COVID-19 It May Be Time to Pay Attention to COVID Again: More than 3 years into the COVID-19 era, most Americans have settled back into their pre-pandemic lifestyles. But a new dominant variant and rising hospitalization numbers may give way to another summer surge. Since April, a new COVID variant has cropped up. According to recent CDC data, EG.5 — from the Omicron family — now makes up 17% of all cases in the U.S., up from 7.5% in the first week of July. A summary from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota says that EG.5, nicknamed "Eris" by health trackers, is nearly the same as its parent strain, XBB.1.9.2, but has one extra spike mutation. Along with the news of EG.5's growing prevalence, COVID-related hospitalization rates have increased by 12.5% in the last week — the most significant uptick since December. Still, no connection has been made between the new variant and rising hospital admissions. And so far, experts have found no difference in the severity of illness or symptoms between Eris and the strains that came before it. Medscape
Covid on Science Friday: As COVID-related hospitalizations once again surge, virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen answers listener queries about the latest variant, and new research suggests neurological culprit for Covid brain fog.
PAINCan a Puff of Cool Air Up the Nose Stop Acute Migraine? Transnasal evaporative cooling appears promising as a nonpharmacologic treatment to abort migraine attacks, according to the results of a small study. Most patients reported relief of their symptoms after receiving 15 minutes of transnasal evaporative cooling, without any need for rescue medication. The findings were presented at the virtual American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Meeting 2023.
Dual Treatment May Boost Efficacy in Chronic Migraine: For patients with chronic migraine, combination therapy with anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies and onabotulinumtoxinA may be more effective than monotherapy, possibly owing to the synergistic mechanism of action of the two agents, a new study suggests. The findings were presented at the American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Meeting 2023.
Peppermint oil aromatherapy may ease pain severity after heart surgery: The use of essential peppermint oil aromatherapy may ease pain severity after open heart surgery and enhance sleep quality as well, suggest the results of a small comparative clinical trial, published online in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.
Scrambler therapy may offer lasting relief for chronic pain: A new review paper co-authored by two Johns Hopkins pain experts suggests that scrambler therapy, a noninvasive pain treatment, can yield significant relief for approximately 80%–90% of patients with chronic pain, and it may be more effective than another noninvasive therapy: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The write-up was published online July 13 in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Reduced likelihood of gabapentin prescription in U.S. adults receiving chiropractic spinal manipulation (CSMT) for low back pain: Researchers hypothesized that adults under 50 years of age receiving CSMT for newly diagnosed radicular low back pain would have reduced odds of being prescribed gabapentin over a one-year follow-up period. Using a retrospective cohort study design, the research team analyzed data from a large U.S. healthcare network comprising millions of patient records. The CSMT cohort had significantly lower odds of receiving a gabapentin prescription compared to the usual medical care cohort. The odds ratio was 0.53 (p<0.0001), indicating a meaningful reduction in gabapentin use among patients who received chiropractic care for radicular low back pain. BMJ Open
Low-Dose Steroid for Rheumatoid Arthritis Not Linked to Hypertension, Significant Weight Gain: New research published August 15 in Annals of Internal Medicinehas found that a type of common steroid called prednisone did not lead to significant weight gain or higher blood pressure in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINEExercise training and yoga can help improve lung function in adults with asthma: Yoga and breathing control practices, in combination with aerobic training, are particularly key exercises for asthmatic people seeking to improve their lung function, a new peer-reviewed study suggests. The research which is published in the journal Annals of Medicine highlights the importance of integrating appropriate exercise training into asthma management plans.
Blue-light filtering spectacles probably make no difference to eye strain, eye health or sleep quality:Spectacles that are marketed to filter out blue light probably make no difference to eye strain caused by computer use or to sleep quality, according to a review of 17 randomised controlled trials of the best available evidence so far. Nor did the review find any evidence that blue-light filtering lenses protect against damage to the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, as included studies did not evaluate this outcome. Blue-light filtering lenses, also known as blue-light blocking spectacles, have been increasingly prescribed or recommended, often by optometrists, since the early 2000s. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Cancer organizations recommend mindfulness-based interventions to treat anxiety and depression in patients: The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) formally recommend mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and other integrative therapies to manage anxiety and depression symptoms in adults living with cancer. The guideline, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, reviews the effectiveness of integrative therapies such as yoga, relaxation, hypnosis, acupuncture, and music therapy in treating anxiety and depression symptoms during and after cancer treatment.
