Skip artificial sweeteners if you’re trying to lose weight, warns the World Health Organization (WHO), noting the sugar substitutes aren’t effective for shedding pounds and may also cause harm. Long-term use of sugar substitutes may cause “potential undesirable effects,” according to new WHO guidance. This can include an “increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular…  read on >  read on >

Vegan moms can breastfeed their children and not worry that their breast milk is missing essential nutrients, a new study finds. Researchers from Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands tested the milk of vegan mothers, finding it contains sufficient levels of vitamin B2 and carnitine. “The maternal diet greatly influences the nutritional composition of…  read on >  read on >

Black and Hispanic communities in the United States are more often poor — and also more likely to have harmful levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their drinking water, a new study reveals. Sources of PFAS pollution — including major manufacturers, airports, military bases, wastewater treatment plants and landfills — are disproportionately sited…  read on >  read on >

It’s important to ask questions when your doctor or dentist writes you a new prescription. This is especially true for opioid pain medications, such as hydrocodone, oxycodone or morphine. While these drugs are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for acute and chronic pain, they can have serious side effects, including addiction and…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the first nonhormonal medication aimed at easing menopause hot flashes. The new pill, called Veozah (fezolinetant), is from a class of drugs called neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonists. It targets a specific brain neuron that’s thought to be set off balance as estrogen levels naturally decline…  read on >  read on >

Receiving a diagnosis of asthma may be frightening, but learning what the treatment options are can help alleviate the anxiety that comes with diagnosis. Depending on the severity, certain asthma medications may help you manage your symptoms. Here, experts break down the most common long-term and quick-acting medications for asthma, how they work and potential…  read on >  read on >

Outside advisors for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted Thursday to recommend approval of Neffy, the first epinephrine nasal spray for severe allergic reactions. Although most of the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee members supported the spray for adults (16:6) and children (17:5), key questions linger about whether more data is needed from its maker,…  read on >  read on >

(HealthDay News) – Millions of Americans take cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, but a new study finds Black and Hispanic adults get the drugs less often than white people do. “This adds to the known racial and ethnic disparities already highly prevalent in heart disease,” said lead author Dr. Ambarish Pandey, an assistant professor of internal…  read on >  read on >