Women Health

One of the mysteries of lupus is why the immune cells that normally keep inflammation at bay can't seem to do their job. A University College London study published on March 8 in Immunity now suggests that for people with lupus, the B cells that regulate inflammation are getting signaled to become pro-inflammatory cells instead. The research, done using human blood samples and … [Read more...]

Two proteins, p38 gamma and p38 delta, control the accumulation of fat in the liver, a process linked to the development of insulin resistance and diabetes, which are common outcomes of obesity. These findings are presented in an article published by researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC). The study, led by Dr. Guadalupe Sabio, … [Read more...]

Hypertension is a major risk factor of various diseases including stroke, heart failure, vascular disease, and kidney disease. Angiotensin II, which is produced by the renin-angiotensin system, primarily functions as a physiological regulator of blood pressure and cardiovascular homeostasis, but it also plays a major role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. In the aorta, … [Read more...]

A woman can beat middle-aged spread, her disease risks, and her hot flashes with the help of her healthcare provider. And even a short term program can spell success for women and fit into a busy provider's practice, shows a demonstration obesity-fighting and health risk reduction program detailed in an article just published online in Menopause, the journal of The North … [Read more...]

Many Americans do not meet recommended intakes of calcium and vitamin D, despite the important role these vital nutrients play in bone health during all stages of the lifecycle. Researchers set out to determine calcium and vitamin D intakes among specific subpopulations of Americans in order to identify those most in need of fortification/enrichment and supplementation. Their … [Read more...]

The lifestyle altering effects of westernization could be responsible for the high prevalence of obesity, and associated health risks in sub-Saharan Africa, researchers have found. The study, published in PLOS ONE, by a team from the University of Warwick Medical School found that over one in five women in Nigeria were reported to be overweight or obese, with this statistic … [Read more...]

In your bones, there is fat. Why? Researchers don't know, but they have theories. How does it get there? They have theories about that, too. Is it the same sort of fat found in muscle? Not sure. Is this bone fat a bad thing? Yes. Researchers think it is. But sometimes, they say, it might not be so bad. "This is a new field," said Maya Styner, MD, an assistant … [Read more...]

Sugar has been a part of the human diet since sugarcane was domesticated in 8000 B.C., but today myths and misunderstandings about sugar and the role it plays in health abound. In the media, sugar has been linked to obesity, toxicity, addiction, and fatty liver disease, among a host of other health outcomes, but with little, no or poor research to back up such claims, according … [Read more...]

After menopause, more than half of women may have vulvovaginal symptoms that have a big impact on their lifestyle, emotions, and sex life. What's more, the symptoms tend to travel with other pelvic troubles, such as prolapse and urinary and bowel problems. But many women aren't getting help, shows a study published online in Menopause, the journal of The North American … [Read more...]

A team led by UC San Francisco professor of medicine John Fahy, MD, has discovered why mucus in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) is thick, sticky and difficult to cough up, leaving these patients more vulnerable to lung infection. Fahy and his team found that in CF -- contrary to previous belief -- inflammation causes new molecular bonds to form within mucus, … [Read more...]

Up to 15 percent of the general adult population is affected by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and most patients struggle to find effective drug therapy. A new guideline from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) provides these patients and their physician's guidance. The new guideline and accompanying technical review have been published in Gastroenterology, the … [Read more...]

Low levels of vitamin C in the blood are linked to a more severe form of peripheral artery disease, an often painful condition in which the leg blood vessels become blocked, according to a report in today's Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a form of atherosclerosis in which fatty deposits build up along artery walls … [Read more...]

Vitamin D treatment acts in the brain to improve weight and blood glucose (sugar) control in obese rats, according to a new study. "Vitamin D deficiency occurs often in obese people and in patients with Type 2 diabetes, yet no one understands if it contributes to these diseases," said Stephanie Sisley, MD, the study's principal investigator and an assistant professor at … [Read more...]

When one hears the term "alternative protein source" tofu, tempeh and seitan are what typically come to mind. In the March issue of Food Technology, Toni Tarver writes about three lesser known, but just as nutritious and palatable alternative protein sources. Algae-Derived Proteins Algae are a diverse group of photosyntehetic organisms that are chiefly aquatic, contain … [Read more...]

