Two new studies show how eager Americans are to obtain either safe, legitimate versions of Ozempic or counterfeit and potentially dangerous forms of the diabetes/weight-loss drug. One study found U.S. prescriptions and refills of Ozempic (semaglutide) soaring over the past three years, jumping almost five-fold (392%) between early 2021 and the end of 2023. Ozempic’s…  read on >  read on >

Fish oil supplements might help high-risk seniors stave off Alzheimer’s disease, a new study finds. Older people with a higher genetic risk of Alzheimer’s experienced slower breakdown of their brain’s nerve cells if they took fish oil capsules, researchers reported Aug. 1 in the journal JAMA Network Open. These people carry the APOE4 gene variant,…  read on >  read on >

New research has added two conditions to the list of 12 risk factors that boost the chances of a dementia diagnosis. The good news? You can guard against the development of both and researchers offer advice on exactly how to do that. In a study published Wednesday in The Lancet, scientists reported that new evidence now…  read on >  read on >

Don’t use a chemical peel to help rejuvenate your skin unless it’s done under the supervision of a trained professional, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised. “FDA is warning consumers not to purchase or use certain chemical peel skin products without appropriate professional supervision due to risk of serious skin injuries,” the agency…  read on >  read on >

High blood pressure might increase a woman’s odds of suffering migraines, a new study finds. Specifically, high diastolic blood pressure is linked to a slightly higher risk of women ever having a migraine, researchers reported July 31 in the journal Neurology. Diastolic pressure is the second number in a blood pressure reading, and occurs when…  read on >  read on >

Toxic heavy metals are found naturally worldwide in soils that produce the cocoa bean tree — and those metals are showing up in chocolate, a new report warns. “We all love chocolate but it’s important to indulge with moderation as with other foods that contain heavy metals, including large fish like tuna and unwashed brown…  read on >  read on >

Prior studies have found that statin meds can help lower liver cancer risks, and new research suggests that at least one non-statin cholesterol drug can do the same. A team led by Katherine McGlynn of the U.S. National Cancer Institute looked at the health histories of almost 19,000 people tracked by the U.K.’s Clinical Practice…  read on >  read on >

Chicken, turkey and other poultry might get a little safer after new rules to limit salmonella proposed Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Poultry companies would be expected to keep salmonella levels below specific thresholds under the new rules and test for six strains of the bacterium that are strongly tied to illness…  read on >  read on >