Fish Oil Not a Magic Pill Against Diabetes

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- It would be welcome news to millions if fish oil supplements were proven to help prevent diabetes. But new research delivers very disappointing data on the prospect.

Previous research has hinted that fish oil supplements -- which contain omega-3 fatty acids -- might improve blood sugar met...

Deep Brain 'Zap' Restores Vivid Memories to Alzheimer's Patients

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Could a pacemaker for the brain improve the memories of people with dementia or Alzheimer's disease?

New research suggests it might be possible one day: Electrical stimulation directed at key memory regions of the brain created intense flashbacks in some Alzheimer's patients, including sensa...

Dirty Air Is Deadly, Global Study Confirms

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Air pollution -- especially the fine particles that you breathe into your lungs -- can shorten your life, a global study reports.

The new research found that short-term exposure to air pollution upped the daily risk of death from all causes. The risk of dying from heart disease, stroke and ...

Drug Offers Hope Against a Tough-to-Treat Blood Cancer

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma who haven't responded to other therapies might have a new weapon against the disease, researchers say.

A drug called selinexor appeared to help patients with the blood and bone marrow cancer, according to a clinical trial involvi...

Facing Up to a Lesser Known Form of Migraine Pain

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- It's bad enough to have an aching head, but about one in 10 people who suffer from headaches also experience facial pain, researchers have found.

The study included more than 2,900 people with primary headaches. These are ones not caused by another condition and they include migraine and clu...

AHA News: Meth and Heart Disease: A Deadly Crisis That's Largely Overlooked

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Although frequently overshadowed by the opioid epidemic, surging methamphetamine use nationally and around the world has fueled a chilling crisis of its own, according to a new report.

The result is a significant increase in meth-related deaths from unique cardiovascular co...

Aging Narrows Gender Gap in Flu Vaccine Response

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Here's some bad news for older women during flu season: Aging reduces the stronger immune response that women typically have to vaccination, a new study finds.

"We need to consider tailoring vaccine formulations and dosages based on the sex of the vaccine recipient, as well as their age," sa...

More Antibiotics, Higher Odds for Colon Cancer?

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Taking certain antibiotics -- especially multiple times or for long courses -- may put you at risk for colon cancer, a large new study suggests.

The researchers found that as people's antibiotic use increased, their odds of being diagnosed with colon cancer inched up. Specifically, the risk ...

Smoggy Air Might Contribute to Macular Degeneration

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Tailpipe pollution might pose a real health threat to aging eyes, according to a new study out of Taiwan.

Researchers there found that exposure to high levels of two car exhaust pollutants nearly doubled the odds of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

It's one of the most commo...

Texas Cities Are Ripe for Measles Outbreaks, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Texas cities are in danger of major measles outbreaks because an alarming number of school kids are unvaccinated, researchers warn.

Vaccination rates in the state have declined since 2003 and a computer simulation by University of Pittsburgh researchers found that an additional 5% decrea...

Asian Study Finds Diabetes, Heart Failure a Dangerous Duo

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Asian heart failure patients who also have type 2 diabetes can develop changes in the structure of their heart and are at increased risk for hospitalizations and premature death, a new study finds.

Diabetes is on the rise worldwide, and it's common for patients to have both diabetes and hear...

How Helpful Are Self-Help Programs?

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- There's no shortage of self-help apps, videos and podcasts on topics from having better mental health to having a better six-pack.

Though the programs they offer bring the convenience of working at your own pace and in your own space, it's important that you evaluate any program on its meri...

The Merits of Physical Therapy

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- You suffered an injury that has sidelined you from exercise, but you dodged a bullet -- your doctor has said that you don't need surgery.

Instead, he or she prescribes physical therapy, most likely to start after a rest period to give any inflammation time to subside.

At that poin...

Women's Mid-Life Stress Might Have Long-Term Effect on Memory

TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Stressful experiences in middle age are associated with greater memory loss among women later in life, but this link is not found in men, a new study says.

It included more than 900 adults who were assessed twice in the early 1980s; once between 1993 and 1996; and once between 2003 and 2004. T...

When Does Heart Health Return to Normal After Quitting Smoking?

TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- When you stop smoking, your heart starts to rebound right away, but a full recovery can take as long as 15 years, a new study suggests.

"The benefit of quitting smoking cannot be overstated -- the cardiovascular system begins to recover quickly, with some physiologic changes happening within h...

Could Dirty Air Spur a Rise in Serious Mental Illness?

TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- As air quality declines, the prevalence of mental health conditions may rise, a large, new study suggests.

Looking at data on millions of people in the United States and Denmark, researchers found correlations between air pollution exposure and rates of certain psychiatric disorders. In both c...

Vaping Constricts Blood Vessels, Raising Heart, Lung Concerns

TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Add another health risk to the use of e-cigarettes: New research shows that vaping instantly stiffens and tightens your blood vessels.

The small study of healthy young adults discovered that even e-cigarettes without nicotine caused a short-lived drop in blood vessel function.

Study Points to Harms From MRI 'Dye' in Early Pregnancy

TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- A concerning number of U.S. women are exposed to the MRI contrast agent gadolinium early in pregnancy, a new study reveals.

In many cases, this exposure occurs before women know they're pregnant.

The researchers said their findings underscore the need for effective pregnancy screenin...

'Red Flag' Laws May Be Stopping Some Mass Shootings

TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- "Red flag" laws that allow police to take guns away from people who've threatened mass shootings are designed to save lives, but do they?

A small, preliminary study suggests they do.

The analysis of 21 different incidents found that none of the threatened shootings occurred after pe...

U.S. Task Force Updates Breast Cancer Gene Testing Recommendations

TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Mutations in two genes -- BRCA1 and BRCA2 -- are known to significantly increase the risk of breast cancer, but experts have long debated which women should be tested for them.

New recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) may help clarify who can benefit most from...