Monitoring blood pressure is important for transgender people, according to new research, which found changes in systolic blood pressure after the start of gender-affirming hormone therapy. Transgender men and transgender women have a higher burden of heart attack, stroke and related conditions, the study noted. Gender-affirming hormone therapy isn’t new. Doctors have prescribed the hormones…  read on >  read on >

Young baseball players are at risk for overuse injuries, but there are ways to play it safe and prevent such problems, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says. “Overhead athletes, such as baseball players, place significant repetitive stress on the shoulder and elbow joints,” orthopedic sports surgeon Dr. Nima Mehran said in an academy…  read on >  read on >

Energy drinks provide millions with a quick, caffeinated boost, but one young man’s story could be a warning about overconsumption, experts say. In the case of the 21-year-old, daily heavy intake of these drinks may have led to life-threatening heart and kidney failure, British doctors reported April 15 in BMJ Case Reports. The young man…  read on >  read on >

Kidney stones can happen to anyone, but now a new study confirms that being pregnant may increase your risk of developing them. Previous research has suggested that a number of pregnancy-related changes in the body can contribute to kidney stone formation, but this study is the first to provide evidence of that link, according to…  read on >  read on >

Many American teens and young adults are now embracing the chance to get COVID-19 vaccines, a new survey finds. But youth-focused messaging will still be needed to convince a minority of those aged 14 to 24 that they should be vaccinated, the University of Michigan researchers said. Still, the good news is that more young…  read on >  read on >

Starting the school day a little later helps middle and high school students get more and better sleep, according to a new study. The research is based on annual surveys of about 28,000 elementary, middle and high school students and their parents. The surveys were completed before and two years after school start times were…  read on >  read on >

Exercise guards against a host of chronic diseases that can plague people as they age, but can it also protect against severe cases of COVID-19? New research suggests that’s so: Being physically active reduced COVID-19 patients’ risk of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death, and even being just somewhat active provided some protection.…  read on >  read on >