Wearing a face mask to protect others from infectious disease continues to be hotly debated in the United States. But what about wearing a face mask to detect chronic kidney disease? A modified surgical face mask containing a specialized breath sensor can accurately detect when someone has kidney disease, according to a new research published…  read on >  read on >

Some men would rather skip screening for prostate cancer due to fears that they’ll be rendered impotent or incontinent from cancer surgery. But new research says those fears are unwarranted, thanks to improvements in the way doctors approach prostate cancer. The number of unnecessary surgeries to treat low-risk prostate cancer has fallen fivefold during the…  read on >  read on >

Knowing your risk for Alzheimer’s disease can provide peace of mind, but also might contribute to complacency regarding your overall health, a new study says. People who underwent brain scans to learn their Alzheimer’s risk experienced less anxiety, even if the results showed higher risk, researchers reported May 7 in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.…  read on >  read on >

Sleep apnea could be costing you brain power and increasing your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, a new study says. The drop in blood oxygen levels that occurs during a sleep apnea episode appears to be linked to degeneration of brain regions associated with memory, researchers reported May 7 in the journal Neurology. These…  read on >  read on >

The use of nicotine pouches nearly doubled among U.S. high school students between 2023 and 2024, a new study says. These pouches, inserted between the gum and lip, provide teenagers an opportunity to use nicotine in a discreet, easily concealed way, researchers said. About 5.4% of teens said they used nicotine pouches in 2024, compared…  read on >  read on >

Conversion therapy might harm a young person’s long-term heart health, a new study says. Young adults assigned male at birth were nearly three times as likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure if they’d been exposed to conversion therapy, a discredited practice that attempts to alter a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, researchers…  read on >  read on >

The shingles vaccine has benefits that stretch beyond protecting older adults from the painful skin condition, a new study says. Folks who get the shingles jab have a 23% lower risk of health problems like stroke, heart failure and heart disease, researchers reported May 6 in the European Heart Journal. This protective effect lasts for…  read on >  read on >