Women Health

Vitamin D may play a vital role in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with aging, according to researchers at Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON). These findings were published in the latest issue of the Journal of Aging and Gerontology. Researchers reviewed evidence that suggests an association between vitamin D deficiency … [Read more...]

Recently, researchers compared the effects of tai chi to leg strengthening exercises (a physical therapy called "lower extremity training," or LET) in reducing falls. Falls are a leading cause of serious injuries in older adults and can lead to hospitalization, nursing home admission, and even death. Arthritis, heart disease, muscle weakness, vision and balance problems, … [Read more...]

A landmark study led by University of Sydney has found that people become more active, sleep better and reduce their sitting time when they retire. Published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the study followed the lifestyle behaviours of 25,000 older Australians including physical activity, diet, sedentary behaviour, alcohol use and sleep patterns. "Our … [Read more...]

Nearly one-third of US adolescents consume high-caffeine energy drinks or "shots," and these teens report higher rates of alcohol, cigarette, or drug use, reports a study in the January/February Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters … [Read more...]

A new study suggests that shivering and bouts of moderate exercise are equally capable of stimulating the conversion of energy-storing 'white fat' into energy-burning 'brown fat'. Around 50 g of white fat stores more than 300 kilocalories of energy. The same amount of brown fat could burn up to 300 kilocalories a day. Endocrinologist Dr Paul Lee, from Sydney's Garvan … [Read more...]

A new study being presented today at the joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in Chicago, demonstrates that ambient temperatures can influence the growth or loss of brown fat in people. Cool environments stimulate growth, warm environments loss. Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue, is a special kind of fat that burns … [Read more...]

Vitamin D and calcium supplementation along with diet and exercise may prevent type 2 diabetes in prediabetic individuals who have insufficient vitamin D in their bodies, a study from India suggests. The results were presented Saturday at the joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in Chicago. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked … [Read more...]

New clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and management of idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) appear in the July issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology. DILI is a rare adverse drug reaction, challenging to diagnose, and can lead to jaundice, liver failure and even death. The frequency of DILI incidence is increasing, as the use of herbal and dietary … [Read more...]

Two doses of vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) provide good protection against genital warts, but three doses is better according to an extensive register study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The results are published in the scientific periodical JAMA. Since 2012, girls in Sweden between the ages of 10 and 18 are offered free vaccination against … [Read more...]

Exposure to conflicting news about the health benefits of certain foods, vitamins and supplements often results in confusion and backlash against nutrition recommendations, finds a recent study in the Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives. This confusion and backlash may make people more likely to ignore not only the contradictory information, but also … [Read more...]

Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital have found there is no benefit in replacing fructose, the sugar most commonly blamed for obesity, with glucose in commercially prepared foods. The findings, published in the February edition of Current Opinion in Lipidology, show that when portion sizes and calories are the same, fructose does not cause any more harm than … [Read more...]

Over two thirds or the home health care population consists of adults over the age of 65, approximately 36% have some form of cognitive impairment, including dementia. According to the Institute of Medicine, the number of home health care (HHC) providers qualified to properly care for the older adults, including those with dementia, is inadequate. Seeing the need to fill the … [Read more...]

A four-month dance program helped older Latino adults walk faster and improved their physical fitness, which may reduce their risk for heart disease, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology/Lifestyle 2016 Scientific Sessions. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago tested whether a community-based intervention focused on … [Read more...]

Researchers are only beginning to understand the implications of disrupted sleep in people with epilepsy. Recent findings suggest that seizure-interrupted sleep could impede memory formation, impair cognitive performance and influence a myriad of other aspects of daily life. Four studies presented at the American Epilepsy Society's (AES) 69th Annual Meeting unveil previously … [Read more...]

Oxytocin, also known as the 'love hormone', could provide a new treatment for anorexia nervosa, according to new research by a team of British and Korean scientists. The study, published today, found that oxytocin alters anorexic patients' tendencies to fixate on images of high calorie foods, and larger body shape. The findings follow an earlier study by the same group … [Read more...]

