Study: Smoking worsens semen quality
A new review confirms that smoking has bad effects on a man's semen. Using the most up-to-date definition of abnormal sperm from the World Health Organization, the researchers found that smokers have lower sperm counts, poorer sperm movement, and more irregularly shaped sperm than nonsmokers. Ashok Agarwal of the American Center...Social media linked to addiction and depression
(Reuters Health) - Studies have linked the use of social media to depression, but addiction to social media, rather than use alone, may explain the connection, new research suggests.“We believe that at least having clinicians be aware of these associations may be valuable to them as they treat patients with depressive disorders....Longer night fasting tied to reduced breast cancer recurrence
For breast cancer survivors, the risk of recurrence may be tied to how many hours they fast at night, a new study suggests. Women in the study were more likely to have their breast cancer come back if they fasted overnight for less than 13 hours, researchers found. While prolonged fasting is likely harmless, the study's...World’s obese population hits 641 million, global study finds
London - More than 640 million people globally now weigh in as obese and the world has more overweight than underweight people, according to an analysis of global trends in body mass index (BMI).A startling increase in rates of obesity in the past 40 years means the number of people with a BMI of more than 30 has risen from 105 million...Abuse of ADHD meds is on the rise
Abuse of ADHD stimulant drugs such as Ritalin or Adderall is on the rise; and a new study finds that most teens who abuse the drugs get them from someone else. An expanding market for drugs to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, "coupled with the increasing rates of ADHD diagnosis, provides greater availability of...California lawmakers vote to raise smoking age to 21
LOS ANGELES — On Thursday California lawmakers passed a bill raising the legal smoking age from 18 to 21, part of a package of legislation that if approved by the governor would also more tightly regulate electronic cigarettes. The measure, which was approved by a 26-10 vote in the state Senate, would make California the second...California lawmakers vote to raise smoking age to 21
LOS ANGELES — On Thursday California lawmakers passed a bill raising the legal smoking age from 18 to 21, part of a package of legislation that if approved by the governor would also more tightly regulate electronic cigarettes. The measure, which was approved by a 26-10 vote in the state Senate, would make California the second state...Researchers find new Zika clues to birth defect in fetus study
CHICAGO — On Wednesday, Researchers reported new evidence strengthening the association between Zika virus and a spike in birth defects, citing the presence of the virus in the brain of an aborted fetus of a European woman who became pregnant while living in Brazil. An autopsy of the fetus showed microcephaly or small head size, as...U.S. on high alert for bird flu after Indiana poultry outbreak
The Avian influenza from a chicken egg as part of a diagnostic process.CHICAGO — In the two weeks since bird flu reappeared in Indiana, Veterinarians have swabbed the mouths of chickens and turkeys across the country, racing to uncover any more infections and contain the virus before it causes mass death and damage like last...Sleeping in on weekends may help reduce diabetes risk
Getting too little sleep during the week can increase some risk factors for diabetes, but sleeping late on weekends might help improve the picture, a small U.S. study suggests.Researchers conducted a sleep experiment with 19 healthy young men and found just four nights of sleep deprivation were linked to changes in their blood...New U.S. diet rules would take 20 percent bite out of American sugar use
NEW YORK - If the U.S. government has its way, Americans would cut their consumption of sugar and corn syrup by more than 2 million tonnes a year, the latest blow for a sweetener industry facing an onslaught of criticism over negative health effects. The U.S. government on Thursday issued new dietary guidelines that suggested...Time for an honest conversation on narcotic pain killers
When I started working as a medical resident, in 2004, I heard from a patient I had inherited from a graduating resident. The patient had an appointment scheduled in a couple weeks. "But I need your help now," he said. He was a former construction worker who had hurt himself on the job a couple of years earlier. "I also...For Ironman, inspiring others more important than winning
Ramsey Saab.DEARBORN — He didn’t know how to swim, so he learned. He bought a bike. He ran. He set out to finish a grueling 140-mile race — and he did. Ramsey Saab, a 35-year-old customer manager for a global software company, recently completed his first Ironman — a triathlon that challenges participants with a 2.4-mile...
