PAIN
Non-prescription pain meds work equally well for men and women after tooth extraction: The first paper on the collective experience of more than 1,800 trial patients found that the combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen provided better pain relief than hydrocodone with acetaminophen for the first two days after surgery and greater satisfaction over the post-operative period. The new subgroup analysis, published in JAMA Network Open, demonstrated that the results held for both male and female patients.
New study links teen migraines to hypertension: Why early blood pressure screening matters: A nationwide study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has found that adolescents who experience migraines are three times more likely to have high blood pressure. The research, which analyzed data from over two million Israeli teens, revealed that the link was strongest among those with severe or frequent migraines. The findings suggest that early blood pressure screening for teens with migraines could help detect cardiovascular risks before they develop into chronic disease. Journal of the American Heart Association
Personalised care key to easing pain for people with Parkinson’s: New research from the University of South Australia shows that many people with Parkinson’s are struggling to manage their pain, with researchers calling for more individualised, multidisciplinary and empathetic care. In two studies that assessed how people with Parkinson’s manage pain and their experiences of pain care services, researchers found notable gaps in support, with many people resorting to trial-and-error strategies due to a lack of tailored clinical care.
Study finds improvement in knee pain with exercise and physical therapy: People with a meniscal tear and osteoarthritis prescribed home exercises with or without physical therapy reported substantial improvements in knee pain, according to a new study led by Mass General Brigham researchers. Participants who had regular visits with a physical therapist over three months, in addition to the home exercise program, reported slightly greater pain relief at the six- and 12-month follow up timepoints than those who had home exercise alone. This additional improvement may have stemmed from the interpersonal aspects of working with the therapist rather than the therapist’s exercise instruction. Results are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Spinal cord stimulation may help prevent excess mortality associated with chronic pain: Treating chronic neuropathic pain with spinal cord stimulation may help prevent excess mortality associated with chronic pain, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital shows. The findings were published in Neurosurgery. Spinal cord stimulation is a neuromodulation therapy for chronic pain, in which an electrode placed in the spinal canal delivers electrical impulses to the sensory tracts of the spinal cord, specifically the dorsal column. The device is powered by, and programmed via, an impulse generator implanted under the skin. Before permanent implantation, patients undergo a one-week trial period to assess their response to pain alleviation. The study found that patients who did not respond to spinal cord stimulation had a higher mortality rate than the control cohort. A similar increase in mortality was observed among patients whose treatment was discontinued during the follow-up period. However, there were no differences in either group’s causes of death, compared to the control cohort. These findings are consistent with previous research on excess mortality associated with chronic pain.
It’s not the pain, it’s the mindset: How attitude outweighs pain: The paper, published in PLOS One identified that pain resilience - how well individuals cope with pain - affects physical activity independently of pain, and boosting resilience could enhance both pain management and overall health.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Plus Physical Therapy Helps Reduce Fibromyalgia Pain, Fatigue: Adding transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to outpatient physical therapy (PT) reduced movement-evoked pain (MEP) and other types of pain and fatigue for patients with fibromyalgia, according to data presented in a poster at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2025 Annual Meeting
GLP-1 Drugs May Lower Cardiac, Mortality Risks in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis: Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) had lower risks for death and experiencing major adverse cardiac events than patients with PsA not taking GLP-1s, new data indicated. “GLP-1 receptor agonists may be a promising adjunct in the management of patients with inflammatory arthritis, who have comorbidities including obesityand/or type 2 diabetes mellitus,” the researchers wrote, led by Nanuka Tsibadze, MD, Jefferson Health-Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia, who presented the data at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2025 Annual Meeting.
Secukinumab Outperforms Ustekinumab for Functional Improvement in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis: More patients with psoriatic arthritis responded to secukinumab than to ustekinumab after failing a TNF inhibitor, according to results from the randomized, double-blind, head-to-head AgAIN trial, which were presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2025 Annual Meeting.
Tofacitinib Combats Muscle Wasting in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who took tofacitinib for 6 months had increased lower limb and thigh muscle volume, a small prospective study found. It was published online on October 15, 2025, in The Lancet Rheumatology.
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Medical, recreational cannabis dispensaries lead to reduced opioid prescriptions: Cannabis may be a pain-management substitute for people experiencing chronic or acute pain from conditions like cancer, according to new research from the University of Georgia. The studies comprise two articles, one forthcoming in the American Journal of Health Economics and one published in JAMA Health Forum focusing on patients with cancer diagnoses.