A brain imaging study shows that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome may have reduced responses, compared with healthy controls, in a region of the brain connected with fatigue. The findings suggest that chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with changes in the brain involving brain circuits that regulate motor activity and motivation. Compared with healthy controls, … [Read more...]

P53, a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated and inactivated in the vast majority of cancers, has often been described as the "guardian of the genome" because of its protective effects against cancer. Now, researchers at The Wistar Institute are also making the case for p53 as the "guardian of obesity," having found that a variant of the gene is heavily implicated in … [Read more...]

Is cellphone use detrimental to mental health? A new study from the University of Illinois finds that addiction to, and not simply use of, mobile technology is linked to anxiety and depression in college-age students. The study was published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior. "There's a long history of the public fearing new technologies as they are deployed in … [Read more...]

Irritable bowel syndrome racks up an impact on health care spending and quality of life: costing more than $20 billion a year in treatment and its symptoms leading to nearly as many missed work days as the common cold. In a clinical review of irritable bowel syndrome published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, William D. Chey, M.D., professor of … [Read more...]

Women who have high levels of both testosterone and estrogen in midlife may face a greater risk of developing benign tumors on the uterus called uterine fibroids than women with low levels of the hormones, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Three out of four women develop uterine fibroids by age … [Read more...]

A new phase III trial with positive results is taking intravaginal DHEA a step closer to governmental approval. The formulation could provide women who cannot or do not wish to use intravaginal estrogen with an effective vaginal alternative for easing vaginal symptoms and pain with sex after menopause. The trial results were published online today in Menopause, the journal of … [Read more...]

Skimping on sleep has long been associated with overeating, poor food choices and weight gain. Now a new study shows how sleep loss initiates this process, amplifying and extending blood levels of a chemical signal that enhances the joy of eating, particularly the guilty pleasures gained from sweet or salty, high-fat snack foods. Sleep-deprived participants in this study -- … [Read more...]

Sleep may be one of the most important factors for well-being; yet, according to the CDC, one in three adults does not get enough. Lack of sleep can lead to potential cognitive declines, chronic diseases and death. Now, research from the University of Missouri finds that older adults who have trouble sleeping, could benefit from participating in social activities, in particular … [Read more...]

The human body is daily exposed to external assaults such as bacteria, ultraviolet light or chemical agents. Skin, the largest organ of the body, is the first line of defense against these agents. Skin performs this function thanks to the close connections established between its cells (e.g. adherens junctions). The loss of cell adhesion between these cells is related to … [Read more...]

Urgency incontinence is considered the most troubling urinary symptom in both men and women, according to a recent study published in the leading urology journal, European Urology. Problems related to urination, including incontinence and having to get up to urinate at night-time, have become more acceptable topics of discussion over recent years. New treatment options have … [Read more...]

Researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology have revealed a critical player in the cellular interactions leading to eczema -- a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting more than 14 million U.S. children and adults. In a study published today, Toshiaki Kawakami, M.D., Ph.D., and his research team provide information which supports -- for the first … [Read more...]

An automated system that identifies high-risk osteoporosis patients being treated for fractures and can generate letters encouraging follow-up is an effective way to promote osteoporosis intervention and prevent future fractures, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The researchers identified patients at least 50 years old with fractures who were seeking … [Read more...]

The increasing use of plus-sized models in advertising campaigns may be contributing to growing rates of obesity, a new study from Simon Fraser University's Beedie School of Business suggests. The study, published by the American Marketing Association's Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, found that as advertising campaigns increasingly use fewer images of models that … [Read more...]

About one in five lesbian and four in five bisexual teen girls who are sexually active had a recent male sex partner, according to a new U.S. study of close to 3,000 adolescent girls that appears in the March issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. The study, which was co-authored by researchers from the University of British Columbia and the Graduate Center and City … [Read more...]

People who exercise have better mental fitness, and a new imaging study from UC Davis Health System shows why. Intense exercise increases levels of two common neurotransmitters -- glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA -- that are responsible for chemical messaging within the brain. Published in this week's issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, the finding offers new … [Read more...]