Is Your Protein Powder Safe? Report Reveals High Heavy Metal Levels

It turns out, your protein powder might not be as healthy as you think.

A new report from the Clean Label Project reveals that popular protein powders -- especially plant-based, organic and chocolate-flavored varieties -- may contain high levels of lead and cadmium.

The report highlights an alarming finding: Nearly half (47%) of the ...

Ketamine Use Is on the Rise in U.S.

Many more Americans are turning to ketamine for kicks, a new study reports.

Recreational use of the anesthetic drug among U.S. adults increased 40% between 2021 and 2022, researchers say.

That follows a nearly 82% increase in ketamine use from 2015 to 2019, results show.

The more recent increase occurred mainly among young adul...

Menthol Mimics Pose Challenge to Tobacco Bans

Menthol cigarettes are under fire in the United States for promoting smoking among Black Americans, with a number of cities and states banning the smokes.

In response, the tobacco industry has come up with “menthol mimics” that imitate the cooling effect of menthol, and smokers are taking note of the innovation, a new study pub...

The Future of Plant-Based Cheeses

A slice of tasty, stretchy, creamy cheese may soon be easier to come by for those on a dairy-free diet.

Researchers in Canada are working to create plant-based cheeses with all the taste and texture of traditional, dairy cheese but with healthier and more sustainable ingredients, according to a new research review published Jan. 14 in the ...

These Lifestyle Moves Help Ease Low Back Pain, Study Shows

Suffering from low back pain?

Addressing your unhealthy lifestyle habits could help ease your pain better than traditional care, a new study says.

Back pain sufferers who got lifestyle coaching functioned better and had improved quality of life compared to others who received standard care, researchers report in the study published J...

CDC Confirms Another Human Bird Flu Case, Bringing Total to 67

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed another human H5N1 avian flu case -- otherwise known as bird flu -- in California on Thursday, bringing the nationwide total of cases to 67.

California has been hit hardest, accounting for 38 cases, according to CDC data.

The latest case involved a San Francisco chil...

CDC Urges Faster Testing for Bird Flu Amid Growing Outbreak

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging health care workers to accelerate bird flu testing for patients hospitalized with flu symptoms, as the H5N1 avian influenza outbreak continues to grow in the United States and Canada.

The advisory, issued Jan. 16, recommends that health care providers perform a second test...

Drug Lowers Fracture Risk in Early Postmenopausal Women

Women past menopause can protect themselves from future fractures through infrequent, cheap IV infusions of a bone-strengthening drug.

Women 50 to 60 who got two IV infusions of zoledronate (Reclast) within five years had a 44% lower risk of spinal fractures, compared to women who received a placebo, according to results published Jan. 15 ...

Why Some Families Consider Brain Donation for Autism Research

FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Brain tissue samples are essential for scientific research, especially when it comes to brain disorders such as autism spectrum disorder.

Not surprisingly, samples are hard to get.

Despite the great need for brain tissue, donations remain rare and aren't easily collected.&nbs...

Cancer Deaths Dropping Despite Rise in New Cases

The cancer death rate continues to decline in the U.S. but new cases are rising among women, potentially undermining progress against the nation’s second-leading killer, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The cancer death rate declined by 34% between 1991 and 2022, representing about 4.5 million deaths ...

Sewer Sludge Is Dangerous to Health, EPA Says of Biosolids and PFAS

Sewer sludge from wastewater treatment plants appears to expose farmers and nearby neighbors to toxic “forever” chemicals, a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) draft risk assessment says.

This sludge -- which is sometimes applied to farmland as fertilizer -- can contain high levels of chemicals called per- and polyf...

AI Helps Predict Memory Issues, Cognitive Decline During Menopausal Transition

Artificial intelligence might be able to more quickly and affordably identify menopausal women who are having problems with memory or cognition.

AI effectively identified women with severe subjective cognitive decline (SCD), or self-perceived confusion or memory problems, researchers report in a new study published Jan. 14 in the journal <...

Teen Stress Is Expensive, Experts Say -- So How Can We Reduce It?

Stressed-out teenagers appear to be dragging down the U.S. economy, a new study says.

Teenagers suffering from anxiety or depression are less likely to enter the workforce as young adults, and more likely to earn lower pay when they do, researchers reported in a study published today in the journal PLOS Medicine.

The economi...

FDA Proposes Nicotine Cap To Help Curb Cigarette Addiction

A rather historic U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposal aims to make cigarettes and other tobacco products far less addictive by reducing their nicotine content.

The move could help millions of Americans quit smoking while preventing many more from becoming addicted.

The proposed rule, published Wednesday in a 334-page rep...

So, Who Benefits From New Cancer Drugs?

Cutting-edge targeted therapies are pushing back the line between life and death for cancer patients.

However, these targeted cancer drugs frequently aren’t benefitting members of ethnic and racial minorities in the U.S., a new published in the journal JAMA Oncology says.

Nearly half of all new cancer drugs approved du...

Red Meat, Dementia: The Surprising Link

Steak, hamburgers, beef ribs and hot dogs are bad for the aging brain.

Folks who eat lots of red and processed meat are more likely to develop dementia, researchers reported.

Eating more than one serving of red meat a day -- 3 ounces, about the size of a bar of soap -- is associated with a 16% increased risk of cognitive decline, res...

Is Your Home Too Warm for Seniors' Brain Health?

How warm or cold a home is kept could have a direct impact on the brain health of seniors.

Seniors are best able to think and maintain attention when a home is kept between 68 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, researchers reported in a study published recently in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

The likelihood they&rsq...

Americans Are Worried About Costs of Healthcare, Survey Says

President-elect Donald Trump faces deep skepticism that his administration’s policies will make health care more affordable, a new Gallup poll says.

Nearly half the U.S. public (46%) says the country is headed in the wrong direction when it comes to Trump’s proposals to lower the cost of health care, the results show.

And...

Clean Water Isn't Available in All Parts of U.S.

Nearly a third of Americans have been exposed to unregulated contaminants in their drinking water that might affect their health.

What’s more, Hispanic and Black people are more likely to have unsafe levels of contaminants in their drinking water, and to live near pollution sources like industrial facilities, researchers said in a ne...

Drinking Alcohol Is Linked to Health Risks, Says Report

A new federal report warns that drinking alcohol could raise your risk of dying early.

The draft of the report released Tuesday by the Department of Health and Human Services states that "in the United States, males and females have a 1 in 1000 risk of dying from alcohol use if they consume more than 7 drinks per week. This risk increases ...