according to a new study by researchers at NYU School of Global Public Health. “The overall composition of the average U.S. diet has shifted towards a more processed diet. This is concerning, as eating more ultra-processed foods is associated with poor diet quality and higher risk of several chronic diseases,” said Filippa Juul, an a... read more
The Food Compass nutrient profiling system, developed by researchers at the Friedman School at Tufts, incorporates cutting-edge science on how characteristics of more than 8,000 foods positively or negatively impact health. CREDIT Tufts University A scientific team at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts has developed a new tool to help consumers, food companies, restaurants, and cafeterias choose and produce healthier foods and officials to make sound public nutrition policy. Food Compass is a new nut... read more
A world-first study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found whole fat milk is just as good for kids as low fat. The research, published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition today, suggests current public health advice recommending children over the age of two consume low fat dairy products may need to be revised. ECU’s Associate Professor Therese O’Sullivan led the investigation into the consumption of full-fat dairy products in children as part of the Milky Way study. Over a three-month period, 49 healthy children aged four to six were randomly allocated to... read more
Mushrooms have been making headlines due to their many health advantages. Not only do they lower one’s risk of cancer and premature death, but new research led by Penn State College of Medicine also reveals that these superfoods may benefit a person’s mental health. Penn State researchers used data on diet and mental health collected from more than 24,000 U.S. adults between 2005 and 2016. They found that people who ate mushrooms had lower odds of having depression. According to the researchers, mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant that may protect against cell and ti... read more
Intermittent fasting can produce clinically significant weight loss as well as improve metabolic health in individuals with obesity, according to a new study review led by University of Illinois Chicago researchers. “We noted that intermittent fasting is not better than regular dieting; both produce the same amount of weight loss and similar changes in blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation,” said Krista Varady, professor of nutrition at the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences and author of “Cardiometabolic Benefits of Intermittent Fasting.” According to the analysis p... read more
A study published in the journal *Clinical Nutrition* provides new knowledge on the health effects of a diet rich in nuts. According to the study, focused on the consumption of peanuts, the daily intake of products from this nut could have beneficial effects on the cognitive function and stress response in young and healthy individuals. The study is led by Rosa M. Lamuela, director of INSA-UB and lecturer at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the University of Barcelona, and member of the Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition Networking Biomedical Research Centre (CI... read more
Around 11% of the global population (13% of women and 9% of men) frequently experience abdominal pain when they eat meals, according to a survey on over 50,000 people. The research is being presented for the first time today at UEG Week Virtual 20211. Pain associated with eating appears to be most common in young people aged 18 to 28, with 15% affected, the research found. Those who experienced frequent abdominal meal-related pain were also more likely to suffer from bloating, a swollen tummy, feeling too full after eating or feeling full up too quickly, constipation and diarrho... read more
A study recently published in *Frontiers in Nutrition*, a peer-reviewed medical journal of nutritional science, has found that removing a specific percentage of enriched refined grain foods from the average American diet can result in the failure to meet the recommended amount of several important nutrients; including dietary fiber, iron, and magnesium. Titled “The Role of Fortified and Enriched Refined Grains in the US Dietary Pattern: A NHANES 2009–2016 Modeling Analysis to Examine Nutrient Adequacy,” the study looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination S... read more
Health News Report1 week ago
Exercise
A study of more than 2,000 Framingham Heart Study participants offers specifics We all know that exercise is good for us and that being fit can lower our risk of heart disease and possibly help us to live longer, but what amount and type of physical activity can change a person’s fitness level? New research led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Boston University and published in the *European Heart Journal* provides some specifics. The research looked at cardiorespiratory fitness, or the capacity of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to the body’s m... read more
Adolescents can speed their recovery after a sport-related concussion and reduce their risk of experiencing protracted recovery if they engage in aerobic exercise within 10 days of getting injured, according to a new University at Buffalo study. Published Sept. 30 in *The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health,* the randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers at UB's Concussion Management Clinic reproduces and expands on the team's 2019 study published in JAMA Pediatrics. The new study shows for the first time that sub-symptom threshold aerobic exercise -- meaning exercise th... read more
