MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2025 (HealthDay news) -- The sleep aid Ambien could be allowing toxic proteins to pollute the brain, potentially increasing a person’s risk of disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

Drugs like the main ingredient in Ambien, zolpidem, suppresses a system designed to clear protein waste from the brain during dreamle... Full Page

A fecal transplant could help people whose type 1 diabetes has fouled up their digestive system.

Swallowing a handful of capsules filled with donor feces helped ease gut pain, nausea, bloating and diarrhea stemming from diabetes, researchers reported in a study published recently in the journal EClinicalMedicine.

“The ... Full Page

Gum disease appears to disrupt brain activity, potentially increasing a person’s risk of cognitive decline.

People with gum disease experienced altered connections between different brain regions, compared to folks with good dental health, MRI scans show in a new study. 

“These differences suggest that periodontitis ... Full Page

Want to help your child cut back on their screen time?

Make sure you live near parks and other open spaces where they can frolic outside.

New research underlines the importance of green space access as an alternative to spending time on screens, described as watching television, playing video games, and non-school related computer u... Full Page

Munching on carrots may help benefit your health, especially if you live with type 2 diabetes.

At least, that is the hope of researchers in Denmark.

"We see carrots as a potential component of future dietary strategies for type 2 diabetes," says Lars Porskjær Christensen, professor of analytical chemistry at the Department of ... Full Page

Text-based support programs are one of the best ways to help young people quit vaping, a new evidence review says.

These texts offer motivational messages and tips for quitting vaping.

“I think it’s clear that this approach helps young people,” senior researcher Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, an assistant professor of health... Full Page

Ever woke in the night with your thoughts racing about work problems, co-worker disputes, or heavy career decisions?

Well, it’s more common than you think.

Job stress is robbing U.S. workers of the sleep they need, researchers reported in a study published Jan. 8 in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

Wo... Full Page

Young teens might think smoking makes them look cool, but it’s likely to take their breath away in adulthood, a new study says.

Children who start smoking prior to age 15 have a 27% increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as adults, compared to those who started smoking later, researchers found in a ... Full Page

The clock is running for people who’ve been diagnosed with dementia, but the time they have left depends on their age.

Average life expectancy for people with dementia is largely based on their age at diagnosis, researchers found in a new evidence review.

Dementia reduces life expectancy by about 2 years for those diagnosed at ... Full Page

The words “calm down” are worse than unhelpful -- they actually can increase blood pressure among new mothers of color, a study has found.

Gender-based racism through such microaggressions significantly increased a new mom’s blood pressure, compared to women not subjected to these sort of comments, researchers reported in... Full Page

Delivering meals to the infirm. Tutoring a student. Patrolling a city park. Helping out at a local library.

All these activities not only serve the community, but also can help seniors avoid depression related to social isolation.

Volunteering reduces the risk of depression by 43% among seniors, researchers reported in a study publis... Full Page

Got brain fog? Can't concentrate because you didn't sleep well -- or sleep much at all -- last night?

Tiredness and fatigue from sleep deprivation are common problems, says the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Inadequate rest can lead to individual mood and health issues, as well as dips in work productivity, which extends the problem to w... Full Page

When it comes to living a longer life, staying active may matter far more than what the scale says.

Per the largest study yet on fitness, body weight, and longevity published recently in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that people who are aerobically fit (i.e., how well your heart, lungs, and mus... Full Page

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs acetaminophen and ibuprofen are better at managing dental pain than opioids.

People who had their wisdom teeth removed got better results from an acetaminophen/ibuprofen combo than with a hydrocodone prescription, researchers reported on Jan. 4 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

T... Full Page

Movement is medicine, or so they tell people with knee osteoarthritis -- but are they right?

A recent evidence review calls into question just how helpful exercise can be for easing the pain of knee arthritis.

“Exercise probably results in an improvement in pain, physical function, and quality of life in the short‐term,&r... Full Page

Basking in a sauna can be a nice way to relieve stress or relax muscles following a workout.

But soaking too long can increase a person’s risk of heat stroke, particularly if they aren’t well-hydrated, doctors warn.

Most cases of heat stroke occur on hot days, due to overexertion, researchers say.

However, “sa... Full Page

Exercising now can increase your chances of successfully fighting cancer in the future.

Even low levels of exercise provided protection against cancer, a new study published Jan. 7 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows.

People were 47% less likely to die from cancer if they’d been engaging in moderate to vigo... Full Page

AI might be able to boost the success rates of in vitro fertilization among hopeful families.

An AI program can help doctors analyze ultrasound scans to determine the best timing for a hormone injection associated with egg collection, researchers write in a new study published Jan. 8 in the journal Nature Communications.

Get... Full Page

A pain-relieving medication might be safer for seniors than first thought.

A new study published Jan. 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine says Gabapentin is widely used to help treat chronic pain and nerve pain, particularly as an alternative to opioid painkillers.

However, some have argued that gabapentin shouldn’t b... Full Page

Some of the most effective public policies for suicide prevention aren’t crafted with suicide or mental health in mind, a new study says.

Efforts to increase the minimum wage, prohibit gender discrimination, or reduce alcohol consumption “have spillover benefits in that they also prevent suicides,” lead researcher Jonatha... Full Page