Health & Medicine News

September 18, 2025

Top Headlines

Doctors Warn of a Stealth Opioid 20x More Potent Than Fentanyl

Sep. 18, 2025 — Nitazenes, a powerful and largely hidden class of synthetic opioids, are quickly becoming a deadly factor in the overdose crisis. Over 20 times stronger than fentanyl, these drugs often go undetected on routine drug tests, making overdoses harder to ...

The Hidden Group That Loses COVID Protection Fast

Sep. 18, 2025 — Why do some people stay protected after vaccination while others quickly lose immunity? Researchers in Japan tracked over 2,500 people for 18 months and found four distinct immune response patterns. The so-called “rapid-decliners” looked strong ...

Scientists Build Micromotors Smaller Than a Human Hair

Sep. 18, 2025 — Using laser light instead of traditional mechanics, researchers have built micro-gears that can spin, shift direction, and even power tiny machines. These breakthroughs could soon lead to revolutionary medical tools working at the scale of ...

Goodbye Colonoscopy? Simple Stool Test Detects 90% of Colorectal Cancers

Sep. 17, 2025 — Scientists at the University of Geneva have created the first detailed catalogue of gut bacteria at the subspecies level, unlocking powerful new ways to detect colorectal cancer. By applying machine learning to stool samples, they achieved a 90% ...

Rogue DNA Rings May Be the Secret Spark Driving Deadly Brain Cancer

Sep. 17, 2025 — Rogue DNA rings known as ecDNA may hold the key to cracking glioblastoma’s deadly resilience. Emerging before tumors even form, they could offer scientists a crucial early-warning system and a chance to intervene before the disease becomes ...

Scientists Reverse Stroke Damage with Stem Cells

Sep. 16, 2025 — Scientists in Zurich have shown that stem cell transplants can reverse stroke damage by regenerating neurons, restoring motor functions, and even repairing blood vessels. The breakthrough not only healed mice with stroke-related impairments but also ...

Stanford Scientists Reveal Simple Shift That Could Prevent Strokes and Obesity Nationwide

Sep. 16, 2025 — Switching clocks twice a year disrupts circadian rhythms in ways that harm health. Stanford scientists found permanent standard time would reduce obesity and stroke rates nationwide, making it the ...

Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro Makes Food Taste Sweeter and Saltier, and That May Quiet Cravings

Sep. 16, 2025 — Some people taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro notice that food suddenly tastes sweeter or saltier, and this subtle shift in flavor perception appears tied to reduced appetite and stronger feelings ...

Semaglutide May Silence the Food Noise in Your Head

Sep. 16, 2025 — People taking semaglutide report far fewer obsessive thoughts about food, with cravings dropping sharply and mental health improving. This new research hints the drug may offer freedom from the constant distraction of food ...

Eating Mediterranean Could Be the Secret to Healthy Gums

Sep. 16, 2025 — Eating more like the Mediterranean—rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, and olive oil—may do more than just support heart health. A new King’s College London study suggests it also protects against gum disease by lowering inflammation markers ...

Why so Many Young Kids with ADHD Are Getting the Wrong Treatment

Sep. 16, 2025 — Preschoolers with ADHD are often given medication right after diagnosis, against medical guidelines that recommend starting with behavioral therapy. Limited access to therapy and physician pressures drive early prescribing, despite risks and reduced ...

New Drug Could Be First to Stop Deadly Fatty Liver Disease

Sep. 16, 2025 — Scientists at UC San Diego have identified a new drug, ION224, that could transform the treatment of MASH, a dangerous form of fatty liver disease tied to obesity and diabetes. By blocking a key liver enzyme, the drug reduces fat and inflammation, ...

Latest Headlines

updated 9:57am EDT

Stress Measured in Hair Could Predict Depression and Anxiety in Children

Sep. 16, 2025 — Researchers from the University of Waterloo discovered that measuring long-term stress through children’s hair samples can reveal early signs of mental health risks in those living with chronic ...

