New research suggests that a thyroid medication often prescribed to older Americans may be linked to a common problem in old age — bone loss. Levothyroxine is a synthetic hormone often prescribed to treat hypothyroidism. People with the condition don’t make enough thyroxine on their own, which can cause weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and… read on > read on >
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For Some, ‘Tis the Season for Loneliness. Experts Offer Tips to Stay Connected
For many, the holidays are a time when you connect with others and share time with loved ones. But for some, the holidays are a painful exercise in loneliness. While a Northwestern Medicine study published last spring found loneliness is more prevalent in both younger and older adults, those feelings intensify around the holidays, said Eileen Graham,… read on > read on >
Taking a GLP-1 Medication? Here’s Tips to Holiday Eating
So, you have managed to shed 30 pounds with the help of one of the new blockbuster GLP-1 drugs, but as the holidays near you worry about how to handle gatherings where decadent food will be served in abundance. Luckily, one expert from Baylor College of Medicine has tips on how to enjoy holiday fare… read on > read on >
Flu, COVID Vaccination Rates Remain Low as Winter Nears
Worn down by pandemic-era vaccine overload, many Americans are ignoring pleas by health officials to get immunized against the flu and COVID-19, new data shows. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for immunizations as of Nov. 9, only about a third (34.7%) of U.S. adults say they’ve gotten the influenza vaccine,… read on > read on >
’10 Americas:’ Health Disparities Mean Life Expectancy Varies Across U.S.
How long Americans can expect to live varies dramatically — and the gap continues to widen. A new report says health inequalities have, in essence, created 10 Americas. These mutually exclusive populations are divided along familiar fault lines, including race, ethnicity, income and address. While life expectancy rose in nine of 10 Americas between 2000… read on > read on >
Short-Term Hormone Therapy for Menopause Won’t Harm Women’s Brains
Four years of hormone replacement therapy to help women deal with menopausal symptoms causes no harm to the brain, even over the long term, new research shows. “In the present study, approximately 10 years after 48 months of early menopausal therapy… the cognitive performance of women randomized to [hormone replacement therapy] did not differ from… read on > read on >
Could a Vitamin Be Effective Treatment for COPD?
A daily dose of vitamin B3 reduced inflammation in the lungs of patients with COPD, Danish researchers report. “This is significant, because inflammation can lead to reduced lung function in these patients,” said researcher Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, of the University of Copenhagen. Patients with COPD — the full name of which is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease… read on > read on >
Woman Receives World’s First Robotic Double-Lung Transplant
A 57-year-old woman with COPD has received the world’s first fully robotic double lung transplant. The breakthrough surgery was performed in October at NYU Langone Health in New York City by Dr. Stephanie Chang. Just a month before, Chang performed a fully robotic single lung transplant — the nation’s first. “This latest innovation is a… read on > read on >
Reading Beyond Headline Rare For Most on Social Media, Study Finds
Three out of four times, your Facebook friends don’t read past the headline when they share a link to political content. Experts say that’s somewhat surprising — and downright scary. People who share without clicking may be unwittingly aiding hostile adversaries aiming to sow seeds of division and distrust, warned S. Shyam Sundar, a professor… read on > read on >
Meds Like Ozempic Are Causing Folks to Waste More Food
America’s kitchen trash bins are receiving more unwanted food as appetites falter among people taking GLP-1 weight-loss meds, a new study shows. GLP-1s like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound all work by making food less desirable, and it’s showing up in more food wasted at dinner tables, said a team led by Brian Roe, of… read on > read on >