Meditation retreat rapidly reprograms body and mind: Researchers at the University of California San Diego have found that an intensive retreat combining multiple mind-body techniques, including meditation and healing practices, produced rapid and wide-ranging changes in brain function and blood biology. The researchers found that the retreat engaged natural physiological pathways promoting neuroplasticity, metabolism, immunity and pain relief. The findings, published in Communications Biology, provide insights into how consciousness and psychological practices can enhance physical health.
Mindfulness improves the health of women with chronic jaw pain: A study conducted at the Ribeirão Preto School of Nursing at the University of São Paulo (EERP-USP) in Brazil and funded by FAPESP showed that regularly practicing mindfulness, a meditation technique involving focus and full attention, can help reduce pain sensitivity and improve emotional regulation in these individuals. The results were published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation.
Online unsupervised Tai Chi intervention for knee pain and function in people with knee osteoarthritis:This randomized clinical trial found that this unsupervised multimodal online tai chi intervention improved knee pain and function compared with the control at 12 weeks. This free-to-access web-based intervention offers an effective, safe, accessible, and scalable option for guideline-recommended osteoarthritis exercise. JAMA Internal Medicine
Magic Mushrooms And Meditation Tag-Team Depression: The study from University of Utah Health tested 25 healthcare workers who worked directly with COVID-19 patients and were wrestling with both depression and burnout. Half received an eight-week mindfulness program. The other half got the same meditation training, plus a single 25-milligram dose of psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, administered in a group therapy setting. Depression scores in the psilocybin group dropped by 7.2 points on average, more than twice the 2.8-point drop in the meditation-only group. At the two-week mark, 46% of healthcare workers who received psilocybin alongside mindfulness were free of depression, compared to just 8% who only learned mindfulness practices. PLOS Medicine: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004519
Baduanjin eases menopausal symptoms in breast cancer women, a pilot study finds: A recent randomized controlled pilot study suggests that Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise, may help alleviate menopausal symptoms and fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing aromatase inhibitor therapy. The study is published in Translational Exercise Biomedicine (ISSN: 2942-6812).
Self-guided hypnosis significantly reduces menopausal hot flashes: Published in the journal JAMA Network Open, the multicenter randomized clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of a six-week, self-administered hypnosis program compared to a sham control using white noise. The study enrolled 250 postmenopausal women experiencing frequent hot flashes, including nearly 25% with a history of breast cancer – a group often excluded from hormone-based treatments. Participants reported a 53.4% reduction in both frequency and intensity of hot flashes, and at the 3-month follow-up, hot flashes were reduced by 60.9% compared to a 40.9% reduction for women in the control group. The guided self-hypnosis intervention had an even larger treatment effect on reducing hot flashes in women with a history of breast cancer (64% reduction after six weeks).
FDA• Announced it is taking action to approve new labeling submitted by the company that includes the addition of a Boxed Warning, the agency’s most prominent safety warning, to Elevidys (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl), and that the indication section of the labeling limits the therapy’s indication to ambulatory patients four years of age and older with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
• Initiating the removal of broad “black box” warnings from HRT products for menopause.
PREVENTION
ExerciseCardiovascular Disease: Men Need More Exercise Than Women to Cut Risk: The research, published October 27 in Nature Cardiovascular ResearchTrusted Source, highlights notable sex-based differences in how exercise affects heart health — and points to a possible need for more tailored public health strategies that account for those differences. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activityTrusted Sourceeach week. Females who met or exceeded that threshold had a greater reduction in risk compared to males who did the same. However, the study also identified a “gender gap” in both adherence to exercise guidelinesand overall fitness capacity. In other words, even though females appear to gain greater heart health benefits from exercise, they’re less likely than males to meet the recommended activity levels; males also generally have higher physical fitness.
15-Minute Daily Walk May Significantly Lower Your Heart Disease Risk: A new study suggests that a long daily walk may benefit your heart and overall health more than several shorter walks. The research, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, shows that how you exercise — not just how many steps you take — affects the health benefits gleaned from daily physical activity. In a large prospective cohort study of people who were less physically active (fewer than 8,000 steps per day), participants who got most of their daily steps in through a longer walk, 15 minutes or more, had a significantly lower risk of death than those who got their steps through brief walking bouts shorter than five minutes.
