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Taking daily low-dose aspirin increases the risk of anemia in the elderly, a new clinical trial suggests. Not only does it raise anemia risk by more than 20% in people 70 or older, it is also associated with a decline in blood iron levels, researchers report. “This finding about anemia and aspirin is noteworthy because, in many older people, anemia has other consequences such as fatigue and general decline in function,” said lead researcher Dr. Zoe McQuilten, an associate professor of hematology with Monash University in Australia. About half of seniors in the United States take aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes, the researchers noted. However, major groups that once strongly recommended low-dose aspirin — such as the American Heart Association and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — have tightened their guidelines after newer studies found the therapy increases the risk of dangerous bleeding. “We knew from large clinical trials that daily low-dose aspirin increased the risk of clinically significant bleeding [bleeding that requires a blood transfusion or other treatment for the bleeding],” McQuilten said. But it wasn’t clear whether aspirin also contributed to full-fledged anemia, or a lack of healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body’s organs, the researchers added. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, headache, chest pain and pale or yellow skin,… read on > read on >

Cutting back social media to a spare 30 minutes per day could be the key to reducing anxiety, depression, loneliness and feelings of fear of missing out, researchers say. That was true for college students in a new study who self-limited social media — often successfully and sometimes squeezing in just a bit more time — for two weeks. “I think on the one hand, the results are kind of counterintuitive, right? If you talk to many people, they would tell you that social media is how they manage their stress, how they keep themselves entertained, how they stay connected with other people. So, I think the typical perception is that people use social media to cope,” said lead author Ella Faulhaber, a doctoral student in human-computer interaction at Iowa State University. Faulhaber said researchers gained interesting insights when they asked participants about their experience. “Lots of them said, ‘I had trouble at first but then I realized how much I better slept, how I actually connected more with people in real life, how I found myself keeping busy with other things,’” Faulhaber said. The study dovetailed with recent health advisories from the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Psychological Association, which warned that young people’s mental health has suffered as their use of social media has surged. Faulhaber’s team worked with 230 college students,… read on > read on >

For the first time ever, the nation’s top panel of preventive health experts has recommended that doctors routinely screen all adult patients under 65 for anxiety disorder. Evidence now shows that anxiety screening can help those patients find peace of mind, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) said in recommendations that were published online June 20 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “The task force found that for the patients who are 19 to 64, what we call the general adult population, the evidence was robust on reducing their symptoms of anxiety. There was also benefit around general quality of life as well,” USPSTF vice chair Dr. Michael Silverstein said. The task force also reiterated its longstanding recommendation that adults receive regular depression screening. “We were able to identify effective practices to screen the adult population for common and serious mental health disorders,” Silverstein said. “The good news is that screening for depression and anxiety can identify these conditions early. When this screening is linked to quality mental health care, patients benefit.” However, the task force did not recommend anxiety screening for seniors. “In the population 65 and older, we didn’t see the same quality of evidence that spoke to those outcomes,” said Silverstein, a professor of health services, policy and practice at the Brown University School of Public Health in Rhode… read on > read on >

In the face of an ongoing and widespread legal assault on transgender rights — one that threatens to cut off access to critical aspects of trans health care — a pair of new studies suggest that gender-affirming medical care is a lifesaving treatment for those who need it. One study finds that when trans men get immediate access to hormone/testosterone therapy as part of a gender-affirming treatment plan, their mental health improves markedly. Another finds that when trans teens embark on hormone therapy they rarely, if ever, regret their decision. “Gender-affirming hormone therapy is hormone treatment to align physical characteristics — such as facial hair, changes to muscle mass or body fat — with an individual’s gender identity,” explained study author Brendan Nolan, an endocrinologist with Austin Health in Melbourne, Australia. “For people desiring ‘masculinization,’ this involves the same doses and types of testosterone used to treat cisgender men [when someone’s sex at birth matches their own gender identity] with low testosterone,” added Nolan, who is pursuing his doctorate at the University of Melbourne. For the study, Nolan’s team tracked how 64 adult trans men fared over a three-month period. All wanted to begin testosterone treatment immediately. But only half were allowed to do so. The other half was told to ride out a standard three-month waiting list. “We found that the people who received… read on > read on >

You could have high blood pressure and not realize it. The only way to know for sure is to have your blood pressure tested. It’s an important step, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), and so is understanding your results so you can keep your blood pressure under control. A diagnosis of high blood pressure — and any unusually low blood pressure readings – must be made by a health care professional. Blood pressure readings have two numbers. Systolic blood pressure is the upper number and tells you how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls when the heart contracts. The diastolic blood pressure is the lower number and it reveals the pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls while the heart muscle rests between its contractions, the AHA said. Although either number can be used to diagnose high blood pressure, the systolic blood pressure is more notable and can be a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease for people over 50. That number typically rises steadily with age because large arteries stiffen and there is long-term buildup of plaque and an increased incidence of cardiac and vascular disease, the AHA said. Here are the five blood pressure ranges: American Heart Association The five blood pressure ranges are normal, elevated, hypertension stage 1, hypertension stage 2 and hypertensive crisis.… read on > read on >