Across the country, health and human service providers have shown a growing interest in using yoga as an option for treating people who experience mental health problems. But a recent study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that while there are some promising benefits to using yoga, there isn't yet enough evidence to support the practice as a standalone … [Read more...]

Fecal incontinence is a medical condition where people lose control of their bowels. It affects anywhere from two to 20 million women. That number is so broad because it is believed that most women are too embarrassed to come forward and talk about it. Now a new non-surgical treatment for women may be the answer to getting their lives back. Vacuuming and making the bed are … [Read more...]

Deep inside the brains of people with dementia and Lou Gehrig's disease, globs of abnormal protein gum up the inner workings of brain cells, dooming them to an early death. But boosting those cells natural ability to clean up those clogs might hold the key to better treatment for such conditions. That's the key finding of new research from a University of Michigan Medical … [Read more...]

Many patients are prescribed NSAIDs for the treatment of painful conditions, fever and inflammation. But the treatment also comes with side effects, including the risk of ulcers and increased blood pressure. A major new study now gathers all research in the area. This shows that arthritis medicine is particularly dangerous for heart patients, and also that older types of … [Read more...]

Some people frequently check and re-check their mobile phones. Once this impulse is triggered, it may be more a question of not being able to leave the device alone than actually hoping to gain some reward from it. These insights are drawn from a study by psychologists Henry Wilmer and Jason Chein of Temple University in the US and are published in Springer's journal … [Read more...]

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed a novel implantable material which could reduce the number of debilitating side-effects that occur as a result of using a material that is too rigid for surgical treatment of incontinence. In the UK, it is estimated between 3 and 6 million people suffer with some degree of urinary incontinence. Stress urinary … [Read more...]

Researchers from the Genes, Development and Disease Group, headed by Erwin Wagner at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have discovered that psoriasis patients experience a widespread bone loss as a result of the disease. In addition, this paper, which is being published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, describes the molecular communication that is … [Read more...]

Women may have a better memory for words than men despite evidence of similar levels of shrinkage in areas of the brain that show the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the March 16, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. According to study author Erin E. Sundermann, PhD, of Albert … [Read more...]

Exercise helps to alleviate the symptoms of many chronic health conditions such as knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, heart disease and more, yet it is often overlooked as a treatment. A review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) aims to provide an easy-to-use how-to guide for health care professionals to … [Read more...]

Does it help to reward people if you want them to exercise more? Yes, but try a combination of individual and team incentives, says Mitesh Patel, MD, MBA, MS, of the University of Pennsylvania. He led a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer, that also showed how smartphones can be a hassle-free way to monitor people's exercise … [Read more...]

Safeguarding the healthy development of the next generation is vital for the long term success of the United Nation's Millennium Development goals. New research in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences highlights the need to integrate global strategies aimed at tackling nutrition and cognitive development within the first thousand days of childhood. "Global estimates by … [Read more...]

Despite the fact that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., about three-quarters (74 percent) of Americans do not fear dying from it, according to a recent survey from Cleveland Clinic. Conducted as part of its "Love Your Heart" consumer education campaign in celebration of Heart Month, the survey found that Americans are largely … [Read more...]

All of a sudden the once obese women are treated with respect in society. But underneath the clothes the skin is saggy and it takes a long time to become familiar with the "new" stomach. Food which was easily digested one day makes them sick the next. The slimmer they get, the more loosely hangs the skin on their body. They get looks from men which they didn't get before. … [Read more...]

Beta-blockers could be used to reduce the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, according to new findings. Beta blockers are primarily used to treat stress or heart problems, such as high blood pressure and angina, but these new findings suggest they could have a potential benefit for patients with COPD. COPD exacerbations involve a worsening … [Read more...]

An exercise programme devised by researchers at the University of Manchester has dramatically reduced symptoms among young people with first-episode psychosis. The long-term prospects for young people who are diagnosed with psychosis are typically poor, with high rates of relapse, unemployment and premature death.  The antipsychotics they are prescribed also cause rapid … [Read more...]

Senior lecturer Dr. Lex Mauger and PhD student Ali Astokorki of the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Kent have showed that traditional methods of measuring pain in experiments -- such as thermal, pressure or electrical stimuli -- may be unsuitable for investigating the relationship between exercise and pain. They also found that people who are ready to … [Read more...]