Aging
It is mainly poorly controlled type 2 diabetes that carries an elevated risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, not the diabetes per se, a longitudinal study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows. The study comprises over 2,500 people and is published in the journal *Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.* It has long been known that type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia disease. However, as for the risk of developing cognitive impairment, a preclinical or very early phase of dementia, the research... read more
People with elevated blood pressure that falls within the normal recommended range are at risk of accelerated brain ageing, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). The research also found optimal blood pressure helps our brains stay at least six months younger than our actual age. The researchers are now calling for national health guidelines to be updated to reflect their important findings. The ANU study, published in *Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience*, found participants with high blood pressure had older and therefore less healthy brains, inc... read more
More than half of adults between the ages of 50 and 80 have a health condition that puts them at high risk of major health emergencies if they don’t keep their blood pressure under control. But a new... read more
A new study by researchers from the Digital Health Circle (DHC), an innovation hub affiliated with Simon Fraser University (SFU), has determined there is a causal relationship between participating in certain lifestyle activities and preventing a decline in cognitive health. Protecting cognitive health is key for healthy aging and for deterring illnesses such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The study, led by DHC Director Sylvain Moreno, shows that moderate-intensity physical activity, such as gardening or walking, and learning activities such as music and art classes—lower the... read more
Add an improved memory to the list of the many benefits that accompany having a sense of purpose in life. A new study led by Florida State University researchers showed a link between an individual’s sense of purpose and their ability to recall vivid details. The researchers found that while both a sense of purpose and cognitive function made memories easier to recall, only a sense of purpose bestowed the benefits of vividness and coherence. The study, which focused on memories related to the COVID-19 pandemic, was published in the journal *Memory.* “Personal memories serve real... read more
Medicine and Supplements
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm, causing the heart to contract irregularly and, sometimes, too quickly. It is estimated to affect 33 million people worldwide and can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. According to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, it is estimated that 7.8 percent of American adults, almost 19 million people, take fish oil supplements. Recent research led by Christine M. Albert, MD, MPH, a professor of Cardiology and chair of the Department of Cardiology in the Smidt He... read more
Nearly 34 million Americans have blood pressure that’s still too high even though they take medicine to control it. A new study may help them and their doctors decide whether to increase the dose of one of their existing drugs, or add a new one, to bring down their pressure and lower their risk of future health problems. In a look back at data from nearly 179,000 veterans over age 65 who received treatment over two years at VA hospitals nationwide, researchers find that patients have a better chance of sticking to their medication regimen if their doctor maximizes the dosage of... read more
Although hormone therapy (HT) remains the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms, some women have hesitated to use it because of concerns about various adverse health effects. A new study, however, is reducing some of those concerns, showing no increased risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes relative to HT use. Study results are published online in *Menopause*, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Over the years, the pros and cons of HT have been hotly debated. Although some controlled trials had previously found that HT was associated with an i... read more
Patients with psoriasis have reported that glycerin, an inexpensive, harmless, slightly sweet liquid high on the list of ingredients in many skin lotions, is effective at combatting their psoriasis and now scientists have objective evidence to support their reports. They found that whether applied topically or ingested in drinking water, glycerin, or glycerol, helps calm the classic scaly, red, raised and itchy patches in their psoriasis model, Dr. Wendy Bollag, cell physiologistand skin researcher at the Medical College of Georgia and Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center and her co... read more
New research published in *The Journal of Physiology* has shown that ketone supplements may be a novel therapeutic strategy for protecting and improving brain health in people with obesity. People with obesity are known to be at a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. This new study found that giving a ketone supplement three times a day for 14 days enhanced blood flow to the brain and improved aspects of cognitive function, like working memory and processing speed, in adults with obesity. Supplements specifically containing the ketone bo... read more