Healthy holiday eating guide
December 24th, 20150 If there’s one thing we all know about the holidays, it’s that there will be food. Lots of food. Desserts, candies, dips, cheeses, meat trays, cracker displays, appetizers and cookies. And truth be told, you most likely don’t have visions of celery sticks dancing in your head. You’ve probably heard that the average...Isis Pharma changes ‘unfortunate’ name to avoid confusion
After deliberating for most of the year, Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc said it would change its name to avoid being confused with the Islamist militant group known as ISIS.The biotechnology company said it would be called Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc from Dec. 22 and also changed its stock exchange ticker symbol to "IONS" from "ISIS". "It's been......
Early detection decreases chance of death from lung cancer
Lung cancer is typically asymptomatic in early stages and is usually diagnosed in advanced stages when the chances of a cure are lower. With effective treatment, only 15 to 16 percent of all patients diagnosed in various stages of lung cancer manage to survive five years. There are four stages of lung cancer: from early, when...U.S. teens smoked, drank, used drugs less in 2015
A decades-long decline in teenage drinking and smoking continued in 2015 and use of some drugs by eighth-graders and high school students also fell, while marijuana consumption extended a five-year flat trend, according to results of a study released on Wednesday.Teen cigarette smoking fell to its lowest level since the University of......
More than one in 10 U.S. kids have ADHD as diagnosis rates surge
(Reuters Health) - More than 10 percent of U.S. children have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), reflecting a surge in recent years particularly among girls and minority groups, a new study finds. Spikes in diagnoses among girls, Hispanics and older kids may be the result of better screening and...Moderate coffee drinking may be tied to lower risk of death
People who drink coffee daily, even up to four cups per day, are less likely to die from heart disease, neurological disease, type 2 diabetes or suicide than others, according to a new study. Researchers did not test how upping coffee consumption would change health outlooks, so they cannot conclude that coffee "causes" a decreased...Study: Men may eat more when women are watching
"People should calm down when eating with members of the opposite sex"If women are prone to “eat like a bird” when men are watching, men may be similarly programmed to “eat like a horse” when women are around, suggests a small U.S. study by behavioral scientists.Researchers observed diners at an all-you-can-eat Italian buffet...Red meat linked to increased stroke risk
Red meat – but not other types of protein - is linked to an increased stroke risk, and the odds go up the more meat people eat, a recent study suggests.Researchers analyzed data on about 11,000 middle-aged people who didn’t have other risk factors for strokes such as diabetes or heart disease, and followed half of them for......
Michigan safest state to have prostate biopsy
The Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan released findings that show Michigan is the safest state to have a prostate biopsy. Using the unique Collaborative Quality Initiative (CQI) model, they reduced the post-biopsy infection rate in Michigan to 0.6%. The national average...UNICEF: Cholera spreads from Iraq to Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain
A cholera outbreak in Iraq has spread to neighboring Syria, Kuwait and Bahrain and risks turning into a region-wide epidemic as millions of pilgrims prepare to visit the country, UNICEF's Iraq director said. The disease, which can lead to death by dehydration and kidney failure within hours if left untreated, was detected west of......
Pop linked to increased heart failure risk
Men who drink two or more glasses of pop or other sweetened drinks a day may have a greater risk of heart failure, a Swedish study suggests. Previous research has linked high consumption of sugary beverages with several risk factors for heart failure, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, weight gain, diabetes and obesity,...Most tobacco-using teens start with flavored products
(Reuters Health) - A survey of teen smokers has added more evidence that flavored tobacco products are particularly attractive to people younger than the legal smoking age.Cigarettes can include menthol flavoring, and other tobacco products like hookah are available in wide variety of flavors.“Consistent with national school-based......