Only 3,000 steps a day may help lower Alzheimer’s disease risk: Past studies have shown that certain healthy lifestyle choices, such as being physically active, may help individuals lower their risk of Alzheimer’s disease. A new study found that older adults may be able to lower their risk of Alzheimer’s disease by taking as few as 3,000 steps a day. Scientists reported this benefit was also seen in older adults with high levels of amyloid-beta in their brains. Nature Medicine,Trusted Source
When Exercise Stops Working: How Metformin Blocks The Body’s Gains: Exercise is supposed to help prevent diabetes, not lose its punch because of a drug meant to do the same thing. Yet new research from Rutgers University suggests that the popular diabetes medication metformin could be dulling the body’s most powerful natural defense against the disease: exercise. In a 16-week clinical trial published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, researchers found that metformin blunted key improvements in blood vessel function, aerobic fitness, and blood sugar regulation that usually follow a regular exercise program. The results challenge long-standing clinical advice to pair metformin with physical activity for maximum benefit.
Magnets That Mimic Exercise Offer Hope For Diabetes Care: A new exploratory study from Singapore General Hospital and the National University of Singapore suggests that weekly low dose magnetic pulses can nudge muscles to act like they have exercised, with early signs of improved glucose control for patients with type 2 diabetes who carry excess abdominal fat. The approach is called magnetic mitohormesis. Instead of treadmill time, it uses pulsed electromagnetic fields to stimulate mitochondria rich muscle fibers and activate the same metabolic pathways triggered by endurance exercise. Journal of Clinical Medicine:
Your Fitness App Might Be Making You Miserable: A study published October 22 in the British Journal of Health Psychology analyzed nearly 59,000 posts on X (formerly Twitter) about the five most profitable fitness apps, and what researchers found was striking: users frequently reported feelings of shame, disappointment, and demotivation. Some gave up on their health goals entirely. British Journal of Health Psychology: 10.1111/bjhp.70026
Chinese Medical Journal study highlights exercise-induced vascular growth as anti-aging strategy: Recently, a review published in Volume 138, Issue 20 of the Chinese Medical Journal on October 20, 2025, presents a brand-new perspective on exercise-induced angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in combating aging and disease. This review, , indicates that exercise, being a natural physiological stimulus, can trigger angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis within the body. "Exercise acts as a powerful, natural stimulus that triggers both angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, processes essential for maintaining vascular health and immune function as we age. By enhancing these mechanisms, exercise offers a promising therapeutic strategy to combat age-related decline and disease."
Supervised exercise improves strength and physical performance in patients with advanced breast cancer: Aerobic and resistance exercise can significantly improve physical performance in patients living with metastatic breast cancer according to new results presented at the Advanced Breast Cancer Eighth International Consensus Conference (ABC8).
Researchers find that adaptive music technologies enhance exercise engagement and enjoyment:Researchers from University of Jyväskylä have found that personalized interactive music systems – smart technologies that adapt rhythm and tempo to users’ movements – can make exercise more enjoyable and help people stay active longer. These systems, known as PIMSs, use real-time data from wearables and smartphones to adjust musical features such as beat, tempo, and style to match the user’s pace – whether walking, cycling or lifting weights. For example, when the systems detects you speeding up, it raises the music’s tempo to match your energy – helping you stay motivated and in rhythm. JMIR Human Factors
Consistent adherence to physical activity guidelines and digestive system cancer risk and mortality:The findings of this study suggest that maintaining a moderate level of physical activity of approximately 17 metabolic equivalent task-hours/week (i.e., 5 hours of brisk walking or 2 hours of running each week) over 3 decades was sufficient to achieve optimal benefit in reducing digestive system cancer risk. JAMA Oncology
Sleep Gut Microbes Found To Shape Sleep Through Brain-Gut Pathways: Scientists have long known that sleep is linked to diet and stress, but a new review argues that our gut bacteria may be the missing piece connecting both. In a sweeping synthesis published in Brain Medicine, researchers led by Professor Lin Lu of Peking University Sixth Hospital describe how the gut microbiome communicates directly with the brain to influence sleep quality, circadian rhythms, and even dreams. The evidence, they say, points to the microbiota-gut-brain axis as a key biological pathway in sleep regulation and disorder risk. Brain Medicine
Your Late-Night Phone Habit Might Be Quietly Killing You: Researchers at Flinders University in Australia tracked nearly 89,000 people in the UK, monitoring over 13 million hours of light exposure through wrist-worn sensors. They followed participants for up to 9.5 years, and what they discovered should make anyone who falls asleep with the TV on sit up and pay attention: people exposed to the brightest light at night had a 56% higher chance of developing heart failure and were 47% more likely to suffer a heart attack. Those numbers held steady even after researchers controlled for the usual suspects like exercise habits, diet quality, sleep duration, and genetic predisposition. In other words, light at night appears to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, operating through its own biological pathway. Women and younger individuals appeared especially vulnerable to the cardiovascular effects of nighttime light exposure. JAMA Network Open: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.39031
Dreaming of fewer running injuries? Start with better sleep: In a survey of 425 recreational runners, research found that those reporting shorter sleep duration, lower sleep quality, and more sleep problems were nearly twice as likely to sustain an injury. Applied Sciences new study
DietDoes Intermittent Fasting Affect Cognitive Function? New Review Weighs Evidence: Researchers report in their online-first paper, published in Psychological Bulletin, that short-term fasting of less than 24 hours does not affect the mental performance of adults.