Despite the prevalence of the painful condition, women are fearful and frustrated with limited management options, according to Cedars-Sinai research published in the *Journal of Urology.* Women who participated in the study were critical of healthcare providers for failing to understand their experiences while over-prescribing antibiotics as a treatment option. "We were inspired to conduct the study due to the large number of women coming to us feeling hopeless and helpless when it came to the management of their UTIs," said lead author Victoria Scott, MD, a urologist at the Fe... read more
More than half of the 236 million people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 worldwide since December 2019 will experience post-COVID symptoms -- more commonly known as "long COVID" -- up to six months after recovering, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The research team said that governments, health care organizations and public health professionals should prepare for the large number of COVID-19 survivors who will need care for a variety of psychological and physical symptoms. During their illnesses, many patients with COVID-19 experience symptoms, suc... read more
FDA says anti-parasitic not approved for COVID-19 and ‘can be highly dangerous’ A
Four in 10 Americans – and 7 in 10 heavy users of conser... read more
As the highly infectious delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend even the vaccinated wear masks indoors to prevent exposure and transmission. However, it is less clear what people should do when outside. In *Physics of Fluids,* by AIP Publishing, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay found when a person coughs outdoors, wind flowing in the same direction can propagate the virus faster over longer distances than in calm conditions. "The study is sig... read more
COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing symptomatic illness among health care workers in real-world settings. The study, published in the *New England Journal of Medicine*, found that health care personnel who received a two-dose regimen of Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine had an 89% lower risk for symptomatic illness than those who were unvaccinated. For those who received the two-dose regimen of the Moderna vaccine, the risk was reduced by 96%. The researchers also found that the vaccines appeared to work just as well for people who are over age 50, are in racial or ethnic ... read more
- Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization for all variants, including delta, remains high (90%) for at least six months. - Vaccine effectiveness against all infections of BNT162b2 waned during the six-month study period, from 88% during the first month after receiving two vaccine doses to 47% after six months. - In a variant-specific analysis, researchers found that reductions in the vaccine’s effectiveness against infections over time are likely due to waning, not the delta variant escaping vaccine protection. - Th... read more
To prevent the spread of COVID-19 indoors, the two metres (6.56 feet) physical distancing guideline is not enough without masks, according to researchers from Quebec, Illinois, and Texas. However, wearing a mask indoors can reduce the contamination range of airborne particles by about 67 percent. “Mask mandates and good ventilation are critically important to curb the spread of more contagious strains of COVID-19, especially during the flu season and winter months as more people socialize indoors,” says Saad Akhtar, a former doctoral student under the supervision of Professor Agus ... read more
ense of smell or taste returns within six months for 4 out of every 5 COVID-19 survivors who have lost these senses, and those under 40 are more likely to recover these senses than older adults, an ongoing Virginia Commonwealth University study found. Among 798 respondents to the ongoing COVID-19 smell and taste loss survey who had tested positive for COVID-19 and reported a loss of smell or taste, participants who were younger than 40 recovered their sense of smell at a higher rate than those older than 40, according to study results published in the* American Journal of Otolary... read more
*Studies suggest vegan diet boosts vaccine efficacy and reduces COVID-related morbidity and mortality* “A solid vaccination program is lifesaving, essential, and insufficient,” begins a commentary “Shoring Up Vaccine Efficacy,” which appears today in the *American Journal of Medicine*. The authors say that in addition to vaccinations, health care workers should recommend plant-based diets to help patients improve their health and decrease vulnerability to COVID-19. The authors point to a new study of health care workers whose immune response to the Pfizer vaccine was inversely ... read more
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been much uncertainty about how long immunity lasts after someone who is unvaccinated is infected with SARS-CoV-2. Now a team of scientists led by faculty at Yale School of Public Health and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte have an answer. Strong protection following natural infection is short-lived. "Reinfection can reasonably happen in three months or less," said Jeffrey Townsend, the Elihu Professor of Biostatistics at the Yale School of Public Health and a lead author of the study. "Therefore, those who have been natur... read more
Health News Report1 week ago
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