A recent study investigated the effects of vaping on lung cells. The debate surrounding the negative health effects of e-cigarettes is becoming ever more polarised. Scientists at the new University North Caroline School of Medicine, led by Rob Tarran, have recently carried out a study examining the effects of ‘’vaping’’ on the cellular responses within

A recent study on over 7 million medical records found a dose-dependent correlation between statins and osteoporosis diagnosis. Statins are a class of cholesterol-lowering medications prescribed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Statins act by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, which is the main enzyme involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, thus effectively lowering LDL cholesterol in blood

Researchers examine oral microbiota and its possible link to child and adolescent obesity. Worldwide, obesity remains a major health issue, with rates of obesity on the rise in both adults and children. Obesity can be influenced by genetics; however, environmental, social, and psychological factors play a large role. Previous research has shown distinctions in taste

Researchers at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Canada are paving the way for a new treatment using focused ultrasound to treat ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease, is a devastating and fatal neurological disorder. As the disease progresses people with ALS become paralyzed as the brain can no longer send

Newly discovered activity of the leukemia drug, nilotinib, shows promise for being useful to treat certain types of cancer. Hedgehog-dependent medulloblastoma is a deadly brain cancer that makes up about one-third of all childhood brain cancers. The Hedgehog (Hh) molecular signaling pathway and its specific component, Smoothened (SMO), is important for normal embryonic development. Abnormal

A recent article published in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown extremely promising results for the treatment of Ulcerative colitis using a drug that is currently approved for the treatment of Psoriasis. Ulcerative Colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes long-term inflammation of the digestive tract. This immune-mediated disorder

A recent study concludes that medical research papers often do not describe placebos adequately. The authors believe that this could cause underreporting of harms and overreporting of benefits. A new study underlines the importance of explaining placebos more thoroughly. To find out whether a drug or medical intervention works, researchers must pit it against a

Researchers in the UK conducted a comparative study on the outcome of surgery & non-surgical treatment for varicose veins. The study (aptly named CLASS – Comparison of Laser, Surgery and Foam Sclerotherapy) was a large, multi-center randomized trial conducted across 11 centers in the UK. It involved two non-surgical treatments, Foam Sclerotherapy and Laser Ablation,

Dapagliflozin, a drug originally developed to treat diabetes, shows benefit in patients in heart failure. Dapagliflozin belongs to a relatively new class of drugs, the sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors, for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. This new class of drugs reduces blood glucose levels by reducing the reabsorption of glucose in the kidneys. Clinical trials treating

Sertraline, an antidepressant that doctors commonly prescribe, appears to work by reducing anxiety first and doesn’t start tackling depressive symptoms until weeks later. New research sheds fresh light on how antidepressants work. This was the main finding of a study on the use of antidepressants in primary care settings in the United Kingdom. The researchers

An advisory panel to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considered the evidence on the efficacy and safety of a new peanut allergy treatment. Peanut allergy has increased in recent years Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies amongst children in the US. Reporting of the condition is on the rise,

Study shows the benefit of resuming blood thinner drugs after a gastrointestinal bleed outweighs the risk of a rebleeding event. Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common problem affecting approximately 150 patients per 100,000 population in the United States and the United Kingdom and has a mortality rate of 5% to 10%. GI bleeding can be

Researchers keep on developing new drugs to fight cancer, and while some are indeed effective, others never fulfill their promise. A new study now explains why many cancer drugs may not work in the way their developers think they do. But within the problem also lies the solution. A new study finds that many new

Researchers have demonstrated an association between diet-mediated remission in inflammatory bowel disease and microbiome composition. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella name for various gastrointestinal tract disorders, the most abundant is Crohn’s disease in humans. Years of research have suggested that a combination of environmental factors and genetic susceptibility plays a role in the

Biting down on an oral orthotic device may suppress tics in patients with Tourette Syndrome. Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive and involuntary movements or sounds called tics. Simple motor tics can present as eye movements, grimacing, herd jerks, or shoulder shrugs. Simple vocal tics include throat-clearing, coughing, sniffing, barking, and grunting

Medical treatment for addiction that targets the brain cells responsible for drug cravings may be the key to preventing relapse. In the United States alone, almost 20 million adults suffer from addiction to drugs or alcohol. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder and preventing relapse is one of the major goals of addiction treatment. Despite

Researchers found that specific environmental factors may alter the gut microbial community during spaceflight. The human intestinal tract consists of a diverse and complex microbial community, which plays a central role in human health. It has been estimated that our gut contains at least 1000 different species of known bacteria with 100-fold more genes than

Scientists investigate what makes a certain strain of yeast (S. Boulardii) probiotic. Probiotics are normally taken after an antibiotic. The antibiotic kills most of the bacteria in your gut and the idea is to take a probiotic to repopulate your gut with friendly microorganisms that will help fight off the harmful bacteria. Probiotics are defined

A recent study investigated the effects of alternate day fasting, finding that participants had reduced total caloric intake and improved markers of cardiovascular health. A recent clinical trial demonstrated that alternate day fasting for a period of four weeks was able to improve markers of overall health, including markers of cardiovascular health, reduced fat mass,

A recent study investigated how the microbiome affects the critical growth period during infancy, specifically, how it might impact on the growth of preterm infants. Parents today are heavily educated by their own parents and the media controlled by the multi-billion-dollar parenting industry. As a new parent today, there are so many resources to ensure

A recent study, published in the British Medical Journal, investigated the association between dairy product intake and mortality. Consumption of dairy products, including milk and cheese, has been controversial in terms of health effects, leaving consumers confused as to whether their favourite dairy products are good or bad for their health. As part of the

A new study looks at how feeding and the desire to eat is regulated by stress-related emotional responses. Eating is a behaviour that is strongly influenced by stress-related emotional responses. Emotional states, in response to potential environmental dangers, compete with the desire to eat thus making eating a complex behaviour. Temporary changes to eating habits

Researchers have successfully tested a new treatment for drug-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia on a new mouse model. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common cancer in children and accounts for about 20% of adult leukemias. Even though there are a number of therapies that improve survival rates, some patients still experience recurrence of the disease

Scientists investigate whether diet can help prevent fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. The body’s immune system attacks the cells (oligodendrocytes) that make the fatty covers that surround nerve cells. This fatty cover is called the myelin sheath, this is why MS

Aronia berry extract positively affects indicators of cardiovascular health. In a recent study, researchers investigated the effects of Aronia berry supplements in healthy participants. Specifically, they wanted to test the effects of these supplements on vascular function and the composition of the gut microbiome. In this clinical trial, 66 healthy men were divided into three

A recent study investigated “spin” in psychiatry and psychology research papers. The study authors found spin in more than half of the abstracts they analyzed. What impact might this have on doctors’ decisions? Many doctors only have time to read the abstract of a study. As news and media outlets compete for views, they can

A recent study describes a new method and criteria that could be useful in determining the risk of knee instability. Knee injuries can have grave consequences for any individual. In athletes, knee injuries can be devastating and often destroy their careers. One type of knee injury that is frequently observed in many people is knee instability

A new clinical trial tests the benefits of an oral drug for people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and yields very promising results. Scientists may now have a medication for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In the United States, 30–40% of all adults are living with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In Europe, 20–30% of the