Nearly 1 in 5 UTIs Linked to Meat Contaminated With E. Coli, Study Finds: A new study found that one in five urinary tract infections (UTIs) is associated with contaminated poultry and meat. The research suggests that animal foods may be an under-reported source of UTIs, widening the view of UTI prevention to include a need for stronger protection of the public food supply. The study, published in mBio on October 23, found that 18% of UTIs were linked to animal-based foods. Chicken and turkey were seen to be the foods most closely associated with zoonotic infections. Pork was next-highest, and then beef.
Coffee Protects Against A-Fib In First Randomized Trial: Researchers from UC San Francisco, the University of Adelaide, and collaborators in Canada tested the long-standing concern that caffeine is proarrhythmic. The multicenter DECAF trial, short for Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation?, enrolled 200 adults with persistent atrial fibrillation or related atrial flutter who were scheduled for electrical cardioversion. After successful cardioversion, participants were randomized for six months to either consume at least one cup of caffeinated coffee per day or abstain from coffee and other caffeinated products. The results were striking in their simplicity. Coffee drinkers averaged one cup per day throughout the trial, while the abstinence group largely avoided caffeine. At six months, recurrent atrial fibrillation or flutter occurred in 47% of the coffee group versus 64% in the abstinence group. Statistically, that translated to a 39% lower hazard of recurrence for those assigned to drink coffee, with a hazard ratio of 0.61 and a P value of .01. JAMA
Ultra-Processed Foods Push Young Adults Toward Prediabetes: In a first-of-its-kind longitudinal study, Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers followed 85 young adults for roughly four years and found that rising ultra-processed food intake was linked to disrupted glucose control, elevated insulin, and sharply higher odds of prediabetes. The work, published in Nutrition & Metabolism on November 10, 2025, adds urgent weight to concerns about what an ultra-processed diet does to bodies that are still solidifying lifelong habits. Nutrition & Metabolism
Cocoa Flavanols Help Protect Arteries During Long Sitting: Just two hours of uninterrupted sitting can reduce blood vessel elasticity, a condition linked to higher risks of heart attack and stroke. The research, published in The Journal of Physiology, tested whether dietary flavanols—plant compounds found in cocoa, tea, and berries—could blunt this decline. Forty healthy young men participated in the randomized, double-blind study. Each drank either a high-flavanol cocoa beverage (containing 695 mg of total flavanols) or a low-flavanol version (just 5.6 mg) before sitting for two hours. Researchers then measured flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), a noninvasive test of blood vessel flexibility, in both the arm and leg arteries. The results were striking. Participants who drank the low-flavanol cocoa showed clear drops in vascular function in both limbs. In contrast, those who consumed the high-flavanol cocoa showed no decline at all. The protective effect was seen in both high- and low-fitness participants, suggesting that physical fitness alone does not shield arteries from the effects of sitting. The Journal of Physiology: 10.1113/JP289038
Vitamins/SupplementsTaking Melatonin Could Raise Your Risk of Heart Failure, Study Finds: Researchers are reporting that long-term use of melatonin supplements may increase the risk of heart failure. In their studyTrusted Source, the researchers said that people who used melatonin for more than a year were more likely to be diagnosed with heart failure, require hospitalization for that condition, or die from any cause. American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025Trusted Source meeting in New Orleans.
