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WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Almost 15 million people likely died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, nearly three times more than previously reported, a new World Health Organization study estimates.The researchers said the COVID-19 pandemic caused about 4.5 million more deaths than would have been expected in 2020, and 10.4 million more in 2021, according to the report published online Dec. 14 in the journal Nature.By comparison, heart disease was the leading worldwide cause of death in 2019 with nearly 9 million deaths.Based on these numbers, “we would expect COVID-19 to be among the leading causes of death in 2020 and the leading cause of death in 2021,” the study authors concluded.India, Russia, Indonesia, the United States, Brazil and Mexico...

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- So much for vaping as a smoking-cessation tool: New research finds most folks who use both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are likely to continue smoking rather than quit, a new study finds.How much is most? Only 10% quit vaping and smoking."As used by the general population, e-cigarettes have not contributed to substantial smoking cessation," said lead researcher Nandita Krishnan, a doctoral student in the department of prevention and community health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C."Considering that smoking cigarettes is harmful, and the long-term effects of e-cigarette use are unknown, and using both products concurrently carries increased risk, people should be encouraged to quit using both products," she...

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 2022 (American Heart Association News) -- Peppermint, like Santa Claus, seems to be everywhere you turn at the holidays. And also like Santa, when it comes to evaluating claims about it, the most scientific minds will tell you they need more evidence.An internet search will turn up all kinds of statements about peppermint's powers, said Anandh Babu Pon Velayutham, an associate professor of nutrition and integrative physiology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, "but it is not a magic plant."The plant itself is a cross between water mint and spearmint. Fresh leaves can be used to add flavor to food. Dried, it can be used in tea. Oil can be extracted from the plant's stem, leaves and flowers. Much of that oil, Velayutham said, is menthol and the chemically...

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have pinpointed four genes that seem to play a part in how vulnerable you are to suicidal thoughts or behaviors."It's important to note that these genes do not predestine anyone to problems, but it's also important to understand that there could be heightened risks, particularly when combined with life events," said study co-author Nathan Kimbrel. He's an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University in Durham, N.C.To find the culprit genes, Kimbrel and his colleagues conducted a large, genome-wide analysis using data from more than 630,000 U.S. military veterans. Participants were diverse, with 71.4% of European ancestry, 19.1% of African ancestry, 8.1% Hispanic and 1.3% Asian....