One third of cinnamon products tested by Consumer Reports contained elevated levels of lead, the watchdog agency warned Thursday. The finding follows concerns about metals in foods after tainted cinnamon applesauce poisoned hundreds in 44 states last year, most of them children. In the new study, Consumer Reports tested 36 cinnamon products and discovered high levels of…  read on >  read on >

Over 5 million Americans could benefit if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the “magic mushroom” psychedelic psilocybin as a treatment for depression, researchers estimate. “While our analysis is a crucial first step, we’ve only scratched the surface in understanding the true public health impact psilocybin therapy may have,” said study co-author Dr. Charles Raison.…  read on >  read on >

Smokers who make the decision to quit will see almost immediate health benefits, including a quick drop in their risk for atrial fibrillation, new research shows. “The findings provide a compelling new reason to show current smokers that it’s not too late to quit and that having smoked in the past doesn’t mean you’re ‘destined’…  read on >  read on >

Excessive time spent on social media increases children’s and teens’ risk of developing an eating disorder, a new study warns. Each additional hour of total screen time or social media use raises the likelihood that a kid or young teen will have eating disorder symptoms two years later, researchers reported recently in the journal Eating…  read on >  read on >

Florida’s six-week abortion ban caused the state’s abortion rate to drop dramatically, new research shows. Abortions in Florida dropped to an estimated 5,630 in May and 5,200 in June, a 30% and 35% decrease from the average between January and March, data released Thursday shows. “Our data paint a vivid picture of the chaos and…  read on >  read on >

Humans could learn a few medical tips from their gorilla cousins, a new study says. Four plants used by wild gorillas in Gabon have antibacterial and antioxidant properties, researcher reported Sept. 11 in the journal PLOS One. Wild great apes often self-medicate, consuming medicinal plants that can treat their ailments, researchers said. Observing gorillas, researchers…  read on >  read on >

An ingredient in the hair dye a French woman used caused her to develop a vision-robbing retinopathy, researchers report. When she switched to a dye without these ingredients, called aromatic amines, her vision troubles resolved, according to a team led by Dr. Nicolas Chirpaz, an ophthalmologist at Edouard Herriot Hospital, in Lyon. Such cases could…  read on >  read on >