Protein Powders, Shakes Test Positive for High Levels of Lead, Report Finds: A new Consumer Reports (CR) investigation has found that many popular protein powders and shakes contain high levels of lead. The CR report found that over two‐thirds of the 23 products tested exceeded the nonprofit’s self-set safety threshold of 0.5 µg (micrograms) per serving. The highest lead readings were found in plant-based powders. In more than two-thirds of the products analyzed, a single serving contained more lead than CR’s food safety experts say is safe to consume in a day, some by more than 10 times. Notably, one serving of the Naked Nutrition Vegan Mass Gainer contained 7.7 µg of lead, and the Huel Black Edition measured 6.3 µg. “It’s concerning that these results are even worse than the last time we tested,” Tunde Akinleye, a chemist and the CR food safety researcher who led the testing project, said in the report.
D3 supplements could halve the risk of a second heart attack: A new study from researchers with Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City examined the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on people who previously had heart attacks. The researchers did not give everyone the same vitamin D3 dosage but instead adjusted the amount based on the needs of each participant. The researchers found that vitamin D3 may drastically reduced the risk of having a second heart attack. The study was being presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025Trusted Source, and its results are not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal.
This everyday vitamin could be the closest thing we have to an “anti-aging pill”: A study found that daily vitamin D supplements helped slow telomere shortening—the cellular process linked to aging and disease. Researchers believe its anti-inflammatory effects may protect DNA. While results are promising, the ideal dose remains unclear, and experts stress that lifestyle choices still matter most for longevity. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
UT Health San Antonio study finds amino acid supplement may boost exercise benefits for older adults: A new pilot clinical trial at UT Health San Antonio suggests that supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) alongside an exercise program may help reduce fatigue, improve strength, and ease symptoms of depression for older adults. Published in the August 2025 issue of Dietetics, the research found that participants who combined a BCAA supplement with an eight-week exercise program experienced notable improvements compared with those who exercised alone. Participants who received BCAAs reported a 45% reduction in fatigue and a 29% decrease in depressive symptoms, along with modest gains in strength and endurance.
Other Breast Cancer: ‘Morning-After Pill’ May Lower Risk in Premenopausal Women: In a new study, women who were more likely to develop breast cancer because of their family history took the drug ulipristal acetate, also known as the “morning after pill,” for 12 weeks. Afterward, the researchers found a reduction in certain features linked to cancer risk, including the activity of certain breast cells believed to be the starting point for hard‑to‑treat cancers. The drug also changed the structure and “stiffness” of breast tissue. The researchers speculate that this could open up a new way to prevent breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women. The findings were published on November 5 in NatureTrusted Source.
AHA's 'Life's Essential 8' may reduce dementia risk in type 2 diabetes: A new study has found that people with type 2 diabetes who achieve optimal heart health by following the American Heart Association’s ‘Life’s Essential 8‘ may have a lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The AHA’s Life’s Essential 8 metrics, which include: being more physically active; controlling cholesterol levels; following a healthier diet; getting enough sleep, keeping healthy blood sugar levels; maintaining a healthy weight; managing blood pressure; not smoking. American Heart Association’s (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2025Trusted Source
Hidden household toxin triples liver disease risk, study finds: Scientists have uncovered a new environmental culprit behind liver disease: tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a chemical used in dry cleaning and household products. The study found that people with PCE exposure were three times more likely to develop severe liver scarring, even when traditional risk factors like alcohol or obesity were absent. The chemical is widespread in air, water, and consumer goods, making it a stealthy threat to public health. Liver International
New study finds hidden diabetes danger in vaping: Smoking, vaping, or using both products significantly increases the likelihood of developing prediabetes and diabetes, and the risk is even higher among Hispanic, Black, and low-income groups. Researchers found that vaping alone raises prediabetes risk, while combining cigarettes and e-cigarettes drives those odds up dramatically. AJPM Focus
TREATMENTAntidepressant Side Effects Like Weight, Blood Pressure Changes Vary by Drug: The large-scale study, published on October 21 in The LancetTrusted Source, examined the impact of antidepressant medications on more than 58,000 participants within the first eight weeks of starting treatment. The researchers analyzed 151 studies of 30 drugs commonly used to treat depression. While not everyone develops side effects, some of the most common noted in the research were changes in weight, blood pressure, and metabolic markers. There were striking differences between antidepressant medications. For example, an eight-week course of agomelatine was associated with an average weight loss of around 2.4 kilograms (about 5.3 pounds), while maprotiline users gained nearly 2 kg in the same timeframe. There were also notable changes in heart function: fluvoxamine tended to slow heart rate, whereas nortriptyline increased it, creating a gap of about 21 beats per minute between the two drugs. Blood pressure varied too, with an 11 mmHg difference seen between nortriptyline and doxepin.
