Modern antidepressants could be effective for long-term treatment of some patients with bipolar disorder, a new trial suggests. Current guidelines discourage use of antidepressants in these patients, over concerns that the drugs will trigger a manic episode. But bipolar patients who remained on antidepressants for a whole year had fewer mood episodes than those who… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Vitamin K May Kickstart Healthy Lungs
It may not get the publicity of some better-known vitamins like D, but vitamin K — found in leafy green vegetables — may boost lung health. A new, large study — published Aug. 10 in ERJ Open Research — suggests that people who have low levels of this vitamin also have less healthy lungs. They… read on > read on >
Surgeons Are Finding Microplastics in Human Hearts
Microplastics appear to be everywhere, including within the tissues of the human heart. A new Chinese report describes doctors finding microplastics in heart tissue both before and after heart surgery. The researchers also noted there is evidence suggesting that microplastics may have been unexpectedly introduced during the heart procedures. The researchers, who included Kun Hua… read on > read on >
Few Regret Undergoing Gender-Affirming Mastectomies
THURSDAY, Aug. 10, 2023 (HealthDay News) – For people who are transmasculine or nonbinary, getting a gender-affirming mastectomy can be life-changing. Now, a new study finds there are high levels of satisfaction and low levels of regret for patients years after the procedure is performed. Researchers from the University of Michigan found an overwhelmingly positive… read on > read on >
How Many Daily Steps to Lengthen Your Life? Fewer Than You Might Think
If you’re one of the millions of folks bent on racking up at least 10,000 steps a day, read on. A new study finds that heart health starts to improve with as few as 2,300 steps a day. The research also indicates your risk of dying from any disease starts to decrease with only about… read on > read on >
Stress, Depression Won’t Raise Your Odds for Cancer: Study
A large new study challenges the long-held idea that depression makes people more vulnerable to cancer, finding no association between the mental health condition and most types of cancer. The study, of more than 300,000 adults, found that neither depression nor chronic anxiety were linked to increased odds of developing cancer in the coming years.… read on > read on >
Study Confirms it: Texting While Walking Is Dangerous
It seems obvious that texting and walking can be a dangerous duo, but now a new Australian study offers solid evidence of the dangers. Emergency room doctors Dr. Michael Levine and Dr. Matthew Harris, who were not involved in the study, weren’t surprised by the findings. “I think we’ve had, this summer, several people who… read on > read on >
Vacations in the Sun Aren’t Good for Your Skin’s Microbiome
It’s already known that the “healthy glow” of a tan actually represents damage to skin cells. But a new study of people on vacation has found that sunbathing also can disrupt the skin’s microbiome, altering the populations of bacteria that live on the skin in ways that could be harmful to health. The microbiome recovers… read on > read on >
Fatigue Can Plague People With MS. Exercise May Help
Patients with a type of multiple sclerosis (MS) known as relapsing-remitting MS could have less fatigue if they got more active and were in better physical shape, according to new research. The study also found that a lower disability rate was also associated with less fatigue. “The findings are interesting and support previous studies very… read on > read on >
Wegovy Lowered Users’ Heart Risks in New Trial
A large clinical trial weighing the medical merits of the obesity drug Wegovy has unearthed a significant positive side effect. Taking the medication cut the risk of serious heart problems by 20%, drug maker Novo Nordisk announced Tuesday. “People living with obesity have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease but, to date, there are no… read on > read on >