Health News

Increased Risk Of Developing Type-2 Diabetes Associated With High Phthalates

Researchers from the Uppsala University have found out that there is a connection between phthalates which are found in cosmetics and plastics and the increase in risk in developing type-2 diabetes. It was seen that with an increase in circulating phthalates there is a doubled risk of developing diabetes. The study further supports the theory that there are environmental chemicals that can contribute to the development of diabetes. This conclusion was agreed by Monica Lind, an associate professor of environmental medicine at the Section of Occupational and Environmental Medicine ...

Summer Temperature Increase May Be Fatal For Elderly

New findings from a research study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) suggests that even small changes in summer temperature may be fatal for the elderly with chronic medical conditions. Deaths may also be increased due to this terrible climate conditions. There have been previous studies regarding the effects of heat waves but this study was the first of its kind to examine the long term effects of climate change on life expectancy rates. This study was published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Antonella Zanobetti, senior ...

Strain Of Common Toxoplasmosis Parasite Related To Severe Complications In Newborns

Scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health have found strains of the Toxoplasma gondii parasite as one of the leading causes of premature births, severe complications and birth defects in the United States. Toxoplasma gondii is the cause of toxoplasmosis which is acquired through contact with infected cat feces or by eating undercooked meat. While traditional blood tests are able to determine whether a person has been infected with the strain, the new test that was developed can detect the presence ...

Women Can’t Rewind Their Biological Clocks

According to a study by Yale researchers which was published in a recent issue of Fertility and Sterility, many women do not appreciate the consequences of delaying pregnancy or motherhood. Women also expect that their aged ovarian function may be assisted by new reproductive technologies. Dr. Pasquale Patrizio, professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Yale School of Medicine and director of the Yale Fertility Center mentioned that there is a misconception among women when it comes to fertility issues. There is also an alarming lack of basic knowledge about ...

Frequent Dental X-Rays May Cause Brain Tumors

According to a latest study which was published online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society revealed that people who receive frequent dental x-rays may have an increased risk of developing brain tumors. While these x-rays are necessary to diagnose and to plan dental treatments, frequent use may bring more harm than good. Dental x-rays are the most common artificial source of ionizing radiation for individuals who live in the US. This type of radiation is considered the primary environmental risk factor that can lead to the development of meningioma, the ...

Fraud Food Ingredients

A new report published in the April Journal of Food Science includes the first ever public database which compiles reports on food fraud. Included are the most fraud-prone ingredients in the food supply, the most recent analytical detection methods and the type of fraud that has been reported. This new report has been a compilation of records from scholarly journals which was created by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) a nonprofit scientific organization that will identify the quality and the purity of food ingredients. This study is more than just an in depth assessment of ...

The Link Between Injectable Contraceptives And Breast Cancer In Young Women

The first large-scale US-based study was made to evaluate the link between injectable contraceptives and breast cancer risk in young women. The study was led by breast cancer epidemiologist Christopher I. Li, M.D., Ph.D., of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and was published online as well as a print issue of Cancer Research. A study made focused on the contraceptive called depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate, or DMPA. This contraceptive contains the same kind of progestin compared to menopausal hormone-therapy regimen which was found by a Women’s Health Initiative ...

The Risks And Benefits Of First Line Treatment For Diabetes

A study conducted by French researchers has been published at PLoS Medicine suggested that the long term benefits of metformin compared to its risks are not yet clearly established. This study is in line with the use of this drug to manage type-2 diabetes all around the world; metformin is taken by millions of people who suffer from diabetes with the belief that this medication has long-lasting health benefits. In the past decades, metformin has been the drug of choice as the first line treatment for type-2 diabetes; it has been recommended along with diet control and exercise can ...

Beach Sand Unsafe For Digging And Playing

Little do we know that digging and playing in beach sand can be very hazardous to your health; now that the summer months are coming, there is strong evidence that playing with beach sand exposes a person to disease-causing bacteria. A new report that appears in ACS’ journal Environmental Science and Technology is all about exposing this dangerous summertime hazard. Authors of the study Tomoyuki Shibata and Helena M. Solo-Gabriele reveals that disease causing bacteria from sewage can lead to skin infections and various gastrointestinal problems which are present in beach sand. ...

Poultry Products With Banned Antibiotics

A study made by researchers of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Arizona State University has found evidence that a class of banned antibiotics from the US has made their way into poultry products and is still being used. The results of the study were published in Environmental Science & Technology. This new study was collaborated by the Bloomberg School's Center for a Livable Future and Arizona State's Biodesign Institute and it focused on looking for drugs and other harmful residues found in feather meal which is a common additive in chicken, swine, fish and ...