Older women at risk for Alzheimer’s disease may benefit from yoga: Kundalini yoga, a form of yoga that focuses on breathing, meditation, and mental visualization, appeared beneficial for older women who had risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and concerns about episodes of memory decline, according to a UCLA Health study. Researchers at UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, using a type of MRI that measures activity in regions and subregions of the brain, found that Kundalini yoga, which combines movement and meditation and focuses on breathing, mantra recitation and mental visualization, increased connectivity in an area of the brain that can be impacted by stress and is associated with memory decline. Results appear early online in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
FDA ACTION• Approved Jardiance (empagliflozin) and Synjardy (empagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride) as additions to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in children 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes.
• Approved Suflave, a new low-volume, lemon-lime flavored liquid osmotic laxative for colonoscopy
• Approved Zurzuva for postpartum depression
• Approved the first anti-inflammatory drug, LODOCO, for cardiovascular disease
• Approved Sohonos (Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.), the first treatment for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP).
• Approved HEPZATO KIT (melphalan for Injection/Hepatic Delivery System) containing melphalan (HEPZATO, Delcath Systems Inc.) as a liver-directed treatment for adult patients with uveal melanoma with unresectable hepatic metastases affecting less than 50% of the liver and no extrahepatic disease, or extrahepatic disease limited to the bone, lymph nodes, subcutaneous tissues, or lung that is amenable to resection or radiation.
• Accelerated approval to elranatamab-bcmm (Elrexfio, Pfizer, Inc.), a bispecific B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CD3 T-cell engager, for adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.
• Approved the fixed dose combination of niraparib and abiraterone acetate (Akeega, Janssen Biotech, Inc.), with prednisone, for adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA-mutated castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), as determined by an FDA-approved test.
• Approved pralsetinib (Gavreto, Genentech, Inc.) for adult patients with metastatic rearranged during transfection fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA-approved test.
• Approved trifluridine and tipiracil (LONSURF, Taiho Oncology, Inc.) with bevacizumab, for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biological therapy, and if RAS wild-type, an anti-EGFR therapy.
• Approved dostarlimab-gxly (Jemperli, GlaxoSmithKline) with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by single-agent dostarlimab-gxly, for primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that is mismatch repair deficient, as determined by an FDA-approved test, or microsatellite instability-high.
• Approved RiVive, 3 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription use for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose. This is the second nonprescription naloxone product the agency has approved
PREVENTION
ExerciseTime to Prescribe Sauna Bathing for Cardiovascular Health? Mounting evidence shows that hitting the heated chambers can produce some of the same cardiovascular benefits as aerobic exercise. While a post-workout sauna can compound the benefits of exercise, the hormetic effects of heat therapy alone can produce significant gains for microvascular and endothelial function, no workout required. "There's enough evidence to say that regular sauna use improves cardiovascular health," Matthew S. Ganio, PhD, a professor of exercise science at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, who studies thermoregulatory responses and cardiovascular health, said. Medscape https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/993434
Intense Exercise May Be Risky in Moderate to Severe Stenosis: Intense exercise may increase stroke risk among patients with moderate or severe stenosis, new research suggests. As expected, intense exercise was beneficial for the patients with healthy arteries and for those with mild stenosis, but it showed potential for adversely affecting arteries among patients with moderate or higher levels of stenosis because it increased the arterial wall shear stress (WSS) at the stenosis zone. The study was published online June 20 in Physics of Fluids.
About 4 Minutes of Daily Activity Can Help You Drop Your Cancer Risk by 32%: The study, published in JAMA OncologyTrusted Source, was an observational study that determined that four to five minutes a day of “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity” is associated with lower cancer risk compared to those who do not do this kind of activity. Vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity, or VILPA, was defined as bursts between one and two minutes. This type of vigorous activity can include taking the stairs, speedwalking or bringing in heavy bags of groceries.
'Weekend Warrior' vs. Daily Exercise: Which Is Best for Heart Health?: Staying in shape can be a big time commitment, but new researchTrusted Source published JAMA suggests that “weekend warriors” may reap the same cardiovascular health benefits as those who go to the gym multiple times a week. A study found that working out at least 150 minutes a week can help cut your risk of stroke or atrial fibrillation (AFib). And those 150 minutes can be split equally across the week or be concentrated on the weekend. The data showed that concentrated and spread-out exercise was associated with lower cardiovascular risk. The risk of heart attack was 27% lower for weekend warriors and 35% lower for those who spread their exercise out over several days. The study also found that weekend warriors’ risk of heart failure was 38% lower and 36% lower for regular exercisers. The risk of arterial fibrillation was 22% and 19% lower, and for stroke, it was 21% and 17% lower.
