Early morning practices may cost college athletes valuable zzz’s, according to a new study. Researchers at The Ohio State University analyzed more than 27,500 nights of sleep from 359 varsity athletes over a five-year period. Using wearable Oura Rings, the team tracked how practice schedules affected sleep time and sleep quality. The results were clear:…  read on >  read on >

Thousands of clinical trial participants lost access to important medical studies this year after the Trump administration terminated hundreds of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, according to new research published in JAMA Internal Medicine. The study found that 383 clinical trials had their NIH funding cut this year between late February and August, affecting…  read on >  read on >

Usually, it’s not until late middle age that folks start worrying about heart disease. But a first-of-its-kind online calculator is now available to help adults as young as 30 forecast their risk of heart problems decades out, researchers reported Nov. 17 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. This tool will help younger…  read on >  read on >

Pharmaceutical companies are using the citizens of lower-income countries as guinea pigs to test cutting-edge drugs headed mainly for the United States and other well-off nations, a new study says. Only a quarter of medicines tested in other countries wound up available to the citizens there within five years of the drugs’ approval by the…  read on >  read on >

A melanoma cluster found in the heart of Pennsylvania farm country has highlighted potential links between agriculture and skin cancer. Adults 50 and older living in a 15-county stretch of south-central Pennsylvania were 57% more likely to develop melanoma than people living elsewhere in the state, researchers reported Nov. 14 in the journal JCO Clinical…  read on >  read on >

The brain is thought to be a sterile environment, free from germs. But unexpected deposits of bacteria have been found inside brain tumors, apparently affecting how the cancers grow and behave, a new study says.   “This work opens a new dimension in our understanding of brain tumor biology,” senior researcher Dr. Jennifer Wargo, a professor…  read on >  read on >

Bright orange fingers may soon be less common for some snackers. PepsiCo announced that it will begin selling new versions of Cheetos and Doritos that contain no artificial colors or flavors. The line, called “Simply NKD,” hits store shelves Dec. 1 and includes four products: Doritos Simply NKD Nacho Cheese Doritos Simply NKD Cool Ranch…  read on >  read on >

A Washington state resident has become the first person in the United States to test positive for a rare bird flu strain that has never before been found in humans. The older adult, who has underlying health problems, was hospitalized in early November after developing a high fever, confusion and trouble breathing. “This is a…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tightening restrictions on a gene therapy used to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy after two teenagers died from liver failure linked to the medication. The FDA decision limits the use of Elevidys, made by Sarepta Therapeutics, to boys who are 4 years and older who can still walk,…  read on >  read on >

Alana “Lani” Silverberg was a real firecracker with a big personality at age 3 — until she started having seizures. The sweetheart swiftly turned quiet, cranky, sleepless and fatigued, worn down by her seizures. “It was every parent’s nightmare. Lani was having one large seizure a week. At one point, we didn’t know what else…  read on >  read on >

Younger adults who eat lots of ultra-processed foods are more likely to develop polyps that can become colon cancer, a new study says. Women under 50 whose diets contained the largest amounts of ultra-processed foods had a 45% higher risk of developing pre-cancerous polyps in their colon, researchers reported Nov. 13 in JAMA Oncology. “Our…  read on >  read on >

Women undergoing a cesarean section delivery typically have the procedure while awake, with only a nerve blocker protecting them from the pain. For some, the pain can be overwhelming, even after the block, but this might be unnecessary, a new evidence review argues. General anesthesia appears to be safe for both mother and baby during…  read on >  read on >