Fill up that mug: Having one or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day may reduce your risk of heart failure, new research suggests. There was one caveat, however: Decaffeinated coffee doesn’t appear to provide the same protection as caffeine-rich blends. “The association between caffeine and heart failure risk reduction was surprising,” admitted study senior… read on > read on >
Children in day care centers had low coronavirus infection rates early in the pandemic, and are unlikely sources of COVID-19 transmission, a new study from France finds. COVID-19 can infect people of all ages, but children tend to develop mild, if any, symptoms, and very rarely need to be hospitalized. Very young children’s role as… read on > read on >
Keep flossing: A new study finds that gum disease may raise the chances of hospitalization or death if COVID-19 strikes. The reason? Gum disease can be a sign of inflammation throughout the body. “It is well-established that systemic inflammation is not only linked with periodontal disease, but to several other respiratory diseases as well,” explained… read on > read on >
Severe frailty significantly increases the risk of death in COVID-19 patients, British researchers say. In their new study, the investigators analyzed data from more than 5,700 COVID-19 patients at 55 hospitals in 12 countries. They found that those who were severely frail were three times more likely to die than those who weren’t frail. That… read on > read on >
Peanut allergy is often thought of as a children’s problem, but three out of four Americans with the condition are older than 17, researchers say. Despite this, treatment remains focused on kids, says Dr. Ruchi Gupta, co-author of a new study and a professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.… read on > read on >
What can poop from ancient Neanderthals tell us? It turns out that it harbors valuable information about modern-day gut health. An international research group led by the University of Bologna in Italy analyzed ancient DNA samples extracted from 50,000-year-old sedimentary feces, the oldest sample of fecal material available. They collected the matter in El Salt… read on > read on >
Older men whose blood pressure rises at night may be at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests. Blood pressure changes over 24 hours. It typically goes up during the day and dips at nighttime. But some people have an opposite pattern, which is called reverse dipping. “The night is a critical period… read on > read on >
In a grim development for allergy sufferers in North America, a new investigation warns that pollen seasons are getting longer and worse. Over the last three decades, the annual pollen season has expanded by nearly three weeks, accompanied by a 21% jump in pollen concentrations. A big underlying cause: climate change. “It is clear that… read on > read on >
Bans on evictions and utility shutoffs during the pandemic may not only be keeping people safe and warm in their homes: They might also limit the spread of COVID-19, new research suggests. Over the first nine months of the pandemic, the study found, U.S. counties with those policies reduced COVID-19 infection rates by about 4%.… read on > read on >
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the marketing of a new “tongue strengthening” device to cut down on snoring in patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea. Unlike devices used during sleep, this prescription device is used while awake, and is designed to stimulate and strengthen the tongue so that it doesn’t collapse… read on > read on >
