Women are four to five times more likely than men to develop early-onset rheumatoid arthritis, and a few hormonal factors could be why, new research suggests. Entering menopause early (before age 45), taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and having four or more kids are all related to heightened odds for developing rheumatoid arthritis, the study… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Patients Taking Psychiatric Meds Often Gain Weight. Scientists May Now Know Why
Weight gain has long been an unwanted side effect of medicines commonly used to treat psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Some patients may quit their meds to avoid piling on pounds. Or if they stick to their meds and weight gain continues, they face higher risks for diabetes and liver disease. However,… read on > read on >
Pregnancy-Linked Depression Could Have Links to Autoimmune Diseases
Could the immune system play a role in why some women become depressed during and after a pregnancy? Swedish researchers have uncovered a “bidirectional relationship” between pregnancy-linked depression and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis and celiac disease. In other words, women who experienced depression specific to a pregnancy were more… read on > read on >
Serious Scooter Injuries Tripled in U.S. in Four Years
When you’re looking for a cheap and easy way to get around town, which is safer — a scooter or a bike? A nationwide look at injuries related to both suggests biking may be the safer way to go. UCLA researchers report that scooter injuries nearly tripled across the U.S. between 2016 and 2020, many… read on > read on >
Pregnancy-Linked Depression Raises Odds for Suicide Years After Delivery
Depression that emerges around the time of pregnancy raises a woman’s risk for suicide sharply and for many years, new Swedish research shows. The study found that a new mom’s odds for suicide soars seven-fold in the year after a diagnosis of perinatal depression — depression that arises just before, during or after a pregnancy.… read on > read on >
Reddit Posts Show Ozempic, Wegovy Cutting Users’ Alcohol Use
Social media is abuzz with the possibility that newfangled weight loss drugs can also reduce cravings for alcohol, a new study says. Across a number of Reddit threads, users of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic reported that they felt less need to drink beer, wine and liquor. Threads bearing titles like “Did scientists accidentally invent an… read on > read on >
Teen Sports Pay Dividends for Bone Health Decades Later
Teens who are active are doing their bones a lasting favor, Japanese researchers report. “Physical exercise in adolescence affects BMD [bone mineral density] more than 50 years later in older adults,” said lead researcher Dr. Yoshifumi Tamura, a faculty member at Juntendo University in Tokyo. “Our findings can guide the selection of sports played during… read on > read on >
Black Teens Gain Mental Health Boost From ‘Connectedness’ at School
“School spirit” appears to provide long-lasting mental health benefits for Black teens, new research finds. School connectedness – the degree to which students feel like part of to their school community – is a protective factor against depression and aggressive behavior later in life among Black students, researchers report in the Journal of Youth and… read on > read on >
More Insight Into How a Virus Might Cause MS
There’s information emerging on how the common Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) might be crucial to triggering multiple sclerosis (MS). The virus, which also causes “mono” (mononucleosis) and other illnesses, has gained prominence in recent years as a potential cause of MS. Over 95% of people are thought to carry EBV, although for most people it remains… read on > read on >
Too Much Screen Time Might Harm Kids’ ‘Sensory Processing’
Exposing babies and toddlers to TV and other digital media could be linked to a heightened risk for dysfunction in what’s known as “sensory processing,” a new study warns. Kids with “atypical sensory processing” are often hypersensitive to the touch, sound, taste or look of stimuli in their environment. For example, kids might try to… read on > read on >