Isometric Exercise Optimal for Lowering Blood Pressure? Isometric exercise training emerged as the most effective mode to reduce blood pressure in a systematic review and meta-analysis of 270 randomized trials with close to 16,000 participants. The findings support the development of new exercise guidelines for blood pressure control, the authors say. The study was published online July 25 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Step Counts Under 5000 Still Tied to Lower Death Risk: Higher daily step counts were associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, with benefit beginning with any amount over about 4000 and 2300 steps, respectively, in a new meta-analysis. More steps were better ― additional benefit was seen with increasing increments of 500 or 1000 steps. Our study in relatively healthy individuals, not patients, showed even a lower number ― for example, around 4000 ― may be associated with a significant reduction of mortality. The study was published online August 9 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Fat burning during exercise varies widely between individuals: The best heart rate for burning fat differs for each individual and often does not align with the “fat burning zone” on commercial exercise machines, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai researchers report. Instead, the researchers said, clinical exercise testing—a diagnostic procedure to measure a person’s physiological response to exercise—may be a more useful tool to help individuals achieve intended fat loss goals. The study, which used a machine learning-based modeling approach, was published online in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness Lowers Risk of 9 Types of Cancer by 40%, Study Finds: A new research study, published today in the British Journal of Sports Medicine is now shedding more light on how having a healthy heart and lungs can protect against specific forms of cancer. Some cancer risk was reduced by up to 40% compared to low fitness levels. The affected cancers include: head and neck, stomach, pancreas, liver, colon, rectum, esophagus, kidney, and lung.Surprisingly, two forms of cancer (skin and prostate) were found to have a slightly increased risk in more fit individuals.
Playing tackle football may increase the risk for Parkinson's disease: Researchers evaluated 1,875 sport participants -- 729 men who played football, predominantly at the amateur level, and 1,146 men who played non-football sports who served as the control group. Participants were enrolled in Fox Insight, a longitudinal online study of people with and without PD. researchers found a link between playing football and increased odds for having a parkinsonism or PD diagnosis even after accounting for known risk factors for PD. Additionally, the data revealed that players who had longer careers and played at higher levels of competition experienced increased odds for having a reported diagnosis of parkinsonism or PD. Football players who played at the college or professional level were at 2.93 increased odds for having a PD diagnosis compared with those who just played at the youth or high school level. Age of first exposure to football was not associated with odds for having a reported parkinsonism or PD diagnosis. JAMA Network Open
Diet/NutritionWHO Plans to Declare Common Sweetener as Possible Carcinogen: The World Health Organization is set to list the artificial sweetener aspartame as a possible carcinogen, meaning it may cause cancer. The move, reported by multiple media sources, is expected during a July 14 meeting of WHO research experts called the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Reuters cited two unnamed sources "with knowledge of the process," noting that aspartame is one of the world's most commonly used sweeteners.
Added Sugars in Your Diet May Significantly Increase Your Risk of Developing Kidney Stones: People who get more than 25% of their total energy from added sugars could have an 88% higher chance of kidney stones than those who get less than 5% of their energy from added sugars. Frontiers in Nutrition.
These 5 Foods May Extend Your Life and Reduce Risk of Chronic Disease: In a new study, presented in July at NUTRITION 2023. The results show that individuals consuming a more environmentally sustainable diet were 25% less likely to die within a 30-year follow-up period than those following a less sustainable diet. The research team identified five key foods that positively impact human health and could increase lifespan. These include: whole grains, fruit, non starchy vegetables (i.e., cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, and tomatoes); nuts and unsaturated oils (i.e., olive, peanut, walnut, sunflower, rapeseed, and corn oil). “These healthy plant-based foods were associated with both low risk of chronic diseases, like coronary heart disease, colorectal cancer, diabetes, stroke, and total mortality, and low impacts to the environment, like water use, acidification, eutrophication, land use, greenhouse gas emissions.”
Drinking Kombucha May Help Reduce Blood Sugar Levels for People with Type 2 Diabetes: A new small study suggests drinking kombucha every day may help lower blood sugar levels in people who are living with type 2 diabetes. After drinking a cup of kombucha daily for four weeks, participants’ average fasting blood glucose levels decreased from 164 to 116 milligrams per deciliter. Previous research suggests drinking kombucha may have additional health benefits for people living with type 2 diabetes, including reducing cardiovascular risks and insulin resistance. study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.
Even One Drink Per Day Can Raise Your Blood Pressure: New research published in HypertensionTrusted Source has found that those with low alcohol consumption levels are still at risk for heightened blood pressure, even if they don’t already have hypertension. The analysis, conducted by a multi-national team from Italy and the United States, involved seven studies, equating to data from 19,548 people.
