CHICAGO — I’m no Bryan Johnson, but I was feeling pretty confident when I strolled into the Northwestern Medicine Human Longevity Clinic in July. I’ve taken several aging tests over the past year to learn how my cells and systems are functioning. One pinpointed my biological age at 29 and another at 36, which is … Read more
Map got your tongue? In what appeared to be a slip of the tongue, “Saturday Night Live” alumna Kate McKinnon recently revealed to People that she has an odd but harmless medical condition called “geographic tongue.” “Your tongue sheds in patches and looks like an atlas, hence the name ‘geographic tongue,’ ” McKinnon, 41, explained … Read more
Consider this a PSA about PSA. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in US men, excluding skin cancer, and the second-leading cause of male cancer deaths, after lung cancer. One in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and about 3% of men will die from it. Early-stage prostate cancer often has no … Read more
The future is uncertain — but your kid’s waistline as an adult might not be. Scientists have developed a groundbreaking test that can identify children as young as five who are at increased risk of becoming severely obese later in life. The tool could one day help parents and doctors intervene early, setting young people … Read more
Staying young might not be all it’s cracked up to be. While most people experience a decline in immune function with age, new research has found that a fortunate few maintain a powerful defense thanks to rare immune cells that stay active well into their senior years. But this “fountain of youth” effect comes at … Read more
Lifestyle choices impact your weight, but your genes can tip the scales, too. New research suggests that people with a higher risk for obesity may be sabotaging their efforts to slim down by making a simple mealtime mistake. The good news? Scientists found an easy switch that can help fight back against what’s written in … Read more
Tired all the time? It might be in your DNA. A new study has uncovered striking genetic differences in people suffering from a devastating illness that causes extreme exhaustion, chronic pain and brain fog that can last for months, years or even decades. Researchers are calling the discovery a “wakeup call” that could finally shift … Read more
It’s music to our ears. Approximately 11 million people in the US consider themselves deaf or severely hard of hearing. No medications have been approved to treat hereditary hearing loss, but cochlear implants can help people with deafness perceive sound by bypassing damaged parts of the inner ear and directly stimulating the auditory nerve. “This … Read more
A hidden genetic mutation could predict a man’s likelihood of developing dementia. That’s according to an Australian study led by Monash and Curtin Universities, which analyzed the medical data of thousands of Australians and Americans. Men who had a certain variant in the haemochromatosis (HFE) gene — which regulates iron levels in the body — were found to be … Read more
Cutting-edge gene editing technology could eradicate Down syndrome, according to Japanese scientists. Down syndrome, which causes a range of developmental differences and affects 1 in 700 newborns in the United States, is caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21. The extra chromosome, also known as trisomy 21, causes cellular overactivity, compromises … Read more
Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s … genetic optimization? Prospective parents using in vitro fertilization (IVF) will soon be able to select embryos based on their potential risk for diseases — including illnesses that develop later in life — thanks to a groundbreaking $5,999 service announced this week by a US biotech company. “Before … Read more
Quiet, please! If the sounds of chewing, crunching, slurping, yawning, pen clicking, tapping, water dripping, sniffling, whistling and breathing make you angry or even panicked, you may have misophonia. The term, coined in 2001, describes a chronic condition in which certain sounds trigger strong negative responses that can affect daily life and social interactions. If … Read more
Your past might come back to bite you in the butt — literally. A new study suggests that a key factor in early life could increase your risk of developing colorectal cancer as an adult. The findings add to a growing body of research trying to pinpoint what’s fueling the alarming rise in colorectal cancer … Read more
Thyme to turn back the clock! A new study suggests that consuming plant-based foods rich in natural substances called methyl adaptogens can potentially slow biological aging. Biological age is the age of our cells and tissues — it may be higher or lower than our chronological age, which is the number of years we’ve been … Read more
Comedian Sidney Raz had no warning signs before doctors found stomach cancer growing inside him. The 36-year-old, best known for his viral “Life Hacks” videos, was diagnosed early, significantly improving his chances of beating the disease. But it wasn’t luck that led to the discovery. It was heartbreak. Sidney Raz is set to have his … Read more
Don’t get it twisted. While spider and varicose veins are a source of aesthetic ire for many, there are key, and potentially life-threatening, differences between the two conditions. “The difference between varicose veins and spider veins has to do with the size of the veins and symptoms,” cardiologist Dr. Randy Gould of Manhattan Cardiology told … Read more
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, has been a topic in the news a lot recently, yet the complex neurological condition remains widely misunderstood. Autism is a difference in how someone’s brain works that shapes how they interact with the world. Clinically, it’s a disorder that affects brain development and causes social communication and behavioral differences. … Read more
Double-jointed? It’s not just a fun party trick. Uber-flexible joints could be a sign of a rare genetic condition that makes you more susceptible to respiratory illnesses and also complicates recovery, experts warned. The good news: There’s an easy test you can do at home to gauge your risk. In most people, hypermobility doesn’t cause … Read more
No, it’s not a fever dream. A deadly disease that toppled ancient civilizations is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, posing a significant threat in certain parts of the world. “Despite advances in vaccination and treatment strategies, typhoid fever continues to affect millions annually, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality, and there continue to be large-scale … Read more
Forget fad diets and sketchy supplements, your favorite song might be the key to staying thin. In a new study, Japanese researchers found that acoustic sound waves can influence how our cells behave — including halting fat development. “Since sound is non-material, acoustic stimulation is a tool that is non-invasive, safe and immediate, and will … Read more