Sperm count 50% lower in sons of fathers who smoke
Studies have repeatedly linked maternal smoking during pregnancy with reduced sperm counts in male offspring. Now a research team at Lund University in Sweden has discovered that, independently of nicotine exposure from the mother, men whose fathers smoked at the time of pregnancy had half…
Heart Failure Module – Episode 5
This is the fifth in a six-part series dealing with Heart Failure. The aim of this series is to improve the recognition, diagnosis and management of heart failure.
Gene Testing Doesn’t Add Much Information for Antidepressant or Antipsychotic Prescribing
Pharmacogenetic tests are marketed as an aid to psychiatrists in selecting the antidepressant or antipsychotic medication that will work best in individual patients, based on their genetic makeup. But for most patients, these pharmacogenetic tests don’t provide much useful information, beyond a basic understanding of…
Vaping no boost to quit rates in smokers, study suggests – ‘Dual users’ no more likely to kick habit
People who vape and smoke cigarettes are no more likely to drop the nicotine habit than those who just smoke, a new study suggests. Researchers at The Ohio State University studied 617 tobacco users and found no differences in quit rates for “dual users” of…
Orange Juice, Leafy Greens and Berries May Be Tied to Decreased Memory Loss in Men
Eating leafy greens, dark orange and red vegetables and berry fruits, and drinking orange juice may be associated with a lower risk of memory loss over time in men, according to a study published in the November 21, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical…
Screening for colorectal cancer spares male patients from intense treatments
While screening for colorectal cancer did not, so far, reduce mortality, it did reduce the need for chemotherapy and emergency surgeries among male patients, shows a recent Finnish study.
Hypnotherapy could help relieve irritable bowel syndrome symptoms
Gut-directed hypnotherapy delivered by psychologists appears as effective in group or individual sessions, potentially offering a new treatment option for irritable bowel syndrome in primary and secondary care
As Vaping Increased in Popularity, Use of Cigarettes Declined
The study, which looked at the relationship between vaping and smoking among youth and young adults between 2013 and 2017, was published in the journal Tobacco Control.
Keep Slapping on That Sunscreen and Ignore Toxic Claims
It’s safe to slap on the sunscreen this coming summer – in repeated doses – despite what you have read about the potential toxicity of sunscreens.
Treating Spinal Pain with Replacement Discs Made of “Engineered Living Tissue” Moves Closer to Reality
For the first time, bioengineered spinal discs were successfully implanted and provided long-term function in the largest animal model ever evaluated for tissue-engineered disc replacement. A new Penn Medicine study published in Science Translational Medicine provides compelling translational evidence that the cells of patients suffering…
Time for Young Men to Get Smart About Testicular Cancer
In November, some men grow mustaches to bring attention to men’s health issues. It’s also a good time for young men to learn about testicular cancer, the cancer that is most likely to strike them in the prime of life. Although relatively rare, testicular cancer…
Probiotic No Better Than Placebo for Acute Gastroenteritis in Children
While probiotics are often used to treat acute gastroenteritis in children, the latest evidence shows no significant differences in outcomes, compared to a placebo. These results come from the large, double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted at 10 geographically diverse U.S. pediatric emergency departments. Findings were…