Drug Combo Lowers Death Risk in Advanced Prostate Cancer by 40%: Pairing enzalutamide, an androgen receptor blocker, with the hormone therapy drug leuprolidesignificantly improved overall survival in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer. Although the combination is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for metastatic disease, researchers wanted to know whether using it earlier in the course of the illness could also extend survival. The phase 3 EMBARK trial previously showed that the drug combination delayed the development of metastatic disease. But whether that benefit translated into longer survival remained unclear — until now. In a new analysis published on October 19 in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, researchers reported that the combination reduced the risk of death by more than 40%.
Antibiotics and 6 other medications linked to disrupted gut microbiome: The study, published in the American Society for Microbiology’s Journal mSystems, found that, in addition to antibiotics, antidepressants, beta-blockers, stomach acid reducers, and anti-anxiety drugs, these substances could continue to disrupt the microbiome long after use.
De-escalating GLP-1s to Every-2-Weeks Maintenance Option: De-escalating GLP-1 therapy from weekly to every-other-week dosing following weight normalization may be an effective strategy for maintaining both weight and metabolic improvements, new findings suggested. Obesity Week 2025 meeting,
One Daily Pill Boosts Function And Life Quality In Heart Failure: In a hopeful turn for millions living with heart failure, researchers have found that a single daily “polypill” containing three standard medications (metoprolol succinate, spironolactone, and empagliflozin) can significantly improve heart function, symptoms, and quality of life. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025: Abstract 4392990
Early Hope For APOE4 Carriers As Alzheimer’s Drug Slows Brain Loss: For people born with the highest genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, a small oral drug may finally be slowing the clock. In a Phase III trial of 325 participants, valiltramiprosate (also known as ALZ-801) did not significantly improve symptoms across all patients with early Alzheimer’s. But in those still at the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, the drug appeared to cut memory decline by more than half while slowing the shrinkage of the brain’s hippocampus, the memory center most devastated by the disease. Drugs: 10.1007/s40265-025-01901-3
Hip Implants With Collars Cut Fracture Risk By 85%: Surgeons performing hip replacements face a grim statistic: nearly half of all postoperative thigh bone fractures happen within the first three months after surgery, often forcing patients back into the operating room. Now, a 14-year study tracking more than 4,500 hip replacement procedures suggests a surprisingly simple fix may dramatically reduce this complication. The answer, according to researchers at Chiba University in Japan, lies in a design feature that sounds almost trivial: a small stabilizing ring, or collar, at the top of the artificial hip stem combined with a bone-friendly coating. When compared head-to-head against the smooth, wedge-shaped stems that many surgeons prefer, the collared versions showed an 85% reduction in early fractures. The difference was stark: just two fractures in the collared group versus 13 in the wedge group, even after researchers carefully matched patients by age, weight, and health status. The Bone & Joint Journal: 10.1302/0301-620X.107B10.BJJ-2024-1494.R1
Tiny implant wipes out bladder cancer in 82% of patients: A new slow-release cancer treatment achieved remarkable success in eliminating tumors in 82% of patients with hard-to-treat bladder cancer. TAR-200, a small drug-releasing implant, wiped out tumors in most patients with high-risk bladder cancer. Its slow, consistent release of chemotherapy proved far more effective than traditional short-term treatments. The therapy may replace bladder removal surgery for many and has earned FDA Priority Review due to its impressive results. Science Daily
Cheap gout drug may slash heart attack and stroke risk: Colchicine, a cheap and widely used gout drug, may help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people with cardiovascular disease. Trials involving nearly 23,000 patients show meaningful reductions in risk with low doses. Side effects were mostly mild and short-lived. Researchers say this overlooked drug could become an accessible prevention tool pending further study. Cochrane
OTHER
Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) Is Better Than BMI for Predicting Heart Disease Risk: New research, recently published in The Lancet Regional HealthTrusted Source, found that WHtR was more closely linked to heart disease risk than both BMI and waist circumference alone.
