Latest Health News

15Jan
2020

Probiotics: Don't Buy the Online Hype

Probiotics: Don`t Buy the Online HypeWEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Many people turn to the internet with health questions, but how reliable is the information you find? When it comes to probiotics, a new study urges caution. The research found that of 150 websites that came up with a search of probiotics, most were commercial sites, hoping to sell a product. Others were news sites or health portals (providing links to other sites). Many of these sites mentioned potential benefits of probiotics, though not all had scientific evidence to back up those claims. And just 1 in 4 of the websites mentioned any potential side effects from taking probiotics. "This study demonstrates that a number of online claims on the health benefits of probiotics are not supported by scientific evidence," said study co-author...

Surgery May Add Years for Patients With Deadly Brain...

15 January 2020
Surgery May Add Years for Patients With Deadly Brain Cancer: StudyWEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Surgical removal of the entire tumor may extend the lives of patients with a rare and deadly type of brain cancer called brainstem high-grade gliomas, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed data from 103 patients in the United States who had either a biopsy (15%) or had surgery to remove part or all of the tumor (85%) between 1973 and 2015. Of those who had surgery, about 19% had total removal of their tumor. Median survival after diagnosis was eight months for those who had biopsy; 11 months with partial tumor removal; and about 16 months for those whose tumor was completely removed. Median means half lived longer, half for a shorter time. Survival among a small number of patients who had total surgical removal and other factors...

Less Sex Could Mean Earlier Menopause

15 January 2020
Less Sex Could Mean Earlier MenopauseWEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For women, a humdrum sex life might also mean an earlier onset of menopause, a new study suggests. British researchers who tracked the sex lives and menopausal status of nearly 3,000 American women for a decade found that those who had less sex were more likely to begin menopause at an earlier age. Women's bodies may react to a lessening of sexual activity on a "use it or lose it" basis, the research team theorized. "The findings of our study suggest that if a woman is not having sex, and there is no chance of pregnancy, then the body 'chooses' not to invest in ovulation, as it would be pointless," explained study first author Megan Arnot. "There may be a biological energetic trade-off between investing energy into ovulation and...

Women's Blood Pressure Rises Earlier, Faster Than Men's

15 January 2020
Women`s Blood Pressure Rises Earlier, Faster Than Men`sWEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Popular media often portrays heart disease as a man's problem, but new research suggests that women's blood vessels actually age faster than men's do. The new study found that blood pressure started increasing in women as early as the third decade of life, and it continued to rise higher than blood pressure in men throughout the life span. The researchers said that this early change in blood pressure sets the stage for different types of cardiovascular disease later in life. "Women actually start out with a lower blood pressure," explained study senior author Dr. Susan Cheng, director of public health research at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in Los Angeles. "If you think of it like a race, women start...

Which Obesity Surgery Is Right for You?

15 January 2020
Which Obesity Surgery Is Right for You?WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- People considering obesity surgery have a lot to think about, including the specific procedure they want. Now a large study finds that one surgery is tied to a higher rates of hospitalization in the years afterward. Looking at medical records from more than 33,000 U.S. patients, researchers found that those who underwent gastric bypass surgery had higher rates of hospitalization in the next five years, versus patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy. Bypass patients also tended to need more abdominal surgeries and other invasive procedures. The findings are not surprising, experts said. Gastric bypass is a more complex surgery than the gastric sleeve approach, and previous studies have pointed to a higher risk of complications. But...

Why Tidying Up Is Sometimes Harder Than Expected

15 January 2020
Why Tidying Up Is Sometimes Harder Than ExpectedWEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- If you can't quite bring yourself to declutter your home and toss out unneeded possessions, one reason why might surprise you. Researchers say the emotional tug you feel might be loneliness. "When consumers make decisions about how to get rid of multiple possessions, perhaps when they are moving, it is a time when they are likely to feel lonely," said Catherine Cole. She's a professor of marketing at the University of Iowa, in Iowa City. "This could make it more difficult for them to empty out a house or apartment," she explained. People who feel lonely are more likely to form attachments to objects -- for example, the jacket you were wearing when you got engaged or a special toy from childhood -- making it harder to donate unwanted...

Universal Flu Vaccine Works in Mice

15 January 2020
Universal Flu Vaccine Works in MiceWEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental flu vaccine gave mice long-lasting protection against six different flu virus strains, researchers report. The nanoparticle vaccine contains two major influenza proteins -- matrix protein 2 ectodomain (M2e), and neuraminidase (NA) -- and protected the mice for up to four months. The results suggest that this combination has potential as a universal flu vaccine or component of such vaccines, said researchers at Georgia State University's Institute for Biomedical Sciences. "This nanoparticle antigen combination conferred mice with strong cross-protection," said study first author Ye Wang, a biology Ph.D. student at the institute. "It can protect mice from different strains of influenza virus. Each season, we have...

Health Tip: Stop Picking Your Skin

15 January 2020
(HealthDay News) -- If you cannot stop picking at scabs or bumps, you may have a condition called skin picking disorder (SPD). The urge to pick at the skin affects at least 5 million Americans, says Harvard Medical School. To tackle the issue, the school suggests: Know your triggers. It can help a doctor decide which treatment to pursue. Make it more difficult to pick by keeping your nails short or wearing gloves. Distract your hands with silly putty, a stress ball or fidget toy. Consider therapy.

Pot-Using Drivers Still Impaired After the High Fades

TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Even when they're not high on marijuana, recreational users of the drug display signs of impaired driving, a new study finds. The findings may come as a...

Brake Dust Another Driver of Air Pollution

TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Air pollution from brake pads may pose a significant respiratory health risk, British researchers say. "At this time, the focus on diesel exhaust...
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