The common hair-loss drug in Propecia and Proscar might lower men’s risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels, a new study suggests. Finasteride is used to treat male pattern baldness, and it’s also been shown effective in treating an enlarged prostate, researchers said in background notes. But men who use finasteride also have substantially…  read on >  read on >

Mercury levels in tuna haven’t changed since 1971, despite efforts to reduce emissions of the toxic metal into the environment, researchers report. Their analysis of nearly 3,000 tuna samples caught in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans between 1971 and 2022 revealed stable mercury concentrations in tuna during those five decades. The research team specifically…  read on >  read on >

A person’s diet can influence their risk of obstructive sleep apnea, a new study says. Those who eat a healthy plant-based diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts are less likely to suffer sleep apnea, according to findings published Feb. 20 in the journal ERJ Open Research. On the other hand, people who…  read on >  read on >

Folks who follow a healthy lifestyle are less likely to wind up with a case of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a new study claims. The more healthy behaviors in which a person regularly engaged, the lower their risk of IBS, researchers reported Feb. 20 in the journal Gut. Not smoking, vigorous exercise and getting enough…  read on >  read on >

Niacin is an essential B vitamin, but new research reveals that too much of it may harm your heart. Found in many foods that millions of Americans eat, excessive amounts of niacin can trigger inflammation and damage blood vessels, scientists report in the Feb. 19 issue of the journal Nature Medicine. “The average person should…  read on >  read on >

Raw milk cheese tainted with E. coli bacteria has sickened 10 people in four states, hospitalizing four, federal regulators warn. The cases have been tied to Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a food safety alert. Six of the patients remembered which type of raw…  read on >  read on >

People threatened by accidental exposure to foods they’re allergic to may have a new weapon of defense: On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the use of the asthma drug Xolair to help prevent anaphylactic reactions. Xolair (omalizumab) is an injected drug and is not meant as a substitute for EpiPens or other…  read on >  read on >

A little-known pesticide is likely present in the bodies of most U.S. residents, raising concerns of potential reproductive and developmental problems, researchers report. In the study, the pesticide chlormequat was found in four out of five people they tested. “The ubiquity of this little-studied pesticide in people raises alarm bells about how it could potentially…  read on >  read on >