Time-Restricted Eating Gains for Weight and Glycemic Control: Time-restricted eating (TRE) can be a practical, easy-to-follow way for some people to control their daily food intake and lose weight. It precludes a person’s need to pay close attention to how much they eat as long as they confine consumption to a limited time window. Plus, results from several recent studies show TRE can further benefit people with type 2 diabetes as well as obesity via mechanisms beyond weight loss. The most tested and recommended eating window is 8 hours long, although periods up to roughly 10 hours may provide some benefits. Results from multiple studies document that TRE produces modest but consistent weight loss in many people of less than 5%. A recent meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled studies involving 899 people showed an overall incremental weight loss compared with controls of 1.60 kg on a TRE regimen. The more limited data collected so far in people with type 2 diabetes show additional metabolic benefits from TRE including improved beta-cell responsiveness, increased insulin sensitivity, nonoxidative glucose disposal, increased time in glycemic range, and virtually no hypoglycemic events. Medscape
Plant-based protein intake may reduce Chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk: Researchers found that participants with a higher plant protein intake had a lower risk of developing CKD. This finding suggests that a higher dietary intake of plant-based protein may be beneficial for kidney health and provide insight into dietary interventions to prevent CKD in primary care settings. American Journal of Kidney Diseases
New research shows potential role for mangos in supporting vascular health and antioxidant activities:Two new studies funded by the National Mango Board and presented as posters during the American Society for Nutrition’s Annual Conference (Nutrition 2023) show mangos may play a role in risk reductions for vascular issues while helping to improve antioxidant levels among relatively healthy adult men and women who are overweight or obese.
Is snacking bad for your health? It depends on what and when you eat: In a new study involving more than 1,000 people, researchers examined whether snacking affects health and if the quality of snack foods matters. “Our study showed that the quality of snacking is more important than the quantity or frequency of snacking, thus choosing high quality snacks over highly processed snacks is likely beneficial. Timing is also important, with late night snacking being unfavorable for health.” NUTRITION 2023
Strawberry consumption may improve cognitive function in older adults, new study says: Daily strawberry consumption was linked to improved cognitive function, lower blood pressure and higher antioxidant capacity in a randomized clinical trial presented today at Nutrition 2023. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 35 healthy men and women, aged 66 to 78. The participants consumed 26 grams of freeze-dried strawberry powder, equivalent to two servings of strawberries daily, or a control powder for eight weeks each. Following strawberry consumption, cognitive processing speed increased by 5.2%, systolic blood pressure decreased by 3.6% and total antioxidant capacity significantly increased by 10.2%. Waist circumference decreased by 1.1% during both the control and intervention arms of the trial. While consuming the control powder, participants experienced increased serum triglycerides. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/996562
New studies show daily prune consumption supports cardiovascular health in aging population: A pair of new studies presented as abstracts today at the American Society of Nutrition (ASN) annual meeting report that daily prune consumption has promising effects on several biomarkers related to cardiovascular health. Conducted in postmenopausal women and men 55 years and older, the studies reveal: In men, long-term prune consumption improved HDL cholesterol and the total cholesterol to HDL ratio, while decreasing oxidative stress and the inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP). In older women, long-term prune consumption had no negative effect on various metabolic measures related to heart disease risk including total cholesterol, total triglycerides, fasting glucose, and insulin levels.
Nutritional content of most milk alternatives doesn’t measure up to cow’s milk: To assess how the nutritional content of plant-based milk alternatives compares to that of cow’s milk, researchers examined more than 200 plant-based milk alternative products being sold in the U.S. in 2023 — many more products than were included in previous studies. Compared to cow’s milk, only 12% of the milk alternative products contained comparable or greater amounts of all three nutrients studied: calcium, vitamin D, and protein. “Based on these findings, consumers should look for plant-based milk alternative products that list calcium and vitamin D as ingredients. They may also want to consider adding other sources of calcium and vitamin D to their diets.” NUTRITION 2023,
Opting for olive oil could boost brain health: A new study suggests that incorporating olive oil into your diet could help reduce the risk of dying from dementia. “Our study reinforces dietary guidelines recommending vegetable oils such as olive oil and suggests that these recommendations not only support heart health but potentially brain health, as well. “Opting for olive oil, a natural product, instead of fats such as margarine and commercial mayonnaise is a safe choice and may reduce the risk of fatal dementia.” NUTRITION 2023
What is the best dieting strategy for people with type 2 diabetes? A new randomized controlled study of people with type 2 diabetes showed that study participants who restricted eating to between noon and 8 p.m. daily lost more weight than those who reduced their overall calorie intake by counting calories. Both dieting strategies produced similar improvements in blood sugar levels. NUTRITION 2023
Muscadine wine shows promise in improving aging skin: According to a new study, women who drank two glasses of dealcoholized muscadine wine daily showed significant improvements in the elasticity and water retention of their skin compared with those who consumed a placebo. The study is the first time scientists have studied the impacts of nonalcoholic wine consumption on skin health in a randomized clinical trial. Researchers attribute the beneficial effects to chemical compounds called polyphenols that naturally occur in many plants. NUTRITION 2023
Eating a Small Amount of Nuts Daily May Help Lower Your Depression Risk: That’s according to new research published July 26 in the journal Clinical Nutrition that found eating a serving of nuts (30 grams) per day is associated with 17% reduced risk of depression.