(HealthDay news) — Fatty liver disease is increasing rapidly among Americans, outpacing obesity rates across many racial groups and affecting the liver health of millions, a new study reports. Overall, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in Americans increased 131% during the past three decades, rising from 16% in 1988 to 37% in 2018, the researchers said. By comparison, obesity only increased by 74% during the same period, affecting 40% of Americans by 2018, according to findings presented Friday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, in Chicago. “This is an important condition that seems to be getting worse over time,” said Dr. Theodore Friedman, chair of internal medicine at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science, in Los Angeles. “The rate has increased more than the rate of obesity in the United States.” Fatty liver disease occurs when excess fat begins to be stored in the liver, causing inflammation and eventually scarring, Friedman said. It’s akin to foie gras or pate, which is created by overfeeding ducks or geese. “Most people can live with fatty liver disease, but some people progress to the liver not working, cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer,” Friedman said. Some with fatty liver disease need an organ transplant, Friedman said. “I think it’s less than 1%. It’s not that often,” Friedman said of liver transplants. “But because… read on > read on >

There is an epidemic of loneliness and isolation today, and the consequences can be deadly, researchers say. Folks who reported that they were socially isolated or felt lonely were more likely to die early from all causes including cancer, according to a sweeping review of 90 studies that included more than 2.2 million people from around the globe. Exactly how loneliness or social isolation affects a person’s health and well-being is not fully understood, but many theories exist, the researchers reported. People who are socially isolated or lonely may be less likely to eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise and more likely to smoke and consume alcohol. In addition, social isolation is linked to inflammation and weakened immune systems. People who are socially isolated may be less likely to receive medical care due to their smaller social networks. Social isolation and loneliness are not one and the same, the researchers pointed out. Social isolation refers to a lack of contact with other people. By contrast, loneliness is the feeling of being alone, regardless of social contact. For the study, researchers led by Maoqing Wang and Yashuang Zhao from Harbin Medical University in China reviewed 90 studies. Folks who reported being socially isolated and feeling lonely were more likely to die early from all causes including cancer. What’s more, social isolation was linked to… read on > read on >

Let’s talk about menopause and its impact on your sex life. We all know that this phase of life can bring about some changes, like a lower sex drive and vaginal dryness. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to suffer through it. In this article, we will break down how menopause affects your sexual experiences, share some medications and self-care tips that can make a real difference, and give you a glimpse into how sex may be different postmenopause. So, buckle up and get ready to take control of your sexual well-being during this transformative time. Let’s dive in! Sex and Menopause “Menopause can bring about a range of effects on sexual function—some positive and some not so great. However, what’s crucial to understand is that sexual satisfaction plays a significant role in multiple aspects of our overall health. It is directly linked to life satisfaction, quality of life, marital happiness, and overall well-being,” says Dr. Catherine Hansen, MD, MPH, a NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner and the head of menopause for Pandia Health, a doctor-led birth control delivery service founded and led by women. “In fact,” Hansen says, “Sexual dysfunction can be just as debilitating as other chronic diseases such as IBS or arthritis.” And as most adults know, maintaining a healthy sex life is paramount for leading a happy and healthy life. This… read on > read on >

Alzheimer’s robs its victims of their memories and there is no cure, but there are things you can do to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. With Alzheimer’s, two types of brain proteins, called tau tangles and beta-amyloid plaques, grow out of control. According to Harvard Health, these proteins destroy brain cells and cause symptoms like confusion, memory loss and personality changes. Yet, there are many preventive measures that can be taken to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Here are six ways you can help prevent this debilitating condition and protect your brain health. How to prevent Alzheimer’s Exercise According to Alzheimer’s Society UK, the results of 11 studies revealed that Alzheimer’s risk was reduced by 45% for middle-aged people who exercised regularly. Older people have also been scientifically shown to benefit from exercise, which helps improve memory and thinking. While the reasons exercise is so beneficial for reducing Alzheimer’s risk are still being researched, one study published in Nature Metabolism points to a hormone called irisin that’s released during physical activity. The researchers showed that this hormone has positive effects on cognition and nerve inflammation in the brain. “The most convincing evidence is that physical exercise helps prevent the development of Alzheimer’s or slow the progression in people who have symptoms,” Dr. Gad Marshall, director of clinical trials at Brigham & Women’s Center for Alzheimer Research… read on > read on >

Nearly 10 million Americans are at risk for blindness from diabetic retinopathy, a new study finds. In 2021, an estimated 9.6 million people in the United States — 26% of those with diabetes — had the eye illness and nearly 2 million had the most severe form, “vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy” (VTDR), researchers say. That’s 5% of those with diabetes. “This finding illustrates the burden of this potentially vision-threatening complication of diabetes,” said researcher David Rein, a senior fellow and director of the Public Health Analytics Program at NORC at the University of Chicago. “This finding is driven primarily by the large increase in diabetes in the United States that has occurred over the last 20 years, and underscores the importance of prioritizing eye care and diabetic retinopathy screening among people with diabetes,” he said. Diabetic retinopathy affects the small blood vessels in the eye, explained Dr. Talia Kaden, an ophthalmologist at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York City. “The small vessels in the eye can become damaged and abnormal, you can have a loss of blood supply to parts of the eye that can result in swelling in the back of the eye, bleeding in the back of the eye or the formation of abnormal blood vessels,” she said. “If left unchecked, it can lead to vision loss.” An estimated 1… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Low-Dose Aspirin Could Raise Anemia Risks in Older Adults

When College Students Cut Back on Social Media, They Got Happier: Study

Screen All Adults Under Age 65 for Anxiety Disorders, Expert Panel Says

Hormonal Therapies Boost Mental Health of Transgender People, and Few Stop Treatment

Know Your Blood Pressure Numbers and What They Mean

Cases of Obesity-Linked Liver Disease Rising Steeply Among Americans

Global Study Shows Loneliness Can Shorten Life Spans

Your Sex Life Doesn’t Have to Suffer During Menopause

Preventing Alzheimer’s: Here’s 6 Ways You May Reduce Your Risk

Almost 10 Million Americans Have Diabetes-Linked Eye Disease