Women Health

Sophia Antipolis, 15 February 2016: Hypertensive women with highly active jobs have a nearly three times higher risk of ischaemic heart disease than women with normal blood pressure and moderately active jobs, according to research published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. "Previous research has shown that men and women with physically demanding jobs … [Read more...]

Exercise boosts diversity of gut bacteria, as do high levels of dietary protein, researchers have found. This may have implications for overall long term health, says the author of a linked editorial. Reduced variation in gut microbes (microbiota) has been linked to obesity and other health problems, while increased diversity has been associated with a favourable metabolic … [Read more...]

Scientists at the Science Foundation Ireland-funded Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) at University College Cork and Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, have carried out a study in conjunction with the Irish Rugby Football Union that has revealed that exercise and associated dietary changes influence gut microbial diversity. The research is published this week in the … [Read more...]

  Meditation and aerobic exercise done together helps reduce depression, according to a new Rutgers study. The study, published in Translational Psychiatry this month, found that this mind and body combination -- done twice a week for only two months -- reduced the symptoms for a group of students by 40 percent. "We are excited by the findings because we saw such … [Read more...]

Poor physical fitness in middle age may be linked to a smaller brain size 20 years later, according to a study published in the February 10, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "We found a direct correlation in our study between poor fitness and brain volume decades later, which indicates accelerated brain aging," said … [Read more...]

A pilot study testing a new type of drug in patients with chronic diarrhea has shown promising effects on reducing their symptoms. Bile acid diarrhea (BAD) is a common cause of chronic diarrhea that is estimated to affect one in 100 adults in western countries, but is often mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by doctors. Many patients are not diagnosed correctly and … [Read more...]

Certain medications commonly used to treat heartburn and acid reflux may have damaging effects on the kidneys, according to two studies that will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3¬-8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA. The drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), are among the top 10 class of prescribed medications in the United States. The … [Read more...]

New evidence published today highlights benefits and harms of using artificial mesh when compared with tissue repair in the surgical treatment of vaginal prolapse. Slightly better repair with mesh needs to be weighed carefully against increased risk of harms. A new Cochrane systematic review published today summarizes evidence that addresses a long-standing controversy in … [Read more...]

Aerobic exercise, such as running, has positive effects on brain structure and function, for example, the generation of neurons (neurogenesis) in the hippocampus, a brain structure important in learning. It has been unclear whether high-intensity interval training (HIT), referring to alternating short bouts of very intense anaerobic exercise with recovery periods, or anaerobic … [Read more...]

The first time back to the gym after a long break usually results in sore muscles. Fortunately, the return trip a few days later--if it happens--is generally less painful. Scientists have studied this reduced-soreness phenomenon for decades and even have a name for it--the repeated bout effect. Despite all those years of research, they still can't figure out exactly why … [Read more...]

Ancient DNA from early Iberian farmers shows that the wideheld evolutionary hypothesis of calcium absorption was not the only reason Europeans evolved milk tolerance. Most of us grew up drinking milk. We were told it was the ultimate health drink. It is packed full of nutrients like calcium and other minerals, vitamins, including vitamin D, protein, fat and sugar in the form … [Read more...]

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that is causing alarming rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but currently there is a lack of effective drug treatments. Two unrelated studies published by Cell Press June 5th in the journal Cell reveal an important role for immune pathways in activating good types body fat, called brown and beige fat, which burn stored calories, reduce … [Read more...]

Giving up or reducing smoking and avoiding passive exposure to tobacco smoke may reduce your risk of hearing loss, new research shows. Smokers and passive smokers more likely to suffer hearing loss, study shows Current smokers have a 15.1% higher odds of hearing loss than non-smokers The University of Manchester study, funded by Action on Hearing Loss, Medical Research … [Read more...]

Many women experience bothersome urine loss with laughing, coughing and sneezing (stress urinary incontinence) AND on their way to the bathroom (urge urinary incontinence). When women experience both types of urine leakage, their condition is called mixed urinary incontinence. It is estimated that 20 to 36 percent of women suffer from mixed urinary incontinence, which is … [Read more...]

If you find yourself toggling over to look at Facebook several dozen times a day, it's not necessarily because the experience of being on social media is so wonderful. It may be a sign that you're not getting enough sleep. In a recently completed study, researchers at the University of California, Irvine demonstrated that lack of sleep -- in addition to affecting busy … [Read more...]