Women who consumed sugar sweetened beverage daily had higher risk of developing liver cancer and chronic liver disease A total of 98,786 postmenopausal women were included in the final analyses. The 6.8 percent of women who consumed one or more sugar-sweetened beverages daily had an 85 percent higher risk of liver cancer and 68 percent higher risk of chronic liver disease mortality compared to those who had fewer than three sugar sweetened beverages per month. JAMA
SleepInhaling Pleasant Scents During Sleep Tied to a Dramatic Boost in Cognition: In a small, randomized control trial researchers found that when cognitively normal individuals were exposed to the scent of an essential oil for 2 hours every night over 6 months, they experienced a 226% improvement in memory compared with a control group who received only a trace amount of the diffused scent. In addition, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed that those in the enriched group had improved functioning of the left uncinate fasciculus, an area of the brain linked to memory and cognition, which typically declines with age. The study was published online July 24 in Frontiers of Neuroscience.
Playing catch-up on weekends may not improve cardiovascular cost of sleep loss: New research led by Penn State reveals that cardiovascular health measures, including heart rate and blood pressure, worsen over the course of the week when sleep is restricted to five hours per night, and attempting to catch up on sleep over the weekend is insufficient to return these measures to normal. Psychosomatic Medicine.
How people feel about their sleep matters to their well-being, new research suggests: “Our findings are consistent with our previous research that identified people's self-reported health, and not their actual health conditions, as the main factor associated with their subjective well-being and especially with life satisfaction. The study suggests that evaluating your sleep positively may contribute to a better mood on the next day. Emotion.
TENS machine provides cheaper and non-invasive treatment for sleep apnoea: Results of the TESLA trial, published in eClinical Medicine , shows the potential of a new therapeutic option for patients using a transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) machine. Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea were randomised and set to receive a TENS machine or CPAP. The light and continuous electric stimulation of the machine is enough to keep the airway open while asleep, allowing easy breathing to continue. Patients treated with TENS showed improvements in nocturnal breathing and a significant reduction of daytime exhaustion. The trial also shows that this treatment could be considered for patients who do not respond well to CPAP, providing a second line treatment that is cheaper and less time consuming to roll out than current alternatives.
Irregular sleep patterns associated with harmful gut bacteria: The study, published in The European Journal of Nutrition, is the first to find multiple associations between social jet lag – the shift in your internal body clock when your sleeping patterns change between workdays and free days - and diet quality, diet habits, inflammation and gut microbiome composition in a single cohort.
Vitamins/SupplementsCV Benefit From Vitamin-D Caps Hinted in Huge D-Health Trial: Adults aged 60 or older who took high monthly doses of vitamin D for 5 years failed to show a significant drop in risk for cardiovascular (CV) events in general but may have benefited for other CV outcomes in an analysis from a large prospective randomized trial. Risk reductions on vitamin D in the mixed primary- and secondary-prevention population were slight in absolute terms but reached a significant 19% in the case of myocardial infarction (MI). The analysis based on the D-Health study was published online June 28 in The BMJ.
Study highlights importance of quality and potency of saw palmetto extracts in prostate health supplements: A new study published in the Journal of Urology Open Plus reveals that 7 saw palmetto products met the identity and potency standards to effectively address urinary tract symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate. According to the lead author of the study, Dr. Bilal Chughtai, who is a board-certified urologist, of the 28 supplements included in the study, only six of the lipid extracts and one multi-active product were found to have the appropriate dosage of 320 milligrams of saw palmetto extract and the minimum 80% fatty acids clinically shown to address inflammation and improve symptoms that nearly all men will experience in their lifetime, like increased urination, sudden urgency, weak stream and disrupted sleep.
