Health & Medicine News

September 12, 2025

Top Headlines

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 risk of developing long-term back issues. The ...

Toxic “Forever Chemicals” Found in 95% of Beers Tested in the U.S.

Sep. 12, 2025 — Forever chemicals known as PFAS have turned up in an unexpected place: beer. Researchers tested 23 different beers from across the U.S. and found that 95% contained PFAS, with the highest concentrations showing up in regions with known water ...

Your Morning Coffee Could Secretly Be Weakening Antibiotics

Sep. 11, 2025 — Researchers have discovered that everyday substances like caffeine can influence how bacteria such as E. coli respond to antibiotics. By examining 94 common drugs and food ingredients, scientists found that certain compounds trigger genetic ...

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 tested immunotherapy in resectable cases, with ...

Blocked Blood Flow Makes Cancer Grow Faster

Sep. 11, 2025 — Researchers at NYU Langone Health discovered that cutting off blood flow accelerates cancer growth by prematurely aging the bone marrow and weakening the immune system. In mouse models, restricted blood flow doubled the growth rate of breast tumors, ...

Surprising Gut Discovery Reveals a Hidden Trigger of Diabetes and Liver Disease

Sep. 10, 2025 — Scientists in Canada have uncovered a surprising culprit behind high blood sugar and liver problems: a hidden fuel made by gut bacteria. This little-known molecule, called D-lactate, slips into the ...

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 company to guide personalized cancer ...

Don’t Toss Cannabis Leaves. Scientists Just Found Rare Compounds Inside

Sep. 10, 2025 — Scientists at Stellenbosch University have uncovered a rare class of plant compounds, flavoalkaloids, in Cannabis leaves for the first time. Using advanced two-dimensional chromatography and mass spectrometry, they identified 79 phenolic compounds ...

Metformin’s Secret Brain Pathway Revealed After 60 Years

Sep. 10, 2025 — Metformin, long trusted for diabetes, turns out to work in the brain too. By shutting down Rap1 in the hypothalamus, the drug lowers blood sugar more effectively than previously understood, opening doors for new ...

The Foods That Delay Dementia and Heart Disease. Backed by a 15-year Study

Sep. 9, 2025 — What we eat as we age may determine how many chronic illnesses we face later in life. A 15-year study of more than 2,400 older adults reveals that diets rich in vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and healthy fats slow the accumulation of diseases like ...

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 adults. This breakthrough points to a future where ...

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 guidance is urgently ...

Latest Headlines

updated 9:40am EDT

How Orangutans Thrive in Feast and Famine Without Gaining Weight

Sep. 9, 2025 — Orangutans, humans’ close evolutionary relatives, have developed remarkable strategies to survive in the unpredictable rainforests of Borneo. A Rutgers-led study reveals that these apes balance ...

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 ...

Seven Blood Molecules That Could Explain Why You’re Always Sleepy

Sep. 8, 2025 — Scientists discovered seven molecules in the blood linked to excessive daytime sleepiness, a condition that affects one in three Americans and raises the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. ...

Scientists May Have Found a Way to Strengthen Bones for Life

Sep. 8, 2025 — Scientists at Leipzig University have identified a little-known receptor, GPR133, as a key player in bone health. By stimulating this receptor with a new compound called AP503, they were able to ...

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 ...

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 ...

Heart Attacks May Actually Be Infectious

Sep. 8, 2025 — Scientists from Finland and the UK have uncovered groundbreaking evidence that heart attacks may be triggered by infectious processes rather than just cholesterol and lifestyle factors. Hidden ...

Scientists Uncover Surprising Link Between Diet and Nearsightedness

Sep. 8, 2025 — Researchers studying over 1,000 children found that omega-3 fatty acids may help protect against myopia, while saturated fats may increase risk. Kids with more omega-3 in their diet had healthier eye ...

Hidden Gut Cells Could Transform Food Allergy Treatment

Sep. 8, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a surprising new pathway behind life-threatening food allergies. Instead of histamine, a different chemical called leukotrienes drives severe reactions in the gut. These ...

