Unexplained Weight Loss and What It Can Mean for Your Health

It may seem counter-intuitive, but losing weight without even trying may not be a good thing.

"It's not typical to have a noticeable drop in weight without changing how much you're eating, being more physically active or trying to lose weight," said dietitian Christine Goukasian.

"Unexplained weight loss is a red flag," she added in ...

Women Can Incur 'Catastrophic' Bills for Out-of-State Abortions, Study Finds

One piece left out of the abortion debate is the high transportation and medical bills facing women forced to leave their state to obtain the procedure.

A new study is the first to give hard numbers on those concerns.

It finds that, even before the fall of Roe v. Wade, 65% of women who traveled to another state to undergo a...

1 in 5 People Could Have Long COVID

More than 1 in 5 Americans likely suffer from long COVID, a new AI-assisted review has found.

The analysis suggests that nearly 23% of U.S. adults experience the symptoms of long COVID, according to results published Nov. 8 in the journal Med.

That’s much higher than the 7% prevalence of long COVID that’s been su...

Complications From Prostate Cancer Therapy Can Be Serious and Long-Term

Men who undergo prostate cancer treatment face a greatly increased risk of life-altering, long-term complications, a new study finds.

Surgery for prostate cancers increases a man’s risk of urinary or sexual complications more than sevenfold, researchers reported Nov. 7 in the journal JAMA Oncology.

Meanwhile, radiation...

Childbirth Can Bring Worrying Medical Bills, Even With Insurance

Having a child can cause significant and ongoing financial hardship for new parents, even if they are covered by health insurance, a new study shows.

More than half of people with private insurance spent more than $1,000 out of pocket on childbirth, and nearly 40% reported being somewhat or very worried about paying their health care bills...

1 in 4 Moms Fall Asleep While Breastfeeding, Putting Babies at Risk for SIDS

A new study finds that a quarter of (no doubt exhausted) breastfeeding moms admit to falling asleep while their baby was feeding, a moment that can raise risks for infant suffocation.

That's because whenever a baby falls asleep in an area that's got soft cushions and cramped surroundings -- as can happen in sofas, easy chairs and beds -- t...

Being Born Preterm Tied to Lifelong Harms in Employment, Education

Babies born preterm face a life of lowered prospects, a new study warns.

Adults who were preemies are less likely to achieve higher education or snag a high-paying job, researchers reported Nov. 6 in the journal PLOS One.

What’s more, the earlier preterm a baby is born, the worse his or her future prospects appear to ...

Science Reveals Why Cancer Immunotherapies Can Sometimes Harm the Heart

Researchers think they’ve figured out why cancer treatments that harness a person’s immune system to fight a tumor can cause heart damage in rare instances.

Further, what they’ve learned sheds light on how this potentially deadly side effect might be prevented.

Specific types of immune cells unleashed by cancer immu...

Women, Men on Kidney Dialysis Face Different Heart Risks

Women have a higher risk of heart failure and stroke than men while undergoing dialysis for kidney failure, a new study shows.

However, women also have a lower overall risk of dying than men, researchers found.

The bottom line: “Women have to be treated differently when it comes to their heart health,” said lead researche...

Bird Flu Infects 1 in 14 Dairy Workers Exposed; CDC Urges Better Protections

About 7% of dairy workers exposed to the avian flu that is spreading through U.S. herds have become infected themselves, federal experts estimate.

That number highlights concerns that circulating strains of bird flu might become highly infectious in humans, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

Ketamine ODs Like the One That Killed Matthew Perry Are Rare But Increasing

After "Friends" star Matthew Perry was found dead in his home jacuzzi just over a year ago, an autopsy later pinpointed the main cause of death as an acute ketamine overdose.

The coroner's report determined that high blood levels of ketamine, an anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects, caused Perry to lose consciousness and then drown. He ...

FDA Proposes Ban on a 'Useless' Decongestant, Phenylephrine

More than a year after its advisory panel unanimously declared the drug phenylephrine to be useless against nasal congestion, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing that it be removed from common over-the-counter decongestants.

Products that include phenylephrine as an active ingredient include Sudafed PE, Vicks Sinex and Bena...

U.K. Reports First Cluster Outside of Africa of New Mpox Variant

Four cases of the more infectious variant of mpox have been reported in the U.K., making it the first cluster of infections that have surfaced outside of Africa.

British authorities announced the first case in that country last week, saying the person was being treated at a London hospital after recently traveling to countries in ...

Rates of Anxiety, Depression Rising Among Americans, Especially the Young

Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults, especially younger folks, continues to rise, the latest federal data shows.

Nearly 1 in every 5 (18.2%) adults reported anxiety issues in 2022, up from 15.6% in 2019, reported Emily Terlizzi and Benjamin Zablotsky, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

...

Using Abortion Pills Very Early in Pregnancy Is Safe, Study Finds

Abortion pills are safe and effective even very early in a pregnancy, a new study finds.

Clinics and hospitals tend to defer medication abortions until a woman’s pregnancy is confirmed using ultrasound, researchers said.

But abortion pills can be safely taken prior to the sixth week of pregnancy, researchers reported Nov. 6 in ...

Just 5 Extra Minutes of Exercise Per Day Could Lower Blood Pressure

It doesn't take much: Adding just five minutes of exercise to your daily routine lowers your blood pressure and might cut your odds for heart disease, new research shows.

“The good news is that whatever your physical ability, it doesn’t take long to have a positive effect on blood pressure," said study lead author Jo Blodgett, ...

Psilocybin Shows Effectiveness in Curbing Anorexia

THURSDAY, Nov. 7, 2024 (HeathDay News) -- The active chemical in “magic mushrooms” may help treat anorexia, a new study has found.

Following psilocybin treatment, 4 of 10 study participants showed clinically significant reductions in their anorexia-driven eating habits, researchers report.

“Our findings suggest that...

Vitamin D Supplements in Pregnancy Linked to Stronger Bones in Kids

Women who take vitamin D supplements during a pregnancy may be giving their kids the legacy of stronger bones, new British research suggests.

Children whose moms took vitamin D supplements when pregnant had stronger, denser bones at the age of 7 compared to the kids of women who didn't, a study from the University of Southampton shows.

Daytime Drowsiness Linked to a 'Pre-Dementia' Syndrome

Seniors who are drowsy during the day and find it hard to muster enthusiasm for activities could be at higher risk of a brain condition that precedes dementia, a new study warns.

These sleep-related problems are associated with "motoric cognitive risk syndrome," a pre-dementia condition that causes slow walking speed and some memory proble...

Early Steps to a Breath Test for Lung Cancer

An experimental portable device might be able to detect lung cancer from a person’s exhaled breath, researchers report.

The device contains “nanoflake” sensors that can detect small changes in the gases exhaled by a person with lung cancer.

The sensors specifically look for minute changes in isoprene. Declines in is...