Could probiotics help slow age-related cognitive decline? Findings from a new study suggest that taking a probiotic could help prevent the decline in memory and thinking that can accompany aging. This research may pave the way for new, non-invasive treatments that leverage the gut microbiome to mitigate cognitive decline in the aging population. The researchers found that when study participants with mild cognitive impairment received the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for three months, their cognitive scores increased. This cognitive improvement was also associated with changes in their gut microbiome. NUTRITION 2023,
Omega-3 fatty acids appear promising for maintaining lung health: Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in fish and fish oil supplements, appear promising for maintaining lung health, according to new evidence from a large, multi-faceted study in healthy adults. The study provides the strongest evidence to date of this association and underscores the importance of including omega-3 fatty acids in the diet, especially given that many Americans do not meet current guidelines. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Taking higher-than-recommended doses of vitamin D for five years reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation: Taking higher-than-recommended doses of vitamin D for five years reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation in older men and women, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. American Heart Journal
OtherLean Muscle Mass Protective Against Alzheimer's (AD)? Investigators analyzed data on over 450,000 participants in the UK Biobank as well as two independent samples of more than 320,000 individuals with and without AD, and more than 260,000 individuals participating in a separate genes and intelligence study. They estimated lean muscle and fat tissue in the arms and legs and found, in adjusted analyses, over 500 genetic variants associated with lean mass. On average, higher genetically lean mass was associated with a "modest but statistically robust" reduction in AD risk and also with superior performance on cognitive tasks. The study was published online June 29 in BMJ Medicine.
This Lung Disease Doesn't Have a Name But It Affects Millions of Smokers: Millions of current and former smokers in the United States who don’t meet the criteria for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may still have impaired lung function, a multi-center study found. Published August 1 in JAMATrusted Source,
Regular Colorectal Cancer Screenings Should Begin at Age 50, Suggests ACP: The American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued an update to its guidance for colorectal cancer screening for adults at average risk who are not currently experiencing any symptoms of the disease. The revised guidance also advises against screening average-risk individuals aged 45 to 49 and suggests discussing with patients the various benefits versus risks of screening in this age group. Additionally, it says that physicians can stop screening patients if they are older than 75 or have a life expectancy of 10 years or less.
These eight habits could lengthen your life by decades: A new study involving over 700,000 U.S. veterans reports that people who adopt eight healthy lifestyle habits by middle age can expect to live substantially longer than those with few or none of these habits. The eight habits are: being physically active, being free from opioid addiction, not smoking, managing stress, having a good diet, not regularly binge drinking, having good sleep hygiene, and having positive social relationships. According to the results, men who have all eight habits at age 40 would be predicted to live an average of 24 years longer than men with none of these habits. For women, having all eight healthy lifestyle factors in middle age was associated with a predicted 21 additional years of life compared to women with none of these habits. NUTRITION 2023
Mediterranean Lifestyle Can Help Lower Your Risk of Cancer, Early Death: In a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers found that adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle by middle-aged individuals living in the United Kingdom reduced all-cause and cancer-related mortality by 29% and 28%, respectively. The Mediterranean diet is defined by high consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (like olive oil), and lean protein, predominantly fish. Eating habits of the region include limiting salt and sugar consumption, reduced exposure to processed foods, and moderate consumption of red wine. Social factors and “conviviality,” as the study terms it, include socializing with friends, especially at meals, collective sports, limited sedentary activities, and taking naps.
