Scientists transformed energy-storing white fat cells into calorie-burning 'beige' fat. Once implanted, they outcompeted tumors for resources, beating back five different types of cancer in lab experiments. Liposuction and plastic surgery aren't often mentioned in the same breath as cancer. But they are the inspiration for a new approach to treating cancer that uses … [Read more...]
Omega-3s Can Slow Down Aging Process
Many people would like to delay or even stop the aging process. Previous clinical studies have shown that a reduced calorie intake can slow down the aging process in humans. Taking vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids has also shown promising results in slowing biological aging in animals. However, it was unclear whether these measures would also work in humans. The therapies … [Read more...]
Electrifying Your Workout can Boost Muscles Mass, Strength
If building strength and muscle mass is part of your New Year's Resolution, you may want to add a new routine to your workout. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), or electrical muscle stimulation for short, uses electrical currents to contract muscles. The stimulation devices are easy to use and widely available on the market, according to Sudip Bajpeyi, Ph.D., a … [Read more...]
Aerobic Exercise: A Powerful Ally in Fight Against Alzheimer’s
Regular aerobic exercise could significantly reduce disease markers associated with Alzheimer's, new research led by scientists at the University of Bristol (UK) and the Federal University of São Paulo (Brazil) has found. The findings provide new hope in the battle against this devastating disorder. Published in the journal Brain Research, the study highlights how physical … [Read more...]
Mental Health Risks Higher for Pregnant People with MS
Pregnant people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a higher chance of experiencing mental illness both during their pregnancy and in the first years after they give birth than those without MS, according to a study published in the January 22, 2025 online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study involved 894,852 pregnant … [Read more...]
Exposure to Stress During Early Pregnancy Affects Offspring into Adulthood
Maternal stress hormone levels during early pregnancy can have a lasting effect on the stress system of the offspring. The results of a long-term study on wild Assamese macaques in Thailand indicate that maternal stress in the first half of pregnancy is particularly relevant. Elevated stress hormones later during pregnancy or after birth did not have the same effects. The … [Read more...]
T Cells Rise Up to Fight Infections in the Gut
Your gut is a battleground. The cells that line your small intestine have to balance two seemingly contradictory jobs: absorbing nutrients from food, while keeping a wary eye out for pathogens trying to invade your body. "This is a surface where pathogens can sneak in," says La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) Assistant Professor Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D. "That's a … [Read more...]
Study Finds Physical Activity Reduces Chronic Disease Risk
University of Iowa researchers are recommending all patients be surveyed about their physical activity levels, after a new study underscores the link between physical activity and chronic disease. The study, led by Lucas Carr, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology, examined responses from more than 7,000 patients at University of Iowa Health … [Read more...]
Almost Three Quarters of Adolescents Experience Depression or Anxiety.
Almost three quarters of adolescents in Australia experience clinically significant depression or anxiety symptoms, with most being chronic, according to a new study. And preventive strategies outside our clinics are urgently required to address this considerable public health problem facing the nation. The research, led by Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and … [Read more...]
Mothers Bear the Brunt of the Mental load, Managing 7 in 10 Household Tasks
From choosing gifts and sending cards to planning Christmas dinner, the holiday season can feel like an avalanche of mental to-do lists. New research from the University of Bath and the University of Melbourne, published in the Journal of Marriage & Family, reveals that mothers overwhelmingly carry this "mental load" while dads often take a back seat. And it's not just … [Read more...]
AI Can Improve Ovarian Cancer Diagnoses
A new international study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that AI-based models can outperform human experts at identifying ovarian cancer in ultrasound images. The study is published in Nature Medicine. "Ovarian tumours are common and are often detected by chance," says Professor Elisabeth Epstein at the Department of Clinical Science and … [Read more...]
Burning Incense can Pose Health Risks for Those with Allergies and Asthma
In many cultures, it is common to burn incense for religious and cultural practices, including meditations, celebrations and spiritual and ancestral worship. A new medically challenging case being presented at this year's American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston warns that, for those with allergies and asthma, health … [Read more...]
Study reveals that sleep prevents unwanted memories from intruding
The link between poor sleep and mental health problems could be related to deficits in brain regions that keep unwanted thoughts out of mind, according to research from the University of East Anglia (UEA). Sleep problems play an important role in the onset and maintenance of many mental health problems, but the reason for this link is elusive. A new study, published in … [Read more...]
Delivering Medicines with Microscopic Flowers
How can medicines be directed to the precise location within the body where they need to act? Scientists have been researching this question for a long time. An example would be delivering cancer drugs directly to a tumour so that they only take effect at this specific location, without causing side effects in the rest of the body. Research is under way to identify carrier … [Read more...]
Newer Epilepsy Medications used during pregnancy do not affect neurological development in children
"Controlling seizures during pregnancy is an important part of prenatal care for women with epilepsy, but for years, the effects of newer anti-seizure medications on their children was unknown," said Adam Hartman, M.D., program director at NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). "One major component of this study was correlating the cognitive … [Read more...]
