“Hidden hunger” — low levels of essential vitamins or minerals — is common among people with type 2 diabetes, a new evidence review says Overall, as many as 45% of type 2 diabetics are suffering multiple deficiencies in vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, researchers reported Jan. 28 in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. The review “exemplifies the double burden of malnutrition in action,” where people trying to manage their diabetes through diet wind up with nutritional deficiencies, concluded the research team led by Dr. Daya Krishan Mangal, an adjunct professor at the International Institute of Health Management Research in Jaipur, India. For the evidence review, researchers pooled results from 132 prior studies involving more than 52,500 participants between 1998 and 2023. Very low levels of vitamin D were the most common deficiency, affecting more than 60% of people with type 2 diabetes. Other common deficiencies included magnesium (42%), iron (28%) and vitamin B12 (22%). People on the diabetes drug metformin were at higher risk for B12 deficiency, with 29% having low levels of that vitamin. Women with diabetes were more likely to have vitamin deficiencies than men, 49% versus 43%, results show. And diabetics in North and South America had the highest levels of vitamin deficiencies, with 54% suffering a lack of specific nutrients. “The treatment of type 2 diabetes often tends to focus…  read on >  read on >

Adderall shortages have prompted doctors to switch kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to other forms of stimulant medication. Adderall prescription fills for children and teens plunged after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a shortage of the drug in October 2022, researchers reported in a new study published today in the journal Pediatrics. But at the same time, prescriptions for other types of stimulant drugs used in ADHD treatment increased, according to study results. “Our findings suggest that the Adderall shortage did not cause many children to stop stimulant therapy altogether, but it did force some to switch to alternative stimulants,” lead investigator Sijia He, a researcher at the Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center in the University of Michigan, said in a news release. It’s too soon to tell whether these alternative stimulants wound up being a good or bad thing for children with ADHD, He noted. “This would be potentially concerning if the switches may have resulted in worsened ADHD control,” He said. “We need more research to evaluate whether any switches led to adverse outcomes.” More than 11% of children will be diagnosed with ADHD at some point during their lives, and prescription stimulants are considered a first-line treatment when drugs are required, researchers said in background notes. Stimulants are the most widely used ADHD medication, according…  read on >  read on >

In the throes of winter’s yearly round of respiratory virus outbreaks, it pays to remember what Grandma told you. Wash your hands often, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough and stay away from folks who may be infected. And, of course, wearing a mask won’t hurt. Respiratory viruses that cause the common cold, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19 and flu peak at this time of year. Vaccines can help head off RSV, COVID and flu, but there’s no vaccine to protect against the common cold. While Grandma’s advice on prevention is still sound, experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine dismiss some old-school misconceptions about these diseases.  For example, colds are not caused by exposure to cold weather or getting wet in winter. Having COVID once does not provide lifetime immunity. The flu vaccine won’t give you flu. And the RSV virus only affects young kids.  Most important, Johns Hopkins doctors advise, if you do get sick, see your doctor for a diagnosis and, if appropriate, treatment for your particular illness. Getting plenty of rest, keeping warm, increasing fluid intake and using over-the-counter medications for congestion, sinus woes and aches and pains can help.  Here’s what else Johns Hopkins doctors want you to know: Common cold: It’s caused by one of more than 200 viruses and spread through coughing, sneezing…  read on >  read on >

Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, otherwise known as ADHD, may face a shorter life expectancy than their peers. On average, men with ADHD died seven years earlier than men without it, while women with ADHD died nine years earlier than their counterparts, according to a study of more than 30,000 people published Thursday in The British Journal of Psychiatry.  “It’s a big number, and it is worrying,” Joshua Stott, lead study author and professor of aging and clinical psychology at University College London, told The New York Times.  The study didn’t identify specific causes of death, but found that people with ADHD were more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol and have other health issues like depression, self-harm or personality disorders. ADHD is often associated with impulsive behaviors and difficulty managing time or health, which can lead to riskier choices, Stott explained. These challenges can lead to higher rates of accidents and chronic health conditions, The Times reported. Previous research supports these findings. A 2022 meta-analysis found that people with ADHD were nearly three times more likely to die from unnatural causes, such as accidents or suicides.  What’s more, a 2019 study linked ADHD to reduced life expectancy due to smoking, alcohol use, poor sleep and lower income. Russell Barkley, lead author of that study, said the data made it clear that ADHD should not…  read on >  read on >

Chalk up a partial win for health influencers who tout the slimming benefits of sparkling waters. New research out of Japan affirms that carbonated water may, indeed, promote weight loss by lowering blood sugar levels, allowing cells to burn fat between meals for energy more efficiently. But don’t buy a smaller wardrobe just yet. The findings suggest that any benefit is small.  Blood sugar levels dropped only temporarily, and study author Dr. Akira Takahashi said the carbonated water would have only a small impact on calorie consumption. “Carbonated water is not a standalone solution for weight loss,” he wrote in the study, which was published Jan. 20 in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. Seltzers and sparkling or carbonated waters have gained a following among health buffs for their purported effects on body mass.  Some point to a small 2017 study that found carbonated drinks stimulated appetite by increasing levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin. But findings of that study, which involved only 20 people and male rats, have never been replicated. Takahashi’s new research, expands on a 2004 investigation of hemodialysis by his team at Tesseikai Neurosurgical Hospital in Shijonawate, Japan. He is a physician in the hospital’s kidney dialysis center. Hemodialysis is a process that occurs during kidney dialysis, when CO2 enters the blood, just as it would when carbonated water is…  read on >  read on >