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Saliva
Saliva is the watery and usually somewhat frothy substance produced in the mouths of some animals, including humans. Produced in salivary glands, saliva is 98% water, but it contains many important substances, including electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various enzymes. The digestive functions of saliva include moistening food, and helping to create a food bolus, so it can be swallowed easily. Saliva contains the enzyme amylase that breaks some starches down into maltose and dextrin. Thus, digestion of food occurs within the mouth, even before food reaches the stomach.
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Health & Medicine News
May 26, 2026
May 26, 2026 Researchers at Texas A&M have developed a nasal spray that appears to reverse brain aging by calming inflammation and restoring the brain’s energy systems. After just two doses, memory and cognitive function improved for months, raising hopes for ...
May 26, 2026 USC researchers have identified potential new drug compounds that may reduce the brain inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease, especially in people with the high-risk APOE4 gene. The compounds ...
May 26, 2026 Eating more beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and other soy foods could be a surprisingly powerful way to fight high blood pressure. A major analysis of studies from around the world found that people ...
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May 25, 2026 A massive international study could upend 40 years of heart attack treatment. Researchers found that beta blockers—routinely prescribed after uncomplicated heart attacks—offered no real benefit ...
May 25, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising twist in how cells behave when division goes wrong. Sometimes a cell successfully copies its DNA but fails to split into two, leaving it with double the genetic material — a mistake linked to aging, cancer, ...
May 25, 2026 Drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice may do more than support heart health — it could actually reshape the bacteria living in the mouth in ways that help lower blood pressure in older adults. In the largest study of its kind, researchers found ...
May 24, 2026 Scientists at McGill University have found a way to supercharge the immune system’s natural killer (NK) cells, helping them break through the defenses tumors use to stay alive. By temporarily blocking two proteins, researchers turned these cells ...
May 24, 2026 Scientists at UT Southwestern have uncovered a surprising new “master switch” that helps control how much cholesterol the liver sends into the bloodstream. The newly identified protein, HELZ2, works by shutting down the genetic instructions ...
May 24, 2026 Researchers found that adding bananas to berry smoothies can dramatically reduce the body’s ability to absorb healthy flavanols. The surprising discovery shows that even simple food combinations can change how much nutrition your body actually ...
May 24, 2026 Scientists have cracked open the “black box” of feline cancer in a landmark study that genetically analyzed nearly 500 cat tumors from around the world. The research uncovered striking ...
May 24, 2026 For millions battling chronic nerve pain, even the softest touch can feel agonizing — but scientists may have uncovered a radically new way to stop it at the source. Researchers at Duke University found that damaged nerves can be revived by ...
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May 24, 2026 By analyzing over 400,000 Reddit posts, researchers discovered that users of popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs frequently discussed unexpected symptoms like menstrual irregularities, chills, and hot ...
May 23, 2026 A surprising study suggests vitamin D2 supplements may reduce the body’s levels of vitamin D3 — the more effective form of vitamin D. Researchers ...
May 23, 2026 A new analysis is raising concerns about Wegovy, the blockbuster weight-loss drug, after researchers found it may carry the highest risk of a rare “eye stroke” that can cause sudden vision loss. ...
May 23, 2026 Scientists have created an AI-powered system that can scan and map an entire mouse body in extraordinary detail — and it just uncovered a surprising new effect of obesity. Beyond disrupting ...
May 22, 2026 Scientists have identified potentially cancer-causing chemicals hiding in many everyday foods, especially those exposed to high heat cooking methods like grilling, roasting, smoking, and frying. The ...
May 22, 2026 A new clinical trial suggests that eating beef every day may not be as risky for people with prediabetes as many assume. Researchers found that adults who ate 6–7 ounces of beef daily for a month ...
May 22, 2026 Getting enough vitamin B12 to meet current health guidelines may not actually be enough to protect the aging brain. Researchers at UC San Francisco ...
May 22, 2026 A surprisingly simple walking tweak may offer new hope for millions living with knee osteoarthritis. In a year-long clinical trial, researchers found ...
May 22, 2026 Researchers have discovered that the GLP-1 hormone targeted by drugs like Wegovy is present in very low amounts inside the joints of arthritis ...
May 22, 2026 Scientists are uncovering a surprising truth about aging cells: some may damage the body, while others help protect it. The discovery is fueling a ...