There’s been plenty of scientific debate about whether vaping is safer than tobacco, and whether it may help some people stop smoking. According to a recent Cochrane Review analysis of 78 studies, electronic cigarettes show more success in helping people quit smoking than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies, such as nicotine patches and gums. “The most important finding from our recent review update is that for the first time there is high certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies, such as patches, gum or lozenges, in helping people to quit smoking,” said study co-author Ailsa Butler. She is a postdoctoral researcher from the University of Oxford’s Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, in the United Kingdom. But is vaping better than smoking? Let’s look at how vaping compares to smoking in terms of its safety and effects on your health. How vaping works Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are handheld devices that contain a reservoir for liquid, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. This liquid is vaporized upon heating. The heating element is usually powered by a battery. The liquid that goes into the reservoir or “pod” comes in both nicotine and nicotine-free forms. While the liquid may be free of harsh chemicals, it may contain carcinogens or other toxins that can be harmful to your health, according to the National Institute on Drug…  read on >  read on >

Primary care doctors are no longer just in the physical health business: Americans are increasingly turning to them for mental health care, too, a new study finds. Looking at Americans’ primary care visits between 2006 and 2018, researchers found a 50% increase in the proportion of visits that addressed mental health concerns. That figure rose from just under 11% of visits, to 16% by the end of the study period. The reasons are unclear, experts said, but it’s not just a matter of mental health conditions becoming more common: During the same period, other studies show, the national rate of mental health disorders rose by about 18%. Instead, it seems primary care doctors are shouldering more responsibility for diagnosing and in some cases treating, mental health conditions. “I think this study really underscores the importance of primary care in our country,” said lead researcher Dr. Lisa Rotenstein, medical director of population health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. That also means primary care doctors need the resources to make sure patients diagnosed with mental health conditions get the best treatment, she said. The findings — published in the February issue of the journal Health Affairs — are based on an ongoing government survey that collects information on Americans’ office-based medical care. Rotenstein’s team analyzed records from nearly 110,000 primary care visits, representing roughly 3.9…  read on >  read on >

Electric cars are still in the minority on America’s roads, yet researchers are already seeing health benefits from reduced tailpipe pollution. In a new California study, neighborhoods with the most all-electric cars — called zero-emission vehicles — saw a decline in asthma-related emergency room visits. Researchers believe this was a result of lower levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the air. “Results from this study provide some of the first real-world evidence suggesting that switching to zero-emissions vehicles could be a win-win, both reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and potentially improving local air quality and health,” said study co-author Sandrah Eckel, an associate professor of population and public health sciences at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles. The adoption of electric cars, however, was seen in areas with higher incomes and educational levels, she said. This might be due to their higher cost and the lack of charging facilities in rental properties. “We are concerned about environmental justice because the communities that stand to benefit the most from reductions in air pollution and asthma ER visits are the communities at risk of being left behind in the transition to electric,” Eckel said. “We need to overcome some of these barriers and make sure that the policies that are made can target the populations that stand to benefit the most…  read on >  read on >

If you are one of the millions of people distressed by low libido, help may be on the way in the form of a new hormone shot. Two new British studies suggest that injections of the hormone kisspeptin could boost sexual desire in men and women. When folks with low sexual desire received kisspeptin shots, areas of their brains charged with feeling sexual desire lit up on scans when they watched erotic videos. “It’s very nice to see something that works in women and men,” said co-senior study author Dr. Alexander Comninos, a consultant in endocrinology and diabetes and an honorary clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London. Kisspeptin may stimulate the release of other reproductive hormones, leading to enhanced desire. “Kisspeptin relieves the brake on true sexual arousal,” Comninos said. More studies in larger groups of people are needed to confirm the findings, and kisspeptin is still considered an investigational treatment. “We are in the early stages, but in five to 10 years, we may be able to use kisspeptin to treat distressing low sexual desire in men and women,” Comninos said. However, not everyone with low libido finds it distressing or concerning. In one study of 32 women aged 19 to 48 with low sexual desire, kisspeptin injections boosted brain activity in key brain parts responsible for arousal while…  read on >  read on >