Gum disease linked to buildup of Alzheimer's plaque formation: Although most people don't associate oral disease with serious health problems, increasing evidence shows that oral bacteria play a significant role in systemic diseases like colon cancer and heart disease. Now, new research shows a link between periodontal (gum) disease and the formation of amyloid plaque, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Neuroinflammation,
Taking good care of your teeth may be good for your brain: Taking good care of your teeth may be linked to better brain health, according to a new study. The study found that gum disease and tooth loss were linked to brain shrinkage in the hippocampus, which plays a role in memory and Alzheimer's disease. The study does not prove that gum disease or tooth loss causes Alzheimer's disease; it only shows an association. Neurology
A simple mouth rinse could spot early heart disease risk: Gum inflammation leads to periodontitis, which is linked with cardiovascular disease. The team used a simple oral rinse to see if levels of white blood cells — an indicator of gum inflammation — in the saliva of healthy adults could be linked to warning signs for cardiovascular disease. They found that high levels correlated with compromised flow-mediated dilation, an early indicator of poor arterial health. Frontiers in Oral Health https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/998709
Several vaccines associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease in adults 65 and older: Prior vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria, with or without pertussis (Tdap/Td); herpes zoster (HZ), better known as shingles; and pneumococcus are all associated with a reduced risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Semaglutide medication (Wegovy) may benefit 93 million U.S. adults: A popular weight loss medication may prevent up to 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes over 10 years, and could result in 43 million fewer obese people. The study estimated a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk of 1.8% (from 10.15% to 8.34%), projecting up to 1.5 million cardiovascular events could be potentially prevented in 10 years. Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy
Long-term use of certain acid reflux drugs linked to higher risk of dementia: People who take acid reflux medications called proton pump inhibitors for four-and-a-half years or more may have a higher risk of dementia compared to people who do not take these medications, according to new research. This study does not prove that acid reflux drugs cause dementia; it only shows an association. Neurology
TREATMENTBempedoic Acid: Statin Alternative Helped Reduce Bad Cholesterol By 21%: According to research being presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, ENDO 2023, the medication bempedoic acid demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the risk of cardiac events along with statins. The researchers say bempedoic acid could become an alternative to medications for lowering bad cholesterol, but further studies are still needed.
Big Trial Reassures on Heart Safety of Testosterone in Men: Testosterone replacement therapy does not appear to raise the risk for adverse cardiac events among middle-aged and older men with hypogonadism at high risk for heart disease, long-awaited results from a major clinical trial show. Among over 5000 men aged 45-80 years randomized to daily transdermal testosterone gel or matching placebo gel for an average of 22 months, no increased risk was seen for a first occurrence of any component of a composite of death from cardiovascular causes,nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. There was also no increased risk for prostate cancer over the 33-month follow-up period. However, there were increases in rates of atrial fibrillation, acute kidney injury, and pulmonary embolism in the testosterone group.
In terms of efficacy, testosterone therapy was associated with improved sexual function over 2 years of treatment and correction, or prevention, of anemia, but had no effect on progression to diabetes or glycemic parameters. And an unexpected finding was a significant and unexplained 43% increase in fractures with testosterone therapy. The mandated safety data were published online in the New England Journal of Medicine. The efficacy outcomes, undertaken opportunistically due to the trial's large sample size and relatively long follow-up, will be published later this year.
Do Oral Contraceptives Increase Depression Risk? Investigators tracked more than 250,000 women from birth to menopause, gathering information about their use of combined contraceptive pills (progesterone and estrogen), the timing of the initial depression diagnosis, and the onset of depressive symptoms that were not formally diagnosed. Women who began using these OCs before or at the age of 20 experienced a 130% higher incidence of depressive symptoms, whereas adult users saw a 92% increase. But the higher occurrence of depression tended to decline after the first 2 years of use, except in teenagers, who maintained an increased incidence of depression even after discontinuation. The study was published online June 12 in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences.
HRT, Even Short-Term Use, Linked to Dementia Risk in Women: Investigators found that women in their 50s who took hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal symptoms had a 24% increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) 20 years later compared with those who didn't use HRT. The risk was present even in women who used HRT for brief periods at menopause onset. However, both the investigators and experts not involved in the research caution that further studies are needed to explore whether the increased risk of dementia stems from HRT use or whether women in need of HRT have other underlying dementia risk factors. The findings were published online June 28 in BMJ.
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Promising for Acute Stroke: High-definition cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (HD C-tDCS) is a promising approach for treating acute ischemic stroke (AIS), results of a pilot study suggest. "We were able to efficiently apply this treatment in emergency settings, and it was well tolerated. Furthermore, patients who received active treatment showed promising improvement, measured by looking at brain scans after treatment." The study was published online June 21 in JAMA Network Open
Moderate Intensity Statins Can Even Help People at High Risk for Heart Disease, Study Finds:The studyTrusted Source, published in JAMA Cardiology, found taking a lower dose of the statin rosuvastatin (known by the brand name Crestor) alongside ezetimibe (known by the brand name Zetia) can be just as helpful as a higher dose of rosuvastatin when it comes to preventing cardiovascular deaths, hospitalization for cardiovascular events, and strokes.
Daily Low Dose Aspirin May Increase Risk of Brain Bleeding: New research shows that daily low dose aspirin may increase the risk of brain bleeding in older adults, which could lead to hemorrhagic stroke. The findings also indicate that low dose aspirin did not significantly lower the risk of ischemic stroke. The study, published July 26 in JAMA Network OpenTrusted Source, adds to growing evidence that routine aspirin use for older adults with no previous stroke carries more risk than benefit.