Scientists Test an Anti-Aging Cream That Actually Works

Sep. 15, 2025 — A 28-day trial showed that pterostilbene cream improved wrinkles, skin firmness, collagen, and pore size far better than a control emulsion. The results highlight pterostilbene as a promising natural ...

Millions Have Diabetes Without Knowing It

Sep. 15, 2025 — A sweeping global study reveals that nearly half of people with diabetes don’t even know they have it, with young adults being the most overlooked. While most diagnosed patients receive treatment, ...

Guava’s Secret Molecule Could Fight Liver Cancer

Sep. 15, 2025 — Nature has long been the source of lifesaving medicines, from willow bark’s natural aspirin to new discoveries in tropical fruits. Now, chemists at the University of Delaware have pioneered a way ...

Daily Eye Drops Could Make Reading Glasses Obsolete

Sep. 15, 2025 — Eye drops combining pilocarpine and diclofenac helped patients read extra lines on vision charts, with effects lasting up to two years. The treatment could revolutionize presbyopia care as a safe, ...

Half of Adults Suffer from Dry Eyes, but Most Never Get Help

Sep. 15, 2025 — Dry eyes are far more common than previously believed, with over half of adults in the US and Europe experiencing symptoms, yet most remain undiagnosed for years. The large-scale NESTS study reveals ...

Cannabis Use May Quadruple Diabetes Risk

Sep. 14, 2025 — A massive study of over 4 million adults has revealed that cannabis use may nearly quadruple the risk of developing diabetes. Despite some earlier suggestions that cannabis might have metabolic ...

Being Too Thin Can Be Deadlier Than Being Overweight, Danish Study Reveals

Sep. 14, 2025 — New research from Denmark challenges long-held assumptions about body weight and health, revealing that being overweight—or even moderately obese—does not necessarily increase the risk of death ...

1 in 8 Americans Have Already Tried Ozempic and Similar Weight Loss Medications

Sep. 14, 2025 — GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic have transformed weight loss in the U.S., with nearly 12% of Americans having tried them, according to a new RAND report. ...

Sleepless Nights May Raise Dementia Risk by 40%, Mayo Clinic Reveals

Sep. 14, 2025 — Chronic insomnia may do more than leave you groggy, it could speed up brain aging. A large Mayo Clinic study found that people with long-term sleep troubles were 40% more likely to develop dementia ...

AI Can Now Predict Who Will Go Blind, Years Before Doctors Can

Sep. 14, 2025 — Researchers trained AI on tens of thousands of eye scans, enabling doctors to predict which keratoconus patients need early treatment and which can be safely monitored, cutting down on unnecessary ...

Most Quit Breakthrough Weight-Loss Drug Within a Year

Sep. 14, 2025 — A massive Danish study reveals that despite the remarkable weight-loss benefits of semaglutide, more than half of adults without diabetes stop using it within a year. High costs, unpleasant side ...

Fatty Liver Breakthrough: A Safe, Cheap Vitamin Shows Promise

Sep. 12, 2025 — Researchers identified microRNA-93 as a genetic driver of fatty liver disease and showed that vitamin B3 can effectively suppress it. This breakthrough suggests niacin could be repurposed as a ...

Surprising Giant DNA Discovery May Be Linked to Gum Disease and Cancer

Sep. 13, 2025 — Scientists in Tokyo have uncovered “Inocles,” massive strands of extrachromosomal DNA hidden inside bacteria in human mouths. These giants, overlooked by traditional sequencing, could explain how ...

Mapping the Secret Escape Routes of Deadly Brain Tumors

Sep. 10, 2025 — Glioblastoma’s stealthy spread has met a new challenge: MRI-powered fluid flow mapping that reveals where the cancer is likely to invade next. The innovation is now being advanced by a spinoff ...