Cancer Risk Declines in old age, Research Helps Explain why
When it comes to cancer, aging is a double-edged sword, researchers are increasingly learning. Age is considered the most important risk factor for cancer. That's because genetic mutations build up in cells over years and decades, and ultimately drive the development of cancer. Now a study from researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and their … [Read more...]
Tiny, Daily Bursts of Vigorous Incidental Physical Activity could Almost Halve Cardiovascular Risk in Middle-Aged Women
An average of four minutes of incidental vigorous physical activity a day could almost halve the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, for middle-aged women who do not engage in structured exercise, according to new research from the University of Sydney, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. "We found that a minimum of 1.5 minutes to … [Read more...]
Cancer ‘Fingerprint’ can Improve Early Detection
Different types of cancer have unique molecular 'fingerprints' which are detectable in early stages of the disease and can be picked up with near-perfect accuracy by small, portable scanners in just a few hours, according to a study published today in the journal Molecular Cell. The discovery by researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona sets the … [Read more...]
Short-Term Cognitive Boost From Exercise May Last For 24 hours
The short-term boost our brains get after we do exercise persists throughout the following day, suggests a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers. Previous research in a laboratory setting has shown that people's cognitive performance improves in the hours after exercise, but how long this benefit lasts is unknown. The new study, published in the … [Read more...]
Eating Dark Chocolate Linked with Reduced Risk of Type 2 diabetes
Consuming dark, but not milk, chocolate may be associated with lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Our findings suggest that not all chocolate is created equal," said lead author Binkai Liu, doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition. "For anyone who loves chocolate, this is a … [Read more...]
Keeping a Longer Overnight Fast and Eating an Early Breakfast may be Associated with a Lower Body Mass Index
According to a study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, there are two specific habits that are associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) in the long term: keeping a longer overnight fast and eating breakfast early. This research was led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la … [Read more...]
Should Men and Women Eat Different Breakfasts to Lose Weight?
It's not a bad thing if you pick a toasted bagel for breakfast, while your partner chooses eggs. In fact, according to a new study from the University of Waterloo, that difference could help you lose some weight. The study, which employed a mathematical model of men's and women's metabolisms, showed that men's metabolisms respond better on average to a meal laden with high … [Read more...]
Season of Birth is Associated With the development of asthma and allergic rhinitis
Season of birth, and specifically being born in autumn or winter, is associated with allergic rhinitis and asthma in Finland, a new study by the University of Eastern Finland, the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital shows. Conversely, being born in summer was associated with the lowest incidence of asthma and allergic rhinitis. "When using summer as … [Read more...]
Invention Quickly Detects Earliest Sign of Heart Attack
"Heart attacks require immediate medical intervention in order to improve patient outcomes, but while early diagnosis is critical, it can also be very challenging -- and near impossible outside of a clinical setting," said lead author Peng Zheng, an assistant research scientist at Johns Hopkins University. "We were able to invent a new technology that can quickly and accurately … [Read more...]
The Secret to Losing Weight could All be Down to a Combination of 14 ‘Skinny Genes’, a New Study has Found.
University of Essex researchers discovered they helped people drop twice as much weight when they ran for half an hour three times a week. The team -- led by Dr Henry Chung, from the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences -- found those with more of the genes slimmed the most across eight weeks. People with the most markers lost up to 5kg during the study … [Read more...]
How Your Skin Tone Could Affect Your Meds
Skin pigmentation may act as a "sponge" for some medications, potentially influencing the speed with which active drugs reach their intended targets, a pair of scientists report in a perspective article published in the journal Human Genomics. The researchers argue that a sizable proportion of drugs and other compounds can bind to melanin pigments in the skin, leading to … [Read more...]
Excess Body Weight Tied to Increased Risk for Second Cancers
Cancer survivors who had overweight or obesity at the time of their initial cancer diagnosis have a higher risk for a second primary cancer, particularly an obesity-related cancer, a new analysis found. Cancer survivors have an increased risk for another primary cancer. Studies suggest that lifestyle factors, such as excess body weight, may contribute to the risk for a … [Read more...]
Time For US-India Collaboration For Mental Health: US Surgeon General
Now is the time for the United States of America and India to collaborate to tackle the global mental health crisis we are witnessing today, United States Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy said at a press conference in the city recently. Dr Murthy is the first Surgeon General of Indian descent. As the Co-Chair of the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social … [Read more...]
Time-Restricted Eating May Help Adults With Metabolic Syndrome Improve Several Health Markers
Adults with metabolic syndrome and elevated blood sugar levels who eat within a time-restricted window may experience modest improvements in several measures, including A1c levels, weight, and body fat, according to a randomized controlled trial published in Annals of Internal Medicine. For the study, participants kept to an 8- to 10-hour window of eating, a dietary … [Read more...]
Frequent Fizzy or Fruit Drinks and High Coffee Consumption Linked to Higher Stroke Risk
Frequent drinking of fizzy drinks or fruit juice is associated with an increased risk of stroke, according to new findings from global research studies co-led by University of Galway, in collaboration with McMaster University Canada and an international network of stroke researchers. The research also found that drinking more than four cups of coffee per day also increases … [Read more...]
