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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 22, 2026
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 compounds, known as PAHs, can form during cooking ...
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 showed no worsening in blood sugar control, insulin ...
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 found that older adults with “normal” but lower ...
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 that slightly changing the angle of a person’s ...
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 patients. That finding suggests high-dose GLP-1 ...
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 new wave of precision anti-aging therapies aimed at ...
May 21, 2026 A new theory suggests many age-related diseases may actually start decades before symptoms appear. Researchers say early-life damage — from infections, injuries, or genetic mutations — can remain ...
May 21, 2026 Eating too much junk food early in life may rewire the brain in ways that last into adulthood, even after switching to a healthier diet. Scientists found that high-fat, high-sugar diets changed feeding behavior and disrupted appetite-control regions ...
May 21, 2026 A huge international review found that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and premature death over the long term. Researchers say these ...
May 21, 2026 Scientists have uncovered alarming new evidence that a common insecticide may leave lasting marks on the developing brain before a child is even born. Researchers studying New York City children found that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos — a ...
May 21, 2026 Scientists have unveiled a powerful new tool called PerturbFate that could change how researchers tackle diseases driven by huge numbers of genetic mutations, including cancer and Alzheimer’s. Instead of trying to target every faulty gene ...
May 21, 2026 Researchers discovered that leucine, a nutrient found in protein-rich foods, can supercharge mitochondria by protecting crucial energy-producing proteins inside cells. The breakthrough uncovers a powerful new link between diet and cellular energy ...
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May 21, 2026 MIT scientists have identified cysteine — an amino acid found in foods like meat, dairy, beans, and nuts — as a potent trigger for intestinal repair. In mice, a cysteine-rich diet activated ...
May 20, 2026 Women may be especially sensitive to the effects of common dementia risk factors, according to a new UC San Diego study of over 17,000 adults. Researchers say tailoring prevention strategies ...
May 20, 2026 A newly identified enzyme called IDOL could become a major new target in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that removing it from neurons sharply reduced amyloid plaques and ...
May 20, 2026 Researchers have developed a light-driven method for creating tiny, high-energy “housane” molecules that are valuable for drug development and materials science. These compact ring-shaped ...
May 19, 2026 Low vitamin D levels could be quietly making breast cancer surgery recovery far more painful. In a new study, patients deficient in vitamin D were three times more likely to experience moderate to ...
May 19, 2026 Scientists have discovered that a topical anti-aging drug called ABT-263 can dramatically improve wound healing in older skin. The treatment works by removing damaged “senescent” cells that ...
May 19, 2026 Scientists have identified a protein that appears to put the brakes on the chronic inflammation linked to aging. Older mice with boosted levels of the protein were stronger, more energetic, and had ...
May 19, 2026 People who lost significant weight while taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Saxenda had sharply lower risks of major obesity-related health problems, including sleep apnea and kidney disease. Those ...
May 19, 2026 A large European study revealed that a lower-calorie Mediterranean diet paired with exercise and coaching dramatically reduced the risk of type 2 ...
May 18, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a hidden “sugar code” on the surface of human cells that could transform how diseases are detected. Using an advanced imaging technique called Glycan Atlasing, ...