Blood Test Spots Hidden Mesothelioma That Scans Can’t See

Sep. 11, 2025 — New research suggests that immunotherapy given before and after surgery could help patients with diffuse pleural mesothelioma, one of the most challenging cancers to treat. A phase II clinical trial ...

Simple Blood Test Could Spot Alzheimer’s Years Before Symptoms

Sep. 9, 2025 — Scientists discovered that certain blood proteins linked to brain injury and inflammation strongly correlate with early signs of memory and cognitive decline, especially in Hispanic and Latino ...

Ozempic’s Hidden Pregnancy Risk Few Women Know About

Sep. 9, 2025 — Thousands of women are using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic for weight loss without contraception, leading to unintended pregnancies and potential risks for unborn babies. Experts warn clearer medical ...

Smog in the Brain: Dirty Air Speeds Alzheimer’s Decline

Sep. 8, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that even short-term exposure to polluted air can speed up Alzheimer’s, worsening toxic protein buildup in the brain and accelerating memory loss. The research connects ...

The Sleep Switch That Builds Muscle, Burns Fat, and Boosts Brainpower

Sep. 8, 2025 — UC Berkeley researchers mapped the brain circuits that control growth hormone during sleep, uncovering a feedback system where sleep fuels hormone release, and the hormone regulates wakefulness. The ...

Why the Flu Turns Deadly for Older Adults, and How Scientists Found the Cause

Sep. 8, 2025 — Researchers have uncovered why older adults are more vulnerable to severe flu. The culprit is a protein called ApoD, which rises with age and disrupts the body’s ability to fight infection. This ...

Salmon’s Secret Superfood Is Smaller Than a Grain of Salt

Sep. 8, 2025 — Tiny diatoms and their bacterial partners act as nature’s nutrient factories, fueling insects and salmon in California’s Eel River. Their pollution-free process could inspire breakthroughs in ...

One Number at Age 7 Could Predict How Long You Live

Sep. 7, 2025 — Children with higher blood pressure as young as age 7 face a sharply increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by their mid-50s, according to a massive decades-long study. Researchers found ...

Scientists Just Found out Forever Chemicals Are Shockingly Acidic

Sep. 13, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered that “forever chemicals” like PFAS are even more acidic than anyone realized, meaning they dissolve and spread in water with alarming ease. Using a cutting-edge method ...

One Daily Habit Could Save You from Chronic Back Pain

Sep. 12, 2025 — Walking every day could be the simplest and most effective way to prevent chronic lower back pain. A large study involving over 11,000 people found that walking more — not faster — reduces the ...

Scientists Watch Parkinson’s Protein Drill Holes in Brain Cells

Sep. 4, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a surprising way Parkinson’s disease may start: tiny toxic proteins that punch holes in brain cells like revolving doors. Instead of causing instant collapse, these ...

Scientists Reveal How Breakfast Timing May Predict How Long You Live

Sep. 4, 2025 — Meal timing shifts with age, and researchers found that eating breakfast later is tied to depression, fatigue, sleep problems, and an increased risk of death. Monitoring when meals are eaten could ...

Sweeteners in Diet Drinks May Steal Years from the Brain

Sep. 4, 2025 — A large Brazilian study following more than 12,000 middle-aged adults found that those consuming the most artificial sweeteners—commonly found in diet sodas, flavored waters, and processed ...

Common Allergy Spray Slashes COVID-19 Risk in Surprising Trial

Sep. 7, 2025 — A common hay fever nasal spray was found to cut COVID-19 infections by two-thirds in a clinical trial, while also reducing rhinovirus cases. Researchers believe it could serve as an easy, low-cost ...

A 3-Minute Brainwave Test Could Spot Alzheimer’s Years Before Symptoms

Sep. 4, 2025 — Scientists at the University of Bath have developed a simple three-minute brainwave test called Fastball EEG that can detect memory problems years before Alzheimer’s is typically diagnosed. Unlike ...