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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
September 9, 2026
Sep. 9, 2026 An experimental compound called AP503 significantly strengthened bones in mice by activating GPR133, a receptor that boosts bone formation while slowing bone loss. Because the same treatment has also been linked to stronger muscles, researchers see ...
Sep. 9, 2026 Semaglutide, the drug found in Ozempic and Wegovy, was linked to nearly 40% fewer asthma attacks in a large real-world study. It was also associated with about 20% fewer COPD flare-ups. Researchers say GLP-1 drugs may offer respiratory benefits in ...
Sep. 8, 2026 Scientists found that caffeine activates an ancient cellular energy system involved in stress resistance, DNA repair, and growth. The discovery could help explain caffeine’s links to healthier aging and may point toward new ways to target the same ...
Sep. 8, 2026 Semaglutide, the drug behind Ozempic and Wegovy, may have benefits that extend well beyond weight loss and diabetes. In a large Swedish study of nearly 15,000 people with bipolar disorder, its use was linked to a 21% lower risk of psychiatric ...
Sep. 8, 2026 Researchers have found a potential way to attack prostate cancers that evade treatment by changing their cellular identity. Combining two types of drugs reversed many of these changes and sharply slowed tumor growth in preclinical experiments, ...
Sep. 8, 2026 Starting statins soon after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis may do more than protect the heart. In a nationwide Danish study of more than 132,000 people, those who began statin treatment within a year of diagnosis had a 15% lower relative risk of ...
Sep. 7, 2026 A surprising immune system signal may help explain why zebrafish can regenerate damaged spinal cords so effectively. Researchers found that certain neutrophils release Il-4, which calms harmful inflammation and allows injured nerve fibers to grow ...
Sep. 7, 2026 A chemical commonly used in dry cleaning and found in some household products may be an overlooked threat to liver health. Researchers found that people with detectable levels of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in their blood were three times more likely ...
Sep. 7, 2026 A large study of nearly 74,000 men suggests that long-term use of tadalafil, best known as Cialis, may be linked to a higher risk of glaucoma and other eye pressure problems. Men prescribed the drug for urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged ...
Sep. 7, 2026 Scientists have found evidence that some gut bacterial populations can spread rapidly between people and across continents, suggesting the microbiome may be more transmissible than previously thought. The research also revealed hidden bacterial ...
Sep. 7, 2026 Cancer is becoming an even larger global health threat, with nearly 21 million people diagnosed and 9.8 million dying from the disease in 2024. New estimates suggest about 1 in 5 people worldwide will develop cancer during their lifetime, while ...
Sep. 6, 2026 MIT engineers have developed injectable “mini livers” designed to help support people whose failing livers can no longer perform essential jobs. Instead of replacing the damaged organ, the ...
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Sep. 8, 2026 Researchers discovered that combinations of toxin-blocking proteins naturally found in rattlesnake blood can powerfully neutralize venom from several dangerous snake species. In lab tests, the ...
Sep. 8, 2026 More than 1,200 genetic variants have been linked to the Big Five personality traits, and many of the same variants are also associated with health, longevity, careers, income, and everyday habits. ...
Sep. 8, 2026 Physicists have directly observed a long-predicted quantum effect of gravity, putting one of Einstein’s foundational ideas to a striking new test. ...
Sep. 6, 2026 A large study involving more than 270,000 people has linked higher blood levels of the amino acid tyrosine to a shorter lifespan in men. Using both observational data and genetic analysis, ...
Sep. 6, 2026 Researchers have mapped breast tumors in striking detail and uncovered hidden pockets of dormant cancer cells that may help explain why cancer can return after treatment. Unlike rapidly dividing ...
Sep. 6, 2026 Older adults at risk of dementia improved their memory and thinking after following lifestyle programs combining exercise, healthy eating, cognitive training, and social engagement. Those who ...
Sep. 6, 2026 Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol commonly used in sugar-free candy, gum, and other low-calorie foods, may not be as harmless as it seems. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that the ...
Sep. 6, 2026 Researchers may have found a new way to weaken glioblastoma’s defenses against treatment. Blocking a protein called SET prevented tumors from forming in preclinical models, while targeting related ...
Sep. 5, 2026 Heart disease and chronic kidney disease can accelerate one another, but new guidelines say simple screening and early treatment could substantially ...
Sep. 5, 2026 Scientists have found evidence that vulnerability to rheumatoid arthritis may begin before birth. Finger joints commonly affected by the disease develop with different tissue structures and larger ...