Mounjaro More Effective Than Ozempic for Weight Loss, New Research Shows: Diabetes drug tirzepatide, also known by the brand name Mounjaro, has achieved impressive results as a weight loss treatment. The latest clinical trials show Mounjaro was more effective than Ozempic, with patients achieving 26.6% weight loss over 84 weeks. Mounjaro promotes weight loss by improving satiety, breaking down fat, and reducing sugar cravings. The drug has similar side effects to Ozempic, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and constipation.
A Decade After First DAA, Only 1 in 3 Are HCV Free: In the decade since safe, curative oral treatments were approved for treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, only 1 in 3 US patients diagnosed with the disease have been cleared of it, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The findings indicate that current progress falls far short of the goal of the Viral Hepatitis National Strategic Plan for the United States, which calls for eliminating HCV for at least 80% of patients with the virus by 2030. The article was published online June 30 in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Wegovy Lowers Heart Attack, Stroke Risk by 20%: Weight loss drug Wegovy reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart attack-related death by 20% compared to people taking an inactive placebo, a clinical trial in people with cardiovascular disease shows. On August 8, Novo Nordisk, the drug’s manufacturer, announced the preliminary results in a news release. The company said the results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, but they will be presented later this year at a scientific conference.
Early Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis Could Lower Disability Risk: People who started taking medication earlier after the first signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) had a 45% lower risk of long-term disability, a recent study found. The observational study was published online July 19 in Neurology.
Medications for chronic diseases affect the body's ability to regulate body temperature, keep cool:Medications to treat various chronic diseases may hinder the body's ability to lose heat and regulate its core temperature to optimal levels. The loss of effective thermoregulation has implications for elderly people receiving treatment for illnesses like cancer, cardiovascular, Parkinson's disease/dementia and diabetes, particularly during hot weather, according to a review by a team of scientists. Pharmacological Reviews, 2023
OTHER
1 in 3 U.S. Women Lack Access to Abortion Care After End of Roe: Thirteen states currently ban abortion in most cases and many other states enacted laws making it challenging, if not impossible, to access abortion care. It’s estimated that one in three women live in a state where abortion isn’t accessible.
1 in 4 People With Diabetes Have Eye Damage, Study Finds: Newly released data published in the journal JAMA OphthalmologyTrusted Source shows that past estimates were incorrect and the prevalence of this vision loss condition-Diabetic Retinopathy- is much higher than previously believed.
Risk of Iron-Deficiency Anemia Could be 23% Higher for Older Adults Taking Low-Dose Aspirin: Low-dose aspirin has been associated with 20% increased risk of iron-deficiency anemia in older adults. That’s according to a new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Data from over 19,000 people (70 years or older) collected during the ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) randomized controlled trial was analyzed by researchers from Monash University, Melbourne. Participants in the aspirin group took 100 milligrams of aspirin daily.
Screen All With Type 2 Diabetes for Fatty Liver Disease: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) now advises universal screening of people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes for fatty liver disease and provides new recommendations for management in those with the condition, or who are at risk for it. The new ADA guidance was published June 24 as a mid-year update to the ADA's Standards of Care in Diabetes—2023
New Data on Traumatic Brain Injury Show It's Chronic, Evolving: New longitudinal data from the TRACK TBI investigators show that recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a dynamic process that continues to evolve well beyond the initial 12 months after injury. The data show that patients with TBI may continue to improve or decline during a period of up to 7 years after injury, making it more of a chronic condition, the investigators report. "Ultimately, our findings support conceptualizing TBI as a chronic condition for many patients, which requires routine follow-up, medical monitoring, responsive care, and support, adapting to their evolving needs many years following injury," he said. Results of the TRACK TBI LONG (Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in TBI Longitudinal study) were published online June 21 in Neurology.
Women Over 70 Are Commonly Overdiagnosed with Breast Cancer: A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reports that the overdiagnosis of breast cancer in older women is quite common among those who are diagnosed. Overdiagnosed cancers are those that will not cause a problem during the patient’s lifetime and is a problem because it leads to unneeded treatments. It also creates unnecessary psychological distress for women.
Risk of forced labor is widespread in U.S. food supply, study finds: In a study published July 24 in Nature Food, researchers calculated the risk of forced labor across all aspects of the U.S. food supply, excluding seafood. They found that the majority of forced labor risks came from animal-based proteins, processed fruits and vegetables, and discretionary foods—products such as sweeteners, coffee, wine, and beer. They also found that 62 percent of the risk of forced labor came from production or processing that occurs on U.S. soil.