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 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 ...

Scientists Discover How to Wipe out Breast Cancer’s Hidden Cells

Sep. 2, 2025 — Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have shown for the first time that it’s possible to detect dormant cancer cells in breast cancer survivors and eliminate them with repurposed drugs, ...

Why Alzheimer’s Attacks the Brain’s Memory Hub First

Sep. 2, 2025 — Virginia Tech researchers are investigating how overloaded mitochondria in the brain’s memory circuits may spark early Alzheimer’s damage. Their work focuses on calcium signaling and how it might ...

Scientists Just Made CRISPR Three Times More Effective

Sep. 7, 2025 — Northwestern scientists have developed a new nanostructure that supercharges CRISPR’s ability to safely and efficiently enter cells, potentially unlocking its full power to treat genetic diseases. ...

Metformin’s Mysterious Metal Effect Could Explain Its Big Health Benefits

Sep. 3, 2025 — Metformin, the world’s most widely used diabetes drug, has long been recognized for its surprising range of benefits beyond lowering blood sugar, from reducing inflammation to lowering cancer risk. ...

How Long Can One RSV Shot Protect Seniors? Study Shows Surprising Two-Year Shield

Sep. 1, 2025 — A single RSV vaccine dose is proving to be a powerful shield for older adults, significantly reducing hospitalizations and severe illness over two consecutive RSV seasons. While protection is ...

Scientists Reveal Breakthrough Blood Pressure Treatment That Works When Others Fail

Aug. 31, 2025 — A breakthrough pill, baxdrostat, has shown remarkable success in lowering dangerously high blood pressure in patients resistant to standard treatments. In a large international trial, it cut systolic ...

Common Heart Drug Taken by Millions Found Useless, Possibly Risky

Aug. 31, 2025 — Beta blockers, used for decades after heart attacks, provide no benefit for patients with preserved heart function, according to the REBOOT trial. The massive study also found women faced higher ...

New AI Model Predicts Which Genetic Mutations Truly Drive Disease

Aug. 30, 2025 — Scientists at Mount Sinai have created an artificial intelligence system that can predict how likely rare genetic mutations are to actually cause disease. By combining machine learning with millions ...

Cells “vomit” Waste in a Hidden Healing Shortcut That Could Also Fuel Cancer

Aug. 30, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a surprising new healing mechanism in injured cells called cathartocytosis, in which cells "vomit" out their internal machinery to revert more quickly to a stem ...

Why Ultra-Processed Diets Make You Gain Fat Even Without Extra Calories

Aug. 30, 2025 — Men eating ultra-processed foods gained more fat than those eating unprocessed meals, even with equal calories. Their hormone levels shifted in worrying ways, with testosterone falling and pollutants ...

Strange New Bacteria Found in Amazon Sand Flies. Could It Spread to Humans?

Sep. 6, 2025 — A newly discovered species of Bartonella bacteria in Brazil’s Amazon sand flies shares DNA similarities with dangerous Andean strains. Scientists stress the need for further studies to see if it ...

Overworked Neurons Burn out and Fuel Parkinson’s Disease

Sep. 3, 2025 — Overactivation of dopamine neurons may directly drive their death, explaining why movement-controlling brain cells degenerate in Parkinson’s. Mice with chronically stimulated neurons showed the ...

Hidden Viruses in Our DNA Could Be Medicine’s Next Big Breakthrough

Sep. 3, 2025 — Scientists have decoded the 3D structure of an ancient viral protein hidden in our DNA. The HERV-K Env protein, found on cancer and autoimmune cells, has a unique shape that could unlock new ...

Study Finds Cannabis Improves Sleep Where Other Drugs Fail

Sep. 2, 2025 — A long-term study following insomnia patients treated with cannabis-based medical products revealed sustained improvements in sleep quality, mood, and pain management over 18 months. Most ...