Women may be friendlier than men, but that doesn't mean they like putting up with jerks. A new study led by a Michigan State University psychology professor suggests women are more likely than men to get irked at irritating or boorish behavior exhibited by acquaintances, friends or partners. "Women generally are more sensitive to other people's annoying behavior than … [Read more...]

A new study suggests that frequent shifts in sleep timing may be related to adverse metabolic health among non-shift working, midlife women. Results show that greater variability in bedtime and greater bedtime delay were associated with higher insulin resistance, and greater bedtime advance was associated with higher body mass index (BMI). In prospective analyses, greater … [Read more...]

Height is largely genetically determined, but in recent decades the height of children and adults has steadily increased throughout the world: In adulthood the children are almost always significantly taller than their parents. The largest increase in height in recent decades is found in the Netherlands. Dutch men are now 20 cm taller than they were 150 years ago. … [Read more...]

An experiment done in rats by scientists at the University of Granada, Spain, shows a high-protein diet increases the chance of developing kidney stones and other renal diseases. High-protein diets, like the popular Dr. Dukan diet, increase the long-term risk of developing kidney disease and have a negative effect on renal urinary and morphological markers, the study … [Read more...]

The blood brain barrier has long been regarded as the body's most formidable gatekeeper. It is a virtual fortress of blood vessels that forms a protective barrier between the blood and brain, screening any chemical that attempts to access the brain's inner sanctum. But the blood brain barrier's protective role can be a drawback, as it also blocks access to substances that would … [Read more...]

Research published today from Queen Mary University of London reveals less than 1 in 3 women have taken folic acid supplements before pregnancy to prevent spina bifida and other birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord (neural tube defects). This is despite research from 1991 showing that such conditions could be prevented in most cases by increasing the intake of the … [Read more...]

In studies with mice, Penn State researchers have shown that acombination of retinoic acid -- a product the body makes naturally fromvitamin A -- and PIC, a synthetic immunity booster, significantlyelevates the immune system response to a tetanus shot. Dr. A. Catharine Ross, who holds the Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair inNutrition at Penn State, directed the study. She says, … [Read more...]

New understanding of the genes involved in taste perception and food preferences can lead to personalized nutrition plans effective not just in weight loss but in avoiding diseases such as cancer, depression, and hypertension. The ability to devise diets based on individual genetic profiles can lead to significantly better results - for example, a weight loss 33% greater than … [Read more...]

Researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University and three other institutions have taken issue with recent claims that "the case is closed" on whether or not a multivitamin/mineral supplement should be taken by most people to help obtain needed micronutrients. In a correspondence published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the researchers reasoned … [Read more...]

Aging is one of the most mysterious processes in biology. We don't know, scientifically speaking, what exactly it is. We do know for sure when it ends, but to make matters even more inscrutable, the timing of death is determined by factors that are in many cases statistically random. Researchers in the lab of Walter Fontana, Harvard Medical School professor of systems … [Read more...]

While scarring is a natural part of any healing process, scar formation within our blood vessels can be deadly. "When injury occurs, cells proliferate and migrate into the blood vessel, creating scar-like tissue," said Northwestern University's Guillermo Ameer. "It can create blockages that impair blood flow." To prevent scarring and the dangerous damage that follows, … [Read more...]

A group of university students are enjoying a specially designed fruit smoothie a day to discover whether it can improve their appearance and make them feel healthier. Their efforts are part of a study to assess what effect a carotenoid rich fresh fruit drink could have on our skin and perceived attractiveness. The research, by the Schools of Psychology and Biosciences at The … [Read more...]

Adding quinoa to the gluten-free diet of patients with celiac disease is well-tolerated, and does not exacerbate the condition, according to new research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Dr. Victor F. Zevallos, from the Department of Gastroenterology, King's College London, United Kingdom, evaluated the in-vivo effects of consuming quinoa in adult celiac … [Read more...]

Adherence to dietary recommendations is weak among people suffering from metabolic syndrome or having increased risk for metabolic syndrome, according to the Nordic SYSDIET study led by the University of Eastern Finland. In most cases, the diet is too high in salt and saturated fat, and too low in dietary fiber and unsaturated fat. Furthermore, many don't have a sufficient … [Read more...]