Eliminating Daylight Saving Time Could Help Lower Obesity, Stroke Rates: A recent study from Stanford Medicine researchers suggests that this biannual shifting of the clocks not only disrupts circadian rhythms but also the physiological processes they regulate, which in turn impact overall health outcomes. By modeling light exposure, the researchers compared the health effects of switching to either permanent standard time or permanent daylight time, as well as the usual biannual clock shifts. They estimate that permanent standard time had the most benefits, preventing some 300,000 stroke cases per year and resulting in 2.6 million fewer people with obesity. Permanent daylight saving time, they found, would yield around two-thirds of the same positive effects. The findings were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic Are Lowering the U.S. Obesity Rate: A new survey reports that the obesity rate among adults in the United States is declining as the use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs rises rapidly. The Gallup poll, which was released this week, indicates that women nationwide have a higher obesity rate than men and utilize weight management medications more often. The pollsters report that people between the ages of 40 and 64 have higher obesity rates than other age groups. They also utilize GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy more often. However, the pollsters also found that the rate of diabetes in the United States has climbed to a record high.
ACA Open Enrollment: Changes Include Higher Premiums, Out-of-Pocket Costs: The 11-week enrollment period for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance plans runs from November 1 through January 15, 2026. Experts say people using this federal program to purchase insurance should examine their options carefully. They say that’s because consumers can expect to pay higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs under their 2026 plans. They also expect fewer people to be eligible for Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage and predict less help will be available for people who need assistance signing up. In addition, experts say short-term health insurance plans may not be a good option for those looking for alternatives to ACA plans. They blame the increased costs and other difficulties on higher healthcare costs, tariffs, and the federal government shutdown. Healthline
Early Natural Menopause Linked to 27% Higher Risk of Metabolic Syndrome : A new large-scale study has found that early natural menopause is linked to a 27% higher relative risk of metabolic syndrome compared to menopause that occurs later in life. The research was presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in Orlando, October 21–25.
Peanut Allergies Decline Overall Following Early Introduction Guidelines: Prior evidence has suggested that early introduction of certain foods, like peanuts, in an infant’s diet can help prevent food allergies. After pediatricians began encouraging parents to introduce peanuts — and later, other allergenic foods — during infancy, rates of peanut and overall food allergies in young children dropped significantly in recent years. A large new study of medical records from tens of thousands of children across the United States indicates that this advice has made a real-world difference. The findings were published on October 20 in Pediatrics.
Existing evidence does not clearly link paracetamol use during pregnancy with autism or ADHD in children: Existing evidence does not clearly link paracetamol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy with autism or ADHD in children, finds an in-depth evidence review published by The BMJ today, in direct response to recent announcements around the safety of using paracetamol in pregnancy. The researchers say confidence in the findings of existing evidence reviews and studies on this topic is low to critically low, and suggest that any apparent effect seen in previous studies may be driven by shared genetic and environmental factors within families. Regulatory bodies, clinicians, pregnant women, parents, and those affected by autism and ADHD should be informed about the poor quality of the existing reviews and women should be advised to take paracetamol when needed to treat pain and fever in pregnancy, they add. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is the recommended treatment for pain and fever in pregnancy and is considered safe by regulatory agencies worldwide. The BMJ
Mothers’ COVID-19 Infections May Harm Children’s Brain Development: The findings come from a large retrospective analysis of 18,124 live births between March 2020 and May 2021, during the pandemic’s peak in the northeastern United States. Of those, 861 children were born to mothers who tested positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy. By the time the children reached three years old, 16.3 percent of the exposed group had received a neurodevelopmental diagnosis, compared with 9.7 percent among unexposed children. Obstetrics & Gynecology: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000006112
A hidden breathing problem may be behind chronic fatigue’s crushing exhaustion: Scientists have discovered that most chronic fatigue patients experience dysfunctional breathing, which may worsen their symptoms. The likely culprit is dysautonomia, a disruption in how the body controls blood vessels and muscles. Breathing retraining, yoga, or biofeedback could help restore proper breathing rhythm and ease fatigue. The findings open a promising new path for managing this long-misunderstood illness. Frontiers in Medicine,
