Nearly a quarter of Labrador retrievers are more likely to be obese due to a genetic “double-whammy,” a new study finds. This gene mutation causes Labradors to both feel hungry all the time and also burn fewer calories, British researchers report. The mutation involves a gene called POMC, which plays a critical role in hunger…  read on >  read on >

Food allergies are difficult to manage at any age, but college students face complex challenges when it comes to navigating the dangers posed by the possibility of life-threatening anaphylaxis. A recent review published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, examines recent evidence…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a health advisory Wednesday warning consumers that six brands of ground cinnamon are tainted with lead. The FDA urged folks to throw away and not buy the following brands of ground cinnamon: La Fiesta, sold at La Superior SuperMercados Marcum, sold at Save A Lot MK, sold at…  read on >  read on >

Weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic can increase a person’s risk of throwing up during surgery while under anesthesia, a new study reports. People are typically asked to fast prior to surgery because general anesthesia can cause nausea, and they might inhale and choke on their own vomit. Unfortunately, part of the way that these…  read on >  read on >

Statins have become the miracle medicine of modern heart care, lowering cholesterol levels and and guarding against heart attacks in millions of Americans. In fact, a running joke among doctors holds that statins are so helpful they should be put in the water supply. However, they aren’t right for all patients, and some rare side…  read on >  read on >

Sipping sodas – sugary or diet – seems to slightly increase a person’s risk of developing a potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm, a new study shows. Folks had a 20% greater risk of atrial fibrillation if they drank two liters or more of artificially sweetened beverages each week, researchers reported March 5 in the American…  read on >  read on >

A cheap cavity-fighting liquid typically used to treat sensitive teeth appears to work as well as dental sealants in preventing tooth decay, a new study finds. A single treatment of either silver diamine fluoride (SDF) or a typical dental sealant prevented 80% of cavities for four years among thousands of New York City elementary schoolchildren,…  read on >  read on >

Analysis of a “chemical score” from mouth lesion swab samples might allow patients to skip painful biopsies, getting oral cancers promptly diagnosed in a noninvasive way, scientists report. Right now, dentists and other specialists must send excised tissues from suspicious mouth lesions to labs for standard biopsies, which are costly and invasive. However, researchers at…  read on >  read on >

Salad lovers, take note: Lettuce is more vulnerable to E. coli contamination than other leafy greens, researchers report. The physical composition of green leaf and romaine lettuce makes it a happy home for E. coli bacteria, particularly at room temperature, according to a report published recently in the journal Food Microbiology. Other leafy greens –…  read on >  read on >