A popular thyroid medication taken by 23 million Americans may be associated with bone loss, a startling new study finds. Levothyroxine — marketed under brand names such as Synthroid — is the second most commonly prescribed medication among older adults in the US. It’s consumed by about 7% of the US population. Hypothyroidism, also known … Read more
Researchers say they have identified a previously unknown, potentially toxic chemical in the treated drinking water consumed by millions of Americans. Chloronitramide anion is a byproduct of the decomposition of chloramine, which is used by treatment plants to disinfect drinking water and kill diseases like cholera and typhoid fever. After eluding them for years, researchers … Read more
The number of people living with diabetes worldwide has quadrupled in the past two decades, with 830 million people diagnosed as of 2022, as published this week in The Lancet. That’s more than four times the number of people who had the disease in 1990, according to a Thursday announcement from the World Health Organization (WHO). Among … Read more
Could a smaller social circle be the key to longevity? Research shows that many animals, including humans, tend to withdraw as they age, a behavioral pattern known as social aging — and isolation seems to have an evolutionary advantage. A new study from the University of Exeter’s Centre for Research in Animal Behavior found that … Read more
A worker told he has just weeks to live after developing a lung disease brought on by years of cutting kitchen worktops is taking legal action against his former employers. Dad-of-three Marek Marzec, who has lung disease silicosis, says he’s furious about the impact the “lethal” dust produced by cutting quartz worktops has had. The … Read more
A stark message has been issued as experts push to tackle the world’s fastest-growing disease. A new study that aims to understand the genetics of Parkinson’s has been held up by the need for 7,000 Australians without a family link to the disease to provide a saliva sample to “crack the code” on Parkinson’s. The … Read more
There could be a silent killer lurking in your backyard. Experts are sounding the alarm about the danger of a lethal bacterium found in American gardens after it caused the death of multiple people in Australia this year. Burkholderia pseudomallei, a bacteria present in soil and water in tropical regions, can cause Melioidosis, a lung … Read more
Say goodbye to the stirrups. Women’s health startup Daye is selling a “vaginal microbiome test” in the form of a tampon that users wear and then mail back for screening — and it can detect everything from infections to possible fertility issues. Daye’s diagnostic tampon can detect different bacteria with an at-home test. Daye Daye … Read more
Just in time for Halloween, a new study finds that giving children sugar when they are really young — even in the womb — raises their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure later in life. The researchers determined that limiting sugar exposure in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life … Read more
Cases of the mosquito-borne illness Dengue Fever are popping up in Florida’s Tampa Bay region weeks after Hurricane Milton left standing water across the state. Mosquitoes breed by laying eggs in or near standing water, and back-to-back hurricanes Milton and Helene left rivers flooded and standing water around west-central Florida. Since Milton’s Oct. 9 landfall, … Read more
The liver does a lot of heavy lifting. The largest internal organ, it regulates clotting and removes toxins, yet research suggests many of us live with compromised liver function — and don’t even know it. It’s estimated that more than 100 million people in the U.S. have some form of liver disease, a broad term … Read more
Michael Ring was organizing a 100-mile bike tour in Putnam County in 2014 when he started falling, dropping things and tripping over stuff — it was happening so often that his then-boss took notice. “He took me aside and said, ‘I don’t talk about this, but I’m a cancer survivor. I’m saying that to scare … Read more
More than 12% of Americans will develop a thyroid condition at some point, with women at greater risk than men. The thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped organ in the front of your neck, produces hormones that regulate metabolism, support growth and promote brain development, among other vital functions. Dr. Kepal Patel, co-director of NYU Langone Health’s … Read more
Arrrrrr you kidding? Scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency disease that plagued sailors and pirates centuries ago, appears to be re-emerging thanks to the rising cost of living and the popularity of weight loss surgery, a new study finds. “Scurvy is still seen as a disease of the past, especially in developed countries,” Australian doctors wrote … Read more
Six-time Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy recently revealed he has terminal prostate cancer. Amid Hoy’s diagnosis, experts are urging men to keep an eye out for an easy-to-miss sign of prostate cancer that can lead to early detection and life-saving intervention. The 48-year-old retired cyclist — the second most decorated British Olympian — shared … Read more
Young adults who develop colon cancer tend to be diagnosed at later stages of the devastating disease — and have more aggressive types of tumors, new research finds. The study authors “strongly” link colon cancer in young people to obesity, family history of the illness, inflammatory bowel disease and symptoms such as stomach pain and … Read more
A startling new study finds an increase in reports of airport and luggage malaria in Europe in recent years. An international team of researchers identified 145 cases between 2018 and 2022 — 105 were classified as airport malaria, 32 as luggage malaria, and for eight cases, the investigators did not distinguish between the two types. … Read more
She’s the real-life Count Dracula. A woman’s rare “vampire disease” causes her to writhe in pain and could even be fatal if she ingests garlic, much like the mythical bloodsucking creatures. Phoenix Nightingale, 32, has what is called “acute intermittent porphyria,” a very rare metabolic disorder that results in symptoms like pain, migraines, constipation and … Read more
You’ve heard of Lyme disease — now, infectious disease experts are warning of another serious tick-borne illness that’s on the rise: babesiosis. “If you live in areas where babesiosis is endemic, mostly states in the Northeast and the Midwest, take precautions, especially during the summer months,” said lead study author Paddy Ssentongo, an infectious disease fellow … Read more
Two dairy workers in California were infected with bird flu, the 15th and 16th human cases detected this year in an ongoing outbreak affecting the nation’s dairy cows, health officials said Thursday. The latest cases were found in workers who had contact with infected cattle in California’s Central Valley, where more than 50 herds have been … Read more